This Week’s Torah Portion is Bechukotai, which means, In my decrees. It is the last portion in the book of Leviticus. It’s famous for containing a list of blessings and the Tochacha, a longer litany of curses. The blessings will come from God for carrying out the dictates of the Torah and the curses will, at first, be corrections; and then greater and greater misfortunes for willful disobedience. There is a section about redeeming things that have been donated and consecrated to God: a house, a field, an animal, and a tithe. In each case, the item in question can be redeemed, but also in each case, 20 per cent or a fifth must be added to its value. When something in the Torah is repeated, as here, the added fifth is repeated four times in this portion, it raises a red flag. In fact, the added fifth is mentioned a total of nine times in the Torah: eight times in the book of Leviticus, and once in the Book of Numbers. In the portion, Vayikra, the beginning of Leviticus, we are told that if we commit a sin unintentionally, we must confess, bring a guilt offering and add a fifth of its valuation to it. The same commandment applies later in that portion, to intentional sin: lying or stealing. The stolen items must be returned and a fifth added to the value. In Nasso, the second portion in the book of Numbers, we are told that any sin we commit we must confess to and add 20 per cent.
What is this 20 per cent all about? And is it as straightforward as it seems? Many of you have heard of the great kabbalist Isaac Luria and his circle, in 16th Century Safed in Israel. Rabbi Isaac, called the Lion or Ari, developed a theory of creation, The theory begins with Nothingness, called Ayin, and proceeds to the Divine becoming Manifest. Creation began, according to the Ari, with the Ayn Sof, the unimaginable infinite light that is without end; that which we call God, filling all existence. But in order to create a material world there had to be tzimtzum, or contraction. Luria theorized that God contracted the Divine Presence into vessels, but the vessels could not contain God’s Divine light, and shattered. The broken vessels that remained were mere shells or husks, called kelipot, which still contain Divine sparks. Luria taught that it is our task to redeem the husks, finding the Divine sparks within the matter that comprises our material world and raising them up to holiness. This is called Tikkun Olam, or repair of the Universe. In this way we may be active participants in healing the world. Luria’s theory relates to the concept of the added fifth in the following way.
The added fifth that God requires of us goes beyond our obligation to give to charity. It is, in a sense, God’s conception of our contribution to creation. God seems to be saying to us, “My children, I know that you will do what is right sometimes and what is wrong sometimes. When you do wrong, it hurts me, because you are a part of me and of my creation. Here is a way to fix the wrong by fixing the fabric of all creation. Bring an extra 20 percent of repair to what you have done. I’ll do 80 % of the work, but you can lift up a part of the universe and create holiness by your contribution of the fifth.” God seems to be asking us not only to restore what we have done to its original state, but to actually have a part in perfecting the world by our participation and contribution. We are dignified by God with the role of creating, like the Creator: not only putting back things to their original condition, but creating cosmic change for the good. When we realize what power we have to create goodness, we can effect changes in our very reality. The message of the added fifth is that we can do much by going beyond what is technically required of us: in kindness, in giving to charity, and in repairing the relationships we have bruised or damaged. We can find the holiness in the husks of mundane matter and release Divine sparks. The added fifth shows us how important we are to God in being co-creators of goodness and harmony. May we come to understand how much we can achieve for good and how important our contributions are to the infinite light of God in the Universe.
