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MILA YOMIT: THE TORAH, WORD BY WORD
"May the Torah shared and learned through Mila Yomit serve as a
Bracha:Blessing and Tefilla:Prayer for a Refuah Shleima:Complete Healing
for all those on the Mila Yomit Healing List and all beings who need a
healing. We ask anyone reading this to feel free to offer a short
prayer for these people".
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MILA YOMIT 63: (VE'ET) HA'KOKHAVIM:
(AND) THE STARS:
Conclusion of Breishit 1:16
MILA CHOZERET:REPEATING WORD
VE'ET-And ...(a subject is about to appear)
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MILA CHADASHAH:NEW WORD
HA'KOKHAVIM:THE STARS
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OTIOT:LETTERS
HEH (H)-expression, here serving as definite article-'the'.
KAPH (K)-palm
VAV (V)-connection
KHAPH (KH)-palm, soft Kaph
VET (B) -soft Bet-house
YUD (I)-Divine Spark
MEM (M)- water,
MEANING AND RELATED WORDS
The root of HA'KOKHAVIM is KOKHAV (K,V,KH,VET). M. noun meaning 'star'.
Our Mila is preceded by the definite article and concludes with the plural
form denoted by Yud, Mem ending.
The verb form for this is Kokhav (K,KH,VET) which means 'to light with
stars, to star'
KOCH (K,VAV,KH Sofit) is a M. noun meaning cave, sepulchral chamber.
It may be interesting to notice that the consonants in KOKHAV and KOCH are
all vessel letters, Kaph, and Bet.
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CONCEPTUAL MEANING
HA'KOKHAVIM:The Stars are the many other lights of the sky. The sages point
out that the Torah is consistent in presenting the creation from the earth's
perspective. The stars, even though they are much greater in size and
intensity and many of them dwarf the sun, are mentioned last because from
our vantage point they are mere specks.
The Midrash continues with the theme of the lessening of the moon:
"The stars were created as 'attendants' of the moon to mollify it for being
diminished in size.
Rav Acha said: Imagine a king who had two governors, one ruling in the city
and the other in a province.
The king said: Since the former has humbled himself to rule in the city
only, I hereby decree that whenever he goes out, the city council and the
people shall go out with him and whenever he enters, they shall enter with
him." Thus said the Holy One: "Since the moon humbled herself to rule by
night, I hereby decree that when she comes forth, the stars shall come
forth with her, and when she goes in, they shall go in with her."
Another Midrash:
"When the Holy One rebuked the moon, she fell and sparks fell from her onto
the firmaments. These are the stars."
Zohar:
"The stars are the remainder of the forces and the hosts which countless in
number, are all suspended in that 'firmament of the heaven' which is the
'life of the universe...All the stars are appointed to serve the world."
There is a wealth of discussion on astronomy and astrology in our tradition.
There is an acknowledgment that these are channels through which spiritual
forces come down to the terrestrial. Abraham was considered the leading
astrologer and Sefer Yetzira introduces the Zodiac as we know it:
Sefer Yetzira 5:4
"Twelve constellations in the Universe:
T'leh-Ram (Aries)
Shor-Bull (Taurus)
Teumim-Twins (Gemini)
Sartan-Crab (Cancer)
Ari-Lion(Leo)
Betulah-Virgin (Virgo)
Maznayim-Scales (Libra)
Akrav-Scorpion (Scorpio)
Keshet-Archer (Sagittarius)
Gedi-Kid (Capricorn)
Deli-Water Drawer (Aquarius)
Dagim-Fish (Pisces)"
Our tradition teaches however that the more we establish direct contact with
the spiritual dimension, the more we can bypass the influence of the stars
to a great extent. Our primary tool for this is prayer.
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HA'KOKHAVIM:
"The Creator took Abram outside and said, "Look at the sky and count
HA'KOKHAVIM:the stars. See if you can count them...This is how numerous your
descendants will be." (Genesis 15:5)
The Baal Shem Tov explained this as follows:
The stars appear very small, but in heaven they are really very large. The
same is true of Israel. Down in this physical world, they appear very small.
But in the world on high, they are really very large."
(Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch of Zidichov, Beth Israel, Lech Lecha 36, quoted in the
Light Beyond, by Aryeh Kaplan)
May the true light of our souls shine forth strongly into the world.
MILA YOMIT 64: VA'YITEN
AND PLACED
Breishit 1:17
OTIOT:LETTERS
VAV(V):connection -serving here as Vav HaHipuch:Vav of Inversion, changing
tense from future to past
YUD (Y)-Divine Spark
TAV (T)-seal
NUN (N)-final Nun."The final Nun is second of the five 'strengths' and is
related to the attribute of kingship.
It is also called 'the fish' or 'the
snake'. Mystically it represents the ability to turn
darkness into light." (Ophanim, Rabbi
Daveed El Harar (manuscript)).
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MEANING AND RELATED WORDS:
YITEN is the third person M. future form of the verb -<N,T,N>- which means
'to give'.
It has a number of related meanings -to give, hand over, grant, yield; to
allow, permit, let; to put, place, establish, appoint; to make, render.
Most translators choose to emphasize the meaning 'to put, to place' in this
context.
The Chasidim point out that <N,T.N> is a plandrome (sp?). Meaning spelled
the same in both directions.
The teaching contained in this is that the act of giving is one that
automatically goes in both directions, opening the channel for giving from
the other side as well.
Another palandrome is <N,GIMEL,N> le'nagen- to play music- nigun-melody.
Music opens channels in both directions.
(I'm always on the look out for more of these, so if you know of any or
think of any let me know.)
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NeTYNAH (N,T,Y,N,HEH) is the F. noun -to give-
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NaTUN (N,T,VAV,NUN) is the adjective- placed.
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MaTaNAH (M,T,N,HEH) is F.noun-'gift, present, donation.
In fact the word 'donation' is probably related to our Mila.
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CONCEPTUAL MEANING
Something that has been made is now being placed. This is the fourth verb
associated with this day of creation (as of yet unnumbered). First the
Creator -YOMER:Said, then -YAAS:Made, and now
VA'YITEN:Placed that which was created.
The Divine Presence and Attention granted to this stage of creation is
striking.
Munk explains that the Divine put them into fixed orbits.
Malbim teaches Creator appointed them for their fixed role.
Perhaps the precision of the orbits and patterns of the luminaries is hinted
at here.
For many, including myself, this the one of the main indications of the
Divine Mind.
Paul Davies in writing about Physics and God speaks about 'fundamental
constants' of nature. These are "certain quantities that play a basic role
in physics and which have the same numerical value everywhere in the
universe and at all moments in time...What impresses many scientists is not
so much the fact that alterations in the values of the fundamental constants
would change the structure of the physical world, but that the observed
structure is remarkably sensitive to such alterations.Only a minute shift in
the strength of the forces brings about a drastic change in the
structure...two types of stars-hot and radiative or cool and convective- are
known respectively as blue giants and red dwarfs.They delimit a very narrow
range of stellar masses. It so happens that the balance of forces inside
stars is such that nearly all stars lie in this very narrow
range between the blue giants and red dwarfs...this happy circumstance is
entirely the result of a remarkable numerical coincidence between the
fundamental constants of nature.
An alteration in, say, the strengths of the gravitational force by a mere
one part in 10 to the 40th power would be sufficient to throw out this
numerical coincidence. In such a world, all stars would then either be blue
giants or red dwars. Stars like the sun would not exist, nor, one might
argue, would any form of life that depends on solar type stars for its
sustenance...It is hard to resist the impression that the present structure
of the universe, apparently so sensitive to minor alterations in the
numbers, has been rather carefully thought out."
The Or Chaim, 18th century Sephardic Kabbalist explains that the Torah
included VA'YITEN in this narrative to teach that the luminaries were
appointed to give of themselves 'unconditionally' to the created regardless
of deservedness. The sun and the moon shine upon all of us.
VA'YITEN:
And the Creator gifted us. This finely tuned mechanism that allows life is a
MaTaNA: a gift.
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As we step to the Torah we offer the blessing:
Baruch Atah...Blessed Be The One Who NATAN:Gifted us with the Torah of
truth.
MILA YOMIT 65 BET: (so numbered because there are no new words to the
conclusion of pasook)
(ELOHIM BE'RQIYAA HASHAMAYIM LE'HAEER AAL HA'ARETZ)
(THE CREATOR [PLACED THE LIGHTS] IN THE EXPANSES OF THE SKIES TO
ILLUMINATE ON THE EARTH) Conclusion Breishit 1: 17.
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MILOT CHOZROT:REPEATING WORDS
ELOHIM:Creator (Mila 3)
Seventeenth mention of 32 times in the Creation narrative.
Sixth time with a verb other than 'made' or 'saw'. Relating to the sixth
simple letter-YUD.
Somehow significant that the letter YUD is connected with the 'placing' of
the Luminaries.
YUD is the Divine Spark out of which all else emanates. Like the power of
the luminaries to shine out from within itself.
