THEMES of Featured Ari Articles

From the teachings of Rabbi Yitzchak Luria; translated and edited by Moshe Yaakov Wisnefsky

Advanced

Kabbalah describes the spiritual roots of the wickedness of witchcraft

Both Balaam and Balak hated the Israelite nation. Balaam's specialty was essentially that of sorcery, which emanates from the mouth; his soul was particularly rooted in that of Abel. Balak was a magician, primarily from the evil of Cain, who, just as a magician's main tools are his hands, focused on the corporal world, physically working the soil.

2 Comments

Beginner

Mystical Roots of Evil - Part 1

Kabbalah details the spiritual sources of Israel's enemies.

The Ari comments that the strength of Balaam, the evil sorcerer employed by King Balak, was in his ability to curse. This power is rooted in the breath, which in Hebrew is "hevel". "Hevel" is also the Hebrew name of Abel, the son of Adam, demonstrating that Balaam was the wicked side of Abel reincarnated. He worked as a team with Balak, who was the reincarnation of the wicked side of Cain, Abel's brother.

Intermediate

Fixing the Mixing

Kabbalah expounds the mystical background of the Golden Calf.

The Sages note that it was the "Mixed Multitude" of non-Jews that accompanied the Jews in their exodus from Egypt who instigated the idolatry of the Golden Calf. The Arizal explains that they were indeed meant to be elevated eventually, since they contained sparks of holiness, but Moses tried to do this prematurely.

5 Comments

Advanced

The 5 Strengths of the Red Cow

Part 1

The ashes of the red heifer are used to purify a person from the impurity of close contact with a dead person. "Death" is spiritually a falling from one state of divine consciousness to a lower one (or lack of one). Thus, the commandment of the red heifer contains within it the mystical explanation of evil and the purification from defilement of evil/death, i.e. loss of divine consciousness.

Advanced

Of Cows and Divine Names

Part 3

This week's Torah reading opens with the commandment of the red heifer. The ashes of the red heifer are used to purify a person from the impurity of death. "Death" is spiritually a falling from one state of divine consciousness to a lower one (or lack of one). Thus, the commandment of the red heifer contains within it the mystical explanation of evil and the purification from defilement of evil/death, i.e. loss of divine consciousness.

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.