Who are roll models that shaped your life? Why? In this article, our good friend Boomer and I present three role models who shaped our lives. To make things interesting, two of the three must have predeceased us prior to our birth. The third is someone who we knew or know in life. Also, Boomer will list three men, and I three women. In life, we either learn from both genders, or we cut off one half of humanity to influence us.

BOOMER: Everyone needs a positive role model. Someone whose thoughts, ideas, and actions you so admire that you want to pattern your very thoughts, ideas, and actions after them. Here are three of mine.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi 1869-1948.

When I was a young child, I remember asking my mother about a man I had seen sunning. His skin was dark and I asked her if he was sunburned. She explained to me that his ancestors had come from another country, and his skin was dark to protect from the sun. That was when I first realized people were different. But I thought that was neat. I found people's differences fascinating. As I grew older, boy was I in for a rude awakening.

Gandhi died because he believed in total independence and freedom for his native land India, and every citizen on earth. To know Gandhi, you have to start at the end. He was an, ends justify the means kind of guy.

Social injustice was tantamount to his philosophies. From his role model, his mother, he learned compassion, mutual tolerance, practiced tolerance, practiced vegetarianism. His closest allies were Truth and Love.

Gandhi was the leader of the Indian Independence Movement. He was so beloved, he was bestowed the honorific of Mahatma, meaning great soul. He lived modestly, wore traditional clothing and ate simply. 

Satyagraha means resistance to tyranny through civil resistance. Gandhi was a devotee of both Satyagraha and Ahimsa, meaning non-violence. The Reverend Martin Luther King channeled Gandhi during the, I have a dream speech.

When I was formerly introduced to Gandhi during my hippie teenage years, I had already been sickened by my observance of social injustice and discrimination, especially of women. Gandhi spoke to me. I wanted to walk his walk, and talk his talk. Finally, someone else got it. It sure is taking us a long time to catch up.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt 1882-1945

I come from a riotous political Democratic family. The adage, never talk politics or religion, never knocked on our door. We are at home debating either. We have strong opinions and strong women. One person that was always revered and highly respected in our family was FDR. I seem to remember that hushed tones were used in referring to both he and his wife, Eleanor. As a child, at my Mom's insistence, we visited his summer home in Warm Springs, Georgia.

I often heard stories about my great-uncles experiences working in the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) camps. These were a program instituted by Roosevelt for providing jobs for rural workers under his New Deal. They were grateful and respectful. The WPA (Works Progress Administration) provided relief for the whole black community. The TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) modernized my home, which was poverty stricken.     

The reason why this is important is that the first time Roosevelt was elected the country was enduring joblessness, homelessness, and a bank failure crisis. FDR would go on to to be re-elected three more times. He was proactive in creating programs for jobs, created the Social Security Administration and implemented the Indian Reorganization Act. FDR was a champion of minorities and the disadvantaged.

He was President for more than a dozen years. He put out many pressing fires, domestically and globally. World War II was on his watch.

I've read he was not perfect. That may be part of his charm. I respect his tenacity, and his fight for the common person. Besides, no one will argue with my Mother.  

My third and final role model is to be alive and someone who has been in my life who I would want to emulate. I really had a hard time with this. I could think of no man that was a role model in my life. I asked the female members of my family to think of one. I was answered with silence or blank stares. Is that sad or what? Then, it came to me ---.

H.H., my father. There is absolutely nothing about his life I want to emulate. He is my reverse role model!

My father robbed no banks. He never slapped a woman. He never killed anyone. My father never spent a night in jail. He simply didn't care for his children. We never starved, but we did go to bed hungry. We went without Doctor and Dental visits, and had no celebrations. You get the picture. Our single mother could not provide such things. More than my sister and I our brother suffered most from not having a good Father figure. I resent that. As the oldest of us three, maybe I do have issues.

I won't live my life like that. I adore my child, my niece and nephew. It takes a village to raise a child. My family always circles the wagons.

Through him, I learned about unconditional love, nature and compassion. I learned it by seeing and experiencing the opposite. I protected my brother and sister because my brother could not. I taught them love and loyalty. I counseled male friends when they made the same mistakes with their children our father did. I always urged their participation in their child's life, regardless of their relationship with their child's mother. This is a cheap cop out in my book. 

With any role model, forgiveness should be taught as a priority. I forgive, I don't forget. I know he suffers. It could have been different.

BOOMER.  

ENOCH: My three female role models are the Biblical warrior Yael, the Biblical role model for prayer, Hannah, and my Bubbie (Grandmother) Esther.

Yael: In the book of Deborah there is mention of the warrior Yael. What she is known for in Scripture is not why she is a role model for me. In Biblical times, the key to what someone experienced or did is to be found in their new name. That is because people took on new names when their lives reflected a need for it. The name Yael is actually a contraction of two names. Ya (short for the Tetragrammon, the generally unpronounced Name of G-d). El is for another of the names referring to G-d, (Eloheem). There are seven different names for G-d referring to aspects of, and relations of the Holy One. Ya refers to a G-d who has a unique relationship of love to Israel. Part of that relationship is mercy. El refers to a universal and objective G-d of justice. Yael had the unique, rare and very difficult ability to combine justice with mercy. The more you think about that, the clearer it is that this is very hard to do.

All my life I do my best to attempt to combine justice with mercy. I am not always successful. But I do give it the old college try. With Yael as my role model, it is well worth the effort. 

Hannah: Hannah was barren. Her womb was closed. Her life was not complete without a child. As so many of us do, she turned to G-d with a prayer of request. Unlike most of us her prayer of request was not centered on her needs, with nothing in it for the Almighty. Too many of us make prayers of request. If they are not granted, we reject G-d, and show our disappointment. If we get what we want, G-d may not hear much if anything from us until the next time we need a favor.

This was not Hannah's way. When she prayed for a child, she prayed that if given the child, which would compete her life and what she wanted more than anything, she would raise the child in the service of G-d. G-d wants us to succeed in this world on its terms. In this world, the best way to get what you want is to give someone else what they want. A win-win situation. Before we can ascend to the next level of reality, we are to do what we are sent to do here and now. This is the genius of Covenantial relationships. Everyone gets something from them. No one way streets.

Hannah's prayer was granted. She raised her son to live a life of service to G-d. The name given her son is Shmuel. Literally, in Hebrew, Sha'ul me' El (Asked of G-d). In English, that name is Samuel. You can read about the life of Samuel in Scripture. It is indeed a life of service to the Divine.

All prayer is communication. You communicate with G-d. There are prayers of request. There are also prayers of praise. You ask nothing for yourself, you praise G-d. See Samuel II 1-10 for Hannah's Song of Praise. She rose about what she wanted. She elevated herself above her personal experiences. In this Song of praise, she expressed the universal moral guidance of G-d.

Unlike too many, she did not stop communicating with G-d when she got what she requested. She followed through with her end of the deal. Then she ascended to adoration on a very high literary and moral level.

Most of what I know about, and my people know about how to pray comes from my role model, Hannah.

Bubbie (Grandmother) Esther): As did all her grandchildren I would go to my grandmother Esther's for lunch while attending elementary school. Her project was across the street from my school. There was always fresh bread or rolls baking in the oven. There was either hot or cold soup, fresh made in a bowl for me, depending on the season. While I had lunch, Bubbie Esther would play her Balalaika or Dobro and sing songs to me from the Old Country in a variety of languages. She spoke a dozen fluently.

She would listen to anything I had to say. No judgement. Open pure communication. Bubbie Esther was always there for me, as for all her grandchildren. Always listening. Always singing, always feeding. She was always there for us. Even in our teen age years. When we most needed her, she was always there.

All children and grandchildren need advocates. This life of ours today is not a natural one. It is confusing. It is fraught with pitfalls. Much of What I know about being a good parent and grandparent came from Bubbie Esther. Hers is a Sacred set of memories for me.

Who are your role models, and why? They can come from any human field of endeavor. Who influenced you? Inquiring Viners want to know.   

ENOCH.                  

Imperfect, we all err and can all improve. In this article our good friend Hiram will present a Christian view on atonement. I will present a Jewish view. We welcome and encourage you to present the view of your religion, philosophy, heritage, culture and your personal opinions and thoughts on atonement.

HIRAM: Here is what I came up with. I thank my good friend Enoch for the opportunity to share our thoughts and culture in this joint article.

Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and who gains understanding (Proverbs 3:13). When I need to find a definition for a word the first place I go is to Noah Webster's original dictionary of 1828. It is free of the political correctness. Many times it gets right to the point. Atonement is defined as satisfaction or reparation made by giving an equivalent for an injury, or by doing or suffering that which is received in satisfaction for an offense or injury.

On the surface that can sound pretty brutal, and through out our history has been cause for brutality between nation and people. Yet if we look beneath the surface there is a value to atonement.

In Christian theology and doctrine there is a definitive value in atonement. A value which applied to all cultures and beliefs is this, according to Noah. When a man is guilty of any vice the best atonement he can make is to warn others not to fall into the like. This is something that strikes me as very profound. How many times do we teach our children not to commit the same mistakes in life that haunted us? Profound in that we can use our own missteps and faults to guide others back onto the right path. No matter what you believe or where you put your faith this is a form of atonement that can benefit us and all around us.

Taking what we know and admitting our transgressions to others can be hard to do. By doing so, we give others the chance not to repeat our mistakes. We give them the value of our experience so they can avoid the same consequences. From a perspective of Christian and doctrine has many benefits. From the beginning man was created to have a relationship with our Creator. What happened when sin entered the world is that these transgressions separated us from G-d. They built a wall between G-d and man.

Being a Holy G-d he cannot look upon sin or be in it's presence, Atonement is needed to free us of the sin which allows us to re-establish that original relationship. Atonement was first made in the form of animal sacrifice. A pure unblemished animal would be sacrificed to pay for our sin. This was the practice for thousands of years. Then G-d sent His only begotten Son to pay the final atonement for sin upon the Cross. Whoever believes in Him shall be justified.

So we may ask what the value of this atonement is? First, and most important to me as a Christian is that atonement for my sin means I can once again have a relationship with my Creator G-d. Because of the atonement of Christ I have been adopted into the family of G-d. With this atonement nothing can ever separate me from G-d.

For I am persuaded that neither death or life; angels or principalities, powers, present events and things to come; height. depth or any other created thing can separate us from the love of G-d which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8 38-39). In that relationship can be found peace, joy and contentment. We were created to have that relationship and it is only through atonement that it can be reestablished. This same atonement can be carried into our personal lives. How many times have we wronged someone close to us and through our own stubbornness refused to atone? How has that relationship suffered?

To atone means to swallow our pride, and remove the barriers our sins built to separate us. Whether it be with our G-d, our family, or friends the inability to atone will keep us apart needlessly.

The true and most wonderful value of atonement is a restored relationship and the peace it brings. Peace and blessings, HIRAM.