In this case the verb and the object preceded the subject and were covered
in the previous two milim.
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BE'RQIYAA:IN THE EXPANSES (Mila 32)
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HA'SHAMAYIM: (OF) THE SKIES (Mila 39 & 5)
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The Talmud in Chagiga 12:b comments that this teaches us that the sun and
the moon and stars and constellations are fixed in the sky (kvooeem). Our
tradition speaks of seven firmaments, reqieem. Each one has its unique
content. Each reqiyaa contains within it its luminaries. (How many houses
are there in astrology?) And so the verse says: The Creator placed the
luminaries Be'Reqiyaa:In the expanses."
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LE'HAEER: TO ILLUMINATE (Mila 59)
AAL:ON (Mila 12)
HA'ARETZ:THE EARTH (Mila 7)
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CONCEPTUAL MEANING:
In this pasook the Creator is giving, placing -VAYITEN , them-OTAM in the
expansive sky to illuminate upon us.
The AUR:Light at the beginning of the creation has been vesselled and now is
placed in its place in order to do its work. The Torah is now in the midst
of defining what its work is.The first part is to provide illumination so
that we can live and awaken.
The sages wonder about the significance of this being the only time that
something is being placed by the Divine 'personally' as it were.
Tzvi Elimelech MeDinov comments that this is to teach us of the Creator's
Compassion.
Light is not dependent on human action. It was given to us and even if we
sin, the light will continue to shine. Always giving us a chance to continue
in the struggle, in the adventure, in the journey of creation and repair.
This paragraph has a number of repetitions as we see and shall see.
For those of you involved in learning Hebrew, I I invite you to read the
next pasook on your own and see how many words y. ou know. The whole pasook
is words we have met already
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And so we end another pasook.
AsShabbat approaches as does Chag HaAVIV:The Festival of Spring.. One of the
names of Passover.
AVIV is spelled Aleph, Bet, Yud, Bet. Our sages read it also as AV Yud
Bet:Father of the 12.
(Aleph, Bet is AV-Father. Numerical value of Yud, Bet is 12.)
This month is appropriately the first month of the twelve months.
MILAT YOMIT 65 GIMEL: ((VE'LEEMSHOL BA'YOM OOVA'LAYLA, OOLE'HAVDIL BEIN
HA'AUR OO'VEIN HA'CHOSECH, VA'YAHR ELOHIM KEE TOV)
(AND TO GOVERN IN THE DAY AND IN THE NIGHT, AND TO DIVIDE BETWEEN THE LIGHT
AND THE DARKNESS. AND THE CREATOR SAW THAT IT WAS GOOD)
Breishit: 1:18 (the entire verse, I decided to use this notation -of bet,
gimel, etc- until a new Mila appears)
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MILOT CHOZROT
VE'LEEMSHOL: AND TO GOVERN (Mila 61)
BA'YOM: IN THE DAY (Mila 27)
OOVA'LAYLA:AND IN THE NIGHT (Mila 28)
OOLE'HAVDIL:AND TO DIVIDE (Mila 24)
BEIN:BETWEEN (Mila 25)
HA'AUR:THE LIGHT (Mila 20)
OO'VEIN: AND BETWEEN (Mila 25)
HA'CHOSECH:THE DARKNESS (Mila 11)
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VA'YAHR:AND SAW (Mila 21)
ELOHIM:THE CREATOR (Mila 3)
KEE:THAT (Mila 22)
TOV (Mila 23)
Sefer Yetzira explains this- the fourth time that the Divine sees- that that
which was just created is TOV:GOOD
relates to the fourth double letter, KAPH/CHAPH. (see Mila 11 & 22 for full
explanation). KAPH is thus related to the fourth day, Wednesday. Appropriate
that this is in the creation of what is about to become the fourth day.
We learnt that KAPH is Kabbalistically related to the power to actual
potential. It alludes to the power latent within the spiritual realm to
fully manifest its potential in the physical realm of the actual'
(paraphrasing
Ginsburgh, p. 168).
These luminaries and their functions which are emphasized in this pasook
seem to be manifestations of the light of the spiritual realm manifesting
its potential in the physical realm of light.
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CONCEPTUAL MEANING
Ramban notes that the functions of the two luminaries, sun and moon, are now
defined. Their dominion is not equal, but consists of causing a distinction
between the darkness and the light. The greater luminary will dominate by
day and its light will be everywhere-even in places where (the direct rays
of) the sun do not reach.
Abarbanel comments that this was seen as TOV:GOOD because it was at its
perfect state. Had the sun been larger than it is, or closer to the earth,
its heat would burned the earth; or had its path been lower, parts pf earth
would have become frozen. Similarly-every one of the constellations is in
its exact place. (from Artscroll)
Rav Yosi in the Zohar summarizes the creation of this extraordinary day:
"(The Creator) made the moon in order to sanctify with it New Moons and New
Years.
As it is written:VE'HAYOO LE'OTOT:And They Shall Be As Signs.
This also relates to Shabbat which is an OT:Sign.
OOLE'MOADIM:And For Seasons; this relates to the YAMYM TOVIM:(lit.)GOOD DAYS
or FESTIVALS.
OO'LEYAMYM:And For Days:this relates to the days of the new moon.
OO'LESHANYM:And For Years; this relates to the (four) new years (in the
calendar).
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VE'LEEMSHOL BA'YOM OOVA'LAYLA, OOLE'HAVDIL BEIN HA'AUR OO'VEIN HA'CHOSECH,
VA'YAHR ELOHIM KEE TOV
The structure and cycles of time are now in place.
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As we begin a new cycle of days approaching a festival defined by the moon,
we are invited to
direct our intention and attention to liberation.
"By perfecting our ways and actions, personal and social, there is open to
us a great light that directs us to endless progress." (Rav Kook, Lights of
Holiness, 2:561)
MILA YOMIT 65:
OTAM :
THEM
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OTIOT:LETTERS
ALEPH (A)-first letter, silent
TAV (T)-last letter, vessel containing all existence
MEM (M)-water, here serving as plural ending- as in YUD, MEM, ending - with
the YUD dropped.
Aleph to Tav pluralized.
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MEANING AND RELATED WORDS
OTAM is the third person plural form of ATAH (A, T, HEH)- M. personal
pronoun- meaning 'you, thou'
AaT (A,T) is the F. pronoun- referring to female 'you'
AaTeM (same as our Mila, different vowelization) -is the M. plural form for
'you'-referring to group of males
AaTeN (A,T,NUN) is the F. plural form for ' you'-referring to group of
females
OTAM is the third person M. form- them- referring to a group of males
OTaN (A,T,NUN) is the third person F. form-'them'-referring to a group of
females.
The similarities here are to Milim we have already had.
ET-(A,T) -sign of the accusative-Mila 4
OT-sign- root word singular form of OTOT-signs- Mila 56
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Mozeson connects ATAH to the English word -Thou-
Also interesting is the similarity between the Hebrew ET and the
English -It-.
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(Also the letters make up the word- EMET-Truth- <ALEPH,MEM,TAV>)
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CONCEPTUAL MEANING
It is interesting that this seems to be the first time in the Torah that a
reference of this indirect type is made to an object of the creation. It
seems that this is the first time that a third person pronoun is used.
It is an objectification of sorts.
In the previous narrative, what ever was created was referred to again by
the same name.
For example, the Creator says "The earth shall send forth vegetation" then
in the next verse
"the earth sent forth vegetation". Rather than 'it sent forth vegetation.
Interesting that the OROT:Luminaries are reffered to in this way.
They are to be OTOT:Signs and their energy is such that it reaches into the
distance, somehow touching all the
'thes', all the objects of the world. Light is there and yet not there, its
source somewhere else.
When we refer to 'them' rather than 'you', it connotes an reference to some
one else who is elsewhere.
The use of 'you' denotes that the subject is in the presence of the speaker.
"They, them' refers to some one known but who is not in the presence of the
speaker.
The capacity to conceive of 'them', referring to someone else, is a
particular function of thought
('m not sure whether this is significant, but I offer it as a thought or a
stimulus for thought).
_____
OTAM-
The .luminaries were created as senders of energy
Va'Yiten:And( the Creator ) placed
OTAM:Them...
Where?
For what?
We shall soon see.
MILA YOMIT 66: (VA'YEHEE EREV VA'YHEE BOQER YOM) REVIEE
(AND IT WAS EVENING AND IT WAS MORNING DAY) FOURTH
Breishit 1:19
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MILOT CHOZROT:REPEATING WORDS
VA'YEHEE: AND IT WAS (Mila 19,20)
EREV:EVENING (Mila 29)
VA'YEHEE: AND IT WAS
BOQER:MORNING (Mila 30)
YOM:DAY (Mila 27)
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MILA CHADASHAH:NEW WORD
REVIEE:FOURTH
----
OTIOT:LETTERS
REISH (R)-head
VET(V)Soft Bet-home
YUD (Y)-Divine Spark
AYIN (AA)-Eye
YUD (Y)-Divine Spark
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MEANING AND RELATED WORDS
REVIEE is an adjective meaning fourth.
