Cooprs livly pros nd his synrtist ttud towrd rliion mk this rwrdin book" -Publishers Wekly
Th nint Jwish trdition is dtd nd xpind in wy tht n b usd in vrydy f." Te Atlanta JounalConstitution
"Gd
rb provids muhndd imps into n lbutforottn
Jsh/kbbsti worldviw tht spks dirly to th yrnins of th spiritul skr." Te Quet
utifully writtn with intllin nd skill this is wis book sid to opn d th nturisold trsur hous of th Jwish mystil trdi tion . For shr mystil njoymnt s wll s for its trdition Jwish thins this is book to trsur." -Napa Review
n his bst book yt Rbbi Dvid tls storis inspirs instruts uids nd lihtns th rdr to fl in body hrt mind nd soul how on is prtnrd by th ivin God in th dvntur of lif" -ABBI ZALMAN CHACHTERHOMI
Inundtd s w r in his by informion w om to rv th wisdom nd lov born out of siln For thos of us t this untur Dvid Coopr provids suprb snsitiv nd ntl uid."
DASS, utr f Be Hee Now
ALo BY BB V A oo SILENCE , HE
SIMPLCTY, SIMPLCTY, AND SOITUDE SOITUDE EAR OF
STINE
NTERNG THE SACRED OUNTAIN ENEWNG ouR SoL
DIOAE HE YTICAL KABBAAH KABBAAH
EDTATON
Is
K A B B A L A H T H E
A N D
P R A C T I C E
M Y S T C A L
0
F
jU D A S
Rabb Ra bbii David David A . Cooper Cooper
VEEAD BooKs, NEw YoRK
1U
st Rivehed ks availale sl qry dscu dscu fo buk pses o ses pmoios pemiums d·sn o edcto Sial , , o k exceps c ls ced t sic nee.
b
Fo derails, wre: Si Makers Te Bekley Publshing Goup Yk New Yk
375 Hun Se1 Ne
ierhead Book Publhed by The Berkey Publhing Group diVion o Pengun Pua Inc. 375 Hudon Sreet New York York New York 14 Copyrgh © 199 by Rabbi Dad . Cooper Book deign by Judth Stago bbae Interior illuraion by rk Lea Coer Coer deg copyrgh © 997 by Marc J Cohen Back coer photograph photograph o the author by ohn L L
rgh reered. Th book or part thereo ay not be reproduced n any or wthout periion
Fir Rierhead hardcoer edion: ugut 1997 Fir Rerhead trade paperback eton Sepeber 998 erhead rade paperback ISBN 1532269
The Libray o Congre ha catoged he Rerhead hardcoer edion a olow Cooper Dad God a erb abbaah and the pracice o ytical Judai by Dad . Cooper . p. Include biblographcal reerence and ndex ISBN 15322558 Spritual Judai. 2. Cabaa. 3 JudaiEence geniu nature I Tile 723.C66 199 29671221 972353 CIP Printed n he Uned Stae o erca
a book is ddiatd to my parnts Hln Markns and Sampson D. Coopr, who now dw in ras byond this ralt raltyy but non n ontthlss quny visit m n drams and dons of othr oth r wa ways to kvetch and kve about how am lvin my lif.
P R E E
E W
M Y C
hv lwys bn rtnt to rv th sotr thns of Kbbh Th Tmud sys tht ths srt thns r to b rst mnstrm wsh sholrs pror rlly ontrolld As to th twntth ntury rry xpord ths smnt of hddn knowld. Mor mportnt, s th myst nsht of kbbs wsdom ws rsrvd for ony hndl of prttonrs most popl nvovd n udsm nvr hd th opportunty to xprn th wth of ths trsur wthn th tr dton. Durn th st hf of ths ntury rt strds hv bn tkn t o nvstt nd mk vbl hrtofor nssbl kbbst mtrl. Mny txts hv bn trnsltd nd onsdrbl rsrh hs bn undrtkn t nsttuts of hhr rnn. Howvr p stll stnds btwn th nttul pprton of ths sotr thn nd thr ntron nto vrydy wsh prt. Pror to fty yrs o nyon syn th thns tht r ddrssd n ths book mht hv bn ostrd by th rbbn ou Som rdrs woud hv bn outrd to s sotr dsussons mnt to b rd by only sltd fw A lr numbr wod hv bn t s th Torh Prfac
: V
intrprtton from n itrin prptiv Sti othr woud hv found th myl tn of th Zoha quit trn nd in om wy itt too o for omfort to Etrn bf. hu I ront dpy th th fin xprd by Rbbi Aryh Kpn th mot prol modrn ommnttor on Jwih mytiim who opn on of hi book editation and Kaaah with th foown ttmnt It i with rt trpidtion tht on bin to writ work uh thi . . ." I oftn nountr objtion to mntry mytl Jwih thin by fow Jw who r unfmiir with th op nd brdth of thir own trdtion. ypiy thy r in dni I hv bn tod tht mttion i not Jwih bf in rinrntion i not Jwih pryin on i not th Jwih wy. h pop r mitkn Indd Jwih mytiim i profouny nu nturonntd piritu prti tht opnly diu n nd dmon ou ourny ftr dth rinrntion rurrtion nd th o of hivin mini onioun. hi oftn i our of onidrb mbrrmnt for om Jwih thr. hy dont k to tk bout uh thin. Yt on of th bit ompint of pop in th Wt Jw in prti ur i tht our riiou trdition r not piritu nouh. W wnt to f onnon with th rt unknown w wnt to xprin th rt of othr rti nd th mnin ofif W wnt piritu prti tht touh th hrt nd nourih th ou. W wnt p of ntury whr w n t rpit om th buy word round u. Our yrnin to ronnt with our ntl ntur trnnd th im it of th intlt. It om om p of innr knowin tht thr i fr mor to f thn mtril wth. W know dpy wthin tht th mytr i of rtion pk in nu tht n b borbd only throuh bin" rthr thn by doin or thinkn. Wtrn riou trdition nd mythooy r built upon th found tion of th thin of th Od tmnt. Mny of th thin bm oid on o in d bf to hn thm mnt to b xommu nitd Now piritul dr in th Wt hv hd th our to ut dirnt poibiiti for undrtndin nint t. hi nw wy of ookin t thin opn th t for th potnti of prdim hift tht wi hn our vry thouht pro nd our rtionhip with th Divin hi book ontin mny nint id xprd in modrn nu It ut wy of intrprtin bibi tori tht onfront trdition pr ptiv of th mtri prntd h bn thorouy rrhd nd t r nyon intrtd who woud k to inquir into th our. viii
Peface
he purpoe of th ook i to provide inight into the foundton of Wetern myticim. he eder doe not need ckground in trdtionl regiou tudy to pprecite the ide dcued herein lthough the e of informtion i from Jewih point of view the inight overow into Chritin nd Muim trdition for the teching re univerl hi ook i o written for peope who re drwn to Etern prcticeBuddhim Hinduim oimto dd to the diogue nd crofertiliztion of myti c inight etween Et nd Wet f you re mong the mny people in the Wet who eek richer piritu life in the trdtion of your heritge you wdicover witn t ook new wod of ot ene poie. hi i not ook imply to e red, ut to e experienced. t ue hidic te to mpi teching nd of fer exercie for thoe who would ke to integrte prctice into eveydy fe. h i guide for the peron who rey wnt to nurture the oul nd come cloer to God f you e uch peron welcome to the hidden treure ofJewih myticim
Prfac ix
O R S
OE
A N GUA G E
peit in efeing to God in muline teminology depite thoundyeold tehing of myti tht emphize the ft tht God doe not hve gende. it not time to top thi ptie? Thoughout thi ook wheneve needed ponoun fo God o the Divine ued the neut t. The tuth i tht God hould not even e ed t eue thi ugget thing. God i not thing But the lit of nguge ompel ome knd of ponoun nd t i f upeio to He ong thee ne hve tken the lety to djut tnltion in wy tht neutze the ujet exmple of thi i the foowing quottion oeed in the t etion of the thiteenthentuy Jewih ge hm u Now we e no longe epted om ou oue nd ehold we ae the oue nd the oue i u. We e o intimtely uted with t we nnot y ny men e epted om t fo we e t. n th e the oigin ed Now he i no longe epted om hi Mte nd ehod he i hi Mte nd hi Mte i he fo he i o intimtely unted with Him he nnot y ny men e epted om Him fo he i He the thut of my witing i to nd new eltionp with the Divine in wh t i denitely not Mte ee no point in on Athors Note x
tinuing to perpetute reference tht imply God i He nd tht piritul pirnt re men n ddition to chnging gender reference hve more eely trnlted text to ring concept up to dte. he Zohar ue rchic nd ocure ln guge tht doe not include word for wrene nd level of concioune ut the intent i there Rther thn tying with lterl trnltion tht would oy erve to coue the iue hve oered interpreve trnltion with the l knowledge tht ome linguit would digree. hi i rik m wling to tke. would rther initite n open dete thn continue to hde thee wondeul ide in the cmoug of puzzling lnguge he trnlitertion of Herew or rmic term lo h een imped. Mny method re vile ut ech h it deciencie For exmple the gutturl ound of ch in the nme Bach i common in Herew. Rther thn introduce confuing dicritic mrk uch dot under n h im ply pe the word it ound chesed chaah chochma or chtzpah However in ome intnce where the ch ght e coing ue kh in makht rther thn macht n intnce hve ttempted to write the word it ound rther thn dhere to convention Ey redty tke precedence over ritrry conitency. lthough Sephrc pronuncition i the tndrd in rel hkenzic pronuncition i often herd prticuy in relgiou neighorhood lmot of the word in t ook re trnterted in the Sephrdic mner. However the word for the Sth h een oered oth wy: Sht nd Sh . Ech h it own vor nd oth re importnt. he word of myticim lend itelf to multitude of interprettion Ech of u h ter we elect wht come in nd wht goe out. though hve crefuly reerched wide vriety of eoteric mteril the ide expreed in thi ook re the reult of my own perception nd undertnd ing nd they do not repreent ny prticulr chool or techer ny error in trnltion re my own tke reponiility for the level of cholrhp preented herein.
xii Athors Note
K OW E G M E S
terct to inuence how our dy ow n the dnce we c ife he wy thing hppen opportuie tht preent themeve, how we rect our very thought re inextricby inter woven wth our reonhip fmiie iend ocite nd the unknown force tht urround u. hu whe it i importnt to cknowedge the hep nd ove we receve whtever we y wy eem to f omewht hort For more thn we reize, our ive hinge on itte thing one tee phone c etter thought geture even nod or e t jut the right moment. Wth thi n mind m thnu to of thoe own nd unknown thi wod nd n other who hve pyed roe in the witng of thi book do not fee tht t i my book the ide in it do not beong to nyone hee re uiver teching hopey id in wy tht bring them home to rger number of peope n the proce of putting the wor to pper found tht mny cu converton or teching itution dded new dmenion to the wring t w we were engged in coborve eort without it being
Acknowedgments
xur
nmed uch Myteriouly ubject were brought up nd inight oered t preciely the right moment to be included in the mnucript the pirit of univer guidnce mde t preence kown My wife Shohn pyed mjor role n thi proce. uring the writing of th book we pent gret del of time teching nd lerning from ech other We dicued eoteric mteri thoughout the dy nd prticu lry on Shbbt. Mny time we dicovered new ide neither her thought nor mine one but our we re continuouly together on the pth of piritu inquiry he i not oly my helpmte iend lover nd dvior he i cocretor of thi book. though hve been bleed with ome writing k nd tent for expreion without Shohn thi book never could hve been written. rbbi m priveged to work with mny wie people who re my techer wel my tudent m prticuly indebted to the member of my Kbbh nd orh cle for mny hve ried quetion or oered inight tht hve opened new gtewy for me Of coure would not hve ny of my rbbinic kill if it were not for the mny techer who hve trnmitted the wdom of mytic Judim. Mot of thee piritul guide pek to me om other rem but hve been mot fortunte to hve been tught by two outtnding techer of thi century Rbbi Zlmn SchcterShlomi nd Rbbi Shomo Crlebch my hi memory be bleing for l being number of people red prt of the mnucript in the erly tge wih to thnk them including Mrty nd Min Kntrowit Elie Spit Reuben Weinveg nd om Ht. epeciy wnt to thnk my iend Eieer Sobel who crey red the entire nl drft. Hi uggetion were invluble hi book w indirectly conceived in the fertile mind of mi Simon he owner of Soun rue Ctlogue who rt uggeted tht record tped erie on Kbblh Mny thnk wel to the entire Sound rue t for the qulity of their work nd their enthuim. nother friend who indi rectly plyed role in the development of thi book w Joe Fotino the publiher ofJeremy rcher Book who h wy been gret fn. he ingle mot importnt driving force behind thi book however h been my editor my Hert. my hd the initil viion for comprehenive work on Jewih myticim nd h continuouly improved thi mnucript throughout it development t would not reemble it n hpe without her tirele eort ong the wy. Of coure my gent Ned evitt hned thi project with gret timng nd the right me of nd to keep thing on trck Ned mke ure xv Acknowledgments
tht lne of oution emn open Hi eot wee of enomou vlue to the heth nd welleing of thi ook. My thnk to of you. hope nd py tht ou joint eot touh ome ou nd tht t ook help heghten wene nd ing the wold oe to the pee nd hmony tht ou detiny.
Acknowdgmnts
xv
O E S
Prace Ahr Ne Akwledgme
nroduion
1
: H MaAey Berehi (h Wok of Con
21
Ring Holy Sprk wrn h Gdn of Edn Myi Crion h Nur of God
23 30 42 9 6
: H Olam Ha-h (hi Wold
81
mpl of Cion Fiv Wold Fiv Soul Dimnion
83 9
Ce xvii
Soul Fte nd Mircle ngel nd Demon Good nd Ev
110 122 134 151
H H MaAey Merkevah (he Work of the Chriot
163
he Mytic Chriot he th of the Tzaddik (Jewih Enghtenment
165 184
he th of Lerning he th of Repect he th of Generoity he th of Lovingkndne he th of Modertion he th of urity he th of Joy he th of Seene he th of e he th of Equnity he th of Extrordnry MindStte he th of Life Etern (God Concioune
185 186 191 19 201 204 206 211 215 222 226 231
YD H Olam Ha-Bah (he Wold to Come
235
Rewrd unihment nd Divine rovidence Dyng nd Fer Rencrnton Dying nd Deth Heven Hel nd Reurrection
23 251 265 22 290
Epilge
299
Edte
303
ndex
324
xviii Ctet
I T R O U C T I O e widm philphy ed wih he phyical wld Beyd he a, i ca ly imagie Gd Eece ee ae acally may level ivee beyd hi b hi h i lyfd i he abblah I i ie Gd deadig ca be gaped Iaiah 402) e wh kw he h abbalah pecive hi well, hee i level abve level -BB ACHMAN
REL
s da of h Couning of h O a da ha ncompasss h msic ha of ovngndnss h scond da of Passovr in h Hbrw cnda a 555 (1995) Accoding o wish mscism, v housand svn hundrd fv as ago, a nw paradgm of human consciousnss was bon I was a paadigm sf in h wold, fo i was a lvl of awanss ha could consciousl mg wih is own origin. Th bginnng and coninuaion of his mging mak up wha w c h pocss of ighnmn Kabbaliss sa ha w a apid appoacng anohr mao paadigm shif in awanss wil b cad mssianic consciousnss, and w wi undsand vhing in an nil nw ligh Toda is on wk afr m fsixh birhda Th Kabbah achs ha ach a in a prsons lif, a paricular quali is accnuad Th sxh a of ons f is a priod in which on is imrsd in h lovng 0 D AY
Irdci 1
H E
side of ones stength, domin of enomous fogiveness in the cosmc ow nd esh oppotunity to ise holy spks withn nd ound onesef to highe levels of weness. Thus tody is n uspicious time fo me to begin wing book. It is book bout the mysteies of life nd deth sech into the mystic techings of cetion nd ceto nd n explotion into ems of consciousness tht tnscend the boundies of ou mnds My spiitu quest ws initted moe thn foty yes go, duing my teens, when I begn to undestnd tht we s humn beings t one time o nothe in ou lives, hve unusu expeiences, connections with othe e es moments of deep insight into the ntue of things inexpcble dems tht tnscend the imgintion nd inne voices tht diect us long peculi pths Most impotnt, eveyone seems to hve pepleng eltionships with fmly, iends loves, nd even stnges which constntly touch mysteious inne essence tht in the West we cl the soul. Duing the e of the 1 960s when I ws in my twenties Esten spiitul tditions gined extodny populiy mong mny people of my genetion Some of those followes wee ced owe chden, n inteesting nme fo the blossong of new e Indeed it ws often cled the bithing of the Age ofAquius t becme subcultue, the New Age. Tody the New Age seems somewht won out but then it ws youthl, exting time In the sixties, Zen Buddhism ouished in Sn Fncisco s did n Ameicn vesion of Susm the mysticl lnege of the Islmc tdition. Hinduism pemeted the steets of the HightAshbuy distict nd the chnts of um could be hed in mny pts of Golden Gte Pk Hi ishn dues nd dnces often swooned in ecstsy on the busy cones of Montgomey Steet, in the nncil dstict, bemused wokng peo ple wked biskly to thei oces I ws one of those in suit nd tie puzzled nd intigued by the enegy nd vitlty of this new outlook on ife I becme student of Esten tditions eding bout the ideologies, expeiencing mny of the pctices. The wold of gy suits nd business tnsctions soon becme dul in compison with the gtte of exotic spiitu execises nd the wisdom of ncient techingsnot to spek of the fct tht it ws cool nd hip to be enegde. In my ltetwenties fte hving developed n upwdly mobile cee in Sn Fncisco nd New Yok, I quit my job nd begn tveng my woldly possessions in sml pck I tveled fo mny yes eding evey book I could nd on Buddhism nd Hinduism, sechng fo the secet of existence nd the pupose of fe. t ws noble pilgimge, one tht hs been tken by untold numbes of
2 Gd I
erb
sptul seekes nd t left me wth f moe questons thn I hd when I begn In my mdthtes met my wfetobe Susn who lte becme Shoshn nd the decton of my sptul nquy chnged Wthn the st couple of yes of ou elonshp we begn to exploe the pctce of tkng solty sent etets Ou st goup etet ws wth Sus nd we wee ntted s membes of the Su Ode of the West e ths equently undetook peson medtton etets spendng dys nd sometmes weeks n slence Dung ts peod I used Su technques ptcully waz ( type of mnt) pocess n whch one epets nme connected wth ttbutes of the Dvne I so took on the pctce of dhk whch mens emembnce chnt tht epets the Abc wods lla-ha l Allah-H whch mens "Thee s no God but God Somethng extony begn to occu dung these etets I stted to let go of nteectu nquy s I dscoveed deepe sense of owng tht tnscended the nd undenble pecepton oted n shdow es tht exst beeen the conscous nd unconscous mnd I could not scen the ntue of these dden techngs but I knew wthout doubt tht pofound weness ws wthn my ech my etets becme longe nd moe penettng I ezed tht wnted to ntens spects of my sptul quest Dung fotydy etet when I ws fotyone yes old I decded to mmese myself n Jewsh mystcsm Ths ws not logcl decson fo lthough I hd been bon ofJewsh pents I knew hdly nythng bout Judsm
M E D I A I O N A N D NIH to Jeuslem nd lved n the fotess of the Old Cty thn vemnute wk to the Westen W Although I ws pmy nteested n mystcl techngs I hd to do get de of ctchup s lte bloome to len the elementy spects ofJewsh pctce Ths took numbe of yes Judsm n genel s ch nd dvese tdton It s ed wth tul nd obsevnce The study of Toh nd Tlmud s extodny The dly fe of pctcng Jew s qute demndng equng close ttenton to de
tdct 3
tails in every matter: how and what we eat, when to pray, how to relate to others, the ethics of business, mor codes of behavior, and, of course, how we relate to God. The mystical component of Judaism, often called Kabbalah, is more in terested in the esoteric nature of creaton What is God? How dd creation occur? What are the hidden meanings of the teachings of the Torah? What is the architecture of the osmos? What is ultimate truth? Ts is not an easy eld of study Much of it is veiled behind technical language arcane con cepts, and intentionaly obscure codes. Ony a handful of Kabbasts wote about their experiences ost, however, chose to remain hidden in anonyity In addition, virtuly all of the commentary in ewish relgious ltera ture i om the male perspective. Almost everything written about the Kab balah tends to be intelectual and abstrct more theoretical metaphysics than practical wisdom was seeking meaning in life, not a system of absruse con cepts, and the rst couple of years were quite chenging. turned back to my medittive practice, which knew held the key to deep spiritual wisdom of the major religious traditions use meditation in one form or another n silence when I alowed my cognitive nction to rest, a deeper understanding invariably aose. t is important to note that sitting quiey is precisely the opposite ap proach to that of normative ewish learning, wch engages te mnd in com plex problems and analyzes evey facet of n argument in extraord deta had experienced this process of plpl (diectics and debate) in yeshva (an institution of ewish higher learning) for a number of years but it had not taken me to the wisdom level I was seeking This kind of earning nurured my hunger for information, and working with the Taud is a higly satis ing experience, but I wanted to be more in communion with God; needed to feel surrounded by the presence of the Divine at tes This longg seemed to arise primarily during contemplative practices, so my need for sent meditation became more urgent At ts time I encountered vpassaa insight meditation, a school of Bud dhism that utilizes an intense practice of silence for extended eriods While on a reteat, it is not unusual for a student to sit in medtation for nine or ten ours a day, in forty-ve to sixtynute segments. During the perios beween sitting, wking meditation is performed, which adds up to another sx to seven hours of meditation each day. The gol of the practice is for the student to maintain a meditative state throughout of the wakng hours, ncuding during mealtimes though this schedule may seem severe most students of vpassaa dis
4 Gd Is a erb
cove that afte an initial adjustment of thee o fou days of pactice, the hythm of constant meditation quicy leads one to an teed state of con sciousness that opens gates of penetang insightpecisely what I wanted. Westenes who expeience Buddhism Hinduism, Susm, o othe contemplave taditions often ae tansfomed by the state of mind that can be induced though seious meditative pactice At times this tansfomation is so oveheling the meditato chooses to "convet to a new eligion. Howeve, any have found that thei contemplative expeiences actuay open new gateways into thei oiginal spiitual hetages his was my ex peience Suddenly I discoveed new depths in Judaism the coentaies to the oah became aive, and my study of Kabbalah took an entiely f feent tun. I had not fully appeciated the dieence between leaning Kabbalah as an intellectual execise and expeencing Kabbah though mystcal insight Some of the witings ofJewish mystics cleay indicate that much of the Kabbalah cae though contemplative expeience Fo example, in the six teenth centuy Eleaza Aziki a membe of the kabbistic cicle of Moses Codoveo in Safed stated that hbded (isolation) was "helpl to the soul seven times moe than study, and accoding to one's stength and ability he o she should concentate and meditate one [entie] day a week. Concening ones pactice Aziki gave the following advice: "At evey moment one should ty to unite names [of God with joy and tembling. One should ee om socie as muc as is possible and be completely silent, n a biant ame alone feaful and tembling. he light which is above you head make always into you teache hee ae dozens of witings s la those of Aziki, but nding a living teache in ou day who exemplies these teachings is not easy to do. 6 Quite simply Kabbalah cannot be compehended soley though the inteect Rathe Kabbalah is a way of ife and a way oflooking at things. One becomes a Kabbalist by binging a new level of awaeness to evey act, evey wod that ows out of ones mouth, and evey thought that aises in the mind We do not gain kabbistic insight simply though the intellect we gain it by the way we live ou lives, which includes integating study, daily pactice and contemplative execises We immese ouselves in dieent aspects of kabbastic teachings, and fom this, mysic awaeness aises. he mystey of life is and always has been the cental focus of the con templave nd Aost eveyone spends his o he ealy yeas a a natual mystic wondeing about how things wok. What holds us to the eath while bids seem ee om l estaints? Whee does the wind come om and why ae all those stas in the sky As we gow olde, many explanations ae given
Ird 5
but new questions ise tht ultimtely led to shug of the shouldes om ou pents nd teches, nd eventully even om philosophes. Somewhee ong the wy s we mtue sexuy, ou focus of ttention shifts dmticy We become bsobed in the mysteies of love, eltion shp, nd individuli, nd the etenl questions of life e buied within. We e embssed to tel othes bout wht is hppening inside of us, nd often we stuggle with these secets of ife in slence As dults, most of us e so peoccupied with nncil nd fly issues tht we spend little, if ny, time contemplting life's pecments Nonethe less they pesent themselves suddely nd ovewhelmingy thoughout ou lves. Often this hppens s the esult of hghly stessful nd tumtic events violent ccidents, sevee illness, o deth. Kbblistc techngs e quite cle on one mtte Thin e moe thn we think they e. This wod is eection of, nd is in symbiotic eltion ship with, othe elms of ety. Ech event tht we expeience hs deepe messge if we hve the eyes to see nd the es to he Eveything hs mys tic mening nd signicnce Life is enomously ich nd puposeful once we e ble to penette its mysteies HE
D A M
n the eighteenth centuy the Bl Shem Tov dmclly the chcte ofJudsm by poposing tht joy, pye, nd n ecsttic conection with God though physicl ction wee s im potnt, if not moe so, thn simply living n obsevnt life s Jew. He is viewed s one of the key ledes in the movement tht ws built on these ides, which is clled Hsism Accoding to schols the hsidic movement is bsed on kbblistic pinciples.7 Legend teches tht the Bl Shem Tov eceived his secet wisdom om mysteious souce ced the Bk Adam. t is sid tht thee is only one copy of this book in existence t is designed with n essenti mysteous ingedient tht cnnot be epoduced The lettes themselves thei shpes nd shdings ll contin spk of the Divine Not only is this book unique, the ede hese o himself must know how to intepet its coded messges The secets e hdden behind veils within vels so tht those who e ignont of the powe of tuth cnnot msuse these techngs. You see, the Bk Adam evels the denitive ex
6 Gd Is a Veb
planaion of h maning and purpos of lif and dah lov and rlaionshp, souls, angls and ohr ralms of ra Th origina x of h Bk Adam was givn o h primordial b ngs Adam and Ev, who passd i, along wh h mhods ndd for inrpraon, on o hir succssors f h book f ino h hands of on who had no aand spiriu mauri, his or hr misundrsanding n abl would bring abou his prsons own downfa Thus h msrious book was passd om achr o sudn for mor han v housand ars, unil i cam ino h possssion a fw hundrd ars ago of somon cald Rabbi Adam Rabbi Adams son Yizhak was a larnd prson, bu h lackd h innr r and arnng ha on nds o b succssfu in h sarch for ulima ruh Rabbi Adam knw ha his son could nvr larn om his book on his own n h hour of Rabbi Adam's dah, h nsrucd Yizhak o ak h book o h own of Okup. Thr h was o sarch for a bo namd s ral h son ofElzr. For was oung sral bn Eizr and o h among a h larnd popl in h wold, who could glan h dpr manings hiddn in his hol book Rb Yizhak ravld o Okup, a dicul journ n hos das H sarchd for sral bn Ezr and was old no o was s im wih his laz bo ndd h popl of h own could no undrsand wh h bo spn mos of his m wandring aon in h woods. Th did no raliz ha h was larng h languag of h winds, h danc of h bs, and h dps wisdomachings of h fors Rb Yizhak rd h bo o run rrands, and waid unl h was cran ha h bo acua mrid sing h book. As par of his wags h bo was gvn a plac o slp in h sabl bind h hous On dark ngh Rb Yzhak noicd a ligh glowing om bnah h barn door H hurrid ou, concrnd ls a candl had s h ha ablaz. Bfor raching h door Rb Yizhak glancd hrough a wndow and saw oung sral absorbd n h sud of a book Bhold! Th bo was aglow in h rapur of his conmplaion. Thr wr no candls burning ha nigh Th nx morning, Rb Yizhak gav h Bk Adam o sral bn Elizr Th bo quic bcam ngrossd and sudid his magical x da and nigh Onc again, whnvr h bo was hunchd ovr h book, a ong gh manad hroughou h room i wr d wh lamps Wih ach lin sral rad h xprincd a coninuous ow of wondrous houghs as h books auhor wr abl o whispr drc ino s mind Grasping h manng of his xprinc rquird a spcia inuion, a
Irdci
7
plce of inne knowng necessy fo lening techings tht tnscend the intellect Reb Yitzhk lcked this insight Unfotuntely Isel ws unsuccessl in his ttempts to tech Rbbi Adm's son Ate mny ustting expeiences Reb Yitzhk begged sel to use kbblistc mens to invoke the pophet Eljh who is known to l s the Pince of Teching. Isel uged Reb Yitzhk to wit it ws dngeous expeience to undetke. But Reb Yitzhk insisted. They fsted nd puied themselves fo sx dys. Then they begn the itu to summon the Pince of Teching. Howevejust s Isel intoned one of the nmes of God Reb Yitzhk could not mintin hs concenttion. He lost focus nd his mind wndeed This lpse occued t citicl instnt nd hd teible conseuences. Rthe thn invoking the Pince of Teching they indvetently invoked the Pince of Fie As eveyone knows the Pince of Fie consumes eveything in its pth unless one instntly builds sheld of fith fo potection They both immeditely but ts sheld in thei iginons. They kew tht thei only chnce fo suvivl ws to emin wke until sunise when the Pince of Fie would lose its powe. ws ne until just befoe dwn Re Yitzhk could sty wke no longe. He dozed o fo mee few sec onds nd in sh the Pince of Fie took him wy. Fom this time on sel ben Elieze studied the Bk Adam by hm self He lened how to invoke the dieent nmes of God ll of which when ponounced coectly hve powe to hel the wold With this knowledge he ws ble to keep the wold in good epi nd it is becuse of this tht he is ced the B Shem Tov which mens Mste of the Holy Nme
HE
MYERIE
L IFE AND
O F
EAH
s thee ey mening nd pupose in lfe nd deth? Ae thee tht evel unves tuths? Wht is the connecon between Adm nd Eve nd the Bk Adam? How e sdom techngs encoded nd wht is needed to bek the codes? Wht does it men to invoke vine potection nd how does one do this? Wht ws lckng in Rbbi Adms son? Wht do we need in ode to gin ccess to pofound wisdomtechings?
Gd Is a eb
These questions, nd othes tht intigue bbsts e sked by evey one. Wt is God Wht is the pupose of etion Wht is soul Ae tee ey soul mtes Wt hppens fte deth Is thee einntion Wht is honess Wht is tuth Wht is wisdom Wht is the bsis of fith Ae thee ngels Wht is heven l bout, n wht is hel Does pye elly omplsh nything Wht is the bsis of fogiveness Cn sueing in this wol eve end If we hve soul, oes it sue fte eth Wt does it men to sin Wht is tue eedom Finly, whih spiitul pties n we use to ttin ghe wisom nd gete weness These wee the issues disussed in the Bk Adam nd they e the questons we ddess in Gd Is a r Is it not uious tht though we hve get libies in whh vituly of the wolds wisomtehings e edily vilble, though we hve ess to moe infomtion thn the getest shols nd monhs of the pst, we hve not been ble to use this knowlege suiently to tu y ise ou levels of weness muh highe thn othes ould few thou snd yes go Inee mny woul sy tht we hve egesse. Get tehes hve tught wht they know, but somehow get students e extodiniy e The wold hs gown in the knowledge of some elds of inquiy. We hve inese ou sien infomtion we hve impoved ou tehnol ogy; we hve me gins in the soil sienes n in the eld of eonom is Ou philosophil n spiitul wisdom howeve, seems to be t stndsl; we seem not to len the lessons of the pst We know nothing moe bot eton tody thn ws known by the Geeks. Conepts of heven nd hel emin mysteious. The ey of pye fo heling h been doumented, but we hve not the slightest ide how it woks The inteonnetedness of things is tuism of uent spiitul nd sienti sdom, but it seems moe theoeti thn wong elit. NIHENE ne of the pimy texts of the Kbbh the ha ies out to humnnd, sying, "You beings on eth who e in deep slumbe, wken! Who mong you hs lboe to tun dkness into ght nd bit teness into sweetness It pleds th us, "Stop sleeping! Wke up! Wht e you witing fo
Itrdct 9
In my edngs nd wndeings thoughout the yes, hve gtheed wisdomtechngs om ound the wold. n tuth, i I wee ble to collte nd distll ll tht I colected, it could be sued up entiely in the thee monishments o this kbblistic teching: Awken Elighten Tnsom dkness into light Spiitul teces ultimtely gee tht tue wisdom does not come om outside o us but om within. And it does not come om withn sim ply becuse we wnt it It comes when we live n wy th invites wisdom. It comes though diect expeience Hee is good exmple o diect expeience: Conside the gnce o ose I we ty to descibe this scent to someone who hs neve beoe smeled owe, we il. t is impossible to ccutely elte this om though nguge We my come close by eeing to sil expeiences, but we cn neve be successul using only the intellect Yet, plce ose into the hnd o peson nd in the bieest instnt the communiction wbe completed without wods. So it is with the getest wisdomtechings. Until they become pt o ou dily expeience, they emin bstct. Mny people who e seious spiitul eploes hve lened get del o inomtion but hve integted vey lite. We cn len bout the spiitul expeiences o othes, o we cn bing meningul ctice into ou own dily lives. We cn len bout mysticism o we cn pctice being mystics Most o us expeience deep plesue when in gden. We encounte sensoy delights: colos, shpes, nd odos. Intellectully we my ppeci te the pocess o peping the lnd, pnting the seed, cing o the spouts, etilizing wteing nd l o the wok tht welltended g den equies. Emotionlly we my be touched by the vibtion o blosng lie the tendeness o gile plnts, the clmness nd seenity o the gden duing some moment, nd the busyness nd vitlity duing othes A mystic in the gden expeiences l this, but is dwn to othe con templtions s well. He o she ttempts to connect with the soul o ech plnt, the othe beings tht live in this gden the ngels tht hove evey whee, nd the intections o plnts with one nothe A mystic contem pltes the spks o holiness tht eside within evey plnt nd isect knowing tht these spks e ised to new levels o consciousness when the uits o vegetbles e ingested by beings with highe consciousness n the mystics holistic view, evey gdenevey spect o cetion, o tht mtteis cocosm o the Gden o Eden nd eecon o eveything hppen ng n the cosmos
1 0 ' Gd Is
Ver
H A
AAAH?
has intrigud Wstrn scholars and thologians man cnturis Coakd in mstr, concad b sct socitis, burid und ars of arcan smbols and impntrabl anguag it ha bn a sourc of fascinaton for skrs of spiritua truth in v gnration of th ast thousand ars Evn toda it continus to hav a strang charisma. Yt whn askd what Kabbaah is, who invntd it, or how it oiginatd vn th most accomplishd studnt is hard pssd to prod an answ. Kabbaah dos not lnd itsf to a staightforward dtion or vn a clarcut histor though Kabbaists ag on som ssnti points, it is im possibl to prsnt a singl sstmatic appoach that includs th nti spc trum of kabbaistc prspctiv Kabbaah is not a sstm, as som supps Rathr, it is an ouook a wa of prciving th natur of rat. n ssnc, Kabbalah is foundd upon mstical concptions rgarding lif, dath cration, and crator. t tachs us about th mstris of lf, how th cration works wh w ar going, and how w gt thr. Judaism drivd th trm Kabbah h word coms om th Hbrw oot kl which mans to civ. h natura qustions that aris ar, What is it that Kabbasts rciv? and From whom do th civ it? hr ar two viwpoints rgarding th transmssion of Kabbaah On prspctv hld b th thosophical school suggsts that mstic tachings must b transmittd om tach to studnt hs is th most popular school in Jwsh Kabbaah, ad its tachngs tnd to b abstract, impossib to undrstand thout guidanc. hs tachings cannot b larnd fom books bcaus th prsumpon is that th subtl mstris of Kabbaah rquir intptation b a quad tach h othr school is ointd to ons dict xprinc his is cd th schoo of Ecstatic Kabbaah 0 hough th us of mditativ tchniqus th studnt nts into a stat of atrd consciousnss and civs insight om th Unkown and Unkowab. hs dos not rquir a tach fo th transmssion coms via a main channl btwn th studnt and th cnt of cration As a rsut th schoo of Ecstac Kabbalah assums that anne can civ th taching of univrs truth b wa of a prsona connction th th Divn though a shandblood tach can gat acclrat a studnt's progss, th utimat tachr is th sourc of lif Quit oftn ts Intdutin 1 1
teche is epesented s the pophet Elihu Eih who comes to the stu dent though dems o deep medittive sttes. Tditionl Kbblists wee lwys eligiously obsevnt; they shed wide viety of exclusive spiitul pctices Evey ction feelng o though ws mesued ginst meticulous code of w tht descibed in extodiny detil l spects of cceptble humn behvio n ddiion they stud ied the sme texts wee intimte with the sme complex tudic guments nd closely folowed n identicl clend of events. hei lives ceneed on pye the stdy of Toh the Sbbth nd celebtion of the holy dys They "lved thei Kbblh. It pemeted evey ctivity of thei lives. Ts does not men tht one must be eligious to ly ppecite Jewish mysticism Mny kbblistic techings e univesl nd hold sdom fo us . But it does men tht Kbbh wi be useful oy if we len how to lve it to bing it into ou dytody eltionship with the Divine. f we e ble to do so we wil be ble to open up n entiey new wold of menng in ou lives s well s gin cle sense of diection of the ow of humnknd fo kbblstic insight evels the pinciples of cetion. Ecsttic Kbblists e f moe inteested in the expeience of meging wth he Divine thn in ny theoetic ppliction o mgicl use of kbbstic techniques. Thus whees the theosophicl ppoch intelleculy ppecites the inticte intepy of the cosic hythms those in the kbblstic school of diect expeience choose to ctively engge in pcice tht not only fcilittes ou bility to he celestil music but inspies us to dnce with it s well. MY EAHER y longtem teches both of whom e quite wel known Reb Somo Clebch nd Reb lmn Schchte Shloi These two ebbes ech in his own wy hve dmicly inu enced moden Judism They wee fiends nd soul mtes fo foty yes Reb Somo died in 199 Reb lmn continues to tnsfom the Jewish wold with messges tht spek to the soul. Reb lmn nd Reb Shlomo elized mny yes go tht something dicly dieent ws needed in postHolocust Jewish life. Whees the ex enl fom of Judism continued to stnd in plce the spiiul substnce of the tdition hd been seiously cippled when the s llion vnished A thd of wod Jewy died in the ely 190s this ws tgedy of eno
1 2 God Is
Verb
ous proportons. even greter tstrophe for Judism ws the number lost of people who refully prtied every detil of the trdition It is estimted tht well more thn 50 perent of religiously observnt Jews were klled in the Holoust some sy the number is s hgh s 80 perent. As result most of the gret tehers were wiped out nd mny lineges of hsidi nd kbblsti trnsmission were ompletely destroyed. Aer the Holoust most survivingJews remined ultury identied but only smll perentge ws oortble with the spiritul prties of the trditon Observne of the Sbbth keeping kosher nd relting to the nnu yle of the holy dys simply did not t into the lves of mjority of Jews For mny people Jewsh spiritulty seemed to be thing of the pst The soul ofJudism ws in exile. Obvously derent leders in Judism hve responded to this hllenge in vrious wys Some believe tht trdition lerning in eshiva is the wy to revitlze spiritulity. Others emphsize nient ritus One of the more reent pprohes is referred to s Jewish renewl. Its gol is to bring sense of vtty to Judism to nurture its soul deepen its spiritul ontent open its hert to the needs of humnity be relevnt in the modern wol. The primry leder nd mystivsionry ofJesh renewl hs been Reb Zn. Reb Shloo ws the poetmnstrel for people involved in this movement. He trnsformed the wy the Jewish world sings nd prys whle Reb Zln hs drmtilly inuened nd ontinues to do so the wy mny Jews live their lves PARAD
S H F
uring the pst few dedes regious trdtions hve been strongly eted by innovtive thinkng As one of the leders in Judism for buding new prdgm Reb Zn hs found wys to open gtes of wreness tht hve been mmed shut for hundre of yers In so doing he hs helped thousn of people develop new reltionshp with Judism. He sys "At one time regions used to tl bout produt The prod ut ws rtuous behvior the produt ws fith hope nd hrity. People hd notion tht there ws something to get pot of gold t the end of the rinbow. Tht t the old prdigm of the Middle Ages. But there's been swith now People re interested in the proess. It's lve The wold is n integrted whole not olletion of prts. We n no longer thn s individuls but rther s integr members of glob o
Intductin 13
munity As Reb Zmn sys, "The g does not wve in the wind the nd does not wve the g. The g nd the wind e inteng Tht is to sy, indviduls nd ntions e not septe eveyone nd everything is in teconnected. The concept of wht it mens to be koshe must be emed into wht Reb Zlmn cls ecokoshe. The tditionl ide of kosheness is bsed upon ncient lws of wht is t to et fo n obsevnt Jew. The lw comes om bibcl injunctions It sys nimls must be slughteed in cetn wys; met tht contins ny esidul blood cnnot be eten cetin se life nd nmls e fobidden nd met nd poducts cnnot be xed, bsed on the injunction tht young nim cnnot be cooked in its mothes But these lws do not spek bout chemicl dditives, types of pckging, th depletion of species, o the uintion of foests. How cn we sy something is koshe if it cies seeds of destuction fo humnknd? How cn we et something if it mens the loss of species? How cn we use poduct if it mens othes must sue? These e questions of enomous significnce in ou dy nd cnnot be septed om the essentil mening of ou eligious beliefs Reb Zlmn sks, "Is electicity om nucle ecto koshe? nd "Is something tht is boted in onewy bote moe o less koshe thn some thing boted in ecyclbe one? This ppoch to kosheness seeks the spiit of the tdition the thn the lette of the lw Reb Zlmn's views of eigious lw t the new pdigm "We must give up the notion of legisltion nd tke on the notion of discoveing the lws of ntue. . . . In this context, ou old eltionship s the child of God fthe, the subject of Godkng, o the defendnt unde the powe of Godjudge would chnge to iendiend, lovelove, ptneptne' He sys the, "Not oly e we God's ptnesGod is ou ptne too! The wod "pece, he sys is selfcontdicty, fo nomly it is teted s poduct, something to hve, noun. Rthe, it must be viewed s n on going pocess, n intective nd mutul eltionship tht is constny t tended, djusted, nd nutued. This ppoch of couse must be pped to evey eltionsp Reltionship, by denition is pocess tht needs ce l, ongoing ttention The univese is etenly in dynmc intection nd equie contnuous weness. Reb Zn is fmous fo his vese inteests in mny elds of inquiy nd l spiitul tditions. He sys, "I see mysef s Jewish pctitione of geneic eligion7 As n empiicist Reb Zlmn seches fo tuth. We hve lened mny things bout wht is tue nd wht is not His teching is tht
1 4 God Is
Ve
we must e peped t mve hed in the spiit f tuth even if it mens leving sme things ehind He sees himsef s pstdenmintinl els nd denitins suggest sttic elief while these dys we need t e exile The issues f mden life demnd penetting insight nd dpttin. Nnetheles he feels stngly tht tditin hs get del t tech Ritul is ften encded with messges tht ncient sges wnted t tnsmit ut culd nt d s with wds Thus the mve twd enewl des nt men the whlesle eimintin f the ld wy ut the ppisl f eveything m fesh hnest pe spective. Cnsidee wisdm nd insight e equied
I N I I O N o R A H A U M H N A H AN
M DRAH
e nume f denitins f the wd "Th. Nmlly the Th efes the ctul dcument f the ve ks f Mses Genesis Exdus evitcus Numes nd Deutenmy. In lse denitin sme expnd Th t inclue the ks f the Pphets nd the Hly Witings. The ks f the Pphets e JshuJudges Smuel Kings sih Jeemih Eekiel nd thes. The Hly Witings include Pslms PvesJ Sng f Sngs Ruth mentins Ecclesistes Esthe Dniel nd s fth. Al f this is cmmnly efeed t s the Old Testment Me pecisely these clected witings e cled the Tnkh which cmes m the Heew ettes tnkh epesenting Th Neviim (Pphets) nd Kt vim (Hly Witings) . The Th is viewed s the witten lw Hweve cel eding f the Witten Th evels nume f sectins tht seem t cntdict ne nthe e miguus These incnsistencies suggest tht me infmtin is equied f us t undestnd the tue mening f the lw Thus it is sid tht Mses explined the menings f the witten lw thgh l cmmunictin This Ol w is the sis f eslving mny diculties in the witten text ndeed the mst inticte questins egding the lw e ften settled y espnding It cmes diectly m Mses Sini. In dditin t diculties in the mening f the wien text itself thee is nthe plem. The ve ks f Mses wee iginly witten in He
Intodon 15
brew, without vowels, s re ll Torh srols written tody. The Hebrew ln guge is onstruted in wy tht vowel substitutions n drmtilly hnge the mening o word. It is like seeing the letters PN s word whih ould be pin, pn, pne, pin, pen, peon, pine, or pun Usully we n derive the mening o word in the Written Torh through the ontext in whih it is used, but some sentenes ould leve us wondering. For exm ple imgine reding sentene tht sys, "I you know how to properly work with PN, you wquli or milliondollr rewrd. Understnding the mening o the sentene ould beome even more hllenging i the letters P nd N were odes symbolizing other letters For exmple, the letter P resemles nd sounds like the letter B. The letter N looks like the letter Z turned on its side Thus PN ould be ode or bin, bn, un or buzz This is wht Kblists do beuse they lwys look be yond the obvious Everything is viewed s metphor or hidden wisdom tehings. For Jewish mysti, miiondolr rewrd is o little vlue ompred to the experiene o deoding messge om God. Mny menings o the Written Torh, deoded nd explined on vi ous levels, were inluded in the body o olleted wisdom known s the Orl Lw This is lso viewed s Torh. Tlmudi sges Shmmi nd Hillel, when sked the question "How mny Torhs do you hve? both responded, "Two one written nd one orl The Orl Torh ws pssed down or thousnd yers by word o mouth rom teher to student. The wy to remember orl tehings is to repet them over nd over gin. The verb in Hebrew tht mens "to repet is shanah thus the primry Orl Lw me to e ed the Mishnh In nient dys, twentyve hundred yers go, memories were prodi gious. Memorizing the entire Written Torh inluding Prophets nd the Holy Writings word or word, ws hild's ply It is sid tht the memories o sges were so preise, they were tested y driving pin through mny pges o book. The sge ws told whih word the pin went through on the rst pge nd then ws required to sy whih word it touhed on every pge thereter or dozens o pges. The sges memorized s wel vst mount o lw alacha) nd tehing stories (aadah) tht ugmented the olletion o written mteril. In essene, they memorized, in detil, hundreds o books Around two thousnd yers go, however, students egn to lose these sls. The Hoy Lnd ws onquered under Pompey nd the Romn Empire brought new level o oere to the nd, whih in turn rought long hnges in the ulture nd new wys o pereiving things. Higher lerning deteriorted under these onditions, nd the Orl Torh ws in jeoprdy
1 6 God Is a rb
of being lost forever. As rsult, in the beginning of the third century the Mishnh ws committed to writing by Judh hNsi Becuse the Mishnh is body of lw tht ws intended for memoriz ton, t is hghly cryptic Ech phrse elicts set of ssocitions When we see the words "Four score, we do not need to red further to ssume tht it is folowed by nd seven yers go, our forefthers for we presume tht this is the beginnng of the Getsburg Address But tme goes by, we my not be certn of the specic wordng or even the intention of phrse, for it my hve been referring to something entirely dierent. By the time of Judh hNsi, more thn thousnd yers hd pssed since the giving of the Written Torh. Much confusion rose regrding s socitons nd menngs of pithy sngs in the Orl Lw. Dierences of opin ion rose bout how to terpret prticulr sttement in the Mishnh. Seprte schools were founded, ech hving its own view on how to red the text Discussions nd debtes regrding these diverse interprettons took plce in vrious cdemies nd gret body of new commentry rose Ts coection of coentry ws written down in the sixth century nd is wht we c the Bbyonin Tlmud, which is the primry Tmud used tod A esspopulr erler version, the Jeruslem Tlmud, ws compiled some time n the third or fourth century So, the Tlmud is the ccumultion of commentries to expli the Mishnhthe Orl Lw. The Tlmud is encyclopedic in sweep It inquires into the menngs of words, nlyzes why some words re physiclly close to others why some re speed in certn wys, why some re repeted, why events tke pce in specic order wht vrious nmes of people nd plces rely represent wht the true menins nd ntentions of the lws were, nd on nd on. Two thrds of the Bbylon Tlmud eltes to the mening of the Jewish lw one trd tes stories nd homilies tht themselves re mteril for further investgton Most of the ogic used in tlmudc resong is not Aistoten, the knd of logic we normly use in our ordnry thinkng Aristotein ogic is mde up of syogisms If A is bigger thn B, nd B is bigger thn C then is A big ger or smler, thn C Of course, we would sy bgger Our nds re con ditioned to thnk ts wy. But tlmudic resonng uses form oflogc ced hermeneutics, com pcted set of principles tht considers things like plcement repetition, or menings of words. If blck refers to white in one plce, nd blck refers to house in nother plce, there must be connection between white nd house Tis s not logcl by the rules of Aristotle, but it is common method of hermeneutic resonng According to Rbbi Adin Steinstz, who hs un
nroduion 17
detken the mmmoth tsk of tnslting the Tlmud, which is witten miy in Amic, into Hebew nd English, thee e hundeds of ules fo this type of esoning. 2 Thus the Tlmud cies the student into othe mndsttes, dieent wys of looking t things. Kbblh goes even futhe, oen using intuitive methodolog tht tnscends even hemeneutic logic. Theefoe evey venue of expotion is open to students of the Toh, pesenting vst potentil fo mysticl undestnding. Fo this eson, mny people study Toh nd Tmud often going ove the sme text ye e ye without eve coming close to exhusting the welth of mteil vilble. n dditon, unique gene of bbinic itetue developed s the esult of intense exmintion of biblicl witings. This litetue is clled Midsh om the Hebew oot drsh, which mens "to sech o "to investigte Becuse these explotions followed dient venues of inquiy, mny mdshic techings contdict one nothe The oint, howeve, ws not to develop consistent pespective of the hidden menings of Toh but to extend to the widest mgnitude possibe the viety of conceivble intepettions fo teching Jesh mysticism elies on l of these souces. The Tn, the Mish nh, the Tlmud, nd the Midsh e the min mteils out of which kb blistic witings wee developed The Kbbh bought esh pespective dieent methods fo undestnding this litetue, nd thus becme new gene of Jewish litetue in itself. Becuse the vilble mteil fo the study of Jewish mysticism is eno mous, coheent ppoch must, by necessity, be selective. ost evey ide in Kbblh cn led the student to n inquiy involving mny es tht di vege fom the pimy objective. Although vitully evey spect ofJewish thinking hs opposing pespectives mny techings ofJewish mysticism e pticully elevnt fo todys wold I hve selected mong these to help inteested edes penette the mys teies of Kbblh. I hope this oveview will seve its pupose to pode pool of Jewish wisdomtechings though which we cn bthe in ncient mysticl knowledge bout who we e, whee we come om, whee we e going, nd how we get to ou destiny When we gin insight into these techings we neve gn see the wold though the sme eyes The gol of this book is to help the ede use Kbblh to delve into the mysteies oflife nd nd pcticl ppliction though which he o she cn develop new connctions nd hetopenings with the Divine Souce of existence. By blncing pctice with theoy, the ede not only len bout mysticl pinciples, but ctuy begin to integte kbblistic meth
1 8 God Is
Vb
ds to hs o he ow lfe. The book s desged to povde sees of ex peeces, ech of whch s segmet of ccle. The pctue becomes cle whe the ccle s complete ech pt complemets d s ecessy to the whole The execses d medttos e s mpott s the theoetcl fomto; the hsdc tles e s llutg s the ustos. Jewsh mystcsm s bee hdde fo thousds of yes om Jews d oJews lke I s tme to ope ths ch wold fo to ppecte. My we be blessed o gow togethe cesg weess to bg ew co scousess to the wold d to expeece tue pece ou tmes
Introdction 1
T
A S
MA ' A S E Y B E R E S H I T (he Work of Ceaon)
R A I S I N G H 0 L Y
S P A R S
abbi Shlomo Carlebach was one o the great Jewish teachers o this century. His music can be heard in synagogues and at Shabbat tbles over the wod. hese melodies are so much a part o Jewish tradition today, they have already become classics. He was adored by hundreds o thousands o ans worldwide. Indeed he was a phenomenon that changed the ace o modern Judaism When Reb Shlomo died, thousands o mourners attended his burial in Jerusalem His olowers were incredbly diverse, rom the most Orthodox all in black with urlined strmls (top hats), to the most amboyant, who wore tiedyed shirts and psychedelic, Rastaarian berets. Shlomo had touched each and every one o them with his music and his enormous heart Reb Shlomo always arrived late He lived in his own time zone his zone would expand or contract depending upon what was happening at the moment. Whenever he was on his way to a teaching or a concert, he could be distracted by anyone who seemed to be in need He was like a motorist who could never pass a car puled o to the side o the road without oer ing assistance. hus a normal eennute trip could take hours He would
Rasng Holy Sparks 23
stop for every beggr "Holy sister tmes re hrd! or "Holy brother wht cn I do to help you? Moreover he would not simply give money like the rest of us nd then pss by. No Reb Shlomo would stop for short converstion becuse ech nshama (soul) ced to him Ech person ws treted s if he or she were sint A mystic Reb Shomo beleved tht the world ws bnced on our bility to help one nother Should someone fi to ssist nother person the world could be destroyed. He rely beleved ths. When Shomo entered room no mtter how crowded he would try to physicy touch every person there Sometimes hndshke but usully hug would ccompny his wideeyed look of plesure in every greeting Whenever he sw me it did not mtter if t hd been dy or yer since we hd lst been together ech time we met he seemed oveoyed to re connect Usuy his greeting ws chrcteristic Shomoism tht mxed He brew Yidsh nd hip Englsh. It ws usuly something like Mamash! Hligh bra-th (Wow! Holy brother!) I often did not understnd wht he ws sying but who cred? The smile nd hug could melt dimonds On one occsion I remember in the lte1980s Reb Shomo rrived t Jeruslem Old City prtment t 1000 P.M, even though it hd been rumored tht he would be there to hours erler The lving room of the prt ment ws led to cpcity Word hd been spreding since three in the fternoon tht he would be teching tht night This s the wy he usuy rrived in Jerusem no yers no posters no form nnouncements. The grpevine ws extrordinry when Reb Shomo ws in town. On oy few hours notice he would invribly tech to pcked uence Tht ght he told the group story tht hs become one of my fvorites.
e Snuox "Everybody knows tht holy beggrs hold the world together. Never never pss hoy beggr. Wk cross the street go out of your wy. Mny times it is Elihu hN (Elijh the prophet) nd oh if you oy knew f you oly knew . . "Our holy techers tel usDid you know this?tht we must give to beggr ccording to his or her previous sttion. A person who ws rch should be given more thn someone who ws poor The secrets of the uni verse re hidden in tht teching Think bout it s I tel you the story of the snubox "One dy beggr cme to see the B Shem Tov. You shoud hve herd
2 4 God Is a Vrb
m. He yeed he moned he complined loudly to the Shem sying Wht kind of God is t ywy? used to be rich hlped mny people never turned nyone wy nd now look t me in rgs. hve noth ing his is my rewrd? "he holy esht ( Shem ov) ooked t this mn closey. Everybody knows tht the esht could see into the future nd into the pst He sid to the beggr MosheYou see he ew his nme just by looking t him Moshe why do you r t the Holy One? you need do s look crefuly t your life nd you understnd' "he esht continued Do you remember Yom ippur two yers go?' He stopped nd looked t Moshe now tht he hd his ttention How could the Shem ov know wht Moshe did two yers erlier? Do you believe ths? ut he knew he knew He sid to Moshe wo yes go when you were the wetest mn in twn you went to shl (syngogue) on Yom ip pur with your snuox.' "Mny of you know Shlomo sid "tht though we must fst on Yom ippur we cn nourish the soul by bringing frgrnce into the body So n the old country they used to crry snu into the shl nd every so often they would pss the snuox round so tht peope coud be revived espe cy n the fternoon when the fst gets the hrdest. Shomo d not mention tht these dys some people t the Western W on Fridy night pss snu round just fte the evening serce Some of these snus hve pungent uity grnces. One in prticulr is noted for its ripe bnn odor nother smes ike pssion uit yet nother like mngo On mny occsions crried pinch home for Shoshn nd our guests to sme. Somo contnued with the story "So the holy Shem ov sid to Moshe You went round the sh[ tht dy giving snu to everyone Do you remember? And there ws shlppr (someone hevily burdened) in the bck of the shl, lying on bench. You sid to yoursef y shold I walk back thr for him whn h cold com to m for his sn So he did not get ny Do you remember? "Moshe nodded his hed. He did remember he esht connued ht shlppr hd been fsting for three dys. f you ony knew how much he needed some snu He ws so deep so deep n his pryers tht the hevens were wide open for him When the hevey ngels sw tht you did not w over nd give him pinch of your snu they closed the judgment book on you Do you know wht they wrote nto tht book? hey wrote tht you should lose of your money nd tht the shlppr shoud become welthy in your sted'
Raising Holy Sparks 25
"Moshe "Mosh e umped um ped up up outrged outrge d sy sying ing You You men me n to tel me tht tht shlp p hs of my money! Wht chutpah (udcity) How do I get it bck "he Shem ov ov sid si d to him If you cn nd time t ime ny ny time ti me t l l when you sk him nd he refuses to give yo pinch of snu l of your welth wil be returned "Cn you imgine wht went through Moshes mind? He serched out the richest mn m n in town town nd when when he sw sw him him he knew it ws ws the t he shlpp He begn to folow him round. Moshe lerned everything bout the mn when he eft eft in the mornin mo rningg nd when he returned returne d t night night when wh en he went to the shul nd where he bought owers for his wife. Moshe sought to dis cover the the tmes when when the mn would would be most rushed most m ost hrried nd most mo st irritble "He plnned for the peect time. It ws ust before Shbbos nd the welthy welthy mn ws loded with pckges hurrying h urrying home bec be cus usee hs wife wife ws nous to nish her cookng. Moshe wited in the bushes nd s the welthy mn cme pst Moshe umped in front of him nd sked Could you spre pinch of snu "he welthy mn stopped bruptly hesitted few seconds nd begn to put down his pckges one by one. It took minute hen he reched into his pocket nd pulled out his snubox. Moshe terriby disppointed took pinch pinc h nd wlked o o not even helping to lod the mn up gin with his pckges "Moshe tried gin few times in the next couple of months. Once he cught the welthy mn in downpour of rin when eveyone round ws running for cove but the welthy mn hd stopped nd lthough his snu ws ruined by the rin he stil oered it. "Mos "M oshe he pproch pproched ed the th e we welt lthy hy mn m n on the th e w wy to t o n importnt business meeting meetin g loded lode d wth wth ppers but he oered oered s snu nonethele nonet heless ss Moshe encountered enco untered him in shul in the middle of pry pryers ers he fou found nd him in i n the th e bnk b nk mking deposit he even ev en snred him in public building on hs w wy to the t he bthroom bthroo m nd n d of course cou rse the snu sn u ws lwy lwyss oered oered witho w ithout ut dely dely. "iny Moshe thought of fooproof ide. He wited one ridy morning in the mkvh the connunity pool of wter in which men trdi tionlly inerse themselves to prepre for Shbbos. After the welthy mn hd removed l of his clothes nd ws dripping from the shower s he ws bout to enter the mkvh for his submersion in the pool of wter Moshe pproched him nd sked for pinch of snu elieve it or not the most mzing thing thin g hppen hppened. ed. he we wet thy hy mn stopped stopp ed wht he h e ws doing doin g towtoweled himself o nd went bck to the dressing room to get his snubox.
2 6 G o d Is a V b
"Dishetened, Moshe lost gve up ut he hd one moe oppotu ty ty. In o weeks the wethy wethy mns dughte dughte ws goin to b e mie m ied, d, nd Moshe gued ued tht he could tp p him t his dughte dughte's 's wedding. "On the specil dy, Moshe wlked to the wedding You know, my iends, Shomo dded, "it is lwys impotnt to bing poo people into wedd wedding I n those dys, dys, people would go out ou t ooking fo fo stnge they coud invite They knew it woud bing bin g the mied couple co uple good goo d luck We We do not thnk bout things ke this these dys, dys, but mybe we shoud sh oud An Anyw ywy Moshe Mosh e stood thee in hs dity clothes, witing fo n oppotuty to tp his opponent When the music stted, he sw the welthy mn begin to dnce with his dughte, the new bide, bide , nd Moshe knew k new this ws the p ef efect time to inteupt. So he wlked onto the dnce oo, tpped the welthy mn's shoulde, nd sked him fo pinch of snu. "Yes this ws the peect time But it dd not mtte. The welthy mn stopped dncing with his beloved dughte, eched eche d into his poc p ocke ket,t, nd of o f feed Moshe pinch of snu Moshe ws ovewhelmed Awed by this mns incebe spiit of geneosit geneosi ty, he got dizzie dizz ie nd dizzie; dizzie ; then he fnt fnted ed ight thee on the dnce oo "When he ws evived, Moshe told the welthy mn the whole stoy. H e told t old bout bo ut the l l Shem She m Tov Tov nd how how he hd lened le ned bou b outt his own own flue to oe snu on Yom ippu The mn sid to him, You know, Moshe, neve doubted fo minute tht eveything tht hppened to me, especiy duing the lst few yes, ws messge om the Mste of the Univese ut now I see tht you hve sueed so much, I must tell you wi eqully she with you l of the welth I hve' " I t cme to pss pss tht tht this town becme bec me fmou fmouss fo fo its two two weltest welte st men who gve gve moe mo e nd moe mo e tddakah chity chity)) thoug thoughou houtt the th e yes yes The spiit of geneosity gew to unknow unk nown n heights in those dys ys And by the wy wy, thee ws moe snu given wy in tht city thn eve befoe o eve e.
tellin tellingg his tle, he h e sng beutin n woess woess melody) melody) This stoy contins c ontins numbe numbe of key kbbistic techings Ones ctions, pticully deeds of lovingkndness, pofoundy impct upon the univese. Mino ctions cn hve signcnt consequences; ones fme nd fotune cn pivot on single twist of fte; eveythin eveythingg hppening to t o us is i s connec con necte tedd with with complex wev wevee of vible vibles.s. Moeove Moeove,, ngeic foces foces e ssocited s socited with ou ou thoughts, wods, nd n d deeds de eds E sHM FsHEo
si ng Holy Holy Sp arks 2 7 R a sin
Finy, deep spiitu wok cn open the gtes of heven spiitul mste cn e pofoundly ttuned to one's destny nd holy spks cn e ised y n ct s simple s oeing pinch of snu. this in one hsiic tle.
SARK
O F H
I V I N
ne of the most inuentil Klists in the hstoy of ewish mys ticism ws sc Lui known s the Ai (the on), who lived in the steenth centuy t is sid tht Lui lived in Egypt in seetet fo moe thn ten yes, etuning om his isoltion on n ive islnd only one dy ech weekSht. In his lte twenties he tveled to the city of Sfed, not f om euslem whee he met with nd tught mny of the well known Kists who lived in Sfed t tht time Lui hd n entiely new vision. v ision. In mtte of few yes, his mysticl insights wee so cptivting cptiv ting he dmticy chnged the couse of udism. A get del of tody's Klh efes to the ising of holy spks This comes om the teching of Lui, who sid, "Thee is no sphee of exis tence, incuding ognic nd inognic ntue, tht is not full of holy spks which e mixed in with the klippot (husks) nd need to e septed om them nd fted up.3 mgine tht you e n tisn with xed mount of liquid gold tht is to e poued into mold to mke pefect wok of t This wok of t will wil l cst mgicl mgi cl ight tht will wil l pemete the wold nd poduce the hgh est weness possile in cetion Howeve, when you pou the gold into the mold somethng teile hppens the mold ccks nd mny ecks of gold lek out nd ot wy The only wy the wok of t cn e completed is fo you to gthe ll of the missing gold in one plce so tht the mold cn e cst gin As the gold speds, howeve, the ecks themseves split pt until untold numes of gold toms e sctteed coss cetion, ech one suounded y shell of dust tht hides it The gold difts eveywhee, nd the only wy you cn get the jo done of csting you completed wok of t is to employ the help of mny othes to colect the gold. The gold epesents the light of divine consciousness, nd ech tom spk of holiness f gtheed togethe into one plcenot physicl pce, ut symolicy the cente of the univeseall the spks comined would te ultmte weness. But when sctteed sctteed the spks spks dop to dense nd
2 8 God
Vrb
denser levels of consciousness represented by shels or husks liot) that surround them The artis a rtisan an and the lost l ost gold is a simple metaphor metap hor used us ed to ustrate ustrate Isaac Isa ac Lurias cosmology kown as the Shatering of the Vessels. This cosmology was developed om the opening lines of Genesis that say "And the earth was without form (toh) and empty oh) and darkness was on the face of the deep (tohm). The word "toh means chaos chaos astonishment astonishment5 or confounde confoundednes dnesss Tis primordial primordial chaos ch aos was viewed viewed by Luria Lur ia as a situaon in i n wich wi ch vessels that were were suppos sup posed ed to contain cont ain the ight ight of creaton shattered and the light light was was thereby concealed con cealed in "the "th e deep deep The deep is an allusion to death. 7 The gold is thus lost However ong with chaos there was emptiness oh) which implies that there were other vessels ready to receive the light 8 Boh therefore rep resents the potential of creation and is called in Kabbalah the Universe of Tikkn (Rectication. This Universe of Tikkn is a container for the collection of al the mssing gold. In kabbalistic language language the gold of our story is called nitzotzot sparks. Every particle in our physical universe every structure and every being is a she that contains sparks of holiness Our task according to Luria is to release releas e each spark sp ark om om the shell shel l and raise raise it up ultimately ultimately to return retu rn it to its original origin al state state The Th e way way these t hese sparks sparks are rased is through thr ough acts of lovingkindness of being in harmony with the universe and through hgher awareness. The racations of this this teaching ar are enormous enormo us n n each ea ch momen mo mentt of ex ex istence we have the potential to raise holy sparks If we are unaware of this abty and are spirituay asleep then we do not accomplish much for the medum through which sparks are raised is consciousness itself Our opportuities to raise sparks are bouness The choices we make for our activities the interactions we have with our family ien neighbors business associates and even strangers the way we spend our lesure time the books we read the television we watch the way we relate to food everything in daily life presents sparks locked in husks awting release
R aisin ais ingg Holy S aks 2
A A R E N E S S
he urn of he nineeenh enur in he i of Lubin ond hsid rebbeob s HHozeh oherwise known s he Seer of Lubin. He is he subje of n hsidi es. is sid h he hd he power o deerine wheher wheher soeone ws gui or nnoen nn oen of n sip b ookng hs or her fe Bu even ore he oud see ino persons sou nd reve wh sk i hd o do eh sge of is reinr nion. This sk is ofen referred o s ening o end or x whih in si ers refers o he spiriu work we hve n opporun o do in his ifeie o repir our sous he sous of ohers nd he word s whoe. he ongregion ongregion he Seer of ubin served needed o rise huge su of one one one pri p riur ur er o esbish esbish spei sp ei seur s euri i fund. und . ife ife ws ws ws dngerous dngerous for Jews in ond ond pogros o o uurred frequ frequen. en. Thos Th osee ds howe howeve ver r wer weree espei unseed u nseed be be us usee oung gener gener ne n edd Npoeon Npoeo n ws buiding n epire in Europe nd ruor ws h he woud invde ond nd Russi in he nooodsn fuure. So n eergen fund ws needed for n oningen he fundrisers wen o Shue he wehies n in own nd he od he "I wi give ou six ion rubes n enorous su of one)
3 0 o Is V rb
on one contion. want to hae pemanent ights to occupy the seat next to the ebbe. Othese, wl not contibute as much as a kopek. n thei wlest eams they ha not expecte to aise een one million ubles om the ente community hmuel was wiling to gie sx milion. But the poblem was that Heshe, the mechant usualy sat in the seat next to the ebbe hey went to Heshe an to him the stoy He sai, The only way that wll ge up that seat is i the ebbe asks me to o so. They went to the ebbe an tol him what Heshel ha sai. The ee o ubln knew the money was neee, but he knew also that each soul is enomousy impotant. o he cae Heshel, the mechant, o a coneence. he two o them talke o o a long time The ebbe tol to l Heshel that he cou not pomse him anything that the only way the seat coul be gien up was though ee il he ebbe i not want to coece him in any way. Heshel Hes hel looke looke cosel co selyy at the the ebbes ace ace t i i not not eea eea that th at he he was was going goi ng to get a specal shae in the wol to come by oing this. Yet he thought he saw a tinke an he elt cetain that he woul be ewae in some way o giing up his seat. o he agee. hmuel gae his six mllion an om that time on he ha the pilege o occupying occupy ing the seat next to the geat ee o ublin. ublin . He was thee o o eey eey paye seice an eey hoy ay He oten sat thee just to be close to the ebbe ebbe when petitiones pet itiones came an aske o o thngs H hea eey eey wo that the ebbe spoke in public. Whenee he was cose to the ebbe like this, he et a aiation o ight pouing though his own boy n act, this seat was so impotant to hmuel he stoppe woying about eeything ese in his lie. He aey went home he haly ee went to wok Ate a couple o yeas, his business aile completely but hmuel was obli ious because the seat next to the ebbe was oe impotant than lie itsel He boowe money to pay the bills at home. Hs biggest ceito, in act, was Heshel, the mechant nee, uing the yeas that hmue was in ecline, Heshel was on the ascenant He ha inceibly goo luck in the maketplace, always buying mechanse at the lowest pice an seling it at the highest He coul o no wong, an he became enomously wealthy One ay, Heshe thought to himse I av ng mony t rtr and n n g g t by b y back y sat sa tfr twc twc t oy o y at Sm Sm ad ad Besies, hmuel now oe hm tens o thousans o ubles, an thee was not much chance o it e being pai He woul buy back the seat, clea the ebt, an hae his etiement as well Heshe oee to o just that. But hmuel euse, saying that he woul
A wa ss
1
neve give up the set This gument went on o ew months. The en tie congegtion congegti on got into into the ct Some si tht they coul cou l use the money m oney.. Othes si tht the set ightully belonge to Shmuel. Then cme the High Holy Dys On Rosh Hshn, the ebbe cie the Toh to the bimah (pltom), whee the eing woul tke plce Shmuel Shmue l ntully ollowe ollowe close c lose to the t he ebbe e bbe te the t he Toh Toh e eing ing,, he e e tune to his set s et But B ut sitting in it w ws Heshel, the mechnt. They gue. Oy voi voi it ws Rosh Hshn n they wee guing The entie congegtion ws in n upo. It went on o whe n nly it ws put to the ebbe to ecie Heshel si, "Rebbe, it hs been long time I ws the oiginl hole o the se s et.t. I let let it voluntily, oluntily, but only only becuse becu se the congegtion congegti on woul benbe net e t om sixmi sixmilionuble lionuble contibution Now this peson owes owes me mone mon ey. Moeov Mo eove, e, I m wiling wiling to to mke twelv twelve emil milon onuble uble cont c ontib ibutio ution n It It seems only i tht I shoul he my set bck. It ws stong gument When e si twelve ion ubles, thee ws n uible gsp in the congegt congegtio ion. n. An An stonocl stonocl sum! sum ! I they h vote on the spot, he woul hve won with huge mjoit. But the ebbe him sel ws going to ecie. Shmuel Shm uel stoo s too up n ws ws silent o o while. Wht Wh t coul cou l he sy? s y? Fo two mnutes, eve eveyone yone wit wite e An then he spoke. "Reb be, be , he si, s i, "plese "p lese give me bck my set His voice ccke, lost sobbe, s he cie out, "It is th only thing I hav in this wold Tht is ll he si s i it ws ws ll ll he neee nee e to t o sy sy. Ate Ate momen mo mentt the th e eb ebb e eple, "Heshel, you te tht set o welth. It ws i te. You e the welthiest mn in the whole e. But Shmuel te tht set o his soul. The set belongs to Shmuel I i not ecie this, it ws ecie in heven Fo when Shmuel si tht it ws the only thing tht he h in this wol, the ngels in heven cie out, "Give it bck to Shmuel
uR
PR E O
G IF
l hve piceless things in ou lives Hve you eve stoppe wht is the most pecious thing you hve in the wol? Wht is the one thing you hve tht i it wee tken wy you woul neve be the sme gin? Think bout it Tke minute close you eyes.
3 2 God Go d Is a Vb
You may answe that a paticla eationship yo have is the most pecious thng in the wold to yo Yo may answe that yo health and the health of those aond yo is the most pecios. Pehaps yo have a dierent answe In the end, thogh, when yo conside this qestion vey cae y y is thee not something that taes pioity ove it all? I would suggest sug gest that o o awa awaeness eness is o most mo st piceless gift gift We usu u suyy take it fo ganted But what wold a elationshp be if ou mnds dd not function? What wold ou excelent physical heth be woth if we could not appeciate the ne things of fe? What would anything be woth, fo that matte matte if we could c ould not be ly awa awae of its pesence? pese nce? Inde In deed ed the only eason anythng is pecios to us is because we ae awae of its vue. Some taditiona spiital teachings seem to imply that the mind is the ene O thoghts eep s lot in the ision of dalty. If we stop the nd, we wi wi attain the the highest level of enghtenment This idea can ca n be msleading. It is tue t ue that tha t the vast maoiy of of o o tnin pocess leads l eads nowhee. But the mnd adds a dimension to o natal awaeness that deentiates us om the awaeness of anima life. Did Di d you eve eve closely watch watch dee d ee in the wild? Evey Evey few moments mom ents they stop what they ae d ing, lift thei heads, and lsten, smel, watch Evey few moments they ae acutely alet fo possible dange Most wid animas have netned awaeness like this. Yet ou potenti fo highe awaeness fa ex ceeds that of any amal, because becau se we have have niqe niq e nds. n ds. We must take the eins of the mind in hand, and at the same time we must eze e ze that the mind min d is not no t the enem en emyy. It is a that we we have that alows alows s to appeciate eveything we conside pecios in life. Without the awaeness of o f the the human nd nd we we cold neve neve expeience ou ou own pocess, poces s, and, moe impotant the connection with the the Divine could neve be made
L I V N I HO U I H R WA N help bt thin thi n of a man we met i n Jeusalem His nck name was Jocto, and he was caed fo by his younge siste s iste They sed to lve n Gemany in the 930s. Ealy in the monng of Novembe vem be 1 0, 1 938 93 8 , Gemans Geman s went on a amp ampag agee in etation etation fo fo the assassiassassinaon of a Ge G emanembassy manembassy empoye empoyeee n Pais Pa is He H e was ed ed by a Jew Jew Hitle Hitle youth esponded by smashing windows, bning bildings, and beating peo
Awa Awar nss 33
ple t is known s rstllncht, the Night of roken Glss. Almost wo hundred syngogues were destroyed. Three dozen Jews were killed, nd nother three dozen severely injured. Unfortuntely, Jochito ws one of those injured He ws cught in the street, beten, nd stomped on the hed with jckboots He never ws the sme gin. Ffty yers lter, his physic body ws completely helthy. n fct, he ws so helthy tht his sister worried he would outlive her Ths would be problem, for ech dy since tht night fty yers eier, he hd to be fed by someone, nd the only words he could sy were "d, d, d The price pid by Jochito sved most of his fmily. They were so horried, they moved to gentin before the mss murders begn. So something "good cme of t ut the cost ws der, beyond clcultion, s is mind hd been utterly destroyed. We cnnot tke our wreness for grnted, nd nothing comes close to its vlue in our lives. The story of the set next to the rebbe is bout wreness As Shmuels mind bece more ligned with the Seer of Lublins, he lnked himself th other levels of reiy. In this stte, wht did it mtter tht he lost his fortune He hd the only thing tht counted in his life: the continuous opportunity to be crried to hgher relms He knew the ngels would support him, d he knew the rebbe would see this Our wreness is not xed coodity. It cn uctute on firly wide spectrum. Shmuel ws not content with ordinry dly wreness. He sought nother degree, new opening tht ensued when he rubbed shoulders with the rebbe. Wheres wreness in gener is our most importnt possession, we cn do things to heighten or lower it.