ENOCH: In Pre-Biblical through Biblical times in the Middle East many cultures had a place for atonement in their theologies. There is an Arabic word for atonement which means to cover sin. The Assyrian word for atonement is Kapparu. It is the closest to the Hebrew word Kippur in both root stem, and meaning. The Assyrians defined atonement as purging away sin.

In Hebrew, and in the Jewish tradition Kippur, atonement means to reconcile and restore the inward sense of a close relationship to G-d. We distance ourselves from G-d through acts of sin, evil desire, or constant brooding over sinful things. Salvation is oneness with G-d. Sin separates us from G-d. It distances us from the salvation we crave. How do we atone for our errors? The following is an eight point plan.

1. Allocute our guilt.

2. Confess our sins.

3. Plead for forgiveness.

4. Make whole those we harmed in whatever ways we practically can. 

5. Create a plan to prevent the sins and errors from reoccuring. Build in tracking mechanisms to monitor results.

6. Implement the plan.

7. Periodically audit the tracking to see if the plan is working.

8. Adjust the plan as necessary to prevent sin and error from returning.

When will G-d accept our atonement? Anytime!

From whom will G-d accept atonement? Anyone, without exception!

Where can we atone? Anywhere!

Why does G-d want us to atone? Because G-d doesn't want barriers between Himself and us any more than do we!

Our souls are given to us in a pristine state. The evils of the world corrupt us. When we choose of our own accord to turn away from corrupting influences, and restore our souls to purity this indeed pleases G-d, makes us feel better, and is better for all close to us.

Pitchuli, Shaare Tzeddek. Open the gates of righteousness. Unstain your souls of sin. Break down any barriers standing between yourself and G-d. There is no feeling like it. ENOCH.      

Balaam set out to curse Israel. In this, his third blessing of Israel he says something of note. In Bamidbar 24:5 (Numbers 24:5) he says, Ma tovu ohalecha Yaakov, mishkanotecha Yisrael (How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, your dwellings, O Israel). 

When he went to curse the Jewish People he noticed that in the desert tents were carefully aligned. No one could see into anyone else's home. He could not curse a people for whom modesty and privacy was held in such high esteem. Doesn't the strength of all peoples lie in their homes? Is it not true that more than individuals creating homes, homes nurture individuals? Homes built on strong values and a stabile atmosphere may just be the ultimate building block for all peoples. Homes are the ultimate institutions of education.

Public and private schools have their place for sure. What makes us individuals is what we do and do not learn in our homes.

Balak, the King of Moab engaged Balaam to curse the Jewish People, out of fear of them. As mighty as they were with the sword, the fundamental strength of the Jewish People was and is our religion. To undermine that would lead to victory. Balamm could not curse us because of the value of our homes, and his respect for them.

What is the most important value associated with the home? The companion Scripture to the Torah portion Balak is that of Micah.

In Micah 6:8 the answer is written. What does the L-rd require of you: Only to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your G-d.

On such a good foundation are the best of homes and nations built.

Breathing, Walking, Relaxing and Sleeping can be aided by Chaplains. They are important to people on the mend. This is particularly true for senior citizens.

The content of this article is drawn from one case I handled in Chaplaincy. The person is in her eighties. The work I did with her involved visiting her in a hospital following major surgeries. Then in a nursing home visiting her while she still needed care, but not hospital care. Then back visiting her in hospital when she had a relapse, due to post operative infections. I now visit her in her own home.

She told me in her first hospital stay that her respiratory therapist gave her instructions orally on breathing into a tube. This is to keep her lungs clear, and prevent pneumonia. It is a standard procedure. Her problem is that the therapist rattled off the instructions too rapidly, then left to go elsewhere. The Lady is in the early stages of Alzheimer's. She does not process information well. She has no background in respiratory therapy. I met privately with her respiratory therapist. I asked if she could print out instructions for breathing exercises, leave one copy with the Lady, and one with me. She agreed. In her office, alone we did the breathing exercises until she felt I had them down pat.  

Three times daily the Lady and I would do the breathing exercises together. Her congestion broke up quickly. It never returned. In Hebrew, the word, Ruach means wind, breathe and spirit. Restoring her ability to breathe correctly prevented pneumonia, eliminated chest congestion, and helped her to feel better physically, emotionally and increased her ability to concentrate. This included our discussions of a spiritual and pastoral nature.             

In her first hospital stay, she had intravenous feeding of antibiotics, electrolytes, nutrients, and pain killers following the surgeries. She had trouble getting in and out of bed, and walking with the heavy metal pole upon which the various bags of fluids were hung. Her surgeon wanted her to walk every four hours, as tolerable. There are many benefits to doing this.

We would go for walks very slowly, for as far as she could comfortable take them. We would stop half way at the visitors lounge. I would lift the pole one handed over the door stop that separated the floor in the hallway from the floor in the visitors lounge. It is the only way for the pole to clear the floor. She liked the view of the park outside the window in that room. 

She and I would walk arm in arm to assist her in balance. Among the benefits of this walking were the increased ability to pass liquid and solid waste, better circulation, and the elimination of fluids in her legs that had built up. This fluid retention caused her great discomfort.

In the Torah portion Parshat Lech Lecha, G-d gives the first commandment to the first patriarch Abram. Get up, go out of the land of your Fathers, and go to this land which I promise you (Israel). Each day when she neared her limit of walking, she would ask me to recite this passage with her. It gave her the strength to finish up her stroll. Even in this context, Scripture can be a powerful motivator.

On the way into both the hospital and the nursing home, I would buy a local newspaper, and bring my copy of the Tanach (Jewish Scripture). Following her walks, I would read to her from the local newspaper in those sections of interest to her. She would close her eyes and relax. She liked being read to, and various conditions made it hard for her to hold a newspaper and turn pages. The daily paper kept her in contact with one day being different than the next. It helped her focus on where she is in time. That was of benefit to her. Her memory actually showed signs of improvement over when day and night, day after day was the same.

At the conclusion of the Shabbat (Sabbath) one says the Havdalah prayer. It is a prayer that differentiates the Sabbath from the other six days of the week. When the wine is poured into the cup and saucer before the blessing over it, it is a custom to pour more wine than the cup can hold. The overage spills into the saucer beneath the cup. The symbolism here is for the blessings of the Sabbath to spill over into the week. One blessing of the Sabbath is Shabbat ha Menuchah. The day of Sabbath rest. The relaxation of being read to allowed her to free herself of tension. Access to news that differed day to day established each day where she is on the time line. It provided differentiation.

Finally, sleeping in a hospital is difficult. Staff come and go at all hours of the day and night. They must in the performance of their duties check vital signs, replenish medications and do other things. In a semi-private room, a roommate may be loud, and on a different sleep schedule. Still, sleep is important.

I made sure, during visiting hours, that I was there to walk her to lunch, when she was well enough to do that in the nursing home. She did not have to eat alone, or with strangers. She knew she could count on me for meal company. Even in the hospital each time, I was there in time for her afternoon nap. She would have lunch. We would walk. Then I would read to her from Psalms (Tehillim).

She had her favorites. She also had favorite poems, and short stories. In the dream of Jacob's ladder, the ladder connected Jacob with this and higher levels on the great chain of being. When she fell asleep listening to me read, I would quietly go and see others. I was always back to her room in time for her to see me upon awakening. Getting the proper REM level sleep, and brain chemistry benefits of rejuvenating sleep appears to have accelerated her recovery time. She is back home again. I visit her when and as her and my schedule allows.

Sometimes the best way to comfortably remain in this world is to use the tools from elsewhere in the context of life here. Coupling that with consistent and customized attention from a trusted source is part of this equation.                                 

Charity is a universal activity. You find it in every religion, culture, community, nation and group. At some point every individual does,  receives, or needs to get or do it.

Our good friend Arch Man and I will present some of the ideas about charity from each of our heritages here. This article is not and cannot be exhaustive or definitive about charity. We ask in the comments section that you add to what we start by sharing your personal and group thoughts. Any positive expression of ideas about charity from your life, and your heritage of any kind are most on point and warmly welcomed.

GIVING - THE BLESSING OF CHARITY. BY ARCH MAN 

ATTITUDE OF GIVING: (2 Corinthians 9:7). Each man shall give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for G-d loves a cheerful giver.

Our hearts are to be open and willing to bless others, looking on the needs of others, not just on ourselves. G-d gives to us with a heart of compassion. He cares about all His creation; so it is with this attitude we should in turn be willing to help others.

ACT OF GIVING: (Acts 20:35). It is more blessed to give than to receive. Giving is a choice we make: In our daily lives, as we go through the day we come across many people who have needs: the people that we work with, in our homes, the members of our family. The Greek origin of the word giving is Didomi, used in a very wide application: bestow, bring forth, commit, grant. We need not necessarily open our wallet to give, nor do we need to look far for those to whom we can give.

     A). People we cross paths with, even for just a moment. We have an opportunity to bless them. A gesture as small as a smile or a nod or a kind word can make soemone's day. Allowing others to go first in line can help to lighten their load and lower thier stress level. These simple acts cost us very little and go a long way.

     B). People we work with: At work, do I strive to meet my own goals or do I care about my fellow workers and employer? There are opportunities we have to help co-workers get ahead and do well. Do I teach them what I have learned so that they can improve and find favor with the company? Do I look out for my co-worker? Do I take an interest in their lives? Do we even listen to what they share with us? There are many ways we can bless them and one of the easiest ways is to listen. Just by listening we can find ways to help.

     C). Family and Friends: I can have an impact on my friends and family by giving in many ways: showing my interest in their welfare, caring, helping to lighten their daily load. I can do more than my share of household chores, doing small things to make them feel special and telling them how special they are on a daily basis.

REWARD OF GIVING: There are many blessings of giving: G-d gives us many promises when we obey Him and bless our fellow man. Here are some Scriptures that tell us what to expect from giving.

(2 Corinthians 9:6) Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly, will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

(2 Corinthians 9: 8-9) And G-d is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor, His righteousness endures forever.

(Luke 6: 38) Give, and it will be given you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured in your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

(Matthew 6: 3-4) But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that it may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

It is a good feeling we get when we help others knowing it makes their lives easier and knowing that we please G-d who blesses us. We ca see by the Scripture that G-d is a rewarder of those that give and bless others. All of our deeds bless us in this life and the next. What you do for and to others you do to yourself. Why not begin to be a blessing to others?

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHARITY - BY ENOCH 2699399 

Charity is a dual blessing. It can be a lifeline to those in need. It is also an important past of spiritual and emotional health, and of the character of the person performing charity. Why?

In Machzorim Rosh Ha Shanah and Yom Kippur (the prayer books for the High Holy Days of the New Year and Day of Atonement) the following is central to both holidays, and the time frame separating them in regard to charity.

