Bereishit-2019

–By the First It created Elohim Eth (i.e. the twenty-two Hebrew letters in the Upper Worlds ) the Heavens and VuhEth (i.e. the twenty-two letters in the Lower Worlds ) ; The Holy One formed large upper letters (Binah) and smaller lower letters (Malkhut).

–One must also include the upper soul that dwells within man which is called the Neshamah. … The verse is referring to the soul of the Messiah; The soul of Mashiach “resides” within Atik, and it is from this level that all his powers will be drawn.Holiness comes by the merits of the Soul of Messiah, for it is written “The Breath of our Nostrils is the Messiah of HaShem”

Heavens and Earth:

The Torah teaches us that creation is divided into two: the heavens connected to the realm of the soul, and the earth connected to the realm of the body. “The earth was desolate and void” – The earthly matters of the body, into which people sink down, bring us to desolation, void and a confused mind.  – that is confusion. The highest way of serving Hashem is through ישובהדעת – yishuvha’da’at – a settled mind and clarity with a perfect goal. All the earthly things even those permitted cause an unsettled mind and confusion. However, when the light of G-d that shines through us, “G-d said let there be light” – then we have the ability to raise up all the earthly matters to the service of Hashem.

“Though the King of Kings, the Holy One, Blessed be the One, fashioned everyone from the die of the first human, not a single one of them is exactly alike. Hence, each and every person should say, “The world was created for me.” (Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 38a.) 

 Rabbi Yitzhak EizikHaver (1789-1853) found evidence of prior creations in the fact that the Torah starts with the letter bet, the second letter, rather than with an aleph, the first letter. “The verse begins with the letter bet to hint that Creation was divided into two realms—that G-d created two beginnings.”

The Torah begins with the letter beit [whose numerical value is 2] to inform us that two things are called “Beginning” – namely the heavens and the earth. For just as the heavens were created “first,” so too was the earth!

What did the Lord create first, heaven or earth?  This is a argument by the schools of Hillel and Shammai: The School of Shammai say:  the heavens were created first, and then the earth, as it is written, “In the beginning G-d created heaven and earth” (Genesis. 1:1).

The School of Shammai support their argument by a parable and a proof text:  “It is like a king who made himself a throne, and having made that, he then made his carriage.  Thus the Holy One, blessed be He, said:  ‘The heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool’ (Isaiah. 66:1).”

 “According to your reasoning, a person makes a footstool first, and then a chair upon which to sit. The following verse [indicates otherwise], ‘Thus says G‑d: The heavens are My throne and the earth is My footstool’. (Isaiah 66:1).” [We must therefore say that the heavens preceded the earth.]

The School of Hillel say:  the earth was created first, and then the heavens, as it is written, “Such is the story of heaven and earth when they were created.  When the Lord G-d made earth and heaven” (Genesis. 2:4).

The School of Hillel also cited a parable and a proof text:  “It is like a king who built a palace, and having built the lower storeys, he then built the upper ones; thus, ‘when the Lord G-d made earth and heaven.

This is the meaning of the verse, ‘Did He build His upper chambers in the heavens, and [only then] establish His stairway on the earth?!’ (Amos 9:6).” [We must therefore say that the earth was established first, and only then the heavens.]

The Midrash (Bereishit Rabba 1:15) adds:Rabbi Yehuda bar Ilai said: “Another verse helps prove Beit Hillel’s position, ‘Long ago, You founded the earth’, and afterwards, ‘the heavens are the work of Your hands‘ (Psalms 102:26).

Accordingly, the first half of Genesis. 2:4, “These are the chronicles of the heavens and the earth when they were created,” alludes to the dimension of Beriya [the world of Creation]. The second half, “On the day that G‑d Elokim made earth and heaven,” alludes to the dimension of Asiya [the world of Action or Making].Similarly, in Isaiah 48:13, the first half of the verse refers to Beriya, in which heaven preceded earth. Conversely, the second half of the verse refers to Asiya in which earth preceded heaven. This explains the prefix “and” of “and My right hand…” It indicates that, in Asiya, something else (i.e. the founding of the earth) preceded the stretching forth of the heavens.

Similarly, it is written in Isaiah, “My hand has also founded the earth; and My right hand has stretched forth the heavens” (Isaiah 48:13). Interestingly, the verse begins by saying “My hand has also founded”. This seems to indicate that the heavens were created first. Afterwards, however, when it says “and My right hand has stretched forth the heavens”, the prefix “and” of “and My right hand”   seems to indicate that this was done after something else, namely, after His left hand founded the earth. Only after this did His right hand stretch forth the heavens.

Sages: The Rabbis maintain that they [the heavens and earth] were created together, at the same time, as it is written, “My hand has also founded the earth; and My right hand has stretched forth the heavens. I [G‑d] call to them, and they stand up together“. (Isaiah 48:13)

Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai said: I am surprised that those Fathers of the world, Shamai and Hillel, argued over the [order of the] Creation of heaven and earth. Rather, in my opinion, they were created together like a pot and its cover, as the verse attests, “I [G‑d] call to them, and they stand up together”.(Isaiah 48:13)

Thus the Holy One, blessed be He, said:  ‘The heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool’ (Isaiah. 66:1)

Maran Rabbienu Yeshua Words: Again, you have heard that it was said, Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made. But I say to you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is G-d’s throne;  or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. – Matthew 5:33-42

“Do not take the name of G-d in vain,” and (the third utterance) states: “The waters below the firmament shall be gathered into one place..” Do not cause a separation in the unity of the waters (referring to the Shechinah — the indwelling Divine Presence¹⁰) by uttering a false oath.

Do not break your oath – The Torah allows to swear oaths, it is one of the requirements in the investigation of an adulterous woman (Numbers 5:19). However the words of an oath are not taken lightly by G-d.

And Moses told the people of Israel according to all that the Lord commanded Moses. And Moses spoke to the chiefs of the tribes concerning the people of Israel, saying, “This is the thing which the Lord has commanded. If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind his soul with a bond, he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.” (Numbers 30:1-3)

Whatever a man expresses in an oath must be fulfilled or he will be guilty by his own words (cf. Lev 5:4). It is specifically written: “You shall not swear falsely by my Name, thereby profaning the name of your God” (Lev 19:12). A man must “do everything that came out of his mouth” (Num 30:3). So if a man says to his neighbor, I am ‘bevowed’ from you that I not eat from you, he’s then forbidden by his own oath to eat food from that person (Mishna Nedarim 1:1). Even though a person is bound to their own words, the Mishna explains that only the wicked take oaths; the righteous refrain from taking oaths (cf. ibid). This parallels Yeshua’s words: “Anything beyond this comes from evil”. Yeshua taught not to swear at all, but rather “let your Yes be yes and your No be no”. Yaaqov haTzaddiq, the brother of Yeshua also taught the very same thing: “Never take an oath, by heaven or earth or anything else. Simply let your Yes be yes, and your No be no, so that you will not sin and be condemned” (James 5:12). One who breaks his oath profanes G-d’s name whether he took it in G-d’s name or not, because even if you don’t swear in the name of G-d directly, G-d is included in every oath ─ as Yeshua reasons (Matt 5:34-37) ─ and it’s a grave sin not to keep an oath. Our sages of blessed memory also taught to be careful with oaths: “Do not swear at all, not even if it’s true” (Tanhuma Vayikra). They also taught: “the characteristic of a righteous person is that his Yes is yes and his No is no” (Bava Bathra 49b).

 These are the generations of the heaven and the earth when they were created (Genesis. 2:4) suggested to the rabbis the creation of prior worlds, while the verse You carry them away as with a flood (Psalms. 90:5) was also interpreted to refer to the destruction of these prior worlds. The Zohar (1:262b) suggests that G-d did not actually build these prior worlds, but only thought about building them.

G-d went on creating worlds and destroying worlds until He created this one and declared, “This one pleases me, those did not.” That is how G-d created the heaven and the earth as we know it, as it is said, “For, behold! I am creating a new heaven and a new earth” (Isaiah. 65:17).

 Other sources, such as Midrash Tehillim 90:13, give the number as 974 worlds, which were said to have been created and destroyed over 2,000 years. Sefer ha-Zikhronot 1:1,suggests that when it entered G-d’s mind to create the world, He drew the plan of the world, but it would not stand until G-d created repentance. Thus repentance is the key element that made our world possible.

..looking for and hastening the coming of the day of G-d, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. -2 Peter 3:12-13

Rabbi Shimon said: “How much effort should man exert in the Torah day and night, for the Creator is stern to those who draw near Him. And with every word that man attains by his efforts in the Torah, he builds a firmament.”

Zohar writings: When the Torah is renewed by one’s mouth (the Light of Hochma is revealed in the Masach of Peh de Rosh), that renewal (new correction) ascends and appears before the Creator (in the World of Infinity). And the Creator (the general Light of Hochma) accepts this wisdom (the newly revealed Light of Hochma), kisses it (joins with it), and adorns it with seventy adornments (Sefirot of the soul’s body). And the renewed wisdom (the Light of Hochma) ascends and settles on the head of the righteous that revive the worlds, and then flies, soaring through 70,000 worlds, until it ascends to Atik, the Sefira Keter. And all that exists in Atik is concealed, Supernal Wisdom.

