THE POWER OF TWO

December 2019 | Kislev - Tevet 5780 | Volume 14 Issue 12

"One is the loneliest number that you’ll ever do”. “One” is a song written by Harry Nilsson and made famous by “Three Dog Night”. The song is known for this opening line which Nilsson wrote after calling someone and getting a busy signal. He stayed on the line listening to the “beep, beep, beep, beep…” tone, while writing the song. The next line of the song says, “two can be as bad as one”, but is this true? The Hebrew word for two is “shnayim”, meaning divide, difference, oppose, judge, discern, witness, conflict, blessing, abundance, building, couple, dying to self. Shnayim (two) is also related to the word shanah, which means change or repeat. Ideally, two should mirror one, as in the “two shall become one flesh”. But from the beginning of creation, G~d ‘made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’So they are no longer two, but one flesh.’ (Mark 10:6-8). This is the idea of a true “pair” that works together like one’s eyes, ears, nostrils, hands, or feet. There are two great commandments, ‘You shall love Adonai your G~d with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ [Deuteronomy 6:5] This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ [Leviticus 19:18b] The entire Torah and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40) Many more significant “two’s” can be found within scripture. Two sisters (Ezekiel 23), two olive branches (Zechariah 4), two houses of Israel (Isaiah 8), two sticks (Ezekiel 37), two loaves of bread for Shavuot (Leviticus 23), two good reporting spies (Joshua & Caleb), and the two pillars that protected and watched over the Children of Israel in the wilderness. A pillar of fire by night and a pillar of cloud by day. The second letter of the Hebrew alef-beit, is the letter beit (ב), mirrors the symbolism of the number two. Two is meant to bring a blessing, “barukh”, the Hebrew word for “bless” begins with the letter beit. To bless, in simple understanding is to multiply something or someone. With the number two, multiplication becomes possible. When two doesn’t reflect the positive side of one (unity), it denotes division rather than multiplication (blessing). For example, the second sentence in scriptures speaks of chaos, we see the second day of creation divides the upper and lower waters, and the second chapter reveals two trees representing life and death. The New Testament also confirms two’s pattern of division or separation. The second books of Corinthians, Thessalonians, Timothy, Peter and 2 John speak either about the enemy/antichrist or the assembly in ruin. Two presents one with a choice, and hopefully that choice will lead to life and blessing, a positive change that repeats through each new cycle or shanah (year). Mankind has two natures. They mirror the two trees in the Garden of Eden, the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. We refer to the two natures of man as the yetzer hara (evil inclination) and the yetzer hatov (good inclination). We all share in this inclination of the flesh, it is in our minds, our will, our emotions, our instincts, our appetites, and our desires. The Power of Two The Power Of Two is a photograph by Davandra Cribbie As human beings we are told to master or rule these impulses, not deny that they exist or that one can live a human life without them. Genesis 4:6-7 reads, “Then Adonai said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, it will lift. But if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the doorway. Its desire is for you, but you must master it.” As we can see, two requires one to discern this difference. The power of two is an amazing thing. We were created by the One true G-d to work together. “Two are better than one, because they get a good return for their effort. For if they fall, the one will lift up his companion. But oy to the one who falls and has no one to lift him up. Furthermore, if two lie together, then they will be warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though a man might overpower one, two can stand against him. Moreover a threefold cord cannot be quickly broken." (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)