TH
CONINUU
O F WARN
Zohar discusses the universe, s whole, in fr broder terms thn merely the physicl universe. Indeed, the physic universe, s vst s it my be, is dwrfed in comprison with the mystic unverse tht embrces ngelic nd demonic rems Wheres the physcl universe is mesured in time nd distnce, the mystic universe is mesured in terms of lev els of wreness. These levels should not be viewed s seprte boundries, for wreness is continuum
3 4 God Is a Vrb
he sound of musi noe is good mephor for his knd of on inuum f we shrpy hi one key on pino he noe insny sounds is denses sronges eve. hen i sowy fdes. We n her om one mo men o he nex h i is sofe bu here re no obvious vidng ines Aso when we h noe oher sringed insumens in he oom wi vibre h sme equeny. hus when we hi one sring ohers re eed he wods of wreness inegre ong oninuum Eh hs prs of he ohers h nno be sepred. Jus s musi noe hs oon vi brory equeny no mer how oud or sof he kbbsi niverses shre he ommon medium of wreness. As he enr feure of reion wreness is ike mgne h dws everyhng o i Our yerng our eors on he spiriu ph our desire for wledge nd our fsinion h nding uime ruh re our re sponses o he inexorbe rion of his mgne. Jus s wer moleue in rindop is uimey drwn o he oen one wy or noher no m er how ong i kes nd how mny inrnions i mus go hrough so oo is wreness drwn o is soure. Kbbiss sy h ove operes in he sme wy. Love is bsed on yern ing for ompeion o be whole o be in hrmony o be onneed nd o be ee. Ahough iniiy our hormon impuses my be he soure of our sexu urges s ove mures i uimey moves he prners loser o he gh of wreness one wy or noher We seek prners h ompemen us in some wy h hep us beome ompee We seek o wken heir hgher sef so h hey my experiene our higher self. he Zohar sys o ree he world Ein So nnie Nohingness) emned sere sprk (wreness) om whih emerged nd rdied l gh. he upper word ws onsiued of his igh hen [dieren di mension of] gh lgh wihou brighness (ower onsiousness) ws fsh ioned ino he ower word. As i is omposed of uuned igh he lower wod is red o he upper world.''11 he eroi imgey of he mergng of overs is ommon heme i n he Zoha Jewish mysis generly gree h he Song of Songs wih is u sions o love nd sexuiy hods more seres of he universe hn ny oher sripur work For exmpe onerning he verse m my beloveds nd s desire is owrds me"1 he Zohar sys he inner mening of his verse is h he srring beow is ompnied by sirring bove for here is no sirring bove un here is sirring beow."1 hs mysi desripion suggess h everyhing bove nd beow is ineronneed. We nno sepre heven nd erh he spiriu rems
Awarnss 35
nd our meri word or nying ese gies e pperne of oppo siion e ineronneness of rems is one of e ndmen e ings of Kbb. Wen fuy ppreied i s signin imp upon e wy we ie our es.
E S E w; E w E e Zoha e eme of ger nd ower words re pes isef dozens of imes e Hoy One s sposed ings in su wy eerying in is word soud be repi of someing in e word boe"1; ere is rem boe in supern oiness nd re beow" Wen e Hoy One pus on s rowns I reeies em om boe nd beow"16 e nguge of boe" nd beow" soud no be undersood er y in iner fsion I is referring o rems of onsiousness. Higer nd ower rems of onsiousness re no sepred by spe; rer ey re di mensions represen proxiy of reionsip o uime ru. e iger e onsiousness e ess ere is n iusion of sepreness Er represens ee of onsiousness Eerying on is ee s is ikeness in iger onsiousness. ere is no obje oweer sm does no e is ounerpr in oer rems. So wen e ing beow besirs i sef e resu is simueous simuion of is ikeness boe. e wo rems form one ineronneed woe. 17 is s if eerying in e unierse were reeed by eey oun erpr. is ompnion is more n win i is muifeed s omposie of of our eemens Assuming e inidu is omposie of my subpersoniies e ime we express pr of oursees in rey s we know i our ounerpr is being ied in oer eiies e oe is ere e onnier e ie id e judge our inner srengs nd our inner weknesses Weer mode we ppen o be in is is e rer we energize in e er rems. Wen we re onsiseny ougfu for exmpe our iger ougfu essene is roused. Wen we re erri our nge" of erri beor is nimed. Wen we ener ino se of oingkindness our iger sef of oingkindness is ied oreoer us s of our ions words or
3 6 God Is a Vrb
thought reverberte in thi word o too doe the rou of our igher be ing reverberte in the heven Thi nient kbbti ide i holiti, energeti model of the uni vere. It ut ro lyer o relity nd inlude every poible dimenion of retion ngel, demon, thought feeng, pt, future thi inrntion nd other Aording to thi ewi mytil viewpoint, everytng nd every nonthing tht ever w or wi be in retion i interonneted. The ide of interonnetedne initiy w deribed in detil by twelfthentury ewih myti, I the Blind, who o w the rt to ue the word Kbblh to deignte vriey of myti tehing nd pr e Prior to I the Bnd, thee tehing were referred to more obquely, uh the work of the hriot the work of retion the wy of truth, nd othe phre tht nted t idden myterie People who foowed the my til pth hd mny nme we mter of knowledge, the wieherted thoe who know meure, nd other enigmti lbel.8 t i not known whether thi teher I w relly blind or if thi w n ppelltion intimting tht he did not ee tng the wy other people w them ndeed, it w id tht he hd phenomen myti power, being ble to ene feeng in the ir" whether peron would die in the ner ture, nd whether peron ou w newly formed or w n older, rein rnted oul He deribed the medium of interonnetedne tippiyah, whih ould be trnted ontempltive obervtion. Tippiyah i mytil wrene wht we eperiene when the ene of pt nd ture diolve nd we re fuy preent toty in the moment. Thi, I believe, w the Bind peronl eperiene nd the bi for hi powel inight into the myti nture of the univere Tippiyah when we ponder it, lure u into new wy of relting to the univere. Eh time we move our rm, our upernl rm re being moved. Eh time we write word, word in the heven i being inrid. We in tert with the world nd long re imultneouly timuing the upper wold. Not only re we never lone, everyting we do, y, or tnk move univere beyond our imgintion. Ti i higy provotive ontempltion. It i ompeing. How m I living my fe? To wht etent i the world bned on my net tion? f everything reverberte in the univere, how do my tion, word nd thought et who I m, who I hve been nd who I wi be? t i impertive to k ourelve thee quetion Kbblh i quite ler on the nwer
Awanss 3 7
H
O
CoNouN
ur sense of rey rey rees our ee of onsousness Eh us hs perspee of rey h s bu rzorhn se of pe. he pe sef rehes o he ms of e unerse f we nge our on sousness we n ge noher se of e pe Moreoer e n sw our perepons more rpy hn mos peope reze. s s he Hoy One foun neessry o ree e hngs n he wor so h here shou be enr g of wreness wh mny es ses enrng ." of reon s onsrue on hs prnpe h s o sy reon s me up of spheres of onsousness f we ou esrbe fom os perspee so o spek we wou see eeryhng n re on s onnee o ener: e soure of reon he sory of reon n eness esrbes he unfong of onsous ness he rs y gh e seon y: osm u n sepron of upper n ower us he hr y er n se pns frus sees. he fourh y: eeny boes srs sun n moon. he y se fe n brs n gre se reures e sx y n reures A he en of he sxh y humnkn hs n spe of reon ws sngushe by he n guge na-ash aam btlmayn kmtayn menng e us mke re ure e Am n our show resembng us1 Of ourse e nen sges wonere why hs ws se n e pur e ne s uny Who or wh ese n on ws referre o s or show" he wors mpy o ws onunng wh somehng h ou ommune wh e og onuson we rw from hs he ery es s one of e spes of e resembne mst be Am wou be be o omune wh he ne. he essen prox of reon s he ssue of ow uny beomes mu py How oes he one pee soure ree somehng ess hn se How oes o oneness h enompsses eeryng mke room for oerness Een f we rop e e of reor" s s one n Esern r ons we re s ef wh n nongruy of e oexsene of uny n mupy. Spru ehers n Esern rons refer o our ew of rey s maya, or uson We re rppe ben seres o es sor rey ese ehers sugges heoogy of nonuy mons sysem of o uny: 3 8 Go s a Vrb
here i only on eliy, nd ll mlipliiy i imginry. The world sms plrlii only bee o wrene h imiion The Kbbli, on he oher hnd, doe no y h or view of reliy i diored; rher, h i i merely he reliy of hmn onione. For emple, we migh hypoheie h moqio h dieren level of on ione in h i nivere i mde p of elemenry omponen h he, old, ofne, hrdne igh, dr, nd o forh Aming hi i o, we nno y h i h diored perepion Rher, i h pee mo qio perepion" of reliy, whever h my be From he perpeive of higher plne of onione hmn wre ne i omprble o he moqio The greer or wrene, e more or perepion of mlipliiy diolve Thi i niverl widomehing, h one eenil dierene emphid in Kbblh. Where mny rdiion ene he illory nre of he world in wy h debe or reliy Kbblh goe in he oppoie direion emphie he holii nre of ll level of wren nd gge h eh i reeion of he oher. Th, he kbblii pproh i o gge h hrogh or reliy, how ever limied i my be we hve e o ll oher. When we dd o hi per peive h hmn life i bed on onio free wil, oppoed o mo ohr pe of reion, he imporne of or poenil imp on he n folding of he nivere i enormo. So where in mny rdiion we n hrdly wi o ge o of or bodie, in Kbblh we y o mimie he preio ime we hve in hi body. From he kbblii perpeive, mlipliiy i prpoefl pe in he oliy of reion e n ilie hi ide of he holi nre of reion in order o wor wih prdo We n be niy nd plrlii imlneoly. Eh ell in peron body doe i own k ye eh h e of hromoome iden il o evey oher ell in he body We n hooe o fo on he eprene or on he niy One i rionl he oher reqire fy logii i here, i i no hre People who dwe in he relm of iniion hve no dily diing ol, where hey ome fom, where hey go, deh, ngel demon, heven, or hell Thoe who re drwn more o rionl, nlyil fondion of re liy re more hllenged by hee ide. B here i no righ or wrong wy o eplore he myerie of life nd deh If he holii model i orre, eh of i onneed o he ener of reion in her or hi own wy. We need imply o diover he inner lngge h help ommnie wih he hidden pr of he o. Clely, hmn onione i dieren from h of oher form oflife. Cerin ype of ymboli hining imginion, reeion projeon, pln Aw
39
ning, nd humor re, in generl unique tivitie of humn onioune But if in ft humn onioune i equted to moquito onioune reltive to the univere we mut ey quetion: Wht hppen to humn relity we ontinue to expnd our onioune?
ANDD CoNrouN
n Kbblh, expnded onioune i lled mochin de gad whih literly men mind of bigne Mny teh nique re ued to hieve thi tte. We n get hint of it by doing impe exerie. f you re wilng, low your viion to expnd peripherly. You do not hve to turn your ed wy from thee word to loo round ut no tie tht you n loo t thi boo red thee word nd till te in more viul informtion bout wht i hppeng round you t thi moment. Now, notie how it feel to widen your viul wrene You diover immeditey ene of more lertne nd greter preene. At rt it my te n eort for you to utin thi lertne, but oon it beome nt url. Although you my oionly lip wy out of hbit nd imply ee the word before you without notiing muh ele with imple reminder you will nd tht you n rpidly expnd your ene of viul wrene. You n do the me by pying more ttention to ound tht re ourring round you t thi moment. Normy there re ound tht we ignore we we re onentrting on omething But uddenly you wil notie tht ound h been preent l thi time nd gone unnotied. You do not hve to top reding to inteni your litening Thi too give u ene of higher tte of wrene. One more thing Notie your body You n fee preure of omething under your butto if you re itting; you n feel how your feet touh the ground you n be wre of the poition of your toro nd rm you n noe your ne hed nd eye movement of thee detil re ontntly rnihing u with tedy ow of informtion The more we beome on iou nd py ttention to thi, the more we feel ene of lertne. We beome hrper more preent, more ttuned to e moment. thi i the proe of enhning our nturl wrene Mot of u develop rote pttern through repetition, nd we beome un wre of the nune in eh itution. ith o muh hppeng round u 40
God I a Veb
nd o ttle time in our live we go on tomti. A ong the routine remn fr we ope Unfortntely when we ve for yer in thi uto mti tte of nd the mirror of life tend to beome foggy nd or pirit lg t i no rprie tht tody in the etrordinry buyne of the wold, the feeng of pthy frutrtion, ftility nd depir hve rehed lmot epide proportion. We hve fr more wrene potentl thn we normlly tule U y we re dydreming, our nd re buiy reviewing thng tht hve l redy hppened or fntiing bout ftre event tht rrey ome to p we enviion them A we re by with l of thi nd tivity, we re ing wht i hppeng right here nd right now. We n epnd our mind fr wider withot muh eort. we need i render, n inner lok tht ring n lrm to wken eh time we lip into our more ontrted tte of wrene. Every time thi inner rm ring we lern to intntly invite in bigne of mind mochin d adlt.
Awanss 41
T H E O F
G A R E E E
Garden o Eden i one o the bet known and leat undertood tale in biblial literature. Thi tory ha been interpreted n doen o way, many o whih ugget that t i the prototype or undertanding the nature o good and evil the relationip between men and women, or the purpoe o humankind Unortunately, however the inight o ewih my tim on thi ubjet rarely ha been made avaiable to the general pub, and thu a major omponent or undertandng the deeper wdomteahing o thi tory ha remained virtually unknown. The tory o Adam and Eve buried deeply in the Wetern pyhe, and in many way it ontinue to inuene the way in whih we relate to one another The literal reading o the tory ugget that Adam and Eve were the rt human and that Eve wa an eay objet o edution She quiky uumbed to the wily erpent. Not only did he eat the orbidden uit but he ruhed o to get her partner to do the ame. or thi at o diobed ene" he ha been reviled throughout the enturie. o women uer ing during hldbirth i blamed on Eve ignorane. Wore the entire downf and degradation o humankind i aid to be her ault. A woman rabb one aid to me, The tory o Adam and Eve i per 42 God I Vrb
haps the most obvious instance in the entire orah in wch the reationship between male and emale has been contaminated by absurd implications. Ay assumption that Adam and Eve represent a relationship o gender as the rst man and woman o creation is udicrous. Rather, the mystics treat these and all major biblca charactersas divine principles. Adam and Eve represent the principe o dualit, each a poar opposite o the other One o the ways Eastern tradition discusses polarity o this type is through the image o yin and yang n exactly the same way the language o Adam and Eve is o expansion and contraction, outward and inward, light and dar, hard and sot. Neither is better than the other both are require or baance and harmony. n addition to the duality o Adam and Eve, a third element is required or creation s is the serpent, which represents a orce o agmentation One o the more ancient drashic texts, written by Rabbi Eezer, suggests that the serpent who seduced Eve had the appearance o a came22 Most people have never heard this idea. he Jewish or tradition goes on to say that the ange amael, otheise nown as atan rode this camel. Many say that the serpent itse was atan.2 he word "came in ebrew is gamal which is the same word or the ebrew letter giml 2 Giml in the ebrew aphabet represents the number three hus when Rabbi Eliezer says that the serpent represented a camel, he is alluding to the number three. Mathematically, the number three is nec essary or the physic world which is threedimensionalcomposed o three lines o direction northsouth, eastwest, and updown25 n Kabbalah, atan is said to represent the physical universe. ndeed the universe as we ow it is reerred to in mystica writings as "the sin o the serpent. n the mystical cosmology o the Garden o Eden the archetype o the serpent merges with the lieorce the orm and substance represented by Adam and Eve. Once the serpent is able to merge with ts lieorce the mystical ormula is complete or the metaphysics o creation26 he abbstic teaching is that atan, the orce o agmentation is the cruci element required or creation, because wthout it everytng would ute with Godverthing would become one his does not mean that the splntering orce o atan is separate om the uty o God, but, paradocally that it is contained within the oneness o the Divine n this abbalisc approach, we clearly see that the story o the Garden o Eden is a cosmology that ar transcends the more coony accepted versions Obviousy, a new perception o the Western creation stor not oly would draatically aect our images o Adam Eve and the serpent but also woud permeate our collective consciousness in a way that could prooundly
Th Gadn of Edn 43
impact hw we view ureve a hum beg hw we relate t e a ther ad hw we relate t Gd
SD A N D
OF
SIN
G U I
u take a cler lk at the mre traditial readig the cre try t ai ight it hw it develped i the cciue Weter thught he bibcl try tell a garde "plated by Gd the eater ide Ede, which had i it every tree that wa gd r d. the ceter thi garde were tw pecial tree the ree Lie ad the ree wledge gd ad evil A river ra rm Ede it the garde where it plit it ur river that ra ut the garde. Gd made ma rm the dut the ur crer the earth ad placed him thi garde t ted ad maita it. he ma wa tld that he culd eat rm every tree except the ree wledge gd ad evil. Mrever, the ma wa wared that " the day yu eat that tree yu will urely die7 Ater Gd brught all the aimal ad bird t the ma that the ma culd give each e it ame Gd caued him t all it a deep leep ad m the ma ide, a wma wa made. At thi pit bth the ma ad the wma were aked ad they kew hame. Almt immediately i the try a erpet apprached the wma ad td her that he wuld t die i he ate the ruit the ree wledge Rather, her eye wuld be peed ad he wuld be like a gd becaue he wuld kw abut gd ad evil he ate me the ruit ad gave me t her ma t eat. ure eugh, ther eye were peed t the extet that they w recgized their akede. hey immedatey ewed g leave tgether they culd cver themelve with lclth he they "herd the vice the Lrd Gd walkig i the garde i the breeze the day they hid themelve i the tree Gd ced ut, "Where are yu? ad the ma repded tht he heard a vice ad hid becaue he ew he wa aked ad wa arad. "Hw did yu kw yu were aked? aked Gd. "Did yu eat rm the tee rm whch tld yu t t eat? he cee i et the tdard iterpretati that ha bee paed dw rm geerati t geerati Adam ad Eve cted by Gd caught
44
God Is
Vrb
in an iaction of the single rule established for this garden tried to push the blame awa om themselves. Adam said "he woman gave it to me Eve said, "he serpent enticed me. hus, according to coon thining, the serpent was the rst to be punished b God t was cursed forever to live on its bell and eat dust Next God turned to Eve and said that her pain in childbirth would be greatl multiplied and that her husband would rule over her. Finll God turned to Adam and told him that from now on he would have to wor and sweat to get his food and that the ground would give forth "thorns and thistles for his labors At this point God gave them clothes made of sin. hen it appears that God said to tself almost as an afterthought, "Man has become lie one of us owng good and evil What if he eats om the ree of Life and lives forever? o God cast Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden Cherubic guards were positioned there so that Adam and Eve could not return; a revolving sword was set in motion so that the could not approach the ree of Life.2 his stor interpreted literall is the archepe of sin even though the word "sin is never mentioned. his original sin was disobeing God and it resulted in the fall of humanind om Gods grace. he stor so includes the archetpe of evl the serpent and of purit and innocence because Adam and Eve did not ow that the were naed. t has in it the archetpe of guilt, which instantl breeds the rst deni and it includes the rst curse made b God, giving us an initial glimpse theoreticall, of the ind of pun ishment that awaits disobedience When we read this stor through the lters of twentiethcenur aware ness we cannot help but wonder what was so captivating that it became the principal creation stor for Western spiritual tradition. A modern editor would have rejected this manuscript after reading the rst few pages. Not onl is it polticall incorrect to treat women as vassals but the nature of the act of eating something forbidden leads to unbelievable consequences. he wa it reads God maes the promise that anone eating this uit is going to die that ver da. But it does not happen that wa Adam and Eve do not e on that da. Rather, the are punished for eterni. God never said anthing about eternal punishment. A modern editor would point out that the stor is inconsistent. Moreover, the editor would note that the stor's treatment of sexualit is untenable as if naedness were something awl Who would relate to that? here are too man holes in the logic. he biggest one is that onl the ree of owledge was forbidden; Adam could have eaten om the ree of
he Gaden of Eden ' 45
Le ll long n h cse, he old nee de h od od e he chnce h Adm mgh e om he Tee o Le s, heeb nng ee nl le, nd hen om he Tee o Knoledge n ddon, h old he sepen se se p o be he ecpen o ods h h dd he o gn h bng deh pon sel cod he een om he Tee o Le nd becoe eenl. Then cold he een om he Tee o Knoledge sel nd old he become le od As clee s s s beho s oll logc os o , he so demens od hch o edo gh hn old oend edes mes od o o be ess hn Amght od hs o n sc Adm no o e he o hs specl ee he hn mng oo hd o ech o mpossbe o nd o n one o hosnds o scenos old e p cnd on he coee ble nd ell n nnocen oe old nee o e The oce o od "s n he gden. h does h men od clls o o Adm, "hee e o Does hs men od does no no hee Adm s od does no no he ne o sepens od does no no n dnce h Adm nd Ee l e he od ondes hehe hey ll e om he Tee o Le od hs o send hem o o he gden o eep hem om eng ohe s od hs o se p chebs o gd he gden, nd eolng blde o gd he Tee o Le Ths ll no o. Moden edes old dene ejec he pesenon o od h lcs oesgh, sengh, sdo desndng nd compsson. "No moden edo old s "hs mnscp ll nee ge ps he ccs
HE OAH
O
S
lel ccon o he e boos o Moses s lmos mpossble o ppece ho sssnce Hndeds o coenes es nd, s e mgh mgne, mn oe nepeons h condc ohes. No bod gees h hee s denel coec y o ed he Toh n c he ol don sggess h hee e les 600000 deen ne peons, epesenng he nbe o hose ho eceed he Toh hogh Moses M Sn Ths s h mes he sd o Toh so neesng I e spl c
46 G I
Vb
cept the itera meang o what it says then it is merey a boo with many unusua stories. we engage it however wor with it and use a variety o methods to anayze the text it yieds hidden cues that ead us on to rther investigation. tudy e this a continuous give and tae becomes a mystica reationship between the text and the one studying it. Many experiences with inanimate obects invove mystica interactions A mechanc who netunes an engine oten reates to it as i the engine were communicating with him or her A pot or boat spper interacs with the "personaty o an airpane or boat Cay and potter become one as a bow rises on the whee ois canvas and a painter merge into a reationship that carries the wor to a erent reaity Art transcends the obective word and enters a mystica re that is inexpicabe. tudents o orah have aways had an artisticspiritua engagement with the scriptura text Engagement is a good word because the experience is most e a betrotha he student becomes inmate with a set o words com mentaries commentaries on the commentaries and a brandnew word opens. his is the word that has ept orah aive and we in Judism or more than two thousand years he questions raised in the mnd o our imaginary edtor were obviou to readers thousands o years ago A great de o ora tradition speas to these issues Many other questions not easy or modern readers to see were adessed as we. P A D E S
TH
RHARD
OF ToRAH
he orah is studed on our dierent eves nown by the acronym PRD A pads is an orchard or garden n ebew it is speed wth the consonants ph sh dalt and samkh. n the context o studying orah the ph represents p hat which means the simpe or ter interpretation. Rsh represents mz which means the interpretation o what is being hinted at in the text: the metaphors aegories and parabes Dalt represents dosh wch is an exanation o the text by bring ing in additioa materi Finy amkh represents the sod o the materi the secret hidden meanings that oer insights into the structure o the unverse Let us oo at a ew eements o the Garden o Eden story the trees the
Th Gadn of Edn
47
rver, the orming o man, and ee how th vewed om the our derent perpectve o nterpretaton.
P'shat (Literal) here wa a place caled Eden and t had a garden. he word "Eden come om the Akkadan word "edn derved rom the umeran word "eden, whch mean "plan, a n prare or plateau. h, n addton to the men ton o the rver that run through t, ugget that Eden a geographcal locaton Commentator generally agree that two o the our rver runnng out o Eden are the gr and the Euphrate. Regardng the other two rver, 0 ome ay one could be the Nle, wth the ourth beng the ndu or Gange; but mot would agree that the common meeting pont wa the Peran Gul, whch may be the undvded "rver runnng nto the garden Although the Garden o Eden ha never been een by a lvng human beng, Reh Lakih, a talmuc age, ad, " t n the land o rael t gate Bet hean (a ertle area near bera) t n Araba, t gate Bet Gerem (pobly a hghly ertle area acng Bet hean on the other de o the Jordan); and t between the ver (unknown), t gate Damacu.3 An anecdote recorded n the almud ay that Alexander o Macedona ound the Garden o Eden n the ddle o Arca On h journey he en countered women warror who warned hm not to make war wth them, or he would loe ether way: he killed them, t would be ad that he took advantage o women, and they klled hm, he would be called the ng Who Wa lled by Women. When aked or bread, thee women erved hm oave o gold e aked them they ate gold, and they reped " you wanted bread, dd you not have enough brad n your own home to eat that you had to travel the way here? When he let th place, he wrote on the gate o the cty, ", Alexander o Macedona, wa a ool untl came to th cty o women n Aca and learned wdom Farther on, he ate ome alted h wahed by water om a local wel. he h gave o a weet odor. e recognzed by th cent that the water had come om the Garden o Eden e ound the garden and cred out that the gate hould be opened he guard ad t wa the gate o the Lord and would be opened only or the rghteou. e ad that he wa a king and wanted omethng o they gave hm an eyeball ere the tory move om lteral to metaphorc
48 · Gd I
Verb
Remez (Hints, Metapo Parable) Alexander too thi eyeba and weighed it againt the gold and ver he wa carng, a ignicant amount. he eyeball wa heaver than a h wealth combined. e aed the wie one traveling wth him, "ow could thi be? hey repled that thi wa a human eyeball, whch repreent deire that can never be aed he deire o human being i immeaurably weightier than the gold and ilver in the world. e aed them to prove it, and they prin led ome dut over the eyebl o that it could not ee. Immediately it lot it weightine. 35 ere the creation tory on the emez level
wa created om dut taen om the our o the world. umannd wa created in thi way o that i a peron born in the Eat hould happen to die in the Wet, the earth would not ree to receive the dead. hu, wherever anyone happen to die, the body wll be rerned to he earth. 36 Alo the dut taen wa o variou color red or blood; blac, or bowel; white or bone; and green or pale n37 Rabbi Yehuda aid that Adam i o named becaue he wa taen om the ground (adamah) Rabbi Johua the on o Korhah aid Adam wa o named becaue he wa made o eh and blood (dam Rabbi Eliezer wondered what ind o wor the rt man wa uppoed to do in the garden here were no eld to plow, and the tree grew on their own here wa no need or watering or a river ran through it here ore the intruction God gave to Adam to tend and maintain it mut not reer to tending the garden Rather, it mut mean to ollow the teaching o the orah. Rabbi Eliezer aid, "he ree o Lie ignie only the orah; or it ay in Proverb ( ) , he i a tree ole to thoe that hold her, and happy are thoe that hold her tightly' 3 At another point, Rbbi Eliezer decribed a dierent metaphor e aid that the tree reer to a man becaue it ay in Deuteronomy that "man i a tree o the eld.40 he garden ree to woman becaue it ay in ong o ong "An encloed garden i my iter, my bride4 hereore the mdt o the garden ugget the center o the woman, and the tang o orbidden uit reer to inappropriate exual ntercoure42 E
FRs
MA
h Gaden of Eden 49
rsh (Searcing, Examining) Rabbi Meir sd the uit o the ree o nowledge o good and el was wheat. (he word or wheat, hita is similar to the word or sin het Rabbi Judah said the uit was grapes. (Grapes were own to be the uits o gods.) Rabbi Abba o Acco said it was a citron (Fruit like a lemonom a play o words related to desire.) Rabbi Jose said that it was gs. (Adam and Eve covered themseves with g leaves.) Rabbi Azariah and Rabbi Judah the son o Rabbi imon said, "eaven orbid [we should be guessing at the uit o the tree] he oly One purposely did not reveal the type o tree or its uit so that we would never accuse [this uit] o bringing sin to the world. (t is interesting to note that not a single commentary in the amud or the Midash Rabbah says tht the ree o nowledge was an apple tree. his idea comes om nonJewish sources) he words "man and "woman each are composed o an eement o re and God he ebrew name or man is ish, and or woman isha Both include in their spelling the letters or re (aish), which are aleh and shin n addition to the letters or re, man is speed with a d and woman is spelled with a he he new letters d and he are the rst two etters o the ourletter name or God d-he-vav-he hus it is aught that God says, " you olow my ways, my name will be with you; but i you do not, wil take away my name and you wi become re. he our streams that ow through the Garden o Eden come om the roots o the ree o Lie. hey separate the lower (earth) region om the upper (heavenly) region. he ower waters, associated th the earth, are equated with the eminine principle he upper waters represent the mas cune principle. 5 Water is used as the symbol because it spontaneously merges with itsel suggesting that the separation o heaven and earth is temporary and will be one in the world to come
Sd (Hien, Secret) he hidden teachings o the orah are derived through kabbaistic tech niques hey are mysterious and very dicult to understand without con siderable background his is why so ew o these teachings are available to a more gener readership, and it is why the mystical approach to the Gar den o Eden story is aely heard
50 Gd Is a Verb
n the sod reading, there are actuly wo garden o Eden one below and one above. aintly being tay or a while in the lower Garden o Eden ater they die, and then rie to the celetial academy, which i the upper garden here i yet a realm higher than the upper garden or thee righteou being eventualy rie to bathe "in dewy river o pure bam6 he river that goe orth om the Garden o Eden repreent the cen tral one o three column on the abbalitic ree o Lie Eden i viewed in Kabbalah a the principle o the upernal Mother, and the central colum repreent the preence o the Divine on earth caled the Shekhina he Shekhina (water) i the nurturing orce or the entire earth (garden). he our river coming out o the one river repreent our major emanation o the Divine lovingindne (chesed) which i the peronication o the archangel Michael trength evoh) the archangel Gabriel; tri umph (netzach) the archangel Uriel and grandeur od) the archangel Raphael7 he mytery o aying the Shema prayer Shema Yisel Adonoy Elohayn Adonoy Eh dear, 0 rael the Lod i Our God, the Lord i One) i that it draw a beam o light om a hidden upernal world and divide it into eventy lght repreenting the eventy nation o creation. hoe lght be come uminou branche o the ree o Lie When the eveny branche are illuminated thi ree and all other tree in the Garden o Eden emt weet odor and perme preparing all the polaritie to unite into the Divine One ne48 n Kabbalah the urge or hi union bringing the upper and lower together, i the driving orce o the proce o creation, the proce o our live.
AAII TEHNIUE
inight contantly chaenge our ene o rehey urge u on preenting new entay into the myterie o creation he eyeball that Alexander wa given wa a ubtle lap on the writ that he did not recognize. he age told him about the bottomle pit o human deire but he did not recognize thi eyeba a a ym bol o hi own acquiitivene ad he undertood he meage om the beginning he might have gained entrance to the garden.
The Garden o Eden 5 1
Gemata: Value of the Hebrew Letters
F
Snded
Prnncitin
Nmeic Ve
Aleph Bet Gime Det Hey Vav Zain Chet Tet Yod Ka Lamed Mem Nn Samek Ayin Pe zadi Ku Resh Shin Tav
Sent B or V G D H
4 5 6 8 9 4 5 6 8 90 4
n t
�
c l
�r M
v z
C
y
K or KH L M N s Gtter P or F Tz K R SH or S T
Kbb ssumes ere e e seres everyg. We mus see gs wou our eyes e wou our ers kow wou our ee If we re be o peere e surfe of pperes we w s over e myseres of reo. s s prury rue of or. I s ofe vewe by Kbbss s e m of Go we ee s o er ow o e oe Kbbss use we vrey of oos er ser for e oes Oe oo s e y meo of gemr w e eer of e Hebrew pbe s umer vue. e rs eer lph, s e vue of oe; e seo eer, b, e vue o wo; so o er d, w equs 52 Gd Is Vb
ten the numbers climb by tens untl they reach one hunded hen they clmb by hundreds to the last letter four hundred here are a number of varatons n the gematra method of decodng the orah Certan letters are shaped derently when they are the nal let ters of words. n ther new contours they can receve derent numercal val ues. Another varaton s to exchange the rst letter of the alphabet leh, wth the last ; then the second be wth the secondtoast, hn and so forth. his s caed the bh method (leh--be-hn), and any letter can be swtched with ts corresponding par.49 Obvously, these substtutions completely alter words and meanngs of statements Most mportant, every word tself s a code for somethng else. As we saw above garden can mean earth water can mean the Dvne Presence Eden can mean mother Kabbalists are enormously creatve n ther attempts to brea the mystcal codes. hey fee that each teachng s drawn om another level of reaty. hus t s undestood that the oah contans al of the wsdom of creaton Evey tme a new code s broen we dscover somethng we had not nown before. herefore, many complex methods have been used n ths process to gve us a magnng gass so that we can explore the cosc fab c b er by ber.
The tba ode
MWpPC�Tl lT"�QCPptM Te Atb Cper Alep (1) Be (2) Gme (3) Dae (4) Hey (5) Vav (6) Zay () Ce (8) Te (9) Yod (0) Kaf (1 )
av (22) Sin (21) Res (20) Kf(9) zadi (8) Pe (1) yn (16) Samek (15) N (4) Mem (3) Lamed (12)
The Grden Eden 53
DA AND
v R
SA TWIN
rt Adm/Eve i clled by Kbblit Adam ha-Rihon hum cocioue) i i o wy reembled the hum orm we ow it he Jewih ge poe o it i hyperbole. t hd tu pedou proportio, rechig rom erth to heve; it tood tride erth om oe ed to the other5° t could ee to the r reche o the uivere or the light t tht time w clled Oh Ein S the Limtle Light metphor or pure wree Adam ha-Rihon did ot ee with eye it w with immeurbe "owig. Becue ech d every mortl beig i pr rom the orig il Adam ha-Rihon we ll hve the potetil to perceive everythig owble i thi uivere. Adm d Eve were bor imulteouly, idebyide or bctoc, ttched le imee t t y i Geei "Me d emle t creted hem biblcl lguge it y tht to eprte them, God too oe o Adm "ide i zohric lguge, it y, "God wed Eve o om him. 53 (For thoe who y Adm d Eve were ttched bctoc thi wig i viewed the cue o the bup hum hve log the bc o the pie) he Midah Rabbah y, "Whe the Holy Oe creted Adam a Rihon} it w drogyou God creted Adam haRihon doubleced, d plit him/her o there were two bc, oe o thi ide d oe o the other. he ide tht Adm d Eve were coequl t brth i ot bblitic ecret it w opely dicued i ciet midrhic lterture More over it w ow two thoud yer go tht the de tht Eve cme om Adm' rib w commo miudertdig he orh i umbiguou o thi poit. t repet ecod time, "Mle d emle t creted hem d goe o to y, "d bleed hem, d clled hei me Adm o the dy hey were creted5 Wheever the orh repet omethig the emphi lwy ugget deeper implictio. Here, t i ipoible to igore tht the cre tio o mle d emle w imulteou t w oly e the " tht Adam ha-Rihon w dimiihed i ize hi me tht Eve d Adm becme eprte etitie whle both were tll o gigtic proportio, tht i, whe both could ee to the ed o the uivere. he Grde o Ede, o coure, w lo viewed eormou he
54 God a Veb
ree o Lie at the center o the garden, was more than twelve thousad mies hgh and approximately ty thousand miles in dameter. 7 ome midrashic sources suggest that it would tae a person ve hundred years to wa its di ameter this would mae it ons o mies across 5 his enormous size is described to suggest that the ree o Le is all inclusive it shelters under its branches every ving thng plant or animal Even though today we ow that the universe is signicantly larger than a ew million mes ancient astronomers may have assumed that the entire uni verse could be enclosed in a space o such magntude. Exaggeration in size and numbers is used purposeully in wisdomteachngs to shatter the boundaries o our nds Mystically oriented traditions such as Buddism and induism oten use the devce o overstatement n their prmary texts n Buddhs it is said: "Buddha shl have a thousand milionold words equa in number to sands o the Ganges here shoud be a boddhisava multitude numbering ncalculable . . . thousands o myriads o mons.5 n the indu tales, ng Nagnajit provides s daughter atya, the olowing dowry or her marriage to rshna: "en thousand cows nne thousand elephants, nine hundred thousand chariots ninety mlion horses [ad] nine bion slaves.60 Ad this was ony one o many thousands o wives taen by rishna! he sheer magnitude o ideas such as these bursts the limts o our re alty We immedately appreciate the act that mystical teachings transcend norma thought processes n many ways, the teral translaton o the bib ca stories o Adam Eve, and the Garden o Eden in human proportions is a major sservice, or ths invites comparisons, projectons, and simpstic in terpretations that equenty put us on a trac o distorted images ad wrong headed deductions he mystic perspective however imposes an atered ame o reerence upon us om the start.
wo
CR AI O N
ORI
we read the Adam and Eve story lteraly, ndamental arise Was the serpent under instructions om God to seduce Eve? so, Gods punshment would seem hypocritica or worse, downright dabolica the serpent was not under Gods instructons, w it simply a troublemaer? A troubemaer in the Garden o Eden? his is an
The Gaden of Eden 55
oxymoron The Garden o Eden i another name or paradie. Parae doe not have troublemaer o the erpent mut benet in ome way rom a connection with Eve. n the mytical cenario decribed above, the erpent benet by gaining vi tity Eve name, Chava, mean lie becaue he wa "the mother o living. he hold the power o lie the entire phyic univere i dependent upon her the erpent i able to merge with her, then phyic creation i poible i not, then phyicality, a we now it, could never occur. The intrinic nature o Eve a the upern Mother i to give lie The erpent ay to her, You wil be lie god'2 meaning, you wil be able to create lie. Later on, God agree that the erpent wa not lying, or God ay that Adam and Eve "have become lie one o u. That i to ay, Adam and Eve were Godlie, or they now had the ability to create lie he Zohr ay clearly that the orbidden ruit wa exuality. Eve and the erpent had exual intercoure. n other word, they merged Matter wa now vitized. Adam merged a well and added orm And thi i the tory o the phyical creation a we now it. One who read the Torah literly ght chalenge thi myticl interpretation with the more popular belie that thi i a teaching tory regarding in and punihment. ndeed, the aociation o Eve and the erpent with in and punihment i automatic in Wetern mythology ow woud the Kabbalit repond to thi objection? When we carely reread the text at the opening o the orah, we nd that there are two creation torie n the rt, male and emale are created and are told to "be uitl and multiply4 n thi opening chapter, which goe all the way through the eventh day, everything i ne and beautiul. The creation i perect, no problem appear on the horizon, and the whole tory could come to an end ater one page o thi i one way or creation to unold perect, untroubled, utopic. But thi level o perection i a twodimenional atland t ha no depth in the ene that there i no real ree will. the univere were entirely preconditioned, there would be no potential or creativity. Thi i one o the meaning o the idea that human concioune wa created in the image o Godthat i to ay we can create. he proo o thi creatiity i in conronting God by eating the ruit. Thi i the expreion o ree wil and the ource o an imperect, but vital, creation. Thu the Torah retell the tory. t return to the ixth day and provide a new rention. n thi reteling, the Garden o Eden i introduced, and God intruct Adm h-Rshon not to eat rom the ree o Knowledge becaue it will urely bring death Thi i a tatement o act. Up to thi point, there i
56 God Is Vrb
no death n the Garden o Eden Death doe not ext at . n act the phy c unvere doe ot ext o the lovely creaton n he garden are non phycal. h mght eem conng becaue we read about earth pant, ea, brd, creature and o orth t eem to reemble earth a we now t But om the mytcal perpectve the Garden o Eden beyond any reat we can relate to at our current leve o concoune65 he Garden o Eden tory decrbe a tuaton n wch there no ep araton no ene o dentty. he body o Adam and Eve combned ntally doe not loo le anythng amlar Even the concept o ee twin mileadng becaue Adam/Eve wa not n a human orm when t wa rt dvded nto o entte. Nothing amilar the way that we ee tngs. But once a phyca unvere ormed, we read a metaphor that the voce o God "wal n the garden n the breeze o day. h mytcal poec magery to ndcate that a new materalty ha come nto the creaton. God a o Adam and Eve "Where are you! h not a queton t rhetorcal: "Loo at where you are! You are n bode you are phycal be ngs. told you thi would be the reult Now you wl urely e hen what happen? God gve Adam and Eve clothng made o n. hat to ay now they have a ene o eparaton h wa the punhment o crnat ng thought. hing became eparate; they aw themelve a eparate be ngs Pror to the erpent, the ene o naedne dd not exit t come oy when one ha an dentty, a ene o ndviduaty A a exual metaphor, the eatng om the ree o Knowledge not a ngular act le eatng ut t relatonal; t tae two to eat rom th tree. When we read thi ecton careully, we nd that Adam doe not ay that Eve orced hm to eat, rather that he oered the ut and he eely too t 66 hi an acnowledgment o relatonhp rather than the placng o blame. here a derent way to read the tradtion tranlaton n which Eve ay "he erpent beguled (educed) me and dd eat67 he word ued here or educton hihini, can be tranlated a way to mean "to elevate or "lt up.68 hu, one could tranlate th ame entence a: "e elevated me [to a gher tate] and we ate (had exu relaton) h nterpretaton adds an entrely new dmenon to the tor. A hgher tate o concoune was aroued. hat to ay creaton brought about a new potentia or awarene tandard coentare to the orah never menton th poble readng o Eve and the erpent. At t pont n the tory, God cure the erpent he readng "You are cured above cattle and above beat o the eld.6 that not cu rou? Doe th mean that cattle and other beat are cured? Why are
The Grden of Eden 57
they cured? I they are t cured, what the bg dea abut the cure the erpet? It wuld have bee much trger r Gd mpy t ay t the erpet that t cured rever h a ue that bthered may the cmmetatr. me talmu dc chlar uggeted that th cure reerred t prcreat ad that the perd getat r a erpet wuld be lger tha that ther beat.70 Other diputed thi le reag. Everybdy agreed, hwever, that the cure de t make ee the way t wrtte; deed, the laguage cm par mtgate the pwer the cure. he ther part the cure that the erpet wuld g t belly ad eat dut here are thuad creature that g ther bee, ad may them ve uder the urace the earth. Are they cured a well? I the ed, there are eru quet regardg the true meag ad tet the cure me ay that t t relly a cure at all he rah ay that there wl be ety betwee huma ad erpet; huma w cruh erpet head, ad erpet wll bte the heel hu ma. I the abbah, head ad heel are cde wrd r epch the u ldig creat. he head repreet the earlet part a era, whe the heel repreet the ed a era. Accrdg t th way lkig at thg, we are curretly the heel phae a xthuadyear cycle Whe t ed a meac era beg. Cruhg ad btg ugget pt trat. he erpet btg at ur heel dcate that we are mvg cler t the realzat meac c cue. Whe we tep t head we wll ally eter the ew era.7 he ebrew wrd r erpet nhh) equal value t the wrd r meah mehich Frm th kabbaltc perpectve the erpet the vehcle r meac ccue hu the erpet repreet ar mre mytcal udam tha cmmly kw, ad a deeper udertag thee teachig chage etrely ur apprecat the try creat. Wth ut the erpet, wthut the eergzg creat we wuld ever have the pprtuty t llw a path returg u t ur Dve urce.
58 God Veb
M Y S T C A L C R E A T O
n eptember 1981 not long aer our wedding hoshana and I made an exploratory trip to Israel to decide i it was a place we would want to ive and study We arrived just beore Rosh ashana and were invited to more than o dozen homes o religiously observant amilies or estive oly Day and abbath meals during that month It was a marvelous experiece in most every way, but a single theme pervaded throughout our sit that deeply bothered us and almost discouraged us om returg. Rosh ashana is viewed as the day marng the creation o the word It is Adam and Eves birthday, so to spea.7 On an esoteric level it is a day ojudgment4 when each person's name is inscribed in a heavenly boo or lie or death in the cong year7 My curiosity was piqued at one o the rst househods we visited when Elisha, our host held rm to a ndmentist belie that Adam and Eve were real people and that creation had occurred 5 42 years earlier According to Eisha nothing had existed prior to this. I ound this idea somewhat amusing and said, "But science clearly proves
Mysicl Creion
59
otherwie. Arheology, geology, biology, and atronomy a have method to how that the world i hndred o miion o year old" Eiha aid, None o thee ienti hypothee an be proven. They al are dependent pon obervation Bt oider thi What i the reation were done in a way that artiat were reated in plae? Every bone o oaled prehitori animal wa reated at the ame time a Adam and Eve, and every one wa reated in a way that a arbon tet wold how it to be mllion o year old." Yo mean to ay," reponded, that God played a omi joke on i ene, and everything i reay a ake, pt there to ool people into thinking that the nivere i biion o year old when in at it i ony a ew tho and year od?" Ye, that i preiely what I am aying. Moreover, there i nothing a ientit an do to abotely prove me wrong" Arging thi point with Eliha wold be ike arging whether a ing tree make a ond i nobody hear it Cleay, an oniient and oipo tent prankter old et p almot any rage. I thi were o, there wold be no reaon to believe that anything happened one mne ago mh e bilion o year Nonethele, I had dilty with Eiha approah in that it wa onded pon a God that ed an elaborate heme o deeit. Athogh it i tre that a belie ytem that qetion the phyiaiy o the materi word old be helpl in opening to mytial awarene, there are many way to gget the ilory natre o or reity withot propoing a will trik. Unortnately, God a a trikter wold have a reation that by it natre wold be miing tre aith a an eentia qality beae nothing od be believed in a nivere bilt pon deeption. Eliha i not alone in hi poition. He repreent a ma bt igniant atin o ewry that maintain ndamentt belie nteretingly may ndamentalit lve at the ore o what ome people believe i athenti" Jdaim, and their interpretaon or opinion onerning law, tom and rital are higy repeted. Th wa greaty ditrbed beae thee were not the kind o people od trn to or pirit gidane Kabbalah, however, teahe dierently It ay that reation i not omething that happened at ome point in time; reation i happeing at all time. It i happening right now Abot yeven hndred year ago aording to the Hebrew alendar hman onione beame a new reali in t part o the nivere Thi i what i reerred to in the Torah a Adam and Eve in the Garden o Eden. t i the tory o the ineption o a new level o awarene Bt we hold never reer to reation a a thing o the pat be 60 God
Veb
cause it is onoin and constant an unceasin phenomenon. his does not preclude the fact that the phsic universeom our point of viewhad a point of conception. In fact, accordin to kabbistic cculations the beinn of the phsic uiverse extends more than fteen biion ears7 ut Kabbah also teaches that even fteen bon ears is not sucient because this universe, as we know it, is not the rst. here have been others.77 he important point, however, i that creation itsel is an onoin process herefore, to set it into a time frame is absurdwhether one is a scientist or a reliious fundamentist Scientists have arued with theoloians for hundreds of ears about evolution and the timin of creation. ut Kabbalah is far more radical than science for it proposes a strin of creations he Sr zrah one of the elier kabbalistic texts sas that seven specic letters of the Hebrew pha bet smbolize seven universes and seven rmaments. 7 hese are universes that were created and destroed but there are dierences of opion as to which universe we currentl inhabit. As Areh Kaplan points out, "Accord in to some Kabbasts the present creation is the second, while others state that it is te sixth or seventh.7 From another perspective man universes can run concurrentl, for once we transcend the uverse as we kow it, time shifts in mean hese kabbalistic concepts of multiple universes, whether near or concurrent encompass essentia al scienc theor includin evolution and extend beond it C ONINUOU
C R A I O N
principe of continuous creation without beinn r end, is based upon the idea that there is a source of life that eternal emanates the enery required for al existence. If this source of life were to with hold itself for but a split second, everythin would vanish. hat is to sa, humanit l nature, of creation is constant bein sustained each and ever moment. It is as if creation were a lihtbulb that stas iuminated as lon as the electricit is owin. he instant we shut o the power, the liht fades out. If we wk into a room with a liht shinin, we do not know when that liht was turned on. It ma have been turned on the instt before we walked in. As with a reierator perhaps the door itself to this room has a switch buit into it that turns on the liht when it is opened Without addion iormation however, we cannot deduce anthin om the fact that the liht
Myscal Creaon 6 1
is on when we open the door to this room No matter how fast we open the door to catch the darkness the light is always on when the door is open. magine that creation works the same way f we go into a dark sound proof room we have no idea what is going on in the world or if there even is a world. n fact we so quickly lose our sense of reity in that situation that we have no way of knowing if the world even exists. ndeed we could be in our own cons we could be dying or dead for in a void without any stimu we have no basis for assessing eity. f we were able to exit from the darkness and open our eyes we would quickly reconstitute our reality base. During that instant when we reformulate our world it would be as if cre ation were brand new. Now imagine that each time we blink our eyes we fl into a ndstate of being in an isolated room Each time we open our eyes, we experience creation anew. Assuming we could blink thouands of times a second cre ation would always seem to be beginning. his is actually the way it is. ook around you. As you look at something try to imagine that from one second to the next it is receiving its form and substance from the center of the universe. f that source were shut o everything would be gone in a blink. Everything we see everything we know could evaporate at any instant in tie Modern theoretical science postulates this idea in the eisenberg Un certaint Principle. t suggests that we never know if the existence of a certain form will persist or if something will instantaneously take on a completely new form. ndeed, although there are few absolute truths in this creation one of them is that things are constantly changing. his means that we never have certainty om one moment to the next if the sustained ow of creation wi persevere. his idea of the continuous ow of creation completely alters the way we view things. When we have a sense of substance and solidity we are inclined to have more faith in the past and ture istory has an important dimension in our reaty and we base our lives on our own experiences and those of others he theory of continuous creation however leads us to a relationship with life that mystics around the world suggest is the ultimate reity there is only Now. he added diension in Judaism of course is that the Now rests upon the palm of Gods hand so to speak he dimension of this moment is sup ported in its entirety by the nature of the Divine hus there is a vital rela tionship between God and every aspect of creation. Each breath draw is initiated sustained and nourished by the power of creation. Each event is permeated by the magic of the Divine Presence.
62 God I
a Vrb
AAAH AND H
I
A N T H O R
abbitic view o a cotiuou creatio i i variace with moder theoretical phyic, which curretly i puruig the Big Bag theory. The Big Bag cocept i that omethig happeed may bilio o year ago that itataeouly expaded ito a primordial uivere. Folow ig thi theory our uivere cotiue to expad rom a iitial impue. he idea that creatio occurred i the pat lead to the aumptio o a time ditace betwee the creative act ad our preet experiece t im plie a phyica tace bewee our locatio i pace d the creative orce Thu, the reaity i which we live a log a we urreder to the limit o time ad pace, lead u to our erroeou belie i the eparatio bewee ourelve ad the ource o lie. The belie i eparatee ote lead u to the lo o hope ad eelig o iolatio which ca maiet a ieatio ad depair. Amot o the dicultie experieced i the piritu quet are related to the ee o eel ig iolated, dieret rom other people dicoected om the ource o e. Jewih myticim approache the iue o eelig aoe i the como by quetioig our eetia aumptio regardig creatio Oce we reaze ad experiece our itimate relatiohip with God, which i cotiuou ad each momet we ca ever agai eel aloe. The mytica perpectve ugget that thi relatiohip i idipeabe or both ide, or Creator ad creatio uold imultaeouly For example a paret i deed by hi or her child Without a chd, oe i ot a paret ad vice vera. There ca be o giver without a receiver ad oe caot receive wthout omethig beig give. Notg i eparate, except or the "ee o eparatee a eelig which i readily diprove deed, i we were eparated om the ource o lie at ay momet we could ot exit The problem with the Big Bag theory i that it ugget omehig happeed i the pat, a burt o eergy that cotiue o it ow mometum or bilio o year. But i the realm o the Divie, there i o pat or uture a we ow it Moreover the mometum o the Big Bag theory would be predictable, while Jewih mytic believe that creatio i away u certai
Myscal Creaon
63
Rather the Big Bag i a ogoig reative emaatio. he uivere i otatly balaed upo a ymbioti relatiohip o Creator ad reatio eah itegr to the otiuatio o the uivere. either part o the rela tiohip ail to ourih the other the whoe thig ome to a reehig halt. O the other had the ogoig iteratio betwee Creator ad re atio dee ad urture eah mometad eah momet i aother Big Bag impule. Oe o the great haidi mater o the eghteeth etury Rebbe Levi Yitzhak oBerdihev wrote "he Creator otiuou radiatio o reative ore ever eae om the world; i every itat thee [vit] emaaio radiate to t reatio to the world to the paae (realm o hgher oioue) ad to all the agel.2
64 God I
a Verb
T H E 0
N A T U R E G 0
i God? n a way, there i no God Our perception o God lead to a miundertanding that eriouly underne our piritua deveopment God i not what we think t i God i not a thing, a being a noun. t doe not exit, etence i dened, or t take up no pace and i not bound by time Jewih mytic oten reer to t a n S which mean Endlene. n hould never be conceptuzed in any way. t hould not be ced Creator Aghty, Father, Mother, nnite the One, Brahma Buddhand ah, donoy lohm l or Shadda; and t hould never, never be caed e t i none o thee name, and t ha no gender When we cl t God, what are we talking about we ay that t i compaionate, ull o lovingndne, the ource o love, we may be talkng about our image o what we think the divine nature ough to be, but we are not takng about n S n the ame way, i we ay that the God portrayed in the Bible i vindctivejealou, angry, cruel, uncaring, or punitive, we can not be reerring to n S n S include every attribute but cannot be dened by any o them indvdually or all o them combined he mytery o the origin o the univere ha acinated human con
The Nare o God 65
cioune om the beginning o recorded hitory. n a culture o the world we nd the timele inquirie there a creator, and i o, what i it nature? not how did creation begin, and what i it purpoe? Mytic teach that there i a univeral connection among all thing modern cience oer the ame meage. hi connection ha variou nae. ome ay it i a oul orce, other cal it love the ancient ced it ether ci ence oten name it energy. Yet lthough there i gener agreement that there eem to be a undamental nature in the continuou unolding o the univere our relationhip to the core o thi nature ha been a matter o coniderable debate Jewih mytic are particularly concerned about naming the univeral connection. People conue name with identitie. Many pritive culture have nameecret hey will not tell you their name or ear that you have power over them. imilary, at time they will not lw you to tae picture o them. n the pritive mind, the eence o a peron can be cap tured and imprioned i one ha control over a name or an image. Giving a name to the namele create a tumbling bloc that trip mot people. We thin that i omething ha a name, it ha an identity. iden tity come with attribute. o we thin we now omething about it. hi i a mitae For thouand o year thi mitae ha become ingrained in the human pyche he word "God ugget an embodiment o omething that c be graped. We have given a name to the Unnown and Unnowable and then have pent endle time trying to now t. We try becaue t ha a name but we mut alway ail becaue t i unnowable. Judaim i o concerned about thi undertanding that it goe to great length to avoid nang God. Yet variou name eep through becaue our mind cannot wor without ymbol. What, then, i the God that i written about in the Bible? Kabblit teach that the very rt line o Genei ha been tranlated. Mot people thin it ay: "n the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. But the actu word in ebrew can be read another way A Kabbt could ay "With a beginning [t] created God (Elohm) the heaven and the earth hat i to ay, out o Nothingne the potential to begn wa created Beginningne Once there wa a beginning God (in a plur orm) wa createda God to which the ret o creation could relate. hen the heav en and the earth were created. 84 he implication o thi interpretation proouny aect our entire relationhip with God and creation, or it ay that all the name we have or
66 God
a Verb
God and the ways in which we relate to God are a ew degrees removed om the sourc o creation that precedes even Nothingness. hs is caled in which is not the name o a thing but is an ongoing process
E S idea o in was rst described by the twelthcentury Kab balist Isaac the Blind. e taught that in precedes thought (mahshaah) and it evn precedes the Nothingness (ayin) out o which thought is born. Nothingness is viwed as a evel o awareness that is the resut u the "annilation o thought.85 he idea o the annhation o thought, o course, is paradoca Can we imagine a void without beginning or end? Can we, imited by nds that are nite imagine innity? he answer is no we cannot tnk o Nothing8 Anything that we can imagine has some ind o boundaryKabbasts call it garment or vesseland boundaries are containers thoughts includ ing a imagination are garments or vessels. By dention a boundary sets its. We my be able to put a name to inniy, we can draw a symbol o a gure eight on its side and say that this represents inity but no matter how much we may beeve that our imag ination is ess, we remain conned by the boundaries o our own real iy. I it can be imagined, it is not innite As iny is beyond the imagination, what about that which transcends innitythat which created it? in is not "restricted by innity. Indeed we have suddeny run out o words because the idea o "transinnite is a ogic absurdity What can go beyond inniy? Moreover, what can go beyond the othingness that surrounds innity? hs is i though we are inormed that in is inaccessible through any in teecu endeavor, we may si ask i there is a "nowing that surpasses the intelect. Did Isaac the Blind have access to a level o awareness though which he could sense somehow, the imperceivable? he answer is yes Jewish mystcism teaches that we can know in in ways that transcend thought. hs aspect o developing a relationship with Endlessness the source o creation is the key to al Kabbalah and the eblood o a ewsh pracce he secret teacng in developing this relationshp with the Unknowabe is hidden in the mystical oundation o the nature o relationshp itse.
The Naure God 67
The word "God and each of varo name n Jdam ch a l lohim, donoy Shada and o forh repreen apec of in S The ex ploraon of hee aec ve nh no he nare of in S Th whenever God dced n h book we are no alkn abo a hn n elf b a repreenaon of a far deeper myery. HE
II
I
n he Son of Son he myc whper abo he k of lover "Le hm me wh he ke of h moh; for yor love beer han wne.7 We can feel he achn hear of he lover "I am ck wh love, h lef hand nder my head and rh embrace me. We exerence he hrll of ancpaon "My beloved p h hand by he lach of he door and my hear wa hrlled I roe o oen o my beloved "Ah, we ay "he paon of yon love! h no a oem abo yon lover. I abo , abo every hman ben and decrbe or poenal relaonhp wh he Dvne Perhap yo do no beleve h; per ha yo feel ha havn an nmae relaonhp wh he Dvne beyond yo reerved for oher or anoher lfeme. Th no o. I ar of or herae yor and ne o have we need do learn how o le o of or fear, for fear manan he barrer of eparaon. n many radon he mycal expreon of or relaonh wh he Dvne hroh Ero, he ame of a brnn hear Why? ecae when we awaken o he reazaon ha he preence of he Dvne reveaed n he fllne of each momen or hear mel and he oodae of or nner yearnn oen wde. Th a mycal epphany. I canno be raonay explaned. Ahoh we canno cro he barrer beween and ha whch le beyond nty we can experence n he deph of or ben he ezaon ha for each ep we ake he Dvne ep wh each breah we draw conneced wh he breah of he nvere; and ha lover, beloved and he eence of love e all are recon exacl he ame hing. In each of hee momen we "know he preence of he Dvne and here no earaon One of he reaewh myc of he hreenh cenry Abraham Ab aa ad abo one who ha aceved h level of pra awarene "Now we are no oner eparaed from or orce and behold we are he orce
68
God I a Verb
and the ource i u. We are o intimately uted with t we cannot by any mean be eparated om t, or we are t.90 here i a lovely u tory o a mn who contanty cried out to God but recived no repone Aer a whle the devil wpered to thi man "ow long will you wait or God to repond ere am to all o your entreatie? hi broe the man' pirit and he topped cling out to God. n a dream however, he enviioned an image o the Divine, 9 who aed hm why he had topped. he man aid that God had never anwered hi call. he wie dreamimage repreenting God then aid, "Did you not realize that every calling o your itel my repone?92 he urge to cal out to God i alway anwered imultaneouly a it i poen or ultiatey there i no dierence between the caller and that to whic� it call. he Kotzer rebbe Menachem Mendel a amou haidic teacer in the nineteenth century who lived hi lat twenty year in voluntary ecluion aed one o hi tudent, "ere doe God dwel? A the tudent tum bled in hi attempt to repond the Kotzer rebbe anwered own que tion: "God reide wherever we let God in93 Mytic throughout time, in l tradition have aid the ame thing We do not have to earch or God becaue the preence o the Divine permeate all thing there i a earch at all, it i God earching or te o to pea GoD
A R
cloet we can come to thining about God i a a proce rather than a being We can thin o it a "being, a verb rather than noun. Perhap we would undertand thi concept better i we renamed God We might call t Goding a proce rather than God which ugget a noun h idea wa deveoped by Rabbi Zalman chachterhao who explain that the ind o verb that repreent Goding i erent om the one we have in our ordinary language Mot o our verb are con idered tranitive which require a direct object or intranitive, whch do not e ugget that Goding i a mutually interactive verb, one which entail interdependency between two ubject each being the object or the other.9
The Naure o God 69
For example "communcatn could be such a verb f were speak n to an audence, mht not be communcatn would be enaed n the act of communcaton, but f the audence were not attentve and were thnkn about other thns would not be communcatn no matter how much talked M verbal communcaton s dependent upon a lstener; t cannot be a onewa street. ther obvous verbs that t nto ths cateor are lovn sharn, dancn, kssn hun, and so forth We can relate to God as an nteractve verb. t s Godn Moreover from ths perspectve creaton should not be treated as a noun t too s an nteractve verb; t s constan creatonn. And dear reader ou should not treat oursel s a nounas Joan, or il, or arbara or John. Wth reard to God as an nteractve verb ou are also verbs; ou are Joann lln, arbaran or Johnn n relaton to Godn just as am Davdn Each part n the universe s n dnamc relatonshp wth ever other part. n human nteractons such as marrae, one partner s husbandn whie the other s wfen. he two, n ths sense are one. We normal ex perence relatonshps n terms of ther component parts; we are mstaken, however when we assume the parts are separate. t s mportant for us to remember that the concept of Godn s a wa for us to have a relatonshp wth the Dvne, not to be sunderstood as havn a relatonshp wth n Man names of God are ncluded n n Godn s one namea name that happens to be a verb rather than a noun he true dscover of the ntmac of our onon relatonshp wth the Dvne can dramatcll chane our ves. t often happens spontaneousl wthout a reason. Some cal ths experence "race. t arses out of nowhere You could be sttn on the beach walkn n the woods carn for some one who s dn even drvn on the eewa, and suddenl ou are oer whelmed b a strane lht that penetrates our conscousness and ou are never aan the same We read accounts of such transformatons and con verson experences that have chaned the world. ccasonal ndvduals devote themselves to sprtual lves because of such experences However, most people who commt to nner paths do so because the earn to connect wth truth and meann hs com mtment usual nvolves undertakn a varet of practces that become part of ones da lfe. he ma nclude medtaton praer movement, det selfrestrant, perods of secluson, mantras, servce acts of lovn kndness and other tmetested technues to alter conscousness. Even
70
God Is
Verb
uy when the prctitioner prioritie re cler the inner light o wrene lowy become iuminted nd her or perception o reity tedily chnge. On the piritul pth either through brillint h o inight or in the low tedy progre o continuou prctice we gin dom. t i not in tellectu nowledge but widom deep nowinginexplicble inde cribble nd exquiie beyond imgintion. hi widom i the ountin o true mytic experience the driving orce o l piritu inquiry t i wht utin u when we re ced with doubt nourihe u when the world eem ble nd comort u when we ce the deth o loved one. With out it where would we turn? Wt would we be without the weomene o the unnowble God? here i no nwer to thi quetion we cnnot prove nytng bout Ein S Rther it i elreecting inquiry Yet when viewed om the perpective o our dynmic reltionhip with the Divine it i elling quetion or prdoxiclly the ource o the quetion i the nwer it ee. "Wht would be witout God? Conider thi quetion om your inner wrene Not you the noun the peron you my thin you re but you the verb the proce o being in l reltionhip continuouly with it cretor When quetion rie within you who i ing the quetion nd to whom i the quetion ddreed? A ume tht there i no "me to the quetion nd there i no God out there to nwer it. he quetion i prt o the proce o Dviding nd Goding in mutul uoding ry to do thi in wy tht melt brrier o eprtion No ubject nd no object imply n everopening proce No pt no ture only the Now. Ech moment i eh opening. Ech breth we drw ech move we me i ony Now hi i my dnce with Goding t i n weome expeence. Awe led to widom. he opening o the Jewih morning pryer quote line rom P tht y "he beginning o widom i the we o the YV (the tetrgrton one o the ey nmele nme o God).95 hi YV i oen reerred to Hahem the Ne. We dont wnt to give t nme o we cll t he Nme. t i too weome to nme. Yet we cn xperience we Perhp you will te ew moment to cloe your eye nd ow your elto in into ti ide Meditte on thi thought he teching o the mytery o En S i tht the center o our being out o which we rie i tht bout which we re wed t i t! When we contemplte our continu
The Naure o God 7
ou proce o opening, right here right now, we realize that Goding i al way with u.
E
R
sAYs
"Beore hape and orm were created, t
So wa without orm or appearance. Thereore, it i orbidden to perceive t in any way not even by the letter o t holy name or by any ymbol. owever had t brightne and glory ot been radiated over the whole o creation, how could t have been dicerned even by the wie Thereore, t decended on a [mytcal] charot to be nown by the letter YV, in order tha t coud be inerred, and or thi reaon t allow t e to be caled by varou name uch a l lohm Shadda Zeaoh and H H [among other, uch a God], each being a ymbol o divine at tribute owever, woe to anyone who preume to compare n with any attribute. For it i limitle, and there are no mean to comprehend t.9 Another zoharic teaching ay "That which i within the thought [o n of] inconceivable. Much e can anyone now about n o which no trace can be ound and which cannot be reached by any mean o thought Yet om the midt o thi impenetrabe mytery, the rt decent o n (whatever give u inight regarding t) gmmer lie a aint, undicernible light jut lie the pont o a needle, a hdden rece o thought which i not nowabe until a light extend rom it where there i an imprint o letter.97 The Unnowable can be dicerned. Beginning at an indenable point a harp a a needle, t radiate in variou way which can be perceived oy in the context o proce and interaction. We are not an audience watching the Goding proce ontage. We are ontage, ourelve We my teriouly begin to get a glimmer o Godng when we ucceed in merging with the contnuou proce o unolding creation Our own experience o Goding i not lie anything we read about. t i a dierent ind o revelation than that decribed by ancient prophet. Per hap ome peope til are able to hear a voice that boom out o the heaven But thi i rare, indeed, and even the Talmud ha eriou quetion about it veraciy. owever, we do not have to be prophet to experience Goding t i everywhere around u and an apect o everything we do. t arie when we repeatedly encounter the magcal quality o e, the incredible blend and va riet o experience the exquiie unoldng o naure, he inricacie o our nd, and more than anything, the awe, the proound awe we experience 72 God Is a Verb
when we sens the enormity o this universe omehow the awe itse draws us into the center o creation. At some point we merge with it. C O R N R H W H Go-N
s long as we relate to God as Father and we as children we sustain the dysnctional paternsc model in which Father nows best We not only remain aienated with a sense o abandoent we relin quish our persona sense o responsibility We thin Father tae care o everything he aud records a wonderl sto o a debate over an esoteric point o law in which one sage, Rabbi Eiezer stood one against dozens o other sages. e tried every conceivable argument to convince his peers, to no avai. Finaly, exasperated, he sad, " the Law (God) agrees wth me let this carob tree prove that am right At that moment the carob tree ew out o the ground. ome say it moved 150 eet, others say 600 eet But the sages were not convinced and they responded, "You cannot prove anytng om a carob tree. o Rabbi Eliezer said " the Law agrees with me, let this stre o water prove that am right whereupon the stream reversed itsel and began to ow uphill he sages once again replied, "Proo cannot be brought om a stream o water Rabbi Eliezer persisted " the Law agrees wth me let the schoolhouse ws prove that am right is said that the walls o the schoolhouse began to lean inward, but beore they could all, another sage Rabbi Joshua yelled at the wals, saying "When scholars are involved in a dispute about the Law, what right do you have to interere At this the walls stopped leaning in ward t is said that in honor o Rabbi Eliezer, they never went completely upright But in honor o Rabbi Joshua, they did not a. Rather, they re mained on a permanent slant he story does not end here. Rabbi Eliezer subbory called out " the Law agrees with me let heaven prove that I am right! At this, a ba kol a heaveny voice, thundered against all the scholars "Why do you argue wth Rabbi Eliezer? Do you not now that the Law alwa agrees wth him! One would thin that this would be sucient or the sages to change their minds but not so. At this point, Rabbi Joshua stood up and quoted a
The Naure of God 7 3
vese fom Deuteonomy: he commandment which command you is not hidden om you, no is it fa. t is not in heaven that you shoud say Who wi go up o heaven and bing it to us that we can hea it and do it? No is it beyond the sea that you shoud say ho w coss the sea and bing it to us that we can hea it and do it? But the wod is vey nea you in you mouth and in you heat that you may o it. Rabbi oshuas position was that the oah was given at Mt. Sinai so that eathy mattes wee now manknd doman and heaven shoud not intefee his astounding tamudic assetion indicates that human eason caies pecedence ove heaveny mandates t stongy decaes compete independence in intepeting the aws of Moses n many ways it is denitive evidence in suppot of tota ee wi he sages voted, and defeated Rabbi Eeze, despite the fact that God was ceay on his side! he amud goes on to ecod a convesation between Rabbi Nathan and the pophet Eiah, who spoke with him from heaven. Eijah equenty convesed with sages when hey wee deaming o in vaious tansstates n this exchange Rabbi Nathan asked out of cuiosity what the Hoy One did at the tme of this debate between Rabbi Eieze and the sages Eah e sponded that the Hoy One had aughed and had said to of the angec hosts with obvious peasue), My chiden have defeated me! udaism is noted fo its chuzpah in its ationship with the ceative foce he oah descibes a numbe of bbica events in which Abaham and Moses epeatedy ague with God unti thei points ae made; that is to say, unti God changs ts mind, so to speak. Moeove, bibca commentatos depeciate Noah because he did not ague with God about the destuction of the wod but meey buit the ak when tod to do so Ceay the wod of God in udaism has neve ben viewed as a na decee but as divne intention that can be debated and in some nstances evesed. Accoding to Kabbaah the inchpin of ou eationship th God is founded on the beief that human beings have ceative capabity to intevene in the noma couse of events One wod, one gestue o even one thought an change the diection of the ceative pocess his being so, we ae ed to concude that human beings pay a coceatve oe R I
essentia issue upon which is banced fo ceaon to be ceationing is t hat of ee wi houghout the ages theoogans have 74 God Is
a Verb
debated whether or not human being have the abity to chooe eely. t ha been a ey iue becaue ee wll impute that God doe not control the univere. God i in control then we are not really ee to chooe; God alway now what we are going to do we really have choice and God doe not now then God i miing eential inormation he orah i buit upon the oundation o ee choice or humanind he tory o Adam and Eve in the Garden o Eden i a decription o ee choice. From that point orward every biblica tory invove ee choice We have human concioune We are inormed that act o ovingndne over the long run will bring a higher level o concioune to everyone in the world. We have the choice to do them or not We are inormed that an unind word can et thing in motion that may caue great harm and pain in the word. We have the choice o how we pea. Even more when the mytic ugget that our prayer can way the outcome o event our behaor can iuence the degree to which there i peace in the world or that our obervance o ancient ritual can bring a heing to oul in other realm imagine how thi weigh on u a reponible conciou being. Notng i inconequena. Each grain o and hold amazing ecret. Each event contain myteriou meage Every encounter th another being i a point o contact upon which the univere pivot When we enter into thi ame o mind reali a we ee it become a vat opportunty to experience the interconnectedne o all creaon. From thi perpective we come to the reazation that every piece i integral in the unoldng o cre aon includng u Free and proce go hand in hand we are caught in the iluion o eparation trapped in the ene o our elve, we do not experience the interactive proce We cannot relize thi becaue el and other are ditinct. however we are able to mediate thi econcioune we can enter the realm o Now in which everything i connected to and in proce with everything ele. en we pull all o thee idea together the paradigm o reationhip between Creator and creation dramaticaly hi. God i Goding creaon i creationing every apect o creation i in proce and continuouly un oldng lie an innite ower opening it petal. n th rety owing i a momenttomoment phenomenon pat and ture are only in our min we e copartner th Goding in the coc proce and each peron ha the eedom o choice to change the univere Nothing we do ay or thin i inconequentil; every action aect not only t reaty but o other retie and al o creation i interconnected. We hould never aign
The Naure o God 7 5
attibutes to ou patne in pocess (Goding) but we can know this patne though the diect expeience o a that we encounte and evey thought that aises in ou nds
E A O N A H O H HE
M N
OF
s N GO
intinsic denition o Limitessness is that t acks nothing and can eceive nothing o t is eveything. As t is eveything theoetcay t is the potenti to be an innite souce o giving. he question aises howeve that thee is nothing o t to give to be cause t is eveything. t woud have to give to tse. his has been a mao conundum in phiosophy and theoogy o thousands o yeas Kabbaah suggests one way o deaing with ts issue. t says that as ong as the ite souce o giving has no wi" to give nothing happens. How eve the instant t has the wi to give this wi initiates a thought. Kabbaah says W which is [pimodia thought is the beginning o a things and the expession [o this thought is the competion. hat is the entie ceation is nothing moe than a thought in the mind o En S so to speak. Anothe way to epess this idea is that the wi to give instanty ceates a wto eceive. he idea that an innite give can ce ate eceptivity in tse is what Kabbaists c zmzum (contaction) t has to make an opening within tse o eceiving hat which is given is caed ight. hat which eceives is ced vesse. Light and vesse ae aways in baance because ight comes om an inte souce and thus wi a vesse to its capacity we put a bucket unde Ni agaa Fas it instanty s we put a eight tain thee it so instanty s magine that the entie univese ests unde a Niagaa Fas o ight contin uousy being ed. Accoding to Kabbaah the inteaction between vesse and ight is what makes the wod go aound Eveything in the univese is a vesse that ws" to eceive the ight o the innite bestowe. Each moecue pant anima ock and human is a vesse each has the wi" to be exacty what it is. Human consciousness is unique in that it has the quaity o being in the image o God. his quaiy is epessed by what we ca ee wi nd
"
7 6 God I
a Verb
ree at it core i nothing more than the abiit to betow ght. hat i to a human concioune ha an inherent wil to give i hman caa iliy acing like God n eing a eower i helcm on which he enire ni ere i alanced he reaon thi i o important i that i there were a on to re ceive, a decribed above the univere would be completel predictable. Everthing would be predeterned, receptit would nd hape in it impcit deign, and ever apect o the unolding o creation coud be anticipated he wd card introduced here i the pree that human con cioune i inormed b a oul orce that give it the capacit to emulate the innite Betower hu human being have an extraordinar capacit to inuence the direction o creation Each time we mae ue o our ee wi b giving, we are in copartnerhip with the innite Betower When thi i accomplihed, wth clear awarene o what we are doing we raie the concioune o creation C o N A N PRIN
C R A O N
a that Ein i perect , b denition, and thi i contan in the proce o perecting ite Indeed, Judm a that the ver purpoe o exitence i the continuou perectng o the univere Imagine an advanced computer program in an "integent computer that i deigned to learn a it goe. Each time it doe a nction it learn b it mtae and doe the unction more ecien the next time A long a it i learng, contan improving, it i lng it purpoe owever, i the computer nction in a wa that it ceae to improve ite, it i programed to eldetruct. Wh? Becaue it purpoe i to continuoul perect itel I it achieve perection, it no onger ha anthing to do hu it enter a taemate with no place to go. God repreent perection. hi univere repreent the potential or perectng Can we ever expect to mae the univere peect he abbalitic anwer i no becaue our purpoe i to continuoul peect ourelve and the uvere I we achieve perection, we are nhed and the uvere would ceae to et
The Nare o God
-
77
Peection is an absud goa fo the Kabbaist because an essentia aspect of Gods pefection is the ceation. ou see perfection cannot be pefect thout the potentia fo pefecting! he Baa Shem ov has said he book of the Zohar has each and evey day a dieent meaning2 his is a cu cia undestanding. Some teachings say that eveything is pefect eveyone is pefect eveything happens as it is supposed to and thee ae no accidents he ony eason that we do not appeiate this pefection is due to ou imited pespective hey say that once we become moe enightened we wi see that evey thing is pefect his may be tue fom a dieent point of efeence but om whee we stand ife is the pocess of being constanty uged this way and that; we ae neve satise d with what is We aey attain a sense of pefection and if we eve do it ony asts fo a moment. We ive in paadox We aey want what we can have and we often desie what is out of ou each Because the natue of duaity is impefect we neve meet the pefect iend the pefect spouse o the pefect teache. And if we foow the beief hat pefection is within ou each we assuedy wi become ustated unhappy and unfued o even wose boed constanty tied and indif feent his view of ou continuous pefecting is of geat impotance. Once we fuy appeciate that ou pupose is not to achieve some tanscendenta eve but to dea with the impefect wod as a patne in ceation we gain the vey thing we tun away fom. hat is to say once w suende to the fact that we wi constany be epairing ou own sous and those o othes aound us we gain a new sense of the funess of each moment he myth of pefection is one in which we constaty ae dissatised with what is cuenty happening We ae neve hee because we ae ways tying to be thee wheeve that is. But undestand this impotant teaching: en we aep eah momen a a new opporun orullng our pur poe, we are alwa preen, alwa ueedng alwa hangng he worldor he be e nd we are alwa "here. One of my teachers a woman Su taught me this idea about hee and thee She said simpy Foget about thee; it does not exist. We ony have hee his is it. Wheneve you use the wod thee chck youseves cae fuy to see if the wod hee coud be moe coect. Nine out of ten times it wi be. When we y eaize that fe is hee ight now we do not fa aseep and we dont get boed. We dont seek the pefect mate o the pefect teache We make the best choices we can and wok with what we have With 7 8 God I a Verb
pftng as o mod w do not nd to ook byond what w hav bas ths da of ontnos pftng s n tsf pft h Jwsh sags askd Who s h?3 h answ On who s happy wth hs o h ot And Ths pson s paswothy n ths wod and w b w n th wod to om May w b bssd to nd omfot n bng ss than pft, and to nd pa n th tna haos of f Rmmb w a aways h
The Naure o God
-
79
T E
P R E S E
O LA M HA - ZE
(s Wod)
T E M P L A T E
0
C R E A T I O N
bestknown symbo in Kabbaah s the Tee of Life. t is sad epesent the essentia foundation of ceaton. n a, the Tee of Lfe has ten pimodia eements These ten ae based on the openg to the Toah, in which thee ae ten statements that use the wods aomer elohm And Elohm God) said " These ten statements ae consideed to be dvine emanations out of which the wod was ceated. Each emanaon is an achetype, whch combnation with othe emanatons po des the mystica eements necessay to fom evehing n ceaon whethe physic emotiona inteectua, o spiitua. The emanatons ae efeed to as ro numbes) because evey possibe numbe n ceation s a combnation of the ten basic numbes om zeo to ne Kabbaists beieve that evey time the numbe ten is witten in the Toah, it is eated in some way to the Tee of Life Ten pagues n the stoy of Exodus ten commandments ten days ofudgment om Rosh Hashana to om ppu Even the fact that we have ten nges and ten toes is eated to the Tee of Lfe Vituay eveytng n ceaton can be associated wth the Tee of Lfe Commentatos oen do not agee on the dentions o chaactestics fo
Templae of Creaon 83
the vaious Nonetheess Kabbaists tend to cataog the bibica patiachs and matiachs achanges pats of the human body names of God diections, panets, vowes, coos, and a wide vaiety of associated quties with vaious he ee of Life is viewed as a gaphic epesentation of the buepint of ceation. Because each emanation is an achetype each epesents a wide spectum of categoies he system is compex because the acheypes ae not easiy dened. he uses anguage ike hese ae the ten of nothingness: the beath of the iving God beath fom beath wate om beath; e om wate; up down, east, west, noth south.2 Read iteay, the st is the beath of God; the second is beath caused by this beath; the thid is wate and the fouth is e foowed by six diectionsten in a. he Hebew names usuay given to the ten seot ae cown) wisdom), undestanding), ovingkndness) stength), beauy), tiumph/ dominance) gandeu/empathy), foundation), and soveeignty) Since is ineabe and inaccessibe, additiona ced know edge) is often added to the ist so that thee ae ten woking attibutes. he ee of Life is commony epesented by an iustation of ten sometimes eeven) dawings of cices. Schematicay, the ae dawn in thee vetic ines. he cente is the tunk, epesenting fou o ve) wo vetic banches, one on eithe side of the tunk, epesent thee each. See iustation page ).
