Rabbi Kalonymus Kalman Shapiro, Sefer Derekh HaMelekh,b.adasyoshuron.org/royal-road-1.pdf · 2...
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1 Rabbi Kalonymus Kalman Shapiro, Sefer Derekh HaMelekh, Parshat Noach, October, 1929 translation and commentary by Natan Margalit “These are the generations of Noach, Noach, etc…” Let us understand, if “Since they mentioned him, they told his praises…” [Rashi], why did they need to repeat his name? Wouldn’t it have been enough to say “These are the generations of Noach, a righteous man…”? And also, the matter of “There are those who interpret (righteous “in his generation”) as praise and those who interpret it as insult. Indeed, we have from the Rebbe, Rav Dov (Baer of Mezritch, 1704 – 1772) ל" זצon that which is known from the Ar’I (R. Isaac Luria, 1534-1572) ל" זצthat after prayer that is accepted there remains a vestige of the consciousness: that is, submission, which stays with a person. That is to say: it is impossible that a person would be constantly in a state of strengthened consciousness and heart, as they are in prayer. Still, that consciousness, that is, that submission, stays in them. These are the holy words (of R. Dov Baer). On a basic level, what is a “vestige?” When you write a letter, then erase it, there remains a vestige. That is, the whiteness of the paper isn’t as recognizable because of the blackness of the letter which was there, and if it weren’t for the blackness of the letter that was there before, the whiteness would be seen—its just that the whiteness “submits” and is nullified a little to the blackness on it. This is the matter of true submission in a person. If it’s from the light which dwells on them, then it could be submission, but if not, that isn’t submission, rather it’s a sign of coarseness of spirit and poverty of Torah. Because if a person is poor in Torah and the light of holiness isn’t upon them, its not possible for them to submit themselves. Rather, they have coarseness of spirit. Even if it seems to them that they are submissive and of humble spirit, this is not true submissiveness and humility, rather, it is ignorance and emptiness. Because you can find a person who in general lacks a strong spirit of mind and a strong will, and he or she is in lowliness, but its more like they’re ill, (God forbid), because they are lowly but not because of a personal quality of humility, but rather because they don’t feel inside a spirit and a power; their limbs are falling apart. This is brokenness—brokenness of the Self. But the way of the Torah is the opposite: “strong as a leopard” [Avot 5:20], a person strong in mind and in will, strong in divine service, and with all that—to be in submission. Not because they are empty, but only because of the divine light which dwells upon them, and their ego is nullified and in submission, to the point where it isn’t perceptible. In their prayer and Torah, when the light is so much in them, their ego is more nullified and they are in submission to holiness—and also after prayer a vestige, at least, remains, and they are still in submission. 1 It depends on whether in their prayer the light encompasses all of their body and penetrates into all their inwardness such that the transcendent light is written and engraved on their whole body and all their powers. Then, they will be in submission both during prayer and after prayer because of the vestige which remains in them. But this is not so when the holiness doesn’t encompass all their body and doesn’t go into them in all their inwardness, inside and out, even if in their thoughts they pray with intention, still, in their body its hasn’t registered, and the white light of the transcendent script isn’t written in their body, such that submission is recognized in their body. This is why all of the matter of intention mentioned in the Gemara uses the language of “intention/inclination of the heart:” “If he
Transcript of Rabbi Kalonymus Kalman Shapiro, Sefer Derekh HaMelekh,b.adasyoshuron.org/royal-road-1.pdf · 2...
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RabbiKalonymusKalmanShapiro,SeferDerekhHaMelekh,ParshatNoach,October,1929translationandcommentarybyNatanMargalit
“ThesearethegenerationsofNoach,Noach,etc…”Letusunderstand,if“Sincetheymentionedhim,theytoldhispraises…”[Rashi],whydidtheyneedtorepeathisname?Wouldn’tithavebeenenoughtosay“ThesearethegenerationsofNoach,arighteousman…”?Andalso,thematterof“Therearethosewhointerpret(righteous“inhisgeneration”)aspraiseandthosewhointerpretitasinsult.
