This process of self-realization manifests as a twofold movement of externalization and internalization. The surrounding light (ohr makif) is first found written into the base code of Adam (Adam who is everyman/woman) as the Alef (ohr) and Mem (makif) of this name in Hebrew. This informs us that we are like shell creatures whose exoskeleton grows out of the body proper (and in this case the body of the name). What was once internal (and undifferentiated) became separated from self–self from self, self divided within itself, self undergoing mitosis–until this ‘clarifying distance‘ turns quasi-independent and becomes regarded as ‘me-not-me’ or ‘self-as-other.’

The human subject (sub-ject) turns itself into its own object (ob-ject) that casts it to the outside splitting our initial androgynous psyche into two–a masculine-feminine pairing that establishes an encompassed-interior and surrounding-exterior relationship. I build my own Sukkah and then I enter and dwell within it. Becoming conscious of self-as-Sukkah enacts the truth of our original experience of encountering the other in Genesis 2:23 where “Adam said ‘this time [instance] is bone of my bones, flesh of my flesh. This will be called woman for from man she was taken.’”

The esoteric reading of this verse asserts that the word ‘Adam’ speaks. Adam already alludes to its exo-skeleton and that which is most inside (bone/essence) becomes the most exterior. The first and last letters (Alef and Mem) of Adam (the outer letters) speak in that those are the letters directly facing (and thus in relation) with other words. As part of Adam, the Alef and Mem surround while remaining within (the name). The quality of surrounding light is first part of me in a closed and muted way. I only have the first letter (the rosh hataivot, literally the ‘head’ of the words, but not the full body) encoded in the name. For Alef to open into ohr (light) and Mem to open into makif (surrounding) I need to externalize and unfold the full expression. This is like Chava/Eve being separated from Adam. The reason for this is found in the secret of her name as alluded to in Psalms 19:3 “…night after night expresses [yechaveh] knowledge.” ‘Yechaveh’ comes from Chava/Eve. Thus her name is about ‘expression.’ Alternatively, Chava/Eve also builds the word chavayah which means ‘experience.’ From this, we can compile a hybrid definition of our Sukkah as the matrix of the surrounding light as an expression of our experience.

We can now introduce a new matheme with which we can further enhance the transmission of these ideas. When we examine the words ohr makif, ‘surrounding light’ [אור מקיף] in Hebrew, we find that they equal 437. If we look at the prime factors of 437, we see that it is a product of 19 times 23. Amazingly 19 is the numerical value of Chava/Eve [חוה], while 23 equals the originally intended name for this first female figure–Chayah [חי’ה]. ‘Chayah’ means ‘living one’ from chai ‘life.’

In Genesis 2:7 Adam becomes ‘a living soul [l’nefesh chayah],’ as if to say that it’s exported from the name ‘Adam’ which serves as the vital force (soul) to ‘life/the living one.’ Furthermore, we find in Genesis 3:18 that the name ‘Adam’ called his wife [conceptual and semiological pairing] Chava [19] because she had become the “mother of all life (em chol chai).” Mothering all of life could be understood as a kind of re-mediation. Each return to the womb or matrix is transformative while that material [matter: L mater–mother] transformed shifts from one media to another. Mothering or producing life amounts to giving expression (birthing) to life, casting it to the outside. We pick up on those expressions of life and try to internalize them as experience (chavayah).

In sum, the name as issued–Chava/Eve (experience/expression)–multiples the intended name–Chayah/life (or gestating life)–to yield our surrounding light (437). All around us, we are enclosed by ‘life-experience,’ the Chava-Chayah factor, which we attempt to connect to in a process of internalization (the ‘logic of sexuation’ compares with eating in the Torah in that Adam knowing his wife Chava/Eve is painted as the act of marital relations that were the equivalent to eating from the Tree of Knowledge). Once we identify the outside of our ‘self’ as ‘self’ we marry it and re-unite.

The mathematical study of this expression proves even more fruitful when we consider that the word ohr (light) by itself equals 207 which is 9 times 23 (Chayah), while the word makif (surrounding) equals 10 time 23 (Chayah). Thus, the two words naturally divide into a grouping of 9 Chayahs (23) and 10 Chayahs (23). This is particularly significant in that 9 and 10 are the units of Chava (19). In other words, this division possesses an additional layer of self-reference to the name Chava as the logic that splits the phrase ‘surrounding light,’ while the whole expression is a multiple of Chayah. As a result, 23 (the value of Chayah) as the life or the production of life breaks down according to the experiential-expressions of Chava. The fusion of the two names (Chava-Chayah) gives us something akin to ‘life-experience’ that illuminates us from every direction.

The panorama of our ‘life-experience’ may come in a variety of forms. If it is compacted or compressed to a minimum then it equals 437 or the simple value of the words ohr makif (surrounding light). If, however, it is expanded then it can go through two possible levels of expansion: the expansion and the expansion of the expansion. Deciphering this entails opening up the words ohr makif (surrounding light) by writing out each of the Hebrew letters as they would be sounded out. Sounding out a letter is its milui or filling. It extends the expressiveness of that letter by verbalizing it fully. For example Alef would be written Alef-Lamed-Pei. The full spelling of ohr makif would then be: Alef (1)-Lamed (30)-Pei (80), Vav (6)-Vav (6), Reish (200)-Yud (10)-Shin (300), Mem (40)-Mem (40), Kuf (100)-Vav (6)-Pei (80), Yud (10)-Vav (6)-Dalet (4), Pei (80)-Alef (1)

 [אלף וו ריש מם קוף יוד פא] = 1000

In Kabbalah, there is a tradition that 1000 lights were given to Moshe/Moses at Mount Sinai. We can now interpret those 1000 lights as an enlarged perception of life-experience or the surrounding light. 1000 is also the numerical value of Israel Ba’al Shem Tov [ישראל בעל שם טוב] the founder of the Chassidism. Chassidic thought has understood this to mean that the ‘Rebbe’ is an extension in the present generation of Moshe/Moses himself. Who is Moshe/Moses?– the one who is gifted with an expanded sense of ‘life-experience,’ that person who is intimate with the secrets of surrounding light.

Finally, the outer limit of our life-experience comes from the full array of dimensions in Creation, channels of Divine self-expression and powers of the soul known as the sefirot. Normally, the Kabbalah speaks of ten sefirot but this is because two of them Keter (Crown) and Da’at (knowledge) are just two sides of the same coin. Keter denotes the superconscious. When it becomes conscious it is called Da’at.  The relationship between the two might be likened to a Möbius strip such that they are considered as one making the sefirotic total 10 and not 11. Yet, the Arizal explains that there is something unstable about this assessment. Conflating the superconscious and conscious powers of soul is symptomatic of the world of Chaos. In the world of Rectification, the difference between them must be clarified and each counts in its own way. Therefore, the most expanded array of dimensions/channels/powers that express our life-experience is 11 in total.

When we expand the expansion to give the fullest possible expansion of the surrounding life we must perform the same operation as before only doubly so. This time each letter is filled out according to its spelling but then its filling is also filled, meaning that the letters of the first expanded form are themselves expanded as they would be pronounced. Thus, the simple letter Alef (unexpanded) has as its first filling Alef-Lamed-Pei and as its second filling or expansion Alef-Lamed-Pei, Lamed-Mem-Dalet, Pei-Alef. Numerically it would look like this: 1 becomes 111 which becomes 266. The filling of the filling (milui hamilui) of ohr makif (surrounding light) would then produce line of code:

אלף למד פא וו וו ריש יוד שין מם מם קוף וו פא יוד וו דלת פא אלף

which all together adds up to 2277.

2277 = 11 times 207 (ohr “light”) meaning that all 11 sefirot are (potentially) providing surrounding illumination. Everything would be a source of light. We then have three levels of life-experience: 1) the compact baseline form (437) 2) the practical limit of expansion (1000) and 3) the theoretical limit of expansion (2277).

