Dust is so small and light it is practically nothing. While we are much greater and more significant than a grain of dust, we are stuck literally in the dust, on the ground. Dust, by virtue of its smallness is not bound in this same way, the wind comes and often stirs up the dust and away it flies.
When we return ourselves to dust, when we recognize our insignifigance in the face of HaShem, then the spirit of HaShem can come along and waft us away to the highest worlds carry us off to the most distant places.
We can't force our way to closeness with HaShem, but when we recognize that HaShem is in control, He fills us with His spirit, raises us up, and brings us close. This is ruah haKodesh.
Showing posts with label ayin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ayin. Show all posts
18.6.07
of winners and losers
In the beginning of the fifth chapter of Pirkei Avot (5:2) the Notzer Hesed reveals that everyone at one point or another [I got the impression that this actually happens quite often] in their life is tested by very high emanations (from the world of Tohu) that make the person feel unique and special, lofty and righteous. When people overcome this test, and connect to HaShem through recognizing their own insignificance, (connecting to the aspect of אין - nothingness) then they can truly serve HaShem. (In the world of Tikkun)
Resha'im never succeed in overcoming this test and so continue always in the belief that they are the most righteous.
Perhaps this is at the root of a yeridah l'tzorech aliyah? (the idea that we fall in order that we may rise up again)
Resha'im never succeed in overcoming this test and so continue always in the belief that they are the most righteous.
Perhaps this is at the root of a yeridah l'tzorech aliyah? (the idea that we fall in order that we may rise up again)
20.2.07
the unknowable head
This morning we went for an ultrasound, (well, I can't do much more than tag along) my wife said it's amazing that we get to know and see someone, before they are even someone, we get to see them and know them before we really know them at all. She described it as ראישא דלא איתידע - the head which isn't (or can't be) known. (a term from the Zohar) It struck me as resonating deeply with Rebbe Nachman's Torah from yesterday. (Likkutei Moharan I:24)
Which made me realize that really, approaching any person is a similar experience. Part of the interaction with a person gives you insight into who and what they are. But, there remains always a part of them which is completely beyond us. A part of everyone, that only HaShem knows. (This is the same part that is hinted at in this previous post about dying to sanctify God's name.)
This goes even further. Not only people, but in any exploration of the secrets of existence, there is that which we are able to know, and grasp, and that which is beyond us. In each of these relationships, the longer and more involved we become, the deeper this knowledge can go, but there's always some invisible barrier, of that which we can never connect to. There is always the infinite underlying whatever it is we may know.
That is the spark of Godliness in everything.
Even though we can't know it, it doesn't mean we can't relate to it. The minute you know that there is Godliness in someone or even something, you relate to it differently. When you know that something that seemed finite bears within it infinite marvels, you tend to look twice, to come back to it, to revisit it, to be more reverent in your relationship to it.
Here's the pitfall. Even though Godliness exists in everything, we have to be careful how we relate to that Godliness. On the one hand, as we see in halachah, we can't waste or abuse anything, be it natural resources, or friendships. On the other hand, we can't elevate that something beyond its status, and deify it, that's expressly forebidden as worshipping other gods.
We have to balance respect for Godliness in everything and remember that each of these sparks is simply another window on the one Divinity that gives life (and hides) to (and within) all of us. (The window metaphor is actually provided by the Baal HaTanya to help people understand the idea that One God may be expressed in a number of different ways within the world.)
Still, we have to relate to this Godliness, we have to always push on that barrier, to see how far we can go, how much we can grasp, how much of this physicality we can elevate until we get to a point where there is raw Godliness that is beyond our touch or a need to be elevated.
It goes without saying that this pursuit must be through the holy path of Halachah, the journey described by Torah, without this compass it is too easy to lose our way and end up in self-delusion and fantasy.
How do we do this in purity? As Rebbe Nachman taught us, through great joy (שמחה) and simple faith. (אמונה) This extra effort that comes from within us activates all of our deep spiritual senses, instruments, and limbs, to fully embrace and explore the explorable but impermeable membrane of the divine.
