Introduction Three Levels of Meditation

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Part 1: Introduction Three Levels of Meditation In a public address in Tamuz 5739 (the summer of 1979), the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, discussed the need to develop a form of Jewish meditation suitable for our generation. The Rebbe pointed out that there are three general levels of meditation: 1. At its simplest, meditation is a technique for relaxation, which has become so essential in our contemporary, harried lifestyle. In this context, meditation is simply a form of medicine, administered to cure a psychological ailment, such as stress, anxiety, or tension. To be successful, meditative techniques of this type need not involve explicit Jewish content, although, for the Jew, they must of course be free of association with any other belief system. (Meditation techniques that involve explicit or derivative forms of idolatrous practices are forbidden for non-Jews, as well.) 2. The next level of meditation involves focusing the mind and heart on God's presence in our lives and His Providence over everything, as expressed in the verse from Psalms (16:8) I place God in front of me always 3. Finally, the deepest level of meditation involves the concentrated contemplation of the mysteries of the Torah. Since the time of the Ba'al Shem Tov, contemplating these mysteries and their pertinence to us in our daily lives has become the call of the hour. Indeed, the Mashiach himself promised the Ba'al Shem Tov that his coming will be a consequence of "spreading your wellsprings--that which I have taught you and that which you have comprehended--to the furthest extreme." Inspired by the Rebbe's call, Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh began developing a system of Jewish meditation based on the teachings of Kabbalah and Chassidut. Over the years, he has taught this system in various venues, and now a number of his students are teaching it around the world. Before you is a shortened version of "Living in Divine Space" by Harav Yitzchak Ginsburgh, specially prepared for the hereby podcast. To purchase the complete (288 page hard-cover) book, please click here..

Copy Link

Recommended publications

The Audacity of Holiness Orthodox Jewish Women’S Theater עַ זּוּת שֶׁ Israelבִּ קְ Inדוּשָׁ ה
ׁׁ ְִֶַָּּּהבשות שעזּ Reina Rutlinger-Reiner The Audacity of Holiness Orthodox Jewish Women’s Theater ַעזּּו ֶׁת ש in Israelִּבְקּדו ָׁשה Translated by Jeffrey M. Green Cover photography: Avigail Reiner Book design: Bethany Wolfe Published with the support of: Dr. Phyllis Hammer The Hadassah-Brandeis Institute, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA Talpiot Academic College, Holon, Israel 2014 Contents Introduction 7 Chapter One: The Uniqueness of the Phenomenon 12 The Complexity of Orthodox Jewish Society in Israel 16 Chapter Two: General Survey of the Theater Groups 21 Theater among ultra-Orthodox Women 22 Born-again1 Actresses and Directors in Ultra-Orthodox Society 26 Theater Groups of National-Religious Women 31 The Settlements: The Forge of Orthodox Women’s Theater 38 Orthodox Women’s Theater Groups in the Cities 73 Orthodox Men’s Theater 79 Summary: “Is there such a thing as Orthodox women’s theater?” 80 Chapter Three: “The Right Hand Draws in, the Left Hand Pushes Away”: The Involvement of Rabbis in the Theater 84 Is Innovation Desirable According to the Torah? 84 Judaism and the Theater–a Fertile Stage in the Culture War 87 The Goal: Creation of a Theater “of Our Own” 88 Differences of Opinion 91 Asking the Rabbi: The Women’s Demand for Rabbinical Involvement 94 “Engaged Theater” or “Emasculated Theater”? 96 Developments in the Relations Between the Rabbis and the Artists 98 1 I use this term, which is laden with Christian connotations, with some trepidation. Here it refers to a large and varied group of people who were not brought up as Orthodox Jews but adopted Orthodoxy, often with great intensity, later in life.
