Glossary of Terms Used in the BeHa’alotcha Weekly Torah Portion
Menorah (Lamp)
The “Menorah” symbolizes the soul. It symbolizes the seven Sefirot of the soul that we need to know how to light, in which way, and in which order.
Korban (Sacrifice/Offering)
A Korban is the will to receive that we correct, and through it become more Karov (near/close) to the Creator.
Second Passover
The “Second Passover” relates to desires that we find either unnecessary or impossible to sanctify. These are desires that we do not recognize. However, they can be corrected later, at a more advanced stage in the process.
Impurity
“Impurity” is a force that works in order to receive, the egoistic force that appears in us.
Cloud
A “cloud” is concealment that comes either from the Creator, who hides Himself from us, or from us, who hide ourselves from Him. The latter is called “clouds of glory.”
A Guide
A “guide” is the pure quality of bestowal that we want to follow and cling to, thus reaching our goal.
Trumpets of Silver
The two forces that we discover, and by which we advance, are called “trumpets of silver.” These forces pull us forward from the right and from the left.
Silver
“Silver” is the degree of Bina; gold is the degree of Hochma.
Proselyte
A “proselyte” is a desire to receive that has converted and is willing to be corrected and join Israel.
Rabble
The “rabble” is a type of desire to receive that we need to discover, and find it “infected” with an intention to receive.
Quail
“Quails” are fine (thin) desires, a type of desire on the animate degree from which we can make an offering.
Leprosy
“Leprosy” is a disease in Man’s desire, in the intention to receive, which appears on the last and worst degree of the skin.
Mouth to Mouth
A Zivug (coupling) “mouth to mouth” means spirit with spirit, when two souls, or the Creator and a soul, are in that sort of connection.
Punishment
A “punishment” is a correction. The punishment is given when we feel unable to use the desire in order to bestow. It is not an inability to receive. Rather, the punishment is inability to bestow. However, the punishment leads one to correction because we already know what to correct in that desire, and have reached a Mitzva (commandment/correction). A Mitzva is an act of bestowal, an act of love.
Miriam
“Miriam” is a type of will to receive in us that stands opposite Moses. Moses, too, discovered that part in himself. In other words, the degree in us that is called “Moses” discovered a certain touch by the Nukva (female), Miriam, which still required correction. Moses also rises each time along with the people; he is a discernment in the soul, hence, with each discernment, the discernment of the degree of Moses is corrected, too.
Each term and each stage, our egoistic will to receive grows and swells, and we correct it with the intention to bestow, to serve others and the Creator.
The Creator within us is what punishes us?
Everything is within us. Man is a small world that needs to achieve the complete correction.
From The Zohar: And the Waters Were Made Sweet
In those secrets that will be revealed through you, “The waters were made sweet.” Like the salt that makes the meat sweet, they will be sweetened by the secrets that will be revealed through you. All those questions and the dispute of the bitter water in the oral Torah will return to being the sweet waters of the Torah. And your agonies will be sweet to you through these secrets that will be revealed by you. And all your troubles will come back to you like fleeting dreams. A dream (in Hebrew) has the letters of the word “salt,” reversed. As salt sweetens the meat, so agony sweetens.
Zohar for All, BeHaalotcha (When You Mount the Candles), item 86
Summary
The portion, BeHaalotcha (When You Mount the Candles), deals with lighting the candles, with seeing all of Man’s desire. Man divides into many parts, and we need to see them as a Menorah. The Menorah is the symbol of the soul. We need to light up all of its seven qualities, shining with the upper light, with bestowal upon others, with love.