May we merit to marry and integrate life to the fullest and in doing so have deeply enriching experiences.

What is at once the prehistoric and the history of history, the primal pairing of Adam and Chava/Eve serves as a platform for the psycho-spiritual assimilation of all Sukkah-related phenomena. The Talmud [Baba Metzia 114b] maintains that Adam is not only the proper name of an individual human being but is also a general term for enlightened humanity as a collective: “You [in the plural] are called Adam. The worshipers of the stars are not called Adam.” “Worshipers of the stars” serves as a blanket expression for idolatry.

The nature of the idol is the solidification of truth (the sort of truth which can be manhandled and manipulated) even as it passes to a stable fixture of the universe. The stars were thought to be a transcendent realm that was unchanging and permanent. By contrast, all of our earthly existence is most transient. Thinking of the world as a permanent dwelling with a firm foundation and an unshakable nature is a result of putting faith in the stars. Ultimately, there are no fixtures in Creation. As we now have confirmed with modern day astronomy, stars are born and pass away. Close observation of our own sun has revealed that this once all-important constant that we have always counted on itself goes through constant changes sending up solar eruptions in spectacular fashion.

So if the sun and stars were not always here, but were in fact created and will one day expire, then we cannot base our reality on them. Star worshipers have a legitimation crisis. Once our sense of the Sukkah takes on cosmic proportions, then all the seemingly stable features and qualities of our universe are cast in doubt. Everything has an existential sway in a primordial ‘wind’ bringing dislocation after dislocation. According to the Jerusalem Talmud [Sukkah 2:3], a person should be able to see the brighter stars through roof covering or s’chach of the Sukkah. Then, when we dwell in the Sukkah and the mentality of the Sukkah resides within our consciousness, we look up and see the stars as impostors of their former selves and idolize these false gods no more. The Sukkah acts as the proper framing and lens that puts the stars in perspective, conditioning their existence upon something other than themselves.

If we are to absorb this experience, then we have to destabilize the fixed features of self that we use to navigate all the adventures of life. The idea that I am firmly planted and enrooted in myself (that I am a ‘self-made’ man/woman as the expression goes) is tantamount to the deification or idolizing of self or self-image. As if to say, no matter what happens, ‘I’ will not or cannot change, for my identity is a brick and mortar home reinforced of the strongest steel of my own making which is too massive to move.

According to Kabbalah, the name Adam not only derives from the clay of the earth (adamah) that was moulded into shape by the Creator (meaning to say that our identity from the outset has plasticity to it and was formed by forces other than itself); it can also be broken down letter by letter to reveal the Sukkah of self. In Hebrew, Adam is spelled Alef-Dalet-Mem [אדם]. The first and last letters (the beginning and end of mankind or our individual self) spell the word em [אם] meaning mother. Since we are creatures of our environment in the most literal sense, with our physical constitution pulled from our surroundings as our molecular machinery harvests the material required for our morphogenesis) we can be said to come from ‘mother earth,’ and to return our bodies to that same earth. We come from the womb and reenter the womb in that the grave or kever is likened to a womb. The mother-as-womb image is better described as a ‘matrix.’ As a result, the bookends or framing of the human condition (Adam) are themselves signs of our being surrounded by this matrix which constantly reshapes us.

But who are we to be reshaped? ‘Who’ addresses some Subject within this process of metamorphosis. The only sign or letter left is the Dalet which means dal or a ‘poor person’ in Hebrew. Our center of being, rather than having an abundance of riches or measurable qualities, is divested of everything. It has no processions of its own. My ‘I’ is at its core existentially improvised and requires content to be given to it in order to sustain myself as ‘self.’ ‘I’ owe my existence or self to others: to my parents, to my friends, to my environments, and most of all to God. Self-preservation is extremely difficult when our innermost sense of self is poor and homeless. The greatest poverty carries with it the nomadic sense of self that remains homeless its whole life. I barely find enclosure within ‘me.’ My ‘I’ is full of holes. The Sukkah-sphere is a bubble (in the sense given to bubbles by Peter Sloterdijk in his work on microspherology).

If we want to further qualify the type of poverty that the Dalet represents, we should also acknowledge that Dalet can mean a delet or ‘door.’ Pictographically the Dalet [ד] even looks that part–at least it resembles a partial door frame. This informs us that at our center (now also the literal center of the word Adam [A-d-m]), we place an incomplete framing or zone of transition, a portal that operates within a matrix.

An additional clarification of the nature of this matrix derives from the kabbalistic assertion that the letters Alef and Mem (em or ‘mother’) also function as an acronym for the words ohr makif [ohr begins with Alef and makif begins with Mem] which means ‘surrounding light.’ Panoptically we register the world all around us. Just as the Sukkah envelopes us, so too, there is a sense of experience coming to us from all directions at once. Light symbolizes revelation and manifestation or just plain experience. We always tend to occupy the center of ‘attention’ or be in the middle of things within our own world, keeping watch in a panopticon. Residing in a Sukkah reinforces this situatedness.

The performances of Sukkot are not limited to dwelling in the surrounding light of the Sukkah. We also need to internalize that Sukkah. The surrounding light needs to pass through the door of the self to become inner light trickling down through our consciousness. This is why we wave the lulav, which is itself an abbreviated expression for the dalet minim or four species of plants that are joined together and shaken in the six directions of space. This performance is preferably done inside the Sukkah and is hinted at in that the Dalet [ד] of Adam [אדם] equals four when the letter is transposed as a number. Consequently, the name for the human condition brackets ‘four’ elements which are the ‘doors of perception’ and consciousness within the surrounding ‘light’ of the Sukkah experience.

In Part 2 we will continue to probe the meaning of this surrounding light and connect it to the primordial mother image of Chava/Eve.

Time

The potency of the future in the futurist’s perception draws on the concept of temporal latency, of potential which, despite its undefined character and indeterminate nature, marches towards us with the force of an unavoidable horizon that will jolt and jostle “Being,” upsetting the status quo. The wise have eyes for this. Call it their intuitive nature; call it an insight with an emphasis on its being inward-sight. A surface scan only clarifies the present with the past and future being buried behind the spectacle. Yet, if we tune into our intellectual vision, the abstract force that renders the invisible visible, we can transcend the presentation of the present and look towards the implications, hidden and absent, remote and intangible, of a possible future.

For this reason, the Talmudic adage (Tamid 32a) asserts that “who is wise? [the one who] sees that which is being born.” Birth is a transition from concealment to revelation, from potential to actual, from the indefinite to the definite, and from the future to the present. Beholding this zone of transition–a high-flying power of perception–catapults a person out of an ordinary system of understanding, framed within the limits of what was already known, into an expanded state of consciousness.

Just as our reception of electromagnetic waves is subject to weather-related interference, so too, our peak experiences that catalyze visions of the future, far from being evenly distributed and universally available on demand, have sudden spikes, rushes triggered by unusual circumstances, amplifications and magnifications. All of the variable levels of perceptual and visual acumen point to occasional access to the true scope of natality, which, nonetheless retains a constant role as a permanent feature of reality (even the Talmudic tractate extolling the intelligence of the eye that apprehends natality–Tamid–translates as ‘constantly, always’). Even though our access is only from time to time, the dimension is always here and could be tapped into at any time.

Formalizing this thought and stamping it into Jewish observance with annual recognition, we encounter Shabbat Chazon or the Sabbath of the vision. The sanctity or alterity of this day resides in its dedication to reading and reflection on a future vision of what might be built in place of the failed projects of the past (specifically, the two Temples that were destroyed). This time reserved and dedicated to a futuristic vision is coupled with the following unique Sabbath–Shabbat Nachamu. Nachamu means consolation. The message is simple: if we had something of value (the Temples) and it is taken from us, the promise of having something given to us in the future that is even better appeases us in the interim and consoles us in the end.

