Ever since my childhood days, I have always been interested with mysticism and spirituality. I was around 6 or 7 when I started to read the Bible, focusing mostly on the book of Genesis, which for me was a compilation of short stories with moral teachings. As child who studied in a private Catholic school where attendance to Sunday School was compulsory, I found it hard to reconcile my own understanding of what I read and what they teach us. Of course leafing through the Bible exposed me to its contents without its adaptation for children. For instance, I was bothered by stories of women making love with their father-in-law. I found it shocking to have read that a father is willing to let his daughters be “known” by the townspeople who demanded the angel in disguise.
Aside from the Book of Genesis, I loved The Book of Revelations, too. Yes, it almost scared the wits out of me reading about beasts and scary apocalyptic prophecies. As I grow older, I found the Book of Ecclesiastes more and more appealing. At 15, it officially became my favorite book ever mainly because of the wonderful poetry and its main thesis that “everything is grasping for the wind”, something I have been contemplating for a very very long time now.
With my interest in the Bible, I came to know about Judaism as well as the Kabbalah. It was in college when I was first exposed to these two and I have been pursuing them on and off for some time now.
While browsing the shelves at the library one time for new books to borrow home in time for the Christmas vacation, I chanced upon Daniel Matt’s “The Essential Kabbalah”. The comprehensive book is perfect for a returning informal student like me. While reading it, I can’t help but be reminded of Taoism. Ein sof, that which permeates everything, is very similar to the concept of Tao. This book also enlightened me on the Sefirots. I once read about them in other books but either those were for advanced scholars or I was dumb then, I wasn’t able to understand anything.
Anyway, here are some of my favorite passages in “The Essentual Kabbalah”:
One pillar extends from earth to heaven. Its name is Righteous One, named for the righteous. If there are righteous people in the world, the pillar is strengthened; if not, it is weakened. It upholds the entire world, as it is written: “The righteous one is the foundation of the world.” If it weakens, the world cannot endure. So if the world contains just one righteous person, that person sustains the world.
(p.78)
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When a glassblower wants to produce glassware, he takes an iron blowpipe, hollow as a reed from one end to the other, and dips it into molten glass in a crucible. Then he places the tip of the pipe in his mouth and blows, and the breath passes through the pipe to the molten glass attached to the other end. From the power of his blowing, the glass expands and turns into a vessel—large or small, long or wide, spherical or rectangular, whatever the artisan desires.
So God, great, mighty, awesome, powerfully breathed out a breath, and cosmic space expanded to the boundary determined by divine wisdom, until God said, “Enough!”
(p.92)
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There was a man whom lived in the mountains. He knew nothing about those who lived in the city. He sowed wheat and ate the kernels raw.
One day he entered the city. They brought him good bread. He said, “What is this for?” They said, “Bread, to eat!” He ate, and it tasted very good. He said, “What is it made of?” they said, “Wheat.”
Later they brought him cakes kneaded in oil. He tasted them and said, “What are these made of?” They said, “Wheat.”
Finally they brought him royal pastry made with honey and oil. He said, “What are these made of?” They said, “Wheat.” He said, “I am the master of all of these, for I eat the essence of all of these: wheat!”
Because of that view, he knew nothing of the delights of the world; they were lost to him. So it is with one who grasps the principle and does not know all those delectable delights deriving, diverging, from that principle.
(p. 134)
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There is one who sings the song of his soul, discovering in his soul everything—utter spiritual fulfillment.
There is one who sings the song of his people. Emerging from the private circle of his soul—not expansive enough, not yet tranquil—he strives for fierce heights, clinging to the entire community of Israel in tender love. Together with her, he sings her song, feels her anguish, delights in her hopes. He conceives profound insights into her past and her future, deftly probing the inwardness of her spirit with the wisdom of love.
Then there is one whose soul expands until it extends beyond the border of Israel, singing the song of humanity. In the glory of the entire human race, in the glory of the human form, his spirit spreads, aspiring to the goal of humankind, envisioning its consummation. From this spring of life, he draws all his deepest reflections, his searching, striving, and vision.
Then there is one who expands even further until he unites with all of existence, with all creatures, with all worlds, singing a song with them all.
There is one who ascends with all these songs in unison—the song of the soul, the song of the nation, the song of humanity, the song of the cosmos—resounding together, blending in harmony, circulating the sap of life, the sound of holy joy.
(p.154)
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Whoever delves into mysticism cannot help but stumble, as it is written: “This stumbling block is in your hand.” You cannot grasp these things unless you stumble over them.
(p.163)
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