Devarim 4:35

This verse from the Torah is a powerful meditation to remind ourselves of God’s presence in every situation.

Kabbalah discusses the deep meaning of this verse. One meaning is realizing that nothing in life is a coincidence and that everything happens for a divine reason.

Kabbalah explains that God created the world to give infinite goodness and pleasure to all creation. We are spiritually developing to be ready for this goodness.

We are developing to a state of pure giving and unconditional love. In this exalted spiritual state we experience the divine goodness that is the source of all reality. We see how all the events of our lives, even the most difficult and painful ones, are hidden blessings helping our souls develop in the ultimate way.

Realizing that eternal goodness is the source of everything we go through is, of course, so difficult. Kabbalah discusses the way of developing this higher awareness.

Ein Ode Milvado is one of the most powerful meditations we can use throughout our lives.

This picture is inspired by a foundational spiritual principle of Kabbalah called Tzimtzum.

This principle explains that we experience the limitless pleasure and divine goodness that we were created to experience to the extent that we desire to give.

The line coming down from the top of the picture represents the divine goodness and pleasure that is flowing from God every moment. The divine light shines in a state of pure giving.

The small rectangle near the center of the picture represents our desire to receive. Since desire to receive is the exact opposite of God’s attribute of pure giving, this disconnects us from experiencing God’s light.

The horizontal line above the small rectangle represents striving to transcend our desire to receive. This is the spiritual work of Torah and mitzvot — spiritual learning and practice.

The white space above the horizontal line represents attaining the state of unconditional love and pure giving. This evolution of consciousness brings us to experience the divine goodness.

The circles in the painting represent a Kabbalistic concept called Or Makif or Surrounding Light. This concept explains that the divine goodness is always present. Since we can only experience the goodness to the extent that we desire to give, the revelation of the goodness awaits only our inner transformation of consciousness. This means that we are not waiting for God to finally reveal goodness in the world, but rather the already present divine goodness is waiting for us to develop the consciousness of pure giving and unconditional love that can experience it.

Experiencing God’s love and goodness is direct light. Returning the love is returning light. A basic principle of Kabbalah is that returning light is the vessel for direct light. This means that we experience God’s giving and love to the extent that we give and love.

This picture is a meditation on this foundational spiritual principle of Kabbalah. The principle is simply: In every moment of life, the more we desire to give, the more we are in union with God.

Our inner transformation towards attaining divine union in the elevated consciousness of pure unconditional love is the subject of Kabbalah.

The spiritual principle of Tzimtzum in relation to our inner spiritual development is discussed in great detail in the holy writings of the master Kabbalists Rabbi Yehudah Leib HaLevi Ashlag z”l and Rabbi Baruch Shalom HaLevi Ashlag z”l. For more information see A Tapestry for the Soul by Rabbi Ashlag.

This art depicts the 100 sounds we blow on the shofar on Rosh Hashana.

Kabbalah discusses the deep spiritual significance of this pattern of sounds blown since ancient times.

This picture depicts the sounds ascending from the bottom.

The four different shofar sounds are: tekia, shevarim, terua and tekia gedola.

1 triangle represents the single sound of tekia. 
3 triangles represent the 3 shorter sounds of shevarim.
9 triangles represent the 9 very short sounds of terua.

The sounds correspond to states of consciousness.

One kavana (meditation) of shofar blowing associates the sounds with giving, receiving, balance and oneness:

tekia – 1 long sound – giving – י
shevarim – 3 shorter sounds – receiving – ה
terua – 9 very short sounds – balance – ו
tekia gedola – 1 very long sound – oneness – ה

The whole long sound of tekia expresses inner joy and thankfulness.

The three broken cries of shevarim express brokenness.

The sound of terua, so broken it is whole, is the prayer from the depths of our heart revealing the always flowing divine goodness.

The very large triangle at the top represents the final very long sound of tekia gedola. This represents unconditional love and oneness.

Each of the 100 sounds corresponds to a particular aspect of our inner consciousness. Each progressive sound represents deeper levels of love and spiritual awareness.

This art depicts the 100 sounds we blow on the shofar on Rosh Hashana.

Kabbalah discusses the deep spiritual significance of this pattern of sounds blown since ancient times.

This picture depicts the sounds ascending from the bottom.

The four different shofar sounds are: tekia, shevarim, terua and tekia gedola.

1 triangle represents the single sound of tekia. 
3 triangles represent the 3 shorter sounds of shevarim.
9 triangles represent the 9 very short sounds of terua.

The sounds correspond to states of consciousness.

One kavana (meditation) of shofar blowing associates the sounds with giving, receiving, balance and oneness:

tekia – 1 long sound – giving – י
shevarim – 3 shorter sounds – receiving – ה
terua – 9 very short sounds – balance – ו
tekia gedola – 1 very long sound – oneness – ה

The whole long sound of tekia expresses inner joy and thankfulness.

The three broken cries of shevarim express brokenness.

The sound of terua, so broken it is whole, is the prayer from the depths of our heart revealing the always flowing divine goodness.

The very large triangle at the top represents the final very long sound of tekia gedola. This represents unconditional love and oneness.

Each of the 100 sounds corresponds to a particular aspect of our inner consciousness. Each progressive sound represents deeper levels of love and spiritual awareness.

The Tree of Life is the divine map of spiritual consciousness discussed in Kabbalah.

These 10 aspects of our inner self and levels of divine experience are called Sefirot.

Kabbalah has thousands of pages of spiritual wisdom discussing the Tree of Life.

The Tree of Life describes how we are spiritually developing to experience the infinite goodness at the source of reality. As we spiritually develop to deeper levels of giving and love, we ascend to higher levels of divine awareness.

The Tree of life is comprised of 3 columns. The right side corresponds with giving. The left side corresponds with receiving. The center is balance and oneness.

The 22 connecting lines between the Sefirot represent particular channels of spiritual energy. These correspond to the 22 Hebrew letters.

The 10 Sefirot correspond to aspects of our physical bodies, inner consciousness, and all reality.

Each of the Sefirot contains within itself all of the Sefirot.

The Tree of Life describes our spiritual progression to unconditional love and divine union.

The 10 Sefirot and one of many ways of describing them:

Keter             Divine Source
Chochma      Oneness
Bina              Unconditional Love
Chesed          Loving Kindness
Gevurah       Humility
Tiferet           Balance
Netzach        Eternity
Hod               Thankfulness
Yesod            Unity
Malchut        Central Point in the Heart

The Tree of Life is the divine map of spiritual consciousness discussed in Kabbalah.

These 10 aspects of our inner self and levels of divine experience are called Sefirot.

Kabbalah has thousands of pages of spiritual wisdom discussing the Tree of Life.

The Tree of Life describes how we are spiritually developing to experience the infinite goodness at the source of reality. As we spiritually develop to deeper levels of giving and love, we ascend to higher levels of divine awareness.

The Tree of life is comprised of 3 columns. The right side corresponds with giving. The left side corresponds with receiving. The center is balance and oneness.

The 22 connecting lines between the Sefirot represent particular channels of spiritual energy. These correspond to the 22 Hebrew letters.

The 10 Sefirot correspond to aspects of our physical bodies, inner consciousness, and all reality.

Each of the Sefirot contains within itself all of the Sefirot.

The Tree of Life describes our spiritual progression to unconditional love and divine union.

The 10 Sefirot and one of many ways of describing them:

Keter             Divine Source
Chochma      Oneness
Bina              Unconditional Love
Chesed          Loving Kindness
Gevurah       Humility
Tiferet           Balance
Netzach        Eternity
Hod               Thankfulness
Yesod            Unity
Malchut        Central Point in the Heart

The Tree of Life (also called the Ilan) is the map of spiritual consciousness discussed in Kabbalah.

The Tree of Life describes how we are spiritually developing to experience the infinite goodness that is the source of reality. As we spiritually develop to deeper levels of giving and love, we ascend to higher levels of divine awareness.

The Tree of Life is comprised of 10 aspects of our inner self and levels of divine experience called Sefirot.

This art reflects the progression of the 10 Sefirot ascending through our five soul levels of: Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Chaya and Yechida.

Keter, the highest Sefira of each soul level, is depicted as the Malchut, the lowest Sefira, of the next level up.

This reflects the idea that the highest love and goodness we can possibly conceive, is just the beginning of our next level of spiritual consciousness.