The YUD at the end gives it the sense of relational-as in ShenY-Second,
ShlishY-third.
The root word is <R,V,AA>verb meaning 'to square,quadruple, quadrate.
The noun for the number four is ARBAA <ALEPH,R,BET,AA)
Forty is ARBAAEEM-the word ARBAA with a YUD MEM ending connoting the plural.
ReVAA <R,V,AA> is a M noun meaning 'the fourth part'.
ReeVON-< Revaa +Vov, Nun> is a M. noun for quarterly
RoVAA<R,V,AA> is a M. noun meaning quarter, as in Jewish quarter-Rova Yehudi
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RaV <R,VET> is an adjective meaning -'much, many'
Interesting to speculate that the number four is perhaps the beginning of
what may be generally called as
'many'. Certainly one, or two or even three can not be referred to as
'many'. Is four that bridge?
Also interesting is that the word OTAM:Them was first used in this context.
The myriad of luminaries.
RaV seems to be derived from <R,V,V> verb meaning 'to be or become many or
much'
ReVaVAH <R,V,V,HEH> means 'myriad'.
(RaV-much, AYIN is the number representing multiplicity)
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CONCEPTUAL MEANING:
Hirsch:
"The light created on the first day receives bearers on the fourth day."
The cycle of four is an important one in our tradition.
Four letters in the Divine Name,YHVH.
Four worlds, physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual-Assiya
,Yetzira, Briya, Atzilut.
Four seasons of the natural year. This element is closely related to the
relationship of the luminaries to our experience.
Four elements-air, wind, earth, fire
The Torah is also structured with many fours- each letter has its letter
structure, its vowels, its crowns and cantillation-musical notation.
Pesach of course if rich in fours-four expressions of redemption- see Exodus
6:7,8
Four sons, four cups of wine.
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VA'YEHEE EREV VA'YEHEE BOQER; YOM REVIEE
The luminaries, providing us with light, signposts, day and night and cycles
of seasons are now in their place.
The light ready to catalyze-'photsynthesize' the vegetation created on the
third day and enable even more life.
As we conclude this paragraph of the Creation, let these words of Rav Kook
illuminate us.
"Let us observe the light of the divine presence that pervades all
existence.
Let us observe the harmony of the heavenly realm, how it pervades every
aspect of life,
the spiritual and the material, which are before our eyes of the flesh and
our eyes of the spirit."
(Lights of Holiness, 1:83)
May our eyes of flesh and spirit be illuminated this Pesach
MILA YOMIT 67: (VA'YOMER ELOHIM) YEESHRETZOO (HA'MAYIM) SHERETZ
(AND THE CREATOR SAID) SWARM (THE WATERS WITH) SWARMING THINGS
Breishit 1: 20
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MILOT CHOZROT:REPEATING WORDS
VA'YOMER ELOHIM: And The Creator Said
This is the sixth Divine 'speaking' out of ten in the creation. It is the
19th time 'Elohim" is mentioned out of 32.
Sefer Yetzira explains this corresponds to the Sefirah of Netzach:Eternity.
It relates to God's Will being always victorious in revealing the ultimate
good.
This Sefirah is the beginning of the triad of Netzach-Hod-Yesod which
correspond to Olam Assiya:World of Doing.
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MILA CHADASHA: NEW WORD
YEE'SHRETZOO:LET SWARM
OTIOT:LETTERS
YUD (Y):Divine Spark- serving here to create imperative-command form of verb
SHIN(SH): Fire
REISH(R):Consciousness
TZADIK(TZ): Righteousness
VAV(V): Connection-serving here as plural ending of verb
MEANING AND RELATED WORDS:
The root verb here is <SH,R,TZ> which is the same as the Mila-<SHERETZ> that
is found after HA'MAYIM.
I will explore them both here.
SHaRaTZ is a transitive verb meaning 'to swarm, teem, abound, multiply'.
SHeReTZ is a M.noun meaning 'swarming thing, creeping thing, reptile'.
The root of these is the word RaTZ (R,TZ) -to run, to rush. (See Mila
7-HA'ARETZ).
Can be read as "SHe RaTZ"-that which runs.
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CONCEPTUAL MEANING:
This is a significant moment in the creation.
YEESHRETZOO HA'MAYIM SHERETZ-
The waters are directed to bring forth creatures.
Rashi explains that SHeReTZ refers to creatures that do not rise much above
the ground.
Ramban explains that the noun implies ceaseless movement-'moving
things':SheHoo RaTZ-that which runs.
Hirsch explains that the phrase can be taken transitively-the waters shall
germinate;
or intransitively-the water shall swarm with. In the intransitive form, the
existing floating material with the potential for marine life would, as it
were, become living bodies; in the transitive form, the water would
'produce' them.
In Hirsch's own words:
"With the fifth day we enter the sphere of living creatures. To the edge of
the ocean the Word of God leads us, shows us water and air and says: Let the
waters bring forth moving...creatures...SHERETZ (phonetically related to
'sh,r,sh' and 'z,r,z' which also express a vigorous driving movement) seems
by the Tzadik, which expresses a more intensifying, an overcoming of
external hinderances, to express independent movement,
the first and most obvious sign of life. The tiniest point in which we
notice independent movement declares itself, just by that, as being alive.
SHERETZ, accordingly, designates the lower animals whom we specially notice
to be alive by their independent motion." (p. 26)
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VA'YOMER ELOHIM YEESHRETZOO HA'MAYIM SHERETZ
The Creator directs the waters of creation to bring forth independent moving
life.
MILA YOMIT 68: NEFESH
SOUL
Breishit 1:20
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OTIOT:LETTERS
NUN(N)-The servant (in form) who is the heir to the throne (in meaning)
approaching the 50 gates of understanding (numerical value-50. (See
Ginsburg, The Alef Beit on Nun)
PEH (F,soft Peh)-Mouth of communication.
SHIN(SH)-Fire
SOD:Secret Level:
When we explore the Kabbalistic teachings on Nun, we are struck that this is
the first manifestation out of the MaYIM: the MEM of Creation. The waters
have been directed 'YISHRETZOO:Teem With' SHERETZ:Teeming' NEFESH:;Soul.
Beginning with the letter Nun.
As Rabbi Itzchak Ginsburg explains:
"In Aramaic, Nun means 'fish'. The Mem, the waters of the sea, is the
natural medium of the Nun:fish.
The Nun 'swims' in the Mem, covered by the waters of the 'hidden world'.
Creatures of the 'hidden world' lack self consciousness.'...On the fifth day
of Creation fish were created from water, just as the letter
Nun:'fish'-follows (i.e. emerges from) the letter Mem:water. The fish were
the first creatures whom the Creator blessed:
"Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas." (Breishit 1:
20-22) In nature, fish symbolize reproduction. This is hinted at the fact
that the Nun is the only letter whose full spelling (Nun, Vav, Nun) is a
repetition of itself with a Vav-meaning 'and'- in between, as though to say
'fish and more fish'. The previous letter Mem, whose meaning is water, is
spelled by repeating itself with out a Vav in between. (Mem, Mem), is the
secret of the original state of the creation of water: "water in water." (P.
208,215)
((The final Nun is a Zayin with its tail elongated, not unlike an amoeba or
sperm with a tail swimming through its liquid environs. (I guess amoebas
don't have tails).))
Also noteworthy is that the PEH is calligraphied so that the white space in
the middle of it forms a BET.
The mouth of communication with every utterance a new beginning, a new
creation.
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MEANING AND RELATED WORDS:
NEFESH is a F. noun meaning 'soul, breath, breath of life, will, desire,
being'
As a verb is means 'to blow, to breathe.
In Modern Hebrew, NoFeSH is a M. noun meaning 'rest, recreation (perhaps
more accurately, re-creation)'
In Post Biblical Hebrew, NaFUSH (N,F, VAV,SH) is an adjective for 'idle'.
In Modern Hebrew, NeeFUSH (as above) is a M. noun meaning 'animation'.
In Arabic -nafasa- means 'he aspired to something, desired something.'
In Ethiopian -nafs- means 'soul, person.
In Akkadian-nappishtu- is life, living being'.
(Baruch HaShem for Rabbi Ernest David Klein's Etymological Dictionary of the
Hebrew Language.
My Akkadian and Ethopian were pretty rusty.)
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CONCEPTUAL MEANING:
This is a big one.
Out of the waters, moving matter begins to manifest.
SheRatz:That Which Moves is infused with NEFESH.
The Bahir in Paragraph 53 explains that the HEH whose numeric is 5, relates
to the 5 names of the soul.
Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Chaya, Yechida. NEFESH is the first level and
Kabbala explains that it is the level of the soul related to the Sefira of
Malchut:Manifestation and the World of Assiya:Action or Making.
