Page 32 - Jewish News_June-July-2021

32A June/July 2021 COMMENTARY

The context of tikkun Iran, Israel, Natanz and negotiations

By Rabbi Jonathan R. Katz, Community Chaplain

abbis are often asked questions God is ubiquitous and eternal, how as we know it. dispersed to the far reaches of Europe,
about Jewish mysticism: What could the universe have been created After the tzimtzum took place, North Africa, Asia Minor and beyond
Ris it? Why does so much in- distinct from Him? In other words, God brought the world into existence to search out and free the impris-
trigue surround it? How is it relevant? how can God be the author of Creation by sending a scaffolding of numinous oned sparks of Divine light. The light
Can you teach a class about it? if He is, a priori, already inclusive of it lights into the void. This transfiguring found in these places could be released
Thought to enable access to secret (Pantheism)? If, at the beginning, He effulgence constituted the 10 Divine through a tikkun (healing, repair), the
divine knowledge, in ancient times was not independent of Creation but emanations known as the sefirot that performance of a heightened act of
Jewish mysticism was veiled in an aura already fully part of it, how could He manifest all the physical and spiritual redemption. A multitude of human en-
of risk, a domain have brought it about? prosperities present in the universe. deavors could serve as a tikkun if done
safely accessible Furthermore, if God is equal to The sefirot were contained and with kavannah, wholehearted intention
only to skilled Creation, where does external Divine held in collective balance by what can and feeling.
masters. Indeed, moral authority reside? Why would the be imagined as a set of 10 primordial The opportunity to free this illumi-
legends abound God claimed to have given the Torah beakers or vessels. nation endowed seemingly mundane
of novices who at Mt. Sinai be considered more au- What happened next has been a activities and ritual commandments
entered this eso- thoritative than another divinity who source of exhaustive mystical specu- with far-reaching significance. Eating,
teric realm only is believed to have revealed Himself lation. For whatever reason, perhaps making love, worship, lighting Shab-
to emerge de- somewhere else? Either God is co-ex- the built-up force of the emanations or bat candles, planting a field, studying,
Rabbi Jonathan R. Katz ranged. tensive with the created world or God the spread of sinful human behavior, tzedakah and socializing all possessed
The most prominent expression is not eternal and was created by a pre- the vessels shattered, destroying Cre- the potential for spiritual elevation and
of Jewish mysticism is Kabbalah (a God Creator, something that would ation’s exquisite harmony. Much of the potency. This orientation to religious
word associated with “receiving”), no longer make Him a monotheistic light returned to God, but the rest be- task explains how Hasidic Jews could
which arose in the Middle Ages. A deity. This fundamental question has came entrapped in shards (klippot) of still behold life with such unalloyed joy
particular form, Lurianic Kabbalah, quickened the minds of philosophers, the broken vessels and strewn through- even amid the tribulations and grinding
was conceived in the mid-16 century theologians and scientists for thou- out the world. poverty in Eastern Europe during the
th
in the wake of the Spanish Inquisition sands of years. According to Luria, the liberation 18 and 19 centuries.
th
th
in Safed, in Northern Israel, by Rabbi Lurianic Kabbalah inventively of this light from the shards is the mo- A tikkun occurs when, through em-
Isaac Luria, the pre-eminent Jewish seeks to preserve an eternal, omni- tivating raison d’etre of the Jewish pathy, conviction and enthusiasm (a
scholar of his time. It remains the most present God differentiated from the people. His construal of Jewish mis- word from the Greek en theos, “with
widely known and studied Kabbalistic Creation He engendered by introduc- sion through this lens proved to be of God”), we utilize our God-implanted
stream. ing the notion of tzimtzum, Divine crucial value following the Inquisition. powers of intelligence, responsibili-
While many Jewish mystical texts self-contraction. In this figuratively Rather than regarding this calam- ty and even humor to raise vitalizing
appear maze-like in lending interpreta- novel explanation of Creation, God itous event as a reflection of God’s life sparks in ourselves and others.
tion along arcane byways, what is most withdraws a part of Himself to make disfavor or abandonment, the expul- In Hasidism, this illumination can be
striking about Lurianic Kabbalah is not possible an empty, differentiated space sion from Spain was, instead, assigned so deeply encased within people that
its perplexity but its vivid conceptual- from His own being. His willingness to transcendent purpose. Jews had been continued on next page
ization of Jewish spirituality. undergo this diminishment is deemed a
A significant focus of Lurianic supreme act of generosity because He, turned from the Cybertech Global con-
BRIEFS ference in the UAE, said, “As Arabs
Kabbalah is the mystery of Creation. If essentially, made room for the Creation
in Israel, we’ve always been a bridge
to encourage peace between Israelis
continued from page 29A and Palestinians. We are happy to play
Help keep our FOR ARAB ISRAELIS, that role now with Arab countries that
community safe! SPELL OPPORTUNITY cords.” (Marc J. Sievers and Jonathan
THE NEW PEACE TREATIES
have opened to us through the Gulf ac-
H. Ferziger, Foreign Policy)
Mas Watad, a Hebrew University-
educated diet guru, is one of Israel’s
Arab citizens playing to a vast poten- ISRAEL’S NEW HIGH-TECH
tial market in the Arabian Peninsula, GAZA SECURITY BARRIER
after commercial ties were initiated Israel is close to completing the under-
last year through peace agreements ground component of its new security
with Israel. Investment from the UAE fence around Hamas-controlled Gaza
and its neighbors should lead to greater and the above-ground elements are
economic opportunities and prosperity 80% complete.
for Israel’s Arab population. Palestin- Israelis understood the need for
ians in the West Bank may also benefit. such a barrier during the 2014 Gaza
Israeli Arabs – 21% of the popu- conflict after uncovering several com-
lation – have an emerging professional mando tunnels from Gaza into Israel.
class concentrated heavily in the med- In addition to an above-ground
ical sector. Arab-owned businesses, physical layer, an upper high-tech lay-
which figure prominently in Israel’s er will include detection devices like
construction and trucking industries, robots, drones, unmanned ground ve-
July 15, 2020 are increasingly moving into the realm hicles (UGVs) and more. They are all
Sarasota, FL
of technology start-ups. equipped with visual, electronic and
A large number of Arab Israelis are intelligence equipment and powered
eager to enjoy the sights and sounds by artificial intelligence.
With security an ongoing vital necessity for our community, of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Manama. The underground component in-
we continue to solicit contributions for security-specific Besides sharing language and culture, cludes a high-tech cement wall extend-
ing tens of meters beneath the ground,
needs, including training, equipment, technological tools they are able to circulate in these coun- equipped with a multi-dimensional
tries more freely than in, say, Egypt,
and security staffing. If security is a concern for you, please where they are generally subjected to sensor net to detect any activity near, at
consider supporting Federation’s KEEP US SAFE FUND. scrutiny and sometimes harassment. or under the barrier. (Brig.-Gen. (res.)
The mayor of Kafr Qasim near
To make a donation, visit Tel Aviv, Adel Badir, who recently re- Jacob Nagel and Jonathan Schanzer,
RealClearDefense)
JFEDSRQ.org/KeepUsSafe
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