Transcendence

How can We Access the Hidden Dimension?

Now that we’ve explained why it was imperative that the teachings of mysticism be disseminated to the entire world, we are left with perhaps the most difficult question to resolve.

How can these non-rational or supra-rational teachings be taught to the masses? If they are to be accessed by one’s soul-powers that are beyond the faculty of logic and reason, as discussed at length in chapter four, how can a person who is not so spiritual and in touch with his or her soul, access these teachings intellectually? If they can be understood then they should not be regarded as mysticism. If they are not really mysticism, but a watered down version of it, how can these teachings affect us the way mysticism is capable of doing?

The answer lies in a better understanding of the parameters G-d created in this world and the way G-d Himself relates to them.

Putting Feelings in a Bottle

When we view our universe we observe certain basic rules. Take gravity, for example. When we drop something, here on Earth, it will fall to the ground. Yet if, suddenly, we would see the reverse occurring, it will startle us, but it does not defy logic, because we do know of instances where things do not fall to the ground, such as in outer space, or even down here, when we throw something into the air.

On the other hand, if one were to ask someone to take a feeling of hatred that one has to another and place it in a bottle and then seal it, so that the hatred is contained, it would be a totally ludicrous and illogical statement. There would be no need to tell someone that it is impossible to do that because the idea is so preposterous that it would call into question the sanity of the person who either suggested it or rejected it.

One cannot put feelings in a bottle, not because they are too big or too small, but because they belong to two totally different realms of existence.

Similarly, it would be most ludicrous to suggest taking an idea and putting it in a safe-deposit– vault at the bank for safe-keeping, unless it was intended in the figurative sense of the word, or that one was referring to the piece of paper upon which this idea was written.

One cannot, however, even conceive of the idea of taking an abstract concept or feeling and placing it within physical parameters. It is so utterly impossible that it would even be foolish to even have to negate it.

Is G-d Bound by Logic?

Jewish thought ponders whether G-d Himself is bound by the restrictions of logic. Biblical, Talmudic, philosophical and mystical literature – recognizes G-d’s ability to alter the laws of nature. If G-d is the Creator of the universe and its very laws, He can certainly change these laws. There is however a question among classical Jewish philosophers as to whether G-d can defy logic.

For example: Can G-d put an elephant through the eye of a needle? Most people when confronted with this question will envision G-d reduce the size of the elephant, so that it is small enough to squeeze through the eye of the needle. One can even imagine that it can occur without anyone noticing it, because G-d can perform this feat of expanding and then diminishing the size of the elephant so quickly that it is imperceptible to the human eye. Alternatively, G-d could expand the size of the eye of the needle and thereby allow the elephant to go through it.

The real question is can G-d allow the elephant to go through the eye of the needle without changing the size of the elephant or the size of the eye of the needle? It is not simply a question as to whether G-d can change the laws of nature, but whether He is bound by the rules of logic in the first place.

Proof form the Ark and the Burning Bush

From the Torah, Talmud and Midrash’s description of the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy Temple, a picture emerges of G-d actually doing precisely that which is illogical and contradictory.

The Torah provides us with very specific dimensions for the Ark. It was 2 1/2 cubits long by 1 1/2 cubits wide by 1 1/2 cubits high. It was made of three boxes. A golden box in which was contained a wooden box, in which was placed another golden box. The Ark was then placed in the Holy of Holies section of the Temple. The dimensions of the Holy of Holies are also clearly delineated in the Torah. In the original Sanctuary, the Mishkan, It was ten cubits by ten cubits square.

When the Ark was placed lengthwise in the Holy of Holies and one would measure from the northern wall to the Ark and then measure from the southern wall to the ark it would total ten cubits, as if the Ark was not there. Yet one could simultaneously measure the Ark and it extended for 2 ½ cubits. The same phenomenon occurred when measuring from the western wall (not to be confused with “the Western Wall”) to the Ark and then from the eastern wall to the Ark; the total was ten cubits, despite the fact that the Ark itself occupied one and a half cubits!

The picture that emerges here is that the Ark – the place on earth that G-d chose to reveal His presence in the most blatant and conspicuous manner – simultaneously occupied physical space and did not occupy physical space!

A similar phenomenon occurred when Moses came face to face with the burning bush. Moses marveled at the fact that the burning bush was a contradiction.

On the one hand, the bush was burning and on the other hand the flame was not consuming it. If the flame was not real fire, only the illusion of fire, Moses would have not been surprised. There were many instances of things that gave the appearance of something else. All of magic is where the magician creates the illusion of a phenomenon. If the bush was really on fire – and Moses presumably felt the heat – then how could it not burn? This was not just a miracle, but a manifestation of a G-d whose essence transcends the very order of logic.

What Really Happened on Chanukah?