"The concept of these parts of the soul can be understood by the analogy of
a glassblower. A breath leaves the glassblower's lips, travels through his
blowing tube as a wind, and finally rests in the object that he is forming,
shaping it as he desires. The breath is the NeShama...it is tranmitted...in
the form of a 'wind' which is the level of Ruach:Windspirit. When it rests
in man (or any creature) is called NEFESH:Soul, which comes from the root
Nafash, meaning 'to rest'. (Bahir, Kaplan, p. 122-123).
Samson Raphael Hirsch explains: (long but important to full understanding)
"NEFESH (related to NaFaTZ -N,PH,Tzadik,- (to explode) to be organically
completely seperated from the material) is the inner cause of movement which
is innate in every living creature which has an individualizing, independent
life, and which brings about movement (which is why NEFESH is also used to
mean 'the will', for will is nothing else but the starting impulse for a
movement). By NEFESH the creature becomes a self-contained individual, in
higher grades, a personality. NEFESH is something quite apart from the
material, it is an intangible something that is innate in every living being
and which remains constant in the midst of the ever-changing material
body....In NEFESH lies the specific inner differentiation between animal and
plant, just as independent movement is the outer sign. By this NEFESH the
animal has one single centre-point in which its whole existence is
concentrated; it dies as soon as this centre-point is destroyed. A plant
(the creation of Yom Shlishi:Third Day) is not a single whole unit closed
round about one centre, one focus. It consists of a numer of individual
parts boxed together. In every part, every branch, every twig, leaf, and
bud, the existence of the whole is repeated, so that if separated almost
every part can reproduce the whole." (P. 26)
In a wonderful introduction to Kabbala entitled (appropriately) "Yedid
Nefesh", Rabbi Bar-Lev, an Israeli Kabbala scholar explains that "all
substance is constituted of four basic elements, Fire, Wind, Water, Earth.
...Inanimate matter is composed of the four elements...and its form, which
acts as a 'composing force.'
This is the spiritual force which 'determines' the proportion of these
elements.
Plant matter is composed of these four elements as well. In addition to the
'composing force', present in the inanimate is another spiritual force, the
'growth and sprouting force'.
Animal matter is also composed of the above four elements. But in addition
to the forces present in inanimate and plant matter, animals possess another
spiritual force, known as the 'vital force' (NEFESH) This force spreads
throughout living things, and includes forces of movement and feeling in the
five senses. Animals have intelligence enabling then to distinguish between
friend and foe as well as a network of instincts specific to each species."
(P. 39)
There is an extensive discussion of NEFESH in Zohar and Kabbala; much of it
concerning the place of NEFESH in the human. We will return to that as we
reach it.
-------------------
NEFESH- Matter Animated With Independent Being-ness.
-----------------
The emergence of 'concious' life is unfolding.
I am writing this on a ferry bound for Saltspring Island on the 19th Day of
the Omer-HOD within TIFFERET.
I am conscious of Yom HaZikaron:Memorial Day for Israel's Fallen turning
into Yom Atzmaut:Independence Day and the celebration of the 51st year of
the re-creation of Israel. HOD is about surrender and thanksgiving
(le'hod'ot- means to thank, todah-thank you),
Israel is my birth place and my true soul home. Last year at this time, I
was grateful to be there and I pray for many more opportunities for my
children and I to live in Israel. (I've made Aliya three times since my
parents moved to Canada when I was 8)
I join in the Thanksgiving of this movement.
Our NEFESH restored as we returned to life, independent life and movement.
The challenges are many as we are blessed with the necessity to learn to act
consciously and in a healing way.
I am also conscious of reading today accounts of S's on Serb businesses in
order to differentiate from Albanian ones, marked for destruction, and other
heinous manifestations of 'ethnic cleansing'. My parents came to Israel
after experiencing the horrors of the Holocaust and the resonance with
current events is intense.
We are the only species who attack others of our own species.-nefesh
murdering nefesh.
May we and all humankind and all creatures -NEFASHOT- be blessed with coming
to know fully the Divine Blessing that our NEFESH and all else truly is.
MILA YOMIT 69: CHAYA
LIVING
Breishit 1:20
-------------------
OTIOT:LETTERS
CHET (CH)- life, sin, Yetzira associates it with sight. It is formed as
vessel whose only opening is below.
(The frame of our experience, gravitational pull
keeping us down.)
"CHET is the letter of life. We are taught in
Chassidut that there are two levels of life:
'essential life' and 'life to enliven'....The soul:
the essence of its root, at one with G-d
possesses the state of 'essential life.' The
reflection of the light of the soul which below
to enliven the body and its pysical experience is at
the level of 'life to enliven'. The second level
of life, as we know it in general, manifests itself
as pulsation, the secret of 'ratz ve shav-run and
return". (Ginsburgh, Alef-Beit, p. 122).
Its numeric is 8:"In physical three dimensional
space, the number 8 appears as the number of
vertices of a cube. ..Eight appears as the number
which reflects the Divine Essence in physical
reality." (Ibid, p. 132)
YUD (Y)-Divine Spark
HEH (H)-Expression
----------------------------
MEANING AND RELATED WORDS:
As an adjective related to Nefesh it means 'living'.
As a F. noun, it means 'spirit of life, soul' as well as 'animal, beast'.
As verb, it means 'to live'.
CHAI (CH,Y) is of course the root of life.
CHAYIM (CH,Y,Y,MEM) is plural form meaning 'life'.
Klein connects CHAI as the first element in -CHaYAAD- (CH,Y,
AYIN,DALET)-Ayzoon, a genus of plant derived from Greek origin, meaning
'living forever'.-from CHAY (life) and AAD (forever).
Also CHAYZERAA (CH,Y,Z,REISH,AYIN)- spermatozoon-living seed.
CHAYDAAK (CH,Y,DALET,KUF)-bacterium, from CHAY and DAAK (small, thin)
He explains it is the second element in TZIMCHAI
(TZADIK,MEM,CH,Y)-zoophye-living plants
And DUCHAI (DALET,VAV,CH,Y)-meaning -amphibian.
-----------------
The word -chi- as in tai chi, etc.-sometimes pronounced 'qi' - is the life
force. in a number of spiritual traditions.
--------------
Our Mila is CHET plus YUD, HEH. <Yud, Heh> as we have seen is a Divine
Name, related to creation, as in-YEHEE-Let there be.
(Poetically it could be taken to mean-life infused with YUD,HEH.)
--------------------
CONCEPTUAL MEANING:
"The NEFESH is CHAYA, is gifted with the power, to test and assimilate that
which is homogenous to it,
and equally so, to test, and reject, throw out, that which is hererogenous
to it. This free taking in and throwing out of suitable and non-suitable
elements is the real activity of living. SHERETZ NEFESH CHAYA, movement,
will, assimilating and rejecting, together form the essential signs of life.
SHERETZ:showing life; NEFESH:the underlying principle of life; CHAYIIM; the
activity of life, the process of life." (Hirsch, p. 26)
Rashi: "NEFESH CHAYA: That will have in it life."
Siftei Chachamim (commentary on Rashi:" We learn that the waters
emerged -nefesh chaya- and afterwards it is written "and Elokim
created...Nefesh Chaya"-(next verse) Therefore Rashi explains it as 'that
will have in it life' because the waters prepared the body that will receive
and living soul that the Holy One will gift it with."
--------------
CHAYA: Within the waters, ELOHIM:These Yud-im, This YAM:Sea, life is seeded.
The vessel for YUD HEH
reflected in material form is prepared. The secret of CHAYA,CHAYIIM: this
living life, holds much for us.
Ziv HaChayiim:The Glow of Life by Rav Kook begins:
"The secret realm tells us, We live in a world full of light and life."
And ends:
"And everything aspires, longs, yearns, according to a pattern that is
adorned with holiness and girded with beauty. For this life of ours is not a
meaningless phenomenon. The light of Your own presence, O Lord, our God, is
imprinted on Torat Chayiim:This Teaching Of Life." (Lights of Holiness, 2,
p. 355-356)"
MILA YOMIT 70: VE'OPH YE'OPHEPH (AAL HA'ARETZ AAL P'NAI RAQIYAA
HA'SHAMAYIM)
AND FLYING CREATURES SHALL FLY (OVER THE LAND, ON THE FACE OF THE HEAVENLY
SKY):
Breishit 1: 20 (Conclusion of verse)
-----------
MILA CHADASHA: NEW WORD
VE'OPH:AND FLYING CREATURES (OR BIRDS)
OTIOT:LETTERS
VAV (V):and
AYIN (O):eye
VAV(V)
PHE (PH): Final Peh:first one in Torah-Kabbalistically related to the end of
the exile of the mouth from speaking from the soul
--------
OPH (ayin,vav, phe) is a M. noun meaning 'fowl, bird'.