Indeed,wehavefromtheRebbe,RavDov(BaerofMezritch,1704–1772)זצ"לonthatwhichisknownfromtheAr’I(R.IsaacLuria,1534-1572)זצ"לthatafterprayerthatisacceptedthereremainsavestigeoftheconsciousness:thatis,submission,whichstayswithaperson.Thatistosay:itisimpossiblethatapersonwouldbeconstantlyinastateofstrengthenedconsciousnessandheart,astheyareinprayer.Still,thatconsciousness,thatis,thatsubmission,staysinthem.Thesearetheholywords(ofR.DovBaer).
Onabasiclevel,whatisa“vestige?”Whenyouwritealetter,theneraseit,thereremainsavestige.Thatis,thewhitenessofthepaperisn’tasrecognizablebecauseoftheblacknessoftheletterwhichwasthere,andifitweren’tfortheblacknessoftheletterthatwastherebefore,thewhitenesswouldbeseen—itsjustthatthewhiteness“submits”andisnullifiedalittletotheblacknessonit.Thisisthematteroftruesubmissioninaperson.Ifit’sfromthelightwhichdwellsonthem,thenitcouldbesubmission,butifnot,thatisn’tsubmission,ratherit’sasignofcoarsenessofspiritandpovertyofTorah.BecauseifapersonispoorinTorahandthelightofholinessisn’tuponthem,itsnotpossibleforthemtosubmitthemselves.Rather,theyhavecoarsenessofspirit.Evenifitseemstothemthattheyaresubmissiveandofhumblespirit,thisisnottruesubmissivenessandhumility,rather,itisignoranceandemptiness.Becauseyoucanfindapersonwhoingenerallacksastrongspiritofmindandastrongwill,andheorsheisinlowliness,butitsmorelikethey’reill,(Godforbid),becausetheyarelowlybutnotbecauseofapersonalqualityofhumility,butratherbecausetheydon’tfeelinsideaspiritandapower;theirlimbsarefallingapart.Thisisbrokenness—brokennessoftheSelf.ButthewayoftheTorahistheopposite:“strongasaleopard”[Avot5:20],apersonstronginmindandinwill,strongindivineservice,andwithallthat—tobeinsubmission.Notbecausetheyareempty,butonlybecauseofthedivinelightwhichdwellsuponthem,andtheiregoisnullifiedandinsubmission,tothepointwhereitisn’tperceptible.IntheirprayerandTorah,whenthelightissomuchinthem,theiregoismorenullifiedandtheyareinsubmissiontoholiness—andalsoafterprayeravestige,atleast,remains,andtheyarestillinsubmission.1
Itdependsonwhetherintheirprayerthelightencompassesalloftheirbodyandpenetratesintoalltheirinwardnesssuchthatthetranscendentlightiswrittenandengravedontheirwholebodyandalltheirpowers.Then,theywillbeinsubmissionbothduringprayerandafterprayerbecauseofthevestigewhichremainsinthem.Butthisisnotsowhentheholinessdoesn’tencompassalltheirbodyanddoesn’tgointotheminalltheirinwardness,insideandout,evenifintheirthoughtstheypraywithintention,still,intheirbodyitshasn’tregistered,andthewhitelightofthetranscendentscriptisn’twrittenintheirbody,suchthatsubmissionisrecognizedintheirbody.ThisiswhyallofthematterofintentionmentionedintheGemarausesthelanguageof“intention/inclinationoftheheart:”“Ifhe
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inclinedhisheart.”Evenifthemainpartofintentionisinthought,whichisinthebrain,butintentionofthebrainisn’tenough.Rather,italldependsonintentionoftheheart,whichincludesallofthebody.2
Thisistheissueinfeelingenergizedinprayer.Forexample,ifyoubringapersonsomethingthatisn’tsovaluableintheireyes,theyaren’texcitedaboutitbecausethevalueoftheobjectdoesn’texcitethemenoughtonullifyalltheiregos,spiritandlifeenergybecauseofit.Buttheoppositeistrueifyoubringthemsomethingofgreatvalue,andevenmoresoifyoubringthemtheirchildwhomtheyhaven’tseeninalongtime—theirentirebeingissoexcitedthattheytemporarilyforgettoeat,drinkorsleep.Thisisbecausethepreciousnessoftheirchildexcitesthemtothepointwherealltheirego,spiritandlifeforcearenullified,andeventheirhungerandsofortharenullifiedbecauseofthisduringthattime.Soalso,aJew,evenanundistinguishedone,whentheypraytoGodabouttheirneeds,andthinkswithpowerfulconcentrationhowtheyarenowstandingbeforeGod,inwhosehandsareallthelifeoftheworlds,andtoWhomisthepowerandthedominiontohelpthemwithalltheirneeds,betheybodilyorspiritual.Andalltheirlife-energyisthelife-energyoftheirBlessedCreator,andthelife-energyofallIsraelandalltherestoftheirneedsdependsonthismomentwhentheyareinprayerandsupplicationbeforeGod.ThentheirsoulispouredoutsomuchtoGodtothepointwheretheyarecompletelyenergizedandalltheirpowerissubjugatedandnullifiedbeforeGod.Andevenmoresointhecaseofapersonwhohastheheartandmindtobeexcitedevenatatimewhentheyaren’taskingabouttheirneeds,butsimplywhentheystandandsay“BlessedareYou”andtheyreflect,“HowcloseIamnowtoGod—tothepointwhereIsay“You”inthesecondperson!”Anditseemstothatpersonthatthepaththroughalltheworlds,allthebarriersandwallswhichseparatenowbrakedownand(intheirplace)iscreatedastraightopeningtoGod.AndtheystandnowbeforethegloryofGod’sholiness,andtheawesomenessofGod’sDominion,andsay“You,God,areBlessed!”Howfiredupandexcitedthey’llbefromthat!AllthepowersoftheirbodieswouldbenullifiedandtheirwholebeingwouldbesubmittingtoGodbecauseofthelightofGod’sHolinessthatrestsuponthem,tothepointwhereevenafterprayeravestigeoftheholinesswhichresteduponandwasengravedonthemremainsallthatdayandtheyremainintheirstateofsubmission.3
Andbehold,thiskindofsubmission,thesubmissionwhichcomesfromthetranscendentlightwhichiswrittenonthemasintheexampleabove,thisistheessenceofthesubmissioninDivineservice.Becauseevenonewhobringsthemselvestosubmissiononlythroughsayingtothemselveshowthey’retrappedinphysicality,alowlycreature,fullofgrossnessandbadcharactertraits,andsoon;evenif,inthebeginningwhenapersonwantstobringthemselvestosubmission,thiscanbegood,andapersonneedstobringthemselvestosubmissionwiththisaswell;evenso,itwillbehardforsuchaspersontoraisethemselvesupthroughthisbecausetheyarepusheddownbyittolowliness.Notonlythat,butthispersonwillnotyearnafterthis(kindofselfdenegration)forgreatness.AnythingtheydoinholinessandTorah,indivineserviceandinprayer,evenalittlebitofthem—that’salreadyenoughforthem—asthey’llsay,“Whatcanbeexpectedfromalowlypersonlikeme?IsitpossiblethatI’driseuptothehighandholylevels?Allthoselevelsaren’tavailabletome”—Itisaswe’vealreadyexplainedaboutthis.Butmorethatthat:EverylevelofholinessandeverytrulynewinsightinTorahandindivineservicecomesfromheaven.GodgivestheTorahandapersonmerelypullsittothemselves.AndtopulldownahighlevelofholinessorTorahinsightfromonhighthepersonalsoneedstoraisethemselvesuptoreachandreceiveit.ThisisthesameasMosesgoingupandreceivingsecurestrength.Butifapersonsubjugatestheirself,theirmindandtheirspirit,judgesthemselvesanddecidesintheirmindsthattheyarelowly,physical,andsmall,thentheywillremainintheirlowlinessandit’simpossiblefortheirspiritandmind
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toriseupandreceiveanythingtranscendentanddrawitdowntothemselves.EvenwhenthispersonhasanewinsightintherevealedTorah,itisn’treallyanewinsight.ButtheoppositeistrueofsomeonewhoraisesthemselvesupinholinessandcleavestheirmindstoGod,asexplainedabove.Then,atthattimewhentheyareuplifted,theyareabletograspaninsightanddrawitintothemselves.Andevenwhentheyarelearningafterword,andtheyneedtoworkwiththeirownintelligencetocometoanewinsight,itsnotonlywiththeirownmindsthattheyareworkingnow.Rathertheyhadalreadydrawnitdownearlierwhentheywereuplifted,andnowtheybringitdownintotheirintelligence,andtheyworkwiththeirmindsandunderstandwhattheyhadgrasped.
