The rope and the well #3: the elements

This Mashal about water, needs to be broken down into two parts. Mashal and Nimshal. Essentially the structure is the same in both the Mashal and Nimshal .

Element #1: a valued "water" is of no benefit - it is outside the human domain

Element #2 The wise man derives benefit from the water through extending the human domain through inventive combination of existing tools

Element #3 Common people are able to derive benefit from the water through imitating the wise man

Mashal: Physical water

Element 1: There once was once a deep well, full of water that was cold, sweet and good. But there was no one who could drink from it.

Element 2: A person came along who connected many ropes one to another and drew water from the well and

Element 3: Imitating the wise man, everyone else began drawing water as well.


In the same way,


Nimshal:Metaphysical "water"

Element 1 (implied):There once was once a deep well, full of "water of Torah" that was cold, sweet and good. But there was no one who could "drink" from it.

Element 2: by moving from one principle to another and from one metaphor to another Shlomo arrived at the "water" / secrets (hidden first principles) of Torah. This is what is meant by the statement: "The metaphors of Shlomo son of David"- by means of his metaphors he arrived at the principles of Torah.

Element 3 (implied): Imitating the wise man, everyone else began drawing "water" as well..


Feel free to ask questions on this lay out or the mashal itself. I will try to get to formulating my own questions in the next blogpost tomorrow.