Nevertheless, there is a hidden and deep intention in this matter...that the Ten Sephirot are the vessels and the Infinite Light affects the world through them, to build and destroy and plant, etc. And without the Sephirot the worlds cannot contain and receive the illumination from the Infinite Light... But even Wisdom which is the primary of all the Sephirot is like a corporeal entity compared to the essential Infinite Light of Hashem. So for the Infinite Light to garment itself in them to act through them is a great descent...
The Sephirot are not Hashem but they belong to a Divine Identity. Most creatures have some level of self-identity, or ego, that makes them separate from G-d. They can be used by G-d for some purpose but at all times they maintain the feeling of being separate entities. The Ten Sephirot are distinct in that they don't have any identity beyond carrying out G-d's will.
Nevertheless, even the Ten Sephirot, including Wisdom, the first of the Sephirot, that none can grasp even the holiest man or angel, is before G-d like a table or a chair. In G-d's eyes, creating a constellation of stars and a row of snails is an equal act before His Infinitude. Similarly, the Sephirot are as naught before Him. What I see as G-d's awesome power to create and enliven endless worlds is actually a demonstration of His humility.
Like we say in the Hallel Prayer (Psalms 113:5) "Who is enthroned on high - yet deigns to look upon the heavens..." To look upon the heavens is for Him a great descent. While from the point of view of the nations (Psalms 113:4) High above all nations is Hashem, above the heavens is his glory," in truth, even the fact that He is above the heavens is a demonstration of his "deigning" to look down to a lowly relatively finite place.
The kabbalistic explanation of our praises to G-d and our intentionality in prayer is not about our need to recognize G-d's kindness with us. But rather it is about helping G-d to lower Himself to a position where He is interested in worldly matters. It's important to note that when we speak about the Infinite Light, we are not referring to G-d Himself, but rather to the emanation of His will, as has been described at length elsewhere.
(The text in italics are the words of Derech Mitzvosecha by the third
Lubavitcher Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek. The bolded words are Rabbi Adin
Steinsaltz's commentary as heard on his shiurim on hashefa.co.il. The
rest is my commentary. All rights reserved to Rabbi Steinsaltz. Pictures courtesy of Moshe Schlass.)
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Part 2: Chapter 1 How much Does G-d need our "Flattery"?
But in order to settle this [the question why we have to think about G-d's attributes/names in prayer] we need to preface summarily what has been explaiined regarding the Hallel (Thanksgiving) prayer - what purpose do these praises serve? Does He need them? For all inhabitants of the world are like naught before him...And some explained that these praises are intended to purify our souls. In recognizing His benevolence and that He alone is able to reform the matter as he sees fit we prepare our souls to be better vessels to receive the abundance from Above.
There's a deeper question that needs to be addressed here. Why do we need to tell G-d at all what it is that we need in prayer? He knows much better than I what I need and what is the best way to provide this to me. There's a similar question regarding why we are constantly praising G-d for his wondrous creations.
It is one of the customs and legal requirements in the month of Nissan to make a blessing regarding the flowering trees. We try to make a blessing on two fruit bearing trees with the general expression of praise and thankfulness for having created beautiful creatures in His world. When I'm making the blessing I'm not asking for anything just expressing my gratitude. There are certain things for which I give thanks for their magnitude - the expansive ocean, a shooting star, a volcano. There are things that I give thanks for their difference, their peculiarity...
Most people enjoy a compliment. Some are not satisfied with a light compliment, they require a few coats of paint on their compliment. Now, it's clear that the enjoyment of the compliment is relative to the stature of the person giving the compliment. I don't enjoy at all receiving a compliment from a small child. So what benefit can there be for G-d from our praise? So one answer is more psychological having to do with the effect on the one giving the compliment. That the praise to G-d causes an uplifting of the soul to better receive the abundance. But there is another explanation from a kabbalistic perspective...
Blessings and praises were instituted by the Sages in the beginning of the Second Temple period. The more simple explanation is that because the Second Temple period was less miraculous and supernatural, there was more of a need to praise the small daily miracles that occur inside of nature. By sensitizing ourselves to these occurrences we can also realize when G-d is answering our prayers and be properly grateful for the abundance we receive from Him on a daily basis.
