Letters of Thought

In several places in his Magnus opus, Tanya, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi makes reference to twenty two letters of thought. By this he refers to the communication which goes on inside of one’s own mind/brain. One may think that he’s referring to the conversations we have in our own heads using our native languages. At times, I considered such a possibly myself.

However, I never felt entirely comfortable with that answer because Rabbi Shneur Zalman clearly states that behavioral actions cannot occur without their first being a communication from these letters of thought. There are populations of people who don’t have a verbal language. Among them are babies and deaf mutes. Yet, they clearly act. So, by virtue of their capacity to act, they too must be in possession of these letters of thought.

So, these letters of thought cannot be referring to internal conversations in one’s own mother tongue. It must be something deeper and more innate; something shared by all humans. Today, we have technology which can serve as a model to help explain what the letters of thought possibly are.

Most people are familiar with computers. Regardless of the native language of the user, all (or at least many) computers share the same innate computer language. From this innate language, the computer forms and projects images, words, music, sounds, etc. into a medium understood by the user. For example, though the computer does not think in the user’s native language, it can communicate with the user in his/her native language.

Similarly with the human mind/brain, buried within there's likely an innate language which is hardwired into every human being. It’s likely extremely similar or even the same within every human being. This language has it’s own basic combining components which operate like letters to make words, i.e. larger units of communication. According to the Alter Rebbe there are twenty two of them, matching the number of letters in the Hebrew alphabet.

I call this language “Brainish”. As there’s English and Spanish, so there’s “Brainish”.  Just like with the computer’s mind, “Brainish” also forms and projects images, words, music, sounds, etc. into a medium understood by the person’s conscious mind. From there the person can have an internal dialogue, speak with another, dream, play, act, etc.

It might be useful for the future of humanity to discover and understand how to consciously access “Brainish”, as this can go very far to increase intelligence and communication in all sorts of ways.

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Ladder of Light

Visible light is merely the low end of the light spectrum.

Beyond are light waves vivid with the consciousness of plant life.

Further beyond are light waves spirited with animal life.

N’ even beyond that are light waves which are human souls.

This light spectrum continues up, even higher and yet higher...becoming increasingly alive.

Always remember that what you see is barely the lowest rung of this massive ladder.

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Utopia upon Utopia ...

As the knowledge base of humanity grows, dark spots leading to ignorance and misdirection shrink.

Knowledge will beget knowledge.

Then kindness from below and blessings from above will permeate the human condition;

Commencing a utopia, commonly called, "the messianic era" ~ followed by utopia upon utopia upon utopia upon...

In a never ending stream of succession.  

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Updating and Transmitting

The Zohar (Vayetze 158b) explains that the Book of Psalms was composed with divine inspiration, רוח הקודש. Yet, earlier in the same section, the Zohar also explains that the book was a renewal of songs from earlier times. Usually, one associates divine inspiration with special guidance to yield brand new knowledge, not simply as an aid to recast what’s already known.

The lesson to me is that often knowledge which resonated well in past generations can’t simply be transmitted, as is, to a new generation. What worked then does not necessarily work now. Rather, a special divine inspiration is required to lend spiritual guidance to do a creative repackaging; allowing old teachings to come alive with a contemporary feel; opening the ears of audiences will be receptive in rapt attention.

In line with this, King David and his fellow composers probably felt that a simple repetition of songs known from the past, felt sterile and lacked resonance. They needed to rework these songs with a fresh surge of creativity, which fed off of divine inspiration, so the songs could speak freshly and relevantly. As Psalms are filled with biographical tidbits of King David's life, it’s likely that the updating went very far; though without obscuring the core messages.

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Image of God

The Book of Genesis assures that all humans are created in God’s image (1:26). This is mentioned first in the account of creation and reiterated later to Noah after the flood, when God reminds him why human life is sacred (9:6). Therefore, the sacredness of every human life cannot be ignored - regardless of the atrocities that humans seem capable of. Yes, we have to concentrate on our better side to get a better result out of this sacred project called, “humanity”.