It is written that the Holy One, blessed be writes in the Sefer Chayim (Book of Life) on the New Year what fate will be in store for us. That fate is written on Rosh ha Shanah. It is not inscribed and sealed until the end of services on Yom Kippur (Neelah - concluding service with the blowing of the Shofar (Ram's Horn). In between Rosh ha Shanah and Yom Kippur are Yomim ha Norah-eem (Days of Awe). In that time frame, for the sake of our doing three things will the True Judge of our actions re-write in the Book of Life our fate for the coming year. Who will be born, and who will die? Who will be healthy, and who ill? Who will prosper, and who lack? What are the three things we can do to improve our fate forthcoming?

Tefilah, Teshuvah, veh Tzaddakah. If we do Prayer, Repentance and Charity G-d will improve our fate in the year to come. Let's focus in on charity.

We are all familiar with making donations, and fund raising drives. That is part of a healthy caring community. We are supposed to be our brother's keeper (Genesis 4:9). Charity is one way to look our for each other. We are to be there when and as needed. What else constitutes an act of charity?

We can be charitable with ourselves, with those around us, and with our material environment. We are none of us perfect. We can forgive minor transgressions, if they do not endanger us or others. We can forgive errant behavior to us that affects only us. We do need to balance safety, and being played by sociopaths against giving people a second chance. We can do this for others. We first have to deal with our own shortcomings. If we can balance being charitable with our morality and fallibility to focuws on practical improvement we can do so for others too. We can also prioritize what is most in need of repair and improvement in ourselves. We should start that with how what we do affects others. As with so much in life, we learn first how to do right byh others first by mastering how to do good for ourselves.

In the original Biblical Hebrew the word for charity, Tzadakkah comes from the same shoresh (verb root stem - tzadde dallet kuk TDK) as the word Tzedek (justice). Wha is the philological connection between being charitable and just?

In the Torah, it is written Justice Justice shall you pursue (Deuteronomy 16:20). The word, Justice, is repeated for emphasis. We are supposed to seek out justice. Look for opportunities to do justice. As the meanings of the words spring from the same source should we not also seek out the opportunity to do charity? To search for chances to be charitable?

Being just and charitable are very much connected on the interpersonal, communal, and societal levels. If we do not hold people responsible for their actions are we really being charitable to them? Is denying them the chance at improvement an act of charity? How are we doing them a favor to ignore the harm that they intentionally do? If we push the pursuit of justice to the point everyone suffers counterproductive consequences which shut down our ability to function for fear of error will we not live in a police state, bereft of freedom to do right, better? How do we achieve the tricky balance of being just with being charitable?

There is a prayer recited on Rosh ha Shanah, Yom Kippur and fast days by Rabbi Akiva. Itis called Avinu Malkeinu (Our Father, Our King). In it the following appears.

Avinu Malkeinu chaneinu va anaynu, ki ain banu ma'asim, asei im'manu tzadakkah va'chesid, v'ho'shiay'nu.

Our Father, Our King, be gracious with us, and answer us, though we have no worthy deeds: treat us with charity and kindness, and save us.

In this very clear exposition, charity is best understood.

As with all religions, we look to G-d as our ultimate role model for positive action. We seek the grace of G-d to treat us with charity and kindness. This gift will be our salvation.

Among practitioners of Judaism G-d has yet to let us down on all eternally important counts. Can or should we do less and be less charitable and kind to help others in need?

We all have favorite quotations. There are phrases or paragraphs that touch us. Mine is Birkat Ha Kohenim (The Priestly Blessing). It is in Misparim 22-27 (Numbers 22-27). If you have something deeply moving in any literature, religious or otherwise please share it with us in the comments section.

Here is the quotation that always stirs me. I use it frequently when I preach sermons, or come to that part of the Service where we remember those who transited to the World to Come.

And the L-rd spoke unto Moses, saying Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying: In this way shall you bless the children of Israel. You shall say unto them, The L-rd bless you and keep you; the L-rd make His Face to shine upon you, and be gracious unto you. The L-rd lift up His Countenance upon you, and give you peace. So shall they put My Name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them.

Birkat Kohenim, the Priestly blessing is a blessing that entails the spiritual, material and protectional aspects of the unique relationship between G-d and His People. It culminates in the most precious gift which can be given, Peace (Shalom). Through peace comes the spiritual and material aspects of life.

There is a saying among Yemenite Jews. Min ha Avar, Atidnu Yiphtach. From the past our future derives. The Priestly Blessing is part of our past, present and future. The peace that flows over us as the sunlight bathes us in its warmth relaxes, refreshes, and renews us now, and for what comes next in life.

In the Great Temple (Beit ha Mikdash) this blessing was uttered by the Priests as a tribute. Thus you may hear it referred to as Davening Duchan, or Duchaning (Duchan means tribute).

Other religions which are historically connected to Judaism also use this blessing in their services, or at various times for purposes Ecclesiastical.

Only the Priest, and never a stranger could deliver this blessing in times of the two great Temples. It was to be done standing, sober, with hands out stretched in the original Hebrew. Why? A stranger cannot bless because blessing requires knowledge and loving understanding of the person or people to be blessed. Otherwise, the words are empty, mechanical, going through the motions. Blessing others requires a readiness for sacrifice and thoughtfulness on the part of those who bless. It also requires that it be done in the original language, to avoid translational problems.

The three main ideas I find in this blessing are the Guardianship of, Grace of, and Peace of G-d. That does it for me. This is my favorite blessing. I look forward to reading in your comments what you find in any literature of any sort that deeply moves you. There are no limits to what liberates the human spirit with words. Feel free to fly unfettered in sharing what elevates your spirit.                        

How did the earth come to exist? What should be our relationship to it? These are questions that most if not all civilizations have grappled with since the dawn of time. Our good friend Kavika and I will present some answers from our religious and cultural heritages. This is a springboard for discussion.

Kavika:

Kitchi-Manitou  (the great mystery) created the world, plants, birds, animals, fish, and other manitous in fulfillment of a vision. This world was flooded. But while the earth was under water and life was coming to an end, a new life was beginning in the skies.

Geeahigo-Auee (sky woman) was espoused to a manitou in the skies and she conceived.

The surviving animals and birds observed the changes taking place in Sky Woman's condition as they clung to life on the surface waters. (The first humans were destroyed because of their inability to respect each other by a great flood). They set aside whatever concerns they had about their fates and asked one of their fellow survivors, the Giant Turtle, to offer his back as a place of rest for Sky Woman. They invited her to come down to the Earth.

Settling on the Turtle's back, Sky Woman asked for soil. Only the muskrat, smallest of all animals, was able to retrieve soil from beneath the flood waters. Sky Woman took the paw full of soil from muskrat, and etched it around the Turtle's back back. Then she breathed life, growth, and abundance into the soil. Sky Woman infused the soil and earth with the attributes of woman hood and mother hood. Those attributes are giving life, nourishment, shelter, instruction and inspiration for the heart, mind and spirit.  

Only after she did this did she give birth to twins. Their descendants took the name Anishinaubaek. This means Good Beings (also original or first people).

The island where the the Anishinaubaek people were born grew to become the Land of the Great Turtle (North America). By virtue of Sky Woman's creation Kitchi-Manitou and Sky Woman granted ownership and stewardship of the land to Native or First Americans in joint tenancy with manitous, birds, animals, insects, and unborn generations. Each of these creatures has a soul.Thus each must be respected and connected to each other. The principle of Gakina Awiiya (we are all related) is key to how to successfully live on earth.

Kitchi-Manitou gave responsibility for life on earth to fulfill their spiritual purpose. To live in harmony and mutual respect among themselves, their kind, other living things and Mother Earth (muzzu-kummik-quae).

Human dependence on Mother Earth is clarified in this story. Nana'b'oozooo, of the Anishimaubae camped on a river bank. The water rose to flood the plains. No land was in sight. Animals in the waters were thrashing about, trying not to drown. He lashed two logs together. Like Sky Woman had done in the first flood he asked fellow creatures to get soil form the bottom of the waters. All failed except the lowly muskrat. He took this soil, and put it on the back of the Great Turtle, on the logs. The soil grew into Turtle Island. North America was once more saved. The Anishianubae People call North America Turtle Island.

Kitchi-Manitou had humans and wolfen name all things. In this manner, man and animal are joined in life and spirit on Mother Earth for all time.

The Ojibwe believe that all humans have two souls. One stationary, another dreaming. The dreaming soul leaves the body to travel in many forms and lives. It brings to the body knowledge of all life. This completes the circle of life and knowledge.

In death, totemic staffs of wood are part of the funeral ceremony. These symbols of death are reminders of the afterlife, the afterworld, tokens of the survivors lives and respect for the departed.

Kitchi-Manitou means the great mystery of the supernatural order. It is one beyond human grasp, words, gender or flesh.

Enoch:

The following is a Sermon I gave on Rosh Ha Shannah (Birthday of the World). It touches on Creation as a metaphor for a plan for the New Year. The plan relates what to do with our lives here and now. Creation spans all human time. As humans, we live one year at a time while here.   

From Rosh Ha Shannah until the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) there are ten days in between. They are called Yomim Ha Noraim (Days of Awe).

Three of these days are High Holy Days. That leave one week in which to do things not performed on holidays, as we have other things to do then. During this week, there will be one Monday, one Tuesday, etc. as there will be all year long.

There is the concept of Simanei Milta (significant omens). For example, on Rosh Ha Shannah we eat apples with honey. This symbolizes a good sweet New Year. What we do on the first day of the year sets the tone for the year to come. 

While our fate is being determined in the Book of Life (Sefer Chayim), on Rosh Ha Shannah, it is not sealed and finalized until Yom Kippur. For the sake of Prayer, Repentance, and Charity (Tefilah, Teshuvah, veh Tzaddakah) can we improve our fate in the New Year. What can we do on each of these seven days that will be significant omens for a good year? What will improve our destiny, as recorded in the Book of Life? Here is one plan.

Sunday: On the first day G-d Created spiritual light. What can we do to better illuminate our lives? 1. Learn more about things that address the spiritual and practical side of life. 2. Set aside time for the study of our full, rich complete tradition. 3. Get or come closer to a Rabbi (teacher) to learn things not yet known to us. 4. Acquire or spend more time with a friend who will help us study, and be there for us when we are too tired, bored, unmotivated or distracted to learn on our own. 

Monday: On the second day of Creation, G-d made the heavens (Shamayim). What is our relationship to Heaven, and its Creator who dwells therein? 1. Probe what is entailed in your relationship to G-d. What do you need to do to enhance it? 2. Improve your actions so that they may merit a better judgment when reviewed. 3. Make your communication with G-d in prayer more pure and  clear. Carry over that meaning beyond prayer into your daily life.

Tuesday: On the third day of Creation G-d made our material environment. It sustains us. 1. Do things that help sustain others. Life is not a one way street. 2. Do things to make our material environment more sustainable. For example, reduce your carbon footprint. Where possible, walk, don't drive.

Wednesday: On the fourth day, G-d created the light in heaven. Our family is the light of our lives. 1. Be more loving to family. 2. Do things to enhance trust, caring, nurturing, being an example to, and providing warmth, attention, and affection to your family.

