Spark in Dark

The Kabbalah of getting drunk on Purim

Background:

The Talmud teaches,”On Purim, a person is required to get so drunk that he can’t distinguish between blessed is Mordecai and cursed is Haman.” (Megilla 7B)

Celebration and intoxication to one extent or another has been a regular and time-honored part of the Purim festivities. Through the ages various sages have interpreted the Talmudic requirement to get drunk on Purim a bit differently.

·         The Taz, quoting earlier authorities, stated that absolute requirement no longer applies. Therefore, it’s suggested to drink for the sake of celebration just a bit more than one is accustomed to.

·         The Maimonides stated that one should drink until he falls asleep and then he definitely won’t be able to “…distinguish between blessed is Mordecai and cursed is Haman.” (see Koren Talmud Bavli, Megilla, P.233)

Based on Kabbalah, Rabbi Yosef Chaim of Baghdad (1832–1909) understands the Talmud as suggesting that one should get so intoxicated and confused that he actually mixes up the identities and can’t distinguish who is Mordecai and who is Haman and thereby, accidentally casts a blessing on Haman.  

However, it must be cautioned that his Kabbalistic explanation of the Talmudic passage is not necessarily an indication of how he would have advised every person to practice on a case by case basis. Besides, who can guarantee that a random person will end up drunk in just the right particular way as to confuse the identities of Haman and Mordecai? Indeed in his Talmudic commentary, “Benayahu”, on the above passage, he offers other explanations along other lines of thought.

When a person is not in a position to practice a mitzvah according to the Kabbalistic ideal, God assists and performs what is mystically ideal about the mitzvah on the person’s behalf. As a result, the effects of the mitzvah in the higher worlds can be same as if performed with all the Kabbalistic enhancements.

I know a student of the Kabbalistic meditations, which are designed to accompany the daily prayers. He was so into them that, at one point, he could not imagine how someone’s prayers can be accepted above without them. He expressed his exasperation to his spiritual guide, at the time, who assured him that if one cannot do these meditations then God does them for him.

Also, there are many Hasidic stories where a sincere simpleton’s divine service had an even a greater effect in the higher realms than that of a seasoned saint. It seems that the common theme shared by all these stories is that it depends on the sincerity of heart.

Based on these stories, it is recommended that one should follow basic rabbinical guidance, as appropriate for one’s situation, and God will do the rest.

From Rabbi Yosef Chaim: [1]

King Ahasuerus probed Queen Esther, “Who and where is he who filled his heart with such designs?”

Esther responded, “This oppressor and enemy, this evil Haman!”

Haman cringed in terror before the King and Queen.

~ Esther 7:5, 6

Wouldn’t it be more accurate for the verse to read, “This evil oppressor and enemy Haman!” rather than reading, “This oppressor and enemy, this evil Haman!”

The current reading seems to exclude a “good Haman” [from Queen Esther’s accusation].  Is there such a thing as a “good Haman” and this was an “evil Haman”; isn’t Haman one person - who’s evil, an oppressor and an enemy?

It appears appropriate to answer this question according to the teachings of Rabbi Isaac Luria of blessed memory. [2] Here’s an excerpt: [3]

The Talmud teaches, “On Purim, a person is required to get so drunk that he can’t distinguish between blessed is Mordecai and cursed is Haman”. [4] The intention of this teaching is that a dark force always contains a holy spark illuminating it and giving it life. This is why we need to say “blessed is Haman” in order to draw the appropriate living light to this holy spark.

This is why the statement needs to be made unintentionally while drunk and unfocused. If one said this intentionally the dark forces [of Haman] will also become illuminated, heaven forfend.

Based on this teaching, it can be understood what our sages taught when they remarked that there were descendants of [Israel’s arch enemies,] Haman, Sennacherib and Sisera, who taught Torah to the masses. [5] This is because within each of these dark forces there had to be a single great spark of holiness. These Jewish sages, who taught Torah publicly, emerged from the holy spark within each of the dark forces.

