SHEKINAH SANCTUARY

TEACHINGS OF THE ECOKOSHER REBBE

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SHEKINAH SANCTUARY

"...kee-malah ha'aretz deyah et-YHVH kamayim layam m'khaseem. (...for the Earth shall be filled with the knowledge of ADONAI, as the waters cover the seas." ISAIAH 11: 9b)

MISHKHAN SHEKINAH

TIKUPAT DELI (The Age of Aquarius)

Every ancient people saw the night sky as a heavenly map. The constellations were determined from the brightest stars and planets, and were drawn to represent things familiar to the people of the culture designing the "sky-map."

The ancients who designed the idea of a "sky-map" in the heavens believed that reading it correctly would open up to the one expert in its reading a knowledge as to how to forcast future events.

However, it was the ancient Babylonians, Sumerians, and Greeks (and Mayans, in the Americas) who made a "science" out of studying the stars for the purpose of divining the future.

Out of this Asian "birthplace" of the study of the stars to determine the fate of peoples for the future came Abram (Father of Ram - later changed to Abraham-Father of many Nations) and his wife, Sarai (Guide Angel of Planets - later changed to Sarah-Princess). They were born and raised in a place called "UR KASSIDEEM" (meaning "Light of the Magicians").

Abram and Sarai were considered to be totally taught in the knowledge of the planets and stars, their constellations and the meanings ascribed to them by where they were in configuration with the other planets and stars of the sky, and in relation to time and earth space, and how to use this information to bring healing to those in need of healing.

According to theTalmud (Shabbat 156a), and the Midrash in Bereshit Rabbah (Lech Lecha 10), it was because Abraham was knowledgable in astrology, that this knowledge led him to an understanding of a One God-Force of Power who had sole power over all of the forces, seen and unseen, of astrology and of the earth and heavens.

The ancients divided the circle of the night sky up into twelve quadrants. They gave each quadrant a name based upon the design they saw of a constellation in the sky formed by drawing in their minds eye a line through certain bright and visible stars that they saw.

The ancient Hebrews believed that the planets and stars exerted astrological influences. This was based upon which constellation the earth was dominated by, in its particular time and season, which planets dominated and which also gave certain moods and abilities such as the ability to achieve peace or war, wealth or poverty, etc.

In non-Hebraic culture, each planet was named for a god and had feast days upon which the god was celebrated during the month that the particular planet or star was believed to exert its most powerful influence.

According to Yalkut Reuveni, page 7b, the planets exude various astrological influences called "mazalot."

Each of the seven planets, plus the sun and the moon, rule over the seven days of the week. Each planet has an angel ruling over its influence and overseeing its orbit.

The sign of Sunday is Leo. Overseeing it is the sun, whose angel is Raphael (the Angel of Healing). The sun exerts the influences of wisdom, science, understanding, craftsmanship, and penmanship. It causes all kinds of flowers, trees and plants to grow from the ground. The warmth of the sun brings healing to the body.

The sign of Monday is Cancer. Overseeing it is the moon, whose angel is Gabriel (the Angel of Compassionate Strength). The moon influences the keys of heaven and earth.

The signs of Tuesday are Aries and Scorpio. Overseeing them is Mars, whose angel is Samael (the Angel of Death and Substitution). Mars influences war and strife, causing controversy between peoples. It also influences fire, water, the destruction of homes, famine, heat waves and storms.

The signs of Wednesday are Gemini and Virgo. Overseeing them is Mercury, whose angel is Michael (the Angel of the Divine Image). Mercury influences the light that seperates day from night. It also exerts a beneficial influence for people who travel for business reasons.

The signs of Thursday are Sagittarius and Pisces. Overseeing them is Jupiter, whose angel is Tzidkiel (the Angel of Just Compensation). Jupiter influences life, peace, wealth, dominance and status.