The 10 Sefirot and one of many ways of describing them:

Keter             Divine Source
Chochma      Oneness
Bina              Unconditional Love
Chesed          Loving Kindness
Gevurah       Humility
Tiferet           Balance
Netzach        Eternity
Hod               Thankfulness
Yesod            Unity
Malchut        Central Point in the Heart

The Tree of Life (also called the Ilan) is the map of spiritual consciousness discussed in Kabbalah.

The Tree of Life describes how we are spiritually developing to experience the infinite goodness that is the source of reality. As we spiritually develop to deeper levels of giving and love, we ascend to higher levels of divine awareness.

The Tree of Life is comprised of 10 aspects of our inner self and levels of divine experience called Sefirot.

This art reflects the progression of the 10 Sefirot ascending through our five soul levels of: Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Chaya and Yechida.

Keter, the highest Sefira of each soul level, is depicted as the Malchut, the lowest Sefira, of the next level up.

This reflects the idea that the highest love and goodness we can possibly conceive, is just the beginning of our next level of spiritual consciousness.

The 10 Sefirot and one of many ways of describing them:

Keter             Divine Source
Chochma      Oneness
Bina              Unconditional Love
Chesed          Loving Kindness
Gevurah       Humility
Tiferet           Balance
Netzach        Eternity
Hod               Thankfulness
Yesod            Unity
Malchut        Central Point in the Heart

The Tree of Life is the map of spiritual consciousness discussed in Kabbalah.

The Tree of Life describes how we are spiritually developing to experience the infinite goodness that is the source of reality. As we spiritually develop to deeper levels of giving and love, we ascend to higher levels of divine awareness.

The Tree of Life is comprised of 10 aspects of our inner self and levels of divine experience called Sefirot.

This art reflects the progression of the 10 Sefirot ascending through our five soul levels of: Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Chaya and Yechida.

Keter, the highest Sefira of each soul level, is depicted as the Malchut, the lowest Sefira, of the next level up.

This reflects the idea that the highest love and goodness we can possibly conceive, is just the beginning of our next level of spiritual consciousness.

The progression is repeated 4 times horizontally reflecting the 4 letters of the Divine name
 י – ה – ו – ה 

The 10 Sefirot and one of many ways of describing them:

Keter             Divine Source
Chochma      Oneness
Bina              Unconditional Love
Chesed          Loving Kindness
Gevurah       Humility
Tiferet           Balance
Netzach        Eternity
Hod               Thankfulness
Yesod            Unity
Malchut        Central Point in the Heart

This art depicts the 100 sounds we blow on the shofar on Rosh Hashana.

Kabbalah discusses the deep spiritual significance of this pattern of sounds blown since ancient times.

The four different shofar sounds are: tekia, shevarim, terua and tekia gedola.

This picture depicts the sounds ascending from the bottom.

1 triangle represents the single sound of tekia. 
3 triangles represent the 3 shorter sounds of shevarim.
9 triangles represent the 9 very short sounds of terua.

The sounds correspond to states of consciousness.

One kavana (meditation) of shofar blowing associates the sounds with giving, receiving, balance and oneness:

tekia – 1 long sound – giving – י
shevarim – 3 shorter sounds – receiving – ה
terua – 9 very short sounds – balance – ו
tekia gedola – 1 very long sound – oneness – ה

The whole long sound of tekia expresses inner joy and thankfulness.

The three broken cries of shevarim express brokenness.

The sound of terua, so broken it is whole, is the prayer from the depths of our heart revealing the always flowing divine goodness.

The final very long sound of tekia gedola represents unconditional love and oneness.

The 100 sounds are blown in four sets: three sets of 30 sounds and a final set of 10 sounds.

Kabbalah explains that everything we go through in our lives is preparing us to experience infinite divine goodness. This is reflected in the art by the last sound of each set mirror imaging the set of sounds. This represents looking back at our life experiences and seeing how everything was part of a divine plan. The final sound of the fourth set is the extra long sound of tekia gedola. This starts at the exact center of the picture and is represented by reflecting all the shofar sounds from the very beginning.

The 100 sounds reflected this way become 366 sounds. This interestingly corresponds to the days of the year.

The 100 sounds of the shofar represent ascension of consciousness. Each progressive sound represents deeper levels of love and spiritual awareness.

This art is created by sounding the shofar through software that analyses the sound waves. The resulting images inspire this piece.

Kabbalah discusses the deep spiritual significance of the sounds of the shofar.

The four different shofar sounds are: tekia, shevarim, terua and tekia gedola.

This picture depicts the sounds ascending from the bottom.

The sounds correspond to states of consciousness.

One kavana (meditation) of shofar blowing associates the sounds with giving, receiving, balance and oneness.

The sounds also correspond to the four letters of the holy divine name  י – ה – ו – ה .

One kavana of shofar sounds:

tekia – 1 long sound – giving – י
shevarim – 3 shorter sounds – receiving – ה
terua – 9 very short sounds – balance – ו
tekia gedola – 1 very long sound – oneness – ה

The whole long sound of tekia expresses inner joy and thankfulness.

The three broken cries of shevarim express brokenness.

The sound of terua, so broken it is whole, is the prayer from the depths of our heart revealing the always flowing divine goodness.

The final very long sound of tekia gedola represents unconditional love and oneness.

This art is created by sounding the shofar through software that analyses the sound waves. The resulting images inspire this piece.

Kabbalah discusses the deep spiritual significance of the sounds of the shofar.

The four different shofar sounds are: tekia, shevarim, terua and tekia gedola.

This picture depicts the sounds ascending from the bottom.

The sounds correspond to states of consciousness.

One kavana (meditation) of shofar blowing associates the sounds with giving, receiving, balance and oneness.

The sounds also correspond to the four letters of the holy divine name  י – ה – ו – ה .

One kavana of shofar sounds:

tekia – 1 long sound – giving – י
shevarim – 3 shorter sounds – receiving – ה
terua – 9 very short sounds – balance – ו
tekia gedola – 1 very long sound – oneness – ה

The whole long sound of tekia expresses inner joy and thankfulness.

The three broken cries of shevarim express brokenness.

The sound of terua, so broken it is whole, is the prayer from the depths of our heart revealing the always flowing divine goodness.

The final very long sound of tekia gedola represents unconditional love and oneness.

This art is created by sounding the shofar through software that analyses the sound waves. The resulting images inspire this piece.

Kabbalah discusses the deep spiritual significance of the sounds of the shofar.

The four different shofar sounds are: tekia, shevarim, terua and tekia gedola.

This picture depicts the sounds ascending from the bottom.

The set of four sounds is repeated 18 times horizontally corresponding to the Hebrew word Chai  חי  LIFE that has a numerical equivalent of 18.

The sounds correspond to states of consciousness.

One kavana (meditation) of shofar blowing associates the sounds with giving, receiving, balance and oneness.

The sounds also correspond to the four letters of the holy divine name  י – ה – ו – ה .

One kavana of shofar sounds:

tekia – 1 long sound – giving – י
shevarim – 3 shorter sounds – receiving – ה
terua – 9 very short sounds – balance – ו
tekia gedola – 1 very long sound – oneness – ה

The whole long sound of tekia expresses inner joy and thankfulness.

The three broken cries of shevarim express brokenness.

The sound of terua, so broken it is whole, is the prayer from the depths of our heart revealing the always flowing divine goodness.

The final very long sound of tekia gedola represents unconditional love and oneness.

This art is created by sounding the shofar through software that analyses the sound waves. The resulting images inspire this piece.

Kabbalah discusses the deep spiritual significance of the sounds of the shofar.

The four different shofar sounds are: tekia, shevarim, terua and tekia gedola.

This picture depicts the sounds ascending from the bottom.

The set of four sounds is repeated ten times horizontally reflecting the ten Sefirot of the Tree of Life —

the divine map of spiritual consciousness discussed in Kabbalah.

The sounds correspond to states of consciousness.

One kavana (meditation) of shofar blowing associates the sounds with giving, receiving, balance and oneness.

The sounds also correspond to the four letters of the holy divine name  י – ה – ו – ה .

One kavana of shofar sounds:

tekia – 1 long sound – giving – י
shevarim – 3 shorter sounds – receiving – ה
terua – 9 very short sounds – balance – ו
tekia gedola – 1 very long sound – oneness – ה

The whole long sound of tekia expresses inner joy and thankfulness.

The three broken cries of shevarim express brokenness.

The sound of terua, so broken it is whole, is the prayer from the depths of our heart revealing the always flowing divine goodness.

The final very long sound of tekia gedola represents unconditional love and oneness.

This art is created by sounding the shofar through software that analyses the sound waves. The resulting images inspire this piece.

