No subject
Mon Apr 12 10:43:21 EDT 2010
contains. We are able to see the unity that connects all within God. In
every moment when we are mindful and recognize this, then we lift up a
blessing from the Divine.
For though we may be standing on the mountain, that does mean we are
any closer to God. For God is not in the heavens or on the mountaintop.
And the mountaintop of which the psalmist speaks is not a physical
location. The mountain of God is on a spiritual plane and represents
being with God and with all in the moment. It means letting down our
guard, breaking down the walls we build around us and allowing
ourselves to connect with others and with our universe. God dwells in
all places where we let God in, as the hassidic rebbe Levi Yitzhak of
Berditchev taught. When we open our heart and soul in this way, then we
stand on God's mountain and let God in.
This is what connects us with the rest of the universe and allows us to
raise up God's blessing. We raise this blessing up not from some
physical place, but from deep within ourselves. It rises from our soul,
the spark of the Divine within, it infuses our entire being and then it
radiates out to the world. Thus the cycle of interconnectedness at the
heart of Oneness continues.
When we lift up the Divine blessing from deep within our souls what is
it that we receive as our gift from the Source of all blessing? What we
receive is tzedakah =D7=A6=D7=93=D7=A7=D7=94. Often translated as 'charity'=
, this word
actually means righteousness. But this is not self-righteousness
or "holier than thou" righteousness. This is righteousness that is
comprised of doing justice and correct action. Yet, how do we know when
something is truly just and correct? How do we know it's not just
another trick of the ego leading us to believe the opposite of what is
true?
For something to be truly righteous, just and correct it must, as the
verse implies, come from =D7=90=D7=9C=D7=94=D7=99 =D7=99=D7=A9=D7=A2=D7=95 =
the God of our salvation. Mordecai
Kaplan, founder of Reconstructionism, saw salvation as a striving for
personal and societal perfection. In the Hebrew Bible the word for
righteousness =D7=99=D7=A9=D7=95=D7=A2 yeshua implies an expansiveness of t=
he soul, rather
than a narrowness or constricted nature implied by tzarot =D7=A6=D7=A8=D7=
=95=D7=AA, the
word for troubles, which is often viewed as its antithesis.
Does that mean that, if we experience a perfected life free from
trouble, strife and constrictedness then we can be sure we have
achieved salvation? Of course not! However, if the sense of blessing
rising up within from our souls causes us to act in a way that we
alleviate some degree of suffering in our world and does not just
address our own individual suffering or individual desires, then it can
be seen as a blessing that has come to us from the God of our
Salvation. Doing this must be our goal in every moment.
There are some moments when we achieve the goal and many others when we
do not. For none of us is immune to the tricks of the ego. And none of
us is always totally selfless and altruistic. So we just keep trying
our best in each moment to be mindful so that we may find ourselves
standing on God's holy mountain, receiving the blessing from of our
soul and then acting to make the world a better place. It's not a
simple task, but it's one we must try our best to achieve in every
moment - or as often as possible.
--
Posted By Rabbi Steven Nathan to Mindful Torah at 5/30/2010 06:49:00 PM
------=_Part_173436_1682172087.1275259759306
Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
<span style=3D"font-size: large;"></span><div style=3D"font-family: Georgia=
,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><b><span style=3D"font-size: large;=
">=D7=99=D7=A9=D7=90 =D7=91=D7=A8=D7=9B=D7=94 =D7=9E=D7=90=D7=AA =D7=99=D7=
=94=D7=95=D7=94 =D7=95=D7=A6=D7=93=D7=A7=D7=94 =D7=9E=D7=90=D7=9C=D7=94=D7=
=99 =D7=99=D7=A9=D7=A2=D7=95</span></b></i></div><div style=3D"font-family:=
Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><b><span style=3D"font-size=
: large;">They shall lift up blessing from the Eternal and righteousness fr=
om the God of their salvation.</span></b></i></div><div style=3D"font-famil=
y: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style=3D"font-size: la=
rge;"><br />
</span></div><div style=3D"font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman"=
,serif;"><span style=3D"font-size: large;">Last week's commentary concluded=
with: "By being mindful we can avoid these traps [when the ego tries to co=
nvince us that self-centered action is really for the good of the One] and =
do that which lifts up our soul to holiness and connects the soul to its s=
ource. When we act this way, then we will certainly find ourselves standin=
g on holy ground on "God's holy mountain". And that is where we are all me=
ant to be."</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;">When any of is able to act in a =
way that affirms our connection with all creation through the One of the un=
