It’s powerful stuff, and not everyone agrees on how much we should explore it.
We see this tension reflected in the words of the sage Yair, who seems hesitant to delve too deeply into these esoteric matters. He's not alone. The wise Ba'al Shemen, whose words are highly regarded, also expresses caution. He even worries about causing "fatigue in the hands" from engaging too much with this sacred wisdom! Talk about respect for the material. He yearns to learn it directly from the mouths of the Kabbalists (practitioners of Kabbalah), recognizing its immense value.
Now, there's this idea floating around: If you're given access to this wisdom, you can't just ignore it. According to Ba'al Shemen, turning away from Kabbalah after receiving it is a serious misstep. But here's the balance: you can engage with Kabbalistic teachings, even when you stumble upon things that seem confusing or contradictory. The trick? Accept it with the “faith of an artist” – a really beautiful image.—and keep your understanding concise. In other words, don't get lost in the weeds.
So, if both R. Yeshayah and Yair acknowledge that someone is genuinely pondering these matters deeply, why the hesitation? It seems there's an acknowledgement that some secrets are best left undisturbed until one is truly ready. There's mention of a desire to "awaken a spirit from on high." And here's where it gets fascinating: proof is offered that this individual did merit Kabbalistic wisdom.
In section 182, it’s written that there might still be hidden secrets in two verses: "Alufim bat yachil" and "Shalosh alafim bat katef." According to this line of thinking, the sin of the first human corrupted three thousand elements of truth, greatness, and humanity. Only the laws against idolatry, sexual immorality, and murder remained intact. King David then rectified the truth, but because he shed so much blood, as God said, "You shall not build the House, for you have shed much blood," he couldn't fully rectify the law of bloodshed. His son, Solomon, being a man of peace, completed the work. Solomon rectified two thousand, and with the addition of one thousand from his father, three thousand were rectified. The idea of "bat" (daughter) is also key here, representing where the primary flaw lies. Deep stuff. There’s also a reference to the matter of Seder Kuf Ayin Vav (סדר קעו) – the number 106 – concerning impure nourishment in one of his eyes. Even with all that, there’s a belief that harmonization is possible, that apparent contradictions can be unified. The text suggests that there are 248 organs that correspond to the 248 supernal lights and the 248 organs of the soul. So, any deficiency impacts the divine throne, intertwining hidden secrets within the organs of the body, leading to a lack of abundant blessing.
The text even mentions a specific year, 5745 (תרל"ה), when responses were composed and collected in the book "Yehi Or" – "Let There Be Light." These responses totaled 232 (רל"ב), corresponding to the four-lettered fullness of the Divine Name (הויה) in a particular permutation, representing the father, mother, son, daughter, and the smallest one. This connects to the idea of light emanating on the first day, bringing beauty and sovereignty within understanding.
It's worth noting that the father of this individual also possessed divine reception, with verses based on combinations of the Divine Name like "Ben M"V," "Yod Bet," and "Kaf Dalet." The true sage, the possessor of the luminary lamp, was also a divine receiver.
There are further references to specific sections (Perek) within a work. For example, in Perek Tzadik Gimmel, there's an explanation of "Baruch She'amar" (Blessed be He who spoke) in the format of the ten Sefirot (divine emanations). In Perek Tzadik Hey, it's stated that Kaddish (a Jewish prayer) requires a minimum of ten people, because the sanctity higher than the ten Sefirot is completed with ten. In Perek Kuf Lamed Gimmel, Jacob's fear upon descending to Egypt is discussed, leading him to offer sacrifices to reconcile all the divine attributes in Be'er Sheva.
These sections highlight different aspects of Jewish law, prayer, and understanding of the divine.
The text then brings us to a powerful conclusion: there's no real dispute about the validity of Kabbalah, from ancient times to later generations, among both the masses and individuals. Everyone agrees that if you're fortunate enough to receive it, there's no greater gift. But – and this is a big but – it’s forbidden to inquire and investigate it unless you willingly accept it with complete faith and don't try to interpret it solely with your human intellect. You have to trust in what's difficult to grasp, relying on faith rather than undermining the soul with assumptions.
Ultimately, it’s about finding your path, ordering your way so that you can "turn and hear the voice of God." So, are we ready to delve into these mysteries, accepting them with faith and humility? That's a question each of us has to answer for ourselves.
