Genesis 1:10

Eretz (אֶרֶ ץ) is more than just the physical land; it symbolizes the place where the divine will manifests in the material world. Therefore, this concept is associated with receptivity and the potential for growth. Our planet is a receptacle of life, destined to be cultivated and worked on to reveal its inherent potential.

Similarly, the concept of Yamim (Seas) (יַמִׁ ים ), which symbolizes the power of the Word and the wisdom we perceive as knowledge, leads us to understand that everything flows thanks to Him, and therefore, everything connects us, just as the waters do. The waters also represent our capacity to adapt and move.

We should not lose sight of the fact that, although our movements are slow and our world is finite and limited, as is our language, everything we perceive as hidden or mysterious serves as a reminder that, just as the waters cover and conceal what lies beneath, we are called to immerse ourselves in Him. By delving into our essence, our existential purposes can be better revealed to us.

Eretz has a gematria value of 291 (א = 1, ר = 200, צ = 90), which can be interpreted as a combination of forces suggesting the connection between the spiritual and physical worlds. Our planet is the place where the knowledge of the Creator must be materialized, reflecting a process of channeling in which this divine energy manifests in this earthly plane.

Yamim has a gematria value of 100 (י = 10, מ = 40, י = 10, מ = 40), a number representing the perfection of a complete cycle. Therefore, the seas symbolize the totality and balance between the different forces of nature, as well as the inherent perfection in divine creation. It is essential to remember that we are the ones called to find within ourselves that balance between the hidden, symbolized by the seas, and the revealed, the earth.

By balancing our finite and limited earthly knowledge with the infinite and unlimited divine wisdom, we begin to understand and recognize ourselves as His children—a potential that, if ignored, prevents us from achieving growth and transformation. Just as we sow and harvest in our land, our decisions in this world should be directed toward cultivating and developing our spiritual potential.

Everything is good because it was created by Him; however, to recognize and appreciate His goodness, we must understand what it means to be distant from Him and be led by our excesses. A significant first step in this spiritual recognition is our own gratitude and praise towards Him, always maintaining the trust that He is the one guiding our lives.

Balancing that potential for growth and receptivity with His light calls us to flow harmoniously with our knowledge, emotions, expressions, relationships, and actions, allowing ourselves to be guided by His Holy Spirit so that the spiritual and the material may integrate harmoniously, enabling us to fully manifest the divine will in our daily lives.

In Kabbalah, every element of creation has a profound meaning related to spiritual processes and the construction of the human soul. This verse in particular speaks of the parting of the waters, a process that can symbolize a division between material forces (the waters) and spiritual forces (the dry land).

The waters represent immortality, the continuous flow of life, but also confusion and chaos. In Kabbalah, water is also associated with the Sephirah of Chesed (mercy), which is the infinite expansion of divine love. However, waters without limit or direction can cause disorder. The parting of the waters symbolizes the need to give order and structure to love and mercy. This is a lesson for our spiritual lives: to order and direct our emotions and passions toward a divine purpose.

The dry land represents material reality, the place where concrete actions can be taken. In Kabbalah, this is the basis for human action, a place where spiritual energies (represented by the waters) must manifest and take form. Dry land is where one can build an active relationship with the divine through acts of kindness, discipline, and focus.

The word Expanse (Rakia) or "firmament" symbolizes the boundary between heaven and earth, and in Kabbalah, it is seen as a principle that maintains balance between the material and spiritual worlds. It represents the idea that man must learn to create a space within himself for the divine to reveal itself, while maintaining a sense of connection to the earth and everyday reality.

"And he called" (וַיִׁקְּ רָּ א, Vayikra): The numerical value of the word "Vayikra" is 303, which is related to the word "Heaven" (שָּ מַ יִׁם, Shamayim), which has a value of 395, suggesting a connection between the divine call and the opening of a new cosmic order. This implies that divine order gives form to chaos, and it is through spiritual connection that human beings can ascend to a new level of understanding.

"Dry Land" (יַבַשָּ ה, Yabashá): The numerical value of this word is 322. This number may also be related to the word "Light" (אוֹר , Or), which has a value of 207, suggesting that light (wisdom) can manifest in dry land, in the material world. This indicates that spiritual growth can be achieved through concrete and practical action in daily life, with the light of wisdom guiding our decisions.

The verse teaches us about the process of ordering chaos and realizing our connection with the divine in the material world, transforming the chaotic into the ordered. Therefore, creation begins with a process of separation, which in the spiritual life is reflected in the discipline and order we must apply to our emotions and thoughts. The chaos (the waters) must be channeled into something productive and structured (the dry land).

We are then called to achieve balance between the material and spiritual worlds (the waters) and the material world (the earth). In our lives, this entails constantly working to integrate the divine into our daily lives. We must not disconnect from the physical world, but rather learn to bring spiritual light and wisdom into all our actions.