The signs of Friday are Taurus and Libra. Overseeing them is Venus, whose angel is Anel (the Angel of Petition for the Poor). Venus influences grace, kindness, desire and love. It also influences fruitfulness for humans, animals and plants.

The signs of the Sabbath are Capricorn and Aquarius. Overseeing them is Saturn, whose angel is Kaptziel (the Angel of Unification). Saturn influences murder, poverty, the destruction of cities and nations, sickness and death.

Even though these astronomical bodies exert some influence, they CANNOT bring about good or evil unless God wills it. The astrological signs, as with everything else, is under the Divine Plan.

Each Constellation that defines an "AGE" represents approximately a 2000 year span of time. The Jewish epochal myth-story begins with the AGE OF TAURUS, represented by the beginning of the history of mankind outside the Garden of Eden. It's mythical symbols are the BULL representing the establishment of KINGDOMS who are at odds with God (Nimrod-Babel). The secondary symbol (the sign directly opposite Taurus in the Circle of the Zodiac) is Scorpio, whose symbol is the SCORPION, the symbol of the earthly revolt against the Heavenly Powers.

The Abraham story begins the AGE OF ARIES, whose symbol is the RAM (caught in the bush), that discontinues the practice of human sacrifice by allowing for the substitution of an animal instead. The secondary symbol is LIBRA, the Scales of Balance, Justice, Law and Order.

The Christian era begins the AGE OF PISCES, whose symbol is the Fish, representing the division of religions from Tribal to Faith-Belief based Churches. The secondary symbol is VIRGO, the Virgin, the Holy Perpetual Virgin Mother.

Now begins the AGE OF AQUARIUS, whose symbol is the spilt water of the Water Bearer. Water is the symbol of KNOWLEDGE. The secondary symbol is LEO, the symbol of the Royal Tribe of Judah and of the Messiah.

It is the firm belief of Rabbi Gershon Caudill, the EcoRebbe, that we are in the beginning stages of the Age of Aquarius, Tikupat Deli, the Coming of the Bride-Messiah, (may She come in the days of our life).

This time period is marked by a fluidity of instantaneous computerized knowledge throughout the world; by a zeal for equality for all peoples, races, ethnicities, sexual identities and religions; by a growing social and environmental consciousness; by a loosening of rigid national borders and boundries; and by women rising to the fore in religion, government and other areas where they previously were under-represented and under empowered.

The birthing of the Age of Aquarius cannot be stopped, it is a Divinely pre-ordained Plan of Salvation. In the beginning stages, it will experience the pull of the divisionist, fundamentalist-religions dominated Age of Pisces, which will seek to curtail or overturn the advances that signal the Age of Aquarius.

However, the significant dominant feature of this NEW AGE is the rising to power of the Divine Feminine, THE SHEKHINAH, to bring to a harmoneous balance the overly masculine testosterone dominated, fundamentalist religions based age of war, hatred and inequallity, to a place of loving, caring, respecting, and honoring; in effect, the promised Messianic Age will win out in the end and the Age of Aquarius will become fully born as is taught in the Torah and the Prophets.

It is important to remember that the past ages are there to look to for where we have come from, not for us to remain there, or even to hope to return there. The Messianic Age is in the future for us to work towards and to bring to fruitation.

As the Torah states: "The Messiah will come when She is no longer needed" (based upon the understanding of several texts).

In other words; the Messianic Age will be realized only when we have brought about a world where swords are beaten into plowshares, spears into pruning-hooks; and people do not learn or teach violence as an acceptable way to resolve differences. A time when there is no hungry nor homeless, because we know how to share the wealth that the Earth Mother provides for ALL humanity, not just the "privilaged" few. A time when we each shall care for the welfare of each other. At that time, the Spirit of Shekhinah shall infuse all of us with the knowing of what the real meaning of LOVE is!

WHAT DO WE MEAN WHEN WE SAY "AGE OF SHEKHINAH"?

