Introduction to the Thirteen Qualities of Mercy

Introduction to The Thirteen Qualities of Mercy Adonai,Adonai,El rakhumv'khanun,erekhapai-yimv'ravkhesedv'emet. No-tzayrkhesedla-a-latim,nosayavonvafeshav'khata'av'na-kay. emefTe11eter11ess, PeiHe11ce,~orbeeiM11ce, ~i11et11ess, Awei11 e11ess. 'Be&1ri11glove ~ro1+1&1ge to eige, Hning g1,1Hteinet 1+1isteikesei11e{11-teiking1,1sfree. Aekm&JL The 13 qualities of mercy originate in the ceremony of forgiveness of the sin of the golden calf worship. It is not clear whether Moses spoke these words spontaneously upon seeing God's gl01y, or God caused Moses to say these words. Recitation of the 13 qualities is considered to be something of a quasi-magic formula to invoke transformative energy and is repeated by Jewish prayer groups on special days, including every Monday and Thursday after the Amida, the four fast days, Rosh Hashanah, and many times on Yom Kippur. The 13 qualities of mercy are placed by the Kabbalists in Keter, the location of the Will and Bliss of the Infinite (Ratzon v'Ta'anug shel Ha-Ayn Sof). They compose the subtle folds within a unitary and gradation-less field, and form the basis for the later derivation out of Keter of the ten Sefirot and, according to one source, the three garments of thought speech and action. Ten plus three is thirteen. It is difficult to capture the subtlety of the order or level of these sources of the Sefirot. As long as we keep in mind that they are the bridge between the limited world of the Sefirot and the infinite world, we can't stray too far. It is said that they radiate throughout our universe from Rosh Khodesh Elul until Simkhat Torah. Since these are the originators of the Sefirot, having them shine in the world brings a very creative field down with us. It would be similar to a situation where the energies which created subatomic particles are co-existent with the particles. Who knows what mutation or evolutions might result from such a mixture. Because this happens every year around the High Holidays, every year is thought to be a further lurch of evolution based on the previous year's energies, facilitated by the presence of these 13 fields of origination. These 13 qualities are therefore the mechanical or energic side of the teshuvah process. We soften and stretch our hearts by doing Teslrnvah, and God softens and stretches the fabric of the world by shining towards us the 13 qualities of mercy. The following is the division of the thirteen qualities according to the Zohar and the writings of the Ari Zal, explained in a psychological mode and is a first and personal attempt to characterize the 13 qualities in a meaningful way, (inspired by R. Yitzkhak Ginzburg' s Sod Hashem Li-Rayav) but is not meant to be a definitive or conclusive commentary. I welcome your insights and parallel (or contradictory) explanations of the 13 qualities. ADONA/, ADONA/ (Yod Hay Vov Hay Yod Hay Vov Hay) This duplicate name is above being qualities of anything. Calling out "Adonai, Adonai" brings energy into the 13 qualities of mercy from higher orders within Keter. The duplication of God's name is said to indicate that we are going beyond Adonai. Ordinarily, the name of God, Adonai, can become "incomplete" (see commentary on Exodus 17:16) or "blemished" through our actions. This idea represents the name Adonai as being a mirror of our lives, a Divine energy which shadows us, blesses us and is wounded (blesse) by us. Since on the High Holidays we need a healing (Teshuvah is often explained as healing) from our wounds and patterns, we must go beyond this first level of Adonai to a realm of a SuperAdonai, the originator beyond all worlds and beyond, if it were possible, even the Divine name of Y od Hay Vov Hay. Here we are referring Lo the Shem haEtzeni, the Essence of the Name as it exists within the Infinity of Divine Light. This idea of going beyond Adonai (Y od Hay Vav Hay) changes our orientation to the name of Adonai and Yod Hay Vov Hay as being the "top or most essential energy" and must have seemed very blasphemous at the time it appeared in the teachings of the Baal Shern Tov.