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| Mystical Musical Meditations in Jerusalem |
VAYEIRA ALIYAH HEALINGS - 5780 - A LITTLE DEEPER
1. PURSUING BENEVOLENCE HEALING
Just as in the beginning of this week’s Parsha, when
Avraham, despite being sick and the sun being hot in an unearthly way and
having a sick-call visit from Hashem, ran out in search of doing the Chesed/mitzvah
of receiving guests in his home, and throughout the Parsha and throughout his
life, Avraham didn’t settle for waiting for Chesed/benevolent giving
opportunities to present themselves to him. Rather, he went out IN PURSUIT of
doing Chesed. So too by you, seek out any kind of opportunity to do Chesed with
others, whether it be seemingly small or insignificant or grandiose. Don’t just
wait for the opportunity to come to you, go out and make it happen. Just as ‘an
apple a day keeps the doctor away’, do a ’Chesed a day, and keep the opposing
forces at bay.’
Q: DOES CHASING TO GIVE HAVE THE SAME EFFECT AS
CHASING TO TAKE IF IT RUNS AWAY FROM YOU?
A: MAYBE, IF THE CHASING TO GIVE IS PERCEIVED EVEN
SLIGHTLY OR SUBCONSCIOUSLY AS A CHASING TO TAKE. IF NOT, THEN IT WILL BE
ACCEPTED.
CASE IN POINT - R. HERMAN - ALL FOR THE BOSS, AND MY 32X HEART.
2. PRAYING FOR
EVERYONE, EVEN THOSE THAT OPPOSE YOU HEALING
Just as Avraham did not come to the conclusion that the
wicked people of Sodom, whose outlook on life was the antithesis of Avraham’s (selfishness
vs. benevolent lovingkindness), nevertheless he went out with great self-sacrifice
to pray that they be spared imminent destruction. So too by you. Seek out a
person or group of people that don’t see things as you do, or perhaps they oppose
your way of seeing/doing things, and pray that Hashem should be kind to them
and help them in the best possible way for them in the eyes of Hashem. You just
might find that this type of prayer will inspire them, as well as Divine
Providence, to root for and pray for you as well. But pray, not for that
intention, rather only with an altruistic intention.
Q: AVRAHAM PRAYED FOR THEM AND DID EVERYTHING ELSE HE DID
FOR COMPLETELY ALTRUISTIC REASONS - UNSELFISH LOVE AND GIVING FOR LOVE'S OR
G-D'S SAKE. CAN WE DO THAT IN PRAYING FOR ENEMIES? OR AT LEAST IF NOT, DO
AN ALTERNATIVE AGENDA LIKE SELF HEALING, SUCH AS HEALING THAT HATED PERSON
INSIDE OF ME?
A: MAYBE WE CAN WORK OURSELVES UP TO IT. AND I THINK
THAT THE SELF HEALING THING WOULD BE A VERY GOOD WAY TO CLIMB. IN AND OF ITSELF
IT IS A GOOD IDEA.
3. WHAT’S MINE IS YOURS HEALING
Avraham’s outlook in life was that what is mine is yours, and
of course, what is yours is yours… as opposed to what the rest of society was
professing at that time (either what is mine is mine and what is yours is yours,
or even worse, what is yours is mine (Avot 5/10) In other words, Avraham was
integrating into the collective consciousness of mankind that one should look
beyond focusing on one’s own needs, and instead focus on others’ needs. So too by you. Strive to find a part of your
life that you feel ready to let go of with regard to your own needs, and
instead seek out how to give this part to others. Once you get the hang of
it, add more and more aspects of your life to the category of making others
needs precede your own. See how wonderful and liberating this shift will make
you feel.
Q: PERHAPS TWO WAYS TO GET THERE WOULD BE TO: 1) HAVE A
SELFLESS GIVING EXCHANGE PARTNER OR GROUP, OR 2) TO SAY ALL IS FOR
THE BEST ‘AS IS’ AND AFTER FREEING MYSELF UP, SEEK TO BUILD A SELFLESS GIVING
JOURNAL OR COLLECTION.
A: THOUGH THESE TWO IDEAS HAVE SOME 'TAKING' ELEMENTS IN
THEM, THEY ARE WAYS TO GROW INTO GIVING. LIKE OUR SAGES WHO TEACH FROM THE NON-ALRUISTIC
MOTIVATIONS IN DOING GOOD THINGS, WE CAN GROW INTO ALTRUISTIC PURITY
MOTIVATIONS.
