Kabbalistic approach to the "Counting of the Omer - Sefirat HaOmer", Part 1

 

The Counting of the Omer - Sefirat HaOmer

Quelle: Chabad

B"H

Since last night, Jews all over the world habe been starting the Omer period. Seven weeks from the second day of Pessach until Shavuot. I am sure that there are many Jews out there who don't really understand what is going on and why we still have to count a certain period where new barley was being brought to the Temple in Jerusalem. What does this have to do with me today ? Although the Omer is a biblical commandment, many Jews may see the whole issue as not really important. 

The Jewish Kabbalah, however, presents us plenty of comments on the "Counting of the Omer". The counting has a deep impact on our soul and may lead us to a Tikun (soul rectification). Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (the RAMCHAL) describes deeper insights in the book "Kitzur HaKavanot". Among others that the seven weeks stand for seven Sefirot. Each week a different Sefirah. 

The ten Sefirot are a symbolic system in Kabbalah in order to make us understand G - d's attributes. Not really understand but at least grasp something. Without this kabbalistic symbolism, we wouldn't be able to define G - d's creation of the world. How could we, as our own human understanding is very limited compared to G - d's endless and eternal wisdom ?

The first week of Sefirat HaOmer is, according to the RAMCHAL, the week of Chochmah (Wisdom). Every night while counting, Jews are able to cause a Tikun und thus transfer themselves on a higher Madrega (Level). 

I am anything but a kabbalistic specialist and in order to understand the text of the RAMCHAL, I need to do plenty of further studying. What Kabbalah is basically teaching us in this respect is that, during those seven weeks, we have the power of perfeting ourselves. A spiritual preparation for receiving the Torah on Shavuot. And this is what Jews do on Shavuot: Receiving the Torah anew.

The Ramban on Molech

B"H

The Ramban (Nachmanides, 1194 - 1270) wrote a detailed commentary on the idol - worship of Molech which took place during the First Temple period. The Gemara (rabbinic discussions) in the Talmud Tractate Yoma 9b lists three reasons for why the First Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed. Why let G - d the Temple being destroyed although it was King Salomon (Shlomo HaMelech) who built it ? Why had a destruction to take place ?

Another question: Why should a destruction not take place ? Didn't the Prophet Yechezkel not prophecies a Third Temple in the time of Meshiach ? A Third Temple where the Cohanim and Levi'im serve and Korbanot (sacrifcises) are being brought. Thus the two Temples had to be destroyed in order to pave the way for Meshiach and the Third Temple.

Sexual perversion, murder and idol - worship were reason enough for G - d to destroy the First Temple. The Babylonians were just a tool of G - d's infinite and perfect will.

One of the most famous form of idol - worship during the times of the First Tempel was the worship of "Molech". Executed by special Molech "priests" and taking place in the so - called "Tofet" near today's Cinematheque and Sultan's Pool (Jerusalem). Just right across Jaffa Gate.

The Ramban wrote a special commentary about Molech in Parashat Acharei Mot (Book of Leviticus / Vayikra):

Molech was an idol and Rabbi Avraham ibn Ezra wrote that it is possible that Molech is identical with MILCOM of the Ammonites.

Rashi explained the Molech idol - worship procedure:

The father would hand over his son to the priests, and the priests lit two pyres  (one opposite the other), and they made the child pass on foot between the two fires. 

Rashi asked the question whether a father acting this way is really guilty of worshipping an idol because the son is not touching the fire but only walking through the two pyres. The Torah doesn't allow the Jews to pass the children to Molech: "Le Ha'avir LaMolech". "Le Ha'avir" here stands for actually passing through the fire but the son didn't do so. Moreover, the father didn't deliver his son to Molech but to the priests who then gave it to Molech.

The Ramban, however, has a totally different opinion: He says that the son had to walk into the pyres and was burnt until he died. Furthermore, the Ramban claims that the Gods of the Sepharvaim (see Kings II, 17:31) are also identified with Molech, for their surnames Adrammelech and Anammelech denote kingship (from the Hebrew word "Melech - King").

"Molech" and "Baal" were the most popular forms of idolatry during the ear of the First Temple and both were, at certain times, identical. The Talmud Tractate Sanhedrin tells us a very famous story about how Chizkiyahu's (Hezkiah's) mother rubbed him with the oil of a salamander. His father Ahaz made him pass the Molech but Chizkiyahu survived due to his protective mother.

Not only Ahaz used to sacrifice his children but also King Menashe.

Further Link on the Subject:

The RAMCHAL on the Third Temple

The RAMCHAL about the Three Temples

B"H

The famous Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto - the RAMCHAL (born in Padua / Italy in 1707 – died in Israel in 1747) cannot be left out whenever talking about Jewish teachings. He wrote Mussar (Ethics) – books (such as "The Path of the Just" or "Derech HaShem – The Way of G – d") but he also published plenty of kabbalistic writings (e.g. Adir BaMarom). There is no Yeshiva today where the concepts of the Ramchal aren't taught.

In one of his writings, he explains us his understanding of the Three Tempels. Here are a few of his concepts:

According to the Rambam (Maimonides), the Third Temple is already being built in heaven and waiting to come down into our world (see also Exodus 15:17). But not only the Rambam said that the Third Temple has already been built in heaven; Rashi comes to the same conclusion.

But what exactly is the meaning of: The Third Temple has already been built in heaven and is ready to come down. Only Meshiach has to come and then we will see the Temple.

Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto interprets:
In Kabbalah and in Chassidut every single material things (and even humans) has / have its counterpart in the spiritual upper worlds (in heaven, so to speak). On Earth, we are very human with all our strengths and weaknesses but our own perfect counterpart is to be found in the upper spiritual worlds. My own totally perfect "I" or "ME".

After I die, this perfect counterpart of myself will show me what kind of person I should have been while I was alive. It is like standing in front of a mirror and someone is listing us all our sins and failures. Then my perfect "I" comes into the picture and shows me how I should have behaved, solved problems or dealt with people.

"Jerusalem" or the "Temple" have their own counterparts in the upper spiritual worlds. A perfect Jerusalem with perfect people and a Temple where there is no more corruption or anything, but just Holiness (Kedusha).

The meaning of "the Temple already being built in heaven" is not that G – d took some stones and started building. The concept we are talking about is not material but spiritual. A spiritual Temple, a spiritual "I" or "Me", a spiritual city of Jerusalem. These counterparts don't exist in a material sense but only show us spiritual perfection.

Let's remember:
With the arrival of Meshiach, we are receiving a higher soul level which doesn't even let us think of any more sinning. No more crime, anything negative or jealousy; people will be very different. And this way we are going to connect the perfect spiritual world with our material physical world.

Furthermore, Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto asked the question why the Prophet Yechezkel (Yezekiel) saw the Third and not the Second Temple in his vision. In his time, the First Temple was destroyed but the Second hadn't even been built.

Yechezkel reached a level of prophecy called BINA; a complete total understanding beyond time and space. And due to this high level he was able to look into the future by even overlooking the Second Tempel (beyond time). The Second Temple itself was only due to be build in another 56 years from then on. But Yechezkel only saw a vision of an eternal unique G – dly Temple and this definitely couldn't have been the Second Temple.