Through Rebbe Nachman's method we may reach places so special that they are unknown to anyone but us, they are utterly unique. They are the nine chambers of our extra-intelligence, offered up and created in the attempt to draw close to the divine. They have no real existence except in the moment of our attempt to unify with infinity.
[The first Torah in Likkutei Moharan (I:1) talks about how it is necesary for every Jew to seek out the hidden knowledge in every thing.]
May Rebbe Nachman's Torah merit us each to connect to these infinities in our personal relationships in kedushah, in simchah, and in emunah.
Which made me realize that really, approaching any person is a similar experience. Part of the interaction with a person gives you insight into who and what they are. But, there remains always a part of them which is completely beyond us. A part of everyone, that only HaShem knows. (This is the same part that is hinted at in this previous post about dying to sanctify God's name.)
This goes even further. Not only people, but in any exploration of the secrets of existence, there is that which we are able to know, and grasp, and that which is beyond us. In each of these relationships, the longer and more involved we become, the deeper this knowledge can go, but there's always some invisible barrier, of that which we can never connect to. There is always the infinite underlying whatever it is we may know.
That is the spark of Godliness in everything.
Even though we can't know it, it doesn't mean we can't relate to it. The minute you know that there is Godliness in someone or even something, you relate to it differently. When you know that something that seemed finite bears within it infinite marvels, you tend to look twice, to come back to it, to revisit it, to be more reverent in your relationship to it.
Here's the pitfall. Even though Godliness exists in everything, we have to be careful how we relate to that Godliness. On the one hand, as we see in halachah, we can't waste or abuse anything, be it natural resources, or friendships. On the other hand, we can't elevate that something beyond its status, and deify it, that's expressly forebidden as worshipping other gods.
We have to balance respect for Godliness in everything and remember that each of these sparks is simply another window on the one Divinity that gives life (and hides) to (and within) all of us. (The window metaphor is actually provided by the Baal HaTanya to help people understand the idea that One God may be expressed in a number of different ways within the world.)
Still, we have to relate to this Godliness, we have to always push on that barrier, to see how far we can go, how much we can grasp, how much of this physicality we can elevate until we get to a point where there is raw Godliness that is beyond our touch or a need to be elevated.
It goes without saying that this pursuit must be through the holy path of Halachah, the journey described by Torah, without this compass it is too easy to lose our way and end up in self-delusion and fantasy.
How do we do this in purity? As Rebbe Nachman taught us, through great joy (שמחה) and simple faith. (אמונה) This extra effort that comes from within us activates all of our deep spiritual senses, instruments, and limbs, to fully embrace and explore the explorable but impermeable membrane of the divine.
Through Rebbe Nachman's method we may reach places so special that they are unknown to anyone but us, they are utterly unique. They are the nine chambers of our extra-intelligence, offered up and created in the attempt to draw close to the divine. They have no real existence except in the moment of our attempt to unify with infinity.
[The first Torah in Likkutei Moharan (I:1) talks about how it is necesary for every Jew to seek out the hidden knowledge in every thing.]
May Rebbe Nachman's Torah merit us each to connect to these infinities in our personal relationships in kedushah, in simchah, and in emunah.
23.1.07
dealing with ego
Recently on A Simple Jew, there was an article about dealing with relatives who unknowingly trample on our Torah sensitivities.
I commented there, suggesting he learn more Hassiduth, and mentioned the points below:
I commented there, suggesting he learn more Hassiduth, and mentioned the points below:
- According to the Baal Shem Tov, when we judge someone else, we are really only judging ourselves, so it is important always to judge someone l'chaf zchut, because in that way you are actually ensuring a merciful judgement on yourself, literally. He doesn't say this in hypothetical, he says that the reason this person doing this act was put in front of you is to expose a particular part of yourself, and HaShem never judges someone until they have judged themselves first. (in a manner I described above) (My wife pointed out that this is just an expansion on the expression which Chazal use that kol ha'posel, b'mumo posel.)