Kabbalah discusses the deep spiritual significance of the sounds of the shofar.

The four different shofar sounds are: tekia, shevarim, terua and tekia gedola.

This picture depicts the sounds ascending from the bottom.

The set of four sounds is repeated ten times horizontally reflecting the ten Sefirot of the Tree of Life —

the divine map of spiritual consciousness discussed in Kabbalah.

The sounds correspond to states of consciousness.

One kavana (meditation) of shofar blowing associates the sounds with giving, receiving, balance and oneness.

The sounds also correspond to the four letters of the holy divine name  י – ה – ו – ה .

One kavana of shofar sounds:

tekia – 1 long sound – giving – י
shevarim – 3 shorter sounds – receiving – ה
terua – 9 very short sounds – balance – ו
tekia gedola – 1 very long sound – oneness – ה

The whole long sound of tekia expresses inner joy and thankfulness.

The three broken cries of shevarim express brokenness.

The sound of terua, so broken it is whole, is the prayer from the depths of our heart revealing the always flowing divine goodness.

The final very long sound of tekia gedola represents unconditional love and oneness.

This art is created by sounding the shofar through software that analyses the sound waves. The resulting images inspire this piece.

Kabbalah discusses the deep spiritual significance of the sounds of the shofar.

The four different shofar sounds are: tekia, shevarim, terua and tekia gedola.

This picture depicts the sounds ascending from the bottom.

The sounds correspond to states of consciousness.

One kavana (meditation) of shofar blowing associates the sounds with giving, receiving, balance and oneness.

The sounds also correspond to the four letters of the holy divine name  י – ה – ו – ה .

One kavana of shofar sounds:

tekia – 1 long sound – giving – י
shevarim – 3 shorter sounds – receiving – ה
terua – 9 very short sounds – balance – ו
tekia gedola – 1 very long sound – oneness – ה

The whole long sound of tekia expresses inner joy and thankfulness.

The three broken cries of shevarim express brokenness.

The sound of terua, so broken it is whole, is the prayer from the depths of our heart revealing the always flowing divine goodness.

The final very long sound of tekia gedola represents unconditional love and oneness.

Kabbalah discusses deep concepts expressed in a Magen David.

The triangle going down represents “direct light”.

The triangle going up represents “returning light.”

Experiencing God’s love and goodness is called direct light.

Returning the love is called returning light.

A basic principle of Kabbalah is that returning light is the vessel for direct light. This means we experience God’s giving and love to the extent that we give and love.

The six points of a Magen David and the seventh space in the center represent seven aspects of the Tree of Life discussed in Kabbalah. These aspects of spiritual consciousness and one way of translating their meanings are:

Chesed          Loving Kindness
Gevurah       Humility
Tiferet           Balance
Netzach        Eternity
Hod               Thankfulness
Yesod            Unity
Malchut        Central Point in the Heart

The six points of a Magen David also represent six days of the week and the center of the star represents Shabbat. The nation of Israel has been celebrating Shabbat as an elevated spiritual day for thousands of years.

The art is made of triangles going up and triangles going down representing the spiritual work of unifying opposites: body and soul, physical and spiritual, giving and receiving, free will and Divine providence, brokenness and joyfulness.

At the top and bottom of the art are menorahs with seven branches that also represent the same states of consciousness as the Magen David.

This art depicts a condensed version of “Fourfold Song” by the great Kabbalist Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook:

“There is one who sings the song of one’s soul finding everything within their soul.

Then there is one who transcends the boundary of their individual soul not finding it expansive enough and sings the song of the nation.

Then there is one who’s soul expands and spreads out beyond the boundaries of Israel to sing the song of humanity.

Then there is one who transcends even beyond this ascending in consciousness becoming one with everything and sings in union with the entire universe.

And then there is one who arises with all of these songs always harmonizing together one within the other in every moment with each one giving its voice. And this song ascends as a holy song, a song of God, the song of Israel.”

This art is inspired by the holiest of Jewish prayers — Shema.

The art was made by sounding a shofar through software that analyses the sound. 

Images of the sound waves were used to make the art.

Shema is a powerful meditation on oneness practiced since ancient times.

During the meditation we close our eyes to perceive beyond what we can see.

The meditation involves chanting six Hebrew words: 

SHEMA YISRAEL AHDOWNAI ELOHEYNU AHDOWNAI ECHAD

The first two words Shema Yisrael are in Hebrew at the top center of the art.

The first word Shema means “listen”. 

We quiet our thoughts and awaken to higher consciousness.

The second word Yisrael means “Israel” and represents experiencing our inner spirit.

The next three words Ahdownai Eloheynu Ahdownai are divine names with many layers of meaning. 

We focus on the unconditional love and infinite goodness at the source of all reality. 

The last word Echad means “one”. We open our heart to experience the oneness.

The six words of Shema have a connection with the six points of a Star of David.

Above the Star of David in the art is written  אהבה  —  LOVE.

The Jewish people have been practicing Shema meditation every day for thousands of years. 

Shema is traditionally chanted at sunrise and after sunset. 

The meditation can also be practiced anytime.

The prayer Ana Bekoach was written about 2000 years ago by the Holy Kabbalist Rabbi Nechunia ben Hakanah. The prayer has profound mystical meaning.

The first letters of the 42 words of this prayer are the 42 letter holy name of God. Kabbalah discusses extensively this divine name.

The Torah describes 42 encampments in the desert on the way to Israel. This is a secret of 42 stages of spiritual awakening.

Also corresponding to this divine name are: 42 words in the first section of the prayer Shema, 42 words in the first section of the prayer Amida, 42 times the four letter name of God is in tefillin, 42 lines in each column of a Torah scroll.

The Tree of Life is the divine map of spiritual consciousness discussed in Kabbalah. These ten aspects of our inner self and levels of divine experience are called Sefirot. The seven verses of Ana Bekoach correspond to seven Sefirot. These seven Sefirot and one of many ways of describing them:

Chesed          Loving Kindness
Gevurah       Humility
Tiferet          Harmony
Netzach        Eternity
Hod               Thankfulness
Yesod            Unity
Malchut        Central Point in the Heart

The 42 Hebrew letters of the divine name correspond with wings of angels. Angels in Kabbalah are aspects of inner spiritual consciousness. The wings of angels are Love and Awe.

Kabbalah has many meditations on Ana Bekoach and the 42 letter holy name.

Ana Bekoach is included in the traditional daily prayers in the siddur (prayer book).

One possible translation is:

Please answer us with the great power of Your loving kindness! Free the bound! 

Accept the songful prayer of Your people! Raise us up! Purify us! Awesome One! 

Please! Great One! Protect like the pupil of Your eye those who seek Your oneness!

Bless them! Purify them! Have mercy on them! Bestow your righteousness on them always!

All powerful Holy One! Guide Your community in Your abundant goodness!

One and Only! Exalted One! Enlighten Your people who remember your holiness!

Accept our prayer! Hear our cry! Knower of secrets!

[Blessed is the name and God’s glorious majesty forever and ever]

The prayer Ana Bekoach was written about 2000 years ago by the Holy Kabbalist Rabbi Nechunia ben Hakanah. The prayer has profound mystical meaning.

The first letters of the 42 words of this prayer are the 42 letter holy name of God. Kabbalah discusses extensively this divine name.

The Torah describes 42 encampments in the desert on the way to Israel. This is a secret of 42 stages of spiritual awakening.

Also corresponding to this divine name are: 42 words in the first section of the prayer Shema, 42 words in the first section of the prayer Amida, 42 times the four letter name of God is in tefillin, 42 lines in each column of a Torah scroll.

The Tree of Life is the divine map of spiritual consciousness discussed in Kabbalah. These ten aspects of our inner self and levels of divine experience are called Sefirot. The seven verses of Ana Bekoach correspond to seven Sefirot. These seven Sefirot and one of many ways of describing them:

Chesed          Loving Kindness
Gevurah       Humility
Tiferet          Harmony
Netzach        Eternity
Hod               Thankfulness
Yesod            Unity
Malchut        Central Point in the Heart

The 42 Hebrew letters of the divine name correspond with wings of angels. Angels in Kabbalah are aspects of inner spiritual consciousness. The wings of angels are Love and Awe.

Kabbalah has many meditations on Ana Bekoach and the 42 letter holy name.

Ana Bekoach is included in the traditional daily prayers in the siddur (prayer book).

One possible translation is:

Please answer us with the great power of Your loving kindness! Free the bound! 