As a verb it means 'to fly' and is the foundation of the next related
Mila:YE'OPHEPH
----
OTIOT:LETTERS
YUD(Y):Divine Spark:
AYIN
VAV
PHE
PHE Sofit: Final phe, doubling phe makes it Polel form- 'it flew'
-------------------------
The Torah here introduces this next level of creation with its noun and verb
form-flying creatures that fly-
RELATED WORDS:
AAPH -(ayin,phe)-Qal grammatical form-to fly away
AAPHAAPH- (ayin,phe,ayin,phe)-as verb 'to flutter; as noun-'eyelid'
-<ayin, phe> follow each other in AlefBet as do <O> and in Alpha Bet
----------
Mozeson relates the English word 'aviate' to OPH.
Also birds and planes take 'off'.
----------
Extensions of OPH include -toepha- (tav,vav,ayin,phe,heh)- 'eminence,
heights'
-OPHEL- (ayin,phe, lamed) is a 'mound, or hill
--------------------------
MILOT CHOZROT
AAL-ON (Mila 12)-here connotation is 'over'
HA'ARETZ-THE EARTH (Mila 7)
AAL-ON
PNAI-THE FACE OF (Mila 13)
RAQIYAA-THE EXPANSES (Mila 32)
HA'SHAMAYIM-OF THE SKY (Mila 39 & 5)
--------------------
CONCEPTUAL MEANING:
Creatures with the capacity to fly are now created.
Ramban maintains that the verse teaches that the birds were created from the
waters, for it is on the fifth day of creation. This is interesting in terms
of evolutionary theory and where birds fit into that. I invite anyone more
familiar with evolutionary theory to compare the Torah's order of creation
with evolution.
Targum Yonatan renders this verse as 'and the fowl which flies, whose nest
is upon the earth so that although they were formed from the water, their
growth will be on the earth.
The Alsheich comments that birds were indeed created from a compound of two
elements, earth and water.For had they been created from only water they
would be no more able than fish to exist out of it; and if from earth alone,
which is a heavy element, they would not have been able to fly. But produced
froma mixture of earth softened by water, they are capable of functioning in
all elements.
The Ntziv observes that the verse speaks of two kinds of flying creatures:
those that fly "AAL HA'ARETZ"
low, near the ground; and those that fly "AAL PNEI REQIYAA HA'SHAMAYIM" high
in the sky. He notes that double form "YEOPHEPH" suggests two kinds of
flight."
(The above is drawn from Artscroll's commentary).
--------
The Zohar spiritualizes this verse:
"OPH...HA'ARETZ-These are messengers from above who are revealed to people
in human forms. Therefore the Torah says YEOPHEPH (note:APHEEPHA is used in
conjuction with angels elsewhere) as there are entities that are not readily
revealed. They are in the spiritual realm and revealed according to the
capacity of the human. Therefore with this verse it does not add
'leminehoo'-according to their species ...(see next verse where it adds
'leminehoo' in reference to OPH KANAPH-winged flying creatures)...Rabbi
Shimeon Bar Yochai says:.'VE'OPH refers to the angel MeechaEl(who is like
EL)...YEOPHEPH is GavriEL(gvura-strength of EL)...AAL HA'ARETZ is RaphaEL
(whose role is to heal the earth. Raphael is rooted in 'rephua'-medicine or
healing)...AAL PNAI RAQIYAA HA'SHAMAYIM is UriEL (light of EL). And all
this is hinted at in this verse'."
-----------
VE'OPH YE'OPHEPH AAL HA'ARETZ AAL PNAI RAQIYAA HA'SHAMAYIM.
So ends Pasook 20. Living moving organisms-SHERETZ- amoebas and on- emerge
in the acquatic environment; and OPH-some of these have the capacity for
flight. They can take 'off' as it were.
---------
Reb Kalonymous Kalamish from Cracow quoted in Pninei Chassidut has the
following 'chassidic take':
"OPH refers to Torah because the study of Torah has to be in such a way that
the Torah does not remain
only AAL HA'ARETZ . It should elevate AAL PNAI RAQIYAA HA'SHAMAYIM."
May our Torah learning continue to elevate us.
As Rav Kook teaches:
"Let us ascend toward the heights, because we are of mighty prowess.
We have wings to soar with, wings of mighty eagles.
Let us not fail them; lest they fail us.
Let us seek them, and they will at once be ready for us."
(Lights of Holiness, 1:84)
----------
MILA YOMIT 71: (VA'YIVRA ELOHIM ET ) HA'TANINM (HA'GDOLIM)
(AND THE CREATOR CREATED) THE (LARGE) SEA GIANTS
Breishit 1:21
-------------
MILOT CHOZROT:REPEATING WORDS
VA'YIVRA- AND CREATED (Mila 2)-second time used, first time in original
creation
ELOHIM- CREATOR (Mila 3)
Twentieth time of 32 times ELOHIM mentioned in Creation narrative. Sefer
Yetzira explains this corresponds to the creation of the seventh elemental
letter, LAMED. Lamed means learning and is also distinguised as the
'tallest letter'-'a tower sprouting in the air'.
ET-denoting that an object is about to appear- (Mila 2 & 6)
-------------
MILA YOMIT
HA'TANINIM
OTIOT:LETTERS
HEH (H)- serving as definite article - 'the'
TAV(T)-final letter, seal of creation
NUN(N)-leadership, fish
YUD (Y)-Divine Spark
NUN (N)
MEM (M)-serves as plural-considered 'chaser' or lacking as Yud that is
usually part of plural construction is not used here.
-------------
MEANING AND RELATED WORDS:
TaNYN is a M. noun meaning 'sea monster, sea giant, serpent, dragon,
whale'.
Moses staff is changed into a TaNYN is Exodus 7:9.
-------
Mozeson links 'Tuna' to TaNYN. "Tuna is traced to Greek 'thynnos,-of non
Indo-European origin-akin to the source of Hebrew 'tanyn'-serpent, sea
monster." (Mozeson, p. 188)
------
He also comments that 'TN' words can infer large bulk-as in 'ton'.
----------
NIN (N,Y,N)- is a verb meaning 'to sprout,increase' and a M. noun meaning
'offspring, posterity'.
In modern Hebrew refers to 'great grandson'.
------------
In Mila 68, we discussed the NUN and its meaning as 'fish'. It is
interesting here that the first sea creatures mentioned in the Torah,
contains two 'NUNs'.
Hirsch's comments are appropriate here:
"TaNINM: A word of doubtful derivation and meaning. Possibly it is the NUN
with the prefix TAV. (Like...TaLMID (student) from LaMeD (learning)) NUN-the
Chaldean word for fish may come from the Hebrew,
NIN, offspring, as DaG from DaGAH (Dalet, Gimel, Heh) prolifically
increasing, from which we also get DaGaN, wheat, on account of the large
number of grains on one stalk. TANIN would be a fish, or the whole genus or
family of fish." (Hirsch, p.27)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
MILA CHOZERET
HA'GDOLIM:The Large (Mila 60)
--------------
CONCEPTUAL MEANING
Zohar-"Rabbi Shimon says:This is the Leviathan and his mate. It is written
'chaser-lacking' because the Creator killed the female and saved it for the
righteous."
This is the source for the Talmudic aggada that Rashi quotes. Here is Rashi
in full:
"HATANINM-The large fishes that are in the sea; and according to the
statement of the Agada (Baba Batra 74b) it means here the Leviathan and its
consort which the Creator created male and female. God, however, killed the
female and preserved it in salt for the benefit of the righteous in the time
to come, for had they (HA'TANINM) been permitted to be fruitful and to
multiply the world would not have endured because of them."
The commentators are not clear about the actual nature of this creature.
Some discussion focuses on that this is the first time since the original
creation that 'created' is used and that this denotes that something
fundamentally new (and perhaps unknown) came into being. Perhaps the
unprecedented magnitude of the creatures size.
Munk points out these include amphibia which form an intermediate
association between marine and terrestial life. (Artscroll, p. 63).
-------------------------
VA'YIVRA ELOHIM ET HA'TANINM HA'GDOLIM-
Huge sea based creatures are the next creation in the unfolding of life.
Dinsoaurs, whales, or....?
"Praise YHVH from the earth; TANINIM:sea monsters and all watery depths"
(Psalm 148:7)
MILA YOMIT 73: HA'ROMESET (ASHER SHARTZOO HAMAYIM LE'MINEYHEM)
THAT CRAWLS (WHICH THE WATERS TEEMED AFTER THEIR OWN SPECIES)
Breishit 1:21
------------------
MILA YOMIT
HA'ROMESET-THAT CRAWLS
-------
OTIOT:LETTERS
HEH(H)-expression, here prefix to root word- meaning 'that which'
REISH(R)-head
MEM(M)-water
SHIN(S)-actually 'sin' as dot is on top left of shin'
TAV(T)-serving here as 'feminine substantive suffix'-
---------
MEANING AND RELATED WORDS
RoMeS <R,M,S> is a verb-'to crawl, creep, swarm'
ReMeS is a M. noun meaning 'creeping things, moving thing, reptile, insect'
----------
RaMaS (<R,M,SAMECH>) is verb-'to tread, trample, tread underfoot'
ReMaH <R,M,HEH> is a worm.