HE EE
AN OF
L E
NA eseaches have discoveed that fou amino acidsadenne thymine, guanine, and cytosinefom themseves in vaious com binations that ae sequenced into pattens upon which a ife is buit. Each patten hods within it a genetic code that detenes a of ou genetic cha acteistics Each amno acid ways woks in a pai, and each aways pais with the same patne: adenine pais with thymine A) and guanine pais with cytosine GC) . We can imagine these pais ike coins with heads and tais. f we ine up coins on a sheet of ass whateve they ead on top woud be opposite fom the way they woud ead fom unde the gass. Siay, fo aminoacid pais, if we had a sequence such as A, A, A G, G G, thee woud 84
be a paae tack that woud ead , , , C, C, C. t is said that the code fo a human being contains biions of pais Can you imagine how many vaiations on a theme we coud have by stinging out a bon coins and then tuning them one at a time to fom new combinations? he numbe is enomous he sequence in which pais of amino acids ae combined is the detemning facto of heedity. Micobioogists descibe these extended stands as paae tacks that cuve into a spia, caed a doube heix, in ode to t into a smspace oday we have DNA testing to detemne many things. Micobioogists must nd the pecise ocation ong this thin thead of a doube heix whee the encoded combination fo a patcua gene esides When they zeo in on this ocation they can detene whethe o not the code matches anothe sampe. hus ony fou amino acids couped into two pais, oe an amost un mited pospect fo vaiation his is pecisey the same mode that Kab basts have used fo a thousand yeas Rathe than amino acids the Kabbasts have descibed fou key eements of ceation: expansion (chesed) which aways pais with contaction eoh) and giving (nezach) which ways pais with eceiving od).
Templae o Creaon 85
Howeve these ae ony fou of ten pmoda eements that compose the ee of Lfe Wheeas the physc unvese can be descbed n tems of fou eements gatheed togethe n an nnte numbe o combnatons the kabbastc mode s fa moe extensve when we add n ten dmensons of the ee of Lfe T H I Y W O
PAH
ten ro ae connected by a sees of twentytwo vetca h zonta and dagona nes hee ae tweve dagona nes sad to ep esent the tweve tbes as we as othe chaactestcs such as tweve months tweve sgns of the zodac tweve pemutatons of the tetagammaton the fouette hoy name o God) and tweve pmay quates of human ex pessonspeech thought acton sght heang moton coton sme seep ange taste and aughte Each o the twentytwo connectos aso epesents one ette o the He bew aphabet hese twentytwo ettes pus the ten ae efeed to as the thtytwo paths of wsdom Because each of the ro epesents a vowe and evey connectng nk s a consonant we can eay see that evey wod n the Hebew anguage s a combnaton o deent paths n ths scheme hs opens up a huge potenta fo anyzng wods he Kabbaah s hostc n many dmensons thtytwo paths ae connected wth one anothe ethe decty o ndecty A change n any one aects them . Moeove each ndvdua rah epesents ayes upon ayes of nne ro hus each ra aone has an ente ee of Lfe wth thtytwo paths n t We must vew t as sphees wthn sphees wthn sphees Lke a stack of chnese boxes each tme we open one we dscove a new one nsde that ooks just ke the oute box P OA I AD HE TEE
O
L I E
ach aspect of ceaton and each nvdua peson s a mnatue ee Le Each of us epesents a physca emotona nteectua and shape based upo n the way we hamonze ou nne tee Some pats of us pu moe stongy than othe pats We have domnant tats peson 8 6 God I a Verb
ysical Pahs
Accodng o he Ai)
G (3)
(17)
w r hin Dt 4 _ 0 O T _ // '' ,r)9 __\ , / . � c ' _.' � , \ � __, I , / & / v \ / ' N,7 Aph 0 (1) ', ] =o 8 , I �"
.
Rh
"
--Q·--�---------M (13)
: �
av 22
Templae o Creaon 8 7
� Bet (2)
Kfll
Srot ihin Srot
8 8 ' God s
a Verb
ality quirs physical strengths and weanesses emotona idiosyncrasies neuroses patterns o soci behavior, and so on we had tools to measure al o the energies represented in the Tree o Lie we could nd patterns just lie the microbiologist does with amino acids. owever because the abbalistic system is extraordinary diverse ex panding well beyond the eld o genetics our tas is ar more complicated than that o a scientist measuring the spectrograph o DNA results. A currently popular system used or personality classication cled the Enneagram suggests that there are nine personity archetypes. ome com mentators have shown the paralels between this system and the Tree o Lie. But the abbaistic approach is somewhat more subte than the descriptions o personaties in the Enneagra. The Tree o Lie is modeled in triads o aspects wor in opposion to each other, with a third on a moving equibrium point between the two. ere is how it wors. Chesed is the quality o expasiveness and generosity the part o us that yieds even though another part says no. t operates best when there is no selconsciousness holding it bac. The tendency o hesed is to be extremely libera, wiling to try anything Uncontroled however it has the potentia to smother the recipient. t has no selmitation it nows only how to be
Srot Tples Binah
Chochma
Gevorah
Chesed
od
Netzach
Templae of Creaon 89
stow things. Pu gnosity wi p ping th food high on th pat; it wi spin cotton candy unti it fs th cicus tt; it w giv away th fam iy jws Georah is th quaty of contacion and staint t stands in opposi tion to gnosity Rstaint is th abiity to say no vn whn soci ps su is bought to ba. Geoh psnts univsa justic as w; it undstands that vything impacts and has pcussions h tndncy of georah is to b xcssivy consativ pfing things just as thy a Un contod is sting t dos not aow fo any movmnt t is sticty confomist unspontanous igid and hypcitica hs two pos wo and intact with ach oth. At tims w a dawn mo by ou gnous spiit; oth tims w withdaw. h systm is dynamc and continuousy u id. W a hav tndncis to an on way o th oth. t w a und th inunc of many vaiabs. hus nobody is v 00pcnt pdictab. Bcaus th pos of gnosity and staint constanty tug o push against ach oth a pnduum o baanc point (ere) is ndd to m diat btwn th two Tere psnts compassion and bauty. n many ways it is th midd path nith too sfindugnt no too sfstictv. t is impotant to not that ere has its own impact on th tiad; it is not my th passiv consqunc of th two opposing focs t bings to ba a thid componnt which is dawn om th tun of th t its ction to gnosity and considation to stain. hus on can s that th nti tiad is dynamic and mobi h nxt tiad incuds nezach which psnts pant donation condnc and sfcntdnss. ts opposit is hod which psnts chid yidng cptiviy and accptanc. W can idiaty s positiv and ngativ aspcts in this dichotomy. Panting which is a foc of potction as w as on of domination vsus chiding which has puity and inno cnc w as dpndncy. n simp tms his is th danc btwn ou inn pant and ou inn chid btwn sfcondnc and yng to that whch is outsid of th sf. h mdiato fo this is yesod nomy tansatd as foundation but oftn cad hamony. Withou a baanc in th dama btwn inn chid and inn pant w do not hav a soid foundaion Onc again howv this systm is dynamic. Somtims w a mo sfcondnt; oth tims w a quit inscu W hav vaious dgs of accptanc dpnding upon th stngh of ou in voic of doubt W somtims push had to gt ou way wh at oth tims w yid to a situation. Hamony sds aong this in and bings to ba an addiona foc t 90 God Is Verb
psss th inn hid to b mo asstiv; it pshs against o gontdnss to ightn p t invits a ban btn individa odn and th potntia o yiding to ason Finy malkhu at th bottom th t is th st o vything hap pning in ths oth six sro t is o aity hings happn to s in that as ipps pwad Malkhu is th iv om both nds W a th amation o a st o ahtyps that intat with th wod dama that nods s C O M A B I A
AND
CONON
ow svn sro psnt onay onsiosnss l th tngs that nomy go on in o minds od b dnd by ombi nations o th ow svn sro. hy psnt th physi nvs hs is th v at whh odinay onsiosnss opats Howv w hav ass to high ams o onsiosnss Vaios nams a attibtd to th xpin o ths hgh vs sh as saori o os onsiosnss n Kabbaah w a it chochma and binah on osnss Kabbaah says that thoght is bon ot o th am oNothngnss his Nothingnss is ad chochma whih tansatd itay mans wisdom" Obviosy it dos not man wisdom in th odinay way Rath it is an a htyp o wisdom ot o whih th mod o thoght an st om sombody os a mathmatia oma sh as A + B = C2 it is manngss ss w know how to appy it W mst know what A and B psnt Withot this ndstanding a oma is p chochma onsios nss t is an mpt mod t may hav gat sdom it may psnt a nivsa tth bt withot th mnt o binah (ndstanding), it dos not hp s in any way Binah wod b th azation that th is a ationship btwn th two sids and th hypotns in v ight tiang his is intsting and good inomation bt it is not o too mh s nti w know how th ationshp woks On w pt chochma togth with binah, th oma with th ndstandng w hav knowdg (daa). s is th mod o on siosnss sggstd in th o Li t is th onsios poss o amost vythng w do in At st w go thogh ah v p to daa at ightning spds Bt i Templae o Creaion 9
we ae abe to cosey investigate ou thought pocesses, we w usuay be abe to spot most, i not a, o these eements. he medtative pactice o attaining bnah consciousness and chochma consciousness is descibed in deta ate in the Path o Seessness page 2 1 1 ) .
o Y O
MD H
AY SO
hoy day o Shavuot comes ty days ate Passove. he nume y epesents the gateway to a new eve o awaeness. t s sometimes caed the mysteious gate, because we do not know exacty how to access it. he aud tes us that ty gates o undestanng wee ceated in the wod and wee given to Moses but one he otynine days between Passove and Shavuot ae caed the Count ing o the Oe. Duing this peiod Jews count the days and weeks as pat o the convention paye sevice, pepaing o the time o Shavuot, wch was aso known as the day o the st uits, a time when the baey havest was competed and the wheat woud be panted Each week o the seven weeks epesents a dieent rah on the ee o Le, beginning with cheed and ending with malkhu Each day o the week aso epesents its own rah. aditionay, Shavuot is ceebated as the day when the oah was given to Moses on Mt. Sinai. Because the oah is vewed as a git to hep us attain highe consciousness and by kabbists as the buepint o ceation, the mystics expain the otynineday count o the Oe as a peod in which we can pepae ouseves to be eady to eceive the ght o oah. o the extent that we can, duing these otynne days o counting we ty to examne chaacteistics within ouseves in geat detai. he pactice o counting the Oe is eay a muar pactice deveoping ones ethics and moas) to investigate ou inne pocess By spending a ha hou in con tempation each day o otynine days we can signcanty ate ou ves. Even busy peope can do this. he st day o the st week o ou pactice is ced cheed o cheed we think cheed as geneosity this day woud epesent the heat o ov ingkindness. We woud expoe the souce o geneosity. Which pat o me is giving? How does it ee when give? How does it ee when do not give? Whee is my nne give connected to y hghe se We spend ten 9 2 God I a Verb
to ftn nuts ontmplating ths qustions. houghout th day w ow ouslvs a fw mnuts at vaious tims to t on thm. h sond day is georah of hesed. t psnts ou staint within ou gnosity. Wh is my inn giv ampd? What pat says no? What pat is ay th slfpotto as distint om th ssh pat? h td day is ere of hesed th ompassion witn gnosity. Wat pat of m is onntd to my nt whn am giving? Do hav ompassion gading myslf whn giv and whn do not giv? s my giving band; too muh too littl? How do bst dtmn a baland, gn ous psptiv? h fouth day is nezah of hesed slfodn whn gnous. Do hav gts whn giv things away? Do hav stings attahd? Do mmb my gnosity fo long piods? Am attahd to bing a gn ous pson? Do av to b idntid as a gat giv? his poss ontinus fo th fotynin days as w go though th pmutations of th haatistis and xplo ouslvs in xhausting dtai. t is a good ida to kp a ounal duing ts pati. Eah vnng w wit down any insights w hav land about ouslvs duing that day Evn on o two sntns is suint Mo xampls a inudd in th ndnots9 As might b imagind, w lan a gat dal about ouslvs by spnding onsidabl tim in intosption W bom ou own thapists, and w put into ation any nw slfdisovy. CY IHI N
CY
bliv that vy honologial poss pa th of Lif h st svn yas of f a viwd as an a of hesed h st ya is hesed of hesed th ssn of xpansion), th sond georah of hesed th staint of xpansion) th thid ere of hesed th bauty of xpansion), and so on. h sond svn yas of lf, lading up to adolsn, is viwd as an a of georah staint o usti), with ah ya psnting a dint sh within georah Ags foutn to twntyon a viwd as a tim of jere balaning lov ingkindnss and staint), and so on. At ag fotynn w omplt a yl Jwish mystis say that vy svnth ya should b a ya of tion h fotyninth ya should lad into a Jubi, wh w ouslvs om as many old habits as w an and tak a dp ook at ou vs W an pa Templae of Creaon 93
tiipate in this Jubiee in many ways. We do not have to give up ou jobs and wande the wod. Rathe we an eebate ou sevens and otynes by binging a weath o dieent expeienes into ou daiy ives We ty new things, give ouseves moe pesona time eiminate many timeonsung distations ty to deveop new aspets to eationships we aeady have e et on who we ae and what we have done with ou ves. We an do this in the ouse o egua daiy ativity Maiages and eationships aso go thoh yes. Some say that eah o these yes asts seven yeas as we Whateve the numbes the yi natue o e is uia o us to undestand. Ou tendeny is to view things as i they neve hange The stok maket is going down so we se it goes up we buy. Things ae ough in ou eationshps we want to bai out tngs ae geat, we want to make omments oeve. When we wok with the kabbaisti tehques, we ean not ony about ouseves, but aso about the pemutations o e We gain insight into the ebbs and ows o the univese and o ou own hythms. Jus we have biohythms thoughout vaious peiods in ou ives, we have emoona hys menta hythm and on the mystia eve spiitua hythms. Thee ae times when things just seem to go bette than othes in ou eationshps, ou nania situations, ou webeing ou moods, ou uk and just about eveything ese. t is not as impotant o us to expain the dieenes in ou hythms as to beome awae o them. This awaeness heps us undestand the yi natue o eveything in eaion. When we y ompehend these ye ou hoies and deisons ae a bette inomed. We do not get ught in the oe oaste o events o whpsawed by ou emotions Undestanding yes is a key to suess in aeas o e.
94 ' God I
a Verb
F I V E
O R L S ,
F I V E
S 0 U L
I M E N S I O N S
ccodin to Kabbaah, ceation is composed of ve mao cat of consciousness caed wods o unveses Athouh we ive deent names to the wods, they ae not sepaate unveses, but ae concentic one witn the othe. iah is the wod of physicaity; e zirah the wod of emotons; beriah the wod of the inteect; azil the wod of the spiit; and adam kadmon the pmoda souce. Each of these wods is a ens thouh which we ain a unique pe spective of eaty hus the Kabbaah teaches that the sou has ve eves, ve mensions of awaeness. Each sou dmension has a unque eationshp with its wod and each eationship is the vehice thouh which we mysteiousy connect with that wod. Some aspects of sou eate moe to ou physicity whie othes dwe so to speak in dieent eas of awaeness One aspect of the sou is ways oined with the cente of ceation, and this is ou eten with tuth. Biey, the sou dmensions ae as foows: Fie World Fie Sol Dimenion 95
N E F E S H :
THE oD
o IO
nesh is the eve of the sou most onneted with physiaity. n essene nesh is the sou of atomi stutue. Evey patie of mat te has a nesh, evey o evey pant evey eestia body n human tems the nesh is assoiated with body awaeness. t is the pat of us most ined with the physia wod aound us. Afte death it is the aspet of the sou that nges aound the deeased fo the ongest pe iod. t is aso the pat of the sou that is most invoved with the poess of puiation afte death. The nesh is sometimes aed the anima sou The Zohar has a beauti fu desiption of it: Nesh is the owest stiing to whih the body eaves ie the da ght at the bottom of the andeame whih ings to the wi body) and exists ony though it When the ande is y inded this da ght beomes a thone fo the wte ight above it the next highe sou eve: ruach When both ae fuy inded the white ight beomes a thone fo a ight whih annot be y disened sta highe eve of the sou: neshama So thee is fomed a ompete ight. Thus athough the nesh is the densest pat of the sou the east on neted with its Divine Soue it is the foundation of a the sou eves and the most diety assoiated with the body. This aspet of the sou is intega to ife itsef and vituay any ewish aw an be oveidden fo the singe most impotant ommandment that of the mzah of saving ife aed pikuach nesh. Many foms of physia matte suh as eementay atoms neutons potons and eetons ae pimay omposed of the nesh sou eve. Howeve just as physia matte an be oganized in ineasingy ompex foms fom singeeed oganisms to the human being so too an the essentia sou deveop aspets highe eves of the sou that ae moe osey united with the enta soue of eation This poess distinguishes human ife.
96 God s a Verb
R u A c
OF
H oD
fOAIO N
uah means wn" o spt" t s assocate wth eementay conscousness an nfomaton that moves though the senses. n ruah s eate to speech an emotons, both of whch ae con stanty movng wthn the boy. Wheeas nesh s assocate wth boy awaeness ruah s moe coeate wth emotona awaeness. Ou sptuaty" s foune upon the ruah eve of sou. t nexpess by moes us to teas when we ae touche by a poem a gance, a wok of at, o a smpe moment n natue. Love on ths eve s moe ea to us an onge asng. Ou senses of pupose an meanng n fe epen a geat ea upon the extent to whch ou ruah s noushe. hs noushment s the esut of how we ve ou ves, whee we spen ou tme, an the aw mateas we ngest though ou senses Just as a boy s sustane by foo the sou s suppote by expeences In many ta ons foos ae casse by quaes, such as agtatng, soothng, stmuatng, stubng camng stengthenng, an so foth. n the same way, expeences aect the spt When the ruah s ase to ts hghest eevaon, we attan a state of awaeness that s escbe as ruah ha-kodesh teay tansate as hoy spt. t s a state of beng that tanscen onay awaeness. Wth ah ha-kodesh we we n othe mensons of eaty an gan a cea sense of the way fe w unfo of the bbca pophets ha ruah ha-kodesh ths eve of pophesy s one of the aspatons of ntense contempatve wok n Juasm
N E s A M A :
OF
TH oD
CAI ON
wo neshama has the same oot n Hebew (nshm) as the fo beath. hs sou eve s assocate wth ghe awaeness an angec eams t s a enng quay of human conscousness he Zohar escbes the neshama as foows: he nsh an the ruah ntetwne togethe, whe the neshama eses n a pesons chaacte hs s an aboe whch cannot be scovee o ocate Shou a peson stve Fie Worlds Fie So ul Dimensions 7
towads puity in ie he o she is aided by a hoy neshama. But shoud the peson not stive o ighteousness and puity o ie this peson is animated ony by two gades nesh and ruach 2 Athough we have the powe to deveop the neshama aspect o ou sous thee is no assuance that we wi do so Fo instance conside a pot tes kin Some gazes equie baking at a specic tempeatue o a xed ength o time. this tempeatue is not eached the gaze wi not set. Fom a spiitua pespective ou ives ae ed by conscious action ue) and cean iving oxygen) We need a good o the two to get the tem peatue high enough to vtaize ou highe sou potenti Once this is ac compished we have access to expanded eams o awaeness. Even though ou powe to nutue ou highest sou eve is not gua anteed it is assumed that the pupose o human existence is to paent this oy objective. he Zohar says: At st a peson has a nsh. hen she o he is cowned by the gade that ests upon the nesh, which is the ruach te this a supeio gade that donates the othes the neshama, takes up its abode and the peson becomes wothy o the wod to come Nsh can not exist without the hep o ruach and ruach in tun is sustained by neshama. he thee om a unity." 3 Simpy said human ie is not compete without the neshama. he neshama emanates om an eevated souce whie the ruach emanates om a somewhat owe oigin When these two souces unite they shine with a ceesti ight and ae caed the amp." As stated in Povebs he amp o God is the neshama o humanknd." n many ways the neshama is an essenti aspect o ceation Because the neshama is an aspect o sou that s decty connected with the Dvine Souce o ie it is via the neshama and the highe eves o sou that we copatne with God in the continuous unoding o ceation he neshama is pue in its essence. t cannot be bemished When we die it imediatey etuns to its Divine Souce. C H A Y A H
TH oD
O A N A I O N
ae two addition much moe higy ened eves o sou. he chayah o iving essence is so etheic that it has itte connection with the body and dwes moty in othe eams t is too subte o ou con sciousness and we gain awaeness o this eve ony when we ente ateed 98 God Is a Verb
stats. n ths a mmnts whn w xpin ani unity and a bight ght pu nnss w a tapping int chayah nsiusnss. Nthing an b said abut this su v xpt that it psnts th highst dg awanss assib t human bings. Ths is th kabba sti am wisdm (chochma), whih is th su a undstanding nah). Th xpin Jwish ghtnmnt mrging with Gd deeku dws in th s dimnsin chayah. 15 t is t subt t dsib t bight t b ntaind by npt. E H I D A H T
OD
O I
su v mst nntd with th su awanss is d yehdah whh mans unity. t is th nt pint th s and as suh it disappas int th initud atin. Sm wud say that ths is th aspt th su that is hadwid dity int th ssn th Divin t is nt with us but w a nv apat m it. Ts is wh duaty dissvs It is a t subt human nsiusnss. Yehdah is u utimat in with Gding th pat us that an nv b spaatd m th Divin Whn a ais th awanss u yeh dah ndwmnt may b suint t ay us thugh u m diut tims it is th aspt ah psn tnay nntd with prtin Pu Y
o
Sou
kabbaisti psptiv th su is that upp vs nehama chayah and yehdah main pu his is a diut tahing pp wh quat th su with th atins a pn Hw ud smn wh muds aps mmits th hinus ims hav a pu su? On th th hand w ght ask hw th v su in unin with th Divin ud pssiby b impu. On th bttknwn sti abut th Baa Shm Tv is basd n th thm th puity th su. t is a wndu ta abut a styt wh gt his stis t bgins th day th Baa Shm Tvs dath whn Fe World Fe Soul Dmenon
99
he cae his stuets to his besie a gave each a assigmet. Some wee set to othe mastes, some wee give leaeship oles, a some wee set home. But oe of his moe cheishe stuets was give a stage commssio Reb Yakov Yosef was tol by the maste to live as a waee a to make his livig as a stoytele. though Reb Yakov was a evote stuet of the Baal Shem Tov, he as extemely istube whe he as to about a tue that seeme bleak to him. He iquie of his yig maste, "Rebbe, have oe a i my pwe to achieve humility a acceptace, but I must say that I am teie of lv ig my life as a waee, eve havig a home. The ebbe caefuy scutiize his stuet a aly sai, "Yakov, my beove this you must o to heal yousef a to big about a geat hea ig i the ol. But it wil ot be fo the est of you life, a I co et that you will have a home a family, fo that is you estiy Yakov was elieve, but still he as ucetai "Rebbe, I w o as you ask. Yet, as I have so much esistace, I fea that pehaps wi ot peom my task to its fuest. How wi ko whe am ishe? he Baal Shem Tov smie a sai gety, "You eceive a clea sig a you wi hav absolutely o oubt that you waeig ays ae ove. Afte the eath of his maste, Reb Yakov bega his life as a waee a stoytelle He seeme to have a almost iite esevoi of stoies: stoies that the Baa Shem ha tol, stoies about the life of the Ba Shem a othe stoies that he ha leae i his stuies of Talmu a Miash. I a shot time, he became famous. He was kow i evey syagogue a evey tave whee soytellig as a impotat pastime He was give plety of foo a logig wheeve he wet. ee, i may ways he eache moe people with these stoies a was bette kow to the ge eal commuity tha teaches who ha thei ow cogegatios As a esult of Reb Yakovs taveg, costatly meetig ew people, a seeig the coitios oflife i may ieet situatios, his heat bega to softe His maste clealy ha kow the impotace of this assigmet Reb Yakovs wok wet o fo a few yeas, a he was tasfome t o loge mattee to him hee he was a with whom he e. He eze that eve peso he met oee him aothe oppotuity to help a soul o the wol. He stoppe oeig how log he woul be o the oa a leae to take life oe ay at a time, momet to momet. Oe ay Reb Yakov as tol about a oblema, a bao i Rome, who pai gol pieces fo evey e stoy he hea about the Baa Shem Tov. Reb Yakov ke that his ow huge epetoie of such stoies was pobably the
00 God Is
a Veb
mot exteive i the wo o he ecie to take a trip to Rome He woul have to eplete hi meager reource to get there but he wa certai to ear eough to make h fe more coortable i the year ahea He arrive the ay before Shabbat. He wa ivite to tay at the baro maio a to joi the table for Friayight er. Iee Reb Yakov reputatio wa we kow to the baro a hi arrival wa receive with great ethuiam It wa the baro cutom after the meal to have hi guet te torie. Sometime thee torytellg eio woul lt mot of the ight. Whe the meal ee thi Shabbat eveg the guet bega to relate tory after tory. But each ime it wa Reb Yakov tur hi mi wet completely blak. No matter how much he trie he coul ot remember a igle tory Thi wa ot pecuar He kew every tory that wa tol that ight but coul ot come up with ay of hi ow The baro eeme appoite, the guet were atoihe but Reb Yakov ha othig to ay He wet to be quite coe. I a the time he ha bee toryteig, he ha ever experiece a voi ke thi Whie i be he co ot leep. Oe tory after aother aroe i hi m Doze upo oze of torie. Woerl torie powerful torie traformative torie He prepare melf to tel ome of them the ext ay whe there woul be aother fetive me i celebratio of Shabbat. I the late morg, eate at the table with the ame group a ha bee there the prevou ight he ha the weiret experiece Oce ag he coul ot rec a igle tory or a lie om a tory or eve a wor for that matter Whe the thr fetive Shabbat meal arrive he joie the other at the table. Ala eve if hi lfe ha epee upo jut oe tory he woul have fale Thi wa the mot merable experiece ice the eath of hi mater Now what woul he o? The torie were goe eemgly forever. Meawhle throughout a thi time the baro eeme to have iite patiece He litee to a of the other torie a ever puhe or cajoe Reb Yakov. I fact whe the thir mel ee, he ake Yakov Yoef to tay o a h guet for a while. Reb Yakov wa able to perit a few ay loger but ti othig coul be remembere. Saee a omewhat ahame feeg that he ha fae hi mater after all thee year he tol the baro that he woul have to leave. e wa completely broke havig pet everythig he ha to travel to Ity Where woul he woul go? What woul he o, ow that he coul o loger te torie?
Fe Worlds, Fe Soul Dmensons 0
Whe the time cme for Reb Yko' eprture the kly bro ge him mll pure th moey eough to get him home tol Yko Yoef tht if he eer remembere goo tory he hou retur. Whe the crrige pule out o tory roe i Reb Yko m. Amot out of ight of the mio he uely ce out "Wit I thought of tory! The tem w toppe the crrige reture to the gte where the bro w ti tg Reb Yko teppe ow i "For ome reo I jut remembere eet tht hppee whe I w with the rebbe. It w o log go it eem like rem to me. But I w there it hppee I m coet tht you he eer her thi tory before. The bro clerly w elighte he iite Reb Yko to it i the he. Reb Yko ow beg h tory "Oce whe I w quite youg h rt joie the rebbe I remember tht jut fter might urig the week of Poer he ce to me few other i tht we houl joi him o jourey. We hitche up the hore cimbe i the wgo with the Bl Shem To t the rei we took o. "Tht w oe of my rt experiece with kza ha-derekh, the hort eig of the wy. Somehow the rebbe w ble to trel gret itce i impoiby hort perio of time I o ot kow how he i it. Doze of time we trele hure of mie i oly few hour Sice the hore cou ormlly coer oy e to te mile i hour we eer uertoo how the mter w ble to ccomplh uch fet. But he i it o my time we toppe quetioig 1 6 "Tht ight we etere prticulr tow tht w more th three hu re mle from where we e. I o ot thik y of u h eer iite tht tow becue the people there were otoriouly tiSemitic. "It w ey i the morig whe we rrie, the city w eco rte for Eter. A we etere the Jewih ectio erywhere we ooke the wiow were bore the oor were locke. The rebbe wlke up to oe of thee houe ee though it eeme to be boe he peritetly kocke o the oor. ter few mute the oor opee crck frightee pero tht oboy w home. The rebbe how eer iite tht they let him i yig tht he w Irel the o of Eliezer. Tht eeme to o the trick; the B Shem w legey gur ee we he w lie. "Whe the oor w opee we w more th oze people hu le i the im heiy curtie room. Oce iie we poke with the terrie group. We lere tht the oJewih reiet of thi tow be liee bloo libel bout the Jew.
02 God a Verb
I must pause for a momet i this story to let the reaer kow that oly a couple hure years ago it was sometimes rumore that Jews woul steal babies a use their bloo for secret rituals.ews were oe of may iorities that suere the k of atrocities that come out of bigotry a hatre Saly eve toay i some parts of the worl th ki of igorace cotiues. May it be Go's that this shoul come to a e i our ay. This story has a fasciatig twist however Reb Yakov cotiue "I that tow arou the time of Passover a Easter the towspeople woul catch a hapless Jew a srig him up i the tow ceter as a puishmet for rikig huma bloo. Of course i their recklessess they ha o iea that Jewish law forbis tastig bloo of ay sort. Eve a amal or bir must be salte to raw out l reats of bloo before cookig the meat But they woul ot have believe ths. "Most of the time the ufortuate Jew was mocke i the tow ce ter but he woul surve Sometmes however especiay if there ha bee a recet accietal eath i the commuity the Jew woul be put to eath as if he a a Jews were at fault for ay a every misfortue Natury l of the people i the room were petrie that they woul be fou a that oe of them woul be ragge o to the tow square "My master the Baal Shem Tov listee carey to the fears expresse by these aous Jews. I fact at that very momet we coul see om the ot wiow that a half block away the towspeople were athere i the square to hear their mayor speak It was the mayors job to icite the mob ito a ezy Suely the rebbe looke at me a i a boomg voice sai Reb Yakov I wat you to go ito the tow square a te the mayor that I wat to see him' "I was shocke. I was resse as ew I ha a log black coat a our traitioy shape hat. I ha a bear a sie curls. They woul spot me immeiately I woul be the oe to be strug up But my master just ooke at me a I kew that I ha o choice. "My legs were shakig so much whe I wke ito that crowe square that I coul hary sta up The people cou ot believe their eyes. A Jew wkig up to the mayor I ascee the stairs to the platform the mayor hmself was horrie to have me coot him. I sa to The Ba Shem Tov Israel the so of Eliezer has aske that you come to see him' "The mayors face ture white the purple the gay. thought I was a ea ma The he looke me i the eye a sai Te m that I come whe I am ishe here' "Somehow the crow let me out. I reture to the apartmet a tol the rebbe what ha happee He became so ster I hary recogize him.
Fe World Fe Soul Dmenson 03
He id to me Reb Ykov etu t oce d te the myo tht demd to ee him immeditely!' " hd o choice but to etu. Oce gi the cowd w touded tht czy Jew would wlk ito thei midt. clmbed the ti d o ticed tht the myo w tyig to hide behid omeoe. wked up to him d id The Bl Shem Tov el the o of Elieze demd tht you come befoe him immeditely.' " thought tht he would lit my thot. But jut the oppoite hppeed. He took my m deceded the ti d foowed me to the ptmet. Oce iide the Bl Shem Tov guided him ito bck oom d the two of them wee thee loe fo moe th hou Whe the to etued the myo' fce hd chged completely. He wet bck to the ue told the people to go home d put out pocmtio to ed the blood libel puihmet foeve. hed tht few moth lte he left the city d dd ot etu. The B Shem Tov eve told u wht hd occued whe he w loe with the myo i tht oom.'
e Story Witin te Story Whe Reb Ykov completed hi toy the bo w deeply thoughtl fo few momet d the he gbbed the toytele d hugged him d ked him o the cheek. He id with bight le " kow wht the Bl Shem Tov id to the myo! You ee he id " w ht myo! Reb Ykov looked moe cloely t the bo t hd bee my ye. But ye omethig did look fmili bout thi m The bo d " ecogized you the miute you eteed my houe. hve bee witig fo you my ye. kew you would come. Whe you could ot te y toie duig Shbbt w woied Nevethele eve gve up hope. mut y howeve whe you pued wy i tht cige felt lot. At tht momet ced out to you mte the Bl Shem Tov d m ceti he cme bck to ipie you. Lite to my toy. " w bo ew My fthe w bbi h fthe w bbi d log cety of holy bbi i ou fmily exteded f bck ou ecod wet Whe w youg d i uiveity tued wy fom the fmiy tditio felt tht the ciet lw wee idculou the old wy wee im pitic. Thee w bette wy believed d o becme fee piit "t did ot bothe me to be choe the myo of tiSetic tow. felt tht the ooe we could be ihed with the old wy the bette fo eveyoe But oe ight bout moth befoe you d the Bl Shem Tov
04 God I
a Verb
ived i the tow, I hd eeie dem I w goup of ciet ge it tig oud tble tht hd o it hiveled, tvig oul witig judgmet. A get zaddk t t the hed of the tble. The ge eemed to gee tht thi oul w etiely wothle, othig good w le of it, d tht it hould be etely dmmed. But the zad dk id tht evey oul i pue, evey oul h meit, d if thi oul could ee the tuth, the gte of heve would ope to it Thi zaddk eteded hi ge d touched the witheed oul A iidecet, glowig pot ppeed whee he touched it. The the dem eded with voice epetig ove d ove gi Thi zddk i the Bl Shem Tov, Iel the o of Eieze, the Bl Shem Tov. "e th dem I did ot hve the het to cotiue with the blood libel, but I w the myo. Wht w I to do? Ad the you howed up d id tht th Bl Shem Tov wted to ee me At t I w tued, o I et you wy But the ecod time kew tht thi ebbe would ve my life. "I tht oom he told me my thig We tlked o ou, heve, hell, d the detiy of humkid. We tlked of ew wee, chge i the wy people ook t thighe cled it the meihd we tlked o tuth d pece. The, kowig w quite welthy, he told me to ell eveythg I owed d divide it ito thid Oe thid I w to give to the poo; oe thid I w to ue to buy my feedom d the lt thid I w to ue to etie i fwy ld Fo the et of my life I w to do good deed d mke my pece with God Fiy, he id tht whe omeoe cme d told me my ow toy, I would kow tht I hd bee bolved. Thk you fo cog, my ied I the ed, both Reb Ykov d the bo wee ibeted i thi mo met. It i id tht the bo gve Reb Ykov oe hf of hi fotue. They both becme widely kow fo thei wodel toie, thei wm het, d thei good deed. Thu the Bl Shem Tov cotiued i h wok eve te he hd ped ito othelity My hidic tle ugget tht eb be c kow ecy wht i eeded to oe oul. I thi to it w much moe comple A i epic Rui ovel the ebbe hd weved live togethe i wy tht w ot dicoveed ut my ye hd ped. The Bl Shem Tov ivittio to Reb Ykov to meet the myo, d the ebbe iitece o edig the tudet ito cowd of gy people wee imply cee i much bigge ply. Thi hidic toy big home the mege tht ech evet i eu poit fo multitude of time lie tht covege i tht momet Oe of the mot impott techig of thi toy i the ide tht evey
Fe World Fe Soul Dmenon 05
huma beig has a pue soul. No matte how fa we have fe ito the depths we ca be edeemed. Fom a Jewish poit of view the mayo could hady have bee moe degeeate fo he codoed the totue ad death of Jews i the ea of blood ibels. Yet the stoy teaches that the Baal Shem Tov wet out of his way to edeem the mayo's holy soul
So u
AD WA s we have see the vaious levels of soul ae associated with lev els of awaeess. Awaeess is viewed as if o a cotiuum; so too the soul. The hghe levels of soul ae guatively close to thei souce whe the dese eves of sou ad ne much close to the age of huma cosciousess ad c be aected by the way we lve ou ves f ou atios o wods esult i hamig othes if ou mds become cotacted aow o igid the rua ad ne ae aected by the desity of huma cosciousess. It is as if they swim i wate that becomes mud. This is how they ae "deed As such afte death the e ad rua must go though a pocess of puicatio to eai thei uidity of awaeess The imagey of the Zoar suggests that each level of soul is depdet upo the othes yet a ae ttued to the same equecy. We ca imagie ths ke a vioi stig. f aythig itefees with the feedom of movemet the stig caot vibate popely ad thus caot make its pope soud At cetai levels alog the stg we ca pess dow o it alowig oe ed of the stig to be played. But as log as somethig ecumbes the stig it is eve fuly opeative. The pocess of edeemg the ne ad rua is vitually assued afte death. This wil be discussed i cosideable detail late i this book The poit hee howeve is that the dimesios of soul that icude the neama aya, ad yeda ae ways pue They caot be blemished staied o spoed i ay way. Some taditios suggest that souls ca be coupted. Such teachigs completely stot the cocept of soul as descibed i Jewish mys ticism ad ca be hamful The Jewish moig payes iclude a setece that says "My God the soul (neama) you placed withi me she is pue7 Oe ca meditate upo this idea to develop sefesteem ad to deepe oe's sese of itecoect edess with al beigs t is a simple eecise. Imagie you have a pue light shiig withi. If you close you eyes
1 06 God I a Verb
y can g a hin f his igh gwing dp insid y bing. Thn say ys No maer wha I mayel abou mye I know ha I hae a pure oul. Whn w cnmpa his amain f a w w bgin f a spak f inn pac Th nx sp in his pacic is gny acknwdg ha vy p sn w ncn has a p s Evy im w s smn w say qiy svs ere i a pure oul; here i anoher pure oul. Nic ha h psn cd b sw and amnab cd hav an abasiv psnaiy ds n ma Th s f vy bing is p. 8 f w cnin his pacic f vyn w m incding hs in whs psnc w hav ngaiv fings h ways w a svs and hs b da maicay acd smp as i may sm his xcis pns has So u
M A E
Zohar achs ha bf Gd snds ss in h wld hy a fmd in m and fma pais. Thn hy a pacd in h hands f an missay namd Nigh wh has chag f cncpn Th pai is spaad and ach psn is bn in his h im. Th Zohar gs n say ha hs ss a ind by Gd a h igh im in n bdy and n s This aching aiss many qsins. F xamp is i ay sggsing ha h is y n psn in h wd dsind b h s ma f anh? f his w h cas wha happns if n ds smhing cas hs h wn ay dmis? Wha happns if n maks h w chic b wih a psn wh is n h his s ma? Mv ds i man ha bhs and siss cann b s mas? Wh said ha s mas hav b f ppsi gnds? Hw ds in canan in h pic? n Lianic Kabbah h is y n pimdi s in h wld This is h s f adam kadmon. Fm hs n s spaks w dissnad hgh h nvs. Evyn cais fan spaks m h ig in Adam and Ev and in s way w a a ad s s Th g f Adam and Ev in h gadn was mak a cicain ha wd bing h nvs a nw v f cnscisnss. Th scad fai d hs casd h fa f h ga nivsa s. Th igina s is dscibd as having cnaind 613 imbs" p sning 6 1 3 spcic missins ha Adam and Ev had accmpish bing Fie World Fie Soul Dimenion 07
about the ecticatio of the ceatio. 20 Each limb was itself a oot which cotaied 600000 smale oots 21 So, whe we multiply the 63 mbs, with each havig 600000 smale oots, we deive that thee ae moe tha 3.5 biio soul oots i total. Each of these bilios of smae oots is called a geat soul. these geat souls themseves ae composed of 600000 idividual souls, each epeseted by a spak. Whe we calculate this, the umbe of spaks adds up to moe tha 2000 tiio. Despite the eomous umbe of soul spaks i this accoutig, all souls ae still of the oe famly of Adam ad Eve, com posed of 63 pimay limbs Accodig to saac Luia, thee ae fudametal divisios of soul types, such as betwee Cai ad Abel Wheeas the simple eadig of the stoy i Geesis is that Cai mudes Abel, the esoteic eadig is that eah epe sets a pimdial foce. Abel epesets chesed the foce of epasio Cai epesets geoh the foce of cotactio. he ufoldig of ceatio is the pocess of a cotiuous stuggle betwee opposite poles light ad dak, give ad take, up ad dow, ight ad le, fe ad death. he cotetio betwee Cai ad Abel is the st of may desciptios i the Bible of the ogoig stai betwee opposig foces. the same espect, each soul is coected to a oot hat is associated with foces that may be i hamoy with o opposed to the oot souce of othe souls he Kabbalah of Luia says ceay that the goal fo of ceatio cotiues to be the fulmet of Adam ad Eve's oigial task. Fist we must eistate the awaeess of the Gade of Ede, ad the ou chage is to e deem fae spaks so that the uivese ises to the et level: messiaic co scusess. his idea chages ou elatioship to the soul. Each soul is composed of may spaks, ot just oe. he spaks ae coected with vaious oots of the oigial 63.22 We ca see fom this aagemet that the soul has boad divesity ad ca eadily coect with a mutitude of othe souls. fact, the umbe of othe souls we ca ecoute as potetial mates is eomous magie a giat jigsaw puzzle with bilios of pieces, but oly 63 vaiatios i the way thigs t togethe his meas that each piece wi match may othes. f this puzzle had oly oe solutio, we mght eve be able to solve it. Howeve, this puzze is dyamic ad ca be solved i most a iite umbe of ways. his is the pocess of Godig ad ceatioig We may ot ecogize a paticula soulcoectio we have with aothe peso, because it may ot be omatic Moeove, if it is omatic, it may ot look like ou deams God costatly mates couples of opposig atueshad with getle, talkative with quiet, outgoig with igoigo
08 God Is
a Verb
h he wol c presere is bce.23 The vey compli you hve bou your me coul we be he essei quiy h hs rw you ogeher. Therefore, he s priry vice is h every ime you re look ig for sou me you mus bless he ighy pry h your her,24 becuse he eire purpose of coecig wih soul me, he purpose for exisece, is o eleve he cosciousess of he wor Obviously, here re my poei soul mes for of us. Iee, from he Luric perspecive, we coul sy h vruy y logerm relioship we hve is, by eiio, coeco of soul mes. Some ls uil he eh of oe of he prers; some o o. Eiher wy, eve fer he mos romc begig, lmos l coe couples gree h relioship s chege, coiuous pocess of gve ke This is impor spec of he mysic sie of soul mes which is o rse wreess, is somewh ere o he ieisc pproch, which sug gess perfec bleig hrmoy bewee wo beigs. The wy we work wih y of our poeil sou mes o help eleve he cosciousess of he worl is oe of he gre myseries of creio So we pry o oly o soul me, bu o gi eough uersig o pprecie he uces of our relioshp so h we c sigush he prs h re uecessy bggge o hose h ruly if us he wo o ew se of wreess. My we be besse o gi such isgh
Five Worlds Five Soul Diensons 09
S 0 U L S
numb of yas ago at ou Shabbat inn tabl in Jusalm, a Catholic woman nam May sat qutly, listning to th stois an tachings that w going aoun On a coupl of occasions, notic that sh was gntly wping. W w not iscussing sa vnts, but h soul was bing touch in a mystious way Many tas spin Jusalm Duing a ul in th convsation, May got th couag to spak. Sh sai, " know this souns stang, but whn was lvn yas ol was fas cinat th e Dia Anne Fnk must hv a it y tims. am about it. "Lat, whn was svntn, somthing happn that wil nv fo gt was takng a tip an ha ci to go by tain ha always own with my pants, an this was th st xpinc v ha ovnight on a tain t th sun wnt own sta out at th aknss. ont know what happn, but suny was in a cow spac, pack with po pl. Somon was cying. t was stiingly hot. Th smll of boy oo, x cmnt, an vomit was awful notic that w w swaying, an ha th clackng of whls moving on a tack. "t was lk a am, but was wi awak. was ightn. ha l avs clos by m. Thy w not lativs I hav now, but om anoth m. My ganmoth was th, my moth an fath as wl My sist sat nxt
1 1 Gd s a Verb
to me a I kew that my two brothers were somewhere else I hear a woma moa a cry out o the other sie of the boxcar I kew that some oe ha just ie I kew as we that we were heaig towar our ow eath, a I was stragely cam about it. The guests at our Shabbat table were spebou by Marys story. Shoshaa a I have hear slar stories, but ths was oe of the more vivi accouts I ca rec Mary took a sip of water. I coul see that her ha was trembig as she reive this hautg story perhaps for the thousath time "Evetuy the trai came to its estiato. Whe it stoppe aer three ays a ights screamig guars with heavy sticks here us through feces of barbe wire The we stoo a log lie waitig Slowly we move to war a room where people were separate to the right a to the left "My gramother, father, a mother stoo just i frot of my sister a me. I coul see ahea that most of the people were set to the left sie My gramother was guie to the left as were my father a mother I re member exactly how they looke whe the guar pue me to the right. I was sevetee yes ol My sister oy eight was set to the le My mother was wig a I was puchig at the guar but I ha o stregth a they ragge me away. I ever saw my famy agai Mary bega to sob. The rest of us were set a teary We sat for may mutes The Mary sai, "I caot eve begi to tel you of the uspeak abe horrors I lste oy sx moths but it was a eterity. I kow the faces of my murerers "A I wat you to kow that I am certai this reay happee. I just kow it I am t sure wha I am suppose to o about t, but the memo res are so clear This is as rea for me as aythig I have experiece this fetime
y
Y
ot at a uusu. We have e coutere ozes of people Jews a oJews, who have amazg memories of Holocaust expereces yet were too youg to have bee there. Some o ot remember specc eves but have a eep sese of havig bee victims. A ew have expresse the beef that they were Nazis who have reture to work o a emptiess i the core of their beg. Stories of the Holocaust wrech the heart They ea to may questios wthout aswers. those who ie, what happee to their sous? Yet people like Mary a a ew meso Somethig cotues to A
s
s
Is
Soul
oveow fom the Holocaust that ls the memoies of a emakable um be of people. May ae embaasse eve to speak about it. This is ot sim ply a pheomeo of fatasy o colective guilt. Somethig much eepe is happeig The memoies ae too poweful a i some istaces actualy have bee veie. This is eal. Souls of victims a guas ae quite peset, hee a ow. It is a cult issue, but it gives us hope t has to o with the mysteies of ceatio souls, lfe pupose a eath What is the soul? This questio has plague theologias fo thousas of yeas t is ot a easy subject to iscuss. Whee oes the soul come om? Whee oes it go? What is its pupose?
Sou
G A Y
ccoig to Weste sciece, the physical uivese is hel to gethe by electomagetic foces. It is hypothesize that the same gaviy that keeps the sola system opeatig so bis the potos eutos, a electos of atoms. Vaious foces may have ieet stegths a pe cua uaces, but the geeal piciple emais the same. Physicists cotiue to seach fo a uivesal fomula by which to escibe this pocess Electomagetic foce is clealy the most oat featue of the huma boy, eve though we caot see it. If we coul somehow elate the space bewee the ucleus of the atoms that compose ou boy, al of the physica matte of the boy wou compact ito somethig smalle tha a gai of sa. 25 That is to say, we ae a gai o matte scattee though ve o six feet of space, hel togethe by electomagetic foces that oboy has bee able to measue As has bee poite out i ecet yeas, theoetical physics a esoteic metaphysics equetly shae commo touch poits The mysteies of electomagetic foces ae to sciece as the soul is to Weste theology. t oes ot exist as a etity, but the uivese is epeet upo it We caot taste smel see hea, o touch it, but eveythig we sese, a ou seses them selves, ae fuctioal oy because of the soul. The soul i esh mystcism is oe of the moe essetial aspects of ce atio itself. Just as the physica uivese coul ot exist without eegy the spiitual imesio is base upo "soulmatte The kabbalistic viewpoit, of couse s that we coul ot have a uivese without the spiitual eam,
1 12 God Is a Verb
and thus we could say that one of the key plas upon which ceation ests is the soul Kabbaah descibes the soul as a knd of spiitua agnetic eld This eld is not spacial and does not have boundaies but it is associated with atte. In descibing this association, the Zohar suggests that souls ae "pat tened lke bodes It says "As the body is foed in this wold o the cobination of fou eeents the spiit is fod in the Gaden of Eden o the cobination of the fou nds. The spiit is enveloped thee in the ipess of the bodys shape If it wee not fo the fou nds which ae the ais of the Gaden the spiit woud not have been clothed (given shape) at
The "ipess of the body's shape is a piodial patten that could be descibed as a o iage of us in anothe diension The o is not le one that eects ou physic shape. Rathe, it is ke an unusua Xay o that shows ou spiitual substance he patten of this substance is not only with us it is siultaneously in oth diensions of eaity. When we tnk about the soul, we have a tendency to ebody it in soe way We give it an identity y soul you soul We view it as an entity that is soehow connected to the body. Soe say that it aives at bith; othes say it aives duing gestation o at the oent of conception Eveyone agees that the soul depats at death. Duing life it is with us but pehaps soeties it is othe places as we. We ae not sue whee it goes afte we de but soe say that they kow. Linng the soul to an identiy is a stake because it equies a sense of sepaaon Ts is like saying that the electicity needed to powe a hoe is dstnct o its souce at the geneato plant. When we see an electica ap pace wokng, shoud we assue that the electici belongs to it Is the electiciy in one toaste dstinct o the electicity in the toaste in the ad jacent hoe Obviously the electicity does not beong to any of the hoes in question fo when the powe at the ain plant shuts down, evey hoe in the neighbohood tuns o. Howeve if I ve net to a neighbo whose house is o the gid and who has a deent souce of electicity, we have a new situation. The elec ticty in one house is not o the sae iediate souce as anothe Yet it is eecticiy nonetheless, and it opeates on exacy the sae pinciples in both houses egadless of the souce So too th sous. Thee is a soul pinciple a "geat soul, that ebodies sous Then thee ae lneages that connect sous with dieent ache types
Souls
11
A ey of elgio a philoophic liteate i Jaim how that thee ae wiely iveget pot of view coceig the ol. The ol ca ot be exploe withot elvg ito the myteie of the ppoe of life ewa phmet eath heave a hell. Thi may be why the ol i a bject that eem to cae a iteectal ah. Oe ha the ee that a geat eal of itchig i goig o whe a philoophe o thologia ice the ol. Mytic howeve ic the ol with iega fo logic coitecy o coce abot ageemet with ay accepte ytem. Th i becae a my tic "expeiece othe ealitie a theefoe ha o obt egaig thei exitece Moeove becae thee ealitie ae ot completely icoecte fom the mateial eality we ee i fot of o eye the coclio i cea: ome apect of o mateial wol meiate betwee eitie Th we col ay that the ol i a meim that iolve boaie of cocio e.
Lov So us
s H Srs
ca appeciate the ol bette whe we get to kow he Jt a the ol tace the limt of time a pace o oe he ite love Doe love have time boaie? Ca we give love hape? Sometime it may eem to have qalitie whe we pt lmt o it I fact i ome itatio we ae able to feel the ymptom of love Bt thi i ta iet a love emai ietemiate boe timele a completely beyo o compeheio Love ca be viewe a a ty a biqito oee. Yet we expeiece love i it mltiplicity pateal love mteal love omatic love paio ate love ivie love fmial love bothely love a o foth Each of thee expeio of love ha a ieet qty. Each i it ow ealty Wol yo like to explai love to omeoe? How oe it wok? Why oet it alway wok that way? How o we meae it? Yo mea we ca eve etemie what pl people togethe o what ive them apat? Of coe love i a mytic expeiece. That i why it i cae the ol' ite. Doe the fact that we caot explai love mea that it oe ot ext? Of coe ot. We expeiece love. Sol i exacty like thi. It tace limt of cocioe
1 1 God s
a Veb
At s sou may seem moe dicut to expeiece tha ove bu i e ay is ot We ae expeiecig sou a the time we just do ot ame it. he soud of the sea the ick of the e the wd at ight ad the awe soe spead of a stay sky a speak he aguage of the sou he ght of a bid shadow of a ock pu of a kte ad sme of a stage puck a myseious ie chod. Ca i what you wi. he mystic says this is the soueigatic ad paadoca Whe we say " ove ths peso I dot kow why we ae deag with eiga Whe we say "I ove this peso ad I hate this peso at the same time we have a paadox May of us kow both of these feegs. Eigma seems to be ke a pixie; i pays with us Paadox o the othe had is moe teous it pus ad tugs at us ad ca be quite e some. I the same way we ca appoach sou om a ightbaied iuitive pespective ad ejoy a eigmatic dace as if i a deam eve paticuay watig to awake. O we ca dive ito the paadox of the exisece of a sou ad wese with dicut questios pobig fo a hadhod a way to gip he idea. Soe say that the atue of paadox is so eusive tha we wi eve succeed othes say that they have a way to tu paadox upo it sef so tha we ca wok with it
e Language te Soul Hee ae a few execises tha hep us ucove the way the sou ca be expe ieced. Each execise ca be doe i ess tha ve mues. Pick ay oe of hem
1 . Imagie yousefhodg a ewbo ifat i you ams. Its eyes ae ope You kow tha these eyes caot focus but they ae oog staght ito you ow Cose you eyes ad take wo o thee mutes to imagie ts ook ad discove what it fees ike. 2 Imagie you ae hodig a egg that has a ve chick i it You hads ae ude a heat amp ad you ca fee the taptap of he chick yig to get ou Aow yousef to cade this egg fee he moveme thi ad imagie that as you hod the egg the chick sowy beaks though the she to eedo Cose you eyes ad fee what this is ke
Soul ' 1 1 5
. Ty to emembe the st time you felt that you wee falling in love Do you emembe the physical expeience? Di it aect you senses the way you saw things, the way things taste? What about fang n love was ieent om you noma, aiy fe? Let yousef we in this memoy fo a few minutes 4. Imagine that you have nay met the wisest being that eve live, whoeve that may be It may have been someone known, o some one completey hien In you magination, notce what it woul feel lke to be with this peson. What question woul you ike to ask ths peson? magine what answe the peson might give to you question. f you wee able to take time to o any of these execises, you iscov ee that the language of the soul s not ceebal, it oes not speak in wos But t is quite clea nonetheless. The gaze of an infants eyes touches a gentle teneness within us. Unspeakable, it "hums, an ou heats ae softene. The taptap of new fe within an eggshe, about to be bon, sens vibations to the epths of ou being. Life quickenng, busts though to eeom. Who can gasp faing in love? What s its language? Palpitation, heat, confusion, clait, nausea, ecstasy, oubt, fea, an ocean stom o a peaceful calm. Pick any o a of them, but none wes in the ealm of ationity. The wise being within each of us may be silent, o it may speak ecognizable wos. f it speaks often the message is so simple it is baing: "Be youself; "You ae oing just ne; " love you; "Let go An if she he, o it oes not speak notce the expeence of being in its pesence It may be calm, peaceful comfotable, a feeling of coming home at last O, in fact, t may be questioning, cuious, oubtful, woneing o skeptical. This too s the language of the soul To attune ouseves we nee to boaen ou ange an let go of pe conceive notions. We must lean to hea see, feel evey nuance of ou momenttomoment expeence. The language of the soul lives at the eges of thought, o behin it It is symboic, metaphoic, poetic. Thee is always hien meaning just a ttle out of each. It oes not matte that we ae unable to gasp it th ou mins becuse anothe pat of us is touche, an this is sucient. Despite the limitations of ou subjective tuth, Kabbalists believe that via the sou, we get infomation om othe ealities The way we attune to othe eities is by using contemplative methos to piece the veils tht ob scue ou egee of awaeness
1 1 od
a Verb
Coenting on Ps 24 "Li up your head 0 you gates, the Zohar says "The gates refer to superna grades higher levels of consciousness) through which alone it is possible for human beings to have a knowledge of the ghty. Without this [awareness], human beings could not coune with God . . Some aspects of the soul can be known, some remain un known. So it s th the Holy One It is the Soul of souls, the Spirit of spir its covered and veed yet through those gates [of awareness] , which are the doors for the soul, the Holy One makes tse known.7 N I N A
S o u
INO HE OD
cooy held belief these days is that a soul chooses its parents Oen this idea is expressed in an ironc obseation "We you must have chosen a dicult father for a reason! or, "I guess the fact that you dont get along th your mother was to teach you something about a past lfe. An opposite notion is that randomness is the operative factor. Out of miions of spermatozoa, only one penetrates the wal of the ovum. t is happenstance which is closest fastest songest and this will determine the DNA of the fetus. Jewish mysticism rests between these viewpoints. On the one hand, the existence of free in the universe guarantees that a certain degree of ran domness wi always be present On the other hand because everything occurring in the lower worlds has its reection n the upper worlds, there wi be a relationship and mystical attracton between souls. "When desire brings man and woman together, the cd that issues om their uon wi be a combination of both of their forms because God pro duces the chid in a mold that draws om both Therefore the man and woman should sancti themselves at such a time n order that the form be as perfect as possible28 Ths zoharic statement suggests that the outcome of conception s based not oy on what is but also on what could be. On an individual basis our"what ispart is related to our genec makeup the raw materis that we have to work with Our "what could be part is the result of choices we make in ife, the way we condition ourselves The inter play of these two factors determines who we are at any point in time. The mystic level adds another dimension. The "what is encompasses a history of soul connections the complex assortment of assignments each
Souls 1 1 7
o ha et beoe it, a el a the elationhip o the ol to highe and loe ealm. The "hat cold be cente on imple act o piital aae ne epeed thogh ee , hich become the lcm pon hich the old tn. O ive and the nivee itel ae balanced on cae that meae deed, od, and thoght. Eveything can tn on a od. A momentay thoght can et a ne pin to the nivee Each deed ha the capacity to alte ate. Th the incedibe dama that nold in each moment i ae ome, o e neve kno hat ie ahead Thi mytical teaching i epito mized in conception, the achetype o nene. oD AD
So
kno that acoho, dg and cigaette can be detimenta We intit that nde te ding a pegnancy may be haml, and that a elbalanced, elatively tani nne month may be benecia bt thee i no ay to meae thi Moeove, ondely hethy babie oten ae bon ate tamatic pegnancie and babie ith coc o othe complication ometime ae bon ate ideal pegnancie When e conide the ol, the teaching become even moe etheeal The Jeih mytic beleve tongly that the level o o concione i a key acto in the attaction o ol. n othe od the tate o mind o both parents at time inclding hen they ae engaged in the act that lead to conception ding the time o conception itel even thogh it may be ho late) and thoghot the entie pegnancy, aect the ol o the ne bon inant. A geat deal o commentay in Jeih oal tadition dice an aay o idea elated to hy omeone become pegnant and hy not. Many o thee concept elate to meit paye and pat lve. n addition, on the my tica level it i clea that ol have tak to achieve hile aociated with phyica om. Th it i amed that thee i a degee o electivity a choice poce in the paent' phyica itation, that il be elevant to the ol tak. Clealy, the paent level o concione old be conideed an im potant acto. Nmeo haidic toie decibe the ol election o ei the aintly paent, on the one hand, o vey aveage paent, on the othe. n addition the ea act ha enomo mytica implication.9 My tic gget that ding lovemaking e hold vie ach othe a epeen tation o the vine image. Moeove, e ae advied that it i impotant
1 1 8 God I a Verb
to avoi ay extraeous tougts urig te sexua act. Parters soul ot tk of ay member of te opposite sex oter ta te sexual parter.30 Arye Kapla oe of te more prolic moe writers ofJewis mys ticism suggests tat eep meitatio "a ave a eect o te geetic struc ture of oe's oprig as we as te cils spiritu makeup3 He raws upo te escriptio i te Tora i wc Jacob cotros te geetic reprouctio of is seep so tat tey wi ave boy markgs of spots, ba a stripesJacob i tis because e a o give te umarke oes to Laba, wo was corrupt. So Jacob peele te bark o of ros a meitate o tese ros to prouce te esire eects i te propagatig seep. 32 Te operave mystical teory i tis istace is tat cosciousess is coecte wit te soul realms. suc, our awareess ill be a maget to attract souls at simar leves Tis is ot sometig we ca perceive logicly But if we are able to visuae l of creatio as layers of awareess eac layer represetig a ieret reity we ca begi to appreciate te yamics of iteractio wit te soul reas. We ave a teecy to suersta te relatiosip betee soul a boy f a boy is lovely emotios are balace a iteect is gra, we tik tat te soul of tis perso must be om a iger real If te boy is impaire, te emotios are volatile, or te iteect is soso, we assume tat te soul must be om relavely lower realms. Ts is ot at a te way it is presete i te teacigs It is sai i te Zohar tat "we Go eigts i a soul Go ics suerig o te boy so tat te soul may gai eeom33 A i a oter pace, "We suerig comes to a goo perso it is because of Go's love. Te boy is cruse to giv more power to te soul so tat it wl be raw earer to Go i love4 Tis teacg is icult for us. t should be aoter way, we feel Goo tigs soul appe to goo people. But ts clearly is ot te myscal viewpoit. A sou as te task of meig itself a te worl to raise everyig to a iger level of cosciousess Tere are a iite umber of ways to o so. Sometimes a impaire pysical boy is precisely wat is eee o rse cosciousess Sickess, a icult eviromet, a trouble relatiosip poverty suerig, utimely eat of a love oe, ay of a wie variety of emaig uma experieces ca lea to iger awareess Because "gaiig iger awareess is aoter way to say "coig closer to Go or "ig a primary purpose of creatio watever we experiece i tese pysic boies tat brigs us to tis goal is viewe as aoter opportuty to raise oly sparks Iee overcomig lfe's cleges oes a great e more to mol te
Souls
-
119
chrcter of peron thn not being teted t Obviouly there re mny tri we would rther not hve Yet th my be wht i on our plte We do not necerily get to chooe The wy we lern to hndle wht we re gven our portion will ect the development of the oul I hve worked with mny fmie who uer ignicnt trgedie er hp the mot hertrending ituton occur when prent h child who h been dgnoed with terminl dieeepeciy when the proce lt for yer God forbid thi hould hppen to nyone you know nd yet the prent with whom I hve worked in thi plight re uuy profound oul who hve ttned extrordinry level of conciounenot to pek of the ming chldren I hve encountered We cn never juti trgedy on th bi but it help u gin inight nd compion Sitution need not be drmtic termin illne A friend who hd dcult chd once ked me "How did thi hppen? We live we we gve Tommy everything he needed We loved hm We tried to give him the bet eduction which he reited We did not pol him with too mny mteri thing but gve him wht counted Yet from the beginning he w ngry mierble combtive hteful nd detructive He burned everything he could He w buy nd tole from mler chidren We got nd of help for hm emotionl pychologicl Nothing worked Wht hppened? I ked him "Did you top loving Tomm becue he h dicult lfe? "No of coure not he nwered "It jut cue me uch pin to ee m uer o much Tommy fther did not love him ny le becue of Tommy dcul tie; perhp thi love w felt even more deeply becue it w brekng hi hert We would not chooe thi cenrio for ourelve And Tommy' fther did everything n h power to turn thing round The uetion we mut k however i Wht w hppening with Tommy oul? Or tht ofTon fther? Mother? Techer? ychotherpit? Brother? Ster? Friend? The entire world tht he lived n w im pcted by Tommy He drew gret del of ttention to himel And he touched mny oul Who ow? Geniue re born to poorly educted prent menty or emotiony chllenged children often re born to the brghtet hoiet or mot chritble people erouly ntiocil or mor ncorrigble children re born to kind of fmlie We cnnot drw oul comprion to thee event We live in phyic relity but the oul dwe in mny other
1 2 0 God Is a Verb
PEEI E
IVEE
sol is th kabbalistic ky to discovrin th scrts of lf and dath If w constanty rmind orslvs that sol dimnsions shold nvr b constrd as physical ntitis bt ar "pattrnd forcs lik bb bls passin throh varios raltis, w can s th tchins abot sols to an an ncommon prspctiv on th spirita natr of th nivrs. In a rmarkabl zoharic passa, Rabbi Elazar asks Rabbi Simon a stion: " Sinc God knows that popl wil di, why ar sols snt down to th wod? 35 Rabbi Simon answrs, " This is a mystry that is plaind in th vrs "Drink watr from yor own cistrn and rnnin watr om yor own wl. Th trm " cistrn dsinats a plac whr watr dos not ow nat ry. Ths mtaphoricaly rprsnts a sol that is in ths wold not its "nat ral habitat.) Whn a sol is not dld in this world it rtrns to its dsinatd natr) plac in a way that is prfct on for sids, abov and blow. Whn th sol ascnds in this way . th watrs radiations) oflowr consciosnss ow pward to hihr consciosnss], as if a cistrn wr bin ransformd into a wll with rnnin watr Ths procss of th r trnin so brins a nw dimnsion of nion, fondation, dsir frind ship and harmony to th nivrs Ths, th rtrn of th prfctd sol complts non that was nitaly arosd by sprnal lov and action . . [and by so doin, it adds to th ovral pfction of th nvrs.' 3 Ths is an amazin ida, addin an ntirly nw dimnsion to th con cpt of sol Whn th sols host thinks, spaks, and acts in ways that bnt th word throh lovnkindnss, chariy, brinin pac to nihbors and othr sch dds, thn th hihr mnsions of th sol ar icknd, casin an activation in th rams of hihr consciosnss. Upon dath if a sol rtrns to its oriinal sorc with its hihr lmnts in a mor pr fctd stat, thn the entire universe bents by gaining a new level of harony W ar not dn simply wih "my sol and "my kara. W ar not victims of circmstanc sants to th kn, smal cos in ovhlmin macnry that constantly trns, rindin s to powdr Rathr, w ar connctd via or sols to th sorc of cration and w can transform th ow of cration
Souls 11
F A T E
A N
M R A C L E S
abbi Zusha o Haipoli (eighteeth cetury) was amous or his simple aith May stories are told about him but perhaps the best · kow relates his respose to studets who asked why his teachigs were dieret rom those o his ow teacher Zushas aswer was "Whe I come beore the judgs o the heavey tribual tey are ot goig to ask i lived my lie like Moses, or i lived my lie like Abraham. They are goig to ask me i lived my lie to be the best Zusha could be. his youth, Rabbi Zusha ad is brother, Elimelech, traveed om tow to tow, learig with dieret rebbes. I those days, may Kabbists were waderig ascetics, sleepig i the study halls ad vig o morsels o bread ad scraps o oodecept o Shabbat, whe their stomachs usuly would be ed. The Kabblist lears much more om the eperiece o lie tha om boos. Zusha ad Elimelech loved to atted joyous evets: egagemets circumcisios, ad especily weddigs Weddigs have so much mystery ad yes plety o ood too.
