Mishpatim – Exodus 21:1 – 24:18

Feb 7 to Feb 13, 2021 | 24 Shevat 5781

In Unison with the Will of G’d

All that YHWH has spoken, naaseh v’nishma.

– Exodus 24:7

What do the words naaseh v’nishma mean? Na’aseh simply translates to: “We will do.” It is about action, behavior, deed. The Israelites at the foot of Mount Sinai collectively pledge to follow G-d’s mishpatim – laws and regulations. Using the pronoun “we” instead of “I” shows that they were acting together as a family, another meaning of the name of this parsha Mishpatim.

And the word nishma? According to Rabbi Jonathan Sacks who served as the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations in the UK, the word nishma has several interpretations:

It could mean “We will hear.” But it could also mean, “We will obey.” Or it could mean “We will understand.”

This suggests that more than one interpretation of the lofty commitment “naaseh v’nishma” are valid. Listen to how Rabbi Sacks applies these alternative views to our lives:

First Do, Then Ascend

One viewpoint that brings together all three possible meanings of the word nishma is that doing precedes the ability to ascend. First DO, then we will be attuned to receive through hearing and understanding. First DO, then we can build our internal relationship with the Almighty, now and in the future.

Step One: Correct oneself, one’s behavior toward others, and attitude toward G’d.

Among all of our senses, it is not seeing but hearing which is the most subtle sense to apprehend vibration. After receiving the laws of relationship, G’d calls upon Moshe to ascend Mount Sinai to receive the Torah carved in stone: from hearing, the most subtle sense, to touch, the most dense.

Reflection: As a Sufi practitioners, we are told to set speculation aside and rely on EXPERIENCE. By doing practices, prayer, and acts of kindness we develop the inner life. When has learning by DOING lead to greater receptivity, understanding and alignment in your life?

The Art of Relationships

Now it will be that when he cries out to me,

I will hearken,

for a Compassionate-One am I!

– Exodus 22:26

As above, so below. First we make ourselves right, then we can create a dwelling place for G’d. In the parsha Mispatim, the guidelines for how we relate with G’d, ourselves and others arise out of the fundamental principle of Torah. As Rabbi Akiva intoned while standing on one foot: “to love thy neighbor as thyself.”

At the core of the legal pronouncements is to protect the powerless:

You yourselves know well the feelings of the sojourner

for sojourners were you in the land of Egypt.

– Exodus 23:9

Two Worlds

Recently I had the pleasure of interviewing a young rabbi passionate about learning how to apply the secrets of Kabbalah to daily life. On Tuesday, you’ll get to hear the podcast with Rabbi Mendel Brackman. In the meantime, his insights are wonderfully applicable to the parsha Mishpatim.

As Rabbi Mendel tells us: Every world has two dimensions: the source of G’dly Light and what Light manifests into — Kelim, or Vessels. When Light first came into the Void, the world of Tohu, the Vessels shattered. This “breaking of the vessels,” gave birth to Tikun, meaning repair. In the world of Tikun, Vessel and Light can interact harmoniously with each other.

• Tohu – the Void
• Tikun – the world of Emanation

What is Tohu lacking? Unable to find harmony between Light and Vessel, passion overpowers the identity of Tohu. In contrast, Tikun shares its power with the world around it, creating harmony. Without the covenant between Man and G’d that contains the laws of how to relate with the world around us – with fairness, consideration, and a gentle spirit — the passions of selfhood would be far more likely to shatter the life around us. 

Today we just have to look at the news to witness the lawlessness and heartbreak of the world we live in. We seem to be edging ever more closely to the wild, wild West of Rousseau in the absence of a social contract aimed at maintaining the common good. But in this story, our contract is a Covenant with G’d.

These two worlds of Tohu and Tikun give rise to two paths of awakening – self-realization and self-transcendence.

• Self-realization – Tohu, passion that can inspire and yet overwhelm all else
• Self-transcendence – Tikun, which brings a higher energy into our lives

Same now as during the time of Exodus, these two worlds operate in ourselves and in the world around us. Exploring the balance between doing for ourselves and doing for others, Rabbi Mendel discusses the pursuits of personal development and dedicated service to make the world a more beautiful place.

Secrets of the Story

As in life, we can focus on the story — or on the archetypal meaning that underlies the story. Torah’s ancient stories continue reveal how we human beings can move toward harmony within our own hearts and in relation to others. 

The unity of Torah provides a pathway to the Almighty, to the One-Being-That-Is. By studying Kabbalah, we can translate the underlying truths of Torah into our lives. By doing kind service – Teshuva – we can make our contribution to repair and elevate what is around us.

