Pt I: G-d's Relationship with Gender
The Jewish mystical doctrine known as Kabbalah ("Tradition") is distinguished by its theory of ten creative forces (sefirot) that intervene between the infinite, unknowable God (Ein Sof, "without ending") and our created world.
Through these powers G-d created and rules the universe, and it is by influencing them that humans cause G-d to send to Earth forces of compassion or severe judgment.
The right side represents the principles of unity, harmony and benevolence, as embodied in the sefirah of Hesed ["lovingkindness/mercy"]. It is associated with the bestowing of generous goodness upon our world. It is the masculine side.
The left side of the sefirot structure is the side of power and strict justice, the values embodied in the sefirah of Din ["judgement"]. It is the female side, representing the fearsome awe of G-d, and the principles of separation and distinction. The unrestrained dominion of the left side gives rise to evil.
The middle column of the sefirot structure represents the ideal balance of divine mercy and justice. This harmony is best represented in the sefirah of Tiferet ["beauty/adornment"], which exists midway between the extremes of Din and Hesed, female and male. Following traditional Rabbinic perception, the Kabbalah recognizes that the universe could not survive if it were founded only upon justice or only upon mercy.
The Shekhinah ["presence"] is often portrayed as a bride or princess whose male lover is the composite of the nine upper sefirot, represented by the prince/bridegroom Tiferet. According to a Rabbinic tradition, the Shekhinah shares in the exiles of the Jewish people. It is through the Shekhinah that humans can experience the Divine.
From "The Soul of the Stranger," Dr. Joy Ladin:
G-d's disruptions of gender in these stories make it clear that even the gender roles that matter most to human beings are not sacred to G-d. G-d not only blesses Abraham for violating his roles as son and father, but blesses all his descendants... On the one hand, G-d depends on gender to transmit the covenant across time and space, so that even after hundreds of generations, Jews will still see themselves as children of Abraham. On the other hand, G-d disrupts gender as a way of making G-d's power and presence known, requiring Abraham and Jacob to violate their assigned gender roles in order to secure relationships with G-d, preventing Sarah from bearing children until she is elderly, and decreeing that G-d's blessing be passed on to second-born sons (Isaac and Jacob) rather than firstborn sons (Ishmael and Esau). The Torah presents gender as a means to G-d's ends, to be reinforced or disrupted as G-d pleases.
It is known that when Isaac was born, he was born with the soul of a female, as it is written in Or Hachaim, and through the akeidah (binding of Isaac) he got a male soul that can influence (meaning, can impregnate). With that, we can understand why there are more infertile humans than animals, even though they both got the same blessing, "It will not be within you and within your animals infertility". But this is known according to the Sod (Secret/Mysticism) of reincarnation - that at times, a female would be in a male body, because in the reasons of gilgal (reincarnation) the soul of a female would come to be in a male. ... That is why it says by Isaac that Hashem answered to Him and not to Her (Rebecca), because he needed divine help to be able to have kids.
Translation by Abby Stein
Pt. II: Heaven's Incomprehensible Rewards
The Story of Elijah the Tishbite:
Elijah was a prophet in the ninth century BCE, when the Israelites had split into two kingdoms: Israel in the north and Judah in the south. King Ahab in Israel had taken a non-Israelite wife, Jezebel, and began to worship her idol, Baal.
Elijah spoke against this and eventually had a showdown of sacrificial offerings against 450 priests of Baal, in which Baal's offering went untouched and Elijah's offering to G-d was consumed by heavenly fire. After this happened, Elijah killed all 450 of the Baalite priests, which angered Queen Jezebel. Jezebel sent a message to Elijah promising to do to him what he had done to her priests, and Elijah fled from Israel to Judah. Ultimately, Ahab, Jezebel, and their son Naboth all died for their transgressions.