4. SEEKING TO SAVE THE WORLD HEALING
The daughters of Lot, after the destruction of Sodom, upon believing
that they were the world’s only survivors, took the steps necessary for keeping
the world’s population alive by getting their father so drunk that he was
oblivious to the fact that he was impregnating them. Though their means were
questionable or perhaps tainted, nevertheless their intention was so pure that
eventually this act gave rise genetically to the Messianic line through their
offspring. From Ruth the Moabite all the way to King David and eventually the
Mashiach. So too by you. Search out what it is that you can do, that no one else
can do, to save the world in some type of way, no matter how seemingly
insignificant. Perhaps what you can do is to write a letter or influence
someone with regard to a crucial issue. Perhaps you can use a unique talent of
yours to influence just the right people at just the right time. Once your
intention is directed towards doing this, you’ll be amazed at how many potent
opportunities present themselves to you to impact the world in your own special
way. Don’t worry, your efforts will be effective and rewarded in ways that you
may not even believe.
Q: PERHAPS, LIKE LOT'S DAUGHTERS WE CAN DO IT EVEN IN A MORE
'DARK' KIND OF A WAY, meaning when we do an unflattering thing which
is based in 'fallen or lowly motivations’ like laziness or lust or money or
other obsession, perhaps we could direct
our acts to a noble cause like healing.
A: PERHAPS, BUT WE MUST BE CAREFUL NOT TO FOOL OURSELVES
.
5. TRANSCEND BELIEVING EXCLUSIVELY IN ‘NATURE’, AND
GIVE BIRTH TO HEALING
Just as we find that what enabled the birth of Yitzchak, who
represents the human trait of ‘transcendence’ and that’s why his name can be re-spelled
‘kaitz chay’ the end or ‘transcendence’ lives now, was the fact that his
father and mother transcended the belief that all kinds of ‘natural’ obstacles
would block their child’s birth. They had to transcend their belief that
their physical disabilities to have children, or that their old age would
prevent them from having children. So too by you. Both literally with regard to
having children in the face of seeming insurmountable obstacles, as well as
with regard to giving birth spiritually to a new way of being, in the face of
such obstacles pay no attention to nature's obstacles to giving birth, only pay
attention to, and believe that Hashem can get you through anything anytime.
Strengthen yourself in this belief over time and through thick and thin. In the
end, you too, like our Patriarchs and Matriarchs, will overcome and merit the
precious blessing of giving birth.
Q: CAN BLIND BELIEF JUMPING IN SOME IMPOSSIBLE SITUATION ACT
AS A CATALYST TO MAKE IT MANIFEST?
A: CERTAINLY, IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS WHERE THE CHANCE OF
SUCCEEDING SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE AND YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE.
6. MAKE A CAREER OUT OF LOVING-KINDNESS HEALING
Avraham and Sarah spent most of the years of their lives
pursuing a ‘career’ of giving hospitality to all wayfarers and all of those in
need. So too by you. Seek out ways in which you can dedicate the rest of
your life to being a beacon of loving-kindness, even if what you commit to do
involves only a very small investment of effort. The very fact that what you
seek to do is a life-long project or a life-long career will lift you up
to a whole new level of goodness and righteousness and healing presence.
Q: WHAT IF WE REFRAME WHAT WE DO TO MAKE A LIVING IN
'MITZVAH TERMS' OR CHESED TERMS?
A: SOUNDS GREAT. FOR EXAMPLE, A GUY RUNNING A STORE IS
REALLY RUNNING A GIVING ENTERPRISE.
7. ULTIMATE SELF-NULLIFIED DIVINE LOVE HEALING
Avraham demonstrated in his final test, 'The Akeida,‘ the
binding of Yitzchak, that for the sake of doing Hashem’s will and thereby
expressing his supreme love of G-d, he would have been willing to sacrifice upon
Hashem’s explicit order that which was most precious in his eyes, his only son,
the key link to the future of his Nation. So too by you. Seek out
something that is very precious in your eyes, whether it be a person’s love or
your security or whatever else may come to mind, and check yourself to see if,
for the sake of the love of Hashem or the will of Hashem or the sanctification
of Hashem’s name in the world, you would be willing to part with this very
precious thing. And just like Avraham was not asked to actually go through with
it, so too, you probably won’t need to either. However, just in case you would,
by finding your willingness and by identifying your priorities you thereby
achieve not only a readiness, but also a healing and a liberating clarity
in life that carries with it all kinds of spiritual benefits.
Q: CAN WE GIVE UP OUR INTENSE DESIRE TO SERVE OR TO PLEASE
HUMANS? HOW CAN WE RERAME THAT TOWARDS SERVING G-D?
A: PRIORITIZING PRAYER AND SELF-REFLECTION, OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT IS WORKING OUR WAY UP TOWARD PURE SELFLESSNESS.
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