Thursday: On the fifth day, G-d made life, and gave us dominion over it. 1. Be better governors of the planet. With power comes responsibility. We need to pollute less, plant more. Use less, restore better. Make our actions matter to the quality of all life on the planet. We were selected to lead. Now it is up to us to do just that.

Friday: On the sixth day, G-d created humanity. Do things to make life more humane for yourself and those around you. 1. Do charity. 2. Do justice. 3. Pay off and stay out of debt. 4. Recycle. 5. Exercise self-control. Just because you can do something, that doesn't mean you ought to so it. If something angers you, first control yourself. Then if your anger is justified, express it in a controlled way. That method must improve, not worsen the source of the anger. 6. Examine what frustrates and confuses you. These are problems. They can be solved. Not through emotional responses. Rather by analysis, and implementation of a good plan to address them. A lot of success in life comes from having a good plan, and implementing it well. 7. Improve yourself. Shore up personal weaknesses. Identify personal strengths. Lead with those. Show leadership through constructive suggestions that make sense in the context of shared values and necessity of ground conditions in life. Profit from feedback from others. No one has all the answers. Recognize humanity for the group that it is. A diverse collective.      

Shabbat (Saturday): On the Seventh Day, G-d created a day of rest. Set aside time from the mundane for the spiritual. From hard work for rest. From financial pursuit to non-material activity. 1. Make your life more Holy by doing prayer, repentance, and non-financial charity on the Shabbat. There is the charity of the spirit. Go easier on yourself and those around you. Ask more of yourself than of others. Come in underneath them, to prop them up when they need it. Approach them as equals, that you may do things together. Position yourself mildly above them so they have something to reach for, which is within their grasp for growth and development.

During the Days of Awe, act in ways that will be the best possible omens for a good, sweet, moral, meaningful, and prosperous New Year.

Epilogue:

In both Native-American and Jewish Traditions, there are similarities in wondering what do to in this world in which we live.

To address how to relate to ourselves, those around us, and our material environment is something about which we wonder. 

We have seen that mutual respect for all life, harmony, and sustainable, responsible lifestyles are common themes.

Our two traditions are hardly alone in these themes. If you find these concerns of value, go back into your own heritage. Seek its wisdom for use in living life as abundantly, responsibly, sustainably, and meaningfully as possible.

Kavika and Enoch.                                                                                                             

It was the spring Sabbath Eve (Erev Shabbat) of the weekly Torah Reading Emor (Parshat Ha Shavuah Emor - Leviticus Chapter 24).

Yenta Brinah sat in her rocking chair overlooking the bustling street four stories down from her decaying center city walk up apartment. The Omer Count is 18 today, she mused. Soon it will be Shavuot (Festival of Weeks). Her eyes peered through the window. It was grey with urban grime and soot. That didn't matter. Her eyes were also clouded over, after her nine decades on the planet.    

The street was choked with activity. It was like this every Friday morning. People who worked went in early, so they could finish and leave early for the weekend. Non-workers were busy buying things to prepare for the Sabbath. Flour, sugar, meat, vegetables, fruits, tea, coffee, juices, wine, candles, spices, nuts, seasonings. Benchers (Grace after meal prayer booklets), with Sabbath Songs (Zemirot shel shabbat). All manner of good things for making the Sabbath.

Eleh toldot yehudit, thought Yenta Brinah. These are the generations of Israel. She would know. In her time to date, she had seen four generations come, and some of them depart. They moved on and up. A journey she knew would soon enough be hers to have.

Squinting, she saw arm in arm strolling the streets, and buying this and that from family owned shops Eli and Nili. Eli and Nili were the prototype City odd couple. Opposites surely do attract, thought Yenta Brinah.   

Nili was the fairest of the local daughters of Israel. When her generation blossomed into Jewish womanhood, she flourished as few ever did.

Her auburn fine hair, which flowed from her head to mid back was so delicate you could spin it like silk thread. When the sun caught it just right, the highlights could hold you breathless.

Her eyes, those eyes of brown. Not just any brown. a mahogany brown that reflected her natural kindness, softness, gentleness. It is said that when in stress, all a local had to do was gaze into those eyes. They immediately calmed a troubled soul.

To see Nili walk was to witness a masterpiece of liquid art in motion. Flowing in the way a fine Concord Grape wine flows forth from a decanter. The metaphor holds for intoxication too. Nili had never failed to turn heads, even though her manner of dress and comportment was indeed modest. Tzniuut (modesty) was her way. Even so, cream always rises to the top of every bottle.

Nili had a head on her shoulders. And not just a pretty one. She was always top in her school classes. Effortlessly, she mastered the ways of her people. When she graduated from the Ruth and Esther School for Jewish Women she took her natural and prodigious abilities in arts and crafts, coupled them with her head for business; and made a nice living indeed. Her commercial acumen and nimble creative hands supported both Eli and her. That is good. He could do no right as she could do not wrong when it came to meeting the practical side of life.                        

Eli, her husband was too tall. Awkward and gangly. A meiskeit, his face is said to be able to stop a truck from half a mile away.

Eli was a luftmench. His head was always in the clouds. That would have been fine if he had been graced with advanced knowledge and ability on matters abstract. Sadly, here too Eli led the field, but only from the back of the pack.

Children use to pick on him in school. Eli was an easy enough target. He did little to merit respect. He was always the last picked for  teams. Quiet, slow, he was also good natured. When children were mean to him, he would just smile and withdraw back into his internal world. When they bullied him, he would just smile, and ignore them. He was no fun to bully. You couldn't upset him. He didn't really pay any more attention to you than to his studies. After a while, his class mates, like his teachers gave up and ignored him. You can beat a dead horse, but to what end?

Today they call it social promotion. Eli was graduated without honors. He was not only much older than his current classmates. His original class was long out into the world. You can leave a chicken in the oven after it has dried up for as long as you want. That will not make it more moist. The space was needed for someone who could produce.

Eli tried his hand at every trade one could imagine. Dairy went sour on him. A career try in meat spoiled. No one would let him attempt roofing. Setting bathroom floor tile had seen him fall over too many times for not paying attention. Eli will best be remembered in the community of commerce for someone who could snatch defeat from the jaws of victory without breaking a sweat.

It seems the only two things Eli and Nili had in common were their strong personal piety, and their equally intense love for each other.

Yenta Brinah saw them through her dirt streaked window pane. How they laughed, how they delighted in each others company.

With ninety plus years of life experience upon which to draw, Yenta Brinah scratched her head, shrugged her shoulders, and said out loud in her long empty flat, I don't get it! 

Excluding holidays, for six days did Nili work from before dawn past dusk to run her business. The Sabbath, now that is quite another story. As much as she accomplished during the work week, Eli was just as active producing nothing of substance. But for the Sabbath, he would insure that his ineffective efforts came to a screeching halt.

Eli and Nili knew how to remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it Holy.

Nili cleaned the home from top to bottom when they returned from Friday morning shopping. She prepared the stuffed fish, horseradish sauce, made and baked the egg twist bread from scratch. She hard boiled eggs, and chopped them with onions and grivenes (rendered chicken fat). She made fresh chicken soup, with only the best fresh chickens, vegetables and seasonings. To sweeten the Sabbath, she baked every kind and type of pastry and confection you can imagine. She packed the spice box with fresh aromatic spices just purchased downtown. She polished the candle holder for the blue and white braided candle for Havdalah (the prayer to differentiate the Sabbath from the other six days of the week). She polished the Kiddish cup for the sacramental wine blessings. Even the copper bowl with handles to recite al netilate yadim (prayer for washing of the hands pre-meal) had to sparkle. The table cloth had to be spotless. The cutlery had to gleam. The one meat meal they had per week had to come out just right. This is the Sabbath. Nothing less than perfect will do. As it is said, As Jews have kept the Sabbath, so the Sabbath has kept the Jews.  

Eli would go to the Mikveh (ritual bath). From there to the Kollel, and then on to the Yeshiva. Eli made it a point to study hard and well the weekly Torah and Haftorah Scriptural passages, whose subtleties were completely lost on him. He would walk miles to distribute food and money to the poor. They needed the Sabbath more than he. And he, like Nili lived for it.

Eli stayed at the Congregation as the afternoon melted into evening. He studied the commentaries. When the time came, he joined the prayer quorum (Minyan). He prayed the afternoon, receiving the Sabbath and evening services. As ever, what he lacked in skills of the Synagogue, he overcame plus with his good intentions. As he walked to his home in the darkness of night, he could see the Sabbath candle lights flickering through his kitchen window. Nili had lit them precisely when she should. Entering his home, he could smell the Sabbath Scents. There, in her finest clothes, was his Sabbath bride, Nili.

He rushed to bless her by reciting Proverbs 31, Eshet Chayil (A Woman of Valour). She would simply smile demurely, and sing Dodili from Shir Ha Shirim (The Song of Songs). My beloved is mine, and I am His.

He would wash his hands reciting the prayer. He sliced the egg twist bread, dipped in it salt and said the blessing. They would share a slice. He sang the prayer over the wine, and they each took a sip. Then came the Sabbath feast. 

It is said that the Sabbath is a taste of the world to come. If the food there is anything like what Nili spent the day preparing, no wonder some call it Heaven. From soup, to entree and sides, with wine, to dessert did they feed each other. Enjoying every morsel only slightly less than the fact they they were together, alone; apart from the distractions of the mundane world and week. How these two cherished each others company.

After the meal, Eli and Nili chanted the Birkat Ha Mazon (Grace After Meals). Her voice was lovely, and on key. His was, well, driving distance to on key. Let's just leave it there.

They sang Sabbath songs for hours. As it is written in Psalms, Make a joyful noise unto the L-rd, all ye lands. Serve the L-rd with gladness, Come before His Presence with singing.

Late that night, they shared their love for one another as do husband and wife. As it is written in the Code Book of Jewish Law, (Kitzer Schulchan Aruch) a man must tell his wife how beautiful she is to him, prior to initiating the making of love. For Eli, this is not merely a discharge of duty. She was always beautiful to him. 

As children when they grew up together. Even in the awkward pre-teens. He only had eyes for her, and she only thought of him in that way.

She could have had any man she wanted. The most learned, wealthy, famous, brightest, strongest, most powerful.

Everyone told Eli he was the luckiest man alive to have such a gift of a wife. Nili always thought she was the lucky one.

Finally, they fell asleep in each others arms. They slept so deeply, they never heard the tidal wave of river flooding, as the levies burst open. It was over for them in seconds.

The bodies were never recovered. Most of the house was just so much river bed debris.

When they awoke, they looked up at unfamilar yet stunning scenery. Hand in hand, arm in arm Eli and Nili walked into the World to Come. At the Pinnacle sat The Holy One, Blessed Be. He said, Welcome to Paradise.          

Al-316 and I will each draw from our traditions to illustrate this point.  We are all in this life together. It's best we work together, in an atmosphere of mutual respect and tolerance. If you have something from your tradition, be it that of a religious or humanistic nature, please feel free to share.

