The Hidden and Revealed Things

 Boqer Tov!

As I sat down at the laptop this morning, I looked at this pic I'd taken for use in an upcoming Biblical Hebrew lesson. I'm planning to mention the large Lamed. As I gazed at these beautiful words, my eyes went to the diamonds on the words in the next verse down, which I had not previously noticed - and that started such an incredible process - and I'm not even out of my PJs yet!

    The next step was to go to Sefaria.org and see what the Sages of Israel had to say about these diamonds. When the page appeared on my screen, there before me stood the Zohar! Now, if you think that I never open the Zohar on Sefaria, you'll understand my amazement! I  began to think God was telling me something.

    I have repeatedly been told that the Zohar is not for us as it contains too many secrets. However, I have come to understand and believe that at least reading the Zohar is necessary in these last days before Yeshua returns, and it is said it will even hasten His coming.

    So, the words that have the marks on them say "to us and to our children forever" - referring to the revealed things. 

    The verse is talking about how the hidden things belong to God but the revealed things belong to us and our children forever. The subject being discussed here is overt (revealed) and covert (hidden) idol worship amongst Israel. When I looked at the commentaries, that is indeed what they say.

    But idolatry doesn't have anything to do with me today. So I sat back and wondered about this for a few minutes. Then I opened the Zohar Chapter 1 Verse a, and read about the 13 leaves on a rose (making reference to Song of Songs) and the 13 gates of mercy that are open to Israel (both natural-born and ger, like myself) and how the name Elohim in Genesis 1 v 1 is seperated by 13 words from the next mention of the word. I counted. Yip, it is 13. What does this mean? It's comparable to the 13 Attributes of Mercy which are always available to God's people! Wow! I love learning the depth of the Torah!

    Since I have always been told I will never understand what the Zohar is saying, and that I should avoid it at all costs, I have never actually read it at all. But if I apply the verse (Deuteronomy 29 v 28) with the diamonds on the words mentioned above, I see and understood this morning that even if I can only understand One Percent of the Pashat level of the Zohar, how wonderful that would be!

    I have been planning for a few weeks to begin learning live Zohar with a trusted Rabbi in Israel - as soon as I re-arrange my giving, I will do so - and this morning's incident has encouraged me that this is the right thing for me to do at this stage of my life. I have been reading the Torah on the Pashat level for about 9 years and am ready to go deeper. I thank HaShem that He has brought this opportunity to me.

    Always remember to be firmly grounded in the words of the Torah before looking into the secrets it contains. I am treading very carefully and taking tiny steps, so aware that there is a lot of untruth out there. After this morning, I feel very reassured that God is with me and guiding and leading me. I will endeavour with all my heart and soul and strength and might to continue to cling to Him so as not to be led down a strange garden path!

Blessed be the LORD, God of our fathers, forever and ever. Amen.