Ki Tisa

{Part 1 – 14/03/2017}

There is a universal dialectical tension between any directed endeavour – whether the navigation of techno-sociological progression by modern nation-states (nb. truthfully, these compasses are biased towards “economic progression”), or a religious roadmap, the archetype of which is the Torah and Oral Law.

Freedom vs Restriction
Both self-annihilate on their own.

[Here I try to explore the way otiyot within a passuk can inform each other so that the complexity of individual words is individualized within their context]

• Simpler part: Pei in Lifkod + Negef
• Good to include: Pei in Cofer: Here the Pei can be seen in space of Caf, so that Pei acts as a mode for “conformation-which-allows-ability-beyond-itself-on-account-of-its-form” (like the curve of a spoon for carrying soup).
• More complicated: Incl. Pei in Bifkod

[I feel like this is dangling open since I don’t understand anything about silver sockets and washbasin]

Synopsis:

• Contextualize within songline:
  • Purim
    • On one hand, we are restricted to “127” nations, but this is a means not a justification
      • The sin of the banquet
      • Torah as freedom, love as a microcosm of freedom
  • Recent parasha‘s
    • “Veatah tetzaveh“
    • Mishpatim
• “Negef” studied via “Met” – how end’s constrained means become mortal intrinsically
  • Words whose otiyot are not readily obvious on a superficial level, especially “negative” words
• Phei in the first verse

Synopsis expanded:

• Humanity is lived within systems of shared/interlocking networks (e.g. tax-propelled nation-building) which relate to, but the latter can be seen in segregation, individual island expressions.
  • [Are we monkeys, incapable of self-evolving, that we should perceive our environment as our totality, and hence enjoy what we have qua all that we need!?]
  • [Neither I wonder is intrinsically wrong, and here “taxation” as a means is taught; enjoy the benefit but only because we are limited still]
• I wonder [whether] this applies both to communities (as emphasized here), but also to the internal landscape (cf. “ve’atah” excluding Moshe). This project can be entered via Yitro, but here can be studied in another facet, re. contributing from all our variegated life experiences/projects/vectors towards the building of the Mishkan (“finishing” creation’s base/floor)
• Israel is uncountable. To do so is a fallacy on multiple fronts. Consequences of which include: to do so is to “measure” and thus define according to a scale (i.e. counting scale) whose abstraction implies truncation.
• Pei sofit (in one facet of one teaching) is like an embryo (pei) unfolded into the infant’s form (sofit). If a society draws up its final form and says “This is the only purpose, all things must contribute to this”, then destruction is inevitable. The need for organic engagement with the unfolding of history is obvious. However here, this limitation (aka imperfect foresight) is installed as a component of reality, and not as a pathogen to be accommodated until “cured”.
• “Counting Israel” = plague. I.e. synonymous. Can be thought as: Defining utter value reveals the real inherent value, aka nothing, nb. value is the journey, not the destination, and especially not the destination within the present. (This is all wishy-washy attempts at expressing).
• In a hallmark-card (v. v. crude) nutshell: Don’t count me/we, rather, ensure that I/us are contributing to the construction of (the interface to) infinity (i.e. towards Infinite).
• Ph-ko-d, can be simplified as A receptivity for a way of seeing/thinking (e.g. being receptive to learn something, being receptive to a set of laws, being receptive to be shown, emphasis is on the receiving aspect) -> and use what is received in constructing your imagination/wants/reaching-for-something (9II) that are the basis for the various purposes/goals of life (10II) -> so that when you are looking for the ways-of-being (8III) that will allow you to do those things, you will have a delimited space of potential in which that occurs (4I).
  • This is done via volition, on one hand. But on the other hand, it occurs passively by contributing half a shekel. (Cf. Assange on networks; or more simply, consider how the purchase of noxious fast-food (cigarettes, etc) contributes to a culture of pathology implicitly, without having to engage).
  • The shape of our understanding/seeing (8II) is a hand with which we reach (space of 10I), it is wrong to see it as a law unto itself (which we are too limited to claim, except by perennial hubris, towards which we are understandably tempted given our amazement at each new level of understanding/discovery/progress).

