15 Feb Ki Tisa; Building the Mishkan – Powers of Unification of Mind and Heart
Inspired by the teachings of Rav Yitzchak Ginsburgh and Rabbi Moshe Genuth
The ‘Wisdom’ of the experience of the Revelation at Sinai was an experience of Chochma, Wisdom of the Mind (intellect). A Wisdom associated with Loving-Kindness (the right axis of the sefirot tree of life). The Zohar teaches that directly associated (below) these powers are Betzalel right side chesed from Judah aand Oholiab from the left side, gevurah tribe of dan in balance and harmony to build theMishkan. However, many at Sinai were unable to integrate the lofty experience of the ‘wisdom of mind’ Revelation of Sinai with it’s counterpart and the experience of balance and harmony were fleeting
The imbalance of mind and heart unfortunately remains unrectified with us today and leads us to compromised and detrimental consequences.
In the Torah (Ex 31:2-3)G-d says;
2. “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 3. and I have imbued him with the spirit of God, with wisdom, with insight, with knowledge, and with [talent for] all manner of craftsmanship.
It is with these gifts that gave that Bezalel and the others selected, the special level of clarity necessary to perform these tasks (of the building of mishkan).
without the ability to interinclude opposing forces (of left and right powers) the abilty to achieve the lofty experience of Daat-Knowledge… an experienceo of Oneness (yichud-unity) is not possible. The opposing forces of Bezalel (from the experience of Chesed, Loving-kindness of the right), and Oholiab (Gevurah, Might from the left) was able to the construction of the Mishkan, in balahce and harmony with the unique vision of the clarity of DAAT-KNOWLEDGE of precisely how it was to be built as G-d Himself intended. Moshe himself had a vision of the Mishkan but did not have detailed vision that Bezalel had.
The great sin and consequence of the Egal, the Golden Calf followed very soon after the lofty experience of the 10 Commandments as the Nation was not yet engaged in the ‘integrating’ process of mitzvot. Accordingly the lofty experience at Sinai was fleeting.
The building of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) may be seen as a ‘work project’, an activity that served to unify and integrate the Nation and with the leadership of those individuals of unique powers , balance and harmony of the mind (chochma) and the emotive experiences of the heart (binah-understanding). The building of the Mishkan was then a mechanism fjor the individual and the Nation to become rectified and bring about rectification through the efforts of ‘engaging in action’ of constructing the mishkan. This is an example of the personal and National rectification that we achieve through our conscious connection to G-d when doing mitzvot.
In all that we do in our daily lives, in our tshuvah and recovery of addiction and malady et al toward wellness , balance, harmony and holiness, as we strive toward Tikun-Rectification by using and actively engaging in the guidelines of Torah, the mitzvot, to unify our mind and heart, our intellect and emotions, to acquire the rectified and unified experience of Daat-Knowledge.
The Shema is a central prayer-meditation of Oneness; Yichud-Unity. When we say ‘… as I walk on my way’ we may have in mind that the state of Oneness (yichud-unity) with ourselves,the world and G-d which is achieved through the unity of our mind and our heart…’ through a conscious connectioin with G-d and action ‘.
All our affairs can be a meditation… ‘a focused thought’ that coupled with action and a G-d consciousness can bring about the integration and unity of mind (chocmah), heart (binah) and knowledge(daat) with hopes of bringing G-ds blessing, balance and harmony…a Tikun-rectification.>>
Leib Getzel (Lawrence) Lax
Addictions and Counseling (Hnrs)
www.LawrenceLax.com
lawrenceJlax@gmail.com