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I can’t find the connection of unity יחד and Jew יהודי it seems there is no relation in the root. Am i missing something ? Can i have a source reference please. Much thanks!
While this association is strewn all across the writings of Kabbalists, more than the apparent phonetic and conceptual link, I doubt we’ll find elaboration on this connection in the sources. Even stranger associations between words that ordinary linguists would not make are found in the writings of Kabbalists, and until one attains those roots on their own, the option is to believe or not believe in the sages.
I choose the sages, i was just surprised with this one, how can i explain that to someone who looks at the hebrew for truth. But it’s not there, Maybe there is a gematria to it, but, ill just look at it like, “later, i will understand”.
Im reminded of something from the talmud (i think) i could be saying it wrong, but something like, one sage says right is right but 1000 say right is left, we believe them over the one. Maybe you remember more than me…
If we go to all the sages, we won’t be able to advance at all. The important thing is that whoever studied under that one sage with whom a thousand disagreed, his advancement would be utterly determined by his accepting what his teacher said, and not on his own exegesis. That’s how this works. I chose my place of study, I accept everything as-is. I can choose another place, but whichever I choose, I have to accept wholesale – even if the teacher’s teachings seem to contradict others.
Will there a be a point in development, when bestowal becomes a second nature, when it doesńt ask active restriction of the will to receive , and that natural egoism, all the time anymore? I am asking because I feel like it says,… a „natural“ egoist. Not that I like it… it’s kind of humbling to see that structure and acknowledge it. Is there a way to get over that? Is it done by focussing on the well-being and development of the friends? By not giving attention so much anymore as to what the „I“ demands? Or will it be constant struggle?
Hi Gianni, one last question, as this is really challenging me… with the path of light and the path of suffering- is this an either / or choice OR can we experience both at the same time? I wonder, because I feel, we may choose to develop in one part, but then equally, struggle with something else ( or maybe that just seems so to me). In any case, I feel there is more layers to develop than there is even discernments to ask help for, so one may try to walk on the path of light as much as one can discern it and work on it, but the rest is still in darkness. So are we walking on two paths at the same time then?
Yes, there’s a part in me that disagrees with the path, and has to be dragged – as it is written, “If you encounter this villain, drag him to the seminary [the place of study of Kabbalah].” This part in me can never agree as it has logical arguments for why I should focus on other, lower things. And it is right – like a child who has a logical argument for why the parents’ claims that eating a pound of candy is bad are only because they no longer wish to enjoy life and expect their kids not to either. But following that logic is to sadness whereas following the parent is to good for all. Carrying this resistance toward the goal, one is on the path of Light, or more precisely, what’s called ‘the way of the land’ – that is, not purely the path of Light, but in that overall direction.
Hi Gianni, and thanks Maria for asking about prayer. Itś resonating in me, because itś something I really wonder about… if we pray for our development, is that like making a choice to want to walk on the path of light? And if we ask that from the bottom of our heart, itś being listened to, because in fact it might be part of this choice-making process? And when we pray for others, as we dońt know what will help them to make their choice accordingly, can we pray for anything benevolent happening to them, that may guide them to their path of light? Does it work like that? Thatś how I try to do it, but it is difficult to let it be more than an inner dialogue. And itś really hard not to feel oneś ego too much. So, I am asking, because I still feel I dońt know how to work with prayer. On the other hand, it happens that when I feel deep yearning or deficiency, the prayer forms by itself… like a request to help me understand and grow… and in the meetings I follow the others, and that is a strong sensation, but I dońt know if any of this is prayer.
Read what I answered her. We’re looking for the deficiency that comes from others. From the center of the ten, first of all. If there’s a deficiency from beyond the ten that I can translate into a deficiency for connection (because nothing else is missing) then I can add that as well.
Thank you Gianni, and so sorry to get back to this once more, but itś something that really been bothering me for months now, and I feel I really wish to know how to form a real prayer. And to understand what a prayer really is and does. All that I ever learned about prayer , before I started studying Kabbalah, obviously just doesńt fit anymore. I understand it´ś not a ritual. Itś not the words my mouth form, even if they are kind and benevolent. There is no judge allowing the pledge to pass or not. So, it must be something nature can do. So far I understand, we aim our intention towards the deficiency of a friend, and then ask for an opportunity in the friends life/development/inner state. And I understand, that itś been said that the prayer of a kabbalist can make a real change. Is raising a prayer an act of bestowal or a plea for bestowal from above then? Is it drawing light to a specific „place of need“ and thus can evoke a change?
The difficulty is that we’re not in actual prayer yet and not in actual bestowal yet. We’re in some kind of inclinations that make the Upper Light work to some extent. They seem to us as prayer or bestowal. Like a child learning to speak, you gradually cleanse your Kli till you can correctly put together a sentence, or a story.
Thanks so much for all the answers clarification…and the amazing patience. patience… I feel I am starting to get closer to understanding this. and to get the importance of working on the kli in constant practice and in the group, so maybe at one point I will learn to form a real prayer 🙂 . Now, just a very last thing (and then I am sure my mind and heart will happily settle :-))) .. If we pray together, how does the effect we create, amplify? Is connection itself a „force“ that can draw the light or does it just connect the points in the heart to form a bigger kli? And from there – does it need all three- intention, connection and klis of all of us who pray? Ok, now, I really feel it´ś all been asked, and itś been in my heart for a long while now. So I am happy I got the chance And I feel any clarification is just so helpful. Thank you!!!
Hello Gianni,
As I recall an early Kabbalah class, I heard Tony say something along the line that praying to the Creator to change something that is occurring in our life is what religious people do, that what we should pray for is for understanding as to why something is happening. I was just watching a Daily lesson from last year where a student said their ten is praying for a family member who is sick, but the person is not getting better. The Rav responded to have more people pray. I am confused now. Why we would ask the Creator to change something that is occurring in our lives, if we believe that everything he does is good? Should we not pray for understanding and strength?
For someone else, you can pray. For yourself, it won’t help. We can pray for each other for everything necessary for the spiritual path, including to live and be well.
Doesn’t us praying for the Creator to change something we don’t like/disagree with show a lack of trust in His benevolence? If we trust that He is the Good that does good, why would we ask him to change anything happening in this world? Should we not be asking Him for faith in His Will? To help us understand? Also, if there is no time in the spirituality, and from the Creator’s view everything is already corrected how can we ask Him to change something that is already done? It would be like watching a movie and asking the director to change the ending, when the movie is already finished and we don’t know the ending of it?
Our movie reel is almost not moving. Everything going on is not called movement. Are the atoms in a rock moving? They are, but imperceptibly. That’s how our life is moving. We need to propel the movie reel forth, with constant prayer. Otherwise we’ll live out what might be a great movie in tortuously slow-mo. At that frame-rate all that is cinematic and pleasurable transforms to bad.
Therefore, what’s around me are opportunities to pray for others, by which we activate the reel.
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