These windows, in the synagogue of Chabad in Weston, Fl have been dedicated to different modes of creation.
After meeting the Rabbi Spalter of Chabad of Weston, I set off to understand the deep spiritual ideas in the stories of creation. The creation of the world, the creation of the spirit, the creation of a nation, the creation of a religion, the creation of a way of life and the creation of the future. These were each represented in the windows using various symbols.
Creation of the world
In the first window we have the Genesis a swirling color, mainly yellow because it is was a purely spiritual reality and only later does the green (material world) come in. In the red area we have tower of Babel and then a river separating Abraham from the rest of the world. Avraham saw by the stars that it was his destiny to be barren, but God took him outside and showed him the secrets of the Universe, that he was the Master of the Universe and that all nature was under his control. Therefore I have used the Sephirot to show the stars, but instead of the names of the Sephirot I have names of the tribes and the verse “And he believed in the Lord and He counted it to him for righteousness”
Creation of the Nation
The second window starts where the first ends, this time with Joseph’s dreams. The tree is the Terebinth of Abraham and symbolizes the Land that the Jews are leaving for Egypt. The cup is the cup of Benjamin. From the green (spiritual growth) land they go into Egypt, symbolized by the pyramid and the red, harsh color (also could symbolize the plagues). The Exodus through the sea is staggered and these are the 49 levels of impurity that the Jews were impure by in Egypt.
Creation of a religion
The two center ones are the first and second Tablets of the law. In the first ones, the stones are broken and all the commandments are going back to Heaven. All the Sephirot are disconnected and the whole feeling is one of disarray. Mankind could not handle the whole truth and essence of God, man cannot handle pure spirit “Thou canst not see My face, for man shall not see Me and live”
The second Tablets are written by man, all is ordered. Even the fire is laid out and calm. The feeling is one of Peace. Spirit watered down enough for man to be able to use it in his life.
Creation of a way of life
The next is the “Given” or “Seen” Torah. The Mishnah is on top with a hint of the Temple in the corner. The “water” of Torah flows down and eats away at the stone of Rabbi Akiva, who was “just” a shepherd till that day. There is a hint of the crownst and kotsim on the ש if you look closely. Rabbi Akiva was also the teacher of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai and so we have Nigleh and Kabbalah connected here too. Also in the green we see the cover-page of the Vilna Talmud. At the bottom we have Maimonides. His Menorah,with the green wrapped around it symbolizes the medical profession, and the five fingers on the left are the Yad-Hachazakah (Mishneh Torah) אסור, מותר, חייב, פטור ופסיקתא
Creation of the spirit
The Kabbalah window starts with the sephirot and the books of the Holy Ari (Luria), Etz Hadaat and Sha’arei Hakavanot. The Baal Shem Tov is symbolized by the tallit, tefillin and real deep prayer. The small leaf in the red area is to symbolize his first Aphorism. The river and small cup (from one of his stories) shows that everything in the Creation has a specific spiritual purpose, even a small stream how much more so a human being!. To the right is his Synagogue and above is the Shofar of the Messiah towards which we are constantly striving.
