A Soulful Journey

Let them only band together and they will redeem one another. — MIDRASH

When Torah was given God introduces the event in an odd, seemingly redundant manner.   Yet the Midrash places it in context: “Because the Holy One, blessed be He, appeared to them at the Sea as a warrior, and at Mt. Sinai as a Scribe teaching Torah, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to them:   “I is I who was at the Sea.   It was I who was at Sinai.   I am the Lord, thy God.” -        - Midrash Tanhuma, Yitro

When Abraham approached the mountain where he was to offer Isaac as a sacrifice, the Torah says, “And Abraham saw.”   What exactly did he “see?” He saw a cloud enveloping a mountain.   Recognizing the sign Abraham said, “This is the place where the Holy One, blessed be He, told me to bring my son.”   Abraham, then turned to Isaac and asked, “My son, do you see what I see?”    “Yes.” Abraham then turned to his servants and asked, “Do you see what I see?” “No,” they answered.   – Midrash Rabbah At this point Abraham and his son went on alone.   Here are four people all facing the same direction yet coming up with radically different worldviews.   The servants see emptiness while Abraham observes majesty.   What we see in life is determined how we see.

A Midrash: Alexander of Macedon, world conqueror, comes to stand at the gate of the Garden of Eden.  He demands admission and is told that only the tzaddikim, the holy and righteous ones, may enter.  Alexander  becomes  indignant.  No one would dare treat this monarch with such indifference! Alexander becomes angry and insists that the angel guarding the gate should offer him something of great worth.  So the angel gives him a human eyeball. Puzzled, Alexander places the eyeball on a scale, to determine its worth, and then begins to load gold and silver on the other scale.  No matter how much precious metal he adds, the eyeball outweighs all.  Finally, the angel covers the eyeball with a layer of dust.  Unable to see the gold, the eyeball immediately finally resumes its normal weight. The  midrash, in its fashion  teaches that the human eye will never be satisfied with what is has, it always covets more. ...

A Midrash on the Torah comments on Laban’s words to the servant of Abraham, Eliezer, “Come, O blessed of the Lord,” (Genesis 24:31).   It wonders how Eliezer, a Canaanite who was cursed by Noah, can be considered blessed.  Midrash answers that since Eliezer served Abraham willingly, lived in peace with him, he was longer in the category of the cursed but became blessed.  People cannot be categorized.  Those who wish to live in peace with us will be blessed, even if their “nation” is one in the past have been enemies.  –Beresheit Rabbah 60:7

A man sees seven worlds [in his lifetime].   A one-year old is like a king carried in a litter, with everyone hugging and kissing him. A two or three year old is like  a pig, grabbing for everything. A ten-year old prances like a young goat. A twenty- year old neighs like a horse, dresses up and seeks a mate. Once wed, he becomes like a donkey. When he has children he scrabbles shamelessly for bread like a dog. When old he becomes a monkey.  -Kohelet Rabbah 1:3 Let it be said of us that we were a mensch and not giving into our worst instincts.

Once when Hillel left his disciples, they said to him, "Where are you going?"  He replied, "To do a pious deed."  They asked, "What may that be?"  He answered, "To take a bath."  They asked, " That is a pious deed?"  He responded, "Yes, for if the man who is appointed to tend and wash the images of kings which are set up in theatres and circuses, received his pay for so doing, and is even raised up to be regarded as among the great ones of the kingdom, how much more is it obligatory on me to tend and wash my body, since I have been created in the image of God?"  -Leviticus Rabbah, 34:3 Everything we can do can be Godly , especially since we are cast from His image.   This is the path of holiness.