It comes out that lodged within the dark forces of Haman was a great spark of holiness. Rabbi Shmuel bar Shilat emerged from the power of that spark, as he was from the descendants of Haman who taught Torah to the masses. There appears to be an allusion to this in the Hebrew letters comprising the name Haman. [In Hebrew Haman is spelled with the letters “Heh”, “Mem” and “Nun”.] When each of these letters is fully spelled out, the filled in letters also spell out “Haman”. This is how: “Heh” is spelled “Heh-Heh”, “Mem” is spelled “Mem-Mem” and “Nun” is spelled “Nun-Vav-Nun”. However, there’s one exception to this pattern of respelling Haman from the filled in letters. There’s an addition of a “Vav” within the full spelling of the “Nun”. This “Vav” alludes to the holy spark within the dark force of Haman. From this spark, emerged Rabbi Shmuel bar Shilat who taught Torah to the masses.

The above seems to properly explain why it was fitting for a saintly person who taught Torah to the masses to have emerged from Haman’s spark of goodness. [The Talmud relates that] the Jews lovingly re-accepted the Torah in the days of Ahasuerus. [6] This resulted from Haman’s decree [, i.e. from the holy spark within Haman]. That’s why [generations later] this saintly person taught Torah to the masses. [7]

Based on above teachings, what the following verse alludes to can be understood: “Write this as a record in a scroll and place it in the ears of Joshua that I will certainly erase the memory of Amalek [8] from under the heavens”. [9]

Why doesn’t the verse simply state “I will erase Amalek”, why does the word “memory” need to be used? In accordance with the above, a beautiful explanation emerges: because there has to be inside the impurity of Amalek a good and holy spark, which gives it life. This good spark won’t be erased, heaven forefend. However, when Creator erases the evil, the good portion will be removed and separated out. This way the evil will be entirely nullified and the good portion will continue to exist.

The numerical value of Amalek and “mar”, Hebrew for “bitter”, both equal 240. When you subtract 13 the numerical value for “echad”, Hebrew for “one”, alluding to the portion of holiness and goodness (for goodness is the mystery of oneness, a unified domain), what remains is 227 which equals the word “zecher”, Hebrew for “memory”. The word “zecher” (memory) allude to the portion of evil in the dark forces, which in the future will be blotted out and nullified. Concerning this portion the verse explicitly states, “I will certainly blot out the “zecher” (memory) of Amalek”; specifically emphasizing the word “zecher” (memory), focusing on what’s purely evil [about Amalek].

Accordingly, Haman sought to destroy, murder and displace. All this was done with the evil portion within him and not with the good portion which was swallowed up within him. For the good portion of Haman aids and loves the Jewish people. It’s only the portion of evil within Haman who's the “This oppressor and enemy…”

By responding [to King Ahasuerus], “This oppressor and enemy, this evil Haman!”, Esther intended to exclude from her accusation the “good Haman”, the good portion swallowed up within him, which is alluded to by the “Vav” in the filled out spelling of his name. The latter is not the “oppressor and enemy” and did not agree to and plot the destruction of the Jewish people. On the contrary, this portion aids and loves [the Jewish people], as from it emerged Rabbi Shmuel bar Shilat who taught Torah to the masses.

From the above, we can understand what the following verses in Psalms allude to: “Those who love God hate evil. He guards the souls of His devoted ones. He spares them from the hand of the wicked.” [10] The verse intends to inform us that when one encounters a wicked person, with a huge Haman-like dark force, hate him out of love for God. However, lovers of God don’t hate the entire person. Only hate the evil part of him. This is why the verse emphasizes “hate evil”, for only the evil you should hate and curse, because God protects the souls of His devoted ones - which are hidden inside the dark forces.

“He spares them from the hand of evil”. This is similar to the language, “The Lord spared the flocks of your father and gave them to me”. [11] For in the future God will separate and divide them out from within the evil of the wicked, where they’re now sunken and blended in. This portion of good within the wicked needs to be blessed in order to draw light towards it, as the Ari z”l taught in his explanation of getting drunk until one does not know…

Therefore, as they proclaim, “Curse Haman, curse the wicked” don’t hate in order to curse entire the person, only the wicked portion within him. For it is impossible that there isn’t a good portion giving him life. This good portion, you need to bless, in order to draw light to it, as our master [12] taught in his explanation on getting drunk until one does not know the difference between cursing Haman and blessing [Mordecai].

