Perashat Vayetze: The Eye Within the Eye

By Victor Bibi Vayetze

The light associated with the first day of creation ויאמר ה יהי אור is termed by our sages as the אור הגנוז; the hidden light stored away for the righteous for use in the future. The sages do admit though that it can be accessed intermittently during this epoch by those who advance themselves spiritually. It appears that any spiritual undertaking to access the light must include an elevated state of vision by that individual. 

This in essence will throw him back to a spiritual era prior to the sin of Adam Harishon and a period when the light of creation had been fully revealed. In order to perceive this light the enlightened cannot merely use his physical eyes but must evoke an elevated spiritual vision.

This vehicle of perception of the אור הגנוז is termed biblically as עין בעין an eye within the eye. This vehicle was used by the Children of Israel during their 40 year sojourn in the desert. Their spiritual advancement allowed them to access and perceive the original light of creation as it says in Bemidbar 14:14 " For you are ה׳ who was seen by the eye within the eye, you ה׳ and your cloud standing over them, and in a pillar of cloud You are traveling ahead of them by day, and in a pillar of fire by night. Obviously this being a reference to their ability to live in the desert above the laws of nature, in a state reminiscent of Adam before the sin.

In this weeks Parasha, Yaakov entered into an agreement with his father-in-law Lavan. Lavan separated a group of solid black or white sheep and goats and told Yaakov that he would be paid for his years of service with whatever spotted streaked or banded offspring this flock yielded. Yaakov pealed streaks into branches of poplar and other trees and put them by water troughs where the flocks drank and mated. The offspring of the flock were subsequently banded, spotted or streaked. All agree that an obvious conclusion would be that what parents see, prior to marital relations has a decided effect on their resulting offspring. That alone however would not account for the fact that 100% of the animal offspring did not follow the genetic code of their biological parents! Something else was in play here.

Let us understand that Yaakov had earlier anticipated this episode. He recalls in a later conversation with Rahel and Leah that an Angel of God had revealed to him a method to alter the genetic make up of the sheep. It appears to me that he was taught that this can only truly be accomplished by accessing or seeing the creative properties of the original light of creation. He was taught by the angel that the properties can be perceived only through a raised spiritual vision of ones eyes. As Yaakov recounts (Ber 31:12) " I suddenly had a vision...An angel called me in God's name, Yaakov! and I replied Yes. He said " You must raise your eyes in order to see" this will allow you to alter the genetic make up of the animals.

One might mistakenly think that it was only the pealing of the trees which altered the genetic make up of the offspring. Rather it appears that it was also necessary to include a raising of the eyes to perceive and access the original creative and genetic properties of the .אור הגנוז Based on this tradition taught to Yaakov by the angel; we know that the ability to alter the genetic make up of beings must include a revelation of the original light of creation. The only vehicle that can perceive this light is the eye within the eye. Without it, there is no detection of

the אור הגנוז - the light of creation - And without it there is no ability to alter the genetic make up of beings. The Talmud teaches us how the light can be accessed to alter the genetic make up of a future fetus. R. Yohanan was accustomed to sit next to the women's mikveh. He explained that when the Jewish women emerge and come out from their required immersion, let them look at me and they will have children as beautiful and learned as I (BM 84 & Ber 20). R. Yohanan was questioned how he can remain unabashed in making such a claim without fearing the evil eye. R.

Yohanan asserts that since he is a descendent of Yosef Hasadik he is naturally endowed with a spiritual aspect allowing him to sour above the evil eye. This is referred to the aspect of .עלי עין Namely that which is above normal vision which is not subject to being tampered with. I propose that R. Yohanan's claim was that he is naturally endowed with the eye within the eye which allows him access to the אור הגנוז . Therefore he maintains that any women that contemplates the rabbi and his spiritual nature while exiting the Mikveh will also have some access to the .אור הגנוז This comes with the possibility to physically and spiritually influence the genetic make up of the fetus.

In the future, the אור הגנוז , the light of creation will be revealed as a result of the advanced spiritual state of humankind. I would also like to suggest that a heightened perception activating the eye within the eye is a necessary spiritual step leading us towards the messianic era. It must initially be ushered in by the Mashiah Ben Yosef who as the seed of Yosef Hasadik is naturally endowed with this facet of vision. Therefore, Yishaya advises that only those who will advance spiritually in the secret of עין בעין or the eye within the eye will witness the ultimate redemption which is nothing more than the revealment of the אור הגנוז . Hence the נביא Navi writes "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger of good news, who announces peace, the harbinger of good news who announces salvation, who says to Siyon: Your God reigns!. Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices and sing together כי עין בעין יראו בשוב ה׳ ציון for via the eye within the eye they will see God's return to Siyon. (Yishaya 51:8).