The Walking Dead: Jews, Judaism and Halloween

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

The Walking Dead: Jews, Judaism and Halloween

So what do Jews, Judaism, and Halloween have to do with each other? Nothing, of course. Neither the holiday or the date has any Jewish connection whatsoever. None. The time when Jewish spirits come out to play is Sukkot (See - Sukkot: Gathering of the Spirits in the archive) and it has none of the tone of fear, terror, or deceiving the spirits that is associated with Halloween.

But that's not to say Judaism does not have a rich and vivid lore about spirits, monsters, and the undead. So I thought I'd share with you one aspect of this - Jewish lore on zombies. The term "zombie" comes out of West African tradition, but the idea of an re-animated corpse without it's neshamah ("soul") pops up in a few places in Jewish literature.

Director George Romero has defined how we think about zombies in the 21st Century, having set up the "zombie rules" in his movies Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead: Zombies are flesh-eating corpses who must undergo physiological decapitation (be shot in the head) to be stopped. Ok, so the Hollywood zombie is really more of a ghoul, a creature derived from Islamic folklore, but whether you call them zombies or ghouls, the walking dead are much different in Judaism.

Jewish undead traditions overlap the bigger and more prominent ideas of T'chiyat Metim, "Resurrection" (body and soul restored to perfected existence in the World-to-Come) and the Golem (an artificially animated being). Perhaps the reason there are not more than a few stories of the animated dead is that the very idea violates an aspect of Jewish law that most Jews take quite seriously - kavod ha-met, "showing respect for a corpse." Kavod ha-met is why Jews generally don't put our dead on display in open-casket ceremonies, why we don't embalm, why we are fastidious about collecting all the parts for burial (ever notice those in the films of bus bombings in Israel, the ones in reflecting vests picking through the debris? Most of those aren't Israeli CSI, they are ZAKA, a group of pious workers who ensure all parts of people get a proper burial), and why we are cautious about organ donation. Animating a corpse for the ephemeral needs of the living, even if possible, is unseemly.

Yet there are stories. According to most of the legends, animated corpses are created by an adept, rather then rising spontaneously. As in some Golem traditions, a divine name of power is used, either written on a parchment and then inserted under the tongue or sown into the skin, or inscribed on an amulet placed on the corpse (Sefer Yuhasin, Shivhei ha-ARI, Meisa Buch). Zombies are raised mostly so that they can talk: relating secrets about the World-to-Come, the divine spheres, or to solve a crime with knowledge known only to the deceased (Meisa Buch, Meisa Nissim, Jahrbuecher). In this last aspect, these traditions are also closely related to the hiner bet or hiner plet (Yiddish, "Catatonic"), a condition in which a person falls into a death-like state for days, or even weeks. Their only sign of life is that they speak sporadically, revealing the secret sins of people in the community, giving divine messages, or instructing us from the beyond about how we the living need to better oursleves.

So, if you are planning to attend someone else's Halloween party this year (should a Jew really be hosting his own?), a Jewish zombie is definitely an option; and its better then a run-of-the-mill zombie - they only groan, while you get to tell people off.

Also consider these Jewish costume options:

The Angel of Death (Jewish authenticity junkies go with a sword dripping gall, not a scythe)
The Sar (princely angel) Metatron (fiery body with 365,000 eyes)
Behemot (a gigantic ox)
Leviathan (a sea dragon)
Ziz (a giant chicken)
Dybbuk (ghostly style, but always be sure to be clinging or hanging onto someone living)
Lilith (hairy body, bald head - unless you want to do the "succubae" incarnation)
Golem (clay complexion, word "Emet" on your forehead, not much of a conversationalist)
Ketev Meriri, the demon "Bitter Destruction" (He is scaly and hairy and rolls about like a ball)

One who studies in order to do

"Rabbi Yishmael bar (son of) Rabbi Yossi said: One who studies Torah in order to teach is granted the ability to study and to teach. One who studies in order to do is granted the ability to study, to teach, to observe, and to do."