(The text in italics are the words of Derech Mitzvosecha by the third
Lubavitcher Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek. The bolded words are Rabbi Adin
Steinsaltz's commentary as heard on his shiurim on hashefa.co.il. The
rest is my commentary. All rights reserved to Rabbi Steinsaltz. Picture courtesy of Moshe Schlass.)
There's a deeper question that needs to be addressed here. Why do we need to tell G-d at all what it is that we need in prayer? He knows much better than I what I need and what is the best way to provide this to me. There's a similar question regarding why we are constantly praising G-d for his wondrous creations.
It is one of the customs and legal requirements in the month of Nissan to make a blessing regarding the flowering trees. We try to make a blessing on two fruit bearing trees with the general expression of praise and thankfulness for having created beautiful creatures in His world. When I'm making the blessing I'm not asking for anything just expressing my gratitude. There are certain things for which I give thanks for their magnitude - the expansive ocean, a shooting star, a volcano. There are things that I give thanks for their difference, their peculiarity...
Most people enjoy a compliment. Some are not satisfied with a light compliment, they require a few coats of paint on their compliment. Now, it's clear that the enjoyment of the compliment is relative to the stature of the person giving the compliment. I don't enjoy at all receiving a compliment from a small child. So what benefit can there be for G-d from our praise? So one answer is more psychological having to do with the effect on the one giving the compliment. That the praise to G-d causes an uplifting of the soul to better receive the abundance. But there is another explanation from a kabbalistic perspective...
Blessings and praises were instituted by the Sages in the beginning of the Second Temple period. The more simple explanation is that because the Second Temple period was less miraculous and supernatural, there was more of a need to praise the small daily miracles that occur inside of nature. By sensitizing ourselves to these occurrences we can also realize when G-d is answering our prayers and be properly grateful for the abundance we receive from Him on a daily basis.
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Chapter 17 Going to the Store vs. Home Delivery
But the question of the Rivash why it's necessary to do all
this [to direct G-d's blessing to a particular Sephira] - this is a
serious query...
When I'm dealing with a complex structure such as a government bureaucracy or even a department store so there are many different departments, each one stands on its own. If I want a half kilo of nails I can't go to a pharmacy. Even if I go to a department store they'll tell me "we have nails and medicine, but you need to go up yourself two floors up to the appropriate department."
So when I'm talking about G-d and He's above all these divisions - why do I need to get into specifics? If I'm truly beloved to someone - to the manager of the department store for instance. So I can come to him and tell him I want half a kilo of tomatoes, aspirin, two needles and a Phillips screwdriver. When I go by myself I won't find all these in one place. I can go to the owner and ask him for all these things. I can turn to G-d and say that I don't know how to find all these things, and He can send them according to His understanding.
This is the question of the Rivash, and in order to answer it, we need to understand the concept behind Hallel or the praise and thankfulness parts of the daily prayer.
Here we get to the crux of what the Sages meant that the Jewish people are not answered in their prayers since they do not have the proper intentions in G-d's Name. Name vowelization means to think about how G-d is garmenting Himself in a particular garment to give me what I need. But this is also another aspect of the praise and thankfulness we shower upon G-d in our prayers - and why indeed must we do all this? In order to prepare ourselves, and hone our sensitivity to appreciate G-d's presence in our life, and if we do this properly then our prayers are answered and we have Him with us and feel Him with us throughout the day.
(The text in italics are the words of Derech Mitzvosecha by the third
Lubavitcher Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek. The bolded words are Rabbi Adin
Steinsaltz's commentary as heard on his shiurim on hashefa.co.il. The
rest is my commentary. All rights reserved to Rabbi Steinsaltz. Picture courtesy of Moshe Schlass.)
When I'm dealing with a complex structure such as a government bureaucracy or even a department store so there are many different departments, each one stands on its own. If I want a half kilo of nails I can't go to a pharmacy. Even if I go to a department store they'll tell me "we have nails and medicine, but you need to go up yourself two floors up to the appropriate department."
So when I'm talking about G-d and He's above all these divisions - why do I need to get into specifics? If I'm truly beloved to someone - to the manager of the department store for instance. So I can come to him and tell him I want half a kilo of tomatoes, aspirin, two needles and a Phillips screwdriver. When I go by myself I won't find all these in one place. I can go to the owner and ask him for all these things. I can turn to G-d and say that I don't know how to find all these things, and He can send them according to His understanding.