This is the meaning of “light is sown for the saintly”. [13] However to accomplish this, the straight-hearted need to celebrate, so that the blessing to the good portion shall be in the midst of celebration and drunkenness; thereby, allowing the blessing to emerge from his mouth unintentionally. So that this way the flow from the blessing won’t reach the darkness, heaven forfend.

Translator’s Reflections:

Rabbi Yosef Chaim of Baghdad explained that blessing Haman while drunk and barely aware brings positive spiritual energy only to the spark of goodness lodged within Haman’s dark forces. If such a blessing where to be uttered in one’s normative state of awareness then, unfortunately, energies would be freer flowing and even spill over to the dark forces; feeding and animating them.

Furthermore, Rabbi Shmuel bar Shilat, who taught Torah to the masses, was a descendant of Haman. Such could only happen because the spark of good was properly fed, nurtured and nourished. It was a spiritual success story of cosmic proportions.

However, there’s another side of the coin not addressed by Rabbi Yosef Chaim. The Talmud requires getting drunk to the point that one can’t tell the difference between cursing Haman and blessing Mordecai. What flips one way can flip the other way too. One can inadvertently cast a curse in a seemingly unwanted direction, like on Mordecai. Now, how’s that appropriate?

Perhaps, an answer could be that in usual circumstances, light’s attracted to light and darkness to dark. This attraction can stem from the two entities sharing the same immediate source and therefore, feeling familiar with each other. Therefore, when the curses or blessings are cast weakly, as during inebriation, there’s only enough strength to attract only their own kind. They lack the energy crossover the river to meet their polar opposites.

While it’s true that “opposites attract” there are many levels of opposites. Within an enclosed system of either darkness or light, there’s a possibility for relative opposites, male/female. So, even when engaging their own familiar kind, some level of “opposites attract” occurs. However, for more extremely polar opposites to attract there needs to be more energy in the system because the vast distance between them needs to be bridged. Therefore, barely conscious cursing or blessing only reaches its own kind. Blessing only reaches light and cursing only reaches darkness.

So, just as an unconscious blessing brightens the spark of good exiled in Haman’s darkness, an unconscious curse binds with and damages any forces which might be holding the goodness and holiness of Mordecai in exile. This is definitely a counterintuitive approach. One would not expect a dizzying drunken state to produce such a valuable outcome.

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[1] This is a translation from Rabbi Yosef Chaim of Baghdad commentary to the “Book of Esther” called “Keren Yeshuah HaShalem”, pages 32 and 33. He was also known as the “Ben Ish Chai” after his most popular work.

[2] Rabbi Isaac Luria, known as the Ari z”l, was the leading figure in the mystical renaissance which occurred in 16^th Century Safad, Israel.

[3] See “The Gate of Meditation”, the discourse on Purim, P.109, folio 4.

[4] Megilla 7B

[5] Gittin 57B

[6] Shabbat 88A

[7] Rabbi Yosef Chaim is explaining that the Haman’s good spark is designed to enhance Torah. During the story of Purim it was working behind the scenes to enhance Torah’s acceptance. Generations later, the spark worked openly through the person of Rabbi Shmuel bar Shilat to enhance Torah teachings.

[8] Amalek plays an important role in the story of Purim, as Haman was a descendant of Agog the king of Amalek. This is why he’s referred to as “the Aggagite” (see Esther 3:1). In contrast, Mordecai and Esther are descendants of King Saul. This is why Mordecai is called “a Benjamite”, a member of Saul’s tribe (see Esther 2:5).  By oral tradition, the confrontation between Haman and Mordecai was a replay of the showdown between Saul and Agog in Samuel I, chapter 15.

The Bible explicitly states that this Saul’s battle with Amalek was a continuation of the battle between Joshua and Amalek, following their unprovoked ambush, in the desert, on the Jews who left Egypt.

[9] Exodus 17:14

[10] Psalms 97:10,11

[11] Genesis 31:9

[12] The Ari z”l

[13] Psalm 97:11

Self Actualization

The self actualization of the seed is also the self actualization of the soil.

