“… the serpent, who lurks beneath Shekinah, craving the rich nourishment of emanation.”
Connecting the Dots: A Quick Review
How does one resolve “irreconcilable differences?”
Perhaps not exactly as we think:
When light pushes away the darkness, eventually another darkness shall come. When the darkness itself is transformed into light, it is a light that no darkness can oppose.
R. Menachem Schneerson
How does this relate to the Matrix?
At the end of Matrix Revolutions, a great light from the Source entered the ‘darkness’ of the Matrix created by Smith. Whereas Neo had attempted to ‘defeat’ Smith before this, now he ’caused’ him to be an ‘agent’ for this light!
That took care of one type of darkness — the more ‘overt’ force of destruction that Smith represented. There remains a more subtle, older form to deal with, however. And the same principle will apply.
So what will it take to end the Matrix and set humanity free? Would you believe some “outside help” and a lot of trickery?
Reviewing some main points of we explained in these The Matrix Resurrections articles:
- The Three Stages of the Matrix Prophecy, there are two distinct parts two the redemption of humankind, with an interim period between them. This correlates precisely to the Matrix story (and the quotation above).
- Big Things Come in Small Packages, the “divine presence” (shekinah) is connected to the people in exile (the Matrix) and longs for them (and itself) to “return to the Source.” (Shekinah shares the same root as found in ‘neighbor’ and ‘neighborhood.’)
- Everything That Has a Beginning Has an End, the relationship between the beginning and end of the human experience (in this world and in the Matrix story) has to do with a departure from, then return to, ‘singularity.’
All of this, as the Architect said, “has led you, inexorably … here.”
The Opposition is Strengthened
One of the interesting concepts we see over the three Matrix films is that while Neo increases in knowledge and power, so does Smith – his ‘opposite.’
In them, we see light and darkness both increase, though they remain separate and struggle against each other.
This principle is also true on a greater scale. As the Matrix prophecy comes closer to fulfillment, the negative forces strengthen – while more humans are ‘freed.’
This idea was alluded to by Morpheus in The Matrix Reloaded:
Consider that in the past six months we have freed more minds than in six years. This attack is an act of desperation. I believe very soon the prophecy will be fulfilled and this war will end.
This is also found in kabbalistic writings:
As the number of ingathered increases, so the Sitra Achra (‘other side,’ evil realm) will increase its strength.
Kol Hator, chapter 1
There is a reason why the forces of light and darkness rise together with regard to the humans. This is to maintain the balance between “good and evil.” Such equilibrium is required for maintaining choice — the necessary means for humans to repair themselves and escape the confinement of the Matrix world.
This the deeper meaning of the Matrix, as revealed in Neo’s statement to the Architect:
“Choice. The problem is choice.”
The following text illustrates this, and personifies the opposing force, as is done with Smith and the Merovingian in the Matrix story:
As we approach the final level, the Sitra Achra – the Opposing Angel – will be at his strongest, and for two reasons. First, knowing that his end is imminent with the coming of the Final Redemption, he will need to fight for survival like never before; and second, for the added strength of the yetzer hara (our evil inclination) because free will – the overall purpose of creation – demands a balanced choice. Therefore, as clarity of truth increases, so must the temptation to reject it increase as well. The trick, and source of one’s spiritual survival will be knowing whether or not our rejection of information is rooted in our yetzer tov (good inclination) or our yetzer hara (evil inclination) something that is a lot easier to do on paper than in practice.
Pinchas Winston, “Just in Keitz” (Torah.org)
As we see in the Matrix, despite more minds being freed, it remains a small percent of the population. There is no transformation of darkness into light as long as most of the humans continue living in the same way that got them into the Matrix.
Can You Keep a Secret?
As the negative forces in the Matrix become more powerful, it creates situations that require ‘unusual’ means for the humans to achieve success. This includes keeping some things “out of sight.”
For instance, Neo (as Thomas Anderson), a computer hacker appearing to be a ‘nobody,’ was ‘hidden’ from the other side:
Morpheus: They got to you first, but they’ve underestimated how important you are. If they knew what I know, you’d probably be dead.
We also mentioned in a previous article that Sati had to be ‘snuck past’ the Merovingian. This was done to deceive him regarding her potential. He had to be ‘blinded’ to what this ‘daughter’ of Rama Kandra and Kamala had within her.
He hinted at this in his conversation with Neo:
Rama Kandra: I know only what I need to know.
This idea of Neo and Sati being ‘shielded’ from the other side, involves a concept called, mirmah u’tachboles. The term reflects the idea of “scheming and calculating.”