Friday, May 30, 2008
OUr 20 % Contribution
This Week’s Torah Portion is Bechukotai, which means, In my decrees. It is the last portion in the book of Leviticus. It’s famous for containing a list of blessings and the Tochacha, a longer litany of curses. The blessings will come from God for carrying out the dictates of the Torah and the curses will, at first, be corrections; and then greater and greater misfortunes for willful disobedience. There is a section about redeeming things that have been donated and consecrated to God: a house, a field, an animal, and a tithe. In each case, the item in question can be redeemed, but also in each case, 20 per cent or a fifth must be added to its value. When something in the Torah is repeated, as here, the added fifth is repeated four times in this portion, it raises a red flag. In fact, the added fifth is mentioned a total of nine times in the Torah: eight times in the book of Leviticus, and once in the Book of Numbers. In the portion, Vayikra, the beginning of Leviticus, we are told that if we commit a sin unintentionally, we must confess, bring a guilt offering and add a fifth of its valuation to it. The same commandment applies later in that portion, to intentional sin: lying or stealing. The stolen items must be returned and a fifth added to the value. In Nasso, the second portion in the book of Numbers, we are told that any sin we commit we must confess to and add 20 per cent.
What is this 20 per cent all about? And is it as straightforward as it seems? Many of you have heard of the great kabbalist Isaac Luria and his circle, in 16th Century Safed in Israel. Rabbi Isaac, called the Lion or Ari, developed a theory of creation, The theory begins with Nothingness, called Ayin, and proceeds to the Divine becoming Manifest. Creation began, according to the Ari, with the Ayn Sof, the unimaginable infinite light that is without end; that which we call God, filling all existence. But in order to create a material world there had to be tzimtzum, or contraction. Luria theorized that God contracted the Divine Presence into vessels, but the vessels could not contain God’s Divine light, and shattered. The broken vessels that remained were mere shells or husks, called kelipot, which still contain Divine sparks. Luria taught that it is our task to redeem the husks, finding the Divine sparks within the matter that comprises our material world and raising them up to holiness. This is called Tikkun Olam, or repair of the Universe. In this way we may be active participants in healing the world. Luria’s theory relates to the concept of the added fifth in the following way.
The added fifth that God requires of us goes beyond our obligation to give to charity. It is, in a sense, God’s conception of our contribution to creation. God seems to be saying to us, “My children, I know that you will do what is right sometimes and what is wrong sometimes. When you do wrong, it hurts me, because you are a part of me and of my creation. Here is a way to fix the wrong by fixing the fabric of all creation. Bring an extra 20 percent of repair to what you have done. I’ll do 80 % of the work, but you can lift up a part of the universe and create holiness by your contribution of the fifth.” God seems to be asking us not only to restore what we have done to its original state, but to actually have a part in perfecting the world by our participation and contribution. We are dignified by God with the role of creating, like the Creator: not only putting back things to their original condition, but creating cosmic change for the good. When we realize what power we have to create goodness, we can effect changes in our very reality. The message of the added fifth is that we can do much by going beyond what is technically required of us: in kindness, in giving to charity, and in repairing the relationships we have bruised or damaged. We can find the holiness in the husks of mundane matter and release Divine sparks. The added fifth shows us how important we are to God in being co-creators of goodness and harmony. May we come to understand how much we can achieve for good and how important our contributions are to the infinite light of God in the Universe.
What is this 20 per cent all about? And is it as straightforward as it seems? Many of you have heard of the great kabbalist Isaac Luria and his circle, in 16th Century Safed in Israel. Rabbi Isaac, called the Lion or Ari, developed a theory of creation, The theory begins with Nothingness, called Ayin, and proceeds to the Divine becoming Manifest. Creation began, according to the Ari, with the Ayn Sof, the unimaginable infinite light that is without end; that which we call God, filling all existence. But in order to create a material world there had to be tzimtzum, or contraction. Luria theorized that God contracted the Divine Presence into vessels, but the vessels could not contain God’s Divine light, and shattered. The broken vessels that remained were mere shells or husks, called kelipot, which still contain Divine sparks. Luria taught that it is our task to redeem the husks, finding the Divine sparks within the matter that comprises our material world and raising them up to holiness. This is called Tikkun Olam, or repair of the Universe. In this way we may be active participants in healing the world. Luria’s theory relates to the concept of the added fifth in the following way.
