Objective:

This week’s discussion we introduce Section 4 by reading passages about growing the tree of life within yourself like a tree.

Beads:

This passage will the Large bead at the beginning of section 4:

(Large bead): “O YHVH, I pray thee, plant thy Torah as a seed within my heart that it might grow as a tree within me, a new creation.”

Passages to Ponder

Alma 16:152-154 [32:28]

16:152 [32:28a]. Now we will compare the Word unto a seed.

16:153 [32:28b]. Now if ye give place that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breast;

16:154 [32:28c]. And when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves: It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the Word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding; Yea, and it beginneth to be delicious to me.

Zenock 6:29-36

29. ¶ And to grow this, the orchard of YHVH in thy heart, then you shall first start with a seed, and if it be a good seed, then shall you feel it begin to swell within you;

30. Therefore, as it doth proceed to swell within you, it shall grow up, to bear fruit, and you shall see that it be a good seed, for the fruit of it shall be good.

31. But if the seed that doth grow within you be a bad seed, it shall dry up thy faith, and the waters of the mercy of YHVH shall dry up, and you shall not do thy mitzvoth.

32. Wherefore, if thy seed be true, then the works of you shall be true, and if the seed be a bad seed then the works of YHVH, your Elohim, shall not be seen to come out of you:

33. For what thou doth eat and drink cannot defile you, but that bad seed planted in your heart shall defile you by what it spits up out of your mouth.

34. Wherefore shall you cast that bad seed from out of you, and cling to all that is good, and to know that which is good, learn from her, the Torah.

35. ¶ Yea, if you shall be nourished by the Word of her (the Torah), then shall you pluck from the fruit of the tree of life, and eat of it, and it shall spring up a tree in thee unto everlasting life,

36. Which tree shall drink continually from the everlasting well of waters of the mercy of YHVH, and you shall never hunger nor thirst again.

Melchizedek 21:24

24. Therefore, when the wicked seeds of mankind are planted within thy heart, cast them to the side and plant in their place the seeds of YHVH to perfection.

Questions of Knowledge (What it says at the surface)

• What does it say the Seed “is”?
• Alma and Amulek talk about how to recognize a GOOD seed, what is the test for a good seed?
• Zenock also explains how to recognize a BAD seed, what is the test for a bad seed?
• Where does it say that we get the seed in order to plant it?

Questions of Wisdom (What it means below the surface)

• Alma and Amulek speak of growing the tree of life, Zenock speaks of the Orchard of YHVH, but it is fairly obvious that they are talking about the same thing. What different meanings does the allegory take when considering it as one tree, or an entire orchard?
• If the seed is “The Word” of the Torah, is it the same thing as Nephi’s Iron Rod?

Questions of Understanding (Likening it to Ourselves)

• What seeds have been planted in your heart? Which one(s) have dried out your mercy, and which have enriched you?
• Can you think of ways that you eat the fruit of the tree of life growing within you?
• Why “orchard” of YHVH (PaRDeS)? Is Zenock/Alma/Amulek’s tree related to the layers of scripture pondering?

Questions of Mystery (What deeper meaning can be harvested)

• What new seed or teaching(s) should you plant in your heart?
• Are there bad seeds that are drying up your faith growing in your orchard?
• If so, ask YHVH for help and the strength to uproot them.