Tikkun means ‘repair.’ The middot may be defined as human “characteristics” in one sense, and emanations of G-d in another -as we are made in “His Image.” (This extends through all of creation as well.)
There are seven specific middot we deal with in this life. These are further subdivided into six ‘active’ ones (see below) and the seventh (Malchut/Kingdom) which is ‘passive.’ *
These characteristics are associated with the ‘seven Ushpizin’ (guests) at Sukkot. We study how these aspects were manifested in their lives in order to improve ourselves.
In easy to understand terms, they relate as follows:
- Abraham = Chesed = Proactive/Expansion
- Isaac = Gevurah = Reactive/Restriction
- Jacob = Tiferet = Balance/Harmony
- Moses = Netzach = Initiating spark
- Aaron = Hod = Calculative response
- Joseph = Yesod = Connectivity, Synergy
- David = Malchut = Receptive, developing routine for the six above
No two people are the same, so no two people require the same amount or type of rectification to their middot. Further, these characteristics exist and manifest in ways unique to our physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual ‘selves.
(* There is distinct similarity between the 7 middot and the material in “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by the late Stephen Covey.)
<< Return to Themes