-------
Mozeson connects the English word 'roam' to "RoMeS'.
Also "worm'
---------------
MILOT CHOZROT:REPEATING WORDS
ASHER-Which-Mila 35
SHARTZOO-Teemed-Mila 67
HA'MAYIM-The Waters-Mila 17
LE'MINEYHEM-According To Their Species -Mila 51-plural form
----------
CONCEPTUAL MEANING
Living creatures, with the capacity for movement along a surface,
HAROMESET:that crawl, are the next life form to emerge from the waters of
creation. In verse 20, the waters were directed to teem with SHERETZ:that
which moves. Now in fulfillment of that the creation of living creatures
from the waters is being described.
The mode of locomotion seems to be the focus here. ReMeS relates to
creatures which move along the ground.
The Zohar treats this verse symbolically:
"Ve"Et Kol Nefesh Chaya HaRomeset" refers to the creation of the soul of
Israel-which is drawn from the level of Chaya (fourth of five soul
levels-Nefesh-Vital Soul, Ruach-Spirit, Neshama-BreathSoul, Chaya-Living,
Yechida-Unified and Unique)...
"Asher Shartzoo HaMayim Le'Mineyhem"-refers to those who are immersed in the
Torah, for 'Mayim:Waters'
refers to Torah, and through engagement with Torah we can reach Nefesh
Chaya." (See Mila 68 and 69)
-----------------------------------
The Psalmist expresses the wonder of creation:
"Zeh HaYam-This is the sea
Gadol Oorechav -Great and broad
Sham REMES VeAin Mispar-There are creeping things without number
Chayot Qtanot Eem Gdolot-Small creatures and great ones. "
(Psalm 104:25)
-------------------------------
On Shabbat we withrdraw from active, creative activity and rejoin our fellow
creations in the ocean of creation.
MILA YOMIT 74: (VE'ET KOL OPH) KANAPH (LE'MINEYHOO; VA'YAHR ELOHEEM KEE TOV)
(AND EVERY) WINGED (BIRD TO ITS SPECIES; AND THE CREATOR SAW THAT IT WAS
GOOD:)
Conclusion-Breishit 1:22
--------------------
MILOT CHOZROT: REPEATING WORDS
VE'ET-And -an object about to appear- (Mila 6)
KOL- Every (Mila 72)
OPH-Bird (Mila 70)
--------------
MILA CHADASHAH-NEW WORD
KANAPH-Winged
OTIOT:LETTERS
KAPH (KH)-palm of hand
NUN (N)-fish, kingdom
PHE Sofit (PH)-we noted that in the word OPH-Bird the final PHE appeared for
the first time. It now appears in a second word but one that is inextricably
connected with 'birds'
------------
MEANING AND RELATED WORDS:
KANAPH is a F. Noun meaning 'wing'. Also means 'corner, end'.
As a verb it means 'to cover with one's wings, surround, hide'
KaNePH is an adjective meaning 'winged'. Our Mila is being used as an
adjective.
KeNaPHON (K, N,PH,VAV, NUN) is a F. Noun meaning 'a small wing'.
------------
Mozeson connects the English word 'canopy' to this Mila.
----------
MILOT CHOZROT: REPEATING WORDS
LE'MINEHOO-According to its species (Mila 51)-third person singular form.
-------------------
CONCEPTUAL MEANING
The mode of locomotion is again described-directed.
Radak explains that this category includes small flying insects like
locusts, hornets and flies.
The implication seems to be that birds followed fish and also evolved out of
the water.
This is a discussion among the sages (see Mila 70 for more on this).
Again the connection between this and evolutionary theory is fascinating.
Each creature's capacity to be part of a specific species and maintain that
specificity is also being determined here.
-------
The Zohar reads this part of the verse in the following ways:
-Ve'Et Kol Oph KANAPH LeMineyhoo-This refers to the righteous ones among
those who are engaged in the Torah
:
-Other Zohar source:
Rabbi Yossi says These are the angels that of them it is written in
Ecclesiastes 10:20:
"Even in your thoughts do not curse a king and in your bed chamber do not
curse the rich
for OPH HASHAMAYIM: a bird of the skies may carry the sound OOBAAL
HAKNAFAYIM:
a winged creature may tell of the matter."
Rabbi Yossi teaches: These angels are all of six wings (commentary-
relating to the six qualities-midot-chesed-love, gevura-strength,
discipline, tiferet-harmony, compassion, netzach-perseverance,
hodsurrender,yesod-passion) And they do not change forms. Therefore it says
"According to their species". Which species? The species above. And these
angels emerge into the world and fly in six directions.
They see the deeds of humans and 'announce' these above. Therefore it is
written-"even in your thoughts...etc."
-----------
We have just completed the sixth week of counting the Omer and the journey
through the six qualities of the Tree enumerated above. May our fixings in
each realm be also announced above (as they certainly are).
____________
MILOT CHOZROT: REPEATING WORDS
VA'YAHR:AND SAW (Mila 21)-Fifth time used
ELOHIM:THE CREATOR (Mila 3)-Twenty first time used.
KEE:THAT (Mila 22)
TOV (Mila 23)
Sefer Yetzira explains that here, the Fifth act of Elohim Seeing, relates to
the creation of the fifth double letter,
PEH. PEH is 'mouth, communication, here'. We noted that both OPH and KANAPH
are unique in that they are the first appearance of a PEH Sofit:Final Peh in
the Torah. There may be a connection here.
The letter PEH is related to MEMSHALA-Governance, Dominance (whose
transposition) is Enslavement, Subjugation. (As free as a bird).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------
Talk about syncronicity, as I was working on this Mila, my dear friend
Schachar Orenstein, who is finishing (soon hopefully) his Masters Thesis on
Rav Kook's Commentary on the Psalms emailed me this draft translation he
just completed on Rav Kook's comment on Psalm 91:4-
"With Its pinions It will cover You----
and beneath Its KNAPHAV:wings,
You will find refuge;
Its truth is a shield, a full shield."
Rav Kook-The holy elevation of God's light,
when it shines on our being
and saturates our soul with radiant glory,
lifts us in holy flight,
above all the troubles of the world,
that can harm only those bound to lowly sensual matters in all their
variations.
We then rise above everyone and all worry,
due to the holy joy of knowing the supreme truth,
of the holy radiance of the supernal God,
who elevates us above and beyond,
"bears him along on His pinions".`
This elevation protects us from all the obstacles that descent can
introduce,
and this supreme virtue rectifies all the paths of life
so that even when we are forced to deal, relate and converse with the
ephemeral matters of the world,
we are "protected beneath the divine wings"`
and dwell in the radiant glory that makes the vitality and the blessing
continue.
We have two kinds of defense forces:
1) a force separate from us due to our narrowness,
but which operates the supernal defense force,
like the "shield" carried by the shield-carrier of the hero,`
2) a force near us that encompasses and encircles us closely in radiant
beauty,
like a "full shield" that surrounds and protects the body.
All this comes from the strength of divine truth,
that fill us with radiant light,
sates us with eternal happiness,
with pleasant glory and sublime grace.
"With Its wings It will cover You
and beneath Its wings,
You will find refuge;
Its truth is a shield, a full shield."
`Deut. 32:11.
`lit. wings of the shekhina, cf. Rashi on Yebamot 46a, Nedarim 32a.
`cf. I Samuel 16:17-23.
-----------------------------
May we all dwell TACHAT KANPHEI HASHECINAH; under the wings of the Divine
Presence.
MILA YOMIT 75 BET:VA'YIVARECH (OTAM ELOHIM LE'EMOR)
VA'YIVARECH-AND BLESSED
OTAM-THEM -Mila 65
Referring to that which had just been created and called Tov.
The TANINIM HAGDOLIM, KOL NEFESH CHAYA HAROMESET, KOL OPH KANAPH-
large sea creatures, living beings who crawl and winged flying birds.
ELOHIM-CREATOR- Mila 3
This is the 22nd of 32 times the Divine Name appears in the Creation.
Sefer Yetzira explains that this relates to the emergence of the NUN- the
8th of the 12 simple letters.
On the Tree this is the channel from Netzch:Eternity to Yesod:Foundation.
We have seen earlier that NUN is associated with fish. In Aramaic it means
'fish'.
This Creation that has just been described is that which came out of the
water.
How appropriate that the NUN is 'Blessed' into being.
As Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburg explains about the NUN.
"The MEM, the waters of the sea, is the natural medium of the NUN, fish. The
NUN 'swims' in the MEM, covered by the waters of the'hidden world'.
Creatures of the 'hidden world' lack self consciousness.
Unlike fish, land animals, revealed on the face of the earth possess
self-consciousness." (P. 208)
((Sod speculation:
This last comment is interesting to me. After the Mila, HAROMESET;that which
crawls, I reflected on the evolution from crawling creatures to walking
humans. Evolutionary theory speaks of the significance of the moment in
which mammals began to walk on two feet instead of four, reaching for the
leaves and fruit of the trees. These became creatures of
consciousness-understanding.