The answer I would like to suggest is that doing does not mean simply observing the commandments. It is not a dedication of the hands. That minimum is certainly required of us all. Rather, it implies studying in order to change oneself. It means being open to the Torah and its teachings and being ready to be moved and inspired by them. The Torah -- even areas with little practical relevance -- has an effect on a person who is ready to integrate its teachings. The highest goal in studying is not only to observe the commandments. It is to become different: a more sanctified and inspired human being.
This is the reason why the Talmud plays such a great role in Jewish life and in the study halls of the yeshivas (rabbinical colleges). The Talmud is filled with the lively discussions and debates of the Sages. It contains the intellectual investment which went into the development of the Oral Law, together with the accompanying energy and vitality.



When we study the Talmud, we not only study facts and conclusions. We relive -- and become a part of -- our heritage. We take part in the very discussions which animated the lives of the scholars of old. We begin to think in the manner our Sages thought. Developing, fathoming, formulating the concepts of the Talmud, experiencing the passion and intensity of the debates -- as well as becoming acquainted with the scholars who collaborated in its writing: this is what changes us as individuals. The Torah is not an "ology" -- a area of organized, scientific study. It is life. It is a way of thinking and of viewing the world. The true student of the Talmud is one who wants the Torah to become a part of him, who wants to become a true Torah personality.

A Chassid once came to his Rebbe, proudly proclaiming that he had gone through the entire Talmud six times. The Rebbe wisely countered: "You've gone through the Talmud, but has the Talmud gone through you?"

This form of Torah study is far superior to learning to teach. Teaching requires a very real clarity in Torah concepts and definitions. The true teacher is one who has a more profound understanding of the Torah than one who studies for his own edification. He must master the Torah's concepts and be able to articulate them, to explain and expound them to others. And this is no small feat. In the Talmud, R. Chanina remarked, "I have learned much from my teachers, more from my colleagues, and the most from my students" (Ta'anis 7a). Teaching forces a person to ask himself (or be asked) basic questions of definition and to clarify and hammer out concepts and principles. Our mishna states that one who sincerely, devotedly, and realistically sets his goals thus high will be blessed with this talent.

(All of this is a rather far cry from the old saying, "Those who can't, teach." That may have been the case for many of the teachers we all suffered through once upon a time. But a much higher ideal is asked of the true Torah teacher -- or of any teacher for that matter.) 

One who studies to do, however, wants more than to understand clearly. He wants to incorporate and make the Torah's lessons a part of his life. He wants the Torah to enter his psyche and change his heart. And to such a person our mishna offers an insight: Not only will he experience personal revelation himself, but he will become the capable teacher as well. If a person assimilates the Torah's teachings and lives them, if they becomes truth and reality to him, he will be able to impart them to others when the time comes. Teaching is not only a matter of sharpening our communication skills or employing engaging teaching techniques. When we speak sincerely -- because it is life to us -- people will recognize this and appreciate it. An old Jewish saying goes, "Words which come from the heart enter the heart." I have personally been most moved by educators who were honest and unassuming, but whose words were sincere and heartfelt. A polished vocabulary, sense of humor, eye contact etc. are all valuable tactics, but in the final analysis, Torah and truth can only be transmitted by the person of truth. R. Yochanan Bechhofer (The definition of studying to do was pointed out to me by .)

The-Lowly-Tasks

http://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/348110/jewish/The-Lowly-Tasks.htm

The Lowly Tasks

By Yitschak Meir Kagan

 

Our sages tell us that the rod Moses used to bring the plagues upon the Egyptians was carved with the names of the six mothers of our people (Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, Leah, Bilhah and Zilpah), the twelve tribes, the ten plagues, and the great name of G‑d.
Certainly, the noble and lofty ideas and ideals represented by the matriarchs and the tribes of Israel are “worthy companions” for G‑d’s name on Moses’ rod. But the lowly tasks of bringing frogs, lice and boils upon the Egyptians seem an incongruous “match” with the Almighty’s ineffable name—
—Until we call to mind the principle of G‑d’s particular providence and watchfulness over every detail of the universe. G‑d is concerned not only with lofty generalities, with the world as a whole or an entire species as a whole, but also with “lowly matters” (such as punishing the Egyptians) and with the smallest details.
Some individuals feel that their purpose in life is to revolutionize the world, to revamp society. It is not worthwhile to devote their superior talents to correcting “small matters.”
In particular, there are some rabbinical leaders who declare that their attention is devoted exclusively to matters of great import. In Torah study, they explore only the most esoteric and abstruse discussions. In the area of service of G‑d, they ponder profound axioms of philosophy encompassing the entire Torah. In the field of communal affairs, they attempt to show how all of humanity’s ills could be remedied by application of the principles of justice. In the arena of worldly affairs, their sermons eloquently explain the need for global democracy; they comment on nuclear warfare, and stress the need for summit meetings of the world’s leaders.
The “simple” matters of Shabbat laws and Shabbat observance, keeping kosher, the laws of marital life or the details of blessings to be made over food do not befit their exalted status. Such “lowly tasks” are best left to the gabbai, the synagogue warden, or at best to the assistant rabbi, for the duty of a great rabbi is to address himself exclusively to matters of global nature, to attract attention with startling new statements and to make front-page news.
Let these rabbis content themselves with emulating their Creator! If the Almighty interests Himself and watches over even the smallest detail of the universe; if bringing lice and hail upon the Egyptians is not too “lowly” a task to be associated with G‑d’s great name—then he too should give attention to the smallest detail. It is precisely in the “simple tasks,” teaching the Torah laws pertaining to day-to-day living, that G‑d’s kingly presence finds expression.1