When we say "AGE OF SHEKHINAH," we mean that time period in human history that was envisioned by the Hebrew Prophets as the time of the "coming of the Messiah."

Later Jewish Sages equaited this time period with the "coming of the Sabbath Bride." Some said that in "that day" the Torah would be given over to women and fools. This was previously thought to be a negative connotation, but this CAN be seen in a positive perspective.

In the days that will bring about WORLD PEACE, the end of HUNGER and HOMELESSNESS, and religious tolerence and learning from each other without threat, WOMEN will no longer tolerate being treated as chattel or as a possession, not having rights of their own.

WOMEN will take control of their own lives, and not only that, they will spread the feminine influence to the acceptence of the DIVINE FEMININE that exists in all things.

We are seeing it today, right before our eyes, THANK GOD! Women are no longer allowing that husbands have the right to abuse them or to beat them!

It is the Divine Feminine at work in the gay-lesbian-bisexual and transgendered population that is also demanding equality and RESPECT from the rest of humanity, as well they should!

Out of this will of the Feminine Shekhinah Energy will come the willingness to create meaningful dialogue between peoples instead of seeking to impose ones will by force of military arms. RIGHT DOES NOT COME FROM THE BARREL OF A GUN!

Gershom Sholem writes in his book "KABBALAH;" "In the early sources "SHEKHINAH" is an expression used to denote the presence of God Himself in the world and is no more than a name for that presence; it later becomes a hypostasis distinguished from God, a distinction that first appears in the late Midrash (early Midrash was written as early as the 5th century BCE; late Midrash continued to be written as late as the thirteenth century CE) to Proverbs (Mid. Prov. 47a: 'the SHEKHINAH stood before the Holy One, blessed be He, and said to Him...").

In contrast to this (apparent) seperation of God and His SHEKHINAH, there arose another original concept - the identification of the Shekhinah with KENESET YISRAEL (the community of Israel)."

The SHEKHINAH has also become equated with the Divine Presence that dwells with the Jewish people in every generation as the potential Messiah. She is the expected Bride whom we greet every Shabbat, singing "L'kha Dodi (Come my Beloved)."

The Shekhinah is often also described as "the Bride," the "Daughter," the "Queen" as well as the "Congregation of Israel."

On the Sephirotic Tree, She is identified with the attribute of God called MALCHUT, the sephirah that gives birth to all the variety and vitality of the world.

Unlike the attribute of God BINAH, the third sephirah, which brings forth the mechanism of creation, the tenth sephirah MALCHUT is a direct link between humanity and the Heavenly Powers.

The name SHEKHINAH means PRESENCE, RESTING, or INDWELLING, which were terms traditionally used in Judaism to describe the generalized Divine Glory that now becomes a far more personal relationship between the human and the Divine.

In Christianity, this aspect of God is identified with the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost or with the Virgin Mary in connection with the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost.

According to the teachings of the kabbalists (see the Zohar), the SHEKHINAH is the FEMININE side, the Feminine Face, if you will, of that Source of Divine-Cosmic Energy that we call by the generic name - GOD.

Daniel C. Matt writes in his book "God & The Big Bang" (Jewish Lights), "GOD is a name we give to the oneness of it all. God is the oneness of the Cosmos. But the name 'GOD' is a label we attach to this oneness-the ultimate, all inclusive name. In fact, this is exactly how traditional Jews refer to God: HaShem, The Name."

The kabbalist Moses Cordovero, writing in the 16th century, put it this way: "The essence of divinity is found in EVERY SINGLE THING-nothing but IT exists.

Since IT causes every thing to be, no thing can live by anything else. IT enlivens them. Ein Sof exists in each existant. Do not say, 'This is a stone and not God.' God forbid! Rather, ALL existance is God, and the stone is a thing pervaded by divinity. But also do not say, 'This stone alone is God. Again, God forbid! For God is not confined in a stone."

