| Mosheh the Initiate The story of the biblical Mosheh (or Moses), whether it is historically accurate or not, is a parable that maps the Path of Initiation. More specifically, the symbolism of his life reveals the nature of the third initiation--called in the Theosophical literature, the Transfiguration. The third initiation is most clearly indicated by the symbolism of Mosheh's ascent of Mount Sinai to receive the Book of the Law (i.e. the Torah) from YHVH. The climbing of the 'Mount of Transfiguration' is an important part of the third initiation, and is associated with the zodiacal sign Capricorn and its ruling planet Saturn. Kabbalistically speaking, during the third initiation the initiate must become focused in the sefirah Geburah and from there raise himself to the sefirah Da'at. In Da'at he is then able to experience the knowledge of Binah (also associated with Saturn). Importantly, this process of 'knowing' Binah also establishes a conjugal relation between the initiate and the 'higher Shekinah', or 'celestial Mother' of the Zohar. The esoteric 'marriage' between the initiate and the Great Mother is a distinguishing feature of the third initiation, and complements the special relationship that is established at the fourth initiation between the initiate (focused in Hesed) and the cosmic Father principle (i.e. as represented by the sefirah Hockmah). This latter relationship is also implemented through the medium of the sefirah Da'at. Da'at represents a universal 'ring-pass-not' that separates and differentiates every incarnate entity from the macrocosm, and prevents us from being absorbed back into the divine Consciousness of the Creator (i.e. so that we don't lose our individualized Selves). In other words, Da'at holds us focused as individual singularities of Light (or consciousness) securely within the limited scope of the Creation. Da'at represents the subjective circumference, while the sefirah Tifaret represents the subjective centre of the circle of Creation. Thus, while we are working within the circle of Creation, conscious access to the divine Mother and Father principles (i.e. as They exist beyond the Creation) can only be experienced through the portal of Da'at. The Zohar describes Mosheh's relationship with the celestial Mother as follows: "Moshe mated with the moon while he was still enclothed in a body. He had full control over her. When he passed from this world, his sacred spirit ascended high and the spirit returned to the supernal Yovel [Jubilee]. There, Moshe cleaved to 600,000 which belonged to him. This is something that did not happen to Ya'akov [Jacob]--his spirit returned to the Shmitah [Sabbatical Year]; This did not happen as long as he was alive, because in his lifetime he had a different house." [Berashit 21b-22a. Quoted from Berashit A:154 of Kabbalah Center Edition] [Note: Unfortunately, the Soncino Edition of the Zohar omits this very interesting section in its translation.] It appears that unlike Moshe, Ya'akov did not achieve the third degree of initiation, but he did succeed in completing the second initiation in his lifetime. The second initiation is called the 'Baptism' in the teachings of Theosophy, and is concerned with the purification of the desire nature and astral body (i.e. as represented by the sefirah Netzah). That Mosheh had successfully completed the second degree is indicated by the story of his marriage to Zipporah and (at the same time) his coming into possession of the magical 'serpent staff'. From Midrash Rabbah (Exodus VIII:3) we learn that the staff of Mosheh weighed 40 se'ah which is an incredibly large weight for a staff and must therefore be a symbolic value. And, as a matter of fact, this happens to be the amount of water (equivalent to approximately 200 gallons) used in the tradition of the ancient Jewish 'mikveh'. The mikveh is an ancient ritual of purification by water, and therefore, in many ways it resembles a 'baptism' ceremony. That this symbolism alludes esoterically to the second initiation (called the 'Baptism') is reinforced by the fact that the Hebrew letter Maym (meaning 'water') has the numerical value 40. In my understanding, the second initiation involves primarily a shift in emphasis from the solar-plexus chakra to the heart chakra. The third initiation, on the other hand, involves the raising of energy from the sacral (i.e. sex) chakra to the throat chakra. As you probably know, the throat chakra is associated with the colour blue, and has it happens, the staff of Mosheh is thought to have had a large sapphire stone mounted upon it. "R. Judah said: The rod weighed forty se'ah and was of sapphire and the ten plagues were engraved thereon in an abbreviated form: De Za K, aDaSH, Be'aHa B." [Midrash Rabbah (Exodus VIII:3)] My guess is that the top of the magical staff of Mosheh, and therefore the