Appendix I: Words of interest

[Will be referring to very specific parts within this, not to all]

Tisa = 10III-9III-1I

• Simplify, think of this as a Highest Purpose (10III) which invokes pragmatic purposes (10II) in the form of a context (6II) which re-establish the highest-purpose (10III) in the form of their expression (1)
  • The context (6II) is actually the receiving-end-perspective of being unified for a singular vision (9III)

Pei-kuf-daled = 8II-10II-4I (C)

• A delineation of concepts (8II) which invokes a purpose for something higher (10II) which invokes a delineated space for an opportunity (4I)

Lifkodeihem (A) & Bifkod (B)

• (B) The context (2I) of #C, but in which the space for opportunity (4I) is symmetrical to the context (2I) + concepts (8II) + purpose (10II)
• (A), told in the following spaces:
  • 10II – the 4IV
  • 6II – the 10I & 5I
  • 3II – the 3II itself & 10II & 4I
  • 10I – the 8II
  • Points of interest incl.: 8II is used as a hand (10I); purposes and opporunity are the modes for maturation/becoming (3II)

Negef = 5II-3I-8IV

• A power of making things conform (5II), which invokes a maturation to become something else (3I), which invokes the final form (8IV)
• Or: A power of conform (5II), out of whose internal dynamics (like from 2I to 3I) comes new possibilities which channel into the final form each according to what is suitable.

Met = 4II-10III

• How is it that “dead” is “The bringing out of potential (4II) to bring the highest purpose (10III)”?
• I wonder: It is taught by the Buddhists that all life is dukkha, and it is taught by the Rabbi’s that creation is an act of restriction, perhaps it is a paradox that through the Torah (and love and nourishing) the journey of experience can be a gift, and yet its highest achievement is its dissolution, when the created become no longer segregated from their creation/Creator.

Appendix II:

Vatisa vs Vaira: We lift our eyes to see what will come. (Nb. Vayar H-shem regarding Avraham after Brit Mila).

[Cf. Breisheit:24:63&64 But Vaira is taught in regards to seeing (metaphorically, “seeing with third eye”, or akin to seeing Scheena on Shabat, I wonder)… lift our expectation/dreaming/vision to see (cf. like a schizophrenic looks expectantly for signs of a conspiracy) [the paranoid’s conspiracy exists as a static entity only in the shape between the shapes, i.e. shapes that show as the objects of their evidence]. Here Moshe (nb. sum of 600,000) (see note on Tezaveh) lifts Israel in this way].

{Part 2 – 14/03/2017}

Errata:

In a hallmark-card (v. v. crude) nutshell: Don’t count me/we, rather, ensure that I/us are contributing to the construction of (the interface to) infinity (i.e. towards Infinite)

Should be:

In a hallmark-card (v. v. crude) nutshell: Don’t count me/we, rather, ensure that I/us are contributing half-shekel to the construction of (the interface to) infinity (i.e. towards Infinite). This way we all walk arm-in-arm, paradox that we should walk at different paces. Regarding nations, individuals, etc. (Nb. regarding what is good, not as an excuse for evil in its own right, cf. effort to self-rectify which is a measure of good).

