The tradition has something to say about that, and it's more connected to the divine than you might think.
Think about it: what happens when you feel loved and accepted? You smile, right? You radiate a certain joy. But when you're facing harsh judgment, it’s a whole different story. Your face reflects that inner turmoil, that sense of rejection. It’s a natural human response. But, according to Kalach Pitchei Chokhmah, this human experience mirrors something much deeper, something woven into the very fabric of creation.
The text presents us with a powerful pairing: the Sefirot, the divine attributes, and the creations themselves. Imagine the Sefirot as the very roots of existence. When Chesed, Kindness, reigns supreme, love flows freely. And when love flows, as the text says, creations behave in a brotherly manner, showing each other smiling faces. It's a beautiful, almost utopian vision.
But what about when Din, stern Judgment, takes hold? That's when things get heavy. The text paints a stark picture: hatred, rejection, anger etched on faces, and a pervasive sense of depression. It’s not a pretty sight, is it?
Here's the key connection: it’s not just about how we treat each other. The text suggests that the Sefirot themselves reflect this dynamic. When the Sefirot act with stern judgment, pushing creations away, they too exist in a state of "dejection," lacking joy and excitement. But when they embody kindness and bring love to the lower creations, there’s a corresponding increase of joy and excitement even within those divine realms.
It’s a mirror, reflecting upwards and downwards. Our actions, our emotions, are not isolated events. They resonate through the entire cosmos, influencing even the highest realms.
And there's more. The Sefirot, we are told, are the measures of all that exists. So, even in a time of disrepair, when hatred and dejection separate us, the Supreme Mind, the source of all wisdom, already factored that into the equation. This suggests that even in the darkest of times, there's a divine blueprint, a measure, a plan for how things are, and potentially, how things can be.
So what does this mean for us, in our daily lives? Perhaps it's a call to be mindful of the energy we put out into the world. To choose kindness over judgment, to cultivate love and acceptance, not just for others, but for ourselves as well. Because, as this teaching reminds us, our inner state, our actions, have far-reaching consequences, rippling outwards and influencing the very harmony of creation.
Maybe, just maybe, a little more kindness from us can bring a smile to the face of the universe itself.