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Sefer Miriam: Chakeh Mah (II)

[II] Chakeh-Mah/Wait for What: Chochmah or wisdom is the ability to accept a difficult present reality without jumping to conclusions about the future, to be calm and poised, open to what unfolds. This position of acceptance combined with openness is the channel of liberation.

The name "Miriam" has five different meanings that map to Miriam's five-fold path. The translation of Miriam's name that's associated with the element of Chakeh-Mah/Wait for What is "Mar-Yam" or "Bitter Water." Unlike the ancestral archetype Idit (aka wife of Lot), who is paralyzed by pain, turning into a pillar of salt, Miriam faces the pain but she stays liquid, fluid, not fixing on it. She does not close her eyes to the pain, but she is open to unexpected possibilities. She does not enact narrow futures by believing them inevitable.

The Essential Kabbalah: The Heart of Jewish Mysticism

Daniel C Matt p70

Contemplate this: When the emanation was emanated out of Ayin, all things and sefirot were dependent on thought. God's secret existence emerged from this single point. That which abides in thought yet cannot be grasped is called wisdom: Hockmah. What is the meaning of Hokhmah? Hakkeh mah. Since you can never grasp it, hakkeh, "wait," for mah, "what" will come and what will be. This is the sublime, primordial wisdom emerging out of Ayin.

All aspects of Miriam's Five-Fold Path flow together. In "Spiritual Chutzpah" we saw Miriam's "Chakeh Mah/Wait for What" when she told her father to release his certainty that the future would unfold as the Pharaoh had decreed. In this history-shifting story Miriam's mother, Yocheved, is certain of a painful future, but young Miriam remains in a position of Chakeh Mah/Wait for What:

(ב) וַתַּ֥הַר הָאִשָּׁ֖ה וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֑ן וַתֵּ֤רֶא אֹתוֹ֙ כִּי־ט֣וֹב ה֔וּא וַֽתִּצְפְּנֵ֖הוּ שְׁלֹשָׁ֥ה יְרָחִֽים׃ (ג) וְלֹא־יָכְלָ֣ה עוֹד֮ הַצְּפִינוֹ֒ וַתִּֽקַּֽח־לוֹ֙ תֵּ֣בַת גֹּ֔מֶא וַתַּחְמְרָ֥הֿ בַחֵמָ֖ר וּבַזָּ֑פֶת וַתָּ֤שֶׂם בָּהּ֙ אֶת־הַיֶּ֔לֶד וַתָּ֥שֶׂם בַּסּ֖וּף עַל־שְׂפַ֥ת הַיְאֹֽר׃ (ד) וַתֵּתַצַּ֥ב אֲחֹת֖וֹ מֵרָחֹ֑ק לְדֵעָ֕ה מַה־יֵּעָשֶׂ֖ה לֽוֹ׃ (ה) וַתֵּ֤רֶד בַּת־פַּרְעֹה֙ לִרְחֹ֣ץ עַל־הַיְאֹ֔ר וְנַעֲרֹתֶ֥יהָ הֹלְכֹ֖ת עַל־יַ֣ד הַיְאֹ֑ר וַתֵּ֤רֶא אֶת־הַתֵּבָה֙ בְּת֣וֹךְ הַסּ֔וּף וַתִּשְׁלַ֥ח אֶת־אֲמָתָ֖הּ וַתִּקָּחֶֽהָ׃ (ו) וַתִּפְתַּח֙ וַתִּרְאֵ֣הוּ אֶת־הַיֶּ֔לֶד וְהִנֵּה־נַ֖עַר בֹּכֶ֑ה וַתַּחְמֹ֣ל עָלָ֔יו וַתֹּ֕אמֶר מִיַּלְדֵ֥י הָֽעִבְרִ֖ים זֶֽה׃ (ז) וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֲחֹתוֹ֮ אֶל־בַּת־פַּרְעֹה֒ הַאֵלֵ֗ךְ וְקָרָ֤אתִי לָךְ֙ אִשָּׁ֣ה מֵינֶ֔קֶת מִ֖ן הָעִבְרִיֹּ֑ת וְתֵינִ֥ק לָ֖ךְ אֶת־הַיָּֽלֶד׃ (ח) וַתֹּֽאמֶר־לָ֥הּ בַּת־פַּרְעֹ֖ה לֵ֑כִי וַתֵּ֙לֶךְ֙ הָֽעַלְמָ֔ה וַתִּקְרָ֖א אֶת־אֵ֥ם הַיָּֽלֶד׃ (ט) וַתֹּ֧אמֶר לָ֣הּ בַּת־פַּרְעֹ֗ה הֵילִ֜יכִי אֶת־הַיֶּ֤לֶד הַזֶּה֙ וְהֵינִקִ֣הוּ לִ֔י וַאֲנִ֖י אֶתֵּ֣ן אֶת־שְׂכָרֵ֑ךְ וַתִּקַּ֧ח הָאִשָּׁ֛ה הַיֶּ֖לֶד וַתְּנִיקֵֽהוּ׃ (י) וַיִּגְדַּ֣ל הַיֶּ֗לֶד וַתְּבִאֵ֙הוּ֙ לְבַת־פַּרְעֹ֔ה וַֽיְהִי־לָ֖הּ לְבֵ֑ן וַתִּקְרָ֤א שְׁמוֹ֙ מֹשֶׁ֔ה וַתֹּ֕אמֶר כִּ֥י מִן־הַמַּ֖יִם מְשִׁיתִֽהוּ׃

