Tag Archives: Senses

Secrets of Sukkot

What is the real meaning of the mysterious holiday of Sukkot? What does it have to do with the End of Days and the Final Redemption? Why does the prophet Zechariah describe God as “touching down” on the Mount of Olives? And what does it all have to do with current events in Israel and the recent hostage deal? Find out in this class as we uncover the true meaning of Sukkot. Plus: What is the secret of the number 91? Where does the notion of the “Seven Shepherds of Israel” come from? And what role do the Shepherds play in the End of Days?

For more on the Ushpizin, see here.
For more on the Ketoret and its psychoactive ingredients, see here.

Secrets of the Jewish Calendar

Today we welcome the new month of Kislev. It is well-known that the months of the Hebrew year parallel the Tribes of Israel and the zodiacal constellations. According to Sefer Yetzirah, each month also embodies one of twelve fundamental aspects of humanity and life: sight, sound, smell, speech, taste, touch, action, motion, temper, joy, thought, and sleep (ראיה, שמיעה, ריחה, שיחה, לעיטה, תשמיש, מעשה, הלוך, רוגז, שחוק, הרהור, שינה). Each of these further corresponds to twelve main parts and organs of the human body, and actually emerges at their core from the twelve “elemental” letters of the Hebrew alphabet, as well as the twelve permutations of God’s Ineffable Name. Recall that Sefer Yetzirah divides up the alphabet into three categories: “mother” letters, “doubled” letters, and “elemental” or “simple” letters (for more on these, see here). Continue reading →

Secrets of Purim

What is the deeper mystical meaning of the Purim festival? Is a Jew really required to get drunk on the holiday? And why does the Tanakh describe Mashiach as being able to judge by “smelling”? Find out in this class where we take a plunge into the science and Kabbalah of Purim. Also: what really happened when the Talmudic sage Rava “killed” Rabbi Zeira on Purim? What is the deeper reason for dressing up in costumes? And what was the real name of Mordechai?

For how the ten chapters of Esther correspond to the Ten Sefirot, see here.
For a detailed exploration of the “Four Who Entered Pardes”, see here.
For a written summary of this class, see ‘When Rava “Killed” Rabbi Zeira’.