- Rebbe Nachman says that finding the good points in someone else, even in the worst r'shaim of Bnei Yisrael, will bring them over to the side of goodness and actually MAKE them good. By finding whatever good there is to be found in them, you are actually bringing that good out to dominate the bad that is readily apparent in them.
- Tzeddakah teaches us that we have a mitzwah to help our family before we help other Jews. From which we can learn we are put with the family we have for a reason--to help them and to be helped by them. It's a very big tikkun to work on your family relationships and not avoid them.
- For me it also helps if I remember that most of the Neshamoth around today are recycling to complete one or two more mitzvoth, and so their actions/observance may not be indicative at all of their level or what they are here to do. Really all of this is judgement is only for HaShem, all we have is to accept and show loving kindness.
18.1.07
precious possessions are the result of our precious actions
I find this idea from yesterday's Hayom Yom deeply moving:
Side note: It also explains the seemingly obssesive way in which the Baal HaTanya strove to ensure that Napoleon didn't get ahold of a single one of his possessions. (Seen in Yitz's phenomenal post on Heichal HaNegina)
Just to countenance the idea that our physical possessions are something spiritual takes my breath away. We live in a society of such wealth that most of our physical possessions mean nothing to us. I've spent an important part of my life deriding the value of physical possessions. I've lost money, technology, sifrei kodesh, and other possessions to theft and accidents. [I was happy to find the things I cared about the most were the sefarim (the holy books) --that I was hurt HaShem felt the need to strip me of them.] We purchased a coffee table last week for 195 NIS (less than 50 USD) as a placeholder until we find one we really like. I have to, we all have to, take these words of the Baal HaTanya into the depth of our hearts, and value once more the manifold blessings which God bestows upon us daily.
As it stands now, out of our possessions, only the expensive irreplacable ones really matter, fancy jewelry, hi-tech gadgets, computers, and data. Data's becoming wildly important to us. I might have just lost all the data from when my wife and I were planning our wedding. That hurts more than losing a bag or a good pair of jeans, or even the suit/tie from that same wedding. I don't think the wedding dress means as much to me as the data from starting my life with her. (The wedding dress only has value in that it means something to her.)
Not only do we have to heal the break between us and our possessions, we also have to delve into this idea of possessing data. We need to understand what implications our interaction with the data actually means, in terms of God. In terms of his daily blessing. Manuscripts are quickly becoming a thing of the past, all our writing is digital. I care more about the writings of my father and father's father, than for a jacket they may have worn. (For that matter video and photos also come before probably any of that.) If I had to choose I'd want their data. How does that square with God and our possessions?
Here's a very quick reflection: (because the size of this post is quickly becoming mythical)
In a very rough sense, Jews have hoarded data for years. We have preserved texts of Torah far longer and in far larger quantities than anything or anyone else on the planet. How do we give God of these possessions, of these blessings, when they can be given without being lost? With Torah, simply the learning of it, and so much moreso the teaching of it is the avodah that we give to God. But that's Torah. What about our personal data. Perhaps preserving, organising and condensing it, extracting useful information from it for our future generations, to teach them what it is to be what we are. Perhaps that's how we can give of our data. This is true of our lives as well. We give of our lives by making our lives into something others can learn from. Nowadays the line between our data and our life is quickly diminishing. The data is the record of our life.
This can also mislead us, because the data consoles us against the loss of the life. Once the person is gone, at least we still have their memories, the affect they had on those around them. We might think the loss of data is the loss of that life. It isn't at all for two major reasons: A person doesn't live in a vacuum. Like I said, those around the person bear the imprint of that person, and the affects those people have on others in turn ensures that we are always influenced by those who came before us. There's no way to remove someone from the world. The second major reason is that God records the existence of that person. Their soul persists.
We're getting into the Zohar that the air of Gan Eden(heaven) and the air of Gey Hinom(hell) permeate the world around us and record our every good and evil deed respectively. The data cannot be lost. Although, acts of Teshuvah or acts of Hillul HaShem (chas v'shalom!) actually can erase said data.
