Divine Embrace

Jewish mysticism teaches that everything we experience is just the tip of the iceberg. Our senses are designed to merely pickup a narrow sliver of reality, with the overwhelming remainder lying beyond our senses’ reach. What we perceive are just lowly extensions of what’s beyond.

 This can be compared to listening to a friend talk. The words are just extensions of thoughts which are on their own totally imperceptible to the listener. What’s beyond the range of human perception is usually referred to as the spiritual realm. However, as the saying goes, “As below so above”, meaning that whatever we experience as a physical reality is only a tiny sliver of a much grander spiritual reality - existing as a seamless organic whole.


However, not everything that can extend into the physical realm necessarily does. Sometimes, the “extending” takes human help. In His decision to supply us with “free choice”, the Creator has made humans co-creators. We are given the choice whether to extend certain gifts to humanity or not.


Usually, these gifts are roles that require human intelligence to appreciate and would not be on their own be easily supplied by nature. Examples of these roles are (but not limited to) the Creator’s desire to extend charity, justice, healing, parenting, friendship, governing, supplying resources, etc.


For example, while playing the role of healer, the Creator supplies certain people with the inner calling and / or the opportunity to join the healing professions in some capacity or another. By their work these people become the Creator’s extensions to channel His healing into the world.


Another example is the Creator’s role as parent. Human beings can choose to become parents and extend this divine role into the physical realm for their offspring. Similarly, people can choose to be extensions for the Creator’s kindness by being giving and charitable. There are many roles in life like these which can be done with the desire to become the Creator’s extension.


Choosing to be the Creator’s extension for a particular role does not necessarily mean that the role would not have happened either on its own or via a different path. However, taking up the opportunity to play the role is very spiritually fulfilling and brings the person closer to the Creator because the person is imitating the Creator’s ways.


This could be compared to the way a mother feels when watching her daughter prance around in her outfit and shoes. Even if the behavior is childish, the fact that the child wishes to become like the parent carries meaning. The parent is thinking, “How lovable, my child wants to be me!”


Similarly with the Creator, our divine Parent, when we trying to imitate His ways awakens His affection for us. Each time we act out those special roles on His behalf, He reaches down to give us the capacity to carry it out and we reach up with our intentions and prayers to receive the capacity. In the moment of mutual reaching, we make contact – a special connection is made!


It’s like we embrace. The embrace holds as we use it to help others with its light.