The Divine Puzzle - A Piece At a Time
Winning The Lottery
The Hebrew month of Adar contains intense transformational energy. The Torah says that when Adar comes in, we have to increase in joy. That’s because the inner nature of Adar is joy, and also because in this month everything we do to add in joy and happiness for ourselves or others helps bring down transformational energy into our real everyday lives.
The two most prominent events that occurred in Adar are the birth of Moses, the one who brought the Torah to the world, and the holiday of Purim. Purim commemorates a miracle that took place long ago in ancient Persia, about 2500 years ago. It was a miracle in which the Jewish people were saved from total extinction – an extinction that had been decreed by order of a very powerful king. At that time, the king of Persia ruled the entire civilized world, and so, once he decreed death to the Jews there was nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. But instead of abandoning their faith, which would have meant that they were no longer part of the Jewish people and so no longer subject to death, the Jews woke up. They gathered their children together and taught them Torah, and they turned even more strongly to G-d. And at the eleventh hour, due to a series of Divinely orchestrated events that all appeared natural, the decree was turned upside down, the Jews were granted victory over their enemies, and instead of being the world’s victims, instead of being wiped out, they were elevated to a completely new state – a state of “light, and gladness, and joy and honor”.
It’s very interesting to note that the series of events that led to this miraculous transformation didn’t happen at one time. They actually took place over several years, and they took place quietly, behind the scenes. If you were watching at the time, you wouldn’t have noticed anything unusual happening. It was only after the fact that it became possible to look back and see how everything that had happened, that led up to the victory was part of an intricately woven Divine plan. Although it all seemed natural at the time, in retrospect, after the fact, it became obvious that every detail was orchestrated from Above. The same thing is true in our lives, and in our times, in the crises that we’re experiencing today. It only looks like the world is running on its own. It only looks like our lives are random. In fact, everything that happens is orchestrated from Above – and everything is part of a plan.
Purim means “lots”. A lottery is random and not rational. It doesn’t make sense from a human point of view. Usually things that don’t make sense we think of as irrational. But they can also be considered supra-rational. Sometimes things that don’t make sense just appear to be random, but that’s because they come from a place that’s too high for us to grasp, a place that’s beyond creation and beyond the laws of nature. They come from a part of G-d where sense and nonsense, nature and miracles, finite and infinite, are all the same.
Purim gives us the power to touch that place. That’s why we’re commanded to drink until “lo yada” - until we don’t know; until we don’t understand, until we get to the point that is above reason, above any conditions. That’s the level of “is”, that level of pure being, where we are simply connected to the Divine – just because we are. From that place above nature, above creation, above our personal human identity, and above any conditions there are no limits - not even the limits of our own nature. From that place we have a supernatural power to transform our world.
Chassidus tells us that in Adar, the mazal of the Jewish people is dominant. What is the mazal? It’s our infinitely connected spiritual source, the highest level of our soul. In Adar, that unknowable level flows like a river from its hidden place into the seemingly random and mundane events of our lives. That untouchable, unknowable power gives us the power to transform our lives, and all of their circumstances, in ways that didn’t seem possible before.
Often our hidden powers, our bigger powers, come out when we’re under threat, under pressure, as happened in the Purim story. But it doesn’t have to be that way. In Adar we’re capable of bringing those hidden powers out through joy. The more we follow the recipe of Purim and do things that make us happy – and make other people happy – just because, the more we connect to our own deepest levels, the more we unite with others and the more we turn together to G-d and the Torah, the smoother and more joyful our lives will be.
So here’s your meditation for the week:
Joy is already an intrinsic part of your soul. It’s just a piece of who you innately are. But sometimes you’re not in touch with it, and it needs to be coaxed into the light of day. So what will you do – today and throughout Adar to make yourself happy – and to make others happy too? Maybe you’ll put on some music and dance. Or maybe you’ll get together with others to celebrate and share. Or maybe you’ll do special – even little – things to do that will surprise and delight your family and friends. But whatever you choose, be aware that you have the opportunity to connect to and draw down the power of Adar and Purim into your life and into your world, in ways that you never have before.
Turning Walls into Doorways Membership Club will give you all of the insights, tools and support you need to live with power, purpose and connection - at a cost so reasonable it will astound you. To find out more, go to www.wallsintodoorways.com.
