Sefaria Sha'ar HaEmunah VeYesod HaChasidut, Introduction to Beit Yaakov 6
Sefaria Sha'ar HaEmunah VeYesod HaChasidut, Introduction to Beit Yaakov 6
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Having established that true knowledge is the knowledge of God’s revelation on earth, the author now shows how this to be the meaning of the Shema Yisrael prayer: “Hashem Elo-heinu, Hashem Echod.” That is, Hashem, the Transcendent God, is also Elo-heinu, the imminent God. In R. Gershon Henokh’s eyes, this defines the mystery of faith, for true faith is the ability to perceive God’s light and providence in each detail of creation. In the chapter following this one, R. Gershon Henokh refers to this knowledge as Ma’aseh HaMerkava, “the Workings of the Chariot.” This was a term coined by the Sages of the Talmud in references to Yehezkel’s vision of a supernal throne, carried by angels, on which sat an image of the Divine. Talmudic mystics, who delved into the depths of this topic were known as “Descenders of the Chariot.” However, R. Gershon Henokh defines Ma’aseh HaMerkava in a novel way. The merkava is not the chariot in Yehezkel’s, but the entirety of creation, which, when viewed through the lens of faith, becomes a dwelling place for the revelation of God in the world.
Concerning the meaning of the Shema Yisrael the Zohar writes (Terumah, 160b): The two words Shema Yisrael (Hear O Israel) express a unification of three sides, which are the three words Hashem Elo-heinu Hashem (Hashem is our God, Hashem), since it is all one. Further in the Zohar, it is written (Terumah, 161a): Rabbi Hiya spoke after him and said (Devarim 4:35), “It was shown to you, so you may know that Hashem is God, there is none other besides Him”; (Devarim 4:39) “And you shall know this day, and take into your heart, that Hashem is God, in the heavens above and on the earth below, there is none other.” The entire mystery of faith depends on these words. From this one can know the secret of all secrets, the most hidden of all mysteries, which is that “Hashem Elo-him,” is one full name, and it is all one. And in the Zohar (Pekudei, 260a): One who knows how to combine similar things (min b’mino) – to make connections, connecting chamber to chamber, level to level – has a share in the world-to-come, as we have established. Therefore, it is the completeness of all. And when the levels are completed, one joined to the other, then it is all one action, and the completeness that comes out of this combination (min b’mino) is called Ma’aseh Merkava, the workings of the Divine Chariot. This is the secret of (Bereshit, 2:7), “and Hashem Elo-him formed man.” “Hashem Elo-him” is one complete name, and the resulting action of combining the two names into one is the formation of man. In this way we say, “Hashem is Elo-him.” This is as the Zohar states above, that the mystery of fatih is found in the commandment: “And you shall know this day, and take into your heart, that Hashem is God (which is the same as saying Hashem is Elo-him), in the heavens above and on the earth below, there is none other.”
Dr. Joshua Kulp
Five possessions did the Holy Blessed One, set aside as his own in this world, and these are they: The Torah, one possession; Heaven and earth, another possession; Abraham, another possession; Israel, another possession; The Temple, another possession. 1a) The Torah is one possession. From where do we know this? Since it is written, “The Lord possessed (usually translated as ‘created’) me at the beginning of his course, at the first of His works of old” (Proverbs 8:22). 2a) Heaven and earth, another possession. From where do we know this? Since it is said: “Thus said the Lord: The heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool; Where could you build a house for Me, What place could serve as My abode? (Isaiah 66:1) And it says: “How many are the things You have made, O Lord; You have made them all with wisdom; the earth is full of Your possessions” (Psalms 104:24). 3a) Abraham is another possession. From where do we know this? Since it is written: “He blessed him, saying, “Blessed by Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth” (Genesis 15:19). 4a) Israel is another possession. From where do we know this? Since it is written: “Till Your people cross over, O Lord, Till Your people whom You have possessed” (Exodus 15:16). And it says: “As to the holy and mighty ones that are in the land, my whole desire (possession) is in them” (Psalms 16:3). 5a) The Temple is another possession. From where do we know this? Since it is said: “The sanctuary, O lord, which your hands have established” (Exodus 15:17”, And it says: “And He brought them to His holy realm, to the mountain, which His right hand had possessed” (Psalms 78:54).
I like to call out to all my Jewish friends:
Zechariah 8:23
23So said the Lord of Hosts: In those days, when ten men of all the languages of the nations shall take hold of the skirt of a Jewish man, saying, "Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you." | | כגכֹּֽה־אָמַר֘ יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָאוֹת֒ בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֔מָּה אֲשֶׁ֚ר יַֽחֲזִ֙יקוּ֙ עֲשָׂרָ֣ה אֲנָשִׁ֔ים מִכֹּ֖ל לְשֹׁנ֣וֹת הַגּוֹיִ֑ם וְֽהֶחֱזִ֡יקוּ בִּכְנַף֩ אִ֨ישׁ יְהוּדִ֜י לֵאמֹ֗ר נֵֽלְכָה֙ עִמָּכֶ֔ם כִּ֥י שָׁמַ֖עְנוּ אֱלֹהִ֥ים עִמָּכֶֽם: |
ten men: from the seventy nations. This equals seven hundred for each corner. For the four corners of the tallith there will be two thousand and eight hundred. | | עשרה אנשים: משבעים לשון הרי שבע מאות לכל כנף וכנף הרי לד' כנפי הטלית אלפים ושמונ' מאו': |
Please Judah if a righteous gentile tries ‘to grasp your ‘tsi-sit’ and say: "Let me go with you, for I have heard that God is with you." Open your heart for him/her and share all our Torah. The Torah of Moshe Rabbeinu as it is written and spared and is teaches in the Tanach and all scripture of Rabbinical Judaism………
Ariel your Representee, Representee of Ephraim and adviser (not a rabbi but friendly adviser) of Bet Yisrael international on the Har HaBayit.
Read my story: https://rb.gy/i654b
Please contact me for further questions: Telegram https://t.me/ArielRepresentative WhatsApp: +972 54-568-3031 Ariel van Kessel LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ariel-van-kessel-71797424 Email: arielvankessel@aol.com Ariel, hopefully your Representative
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