When a seed bursts out with its latent potential, it awakens the latent potential for higher life in the soil too; as a patch of soil yearns to live as a plant.

Similarly, when a person attains self actualization, s/he bring out a greater potential for life in others too; as a deeper expression of soul awakens the same others.

Knowingly or unknowingly, this has to be one of the greatest forms of kindness!

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Starter Soul

It is interesting how in the act of fertilization is really multi-leveled; built upon a series of male and female intimacies, one after another. Tracing them backwards, there’s the intimate union of the parental DNA, preceded by that of the parental chromosome strands, as they twist, twine and embrace. Preceded by this there’s the union of the sperm and egg, which is of course preceded by the intimacy of the parents themselves.

Now can this intimacy be traced even further back, within some male and female elements of the parents’ themselves? Remember, male and female is not just a body type. It’s a magnetic polarity which is found within each and every aspect of the emanated and created reality, tracing back to the earliest moments when a contraction happened within the Infinite Light. It’s truthfully, a relative relationship. What’s male in one setting can be female in another and vice versa. So within our own bodies and souls, we have relative male and female components.

The Kabbalistic work called “Tal Orot” (Part I, Chapter 4:1) states that an embryo gets a “starter soul”. The author, Rabbi Ya’akov Meir Shpielman, further explains that the father and mother each contribute a small part of their own soul to start the fetus. These components combine to form the total “starter soul” of the fetus. Once the fetus grows sufficiently, it receives its own individual soul and then the “starter soul” serve as a “garment” around the child’s true soul from that point onward throughout life.

Now what contained the two halves this “starter soul” in the parents before they merged to become the “starter soul” of the fetus? Based on chapter 2 of “Likutei Amarim Tanya” and elsewhere in “Tal Orot”, it seems to me that the patrilineal component of the “starter soul” is found in the sperm. Based on the same pattern of thinking, it makes sense that the matrilineal component of the “starter soul” is found in the ovum; as polarities tend mirror each other. So, what happens on one side of the equation can be reasonably accepted as happening on the other side of the equation as well.

In the case of the sperm, its component of “starter soul” is said to form in the father’s mind, the seat of the soul, and then travel down the vertebrae of the spine into the testes. It makes sense to me, that at this point something in the testes gets fertilized with animating life force from the father’s component of the “starter soul”. I do not know whether these are actual sperm cells or early stage cells which will later become sperm cells. However, this seems to indicate a male and female intimacy of sorts occurring between the mind and the testes.

I would presume, based on the mirror image principle that the same pattern occurs in ovaries of the mother. Her mind fertilizes her ova with her own component of “starter soul”. This too is an act of male and female intimacy within her body. Except that it’s not constantly occurring within her because she’s born with every egg she will eventually release throughout life; whereas, with a male, the sperm is being constantly replenished. As a result, this act of intimacy needs to be constantly reenacted.

I was told that scholars believe that Judaism got it’s notions of embryology from the ancient Greek philosopher Galen, who thought of sperm being created in the brain and then traveling down the spinal column to be discharged into a female womb which only acts as a kind of soil to augment the growth of the male seed. In this model the real producer of the sperm is the male brain, which infuses the sperm with all of its true hereditary components. In contrast, the woman makes no essential hereditary contribution to the child. I am just repeating what I was told and take no responsibility for its full truth.

However, just because Kabbalists may have used Galanic terminology to express themselves, does not mean that Kabbalists necessarily fully bought Galen’s perspective. I think they were much too sensitive to matters of male and female polarity to believe that a woman does not contribute a mirror image of what the man contributes to a fetus, just as the author of Tal Orot had expressed. Besides, the sperm traveling down the spine can be interpreted to refer to an electric flow and/or chemical secretion released by the father’s brain, embodying a component of “starter soul”. This flow and/or secretion then fertilizes something in the testes with life force; acting as a kind of “sperm of sperm”.

The Kabbalists’ usage of the wisdoms of their day as possible models and modes of communication does not necessarily mean that they strictly interpreted reality in accordance with them.  In fact, I would imagine that they were prone to employ flexibility when dealing with extra-Torah sources.

