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Parashat Chukat
How can we Connect with the Healing Waters of Miriam’s Well?
My Power Immersions in the Healing, Mind-Opening Sea of Galilee
Now as always during the intensity
of summer, I yearn for water – for healing and purifying waters. More than
feeling the pull to swim in the soft waves of the clear, blue Mediterranean
ocean, I yearn for the sweet waters of the Sea of Galilee (Kineret). Perhaps I
love Kineret so much because the Well of Miriam is buried within it. Rabbi
Chaim Vital relates: “When I, came to my teacher the Arizal to study
Kabbalistic wisdom, my teacher took me with him to Tiberias... and when we were
on a boat in the water, opposite the pillars of the old synagogue, my teacher
took a cup and filled it with water from between the pillars, and gave me that
water to drink. He said to me: ‘Now you will attain that wisdom, for this water
that you have drank is from Miriam’s well.’ From then on, I began entering the
depths of Kabbalistic wisdom.” So, for me going to Tiberias is not only a
pilgrimage to the holy tombs of Rambam, Rabbi Meir, Rabbi Akiva, Ramchal, and
more, it’s no less a pilgrimage to dive into the depths of the waters of
Kineret. In the Torah, water is used in various ritual purifications. It is
both cathartic and comforting, providing a sense of renewal and a cleansed
feeling of purity. Natural bodies of water are highly conducive to a
contemplative and reflective state of mind and to opening the heart. Each time
I visit Kineret I try to do what I was told is called a Mikvah Koach
(power immersion). This refers to immersion in a mikvah (any body of natural
water qualifies as a mikvah), not for the sake of family purity. The purpose of
immersing in spiritually healing waters is this time to clear the mind and
enter a holier state, just as our men traditionally immerse in a mikvah in
preparation for the holy Shabbat. My husband explains: “It’s a wonderful way to
transition from the six workdays to the spiritual ambiance of Shabbat.”
Although there should preferably be nothing (such as a bathing suit) separating
you from the waters, at a public beach I’m not at liberty to immerse myself in the
most preferable way. I rely on wearing loose clothing and only remove my rings
and hairclip before leaping high to generate deep immersion within the womb of
the Kinneret. I always emerge refreshed and recharged ready to face the new
day.
The Wilderness Well of Water – in
the Merit of Miriam
Parashat Chukat is all about cleansing and
purification through water. It opens with the description of the spiritually
purifying ritual of the Red Heifer involving a concoction of cedar wood,
hyssop, crimson wool, and Red Heifer ashes mixed with pure spring water
referred to as “living waters” (Bamidbar 19:6). After describing how
various kinds of impurity is purified through water, the Torah depicts the
death of Miriam and in the same breath mentions the Israelites’ loss of water:
ספר במדבר פרק כ פסוק א וַיָּבֹאוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כָּל
הָעֵדָה מִדְבַּר צִן בַּחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן וַיֵּשֶׁב הָעָם בְּקָדֵשׁ וַתָּמָת
שָׁם מִרְיָם וַתִּקָּבֵר שָׁם: (ב) וְלֹא הָיָה מַיִם לָעֵדָה וַיִּקָּהֲלוּ עַל
משֶׁה וְעַל אַהֲרֹן:
“Then came the children of Israel,
the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin, on the first of the month: The
people settled in Kadesh, and Miriam died there and was buried there. Then
there was no water for the congregation” (Bamidbar 20:1-2).
Rashi explains that the lack of
water is mentioned immediately after Miriam’s death to teach us, that during
the entire forty years of wandering in the desert the Jewish people were
blessed with the well of water in Miriam’s merit. Similarly, it states “Three
good providers stood for Israel, and they were Moshe, Aharon, and Miriam. Three
good gifts were given on their behalf: the well, the cloud, and the manna. The
well was in the merit of Miriam… (Babylonian Talmud, Ta’anit 9a). Each
of the three gifts corresponds to one of the pillars upon which the world
stands (Pirkei Avot 1:2). The well is compared to the pillar of kindness
because the well represents the power of nurturing. Just as Miriam embodied the
character trait of kindness when as a young midwife, she kept the babies alive
and supplied them with food (Shemot 1:17; Sotah 11b), so did the
well supply the Jewish people with all their needs. Thus, in the merit of
Miriam, the well sustained the Jewish people with water in the wilderness.
Feminine Yearning to Rise Like the
Water of the Well
I believe that the spiritual and
serene atmosphere of Bat Ayin derives from its many wellsprings. Water
symbolizes life since nothing can grow without it. The well is associated with
Miriam because the nurturing quality of water is feminine. Women keep the
Jewish people alive. Without the perpetual kindness of women pouring out like a
bottomless well, nothing would be conceived, born, or kept alive. Maharal
explains that the well is related to Miriam because the waters of the well rise
from below as it states, “Arise O Well sing to her” (Bamidbar 21:17).
Women similarly yearn to rise. This yearning is exemplified by Miriam, the
prototype of yearning and arousal toward the higher realm (Maharal Netzach
Yisrael p. 101 Chapter 54). The power of the well to rise is also
manifested in the love of the Jewish people for Hashem. The desire to always
grow, flourish, and flow is clearly expressed among women today. This spiritual
female yearning is apparent in the fact that women are at the forefront of the Ba’al
Teshuva movement and of various groups that desire to rise and bring
redemption.
Where is Miriam’s Well Today?
