“Come and hear: The father of Samuel had some money belonging to orphans deposited with him. When he died, Samuel was not there and did not ask his him where the money was kept. People derogatorily called him, ‘The son who consumes the money of orphans’.

So he went after his father to the cemetery (to converse with him). Samuel observed that his father’s soul was both weeping and laughing. He said to him: Why are you weeping? He replied: Because you are coming here soon. And why are you laughing? Because you are highly esteemed in this world.

He then asked him: Where is the money of the orphans? He replied: Go and you will find it in the case of the millstones. The money at the top and the bottom is mine, the money in the middle is the orphans’ He said to him: Why did you do like that? He replied: So that if thieves came, they should take mine, and if the earth destroyed any, it should destroy mine.”

This story (one of many) is found in the Talmud Berachot 18b and is brought by the Talmud as proof that we can communicate with the souls of the departed.

So what may be controversial about addressing the dead from a Jewish law perspective?

I would suggest that it is our human discomfort with death itself.

It has long been decided in Jewish law that talking with the dead (by oneself or through a medium) is only prohibited if you think that the dead body is in itself the conduit to the discussion. If one is communicating with the soul of the deceased it is permissible.

Many Jews think as well that organ transplants are against Jewish law. Nothing could be further from the truth. Again though, where does this attitude come from? I would suggest that it is our human discomfort with death.

The Kabbalah’s perception of death contrasts with the perception of death in traditional Judaism. My revered Talmud teacher, Rabbi Soloveitchik clearly demarcates the traditional Jewish view:

“Judaism proclaims that coming into contact with the dead precipitates defilement. Judaism abhors death, organic decay and dissolution. It bids one to choose life and sanctify it. Jewish law is devoid of any positive orientation to death and burial. Death is a symbol of the most intense defilement; therefore he who is holy unto his Lord must keep far away from such defilement.  Thus the Scriptures declare with regard to the high priest: ‘He shall not defile himself for his father or his mother, etc.’”

In contrast, Rabbi Kook, the first Chief Rabbi of Israel, provides a telling rejoinder to Rabbi Soloveitchik’s point of view (based in Kabbalistic philosophy):

“Death is a false phenomenon. What makes death unclean is that it spreads an aura of falsehood. Actually, what people call death is the opposite: an ascent into an even greater and more real life.
We are plunged into the depths of small mindedness. What has placed us here? Our physical and emotional drives. These drives, gazing upon this ascent into life, interpret it as a dreadful, black phenomenon that they label: death.

In their purity, the Kohanim (priests) must shield themselves from this falsehood. The only way to escape while this false consciousness lays spread across the earth is to avert one’s eyes from any sights that cause one’s soul to err. That is why the Kohanim are commanded to avoid the vicinity of any dead person for in their human apprehension of death, this falsehood, they are defiled.”

Moving beyond the body and beyond our fears of death is a principle of Kabbalah study and practice.

We therefore welcome Rebecca Rosen’s help in dissolving our fears as she shares with us next week her experiences and with her we can enter big mindedness.

Classes are canceled due to inclement weather today
Wednesday, October 26, 2011.

Thanks,
Kabbalah Experience

Have you registered for Kabbalah Live! next Thursday, November 3rd?

Tickets are going fast, so get yours now before we are sold out!

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Kabbalah Experience is pleased to announce the first speaker in the 3^rd annual Kabbalah Live! Lecture Series: Rebecca Rosen, Spiritual Medium.  This event will take place next Thursday, November 3^rd at 7:15 pm at the Eisenhower Chapel. Rebecca Rosen is a nationally acclaimed spiritual medium who uses her gift to bridge the gap between the living and the dead. Author of the best seller, Spirited, contributor to Oprah.com and featured guest on such shows as Nightline, she will share the moments that helped her recognize the life she was meant to live.

Everyone has them: aha moments, moments of clarity, of wisdom that they can use to change their lives. Kabbalistically these moments most likely occur when they are least expected, but needed the most. They can be eye opening, uplifting, intriguing and courageous.

Thursday, November 3, 2011 @ 7:15 pm: Rebecca Rosen, Spiritual Medium: “Listening to my Grandmother’s Message” At The Eisenhower Chapel, 293 Roslyn St. Individual lecture tickets are $36 for KE, JCC, Temple Sinai and HEA members, $44 for others.

Email Liz@kabbalahexperience.com with any questions!

The letter Alef, the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet has the numerical value of one.  With different vowel points, the word Alef is pronounced Elef which means one thousand.  In the system of gematriyah (numerology) proposed by Kabbalah the letter Alef can be assigned either the value of one or a thousand.

In Deuteronomy (Chapter 32 verse 30) we find a phrase that the Kabbalah masters take out of context and reinterpret.  The phrase is: “How does one chase a thousand?”  Its literal meaning in the context of the poem authored by Moses is: If you see one soldier chasing a thousand would you not ask—is God not involved?  The Kabbalistic take on the phrase is: How does one see unity in diversity? How does one see how the multiplicity of events, things, relationships are all interconnected?

Yesterday , the Shalit family ,the people of Israel, Jews around the world, humanity as a whole, the trees and birds, the stones in the Western wall and the stars in heaven rejoiced at the release of Gilad Shalit.  Taken captive at age 19, he was released yesterday after 1940 days. Read the rest of this entry

The sound of a door being closed consciously

I have been waiting for the ‘right time” to recommend to you an important practice in consciousness that we can all equally and easily participate in:

When entering and exiting Kabbalah Experience be mindful of opening and closing the door gently. The feedback loop to your consciousness is simple: it will be quiet if closed gently–otherwise, as is usual practice, it slams shut with a loud noise.

If you want to add another level of consciousness you can always say when entering or exiting our meditation: Dlayt Atar Panui Minei–there is no place empty of You or any other meditation that you use.

The placing of a Mezuzah on the doorpost is a reminder we are entering and exiting from public to private space (and vice a versa). Let us strive to do so gently and be aware of our presence and how it is felt.

The Hebrew word Shanah, as in Rosh Hashanah, is translated as Year (Rosh is Hebrew for Head—hence—the Head of the Year, New Year).  The meaning of Shanah though, as a Hebrew root, is “change”—and the Hebrew letter Shin with which the word begins connotes transformation. Shin in Kabbalstic teachings also reflects our capacity for creativity—a creative solution flows from looking at things differently, a change of perspective engenders new possibilities.

There is a very poignant prayer that has crept back into the High Holiday prayer book—to say before the beginning of Rosh Hashanah. The prayer which comes from the Sephardic tradition is entitled in Hebrew, “Tichleh Shanah ve’ Kelilotehah” –let the year end (pass by) with its curses! With a title like that you might not wonder as much why it lost its popularity and was omitted from the liturgy. Read the rest of this entry