 And thus, man’s every correction in this world creates firmaments, the new Heavens, which appear before Partzuf Atik – they are “renewed firmaments,” concealed by Supernal Wisdom. And all the other parts of the Torah that are not renewed by means of Supernal Wisdom appear before the Creator, ascend and become “the lands of life” (Artzot HaChaim). They then descend and adorn the land – and out of all the renewed a new land comes into being.

The zohar teaches that when a person originates Torah ideas, G-d uses these words to form heaven and earth anew. But if the Torah insights stem from the imagination “firmaments of futility” are created, through which famine comes into the world.(Zohar 4b-5a). Thus, when a person studies Torah following the guidelines set forth by the true tzaddikim who have transmitted the Torah from generation to generation, and he originates Torah teachings, he can create a heaven from which to draw forth blessing. But if he originates false Torah teachings, he creates a false heaven that withholds bounty and blessing from the world. ( Likutei Moharan I, 54:6 )

 It is written, “When the new land and the new Heavens, which I make.” It is written “I make,” in present tense, for they are made from revealing the secrets of the Torah. And it is written of this: “And I shall place it in your mouth, and in the shadow of your hands’ garments, that I may take the Heavens (renewed by the Torah), and lay the foundations of the land.”

What is the meaning of “in the shadow of your hands’ garments”? – When the Torah was passed to Moshe, thousands of angels appeared so as to raze him with the flames of their mouths. But the Creator protected him. So now, when the renewal in the Torah ascends and appears before the Creator, He protects it and shelters the one who performed it, so as to prevent the angels from finding out and envying him, until new Heaven and earth are made out of this renewal in the Torah. Hence, it is said, “To take the Heavens and lay the foundations of the land from the shadow of your hands’ garments.”

 The Creator said to these gates and to the words of the Torah, renewed by Him: “Who are you with? You are my partners. Just as I make the Heavens and the earth with My words, as it is written, ‘By the Creator’s word were the Heavens made,’ so you create new Heavens and earth by your (correction) labor in the Torah.”  And when man rises to the level of the thought of creation, he connects with the Creator and becomes His associate; this is what it is to unite with the Creator. We unite with the Creator in the thought of creation. It is written: the righteous are the Creator’s partners; 

John’s vision passes from the Millenial Kingdom into the Olam Haba – the world to come. 

 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. – Revelation 21:1

 as the Talmud tells us: Talmud, Berachoth 34b – All the prophets prophesied only for the days of the Messiah, but as for the world to come, ‘Eye hath not seen, oh God, beside Thee’.

This  expresses the union of the upper and lower Shekinah in terms of the union of the bride and groom coming at the time of the seventh millennium:

Soncino Zohar, Bereshith, 50b – R. Simeon further gave an exposition of the verse: The Lord said unto my lord, Sit at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool (Psalm 110:1). “The Lord saith unto my lord”: ‘to wit, the upper grade said to the lower, “sit at my right hand”, in order that the West should be linked with the South and the Left with the Right so as to break the power of the Gentiles. Or again, “The Lord” is (the celestial) Jacob, and “to my lord” is “the ark of the covenant, the lord of all the earth” (Joshua 3:11). According to another explanation, “the Lord” refers to the Jubilee and “my lord” to the Sabbatical Year (cf. Exodus 21:5, “I love my lord”). The words “sit at my right hand” are appropriate, because the Right is located in the Jubilee, and the Sabbatical Year craves to be linked with the Right. When it first came into being, the Sabbatical Year was not linked securely (to the supreme power) through either the Right or the Left. So when it sought to secure itself, the supreme power stretched forth its right arm to meet it and created this world. It is because it is from the side of the Left that it has no sure basis till the time of the seventh millennium, when at length it will be linked through the Right. Then the Sabbatical Year, between the Right and the Left, will be securely based, there will be a new heaven and a new earth, and it will not depart from there for ever. According to this explanation, we must take the words “sit at my right hand” to refer only to a specified period, viz. “till I make thine enemies thy footstool”, but not in perpetuity; for when that event has come to pass, it will not depart from there for ever, as it is written, “for thou shalt spread abroad on the right hand and on the left” (Isaiah 54:3), all being united. Similarly we can interpret the text “the heavens and the earth” to mean that the higher Shekinah and the lower Shekinah will be joined in the union of male and female; 

“. . . when the Bride is destined the next day to be under the canopy with Her Husband – to be with her all night, delighting with Her in Her adornments in which she is arrayed, engaging in Torah, from Torah to Prophets, from Prophets to Writings, midrashic renderings of verses and mysteries of wisdom: these are her adornments and finery.” Rabbi Shim’on opened, saying, “Heaven declares the glory of G-d . . . (Psalms 19:2). . . when the Bride is aroused to enter the canopy the next day, She is arrayed and illumined with Her adornments . . . as soon as they join together, and She sees Her Husband, what is written? Heaven declares the glory of G-d. Heaven – the Groom entering the canopy . . . The glory of G-d – glory of the Bride, who is called G-d, but now that She has entered the canopy, She is called Glory as well as G-d, glory upon glory, radiance upon radiance, dominion upon dominion.”
Zohar 1:8a, Pritzker Edition, translated by Daniel C. Matt, pg. 52-53

By two coupled Sefirot: Wisdom (Hokhma) and Understanding (Binah) all our existence came to be, as it’s written: “HaShem with Wisdom founded the Earth; with Understanding established the heavens” (Proverbs 3:19).

The Proverb 2:3 is commonly translated as: “If you call for Understanding”… but the word “If”, (in Hebrew: ‘Im’) also means: Mother, or Mom, thus the translation: “you shall call Understanding Mom”; in other words: The Sefirah of Binah is called “the Mother”, and this makes Hokhma (Wisdom) the Father; as it’s written: “he who loves Wisdom rejoices his father” (Proverbs 29:3).

 The connection between the union of spiritual Bride and Groom  – The union between G-d and His people is described in book of the Zohar:

Soncino Zohar, Bereshith, 8a – R. Simeon opened his discourse thus: The heavens declare the glory of God, etc. (Psalm 19:2). He said: ‘The inner meaning of this verse is as follows. When the bride awakes on the morn of her wedding day, she begins to prepare her ornaments and decorations with the aid of the companions who have rejoiced with her all that night, as she with them. On that day there assemble in her honour hosts upon hosts, awaiting each one of those who have helped in her adornment on the previous night. As soon as the bride beholds her spouse, “the heavens declare the glory of G-d”. “The heavens” are the bridegroom, who enters under the bridal canopy. “Declare” (meSaPeRim) signifies that they radiate a brilliance like that of a sapphire, sparkling and scintillating from one end of the world to the other. “The glory of El” (G-d) signifies the glory of the bride which is called El (G-d), as it is written “and El (G-d) hath indignation every day” (Psalm 7:12); all the days of the year it is called El (G-d), but now when she enters under the bridal canopy it is called Glory. It is also at the same time still called El (G-d), signifying glory on glory, splendour on splendour, and dominion on dominion. Thus, at that time when heaven enters into the canopy and irradiates her, all those companions who joined in her adornment have their names recorded there above, as it is written, “and the firmament showeth his handiwork” (Ibid. 19:2), the words “his handiwork” being an allusion to those who have entered into a covenant with the bride. The confederates of the covenant are called “ the works of his hands”, as we read “the work of our hands establish thou it” (Psalm 90:17) This is an allusion to the covenant that is engraven on man’s body.’

 Ten Acts of Speech:

“We have learned (Tzvi: apparently in the Mishnah) ‘the world was created through 10 acts of speech (“sayings”)’, namely:

1. “when G-d began to create” ( Gen 1:1)
2. “a wind from G-d sweeping over the water” ( Gen 1:2)
3. “G-d said, let there be light” ( Gen 1:3)
4. “G-d said let there be an expanse” ( Gen 1:6)
5. “G-d said let the water” (Gen 1:9)
6. “G-d said let the earth” ( Gen 1:11)
7. “G-d said let there be lights” (Gen 1:14)
8. “G-d said let the waters bring forth” (Gen 1:20)
9. “G-d said let the earth bring forth (Gen 1:24)
10. “G-d said let us make man” (Gen 1:26)”.

 The Ten Utterances of Creation Parallel the Ten Commandments

 (“The world was created by means of ten utterances.”1 The following concept explains the connection between the asarahma’amorot [Ten Utterances] in Genesis and the aserethadibrot [Ten Commandments] in Exodus 20.)

Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai taught: kafasarahasarah — (“Each incense bowl weighed ten sanctuary shekels”—lit:) each bowl ten ten.2 Why (the doubled words) “ten ten?” Once, to allude to the work of creation, and once to allude to the Torah. There are ten utterances in the creation of the world, and (corresponding to them) ten utterances in the Torah (the Ten Commandments).

What does this tell us? That the world was created for the sake of Torah, and as long as the Israel people occupy themselves with Torah, the world will continue to exist. But if the Israel people abandon Torah, the verse declares, “If not for My Covenant (the Torah), I would not have set day and night, and the bounds of heaven and earth.”