Embraced together, these two specialized times constitute a conciliatory (Nachamu) vision (Chazon) which forges a single unit, a coherent time-band that outlines the bookends of an often repeated story. As every Sabbath has been dubbed (appropriately so) an ‘island in time,’ to which we might add that it also acts as a zone of conscious spiritual intensity, a period of heightened awareness, the succession from the vision to the consolation–the vision that aims at consolation–is threaded through the ‘breaking point’ of the 9th of Av itself.

We have a presentiment about the unfolding of problems, of troubled ‘times,’ the rift in the forward flow of promising time where things get knocked back into retrograde. We regress (temporally). But this is no mere reset. We must learn from the failure–or, in the spirit of Henry Petroski’s book Success through Failure: The Paradox of Design, we can extract all that we need to triumph by studying the results of prior miscarried undertakings. Two attempts were part of the learning curve. ‘Time’ for a rebuild. In the terminology of Chassidic thought, this “descent for the sake of an ascent” stresses the care that must be taken during the descent to not internalize it as the permanent state of things. Pessimism assumes that failure is an unavoidable end in itself and forgets the ascent that follows.

All of this hinges on the value we ascribe to failure itself. Most often it is experienced as a punishment and penalty and yet, more deeply, retribution is re-assignment or reallocation of resources. The liturgical calendar, the timing of ‘public works’ projects, designates three weeks of reading and reflection upon this pending ‘gift return’ and recompense (these fall out in advance of the 9th of Av and can be more generally expressed as the precursors to the deconstruction process).

Sniffing out an illusion in the intended number of ‘pre-view’ weeks (termed 3 weeks of puranuta or ‘retribution’) proves relatively easy once we match them with the 7 weeks of consolation (nechemta) that follow. All of this hints at an important bisection of the standard model of ten powers of the soul into head and body. Hung in the gallery of the mind, the triptych of the cognitive powers finds each of its panels coinciding with a negatively charged week brimming with acerbic critique, while the emotive and behavioral spectrum spins out seven follow-up weeks of examination whereby we have to consider how we feel about the demolition of the old and the plans for the new.

Once the edifice has been razed (or raised, as the case may be–a fortunate homonym), we must apply ourselves to the redetermining of the indeterminate, to restructuring that which was deconstructed on the 9th of Av. We took it apart (and continue to do so until we rebuild it, according to the Sages of the Talmud [Yerushalmi, Yoma 5a]) because it/we had/has persistent problems but also so that we might build it better. To find a design that heads off or avoids those problems from the get-go remains the big dream. Certainly having no enemies or opposition to the project would ensure that there is no one to hinder or destroy it. Could it be that the first two were constructed without having everyone on board? A narrow coalition cannot trump a broad consensus. Is the final form holding out for unprecedented universality and solidarity?

We hope the future project finds favor. True to the etymological spirit of the pro-ject, we need to keep moving forward, to progress. Favor (along with its Hebrew equivalent: chein) concerns the approval of the project. We want the green light. Noting that both the word Chazon [חזון] “vision” and Nachmu [נחמו] “consolation” have the letters of chein [חן] or ‘favor’ encoded in their names, we may confirm that the preliminary approval agrees with the ex post facto assessment. Chein also expresses the concept of symmetry which further compounds ‘before’ and ‘after’ agreement, reflectivity, ‘invariance to transformation’ or self-similarity. Perhaps, the best consolation is the realization of the initial vision–when our expectations are met or exceeded.

Dual symmetry, of the sort under discussion, can be found alluded to in Zechariah [4:7] where the expression “amid shoutings of, favor [chein: symmetry], favor [chein: symmetry] to it.” This is no accidental doubling or scribal error. Rather, it manifests a forceful declaration of a twofold symmetry–a past-future symmetry, and perhaps, a theory-praxis symmetry. We could also think of them as bottom-up and top-down conjunctions or, to spin this into an 80’s pop-culture reference, as John “Hannibal” Smith, the fictitious mastermind of unconventional tactical solutions for the motley crew of four action and accident-prone adventurers on the hit television show The A-Team would customarily say: “I love it when a plan comes together.’

Layer upon layer of nuance reinforces this idea. Far from being pattern recognition run amok, this clustering of associations represents a rich harvesting from the semantic intertextual field. If we look at the first and last letters of both words (Chazon and Nachamu), the signs/letters that bracket them spell chanainu (“favor us” or “our symmetry”) as in Psalms/Tehillim 123:3: “Favor us [chanainu] God [the Tetragrammaton] favor us [chanainu]…,” thus presenting two stages to the approval process. In that the Divine name, sandwiched in between the requests for approval, is often taken to denote Being, it follows that there is a pre-ontological approval (nothing has yet come into existence but remains a hypothetical as our ‘favor’ is syntactically before the name that names Being) and another, ontological one–as the fulfillment of a proposition which may now be confirmed ex post facto.

Speaking of visions and visionaries, the figure most strongly aligned with the consolation from a future prospect is Avraham/Abraham. The whole plan of exile and redemption is laid out before him, and although he will not immediately enjoy these things, promises are bestowed upon his offspring. In a certain sense, his entire life is an articulation of the link between the promising vision and its consolatory fulfillment, in that there is a veiled reference to this in the recorded 175 years that he walks the earth. If we add Chazon “the vision” (whose Hebrew letters also function as numbers and equal 71) to the word Nachamu “the consolation” (whose letters amount to 104), the total together is 175. Consequently, we have the personification of a time span that joins these two ‘pre’ and ‘post’ perspectives together.

To begin with a vision and then to hold to it with total dedication and conviction that it will come to be and to have its realization as the conclusion of the ‘life’ of the visionary, a final seal of approval, is the basic biography of Avraham/Abraham. He is also called the “head [or first] of believers.” On a basic level, we could affirm this in terms of the chronology of the Torah, yet on a more abstract plane, we might assign ‘firstness’ to a hierarchical order of experience. In other words, my first or leading (head) belief is the belief in the structure of promise–which might be tantamount to the promise of promise. Who will span the gap to testify that the occasion of the promised future actually led to its materialization–that what was professed to happen actually does happen? When the conditions of the promise are met on the other side of the temporal arc that up until that point could only be maintained in good faith, we feel consolation. All of the suspense and buildup to the linking of vision to consolation is carried upon the Avrahamic/Abrahamic propensity for faith (the support when one cannot [yet] know).

Apropos of this contention and a striking substantiating of it, we can mine another mathematical analogy from our words for vision (Chazon) and consolation (Nachamu). Not only do each of these words have a value which is the summation of each of their letters, but there is also a back story, a ‘recounting’ of how we climbed the ‘stairs’ to arrive at the individual letters and their corresponding numbers in the words themselves. For instance, if the letter under consideration is Dalet (whose value is 4) it was proceeded by Alef, Beit, and Gimel (whose values are 1, 2, and 3 respectively). Hence, 1 plus 2 plus 3 summarizes the evolutionary steps that climb up to 4. They are the weigh stations of progress. If we perform this operation on both of the words (Chazon and Nachamu), the result is that their eight Hebrew letters are proceeded by letters/signs whose total value equals 502, the equivalent of the Hebrew expression emunah pashuta or “simple faith” [for the technically inclined: letters up Chet (8) = א,ב,ג,ד,ה,ו,ז = 28 added to letters up to Zayin (7) = א,ב,ג,ד,ה,ו = 21 and so on…]. The message of this matheme accentuates how faith gets us to the point when ‘vision’ joins ‘consolation.’

http://www.interinclusion.org/inspirations/the-visionary-futurist-part-1/

As abstract as it sounds, the problem hinges on the deformalization of time. Our elementary education drills it into our heads that time has standard measures: an hour is an hour, a minute is a minute, a year is a year. The content of this index is entirely passive. Yet, the subsumption of all of time into the formalistic grids of clocks and calendars constitutes its taming. Time becomes phlegmatic to the ‘times’ as it is now shackled by uniformity. One day is just like another. This apparently easygoing attitude comes with some dire consequences as it places excessive emphasis on looking around in the vicinity of the present as the primary means of gathering evidence that will inform on the future. We simply come to expect more of the same. Both personal and public policy hearings spout more hackneyed rhetoric about working with what we have now as though nothing new will ever be invented.