iverse then we are standing on 'God's holy mountain.'</span></div><div styl=
e=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 our place on the mountain w=
e can see the world and the glory it contains. We are able to see the unity=
that connects all within God. In every moment when we are mindful and rec=
ognize this, then we lift up a blessing from the Divine. </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;">For though we may be standing on the mo=
untain, that does mean we are any closer to God. For God is not in the hea=
vens or on the mountaintop. And the mountaintop of which the psalmist speak=
s is not a physical location. The mountain of God is on a spiritual plane =
and represents being with God and with all in the moment. It means letting=
down our guard, breaking down the walls we build around us and allowing ou=
rselves to connect with others and with our universe. God dwells in all pla=
ces where we let God in, as the <span class=3D"goog-spellcheck-word">hassid=
ic</span> <i><span class=3D"goog-spellcheck-word">rebbe</span></i> Levi <sp=
an class=3D"goog-spellcheck-word">Yitzhak</span> of <span class=3D"goog-spe=
llcheck-word">Berditchev</span> taught. When we open our heart and s=
oul in this way, then we stand on God's mountain and let God in.</spa=
n></div><div style=3D"font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",seri=
f;"><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 is what connects us with th=
e rest of the universe and allows us to raise up God's blessing. We raise t=
his blessing up not from some physical place, but from deep within ou=
rselves. It rises from our soul, the spark of the Divine within, it infuse=
s our entire being and then it radiates out to the world. Thus the cycle of=
interconnectedness at the heart of Oneness continues.</span></div><div sty=
le=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;">When we lift up the Divine bless=
ing from deep within our souls what is it that we receive as our gift from =
the Source of all blessing? What we receive is <i><span class=3D"goog=
-spellcheck-word">tzedakah</span></i> =D7=A6=D7=93=D7=A7=D7=94. Often tran=
slated as 'charity', this word actually means righteousness. But this is n=
ot self-righteousness or "holier than thou" righteousness. This is righteou=
sness that is comprised of doing justice and correct action. Yet, how do w=
e know when something is truly just and correct? How do we know it's not j=
ust another trick of the ego leading us to believe the opposite of what is =
true?</span></div><div style=3D"font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman&=
quot;,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;">For something to be truly righte=
ous, just and correct it must, as the verse implies, come from =D7=90=D7=9C=
=D7=94=D7=99 =D7=99=D7=A9=D7=A2=D7=95 the God of our salvation. Mordecai <s=
pan class=3D"goog-spellcheck-word">Kaplan</span>, founder of <span class=3D=
"goog-spellcheck-word">Reconstructionism</span>, saw salvation as a s=
triving for personal and societal perfection. In the Hebrew Bible the word=
for righteousness =D7=99=D7=A9=D7=95=D7=A2 <i><span class=3D"goog-spellche=
ck-word">yeshua</span></i> implies an expansiveness of the soul, rather tha=
n a narrowness or constricted nature implied by <i><span class=3D"goog-spel=
lcheck-word">tzarot</span></i> =D7=A6=D7=A8=D7=95=D7=AA, the word for troub=
les, which is often viewed as its antithesis. </span></div><div style=3D"fo=
nt-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;">Does that mean that, if we exper=
ience a perfected life free from trouble, strife and <span class=3D"goog-sp=
ellcheck-word">constrictedness</span> then we can be sure we have achieved =
salvation? Of course not! However, if the sense of blessing ris=
ing up within from our souls causes us to act in a way that we alleviate so=
me degree of suffering in our world and does not just address our own indiv=
idual suffering or individual desires, then it can be seen as a blessing th=
at has come to us from the God of our Salvation. Doing this must be o=
ur goal in every moment.</span></div><div style=3D"font-family: Georgia,&qu=
ot;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;">There are some moments when we a=
chieve the goal and many others when we do not. For none of us is imm=
une to the tricks of the ego. And none of us is always totally selfle=
ss and altruistic. So we just keep trying our best in each mome=
nt to be mindful so that we may find ourselves standing on God's holy mount=
ain, receiving the blessing from of our soul and then acting to make the wo=
rld a better place. It's not a simple task, but it's one we must try =
our best to achieve in every moment - or as often as possible. </span=
></div>
<br><br>--<br>
Posted By Rabbi Steven Nathan to <a href=3D"http://mindfultorah.blogspot=
.com/2010/05/psalm-for-sunday-psalm-24-vs-5.html">Mindful Torah</a> at 5/=
30/2010 06:49:00 PM
------=_Part_173436_1682172087.1275259759306--
More information about the Jewish
mailing list