Although Miriam’s well was lost
temporarily at her death, it returned and continues to bless us with its
wondrous powers until today. When the Israelites entered the Land with Yehoshua
(on the tenth of Nissan, the anniversary of Miriam’s death), the well also
entered the Land, where it became concealed. There are different Talmudic views
as to where Miriam’s well is located today. Some say in the Carmel and others
say that Miriam’s Well feeds the waters of Kineret while hidden in its depths.
“Whoever ascends the mountain of Yeshimon and sees something like a small sieve
in the lake of Tiberias, this is the well of Miriam…” (Midrash Vayikra
Rabbah 22:4). It seems to me that the spirit of Miriam’s well can be in
several places at once as Rav said, Miriam’s well is mobile and pure (Shabbat
35a). It happened that someone who suffered from boils went down to immerse in
the waters of Tiberias; it was an opportune time, and he saw Miriam’s Well and
washed in it, and became healed. Even in our day and age, “some have a
tradition to draw water [from a well] Motzei Shabbat (Saturday night) because
Miriam’s Well supplies all the wells each Motzei Shabbat, and one who does so
and drinks will be cured of illness” (Kol Bo, Orach Chaim 299:10). I
have a bottle of special holy water that supposedly is from the well of Miriam.
I have used it with EmunaHealing clients, by dabbing a few drops of this holy
water on the area of their pain. Whether it works or not depends on your emunah!
The Eternal Renewal of Miriam’s
Dynamic Well
The fact that Miriam’s well is
mobile and changes location teaches us that Miriam’s power enlightens
everywhere. Miriam is the well that offers water and brings about growth.
Believing in the Master of the Universe and continuing to sow is the power of
Miriam. She supports those who sow with tears – in bitterness – to become
reapers with ringing songs. The well of Miriam is planted within the people of
Israel through the righteous women of all generations. This is the basic inner
power hidden within the daughters of Israel who spreads emunah and the ability
to endure. Miriam’s well is described as a type of sieve in the Mediterranean
Sea (Shabbat 35a). There is no security in holding on to its water. It
cannot be contained within any vessel. Who can collect water in a sieve?
However, since the sieve is placed within the great sea, its water is secure
within it. It has a true place even if we cannot hold on to that place. It is
beyond physical grasp but within Hashem’s eternity. Miriam’s well reflects
the eternal divine emotion. It is only revealed in the form of emotion after
its essence emanates from the true source of the light of the entire world, of
all the sea of wisdom and Torah treasure. This is the well of Miriam, and this
is the power of its eternity forever (Rav Kook, Ein Aya Shabbat 2).
Since it is not contained within one vessel it is constantly moving and has the
dynamic force of eternal renewal.
EmunaHealing Exercise to Tap into Miriam’s
Well Within You
If you have the opportunity to do this spiritual healing exercise
at the shore of the Kineret, it will greatly enhance its impact, if not you may
do the exercise wherever you are.
1. Make yourself comfortable and
close your eyes if that feels good. Breathe softly and envision the soft waters
of the Kineret sparkling in the sun. Imagine inhaling as the soft waves rise
and exhaling as they melt into the greater sea. Repeat this sequence four more
times.
2. Miriam’s well is nowhere and
everywhere. Search for Miriam’s well within yourself. When a well of water is
dug, a corresponding spiritual well of water is opened in the upper worlds,
causing the spiritual energies of emunah contained in the upper waters to
permeate the atmosphere, strengthening our faith and belief in G-d. The source
of your emunah emanates from Miriam’s Well. Can you tap into your living waters
within?
3. Breathe into Miriam’s Well
within you. When you feel connected with its emunah breathe the well waters
upwards from your core to your head, and on the out-breath breathe the
lifegiving well water into your external limps – your arms hands, legs, and
feet. Keep tapping into your waters of emunah with each inhale and exhale your
waters of emunah into different parts of your being.
4. The waters of Miriam transport
and apply the nutrients of Torah and the abstractions of faith to each
individual, on his or her particular level (The Lubavitcher Rebbe).
As you connect more and more with
the power of Miriam’s Well, get in touch with your own nurturing powers. Inhale
all your nourishing love and kindness, and as you exhale imagine imparting your
nurturing love and compassion to a loved one in need. Repeat this sequence with
various people, with each inhale you connect more and more to your nurturing
powers, and with each exhale you share them with your loved ones.
5. Imagine how the waters of the
well below the surface yearn to break through the hard surface of the earth and
sprout forth its healing streams. Now, tune into your yearning to rise and
overcome the hard obstacles of your life. What do you yearn to improve within
yourself, your character traits, your relationships, and your connection with
G-d? With each desire to grow your inner personal well opens the wells in the
upper worlds, causing their spiritual energies to permeate your being and
environment.
6. Breathe into the circular
movement of your wellspring of spiritual yearning affecting the upper wells on
the in-breath and drawing down their healing energies on the out-breath. With
each breath, your well is eliciting greater waves of yearning to rise higher
and higher. As you keep breathing into the Well of Miriam within you, it becomes
more and more revealed, and its waters rise higher and higher until it becomes
one with the wells of the upper worlds.
7. Now, bring it all together,
bring it all down to make a conscious intention to act upon your newfound
awareness of Miriam’s well within you, imparting its nurturing kindness to others.
Whenever you are ready softly tap your feet to the ground and open your eyes!
what a wonderful meditation to use the natural beauty of the Kinneret to grow spiritually! what a powerful explanation of that mystical well of Miriam! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteWow this was one of the most beautiful things I have ever read, and equally helpful at the same time. Baruch Hashem.
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