But why insist that all development suddenly comes to a halt? All the evidence is in fact to the contrary. What we constantly witness is change. It is surprising that we can still be surprised by this. Might we venture to say that one of the operative meanings of the Torah’s insistence on a doctrine of continuous Creation–something from nothing–is an unflagging commitment to the heterogeneous character of time–of time temporalized. Thus, despite a common measure, no two times would be identical or interchangeable. Each moment would unveil something utterly new and active. Management mantras such as ‘past experience does not guarantee future experience’ and ‘more is different’ seem well-suited to this assigning of temporal unicity. All times are special. They are laden with promise. And most importantly, the certainty of the present condition does not extend into the future. A broken moment may heal rather than persist. Greeting the alterity of the future with optimism frees us from the perceived limitations of the present.

How can we round up these concepts from within the native soil of traditional Jewish experiences and then universalize them by means of an updated translation? By availing ourselves to the thinking of parallels–the puissance of kabbalistic interpretation–we can at least offer a précis to a proper futurist’s manifesto. The setup has to do with the time stamps that flank the remembrance of some of Israel’s greatest national calamities on the 9th day of the Hebrew month of Av. Taking stock of all of the long shadows cast by this burnt mark on the calendar would exceed the scope of the present discussion, so let us merely designate it as the time-trap that dates the destruction of both the first and second Temples of ancient Israel.

Suffice it to say, the Temple architecturally instantiates the consolidation of collective spirituality. As a Holy or chosen abode that acts as an amplifier for the human-Divine relationship, it functions utopically: that is, in the sense of u-topos–the absence of a place, a non-place, that paradoxically occupies a place. It provides a site-specific portal from the localizable to the non-local. And even though the first two ‘experiences’ proved unstable, the third time is a charm. The trajectory of Jewish history aims at the successful establishment of an ‘eternal house’ or permanent manifestation of what could be termed an ‘immanent transcendence.’ The ‘beyond’ somehow resides within the material limits of this structure even while it surpasses them. Building a future Temple, then, is intimately tied up with the rethinking of materialism as dematerialized or ephemeralized.

Consequently, the destruction of this edifice connotes the damaged relation between both human and Divine others. This loss of connectivity, of relatability, is stated for repair as part of the grand vision for the future. It might even be the prescience of this rectified futural state that ferries us over the traumas of our intervening history. All projections must pass though the intermediality of present and past problems which operate as a kind of gravitational lensing, assisting in the focusing on a hitherto hidden solution. Annually traversing the memory of these events compels us to observe the latent possibility that is encrusted in the husk of the actual experiences of the 9th of Av from all sides, lighting the fore and aft of this day with the expanded consciousness (also known as a Sabbath/Shabbat state) as part of the overall temporal flow.

Prying loose a few allusions from the appellation “Tisha B’Av” reinforces the multiplex of meaning that can be woven into a single expression. To begin with, nine always relates to the nine months of pregnancy. Often written with a Tet (the Hebrew letter that equates to 9), this day doubles down on the notion of pregnancy in that the form of the letter also pictographically suggests a pregnant woman [ט] in the abstract. The rest of the designation, “B’Av” (within the month of Av) literally means “within the father.” A father image not only implies the potential seed or catalyst for pregnancy but also its source. Formulated as such, the father = source (at least the abstract source) equation maintains a range of phenomena with it. To say that there is a pregnancy within the source/father signals that even a latent potential exists at the earliest stages of the genesis of this reality. Far from being predetermined, the significance is gestating within itself even before being deposited within a specific world ‘matrix’ [mother] wherein its development will become concretized.

What is intimated by gestation at the source? Could this not be compared to the Copenhagen interpretation of Quantum Mechanics, which insists that there are no ‘deep qualities’ (Quantum ignorance) to the objective world prior to our measuring of them–that our act of observation transforms and co-creates the ‘objects’ we behold. They are quite literally ‘fixed in our gaze.’ The secret of the 9th of Av is that reality itself lacks a final definition which is deferred to a future determination. When we envision it, we are not merely uncovering something that was already there (what could be equated with Classical ignorance in physics) but rather, actively projecting our sight onto a metamorphic mass. We are invested in the formative process. This sense of everything not already being here and having a definition captures the essence of the pure futurist’s pursuit whereby, in the words of Alan Kay (and many others), ‘the best way to predict the future is to invent it.’

All of this helps to explain why the Sabbath before the 9th of Av has a special designation as the ‘Visionary Sabbath’ [Shabbat Chazon]. If there were ever a day for a futurist’s convention in the Jewish liturgical calendar, this would be it. The positioning of a Sabbath where, according to the Chassidic master Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev (1740-1809), each of us is granted a vision of the future Temple, underscores the need for foresight when grappling with the problems of history on both a personal and social scale. Similarly, the Sabbath immediately following the 9th of Av also has a singular designation as the Sabbath of Consolation [Shabbat Nachamu]. The pairing of these two Sabbaths or elevated states of consciousness, the before and after of the destruction, arrives to frame these catastrophes in an original and innovative way. The message is clear: events don’t exist in isolation. The preview and post analysis transform the nature and significance of what happens in the time stretched out between them. Reflectively, we have to assume that we are always in medias res gestating.

Following up on this bracketing of the 9th of Av with these two Sabbath ‘observances,’ our thinking of the future will continue in Part Two.

http://www.interinclusion.org/inspirations/the-visionary-futurist-part-2/

Frequently Asked Questions:

About the Interinclusion Winter Retreat 2017:

What is the theme of the retreat?

Transforming Darkness into Light: Dealing with Challenge

A Retreat for the Mind, Body and Soul

How long is the retreat?

The retreat is over three days, two nights, beginning on Sunday, January 15th at 2:30pm and officially ending on Tuesday, January 17th at 12:00pm (with option to stay for snow activities with rentals and admissions included: cross-country skiing, snow biking, snowshoeing, snowtubing).

If I can’t take off from work on Tuesday, do I have the option of joining and leaving Monday evening?

Yes, you would just need to check out of your room by 11:00 am on Monday. We can store your things safely and then you can participate for as long as you can stay on Monday. Based on your room situation we will discuss special prices for this situation.

Who is the retreat geared for?

We do not have a “target” audience rather we are looking for those who want to truly immerse themselves in an environment of growth, discussion and exploration. The goal of the retreat is to recharge our batteries by escaping the hustle and bustle of life and give ourselves the time in a naturally beautiful setting to really delve deep within while learning how to better connect with those around us.

Are the retreats for adults only or are children allowed?

Because of the nature of the retreats which are fully packed days going late into the evenings, we are focused on an adults-only program. However, based on the age of the children, we may possibly offer some babysitting services so please be in touch with us directly if you are interested.

What types of activities will be offered?

The retreats offer numerous opportunities for learning, interaction, relaxation and self-development. Group activities include: painting and writing workshops, a snowshoeing walk, bonfire, classes, morning meditations, musical performance and more. There is also free time scheduled for participants to explore the area and further engage in activities of their choice with optional snow activities (fees included in price) such as cross-country skiing, snow biking, snowshoeing, and snowtubing.

Who will be catering the retreat and what kind of food will be used? What if we have allergies?

We are thrilled that the extremely talented Hallie Cohen will once again be cooking for our retreat. Hallie is a professional cook and health coach whose delicious and nutritious food is a real highlight of the retreat.

The cooking will be done in the Crispe home or at the Grafton Inn in a kitchen that has been koshered by Rabbi Crispe. All food will be glatt kosher, chalav yisrael and pas yisrael. (If you only eat specific hechsherim, please let us know). At every meal there will be vegetarian options as well as gluten free food and allergen free. If there are special needs this does not cover we can arrange for that as well with advanced notice.

What are the rooms like in the Grafton Inn?