My final thought is this: Data on it's own is only one level removed from ideas on their own. Ideas and data both deserve preservation, but it is what we do with the ideas and the data that is important. Physical possessions are the result of some action, something has already been done. If what was done was something good, then that physical object that was the result of that action is forever a testament and a vessel for God's blessing. Likewise the reverse is possible. (chas v'shalom) Our possessions should be precious for just that reason. Our actions and our deeds should result in things that are precious to us. Our developing relationship with God over time through acting in this world should be precious to us. Data is generally still potential and not actualized. (ie. 3000 photos of anything is potential, an organised work created of those 3000 photos is an actual artefact.) Similarly, time and life are crucial aspects of the value of our possessions: the more of our life, the more of our time we put into these possessions, the more they are worth to us. (The mishna says a person values his own produce six times (i think it said six) more than his neighbor's produce, even if it has the same monetary value.) The Baal HaTanya is also telling us to invest ourselves wholly in actions that will bring about possessions that will be precious to us.
[the Baal HaTanya's simple lesson is still light-years more profound than everything I just typed--i'm not at all surprised, just happy I got to learn that piece of Torah in my lifetime.]
The Alter Rebbe said: Jewish physical matter is spiritual. G-d gives us material bounty for us to transform into something spiritual. When occasionally it is not so at the moment (G-d has not provided the material wealth), then we must give G-d whatever we can, even a "pauper's offering," and then He gives generously.I find the fingerprint of such interactions throughout my life when I look back on everything that has befallen me in the past six and a half years since I moved home.
Side note: It also explains the seemingly obssesive way in which the Baal HaTanya strove to ensure that Napoleon didn't get ahold of a single one of his possessions. (Seen in Yitz's phenomenal post on Heichal HaNegina)
Just to countenance the idea that our physical possessions are something spiritual takes my breath away. We live in a society of such wealth that most of our physical possessions mean nothing to us. I've spent an important part of my life deriding the value of physical possessions. I've lost money, technology, sifrei kodesh, and other possessions to theft and accidents. [I was happy to find the things I cared about the most were the sefarim (the holy books) --that I was hurt HaShem felt the need to strip me of them.] We purchased a coffee table last week for 195 NIS (less than 50 USD) as a placeholder until we find one we really like. I have to, we all have to, take these words of the Baal HaTanya into the depth of our hearts, and value once more the manifold blessings which God bestows upon us daily.
As it stands now, out of our possessions, only the expensive irreplacable ones really matter, fancy jewelry, hi-tech gadgets, computers, and data. Data's becoming wildly important to us. I might have just lost all the data from when my wife and I were planning our wedding. That hurts more than losing a bag or a good pair of jeans, or even the suit/tie from that same wedding. I don't think the wedding dress means as much to me as the data from starting my life with her. (The wedding dress only has value in that it means something to her.)
Not only do we have to heal the break between us and our possessions, we also have to delve into this idea of possessing data. We need to understand what implications our interaction with the data actually means, in terms of God. In terms of his daily blessing. Manuscripts are quickly becoming a thing of the past, all our writing is digital. I care more about the writings of my father and father's father, than for a jacket they may have worn. (For that matter video and photos also come before probably any of that.) If I had to choose I'd want their data. How does that square with God and our possessions?
Here's a very quick reflection: (because the size of this post is quickly becoming mythical)
In a very rough sense, Jews have hoarded data for years. We have preserved texts of Torah far longer and in far larger quantities than anything or anyone else on the planet. How do we give God of these possessions, of these blessings, when they can be given without being lost? With Torah, simply the learning of it, and so much moreso the teaching of it is the avodah that we give to God. But that's Torah. What about our personal data. Perhaps preserving, organising and condensing it, extracting useful information from it for our future generations, to teach them what it is to be what we are. Perhaps that's how we can give of our data. This is true of our lives as well. We give of our lives by making our lives into something others can learn from. Nowadays the line between our data and our life is quickly diminishing. The data is the record of our life.