122 God I
a Verb
In a tadition Jesh weddng a number of rituals have kabbalstic im portance. The huppah under which the bride and groom stand during the ceremony represents a gateway to heaven. Before the wedng in a sepaate ceremony caed a beeken the bridegroom lowers a veil over the face of the bride During her time under the ve it is said that the bride is in direct communion with the souls of her mother grandmothers and greatgandmothers, a the way back to Sarah the brid of Abraham Moreover during this time under the brida vel she connects with the souls of her chen her grandchidren and her greatgrandchdren fowad to the time when messianic consciousness wil change our perspective of reay Think ing about a of those connections was enough to make Zusha dzy. During the ceremony itse when the bride rst enters hong a candle she circles the groom seven times This symboizes that she is bringing lght to seven primordial levels of creation in which she and her groom are joining their souls. Seven blessings are said during the ceremony to com memorate the bond on each level. And breaking the gass at the end of the ceremony although ths act hs many meanings on many evels symbolzes for mystics the beginning of creaon That is to say the lght of each marriage is so bright it shatters preous conceptions and opens the wod to a whole new set of possibilties. For Zusha weddings were not simpy places to get good food they were mraculous events. He believed that the world is baanced on each marriage This is a story of one wedding in particuar that caught Zushas attention Many people think of hasidic stories as fables folk tales or anecdotes designed merely for entertainment or teacing But great Kabbaists say that these stories are aways re on some level This was a big wedding. People had come om a over the countryside to honor the bride and groom The arangements were lash food was abun dant music payed constantly and the dancing was ecstatic. verything was designed to send wave after wave of joy to heaven so that a fe of biss and happiness would be assured for the couple during their time on this earth and in the world to come. But Zusha was ightened He had seen something happen in the wedng that worried him It was a subtle thng probably nobody else noticed but it was the kind of incident Zusha spent his fe noticing You see Zusha was one of the laevav tzaiki, one of the thrtysix hidden sants who quietly do their work in ths world in a way that holds the entire unverse together8 Without the work of a lae-vav the pain and suering that would ensue would be unimaginable
Fate an Mirales 1 2
This incident hd hppened in the wedding ceemony itse. When the bide st cme to join the goom de the cnopy, she begn to cicle ond him to ente the highe ems Fo mny people these othe wolds e mystey, some wold even sy fntsy. Mny ssme tht these wolds e not impotnt comped with tngible elity. Bt fo Rbbi Zsh, these othe wolds wee s el s nything he cold toch o see. Indeed, fo him, these wolds wee f moe sgnicnt nd moe pemnent thn nything on eth. At n ely ge, Zsh hd discoveed how to ente othe eities He hd mysteios inne vision. When peson cted in cetin wy it ws se sign tht something fotnte ws going to hppen to tht peson in the ne fte. Zsh lened to obseve tht when someone moved to the left o to the ight, it ws somehow n indicton of thei potentil fo sccess. As chld, Zsh ssmed tht people hd this biity to obseve nd theeby ntcipte things tht wold hppen. Lte, howeve, he iscoveed tht lthogh eveyone dd in fct hve the cpcity to foesee the fte, most people did not ow themseves time to develop this niqe nd extoiny gift Indeed, he ely met nyone who cold see things in the sme wy s he Ths, he ws extemely distbed when he sw tht the bide cicled the goom only ve times the thn the eqied seven Too mny peope hd cowded ond the cnopy. A nmbe of bbs nd mny fly membes hd been cshed togethe t this citic mo ment Eveyone hd been distcted t one point by bking dog. The bide hd done the best she cold, bt nobody ws ey conting Nobody, tht is, except Rbbi Zsh who did this knd of thing tomticy. In fct, fo him the softest sh of wind ws messge the qietest bidc, the colo of y, o whethe one ws bething in o bething ot when something ws being sid Ech nd evey deti in the nivese nveed something mch mch bigge fo this laed-vav zaddik The fct tht the bide mde oy ve cicits ws foeboding sign A connecton ws not completed in two of the seven phees nd ths the hmony of this cope's nivese wold be getly impied It wold fte, nd the imblnce wold bing bot get tests nd tils. Fom his obsevtions of the cycles of lfe, Rbbi Zsh knew tht evey mied cople fces ongoing chllenges, bt tht thee e speci diclties in the seventh ye of mige. This is time when ll the wols ei the settle into new hmony fo nothe seven yes, o things get stck in some kind of inexiblity. When this hppens hey wold y pt. Fo
12 God a Verb
our sweet ouple it was goig to happe i e years Moreoer it was goig to be eormously diult for them beause their two worlds would be at odds. Rabbi Zusha was ery muh afraid for them But, thak God, fate is ot as xed as some people thi. Eerythig we do aets how life wl ufold for us Of ourse, most of the time we do ot relze the subeties of the fores i life so we ss may opportuities to diret our ow fates. t is the ob of a laevav tzaik howeer to ostatly improe the destiy of those aroud hm or her. Thus, Rabbi Zusha set out to do his work to use his osiderable iuee i the osmos to gie the ewly married ouple a seret wedg gift. t was a gift that ould eer be disussed. Oly Zusha himself e years om that day would be able to appreiate the fruits of his eors. his prayers the morig after the weddig Zusha deeply meditated o the problem d bega to ope ital haels. As a youg ma he had leared that just as he ould obsere the oetios bewee the uierse ad idiidua ats, he ould atualy iuee the uierse by purposely doig soetg For example, whe he oed that a persos partiular atio would iariably lead to a pail experiee, he ofte distrated that perso at a ritial momet. f someoe said somethig that surely would lead to trouble Zusha would d a way to egage this perso i a oersatio ad getly maeuer the subjet to udo the damage. This was his resposibility as a laevav tzaik He had o hoie i the matter He ee leared to obsere whe someoe was i a dagerous state of mid, ad he foud ways to subtly tikle this perso's psyhe ad break the mood Sometimes, for o reaso at all we go om a bad mood to a good mood it ould be the result of a laevav stadig earby deed sometimes we thik we are haig a asual oersatio with a strager but i fat this other perso is helpig us aoid a serious tragedy Moreoer, may of us at as laevav tzaiki without ee kowig it ourseles. But that is the subjet of aother story. Zusha, i deep meditatio, bega to plead for this ewly married ouple i the heaenly ourt f only people had the wisdom to see the importae of sml atios. Of ourse he uderstood that the bride had ot aused the problem, as suh. Rather, she was simply reeaig sometg ready i the hads of fate Yet, the way thigs work i this world, had she bee able to make the see iruits she might hae iueed her fate ad perhaps modied the deree through the powe of her ow ee will. Rabbi Zusha tried, i his way, to omplete the two iruits. The argu
Fate an Mirale 1 25
men in his heavey ur was uie mplex. The lves f he bride and grm, and he ives f heir parens and grandparens were reviewed in deph. As wih l human bengs, isakes had been made. me had au mulaed The deree was n based n a sngle issue wih is fen he ase, bu upn a sries f evens ha ed an ineviable esul inally Zusha made a pea bargain The uple had a deb pay Bu if he uld sueed in geing hem give mre har han usual and perfrm many as f lvingkindness during he subseuen hree mnhs, he deree wuld be aneled I was agreed signed, and sealed. When Rabbi Zusha nished his mediain, he se u nd he u ple, persuade hem smehw an bgain ha hey d n kn hey had. He uld n el hem f urse and even if he had hey wuld n have believed him N he was bliged d he wrk in his usual way behind he senes If he were suessful, hey wuld n even knw he had been arund. Hw des his sry end? Did Zusha nvine he yung uple give enugh hariy save heir marriage? We are n d, bu we mus assume ha Zuha fund a way A laedvav tzaddk usualy wil be suessful The impran pins we learn here, hwever, are ha ur fae a be reveed in varius ways, and ha here are fres in he wrld ha an mdi fae
are drawn as f hariy. s i a laed-vav tzaddk whispering in ur ears? Are we under a deree ha needs be annued? Even if we dub his, wha is here lse when we feel an urge perfrm an a flvingkindness? Indeed, sme say ha as f lvingkindness give srengh he laed-vav tzaddk and ha hese as hd he wrld geher. Wh uld argue wih suh a hugh? The sle purpse f he laedvav tzaddk is raise hly sparks. n he press f ding s he r she is nsanly halengng fae. I is said ha eah f us has an aspe f he laedvav tzaddk wihn us. Des his mean ha we an hange ur wn faes and he faes f hse arund us? Wha is fae, hw des i wrk and hw an we nuene i? Y
1MEs wE
1 2 God Is a Verb
C HAN E UR C HANE ouR
A E, AE
she teinberg ws rofessor of interntionl reltions t Universit on Mt. ous in Jerusem His intel letu gifts were enormous, nd hs entire life ws dedted to de exelene. Unfortuntel, he did not tend to his own helth Hs long wor hours, ombined with neglet for rest nd roer nutrition, led to hert tt in hs midies. is son hlomo, ws friend of ours He too ws brint sholr omo sent us euent reorts on his fther's ondition Things seemed to get lite worse eh d Initi Professor tenberg hd entered the hositl with severe hest ins. Within few ds it ws deterned tht he needed immedite hert surge. During the surger, he went into rd rrest, nd the dotors ould not get the hert strted for mn minutes At rst the surgeons thought tht the tient ws lost. Although the medi tem n sueeded in ther eorts to resusitte Dr. teinberg, onsiderble brin dmge hd ourred After surger, the rofessor seemed to be rtil rlzed. He ould not se nd ould brel lift his hed or rm. The dotors were not sure if he would ever tl gin. One wee lter, the surgeons hd to do nother roedure to sto intern bleedng Ths time the rofessor did not we u fter the suge, nd he l in om for few ds hlomo led us soon therefter. There ws somber ossbiit tht hs fther would neve wen. Even if he did, he would robbl be n invlid the rest of hs life omo told us tht sel rer grou ws being orgnzed t the Western W to reite ss nd to give s fther new nme. The Tlmud tehes tht one of the ws to hnge someones fte is b hnging her or s nme. 39 lomo nd his fmil hd done evertng the ould though rer hrit, nd otments to ome loser to God. Their lst resort ws to hnge Moshes nme The rers lsted for oule of hours. During tht time, we gve the rofessor the new nme his fmi hd hosen for hm Rhel Bruh teinberg, nme ombining the heng ower of God raphael with the
Fate and Mirale 1 2 7
spii of blessings ha) The nex dy, Rphel Bh me o of hs om Fo few dys he doos hogh he wold neve wlk gn nd hee ws some esion bo his mind. Howeve, less hn week fe his enming he pofesso begn o si p nd spek. He desibed o his fmily n oofbody expeiene in whih he dweed on plne whee eveyhing ws mde of ligh He hogh h he ws ded nd he beings of igh ond him onmed h his ws so He sid h he hd no eges. B some poin he ws infomed h he ws going o live s ompleely dieen peson hn h hd been And hen he woke p. Pofesso Seinbeg did in f begin his life new. e nine monhs of epeion he begn o ply msi nd fel in love wih weolo pn ing. hogh he gh osiony his pimy inees ws o beome n is. Ls hed eigh yes fe his iness he ws spending his ses on he lin Rivie, pining one o wo nvses evey dy. AE
is sying: "The nmbe of hiden one hs he lengh of ones life, nd he degee of ones weh do no depend pon pesons meis b on azzal. n Jewish mysiism fe is ofen efeed o s azzal whih is slly nsled s lk b whih lso mens "he ss of he zodi. The ide h we live nde azzal sggess h sols e fed fom he beginning, dependen pon he x nd ow of he nivese. Kbbliss eh h he moon is he mysi vessel in whih sols e gheed befoe hey e elesed o he wold The moon in Kbblh epesens eepiviy When he moon is fll i is eeing he fness of nives ligh nd expnsiveness When he moon is new i hs no ligh nd is in moe oned se Ths, he mysil impion is h sols e inened by he phse of he moon when hey beome ssoied wih bodies eh hvng dieen levels of expnsiveness o oned ness. n moden ems we wold sy h his desibes why some of s e moe exveed while ohes e moe inoveed, whih seems o be o fe. Some people hink of fe s xed seneio, b mysis sgges h i is exible When we engge in iviies h ise onsiosness, fe dps
1 28 God I
a Verb
itelf to uppot uh thing Fo example, the Talmud ay that the inome one eeive eah yea i detemined by fate, exept fo the money pent on [elebating] the abbath and othe holy day One who pend moe i given moe, and one who pend e i given le.41 Thu fate adjutable In thi inane, the elebation of habbat o anothe holy day i viewed a a oniouneaing ativity, and o we get arte blanhe to invite a many gue we wih to ou habbat table. In eene, fo thee event, God fate) ay, Ill pik up the tab. lthough ou live ae inuened by fate, ee wil an damatialy alte ou deny We ae able to inuene fate though lful living The moe we eze he elationhip between what we do and who we ae he moe we egulate ou own live. he Tamud ay that we hould be uik to oe bead to a poo peon beaue [mey] i a whee that tun in the wold Rabbi Gamael Beibbi aid, Whoeve how mey to othe i hown mey by heaven whoeve i not meiful to othe i not hown mey by heaven.4 The High Holy Day of Roh Hahana and Yom Kippu ae buit upon the idea tha a peon fate i etablihed fo a yea at a time We ay in te liug of Yom Kippu: On Roh Hahana it i inibed and on Yom Kippu eed [in the book of fate] how many will die and how many will be bon, who wil die at the peodained time, and who befoe thi time [be aue of ideed] . . who wll et, who wande, who will be tanu, who ue, who will be poo, who will be ih . . Then the ongegation ay togethe, loudly, But teshuvah hanging ondut) tllah paye), and tzeddakah haity) anel the hahne of thi deee Fae i a paten kethed in a myial book fo the gament we all fe. But the keh of fae i only an ouline We an ignianly aet the nal deign of ou live by the way we ut the loth of ou fate, how we ew i, how we tim it, and epeially by the maeial of life we hooe. ltimately, atough the deign of ou fae may follow an eential potope, ke a de, a hit, o pai of pant, we have a geat deal of feedom to modi the nihed podut. In addtion to the uidit of fate and the inuene of ee will a the moding apet, fate an be hanged alo by ntoduing a new fato into he univee, oething unexpeted. When the unexpeted i ao inexpi able, we all it a miale Miale onfont the law of natue Indeed, ome ay tha fate i the natua ode of thing and that any hange in the ow of fate i iaulou. Let u ee what thi mean
Fae and Miales
1 29
MAE describes many mraculous evens such as sta into snakes water tuning to blood strange plagues animas that speak leprosy that comes instantly and departs just as uickly the sun standing still and a man being swallowed by a sh and regurgitated days ater ave and whole. The Talmud has its share of macles as well king with a glance res urrecting the dead battling with demons invokng vine spirits teleporting om one city to another in a matter of minutes visiting heavenly or demonic rems while still ve incredible heng assuring pregnancy in pre viously barren women and casting spells with potions. Miracles play a role also in the hstory of most holy days. The mraces of the splitting of the Red Sea and the ten plagues are associated with Passover The appearance of God on Mt. Sinai is associated with Shavuot. The foing of a plot for the massive genocide of theJews is part of the Purim story Hanukah is based upon a miracle that occurred twentytwo hundred years ago43 when the Maccabees defeated the Greeks. Upon reentering the Second Temple the Jews found that the oi used for the menorah had been deed and tht there was a sucient amount of pure oil to burn for only one day. The mracle was that this ol burned for eight ysjust enough tme to prepare and transport a new supply. Oen mracles are great abrupt and conspicuous. The most obous bib lical example is the parting of the sea at the time of the Exodus. A big mir acle uite suddenly saved the Hebrews om anhilaion. We often hear about these knds of racles a terrible automobile accident with passen gers unharmed; a parachute that fails to open but the skydver somehow sur vives. Many races fa into this category Some say however that for eve big racle blions of ittle ones exist. Jesh mystics suggest that the mun dane wold is where the true miraculous nature of creation lies.
1 God s
a Verb
MI RAE
PRD
CRAIN
usin f miacls was f cnsidrabl inrs h almudic sas s h unirs an rdrly plac? f i is rdy as ms blid, mracls had b smhing hr han ufhblu ns On f h ways ancin sags dal wih his usin was suggs ha mracls had bn prrdaind hy wr in h nd f Gd s spak a h im f cain This is xplici in a Midrash in which Mss argus wih Gd, saying, f yu sp h sa, yu g agains h naura rdr f hings Wh culd rus yu? ndd, yu wuld b cnracing yur wn prms kp h sa and h land spara44 This is an impran argumn f w cann rus ha hr is an rdly unrs, ur fah b challngd Gd prmiss ha ngs ar ging g a crain way war will n spara wynily f w dscr ha his prs ds n hld 100 prcn f h im, ur sns f raliy can b shad Thus Mss is asking a criical usin Gd has pu i in wriing ha wa has crain prpris bu is abu brak h ruls a h Rd Sa 45 Th answr hs puzzl is fund in a Midrash ha sas "Th Hly On sipulad [a prcndin fr ryhing ha was crad in h six days f crain [A h bginning f crain, h Hly On said,] cmmandd h sa did cmandd h sun nd mn sand sl bfr shua cmmandd h ran fd lah candd h lins n harm Danil, h hans pn fr zkil and h sh r gurgia nah46 his was dn bore h crain f Adam and , and i impls ha all mracls ar a ncssary par f h dsiny f h unrs n ssnc h sags usd his apprach rsl a crucia usin s hr rdr h unrs r n? Thy say ys n hugh a mracl sms chang h rdy w f hings, i is buil in h mchanism f cr ain Th pni fr miracls is a dnd par f amc srucur Al hugh w ha an rdrly unirs h unirs, paradxcaly, has h pnial d xrardnary hings ha w wuld dm miraculus Th wknwn Kabbals Nachmanids addd a mysical dimnsin his prspci n rspns Maimds' iwpin ha miracls a usd by Gd ral slf h masss, Nachmanids suggsd ha a ll f
Fate and Mirale 1 3 1
reay supersedes nature and n ts ger rey te racuous s coonpace. Nacandes sad tat a race s not a snguar event n contrast to te ow of nature but rater tat races are an ongong process4 Te ony reason we tn tat a race s opposed to te ordnary ow of nature s because we do not ave a broad enoug scope of tese oter densons of reaty f we dd we woud see tat everytng s dependent upon races. N SEA
NEAIZED O
MIAE
Kabbasts teac tat everytng we do strs up a correspondng energy n oter rems of reaty Actons words or tougts set up reverberatons n te unverse. Te unverse unfods o moent to oent as a ncton of a te varabes eadng up to tat moent Wen we rean cognzant of ts ystca syste we are carefu about wat we do say or even tn for we now tat everytg s nterdependent; we now tat a seengy nsgncant gesture coud ave wegty conse uences. For exape wen we eave our oe to go vst soeone we aect and are aected by our surroundngs n tousands of ways o te tme we step out of te door unt we return Were we pace our feet te peope we see te trac we encounter and te mpressons we ae can be en vsoned as ntersectng nes n a great tapestry of fe Now wat appens f te teepone rngs just as we are about to eave Our p s deayed for a few nutes. Ts canges te desgn of te entre tapestry. Everytng s derent Te tnng canges Te green gt s now red te person we sed at s gone te ant we never saw s now crused. In te new scence of caos teory tere s a wenown penomenon caed te "buttey eect n wc te ar oved n one part of te wod by an nsect can be te ntatory cause for a typoon tat occurs soewere ese n te word at a ater te. Te tecnc term s "senstve dependence upon nta condtons9 Ts teory adds an ncredbe denson to our ves. Wat does t ean tat y autoobe woud pus one r ass f I were not nterrupted by a teepone ca and a copetey derent ar ass f I were Wat derent reverberatons are set up n te unverse by tose few nutes Does one ead to a typoon n my fe we te oter does notng
2 God I
a Veb
Moreover what if the phone ringing cases me to miss a terrible accident that otheise wold have maimed or led me? A trck lost its brakes and came throgh a red light where I wold have been had the phone not rng. Shold I ca this a miracle? Yet how wold I even know that the ac cident wold have occrred? Two mintes later everything seems norm. Obviosly, this wold be an "nreaied miracle In Jewish mysticism, the instant we open or eyes to the tre dimensions of creation and casity, we nd orselves immersed in a sea of miraces. This reaiation is astonishing At any instant, creation might nfold in a wa that wold be disastros for s therefore, each moment is brsting wth the gift of life. Indeed as a reslt of this awareness, the mystic loves life intensely and fees loved by it
Fate and Mirale 1
A N G E S
A N
E M O S
ravity and magnetim have alway mytied cientit We can them, we can appromate what they look ike, we know there i omething happening that ha trength and attraction, but they are inviible and not even dicernible unle we have the right tool You can place your hand next to a very trong magnet, and nothing happen. But if you have an iron bracelet trapped to your writ, it could be pulled by the magnet o trongly that you woud not be able to move your hand away. In phyical reality, every move we make i dependent upon electro magnetic energy. n the metaphyical realm, rather than cll thi energy electromagnetic we could cll it angelicdemonic Evey move we make i upported by an angel or demon. Moreover, everything we do create new angel and demo. In thi context, angel do not have peronalitie, nor are they entitie They repreent line of force, packet of energy like ight photon, neither wave nor particle and they cannot be ditin guihed except through reult The metaphyical magnet aociated with the God realm are called angel, and thoe with the atanc rem are called demon Wen I bump my head, wa puhed? No. Notng outide of myef
1 God I
a Verb
pused me. Yet I moved dierently tan I normally do because I normaly do not bump my ead. Was tis a malcious energy bunde? No. Was it a demon? Yes. How do demons work? A demon is a conguration of cir cumstances tat ends up wit me bumping my ead A set of combined vari ables is ced a demon wen an inevitable result occurs. At any point along te way, owever one of tese variables could cange I could urn rigt instead of left So I would ss bumping my _ad In tat case my turng was caused by an ange I simply do not rea ize it because my ead was never bumped. erefore, eac moment is packed wit conditions tat pull me closer to God and tose tat tug me farter away. Any of tese, viewed individuay or coectivey can be put on my goodandevil scale I am continuously surrounded by anges and demons. N
reference material regarng angels and demons in ewis mys ticism is etensive. Many details contradict e ac oter. A large amount of information is based on medieval mytology, wic was inuenced by ideas om a variety of sources tat etend far beyond tradtiona litera ture. ere are dozens of arcangels including four primary ones wo are oen identie d in te oral tration as Micael, Gabriel, Uriel and Rapael. n addition to tese are undreds of angels mentioned by name in dierent mystical tets. Many names of angels begin wit attributes tat describe te uaties of te angel and end in el or yah, wc are names of God But te nature of indidua angels is not always clear Gabriel means "te strengt of God, but Gabriel is also caled te Angel of ire and te Angel of War 5 Rapael is usuay kown as te Angel of Healng but it is aso caed te Prince of Hades 51 Liel is te Angel of te Nigt, but Liltwose name aso means "nitis considered to be te arc sedel 52 Micael is te Angel of Mercy and sometimes te gel of Prayer, but Sandalpon aso is known as te Angel of Prayer ewis traon describes an adversaria relationsp between uman be ings and angels. gels are jealous of umans because we umans ave ee wi and tey do not. e Midras says tat angels debated weter or not uman beings sould be part of creation. e Agel of Love felt tat it wod be a good idea to ave umans in ts creation because of our potentia for
Angel and Deon 1 5
expressing love the Angel o Truth was opposed to human beings beause we tend to te many lies 5 uring this debate, God exhibited examples o humans or angels to see, but inluded oy wenown haraters om bib ial lore. O ourse, i at the start God had revealed the true nature o human beings to angels instead o showing them the greatest and most righteous people, there would have been an uproar in the heavens. 5 Next, the ngel o Earth rebeed and would not give the arhangel Gabriel any dust or God to reate humanind The Angel o Earth protested that the physial earth would be ursed and devastated beause o human thoughtlessness it insisted that God tae personal responsibility rather than send an arhangel as an intermediary 55 This Midrash, thousands o years old, reveals paralels between the onerns o anient sages and modern envi ronmentalists n the Midrash, God had to tae the dust used to reate hu manind diretly rom the earth rather than send an angel to do it, suggesting an impliit ovenant oered by God that the earth wi not be destroyed by human ignorane. The Angel o the Torah argued with God, saying that the days o human beings would be ed with suering and that it would be ar better i hu mans were never brought into existene in the rst plae 56 Regarding this ontention, God said (promised) that humans would endure despite the tris and tribulations o lie. God revealed the uture to Adam and Eve in a boo given to them in the Garden o Eden by the hnd o the angel Raziel (serets o God) This boo ontained sared nowledge branhes o wisdom that reveaed the ormation o 60 insriptions o higher mysteries. n the middle o the boo was a seret writing explaining 1500 eys to the universe, whih were not revealed even to the holy angels hen Adam and Eve obtained this boo, all the angels gathered around to hear it read. hen the reading began, the angels exalted Adam and Eve as i they were God, whereupon the angel Hadraniel was seretly sent to them to say, "Adam and Eve, reveal not the glory o the Master, or to you alone and not to the angels is the privilege given to now these things.5 There upon, Adam and Eve ept it seret and learned or themselves mysteries not nown even to the elestia ministers. hen Adam and Eve transgressed the omandment o the Master re grding the Tree o Knowledge, the boo ew away rom them. Adam was so distressed, he entered the river Gihon (one o the rivers o the garden) up to his ne and stayed there so that his body beame wrined and his ae haggard. (e do not now what Eve was doing during this time) God
Go
a Verb
thereupon made a ign to the archangel Raphael to return the book whch Adam tudied for the ret of hi life. He left it to h on Seth, and it went through the generation to Abraham t i ti hidden today, omewhere in the world for thoe who know how to read it. Angel argued that human would be a liabiity in the creation becaue they were alway fouling thing up f the angel had their way, human would be out of the pcture, and the uniere would run mooty and predictably Thi, of coure, i preciely the point. What would be the purpoe of a uniere that wa totally predictable? The Zohar teache that angel were created at the moment God aid Let there be ight and there wa light.58 n Hebrew t read a a repetiton Let there be light and let there be light.59 A mytical iterpretation of thi i Let there be lght (awarene) on the right ide, the ide of goodne and let there be ight (awarene) on the let ide the ide of darkne. Thi nterpretation i upported by the net lie, which ay, And God aw the ght [of the right ide], that it wa good and God dided the light [of the right] om the darkne [of the left]. The angel were created on thi rt day to hae a permanent eitence on the ide of goodne. Rabbi Eeazar ay that they wil alway continue to hne a brightly a they did on the rt day. 0 There a debate regarding the Angel of Death, howeer. The Midrah ay that the Angel of Death (the dark ide) wa alo created on the rt day.1 The Zohar ay, howeer, that death wa created on the econd day becaue Genei omt for thi day the word and God aw that it wa good though they are mentioned eery other day of creation. The giing of the Torah to human being i decribed in te or tradi tion a etremey threatening to the angel, becaue the Torah proide hid den iormation and ecret name that gie human power oer the angec and demonic realm. The antagom of the ange i reealed in the cele tial conct that Moe encountered when he went forth to receie the Torah om God Rabbi Eleazar aid When Moe entered the cloud on Mt Sinai2 he wa met by a great angel, whoe name wa Kamuel who wa in charge of twele thouand other angel He (Kamuel) ran to attach himelf to Moe [and thereby oerpower him]. Moe opened hi mouth, [and poke the twele ign (name of God) that were taught and imprinted [n Moe] by the Holy One at the [burning] buh.3 [A a reult the angel went away om him a ditance of twele thouand paraang.4 Moe continued waking in the cloud, and hi eye glowed ike ember
Angels and Deons 1 7
of e Then nothe ngel, moe eminent thn the st, whose nme ws Hdniel mjest of God), met him. This nge is set bove othe n gels nd elestil beings b distne of ,6 mids of psngs (5 llion miles) .5 ts voie penettes mments, whih e suounded b white e. On seeing this ngel Moses ws so wed, he ould not spek n of the nmes of God, nd he n to thow himself om the loud But the Hol One sid to him, "Moses, ou tlked bout things with me t the [buning bush whee ou gined knowledge of the seet hol nmes, nd ou wee not fid Now e ou id of something tht I ule Moses ws stengthened b the voie of the Hol One He opened his mouth nd spoke the seventtwolette supeme nm of God. When Hdniel hed the hol nme spoken b Moses, he me lose nd sid to him, "Pised be the dstinguished Moses. It beme ppent to Hdniel wht the othe ngels did not see So he joined with Moses nd the went togethe unti the met n ngel whose nme is Sndphon. Sndlphon is emoved fom l othe ngels b distne of ve hunded es. This ngel stnds behind the utin of its mste nd weves own om the equests of pes At eti time, this own ises of its own od nd goes pst the Thone of Glo to settle in its ple on the hed of God), t whih tme l of the hevenl hosts temble nd s, "Blessed is the glo of God in Its ple. Hdniel sid to Moses, Moses, nnot go with ou fo fe tht I m be buned in the hsh e of Sndphon. A get tembling me to Moses t this time. He n pst Sndlphon nd oss Rigon, the stem of e tht buns puies) ngels, who dip into it eh moning nd ise new The stem is beneth the Thone of Go nd is podued b the pespition of the hol hayyot highe ngels), who et out of fe of God. At ths point Moses met the ngel Gizu, who is led Rziel This ngel so dwels behind the utin, nd sees nd hes evething. Now Moses me to the ngels of teo, who suound the Thone nd e the mightiest of ngels. But God told Moses to hold on tight to the Thone so tht no hm would ome to him. Thus, the Hol One bought Moses lose nd tught him Toh fo fot ds.6 This desiption of the joune of Moses to the highest elms gives us sense tht thee e levels upon levels of ngeli foes, eh inesingl fntsti in its dimension70 It lso suggests tht Moses hd the pbilt to tnsend even the most mposing ngel, Sndphon, to sit nd be instuted dietl b God Sndlphon is onsideed the "bothe of Metton, who
1 8 God Is a Verb
te chef of a ange Metatron aocated wth Enoch and Sandphon wth Eah Both Enoch and Eah are ncluded among the few morta who never ded7 EO
emon ae ubutou but are not cted n the lterature a often a angel. The head of the demon Satan who o named Samael and Beezebub72 wle the kng of demon caed Amodeu 73 Amodeu marred Agrath and they are attended by ten of thouand of other demon Jut a there are many type of angel there are varou type of demon whch nclude hedi de) eiri hary demon ayr) avet death) dever petence) and azazel the demon to whom the capegoat ent on om ppur) . 7 Demon are vewed a between angel and human. They have wng lke angel and can move uckly aume any form and have the aby to read the ture. But they eat drk propagate and de.75 They can have eu reaton wth human and th a ource of new demon But demon do not have rea bode that cat hadow o propagaton wth human oc cur n dream or other nonphyca contact Human gve brth to demon through the magnaton. Demon can be overpowered by human. The ueen of demonAgrath once met Rabb Hanna ben Doa She revealed to hm that the oy reaon he dd not caue hm harm wa becaue heaven had gven hm mmu y for etenve learnng Th wa a mtake on her part Once Hanna ben Doa kew that Agrath could not harm hm he put a he on her He ad "f heaven take an accountng of me order you never to pa through populated area7 Th n eence put her out of bune She mmedately began to plead th hm o he relented and gave her eedom to do her demon work on two ght of the week Wedneday and Saturday The Tmud report a mlar ncdent beween Agrath and the age Abaye. Apparently he dd not learn om her other eperence.) Th tme Abaye d not yeld but we nd that demon t euent narrow place where few peope go lke dark aeyway77 n addton f one know how to capure a demon power the demon can be put nto ervce. The archange chae provded ng Solomon wth a magc rng whch gave hm power over a the demon ng Solomon dcovered the name of angel that uenced the demon he wanted to con
Angels and Den 1 9
tol Through the ue o h mag rng ng Solomon aptured Amodeu. 8 Amodeu taught Solomon the eret o the sa Some ay that th wa a worm that ould plt rok The buldng o the Temple o Solomon de pended upon the ablty to plt rok wthout ron tool or the ue o meta had been orbdden by God. 7 One Kng Soomon had the sair under h ontrol he ould buld the atar to God Th normaton gave hm uent matery ove the demon o that he ued them n the buldng o the Frt Temple. 80 Thu the Frt Temple the holet te Jwh htory had a team o demon bulderuggetng that demon are not neearly evl. The pont o th tory that when we have power over demon ore they an be put to good ue. On the other hand when demon ore have power over u our lve an be merable. We ee th theme emphazed n the ontnuaton o the toy. At one pont Amodeu trked the kng. When Solomon hded A modeu ayng he wa not muh o a demon he ould be aptured by a morta and put nto han Amodeu repled that he would be happy to demontrate h greatne the kng would loan hm the mag rng Solomon wa ooh enough to do o gvng away h power) and Amodeu ntantly threw hm a thouand me away rom Jerualem. Then Amodeu at the mag rng nto the mddle the oean o that t oul never agan be ued agant hm and he aumed Solomon appearane pretendng that he wa the kng.8 Solomon wandered a a beggar or three year and took a job a a ook n the royal houehold o Ammon e wa a great ook and oon he be ame the he o ook. Th how the kng daughter Naamah ame to note hm She e n love and would not be wayed by the kng to gve up Soomon. So the Ammonte kng ent the lover to a barren deert where t wa preumed that they would de by tarvaton The lover wandered to a ty by the hore o a ea They begged or enough money to purhae a h to eat Naaah ound a rng n the bey o the h. Sure enough t wa Solomon' mag rng and the ouple wa ntanty tranported to Jeruaem where they dethroned Amodeu who had been pong a ng Solomon or three year Th tale ontan the eret o the ue o power and a teahng toy about rang park to attan mean onoune One o the hdden ea ture o the tory that the mother o Amodeu n eene the mother o demon wa alo named Naamah. Thu the tory reate a rle o event n whh Naamah the we o Solomon make a tkkun a ng to rae the park o Naamah mother o the demon. In th proe Naamah the
1 God I a Vrb
wife of Solomon, becomes a matriarc in te neage of te messia tat comes from King David, te fater of Solomon ust as demons are not always used to produce disagreeable results, angels are not always pleasant to be around It is true tat many are desirable suc as angels of grace, eing justice, love, mercy moon, mountains, par adise peace, prase, stars trees, trut and water But tere are also angels of confusion destruction, fear, re, ail, insomna, repties, storms terror, and tunder 83 Tese are considered angels rater tan demons oy wen teir purpose is to draw us closer to God Actually tere are angels for every atom in te unverse Eac snowake as a multiude of angels around it eac blade of grass as an angel over it, saying, Grow, grow84 Eve caracteristic, emotion, tougt or penomenon as anges identied wit it l te descriptions of angels and demons are meant to elp us approximate ualities we nd witin ourselves Wen we are feeng caressed, loved, comforted, or pampered, our angels are described as soft, gente, re ned careful and considerate Wen we are anous, ustrated worried, or nervous, our angels are pusy, critical, demanding, accusing, and relentless Wen we are aving serious troubles and our lives seem to be faing apart, we ave demons wo are cruel, malevolent, atefu, odious and endis Tis soud not be interpreted to mean tat te mystics beleve tat anges and demons are imaginary ust te opposite Tey are uite real and tey manifest in an innite number of ways If te results of someting are viewed as good, we generay c it an angec inuence However, if someting draws someone away om God, even toug te itial motivaton may ave been well intended, we say tat tere was a demonc inuence It is important for us to understand tat an intenon beind an act does not ensure its results Intention must be baanced by awareness Te greater te awareness, te greater te probabity tat sometng good come out Te denser te awareness, even toug ones intentions may be good, te greater te risk tat tings will not turn out so we We coud do someting ndearted for someone witout reizing tat tis coud bring enormous grief into is or er life We may ask, If our intentions do not assure tat tings turn out for te good, wat do we do? Te answer is tat we must attune ourselves to te constant ebb and ow of ongoing creaton troug our contemplative practices and troug spiritual work tat builds awareness as described in various sections of tis book And we must make every eort to attain te igest level of consciousness so tat our actions may be inspired by te ingreents ofjudgment and wisdom spiced wit a arge dose of fait
Angels and Dens 1 4 1
TH BB AND oF
MYIA
OW oREs
yti y tht enegy w in yle ytime yle e t the tin f the eth mnthly yle t the mn nd nnul yle t the eltie pitin f the un nd t. Light nd dk e nneted t expnin nd ntti, lngkndne nd etint Kbblit pply thi mytil mi fmewk t eeything, in luding nge nd demni enegie Adng t mintem Judim, dy begin nd end t undwn Kb blit ntuy fllw thi lultin m the pint f iew fJewih lw, but fm n enegeti pepetie, the dily kbbiti yle w between the zenith f high nn nd the ndi f midnight. Fm nn until dnight, the un ppe t be delining, whih men tht the pwe f lingkindne i wning. When the un ehe it lwet ebb, the time in whih the enegy f dkne i tnget, uing ngel he thei getet pwe. The Kbbt y tht thi pint i the dk et f the ght, the mment when ettin nd judgment e t thei pwe. f we wee bndned n the mytil dnight f etin we wuld dppe. We uld nt uie the judgment. Thu, in the peti lnguge f Kbbh, t peiely thi intnt, Gd ente the eetil Gden f Eden Tht i t y t the mment when the phyi uniee i in getet jepdy the dket mment f the dy the fe f expnin mteilze nd etlize the ente f etin Of ue Jewih myti undetnd tht midnight in ne pt f the wld dieent thn in the pt. They knw tht Gd i t pek ntnuuly enteing the gden t my be dult t eniin idnight ming lne, but fm the ewpint f Gding pe, thi im gey i pefet. Fm whee we tnd the lingndne f the iine bing t ght t u mdnight extly when we need it f ul When we beme bjetie, hwee we elize tht it i lwy dnght me whee. Thu, Gd i pepetuly enteing the gden fee binging t ght t eeybdy mdnight t ll time ntinuu pe. Angel e ntntly ngeling. The Zohar y tht uing n gel me but the wd duing the dk hu befe mdnight. Clely thi time i eltie t the bee. Objetiely, hwee it uld be id nght thund mle t the et ne hu dieene), in whih e Gd
1 2 God I a Verb
has eady enteed the gaden thee) whch by denton sen the accusng angels nto hdng hs s anothe nteactve elatonshp Agelc and demonc eneges ae not ndependent and selfsucent, but ae pats of the system of the unvesa ebb and ow. he moe we can begn to undestand ths cosc uctuaon the moe ou hozons wden and we ae able to appecate the ntcacy of the nteelatonal pocess between Ceato and ceation Anothe example s the zohac sttement that al celesta bengs chant pases to the Holy One As soon as nght fals thee hosts of angels aange themselves n thee pats of the unvese Ove these thee hosts of angels stands a ceftan caed a hayyah an angec foce wch s sad to be the suppot fo the dvne one he nghttme channg continues unt daybeak hen humans take up the pases thee tmes a day n paye Ac codngly pase s oeed sx times n twentyfous thee by human begs dung the day, and thee by angels at ght. Kabbalsts ae well taveled, so t does not take much to gue out that when I am oeng pase n my monng payes, the angelc hosts not fa om me ae sti engaged n the nghttme pases hus the dea of pase beng oeed sx times a day apples only to whee one s standng. om an objectve vewpont howeve, pase and paye ae contnuous day and nght, unfoldng as the eath evolves. hs movement esembles a kedo scope ceaselessly openng o a owe constantly boong and s a won del mage to contemplate.
NVOKN O
N
AN
long ago I head om a dea end whose son had been the vctm of a eak accdent He had been ht n the back of a golf ball. Hs ecovey was not gong wel and a blood clot n hs ban was causng pessue that potentially could payze hm fo lfe, o hm. he boy had been n ntensve cae n a semcomatose state fo ten days when hs mothe and I st spoke. o some eason, he dd not mpove and hs pognoss was not good. Hghsk sugey with possble ban damage was a fastappoacng opton that eveyone wanted to avod. In the couse of ou convesation the boys mothe asked fo a medtatve/paye pactce and I suggested an achangel medtaon. In t we su
A ngels and Deons 1
roud ourseves or someoe dear to us with agelic eerg for the purpose of protectio ad healig Soo after our tal, her so had to be put ito a medicay iduced coma so that he could be ept uiet ad out of pai i the hope that the sweig would be reduced. y fried bega freuet gided meditatio ad prayer with her so despite the fact that he was i a coma. The subcoscious mid ca absorb meditative guidace; moreover the soul ever sleeps. She cotiued cosis tetly for may days deed whe he was brought out of the coma he was repeatig the words of the meditatio From that time o, each step alog the way, just before a major ivasive decisio had to be made he would improve Hours before they had to put i a permaet shut to draw o the cerebral uids the pressure stabilized. Thas to moder medicie, the boy is aive ad wel. The doctors ad urses deservedly get credit for the miracle. His mother father, ad rmly believe that ages had a great deal to do with it as we.
Archangel Meitation Each eveig, traditioal ewish bedtime prayers iclude the folowig i vocatio ay ichael be at my right, Gabriel at my left, Uriel i frot of me, Raphae behid me, ad above my head the the ivie Presece. This is oe of my cogregatios favorite meditatios it wors well for adults ad childre. As a meditatio, it ca be used to develop a sese of protectio, comfort, healig ad security t is oe of the few meditative ex ercises recommeded at bedtime Whe we cal upo agels to be with us, we tap ito a iite resource of good will. t is as if we plug ito the magetic core of the earth to eep ourselves cetered Archagels represet te Godceter of the uiverse they draw ourishmet om ts iite supply. The oly impedimets to co ectig with this eergy are doubt ad cyicism. f we ca recogize these as they arise i our mids ad d appropriate cubby holes i which to eep them i reserve for the times whe they are use, we ca istatly beet om the feeig of agelic presece
1 Try to d a uiet place where you wi ot be disturbed for twety to thirt miutes, such as i bed at ight, whe falg asleep. Close your eyes, relax your body, ad breathe ormy. ow your attetio to focus o the experiece of your body ad the movemets of your chest ad stomach aroud your breath. 1 44 God a Veb
2 Let yourelf mgne tht you n feel preene ong the rght de of your body nd the rght de of your fe t n feel lke ubtle preure tnglng vbron het oolne or ome other en ton f you nnot feel nythng mply thnk tht omethng net to you ot touhng you on the rght de Gve th eperene on the rght de the nme of Mhel The rhngel Mhel often vewed the meenger of God Wht ever th my men to you pretend tht the meenger of God to tlly preent on your rght de. Be wth th eperene for we. When you re redy et yourel mgne nother preene on your le de Feel the preurejut lke on your rght Th the rhngel Gbrel wh known to repreent the trength of God You n eperene both de multeouly The meenger of God on your rght the trength of God on your left Sty wth th eperene for whe. 5 ow youref to ene omethng behnd you nywhere ong the bk de prtulrly upportng you you re ttng or lyng down mgne th prt of wht holdng you up. Th the rhngel Rphe generlly known the heln power of God Now you n do l three multneouly Mhel the meenger on the rght; Gbrel the trength on the left de; Rphel the heler upportng you om behnd . Net wth your eye loed mgne ght hnng hed of you n ont of your fe. ow t to be brght you n Th the rhnge Ure the lght of God Now you re urrounded on four de meenger trength heng nd ght 7. Fnly mgne hug benevolent loud of lght hoverng bove your body. The the Shekhina the femnne preene of God ow the lght of the Shekhina to lowly deend urroundng you wth ove envelopng you wth tender proteton rdng you n the oet mot peel tte of nd you hve ever eperened Sur rounded by ngel you re o n the rm of nnte ndne b olute eurty nd fety 8 f you re n bed th wonderful wy to drft o to leep f you re ttng ty long you h n th tte of mnd Wen you Angels an d Dens 1 5
are ready to end the meditation, however do not et up too abruptly. It i much better if you are able to revere the proce, lowly alowin the Shekhna to rie up aan to hover over your head Then let o of the anel one by one, makin ure they do not o too far away bu ive you freedom of movement Even thouh you let o of the meditative tate you wll probably feel a reidual of th experience once you bein movin around. You can practice thi meditaton a often a you wih. Wcannot over load on anelic enery it alway benecial Thi i a reat meditation to hare wth children. Mot people who are ain enormou benet om thi uided medtaion you can do i in their home or in the hoptal. I have done th even over the telephone. But be ure that the peron meditatin not be diturbed for at leat twenty minute and mot mportant you hould be we practiced in it yourelf before oerin it to other N A N D J A LADDR
number of ection of Torah refer to anel one of the more famou ben the portion dealn with Jacob. At one point Jacob dream of a ladder that reache from earth to heaven.87 Anel o up and down the ladder, and God tan above it talkn to Jacob, promn to ive him the land that urround him. Later Jacob wretle with and defeat an anel. Afterward, he renamed Irael. bibc commentary attempt to reolve dicule in the text. In thi intance the problem that i of concern i why the Torah ay that the anel rt acend the ladder and then decend Loicay, auin anel tart o omewhere other than earth, the text houd ay that the ane decended t and then acended. So naturay, th turn of word invite com ment. Some obviou ueton arie Since anel do not walkthey move in ome other waywhy do they need ladder? Moreover, why do we en ion them with win? It i written in the Midrah that ome ane have x win, and ome have twelve.88 It i ad that demon have ix wn8 And the Shekhina, the divine feminine preence o aid to have wn. Why i thi? None of thee bein need wn to et from one place to another. What do the win repreent?
Go a Verb
Although n the Torah wngs are ued teral or ng, the code or the word wng mean a coverng; under the nuence o omethng A t a n alms 36:8 "ow ecelent our ove, God or people nd hel ter under the hadow o our wngs. When we are under the wngs o the Shekhina, we are urrouned b lght and lovngkndne. When we are under the wngs o a demon we are urrounded b darkne The wngs o angel urround u wth angelc wdom. t ad that an ange gven a job to do, jut one job at a tme uu aly to delver a meage. or eample we earn that ever vng thng ha a momentar guardan angel that gve a vtal meage Lve! The net mo ment, another angel appear wth the dentcal meage. What happen to the rt angelc energ once t ha delvered t meage? It ha nothng ele to do. It whole purpoe wa to do th one act You ee once the meage gven the angel o longer ha wng, o to peak It dappear. Angel and demon are lke orb o prtua energ n an eervecent qud that contantl bubbng When a bubble re to the top t dap pear The bubbe dened b the qud and not b tel. We mut be care ul when we peak about orb o ener becaue we tend to thnk o them n terms o boundare but angel do not have phcal boundare So we mut tr to mane ange a ephemera bubble that et everwhere, oten overlappng wth one another not urrounded b qud, not even havng dmenon. The Tamud gve u a wa to eerce our magnaton regardng an gelc energ It a that he wdth o Jacob' ladder had to be eght thou and parasang, whch equal about twent thouand mle Wh? Becaue the wordng o the paage that decrbe angel acendng and decendng ugget that two were gong up and two were comng down at the ame me Ung tmudc logc the ladder had to be wde enough or our an gel abreast The Taud goe on to quoe Danel :6 whch a that the ange Dane aw had a bod ke Tarhh. Wherea ome tranlate Tarhh a a precou tone, the ecret meanng that t the name o a ea that two thouand paraangs wde. Thu, the Talmud concude that each angel wo thouand paraang de, our abreat mean that Jacob' ladder wa eght thouand paraangs n wdth. Th, o coure wder than the earth A lar teachng can e ound n the Midrah Rabbah whch eplct a that the ze o an angel one thrd o the word.9 In th teach ng our angel abreat would have the dmenon o world In ether meaurement, Jacob' ladder ubtantall arger than the world I t o what doe the ladder ret on?
A ngel and Deon 1 7
Obioly it i ot ay kd of laddr that t ito or imagiatio or i it a laddr that i logical dd it i ot a addr at l bt a ig of highr cocio. h Zohar i it clar o thi ayig h laddr ofacob ymbocy allowd him to al ll of cocio a o al awar kit ito o whol. Each id of th laddr rprt a dimio Abraham o th right chesed xpaio) ad Iaac o th lft evorahcotractio) acob i th middl /baty) i th clatio of th baac ad harmoy rird to b abl to tad o th hight rg abo ithr id. hi acob) i iwd a a compltio a whol th pot tial for th totality of cocio i it m rathr tha i dicrt part h whol of th laddr form o ard chariot th hicl ladig to total awar) . Each rg o th laddr rprt a ll of cocio acob i iwd i Kabbalah a th pak of hma prfctio mor tha ay of th othr biblical charactr. H tad o th top rg th hight pottial acmt hld p o ithr id by th piar of loigd ad jtic. Jtic it hold b otd i kabbalitic trmiology i comparabl to what othr traditio call kara hat i to ay comc jtic i th pirital law that ry actio word or thoght rrbrat throghot th ir W hr that agl ar coctratio of comic ic hy do ot ha dimio pr bt rprt forc that rai cocio. h laddr ymboiz th jory of highr cocio which i implid by th agl' acdig th laddr bfor dcdig it acob wrtl with a agl a ight ad aftr thi traformatio of cocio i ramd Iral h word ra i compod of two word i Hbrw yashar ad l Yashar ma to go traight th word l i o of th primary am of God h Iral ca b itrprtd to ma that which yar to go dirctly to God It i impicit i cratio that ry par ticl of mattr ad ry big ha withi it a apct of Iral a yarig to rtr to it orc hi ida i riforcd by th tachig that th am Iral do ot appy to ag bca thy ar alrady tray coctd to God h Midrh tach that wh th ag raizd that thy w prai ig th God of Iral thy bga to wodr abot who rprt Iral. Wh Adam wa bor thy akd th th o for whom yo ar proclaimd God God rpodd No h i a thf h to th forbidd it' Noah No h drik too mch.' Noah got drk aftr th ood.) Abraham No hi fathr wa a idol worhipr. aac No h lo h drg o a. acob Y h i th o 9 So acob i th idal th forc withi ach of that cotatly p
1 8 God I a
o Go. In his we ae ieen om he elesia beings Agels have no nee fo his l bease hee is nohing ing hem in an ohe ieion. Angels ae f imese in Go he have no fee wi This is e as well fo emons Jaob eesens he highes a of hmankin. O ohe omonens ae she an e b angeli an emoni foes Jaob weses an ws. This is one of he mos imoan sii eahings of he Toah. In essene, i sas ha one we lea eognize he a wihin s ha is onnee wih Go we an neve be efeae.
Guardian-Angel Practice 1 . in a ie lae whee o no be inee fo a leas hi nes. i omfoabl an fos o n on he exeiene of his momen sim being esen I wi be sefl fo o o have a wah o alam wih a beee ha o an se fo hi mines. A he en of his meiaion o ma nee o eoien osel. 2 Imagine ha somewhee ie ose is o gaian angel. I an ake an fom o wish. Le o imaginaion be fee Yo gaian angel an be in a bo o no; i an ake fom o be a hogh; i an seak eo hogh eeah, o se ohe nonineea means of ommniaion ha o wi nesan. When o ae able o sense somehing lose o o noie how i feels, an esibe o oself wha i looks ike. Ty o ommniae wih his gaian angel. If o have il wih his exeise, le oself een an examine whaeve hoghs ome ino o min. Peening oes no mae in his aie; we an lean somehing fom he hien saks in eve hogh Theefoe howeve he gaian angel hooses o ommniae n o he foowing a b. c. d. e. g
When i i ome ino o life? Wha oes i o fo o a his ime? How ofen is i wih o? How was i bon? How is i noishe? How oes i make eisions? Wha an i o fo o in he ue?
Angels and Deons 1 9
4 Now say to t
a What can yo te me abot death?
b c d e
Descrbe he to me Descrbe heaven. Wll yo be wth me after I de? W I see relatves or freds who have aready ded?
5 ny, say "Pease, gve me an experence rght now for a few n tes of the heavey realm after lfe. Jst for a short tme, let me ex perence heaven deceased loved ones angeic forces or the Throne of God. Show me what ths s lke ow yorself to completely relax and be carred to the heghts of the pper rems (Yo wll be able to relax more f yo rmem bered to set a tmer for thrty mntes.) 6 When yo retrn from yor so voyage, be sre to reconnect wth yor gardan angel and arm that yo wl want to have tre con versatons See f t s wlng to do so. Then come back to the expe rence of yor body and after a few deep breaths open yor eyes. When we are able to establsh a relatonshp wth a personal angeic force we gan access to angelc realms, whch are reates that transcend or own Once we know how to enter ths frame of mnd, we slowly alter or sense of ndvdal dentty and tme. or example or experence explorng heavey realmsespecay n contact wth deceased loved onescky opens new possbltes for the meanng of eternal fe. Usng teches sch as these vsalzatons, or ordnary perspectves of reaty can be dramatcay tered We can become more attned to sbtle aspects of creaton Some people experence ths throgh conjrng nvsble creatres ike fares gnomes, or lves. Others become senstve to the delcate messages gven by natre that ert s to more than meets the eye. Yet others become attned to nances n everyday fe that reveal hdden meanngs of otherwse mndane events These are mystcal phenomena. Or awareness of them can be nrtred by any sprtal practce that opens s to the possbtes of experences that transcend the mnd.
1 5 Gd s
a Verb
G 0 0
A N
E V I L
ebbe Zalman SchachterShalo cs mse "the Last of the Mohicans. With Shlomo gone Zalman is the na bridge between the old country of tradition and modern postHoocaust udaism that chooses to ook to the future as much as to the past Reb Zalman is sometimes referred to as the cyrnetic rebbe. His computer skls are well advanced and his ture planng often includes technology yet to be de veoped Still he is an oldtime rebbe lled with hasidic tales and anecdotes that embrace the heart He teaches in many languages and even his Ensh is multidmensional. His sharp and unusul insights are invariaby provocative and inspiring for auences I remember one parcularly powerl tae that opened for me a new un derstanding of the dicult and complex uestions regarding the issue of good and evl. "My dear friends he said "I was recenty aske about the ueson of evl Is there evil in the world? If so how can it est if God is allpowerl and good As many of you know this is a uestion that hs been prob lematic for thousands of years. So let me tell you a lttle story. Zan closed s eyes and began to rock back and forth. In his elder ing years he has taken on the role of a spiritual zayde a grandfather for
Good and Evil 5
dozen of abbi and houand of uden ong hi bead he old hi oy. "When he Baal hem Tov wa only ve yea old, hi fahe, Eeze became faaly i n he la day of hi life young Iael fahe caled o he boy and aid My on, emembe ha he Enemy wi alway be wih you, bu no mae wha happen, he oul wihin you i pue and whoe. The Enemy can neihe ene i no blemih i; you ou belong o God. ea no man, and do no fea he Enemy, fo God i way wih you Then Eeze he fahe of he Baal hem Tov, died "ael mohe had died oon afe hi bih, when he wa cicumcied o now ha ael wa ophaned, he people of hi vilage aied him He wa no much of a uden, and he conany gazed ou of he claoom window. Acualy, he hay pen any ime in he claoom, fo he wa away wandeing in he wood, eaing oo and beie and inging wih he bid. "Hi life oudoo wa hi pimay educaion He followed an, lep in he mo, ked wih animal, and mo of a, he uiey liened He li ened o he wind, he ceak of banche, he ue of leave. In ilence he could hea hing ohe could only imagine: pide weaving beee beahing, plan gowing Thi i how he eaned he language of naue. "A he age of en, Iael became he helpe of he choolmae in he village of Hoodenka. Hi job wa o guide younge childen o he chool houe each moning and back o hei home in he afenoon. He wa wondeful wih he younge childen, and oon hey became adian fen he chden wee lae aiving a chool o going home, bu he paen did no mnd becaue he childen eemed o be o cheeful hei cheek wee oy wih laughe, fo hey wee conany inging. The adul wee pleaed ha hei childen wee o happy. "y he childen knew ha Iael ook hem o and om chool by a oundabou way. Rahe han walking down he oad, he way mo peo ple would have, hey cu aco he eld and hough he foe. They ced o he chipmu and whied wih he bid. Mo of all hey ang ong o God ha Iael augh hem "The childen walked hough he wood wih young ae he on of Eieze, chaning wondeful une. And ju like u, he childen wee ca ied o he heigh of joy "The heigh of joy, indeed Thei ong wee o lled wih innocen love ha hey boke hough he baie ha guad he heavenly ealm oon hee ong wee ng he paae of he ivine, and a umo began ha he meianic ime had come. When aan he Enemy, head hi umo, he
152 Go I
a Verb
intantl appeared in the heaven court, and with a fur that caued a great peal of thunder, he cried out, Someone in the world i meddng and mut be topped' "The prophet Eljah, who ha the job of announcing the arrival of the meianic era, came forward and aid, The are onl chidren. But in truth Elah hme wa uncertain. Thi wa the cloet the wold had ever come Perhap the innocent joy of the children actull heralded the arrival of the meac era "Satan cowled at Eah and demanded of God in a boomng voice Z man roared) Let me chlenge thee children! ' "God acquieced Zalman poke weetly), Go, chalenge' "Thu Satan came to earth and began h earch for omethng or ome one that could do h work A everybod know the Enem can intigate tng, but actu deed mut be performed on b ving creature "Satan checked the enre inect world, ookng for one that would car h poion into the bloodtream of the bo caed rael. None of the inects would agree He checked al the animal to d one who would attack rael But the bo knew the language of nature and the amal refued There wa not a ingle ving thng that would cooperate with the Enem to harm the bo "Final Satan found an old man who ived a a charcoal burner He wa one of an extremel rare breed, for he had been born wthout a oul. Hi body nctioned a a normal bod. But there were no feeng whatoever. He dd not know right om wrong. He could not be with human being ndeed, when he had been born, hi mother had abandoned hm in the wood, for he intinctivel knew he wa more anm than human He wa nured by a hebear and learned to urvive b eating ant and grub "But he had higher integence and would p on people who camped in the wood Th i how he learned about re, and om that he learned to make charcoal. He had been potted on numerou occaion but wa o weirdlookng makng uch trange ound, people avoided contact Yet the ptied him People who wanted charcoal would take what the needed and in return would leave behnd food and drink He lwa hd when peo ple ce around to take hi blackened wood n thi wa, the charcoal burner never had to encounter a ingle human being entire lfe "Thi wa the perfect creature for the Enem purpoe, one that coud not a no to hi evil deign Even before thi time, Satan had ent a demonic power to exercie ite through the charcoal burner' bod On ght that were it b a ll moon, the pathetic brute would grow fur. Then, tanding on a four, he would howl at the moon People ted about a trange
Good and Evil 1 5
werewo livg i the woods, but they ever had the courage to search out the truth. Sata, however, had a much more isidious scheme this time tha sim ply turig loose a werewof. Whe he foud the charcoal burer sleepig, he reached ito his body ad removed his heart. The Sata took a piece of his ow heart, the heart of evil, the ucleus of the darkest void ad placed this black heart withi the empty chest of his creature. The ext morig, srael led the sigig childre across the elds toward the lie of trees that marked the forest. As they approached the trees, suddey a huge, shadowy creature stepped out of the dark forest, sarlig, growlig, spittig. ts eyes gleamed red its ostrils set plumes of orage fog spiralig i the earlymorig air. Stadig o its hid feet, it was as big as a tree, twey feet ta. Whe it spread its hairy arms, it could grasp a team of horses. But most ighteig was its wail as it howed ad yelped ad shrieked. The chidre either faited dead away or ra for their ives They scat tered i directios, except for those lyig i a heap behid youg srael. srael was the oy oe to stad his groud, facig this moster ever mov ig ter a while, the immese werewolf retured to the woods, ad a was uiet oce agai. Each time srael revived oe of his fae charges the chd screamed upo awakeig ad ra directly back home Soo, srael was stadig aoe by the edge of the forest. The parets of the vage were agry with srael for havig take the chidre through the forest Everyoe kew a werewolf lived there, eve though they thought that the childre were exaggeratig its size. Still, it had bee foosh to take them ito the wooded area Little d they kow that the chidre were ot exaggeratig at a srael told the adults that there as othig to worry about. truth obody had bee hurt. The childre had bee frighteed, that is al He as sured them that the ext day they would get over their fear ad this would be a good thig Aer a while the parets agreed with sael ad said that he coud guide the chldre the ext day The foowig morig, the childre huddled together as they approached the trees that marked the begiig of the woods Sure eough, at the same place as o the previous day, the hideous creature oce agai appeared, beowig ad howig at the edge of the tree ie srael cautioed the cdre to stad st, or to lie dow ad cover their faces if they must. He would de with the ceatue
5 od
a Verb
Reb Zn now got qite sti. His eyes were losed nd his roking ws more sbtle thn before It seemed s thogh he were stnng before tis retre himsef We were the ildren he ws the wrrior ing the nknown We wited. Nobody moved. Slowly he begn gn. "Isrel wlked ord lone ling himse retly between the were wolf nd the dren As he got loser to the best it loomed lger nd lger nt it ws like blk lod tht enveloed him He ws ightened to be sre bt hs dying fthers words ket reeting themselves in hs mind Do not fer the Enemy for God is lwys with yo. "He ket wng. The werewol did not move. Closer nd loser He wked to it And then the drk lod desended nd Isrel fond himsel inside the demon In the mrky shdows he sw its smooth blk hertthe hert o drkness. He rehed ot took it in his hnds nd steed bkwrd One gin he ws otside o the retres body "The hert writhed nd lsted in his hnds It ws sliery nd relsive bt Isrel ket s gri tght In this moment yong Isrel hd in his ower the oortnity to destroy the hert o evil. I he did so the world wold never be the sme. "Bt he notied dro of blood triklng down one side o the hert nd his sol ws tohed to its deths. He old see tht this hert ws in torment it ws in gony. It too sered the enormos in o sertion st ke everyone else the world or even the hert of evl hs wthin it srk of the Divne nd it too yerns to be retrned to its sore "Ths the omssion ofyong Isrel oened wide nd his ony hoie ws to relese the hert. He led it on the erth At tht moment the erth st oen nd swlowed the hert into its deths "The next dy the vigers fond the body of the hrol brner It is sd tht he hd ee look on is tormented fe. It is so sid tht the hidren never were s hy gin for the hert of drkness ontined to do its work. The er tht it le beind ws now inside the hden in ening their tions eelings nd thoghts. Indeed they were now more ike their rents thn the innoent hildren they sed to be
for mny mntes ondering wht we do if we hd the hne to destroy the hert of evi Wht ind of wod wold it be? Reb Zmn roked from side to side Then he sid "Yo see my ien we t rst ts story seems sderhs s A
s E Y
Good and Evil 1 55
i wuld have been beer if rael had dered he hari i i a r f grea pimim. Fr i eache u a big len. he len i ha even he hear f Saan ha a divine park; even he hear f evil earn be redeemed. hi i impran becaue we learn ha ur jb i n e up a balegrund eradicae evil bu earch u i park f hne Our ak i n der bu buid n hae bu nd a place f ieldng n plarize bu dicver he pin f cmmni ha we can wrk geher Learn hi len dear friend i wi erve u we
TH MYI A PV
O
GO OD
AD V
unvere can be viewed a a meaphic magne wih ne caed gd and he her ced evil Gd i repreened b Gd and evil b Saan. he mre we engage in cerain aciviie he cler we are drawn Gd Of cure he ppie i rue. i impran keep in nd ha we are dicuing Gd and n Ein Ein i bend gd and evi we mu n aribue gdne d wud exclude evil, and hi wuld leave decienwhich i n Of cure i wuld be ju a fh ca ev a c gd. Simpl ad Ein Sofembrace everhing, including he ai f gd and evil. n ur rea, in he imple erm we a ha gd i whaever bring u cler Gd and evi whaever draw u awa. hen an irn ng fa he urface f a paper ha ha a magne beneah i a number f variable deermne wheher i wi be drawn he piive ide f he magne r he negaive ide. Hw cle de i fal eiher ide? Hw rng i he mage? Hw much fricin reiance) de he urface f he paper have? ha i he hape and mhne f he ling iel e culd ak imilar uein abu urelve. Hw cle d we feel Gd? Hw rng i he inuence f Gd cnciune in ur ve? Hw ea i i acce awarene f Gd preence? Hw much ime d we give urelve explre he deeper meaning f ife? Hw much are we cndi ined b habiua behavir ha make ur live ruine and uncnciu?
1 5 God s a Verb
When we anwer thee etion, we get a ene of hw connected we will be to the magnet of goodne Notice that the iron ng itelf i neither poitive nor negative before it become magnetized We are neither good nor evil in or natre. We are imply the prodct of the accmlated inence in or ve, pl the mot important variable: or ee will We can place orelve cloer or farther away om thing, a we chooe. hee choice, of core wll inence where we end p. Nothing i ever tatonary, becae the force of the nivere are con tantly gging and phing Higher concione, the light of the Divine, i a powerl orce of attraction Yet it i balanced by an inential oppoing force Some name thi oppoing force the "evil incnation (yetzer ha) In hman being the evil incnation ha a wide arenal at it dipoal, inclding bt not lited to lt, greed, tat fame fortne, poplarity, ac iition cleverne taent, and power None of thee characteritic i in herently evil bt each ha the potential of edction to draw deeper into or egotrctre and farther om or connectedne with the Divine he contant tenion of oppoing force i a iveral law In magnetim it i cled poitive and negative in pace, p and down, right and left, forward and behind In the Eat the principle i decribed a yin and yang In Kabbaah it i called gevurot retrictive power) and hasidi expanive power). he dynamic tenion beween gevurot and hasidi appear continally in maor bibcal motif: Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Abraham and hi nephew Lot Sarah and Hagar Ihmael and Iaac, Lot and hi daghter Ea andacoboeph and hi brother and on it goe. In each intance, the Kab balit perceive a niveral relationhip of one repreenting more the ide of retriction, and the other the ide of expanion hi comic ph and pll i the natre of creation and the principle pon which good and evil are baed P u I o
I
W G ooD AD vr
i a holy day derived from the Boo of Ether that el ebrate the miracle of ewih rvival when the evil Haman tried to commit genocide In religio circle, Haman i often eated with
Good and Evil 1 57
Htr an so stca tacrs suggst tat aras to Tr Rc can b foun n t Boo of Estr. Pur s vw b Kabbasts as a g sgncant o a t t s t ost n a of cbraton n bcaus Gos narnss s not as obvous on ts a On Passovr, for xa Go s qut rsnt, causng racs to gt t Israts to a nw an. On Ros Hasana an Yo K ur, t a of bng ug for t cong ar as t rsnc of t Dvn aost aab. So too Savuot, wt Go on Mt. Sna gvng t Tora an Suot, n wc Gos rotcton s a rar t. But t s w nown tat Go s nvr nton n t Boo of Estr T cbraton of Pur s fstv an coorfu Man o rss n costus absur s t t of t a. T or rcuous a statnt t or t s n t srt of Pur. Maor nwsars across Isra rnt ans on ts a Knsst Gos Out of Busnss, or Ts Abo s or Lvatan Sott n Da Sa n snagogus vrwr rars ar sung n strang os an t Boo of Estr s ra wt n ctons an nnunos tat ar oftn rotous In Jrusa urng Pur I usua so aroun fro on con ggaton to anotr to no t avor of rnt o rang t txt So of t or sat rabbs go o J to H on ts a In on of favort shul a arg canr was r out of t cng b a g rsct Kabbaa tacr wo c to swng urng t of t egillah rang. Pur an Scat Tor t cbraton ust aftr Suot wn t cc of Tora rangs bgns anw ar aong rar occasons wn nb rat o ar sn on t strts ofJrusa. Purs fsvs ars o t tratona tacng tat w sou rac a stat of n n wc w cannot t t rnc btwn t ro of t stor, Morca an t arcvan, Haan. T sourc of t a of bcong ntoxcat on Pur cos o a tauc statnt a b Rava tat sas t s our obgaon" to our svs wt t sc of Pur Rava nvr ntons wn or acoo) unt w cannot t t rnc bwn t wors curs b Haan" o t statnt bss b Morc.9 Kabbasts ont out tat t Hbrw wors for bss b Morca aruh Mordeai) av t vau n ga tra of 5 wc quas t vau of t Hbrw wors for curs b Haan (arrur Haan) 9 Tus for Jws stcs, t wors tsvs ncat tat t arc of goo rrsnt b Moca an tat of v rrsnt b Haan suggst an ct ratons bcaus t av t sa nurc 1 58 God Is a Verb
vaue This mystica cocet is echoed by the fact that the word for seret (nahah) whch reresets evi icarate i the Garde of Ede, ad the word for messiah ehiah) so have idetical gematria. 7 Ravas teachig is that we must immerse ourselves i the sweet sices of dee wisdom uti we hae attaied a itimate uderstadig of the ature of good ad evi. Whe we reach a trascedetal oit i which good ad evil overla to the extet that we ca erceive how either ca trasform ito the oosite the itesity of the exeriece ca be so great that we lose our sese of erso idetity If we do so we ca eter ito a word that is called devekut costat awareess of God. But the rocess of uder stadig the relatioshi of good ad evi is aradoxica ad ot as easiy ac comlished as it souds. he essetial message that Rava commucates is that good ad evi is ot a dichotomy at all is ot a sit betwee oosites but a ecosed uverse of cuved time ad sace A mobius stri gives us a grahic examle98 f we take a stri of aer and, before attachig the two eds we twist oe of the eds to its oosite side, we have a mobius stri Now, if we ick u this stri ad start drawig a le, we wi ed u with a le o both sides thout ever removig the ecil from the aer The two sides geometricay are actuay oe. This is ot to say that good is rey evil ad that evil is good. Not at Rather that each has the sark of the other ad if ushed too far ths sark ca be igited. The comlexities of the uestio of evi ush us to the lts of reaso. At these limts we must exted beyod the d ad daw uo resources that surass the iteect. We do this through cotemlative exercises meditatio, visuazatios study ad itese devotio. this rocess we move to a ew dstate. Ony with a revitalized ersective ca we gai isight
Good and Evil 1 59
into the iue of good and evil It i therefore aid that when enough people accom acco mplh thi th i undertanding undertanding of the th e nature of evi, evi, we wi wi enter ent er a new era of awar awaren ene e.. Indee Ind eed, d, the mytic ay that o m ppur the holie hol iett day of the year, i reay reay like Purim, Pur im, and that Purim Puri m itelf repreent what w hat thing wil be ke in the era of meiac meiac concioune. concioune . s
V
A ?
n the traditional paradigm good i doing thing the way want want u u to do them them and and evil evil i doing do ing thing thing another way. rom thi perpective evil i conidered to be poion. It i omething that hould be obliterated. ur tak i to avoid it at cot but hould we encounter it, we mut externate it. The Th e mytical mytical tea t each chin ingg of the th e Baal Baa l Shem She m Tov Tov however however pre pr eent ent u with a new paradigm. t ay that evil ha divine nature nature within it A the th e Zohar de cribe There Th ere ii no phere of the Other Side evil) that th at entirely lack ome treak of light om the ide of holine. Rather than detroy it our tak i to uplift it. Thi add coniderable complexity to the law for wherea tra tion would have it black and white the mytic ay that there are an in nite variety of hading each of which can be raied to new height. Kabbalah teache that in reality, evil a we know it can never be eradi cated cated even if we wanted for it i t a primary nction in creation. creation . With out omething puing u away from the ivine we would be oveheed by God Go d we would loe lo e our ou r fr free wi, and creation could coul d not exit a it doe now The old paradigm view good and evi a a imple dichotomy God i in direc tion, and Satan Sata n i in the the other. other. The new paradi paradigm gm ugget that that God G od one direction, i in every every direction repreented by light, light, and Sata Sa tann i o o everywhere everywhere rep reented by veil veil.. rom thi viewpoint, evil i dened d ened a a force force that tha t dim the light The old way of looking at thing i that omething i inherently evil or example money i the root of a evil there can be a bad eed that produce an evil outcome; a peron can be evil to hi or her core a erpent i evil. The new way ay that evil i not a thng rather, it i related to aware ne. Money can be good or evil, depending upon what we do with it. A bad eed can produce an infected fruit, or it can be converted into omething ueful. Mold can be dicarded a harful, but certain kind become peni cin. A peron can be evil and even a potentia murderer, but there may be
1 od o d a Verb
a way to bring out a drnt quality that ould bnt humanind A po sonous sonou s srpnt s rpnt may stri at us or w may may mil ts vnom to us for md n Our tndny is to hod on o old ways of sing thngs It sms as ir to lay dn good and vil vil and to to now xatly xatly how to dal with it it Yt diult di ult qustions qus tions do not yild yil d asy solutions solut ions And th qustion qustio n of good goo d and vl vl is on of th most diult of al al
Good and Evil Evil 1 1
H I G E R
W A R E E S S
Y R K H (he Wok of the Chiot)
T H E
M Y S T C A L
C H A R O T
ebbe Nchmn of Breslo told the story of kng who dscoered tht his entire entire spply of grn hd been b een contminted contmint ed by strnge ngs The grin grin looked looke d the sme nd tsted the sme s nor ml grin g rin There ws no wy of knowng nythng ws erent ere nt exc e xcep eptt for for one ittle problem Anyone who te ths grn lost contct with tre relity In smple terms when person te this grn he or she becme dernged The kng nd s disor were the only ones who knew bo bot t this prob lem They dscssed ther options They were rpidly rnnng ot of ncontminted grn nd there were no lterntes for feedng the ntion In two more dys dys they wold he he to open the contminted contmin ted storehose storeho se or the the people peo ple of the kingdom wold wold str stre e A new grn grn spply spp ly wold wo ld not be redy for lmost yer, nd there ws no ssrnce tht een tht wold be ncontminted At rst they thoght tht they wod ge the grin to the people bt wold not et t themseles so tht t lest two people n the kingdom wold mintin ther snity Then the king relzed tht he wold not be ble bl e to goern goern the msses ms ses f he did d id not nderstnd wht people peo ple were were think think
he he Mys tial Chaio t 1 5
ng So h uggt tht h houl t th gn but tht h vo houl ty n Thn th vo lz tht t woul b mpobl to gv v to th ng f h w ng ng tu ty ty but th ng w not Thy untoo un too tht n o to ul ngom of popl wth nt ty, thy both h to t th ontmnt gn o tht thy oul thng vy on l Th ony hop fo th futu of th pop w th pobty tht omon omo n wou b bl to z tht th wol wol thy w p pnng nng w not th tu lty So th ng n h vo put out n t to th popl tht vy on w u by lw to put m on th foh, n vy monng whn thy w tht m n th mo, thy w to thmlv, Wht o th m mn?' Th hop w tht popl woul won why vyon w oblg to thmlv th uton n vntuy t om o m pon pontt n n th th fut futu, u, th m m wou wou l th th nton nt on to th z z ton tht th lty w luoy Th wh th toy n n W nv nv n out wht hppn hp pn bu b u n ft w t t vng th to to y. W hv hv myt myt ou ou m m wthn u tht th t ontnuly ontnuly h h u ng th uton I I th th l? l? I th t h th wy lf lf up up po to b? Rbb hmn toy wonl ptu mtpho On th ft lf ou ou ntu pot to ttn wom n onnt wth t of mon lf th tuth of t tn hv bn o by th mn of th out wol Th nvoun n btn tht ompny ou ontnt n fo mo tm hv f n lln of pm popoton ung th lt hf h f of th twntth twntth ntuy ntuy ot o t mny mny pop po p yt z th th vty of th ton t on I u u to f f to t t th tm t m mon, but bu t now th th wol wol h bom nft wth wht I TDS ponoun tou, whh tn fo Tm Dny Synom A mjo ymptom of th tot n of poty Whn v wo wo noh upon up on ponl l ltonhp tonhp n th tonhp t bt, th TDS Tn of llon of mg n fy lton u bu o mny popl hv th pot onfu Anoth Anot h ymptom ymptom th pn pnn nyy on th u u ." Phmut ompn hv bom h bu w ntnt lf fo ng bo n p p n It I t f mpl mpl to to t pn pn thn to wo wo wth th t ung th Php th mot m ot pvnt pvnt ymptom ofTDS n of ngt n n pu pol po ln n On O n womn tol m m tht h flt f h h w ow ownn nngg n of ommtmnt n ponblt Th w o muh to o, n o
1 God Is
a Verb
itte tme to do it Se ould feel eself stngulting bling out going numb nd se ws teied. As mote, se ws ueu ook, len ing womn, ountnt, wsewomn, nd slve se ely d me to ook inside, to feel e sef, nd life d lost most of its mening Even toug se d beutl ome, tee den, nd usbnd wo ws good povide se d no sense ofjoy. om te outside, e life looked wonde Inside, it ws wose tn nigtme Se oud not point to nyting spei; it ws not ke te dy sop opes Se tsted e usbnd nd loved im It ws simply te ft tt se d no tme to nu tue esef to feed e soul, nd se ws dying of spiitul mnutition e disese of insuient time is mdy tt eventuy le to selfdestution. Wen te soul is stved te body begins to exibit mny un elty signs. We e moe esily iitted nd we tend to engge in mindnumbing tivities. We dink moe eine to sty wke nd ingest moe sopois to get to sleep. We onstntly tink bout utizing ou time well nd we often ty to do tee o fou tngs t one is ttempt t "efieny omes t pie we sometimes ve to beome just to get tme o to be wit ouselves. Atoug ou ife expetny is inesing, te e uestion is wete o not te ulity of ou ves is impoving Does ou uene ssue us of deepe onnetions wit te meing of life? Do we ve ige ibe of eltionsip wt ou fmes? Ae we moe integted wt ntue? Ae we genuinely ppy? Some would sy tt te ontminted gin tt we ve been ingest ing fo ong time is led desie. We e uisitive we wnt moe of evey ting sttus fme, fotune nd possessions. We e neve stised wit wt w v Otes would sy tt te gin is powe We wnt to onto tngs to be in position of supeioi, to lod ove otes. Wteve nme we give it, most would gee tt tis gin is food fo te ego te tn te soul it is food tt nutues ou sense of septeness e moe septe we feel te moe we e diven by desie powe nd ote motivtions tt distinguis us om te est of umnity In tis ontinuous se fo distintion, ou pioities sift to meet te euiements of elity dominted by mteilsti wold us we suende timete time to sit uietly by pond nd eet, o te time to bsob ouselves in deepy meninl tivites. We get nevous wen tee is noting to do, nd we ty to up evey spe moment wit tvity. Ou desies pus us onwd wie ou fmised nd negleted souls pled wt us to stop eet nd bing uty into ou ives We e umn vessels tt old te gt of weness to te extent tt
The Mystical Chariot 67
w ar abl t cntain t. Evry mv w mak that is harmful t urslvs r thrs crats nw laks in ur vssl. Mst ppl hav vssls that ar s laky that thy can cnain nly a smal fractin f thir ptnti light f awarnss Yt vn thugh it is a fractin f ur ptntial, th light that ach f us has withi is th surc f ur yrning t b cnnctd with th Divin This light ds nt hav a nam. A scintist cannt lcat whr i dwls But th qust fr truth is an ssntial part f ur makup. n Rbb Nachman's stry, this yarning is h sign n ur frhads, th sign f sanity. On f th mr imprtant scrts f mysica taching is hiddn in ur dsr t cnnct wth th Divin. Whil th intrinsc natur f yarning is t acquir smthing, gt smwhr, r accmplish a gal w ultimatly dscvr that thr is nhing t gt and nwhr t g Th yarning itslf hlds a scrt is wn xistnc is an answr rathr than a qustin. Our dlusin is th blf that this yarning is min r yurs th taching, hwvr is that it is an imprtant way w xprinc th prsnc f Gd. n c, it wuld b mr accurat t say tha this is Gding yarning hrugh ach sul fr th truth f cratining t b ralzd In th mdrn idim w wuld say that th mdum is th mssag. Our sanity, ur cnncin with tru raliy, is in th yarning itsl Bu h urg t b with th Divin is n sucint. Jwish mystics arnd lng ag that w must invlv urslvs in activitis that hal ur laky vssls saling th cracks n at a tim s that ur innr lights wl bcm brightr and brightr. By minizing ur harl acts and dircting urslvs t actins wrds, and thughts that rais hly sparks, w gain nr mus insight int th natur f ur rlatnship with Gd W can rad abut pssibilitis fr th futur, w can talk abut grat tachrs, w can hink abut wndrful wisdmtachings If, hwvr, w d nt bgin t accpt th rspnsibility f bringing a nw cnsciusnss t humanknd, it wil cntinu t lud us t is up t us t wrk tward highr awarnss right nw in whatvr way w can Th prcss f putting a high pririty n raising ur wn cnscius nss and hat f th wrld is calld th wrk f th charit Th mysical charit in Judaism is a vhcl highr awarnss. Th third sctin f this bk is dsignd t b a mdrn chari fr th cming mlnnum. It is cmpsd f stris and spiritua xrciss that can transfrm us. Many f h spiritual practics dscribd hr ar lmntary t udaism Thy ar th vhicl thrugh which w can fully rc gnz th imitatins f ur currnt lvl f awarnss and nd ways t
1 8 God s
a Verb
regan a learer vew of rety. The mytl harot the key to the attan ment of a worldonoune that far beyond the level at whh we lve n thee day. HI O H R W R N
n anent tme before the word Kabbalah wa ued ewh myt prattioner were aled yoedei ekevah thoe who deend n the harot 1 They had many other name a we mater of the mytery, hdren of the kng pae, thoe who know wdom the undertandng one, thoe who entered and left n peae thoe who reap the eld and o forth Thee myti were mered n teahng that oletvely were alled a asey ekevah the work of the hrot. The teahing were loely guarded eret and an aura of great reverene wa buit around ekevah mytm A an added preventatve to keep the eret dden the my let t be genery known that dabblng n thee eret would reult n erou llne and poble death Thu, a pell wa at around eh mytim upported by tatement uh a the tamud dtum The work of the harot may not be taught to anyone unle h peron a age.2 The Tmud ontan a famou tory of four holar who entered the Pades garden/ orhard The Pades n th ontet wa not an ornary garden but a realm of epanded onoune, ome ay Paradie. The eperene thee four age had wa o overwhelng one ded, one beame demented one gave up h fath and ony one Rabb Akva urvived un harmed. Th tory, whh ha been part of ewh folore for the lat f teen hundred year typl of the gener atttude n udm toward the purut of dangerou mytial wdom 3 Oy n the lat haf of the twent eth entury ha the enormou wealth ofeh mym been made more avalable to the general publ. Eentaly the teahng of the harot have to do wth pe med tative method that were ued for aendng to the hghet prtu re 4 Many of thee method were never wrtten down. Some however are de rbed n the tet of the Hekhalot pae hamber Thee tet refer to prae that apparenty were performed more than two thouand year ago. The tet derbe n deta the arhteture of other retie. They gve the name of the ange guaran of the many gate that had to be paed and he Mystical Chaiot ' 1 9
tey provide act ormlas o magical incantations, primarily variations on names o God sed to alter consciosness 5 Te ater o Ecstatic Kabbala, braam blaa tirteent centry, is known or is contemplative metods or reacing transcendent states o awareness in order to gain God consciosness blaas tecnie was to sit in a iet, darkened room, gazing at letters o te Hebrew alpabet, men taly permtating tem into varios words and prases. Te intense con centration reired to master tis tecnie leads to ig states o ecstsy Tecnies like tese tat alter states o consciosness t nder te gen eral eading "works o te cariot, te cariot being te medim by wic layers o awareness are traversed. Modern mainstreamJdsm as bt or gotten tese metods Indeed, many Jewis teacers today believe tat con templative practices are not acceptable in te Jewis wold Te empasis o twentietcentry Jdaism as been on te stdy oTora, meeting te re irements oJewis law, and celebrating te oly days Yet a clear strand in te weave o Jewis abric as ways empasized contemplative practices and te goal o attaining states o mind categorized as propesy. It goes a te way back to writings tat are inclded in te Bible. Ezekiel is viewed in Kabba as te prototype o propetic vision. tog te word" cariot does not appear in Ezeiels propecy, e describes "iving creatres ayyot), abot wom e says, "Teir appearance and teir work was like a weel witin a weel Werever te spirit (ach) went tey te hayyot moved, and te weels were lited p ong wit tem or te spirit o te ving creatre was in te weels Later, Ezekiel says tat te living creatres e saw were cerbs e vim) and e ses te same descriptive langage as earlier "Wen te cerbs moved, te weels moved wit tem. Te root letters o te Hebrew word or cerb rv) are identical wit tat o cariot (rkv In te Holy o Holies o te Temple, te ark was covered in gold Sclpted over te ark were two golden cebs t ngs otstretced, ac ing eac oter. Te wings symbolized a bondary witin wic te Divine resence wold reside wen commning wit mortals. In te Tora, God says, "nd I wi meet wit yo tere and wi speak t yo om above te covering [o te ark], om between te two cerbs wic are pon te rk o te Testimony. Te mystical cerbs atop te ark are ewed by Kabbaists as te sorce o a propecy. Tey represent te arcetype o te cariot and witin teir wings tey enclose te secrets o every experience tat removes te veils cloaking or awareness. Te mystics teac tat once we ly reze te tre dimension o te inerent ligt o consciosness dwelling witin eac o
1 70 God Is a Verb
u, w in ni onoun, nw wy of xpining iy niy dn fo y w now know i. 1 1 M onioun h nx plu of hun dvlopn. Ju w kow h h w o kind of pdig hif fo ni onoun o pho hun onoun nd h hun onioun h gon hough g ud in viou wy, uh oil wn hnoog dvlopn o bi ngn Jwih yi y h h y o o jo pdig hf owd n niy nw vl of wn In hi dvnd , pn nd uing w know i wi vnih w nd ou lionhp wih on noh w dy b d h on wih h lb, o o pk, nd f wi b oply n o nyhing w igh igin T i wh n onoun bou Tody ny of h ool y yi ud in h wok of h hio fogon. Mny pi w w lvn oy o ho Mh od uh iving in g uy bing h hnng n of God, nd bng iulou in n bhvo y no wok fo popl in ou dy, vn w knw h p. u ny wdoing hv bn nd in onidbl d hough ludi nd dh u l of h dgnd o giv u o ou inn igh Th h hio fo ou dy nd php o ipon h y po hy ld u o nw wod.