Each room is unique with a different set up with the majority having a King or Queen bed. There are rooms that are available with two double beds if that is requested in advanced. If you have a specific requirement please let us know as soon as possible and we will try our best to accommodate.

Who are the speakers at the retreat?

The speakers are Rabbi Asher and Sara Esther Crispe (see bios below) who will be speaking both formally and informally throughout. The retreat is set up that every part of the program is an educational opportunity and interactive so learning will be included on walks, during other activities, etc.

Rabbi Asher Crispe is the Co-Director of Interinclusion.org, a social mosaic which perpetuates the arts, sciences, literature and music through Jewish tradition.

He is a highly knowledgeable technology expert and futurist as well as a media aficionado with a thorough and intimate knowledge of emerging developments in science and the digital universe. With over 20 years of experience as an educator, Rabbi Crispe regularly travels the world as a speaker / lecturer teaching in Jewish centers and academic institutions.

He specializes in illuminating the arts and sciences through the lens of the Torah. His lectures have focused on: music, film, architecture, gender theory, psychology, education, economics, regenerative medicine and physics.

He has also served as a consultant for financial, medical, and technological projects all relating to future trends.

Sara Esther Crispe is the Co-Director of Interinclusion.org, a multi-layered educational non-profit celebrating the convergence between contemporary arts and sciences and timeless Jewish wisdom.

She has traveled the world as a sought out motivational speaker and educator, presenting on interpersonal relationships and the Kabbalistic approach to self-development. Sara Esther was also the creator and editor for ten years of TheJewishWoman.org—a section of Chabad.org—the largest website on Judaism. She has also worked with Part2Pictures as a producer for shows relating to Judaism on the Oprah Winfrey Network and HARPO Productions, most recently a segment of the BELIEF series which was presented at the UN.

A prolific writer, her pieces can be found on numerous online sites including The Huffington Post. She is currently working on a book about the power of the Jewish woman as well as a book on parenting titled, I Used to be the Perfect Mother, Then I Had Kids.

How do we sign up and what is the cost?

Please click on this link for our registration form.

https://goo.gl/CE9Gdo

If you are coming on your own we can try to arrange for you to share a room with another guest if you would like. Costs are as follows (and please contact us to discuss pricing if you will be leaving Monday evening and not staying Monday night):

$425 pp (4 per room with 2 double beds)

$475 pp (3 per room with 2 double beds)

$550 pp (2 per room with king or queen)

$675 pp (1 per room with king or queen)

Payment is made through our website at www.interinclusion.org/donate/ (yellow donate button for one-time payment). A 50% payment is required upon registration and the remaining payment by December 5, 2016.

About Grafton, Vermont:

How far away is Grafton from NYC?

Grafton is about a 4-hour drive from Manhattan, 6 hours from Philadelphia. We definitely suggest driving if possible.

What is the closest airport?

One can fly to Albany, NY, Burlington, VT or Manchester, NH. All are about a 2 hour drive to Grafton.

Is there public transportation?

Amtrak has a daily stop in Brattleboro, VT which is about 30 min. from Grafton.

“She girds her loins with strength and she makes her arms courageous”

The letter Chet, the eight letter, follows the letters Vav, representing the male, and Zayin, representing the female and is formed by a Vav and Zayin side by side and connected at the top. As anyone who has been in a relationship knows, relationships are hard as taking two very different beings and joining them together takes an incredible amount of work.

That is why the union of man and wife is the 8th letter, for it is the idea of going above and beyond the natural, for a successful marriage is most definitely in the realm of the supernatural. It states in the Talmud that bringing together a husband and wife is more difficult than the splitting of the sea (Sotah 2a). So too we see that when the bride and groom stand under the marriage canopy (the chuppah which likewise begins with the letter Chet) that they themselves form a chuppah under the chuppah for they are the Vav and the Zayin, side by side, and connected together from Above.

This once again reiterates the concept that a healthy marriage is when the husband and wife are unified and equal yet recognize that there is something Greater than both of them that holds their marriage together. This is how they take their relationship, something incredibly natural, and bring it into the supernatural, maintaining a connection that goes above and beyond the two of them.

Other connections to the Chet being related to infinity are how there are seven days of the week, the six weekdays and then Shabbat, and then the 8th is that of the supernatural. So too, it is on the 8th day that a Jewish baby boy is circumcised, and there are eight days of Chanukah, representing the miracle of the oil. The Chet is considered the gateway to infinity and yet, it is the letter related to ‘chayim’, life itself. The goal of our lives is to reach beyond the finite, into the infinite, beyond the natural into the supernatural, and yet to remain connected to and involved with our day to day lives.

This eighth verse of Eshet Chayil speaks of the loins, from which the legs extend and connect to the ground, and the arms, which extend outwards from the heart and can rise above one’s body, higher than any other part of ourselves. In Kabbalah, the right and left axis of our body correspond to the masculine and feminine as well. The only two limbs we have that are side by side and equal are our arms and our legs.

If we visualize our arms or our legs as the Vav and the Zayin, that means then that the loins and the heart become the connectors, with both forming Vavs on our body. Our lower Chet (loins) have the power to create/conceive and then birth life (connected again to the Chet of chayim, meaning ‘life.’ And our upper Chet (arms) have the power to catch that life, to bring it forth, to hold it, support it and nurture it.

Nothing represents both the finite and the infinite more than a baby and the creation of that baby. The ability to create and bring forth life is nothing short of miraculous while simultaneously being the most natural thing there is. And this new life can only occur through the connection, the Divine union, of husband and wife. Intimacy, when within the context of love and holiness, is the true bond of heaven and earth. This is why it is taught by the Sages that every time a husband and wife have sexual relations that a soul is formed. Sometimes that soul comes into a body resulting in a pregnancy, other times that soul remains purely spiritual. But when we unify in the most powerful of ways it always results in positive creation.

As was discussed in the previous article, it was decreed during the enslavement in Egypt that the Jewish baby boys were to be killed at birth or soon thereafter. Miriam, the woman related to this verse, was connected both to the birthing of these babies as a midwife, and to the rescue of them from death (both her own brother, Moshe, and countless others.) How beautiful then that this verse, numerically equivalent to eight and representing infinity, is also the day that a Jewish baby boy receives his brit (circumcision) but whose deeper meaning is ‘covenant.’ For the 8th day, the number of infinity, is when life is celebrated and soul and body are truly connected.

http://www.interinclusion.org/inspirations/a-rebel-with-a-cause-eshet-chayil-part-24/

Interinclusion Summer Retreat Registration Form July 29-July 31, 2016

Frequently Asked Questions:

About the Interinclusion Summer Retreat 2016:

How long is the retreat?

The retreat is over three days, two nights, beginning on Friday, July 29th at 3:30pm and ending on Sunday, July 31st at 3:30pm. We are more than happy to suggest activities for the rest of Sunday day for those that want to extend their trip.

Are the retreats for adults only or are children allowed?

Because of the nature of the retreats which are fully packed days going late into the evenings, we are focused on an adults-only program. However, based on the age of the children, we may possibly offer some babysitting services so please be in touch with us directly if you are interested.

Who will be catering the retreat and what kind of food will be used? What if we have allergies?

The cooking will be done in the Crispe home or at the Inn in a kitchen that has been koshered by Rabbi Crispe. All food will be glatt kosher, chalav yisrael and pas yisrael. At every meal there will be vegetarian options as well as gluten free food and allergen free. If there are special needs this does not cover we can arrange for that as well with advanced notice.

What are the rooms like in the Grafton Inn?

Each room is unique with a different set up with the majority having a King or Queen bed. There are rooms that are available with two double beds if that is requested in advanced. If you have a specific requirement please let us know as soon as possible and we will try our best to accommodate. Please see their website for more information about the Inn: www.graftoninn.com.

Who are the speakers at the retreat?

The speakers are Rabbi Asher and Sara Esther Crispe (see bios below) who will be speaking both formally and informally throughout. The retreat is set up that every part of the program is an educational opportunity and interactive so learning will be included on walks, during other activities, etc.