This is the question of the Rivash, and in order to answer it, we need to understand the concept behind Hallel or the praise and thankfulness parts of the daily prayer.
Here we get to the crux of what the Sages meant that the Jewish people are not answered in their prayers since they do not have the proper intentions in G-d's Name. Name vowelization means to think about how G-d is garmenting Himself in a particular garment to give me what I need. But this is also another aspect of the praise and thankfulness we shower upon G-d in our prayers - and why indeed must we do all this? In order to prepare ourselves, and hone our sensitivity to appreciate G-d's presence in our life, and if we do this properly then our prayers are answered and we have Him with us and feel Him with us throughout the day.
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Chapter 16 Loss of Innocence and Sophisticated Intentions
But the question of the Rivash [quoting R. Shimshon DeKinon "I pray with the mindset of a small child"] why it's necessary to do all this [to direct G-d's blessing to a particular Sephira] - this is a serious query. And in order to address this question we must understand the idea of Hallel, praise and thanksgiving, that draws down G-d's attributes into active revelation...
I learn in these texts that G-d is completely simple and singular beyond all relation to the detailed world we live in. One of the advantages of a child's mindset is that it is completely simplistic and lacks knowledge, and contains very childish ideas about G-d so when they pray, it's with a whole heart. And they are not disturbed by any philosphical or theological issues.
I recently attended at our school a celebration for boys as well as girls on receiving their first prayerbook. And each child turned in a note with a personal prayer and what they're thankful for. Some prayed for the Temple to be rebuilt, and some for our soldiers to win against the enemy. Someone said thanks for a new baby brother, one thanked Hashem that she's a blonde... One asked that her great-grandmother live forever- this is all right for the child's prayer.
An adult asks for different things and gives thanks for different things. But more importantly, an adult loses the ability to be so innocent. Particularly from the standpoint of knowledge. It's much easier to pray to G-d when I have a more materialistic picture in my mind. But the more I learn about how far I am from conceiving His essence, the harder it becomes.
R. Shimshon deKinon and the Ba'alei Tosfos lived in 12th and 13th century France, and on the one hand were able to analyze a verse or a gemara in 85 different ways, but their world was of the utmost simplicity... But the Rivash knew Greek philosophy and Arab philosophy which makes it much more difficult to revert to childish innocence.
When we pray, we have to feel that what we are doing makes sense. For a child, they are not so troubled by issues of reward and punishment and the likelihood of their prayer being answered. They simply ask without making an accounting. An adult, on the other hand, for emotional reasons, primarily, must feel that it makes sense for them to stand before G-d and ask for their every need to be fulfilled.
(The text in italics are the words of Derech Mitzvosecha by the third Lubavitcher Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek. The bolded words are Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz's commentary as heard on his shiurim on hashefa.co.il. The rest is my commentary. All rights reserved to Rabbi Steinsaltz)
I learn in these texts that G-d is completely simple and singular beyond all relation to the detailed world we live in. One of the advantages of a child's mindset is that it is completely simplistic and lacks knowledge, and contains very childish ideas about G-d so when they pray, it's with a whole heart. And they are not disturbed by any philosphical or theological issues.
I recently attended at our school a celebration for boys as well as girls on receiving their first prayerbook. And each child turned in a note with a personal prayer and what they're thankful for. Some prayed for the Temple to be rebuilt, and some for our soldiers to win against the enemy. Someone said thanks for a new baby brother, one thanked Hashem that she's a blonde... One asked that her great-grandmother live forever- this is all right for the child's prayer.
An adult asks for different things and gives thanks for different things. But more importantly, an adult loses the ability to be so innocent. Particularly from the standpoint of knowledge. It's much easier to pray to G-d when I have a more materialistic picture in my mind. But the more I learn about how far I am from conceiving His essence, the harder it becomes.
R. Shimshon deKinon and the Ba'alei Tosfos lived in 12th and 13th century France, and on the one hand were able to analyze a verse or a gemara in 85 different ways, but their world was of the utmost simplicity... But the Rivash knew Greek philosophy and Arab philosophy which makes it much more difficult to revert to childish innocence.