The added fifth that God requires of us goes beyond our obligation to give to charity. It is, in a sense, God’s conception of our contribution to creation. God seems to be saying to us, “My children, I know that you will do what is right sometimes and what is wrong sometimes. When you do wrong, it hurts me, because you are a part of me and of my creation. Here is a way to fix the wrong by fixing the fabric of all creation. Bring an extra 20 percent of repair to what you have done. I’ll do 80 % of the work, but you can lift up a part of the universe and create holiness by your contribution of the fifth.” God seems to be asking us not only to restore what we have done to its original state, but to actually have a part in perfecting the world by our participation and contribution. We are dignified by God with the role of creating, like the Creator: not only putting back things to their original condition, but creating cosmic change for the good. When we realize what power we have to create goodness, we can effect changes in our very reality. The message of the added fifth is that we can do much by going beyond what is technically required of us: in kindness, in giving to charity, and in repairing the relationships we have bruised or damaged. We can find the holiness in the husks of mundane matter and release Divine sparks. The added fifth shows us how important we are to God in being co-creators of goodness and harmony. May we come to understand how much we can achieve for good and how important our contributions are to the infinite light of God in the Universe.
What is Logical and Rational?
This week’s Torah portion is Behar, which means, on the Mountain. God gives Moses the rules for shemitah, the Sabbath of the land, and the Yovel, or Jubilee, the 50th year in which the land is returned to its original owners and slaves go free. Fair business dealings for land rental are given, and we are told that the land belongs to God. This portion contains a number of interesting concepts that stress kindness, charity, integrity, and also trust in God.
A famous passage speaks about trust. Levit. Chapter 25, v.20 says, And if you shall say, What shall we eat the seventh year? behold, we shall not sow, nor gather in our produce; Then I will command my blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three years. And you shall sow the eighth year, and eat still of old fruit until the ninth year; until its fruits come in you shall eat of the old store. This remarkable section stresses that what is logical and rational must not be allowed to determine our every action. Our sages in the Zohar have said, “As below, so above.” This indicates that we are actors in a script that is partially of our making. The Zohar goes on to say, B’reiseet 1:61a But when mankind corrupt their way and do not observe the commands of the Torah, and sin before their Master, they, as it were, thrust the Shekinah out of the world, and the earth is thus left in a corrupt state. For the Shekinah being thrust out, another spirit comes and hovers over the world, bringing with it corruption. It is in this sense that we say that Israel “gives strength unto Elohim”, that is, to the Shekinah, and thereby makes the world more secure.
The Torah tells us that God will provide a miracle for us every seven years, but that the miracle is conditional upon us playing a part in it. In what way can we be said to play our part? During the seventh year no planting is to be done. No one owns the produce the land naturally grows. This creates equality among rich and poor. Rabbis Sharoun Brous and Jill Hammer in The Women’s Torah Commentary, quote the medieval Rabbin Luncitz as saying, All strife originates from the attitude of mine is mine, and people claiming their prerogatives. But in the seventh year, all are equal, and this indeed can generate peace. During the seventh year we are to see the world as it is supposed to be, where each person is equal to everyone else and people are not valued primarily in economic terms.
In the book Living Mussar every day, by Rabbi Zvi Miller, the book Duties of the Heart is quoted: Typically when a person chooses a career, his priority is How much money can I make. The wisdom of the Torah guides us to consider a more dignified outlook. Our primary focus should be to fulfill the divine injunction to improve the world to the best of our capabilities. ….If we follow the counsel of our sages we will purify our motives and thereby enhance the quality of life for others as well as ourselves.
