Yichud Hashem (Unification of the Name of G-d)

This chart presents a number of ideas from Torah in a fashion that shows a relationship between them based on the Four-letter Name of G-d. There are actually five parts to this Name when the top part of the first letter (called the "cusp" or "apex" of the Yod) is included. The information on this chart is from traditional Jewish sources. We are adding to this chart as we discover additional material. Last updated June 24, 2008 The cusp on the Letters of Yod Hay Vav Hay Yod YHVH Level of Soul Worlds Yehida (Singular) Adam Kadmon Chaya (Life Force) Atzilut (Nearness) Neshamah (Breath) Beriah (Creation) Ruach (Spirit) Yetzirah (Formation) In Eden Nefesh (Soul) Asiya (Making) Post Eden

Time

Pre-existence

"Existence" prior to Genesis 1:1 up to Creation Eden (Genesis 1:1)

Concept / Name(s) of G-d

Ehyeh

YaH

YHVH-Elohim Including; EL, Elohim, Eloha, Elohim (Vocalization of YHVH, YHVH YHVH) Tzvaot, Elohim Tzvaout, El Chai, Shaddai Archangels Angels Tiferet, representing the six Middot of: Hesed, Gevurah, Tiferet, Netzah, Hod, Yesod

YHVH (Adonai)

Spiritual Emanation

Image of G-d Keter, (further considered as upper and lower Keter)

Sefirot

Demons

Sefirah

Chokmah

Binah

Malkut

Partzufim (personae)

Atik Yomin Nukvah Ze'er Anpin (the (Ancient of Days) Imma (Mother), "small face" or (female)Daughter, and Arikh Anpin, "Jerusalem "impatient one"), Bride, "Lower Mother," (Long Face or Abba (Father) above," (Upper) Son, Groom, King, "Lower Wisdom," Great Face, the Metatron, Zion, Jerusalem, (Lower) Shekinah, Leah Infinitely Patient Shekinah, Rachel Jacob, Joseph One) -Adam Upper face of Beriah and lower face of Atzilut Exodus Wisdom Gever Upper face of Yetzirah and lower face of Beriah Leviticus Understanding Enosh Upper face of Asiya and lower face of Yetzirah Numbers Knowledge Ish

Hebrew title for (level of) "person" Five Gardens of Jacob's Ladder (Toledano tradition) Book of Torah Characteristic of Betzalel

Upper face of Atzilut Genesis Spirit of G-d

Lower face of Asiya Deuteronomy All manner of workmanship

(Exodus 35:31) B'nai Israel High Priest's Vestments Colors of the Ephod (Exodus 28:5-6) Sacrifice: World affected Sacrifice: Kingdom rectified Sacrifice: Kingdom elevated by Sacrifice: Consciousness Sacrifice: Aspect (Lev. 1:9, 1:13, 1:17, 2:9, etc.) Correlation to Temple Correlation to five gates of Ezekiel's Temple Isaiah 43:7 Correlation to Cups of Wine at Pesakh Level of Prayer Parallel at Human Level Mashiach Turban High Priests Priests Levites Checkered Garment Purple (Mixture of Blue and Red) Yetzirah Vegetable Israelites Body of the High Priest

GoldEmbroidered Blue Under-coat Over-garment Gold Atzilut Human Priests, Levites, laymen, owners Divinity Divine revelation Blue Beriah Animal

----

Scarlet (Red) Asiyah Mineral

--

Flock, herd, birds

Flour, oil, wine

Salt and water

--

Intellect Divine satisfaction Sanctuary

Emotion

Action

--

Fragrance

Consumption by fire

Divinity beyond Holy of Holies the Temple First of the two Southern Gates Second of the two Southern Gates

Courtyard

Outside Courtyard

Northern Gate

Eastern Gate

Western Gate

--

Everyone who for I have created I have formed him is called by him for My glory ... My name ... ... First Cup The Eighteen Blessings (Shemonah Esrai) Mind Sod Fire Energy Second Cup Blessings of the Shema and the Shema Thought D'Rash Air Time Third Cup Introductory Psalms (P'sukei d'Zimra) Word Remez Water Space

yes, I have made him

Elijah's Cup

Fourth Cup

--

Sacrifices (Korbanos)

