Three Weeks

The Three Weeks

The Month of Cancer contains the beginning of a period of difficult energy known as The Three Weeks
(17th of Cancer until the 9th of Leo). The kabbalists called this time Bein HaMetzarim which means
“Between the Narrow Straits.”

Spiritually speaking, we are without our ozone layer. The normal layer of protection that helps us filter
life and make sense of things will be on a bit of summer vacation. It's our opportunity to give our patience
muscles a healthy workout.

Why do we have to experience such things? Where's the smooth sailing we all yearn for? What's with all
the choppy seas? Let's face it, we've discussed it a gazillion times: we're creatures of habit. As soon as
we settle into our habit, we lose appreciation for the positive times and the progress we've already made
in our spiritual growth.

That's why the Light constantly gives us opportunities such as these next three weeks to shake things up
a bit and really push ourselves to our best level. Sure, it requires a challenge here and a bit of not
jumping to conclusions there, but we need this to keep us from falling into a state of stagnation.

The Three Weeks are a time when we have to keep the focus of treating everyone with human
dignity in the center of our minds.

Remember it's not just about being nice people. We're protecting ourselves here. The Zohar explains that
this time of year is the seed level for dangerous diseases that can, God forbid, come into our lives. Just
like there are only certain times of the year that you will actually grow a tomato if you plant a tomato seed
in the ground, the same is true for disease.

Forget about all the physicality of it. We know that anything, disease or otherwise, that we experience,
begins on a spiritual level. First our soul gets sick. The Zohar explains it's as if a filthy piece of cloth gets
glued to our soul. Then in that area of consciousness that we have that dirty piece of cloth attached to our
soul, (much like a piece of cloth covering a light bulb) we can no longer reach the Light. Thus our soul
gets cut off from it's source and there is an entry point, a space in which disease can enter.

What's the bottom line? Every morning, we need to remind ourselves to act with love each day
and be extra careful not to be reactive for the next three weeks.

This way, when it's all over, we can laugh in the face of chaos instead of chaos laughing at us.

The 5th day of Leo (Hei b’Av) This is the day upon which the Ari, the great kabbalist Rav Isaac Luria, left
this world. He was a spark of Rav Shimon Bar Yochai’s soul and continued his life’s work. From the 17th
of Tammuz (the day on which the walls of Jerusalem were destroyed) to the 9th of Av (the day upon
which the Holy Temple was destroyed twice in different time periods) is what is known as “The Three
Weeks”, especially difficult cosmic days, and its important to seek help and support throughout these
three weeks. That is why the Ari chose to leave on the fifth day of Av, so that he may reveal a
tremendous amount of Light to help us make it to the ninth of Av, in order to prevent any further
destruction in the future. On the night of Hei b’Av, the entirety of the Ari’s energy is revealed. It is
recommended to study from his writings.

From “Monthly Kabbalah Tune-Up” in Kabbalah Monthly E-Newsletter, July 2008

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Ninth Day of Av

Approximately 2500 years ago, the Babylonians destroyed the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. The date of the
destruction was the ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av. Two thousand years ago, the Romans destroyed
the Second Temple in Jerusalem. The entire city was sacked, the slaughter reportedly so widespread that the
cobblestone streets were knee-deep in blood. The date of the destruction and massacre was the 9th of Av.

In 1096, Pope Urban II launched the Crusades, in which tens of thousands of Jews and Muslims were
butchered. The date was the 9th of Av. In 1290, King Edward I expelled the Jews from England. The date was
the 9th of Av. In 1492, the Jews were expelled from Spain. King Ferdinand’s deadline for expulsion or death
was the 9th of Av. Christopher Columbus was supposed to set sail for the New World on that day, but he made
his crew sit on the boat all day, waiting for that day to pass. Columbus launched his journey on the 10th of Av.

On August 1, 1914, Germany declared war on Russia, officially launching World War I. The date was the 9th of
Av. Nazi Heinrich Himmler presented the plan for the genocide of European Jewry and the Final Solution on
the 9th of Av.

The kabbalists tell us that the 9th of Av is the one day of the year when the force called Satan (our
Adversary) rules for the entire twenty-four-hour period. Remember that the force called Satan is not a
demon or a devil but a negative force of consciousness whose sole nature is receiving, chaos, selfishness and
space. This adversarial entity, the source of the human ego, was created to test and challenge humankind so
that our transformation from selfish to selfless would be difficult and challenging, thus ensuring that we truly
earn our place in paradise.

We have the free will to either gratify or resist the egocentric desires and reactive impulses that ignite within us
twenty-four hours a day. When we allow this force to rule our consciousness, we create space between
ourselves and other people which in turn creates space and disconnection between us and the World of Light.
Our individual and collective behavior determines how much darkness and destruction permeate our lives and
this world. If we choose to gratify our selfish desires, the eventual result will be great destruction.

On the 9th of Av, the force of Satan is given full reign over the universe. This is the day Satan seeks to enter
into our body and mind. For this reason, on the 9th of Av we fast for the entire twenty-four-hour period.
On this day, we abstain from all food and drink since it is tainted with his energy. We also read from the
ancient biblical scroll of Lamentations (Megilat Eicha), written by the prophet Jeremiah to recount the story
of the destruction of the Temple. Why speak of destruction on this the most destructive date in history? The
reading of the scroll serves as a vaccination against the very disease that caused the destruction in the
first place.

Reading this scroll and fasting will keep us completely separate from the force and consciousness of
Satan, thereby empowering us with the ability to defeat this reactive consciousness throughout the
entire year. Performed properly, the technology designated for this day gives us the ability to eradicate Satan
from human existence for good.

Kabbalists tell us that this monumental day of destruction is also the day on which the Messiah (Mashiach) will
be born. From the greatest darkness will emerge the greatest ray of Light. The Messiah is not a person
coming to save us. Rather, the Messiah is a global state of consciousness in which humanity is freed from all
reactive forms of consciousness. This state of consciousness will allow us to achieve personal freedom and
eternal happiness. When a critical mass of people achieves this inner state of Messiah, this consciousness will
rule all humankind and immortality and eternal pleasure will become the new reality. A global Messianic figure
will arrive as a sign—not as a savior—and a seal that humankind has finally achieved the ultimate goal: the
creation of heaven on Earth.

From Way of the Kabbalist by Yehuda Berg

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Meditation for Yemei Ben HaMetzarim (The Three Weeks)

Scanning Direction

‫ טדהד‬Right

:‫ָמ ֵגן ַא ְב ָר ָהם‬

‫כוזו‬ Left

:‫ְמ ַח ֶּיה ַה ּ ֵמ ִתים‬ Central

‫מצפצ‬

:‫ָה ֵאל ַה ָּקד ֹו ׁש‬

‫ְר ֵצה‬

Meditate to transform misfortune and tragedy (‫)צרה‬
into desire and opportunity (‫( )רצה‬order out of chaos) with these Names:

‫ טדהד כוזו מצפצ‬,‫ שין ע"ה‬,‫אלהים דההין אדני‬

‫ׂ ִשים ׁ ָשל ֹום‬

Meditate to create peace with these Names:

‫טדהד כוזו מצפצ‬

‫שין ראשונה )ע"ה = טדהד כוזו מצפצ( ממתקת את השין השניה‬
‫)= אלהים דההין אדני( ; וכן שים שלום ע"ה = ו' השמות‬

‫)טדהד כוזו מצפצ אלהים אדני יהוה( אדני טדהד כוזו מצפצ ואלהים דההין‬

Scanning Direction

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