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Mon Apr 12 10:43:21 EDT 2010
moment, past is a dream and future is an illusion. I believe that this
is how the psalmist, at least in this case, also understands the world.
They are not predicting nor stating with certainty what will occur.
They are simply implying what might happen should the wicked ones
continue prevail. This crushing and oppression are the potential
results should we allow the forces of the ego to prevail.
These forces have the ability not merely to injur, but to spiritually
crush all of God's people, which means all people. Indeed, all of God's
world. The ego, in setting the individual above all else, ultimately
brings about the downfall of that person, but not without wreaking
havoc on others around them as well.
But more than that, these forces "oppress God's inheritance." Using a
verb =D7=A2=D7=A0=D7=94, which has also been used to describe slavery, the =
psalm
reminds us that the ego can enslave. From that place of enslavement we
become a people oppressed and a people that oppresses others. In
allowing this to happen we are indeed oppressing or afflicting God's
inheritance. For all of us, all of the world, is the inheritance of
God.
We are from and of God and our souls also will ultimately
be "inherited" by God when our body departs this world. If we allow the
forces of the ego to prevail, then God receives a damaged, oppressed
soul. But more than that, we must live with that damaged, oppressed
soul prior to our death.
However, we must remember that the verse is not predicting any of this
with certainty. Rather, it is reminding us of what may happen if we
allow it to happen.
May we work together to see that this does not occur and that the ego
does not prevail. May we do this for the sake of the One of all
Creation, the Source of All Life and the good of our world.
--
Posted By Rabbi Steven Nathan to Mindful Torah at 5/26/2010 12:55:00 AM
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<span style=3D"font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font=
-size: large;"></span><div style=3D"font-family: Georgia,"Times New Ro=
man",serif;"><span style=3D"font-size: large;"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e: x-large;"> <span style=3D"font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roma=
n",serif; font-size: small;">I apologize for the absence of psalm comm=
entaries for the last two days (I am not writing them on Shabbat). As=
I wrote at the begin, I will try to write these on a daily basis, but ther=
e are simply times when this is not possible. Thank you for und=
erstanding. SPN</span></span></span></div><div style=3D"font-family: =
Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style=3D"font-size: large=
;"><span style=3D"font-size: x-large;"><span style=3D"font-size: small;"><b=
r />
</span></span></span></div><div style=3D"font-family: Georgia,"Times N=
ew Roman",serif;"><span style=3D"font-size: large;"><span style=3D"fon=
t-size: x-large;">=D7=A2=D7=9E=D7=9A =D7=99=D7=94=D7=95=D7=94 =D7=99=D7=93=
=D7=9B=D7=90=D7=95 =D7=95=D7=A0=D7=97=D7=9C=D7=AA=D7=9A =D7=99=D7=A2=D7=A0=
=D7=95</span></span></div><div style=3D"font-family: Georgia,"Times Ne=
w Roman",serif;"><span style=3D"font-size: large;"><span style=3D"font=
-size: x-large;"> </span><b><i> </i></b></span><b><i><span style=3D"fo=
nt-size: large;">God, they may crush your people; they may oppress your inh=
eritance.</span></i></b></div><div style=3D"font-family: Georgia,"Time=
s 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;">As in my commentaries on the two=
preceding verses, "they" refers to the ego and its forces that try t=
o separate us from the Oneness of the universe.</span></div><div style=3D"f=
ont-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;">This verse is profound in its ve=
ry simplicity. It is these forces of the ego that try to get us=
to think that the <i>I</i>, which is merely an illusion, is more important=
than the <i>One</i>, which is the true reality. These forces, through the=
ir manipulations, can ultimately bring about destruction. </span></div=
><div style=3D"font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br=
/>
</div><div style=3D"font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;=
"><span style=3D"font-size: large;">However, it is important to remember th=
at the two verbs, translated here as forms of "crush" and "oppress," are no=
t the future tense as we understand it. </span><span style=3D"font-si=
ze: large;">In Biblical Hebrew there is no future tense. There is o=
nly the imperfect form, which implies that an action MAY take place at a f=
uture time, but is in no way stating that it will. Therefore, I have =
translated the</span><span style=3D"font-size: large;"> verses to clearly r=
ead that the actions MAY occur and not that they WILL. </span></div><div st=
yle=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;">From the perspecitve of mindfuln=
ess teachings, we only have the present moment, past is a dream and future =
is an illusion. I believe that this is how the psalmist, at least in this c=
ase, also understands the world. They are not predicting nor stating =
with certainty what will occur. They are simply implying what might happen=
should the wicked ones continue prevail. This crushing and oppression are =
the potential results should we allow the forces of the ego to prevail.</sp=
an></div><div style=3D"font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",ser=
if;"><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;">These forces have the ability no=
t merely to injur, but to spiritually crush all of God's people, which mean=
s all people. Indeed, all of God's world. The ego, in setting the in=
dividual above all else, ultimately brings about the downfall of that perso=
n, but not without wreaking havoc on others around them as well.</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;">But more than that, these forces=
"oppress God's inheritance." Using a verb =D7=A2=D7=A0=D7=94, which=
has also been used to describe slavery, the psalm reminds us that the ego =
can enslave. From that place of enslavement we become a people oppressed a=
nd a people that oppresses others. In allowing this to happen we are indee=
d oppressing or afflicting God's inheritance. For all of us, all of the wo=
rld, is the inheritance of God. </span></div><div style=3D"font-family=
: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style=3D"font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;=
"><span style=3D"font-size: large;">We are from and of God and our souls al=
so will ultimately be "inherited" by God when our body departs this world. =
If we allow the forces of the ego to prevail, then God receives a damaged,=
oppressed soul. But more than that, we must live with that damaged, oppres=
sed soul prior to our death.</span></div><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;">However, we must remember that t=
he verse is not predicting any of this with certainty. Rather, it is remin=
ding us of what may happen if we allow it to happen. </span></div><div=
style=3D"font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style=3D"font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;=
"><span style=3D"font-size: large;">May we work together to see that this d=
oes not occur and that the ego does not prevail. May we do this for t=
he sake of the One of all Creation, the Source of All Life and the go=
od of our world.</span></div>
<br><br>--<br>
Posted By Rabbi Steven Nathan to <a href=3D"http://mindfultorah.blogspot=
.com/2010/05/i-apologize-for-absence-of-psalm.html">Mindful Torah</a> at =
5/26/2010 12:55:00 AM
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