The Zohar now explains how the ten utterances parallel the Ten Commandments.

The 1st (commandment, instructing us to have faith in G-d) states: I am the Lord your G-d...” Regarding creation, the verse states: “There shall be light, and there was light.”
From the verse “G-d is my light and salvation, whom shall I fear?” we learn that faith in the Holy One, blessed be He, is also called “light.” (Hence, light and faith in G-d, the first commandment, correspond.)

Yeshua told him, “For the Tanakh says, ‘Worship Adonai your G-d, and serve only him -Matthew 4:10/Luke 4:8

The 2nd states: “You shall have no other gods before Me,” and (the second utterance) states: “There shall be a firmament between the waters, and it shall divide between water and water.”

“There shall be a firmament,” refers to the Israel people who are part of G-d Above, for they are attached to that plane which is called shemayim (Heaven , or firmament). “Between the waters,” — among the words of Torah (which is called water, as our Sages explain) “And it (the souls of Israel ) shall divide between water and water” — between G-d, who is called “the Source of Living Water” and false deities which are called “broken wells”  containing bitter, putrid and stagnant water. (Thus, the division between water and water is dependent on the Israel people learning Torah.)

“But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols . . . “( Acts 15:20)

“Neither be ye idolaters.” (1 Cor 10:7)

“Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.” (1 Cor 10:14)

“Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:” (Acts 17:29,30)

The 3rd states: “Do not take the name of G-d in vain,” and (the third utterance) states: “The waters below the firmament shall be gathered into one place..” Do not cause a separation in the unity of the waters (referring to the Shechinah — the indwelling Divine Presence) by uttering a false oath.

“Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.” (Mt 6:9/Lk 11:2)

“I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.“ (Mt 12:36)

The 4th states: “Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy,” and (the fourth utterance) states, “The earth shall sprout vegetation..” When does the earth become fertile and become covered with vegetation? On the Sabbath, when the bride (the Sabbath) unites with the King (G-d). This brings  forth vegetation and blessing for the world.

“And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach . . . ” (Mk 6:2)

“And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day . . . ” (Lk 4:16)

” . . . ( Yeshua ) taught them on the sabbath days.” (Lk 4:31)

” . . . it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.” (Mt12:12)

” . . . when they (the apostles) departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day.” ( Acts 13:14)

“And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.” ( Acts13:42)

“And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.”  ( Acts 18:4)

The 5th states: “Honor your father and mother,” and (the fifth utterance) states, “There shall be luminaries in the sky …” This means that the luminaries are your father and mother — the sun is your father, and the moon your mother, alluding to the Holy One, blessed be He, your father, as the verse states. “For the sun and its sheath are G-d, the Lord.”  (The verse makes an association between G-d — who is the ultimate source of all “light” in the sense of Divine revelation — and the sun, the source of physical light.)  And the moon refers to Knesset Yisrael (the collective soul of the Israel people), as the verse states (regarding Israel), “Your moon shall never disappear.”   (It seems that the intention here is that our “father and mother” — G-d, and the collective Israel soul — are honored by the Torah which the Israel people learn in this world, as our Sages explain, “There is no honor other than Torah.”)

“Honour thy father and thy mother . . . ” (Mt 19:19/Mk 10:19/ Lk 18:20)

Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.” ( Mt 15: 3,4/Mk 7:10)

“Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.” (Col 3:20)

The 6th states: “Do not murder,” and (the sixth utterance) states “The waters shall teem with living creatures.” Do not kill a man, who is also called “a living creature.”  And do not be like fish, the larger of which swallows the smaller.

” . . . Do not kill . . .” (Mk 10:19)

” . . .Thou shalt not kill . . .” (Rom 13:9)

“We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.” (1 Jn 3:14,15)

The 7th states: “Do not commit adultery,” and (the seventh utterance) states, “The earth shall bring forth living creatures… in their species.” From this we learn that a man should not approach a woman who is not his soulmate. For this reason the verse, “in their species.” A woman must not bear children from one who is not her “species” i.e. her soul mate.

 “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” (Mt 5:27,28) 

“I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.” (Mt 5:32)

“Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery . . .” (Mt 19:18/Mk 10:19/Lk 18:20)

The 8th states: “Do not steal,” and (the eight utterance) states, “I have given you every seed bearing plant on the surface of the earth.” i.e. that which I have given you, and allowed you to use, is yours. Do not steal that which belongs to someone else.

“Thou shalt not steal . . ” (Mt 19:18/Rom 13:9)

“Do not steal . . . ” (Mk 10:19/Lk 18:20)

” . . . thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of G-d.” (1 Cor 6:10)

The 9th states: “Do not testify as a false witness,” and (the ninth utterance) states, “We shall make man with Our image, of Our likeness.” Do not testify falsely against one who bears the Divine image. And if one testifies falsely, it is as if he blasphemed.

” . . . Thou shalt not bear false witness . . .” (Mt 19:18/Rom 13:9)

” . . .Do not bear false witness . . . ” ( Mk10:19/ Lk 18:20)

“Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds” (Col 3:9)

” . . . speak evil of no man” (Titus 3:2)

The 10th states:   “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbour’s.” (Ex 20:17)

“Do not be envious of your neighbor’s wife…” and (the tenth utterance) states, “It is not good that man is alone. I will make him a helper to match him.” This refers to each person’s soul-mate who matches him perfectly. Hence, “Do not be envious of your neighbor’s wife…”

 “And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” (Lk 12:15)

“What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.” (Rom 7:7)

” . . . Thou shalt not covet . . . ” (Rom 13:9)

“But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;” ( Eph 5:3)

 Torah

________

Genesis 1:1-6:8

Exodus 20:2

Haftarah Portion

______________

Isaiah 42:5-43:10

Psalm 33:6

Ha-Berit ha-Hadashah

________________

John 1:1-18

Revelation 22 : 13

Notes:

 

In the beginning ……

The first subject mentioned in the Talmud citation above is the ‘Torah’ itself. The term “Torah” here carries with it an idea different than what we normally consider, that being the five books of Moses, ‘the Word of G-d.’ Here, ‘Torah’ is considered to be the totality of the revelation of G-d. 

The sages teach that this primordial Torah served as a ‘blueprint’ for the entire creation, establishing the connection between ‘the beginning’ and the ‘word’: “The Holy One, Blessed is He, looked into the Torah and created the world.” (Bereishis Rabbah 1:2)

Based on this remarkable passage, Chazal say that the name of the Torah is רֵאשִׁית Reisheet, or Beginning, as it states,    יי קָנָנִי רֵאשִׁית דַּרְכֹּו

“HaShem possessed me, the Beginning of His Way” –Proverbs 8:22

“In wisdom (be-hukema) the L-rd created.” –Jerusalem Targum

The Torah begins with the words, ‘With the Torah,’ [which is called ‘beginning’], G-d created heaven and earth. (EitzYosefadloc; cf. Rashi, Genesis 1:1)

‘With the Torah, G-d created the heavens and the earth.”

 The Zohar says explains the unity between HaShem and the Torah,

“…the Holy One and the Torah are one.”–Zohar, Shemoth, Section 2, Page 60a, Soncino Press Edition

The Zohar also explains that the Torah is the Name of HaShem, and “He and his Name are one,”

“For the Torah is the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He. As the Name of the Holy One is engraved in the Ten Words (creative utterances) of Creation, so is the whole Torah engraved in the Ten Words (Decalogue), and these Ten Words are the Name of the Holy One, and the whole Torah is thus one Name, the Holy Name of God Himself. Blessed is he who is worthy of her, the Torah, for he will be worthy of the Holy Name. Said R. Jose: This means that he will be worthy of the Holy One Himself, as He and His Name are one. Blessed be His Name for ever and ever. Amen. –Zohar, Shemoth, Section 2, Page 90b, Soncino Press Edition

The word “Torah” is one of the titles given to Zeir Anpin,

“Rabbi Elazar said, ‘They went out into the wilderness to gaze and perceive, but the Holy One, blessed be He, removed His precious splendor from there. They went in order to conceive Him, but did not find Him. We have learned that the Holy One, blessed be He, is called ‘Torah’. Therefore, water is Torah, and Torah is the Holy One, blessed be He.” –Zohar, Shemot, Beshalach, Zohar.com

The Zohar says that this is accomplished by the Zeir Anpin, the Vav, the Son,

“This is through the mystic influence of the Vau, who is always in readiness to pour on it blessing, and who is the “son of freedom” and “son of Jubilee”, who obtains for slaves their freedom. He is a scion of the supernal world, and the author of all life, of all illuminations, and all exalted states.”
Zohar 1:124b, Soncino Press Edition

Yeshua says, I and the Father are one. –John 10:30

Yeshua says,“Yeshua answered them, “Amein, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. A slave doesn’t live in the house forever. A son remains forever. If therefore the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” –John 8:34-36