[endofnextparagraph]...Throughtheirraisingthemselvesup,anddrawinguponthemselvesthetranscendentlight,theythemselvesbecomeanimageofholiness.
Thisisasintheexampleofapersonwhohasintheirmindapictureofahousethattheyintendtobuild,andthentheydrawthispictureonapaper.Eventhoughintheirmindandintheirbraintherewasnoactual,physicalpicture—still,thedrawingthattheydrawonthepaperwasexactlythedrawingthattheyhadintheirthoughts—tothepointwhereyoucouldsaythatthethoughtintheirmindswasmanifestedinthisdrawingthatisonthepaper.Thisisthelightwhichisrestingonthemnow:itsnotabovetheirheadandheart,rather,itisinthem,intheirheadandheart,suchthattheyarecompletelynullifiedandenergizedbyit.Andthen,afterprayer,theresidueremains,aswesaidaboveintheexampleoftheletterthatstaysonthepaper.Theactionofdrawinghappenswithinthem:thetranscendentlightisconcretizedintheirbrainandheart,energizestheirpower,andthetranscendentlightisconcretizedasadrawingintheirbrainandheartandthepoweroftheirexcitementandthewisdomofapersonwilllightuptheirfaceandtheirwholeimagewillchangeintoaformofholiness.Theholinessconcretizesintothisformwhichisuponthem,tothepointwhereitwasstatedintheZoharthattheimageinwhichapersonappearsinthisworldwillexistfortheminthenextworldaswell.Thisisbecausetheirforminthisworldisaformofholiness,inwhichthetranscendentlighthasconcretized.4
AndthisisthematterofthewordsofTorahandprayerwhichcomeoutofaperson,asin,“Allmyboneswillspeak…”[Psalm25:10]—notjustinthoughts,butrather“willspeak”withthewordsofthemouth.Becausespeechismadebydividinglettersandsincetheholylightshavebeenrevealedintheperson,intheformsthathavebeenconcretizedwithintheperson,everysparkoflightinitsownform,avarietyoflettersarerevealedwithinthem(thatistosay,theformsoflightwhichareconcretizedwithintheperson,thesethemselvesarethespirituallettersfromonhigh)whichintheircombiningtogetherbecomewordsinspeech.Since,aswesaidabove,thelightrestsontheirwholebody,thereforethespeechoftheirmouthisnotsimplyholythoughtswhichcomeinthoughtandthenthemouthdressestheminwords.Rather,itisalsothespeechwhichisrevealedinthem.Anditisn’tthemouthalonewhichspeaks,rather,theholinesswhichisinthewholebodywhichisformedwithinthepowersandlimbsoftheirbody—thesearethelettersoftheirspeech:“allmybonesspeak…”AndthisiswhatapersonwillsometimesfeelwhentheycometosayortowritesomenewideainTorah:atthetimewhentheyspeakorwriteit,newideasareaddedontotheearlierinsightwhichwasintheirthoughts.Thisisaswesaidabove:thatbeyondtheinsightinthethoughts,thespeechitselfisalsoanewinsightandnowtheyinnovateanddrawuponthemselvesanewlight.5