Accept the songful prayer of Your people! Raise us up! Purify us! Awesome One! 

Please! Great One! Protect like the pupil of Your eye those who seek Your oneness!

Bless them! Purify them! Have mercy on them! Bestow your righteousness on them always!

All powerful Holy One! Guide Your community in Your abundant goodness!

One and Only! Exalted One! Enlighten Your people who remember your holiness!

Accept our prayer! Hear our cry! Knower of secrets!

[Blessed is the name and God’s glorious majesty forever and ever]

This art is a calendar of the Omer, the seven weeks between the holidays of Pesach and Shevuot. 

A particular spiritual energy shines on each of these 49 days. These energies correspond to Sefirot in the Tree of Life — the divine map of spiritual consciousness discussed in Kabbalah.

The Sefirot and one of many ways of describing them:

Keter             Divine Source
Chochma      Oneness
Bina              Unconditional Love
Chesed          Loving Kindness
Gevurah       Humility
Tiferet           Balance
Netzach        Eternity
Hod               Thankfulness
Yesod            Unity
Malchut        Central Point in the Heart

The 49 days correspond to the seven Sefirot from Chesed to Malchut within each of the seven Sefirot.

This picture depicts this spiritual progression:

In the upper right is a white rectangle representing the Sefira of Chesed.
In the upper left is a red rectangle representing the Sefira of Gevurah.
In the upper middle is a purple rectangle representing the Sefira of Tiferet.
In the middle right is a rectangle, white with a bit of red, representing the Sefira of Netzach.
In the middle left is a rectangle, red with a bit of white, representing the Sefira of Hod.
In the middle center is an orange rectangle representing the Sefira of Yesod.
The large blue rectangle at the bottom represents the Sefira of Malchut.

Each rectangle contains triangles representing the seven Sefirot within the Sefira. The color coding for these Sefirot is the same as before. The triangle of one Sefira is not visible in each area because it is the same color of the Sefira that encompasses it.

The spiritual light of each day’s Sefira shines that day.  

The final 49th Sefira is Malchut of Malchut. This ascends to the exalted spiritual level of Bina.

Kabbalah describes this progression as a microcosm of our spiritual development to our ultimate state of unconditional love and divine union.

ANA ELI HAER NAH LEE ET OR AHAVATECHA

PLEASE ANSWER ME GOD AND SHINE WITHIN ME THE LIGHT OF YOUR LOVE

This art is a Kabbalistic song of prayer written by my spiritual teacher Rebbe David Baruch.

Kabbalah discusses our spiritual development towards attaining divine union in the elevated consciousness of pure unconditional love. This prayer is a meditation yearning for the divine light of spiritual awakening — praying to truly love.

The prayer is in a circle, reflecting the holiness of the circle dance. Dancing in a circle, we dance in each other’s places, realizing our oneness.

This art depicts the 100 sounds we blow on the shofar on Rosh Hashana reflected through the Tree of Life.

Kabbalah discusses the deep spiritual significance of this pattern of sounds blown since ancient times.

The four different shofar sounds are: tekia, shevarim, terua and tekia gedola.

The sounds correspond to states of consciousness.

One kavana (meditation) of shofar blowing associates the sounds with giving, receiving, balance and oneness:

tekia – 1 long sound – giving – י
shevarim – 3 shorter sounds – receiving – ה
terua – 9 very short sounds – balance – ו
tekia gedola – 1 very long sound – oneness – ה

The whole long sound of tekia expresses inner joy and thankfulness.

The three broken cries of shevarim express brokenness.

The sound of terua, so broken it is whole, is the prayer from the depths of our heart revealing the always flowing divine goodness.

The final very long sound of tekia gedola represents unconditional love and oneness.

The Tree of Life is the divine map of spiritual consciousness discussed in Kabbalah. These 10 aspects of divine experience are called sefirot. This art represents the 100 sounds of the shofar shining through the 10 sefirot to reveal 1000 sounds of the shofar.

This picture depicts the sounds ascending from the bottom.

10 triangles represent the 10 sefirot of the single sound of tekia.
30 triangles represent the 30 sefirot of the 3 shorter sounds of shevarim.
90 triangles represent the 90 sefirot of the 9 very short sounds of terua.

Each of the shofar sounds corresponds to a particular aspect of our inner consciousness. Each progressive sound represents deeper levels of love and spiritual awareness.

This art is inspired by the sounding of the shofar on Rosh Hashana.

Kabbalah discusses the deep spiritual significance of this pattern of sounds blown since ancient times.

The four different shofar sounds are: tekia, shevarim, terua and tekia gedola.

1 triangle represents the single sound of tekia. 
3 triangles represent the 3 shorter sounds of shevarim.
9 triangles represent the 9 very short sounds of terua.

The sounds correspond to states of consciousness.

One kavana (meditation) of shofar blowing associates the sounds with giving, receiving, balance and oneness:

tekia – 1 long sound – giving – י
shevarim – 3 shorter sounds – receiving – ה
terua – 9 very short sounds – balance – ו
tekia gedola – 1 very long sound – oneness – ה

The whole long sound of tekia expresses inner joy and thankfulness.

The three broken cries of shevarim express brokenness.

The sound of terua, so broken it is whole, is the prayer from the depths of our heart revealing the always flowing divine goodness.

The very long sound of tekia gedola represents unconditional love and oneness.

The depiction of the sounds begins with the triangle at the top right and descends towards the bottom. The next sounds begins with the third triangle from top right and descends towards the bottom. The next sounds begins with the second triangle from the top right and descends towards the bottom. This concludes 90 sounds. The next 9 sounds are depicted at the bottom of these three columns also right, left and center, corresponding to giving, receiving and balance. The mapping repeats ten times reflecting the ten Sefirot of the Tree of Life. The ten sets shares the extra long sound of tekia gedola represented by the large triangle at the bottom.

Shofar sounds correspond to particular aspects of consciousness. Each progressive sound represents deeper levels of love and spiritual awareness.

This art is created by sounding the shofar through software that analyses the sound waves. The resulting images inspire this piece.

Kabbalah discusses the deep spiritual significance of the sounds of the shofar.

The four different shofar sounds are: tekia, shevarim, terua and tekia gedola.

This picture depicts the sounds ascending from the bottom.

The sounds correspond to states of consciousness.

One kavana (meditation) of shofar blowing associates the sounds with giving, receiving, balance and oneness.

The sounds also correspond to the four letters of the holy divine name  י – ה – ו – ה .

One kavana of shofar sounds:

tekia – 1 long sound – giving – י
shevarim – 3 shorter sounds – receiving – ה
terua – 9 very short sounds – balance – ו
tekia gedola – 1 very long sound – oneness – ה

The whole long sound of tekia expresses inner joy and thankfulness.

The three broken cries of shevarim express brokenness.

The sound of terua, so broken it is whole, is the prayer from the depths of our heart revealing the always flowing divine goodness.

The final very long sound of tekia gedola represents unconditional love and oneness.

This picture is Psalm 67 by King David.

This song envisions the time of all people and nations coming together in harmony. It is a prayer for peace in the world.

The Tree of Life is a spiritual map of consciousness discussed in Kabbalah. It contains ten aspects of our inner self called Sefirot. We have a tradition to write this Psalm in the form of a menorah with seven branches corresponding to seven of the Sefirot. These Sefirot and one of many ways of describing them are:

Chesed          Loving Kindness
Gevurah       Humility
Tiferet          Harmony
Netzach        Eternity
Hod               Thankfulness
Yesod            Unity
Malchut        Central Point in the Heart

We have a beautiful tradition to pray this song for peace in the world, reciting it through the shape of the menorah, every evening at sunset and every morning at sunsrise.

The Tree of Life is the divine map of spiritual consciousness discussed in Kabbalah.

These 10 aspects of our inner self and levels of divine experience are called Sefirot.

Kabbalah has thousands of pages of spiritual wisdom discussing the Tree of Life.

The Tree of Life describes how we are spiritually developing to experience the infinite goodness at the source of reality. As we spiritually develop to deeper levels of giving and love, we ascend to higher levels of divine awareness.

The Tree of life is comprised of 3 columns. The right side corresponds with giving. The left side corresponds with receiving. The center is balance and oneness.

The 22 connecting lines between the Sefirot represent particular channels of spiritual energy. These correspond to the 22 Hebrew letters.

The 10 Sefirot correspond to aspects of our physical bodies, inner consciousness, and all reality.

Each of the Sefirot contains within itself all of the Sefirot.