[Show full text]
On Being a Jewish Author: the Trace of the Messiah in Elie Wiesel's Novels
On Being a Jewish Author: The Trace of the Messiah in Elie Wiesel’s Novels David Patterson University of Texas at Dallas n Somewhere a Master (1982), Elie Wiesel invokes a teaching from Pinchas of Koretz, a disciple of the Baal Shem Tov, founder Iof Hasidism: “To be Jewish is to link one’s fate to that of the Messiah—to that of all who are waiting for the Messiah” (23). To link one’s fate to that of the Messiah is not only to await but also to work for the coming of the Messiah, even though he may tarry— even though, if one may speak such words, he may never come. To be sure: the Messiah is the one who has forever yet to come , so that to be Jewish is to forever be engaged with an eternal yet to be . To live is to live on the edge of the yet to be . Or, for Wiesel, to live is to live in the midst of the and yet . There abides the Messiah: in the and yet . For Wiesel, to link one’s fate to that of the Messiah is to link one’s fate to the and yet , particularly after the Shoah. The Shoah al - tered forever the meaning of the Twelfth of Maimonides’ Thirteen Principles of Faith, the belief in the coming of the Messiah, even though he may tarry—a belief that would recur throughout the works and the life of Elie Wiesel. Bearing witness to the truth and the wisdom of the Jewish mes - sianic tradition was, for Wiesel, the tie that most profoundly bound L&B 38.1 2018 2 / Literature and Belief him to the Jewish tradition and therefore to Jewish life: for Wiesel the tie to Jewish tradition was his post-Holocaust connection to life, and that bond lay most profoundly in his link to the Messiah.
[Show full text]
Phenomenon, Vigilantism, and Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh's
‘THE SIMPLE JEW’: THE ‘PRICE TAG’ PHENOMENON, VIGILANTISM, AND RABBI YITZCHAK GINSBURGH’S POLITICAL KABBALAH Tessa Satherley* ABSTRACT: This paper explores the Kabbalistic theosophy of Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh, and allegations of links between his yeshiva and violent political activism and vigilantism. Ginsburgh is head of the yeshiva Od Yosef Chai (Joseph Still Lives) in Samaria/the northern West Bank. His students and colleagues have been accused by the authorities of violence and vandalism against Arabs in the context of ‘price tag’ actions and vigilante attacks, while publications by Ginsburgh and his yeshiva colleagues such as Barukh HaGever (Barukh the Man/Blessed is the Man) and Torat HaMelekh (The King’s Torah) have been accused of inciting racist violence. This paper sketches the yeshiva’s history in the public spotlight and describes the esoteric, Kabbalistic framework behind Ginsburgh’s politics, focusing on his political readings of Zoharic Kabbalah and teachings about the mystical value of spontaneous revenge attacks by ‘the simple Jew’, who acts upon his feelings of righteous indignation without prior reflection. The conclusion explores and attempts to delimit the explanatory power of such mystical teachings in light of the sociological characteristics of the Hilltop Youth most often implicated as price tag ‘operatives’ and existing scholarly models of vigilantism. It also points to aspects of the mystical teachings with potential for special potency in this context. Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh (1944-) is a Chabad rabbi and head of the Od Yosef Chai (Joseph Still Lives) yeshiva in the Yitzhar settlement, near the major Palestinian population centre of Nablus (biblical Shechem). The yeshiva occupies an unusual discursive space – neither mainstream religious Zionist (though some of its teaching staff were educated in this tradition) nor formally affiliated with the Hasidic movement, despite Ginsburgh’s own affiliation with Chabad and despite his teachings being steeped in its Kabbalistic inheritance.
[Show full text]
Pinḥas, the Quest for Purity, and the Dangers of Tikkun Olam
475 Pinḥas, the Quest for Purity, and the Dangers of Tikkun Olam Pinḥas, the Quest for Purity, and the Dangers of Tikkun Olam Geoffrey Claussen The popular Jewish idea that human beings are obligated to “repair the world” (to engage in tikkun olam) is a valuable idea and, also, a dangerous idea. It can inspire much good but also, potentially, much evil. While visions of tikkun olam may reflect humility, thoughtfulness, and justice, they are often marked by arrogance, overzealousness, and injustice. All of us who hope to improve the world need to guard against these sorts of vices. As we advance our visions for the repair of the world, we also need to tend to what the Jewish tradition has often called “repairing the soul” (tikkun ha-nefesh). It is good to be inspired by calls to repair the world—but only if we are careful to scrutinize our inclinations, realize the limits of our own visions, and listen to the criticism of others. It is, unfortunately, generally easier to see the brokenness in the external world than the brokenness within one’s own soul. Focusing oneself on the brokenness of one’s own character and worldview requires that one admit one’s weaknesses—a task that most of us human beings do our best to avoid. Addressing the brokenness of the world, on the other hand, offers attractive opportunities to serve others—and opportunities to feel the sense of one’s righteousness that may accompany such service. When one is taking action in public, one may also be enticed by the promise of power and recognition.
