the shame of poverty

Last night during my Hevruta on Notzer Hesed, I was able to gain a much clearer insight into something I had learned in the past in the Pri Ha'aretz, something that seems to happen a lot.

The Pri Ha'aretz teaches that every single absence that is noticeable in the world is an instance where the Shechinah was forced into exile. She is in exile in the lack. When we pray for her return to her rightful place, then all of that which is lacking in the world will collectively vanish with the restoration of her true status.

It's a difficult concept to picture, but it does illustrate the connection that is often made that we should pray for the well-being (completion) of the Shechinah, rather than for our own personal needs.

Still, I want to bring it down to a level that's a little more within our grasp. Even if it will be a very esoteric grasp, we'll try to get some kind of grasp on the abstract metaphysics of the issue.

The Shechinah, in a sense, represents the revelation of Godliness in the world. Godliness permeates all of existence, but in the default state of this world it is hidden from sight. Any revellation of Godliness is a manifestation we call the Shechinah. 

[One question that arises here is that if we see two different people whose lives are both a revellation of Godliness, this doesn't imply there are two Shechinahs, rather the Tanya explains that it is like sunlight shining through two windows in one room.]

Now, the nature of the Shechinah is that she has nothing of her own. (לית לה מגרמא כלום) And what we refer to as Godliness (that which is hidden) is the source of all the Shechinah's emanations.

Normally, the ideal state of existence is the unification of the Shechinah with the Holy One Blessed be He. Now we aren't talking about two separate entities no matter how it may sound, we are simply talking about uniting the Revelation of Godliness, with the Hidden Godliness; it's all just God. (אין עוד מלבדו - there is none other than He) What this means in more practical or dynamic terms is that the revelation of Godliness is not missing from the world. Whenever a lack of Godliness becomes apparent, the Shechinah (its revelation) is said to be in exile. Because any need or emptiness is a function of the attribute of the Shechinah, of having nothing of her own.

So, now that we kind of understand that idea. We understand perhaps the smallest part of what it means to say the Shechinah is in exile. (If we were delving into this discussion with the aid of describing and explaining the sefirot, some of the points might be more accessible, but others might be more confusing, so we will leave the matter of sefirot aside from this post. For those who would like to see a little bit of the connection, suffice it to say that Malchut which is also called the Shechinah is the vessel within which all of creation (revelation of Godliness) occurs.)

Now, having some basic framework from which to work with, lets try and take another step: When we sin, we cause the Godliness that was invested in that sin to become deeply hidden. We cause less revellation of Godliness in the world, we cause the exile of the Shechinah. The Shechinah, now in exile, is pained or suffers because her poverty, her lack of anything of her own, is revealed to everyone through this apparent lack of Godliness.

When we pray for the sake of the completion of the Shechinah, for the union of the Shechinah with The Holy One Blessed Be He, it is the same as saying we are praying for Godliness to be openly revealed in the whole world. In this way, the Shechinah no longer lacks for anything, she is no longer in exile, she no longer suffers the embarrassment of 'abject poverty.'

When we pray in this way, it not only addresses all of our own needs and lacks but those of all the world, for every need in the world is merely an expression of the Shechinah's having nothing of her own.

conversations overheard

Rebbe Nachman brings two teachings related to one another and to this time of year:

If one pays attention to the conversations of women, one can gain insight into the current state of the Shechinah. (Likkutei Moharan I:203)

If one pays attention [during the Sefirat haOmer] to the discussions that take place over the course of the day, one will see that they are all related to the sefirah of the particular day. (Likkutei Moharan I:182)

This goes to the heart of the Baal Shem Tov's torah that everything you experience is part of a private dialog between you and HaShem.

shevat 22: minha

the biggest blessings (rains) of the year come when it seems lifeless outside (winter).. there's a parallel here in that the Shechinah, who is described as poor and having nothing, is the recipient of all HaShem's outpouring.

of the hand and of the head

Likkutei Halachoth (Hilchot Teffilin 5:25) and Hesed L'Avraham (2:40) both mentioned this idea which I encountered over the past two days in only slightly different forms, so I wanted to share it here. (both paraphrased from memory)

