1. JUDAISM
The Great Mystery - Texts

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness
(Genesis 1)

The Eternal is enthroned,
He is robed in grandeur.
The Eternal is robed,
He is girded with strength.
And He founded the solid earth
To be unmoving.
Ageless is Your throne,
Endless is Your being.
The oceans cry out, O Eternal God,
The oceans cry out their thunder,
The oceans rage in their fury;
But greater than the thunder of the torrents,
mightier that the breakers of the sea,
is the Lord's majesty on high.
(Psalm 93)

The Great Mystery - Musings

In an attempt to fathom the unfathomable, to describe the unimaginable predecessor to reality, as we know it, the author of Genesis speaks of "Being without form," "the void," "the darkness'" and "the deep." I sense in this quivering empty chaos, a mysterious yearning of the pure unadulterated potential to be ignited. The Kabbalah describes the first movement of the Spirit of God as a withdrawal, a making of space for the overflow of His being so that holy sparks can fill it.

The thing that activates the world of being is sound the sound of God's Voice, saying, "Let there be..." What is sound but vibrating waves? And what is speech but sound given shape by intention? Creation is sent forth by the intention in the Mind of God.

The first form given body by His Word is Light. What is this light but a mysterious something made of vibrating packets of energy sparkling in and out of being? Behaving sometimes like waves, sometimes like particles, appearing to bend through water, able to transform into the transparent colors of the rainbow, light illuminates and makes clear. And God saw that the light was good.

During the cosmic days that followed, God made everything that exists. Finally God said: "Let us make man in our image…"

The image of God? What did He intend by the utterance that brought us human beings into existence? God is Creator. Further, He takes great satisfaction in His creation. He saw that everything was good.

Enthroned in glory, girded with strength, ageless, endless, majestic and merciful, God is the breath of humanity, the shepherd who is near at hand, and the dwelling place of His children.

The World - Texts

The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof;
The world, and they that dwell therein.
For He hath founded it upon the seas,
And established it upon the floods.
(Psalm 24)

And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:
And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.
And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.
And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.
And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.
And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.
And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.
And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
(Genesis 1)

The World - Musings

Read the Psalms, and you find poetry that sings the praises of creation.

The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof; the world and they that dwell therein.

The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth his handiwork.

The world in all its beauty is the work of a master craftsman, and proclaims His great artistry and care. In six cosmic days God made the world and all its luxurious bounty. He breathed life into all its creatures, and they joyfully portray themselves as signs of His Greatness.

Light followed upon chaotic darkness; heavenly bodies followed light; mighty oceans and mountains were brought forth. The molten magnetic core of the earth set the blue ball spinning like a top in the Milky Way, spitting off force fields in which creatures could be enveloped. Sun, earth, moon and cosmos all collaborate to provide the atmosphere in which His creation thrives.

This world, this earth, is the dominion of human beings. The very last thing God did before His rest was to give His magnificent artifice over into the protection of us, His image-creatures. As He is our shepherd, we are called upon to nurture and protect His creation.

The world is also the stage upon which history unfolds. History too, is the domain of God. We, His creatures, act in relation to each other, in the field of time. Whenever our actions disregard God's Will, He intervenes, sometimes by means of natural catastrophes, and sometimes by warnings spoken through His prophets.

After our expulsion from Eden, the world has become a nettled place, providing rough ground for our quest back to God.

Humanity - Musings

Our lives are but a few years, and compared to the moon and the stars and the work of God's fingers, we are a minute blink in the tremendous cosmos.

What is man that Thou art mindful of him?

We are His image, honored enough to have free will. Having abused His trust, we have been punished, forgiven, warned and loved.

God created us in His own image. Male and female, He created us. Out of the stuff of the earth He created us and breathed His own breath into us. And He gave us dominion over all the earth.

This passage in Genesis is often cited as the reason for the West's damaging of the environment. If Genesis were read to mean the world is ours to exploit and subdue this is would be a valid interpretation. But if we read it in the context of our being made of the earth, in the image of God, our "dominion" requires that we be creative and protective as God is.