This week we will choose practices that direct us toward doing and understanding in order to contribute to the transformation of our world. This rapid evolution of mankind is happening whether we participate or not. Through breath, light and sound we can create an avenue to tune ourselves with the Infinite and harmonize with the rhythms of this life. This beautiful, chaotic, ever changing, all-pervading Life.

Photography by Glenn Sackett

WEEKLY PRACTICES: Doing and Understanding

The Soul Manifestation Process awakens us to the present in the fullness of our being. This gentle, embodied awareness allows the heart to begin to heal its wounds and unify the broken shards of separation. This week, we will work with breath infused with light and sound to develop our pathways for loving G’d, self and neighbor.

Suggestion: Do one practice a day, or do all 6 consecutively. Remember… have your Journal nearby to jot down any insights that may arise.

Audio Recording – Coming Soon

BREATH

Let’s continue from last week with a breathing practice designed to awaken our hearts to Divine Love. Sit comfortably, with back straight but not stiff. Close your eyes. Relax your arms. Relax your jaw. Relax your tongue. Bring your chin slightly back and down so that your head is balanced on your neck, as needed. With a little practice, you can feel this sweet spot.

Now close your eyes. In this relaxed stillness, witness your inhale and exhale. Without changing anything, just notice the swing of your breath, in and out.

Next, focus on your heart center in the middle of your chest at the hight of your physical heart. With a gentle, indrawn breath, what do you feel? On the exhale, feel your heart radiating light. Notice how far the light of your heart extends. Inhale and witness the qualities of your heart; exhale and radiate your light outward. Stay with this breath for a few minutes, keeping the inhale and exhale even. After awhile, you’ll feel your heart beating. Inhale for 4 heartbeats; exhale for 4 heartbeats. Inhale receiving life and exhale bestowing light.

With your attention on receiving and bestowing, do you feel the stillness? What do you feel? When you are ready, return to your normal breath and open your eyes.

CONTEMPLATION

In this sacred atmosphere, contemplate these words drawn from this week’s parsha and from the Sufi master Hazrat Inayat Khan:

LIGHT

With eyes closed, breathe in and out gently through the nose. Balance your inhale with your exhale. Keep your body still. As with the practice on breath, focus on your heart center. Visualize emerald green light. Breathe in emerald light, exhale emerald light for 5 breaths.

Continuing to breath emerald light in through your heart center, exhale whispering, “Toward the One.” As you inhale, remain receptive and open to what comes. Stay with this concentration as long as you can peacefully, comfortably maintain it.

When you are ready, open your eyes and breathe naturally. Witness your experience of this practice. Do you feel the “greening” of your heart? What qualities arise?

SOUND

The 99 Beautiful Names of Allah carry a sound code with the capacity to quiet our minds and open our hearts to Truth beyond concept. Through repetition, focus and intent, layers of meaning of the Name will be revealed to you.

Ya Jabbar (yaa jab-BAAR) is an expression of divine power that allows you to accomplish things or to act in the world. It is a healing strength. Ya ‘Azim (yaa ‘a-ḌḤEEM) actualizes the divine presence: to embody the divine presence completely, right into our bones. (Source: Physicians of the Heart by Pir Shabda Khan).

We recite  Ya Jabbar, Ya ‘Azim 33 times.

• Inhale: Ya Jabbar
• Exhale: Ya ‘Azim

Afterwards, let the sound of this practice reverberate in your being. Note how you feel. What insights arise?

ZIKR

Meaning “remembrance”, Zikr is the repetition of a sacred phrase with the intention of returning to the essence of Unity. Similarly, in Hebrew Zakar means to remember, recall, or call to mind. Today we will offer Zakar in Hebrew and Zikr in Arabic. Simply click on the tab labeled “Zakar” or “Zikr”.

NATURE

This week as you take time to walk in nature, notice your life-giving breath. Can you coordinate your footsteps with the rhythm of your breath? Pay attention do the play of light. Where do you glimpse the color emerald green in nature? What shades of green does the winter light reveal?

To be guided in two more nature practices – the Medicine Walk and the 360 Listening Practice – please enjoy the podcast with Maria Rosa Galter: Answering Our Soul’s Longing to Connect in All Dimensions.

Shabbat Shalom!

After 6 days of practice, when Shabbat arrives, observe how this week’s practices shape your Shabbat experience. Be sure to check in Sunday morning for next week’s parsha.

You are invited to comment on how the contemplations and practices for this week have shaped your experience of daily life… any big Ah-ha’s? Please share your thoughts and feelings below.

חַיִּים
L’Hayyim…. To Life!