“This is the secret of this matter. There are two grades above in which man should be adorned; they are the secret of Faith, and they are one. The first is the secret of the servant and the other is the secret of the son. THE GRADE OF the servant ABOVE is called ‘the master of the whole earth,’ WHICH IS THE SECRET OF MALCHUT, AND THE GRADE OF the son ABOVE is as we stated, “Yisrael is My son, My firstborn” (Shemot 4:22), WHICH IS THE SECRET OF ZEIR ANPIN Everything pertains to the one secret of Faith, and it behooves man to be adorned with these grades OF THE SON AND SERVANT ABOVE to be included within the secret of Faith… HE NOW INTERPRETS THE GRADE OF THE SON, SAYING: Happy is the portion of the son, who deserves to strive to know his Father’s secrets and all the mysteries of His house, like an only child whose father gave him authority over all his secrets. It is to the glory OF THE SON to have power over everything. He who strives in the Torah to know the Holy One, blessed be He, and His mysteries is ‘the son of the Holy One blessed be He,’ and in all the heavenly hosts, there is none that will stop him from entering his Father’s presence at any time he needs to. Happy is his portion throughout the worlds. Therefore, he who strives to know his Father in a particular way, within the secret of Chochmah, MEANING THE CHOCHMAH AT THE RIGHT OF ZEIR ANPIN, is called ‘a son’.”
Zohar, Behar, The Secret of the Servant and the Secret of the Son, Zohar.com

In the beginning was the word, And the word was with G-d. And the word was G-d. – John 1 : 1

The first verse contains four concepts, as it follows:

• the beginning
• the word being ‘in the beginning’
• the word being ‘with’ G-d
• the concept about the word 

In the beginning was the word – The first section of the verse introduces two concepts in relationship:  “the beginning,” and “the word.”

As G-d has no ‘beginning,’ this could refer to either; the onset of “Creation” in terms of Genesis 1:1, or the idea of “existence,” prior to the actual Creation. The latter would include things that came into existence prior to the Creation of the physical world. We find this idea in the Talmud, where the idea of the ‘Name’ of the Messiah, relates to things such as: function, power, authority, etc.

We see ‘the Messiah’ established as a primordial concept: “Seven things were created before the world was created, and these are they: The Torah, repentance, the Garden of Eden, Gehenna, the Throne of Glory, the Temple, and the name of the Messiah. The Torah, for it is written, The Lord made me [the Torah] as the beginning of his way. Repentance, for it is written, Before the mountains were brought forth, and it is written, Thou turnest man to contrition, and sayest, Repent, ye children of men. The Garden of Eden, as it is written, And the Lord planted a garden in Eden from aforetime. The Gehenna, for it is written, For Gehenna  is ordered of old. The Throne of Glory and the Temple, for it is written, Thou throne of glory, on high from the beginning, Thou place of our sanctuary. The name of the Messiah, as it is written, His [the Messiah’s] name shall endure forever, and has existed before the sun!”Talmud Pesachim 54a

WISDOM ( ChochMah )

 “That is why we, from the day we heard, have not ceased praying for you, and asking that you be filled with the knowledge of his will (Keter) in all wisdom (Chochmah) and spiritual understanding (Binah)……. – Colossians 1:9

The idea of ‘the beginning,’ is “Wisdom” (Hebrew: “Chochmah”) .

““The Lord possessed me (Wisdom) at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old.  I have been established from everlasting, From the beginning, before there was ever an earth.  When there were no depths I was brought forth, When there were no fountains abounding with water.  Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills, I was brought forth;  While as yet He had not made the earth or the fields, Or the primal dust of the world.  When He prepared the heavens, I was there, When He drew a circle on the face of the deep, When He established the clouds above, When He strengthened the fountains of the deep, When He assigned to the sea its limit, So that the waters would not transgress His command, When He marked out the foundations of the earth,   Then I was beside Him, a master architect; And I was daily His delight, -Prov 8:22-30

“In wisdom you have made them all.” -Psalm 104:24

“The beginning is Wisdom [and Wisdom is] fear of HaShem” -Psalm 111:10

By examining how Wisdom relates to ‘the beginning’ and ‘the Word,’ we can establish further connectivity. Thus, Wisdom carries with it the concepts of singularity with ‘nothing’ before it.

“Wisdom comes into being from nothing (ayin).” -Job 28:12

This ‘nothingness’ relates to ‘Keter’ (Crown) and the concept of ‘pre-existence’ with Wisdom being the first singular point within ‘existence’: “Chochmah is regarded as the first creative act of the infinite, EinSof  and, as such, is frequently referred to as reishit (beginning). Keter Elyon, G-d’s will, is first channeled through Chochmah.”  (Tanya I, Ch.35.)

Rabbi Moses De Leon declared that: “The beginning of existence is the mystery of the hidden point which is called Chochmah … and from a single point you can draw out all things.
(I. Tishby, Wisdom of The Zohar, I:281.)

The Zohar explains that this Wisdom is G-d’s primordial thought. “When G-d designed to create the Universe, his thought encompassed all worlds at once, and by means of this thought were they all created, as it says:

“By this thought – which is his Wisdom – were this world and the upper world created.”
Zohar 2:20a

By trusting, we understand that the universe was created through a spoken word of G-d, so that what is seen did not come into being out of existing phenomena. – Hebrews 11 : 1

“When the most secret of secrets (Keter) sought to be revealed, He made, first of all, a single point, and this became thought. He made all the designs there. He made all the engravings there.”
(Zohar 1:2a)

the sages make the connection between the Torah and Wisdom, citing Proverbs:

“Seven things were created before the world: [the first is] the Torah… whence do we know about the Torah? Because it is said (Prov 8:22): HaShem acquired me, the beginning of his way, before his works of old. The word ‘Before’ [kedem; i.e. Ancient times] means before the world was made.”
(Pirkeid’RabbiEliezer 3; cf. Pesachim 54a).

Other sources also connect Wisdom, the Torah and the beginning: “The Torah is Wisdom, and is therefore the “head” of creation . . . It might be thought that the Torah was created only to rectify creation as it already exists. If this were so, the Torah would have been created after the earth. But actually, the Torah was the blueprint of creation, and therefore preceded it.”
Aryeh Kaplan’s commentary on the theBahir #10, pg. 96.

“It is written, ‘G-d by wisdom founded the earth,’ (Proverbs 3:19). Wisdom is nothing other than Torah. Its name was AMON (architect) before the world was created, as it is written ‘I was by Him as an architect/AMON (Proverbs 8:30) –Quotation from Isaac the Blind, as  cited in “Trajectories of Mysticism in Theory and Literature,” P. Leonard, p. 122.

….. Surely of the Torah, which preceded the creation of the world by two thousand years, as it is written, Then I [sc. the Torah] was by Him, as a nursling, and I was His delight day after day  (Pro. VIII, 30) now the day of the Lord is a thousand years, as it is said, For a thousand years in Thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past (Ps. XC, 4). That is the meaning of Knowest thou this of old time? The Torah knows what was before the creation of the world, but you have no business to inquire about aught save ‘Since man was placed upon earth. R. Leazar said in Bar Sira’s name: About what is too great for thee inquire not; what is too hard for thee investigate not; about what is too wonderful for thee know not; of what is hidden from thee ask not; study what was permitted thee; thou hast no business with hidden things. -Midrash Rabbah Genesis 8:1

 Finally, the Tzaddik who connects the earthly and spiritual worlds is associated with the aspect of Wisdom. “The tzadik in this world, by virtue of having reached the level of Mah (chokMAH/wisdom & self-negation) – thus becoming attached to the supernal wisdom – becomes the intermediary through which the Heavenly abundance comes to this world when he himself exists.”
Chassidic Dimensions – Vol 3,  Jacob Immanuel Schochet, p. 109

John 1:1 … And the word was with G-d

This above verse introduces a type of relationship, one between the Word/Torah and G-d. The Midrash Rabbah describes this multifaceted word אומן (AMON) mentioned above, as also meaning a nursling, covered, hidden, great (in addition to craftsman or architect).

The Artscroll commentary to Proverbs comments: “I was a nursing beside him. The Torah was like G-d’s beloved child, nurtured by Him and His source of constant delight (metzudos).”
Artscroll Commentary to Proverbs 8:30, Volume I, Mesorah Publishers, pg 156.

Midrashic sources personify the Torah, speaking of its intimacy with G-d in the process of Creation:

The Torah declares: I was the working tool of the Holy One, blessed be He. In human practice, when a mortal king builds a palace, he builds it not with his own skill but with the skill of an architect. The architect moreover does not build it out of his head, but employs plans and diagrams to know how to arrange the chambers and the wicket doors. Thus G-d consulted the Torah and created the world, while the Torah declares, Midrash Rabbah Genesis 1:1

“Therefore, the interpretation follows that if the name of the Torah is “Beginning,” then the passage may be interpreted, “With the Torah G-d created the heavens and the earth”. The Midrash says metaphorically that “G-d took counsel with the Torah in order to create the World [as it is written (Prov 8:30): I was with him as an architect]” (PrikeiD’RabbiEliezer 3; cf. BereshitRabbah 1:1).

John 1:1 … And the word was G-d.

 As every ‘thing’ was created by G-d, how can it be said than any thing ‘was/is G-d?’ “How can something ‘separate from G-d’ also ‘be G-d?’  As with everything Torah-related, particularly mystical ideas.this association must be understood within the framework of Hebraic spiritual concepts and language. 