If we are made IN HIS OWN IMAGE, it follows that we too are called to create, and to see that what we create is good. Let us make good use of our appearance here on the earth.

The Teachers - Texts

Oh Lord, I am not a man of words, for I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. And the Lord said unto him: and I will be with thy mouth, and teach what thou shalt speak.
(Ex.10-12)

And Abram fell on his face; and God talked with him, saying; thy name shall be Abraham; for the father of a multitude of nations have I made thee. And I will make thee exceedingly fruitful, and kings shall come out of thee. And I will establish my covenant between Me and thee.
(Gen. 17)

And Solomon loved the Lord. Give Thy servant therefore an understanding heart to judge Thy people, that I may discern between good and evil; And God said unto him: Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself. I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart.
(1 Kings: 3:3-12)

And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, with a fire flashing up...and out of the midst thereof as the colour of electrum; out of the midst of the fire, there was brightness to the fire, and out of the fire went forth lightning. And above the firmament that was over their heads, was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone; and upon it was a likeness as the appearance of a man. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw if, I fell upon my face…
(Ezekiel: 1)

[And God said to Jeremiah]
Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee, And before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee; I have appointed a prophet unto the nations. And whatsoever I shall command thee thou shalt speak.
(Jer 1:5-7)

The Teachers - Musings

Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Esther, Ruth, David and Solomon. Their names conjure up images of ordinary people called by God to do great things. They felt unworthy and incapable.

God commanded; they obeyed.

God promised them a covenant; they fell on their faces before Him.

God gave them wisdom; they loved Him.

God knew them; they walked with Him.

God talked with them; they bowed down in front of Him.

God sent them visions; they warned His people.

God taught them; they spoke in His name.

And, ringing over thousands of years, their words still move the hearts of countless millions.

Thou shalt not kill.

Thou shalt not steal.

Honor thy father and thy mother.

Keep holy the Sabbath.

You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Cast thy bread upon the waters, for thou shalt find it after many days.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

Be still then, and know that I am God.

The Way - Texts

I am the Lord thy God
Thou shalt take no Gods before Me.
Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain.
Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day.
Honor thy father and thy mother.
Thou shalt not kill.
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Thou shalt not steal.
Thou shalt not bear false Witness
against thy neighbor.
Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbor's wife.
Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbor's goods.
(Ex. 19)

Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord?
Who may stand in his holy place?
Those with a clean hands and pure hearts.
Who never speaks with malice,
Who never swear deceitfully.
They shall receive blessings from the Lord, justice from God, their Helper.
(Psalm 24)

When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. But whenever he entered the LORD's presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the LORD .
(Ex. 34)

The Way - Musings

Most people in Europe and the Americas, and many millions on the other continents, know the Ten Commandments. They come directly from the holy mountain of God, spoken to His prophet, Moses.

To stand on top of Mount Sinai in the mysterious field of the fiery Presence, Moses - or anyone - must have clean hands and a pure heart. They must have painstakingly climbed the steep path and been willing to listen to the Divine utterance, the Divine intention. Moses - or anyone - must have refrained from malice, deceit, haughtiness, violence and wickedness. They must have sown peace, not discord among their fellow human beings. On the mountain we are told that to enter the Presence of the Holy, we must divest ourselves of our sandals, the covering of our feet that separates us from the ground of the world - and pay attention to YHWH, "I AM."

What we must NOT do is kill, steal, commit adultery, bear false witness or covet. On these prohibitions God is clear. To refrain from evil is good.

What we must DO in order to be good, is to perform actions of worshipping the One Whose Very Name is Holy (and not the deceiving, false and strange gods of the world), honoring (of our parents), keeping holy (the Sabbath), exalt the Lord, and love our neighbor as ourselves. By being good, we attain the blessings of God. What God loves are justice, faith, trustworthiness, and above all, love. He always listens with compassion to the crying of every broken heart, and He takes us under His wing like the mother hen who enfolds her chicks under her wing.

