Parshat Beshalach – בשלח

acrylics on canvas 10 1/2″ x 16″ (27 x 40 cm)

The biblical story of the Crossing of the Red Sea
is explained by the Rabbis to be a prophetic
revelation achieved by the entire Israel nation.
The sea, which is the hidden domain, suddenly
became a solid or revealed dimension
without the accompanying contractions and
filtering that this process usually demands.

The “story” also contains the 72 three letter
words of divinity, as revealed by the Zohar
generated by combining
three consecutive sentences,
each uniquely made up of 72 letters.
(Exodus 14: 19-21)

Birthing

acrylics on canvas 40″ x 40″ (102 x 102 cm)

According to kabbalah sources,
the Crossing of the Red Sea process
is analogous to being born, the water of the
embryo sac bursts and what is revealed
is the solid, the crying child
entering a new and challenging reality.

The embryonic state is likened to the Galut.
פֶּה-לָהֶם וְלֹא יְדַבֵּרוּ עֵינַיִם לָהֶם וְלֹא יִרְאוּ
אָזְנַיִם לָהֶם וְלֹא יַאֲזִינוּ אַף אֵין יֶש רוּחַ בְּפִיהֶם

They have a mouth but cannot speak.
They have eyes but cannot see.
They have ears but cannot hear.
They have a nose but cannot smell.
(Psalms 135: 16-17)

The above phrase obviously refers to
the futility of idol worship,
but its inner context relates to
the Galut of the Mind when we are
not realizing our full spiritual potential
because of our worship
of our own ego idol.

Crossing the Red Sea was a necessary
mind-opening precondition
for receiving the Torah at Sinai,
when the Israelites experienced
total synaesthesia:
וְכָל הָעָם רֹאִים אֶת הַקּוֹלֹת
And all the people saw the voices.
(Exodus 14:14)

Marah – Bitter Waters

airbrushed acrylics on canvas 30 x 40″ (76 x 101 cm)

It is incredible that shortly after the “grand
experience” of the Crossing, the Israelites
showed a lack of faith in God
and complained and regretted their Delivery,
when they encountered the bitter waters
of Marah, which Moshe “sweetened”
by throwing within the pools a “Tree”.
(Exodus 15: 22-25)
At Marah the Israelites began to be taught
the complex laws of the sabbath
and other subjects, that serving
God is not just an “experience” or “trip”
but entails responsibilities and this
can become “bitter” if not “sweetened”
with the Tree of Life,
the inner dimension of the Torah.

Amalek – עמלק

acrylics on canvas 26″ x 62″ (66 x 158 cm)

As a punishment for doubting God
Amalek came and attacked
the Israelites at Refidim – בִּרְפִידִם
which in Hebrew suggests רפיון ידים
the weakness of the hands (of faith).
Against this threat Moshe was obliged
to uplift his hands during the battle
וַיְהִי יָדָיו אֱמוּנָה
(Exodus 17: 12)

More information at
http://art-kabbalah-mystic.net/Parsha.html#beshalach
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