Sefiros give us strength

“He sent them away from Yitzchak, his son, while he was still alive, to the land of the east.” (Chapter 25;6)

The building block of Kabbalah is understanding the 10 sefiros. Sefiros are manifestations of Hashem in this world. In fact, they are the only way that we can relate to Hashem. Any other image or concept we may have is tantamount to avoda zara (idolatry).

One of the sefiros is gevurah (strength, might, justice). When we feel that something is unfair or unjust, we’re tapping into an aspect of Hashem in this world. Another example is tifferes (beauty or truth). When we struggle with falsehood, we’re struggling with an aspect of Hashem in this world. When we tap into our thoughts and intellect, we come face to face with binah (understanding) and chochma (wisdom), two more of Hashem’s attributes.

Malchus is the last of the sefiros, and is often erroneously translated as a regal feeling. However, this isn’t correct. Malchus means kingdom, and the way we interact with this aspect of Hashem is by accepting a system and realising that things fit into place as subjects do in a kingdom. Part of this acceptance is seeing the universe as being organised by a supreme king and ruler, not chaotic and random.

(You can also appreciate malchus by studying Kepler’s mathematical principles of planetary motion and become awed by the precise equations that rule a universe. A universe that’s so exacting, with no room for chaos and chance.)

On a personal level, we can see and feel that there’s structure and direction in our lives or we can choose to accept that everything is random and ruled by chaos. But one thing is certain, we can never straddle two systems at the same time.

It’s for this reason that Abraham sent Yishmael and later the other children that he had with Keturah away to the Land of the East. If they couldn’t accept the G-dly Torah system, then there was no place for them in the house of Avraham and later Yitzchak. It was better that they build lives elsewhere, under a different system.

Shabbat Shalom.