Kabbalah Library
Assorted Notes
801. The Klipa of Ishmael
“You shall build the altar of the Lord your God of complete stones.”
Even [stone] comes from the word Havanah [understanding], meaning that he wants to understand. At that time, he also has wholeness, meaning that he accepts everything with faith. Then, “You shall offer on it burnt offerings to the Lord your God.”
Ola [burnt offering] means it is all for the High One [Ola also means ascending]. That is, although he is already complete in the quality of “heart,” he still needs the quality of “mind,” which is complete stones, since there is no wholeness in the mind, for tomorrow he might think differently. But in faith there is wholeness, for there, there is no change once he has the degree of faith.
However, faith, if he has a desire to understand, it is called the Klipa [shell/peel] of Ishmael.