Just as the firmament creates a separation between the waters and the earth, we too need to create an internal space within ourselves where the divine can manifest, maintaining a balance between our spiritual aspirations and our material lives.

The verse invites us to reflect on how we can find balance between chaos and order, the material and the spiritual. Through Kabbalah and Gematria, we can understand that integral spiritual growth involves not only contemplation or meditation, but also conscious action in the material world, guided by a higher wisdom that organizes and gives direction to our lives.

This process of separating the waters, establishing dry land, and creating the firmament, as a powerful metaphor, speaks to the spiritual work we must do within ourselves to create balance between our material and spiritual dimensions.

Perhaps for this reason, water has such important symbolism, primarily associated with emotions, chaos, immortality, and the flow of life. But the fact that seawater is salty has an even deeper meaning.

In Kabbalah, the salty sea speaks to us of purification, preservation, but also bitterness. In the Torah, salt appears in various contexts, such as the salt of the covenant (in Exodus 30:35), a symbol of purification and eternal commitment. Salt is also associated with destruction (as in the story of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, where Lot's wife is turned into a pillar of salt) and limitation.

Salt water can symbolize emotions that are purified by suffering, trial, or pain. In the spiritual life, difficulties or trials (like salt water) can have a purifying purpose, as they teach us to discern, purify, and strengthen our emotions.

Salt water also represents abundance, but also restraint. The seemingly endless sea is delimited by the shores, which could suggest that although emotions and cosmic forces flow incessantly (water), they always need to be contained within a framework or structure. This symbolism also reflects the human capacity to allow emotions to flow, but within the limits of consciousness and wisdom.

Leviathan, as a mythical creature mentioned in the scriptures, has mystical implications in both Kabbalah and Gematria. Leviathan is described in the Tanakh (specifically in the Book of Job 41:1-34) as a serpent or sea monster that dwells in the depths of the sea.

In Kabbalah, Leviathan can be interpreted as a symbol of disorder and primordial forces that inhabit the spiritual and material world. Leviathan lives in salt waters, which, as we saw, are a symbol of emotional and spiritual chaos. This implies that within the cosmic chaos and the hidden forces of creation, there exists a potential energy that can be destructive, but also transformative, if properly directed.

Some Kabbalists interpret Leviathan as a symbol of the ego or the destructive forces that arise from an unenlightened consciousness. In this sense, Leviathan represents the excessive desire, anger, or fear that lurks within a person and can drag them into chaos if left unchecked.

Just as Leviathan lives in the depths of the sea, these dark emotions and forces reside deep within the human being. However, Leviathan also has the potential to be mastered and transformed, symbolizing the human capacity to integrate its darkest and most chaotic aspects and give them constructive direction.

In some deeper interpretations, Leviathan is seen as the polarity in the world, which must be balanced by its feminine counterpart: the Behemoth (a land beast). Together, Leviathan and Behemoth represent the cosmic opposites that must be reconciled for creation and humanity to achieve perfect balance. Leviathan is associated with water, which is fluid, adaptable, and spiritual, while Behemoth is associated with earth, which is solid, material, and stable. The reconciliation of these opposites (the spiritual and the material, the masculine and the feminine) is a central process in the spiritual quest and the work of Kabbalah.

In Gematria, the name Leviathan (לִׁ וְּיָּתוֹן ) has a specific numerical value that offers us further insights. Leviathan's numerical value is 578, which relates to the concept of "Messiah" or the final redemption. The number 578 is linked to the word "Boreh" (בוֹרֵ א ), which means "Creator," reflecting the idea that, despite its chaotic nature, Leviathan is part of the divine plan and has a purpose in cosmic order and redemption. Thus, Leviathan is not simply a destructive force, but represents a primordial aspect of creation that, in its transformation, leads to balance and enlightenment.

From the perspective of Kabbalah and Gematria, the existence of salt waters and Leviathan within them invites us to reflect on the management of our chaotic emotions and the internal forces that lurk deep within our being. These waters not only represent the difficult aspects of life, such as pain, suffering, or confusion, but also the potential for transformation.

The fact that Leviathan lives in salt water suggests that, just as salt water purifies and preserves, our painful and difficult experiences also have the power to purify and transform us if we learn to manage them spiritually.

Leviathan can be seen as the manifestation of the chaotic forces within us, such as our uncontrolled passions, ego, and fear. Spiritual work in Kabbalah is, in part, learning to master and transform these forces, giving them a positive and redemptive purpose.

Just as Leviathan and Behemoth represent opposing forces, spiritual work involves integrating the material and spiritual aspects of our lives into a harmonious whole. It is a process of reconciling internal and external polarities, balancing our chaotic emotions with our ability to live consciously.

Salt waters and Leviathan have a purifying and transformative function in Kabbalah. They teach us that although chaotic or destructive forces may seem overwhelming, they serve a purpose in the divine order and, when properly understood and integrated, can lead us toward redemption and spiritual balance.