Exodus 25:8 - "They shall make a Sanctuary for Me - so that I may dwell among them." The verse should have read "that I may dwell in it (the Sanctuary)". But rather the Torah is teaching us that the true indwelling of the Divine Presence is not in a structure of inanimate components but rather in flesh and blood bodies of humans.
How do we bring the Divine Presence (Shechina) to dwell in our bodies. Through filling our minds with G-d's Word, the Torah, and occupying our limbs with the fulfillment of His commandments to us. These two components, Torah and commandments, are parallel to the Tabernacle that was made up of external elements and internal elements. The most external element was the outer cover of the Tabernacle made from skins. While the most internal element are the First and Second Set of Tablets of the Ten Commandments contained within the (3-layered) Holy Ark within the Holy of Holies.
Our lives are also made up of external and internal elements. The external parts are the ones we do automatically without investing much thought or understanding why they're necessary, while the most internal are the ones we think about a great deal and we feel are most important to us. In fact, sometimes actions that seem insignificant and external in our eyes are actually essential in our relationship with G-d. While certain aspects that seem central to us are actually peripheral to the relationship.
The work of building a Sanctuary for G-d is about taking worldly aspects and transforming them into the Divine. How do we do that? Simply by changing our perspective - by affixing greater importance to the tasks in our lives that relate to the refinement and elevation of our worldly reality, and by striving to make even the most mundane (and seemingly peripheral) actions, Holy and Divine.
Our success at accomplishing this hinges on beginning the day with prayer and meditation on the Oneness of G-d with his creation.
Based on Talks of the Lubavitcher Rebbe Vol. 11 and a Discourse from 1983.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Mishpatim (Exodus 21:1-24:18) The Pierced Ear
Should a person be punished physically for surrendering his independence? The verse in Exodus 21:5-6 tells us that a Jewish bondsman who decides to stay with his master more than his allotted six year term is not rewarded for his loyalty to his master, to his new wife and children born to him in bondage. Rather, the Torah tells us "his master shall bring him to the court and...shall bore through his ear with the awl", a mark of shame for all time.
Why is he punished for wishing to remain with his master? And what is the significance of the piercing of the ear? Our sages explained that this relates to G-d's statement in Lev. 25:42 "For they are my servants". The obedience to the Torah's laws requires us to remember that first and foremost we are servants to G-d. As explained in the Zohar: "Just like the ox on which one first places a yoke in order to make it useful to the world...so too must a human being first of all submit to the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven... and if this submission is not found in him, holiness cannot rest within him." A person can't have a dual allegiance. Independence from physical enslavement assures that one's forces can be submitted to the Master of the Universe.
Why the ear? Hearing is connected with understanding - with cogitating on and internalizing Divine wisdom. One who is enslaved to worries of this world, cannot have the peace of mind necessary to meditate and come to relate personally to the spiritual reality beyond our physical environs. Servitude to the Allmighty hinges on one accepting willingly the yoke of Heaven. This willingness comes about when one is free from their dependence on others and on the world around them.
This is what the Rebbe explains in the discourse "Ata Tetzave", that the true revelation of one's yechida occurs when one is completely free of external decrees and worries, and focuses only on experiencing the complete revelation of the Blessed Infinite Light in every aspect of reality. The build-up of the desire for the Light, brings about an increased willingness to subdue one's desires to the One Above, to the point of complete surrender of one's faculties expressed in utter self-sacrifice.
Why is he punished for wishing to remain with his master? And what is the significance of the piercing of the ear? Our sages explained that this relates to G-d's statement in Lev. 25:42 "For they are my servants". The obedience to the Torah's laws requires us to remember that first and foremost we are servants to G-d. As explained in the Zohar: "Just like the ox on which one first places a yoke in order to make it useful to the world...so too must a human being first of all submit to the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven... and if this submission is not found in him, holiness cannot rest within him." A person can't have a dual allegiance. Independence from physical enslavement assures that one's forces can be submitted to the Master of the Universe.
Why the ear? Hearing is connected with understanding - with cogitating on and internalizing Divine wisdom. One who is enslaved to worries of this world, cannot have the peace of mind necessary to meditate and come to relate personally to the spiritual reality beyond our physical environs. Servitude to the Allmighty hinges on one accepting willingly the yoke of Heaven. This willingness comes about when one is free from their dependence on others and on the world around them.
This is what the Rebbe explains in the discourse "Ata Tetzave", that the true revelation of one's yechida occurs when one is completely free of external decrees and worries, and focuses only on experiencing the complete revelation of the Blessed Infinite Light in every aspect of reality. The build-up of the desire for the Light, brings about an increased willingness to subdue one's desires to the One Above, to the point of complete surrender of one's faculties expressed in utter self-sacrifice.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Yisro - the Wise Priest
In Exodus 18:1, the Torah tells us:"Yitro (Jethro), the 'minister' of Midian, the father-in-law of Moses, heard everything that G-d did to Moses and to Israel, his people..." The word for minister,"cohen", has two connotations - one is minister and the other is priest. Why is Yisro called the priest of Midian? To allude to his past life as an idolater, and not just any idolater, but the head of idolatrous practice for all the nation of Midian. Why would the Torah juxtapose this detail, with the coming of Yisro to join the Jewish people especially since the Torah goes out of its way not to say anything negative about anyone (see Genessis 7:2, the Torah goes out of its way to call a animal that is impure "not clean").
