Continued from page 1
WHAT WENT WRONG?
Since Light is impartial, does this justify Pharoah's position? Absolutely not.
The Zohar (3:47b) states, "The greatest revelation of G-dliness is Light that emerges from Darkness." Thus we see that not only is there value to darkness - but when we attempt to draw Light out from it, it becomes GREATEST display of G-dliness.
Reb Tzadok HaCohen adds following insight regarding darkness:
"The (Hebrew) word for darkness - choshech can be read in two different ways,(depending on whether we read interchangeable middle letter as a shin or a sin) A dot on right side will give us word choshech-darkness. A dot on left will yield word chosech-to withhold. What then is darkness but withholding of Light?"
If darkness is withholding of Light, our job in world then becomes to reveal it.
A good place to begin is within ourselves.
"Every time you find yourself at conflict with a part of yourself that is self sabotaging -the Pharoah part - remember that force of might that is behind this destructive part is really an unconscious and misdirected power, a "hardening" of G-d. When you unravel hardened heart, you will discover that intention is pure and power is G-dly, and thus, transformable." - Rabbi Avraham of Trisk (Magen Avraham)
What happens to those, such as Pharoah, who do not seek to "unravel hardened heart"?
When one does not take a personal accountability of their resistances to change, it is inevitable that plagues break out. It took 10 plagues until Pharoah, archetype of resistance, was able to surrender to inevitable change that awaited him.
This introduces us to our Second Law - Law of Accountability.
SECOND LAW - LAW OF ACCOUNTABILITY
In order to understand Metaphysics behind Law of Accountability we need to further understand what our role is in dealing with Light and Darkness.
According to Judaism's mystical tradition, when we encounter darkness, we have an option by which we are held accountable: to either push it away or to transform it. The difference is following:
"When light PUSHES AWAY darkness, eventually another darkness shall come. When darkness itself is TRANSFORMED into light, it is a Light that no darkness can ever again oppose. It is a higher grade of Light" (Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson zt"l - late Lubavitcher Rebbe).
The Pharoah of Torah text not only neglects to transform his darkness into light, or even push it away, but resists it, and thus becomes further hardened by it, as a result.
Again, this Pharoah part of ourselves is in truth a Divine part of ourselves but one that remains blocked and unevolved.
The greater resistance to Moshe (Moses) liberating force within, more we witness on ourselves strange behaviors, violent demonstrations of wrath, and crazy outbreaks of irrationality - in other words - plagues.
PHAROAH'S FATE - THE LAW OF CORRECTION
The universe shows us that our daily encounters in world will persuade us to embrace our inner contradictions, challenge us to make compromises while offering us reward of wholeness if we surrender to Reality.
Like Pharoah, when we resist what we perceive as an opposition or threat to our reality, we inevitably attract and must face conflict.
Like Pharoah, when we are unable to take appropriate actions, we inevitably become victims of Life's correction.
Like Pharoah, whatever we refuse to embrace about ourselves will ultimately deprive us of our peace.
G-d indeed hardens Pharoah's heart and indeed punishes him. But G-d is not one to blame for it. Pharoah is.
The text implies that during first five plagues, Pharoah hardened his own heart. It was not until end of plagues that text changes to "G-d hardening Pharoah's heart".
This is because although we are given free choice in this universe, it is only up to a point.
In Kabbalah we have what is called, "The Law of Vessel" or "Law of Correction" which means, universe (Vessel) has within it a self correcting mechanism. When anything reaches an extreme, Universe corrects it by brining it back into balance. When a body gets too cold, it shivers. When it gets too hot, it sweats. Likewise, according to Law of Vessel, if someone decides to do harm of their own volition, they are given free reign to do just that (which is nature of free choice), but there'll come a point where their ability to freely make their own wrongful moral and spiritual choices will be taken away from them, and both that person and their acts of evil will be undone. Therefore, as our Sages have taught, our Universe is comprised of a delicate balance, perfect in its own way, of both Mercy and Justice - Chesed and Gevurah.
In meantime, let us continue moving forward with honesty, humility and a willingness to be advocates for G-d's Light. Tomorrow still holds many seas to cross, a wilderness to wander, and a Promised Land that awaits both you and I.
Blessings, Rabbi Michael Ozair http://www.KabbalahCoach.com
Rabbi Michael Ozair is a spiritual life coach, counselor, teacher and consultant. He can be reached at coach@kabbalahcoach.com or by visiting his site at KabbalahCoach.com