When we pray, we have to feel that what we are doing makes sense. For a child, they are not so troubled by issues of reward and punishment and the likelihood of their prayer being answered. They simply ask without making an accounting. An adult, on the other hand, for emotional reasons, primarily, must feel that it makes sense for them to stand before G-d and ask for their every need to be fulfilled.
(The text in italics are the words of Derech Mitzvosecha by the third Lubavitcher Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek. The bolded words are Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz's commentary as heard on his shiurim on hashefa.co.il. The rest is my commentary. All rights reserved to Rabbi Steinsaltz)
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Chapter 15 Same "Guy", Different Garments
All this was to explain the metaphor of the Rivash, that we should not come to understand that the Sephirot are like separate entities to whom G-d commands. Rather, it's more appropriate to describe the Sephirot as different garments.
In the Temple, the priests would wear a uniform. But there were different uniforms. There were uniforms for the service of the Offerings and there were other garments for cleaning the ashes off the altar, for instance. There were Uniforms type A, and type B. The priests would wear long white garments and if the garments were ripped or got dirty, they would have to change them because a dirty or ripped uniform is inappropriate for Temple service.
A surgeon is supposed to wear clean garments at least when it comes to performing a surgery. Usually, these are also not perfectly clean but if I see the surgeon on the street in his street clothes, I'm going to prefer that he perform the surgery in his surgeon's clothes.
Similarly, in prayer we refer to G-d by different vowelizations that are like different garments in which He garments Himself. Different garments are appropriate for different requests.
(The text in italics are the words of Derech Mitzvosecha by the third Lubavitcher Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek. The bolded words are Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz's commentary as heard on his shiurim on hashefa.co.il. The rest is my commentary. All rights reserved to Rabbi Steinsaltz)
In the Temple, the priests would wear a uniform. But there were different uniforms. There were uniforms for the service of the Offerings and there were other garments for cleaning the ashes off the altar, for instance. There were Uniforms type A, and type B. The priests would wear long white garments and if the garments were ripped or got dirty, they would have to change them because a dirty or ripped uniform is inappropriate for Temple service.
A surgeon is supposed to wear clean garments at least when it comes to performing a surgery. Usually, these are also not perfectly clean but if I see the surgeon on the street in his street clothes, I'm going to prefer that he perform the surgery in his surgeon's clothes.
Similarly, in prayer we refer to G-d by different vowelizations that are like different garments in which He garments Himself. Different garments are appropriate for different requests.
(The text in italics are the words of Derech Mitzvosecha by the third Lubavitcher Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek. The bolded words are Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz's commentary as heard on his shiurim on hashefa.co.il. The rest is my commentary. All rights reserved to Rabbi Steinsaltz)
Monday, May 19, 2014
Chapter 14 Free Unlimited Giving (for one who is humble enough to ask)
It is very difficult to receive from the Attribute of Judgement... If not through a great and awesome
merit...What is not so from His attribute of Kindness, His way is to do goodness with the good as well as the evil...
On the holiday of Purim, our custom is not to distinguish to whom we are giving tzedaka, whether they deserve or not. Other days we have to do an accounting lest we end up giving less to a person who needs it more. But some days we simply give freely...
When we stand in front of G-d and demand something...Shouldn't we worry that G-d may inspect us and say - aren't you embarrassed to show your face around here, you dirty lowly creature...This is why we ask from G-d's attribute of Kindness and then he doesn't pay attention whether we're clean or dirty.
What we say in the Avinu Malkeinu prayer [during the ten days between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur] - "Do for us in the merit of... and in the merit of... but at the end of the whole list of merits we say: Do with us a kindness and free gift... We realize that even the long list of merits may not suffice for prayers to be answered. So we ask from G-d's unlimited Kindness to answer us without an accounting. Of course, we don't expect such a response to be with "thunder and lightening" [a series of miraculous occurrences on our behalf] but rather a more modest fulfilment of our prayers based on our own humble status.
Prayer must be preceded by a personal accounting so that we should know that our needs can only be fulfilled from G-d's attribute of Kindness that overlooks our many faults. We have to know what G-d sees when he looks at us and how He nevertheless gives us everything we need.
(The text in italics are the words of Derech Mitzvosecha by the third Lubavitcher Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek. The bolded words are Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz's commentary as heard on his shiurim on hashefa.co.il. The rest is my commentary.)
merit...What is not so from His attribute of Kindness, His way is to do goodness with the good as well as the evil...