Rabbi Asher Crispe is the Co-Director of Interinclusion.org, a social mosaic which perpetuates the arts, sciences, literature and music through Jewish tradition.

He is a highly knowledgeable technology expert and futurist as well as a media aficionado with a thorough and intimate knowledge of emerging developments in science and the digital universe. With over 20 years of experience as an educator, Rabbi Crispe regularly travels the world as a speaker / lecturer teaching in Jewish centers and academic institutions.

He specializes in illuminating the arts and sciences through the lens of the Torah. His lectures have focused on: music, film, architecture, gender theory, psychology, education, economics, regenerative medicine and physics.

He has also served as a consultant for financial, medical, and technological projects all relating to future trends.

Sara Esther Crispe is the Co-Director of Interinclusion.org, a multi-layered educational non-profit celebrating the convergence between contemporary arts and sciences and timeless Jewish wisdom.

She has traveled the world as a sought out motivational speaker and educator, presenting on interpersonal relationships and the Kabbalistic approach to self-development. Sara Esther was also the creator and editor for ten years of TheJewishWoman.org—a section of Chabad.org—the largest website on Judaism. She has also worked with Part2Pictures as a producer for shows relating to Judaism on the Oprah Winfrey Network and HARPO Productions, most recently a segment of the BELIEF series which was presented at the UN.

A prolific writer, her pieces can be found on numerous online sites including The Huffington Post. She is currently working on a book about the power of the Jewish woman as well as a book on parenting titled, I Used to be the Perfect Mother, Then I Had Kids.

What is the theme of the retreat?

Being that the retreat falls during the three-week period of mourning in Jewish practice, the theme of this retreat is:

“Transforming Darkness into Light: A Healing Retreat of Mind, Body and Soul”

What types of activities will be offered?

The retreats offer numerous opportunities for learning, interaction, relaxation and self-development. There is also free time scheduled for participants to explore the area and further engage in activities of their choice. Group activities include: painting and writing workshops, nature walks, time at the lake, bonfire and smores, classes, morning meditations and more….

Who is the retreat geared for?

We do not have a “target” audience rather we are looking for those who want to truly immerse themselves in an environment of growth, discussion and exploration. The goal of the retreat is to recharge our batteries by escaping the hustle and bustle of life and give ourselves the time in a naturally beautiful setting to really delve deep within while learning how to better connect with those around us.

How do we sign up and what is the cost?

Please contact us at info@interinclusion.org and we will send you a registration form. If you are coming on your own we can possibly arrange for you to share a room with another guest if you would like. Costs are as follows:

$425 pp (4 per room with 2 double beds)

$475 pp (3 per room with 2 double beds)

$550 pp (2 per room with king or queen)

$675 pp (1 per room with king or queen)

About Grafton, Vermont:

How far away is Grafton from NYC?

Grafton is about a 4 hour drive from Manhattan, 6 hours from Philadelphia.

What is the closest airport?

One can fly to Albany, NY, Burlington, VT or Manchester, NH. All are about a 2 hour drive to Grafton.

Is there public transportation?

Amtrak has a daily stop in Brattleboro, VT which is about 30 min. from Grafton.

If we want to extend our stay, what is there to do in and around Grafton?

Here is a list of attractions within an hour’s drive (taken from the www.gratoninnvermont.com website). This includes winter activities as well for future visits!

Art Galleries

• Gallery North Star, Grafton, Vt. – Fine Art Gallery – gnsgrafton.com
• Hunter Gallery, Grafton, Vt. – Fine Art Gallery – (802) 843-1440
• Jud Hartmann Gallery, Grafton, Vt. – bronze sculpture – judhartmanngallery.com

Antiques / Flea Markets

• Visit the Vermont Antiques Dealers Association website.
• Newfane Flea Market, Newfane, Vt. – largest Flea Market in Vt. Open May-Oct. – 802-365-4000

Attractions

• Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Tours, Waterbury, Vt. – more than an hour, but a great tour – benjerry.com/
• Grafton Village Cheese Co. – graftonvillagecheese.com
• Green Mountain Railroad – Bellows Falls, VT – rails-vt.com
• Harpoon Brewery, Windsor, Vt. harpoonbrewery.com
• King Arthur Flour – Norwich, Vt. – kingarthurflour.com
• Vermont Institute of Natural Science – Quechee, Vt. – vinsweb.org

Books / Reading

• Grafton Public Library – graftonpubliclibrary.org
• Misty Valley Books – Chester, VT – mvbooks.com
• Northshire Books – Manchester, VT – northshire.com

Entertainment (Misc.)

• Brattleboro – brattleborochamber.org
• Brattleboro Reformer website
• Cider Magazine, for live music listings in the area
• Ping Pong and Billiards – Grafton Inn Game Room
• Weston Playhouse – Weston, Vt. – westonplayhouse.org

Gardens / Farms

• Dutton Farms, Newfane, Vt. – Berry Picking, farm stand, greenhouse – duttonberryfarm.com
• Olallie Daylily Farm, Williamsville, Vt. – Daylily farm – daylilygarden.com
• Morningstar Perennials, Bellows Falls, Vt. – morningstarflowers.com/

Golf

• Bellows Falls Country Club (9 hole) – Rockingham, Vt. – (802) 463-9809 – com
• Crown Point Country Club (18 holes), Springfield, Vt., – crownpointcc.com
• Hooper Golf Club (9 hole) – Walpole, NH – (603) 756-4020
• Tater Hill Golf Club (18 hole) – okemo.com (closest to The Old Tavern)

Hiking

• Appalachian Trail (Long Trail), Vermont, Vermont’s piece of the AT is 150 miles. Elevation ranges from 400-4100 feet and is named the Long Trail.  greenmountainclub.org
• Grafton Ponds – graftonponds.com
• Grafton Village Park & the Nature Trails at the Nature Museum, Grafton
• Retreat Trails, Brattleboro, Vt. – a nine-mile recreational trail network. Five area entries, including one at the Retreat Petting Farm. windham-foundation.org

Historic Themed / Historic Sites

• American Precision Museum – Windsor, Vt. – americanprecision.org
• Billings Farm – Woodstock, Vt. – billingsfarm.org
• Calvin Coolidge Homestead – Plymouth Notch, Vt. – historicvermont.org/coolidge/
• Fort Number Four, Charlestown, NH — Living history museum (French & Indian Wartime) – fortat4.com
• Grafton Historical Society, Grafton — Museum with historic artifacts and exhibits on Grafton. – graftonhistoricalsociety.com
• Hildene, Manchester, Vt. –Todd Lincoln’s Mansion — hildene.org
• Vermont Historic sites – historicvermont.org
• Grafton Forge Blacksmith, Grafton — Authentic working blacksmith shop. Tours, items for sale. School Street.

Maple Syrup

• Plummer’s Sugar House, Grafton, Vt.