Will

Action P'shat Earth Matter

Sod within the Sod Level of Interpretation (Torat Mashiach) Elements of Nature Forces of Nature ---

Aleph-Bet Foundations Bodily Parallel Facial Parallel Human Needs Evil Characteristic

--Beyond Description, Above Head Air --

-Head Eyes Water Anger and Pride

Musical Sounds Torso Ears Food Frivolity, Causticity, Boasting, Idle Talk

Vowel Points Legs Nose Clothing Lust for Pleasure

Letters of the Aleph-Bet Feet Mouth Shelter Sloth and Melancholy

Hebrew Text and Abbreviations

Hebrew Text
The red footnote section of some of these notes often contains Hebrew text. If you want to be able to view and print the Hebrew text, download a self extracting Hebrew font file (sefer.exe) designed for this purpose. Codex M. Munich Codex of the Midrash. Cur. ed(d). Current edition(s). Dor Dor Dor Wedoreshaw, by I. H. Weiss. Ed. Eduyyoth. E.J. or EJ. Ez Joseph, commentary by R. Enoch Zundel b. Joseph of Bialistock (19th century). Er. Erubin. E.V. English (viz. American-Jewish) Version of the Bible. Geogr. Geographie, by A. Neubauer. Git. Gittin. Glos. Glossary. Graetz. Graetz H., Geschichte der Juden. Hag. Hagigah. Hor. Horayoth. Hul. Hullin. J.E. Jewish Encyclopedia. J. or J.T. Jerusalem Talmud. Jast. M. Jastrow's Dictionary of the Targumim, the Talmud, Bible and Yerushalmi, and the Midrashic Literature. Kel. Kelim. Ker. Kerithoth. Keth. Kethuboth. Kid. Kiddushin. Kin. Kinnim. Krauss. S. Krauss, Talmudische Archaologie. Levy. J. Levy, Chaldaisches Worterbuch. M. Mishnah. Mah. Maharzu, commentary by Ze'eb Wolf Einhorn (19th century). Maim. Moses Maimonides (1135-1204). Mak. Makkoth. Maksh. Makshirin. Meg. Megillah. Mek. Mekilta. Oldest Rabbinic Commentary on Exodus. Men. Menahoth.

Abbreviations
The following list of abbreviations are used mostly in the footnotes (shown in red) to these texts. The most common ones (shown below) are used extensively in the texts as well as the footnotes.

Most commonly used b. ben, bar; son of. R. Rab, Rabban, Rabbenu, Rabbi. Also Rabbah (of the
Midrash) Ab. Aboth. A.P.B. The Authorised Daily Prayer Book, S. Singer. Ar. or Ar. Aruk. Talmudic Dictionary by R. Nathan b. Jehiel of Rome (d. 1106) Arak. Arakin. ARN. Aboth d'Rabbi Nathan (a late Talmudic treatise). A.V. Authorised Version of the Bible. A.Z. Abodah Zarah. Bacher A. T. W. Bacher, Die Agada der Tannaiten. Bacher Ag. Pal. Am. W. Bacher, Die Agada palastinensichen Amoraer. B.B. Baba Bathra. BDB Brown, Driver, and Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Bek. Bekoroth. Ber. Berakoth. Bez. Bezah. Bik. Bikkurim. B.K. Baba Kamma B.M. Baba Mezi'a.