FOOTNOTES
1.	Based on Likkutei Sichot, vol. 6, p. 305.

The Encyclopedia of Jewish Myth, Magic and Mysticism Paperback

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•  by Rabbi Geoffrey W. Dennis (Author) 

• About the Author

  Geoffrey Dennis is rabbi of Congregation Kol Ami in Flower Mound, TX. He is also Lecturer in Kabbalah and rabbinic literature at the University of North Texas. He received his M.HL and was ordained at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. He also has degrees in Education and Nursing.
   
  His articles have appeared in Sh'ma, Parabola, Healing Ministries, The Journal of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, and The American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care. He has two recent articles, "The Bride of God: Jewish Erotic Theology" will be appearing in Jews and Sex, published in Feb. 2008, "Water as a Medium of Alerted States of Consciousness in Early Jewish Mysticism," slated to appear in the spring issue of Anthropology of Consciousness.
    His book with Llewellyn, The Encyclopedia of Myth, Magic, and Mysticism, has been selected as a runner up in the 2007 National Jewish Book Award, and received Honorable Mention in the Jewish Library Association 2007 Book Awards.
  
  He is married and has two sons
•  
• "This is a book of husks and sparks, of things lost and then recovered..." So begins Rabbi Geoffrey Dennis in his introduction to this one-of-a-kind encyclopedia devoted to the esoteric in Judaism-the fabulous, the miraculous, and the mysterious
  

  Encyclopedia of Jewish Myth, Magic, and Mysticism presents "lore that can spiritually enrich the life of anyone, Jewish or not, who wishes to understand the mysteries that underlie our universe."

  Jewish esotericism is the oldest and most influential continuous occult tradition in the West. This comprehensive treasury of Jewish teachings and lore drawn from sources spanning Jewish scripture, Talmud, the Midrash, the Kabbalah, and other esoteric branches of Judaism, is exhaustively researched yet easy to use. It includes over one thousand alphabetical entries, from Aaron to Zohar Chadesh, with extensive cross-references to related topics.
  The Encyclopedia of Jewish Myth, Magic, and Mysticism includes a complete bibliography and helpful sections such as a quick reference glossary of frequently used terms, notes on Hebrew usage and transliteration, an appendix of illustrations, and a list of abbreviations of traditional sources. For the first time ever, thirty-five hundred years of accumulated secret wisdom, drawn from the wells of a great spiritual tradition, is at your fingertips.                   
  
  

   

   

 

 

 

 

 

Jewish Myth, Magic, and Mysticism

http://ejmmm2007.blogspot.com/2013/09/machnasei-rachamim-and-selichot-jewish.html

Jewish Myth, Magic, and Mysticism

JEWISH MYTH, MAGIC, AND MYSTICISM is devoted to all aspects of Jewish esoteric traditions and occult lore. It is the official blog for the Encyclopedia of Jewish Myth, Magic, and Mysticism. The JMMM has been recognized as one of the top 50 Jewish blogs on the internet in 2010

Monday, September 02, 2013

Machnasei Rachamim and Selichot: Jewish Angel Liturgy at the High Holy Days

Whenever a congregant reads something I have written, or I share a bit of Jewish esoteric tradition from the pulpit, I inevitably have some say to me, rather emphatically, “Jews do not do that!” To this I always respond, “In 3000 years, living on 6 continents, some Jew somewhere has done everything.”