{Part 3 – 16/03/2017}

Can look at this:

• How does one elevate life (in general) [aka purpose of life, aka one facet of the purpose of life]
• Yisrael as vav: What it means for Israel to donate (in this sense – thus this will adumbrate next point & give an understanding of how to elevate life)
• Image 1: Shekel takes silver combining with fire
  • Aleph with hei
  • 20/10 gera (cf. modern currency systems)
    • 50c per person per year for physical component
  • Passion conjoined to physical action
• Image 2: mirrors made into basin
  • Aesthetic of aleph (beauty in world can mislead – vav within aleph links to vav within Yisrael (cf. arms of Yaakov), and this relates to the philosophical question on the nature of beauty)
• Concept: Washing hands
• Image 3: different laws for interior stages of Mishkan (washing)
• Otiyot:
  • Ki’or
  • Nachoshet
  • Washing feet and hands one atop other.
• Concept: Benefit of having physical Mishkan, vs making-do without
• Earth combines with fire. The interface can be seen in the vav between Aleph and Hei.
  • Cf mystery of Beit HaMikdash.
• … “making do” expanded upon.

Expanded synopsis:

• A common feature of life philosophies (including religious, personal, tribal) is that they give meaning to the activities that fill life. In doing so, they add an anchoring value, giving life meaning beyond happiness and freedom.
• Teruma can be seen in light of “giving value to life” – giving energy to a framework of meaning that energizes the salient texture of life.
• Teruma can be seen as one species of a population of birds whose common feature is an agility:
• an agility to enrich life from different ways of seeing life (from different maps overlaying the same territory – from different parts into different parts)
• Tzdakka is potent: it is like bet gimmel daled: Avraham standing at the tent door to feed those who needed it, and only asking in return an honest appreciation (for the world of which he was a part).
• [Btw, nb. we do this as a society & as individuals (although they can be seen as the same thing)]
• To donate for the building of the Mishkan (and national upkeep) is one way:
  • In which we: Donate regularly effort (i.e. we donate effort, and we do so regularly) to the aspect of activity-x
    • The aspect is the part (of the activity which is) motivated by that-which-gives-us-a-sense-of-beauty. E.g. accomplishment, originality, connection, etc.
    • I.e. the part of doing something which is motivated (in part) by aesthetics (heatwarming).
  • In a religious sense, to the aspect of that beauty which is primal: Infinite.
• We don’t count ourselves as numbers: we count ourselves as our potential to make beautiful.
• Yisrael is like samech sofit (but not an exact overlap). Samech is Tiferet. Vav is the part of our aleph bet which we look through to see our whole-self. it is our heart. We donate from our heart to our life.
• See Lubavitcher Rebbe on chabad.org re “God showed Moses a fiery coin” http://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/850613/jewish/Chassidic-Insights.htm
  • See Rabbi Kalonymus Kalman Shapira on Magrefa re fire/earth in “The Holy Fire”.
  • We connect to the infinite in one sense:
    • By doing something and doing so with honest emotions unfiltered, and aiming for infinity (the Infinite).
• That was for silver sockets and upkeep, but for basin:
  • Beauty is fundamental to this donation
  • We donate what beauty we can, but specifically, it is that which is most earthly which is most True qua being in the copper basin.
• The feeling of being fresh/clean/pure after a bath is well known. This is allegorically like washing in the copper basin.
  • Water takes form (like caf) of sink, this is like how caf is a crown.
  • Water is a common solvent (i.e. eponymous hydrophilic medium)
  • We overlay what we want to do and what we can, and wash away what we didn’t notice had accumulated like barnacles, or vestigial organs, or vestigial societal fallacies etc
  • We do this in the mirrors that were used to see what is most beautiful in us
• Wash each time for outer, wash once for inner
  • When washing aka “Elevating the mundane”, we need constant rekindling in higher-yearnings
  • When washing for aka “Elevating the spiritual”, we need to initiate each proceeding with an intention
  • But in world without Mishkan, don’t have physical separation of these two, except in crude way (e.g.specified mitzvah vs life-flow – mitzvot are mitzvot and life is life, but that is in terms of being controls on life’s spaceship, but in terms of what is lower and what is higher, both look higher).
    • Cf. Zvachim 1.2, it is hard to see what is kdashim kalim etc, thus human perception is weak, but with a physical embodiment, can connect to the land. (Cf. fire and earth become one via vav in 4-letter name)
    • Making do in simple terms is necessary anyway: looking* for connection to infinite in everything.
    • * nb. “Ki’sirim alei deshe ve’chirvevim…”, this is not just “one way” that needs to be found and simply applied to everything
    • But the difficulty is exacerbated by convoluted matrices of kedusha: the different ways in which an idea is “not of this world” whilst “pertaining/effecting this world”. This is not just a naive-space geometry problem, it is also a matter of “internal dimensions”, e.g. kedosh kadosh.

