Faces of the Goddess 8: Postmodern Permutations

Now, the term that is used as a sign for this Divine quality throughout the Torah, the Prophets, and the Scriptures is the word THUS Koh-כה.

Since it is this midah, divine quality, that opens all levels above, She is considered the mystery of the Holy Spirit (Ru’ach HaKodesh); it is through her that the prophets enter the world of prophecy, and the prophets make much use of this quality.

This is why we so frequently find the prophets referring to the Shechina by this title, in many places saying, “THUS Koh-כה says HaShem-יהו״ה.”

Now, as we already informed you regarding this Divine quality, it was our forefather Avraham, peace be upon him, who began to bring her back to the lower realms. It is he who began to call in the name of ADONAY, when he said, “Lord God-Adona”y Hashem/Elohi”m-אדנ"י יהו"ה what will you give me...?” (Gen 15:2)

And the Holy One, blessed be, responded that amongst all the orders of the stars and all the other hosts of the world, whether in the supernal worlds or the lower worlds, none can bear seed without the power of this divine quality called THUS Koh-כה.

For she is the gateway of prayer, and it is through her that all must enter to entreat and supplicate to affect changes to the power of the constellations (mazalot).

It is this divine quality that can transform judgment to mercy, and bring life in place of death, exchange illness for health, and replace barrenness with seed. For, all is dependent upon her, and She is thus called, THE OPENING OF THE WELLSPRINGS [or OPENING OF THE EYES] Petach Eynayim-פתח עינים.

Since everything is dependent upon the Divine quality called THUS Koh-כה, HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed be, said to Abraham: “THUS Koh-כה shall your offspring be.” (Gen 15:5).

In other words, it is as if God said to him: “It is through this quality that you may enter to the Source of all Sources and to the Wellspring of all effects [generations], even reaching the place called the SUPERNAL CROWN (Keter Elyon), which is the Mazal-מזל over all the constellations Mazalot-מזלות, since it is from it that living waters flow-Nozel-נוזל to all the constellations-Mazalot-מזלות."

Since this quality was the inheritance of our forefather Abraham, as stated, “and you shall be a BLESSING Bracha -ברכה,” (Gen 12:2) and then concludes, “יהו״ה blessed Abraham with EVERYTHING -בכל,” (Gen 24:1) HaShem-יהו״ה thus needed to bestow the Jewish people with the keys to open this POOL Breichah-בריכה.

God therefore passed into the hands of the Priests (Kohanim) the supernal keys with which to draw forth the blessings, the shefa and the excellence from all the upper levels and supernal sefirot into this POOL Breichah-בריכה which is called THUS Koh-כה.

God enjoined the Priestly blessing, saying: “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying: [with] THUS Koh-כה shall you bless the children of Israel.” (Num 6:23)

For it is when this quality is blessed and becomes filled that shefa and supernal excellence come to the Jewish people. The sign for this is hinted in the continuation, “Let them place My Name upon the children of Israel, and I Ani-אני shall bless them.” (Num 6:27)

(22) יהוה spoke to Moses: (23) Speak to Aaron and his sons: THUS כֹּ֥ה shall you bless the people of Israel. Say to them:
(24) יהוה bless you and protect you!
(25) יהוה deal kindly and graciously with you!
(26) יהוה bestow [divine] favor upon you and grant you peace!

(27) Thus they shall link My name with the people of Israel, and I וַאֲנִ֖י will bless them.

Similarly, about this mystery of the Priestly blessing through the quality called THUS Koh-כה, King David, peace be upon him, said, “All Your works shall thank you, and Your devout ones will bless You-Yevarchuchah יברכוכה,” (Ps 145:10) which specifically concludes with “Koh-כה” complete with the letter ה. It is as if He is saying, “THUS Koh-כה shall you bless.” ...

(10) All Your works shall praise You, O LORD, and Your faithful ones shall bless You יְבָרְכֽוּכָה.

God therefore commanded the Jewish people, telling them to guard themselves regarding this quality of Koh-כה, lest it become filled with the anger and wrath of the Divine quality of fear (Pachad) and might (Gevurah). Rather, [it is as if God is saying]: "You must draw forth mercy and blessing into her, lest She destroy the world."

This is the meaning of the words, "THUS Koh-כה shall you bless the children of Israel.” (Num 6:23) In other words, your drawing forth into her should be a drawing forth of blessings, kindness, and generosity, so that She will bless you; and take care to avoid the opposite, since the lashes rendered by this divine quality are extremely harsh.

This quality is signified in the Torah by a unique word, to let us know that it is by her hands that the Jewish people receive all goodness and all sustenance and all blessing, and it is She that ushers in the Jewish people and their emissaries before the blessed יהוה: She is known by the term THIS Zot-זאת (in the feminine form).

