ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE IMAGE

Why was the Shroud hidden for so many years?

Consider what was happening in the first century all the way through until Constantine issued the Edict of Milan in 313 CE which fully legalized Christianity and restored confiscated church property.

In a biblical context this was time of Acts and Christian persecution. Throughout Acts. From the 1st to the 4th Century, Christians faced opposition from both Jewish and Roman authorities, including trials and imprisonments.  

Surely there were Jewish leaders as well as Romans who did not want evidence of Yeshua's resurrection. It is not at all surprising that the Shroud went deeply underground and was hidden!  The miracle is that it survived at all, let alone emerged and has been preserved for 2000 years!

Some say that Jesus never spoke about the Shroud. And that it's not foretold in the Bible. I disagree.

Matthew 27:57-60 describes Joseph of Arimathea wrapping Jesus in a clean linen cloth and laying him in his new tomb, which was hewn out of rock, before rolling a large stone against the entrance. Mark 15:46 tells us Joseph of Arimathea wrapping Jesus in a linen shroud before placing him in the tomb. Luke 23:53 also recounts Joseph placing Jesus in the tomb. These accounts emphasize the care taken in Jesus's burial and the sealing of the tomb. John 20:6-7, Simon Peter observes the linen cloths lying in the tomb and the face cloth that had been on Jesus' head, which was not lying with the linen cloths but folded in a separate place. 

Therefore, all four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John verify that Yeshua's body was prepared with a burial shroud.  Simon Peter witnesses that the burial Shroud was left in the empty tomb.

Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus knew exactly what to do after Jesus was taken off the cross! They knew what his disciples didn't understand yet. They knew very well what Yeshua meant when he told them that the only sign would be the "Sign of Jonah." 

If anything, the one thing that is not questionable is that a burial shroud exists today. 

It is a Miracle that the Word and the Burial Shroud were Preserved. 

Jesus said in Matthew 5:18, "For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." The Dead Sea Scrolls proved Jesus was correct.

The Dead Sea Scrolls were likely hidden by Essenes, a Jewish sectarian group, in caves in the Judean desert between 66 and 68 CE during the First Jewish-Roman War just prior to the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in 70 CE as Jesus foresaw. 

The main objectives of the Church and Crusaders in Jerusalem during the Crusades was to gain access to and control of Christian holy sites, particularly those associated with the life and ministry of Jesus. The Holy Sepulchre, believed to contain the tomb of Christ, was the primary focus. And as you will read below, the likelihood is that the burial Shroud was recovered during the Crusades. I feel it is a miracle that it was preserved all this time. 

It should be noted that nearly 1.2 million Jews were killed during the Crusades.  

The Shroud of Turin has survived multiple fires throughout its history. The most significant previous fire occurred on December 4, 1532, in the Sainte Chapelle in Chambéry, France. During this fire, the heat caused the silver casket holding the Shroud to melt, resulting in molten silver damaging the cloth. The long marks on the Shroud were the result of that fire. The Shroud survived another fire in 1997.

When is the earliest recorded historical existence of the Shroud?

There are claims that the Knights Templar possessed a relic showing a red image of a bearded man, but this is not definitively linked to the Shroud.

Some historians maintain that a burial cloth, possibly the Shroud, was owned by Byzantine emperors but disappeared during the 1204 sack of Constantinople. This speculation is partly based on analysis of gold micro-particles found on the cloth. They suggest it may have been taken during the Sack of Constantinople in 1204.

Documented evidence of the Shroud's existence surfaced just after the Black Death, a devastating plague that killed an estimated 30-60% of Europe's population between 1347-1351. Surely that was a time in history when the people cried out for a Messiah. 

The Shroud first emerged historically in 1354, when it is recorded as being in the possession of Geoffroi de Charny.  The documented history of the Shroud dates back to 1354, when it was first exhibited in the collegiate church of Lirey, a village in north-central France.

Who was Geoffroi de Charny?

Geoffroi de Charny (c. 1300-1356) came from an illustrious family of French knights. Charny was a renowned French knight and nobleman, who served King Jean II.  He was known for his piety and chivalric values. 

Geoffroi de Charny played a significant role in the early history of the Shroud of Turin and contributed to its historical and religious significance.

