Introduction from the Book
וְתָא חֲזֵי אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן כַּד הֲוָה בְּגִנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן הֲוָה מִתְלָבַּשׁ בִּלְבוּשָׁא כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא, וְאִיהוּ לְבוּשָׁא דִּנְהוֹרָא עִלָּאָה. כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְתָּרַךְ מִגִּנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן וְאִצְטְרִיךְ לִגְוָונִין דְּהַאי עָלְמָא, מַה כְּתִיב וַיַּעַשׂ יְיָ’ אֱלֹהִים לְאָדָם וּלְאִשְׁתּוֹ כָּתְנוֹת עוֹר וַיַּלְבִּישֵׁם. בְּקַדְמֵיתָא הֲווֹ כָּתְנוֹת אוֹר, אוֹר, דְּהַהוּא נְהוֹרָא עִלָּאָה
וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ דְּעוֹבָדִין טָבִין דְּבַר נָשׁ דְּעָבֵיד בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, אִינּוּן עוֹבָדִין מַשְׁכֵי מִנְּהוֹרָא דְּזִיוָא עִלָּאָה, לְבוּשָׁא, לְאִתְתַּקְנָא בֵּיהּ לְהַהוּא עָלְמָא, לְאִתְחֲזָאָה קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. וּבְהַהוּא לְבוּשָׁא דְּלָבִישׁ, אִתְהֲנֵי וְחָמֵי גּוֹ אַסְפָּקָלַרְיָא דְּנַהֲרָא, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר לַחֲזוֹת בְּנֹעַם יְיָ’ וּלְבַקֵּר בְּהֵיכָלוֹ
Come and see: When Adam was in the Garden of Eden, he wore a garment like the supernal garment, a clothing of supernal light. When he was driven away from the Garden of Eden, he needed the ‘colours’ of this world, as it is written, “God made for Adam and for his wife garments of leather, and clothed them.” (Genesis 3:21) Before that, they were garments of light, of the supernal light…
It has been established that the good deeds man performs in this world draw light from that supernal glow, and enclothe the person in a garment of that world so that he may be seen before the Holy One, blessed be He. And through those garments that he wears, he delights and sees through the ‘clearest lens’, as it is said, “To behold the beauty of God, and to visit His Palace.” (Psalms 27:4)
– Zohar II, 229b
In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve glowed with a supernal light, the very light of Creation. That special light, the Or haGanuz, has now been concealed, hidden away within God’s Throne, reserved for a future time. Yet, through our good deeds, each of us is able to drawn down some of that supernal, Heavenly light—the light that once composed the original divine garments of Adam and Eve. In so doing, each person is able to generate a spiritual “garment of light” around their body. This luminous garment protects them in this world, and also allows them entry into the Next World where, as King David said, the upright can dwell in God’s Presence, and bask in His infinite light.
Of all the good deeds one might do to drawn down that light, talmud Torah k’neged kulam, the study of Torah is foremost among them. The following collection of seventy essays on the weekly parasha and holidays aims to draw down just a little bit of the Or haGanuz so that we, too, might merit to be enclothed in a garment of light.
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Click on the links below to read more.
Genesis
Beresheet
- What Was the Forbidden Fruit?
- Identifying the Angel of Death
Noach
3. The Origins of Ashkenazi Jews
Lech Lecha
Vayera
- The Guardian Angels of Israel
Chayei Sarah
- Where Was the Garden of Eden?
Toldot
- The Zohar Prophecy That Changed History
Vayetze
- Secrets of God’s Hidden Names and Segulot for Fertility
- God’s Entourage
Vayishlach
- What Does It Really Mean to Be “Sephardi”?
- The Incredible History and Absurd Politics of Rachel’s Tomb
Vayeshev
- How to Define (and Attain) True Success
- Shimshon and the Messiahs
Miketz
- The Four Stages of Mashiach ben Yosef
Vayigash
Vayechi
- Time, Gravity, and Free Will
Exodus
Shemot
- How Did Moses Smite the Egyptian?
Va’era
- The Egyptian Who Prophesied the Exodus
Bo
Beshalach
- The Number 999
Yitro
- Ten Sefirot: A Brief History
Mishpatim
Terumah
- Why Do We Pray and What Should We Pray For?
Tetzave
Ki Tisa
Vayak’hel-Pekudei
- Secrets of the Star of David
Leviticus
Vayikra
- Listening to Non-Jewish Music
Tzav
- The Kabbalah of Fingers and Toes
Shemini
- Do the Deaths of the Righteous Atone for the Sins of Others?
Tazria-Metzora
- Four Levels of Human
Acharei-Kedoshim
- A Mystical Map of Your Soul
- What Are the True Borders of Israel?
Emor
- The Central Purpose of the Omer
Behar-Bechukotai
- How the Patriarchs Rectified Adam
Numbers
Bamidbar
- How Many Israelites Actually Left Egypt?
Nasso
- Secrets of the Priestly Blessing
Beha’alotkha
- Did Moses Have a Black Wife?
Shlach
- The Heavenly Academies
Korach
- The Kabbalah of Music and the Piano
Chukat
Balak
- The Kabbalah of Kippah
Pinchas
- Is It Necessary to Have a Hebrew Name?
Matot-Massei
Deuteronomy
Devarim
- Onkelos and the Issue of Translating the Torah
Va’etchanan
46. Secrets of Shema
Ekev
Re’eh
- Kabbalah of Judaism’s Four Holy Cities
Shoftim
49. How Many Soulmates Do You Have?
Ki Tetze
50. The Shiluach HaKen Dilemma
Ki Tavo
51. Gog u’Magog & the Secret History of Zionism
52. The Meaning of Tiferet
Nitzavim-Vayelech
53. When and Why Was the Zohar Published?
Ha’azinu
54. The Most Important Torah Reading
V’Zot HaBerachah
55. Why Bow Left and Right at the End of Amidah?
Holidays
Rosh Hashanah
56. The Kabbalah of Solar
Yom Kippur
57. Understanding the 5 Afflictions of Yom Kippur
Sukkot
58. What is Happiness?
Chanukah
59. Who Was the First Rabbi in History?
60. Death of Hellenism, Then and Now
Purim
- Who is Ahashverosh?
- The Secret, Secret Story of Stalin’s Purim Death
Pesach
63. A New Theory of Shabbat haGadol
64. The Passover Seder and the Order of Creation
Shavuot
- The Mystery and Mysticism of the Essenes
More Holidays
66. Origins and Secrets of the Tu B’Shevat Seder
67. Sefirat haOmer: The Rabbi Who Made Judaism as We Know It
68. The Kabbalah of Yom Ha’Atzmaut
69. The Right Way to Observe the “Three Weeks”
70. Tisha b’Av: Who is Mashiach?
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