Mielziner, Introduction. M. Mielziner, Introduction to the Talmud. M.K. Matnath Kehunah, commentary by Issachar Ber Ashkenazi (16th and 17th centuries). M.K. Mo'ed Katan. MS.O. Oxford Manuscript. MS P. Paris Manuscript Codex 147. MS.T. Temanite Manuscript. MS.V. Vatican Manuscript Codex 30. M.T. Massoretic text. Naz. Nazir. Ned. Nedarim. Neg. Nega'im. Nid. Niddah. Pes. Pesahim. Pesik. dRK. Pesikta di R. Kahana. Pesik. R. Pesiktha Rabbathi. Pir.R.El. Pirke di R. Eliezer. Radal. Commentary by R. David Luria. Rash. or Rashash. Commentary by R. Samuel Strashun. Rashal Notes and Glosses on the Talmud by R. Solomon Luria (d. 1573). Rashi Commentary of R. Isaac Yizhaki (d. 1105). R.H. Rosh Hashanah. R.V. Revised Version of the Bible. Sanh. Sanhedrin. Shab. Shabbath. Sheb. Shebi'ith. Shebu. Shebu'oth. Sonc. ed English Translation of the Babylonian Talmud, Soncino Press, London. Sot. Sotah Suk. Sukkah. Ta.an Ta'anith. Tanh. Tanhuma. T.B. Babylonian Talmud. TdbE. Tanna debe Eliyahu. Tem. Temurah. Ter. Terumoth. Tosaf. Tosafoth. Tosef. Tosefta. Y.A Yefe Anaf, commentary of S. Yaffe on Ruth R., Esther R., and Lamentations R. Yeb. Yebamoth. Y.K. Yefe Kol, commentary of S. Yaffe on Song of Songs R. Y.M. Yede Moshe, commentary by R. Jacob Moses Ashkenazi. Y.T. Yefeh Toar, commentary by R. Samuel Jaffe Ashkenazi. Zeb. Zebahim.

The books in this table are sorted alphabetically (or rather alephbetically in Hebrew) according to the Hebrew names of the books. Hebrew Name Greek/English Name
`Amos `Ezra Bamidbar Beresheet Daniyel Devarim 1 Divre HaYamim 2 Divre HaYamim Ekha Ester Haggai Havakkuk Hoshea Iyov Kohelet Mal'akhi 1 Melakhim 2 Melakhim Mikha Mishle Nachum Nechemyah 'Ovadyah Rut Shemot 1 Shemu'el 2 Shemu'el Shir Hashirim Shofetim Tehillim Tzefanyah Vayikra Yechezkel Yehoshua Yesha'yahu Yirmeyahu Yo'el Yonah Zekharyah Amos Ezra Numbers Genesis Daniel Deuteronomy 1 Chronicles 2 Chronicles Lamentations Esther Haggai Habakkuk Hosea Job Ecclesiastes Malachi 1 Kings 2 Kings Micah Proverbs Nahum Nehemiah Obadiah Ruth Exodus 1 Samuel 2 Samuel Song of Songs Judges Psalms Zephaniah Leviticus Ezekiel Joshua Isaiah Jeremiah Joel Jonah Zechariah

The Etz Chaim Torah Study Group

It is a Tree of Life to those who take hold of it, and those who support it are praiseworthy. Its ways are ways of pleasantness and all its paths are peace. Bring us back Lord to You, and we shall come, renew our days as of old. (Torah Service Blessing)

YashaNet's Etz Chaim Torah Study Group is based out of the state of New Hampshire in the USA. We meet for allday studies on Saturday (11:00am-6:00pm) alternating between locations in the Concord and Nashua areas. We

also have studies on Tuesday evenings (4:30 - 8:00pm) at a Milford, New Hampshire location. The Etz Chaim Torah Study Group approaches the entire Bible, including the books of what is usually called the "New Testament" as Hebrew texts. In order to be properly understood, they must be interpreted in the literary/cultural/historical/religious context that their authors wrote them in. Typical of the resources our group uses in this approach are: The Complete Jewish Bible and Jewish New Testament Commentary (both by David Stern) Jewish Bible commentaries such as the Talmud, Midrash Rabbah, Zohar, Targums Writings of important Torah scholars such as Rashi, Maimonides and Nahmanides Qumran texts (Dead Sea Scrolls) and modern commentaries Ancient Jewish texts mentioned in the Bible, such as the books of Jasher, Enoch, Jubilees. Ancient historical accountings (Josephus, Eusubius, Tacitus) Information from other Messianic Torah-observant organizations (i.e., SANJ - Society for the Advancement of Nazarene Judaism, www.nazarene.net) Information from modern "traditional" Jewish sources (i.e., Project Genesis, www.torah.org) Modern Bible commentaries by Messianic authors such as Mark Nanos, Joseph Shulam, etc. The leadership of this group follows a Torah-observant lifestyle as part of their faith in the Messiah, Yeshua. This is not a requirement to participate in the studies, however we follow the kosher commandments given by G-d with regard to foods people bring to our meetings.