[Show full text]
Creating the Jewish State: Projects of (In)Security and the Disjuncture to Price-Tag Violence
(Re)Creating the Jewish State: Projects of (In)Security and the Disjuncture to Price-Tag Violence Nicola S. Mathie Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion Lancaster University This thesis is submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in International Relations November 2018 Declaration This thesis is the result of my own work and includes nothing, which is the outcome of the work done in collaboration except where specifically indicated in the text. It has not been previously submitted, in part or whole, to any university or institution for any degree, diploma, or other qualification. Signed: Nicola S. Mathie Research Award This thesis is the outcome of Research Award Grant Number 1225917 from The Economic and Social Research Council. My appreciation will always be with The Economic and Social Research Council for funding this PhD. Abstract Jewish-Israeli settlements built over the State of Israel’s internationally-recognised territorial borders are sites of contestation. The focus of this thesis is upon conflicts and contestations which have developed between the State of Israel and some of its own subjects, Jewish settlers, over the evacuation of settlement-communities and structures, and other perceived threats to settlement. From 2008, a new form of violence has been enacted by individuals in the settler community. Self-declared as Price-Tag violence, the attacks take different forms. These include vandalising Palestinian properties and spraying provocative graffiti, and throwing Molotov cocktails at properties. Whilst the attacks are predominantly perpetrated upon Palestinian targets, the attacks are directed at the State of Israel. Price-Tag attacks have also occurred directly on Israeli targets, such as Israeli military vehicles.
[Show full text]
The Inner Dimension Catalog of Books, Pamphlets, Lecture Tapes, Music and “Jewish Jewelry”
The Inner Dimension Catalog of Books, pamphlets, lecture tapes, music and “Jewish Jewelry” presented by: Gal Einai Publications A non-profit organization dedicated to the disseminating of the teachings of the Inner Wisdom of Torah—Kabbalah and Chassidut—and offering a contemporary presentation of classical topics in JJeewwiisshh MMyyssttiiccaall TThhoouugghhtt as taken from the teachings of RRabbbbii YYiittzcchhaak Giinnssbbuurrgghh a renowned master of Jewish esoteric tradition Updated on the: For further information: th 28 of Adar II, Gal Einai Institute 5763 Israel: P.O. Box 1015, Kfar Chabad, 72915 (April, 2003) tel: 02-996-1123 fax: 02-996-2111 USA: tel/fax: 888-453-0571 email: [email protected] 1 English Books Rectifying the State of Israel: EB–05 A Political Platform based on Kabbalah The profound and ancient teachings of Jewish mysticism—Kabbalah—speak of the urgent need to rectify the world, instructing us how to pick up the pieces of our shattered dreams and mend the tattered fabric of our lives, both as individuals and as active contributors to humanity’s destiny. Today, the need for rectification is perhaps felt most acutely in Israel, where the dream of Jewish security and cultural revival seems to be threatened as never before. The light inherent in the Zionist dream—the aspiration that the Jewish people, after nearly two thousand years of exile, return to their homeland—is indeed great, but its vessels are small and immature. Secular Zionism has succeeded in creating material vessels, constructing buildings and roads, developing industry, and creating institutions of higher, secular education. But it has willfully neglected, or even rejected, the inner, spiritual dimension of the vessels themselves—the conscious intention that they serve God’s purpose in creation.
[Show full text]
Rabbi Tzvi Yisrael Tau & Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh
Unity and opposites in Israel’s settler movement: Rabbi Tzvi Yisrael Tau & Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh Tessa Dawn Satherley Submitted in total fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy August 2015 School of Historical and Philosophical Studies The University of Melbourne Produced on archival quality paper. 1 Abstract The thesis is motivated by the central question: can deep engagement with the nuances of contemporary settler religious discourse guide a more effective approach to negotiations with and about this group, especially regarding the future of “Judea and Samaria,” or “the occupied territories”? To address this, I investigate two key religious thinkers. The first is Rabbi Tzvi Yisrael Tau, a major religious Zionist intellectual and head of the leading mamlakhti1 yeshiva Har Ha-Mor, known for his calls for restraint in the face of anti-settlement policies. The second is Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh of Od Yosef Chai, often accused of inciting racism and encouraging aggressive protest tactics, and whose students have been at the vanguard of anti-Arab vigilante violence and the “price tag” campaign of recent years. This investigation reveals Tau’s predominantly monistic worldview, anchored in the “unity of opposites” paradigm at the heart of Avraham Kook’s teachings, and Ginsburgh’s relatively dualistic worldview, anchored in a dualistic interpretation of lurianic Kabbalah. These distinct symbolic worlds help explain the divergent political– historical interpretations, ethics, and political tactics among the rabbis’ adherents. Moreover, the analysis indicated which pro-negotiation arguments may be most persuasive among these different sectors—and which may be useless or disastrous. I show how Tau argues that settlements are a mere detail in Gush Emunim’s project, identifies Jewish unity as a supreme value, and calls for educational outreach in lieu of protests.