This becomes the “modus operandi” of the Creator, when humanity, through its self-centeredness, materialism, etc., allows the Sitra Achra (“other side”/negative forces) to dominate — as has occurred in The Matrix.
The Creator then operates within the ‘world’ that WE have formed:
“It is a backdoor approach to redemption, to throw off the negative spiritual forces that stand to interfere with it. Since the Final Redemption means the end of evil, evil wants to stop redemption from ever happening. It has been VERY successful on MANY occasions.”
Pinchas Winston (thirtysix.org)
The ‘deception’ regarding Sati was accomplished by presenting her as a ‘purposeless’ program. This was further perpetuated by the behavior of her parents, Rama Kandra and Kamala.
Recall that it seemed they ‘betrayed’ the Oracle in order to make their deal to get her into the Matrix. (As we discuss in one of our articles, the Oracle was in on the scheme from the onset!)
Based on this ‘trickery,’ Sati does not appear to have a very great ‘lineage.’
As the “trafficker of information,” the Merovingian has sway regarding entry into the Matrix world. This power is another aspect of the primordial serpent/nachash that we will discuss in a future article.
Rama-Kandra: I know that if you want to take something from our world into your world that does not belong there, you must go to the Frenchman.
But why should the Merovingian care about Sati? What could this little “cookie baker” possibly amount to, especially with parents “like that?”
An explanation is found in one of the deepest Kabbalistic texts which discusses this in terms of ‘questionable’ people in the lineage of the messiah:
The great souls that are part of the cycle of souls of Messiah [i.e. such as Abraham, or David] are born simpletons and sometimes even to evil people, with nothing apparently special, in the likeness of the verse, “with no beauty that we should desire it” (Isaiah 53:2). This is because the level of holiness of Messiah’s soul is so high, that in its cycle its holiness is concealed from the Klipot (i.e. the barriers that conceal the holy light). This is done through sins and problematic situations that are simply ruses to trick the Other-Side. The Impure Forces would think that since this Soul comes from a place that needs so much correction, it will cause the body to further sin; so it is concealed from them that it’s going to submit totally to God and manifest Godliness to the world … For a great soul to leave the klippot, you should know, it must be done with trickery and scheming … you will find that many great souls have come in the bodies of simpletons, and sometimes even in the children of evil people.
Shaar haGilgulim (Gate of Reincarnations) ch. 38 (1)
The Ground is the Serpent’s Turf
The ‘problem’ doesn’t end once one gets “through the door.” The Sitra Achra creates a precarious situation for everyone and everything, such as Smith did in Matrix Revolutions.
Sati, upon entering the Matrix, is in a very volatile environment. As the ‘daughter’ aspect of the Shekinah, she had to be kept in a ‘concealed’ state, as she represents the opposite, “irreconcilable difference,” to the Sitra Achra. Whereas she brings the light of true reality, the latter seeks to cover it.
“Because of Her vulnerability to the Other Side, Shekinah is not yet fully and openly ‘one,’ but in the Messianic age, when evil will be eliminated, she will be called ‘one’ explicitly, no longer in a whisper or cipher.”
Zohar, Pritzker Edition, Volume 5, p. 241
In kabbalistic texts and the Bible itself, the Shekinah is called ‘wisdom’ when it is connected to the concept of the ‘Father’ persona, in this case, represented by Rama Kandra on the right/masculine side of the Sefirotic tree.
In order to hasten the redemption, the inner wisdom has come down into the public domain, with all the inherent dangers that this ‘descent’ engenders.
Beyond Kabbalah: The Teachings That Cannot Be Taught, Joel Bakst
The above gives us a bit more insight into Sati’s role.
A Rabbit Hole of Deception
We’re far from done with the ‘trickery.’
As we have presented through our Knowledge Base, at the deeper level, the “bad guys” are not in essence ‘bad.’ Everything is serving its purpose toward the goal of the Matrix prophecy being fulfilled:
Though many of the steps along the path to redemption may be hidden and even disguised as negative events, all paths must, by definition, eventually lead to redemption.
Pinchas Winston, “Just in Keitz” (Torah.org)
The ‘blindness’ described above, as well as what appears to be “the bad guys winning,” is actually a requirement for what has to occur for the redemption of humanity.
This is necessary for the correction of the that has been damaged. In Matrix Revolutions, it is the reason why Smith was allowed to “take over” everything and believe he had ‘success’ over Neo, after ‘defeating’ him. In this manner, even Smith is made to “do good” with regard to the grand scheme of things.
Which is the idea behind this line from a spiritual song:
“… from the forest itself comes the handle for the ax.”
