b"H
Previously, we discussed that idea that the recognition of life’s ups and downs as the manifestion of a unity is an aspect of redemption--geulah. We also discussed that in order to access the full spiritual flow of geulah, such knowledge must be accompanied by an emotional experience. Thus the Torah states,“V’yadaata hayom v’hashevotha el l’vavecha ki Hashem hu HaElo-him…--You shall know today and [bring] it to your heart that Hashem is Elo-him.”
The importance of recognizing that all of our experiences are from Hashem and for the good is evidenced by the fact that the “motto” of the Jewish people is the Shma.
“Shma Yisrael, Hashem, Elo-henu, Hashem echad—Hear Israelite, Hashem (the name of G-d associated with kindness and pleasant experiences) Elo-henu (the name of G-d associated with harshness and unpleasant experiences), Hashem is One [ultimately, all experiences, even the unpleasant ones are from G-d’s trait of kindness—it is all one.]” Not coincidentally, the function of hearing is associated in kabbalah with the heart. Furthermore, G-d created us such that our two ears, placed side by side, resemble the traditional shape of the heart.
Then the question becomes, which emotion should one feel? Of course everone knows how important is simchah—happiness. However, Hashem instructs us through His Torah as follows, “Shma Yisrael, Hashem Elo-henu, Hashem echad. V’ahavta…--Hear Israel, Hashem, our G-d, Hashem is One. And you shall love…” We see from the verse that the emotion of choice is love. This makes sense in light of the consciousness we want to elicit—the consciousness of Unity. Thus the gematria 1 of the word for love, AHaVaH is identical with the word for ‘one’, AeChaD 2. Moreover, thegematria 28x13 (KoaCh AhaVaH--the power of love) equals 354 which, with the kollel 3, is thegematria of SiMChaH. In other words, the power of love yields an all-inclusive happiness. Any of us who have ever been in love know this experience. When we feel deep love, we are totally happy. The reverse is also true, when our happiness is all-inclusive, we experience the power of love.
In our next article, please G-d, we will discuss how suppressing painful emotions blocks our ability to feel joy and love and we will offer some perspectives which can facilitate our ability to feel, heal and transform those painful emotions.
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1 Each Hebrew letter has a numerical value. Words that have the same numerical value are spiritually related.
2 Aleph (1) + Heh (5) + Vet (2) + Heh (5) = 13 = Aleph (1) + Chet (8) + Daled (4)
3 One of the “rules” of gematria is that you may add one for the word itself. Kollel means inclusion. The gematria of SiMChaH is Sin (300) + Mem (40) + Chet (8) + Heh (5) = 353 + thekollel (1) = 354 = [Kaf (20) + Chet (8)] x AeChaD(13) (see footnote 2).