De Charny is considered the first verifiable owner of the Shroud. It is speculated that he acquired it during his military campaigns, possibly on a crusade.

In 1353, de Charny founded a collegiate church in Lirey, France. The Shroud was first publicly displayed there, although the foundation document does not mention it.

The Shroud was exhibited in Lirey around 1355-1356, attracting pilgrims and controversy. Bishop Pierre d'Arcis later claimed it was a forgery.

After de Charny's death at the Battle of Poitiers in 1356, his widow Jeanne de Vergy continued to display the Shroud, and it remained in the family's possession until it was transferred to the House of Savoy in 1453.

The Shroud remained owned by the House of Savoy, the former royal family of Italy, for several centuries. The Shroud has been kept in the Cathedral of Turin (Cattedrale di San Giovanni Battista) in Turin, Italy since 1578.

In 1983, the former King of Italy, Umberto II, bequeathed the Shroud to the Pope and his successors, officially transferring ownership to the Holy See.

Today, the Pope is the official owner of the Shroud. It is held in trust by the Archbishop of Turin. So while the Pope is the official owner, the Shroud is physically housed in Turin under the care of the local archdiocese.

What technical features make the image so incredible?

The Shroud of Turin's image possesses many extraordinary technical features which can not be explained naturally.  The technology to forge the Shroud, let alone even the knowledge of these special qualities did not exist at the time it surfaced, let alone at the start of the millennium when Jesus was crucified. Here just some of the amazing details about the image:

1. The image appears as a photographic negative, with light and dark areas reversed, making it more realistic when viewed in a photographic negative.

2. The image is extremely superficial, affecting only the topmost fibers of the linen threads, and penetrates only about 200 nanometers into the fibers.

3. The image encodes three-dimensional information, allowing scientists to create 3D reconstructions of the body.

4. Unlike typical images, the Shroud's image lacks directionality, suggesting it was formed by a collimated* process, not by direct contact or brushstrokes.

* Collimated -- Rays of light or particles made accurately parallel. ("a collimated electron beam"). Collimated light occurs when light rays are travelling parallel to each other, as opposed to converging to a focus or diverging away from the center. Essentially, you can consider collimated light to be focused at infinity.

Producing perfectly collimated light can be challenging and often requires specialized equipment or specific conditions.

5. The image is monochromatic and exhibits a halftone effect, where the intensity is determined by the number of discolored fibers per unit area.

The technique of producing halftone images was introduced in the 19th century. Specifically, the halftone process, which allows for the reproduction of images with varying shades of gray using dots of different sizes and spacing, was developed in the 1850s and 1860s. The Shroud was created LONG before this method existed! 

These features contribute to the ongoing mystery and fascination surrounding the Shroud of Turin.

How is Shroud of Turin photograph a photo negative?

The image's of the Shroud of Turin created a major stir when it was first photographed in 1898. 

1. This negative image quality was first discovered in 1898 by photographer Secondo Pia when he took the first photographs of the Shroud.
2. When photographed, the light and dark areas of the Shroud image are reversed, appearing more natural and realistic in the photographic negative.
3. The human image on the Shroud can be discerned more clearly in a black and white photographic negative than in its natural sepia color.
4. This means the actual image on the Shroud cloth is a negative image, with light and dark areas reversed compared to a normal positive image.
5. The Shroud only contains image information on the cloth's surface fibers.
6. The negative image quality of the Shroud remains unexplained and is considered one of its most mysterious aspects.

   

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7. The anatomical details on the image appear are extremely lifelike and revealing. For example you can see the scourge marks of Yeshua's back. 

These unusual characteristics has intrigued researchers and contributed to ongoing debates about the Shroud's origins and authenticity. It represents a key feature that distinguishes the Shroud image from other artworks or artifacts.

Are there other notable aspects about the image?

The visibility of the Shroud of Turin's image across different areas:

• Faint and Superficial: The image is faint and superficial, affecting only the topmost fibers of the cloth. It is more visible from a distance and fades when viewed closely.
• No Image Under Threads: The image does not appear under the crossing threads of the weave, indicating that it is only on the surface fibers. If blood seeped through the garment to make the image it can't be explained why the image is only on the surface. 
• 3D Information: The image varies in intensity based on the distance between the cloth and the body, providing a three-dimensional effect.

