[Avodah] Lesheim Yichud Source Please and explanation

[Micha Berger]

On Tue, November 25, 2008 11:21 pm, Richard Wolpoe wrote:
: A Ffiend of mine asked me the following questions reqarding the
: Kabbalistic phrase lesheim  Yichud KBH ushechinteih...

We discussed this in Avodah's early days; I'm repeating what I learned
from RYGB.

: 1. What is the earliest source for this statement? Is this from the
: Zohar? The Arizal? Other?

Shaarei Tziyon by a talmid of RAAbulafia, written in 1295. We don't
know the author, much as we don't with numerous other compositions of
a talmid that presents the rebbe's Torah.

: 2. Doesnt' saying that KBH needs to be united with the Sehchina
: imply C'V some duality in the Achdus of HKBH? Or IOW how is this
: statemnt understood w/o violating the Unity of HKBH?

This was the question I had asked.

The Shechinah isn't HQBH, it's our perception of Him. Thus, "lesheim
yichud QBH uShechintei" is a little like a declaration that one
commits this mitzvah to be a step toward "bayom hahu yihyeh H' echad
ushemo echad".

So much for previous discussions. New thoughts:

In RAA's universe, "sheim" has much meaning. We're talking about
someone who taught at length about meditating on combinations of
letters. It's not quite interchangable with Shechinah, as there is an
entire wealth of concepts included.

There is also a difference between Shechinah as Hashem's presentation
of Himself to the universe and the concept of sheim, how we in the
universe perceive Him. The gap between what we are shown and how we
choose to interpret or very often reinterpret it.

But still, the basic declaration is that one is hoping this act brings
the universe's perception of the Aibishter closer to the Reality.
Nothing remotely heretical.

SheTir'u baTov!
-micha

-- 
Micha Berger             "Man wants to achieve greatness overnight,
micha at aishdas.org        and he wants to sleep well that night too."
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