3rd of the 72 Divine Names
Tuesday, January 5, 2016
Samech - Yod - Tet
Samek is the “tent
peg,” “prop” or “pole,” implying support, and 'Yod' is the “hand of God,” the
first Holy Letter of the Great Name of YHVH, implying the power of the ten Holy
Sefirot, and specifically, the power
of the Supernal Sefirot, Supernal
Light; and 'Tet' is the “serpent,” which alludes to the presence and power of God
in us, a power that can be used to heal or to harm, for good or for evil.
There are two stories of Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses our Teacher) that reflect this Holy Name of God. One is in chapter seventeen of Exodus when Amalek and his armies attack the children of Israel – Moses goes up on a hill and cleaving the name YHVH and the Holy Shekinah, he uplifts his staff, and as long as his staff remains uplifted, the men of Israel are victorious in battle. As the battle wages on, Moses grows weary, so a stone is placed beneath him so that he can sit and Aaron and Hur help him hold his arm up, and with this support the Israelite army is victorious over the army of Amalek.
There are two stories of Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses our Teacher) that reflect this Holy Name of God. One is in chapter seventeen of Exodus when Amalek and his armies attack the children of Israel – Moses goes up on a hill and cleaving the name YHVH and the Holy Shekinah, he uplifts his staff, and as long as his staff remains uplifted, the men of Israel are victorious in battle. As the battle wages on, Moses grows weary, so a stone is placed beneath him so that he can sit and Aaron and Hur help him hold his arm up, and with this support the Israelite army is victorious over the army of Amalek.
This incident, of course, transpires right after the
liberation of the children of Israel from their bondage in Egypt and represents
the influx of klippotic forces that
rush to assault the sojourner in the mystical journey after any breakthrough to
higher or expanded states of consciousness – quite naturally, in this world of
darkness as we increase in light and life-power, like a light turned on during
a summer’s night all manner of creatures are attracted, the influences of shedim the klippot. This Holy Name, however, holds the power to bind and
banish them.
The other story that reflects this Holy Name is told in Numbers, chapter twenty-one. There, struggling with YHVH and the influxes of spiritual power, the children of Israel are plagued by “fire snakes” (serafim) and they are being bitten by them and dying. When Moses inquires of God what to do to protect and heal the children of Israel, God tells Moses to make a bronze (or copper) image of a fire snake and to put it up on a pole in the middle of the Israeli camp, and promises that whoever gazes on it will be healed and will not die.
This incident reflects our natural struggle to integrate the greater influxes and awakening of psychic and spiritual power in us – the Serpent Power or what has been called “Kundalini Energy” in Eastern traditions, which essentially is the force of our desire-energy. On one hand, through this Holy Name we can awaken this spiritual power in us – a power of Ruach HaKodesh (Divine Inspiration) in us, the Divine Power of a co-creator and co-redeemer with God; on the other hand, awakening it, this Serpent Power must be sublimated, uplifted and redeemed, mastered – the power of this Holy Name helps us turn this force of desire-energy inward and upward, Godward, uplifting and redeeming it, reintegrating it with the Light Continuum, YHVH.
The other story that reflects this Holy Name is told in Numbers, chapter twenty-one. There, struggling with YHVH and the influxes of spiritual power, the children of Israel are plagued by “fire snakes” (serafim) and they are being bitten by them and dying. When Moses inquires of God what to do to protect and heal the children of Israel, God tells Moses to make a bronze (or copper) image of a fire snake and to put it up on a pole in the middle of the Israeli camp, and promises that whoever gazes on it will be healed and will not die.
This incident reflects our natural struggle to integrate the greater influxes and awakening of psychic and spiritual power in us – the Serpent Power or what has been called “Kundalini Energy” in Eastern traditions, which essentially is the force of our desire-energy. On one hand, through this Holy Name we can awaken this spiritual power in us – a power of Ruach HaKodesh (Divine Inspiration) in us, the Divine Power of a co-creator and co-redeemer with God; on the other hand, awakening it, this Serpent Power must be sublimated, uplifted and redeemed, mastered – the power of this Holy Name helps us turn this force of desire-energy inward and upward, Godward, uplifting and redeeming it, reintegrating it with the Light Continuum, YHVH.
As reflected in the story of the Serpent and Mother Eve in
the Garden of Eden, and the Serpent depicted as Samael or Satan, the Evil
One, this is a power for incredible evil or amazing good – although in and of
itself the Serpent Power is not enlightenment or liberation, it is the force
through which we may attain Mochin d'Gadlut,
enlightenment, and in fruition enter into Supernal or Messianic Consciousness.