Note: The Shroud also has burn and water stains that are not part of the image but can affect its visibility.

Does the technology exist to recreate the Shroud today?

• The technology to fully recreate all aspects of the Shroud of Turin does not exist today, despite significant advances.
• Researchers have been able to replicate some features of the Shroud using modern techniques, but not all of its unique characteristics simultaneously.
• Scientists from ENEA in Italy used excimer lasers to produce superficial coloration similar to the Shroud's image, but found it impossible to reproduce the full-body image using a single laser.
• The $1 million challenge to replicate the Shroud highlights the difficulty in recreating all its features, especially using only materials and methods available in medieval times.
• While some researchers claim to have reproduced the Shroud (like Luigi Garlaschelli), their replicas do not fully match all the Shroud's properties, particularly at the microscopic level.
• The Shroud's image has several extraordinary features that are challenging to replicate, including its superficiality, 3D information encoding, lack of directionality, and specific coloration depth.

In summary, while partial replications have been achieved, the technology to recreate all aspects of the Shroud of Turin in its entirety does not currently exist.

This blog post is part of a series of posts I have written about the Shroud of Turin.  Here are links to previous posts:

• A Love Letter From Yeshua 
• The Perfector 
• The Keter on the Shroud 
• The Man on the Shroud
• Credible Witnesses 
• Have You Seen Him

This blog post has references to the Shroud:

Shin - 40

THE KETER ON THE SHROUD

Crown of Thorns

Visible on the Shroud of Turin, believed by some to be the burial cloth of Jesus, is the "crown of thorns." It is particularly notable for it's brightness and detail. 

The crown area shows significant bloodstains and puncture wounds. High-grade enhanced photographs reveal intricate details of the crown, suggesting a complex structure with multiple thorns. 

The brightness and detail of the crown on the Shroud contribute to the ongoing mystery and fascination surrounding this relic.

Notice that the brightest spot on the Shroud appears in the location just above Yeshua's head.

Jacob's Ladder

Before Delving into The Crown

The Jewish "science of creation," known as Kabbalah, and early Christianity share some similarities in their mystical approaches to understanding God, though they remain distinct traditions.

In Kabbalah one focuses on experiencing God and understanding the unity of all things. 

To be clear, the mystical traditions of Kabbalah do not specifically include Jesus or Christian teachings and Christianity does not embrace Kabbalah.  Nonetheless, Christianity contains concepts that are supernatural or mystical. Furthermore, the study of alpha-numerics in Hebrew and Greek texts is used by some to explore deeper meanings in scripture, including concepts related to Jesus's glory.

Before Delving into Yeshua's Crown

The "Keter" (כֶּתֶר) is a significant concept in Kabbalah. Keter means "crown" in Hebrew.  The Keter is the topmost of the ten Sefirot in the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, otherwise known as Jacob's Ladder. The Sefirot represent the attributes or emanations of the Devine. The Keter represents the highest and most abstract of the divine emanations in creation. Keter is often associated the first stirring of creation. The Keter represents "Divine Will." 

A Crown of Thorns 

Luke 24.42 -- saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”

In the Garden of Gethsemane, before his crucifixion, Yeshua expressed profound submission to God's will in his prayers. This moment highlights His human struggle against the impending suffering of the crucifixion, revealing His deep anguish yet ultimate obedience to the Father's plan.

That moment also reflects the dual nature of the Messiah in Christianity—His divine will and human will—demonstrating how He fully embraced His mission as the Messiah.  Thus, "Not my will, but yours be done" encapsulates the essence of faith, obedience, and the struggle inherent in following God's will.

Luke 22:44 records Yeshua's intense prayer before his arrest. In the face of tremendous personal anguish, great drops of blood fell from his pours* as Yeshua sought to align His human will with divine intent, emphasizing the importance of surrendering to God's greater plan.

* This may describe a rare medical condition called hematidrosis, where extreme stress causes blood vessels around sweat glands to rupture, mixing blood with sweat. 

In Kabbalah, before creation, is the Source of Creation from which all other emanations flow is called the Ein Sof. Ein Sof means "without end" or "infinite" in Hebrew. It refers to God in His pure, transcendent essence, beyond any attributes or manifestations. The Ein Sof represents God prior to His self-manifestation in creation. The term emphasizes God's boundlessness and incomprehensibility. Ein Sof is considered to be beyond human understanding or description. It's seen as nameless and formless, transcending even the sacred divine names in scripture.

