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Translated and annotated by Baruch Emanuel Erdstein from the Writings of the Ari
According to Jewish Law, it is forbidden to cut the
hair of one's head during the period of the Counting of the Omer, in remembrance
of the 24,000 thousand students of Rabbi Akiva who died as a result of a plague.
The Talmud explains that they perished as divine punishment for not honoring
one-another. The students stopped dying on the 33rd day of the
Counting of the Omer, known as Lag B'Omer, and today many cease this
semi-mourning period at this time; others, like the Ari himself was accustomed,
continue until the day before Shavuot, at the completion of 49 days.
The reason we don't cut hair during these days is
because, as is known, there is a rectification [among the Sheva Tikunei
Reisha, or 7 Rectifications of the head of Arich Anpin] in the
[supernal] Skull [ Gulgalta] called "Emer HaNaki" [literally "White
Wool", associated with the hair which flows from the head of Arich
Anpin] and [another] rectification called "Talei D'Bdulcha"
[literally "Crystal Dew", associated with the brain].
As the Ari will elaborate, the word "emer" from
"Emer HaNaki" is spelled the same as the word "omer", the
measurement prescribed for the daily barley offering meant to be brought during
this time period. Besides the Skull itself and the Cranial Membrane (Kruma
D'Avira) the two above-mentioned of the seven supernal rectifications of the
head of Arich Anpin, described by the Zohar (in parashat Naso,
vol. III, pg. 128, known as the Idra Rabba), are the two most supernal,
through which all influx of divine wisdom descends to the lower worlds.  | | " The mitzvot associated with the period of the Counting of the Omer...actually help sweeten all of existence..." | | |
Emer HaNaki, understood as most relating to the
place of ears of Arich Anpin, originates in the inner netzach and
hod of Atik Yomin. Talei D'Bdulcha, the brain of Arich
Anpin, i.e. its chochma, originates in the sefira of gevura
of Atik Yomin; this is the supernal root of all judgmental forces in
Adam Kadmon. Thus, we see that these two places are the source of most of
the harsh forces to "descend" into the world we experience. By being conscious
of the powers invested in us to mollify these powers - and put them into a
useful context - via the mitzvot associated with the period of the Counting of
the Omer, we actually help sweeten all of existence.
Regarding the requirement that the generation of the
Exodus preserve a measure of manna as a remembrance to future generations, the
Torah states: "Moses said to Aaron, 'Take a jar and put a full omer of
manna into it; place it before G-d for safekeeping for your generations'." (Ex.
16:33) A few verses later the amount required is further described:
This is the secret of the verse "The omer is a
tenth of an ephah. (Ex. 16:36
The Ari understands the "omer" in the above
verse as relating to the "omer" of barley that we offer during the period
between Pesach and Shavuot, known as the Counting of the Omer.
...Thus two times the word "omer" is the
numerical value of the word " keter" [literally "crown"], associated with
the Skull [of Arich Anpin] and the Emer HaNaki, which is
associated with the hairs [of the head of Arich Anpin], which are in [the
sefira of] keter.
And here, "The omer is a tenth of an
ephah" is the secret of the letters of the word "peah", which is
associated with malchut, which is called " Elo-him", which is the
tenth of the [ten] levels [literally "middot"] - thus, "...a tenth
of an ephah."
The words "ephah", the measurement, and "peah",
literally "corner", as in the phrase "the four corners of the earth" (connoting
this-worldliness), are spelled using the same letters.
Behold, Rabbi Akiva expounded upon these hairs, which
is the secret of when he taught about the crowns of the letters. | | " In the traditional Ashurite script of the Torah crowns resemble small hairs..." | | |
The Talmud (Menachot 29) describes Moses'
astonishment after being given a prophetic vision of Rabbi Akiva expounding
myriads of laws learned from the crowns found in the traditional Ashurite script
of the Torah. These crowns resemble small hairs and are described in the
Writings of the Ari as channels for the descent of supernal wisdom.
As a result, because his students perished, it is
forbidden to cut hair during this period.
Rabbi Akiva's students were rooted in an aspect of his
soul and were channels for his wisdom into this world. In commemoration for this
loss, it is fitting that we, on a microcosmic level, act accordingly. Rabbi Tzvi
Elimelech from Dinov, the Benei Yisachar, citing the Ari's teaching that
Rabbi Akiva was rooted in the sefira of chochma, notes that the
Hebrew word for "honor" ("kavod") - that which Rabbi Akiva's students
were lacking in their treatment of their fellows - has the numerical value of
32, related to the 32 Paths of Wisdom (chochma). | | " Issachar...was reincarnated in Rabbi Akiva..." | | |
Elsewhere, the Ari notes that the Hebrew word for
"hair", "sayar", is rooted in the same letters as word for "barley", "seura",
the actual commodity brought as the Omer offering.
The word "omer" has the numerical value of the
letters shin- yud [310, as in the concept of 310] Worlds, " Yesh
[spelled yud-shin] m' Ayin" [literally, "Existence from
Nothingness"].
"Ayin" - nothingness - is related to the sefira
of keter. Thus, the Ari hints that the entire supernal source of the
strength of Rabbi Akiva is the same as that of the Omer period.
This is the [first] yud-shin of the name
"Issachar" [the son of Jacob] - "...a strong-boned donkey..." (Gen. 49:14), who was
reincarnated in Rabbi Akiva. This is the secret of [when Rabbi Akiva said] "I
will bite you all, as would a donkey".
In his younger years, Rabbi Akiva, before returning to
the fold, used to threaten the sages of his generation thus. In "Gate of
Reincarnations", the Ari goes into great detail regarding the reincarnations of
Rabbi Akiva, citing, in addition, that the majority of the members of the
Sanhedrin, i.e. the greatest of the sages of each generation, were from the
tribe of Issachar, whose strength lay in the sefira of chochma. [Pri Etz Chaim, Shaar Sefirat HaOmer,
Chapter 7]
To find out more from the kabbala on this subject,
go to our series about mitzvot in Daily Life
The Mystical Significance of Hair
Visitor Comments: 1
Svetlana Kravtsova, from Ukraine, 12/11/2006
Shalom,
It is accessible
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