(2) [Yocheved] conceived and bore a son; and when she saw how beautiful he was, she hid him for three months. (3) When she could hide him no longer, she got a wicker basket for him and caulked it with bitumen and pitch. She put the child into it and placed it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile. (4) And his sister [Miriam] stationed herself at a distance, to learn what would happen to him. (5) The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe in the Nile, while her maidens walked along the Nile. She spied the basket among the reeds and sent her slave girl to fetch it. (6) When she opened it, she saw that it was a child, a boy crying. She took pity on it and said, “This must be a Hebrew child.” (7) Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get you a Hebrew nurse to suckle the child for you?” (8) And Pharaoh’s daughter answered, “Yes.” So the girl went and called the child’s mother. (9) And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will pay your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed it. (10) When the child grew up, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, who made him her son. She named him Moses/Draw Out explaining, “I drew him out of the water.”

Our ancestors tell us that we have to take care when we bear witness...

(יא) ותבט אשתו מאחריו ותהי נציב מלח כתב הרב ז"ל כי הראות באויר הדבר ובכל החלאים הנדבקים יזיק מאד וידביקם וכן המחשבה בהם.... ולכן היתה נציב מלח כי באת המכה במחשבתה כאשר ראתה גפרית ומלח היורד עליה מן השמים ודבקה בה...

Lot's wife looked back and she turned into a pillar of salt. The revered Rabbi, of blessed memory, wrote that the sight of something harmful/traumatic in the air, as well as all contagious illnesses, can cause significant harm and allow such diseases to cling to the viewer. The same applies to thoughts about these things.... Thus, she became a pillar of salt because the harm/trauma affected her thoughts/psychology as she saw the sulfur and salt raining down from the heavens, and it clung to her...

Let's take a closer look and see what we can learn about the meditative practice of Chakeh Mah/Wait for What from Miriam's practice of Chakeh Mah/Wait for What:

(ד) וַתֵּתַצַּ֥ב אֲחֹת֖וֹ מֵרָחֹ֑ק לְדֵעָ֕ה מַה־יֵּעָשֶׂ֖ה לֽוֹ׃

(4) And his sister stationed herself at a distance, to learn what would happen to him.

Vatteitatzav: "stationed herself" means to take a firm stand, holding the body with attention and with readiness. There's an intentionality and a commitment.

Merachok: "at a distance" when we're facing a bitter situation, can we create some distance between ourselves and the situation, while remaining focused on the situation? How can we externalize what is roiling in our imagination?

L’de’ah mah-ye’aseh lo: "to learn what would happen to him" Chakeh Mah/Wait for What requires cultivating a deep curiosity.

The Woman Who Reimagined the Dystopian Novel

The New Yorker Sept 8, 2023

Talya Zax

As long as we retain the ability to experience the unexpected—and generate it—there is an untainted sky waiting to be found within.