Appendix 1:

Otiyot of Yisrael: 10I-9III-8III-1I-3II

A hand hooks for the purpose of:

A perception of unity (shin like shalom, but here seen from below as a simple unity, when in fact it is complicated)
which brings about the path found, a way of navigating possibilities
which brings about an expression into the world
which connects. (Lamed).

It is also the battle against our lesser-self (which nonetheless is powerful; Esav), in the way that we win it.It is also the crossing of the river of integrating our whole (habits vs ideas; via emotions).

Appendix 2: Gera

Shekel is 20 gera, half is ten.

The shekel is physically allocated economic/system value component:

Something that has the ability to unite (shin) into a thing (aleph*) which appears as a connection to a higher purpose (kuf) which when expressed (aleph) is a mode of communication (lamed). The amount is alluded in the same of daled and mem which is also prominent as space upon which the kuf sits. These are “amount of opportunity” and “potential energy”.

* Aleph-space is pertinent because kuf is next, if it were lamed next, then gimmel space would be more pertinent, but also even if samech or vav were next the gimmel space would be more pertinent. But for this reason when thinking of shin-to-lamed in shekel, can be worthwhile to look at gimmel space therein, but more clear would be to look at lamed space per se (for reasons of being in olam briya). This can be seen as the space of ashes left after a fire. Currency is the most far-reaching means of connection employed by Homo sapiens.

The difference from gera can be seen by analogy with a difference in modern vs ancient currency systems.

Modern systems are more likely to employ trinkets which devalue utterly. This does not invalidate them, but it makes it easier to see the difference between shekel and gera.

The half-shekel in one opinion is given as the common “half denomination coin”, e.g. 50c.

But this is also measured as a minimal effort required to produce. Which normally are the same. (Aka: the lowest common currency would be the lowest effort-amount valued, in a world that was somehow fair in selling effort for currency).

Appendix 3: Ci’or, rachatzu, yad vs regel, nechoshet

Ci’or – 2II-10I-6I-8III.

See two images, one at a time:

1. Conforming to something in order to do something only possible by taking its form
   1. (Caf), to express an ability to do/choose/aim (yud).
2. Finding a way to do something (choosing a path amongst a forest of possibilities)

Now see them as symmetrical.

Analogy: A thing which takes a shape for a purpose; making it that way is the same as the possibility which it reveals (of bathing in a container) (out of all the possible ways it could have been shaped).

Rachatz (related word) – 8III-8II-9IV

• Its where a possibility (8III) brings about the highest-purpose for which it was needed (10III) in the form of a way to compose something (8II)
• This composition (8II) is made up of units of possibilities (the 8III before)
• The composition (8II) brings about an access to do something (10I) in the form of a purification (9IV)

Analogy: Using different ways of contorting and impacting hands beneath running ways, as iterations within a loop of repeated actions which become a means for concentrating the washed-hands into their more essential (less redundant contents) matter.

Yad – 10I-4I

E.g. The things in life which we control/interact.

Regel – 8III-3I-3II

E.g. The things in life which (we navigate with, but also which) “follow our feet”

Can think of these two as:

• What we want to do in the world
• What we realistically need to attend to, because that’s what’s within reach.