Another important verse describes a person who has had to sell himself into indentured labor. We are asked to redeem that person. The Hebrew is very interesting. It stresses the word, imach, which means with you, and this word is mentioned several times in this portion. The idea of other people being with us, or part of us, in other words, being our brother’s keeper, comes to mind. The other is then seen as part of ourselves, which is the true, yet hidden reality. The seventh year, when the land rests allows us to put to rest our desire for gain and advantage. This word, imach, is a profound statement of a deeper truth; that taking care of those less fortunate influences the miracles that will occur. That active repair of the world changes the outcome of our reality. That taking care of the land under our stewardship influences our well being. That playing our part in carrying out God’s directives can change or at least influence future events. If, as the Torah portion states, the primary force in the Universe is God, then how we carry out that which we are asked to do: to be trusting and altruistic, allows us to help to bring about the blessings of peace, harmony, and plenty that God intends. This seemingly irrational principle in the portion Behar is one upon which our world is built. It is up to us to help God bring us the blessings, through right action, caring, and the knowledge that each act of goodness from us, below, brings down acts of goodness from above. May we come to realize this deeper truth, and act with the knowledge that God depends upon us to help goodness come forth into the world.
A famous passage speaks about trust. Levit. Chapter 25, v.20 says, And if you shall say, What shall we eat the seventh year? behold, we shall not sow, nor gather in our produce; Then I will command my blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three years. And you shall sow the eighth year, and eat still of old fruit until the ninth year; until its fruits come in you shall eat of the old store. This remarkable section stresses that what is logical and rational must not be allowed to determine our every action. Our sages in the Zohar have said, “As below, so above.” This indicates that we are actors in a script that is partially of our making. The Zohar goes on to say, B’reiseet 1:61a But when mankind corrupt their way and do not observe the commands of the Torah, and sin before their Master, they, as it were, thrust the Shekinah out of the world, and the earth is thus left in a corrupt state. For the Shekinah being thrust out, another spirit comes and hovers over the world, bringing with it corruption. It is in this sense that we say that Israel “gives strength unto Elohim”, that is, to the Shekinah, and thereby makes the world more secure.
The Torah tells us that God will provide a miracle for us every seven years, but that the miracle is conditional upon us playing a part in it. In what way can we be said to play our part? During the seventh year no planting is to be done. No one owns the produce the land naturally grows. This creates equality among rich and poor. Rabbis Sharoun Brous and Jill Hammer in The Women’s Torah Commentary, quote the medieval Rabbin Luncitz as saying, All strife originates from the attitude of mine is mine, and people claiming their prerogatives. But in the seventh year, all are equal, and this indeed can generate peace. During the seventh year we are to see the world as it is supposed to be, where each person is equal to everyone else and people are not valued primarily in economic terms.
In the book Living Mussar every day, by Rabbi Zvi Miller, the book Duties of the Heart is quoted: Typically when a person chooses a career, his priority is How much money can I make. The wisdom of the Torah guides us to consider a more dignified outlook. Our primary focus should be to fulfill the divine injunction to improve the world to the best of our capabilities. ….If we follow the counsel of our sages we will purify our motives and thereby enhance the quality of life for others as well as ourselves.
Another important verse describes a person who has had to sell himself into indentured labor. We are asked to redeem that person. The Hebrew is very interesting. It stresses the word, imach, which means with you, and this word is mentioned several times in this portion. The idea of other people being with us, or part of us, in other words, being our brother’s keeper, comes to mind. The other is then seen as part of ourselves, which is the true, yet hidden reality. The seventh year, when the land rests allows us to put to rest our desire for gain and advantage. This word, imach, is a profound statement of a deeper truth; that taking care of those less fortunate influences the miracles that will occur. That active repair of the world changes the outcome of our reality. That taking care of the land under our stewardship influences our well being. That playing our part in carrying out God’s directives can change or at least influence future events. If, as the Torah portion states, the primary force in the Universe is God, then how we carry out that which we are asked to do: to be trusting and altruistic, allows us to help to bring about the blessings of peace, harmony, and plenty that God intends. This seemingly irrational principle in the portion Behar is one upon which our world is built. It is up to us to help God bring us the blessings, through right action, caring, and the knowledge that each act of goodness from us, below, brings down acts of goodness from above. May we come to realize this deeper truth, and act with the knowledge that God depends upon us to help goodness come forth into the world.
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