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Where are you from?

I would like to add, on a personal note, that it has taken a long time to get to the stage where I could put this site together. So many experiences, so many incredible lessons. Perhaps it isn’t just a metaphor that this lifetime is like many lifetimes all rolled into one. So many amazing events, so many synchronicities, so many powerful traumas, so many emotions. I thank Hashem for all this, for I know that it is a miracle that I am who I am and where I am. That is, from the point of view of life being strings of random events, it is a miracle. From the point of view of eternity, however, it is exactly where I have to be.

You see, I live both points of view simultaneously. This is my way of joining heaven and earth, of seeing the hidden unity behind the seeming randomness of events. This is how I understand the difference between Elohai Neshamah and Yish’tabach.

In Elohai Neshamah, we call Hashem “Ribon Kol HaMa’asim – Master [Director] of all the events [of the world]” as well as “Adon Kol HaNeshamot – Lord of all souls.”

In Yish’tabach, the idea is the same but the order is switched. First we call Hashem “Borei Kol HaNeshamot – Creator of all souls” and only then “Ribon Kol HaMa’asim – Master [Director] of all the events [of the world].”

Elohai Neshamah:

My G-d, the Divine Soul You have placed within me is pure! You created it. You formed it. You breathed it into me. You sustain it within me. You will also one day take it from me, and restore it to me in the Ultimate Future. As long as the Divine Soul is within me, I thank You with my very being, Hashem my G-d and G-d of my ancestors, Director of all the events [of the world], Lord of all souls. Blessed are You, Hashem, who restores souls to [our] lifeless bodies.

At the conclusion of Yish’tabach, we say:

Blessed are You, Hashem, great omnipotent King Who is to be exalted with inexhaustible praises, G-d to Whom thanks are due, Master of wonders, Creator of all souls, Master [Director] of all the events [of the world], Who delights in chant-songs, O King, G-d, Life of all universes, amen.

Again, in Elohai Neshamah, we start out “from below” by calling Him the Master Director of all that goes on in the external events of our lives. We then acknowledge Him as the Lord of all our souls. In Yish’tabach, we begin by calling Him the Creator of all our souls, and then descend to call Him the Master Director of all that happens down in this world. What is this coming to teach us?

Ask most anyone where they are from and they will tell you, “I’m from such-and-such a city or such-and-such a country.” If they were born in New York, they’ll say, “I’m from New York.” If they are from South Africa, they will say, “I’m from South Africa.” Of course, you can point out to them that they may have been born and raised in these places, but this isn’t necessarily where they are “from”. You’d better watch out if you do this, however, because they are going to look at you funny.

Where are we from? Well, of course, the answer we give depends on the point of view from which we wish to speak. If we speak from the perspective of our bodies, we are from New York, Johannesburg or Los Angeles. If we speak from the perspective of our souls, these places are just where our souls landed, so to speak, not where they come from.

This is brought out nicely in a sweet custom that some Middle Eastern communities have on Passover night. In my family, we keep the minhagim (customs) of Allepo, Syria (pronounced Halab in Arabic, it is the biblical city of Aram Soba). After we break the Matzot into two pieces (a big Vav and a little Dalet), we place the little piece between the two remaining whole Matzot to be eaten at the right time, while the larger piece is tied up in a large cloth napkin to be hidden (and found) and eaten at the end of the meal as the Afikomen. Before hiding it, however, each member of the family takes this “knapsack” in his or her right hand, holds it over their left shoulder and swings it slowly around their back in a circular motion. Some families do this sitting, while others do it standing. While it still over their left shoulder, we all ask them in Arabic “Fein Jaiyeh?” [“Where are you coming from?”]. A full range of answers is given (see below). As they then pass the knapsack around their back toward their right shoulder, everybody asks, “Fein Rayaich?” [Where are you going?”]. Here are some of the most common answers to these questions in our family:

Where are you coming from? Where are you going?

1. I’m coming from Mitzrayim - Egypt. I’m going to the Holy Land, to Israel.

2. I’m coming from America. I’m going to Yerushalayim, to the Beth HaMikdash, the Temple.

3. I’m coming from Hell. I’m going to the Garden of Eden.

4. I come from the Garden of Eden. I’m going to the Beth HaMikdash, the Temple, may it be built speedily in our days.

5. I come from the Garden of Eden. I’m going to the World-to-Come.

The point is that there is truth in all these answers. Think about it.

