Tikun Hatzot

[Dondi]

What is this? Is this a kabbalist ritual of prayer at midnight or is it common in other sects of Judaism? Doesn't it has something to do with balancing sexual desire with service to God, or some such?

[dauer]

Dondi,

There's no particular sect of kabbalah nor does the term sect really apply to anyone but some haredim. Denomination is a better term within Judaism. Kabbalah can be explored within all of the denominations. Tikkun chatzot is a kabbalistic ritual. It's a lament of the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash.

The witching hour is something found in a lot of religions, Judaism included. Midnight is a very powerful time when our line to G!d is especially strong, like how at different times of day you might get more or less interference with certain electrical devices. It's a window of opportunity to seek favor from G!d. Tikkun means repair or healing and by focusing on the beit hamikdash it's reminding G!d of the exiled shechinah, the Jewish exile, and the loss of that sacred space.

Dauer

[Dondi]

Originally Posted by dauer

Dondi,

There's no particular sect of kabbalah nor does the term sect really apply to anyone but some haredim. Denomination is a better term within Judaism. Kabbalah can be explored within all of the denominations. Tikkun chatzot is a kabbalistic ritual. It's a lament of the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash.

The witching hour is something found in a lot of religions, Judaism included. Midnight is a very powerful time when our line to G!d is especially strong, like how at different times of day you might get more or less interference with certain electrical devices. It's a window of opportunity to seek favor from G!d. Tikkun means repair or healing and by focusing on the beit hamikdash it's reminding G!d of the exiled shechinah, the Jewish exile, and the loss of that sacred space.

Dauer

Sorry, dauer, I meant no offense by using the word "sect" as I was at a loss of words to distinguish the different flavors of Judaism.

In an article I read it mentioned the union between Malchut and Yesod, which brings all joy. Can you elaborate on this?

I refer to this article.

[dauer]

lolol. In a very condensed and abridged way. I'll also provide resources for further explanation.

Malchut and yesod are two of the sefirot. Yesod corresponds to the phallus. Malchut corresponds to the mouth. Yesod is also called tzadik. Malchut is also shechinah. Yesod is the connector by means of which Tiferet which corresponds to HaKadosh Baruch Hu (The Blessed Holy One) connects to malchut. It is the bridge between transcendant and immanent.

for further reading I would suggest:

Learn Kabbalah | Malchut
The Ten Sefirot: Yesod
The Ten Sefirot: Malchut
The Ten Sefirot of the Kabbalah

[bananabrain]

tiqqun hasoth is very popular in the sephardi world particularly among kabbalists. traditionally the night is divided into four "watches", depending on the length of the day. kabbalistically speaking in terms of G!D's "daily routine", the second watch of the night (just after midnight, which is, halakhically speaking, what hasoth technically is) would be considered as the optimal time to weep for the destroyed Temple and other things for which we would entreat G!D's Compassion and Mercy. you have to sit on the ground, near a doorpost, with your head covered with a cloth and ash on your forehead. i myself tend only to do this on the fasts like the 9th of 'ab, partly because i don't stay awake studying zohar all the rest of the night like the true kabbalists. it is divided into the tiqqun rahel and the tiqqun le'ah - both or either are read depending on which night it is. personally, i don't have much insight into the tiqqun itself, but it didn't seem like a tiqqun for sexual immorality to me, but what do i know?

b'shalom

bananabrain

[pohaikawahine]

Originally Posted by bananabrain

kabbalistically speaking in terms of G!D's "daily routine", the second watch of the night (just after midnight, which is, halakhically speaking, what hasoth technically is) would be considered as the optimal time to weep for the destroyed Temple and other things for which we would entreat G!D's Compassion and Mercy. you have to sit on the ground, near a doorpost, with your head covered with a cloth and ash on your forehead.
b'shalom

bananabrain

always so interesting bb .... a little off subject, but in parts of the South Pacific, when one wants to ask for forgiveness for a transgression, he/she will sit outside of the "hale" (home) with a mat covering their head for as long as it takes .... midday and midnight are also important times for certain rituals in some cultures of the South Pacific .... the sun overhead at noon or midday is important .... me ke aloha pumehana, poh