Movies

• Bellows Falls Opera House – Bellows Falls, Vt. – (802) 463-4766 – com
• The Latchis Theater – Brattleboro, Vt.– latchis.com

Museums

• Brattleboro Museum and Art Center, Brattleboro, Vt. – brattleboromuseum.org
• Grafton Historical Society, Grafton — Museum with historic artifacts and exhibits on Grafton. – graftonhistoricalsociety.org.
• Hood Museum of Art, Hanover, NH – hoodmuseum.dartmouth.edu
• Nature Museum at Grafton – nature-museum.org/
• Norman Rockwell Museum of Vermont, Rutland, Vt. – normanrockwellvt.com
• The Vermont Marble Museum, Proctorsville, Vt. – vermont-marble.com
• Vermont Museum of Mining and Minerals – Grafton, Vt. – (802) 875-3562

Quilting Shops

• Country Treasures, Chester, Vt. – Quilt Shop vermontquilting.com
• Grafton Village Quilts – Grafton, Vt. – com
• Waterwheel House, Londonderry, Vt. – Quilt Shop – waterwheelhouse.typepad.com

Shopping

• Green Mountain Spinnery, Putney, Vt. – locally grown and made yarns – spinnery.com/
• Manchester Designer Outlets, Manchester, Vt. – retail clothing outlet shopping – manchesterdesigneroutlets.com
• My Mind’s Design, Grafton, Vt. — Handcrafted woodworked pieces from Jason Ballard; commission pieces and retail pieces. – 802-843-1000. com
• Offerings, Putney, VT – Handcrafted jewelry –offeringsjewelry.com
• Sam’s Outdoor Outfitters, Bellows Falls and Brattleboro – clothing, outdoor/sporting equipment – samsoutfitters.com
• Simon Pearce in Quechee or Windsor, Vt., glass blowers and pottery simonpearce.com
• Vermont Country Store, Weston and Rockingham – “purveyors of the practical and hard to find” – vermontcountrystore.com

Trail Rides

• Horses for Hire, Peru, Vt. – horsesforhire.net
• At Grafton Ponds – seasonal offering
• Friesians of Majesty, Townshend, Vt. – com

Spas

• Castle Hill Spa, Ludlow, Vt. – castlehillresort.com
• Equinox Resort & Spa, Manchester, Vt. – equinoxresort.com

Swimming

• Grafton Inn swim pond (summer)
• Grafton Ponds pond (summer)
• Rockingham Recreation Center, Bellows Falls, Vt. — Pool open in summer – rockbf.org
• Southern Vermont Health & Recreation Center, Springfield, Vt. – Indoor pool – myreccenter.org

Tennis

• Indoor Tennis – West River Tennis & Fitness Center – South Londonderry, VT – (802) 824-3688
• Platform tennis and standard tennis courts – Grafton Inn

Yoga/Pilates

• Grist Mill Wellness Center – Chester, Vt. – (802)875-5525
• In Grafton: Sundari Satnam Kundalini Yoga Center, NEW, class times vary. 802-843-2322

Sprockets Fitness Studio, Brattleboro, Vt. – Sprocketscyclestudio.com

“She girds her loins with strength and she makes her arms courageous”

Parents are the ones who are supposed to guide their children. It is rare that children are the ones giving their parents advice. And yet, there are times in life that that something needs to be said, and while we may not be the best person to say it (or we may even be the worst person to say it), the message is more important than the messenger.

When Pharaoh decreed that all the Jewish baby boys were to be thrown in the Nile, Jewish couples decided to abstain from sexual relations from fear that they would conceive a boy who would then be killed. But to little Miriam, only five-years-old at the time, this was just not OK.

So she sat down with her parents for what must have been an incredibly awkward conversation. She argued that if they didn’t bear children, the end result was even worse than the original decree. By abstaining they were ensuring that no babies be brought into this world and that was, in essence, killing then both boys and girls. She was so adamant in her argument, so passionate in her mission, that they agreed, and following this incident Yocheved became pregnant with Moshe.

Now, let’s think about this for a minute. Miriam was a five-year-old little girl. Not exactly one that should be speaking to her parents about their intimate life. And yet, even at that young age, she knew they simply needed to hear what she had to say and she was really the only one available to say it. Chassidic philosophy teaches us that “words from the heart enter the heart.” And fortunately, they did.

Even as a young child, Miriam worked side-by-side with her mother as a midwife. Even worse than the decree that the baby boys were to be throw into the Nile was the direct ruling to Miriam and her mother that if they delivered a baby boy they were to kill that newborn on the spot. They were allowed to let the baby girls live but were commanded to murder the boys. Knowing this was a command she faced (though one they clearly didn’t act on) further connects her to this verse about making her arms courageous as she would bring these infants into this world, risking both their lives and her own.

And we see in her name itself the power of Miriam and her message to the Jewish people, and specifically the Jewish women.

The most common explanation of her name is that its root, mar, means ‘bitter.’ The connection is that she was born at a terribly bitter time for the Jewish people when they were enslaved and suffering. More so, the rest of her name spells yam meaning ‘river’ which is clearly connected to the bitter waters where her newborn brother would be put and where so many Jewish baby boys were murdered.

When one is surrounded by bitterness, it is easy to become defined by that bitterness. It is the perfect excuse to not have to try, to not have to work hard, for it is easy to become become a victim to circumstances. Yet when one is facing bitterness and not only survives it but transforms it, that shows true character. Miriam is connected to this verse as this verse is focused on strength and courage and the ability to birth new realities. She both helps others bring new life into this world and she, even as a child, is emotionally and spiritually birthing new life as well.

The other meaning of her name is related to ‘rebellion’ from the connection to the root ‘mara.’ Miriam was a rebel with a cause. She knew what had to be done. And she did it. No matter who tried to get in her way and stop her.

After her brother, Moshe, was born and put in the Nile in a basket, she was the one who brazenly followed him until she saw him being pulled to safety by Batya, the daughter of Pharoah. Without any hesitation, she approached her and convinced her that this baby would need to be fed by a Jewish wet-nurse, and thus succeeded in being able to return him to his own family and his own mother.

Miriam’s strength and courage empowered others and helped guide them in the right direction. Years later when the Jewish people were leaving Egypt, it was Miriam who told the Jewish woman to bring tambourines with them. While still in Egypt, while still stuck in bitterness, she was already thinking and focused on their freedom. And this freedom still had tests to pass and hurdles to cross and yet she was absolutely certain it would come so that is what she planned for.

When the Jewish people finally did escape Egypt and experienced the miracle of the splitting of the sea, Miriam was there to lead the women in dance, tambourine in hand. This was a dance she was prepared for and expecting. And this was a dance that she shared with others as well for it was imperative to her that they likewise recognize that bitterness can always be transformed through happiness.

And perhaps the greatest transformation that Miriam accomplishes is through her well. The Be’er Miriam, the Well of Miriam as it is referred to, it what gave water to the Jewish people throughout their 40 years in the desert. It also hydrated the cattle and sheep and allowed the desert to bloom with flowers and green pastures.

While initially her name referred to the bitter waters connected to death, Miriam focused all she did on bringing forth and sustaining life. This began with her as a young child and continued until her death. She refused to succumb to her surroundings or to the decrees that were put on her. Rather she used every challenge she faced as an opportunity for growth and used her strength and her courage to create new realities both for herself and others.

http://www.interinclusion.org/inspirations/infinite-connection-the-letter-chet-eshet-chayil-part-25/

http://www.interinclusion.org/inspirations/birthing-new-realities-eshet-chayil-part-23/

“She girds her loins with strength and she makes her arms courageous”

There is a lot of skepticism in society today. Speak to people about belief or religion and it is going to be a touchy subject. People like proof. Something they can see, touch, calculate. Stick to the amorphous and it is tricky. It requires that leap of faith that not everyone is willing to take.

And yet, ironically, one of the most natural things there is, something very tangible, practical, understandable and scientific, is always referred to as a miracle: the miracle of birth.

Of all times, here is a situation where it is easy to say that this man and woman created life. Together they formed this pregnancy and this woman, all by herself, then birthed this baby. And yet, as natural as the process is, anyone who has been through it is recognizes that something greater than the two of them was involved. It is somehow connected to nature and yet above nature simultaneously. Birth seems to bridge the finite into the Infinite.

On a physical level, birth is also the eternal bonding of an individual man with an individual woman. This baby contains the essence of these two, and will forever connect them, regardless of whether or not the relationship survives. The baby is the future, what continues who they are and who they come from. Our children will hopefully outlive us and their children them but with each and every generation we live on both in the physical and in the spiritual.

This 8th verse of Eshet Chayil relates to birth and refers to two separate regions of the body, one which represents the power of the internal, the other the external. The loins are where are procreative organs are located and our ability to birth life. Giving birth requires strength. Clearly physical strength to carry a child and then go through the labor of giving birth, but emotional and spiritual strength as well to then care for and raise that child.