MEHOD AN N
FO H E
wAENE h diionl hod fo ning xpndd onioun. Mny of h y o dib bu diu o . Th ppoh o i onlf n ivii nd u h hv povoiv onn nd nng In Jwih onx h n uiz ng on own bhvio, dvoping gul hy of udy of inpiion wok, png o non o on piiul , dvoing on dy wk o piiul pi nd o foh T ppoh, oon in ny piiul dion i bd upon h pinipl of dpon. W dp o ou u oundng h food w h wod w d nd h xi w undk. 2
The Mystical Chariot
C
171
Th d apprah r rag awar lud h r bu h d r uh ral Th a bjv h ragy r ga gh hugh lu pla ad ularhg. hugh w d uh d Juda ha uppr whawal h buy wrld a vr pr rra h pra lu ad dp da wa pla agJwh y Th hrd apprah wha I al kavvanah pra Nraly h ra la kavvanah " I dud h x prayr r brva Jwh law. Th ag akd hr r r prrg a rlgu duy wh wr lar r h dg h a l r pra ha wha gg h pr d Obv uly h dal ua wh d ad har ar d wh wha dg. u wha hy ar ? Th ag ulaly vdd h u ad a h ay hr ap alud harhp w a ak a rg a r hr d u da a b ak p arhr Kavvanah a b appld vryhg ur lv. Kavvanah h r wrd "kavvan, wh a " dr a r au A w hav d Jwh y bul up h da ha vry ap ra rrla wh vry hr r ulg h prp ha vry hugh wrd r a rvrbra hrughu h r ra. Mrvr whhr a rlgu blga r vry v ha ar ha h pal r rag hly park. I h x kavvanah ugg a uu awar h pl a vryhg w d. Thrr kavvanah rua pra Jwh y. Idd Kabbal wr rrrd a mekavvanim, ag h wh ar alway a r br "h wh ar aly aug. Th Kabba wa hav ud awar vry . W a ulz a p pra r dvlpg h awar ju a w dd pag 40
TH
F
PAH
WANE
a pl xr: Sp radg r v u ad hg bu wh yu hal ad xhal Tha al Do no hink abo anhing. D u yur gr d u a pad papr. Sply l yur y ad b awar yur brahg. Hw lg a yu aa h awar whu hkg?
1 72 God s a Verb
"hinkng n hiing nion o nyhing h i h i no iply h pinc of h h nd now. A ound i iply vibion if w idni i in ny wy, knowing i i "bid, "ipln, o whv, h i hough f w un bou ohing h hppnd o pn fo ohing bou o hppn h i hough. f w nd ouv wning o of ohing, o wihing ohng would go wy h i hough A you bl o noic you bh fo v inu whou hving ingl hough?
h hy cnno op hinkng fo vn on inu i. W no h u of ou own ind hi i dping pinc fo o pop hough co nd go on hi own nd h o b nothing w cn do bou i h bing h c, h ind k u o plc houghou h dy whch y no b ld in ny wy o wh w nng o wh w doing. h ind k u o f nd o f, w n ou own univ nd py ou ou own d nd i gin houghou h dy W lo n of i nd plc w lo wn of wh i hppning ound u hi pinc i no bon h occu coupl of i wk o odd on of h dy i hppning connly, hundd o hound of i each hor! i lik ind bnk o you iz how ny i you blink you y ch nu? W don hink bou bnkng b cu i i uoic. W don z h nub of cuion ou nd k bcu w hv bco ccuod o h ndd, w blv h hi i h no condiion of h nd. Unfounly, h blf i pofoundy kn. n piiu diion ound h wold, h o ny con pliv pcic dignd o hlp h udn iz h dg o whch h nd i ou of conol Siing don, n, ud, wkng d iion, oving pcic uch t ai chi chan conod bhing ilnc py, nd o foh quicky v h choc ind. Evy dio dicov hi in h ion. Evyon who h pd o py oon co o h izion h h ind ipy wil no y concnd fo ong Whnv o nw cl fo popl who wn o ln bou diion, qun quion h i in h o cond ion i "y s
PEPE
o 1 sc vER
The Mystical Chariot
1 73
d s so busy; how do I stop t? Ths questo s the result of a wde spread suderstad about edtato ad what t s supposed to do. epereced people thk that wth practce we ca stop our busy ds. Ufortuately, ths erroeous belef s eacerbated by soe edtato teachers ad schools who prose that ther ethod w lead to blss ad total cotrol of oe's thouhts Ths s osese The studets of the aal She Tov heard that there was a reat teacher co to tow ad they asked ter aster persso to lear wth ths perso. The aster ave hs coset. The they asked h, How w we kow f he s truly a reat teacher? The aal She Tov repled, Ask h to advse you o what to do to keep uholy thouhts fro dsturb your prayers ad your studes. The the aster cotued: "f ths teacher ves you advce, you w kow that he s ot worthy. For t s the servce of every perso to strule every hour utl ther death wth etraeous thouhts ad te after te to uplft these thouhts ad br the to haroy wth the ature of creato3 We use coteplatve practces Judas to rase the sparks of whatever we eae. The oal s ot to atta a state whch o thouhts arse, but to deal quckly ad approprately th whatever coes up, whether they are stuatos wth other people, or thouhts our ds. As we practce ts, we do deed becoe uch ore reed, cer ad ore cotrol ut we w ever elate dsturb thouhts etrely utl we pass out of these bodes. The process ofear to dea approprately wth our thouhts ad ayt we ecouter s eleetary coteplatve work. It s the prac tce of buld awareess I udas t s related to the way we lve our lves eeral There are ay ways to br a hehteed deree of kavvanah to our lves. Oe of the ore terest s to sped oe day a week try to do everyth opposte o our oral routes If you usuay et up at A.M. try ett up at 6 or 63 AM.; do soeth uusual dur the etra te If you do everyth rhthaded try t wth your left cob your har, brush your teeth. If you dress yourself rht to left try t eft to rht See how ay ths you ca reverse throuhout the day wthout eopardz your safety, your ob or caus har to others. Much of our loss of awareess s the result of our routzed ves. y forc ourselves to chae our habts oce a week, we becoe aware of ttle ths that we had ot otced before Ths ew otc s the key for develop sks o the path of awareess. The ore we otce trva deta, the ore we a awareess.
1 74 God Is
a Verb
Nory w spnd only a sa action of ti durng th day ray bing awar, prhaps ss than on prcnt y doing th sipl practic out nd abov and thos that follow, w cn iprov our awarnss quont two or thr tis, or ayb or. That is sti only a tiny prcntag of th day ut th rwards ar norous. Lif bcos or vvid, colors s sharpr, vnts a or intrsng, situaons or provocatv, and our own sns of purpos bcos hightnd. Morovr if w ar dignt in bcong snsitv on a onttoont basis a high dgr of mochin de gadlut, xpandd consciousnss can b attand and w thrby achv a nw platau in th procss of ightning. Th goal of th foowing xrcss is for us to larn to bring awarnss of th n to vrything w ncountr, and thus xpand our consciousnss. It ay b rlativly asy for us to do so whn wondrful tngs hap pn to us howvr w ust do lkwis n vry fact of f Whn w ar abl to xprnc th prsnc of Goding during dcult vnts and vn in our own dsturbing thoughts w bgn to grasp th sparks of honss wtn thos vnts or thoughts and rais ths sparks back to thir sourc. Hr ar two spcc practics for raising awarnss Eithr can b don daiy for only wnty nuts, and within a attr of wks th practitionr noc changs in his or hr awarnss Th rst on is basd on tradi tona wsh orning bssings
Practicing avanah Part
1
1 . Sit vry qutly and notic th xprinc of th body th flng of th chst risng and fang Whnvr you noc you ar thng about othr thngs stop what you ar doing tak a coup of dp braths and co back to th xprinc of th body Whn you know you ar cntrd, continu with th xrcs. 2. ow yoursf to apprciat bing hr right now saying to yourslf sotng am aware. amee to make choices in le am a whole person and am thankful for being alive. Notc your awarnss, your sns of wholnss, and how your fing of thanknss xprsss itslf 3. Now, t yourslf focus on your ind, what t dos for you, how it works and ts potnti ispr to yours sothng k: am grate ful to have the ability to see things, to understand to notice lhtfrom dark The Mystical Charot 1 75
trth from falsehood. My mnd works, and am gtl for havng nsht Noce hs d ad be ael fo s capacy 4 Now, le youself focus o you body ay of us have poo body aes Ths s o he e o be bodycc, bu ahe o be body posve Thk of he body s wholeess; be awae of s sehs Eae he pas ha ae ood wok ode Thee ae housads of pas ha ae fuco we, ad pehaps a few ha ae o Oe hakfuless fo he pas ha ae wok 5 Sad up ad walk acoss he oo Noce as ay ovees as you ca he pocess of wak How does feel o lf ad ove you body? Ty o oce he akes, kees, hps, hhs, he feel of cloh o you sk Noce how he shouldes, as, back, eck, ad head ove whle walk Go as slowly as you wsh Du hs e, ve haks fo he ably o ove ad o feel he ovee Gve haks fo each pa of he body ha does s job whle you ove 6 Reu o you sea ad s dow aa Keep you eyes ope ad look sah ahead whou ov you eyes o you head How uch ca you be awae of see whou ov? Noce ha you y o de ad pu aes o he hs ha you see Ty sply o oce shapes, colos, shadows, ad ovee whou a Noce ay souds ha ae occu Ty o o dwe a soud, bu o be awae of each ew soud evey oe Gve haks fo he ably o oce so ay hs ad ha lfe ca be so ful 7 Now, sply s quely ad oce eveyh ha happes each oe, o he bes of you aby You w dscove ha whe he d s acve, you w o be able o ea as awae Wheeve you ealze ha he d s hk, pu you ou of you phys cal awaeess, ey coe back o he epeece of he body e you w be able o obseve you houhs whou be ove wheled by he Oce aa, ve haks fo he wodel f of awaeess ad he chess of lfe each oe
B If you do o eady have oe, e a epesve wach ha has a e Se he e fo appoaely, bu o eacly, oe hou Thouhou he day, wheeve he e beeps, sop wha you ae
1 76
God Is a Verb
doing oon poibl nd k n o wny on o ondu body n b w of wh i hppning in you own body nd ound you You n do hi vn whil you nggd in noh iviy Sipy noi wh you ow you fng wh i hppning in n p of h body wh ound ouing nd you gnl ul xpin Eh i you do hi giv hnk fo h lln of h on you wn nd h bun dn of f ound you
9 Evy fw dy hng h i by fw inu o h hi d iion nv bo ouin Soon you will bo w of hing ponnouly wihou h i nd you ppiv bgin o hng In of fw wk you bgin o no i h din nd b uh o pn you body ing pn dd n nily nw dinion o lif
Practicing avanah: Part 2 Siing quily wih you y opn ng o b vy i ow you lf o think bou ipl phyi ovn k ung h pg of book hing o pik ohng up hng n ih bt dont move. Siply noi wh you wn o do bu don do i 2 w of h nion of wning bu iing A o poin you do ohing bu do no do i ju y You n k i o obv xly wh u hppn in od fo you di o ov o you in no o ov Soon o l you ow you o h fo h book o un h pg Whil you wi ing wh hough go hough you nd wh do i k o g h body oving? 3 A h pi on you gin o ov you hnd you bl o ob you own h dw you o piul ovn? . Now igin h vy p of xin i onnd o pow ou If ny piul onnion w o b u h pi of x in woud innly Nohing n xi wihou bing on nd o i ou Now iging h pn of h ou of f h whh pow ovn p p o 3 bov The Mystcal hariot 1 77
5. Wh you a ady c o vyhg aoud you o h pspcv ha h souc of cao s cosaly ps Ths souc vazs vy ov ad ads vy aco wod ad hough Expc hs as h psc of h Dv . S h o you wach o go o vy wo hous o so Each souds c o h psc of h Dv fo as log as you a ab o do so Ths w bco auoac A ajo aspc of h ghg pocss s bgg h psc of h Dv o as ay os of you lf as possbl As h pvous x cs a fw wks you wl bg o xpc h chag Th s xcs bg awa of vy physcal sulus asg ach o s asy o dscb bu dcul o as s aly sags w ak quck pogss u usualy w d h qud cocao oo uch o susa ad w slp o ou old pas Acuay as spl as souds hs s a advacd hod whch has paals a ub of ados Z uddhs s cad shikan-taza, h sa of d of a hghy skd saua whos lf dpds upo acu awass Tba uddhs s calld Dzogchen o Mahamd, 4 cosdd o b h os lucd dscpl of awass pacc Th scod xcs susag a ss of h couous spua ps c of h Dv s also dcul o aa Ths howv hghs h ss of h dacy of h souc of lf vyhg ha ufolds ad h sowly s bas of slfdy whch kp us bvg w a spaa Oc w fuy az h dg o whch w a gad o h spcu of awassha s ha w a pa of ou pspcv of f chags daacay
MEDI HE
S ,
ME D I HE o D body s coposd of d ogas ad os of cs Each c s a sh coag a soul spak Thfo h body s a physca sh fo os of soul spaks Who ows h physcal sh? s hs my body? s ha yor body? Ad f s wh a ? Wh dos h " v ha ows ?
1 78 God Is a Vrb
Whn w foow an nqury of wr, who wha why and how n rf rnc o our sls, w ncour a al of rrors ha rgrsss no nny W ar no our nas. W ar no our addrsss or our lpon nubrs. W ar no our dns. W ar sohng ohr han h pr son w wach as w brus our . W ar song or han accuulaon of xprncs snc br Indd as w pursu hs nqury w ulaly co o ralz ha body s a carakr for sourc ha gs s g Our body s no our ssnc; s sply pysca ar. W ca accuulad sparks ha g lf o s physca ar soul Howr h body dos no own soul; soul dos no blong o for h soul s sply a forc a gs snc o pyscal a r Jus as ach soul spark of ry ng cll n our bods aks up ha whch w ca our soul so oo do a lng souls n word cuulaly ak up par of a unrsa soul. Indd, ws yscs achs ha h soul gng us ay s conncd and draws susnanc o, a unrsa soul. On of h or poran concps n Kabbalah acs ha whar happns anywhr unrs rrbras rougou oy of cr aon Tus our s ar acd by wa s appnng rywr; or or, whar w do n our ls acs ryng n h unrs Praps s sounds a b prnous. W ofn w oursls as n consqunal spcks of dus n a unrs n whc dsancs ar asurd n lghyars and nubr of known sars xcds h ls of our ag naon Ths sns of nddua aon s a naura ouco of our n ar ough procss. As w saw arlr, owr, h kabbasc approac s a awarnss s a holsc connuu Onc w nr a olsc a of rfrnc n whc al pars ar copl and ar rplcas of h whol, n ryng n h urs by dnion s ngray conncd 1 5 Whras lowr fors of conscousnss a ld coc n way r ls wll uold, huan conscousnss nrs an nrly nw ll I can connun wh s sourc, and as qualy of W can anayz and conpla h plcaons of lf and can ly o n a chosn drcion Thus w can ngag n acs wc w cacua wi ras our conscousnss and conscousnss of os around us. Each w do song ha rass conscousnss, w lf sparks of honss o nw lls Ts s cd tikkn ha-nesh, ndng h soul and tikkn ha-olam ndng wold, brngng closr o s sourc. oug naly das of ndng sou and ndng word s drn, n raly hy canno b sparad; w canno ras sparks n oursls whou rasng hos n word, and c rsa. En or poran, ac
The Mystical Chaiot � 1 79
ordi o Kabbalah h pross of xpadi aarss i orslvs ad h orld is h fda raso for or xs I fa h ak o or o rais or o osiosss ad ha of h orld aba or hass W a hlp orslvs ad ohrs i ay ays Th Tad says Ths ar h prps hos fris a prso joys i his orld b hos priipl rais ia for hi or hr i h orld o o Thy ar hoori ohr ad fahr as of ovikidss ary ada h hos of sdy hospialiy o ss visii h sik providi for a brid sor h dad absorpio i prayr brii pa o fo ha bis 6 Addiioy Jish ysial ahis dsrib hdrds of ohr spir i pris o d sols ad rais holy sparks odr lf of lar o liva aiviy Mo radio alk shos pioz his pross h sas ah s ha aiviy sparas s fro haiy ad God by psyhooialy ovri or hars ih a hik bra W ar sroly advisd o avoid hiki aiv hohs or sayi aiv his abo ohrs ahr h ida is o liva posiv sas of d hih a aoplish i ay ays by spdi qiy i daily i oplaio diaio ad prayr by livi skilfy so as o avoid asi har dirly or idirly o ay for of lif by bi ods i or o ds rspfl of h ds of ohrs ad saisd ih or sa io i lif ad by li o of prid ad vy Of ors hs idas hav b arod for a lo i As hohs hy ar obl As aios hy ar rasforaiv Wh a o hs idas o oy ak or livs or haroios b bri h orld r losr o ssiai osiosss as Th ysia sid of dais has alays b fosd o h dvlop of spiri prais ha arry s o vr xpadd sas of aar ss Grar aarss ilds or ari abo vryhi ha iss popl aials plas ad al of ar Alo ih rar aarss os a lov ad opassio for a bis y diio rar aarss as lss slfidiy for h ss of slf oiosly dissolvs as r io a vas irodss ih ll of raio I biblial is h oal of his kid of aarss prai as proph sy aldi is h oal as o ai ass o h ysia hario so ha o old d i hihr rs of osiosss I hasidi is h oal as o aihila os ss of slf i ordr o r ih God I or s h oal of raisi holy sparks is ohi lss ha h a ai of ssiai osiosss for a of hakd I his ox
1 80 God s
a Verb
h indivdual ann b parad h ingrad whl h iv nighnn f huaniy i larly a rlvan a any fu n individua aainn. Thu h pra w wi diu n nly nhan prna dvlpn hy v h ay f ran vr lr h gal f highr awarn.
TH
MAN
DA
hugh h iani idal wa nvr nind in h Trah h ag f h Talud diud i in nidrabl lngh. Thy aid ha vn hing wr rad bfr h wrld: h Trah rpnan h Gardn f Edn Gehinnom (h) h Thrn f Glry h Tpl and h na f h iah 7 uggng ha h vn faur ar par upn whih h rain f h wld dpnd. Iplii in h diuin i h ida ha bau h vn hing nind wr rad bfr rain ilf hy ar rai n d by i and pa. Taudi ag blivd ha h iah ybliz h nd f vl. Di uin in h Taud fn nr upn hw hing wi b in ian i 1 8 Hwvr n ag Rabbi Zra pladd wih vryn wh au lad h ng f iani niun aying I bg yu n p pn i [by waing yur i and ging d wih njur] fr i ha bn augh ha hr hing whn yu la xp h iah nding a aril and a rpin Arding Rabbi Zra a lng a w ar aniipang h iah ur hp and xpan igh hav h ppi 1 9 Rabbi Zra ub pin wa ha w u b prn in h hr and nw rah a lvl f awarn nary aain ian niun iipain by i naur pu u u f h n. Auay hr ar w iah in Kabbalah n h linag f Jph and h hr h nag f Dad A wih yia np hr ar widly divrgn prdiin rgarding hw h iah anif hw lng hy v and wha lf wi b k whn hy xi Abraha Abulaa fl ha h iah rprn h huan in dvlpd i high apaiy.20 Rabbi Lvi bn Abraha wh vd during Abulaa i pard h iah fJph inag h h pra ial inl and h iah f David lnag wih pulaiv in 21 Th Lurian apprah i ha h iah hrugh h ninu
The Mystical Chariot 1 8 1
us n huns wh nsnly s hly sks un h wd ully ns hh nsusnss. A h h n bn wh bds l h hss ssh b h resl hs nw wnss h hn s hld Lus dn s h n x n whh ssn nsusnss hs bn snd n hs bk. Th ld dl h ssh suss h sv wll n n w wys h wld wll b d, h wld b s dbsd h wll b n h d l lls. In h nsn h ssh s h h h u. Ths hns sus h h ssh s sv. Ths sv hs s n h ns whh s vyn nd vyhn. A sl n vs us ns n wh hs xn h b lk Yu y wn y hs. Gv yusl w nus, nd n wh wuld hn h ssh w n h R n n vn h s dy w nd n hw hs vn h hv un ldd hd h ssh bn sn. Hw wuld yu hv d Hw wuld hs hv d Hw wuld yu hv l Cls yu ys w nus, nd hnk bu hs.
h sn h ssh, ylly bu hns k lvnkndnss, nlnss, u lnss xdny lnss d undsndn nn n, nus syhy, nd s h. Th sn h ssh s d hddn n u hs Th usn w us sk uslvs hwv, s hs "Wh w w n Th nw d suss h whl wn shn hn, w unblnd, nsnly "ln n h uu. Whnv w dwl n h uu w ss wh s hnn h nw. As Rbb Z ndd, whnv w nju bu h n h ssh w dwn wy h ssnl n ud ssn nsusnss, whh s b ully sn n h h nd nw. I s n dul subl n h l ssn wh s hnn s w ln h uu In h ldn ys, y d ns, Gd s h suls, k nub vns n uns nd ss hy hd dd bu l h lvs Whl vln, nxus b n nnns, wd bu hl svns nd wh hy w n h nx l, hy w nsnly n wh ws EN
wE
MAG I NE
1 82 God s
a Verb
on o happn Th woul ra hour for a hu parur an ofn woul no lp h prvou nh for far of n h alar Th pr hlv for nvr n a ran or arplan u of our h ofn no appra whr h wr On phooraph afr h fa rouh h ak o an prn an vn hn h qunl ar aou whr h phoo ha n akn W o h n on wa or anohr W a o ourlv "Whn I r r I a on o hav or qua n lf; "Whn h k lav ho w wll hav o ral njo hn; "Whn I h ak, I w fl uh r W ar lann no h ur n ourlv wh hop Th paon for h fuur nz u o wha happnn rh now W hu o apn o avo h ofor of our pn prn onplan wha w hop or p o a r ur u h ruh ha alhouh ah nuan n our v vnu n a nw on ran o ar A a rul of norn h fa an of u pn our lv n nun an nal wan for h prol an ul of lf o n Wan lffan W hav whavr w n Th ralzaon ofn hn hn v u a w pl h vl awa hrouh our awarn pra an our aon o prov ourv an h wo w ovr ha vrhn w vr wan rh hr Man onoun no ohn ha o n h fuur our nrn naur I our rhrh avalal o of u hr an now Ahouh our ovr h nna lou of noran lh on nu o hn n h vn park a h or of our n p h fa ha h a o unrahal, h Kaah ah ha w n o ak a pla n ourlv for hhr onoun an al w w wh nw lunn A h Ho On a "Or an opn no r han h of a n an I wwn no opn n hrouh whh waon an arra an pa
The Mysical Chaio 1 83
T E
P A T
T E
Z D D K
0 F
(Jewish Eghtenment)
gudg ud o h ula pah of awar h Tal ud ay h a of Rabb Pha bJar, "Sudy lad o prco, prco lad o wachful, wachful lad o clal , cla lad o rra rra lad o pury, pury lad o a l a lad o huy, huly lad o far of , far of lad o ho ho lad o h holy pr (prophcy), ad h holy pr ad o f ral.4 Each of h wlv p rpr a cluv prual proc ha coa ay l of pracc. A wkow ghhcury Kab bal Moh Chay Luzzao, wro a r book o h ubjc alo. 5 c, dcrb da wha gh b calld h wh pah of lgh. I our odr vracular addg complav ool o radoal Jw h achg, a lar gh odl could b ad: Larg lad o rpc rpc lad o groy, groy lad o ac of lovgkd ac of lovgkd lad o modrao vg modrao lv
184 God s
a Verb
ing leads to purity o thought purity o thought leads to joy, joy leads to seessness, seessness leads to awe awe leads to equanimity, equanity leads to extraordinary mindstates, and extraordinary mindstates lead to e eter na (God consciousness). olowing this model I have combined twelve Jewsh paths o height ened awareness with spiritual exercises, meditations and hasidic tes. In this way, one not ony sees what the ladder looks like but also learns how to as cend it Ayone wishng to explore the Jewish enlghtenment path w be able to develop a persona program o specic practices.
T H E P A H O LEANN
lmd rah) is the rst rung on the ladderthe base om everything ascends The essenti idea o this oundationa to reame our priorities. In ts c ontext, study means that we dedicate a certain amount o time in our lives to the pursut o spiritu s dom. The act o bringng our consciousness out o mundane arenas into the study o spiritua texts drectly aects the way we see thngs in the world Even i we give ony thirty to ortyve minutes a day to this eort we quickly see results. When used more extensively, the path o learning can be a meditative process. Just as musicians athletes and others who ractice specialed sks or many hours a day experience atered states o awareness so too does one experience a new way o lookng at things aer spendng hours in spiritual study. When we ocus on a task day ater day it aects our view o the world. I what we are doing is on a spiritually evolved level it helps us i it is not we get a distorted perspective o things. Thus, in the broadest terms, the path o learnng is the process o reng our awareness by dedicang time each dy to the study o uplting materia. When we read inspiration books our hearts soten. This path o practce, however, requires more than an occasional book. Rather it requires that we assume the habit o day study and thereby continuously add spiritua and mystica sweetener to our ives rom ts base, we can move to ar more comprehensive practices.
The Pah of he Taddik 1 85
2.
T
E
pA
H 0F
EE
next level is to develop the quali o precision (zhth) which comes rom realiing that there are no casual actions words or thoughts Thereore we pay close attention to everything we do. The im plication o being precise is that we have an underlying basis to dierenti ate benecial acts rom those that are harmul. Ths ablity to dstinguish is based upon study and carel observation It is said that three things detract om our ability to develop precision in our lives too much worldly in volvement too much ivolity and too much association with people in realms o ower consciousness 2 One o the best spiritual practices or cultivating precision is to develop great care in the use o speech Beore we go into detai let us enjoy a wn der hasidic tae that emphasies this point
Yosele the oly Miser Once a beggar named Koppel came to a strange city and went straight to the best section in town looking or money He saw a big beautiul house and rang the be. The owner o the house Yosele invited him in. They sat or a while having tea and cake discussing many things. Finay Yosele asked Koppe the beggar what he wanted. It should be no mystery Koppel said that he needed some money to get a place to stay and ood Well the change n Yosele was rom day to ght. His ace turned dark wth anger. He yeled a ew obscenites at Koppel and then threw him out into the street telng him never to return Koppel brushed himsel o and went to the towns spiritual leader Rabbi Kalman The good rabbi gave Koppel advice on where to go and where not to go One thing or sure he said never try to get anything out o the town miser who lived in a big house in the wealthy section and whose name was Yosele. Ive met him already" said Koppel. So n asked the rabbi.
1 86 God Is Verb
You re correc He was pleasan a rs Bu when I asked or money I was ou on my head Tha is he way i is wih m, Kaman said. He seems nice bu, o ve, wha a emper So, Koppel, he beggar ollowed he rabbi's advice and ound a place o live. He mus have done somehing righ because he nex Friday morning when he awoke he discovered an envelope under he door wih he exac amoun o money needed o buy ood or Shabba and o carry hm hrough he week The olowing Friday morning he same hng happened agan So i wen or many monhs. Every Friday morng an anonymous iend slipped money under his door In his way, ll wen well or Koppel he beggar One day Rabbi Kalman heard ha Yosele he ser was quie ill and here was a good chance ha he would de The kindly rabb wen o visi Yosele He alked wih he dying man and said, Yosele your le may be endng soon, ye here is sill ime or you o make amends. The people in his own are angry wih you and you do no have a sngle end You don even have someone o bury you y don' you do some hing abou i? Yosele urned hs head and looked recly n he rabbi's eyes Wha do you hnk I should do? he asked Rabbi Kalman hemmed and hawed or while and hen suered wih grea axiey, Maybe, maybe you should hi abou . uh giving some tzeddakah (chariy). The rabbi hurrey blured ou As you kow and everybody kows, tzeddakah opens he gaes o heaven. Really . bu he cod go on no longer because Yosele had closed his eyes and urned hs head away As Rabbi Kaman depared, he hough o hmsel sadly Oe a mise al was a mise Yosele died Because he had no iends, and no money could be ound in his enire house he receved a pauper's burial. Jus a hole in he ground wihou a marker. The nex Friday morng, Koppel he beggar, was asoshed o scover no envelope under his door ohng He el hs somach ge a le queasy Shabba ws coming and he had no money. He had grow comorable over he monhs and had mos orgoen he ar o begging. Wha was he o do? Koppel ran over o Rabbi Kalmans house. When he arrived wha a hubbub The lving room was ed wih l o he beggars in own Every one
The Pat of the Taddik 1 8 7
o hem had he ame ory a Koppel Ther rdaymornng anonymou donaon wa mng. Aer a whe o crachng her head hey came o he concluon ha only one peron n own could have been he anony mou donor: Yoele, he mer. They decded o poo her meager reource and gve Yoele a proper bural, whch hey dd he ollowng Sunday. Rabb Kalman ocaed A he nd o he ceremony, he e an and lay down n he gra. He wen no a deep leep, and dreamed. In h dream he aw Yoele. Rabb Kalman apologed prouely or alwng hm o be bured a a pauper, and even more or havng had derogaor hough. Don worry abou me ad Yoele I wa wel aended a my bura You ee Abraham came, and oe came a wel. So dd Davd, and Iaac, and acob. Everybody came I wa a ne uneral. So, wha can we do or you, Yoee? aked he rabb. We al are o embarraed Yoele anwered, Truly, here nohng. Heaven ha everyhng. He connued, omewha pognanly, I mu ay however ha here ome hng I m. Here I canno hep anyone aer al heaven Bu I don ge he eelng I ued o have beore unre on rday morng when I deliv ered hoe envelope Tha me over or me now. I ju wan you o know ha here are ome hng even more mporan han heaven o long aer he wa bured he ownpeople e up a marker or he grave, whch read Here le Yoele he Holy er.
repec eache u ha we are never n a poon judge anoher peron Yoele had h way o dong hng. He needed o be anonymou and he oy way he knew o do o wa o egn anger when people aked or money. So he enre own urned agan hm Even he rabb had doubng hough. The poke hary abou hm be hnd h back and le hm olaed. I oy hey had known any hadc ale have a mar heme, n whch omeone who an ouca realy a an n dgue. The people around h peron uuay ay or do drepecl hng They dcover only aer he ac ha hey med he opporun o learn he ecre o he unvere. Bu more mporan han wha wa med he wegh o darkne ha re on people when hey have negave hough abou oher. When we gop abou omebody, we may hnk we are havng un a he oher per on expene, bu uualy we have a pecular dcomor and w hope ha E
A H
1 88 God s
a Verb
nobody is around he corner lisening In ac when a iend occasionay nds ou ha we gossiped abou her or m our embarrassmen is enormous Gossip is suble and dangerous A word misused can desroy a persons repuaion in seconds i can ruin a ie A word planed in someones mind can poison a relaionship orever Mos gossip is ide We pass he ime kng abou ohers no inend ing o be macious I is he way we convey inormaion. Bu he eaching o lahon ha, ev ongue" (derogaory or damaging speech) suggess ha amos anyhing sad abou a hird pary has he capabiiy o injuring ha person on a suble level as we as onesel Viruy every business oce every organed group and every spiri ua communy is riddled wh ile wormholes o gossip We spend an enormous amoun o ime alking abou one anoher. Doens o imes people have come o me in ears saying She sd ha he said ha she said . . such and such abou me" O course when we race back o he original source invariably he accused wil say I never said such a hng" Derogaory speech is so common we usuy do no reaie wha we are doing even aer he ac We are so accusomed o idle gossip in ordinay conversaion we a o appreciae wha i does o us and wha i can do o ohers In he spiriua pracice o paying aenion o he use o language we wach wha we ak abou and especiay wha we say abou people. The ideal is o minimie i no eminae all negaive conversaions abou people wheher we know hese people or no Any aemp o censor our own speech is an ineresing process One eacher said ha when he ried o exclude reerences o oher people in his normal conversaion he scovered ha 9 percent o his everyday speech was in one way or anoher conneced wih gossip. Tha is o say he noed ha he subjec o conversaion led o gossip abou somebody nine ou o en imes. Even i he raio or you is ony ve ou o en i means ha hal o he hings you alk abou will soon lead o he subjec o oher people. nskil speech abou ohers reverses he process o rsing sparks: we don rse hem we lower hem we encapsulae holy sparks in shels o mis inormaion disorion abricaion and simple msundersanding Everyone I know including mysel is guly o his We alk abou ohers and we a are subjecs o damaging speech a one ime or anoher when ohers a abou us The olowing is a spiriual exercise or mending our own souls and mending he world a he same ime Those who are able o work wih his pracice will be sarled o discover how much i appes o our daily lives. The Path of the Taddik
189
Practicing Respect 1 Starting now, each time you nish talking with someone try to take a minute or two to reect on the topic o the conversation. Try to remember any individuals mentioned during the conversation. What was said about them? How do you eel about each person? Did you bring this person up in the conversation, or did someone else bring her or him in? Simply notice this, and i you have time, take a ew notes so that you can remember. 2. er doing the reecons in step or a we, you become more sensitied to the subject otice how the presence o an individual gets drawn into the conversation. Does it simply happen? Is there usu ay an association tht draws the person in? How does the energy o the conversation ter when the name is brought up? otice i you are eeng completely at ease, or i there is tension when discussing others. Take more notes when you have time. 3 In a ew weeks, you will be rady to do some selcensoring. Dur ing a conversation, when you eel the urge to bring up somebody's name, try to hold back This wi eel uncomortable at rst Exper iment with this. Occasiony you wil bring up the name anyay. otice what happens to the conversation on the subtlest level you can observe Try to censor yoursel as oten as you can. 4. In a ew more weeks, you wil gain some success in selcensoring. ow the process becomes more dicult. You wil notice others in troducing names into your conversaons. Try to gently guide the conversation in a new rection without onding other participants I you are able to do so, move quicky o the subject or try to ignore the introduction o a third party. This is not easy, and it takes prac tice I the subtle method does not work, a more direct approach can be tried gently: Id rather not tak about ts person right now, i you dont nd. Lets move on."
The habit o moderate gossip is ingrained in o us. Once we are able to nimie or emnate gossip, we discover a resh breee n our commu nications. We talk less and cover more However when we roast someone wth gossip, we cannot help but get smudged. Everyone becomes contami 190
i
God s
a Verb
aed by he ahe o goiphe people abou whom we are peakg everyoe who i leig, ad he pero goipig. I aec he way we wil hik abou he pero ad how we wll relae o hi pero om ha ime o Alhough we gh eel ilaed i he mome we uuy ed up eelig ome ighe i our hear or we kow ha a oul i beig harmed by hi kid o ak Thu gaig k i h area ca be o eormou bee o he world. I i aid ha learig maer kul peech i oe o he more ullg pah o piriua developme available o u.
T H E p A H OF
GEN ERO
er developig ki i he level o preciio, we ur o he qu iy ha he acie cled wachle (zrizth). Th i omeime ralaed a eal, bu i primary ocued o he characeriic o brigh awaree ad acive iere. or example we ca peorm a ervice or omeoe haearey, or we ca do i o eagere ad good Whe we coemplae he eec o our good deed o he coiu ou uoldig o creaio, realiig how we are coparer i hi proce we develop he apec o acive iere. O he oher had, whe we have averio o ay ak ad preer our peroal coor we loe hi ee o iere.2 Oe o he clearer expreio o acive iere i geeroiy Implici i geeroiy i carig. Each ime we urreder poeio we reeae ourelve a bi more om he cluer o eideiy, which make u eel eparaed om he world ad ulimaely aleaed The givig o tzeddakah (chariy) i viewed by he Talmud a oe o he more impora ac i he huma reperoire or raiig park. I make hi quie clear: Te rog hig have bee creaed i he world. Rock i hard, bu iro mahe i Iro i hard bu re oe i ire i hard bu waer ex iguihe i. Waer i rog bu cloud carry i Cloud are rog bu wid caer hem Wd i rog, bu he body breahe i The body i rog bu ear deea i ear i rog, bu wie expel i. Wie i rog bu eep diipae i Deah i roger ha all ad tzeddakah ave u om deah a i i wrie Tzeddakah deliver om deah (Proverb 0 )"2 The idea ha tzeddakah ave u om deah i reaed lery ad gura vely Lieray whe ayoe i eriouly ill, heir amiie reach o he bo The Path o the Taddik 1 9 1
toms o their pocketbooks and give to anyone in need to the mamum o their capacity. Ths is based on the idea we learned ealier that our things can change ate charity prayer changing our ways and changing our names iguratively the power o tzeddakah to overwhelm death is derived rom the mystical view that a time w come when we reate to death in an en tirely dierent way Tzeddakah understood as righteousness through which the Divine Wi is expressed in the truest sense requires selessness. And selessness implies less concern about death because o the reation that something beyond this body is interconnected with a o creation. Thus selless giving tzeddakah by denition ovehems death
Tzeddakah an the Shnorrer While living in Jerusalem I oten went to the Western Wall or morning prayers I carried with me ritual prayer articles tallit and tllin and I aways ed my pockets with coins The Western Wal is a magnet that draws a wide variety o shnorrers/ people who solicit all passersby or charity Tourists are oten irritated by shnorre because there seems to be no sense o propriety where shnor is involved. One might be standing beore the W with closed eyes in the mddle o a prayer when an insistent tug at the elbow signals the arrival o a another sorre Sometimes the shnorrer w glance at the open page o your prayer book to ascertain whether or not you are in the section caed the Amida a centra prayer whch requires quiet con centration But this is not ways the case or I was interrupted couness times during sient prayers. My method at the time was to quickly withdraw a coin rom my pocket and hand it over oten without even turning to see the ace o the person receiving ths tzeddakah In ts way I was ung my obigation whe being minmally dstracted. Many oldtimers do the same. I have had quite a ew experiences involving remarkable shnorre. Just ater I ran out o coins one day beore the end o my prayers a shnorrer who was at the W every morning came to me and put out his hand I asked i he had change or a tysheckel note worth about orty doars at the time He proceeded to reach into his pocket and pu out a wad o bis that clealy was worth hundreds o sheckels I laughed knowing that a tourist would have thought that this shnorrer was a ake. What ga What chtzpah! The tourist would think that this guy lived in a mansion and probably had ons in hs mattress But the tuth was that this one shnorrer raised unds or more than two doen ames. I 1 92 God s a Verb
knw for fc h h lvd n onroom hovl nd h mo of ho who wr clo o hm, prcully h fl h uppord, bvd h o b h nl pron n hr lv. On our cond o m h h w up bcu h f h oo mny shnorre wr rrogn nd md o b lfrghou. Som shnorre vn gv h h flng h hy wr dong hm fvor h our rprnd mny popl who um h pron bggng for mony hould b pproprly bv nd dmonrvly pprcv u h ud ch "H who cu ohr o do good hng grr hn h dor,3 nd hr no ron for omon bggng o fl ny pron hn h bnfcor. h Zohar mk n vn rongr c y Whn h Holy On lov omon, nd h pron gf n h hp of poor pron, o h h lovd on hould prform good dd hrough gvng chry. hrough h mr h gvr of chry w drw o hmlf or hrlf cord of grc, om h unvrl ourc of ovngkndn, whch w wnd ound h or hr hd nd mprn mrk on h forhd o h whn punhmn fll on h world h droyng ngl wnoc h mrk nd lv hm or hr on3 1 From h prpcv, f w r n poon o b donor w hould b grful whnvr w hv n opporuny o gv chry A wh h bggr mnond bov shnorre hmlv r rgulr gvr. I rmmbr m whn wo shnorre wkd no udy h of eshiva durng h frnoon pryr on ju bfor h Hgh Holy Dy m whn gvng ncr whn popl bud up pru mr n prpron for h upcomng hvnly judgmn dy. I rcognzd on of h bggr H lwy md l loony o m pcy bcu h rgh y wndrd n on drcon wh h lf y rd drcly hd h wyd look w wnom, nd I nocd h popl wr wy gn wh Ao vryon gv hm mony H pproch w chldk, hy nd bcu of h rng gz h md o b lookng your fc nd h bck of your hd mulnouly h ohr bggr w grm hggy, nd dprd. H hud round h room brly pung, hfopnd hnd rmbng l ou of rch H w no uccl h cog n rng mony Indd, whn boh hd crcld h udy hll, h loony on hd l of con wh h grm on hd mgr um clpd ghly n h pl A h pon h loony shnorrer wkd ovr o h buddy glncd h py um h hd rcvd, nd hd ou of h own cocon wd of mony for h nd Acuy hy my no hv bn nd I hd n
The Pah of the zddk
193
each o them alone, but this was the only time I ever saw them together onetheless this was one o the most poignant acts o pure charity I had ever seen Ater some time, I began to look orward to giving tzeddakah whenever possible, and especiay during prayers. I realzed that the process o givg was oten a more proound spiritual experience than prayer itse. I began to notice what was in my nd when the interrupton occurred as i God were caling to me through the medium o this shnorre I noticed as we how the intrusion set an entirely new spin to my thought process. Initiay, I was irritated when interrupted, wch, I later realized was a reection o my sense o separateness and an iusion o con trol. That is to say, when I was irritated, I had the eeng that some other ness" had stepped into my word and had disturbed my" consciousness. I experienced ts eeng as tightness in my heart and nd. er a whe, deciding to olow the practice o indiscrinate giving trying never to pass a beggar without handing him or her a coin, I ound that my mnd became less contracted and my heart was ar more open Ths experience transormed the way I view mysel as an individual, how I relate to my own possessions, and how I experience my own role as a vehicle through which divine prov idence acts.
Seess Giving The Jewsh philosopher Maimonides described a number o ways to give charity, teaching that it is preerable to be anonymous. One o the higher orms o charity, he noted, is to help a person stand on his or her own rather than become dependent upon the good wi o others Rebbe achman oBreslov said Charity has the power to widen the entrance to holness. When a person wants to embark upon a certain path o devotion, he or she rst needs to make an openng in order to enter this new path. This is why al beginnings are dicut. But giving charity makes the entrance wider"2 Choygam Trungpa Rinpoche, a Tibetan master who, beore he died in 987 inuenced thousands o oowers in orth Amerca once was asked to describe the most important quality needed or enlghtenment. He respondd with one word: generosity. In the Buddhist wold this is caled dana, seless giving. In Judaism, it is ced tzeddakah. The giving o tzeddakah is impotant on many levels. On the physical plane, it balances the worlds resources on the emotiona level it is one o 194 God s a Verb
the better method or opeig the heart i the itelectu wod it break dow ideologic cotruct a the lie betwee dierece begi to blur. But the mot prooud coequece o cotatly givig tzeddakah i the ubtle diitegratio o the boudarie that dee the el a eparate om other. At rt givig charity i ditictly experieced a a ubjectobject phe omeo. am givg to o. ter a whe however the beet o givig equal the beet o receivig ad i coected i a cloed oop Some are ourihed though the opportuity o givig other through that o re cevg The idea o tzeddakah add a importat meio to our orm ap proach to chariy Tzeddakah, a righteoue ugget that there i more ivoled tha oe pero imply helpig aother. The age aked whether it i better to give om the heart or out o oblgatio. Imagie a ceario i which a pero who ha jut coed a bui e deal i walkig dow the treet. T pero ha made a prot o a hu dred doar ad i obgated to tithe 0 percet or tzeddakah. The pero ecouter a thy oboxiou thakle beggar ad give hm te doar. The beggar eer at the moey pt ad tur away Aother pero who ha already met her tzeddakah obigatio or the week walk dow the treet She ee a woma beggar hodig a chd. Her heart i touched. She pu a ew dolar out o her pure ad give it to the woma beggig. The beggar i eormouly gratel ad mie deeply a he pocket the moey Which o the two i the highet orm o tzeddakah? though we ght thik that givig om the heart i a deeper ex preio o authetic givig the age taught that the oe who gave out o obligatio wa actuy perormg the hgher level o tzeddakah Why? Be caue he wa ot peroay ivolved. He wa imply actig a coduit or the tzeddakah. He udertood that poeio ad owerhp are traiet i th ephemera tate we call lie. Receivig ad givig oow law o ature ad detiy Gig a part o our weth whe we are able to do o i a atur law o maitaig a balace i the uivere33 The woma o the other had elt that he herel wa doig ome thg. She wa peroally atied about helpig a beggar i eed. She had already ed her obligatio thi wa omethig extra Ad o there wa jut the lghtet tarih to her act a touch o peroal ego alog with the o God Obouly there i othig wrog with what he did. Ideed it wa a wode meritoriou act. Give it a 9.9 o a 0poit ce Everyoe i ecouraged to give om her or hi heart The Path of the Tzaddik 195
This iustratio simply poits out that the idea o tzeddakah right eousess, icludes i it the sese that we are vehicles through which the Di vie Wi ca be expressed Whe the will o God is ivoked, rather tha whe our persoal ws are the motvatig orce, the righteousess is purer. The Talmud advises, I a perso is aous to give charity, the Holy Oe wi urish the moey to do so.4 This idea completely reverses our ormal survival mechaism that says, Take care o me rst." It suggests that i oe is reay cocered more about helpig others tha oesel, the meas wi be oud. 5
Practicing Generosity 1 Take oe dollar ad old it a ew times Put a paper cp o it ad keep it hady i your pocket or purse. The ext time you see a strager who is askg or charity o matter what he or she looks ke, give away this dolar Try to have a doar i your pocket each day to give away. 2. Write a check or ve or te dolars leavig the ame bla Put it o your idge with a maget so that you wi be costay remided o it The ext letter or advertisemet you see askig or charity i the ame ad sed this check Try to do this at least oce a moth 3. Calculate your et icom Determie a percetage that you ited to give away. Make the percetage low eough that you ca actually ulll your comtmet. (Some traditios, icludig Judasm sug gest 0 percet, but or may people these days, this is too much o a burde. Eve percet is suciet or this practice. The impor tat thig is to decide, ad the to do it) 4. Wheever you gamble, buy a lottery tcket, or receive ay kd o aci wd, commit to givig to charity at least 0 percet o the oud moey. I you wi sed the charity o withi oe or two days. Dot delay. 5. Whe you kow someoe who seriously eeds moey but s too proud to ask or it d a way to sed a sigicat doatio aoy mously You ca have a messege delve a evelope o cash, or you ca have a cashier's check draw ad request ot to have your ame 1 96 God s a Verb
o the check ad the sed it without a retur address Oce set orget about it ever tell the perso or ayoe else about what you have doe ever. 6. Each time you receive your paycheck or ay other moey always reect upo the coditios that owed that moey to come i your meta ad physica heath your amiy support your backgroud ad trig your busiess relatioships the ecoomy the eather ad most importat the presece or absece o Godgive evets Ths reectio ad cotemplatio are vita parts o comig to terms with what owership ad proper are about ad how teuous is our perso weath
4 T H E O F
AH
LOVINKINDN
path o geerosity was eormously respected by the sages. The Tamud says however, that Our rabbis taught that lovigkidess emlt chesed) is superior to charity i three ways ) Charity ca be doe oy with oes possessios whie log ess ca be doe with oes per so ad oe's possessios. ) Charity ca be give oly to the poor, whie lovigkidess ca be give to both rich ad poor ) Charity ca be give to the livig oy while lovigkdess ca be doe both or the ivig ad the dead"6 Acts o lovigkidess are ar more subte tha charity they require a lettiggo o more tha property. This lettiggo might come easiy ad atur y A perso may trip ad i the street particularly a cd or a older perso ad we automaticay hurry to their aid without a momet's hesitatio. But lettig go ght aso come with cosiderable resistace. Our eldey paret may cl o the telephoe or the umpteeth time to ask a avor. We are busy We have our ow lves to lead We reset beig a primary caretaker. Sti Mom eeds help she sacriced may times ad who else is there or her? So we let go ad t the errad ito our ives. I may ways charity is simpler cleaer ad easier tha lovigkidess Oce we had it over we are doe th it However there is ever a ed to acts o lovigkidess Give the extet to which we ict pai o oe aother the world has a almost isatiable eed or lovigkidess
The Path of the Tzaddk 197
One's soci saus does no maer. Rich and poor ike yearn or a lov ing ouch. Who does no respond o a genuine hearel sle? Whose soul does no warm when given a simple lile gi even i i coss only a dime? Acs o lovingkindness are no jus or humans by he way Our nd reamen o anims comes under he caegory pain o living animals" (tzaar aale chayym). I is a almudic edc ha we pay speci aenion o domesic animas so ha hey are no caused undue suering. We mus eed our animals beore ourselves7 and we mus relieve an animals pain even i i means breang he Shabba laws One is no permied o purchase an anim uness he or she has he means o ake care o i. Causing an a mal o suer or imposing a blesh is also orbidden. Huning in gener is owned upon since he kosher laws do no ow he consumpion o mea om a tre (orn) animal which usualy resuls when an animal is kied by a huner.41 Wha does i mean ha acs o kindness can be done or he dead? he audic commenary says ha oering ribues a a uneral accompanying a person o he grave and saying blessings over he dead are acs ha l he sparks o he soul o he deceased in oher rems. Moreover as we will see in he chapers on deah we can help he sou o someone deceased wih kabbasic mediaion echniques. Acs o lovingkindness do no have o be over. A person may no even reaie ha he or she has done somehing. We can help someone indi recly by acing as an inermediary we can casuay hin o anoher a somehing we know wil help a person. We can pray or he person in he quie o our own hears When we concenrae mnd and hear on he Source o Sources blessings can be drawn rom he dephs o he cisern he Source o Lie he sream rom Eden. Prayer draws his blessing om above o below." he mysic approach o each ac olovingkndness is ha i is he bind ing orce ha holds he world ogeher I is said: Someimes i happens ha he world is exacly balanced beween people whose good deeds bring lie and hose whose el deeds bring deah. hen one righeous person can urn he scae and he world is saved. Bu should i ever occur ha one wicked person is le hen he world would be desroyed."4 he Zohar goes one sep rher and assers ha a person should always imagine ha he ae o he whole world depends upon his or her acions."44 In he mudic process we ways quesion ourselves esing he deeper meanings o hings Wha does i mean ha our acions are so imporan? Isn i said in Ecclesiases is uiliy Wha pro does a person have o
198 ' God Is a Ver
their laor under the un?45 . . The work that wa done under the un wa grievou to me a i utity and triving ater wind"6? I thi i o what do our little act o lovingkndne accompih ater a? n repone the Zohar ay that tility in thi cae reer to act o hu man that are done under the un' However righteoune and lov ingkndne re act done above the un.' "7 Thee act work in thi world and trancend it at the ame time. rom the perpective o thi word htory eem to repeat itel. But the trancendent perpective i that we are propeled inexorably toward higher level o awarene: Man purpoe i to move in the direction o higher concioune and not toward lower concioune Thereore it i meritoriou or human being to love each other and to expel animoity toward each other o not to weaken higher con cioune."4 Our act olovingkindne not oly matter they are the medium through which we can bring the wold together in a new era o human relationhp. Many practice in Judaim are decribed with ed time and amount. However lovingkindne i one or which there i no ed meaure9 We can peror thee act om morning to night throughout the week. We can et lovingkndne in our oul a a lielong practice that wi away cl to u. The path olovingkndne lead drectly o the highet re Thi path i iuinated by untold iion o park that are contnuouly eing releaed om their huk whie a along each day o the proce we con tantly widen the expane o our heart and o thoe around u.
Practicing vingkinness 1 . Buy a lank journal a large one that wil be your lovngkindne record book. 2. Spend thirty minute writing down every act olovingkindne you can ever rememer doing Leave one or two inche o pace under each entry Each o thee wi ecome a category
Two or three time a week or more oten i you wih check o pe cic act olovingkndne that you have done in their repective cat egorie. I you have done new thing not on your lit record them a new categorie
The Path of the Tzaddik
199
4 Aer a while you wi have a long lis o acs olovingkndness, some o which have only a couple o check marks some o which have many checks associaed wih hem. 5. Sar a new secion near he back o he book under he ile Opporuniies Missed" or doing an ac o lovingkndness Make a noe o hese The poin o his exercise is no o eel guly abou missed opporuniies, bu o be aler o possibiliies ha have come and gone This awareness isel can be a loving ac i convered ino a prayer I is beer o noice somehing missed han o be oblivious alogeher. 6. Do no discuss his journa or wha is lised in i wih anyone, excep perhaps a spiriu guide The ournal is or your personal use he work you do in his area is beween you and God.
The purpose o his exercise is o heighen awareness We should nei her be pridel o areas wih many checks, nor regrel o hose onely deeds ha wen unaended. Raher, we wan o be auned o he needs o he world around us and o he possibiliies or oering a piece o ourselves There are no measures in his or success or ailure. We are simply workng on heighening our own consciousness and raising one spark a a ime.
Other Practices Lovingkinness 1 . When you read in he newspaper or hear on elevision abou some one who ouches your her, wrie a brie noe o ha person and send i o her or him via he newspaper or elevision saion Leers rom srangers are wonderul o receive 2 I you hink o someone you may have wronged in he pas, wrie her or hm a leer om he dephs o your hear. You do no have o send he leer i you don wan o bu wriing i is imporan O course you can so send i 3. Think o someone you know who is physicay or menay Concenrae your houghs and prayers on his person, holding him or her in your imaginaion as compleely healhy Think posively send he person healing angels. The person does no need o know you 200 God Is a Verb
a doing fo i o b ucc Do hi acc ach day fo a any o a you ih
4 Sach ou a ou kchn chaiy o oh oca vc oganza on and conibu food, cohing anyhing you can Voun a h oca hif ho, ho fo h dy, hoa, Ma on Wh, Savaion Ay, c. Evn a cou of hou a onh ga 5. y o nd a ay o inv ndy gu ino you ho onc a onh fo a a You ay hav o ovd anoaion a h i ok, bu noouy haaing You g h ida h ooui a i
5 T H E OF
pAH
M O D E R A I O N
ky o h high v of iiua dvon i ad o b ain aprisht). ay in gna i h abiy o hod back, o focu on h ak a hand hou bing diacd o hav a ca n of ioiy in h d of aion. h a in a aicua d i uuay oon ho ha dvod a ga d of i o dvong acua k. Occaionay ay co hough an aon, bu noay i i h u of nc o Rabbi achya ibn Paquda, vnhcnuy auho of h caca on Jih iiuiy Duts th Hart aid ha any inaion of h acic of ain and odaion ugg abnnc and nunciaion In h oinion, hov, a b dnion ugg ha i y ou nia nd ihou quiing anyhing in c 5° Juda ha nv ncouagd acici In h vnh cnuy, i a coon fo iiua aian o nounc ody f hy vd a h in ock and cav, dd in ag, and coy ih o a ocia conac Rabbi Paquda ond uon ion of iy k hi h gna vi ha civ acici i onicay an ac of ndugnc h conidab goaachn oov, h gif of hi od a hav divin ak and houd no b cond Rah, h goa o ingy undak o abinnc, o conain onf ndfuy Modaion gv on an oouniy o inc vy
Th Path of th zaddik 201
part o ths creation, in modest amounts Paquda said that haprsht includes the qualities o airness, simpicity, humili, orearance, resoluteness, consideration, temperance, patience, and resignation, among others. The path o moderation can e appled to everything we do the quality and quantity o ood we eat the choice o media we take in the amount o time we work, party, socialize, or entertain ourselves and the amount o money we spend on clothes, urniture, toys, and automoiles. Indeed, mod eration should apply as we to our spirital aspirations. Excessive attachment to any aspect o our ves wl oten produce unavorale results ke pride, arrogance, conceit, or other egotistica ehavior. Moreover, i we do not deveop th skils o moderation, we remain trapped in our desires, always wanting what we do not have, never content, never in harmony. Desire has an innte appetite: the more we have, the more we want There are natural oundaries that keep us somewhat in check The day has only twentyour hours, our credit cards have lits, our stomachs can ll ony so ar, and our odies need to rest. Relying strictly on these natural regulators, we survive. The teachng o moderation suggests, however, that i we want to acheve peace o mnd in our lives, we must learn to hold ack om the ood o aundane, lest we e swept away. This des not mean that we must avoid the sweets o e (heaven orid). Rather, we need to learn how to e con tent while consumng ewer o them Moderation is the key to mastery. One approaches it slowly. It is not di cult i we are gentle. We cannot orce ourselves into a moderate lestyle, ecause orce and moderation are contradictory terms. Rather, we can em race moderation in increments, and the excess aggage o our lves wi slowly melt away.
Practicing Moeration 1 Assess the oowing aspects o your lie on a sujective sce too much, too little just aout right. a I work . . . b. I eat . . . c I watch TV . . I read magazines . . e. I entertain mysel . . . 202 God s a Verb
I pnd i h h y . . g I wok on y in l . h I wok on piil pi . . . i. I d inpiing book .
2 Add nyhing o h li h o o ind qy yo l i pnd oo h o oo ll in yo li 3. ook ov yo l o din ho hing h yo l xiv o h l h on h yo on h dy h o ho o T o h l dy p nk nd x d dnn). 4. Now, ing yo hd o dinih h qniy o only on o h hng on yo li by 5 pn, whih wold i b 5. Igin how yo wold go bo ing bk 5 pn o hi hng h Id wh viion n ho l h dy Id o png o y nk nd d ) 6. i yo n y do hi o wk. I o, do i o onh I yo d, yo n wd yo by dding o yo li o hng on h l h y oo l. Ohwi, kp ying o hoo noh hing on h l. 7. Eh i yo hv , giv yol wd by ining h i givn o oo ll i. Wok on yo l ni h i noh ing l h y oo h
Other Practices o Moeration 1 . Pik ohing h yo wn o h n b d igh wy ho g d o ppon o oing oo h ony. ggion boing kd in ning o py i inn, wiing po o poy, lng oign lngg pining wih wolo lping in ly, ding hogh n ni nylopdi o popl who ind in Jdi, h EcyclopdiaJdaica i hghy ondd), oong pi pi o oh nd o oh. Th Path of th Tzddik 203
2 Choose the best tme o day when you can devote thrty to rtyve mnutes to developng ths practce It should be a tme that can be totally dedcated wthout nterrupton at least ve days a week. 3 Make ths tme each day saced. Let the amly know that you are not to be nterrupted (except n emergences). Do not answer the tele phone (get an answerng machne). I you lke musc, put on a head set to cut out a dstractng nose Gve yoursel permisson to be completely devoted to your practce ths tme each day 4 Stay wth t. Gene seldscplne s the key. You wl love ths tme wth yoursel and ater a whle you wl become skied n whatever you are dong. But the sk s not the goa Much more mportant s gvng yourse the tme. Ths s whee you wll gan selcondence and wth selcondence comes more peace o nd. Ths practce teaches us how to deveop mastey one step at a tme.
The path o moderaton s one o the prmary elements n a more ex tensve practce that leads to the ultmate level o enlightenment n Judasm The more we practce moderaton, the more we are able to reprortze our lves or the thngs that wll deepen our sprtual practce. Moderaton gves us a cleaer perspectve o who we are and what we need to survve. When we practce t, modng the degree to whch we are drven by ncessant desre, we soon reaze that we are surrounded by thou sands o chaots to hgher reamsthousands o new opportuntes to con nect wth God Every nteracton n le s a new opportunty to take the rens o these charots We hve more choce over ou destny than most peo ple reze. It s a matter o settng our prortes, slowng down reectng smplng, and payng attenton.
6 T H E T H 0 F U Y goal o pur n the context o sprtual exercse s to mn mze or elmnate thoughts that cause nner conct We attempt to clar the derence between our own wl to do somethng and Gods Purty s a level o attachment to God whch thoughts have more o a seless qualty. By attachng ourselves more to the presence o the Dvne
204 God s a Verb
by placing God before us always, we are able more to "do deeds for the sake of their creator ad speak about them for their ow sake. Mastery i purity comes through cotemplatio. We closely observe how the world operates and thereby gai wisdom We experience the tra siet ature of thgs, that fortues rise ad fl that good times come ad go ad that lfe is ephemeral n this we gain greater awareess of our ow litatios ad greater appreciatio for the way thgs unfold. It is said that we ca be distracted om developig puri by pursuig peasure fae hoor, or status. Each of these is teporariy egogratiig but is ultimately a isatiabe an dishearteig quest. Earier in this book we explored the concept that the higer level of soul is always pure We can use this idea i a meditave practice to deepe the reazatio of the part withi us that is always coected to God. Oce we ly appreciate the implicatio of this teachig, it chages the way we re late to others forever.
Practicing Purity: hoa H (e Soul Is Pure) 1. Sitting with your eyes closed iagie that you have Xray sion ad ca peetrate yourself as if you were composed of translucent ma teria You can otice may smal parts itercoected in your body 2. Lookig very closely imagie that a subtle beig is iluminated withi he ght that allows you to see comes om soewhere deep iside ad ls the body with a glow 3. Imagine your body may years youger tha you are ow Notice that although the iage of the body may chage the ight that illu ates it remais the same It is simply ight; it does ot chage. 4. ry to imagine yourself may years om ow he body will agai chage, but the light wi stay the sae 5 Now imagie a beloved. Notice how hs or her body is completely dieret om yours but the light illuatig it is of the same qu ity as yours Light is ight. 6 o ths exercise wth people you kow ad love ad with peope you may ot get alog with so well. Again, the ight wbe the same
The Path o the zaddik 205
a you. ou may dove tat te eaty of hag the ame ght aet te ay you fee about thee eoe.
7. o th eee a umbe of tme ut you have the mage eay th. he he you ae o a ub teet, o youe to mag e tat ea eo umated om th by th gt A e debed eae, you a ay to youef quety, "o e (She te ou th ue). ou d youef feeg a aty fo tage. the uoe of the ate to emembe that e ae oeted to te ame oue ad teefoe to oe aote
7 T E p A F
j
ebbe ama of Beov te geat gado of the Baa Sem Tov, a famou fo teag o joy Joy a mo toe He ad that the oot of deeo ae hu t elppot) h e at ar t a tat oy Wheeve deeo tae hod te e Peee (Sekna) goe to ee heefoe the tegth of the foe of oe ad te detuto of te e tat mo hoy a eed uo joy. Aodg to Rebbe ama te vaue of joy t abty to ombat te detutve oe of ou magto he uma magemag fa uty te oue of a temtato. If t beome doat, t eut de eo . . . fogetfue tae hod ad oe foget oe uoe fe. We ave to gt ba ad am to be otuay ay o a to bea the oe of ou magato. Kabbt ue the magato to atta ghe eam. But f t ot haeed, aodg to Rebbe ama magato a be the oue of ou ee of eato ad eaato fom od Rebbe ama ad ou may f to te oet deth heave fobd but o matte o o you ae fae t t aoate to gve u hoe. The abty to etu to od (tesuvah) uae eveytg ad o thee o oom fo dea. Eve a be tafomed to vtue eve you fag ad hotomg a be bougt ba to od. he mot m otat thg eve to gve u, but to otue to ry out ad ay to od.7 o mae h ot Rebbe ama tod a toy. Oe uo a tme tee a a fame amed Moe o ved te Uae the eteeth etury. Moe a o a Mohe Smha
206 God Is a Verb
yus Mshe) beause he was rarey see wthut a big smile He had a happy su ad seemed tet with the wrd. Mshes ife as a farmer had t bee easy but his high spirits stayed with him etheess. He gured he had the hie t smile ad augh r t w ad ma He kew that matter what he hse t d the wrd wud t hage that muh S he deided that he ght as we ejy his t i fe Oe day Mshe was pwig his ad whe a huge strage ste tured up i the si He piked it up ad kew at e that it was vuabe. It had a dazzg amst bidig ight shiig i its eter as if it taied its w su Mshe arried the ste t the ity where he shwed it t his brtheriaw Shabbtai a jeweer Whe Shabbtai saw the ste big as a st he al mst hked his herrig "Where did yu get suh a ste? he asked i awe. Mshe shk his head ad pited his thumb upward sey idiat ig "Oy Gd kws. Mshe asked uiety Hw muh d yu thik it is wrth? Shabbt smied ad raised his thumb returig the gesture he had just reeived. he he sd u wi have t take this ste t the market i sterdam fr that is the y pae they w be abe t pay fr suh a arge gem. sterdam Hw wud Mshe get t sterdam He had mey. It wud be t dagerus t g verad he best way wud be t g by bat m Odessa thrugh the Bak Sea t the Mediterraea past Gibratar ad the up t Had. But he ud t pssiby pay fr suh a passage Shabbtai agreed t hep He tated a aptai a shady harater wh was i the busiess f smuggig. he aptai agreed t take Mshe with prmse f paymet at the ther ed. Paymet f urse at te times the gig rate But wh ared? Mshe wud get s ride he dea was ut ad Mshe wet bard He had hs w abi ad was served daiy by the steward he aptai was a gru darkbearded ma wth a path ver e eye wh ked very muh ike the pirate he was rumred t be He spet every day with Mshejkig abut the pepe he had thw verbard whih he aimed he did wheever he was i the md He reated every gruesme deta tryig t itimidate Mshe but Mshe had a jyus su. He preteded the aptai was jkig ad aughed hmsef siy. hey gt alg wdery this way. g as the aptai aughed with him Mshe fet safe. Reativey. Eah day at uhtime Mshe tk ut the ste t admre its ier gw. He sat there mesmerized y it He did t thik s muh abut the
The Path of the zaddk 207
mo th to would ftch; h wa much mor trtd t trc baut It wa a magct to ad h grw to lo t. Wh th wr two w awa from ladg olad a awl thg happd Moh f alp at luch. wa t alp wh th tw ard clard th tabl. Ad h wa tll alp a th tward dd h dal claup b throwg orboard rthg that wa lft o th tabl but th cup th dh ad th lar. th crap of food crumb of brad ad o th da th pc of drt old gla that mut ha b rolg aroud th blgall of t wa throw orboard o haho. Wh Moh awo h tomach mmdatl ottd. h gmto wa go w t would b go forr. Ad f th capta foud out that Moh could ot pa h paag h w that h too would b go forr Yt wh th capta cam that aftroo Moh wa a joa a r. h jod ad laughd jut r othr da Of cour Moh had ot told th capta about th to th rt plac for fa that h would tal t Now that t wa go Moh had mor rao ot to t hm a aftr da for th t coupl of w th two of thm wr to gthr jog l old frd h da bfor arrg port th capta cam to Moh ad ad hm to do a faor. told hm that h rputa to wa ot th bt th part. h th capta ad Moh f h would b wlg to ha th tr hpmt put udr h am h woud m mz th upco of th cutom ocr If Moh wa wlg to do th th capta would pa hm a f Of cour Moh agrd. What dd h ha to lo? E f h got caught mugglg t wa bttr tha bg throw orboard. So th co tract wr prdatd ad gd. O papr Moh owd th tr cargo worth a hug um. hat ght thr wa a trag wd It hoo th rggg ad howld a wa that prcd to th marrow of o bo. Salor ow th wd a c that com om a world far bod our ow. h t morg th capta dd ot appar o dc Idd wh th wt arch of hm alor foud that th capta had dd durg th ght Wh t hp docd that da Moh wa ta a walth ma pad al th alor trpl wag ad t wa cdgl rch. Eo wa happ Wh Moh rturd hom h ghbor aw that h wa a joul a r Moror h ga awa o much mo h jo bcam fctou. I dd om that tm foard o who r w Moh alwa mld wh h am wa mtod E toda wh popl har th tor
208 God s
a Verb
of Moshe Simha, they ofte seem to smle for o apparet reaso just as you may be doig right ow
N A C H M A T A U G H T that Moshes joy ad aughter haged the wold aroud I fat Moshes surviva depeded up joyous outeae Ideed he was a messeger of joy he s toe he had foud was merely a meas to get m aboard the boat We ever know how thigs wil tur out we a do is maitai our joy o matter what happes he hasidi movemet was bult upo the idea of"servig the Lord with joy fat, the early hasidim beame so estati i their prayers that they were ridiued by oppoets for their wild daig ad arobati tumblig ut their joyous relatioship with God ould ot be suppressed ad Ha sidism spread aross Europe Ethusiasm ad joy are ifetous We feel good our hard edges are softeed our ritial mids ae paied ad we gai a ew sese of equilibrium Most of us experiee joy spotaeously ad assume that it omes o its ow ut joy a be ivited as a guest ad it a be ultivated to remai for exteded periods of time EBBE
Practicing Joy ebbe Nahma said that the pathway to our true destiy is joy deedjoy ad ethusiasm are importat aspets of the spiritual path i may ways he wodel part of this pratie is that it urtures us whle we are doig it ad usually helps us see thigs om a dieret perspetive Here are te praties to warm the heart ad the soul with joy Ay oe of them a hage your day
1. Mic If you dot already ow oe get a iiature audiotape player ad omfortable earphoes id piees of musi that move your sou Play them repeatedly whe you are egaged i mudae ativies Play them so muh that they are i your d eve whe the player is ot o so sig! the shower i the ar spotaeously wheever you wish 2. Dance id a room i the house where you wl ot be iterrupted ad obody a see you through the widows Move the riture so that The Path of the zaddik
209
you have a lear sae to dae Play soe us you love ad ove your body ay way you wsh or twety utes Ths s a dae or you aloe I t does ot ae you eel woderul hoose aother ee o us ext te
3 Nature Mae t a ot at least oe a wee to sed two hours a raw atural settg wth as ew eole aroud as ossble Go to the beah outas orest desert soelae led wth the beauty o ature ur g ths te t not to think about ourse Rather at as a aturelovg tour gude or yoursel who s ostatly sayg thgs le Loo at that at; Lste to that wd; Sell that ower; Touh the bar o that tree; See how the su glstes o the water; e very stll ad lste Try to sed the etre two hours wthout thg about your ow e You ay wsh to arry a otead so that dstratos arse you a ae a bre ote to atted to these oers ater the two hours are u 4 Selectivit We hoose arly arely the ood we eat We ow what does ot agree wth us ad we usually try to avod t The sae should hold true or what we hoose to eed our ds or oe oth ty to be seletve o the tye o rogras you wath the quaty o rado you lste to the agazes you read the oves you go to see You ay hoose to e exerees that ttllate ad exte whh ote lude sees o volee ager ad geeral yhe Ths d o atera ay eterta us but t does ot gve us joy Ideed t does the reverse Try oe oth o selevty ad substtute oe o the ollowg hoes 5 Books Tae a hour ad browse your loa boostore or lbrary wthout ay goal Let yoursel be guded by wh d a seat ad read arts o a boo or agaze that ath your ay The dea s to dsover ew aeas o iterest or sly to be lghtly etertaed wth o objeve d 6. Plaground Tae a hour ad wal a loal ar or laygroud Rde a swg St o a ugle gy Le the grass Hug a tree Ta th a hd you dot ow Try to be wth your ow er hld ot thg about adult thigs As ste 3 see ou can spend an hour not thinking about ourse 7. Museum Sed a org or ateroo exlorg a loa useu just hagg out Poder the wors o the artsts Let your atasy ow Aga try ot to th about your w ast ad ture durg ths te 2 1 0 God s a Verb
8. Fantasy Pick up tave bochues, get deos om the iba o a tue o distat ads ad et ouse ftase about taveig aoud the wod Pck a pace ou wod ea ike to go. Get books om the iba ad stud evethig ou ca d about this pace Pa ou tip eve f it IS eas awa. 9. Soak i a tub wth wam wate Use bubbe bath if ou ke Soak ou whoe bod fo at east a hf hou tig to keep ou mid ee f ou beg thkig about ousef make up a fatas ad oat awa 10. anks Speak wods of thakuess to God. Reect o ou phsica gis: eesight; heaig; ad the abiies to speak stad, wak, touch sme taste ad so foth o each thig give thaks Reect o ou she te, food saet, kitche bathoom, ad give thaks. Whateve comes to d d somethig it fo which ou ca be thak. T to get to the habit of thakuess (athe tha the oma habt of compait). Each ight as ou go to seep see how ma thigs ou ca thik of to gve thaks fo that da You ma discove that the ist s so og ou w fa aseep befoe ishig it Notce that a of the above suggestios equie takig time fo ou se. Of couse thee ae ma jo pactices that vove beig with oth es Take advatage of these as we. But be sued ou o s utimate ot depedet upo othe peope but o ou idividu eatosp with fe Obvious thee ae hudeds of actves that ighte the heat ad ouish the sou. As oted above ou do ot have to wat fo o to aive o ts ow ou ca ivite it i though the fot doo ths ve momet.
