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Orchard of Delights Shoftim

Thus, as Rashi explains, Israel’s receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai function in this world. In this world a tree’s roots grow below the
becomes the very reason for creation. surface of the earth hidden from the naked eye, while a tree’s trunk,
branches, leaves, and fruits are supported by the roots and grow
The Zohar also contains a parable that will assist us in further
understanding the connection between the first fruits and creation above ground. The tree, as it were, yearns to touch the sky. The soul
(Introduction to the Zohar, 23). When God decided to create the and the sefirot mirror the tree, but grow in the opposite direction,
world, all the letters came to Him asking for the merit of being for they are rooted above and yearn to manifest themselves below.
the first letter in the Torah. Each letter, beginning from the end of Thus, both the roots of the soul and the sefirot are rooted in the upper
the alphabet, came before God and argued that it should be first worlds, hidden from obvious detection, and both direct their energies
since a certain word with positive connotations started with it. God to the lower world where they are manifest. The vast majority of the
countered these arguments one by one by explaining that certain soul remains rooted above, while only a small part of it is manifest in
words with negative connotations also started with these letters. this world. Likewise, the sefirot are rooted in the infinite light of God
God disqualified all the letters until the letter beit successfully argued and only through countless contractions and progressive descents do
that the people of the world would praise their Creator with the word they manifest themselves in the physical world.
baruch (blessed). God agreed with this argument, and thus the letter Since the vegetable kingdom was created before humanity (in
beit was chosen to begin the Torah. fact, before all other living things) there is something exceedingly
primordial about trees. Trees represent life force, growth, the cycles
The mitzvah of bringing the first fruits in Hebrew is called bikkurim,
a word which also begins with a beit, and the bringing of the first fruits of time, and the birth of new generations. They provide the earth
was one of the most unforgettable ceremonies dedicated to blessing with oxygen, which allows life to exist on this planet; furthermore,
and thanking God. These two elements connect bikkurim with the they help draw life-giving rain to the earth. They provide shade, food,
beit/baruch at the beginning of the creation of the world. ingredients for medicines, and wood for construction. Additionally,
we should not underestimate the importance of their aesthetic appeal,
When the first fruits were brought up to Jerusalem the joyous for the sense of majesty and tranquility they add to any environment
procession would end in the Holy Temple where the fruits were given is immeasurable. For all these reasons human beings, the Torah, and
to the cohanim (priests): the sefirot are all compared to trees. Indeed, Torah is called a tree of
life and the Torah implores humanity to choose life.
You shall come to whomever will be the cohen in those
days, and you shall say to him, “I declare today to God, It is for these reasons as well that the system of learning employed
your God, that I have come to the Land that God swore throughout this book is called PaRDeS, literally, an orchard, for this
to our forefathers to give us.” The cohen shall take the model alludes to and reveals the multidimensional and life-giving
basket from your hand, and lay it before the altar of God, aspects of Torah. Moreover, this system provides special access,
your God. Then you shall call out and say before God, through the level of sod, to the secrets of Divine creation channeled
your God, “An Aramean tried to destroy my forefather. through the sefirot. This wisdom is instrumental in allowing us
He descended to Egypt and sojourned there, few in to rectify the effects of the consumption of fruit from the Tree of
number, and there he became a nation – great, strong, Knowledge. As we struggle every day to return to the Garden of
and numerous. The Egyptians mistreated us and afflicted Eden, we pray that we will one day enter the Garden, the utopian
us, and placed hard work upon us. Then we cried out to Orchard of Delights, and finally partake of the fruit of the Tree of
God, the God of our forefathers, and God heard our voice Life.

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