In the mystical realms of Kabbalah, this idea takes center stage, especially when we delve into the secrets of the Kalach Pitchei Chokhmah, or "32 Openings of Wisdom."
We've talked before about how government, or influence, resides in the Reshimu, the "Residue" (see Opening 27). The Reshimu is like a faint echo of creation, a potentiality. And the Kav, or "Line," is hidden within it, representing the Divine light's initial emanation. But now, doesn't it seem like the Kav is actually the source of all influence? After all, it appears that any influence comes from these openings, which are from the inside – the Line itself. So where does influence really come from? The Residue, or the Line?
The answer, as often happens in Kabbalah, lies in understanding the interplay between the hidden and the revealed. What is revealed is revealed "according to the level of the body," not the soul. Think of it this way: we are each a microcosm, a miniature universe. We are made of a neshama, a soul, clothed in a guf, a body. The body is structured with apertures and cavities. The cavities are like container vessels, meant to be filled. The apertures? Those are vessels of exit.
The soul fills those container vessels, and then emits light through the exit vessels, through the apertures. It all works according to the nature of the body and its vessels. When the soul shines through these exits, it creates a radiant splendor around the body.
Now, here's the crucial point: the soul doesn't change the body. It remains as it is. Even when the soul brings forth its light, it does so only according to the body's inherent nature. As the Otzrot Chaim teaches, "the light of the brain is called AV, while the light of the ear is called SaG." The vessels that bring forth the light exist only to reveal what’s happening inside, in those container vessels.
So, what does this mean for our understanding of influence and the Line?
The root of influence lies in the connection between the soul and the body, on the inside. Influence is revealed in the face – in our interactions, our actions. And a greater revelation comes in the radiant splendor emerging from the fissures, from the openings, with all that is revealed there.
Think of it as a lamp. The light source itself is hidden, but its effect is visible. The lamp itself doesn’t create the light, but shapes and directs it. Similarly, the Divine Light, the Kav, is the source, but it's revealed through the vessels – the openings – of creation.
Ultimately, this teaching reminds us that true influence isn't about outward show. It's about the inner connection, the interplay between the soul and the vessel, the hidden and the revealed. It’s about how we, as vessels, choose to channel the Divine light within us and allow it to shine outward, illuminating the world around us. And that, perhaps, is the greatest revelation of all.