crowning blue sapphire stone, rose to the level of his throat, thereby indicating that Mosheh had successfully raised the serpent to his throat chakra, and was thus an initiate of the third degree. Mosheh's staff, was of course, also associated with the serpent power of Creation. This is revealed in the biblical story of the 'burning bush'... "...And HaShem said unto him, What [is] that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. And he said: Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moshe fled from before it. And HaShem said unto Moshe: Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand..." [Exodus 4:2-4] This biblical episode symbolizes Mosheh's control over the 'kundalini serpent' [Heb. NChSh, × ×—×©]. When the magical serpent is released by Mosheh and given wholly to the Earth it becomes a fearsome creature, but when it is brought under his control it becomes a vertical staff with its tail (i.e. the base of the staff) still touching the earth, but its head raised to Heaven--i.e. in this case, the throat chakra. On the kabbalistic Tree of Life the throat chakra is associated with the sefirah Geburah, and the planet Mars. The third initiation is thus also associated with Geburah. The sefirah Geburah symbolizes the divine marriage 'bed', and Mars represents the masculine creative force of the initiate, harnessed and aimed towards the celestial 'bride' Binah. Conjugal union with Binah is effected through the sefirah Da'at. The Mother letter Shin (ש = 300) rules over the third initiation because it symbolizes the 'kundalini fire' (i.e. of the path of Shin) that is raised by the initiate to the throat chakra (i.e. Geburah) there to merge with the greater cosmic Shin of the sefirah Binah (i.e. via Da'at). Correspondingly, the Mother letter Maym (מ = 40) rules over the fourth initiation and is experienced in the sefirah Hesed through which the initiate unites with Hockmah (i.e. via Da'at). This brings us to an important (and perhaps controversial) point regarding the third intiation. The control and use of the 'kundalini fire' (i.e. Shin) for 'esoteric' purposes is strongly emphasized during the third initiation, and it is for this reason that sexual moderation (or 'chastity') is one of its requirements. The third degree requires a whole-hearted devotion to the Celestial Bride and therefore there is a definite shift of emphasis away from using the sexual act for personal pleasure. The third initiation requires the re-direction of the creative fire upwards into the higher mental realm (and onto the 'Mount of Transfiguration', or Da'at) wherein the 'Torah' is received from YHVH ALHIM. In other words, the Shekinah becomes the bride of the third degree initiate, and this can separate him/her from the world of 'standard' human relationships. "Moshe mated with the moon while he was still enclothed in a body. He had full control over her. When he passed from this world, his sacred spirit ascended high and the spirit returned to the supernal Yovel [Jubilee]. There, Moshe cleaved to 600,000 [souls] which belonged to him. This is something that did not happen to Ya'akov [Jacob]--his spirit returned to the Shmitah [Sabbatical Year]; This did not happen as long as he was alive, because in his lifetime he had a different house [i.e. 'wife']." [Berashit 21b-22a. Quoted from Berashit A:154 of Kabbalah Center Edition] Here's a comment on the above passage of the Zohar from Raphael Patai... "In the early mythical ages, we are informed in the Zohar, Jacob became the first husband of the Matronit. However, while Jacob was alive, the union was not consummated because, inveterate polygamist that he was, he continued to have marital relations with his two wives and two concubines even after the goddess attached herself to him. Therefore only after his death, when his spirit entered the Beyond, did Jacob couple with the Matronit. "With her second husband things were different. This was none other than Moses, who, once she became his wife, separated himself from his earthly helpmeet, Zipporah. Having done this, he was allowed to achieve what Jacob never did: to copulate with the Matronit while still in the flesh." [1] Notes: [1] From: Matronit: The Goddess of the Kabbala, by Raphael Patai. History of Religions, Vol. 4, No. 1 (Summer, 1964), pp. 53-68. The University of Chicago Press. ------------------ Blessings, Patrick. ==================================== AstroQab Website (Astrology & Kabbalah) Esoteric Harmonics (e-book) Astrology & the Devas of the Planes (e-book) The Metaphysical Significance of Pi (e-book) The Hexagonal Geometry of the Tree of Life (e-book) The Formation of the Tree of Life (e-book) Jacob's Wheel Cycle/Phase Calculator (software) Donations: AUS or USA (Thank you!) ==================================== |
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