Snow: between heavenly fire and earthly grace—a journey into searing purity

Source: The storehouses of heavenly scourges and David's prayer

Makhon (one of the regions of heaven in the Bible) - in which are the storehouses of snow and the storehouses of hail, and the upper chamber of harmful dews, and the upper chamber of raindrops, … as it is said: 'The Lord will open for you His good storehouse.' Are these found in heaven? Surely they are on earth!! As it is written: 'Praise the Lord from the earth, sea monsters and all depths; fire and hail, snow and vapor, stormy wind fulfilling His word.' Rav Judah said in the name of Rav: David pleaded for mercy concerning them, and brought them down to earth.

(Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Hagigah 12b (translated))

Explanation: From dichotomous heaven to the blessing earth

In heaven there is a realm where all troubles and scourges are stored—snow and hail, harmful dew that rots the crops—and God keeps them there. King David pleads with God to bring these scourges down to earth, perhaps because he does not want evil to have a presence in heaven, or perhaps he believes that while in heaven they are scourges, on earth they might actually become a blessing.

Perspective: Snow as frozen fire: the searing purity of truth

In many places, God's dwelling in heaven is described as intense fire, but also as pure snow. The opposition between snow and fire is a false one: at extreme temperatures, cold sears just like heat; snow is "frozen fire." Anyone who thinks the truth is always warm and stirring has never stood before the cruel, white truth of pure logic. Yet when snow falls on the earth, or heavy dew, we know how to soften its sting. Snow, maligned throughout history, has become a wondrous landscape, a winter sport, an image of grace and love. Heaven is dichotomous; only earth knows how to sweeten the bitter and illuminate the dark.

Going Deeper: Frostbite and cooled grace: science and Kabbalah

Physiologically, tissue damage from extreme cold is remarkably similar to a burn—frostbite. In Kabbalah (the Zohar), they speak of sheleg de-ati mi-go hesed ("snow that comes from grace"). Grace is water, and snow is one expression of grace: a cooled, restrained grace.

Culture: Snow White and her stepmother: when snow and fire meet in the same soul

It is impossible not to end the week with the iconic tale of Snow White (1812) and her companions. Snow White represents the innocence and purity of snow; she is the fairest of them all, pure and untouched, until her stepmother feeds her the poisoned red apple. It is the story of Eve and the apple, except that for Eve the exile was forever, whereas the Brothers Grimm chose a more optimistic ending: snow triumphed over fire—the red apple. Yet, as Carl Jung explained, perhaps Snow White and her stepmother are one: Snow White, pristine on the outside and burning within, a fitting blend of fire and snow.