The explanation is that according to the Zohar, Yisro's joing the Jewish people was the necessary precondition for the revelation of G-d on Mt. Sinai, and the giving of the Ten Commandments. Yisro was the high priest of Midian for Idolatry, meaning he was the most well versed in astrology, in reading the paths of the constellations, and other stellar beings, in addition to understanding the relationships between angels in higher worlds and this world. This is what Maimonides explains was the basis for idolatry, obeisance to the intermediaries for bringing G-d's abundance into this world. This made Yisro one of the leading minds of his generation in earthly wisdom.
The Torah is Divine wisdom but in order for its light to first to be revealed in the world it has to be in a way of "as light surpasses darkness" (Ecclestiastes 2:13) -the revelation and supremacy of the light has to come out of great darkness. As chassidus explains this verse, that the transformation of darkness is the source for the greatest light. So also the transformation of Yisro, the greatest philosopher and scientist of the nations at the time brought about the greatest revelation of light the world has ever experienced.
(From the Lubavitcher Rebbe's Talks Volume 11)
The explanation is that according to the Zohar, Yisro's joing the Jewish people was the necessary precondition for the revelation of G-d on Mt. Sinai, and the giving of the Ten Commandments. Yisro was the high priest of Midian for Idolatry, meaning he was the most well versed in astrology, in reading the paths of the constellations, and other stellar beings, in addition to understanding the relationships between angels in higher worlds and this world. This is what Maimonides explains was the basis for idolatry, obeisance to the intermediaries for bringing G-d's abundance into this world. This made Yisro one of the leading minds of his generation in earthly wisdom.
The Torah is Divine wisdom but in order for its light to first to be revealed in the world it has to be in a way of "as light surpasses darkness" (Ecclestiastes 2:13) -the revelation and supremacy of the light has to come out of great darkness. As chassidus explains this verse, that the transformation of darkness is the source for the greatest light. So also the transformation of Yisro, the greatest philosopher and scientist of the nations at the time brought about the greatest revelation of light the world has ever experienced.
(From the Lubavitcher Rebbe's Talks Volume 11)
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Parshat B'Shlach - True Faith, True Prayer
Exodus 14:10 is a puzzling verse: "Pharaoh approached; the Children of Israel raises their eyes and behold!-Egypt was journeying after them, and they were very frightened; the Children of Israel cried out to Hashem". How can we understand the reaction of the Children of Israel in this verse. On the one hand, if after all their experiences of G-d's mighty hand in Egypt, they were not convinced that G-d was committed to taking them away from Egypt, why would crying out to G-d now help. On the other hand, if they were convinced, if they did believe in G-d's strength and commitment why cry out at all. It's clear that the Jews who came out of Egypt did believe in G-d and were willing to stake their lives on it. For instance, in performing the first paschal offering in Egypt, they were risking their lives, by taking the lamb which was Egypt's "deity" (Exodus 8:22) and sacrificing it to G-d.
Rashi explains the difficulty in this verse. In crying out, explains Rashi, the Children of Israel "seized upon the occupation of their fathers." Meaning that it was the daily occupation of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to cry out to G-d. The holy of forefathers of the Jewish people would not just cry out to G-d in their time of need but rather on a daily basis as is alluded to in Genesis 19:27, Genesis 24:63, and Genesis 28:11. So the Jewish people's crying out was not expressing a lack of faith. Rather the opposite, any person of faith when faced with a difficulty in their lives cries out to G-d even though they believe G-d will save them without crying out. Just like we need to share our troubles with the people around us, so we also need to share them with our Father in Heaven.
And this is the meaning of praying and learning as an occupation. When one goes to work, it is not because there is anything particularly important happening at the office on that day. It is simply part of staying connected to the source of one's mainstay. So also our connection to G-d is nurtured by daily prayer and learning, regardless of whether we have a special reason to do so or we are merely "clocking in" to seize onto the occupation of our fathers.
(Ideas are from the Talks of the Lubavitcher Rebbe Vol. 11)
Rashi explains the difficulty in this verse. In crying out, explains Rashi, the Children of Israel "seized upon the occupation of their fathers." Meaning that it was the daily occupation of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to cry out to G-d. The holy of forefathers of the Jewish people would not just cry out to G-d in their time of need but rather on a daily basis as is alluded to in Genesis 19:27, Genesis 24:63, and Genesis 28:11. So the Jewish people's crying out was not expressing a lack of faith. Rather the opposite, any person of faith when faced with a difficulty in their lives cries out to G-d even though they believe G-d will save them without crying out. Just like we need to share our troubles with the people around us, so we also need to share them with our Father in Heaven.
And this is the meaning of praying and learning as an occupation. When one goes to work, it is not because there is anything particularly important happening at the office on that day. It is simply part of staying connected to the source of one's mainstay. So also our connection to G-d is nurtured by daily prayer and learning, regardless of whether we have a special reason to do so or we are merely "clocking in" to seize onto the occupation of our fathers.
(Ideas are from the Talks of the Lubavitcher Rebbe Vol. 11)
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