The Place of Arising

Jacob at Bethel

This weeks portion, Va-yetse, has some of the best-known stories from the Torah. Va-yetse translates as "and he went forth," and at the opening of our reading that is exactly what Jacob is doing. He has left his home and is traveling to his mothers family in search of safety. When Jacob stops to sleep he dreams of a ladder where angels are coming up and down. God appears to Jacob blessing him and promising safe passage. When Jacob resumes his travels he comes upon a well and meets Rachel, Laban's daughter. He is immediately taken with her. Jacob shows off by rolling the rock away from the opening of the well. He returns with Rachel to meet Laban, and agrees to work for Rachel's hand in marriage. Jacob is tricked into marrying Leah, Rachel's older sister, but he loves Rachel so much he agrees to work another 7 years to marry her too. Both wives and maidservants give birth to many children during his time with Laban. However, Jacob desires to return to his father's land. After some difficulties with Laban, they finally part ways and Jacob takes his wives, children, and livestock and begins the journey home.

Jacob's Ladder

Jacob's dream of the ladder is the first recorded encounter with God Jacob has. The word translated here as a ladder can be better translated as stairway or ramp. In Mesopotamia, the temple towers were equipt with a ramp-like incline that led to the top where they believed the deity they worshipped would appear to communicate.  When Jacob see's this "ladder" he would have recognized the symbolism. But unlike the Mesopotamian gods who were "on high", Jacob's God is standing beside him, feet on the ground. This theme of personal intimacy with God is something that started with Abraham and has continued on with his descendants. God is close and tangible.

It is here that the Lord reiterates the blessing given by Issac, and reinforces that the blessing of land and children would come through Jacob. Regardless of how he received the blessing, it was destined to be Jacob all along. God also promises to be with and protect Jacob until he returns to "this land," the land they were standing on. When Jacob wakes up he realizes that the land he is on is holy. He exclaims, " Surely God was in the place and I, I did not know!" Jacob took the stone he had rested his head upon and set it to mark the place. He named it Bethel, meaning the house of God.

The Hebrew word for place is Makom. It derives from the verb kum which means "to arise." Ha Makom is also another name for God. With this in mind, Jacobs exclamation could be read as, "Surely Makom was in this makom and I, I did not know!" The place was in this place! The place that changes everything. Everything is new. My eyes are open.

Have you ever experienced something profound that you didn't expect? It wasn't until the veil was lifted, until something arose, that you realized how something impacted your life. The little i, the I before this moment, has now become the capital I. I am changed. Transformed. This is the revelation that Jacob has. Nothing is the same from that moment on. The rising place can take us by surprise, but I believe it can set us free.

"Surely Makom (God) was in this makom (arising place) and i, I did not know."

The place. The moment you are in is what is important. What happened? What is happening now? Be in the moment. Be. Here. Now. Open your eyes. See what is real. What is in front of you. Allow it to transform you. Allow it to lift you to the next place, and then be there fully. Embrace the place, whatever it is. Even when it is hard. Allow the Makom to wash over you. Allow it to move you. Over and over again. Allow it to renew you. Be. Here. Now.

Random Jewish Thoughts on a Thursday

A few random final thoughts as Sukkot comes to a close.

1. The sukkah is an impermanent structure. Like our bodies. It is a reminder that from dust we came and to dust we shall return. Nothing is forever.

Wood Sukkah

2. The sukkah has one open side to create a feeling of hospitality, and we are to invite others in. We even symbolically invite the patriarchs in each night. So too we should welcome others into our hearts with love. We should welcome the teachings that inspire and help us grow as well.

3. The roof of the sukkah should be made of a material that lets the light of the stars in. We too should stop and let the light in.

Boho Sukkah

4. The sukkah is to be decorated inside. So too should we decorate our hearts and soul with things of beauty. Love, compassion, devotion, charity, and grace to name a few.

5. We are commanded to shake the lulav (a group of 4 different species of plants.) This leads to a dance of sort. This can create great joy in doing something that feels silly. We too should always remember to look for the joyful moments as we move through our lives. If you don't see them, make them!

Fancy Sukkah

And now that Sukkot is drawing to a close we are about to start a whole new adventure. We are about to roll the Torah scrolls all the way back. To start at the beginning once again with Genesis or Bereshit as it is known in Judaism. Another year, another cycle, of creating, growing, and enjoying our impermanent lives. May the light bless you and keep you another year.

I'm not REALLY Talking About Sukkot or Why You Are Me

It has been a week friends. A week of sadness, violence, and struggle. I'm not going to talk about any of those things though. I think enough people have already said all that needs to be said. I just wanted to share what's been bubbling around in my heart.

This week the Jewish holiday of Sukkot starts. It is the "Feast of Tabernacles." I am NOT going to write about Sukkot though. I AM going to share a wonderful idea from some of my study of the holiday, and a few more thoughts about life. 

 

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The sukkah is the little temporary hut Jewish families build for the holiday. And temporary it is. As a rule, it can not be a permanent structure. One side must be more open. The roof must be made of plant material but cannot block out the stars. If you are standing in the sukkah at night you must see stars. Traditionally you eat and sleep in it. I believe the sukkah is a throwback to the time of both Abraham and the Hebrews as they wandered through the desert. It is a reminder that life is fragile and impermanent. We are all wanders.

Rabbi Noa Kushner said, "The sukkah can help us remember this basic truth: we are all living under the same roof." I love this idea. It is a wonderful reminder that regardless of race, religion, or nationality we are all living under one big vast and beautiful sky. We are all one really.

Similarly, Yogi Bhajan the spiritual teacher who introduced Kundalini yoga to the western world said, "Recognize the other person is you." There are many meanings to this I believe, but the core for me is seeing that we are all the same, again we are all one. Just like you have hopes, dreams, fears, and desires so too do everyone else. They may not be the same, they may not have the same priorities, but other people are no less deserving of love, care, and respect. When we can see the humanity of the "other" person we have succeeded. 

Recognizing the other person is you can also be understood to mean that there is truly NO separation. We may be in sperate bodies, living "separate" lives, but in reality, we are all connected. We have all ended up on the same rock hurling through space, breathing the same air, feeling the same beams of the sun radiating down upon us. We are all a part of this enormous living breathing thing we know as the Universe. Whether you are spiritual or not, you can not deny there is an innerconnectedness to being. We are one. 

This brings me to the final quote I would like to share. Ram Dass is famously quoted as saying, "We are all just walking each other home." This is truly one of my favorite quotes of all time. It is beautifully heartbreaking. Regardless of the turmoils and stresses that surround us, we are simply moving through life together until the end. We are all walking each other home.

There is so much pain in the world around us. This is not new, and will not end. If we could stop and take a moment. If we could gaze up into the night's sky peppered with brilliant lights from far away. If we realized for even a brief moment how amazing this life, this world, truly is. If we could just see that we are all living under the same roof. That each and every person we meet is just us in different clothes. If we all could just turn to our family, friends, neighbors, and strangers and truly see them. Then we would see ourselves. We would be able to reach across whatever divides us and take someone else's hand. At the end of the day my friends, we are all just walking each other home. Let's do it with love. Let's do it with compassion. And then, maybe then, we will all find some peace.