The Light of Judaism

An interesting contemplation arises in looking at the letters of Babel - Beit-Beit-Lamed and Heart as Lamed-Beit-Beit (when spoken of as the double heart being good inclination and evil inclination).

In the story of the Tower of Babel we read where the whole world spoke the same language and they decided to build themselves a city and tower which would reach into the heavens so they would make a name for themselves and not be scattered.
It was not a heavenly or godly aspiration that was driving them towards heaven but rather one of arrogance, that is, making a name for themselves, seeking to be known. Their fear of being lost and scattered arose as the reverse of insecurity, that is, arrogance. Clearly though there was a great power the people were tapping into as the Creator saw the danger of what was happening and indeed did scatter them, with many languages, all over the world (interesting self-fulfilling fear being realised here).

Many threads to be drawn out here. Firstly, it would be natural for an Alef to be incorporated in the name Babel (as it ends with El), however, clearly this could not be so as the people were not concerned with The Holy One but with themselves only, and hence having a divided heart (the undivided heart is Lamed-Beit).

It is interesting to note Gen:10 (the preceding chapter to the Tower of Babel Gen:11), where it is described the peopling of the earth and how each of the descendants of Noah went to different places on the earth, "each with its own language, by clan and nation." But then we read in chapter 11 how the whole world spoke one language. There is this continual shift from Oneness to the Many and back to Oneness and so on, and yet the time is not yet for all to join as One and therefore they become scattered. (Note: Oneness and Unity is not always a part of the Creator's plan).

Perhaps a seed going even further back is when Cain is punished for the killing of Abel and is cursed to become a restless wanderer on earth. A contemporary analogy would be the spiritual wanderers on our earth today, going from one teaching to another and in the process never really coming into the true presence of The Holy One. And yet it was The Holy One who did the initial scattering so it must have a part to play in our evolving creation.

Looking individually at the letters from above - Lamed stands above all the other letters, thus being able to reach into the heavens, and it also sees ahead and what is to come. Lamed is the beginning of the words for Heart and Flame. And Beit of course is House or Home of God. Therefore this story indicates to us a time of great redemption but only when our hearts are on fire with love for The Holy One can we reach into and become Heaven on Earth, and only when the time is ripe.  The construction of the Tower of Bavel represents an attempt of mankind to thwart the purpose of God and to devise their own attempt at redemption based upon their own eogistic ideals.