And it all starts with understanding how things are meant to be connected.
The Zohar" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="source-link">Tikkunei_Zohar" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="source-link">Tikkunei Zohar, a collection of mystical commentaries on the Torah and a companion to the Zohar, dives deep into these connections. In Tikkunei Zohar 61, we find a fascinating idea linked to the biblical commandment of tithing.
You know, giving a tenth of your produce? Deuteronomy 14:22 tells us "You shall ‘surely’ tithe" – aser te-’aser in Hebrew. But why the double language, the repetition? The Tikkunei Zohar sees a profound reason. It's not just about giving; it's about binding.
Specifically, it's about binding Malkhut, often translated as "Kingdom," which is the tenth and final sefirah, or divine attribute, on the Tree of Life. Think of the sephirot as emanations of God’s light, each one a different aspect of the divine. And Malkhut? It’s the vessel that receives and manifests that light in our world.
The Tikkunei Zohar explains that the double tithing – the first tithe to the Levite, and the tithe of the tithe to the Priest – acts as two arms embracing Malkhut. The Levites and Priests, in this context, represent forces that help to elevate and refine Malkhut. They are channels, conduits for divine energy.
Why is this embrace so important? Because all the sephirot, when expressed through Malkhut, need to be brought to their fullest expression. The text tells us they add up to ten within Malkhut, but that through tikkun, correction, they become one hundred. Imagine each sefirah amplified, intensified by this process of refinement.
And what is Malkhut after this process of refinement? It becomes a terumah, an offering, for all one hundred. It becomes something elevated, consecrated, and ready to serve its purpose.
So what's the takeaway? It's more than just giving ten percent. It's about recognizing the interconnectedness of all things, the flow of divine energy, and our role in refining and elevating the world around us. It's about understanding that even a seemingly simple act like tithing can have profound mystical implications, helping to bind and elevate the divine presence in our world.
It makes you wonder, doesn’t it? What other seemingly mundane acts hold hidden potential for tikkun olam? What can we do to help embrace and elevate Malkhut, to bring more light and connection into our lives and into the world?