THEMES of Featured Mystical Classics Articles

Kabbalah explains the importance of one's legacy.

From Shenei Luchot HaBrit by Rabbi Isaiah Horowitz

Those who did not see wicked examples while growing up deserve to be punished much more harshly than those who did. We had the advantage of having the patriarchs as role models, as well as having been given the Holy Land. In spite of these benefits, we breached the holy covenant with G-d.

Sagging Ceilings

From the Ohr HaChaim commentary by Rabbi Chaim (ben Moshe) ibn Attar

When people stray from the correct path, they cause the beneficial outpourings from the upper part of the universe to cease. They thereby endanger the continuous presence of sanctity on earth.

Intermediate

The Big Sleep

Kabbalah teaches that the sabbatical year hints at the Messianic Era.

From the teachings of Rabbi Bachya ben Asher

"...and the land will observe a rest for G-d,"

This refers to the earth as a whole and is an allusion to the seventh millennium following the six thousand years described as "eternal rest", a reference to the world to come after physical resurrection has occurred.