One need go no further than the Selichot prayers for the days leading up to the High Holy Days. For here we encounter the prayer Machnisei Rachamim, “Conveyors of Compassion.”  This is a prayer petitioning the angels to intervene with God:

Conveyers of compassions, obtain our mercy before the Master of compassion,

Makers of prayer, make our prayer heard before the Hearer of prayer.

Makes of wailing, make our wail heard, before the Hearer of wailing.

Conveyers of tears, convey our tears before the King who yields to tears.

Strive to raise up supplication, raise up supplication and plea,

Before the King, high and exalted. The King, high and exalted.

Whoa, stop right there. “Jews do not do that!” Well, there is ample case that that opinion is correct. The rule that Jews should pray only to God, and not to intermediaries, extends back to Talmudic times: “If troubles come upon a person, do not entreat the angel Michael or the angel Gabriel. Rather, entreat Me alone and I will help you immediately.” (T.Y. Berachot 9.1). Maimonides makes this normative, “It is only fitting to pray to God and it is not fitting to pray to any other.”

The Maharal of Prague was sufficiently troubled that he amended the wording (Netivot Olam, Netiv Ha'Avodah no.12), an innovation that did not catch on.

In modern times, no less an ultra-Orthodox authority than the Hatam Sofer wrote that at Selichot he personally skips over this prayer (Orach Chaim no. 166), a shocking confession from the leader of a community that insists ALL of the tradition is sanctified and obligatory.  

The prayer has been entirely edited out of Selichot liturgy in the modernist Reform movement.

And yet…At least one midrash exists that endorses the idea of angels as intermediaries of our prayers (Shir Hashirim Rabba to 2:7). And many Jews worldwide recite the words “barchuni l’shalom…”, “bless me with peace”, when they sing the popular Shabbat hymn, Shalom Aleichem.

Here I quote a wise gentile:

"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds" – Emerson

Some defenders have argued that this behavior reflects our lowliness at this time of the year; we feel unworthy to address God directly.

Being historically minded, and noting that this prayer is found only in the Ashkenazi (northern European) tradition, I suspect it was written when Jews were surrounded by a Christian culture that emphasized the use of divine intermediaries (saints) and even had services in honor of specific angels (Michaelmas).

Whatever the rationale, a traditional Jew has to grapple with this odd bit of our angelic tradition.

To learn more, look up the Encyclopedia of Jewish Myth, Magic, and Mysticism available at Amazon.http://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Jewish-Myth-Magic-Mysticism/dp/0738709050/sr=1-1/qid=1159997117/ref=sr_1_1/002-7116669-7231211?ie=UTF8&s=books

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About me

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Introduction	Geoff Dennis is rabbi of Congregation Kol Ami and teaches Kabbalah and Rabbinic Literature in the Jewish Studies Program at the University of North Texas. He is the author of The Encyclopedia of Jewish Myth, Magic, and Mysticism, a 2007 National Book Award finalist, and recipient of an Honorable Mention for the 2007 Jewish Library Council Book Award. He has written numerous articles. The most recent, "Purity and Transformation:The Mimetic Performance of Scriptural Texts in the Ritual of Taharah," is in the Journal of Ritual Studies 26 (1), 2012.
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Favorite Books	TaNaKH, Lord of the Rings, Accidental Journy, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Shakespeare's plays, Beowulf, The Dance of Genghis Cohen, Their Eyes Were Turned to God, Killer Angels, God in Search of Man, Lamb, The Essence of Judaism, Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, The Prophets, Hornblower Series, Blood Meridian

The 10 Martyrs of Malchut

Legs and the 10 Martyrs

"Gate of Reincarnations": Chapter Five, Section 7

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By Rabbi Yitzchak Luria as recorded by Rabbi Chaim Vital; translation from Sha'ar Hagilgulim by Yitzchok bar Chaim; commentary by Shabtai Teicher

The martyrs paved the way for us

It is possible for the Nefesh, Ruach, or Neshama of a person to elevate its sparks that were immersed in the depths of the kelipot. They will be rectified through him, like what was explained concerning the deaths of the Ten Political Martyrs. See there.