Genesis 1.1 -- In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

In Kabbalah, the Ein Sof is described paradoxically as both the fullness of being and absolute nothingness which became realized through the process of creation and the spiritualization of existence. Kabbalists use the term Ein Sof to discuss God's transcendent nature.

The first emanation of the Ein Sof is the Keter.  

The Keter is associated with the highest aspects of divinity.  Like the concept of divine glory in Christianity, the Keter in Kabbalah represents aspects of the divine that transcend human understanding.

While Christianity and Kabbalah are distinct religious and mystical systems with separate contexts and traditions, in both Kabbalistic and Christian traditions, divine emanations and glory are often described in terms of light, or spiritual illumination. The contemplation of Keter in Kabbalah and the glory of God in Christianity both relate to mystical experiences of the Divine.

In the New Testament book of Hebrews it says: 

Hebrews 12.2 -- "looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross,"

In terms of mystical concepts or events, the ressurection of Yeshua is as profound any.  I am not aware of any actual religious artifact that is better evidence of supernatural light than the image on the Shroud of Turin. The Keter, the Crown of Thorns, that topped Yeshua's head is undoubtedly the brightest location on his image.

The crown appears bright in the image because of the way the Shroud's image was allegedly imprinted  at the moment of Yeshua's ressurection.  The detailed bloodstains and puncture wounds on the forehead and nape of the neck caused by the crown of thorns are well-documented, but the brightness is more about the image's characteristics than the blood quantity itself.  I can't help wondering if there are other associations that can be made between Jacob's Ladder and the image on the Shroud.  For example, another very bright area on the Shroud is at Yeshua's feet. On Jacob's Ladder this is the location of the Shekinah. 

"And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another." 

2 Corinthians 3:18

Epilogue:

Below are other articles on my blog about the Shroud: 

• The Perfector 
• A Love Letter From Yeshua 
• Questions about The Image on the Shroud 
• The Man In the Shroud 
• Have You Seen Him?

This blog post has references to the Shroud:

• Shin - 40

 

DIRE STRAITS

Lamentations 5:11 -- "They ravished the women in Zion, and the maids in the cities of Judah."

Have you ever heard the idiom, "dire straits." It is used to describe a situation that is very difficult or bad? 

For Jews, the 3-week time frame, from the 17th of Tammuz through the 9th of Av is called Bein ha-Metzarim (Hebrew: בין המצרים ) meaning "Between the Straits" or "In the Straits." The 9th of Av, Tisha B'Av (the 9th day of the month of Av) is the saddest day on the Jewish calendar. 

The phrase "in the straits" appears in the Book of Lamentations 1:3, which describes the suffering and captivity of Judah. 

"Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude; she dwelleth among the nations, she findeth no rest: all her persecutors overtook her between the straits" 

This dreaded period is a time of mourning commemorating the destruction of the first and second Jewish Temples. For thousands of years, enormous tragedies have repeatedly befallen Israel and the Jewish people "between the straits."

Some of the awful historical events that have occurred at the beginning of "The Straits" culminated with an even greater tragedy and loss at the end of "The Straits." For example, it is said that on the 17th of Tammuz the Jerusalem Temple walls were breached twice, in 587 BC when the Babylonians destroyed the city and in 70 AD when the Romans destroyed it. Subsequently on the Ninth of Av, Tisha B'Av in Hebrew, the destruction of two temples in Jerusalem occurred. 

"In the Straits" has come to be associated with the most horrible times in Jewish history and dark times for the world including the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition and the Nazi's Final Solution. The expulsion deadline for the Spanish Inquisition and the Nazi's Final Solution were dated on the 9th Av in their respective years.

Are we "In the Straits" Today? 

This year the 17th of Tammuz was July 23, 2024 and the 9th of Av is August 13th.  So technically, YES, we are between the straits.  

Israel is at war. Between the Straits we've had the massacre of children with an Iranian made missile on Shabbat July 27th in Northern Israel.  As the 9th of Av approaches, the world awaits Israel's response.  We also know that Hezbollah and Iran still plot to kill Jews and destroy Israel.