This then is the meaning of the order of the two statements above. In each case, Hashem is the Lord of all souls and the Master Director of all events. In Elohai Neshamah, the order is from below to above, and in Yish’tabach, the order is from above to below.

By switching the order, the author(s) of the prayers were pointing out to us that these are two complementary viewpoints. Both are true. It is just that when we first begin to intuit G-d’s existence, we do so from the point of view of our experience in this world. Events are not random. Things don’t just happen. Life is not a series of meaningless interactions. No, there is Consciousness with a capital “C” behind this. The very existence of a planet like ours, hospitable to the presence of sentient beings like ourselves, points to the existence of an All-encompassing Consciousness who not only created it and sustains it, but who did so for a purpose. What is this purpose? For the moment, let it suffice to say that the purpose of life on this planet, according to Judaism, is for human beings to recognize the existence of the Creator. If this seems oversimplified, it is. In truth, it is a never-ending process with incredible surprises at the end of each new horizon.

But the main thing I want to point out here is that G-d being “Lord and Creator of all souls” is the Inner Level of History, while His being “Master Director of all events” is the Outer Level.

This distinction is crucial. Heaven – the vast Mega-System of higher and higher spiritual dimensions which is the Root and Source for everything in our world – is not just “up there,” somewhere far away from our earthly reality. Heaven is also the inner level of spirit that permeates and interpenetrates our world.

Just as the soul dwells within the body, the power of heaven is the motive force behind all that happens in this world.

So much so that, when you begin to become familiar with this reality, you realize that it is Reality, whereas the external events of history are merely a veil over Reality, preventing us from knowing too much, in order to preserve the delicate balance of free will that is required in order to make life on this planet possible.

In truth, although the spiritual dimension behind our world is the main Reality, nevertheless, our little world, and the actions we do in it (and the words we say, and the thoughts we think) – all are of utmost importance. They are so important that what we do “down” here determines what goes on “up” there. We will speak more of this. For now, let it just be known that each of these two perspectives has tremendous importance, and even though one can sometimes seem more important than the other, they constitute a paradoxical dynamic in which they are constantly dancing with each other.

Such that the essence of Judaism is and has always been a path of Yichud – Unification of Heaven and Earth – a path of incredible balance these two perspectives.

Why? Because without informing our earthly existence with the prophetic/spiritual wisdom that gives it ultimate meaning, we will never understand what this life is about, i.e., why we were born where we were born, why we were born to the parents to whom we were born, why we attended the school we attended, and why the events of our lives unfolded the way they did, etc. We will never completely understand the Mystery of History – not, at least, from our limited point of view, and not in this lifetime, until we begin to see and live our lives from G-d’s point of view.

It is really a game of Hide and Seek – this Drama we call History. G-d arranges the events of our lives and then hides behind the scenes – waiting for us to discover Him through and behind His disguises. He even provides clues and intimations of His presence whenever we get stuck. At times, He reveals His presence in the larger events of history. At times, he reveals His involvement in the private lives of individuals. One way or the other, in whichever way He reveals His presence, it is in order to tell us that He is there all the time. Since this overall providence must not be revealed until the time is right, however, He always immediately retreats into hiding.

This lesson is hidden in the word History itself – especially when it is seen in relation to its Hebrew root. For History can be read as: His Story – G-d’s Story unfolding to the point when the Great Author will finally make His appearance in the scenes of the story – or, as we have said, allow us to know that He has been here with us in disguise the entire time. It can also be read as coming from the Hebrew root Hester meaning Hidden.

This kind of approach would surely make the study of History more interesting. For we would teach our children the greatest lesson of all:

Children, you are souls! You are from heaven, i.e. from the spiritual dimension that precedes and is hidden behind the reality we see with our eyes. In heaven, you knew the truth. You knew that there is a Creator and His existence was clear as day. In order to be part of the Creator’s plan, however, He sent you down here where His presence is anything but obvious. In discovering His Presence wherever you are and wherever you go, you participate in bringing about its total revelation down here as it is up there. He wants so much that that revelation should come about through your efforts. That is why He hides so stealthily. Don’t be fooled, though, for He is very very close!

Next: THE INNER & OUTER LEVELS OF HISTORY - 2

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