To comprehend what is being said here it is necessary to understand the kabbalistic explanation of the Ten Political Martyrs. Following is a brief summary of what was taught in Sections 5 - 6.
The Ten Political Martyrs are called, literally, the Ten Martyrs of malchut. Their souls ascended to malchut of Atzilut, which is called the Shechina. Because of their ascent it became possible, even in these later generations when spiritual power is severely diminished, to complete the rectification of the sparks that are supposed to be raised from the kelipot to the malchut of Atzilut.
Historically, the time of the Ten Political Martyrs was the time of the destruction of the Second Temple. The rule of the Romans over the Land of Israel and the Jewish People was at its height. The oppression was great, violence was ubiquitous, and sin was extremely prevalent. At that time the Romans grabbed ten leaders of Israel and condemned them to death, hoping in this way to forever eliminate Israel as an independent identity, G-d forbid. The Ten Martyrs were cruelly tortured and murdered. Their martyrdom is commemorated during the prayers of Yom Kippur, and it is praiseworthy to weep over them at that time. Now, the words of the Ari (Etz Chaim 39:1, p.2:132b) will continue the description of those times from the kabbalistic point of view.

The time of the Ten Political Martyrs was the time of the destruction of the Second Temple. At that time sin was so prevalent that people did not have the power to purify the sparks through prayer and to raise them up in the secret of ma'n.

Whenever the sparks are rectified through our Torah, mitzvot and prayer, they ascend to the malchut of Atzilut, where they are refurbished into rectified partzufim that emanate blessing and knowledge until our world is penetrated by those good things. The beginning of this process is called the raising up of mayin nukvin [female waters, abbreviated as ma'n], and it has already been discussed somewhat in Chapter Three, Section 8.
It was as if the world had no more purpose At the time of the Ten Martyrs and the destruction of the Temple, the people did not have the power to raise ma'n. It was as if the world had no more purpose. It certainly could not continue to endure if the purpose of Torah, mitzvot, and prayer could not be accomplished.

Moreover, even the ma'n of bina descended downward and got mixed up once again among the kelipot, as it is written, "For your sins your Mother was sent away" (Isaiah 50:1).

The ma'n of bina-Imma [Mother], moreover, does not normally descend to the lower realms among the kelipot. Therefore, we do not need to raise them from the kelipot back to the world of Atzilut. That this ma'n began to descend into the realm of the kelipot was another indication that the world was on the edge of destruction.
The physical sufferings of the Ten Martyrs...made possible...the raising of ma'n… The holy Zohar says, furthermore, that the souls of these extraordinary tzadikim were totally pure, but their bodies were given over to the Evil Side. The Ari explains that the physical sufferings endured by the Ten Martyrs at the hands of the evil torturers made possible, once again, the raising of ma'n through prayer, mitzvot and Torah. In this way the world was saved.
In addition, in Chapter 36 the Ari will explain that the physical sacrifice of the Ten Martyrs gives hope and inspiration to all the later generations. Also, because of them it is possible for all the later generations to raise ma'n. If they, through the sacrifice of their lives and the physical suffering that they endured had not opened the way for our tikunim to ascend to the Shechina, then we in these later generations would be without hope because of the intense levels of impurity from which our souls must ascend.

Summary

Malchut of Atzilut is called the Shechina. She is exiled from the world of Atzilut to descend among the kelipot in the lower realms.
In the lower realms she is covered by the souls of the soul body of Adam that have also been exiled into the realm of the kelipot.
Throughout the lower realms are strewn sparks that belong to the souls of the soul body of Adam who cover the Shechina exiled into the realm of the kelipot.
When we pray, study Torah and perform mitzvot, then we release the sparks from the kelipot and they ascend to malchut of Atzilut. She receives them and returns with them to the world of Atzilut. This ascent is called Female Waters [ma'n]. When they reach the world of Atzilut they become the germs to draw down illumination from above. At this point they are comparable to the female zygote.
The ability of the various levels of soul to rectify their corresponding sparks is enhanced by the interconnectedness of souls who give and receive assistance from each other.
In these later generations, because of their diminished spiritual power, rectification would be entirely impossible if it were not for the assistance consequent upon the interconnectedness of the souls.
When the spiritual level descends so low that the world is on the verge of destruction, then physical sacrifice can restore spiritual power. The classic expression of this phenomenon was the Ten Martyrs of malchut.
[Commentary by Shabtai Teicher.]