Is history repeating itself, in the straits? If the infamous pattern is repeating itself, something even darker with major historical significance is about to occur. 

What is in store for Israel? What is in store for Jews around the world? What are the broader implications for the Nations?  Time will tell.

There is in another Jewish idiom pertaining to the Holocaust that most people have heard -- Never Again.  With the rapid rise in Antisemitism around the world, that expression has turned into -- NEVER AGAIN IS NOW! 

History has shown that Israel and Jews will be "Between the Straits" again.

THE TIME HAS COME! 

The situation in Northern Israel is unsustainable! 

The Hezbollah massacre on August 27th will be to Israel's action in Southern Lebanon what the Palestinian's massacre on Oct 7th is to Israel's action in Gaza.

Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houttis, the Ayatollah in Iran and their Shia Muslims followers around the world are cut from the same cloth of Amalek. 

ARE YOU READY?  LOOK UP FOR MESSIAH. 

"IT'S A BIRD, IT'S A PLANE ... IT'S SUPERMAN!

Original cover from the 1930's

The Jewish story of Superman 

Messiah as Superman

The cause of Tisha B'Av 

SPEAK TO THE ROCK!!

God is a speaking God.

In the Wilderness, Bamidbar, the Israelites faith fails to pass the test. This is the second time it happened in the rockey desert area of Zin. The first time was when Moses sent spies from here to explore the Promised Land (Numbers 13:21). The second time, is 40 years later in the same place. Moses failed the faith test when he struck the rock twice in the place named Kadesh in Zin.

There is so much to unpack in chapter 20 of Bamidbar, better known as the Book of Numbers. It includes one of the most debated judgments of the Almighty in the Torah in my opinion.  

I will begin in Numbers 20:1-13:

1 The entire congregation of the children of Israel arrived at the desert of Zin in the first month, and the people settled in Kadesh. Miriam died there and was buried there.

2 The congregation had no water; so they assembled against Moses and Aaron.

3 The people quarreled with Moses, and they said, "If only we had died with the death of our brothers before the Lord.

4 Why have you brought the congregation of the Lord to this desert so that we and our livestock should die there?

5 Why have you taken us out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place; it is not a place for seeds, or for fig trees, grapevines, or pomegranate trees, and there is no water to drink.

6 Moses and Aaron moved away from the assembly to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, and they fell on their faces. [Then] the glory of the Lord appeared to them.

7 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

8 Take the staff and assemble the congregation, you and your brother Aaron, 

and speak to the rock in their presence so that it will give forth its water." 

You shall bring forth water for them from the rock and give the congregation and their livestock to drink.

9 Moses took the staff from before the Lord as He had commanded him.

10 Moses and Aaron assembled the congregation in front of the rock, and he said to them, "Now listen, you rebels, can we draw water for you from this rock?"

11 Moses raised his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, when an abundance of water gushed forth, and the congregation and their livestock drank.

12 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "Since you did not have faith in Me to sanctify Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land I given them.

13 These are the waters of dispute [Mei Meribah] where the children of Israel contended with the Lord, and He was sanctified through them.

DESPAIR IS A LACK OF FAITH...LACK OF FAITH IS A SIN.

In the third verse of Numbers 20 we hear the Israelites despair when they say, "If only we had died with the death of our brothers before the Lord." The Hebrews are referencing previous times when their despair led to God's judgment. 

In each of the incidents the Israelites were complaining about the hardships of the journey in the desert along and the leadership of Moses and Aaron. Here are some examples:

• There was the time when God caused the earth to swallow up the rebellious leaders and fire consumed 250 men offering incense (Numbers 16).
• There was a plague that killed 14,700 people after the people grumbled against Moses and Aaron following Korah's rebellion (Numbers 16:41-50).
• There was the lousy food in the desert and now there is another lack of water in this place called "Kadesh." 

Names of people and places matter in the bible.  In Numbers 20 we find the Israelites in Kadesh which literally means "holy" or "sacred." This is where the Israelites are complaining about their despair. 

Despair signifies a lack of trust in God's goodness, faithfulness, and sovereignty. Despair implies that God is not adequately providing or caring for His people.  