(ו) ותתצב אחותו מרחוק לדעה מה יעשה לו (שמות א, ד). ובו יבואר הפסוק מרחוק ה' נראה לי. הכלל, כשהעולמות הם דבוקים בגשמיות שלהם אז אינם יכולים להשיג עבודת הבורא ברוך הוא וכשהם מרחקים עצמם ומפשיטים מגשמיות שלהם אז הם יכולים להשיג עבודת הבורא ברוך הוא. וזהו הרמז בפסוק מרחוק, כשאדם הוא מרוחק מגשמיות שלו אז ה' נראה לו. וזהו הרמז ותתצב אחותו, כי אחותו לשון דביקות מלשון מאחה, מה שהוא דבוק בגשמיות שלו מרחוק להתרחק עצמו מגשמיות שבו. לדעה מה יעשה לו, לדעה, מלשון התחברות (בראשית ד, כה) וידע אדם. מה יעשה לו, שהאין הוא השופע עליו תמיד ותמיד הוא מקבל חיות מאת הבורא ברוך הוא כי האין נקרא מה:

(6) Exodus 2,4. “his sister positioned herself at a distance, ‎in order to find out what would be done with him.” This ‎verse helps us understand Jeremiah 31,2 “the Lord appeared to ‎me from a distance, etc.;”‎
There is a general rule that when the people in the physical ‎universe are fully preoccupied with their secular concerns, they ‎will not be able to elevate themselves to true service of the Lord. ‎This idea is hinted at when the Bible uses the term ‎מרחוק‎. ‎‎[The term does not describe distance in terms of ‎kilometers. Ed.] Rapprochement to the Creator ‎progresses at the same speed as distancing oneself from purely ‎secular concerns. The Torah chose to describe Miriam as ‎אחתו‎, ‎‎“his sister,” as it wished to allude to the word ‎מאחה‎, meaning ‎‎“attached,” i.e. ‎מדובק‎. Miriam was anxious to see if the attribute ‎of ‎אין‎, the eternal element of G’d, would continue to influence the ‎baby’s fate. On some occasions this attribute ‎אין‎ is also known as ‎מה‎, the word used in our verse.‎

Chakeh Mah/Wait for What is the devotional posture that responds Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh/I Will Be What I Will Be --- the Divine name that is necessary for liberation.

(יג) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶל־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֗ים הִנֵּ֨ה אָנֹכִ֣י בָא֮ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ וְאָמַרְתִּ֣י לָהֶ֔ם אֱלֹהֵ֥י אֲבוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם שְׁלָחַ֣נִי אֲלֵיכֶ֑ם וְאָֽמְרוּ־לִ֣י מַה־שְּׁמ֔וֹ מָ֥ה אֹמַ֖ר אֲלֵהֶֽם׃ (יד) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֶֽהְיֶ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶֽהְיֶ֑ה...

(13) Moses said to God, “When I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers’ has sent me to you [to lead you out of slavery],’ and they ask me, ‘What is [God’s] name?’ what shall I say to them?” (14) And God said to Moses, “Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh/I Will Be What I Will Be”...

In this scene, Miriam expressing Chakeh Mah/Wait for What is understood as a face of the Divine:

(כב)... וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרִין כָּל הַפָּסוּק הַזֶּה עַל שֵׁם רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ נֶאֱמַר, וַתֵּתַצַּב, עַל שֵׁם (שמואל א ג, י): וַיָּבֹא ה' וַיִּתְיַצַּב. אֲחוֹתוֹ, עַל שֵׁם (משלי ז, ד): אֱמֹר לַחָכְמָה אֲחֹתִי אָתְּ. מֵרָחֹק, עַל שֵׁם (ירמיה לא, ב): מֵרָחוֹק ה' נִרְאָה לִי. לָדַעַת מַה יֵּעָשֶׂה לוֹ, עַל שֵׁם (שמואל א ב, ג): כִּי אֵל דֵּעוֹת ה' [וכל הענין].

(22) “His sister positioned herself at a distance to know what would happen to him” (Exodus 2:4).
The Rabbis say: The entire verse is stated as an allusion to Divine Spirit: “Positioned herself [vatetatzav],” alluding to: “The Divine came and stood [vayityatzev]” (I Samuel 3:10); “his sister,” alluding to: “Say to wisdom: You are my sister” (Proverbs 7:4); “at a distance,” alluding to: “From a distance the Divine appeared to me” (Jeremiah 31:2); “to know [lede’a] what would happen to him,” alluding to: “As the Divine is a God of knowledge [de’ot]” (I Samuel 2:3).