The Zohar mentions the unity between G-d, Torah, Wisdom and the will of G-d.“The Torah and Blessed Holy one are one, and this is the Torah: Wisdom and G-d’s Will” -(Zohar III:152a; cf. Zohar II:60a).

The above Zohar text is interesting as it may also be seen as representing the ‘Mochin’ (upper three Sefirot) as follows:  

Keter: G-d’s will (pre-existence)

Chokmah: Wisdom the singular point containing all of creation

Binah: The expansion of the Torah (from Chokmah&Keter) into creation

The Zohar also explains that the Torah is the ‘Name’ of HaShem, and “He and his Name are one.” The concept of ‘Name’ having to do with (the revelation of) G-d’s Power, Authority, Mercy, etc.):

“For the Torah is the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He. As the Name of the Holy One is engraved in the Ten Words (creative utterances) of Creation, so is the whole Torah engraved in the Ten Words (Decalogue), and these Ten Words are the Name of the Holy One, and the whole Torah is thus one Name, the Holy Name of G-d Himself. Blessed is he who is worthy of her, the Torah, for he will be worthy of the Holy Name. Said R. Jose: This means that he will be worthy of the Holy One Himself, as He and His Name are one. Blessed be His Name for ever and ever. Amen.”
Zohar, Shemoth 90b

“Rabbi Elazar said, ‘They went out into the wilderness to gaze and perceive, but the Holy One, blessed be He, removed His precious splendor from there. They went in order to conceive Him, but did not find Him. We have learned that the Holy One, blessed be He, is called ‘Torah’. Therefore, water is Torah, and Torah is the Holy One, blessed be He.” (Zohar, Shemot 2:60a)

“Therefore to study the Torah is like studying the Holy Name, as we have said, that the Torah is all one holy supernal name.” (Soncino Zohar, Vayikra, Section 3 Page 36a)

John 1:2 It was in the beginning with G-d.

For instance, mention of messiah as a force of creation is found in the midrash on Genesis:

AND THE SPIRIT OF G-D HOVERED (Genesis 1:2): this alludes to the spirit of Messiah, as you read, And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him (Isaiah 11:2). In the merit of what will [this spirit] eventually come? [For the sake of that which] HOVERED OVER THE FACE OF THE WATERS, i.e. in the merit of repentance which is likened to water, as it is written, Pour out thy heart like water (Lamentations 2:19).
Midrash Rabbah,Genesis 2:4

 We see in the same text, that this same spirit of Messiah is closely associated with man and in turn with a well-recognized verse from Isaiah: That is consistent with the view of R. Simeon b. Lakish, for he said: ‘And the spirit of G-d hovered’ ( Gen 1:2) refers to the soul of Adam, as you read, And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him (Isaiah. 40:2).  Midrash Rabbah Genesis 8:1 

Messiah as a force of creation and we will find the information about the Functions of Messiah:

 Function #1 of the Name of Messiah:  Light of creation

The ultimate expression of this idea is found in the consummate tzaddik – the messiah. Thus one of the ’functions’ related to the ‘name’ of the Messiah (re: Pesachim 54a above) is that of a conduit of the ‘light of creation’:

For it says, “The tzaddik, [even if he is the only one], is the foundation (‘Yesod’ = conduit) of the world” (Pro.10:25). Who is this tzaddik for whom’s sake the world endures and for whom the world was created? It is taught, “The world was created only for Mashiach”
(Talmud, Sanhedrin 98a).

The soul of Mashiach preceded the world. (Pesachim 54a) It is the root of the souls of Israel, and the entire Creation, (Exodus Rabbah 40:3) for “The entire universe was only created to attend him” (Berakhot 6b).

even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love– Ephesians 2 : 10

Function #2 of the Name of Messiah: Life-Force of Creation

The concept of the light of creation being the ‘life-giving’ force is reflected in the 13th century text, “Sha’areOrah” (“Gates of Light”), section II. Here we find a direction connection to the power of the soul of messiah giving life to all creatures:

“Let the earth bring forth every kind of living creature.”(Gen. 1:24). For this verse, by virtue of the upper wisdom, includes the soul of all that moves and crawls on the earth, the life-force of all species of fish, fowl, beasts and domesticated animals as well as the animal soul that dwells within man. One must also include the upper soul that dwells within man which is called the Neshamah. Therefore this verse was interpreted … ‘The verse is referring to the soul of the Messiah’.”
“Sha’areOrah,” Rabbi Joseph Gikatilla, translated by Avi Weinstein, Altimira Press, London, 1994, p. 55.

This life-force ‘energy’ of Messiah, associated with eternal life, proceeds through the words of the written Torah to mankind and connects us back to the beginning:

“There is a living spirit inside of the Torah, and when a person says the words of the Torah, this living spirit, Mashiach energy, immortality, Divine Inspiration, connects with and speaks through him, which enlivens the universe and connects it to its inner source.” –ChokL’Yisrael, B’reishit Day 4, pg.20

Thus also it is written, The first man Adam became a living soul; the last Adam a Quickening spirit ( Spirit of Torah/Torah of Messiah ) . – I Corinthians 15 : 45

 Function #3 of the Name of Messiah: Bringing Tikkun to Creation

Tikun is a remedy prescribed against the effects of committing a sin. – Glossary of Chassidut

The concept of tikkun is defined by Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh as follows: A tikun is a state of perfection and order. Tikun is the spiritual process of liberating and retrieving the fragments of Divine light trapped within the material realm, unconscious of G-d’s presence, thereby restoring the world to its initially intended state of perfection. This is accomplished through the performance of mitzvot.

Need For Tikkun as follows: 

• Tikkun of Torah /G-d Head
• Tikkun of Heavenly 
• World of Tikkun     

Tikkun of G-d Head:
As author Chayim J. Henoch, states that the sin of Adam had a cosmic effect -- one that "fractured the Godhead," and would ultimately be rectified. This tikkun would be crowned by the arrival of the Messiah:  The chief cause for the existence of evil in the upper and lower worlds, which necessitates a universal catharsis, is the mystical sin of Adam. This sin effected an abysmal fissure in the Divine harmony of all being and interrupted the flow of Divine energy into the arteries of the universe.... The purpose of this sefiric, cosmo-historical catharsis is thus directed toward the renewal of the shining of the Divine light in all phases and branches of the universe, piercing and making the veil of opaqueness and darkness disappear. Ultimately, this sublime purpose expresses the realization of fixing of the mystical-universal split, symbolized by the arrival of the Messiah, which represents the climactic completeness of man, who is created in the image of G-d.  - Yashanet 

Tikkun of Heavenly Realm

From the book of Hebrews in New Testament ( chapter 9 ) is of key importance in understanding the work of  Maran Rabbeinu Yeshua in the heavenly realms, with relation to bringing tikkun to the heavenly Holy of Holies, which brought tikkun to Ze’er Anpin, and also opened the door for the forgiveness of sin. Yeshua as a Heavenly Tzaddik work in the heavenly Holy of Holies effected the tikkun of Arikh Anpin.

Rabbi Nachman of Breslov taught that the soul of Mashiach originates, from the level of Keter (Atik), the loftiest point prior to creation.  Here we see another aspect of the ‘name’ (function, authority) of the messiah, to bring tikkun (rectification) to creation:

“This is absolutely necessary, for Mashiach must be able to transcend anything and everything in the world – even and especially all evil that was ever perpetrated – to rectify and perfect all mankind.”
Mashiach – Who? What? Why? How? Where? When?,Chaim Kramer, BreslovResarch Institute, Jerusalem, p. 18.

“The Keter (ArikhAnpin) is the loftiest Parfutz. But the ARI writes,Keter actually has two levels, a lower level corresponding to ArikhAnpin and an upper level, the intellect of ArikhAnpin, which corresponds to Atik. Atik is referred to in the holy writings by several names: Atik (“The Ancient One”), AtikYomin (“The Ancient of Days”), AtikaKadisha (“The Holy Ancient One”). … The connection between Mashiach and Atik is learned from Daniel’s vision: “A man came and he approached (the level of) the Ancient of Days …” Rashi explains that this refers to Mashiach, who will minister justice to the entire world. … Atik thus transcends anything that we can conceive — giving and receiving, right and left, reward and punishment, and so on. At this level there is neither past or future. Everything is in the present. And, as we have seen, every part of Creation, from the first constriction, until the lowest level of the world of Asiyah, is contained within Keter. Thus Atik includes all time and space — yet transcends it all. The soul of Mashiach “resides” within Atik, and it is from this level that all his powers will be drawn. And, since he transcends time and space, Mashiach can transcend every transgression ever committed and rectify it — for since he can transcend everything ever done, he can bring each person to a state prior to his having sinned. … With this power inherent in this exalted level, Mashiach will be able to bring the world to a state of perfection.”
Mashiach – Who? What? Why? How? Where? When?, pp. 208-209.