8 T H E p A H O F
SEFENE
anavah) i ewish mstica teachigs meas se essess. The idea of seessess is to et go of a of the tap pgs of sefdetit which icude ou otos ad beiefs about who we ae ou pefeeces ou desies ad ou expectatios o aspatios. he pac tices that ae descbed i kabbistic teatue fo attaiig ths state ae bittul ha-yesh (uicato of the thee is) ad meserit nesh (suede of the vita sou) The Path of th Tadik 2 1 1
Hul dos o ma mkss Moss s vwd h orah as h humbls of popl, h ould b u r wh h Israls ad v mor h argud wh God o a umbr of oasos. Hul mas o b lar od ad apg whou prd slfs, or ambo. W srgh our ss of huml b habuag ourslvs b o ssl hoosg h mos dmshd poso amog a group of popl. W sl h hards sa a h d of h abl; w wk h bak of a rowd w war h mos mods lohs w pk h smas porio of food.5 h da s o dsh our ss of slfmpora, bu s rual o kp md ha v hr, h rul of modrao appls hus, o dos o alwas sk h mos suborda posio. I our ulur, ouward xprssos of slfdmshm gral ru our o ssal blfs of ruggd dvdualsm Slfassro has srog urr hs das s mpora o b hard. O h oh sd, som po p ar xrss dg hmslvs a or dulg whh a bordr o assm, or ual uhalh, h ma b slrghous h marrdom. Rar dd ar h popl who ar balad bw hs pols, who do o sruggl o ahv somhg who ar o sf aggradzg who do o ar abou saus o h o sd, or, o h oh who ar o full of hmslvs glorao of abs, pur, ad fals mods hrfor h poso whh w d ourslvs s o as mpora as how w fl abou Alhough w ma amp o brak dow our ss of slfmpora, s far mor rlva for us o assss h dgr o whh w ar ord wh our rak. hs or s a rio of h dgr o whh w ar slford, ad s vrsl rlad o our masur of hu m s augh ha f o s a poso of auhor, walh, suss o fam ha vs ar ad admrao, s mpora o sk ou ds ad ahrs who ar wlg o gv adv ad v admoshm f ssar, so ha o w rma groudd ad rd o h pah 59
Binah Consciousness Being ere an Now O of h bs was o dvlop o h pah of sl ssss s hrough a md av pra ha lads o wha s ald Kabbalah biah osousss. Wh o masrs hs pra volvs o h x lvl chochma o sousss whh s h hghs mdav sa aabl. Chochma ad binah ar a h op lvls o h r of Lf, xp for
2 1 2 God s a Verb
keter at the rown ut beause keter s ephemerl, for notng an be sad about t, chochma and binah represent the aspets of reation osest to the Dvne Soure that we an experene Chochma represents the eement n whh the rst spark of a thought s ntated. Binah represents the eement n whh the thought s atualy formed. Chochma s "hgher than binah and more nebulous Binah onsousness n be dstngushed om ordnary onsousness n a smpe way It does not have a personal denty; there s no sense of /me. hnkng wthout a sense of egoawareness s ut but wth prate we an experene the quty of unontamnated binah onsousness One of the means for determnng the presene of ego s by examnng our reatonshp to tme. Invaraby f ones thoughts are dweng n the past or preparng for the ture, we an be assured that ego s somewhere nearby he experene of beng n binah onsousness s ompetey sensul. One does not dwell n reveng past events or n pannng for the ture here s only the experene of eah moment t arses. In ths state of mnd, eah sound s xquste eah vsual mpresson unque eah odor s aptvatng One we are ee of our sense of our own seves we enter a state that s often dened as rapturous Qute smpy t s deous to be ve wthout havng to remember who we are. he best way to note our own ment proesses s through tradton ontempatve prate A bas tehnque s to fous on ones breath. St om fortaby but fay sraght so that you an be stll for thrty to forty nutes Pay attenon to the experene of the body, the rsng and fang of the hest as the breath omes and goes or any other body experene that arses whethe an th an ahe, or other physa phenomenon. ry not to think about any of these thngs but smpy note them as they are happenng. Many peope have the msunderstandng that smpe medtaton pra tes lke ths beong to astern tradtons. However, sttng quey and ob servng our physal experene s a gener metaton prate that has been desrbed by mysts n a wde varey of tradtons, nudng udasm It s so natural, hdren sometmes do t wthout rezng that they are med tatng. Invaraby the objetve s to et go of our ment proess and be present wth what s happenng n the moment hough t sounds smpe ths s not easy to do he mnd s qute atve Eah tme we note that we are thnng, we geny try to brng our awareness bak to the body. It s sefdefeatng to beome ustrated and angry wth our own nds beause the fat s that mnd atvty rarey eases Anger s just the opposte of what we are tryng to aompsh Our goal s to no tice thoughts rather than be aught by them. We smpy draw our attention The Path of the zaddk 2 1 3
back to the body each time we are aware that thoughts have carried us away and we ocus on the breath or whatever physical sensation is happening in that moment. Indeed the very noticing othe thought is a moment o awareness which i anything should have us satised with our success rather than ustated. The mind is remarkably active. ore than 99 percent o our thinkng process ts into the ordinary mode perhaps as much as 999 percent. Yet we can enhance our inah consiousness more than we think I we are abe to observe our own minds closely enough we can recognie the presence o the ow underlying every thought. It is the seed around which thought rapidly gathers. The mind however works so ast that inah consciousness is blanketed and quickly converts to ordinary thinking When we are able to be st and notice the inner workings o our min we begin to experience the dierence between the sensation o inah con sciousness and the other eelings that arise in ordinary thinking. Ordinary mindstates have a wide range o emotions but usuy a clear sense o person involvement with the world This identication has an insidious qual ity o separation buit into it: me and you me and the world me and everything that is not me. This sense o separation clouds our relationship wth the world In inah consciousness on the other hand we eel alert mind l bright luminous expansive inclusive sot and lucid We integrate with everything happening around us eeling connected whole and relaxed The more we recognie inah consciousness or what it is the greater our capaility to stay with it beore ego overwhelms it. The experience o extended inah consciousness eels so dierent rom ornary consciousness it is viewed as a higher stage o enlightenment This is the rst objective o a strong meditative practice. When we become more skiled in our meditative practice o inah con sciousness we gain more mastery over our emotional reactions bringing a new sense o calmness and a greater sense o equanimity to our lives. We are able to see things more clearly have more reed judgment and a more bal anced appraisal o how things wl unold. Binah consciousness gives us an experience o ongoing lucidity that dramaticay aects our lives
Chochma Consciousness Te Experience Nothingness The next level o consciousness is chochma consciousness which is ar more subtle than inah We need to spend considerable time working with inah consciousness to get to the chochma level. It is what te ancient Kabbists 2 1 4 God I a Ver
aed Nthigess. Atuy as disussed earlier Nthigess is "sme tg we a atuay experiee. May peple use the metal experiee umbess blak thughts r sleep th Nthigess. r example whe meditatig pe ple asiay eel they are dig we whe thig is happeig. hey ee thig; they kw thig I this istae they are mst ikely asleep sittg up siusess is mpletely eret. It is the experi ee pure awareess N thughts per se belg t the pers But eery thig that is gig i that mmet is "tied t with the gitie mid but as sesry iput here is "bdy hee t tie idetia t with seess e t reat it is simply tiig. siusess is t yurs r mie t hae; it begs t the uerse awareess. Whe we eter this uerse we beme iisible. he bdy des t stp utigit tiues t breathe it ee tiues t thik. But e that is releat whe we eter susess. Whereas we a sietiusly use meditati tehiques t experiee siusess siusess mes y thrugh grae We at re it but we a iite it i. We d this by beig giat i ur siusess pratie. he mre we master the experiee beig statly i the mmet the better ur haes experieig siusess. his state mid is the Jewish way expressig a degree eightemet May beiee this is the prerequisite r attag devekt stat awareess the iie whih is the gal ast a templatie pratie iJudaism Whe we wrk with ths prae it iariaby brigs us lser t sesig the immediay Gd
9 T H E p A H F w E sese awe arises ut the true uderstadig the rea ship betwee the press Gdig ad that reaig he rle that eah us plays i tis press is dyam. he sese respsi bty r eah ur atis wrds ad thughts a be heighteed t suh a extet we trembe whe we sider the pteti. he salms say that "the begiig wisdm is the awe Gd he sages said "Happy is the pers wh ears ways wh is iterpreted t mea e wh is always i awe the iie rue wisdm mes rm
The Path the zaddik 215
uderstadig that the uiverse is baaed o our atios, eah ad every oe of us Our uderstadig of the sigiae of ts mystia fat eads us to a aesome ousio Eah oe of us is resosibe for how the ui verse wil ufod Kabbaah says that oe we apreiate that the ivie Presee is every where, we ome to reaize that othig is too sm to be exuded om It o gesture is ioseuetia everythig has meaiga falig eaf, a birda, the shae of a oud f this is true, we a barey imagie the im patios of the thigs we do his is how we utivate awe
Alone with Go Moder udaism aes great emphasis uo artiipatio i the ommu ity deed, may Jewish shoars ad rabbis beieve that ivdu siri tua ratie is atithetial to the tratio We eed te eoe to form a minan for rayer, hoy days are eebrated oletivey, the ommuty is a imortat etwork of suport for maitaiig may aws regardig Shab ba� ad beig kosher It is amost imossibe to sustai a observat Jewish pratie without a ommuity evertheess, Jewish mystis have aways bee draw to raties of i trosetio, otematio, ad seusio tbodedt) hey oit to the fat that the reveatio of the orah ourred whe Moses was aloe o the moutai for forty days Moreover, may prophets ratied seusio, i udg Eijah ad Eisha he amud uotes Shimo the so of Rabba ae as sayig, " my days I grew u amog the sages ad have ot foud aythig better for oesef tha silee I the Zoha Rabbi Eeazar says, My keepig si ee was the meas of buidig the satuary above ad the satuary beow he satuaries above ad beow are the aes where oe has i timate ommuio with od Abraham Abuaa thirteeth etury) said, Choose a oey house where oe shl hear thy voie Sit there i thy oset ad do ot reveal thy seret to ay vig erso here are dozes of exames of wekow Jewish teahers who took exteded soitary retreats, iudig saa Luria, the Baa Shem ov, Chaim Vit, the Kotzker Rebbe, Joseh Karo, ad Rebbe ahma of Bresov or the Kabbalist, oe of the hidde retives regardig siee omes from Ezekes poheti viso, whih says, A storm wid ame out of the orth ad om its midst ame] the aearae of a eerum chash-
2 1 God s a Verb
mal) in the mde of the re."67 The Tamud says that we shoud divide the word chashmal nto two parts chash which means sient," and mal, which means to speak."6 This is the speaing sience" which hods the myster ies of creation We see it agan in another famous prophetc passage from when Eijah the prophet retreated in soitude for forty days and nights and then was guided to stand on a mountan. Here a strong wnd appeared but the answer was not in the wind. Then an earthquake occurred, but the answer was not there either. Then a re but not there Finay a st sma voice" emerged that reveaed to Eijah the hdden truth69 Sience for the contempative practitioner, means inner slence. One coud be standing on Fifth Avenue during the unchhour rush in the md de of cacophony and be immersed in a tot state of inner sience. On the other hand one coud be soated in a cabin in the middle of the woods and have no inner sence whatsoever. Inner sience means havng the abiity to perceive the feathers weight of the subtest thoughts that can arise the mnd. Normay we are aware of our gross thinng process. Thoughts are ike oud dese trucks pounding n our consciousness. They cpture us and over whe us with ther urgency. Sometimes we are abe to quiet ourseves so that our thoughts become softer We ie on the beach and rumnate through the sands of time. Thoughts cker images ash by, and we fee comforted by the scope of our ife experience. But these are stl soo instruments in a quieted orchestra ha, st cear, dstinct and overpowering. We may not yet be y concentrated, because we do not notce the squeak of a mouse under the seats of the third bacony row That subte movement of a hidden mouse, sma and eusive is what we want to observe How quiet must the inner chambers of our minds be how sti! This is the nner sence sought by the contempative mystic Here a new reaity takes shape one much more connected wth the rems of higher awareness than s avaiabe to us in our normay noisy menta paying ed. Here, the sti sma voice of God can be heard. Hboded is the reexve form of the verb boded, which means so ated" or secuded" Thus hboded means to isoate or secude onesef in tentiony" One can isoate onesef physicy by going out of the everyday world to a ocation that assures being aone or by withdrawing nto the center of ones being whie in the midst of a crowded room n our busy world it is not easy to do The Bresov hasd (students), folowers ofRebbe Nachman, activey en gage in hboded as a major aspect of their spiritua practce. They usuay go into the woods in the mdde of the night and separate unti each per The Pah of he Tzaddk 2 1 7
son is one in the darkess. Then they speak to God diretly in their own language. They say whatever is on their minds, anything. went with a sma group one As soon as we divided and was alone was frightened haf to death. The woods at night are a sary plae for me I am always onjuring up bears. very shadow is a reature with sharp teeth and laws every sound is a slithering snake stood quietly trembling ter ried. Then heard in the distane one of my ompatriots ling out in a sob bing voie God, where are you? hat are you? hat is taking you so long? hy an't feel you? don't even know what I'm talking to. hy do you make it so damn hard?" d then he burst into louder sobbing. Somehow I was reassured by this plaintive al. t made me want to y. did ry More than a ittle And then began my own al Not as loud as my iends for was embarrassed. Besides Godif there was suh a ting ould hear my whisper or even my mind, for that matter. But the instru tions were that we had to artiulate words. e ould not simply think the thought. Speaking was important part of the experiene Saying the words out loud, even in a whisper adds an emotional quality and oherene that thoughts never attain said, need help with this don't know what m doing here. 'm sared need help" I repeated need help" as a mantra for many minutes beame quiet. began saying again need help I need help" over and over repeated this for a half hour maybe longer. Finy burst into tears and found myself saying Thank you thank you," to nobody and for no apparent reason. ith whom was speaking? hat was happening? I had no idea but for some reason felt better. My fear dropped away The woods beame iendly. t was no longer dangerous beause for some reason no longer felt alone.
arig to Merge ith Go A number of years ago led a workshop at Lama Foundation in the moun tains of the high desert near Taos New Mexio. t was an eleti retreat with four teahers: a Buddhist, a Su a Christian and a Jew was amused at the time beause three out of the four teahers were Jesh by birth most half of the partiipants were Jewish as we. This is not unusual even today at spiritual onferenes. During the mornings led ontemplative Jewish paties whih always inluded hanting the main rayer: Shema Yisrael Adonoy Elohan Adonoy 2 1 8 God s a Verb
Eha (ear 0 Israel the Lord is Our God the Lord is One) . he way I explain the meaning o this prayer is as olows: Listen closely (Shma), that part witn each o us that yearns to go directly to God (sralYashar E, 7 the transcendent unnowable source o sources (Aonoy) and the God that we e able to relate to n Its immanence in everything we experience around us lohayn), both the transcendent (Aonoy) and the immanent, are actually, paradoxcally, one and the same ha). Near the end o the monthlong retreat, the entre group decided to w up Lama Mountain to a higher plateau. The trail is long, wnding and steep At nght it is dicult to ollow, even wth a good light One o the women who had been in my morning prayer group a Chrisan who was interested in Jewish myscism tried to come down om the plateau on her own around dight wthout a ashlight. oon she was lost But there was another problemuite a serious problem. he had a body chemistry that exploded whenever she became nervous he would ush d patches o sin a over her body would turn deep scalet she became really ightened, she would brea out in hives externy and internaly. er esophagus could clamp down and suocate her Lost on Lama Mountain, this woman went into a severe panic attac. he gasped or air as her entire system oze. he could not go up or down, and she could not stay where she was. Death w in the neighborhood. hen, or no apparent reason, she bega to chant the hema. he told me later that it surged witn her and she new it was her only chance or survval. he chanted the words o the hem over and over again and her breathing passages began to clear As the panic lied she rezed that she could see the trail most as i it were phosphorescent. he simply wed down the mountain at that point cay and happily chanting the hema the way he words o the hema are wondeul especially when understood in their mystic context. hey connect us,Jew and nonJew e with a com mon inner essence that longs to be at one wth the source o creation. In her chant, she merged with the part o hersel that yearned to be with God en she was able to spea directly to the Unnown, her reity changed Mystcs would say that it was God callng to Itsel through her
Practicing Awe Part
1
1 ind someplace in your home where you can be alone and undisturbed or hal an hour Th Pah o h Tzaddi � 2 1 9
2 Tae an inpirational boo wit you ometing tat can be opened to any page and give a meaningl prae n a ew lne Many boo are good or ti purpoe te Bible, Pa, poetry pirital autobiogrape, meditation guide boo about aintly people, prayer boo and o ort. 3. Spend te rt ten mnute warming your eart by itting quietly, eye cloed, perap umming a quiet melody to yourel. 4. For te econd ten minute, imagine tat you are able to comuni cate wit God, watever tat mean to you Spea out watever i on your mind. Te ubject doe not matter Jut continue peaing nontop or ten minute I you are embarraed to do ti, pea about te embarrament I conued, pea about tat Spea about anyting anger, utration, love, watever 5 During te lat ten minute, open te boo you are olding to a age at random Read a ew line, no more tan a paragrap, and ten cloe te boo Continue to it quietly Do ti practice once a wee or at leat ten wee. Ater eac our eion immediately write your experience in a journal At te end o te ten eion, read over te entirejournal. I you ave never once elt a pecial connection ti practice i not or you at ti time. I you ave, one or more time, ten continue wit te practice unti you eel you ave gained intmacy wit your inner voice. From ti point on, you can continue te practice at random or you wi now ave ready acce to your inner voice
Practicing Ae Part 2 1 . Scedule a mnimum o tree day or a peronal retreat It can be longer, but tree day i enoug to begin ti pracce I tere are cildren at ome, you wil ave to mae arrangement or teir care or nd a eparate room or yourel in te oue) 2 Weter you live alone or wit a partner, deignate a acred pace were you wil not be diturbed during te entire retreat
22 0 God Is a Ver
3. Sp and at in you sad spa. Tun o th tphon do not answ th doo; do not stn to th answing mahn n oth wods y hono th tim you a giing yousyou sou duing this tat 4. uing th tat mnim you doing" pat and maxim you ing pat. Rommndd atiitis inud notng you ath gaing hanting hatha yoga paying notiing you thoughts staing at andls ating smpy doing asouty nothing and any oth ndao (o nonndao) that wi nhan mndfu psn. Atitis not ommndd inud asua adng witing at ngth wathing tision istning to ado istning to musi studying using th omput ating ompx foods pating go putts and any oth atiity that alows us to mindss 5. Th da is not simpy to pass th tim ut to noti what happns n ou nds whn w ha nothing to dstat ouss A th nit odom anxity somfot and ustaton w ngag ou ss on a nw . Ths is a hanging pat . Kp a simp jouna imiting yousf to a shot xd tm piod fo witing.
Fo mo gudan on stting up psona tats s my ooks Silnc Simplicit and Solitd (Bl Tow 99 and nwing Yor Sol (Hap SanFaniso 995
Practicing Awe Part 3 1 . Whn you a fing good o thank aout somthing at th st opotunity whisp a psona statmnt of thanknss to th us. 2. Whn you a fing stangd ngati angy sad itt ustatd dsiusiond o in any way out of sots ways ask fo assistan. At th st oppotunity whisp to th unis somtng ik m fing y sad and oud us som hp to f tt. Pas hp m."
Th Path of th Taddik 221
3. Whenever you eel decient in somethingyou need more me more money more clothes more supportat the rst opportunty wsper something like eel the need or more money so am asking or help in thisether to have more or to nd peace o mind with what do have When you do this the goa is not necessariy to the deciency but to nd a place o comort with what is. 4. Whenever you eel like speaking spontaneously to the universe or any reason whatsoever at the rst moment nd an opportunty to do so. he idea obviously is to develop a reationship ccasionay we a eel somewhat alone. he purpose o this practice is to that sense o oneness with companionship or the soul. t can provde us with enormous strength in dealing with lie's ongoing tris
10. T H E OF
pH
UAN I
wisdomstory tells about an advanced student in ewish mysticism who traveled to a secret institution which housed the most enightened beings o the time his student wanted desperatey to gain adttance so that he could grow in his wisdom But he had to pass a test to be accepted among these learned people who were caed the Masters o oncentration ne o the elders said to the young man My son you are on the right path and your go is admirable But to join our community you must have reached a level o equanimit ishtavt) an you say to us that you have achieved equanmty he young man had not epected such a question He asked the elder Master please eplain what you mean by equanimty. he old man said My son i you know one person who honors and praises you and another person who despises and insults you are both o these people the same to you he young man sat quiey or a whie careuy investigating his own eelngs. hen he repled Master clearly derive pleasure and atisaction om the person who honors me and pain rom the one who insults me
222
God s a Verb
But I can say in honesty that I o not fee any sense of wanting revenge nor o I bear a gruge So I believe that I have attaine equanimty" The eler shook his hea No my son you have not acquire equa mity by our measure. The fact that your sou experiences the pain of an insut means that you wil not be able to attach your thoughts entirely to Go. Our level of concentration requires that you cannot waver even for a moment. Therefore go in peace unti you become truly equanimous so that you wil be able to concentrate" The entrance requirements for this mystical acaemy seem quite rigor ous Is it not enough that we are able to overcome our isturbing thoughts? an we actuy reach a state of min in which such thoughts never arise in the rst place? The Jewish sages sai yes as o major teachers in most spiritual raitions. The state of n that we nee to attain is cae ayi Nothingness. We have to be nothing in our own eyes an therefore nonreactive As we have just seen we can achieve the level of ayi through the contemplative prac tice of bil ha-yesh, the path of selessness72 Thus selessness is a preconition for equanity. In the state of ayi we iscover an entirely ierent relationship with questions such as Who am I? What am I? Where am I? I a name? Am I a relationsp to my famly? Am I somethng istinguishe by an aress rivers lcense socialsecurity car brary car or teephone number? From the perspective of selessness we eie that though we may be ientie by an associate with objective symbols our essential souls are something ese something that transcens names numbers measurements or other common forms of ientication Who am I? I am noboy. There is no I There is only that which en ables the question to be aske in the rst place Who is asking? Going is asking through this boy this min. Who is tnng? Who is reaing these wors? Like a chil who enlessly asks why we use this practice to put our who" questions against every propose response Anjust like we ultimately reach an enigmatic conclusion with the chil Ony Go knows why" so too wil we be stumpe by our who" questions for they are never nay resolvable. They o lea to insight however an this insight is the key to the avance state of min that leas to selessness This is not selfannihationwe ont cease to est in this practice. Rather it is the real iation of the everpresent nature of ivine consciousness. When a Jewish practitioner reaches a level of awareness in whch he or she enters the rem
The Pah of he Taik 223
of slssnss it lads to a rization that Gods prsn is vrywhr in lding ons own onsiosnss. In th ightnth ntry th Maggid of Koznitz Rabbi Isral Hapstin said Thr ar two inds of spirital ladrs On is th grat ladr who onstantly dos God's wi bt who raizs that h or sh is doing it. Sh an individal dos not hav th powr to bring vrything bak to its root (i rdm all th holy sparks) or mak on raliz that is drivd om Gods wil Th rason for this is bas this spirit ladr dos not [fy ndrstand] that vn his or hr own worship utimate comesom God [bas thy hav too mh of a sns of thmslvs] Thr ar othr spirital ladrs who ar nothing in thir own ys (slf lss) Thy riz that Gods powr is vrything and that withot it thr is absoltly nothing. Ths ladrs an bring a attribts and toghts to thir root. Sh a spirital ladr may b ik nothing insid (sss) bt light and a hoy inn radiats to th world Hrin is th mystia srt that holy sparks ar raisd whn w fy raiz that w ar nothing bt vhils for th prssion of ivin Will. Paradoiy th vhil itsf has its own wil. Whn th ondtors (yo and ) of this fr will bliv that w ar sparat idntitis w mit and dtah orslvs om th sor of if and th sparks thrby annot b rtrnd to thir root. Whn w appriat that w ar mpowrd by a ntra for thn or fr wi is sd for th bnt of this ntr for and th holy sparks ar rtrnd to thir root. As Rabbi vi Yitzhak ofBrdihv said At vry instant all nivrss riv istn and sstnan from God. t is hman bings howvr who motivat this sstnan and transmit it to all worlds. Whn a prson n s th sns of slf ompltly and thrby attahs Thoght to Nothing nss thn a nw sstnan ows to th nivrss. This is a spirital sstnan that did not prviosly ist A prson mst b so in aw of God that th go is toty nid. Only thn will this sstnan ow to all ni vrss lld with vrything good.4 Th mrging of or will with th Wi of th ivin ass a nw sstnan to ow in th nivrs. That is ts ombination raiss sparks and brings abot a nw vl of onsiosnss in all of th nivrss of this ration. This is th prodt of attahing Thoght th mind to Nothing nss th ntr of ration. Ths w prati th path of qanimity whih involvs attaining th ndstat of slssnss for mh mor than prsonal nlightnmnt. t is viwd as th path of tr wisdom and it is th pross by whih nw onsiosnss is raisd throghot th nivrss. 224 God Is a Verb
Practcng Equanmty: Part
1
1 Sitting qietly aowing the mnd to reect try to rec as many times as yo can drng the past year when yo were angry and what cased it. 2. Try now to remember as many times as yo can in yor entire lfe when yo were angry How many detais can yo remember? 3. Yo wi notice that no matter how mch yo try yo be able to remember ony a relative handfl of times even for these many of the detals wi have disappeared. Notice that more than 90 per cent (and it may be as high as 99 percent of the angry experiences yo have had are completely forgotten. Reect pon this for a few mntes. 4. Now try to remember al of the experiences of great oy that yo have had in yor life. Try to remember of the detais as best yo can. 5 Of corse yo have noticed that more than 90 percent of the oyos experiences also are completely forgotten t is tre that at var ios times something happen in or lives to case s to remember an angry sad or oyos moment bt the point of this exercise is to reie that experiences of great emotional power do not lt for long and most of the time are forgotten gain reect pon ths for a few mntes. . Ths is all there is to the practice The more we reect pon the ephemer natre of or emotions the more w reie that the next me we are caght in an emotional response it srely pass and be forgotten even thogh we may not feel this way in the moment of or pssion.
Pctcng Equanmty Part 2 1 . Sitting qietly owing the nd to reect try to think of a recent event in which yo were personaly involved that was highy emo tional for yo. The Path f the Taddik 225
2 Iine observin s even o he level of the sol Asse ht yo n see lely the osi ipitions of the even n n p preie wht hppene o nivers poin of view. Noie h the sol hs hiy objeive viewpoint 3 Sele noher evoive event n reet pon i o he perspe tive of he sol oneplin he vribles th h to oe to ether for ts even o or. Think of how i w e the ner n istnt ftre. 4. Do step repetely for s ny eotionl events s yo n rell wheher neive n nry or posiive n joyos Eh tie yo wi noie tht bro overview ets the inensiy of the eo ions 5. As yo srenhen yor inner obseer work th this proess on of he evens in yor ife Do this prie on relr bsis perhps one week reein on yor reonships o sol perspe ive. Over tie his bils reservoir of nersnin whih helps oi he ripples in yor life A isrbne in show pool ses jor trblene the se srbne in eep reseoir ses oy oest ripples
1 T H E O F
PA H
x RAO R D I N ARY MIND-SAE
ewish ysis ofen ene in solrvel o oher rels. In wy his is prtie of yin. The ore we experiene hese rsions he ore oforble we beoe wih he prospe of hppens fter eh. In ny ritions i is ht h we s ie o of or own selfonsiosness o enter ses of hiher wreness In Jewish ystiis hher wreness hs lwys been onnee h he prophei se of n. This is le ach ha-kodesh, he holy spiri the fontin of prophey h is the sore of ivine inspirtion. heres lite is known bo the spiril prties of nient prophets there re ny
22 God Is a Verb
dsripions in mysil Jsm of vrios hniqs o dvlop ruach ha kodesh. hs inld xnsiv pryr, sory rr, onnos s oflov ingndnss sorpion in onmplion of h ivn rpiion of holy nms of God nd so forh On w in his highr s of wrnss w r rdy for h lim go of devekut, mrging wih h ivin. O viosly his dvnd s of onmpliv pri rqirs onsidrl disipln in diy lif For mor hn hosnd yrs Kss hv sd visizion in ordr o dw in hghr plns. h mysil hory As ov so low is sd on hos viwpoin h vryhing is onnd. hrs mny rions wi visions of ohr ris Kliss ivly s imginion o nr hs rlms. In prinipl, if w n imgin i i is s if w r doi� i h following vislizion my di for som rdrs. I n don in sgs or on In ihr s i shold rpd ls hfdozn ms or ni h imgs r lrly implnd his mion n don on on's own is s ompshd whn on prson rds o nohr If workng on, h mdior my wish o rord h sizon nd hn ply i k, rnng h mhin on nd o o low for iy h mdior ms wys s h p, vn whn ing gidd enever ending this visuaization, quick reverse the order the steps to th beginning stage one. This visuaization must awas begin and end with the ini tia instructions noticing one breath and bod movement. is is important. doing his viszion sr yo wi no disrd. P no on h door isonn h lphon Nvr lv prson on in h md of viszion nd nvr psh nyon frhr hn sh or h is wng o go If gidng nohr prson who is inxprind in viszion work h gid shold rd h folowing. hn doing visizons w shold no hv xpons of how hy work Som popl s imgs s if vido srn wr workng in hir ndsohrs hv srong sond imprssions. Som popl hv vg imgs shdows or ohr lrry snsions nd mny popl vis iz" y mrly nking hr is no righ wy o do his, s long s yo r l o sy wih h pross.
The Path of the zddik 227
roneo Go Meitation Stage One e Cave Machpelah 1 a. Clos your ys n rt ply Lt yourslf rl n notic your chst rising n fing it t rt" Reader: it one minte.) No imgin you r stning in tht hs lrg group of rocks to on si you cn s tht thr is n opning ht ls to cv A gur stns t th ntrnc o th cv You pproch th gur n t gur i sk you qustion pssor or somhing ls tt you must o to gin ntry Tll m if you r l to ntr t cv." Wait sient Do not make an sign impa tience Getting into the cave ca take ess than a minte or signcant onge the person is not abe to get into the cave or the dr awafor some other reason STOP AT THIS POINT and t the exercise again some other da) b. the person indicates the are inside the cave ask:) Pls scri for m in s much til s you cn t you s fl or princ in this cv." Aer hearing a detaied description what is in the cave ask) Woul you k to continu on no or is tis noug for toy?" the person wants to move forard go to step 2a it is enogh for toda sa) Pls go ck out of th ntrnc th you cm through pst t gur into th l r rst gn Notic your chs rising n fing it t rt." Wait 30 seconds) No tk coupl of p rths n opn your ys."
Stage wo e Garden Eden 2a Begin with stage 1, then contine:) No tt you r insi th cv look roun until you notic spci plc r you cn sit Whn you n it pls scri it to m" Wait sient nti the person de scribes the seat Never give approva or disapprova anthing the person sas the person has dct nding a pace to sit encorage her or him to contine ooking the person contines to have trobe stop at this point reverse to the beginning and end the visaization) Once a seat isfond) Sit in tis pc. t s mgic. mgin you r cosing your ys s yo sit r in t cv You il trns port to n plc. You r outsi lrg grn surroun y 2 2 8 God Is a Verb
a big fn with a gat Two angls ar guarding th gat srib to m what you s and how it fls to b hr" (Listen t thefu de scriptin) Now you will b tstd by th angls with a qustion, a pass word, or somthng ls that is rqurd for you to gain ntran. S what happns and lt m know if you ar abl to ntr through th ga" (Wait sient the persn is nt abe t get int the garden r he r she dr awafr sme ther reasn stp at this pint. Be sure t reverse the visuaizatins retu t the cave and cme ut the cave int the ed) 2b. ( the persn indicates being inside the gate sa) You hav ntrd th Gardn of Edn. Plas mov around as muh as you wish, and d srib for m in dtail what you s fl or xprin in this gar dn." (Aer hearing a detaied descriptin the garden ask) Would you lik to ontinu or s this nough for today?" ( the persn wishes t cntinue g t step 3. nt retu t the cave and then ut int the ed)
Stage ree: Angels Deliver a Bodly Garment 3. D everthing up t step 2b, then cntinue) Now tha you ar stand ing in th Gardn of Edn, four angls will approah you Thy will bring you a garmnt hat wi giv you a nw body. srib to m wha ths angls look k. srib what you look lk whn you put on ths garmnt that givs you a nw body." (Uit unti the per sn is nished.) (Aer hearing a descriptin the new bd ask) Would you lk o ontinu, or is this nough for today?" ( the persn wishes t cn tinue g t step 4 nt g back t the cave and then ut int the ed.)
Stage Four: e Gates Rgteousness 4. (D evething up t step 3 then cntinue) Noti that to on sid is a piar of light mad up of thr olors A guard stands in ont of it You w b std with a qustion, a password or somthing you must do to gain ntran into th pillar of light S what happns m know if you ar givn prssion to ntr th pillar of lght but do not ntr it yt." (Wait) ( the persn des nt get permissin, return t the ed via the cave. the persn des get permissin) Whn you ntr this pilar of The Path f the Taddik 229
igt, it is going to crr ou to pce ced te Gtes of Rigteousness. Let me know wt i ooks nd fees ike wen ou rive" it)
Stage Fve e Being God 5 o evething up to step 4 then continue) ook round nd ou wi see tt tere is speci pce wit gtes being gurded. Tese re te Gtes of Rigteousness. You wi ve to nswer dicut question, puzze, or ou mus undertke rd tsk to get pst te gurd. Tis wi be c enge. See wt ppens nd et me know if te gurd is wiing to et ou pss" Wait) the person cannot get past, return to theed via the garden and the cave the person gets permission to pass:) en ou pss ts gurd, ou w be trnsported to new eve rem were mn nges ive. Tis is ced te Being of God. en ou rrive, decribe to me our experience, ow it fees nd wt ou see" Wait) oud ou ike to connue" Sgo on to the next stage step . NO reverse direction back to the cave and into theed here ou began ending the meditation)
Stage Sx e nner Sanctum God . Do evething up to step 5 then continue) Tere is o one more eve tt we wdo A speci nge wi pproc ou. Tis nge s dicut question for ou, idde, test, or some tsk it wnts ou to do is wnot be es See wt ppens, nd et me know if te nge is wing to tke ou up to te next rem" it.) the person cannot pass the test return to the ed via the Gates Rhteousness the garden and the cave. Remembe never ask about a test or ridde uness the person expresses a wiingness to share it the person passe the test:) Tis nge is now going to trnsport ou to te igest pteu, were ou w be tot in te presence of te Divine. Tis stge is ced te Inner Snctum of God. en ou rrive describe to me our experience, ow it fees, nd wt ou see it as ong as ou can. en the person isnished remember to return to theed quick and gent going through a the stages in reverse.)
Tis is wonderfu pece, medittive pce. t is sometimes dicut to return St s ong s ou cn, but t some point, s gent s possibe 23 God Is a Verb
oe bak. Otherwise the shok o eturig too abruptly ould be quite trauat s guided editatio is based upo the jourey o a hgher soul level neshama aer death that is desribed i osiderabe detai i the Zoha A ordig to the Jewish ystis, a soul is wothywe advaed i the proess o redeemg sparksit a beoe attahed to God. Obviously this iagery goes we beyod the boudaies o the iteet but experi etialy it has prooud iportaeo the goa is devekut egig with the Divie Ideed, i ths desriptio, the soul a ased to the level i whih it beholds the Ier Satu o Goda exated state o utig with the Divie te the soul ejoys the super delight o ths lo heavey re it a otiue its aset aordig to the Zoha 5 However the de sriptio eds at this poit suggestig that higher aset is eirely ega. his visualatio is extraordiary powerl. It hages ou relatio ship with death ad helps us look orward to ew opportuities beyod this lie Whe dweig i higher awareess we beoe ore itate wth the extraordiary midstate o ruach ha-kodesh he word kodesh (holy) s a syoy or God, as i the phrase "Ha-kodeh Baruch Hu whh is tras lated he Holy Oe, Blessed be It. Soe traslate the hoy spirit as the breath o God6 I a aous phrase i the orah God says I wi with the breath o God ruach ohim with wisdo chochma uderstad g inah ad kowledge daat " s level ad the ext represet the ulmiatio o spitua praie the Jewish odel o eighteig Up to his poit aspirats ust o siously ake eorts to dire their ow spiritual growth but ruach ha-kodesh ad techiat ha-matim (e etera) oe oy hrough grae
1 2. T H O F (Go
L F
PAH
RNA
CoNOUNss)
al stage o the Jewish eghteig proess ould be tras lated lteray as eveig the dead Judais beeves that death is a ilusio ad that e eter is everyoes desiy i the world to oe he essetial Jewish belie o resurretio subts that al but the wos el eets o hua existee wi be revitaled i a etiely ew paragm whe our level o awareess attais ew heights. The Path of the addik 2 3 1
h thing of this onusiv stg is tht on nd not wit fo th futu to hiv th wnss of tn if It is vib to v on of us, h nd now W wi s t tht dth n b htd; t st vn pop ntd th hvn ms without ding Indd stois of tnsions of gt sgs in mn tditions suggst tht som pop do not di but onsious mov to noth v of wnss78 W must mphsiz th wod onsious" In dth w pss ov to noth v of wnss. But most of us do this unonsious As sut th ow sou must go though puition nd most of us in ntd fo th pupos of ising mo spks. Sti, th som who onsious go though thi tnsition nd ttin v of t tht in Kbbh is d tzaddk. h hv hvd if tn W n om pish this ov mn iftims o with ommittd spiitu pti w n do it in this on. h v of wnss d tzaddk in wish mstiism is timss, spss m tht tnsnds duit h no boundis of sf nd oth in this m fo of tion s ntonntd nd intdpndnt h is no subjt o objt, fo h iss simutnous with th oth nd nnot xist on its own. With no pst o futu th is no bith o dth; th is simp ontinuous unfoding of th psnt mo mnt Hin is th utimt tuth of xistn Goding nd tioning s on poss vsting Eh of us hs n spt of th tn tzaddk dwing withn us. his is th pi tht hods togth ou wod nd th wod ound us h mo w dpn ou pti, th os w om to boming th highst tzad dk, on who tnsnds ths wod Evn thos t this v d upon to kp th univs bnd in tims of gt nd. Athough th tzaddk sids in n xtd stt of mnd w n ppit this wnss though n xnt xis d hough Gods Es. It ows us to nvision it om th psptiv of God so to spk. At this stg in spiitu dvopmnt, hvng not th sightst sfiusion w s things in n nt nw w, obsving vis withn vis its withn itis.
hrough Go' Ees h ssnti undstnding of mssini onsiousnss is in ppitng th ntu of poss s n ongoing phnomnon God is Goding tion 232 God Is a Verb
is tioning ou nd I vbig, ontinuous unoding in dn with th Divin his wnss on is suint to is ou onsiousnss to its highst potnti It is not sothing tht wits us in th tu. It is sip tt o ing th onsiousnss within us in this ont In this n xis, w n to xpin th poss s it ontinus his pti wi t onsiousnss nd in shot ti w hng ons psptiv on i 1 to nd p wh ou wi not b distubd o nt to thit inuts Sit quit, ootb bthing no 2. Igin tht ou on n pt pottd bh on w, sunn d. You sitting o ing on snd, u xd You n t go o o ou s nd wois whi on this bh. You on h nd opt s Look ound ou nd dsib to ous wht ou s. Noti how ou . 3 At on nd o th bh is n pt hous with t st th oos. Lt ous wk towd this hous but do not nt it t Dsib to ous wht th pt hous ooks ik. 4. Wk though th ont doo o this hous. h st oo ou nt w hv ngth io. Stnd bo this o nd ook t ous. You n s ous in gt dti. to noti s uh s ou n bout how ou ook in this io. How ou ing wh ou do ts? 5 A w inuts o ooing t ous ou wi nt th nxt oo. H too is io. But this is gi io tht ows ou to hv vision o wht God ooks k. Lt ou igintion ow nd ptnd tht this is wndow into hvn hough it ou n s God Aow ous to spnd w nuts isd in this x pin o nvsionng God. 6. Now ou wi nt th thid oo h is t noth ngth mo in this oo n ou stnd bo it ou wi xpin obintion o th st two oos Look t ous in th o nd xpin th psn o th Divin t th s ti ht is to s, in this mo ou wi s ous s God ss ou. Look The Path of the ddik 233
at yousf though th ys of God so to spak and not what you ook k fom h psptiv of th Divin 7 hn you s yous though Gods ys noti how you f. Ob sv how dnt you may f om you xpin wth th s mo. 8 n you a ady av this hous by th sam way you nd Rtun to h pa on th bah wh you bgan this xis and si o i in th sand aowing yousf to f d totay at pa. Rmain h fo a fw mnuts. hn you a ady tak a fw dp baths and opn you ys
hn w a ab to t go of ou inn iti fo a wh w instany az a nw ationship wth f. In th ys of God w a pft Eah momn as Goding unfods w bgin anw Eah momn is an oppotunity to b fuy who w a o vn who w hink w want o b It is aways avaiab to us. Goding is h. a h. This is it.
234 God Is
a Verb
B E Y O D
T I s
O L A M HA B A H (he Wod to Come)
L I E
R E W A R P U N I S H M E N T A N
I V I N E
P R O V I E N C E
n Tusday rning th Ba Sh Tv ad tgthr a nubr his studnts harnssd up th hrss and tk r parts un knwn. Th studnts aways kd rward t ths ystrius trips and th advnturs that a with th Usuy th astr wud us his ag ia pwrs t trav grat distans in a attr hurs This ti hwvr th jurny sd t drag n ndssy thy rd in th arriag day ar day and wndrd i it wud vr nd A nubr studnts bgan t that this was nt intrsting at a indd it was dwnright waris On Friday atrnn abut an hur br sundwn thy und thsvs in a dns rst. Had it bn any thr sundwn thy wud hav bn irritatd but ths sundwn d int Shabbs th hy day rst What
Reward Punishment and Divine Providence 2 3 7
knd o Shabbos woud t be n the mdde o the woods? No wne, no hallah nothng to eat? It was a dsaster uddeny they saw a cearng wth a cabn and a sma barn. When the carrage pued up to the cabn, the students jumped out and knocked on the door. Ater a whe, t was answered by a arge, unshaven, nastyookng eow n hs undershrt. He snared at them through broken, yeowed teeth, What do you want?" ear sr," they reped, we are traveng wth our master, and n a short tme t w be Shabbos We ave nowhere to stay. Woud you mnd we joned you and your ay or Shabbos?" Mnd?" he spat out course woud mnd I know your type You want to sng and dance and te stores durng o Shabbos. Not n my house" He sammed the door n the aces What were they to do? here was no pace ese to go. So they knocked once agan on the door and cowered together when the angry brute an swered hs tme hs ace was crmson, hs eyes ared, and hs ps drpped sptte hey sad, ear sr, pease, we have nowhere to go. We w seep n the barn. We w not eat much But pease, et us stay." n one condton," he responded, that you do t my way No sngng, no dancng, no storyteng My way, or no way." hey agreed, wonderng what the master had gotten them nto he room nsde the house was dng. ead nsects were scattered across the oor, and every corner had cobwebs hey sat at the tabe he Baa Shem ov seemed to be n deep con tempaton constanty goomng hs ampe beard wth hs ngers. he stu dents, however, were vsby upset. What coud be worse than havng a Shabbos n a dsma pace ke ths? Moreover, what coud be worse than a Shabbos that coud not be ceebrated wth song and dance? We, actuay, t dd get worse he host, we coud ca hm that, brought out just a touch o wne or the kddsh bessng, and then sobbered down most o t beore passng the cup. he bread was stae, and each per son at the tabe receved ony a crumb. St more, beeve t or not, he sneezed n the soup tureen beore servng meager amounts to everyone at the tabe he mea was ghasty n every respect hat nght they sept n the barn he next mornng they sat down to the second Shabbos mea, and t was worse than the rst He served cod etovers, more stae bread, another smdgeon o wne, and some greasy ukewarm water wth a mp pece o ceery oatng n t. hs was ced soup
2 8 God I a Verb
The third mejust before sundown ws no better The students oud hrdy wit for nigh so tht they ould get bk into the rrige nd go home By ll mesures this ws everyones worst Shbbos indeed it ws the most unplesnt eperiene they ever hd with their teher. Some even dred to whisper tht he hd lost his power nd they were going to ook for nother rebbe. ong the B Shem Tov stroked his berd nd quietly ontemplted the events s they uolded He seemed ompletely unperturbed Clery he ws not his oyous se ke he usuy ws on Shbbos when he would te mrveous stories sing inredble nunim nd dne round the tble. But he dd not rgue wth the gru old mn nor did he use his mgi to win the mn over He ust st nd wited. Night ny rrived The young men hurried to get their belongings But the surly od mn sid And where do you thin you e going" One of the studnts responded, Sir we thnk you for your nd hos pitity nd we wi now be going on our wy. The big mn red t the students. Ths in't enough. I epet py ment for the mes nd lodging I know you don't hve money nd I dont wnt money nywy There's pent of work to do round here The students were bbergsted Pyment for Shbbos me In the pst they hd eten the best food in the best ompny nd nobody ever sug gested pyment Yet when they inquired of the mster if the host ould de mnd pment the B Shem Tov ed his eyes nd shrugged his shouders inditing tht the mn hd the right to sk for ompenstion. Coud it get worse The net dy they wee lnng the brn moving the hy spreding mnure buiding new shed nd repiring roof ndeed tht Shbbos me hd been quite epensive The misely wges ompounded the insut for t the end of eh dy the old srooge woud te them tht they hd to work the net. By the middle of the week they wondered they ever woud be ble to leve ong the B Shem Tov worked shoudertoshouder wth his su dents hrdy spekng but never omplining. He hd distnt gze in his eyes ke mriner serhing through thik fog for beon tht would led him home. As the week wore on he beme inresingly ontempl tive nd oen osed s eyes to epore inner relms By Thursdy the students hd the sinking feeling they woud be spend ing nother Shbbos in this w ple Indeed Thursdy night the ogre sid tht one more dy would be required to l their obigon l dy Fridy they were hertbroken resigned to their fte. They go
Reward Punishment an d Divine Proidence 239
nized over the possibility that they would have to pay for the ong Shab bos by woring a a next wee An endless yle yle would w ould iprison the. There would be no esape.
A New Shabbos ate in the afternoon afternoon they nished nish ed their labors labors and prepared prepared for for Shabb S habbos os as as best bes t they ould o uld.. The old an desribed to the the a strea strea not n ot far far awa away where they ould bathe. It was the rst gesture of ness he had ade wee They hurried to the strea, and behold! t was truly beautiful A hot spring bubbled nearby so that they ould soa their ahing bones. The strea it self was deep enough for eah to suberge in the living waters for puri ation. ati on. This Thi s was ore lie lie it. Too Too bad they they had to go ba b a to that t hat awl awl hous ho usee for another iserable Shabbos dinner. As dus was faing, they relutantly returned to the abin hen they entered, they ould not beieve their eyes. It had been transfored. It was led with ght the was geaed, and the oor was higy polished. The table was set with a purewhite loth, beautiful dishes golden utlery, and lovely lovely wineglas win eglasses. ses. The ans wife, wife, who they they had never seenperhaps seenper haps she had been awaywas dressed in a gorgeous white outt. She lt andes all over the roo to weloe the Shabbos and what a Shabbos it was Freshy baed chaah wine that owed endlessly pefet gete sh; piles of sweet, roasted hien on and on t went But the ost ost aazing thing of a was the old an. He was tansfor tansfored ed.. He wore a beautiful robe and an ebroidered suap His fae raated a rosy rosy glow of satisfation satisfation and happiness. Even ore astonishing as tonishing he sang and told aazing tales. He had an enorous aount of inforation at his n gertips A t o n e point, poin t, the an anss wife wife went u p to the Baal She To Tov and said sai d to hi, Master, do you reognize e?" He looed at her very losely and then said My goodness, you are Riva. My dear, it has been over thirty years sine I saw you last You ust have been twenty years old when you left our hoe." Eighteen" she said. o you reebe the last Shabbos spent with the faily? The fog began to lear a little. Riva had been a aid in the Baa She Tovs hoe. There had been soe probles he reebered. His wfe was not happy with her wor But he ould not real the details
2 4 0 God Is a Verb
Rivka ontinu ont inu: : That lst Shabbos I rmmbr so w. w . You ha h a many gusts I h prpar prpar a larg larg amount o soup an put it i t in your biggst urn urn It was vry havy as I brought it om th kthn. I hav always bn a littl lumsy things sm to sp through my ngrs. I tri to b so arul. B u t . . . Now it am bak to th Baal Shm Tov. H oul s Rivka arryng th urn om th kithn. Sunly or no apparnt rason th whol ontainr wnt rashng to th oor. Soup splattr vrywhr His w was vry angry with vka an ritii hr until th young mai ha bn r u to tars It was a isastr. H rmmbr it w. vka sai Mastr I was mor. I rali it was my mistak I i to sk rnt work so that this woul nvr happn again Six months latr I lt lt your hous an oun oun anothr job jo b Ar I lt I ha a ram In my ram you wr on tria gls aus us you o a trribl mis o you know know what it was? Th og lar lar vn mor an th Baal Shm Sh m To Tov oul oul s s th kr o th baon that woul ilumnat his soul H wait. Rivka ontinu: Th angls aus you o aowing m to b mbarrass in pub You nvr i anything to bring oort to th situation An or ths th angs t that you srv to i Thr was a lngthy bat in havn I saw it l in my ram. You ha many nrs. Evry prayr you hav spokn an vry prson you hav hlp was rprsnt by a ning angl. Th havy argumnt ontinu or a whil an nally it was i that you shoul b abl to lv. But you ha to pay a grav pnalty thy spi that you woul hav on Shabbos ompltly ruin. Th baon now ash brightly Finy atr a wk o rtion h unrsto un rstoo. o. H kw that that th gru man was was ating a rol rol but h oul ou l not put th pul togthr unti now This man th husban o Rivka was a lamed-vav tzaddi His whol task in was to mak sur th worl woul smo othy y H arri out ou t th orrs o ha h avn n vn i it mant m ant kp turnng smooth putting somon through a hsh xprin. Th Ba B a Shm Sh m Tov Tov look aross aross th tabl tabl at th tzaddi an th tzad di look bak Eah o ths wis sags ha a grin srthing om ar to ar Th stunts look om on to th othr not ompltly unrstaning what was happning but ovoy as light th room This was a Shabbos byon by on any thy ha vr vr xprin. xpri n. Thy wr wr arri to insribabl ralms moving rom on havnly platau to an othr othr ntil ntil thy rah th highst momnta momnta tastj ust a tast o th sv
Reward Punshmen and Dvine Providence
241
enth heaven. h eaven. This one instant was was more than payment for for the week w eek they had spent. Indeed it was prieess. They never never uttered utter ed anothe an otherr word word of ompa om paint int from from that th at time foward. When they returned home the next week and shared this experiene with others they were proud to have been among those who spent the ruined Shabbos with the Baa Shem Tov a hoy day that had been traded for his ife.
e Vlue Shabbos Many wisdomteahings are ustrated ustrated in the th e stoy of the lamed-vav tzaddk though we enter the word with fate as a steady ompanion we an generate new fate whie we are here. A simpe at an have dire onsequenes espeiay if one is at a high station of awareness and knows better Evey thing we do reates an ausing or defending ange whih means that our ati a tions ons spee sp eeh h and thoughts reate reate ippes that tha t utimatey wor wor in our fa favor or as stumbng bos. When adver adversit sityy stries it does not do muh m uh good to omp ompai ain n The mas ter remained am but pensive searhng for the answer. The students on the other hand needed to earn more about faith. In the end however they were rewarded for their abors. A lamed-vav tzaddik may hide in many disguises. The person ging us the hardest time atuay atu ay may be saving saving our ives ives We an an never te te o one o ne moment to the next if an event is for our webeing so it is wise to give everything and everyone the benet of the doubt. In ts story one ruined Sabbath was traded for dozens of years of the Baa Shem Tov Tovss ife ife . The meaning of the Sabb S abbath ath is to rest" om our ou r mun mun dane onsiousness and aow ourseves time eah week for spiritua reetion This reetion heps us stay ney tuned aert to adjust our day deisions whenever neessary so that our quaity of ife is enhaned With out reguary tang this time ife an spira into one deay task after another ike the week that foowed the ruined Shabbos in ts story unti we no onger fee the spirit that resides thin In this sense fe an fee mean ingess. Thus we have the teahing that Sabbath is most as important as ife itse One of the more interesting aspet of this story is the fat that a sdeed had a negotiabe punishment" and that it took t ook many years for for ts pun ishment o be given. In tis is a kabbasti teahing about the nature of reation that is reveaed in a story about the training of anges. 4 � G d s a e rb
TH E
Mos XEEN
AN
Q A Y
t is taught that during Rosh Hashana and Yom ppur thr ar ausi a using ng angls and dnding dnding angls angl s th dndin dndingg an gls do not do thir job w th world annot ontnu So God prpars dnding angls by snding thm to do a task that dpns thir undrstanding n on situation God said to an angl Go nd th most xllnt quali o human xprin and rturn to tl m what it is" Th angl sarhd s arhd around th world. t saw many things But what wha t most imprssd it i t was an vn vntt in whih a on onus usdd man was was standing stan ding in th t h d dd o a busy road road To on o n sid anothr an othr man saw that a larg truk tru k was omo ming down th th road roa d too ast and would not b abl a bl to stop st op b b or hitting this dazd man. So th man on th sid rushd out rom th urb and rahd th othr just in tim to push him out o th way. Unortunaty h oud not sav himsl and h was kld by th truk Th angl gathrd up a drop o his blood and took it to God saying This bv may b th most xlnt thing in human xprin xpri n th wi wi ngnss ngnss to sari on' on 'ss l or anothr" God rpd to th angl You hav ound an xnt xprin but it is not th most xnt Go bak and nd it" Th angl rturnd to arth and sarhd on again t sannd th world and this m th angl was attratd by th xprin o a woman giving birth Th woman moand and writhd or a long tim unti at last th in i nant ant was born. bor n. Whn sh s h saw its lttl body body hr pain droppd drop pd away away and a warm stasy ld hr with lov. Th ang rahd ovr took a drop o swat om th womans body and rturnd to God saying Ts biv mayy b th most xnt ma xnt thing in human xprin xprin bringing into in to th word" On again God said to th angl ndd this is an xllnt human xprin but it is not th most xllnt Try on mor tim" So th angl rturnd again to nd th most xnt human xprin. t sarhd vry ary and bing an angl it oud viw thousands o vnts at th sam tim Suddny somthing aught its attntion man was runni ru nning ng throug throughh a woodd ara ara and h was was laly laly in a violnt mood mo od Th angl quiky rviwd this man's li and ound that h had just bn rlasd om jail having srvd many yars or anothr mans rim Now rious h was out or rvng Reward Reward Pun shmen sh men t and an d Dne Prodence Prodence 2 4 3
The ngel folowed him through the woods nd sw him pproch cbin The guilty one lived inside He ws the one who should hve served the prison term. When the runnng mn cme close to the house, he sw light through the wndow. Stnding t the window still bent on revenge, he looked inside nd sw his intended victim. The mn nd his bride of one yer hd just returned om the hospit with their new dughter They were s hppy s people cn be. b e. The ngry ngr y mn looking look ing through through the window win dow wtched crefuy crefuy,, nd nd slowly his hert broke into pieces. He begn to weep nd then turned wy into the woods, never to return. The ngel gthered up one of his ters nd returned to God, sng, This, believe, believe , is the most excelent thing in humn hu mn experience experi encefforgive orgive ness: the bity to trnscend nger, htred, nd the desire for revenge" God congrtulted the ngel, sying nd ndee eed d the bility to forgi forgive ve is the most exceent gift in humn experience Mny other thngs re iportnt, but this is one of the few trits tht distinguishes humn potentil. As de fending ngel, it is impertive tht you understnd forgiveness it is the only reson my cretion continues Without forgiveness, woud dispper in n instntneous instntneou s sh" The Jewish mysticl point of view is tht cretion is bsed upon com pssion nd lovingndness. For the Kbblist, forgiveness does not men we need to embrce someone who hs done despicble ct ginst humnity. Rther, it is fo fo cused cus ed on on the degree to which wh ich we we hold on o n to our o ur nger or our ou r negtive feelings f the cretion were bsed upon pure system of rewrd nd punshment, in which punishment would be the instnt result of ones ctions, e could not not survive for for long. lon g. We do things, sy things, nd think things tht would surely overwhelm us f we hd to mke nstnt pyment for unskil ful behvior. The very ide tht there is time period between ones ctions nd the resulting punishment" suggests tht the universe is wiing to wit, so to spek, for something to medite the potentil punishment EWARD AN D PUNIHEN
trditionl pproch to the concept of rewrd nd punishent is tht the hnd of providence is in everythng s pyment for pst deeds. Good ctions receive good pyments ctions tht re not good cn 244 G d Is
a Verb
cos a heay price. Tradiioaly, we lear hrough revelaio or prophecy abou wha w ha we are supposed suppo sed o do d o ad he mus live our ou r lve lvess accordi acc ordiggy I heory, hs idea may seem logical I reaiy, we see ha i does o work his way. We discover hrough experiece ha people who live good, clea clea lves lves oe oe suer suer greay greay whil wh ilee ohers ohe rs who are ar e o o so careul careul oe seem se em o have everyhig hey eed This rases he issue o why bad hgs hap pe o good people The acie rabbis were greay roubled by his ques tio. The Ta Tamud els e ls o a aher who se hs h s so o he he roo r oo o brig bri g dow some youg birds The so we as isruced ad led he requireme o he law by sedig away he moher rom he es beore coecig he chicks O his way dow he so el o he ladder ad was kiled Two specic Jewish laws i he Torah say ha peope perorg par icular icular commadmets commadme ts lve exeded lves lves.. The The rs o hese laws is ha o obeyig oe's pares; he oher is ha o sedig away he moher bird om her chicks. I his isace isa ce he boy had led ed boh laws ye was he vicim o a ely ely deah deah 2 The rabbis wodered i here had bee exeuaig acors. Perhaps he so or eve he aher was hikg somehig siul" as he boy was de scedig sce dig om he roo. roo. Bu i was was decided deci ded ha he cossio o good goo d deeds should proec someoe om houghs such as hese. Moreover whe oe is egaged i he he perormace perormace o a good deed deed i is said ha ha hs perso ca o come o ay harm. This siuaio disressed he rabbis They simply did o kow how o de wh i. Ideed i was said ha oe o he greaes sages, Elisha be Abuyah, tured away om his religious belies ad sopped pracicig his aih because o a siar icide i which he wiessed someoe beig ked ed i he perorm perormace ace o a good goo d deed de ed.. Some o he h e rabbis ried o solve he problem by sayig ha here is le le i s world, ad lie i he world o come. They suggesed ha whe he law describe des cribedd he h e prologaio prologaio o lie lie by doig good deeds, deed s, i i was reerri reerrigg o lie i he world o come bu he legth o oes lie i his world was ever assured Howe Howeve ver, r, his idea ide a cora co radc dcs s oher rabbi rabbi c dicums dicu ms based base d o o he pr pr ciple ha everyhig is repaid i he world measure or measure (middah examples alog alog his e o hikig hi kig.. The Th e keneged keneged midd mi ddah). ah). "4 There are may examples Tud sa says ys ha amie amie comes come s r rom o givig givig ih i hes es,, pes pe se ec cee comes com es rom perorg perorg mora mo rall sis si s war comes com es om o m pervers perversio io o ojj udgmes, udgmes, harm om wld beass comes rom swearig, ee comes om idolar or ices, ad bloodshed bloods hed com c omes es om o m o lowig lowig he lad o le l e al alow ow i he he seveh year. Reward Reward Puni Pun isme s ment nt and an d Divine Provi Providen denee 245
Thoughout Thougho ut the Tmud Tmud puishmetsi this wold woldae ae descibe de scibedd as et buti b utio o o o msdeeds msd eeds.. But this stil is ot satisacto satisacto .. we eed do s look aou aoudd us to see the th e heatache ad a d mise mise o wode wodeul people peo ple o the th e co co otable ves o tyats ad thieves. Thee is et aothe tmudc appoach to the questio o ewad ad puishme pui shmett I this good deeds deed s ae thei thei ow ewa ewad d ad misdeeds ae thei ow pushmet Each good deed leads to aothe; this makes o a pleas at lie. Covesel each misdeed aso leads to aothe ad this esults a coused ad dicult lie. The advice give hee is Do ot be lke sevats who seve thei maste with the expectatio o eceivg a ewad but seve wthout expectatios."6 expectatios."6 Acco Acco dig to this viewpoit viewpoit ew ewad ad ad puishmet puishme t should shoul d ot o t be b e pat o ou ou calculatio calculatio eithe i this thi s wol woldd o the wold to come come Simpl beig peset i the momet is all we eal ca do This tmudic dea is a ejec tio o the belie o measue o measue; it sas that God s ogivig ad ed ed with lovi lovigkid gkidess. ess. Eve Eve i i accusig accus ig agels agels declae a pes p eso oss guit ad o oe sas the peso is ocet o desves ogiveess mec wil pevail.7 og these lies the Zhar ass How is it that so ma sies ad tasgessos ae ive ad active"8 I puishmet wee swit as some sa these people could ot lve log Howeve it sas that i thee is a possib it that a siu siul peso pes o ma become vtuous vtuous the peso pes o is j udged udg ed a avoabl voabl.. I additio i the peso is destied to bea a vituous child the judgmet is alwa alwas s le l eie iet t.. Thus we see that the idea o ewad ad pushet us the l gamut om gaateed ewad o etibutio eithe i this wod o the ext to lvg each momet its uless tustig i the meciul ad ogivig a tue o the uivese. Noe o these ideas howeve is u satisacto O the oe had o them leave us with the eelig that we ae costat beig judged ad o the othe thee seems to be o coelatio bewee oes actios ad the ewads o a good lie. IVINE
P RV D E N E
mstcal appoach to the dicult issue o divie povdece bigs us a who deet pespective o the questio o ewad ad puishmet The oigial si ecoded i the Toah is eatig the ui o the T Tee o Kowledge as God did ot o t wat it to happe happ e e could cou ld 246 Gd I a Ve rb
ask Dd h ag happ by ad? r Adam ad Ev programmd o a h forbdd u? as prordad ha hy shoud a? Ad f wr ay of hs whr dos h pushm ? sms ha hy dd wha had o b do; was dv provd. f so how dos v prov d work? hs quso has pagd myss ad maphysa krs for wo housad yars. s xrmy dul o addrss as og as w rma xd o h od paradgm of God as a ou. Howvr o w mov o h op ha God s a vrb ad ha h pross of rao s rao w g w sgh for raog ao ufod whou Godg ad v vrsa. s k wo gars urg agas ah ohrf o gar s whdraw h ohr mmday sops. hus Godg d raog hav a symbo raoshp ha r vs slf ah mom ufods. Dv provd s h ro ha Godg pays h raoshp. Godg brgs a of h varabs of h uvrs o bar upo ah mom hs mas ha as og am pross or you or ayo or ayhg h uvrs ur s raosp wh hs pross hs raoshp s wha w a d provd. Som xps wl hp ar wha Godg mas hs ox. A prso arg how o draw dsovrs ha hr s a raoshp b w h obj bg draw ad h spa jus aroud ha obj d gav spa Rahr ha draw h oul of a owr for xp o a b rad o draw h shap of h spa aroud h owr h drawg hs way w sl g h owr bu w do by fousg o h spa ha s o owr." So by drawg vryhg aroud a obj w d up drawg h obj aso oud ook a h owr om h prspv of vryg ha alows o b wha s arh war urs sd warmh lgh ad ar. hus w a ra o a owr om h vwpo of wha ows o s hs mom. f wr surroudd by a vauum sad of s urr ar prssur oud day w ad d If wr movd o a dr oao oud b svry rumazd. From a mysa prspv f s ag rgy wr whdraw oud o survv h spa aroud somhg ds h hg am Davdg bu vryhg aroud m ds wha I am. Som woud say ha w ar wha w a. Bu ha s oo arrow a vwpo. Rahr w wha w s h ouh ad as w ar h aumuao of our xprs ad w ar pross h a ouous ow of xpr pu Chag h xpr ad w hag Evry mom w s w ar raoshp wh ha wh ds who w ar. Reward Pnishment and Divine Providence 2 4 7
hat Dadng brng to each moment the complaton o my le a collecton o eentplu a monkey wrench caed ree wl Mot o the tme the gear o the ongong relatonp between Godng and Dadng turn n a arly predctable way. But the monkey wrench can be nerted nto the gear aectng my drecton and ultmately the drecton o the unere. hat dne prodence brng to each moment the accrual o eery thng that ha occurred n the unere up to that moment. In the Garden o Eden, the ytem completely prtne, or there no pror htory. It the begnnng o a new concoune In th context dne prodence wa ngleponted. Godng ay that Adam and Ee hould not eat rom the tree becaue t wl caue death h precely what the ree o owledge dd Clearly the garden could hae been tructured to keep Adam and Ee rom tatng the ree o Knowledge. Death not a punhment, but the re alty o a creaton that ha dualty Duty requre eparaton Yet the ult mate truth o the Dne Onene. Part o the proce o eparaton mergng back nto Onene what we ca death So reward and puhment n our realty a contnuou proce o the unoldng relatonhp between Godng and creatonng. Godng endlely ge u clue atch out you eat too much chocolate you are gong to regret t" I you plt the atom, t wl come at a great cot" I technol og become too adanced the nature o the human mnd wll change or eer" I e become too buy, you wll loe contact wth your oul." Godng contently norm u that our le are balanced upon the dec on we make Our daytoday acton word and thought contnuouly aect our ene o harmony wth the unere. he more harmony we hae the more we could ay we are beng rewarded. But our harmony not mply a nc ton o our nddual deed, or jut a human beng brng ree w nto each moment Godng brng dne prodence Becaue dne pro dence nclude eery rpple that ha been ent nto the unere by eery peron who ha eer led and eery eent that ha eer taken place we can neer econdgue t From th perpecte, reward and punhment not related ony to nddual decon t the product o the coecte h tory o creaton. It aect not only nddual, but the proce o creaton ng a a whole. h a central Jewh teachng Our concou acton and good deed are not mply or the nddual but or the entre world. Our goa to brng al o creaton nto greater harmony It or th reaon that a o the prayer o the gh oly Day ae tuctured n the plural. Our eort are or the county o a beng. 248
God Is
a Verb
he ad teaches that when a wild sheoat s labon to ve bth, she ma be standin at the top of a montn In ths staton, the newbon kid wi be mamed o killed when t dops Godn pepaes an eale to catch the d n ts wns as t s bon and ths save t. Godn notes "If the eae wee one second too soon o one second too late the kd wold be ed. 0 his s a mavelos example of the "spontanet of dvne povdence 11 t we mst ask What boht divne povdence to the place n which the newbon kid cold be saved? And the answe s that ths can happen onl when thee s a patcla hamon n the nvese oo often we ae awae of statons whee dvne povdence does not ntevene to save life Whales beach themselves bds nto wndows hoses beak les, "accdents happen nat evehee. We know toda that nate often povdes mions of opn n the pocess of epodcton to asse that a few wl live. he scentst tends to focs on the mons that do not svve as a poof of andoness; the msc focses on the few that do svve as a poof of dvne povdence. he oal s not to avod eve accdental nj o death, bt to wok towad a hhe conscosness that sstans a hamonos bance n the n vese. We do not know whch newbon kids need to be saved. No can we cleal ndestand death on an level. t we have a deepe wsdom that des and nfoms s It s pon ths nne knowin that we mst el. At each moment, ceatonn contnosl evolves alon wth Godn hmans add the nedent of ee wi, and Godn povdes a mxn bowl caed vne povdence his sstem s ndamentall casal, and et s spontaneos and npedictable becase an nknown vaable alwas can be nseted between the case and the eect, thoh ethe ee will o dine podence. he teachn that God s a veb and that ceaton s an onon pocess bns a new vtalt to each moment and opens p fo s an nnit of pos sbites. ndestandn the wa the pocess woks wth Godn and ceatonn nfoldin smltaneosl we an enomos nsht nto the mstc achtecte of the nvese. he appoach ofewsh mstcsm eadn dvne povdence and fate s twofold Fst, we do evethin n o powe to lve to oselves, to chane the wold fo the bette. Eve beath s a new oppotnit fo con ontn fate and bnn s close to a new ealit Second we ealize that life, as we know t s ltmatel fated to end n death Fo ths we pactce eqanmt We lean how to balance the hhs and lows, and we develop a cente of nne peace that wll sstan s thoh clt tmes.
Rewar Punishent, an Divine Provience 249
Lif is not an either-or poposition it aways inuds th spirit of and Thr ar tims for on approah and thr ar tims for its opposit Somtims w ght to mak hang somtims w grafuy apt fat In any as, w must b vry arfu of anyon who suggsts that sh or h has an swrs to qustions that hav bn with us for thousands of yars. grat tahr on said In rty as w know it many qustions ar mant ony to b askdnvr answrd"
250 ' God s a Verb
Y I N G
A N
F E A R
peope ay that waiting for dying to begin i far wore than itef Nuring hoe are ed with peope who aiouy await death viit. hi can at for year Fear pervade day after day during thi e he fear becoe accentuated when epty chair are inetaby noticed in the dining roo. Every few week another peron diappear evoking terror in one heart. Wen i it going to be y chair? What i going to happen? Wi it hurt? Where a I going? Wi I know who I a? W I ever return? AD
I wa writing thi book y father Sapon Cooper aged nin etytwo ade hi na paage He had been iving in a nuring hoe and for any year had been conned to a wheechair. He fet trapped in a body that ipy woud ot function in the way that he wanted. Hi inteectu capacity ihed draaticay near the end of hi ife and Dying an d Fear 5
h icrsigly bcm shrtd wh words d tir stcs dispprd ito bck hol tht slowly cosumd his mid. For coupl o yr I rcivd wkly tlpho mssgs tht Dd hd b oud o th groud r his wlchr. H woud slip whil movig om is bd or th toilt. Somtims thik h would just dow o th oor to slp bcus th xtr w t to gt to th bd dmdd too much ort. A idpdt prso h would ot tolrt big strppd ito th chir Forutly h ws vr hurt i ths icidts x cpt or occsiol bruiss O vg howvr w got t mssg tht Dd hd b oud ucoscious. wt stright to th ursig hom. h w rrivd his ys wr op but h ws ubl to spk. It dd ot look good tyd with hm uti lt tht vig d I rturd rly th xt morig. Sic h ws ot bl to t or drik th doctor kw tht h could ot lst or mor th dy or two. So I st with him spg sigig big quit. Shoh rrivd roud oo st th troo wb big his lips d mouth with wtr tryig to hlp sooth y discomort. Most o th tim w mdttd My mothr hd did i yrs rlir o th hoidy cald u b'Sh vt th Fstival o rs whil w wr livg i Jrusalm O th log ght om Isrl to Ciori whr h hd livd d would b burid I rmmbr lookg cross xps o clouds lig Mom's prsc vrywhr. Hr spirit prmtd vrythig. It ws wodrul g I rmmbr wodrig i dth wr ry so xpsiv. Lt i th troo with Dd I oticd chg i his brthig. hroughout th dy h hd pushd our hds wy ot wtig to b touchd. rspctd his ds d lt him lo. But ow somthig hd chgd H rchd out d wtd to hod my hd. His ys wr wid op but h ws sti ubl to spk A movd i clos ough to whispr to him h bg to mt ght o orc tht bthd th room. lt mysl crrid ito compltly dirt rlm uy coscious d I ssd mor strogy th vr th prs c o my mothr. My hd ws two ichs rom Dds. I kw tht h could l hr w H ws quit sti ookig stright hd holdig my hd tightly oud mysl syig ts oky its oky Dd ws ot rligious H hd b gry with just bout vrythig or th lst t or twty yrs. Mom hd giv up og th wy But sh hd skd m to promi to s him through his yrs his ws ot sy to do. H could b quit sty Still wh w rturd ro Isrl h 252 God I
a Veb
movd om Caifornia to Coorado so that w ould spnd xtndd tim togthr Now, howvr thr was not th slghtst hint of th angr knw so w. Th ast ha hour of his lf was alm, onntd, and xtraordinarily powrl. His brath got faintr, ontinud to whspr, and Moms prs n got strongr. At on point I snsd a dp gratitud om hr and om a part of hm, for sing him through, and spially for what was happning right now Thn flt th prsn of my mom inatng that sh woud tak ovr for h was about to go somwhr that was byond my mts H nvr losd his ys unti th na shuddr whn s brath stoppd n that last momnt bgan to say kaddih Whrvr h was h hard m A tar formd up in th ornr of on of hs ys. was stunnd And thn h was gon th yars of our strangd rlationship wr wipd away in that nal haf hour. Words dd not nd to b spokn. Th liffor that sprad through that room and byond was all that ndd to b onunatd. n dd it is hr wth m now as writ ths wor RKIN WIH T HE H RE
YI N
with dying popl mans dng with far our own of thos around us and that of th prson dying. Athough most far of dath is divrs and xtnsiv it ssntiay fas into thr main atgois: far of prsona failur in this lif far of pain in th dying pross, and far of th unknown ar dath. Whn w mak pa with our own onrns about dath, w ar mor abl to work with othrs. Many pratis in Judaism hlp us dvlop sks for this knd of work Followng ar xriss that opn our awarnss and slowly hlp to viat our fars. W al ar famiar with th fling that w hav not don tngs w w fl that w hav bothd jobs or rlationships and w sns that w hav lft traks bhind that w wsh would disappar W hop that tim w hal ths woun but whn w ar approang dath old pns on loom quit larg in our univrs of rgrts f ony w ould do it ovr again if oy w had mor tim to things Popl in th pross of dying worry about promiss unkpt rsponsi Dying and Fear ' 253
biities aoided and ie goas unued. hey worry as we about abii ties that are being e behind or others. hey are distressed about abandong eoe who reied uon them whom they nurtured oed or sustained. d they are troubed about eoe who may hae sered and oed them but were neer roey acknowedged As ong as eoe ocus on the emty art o the cu the st o concerns grows onger and onger. Many times dyig eoe hae their heads and hearts so ed with a sense o ersona aiure and missed oortunities that they are immersed in a se o remorse that kee them and eery one ese om attending some imortant issues orgieness oenheartedness acknowedgement and the exression o unconditiona oe It has been ointed out by heth roessionas who work with dying atients that the most imortant quaty we need to hae when attending someone in the dying rocess is the abiity to be resent: to be abe to sten suort and be nonnasie In doing so howeer we sometmes do not hae an oortunity to get rea" with a dying erson. I was not abe to do so with my ather he was somewhere ese that ast day. And my mother et suddeny so I neer had the chance Nonetheess I hae been in many situations in which eoe are abe to et go o od atterns and make new connections that bring about a heaing or eeryone inoed Whether or not this wi occur deends uon a wide set o ariabes It shoud no be a goa Many eoe simy are not reared to be more u nerab or to take risks in the higy stressed enironment that oen ac comaes the dying rocess. I howeer there seems to be wingness on eeryones art to exore deeer questions here are some ractices or workng with others in the dying rocess.