Now, because the Jewish people inherit this divine quality, especially for them, being the portion and heritage of יהו״ה, blessed be, this quality dwells shochenet amongst them perpetually, and through her they elicit all their requests. When the Jewish people must enter before HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed be, She enters with them and sets them before him.

Do you not see that on Yom Kippur, the most special day of the year, the High Priest was granted entry to the innermost sanctum, in order to elicit pardon and forgiveness on behalf of the Jewish people, in addition to blessings and sustenance for the whole year - only being permitted to enter with this quality, THIS (Zot). This is the meaning of the verse, “With THIS Zot-זאת shall Aharon come into the Sanctuary.” (Lev 16:3). That is, he only was permitted to enter by means of THIS Zot-זאת. ...

Now, it is this Divine quality that stands and guards over the Jewish people in their times of trouble, about which it states, “Though an army would besiege me, my heart would not fear; though war would arise against me, in THIS Zot-זאת I trust.” (Ps 27:2)

It is She who resides with the Jewish people in exile and comforts their hearts, and it is about her that the verse states, “THIS Zot-זאת is my comfort in my affliction.” (Ps 119:50)
It is She who binds the structure of the Supernal Chariot Merkavah, it being about her that it states, “THIS Zot-זאת is your stature, likened to a towering palm.” (Song 7:8)

It is through this her that the Jewish people merited receiving the Written Torah, through the Oral Torah, and it is about her that it states, “THIS Zot-זאת is the Torah, when a man dies in the tent.” (Num 19:14) It is through her that we enter into the explanation of the Written Torah, since THIS Zot-זאת is the mystery of THE ORAL TORAH -Torah SheBa’al Peh-תורה שבעל פה. It is through this divine quality that the Jewish people merited to inherit the LAND Aretz-ארץ, since it is this quality that dwells shochenet in the LAND Aretz-ארץ, which is why the verse says: “THIS Zot-זאת is the land that shall fall to you as an inheritance.” (Num 34:2)

This quality is the great goodness through which we enter into the life of the coming world, about which it states, “THIS Zot-זאת is the heritage of the servants of HaShem-יהו״ה.” (Is 54:17) It is through her that the Jewish people receive all goodness and blessings, and it is about her that the Torah states, “And THIS v’Zot-וזאת is what their father [Jacob] spoke to them in blessing them.” (Gen 49:28)
That is, were it not for THIS Zot-זאת, then from where could he bless them?

Similarly, it is through this quality that our teacher Moses, peace be upon him, concluded and blessed the Jewish people, as it states, “And THIS Zot-זאת is the blessing haBrachah-הברכה that Moses, the man of God, bestowed upon the children of Israel before his death.” (Deut 33:1)

Moreover, this Divine quality is uniquely special to KINGSHIP Malchut-מלכות, which was merited by Judah, as it states, “And THIS v’Zot-וזאת is to Judah.” (Deut 7)

The Holy Blessed One is cautioning the Jewish people, encouraging them to be guardians of this quality, so as to conduct themselves with her in purity, as it states,
“So that your camp should be holy, so that He will not see a shameful thing amongst you and turn away from behind you.” (Deut 23:15) It similarly states, “If only they were wise, they would comprehend THIS Zot-זאת, understanding it from their end.” (Deut 32:29)

(1) Moses received the Torah at Sinai and transmitted it to Joshua, Joshua to the elders, and the elders to the prophets, and the prophets to the Men of the Great Assembly. They said three things: Be patient in [the administration of] justice, raise many disciples and make a fence round the Torah.

(1) And יהוה spoke to Moses, saying,

Now, wherever you find the term “saying" Amirah-אמירה in the Torah, such as the words, “and God said" Vayomer HaShem-ויאמר יהו״ה, or the word, “to say"Leimor-לאמר, or “said" Amarta-אמרת, it always refers to THIS quality.

Let me further explain, as follows:
Know, that wherever the term “speech" Dibur-דיבור is used throughout Torah, it refers to the Divine quality of might: GEVURAH.

That is, it is a term that is used in reference to the Written Torah and is hinted at by the teaching, “We heard it from the mouth of the Almighty One- MiPi HaGevurah- מפי הגבורה.” (Talmud Bavli Horayot 8a)

Whereas the terminology of speaking amirah connects to the quality of Malchut, GOVERNANCE, and makes use of the Oral Toral.

Since the Written Torah (Torah SheB’Khtav) and the Oral Torah (Torah SheBa’al Peh) need one other, and cannot be sustained without one another, God hints at this mutual interdependence throughout the Torah everywhere where it says: “And God spoke v'y'daber to Moshe saying l'emor.” וידבר י"י אל משה לאמר

That is, the verse begins with the word “spoke” VaYedaber-וידבר, referring to the Written Torah, and concludes with the word, “saying” Leimor-לאמר, referring to the Oral Torah.