Daniel Matt states again in "God & the Big Bang":

"GOD IS THE ONENESS OF MATTER AND ENERGY, THE PROCESS THROUGH WHICH ONE IS TRANSFORMED INTO THE OTHER, THE NOTHINGNESS THAT EMBRACES BOTH."

It is this Jewish ability to see God as that which exists in It's NON-EXISTANCE; as the Active Intelligence or Active Causer, that distinguishes Judaism from all other Tribal and/or organized religious belief systems which need to have God in a physical and spatial form in order to understand the very existance of God.

Judaism traditionally views God as in all things, and yet, MORE. It sees God in the creation and it sees the creation as being within God. God is both the NO-THING (Ayin), the Impersonal Active Pure Intelligence, known as God, and the ETERNAL ALL (Ein Sof), the YHVH Personal God!

God as ELOHIM is impersonal; the Powers within the winds, the earthquake, the volcano eruption, the lightning strike, etc.

God as YHVH-ELOHIM is personal and walks in the Garden of Eden with the Adam and his companion, Chava (Eve).

God as ELOHIM is both masculine and feminine, meaning that those traits (or attributes) that we ascribe to male energy and those traits (or attributes) we ascribe to female energy are BOTH present when God is present in God's ELOHIM mode.

"VaYomer ELOHIM na'aseh adam b'tzalmaynu kidmutaynu ..." (Elohim said, 'Let US (all of creation) make humans in OUR spiritual image and spiritual likeness...' Genesis 1: 26).

PARADIGM SHIFTS IN CONSCIOUSNESS HAVE HAPPENED BEFORE - BRING SHEKHINA NOW!

"They will not do evil and they will not destroy on all of my holy mountain - they will turn their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks and study war no more - for the Earth shall be filled with the knowledge of YHVH as the waters cover the seas" (Isaiah-passim).

In the book that is probably the most profound ground-shaker of the 20th century, "PARADIGM SHIFT," by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, Reb Zalman compares the theological outlooks of the past with the futuristic prospective of the incoming Aquarian Age, the Age of Deli, the Age of the Messiah (may She come in my lifetime).

What makes the Age of Aquarius the Messianic Age is that the Divine Feminine Spirit of Shekhinah shall infuse every being on the planet with Her love and compassion so that we are able to put into practice the loving and caring for each other and for all living things, including our Earth Mother, that will bring about an Age of World Peace and Harmony!

Reb Zalman has a chapter in his book titled "PEACE, PARADIGM SHIFT, AND SHADOW" where he diagrams for the reader what the major theological thinking concepts of each of the past four epic Ages, each 2000 years + or -, represented to humanity.

These four Ages are: TAURUS-SHOR (4000 BCE-2000 BCE); ARIES-T'LEH (2000 BCE-1 BCE); PISCES-DAGIM (1 CE-2000 CE); and AQUARIUS-DELI (2000 CE-FOREVER).

He shows the advancement of human theological and evolutionary thought through this time frame in five categories: TECHNOLOGIES; RELIGION; WAR-SHADOW; SHALOM-PEACE; and GOD WANTS THE HEART.

In TECHNOLOGIES, Reb Zalman posits that the major elements of the technology of the time period of TAURUS is represented by clay, stone, wood, clubs, axes, oars, hunting, defending individual territory, capturing individual territory, narrow life space.

The technology of ARIES is represented by copper, bronze, iron, camel domestication, horse domestication, sails on boats, bows/arrows, lances (for longer distance fighting), ad hoc armies to fight other clans or groups for their territory.

The technology of PISCES is represented by machines, catapults, crossbows, guns/rockets, steam, electricity, printing, fixed armies, borders of territory more abstract (Nationalism).

The technology of AQUARIUS is represented by computer, psychosocio-technologies, biological technologies, atomic technologies,heart-mind-spirit technologies, aggregate people power, war OR planet obsolete.