Moses came down from the mountain wearing an expression of radiance so bright that he had to veil his countenance. It was the brightness of a being-in-love.

Prayer - Texts

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures;
He leadeth me beside still waters.
He restoreth my soul.
He guideth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I shall fear no evil,
For Thou art with me;
Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies;
Thou hast anointed my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
(Psalm 23)

In the palace of the king there are many rooms and there is a key for each one. An axe is, however, the passkey of passkeys, for with it one can break through all the doors and all the gates.
Each prayer has its own proper meaning and it is therefore the specific key to a door in the Divine Palace, but a broken heart is an axe which opens all the gates.
(Hassidic teaching: Rabbi Israel Baal-Shem Tov)

The Holy One, praised be He,
longs for the prayers of the righteous
(Yebamot 64.a)

Prayer - Musings

It is the urge of followers of all the monotheistic religions to call out to God. We call upon Him morning and evening, even through the watches of the night. We approach Him in a number of different attitudes and postures. Sometimes we address Him in an exuberance of praise and thankfulness; sometimes we bow before Him in sheer adoration; sometimes we implore Him to aid us in our suffering; sometimes we seek comfort from Him in times of affliction and grief; and sometimes we seek His forgiveness when we have gone astray.

We pray in a number of different moods. Sometimes we are joyful. Other times we bow our heads in sorrow, or we cry out in agony and desperation. Sometimes we pray alone in utter solitude, just listening. Be still and know that I am God. At other times we gather with other people to pray.

Made in God's image, trusting in His care, it is so beautiful for us to realize that GOD, the Holy One is always waiting - longing - for our prayers.
 
Evil and Suffering - Texts

And the serpent said unto the woman, "Ye shall not surely die [if you eat of the tree]: for God doth not know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil."
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it pleasant to the eye and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate it.
The Lord said to Adam:
"cursed is the ground because of you; in turn you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth to you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; you are dust, and to dust you shall return."
(Genesis 2-3)

Oh, that I knew where I might find him,
That I might come even to his seat!
I would lay my case before him and fill my mouth with arguments.
I would learn what he would answer me, and understand what he would say to me.
Would he content with me in the greatness of his power?
No; he would give heed to me.
There an upright man could reason with him,
And I should be acquitted forever by my judge.

Behold, I go forward, but he is not there;
And backward, but I cannot perceive him;
On the left hand I seek him, but I cannot behold him.
I turn to the right hand, but I cannot see him.
But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
My foot has held fast to his steps;
I have kept his way and have not turned aside.
I have treasured in my bosom the words of his mouth.
But he is unchangeable and who can turn him?
What he desires, that he does.
For he will complete what he appoints for me;
(Job 23:3-14)

Evil and Suffering - Musings

We human beings are curious and restless creatures. How shall we interpret the sin of ingesting the fruit of the tree of knowledge? How can we understand the unleashing of God's unbridled rage in obliterating the world? And how understand the mean-spirited testing of Job, the faithful one?

To me the Bible is often more useful when I read beyond the literal surface to the deeper core for spiritual insight. In this case I need help.

Karen Armstrong, the great scholar of the Abrahamic religions, says in her study of Genesis (In the Beginning), that although the ancient Hebrews were concerned with the question of God's justice, they were more concerned with gaining blessing. That is why Jacob (of the wrestling match and the ladder) could collaborate with his mother to steal his brother Esau's birthright. He needed the blessing of his father at all costs. For most of his life his actions were self-serving, but after many trials and tribulations, he finally did works that warranted blessings. Job, the good man, suffering needlessly for many years, ultimately gained the blessing of God because of his loyalty and faith.

