Terumah – Exodus 25:1 – 27:19
Feb 14 to Feb 20, 2021 | 8 Adar 5781
Watercolor by Nurullah
The Mother of All Questions
Again we ask the perennial question: What’s my purpose? Why am I here?
Torah offers several answers, depending on your point of view. Going back to the opening chapter of Genesis, we are created in the image of G’d to express Goodness. From the viewpoint of Mussar – Jewish ethics – our purpose is to become living examples of divine qualities: courage, loving kindness, equanimity and so forth.
And from Kabbalah? This week’s parsha Terumah details the building of the Mishkan, the Tabernacle where G’d dwells with the Israelites during their 40 year sojourn through the dessert. How does the Kabbalist answer this essential inquiry? Chassidic teaching explains that the previously mentioned reasons are but the various faces of a singular Divine desire for creation:
Chassidism offers its own formulation of this Divine desire: that we make a home for G‑d in the material world.
– Chabad, The Answer to the Mother of All Questions
From the point of view of the Kabbalist, we are here to create a dwelling place for G’d. And yet, our 40 years of wandering in the dessert are but a fragrance of memory. Two Beit Hamikdash – Holy Temples in Jerusalem – have been built according to the plan of the Mishkan and destroyed centuries ago.
And yet, now is as then. What was true then, is true now. What can the structure of the Miskhan tell us about creating a dwelling place for G’d here and now in our personal lives?
Building a Bridge to the Divine
YHWH spoke to Moshe, saying:
Speak to the Children of Israel…
Let them make me a Holy-Shrine
that I may dwell amidst them.
– Exodus 25:1, 2 and 8
In the parsha Terumah, the structure of and activities within the Mishkan are described in detail. This portable dwelling place for G’d consists of 3 chambers: The courtyard, the outer chamber of the sanctuary, and the inner Holy of Holies.
The courtyard was open to all. It is where sacrifices were made, charred and eaten. The outer chamber was reserved for the priestly function, the Levites. And the inner Holy of Holies? Only the Kohen Gadol, the High Priest of Israel, could access the inner chamber which housed the Ark, and then only after much preparation on Yom Kippur.
What can this ancient structure and practice tell us about our lives today? Obviously, we no longer make animal sacrifices. What has replaced that practice? And drawing from our podcast with Rabbi Mendel Brackman, how can we bring our passions of Tohu into the world of Tikun?
To learn how to apply the wisdom of Torah found in the parsha Terumah to our lives, and to better understand its current-day relevance, I called my friend Rabbi Mendel. You are invited to listen in on our conversation:
Entering the Mishkan of Your Soul
Mysteries of Alchemy
We will further our discussion about the Alchemical Arch which began in parsha Yitro by considering the first 3 Stages of Alchemy that correspond with the 3 chambers of the Mishkan.
Stage 1: Courtyard
Separating from ordinary life, we are purifying and elevating our Nafs, our unrefined breath, our self-centered and egoistic tendencies. The part of us that forgets our Source and our connection will all Beings.
Stage 2: Outer Sanctuary
Arising in a purified state, we shift our primary consciousness from the individual, separate self to begin to identify with the real being that one is: pure consciousness.
Stage 3: Holy of Holies
In this stage of Pure Spirit, the sense of individuality surrenders into complete Unity. The soul awakens in the state of all possibility and pure potential. As Rabbi Mendel says, there is “no room” for anything else. Nothing exists but G’d.
In Sufism as in Judaism, our mission is not only to connect in absolute Oneness with G’d. No, we must continue from this Fana, this complete dissolution of self, to re-enter everyday life, bringing with us this experience of peace – the love, harmony and beauty of the One Being. In this way, all three points of view mentioned in the opening paragraph find expression: the image of Goodness, living G’dly qualities, and creating a dwelling place for G’d.
As above, so below. As below, so above.
This week we will choose practices that build our inner Mishkan so that we may enter the Tent of Meeting. 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.
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Watercolor by Nurullah
WEEKLY PRACTICES: Entering the “Tent of Meeting”
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 build our inner capacity to make a dwelling place for G’d.
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
To enter the courtyard of the dwelling place of G’d, first we must remove the accumulations and stories of our heart, mind and body. By so doing we purify ourselves before entering into prayer. We will use the energetic states of Earth, Water, Fire and Air to remove all obscurations. Begin with a complete exhalation. Throughout the practice, breathe deeply and rhythmically, with an even exhalation and inhalation.
