The Zohar" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="source-link">Tikkunei_Zohar" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="source-link">Tikkunei Zohar, a profound and mystical commentary on the Zohar, offers a powerful image for just that feeling, and for how to combat it. It speaks of cleaving to the ashrei—that feeling of being fortunate, blessed, truly alive. This ashrei, it says, is the very crown and head of the Torah itself.
And what happens when we connect to it?
Well, Psalm 1:3 tells us: "And he shall be like a tree planted by rivulets of water..." Isn't that a beautiful image? The Tikkunei Zohar goes on to equate this with the Tree of Life itself. Its leaves, it says, “shall not wither.” This idea of unfading vitality, of constant renewal, is the very first tiqun, the very first act of mending and repairing the world.
But how do we do that? How do we tap into this source of eternal life? The Tikkunei Zohar then introduces another key element: music.
Not just any music, mind you. Specifically, "song," or shyr in Hebrew. And this shyr, the text tells us, is connected to Ḥokhmah, that spark of divine wisdom. Interestingly, the word shyr (שיר) is also seen as being composed of ShaR (שר), meaning "sings," and the letter Yod (י).
Now, things get a little more esoteric here. The text delves into the significance of the Yod, the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet, but also one of immense power. It speaks of three Yods – י־י־י – representing the top, end, and middle. These, it says, are alluded to in the concealed Name, represented as YOD QeY VAV QeY.
What's going on here? Why all this focus on letters and names?
Well, in Kabbalah, the letters of the Hebrew alphabet are not just symbols; they are vessels of divine energy. By contemplating them, by understanding their relationships to each other, we can gain deeper insight into the structure of reality itself. And the Name... well, that's a whole other level of mystery, too complex to unpack here. But suffice it to say, it’s a glimpse into the unpronounceable essence of God.
So what does it all mean for us? I think the Tikkunei Zohar is suggesting that by connecting to that feeling of ashrei, by immersing ourselves in the "song" of creation – whether that means literally listening to music, engaging in acts of creativity, or simply appreciating the beauty around us – we can tap into a source of vitality that transcends the limitations of our physical existence. We can become that tree planted by rivulets of water, its leaves forever green.
What is the "song" that nourishes your soul? Where do you find that feeling of ashrei that connects you to the Tree of Life?