In Jewish mysticism, the concept of Zohar" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="source-link">tikkun olam, repairing the world, is central. But where do we even begin?
Well, Kabbalah offers a fascinating starting point. Our text from Kalach Pitchei Chokhmah, a key Kabbalistic work, suggests the entire process of repair hinges on a specific connection. And it all starts with something called MaH and BaN.
Now, what are MaH and BaN? They are complex terms referring to specific divine emanations or lights. Think of them as aspects of God's creative force. More specifically, they represent two radiations emanating from the forehead and eyes of Adam Kadmon, the primordial Adam, a foundational concept in Kabbalah representing the original, perfect form of humanity.
According to our source, the initial connection between MaH and BaN happened on a grand, cosmic scale – at the "overall root of the governmental order," as the text puts it. Once that foundational connection was established, it then played out in detail throughout all the different worlds. It’s like setting the master blueprint for a building, and then executing the details in each room.
Before this "repair," MaH and BaN were, shall we say, not on the best of terms. They were in a state of "dejection," not quite working in harmony. But the tikkun involved binding them together. Imagine a spark igniting – an “immediate awakening of love between the lights,” as the text beautifully describes.
And what was the result of this cosmic reconciliation? Suddenly, everything changes. Instead of distance and disharmony, each light shows a "friendly face" to the other. All the Partzufim become bound together. Partzufim (singular: Partzuf) are divine "faces" or configurations, complex arrangements of the Sefirot, the ten emanations of God.
This binding is described with familial imagery: Father and Mother, Son and Daughter. Each showing "kinship" to the other. The relationships between these divine entities are no longer strained but loving and supportive. Think of it as a family feud being resolved, and everyone finding their place within the family structure.
So, what does this all mean for us?
Perhaps it's a reminder that repair starts at the root. That fixing the big picture – the fundamental connections and relationships – is essential before we can truly address the details. And maybe, just maybe, it suggests that even the most seemingly distant or discordant parts of ourselves, or of the world, can be brought into harmony through love and connection. Can we find the MaH and BaN within ourselves, and bring them into alignment? It's a question worth pondering.