Faces of the Goddess 5: Executor of Good and Evil

Sometimes, in the Torah, the name ADNY is referred to by the appellation WELL [Be’er], the idea being the well of living waters in which all kinds of shefa and supernal flow from on high are gathered, as we have said. Take the verse (Song of Songs 4:15): “A wellspring of gardens, a well of living waters, fed from Lebanon.” Further, when Israel are appropriately righteous, and make 100 blessings a day, as is their practice, this Well is filled with living water from the supernal flow of shefa, and everyone is satiated and filled with all goodness, drawing forth living waters according to their needs.

Sometimes this is also called THE-WELL-OF-SEVEN [Be’er Sheva], since she draws from seven “rivers”, by way of Yesod, the Foundation-of-the-World, from the seven higher levels [ie the sefirot Chochma through Netzach and Hod].

Opposite this Well is another Well of the External Forces, which comprises numerous wells filled with snakes and scorpions, what we might call “foreign wells” or “cut-off wells,” about which it is said (Proverbs 23:27), “For a harlot is a deep ditch; and an alien woman is a narrow well [be'er tzarah].”

Those that are completely wicked and do not have the merit to draw from the well-of-seven fall into the well-of-cut-offness [be'er tzarah nochriah]- that is to say, those who find themselves compelled to do really serious sins.

Thus ADNY hinted, when Israel sinned in this manner, as the prophet (Jeremiah 2:13) says: “My people has done Me doubly wrong: they have abandoned the source of living waters to hew for themselves [other] wells, wells of brokenness which cannot hold water.” Which is to say, wells of tzarah (suffering, narrowness), which have no ground, being entirely broken, in which water cannot be held; rather they are full of snakes and scorpions. About this King David (Psalms 69:16): “Let not the well close her mouth for me.”

And sometimes the name ADNY is known by the appellation SEA [Yam] - since all of the pools and the supernal shefa are drawn into it, just like rivers, the esoteric meaning of (Ecclesiastes 1:7) “All the rivers flow to the sea.”

The word YAM actually means the seabed that holds the water, as in (Isaiah 11:9) “Just as the waters cover the YAM ie seabed,” and as it says in Genesis 1:11 “And He called the gathering of waters YAMIM” - which is to say that the container for the water is what is called YAM. And from within this seabed are formed various agents malachim and encampments machanot, many different kinds of species, with which the water it holds teems - all of them really chariots merkavot and supernal divisions machanot elyonot.

About this it hints (Psalms 104:25): “This is the great Seabed, expansive in its reach [outspread hands - rachav yadayim]; there swarm things without number, creatures infinitesimal with those gargantuan.” And in this seabed are numerous shipwrecks and sailors, and pennants waving on the mast-heads of their vessels, and waves and tumult tumbling within; as is said (Psalms 104:26), “There the ships take their course.”

There is also a liminal place at the edge of this seabed, which is called Yam-Suf - the Sea of Reeds / Sea of Limits/Endings. This relates to the edge of Known Divine Reality and the limits of the earth which are implied by ADNY. It is from this place that judgment descended upon Egypt, when they were sunk in the Yam-Suf of the below, as is written (Exodus 14:25), “יהוה fought for them with Egypt.”

Esoteric sages sometimes relate this aspect of ADNY to that which is called THE-SEA[BED]-OF-WISDOM, Yam haChochma - since all manner of wisdom and supernal excellence is drawn from the level of Supernal Chochma, Wisdom [almost the highest sefirah] straight into its midst, and it is from this place that all who are truly wise draw their wisdom. This is the quality middah that God gave to King Solomon, (Kings 5:26): “And יהוה gave wisdom chochma to Solomon.”

When he entered into the SEA-OF-WISDOM [Solomon] attained the power and intuition to understand all the levels and sequences of the higher realms and the lower, and nothing whatsoever was withheld. It was through the power of the name ADNY that he sat on the throne of יהוה and administered the upper realms and the lower, since the wisdom of Elohim was in his midst, enabling him to enact justly.

