EZEKIEL'S CHARIOT - PART II - HEAVENLY REALMS

EZEKIEL'S CHARIOT & THE HEAVENLY REALMS.

Ezekiel's visions in chapter 1 & 10 of the book of Ezekiel are a look into the heavens; linked to the image of a 'Holy Chariot' consisting of four heavenly realms. These can be represented by 'the inner being', 'the charioteer', 'the chariot' and 'the wheels'. The Zohar teaches a concept each realm corresponds to the four letters of the divine name YHWH (Yod-Hay-Vav-Hay). In the vision we have; (1) A "Sapphire Stone" that represents the highest heaven, associated with the Yod ("Y") (2) the "likeness of a throne" in the next heavenly grade, that of the first He' ("H") (3) The "holy beasts" (cherubim) - The first creature - residing in the grade below the previous, that of Vav ("V") (4) The "wheels" (ophanim) - The second creature - that makes the connection to the most immediate heaven around us, that of the second or lesser He' ("H"). In relaying these heavenly realms to the Temple of God. The highest heaven is the supernal one and related to God; that is, outside time and space, undefinable. Which can be represented by an inner tabernacle or "Holy of Holies." Outside this we have the next heavenly realm which is also represented by a tabernacle ministering as a priest to the "Cherubim" or "Hayoth". The highest of the Cherubim being Michael representing a High Priest to the "Ophanim"; or lower heaven. There being two tabernacles and two priests comprising three heavenly realms and a lower realm. *Soncino Zohar, Shemoth, Section 2, Page 159a - ‘ From this we see that the Holy One, blessed be He, actually gave Moses all the arrangements and all the shapes of the Tabernacle, each in its appropriate manner, and that he saw Metatron ministering to the High Priest within it. It may be said that, as the Tabernacle above was not erected until the Tabernacle below had been completed, that "youth" (Metatron) could not have served above before Divine worship had taken place in the earthly Tabernacle. It is true that the Tabernacle above was not actually erected before the one below; yet Moses saw a mirroring of the whole beforehand, and also Metatron, as he would be later when all was complete. The Holy One said to him: "Behold now, the Tabernacle and the ‘Youth’; all is held in suspense until the Tabernacle below shall have been built." It should not be thought, however, that Metatron himself ministers; the fact is, that the Tabernacle belongs to him, and Michael, the High Priest, it is that serves there, within the Metatron's Tabernacle, mirroring the function of the Supernal High Priest above, serving within that other Tabernacle, that hidden one which never is revealed, which is connected with the mystery of the world to come. There are two celestial Tabernacles: the one, the supernal concealed Tabernacle, and the other, the Tabernacle of the Metatron. And there are also two priests: the one is the primeval Light, and the other Michael, the High Priest below. The lower heaven is the heavenly realm in our immediate circle and is a representation of the "shekinah" or "ophanim" taking the shape of the wheels in Ezekiel's second vision. *Soncino Zohar, Shemoth, Section 2, Page 145a - Moses, by building the Tabernacle, brought about the union of the Matrona with the world here below, Solomon brought about the perfect union of the Matrona with the Bridegroom above. The connection is made from the world here below in union of Matrona. Therefore Just as there is a temple above and below, the same applies to the throne, shown in the following verses: *Soncino Zohar, Shemoth, Section 2, Page 242a - The Throne immediately underneath the God of Israel is in the form of Jacob, and the Throne below in that of David; this is the one that turns to the four corners of the world. It follows that the spirit of the highest diffuses through the lower, and directs and guides the whole. There was similar direction in the lower world. Just as in connection with the upper world we read that “the spirit of the Hayah is in the Ophanim”, so of the lower world it is written, “And Moses reared up the tabernacle”, he being the guiding spirit below; wherefore it is written: “And he reared up, fixed, put.” ‘Observe that Moses set up the Tabernacle in the recondite spirit of his own high grade; but the Temple that Solomon built was the recondite expression of the River that went forth from Eden, signifying homely peace and rest. The Tabernacle expressed love and affection, but not restfulness, whereas the Temple of Solomon meant rest, as it says, “he shall be a man of rest” (I Chron. XXII, 9). Each one builded according to his own grade. ‘Moses first firmly established in the side of holiness the central Point which was hid in darkness and buried, and afterwards all the rest, which is but the enlargement of this Point. And if this Point had not been established first, all that spread from it could not have been established. This is referred to in the words, “he reared up the tabernacle”. *Soncino Zohar, Shemoth, Section 2, Page 232a - It has already been explained that the verse, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth”, means that the lower world was created after the pattern of the upper. Now, the Tabernacle below was likewise made after the pattern of the supernal Tabernacle in all its details. For the Tabernacle in all its works embraced all the works and achievements of the upper world and the lower, whereby the Shekinah was made to abide in the world, both in the higher spheres and the lower. Similarly, the Lower Paradise is made after the pattern of the Upper Paradise, and the latter contains all the varieties of forms and images to be found in the former. ... For whoever then looked at the Tabernacle saw in it an epitome of the upper world and the lower; for all the works of the universe were contained in the equipment of the Tabernacle. Thus whoever gazed with attention at the clasps of the Tabernacle saw in their gleam the radiance of the stars, inasmuch as they were disposed in the same way as the stars in heaven.’ This shows how we relate to the bigger picture and the heavenly realms that surround the Throne of God, relating to the Temple of God and symbolized by a Holy Chariot

LINKING THE TWELVE TRIBES

The Zohar makes a distinct link concerning the heavenly realms and Jacob's ladder.