On the holiday of Purim, our custom is not to distinguish to whom we are giving tzedaka, whether they deserve or not. Other days we have to do an accounting lest we end up giving less to a person who needs it more. But some days we simply give freely...
When we stand in front of G-d and demand something...Shouldn't we worry that G-d may inspect us and say - aren't you embarrassed to show your face around here, you dirty lowly creature...This is why we ask from G-d's attribute of Kindness and then he doesn't pay attention whether we're clean or dirty.
What we say in the Avinu Malkeinu prayer [during the ten days between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur] - "Do for us in the merit of... and in the merit of... but at the end of the whole list of merits we say: Do with us a kindness and free gift... We realize that even the long list of merits may not suffice for prayers to be answered. So we ask from G-d's unlimited Kindness to answer us without an accounting. Of course, we don't expect such a response to be with "thunder and lightening" [a series of miraculous occurrences on our behalf] but rather a more modest fulfilment of our prayers based on our own humble status.
Prayer must be preceded by a personal accounting so that we should know that our needs can only be fulfilled from G-d's attribute of Kindness that overlooks our many faults. We have to know what G-d sees when he looks at us and how He nevertheless gives us everything we need.
(The text in italics are the words of Derech Mitzvosecha by the third Lubavitcher Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek. The bolded words are Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz's commentary as heard on his shiurim on hashefa.co.il. The rest is my commentary.)
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Chapter 13 The Truth about Truth
As it says:"Moses hastened [to prostrate himself]"(Ex. 34:8), for he saw G-d attribute of Truth.
G-d's attribute of Truth is so awesome that even Moses could not stand erect in its revelation
There's a general inquiry about why G-d's attibute of Truth is included as one of the 13 Attributes of Mercy. On the one hand, Truth is quick to point out faults. On the other hand, sometimes you see a person walking in the street and to you he might look like a big tzaddik, "saintly person", dressed in a long jacket and a beard coming down to his knees. So if he's really a tzaddik so he must be judged very strictly in all his deeds. But then comes the attribute of Truth and points out that this person has merely an external saintly appearance but inside he's a rotten apple. This is the compassion side of Truth.
Similarly, when one sees only the external appearance of the world, of current events and politics, he might become angry about all that he hears. But when one examines these realities according to the attribute of Truth, one sees a list of empty words, made-up stories, and fairy tales of the Brother Grimm. For instance, if I see the Prime Minister as a state leader, I might be outraged to hear of his doings. But from the perspective of Truth I see he's after all only a small person so a small person can also steal a little bit sometimes...
So we see that it's possible to find merit in G-d's eyes even when He's looking at us with strict judgement. Our G-d always includes kindness and judgement together and always leaves a way for improving the situation and fixing mistakes.
(The text in italics are the words of Derech Mitzvosecha by the third Lubavitcher Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek. The bolded words are Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz's commentary as heard on his shiurim on hashefa.co.il. The rest is my commentary.)
G-d's attribute of Truth is so awesome that even Moses could not stand erect in its revelation
There's a general inquiry about why G-d's attibute of Truth is included as one of the 13 Attributes of Mercy. On the one hand, Truth is quick to point out faults. On the other hand, sometimes you see a person walking in the street and to you he might look like a big tzaddik, "saintly person", dressed in a long jacket and a beard coming down to his knees. So if he's really a tzaddik so he must be judged very strictly in all his deeds. But then comes the attribute of Truth and points out that this person has merely an external saintly appearance but inside he's a rotten apple. This is the compassion side of Truth.
Similarly, when one sees only the external appearance of the world, of current events and politics, he might become angry about all that he hears. But when one examines these realities according to the attribute of Truth, one sees a list of empty words, made-up stories, and fairy tales of the Brother Grimm. For instance, if I see the Prime Minister as a state leader, I might be outraged to hear of his doings. But from the perspective of Truth I see he's after all only a small person so a small person can also steal a little bit sometimes...
So we see that it's possible to find merit in G-d's eyes even when He's looking at us with strict judgement. Our G-d always includes kindness and judgement together and always leaves a way for improving the situation and fixing mistakes.
(The text in italics are the words of Derech Mitzvosecha by the third Lubavitcher Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek. The bolded words are Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz's commentary as heard on his shiurim on hashefa.co.il. The rest is my commentary.)
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