[Conclusion of First Gate]

Malchut contains aspects from all the sefirot beyond:

Herewith I transmit a fundamental principle to you: know that the Name that is called ADNY is the great Sanctuary [היכל] (both of these words having the numerical value of 65), and into it flow all kinds of shefa and supernal emanations coming from the very head of the Divine Crown Keter which is called I-Shall-Be Eheyeh-אהיה, by way of the Splendor Tiferet יהוה; and within it are combined all the streams that are drawn forth from the thirteen qualities of the crown-Keter, the thirty-two pathways of wisdom-Chochmah, the fifty gates of understanding-Binah, and from the the seventy-two bridges that come from the great waters of magnanimity-Chessed, and from the forty-two kinds of flashing fire that come from rigor-Gevurah, and from the seventy conduits that are drawn down through the central channel.

All of these levels, pathways, gates, bridges, and kinds of fire and their conduits, all revolve and come forth by way of the sefirot of Netzach [conquest, endurance] and Hod [majesty, ephemerality], and are bound together in the sefirah of "The Living God-El Chai- אל חי" which is called the Foundation, Yesod, “and from there they come to THE WELL Be’erah-בארה.” (Num 21:16)

Which is to say that it is from the sefira of foundation, Yesod, that all of them enter into the SUPERNAL POOL, Breichah-בריכה which is called ADNY.

It doesn't always pan out the same way:

However, do not suppose that all the above-mentioned qualities always come as one. It is specifically when the Name יהו״ה is in a state of wholeness and is called, “HaShem is One-HaShem Echad-יהו״ה אח״ד”, that all the aforementioned levels are drawn through with a unified desire and unified will, at which time ADNY is blessed with them all.

It is by means of the shefa with which ADNY is filled by the nine Sefirot above it that the world is blessed, and thus are all created beings are filled with goodness and shefa from the POOL Breichah-בריכה, each according to its kind.

Sometimes the kindnesses [hasadim, hasidim] reduce the conduits of judgment and magnify the conduits of kindness and generosity.

And sometimes, if humanity sins, the conduits of kindness and mercy become diminished and the conduits of judgment are magnified, and then various challenging aspects are drawn forth into the name ADNY, blessed be. Then, the whole world is in a state of suffering and lack and all manner of plagues and illnesses.

External forces, or the shadow side:

Sometimes all the supernal conduits become blocked, and then the drawing forth comes from the Outside Conduits, pulling in powers of evil that are called BAD WATERS Mayim Ra’im מים רעים. Then everywhere experiences suffering; lands are destroyed, governments overthrown, and there are harsh and difficult exiles.

The ultimate point is that the Name known as ADNY [manifests] according to what is drawn into it: whether from Within [the Tree of Life] or Outside [shadow forces], and this is how it is known: whether as Good or as Evil, as Life or as Death, as Plague נגע or as Pleasure ענג, and this is the mystery of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

Judgment and suffering are different from evil:

If the drawing forth is from the side of hesed, lovingkindness, it is called Good; and if the drawing forth is from the side of din, judgment, it may still actually be called Good, even though it is from the side of judgment, as long as it is from the side of judgment that is still coming from the forces that are within [the Godhead ie the sefirotic system]; this is hinted at in the verse (about the young David, not yet king) "He was ruddy- אדמוני, with fair eyes and a good טוב appearance." (I Samuel 16:12)

[Red = the color of din, but here red is evidently Good].

But if it is from the judgment-side coming from the External Powers, this is indeed evil sickness and it is a bad thing.

Really try to understand this:
At times when ADNY is drawing from the side of hessed lovingkindness it is called Good - and when it is drawing from the side of din judgment that comes from within [the Godhead] that too is called Good. This is the esoteric meaning of what is said when someone dies: 'Blessed is the true judge'; and God being called 'The one who is good and does good' in the matter of the martyrs at Betar.

But if the judnment comes from the External Powers which are beyond the line, this is where we encounter actual Evil.

When this sefirah, ADNY/Malchut is garbed in the spirit of grace and compassion the whole world in its entirety is furnished with lovingkindness and generosity, and this is hinted at in the verse: "Forgiveness and generosity are ADNY ELOHENU's." (Daniel 9:9) [Adonai = malchut and Elohim = din/gevurah, but they still contain and transmit forgiveness and generosity.]

Guard this important principle, and understand from it that according to whatever shefa is drawn into the Name ADNY, thus we will recognize this Blessed Name.

And may God, in God's generosity and lovingkindness enlighten our eyes with the light of God's providential awareness.

