This construction was originally concieved as a follow up to the Havaya Meditation. It deals with the subject of the Thirteen "rectifications" of Keter, Divine Attributes which according to the Zohar, permeate the entire world of the Divine Names,(Atzilut) and filter down through all the worlds of existence (Briya, Yetzira and Asiya)

As often happens, a construction doesn't turn out quite the way you plan it. My first impulse was to shelve the construction, since I couldn't imagine someone meditating to it. However, after a few listens I began to think that if you are really openminded...well maybe you could meditate to this.

The construction opens with thirteen tones, each with a certain stretchy, bending or sliding quality to them. The tones were made with a bottle neck on the guitar fretboard with a little vocalization for added complexity. Each tone forms a small sliding circle. The strange quality of the thirteen tones is supposed to reflect the idea that these sublime thirteen attributes of the Divine are forever calling out to every being to return to the creator and its own inner nature, and that no matter how far one falls, that fall is also a kind of rising. As a result, reciting these thirteen Divine attributes form a core ritual of the Day of Atonement service.

To do the meditation, one would contemplate each of the Adttributes in time with the 13 tones. Very soon, the 13 tones will go into a permutation mode. This sequence (when the tones combine with each other) is meant to symbolize the 13 Attributes of mercy extending through the entire world of Atzilut. I had meant for this to sound uplifting. Instead it came out very strange. But indeed, this might actually be appropriate, since these 13 Attributes include in themselves all the paradoxes and mysteries of our spiritual life. Af first you should try to keep going over the 13 attributes in time with the shifts and changes in the construction. Hopefully as things go on, you will be left with the awareness of the thirteen attributes as streams of light threading themselves through all reality.

In the next sequence, some vocals (taken from the Havaya meditation) are added to the mix.

After that comes a sequence where the bell tones from Havaya meditation have been added.

Lastly follows a sequence where some more up-beat guitar notes have been added.
These three sequences correspond to the 13 attributes extension through the worldds of Briya, Yetzirah and Assiya. The world of Assiya is more upbeat and resonant that the other sequences. This is because the world of Assiya is closest to nomal human conciousness, and also because according to the strange logic of the 13 attributes, the farther away you fall, the closer you are to returning.

Here are the thirteen attributes:

(revealed to Moshe on Mt Sinai. see Shmot 34)

א-ל
רחום
וחנון
ארך
אפים
ורב חסד
ואמת
נוצר חסד
לאלפים
נושא עוון
ופשע
וחטאה
ונקה

G-d (all powerful)
compasionate
and full of grace
long
of face (ie patient)
great in kindness
and truth
maintains kindness
to thousands
carries (the burden of) wrongdoing
and transgression
and sin
and cleanses

As for the Second Part, this was my attempt to have the 13 attributes of mercy confront the mystery of why the righteous suffer, a topic which holds the deepest paradox of faith, and which G-d told to Moshe that he would not comprehend ("for no one can see my face and live!") I though I was just going to play around with the sounds. But then I decided I might as well post that construction as well. It is very dark, turbulent and noisy, but I did try to give it an uplifting sort of ending.

However, I don't recommend trying to meditate to this.

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