Shifra
The Hebrew month of Adar contains intense transformational energy. The Torah says that when Adar comes in, we have to increase in joy. That’s because the inner nature of Adar is joy, and also because in this month everything we do to add in joy and happiness for ourselves or others helps bring down transformational energy into our real everyday lives.
The two most prominent events that occurred in Adar are the birth of Moses, the one who brought the Torah to the world, and the holiday of Purim. Purim commemorates a miracle that took place long ago in ancient Persia, about 2500 years ago. It was a miracle in which the Jewish people were saved from total extinction – an extinction that had been decreed by order of a very powerful king. At that time, the king of Persia ruled the entire civilized world, and so, once he decreed death to the Jews there was nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. But instead of abandoning their faith, which would have meant that they were no longer part of the Jewish people and so no longer subject to death, the Jews woke up. They gathered their children together and taught them Torah, and they turned even more strongly to G-d. And at the eleventh hour, due to a series of Divinely orchestrated events that all appeared natural, the decree was turned upside down, the Jews were granted victory over their enemies, and instead of being the world’s victims, instead of being wiped out, they were elevated to a completely new state – a state of “light, and gladness, and joy and honor”.
It’s very interesting to note that the series of events that led to this miraculous transformation didn’t happen at one time. They actually took place over several years, and they took place quietly, behind the scenes. If you were watching at the time, you wouldn’t have noticed anything unusual happening. It was only after the fact that it became possible to look back and see how everything that had happened, that led up to the victory was part of an intricately woven Divine plan. Although it all seemed natural at the time, in retrospect, after the fact, it became obvious that every detail was orchestrated from Above. The same thing is true in our lives, and in our times, in the crises that we’re experiencing today. It only looks like the world is running on its own. It only looks like our lives are random. In fact, everything that happens is orchestrated from Above – and everything is part of a plan.
Purim means “lots”. A lottery is random and not rational. It doesn’t make sense from a human point of view. Usually things that don’t make sense we think of as irrational. But they can also be considered supra-rational. Sometimes things that don’t make sense just appear to be random, but that’s because they come from a place that’s too high for us to grasp, a place that’s beyond creation and beyond the laws of nature. They come from a part of G-d where sense and nonsense, nature and miracles, finite and infinite, are all the same.
Purim gives us the power to touch that place. That’s why we’re commanded to drink until “lo yada” - until we don’t know; until we don’t understand, until we get to the point that is above reason, above any conditions. That’s the level of “is”, that level of pure being, where we are simply connected to the Divine – just because we are. From that place above nature, above creation, above our personal human identity, and above any conditions there are no limits - not even the limits of our own nature. From that place we have a supernatural power to transform our world.
Chassidus tells us that in Adar, the mazal of the Jewish people is dominant. What is the mazal? It’s our infinitely connected spiritual source, the highest level of our soul. In Adar, that unknowable level flows like a river from its hidden place into the seemingly random and mundane events of our lives. That untouchable, unknowable power gives us the power to transform our lives, and all of their circumstances, in ways that didn’t seem possible before.
Often our hidden powers, our bigger powers, come out when we’re under threat, under pressure, as happened in the Purim story. But it doesn’t have to be that way. In Adar we’re capable of bringing those hidden powers out through joy. The more we follow the recipe of Purim and do things that make us happy – and make other people happy – just because, the more we connect to our own deepest levels, the more we unite with others and the more we turn together to G-d and the Torah, the smoother and more joyful our lives will be.
So here’s your meditation for the week:
Joy is already an intrinsic part of your soul. It’s just a piece of who you innately are. But sometimes you’re not in touch with it, and it needs to be coaxed into the light of day. So what will you do – today and throughout Adar to make yourself happy – and to make others happy too? Maybe you’ll put on some music and dance. Or maybe you’ll get together with others to celebrate and share. Or maybe you’ll do special – even little – things to do that will surprise and delight your family and friends. But whatever you choose, be aware that you have the opportunity to connect to and draw down the power of Adar and Purim into your life and into your world, in ways that you never have before.
Turning Walls into Doorways Membership Club will give you all of the insights, tools and support you need to live with power, purpose and connection - at a cost so reasonable it will astound you. To find out more, go to www.wallsintodoorways.com.
Shifra
posted by kurtiskabbalah at 7:01:00 PM
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