It is with these two words - “speaking-Dibur-דבור” and “saying-Amirah-אמירה,” that the entire Torah is composed and arranged.

This is demonstrated by the verse, “Write-Ktov-כתוב these words for yourself, for it is by means of (literally: by the speech of Al Pi-על פי) these words that I cut a covenant with you and Israel.” (Ex 24:27)

In other words, the covenant is sealed with the Written Torah (Torah SheB’Khtav) when it is expounded according to the Oral Torah (Torah SheBa’al Peh).

I am hereby transmitting to you a general principal. That is, the Tablets of the Covenant (Luchot HaBrit) were placed in the Ark (Aron). This is as stated, “And you shall place them in the Ark.” (Deut 10:3)

Now, the written Torah is expounded upon solely by means of the Oral Torah. This is because the Oral Torah is the Sanctuary (Heichal) of the Written Torah . The sign by which to remember this is the fact that both the title ADONAY and the word Sanctuary-Heichal add up to a value 65 [indicating their equivalency].

And these two aspects of Torah adhere to each other, “Like two fawns, twins of the gazelle.” (Song 4:5)

Regarding one who separates between the two, the verse states, “A querulous person estranges the Master,” (Proverbs 16:28) and is compared to a person who has no god at all.

Therefore, know that wherever the Torah states, וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ “And HaShem spoke to Moshe saying” it is hinting at both the Written Torah and the Oral Torah, as it says:
“Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth.” (Song 1:2)

And when the Jewish people sinned against the Written Torah and the Oral Torah, the Prophet's rebuke began in stating, “They have abhorred the Torah of HaShem-יהו״ה,” referring to the Written Torah, and then continues, “and they have scorned the saying-Imrat-אמרת of the Holy One of Israel,” referring to the Oral Torah . (Is 5:24)

The general principle is this: the language of “speaking" Dibur-דיבור refers to MIGHT, Gevurah; and the language of “saying" Amirah-אמירה, refers to KINGSHIP, Malchut.

We see this exemplified in the verse, “And God ELOHIM (ie Gevurah) spoke vayedaber to Moses, and said vayomer to him, ‘I am HaShem אני יהו״ה.’” (Ex 6:2)

That is, wherever you find Torah stating “and He spoke vayedaber-וידבר” it is the Divine quality of the title ELOHIM-אלהי״ם, which is His quality of judgment-Gevurah.

In contrast, wherever you find the term “and He said vayomer-ויאמר,” it refers to “I am HaShem-Anee HaShem-אני יהו״ה,” which is His Divine quality of Kingship: MALCHUT and the Oral Torah.

Now that we have explained to you this matter regarding the term, “and He said" Vayomer-ויאמר, understand perpetually that this Divine quality is always called, THE ORAL TORAH Torah SheBa’al Peh תורה שבעל פה.

The reason being that the Torah of יהוה, which is the Written Torah, dwells shochenet within this quality.

That is, the Oral Torah is like the tent (Ohel) and ark (Aron) for the Written Torah. Therefore it is through the mouth of the Oral Torah that all the mysteries, concealments, depths, and hidden aspects of the Written Torah are clarified.

About this the verse states, “If a matter of judgment is hidden from you, between blood and blood, between verdict and verdict ...” (Deut 17:8)

In other words, when something is hidden from you in the depths of the Written Torah, what then does the Torah continue and instruct us?
“You shall do according to the word-Al Pi-על פי that they will tell you,” and continues, “According to the word-Al Pi-על פי of the teaching that they shall say to you יאמרו לך will you do; you shall not veer from the word that they will tell you, neither to the right nor to the left.” (Deut 17:11)

It is up to you to understand everything we have explained to you in relation to the matter of the Oral Torah and the term, “SAYING" Vayomer-ויאמר and the word THIS Zot-זאת.
Arrange everything in your mouth accordingly.

Now, I must set you firmly upon a very subtle foundation, as follows:

Know that the Oral Torah has no shefa or supernal excellence of her own, besides what comes from the Written Torah.

Conversely, there is no means by which to enter the Written Torah except by means of the Oral Torah.

This mystery is the same as that the name ADONAY אדנ״י has no shefa or blessing except that which comes from HASHEM יהו״ה, blessed be - and, likewise, there is no manner by which to enter the knowing of יהו״ה, except by means of ADONAY אדנ״י.
It thus is all clearly explained.

Thus, Written Torah and Oral Torah need one another and are unified one with the other, as hinted at in the verse: “On that day HaShem-יהו״ה will be One, and His Name One.” (Zecharia 14:9)
Which is to say that the name HaShem-יהו״ה and His title ADONAY אדנ״י are read as One.