Transcendence and Revolution

A revolution is a turnover – those at the bottom revolve to the top and those at the top revolve to the bottom.

In Hebrew, the literal meaning of the word "revolution" (מהפכה) is "turnover." The word has 5 letters and its gematria is 150, meaning that the average value of its 5 letters is 30. 30 is the gematria of Judah (יהודה), the kingly tribe, whose name also has 5 letters, their average value being 6.

In Kabbalah, 6 alludes to the sefirah of knowledge (דעת), referred to as "the key that includes six" (the six emotive attributes of the heart). The collective consciousness – knowledge – of the people knows when the time is ripe and calls for revolution.

Judah, the king, governs the people. If the government is just it's stable, if not it's time for revolution, to appoint a new, better ruler from the tribe of Judah.

The kingdom of God on earth, established by our commitment to live by His law, involves two manifestations of His Infinite light. One is called "the surrounding light," and the other "the filling light." They reveal God's transcendence and immanence respectively to the world.

When our earthly government functions properly, God's surrounding light is hidden and His filling light is revealed. The filling light provides an existing order with regularity, gradual expansion, and evolving productivity.

But when there is a need for revolution, God's surrounding light manifests to give the people the power to revolt-revolve. In the idiom, "surrounding light," the word "surrounding" (סובב) means to "revolve," not simply to encompass.

To affect a revolution we must become fully aware of God's transcendence, His otherwise hidden surrounding light. He is absolutely above nature (which He created and fills) and by connecting to Him at this level we become able to rise above, to transcend, the confines of the existing regime.

The essence of creation ex nihilo is by means of God's transcendent light. For us to create a new world order we must connect to God's transcendence.