Matisyahu, “Chom ‘Em Down”
The following text, discussing the concept of “Messiah ben Joseph,” explains in this manner:
“This brings us to another crucial principle that appears in the writings of the Ari and especially in the kabbalah school of the Gaon. Along with the law of parallelism there is yet another cosmological law that King Solomon formulated. This law states: There is a time when the (evil) man subjugates the (good) man to his own undoing (Ecclesiastes 8:9). In other words, the forces of good must temporarily suffer at the hands of evil, in order to undermine those very forces by extracting and drawing out aspects of the fallen forces of good that are being held there in captivity. The principle of “a time for subjugation” is the second reason why the higher knowledge of Mashiach ben Yoseph is forced to go into exile. His soul must be subjugated to captivity, abuse and, under specific circumstances, even temporary loss of identity, in order to redeem specific ‘inverted’ fragments of Supernal Wisdom.
The Gift of Kabbalah, Tamar Frankiel
The same text explains this concept through the function of ‘klippot,’ an aspect of the Sitra Achra, meaning a shell or husk that covers the true reality (as all the negative programs are). Not only Smith, but Neo as well, had to be kept in the dark for everything to go as planned.
The same work continues:
Only by the captor believing that the captive is under his control can the captive get close enough to ‘draw’ out the imprisoned energies from the soul of the captor himself. The “bad guy” thinks he is winning and yet he is ultimately losing to the “good guy.” The catch is, however, that in order for this mode to operate successfully, not only can’t the “bad guy” know the truth, the “good guy” as well cannot really know what is going on. In fact, the “good guy” can’t always even know that he has been turned “inside-out” and that he is in a present state of captivity – also known as assimilation. This is an insurance policy. It guarantees that the divinity of Mashiach ben Yoseph will always be protected whenever it is forced to go into exile among the klippot.”
The Gift of Kabbalah, Tamar Frankiel
Recall that even Neo, before departing on his “final journey” in the midst of a “hopeless situation,” did not know what his ultimate function was:
Neo: “Trinity… There’s something I have to say. Something you need to understand. I know I’m supposed to go. But beyond that – I don’t know…”
The conflict fought between Neo and Smith, was the first battle. The next will involve more than just two entities however. A much greater segment of the humans in the Matrix needs to be ‘awakened.’
That is the problem, however. Being able to move away from the materialism the Matrix ‘offers’ is extremely difficult. As Morpheus said to Neo in the first movie, most of humanity remains “hopelessly dependent on the system.” Even Cypher, after being ‘freed’ wanted to “return to the comfort of Egypt.”
Selflessness and selfishness are as irreconcilable as light and darkness. How can this ever be resolved?
“It is a pickle, no doubt about it.” – The Oracle
Riding the Keter to Malkhut Express
From a simple movie/script standpoint, it was confusing as to how Sati being brought into the Matrix contributes to the story. It may be ‘sentimental,’ but seems irrelevant to the plot. However, given what we have discussed in this and previous articles, we can begin to understand why she, a ‘purposeless program’ (with a great purpose) had to be concealed.
As the product of her parents, Rama Kandra (on the right) and Kamala (on the left), Sati descends down the “middle path” from the higher spiritual (program) world into that of the Matrix. Thus, Sati, as she relates to the emanation of Malkhut, becomes ‘exiled’ with the humans inside the Matrix.
As mentioned in a previous article, Malkhut/the Matrix is in a binary state of “good and bad opposites.” The “good news” is that within Malkhut such opposites may be reconciled.
The last of these ten lights (Malkhut) is called Shekinah. It is here that all existing beings are rooted. … For besides the roots that all existing beings have in the other higher lights (sefirot) they also all have a root in the Shekinah.
Mishkney Elyon (Dwellings of the Supreme) R. Moshe Chaim Luzzatto
This ability is due to Malkhut’s relationship to Keter (the crown of the middle path), the non-binary world where opposites are completely nullified:
Malkhut/Kingdom has no separate and independent reality of her own apart from the Keter/Crown of the King.
Beyond Kabbalah: The Teachings That Cannot Be Taught, Joel Bakst
An example of the Keter-Malkhut connection is in the Biblical book of Esther. This is a deeply mystical text, with the heroine Esther (at Malkhut) able to get the people to turn from their ways and do what they were supposed to do, which enabled her to connect with the King (at Keter), who gave them the means they needed to save their lives.
An article discussing the hidden aspects within this book, notes the following:
The word keter (crown) only appears three times in the whole Tanakh (“Old Testament”) and all three are in the Book of Esther and always in the phrase “keter–malchut” which hints to a powerful kabbalistic practice, called yichud (unification/singularity).
