Nugget #97 – Physical unity: Lacking a soul

How does the ego resolve the individual yet accept the desire to unify with others?  In short it redefines unity.  Unity ends up being based upon the physical realm of our existence only.  It lacks the desire to unify with our Creator and it lacks a soul, so to speak, to unify with.  Thus unity ends up being entirely physically oriented.  Physical unity is not a bad thing, however it lacks the soul connection that is to be part of it.  Here is the interesting part.  As long as unity is based upon the physical realm, true unity will be elusive.  The physical divides by default.  So it wants to complete unity but not with the soul.  The good news is that the soul will eventually win.

Here is the catch.  The ego is arrogant and likes to be prideful that requires others to be a captive audience of it.  But since true complete unity is elusive, with out the soul, it will be forced to go to a higher soul level to obtain that unity.  However, by doing so it ends up being transformed into an altruistic focused desire.  This is what the ego does not want.

Let me illustrate.  When our bodies have a virus, a natural remedy is to take large dosages of Vitamin C.  What occurs is interesting.  The virus needs nourishment that it can only get from the blood, however the blood is toxic to the virus because of the Vitamin C.  Often the virus, to avoid being destroyed, will move to the muscles for protection.  It is not uncommon to have muscle cramps because the Virus is attacking the muscle but at the same time staying away from the poisoned blood.  Eventually the Virus will die either from starvation or from the toxic blood. 

Our ego (virus) likewise needs others (blood).  The soul (Vitamin C) kills the virus and purifies the blood.  But at some point the ego will have to relent and accept the soul into the equations that will lead to altruism.  So the ego will eventually be forced to accept a soul, a soul of others.  This is the eventuality for there is no way out.

Nugget #96 – Physical unity

Often we see words in the TNK such as “land”, “nation(s)”, “earth”, and “city” or “cities” for example. What do these things mean within the context of the TNK? Is there a common thread between these that can help us understand the TNK differently than we would typically? The answer is “yes!”

We all answer to the call of the ego and try to fulfill its requirements; it desires to be satisfied. Every motion and adjustment in our lives is an answer to a desire set by the ego. Now we need to realize that our ego is centered on the individual (the “I”). Yet our nature also desires us to unify with others. The ego needs an audience to flatter itself. So in one sense it wants to be alone and away from others yet it needs others in order to be an individual. An individual cannot be an individual unless there are other individuals. So it needs others to set itself apart from others.

The ego wants food, drink, and shelter. But it cannot obtain it without others to help. The ego wants to procreate. But it needs another to do that. The ego wants power and that can only be accomplished with others around to control. The ego wants to be a loner yet the Creator has made sure it requires others in order to accomplish the ego’s desires. It is forced into a paradox, it must recognize others.

Nugget #95 – Mitzvot: “mutual assurance”

With intimacy is communication.  Not just verbal or visual but at a deeper soul level as well.  We are speaking of having true communications with each other that creates a community focused on transforming the ego from self-centeredness to altruistic benefactors for the community of Israel.

Such communications will bring on Tikkun Olam.  This communications is special because it causes engagement to take place with others.  We are not simply connected because of common experiences or culture but because we share a common soul: a soul that is interested in the betterment of all.  If one hurts we all hurt.  If one is happy we are all happy.  If one is poor we are all poor.  If one is wealthy we are all wealthy.  This occurs because we all become part of something Kabbalists call “mutual assurance”.

Ask yourself: Imagine a world where money, power, and war are not driving factors.  Imagine a world where well-being of all is guaranteed simply by trust in each other.  Can the mind handle such a thought?  The opposite of what we live is what we are waiting for.  Contemplate that.

Nugget #94 – Mitzvot: Unity and love

Commandments are not meant to be a list of rules per se.  Rather they are points at which we can become intimate with the each other and the Creator without sacrificing the individual or compromising the community.  It’s a place to create peace by all participating.  This requires us to take ownership of sin so that it can be collectively corrected and eradicated with love, peace, and harmony between all.   Not with guilt, anger, bitterness, vengeance, and steel trap minds to bring up the past even though all is taken care of.  There is a sense of mutual benefit versus what it in it for me.

We, collectively, should be enthusiastic in correcting all of our ills rather than avoid them or use them as instrument of division.  In such a community, forgiveness is plentiful and practically freely given because sin is viewed as an opportunity for further unity and love for each other and with the Creator.

The Torah sets up rules that will guide us to communal unity from the very hearts of the people.  It should be noted that the Torah is a guide for communal peace not just personal peace.  Yes the principals will help us at a personal level, but the Torah is focused upon the community not the individual.

Nugget #93 – Mitzvot: Judgment and mercy

Judgment is meant to identify precisely what needs to be corrected.  It’s meant to identify error in the offender’s judgment.  They are meant to be tools to isolate the ego and its selfishness that often lifts its ugly head unnoticed by the individual and even the community.  By doing so it puts boundaries on how far the individual can go before it violates another’s right to individuality.

Mercy is meant to show compassion to the offender.  Sin in Hebrew is Chatah.  This simply means error.  This excludes premeditated acts or when a person is committing an error then realizes they are in error but continues anyway (These are high handed sins).  Compassion is shown to the offender since they error out of being unaware of what happened.  Mercy is meant to preserve the ability for a person to change by correcting their action.  However, as indicated above.  Chatah/Error is for those sins done as a mistake.  Judgment/discernment is necessary to separate those people from those that commit High Handed Sin who do deserve to be heavy punished.

The balancing point is justice.  Justice is about just behavior and respect for others.  It is meant to facilitate and permit reform.  Justice is meant to give room for a person or people an opportunity to consciously change for the better, even with help and assistance.  Thus Mercy give the room for change and Judgment gives the precise formula to facilitate change.  It aims for the root of the problem so that a proper, long lasting change will be achievable.

Nugget #92 – Mitzvot

The Hebrew word Mitzvot is typically translated as “commandments” or” good deeds”.  However, there is more to this word.  The root means “intimacy” both at personal and interpersonal levels.

When thinking of commandments we typically think of rules that are sterile and precise that is meant to punish those that transgress even to the most minute or “insignificant” details.  The concept of punishment is employed and as such commandments or commands have a very heavy negative connotation associated to it.  We need to bust out of this mode of thinking in order to better understand how the commandments can be intimate and positive.

We tend to have a dualistic mind with commandments that place judgment and mercy at the polar opposites where neither can meet with the other.  They are to meet at a middle ground or balancing point that makes both beneficial to us when joined.  Separately they are harmful and create injustice.  Even in our society many times people will call for “justice” but in reality they are looking for revenge within the scope of the law.  We miss the true intent of judgment and mercy pair.