Earth: Inhale and exhale through the nose 5 times. Feel the capacity for solidity. Release to the earth all that belongs to earth.
Water: Inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth 5 times. Feel the capacity for liquidity. Set adrift in water all that belongs to water.
Fire: Inhale, sipping through the mouth, and exhale through the nose 5 times. Feel the capacity for heat and transformation. Give to fire all that desires to be released in flame.
Air: Open your mouth and inhale and exhale through the mouth 5 times. Feel the capacity for expansiveness in the gaseous state. Let the wind carry away all that belongs to air.
Now sit quietly, breathing gently in and out through the nose. Feel the capacity for stillness. This is Ether from which the four elements arise. Do you feel the stillness? A lightness of being? When you are ready, return to your normal breath and open your eyes.
CONTEMPLATION
In this purified atmosphere, we turn to prayer. Like many, one of my most heartfelt prayers is the 23 Psalm of David. And when remembering the prayers of the Sufi master Hazrat Inayat Khan, the Prayer for the Universel comes to mind — a place of worship on earth and in our hearts for all people:
Contemplate this translation of the 23rd Psalm:
A Song of David
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He causes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul; He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
Even when I walk in the valley of darkness, I will fear no evil for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff — they comfort me.
You set a table before me in the presence of my adversaries; You anointed my head with oil; my cup overflows.
May only goodness and kindness pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for length of days.
Reflection: Notice how the wording becomes more intimate in the 4th stanza: “I will fear no evil for You are with me.” How does that shift impact you?
Contemplate this prayer for the Universel of Hazrat Inayat Khan.
O Thou, who art the Maker, Moulder, and Builder of the Universe,
Build with Thine own hands the Universel
Our Temple for Thy Divine Message of Love, Harmony, and Beauty.
Amen.
With this prayer, we invite G’d to dwell in our body, heart and soul.
LIGHT
Now that we have purified ourselves with the Purification Breaths and readied ourselves with prayer, now we can enter the outer sanctuary. 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. On the inhale, visualize pure, clear light entering through the crown of your head. On the exhale, direct this crystalline light into your heart. Breathe in pure, clear light through the crown; exhale pure, clear light into your heart for 5 breaths. You are building your Mishkan of Light.
Continuing to inhale pure, clear light in through your crown center, exhale through your heart center 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 quieting of your mind and the purification of your heart? What qualities arise?
SOUND
We enter ever more deeply into the subtle realm of the Mishkan, the dwelling place for G’d, with 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 Quddus (yaa ḳud-DOOS), the ever-purifying one, requires us to take leave of what we cling to in order to experience intimate union. Ya Quddus allows the spiritual traveler to transcend the lower self and keep going toward the one. A force that constantly cleanses us from the conceptual mind and its differentiations, Ya Quddus moves us toward intimacy and union with the absolute. (Source: Physicians of the Heart by Pir Shabda Khan).
We recite Ya Quddus 33 times.
- Inhale: Ya Quddus
- Exhale: (silence)
Afterwards, let the sound of this practice reverberate in your being. Note how you feel. Does a feeling of intimate union arise?
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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”.
Continuing from last week, we will repeat the central Jewish prayer known as the Sh’ma.
In Hebrew:
שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְהוָה אֶחָֽד
Shema Yisrael YHWH Eloheinu YHWH Echad
The Sh’ma can be translated as: “Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God, the LORD is one”. LORD is the unpronounceable four letter word יְהוָה – YHWH, the Name of G’d that can’t be named. Instead, we’ll use the word “Adonai“, meaning Lord, or “HaShem“, meaning The Name.
When practicing Zachor, remembrance, it’s best to use the original language in which the prayer was revealed. As you inhale and exhale, softly repeat out loud, 33 times. Afterward, feel the effects of the vibration on your being.
The phrase lā ilāha illā allāh can be translated as “nothing exists except G’d.” To practice this as gift of remembrance, listen to this recording of the Zikr of Hazrat Inayat Khan:
Inhale: Shema Yisrael Adonai Eloheinu
Exhale: Adonai Echad
Inhale: Shema Yisrael HaShem Eloheinu
Exhale: HaShem Echad
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 to the play of light. Where do you glimpse sparkling clear light in nature? What shades of white 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!
Beloved Debra
I am truly touched that you have used my paintings in your presentation here.
Thank you for honouring them so exquisitely.
I think what you are offering here is an exquisite opportunity for people to entertain God in the depths of their being. Wishing you well always dear friend Ya Shakur 🙏🏼
Ya Shakur