Somehow, we need to learn how to recognize the divine image in ourselves and in others. In most cases, one needs to learn how to manifest his/her own divine image before being expected to recognized it in others too. Of course there’s the (currently) rare exception of a human being whose divine image is so fully manifest that s/he can serve as a model for others But, today such a person, who can easily serve as a light for others, is not commonly found.

It makes sense to me that manifesting one’s personal divine image and recognizing it in others is the spiritual project meant to be shared by all human beings. However, we need to be able to identify what a “divine image” even is before we can talk about proactively manifesting it.

At the very least it means that there’s something divine in the soul of every human being which is not shared by the rest of creation present in the physicality of the universe. It’s not simply speech or even intelligence, as the snake in the Garden of Eden had both and still didn’t have a divine image.

Obviously, a divine image does not mean that God’s essence has an image. Images are limitations, as they have boundaries. God is absolutely Infinite. Nothing of boundaries can be ascribed to Him. However, His revelations within finite realms, can take on finite forms. However, they are not Him. They are merely His projections. These projections or revelations are from Him, but they are not Him. It’s in this spirit that the Midrash describes Him as alternatively appearing like a warrior at the Red Sea and as a white haired sage at Mount Sinai. Also in this spirit, the prophet Ezekiel described what he prophetically envisioned as bearing “a likeness as the appearance of a man” (Ezekiel 1:26).

The Biblical commentary “Kli Yakar” picks up on this and explains that it’s possible that human souls derive from the prophetic image of man which God projects to represent Himself to the prophets (Genesis 1:26). In this sense, we are created in the image of God, that manlike image which God sometimes uses in prophetic revelation. In other words, the image which the prophets see, is not just mental imagery. It has a spiritual reality, no less than souls or angels do.

So what does this manlike image stand for, which is common to all human beings? Quite possibly, it stands for the revelation of unity in a world of separation. This unity is not intended to dislodge distinctions, but, rather to unify them. Without distinctions, there would be many unified facets and potentials which would never find their way into revelation. For example, without cellular differentiation during gestation the genetic potentials for various body parts (like arms, legs, torso, ears, eyes..) would never manifest. Such bio-distinctions are hugely valuable for the vast unifying genetic potentials they tease out. On the other hand, without a unifying life force streaming into all these distinct body parts of what use would they be? Proper coordination between them would be mostly or even entirely lacking. These precious distinctions require a unifying connection.

In humans, the image of God or the soul, is this unifying connection on the biological level. However, that’s just the start of what the image of God does within a human being; as it’s largely passive and not proactive. Each creature from the plants, the fish to the massive mammals have some spiritual force, which they’re passive to, also accomplishing the coordination of all their parts. Such a force within them is not yet called having the image of God. The real experience of the image of God is more active. It truly manifests when humans actively unify the diversity found their personal life situations and in those of others too.

The cultivation of this sensitivity and skill begins with a worldview which appreciates both sides of the equation, both the unity and the diversity. Understanding that life does not automatically come with both sides working well together, one calls on his/her desire to give (and sometime even his/her desire to receive) to promote this sacred project. In today's world, it seems to be our active work as a force for unity amid the plentiful diversity is what best manifests the image of God in each and every one of us.

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Turkish Coffee

Turkish coffee, Turkish coffee,

 I used to think of you as mud!

I’d glance beneath surface,

 N’ behold a swamp in my mug!

The mire was deep enough,

 To house half my pinky within.

Now that my Wife prepares it,

 So deliciously filled with her love,

Neath surface all I can see,

 Is sediment of her sentiment!

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Amidst Paradox

If paradox scares you,

 N’ makes your head spin,

Then make it a subject,

 Of your daily meditation.

Chart its two dots,

 In absolute opposition.

Then draw a line,

 Right between them.

A “line” but not,

 A literal geometric line.

Rather a string of ideas,

 Like beads along a necklace.

Perhaps, this string,

 Is not even really linear.

It may snake and curve,

Setting new dots on its way,

To expose pearly depths,

 Gleaming amidst paradox.

           ---o---

Your sweat is worth it!

 Your wisdom will glow radiant,

As each paradox,

  Signals an awaiting depth.

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