Reflections on Jewish Spirituality and Mystical Thought
Saturday, July 23, 2016
Hiding Behind Light
I find it interesting how humans use the gifts of nature to hide from nature, like behind clothes, in homes, urban centers, etc. This reminds of how the Creator uses His very light to hide His light.
Choni: Of course He does. The Infinite Light has nothing other than light to hide behind when performing the "tzimtzum"act. If something other than light was there, then the Infinite Light would no longer be truly Infinite.
Liza: This is a very interesting point Choni. Just being born into this world requires that we find our way back and hopefully before we die. In my feeling, the best and most direct way is to sincerely make an effort to break through the 'automatic' disconnect with nature (seeing ourselves as discrete, apart, or not feeling or fully understanding the completeness of our connection with all other beings of creation). So, we may live in this world in two ways -- awake only to our own life or awake to what life is.
Choni: You make a very interesting point too Liza.
Liza : If the infinite light is hidden we need to search harder then right Choni?
Choni: Yes, but how do you search if the greatest power in existence chooses to remain hidden? So our tradition teaches that living according to the Torah can stimulate His revelation. Of course a life according to Torah includes acts of kindness, praying/meditating and Torah study.
Liza: Hidden until you meet it from within. I believe prayer can transcend our ordinary limitations.
Choni: I agree with you Liza.
Sheila: My understanding is that concealment is a hiding of light, giving the appearance of darkness to us below
Sheila: If this "hiding light with light" is from Chabad, please give me a reference. Thanks.
Choni: This is inherent in the perspective of the Alter Rebbe that the "tzimtzum" was not literal and his constant reiteration that the "tzimtzum" does not hide anything from God Himself. See "The Gate of Unity and Faith".
Sheila: Yes of course. But where is language saying that "light hides light"?
Choni: Psalms, "He enwraps Himself with light like a garment...".
Sheila: Does the Rebbe use that to describe Tzimtzumim? Because usually a garment is self expression, not self concealment. Thx.
Choni: A garment conceals as well as reveals. The whole notion of a garment is sourced in the "tzimtzum".
Sheila: Can you provide a page or chapter number ?
Choni: Sorry for my delayed response. I am in middle of my workday. I received orally from my Teachers of Kabbalah that when Sefer Etz Chaim in the beginning discusses the "tzimtzum", the walls of the hollow sphere are flexible like a membrane and have in fact expanded out ten times. That's pretty garment-like.
Comments from FaceBook posting :
ReplyDeleteSheila: Does He?
Choni: Of course He does. The Infinite Light has nothing other than light to hide behind when performing the "tzimtzum"act. If something other than light was there, then the Infinite Light would no longer be truly Infinite.
Liza: This is a very interesting point Choni. Just being born into this world requires that we find our way back and hopefully before we die. In my feeling, the best and most direct way is to sincerely make an effort to break through the 'automatic' disconnect with nature (seeing ourselves as discrete, apart, or not feeling or fully understanding the completeness of our connection with all other beings of creation). So, we may live in this world in two ways -- awake only to our own life or awake to what life is.
Choni: You make a very interesting point too Liza.
Liza : If the infinite light is hidden we need to search harder then right Choni?
Choni: Yes, but how do you search if the greatest power in existence chooses to remain hidden? So our tradition teaches that living according to the Torah can stimulate His revelation. Of course a life according to Torah includes acts of kindness, praying/meditating and Torah study.
Liza: Hidden until you meet it from within. I believe prayer can transcend our ordinary limitations.
Choni: I agree with you Liza.
Sheila: My understanding is that concealment is a hiding of light, giving the appearance of darkness to us below
Sheila: If this "hiding light with light" is from Chabad, please give me a reference. Thanks.
Choni: This is inherent in the perspective of the Alter Rebbe that the "tzimtzum" was not literal and his constant reiteration that the "tzimtzum" does not hide anything from God Himself. See "The Gate of Unity and Faith".
Sheila: Yes of course. But where is language saying that "light hides light"?
Choni: Psalms, "He enwraps Himself with light like a garment...".
Sheila: Does the Rebbe use that to describe Tzimtzumim? Because usually a garment is self expression, not self concealment. Thx.
Choni: A garment conceals as well as reveals. The whole notion of a garment is sourced in the "tzimtzum".
Sheila: Can you provide a page or chapter number ?
Choni: Sorry for my delayed response. I am in middle of my workday. I received orally from my Teachers of Kabbalah that when Sefer Etz Chaim in the beginning discusses the "tzimtzum", the walls of the hollow sphere are flexible like a membrane and have in fact expanded out ten times. That's pretty garment-like.
Chaviva: nice!
Choni: Thank you for appreciating.