In Shaar Ruach HaKodesh (Yichud 21) – teachings of the Arizal as compiled by his pupil Rabbi Chaim Vital, sharing some of the most beautiful secrets in one’s path to the acquisition of Divine inspiration, Rabbi Vital teaches us a secret he learnt from the Arizal regarding the Name of God.
Rabbi Chaim Vital writes:
It is good for a person to picture the letters of the Name of God constantly – as they formed (in the picture above) – in front of his eyes. Doing this causes a person to bring into his heart the fear of God – and also to purify the soul (Nefesh). This is what King David said, “שויתי יהוה לנגדי תמיד כי מימיני בל אמוט”, “I have placed Hashem before me always; because He is at my right hand I shall not falter” (Psalms 16:8)
INSIGHTS
While the Arizal teaches us this great principle, let us not forget that this is brought down in the Shulchan by the Rema in the very first Seif of the first section of the Shulchan Aruch in Orach Chaim. So important is this point that it is brought down right at the beginning of all Halachah. In addition, Rabbi Chaim Vital brings it in a work devoted to the focus and goal of Divine inspiration. Only a person who can actively visualise God before him always is deserving of and able to acquire Divine inspiration. The only way a person can be involved in a world of Divine inspiration is if he is completely aware of God at all times – literally seeing God (or at least the holy four-letter Name of God). Instead of using one’s eyes to focus on evil or the bad of others, one should use one’s eyes to imagine the Name in front of one at all times. This will bring fear into one and will additionally bring holiness to his soul.
One of the hidden messages behind the statement of King David concerns the real meaning of placing God before us always. The hidden message concerns the word “Shiviti” which is a strange word. In fact, if King David had wanted to let us know to place God before us, he may rather have used a word such as “Samti” – “I have placed”. Why did King David use the word “Shiviti”?
Once, there was a man who wished to join the master meditators and prophets. He too wished to become like them – being able to prophesy, tell the future and to reach a state of Deveikut (cleaving) with God.
When he approached the leader and told him of his wishes, he (the leader) asked him a question. He asked him if he had reached the level of “Hishtavut” – “השתוות” – a word which comes from the root “Shiviti” and which means stoicism or literally “equality”. The man answered that he did not understand what the master prophet meant. He replied, “If there are two people standing in front of you – and one is praising you, and the other is insulting you, do you seem them in the same way or do you feel happy towards the one praising you and sad and disappointed at the one insulting you.” The man replied, “I feel great happiness from the one praising me and I feel sad at the one who insults me, but I take no revenge nor bear a grudge.” The master replied, “If so, then you have not reached the level of hishtavut yet. You must learn to train yourself, so that you feel neither pleased when you hear a person praising you, nor saddened when another insults you… You should see every person in the same manner, no matter what they say to you.”
When it comes to God, King David used the same language (Shaveh” – “equality” towards our relationship with Him. What King David was telling us is the secret behind serving Him. We are to see God in the same way always. Whether God does good for us, or whether He does what we perceive as bad, we should see all in the same way, feeling neither overly excited when good things happen, nor disappointed when we see “bad” happening to us. We are to see God in the same ways always. We see Him as One, where everything He does to us is in the aspect of good, and we are therefore satisfied with all that God does for us. This is the concept of “Sheviti Hashem lenegdi tamid”.
This is the concept that one who “places” – “shiviti” God before him always will bring fear into his heart and will purify his soul.
For those wanting to experience those feelings of Devekiut with God, it means the constant “effort” of both visualising God’s actual Name in front of one, as well as seeing everything that God does in one’s life as being good. Everything is the same. Everything is good – even if I cannot understand why.
** Please do not print out this post with the Name of God as it is forbidden to discard or treat with any disrespect.