This is from our good friend Al-316. It is his view regarding some of what Christianity offers on brotherhood.

Part I. (Al-316)

This portion of the discussion concerning the brotherhood of man is devoted to one word. That word is, Love.

To most of us, that word is very important. It takes on added importance when you hear someone say to you, I love you. These words have the power to brighten our lives for a lifetime. The failure to use those words can cast a shadow on one's life as well. Those words could be coming from one of your family member's, one of your dear friends, or your romantic interest. The personal relationships these words imply is one to the most significant relationships we will ever have in our life.

It is interesting to observe that the word, love, is used 281 times in The Holy Bible. 124 times in the Old Testament, and 157 times in the New Testament.

In English, the word, Love, is used to indicate numerous and various favorable degrees of affection. Whether it be used to indicate a positive reaction to the smell of a flower or how we feel towards our children. The word, Love, is used to express one of man's strongest emotions.

How we regard each other as human beings varies, but is of considerable importance. God considers how we interact with our fellow brothers and sisters so important that The Bible addresses this issue separately. The Bible tells us that we should love one another. In fact, Jesus commands us to love one another.

To some, The Bible might appear to only be a confusing Book of rules. Telling us to do this, don't do that, over and over again. As a Christian, one might wonder how important is this command to love one another. Interestingly, this question is answered in response to a different question posed to Jesus by a lawyer. The lawyer asked Jesus what is the most important commandment of all. The actual exchange between the lawyer and Jesus can be found in Matthew 22:35 through Matthew 22:40. The following is from the King James version:

Matthew 22:35 Then one of them which was a lawyer, asked him (Jesus) a question, tempting him (Jesus) and saying,

Matthew 22:36 Master, which is the great Commandment in the Law?

Matthew 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord they God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

Matthew 22:38 This is the first and great Commandment.

Matthew 22:39 And the second is like unto  it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.  

Matthew 22:40 On these two Commandments hang all the Law and Prophets.

Notice how Jesus mentioned the importance of loving our neighbors without being prompted with a question. Jesus further emphasized its importance by indicating its ranking when He compared it to the most important Commandment. And Jesus did not stop there. He said that all of the other laws are a reflection of these Commandments. My conclusion is that loving each other is supremely important in G-d's eyes.

Now, lets take a closer look at the definition of the word, Love, as we find it in The Bible. This is necessary because, you will recall, The Bible is a translation from other languages. The New Testament in which the Book of Matthew is found, was translated from manuscripts which were written in Greek. A study of Greek will reveal that there are three different Greek words for, Love, whereas  English just uses one word. So, in order to obey the Commandment to love thy neighbor as thyself, we need to determine exactly what Jesus meant by His use of the word, Love.

To answer this question, we will find that the Greeks had three different words which meant, Love.

They are: Eros ------ Love in a romantic or sexual context.

                Phila ------ Love as within friendship.

                Agape ---- Love as in an unconditional manner without expectation of reciprocity. This is similar as in the love between a parent and a child. Doing a little research we will learn that the Greek word used to record what Jesus meant when He said, Love, was Agape. 

And finally, let us look to see what Jesus meant when He used the word, Neighbor. Again we will consider the Greek word which was used in the original manuscripts to record the record of the words of Jesus. The word which we read as, Neighbor, was translated from the Greek word, Plesion. Plesion literally means anyone in close proximity without regard to gender, nationality, or religion. Put another way, it means everyone, without exception.

In summary, as a Christian, we are commanded, in order of importance, to love God and to love our fellow human beings, no less than, and in the same manner as we love ourselves. And on a side note, Jesus says that all of the other Commandments are intended to reflect and embody the love we should have for each other.

Imagine for a moment, that this world would be like if everyone did as Jesus stated. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to share my understanding of God's word.      

Part II. (Enoch). This is my take on part of what Judaism has to share about our being in this life together.

In Parsaht Vayekrah - Kedoshim (Leviticus 19:3) Laws regarding Ritual and Fundamental Morals) it is written, You shall fear every man his Mother and his Father, and you shall keep my Sabbaths.

This is a repetition, in slightly different words and order, of two of the Ten Commandments. To honor your parents, and to remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it Holy. In a commentary on this passage in Rabbinical literature, the story of Dama is told. It is a beautiful tale. It speaks of how people of different religions and cultures share common values. How we can use those values to work with, learn from, and teach one another. How it can all come together for mutual benefit.

Dama was not of the Jewish People. He was a dealer in Jewels in Ashkelon.  He had in stock a jewel needed to replace one of the precious stones for the High Priest's Breast Plate. Buyers were sent from Jerusalem to negotiate the gemstone. Dama agreed to sell the Jewel for one hundred Dinars (currency of time).

When Dama went to his stock room to get the article, he found his Father sleeping there. He returned and said he could not sell the stone after all. The agents offered him first two, then three, and ultimately one thousand Dinars for the Gem. Dama refused. The buyers took their leave.

Soon afterward, Dama's father woke up. Dama ran after the buyers with the Jewel. They offered him the one thousand Dinars, which was their last offer.

He refused that sum. He reminded them the original deal was for one hundred Dinars. He told them he would not profit from the honor he paid to his father, by not interrupting the man's rest. He would accept only one hundred Dinars, the original and fair deal all agreed to do.

What I get from this story is that we are all in this life together. The universality of filial reverence, and of the value for honesty in our interactions is a basic part of us. The need to work together, and the desire to be true to our values, and fair to others spans and transcends things which separate us.

In Proverbs it is written, Shem tov como shemen tov. A good name is like a precious oil. Dama was indeed a man with a well earned good name. He respected his father. He was honest in his business dealings. He would not unfairly profit by exploiting the needs of others. He respected others as himself.

We are all in this life together. When we respect each others differences, when we find common ground upon which to form coalitions, to work together for the greater good we are doing our part to be in this life successfully together.

As Rabbi Hillel is often quoted in Pirke Avoth, The Sayings of the Fathers, Im ain anili, mi li? Im lo besvili leat's mi? V'eh im lo akshav, ad matai? If I am not for myself, who will be? If I am only for myself, what am I? If not now, when?

In this life, we need to self-advocate, to work well and look out for (be our brothers keepers). Not tomorrow. For if we wait until then, we may run out of time. The time to work with each other for mutual benefit is now.

The Vision of the Dry Bones (Ezekiel 37 1-14) is read on the intermediate Shabbat (Sabbath during the Freedom Festival of Pesach (Passover). Why? Because redemption and resurrection of our tradition is an on-going process through all of human history.

The Prophet Ezekiel finds himself in a valley full of scattered bones. The life force of Ruach Ha Kodesh (The Divine Spirit) knits together these stray bones. Covers them with sinews, flesh and skin. Then the Divine Spirit blows into them the breath of life itself. Formerly scattered bones are now a formidable and vital group. Is this a parable, or an actual account of an event? For our purposes here, it doesn't matter.

In the Talmud (Sanhedrin 92b), accounts of this as a prophetic vision, and as an actual occurrence are given. The question we address here is why is this vision to be read on the intermediate Shabbat of Pesach. For that inquiry, the objective truth of a visionary experience of one individual is neutral to the inquiry we face.

In the Haggadah (monograph we read during the ritually ordered meal during Passover - Seder) tells us that we should tell the story of the exodus from Egypt as if we were the slaves being led from a house of bondage to our land of freedom. We are also told that in every generation, there will be those who will rise up to enslave us. The servitude they may wish to impose may be political, economic, cultural, religious, or any other form of interfering with our primary mission of being a nation of Priests unto the world.

It is our role as members of a People Chosen to uphold our end of the Divine Covenant to choose to follow the Commandments of G-d. To set an example for the world to follow. They have the freedom of will to follow at least the seven laws of Noah (Shevat Dinay Noach). That is their path to salvation. We must elect to follow all 613 of our Commandments, and the fence around the law. To whom more is given, more is asked. That is our role as a People of G-d. We delight in it. This is our way.

That we have a unique role to play does not negate the possibility that others may also have their own unique role to play in the course of human history. Multiple ways to follow the will of G-d, and to bring to humanity paths which lead to righteousness and compassion are not always mutually exclusive. Not in the big picture of things. Not to those whose hearts are filled with love for G-d. For and all His children, our fellow members of humanity.

Why then the Vision of the Dry Bones on the intermediate Shabbat during Passover?

The telling and retelling of the story of the flight from slavery to freedom from generation to generation recounts not only a past redemption of Jewish People. It also includes our road map for present and future redemption as well. As a rule, when we pray and sing hymns, we are to do so in the original languages of composition (Hebrew, Aramaic). We operate under the principle of Da'ah lifney mee atah omed (know before whom you stand) when you recite, say or sing praises to G-d.

In the Haggadah, we are to tell the story of Freedom in the vernacular. Why? Because the commandment is to tell our children of the hand of G-d in human history, and the value of freedom. Being children, they need to understand the story. That is best achieved in their mother tongue. Freedom, like all abstract terms, is a difficult idea to master, and to communicate. Here, before whom we stand is primarily our children. We must make this accessible to them, to fulfill the Commandment.

The physical resurrection of the dead in the valley full of dry bones to a vital, vibrant lively group of people is an apt metaphor for the rebirth and re-invigoration of the People and Nation of Israel. Now and in the future.

The Jewish People have for six thousand years defied every sociological, anthropological, historical and any other metric of laws governing other peoples. We have survived every attempt to make the world without Judaism. Attempts to kill us off by sins of confiscation, eviction, prejudice, discrimination, persecution, death by the sword or by evangelism have never succeeded. They will always fail.

As we Jewish People have kept our Commandments, and our unique role in history, so they have kept us. This is a good thing not only for us, but for all humanity as well.

Nations, religions, cultures, civilizations at every point in our history have always dwarfed us in size, wealth, might, and worldly clout. We endure. We have survived. We are alive and well. We shall press on for all of human history. This is our role. Do not the skeptics see the hand of G-d at work in human affairs in our very survival? Or are they not generally that inquisitive?

The reason why the weekly Haftorah for the intermediate Shabbat of Pesach is the Vision of the Dry Bones is this. Passover recalls past deliverance's, and looks forward to future redemptions as well. Am Yisrael Chai (the People of Israel Live).

Eternal Faith, Eternal People. Some things are simple. This is one of them. Simple, and inspiring.

G-d bless, Enoch.

Among things Chaplains do is to listen to and counsel people with problems that weigh on their souls. The four P's of Pastoral Counseling are Probe, Profile, Problem, and Plan.

When someone seeks you out as a Chaplain, it is for one or more specific reasons. These motivators for a Pastoral counseling session may be hard for them to talk about. They may be difficult to explain. They may be emotionally wrenching to discuss. The four P's work well here.

The first of the four P's is to Probe. The ice needs to be broken. Since the answer to their problems must come from within them to be effective for them, the understanding of the difficulty or difficulties must also start from within. Then they can be drawn out. Break the nervous and shame filled log jam of emotions by tossing out open probes to get the ball rolling.