This power of Tikkun through the soul of the messiah is directly associated with the previously discussed themes of wisdom and Torah being ‘consulted’ at the time of creation:

“The Holy One, blessed-be-He, took counsel with this soul (Messiah’s) in the creation of His Universe, as it is written: “With whom did He take counsel, who gave Him understanding and guided Him in the way of judgment?” (Isaiah 40:14, BereshitRabbah 8:6). He (Messiah) gave G-d a guarantee that he will repair the Universe. (Tikkuney Zohar 69, 111b; Zohar, III:216a)”

 This concealed light found in the very beginning, which the Sages say is the light of Mashiach can only be seen by the righteous, who will be the ones to enjoy its goodness.

As it says, “How abundant is Your goodness, which You have stored up for those who fear You.”
Psalm 31:19

The Baal Shem Tov says concerning this light and its difficulty being accepted: “It is written, ‘The path of the tzaddik is as the glean of sunlight, that shines ever brighter until the height of the day’ (Pro.4:18). That is, the sun itself shines in its place equally, both at the onset of the day and in the middle. The only thing that obstructs it is the earth, which stands between us and the sun. Therefore, its light does not shine so brightly at dawn – only a little bit – until it spreads across the earth. The same holds true of the tzaddik. In himself, he is always shinning: the blockage is only on the part of the receivers. This too is due to the obstruction of the earth – that is, this world. For the people are sunk in this world, and are unable to receive the light of the tzaddik.” -Baal Shem Tov, Rabbi Yisrael ben Eliezer on Devarim, pg.118.

And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world ( i.e light of tzaddik), and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. – John 3 : 19

KolHaTor relates this to the blindness of Yosef’s brothers and connects this to mashiach not being recognized: “Yosef recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him — This is one of the traits of Yosef not only in his own generation, but in every generation, i.e., that Mashiach ben Yosef recognizes his brothers, but they do not recognize him. This is the work of Satan, who hides the characteristics of Mashiach ben Yosef so that the footsteps of the Mashiach are not recognized and are even belittled because of our many sins. Otherwise, our troubles would already have ended. Were Israel to recognize Yosef, that is, the footsteps of ben Yosef the Mashiach which is the ingathering of the exiles etc., then we would already have been redeemed with a complete redemption.”
KolHaTor 2:39, translated by R’ Yechiel Bar Lev and K. Skaist, pg. 37

KolHaTor notes that even the scholars will be struck with blindness, “How strong is the force of the SitraAchra that he managed to hide from the eyes of our holy forefathers the danger of the klipot layers: from the eyes of our forefather Abraham, the klipa of Ismael; from the eyes of our forefather Isaac, the klipa of Esau; and from the eyes of our forefather Jacob, the klipa of the terafim. During the footsteps of the Mashiach, the SitraAchra becomes even stronger, in order to strike Biblical scholars with blindness.”
KolHaTor 5, translated by R’ Yechiel bar Lev and K. Skaist, pg. 122

He came to his own, and his own did not receive him. -John 1:11  (“His own” rather than “the world.” )

The connection between the light and the conduit of that light (the tzaddik/mashiach) continues: “And G-d divided between the light and the darkness.’ The Midrash continues, ‘What is light? It is the deeds of the tzaddikim. And what is darkness? It is the deeds of the r’shaim.’ Midrash Rabbah Genesis 3:8

The objections to the tzaddik among those in his generation is well established:

“From the days of the very first leader and shepherd of Israel, Moses, there has generally always been some opposition to the tzadik-leader. He was not always properly recognized by all in his generation. Oftentimes he arouse enmity, jealous and opposition. This happens not only in terms of plain people … quite frequently the opposition comes also and especially so, from scholars and leaders. … This is part of the Providential design and plan.”
Chassidic Dimensions – Volume Three,” by Jacob Immanuel Schochet, p. 116

The True Tzaddik has the power of attraction, to draw the whole world back to the L-rd and to His Torah. The reason that people are far from him and not drawn to him is due to the repulsive force that is equal and opposite to the attractive power of the Tzaddik. For there are people who, by their words and actions, separate and distance others from the True Tzaddik. The main strength of the repulsive force comes from arrogance, vulgarity, and honor-seeking, because a person fears that he will lose honor and that he will be disgraced if he draws near to the Truth. Therefore, one who wants to know the real Truth should throw down his knowledge and recall his unworthiness and lowliness truthfully, as well as everything that has happened to him since he was create.  The controversy against the Tzaddikim is beneficial, since it protects them from becoming revealed and publicized more than necessary. Although their opponents want to cover them up completely and remove them from the world, G-d forbid, the Blessed L-rd doesn’t abandon them to their opponents’ hands.
Likutay Etzot, Tzaddik 103 as cited in, “The True Tzaddik – Selected Thoughts from Rebbe Nachman of Breslov,” Rabbi Yisroel Ber Odessa, p. 85

“If the Jews merit redemption, they will immediately recognize Mashiach by his signs and wonders. If they are unworthy, however, his authenticity will be questioned.”
Rabbi Yehudah Chayoun, Otzros Acharis HaYamim, When Moshiach Comes. Targum/Feldheim, pg. 119

TRUE TZADDIK:

Don’t be confused when you have various questions about the True Tzaddik, for the Tzaddikim are compared to their Creator, and just as there are hard questions about G-d, so, too, must there be hard questions about the Tzaddik.
LikutayEtzot, Tzaddik 103 as cited in, “The True Tzaddik – Selected Thoughts from RebbeNachman of Breslov,” Rabbi YisroelBerOdesser

There is much written about Moses in this regard. Another such person is Jacob.

Regarding the clause, “and the world was made through him,” there are midrashim that speak of Jacob being part of the process of creation: “See what is written, Not like these is the portion of Jacob, For it is he who formed all things.” –Rabbi Pinehas ha-Kohen bar Hamma

“Jacob was a partner with his Creator in everything.” –Midrash Tanhuma

Some make even stronger expressions, speaking of Jacob in terms of being a divine partner of G-d and seated in the heavenly throne: For thou art a prince together with G-d, thy features being engraven on high. –Genesis Rabbah 78:3

There is none like G-d O’ Jeshurun (a name for Jacob): Israel says, There is none like G-d, and the Holy Spirit responds, except Jeshurun. –Sifre on Deuteronomy

The angels descended and saw his (Jacob’s) image. They said, “Certainly this is the form (surah) and this is the image (demut) engraved upon the throne of glory.” All of them responded and said, “Bless the Lord, G-d of Israel.” –Midrash Yelammedenu

There is a Scriptural text bearing on this: Since thou art precious in My sight, and honourable, etc. (Isaiah 43:4). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Jacob: Jacob, thou art exceedingly precious in my sight. For I have, as it were, set thine image on My throne, and by thy name the angels praise Me and say: Blessed be the Lord, the G-d of Israel, from everlasting and to everlasting (Psalm 41:14).
Numbers Rabbah 4:1

 Function #4 of the Name of Messiah: Enabling Teshuvah

The closeness of the Tzadik to G-d enables a connection for those associated with him to return to the path of G-d. Not the reference to “whoever is included in this true name” as it relates to, -“those who received him” and “those who believe in his name”  – reference to truth (‘true glory’) and grace .

“The True Tzaddik is the glory, beauty, and grace of the entire world. He is the owner of the world, for he is like the owner of the Holy Temple. He illuminates the Holy Temple, as well as the entire world, because he is truly the world’s light, glory, beauty, and grace. When this Tzaddik’s name is publicized and made great in the world, the Blessed One’s Name is therefore made great. The more the Tzaddik’s name is aggrandized and glorifies, likewise the Name of G-d is further aggrandized and glorified. Whoever is included in this true name, which is the true glory and grace of the world, by drawing himself near to the Tzaddik, his eyes are opened and he begins to look at himself. He looks at all of his traits and the way he does or does not control them, and thereby has the vision and ability to repent for all the bad traits that have blemished his soul. He then merits to see the greatness of the Blessed Creator and to look at the whole world, for the eyes and mind are opened by the True Tzaddik, who shines throughout the whole world.”
LikutayEtzot, Tzaddik 103 as cited in, “The True Tzaddik – Selected Thoughts from RebbeNachman of Breslov,” Rabbi YisroelBer Odessa, p. 106

The benefit of associating with a tzaddik extends past the death to the extent of extracting the person from gehennom: “RebNoson writes: What is the meaning of the verses (Psalms 16:10): “You will not abandon me to the abyss (Gehennom), for You will not allow Your chassid to see the pit (Genehhom)”? If one is a pious chassid, why should he descend to Gehennom? And if both parts of the verse refer to the same person, why the redundancy? RebNoson answers: Someone who is attached to the True Tzaddik will not stay in Gehennom. If he must suffer punishment, it will not last forever, for the Tzaddik will take him out. Why? Because, “You, G-d will not allow Your chassid – the Tzaddik – to suffer Gehennom.” Since I am attached to the Tzaddik, the Tzaddik must come to take me out. He cannot remain, “for You do not wish him to see Gehennom.” Thus my attachment to the Tzaddik is my after-life insurance policy against Gehennom (LikuteyHalakhot, HashkamatHaBoker 4:4).
Crossing The Narrow Bridge, Chaim Kramer, pp. 342,343.