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By Rabbi Yitzchak Luria as recorded by Rabbi Chaim Vital; translation from Sha'ar Hagilgulim by Yitzchok bar Chaim; commentary by Shabtai Teicher

Rabbi Yitzchak Luria […Ashkenazi ben Shlomo] (5294-5332 = 1534-1572 c.e.); Yahrtzeit (anniversary of death): 5th of Av. Buried in the Old Cemetery of Tzfat. Commonly known as the Ari, an acronym standing for Elohi Rabbi Yitzchak, the
G-dly Rabbi Isaac. No other master or sage ever had this extra letter Aleph, standing for Elohi [G-dly], prefaced to his name. This was a sign of what his contemporaries thought of him. Later generations, fearful that this appellation might be misunderstood, said that this Aleph stood for Ashkenazi, indicating that his family had originated in Germany, as indeed it had. But the original meaning is the correct one, and to this day among Kabbalists, Rabbi Yitzchak Luria is only referred to as Rabbenu HaAri, HaAri HaKadosh [the holy Ari] or Arizal [the Ari of blessed memory].

Yitzchok bar Chaim is the pseudonym of the translator, an American-born Jerusalem scholar who has studied and taught Kabbala for many years. He may be contacted through: webmaster@kabbalaonline.org. He translated the Ari's work, "Shaar HaGilgulim;" his translation into English (but with much less extensive commentary than offered here). Information about his translation in book form may be obtained through www.thirtysevenbooks.com

Rabbi Chaim Vital c. 5303-5380 (c. 1543-1620 CE), major disciple of R. Isaac (Yitzchak) Luria, and responsible for publication of most of his works.

Shabtai Teicher, a descendant of the fifth Lubavitcher Rebbe, the Rebbe Reshab, was born in Brooklyn in 1946 and settled in Jerusalem in 1970. He studied for over 7 years with one of the outstanding and renowned kabbalists of our generation, Rabbi Mordechai Attieh, and has also studied deeply in various other fields of Jewish scholarship. He is a specialist in Lurianic Kabbala, edited and annotated the first eleven chapters of our English rendition of "Shaar HaGilgulim," and completed his manuscripts for "Zohar: Old Man in the Sea," in both Hebrew and English, shortly before his unfortunate passing in November 2009.

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Children — Large and Small

Shmos

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Based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson

Children — Large and Small

The first time the Jewish people are referred to as “G-d’s children” is in the Torah portion of Shmos , where the verse states: “Israel is My son, My firstborn.”1 The term “firstborn,” as Rashi explains,2 denotes maturity.

In many other instances, however, we find that Jews are considered G-d’s children because of their extreme youthfulness. Thus we find the verse,3 “For Israel is but a lad and [therefore] I love him.” This is further explained by our Sages, who offer the parable of a king who had many children, but loved the youngest most of all.4

Since the love for a young child is more palpable than the love for an older one, why does the verse in Shmos imply that Jews are older children?

What, exactly, causes a parent to manifest a greater degree of love for a young child than for an older one?

An older child, who has already matured intellectually and emotionally, will not always be loved by his parents merely because he is their child. The parents may also come to love the older child because of his wisdom or fine character. This kind of love is grounded in logic.

The love of a parent for a very young child, however, is an elemental love — one that transcends reason — since an extremely young child does not display any particular qualities for which he should be loved; the love that emanates from parents to young children derives entirely from the fact that the parents and the child are essentially one.

The love for a grown child, although also an essential love, is intermingled with feelings that have a basis in logic. This logical foundation conceals the elemental love between parent and child.

Just as this is so regarding the love of human parents, so too with regard to G-d’s love for His children, the Jewish people. Here too, there exist two manners and degrees:

When Jews serve G-d and thus reveal their sterling qualities, His ever-present love for us is mingled with a love dictated by logic — similar to the love felt by parents for an older child.

However, G-d also shows His elemental love for the Jewish people — a love that springs from the fact that every Jew is “truly a part of G-d above.”5 This love — similar to that felt by parents for a very small child — does not depend at all on the quality of the Jews’ spiritual service.

This elemental love is revealed when Jews serve G-d in the manner of a small child; when they feel small and humble in G-d’s presence, and obey Him as a small child obeys his parents — out of a sense of inherent loyalty, even when they fail to understand G-d’s reasoning.

