Keter: The Kabbalah of Balancing Our Wills

Anything to excess is not good for us. Too much anger can ruin a relationship as can an excess of kindness. Overeating is harmful, but an over- preoccupation with becoming slender can lead to anorexia. As Maimonides said, one must live a balanced life, steering the middle path between too much or too little of anything. All this is easier said than done, and for many of us the battle to keep on track is ongoing. The key is to understand where the potential for excess come from and for this we must understand how excess works vis-à-vis God.

The Bible (Numbers, Chapter 1 and elsewhere) talks about the census that was taken of the Children of Israel. Regarding the number of the Jewish people the Prophet Hoshea (2:1) said, “And the number of the people of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor counted.” This is a perplexing statement as the Talmud (Yoma 22b) points out: It is written: ‘The number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea,’ and it is also written: ‘..which cannot be measured nor counted.’ If they are like the sand of the sea, by definition they can be counted?

 The Talmud answers that when it says that they cannot be counted it speaks of the time when Israel fulfils the will of the L- rd. Where, on the other hand, the verse gives a measurement to the number it speaks of the time when they do not fulfill His will.

The operative term here is “the will.” So when Jews fulfill God’s will they prosper to excess. However when they do not they just experience natural growth. The Kabbalists explain that the highest of the Sefirot in the Kabbalisitc Tree of Life is Keter (crown) – also known as the Divine will power.

This will power is seen as the intermediary between the infinite and the potentiality for finite creation. Or in the human it is seen as the connector between the self and the higher self or the soul. As an intermediary it must be able to relate to both sides – the finite and the infinite and the self and the soul.

On the higher level the will power is infinite so that whatever stems from there is unlimited and disproportionate. On the lower level, conversely, it directs its will only in appropriate proportions, so in the Divine, the world as we know it was created by the “lower will” and therefore continues to operate in a systematic manner. In the human, all natural bodily functions are carried out accordance with the “lower will” and are therefore done in an orderly fashion.

There are times however when our “higher will” takes over and we do things to excess. According to the Kabbalists this happens at times of extreme happiness, such as when hearing good news. We become elated, and may feel an urge towards extreme generosity.

It can also happen when we become very angry and lose ourselves. Our “higher will”, which is not regulated by the influences of finitude, takes over and we lose all sense of proportion. Thus, we see that the overpowering influence of the “higher will” can have a positive effect. However, if it comes into play at an impropriate moment it can also be catastrophic.

There are times when we may wish to tap into the higher divine will power so that we are bestowed with plenty. However, since the higher will power is infinite it bestows good indiscriminately which can also cause evil to benefit.

The trick therefore is to tap in and out of the infinite will power where and when appropriate. So, according to the Talmud, when the Jewish people have tapped into that will power correctly Jews prosper. However, when they have not, the infinite power can be indiscriminate and thus not necessarily beneficial. According to the Kabbalists by fulfilling mitzvoth, which are the will of God, one accesses the infinite power in the most positive manner.

As humans we need to learn: when to allow the “higher will” to take over and when to control it. On the whole we should be controlled by the orderly and methodical “lower will” ensuring that everything we do is in moderation. However an excess of moderation is not positive! Occasionally it is important to allow the “higher will” to take over and to be overly generous. Even a show of anger on occasion can be a good thing. But we must remember that the key to a successful life is to keep an equilibrium and balance between the higher and the lower will power. As soon as we see that we have an excess of either of them it is time for a rebalance of our wills.