The Secret of Song and Melody: The Path to the Supreme Unification and Subduing the Enemies
Lesson No. 18 | Lesson 1: Tuesday, Parashas Chukas, 29 Sivan 5755
According to the teachings of the holy Arizal, the supreme unification of 'Abba and Imma' (the supernal Partzufim of Father and Mother) — through which all enemies and foes can be obliterated — is achieved solely through song and melody. This article explains how song elevates the Jewish people to the highest spiritual levels and builds the holy Shechinah (Divine Presence).
The holy Arizal reveals to us a tremendous secret regarding the verse:
"Then Israel sang this song: 'Spring up, O well—sing to it!'"
The upper half of the Partzuf of 'Zeir Anpin' (the Divine configuration representing the emotional attributes) is called 'Yisrael', while its lower half is called 'Yaakov'. When the Jewish people reached this upper level, they understood that they now had to continue ascending from the upper half of Zeir Anpin toward the higher Sefiros — to the Partzuf of 'Abba and Imma' (the intellectual attributes of Chochmah and Binah).
The Exclusive Power of Song
The question arises: How does one achieve the supreme unification of Abba and Imma? The holy Arizal teaches a fundamental principle: The unification of Abba and Imma is accomplished exclusively through song and melody.
A person can perform many unifications — a unification in Malchus (Kingship), a unification with the letters, crowns, and vowel points of the Torah — yet still fail to complete their spiritual task. A person can learn Torah all day and fulfill mitzvos, and nevertheless see that their enemies and foes remain healthy, grow fat, multiply, and gain strength day by day. Why does this happen? Because the supreme unification of Abba and Imma has not yet been achieved.
We have made a unification in Malchus and a unification in Zeir Anpin, but to reach the unification of Abba and Imma requires tremendous preparation. First of all, one must study Torah with immense diligence, for twelve consecutive hours. Without this, it is impossible to approach this unification.
Obliterating the Enemies Above the Laws of Nature
When the Jewish people understood that they had to continue onward and obliterate all their foes and enemies, they realized that this had to be done above the laws of nature. The moment they saw that they had lost the unification of Abba and Imma, they immediately began to sing. To achieve the unification of Abba and Imma and wipe out all the enemies, the only way is through song and melody.
This is why the verse says, "Then Israel sang," and does not say, "Moshe and Israel." Through song, the Jewish people had already reached the Kesser (Crown) of Zeir Anpin, which is called 'Yisrael', embodying the secret of the verse:
"For you have striven with the Divine and with men, and have prevailed."
From this level of the Kesser of Zeir Anpin, they wanted to ascend further to Abba and Imma — the level that creates and unifies Zeir Anpin.
To do this anew, and to crush all the enemies, they burst into song. Through the song, the Sefirah of Malchus (represented by Rachel) ascended and became a complete Partzuf. This is the secret of the words "Spring up, O well—sing to it!" — to elevate Rachel to Abba and Imma, for she grows and is built exclusively through song and melodies.
Part 2 of 4 — Lesson No. 18