Nechoshet – 5II-8I-9III-10III

See two images one at a time:

1. Power to conform (nun) which was done for sake of a way of constructing (chet)
   1. The way of constructing is constructed out of the units of powers of conformation (zayin builds in chet)
2. A power to make singular (shin) which was done for sake of being a thing (Aleph) which is its highest purpose (taf)

These are symmetrical.

Nechoshet as copper is the metal manifestation of nechoshet. For Mishkan this is clear. For non-physical echoes/songs this is a more complex, less obvious/clear/delineateable substrate.

Appendix 4: Marble in Athens

Plato said that beauty in the world is the physical manifestation of the Idea of beauty, and that which is pure is good, so pure beauty is good (nb. summary is crude and not-fair to Platonists et al.). There has not been (within formal Western philosophy) much naive equating of beauty and good (e.g. saying “all that is beautiful is good”), but (it follows from those philosopher’s that there is) a metaphysically/theoretically implied relationship (between beauty/goodness). This (i.e. the ability to combine the ideas of beauty and goodness) has been constrained by arguments that prove their independence; and yet there is good in beauty…

Also, it follows ironically that the most prestigious of all ancient philosophers; Socrates, was famously ugly.

The appearance of beauty can be overlaid onto the True Idea of beauty, but this connection is segregated naturally in many cases (and often superimposed as if by accident). (Cf. aesthetic philosophy which agrees with the Marxian edict – aka. enough talking, start doing – by making the good beautiful).

{Part 4 – 16/03/2017}

Compare: Kedusha levels in Mishkan with Shabbat aspect of Aba/Ima, and feminine within “masculine & feminine” but all this within “feminine cf masculine”
http://www.chabad.org/kabbalah/article_cdo/aid/1778774/jewish/Honoring-the-Masculine-and-Feminine.htm

Very complex yin-yang abjective boundary here.

{Part 5 – 16/03/2017}

Cf.:

• Re “regel vs yad” see http://ravkooktorah.org/KITISA63.htm
• Re “Inner vs outer washing && half-shekel && previous email re. male/female (incl Shabat)” see http://ravkooktorah.org/KI_TISA_67.htm
• Re “Counting/Li’fkod etc” see https://dorsheitzedek.org/writings/parsha-ki-tisa-march-13-god-s-thirteen-attributes-mercy

{Part 6 – 24/04/2017}

Thinking about Betzalel re these:

The people in the Tanach: within ourselves, within our community, within our world, as non-personal vector forces, as a strategy.

Genealogy of otiyot

Appendix 1: Names

Chur – 8I-6I-8III

Simplify: The person who epitomizes:

Discovering possibilities of being (reish) by way of creativity (chet).

Oori – 1I-6I-8III-10I

Simplify: The person who epitomizes:

• (1) A hidden world of thoughts, etc (Aleph)
• (2) Discovering possibilities (reish) for tackling goals (yud)
• The #2 comes out of #1

Simple genealogy:

• The reish comes from Chur, i.e. the possibilities of being (here in Oori) can be found by way of creativity

Betzalel – 2I-9II-3II-1I-3II

First look at “Tzalel“:

• Dream/reaching for something more (tzaddik)
• …which feeds into the higher purpose [kuf]
• …to connect (lamed – with people, with possibilities, with ideas, with areas of life, etc)
• …which was done for sake of
• …expression/action into world (Aleph)
• …which was done for sake of
• …to connect (lamed)*

Simplify: a person who: acts as a partner to the ethos/way-of-being of connecting

Simple genealogy: Aleph of Oori was silent, here has voice. The hidden world is expressed for sake of connection (lamed).

Re. Yehuda:

Cf. ??? Kabbala on Yehuda and Levi vs Yosef (throwing in well, etc) regarding the unity of Israel, they were mistaken due to correct fact: that Yehuda always holds the Staff of Israel. This also relates to the unity of Yosef and Yehuda, and also to Aleph in Betzalel and Oori.

[Does Ohaliab relate to the unity of Yehuda and Dan via Shimshon?]