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A Chaos of Infinite Light
By Dr. Yaakov Brawer |
Torah observant Jews engage in formal prayer three times daily. The
core of each of these services is a silent prayer which is recited
standing, and hence is referred to as the Amidah (from the word
omed which means to stand). The rest of the service is arranged
around, and is subsidiary to, this central prayer. During weekdays,
the Amidah consists of nineteen benedictions, no less than
seven of which are directly and explicitly related to the messianic
redemption.
Torah Jews, like everyone else, must also eat. Following a formal
meal, grace - consisting of four blessings - is recited. The third of
these blessings is a poignant entreaty for Moshiach. A Jew can not
even snack on a piece of cake without calling to mind his yearning for
Moshiach in the requisite blessing said after its consumption.
Thus, an ordinary Jew is required to mention and to think about
Moshiach no less than 24 times every day. This preoccupation with
Moshiach is not limited to mystics, Chassidim and the like, but is
rather central to normative Judaism as it has always been practiced.
What have successful people leading fulfilling, secure, and
comfortable lives in the world's richest country to do with Moshiach?
Why should a surgeon, a television producer, or a high school
basketball star yearn for redemption?
Obsession with Moshiach was understandable in Europe. Who or what
else could deliver the Jewish people from the unrelenting oppression,
poverty, humiliation and physical danger that pervaded the daily life
of European Jewry for the past thousand years? But times (thank G-d)
have changed. We are, for the most part, safe, well fed, and free to
pursue whatever lifestyles and goals that we choose. Why, then, do we
need Moshiach? What is it that he is supposed to save us from? As far
as we are concerned, everything is just fine, thank you. Furthermore,
anyone hankering for our ancestral homeland can satisfy his longing by
simply buying a plane ticket. Whoever so wishes can eat a falafel on
the Dizengof, climb Massada, or even put a little note in the Western
Wall. How can this be called galut (exile)?
Paradoxically, this bewilderment regarding the need for Moshiach is
itself the most emphatic indication of how desperately we need
Moshiach. The most distressing aspect of this bitter galut is
that we are blithely unaware that we are in a bitter galut. We
do not recognize where we really are or what sort of a condition we
are in.
Although galut is frequently associated with physical
suffering, this is not its cardinal characteristic, as is obvious from
the experience of most Jews in America. The definitive feature of
galut is rather the absence of a central unifying purpose to
existence.
Peoples' lives appear to be determined by random forces: economic,
political, and physical. On a larger scale, attempts to define and
solve world problems are doomed to failure, since there is no
consistent pattern in history and no stable rational framework
underlying world events. Today's solution evolves into tomorrow's
crisis. The only reliable assumption in life is that things will
change in unpredictable ways. People may grope desperately to impose
some sort of meaning on life, but since there is no intrinsic or
absolute purpose, these efforts simply reflect the subjective whims of
the moment. They can produce nothing substantial. The flower child of
the sixties transforms into the greedy entrepreneur of the eighties
without so much as a thought to the absurdity of his own
metamorphosis. Where is he going and what does he ultimately have in
mind? He can't know. His view of himself and the world depends upon
circumstances that are ephemeral, undirected, purposeless, and
indifferent to his existence. He is living in Shakespeare's "...tale
told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing".
Such a tale is not necessarily unpleasant. The same mindless
happenstance that consigns one man to serfdom crowns another king. The
main point is that there is no reason.
How and why would G-d create such a world? In order to understand
the "why", we must first come to grips with the "how".
How: Receptive Aphasia and Dream
Reality
As is the case with any of G-d's actions, we have no direct access
to His methods. His thoughts are not our thoughts. Nevertheless, He
created man in His image, meaning that the relationship of Divinity to
creation is reflected in the myriad spiritual dimensions and powers
ultimately relating the soul of man to a physical body.
In other words, man is a microcosm of the universe. The soul powers
that animate the body, such as intelligence and emotion, parallel
Divine attributes of intelligence, kindness, justice, etc., that
vivify creation. Likewise, the vehicles through which the soul
actualizes its powers (i.e. expresses itself) -- thought, speech and
action -- reflect the Divine modes of expression that result in
physical existence.
The Torah, therefore, speaks in the language of man, i.e., in
anthropomorphic metaphor. Consequently, we can gain at least indirect
information regarding Divine activity by drawing analogies to the
appropriate corresponding aspect of human life.
Thus, the essentially ineffable process of Divine creation is
described in metaphoric terms by the Torah as "speech". Human language
provides an unusually rich, multi-tiered model through which many
aspects of creation can be intuited.
All of existence is nothing other than a manifestation of G-dliness,
an expression of G-d's creative ability. The light of G-d's Infinite
Will is revealed through Divine intellectual and emotional attributes,
producing illuminations that can be considered as G-d's "thoughts".