This can also mislead us, because the data consoles us against the loss of the life. Once the person is gone, at least we still have their memories, the affect they had on those around them. We might think the loss of data is the loss of that life. It isn't at all for two major reasons: A person doesn't live in a vacuum. Like I said, those around the person bear the imprint of that person, and the affects those people have on others in turn ensures that we are always influenced by those who came before us. There's no way to remove someone from the world. The second major reason is that God records the existence of that person. Their soul persists.
We're getting into the Zohar that the air of Gan Eden(heaven) and the air of Gey Hinom(hell) permeate the world around us and record our every good and evil deed respectively. The data cannot be lost. Although, acts of Teshuvah or acts of Hillul HaShem (chas v'shalom!) actually can erase said data.
My final thought is this: Data on it's own is only one level removed from ideas on their own. Ideas and data both deserve preservation, but it is what we do with the ideas and the data that is important. Physical possessions are the result of some action, something has already been done. If what was done was something good, then that physical object that was the result of that action is forever a testament and a vessel for God's blessing. Likewise the reverse is possible. (chas v'shalom) Our possessions should be precious for just that reason. Our actions and our deeds should result in things that are precious to us. Our developing relationship with God over time through acting in this world should be precious to us. Data is generally still potential and not actualized. (ie. 3000 photos of anything is potential, an organised work created of those 3000 photos is an actual artefact.) Similarly, time and life are crucial aspects of the value of our possessions: the more of our life, the more of our time we put into these possessions, the more they are worth to us. (The mishna says a person values his own produce six times (i think it said six) more than his neighbor's produce, even if it has the same monetary value.) The Baal HaTanya is also telling us to invest ourselves wholly in actions that will bring about possessions that will be precious to us.
[the Baal HaTanya's simple lesson is still light-years more profound than everything I just typed--i'm not at all surprised, just happy I got to learn that piece of Torah in my lifetime.]
17.1.07
sleep as daat instead of a disconnect
Can God make a world he can't sleep in? huh? Rebbe Elimelech m'Lizhensk, the Noam Elimelech (brother to Reb Zusha of Anipoli) says (in his explanation of parashath Noah) that God is called 'Noah', because he rests (נח) in this world.
We see this in verses such as: "Hashamayim kis'ii v'ha'aretz hadom rag'leye" (The heavens are my seat and the land my footrest) which is mentioned and dissected in one othe first sections of the Baal HaTanya's Torah Ohr, if memory serves.
It resonates nicely with my post about Rebbe Natan's Torah in Likkutei Halachot about returning the world to sleep in order to complete it. Apparently, when we fuse Rebbe Natan with Reb Elimelech we see that: By being in a state of sleep, of bitul of the world, we are able to connect to God's attribute of bitul, just as he is said to be sleeping in this world because he witholds of himself so that the world continues to exist. When God 'negates' his 'essence', the world is the direct consequence, when we negate the world, we're back to God's essence.
It also makes for interesting relationships between other belief systems about the 'great sleeper' archetype, but this isn't the place for these things.
We see this in verses such as: "Hashamayim kis'ii v'ha'aretz hadom rag'leye" (The heavens are my seat and the land my footrest) which is mentioned and dissected in one othe first sections of the Baal HaTanya's Torah Ohr, if memory serves.
It resonates nicely with my post about Rebbe Natan's Torah in Likkutei Halachot about returning the world to sleep in order to complete it. Apparently, when we fuse Rebbe Natan with Reb Elimelech we see that: By being in a state of sleep, of bitul of the world, we are able to connect to God's attribute of bitul, just as he is said to be sleeping in this world because he witholds of himself so that the world continues to exist. When God 'negates' his 'essence', the world is the direct consequence, when we negate the world, we're back to God's essence.
It also makes for interesting relationships between other belief systems about the 'great sleeper' archetype, but this isn't the place for these things.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Related posts