Under the heading of RELIGION, Reb Zalman lists for the Age of TAURUS: polytheism, zoomorphic gods, practice of human sacrifice, bio-genesis (beginning of agriculture), life in chaos (tohu) state, the gods of one people at war with the gods of other people (victory or defeat brings a change of which gods are worshipped).

For the Age of ARIES, the religious thinking is characterized by monotheism, that developed into deism, animal sacrifice, patriarchy, noo-genesis of human conciousness, reference to the mind, philosophy, creation of Torah, division of good and evil.

For the Age of PISCES: theism, God-anima mundi, son-time, Messiah thought, division into true or false.

For the Age of AQUARIUS: (panentheism) pantheism, God is All, Energy-consciousness, Holy Spirit, value of the individual, Christo-genesis, God available to ALL, millennium-Sabbath, questioning on what level a thing is true, the ability to commit yourself to the Vision.

Under the heading of WAR-SHADOW, Reb Zalman teaches us that in the AGE OF TAURUS the visualized thinking was that of Lex Talionis, an eye for an eye; impulsive, capricious behavior; the "other" is our ENEMY; the concept is to replace populations.

In the AGE OF ARIES, the visualized thinking was that of only 1 eye for 1 eye; of seeking to do the Will of God; the "enemy" becomes the spiritualistic HaSatan, the Amalek, the Anti-X.

In the AGE OF PISCES, the visualized thinking was that of restitution in the form of monetary value rather than poking out an eye, for sins committed; belief in principles; the unbeliever, the goy, the kaffir (atheist), the heritic, becomes the "enemy."

In the AGE OF AQUARIUS, the visualized thinking is that of healing, consoling, transforming; of Whole-Holy-Ing; of being in the Creative Principle.

Under the heading of the paradigm shift of SHALOM-PEACE, Reb Zalman teaches us that during the AGE OF TAURUS, the contextual thinking was of peace obtained through treaty, with a vassal or overlord; that "truth" was a gift given by the physical "man-god" high king who represented the Divine on earth.

During the AGE OF ARIES, the contextual thinking was of peace obtained through surrender; that "good" is what God wills; that "truth" is a special dispensation given to the whole people through Written and Oral Torah or Sacred Story.

During the AGE OF PISCES, the contextual thinking was of peace obtained through order imposed by a victor; that ethic is an abstract and is theologized; that God wills it because it is "good;" that order is imposed by ideology and missionizing the other; that "truth" is static and eternal.

During the AGE OF AQUARIUS, the contextual thinking is of peace obtained through the egalitarian dance, through collaborating, through the increment of effective transformation; of life equality; of synergy that cooperates with God; through a good cosmic harmoneous relationship.

Under the heading of the paradigm shift of GOD WANTS THE HEART, Reb Zalman now teaches us that during the AGE OF TAURUS, the contextual thinking was that of the priesthood guild physically cutting out the heart of sacrifical victims as an offering to the "gods."

During the AGE OF ARIES, the contextual thinking was that of the hereditary priest offering up animal sacrifices instead of human sacrifices. The teaching was of the need for a "strong heart."

During the AGE OF PISCES, the contextual thinking was that of a Melchizedek Priesthood, a priesthood without physical hereditary boundaries, an apostolic succession. The teaching required the "whole heart."

During the AGE OF AQUARIUS, the contextual thinking is that of a Priesthood of Peacemakers. The teaching desires a "broken-open heart."

TEACHINGS ON "GOD, ISRAEL, AND SHEKHINAH" FROM "THE ZOHAR"

If you follow My decrees and observe My commands and carry them out...
I will place My MISHKAN in your midst
and My soul will not abhor you.
I will move about in your midst:
I will be your God, and you will be My people....

But if you spurn My decrees,
and if your soul abhors My judgments,
so that you do not carry out My commands,
so that you break My covenant...
I will set My face against you:
you will be routed by your enemies
and your foes will dominate you.
You will flee though none pursues.
And if, for all that, you do not obey Me...
I will discipline you Myself, seven for your sins...
and I will scatter you among the nations....

