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Mon Apr 12 10:43:21 EDT 2010
thoughts as wicked. For they are not inherently so. However, be=
cause they lead us away from the unity wih God and others, then they are wi=
cked, in a sense.</span></div><div style=3D"font-family: Georgia,"Time=
s New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style=3D"font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;=
"><span style=3D"font-size: large;">In the Passover seder, when we read abo=
ut the four children, the one who is labeled "wicked/=D7=A8=D7=A9=D7=A2" is=
the one who separates themself from the community. It has always see=
med unfair to me that child is labeled as wicked. However, in this mo=
ment I am borrowing from the teaching of that text in order to say that I v=
iew the "wicked ones" in the psalm not as people, but the thoughts, feeling=
s, desires, and passions within us that separate us from the world and from=
the Divine.</span></div><div style=3D"font-family: Georgia,"Times New=
Roman",serif;"><span style=3D"font-size: large;"><i><b> </b></i></spa=
n></div><div style=3D"font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",seri=
f;"><span style=3D"font-size: large;">But if the wicked ones are not people=
, how and why are they rejoicing? And how do we get them to stop?</span></d=
iv><div style=3D"font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><=
span style=3D"font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style=3D"font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman"=
,serif;"><span style=3D"font-size: large;">I believe that these things that=
pull us away from a sense of unity and connection have their root in our e=
go. The ego is that part of us that tries to prevent connection to Go=
d and others and to instead focus only on the self, or the illusion of self=
. Each time the ego and its emissaries, the thoughts, feelings, etc. =
succeed in separating us from God and the world and convinces us to focus o=
nly on ourselves and our percieved needs, desires and passions, then it is =
as if they are rejoicing. They are rejoicing because they have succee=
ded in their task.</span></div><div style=3D"font-family: Georgia,"Tim=
es New Roman",serif;"><span style=3D"font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style=3D"font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman"=
,serif;"><span style=3D"font-size: large;">But until when will the "wicked =
ones" exist? Until when will they rejoice? The words "until whe=
n" are written twice because there are different answers to each question.&=
nbsp; They will always exist. The ego and the thoughts and beliefs it=
creates are always there within us. That is why we always need to mindful =
and aware of their existence.</span></div><div style=3D"font-family: Georgi=
a,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style=3D"font-size: large;"><br=
/>
</span></div><div style=3D"font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman"=
,serif;"><span style=3D"font-size: large;">But how long will they be rejoic=
ing? Until the moment when we recognize them for what they are and le=
t go of the stories they tell us. Until the moment when we turn away =
from the self and turn towards unity and God. When we do that, they cease r=
ejoicing, for they have failed. Just remember, that they are still th=
ere waiting for an opportunity to drag us into their trap again.</span></di=
v><div style=3D"font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><s=
pan style=3D"font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style=3D"font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman"=
,serif;"><span style=3D"font-size: large;">And what is it that helps us in =
our quest to avoid the pitfalls of the ego and keep ourselves connected?&nb=
sp; The answer is simple, and it is the word that is at the center of the v=
erse. God. It is the Divine within us, the source of unity and =
connection to all, that gives us the clarity of mind and the strength of sp=
irit to turn away from ego and separateness towards connection and unity.&n=
bsp; We each may have a different definition of what God is or is not. But =
I believe that the essence of God is the Divine energy that flows through a=
ll of humanity and the entire created world that reminds us that all =
is One, everyone and everything is connected. And that knowledge is w=
hat enables all of us to truly rejoice in each moment.</span></div>
<br><br>--<br>
Posted By Rabbi Steven Nathan to <a href=3D"http://mindfultorah.blogspot=
.com/2010/05/psalm-for-wednesday-psalm-94-verse-3.html">Mindful Torah</a> =
at 5/05/2010 05:29:00 PM
------=_Part_36002_982737633.1273094983562--
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