Fear Failure Orng Consson nd Askng Forgveness In Judaism this ractice is oten associated with the High Hoy ays Rosh Hashana and Yom iur At that time we comunicate with the iine conessing things we regret haing done said or een thought. At any time in the year howeer we can take on the siritua ractice o conessing our regrets to another erson or istening to someone ese's conessions arcuay someone who is in the rocess o dying. Obiousy this is not easy to do and must be accomshed with considerabe ski and sensitiiy Peoe are reticet to reea
2 54 od Is
Verb
things about whih thy guiy Many wou prr to tak ths srts to th grav an thy shou b ntit to o so. Th suss o ts prati is not asur by th aount or intnsity o inoration ivug Rathr suss is asur by th gr to whih a sa havn is provi in whih a prson hoos to isuss his or hr rgrts ary it ust aso b sa to nt isuss snsitiv issusprssur ust nvr b brought to ths situation. This prati rquirs ony two pop W bgin by sitting quity rbring as any vnts as w an in wh w ay hav on sai or thought so things w now rgrt Sotis si py sittng quity k this is suint or in ysti trms th sous ar ouniating on irnt pans o raiy whih o not r quir vrba xprssion It gos byon a gan or gstur In vn i a prson is in a oa th sou an onnt in unknown ways. Most o th ti howvr in this pross it is quit usu to spak aou what is in our harts Th purpos o ts xris is to b wiing to amit mistaks an to ask or orgivnss. Whn w ar ab to o so th pross an b proouny oving. It on opns a potntia or nw unrstaning btwn pop an is gy romn or haing o wouns Eithr or both pop an spak
2. nnulment Vws Ths is anothr spiritu xris that is noray on uring th High Hoy Days but an b arss at any ti uring th yar. As not pop in th ying pross otn that thy hav un nish businss. Rasing th ro ths onrns an b a tru sour o bration First at an appropriat ti w ask a prson Do you that you hav a proiss or oitnts that ar sti unrsov? I th prson says ys w attpt to n a way to ras ths omtnts that is satisatory or th prson I it is a pros th prson a to you you an say sothing k I whoharty ras you o this prois an any othr otnts you ay hav a." I it is a ommitnt to soon s try to n a way to th prson. You ght bring in othrs who ar invov You ight us rason. You ght tak on so things yours though you shou nvr assu an obigation o anothr out o a sns o guit. You ght invit angs to hp us prayrs a on Go Dyng and Fear 25
The very ac ha hese issues are being discussed is iberaing; i usuay eads o much more peace o mind and cariy. n ones na days or hours a grea dea can be accompshed aong hese ines o hep her or him hrough he ransiion process
3 Tahlich Annumen o vows is one o a number o puricaion pracices. An oher is ashlh (sending away) which is done annuay on he aer noon o he rs day o osh Hashana Usuay we sy prayers a a body o waer ino which we cas bread crumbs which represen residua aspecs o rais habis or memories we woud ike o s card The oowing is a variaion on his peope in he dying process can wrie or hemseves have hem do so. hey need hep wih he wriing and are wiing o e you hep you may wrie or hem On scraps o paper wrie responses o he oowing: a. b. d
Things have done i my ie ha regre Anyhing may have said o harm someone Evens woud repay i coud Things wish had said o someone e. Promises made ha were never kep Hopes and dreams ha never worked ou Anyhing can be added o his is. Each scrap o paper shoud be crumped up and burned over a sma re sowy conempaivey uni are gone. n a hospia or anywhere ha re is no perm ed or no pracica each scrap o paper can be cu ino iny pieces and desroyed in some way
4 Family Histo he dying person is a paren grandparen or eder reaive an ex ceen pracice is o record as much amiy hisory as he or she is wi ing o oer ho did wha when? ha are some o he rarey od amy secres Try o gaher as much deai as you can. Exporing he pas in grea deph is a wonderu orm o heaing. 2 aows peo pe o reec on he meaing o heir ives he impacs hey have had he coninuiy hey have engendered. hough hese reecions can open od wounds or he mos par hey are usuay provocaive and sousaising. This process is highy recomended. 56
God Is a Verb
Medtaton xce May f the meditati exercises suggested i this bk are recmmeded fr wrkg with the fear f flure, parculaly Awe (p. 2 1 9), Equaimity (p. 225) , he Sul Is Pure (p 205),Jy (p. 209), Archagel Meditati (p 144) GuardiaAgel Practice (p 49), ad hrugh Gds Eyes (p 232). fEAR
O
PAN
st physicias these days wil prescribe suciet medicat deal with ay pai ivlved i the dyg prcess Everye has dieret pai tleraces, ad ultimately ly the patiet ca determie her r hs w cmrt level. Oce apprpriate mecati has bee arraged, there are a umber f cmplemetary ways t wrk with pai. Oe f them is meditati Guided medita is e ivaluable fr peple wh have t had med itati experiece. he secret f beig a cmpetet guide is t lear hw t participate i the meditati while directig. Never simply read the wrds his will t wrk Yu must eter it the spirit f the meditati. Yur w state f mid wil iuece yur timig, vice mdula, se sitivy t the eeds f the ther, ad maagemet f the ctet f the magery he fllwig are examples f guided meditatis that ca be f particular hep t smee i the dyig prcess.
nspraton Oe f the basic Jewish meditative techiques is t read ispiratial scripture ut lud. Psalms, the Sg f Sgs, the Shema, ther prayers, ad ay ther parts f scripture ca have isightful meag whe read slwly ad used as ctemplative material. May peple have strg egative feeligs abut biblic terature. hs is fte reated t the aguage rather tha the subject y t wrk with materia that is as clse t everyday laguage as pssible f a meaigful scriptural readig cat be fud, use pety r smethig beautiful frm ather culture that tuches yur sul If usig ispiratial readigs, be sure t revew the selecti befre begig, t make cert it is apprpriate. t read fr ctet, but fr ispirati Oe lie fwed by a ll mute r w
Dying and Fear
27
of silece is ttig. The idea is ot to get somewhere but to i spire the silece. This process has great alue.
2a. Speaking to God For te or ftee miutes speak to od i your ow words. Eeryoe participatig should try to d a space oe i order to speak i a whisper ad hae a certai degree of priacy Try ay of the fol lowig subjects (or ay others that seem appropriate)
a What I did right i my ife
b What I might hae doe better c What I eed right ow d My prayer for others How to dea with my pai ad aiety How to ope my heart ad accept thigs
2b. Rection of God Repeat ths process of speakig to od but this time speak to each other as if your parter were te ehcle through which od is lis teg Oe speaks oe stes. ter e or te utes parters should switch Pray to each other ad let your heart coect iti mately wth your parters.
3 Singing Tgether Sig or chat together some holy sogs ames of od es om liturgy woress meloes or aythig else that helps you rase your oices i sog. Sigig together has great heig power
4 Nature If you ca go for a walk; be i ature or sit by the ocea o a mou tai i the desert by a stream or aywhere dieret ad e try to do so. Just sit quietly ad liste. (If the dyig perso is uable to do this it is stil highly recommeded for the caretaker.)
5. Other Meditations Other meditatios i this book that are useful i workig with the fear of pai are Equaiity (p 225) Archagel Meditatio (p. ) ad uaraAgel Practice (p. ). 258 God Is
a Veb
EAR H E
O
N KN OW N
aidi and kaaiti iteratre the Td and the Zhar have deription of ream of ret that tranend the mnd Beae thee other ream are not rationa and are dit to derie one of the et wa to enter the experiene of dweng in thee ream i throgh gided vzation that aow the metator tota atitde in forming hi or her own interna image. When we tize or imagnation in the ontext of gided medtation to expore other ream the eet an e to gent aeviate fear of the nknown. Indeed when we enter heaven ream in or imagination we often fee omforted within It i if or o have memorie far eond the it of or mnd Gided meditation h a GardianAnge Pratie (p. ) Ahange Meditation (p. ) and ThroneofGod Meditation (p. 228) are very e in thi poe. When working with peope who expre great fear of ding I often ead them thogh a erie of gided meditation ke thee. We trave together on a eative inner jorne to reaitie that we imagine od e ike aer death The imaginatve nd ha marveo ae to other rea of reaity. The point i not whether or not we are mang ting p t intead that a ded earer if we an imagine it ome apet of it exitA aove o eow." Th we an expore the other ide of death. Gided viaization are not ppoed to gget onrete form. ather the ide i to et intention and to enorage the peron experiening the viazation to expore th great eedom the image of or her own mind. The gide i mere a fatator when the peron need hep to reak throgh her or hi own efimpoed imitation. ne thi i aompihed a whoe new inner wod open p for the peron who i viazing Thi an e aompihed in one extended eion ating a o pe of hor or in a nmer of eion over the period of a week It i a a rih experiene and often ead to a dierent pepetive of ife after death. Yet with a thee pratie avaae to fear of ding t i a major otae for man peope. A we wi ee, the greatet age in Jdam oen reahed ot for hep to dea wit the fear of death. The genera agreed that dying itef wa a far eaier experiene than deang with the proe of ding in whih fear pa a domnant roe. There are no impe anwer to thi haenge Dyin and Fear
259
THE
So u' s
TRNIION ER
E
Jewish riual during a persons las hours o lie is or someone o ligh a candle in he room o he dying person, whch symboles he ckering o a human soul. We gve deerence o her or hs nal wishes. A person is genly encouraged o coness and ask or aonemen This conession can be as smple as May my deah be an aonemen. A per son oen recies he Shema when preparing or deah.3 I s said in he Tal mud ha being wih someone when she or he dies is a grea deed o lovingndness or a soul in ransiion is comored by a soul in a peacel sae In ewish radiion we say ha someone has died when breahing has sopped and here is no pulse Tradionally a eaher is pu across he ps and wached or any sign o movemen or eigh mnues The eyes are genly closed, and he arms and hands are exended ongside he body. Waer sanding in he viciny is poured ou. The body is never le aone, or is vi soul is emporarily disoriened. During he period beween deah and buria, radiionay abou wenyour hours or less, psms are read conin uously o help ease he passage14 In religious communiies, he body is prepared or burial by a chevra kad dsha (holy communiy). In hs process cled tahoh (puricaon), he body is cleansed wih lukewarm waer whle aendans rece bibical verses and psms The idea is o honor he one who has passed over, and also o heal he soul in ransiion. hoh is an enormously powerul experience or hose who perorm his riu and deepy meanngul or he survors. When he preparaions o he body have been compleed a large oun o waer a leas our and a hal gonsis poured over he body whie i is held in an uprigh posiion. Ths represens a nal puricaion in preparaion or bur i. erward he body s dried and placed in shrouds. 15 Many radiional riuals have been pu aside by nonOrhodox Jews This I believe is a msake. I was once called by a man who was acing serious surgery He was worried abou dying He waned Tibean Buddhis ries o passage rs, and hen a Jewish burial. I asked him why and he responded ha hs body would be consanly aended and ha prayers would be said o assis his ransiion. I od him ha Judaism has a siar
260 God Is a Veb
ritua using dierent prayers but the same process. He was surprised to hear ths most ews are completely unaware of the depths of the tradtion It would be helpful for nonOrthodox ews to reisit this particular aspect of the traditon and to seriously consider paying more attention to honoring the mystery of death As we learn more about the Jewish mystica approach to dying, soul journeys, raising sparks and bringing the consciousness of the world to a higher leel we need to pay closer attenton to the alue of some of our ancient rituals Jewish practices after burial are generay well known. or the r st seen days, immediate faly members sit hiva hiva means seen) whch trationay includes sitting low to the ground, burning a candle for the entre wee, not wearing leather footwear, coering mirrors or turning them around, and having a prayer minyan (ten adults) in the house for tee day prayers (morning afternoon and eeng after dark) so that kaih (prayers for the dead) can be said. his process with the accompanying ritual can be highly therapeutic for the family. It brings the communty together, strengthens bonds of relationship and gies a amework of spport in the face of a dicut experience It also gies one a sense of connectedness with the tra dton knowing these obserances hae been done for thousands of years Many who do not ordinarily obsere traditional Jewish practices hae found great merit and deep meaning in sitting hiva. Mourning continues for thirty days (helhim) during which time mourners are not supposed to cut their hair, wear pressed clothes, get maried, attend festie eents, or embark on business journeys Kaih is said eery dy at prayers (tradtionly three times a day) for eleen months for a parent, chd, or spouse Most of the mourning rituals are designed to help people through the grieing process On the mysc leel, they so help the soul during its tran sition. his is particularly true of the prayers that are sent to support the soul needng redemption We wsee that the power of prayer for those who hae died is an important part of the redempton process Whether or not we are attracted to tradtion mournng practices we cannot help but think about the loss of a loed one. We can be a major resource for the departed soul by simply sending our oe and support When we are able to feel that we are doing something, it helps us in our grieing process and, mystics say, it truly helps the soul.
Dying an Fear 2 6 1
EDEION H E
OF
N E F E S
s dscussd arlr, tr ar v lvls o t sou. T gr lv ls, nehama, hayah, and yehdah unction in a wa tat t can not b dirctl actd b wat a rson dos to is or r consciousnss. Howvr, t ar indirctl actd b t stats o t neh and uah. Atr dat, t igr lvls o t soul w rturn to tir om rgions but t must await t rdmtion o t neh bor na rsting n tir natur stats. I t neh dos not gt rdmd, t uah cannot b crownd in t lowr Gardn o Edn. I it cannot b cwnd, t igr soul vls cannot rac t cntr o awarnss. In tis sns, o t lvls ar un isd b aving to await t rdmtion o t lowst lvl o sou, t neh It is said tat t nh wandrs btwn t grav and t dwlng lac o t dcasd or t rst svn das atr dat, looking or its ving bod. Atr, t neh is urid in Gehnnom and tn it wandrs t world unti it as a garmnt (signiing an awarnss lvl). Tis rocss o urca tion taks twlv monts. Onc it as its garmnt, it gains accss to t lowr Gardn o Edn wr it oins t uah T uah tn gts crownd, t nehama units wt t Tron, and is w n a rmarkabl scton, t Zoha outns t rocss o t urica tion o t neh during t twlv monts atr dat, suggsting a com ltl dirnt scnario om wat most o us av bn taugt. T Jwis mstical sstm is dsignd to continu t rocss o kkun oam (mnding t univrs) vn atr dat T radr must k in mind tat t lan guag o Kabbaa s otic, t imags ar mtaors, and t intntion is to arous t soul ratr tan t mind From tis rsctiv, t oursl ntr ts mstic tacings as a gardn o dligts. Onc a neh no longr as a bod, it loss its wi, wc is as sociatd onl wit lving ol.1 Tror, it no longr can rdm itsl, but nds t guidanc and l o a living bing wt wil. In tis contxt, tr ar a numbr o was in wic a neh can b r dmd
22 God I a Veb
Assistance fom a Living Tzaddik Fist, th a tzaddikim (saints) who dw in oth ams Ths saints a bon into this wod whn th sas of good and vi in th wod tit dngousy to th sd of v n this situation th tzaddik has th job of maintaing th wod so that it dos not go out of kt. Whn th is a iving tzaddik n th wod, undmd souswan ding souspaiy thos in th st twv months a dath usd by this saint as woks" to kp th wod unning w Thy at n th sam way as angs, fo thy an pfom tasks in atis oth than th on w nomy xpin thy sv th saint, th sous ais spaks and a dmd by th mt of th wok thy do n s of th tzaddik
Prayer f no tzaddik is aiv in th wod th Toah so dfnds ths sous. That is to say a th pays of th wod a dawn upon to kp undmd sous umnatd. Thus, famy and inds who pay fo somon nty dasd an b of iti impotan fo th dmpon of that sou. On agan, w who hav an aompish tngs that a byond th a paity of a sou in th dath ams.
Merit Ancestors Nxt th uach v of th sou is dawn om th Gadn of Edn to hp umnat, and thus upift, th nsh v of th sou. n this poss, th tims a day a uach gos into th av of Mahpah that s to th gavs of Abaham, Saah, saa, Rba Jaob and Lah ts psn stimuats th bons k th psn of a gatgat gandhd wamng th spiit of th gatgat gandpant This wang attats supna dw th ssn though whh if boms mafst. On th dw is stimu atd, it dsnds om havn, v upon v, unti it ahs th ow Gadn of Edn H, th supna dw baths and pums itsf in sps Th omati dw now nts th av of Mahpah, and th agan of th Gadn of Edn aiss th spiits of th patahs and matiahs. n thi mit th wod is had and th sous in th dath ams dmd9 Dying and Fea 2 63
Compassion the Divine If nn f th ab prcsss taks pac, and th wd is ndangrd b caus th matriarchs and patriarchs ar asp (nt prtcng th wrd) thn th nesh infrms th rach th rach infrms th neshama th neshama in frms th Hy On and th Hy On sits n th Thrn f Mrcy This aruss an manatin f a stram f dw m th Ancint Hy On (En S) Th stram ws t th Had f th Kng" (th uppr imbs f th Tr f Lif: chochma binah and daa which causs th wr imbs, th spir its f th patriarchs and matriarchs (chesedgevoh, and ere) t b bssd. As a rsut rything in th wrd is bssd which hps al unrdmd sus.
th kabbaistic apprach t f th s u and sm f th dscriptins w nd in thr Jwish itratur is s prnuncd w must paus t rct Hr w s th tratmnt f th su in a cmpty dirnt ight its rdmptin is irtuy assurd Whthr thrugh sric t th zaddk th mrit f prayr th mrit f th patriarchs and matriarchs, r, as a ast rsrt, th utw m th surc Itsf th aftrdath scnari is ld with mrcifu ingkndnss. Cmpard with cncpts f rward and punishmnt in thr wish t ratur th ida f mrcy in this nstanc is nt prsna pr s as much as it is th quintssnc f th unirs dsign. Athugh a nesh may carry th burdn f if, th thrust f th unirs is t rais al s f cnsciusnss. Th nesh wil b iftd by this urg t a in which it wi b ab t garmnt itsf in highr cnsciusnss and thus it wi jn with its sistr, rach in th Gardn f Edn. Whn this is dn, th sistrsu f th neshama cms t its highst ptntia. As ntd arlir th s f su ar cnnctd as n a iin string. This string wil nt rsnat w anything impds it. Thus, this prcss f rdng th wr s f th su rass th uppr s, and th string f ur iin is cmpty ibratd t jin th csmic symphny in prfct pitch. E
D F FERECE
EWEE
2 64 Gd Is a Verb
R E I N C A R N A I O N
dath of chidrn is prpxing, cr, and sms so snsss How do w da with t Visions of othr words do not aviat th pain of hartbrokn parnts who os a chid spciay a yong chd who nvr had a chanc to xprinc if. Or frinds akov and Miriam askd s to b th godparnts of thr rstbo son, Hanoch At his circmcision, somthng caght my attnton ormay, th qck srgry rsts in a fair amont of bood. Th inant cris for a fw sconds, nti a cotton b dippd in win is pacd btwn his ps. Bt Hanoch bd ony a sight amont and hardy crid at a. It was as if h w somthing th rst of s had missd This sam day hs mothr Miriam, was qit . W thoght it was postpartm waknss, bt a yar atr w fond ot that Mriam had AIS. This happnd bfor th gnra pbic knw mch abot th dsas Sh had bn a mdic profssiona and somhow had com in contact th infctd bood probaby via a nd stick bfor th incption of th mtcos procdrs coon today. Miriam d six months ar that. Hanoch tstd HIV positiv. H may hav bn th rst chid in Isra with this disas H dd whn h was ight yars od. Evryon who has bn invovd with th srios inss or dath of a chd xprincs a tst of fath i th cor of hr or his bng. If f has Rencarnation 265
pupos at a what is th maig o a hild's dath? Moov o w psoally xpi th gi o a loss so tibl w aot hlp but wo d about h suig i th wold hy s th so muh stavato so may sslss daths so muh ulty? hy hav th b was though out histoy plagus disas tyay povty totu ad mud? hat d o a God ovss this? Claly obody has adquatly aswd qustios suh as ths. Spi itual tatios howv do attmpt to o osmologis that ais isight gadig thigs li at karma, iaato ad soul jouys. h tahigs o Jwish mystiism bgi with th ps that li ad dath as w ow thm a tios o oth atis. hat w s as bgiigs ad gs a mly sgmts o sothig without boudais. h tahigs o iaatio a o valu wh w hav owh ls to tu i th tagdy o a dath. hth it is th dath o a youg hd o o a youg adult i his o h pim somtims w a d sola i u dstadig that th tas thy am to do was ompltd ad thy had to mov o Idd th is a tahig that says h good di aly so that thy do ot is big ouptd ad th wid liv log so that thy hav mo ha to pt."1
EB
a ma amd Bauh wt to th Baal Shm ov with a log st o omplaits Li aly had ot tatd him w v got a good duatio baus om a vy youg ag h had to suppot his am ily had diultis with wom ould ot p jobs o log. Popl tatd him pooly ad his putatio was always o th os hat happd? hat did h do to dsv this at? Ad what ould h do to hag it? h Baa Shm ov listd auy stod his bad ad th said Bauh I wat you to go to th ity that I wi wit o this pi o pap I that ity you must d Yishai b Shabbtai Kp loog util you do o wh you d him you wil udstad vythig." Bauh wt idiatly to th tow wt to vy h[ looig o Yishai b Shabbtai. asd th buths th mhats th tow tax oto. Nobody had v had o this pso. Bauh sahd o ws. ould ot bliv that th holy Baa Shm had st him o a ldgoos has. 66 ' God I a Verb
na h was xhaus. H n up n h loa ava an wh an o wnkl av H ol h o man hs so Th av look a hm om bhn sha bows an ask D ou sa Ysha bn Shabba? Bauh no an h ol man ban o hukl Amazn h sa H was bu n h s av I v u as ao an sn ha m no a snl pson has nqu abou hm You s h was h sns mans uls man ha v v. Th o av u Bauh o h oh s o h m wh a sma son mak h av oYsha bn Shabba. Th av sa H h s bu I mus l ou ha h wou nv hav hlp ou h woul hav sp n ou a k h o von ls Bauh was onus H un o h Baal Shm Tov an o hm h so o hs sah. Wh ou sn m o n somon who bo I was bon? h ask. Th Baa Shm Tov look p no s s an sa Bauh look ns ousl o ou hav h bon spaks o h soul o Ysha bn Shabba an hs s h answ o ou quson Ev poblm ou a ass anoh spak ha h aus o a
GILUL: E I N A R N
I0
N
s h a h mss suounn ah h quson o n anaon has bn hh onovs n mansam Juasm. Evn oa whn I has s ha nlu h a o ansmaon o sos popl on appoah m om h aun san I no know ha Juasm blvs n h on o nanaon. Au man Jwsh xs suss h ssu. Moov n onas wh h onspuous opposon oJwsh phosoph mmpshoss (nanaon s akn o an n h Kabbah e Bahir (wh nu on o h als books n Kabbalah s o nanaon an n h sx nh nu Cham Va wo a numb o books on h subj. Th mos omphnsv wok avaabl oa s h xln book Jeih Vie the Aer, b Smha Pau Raphal (Aonson ) Ea ws on h subj vw nanaon as a punsh mn a h Jwsh appoah o nanaon was nun b uan Kabbaah wh suss ha spaks om oo souls an b o Reincarnaion 2 67
into individa sos As has been discssed, one of Lrias primary doctrines sggests that the task of hmanity is o redeem the faen sparks of primor dia hmankind. Each root so ms herefore raise p the 613 imbs that represent Adam and Eve This is caed he Siu ma meaning the measrement of the body. The Siu ma is a metaphysica measrement, despite the misn derstanding that it was a itera aemp to measre the body of God. ndeed, ths doctrine was one of the most secre pars of the eary kabbaistic teachings for i sed metaphors hat were ikey to be misnderstood by ninitiated readers. For exampe, physica dimensions of God are estimated at 236,000 parasangsabot 600000 mies This natraly cased otrage among raiona readers bt was actay a reference to a pica kabbaistic interpretation of a verse in Psams. The tre teaching of Siu ma is acay qite profond. Foow ing the idea described in the opening of his book that creation rested om the Shattering of the Vesses, we can see that a of the faen sparks colec tivey represent the body of God, so to speak f these sparks were gathered ogeher, they wod merge ino the ight of the ivine. Ths, of creation is the metaphorica body of God, and every person in the creaion embodies the potentia to rern divine sparks to their poin of origin. Jewish mystics say, The shape of hmans corresponds o the mystica shape of he Godhead . . Everything in he hman body, each of the 248 imbs and 365 sinews, corresponds o a sperna ight as they are arranged in he prim shape of the highest manifestation of God. The hman task is to bring or tre shape to is spirita perfection o deveop the divine image within orseves. This is done by observing the 248 positive and 365 negative coandments of the Torah, eac ne wic is linke t ne f te gans te uman by and hence one of those spern ights2 There are actay thosands of aws within the scope of ewish observance. Attempts have been made to isoate 63 om he Torah (248 ps 365), bt there are many variations in these stings which often incde a signif icant percentage of aws that appy oy to priesty activities in the Tempe. From the mystica perspective the nmber 613 represents archetpa categories into which the aws cod be organized This is a metaphor for the design of the niverse, and is eqated hypohecay with the body of God so o speak The angage of the a says tha hey are the 613 organs ha give s insight into or sos. n simpe terms, he meaning of this teaching is tha everyhing we do in fe is a key that enabes s o peek a a part of the so, and some thngs aow s o ook more deepy than ohes The ony way we connect with 2 68 G Is a Veb
the soul however is through insight Our gentleness as wel as our anger our compassion as well as our fear are wonerl teachers if we can see the spars hen within them he tric is to learn to observe closely how an when ey persona trais reve themselves in our ives When we are able to note how they aect us an those aroun us, we gain insight hrough insight we open new gateways We iscover that al of our personty quirs habits behaviors, con itioning, an inviual characteristics form a template, lie a pattern on a curtain When we shne a light through this pattern as an observer, we can perceive aspects of our own soul. Uner close scrutiny the pattern reveals to us what the soul is an what it nees to o hrough ths process accoring to Kabbaah the source oflife maes tself nown. rom this perspetive, reincarnation has vast potentia It is not a pun ishment for sin as much as an opportunity to raise any of the spars that have not yet been reeeme in a root soul. As the Tiunei Zohar says If there is even one organ in which the Hoy Blesse ne oes not wel then the person wi be brought bac into the worl through reincarnation because of this organ, unti the person becomes perfecte in of her or his parts that all of them may be perfect in the image of the Holy Blesse One
Haling-th-Dad Mditation or thousans of years peope have use reams to comuncate with the ea By actively engaging an altere state of consciousness that simulates the experience of reang Kabbalists are able to enter unnown reams. his process is base on the abbalistic principe that our imaginations are connecte with higher realities. oay we ca this metho wang reams. We can utilie the same process that the sages use for connecting with our own love ones who have ie. We can visit with anyoneit nee not be a parent or even a relative It shoul however, be someone we new wel when she or he was alive. hs practice is especiy recommene on Yom Kppur, uring the Yior (remembrance) sece when we bring to n the memories of our parents Initialy, some peope are septical about the exercise that foows, in hibite by an inner censor who says we are mang up this contact with our imaginations After a we have strongy conitione beliefs concerning eath If this voice is lou within you let it have its way Nonetheless, let yourself preten as if it were really happening o not begin this practice with someone who brought great violence
Reincarnation � 269
or vr bu ito your if. Atr whi you my choo to work wth uch pro but bgi with omo towrd whom you hv dy or utr fig 1 Fid protctd quit pc whr you ot b diturbd for bout thirty mut. Sit i comfortb poitio co your y, d t your tttio rt o bodiy tio. 2. tr fw mut of rtio ow th img of dr o who hv did com ito your mid Notic how you f th im g . 3 Pick oy o to work with t thi img rt i your mid ry to commuict with it tpthicy, or v by uig imgiry voic iid your mid. Ak th img ythig you wih Som po ib qutio r: b. d.
Wht i it k whr you r Wht w it ik wh you rt did Who i thr with you Hv you viitd y ivig pro i thir drm
Now y to th img m th thig tht you f you did w whi you wr iv Wht r th thig tht you r proud of hv ig do" (t it pk to you) 5 Ad Wht r th thig tht you f you did ot do o w i your ftim Wht r th thg you rgrt th mot" (t it pk. You my d yourf gttig d t thi poit y to ty co ctd bt you c.) 6 h: If you coud choo o thig tht you rgrt th mot wht woud it b f you coud iv your if ovr wht woud b th mot importt thig you woud chg" Now ow th img to fd ito th bckgroud ry to rmm br itutio tht ctuy occurrd with thi pro wh h or h w iv You wt to brig thi vt ito your imgitio or deeed prtner were living er or hi le over gin. Yor tk i to remember thi event it occrred the w the wold hve wnted o tht the peron wold not hve regret. S th vt w i it mor pr 270 God I Verb
t orm t our rpa t n t nw wa ovr an ovr agan or a w nut. 8 t go o t vnt an nvt t mag bak nto our mn No t ow ou ar ng Ak t I t t wa ou wou k to b rmmbr?" I t a agr to tr to bu up t mm or. I t a no n out wat t wou k an tr to o t tat wa t nt tm. . Pro to rturn an ak t om bak agan Hop t mag w agr to o o B arw or now an g t a ug ou an. ak a oup o p brat, an opn our
On ou a nt a partuar attrbut to work on or omon wo a ow our to mtat rguar on t pron, awa agnng tuaton n wa tat az ow t pron wou av at gvn t an to o t ovr agan. Soon our ng towar t pron bgn to ang an otn an tat a an p rm t a k to t prat obvou t ramng o our mmor. I w want to o on to o an pn mmor bau tat t wa t wa" w rman uk, a o t on wt wom w ar worng I w a u our magnaton to rra our mmor w bgn to ourv an trb ra park or t ou o t a prat not on o na. It a prat o orgvn an r gnraton Evron ntr t wt a pur ou W ar tuk wt our at t work w av to o an our ntrn trngt an wak. W on mak a m on on v or anotr. Jut a w op w w b or gvn w n to n a wa to orgv otr. Ea tm w ar ab to o o t unvr ra on mor not n t onoun.
Reincntion 2 7 1
Y I N G
A N
E A T H
eb Shlomo Crlebch told wonderfl hsidic tles. e wold sy begin with something lie oly brothers, holy sis ters, sten closely, s I te yo the holiest of the holy the deepest, deepest, mamash (rey) deepest of the deep. is eyes wold ro bc in his hed, nd hs eyelds wold tter s he entered hevey rems One wnter Shbbt weeend ding the lte 0s, Shoshn nd I vis ited oshv odiin, between Jerslem nd Tel Aviv, where mny stdents of Reb Shlomo's lived. e new ht the rebbe wold be here this wee end, nd we wnted to experience n entire Shbbt wth him. At the end of the ridynght service, which consisted of close to ninety mntes of shoting, hndclpping, nd oorthmping, prticipnts moved into the dining re, where trditionl Shbbt mel ws seed Aost wo hndred gests st t long tbles, nd every so often some one in the room spontneosly begn to chnt new niun. Soon, people ponded on the tbles so tht sverwre nd dishes clttered in rhythm to the bet The nun wold end e wold hve few ntes to et bit more hien nd gel, nd then nother niun wold strt p hen the dessert ws served Reb Shlomo told one of his stories. 7 od Is a Vb
h pacula evenng he oered a teachng about he mourne' kad dish praer Kaddish one of he mot famou par of ewh lturg. It openng wod are well known b ew and nonJew alke. he are n toned at ner remembance of the Holocaut yartzit (annveare of deah), memoral for natonal loe, and other ombe occaon Yitkadahl vyitkaddah hay rabbah (Ma It gea name be exaled and be ancted .) When omeone n our mmedate faml de we a the mouner kad dih da fo eleven month, baed on the belef that he oul take twelve month o pa om one level to anohe Kaddih vewed a a mean o help a loved one hrough he tranton to hghe realm. he weh monh omted becaue of he aumpton hat the deceaed peon ha enough mert b th tme to make on h or her own Sang the kaddih he lat monh would mpl that the peron dd not have ucen vrtue, and h would be nappropate. eb Shlomo began Dearet end, d ou know that n the old da, f omeone owed ent, the landlod could take he law nto h own hand? He coud empy he houe of rture and el ; he could pu he people n al he could even God forbd ake the people o and ell them nto lave "It happened a hundred and f ear ago n the houe of one poo hlppr and h wfe, egelah, that he were man month behnd n the ren. One da ae egelah went o to he market the landlod howed up wth the local polce and cared awa the huband and the eght chldren When egeleh reurned om the market the neghbo od her wha had happened. "So h hol wfe went o the landlord to nd her huband and he chl den. he landlod old he that he ntended to ell them nto ave fo he back rent. She pleaded wth hm. She begged hm he landod hough about and eazed ha perhap he could ge wce a much a the would fech on the lavey marke I would be an outrageou um, bu he had noh ng to loe So nal he ageed o ranom them back. He aked fo one hundred ruble fo the ovedue ent and ne thouand ne hundred uble fo rouble He old the wfe that he extra mone would go o brbe he poce and ohe oca o releae her huband and the egh chldren. he woman tared at hm wh unbelevng ee. en thouand ruble! I would have been hard enough o come up wth one hunded. Bu ten houand wa a fortune beond l poblty "She left he landlord houe and lowl walked along he dr oad hat led back o her own home. What coud he do? She reached nto he pock
...
Dying and Dath 2 73
ets and cnted three rbes. This was everything she had t her name Three rbes There was thing t se Everything had bee stripped frm the hse jst t feed the chidre. t seemed t her that was st." At this pint in the stry Shm csed his eyes and rcked back and frth. And nw sweetest dearest iends isten csey" he said in a singsng vice m ging t te y what happened t this hy wman. Listen care fy bt dnt isten with yr ears. isten with yr heartdeep deep in the center f yr heart. n the deepest depths isten isten Ths wman was wakig whe sddey a thght arse This thght said t her Feigeah whe yr hsband dies wh wi say kaddish fr him? Wh wi knw when he dies? This thght terried Feigeah S she fd a pr Jew the rad and she gave him e rbe ad said t him Pease say the mrner's kad dish fr my hsbad.' She td this beggar her hsbad's name ad waked away As she was wking " Shm began his singsng nce agai Whe ever he did this smethig extrardiary smething prfndy mystica was abt t happe in his stry S we eaned frward t isten a itte mre csey. As she was waing" he repeated ather thght arse in her nd and it said Feigeah what abt the pepe wh die and nbdy says kaddish fr hem? Nw Shm began t sing a itte nun repeating this qestin ti f the ss in this crwded rm were hmmng it tgether What abt pepe wh die and nbdy says kaddish? Sn we were cmpetey hyptized by the pwer f this matra As Shm sang cd sense a metdwn; f s were thinkg abt r wn parents and grandparents r ther reatives wh had passed ver t the ther reams witht havig had kaddish said fr them. Mrever hw may stragers had died witht any famiy t sed them prayers? thght abt pepe st in the Hcast whe famies with bdy eft behind t say kaddish Reb Shm cd have stpped his stry at this pit fr the tears had aready beg t w Bt he ctied. S this hy Feigeah ran back t the beggar wh she had asked t say kaddish fr her hsbad ad she gave him yet anther rbe and said t him ear sir pease say kaddish fr the ss fr whm nthing has ever been sad Pease say kaddish t hep them in their passage thrgh the heavey reams.' Feigeah tred frm the beggar deepy tched Bt as she began t wak away yet ather thght arse i her mid She trned back t the
·
2 7 4 God Is a Verb
·poo iin sit thee with two bles in his hand and she ave hm a td, the ast uble she owned, the end of eveythin she had and she said to him, ea si, when you say kih fo al these ost sous, eay eay eay put you heat into you payes; don't hod back in any way "o the next few hous, eieah sat in the eds not fa om this be a. As the sun went down that evenn, she head hm pay O did he pay He payed wth a boken heat calin out with all his ht and a his pain. She felt he face denched in teas as she was caied to the heavey eas in a chaiot of ames His payes shatteed the celestial ates and eleased a ood of souls who had waited so lon to be escued. hen he was shed. "iends what a vision she had! She bean to wa home, and some how he step was hte As she was wakin a shinn caiae with fou hoses appeaed on the oad. It was unusua she had neve seen a caiae ike this befoe It stopped next to he, and the weldessed man inside asked dections. hen the stane did somethin most unusual he oeed he a ide "She did not know what to do. She had neve been in a caiae lke this. At st she declined but he insisted en she was cetain that he was sincee, she accepted Afte al it had been a lon day. Soon they wee deeply enaed in a convesation "he stane asked he many questions. Slowly he was able to et the entie stoy about he husband, he chden, the landlod, and the ten thousand ubes As he was lettin eielah out of the caiae, he dd an amazin thn He eached into hs pocket and wote out a check fo the ten thousand ubes. "She was astonished en thousand ubles he next day she an to the ban When she haded the check to the clek, he ooked at he stanely and tod he to wt a few moments. She bean to pac. Was it ea? ehaps the man in the caiae had payed a cue oke and thee was no mony in the bank She waited ettin moe nevous as the moments passed. "he cek bouht his supeviso who ooked he up and down hen the supeso took he by the am and diected he to the oce of the pes ident of the bank his was a bi oce, and the man bend the desk ooked at he with a scow on hs face. "Whee did you et this check? he asked he. She told him the stoy of meetin a stane in a caiae and she tod the stoy of he husband and chlden. he man bend the desk then pointed to the dozens of pic tues hanin on the ws of the oom and asked o you econize anyone in any of these pictues?
Ding n Deh
275
Feigela looked and instantly identied te large portrait beind te desk as te man wo ad been in te carriage. Wen se sd tis te ban president turned pe. You see te ceck e eld in is ands was signed by is fater And te portrat beind im was a picture of is fater His fa ter ad died ve years earlier and te bank president an oy cild ad never said addish for is fater.
of te story Slomo began to sing a of unm I glanced around te room and saw a deluge of tears. How many unspoken addish were represented in tat room? GAL1 G TH
E o
HE EHIN O F EH
eat fascinates te ving. We want to know as muc about it as we can. We do not want to beieve tat deat is te end so we expore wisdomteacings tat are tousands of years old to nd a clue lmost traditions suggest tat deat is not an end but a transition. It is intriguing tat te worlds wisdomteacings agree on tis point Despite a wide variety of interpretations of wat appens ow it appens or were it appens te end result is tat deat s a gateway to oter realities. We do not know wat part of us deat takes or even if we sould identi wit wat is taken. We cannot say tat tere is sometng to look forward to. Yet mystcal traditons trougout te istory of umannd ave sad tat realit as we experience it is noting but a drop in a vast sea of possibiities In te Talmud Rabbi acob says Ts world is like an antecamber before te world to come. Prepare yourself in tis antecamber so tat you may enter te banquet all.26 Te question tat arises is How did Rabbi Jacob know about te world to come? Were d te Buddists get teir in formation about te bado or te Hindus about te astral worlds? How do Native mericans know about te power of medicine or Aborigina tribes about spiritgods? Wy did te ancient Egyptians dedcate so muc of teir lves to deat? s tis a crosscultura internatioa conspiracy tat as been perpetrated 2 7 6 God Is a Veb
on the concioune of humannd to deceive u into thinking that we ae not living uele ve? it that we want o much to beleve in uch idea that we wgab at any taw placed befoe u? Pehap. O pehap thee i a univea meage built into ou genetic code that itiate a paticula tape loop when human concioune ente cetain lev el People who have expeienced thi level ay that thee i an ocean of my tica agance. t ha a cent to it a peci aoma that et the oul. The whipe of a mytical expeience i quickly ecognized The language i oft yielng incluive and atuated with love. Thi i what my tic ay: At once my phyica body lot it gone and became metophoed into ata textue. felt a oating enation . gazed at my am and moved them back and foth yet could not feel thei weight Ectatic oy ovewhelmed me My eaization deepened that the eence of obect i light.27 wa . . indiolubly one with natue eep in the oul below pain below al ditaction in fe in a ence vat and gand an innite ocean of cam whch nothing can ditub.2 tood enaptued in ectay beide myelf and my evey ene wa endowed with undetanding2 What t i thi? How could the love eve die? That would be tuly abudto die in the wate of life!"3 Stong temblng eized me and coud not ummon tength my hai tood on end . . . and behold omethng eembng peech emeged om my heat and came to my lip aid Thi i indeed the piit of wdom 3 A a welkown teache wa about to die he at in a lotu poition and cled out to thoe aound hm ont be led! Look diecty at what i about to happen]. What i thi? He epeated thi o that they would pay cloe attention and then he cy died. 32 o we need to ay whethe thee ectatic quote come om Mulim hitian Hindu o ew? n fact mytic in of thee tadition ae epeented above but what deence doe it make? The commonity of the expeience i the point deate eaty i a vital expeience in a tadition.
Dying an Death 2 7 7
EAREH XERENE
Zhar tes o Rbbi esse going to visit poor neighbor who ws i. hie the rbbi ws sitting by the mns bedside, he herd [hevey] voice, which sid: hee, whee [o destiny] sou is come to me beore its ordined time. oe to those neighbors in his town who hve not done nything to ep him" Rbbi esse reized tht this voice rom heven ws wrning tht the town woud py gret price i hi neighbor died without nyone cring He quicky got speci herb, mystic po tion or he knew tht he hd to intercede in the mn's te he herb mde the mn swet so much he mircuously recovered om his iness.4 Lter the recuperted mn sid to his rescuer, Rbbi! My sou hd c tuy et my body nd ws brought beore the throne o the King. woud hve remined there orever, but God wnted you to hve the merit o restor ing me."5 ody, modern medicine hs its own mgic potions, bringing peope bck om the gtes o deth more thn ever beore in history. housnds hve returned om the twight zone o other reities to report their vi sions. hey spek in the nguge o mystics with we, trnsormtion nd ed with ove For mny yers, reserchers studying deth hve recorded outobody nd nerdeth eperiences. Mny re uque, but the prles re quite re mrkble. Bright ights re equenty seen eeling o comort nd surren der is oen noticed, ded retives pper to the person undergoing the eperience, nd oten there is eeing o enormous reie tht the burdens o ie ny hve been ited. It is importnt to cri however, tht epeiences o dying re not wys wonderu. Indeed, mny re eceediny dicult Some peope die with considerbe physic pin nd suering s we s n etrordinry mount o emotion distress nd nguish espite mystic reports o the wondrous things to come when we rech the other side, we sti hve to get through the pocess o dying he lmud sys tht there re 9 types o deh, rom the esiest, de scribed s kiss to the most dicut, which resembes puing thorn bck wrd out o woo. As my wel be imgined, the ewish sges hd mny discussions o deth he words ded," deth," nd dying" e mentioned more thn ve thousnd times in the lmud 278 Gd I a Vb
H E N E
O F
EAH
Angel o Death i a meenger o God. t ha been aoiated with the dark angel Samael who repreent Satan but at o under the diretion or approva o God. Man torie deribe the battle between the Angel o Death and human Thi angel ometime mut reort to deeption or it i not al powerl. Indeed oaion Death i deeated. King David one aked God when he woud die. God reponded that no peron would ever ow in advane the time o her or hi death3 But beaue o David merit he learned that he would die on a Shabbat when he wa eventy ear old So David pent evey Shabbat exluivel in the tud oTorah or it i ad that the Angel o Death ha no power over one ing one o the ommandment One Shabbat wh wa alo the hol da o Shavuot David heard a trange wondrou ound in hi garden. He went to ee what wa mang the noie and the tep leading to the gaden olaped kng him. The Angel o Death had aued uh an auring noie David orgot that Death wa near. 3 The gel o Death ha man trik up it eeve. On the other hand when the age Rabbi Johua ben Lev wa about to die the Angel o Death wa direted to ar out one o hi wihe The holar aked Death to how hm what it looked like where he wa going wh the angel agreed to do. But beore departing Rabbi Johua ad Give me our knie whih ou ue to k people] let I be ightened aong the wa. Thi i how Rabbi Johua got the Angel o Death to hand over to him the intrument o death3 When the arrived at Paradie Rabbi Johua jumped over the wal thereb entering without t ding The Angel o Death grabbed the o ner o garment but Rabbi Johua wore that he would not return to hi eart e (onl to await death). The Hol One had to intervene aing that Rabbi Johua oath not to return to lie woud be vaid on i in hi entire lie he never made an oath that had to be annulled Thi o oure i mot impoible or we are alwa mang aual oath like proing ourelve that we are going to do omething that we never do or onverely wearing that we never do a thing agan and then do it anwa. It i the reon Jew ay the Kol idre prayer at the time oYom ppur o that unintentiona vow and unue d oath are not held againt omeone But in the le o Rabbi Johua he had Dying and Death 279
never sad or thought anythng that he dd not u So hs vow not to re turn bac to e was honored. he Ange o Death peaded wth hm, You must return my ne" or wthout ths ne, nobody woud ever de agan. Rabb Joshua reused to return the nstrument o death t was a stando, and the entre unverse hed ts breath. Fny, a bat kol (a heaveny voce boomed out: Return t to hm, or morta creatures requre t" hus Death was reestabshed. hat woud the unverse oo e mortas" ceased to de? terward, the Ange o Death was never agan msed nto gvng away ts ne, even though another sage tred the same maneuver So Rabb Joshua trced Death and entered Parase wthout dyng. en others are sad to hve entered Paradse ve, the best nown o whom beng Ejah the prophet Hanoch, the ather o Methuseah Serah, the daughter o Asher; and Bthah, the daughter o Pharaoh (who was gven ths reward or havng saved Moses1 Kabbaah adds another dmenson to death, suggestng that t s not monothc but has a number oeves t says that the nge o Death s pro tected and rdden" by the Shadow o Death Athough they have derent energes, they are nseparabe partners. Moreover, they have derent gate ways nto the ream o death or there are gates o death" and gates o the shadow o death" Indeed t s sad that there are nnumerabe, mysterous passageways to death hdden away rom humannd, who now them not." Death, thereore s ar more compe than smpy a ream o nonvng. he actua dyng process, the transton the tme mmedatey ater death, and the entre rst year oowng ones death a have unque qutes. aong the way, those who are vng can serve, support, and be advocates or those who are dyng or who have entered the death reams. Many peope ee hepess n the ace o death, but the truth s that by understandng the many acets o death and dyng we come to reaze that there s a great dea we can do. HE
E H
F
E
amud records a number o deaths n whch sages return n dreams to descrbe the dyng eperence. n one story Rava was at tendng hs dyng end Rabb Nachman Nachman ased Raa to nter 280 God Is a Verb
v wh h Ag of ah o us hs iu so ha ah woud o orm Nahma. Rava was surprisd ad askd Nahma why h did o mak h rqus himsf of h Ag of ah, for Nahma was highy rpud ad had gra mri Nahma rpd ha wh h Ag of ah has b isrud o d sombodys f ha prso o ogr has ay iu Th sory oius. Rava askd Nahma o rur i a dram afr his dah o dsrib wha dyig was ik dd, Naa did rur i a dram. id you sur pa?" Rava askd Nama rspodd [ah was k] h ag of a hair om mik." H addd, howvr, If h Hoy O od m o go bak io h wod, woud rahr o, for h far of dah is oo gra."3 spi s advad awarss, Nahma was si dpy aaid of h possibiy of a pai dah. This sory ahs may higs. Pop wih mri a iu h g of ah xp wh hy hmsvs ar abou o di This iu a b usd o as surig for hos i h dyig pross ad ormay is aompshd hrough prayr whh is h primary oo usd o rah ags ad ah Addiioay, h sory ifor us ary ha wish sags omuad wih ohr rams. Nahma od Rava om h ohr sid ha hs xpri of dah was qui asy. Nohss, h far of dah far xds h xpri so muh so ha Naa did o wa o rur o go hrough i agai, v hough h aua xpr for m was as simp as ag a srad of hair ou of k. I aohr udi sory wh Rava hms was dyig, h was add by hs brohr Rabbi S'orim As i h prvious sory, Rava askd his bohr o h Ag of ah o o orm him. His brohr askd hm A you o hs iima id?" Ravas rspos was, Si my maz za (fa) has b dvrd o hm h dos o pay aio o m" his sory as w Rabbi Sorim askd his brohr o rur i a dra ar his dah o dsib wha dyig was ik Rava did so. Wh askd if h surd h rpd As om h prik of a uppig isrum."4 Cuppig is a ai qu i whih gass sphrs ar had ad h pad o a prso's s As h up oos, a vauum forms isid ad h ski is draw up by suio. Ossiby h pross daws oxs om h body hrough h ski Th Chis us hs mhod oday ad hav xprid i Th ssaio is uusu, bu o uomforab I fa, h puig of a badag o s is far mor irriaig So h sags ar ary iformg us ha h dyig xpri is o ghr orab bu ha h poa for big ormd i h dyig Dyng and Death 2 8
pross is uboudd. No mattr what our statio i how may good dds w hav do how pious a li w hav vd th Agl o Dath dos as it wishs wh takig somo to th othr sid Yt i somo has a advoat who spaks o hr or his bha th dyig pross a go muh asir. hs iormatio is impotat or ayo who is i a positio to hp a prso goig through this trasiio. Aso th sags appartly askd othrs to rtur atr dath to dsrib ot oy dath itsl but what it is lk i th dath rms. As otd arir drams ar usualy th vhil or this trasssio bw drt ra tis most vryo drams o los rlativs who hav did hs ams ar ot quit vid Somtims thy our soo atr dath ad o thy rour r moths or yars. h sags traid thmslvs to work with drams W a do th sam Wh w ar skld i this pross w a ommuiat i xatly th sam way ths storis dsrib. W a ask dram imags qustios lik: How was dath or you" or What is it lik whr you ar
SEE
NESIXIEH OF
EAH
w ar awak, th soul hovrs abov us. Wh w slp a aspt o th soul travls to th highr ralms Somtims a ag rvs utur vts to this travlig sou 4 but somtims it dos ot dsrv this rvlatio ad th soul s ito th hads o th thr Sid (vil) who is to hr about th utur. h uworthy prso is thus show a happy but s dram to draw him or hr arthr om th path o truth46 h almud tahs that slp is osixtith o dath. Eah ght our souls tr a magial thatr o high drama hy mov through othr rms o rality ostaty hagd by a varity o spiritual titis. I a soul is burdd by ay luttr arrid by its arthly body, it wll b wightd dow ad vulrabl to th sdutios o orruptig ors h dgr to whh it gais a tru or als imag o ohr ralitis is dpdt upo th bag gag t arris As th oar s ays A prsos soul tstis at ght about what vr h or sh dos i th day."47
,
2 8 2 Go Is
a Verb
espite the testimony of our soul however, the udgment is ways lenient Otherwise, except for the most virtuous people, we would never get ything but false dreams "If the soul is found deserng to continue in her present state, she is lowed to return to this world. In ths judgment good d evil actions are not weighed in the same way. No account is taken of harl acts which a person is likely to perpetrate in the ture. ut with regard to good actons, not oly those aeady performed in the past but also those whch wi be performed in the ture are ten ito consideration. he sces tha baance our actions are therefore loaded in our faor Everything "good om the past present and ture is placed on one side everything "notgood, but oly from the past and present, is placed on the other side. As our capacity for doing good deeds in the future is enormous, the scales wil normally weigh in our favor. he Kabbalah suggests that dreams are not simply messages to the psyche but are essentiy prophetic If we know how to interpret deams, they inform us what is going to happen. herefore "a person should not te his or her dream [indiscriminately] to a iend lest the istener cause a delay in its fuent. his means that we should be carel to share our dreams oly with people who are obective and open. A dream is lke a agile embryo that must be handled tendely If we understand its potenti and nurture it carey it can att its fullness he capacites for prophecy and for seeing into other rems of reaity es latent within of us "en a person goes to sleep, the soul rises according to its evel he Holy One teaches the neshama with signs of ture things to come in the world . here are dierent grades of dreams which teach secrets. he low est is the dream itself, next is the grade of visions, and hghest is the grade of prophesy ° abbi Hiyah asked, "It is said that a deam uninterpreted is ike a message undeciphered oes this mean that the dream comes true without the deamer being aware of it, that the dream remns unled? abbi Simeon swered "he dream comes true but wthout the dreamer being aware of it or nothing happens in the word without advance noce of it being announced in heaven om where it is broadcast to the world en there were prophets in the wold it was announced though them when there were no more prophets the sages took over. ter the sages, thngs were re veed in drea and if there were no deas, the birds in heaven would anounce it Whether we appreciate it or not, we experience thngs that have already been antcipated in our dreams. his may explain some of our experiences of dj , our unpredictable axiees when we feel something is about to
Dying and Death 2 83
happe ou kowig" who is at the other ed o the lie whe the tele phoe rigs, our sese o destiy whe we kow a strager is importat i our lives or our eerie sese o comot i some situatios ad scomort i others e have a utold umber o dreams whispeig i our coscious ad subcoscious mids, messages om the Ukow, secrets shaed by a gels.2 he we uderstad the laguage o drea we gai admissio to a ier world that holds the mysteries o the uiverse.
Sou J ouNEY N HE H
Baal Shem Tov was seated at a arge table surouded by his disciples. Oe o these studets was Nachma o Horodeka who was the gradather oRebbe Nachma oBresov The Ba Shem Tov talked about a great may subjects ad the eveg wore o He stopped at oe poit late i the eveig reected or a while ad the said suddely, The me has come or me to reveal to you my aithl studets the deep secrets o the bath o imersio the mikve He bega to te them about the meaig o beig puried i ivig wa ters ad spoke o the our mystical rivers that emaate rom the arde o Ede He discoursed o the roots o souls coected to uiversa oceas. As he talked his ace became iuiated util the room was ed with ight. The i a momet o ecstasy the master threw back his head ad wet ito a reverie a siece that shimered. The isciples sat trased, tremblig i joy ad awe. They stared at thei motioless master. They had see him i altered states but ever like this The studets waited, but othig happeed ecept that the Baal Shem Tov cotiued to glow his ace tured upward, his head slowly movig om side to side. Te miutes passed twety Some o the studets closed their eyes The eveig was late Nachma o Horodeka was so tired he put his head dow o the table ad e asleep Nacha had a dream: He was i a city. Everyoe walked i oe directio. They were goig toward a huge buildig Nachma ollowed side the buidig were throgs o people i a eormous oom. were hushed listeig to a eiet teacher speakg at the other ed o the oom. The teache was takig about the mkve. He wet o or a log time 2 8 4 God Is
a Veb
ad ater a whe achma realied that thee teachig were dieret om thoe o the holy Ari Rabbi Iaac Luria upo whch o much myca teach ig i baed Ideed at oe poit the teacher himel aid opely that he wa i oppoitio to the Ari' teachig o thi iue Suddey omeoe came through the door A utter rippled through the ma o peope A gure o excepoal magetim paed through the crowd The i hime the tiguihed Iaac Luria had etered the room He waked lowy to the pulpit ad the cruh o people oowig him car ried aca to the ot o the room At the pulpt achma wa ovehelmed There he aw teacher the holy Baa Shem Tov who had bee the oe peg all og ow hi teacher wa acetoace with Iaac Luria who had died almot two hu dred year earlier A uprecedeted debate bega Each o the mater quoted the Zoha Each gave h ow iterpretao Word ew ke re They quoted Torah Talmud Midrah each developig a oger ad troger cae iay they reached the ed o their argumet ad the heave were aked to decide The room wa oe obody moved The the heave quaked ad the Ari raed h ha ad bowed head He aid quietly that the deci o had bee made i avor o the Baal Shem Tov At that momet achma awoke om hi dream He realed that he wa tg at a table wth eow tudet The other tudet o were awakeg ad the mater wa comig back out o hi trace obody aid ay thig a they a became alert The the mater the holy Baa Shem Tov looked drectly at achma The rt word he aid were Ad it wa you I choe to accompay me a my wite SsAIN N
LI E
ream co ect u with other realm but we ca have dreake vi o while y awake Shohaa worked parttime a a urig itructor at Hadaah Hopital i Jeruem She ha worked a great de wth dyig patiet i geriatric ad ocology Oe o her patiet at Hadaah wa a very old ma Rabbi Avi who wa clearly i a ter tage o hi dieae H body wa covered with preure ore; hi badage eeded to be redreed every ew hour He wa a room with three other vey ick patiet who ote cried out i pai Except whe he wa viited by tudet which wa quite ote thi old Dyin and Deah 2 8
teche csttly ed pyed. He hd stck f bks by his bedside. His studets teted hi like sit d Shsh kew he ws ip tt teche. Rbbi Avi did t lich s his dessigs wee chged I fct he kept edig Wheeve the ptiets cled f help d hlfdze uses d dcts ed the he ctiued t ed. Eve i cdeblue ee gecy whe see died he eied fcused his bks. Shsh ce he fte wk e dy d elted stge icidet Rbbi Avis helth ws decliig his ses wee gettig wse Shsh sid t e He sees t be hldig beyd ll l liits While I ws wkig oud his bed wdeig wht this ws l but I siety set hi thughtessge. I sid t hi Yu d t hve t hd . Yu c let g wheeve yu wt. I hve de this befe with peple but this is the st tie see yeled bck t e telepthicay I ws shcked. My mid led wth stog vice tht sid Std bck Yu hve ide f wht is hppeig hee ust t tht et I glced t Rbbi Avi d he gled t e be hid his bk He ely lks t peple s I ust t tht it set shives dw y spie This expeiece deeply tuched Shsh d hs ected the wy she hs wked with dyig ptiets eve sice Judis hs life bve all thigs sced Evey lw i the bks c be bke if life is edgeed. I udis we ty t squeeze the lst uce ut f fe becuse ech beth is viewed s pptuity t aise the spk It is eve t lte t edeem esef whe sti live. Deth is viewed s bth fied d eey. It is u ied i the sese tht ce we e the the sde ke the sge Nch we hve i teest i etuig t this life. Life is dicut. I fct the Tud descibes fus debte betwee the huse f Hiel wh defeded the psiti tht it is bette t hve bee b th t t hve lived t d the huse f Shmai wh sid it wud hve bee bette t t hve bee b i the st plce. This debte wet f tw d hf yes The l vte ws tht it wuld hve bee bette t t hve bee ceted but w tht we e hee we eed t ke the mst f it. 53 I this sese deth is u ied. F the livig hweve deth epesets the eey i tht it steals u ee will te deth we lge hve the pteti t be cptes i the ceti Oly the vig c ise spks y the livig c pocess with Gdig I the deth es we ely the eit we cquied thugh life the suppt f livig beigs wh h us i thei eies d pyes f we c lge ct u w. 286 God Is
a Verb
So h raiona sh approach is no o go gny ino ha dark gh." W don giv p so asiy. W do vryng can o ssain i Obviosy, hn i oss qy o h xn ha can no ongr rais or on sparks, ngs ar dirn. Thn dah bcoms or ind onc again, or i has va iho i Th mysica vipoin is ha hiry days bor ons dah, a proca maion is mad in havn, and vn havny birds annonc h prsons doom Dring hs as ry days, his o hr neshama dpars ach gh and ascnds o h ohr ord o s is pac hr. Ts is dirn om norma so ornys, hich ar on rpord back in drams. In s in sanc, bcas h so is no ndr h ings o h ng o Dah h prson dos no hav h sam consciosnss or conro o h so prviosy.5 In addiion, i is said ha ons shado bcoms mor ain dring h as hiry days. 5 Th mysic ndrsands his as a maphor. Th gh ha ads is no ha o h sn; h sns shado dos no disappar. Rahr, h igh ha is conncd ih h isorc bgins o dimsh In h conmporary idiom h shado o or via igh is cad an ara, and s ara bgins o sbsid hiry days bor dah. Som pop can s hs ngs Th Zohar dscribs h sory o Rabbi saac, ho razd ha h as abo o di. H n sady o s dars ind, Rabbi dah, and od m ha h prcivd hs so as aving ach nigh ho ghning hs drams H cod s aso ha hs shado ara) had add. In a ochng scn dah sd ha h od any rqs o saacs ar his dah In rrn dah askd Isaac o rsrv a pac by s sid in h ord o com so ha hy od again b oghr. n ars, Isaac bggd dah o say ih m ni dah ook him aay. Th drama no bcam proond Thy n oghr o visi Rabbi Simon bar Yochai. s hy nrd h room, Rabbi Simon nocd h ng o Dah dncing in on o Rabbi Isaac. Rabbi Simon h gra s o mysics, sood by h door and orcd h ng o Dah o av h room Looking a Isaac, Rabbi Simon sa ha hr r ony a hors Rabbi Simon askd h doomd man, Hav yo sn h imag o yor ahr oday? I is knon ha or raivs com o s a h im o dparr om his ord and hy accompany h so o h ohr rams56 Rabbi Isaac ansrd ha h had no y sn hs raivs So Rabbi Son prayd aod ha h Hoy On shod giv Rabbi saac a rpriv. Thn Rabbi Simon cd in his on son o hod on o Dying and Death 2 8 7
Rbbi Ic for he w tht c w in gret fer The tory now moe into nother relm of relity Rbbi Ic fe into deep eep in which he w hi fther. He ked hi fther wht it w lke where he would be going, nd hi fther decribed the chmber tht hd been prepred for him Then the fther id to on We were on the point of deprting [to bring you here] when oice went out [in heen], ying, Be proud of Rbb Simeon for he h mde re quet [tht Rbbi Ic hould lie] nd it h been grnted him. 5 Athough the deth edict hd been et for Rbbi ·c it w chnged. Een if peron ow of hi or her impending deh it i neer too lte for omeone to interene : T o
L IFE
wonderful tle w told by Reb Zmn bout tudent nmed Yehud who treled gret dince to iit the fmou Seer of Lublin for Shbbt weekend Yehud rried on Fridy morning nd immeditely went to ee the rebbe. A eeryone know the Seer could look into the future. Aot oon Yehud lked into the room the rebbe ked him not to ty for Shbbt. Yehud w hocked But rebbe I he come o fr there ny wy cn pend Shbbt with you The rebbe looked t him with d eye. The truth i, my young iend I ee deth urrounng you nd it eem tht you re detined to die thi Shbbt. It would be better for you to go o mll ilge nd die there. Reb Zlmn id Cn you imgine how Yehud felt The Seer of Lubin told him tht he hd one more dy to lie. Hi hert w broken. He lowly took up hi m bg nd drgged himelf out of town. n the rod Yehud encountered wgon loded with tudent. They were inging loudly nd hing wonderful time. The wgon topped when they w him going wy om the city Friend, they yeed out, you re wlking the wrong wy The Seer of Lublin i thi wy Come with u Yehud turned lowly nd dly id, I cnnot go. The Seer h ent me wy But why The tudent urrounded him Thi w tonihing. The Seer neer ent nyone wy
288 God I
a Verb
ehud old hem ha he ebbe had said he was going o die and ha he should nd a sma ilage. The sudens a once said Nonsense ou do no hae o leae Wh should ou die al b ouself whee ou don know anbod? Mabe he ebbe was woied ha i woud uin ou Shabba. Bu i won Come. If ou hae o die do i a he eb bes able This wa if ou ge sick and need help we wbe hee o hold ou up. Come iend do no wo abou a hng So ehuda joined his singing goup and climbed ino he wagon. The saed owad Lublin and one of he sudens said o ehuda Fiend as long as ou ae going o die if ou hae an mone we could use a keg of schnapps o keep us a wam. Indeed he did hae mone. 1 he sopped a he s aen and bough a gea de of schnapps Each ime someone lifed his cup he uned o he benefaco ehuda and cied ou Lchaim lchaim ma ou e a heh long life One afe anohe of hese blessings ang ou. ehuda began o ge os in he cheeks. He fogo wha he See of Lubin had said o him Acu eeone was haing oo much n o be hinkng abou omoow. d so ound afe ound he blessing poued in fo him The aied a he Sees home in a e happ sae. When ehuda once again wen o gee he ebbe he gea See of Lublin looked a him wih amazemen The ebbes age eebows ached and he sad I is wondef m oung iend The Angel of Deah is gone Wha a ebbe canno do fo s sudens his sudens can do fo one anohe wih hei blessings of lchaim. ou see said Reb Zaman a ebbe ma hae enomous mei and man wondous hings can be done in a ebbes name Bu when a goup of people ghe ogehe as a coecie o send blessings o someone he poenc of hs is een geae han ha of a eb be. Ma we a be blessed o hae good iend and beloed ones who defend us and paise us in he heaenl ealm.
Dyig ad Dah 2 8 9
H E A V E N,
H E L L,
A N R E S U R R E C T O N
h nc bwn hvn nd hl In on pson who dis is by h hvny gp. h dos h oo wonds h nwly dcsd. Sh is n o oo ih lg bl suoundd by popl Th bl is s wih dlcbl hings o nd din Bu h popl coninuously ngy nd isbl sving bcus hi s ncsd in locd l slvs nd hy cnno bnd hi s o bing hi hnds o hi ouhs no how hd hy y Hvn is h oo nx doo I lso hs bl lld wih food nd h popl in his oo lso w slvs ov hi s Bu h popl in his oo hppy nd cl fo hy hv lnd o fd on noh. In noh l pson dis nd wns in buil gdn. Th p of h gdn is qui soicious nd givs h pson whv h ss fo H wns buful hous nd h hous of his ds insny AY
S0RES
DESCRBE
2 90 Go Is
a Verb
s H wnts t sous nd th id sous tiis Eh dy h qusts soting nw nd h dy hs wish is ld his gos on fo ny onths. His wishs bo o xtgnt. H gts y thing h wts. Nothing is lking H uns out of things to qust. Dys go by thout wsh thn onths. H bos bod. h is noting to look fod to notng to hllng . h tst of ything gos t Finy on dy h sys to th k of th gdn I bn tnking tht yb I woud lk to s wht things k on th oth sid. h gdn k sys h oth sid wht do you n? I n tht sh I ould s wht it would b k to b in h Oh sys th gdn k but y ind wh do you tink you h n this ti?
not nssiy wht w thi thy . h s xin n b hn o h dnding uon ou oint of w So too th id of sution f dth If w iw it s sothing out of h in th distnt tu w wing nt indsls so to sk. W std o it d n not bnd ou thoughts to nouish ou sous. But if w s th ongoing lonshi btwn Goding nd oning w fuly onnt with th undstnding tht sution is ontinuous oss hning ight now E Av E A o
E
G H O M
bb Nn ofBslo sid Eyon sys tht th is nsion of lity d his Wold Oam hazeh nd noth th Wold to Co Oam ha-bah Myb th is [tuy] lity ld his Wold sowh [ls] but gin th onstnt suing w s ound us it s tht w untly li in Gehinnom hll)5 In Judis th nthwold is usuly fd to s Gehinnom whih os o t n of y south of Jusl th Vy of Bn Hinno Gi Hinno) wh idoltous tibs sid hid by to th god Moloh. 59 It ws kown s l of totu. h oht J ih sd it wod b dsigntd fo s th Vy of Sught. ° Fo
'
Heaven He an Reurretion 2 9 1
ths rfrncs it bcam knon as a plac of rtribution hr punishmnt as dold out. Th nthrorld is aso knon by a varity of othr nams heol 6 th grav th dust Abaddon, silnc th dpths of th pit and th land of dark nss. Thr ar idly diring vis about hat happns in th nthr old but thy ar univrsay grusom: trn suring om r ing hanging suocation dismboling and any othr al cripping or maiming that could b conjurd by a frtil imagination.62 Each Rosh Hashana hich is a ay ofudgmnt souls ar vidd into thr groups: th thoroughy rightous th thoroughly ickd and th in trmdiat 63 Th hous of Shammai said that th rightous i go straight to Paradis th ickd i b doomd to Gehinnom forvr and th intrmdiat il b punishd and thn rlasd Th hous of Hill disagrd. Thy said that God is alays mrciful and thrfor th ickd ar not punishd forvr According to this vi most sous spnd a maxmum of tlv months for purication and thn ar rlasd ny a handful of crims such as not blivng in th trnal natur of th soul6 scong th Torah or informing on an innocnt prson rsult in xtndd rsidnc in th nthrorld byond tlv months but vn thn h dos not last for trnity Th hous of Hil said Gehin nom i b consumd [in th mssianic ra] but [thos condmnd for x tndd m in hll] i not b consumd.6 n othr ords thy il ouast Gehinnom ndd th Talmud says outright Thr is no Gehinnom in th orld to com.66 Th ancint sags suggstd that th proportions of Gehinnom ar normous compard ith th od. Thy said Egypt is onsixtith of Ethopia; Etopia is onsixtith of th [knon] orld; th orld is onsixtith of th Gardn [of Edn] ; th gardn is onsixtith of Edn Edn is onsixth of Gehinnom. Thrfor th ntir old is lik a [tiny] pot d compard th Gehinnom H is 3600 tims argr than th Gardn of Edn and 196,000 tims largr than arth. No ondr our livs sm to b in Gehinnom so much From this gain prspctiv into th rabbinic vi of th old to com. f th hug dimnsion of Gehinnom r linatd a old ithout suffring ould nsu hich ould sm k Paradis Athough thr ar dirncs of opinion rgarding hat th old to com rprsnts it is gnrally vid as a tim of mssianic consciousnss6 Fooing th ida that thr ould b no Gehinnom at that tim th con pt of divin rtribution oud tak a dirnt form. Thn i is said th Hoy n i tak th sun from its shath and th rightous ill b had 2 9 2 God s a Verb
ad the wiked judged69 The idea of the su beig daw om its sheath meas that a lght fa bighte tha the su w be applied. Ths would be the Oh Ein So the iite light of awaeess whih iumiates eey o e of the uiese ad a the wisdom of eatio. PARADE
aadise is geeay assoiated with the Gade of Ede whh is epeseted o two leels iJewish mystiism The lowe ga de is paadise o eath whe the uppe gade is elated to heae e sipos aely eetiate betwee the teestial ad elestia gades Beause the mysti appoah to a of eatio is that eethig below has its eetio aboe thee may be o lea dieee betwee the two. The gade is desibed i lusious tems ed wth spies tees a gels pemes peious metals ad jewels Of ouse a ighteous beigs dwel hee: geat sages the matiahs ad patiahs the welkow bib lia gues sholas om a ages ad the messiah I the midst of this God sits ad explais the Toah. Paadise is iewed as beig o the ight side of God (loigdess whe Gehinnom is o the e ustie The Midash asks what the distae is betwee the two Rabbi ohaa said the beadth of a wal; Rabbi Ha a sad the beadth of a had but most of the abbis geey ageed that Paadse ad Gehinnom ae side by side haig a ommo bouday hee is this bouday? It is peisey whee we stad eah momet Padise ad Gehinnom meet i the ete of ou beig. e a eet upo te past om eithe pespetie ad ou futue depeds upo the side to wad whh we tu fo the hoies we make e ae ee moe tha a hais beadth away om eithe heae o hel. Regadg the wold to ome the mystis go oe step the They say that the Toah whih epesets the md of God so to speak was eeaed as a hadshakeblak e o whte e2 he two hads lasp eah othe the boudaies of eah beome blued ad we must look losely to dete mie whih is whih. the wold as we kow it we seem to be able to eetiate betwee the opposites of left ad ight good ad e. The bouday betwee op posites is deed by both sides simultaeously. the wold to ome how ee ou peepo wi shi damay ad the hadshake wil beome lly itegated Heven Hell nd Resurrection
293
Tus just as te Gaden of Eden s te statng pont of uman con scousness s t aso ou destny. Lfe etena s a fundamenta tenet of Jew s fat. t s fe n te gaden but not fe as we know t because oppostes w bend nto eac ote ev no onge exst and sueng w dsappea. EUEON
esuecton s one of te tteen pncpes of fat poposed by Mamondes and s te second benedcton of te da n y payes. t s sad tat f a peson does not beeve n te dea of esuecton e o se w not ave a poton n te wod to come. Resuecon s a deent dea om encanaton. Rencanaton s con tnu ebt to edeem faen spaks n te pocess of pefectng te ce aton Resuecton s te eadng of a new ea a tansfomaton nto a conscousness pevousy unknown n wc eaty undegoes a pofound cange. Atoug esuecton s a pncpe of fat n Judasm we nd a wde vaety of conctng vewonts on wat t means. Tee s genea agee ment on oy one ssue te souce of fe cannot be twated by deat. How eve wen esuecton occus ow t appens and to wom a ae ponts of contenton. As a esut t s not supsng tat Refom and Reconstuctonst Judasm esove te pobem by dscadng te noton of Gehnnom and of esuecton atogete Kabbaa oweve foows a deent tck of tougt f te oot o a sous s Aam ha-Rshon eaest uman awaeness) esuecton epesents te cumnaton of te ectcaton of oy spaks tat ave faen ad ave been etuned to te ogna souce6 Te Zohar epots Rabb Abba sad peope w se om te dead. God s te fountan of mecy. Snce peope n ts wod sueed tey w not sue n te wod to come " Te Zohar aso says Afte te esu ecton of te dead te wod w be pefecty enewed and w not ave deat. Lfe afte te esuecton w not be ke anytng we cn conceve. et te descpton n te Zohar s nteestng. n ou cuent eaty te body s a gament o a se (keppah) fo te sou wc s vewed as a spak. n te wod to come te body w no onge be a se fo a spak but w be come te ame of tat spak enancng ate tan connng t. Te body 294 Go Is a Verb
will look ik th o w s curry i our mirrors, yt it fully umtd ik th ow of Moss s h cm dow om Mt Sii wh h ws icdsct to th xtt tht h hd to covr his fc th vi Thus th sys, It is pprt tht thr w crtio om th o o tht rmis itct th lz o), which vr dcys d om which wil xpd th whol ody 8 Th God wi cus th idticl ody d th idticl soul to rtur to th world . . . d wil cus th dw to dscd upo thm . th dw of ights supr light through which th Aghty wil pour forth if upo th world"81 Th lz o is somtims rfrrd to s th ut of th spi colum mystrious o tht rsts t th s of th spi. Th Midrsh sys tht it cot dissolvd i wtr urt i r groud i m, or split with hmr8 Idd wh somo ttmptd to smsh lz o th o rmid whol whi th hmmr d v spit.8 Oviousy thr is o physicl tity i th ody tht is idstructi. Rthr th mystics suggst ht thr is sustiig quliy for ch ig tht cots l of its cods. This mystic ssc c cod y tim i th tur W could dscri it s gl, tr ul of rgy, tht rtis th prototyp of prticulr ig It is om this rgy ul tht th w ody is ultimtly rsurrctd. As sid o of th primry rsos th riic trditio dos ot ow for crmtio is th cocr tht th lz o will lost i th procss Howvr s w s om th Midrsh th lz o cot urt i r. This is issu of grt cocr for modr ws whos prts or rtivs choos to crmtd s mi did. R Zlm poits out tht miios of pop wr ivolutriy crmtd i th Hoocust ut w dr ot sy tht thy wi dd rsurrctio. I viw of this rlity th w ish lws rgrdig th issu of crmtio d to rticultd with grtr ssitiviy
•••
EAH EVER
A
XE
Klist s id out rsurrctio This is th oy vl of cosciousss which is compltly yod hum xpric tht of cotiuy dyg i th kiss of God] d ig rsurrctd. I this l stg of crtio rity ruitd th God ot oy th spr Heaven Hell and Resrretion 95
bt so the shes (bodes) of hysc ret. Hvg dedthe rected tr ego beg y dedthe so w exerece fe s eter sto or oscto of g/dyg to God.8 Ths vewot rovdes erfect smmry of the evoto of the kb bstc ersectve. Resrrecto reresets ew eve of coscosess we otsde the bodres of hm exerece. I t hms w ot sese ego brrer of serto bt w be ted the totty of the verse I ths re we do ot ve d de s dscoected ettes bt ex d d cotrct s exteso of God ech of s reresetg eter sebet of the ve. The Zohar sks Is ot ser ded eve togh ve?8 I ths co text ser mes oe who hs dstced her or hmsef from God whch of corse cdes everyoe bt hd of rghteos begs. Ths we cod red ths qesto Are we ot ded eve togh we thk we re ve? Wht does t me to be ve ths cotext? It mes to be fy wre of the resece of Godg d to recte or roe the cotos fodg of creto. Soomo b Gbro eevethcetry Jewsh oet d hosoher deveoed cotemtve system tht eds to freedom from deth 8 Ths roch ws deveoed hs m hosohc work Mekor Haim (Fot of fe) The rst ste s to cotemte God d to ve eth c fe so tht the so c ttch tsef to ts sorce From here the so w rse cotemto t t reches the eve frst vers mtter the eve of rchetes. Next or cotemto eds to recto of the W of God whch eds to the sorce the Fot of fe Whe we fy coect wth the ve throgh cotemto or commo wth God re eses s om deth87 Becse resrrecto s tmeess dom t eetrtes y rety m ted by tme d sce. other words resrrecto s ot somethg for whch we mst wt. It s wys here Or cege s to move om ego coscosess to God coscosess Cretog s the se of Godg. No mtter how fr we hve exded otwrd from the ve we re st rt of It Ths s the secret of resrrecto d the reso the sges were so cocered bot commctg t to s. este the mttos of gge d cocets the deryg rce tht we costty ve the resece of the ve ssres te certty of resrrecto. Ech momet we re ssted fe s we kow t t s s f we re beg rsed from the ded. Or ete fe s ere exerece of resrecto f oy we were be to erceve t ths wy 296 God Is a Ver
bhm Koo on of th fomot Kbbt of th ntuy bvd tht dth mgny Ou vw of dth dtod by ou onfud ppton of ty. n tm w w om to th fu onnoon of th bw wod " hyh me meolm whh mn th h n xtd."
