{49. “Baal and Asherah”
These two words refer to two aspects of idol worship. Idol Worshipping refers not only to bowing down before statues and icons. Idol worshipping includes any material possession or external situation that controls our emotions and behavior or that motivates us in any way. When any of these influences determine our degree of contentment and joy in life, then we have surrendered control and severed our connection to the Light, the true source of all fulfillment. Often, our negative tendencies lead us to become worshippers of wealth, or disciples of our own egos.
We can remove the power and allure of the “idols” that control us by meditating upon the Hebrew passages.}
NOTE FROM RW: Jesus taught this meditation for gender balance in all things-including the human male, “the son of woman”:
210. It is written: “You shall not plant an asherah (grove; also, the name of a goddess) of any kind of tree at the altar of Hashem your Elohim which (Heb., asher) you shall make” (Devarim 16:21). ARE WE TO UNDERSTAND FROM THE WORDS “at the altar” THAT ONLY BESIDE AN ALTAR IT IS NOT PERMITTED TO PLANT A GROVE? If so, then who permitted planting a grove anywhere else, or above an altar? But, as we have explained, Asher is the name of the husband and his wife is called after him, Asherah. Thus, the words “all the vessels made for the Baal and Asherah” (II Melachim 23:4) INDICATE THE SIDE OPPOSING ZEIR ANPIN AND THE NUKVA OF THE HOLINESS; THE SIDE WHERE BAAL (LIT. HUSBAND) IS AGAINST ZEIR ANPIN, AND ASHERAH IS AGAINST THE NUKVA. Hence, WE UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION OF WHY it says, “You shall not plant an Asherah at the altar of Hashem your Elohim.” IN THE WORDS, “AT THE ALTAR,” “AT” IS SYNONYMOUS WITH “INSTEAD OF.” THE VERSE MEANS “YOU SHALL NOT PLANT AN ASHERAH” OF IDOLATRY in the place of Hashem your Elohim because the altar of Hashem is situated upon it, THAT IS, ABOUT TO ANNUL THE KLIPAH OF ASHERAH, AS WAS SAID BEFORE. Thus, do not plant an other Asherah OF IDOLATRY against the Altar.
211. Come and behold: All those who worship the sun are always referred to as the worshippers of Baal, and those who worship the moon are called worshippers of Asherah. Hence, the above passage “for the Baal and Asherah” REFERS TO BAAL, WHO IS THE SUN AND IS MALE, AND THE ASHERAH, WHO IS THE MOON AND IS FEMALE. She is called Asherah after her husband Asher.
But, if she is called ASHERAH AFTER HER HUSBAND Asher, why is THE NUKVA not called ASHERAH anymore? ALTHOUGH THE NUKVA OF PURITY IS NO LONGER CALLED SO, she was called Asherah in the past after the passage: “Happy (oshri) am I, for the girls will call me blessed” (Beresheet 30:13). SHE WAS CALLED SO BY THOSE WHO PRAISED AND AKNOWLEDGED HER. AND, IT IS WRITTEN OF HER: “BEAUTIFUL OF ALL SITES, THE JOY OF THE WHOLE EARTH” (TEHILIM 48:3). But the other nations did not acknowledge her, erected an ASHERAH OF IDOL WORSHIP in her stead, and moreover BELITTLED HER, as it is written: “All that Honored her yet despised her” (Eichah 1:8). And hence, the name Asherah was taken away from her BECAUSE THEY STOPPED ACKNOWLEDGING HER. And to prevent the other Idolatrous nations from gaining strength, she is called an altar, which is made of earth. This is as written: “An altar of earth YOU SHALL MAKE FOR ME” (Shemot 20:24). Hence, it was said OF ADAM: “AND HASHEM ELOHIM MADE ADAM FROM the dust of the earth,” WHERE DUST IS MALCHUT AND EARTH IS BINAH. THUS, THROUGH THIS SWEETENING OF DUST WITH EARTH, HE MERITED RECEIVING THE MOCHIN OF NESHAMAH OF LIFE.
212. AFTER THE DUST WAS SWEETENED WITH EARTH, IT IS WRITTEN: “And he breathed in his nostrils the soul of Life” (Beresheet 2:7). As the soul of life was breathed into the dust, THE BODY OF ADAM WAS SWEETENED, like a female conceiving from a male. Through this process, SOUL AND BODY become joined. BECAUSE THE LIGHT OF BINAH IS CALLED NESHAMAH AND BECAUSE THE BODY IS SWEETENED TO BECOME AN ADEQUATE VESSEL FOR BINAH, LIGHT AND VESSEL EMBRACE EACH OTHER. This dust, WHICH IS THE BODY, becomes filled with EMANATIONS OF LIGHT. HE ASKS: What are THOSE LIGHTS? AND HE SAYS: THEY ARE the Ruach and Neshamah.
It is written that then “man became a living soul (nefesh),” WHICH MEANS THAT he was now complete IN BODY AND SOUL and could now correct and sustain the living soul THAT WAS HIS FEMALE.