[Show full text]
©2015 Assaf Harel ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
©2015 Assaf Harel ALL RIGHTS RESERVED “THE ETERNAL NATION DOES NOT FEAR A LONG ROAD”: AN ETHNOGRAPHY OF JEWISH SETTLERS IN ISRAEL/PALESTINE By ASSAF HAREL A dissertation submitted to the Graduate School-New Brunswick Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey In partial fulfillment of the requirements For the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Graduate Program in Anthropology Written under the direction of Daniel M. Goldstein And approved by ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ New Brunswick, New Jersey October 2015 ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION “The Eternal Nation Does Not Fear A Long Road”: An Ethnography Of Jewish Settlers In Israel/Palestine By ASSAF HAREL Dissertation Director: Daniel M. Goldstein This is an ethnography of Jewish settlers in Israel/Palestine. Studies of religiously motivated settlers in the occupied territories indicate the intricate ties between settlement practices and a Jewish theology about the advent of redemption. This messianic theology binds future redemption with the maintenance of a physical union between Jews and the “Land of Israel.” However, among settlers themselves, the dominance of this messianic theology has been undermined by postmodernity and most notably by a series of Israeli territorial withdrawals that have contradicted the promise of redemption. These days, the religiously motivated settler population is divided among theological and ideological lines that pertain, among others issues, to the meaning of redemption and its relation to the state of Israel. ii This dissertation begins with an investigation of the impact of the 2005 Israeli unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip upon settlers and proceeds to compare three groups of religiously motivated settlers in the West Bank: an elite Religious Zionist settlement, settlers who engage in peacemaking activities with Palestinians, and settlers who act violently against Palestinians.
[Show full text]
Parashat Eikev – the Seven Fruits of the Land of Israel
בס”ד Nature in the Parasha By Rebbetzin Chana Bracha Siegelbaum Parashat Eikev – The Seven Fruits of the Land of Israel Sacred Fruits The Land of Israel is described as “A land of wheat, barley, vines, fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of olive oil and honey” (Devarim 8:8). The Sages understand the verse’s mention of honey to be date honey (Mishna Berura 202:44). These seven species were the staple foods consumed by the Jewish people in the Land of Israel during biblical times. They contain special holiness, as reflected by the unique blessing recited after eating them, thanking Hashem for the goodness of the land. Fruits of Redemption The praise of the land of Israel for its fruit-trees is a deep environmental lesson in itself, testifying to the importance of nature and trees in Judaism. The Torah paints the shade of the grapevine and fig tree as a metaphor for the idyllic world-peace we await. Our ultimate trust in G-d is expressed through the serene environment where “Yehuda and Yisra’el will sit securely, each person under his vine and fig tree…” (I Melachim 5:5). As we munch on juicy grapes, we are reminded that there is no greater sign of the coming redemption than when the Land of Israel produces fruits in abundance (Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 98a). Expressing Emuna through the Seven Fruits bikkurim – first fruits brought to the Temple in Jerusalem on Shavuot/ ִבּ ִכּוּרים The offerings of the were only from these seven species. On what merit are these fruits selected? Nogah Hareuveni The founder and chairman of Neot Kedumim, The Biblical Landscape Reserve in Israel, and author of numerous books on Judaism and nature explains that the flowering and fruiting of the seven species take place during the period between Pesach and Shavuot, a season depending on the delicate balance between contradictory forces of nature.