This, however, does not mean to imply that when Jews serve G-d intellectually and emotionally His intrinsic love for them is not revealed, for a Jew’s intellectual and spiritual state is intricately connected to his degree of self-nullification.

A Jew realizes the necessity of intellectual toil to understand Torah, and that his emotions must be permeated with enjoyment of Torah and mitzvos. This realization is a direct result of the fact that such enjoyment is G-d’s desire.6

The reason the verse states “Israel is My son, My firstborn ” will be understood accordingly:

When seeking to indicate G-d’s essential love for the Jewish people in and of itself , the metaphor used is that of a very small child, for in that instance the elemental love is felt naturally.

When, however, one seeks to convey the essential qualities of the Jewish people, then the term “Israel is My son, My firstborn ” is used, for it indicates that the Jews’ essentially childlike nature permeates even their intellect and emotions.

Based on Likkutei Sichos Vol. XXI, pp. 20-26.

Counting by Name

The Torah portion Shmos begins by saying:7 “And these are the names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt….” Rashi comments:8 “Although He counted them by name while they were alive, He counted them again after their passing in order to make known (and demonstrate) his love for them; for they are likened to the stars, which He takes out and brings in by their numbers and names….

If Rashi simply desired to prove that something loved is counted by number as well as by name, he would have simply stated that they are “like the stars which He takes out and brings in by number and name.” Rashi’s statement, “for they are likened to the stars,” serves to imply that because the children of Israel possess the same quality as the stars, they are therefore counted in a like manner.

What is this “star” quality?

Although love of something is evinced through counting as well as through naming, counting and calling by name emphasize two different aspects of that which is being counted or called:

Counting emphasizes the commonalty of things — wholly disparate entities cannot be included in the same count. A name, on the other hand, emphasizes the individuality of each thing.

Rashi indicates this when he states “for they are likened to the stars,” for stars possess both these aspects. On the one hand, they all share the fact of star-hood, and are counted precisely because each star is important. On the other hand, each star possesses unique qualities, for which reason each has it own name.

Each Jew, who is “likened to the stars,” shares the essential quality of Jewishness, and is “truly part of G-d above.”9 In addition, each possesses qualities unique to the individual.

G-d’s love for the Jewish people thus finds expression in two ways: By counting them He manifests His love for their essential Jewishness, and by calling each by name He demonstrates His love for the unique qualities of each and every one.

However, when G-d desired to show love for individual Jews, He could have done so in any number of ways. Why did He specifically choose to count them by name?

G-d’s intrinsic love for the Jewish people serves as the template for all parental love.10 With human parents also, we find that mentioning a child’s name arouses a degree of love that cannot be elicited by other means, such as by giving the child a gift, showering him with words of love, or even hugging and kissing him.

Giving a child a gift or loving words depends on the child’s age: If a parent gives his grown son or daughter a gift fit for a very young child, then rather than it being seen as an expression of love it may be taken in the opposite way. Words of love, too, must be geared to the individual child’s level.

Since gifts and loving talk must be tailored to the age and comprehension of each child, it is clear that love manifested through these vehicles is limited. It thus cannot be an elemental love for the essence of the child, since elemental love is not limited by the child’s intellect, maturity, etc.

Even hugs and kisses, which can be given to both younger and older children, are limited, for they can only be bestowed when the recipient is close at hand. Essential love is not limited by time or space.

The only evocation of love that is truly unlimited is the mentioning of a child’s name: it matters not whether the child is young or old, near or far, bright or dim, etc.

Thus, when G-d desired to show His essential love for the Jewish people, He “counted them by name. ”

Compiled from Likkutei Sichos , Vol. VI, pp. 1-10.

FOOTNOTES
1.	Shmos 4:22.
2.	Ibid.
3.	Hosheah 11:1; See at length Or HaTorah, Beshallach p. 382ff; Ki Na’ar Yisrael , 5666, Sefer HaMa’amarim 5678 p. 159ff.
4.	Devarim Rabbah 5:7.
5.	Tanya , beginning of ch. 2.
6.	Cf. Tanya ch. 38 (p. 50b and onward).
7.	Shmos 1:1.
8.	Ibid.
9.	Tanya ch. 2,
10.	See discourses titled Atta Echad 5702, 5729.