Philippians 2:14-15 -- "Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world" 

MOSES MISSED A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY 

Sacred refers to something holy, set apart, or worthy of religious veneration. Sanctified means to be made sacred or holy, often through a specific ritual or process.

In the Holy place of Kadesh, Moses missed the perfect opportunity.  That is the opportunity that Moses missed.  Numbers 20.13 --  The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "Since you did not have faith in Me to sanctify Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, ..." 

God's holiness was highlighted through the Israelites' failures at the Waters of Dispute (Mei Meribah" (מֵי מְרִיבָה).) In verse 13 "where the children of Israel contended with the Lord, and He was sanctified through them."

MOSE STRUCK THE ROCK TWICE

We have two major failures of faith at the Holy place of Kadesh where Moses struck the rock twice. It's as if God wants to remind us of that. 

There is a terribly high price to be paid for a lack  of faith. There is also a very great reward. This was very evident in the very next chapter of the Torah.

Numbers 21:6-9:

"Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. And the people came to Moses and said, 'We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us.' So Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said to Moses, 'Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.' So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live."

God instructed Moses to make a bronze serpent and put it on a pole. Anyone who was bitten could look at the bronze serpent and be healed. Those who lacked faith in what God gave the Israelites and did not see, perished. 

According to John 3:14-15 in the New Testament, 

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life

Why Such a Harsh Punishment?

The Bible describes Moses as a faithful servant in several passages, highlighting his dedication and obedience to God's commands. 

Exodus 40:16: "Moses did everything just as the LORD commanded him"

He faithfully led the Children of Israel for 40 years through the desert.  This is an unimaginably difficult task and responsibility. 

Yet, for simply striking the rock rather than speaking to it, Moses is denied access to the Promised Land. 

What could possibly have been so important about speaking to the rock? What was Adonai going to reveal differently? 

Perhaps the Lord wanted to reveal Himself in such a way that the unbelieving Israelites would have been converted to believers. Adonai was going to perfect the Faith of the Israelites before they entered the last. 

Striking the rock to bring forth water could been seen as an act that Moses performed. Speaking to the rock to bring forth water leaves no doubt that the Almighty brought forth the water. 

By striking the rock rather than speaking to it as Adonai instructed, Moses missed the opportunity reveal God's saving grace.  Rather, Moses's disobedience revealed his personal lack of Faith in God's word. Moses's faith was required for even he to enter the Land. 

Leading the people out of Egypt and for 40 years in the desert wasn't sufficient to earn Moses's entry. Faith was all that was required at this critical moment in Moses's personal life. 

There are times in everyone's life when we feel despair. These moments are an opportunity to speak to the Lord and lean into our faith. 

Ephesians 2:8-9: "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."

GEVURAH - the 5th Sefirot

Sodom

Proverbs 21:15 -- "When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers."

I chose to write this blog because of a dream I woke up from last night in which a single Hebrew word was put on my heart. I saw "Gevurah" in a healer's hand.  I am not going to explain my dream, but it is the inspiration for this message. I woke up with the sense the "the world" is going to experience Gevurah. First I have some explaining to try to do. 

There is an ancient Jewish Book of Creation known as the "Sefer Yetzirah" (ספר יצירה). It is traditionally attributed to the patriarch Abraham. 

The Sefer Yetzirah explores the creation of the universe through a series of mystical concepts, focusing on ten Sefirot and the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Frankly, the students who study and understand this body of knowledge refer to it as science rather than religion!  The knowledge has been handed down personally for thousands of years from one teacher to another. 

I have studied this knowledge with highly respected teachers and I can personally, say that I have recieved priceless spiritual insights from it. 

The Sefirot are 10 divine attributes or emanations through which Ein Sof (the infinite, unknowable essence of God) reveals Itself and continuously creates both the physical and spiritual realms. The Sefirot serve as channels of divine creative life force or consciousness, allowing the unknowable Divine essence to be revealed to mankind.

"Sefer Yetzirah" delves into the process of creation by describing how God used the Hebrew letters and the Sefirot as the building blocks of the cosmos.

Genesis 1:3 records, "And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light," 

Sefer Yetzirah discusses how these elements interact to form the structure of the universe, both in the physical and metaphysical realms.

