Dancing With The Divine

תניא אמר רבי ישמעאל בן אלישע פעם אחת נכנסתי להקטיר קטורת לפני ולפנים וראיתי אכתריאל יה ה' צבאות שהוא יושב על כסא רם ונשא ואמר לי ישמעאל בני ברכני אמרתי לו יהי רצון מלפניך שיכבשו רחמיך את כעסך ויגולו רחמיך על מדותיך ותתנהג עם בניך במדת הרחמים ותכנס להם לפנים משורת הדין ונענע לי בראשו

"One time [R. Yishmael ben Elisha] entered the Holy of Holies to bring the incense, and there I saw Akatriel Y-H, the L-rd of Hosts, sitting on a high and lofty throne. He said to me, 'Yishmael, My son, bless me!' and I said to Him, 'May it be Your will that Your mercy should conquer and override Your anger, and You should treat Your children with mercy, going beyond the letter of the law,' and He nodded His head to me." (Berachot 7a)

Two points on this gemara:

First, perhaps "blessing G-d" has to do with overcoming G-d's "inertia" in the physical world, where human beings are the agents of G-d's action. Consequently, it makes sense then, that giving our "blessing" to G-d gives G-d a "handle" to work in the world of action, so to speak.

Second, many angelic names end with "iel" (יאל) or "el" (אל). It may be that the name Akatriel represents the pivot point of the epiphany. Akatriel likewise represents the monkey test, before one "turns inside out". Y-H follows turning "inside out".

Both of these points support my previous hypothesis that when we "let go" of the initial infusion of G-dly knowledge, we are effectually "blessing G-d", thereby enabling G-d to work in the physical world through the door of our action. Akatriel Y-H is the gate through which we come to dance with the Divine.

technorati tags: talmud torah torah kabbalah jewish mysticism judaism jewish women jewish d'bir hakodesh daf yomi talmud gemara