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THE SECRET OF QUEEN ESTHER’S SUCCESS From "Manos
HaLevi" by Rabbi Shlomo Alkabetz (page 263) Translated and annotated by Carmel Kehati [words in brackets are the translator’s additions.] "And thus I [Esther] will approach the king." [Esther 4:16] Rabbi Yosef Gackon writes, concerning Esther’s three-day fast, that Esther [in fasting for exactly three days] had the following kabbalistic intention. Namely, that three days and nights contain seventy-two hours, and "B’chen" ["thus", in 4:16] equals seventy-two numerically [in letter-gematria], corresponding to the [exalted 72-letter] Name of G-d hinted in the three verses [that begin], "Vayisa", "Vayavo", "Vayet" [Exodus 14:19, 20, 21, each of which contain seventy-two letters precisely]. It was with the power of this Name that G-d split the [Red] sea and had the Israelites cross over, and He guided them in His protection and they had no fear [of the enemy]. From that Name, [the flow of] the Divine life-force comes to Esther’s supernal [corresponding] sefira; for Esther [as our Sages say] was greenish in complexion [green is a color associated with the sefira Chesed, Divine kindness, as the life-flow descends through the upper worlds]. Esther, with the power of these
seventy-two hours, approached [G-d], King
of the world, in her prayers; for she was sure of His help [that He
would answer her and save the Jews]. Then, in this [lowly physical] world, she approached King Ahasuerus. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rabbi Shlomo Alkabetz c.
5260-5340 (c. 1500-1580 CE), famed as the author of the mystical hymn Lecha Dodi in honor of Shabbat, was
the brother-in-law and Kabbala teacher of
Rabbi Moshe Cordovero (the "Ramak"),
leader of the Safed Kabbalists before the holy Ari.
He completed Manot HaLevi on Megillat Esther before his marriage (in 5289 / 1529 CE)
and gave it to his wife as a wedding gift. It was published in Venice 5345 (1585 CE).
For a complete list of his works,
click here. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Carmel Kehati is a diligent Torah scholar who has lived in Safed for nearly two decades. He may be contacted at: POB 494, Safed Israel. |
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Ascent of Safed
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