Chayei Sarah: Chapter 6

"And the cows took the straight way"

Synopsis

The meaning of this difficult scriptural passage is expounded by Rabbi Yosi. We learn that while they carried the Ark, the cows were able to sing - although this gift vanished as soon as they no longer performed this work. Rabbi Chiya explains that a psalm of David referring to a "new song," refers to a time when the psalm or Holy Spirit or Nukva - that is, our physical world, also known as Malchut - will glow with the light of the sun, which itself is a coded reference to the concept of the Messiah. It is after this that the Resurrection of the Dead takes place, a time when the world will be renewed and set free from Death's rule.

Relevance

A cow is both a metaphor and physical expression of an intense Desire to Receive. In view of this, cows are seen as powerful tools for attracting spiritual energy. Thus, red meat is a recommended dish for the first meal of the Shabbat, since the internal energy of the meat serves to draw down the Light of the Creator. The Torah's parchment, which functions as an antenna to arouse metaphysical forces, is produced from the skin of a calf. The Zohar, therefore, uses the cow as a symbol for man's own insatiable Desire to Receive for the Self Alone - and the image of a singing cow reveals a creature rising above its inborn nature. This power emerged the moment the cows began transporting the Ark and the scrolls contained inside. Here the Zohar alludes to the Torah's ability to help overcome innate immoral tendencies and self-seeking desires. When mankind has completely removed all his Evil Inclinations, Death will be removed from the landscape of human existence. World peace and fulfillment will be eternally achieved, signified by the Zohar's reference to the light of the sun, which represents the Messiah. An ability to hasten a personal and global redemption is awarded to us by means of these verses and their corresponding spiritual influences. We remove the force of death from our lives. Bear in mind the fact that "death" can refer to the demise of a business, the end of an important relationship, or the collapse of our emotional well-being.