Questions like, What brings us together today? What would you like to discuss? and What do you see as the best outcome of this visit? are general in nature. It gives them a way to begin unburdening themselves. Once they start to open up, the process can begin to become progressively more specific until the true reason or reasons for the meeting air themselves.

Your role in providing Pastoral counseling services is to be an aggressive listener, not an assertive speaker. By the use of gentle open probes, let them start speaking. Listen very closely for clues as to the nature of the real problem or problems at hand. Remember that if the problems are medically based, they need to be referred to state licensed, board certified doctors and mental hygiene therapists.

The physical and psychiatric treatments and therapies of the body and mind are their domain. Yours is the spiritual realm. A team approach is always best. Let each do what they do best. Every specialist should stick to their own field. Yours is to address what we call in Hebrew choley ruach (sickness of the spirit). That is very different than organically based illness. Obviously, there will be overlap. Those ill in body and mind are also likely to be troubled in spirit. You focus in on the spiritual problems.

As they open up, listen for specific things that trouble them. Look for things that keep re-occurring in the conversation. That is what is on their conscience. This is the beginning of step two. You are beginning, through aggressive listening to Profile their troubles.

As the Profile emerges, make your open probes less general, and more specific. You will hear from them what is really bothering them before they realize it. Help them to see the profile, as they reveal it to you. Be incremental, and gentle in your more specific inquiries. This is painful for them to talk about. It is even harder for them to see. In Eastern Philosophy there is a saying. The finger can point with ease in any direction. Only with the greatest of difficulty can it point to itself. Assist them in gradually discovering their challenges. Fast is fast. Correct, and lasting is better. All good things to those who wait.

Examples of such gradually more specific questions to round out the Profile, for you and for them are as follows. You said that you have feelings, impulses you cannot control, right? You mentioned they frighten you, because you know they are wrong. Isn't that true? Since you cannot control them, you are concerned they will continue to get you into trouble. They may cause you to do things that hurt others, and make you feel bad afterwards. Is that accurate? You mentioned that you feel alone, helpless. That you were alone in earlier years when bad things happened to you. Even today, you feel isolated. You need some help to get through these times. Isn't that right? The key here is to repeat back to them what they tell you, to make sure you understand them. That is true. It is also good for them to hear back what they said. That way, they can evaluate it, and get a better handle on it too.

As the profile becomes clearer to you and to the person you counsel, begin to quantify the specific problem, or set of problems to be addressed. As the Profile develops so both of you can use it comfortably, it is now time for the third step. To describe what is the Problem to be addressed.

Now your questions should be very specific. They should be designed to get them to tell you clearly what they understand the problem to be. Reflecting this through their speech gives them the open door to walk through in telling you, and themselves what will be the Problem to solve. What are some examples of questions to ask leading to the use of things that your tools as a Chaplain can help them use to solve their problems?

You said that you feel isolated, unaccepted, unproductive, and underused as a person. Isn't that what you said? You mentioned that you want to do something else, something better with your life than you have been doing, did I get that right? I heard you share that you need guidance, motivation, and structure in order to be more productive. To do things that make you feel better about yourself. That help you feel like you are part of something good, and that you are good. Isn't that correct? Can you give an instance of something that makes you feel this way? Is there an example of something you did, or did not do that troubles you? What triggers the desire to do what you know you ought not to? What prompts you to avoid doing what you know you should? How can we replace these feelings with other things that work better for you, and those around you? How can we fill the void, when we remove a problem? What would a replacement be that would work for you?

We are now ready to work on the final step in the counseling. The development of a plan to address their spiritual needs. What will be your role going forward, once the plan is agreed upon?

In mathematics, there is something called the tricotomy property. Whenever you compare two things to each other, using any metric for comparison, there are only three relations that can obtain between them. They are are equal. One is less than the other. Or one is more than the other. What will be your position with this person? Equal, greater or lesser than them? The answer is all three, but at different times.

When they fail, be under them to prop them up again. Keep them from falling too far down.

When they are successful, and doing well, be their equal. Let them know they are doing well. Help them to feel better about themselves. To believe in themselves. That they can do right, and forgo doing wrong. Try to catch them in the act of doing good. Compliment it, as their equal. Respect for themselves comes form both within and from the outside. First, they need to know that they can earn respect from others. Then they feel justified in giving it to themselves.

As they begin the long path to self actualization, give them a role model in yourself that they can emulate. Be mildly above where they are. Just enough to reach higher. Not so high they cannot access that level now. That will only frustrate them. It can cause a slowdown in progress. Or worse, motivate them to stop trying. Avoid no win situations to the extent practically possible. At all times, be there to listen to them. To teach them about their heritage, and what it offers them to meet their needs. To show them how to practice their religion. They may not know.

What would be some three point plan samples to address Pastoral needs?

One is Tefilah, Teshuvah, Veh Tzaddakah. Prayer, Repentance, and Charity.

Do they feel nervous, edgy? Do they need time to relax? To step outside the mundane parts of existence? Do they crave a way to refresh their spirit? Prayer (Tefilah) can accomplish all these things. It can be done 24/7 alone. It can also be done in the presence of people like themselves. This will ward off feelings of isolation, loneliness. Individual prayers are often the most meaningful. They are just between them and G-d. It is as customized as prayer can get. The more customized, the more meaningful and relevant to their needs. Work with them on prayers from their tradition. Things they can internalize, and share with others who are in their community of belief.

Do they have problems with self esteem? Do they feel unclean? Unworthy? Is there potential they feel they have within themselves. Things yet unused, because past baggage of things done, and unaccomplished get in the way? Repentance (Teshuvah) works wonders here. By repenting, by moving away from corrupting influences of society, the wrong crowd, the wrong activities, the wrong self destructive or self torpedoing inclinations (Yetzer ha Rah) they can free up a path for the pristine soul granted them by G-d on birth to practice the good inclinations within them (Yetzer Tov). In every religious heritage, yours included, there are rituals, rites, and other activities to assist them with Repentance. As with Prayer, and Prayer is one valuable tool here, these can be utilized in individual and group settings.

It is as normal to want to help others, as to get help when needed. We are social animals. We are also individuals. We want to gain and to give. We want to do right, and be done right by in return. Tzadakkah (Charity) works well on both counts in each instance. Tzaddakah comes for the same verb root stem as Tzeddek (righteousness). As in the Torah it is written Tzeddek Tzeddek Tirdof (Justice justice shall you pursue). As one should pursue justice, so one should pursue charity. The first place to do both is within one self. We need to be more accepting of ourselves. Who we actually are, and who we potentially can become. If we don't accept ourselves, how can anyone else? Where we actually have good things we can do and share, we should. That leads to acts of charity, the betterment of others, and justice through good works. Where we do not yet have these qualities or good gifts, we can work to achieve them. That comes from our first accepting our potential. First, we need to be charitable with ourselves. Then let the good works flow from within us out to others.

Another three point plan is Torah, Avodah, veh Gemliat Chassadim.

Torah, following religious guidelines for how to live life must abundantly brings structure to messy lives.

Avodah, religious service attendance and participation brings us into a community of kindred spirits. There are things we cannot do alone, but can do and do better in the presence and in harmony with others. We can also do Holy work individually. It is not an either or choice here. Rather, it is a question of when we do each. Both are necessarily, and both are of value.

Gemilat Chassadim (acts of kindness, goodness, righteousness) on an individual and group basis are also part of the process of healing a sickness of the spirit. Not only does it benefit the recipient of these acts. Most of all, it heals and furthers the spiritual development of the agent of loving kindness (Shaliach Chesid).

Whatever your heritage, if you perform Pastoral counseling, in the context of the tradition of the person who seeks out your help: Probe, Profile, Problem quantify, and Plan create and implement.

May G-d grant you the wisdom, knowledge and ability to use them for those in need. Enoch.

What is prayer? What do prayers have in common? Are they effective? What is their value?

There are two types of prayers as generic categories in my religion. This may vary in yours. They are prayers of praise, and prayers of request. Some prayers of request are to help us cleanse our souls, and to state our faith. See my Vine article on the Viduay - An Issue in Jewish Chaplaincy. Other prayers of request can also be individual or collective, and not involve atonement. Let me provide some examples of each. Then let's go back and see what they all share in common.

First there is the prayer of praise. "Kadosh kadosh kadosh Adonai tzevaot, Ma layah col ha aretz cavodoh". "Holy holy holy is the L-rd of Hosts. The whole earth is filled with His glory". This is a prayer of praise. It is straight forward. There are many such prayers. It praises the G-d those of us who are believers and relate stand in awe.

We ask nothing, and expect nothing. We are communicating with our Creator in prayer. What we communicate is praise. There is such a thing as religion out of gratitude. There is also such a thing as religion out of awe. The two are not mutually exclusive, but they are different.

Next there are prayers of request. Some requests are personal, some are collective. At Rosh Ha Shanah, when we do Tashlich, the prayers are collective. That is when we go to a body of flowing water containing fish, and we empty out of pockets. This is symbolic of shedding sins. We pray that our sins and inequities be washed far away from us, and be known no more. We recite the prayer in plural. This begins the time when we individually and collectively want to atone for sins, so that during the days of Awe from Rosh Ha Shanah to Yom Kippur we can return our souls in the pristine states given to us on loan by G-d. We seek to turn away from the corrupting influences of society. On Yom Kippur, when we recite the Al Chets (Sins we committed) we do so in plural form. Even if we did not commit a sin, if others in our community did and we were not there to help them out in moments of weakness, it is also on our heads. These are communal collective prayers to purify our souls.

In the Kitzur Schulchan Aruch, the Code Book of Jewish Law, it is written that if someone is fasting on a non-fast day, we are not allowed to ask them why. It may be that they are fasting to atone for an individual sin. That is between them and G-d directly. We may not interfere. However, we may infer that we may individually atone for sin any time we feel the need.

Recall that in Tashlich, the body of water must be flowing, and contain fish. Why both? The waters must move to wash away sins. Fins and scales (kosher) fish are a metaphor for G-d in this instance. Fish have no eye lids. They sleep with their eyes open, and always move to respirate. In Psalms, it is written. "Henai, Shomer Yisrael lo yanoom ve lo yeshan". "Behold, the Guardian of Israel neither sleeps nor slumbers". The fish symbolize that our Guardian is always in motion, and always ready to hear from us in prayer. The question is, how do we best pray? and for what?

In all these prayers of request, they are like prayers of praise. They all involve communication between us as individuals or groups, and with G-d. We may safely define prayer as any communication with G-d. It may be individual, or collective. It may be sung or spoken. It may be out loud, or done in silence. It still must be communication from us to G-d.

There is a saying in Hebrew, "Da ah lifnay me atah omed". "Know before whom you stand". If we keep this in mind, it will help us to pray more effectively, more efficiently, and more appropriately.

Religion is not magic. Prayer will not undo the Divine plan. It can comfort us when those parts of the plan (decay, disease, pain, misfortune, death, etc.) challenge us. We have to trust that there are reasons for them. If we do or do not, they are here anyway. We have to live with them. Prayer can be a valuable tool in coping.