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Holy Edifice

A man who obsesses,

  About filling the holes,

May be given a life,

  Littered with holes to fill,

And may never end up,

  Erecting his own mountain;

A bulging edifice,

  To his holy dreams within.

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The Exchange

The soul is compared to a wellspring. As it is written about the soul, “A garden wellspring, a well of living waters...” (Song of Songs 4:15).  The soul is just like well waters, which are at first salty. Yet by passing through the narrowly confined veins of the earth, they become “living waters”. So too the soul, by descending into the narrow confines of the body and the animal soul, draws down...living waters into the upper paradise.

~ Lubavitcher Rebbe, Discourse “I Came to My Garden” 5718

To recap, it seems from what I read that a soul residing in paradise descends to the earthly world to undergo a purification, let go of her salt, and to become sweetened; as this salt has interfered with a fuller revelation of her inner sweetness. Furthermore, via this process she draws down more spiritual light and pleasure into the whole of paradise itself; thereby, enhancing the delight of all souls residing there.

An interesting idea dawned on me as I read these words. Though I will share it, I am admitting that it’s speculative and I hope that people who are my spiritual seniors will eventually confirm this idea one way or another. However, if I never publicize it, how will they ever see it?

 As I read this excerpt, I wondered how is there any bitterness at all up there, whether in a soul or in the general environs of paradise? Then I remembered reading in Rabbi Yehudah Fatayah’s commentary to Etz Chaim that when the shards and sparks fell, from what would later be referred to as the world of emanations, some baby was thrown out with the bath waters. In other words, some material which belonged in the world of emanations fell into the lower worlds, including our own world at the very bottom of all worlds. So, when we elevate shards and sparks, we are only elevating that which should not have joined the fall and is therefore, rightfully a portion of the world of emanations. (I don’t remember where Rabbi Fatayah made this comment. But, I do remember seeing it.)

This makes sense and helps explain why there will still be a physical world during (at least, the initial stages of) the messianic era (see Maimonides), despite the view that all the sparks will be elevated by then. This is because the only things drained from the physical world was what did not belong there and was not essential to its stability. Quite to the contrary, its presence disrupted the stability.

Now if the breakage and fall of the shards and sparks was so messy, then is it not possible that just like some of the material which belongs to the world of emanations fell below that some of the material which belongs below remained above or at least in a realm above its destination (meaning, that it did not fall far down enough)?  If you pour out a glass of oil, does not some residue remain? Besides, in the balance of existence usually what happens on one side of an equation has a parallel happening on the other side of the equation as well.

Perhaps, these “stragglers” which remained above, despite belonging below, account for the saltiness, the bitter elements, contained in the environs above in general and in their residing souls in particular. Our world then functions as a marketplace, where exchanges happen. We bring down the spiritual material connected to our souls which rightfully belong below. That’s the purification of our souls discussed in Mussar, the sweetening of our souls discussed in Chassidut and the repair of our various soul levels discussed in Lurianic Kabbalah. Then in exchange, we elevate material connected to our souls which really belong above - whether to the world of emanations or even to some lesser level which is still considered above relative to the physical world.

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What’s Next?

Since my earliest years I was always interested in the messianic era and it’s spiritually inclusive possibilities for all humanity. So, the question of what’s the spiritual role of the whole humanity has never been far from my mind. Over the years, I have looked into Judaism for various clarifying clues. For starters Judaism teaches that, as a basic, God gave the non-Jewish nations seven commandments to live by. They are:

• Believe in One God,
• Don’t murder,
• Don’t steal,
• Be upright in matters of intimacy,
• Don’t eat flesh amputated from (non-aquatic) living creatures,
• Only speak only positively about God,
• Support a fair system of justice for all.

Besides these seven, there’s a command for all males, who can, to procreate. There’s also another commandment on all males of proven Abrahamic descent to be circumcised. This includes those who can directly trace their biological lineage to Ishmael. There’s yet another commandment which is not officially part of the list. Its part of what God commanded the Jewish People.  Since, in general, the nations practice it as well, it is deemed as if they made it binding upon them. This is the commandment to honor one’s parents.  