Soncino Zohar, Shemoth, Section 2, Page 48b - R. Simeon discoursed on the verse: Now I beheld the living creatures (Hayoth), and behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces (Ezek. I, 15). ‘This verse’, he said, ‘we can explain as follows. The Holy One reveals His dominion and power in all things, a power which shall never be shaken. He manifested His power in the Patriarchs, and particularly in Jacob. Now Jacob is united with the Tree of Life, over which death has no dominion, since in it all life is contained, emanating from it unto all those who are in perfect union with it. For this reason Jacob did not really die. He died in a physical sense when “he gathered up his feet into the bed” (Gen. XLIX, 33), which bed is mysteriously called “the bed of Solomon” (S.S. III, 7), the bed of the “strange woman” whose “feet go down to death” (Prov. v, 5). But of all the Fathers the Holy One chose Jacob to be the centre of perfection and fulfilment, as it is written: “Jacob whom I have chosen” (Isa. XLI,8 ). Mark also this! All the supernal hosts with their cohorts and lightful chariots of celestial speed are joined one to another, grade to grade, the lower to the higher, each to its counterpart; and above them all a holy “Living being” (Hayah) (cf. Ezek. I) is set, and all those myriads of armies move and rest according to its will and direction. This is that Living Creature to which all Hayoth are linked, as each is also to each, all moving and swimming in the sea, concerning which it is written: “This is the great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts” (Ps. CIV, 25).

This connects the Supernal Host (Hayah) and the Ophanim to the patriarch Jacob. Reference is made to "the bed of Solomon" into which Jacob gathered his feet, this is made concerning the Shekinah in association with God's temple. The Zohar tells of twelve angels, four angels referring to the four holy beasts of Ezekiel; each of these having two ranking off-siders. Then going further a direct connection is made between these twelve angels and the twelve tribes of Israel.

Soncino Zohar, Bemidbar, Section 3, Page 154a - MAKE UNTO THEE TWO TRUMPETS OF SILVER, ETC. R. Simeon adduced here the verse: “And when the Hayoth (living creatures) went, the wheels went hard by them; and when the.Hayoth were lifted up from the bottom the wheels were lifted up” (Ezek. I, 19). ‘The Hayoth’, he said, ‘are borne along by the supernal power; and so were the movements of the tribes below who bore on their standards the likenesses of the Hayoth, that of Lion, Eagle, Ox, Man. Angels attended each of the standards. ... The first standard bore the likeness of Lion and was attended by Michael, who had under him two chieftains, Zophiel and Zadkiel ... Each of the Hayoth had four wings formed of white flaming fire, as well as four faces turned towards the four cardinal points, all illumined by the white light of the sun; the one turned to the east was illumined with a joyous light, the one towards the west with a concentrated light, the one towards the north was within the penumbra of the sun. These contained three groups. [Tr. note: Corresponding to the three tribes under each standard.] ... There were, besides, a long succession of lower grades. These were innumerable. The second group contained fifty-four thousand and four hundred besides those of the lower grades, who were innumerable. The third group, which followed behind, contained fifty-seven thousand and four hundred. So soon as the first standard began to march the tabernacle was taken down, and all the Levites chanted hymns, and the lords of praise were all ranged there “for the spirit of the Hayoth was in the Ophanim (Wheels)”. ... The second standard bore on it the Eagle, symbolic of the angel Uriel, and was ranged on the south. Two chieftains accompanied him, namely, Shamshiel and Hasdiel. ... All the firmaments indeed moved forward along with these hosts in front of the tabernacle. We thus read: “And when the Hayoth went, the Ophanim went hard by them”. ... Then follows the third standard to the north. It had for its ensign Ox and was accompanied by the angel Gabriel and his two chieftains, Kafziel and Hizkiel ... Seven fiery rivers flow in front of him, and when thirsty he draws up a whole riverful at one gulp. Yet this river is straightway filled again as before, unfailingly. And were it not for a stream of water from the region of the lion quenching the fiery coals, the world could not endure. ...On the fourth side the fourth standard, on the west, had for its symbol Man, the angel Raphael, [Tr. note: Whose chief function, as his name (RaFA=to cure) denotes, was the healing of men.] with whom there is healing.

So the twelve tribes are linked through the patriarch Jacob.