Despite the thorough debate related in the Book of Job that tries to search out the meaning behind meaningless suffering, it seems that the ancient God "works in mysterious ways," and is beyond our understanding

Struggle - Texts

So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak."
But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."
The man asked him, "What is your name?"
"Jacob," he answered.
Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome."
Jacob said, "Please tell me your name."
But he replied, "Why do you ask my name?" Then he blessed him there.
So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, "It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared."
The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip. Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the tendon attached to the socket of the hip, because the socket of Jacob's hip was touched near the tendon.
(Gen. 32)

Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men; preserve me from violent men, who plan evil things in their heart, and sir up wars continually.
Guard me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked;
O Lord, my Lord, my strong deliverer,
Thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.
Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicket; do not further his evil plot!
Selah!
Those who surround me lift up their head, let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them!
Let burning coals fall upon them!
Let them be cast into pits no more to rise!
Let not the slanderer be established in the land; let evil hunt down the violent man speedily!
I know that the lord maintains the cause of the afflicted,
And executes justice for the needy.
Surely the righteous shall give thanks to thy name;
The upright shall dwell in thy presence.
(Psalm 140)

Struggle - Musings

One of the most vivid images in all of Biblical literature is that of Jacob wrestling in the dark of night, a traveler on a lonely road, with a stranger, an angel. The angel was strong - Jacob dislocated his hip during the battle, and his limp was a life-long reminder of his epic struggle.

Now who was the stranger, and why did they fight? Who won the duel and where did the stranger go? Why did Jacob call the place Peniel - because he saw God and lived?

We all have struggles. They are terrible when they happen, and we often get hurt. Sometimes, our struggles are blessings in disguise, angelic events. We often find ourselves on a dark road where we have to conduct our struggles in blindness. We may be battered and bruised, and even dis-jointed in the process. But the dark night passes, and if we have striven bravely, we find ourselves awake and alive. Perhaps we are even more alive for having plumbed the depths of our own souls and seen the divine. We have won something precious. We have developed our spiritual muscles, and know that they have become well toned.

Through the wisdom that comes with experience, we have gained the strength to meet whatever crosses our path throughout our lives

Death - Texts

Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.
He cometh forth like a flower, and withereth.
He fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.
Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months is with Thee,
And Thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass.
Look away from him, that may rest, till he shall accomplish as a hireling, his day.
For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again,
And that the tender branch thereof will not cease.
Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;
Yet through the scent of water, it will bud, and put forth boughs like a plant.
Yea, man dieth, and lieth low
But man perisheth, and where is he?
(Job 14)

Death - Musings

A seed falls to the ground and takes root. Out of it grows a stalk with leaves and buds, and - lo - a flower. The flower is a being of joy, a glory of color and fragrance basking in the sun. It lasts for a short time, then withers and dies. How mysterious!

We are the same. We are born, grow strong and beautiful limbs and bodies. We grow old, wither and die. But the thing about human beings is that we have something besides our consciousness of mortality. We have hope.

Even Job in the most miserable and unfair circumstances, finds a way to look beyond and hope.

Yes, death is a mystery. So is life - that we live at all!

The joy and suffering we experience in the winds of time are mysterious. So are the events of the human drama enacted on the world stage. Especially now. Yet we have hope.

The Ultimate - Texts

O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest,
and not comforted,
Behold, I will set thy stones in fair colours,
And lay thy foundations with sapphires.
And I will make thy pinnacles of rubies,
And thy gates of carbuncles,
And all thy border of precious stones.
And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord;
And great shall be the peace of thy children
In righteousness shalt thou be established;
Be thou far from oppression,
for thou shalt not fear,
And from ruin, for it shall not come near thee.
(Is. 54)

And He shall judge the nations,
And shall decide for many peoples;
And they shall beat their swords into ploughshares
And their spears into pruning-hooks.
Nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
Neither shall they learn war anymore.
(Is. 2)

The Ultimate - Musings

Yes, we are afflicted, tossed with the tempest as Isaiah says. But Isaiah also recounts the promise of God:

Isaiah was a prophet who wrote in a time of great upheaval, a time much like our own. We too live in a time of destruction. There are gigantic forces afoot in the world. A great battle is being waged, and the outcome is uncertain. Listening to Isaiah's description of a future golden age, a messianic kingdom on earth when peace will prevail we can use our human faculty of hope.