The Tree of Life describes our spiritual progression to unconditional love and divine union.

The 10 Sefirot and one of many ways of describing them:

Keter            Divine Source
Chochma     Oneness
Bina             Unconditional Love
Chesed         Loving Kindness
Gevurah       Humility
Tiferet          Balance
Netzach        Eternity
Hod               Thankfulness
Yesod            Unity
Malchut       Central Point in the Heart

The Tree of Life is the divine map of spiritual consciousness discussed in Kabbalah.

These 10 aspects of our inner self and levels of divine experience are called Sefirot.

Kabbalah has thousands of pages of spiritual wisdom discussing the Tree of Life.

The Tree of Life describes how we are spiritually developing to experience the infinite goodness at the source of reality. As we spiritually develop to deeper levels of giving and love, we ascend to higher levels of divine awareness.

The Tree of life is comprised of 3 columns. The right side corresponds with giving. The left side corresponds with receiving. The center is balance and oneness.

The 22 connecting lines between the Sefirot represent particular channels of spiritual energy. These correspond to the 22 Hebrew letters.

The 10 Sefirot correspond to aspects of our physical bodies, our inner consciousness, and all reality.

Each of the Sefirot contains all of the Sefirot. This picture depicts 10 Sefirot of each of the 10 Sefirot clothed within each other. The Keter of each Sefira clothes Tiferet of the Sefira above.

The Tree of Life describes our spiritual progression to unconditional love and divine union.

The 10 Sefirot and one of many ways of describing them:

Keter             Divine Source
Chochma      Oneness
Bina              Unconditional Love
Chesed           Loving Kindness
Gevurah       Humility
Tiferet           Balance
Netzach        Eternity
Hod               Thankfulness
Yesod            Unity
Malchut        Central Point in the Heart

This painting is inspired by a Kabbalah meditation on the days of the week.

Kabbalah explains that that our bodies are clothes of our souls. Our souls are also clothed in the garment of time. The holy Ari z”l brings a beautiful meditation expressing the days of the week clothing our spiritual essence:

“On day one (Sunday) meditate on the upper letter  ה  of the divine name  י – ה – ו – ה . On the second day (Monday) meditate on the letter  ו  of the name. On the third day (Tuesday) meditate on the last letter  ה  of the same name. Afterwards, on the last three days, meditate from below to above. On the fourth day (Wednesday) meditate on the last letter  ה  of the name.  On the fifth day (Thursday) meditate on the letter  ו  of the name. On the sixth day (Friday) meditate on the upper letter  ה  of name.”     — The Gate of Prophecy  Meditation #4

Kabbalah explains how the letters of the holy divine name   י-ה-ו-ה   represent levels of spiritual consciousness.

In this meditation, the letter  י  corresponds with Shabbat  שבת.
Sunday and Friday clothe the  י  of Shabbat and correspond to the upper  ה   of   י-ה-ו-ה .  
Monday and Thursday clothe the upper  ה  and correspond to the  ו.
Tuesday and Wednesday clothe the  ו  and correspond to the lower  ה.

The spiritual essence of Shabbat manifests in the first three days of the week. The next three days elevate to the spiritual essence of the coming Shabbat.

Kabbalah describes the four letters of the divine name in greater detail as ten Sefirot — the Tree of Life. A map of the Tree of life is in the center of the picture.

The 10 Sefirot and one of many ways of describing them:

Keter            Divine Source
Chochma     Oneness
Bina             Unconditional Love
Chesed         Loving Kindness                    [Sunday]
Gevurah      Humility                                 [Monday]
Tiferet          Balance                                   [Tuesday]
Netzach        Eternity                                [Wednesday]
Hod               Thankfulness                        [Thursday]
Yesod            Unity                                         [Friday]
Malchut       Central Point in the Heart   [Shabbat]

The spiritual energy of a particular Sefira shines each day.

In the circle surrounding the Tree of Life are Sefirot corresponding with the days of the week. The days also correspond spiritually with colors and sounds. Next to each day is the divine name with the sound notation corresponding to that day and state of spiritual consciousness. We do not pronounce these holy names. They are used in meditation.

Under the  י  corresponding to Shabbat is   אין סוף  INFINITE.  Shabbat corresponds with experiencing God’s infinite goodness. Next to the other letters of the divine name are corresponding aspects of:     מחשבה דיבור מעשה     ACTION  SPEECH  THOUGHT

Kabbalah discusses the spiritual elevation of our actions, speech and thoughts to giving and unconditional love.

This meditation is one of many intensely beautiful meditations described in the Ari z”l’s  Sha’ar Ruach HaKodesh, The Gate of Prophecy.

The Tree of Life is the divine map of spiritual consciousness discussed in Kabbalah.

These 10 aspects of our inner self and levels of divine experience are called Sefirot.

Kabbalah has thousands of pages of spiritual wisdom discussing the Tree of Life.

The Tree of Life describes how we are spiritually developing to experience the infinite goodness at the source of reality. As we spiritually develop to deeper levels of giving and love, we ascend to higher levels of divine awareness.

The Tree of life is comprised of 3 columns. The right side corresponds with giving. The left side corresponds with receiving. The center is balance and oneness.

The 22 connecting lines between the Sefirot represent particular channels of spiritual energy. These correspond to the 22 Hebrew letters.

The 10 Sefirot correspond to aspects of our physical bodies, inner consciousness, and all reality.

Each of the Sefirot contains within itself all of the Sefirot.

Colors and sounds have spiritual roots in the Tree of Life and are used in Kabbalah meditations. The sound notation that corresponds to each Sefira is depicted in this picture with the word  אהבה  AHAVA  LOVE. As we spiritually ascend, we attain deeper and deeper experiences of love.

The Tree of Life describes our spiritual progression to unconditional love and divine union.

The 10 Sefirot and one of many ways of describing them:

Keter            Divine Source
Chochma     Oneness
Bina             Unconditional Love
Chesed         Loving Kindness
Gevurah       Humility
Tiferet          Balance
Netzach        Eternity
Hod               Thankfulness
Yesod            Unity
Malchut       Central Point in the Heart

Every word in this picture is  אהבה  LOVE.

This art is inspired by a traditional form of Kabbalah art called Shiviti.

A Shiviti has the four letters of the holy name of God  י – ה – ו – ה  in large letters near the top of the picture. The rest of the picture is composed of other divine names, holy verses, and prayers.

The four letters of the word   אהבה  LOVE  are very similar to the four letters of  י-ה-ו-ה .  The two letters  ה  are the same in both. The letter  י  represents a single point, like  א  that is the number one. The letter  ו and the letter  ב  have similar sounds.

This Shiviti is composed entirely of  אהבה.  It is a meditation on the divine unconditional love that is the source of our every moment.

Every word in this picture is  אהבה  LOVE.

This art is inspired by a traditional form of Kabbalah art called Shiviti.

A Shiviti has the four letters of the holy name of God  י – ה – ו – ה  in large letters near the top of the picture. The rest of the picture is composed of other divine names, holy verses, and prayers.

The four letters of the word   אהבה  LOVE  are very similar to the four letters of  י-ה-ו-ה .  The two letters  ה  are the same in both. The letter  י  represents a single point, like  א  that is the number one. The letter  ו and the letter  ב  have similar sounds.

This Shiviti is composed entirely of  אהבה.  It is a meditation on the divine unconditional love that is the source of our every moment.

Every word in this picture is  אהבה  LOVE.

This art is inspired by a traditional form of Kabbalah art called Shiviti.

A Shiviti has the four letters of the holy name of God  י – ה – ו – ה  in large letters near the top of the picture. The rest of the picture is composed of other divine names, holy verses, and prayers.

The four letters of the word   אהבה  LOVE  are very similar to the four letters of  י-ה-ו-ה .  The two letters  ה  are the same in both. The letter  י  represents a single point, like  א  that is the number one. The letter  ו and the letter  ב  have similar sounds.

This Shiviti is composed entirely of  אהבה.  It is a meditation on the divine unconditional love that is the source of our every moment.

Every word in this picture is  אהבה  LOVE.

This art is inspired by a traditional form of Kabbalah art called Shiviti.

A Shiviti has the four letters of the holy name of God  י – ה – ו – ה  in large letters near the top of the picture. The rest of the picture is composed of other divine names, holy verses, and prayers.

The four letters of the word   אהבה  LOVE  are very similar to the four letters of  י-ה-ו-ה .  The two letters  ה  are the same in both. The letter  י  represents a single point, like  א  that is the number one. The letter  ו and the letter  ב  have similar sounds.