You have shown the fear and trepidation of the esteemed sage, Yair, regarding delving into esoteric matters, and you rely on the words of the wise sage, Ba'al Shemen, to shed light on them. His words have been brought forth on high. Yet, he is still cautious, explicitly stating his concern about causing fatigue in the hands from engaging in this sacred wisdom. He praises this wisdom, desiring to merit learning it from the mouths of the Kabbalists. He acknowledges that anyone who refrains from studying it after receiving it is cast out from its enclosure. However, he also permits engaging with Kabbalistic teachings, even if encountering perplexing matters, as long as they are accepted with the faith of an artist and one's understanding remains concise. Therefore, according to your statement, both the testimony of R. Yeshayah and the perspective of Yair affirm and declare about you that you ponder matters from your heart. Where, then, is your separation that you mentioned? Didn't you yourself say, "Who will grant us to awaken a spirit from on high," and so on? And I bring you proof that he merited the wisdom of Kabbalah, for in section 182 he wrote, may his memory be blessed, that it is possible that there are still hidden secrets and mysteries in the two verses: "Alufim bat yachil" and "Shalosh alafim bat katef." For through the sin of the first man, three thousand elements of truth, greatness, and humanity were corrupted, and only the law of bloodshed against idolatry, sexual immorality, and murder remained. And King David rectified the truth, therefore he did not taste sleep at night, and he did not have the opportunity to rectify the law of bloodshed as well, as the Holy One, blessed be He, said, "You shall not build the House, for you have shed much blood." Only your son Solomon shall build it, for he is a man of peace, etc. And Solomon rectified two thousand, and with the addition of one thousand from his father, three thousand were rectified. The matter of "bat" (daughter) is known to the initiated, for the main flaw is there, and he elaborated further on the secret of the matter there. Regarding the matter of Seder Kuf Ayin Vav (106), concerning the impure nourishment in one of his eyes, and despite all that, I read a dispute because it appears to me that in their harmonization, there is room for unification. However, where there is another suitable explanation, it is appropriate to consider it as a possibility, for it is known that the 248 organs correspond to the 248 supernal lights and the 248 organs of the soul. And if so, since this deficiency affects the throne, hidden secrets are intertwined within the organs of the body, and there is a lack of abundant blessing in the cup. The Supreme One also affirms this in the seal of the book, as he composed responses in the year 5745 (תרל"ה), and he collected from them 232 (רל"ב) in the book "Yehi Or," which corresponds to the four-lettered fullness of the Divine Name (הויה) in permutation of Samekh-Gimel-Mem-Heh (סגמה), representing the father, mother, son, daughter, and the smallest one. "And let there be light, Yah Yair." They are the sources of beauty and sovereignty within understanding, which is the light that emanated on the first day. And he further expounded on the secrets and hidden matters extensively. His father, too, possessed the illuminating oil of divine reception, as his verses were printed at the end of the book. They are based on the name "Ben M"V" and "Yod Bet," combinations of the Divine Name, and "Kaf Dalet," combinations of lordship, and the name "Ben Kaf Bet." Additionally, the true sage, the possessor of the luminary lamp, was also a divine receiver. He wrote in Perek "Tzadik Gimmel" about Baruch She'amar, explaining its content in the format of the ten Sefirot and so on. In Perek "Tzadik Hey" it is stated that Kaddish is not recited with fewer than ten people. The reason for this is that the sanctity, which is higher than the ten Sefirot, is completed with ten. In Perek "Kuf Lamed Gimmel" it is written that when Jacob descended to Egypt, he saw that the exile began with him and his descendants, and he feared it. He offered sacrifices to the fear of his father Isaac, so that the attribute of judgment would not be directed against him. He did this in Be'er Sheva, which was a house of prayer for his ancestors, and he brought peace offerings to reconcile all the attributes, as the term "Shelamim" implies bringing peace to complete the attribute of strength. In Perek "Kuf Mem Zayin" it is written that the perfection of sanctity is found in the ten allusions to the ten divine utterances through which the world was created. In Perek "Kuf Nun Gimel" it is written, "And in the path of truth, God created for six days, etc., and on the seventh day, it is Shabbat, and it has no partner." The assembly of Israel is its partner, as it is said, "And the land was united." And behold, it is Shemini Atzeret, for there everything is halted. This is their statement: "Shemini is a festival in itself, separate from the first seven days, for it is the emanation of the primordial beings and is not in their unity. Whoever understands the essences will comprehend and find the truth." In the closing of the book, it is written: "And on the fifth day, I have left the profound matters that are hidden and lofty, which only an individual in each generation can grasp, should he wish to write the secrets in his composition." Rather, because they are not suitable for every individual. It is evident that there is no one who disputes the validity of the Kabbalah, neither the ancients nor the later generations, not the multitude nor the individuals, not the great scholars nor the lesser ones. On the contrary, everyone agrees that whoever merits receiving the Kabbalah, there is no better measure than it. And it is forbidden to inquire and investigate it, unless one willingly accepts it with complete faith and does not interpret it with human intellect. For one should rely on what is difficult for him to grasp in the limitation of his knowledge and not undermine the essence of the soul by assuming anything. Thus, all the words of the humblest are fulfilled. "Order your way, and you will turn and hear the voice of God."
