The Symbolism of Wine and Water in Yaakov’s Service
And this is the meaning of what is written (Bereishis 27:25) regarding Yaakov, “And he brought wine to him (his father Yitzchok in order to receive his blessings),” which the Zohar (III 189a) interprets as, “He mixed water into the wine.”
The Zohar is discussing the mystical idea of wine and drinking wine. Strong wine cannot be consumed unless it is watered down. So too, Yaakov had powerful mystical teachings about Hashem in a manner of Severity, and he mixed that them with Kindness, so they would be properly balanced and able to be properly internalized.
Because wine symbolizes Ratzo, Gevurah-intensity and fiery desire to connect to Hashem from below to Above. And “Yaakov mixed in water” is the idea of Shov. Just as wine heats a person and gets them excited, Ratzo, so too, water cools down a person and get them back to thinking rationally, Shov.
Therefore, the word “לוֹ -to him” in the verse “And he brought him wine,” is read from the Torah with two cantillation notes (a double note known as “mercha kefula”) to represent the fusion of Ratzo and Shov, wine and water.
One of the cantillation notes is called a Mercha, like the note under אֵת and a different cantillation note is referred to as a double Mercha, a Mercha Kefula, like the note under לוֹ. The fact that in our verse regarding Yaakov’s wine it has the double Mercha note is to indicate that this wine had a double property: It contained wine and water. This symbolizes Yaakov’s mode of service of Hashem in manner of Ratzo and Shov mixed together in a proper balance.
(Because of this, even his mystical teachings of Hashem, his other “wine,” had balanced properties and the proper effect on those who learned them.)