This Shiviti is composed entirely of  אהבה.  It is a meditation on the divine unconditional love that is the source of our every moment.

This art depicts the 12 possible permutations of the holy name of God  י-ה-ו-ה. 

Each month of the year corresponds spiritually to one of these permutations.

The Hebrew months correspond to the cycle of the moon. When the moon appears at sunset as its smallest crescent, it is the first day of the new Hebrew month. When the moon is full, it is the middle day of the month. When the moon reappears again as a tiny crescent, it is the first day of the next month. Each month corresponds to a particular spiritual energy and aspect of consciousness. The spiritual energies of the 12 months of the year correspond to the 12 permutations of the divine name.

A Kabbalah meditation is to meditate each month on the corresponding permutation of the divine name. The month of Nisan is associated with the normal order of the name depicted at the top center of the picture. The permutations continue in the order of the months counterclockwise. On the final month of Adar, the meditation is on all 12 of the permutations together.

These permutations are hidden in the first and last letters of verses in the Torah. The vowel notations with the holy names are the vowels of the letters in the corresponding verses from the Torah. We do not pronounce these holy names. They are used in meditation.

This cycle of spiritual progression also happens every day as the 12 permutations also correspond to the 12 hours of the day and 12 hours of the night.

Kabbalah describes how this cycle of spiritual progression is a microcosm of our spiritual development to our ultimate state of unconditional love and divine union.

This art is a circle of the 12 possible permutations of the Hebrew word for LOVE  אהבה

The permutations correspond to the 12 months of the year and also the 12 hours of every day and night. 

Kabbalah describes how this cycle of spiritual progression is a microcosm of our spiritual development to our ultimate state of unconditional love and divine union. 

The circle reflects the holiness of dancing in a circle — dancing in each other’s places to realize our oneness.

This picture is about giving, receiving and oneness.

It depicts the two letters hey  ה  in the holy name of God  י-ה-ו-ה.

Kabbalah explains that the letters of the divine name represent aspects of our inner consciousness:

The upper  ה  represents our desire to give.
The lower  ה  represents our desire to receive.

Kabbalah explains that since our divine source is only giving and has no need or desire to receive, we experience our divine source to the extent that we desire to give.

Our lower  ה  ascending to our upper  ה  represents our spiritual awakening to pure giving and unconditional love. This inner transformation enables us to experience the infinite goodness that is the source of all reality. As we attain deeper levels of giving and love, we attain deeper levels of divine union.

The two letters  ה  of the divine name are depicted and the  י   and the  ו  are implied: the  ו  being the spiritual work of inner transformation, and the  י  as the infinite unconditional love at the root of our every moment.

This picture is inspired by a foundational spiritual principle of Kabbalah called Tzimtzum.

This principle explains that we experience the limitless pleasure and divine goodness that we were created to experience to the extent that we desire to give.

The line coming down from the top of the picture represents the divine goodness and pleasure that is flowing from God every moment. The divine light shines in a state of pure giving.

The small rectangle near the center of the picture represents our desire to receive. Since desire to receive is the exact opposite of God’s attribute of pure giving, this disconnects us from experiencing God’s light.

The horizontal line above the small rectangle represents striving to transcend our desire to receive. This is the spiritual work of Torah and mitzvot — spiritual learning and practice.

The white space above the horizontal line represents attaining the state of unconditional love and pure giving. This evolution of consciousness brings us to experience the divine goodness.

The circles in the painting represent a Kabbalistic concept called Or Makif or Surrounding Light. This concept explains that the divine goodness is always present. Since we can only experience the goodness to the extent that we desire to give, the revelation of the goodness awaits only our inner transformation of consciousness. This means that we are not waiting for God to finally reveal goodness in the world, but rather the already present divine goodness is waiting for us to develop the consciousness of pure giving and unconditional love that can experience it.

Experiencing God’s love and goodness is direct light. Returning the love is returning light. A basic principle of Kabbalah is that returning light is the vessel for direct light. This means that we experience God’s giving and love to the extent that we give and love.

This picture is a meditation on this foundational spiritual principle of Kabbalah. The principle is simply: In every moment of life, the more we desire to give, the more we are in union with God.

Our inner transformation towards attaining divine union in the elevated consciousness of pure unconditional love is the subject of Kabbalah.

The spiritual principle of Tzimtzum in relation to our inner spiritual development is discussed in great detail in the holy writings of the master Kabbalists Rabbi Yehudah Leib HaLevi Ashlag z”l and Rabbi Baruch Shalom HaLevi Ashlag z”l. For more information see A Tapestry for the Soul by Rabbi Ashlag.

This art depicts the 100 sounds we blow on the shofar on Rosh Hashana.

Kabbalah discusses the deep spiritual significance of this pattern of sounds blown since ancient times.

This picture depicts the sounds ascending from the bottom.

The four different shofar sounds are: tekia, shevarim, terua and tekia gedola.

A single line represents the single sound of tekia. 
A line divided into three short segments represent the 3 shorter sounds of shevarim.
A line divided into nine very short segments represents the 9 very short sounds of terua.

The sounds correspond to states of consciousness.

One kavana (meditation) of shofar blowing associates the sounds with giving, receiving, balance and oneness:

tekia – 1 long sound – giving – י
shevarim – 3 shorter sounds – receiving – ה
terua – 9 very short sounds – balance – ו
tekia gedola – 1 very long sound – oneness – ה

The whole long sound of tekia expresses inner joy and thankfulness.

The three broken cries of shevarim express brokenness.

The sound of terua, so broken it is whole, is the prayer from the depths of our heart revealing the always flowing divine goodness.

The final very long sound of tekia gedola represents unconditional love and oneness.

The 100 sounds are blown in four sets: three sets of 30 sounds and a final set of 10 sounds.

Kabbalah explains that everything we go through in our lives is preparing us to experience infinite divine goodness. This is reflected in the art by the last sound of each set mirror imaging the set of sounds. This represents looking back at our life experiences and seeing how everything was part of a divine plan. The final sound of the fourth set is the extra long sound of tekia gedola. This starts at the exact center of the picture and is represented by reflecting all the shofar sounds from the very beginning.

The 100 sounds reflected this way become 366 sounds. This interestingly corresponds to the days of the year.

The 100 sounds of the shofar represent ascension of consciousness. Each progressive sound represents deeper levels of love and spiritual awareness.

This art depicts the 100 sounds we blow on the shofar on Rosh Hashana.

Kabbalah discusses the deep spiritual significance of this pattern of sounds blown since ancient times.

This picture depicts the sounds ascending from the bottom.

The four different shofar sounds are: tekia, shevarim, terua and tekia gedola.

A single line represents the single sound of tekia. 
A line divided into three short segments represent the 3 shorter sounds of shevarim.
A line divided into nine very short segments represents the 9 very short sounds of terua.

The sounds correspond to states of consciousness.

One kavana (meditation) of shofar blowing associates the sounds with giving, receiving, balance and oneness:

tekia – 1 long sound – giving – י
shevarim – 3 shorter sounds – receiving – ה
terua – 9 very short sounds – balance – ו
tekia gedola – 1 very long sound – oneness – ה

The whole long sound of tekia expresses inner joy and thankfulness.

The three broken cries of shevarim express brokenness.

The sound of terua, so broken it is whole, is the prayer from the depths of our heart revealing the always flowing divine goodness.

The final very long sound of tekia gedola represents unconditional love and oneness.

The 100 sounds are blown in four sets: three sets of 30 sounds and a final set of 10 sounds.

Kabbalah explains that everything we go through in our lives is preparing us to experience infinite divine goodness. This is reflected in the art by the last sound of each set mirror imaging the set of sounds. This represents looking back at our life experiences and seeing how everything was part of a divine plan. The final sound of the fourth set is the extra long sound of tekia gedola. This starts at the exact center of the picture and is represented by reflecting all the shofar sounds from the very beginning.

The 100 sounds reflected this way become 366 sounds. This interestingly corresponds to the days of the year.

The 100 sounds of the shofar represent ascension of consciousness. Each progressive sound represents deeper levels of love and spiritual awareness.

This art depicts the 100 sounds we blow on the shofar on Rosh Hashana.

Kabbalah discusses the deep spiritual significance of this pattern of sounds blown since ancient times.

This picture depicts the sounds ascending from the bottom.

The four different shofar sounds are: tekia, shevarim, terua and tekia gedola.

