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is permitted. The numerical value of the vessel in which the ash is the earth” (Deuteronomy 11:21) At that time the Jewish people and
mixed alludes to the importance of self-nullification when confronted ultimately all of humanity will experience Torah and life itself as an
by the reality of death. Orchard of Delights.

Parenthetically, the general importance of self-nullification
in obtaining Torah knowledge is emphasized by the following
mathematical gem. The numerical value of the Hebrew word for
“Torah” is 611. When multiplying thirteen (the numerical value of the ££Chariots of God
£Chariots of GodChariots of God
word “one”) by forty-seven (the numerical value of the word “bitul,”
which means self-nullification) one comes up with 611 (Torah). This
mathematical allusion mirrors the message of the verse, “This is As we have discussed above, there is much that can be written about
the Torah regarding a man who would die in a tent.” True Torah
knowledge is only achieved when an individual nullifies his ego in the the significance of Pinchas’ deed and the enduring impact such a deed
face of God’s essential oneness. can have both on the soul realm and in this world. Another beautiful
insight about Pinchas can be revealed by comparing Pinchas and
Significantly, Rashi notes that both Aaron and Miriam, who pass the patriarch Isaac, both of whose names have the numerical value
away in this portion, die by way of the “kiss of God,” a process “as of 208.
gentle as removing a hair from a glass of milk.” This image is certainly The Kabbalah teaches us that the patriarchs were God’s “chariots.”
more comforting than that of death as a jarring transition from the 16
brilliance of life to a dark and eternal pit. In fact, virtually all recorded Through their thoughts, speech, and action they paved the way
for certain Divine aspects to enter the world and penetrate human
near-death experiences describe death as a beautiful experience full
of compassion. Describing death as receiving a kiss from God would consciousness. The seven lower sefirot are associated with seven
no doubt minimize our fear of death and the unknown. In truth, specific people who acted as conduits, channeling these energies
into the world where they remain to this very day, accessible to all
the more we learn about the Jewish understanding of death and the
afterlife and integrate these ideas deep into our consciousness the less generations. Isaac is associated with the sefirah of Gevurah (strength)
and its inner animating power of fear and awe of God. It is this
we will fear death and the fuller life will be.
connection to Pinchas that is worth investigating.
The opening verse in Toldot reads, “And these are the children of
Isaac the son of Abraham; Abraham gave birth to Isaac” (Genesis
25:19). From time immemorial, the commentators have questioned
this verse’s redundancy: having told us that Isaac is Abraham’s son,
why does the verse go on to state that Abraham gave birth to Isaac?
Chassidic thought answers this question by distinguishing between
the unique spiritual energies each patriarch possessed. Abraham was
the epitome of chesed (loving-kindness), of expansiveness, and of
giving. Isaac was just the opposite; he was the epitome of gevurah,
an attribute manifested by introversion, contraction, and the setting
of specific boundaries. As we discussed in “The Secret of Inter-

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