בס”ד
By Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron
This painting’s bottom makes a connection between Hebron and the Kotel in Jerusalem seen one over the other. This seems to reflect the teaching of the Arizal that King David ruled in Hebron before Jerusalem as a method of raising the power of the Holy Presence in Hebron by which he may raise the power of the Holy Presence in Jerusaem in the direction of building the Temple. Not only that, but the Arizal says that Hebron stands for the Holy Presence coined “Rachel,” while Jerusalem stands for the Holy Presence coined “Leah.” Kabbalistically Rachel is associated to the lower body from the chest and below while Leah is associated to the upper from the chest above. Indeed, we see the Kotel beginning from about the chest of the Hasid seen here.
Above the Kotel we see the internal parts of Maarat Hamachpela. We see people in prayer, and a ladder leading up to the heavens. This seems to reflect the teaching that prayers rise as “by ladder” to the Heaven via Maarat Hamachpela. The Lubavitcher Rebbe bridges this idea with another teaching that prayers rise via the Temple Mount in Jerusalem by saying that prayers begin their ascent in Hebron and continue at Jerusalem and then rise to Heaven. This teaching also follows beautifully with the bottom of the painting which connects Hebron to Jerusalem.
We also see birds flying as if to Heaven from Maarat Hamachpela. This seems to reflect the teaching that souls, similar to birds in the sense of their spiritual flight, also ascend to Heaven via Maarat Hamachpela!