When one looks at this list of Noahide commandments, on the surface, it does not seem to contain sufficient content to satisfy the needs of a person seriously aspiring for a religious life. This has been my reaction after thorough reading the book, “Path of the Righteous Gentile”. I dismissed this reaction thinking to myself, “Maybe I am just being subjective.” However, I have since heard this remark from others as well. The what’s next question for those among the nations who have put themselves out to be connected to the Jewish People, as Noahides, has haunted me until rather recently. It wasn’t just a question which simply lingered in the back of my mind. It was a question which haunted me. It haunted me on many levels, not the least of which was that it is highly unkind not to be concerned with the spiritual welfare of my fellow human beings.

I am aware that the Noahide Code is really a lot deeper than it seems at first glance. There is a wealth of details included in each of its seven commandments. The commandments themselves are just broad general categories. However, even with this understanding I have heard that seriously religious Noahides sometimes seek something more.

In truth, there are possible devotional directions which can address the what’s next question. Since the Noahide way of life is intended to cover a very broad population, it make sense to me that God intentionally kept it very basic and broad, as “one size does not necessarily fit all”. This way it’s flexible enough to be applied in a variety of cultural settings.

Among the what’s next steps I could think of are:

• Adding levels of refinement in the understanding and practice of the Noahide commandments themselves. For example, stretching one’s understanding of what it means that God is One can become a very consuming mystical and/or philosophical exercise, which can have lifestyle altering implications in one’s perspective and practice.
• Accepting Torah commandments which until now are normally only practiced by Jews. Most of them can be practiced without entering into controversial territory. Though it’s not as valuable as if practiced by a Jew, because it’s voluntary rather than commanded, still it does enhance one’s relationship with his or her Creator. For example, kindness and philanthropy is part of what the Torah commands Jews. So, devotional efforts in this direction could include increasing one’s involvement with kindness and philanthropy.
• More organized community activity in prayer and Torah study (of scripture, applicable practices and underlying concepts). 
• Actively working to spread Noahide teachings among the rest of humanity.

I have heard that on one level or another, suggestions for further spiritual growth are already being put into practice. I also would not be surprised if there are many other growth enhancing measures taking place which I am not aware of at all. After all, as of the time of this writing, I am an “outsider” to these communities. So, more likely than not, I really don’t know.

I would like to propose an additional what’s next option which I honestly do not know whether or not it has been considered. I am only proposing it in case it hasn’t been considered or has not been thought through in the style that I am presenting it.

The Talmud on the last page of Tractate Sanhedrin teaches that every prophecy portending positive events God commits Himself to carry through on. However, a prophecy portending negative events God reserves the right to renege on. If this is true with the prophecies of Moses, how much more so is it true of Talmudic accounts about less than positive events which may happen in the future? So, the following scenario presented by the Talmud at the beginning of Tractate Avodah Zarah does not necessarily have come true. Through a change in their ways, the nations of the world can likely alter it. I speculate that maybe, it was actually put there as a lesson to offer spiritual direction to humanity.

The Talmud relates that in the future, God will hold a Torah scroll to His chest (figurative language of course) and ask the nations, “Who involved themselves with this?” Each nation will claim that it’s every amazing accomplishment was only motivated by the dream of helping the Jews study Torah. They will elaborate that they built marketplaces, bathhouses, bridges, amassed wealth, conquered nations ... all to fabricate havens of Torah study. Of course God will throw these arguments back in their faces, retorting that they selfishly toiled for their own interests and that they failed to sufficiently credit God for what they accomplished.

Notice that the nations do not respond that there were Biblically based commandments or values that they had genuinely practiced, legislated and/or promoted over the course of human history. From the nations’ choicest answers, one can reasonably infer the nature of God’s question to them. God’s question is obviously how much help and support have they provided the Jews over the course of history to study Torah and practice its precepts.

According to Judaism, God offered the Torah to all nations before offering it to the Jews. The other nations rejected it, claiming that they found its precepts too difficult to follow. God never faulted them for their rejection. He never held them bound to what they never asked for. However, since He did come around to them expressing that He has a precious treasure to offer humanity and He’s just looking for a taker, He probably expected the nations to at least be helpful and supportive of this great project. If it mattered to the Creator of the universe, it should have mattered (on some level) to them too. How could they be so brazen to their Creator? Their rejection may have gotten them mostly off the hook, but not entirely.