[Show full text]
Attitudes Toward the Study of Zohar and Lurianic Kabbalah, from the Dawn of Chasidism to Present Day Chabad
57 Attitudes toward the Study of Zohar and Lurianic Kabbalah, from the Dawn of Chasidism to Present Day Chabad By: CHAIM MILLER In the contemporary Chabad community, study of the primary texts of Kabbalah is not emphasized. Chabad Chasidic thought (Chasidus) is studied extensively, as are the sermons (sichos) of the Lubavitcher Reb- bes, texts that themselves are rich in citations from, and commentary on, Kabbalistic sources. However, for reasons I will explore in this essay, Kabbalah study from primary texts, such as the Zohar and works of Rabbi Yitzchak Luria (Arizal), is relatively uncommon in Chabad. This has been noted by the Seventh Lubavitcher Rebbe himself: “Generally speaking, Kabbalah study was not common, even among Chabad Chasidim.”1 Is this omission intentional, a matter of principle? Or is Kabbalah study deemed worthwhile by Chabad, but neglected merely due to the priority of other activities? 1 Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, Toras Menachem, Hisvaduyos 5745 (Vaad Hanachos Lahak, 1985) volume 2, p. 1147. The Rebbe stressed that “Kabbalah study was not common, even among Chabad Chasidim” since, of the various strands of Chasidic thought, Chabad Chasidus is particularly rich in its use of Kabbalistic sources (see below section “Lurianic Kabbalah in Early Chabad”). One might therefore expect that Chabad Chasidim in particular might be in- clined to Kabbalah study. Rabbi Chaim Miller was educated at the Haberdashers’ Aske’s School in London, England and studied Medical Science at Leeds University. At the age of twenty-one, he began to explore his Jewish roots in full-time Torah study. Less than a decade later, he published the best-selling Kol Menachem Chumash, Gutnick Edition, which made over a thousand discourses of the late Lubavitcher Rebbe easily accessible to the layman.
[Show full text]
Jewish Meditation
Education and Programming jly icEdid xywd Your Jewish ConnectionYour Jewish (Internet) - Om Connection!Shalom…Jewish Meditation Brought to you by the Lifelong Learning Committee By Linda S Trapasso As we approach the High Holy Days, we think of the year coming to a close and all that we lived through during that time. We may become contemplative and look to find G-d in a way that has more meaning for us. One way to do that is through Jewish meditation. Jewish meditation can refer to several traditional practices, ranging from visualization and intuitive methods, forms of emotional insight in communitive prayer, esoteric combinations of divine names, to intellec- tual analysis of philosophical, ethical, or mystical concepts. It often accompanies unstructured, personal Jewish prayer that can allow isolated contemplation, or sometimes the instituted Jewish services. Its elevated psychological insights can give birth to dveikut (cleaving to G-d), particularly in Jewish mysticism. (Excerpt from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_meditation.) A variety of approaches to Jewish meditation exists. Depending upon your emotional make-up, the circum- stances and the effect you desire to create, one might suit you better than another. But whatever technique you choose, the benefits of a regular program of Jewish meditation will intensify with daily practice and delicious nuances of experience and awareness will emerge over time. • Ecstatic chanting of verses from psalms, Torah, and prayers. • Focusing upon a Shviti — a special Jewish graphic which helps induct a mystical state of consciousness. • Meditation on the names of G-d or on the letters of G-d’s name.
[Show full text]
The Notion of Consciousness in Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh's Political
The Place of Politics The Notion of Consciousness in Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh’s Political Thought Assaf Tamari AbsTrAcT: The notion of consciousness change as a political concept has re-emerged as a central issue in recent Israeli political discourse in diverse and seemingly remote groups. The following is a study of some of the contexts and implications of according primacy to consciousness change in political thought, through the tensions between the highly individualistic character of this discourse and its collective language and aims. I focus on one study case, Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh, a key figure in both extreme settler groups and current New Age Hasidic revival. Analyzing his political writings, I explore his notion of consciousness as the true place of politics. Finally, I return to the question of the context in which Rabbi Ginsburgh’s binding of the political to consciousness should be read, and propose liberal individualism, and the direct line it draws between the individual’s consciousness and that of the state, as an alter- native hermeneutical perspective. Keywords: consciousness, Ginsburgh, kabbalah, liberalism, New Age, politics, religious Zionism, romanticism During one of the last mass demonstrations of the Israeli 2011 protest sum- mer, as it was beginning to weaken, Daphni Leef (2011), perhaps the figure most identified with the protest movement, exclaimed from the podium: “They say that the consciousness change is the greatest achievement of the protest so far. That’s true! That is our first step.”1 One might explain Leef’s emphasis on consciousness as deriving from the gap between the intensity and force of the protest and the difficulty in showing actual results through changes in state policy.
[Show full text]