Ba'al Shem Tov- Unification of G-d (+ Live Kabbalah Video)

 By: Rabbi Amichai Cohen

"For the Unification of The Holy One Blessed Be- He and His Shechina"

In Chapter 19 of the Keter Shem Tov, the Ba'al Shem Tov explains the meditation found before the beginning of the prayers (according to the Alter Rebbe's Siddur of the Ari) and before the performance of Mitzvot called "L'shem Yichud- לשם יחוד קודשא בריך הוא ושכינתי׳ה״". 

What is this unification. The Ba'al Shem Tov explains that "Kudsha Brich Hu", G-d's male aspect which incorporates the first 6 emotional Sefirot called Zeir Anpin in the Zohar (watch class for elaboration) becomes glorified by Malchut or Shechina, the feminine and 7th Sefirah of the 10 Sefirot.

How does is this glorification happen?

The Ba'al Shem Tov explains that G-d created the world via speech. The Mishna in Pirkei Avot (Ethics of Our Father's) say "the world was created through 10 forms of speech (found in the beginning of the Torah in Genesis). 

If we compare speech within our human components we can understand that speech is the last rung of the human expression. We start off with the mind, then emotionally identify with the ideas and then express them.

The Alter Rebbe in chapter 20 in Tanya explains that just as our free thinking mind can think endlessly and is infinitely vaster than speaking, so too speech is condensed in comparison to the higher faculties of man. The Alter Rebbe takes this further and says that G-d's "10 utterances" are a very limited form of speech compared to his ability to speak (create).

Physical Mitzvah

The Ba'al Shem Tov explains that when we perform a physical Mitzvah (good deed) we are causing this unification of G-d and causing him to be glorified because his Shichina/ Malchut /speech became actualized by recognizing that he created this lowly physical world.

The Kotzker Rebbe used to say "G-d is playing hide and go seek, but no one is seeking".

When we look for him and find him, we cause a great delight to G-d because that is his purpose of creation to be known and expressed in this lowly of the 4 worlds. 

Malchut-Kingship

The Talmud says "there is no king without a nation". A king, Melech by definition needs to feel distinct and separated from his constituents. So too on a spiritual level, the Sefirah of Malchut is aloof from the world. In order for Malchut to be realized it must come from the nation.

In Kabbalistic terms, this called "from below to above" direction. Where as according to Kabbalah, the Zeir Anpin are compared to from "above to below".

Just as when the people recognize the king and accept him, he becomes exalted, so too G-d's Shechina/ Sefirah of Malchut becomes exalted and actualized.

Practical Application

Recognize that everything is really him. G-d's vibrational frequency is everywhere. When we recognize that, seek him find him and perform a physical Mitzvah we cause a unification of the higher worlds and lower world. We as simple mortal beings can give such a vast, glorious and incomprehensible creator such delight, should give us immense joy and humility and help us drive our highest life mission- to know and serve him!

Check out the full class here