However, it is not too late! Due to the ravages of persecution during the long Diaspora, the Jewish people, as a whole, are far from a peak level of Torah observance. It is not their fault! These are not Biblical times, when they recently witnessed unmistakably open miracles of God’s favor. This is a period following, ages upon ages of heart rending persecution with devastating effects on the Jewish national and religious psyche. Many Jews have suffered and are suffering on one level or another from sincere discouragement. They may not express it this way and to hide their pain even mask it with intellectual excuses. But, discouragement is what it really is. This discouragement has a snowball effect into other areas as well; weakening their observance of Judaism. One example of such is that less Jewish children are being educated in the ways of the Torah. This is very sad considering that the whole welfare of humanity and ultimately the arrival of the Messiah depend on the Jewish People observing the Torah.

Though unfortunate, I think this situation presents a very unique spiritual opportunity for Children of Noah seeking new avenues for their own spiritual growth and development. They could participate in reversing the course of this discouragement by being involved with projects helping the Jewish People back to their proper state of spiritual health. There are many, many avenues of participation. It is not my object to preach and promote, but simply to teach and inspire those who are interested. So, here are some possible examples, but not specific endorsements…

• Working at a vocation which helps rebuild the Torah instructure of the Jewish People, as was done by Vendel Jones, of blessed memory, in his career as a Biblical archaeologist.
• Volunteering in Jewish communities in ways which help rebuild the Torah infrastructure of the Jewish People. This is a great option for people who can only perform such work on a part time basis.
• Donating to organizations which help rebuild the Torah infrastructure, such as
• Jewish elementary and high schools,
• Organizations that do outreach to strengthen Torah observance among Jews themselves. As stated, many Jews (largely, because of the discouragement felt by earlier generations) were never even provided with the education necessary to properly practice Judaism,
• Synagogues and community centers,
• Orphanages, old age homes and organizations intended to help the needy.

This is not intended as a comprehensive list of suggestions. Far from it! They are just intended as a few general pointers to hopefully get the ball rolling!

Judaism teaches that someone who helps another perform a Torah commandment, get’s spiritual credit for assisting. On some level, it’s as if he or she did the commandment as well. The example of this most commonly cited in Judaism is that if one person studies Torah all day, as a career, and another person financially supports him to do so, the one who financially supported him gets to share in the spiritual light of his partner’s Torah study. It’s as if he studied Torah too, since the Torah study would not have been possible without him. Based on this, it makes sense to me that if a Noahide supports Torah study and Judaism, he or she has a spiritual share in it as well.  

Epilogue - Going Mystical:

The main point has already been made above. The following is only for those who want to see the topic more deeply, as presented by Judaism’s branch of mysticism, known as Kabbalah. If what I write here confuses you, please disregard it entirely; as it’s only addressing people who are already of a certain perspective.

Kabbalah teaches that part of the reason for why the world is (perfectly) imperfect is because the spiritual realms are in a state of disrepair. Since the higher spiritual realms act as “pipelines” to bring down spiritual lights and blessings into the world, if they are not “whole” the flow of goodness into this world is compromised. The reason why they are not yet “whole” is because much of their raw material is still strewn around the earthly realm. It’s like a damaged building who’s concrete, bricks, wiring, piping… has been partly strewn about on the street level.

The scattered material of the higher spiritual realms is referred to as, “sparks of holiness”.  When a Jew does a Torah commandment, he or she elevates some spark(s) of holiness back to the higher spiritual realms, where they get assimilated for the purposes of repair and rebuilding those realms; thus, improving the channels which bring lights and blessings into our world. From this perspective, this is why the welfare of humanity depends on the Jews living according to the Torah. It’s the way humanity receives blessing.

The Kabbalist and father of the late Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, Rabbi Solomon Eliyahu teaches that the way non-Jews participate in elevating the sparks of holiness is by assisting Jews to perform the Torah’s commandments (see “Kerem Shlomo”, Volume 1, pages 242 and 243). This assistance occurs even if it’s not done consciously.

Just imagine how much greater the spiritual force such assistance could be if it is offered consciously with clear intent to serve God?  

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