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The Holy Ari
The Jewish people were commanded to "place the blessing on Mt. Gerizim and the curse on Mt. Eval" when they cross the Jordan River and enter the land of Israel.
The Levites were to pronounce eleven curses there. The number ten signifies completion, balance, and holiness, whereas the number eleven indicates destructive excess, as the Sages say: "whoever adds, detracts." |
Chasidic Masters
"And you shall write on the stones all the words of this Torah, well explained."
The letters of Torah house the revelation of G-d's infinite light as stones form a house. Stones which are created by G-d correspond to the Holy Tongue, whose letters and words contain and express the energy of the objects and ideas they house. |
Contemporary Kabbalists
"The Levites must speak up, saying to every
individual of Israel..."
There are eleven specific curses here, corresponding to all 12 tribes except Simeon, whom Moses did not want to curse explicitly as he was planning not to bless him explicitly when he blessed all the tribes, either. |
Beginner
Mystic Story
The Baal Shem Tov sat at the head of the table. Surrounded by his chasidim, he began to expound upon the Kabbalistic meditations that accompany the ritual immersion in the mikvah.
"But Rebbe," one of his chasidim called out to him, "Does not the holy Ari of Safed, of sainted memory, explain these meditations otherwise?" |