Page 17 – about a third from the top of the page. Line starts, “ve-hispashtus”.
We are saying that in the 4 elements, all are included in each, and this will be more easily seen in midot.
Both chesed and gevurah are rooted in the etzem. And each is the correct way to express the etzem.
When chesed is being examined and viewed from a wholesome perspective, and its effect is evaluated, it is looked at in terms of “not how I feel, but how I relate to others.” Then the other elements can be seen in it. For chesed to be effective it has to be restrained. This is the weakening and the softening of the the chesed - “we should not be self contained and self focused – there are other elements that give me a real presence”, says chesed.
Gevurah is a little more illusive. To teach a child restraint, one may say, “to give in to her is not a good thing”, but if you disassociate from the child you don't accomplish – ie gevurah cannot be effective without a little chesed.
Chesed gives, without restraint – it says “its yours to begin with, and I have no reason to withold”, gevurah on the other hand is demanding - “you have to know where it comes from and you have to deserve it.” Gevurah realizes to be effective there has to be an element of connection/chesed.
When you have 4 elements on one line then you have 16 combinations, but if extended to a plane or to three dimensions then infinite possibilities are possible.
For video, click here.
Midot are dependent on there being a recipient. But it is a real midah not a response to a situation. The midot are in contrast to sechel, which can deal with the hypothetical. Midot work in reality only. There has to be a sense of reality. The midah is dependent on others, yet it is a real midah – a human being is not meant to be alone in the world.
The question is, what brings about the hiskalelus? And how can ratzu and shuv relate to each other? Shem mah in tikun is the effect of bitul on the midot. This softens them so that chesed should see the gevurah that is within itself and vice versa, resulting in harmony between them. From the 6 midot come out 600 000 combinations.
From the harmony comes great variety. With shalom bayit each person is different, and a general approach is one of compromise, but here something else is being said – a higher purpose gives place for all the midot. It places the midah in a real environment, so its not about compromise, but about pursuing the common goal.
The sages increase / foster peace in the world since they show how two opposites can be connected.
This is the explanation of how there can be a partnership of 2 opposites. This is because the 2 are only opposites on a superficial level.
No comments:
Post a Comment