Showing posts with label circles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label circles. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Hashem Elokim: 2

We explained elsewhere the concept of עיגולים, circles with regards to the Sefiros. Each circle represents a self-contained and unconnected concept. Chesed alone, Gevurah alone, etc. They each have no means by which they can connect to anything else. There are no connecting lines to draw one into the other.
We can view this in two ways. They are each separate concepts. Additionally, each one, being self-contained, wants to be all encompassing, and leaves no room for anything else.
The name Elokim, which is defined as "The Master of all Powers," indicates disparate powers. In their state of disconnection and dissension they also wreak havoc. This is why Hashem could not create the world with מדת הדין (the power of separation and differentiation) alone. The world could not exist like that. Only by melding in the name יקוק were they able to unite through the underlying power of the One force that created them all. This name indicates that they all emanated from Him, from his singular unity empowering them to unite.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Points & Lines: 4

Indeed, the entire challenge of existence is to resolve the conflicts between the circles.

Hashem created the world in a broken manner; in a manner in which there are conflicting interests that seem to be irreconcilable. These are represented by the concentric circles of the Sefiros. One does not touch another. Never the twain shall meet. There is chaos and disorder (תוהו ובהו).

Our function is to reorder Creation: the well-known three-column Lurianic structure of the Sefiros in which each Sefirah has a place as well as a relationship with the others. When we succeed at reordering matters and bringing the world into harmony, we have accomplished our task as the human race.