A single line represents the single sound of tekia. 
A line divided into three short segments represent the 3 shorter sounds of shevarim.
A line divided into nine very short segments represents the 9 very short sounds of terua.

The sounds correspond to states of consciousness.

One kavana (meditation) of shofar blowing associates the sounds with giving, receiving, balance and oneness:

tekia – 1 long sound – giving – י
shevarim – 3 shorter sounds – receiving – ה
terua – 9 very short sounds – balance – ו
tekia gedola – 1 very long sound – oneness – ה

The whole long sound of tekia expresses inner joy and thankfulness.

The three broken cries of shevarim express brokenness.

The sound of terua, so broken it is whole, is the prayer from the depths of our heart revealing the always flowing divine goodness.

The final very long sound of tekia gedola represents unconditional love and oneness.

The 100 sounds are blown in four sets: three sets of 30 sounds and a final set of 10 sounds.

Kabbalah explains that everything we go through in our lives is preparing us to experience infinite divine goodness. This is reflected in the art by the last sound of each set mirror imaging the set of sounds. This represents looking back at our life experiences and seeing how everything was part of a divine plan. The final sound of the fourth set is the extra long sound of tekia gedola. This starts at the exact center of the picture and is represented by reflecting all the shofar sounds from the very beginning.

The 100 sounds reflected this way become 366 sounds. This interestingly corresponds to the days of the year.

The 100 sounds of the shofar represent ascension of consciousness. Each progressive sound represents deeper levels of love and spiritual awareness.

HASHEM SEFATAI TIFTACH OOFEE YAGEED TEHEELATECHA

GOD! OPEN MY LIPS AND MY MOUTH WILL SPEAK YOUR PRAISE

Psalms 51:17

The verse in this picture is from the Psalms of King David.

The traditional silent meditation Amida begins with whispering these words. This meditation takes place three times a day: sunrise, sunset and nighttime. The focus of the meditation is being intimately in the presence of God.

Kabbalah discusses many profound mystical meanings of this verse.

The verse is a prayer for our prayer — the realization that God is the source of everything, including our prayer.

This painting is a meditative map of many spiritual concepts of Kabbalah.

At the center of the painting are four Hebrew letters  א ה ב ה  meaning LOVE.

The more we develop spiritually, the more we become able to experience the always present divine love that is the source of all reality.

In the next circle is:       אין סוף  INFINITE       אור  LIGHT        כלי  VESSEL

The Kabbalah describes our spiritual progression towards becoming a vessel that is able to experience the infinite light of divine goodness and pleasure that we were created to experience.

At the top of the next circle are the letters  את. This holy divine name corresponds with unconditional love and experiencing the divine presence. These two letters are the first and and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Kabbalah explains that every Hebrew letter represents a particular spiritual energy. In the rest of the circle is an ancient script of the Hebrew alphabet.

The next circle contains a star of David. A star of David is made of a triangle going down and a triangle going up. The triangle going down represents “direct light” and the triangle going up represents “returning light.” Experiencing God’s love and goodness is called direct light. Returning the love is called returning light. A basic principle of Kabbalah is that returning light is the vessel for direct light. This means that we experience God’s giving and love to the extent that we give and love. The union of the two triangles also represents the unification of physical and spiritual reality.

The six points of a star of David and the seventh space in the center represent seven aspects of spiritual consciousness. These aspects and one way of translating their meanings are:

Chesed       Loving Kindness
Gevurah    Humility
Tiferet        Balance
Netzach     Eternity
Hod            Thankfulness
Yesod         Unity
Malchut     Unconditional Love

The six points of the star also represent the six weekdays and the center of the star represents  Shabbat. Every Friday night before sundown the celebration of Shabbat begins with lighting candles. Until after sundown the next night, Shabbat is celebrated as an elevated spiritual day. The Jewish people have been celebrating Shabbat every week for thousands of years.

Inside of the star is:
שבת קדש  SHABBAT KODESH / SHABBAT OF HOLINESS

In the top triangle of the star are three Hebrew letters yud  י – י – י.  This is one of 72 three letter divine names discussed in Kabbalah. Each divine name corresponds with a particular spiritual energy. This name corresponds to a very holy blessing of peace from the Torah. In Israel, cohanim chant this ancient blessing during the traditional meditation prayer every morning at sunrise. There is a beautiful tradition for parents, on Shabbat evening, to place their hands on their children’s heads and bless them every week with this special blessing.

The blessing and one possible translation is:
יברכך  ה׳  וישמרך
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND PROTECT YOU
יאר  ה׳  פניו  אליך  ויחנך
MAY GOD’S GOODNESS AND GRACIOUSNESS  SHINE ON YOU
ישא  ה׳  פניו  אליך  וישם  לך  שלום
MAY GOD’S GOODNESS ARISE IN YOU AND MAY YOU BE BLESSED WITH PEACE

At the top of the circle above the star is:
אדנ-י שפתי תפתח ופי יגיד תהלתך
GOD! OPEN MY LIPS, AND MY MOUTH WILL SPEAK YOUR PRAISE.

This verse is from the Psalms of King David and has profound mystical meaning. These words are the opening to the traditional silent meditation called Amida. This ancient meditation takes place three times a day: sunrise, sunset and nighttime. The focus of the meditation is being intimately in the presence of God. The meditation begins with whispering this verse, reminding ourselves that God is the source of everything, including our thoughts and prayers.

At the bottom of the circle is:
ביום ההוא יהיה י-ה-ו-ה אחד ושמו אחד
GOD’S ONENESS WILL BE REALIZED

This mystical verse from the ancient prophet of Israel, Zechariah, is recited at the end of each of the three traditional daily meditations. This verse is a prayer for our personal awakening and the awakening of the entire world to our divine oneness.

To the right of the circle is:
בדחילו ורחימו    IN AWE AND IN LOVE
To the left of the circle is:
ורחימו ודחילו    IN LOVE AND IN AWE

Kabbalah discusses LOVE and AWE as two “wings” with which we spiritually ascend. The development and harmony of these aspects of our inner consciousness elevates our divine awareness. A Kabbalalistic meditation for preparing our consciousness before performing a mitzva, a spiritual practice, begins: “For unification of the Divine Giving Blessing and our experience of the Divine Presence, in awe and in love, and in love and in awe, to unify in complete union  . . .”

In the left of the circle is שסה. In the right of the circle is רמח.

Every Hebrew letter represents a number and the numerical equivalents of these two divine names are 365 and 248. Together this comes to 613 and reflects the 613 spiritual practices of the Torah called mitzvot. 365 mitzvot focus on developing our ability to overcome receiving in a way that is only self-serving. 248 mitzvot focus on developing our elevated consciousness of pure giving and unconditional love. Each of the 613 mitzvot corresponds to a particular aspect of our souls and our physical bodies. The spiritual practice of mitzvot purifies our bodies and souls to be in spiritual alignment with the flow of divine energy.

Continuing outwards, the blue square surrounding the circle contains the names of the twelve Hebrew months of the year. The Hebrew months correspond to the cycle of the moon. When the moon appears at sunset as its smallest crescent, it is the first day of the new Hebrew month. When the moon is full, it is the middle day of the month. When the moon reappears again as a tiny crescent, it is the first day of the next month. Each month corresponds to a particular spiritual energy and aspect of consciousness.

The Hebrew months each have associations with specific planets, stars, and spiritual energies of Hebrew letters. The twelve months also correspond with the twelve tribes of Israel. The four small white squares next to each month depict the tribe, planet, stars, and Hebrew letter that correspond with that month. The square on the left contains the first letter of the tribe. The next square contains a mystical symbol of the planet. The next square contains the first letter of the star sign. The last square on the right contains the Hebrew letter that corresponds with the spiritual energy of the month.

About 3500 years ago the twelve tribes of Israel traveled in the Sinai desert for forty years in a majestic encampment. The tribes camped in alignment with spiritual energies in an exalted state of divine awareness. Kabbalah explains that each of the twelve tribes corresponds to a different aspects of every person’s inner consciousness, and that the encampment contains deep insight into our personal attainment of inner spiritual alignment. The encampment reflects a microcosm of spiritual design in the universe as well as a macrocosm of our inner consciousness. The position of each tribe in this painting is that tribe’s position in the encampment.

A foundational teaching of Judaism is oneness, so why individual tribes? Judaism’s perspective of oneness is not that we are all the same, but rather that we are each unique reflections of God’s light. Every single person has a unique and important role to play in the world that nobody else can do. The goal is not for us all to be the same, but rather each of us, as well as every tribe and nation, spiritually developing to shine our own special light in the world. The encampment gives us insight into oneness as an inter-dynamic relationship of many integral parts, each attaining its unique spiritual expression, working together harmoniously.