Thoughts are the private domain of the thinker, inaccessible to anyone
but himself. Indeed, they are manifestations of the thinker to
himself. G-d, therefore, expresses His thoughts in "words of speech".
Words of human speech are vehicles through which supraverbal
thoughts and feelings can be expressed and given substance.
Ultimately, the "words of G-d's speech" are the specific properties
and forms assumed by matter, inanimate and sentient, to produce the
countless details of physical existence.
Speech, unlike thought, is not a constant and automatic process.
Speech is generated by the will to reveal oneself. Since speech is
specifically intended to reveal the speaker, creation, the product of
G-d's "speech", should reveal G-dliness, i.e., we should be able to
perceive the Divine purpose in everything. Creation should disclose to
us G-d's "thoughts," which is to say G-d Himself. Such, however, is
obviously not the case.
Although language accurately reflects the process of continuous
creation under ideal conditions, galut (exile) is far from an
ideal condition. The appropriate human parallel, therefore, is not
simply language, but rather disordered language of the type that is
described in clinical neurology as receptive (Wernike's) aphasia.
Receptive aphasia is a disconnection syndrome. A stroke or a tumor
destroys the region of the brain that associates the symbols of
language, the words, with meaning. The region of the brain that
actually generates language remains intact, so that the patient can
speak fluently. Moreover, areas of the brain involved in cognitive and
emotional expression also function properly. The problem is that the
brain components that normally inform speech and provide the
intellectual or emotional content can no longer do so, because the
"wiring" connecting speech with meaning is destroyed. Thus, although
the faculties of the mind are operative, and the ability to produce
language is unimpaired, the two functions are uncoupled, resulting in
fluent speech that is empty of meaning.
Patients with a pure complete receptive aphasia speak in sentences
with proper intonation and inflection. What they say, however, is
random nonsense, unfocused and devoid of rationale. Occasional
fragments of speech may be amusing, or even lyrical, but they fit into
no pattern or conceptual context. Aphasic language does not conform
to, and therefore does not reveal, the "mind" of the speaker. The
structure of language in a pure Wernike's aphasic is determined by
unknowable, seemingly random, subconscious influences. Interestingly,
the patient himself is unaware that his speech is inappropriate, since
he lacks the necessary neurological machinery to interpret all speech,
including his own.
The metaphor that best describes the chaotic profusion of things,
people, and events that constitute worldly life is aphasic-like
speech. From our perspective, the language that comprises creation
appears vacuous and undirected. As far as we can detect, it is neither
guided by, nor does it conform to, any discernible intent of the
Speaker. The Speaker, although fluently expressive, is absolutely
inaccessible, concealed behind a dense thicket of tangled and
uninterpretable utterances.
There are a number of disturbing questions that emerge from all
this, not the least of which is how can so many people be so content
and so blissfully at home in such a horrifying condition? In order to
address this question, we must broaden our view of exile by examining
yet another classical metaphor for galut -- that of a dream.
A dream is a dissociated and often grossly distorted mélange of
images, totally alien to what one encounters in normal life. Since
during sleep the imagination is unrestricted by any assumptions, rules
or necessities, there is no rational framework of cause and effect,
and the dream can assume dimensions which defy description.
Remarkably, from the dreamer's point of view, the dream world appears
entirely ordinary and very real.
The surrealistic distortion that is so apparent on awakening, is
entirely acceptable and natural within the context of the dream. The
dreamer may be terrified by something that, on awakening, merely
evokes a bewildered smile. He may cry brokenheartedly over something
that, from the viewpoint of wakeful consciousness, is not in the least
sad. He regards inanities as momentous, whereas true flashes of
creativity or genius may be ignored. His vision, feelings, priorities,
and plans are all tailored to circumstances in the dream world in
which he truly feels himself to be living.
Thus, an indispensable component of the dreamlike world of galut
is the illusion of reality. People are entirely at home and
comfortable with the lunacy that describes modern life. It is regarded
as normal, healthy and American for thousands of people to fight,
push, and scream their way into a stadium in order to experience the
elevation of spirit, the rapture of watching a man hit a ball with a
stick. News magazines discuss the artistic merits of a popular movie,
the subject of which is cannibalism and sadism; this is normal
entertainment for millions of people. During the day, a man labors
mightily, dissipating his G-d given energy and talents in the pursuit
of toys or a moment's illusion of power. Vicious and violent racists
condemn the victims of their racism as racist in victim-subsidized
college programs. The list goes on.
The Ones Who Don't Fit In
In resolving the question as to why people are content with
galut, the dream metaphor raises an even more perplexing paradox.
If we are all products of the dream of galut, how can we
objectively assess our circumstances so as to be aware of the
horrifying morass that we are in? How can we possibly expect a world
that is blind to its own madness to yearn for redemption?
The answer is that the darkness of galut is not absolute.