Chanukah is celebrated because of the miracle with the oil of the menorah. Instead of burning one night, the Menorah lasted for eight nights. There are several approaches that have been taken by some of the classical Jewish commentators as to what precisely happened.

One school of thought believes that there was a miraculous increase of the volume of oil. Though they put a supply of oil that would last for only one night, it expanded and it lasted for eight nights.

Another school of thought maintains that there was no quantitative increase of oil, but a qualitative increase. The power of the same volume of oil that existed before had now expanded to allow it to last eight nights instead of one.

There is, however, a third view that likens what happened on Chanukah to the miracle of the burning bush. This approach maintains that nothing, absolutely nothing, changed in the quantity or quality of the oil. If the oil had been measured it would not have been found to change in volume. Likewise, if the oil were to have been analyzed by a chemist, it would not have exhibited any properties that are foreign to pure olive oil. There was absolutely no change in the oil, yet, the oil lasted for eight days instead of one!

In other words, the oil though it was burning as oil usually does, and at the pace that it burns, it was not consumed! The oil was oil and wasn’t oil at the same time!

Sinai Transformed Existence

In truth, this paradoxical phenomenon has become part of the world since the time the Torah was given at Mount Sinai. Before the Torah was given at Sinai, there existed two distinct realms. One was spirituality and the other was physicality. There was no way that there could be a fusion of the two. After all, how can a totally abstract, spiritual concept find expression within a corporeal entity?

At Sinai, not only did G-d give us a set of commandments, but, He also totally transformed the nature of existence. From then onward, the two distinct realms of the spiritual and physical can be synthesized.

Every time we perform a mitzvah that was given to us in the Torah, that physical object generates Divine energy. The Divine energy that is generated does not then reside in some spiritual domain, but is manifested within the material world. Firstly, it is contained within the object with which the mitzvah is performed. Secondly, the spirituality resides within the person who performed the mitzvah. And thirdly, there is even some more spirituality “to spare” that will affect the world around as well.

That the two “worlds” of spirituality and materiality could be fused together is impossibility. G-d, however, possesses the ability to do the impossible as well. He can fit an elephant into the hole of the needle and He can introduce the Divine into the physical.

The Midrash uses the following parable to explain what happened at Siani:

There were two city-states. One was Rome and the other was Syria. Rome was situated on the top of a mountain and Syria was in the valley. Their respective rulers decreed that none of their residents should be permitted to visit the other city. Thus, the leader of Rome decreed that the residents of Rome could descend to Syria; and the ruler of Syria ordered that none of his citizens may go up to visit Rome.

Then one day, the Two rulers decided to rescind this decree. “Let the members of the mountain community descend to the valley and the members of the valley go up to the mountain top community.” The ruler of Rome then added: “And I will be the first to begin the process.” The ruler of Rome then descended to Syria.

The same occurred at Sinai. Prior to the revelation of G-d at Mount Sinai, there were two distinct forces: the spiritual and the physical. There was also a G-d given decree that the twain shall never meet. There is an inherent dichotomy that makes it unthinkable that one can put a spiritual force into a physical object as was explained earlier.

G-d, however, did precisely that. He annulled the decree between the upper and lower worlds. From now on the two realms will be synthesized, every time a person performs a physical act that was mandated at Sinai – a mitzvah. And furthermore,” G-d added “I will be the first to commence with this new status.” G- d then descended on Mount Sinai, transforming the physical mountain into a medium for G-dly revelation.

Despite the revolution that was launched at Sinai that allows for the synthesis of the physical and spiritual, the world does not necessarily feel the difference. Most people who perform a Mitzvah do not appreciate that they have just done the equivalent of splitting the atom and even more. Not only does the Mitzvah unleash incredible amounts of spiritual energy to the world, but it is manifested within the parameters of the physical action and object that was the Mitzvah.

The fact that we do not see or feel this fusion of the spiritual and physical worlds is by design. The world, had it realized the transformation it undergoes every time the right action is performed, would have been denied free choice to do the right things.

Only the select few in every generation, whose souls are on fire and to whom the secrets of Kabbalah were revealed, feel the excitement of every mitzvah.

During the Messianic Age all of us will be privileged to have that experience as well, because the supra-rational teachings of Kabbalah will be made accessible to the rational mind.

The Revolution

To return now to the question posed at the beginning of this chapter. How can the suprarational teachings of Kabbalah be made accessible to the rational mind?

A follow up question to this first one is: If somehow, supra-rational teachings can be made accessible to the rational mind, why then were the teachings of Kabbalah considered to be so secretive and inaccessible to all but the elite?

Based on our analysis of G-d’s lack of limitation we can begin to appreciate what has happened in recent times in the popularization of mysticism. We discussed the fact that if G-d so wills it even an elephant can pass through the eye of a needle if G-d so wants it – without the needle’s eye expanding and the elephant going on a crash diet. G-d can therefore also take the most sublime non-rational ideas and make them rational and intelligible.