Psalm 33:9 states, "For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm" 

Adonai emanated forth the ten Sefirot from a state of hiddenness to revelation. The Almighty guides the world with them like a mortal king who guides his nation on a balanced path. This blending is called truth and beauty, for it involves an intermingling from all the opposing qualities.

Jacob's Ladder 

These Sefirot or attributes/emanations are depicted on a ladder, known as Jacob's Ladder, based on Jacob's Ladder is a biblical story found in Genesis 28:10-19. In the story, Jacob has a dream of a ladder (or staircase) reaching from the earth to heaven, with angels ascending and descending on it. 

The story is significant for several reasons:

1. Divine Revelation - The dream is a direct encounter with the Divine, providing Jacob with reassurance of divine support and the continuation of the covenant.

2. Symbolism of Connection - The ladder symbolizes the connection between heaven and earth, suggesting that divine intervention and guidance are always accessible.

3. Jacob's Transformation - This vision marks a pivotal moment in Jacob's spiritual journey, leading to a deeper relationship with God. God changes Jacob's name from Yacov to Israel. 

4. Bethel - Upon waking, Jacob names the place Bethel, meaning "House of God," and sets up a pillar to commemorate the vision. This location becomes an important spiritual site in later Jewish tradition.

The Ladder 

Picture yourself climbing a ladder. To maintain balance and climb higher, you reach up with one hand and then the other.  We descend to the ground (the earth) the same way. 

On Jacob's Ladder you'll see that their are two sides and many interconnections.  In a sense, the Sefirot play off one another to form a complex system of interrelationships and balances, each one having its unique qualities and functions, yet all working together to maintain harmony in the divine and earthly realms. 

God's presence may emanate in manner that is stronger one way or the other. The Divine balances the Universe on One Hand and the other. 

Here's a brief overview of what the 10 Sefirot represent:

1. Keter (Crown): Represents the divine will and the source of all potential. It is the highest and most abstract Sefirah.
2. Chokhmah (Wisdom): The initial point of creation, representing the flash of insight or the seed of an idea.
3. Binah (Understanding): The process of developing and elaborating upon the ideas sparked by Chokhmah.
4. Chesed (Kindness): Represents boundless love and mercy.
5. Gevurah (Severity): Represents judgment, discipline, and restraint.
6. Tiferet (Beauty): The balance and harmony between Chesed and Gevurah, embodying compassion.
7. Netzach (Eternity): Represents endurance, persistence, and ambition.
8. Hod (Glory): Represents humility and the ability to acknowledge the greatness of others
9. Yesod (Foundation): The channel through which the divine flows into the world, representing connection and communication.
10. Malkhut (Kingship): Represents the manifestation and actualization of the divine in the physical world.

Gevurah (Severity) - the 5th Sefirot

On the "ladder" you can see that the Sefirot of Gevurah (Severity) is opposite Chesed (Kindness). They balance one another out. 

Chesed is the force of unconditional love and giving, while Gevurah is the force of restriction and discipline. Their interplay ensures that love is not overwhelming and that discipline is not harsh. Tiferet (Glory) harmonizes these two attributes, creating a balanced compassion

In Hebrew, Gevurah is written as גבורה. It encompasses concepts of strength, might, and power, and is often associated with the ability to enforce judgment and maintain discipline. Gevurah plays a crucial role in the balance and harmony within the Sefirot, ensuring that Chesed's compassion does not become excessive or unbounded.

Gevurah, which is sometimes translated as "strength," "severity," or "judgment."  Divine judgment and limitation are contrasted with Chesed (kindness or mercy). 

In the sense of personal development, Gevurah involves discipline, restraint, and the power to discern and enforce boundaries. We live in a world with serious problems that result from the lack of those qualities. 

Gevurah is "the essence of judgment (DIN) and limitation", and corresponds to awe and the element of fire. I will put is this way, we may be about to see some Red. 

My sense is that God may bring balance to the world by exercising His Gevurah.

There is a Hebrew prayer recited on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, contains a powerful line about tempering God's severe decree. The prayer is called the Unetaneh Tokef. At the end it is said, "But repentance, prayer and charity temper judgment's severe decree."

Deuteronomy 32:35 -- "It is mine to avenge; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them."

Epilogue: 

i blogged about Chesed (Hebrew: חֶסֶד) not long ago. Here is a link to that post.