From ReMeS to ROSH.
Crawling creatures are ReMeS <Reish, Mem, Shin> (see Mila 73).
Head is ROSH<Reish, Aleph, Shin>.
The only differene between them is that the MEM-mother letter relating to
water-
is 'replaced' by ALEPH-mother letter relating to air.
Some how in the emergence into the environment of air from the environment
of water enabled the manifestation of conscious creatures. Determined not so
much by their mode of locomotion as much as their capcity for thought.
And what is the greatest thought that we reach towards?
That all is One. The 'discovery' of the Aleph principle, as it were.))
-------------------------------
LE'EMOR-SAYING-Mila 18
This is the first time this form of the verb -<A,M,R>- is used.
It will appear many more times as the Creator communicates with the
creatures.
It is an adverb, formed from Le'Emor <L,A,M,R> the infinitive construct of
AMaR-he said.
Le'Emor literally means 'to say'.
As an adverb it means 'saying' or 'namely'.
Hirsch explains that the other word for speech -dibbur, le'dabber- <D,B,R>
refers to:
"forming sybllables to words to sentences...without consideration of their
entering the ears or affecting the minds of a hearer: simply speaking. One
can speak without a listener. But AMaR is to saying something to somebody,
to convey something to him...It connects the words actually spoken with
their meaning and purpose and wants, by means of speech, to bring the
concdentrated thoughts and undivided will of the speaker to an equal
concentration in the mind of the hearer. Hence AMaR always has the intention
of having an immediate result. Hence we speak of ASARA MAMAROT-(ten speaking
of Creation in Genesis 1) and ASARA HADIBROT (ten speakings that came be to
known as the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20) God's words of creation were
followed by immediate action. The realization was the immediate
result...LE'EMOR at the speeches of God always has the purpose of
expressing that the short and precise wording of the speech is to be fully
explained and realized in the whole of its sense and purport. It is Torah
SheB'Al Peh-Oral Torah and Torah SheBeKtav-Written Torah. Hence the
interpreters and explains of the Torah are called "AMORAIM".
Here at the words of BRACHA-Blessing, LE'EMOR is used as the other MA'AMAROT
of the creation: the fulfilment immediately following the command. God
Blessed the organic living creatures:" (27-28)
Artscroll adds the that Vilna Gaon points out that these words were not
spoken directly to the creatures for they are not endowed with reason
enabling them to comprehend the Divine word. Rather. God's will was within
them as if God had told them: Be capable of carrying out the Divine will.
VA'YIVARECH OTAM ELOHIM LE'EMOR:
What is the Divine Will? We will soon see.
--------------------
We are approaching the foot of Mt. Sinai.
Day 46th in our journey to the 50 Gates of Understanding, the Revelation at
Sinai.
Hirsch's teaching on the difference between the Ten Maamarim:Speakings of
Creation and
Ten Dibrot:Utterances at Sinai is significant for us.
"God's words of Law were primarily on the expression of God's Will. They
remain spoken even if, for the time being, no one listens to them, no one
obeys them." (Ibid, P. 27)
We have been preparing our channels to really hear, really integrate these
awesome Dibrot.
We are at Shlosha Yemei Hagbala:The Three Days of Preparation at the Foot
of Mt. Sinai.
May we each be blessed to know clearly what to do and act decisively as we
complete our preparations in this final stretch through
Malchut:Manifestation.
MILAT YOMIT 75: VA'YIVARECH
AND BLESSED
-------------
OTIOT:LETTERS
VAV:(V)-And
YUD (Y)-Divine Spark
BEIT (B)-Home
REISH(R)-Head
CHAF SOFIT (CH)--"last of the five strengths (final letters)-mystically the
final Chaf represents the first attribute-Keter-the Crown of Supernal Will,
extending down to connect the end of creation with its very beginning,
showing that everything eventually reunites with its root in the
Will of God." (from Ophanim: Yoga of the Ancient Hebrews, manuscript, by
Rabbi Daveed El Harar)
(The Divine Spark -(Yud) enters a vessel of creation (Bet) which develops
consciousness (Reish)
and journeys into all Creation (CH).)
---------------------------------------------------
MEANING AND RELATED WORDS:
BaReCH (B,R,CH) is the verb 'to bless'
BRaCHA (B,R,CH,HEH) is the M. noun 'blessing, benediction', also used for
'gift, present, salute, profit, benefit'.
------
BeReCH is also the verb 'to kneel' and the M. noun -'knee'-
Mozeson connects 'break' to this word.
(the knee 'breaks' the leg)
-------
BReCHA (B,R,CH,HEH) is F. Noun for 'pond, pool'.
Mozeson connects 'brook' to this word.
---------
BaRaQ (B,R,KUF Sofit) is 'to flash', as a M. noun-'lightning flash'
(The relationship between KHAF and KUF is worthy of exploration, though not
possible at this moment.)
---------
BeCHOR- (B,CH,VAV,R)- is first born
--------
It is the same beginning as BReiSHIT and BRiYA- Creation related words.
-------------------
CONCEPTUAL MEANING:
This word is daunting theologically. its significance so central to all of
the Torah and its teachings.
I feel like taking a gulp before continuing to seek understanding of what it
is. I know I can only begin to
'enter the pool' of what BRACHA is today and expect that this Mila will
continue for a few segments)
The Bracha of Shabbat looms nearby.
Hirsch in Horeb says: "LeVaReCH means to bring blessing to some being, or to
wish him a bless in words, thus furthering the circumstances of another, or
to express that they be furthered." (Horeb, 2:475)
Kaplan in InnerSpaces: "The word BaRUCH in general refers to drawing God's
presence down into the world,
i.e. maximizing our ability to experience the Divine in our lives."
Ginsburgh from the Alef Beit:
"The drawing down of the "Head" to dwell in His "House" below, in true
happiness, is the secret of
'blessing' which begins with the letter beit. (see my clumsier note above on
the letters) Our sages teach that
the big beit of Breishit begins Creation and the Torah as a whole, with the
power of blessing. God blesses God's creation with the attribute of
lovingkindness, the attribute of Avraham. Avraham is subsequently entrusted
with the Divine power of blessing, the big beit of Creation, as is said
"VeHaya Bracha:And you shall be a blessing." (Genesis 12:2) (p. 39)
And Rav Kook :
"How high we can rise! We can make our will an active and influential force
in the world, radiating blessing on
anyone we choose and influencing life according to our aspirations.
"And be a blessing...(Genesis 12:2) -you will be a channel of blessing
(Genesis Rabba 39, midrash collection). We must note clearly this concept of
the nature of humankind and the world of our influence on existence. From
this lofty height we descend into the practical world and exert practical
domination in external matters, to put nature under our sway. But this is
only the outer robe of the inner control, of being a blessing,
of blessings being bestowed through us, according to our will and speech.
"You shall decree and it shall be established for you, a light will shine on
you always." (Job 22:28)
(from The Moral Principles, In Bokser translation, P. 182)
-----------
VA'YIVARECH:
And we are blessed.
-------------------------------MILA YOMIT 76: (PROO) OO'REVOO
BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY
Breishit 1:22
----------------
MILOT CHOZROT
PROO-Be Fruitful -Imperative form of PRI-Fruit (Mila 50)
----------------
MILA CHADASHA
OO'REVOO -And Multiply or Become Many
------
OTIOT:LETTERS
VAV (OO)-With vowelization- of 'shurek- pronounced 'oo'. Serving as 'and'.
REISH (R)-head, beginning
VEIT(V)-soft Bet- home,vessel
VAV(OO)-as above. Connoting plurality.
-------------
MEANING AND RELATED WORDS:
The root word is RaV <R,V>. It is an adjective meaning 'much, many',
'large,great' 'abounding', 'mighty'
As an adverb it means 'enough'.
RoV is a M. noun meaning 'multitude, great quantity', abundance'
<R,V,HEH> is a verb meaning to 'multiply, increase, grow; to be large,
much'.
HaRBeH (HEH,R,BET,HEH) is an adverb meaning 'much, many'
-------
<R,V,V> is a verb meaning 'to be or become many or much, to be or become
great'
R eVaVA (R,V,V,HEH) is a F. noun meaning 'ten thousand, myriad'
--------
Mozeson connects the English word 'rife' which means 'prevalent, abudant' to
this Mila.
Intrestingly he also speculates that the English word 'very' is deried from
the word RaV with the root reversed.
R,V, to V,R.
----------
CONCEPTUAL MEANING
Rashi:Had the Creator said only PROO (and not REVOO) only, one creature
might have brought forth a single one, and no more, theorefore God added
OO'REVOO implying that one should forth many.
Also Rashi's comment on VA"YIVARECH is interesting given contemporary
ecology.