Know that this sefirah, since She receives her powers from the sefirot above and beyond her, transforms into various colors: life-bringing and death-bringing; elevating or bringing down; smiting or healing - all according to the power that is being drawn into her from the levels beyond her. And according to the power She is receiving, thus She enacts upon all created beings. All of it functions according to straightforward and accurate judgment and true justice, without any perversion, prejudice or forgetfulness whatsoever.

And since this quality becomes filled with beneficence from the qualities above her, She is sometimes called by the Name of whatever sefirah from which She is being filled at that time.

How so?
As you already know, the known Name for the sefira of might Gevurah and fear Pachad is ELOHIM-אלהים.
This is the Upper Court of Justice Beit Din Shel Ma’alah and within this sefirah are all creatures in all creation judged, whether to the right or the left, by means of the central channel, all with truth and integrity.

Now, when the divine quality of might-Gevurah decrees judgment upon the lower creatures, that they be destroyed, killed and obliterated, then it is Adonai – which is the storehouse that receives everything that descends from Above – which becomes filled with the judgment decreed by ELOHIM and it is She who then actualizes and carries out the judgment in the lower realms [ie here]. At such a time, She too takes on the title God ELOHIM-אלהים referring to the quality of judgment-Gevurah, which has decreed the judgement din upon those who were judged - just as an emissary [or representative] is called by the name of the one who sent him.

Thus, at times this quality is called by the NAME HaShem-יהו״ה, at times by ADONAY-אדנ״י, at times by ELOHIM-אלהים , and at times by SHADDAI-שד״י -- all according to whichever divine quality is emanating its power and essence to her: whether that is mercy or the opposite of mercy.

Behold: when this quality is filled from the source that precedes her [ie Yesod], She is called SHADDAI: the One Who Is Self-Sufficient [sh'day lit. that it is enough]: שד״י, which is to say that there is sufficiency, completion and fullness.

And when She is called SHADDAI, then all kinds of destruction and damaging forces flee from before her. This is the meaning of the verse in the Psalm - known as the Song of Obstructions: “Whosoever dwells in the concealment of the Most High resides in the shade of SHADDAI: the One Who Is Self-Sufficient --שדי.” (Ps 91:1)

Now that you have been informed of this principle, know that the sefirah THE LIVING GOD El Chai -אל חי is sometimes called, EL SHADDAI -א"ל שד"י-THE SELF-SUFFICIENT GOD.

The reason is that it is from this divine quality that all power, perfection, influence, and emanation are drawn into the Name ADNY - until it says, "Enough!" [Dai! די].

Thus in Talmud tractate Chagigah our sages of blessed memory comment, “He is called ENOUGH - SHADDAI - שדי because through this He said ‘enough-Dai-די’ to His world.” (Chagigah 12a). Even though this is understood as the sages stated there, that the world continued to go on expanding until He said “Enough! Dai- די,” the inner principle is that it is through this quality of EL SHADDAI -א"ל שד"י-THE SELF-SUFFICIENT GOD, that He gives sustenance to each and every creature and transmits His blessings to ADONAI until their lips are spent with saying “Enough! Dai - די.”

And when ADONAI is filled with the power of EL SHADDAI -א"ל שד"י-THE SELF-SUFFICIENT GOD., then it too is called by His name SHADDAI שדי ENOUGHNESS and EL SHADDAI -א"ל שדי, as has already been explained (in Gate One).

All the blessings and goodness that are emanated into ADONAI in order to fulfill the needs of every creature, are transmitted by means of EL SHADDAI -א"ל שד"י-THE SELF-SUFFICIENT GOD., as it states, “ EL SHADDAI -א"ל שד"י will bless you and will make you fruitful and multiply you.” (Gen 28:2)

It is also this divine quality that says “enough” to all troubles, that they should not befall a person.

And since this quality is the gateway by which to enter to the Name HaShem-יהוה, they have fixed the Name SHADDAI on the outside of every mezuzah scroll.

The verse [from the second paragraph of the Shema, which is inside the mezuzah scroll] “And it shall be והיה” also hints at the verse, “And it shall be והיה that SHADDAI will be your stronghold.” (Job 22:25)

Now, we need to let you know that this sefirah can be clothed in three different kinds of fire, depending on which of three titles it is called by: SHADDAI, ELOHIM or ADNY.

All depend on the power of the Name HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed be, for it is He who carries everything and actualizes everything.