Let's take a look at individual prayers of request. In my, as I imagine every tradition, they are the minority of organized service and ritual prayers. They are also probably the most customized, creative and relevant to those in crisis of some sort. Why are some of these kinds of prayers answered, and most not?

Hannah is a Biblical role model for how to make a prayer of request. She correctly understood before whom she prayed. The story of Hannah and her husband Elkanah is told around Rosh Ha Shanah, the Birthday of the world.

Hannah was barren. She felt that her life would be deficient if she could not conceive and give birth to a child. That is biology, not theology. Many barren women go to certain locations to pray to be able to conceive. These days, there are also fertility clinics, and adoptions for purposes of raising a family when nature fails us.

Hannah prayed to G-d for a child. Why was her prayer answered, and those prayers of others in similar situations not? It is because Hannah prayed that if she were granted motherhood, she would raise her child to live a life of service to G-d. She wanted the granting of her personal request to further the work and Divine plan. Most who make prayers of request only come to G-d when they are in trouble. They ask only to be bailed out. Then they go about their business without a thought to G-d, the Divine plan, or their role and responsibility in it. At least, until the next time they are hurting. They look at G-d as some sort of a cosmic automatic teller machine. Not so with Hannah.

She was granted the child she needed for a meaningful existence. She raised him to live a life of service to G-d. His life was a life of service to G-d. His name was Shmuel - Samuel. In Hebrew Shmuel means "lishol may El"- Asked of G-d. We know from Scripture how Samuel devoted his life to G-d's service.

Why was Hannah's prayer for a child answered and other prayers of other women not? Hannah is a good role model to us for prayers of request. Her focus was not on what she wanted. It was primarily on how she could further the Divine plan. Personal satisfaction was a by product. Therein lies the difference.

What is the value of prayer, and how do we best make it count? As Chaplains, we see people at their high and low points in life. Religious rituals give them venues for expression of their joy and sadness. It does so in individual and group settings.

When we lead services, the prayers are already in the prayer books. We can always add things to make relevant the weekly Torah, Haftorah (or other focal points of Scriptural cycles, depending on one's religion) as pre-printed hand outs. It is in the realm of individual prayer that we face our most important support roles.

Our task is to provide channels for the celebration of such joys as birth, Bar or Bat Mitzvah (coming of age rituals), graduations, engagements, marriages, new homes, new businesses, new careers, etc. The good times.

It is also to help out with troubling times. illness, destitution, failure, divorce, break ups, foreclosures, injustice, exploitation, abuse, dying, death, and mourning. The rough times.

In both cases there are things to recall from Hannah as our role model. Religion is not magic. Don't ask for a suspension of the Divine plan because it inconveniences you. Prayers are most effective when they don't center on you. Remember before whom you stand, and with whom you communicate.

Make your prayers centered on actualizing the Divine Sparks within you. On bringing out your best, your Divine potential. Look for prayer to motivate you to take action where you can. Look for prayer to soothe you when action is not a realistic option. See my five part Vine series on the Kaballah. Our role, in good times and bad, normal and extraordinary is to bring out the G-d like qualities in all of us. Sometimes actively, sometimes passively, and with acceptance.

"Tzedek tzedek tirdof". "Justice, justice shall you pursue". When you see wrong, use prayer to motivate to right it.

We are not a perfect species. When we err, we must use prayer to motivate us to cleanse our sins, return to purity; and make whole anyone we harmed.

At times we are in situations where we cannot realistically do anything, when all action is futile (death bed scenario, for example). Use prayer to comfort, to soothe,. to cleanse, and to prepare for the next leg of our journey. The trip to the world to come (Olah ha Bah).

Look to bring out the G-d in all of us. That we may do our best in all situations.

Prayer, if use properly is a valuable tool in motivating us to do right, and in learning to accept transitions, even unpleasant ones when they occur.

G-d bless. Enoch.

It is a custom on the Shabbat (Sabbath) to bless ones children and spouse when returning home from Kabbalat Shabbat (Friday night services to receive the sabbath). The following is my translation of the blessing a husband bestows upon his wife at that time. It is called Eshet Chayil (Woman of Valor). You may find it in Mishlay 31 (Proverbs 31).

A woman of valour, who can find?

She is more precious than fine pearls.

Her husband trusts in her, and so he lacks nothing.

She does him good, never harm, all the days of her life.

She perceives that her labor is rewarding; her candle burns into the night.

She reaches out to those in need, and extends her hand to the poor.

She is clothed in strength and dignity, and she faces the future cheerfully.

She speaks with wisdom; and the law of kindness is on her lips.

Her children rise up and bless her; her husband sings her praises.

Many daughters have done valiantly, but you excel them all.

This is dedicated to my wife of 40 great years to date.

G-d bless all the Women of Valour. Enoch.

What is the role of you, those with whom you agree and disagree in achieving the fulfillment of destiny? When will it happen, and what will it be like? What, if anything comes next?

This is the final installment in this series on the Kaballah. I hope all readers enjoyed it. I am proud of posters who asked incisive questions and presented compatible and alternative viewpoints. Most of all it is a delight to see how harmoniously we all pulled together to address these important yet difficult, subtle and complex topics.

What says the Kaballah on these aspects of the culmination of the process of existence?

Your role, and the roles of those who agree, and disagree with you are as follows. According to the Kaballah, every human being is a miniature version of all existence. In this world we are restricted to the lowest forms of the four worlds in our direct experience. Yet in us are aspects of all the four worlds of Asiyyah, Yezriyah, Beriah, and Azilut. An example of this type of thinking is this quote from the Zohar.

All souls and spirits prior to entering this world are made up of all components constituting one being. Upon descending to the Earth they separate and animate different bodies.

Part of this is that we all have different specific roles to play as history plays out. Part of this is that we reflect the radiated Divine Light. We contain within us the diffuse Divine Sparks (Nitzotzot). A bit of the whole in each of us. Not the entiretly.

Our task in our lifetimes is to clear a path so the Divine Sparks within us can radiate forth, unite, and reflect back to their source, G-d. G-d is the source of all emanated light. Since the Face does not gaze upon the face, the reason for the Creation is for us to use our free will to reunite the Divine Light and reflect it back to its origin, the Primordial Light Source. What tools have we in playing out our role? What help will we get in our time here in this existence?

We have three religious tools, or methods towards our role fulfillment. The first is physical exercises, such as rites and rituals. The second is prayer or meditation of the heart. The third and final is intellectual study of metaphysics. In the case of the Kaballah, this is the mastery of the Divine Sefirot, or attributes of G-d. The degree of performance in all these ways will determine the achievement of each student, soul, or whatever you wish to call us.

During all phases of development there may be moments of revelation and experience with higher realms. An example of this would be a visitation from Eliyhahu Ha Navee (Elijah thr Prophet). Many Kabbalist also speak of having a Maggid, or invisible teacher. In Hebrew, maggid comes from the verb Lay Haggid. It means to explain. This is usually an angel as a messenger. Sometimes it may be disembodied humans such as long deceased saints or sages. They may be sent as teachers or revealers to those farther along in the process of metaphysical studies.

As a rule, the last thing in the Jewish tradition you study is the Kaballah. It is assumed that you that you already know, have internalized and practice the most major parts of the tradition in in its entirety prior to the study of Kaballah. To not do this is like starting to build a sky scraper on the sixtyeth floor. You need to start with sinking footers. Go brick by brick, board by board, cinder block by cinder block. Otherwise the first stiff breeze will topple your metaphysical building.

The cumulative effect of generations of mystics of every tradition and methodology or system of belief, however incompatible is slowly to increase humanity's awareness of the Universe and G-d. Each esoteric line has its own methods, codes, and metaphysics to bring about this mass evolution of illumination through all souls.

When this occurs, there will be the physical resurrection of the dead. See Yehezkel (Ezekiel) and the vision of the dry bones. This is necessary so that all in all aspects and times of existence can spiritually awaken and together, restore all the Divine sparks to reflect back to the Primordial Light Source, G-d.

Then, each soul will be judged according to their individual over all performance of their role in life as they return the sparks within to the source of origin. This is known as the Yom Ha Din, or Day of Judgment.

Each individual will take their rightful place in that part of the universal comprehensive cosmic all encompassing body of Adam Kadmon. This Divine image of G-d's reflection will allow the, I will Be what I will Be to once more become One, and His Name One. (Bah Yom Ha Hu Yeheyay Adonai Eachad. U'Schemo Ehad).

Face will merge with reflected Face, at long last. The purpose and the destiny of existence will be achieved.

In that moment of completion existence will be at best a minor footnote in the eye of the Ancient of Ancients.

The Holy One, blessed be will be alone again.

Perhaps He will restart a next Shmittah (Great Cosmic Cycle).

To each of us, each in our own way, each fulfilling our own role: G-d bless. Enoch.

In Kaballah humanity is unique. Humans have not only free will, but also the power to be conscious of and to enter all four worlds. Human can and do ascend and descend all levels and rungs on Jacob's ladder.

In th sixteenth century, Kaballahlist Moses Cordoverosaid, It is right that a man should aspire to be like his Creator. For by this he will enter into the likeness and the image of the supernal Adam (Kadmon). In latin, this is known as Imatatio Dei. One caveat to this is as follows. We are to imitate only the positive qualities of the Divine. As He clothes the naked, visits the sick, buries the dead, and comforts the mourning so should we. As He is gracious and compassionate, rigtheous and loving, so should we. However, we should not imitate other aspects of the Divine. For example, G-d is the Master of His jealousy. His jealousy is not the Master of Him. Such is not our situation.

What should be our goal in imitating the positive aspects of the Divine. It is to bring forth our Divine sparks. Ideally, in the form of a fraction, it would look like this.

Soul is to G-d

_______________

Body is to Universe

The concept of in-corporeality is found in the Talmud. See Mesechet Brachot (Book of Blessings) 10a. There it is written, As the Holy One, blessed be He, fills the whole world,so also the soul fills the whole body. As the Holy One, blessed be He, sees but cannot be seen, so also the soul sees, but cannot be seen.

It is our purpose and goal to make our souls as G-d like as possible. This we do by removing the obstacles in existence which prevent us from having our Divine sparks gush forth like the mighty snow melt down a mountainside of spring waters. When we unite all that flow into one dynamic and powerful river of righteousness, we can wash away all sin that stains the universe. Then we can reflect the purity and greatness of our Creator.

When we descend the ladder of Jacob to enter this world, this is known as the Transmigration of the Soul. This happens in cycles. These cycles are called Gilgulim or wheels. They are necessary for us to fulfill our destiny. All of us, priorto birth have no gender. That is assigned at conception. We are to complete one another as couples. Each contributes to the couple what the other lacks. This is called Midah ke-neged Midah or measure for measure. In between transmigrations of the soul, the more advanced can choose when and where they enter history, and which specific roles they will play in human history.