In addition to the strength she must have, she also must have the courage. Her arms are what allows her to hold that child, to reach out to others, to extend herself in ways she didn’t know she was capable of.

But what about women who can’t have children? Who don’t have children? How would this then apply?

The first commandment in the Torah is that of pru u’revu, “to be fruitful and multiply.” The basic explanation is that this means to procreate. But there is a deeper understanding as well. We were created to create. And this is a commandment that applies to all, not only to women in their childbearing years, but to women who have not yet had children and may never have children. More so, it is a commandment that is specific to the male even though he will never physically carry or birth a child.

The idea is that we were all imbued with talents and abilities that we are able to use to impact the world around us. When we create, in whatever format that may be, we then fulfill this commandment. Some of us are artists, others writers, some good at sports, others at negotiation. The abilities are endless, and the impact each and every one can have is enormous.

But it is hard. We doubt ourselves. Others tell us we may not succeed. We fear failure. And all too often we choose the safe path, the easy direction, because doing something new, something risky, just may not be worth it. Or so we think. Yet, we were created to do what only we can do. It doesn’t matter if there are better writers, no one can write what we write. No one thinks just as we think. Or the music we may create, or the paintings, or how we teach and connect with others. We are all unique. There are no copies…we just need to have the strength and courage to explore who we are and what we are capable of.

This is why this 8th verse is speaking of our ability to birth. For we all must give birth new realities and new insights. We all must create. And to do so, first we must strengthen our creative abilities on the inside, and then we must have courage once we have given birth to use our arms to hold and nurture and ultimately send out to the world what it is that we have created.

The word for ‘arms’ is matneha, which contains within the word for a ‘gift’ or ‘present,’ matanah. In Hebrew grammar, the feminization of a word is created when a Yud and a Hei are added to the end. These two letters also represent one of the names of our Creator, so it is a beautiful way to read the word for “loins” as “gift of/from G-d.”

And the strength from her loins comes when they are girded. To gird is to encircle, to surround, to secure. We are strong when we are supported. When we know we are not alone. When we know others are there for us.

Beautifully, the very word for girding in Hebrew is ‘chagrah’ which is the same root as ‘chagurah,’ which means a “belt.” The belt is the line that forms the circle (this will be discussed at length in the piece on the letter Chet that begins the verse) which is taking the masculine and feminine concepts of line and circle and unifying them. The belt is what holds up and supports our garments when it encircles our center.

Furthermore, the word for ‘arms’ is ‘zeroteha’ which contains the root zerah which means ‘seed.’ So the arms that bring forth life from the loins and then bring that life to the world are intrinsically connected to the seed that began that life from the beginning. And just as matneha (her loins) is the idea of “gift of/from G-d” so too, with zeroteha, it likewise can be read as “the seed of/from G-d.”

This verse reminds us that we all have incredible strength within, we just need the support and safety to be able to tap into it. And when we do, we can birth incredible new realities, utilizing our unique talents and fulfilling our purpose in creation. And as we use that strength to bring forth life from within, there are courageous arms waiting to catch what we birth, hold that new creation, comfort it and help it enter the world in order to impact and transform it, in the way that only it can.

http://www.interinclusion.org/inspirations/a-rebel-with-a-cause-eshet-chayil-part-24/

http://www.interinclusion.org/inspirations/coming-full-circle-eshet-chayil-part-22/

“She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her palms she plants a vineyard.”

A cute story is told of a husband and wife who have just finished eating dinner. They both had a long day and as the man begins to read the newspaper, the woman says she is exhausted and is going to head to bed. So she gets up and puts away the food, loads the dishwasher, makes the kids’ lunches for the next day, puts their homework in their backpacks, changes the clothes in the washer to the dryer, picks up the toys, picks out their clothes for the next day. And goes to bed.

About an hour later her husband stretches, yawns and says to himself that he is also really tired and is going to head to bed. And he does.

It is the classic joke between men and women. And it comes in various forms. The grocery list says “bread” so the man goes and buys a loaf of bread. The woman likewise enters the store with a list that has “bread” on it. She leaves the store an hour later with an overflowing cart.

Are these huge generalizations? Of course. Do they have a foundation in reality, yes. That is how most generalizations work.

As was discussed in the introduction, both men and women have masculine and female characteristics. So when we generalize, we speak of masculine or feminine traits. How that will manifest in individual men and women will vary based on that person.

So when it comes to the Kabbalistic understanding of gender, to simplify, men are compared to a line and women to a circle. The line is represented by the 6th letter in the Hebrew alphabet, the Vav, which resembles a human being standing upright. When we break it down by gender though, the Vav is the male. Wheareas the 7th letter, the Zayin, is compared to the female. It also stands upright, and almost looks like a Vav, but there is a crown on top.

It is the Maggid of Mezerich, the famous Chassidic master from the 1700s, who is noted for applying the phrase in connection to this letter: “Eshet chayil ateret ba’alah,” “the woman of valor is the crown of her husband.” The crown defines the king, for a king is not a king without a crown. And the crown is able to simultaneously be connected to the head while also rising above it. It is the ability to understand and empathize and yet to also see things from a different perspective, another vantage point. The crown is a circle. It surrounds, it gives purpose, meaning and definition to the line to which it is connected.

The idea of a line is being singularly focused. One dimensional. Hyper intense to a specific point. And it is an incredible quality and an essential one in certain situations. When a doctor is performing brain surgery, that person better act like a line. Male or female in gender, the approach must be the masculine one. No multi-tasking, no distraction, no greater picture…just what is being done.

Whereas in a circle, everything is equidistant from its center. We may be able to jump all over the place but it is all connected. It is all part of the process. So just as our brain surgeon better be like a line, whoever is running a business better be like a circle. You need to know how to simultaneously deal with customers, maintain peace and happiness amongst employees, train and direct managers and focus on the day to day with the long-term goals and success in mind.

There is no better or worse. Both are essential qualities. Both need to be utilized…but at different times. It is knowing which one is needed when that is the goal.

The letter Zayin is also the 7th letter which relates to the 7th day of the week, Shabbat. Shabbat is likened to the feminine. We refer to the Shabbat queen. The idea is that for six days we work, we are involved in the world, we are creating. But we also need to be able to stop. To recognize that there is a greater purpose. That there is a Divine reason for why we are doing what we are doing. That we are not the ultimate Creator. And that time is Shabbat.

It is easy to think that Shabbat is the weekEND. After all, we have all the days of the week prior to Shabbat. This would be its masculine mode. But in Judaism Shabbat is often also considered the week center. All of the week surrounds Shabbat and is connected to Shabbat in a corresponding feminine modality. We even see in Jewish law that the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday prior to Shabbat are connected to the Shabbat to come, whereas the Sunday, Monday and Tuesday that follows are connected to the Shabbat that just passed. (This is why in Jewish law the official ending of Shabbat, the Havdalah service, can be said until Tuesday).

Shabbat is only 1/7 of the week, but what it lacks in quantity is makes up in quality. It is the purpose and focus of everything. It is the foundation. It is what gives definition to the other six days. They work together. They go hand in hand. And so too we see in this verse the idea of purchasing a field and planting a vineyard. All that will grow and sustain will come from these two. And likewise, it is Yocheved, the mother of Moshe, who is the foundation of the Jewish people. The one who not only births the Jewish leader, but the one who then has the ability to give him his basis and then hand him to the Egyptian palace. While it is there that he will spend the majority of his early life, it was with her where his life began. She is the Shabbat while the rest of the “week” is spent with Pharaoh. But as long as there is Shabbat, everything will have a purpose. For everything is interconnected. And ultimately, it all comes full circle.

In Part 23 we introduce the 8th verse of Eshet Chayil and head from the finite to the Infinite.

http://www.interinclusion.org/inspirations/birthing-new-realities-eshet-chayil-part-23/

http://www.interinclusion.org/inspirations/doing-what-needs-to-be-done-eshet-chayil-part-21/