Starting Your Own Torah Study Group

There are quite a number of factors to consider. The Etz Chaim Torah Study Group has been at this for the past few years. The following opinions stem from what we have learned. What is a "Torah Study" group? By the strictest definition, "Torah study" is the examination and analysis of the first five books of the Bible; Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. These books are often referred to as the "Pentateuch," or the "Books of Moses." However, as the term "Torah" means revelation of/from God, Torah study should include the entire word of God. The Etz Chaim Torah Study Group has two Bible studies each week, covering books from Bereshit (Genesis) to Revelation.

We view the first five books of the Bible (Torah proper) as being the foundation to interpreting the rest of the Scriptures. The balance of the Tenakh is to be understood in light of the Torah's principles, and the "New Testament" is to be interpreted according to what has been established in the Torah/Tenakh. In addition to this, a proper understanding of Scripture is based on correct interpretation of the texts. As all the books of the Bible are Hebrew documents, a basic understanding of "Hebrew thinking" and "rules of interpretation" are important. There are many resources available, some are free (articles available via the Internet), some inexpensive (books) and others that require a more substantial investment. It all depends on your resources, and how serious you want to be about your study. When our group does Torah study, we have at least a half-dozen translations available at all times, however we strongly recommend a Stone Edition Chumash for the Torah portions, and the Jewish New Testament and Jewish New Testament Commentary, for the books of the "New Testament." A complete listing of our recommended resources will be published on this web site soon. For now, you may How many people should you have? A Torah study "group" can of course be as few as two people. Of course the more people you have the more opinions you have and, (hopefully) the more fun as well. Then again, too large a group can create a number of problems -- everything from accommodations to being hard for the person running the study to control. Our own group began as four people and has grown to ten, though not everyone can make every meeting. We find this to be a good number, although it's a "snug" fit when everyone shows up and we all sit around the same table. Including new people later on. Here is one of those areas where you have to "strike a balance." On the one hand, you don't want to turn someone away who is interested in learning more about G-d. On the other hand, if you're in the middle of studying a particular book or subject, it is both difficult for someone coming in "late" to catch up, and also can be frustrating for the group to have to "slow down." Our group has never excluded anyone, but have tried to make time before and after the actual "session" for someone to spend time with a new person to get them "up to speed" with everyone else. Where to meet. As small groups can't afford to rent places, this usually means meeting at someone's home or office. We are fortunate in our group as we have six separate locations that we can and do meet at. Rotating locations gives everyone a chance to play host, helps us all get to know one another better, and takes the pressure off one person

