Sunday April 30th – Week 4 – Netzach
Questions for Reflection
We will focus this week on netzach. Netzach is largely about endurance. It also involves determination and tenacity. The word is used in the Bible in several places where it connotes, among other things, strength, glory, and "forever."
For example, in I Samuel 15:29, we find in Samuel's explanation of God's enduring nature: "He who is the netzach (Strength or Forever Force or Glory) of Israel does not lie or change his mind."
Also, in Psalms 16:11: "You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you netzach (forever)."
After a brief introduction on netzach, we'll spend a few moments on these verses. And then have a preliminary discussion about the importance of endurance as well as about how netzach fits into our emerging understanding of the sephirot.
We'll then explore issues in the blending of the seven attributes with netzach by going through our inter-sephirot analysis as we have in the past lessons.
Questions
I. The loving kindness of endurance (the chesed of netzach)
Why must endurance involve loving kindness? How can endurance come off negatively and actually be harmful if it isn't linked to loving kindness? Examples?
II. The strength/discipline of endurance (the gevurah of netzach)
What does it mean for endurance to be disciplined? What can go wrong if it isn't? Examples?
III. The balance or compassion of endurance (the tiferet of netzach)
How can endurance be compassionate? How can it fail to be? Examples?
How can endurance lack balance? What can go wrong, if it does?
IV. The endurance of endurance (the netzach of netzach)
How does endurance endure? What makes it endure? What contributes to its failure to endure? (Do the other "definitions" of netzach help provide answers to these questions? How?)
V. The humility of endurance (the hod of netzach)
As "tough" as it is to endure, why must there be some humility in endurance? What does such humility consist of? Examples?
VI. The bonding of endurance (the yesod of endurance)
Why and how is bonding essential for endurance to be successful? Examples?
VII. The sovereignty of endurance (the malchut of netzach)
What are ways in which endurance can add to the sovereignty/dignity of oneself and others? What makes endurance capable of adding to dignity?
{ Audio of Class Presentation and Discussion }