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Orchard of Delights Lech Lecha

As slaves to time, who are not in tune with the secrets of cycles, we crossed over to the other side firm in his belief that eventually everyone
perceive time as linear, a cold and impersonal force constantly beyond would join him in believing in one God. The current separation
our control. As we begin to understand the secrets of time and the was merely temporary. The embrace of monotheism by much of
cycles, we begin to realize the circularity of time and experience its the world and the rejection of idol worship has proven Abraham’s
constant renewal and repetition. When we become masters of time assessment correct, and in truth his impact on human history has
we come to realize that time may be envisioned as a four-dimensional been tremendous. The prophet Zephaniah (3:9) spoke in God’s name
spiral – always returning to the same place, but on a higher plane, when he prophesized: “For then I will convert the peoples to a purer
during each succeeding revolution. In this analogy, past, present, language; that they may all call upon the name of God, to serve Him
and future flow through the same vertical coordinate on the spiral, with one consent.” There will yet come a time when all the peoples
always meeting at a moment in the eternal present. of the earth will join Abraham, acknowledging and serving God in
unison and unity of purpose. Then, and only then, will God’s promise
Jewish tradition teaches that for God, past, present, and future all
occur simultaneously. Significantly, the four letters comprising God’s to Abraham be truly fulfilled.
four-letter name also comprise the Hebrew words for past (hayah), The notion of crossing over becomes a recurrent metaphor
present (hoveh), and future (yiheyeh). God, who creates and continuously throughout the spiritual career of Abraham and his descendants. It
renews the world and time, is simultaneously “in the world” and “above describes the physical act of “crossing over” and alludes to several
the world.” Thus, when a human being comes nearer to God he or she is deeper messages. When Abraham enters the Land of Israel, the
able to experience time on an increasingly Divine level. Torah reports that “Abram crossed into the land of Canaan” (Genesis
12:6). Here, by using the verb “to cross,” the Torah alludes to the
This secret of time is alluded to in our verse: “And Abraham was
old, coming into days, and God blessed Abraham with everything.” additional level of holiness in the Land of Israel. Just as crossing
“Coming into days” alludes to Abraham’s mastery of time. Such over the Euphrates symbolizes a major transition and the forging of
mastery allowed him to experience this world and the World to Come a new path in life, crossing into Israel also indicates entering a new
concurrently. Only by experiencing Sarah’s burial and subsequently level of reality.
connecting to her by transcending time and space was Abraham When God makes a covenant with Abraham to give him and his
able to attain this level; this experience, according to the mystical children the Land of Israel as an eternal inheritance, Abraham falls
reading of the Torah, the sod, enabled Abraham to have one foot in into a deep sleep or altered state of consciousness and experiences a
this world and one foot in the World to Come. torch of fire passing through two rows of animal carcasses (Genesis
15:1-21). Once again the root word “to cross” is used to describe
Rebbe Nachman of Breslov in his classic Likutei Moharan
(Torah 61, Section II) explains that human beings have difficulty Abraham entering into an entirely new relationship, a covenant,
comprehending how God can be “above time” because of their with God.
relatively limited awareness and intellect. However, the more human Later in Jewish history, the Israelites cross the Reed Sea in order
beings expand their consciousness, the more time is nullified for them. to escape the pursuing Egyptians and leave slavery behind them
For example, in a dream state the conscious mind is no longer in control forever. And forty years after this, the Israelites cross the Jordan in
and the pure power of imagination takes charge. In fifteen minutes order to enter the Land of Israel. In both cases the Israelites could
of dreaming, years can appear to have gone by. For those who have only attain new material and spiritual levels after crossing over a
attained an even higher intellectual level, longer periods of time can physical border.
register as only fifteen minutes; for them time has been nullified even

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