Connectedness

Many ideas people have occur at the same time or in close proximity.  Perhaps, this suggests a collective conscience.  For instance, Alexander Graham Bell is credited for patenting the telephone, but at the about same time he applied a German, Johann Philipp Reis, also applied for the same patent.  It was such a short period of time that perhaps the German may have received the patent if perhaps he spent less time warming his lunch, or his wife hadn’t nagged him to take out the garbage sooner rather than later.  Who was first?  And, more importantly; does it matter?  I understand that patents and ideas are very important to business, yet it seems absurd to give a financial monopoly to an inventor, when it was really two or more that had the idea at the same time.  These sorts of things end up in courts, but when it comes to who is first, I wonder if there is usually or even occasionally justice.

When Hashem Gave His First Breath to the Cosmos

The cosmos became important when Gd's imparted His first breath to it. In the same way, a baby's first breath is considered what makes that baby a soulful being. This implies that Gd in some way grew up, and that is correct. Gd doesn’t know everything, and as time passes He learns more about the creation He authored.  In our lives, Gd gets to know us, such that we may even seem predictable. Gd's breath to the universe is the beginning of the soulful journey of the cosmos. Before the event of breath, a baby is not to be judged. Likewise, before the breath of Hashem the universe was without distinction.

New Jews, Babies, and The Making of a Universe: Creations made via expansion, contraction, and essence.

Via expansions and contractions experienced as push and pull with Jewish study material, a potential convert gains Jewishness although the memories, former essence, remain of the time prior to the ceremonial mikveh bath, where upon becoming new Jew the past is seen with a different lens of Jewish essence.  Differently, those that are born Jewish are already born of the Jewish mindset.  Thus, those born already Jewish experience a natural push and pull because they experienced cosmic vibrations that cause Jewishness in the womb.


This pattern of expansions and contractions that yield essence is a common theme in Judaism.  Another example might be that, via expansions and contractions, we are born from our mother, yet the parental DNA, likeness to our parents, remains as traceable essence.  A third example is that via expansions and contractions, tzimtzumim, Gd created the universe forever leaving His Hebrew essence, the Holy language, among all of His creation.

DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy) and Faith

In study of “Dialectical Behavioral Therapy,” I find that DBT is relevant to faithfulness.  DBT understands that our mind is a product of reason and emotions.  Where reason and emotions overlap, there is wisdom to be found.

Faith that comes from the gut, loving-kindness, causes our hearts to ache for those without faith, as victory comes to those with faith.

Faith may also be rational, connecting to the Mind.  Faith explains why some live blessed and why some don’t.  Undersized, malnourished children, with bellies full of worms, AIDS, and malaria; such persons are charged with having to respect their ancestors, even though their ancestors are to blame.  Torah explains this horror.

Yet, my reality is such that when I experience something good, I give thanks.  I thank Gd for not making me like the other man.  Time, reason, tells me my reality will unfold according to Hashem’s blessings, because as though I am puffed up, the righteous will live by my kind of faith (Habakkuk 2:4), both Jew and gentile.

We Are More than Rocks as Our Souls Give Us Animation

Though the universe is soulful; for example Aaron drew water from rock, what makes the human soul special is that it can operate at higher levels than rocks, and even still at higher levels than other species.  The soul is the part that animates.

For instance; there is the animal soul that makes it such that some of us experience hunger.  A rock will probably never feel hungry, and because of that, what we believe hunger is an inclination to evil.  That makes the souls of beasts higher than that of inanimate objects.

Another level of the soul that I believe even monkeys, and especially mother’s of other higher level species can do is empathy.  Although I can’t say every human is capable of empathy.  It is usually very apparent when a human lacks it.  Though it is difficult for family members, and close people to deal with a human lacks the level of the soul that is a conscience: I feel pity for someone who never experiences empathy.  That is the appropriate response for such a person.

Attention Gentiles: According to Maimonides, Non-Jewish Goyim Can Be Holy Non-Jewish Priests

“In the words of the Rambam:  Not only the tribe of Levi, but each and every individual human being, whose spirit moves him, whose knowledge gives him understanding to set himself apart in order to stand before the Lord to serve Him, to worship Him, and to know Him, who walks upright as God created him to do, and releases him from the yoke  of the many foolish considerations which trouble people – such an individual is as consecrated as the Holy of Holies, and his portion and his inheritance shall be in the Lord forever and ever.  The Lord will grant him adequate sustenance in the world just as He granted to the priests and to the Levites.  Thus did David, peace be upon him, say, “O, Lord, the portion of my inheritance and of my cup, You maintain my lot.”

The Rebbe Was a Rare Ethical Social Climber

I love that the Rebbe cared for every Jew.  He didn’t fall prey to the social diseases that describe so many leaders, like narcissism, the charismatic quacks, nor someone who is a leader suffering from megalomania.  When he shook someone’s hand or said l’chaim it came from his soul as blessing because he wasn’t doing for a press photo shoot or some other publicity stunt.  The Rebbe passes all the psychological tests that pathological leaders fall into.  The Rebbe was a normal man in many senses, but he was also brilliant.  He is that rare individual who became a leader because of his goodness.  I will also add that it is to the credit of his ancestors that he was born into a world of established Judaism that would pick such a wonderful man to be in charge.  That he is still loved today and not forgotten is testimony to his eternity that there are successful and noble leaders, whose lifetime presence on earth is as meaningful today, as it was when he walked among us.