When She is called SHADDAI, she is clothed in the appearance of a black consuming fire, and therefore all kinds of destructive forces and evil spirits flee from before her; and innumerable multitudes and legions from among the impure creatures tremble with fear and have no power to stand before Her. Rather, they are scattered and flee, “into hollows in the ground.” (Isaiah 2:19)

When She is called ELOHIM-אלהי״ם, she is clothed in a red fire, in the appearance of a consuming fire that burns and incinerates, to bring about justice with her strength, both above and below, executing judgment upon the righteous and the wicked. It is from Her that the enforcers and emissaries of judgment and all the messengers of the Above receive permission to bring judgment upon the created beings.

It is She that stands up to kill and to give life, to smite and to heal, to bring low and to raise up, through the power of the NAME HaShem-יהו״ה which is inside.

And when She is called ADONAY-אדנ״י, She is clothed in a green fire, by which all creatures are struck by awe and trepidation.

For then She is enthroned upon the throne of GOVERNANCE [MALCHUT מלכות] and all the multitudes above and below tremble and shudder before her. She conducts matters with the strategies of GOVERNANCE through the practices of the Lord [ADON] and Ruler, riding upon and having total dominion over the entire chariot (Merkavah); and She controls everything through the use of the FORTY-TWO LETTER NAME (שם בן מ״ב). About this aspect the verse states, “HaShem-יהו״ה ADONENU our Lord-אדנינו! How mighty is Your Name throughout the earth!” (Ps 8:10)

Sometimes ADONAY is called by the term STONE-Evn-אבן, since it is the foundation [yesod] of all constructs which are in the world, and because all beings that exist in the world depend upon it and are in need of it.

And She is referred to as THE CORNERSTONE-Evn HaRoshah-אבן הראשה, (Zechariah 4:7) from which all the multitudes of the upper and lower hosts came forth in the act of creation (Ma’aseh Bereishit).

She is also called a SAPPHIRE STONE-Evn Sapeer-אבן ספיר, since She receives all the colors from the levels above and beyond her. She effects amongst the created beings every thing and its opposite - at times for goodness and at times for evil, to enliven or to kill, to smite or to heal, to impoverish or to make wealthy and so forth. This is hinted at in the verse, “See now that I-Ani-אני, I am He, and no god is with Me. I-Ani-אני put to death and I bring to life, I have struck down and I will heal, and there is no one who can rescue from My hand.” (Deut 32:39)

Moreover, since She draws the strength of the Sefirot, drawing into herself all kinds of emanations and blessings, after She draws forth from the blessings above her, She turns and bestows sustenance and nourishment to all beings below her, each according to what is appropriate for them.

About this the verse states, “The STONE-Evn-אבן that the builders despised has become the cornerstone.” (Ps 118:22) This is because Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov took their portions of the chariot (Merkavah) in the Sefirot that are above it. It is only when David came, that he held on to it and took it as his quality in the Divine chariot (Merkavah). About this the verse states, “has become the cornerstone.”

For, it is to this Divine quality that all faces of all beings, supernal and infernal, in all existence turn, whether those levels above it or those levels below it. Those that are above her, turn to her to draw down their strength and bestowal of goodness and blessings; and those that are below her turn to her to plead for their sustenance, nourishment, and the maintenance of their existence.

This then, is the mystery of what is meant by the words, “the CORNERSTONE-Rosh Pinah-ראש פנה,” and is similarly the meaning of the verse, “Into what are its bases-Adaneha-אדניה sunken, or who laid its cornerstone-Even Pinatah-אבן פנתה?” (Job 38:6) It is this quality that sustains the Jewish people, as indicated by the verse, “From there He shepherded the STONE OF ISRAEL-Evn Yisroel-אבן ישראל.” (Gen 49:24)

However, this STONE-Evn-אבן yearns, desires, and sets its entire purpose for another stone higher above her, and it is from that stone that all the various kinds of emanations come to her. These two stones are very precious to the Jewish people, as indicated by the verse, “You shall take the two Shoham stones-Avnei Shoham-אבני שהם and engrave the names of the sons of Israel upon them.” (Ex 28:9)

The meaning of this mystery is hinted in the verse, “Lord HaShem-Adona”y HaShem-אדנ"י יהו"ה [pronounced Adona”y Elohi”m-אדנ"י אלהי"ם] what will you give me etc.” (Gen 15:2)

That is, the Indwelling Presence of HaShem-יהו״ה SHECHINA draws from Above to below and is drawn from below to Above.