Beyondthesimplemeaningof“andthewholepeoplesawthevoices…”[Exodus20:14]whichRashiexplainsas“theysawthatwhichisheard…”thereisafurtherhinttousalongthelinesofwhatwesaidabove:sincetheirfilth(ie.The“originalsin”fromtheSerpentinthegarden)wasstopped,Israelwere
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raisedupandmadeholysomuchsothattheywereturnedintotranscendentletterfromthespeechofGod,asspokentothemintheReceivingoftheTorah—eachoneaccordingtotheirsoul’sroot.InthecombiningofallIsraeltogetherandinthemixingofallthelettersintospeech,theysawthevoiceswhichGodspoke.Thisistosay,the“Israel”saw.Thisis,“andallthepeoplesawthevoices:”“andallthepeopletogethersaw”throughtheircombiningtogetherallthelettersintospeech.Andtheythoughtthattheythemselveswouldbecompletelynullified,andintheirplacewouldberevealedtranscendentletters.Andso,theysaidtoMoshe,“youspeaktousandwe’llhear…”suchthatwewon’tseethevoicesandbenullified,ratherwe’llhear.“anddon’thaveGodspeak(directlytous…)”aswesaidabove,sothattheywouldn’tbecompletelynullified.AndMoshesaid,“Don’tbeafraid.ItisonlytotestyouthatGodcomes…,”asRashiexplains,“toraiseyouup…”Itsnotthatyou’llbenullifiedandtranscendentletterswillcomeinyourplaces,ratheritsthatyou’llberaisedupandyouyourselveswillbecometranscendentletters,aswasexplainedabove.6
AnditspossiblethatthisexplainsthematterofthemovementsthataJewmakeswhenthey’respeakingwordsofTorahorprayer,asisknownfromtheZohar,thisquestionandtheanswertoit.Why,specificallyatthetimeofspeakingandnotatthetimeofthinking?Butitisasexplainedabove:speechisn’tsimplyagarbingofthethought,ratherit’sarevelationoflettersinone’sbodyintheircombiningtomakewords.Itisknownthatthecombiningofthelettersisthemovementofletters.Forexample,thelettersא, ב, ןwhentheyaremixedupandseparatedthereisnocompleteword,butwhentheymoveandareclosetooneanothertheybecomethewordeven.Andwhentheymoveinadifferentwaysuchthatthelastlettercomesfirstandthefirstlettergoesattheend,itmakesadifferentword,navo,andsoforth.Sinceatthetimewhenonespeaksthelettersmoveintheircombinationsandthelettersaretheformsandtheimageoftheperson’sbodyandstrengths,therefore,thepersonactuallyalsomoves.Thisisnottrue,however,whenapersonisn’tspeakingbutonlythinking,andtheperson’sbody—whichistheformofthelettersinspeech—isn’tmovingandcombining,soalsotheperson’sbodyisactuallyatrest.Thisisthereasonwhyitsnotenoughforprayertobejustanintentionoftheheart.Itneedstobespokenbecausespeechdrawsdownthetranscendentlightsintotheformsofletters,andtheycombineaboveandalsowithinthepersonintoholyunifications.