(family) always having to be ready for a group to invade! We have found that sitting together at one large table is best, as being too far apart (i.e. in a living room without proper table space) frustrates the discussion. Being around one table not only adds to the intimacy of the conversation, but makes it easier to reach over and grab either a concordance or a slice of pizza from the person across from you. (See "Munchies" below!) How often to meet. Naturally, a true "Torah study" (for the purpose of following and studying the weekly parsha), should be held on Shabbat, either Friday evening or Saturday day. Our own group meets twice a week. On Saturdays we study the Torah portion for the week. We also meet Wednesday evenings to study one of the books of the "New Testament." (See "What to Study?" below.) How long each meeting should last? We "make a day" out of our Shabbat meetings, which typically go from about 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Most of the day is spent in study/discussion, with time allowed for lunch and snacks, prayer and friendly conversation. (See "Munchies" below) Our Wednesday evening meetings go for 3 or more hours. Some people leave early for work/family reasons, others stick around later into the evening. There are some "Bible Studies" that meet for one hour -- that's barely enough time to get your coat off, never mind doing any serious research and discussion. We recommend two hours as a minimum block of time to set aside. Munchies! We plan our food for Shabbat ahead of time, making sure we don't end up with 5 deserts and no main course! Generally, the person/family hosting the study for that day makes the main dish. The others split up the side dish(es), snacks, desert and beverages. Of course, everyone knows to bring only Biblically kosher food. Disposable dinnerware is a plus for quick clean up. A typical day might involve some bagels or fruit upon arrival (you can't study on an empty stomach!) with coffee/juice. While this is served, we begin our study (after a prayer) which goes for 2-3 hours before we break for lunch, (during which time discussions never stop!) Sometime during the latter part of the afternoon, some sweet stuff usually finds its way onto the table. No one leaves our Shabbat study hungry for food or the Word of God! Our Wednesday meetings are conducted after everyone has already had dinner, so we don't usually plan anything, though someone always seems to show up with some type of snack for everyone! What to Study? The Shabbat Torah study should follow the established calendar of weekly readings, known as the parshat for the week. By following this program, you will cover the

five books of the Torah in one year. (The cycle repeats annually.) Although it would be ideal to start at Genesis 1:1, you don't have to. Start when you are ready! Our Wednesday study has followed the following path: Matthew-Romans-Hebrews-Revelation. With each study, we built upon what we was learned in the previous one(s). Leadership & Organization There are several roles here. It may be that the person scheduling locations and times, coordinating the food, outlining the study, and doing most of the teaching may be the same person. Then again, perhaps not. We recommend splitting those duties up as much as possible, with one person making sure it all gets done. Preparation for the study is critical and falls into two parts: 1.Whoever is leading the study should have an outline of things to discuss. It also helps to have some challenging opinions to throw out for discussion. A highly recommended approach is to sign up to receive weekly Torah commentaries from such groups as Project Genesis at www.torah.org. Our group leaders gets about 1215 such commentaries each week from which they glean a lot of helpful insight. 2.Everyone should know a week beforehand what the subject matter is and be encouraged to prepare some questions & comments. Leave some time at the end of each meeting to discuss what the next week's discussion will be about. You may even want to prepare a handout with an outline of things to read or think about between then and the next meeting. One last practical note -- don't be shy about asking folks to help pick up, do dishes etc., before leaving! You can have some great discussion while one washes and one dries! Any questions?

The Etz Chaim Torah Study Group

About our Methodology

The Etz Chaim Torah Study Group approaches the entire Bible, including the books of what is usually called the "New Testament," as Hebraic texts. In order to be properly understood, these texts must be interpreted in the historical, literary, cultural and religious context that their authors wrote them in. Such a method of interpretation involves a great deal of study into the Judaism of the prophets, the Messiah and his early followers. It also means a solid understanding of the Torah, as found in the first five books of the Bible, and expanded on in the remainder of the Tenakh ("Old

Testament"). A great deal of attention is given to historically parallel religious texts, including the Talmud, Midrash Rabbah and Zohar, as well as later Jewish Torah scholars such as Rashi, Maimonides and Nachmanides. These studies are not stagnant. We are continually publishing updates. We invite anyone who has a desire to learn more about the Hebrew Scriptures, to follow along, submit ideas or send in questions. If you are new to Torah-based Messianic studies, we strongly urge you to begin with the Matthew study and build from that point.

Our "Intermediate level" study. Go to our online Romans Study Our "Advanced level" study. Go to our online Revelation Study

Topical Studies
Come study the fundamentals of "The Way of God". Go to our online Judaism 101 Study Outline Study Notes from our recent public seminar CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE, BEING UPDATED A work in progress about life in the Millennial Kingdom. Help us put this study together Quotations that will inspire deeper thoughts about God and life

Current Studies:
Brit Chadashah Studies
Our "Introductory level" study. Go to our online Matthew Study