27 May Beha’alotcha: Secrets of The Inverted ‘NuNs’
Beha’alotcha: The Inverted NuNs (10:35-36)
Inspired by the teachings of
Harav Yitzchak Ginsburgh and Rabbi Moshe Genuth
The World of Rectification (Tikun) aka This World, is often referred to as a ‘pluralistic’ or ‘paradoxical’ world. Unlike a world that is purely spiritual, this world is both spiritual and physical. Understanding the individual components and the interaction of the physical and spiritual worlds allows us to better bring about unity at all levels creation. To do this, we need the teachings of Kabbalah.
The Omer
During the 49 Days of the Omer we look to rectify the 7 Emotive experiences of the Heart. The character traits or ‘midos’ of the 7 Emotive experiences of the Heart are to be worked on during the Omer in every possible combination. This may be referred to as the ‘interinclusion’ of the 7 sefirot of the Heart; chesed, gevurah, tiferet, hod, netzach, yesod and malchut, for a total number of interinclusions of 49, the number of Days of the Omer. The purpose of the Omer is to rectify ones heart in preparation to receive the Torah on the 50th day, Shavuos.
Transformation is achieved through ‘carrying, or holding opposites’, also known as ‘standing in the question’. This concept is the key to The 50 Gates of Binah-Understanding. It is through the comparative analysis of the existential questions in life that we can bring together in unity ‘two opposites’ and achieve a rectified state of Binah-Understanding… a greater Truth. (see article 50 Gates http://www.auraoftorah.com/the-50-gates-of-understanding-binah-the-omer-shavuos-and-tshuva).
Shavuos
The receiving of Torah at Sinai was an experience of the mind, and intellectual experience. As it says in the Chumash; they were ‘wise of mind’. However, this intellectual or ‘mind’ experience of Torah proved to be fleeting and problematic. It was followed very soon after by the transgression of the idolatry of the Golden Calf (the Egel). We see however that there was the exception of Bezalel and the others who were ‘wise of heart’ who were chosen to build the Mishkan. This would indicate that their revelation at Sinai was a more complete experience, both an experience of being ‘wise of heart and wise of mind’ , allowing those individuals (chosen to build the Mishkan) to best qualified to integrate Torah into their being (mind and heart; intellect and emotive) at the Revelation at Sinai as they now could have the experience of DAAT-Knowledge, a culmination of mind (chochma) and heart (binah) . We can thus see the merit of rectifying ones heart ( the 50 Gates of Binah) during the 49 Days of the Omer to be prepared to receive Torah on Shavuos…
A mind experience without a connection to the heart is a fleeting one.
The Roof of the Mishkan and the Inverted Nuns
*The original root of the word Kabbalah (קַבָּלָה ) in Hebrew means “parallel” (to receive or correspond) . In the entire Five Books of Moses this root appears only twice, in the same phrase, “the loops shall be parallel to one another.” Only later, in the Book of Esther do we find this root used in what has become its commonly used expression in Hebrew, “to receive” (לְקַבֵּל ). This means that the original meaning of the word Kabbalah indicates an ability to see and draw parallels on a one-to-one correspondence between different sets of elements that at first sight may not seem to be related to one another. In the case of the inverted ‘NuNs’, there is an immediate parallel in the fact that they have the same number of elements as each of the (2) NuNs has a numerical value of 50.
In the Torah, the two sets of roof panels of the Tabernacle were of 50 loops each. When they were connected they formed one roof of 100 loops; 50 loops + 50 loops=100 loops forming the Tabernacle roof . Connecting the two separate roof coverings creates unity. The number 100 (10²) is significant in Kabbalah. It is a perfect and rectified number.
The purpose of our study of Kabbalah is to see unity within plurality.
This is how one begins to return from the feeling of plurality to unity in the soul.
This is the basic wisdom of Kabbalah.
*Harav Y. Ginsburgh http://www.inner.org/times/nisan/nisan-speak-your-faith.php
The Paradox of the Inverted NuNs and the Mesiannic Message of the Mishkan
As we have seen in the previous paragraph, the inverted NuN’s (Nun = 50) are the two roof pieces of the Mishkan that become one unified roof. As you can see, the actual spelling out of the letter NuN is the numerical value of 50+50=100 ( a perfect and rectified number). The actual passage form Torah where we find the inverted nuns is translated as follows;
Chapter 10 Verse 35: Whenever the Ark departed Moshe would say: “Rise, Ad-noy, and may your enemies disperse, and those who hate You flee before You.” Verse 36: When it rested, he would say: “Come to rest, Ad-noy, among the myriads and thousands of Israel.”
The superficial understanding of the passage is talking about the Aron Kodesh as they traveled and rested in Bamidbar, the wilderness.
The commentators agree that these two verses enclosed by the ‘inverted NuNs’ are actually ‘in potential’ a separate book of the Torah. It can qualify as a separate sefer given the guidelines that a sefer must be at least 85 letters. This would then alter the existing understanding that the 5 Books of Moses-The Chumash, are thus actually in potential 7 books. This division of the Torah however may only take place when Mashiach arrives.
We can learn from the versus above that the shechina (G-d’s abundant Light) rested upon us as the Ark rested and we camped, and the shchina protected us as we traveled. Ever since the Exodus form Mitzrayim (Egypt) and even to this day we have as a people been on a journey. We say in the Shema that we will embrace the teachings of Torah ‘ as we sit in our home, as we walk on our way’. This is very nice allusion to the verses of the Torah as the Ark travels and rests. And just as the 2 roofs (50 loops each or NuN=50 loops) become unified as one completed roof over the Mishkan (as 100 loops). Accordingl there will be an experience of resolve and completion during the resting and traveling Mishkan ( of the 42 encampments of our travel in the desert). A experience of unification.
The inverted NuNs give us an indication of the potential of the power of the unification. We must keep in mind that roof of the Ark as well as the power of rectification is ones heart ; the 50 Gates of Binah (as Nun= 50= Binah).
The Messianic message of the contained versus (Ch10 vs 35-6) reveals to us that as we continue to journey, we must live and learn Torah, we must strive to resolve the plurality (the paradox) in our hearts, our minds, and our world. We must gather and ignite the sparks of Holiness to bring about unification so that the ultimate final resting place of the Shechina and the Ark will be the Beit Hamikdash, the 3rd Temple…and all Jews will be united and the Mashiach will be amongst us. May Mashiach come now.
Leib Getzel (Lawrence) Lax
Addictions and Counseling (Honours)
www.lawrencelax.com