And one of the most intriguing concepts in the Kabbalah, or Jewish mysticism, is the idea of “bekiyot” (בקיעות) – "breakthroughs" or "fissures." These aren't physical cracks, but rather spiritual apertures, points of connection between the seen and the unseen.
The Kalach Pitchei Chokhmah, a key text in Kabbalistic thought, delves into the mystery of these bekiyot. It asks us to understand what these "fissures" signify "above." It's not simply a one-time event, a single moment of breaking through. Instead, it's a continuous process.
Imagine, if you will, that we could see the full radiant splendor of the divine soul. According to the Kalach Pitchei Chokhmah, we would then witness how the soul, already an integral part of the Divine "face," constantly emits a shining, radiant light. This light, in its intensity, continuously "breaks through" and emanates through these spiritual apertures, these bekiyot.
Think of it like sunlight streaming through cracks in a darkened room. The light was always there, but only becomes visible through the openings.
But here's the twist. We don't see that radiant splendor. It's concealed. And because of this concealment, the only visible action we perceive is the formation of these apertures themselves. The source, the soul, is hidden.
It's like we only see the holes, but not the light that creates them.
The text goes on to explain the difference between the face and the apertures. Even though the radiant splendor is hidden, the face itself is still visible to some degree. The face acts as a kind of "garb" for the soul, a partial manifestation. But when the soul emanates through the apertures, "we see nothing at all, because the soul goes out with no garb at all."
This is a profound idea. It suggests that there are aspects of the soul, of the divine, that are so pure, so unadulterated, that they cannot be contained or even partially revealed in the same way as other aspects. They are raw, unfiltered, and therefore, invisible to our ordinary perception.
What does this mean for us? Perhaps it means that we are constantly surrounded by the unseen, by the subtle emanations of the divine soul breaking through into our reality. We may not see them directly, but their presence is felt, their influence undeniable. These bekiyot remind us that there is always more to the story, more to reality, than what we can perceive with our senses.
So, the next time you feel a sense of wonder, a sudden flash of insight, or a profound connection to something beyond yourself, perhaps you're experiencing the subtle effect of these bekiyot, these spiritual breakthroughs, reminding us of the hidden depths of the soul and the boundless nature of the divine.