Tanya Chap 39: Hope for All

Rabbi Steinsaltz, in his commentary on the Chabad classic the Tanya, has the following statement.

The category of someone who is 'incompletely righteous' includes within it one who isn't completely righteous yet because they haven't' finished what they can and must do.  With this understanding, all Jews, even the simplest among the simple, carries within him the life force to complete this work.  However, not everyone has sufficient life conditions to finish this work.l  The matter depends on place and education; it depends on the garments of one's body and soul.  It depends on the long sequence of potential challenges.  However, all in all this possibility is found within everyone.  At special times, it is possible to break open this potential, to ascend to the heights of the upper Garden of Eden, where not even angels may travel.

Samson and Sex: Sotah 9b, 10a

Here are two stories related to Samson's sexuality.

Judges 13:24: "[Samson] the youth grew and G'd blessed him."  How was he blessed?  Samson's penis was blessed.  His penis was like a grown man's, and the seed poured out like a flowing river.

Delilah, after a long effort, convinces Samson to tell her the secret of his strength.  

Judges 16:16: "Finally, after Delilah nagged him and pressed him constantly, he was wearied, and confided everything in her."  Why does scripture say 'He was wearied?'  Rabbi Issac teaches in the name of Rabbi Ami:  At the moment of orgasm, she pulled  away from him [and asked him again].

Exile by Stages: Rosh HaShanah 31a

This section describes how the Divine Presence slowly, by stages, left its home in the First Temple.  It is a beautiful but sad idea.  I think that it kept moving slowly away hoping that people would notice and change for the better, reversing the process.

The Divine Presence made ten journeys: From the ark covering to one cherub, from one cherub to the other cherub, from the second cherub to the threshold of the Holy of Holies, from the threshold to the Temple courtyard, from the courtyard to the outer altar, from the outer altar to the Temple roof, from the Temple roof to the exterior wall, from the exterior wall into the city of Jerusalem, from the city of Jerusalem to the Mount of Olives, from the Mount of Olives to the wilderness, and from the wilderness back to its place.

Making Trouble: Rosh HaShannah 16B

Rabbi Issac said: Three things cause a person's sins to be remembered in Heaven: [Walking under] an unbalanced wall [i.e. going to dangerous places] careful intention in prayer [where one is sure one's prayer's will be answered], and invoking divine judgment upon one's neighbor.

Our Personal Lights: Mei Shiloach on Hanukah

It's written in Psalms (119:105) "Your words are a candle for my feet and a light for my path."  "A candle for my feet," for G-d directed words of Torah that are in every particular detail of creation as a sign that G-d's kingdom is above all.  "A light for my path," for also in every dimension G-d chose a special part as a reminder that dominion belongs to G-d.  A candle is something particular, while light is a generality.  G-d created the world in general and included in it the three dimensions of world, time, and soul.  It's written (Psalms, 199:16) "G-d formed days and one of the days belongs to Him."  Thus, from each dimension G-d selected a choice part that would illuminate with a revelation of personal light and cause recognition of G-d's kingdom.
*G-d created the world and chose the land of Israel, and from Israel He sanctified Jerusalem, and from there he sanctified the Temple.  G-d commanded that the menorah should be lit in the Temple, to shine its individual light in that place.
*In time, G-d chose the sabbath, and we also find the commandment of sabbath lights.
*Among souls, G-d chose his nation Israel, and for the time being, before the Total Clarification, G-d chose the tribe of Levi, and from among Levi G-d chose the Cohanim, and from the Cohanim G-d chose the High Priest, and gave the High Priest the duty of lighting the Menorah.

In the days of the Hasmoneans, G-d showed a spark of the future light, that in the Time to Come the High Priest will merit to be king, as will be revealed in the future by the Messiah, son of David.  At the time of Total Clarification, the choice part of Israel will be the tribe of Judah.  Then, just as the Hasmoneans merited extra dominion, so to in the Time to Come each individual Jew will shine a line recognizing G-d's kingship.

Thus, from the miracle that occurred with the Temple Menorah, our sages established an personal candle, for each and every person to shine their individual light for the choicest part of their soul.  Thus King David peace upon him said (Psalms 7:6) "G-d will count the nations in writing, and G-d will say to Zion a person and a person were born in Her."  We interpret "G-d will count the nations in writing" as that G-d guides the nations just for the sake of perpetuation of the species, like the rest of creation.  "G-d will say to Zion a person and a person were born in Her, and he prepares Her above," that is each Jew when they are born has a recognition that they were born chosen, from a new soul, and this is why each and every individual must light their own candle on Hanukah.

The schools of Shammai and Hillel disagreed about how to light Hanukah candles.  The school of Shammai taught we start with eight candles on the first night and end with one candle on the last night, while the school of Hillel taught that we start with one candle on the first night and end with eight candles on the last night.  This disagreement reflects their disagreement about how to achieve spiritual perfection, the Total Clarification.  The school of Shammai things that we start with eight and end with one, because the process involves destruction of imperfections, until only the choice holiness remains.  The school of Hillel things that we start with one candle and add on, because the essential part of the process in their eyes is that holiness should spread out at all times, and imperfections with automatically be annulled.

Rabbinic Ecology: The Mei Shiloach on Creation

And G-d said ‘Let us make Man in Our image.’

The Holy One created all creatures other than people first.  The other creatures recognized and understood their shortcoming; they had nobody who could connect their existence to the Holy One.  For only by means of people can things of this world connect themselves to G-d.  People elevate  everything, as is known.   Earth and water’s strength give their strength to plants, plants to animals, and animals to people.  People, by means of serving the Holy One, elevate all of the strength that they receive from this world, even the strength of water and earth.  When other creatures saw they lacked this connection, they prayed for the creation of people.  Thus G-d said, ‘Let us make Man…’  That is to say, G-d said to all other creatures, ‘You will give your strength and partner in the creation of people.’  This gives people a share in all of you, and if people need something, all of the other creatures will arise to help them.   When people are bad, it’s bad for all creatures, as in the generation of the Flood, and when it’s good for people, it’s good for all creatures. 

How connected are we to G-d? Sotah 38B

The gemara discusses if, when the Cohanim pronounce the priestly blessing, if objects in between the cohanim can prevent the blessing from 'reaching' the people.

If tall people are in front of short people, there is no interruption [in the flow of the blessing to the short people.]  The Ark does not interrupt [the flow of the blessing.]  What about a wall?  Come and learn, Rabbi Joshua the son of Levi said, 'Not even an iron wall can separate Israel from their Father in Heaven.'