The Secret of Awakening-Sod
The Interpretation of the Ari
The highest level of interpretation – Sod – cannot be adduced from the text of Modeh Ani. Having some basic outside information will also not suffice. Here one must know the secret ahead of time.
According to the Ari: The words “Living an eternal king” refer to the attribute of Malchut (Sovereignty) as it is united with the attribute of YeSod (Foundation). Thus the phrase “Living and eternal King who has restored my soul within me” means, then, that the restoration of the soul comes from the level of malchut as it is unites with the level of YeSod.”
These cryptic words can be understood as follows:
Fusion
Every morning we experience a rejuvenation of our soul’s vitality. Kabbalah, which is attuned to the dynamics of our soul, explains that this process of rejuvenation requires a profound celestial fusion of two distinct G-dly energies.
Malchut, is the tenth and last attribute. It is this attribute that is responsible for the actual creation of the world. In actuality there are, as discussed before, many worlds. Accordingly, the level of Malchut of one world is the dynamic G-dly instrument that is responsible for the creation of the next, lower world.
The Attribute of Malchut-Divine Speech
Malchut is often associated with Divine speech. For just as speech is the way a person projects his inner thoughts to the outside, similarly, G-d’s attribute of Malchut, is the Divine “organ of speech,” through which G-d projects an “outside” entity, i.e., one that is further removed – in it consciousness – from its Divine source. Malchut, because of its nature to project outward, is thus, viewed as the basis of time and space, the primary characteristics of our existence.
The Attribute of Yesod-The Channel.
YeSod is the ninth attribute: It is the one that collects all of the powerful and infinite G-dly forces – i.e., and energizes the level of Malchut. In simple terms, for a person’s speech to have any meaning there must be an idea or an emotion behind it.
For example, if someone has a feeling of love for another and then they express it in words, the words will have some meaning. But, in order to channel the emotions so that they can be expressed through speech, the level of YeSod is crucial.
YeSod has often been translated or adapted as “communicability.” The ability to channel one’s feelings so that they can be expressed in speech is what YeSod is all about.
Within the context of G-d creating the world, YeSod is the channeling of G-d’s transcendent powers, His inner feelings, as it were. Malchut, is the instrument that contains and limits these powers, making them fit for the ultimate projection outward.
When we awaken in the morning, the process that occurs involves the unification of the transcendent aspects of G-d with His finite powers. When this occurs, the ability to experience a totally new life materializes.
What we have just been going through is a lesson in “G-dly anatomy.” The level of Sod, seeks to map out the different G-dly forces that are responsible for all that occurs in our realm.
From the book Safe Kabbalah, Part Two: The Fourth Dimension by Rabbi Heschel Greenberg, published by the Jewish Discovery Center.