Elijah took on a protégé, Elisha. Elijah actually never died, according to the Bible, but simply ascended to Heaven on a rainbow in a flaming chariot. Before Elijah departed, Elisha, who refused to leave his side, requested a double portion of his spirit. Elijah promised it will be so if Elisha watched him as he ascended. Elisha watched him until he disappeared, and then tore his clothes and took up Elijah’s mantle as prophet.
According to a later prophet, Malachi, Elijah will return to announce to the world that the Messiah has come. According to Mishnah Eduyot 8:7, when that day comes, Elijah will also rule on every dispute which has not been resolved and reconcile children and parents who are at odds.
Rav Yehuda says that Rav says: When Moses ascended on High, he found the Holy One, Blessed be He, sitting and tying crowns on the letters of the Torah. Moses said before G-d: Master of the Universe, who is preventing You from giving the Torah without these additions? G-d said to him: There is a man who is destined to be born after several generations, and Akiva ben Yosef is his name; he is destined to derive from each and every thorn of these crowns mounds upon mounds of halakhot. It is for his sake that the crowns must be added to the letters of the Torah. Moses said before G-d: Master of the Universe, show him to me. G-d said to him: Return behind you. Moses went and sat at the end of the eighth row in Rabbi Akiva’s study hall and did not understand what they were saying. Moses’ strength waned, as he thought his Torah knowledge was deficient. When Rabbi Akiva arrived at the discussion of one matter, his students said to him: My teacher, from where do you derive this? Rabbi Akiva said to them: It is a halakha transmitted to Moses from Sinai. When Moses heard this, his mind was put at ease, as this too was part of the Torah that he was to receive. Moses returned and came before the Holy One, Blessed be He, and said before Him: Master of the Universe, You have a man as great as this and yet You still choose to give the Torah through me. Why? G-d said to him: Be silent; this intention arose before Me. Moses said before G-d: Master of the Universe, You have shown me Rabbi Akiva’s Torah, now show me his reward. G-d said to him: Return to where you were. Moses went back and saw that they were weighing Rabbi Akiva’s flesh in a butcher shop [bemakkulin], as Rabbi Akiva was tortured to death by the Romans. Moses said before Him: Master of the Universe, this is Torah and this is its reward? G-d said to him: Be silent; this intention arose before Me.
Pt III: What is Geulah (Redemption)?
From "Train Comes Through," Ezra Furman:
This city is the bearer of an old and secret curse
It's not written in your bibles, it's a verse behind a verse
Only visible to an obsessive detail-oriented heathen Jew
But it's the hidden and unspoken that will thunder when the train comes through
...
A transfiguration's coming, a turning in the song
To the brutal static order they've depended on so long
This train will carry gamblers, it'll carry us midnight ramblers too
And a broken heart's your ticket so be ready when the train comes through
(126) It is a time to act for G-d, [interpreted: therefore] they have violated Your teaching.
Selections from "Jewish Futurisms," R' Josh Bolton:
In 5781 Jewish peoplehood will be difficult.
In 5795 Jews will walk proudly.
In 5796 most Orthodox rabbis will be women.
In 5799 violent pogroms will be experienced in San Francisco and Silicon Valley.
In 5803 the Shabbat morning service will primarily consist of passionately kissing the sefer Torah.
In 5806 global warming will wipe out three of the “four species.”
In 5816 the “Who is a Jew?” question will be answered.
In 5828 Jewish scholarship will decidedly investigate the “ish.”
In 5832 a council of young American Jews will outlaw rabbis with guitars.
In 5842 one hundred thousand Jewish women will gather for kabbalistic reasons.
In 5855 Jews will believe in hell.
In 5856 Jews will have no choice.
In 5858 Jews will sing the blues.
In 5860 Jews will have a pretty good time.
In 5863 there will be riots protesting bnai mitvah.
In 5864 94% of Jews will be LGBTQ.
In 5870 Jewish prayer will effectively solve food scarcity in southern California.
In 5877 the 36 hidden Tzaddikim will remain hidden.
In 5878 the Babylonian Talmud will give way to the Mexicano Talmudo.
In 5880 the Jews the Jews the Jews.