As the opposite end of the spectrum are the lowest levels of humanity. One such example is a Dybbuk. They are those who are trapped between the living and the dead. They may have lost life prematurely. They may have unrequited love. They are not yet ready to ascend to higher levels on Jacob's ladder. They tend to hang around the lower levels, such as earth. They seek to resolve their problems, so they may move up by possessing the souls of the susceptible.

The progress up and down the ladder is covered in the Book of Enoch. There Enoch (Metatron) shows a huge cosmic curtain to a Rabbi. It depicts the pattern representing the overall form of history from the beginning of time (Beresheet) until the end of days (Sof Ha Yomim). This is when the Divine plan would be complete.

From the Book of Enoch.

Come and I will show you the cosmic curtin which is spread out before the Holy One--- Into this are woven all the generations of the world and what they will do until the end of generations.

In every generation here, there is one person who connects all worlds. Who this person is here is known only to the Lamed Vov (36) Tzadikkim (Rightoues Ones). They are a Great Holy Council of Heaven. This august body is presided over by no one less than Enoch himself.

Of the seven levels of heaven, what is life like for the most righteous? This quote is from the Zohar.

At the seventh level I met the souls of the righteous and saw them enjoying heaven's delights as we were showered with blessings of peace, benediction and grace.

Not a bad place to retire, right?

In Kabballah angels and demons were created in the first seven days. Humans existed prior to that as Divine Sparks (Nitzotzot). This gave humans the ability to operate at every level of humanity. Angels and demons were confined to specific places and functions because they have no free will.

Why no free will for angels and demons? The Kabbalah's position is angels and demons have polar opposite roles. Their constant counter acting each other would throw the universe into caos.

By giving humans free will, and the revealed tools to know how to choose right from wrong, humans have the capability to exercise their free will to reunite the Divine sparks within them to reinvigorate the dispersed Primordial Light. That brings order, balance and the fulfillment of the function and process of time.

That is what the Kabbalah opines. What say you?

You are encouraged to make use of your own full rich traditions, heritages, original thoughts or any other material you please.

This is an open ended question. The only limit I ask be followed is that you address issues, not attack persons. As humans you have free will. Please use it responsibly. You may disagree, but not disagreeably.

As it is written in the Zohar: The Master rebuked him saying, Everything created serves G-d's purpose, even that which seemed a threat to man and it's part in creation.

Kindly treat those whose posts are at variance with your belief, or lack thereof as part of the big picture. They are neither more or less than yours.

G-d bless. Enoch.

Those who ask, who creates God? miss a rather basic point well covered in the Kabbalah. The Kabbalistic definition of G-d is that He is limitless.

The Holy One is beyond existence. In Hebrew there are the words Ayin and Ayin-Sof. Ayin means nothingness. Ayin Sof means limitless. The latter best describes G-d. He who is without the limits of space and time. G-d is without the constrictions of predecessor and successor. G-d precedes and antedates time. Each are a part of His creation. He is bound by neither.

Ayin covers no existence, and Ayin Sof covers all, and beyond existence. In the Zohar it is written that Face does not gaze upon Face. G-d was alone at the dawn of creation. Existence is but a mirror image of G-d, and at that not a complete one.

To make existence possible, there is the Kaballistic concept of Tzimtzum, (retraction). G-d pulls Himself back, leaving a space. That space is filled by existence. The Divine sparks (Nitzotzot Yehudim {Hebrew} ah pintele Yidden {Yiddish} are the Divine sparks that are emanating out of G-d, and permeate the voids in the spaces of existence. They do not fill them completely.

Moses asked G-d His Name. G-d first replied, Eheyeh ( I shall be) . Then He said, Eheyeh asher Eheyeh ( I shall be what I shall be). This is not only a title, but it is also an intention. It contains the reason for existence. G-d is the Source of being.

Keep in mind that in Hebrew, as in all Semitic languages, there is no present tense for the verb, to be. Reality is a process. Existence is not static. G-d was, is and shall be what He was, is and shall be. That is reflected in our reality in existence. I am 64 (being 64) and also in transition to 65 (becoming 65) simultaneously. It is in the nature of reality that we are all being and becoming at the same time. We are what we are actually, and also becoming what we are becoming potentially. The question for us is what will we do with our free will to actualize our potential?

Why is there evil in the creation? Tzimtuzm! It is not G-d that is evil. It is the absence of G-d, the void from G-d's contractions to allow non G-d, existence to occur.

The last name given to Moses is the tetratgrammon, the four letters Name of G-d which is only used in the very particular context of a loving relations to the Jewish People. It is not universal, it is very specific and particular. This one is to the special and unique role given to Jews to fulfill in human history. We are there to fill the void left by the Tzimtzum. We are there to uphold our part of the Covenant. This does not in any way shape or form negate other roles for other peoples. We all play our part in creation, and the unfolding of human events. See Meshechet Yonah, the Scroll of Jonah. Even the Ninevites are a part of G-d's plan. We are all children of the same G-d. All equally beloved in His eyes.

The primordial light of G-d is too much for us. If we look into an eclipse, we can go blind. Just imagine what would happen if we looked directly into the Face of G-d? That is too much for us. The light of G-d is emanated throughout the existence of creation. The light becomes diffuse. We can deal with it. The Divine sparks are everywhere. they are within us. If we look directly at G-d, our human vessels would shatter. In the Kaballah as elsewhere in Jewish tradition, that is known as Shverat Ha Kaylim. The breaking of the vessels. By actualizing our Divine potential, we reunite the Divine sparks within us. When enough of us do this, it will begin to restore the Divine light throughout existence. This will make things better by filling the void of Tzimtzum. The contractions leaving space are filled by the reunion of G-d's Holy illumination. Not from Him to us. Rather it must come from us to Him. This is why we have free will. To overcome the evil and decay of the void.

Emanation of light gives us potential to fill the void. It is up to us all to so do this.

There are Ten Divine attributes. They are, in descending order, highest to lowest, as follows. First, Keter (Crown - source of all). Second, a two part attribute, Chochmah (Wisdom) and Binah (Understanding). The third two part pillar is composed of Gevurah (Judgement) and Chesed (Mercy). The Prophetess Warrior Yael was known for the ability to combine justice with mercy. No easy feat that. Fourth is Teferet (Beauty). Fifth is another two fold attribute. Hod (Shimmer or Vibrate) and Nezah (Repeat or Cycle). Hod and Nezah are also known as Glory and Victory. These are not accurate translations. Their true meanings remain elusive. Ninth is Yesod (Foundation). It supports the other eight attributes. Finally is Malkhut (Kingdom). One frequent reference to G-d is Melech Ha Malachim (King of Kings). Why put such a reference at the bottom of a list.

In mathematics, there is the tricotomy property. When you compare any two things by any standard, either they are equal, or one is lesser, and one is greater. So it may be with the hand of the Divine in human history. Depending on how needed, G-d or His assigns may come in as equals, so that we may so relate and collaborate to do His will. When we falter, He or His assigns come in beneath us, to prop us up so we don't fall down. When we can grow, He or his assigns are just enough above us so that we can look up, and reach to grow. But not so high that we can never attain safely such a height. That would frustrate us, and lead to ineffective lack of action. There is no potential for progress there.

These ten attributes are the Etz Chayim, the Tree of Life. For us to be more G-d like, we have to actualize our Divine potential. We must bring out our Divine sparks from within. To make use of those attributes in a manner most befitting each challenge with which we are faced.

There is also the repository of the Ruach Ha Kodesh (Divine Spirit). That is Daat, Knowledge (The Word of G-d).

G-d is Unity. We are diversity. We are shattered vessels. He is whole. The more we reunite, the more we are whole. Salvation is wholeness. That is the goal. Who can attain salvation? Potentially all of us. Rabbi Yochanan Ben Zakkai in Pirke Avoth, the Sayings of the Fathers proclaims that the righteous among all nations will have a share in the world to come (Olam Ha Bah).

When Jacob dreamed of the great ladder stretching from earth to heaven, and back down again he saw the great chain of being. He saw Melechai (messengers). Angels not transcendent are messengers. They were either going up or down. Those going down brought fresh pure pristine souls to be born into this world. Those going up took the souls of the righteous recently departed to ascend back to the world to come. Others regard the ascent as going up to the Divine. Each soul is as a cell in the body of Adam Kadmon (Primordial Image of the Divine) which comes down to the three lower worlds of the three dimensions. This process will play out until Adam Kadmon knows every aspect of existence, from the greatest to the smallest. That is the beginning, end and purpose of creation and existence. Tikkun, or restoration of the primordial light. The rebuilding of the vessels from part to whole. From shattered to unity.

Bah Yom Ha who, Yewhee yay Adonai Echad, U'schmoh Echad.

And on that day, He will be One, and His Name will be One. Please listen, One!

There were ten pre-deluge Patriarchs. Enoch was the seventh. What were the key characteristics of the pre-deluge Patriachs? How did Enoch differ from this pattern?

Pre-deluge Patriarchs served to mark large time passages. Each lived for several centuries, had a son to carry on after him, and died. Enoch varied from this pattern in two ways.

First, he lived only 365 years. Contrast this to his grandson Metushelach (Methuselah) who is said to have lived nine hundred years. Why and how did he depart from this life so prematurely?

Second, all mortals who reside on this earth die. Enoch did not. He was taken from life directly to paradise. How and Why?

Enoch pleased G-d, and was translated into paradise. There, Enoch is appointed guardian of all celestial treasures. He is made chief of all the angels. He was to be an immediate attendant to the throne of G-d Himself.

There Enoch is taught all the secrets and mysteries of G-d. Whatever G-d decrees, Enoch is of his own volition to be G-d's instrument of fulfilling such proclamations. Enoch means to be initiated.

He is said to have invented writing, mathematics, and astronomy. This is his method of conveying how to be initiated into the secrets and mysteries of G-d.

Enoch is also known as Metatron following his transfiguration. This is a name for the angel who communicates G-d's word. Enoch is the one who communicated the word of G-d to Moses on Sinai (Mi Peh El, Torah Moshe meh Seenai, - From the mouth of G-d to Moses on Sinai).

Rashi, a famous Biblical commentator states that Enoch was a righteous man who was taken away from corrupting influences around him. G-d took him away from this to prove G-d is not so cruel as to accept corruption of the righteous. It is for this reason that we on Yom Kippur turn away from sin and return to purity by Repentance as a community. In Hebrew, Repentance, (Teshuvah) means to return. On a daily basis, we are free and encouraged as individuals by G-d to turn away from the corrupting influences of society, and return our souls to their original pristine state.

Enoch, as a master of time and space is said to return to earth periodically and randomly to help those in need. He is also credited for helping those ready for the study of Kabbalah attain understanding of the Sodot, the secret meanings of Scripture.

In future articles, I plan to address some issues in Kabbalah, the Divine Plan.

May G-d bless and enlighten us all. Each in accordance with our ability to handle and make constructive use of the truth.