Heven Hell nd Resurreton 2 9 7
E P O G E
H E
R Y
PENNY
n cy S rburg undrd yr g dp un r n wc rn n und ub w dndd r yung bdgr xprnc w n uncn n dy wn uncrupuu pc ry r r pp n pwr wud r kdnp Jw nd dnd rn, r y knw Jw lw rqud Jw cuny d nyngncludng l ng pru r crll v w l r udc udn n ar azd nly plc g uc u w wly n nd Zv Nw ze ev Hbrw wrd w, nd n w py nd H w vnu wl nd wud d nyng cqur . H culd l b vcu wn urn g pp wy w qud dnn H nv cnbud nyng rbbnc udn wr bc u rbb yung w r knwn r Rbb, Snur Zln Lydy H w ld r bcu w cn y
Epiogu 2 9 9
woud be success with Zeev he othe two wee Reb Levi Yitzhak o Bedichev and Reb Mende oVtebsk. hey wee a moe skeptica about getting money out o Zeev, and wee concened about wasting pecious time But they wanted to accompany hneu Zaman to povide potection He ageed on condition that they woud not say anything duing the nd asing, no matte what happened Zeev was stunned and somewhat honoed, to see a deegation o thee abbis at his doo He aso was suspect, but he nvited them in nonetheess They had tea and taked about the weathe o a whie. Finay hneu Zaman got aound to teing the stoy. He tod o an ophan boy who had no amy and whose wedding was ony a week away The boy had been aested on a tumpedup chage and now he coud not be eeased without the paying o a tenthousandube ansom. As hneu Zaman spoke, Levi Yitzhak and Mende coud see teas weing in Zeevs eyes. At the end, Zeev said, uch a sad stoy. You have touched my heat o I woud ike to hep Levi Yitzhak and Mende wee stated How had hneu Zaman done it? hen quite suddey thei de ight tuned sou o Zeev eached into his pocket and pued out one usty, diy kopekwoth a pennywhich may have been in his pocket o ten yeas. He handed this pty sum to hneu Zaman as i it wee a majo contibution. The two ode students wee shocked by such seiness, but they had ageed beoe cong not to say a wod. his was hneu Zans poject. What did hneu Zaman do? He began to paise in the most avish anguage imaginabe this wondeu contibution Oh, si you do not know what this means to us We ae so gateu o you geneosity I want to bess you and you wie and you chiden that you shoud be success in you business you shoud be the beneciay o good heath you shoud be gaced with ove . . On and on he went giving bessings in abundance. Finay, when hneu Zaman had shed the thee abbis gatheed to eave Zeev stood at the doo. As they wee depating Zeev said, You have touched me so much with this stoy I ee that I must give you moe He eached into hs pocket and pued out anothe dity kopek Reb Levi Yitzhak and Reb Mende wee iniated, but they said nothing, as they had pomised Reb hneu Zaman on the othe hand began a new ound o pases and bessings that asted anothe ten nutes. Finay they wee out on the steet, wakng away om the house. Levi Yitzhak said to his iend Ae you cazy? We just spent an hou o ousy kopeks Hush, whispeed hneu Zaman. 3 00
ploge
Sure enough when hey were bou hundred fee o he houe, he on door opened nd Ze'ev ed ou, eher oe bk" hey reurned o he on door Wih gre de of fu, Ze' ev proudy hnded he onerube oin. I wn o ke erou donion" Of oure Shneur Zn pen ye noher ve inue wh new pre nd being hey begn wng wy Mende id, he wy I ue i, we u pen over n hour o ge one rube. A hi re, wi ke u en hound hour. We ough o hve he boy ou ofji in four or ve yer." Huh," whpered he ure Aer Rebbe. Agin he on door opened nd Ze'ev ed ou hey reurned bu hi ie he gve he en rube A few inue er w one hundred rube hen ve hundred hen one hound Finy fer dozen reurn he wroe ou hek for he bne o h hey hd he oun of en hound rube he wo kep were nub wih zeen I hd ken few hour bu hey hd he entire u. A hey wked wy, hey ked eiedy, How do you do i? How did you know he woud give o uh?" Reb Shneur Zn id, When our her re overed wih k hied, he brrier no ony keep hing o ong n i o keep he o going ou. here i no wy o reove hi hied over he her one So wh we u do i nd wy o ke he inie rk. hen eh e openng of generoiy ed o noher ide of owy breing down our brrier i he ere of u e: i work for hriy work for erning, i work for ove Every e we do good deed, i buid he piy o do ore No er wh you wn o oph, you n begin wh oeng h y ee riv even dry peny Le youref owy evove, widening he rk Uey you wi be be o p hrough eiy."
he diry penny ephor for ining onioune We hve ny widoehing bou he poeni for hun wrene, bu une we begn o uize hee ehing, hey rein in he re of ide, onjeure nd bron o bring bou he new reiy of eini onioune we u nd wy o ke rk in our own brrier o h he igh of wrene wi ne hrough hi ory ugge h we n reve he igh of higher wrene by opening oureve o i one ep e One we ke rk, he br E
s RY
F
Eploge � 301
rir n b spt opn quily Highr wrnss is hug rsrvoir. w n o is rmov our ngrs om th m o sintity I w hv th courg to o so w wil b oo in light. My h n vry on o us b blss to rz th mssi onsiousnss withn us my w gin strngth n insight to opn our ys my our ivs b l with th ongoing truth in whih w r sturt wth lov ring n nnss An my w s th worl rom this lvl o wrnss. An l us sy: Amn"
3 02
Eplogue
E OE S
ryeh Kaplan, Chssidic Msters (ew Yor and Jerusalem Moznaim Publishng 98 p 11 5 Because we have dual cizehp in srae and the US, Shosha and choose to obsee oney holy days as sraeis 3 The fysith ye represents chesed of gevorh For a discusson of abbalstic cles see Template of Creation Moshe de!, Studies in Ettic Kbblh (ew Yor State Unversity of ew Yor Press, 1988, p 13 5 bid 6 See avid Cooper ilence Simplicit nd Solitude (ew Yor Bel Tower, 1 99 pp. 5973. 7. Encyclopedi]udic, vol 7, pp 139 1 1 030 8 See arry ossey Helin Wrds (San Frcisco arperSanrancisco, 1993. 9 Zohr a 10 See del, Studies in Ettic Kbblh 1 1 . Moshe del one of todays foremost scholars of Kabbla ponts out that certain Kabbalists saw dne inspiration as the sine qu non (essenal conditon for fathom ing the sublime secrets . . and ey aso beleved] that altered states of conscousness were a prerequisite for a more profound understanding of the sacred tet . . . ne must return, or at least attempt to rern, to the level of consciousness that charac terzed the peon who originaly] received he nspiration or revelao. Moshe de
Endnot 303
Kbblh New Perseives (New en n Lnn Yle Unersy Pess 1 988) p 23. 12. Zmn SchchteShl, Prm h (Nthle N:Jn Arnsn 1993), p. 258. 3 . p. 26. . p 268 15 pp 26668 6. I. p. 280 1 ., p. 25 18. Avoh 'Rbbi Nhn 15:3 19 he tes the Jersem lm e nt cle See Mmnes ntrcn t the Mshnh h 20. R An Stensltz pnts t tht lel sggests prncples, R Yshmel sggests 13, R Eleze en se Ge sggests 32 n the Mlm (R. Mer Le en Yehel Mchal) cmple st 63 prncpes whch ws nt exhste. See An Stensltz, einslz English Eiion f he Tlm: A Rferene Gie (New Yr Rnm se 989), pp 15; n Enyloeii 8:3661
P O N E : P 1 Mmsh ws ne Shlms rte ws, se t emphsze thngs. he clsest e n Engsh w e "relly s n, "e ws mmsh g persn 2 A mikveh s gtherng "ng wtecnnecte t ntl scese r sprtl pctn y cmpletey mmersng the y Regs men se the mikveh ere Sht r hy ys Regs wmen se the mikveh ter menes n preprtn r ntercrse 3 Gershm Schlem Mor Tens in jewish Mysiism (New Yr Schcen Bs 9 ) p 280 Genes 1:2 5 See Rsh n Geness 2 6 Aryeh Kpln Inne e (New Yr Mznm Pshng, 1990), p 80; see ls Te Bhir (New Y Smel Weser 99) secn 2 . he erew letters the wr eep ohm: vheyvvmem; cn e rerrnge t men "eth �-mve heymemvvv 8. he wr h cn e e nt t wrs bo n h, whh mens It s n t See e Bhi sectn 2 9. Kpln Inner e, p 82. 10 he A teches nlly tht there re 288 en prs. hs s ee m the· next lne n Geness (1 2) n wn G me er (mehehe) the ce the wters Merhehe s spee memreshehhev he st n st lettes mem, -pe me (eth); the remnng lettes n p t 288 hs s s the e the wr i whch mes gesttn S, eth n re
304 Ennotes
brh bh e epreened n he peng Gene gncn h 288 fur me evenyw, repreenng he number f leer n he m hdden nme f Gd (72), epeed nce ech n he fur wrl See Kpln, nne Spe, pp. 7883 fr mre nfrmn n he Sherng f he Veel 1 1 Zoh 156b 12. Sng f Sn 71 1 13 Zoh :88 14. bd., 1 29. 15 bd, 53. 16 bd, 60. 17. bd, : 1 56b 18. Enyopediudi, vl 10, p 49 19 bd, 9:35 20. Zoh : 1 9b20 21 Gene 126. 22 Gerd Fedlnder, rn, Pikei De Rbbi Eieze (New Yrk Sepheremn Pre 9 16) chper 1 3. 23 Zoh 35b Sme (Sn) rde he erpen, bu he erpen ef l cndered be Sn 24 The ebrew eer gime, when pelled u ue he lee gime/, mem nd med The wrd go/em ue he me lee. he wrd fr he Fnkenenlke creure h ncen Kbbl e d hve ceed by ug mgcl frmul f vru nme f Gd The numerc vlue fgo/em r gime he me hohm, whch uuly dened wdm The leer gime equl 3, mem equl 40, med equl 30 T 73 Chohm mde up f he leer he (8), (20), mem (40), nd hey (5). Tl 73. Kbb c hohm he knd prne wdm h le n he re f frme me. Chohm cn be vded n w w: kh md . Th men he pwe f wh' n whch "wh cde wd fr frmle me, whch he een meng f go/em, hu clng he crce See Yzchk Gnbugh e Hebew Lees eruem G En Publcn 1 990), p 58 TheTud, n ecn h del wh mny ue f demnl, y h Rbb nn nd Rbb Oh were ble cee mll c ( go/em hrugh udyng myere reveled n he kbblc ex he Se zih (Snhedin 65b) y h hee rbbnc ge e h clf The Tmud l y h Rbbh (fuh cenu) creed "mn Rbbh en h creure h udy prner er, wh upn pekng relzed h w n humn, nd h wrd reurned du Ze w ne f he ge mudc cnemplve n ewh hry d h he "fed hundred me, whch undernd men h he whdrew n lence nd ude n regulr b e wud e melf by pcng fee n h bunng ven ee f h cncenrve pwer were ng Bu he bb rund hm were jeu, nd ne dy hey dd meng dc hm A eul, h eg g lle burned he w hr n ure, he g he ncknme "Sh mn wh nged leg. (Bb Mezi 85.)
Endnotes 305
Wn al ee range eacng a ey deep underandng Te Hebrew a r e enence Rabba creaed a man "Rabbah ba gab. Te wrdng mlar e wenwn ncanan ab-kadaba, wc mean I w creae a I pea [Arye Kapan S Yziah (Yr Beac ME Samuel Weer 1990) p ] Kaplan pn u an nereng de ne a e wrd abakadab cnan e wrd ba creae and e remanng leer add up 6 wc e vue e eragraan (YHH) T a magc Kabbal radnay bucaed ecre eacng be ceran a pepe wuld n mue em. In e enence "Rabbah ba gaba eac wrd a e ame ree leer b, h and alph, wc n a rder mean " creae Bu e la wrd e enence aba ad ne addnal leer We culd read enence Rab ba creaed a gim/ crean e meanng wc "Rabba dcvered e creave pwer e prnple agmenan e eenal ngreden pycaly e aac rce 5 Durng e ly day Su ne e prmay ru d an unpened pm branc a crn and myrle and wllw brance and ae em n e x drecn T vewed by Kabbal a a way brng a ikkun, a mendng e eparan caued by e pyca unvere. Te pal branc rpreen a va e number and e crn (a lemnle u) repreen e Tree wledge n m beauul ae uny and underenanwen uned w e Tree Le. Durng e rual ang e x drecn are mycaly drawn n e cn repreenng e pern' ear. Te nenn e rual brea rug e un eparan and reurn e uy e ymblc garden 6. "Te level e maera wrd] benea e level rm ced Saan Maer dene a wc underge generan and crrupn and cnany cang ng werea e rm e pece d n deerrae [Me de! Sudi in Eai Kabbalah (New Yr Sae Uvery New Yr Pre 1988) p 35 Gene 81 8. Ibd. 3. 9 Enlpdia]udaia 36. 30. bd. 138. 31 Ibd 3. Evin 19a 33. Tmid 3b 3 Ibd 35 Ibd 36. Lu Gnzberg T Lgnd h Jw, vl. (Pladelpa Te Jew Pubca n Scey Amerca 93)v. 1 p. 55. 3. bd. 38. Fredlander Rabbi Eliz caper 1. 39 bd
-
3 06 Endnotes
4 Deueonomy 2 19 Ts To seon spules wen y s beseged, s obdden o desoy e ees ound . In onex ss eo queson Is mn ee o e eld you sould besege ? Te suue o e Hebew ows s o be queson o semen As semen ompleely eveses s meng o "M s ee o e eld w s e wy Rbb Eleze ooses o ed 4 1 Song o Song 4: 12 42 ende Rabbi Eliee pe 21. 43 irah Rabbah, Berehit 15 In oe soues s led nu plm o ob ee. Te bele ws n pple ee my ve ome om eeenes o e n s e pple o pse See Gnzbeg Legen 5:9798 44 edlnde Rabbi Eliee pe 12. 45 Ibd. 1 7 nd noes on 17 46 Zhar 7. 47 bd 26b 48. Ibd., I133b. 49 Ae Kpn eitatin an Kabbalah Yo Be, ME Sue Wese, 1 982) p. 225 An exmple o e atbah meod s desbed by Le Yz o Bedev He pons ou ee s n spe o God s dden nd n spe s e veed Bo spes n be dsoveed n e wod "mitah memtai-ahe A mitah s e peomne o elgous duy s so onsdeed o be meo ous deed Lev Yz sys wen we do mitah we onne w e dden God nd e eveed God Te s o lees o mitah mem, tai epesen e dden God. Hdden n e sense usng e atbah ode, mem equs nd tai equls he Tese e e s wo lees o e egon he-a he As we n see, e ls wo lees o e egon e so e ls wo ees o e wod "mitah, ndng e eveed spe o God. See Kihit i, Berehit 5 Hagigah 12 51. Te Ohr in s desbed s e vele o e umnon gve pope nsg o ng Dvd nd espey o Moses. Ts ws e eson wy Moses ws gong so mu wen e me down om M Sn e d o ove s e w ve (Zhar :31b) 52 Zhar 34b. 53. Ibd 54 irah Rabbah, Berehit 81 Aam ha-Rihn ws ndogynous beng bo me nd eme, e n empod bsexul o suggesng one wo s me nd eme gens). Ts semen ws enged n e sme "Bu s no en, God oo one o Ams bs tela? And e esponse ws "Te wod tela ee mens sde s s used n Exodus 262, o e seond sde (tela) o e be nle 55 Geness 1 :27 nd 5:2.
Endnotes 307
56. Aam haRihon was onsiee so beafl' nohing ol ook a i e he sin he beay was nishe an heigh was ee o (only) 00 bis ( 50 fee ) The beay of Aam haRihon is elae o pofon faih meanng oal lay aob who epesen he essene of beay s ompae wih Aam ha-Rihon in hs ega See Zoha 42b 57 The Tee soo o a heigh of 500 paasangs an s ieene was 60,000 paasang (Zoha II2a) One paasang meases appoximaely 2 mes 58 Gnzbeg Lgn, :70 If peson wke only 6 es a ay, 40 mes wol be oee in a week, 2,000 in a yea a lon in 500 yeas 59 Leon Hiz ans it th Lot Boom f th Fin Dhama Lot ta (New Yok: Colmba Uniesy Pess 976) pp 5859 Thosans of myias of lons . One hosan of one mya of one milion eqals en illion This ef eene is fa moe han ha 60. Swam Pahpaa ihna m Ponait f Goha (New Yok an Bombay The Bhkieana Book Ts 970) I65 6 Geness 32. 62 Ibi 35 63 Ibi 322 64 Ibi. 28. 65. The Zoha lealy eeniaes beween he eaon in poenil an ha of essene Al hings wee eae in poenia hogh he se of he name Eohim in he s seion of Genesis] b ha whih was eae in poenil was no a ly mae n fom nl he fl name YHH Eohim, s se Ceaion ame o of poenia an eeie s essenial sbsane a his ime in he seon hape of Genesis] (Zoha II:3b) 66 Geness 3:2. She gae o me fom he ee, an I ae. 67 Ibi., 33. 68. The eb is anslae as niha nnhinah We an hange he lee hin ino he Hebew ee in, now ang niah whih amaiy hanges he meaning As he Toah s wen siy n onsonans wiho owels o iaiia maks, hs meho of eeaing a wo s ommonly se by eligios Tal sholas. One gh sgee h his eang b no he meho se o ee . 69. Geness 34. 70 Rashi on Geness 34 see so Bhoot a. 7 Zoha 24a 72. Sepen is he wo "nahah nn (50)ht (8hin (300) To 358. The wo mes sah s mhiah mm (40) hin (300) o (0) (8) Toa: 358 73 Taionly Rosh Hashana maks one of fo een New Yea ys in he Hebew alena he s of he monh ofNisan (in he spng) he s ofEll (one monh befoe Rosh Hashana) he feenh ay of Shea (n Janay o ebary) an he s ay of Tishi (Rosh Hashana) Eah of hese ays epesens a poin of
3 08 Endntes
reckoig to detere te begiig o a year or purposes of itg ascertag te legt o cotractual obligatios we it was permissible to eat certai ruits ad so ort 74. Oter judet ys i te Hebrew caedar are 1) Passover deterg te grai crop for te cog year Savuot or te uit arvest; ad 3) Sukkot for te aual raiatus icludig a vegetabes ad domestic aal e 75 Te judgmet is rst proouced o Ros Hasaa but is ot seaed util Yom Kppur Mystics say tat everyoe as oe ast cace to cage tis judgmet o Se Atzeret at te ed o Sukkot 76. Ae Kapa Se zah p 186. 77 Te Tmud may refereces to "precreatio times. oe sectio for e ampe describig Moses cet to te eaves to receive te Tora Moses was opposed by agels wo sad "Sovereig o te uverse ow could you give to es ad bood te secret treasure (te Tora) wic as bee idde or 974 geeratios bfoe te world was created? (Shabba 89a). 78 Kapla Sfe zh, pp 1679 Te seve letters are be,gmel, ale, kapeh, eh, ad av 79. Kapa Sfe zah, p 85. Tis is a igly esoteric doctrie tat describes wor witi worlds wit wor. or eample i te uiverse o Beriya tere are seve cambers temselves wor give te ames Hoy o Holes Desire Love Merit Luster Essece o eave ad Brickwork o Sappire. May ques tat we epe riece suc as fear ager atedjealousy ad so fort are cosidered words i temselves separate reaes rom tis te Baal Sem Tov teaces tat o matter wat we are eperiecig it is a world cotaiig a dvie spark tat ca be iberated troug ger cosciousess 8 Te Buddist perspective is tat eac momet as tes of tousads o begigs Moder sciece suggests tat eac subjective momet o our realty is composed of mos of syaptic ri i te mid Mystica Judaism says tat te coui o me is a cio of a ubroke ow of creave force wtout past ture begi g or ed as we kow it. 8 1 . Steve awkig te oted scietist as said Te ucertaty pricipe ad p oud implicatios or te way i wic we vew te world. Eve aer more ta ty years tey ave ot bee ully appreciated by may pilosopers Te ucertaity priciple sigaed a ed to a model of te uiverse tat would be competely deterstic oe certaily caot prect ture eves eacy i oe caot measure te preset state of te uiverse precisey Stepe W awkig A Bf H o f me (New York Baam Books 1988) p. 55. 82 Kh Lev, Beeh Reb Le Yitzak wet o to say tat i we do ot ave is uderstadig we are trapped i time ad space. But i we are abe to coect wt te iediacy of ogoig creaio we ave te potetia to eter te advaced co templative state caed an (Notigess) Tis is te same an discussed by Isaac te Bd a level o itercoectedess o a igs were tere is o separatio o space
Endnoes 30
a o lao o m hs s h oma o myscal awass a s o o h ouao os o myscal acc Juasm 83 Bas uo h bw Brshi ba Elh hashaa haarz. h wo ba (ca) has a assum oou Nomaly, aslaos sum ha Elhi s h subjc o ba (o ca) bu coul jus as asly a " ca whch cas Elhi bcoms h obc ah ha h subjc I w a c objc, woul ak h acl , bu as c objc sg somhg ua, whch s s wo sucu os o ak a ac h Zhar says By mas o a b gg [ ca Elh (Zhar 15a). 84 Jwh myscsm, h oal o Bgng mus com ou o a cao ca Nohg hus h cav oc us c h ohgss ha cs bggnss ha cs h ams o o h cao soy h s o h cao soy ca b s mahmac as a au ogsso Nohg cs zo Zo ss bgg o s o hav a ah a wo, a as w wl s, sac s h hus Ein S cs a mus s ca Nohgss bo h ams o o 85. Enlpia]aica 935 86 Clay h a o awass s o h sa as hough Awass s a llag y hus h s awass Nohgnss. Som myscs awass as h cal ug um o cao, a hus awass woul b aoh no o h Dv. 8. Sog o Sogs 1 2 88 b. 26. 89 b 545 9 Abulaas comay o hs Sr HaYasha asla by Mosh ! Sis in Eaic Kabbalah . 9 Su s quly o a magc bg ca Khi who s a ws mssg a a k o oh 92 Ama Schmm, Msal Dinsins Isla (Cha ll, NC Uvsy o Noh Caola Pss 195) 16566 93. Ayh ala, Chassic Masrs (Nw Yok a Jusalm Mozam Publshg, 984) 186 s so El Wsl Sls n Fir (amoswoh Mls, Egla Pgu, 92), 1593 94. Zalma SchachShalo Para Sh (Nohvl, NJ aso Aoso, 1993) 26668 95 Psalms 1 1 1 1 96 Zhar :42b 9 Ib, 21 a 98 Baba Mzia 59b 99 Duoomy 3114. 1 Baba Mza 59b 1. Zhar 2a
310 Endnot
102. del, N Prpctiv p 248. 03 Pirki Avot 4 1
PAR w o H P RS
1 here are acually only nine menion of vomr Eoim in he opening secion of Genesis, wih he enh being assumed in he opening line b Eoim. hs can be read, and creaed God, as he Kabbaliss do or and God creaed Eiher way, here was a creave aciy, implying anoher emaaionmaking en alogeher here are oher inerpreaions regarding he en sayng See eh Kaplan, Bir (ew York Suel Weiser, 1979) p 169 2 eh Kaplan, Sr Ytzir (York Beach, M Samuel Weiser 1990 pp 1 4 88. 3. addional r ofen appears on he ree beween bin and cd is called dt (kowledge is used o balance he ree for hose who consider kt a he op, an pec ha is so ephemeral, i acually rascends he ree self So here are only en rot even ough lusraions ofen show eeven circles, wh dt shown in doed lines o incae is ansien naure 4. Kaplan Sr tzir pp 99 29 . Kaplan Bi pp 22 23 33 3 46 6. See Zor 3b. 7. Ro Hn 21 b. 8 he mr movemen w bed upon bdng a greaer sene of personal ehics and morals was ounded by srae Salaner abou 10 years ago ou of a concern ha ehics values, and mora were in a serious decline in he Jewish communiy. he idea was o encourage sudens o sudy more wrien maerials which discussed he principles of moral and ehical ving, and o require pracices ha would ingrain hese eachin. 9 he h day is od of cd he recepve and accepance aspec of my generosiy Do ways calculae when generous, or am someimes compleely sponaneous? Do quesion wha he recipien will do wh wha provde? Do judge recipiens, wha hey look ke, how hey presen heeves? ow far can separae my self image om my generosiy? he sih day is yod of cd he harmony of my generosiy Do feel he bal ance of he universe in my generosiy? Do sense being nurured by my recipien as much as am nururing her or m? Do ever give anonymously and feel complee? Do always pay aenion o giving a cerain percenage of my income as a way of manaining harmony? he sevenh day is mkt of cd he physical reay of my generosi call i he characerisic of surrender. Looking around me, do have jus wha nk need, far more, or far less? Can do somehing abou his? Do see a siuaion where can do somehing special ha w change someone's life? C ake on specic eercises
Endnoes 1 1
to mpove my eltonshp wth geneosty? m I ble to sene to ey mkng chnge n mysel hen we wold begn the second week a he st dy wold be of a Wht s the geneos spect of my estnt? he second dy s a of gevoh Wht s the cmped het of my estnt? he thd dy s ofa Wht s the compssonte nte of my estnt? nd so foth 10 he ve wolds e deved fom sentence n Ish (43) whch sys " [of ex stence tht s clled n my nme fo my gloy hve ceted t I hve fomed t nd I hve mde t. "My nme epesents the nvese ced aam kamn "my goy epesents the nvese of azil he othe thee come fom the ctl wos sed n the vese "ceted s ia "fomed s zia nd mde s aia. 1 . Za 83b. 2. bd 62b. 13 Ibd :206 1 4 Povebs 2027 See Za 99b whch ponts ot tht lmp n s speed nn . he nn epesents nama, whle the epesents ac. N s lso the wod fo cnde he eltonshp of n to sol s the esotec eson why cne s sed to sech fo amz the dy befoe Pssove 15 Dk s to Jdsm s niana ai nd othe hghe sttes of weness e to othe tdtons 16. he Bl Shem ov ws noted fo hvng thee spentl powes he cold see nto the pst nd fte he knew wht ws hppenng n deent pts of the wold n ny ptcl moment nd he cold compct spce n wy tht wold low hm to tvel hndeds of mles by hose nd cge n few hos ch of these des s connected wth the essentl kbbstc pncple tht ceton s blt pon levels of conscosness. eveyone knows o mgnton s lmost bondless O dems fo exmple nstnty tke s to stnge fwy elms hee e no spcl constnts on conscosness n ths sense Indeed of s expeence the shotenng of the wy; we smply do not ecognze t Fo exmple when close end o fmy membe s n toble needs help s my be dyng o hs jst ded mny people expeence mysteos nne voce tht tels them somethng s hppenng. hs occs spont neosly ove get dstnces We often know tht pent hs pssed w befoe we e told o we sense n omnos lty to ngng telephone. Some people expeence ths once n lfetme; othes get messges t egl ntels. of these e exmples of the shotenng of the wy. Spce dsppes t s s f wo people wee togethe n the sme moment even thogh physcly they my be thosnds of les pt hs phenomenon emns mystey to scence he de of kza ak, the shotenng of the wy s ncent. hee eent bblcl ncdents e explned by t he lmd sys "he eth shnk fo thee bbcl ndvdls leze the sevnt of bhm o fthe Jcob nd vsh the son o Zeh anin 95.) Fo moe nfomton on kza ak see Gedlyh Ngel aic iim,
3 12 Endnotes
nd Hsidism: e Superntur injewsh ought (Note, NJ: Jo Aoo, 1 4, pp 3350, o a ete apte o ti ubjet: Ktzt heekh, Te oteg o te ay 17 Eohi neshm shenettbi tehor he. 1 8 Ou atual iiatio i to a about extemey e eoate, te ite o toy, o mode ma mudee ow oud tey ae pue oul? Tee ae pooud queio o good ad eil, ome o wi wil be addeed late i t boo But at te oe, we mut a ouele, Coud tle ae eted epaate om te oue o eatio? Quetio u ti taed atoty ad a be delt wt oly mytilly, toug at But mot peope ae ot tle, d we mut ot let ou ea o te ile o te wold eep u aeated ad paaoid Ideed, te bat te o good ad eil i wo o lot by ou deio to embae good depite te peee o eil wi by it atue tie to eep u epaate om die awaee 1 hr : 1b 20 T i eated to te 61 3 oadmet tat mae up te pimay opu oJewi law, om wi toua o adtioa law ae deied. 21. Geom olem, Kbbh eulem: Kete ubig 174, p 1 62 ee o En cycopediudic o. 10 , p 615 22 Ae Aema Kbbh nd Coousnss (New Yo eep eadow e, 1 2 p 48 ee lo Encycopediudc 7576 23. Zohr I137a 24 ee Zohr :208a 25 Fio Capa e o f Physi (Boulde, CO: ambala, 1 75, p. 55. Capa ue a deet metapo, ayig tat te atom o a oage bow up to te ize o te eat would be te ize o ee. 26 Zohr I13b 27 bid, I:1 03b 28 bid, :1 0b 2. omoealty i a eemely toy ue i maitemJudam Tee i o pbitio edig ebia elatiop, but male omoeuaty i lealy oibed i te Toa igat eo ae bee made i te Jew eewal ommuty to eiit ti iue ad d ew way to udetad te law ople teeted ti poe oud otat te Jewi eewal umbela ogazato Aep, liae o Jew Reewal 731 8 Gematow Aeue, ladepa A 1 1 1 173 30 Arye Kapla, Medittion (New Yo: oe Book 185, p 157 3 1 Ibid., p. 1 5. 32 Geei 30:3738. 33 hr I140b 34 bid, :1 80b 35 bid :235a 36. oeb 5:15 37 hr :235a 38 Te lue o te ebew lette med i 30, ad v i 6 tu med-vv i oe way
Endnote 3 1 3
o sying the numbe 36 A taik is ighteous peson oten eeed to s sint Tdition sys tht ttysix sints �aevav tak e hdden in the wod t times to do God's wok 39 Roh Hahaa 6b 4. Zohar :18. 41 Betah 6. 42 Ibid 43 The dte is ccuted s 65 . (beoe the Common E). See Schemn nd Zotowitz Chaukah (Bookyn NY Atsco Meoh Seies 1981) p 9 44 Mirah Rabbah Exodus 21:6 45 eemh 5:22: "Do you not e me? sks the od Wi you not tembe in my pesence who hs pced snd o the bound o the se by pepetu decee tht you cnot pss it? 46. Mrah Rabbah, Genesis 55 47 A moe expicit Midsh bings poo o this pticu incident A vese sys tht t the time o the pting o the se "the se etuned to its stength �e-etao when moning ppeed (Exodus 14:27) The ebew wod o "to its sength leetao, soun the sme s the wod le-hitao, which mens "s peviousy] sp uted Thus the phse coud be ed "the se etuned s stiputed to its peconditioned stte] Leetao is speed lae-aleph-yo-tav-u-vav lehitao is speed lae-hey-tavu vav The dieence between them is tht one hs yo the othe hs the aleph is sent Fo the Kbbist, the yo nd hey substitution signs vine intevention o these e the st two ettes o the tetgmmton. 48 Eyclopeiauaca 1278 49. es Geick Chao: Makig a New Sciece (New Yok: Penguin 1 987) p 23 5 ouis Ginzbeg Te Lege the jew, 7 vos. (Phidephi: The ewish Pubic tion Sociey o Ameic 1937) vo 1 p 14; vo 5 p 7 1 51 bid 5:71. 52. bid. 1:144 53. Ibid :52 54 Ibid 55. Ibid. 1 :54 56. Ibid. 1:55. 57 Zohar Ib. 58 Genesis 1 3 59 In bibic gmm the tense is oten evesed when "nd pecedes veb This is ced vav consecutive nd is the eson we nomy ed this phse "nd thee ws ght But i we do not oow these gmmtic ueswhich is cceptbe when hemeneutic ues e ppiedthe sentence does not chnge tense. 6 Zoha I46 6 1 Miah Thua, -yehev 4 62. Exodus 24:8.
3 1 4 Ennotes
63 At the burning bush (Exodus 3:14, Moses learned one of the names of God: Eheye Ashe Eheye (I will be what I wl be The word "Eheye (I will be, is itten leph heyyod-he which is a variaon on the fourletter name of God yod-heyvvhey. y fourletter name in whch one of the letters repeats can be permutated into twelve combinations: 13 1 3, 13 33 331, 31 13 31, 1 3, 31, 13 and 31 . The pronunciation of these twelve combinations is the kabbalstc key to ps the gate guarded by the angel Kamuel (awakenng of God 64. Zoh I:58a. 65 More than 5 mon les. (Each myriad is 1 0,000 parangs each parasg equa approxitely mes 66. Zoh I58a. 67 Ginzberg, gends, 31 1 see also Hgh 13b 68. Ibid, 3: 1 1 69. Ibid 3:114 70 There are ten angec hierarchies that corespond to the ten emanaon of creation They are mlchm, elm, sephm, hyyot ng bein, ophnm, chmshlm, elm elohm, bene elohm (sons of elohm and shm (supernal humans (Zoh I:43a. 71 See Ginzberg, Legends 5:96. 7 Giberg gends, 4151 73 Ibid, 400 74 Encycloped]udc 51534 75. Hggh 16a. 76. Peshm 1 1b. 77 Ibid 78 Giberg gds, 4166 79. The buildng of the ltar could not be done wth metal too If you make an altar of stone, it shoud not be hewn for if you use a tool on it you have deled it (Ex odus 0. 80. Ginzberg, Legends 4:505. 81 bid, 4:1687. 8 Ibid 83 Ibd, 7313 84 Mdh Rbbh, Genesis 106. 85 h :9b 86 bid, 189a 87 Genesis 810 88. Ginzberg Legends, 1 13 5159 89. Ibid, 163 90 ne parang represents appromately � mles. See Adn Steinsaltz, e lmud A Rence Gude (New York: Random House 1989, p 83. 9 1 . Chulln 91b. 9. Mdsh Rbbh, Genesis 681. 93. Zoh 1150a.
Endote 3 1 5
94 Gbeg Lege 59-9. 95 Megllah b. 96 Bah Mea s e (2)eh (200)vav (6)ka (20)mem (40)esh (200)ale (4)k (20) ad (0) oa 502 A ama s aleh (1)eh (200)vav (6)eh (200)he (5) mem (40) (50). ota 502 9. ey bo equa 358 98 s ed of te mobusstp aaogy om Rabb Joe Bas Jeusaem 99 m ha-m ca be ead e day e um" 100. Zha 69ab 1 0 1 . Realty as we ow w cage te ea of messac coscousess a wc tme e w cage o someg ese. PAR THR IGHR WARNSS
. Eleaaa o 10 p 494 2 aggah 1 1 b. 3 bd 14 4 ye Kapa See zh (Yo Beac ME Samue Wese 990) p. x. 5. Some of tese ae bee tasaed see ey Kapa Mea a aalah (o Beac ME Samue Wese 98) pp 954 6 See Mose de Se Ea aalah (New Yo State Uesty of New Yo ess 988). Eee 6-0. 8 [bd. 05-6 9. Noce te wodpay te foowg ese d [t ode (akav) upo a ceub (kav ad ew ad soaed o e wgs of a sp" (sams 1 8 1 ) 10 Exodus 2522. 1 ye Kapa Ie Sae (New Yo Moam ubsg 990) p 3; Kapa Se zah p. 36 12 e Zha a ee ae deet ees of pose o egate expeece Wa ee actos oe does e pose eam w daw poste uece. Jus e oppo se occus f oe pefoms egae acts fo tey daw egate ueces Eac sde w daw te peso deepe o t so we must be cae w eey coce we mae (Zha [95b) way o tepet s cotempoay aguage s ta tee ae e es of ge coscousess ad ees ofowe coscousess. peso daw o ge coscosess s ge pose efoceme ad teds o dwel tese ge eams peso wo s daw o acs of owe coscousess becomes abtuaed s be ao ad geeaes egate foces wc umaey come ome fo esouto 3 Ma Bube le f he am Eal Mase (New Yo Scoce Boos 94) p 66 See Sogyal Rpoce e ea Bk f Lvg a Dg (Sa Facsco Hape SaFacsco 992) pp 5-69 o a exceet descpo of te Dzghe pac tce
316
Endnots
15 A holograph ses a laser to record a daction pattern on a photograpc plate then we can project a threedmensionl pattern by shning a laser throgh this plate The amazing aspect of the holograph is that if the photograpc plate is bken into parts a laser beamed throgh any part wil sl proect the whole image 16. Shbb 127a. 7 Pehm 54a. 1. Snhedrn 9a 19 Ibid 97a 20 de Sude n E Kbblh p. 60. 21 bid 22 Moshe del Kbblh New Perpee (New aven and London: Yale Unversiy Press 19) p 259 23. Mdh Rbbh Song of Son 5:3 24 Aod Zr 20b These twelve points cold be compared with the Bddhist path of the boddh. They share the simlar qalities bt with derent emphasis The path of the boddh incldes dn (seless giving) l (morality) hn (patience) (interest) dhyn (medtaon) and prn (spreme wisdom) Dn coects with hduh (charity acts of kindness); l wth hruh (precision) n'uh (cleanlness) and hr (priy) hn th nh (modes seessness) with ruh (watch lness); dhyn wth prhu (restraint/separation); and prn with lmud orh (s dom) 25. Moshe Chay Latto e Ph o he Ju trans. Shraga Sverstein ersale Feldhei Pbshers 190). 26 bid chapter 5 27 bid chapter 9. 2. Bb Bhr a. 29. The word "hnoer is sometimes sed as a pejorative (paander moocher cheap skate b). That is not my intention. prposely se the word hnorrer more e qently than beggar to sggest a dierent qay to the pcess As I point ot in ths secton the concept of eddh is qite dierent om giving alms and a person who hnorre is viewed as a dged sol who has been given ths important task in fe by God as dscssed. 30 Bb Bh 9a. 3 1 hr :104a. 32 Avraham Greenbam trans. Ade Rbb Nhmn Brelo erse Breslov Research Instte 193) p 239; om Luey Mohrn 4 12 33 Bb Bhr 10b regarding the verse righteosness eddh ealts a nation bt the ndness of people is sin (Proverbs :3). The genera interpretaton here is that givng eddh om the priy of intenons no strin attached is far sperior to ging with lterior motives In the same secon of Talmd it is agreed that the best way to give is in a charity bo so that neither giver nor recipient knows the other Anonymi is important so that the donor can reman nattached (and the recipient can be ee om psychologica encmbrances as wel)
Endnote 31
4 Bb Bth 9b 5. Hlng othrs mst not b at h cos o morshng orsls and hs bcomng a brdn on socty. Ths tachng o bng aos o g charty has mo to do wh ons am o nd. It shod no b msntrrd to sggs that w g away rythng w ha wth th xctton ha w w b comnsatd 6. ukkh 4b 7 Bechot 40a 8. hbbt 8b 9 Encoe uic 6. 40. uin 7b. 41. Enoeiuic 7 4. Zoh 6b 4. Ibd., :b 44 Ibd. :4a. 45. Eccsasts 1 46 Ibd, 17 47 Zoh 59a 48 Ibd 0 a 49 S Msnah Peh 1 : also ncldd n ths Mshnah s th amon o rodc w la nharsd n h cornr o th d or h oor to gahr, th amon o rst rs w o o th rsts th amont o tms a lgrm can st h sanc tary n Jrsm ach yar h a o th ong broght ach m and th amon o Torah stdy that on can do 50 Bachya bn aqda Dtes the et, os Nw Yo: Fdhm, 96) :95 5 Ibd. 0 5 Neim 6a 5 Lato Pth o thejust 1. 54. Grnbam Avice Rebbe Nchmn, 50 55. bd. 51 . 56 Yom 86b 57. Aryh Kaan Chssiic stes Nw Yor and Jsam: Monam bshng 984) 11 0 58 Ibd. chat . 59 Ibd. 60. salms 1110 61. Behot 60a. 6. Latto Pth thejust, chatr 5 6 Pikei Avot 17 64. Zoh :a 65 Grshom Schom, o ens in Jewsh sticism Nw Yor: Schocn Boos 94) 6. 66 Dad A Coor ience, imicit, n oitue Nw Yor Bl Towr 199) . 59-7.
318 � Endnotes
67. Ezekiel : 68 Chgh 13b 69. 1 ns 1911-1. 70. Isre is a code word for ha essence in life ha ons o be wih is Creaor The word "Isre is composed of wo words: yshr and E Yshr means o o sraih, and E is one of he names of God. The aspec whn every bein which yearns o o srah o God is caed Isre Each person knows he par of heelves ha de sires o be wih God This is he mysic meanin of he naon of srael; i is no a eoraphcal locaion, for i een hrouhou he universe 71. de, Ei Kh, p 1 13 Scholem, Mor Tends, p 97 7. The Mad of Mezrich Dov aer riedman, who was one of he moe impor a sudens of he a Shem Tov, said: The desred oa is ha one mus precede prayer wh he ac of he divesmen of corporeay Humns ae nie and have lm is bu can make heeves ke] nohinness wihou lm eople c do hs by direcn al heir eors o God aone no o anyhin else, or even o heelves. This is impossible uness hey make hemseves nohin. Seer Shemuh Tvh 79b, quoed by David S Aie, e Mysi Ques New York Schocken ooks, 1988, pp 179-80. Quoe adused o neuraze ender reference 73. Rabbi srael Haupsein, Avod Ise, rum 3b quoed in Kapl, Chssidi Ms ers New York and Jerusalem Moznaim ublishn, 198, p. 139 ics are ne have ranslaed zddik as spiriual eader 7 Kedshi vi, Bereshi 75 bid 76 Kapan, Sfer zir p 71 77 Exodus 31 3 Ts refers o eze who w he arisbuider o fhe s mishkn he Ark of he Tesmony, which Kabbss view he archeype of he cosmic de sin represenin holiness 78. ne of he more famous of hese was he ndian eacher Ramana Maharshi, who passed ou of his body in 1950. When he sudens aendn hm in he dyn process anously said, Maser plee do no leave us, his reply w Where woud o?
F o u R T H I S L I E 1 . Honor your faher and moher . . ha your days w be proloned d ha i wi o we wh you Deueronomy 516 You sha no ake he moher bird oeher wi he youn . . . ha i may be well wih you and ha you will prolon your dys Deueronomy 6-7 . Hin 1a 3. bid The measure in which a person meures i is iven back Soh 8b Mishnah 5 Prkei Avo 58-9 6 bid, 13
Endnote 3 1 9
7 Shabbat 2 ased on Jo 2 If thee e an ane an inteprete one amon a thousand to deae a person what is riht then It s raious to ths peson and says Delver ths peson om oin down to the pit " 8. id 9 id 0. Baba Bathra 6a- 1 In ts example one ould say that divine povidene does evethin t inuenes the mothe oat to m the mountan to laor and to ive ith at a partiular mo ment Fom the pespetve of ee wi the sheoat is drawn to the mountaintop y nsnt. Nether ew is orret. Rather the elation poess is ontinuous oth sides unfold toether and eah moment appears to e a spontneous nteraton Also some would note that it s urious that the saes used an eale to symole this at when a dove or othe enevolent ird would have sued ne annot help ut ension what an eale woud do with a newon oat Eales are often viewed in mystiism as savors ut they an e predatos as wel Dvine providene saves ves and aso taes them 2 he Zohar teahes that when death s near a person is ale to mae an aountin of his o her fe from a new perspetive so that lfe events an e seen in ways never efore avaiae Zohar 79a 1 nloedaudaa vo 5 pp. 1425-26. 4 Iid. 5 Id 151188-89 16. Zohar 226a- 17 Id. II225a 18. he tzaddk s atuay an enre universe of awareness out of whih individual tzad dkm (saints ome Aordn to urian aaah when the spar fe and wee enosed n shels n the orina Shattern of the Vessels some spas did not fa and remained n adam purity hese spars are the soure for the universe of the tzaddk his tzaddk is aled the one who s the real support of the world" Zohar 82a. 19 Id 225 20. Id. 21 Iid 56 22 Enloedaudaa 7574. 2 he numer 26 omes om salms 1475 Great s our ord and of reat power." he words and of reat powe" ra koah add in ematria to 26 hus the sen tene oud e ead he atness (heiht of ou ord s 26" 24 Simha aul Raphael wsh Vew f the Aerle (Northvale NJ Jason Aronson 994 p. 9 25 d.· p 20 quotes kkune Zohar 7012a 26. rke Aot 416. 27 aamahansa Yoananda Autobograh o a Yog (os Aneles Sef Realiation Fel lowship 995 pp. 20-21
320 Edoe
2 hrd M uke, Com Conone (New York E P Dutton, 1 901 , p 329 29 bd. p 152. 30 Wllm Chtk, e S Path o Love (Albny, N Stte Uversty o New York Press, 193), p 5. 31 Gershom Sholem, ao end njewh ytim (New York Shoken ooks, 1 94 1, p 1 5 1 . 32. Phlp Kpleu, ee Plla o n (New Yok Doubledy, 190), p . 1 67 33. Zoha 61b. 34 Why dd Rbb Jesse hve to her hevenly voe beore urng the dng mn Why not ure the mn wthot he voe om heven The story mples tht he used mg, the spel herb, to sve he mn's e. Ths nd o mg w not used n dsrmntely by Kbblsts. We hve seen tht te n be ltered, but tht we must t mes be resed o t. Deson mkng long these lnes s subtle The pont o ths story s tht Rbb Jesse ws lered tht ts pulr ston requred nter venon. The opertve words n the so re beore s ordned me ne Rbb Jesse ws lerted to hs t he ould t. He w thus gven the opponty not only to sve he mn's le, but o reverse the e tht would hve ome to others the town The wy n whh we nker wth te s nevbly sore o poound n qury 35 ha 61b. 36 Beahot . The number 903 derved by gem om the word tozaot n Ps 621, To God the Lord belon the ssues toza'ot o deth 37 The rbbs teh tht seven thngs re hdden om s the dy o deth, the dy o relee om touble the mgtude o judgmen, wht s n our neghbors het where our nnl resores wl ome om, when messn onsousness wl rve, nd when evl wl be elmned Peahim 54b 3 ous Gnzberg e Legend the Jew, 7 vols. (Phldelp The Jesh Publ on Soety o Amer, 1937, vol 4 pp 1 1 314. 39 Ketbot 77b 40. bd. 41 Eleven n re enumerted the ve menoned n our text pus H, the kng o Tye; Eezer, Abrh's sent Jbez; Ebedmeleh, the Ethopn Hondb, the Rehbte Rbb Judh hNss sve Gnzberg, Legend, 596 42 Zoha 160b 43 oed Katan 2. 44. bd 45 Zoha 13 46 bd, 200 lso 3. 47. bd., 92. 4 bd., 121b 49 bd, 13 50 bd 51 bd., 13b
Edotes 32 1
52 Toh d Td desibe my types of dems ost give the dreme ess to ohe es of ety The fmos drem of ob d the dde eves hs stte of md s he ws i trsfomtio phse of lfe. Joseph's blity to tepet the drems of Phoh shows how dems e popheti Geesis 42527) Dies biity to desibe dem tht Nebhdezze od ot emembe sggess em go f beyod the dividl who demed t d be oeted with os m elity tht wi et the destiy of the ee world Del 2315) See lso Zha 96a 53 Evin 3. 54 Zha 217b. 55 Ibid. 56 Hospie ses hve oted the pheomeo tht whe ptiets epot seeg lose eves who hve ded it is eqetly sg tht they themseves e soo to mke the tsito 57. Zha :218a 58 Rebbe Nhm ofeslov Like Mhaan :119. 59. Enlpedia]daia 7357 12997 60 eemih 7:32 6. hel omes om Geesis 3735 whe ob ws moig the loss of hs so Joseph, d sd he wod go dow to ths his fthe wept fo him" Nm bes 1633 Koh d those ebeg wth hm e swowed by the god d drw dow ve" to hel hel mes to qeso implyg tht it is ple whee o qestios e eve sweed, epeseted by pet losig hd It old so be ple tht we ed p whe we ovede fith with otios qesog s ws pesoied by Koh 62. Enlpedia ]daia 2:997 63 h Hahana 16b17a. 64 The t me" is ot beievig i the poteti fo eseo t some poit i the te. Howeve, te i this hpte we wsee tht thee is osiderble s geemet to the meig of eseto 65 bd The hose of Hiel sid tht God bods i ge d ths] iles the ses ofsie] to ge. The md goes o to debte wht this mes Is iiqity fogve o the oe side o is ovgkdess dded to the othe? Ae thee some imes whih so s desoyed befoe messi times o e sols edeemed? These qestios e esolved 66. Nedaim b. 67 esahim 94a 68 Enlpedia]daia 14100. Some sy tht thee e thee disit ges the dys of the messh the eseio of sos, d y the wold to ome thes sy tht the wod to ome peedes the esetio These eet seios e desiged to ommodte sttemets tht ppe otrditory bt f ito the se se of lie thg s f tme oties i the ew eiy s we hve kow t ths ey
322 Endnote
9 Nedaim 8b 70 inbeg Legends 1:183 7 1 . Pesika Rabbaai :3 qoed by Raphael Aele p. 10. 7 ha 84a 73. Maimonides Helek Sanhedn, chape 10 see Isadoe Twesy A Maimondes Reade (New Yo Behman Hose 197) pp. 4173 74 Blessed ae yo Hashem who bings he dead o life 7 Mishnah Sanhedin 1 0 7 The etes in he name Adam aleph, dale, d mem wee viewed epesenng thee sages of he pocess of he spas of he sol nizozo haneshamo is sage: Ada aleph, when he spas fel Second sage: Davd dale he pocess of e deeming he sps (he peiod in which we now ive) Thid sage: Messiah mem, he eccaon of he faen spashe wold o come 77. Zoha :108a 78. Ibid. I:1 4a. 79. Exods 34:93 80 Zoha 8b 81. Ibid I:130b 8. Midash Rabbah Ecclesiases 1:. 83 bid 84 Alen eman Kabbalah and Consosness (New Yo: Sheep Meadow Pess 199) p . 8 Zoha :10b 8 Enlopediadaia 4:30 7:404 87 Ibid 88. Ibid 1:180.
Endnotes 323
I N E X
Aby (udic sg) 39 Abl, th soul of, 8 Abrh 7 48 88 Abul, Abrh 68 17 8 26 Ad 38 45 49 17 48 268 Ad nd 7 426 75 7 3 136 157 247 268 Aam ha-Rhonaam kamon 54 294 38 Agrh (qun of dons) 39 ADS, 265 Ai Rbb, 69 Axnd of Mcdoni, 48 92 294 Aon, 4 Anaah (hulity) 21 Angl of Dth, 37 38 27982 287 289 Angl of rth 36 Ang of Fir/W, 35 Ag of lng, 35 Agl of Lo 35 Angl of Mrcy/Pryr, 135 Angl of Night, 35 Angl of h Torh 136
Angl of Truth, 36 Angls 27 37 37 295 ccsing, 142 243 dfnding/gurn 49 2444 dsoyng 93 r th futur, 282 th hosts pry t nght 43 gr 269 s, tn of, 98 Anihit, slf/thought, 67 18 Achng Mdittion 43 Archngs 84 35 144 Achtyp, 296 of good/, 8 of nwnss, 18 Ari See Luri Isc Arisoln 7 4 Ar of th Tsony, 7 319 Ascs, 2 odus (ing of dons) 139 4 Assya (wod of cion) 95 Astr worlds 276
32 ndex
Abash (mehod o gemaria), 53, 307 tonement, 260 ration mysal, 17 A (wold o emaon) 95 waeness, 33-35, 141, 310 body, 96, 97 onnuous, 14, 35 developing heightened, 40 98, 72-78, 85 ghe 29 4, 97 19, 141 215 inner, 71 layes/levels o 170, 231-32 ght o, 38, 67 293 myal/spiitual, 37, 54, 67, 1 8, 70, 232 ordinay human 97 294 as ou most preious gi, 33 we, 7 Ayin (nothngness), 67, 25 , 223, 309 e (demon), 139 ziki, Eleazar, 5
Beibbi, Rabbi Galel, 29 Baal hem ov (Besh), 6, 8, 24, 25, 27, 78, 99, 52 160, 174, 216, 237, 239, 266, 267, 284, 285, 309, 32 Bahya ibn Pauda, 20 ahi 267 a ko (heavenly voie), 73 280 kn (veing), 123 Beelebub (atan), 39. S aso ael; aan Behev, 64 224, 300 riyah (wod o eaon), 95, 309 Big bang, 63, 64 imah (paorm) 32 inah (undersanding), 84 9 , 212-5 264 Bithiah (daughter o Phaaoh), 280 i ha-ysh (nulliation), 21 , 223 ohisava 55 Body, 1 19, 260 264 oh (empness), 29 Beslov, 1 , 65, 194, 206 216, 217 284, 291
Buddhsm, 2 55, 260 Bunng bush 137 138 Buttey ee, 132 Cain 108 Carlebah lomo 23 24, 272 Chaos, 29, 79, 32 Chaiot o ames, 275 as vehe o awareness 72, 148 80, 204 wok o the, 67, 169 170 Charity, 121, 126, 127, 80 193 196, 197. S aso Takah hashma (speaking siene), 27 Chasim, 57. S aso Hasis hayah (livng essene), 98, 99, 1 06, 262 Cherubs 70. S aso ngels hs (lovngkindness) 51 84, 85 89, 92, 93, 108, 97, 264, 303, 311 hra kaisha (hoy ouny), 260 hochma (resan) 84 91, 92, 99 2 12-15, 264, 305 Choygam ungpa Rinpohe, 194 hpah (audaity) 26, 74 1 92 Cirumision, 265 Cion (used duing ukot), 306 Codes, 52, 53, 58, 295 Compssion, 90, 93 Conession, 254, 260 Consiousness ada/os, 1 , 60, 9, 179 atered, 5 70, 170 233 binah 9, 24 chochma 9, 214 expanded/highe� 39, 40, 91 , 09, 1 19, 157 17, 75, 199 26 271 o God's presene 28, 91, 99, 223 296 human, 39, 54, 75-77, 9 , 97 99, 121, 180 186, 213, 24, 277, 296 evels o 38, 07 224 48, 242 messian, 79 108, 23, 160 182, 183 232 292 Contempaon, 5, 170, 172
Inex 35
Copaer wth od, 75 98, 286 Codovero, Moe, 5 Comc dace 12, 143 Ceao decto/ouce of, 59, 77 muttude of oe of, 61 mytee of, 108, 217 tory of, 38, 56 two oe of 56 a a veb 70. See also Creatog Ceatog 75 215 233 249, 291 , 296 Cremao, 295 Daat owedge), 84, 91, 264, 311 Dana ee gvg) 194 Dae, 131 Davd, g, 18 1, 279 Deah 29, 39, 112 174, 191, 198, 249, 269, 276, 280, 288, 294 See also Dyg Mavet chaegg/uecg 27882, 288 fea of 281 feathe ued at, 260 t eve moth after 262 eedom om, 296 a ed, 286 gae of 278 e hudred hee pe of 278 te ee wl, 286 Dj vu, 283 Demo 37, 134, 135, 14047 Dety, 284 Deuteoomy 49 74 Deveku attached o) 99 159, 215 227 231, 312 Dew, 263, 295 Dhikr remembrace), 3 Dve atbute of the 72 comucatg/coectg wth he, 11 12, 38 68, 70, 157, 215 254, 296 emaao, 51, 83 eece of the 99
gft om the, 92 mage 69, 11 8 268 prao, 231 teo, 74 gh of he, 15 7 peece of the, 51 , 53, 62 68 69, 144, 158 170, 178, 206 216, 296 Dve Provdece 246, 247, 249 DN, 84 85, 89 Dream 13 69, 74 102, 105, 108, 110, 115 139, 146 182 188, 241 256, 269, 270 280-87, 322 Drosh exaato) 47 Dyg expeece of 278-81 proce, 257 280 ra, 2531 See aso Deah Dzogchen Buddht medato) 178, 316 Ecokoher 14 Ectay, 170 277 Ede 44, 48, 292 Ego, 91, 213, 214, 224 296 Ei Lmtee), 35, 54 65 67-72, 76, 77, 156, 264 293. See also Ohr Ein Sof Eeaza tamudc age), 121, 216 Eecromagetc force, 1 12, 134 Eahu, 12 24 See also Ejah Eeze, tmudc age) 49 73 307 Eah, 74, 131 139 153, 216 217, 280 See also Eahu Eha ou ho, 59 60 prophe, 216 Eha be buya, 245 Eghtemet, 1 9 215 Eoch, aocated wth Meto, 139 Ethuam, 191 Euamy, 185, 214 222-24 249, 257
26 ndex
Eu 8 Eth Book o 57 158 Ehc 29 Ev 5 07 28 Ev 5 1 57 10 2 28 nd dmon 10 hvng dvn ntu 0 ht o 5 u o 5 Exodu 10 Ekl pophtc von o 1 2 170 Fth 8 9 0 2 22 11 11 9 22 25 25 28 29 Ft 27 18 122 125-29 92 98 29 22 29 250 2 27 278 F 5 8 00 10 1 18 1 5255 18 18 19 208 21518 25159 29 281 288 Fty gncnc o 92 F 8 50 8 19 217 29 295 Fogvn 2 9 2 2 2557 271 Foty dy n od 21 7 F 7 75 17 157 79 22 28 28 Gb chngl) 51 15 5 Gu/Rl ngl) 18 Gdn o Edn 1 0 257 0 75 08 1 12 59 181 228 229 28 22 28 292-9 lvl o wn 108 ttng pont nd dny 29 Gt cl 275 Gehnnom h) 181 22 2 2919 Gemaa, 52 5 158 159 See aso Abash Gemu heed. See ovngkndn Gnoty 89 92 9 19 Gn 29 Gevoah n) 51 8 85 90 9 08 18 157 2 0 2 Ghon v n Gdn o Edn) Ggu ncnton) 27
God/Godng 5 5 9-72 7 75 1 12 25 22 2 279 28 29 vb/poc 5 9 70 12 wn/pnc o 8 1 17 127 0 5 158 75 20 20 217 2 255 28 295 29 w/ o 18 215 22 dmnon o 28 ogvng/mcl 2 292 29 ounn o l 29 ddn vwh 158 10 humn coptn/humn' lonhp th 1 72 98 209 21 21 28 258 nm o 8 18 08 not Bn S 15 Go/em 05 Good nd v 151 15 28 Gop 88 89 G 10 Hadassah 285 Hdn ngl) 1 18 Hmn 15758 HN Judh 7 Hnn bn Do tlmudc g) 19 Hnoch th o Mthulh) 280 Hnukkh 10 Hapishu modon) 201- Hhm th Nm) 71 Hasds thl dnt) 217 Hh yog 221 Huptn Il Mggd o Kozntz) 22 Hayyah 1 22 Hayyo hgh ng) 18 170 Hvn 129 150 87 28 290 29 Hnbg nctny Pncpl 2 Hekhao plc chmb) 19 H 2909. See aso Gehnnom Hmnuc 17 Hl mudc g) 1 250 28 292 Hshan to lvt) 57
ndex 327
Hshtavut S Equanty Htboddut (sotde) 5 27 iyah (udi sage) 283 Hod (eetiiy) 84 90 oless 9 10 28 29 36 156 60 175 179 184 194 206 olsti 10 37 39 86 79 227 oloaus 2 1 1 1 273 oly o oles 170 oy siit 184 23. S also Rah hakodsh oy Wiings 15 oe 206 oodena (hoe o Baa She To) 52 ositay 80 uly 84 21 uss S Klppahklppot Ibbur (gestaton) 304 Ide! Moshe 303 Iagnation 139 206 269 Ianene 219 Innte Bestowe 76 77 Insiation 257 Inee 95 81 Intenion 141 Inteonetedness 4 36 37 75 132 Intuiion 39 1 5 Isaa the Bnd 37 67 sae going saight o God 319 Jaob enaed 146 selies 158
Jaob 19 146 147 48 eeah 291 Jeusae 192 Joseh neage o essiah 8 Joshua ben Le 279 280 Joy 5 6 24 122 128 152 167 185 206- 1 225 226 23 239 277 284 Judh (taud sage) 50
Judais osoloaust 12 15 Reonstutionis 294 Reo 294 sou o 13 Judgent 42 283 292 Jusie 90 148 Kaddsh 273 274 276 Kalan yeh 6 19 Karma 2 48 266 Kao Joseh 216 Kavvanah (inenon) 72 174 175 77 Ktzat hadkh (shot way) 102 32 Klppahklppot (huss) 28 29 199 206 294 Kruvm (hebs) 170 Ktr (own) 84 213 Ko Nide (ye a Yo u) 279 Koo baha Isaa 297 Koshe 13 14 216 S also Eooshe Kotze Rebbe S Menahe Mendel amdvav tzaddkm (36 hdden saints) 23-26 241 242 33 ashon hara (gossi) 188 89 Lei be n baha 18 Lei Y izha o Bedihe 64 224 Lie soue o 178 224 287 294 Lie een 184 23 294 Lieoe 252 253 Ligh 29 76 and anges 137 and onsiousness 35 eesenting God 160 79 seen at death 278 suenal 268 287 295 Lh 135 Loe 35 114 1 16 199 254 Loingndness 1 27 29 36 5 1 65 70 75 84 92 93 120-26 42 147 148 80-84 93 197200 210 244 246 260 264 293
328 Index
Lubln Seer of 3 3 3 288 289 Luria Isaac (Ai) 28 29 8 82 216 268 285 Lurianc Kabbalah 8 267 Luz (mysc bone) 295 Luzzao, Cham 18 Maasy mrkvah (wok of he chariot) 69 Maccabees 3 Machpelah cave of 228 263 Maimondes 3 9 29 Makhu (kngdom) 8 91 3 Mamash (Realy!) 2 272 3 Mantra 3 73 27 Masters of Concentraion 222 Matter 2 79 Mav (death) 39 3 S alo Death; Dyng Maya (ilusion) 38 6 Maz/ (luck fate) 28 28 Meitaion 7 73 23 257 Megilah 158 Meir (taudic sage) 5 Mkor hayym (fountain of fe) 296 Menahem Mendel (Kotzker rebbe) 69 26 Mendel ofVtebsk 3 Mrahh (moved over) 3 Mrkvah (chariot) 69 Msr h (selessness) 2 25 Messiah 58 79 5 8 23 526 7 883 232 292 293 3 322 Metatron (supreme angelic force) 38 39. S aso Sandalphon Meempsychosis 267 Methuselah 28 Michael (archangel) 5 35 39 5 Mah kng mah (meure for meaure) 25 39 Mdrash 5 8 3 5 5 55 3 3537 68 7 285 293 295 Mkvh 26 28 3 33 73 217 223
Mnyan 216 26 racle 23 29 333 58 278 ofJewsh suival 57 as ongong process 32 preordaned 3 Mshkan (tempora tempe dweng) 39 Mishnah 58 Mzvah (good deed) 96 26 37 Mohn gau (big nd) 75 Moderaon 2 22 Moloch 29 Mordeca 58 Moses 6 92 138 88 argues with God 7 3 ve books o 5 glow of 295 humiy of 212 on Mt. Sinai 5 26 293 ials to get Toh 37 Moshav Mo'n 272 Mt Sinai 7 3 58 295 Mourning 26 Mulipct 38 39 Msar (etcs) 3 Mysc�m 38 69 29 277
Nachman of Breslov 9 27 29 of Horodena 28 talmuc sage 28 Nacandes 3 Name changng ones 2729 of God 38 38 secret 37 Naure 2 258 Nsh (vtal soul) 9598 6 79 2 2626 Nhama (hgher soul) 2 96 97 98 23 262 26 283 287 Netheorld 29 292 Nzah (vctoy) 8 9 Nun (wodless melody) 239 272 276
nde 3 2 9
Nrvana 99 312 Ntztzt ee Spark Noah, 148 Non-duality, 38 Nothingness 67 91 215 223 224 310 Nuing he sense of sel 224 Nuriel (achangel), 5 Oh En (Litess Lgh), 54 293 307 ee as En Oam habah (he world o come) 235 291 ee as Wold o come Oam hazeh (this wold) 21 81 2 Oe Couning of he 1 92 Oshaa Rabb (amudic sage) 305 Other Sde (demonic eam) 282 Ouobody experiences 28 278 Paadgm 13 Paradse, 169 280 292 Paradox 38 39 5 224 Pardes (garden/ochard) 47 69 Parneshp h God 4 7378 98 9 Passove 92, 103 30 309 Peace 19 75 79 05 107 6 12 41 69 80 82 202 204 222 223 234 249 256 Peecon/perfectibity, 77 78 Phnehas ben ]air 184 Pkuah nesh (savng fe), 96 Pias of creaion, 18 Plao 4 Postdenoinational, 5 Payer 12 7 143 9 8 209 255 Precision 184 86 Pregnancy, 18 Pride, 180 Pophesy 5, 97 23 283 Phat (ea) 47 Pushmen, 246 292 Puricaion practce 256 Puim 30 157 58 60 Purity 45 184
Rabbah (amudc sage), 305 306 Ramban. ee Maimondes Randomness, 249 Raphael (archangel) 5 35 37 45 Rava (amudic sage), 1 59 280 28 Razel (angel) 136 38 Rey cosmc 4 deahess 277 dsorted 38 physica, 6 134 276 spial 97 12, 8 Rebbe 105 15 288 289 Recicaion of creaion 08 Red Sea, spltng of 30 Reincarnaon 30 07 265-67 269 294 Reationshp as process, 4 94 Remez (hn), 47 49 Repentance 18 Resh akish (talmudc sage) 48 Respec, 88 Resan, 90 93 84 20 Resurrecon 23 294 295 296 322 Revenge 243 Reward, 16 25 31 4 75 203 237 242 244 246 248 264 280 ghteousness 95 229 Rgyon (river o puicaion) 38 Roots 108 224 Rosh Hashana 32 59 83 29, 58 243 254 256 292 308 309 Ruah (spirt) 97 98, 106 226 227 23 262-64 Ruah hakdesh (hoy spi) 97 226 227 231 Sabbath 1 2 13 129 26 ee as Shabba/Shabbos Santness 84 Salante, Israe, 3 Sael (Saan) 43 139 279 ee as Saan Sand hon (supeme angec foce) 35 38 139
p
33 0 ' Inex
Satan 5 56 60 06 Saori ShahterShaom Ra Zalman 6 555 88 5 Seluon 6 Sefer Yerah 6 8 Srah (ounng) 8 86 S'irim (hay demo at) Selfonoune 5 8 0 Selfdenty 0 Selfndulgene 0 Seene Se'orm (talmud age 8 Serah (daughter of Aher) 80 Serpent 6 5558 5 appeare a amel ured 58 equal meah 58 08 a e arnate 5 n the Garden of Eden Seen leng Seen day of oul wderg 6 Seenty 5 Seentyo gnane of 8 05 Seenyear yle Sexualty 56 Shaat/Shao 6 8 8 8 88 8 S ao Saath Shadow 8 8 Shamir (worm) 0 Shamma (tmud age) 6 50 86 Shauot 0 58 0 Shim (del) Shekhna (Dne Preene) 5 06 Shell 8 06, 86 S ao Klippahk/ippot Shema prayer 5 8 5 60 Shen Aeret 0 Sheol (hell) S aso Hell Ghinnom Shikan-taa (aute awarene) 8
Shmon (talmud age) 6 Shi'ur komah (dne meure) 68 Shiva (een) tng after death 6 Shlpr (one who arre a urden) 5 Shneur Zalman of yady 0 Shnorr (olng harty) Samee twn 5 5 Slene 6 Simha oy) 06, 0 6 Smhat Torah 58 Smeon ar Yoha (talmud age) 8 Sn 5 6 Sna Mount S Mt Sna Snew 68 Sx day of reaon Sxthouandyear ye 58 Saery Sleep ou journey durng 8 So (eret) Soltude Solomon n Garo 6 Song of Song 5 68 Sou 8 8 attuned 06 and ody 6 at onepton 8 onneted to enter aer death 8 8 8 eenal fore hoers 8 llunated 6 ourney 50 6 66 8 8 8 anguage of the 6 mendng the 8 6 one prmordal 0 paradoxal nare of pure 06 tetng at nght 8 Soul te 0 0 Soul pk 08 8 Soure 5 8 6
ndex 33 1
Spk 28 29 35 54 divie, 155 56 79 fe i eed of edempo, 08 g 29 26, 174 180 182 89 198 224 26 268 286 287, 294 epeetg ol 08 om oot o 224 267 Spt 95 97 98 13, 17 Ste leed 284 Steil Rbbi Ad, 7 304 Stll ml voce 27 Sriemels top h) 23 S 3 69 78 Skkot 58 309 Spel Mohe 5 , 56
hoh pco) 260 ll pye hw) 192 Tmd 17 1 8 Tmd Toh dy), 85 Tkh ee Old Tetme) 15 8 Thh, 47 shlich edg wy), 256 TDS Time Dececy Sydome) 6 chia ha-mayim fe etel) 231 Tlla pye), 29 Tlli pye wppg), 192 ho he the o pe) 205 206 Te igcce of 83 84 30 shuva hig codc), 129 Thtee piciple of fth 294 Ty dy befoe deh, 287 Thtwo ph 86 Thoght 67, 76, 9 tcg o othge 224 cotog oe' 7 4 egtive 80 Thoe, 38 18 230 Tere bety) 84 90 93 148 264 312 Tikku ig) 29 30 40, 79 262, 306
Tikk haesh medg the o) 179 Tkku haolam medig the wold) 180 cho) 29 Toh 5, 47, 81 he md of God 52 O/Wtte, 15 16 7 tdy, 12 46, 85 he Tee of Life 49 Te of Kowledge 4456 36 248 Tee of Lfe 4449, 5 , 55, 91 264 e to) 198 Tth 14, 282 bShev feivl of ee) 252 welve moth to p o, 262 Tza'a aai kide to m) 98 Tzaddik igheo peo) 05 226 184 232 23742 263 264 320 Tzddakah cht), 27 29 187 19 92 19496, 31 7 Tzimzum cotco) 76 Tzipiyah coemptve obetio) 37
h
Udetg fy gte of 92 Uiy 38, 98, 99 Uvee, 9 1 13, 224 Uel chge) 35 45 Vley of BeHiom 29 Vomer Ehim d God id), 83 3 Vee 29, 76 V Chm, 216 267 Whle, 184, 91 We 50, 84 21 3 Wete W 3 192 W dve 92, 196, 224, 296 o give, 76 77 o eceve 76, 77
332 ndex
Wind 97 2 7 Win 47 70 Widm 0 7 86 9 69 85 276 Wrld t cme 80 276 293, 294. See ao 0am aba
Yezra (wld f frmn), 6 84 95 Yzkor (remembrnce), 269 Ym ippr, 25 27 83, 29 39 58 60 243 254 269 279, 309 reei merkeva (bblh mter), 69
Yarze (nnierry f deh) 273 Yar (t g tright) 48 29 39 a (highet l eel), 99 06 262 o (fndtn), 84 90 3 1 Yezer a (eil incinn) 157
Zer (tmdic ge), 8 305 Ziru (pecin), 86 Zoa 34 193 Zrizu (wcne), 91 h f Hnipli, 22
Index 333