Miriam is the origin of the central Kabbalistic idea yeridah tzorech aliyah--- descent for the sake of ascent. Facing the difficulty with the acceptance and openness of Chakeh Mah/Wait can feel like a descent into grief or sorrow. But paradoxically, it is through this "yeridah" or descent, that we find the path to ascend.

... ומרים אחותו קראה לו ירד, לאמור כי היא ירדה אחריו אל היאור לדעת מה תהיה אחריתו...

(24) ...‎his sister Miriam called [Moses] Jared, saying: I have gone down after him to the river, to know ‎what will be his end...

(א) כתיב (תהילים מ״ג:ג׳) שלח אורך ואמתך המה ינחוני, ויכוין בכל עת שהשכינה שהוא מלא כל הארץ כבודו מוליכה את מחשבתו מתתא לעילא בכח גדול, ויבקעו הרקיעים במחשבתו כאילו הם פתוחות לפניו, ויכנס בעולם היצירה ואחר כך לבריאה ואחר כך באצילות, ויהיה יורד במחשבתו למטה ואחר כך יעלה למעלה, ויהיה עולה ויורד במחשבתו כמה פעמים, כי הירידה הוא לצורך עלייה, כי מכח הירידה שירד, אחר כך כשיעלה יעלה במקום גבוה מאוד, והמשל כמו אדם שרוצה לזרוק אבן ומה שמוריד ידו למטה עם האבן יעלה האבן בזריקתו למקום גבוה מאוד:

(1) Send out Your light and Your truth, they will lead me. (Psalms 43:3)
Constantly imagine that the Divine Presence, whose glory fills the world, is guiding your thoughts from below to above with great force. Break through the heavens with your thoughts, as though they are open before you, and enter into the world of Yetzirah, of Beriyah, and then of Atzilus. Descend and ascend in your thoughts many times, for the descent is in order to ascend, and by going down, you gather the strength to rise again to a lofty place. This is like throwing a stone; the further you lower your hand, the higher it will be thrown.

The canonical text of the Zohar reminds us: in extracting wisdom from our ancient tradition we must crack open the shell of misogyny and xenophobia and release the goodness within.

(יג) רָזָא דְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא לְגוֹ, דְּאִיהוּ רָזָא ל"ב. וּבְהַהוּא חוּשְׁבָּנָא דִּלְבַר, מַה כְּתִיב, וְעָשִׂיתָ יְרִיעוֹת עִזִּים. יְרִיעוֹת עִזִּים, אֲמַאי עִזִּים. אֶלָּא רָזָא דְּגַוְונָא דִּילֵיהּ, לְמֵיהַב דּוּכְתָּא בְּרָזָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא, וּבְגִין כָּךְ יְרִיעוֹת עִזִּים וַדַּאי. כְּתִיב (שיר השירים ו׳:י״א) אֶל גִּנַּת אֱגוֹז יָרַדְתִּי וְגוֹ', הָא אוּקְמוּהָ, אֲבָל מַה אֱגוֹז אִית לֵיהּ קְלִיפָה, דְּסָחֲרָא וְחַפְיָיא עַל מוֹחָא, וּמוֹחָא לְגוֹ, אוּף הָכִי בְּכָל מִלָּה דְּקוּדְשָׁא, קְדוּשָּׁה לְגוֹ, וְסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא לְבַר. וְרָזָא דָּא, (חבקוק א׳:ד׳) רָשָׁע מַכְתִּיר אֶת הַצַּדִיק. וְעַל דָּא אִקְרֵי אֱגוֹז, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ.

(13) The same lesson is indicated in the words, “I went down into the garden of nuts” (Song of Songs 6, 11). For, as the nut has a shell surrounding and protecting the kernel inside, so it is with everything sacred: the sacred principle occupies the interior, whilst the “other side” (harm) encircles it on the exterior. This is the inward meaning of “the wicked doth surround the righteous” (Habakkuk 1, 4). The same is indicated in the very name EGVZ (nut).1The numerical value of EGVZ (1+3+6+7)=17. Similarly, HT (sin) (9+8=17) and TVB (the good) (9+6+2)=17.

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