15 Feb Ki Tisa; Building the Mishkan – Powers of Unification of Mind and Heart
Inspired by the teachings of Rav Yitzchak Ginsburgh and Rabbi Moshe Genuth
The ‘Wisdom’ of the experience of the Revelation at Sinai was an experience of Chochma, Wisdom of the Mind (intellect). However, many at Sinai were unable to integrate the lofty experience of the ‘wisdom of mind’ Revelation of Sinai with it’s counterpart Binah-Understanding, the Wisdom of the Heart (emotive). This lack of the ability to integrate Chochma as Wisdom of Mind – with Binah as Wisdom of Heart led to the Sin of the Golden Calf. The imbalance of mind and heart unfortunately remains unrectified with us today and leads us to detrimental consequences.
In the Torah (Ex 31:2-3)G-d says;
2. “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 3. and I have imbued him with the spirit of God, with wisdom, with insight, with knowledge, and with [talent for] all manner of craftsmanship.
It is with these gifts that gave that Bezalel and the others selected, the special level of clarity necessary to perform these tasks (of the building of mishkan).
It is with the connection of wisdom of the mind and understanding of the heart that we may have insight. It is with the interinclusion of wisdoms of the mind (intellect), and understanding of the heart (emotive) that brings the blessing and loftiness of Daat-Knowledge… Oneness (yichud-unity). Bezalel was able to lead the construction of the Mishkan with the unique vision (of the clarity of Daat) of exactly how it was to build as G-d Himself intended.
The sin of the Golden Calf followed the lofty experience of the 10 Commandments yet it was very soon after that that there was the great transgression and consequence of The Egel, The Golden Calf. The Nation was not yet engaged in the ‘integrating’ process of mitzvot, and the lofty experience at Sinai was fleeting.
The building of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) may be seen as a ‘work project’ , an activity that served to unify and integrate the Nation and with the leadership of those individuals of unique powers of the mind (chochma) and the emotive experiences of the heart (binah-understanding). The building of the Mishkan was then a mechanism to become rectified and bring about rectification through the efforts of ‘doing the act’ of constructing the mishkan. This is an example of the personal and national rectification that we achieve through doing mitzvot.
In all that we do in our daily lives, in our tshuvah and recovery of addictioin and malady et al toward wellness and holiness, we must strive toward Tikun-rectification by using and actively engaging in the guidelines of Torah …. the mitzvot, to unify our mind and heart… our intellect and emotions, to acquire the rectified and unified experience of Daat-Knowledge.
The Shema is a central prayer-meditation of Oneness; Yichud-Unity. When we say ‘… as I walk on my way’ we may have in mind that the state of Oneness (yichud-unity) with ourselves,the world and G-d which is achieved through the unity of our mind and our heart…’ through thought and action ‘.
All our affairs can be a meditation… ‘a focused thought’ that coupled with action can bring about the integration and unity of mind (chocmah), heart (binah) and knowledge(daat) with hopes of bringing G-ds blessing, a Tikun-rectification.
Leib Getzel (Lawrence) Lax
Addictions and Counseling (Hnrs)
www.LawrenceLax.com
lawrenceJlax@gmail.com