The top of the painting is the eastern direction of the encampment. At the top of the blue circle is  מזרח  meaning EAST. East is the direction of the sunrise and symbolizes our awakening to the divine light.

The Jewish people have been praying every day for 2000 years to return from exile to the land of Israel. The ingathering from all over the world of the twelve tribes of Israel, millions of people, is miraculously happening before our very eyes, in accordance with the ancient prophecies.

Continuing outwards, at the right, left, top and bottom of the thin white circle is:
מים  WATER        אש    FIRE        רוח  WIND       עפר   EARTH

In the spiritual language of Kabbalah, right, left, above and below are code words that represent states of consciousness:

Right corresponds with giving and appreciation.
This is associated with water.
Left corresponds with receiving and lack.
This is associated with fire.

Kabbalah discusses the spiritual work of balancing these opposing aspects.

Above and below, associated with wind and earth, represent another dimension of these aspects of our inner selves that we strive to unify through spiritual practice.

Kabbalah explains how the letters of the holy divine name   י-ה-ו-ה   represent aspects of spiritual reality and aspects of our inner consciousness. There are twelve possible permutations, ordering of the letters, of the divine name. In the thin white circle that contains the four elements are the twelve permutations of the divine name. Each of these permutations corresponds to the spiritual energy of a particular month.

The four letters of the divine name  י-ה-ו-ה   are very similar to the four letters of the word א-ה-ב-ה  LOVE.  The two letters  ה  are the same in both. The letter  י  represents a single point, like  א  that is the number one. The letter  ו and the letter  ב  have similar sounds.

Above and below the thin white circle is:
אתערותא  דלעילא   AWAKENING FROM ABOVE
אתערותא  דלתתא   AWAKENING FROM BELOW

Awakening from above is a term used in Kabbalah that expresses our being gifted with divine experience. Awakening from below is when we strive to return the love. Shabbat is an example of awakening from above. Lighting Shabbat candles is an example of awakening from below. Every awakening from below brings us to experience an awakening from above more deeply.

On the outer left is a quote from the holy Kabbalah master Rabbi Moshe Chayim Luzzato z”l:
לא יתקיים שום דבר אלא טובו
NOTHING EXISTS EXCEPT FOR GOD’S GOODNESS

Kabbalah explains that God created the world to give infinite goodness and pleasure to all creation. This pleasure is temporarily concealed from us while we are undergoing inner transformations of consciousness preparing us to experience the goodness. When we complete our spiritual evolution, we become able to experience the divine and eternal goodness at the root of all reality. We come to see how all the events of our lives, even the most difficult and painful ones, were hidden blessings divinely designed to help our souls develop in the most ultimate way.

On the outer right is:
רצון לקבל בעל מנת להשפיע
DESIRE TO RECEIVE IN ORDER TO GIVE

Our spiritual development towards being able to receive God’s goodness in a state of giving and divine union is discussed extensively by the holy Kabbalah master Rebbe Yehudah Leib HaLevi Ashlag z”l.

At the bottom of the painting is a verse from the Torah:
ואהבת לרעך כמוך אני ה
LOVE YOUR FRIEND AS YOURSELF, I AM GOD

At the top of the painting is a verse from the Torah:
ואהבת את ה אלקיך
LOVE GOD

Kabbalah explains that striving to love others as we love ourselves is essential to attaining the exalted spiritual level of divine experience and love for God.

In the upper center of the painting is  יישרראל  ISRAEL with the letters  י  and  ר written twice. The holy Kabbalah master the Arizal explains that a secret of the word  ישראל  is that it is the first Hebrew letters of the names of our holy ancestors Avraham, Yitzchak, Yakov, Sarah, Rivka, Rachel, and Leah. Kabbalah explains that each person in the Torah represents a different aspect of our spiritual psychology. The stories, conversations and happenings in the Torah are not just historical events, but are actually describing what is happening within ourselves this very moment. An inner dimension of the Torah is a map of consciousness describing the path of spiritual awakening and inner transformation. Every verse of the Torah provides different details of the same story: our spiritual journey towards unconditional love and divine union.

The word  ישראל  ISRAEL is comprised of two Hebrew words:  ישר  means connection and  א“ל   is a divine name associated with giving and love. When we are striving to connect with our divine source through giving and love, we are in the spiritual land of Israel. The Torah describes the journey of the Jewish people to the land of Israel. This journey can also be understood in an inner way as the collective journey of all humanity — the spiritual awakening of all consciousness to unconditional love and divine awareness.

This painting is inspired by the third Temple described by the prophet Yechezkel over 2500 years ago.

Kabbalah explains that the design of the Temple reflects our inner self. The stairs, walls, rooms, windows, doors, gates, vessels, water, fire, clothing, musical instruments, and rituals of the Temple all reflect aspects of consciousness.

In the divine presence, the entire world experiences our oneness.

The Temple is built with unconditional love. It is made of our prayers and acts of loving kindness.

This art is based on a drawing in the book Pardes Rimonim written about 500 years ago by the holy Kabbalist Rabbi Moshe Cordovero.

The drawing is the first letters of the Sefirot of the Tree of Life inside of each other.

The Tree of Life is the divine map of spiritual consciousness discussed in Kabbalah. These 10 aspects of our inner self and levels of divine experience are called Sefirot.

The 10 Sefirot and one of many ways of describing them:

Keter            Divine Source
Chochma     Oneness
Bina             Unconditional Love
Chesed         Loving Kindness
Gevurah       Humility
Tiferet          Balance
Netzach        Eternity
Hod               Thankfulness
Yesod            Unity
Malchut       Central Point in the Heart

A chapter in Pardes Rimonim discusses various color associations with the Sefirot. The colors in this picture correspond to one of these.

This picture is the open hand of giving. The eye represents looking at the good in everything.

As the divine source of reality is giving, the more we are giving, the more we are in divine union.

Within the hand and below is written:

רצון לקבל בעל מנת להשפיע   DESIRE TO RECEIVE IN ORDER TO GIVE

Kabbalah discusses our progression to an exalted spiritual state where even our receiving is in order to give.

On top of the hand is:  אהבה  LOVE  and  שלום  PEACE.

The Hebrew letter  ה   surrounding the word  שלום  represents the divine presence. We experience the divine presence when we are giving.

At the top right and left are the first and last letters of these words from Psalms:

 פותח את ידך   OPEN YOUR HAND

These two divine names correspond with spiritual awareness and are used in meditations.

In each corner is the Hebrew letter  ח . This letter corresponds to transcendence and miracles — transcending self-interest to purely give with unconditional love.

At the left and right are שסה and רמח:

Every Hebrew letter is also a number. The numerical equivalents of these two divine names are 365 and 248. Together this comes to 613 and reflects the 613 spiritual practices of the Torah called mitzvot. 365 mitzvot focus on developing our ability to overcome receiving in a way that is only self-serving. 248 mitzvot focus on developing our elevated consciousness of pure giving and unconditional love.

Kabbalah explains that we are all in the process of spiritually developing to become able to experience eternal divine goodness. The more we are giving and thankful, the more we experience the goodness.

This art is a teaching of the great spiritual master Rebbe Israel ben Eliezer, known as the Baal Shem Tov.

“The Baal Shem Tov taught: The entire Torah and the entire world contain God’s light of infinite goodness. All the verses of the Torah like “There is nothing but God” and “God fills the heavens and the earth” are true in their completely simple meaning as every single action, speech and thought has the essence of Godliness hidden in it!” 

[Found in the writings of a descendant of the Baal Shem Tov]

Devarim 4:35

This verse from the Torah is a powerful meditation to remind ourselves of God’s presence in every situation.

Kabbalah discusses the deep meaning of this verse. One meaning is realizing that nothing in life is a coincidence and that everything happens for a divine reason.

Kabbalah explains that God created the world to give infinite goodness and pleasure to all creation. We are spiritually developing to be ready for this goodness.

We are developing to a state of pure giving and unconditional love. In this exalted spiritual state we experience the divine goodness that is the source of all reality. We see how all the events of our lives, even the most difficult and painful ones, are hidden blessings helping our souls develop in the ultimate way.

Realizing that eternal goodness is the source of everything we go through is, of course, so difficult. Kabbalah discusses the way of developing this higher awareness.

Ein Ode Milvado is one of the most powerful meditations we can use throughout our lives.