Thisisthematterofintentioninprayer.Beyondthesimpleintentionofthemeaningofthewords,thereisintentionforthelettersthemselves.AsisknownfromtheZoharandtheAr’I,z’l,howeachletterhintsinitsform,initsfullspelling,andinitsnumericalvalue,inthecombiningofletterswithinletters,andsoforth.Andevenonewhoisn’tabletousethemysticalintentionsoftheAr’Iz’l,andmakemysticalunifications,mustalsoknowthat(prayer)doesn’tonlydependonthemeaningofthewordsalone,andnotsimplybyintendingthemeaningofthewordsdotheyfulfilltheirobligation.Rather,thelettershaveholinessinandofthemselves.ItisaswehavefromtheGreatMaggid(ofMezritch)z’tz’l,ontheverse“Makeanopeningfordaylightintheark/תיבה(word)”[Gen.6:16].Thewordthatyousayinprayer:makeanopeningfordaylight,Light.Boththewordandthelettersareholyinandofthemselves,andwhenapersonpraysoutloud,withtheintentionthateveryletterandwordarepiecesoftheupperworld,oneofthepartsoftheChariot,they’llhaveadeepfeelingsayingeachwordandletter;joyinprayingwiththepartsoftheChariotnowcomingthroughtheirmouth.TheGemarasays,“Makeyourearlistentowhatcomesoutofyourmouth.”Evenifapersonknowswhattheyaresaying,andalsobeforesayingit,itwasintheirthoughts,sinceoneonlyspeaks,andbringsoutofthefiveexitsofthemouth,thatwhichisintheirthoughts,evenstill,itIsaswesaidabove:thereisarevelationinthelettersofspeechinthemselvesbeyondtherevelationwhichisinthethoughts.7
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Let’sreturntowhatwesaidabove,thetranscendentlightsareconcretizedintotheformsofapersontothepointwhereaperson’swisdomshinesintheirface,andtheirimageinthisworldstandsfortheminthenextworld.Thisisalsooneofthemattersthatrelatestooursituation(asnormalJews),thatwhichismentionedintheZoharabouttheRighteouswhosenamesaredoubled“Ya’akov,Ya’akov…”andsoforth—oneforAboveandoneforbelow.Becauseone’simageinthisworldisalsoAbove.Anditsnotforthepersonalonethatthelettersbecomeformsofthetranscendentlights,butrathertherestofthepeoplewhobringthosewordsintotheirheartsandtheirsouls,andactaccordingtothem—thenthoselightsarealsointheirbodies,andtheirimagetakesforminaction.8
“ThesearethegenerationsofNoach,Noach…”oneforAboveandoneforbelow.Notforhimselfonlybutalsoforhisgeneration,withthegenerationswithinwhichtheyareformed.Andhowisthis?Weren’tthepeopleofthatgenerationevil?Butrather,(generations)meanshischildrenwere(in)formed.“Andtherearethosewhointerpretit(ie.“righteousinhisgeneration”)asaninsult,becauseAbrahammadeconverts“andthesoulswhichtheymade…”whereasNoachonlyinformedhischildren;andtherearethosethatinterpretitaspraise:ifhe(Noach)wasinagenerationofrighteouspeoplehewouldhavebeenevenmorerighteous,thatis,hewouldhaveinfluencedmorepeople,beyondhisownchildren.
Commentary:
1“Submission”isadifficultwordinourcontemporaryvocabulary.Ittranslatesהכנעהaccurately,butitshardforustorelatetothiswordthatimpliesgivingupourautonomyorbeingweak.Yet,hemakesitclearthathedoesn’tmeanthatapersonshouldbeweak.Hegoesoutofhiswaytoemphasizethattrue“submission”doesn’tcomefromweakness,butreallyonlycomesfrombeinginfluencedbyasenseofsomethingtrulyhigherthanourownego.Thiskeyingredientmaybedifficulttotalkaboutinourdayswhenitweare(rightly)suspiciousofanyclaimthatweshouldsubmittoahigherauthority.We’veexperiencedsomanyfalseandundeservingauthorities,andwe’velearnedtorelyonourownjudgementandindependentthinking,whichisalltothegood.Yet,thisexperienceofaHigherConsciousness,aTranscendentLight,iskeytothespiritualitythatRebbeKalonymusdescribes.Wecan’tsimplyrelyonourhumanintelligenceorpowersofreason:itisessentialthatwefeeltheinfluenceofSomethinghigher.IsometimethinkofthisasthecollectiveConsciousnessoftheCosmos,whichemergesfromtheEynSof,theEternal,Endless,UnitythatistheSourceofAll.Imaginetappingintothat!
2ThisemphasisonlettingtheconsciousnessenterourbodiesiscentraltoRebbeKalonymus’sthought.Itresonatesdeeplywithourcontemporaryunderstandingofawholisticspirituality.WeneedtofeelthetruthsofourrelationshipwiththeDivinesodeeplythattheyenterourbodies,andbecomeapartofwhoweare.Anythinglessisnotgoingtowork.Thisisahighbarthathe’ssetting!Butitisaninspirational,aspirationalbar:lettingusknowthatitispossibletofillourbodiesasmuchasourmindswithaHigherconsciousness.