Keter-Malchut, Sarah Yehudit Schneider
(The concept of “Keter-Malchut” will be developed further in our coming Matrix Resurrections articles, with regard to “elevation of the feminine!”)
(3.16.22 UPDATE: As promised, this is in our new article, Unification of Feminine and Masculine.)
The Sati-Serpent Conflict
Similar to Esther in the above narrative, Sati will be instrumental in helping to provoke the required “arousal from below” on the part of the people. This arousal (how the humans can overcome the negative forces) comes by acting in a manner avoiding what got them into the Matrix in the first place – self-centeredness, hedonism, materialism, etc.
It is through the proper actions of humanity, within the world of the Matrix, that the prophecy will be fulfilled:
Not in heaven, not in the Palace does obedience to the King most reveal His Glory. It is precisely here in this dark world where Godliness is concealed that following the Will of the King most reveals His Sovereignty/Malkhut. This principle also illustrates the paradoxical superiority of the World of Action over the “higher” spiritual worlds and hints at the superiority of action over the more refined realms of emotion and intellect.
Kabbalah Primer, David Fialkoff
Sati is directly connected to the correct and required attributes. As mentioned, this places her in a position ‘opposite’ the character that reflects that which is contrary to them the most — the Merovingian.
The origin of this discord traces back to the ‘beginning’ — the story of the serpent in the “Garden of Eden” in the Bible’s book of Genesis:
“I will place hate between you [the snake] and the woman [the Shechinah] between your descendants (Gen. 3:15). From the day the world was created, great enmity [between holiness and the Other Side] arose because of the advice of the snake [to Adam and Eve to sin]. From the hour in which it [the snake] was cursed, it was pushed away from the King’s gate.
Daily Zohar, Devarim Day 2, Rahmiel-Hayyim Drizzin
The idea of being pushed away from the “King’s gate,” is another reference to the serpent ‘descending’ below the lowest level of creation. (Malkhut is called the first gate.) Note the mention of detaching from materialism, a prerequisite to being freed from the Matrix:
When a person experiences fear of God in his heart, it is a sign that in his thought he has entered the King’s gate. This is the attribute called Malkhut. This experience of awe in the presence of God further reinforces the effort to detach oneself from physical pleasures.
Uniter of Heaven and Earth, Miles Krassen
Since that time, the ‘serpent’ seeks to reconnect to the higher levels of existence. In a similar fashion, the Merovingian has his eyes on more than just hanging out in his “Club Hel.”
Oracle: What do all men with power want? More power.
As the manifestation of the serpent figure, whose domain is beneath the lowest world of existence (‘below’ Malkhut/the Shekinah as mentioned above), he desires to have control over everything that is above – the ’emanation’ of all existence.
This is the essence of the image at the top of this page:
“… the serpent, who lurks beneath Shekinah, craving the rich nourishment of emanation.”
Zohar, Pritzker Edition, Vol 1. p.329
Remember the Reset Button?
How the writers of The Matrix Resurrections movie present this confrontation and resolution, we will have to wait until December to see. Where it is heading is another matter.
In our profile article on Sati, we mentioned how the attribute of Malkhut has the power to go from a passive state to a creative one, destroying what became corrupt and becoming the Keter/Crown of a new reality.
The culmination of the Matrix story won’t be a return to the previous existence where humans followed their self-centered, materialistic ways. Rather, it will result in a radical change to the program and human worlds – a “new heaven and new earth.”
This action will also be the culmination of what Neo promised at the end of the first movie:
I’m going to show them a world without you, a world without rules and controls, without borders or boundaries, a world where anything is possible.
This concept is found in two places in the Bible:
For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.
Isaiah 65:17–19
Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.
Revelation 21:1–5
How long will this require depends upon the people.
“In its due time, I will accelerate it,’ makes it clear that the quantum-like jump, into the higher-dimensional messianic future is dependent upon reaching a point of critical mass. That point is not set in time but rather depends upon a constellation of factors … “The darkest hour is just before the dawn.”
Beyond Kabbalah, Joel David Bakst
The Oracle, as always, provides insight. The short clip below was not included in Matrix Revolutions. As you listen to her final words, keep the above Isaiah and Revelation verses in mind.
Be sure to check out Rama Kandra’s blog for additional insights into Sati and her key role in The Matrix Resurrections.
(1) This is a 16th century text relating the teachings of the Arizal (also called the “the Ari”) who is considered the father of modern kabbalistic insight. Note that the term ‘reincarnation’ has a different meaning and basis in kabbalah than in other systems of faith or philosophy. The term for this, ‘gilgul,’ means ‘revolutions’ – the very name of the third Matrix movie.