There are those for whom the dense obscurity of galut is only
partial. They are like dreamers who know that they are dreaming and
are thus able to stand somewhat aloof from the dream and perceive the
truth. Obviously the agonizing impact of galut can be properly
appreciated only by such people. It also follows that such individuals
must be totally out of register with the rest of humanity. These
unusual people are the Jews.
The Divine Jewish soul emanates from its source in Divine Will,
penetrating the profuse concealments of galut and illuminating
the life of the Jew in this world. The strength of this influence
varies, from prophets and holy individuals (tzaddikim) whose
very perceptions are those of the divine soul, to ordinary Jews in
whom the illumination is somewhat beclouded by the coarseness of the
physical body and the delusions of worldly life. The Jews have thus
always been a people apart, isolated, alien, regarded with suspicion,
fear and loathing by a benighted, uncomprehending world.
For 2000 years the Jews have yearned for a redemption unfathomable
to the nations of the world, and to that end, have pursued goals that
are incomprehensible to the rest of humanity. The periodic misguided
efforts of many Jews to alleviate the anguish of galut by
accommodation and assimilation have made no more sense then it would
for a psychiatrist to accept the perspectives and world views of his
patients and assume their behavior patterns simply because they
outnumber him. Because Jews, in essence, transcend galut, we
are ultimately capable of, and therefore responsible for, ushering in
the redemption, not only for ourselves, but for the entire world.
Why: A Need for Challenge and a Desire
for Infinitude
Although the aphasia paradigm and the dream metaphor explain how
the Almighty can seemingly detach Himself from the creation that He
constantly generates, it gives no insight into His motives. What is
gained by running the world in such a way that its inhabitants are
able to deny the existence of the Creator and reject or even ridicule
concepts of Divine purpose, justice, and mercy?
The answer is that galut is not reality and it has no
inherent significance. On the contrary, it has been designed and
implemented specifically to be overcome, to be negated. The Almighty
is hiding in order to be found, which means that the purpose of the
concealment is really revelation.
The Creator is neither dreaming nor (G-d forbid) aphasic. Every
detail of existence fulfills an overall purpose and contributes to a
comprehensive Divine plan. G-d's "speech", although incomprehensible
to us, is meticulously chosen. The imagery, although appearing to us
as a wild dream, is regulated by the highest purpose. G-d, as it were,
goes to considerable trouble to make the world appear as a rudderless
ship.
It is because the Creator has so thoroughly concealed Himself that
our actions are significant. If the world revealed Divinity, its
inhabitants would, as a matter of course, be holy, and drawn to G-dliness.
Since the pursuit of G-dliness would be natural and, therefore,
effortless, it would also be, in and of itself, valueless. Our actions
would simply reflect the natural tendency to be holy. As it is,
however, an individual's pursuit of G-dliness, no matter how limited,
is of inestimable value precisely because it is neither natural nor
normal. It requires exertion, and a willingness to struggle with one's
instincts, proclivities, and habits. The simplest action, such as
putting a mezuzah on one's door, requires one to do battle with
an entire world that rejects, mocks and opposes such behavior. Because
of galut, the performance of every Mitzvah is of infinite
significance.
The Almighty has not produced the perfect world that He ultimately
desires. In His infinite kindness, He has assigned this mission to the
Jew.
There is another aspect of galut that can be inferred from
the dream analogy. The essential characteristic of a dream, which
distinguishes it from conscious musings or from a daydream, is chaos.
A person's imagination, while awake, is ordered and guided by the
intellect and, therefore, is of necessity, limited. Order and
structure demand rules, and rules impose limitations. A dream, because
it lacks order, is free of limitation. Revelations of the mind that
are so luminous and original that they transcend the restrictions of
language or of rational thought may be revealed by the unfettered
activity of the imagination during a dream. In the case of galut,
its source is so lofty that its manifestations can only be perceived
by the finite, rational mind as uninterpretable chaos. The light is so
intense that there are no instruments capable of detecting it, and
thus it appears as darkness.
The mission of the Jewish people throughout galut is to
transform the finite world into an vessel for revealing this light,
i.e., to transform the darkness into light. This is done by the
application of Torah, the source of which is also transcendent, to all
worldly things and daily affairs. The refinement and restructuring of
the details of worldly existence into vessels for G-dliness prepare
the world for redemption, which is a revelation of the essence of
Divinity. At such a time, the chimeric state of galut will have
served its purpose and will evaporate, as does a perplexing riddle
when the solution is revealed.
This, then, is the redemption that we, all of us, everywhere, and
at all times, yearn for. This is what is meant when Jews beseech three
times daily during formal prayer. "For Your salvation we hope all
day."
Dr. Yaakov
Brawer is Professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology at McGill
University Faculty of Medicine. He is the author of two books of
Chassidic philosophy, Something From Nothing and Eyes
That See
Copyright
© 2003
Dr. Yaakov Brawer