Hesed L'Avraham:
When wearing the Tefillin, the Tefillin on the arm becomes a merkavah (a vehicle) for the revelation of the Shechinah, and the Tefillin on the head becomes a merkavah for the revelation of the Holy One Blessed Be He. (references the Zohar (Ra'aya Mehemna))

Likkutei Halachoth:
The Tefillin of the arm connects and draws down the totality of Bnei Yisrael, the Shechinah, in order to unite her with the Tzaddik, who is drawn down and revealed in his gadlut (greatness)
through the Tefillin of the head.

words caught in the throat

The Noam Elimelech (Parashath Tazria) explains that Tzaddikim are always involved in Torah and Tefillah. Sometimes, though, to overcome boredom and weariness, they need to speak with other people. When they do so these words are words of musar and fear of heaven. These words cause others to greatly awaken in the service of HaShem, even the Tzaddikim themselves. For when they remember their words they fear that perhaps there was some small taste of sin in these words and so they awaken new fear and new teshuvah within themselves.

He goes on to explain (Parashath Metzora) that when Tzaddikim learn or pray for the sake of HaShem, their souls are bound up in the words and alight to the heavens where they, the words and their souls, are united with the Torah and therefore with HaShem.

Moshe Rabbeinu was unique in that he was able to connect with HaShem through his voice. The simple sound of his voice would alight and unite with HaShem even before he would form words. This is the meaning of the saying that the Shechinah speaks from the throat of Mosheh. (ie. The throat where the sounds of speech are modulated)

It occurred to me while learning this that one could connect the two different Torahs and find a way for Tzaddikim to emulate and connect to Mosheh Rabbeinu without having to speak words that weren't Torah or Tefillah. Through singing or humming a niggun perhaps a Tzaddik can recuperate (from boredom or weariness) without having to talk words of musar with others, and later regret these words.

the foundation sweet spot

Lately I've encountered a number of sources that mention the lower worlds--the worlds of demons and other partially formed creations. At the same time I've been learning about how HaShem created the world in order that he could create for himself a home or a nation.

People sing the praises of the physical world because it is sufficiently cut off from HaShem to be a place that can truly relate to a God who exists and recognizes no other entity as His source. What bothers me is that, if the lower worlds are even lower than olam haZeh, this world, then why aren't they appropriate places to be the dwelling place of HaShem?

I think this is the explanation: The upper worlds are too close to HaShem, too aware of His emanations. The lower worlds are so far that they are starved. As we know, a person who is starving doesn't have the luxury of enteraining fantasy, they are forever rooted in reality. In this case their reality is that they receive their life-force, however little it is, from HaShem. They can't actually deny HaShem's presence because His absence is painfully clear.

Only in this middle world are we comfortably provided for, but at the same time distanced enough from HaShem, such that we might entertain the illusion that He doesn't exist.

I think this is the deeper meaning of the comment of Chazal that the Shechinah never rests below ten tefahim. The physical world above ten tefahim is a place of divine plenty and simultaneous divine ignorance, it is the proper foundation upon which to build the resting placed of HaShem.

scoring on the rebound

The Baal HaTanya explains that our soul is like a rope that connects us to HaShem, through our actions, either we ascend upward to unify with HaShem or else we drag HaShem's head down into the muck with us. (A metaphor for bringing down the divine influx to feed the side of impurity)

We also see in Hesed l'Avraham that Rav Azulai describes how the Shechinah, in Her current state of exile greatly relishes the blessings brought down by even our simplest mitzwoth, being that She is so lacking. Likewise She calls out for judgement when our actions have negative repercussions and cut off the tenuous flow that She still receives.

In parashath Mishpatim, the Noam Elimelech gives us some crucial advice:

When one becomes aware of a sin one committed, one should immediately do teshuvah. He explains that while one remains in his condition of having sinned, any act of Kedushah that s/he may perform will nourish not only the side of holiness but also the "other" side. (chas v'shalom) By performing immediate teshuvah, not only are we cleansed of the sin, but we prevent our unintentional empowerment of the forces of impurity.

All of these different sources have cropped up in my learnings these past few days. Taken together we see the importance of Reb Melech's advice. Whenever we catch ourselves in a transgression, or whenever afterwards, whenever it comes to our attention, we should stop everything and return to HaShem at that very moment.

