Kabbalistic Reflections on our Ancestors

Adapted from Rabbi Arthur Green

Through the sefirot - ten countable attributes of God - Kabbalistic tradition offers a map of spiritual lessons learned by our (male) ancestors. Most relevant are the emotional sefirot: chesed (love), din/gevurah (judgment), tiferet (beauty), netzach (victory or endurance), hod (gratitude or splendor), and yesod (foundation).

Avraham embodies chesed (love). He leaves everything behind to follow his beloved God, and is even willing to place his son on the altar. Yitzchak, bound to the altar, connects God with the experience of fear. He understands God as the source of din/gevurah (powerful judgment). The ideal synthesis of chesed and gevurah, called tiferet (beauty), is found in Ya'akov. After Ya'kov wrestles with the angel and is renamed Yisrael, he is a mature adult, made wise through suffering. He becomes the source of blessing for his children and all "the children of Israel."

Moshe the leader struggles successfully against oppression, and then struggles with the people he liberated. His victory and endurance express netzach. Aharon the High Priest accepts the death of his sons in silence and later understands the people's need for a golden calf. Aharon's devotion, gratitude, and acceptance express hod. A balance between victory and gratitude is found in Yosef. As a youth, Yosef dreams of victory over his brothers. Later he attains the rank of viceroy of Egypt, yet he is always grateful for God's presence. A well-grounded man of both earthly and spiritual success, Yosef is yesod, the foundation.

Can you use the sefirot to understand the journeys of our foremothers? Which ancestor's journey are you traveling these days?

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