This force, however, must be uplifted and redeemed, brought into alignment and
harmony with Ratzon Elyon (Will of
the Highest). When it is uplifted and redeemed, it is a great wonderworking
power, as we see with the navi'im (prophets), and when it is awakened
and uplifted in us wonders of God transpire in our lives.
In folly, catering to the egotism and pride in our times, a
charlatan teaching “Kabbalah” might say, “God does not work miracles; we do.”
But, in fact, that is not true, as the Holy Scriptures bear witness; in truth,
God works wonders through us when we bring ourselves into alignment and harmony
with the will of God, and draw near and cleave to God, and if ever it is “we”
who work wonders, it is that we have entered into union with God, so that, in
effect, becoming completely transparent to the Holy One we embody the presence
and power of the Holy One. Still, in that case, it is God who works wonders
through us, we serving as vehicles and conscious agents of the presence and
power of God, the Holy Shekinah.
In our times there is a great and powerful klippah which is disbelief and doubt and
skepticism – the matrix of faith has been sorely diminished by it. This klippah of disbelief, of mental
arrogance and pride, attempts to prevent wonders and steals the wonderworking
power from souls – when present in a person wonders cannot transpire and so it
serves to reinforce and empower itself.
Thus, one klippah proclaims, “God does not perform miracles; we do,” and another proclaims, “There are no miracles; it’s all myth,” and both steal light-power and lead us astray; with the power in this Name of God, however, we may shatter these klippot.
Thus, one klippah proclaims, “God does not perform miracles; we do,” and another proclaims, “There are no miracles; it’s all myth,” and both steal light-power and lead us astray; with the power in this Name of God, however, we may shatter these klippot.
On a certain level the 72 Names of God in are all about
wonderworking – they are wonderworking powers of the Divine Spirit that God has
revealed and given to Israel, to those who will draw near to God and who are
willing to rely upon God (Yashar-El
is the root of Israel); this is especially true of this Holy Name, for
specifically it is a Name of God for wonderworking, and we call upon it when we
seek the Spirit of God to work a wonder in our lives or the lives of others.
However, calling upon this Holy Name we must invoke the Name of God in faith,
never doubting, never with the double-mind that gives way to doubt and to
insecurity; and, at the same time we must purify ourselves and free ourselves
from selfishness, pride, arrogance, jealousy, envy, lust, greed, fear, anger,
hate, self-pity, doubt, and all modes of wrong thought, wrong speech, wrong
action – in a word, we must purify ourselves of all negativity. In the fullness
of faith, free from negativity, calling upon this Holy Name, God will, indeed,
work a wonder – God will work many wonders in our lives.
Calling upon the Names of God we rely upon God – indeed, for
the power of the Names of God is in our faith and in our reliance upon God, our
spiritual surrender to the Supreme and the Shekinah
of the Supreme; and it is through this that wonders transpire, miracles happen.
Now it must be said that there is a natural guardianship of
Divine Power – an unfit vessel will fracture or shatter with an influx of
Divine Power; likewise, though awakening the Serpent Power brings visions and
can open our sight into the World of the Divine Spirit (the world of angels and
the Holy Sefirot), it may also become
bound up in the dominion of the klippot
and in Klippah Nogah, leading to
false prophecy, the deceptions of psychism
and all manner of pitfalls that are well known to mystics. Thus, truly, if we
wish to receive an influx of Divine Light and awaken the Serpent Power, we need
to prepare ourselves and purify ourselves, and cultivate a sincere and complete
surrender to Divine Grace, the Shekinah
of the Supreme; lest, prematurely awakening the Serpent Power, we will fall to
the temptations that naturally comes and be lead astray.
This is reflected in what may be called “the zone” we must enter into in order to engage true wonderworking; it is a state of the Presence of Awareness that is clear and empty – free from self-grasping, attachment or aversion, one that opens itself only to God, the True Light, one completely open and sensitive to the Divine Spirit; it is a state of complete transparency to the Holy Light of Ain Sof, the Infinite.
This is reflected in what may be called “the zone” we must enter into in order to engage true wonderworking; it is a state of the Presence of Awareness that is clear and empty – free from self-grasping, attachment or aversion, one that opens itself only to God, the True Light, one completely open and sensitive to the Divine Spirit; it is a state of complete transparency to the Holy Light of Ain Sof, the Infinite.
If and when you are in “the zone” and you call upon this
Holy Name wonders will transpire – even great wonders like those we read of in
the Holy Scriptures.
Indeed! There are many among the elect of Israel who can bear witness of the wonders that continue to transpire to this very day.
Indeed! There are many among the elect of Israel who can bear witness of the wonders that continue to transpire to this very day.
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