Printed fromkabbalaonline.org
ב"ה

THEMES of Featured Ari Articles

To Light Up the Night
Developing character traits is like kindling the menorah's flames
The Ari explains how the Menorah's very structure illustrates the Kabbalistic maturation process of the Feminine Principal (Nukva). Aaron's kindling of the Menorah represents the way the flow of Zeir Anpin (i.e. the emotions, the principle one of which is the love characterized by him) inspires and causes Nukva to mature and develop.
Nursing Prophets
Kabbalah teaches that some the greatest Jewish prophets suckled on Higher Wisdom.
When the partzuf of Rachel initially emanates, it is positioned back to back with Zeir Anpin. This corresponds to the Midrashic account of the creation of Adam and Eve, that they were created joined back to back, and had to be "sawed" apart in order to later turn toward each other and mate.

Similarly, the partzuf of Rachel, once emanated, must be further developed in order to mate with Zeir Anpin through the process of kindling the lamps of the Menorah.
Meriting the Land of Israel
Kabbalah discusses the mystical reasons Moses did not enter the Holy Land.
After Timna became Eliphaz's concubine, she bore him Amalek, the ancestor of the nation that became Israel's archenemy. The Sages state that this was because Jacob, in fact, should have married her. He could have elevated the good in her and nullified the bad in her that became manifest later as Amalek.
Related Topics

The larger, bold text is the direct translation of the classic text source.

The smaller, plain text is the explanation of the translator/editor.
Text with broken underline will provide a popup explanation when rolled over with a mouse.