The Three Modes of G-dly Revelation

Kabbalah and Chassidic thought speaks of G-d manifesting Himself in three modes. The most common manifestation of G-d is His presence within nature. Elokim, the name of G-d that is used frequently in the Torah and exclusively in the first chapter of Genesis that describes the creation of the universe, has the numerical equivalent of the word Hateva, (86) which means “the nature” or “the natural order.”

When this aspect of G-d’s power is revealed, everything conforms to a fixed pattern. Miracles do not occur, and the impression given by the world order is that there is a finite and inviolate system that governs the universe. When this G- dly force of nature is dominant, one can even fail to detect that it is G-d who is behind all of existence, including the laws of nature.

Indeed, the same word for nature “teva” derives from another Hebrew root that means submerged. This is a reference to the G-dly powers that are concealed within creation.

There is, however, a “higher” manifestation of G-d. When this second aspect of G-d associated with the name Hava’ye, or the tetragrammaton (Y.H.V.H.), is revealed, one sees G-d’s involvement vividly. G-d’s presence is no longer screened and cloaked within the parameters of nature. When this aspect of G-d is unleashed we see miracles or changes in the way the world is governed. All the Biblical miracles as well as the post-Biblical ones, were illustrations of this G-dly power.

Even miracles, however, are expressive of an aspect of G-d’s revealed nature and not His true essence. Miracles or super-natural evens too have their own parameters.

To be sure, miracles are far more spectacular than nature, but they too can be characterized as that which transcends nature. Just like nature is defined by its parameters, similarly the supernatural order can be characterized by its order. Nature is defined by its containment within borders, and the supernatural is defined by its inability to be contained within borders. That too is a limitation of sorts; one that cannot be ascribed to G-d Himself, to His very essence.

Thus, when the essence of G-d is in the open, even the parameters of miracles and the supernatural are removed. The inherent inability for something that is unlimited and transcendent to find expression within something that is limited and rational becomes eminently possible. When G-d’s essence is revealed, even the most supra-rational teachings of Kabbalah can be made rational and accessible to any mind.

The Essence Revealed in Messianic Age

This revelation of the essence of G-d is associated with the Messianic Age. During that period, the prophets declare, all barriers and covers that obscure G-d’s essential being will be removed. In the words of Isaiah: “And your eyes will see Your Master, and He will no longer cloak Himself.’

Another verse speaks of how even “the flesh will see G-d.”

All this points to that which has been said before that when G-d’s essence is revealed, even the most natural and physical existence can perceive G-d the most transcendent being.

Because we are so close to this Messianic Age, we have been privileged in that G-d’s most sublime secrets have been made somewhat accessible to the mind, as a sample and prelude to that which will be coming.

The Three Modes of Human Expression

To help us appreciate the differences between the three modes of G-d’s manifestation to us, an analogy from the human condition can prove useful.

Most people behave in a prescribed manner. They have certain routines and certain things and people they relate to, while to some they don’t. This is their nature and mold. When a person functions within the parameters of his/her nature, one can almost predict their every move and reaction. This parallels the level of nature, where G-d functions within prescribed laws and formalities.

There are times, however, when people are uplifted and in great spirits. Whether they just won the lottery, or found a new job, married off a child, or any other out of the ordinary happy occasion, the same individuals exhibit totally different behavior patterns. Their limitations that were programmed and locked into their psyche before seem to fade away. They can now do things that they never were expected to do.

Extreme joy – and to a certain extent tragedy – can transform a person, by enabling some of the hidden reserves of energy he or she possesses becomes manifest. Their behavior can become rather unconventional. This parallels the level of miracles when G-d “opens up” and shows us His unrestricted identity and power.

There are times, such as when one goes through a terrible crisis, or when one is totally intoxicated, that the deepest forces are revealed. Even the most deeply held secrets suddenly find themselves being revealed to all. No limitations at all seem to remain. This is when the very essence of one’s being comes to the fore. This parallels the state in which G-d sheds all “His inhibitions” and appears in His full essence and glory.

Third Stage: Removal of all Inhibitions

This third stage – wherein G-d’s essence is revealed – is indeed what enables the most sublime secrets of Torah to be accessed by the rational human mind. Once the essence of G-d is revealed, there are absolutely no constraints, not even the constraints of logic and the impossible. This is why it has become possible for the most esoteric supra-rational aspects of Judaism – Kabbalah – to be popularized and understood. We have entered a new era, in which the most basic limitations were removed.

From the book Safe Kabbalah, Part One: Opening the Gates by Rabbi Heschel Greenberg, published by the Jewish Discovery Center.