In Hebrew Catholic spirituality, the ninth level of spiritual ascent corresponds to the Attribute of Chokhmah (Wisdom), a profound and transformative stage that brings the soul to a deeper union with God through the experience of Divine Awe, the Fear of the Lord, and self-emptying. This level marks a significant transition from understanding (Binah) to divine participation, or what is referred to as Divinization — the transformative process by which the soul is made partaker of the divine nature. At the ninth level, the soul enters into the deepest forms of contemplative prayer, marked by Shasha Bitul—an intense experience of self-nullification, where the soul offers itself completely to God, becoming an icon of the Divine Sacrifice of the Messiah. It is a level of total surrender to God's will, a level where the soul mirrors Christ’s sacrifice, becoming a living korban— a sacrificial offering.
This stage of spiritual ascent is connected to the fourth glorious mystery in the Rosary: the Assumption of Miriam (Mary) into Heaven, body and soul. The Assumption represents the culmination of Mary’s earthly pilgrimage, where her body and soul are taken into the fullness of divine life and glory. At this level, the soul, through deep prayer and contemplation, comes to understand and participate in this divine mystery, embracing the reality of its own transformation into the divine likeness, body and soul.
Chokhmah: The Attribute of Divine Wisdom
In Kabbalistic thought, Chokhmah is the second of the Ten Sefirot, representing Divine Wisdom. It is often understood as the spark of creation, the divine insight that precedes understanding (Binah) and flows from the Infinite Light (Ein Sof). Chokhmah is the root of all wisdom, encompassing both intellectual knowledge and the deeper, intuitive understanding of divine realities. In the Hebrew Catholic tradition, Chokhmah is not simply an intellectual attribute but a profound participation in God’s knowledge, where the soul begins to grasp divine truths with both the intellect and the heart.
At the ninth level, the soul experiences this wisdom as the beginning of true union with God, a union that is marked by reverence and awe in the presence of the Divine Majesty. This Fear of the Lord is not a mere servile fear but a deep respect and awe in the face of God's infinite holiness and goodness. It is also accompanied by the Fear of sin, which compels the soul to seek holiness and purity, avoiding any form of attachment to sin or worldly distractions. The fear experienced at this level is a purifying force, cleansing the soul and preparing it to receive the fullness of divine life.
This fear and awe are essential aspects of Chokhmah and Divine Wisdom. As the soul enters into deeper communion with God, it becomes increasingly aware of the vastness of divine majesty and the smallness of the human condition. In this awareness, the soul responds with a deep reverence, desiring to surrender itself completely to God’s will.
Divinization: Becoming Partakers of the Divine Nature
At the ninth level, the soul enters into the process of Divinization— the transformation of the human soul into a likeness of God. This is the ultimate goal of the spiritual ascent, where the soul begins to share in the divine nature, not by nature but by grace. The process of Divinization is the ultimate goal of Christian salvation, as articulated in the New Testament: “God became man so that man might become God” (Deus homo factus est ut homo fieret Deus), a doctrine famously expressed by St. Athanasius of Alexandria.
The transformation that takes place at this level is not merely intellectual or emotional but involves the entire person—body and soul. The soul, through the experience of divine wisdom and the purification of its will, becomes increasingly conformed to the image of Christ. This is the point where the soul, through Shasha Bitul (deep self-nullification), enters into the mystery of the Cross, offering itself as a living sacrifice to God. This is not a passive acceptance but an active and conscious surrender of the will, a self-emptying that mirrors the self-emptying of Christ.
Shasha Bitul: Self-Nullification and Total Surrender
The ninth level introduces the soul to the deeper form of Shasha prayer known as Shasha Bitul— a profound experience of self-nullification in the presence of God. The term Bitul means “nullification” or “self-annihilation,” and in this context, it refers to the total surrender of the self to God. This self-emptying is a necessary condition for deeper union with God, as it allows the soul to be filled with the divine presence, free from any distractions or attachments to the self.
In Shasha Bitul, the soul ceases to exist in its own consciousness and becomes fully absorbed in God’s divine will. It is a form of prayer in which the soul offers itself as a living sacrifice (korban), united with the sacrificial Lamb of God. This total self-surrender is a reflection of Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross, where He offered Himself for the salvation of humanity. At the ninth level, the soul, through contemplation and prayer, enters into this mystery of sacrifice, becoming a living icon of Christ’s offering.
In the Mass, the fruits of Communion are deepened at this level. The Eucharist is no longer just an outward sign but becomes the means by which the soul is drawn into the mystery of Christ’s Body and Blood, the ultimate sacrificial offering. Through the Eucharist, the soul experiences the reality of Divinization, becoming increasingly one with Christ in His sacrificial act, receiving His life, death, and resurrection into its own being.
The Living Korban: A Sacrificial Offering
The soul, at the ninth level, becomes a living korban—a living sacrificial offering. This self-sacrifice is not a one-time event but a continuous offering of the self to God. The believer, through deep prayer and contemplation, becomes a reflection of the korban of the Messiah. Just as Christ offered Himself for the salvation of the world, so too does the soul, through Shasha Bitul, offer itself as a living sacrifice for God’s glory.
This offering of the self is a sign of true humility, where the soul recognizes that its existence is not its own but belongs entirely to God. The soul’s total surrender is a reflection of the deepest form of love, as it gives all that it is for the sake of union with God. This self-emptying is also a source of divine wisdom, as it enables the soul to experience the fullness of divine life and the transformative power of God’s love.
The Assumption of Miriam: A Symbol of Total Union with God
The fourth glorious mystery of the Rosary—the Assumption of Miriam (Mary) into Heaven—captures the essence of the ninth level. The Assumption represents the soul’s final transformation, where it is taken into the fullness of divine glory. As Miriam was assumed body and soul into Heaven, so too does the soul at the ninth level experience the beginning of this divine transformation. The soul, through deep wisdom and self-nullification, begins to share in the divine glory, entering into the fullness of communion with God.
This mystery also represents the soul’s ultimate goal: union with God in both body and soul. The Assumption of Miriam symbolizes the culmination of the soul’s spiritual journey, where it is taken up into the divine life, becoming fully united with God in a way that is both spiritual and physical.
Conclusion
The ninth level in Hebrew Catholic spirituality, associated with Chokhmah (Wisdom), is the level of Divinization— the process by which the soul is transformed into the likeness of God. This level is characterized by profound awe and reverence for God’s majesty, the fear of sin, and a deep, transformative experience of self-nullification. Through Shasha Bitul, the soul offers itself as a living korban— a sacrificial offering — uniting itself with the sacrificial Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. The fruits of Communion are deepened at this level, enabling the soul to participate in the mystery of Christ’s Body and Blood. Ultimately, this level is marked by the beginning of the soul’s total union with God, as symbolized in the Assumption of Miriam. At the ninth level, the soul enters into the fullness of divine life, preparing for the final transformation into the divine likeness.
Footnotes:
St. Athanasius, De Incarnatione Verbi Dei, 4th century.
Catechism of the Catholic Church, 460-463, 1031-1032.
Kabbalistic teachings on Hokhmah and Bitul, The Kabbalah Reader, ed. Joseph Dan, 1998.
St. John Paul II, Rosarium Virginis Mariae, 2002.
St. Teresa of Avila, Interior Castle, 16th century.
St. Augustine, Confessions, 5th century.
St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, II-II, q. 24, art. 9.