He explains that the reasons the creatures were blessed to multiply is that
"because people decreased their number, hunting them and eating them, (so)
they needed a blessing."
Ibn Ezra (medieval commentator) renders these words not as an imperative,
because the power was not their own, but as a Divine blessing and
endowment:'You will be fruitful and multiply" that is 'I have endowed you
with the capability of profileration and with the blessing that you multiply
exceedingly.
Radak adds that 'indeed fish are far more abundant than animals'.
The Ramban explains the necessity for this blessing in that initially each
species of living beings was created i single pairs and endowed with the
reproductive ability to procreate according to its kind. Since there was
only one prototype male and female pair for each species, they required a
blessing to multiply and be abundant.
(The above is drawn from Artscroll's Commentary).
HIrsch teaches that PROO is the production of progeny and REVOO is the
careof the young on which this proliferacy depends.
-----------
PROO OO'REVOO
The capacity for fruitfulness and for multiplication are set into place for
sea creatures and flying birds.
Rashi's comment on why there was a need for this are espescially poignant
these days in which we are constantly learning of more and more fish and
winged creatures (and others) whose numbers have been decimated by human
activity. As co-creators we seemingly have the capacity to reverse even
God's blessings and directives.
On the cusp of Shavuot, we are invited to instead re-hear the Divine
directives to serve the nurturance and well being of all existence. May we
be so blessed.
MILA YOMIT 77 BET :(VEHA'OPH YEEREV BA'ARETZ)
(AND THE FLYING CREATURES WILL MULTIPLY ON THE LAND)
Breishit 1:22 (End of pasook)
MILOT CHOZROT
VEHA'OPH :And The Fllying Creatures (Mila 70)
YEEREV:Will Multiply (Mila 76)
BA'ARETZ:On The Land (Mila 7)
----------------
Conceptual Meaning:
The Ramban explains that although the flying creatures were originally
created from the water, they would be fruitful and multiply BA'ARETZ, for
all fowl -even those whose habitat is upon the water, lay their eggs on
land, and there they are born. (Artscroll)
And as we fill the waters with the wisdom and learning of Torah and all
related wisdom, we can begin to soar, to fly to our full being.
Rav Kook again:
"Let us ascend toward the heights, because we are of mighty prowess,
We have wings to soar with, wings of mighty eagles.
Let us not fail them, lest they fail us;
Let us seek for them and they will at once be ready for us."
MILA YOMIT 77: OO'MILOO (ET HA'MAYIM BA'YAMYM)
AND FILL (THE WATERS IN THE SEAS)
Breishit 1:22
OTIOT:LETTERS
VAV (V)-and
MEM(M)-water
LAMED (L)-learning
ALEPH (A)-unity
VAV(V)-here serving to connote plural form
MEANING AND RELATED WORDS
MaLeA-(perhaps better transliterrated as MaLeH)-<Mem, Lamed, Aleph> is the
verb root -to be full, fill, to be completed
MaLeH is adjective -full, complete
MeLoH is a M. noun-fullness, plenty
MLeAH (M,L,A,HEH) is F. noun- fullness, full produce
------------------
((Backwards it is <A,L,M> which is Eelem-Dumb as in mute or Aleem-Violent)
------------------------
MILOT CHOZROT:REPEATED WORDS
ET:an object about to appear (Mila 4)
HA'MAYIM:The Waters (Mila 17)
BA'YAMIM: In The Seas (Mila 45)
--------------
CONCEPTUAL MEANING
And the Creator Blessed them (the fish and all the living moving creatures
that swarmed in the waters) saying: Be fruitful and multiply OO'MILOO ET
HA'MAYIM
BA'YAMYM-
Or HaChayim-Rabbi Chaim Ben Moshe Attar, an early 18th century Talmudist and
Kabbalist
asks why it was necessary for this directive to be specified. He answers
that normally the power of birth is related to aish-fire or warmth and that
cold is an obstacle. Therefore it was necessary to specify that the
creatures of the water could be born in the waters and that the cold waters
would not prevent this from happening. They would not need to 'leave' the
waters in order to give birth.
He also asks why it was necessary to add the word BA'YAMYM:In The Seas? The
principle behind this question is that the Torah does not have any extra
words. One would think it would suffice to say 'and they should fill the
waters'.
He answers that "the kavanna:intention is that it is specifically in the
seas that the living creatures would swarm
(relating back to verse 21) and that this is the blessing of the Blesser."
Ramban in the twelfth century considered the same question and commented
that this is to differentiate from streams and lakes where this activity is
much less.
Anyone in the twentieth century on the cusp of the twenty first have any
thoughts to add to this?
One of the awesome facets about Torah study is that we are linking our
consciousness to the generations
who have filled the waters with understanding upon understanding, each
generation adding theirs.
Each generation is invited to find new understandings.
This is the first posting since Shavuot and it seems appropriate to quote a
piece of Zohar that I shared with the holy community of the Aquarian Minyan
and Ruach HaAretz at their wonderful retreat.
"Breishit:In The Beginning (Mila 1) .
Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai opened "And I will put my words in your
mouth".(Isaaiah 51:16)
How valuable is it for a human to engage in the Torah day and night for the
Holy One listens to the voice of those who engage in the Torah, and for
every word that is 'mitchadesh:renewed or newly revealed' in the Torah
through the one engaged in the Torah the Divine One makes one
raqiyaa-firmament. (Mila 32)
We learn: At the time that a word of Torah is newly revealed from a human's
mouth, that word arises and presents itself in front of the Holy One. The
Divine takes that word and Kisses it and Crowns it with seventy engraved and
inscribed crowns....(the Zohar continues to chart the journey of the chidush
haTorah:new understanding of the Torah through various chambers and worlds
until it creates one raqiyaa-firmament).
...And so every word and word of wisdom creates firmaments and these are
called "shamayim (Mila 5) chadashim:new heavens."
The Zohar is teaching us that in our new understandings of Torah we have
the capacity to create new dimensions of creation and experience.
Rav Kook teaches that our time is the time of the transformation from Torat
HaDin:The Torah of Judgment to Torah HaChesed:Torah of Love.
OO"MILOO ET HA'MAYIM BA'YAMYM
May we be worthy to create these new heavens so that love will fill the
waters of Creation.
MILA YOMIT 78 BET: (VA'YEHEE EREV VA'YEHEE BOKER YOM) CHAMISHI
(AND IT WAS EVENING AND IT WAS MORNING DAY) FIFTH
(cont'd)
CONCEPTUAL MEANING:
Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan in "Innerspace" explains in a number of chapters the
Sephirot of the Tree of Life.
I would like to share selections of his explanation as they relate to the
process of Creation, leading to the completion of YOM CHAMISHI: The Fifth
Day. These teachings provide a Kabbalistic context, as it were, for the
Creation narrative:
"Keter:Crown, Chachma:Wisdom and Bina:Understanding (and Da'at:Knowledge)
constitute the basic mental processes that underlie all creative
expressions. As much as they represent the most abstract level of mind,
however, they are merely derivatives of a primal impulse of will that is far
more subtle and abstract and that transcends the axioms and the logic of
creation." (p.52)
"...the highest Sephirot (above) represent internal of 'mental' processes,
while the lower Sephirot manifest these processes externally. Thus...the
seven lower Sephirot are called Midot:Attributes while the three highest
Sephirot are referred to as Mochin:Mentalities...While the six Sephirot from
Chesed to Yesod are 'masculine' , Malchut:Kingship is a feminine
Sephira...The six masculine Sephirot are thus seen as the basic powers to
give and create while the feminine Malchut represents the power to receive.
The six Sephirot are related to the six days of creation. They also
represent the six basic directions of the three dimensional physical
universe-nort-south, east-west, up-down. They represent the fundamental
modes of reaching out to the six directions of creation. The seventh Sephira
is likened to the womb of the female. It represents the power to receive,
hold and eventually give back something more perfect and complete. It is
therefore related to the seventh day of creation, the Sabbath. It is the
Shabbath which gives us the power to hold to the original masculine forces
of creation and integrate them into our lives. Malchut is also the axis or
focal point as the center of the six directions, where instead of looking
outward, we look inward and integrate spiritual illumination into
ourselves." (p.41-42)
"...the lower seven Sephirot parallel the seven days of creation.
Chesed:Love is the first of these lower Sephirot, paralleling the first day.
The main creation on the first day was light. The main property of light is
that it has no bounds. This is equivalent to Chesed, giving without bounds;
being unrestrained, being unbounded, and perhaps even undisciplined.
Gevurah:Restraint parallels the second day of creation. The
Raqiyaa:Firmament was created on the second day. Hence the concept of
Gevurah relates to barriers.
Tiferet:Beauty is balance (between Chesed and Gevurah)...on the third day,
God separated the seas and the dry land. In other words the third day set
boundaries: not all sea, not all dry land, but a balance between the two. In
addition, plants were created on the third day. A plant grows, so that you
have the element of Chesed. Yet a plant is enclosed; it has a barrier