There is also the concept that the ultimately this level of atonement comes via the Messiah:

“The rectification will be by Mashiach son of David who will raise the yoke of repentance (as was said in MoedKatan 16b) and Mashiach will be the only one who, through his repentance, the entire world is forgiven (as was said in Yoma 86b).  That is, he will cause all of Israel to have thoughts of repentance.”
PriTzaddik, ShlachLecha 12

From that time on Yeshua began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” – Matthew 4 : 17

There is a degree of pro-active response required (i.e., “receiving him,” “believing in his name (authority/merit) to benefit from the tzaddik/mashiach:

“It seems to me that I heard in the name of the rabbi and preacher Mendel from Bar, the following interpretation of the verse, ‘Those who pass through the valley of weeping…’ (Psalm 84:7). Just as the tzaddik descends to the doors of Gehinnom to bring up the souls of the wicked who, because of him, had previously harbored thoughts of tshuvah (repentance); so it is that in this world every day or at certain times the tzaddik descends from his rung in order to join himself with those lesser in degree, for when he again ascends to his rung, he brings them up as well. But it is only possible for one to ascend with him if he too joins himself to the tzaddik, for he who does not wish to join himself to him surely will not ascend with him. Thus the Talmud teaches, ‘He who despises a scholar has no remedy for his wounds.’”
Toldot Yaakov Yosef, 118d

 For Messiah also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to G-d, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; – I peter 3 : 18 -19

 (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions?  He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) – Ephesians 4 :9

“Attachment to the tzaddik is a most significant principle. It helps man ascend on the ladder of piety and holiness to his preordained goal of attachment to G-d (Gen.28:12; Jn.1:51). It offers man concrete means to remain forever aware of ultimate reality, of his ultimate nature and purpose in life. The tzaddik is a physician of the soul, providing both preventative and therapeutic medicine for man’s soul.”
HilchotDe’ot 2:1; ShemonahPerakim, ch.3

 Function #5 of the Name of Messiah: Eradicating the SitraAchra

In addition to being the light force of creation and bringing tikkun to the world, the ‘name’ (function, power, authority) of Mashiach will eradicate the forces of the SitraAchra (‘other side’, i.e. ‘evil realm).

The reason the Son of G-d appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. – 1 John 3 :8

“What is meant by ‘in Thy light do we see light’? What light is it that the congregation of Israel looks for as from a watchtower? It is the light of Mashiach, of which it is said, ‘And G-d saw the light that it was good’ (Gen 1:4). This verse proves that the Holy One, blessed be He, contemplated the Mashiach and his works before the world was created, and then under His throne of glory put away His Mashiach until the time of the generation in which he will appear. Satan asked the Holy One, blessed be He, for whom is the light which is put away under Thy throne of glory? G-d replied: For him who will turn thee back and put thee to utter shame. Satan said: Master of the universe, show him to me. G-d replied: Come and see him. And when he saw him, Satan was shaken, and he fell upon his face and said: Surely this is the Mashiach who will cause me and all the counterparts in heaven of the princes of the earth’s nations to be swallowed up in Gehenna…in that hour all the princely counterparts of the nations, in agitation, will say to Him: Master of the universe, who is this through whose power we are to be swallowed up? What is his name? What kind of being is he?”
Pesikta Rabbati 36.1, Yale University Press, pg. 677-678

One should take note from the above text that although haSatan ‘believes’ in the reality of Mashiach, it is of no benefit to him. “Belief” in Torah is about ‘connection’ (i.e., ‘knowing/da’at’) than mental/emotional acknowledgment, i.e., “… to those who received him.”

This connection is achieved through teshuvah (‘return’): “In truth, within the depths of life there gleams every moment a new light of the upper level of repentance, just as a new light surges within all the worlds in their fullness to renew them, and in accordance with the degree of this light of repentance and the abundance of wisdom and sanctity therein- so shall the souls be filled with treasures of new life. The fruit of the most exalted culture in ethic and deed develops and progresses from amidst the surging of this light. Consequently, the light of the entire world and its renewal in all its forms at all times and instances are contingent upon repentance, and how much more so does this apply to the light of Messiah and the salvation of Israel, the renascence of the nation and the land, the language and the literature, which all emerge from the source of repentance- and from the depths they shall be uplifted to the heavens of exalted repentance.” –OrotHaTeshuvah 4:11

Function #6 of the Name of Messiah: The “Word” Becoming Flesh and Sweetening of Judgment

The ‘Word’ (i.e., Light, the all-inclusive Wisdom, etc.) comes into the world via the tzaddik. Specifically, the tzaadik (whose name/authority) can take the “Word” (the primordial all-inclusive Wisdom) and transform the judgments based on its decrees into “kindness and compassion” – “chesed and rachamim/tiferet” – which are respectively equivalent to ‘grace and truth.’

TORAH IN FLESH

–Chassidus teaches that it is through the Heavenly Tzadik one (eg. Rebbeinu Yeshua ) that one can drawn closer to the holiness of HaShem. Through a Tzadik, one can become attached to HaShem. This concept is called “devekut” [cleaving].

Every disciple, when he is fully trained will be like his teacher (Luke.6:40). This does not apply just to the tzaddikim but to every individual. All of one’s doings should reflect the light and the ideals found within the Torah (Seder Hadorot Hechadash, pg.45).

Many Hasid’s call this, becoming a living and breathing Torah (Likutey Diburim, vol 2, 492 – R. Yosef Yitzchak of Lubavitch)

Attachment to the tzaddik is a most significant principle. It helps man ascend on the ladder of piety and holiness to his preordained goal of attachment to G-d. It offers man concrete means to remain forever aware of ultimate reality, of his ultimate nature and purpose in life.

The tzaddik is a physician of the soul, providing both preventative and therapeutic medicine for man’s soul (Hilchot De’ot 2:1; Shemonah Perakim, ch.3).

Thus just to meet and see the tzaddik is itself already a profound lesson in Torah-study and Torah-conduct. For the true tzaddik is an altogether holy personality, the personification of “Let all your deeds be for the sake of Heaven” (Avot 2:17). He personifies the ideal of “Know Him in all your ways” (Pro.3:6): “da’eihu (know Him) is a word signifying attachment,” (TIkuney Zohar 69:99a; Likutey Amarim, sect.236; Or Torah, sect.369) attachment to G-d and for the sake of G-d, “in all your actions – even the physical ones,” such as eating, sleeping, engaging in business, and so forth (Tzava’at Harivash, sect.94; Keter Shem Tov, sect.282; Or Torah, sect.252. See Hilchot De’ot 3:3. Cf. Tzava’at Harivash, sect.98-99).

The great tzaddikim don’t just study the Torah, they are themselves a living Torah. And so this too is man’s purpose, in all one’s doings, everything thought, motion, speech and act, must reflect and personify the Torah (Seder Hadorot Hechadash, p.45).

Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, too, said of his master, the Maggid of Mezhirech: elsewhere own learns to master the Torah, i.e., how one is to study Torah; in Mezhirech, however, one leans to let the Torah master you, i.e., how the Torah teaches man to become a Torah himself (Likutey Diburim, vol.II, p.492).

The true tzaddik helps man achieve this goal, for he is a Torah made flesh. He is essentially a guide, mentor, and teacher. He is a soul-doctor and a role-model who helps and inspires his followers and ignites their souls with the fire of reverence and love for G-d. He unites their souls with the soul of the Torah, and thus with G-d.

“RebbeNachman teaches: People travel to the tzaddik for Rosh HaShanah. The reason is as follows: decrees pertaining to the entire year are issued on Rosh HaShanah. As such, this is the main time for mitigating and “sweetening” any decree. Now, sweetening must take place at its source, in Thought on High, and can only be accomplished when we purify our own thoughts. Yet, try as we might, the only way we can achieve this purity of thought is through the tzaddik. So, we travel to tzaddikim for Rosh HaShanah in order to purify our minds, and this about kindness and compassion for the entire year.”
From LikuteyMoharan 1:211

“On Rosh HaShanah, all of creation comes before G-d to be judged (Rosh HaShanah 16a). We are judged for every act, every word, even every thought. If we truly believe this, we know that we have cause for concern. Rabbi Levi Yitzhak of Berdichov used to say, “When Elul comes around, I feel it [the fear] in my shoulders” (Rabbi EliyahuChaim Rosen). So what are we to do? Repent. But, if things are as bad as we think they are, what chance do we have? The charge sheet is a few pages long, maybe even a few reams long. The credit sheet is at best so-so. Is there really any hope of repenting for everything.