Yet even at this point,
when they are in the land of their enemies,
I will not spurn them or abhor them so as to destroy them,
breaking My covenant with them,
for I am YHVH, their God.
--LEVITICUS 26, passim

I will place My MISHKAN (Tabernacle) in your midst.
My mishkan is Shekhinah (both share the Sh-kh-n root),
My mishkan is My mashkon (pledge),
My dwelling is My pledge,
who has been seized on account of Israel's sins.

I will place My MISHKAN.
My mashkon, literally Mine!
A parable:
One person loved another, and said,
"My love for you is so high I want to live with you!"
The other said, "How can I be sure you will stay with me?"
So he took all his most precious belongings
and brought them to the other, saying,
"Here is a pledge to you that I will never part from you."

So the blessed Holy One desired to dwell with Israel.
What did He do?
He took His most precious possession
(The blessed Holy One [Tif'eret] took Shekhinah)
and brought it down to them, saying
"Israel, now you have My pledge; so I will never part from you."

Even though the blessed Holy One has removed Himself from us,
He has left a pledge in our hands,
and we guard that treasure of His.
If He wants His pledge, let Him come and dwell among us!
(Rabbi Shim'on bar Yohai has said, "Come and see how beloved are Israel in the sight of the blessed Holy One! Wherever they went in exile, Shekhinah accompanied them." Possessing God's feminine half, the Jewish people hold collateral, a guarantee that He will always return to them and to His beloved).

So I will place My mishkan in your midst
means: "I will deposit a MASHKON in your hands
to ensure that I will dwell with you."
Even though Israel is now in exile (until 1948, when the State of Israel was re-born),
the pledge of the blessed Holy One is with them,
and they have never forsaken it.

AND MY SOUL WILL NOT ABHOR YOU.
A parable:
One person loved his friend and wanted to live together.
What did he do?
He took his bed and brought it to his friend's house (the bed is a symbol of intimacy and stability).
He said, "My bed is now in your house,
so I will not go far from you or your bed or your things."

So the blessed Holy One said,
"I WILL PLACE MY DWELLING IN YOUR MIDST
AND MY SOUL WILL NOT ABHOR YOU.
Here, My Bed is in your house! (Shekhinah is symbolized by a bed, indicating Her intimate relationship with TIF'ERET, the blessed Holy One).
Since My Bed is with you, you know I will not leave you:
MY SOUL WILL NOT ABHOR YOU."

I WILL MOVE ABOUT IN YOUR MIDST: I WILL BE YOUR GOD.
Since My Dwelling is with you,
you can be certain that I will go with you,
as is written:
FOR YHVH YOUR GOD MOVES ABOUT IN YOUR CAMP
TO DELIVER YOU AND DELIVER YOUR ENEMIES TO YOU:
LET YOUR CAMP BE HOLY (Deuteronomy 23: 15).

One night, Rabbi Yitshak and Rabbi Yehudah
were staying in a village near the Sea of Tiberias (the Sea of Galilee).
They arose at midnight (Kabbalists are expected to arise at midnight and adorn Shekhinah with words of Torah and song in preparation for Her union with Tif'eret).
Rabbi Yitshak said to Rabbi Yehudah, "Let us converse in words of Torah,
for even though we are in this place,
we must not seperate ourselves from the Tree of Life (Torah is identified with the Tree of Life, based upon the description of wisdom in Proverbs 3: 18. Tree of Life is also a name for Tif'eret, who is symbolized by the Written Torah).

Rabbi Yehudah opened,
"MOSES TOOK THE TENT AND PITCHED IT OUTSIDE THE CAMP (Exodus 33: 7 - the Tent of Meeting, the mishkan, symbolizing Shekhinah).
Why?
Moses said to himself,
'Since Israel has dealt falsely with the blessed Holy One
and exchanged His Glory,
let His pledge be placed in the hands of a trustee
until we see with whom it remains' (Moses, seeking to keep the pledge from returning immediately to God, after the worship of the Golden Calf, transferred it to a third party, Joshua).