3Theexampleofseeingabelovedchildstrikesachordwithmanyofusasourstrongestfeelingsofloveareforourfamiliesandperhapsespeciallyourchildren.Manyofushaveknownthatfeelingofforgettingabouthungerandsleepintheexcitementofsuchareunion.RebbeKalonymusisinvitingustousethatanalogytoimagewhatprayerwouldbelikeifwehadadeepsensethattheSourceofAllBeingisnearandcantouchourconsciousness.ThelasthalfofthisparagraphisreferencinganofttoldtypeofHassidicstoryinwhichtheRebbestartstosay“BarukhAta…”andgoesintoanecstaticstateandcan’tcontinue.Itbringshomethatrealityofwhatweareactuallydoingwhenwepray,andhowoftenwedon’topenourselvestotheawesomenessandaudaciousnessofwhatweare,infact,proposingtodo.
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4InthisdescriptionoftheprocessofbringingdowntheholylightsRebbeKalonymusfirstdismissesthe“beatinguponyourself”typeofspiritualpracticethatmayhavebeencommoninhiscircles.Headmitsthatperhapsinthebeginningofthejourney,whenoneislearningtobreaktheiregoistichabits,thatcanbetemporarilyuseful,butheclearlyseesthedrawbackstothismethod.Inordertoconnectwithholyinfluenceyouneedtoraiseyourselfupandgogetit.Youneedtofeelanelatedsenseofin-spiration:fillingyourselfwithSpirit,inordertobringitdowntoearth.
5Whenweinternalizesomethingintoourbodies,welearnnewthings.Thisisoneofthereasonswhy“Biblio-drama”orcreativemovementcanbeenlightening:somestoryormidrashthatwethoughtweknewbyreadingit,revealsnewinsightswhenweactordanceitout.Heisdescribingthewaythatourbodies,ourspeech,ouractions,manifestthedivinesparkintonewdimensions.Ourverybodiesbecomechannelsofdivineknowledgethatgoesbeyondourthoughts.
6HereRebbeKalonymusbringsintheemergenceofmeaningthroughthejuxtaposition,combiningandinter-relationshipofmanypartstocreateawhole.TheVoicethattheyhearonlycomesaboutbecauseallthepeople/letterscombineintomeaningfulspeech.Thisisthewaythatalllanguageworks:meaningemergesfromthecombinationofletters,wordsandsentences.Morethanthat:weneedasocietyofpeopletofeelthatweliveinameaningfulworld.Ourindividualselvescan’tcreatethesamekindofrevelationthatcancomeoutofawholepeoplecombiningandinteractingtogether,weavingtheircontributionstocreateaworldbeyondthephysicalworld:aworldofemergent,humanmeaning.
7Beyondthefactthatspokenwordsareanotherlevelandthereforeadifferentrevelationthanthoughts,thereisanotherimportantinsightinthisparagraph:beingapartofawholedoesn’tnullifytheindividuals.Justlikealetterthatcombinesintoawordandtakesonnewmeaningbecauseitentersasapartintoawhole,doesn’tloseitsinherentmeaningasaletterintheprocess;soalso,apersonwhoentersintoawhole:afamily,acommunity,asynagogue,acluboracountry,doesn’t,orshouldn’t,losetheirsignificanceasanindividualaswell.Wecanexistonmanylevelsandaproperlyfunctioningcommunitywillenhanceanddeepenthesignificanceofeachindividual,notnullifythem.
8Thisisthenextlevelofemergence:whenonehasinternalizedtheLightfromAboveandmadeitapartofyourself,yourwords,yourface,yourbody,youbecomeapersonthatcancommunicatethatLightsothatitcanenterintotheheartsandmindsandeventhebodiesofthosearoundyou.Itisstilluptothemtoopentothislight,buttherealcommunication,ortransmission,isamixtureofthought,feeling,sensation,individual,social,psychologicalandspiritual.Itexistsonalltheselevels,andcreatesanewmanifestationoftheLightinthisworld:notjustaperson,butasocietycanbeaRevelation.