 Rebbe Nachman : Each judgment, each decree, is a constriction, having its own precise and specific means by which it can be mitigated. This is because a decree can only be sweetened at its source, and the source of each judgment is limited to a specific part of Upper Wisdom. Someone who wishes to set aside each and every judgment and transform it into compassion and kindness must rise to each of these sources, individually. There is, however, a SeikhelHaKollel (an All Inclusive Wisdom) which surpasses all individual Wisdoms. Someone who attains this SeikhelHaKollel is capable of sweetening all decrees, because all individual judgments emanate from this Inclusive Wisdom. This is why people travel to the tzaddikim for Rosh HaShanah. Each person comes with his individual constriction, his own good and bad. Because the tzaddik can rise to the highest of sources, he is the embodiment the SeikhelHaKollel. He can take each constriction, each judgment and decree, and sweeten it.”
From LikuteyMoharan 1:61:6,7

This sweetening of the decrees of judgment, as a role of “G-d’s Son’ (the tzaddik/mashiach) , where the benefit of accepting G-d’s provision through the tsaddik, and danger of rejecting this, are stated:

“For G-d so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For G-d did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of G-d’s one and only Son.”
John 3:16-18

 “No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.” –John 3:13

John 1:18 and 3:13 make the connection ‘from the past’ (i.e., 1:1a above) to the level of the heaven(s) Beriah and heavenly court. This is outlined in this Breslover teaching on the tzaddik/mashiach:

“The seventh fundamental is attachment to the True Tzaddik: 1. The soul of Mashiach preceded the world. It is the root of the souls of Israel, and the entire Creation, for “The entire universe was only created to attend him (Berakhot 6b) and “The Tzaddik is the foundation of the world” (Proverbs 10:25). 2. The Holy One, blessed-be-He, took counsel with this soul in the creation of His Universe, as it is written: “With whom did He take counsel, who gave Him understanding and guided Him in the way of judgment?” (Isaiah 40:14). 3. He gave G-d a guarantee that he will repair the Universe. … 6. He is the Heavenly Court. … 8. He reveals prayer, as it is written: “And I am prayer” (Psalm 109:4). 9. He is the Chariot of the Shechinah. 10. He is the Holiness. 11. He is the vitality of the whole universe. 12. Through him all devotions rise up to Heaven. 13. All arousal to Teshuvah is through him. …”
Rabbi Yitzhak Breiter, Seven Pillars of Faith, Breslov Research Institute, pg. 37-38.

Function #7 of the Name of Messiah:  Cleave to the Most Holy One of Israel  –“As one says: Clinging to the King clingingly comes through His Son” (Zohar 2:147a).

First, our Chassidic brothers (Breslov, Chabad, etc.) would also tell you that we certainly need Messiah. They have some amazing insights into the purpose of a Tzadik [a righteous one]. Chassidus teaches that it is through the Tzadik (eg. the Rebbe Yeshua ) that one can drawn closer to the holiness of HaShem. Through a Tzadik, one can become attached to HaShem. This is called “devekut” [cleaving]. Deuteronomy 10:20 says,

You shall fear HaShem your G-d; you shall serve Him, and to Him you shall hold fast [tid’bak from davak = “cleave”] , and take oaths in His Name. -Deuteronomy 10:20

In Deuteronomy 4:4 we are told the result of that “clinging” to HaShem. Life. But G-d is a consuming fire: For HaShem your G-d is a consuming fire… Deuteronomy 4:24- How could  it possible to cling to one, whose Holy Presence will consume us? Therein lies the purpose for the Tzadik [the rightous one]. Chassidus teaches that the Tzadik, by his elevated holiness, is able to attach himself to HaShem, and on the Tzadik’s merit is not consumed.

“And They Believed in G-d and in Moshe, G-d’s Servant” -Shemot 14:31

 If you believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me. – John  5 : 46

In turn, the Tzadik’s disciples cleave to their Rebbe and find the comfort and safety of HaShem. Chassidus teaches that Moses was the ultimate Tzadik that provided a means for all Israel to cleave to HaShem.

Our  true heavenly Tzadik is Messiah Himself. Chassidic followers would agree that Messiah will play this important role. For those of us that know Messiah Yeshua, it is clear that He is more than simply a Tzadik, but that He fulfills the role of both Mediator and Judge. 1 Timothy 2:5

RebbeNachman Teachings – The Seventh Pillar: The Tzaddik

The seventh fundamental is attachment to the True Tzaddik:

1. The soul of Mashiach preceded the world. It is the root of the souls of Israel, and the entire Creation, for “The entire universe was only created to attend him” (Berakhot 6b) and “The Tzaddik is the foundation of the world” (Proverbs 10:25).
2. The Holy One, blessed-be-He, took counsel with this soul in the creation of His Universe, as it is written: “With whom did He take counsel, who gave Him understanding and guided Him in the way of judgment?” (Isaiah 40:14).
3. He gave G-d a guarantee that he will repair the Universe.
4. All the acts of devotion of all the world, all the incarnations, refinements and tests, and the revelation of faith – all are through him, as it is written: “He is faithful in all My house” (Numbers 12:7).
5. To him God has given sovereignty and kingship: “The Tzaddik rules in the fear of God” (II Samuel 23:3).
6. He is the Heavenly court.
7. The revelation of God’s hand – God’s control over every detail in the spiritual and material realms – is through him.
8. He reveals prayer, as it is written: “And I am prayer” (Psalms 109:4).
9. He is the Chariot of the Shechinah.
10. He is the holiness.
11. He is the vitality of the whole universe.
12. Through him all devotions rise up to Heaven.
13. All arousal to Teshuvah is through him.
14. Through our attachment to the True Tzaddik – through the knowledge of all the above and through following the Tzaddik’s guidance, a spark of the light of the holiness of the Tzaddik is drawn into us, each person according to their level. Even if you are very far removed from holiness, closeness to the True Tzaddik will at the very least bring you to realize how far you are from truth and from the path of the just, and how sunk you are in the opposite. You will then long for the truth and pray to come closer to God without falling into despair and depression. You will know that God is calling you and that you are precious in His eyes. The same applies to those on a higher level as well, each one on his own level: the closer they are to the True Tzaddik, the more they draw the holiness of the Tzaddik in upon themselves and walk in his pathway, knowing that everything is in the hand of God and praying constantly that they should come closer. Amen.
15. Parts of the soul of the Tzaddik are to be found in the whole creation, especially in God’s People, and especially in all the true Tzaddikim.
16. Five times in the history of the world the path of truth has been renewed: through Moses our Teacher, Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, Rabbi Yitzchak Luria – the ARI, Rabbi Israel the Baal Shem Tov, and “The Flowing Stream, the Source of Wisdom” (Proverbs 18:4) – Rebbe Nachman. From him until Mashiach there will be nothing new.
17. Wherever the concept of Tzaddik is found in LikuteyMoharan the reference is to the above Tzaddik.
18. Prayer and the soul of Mashiach were revealed especially in King David.
19. A person should not strive to become this Tzaddik or think that “anyone who wants to take this crown can do so” (cf. Berakhot 16b). One who does so is the “false famed leader” discussed in LikuteyMoharan. Instead each person must receive from this Tzaddik, who is revealed every few generations. This is the spark of Mashiach, the preparation for the redemption. Everyone must know of this Tzaddik, because anyone who does not know of him in this incarnation will have to be reincarnated again and again until they do know.This is why we are waiting so intently for the Redemption, when things will be restored as they should be. This was what the Sages were referring to when they said, “Get yourself a teacher and acquire a friend” (Avot 1:6) – i.e. as friends, together you will receive from this Teacher. They said: “Everyone who makes a quotation in the name of the one who said it brings redemption into the world” (Avot 6:6). In other words one should know from whom everything derives and what is the source of the Torah. Through this one brings closer the redemption of the world and the redemption of one’s soul. (Source :http://www.breslov.org/the-seven-pillars-of-faith/ )

The PATH of the Tzaddik:

 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness…-Matthew 21:32 

Yeshua made clear that He was the path (way) of the Tzadik:

 Yeshua said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father, but by me. –John 14:6 

Because strait is the gate  and narrow is the way [i.e., the path of the Tzaddik], which leads unto life, and few there be that find it. –Matthew 7:14 

  All things were made through it, and without it was not anything made that has been made.-John 1:3

The text refers to the process of creation, as it relates to the elements mentioned in verse 2. We are told that creation came about by way of the Torah and Wisdom which are ‘inseparable’ from G-d.

“By the Word of HaShem the Heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.”
(Psalm 33:6)

“Torah is the tool by which the world was created.” -(Avot3:14).

“The Torah proclaims: I was by Him an architect, through me He created the world!”
(Zohar 2:161a)

Genesis Rabbah says, “R’ Hoshayah the Great opened his discourse on our passage with the following exposition: The Torah describes its relationship with God before the advent of Creation: I was then His “amon”…The word “amon” is to be understood in the sense of “uman” אומן, a craftsman…Thus in this verse the Torah declares, “I was the craftsman’s tool, so to speak, in the hands of the Holy One, blessed is He, through which He created the world.”
Artscroll Genesis Rabbah 1:1, Mesorah Publishers, pg.3

R’ Aryeh Kaplan comments, “The Torah is Wisdom, and is therefore the “head” of creation . . . It might be thought that the Torah was created only to rectify creation as it already exists. If this were so, the Torah would have been created after the earth. But actually, the Torah was the blueprint of creation, and therefore preceded it.”
Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, the Bahir, pg. 96

We will Welcome the son of David on Mount Zion, Jerusalem.

[ Ha Khadosh Baruch Hu – Baruch HaBa B’Shem Adonai ] – Gaddi

 

 GADDI ( President )  – A Servant of Most Ancient Holy one of Israel and Disciple of Yeshua HaMashiach ( i.e Messenger of His Presence ) – www.betyisrael.org