He said to Joshua,
'You will be the trustee between the blessed Holy One and Israel.
The pledge will remain in your trust
and we will see with whom it remains.'
What is written?
AND HE [Moses] RETURNED TO THE CAMP,
BUT HIS ATTENDANT, JOSHUA THE SON OF NUN, A YOUTH,
DID NOT STIR OUT OF THE TENT (Exodus 33: 11).
Why Joshua?
Because he was to Moses as the moon is to the sun (The moon symbolizes Shekhinah, and Joshua shares that symbol with Her).
He was worthy to guard the pledge;
so he DID NOT STIR OUT OF THE TENT.

"The blessed Holy One said to Moses,
'Moses, this is not right!
I have given My pledge to them!
Even though they have sinned against Me,
the pledge must remain with them so that I will not leave them.
Do you want Me to depart from Israel and never return?
Return My pledge to them,
and for its sake I will not abandon them, wherever they are.'

"Even though Israel has sinned against God,
they have not abandoned this pledge of His,
and the blessed Holy One has not taken it from them.

So wherever Israel goes in exile, Shekhinah is with them.
Therefore it is written: I WILL PLACE MY MISHKAN IN YOUR MIDST.
This has been established."

Rabbi Yitshak opened,
"MY BELOVED IS LIKE A GAZELLE, LIKE A YOUNG DEER.
THERE HE STANDS BEHIND OUR WALL,
GAZING THROUGH THE WINDOWS, PEERING THROUGH THE HOLES (Song of Songs 2: 9).

'Happy are Israel!
They are privilaged to hold this pledge of the Supreme King!
For even though they are in exile,
every New Moon and Sabbath and Festival
the blessed Holy One comes to watch over them,
gazing at His pledge that is with them, His treasure.

A parable:
There was a king whose queen offended him.
He expelled her from the palace.
What did she do?
She took his son, his precious beloved.
Since the king was fond of her, he let him go with her.
When the king began to yearn for the queen and her son,
he climbed up on roofs, ran down stairs, scaled walls;
he peered through the holes in the walls just to see them!
When he caught a glimpse of them
he started to cry from behind the wall.
Then he went away.

"So with Israel:
Even though they have left the palace of the King,
they have not abandoned that pledge.
And since the King loves them, He has left it with them.
When the Holy King begins to yearn for the Queen and for Israel,
He climbs up on roofs, runs down stairs, scales walls;
He peers through the holes in the walls just to see them!
When He catches a glimpse of them, He starts to cry.
As it is written:
MY BELOVED IS LIKE A GAZELLE, A YOUNG DEER,
jumping from wall to roof, from roof to wall.
THERE HE STANDS BEHIND OUR WALL
in the synagogues and houses of study.
GAZING THROUGH THE WINDOWS,
for indeed, a synagogue must have windows (according to the Talmud).
PEERING THROUGH THE HOLES
to look at them, to look after them.

"So Israel should rejoice on that day,
for they know this, and they say:
THIS IS THE DAY YHVH HAS MADE -
LET US REJOICE AND BE HAPPY! (Psalm 118: 24)."

BUT IF YOU SPURN MY DECREES...
Rabbi Yose opened,
"MY SON, DO NOT SPURN THE DISCIPLINE OF YHVH,
DO NOT DREAD HIS CORRECTION (Proverbs 3: 11).
How beloved are Israel to the blessed Holy One!
He wants to correct them and guide them in a straight path
like a father who loves his son:
because of his love for him, there is a rod in his hand
to guide him in a straight path
so that he will not stray to the right or the left;
as is written: YHVH CORRECTS THE ONE HE LOVES;
AS A FATHER, THE SON HE DELIGHTS IN (Proverbs 3: 12).