There are times when our emotional psychological and spiritual wellbeing all require that we pretend that we are perfect tzaddikim with no sins whatsoever--sometimes that is the only way to move on, it is actually part of our secret nuclear arsenal against the yetzer hara. But like any weapon it can be used for good or evil, we must also recognize the times when our avodah will be stronger by fessing up as soon as possible, pausing for a moment and taking responsibility for our actions. Perhaps this is a small taste of what it is to be a true Tzaddik, after all the Noam Elimelech is called the Book of Tzaddikim. We can see David HaMelech, Mosheh Rabbeinu, and other Tzaddikim on numerous occasions falling before HaShem in immediate teshuvah and prayer when they recognized even a potential wrong on their part.

Don't try to jump ahead of yourself, Reb Elimelech also points out that parashath Mishpatim comes right after the commandment not to alight on steps to the mizbeach in the end of parashath Yitro. This is an admonishment about rising above our level, rather than growing slowly and steadily. Perhaps from time to time we can start to introduce immediate Teshuvah into our lives when we have the strength and courage to do so.

In our teshuvah b'zrizut may we merit to receive the countenance of the Shechinah.

forever bound

I was learning Hesed l'Avraham (1:23) this morning on the way to work, something I only get to do if I don't have to drive. He was speaking about the Shechinah and the Mishkan, and it occurred to me that many parents can identify (l'havdil) with HaShem's desire to maintain a presence with their children no matter where they may go. Hence, the Shechinah goes with us even into Galut.

Which lead me to see the cellular phone in a whole new light. The cellphone is, l'havdil, the aspect of the Mishkan in our daily lives. Through it, we may remain in contact with those closest to our heart and soul no matter where we go.

we want more bandwidth

The world can't exist without constant divine intervention. This intervention is generally termed berachah or shefah. (שפע - flow/influx) We've mentioned before that Tzaddikim are the main channels through which God's influence, his shefa reach this world.

When the world was young, there would be one Tzaddik in each generation, whose mind was so vast that he alone could bridge the gap between the mundane and the divine, he alone could bring down the heavenly influx necesary for the continuance of the world on a moment by moment basis. (Seriously, one instant without God's shefa and we're all done for--we've never existed at all. We're talking far more serious than oxygen here, this is Torah.)

This was the way things went down till we became a nation and received the Torah clothed in a more corporeal form. Now, until the coming of Moshiah, it behooves each and every Jew to do their part in performing the mitzwoth and learning the Torah, cleaving to God. Each Jew is a part of the (קומה שלימה) complete level of God's shefa that is coming down into this world, the more Jews cleaving to God and performing mitzwoth, (His commandments) the more life (divine intervention) this world receives from the source of all life.

When Moshiah comes, he includes the souls of all of us, just as Adam did. [Here he brings the well known אד"ם - אדם דוד משיח] He will be the pipe through which we all get our divine blessing. Until then, our efforts invested in the Torah complete this level, the level of Moshiah, so that when he arrives, he will be able to bring down everything that we need. In the meantime, we're seriously asphyxiating..

[This all is sourced in the Maor Eynayim on parashath Yitro.]

mothering is not only in her genes, it's in her cells too..

Here's a Startling discovery (via ScienceBlog)

It has been known for some years that mother and baby exchange stem cells in the course of pregnancy...The phenomenon is known as microchimerism, and it is still unclear as to whether the presence of such cells can be harmful to the recipient.

The study, initially undertaken in the belief that maternal cells might trigger autoimmunity in the child, has now taken an interesting new twist, for the maternal cells might even be helping the child to repair injury.

Basically, they found that in some children with Type 1 Diabetes, the mother's cells had actually migrated to the child's pancreas to supplement insulin production. (Before the baby was born.. in case that was unclear.)

That's so amazing. Children and mothers exchange some stem cells during pregnancy. Which means that in a way, a wife actually receives her husband's genetic material in some of his child's cells that then migrate into her body. That's a very trippy בשר אחד. (one flesh)

More amazing though, is that not only does a mother instruct and care for her children on the macro level, but even on the microscopic level, a mother's cells enter her child during pregnancy and perhaps augment, modify or share in the development and progress of a child, even after that child is born.

Talk about the שכינה (Shechinah) going into exile with her children. It's such a deep truth, that I have to sit back and just appreciate it for a while. It's so beautiful.