We all want to live. During the High Holidays we talk of being 'inscribed in the Book of Life', at festive occasions we say 'L'chaim!' - meaning 'To life!' Chai ('life') jewelry and 'tchochkes' are big Judaica items.
So life seems to be a good thing; we're looking forward to 'life'.
But what is life, and what is living? To take an extreme example, was a Gestapo officer truly alive, irrespective of his cardiac and pulmonary activity? Can we say that Osama is alive, just because he's not yet biologically dead? Or is living something deeper, more substantive, more transcendent?
In Jewish thought, connectedness is what allows for life. Just as the heart pumps blood which carries oxygen to the body's various limbs, so too does our collective Heart, G-d, provide the spiritual life force to enliven all of creation.
We're like one big body, and each of us is a limb. Just as with a limb, disconnectedness from the collective organism, or from the heart, is disconnectedness from Life itself.
In real terms, this means that alienation from the whole, a sense of 'it's all about me', disconnects one from the flow of life’.
When my actions are connected with meaning, with a higher purpose and with consideration for others, spiritual ‘blood’ courses through them. I am alive.
Each day, each moment, we can choose Life.
Be conscious. Choose wisely.
L'chaim!
debbi wrote...
Once again I am moved by your Blog and our Saturday morning Shabat discussion. It always gets me thinking and gives me the clarity I am searching for. It is a wonderful life. I know at times it seems so easy to focus on the bad in the world. The conversations about everyday miracles really got me thinking. I am starting to appreciate them more and more. I just read a story about an American Soldier from Wisconsin who while in Baghdad, visited an orphanage. While visiting, a 9 year old Iraqi boy, with cerebral palsy came to see him and spoke with him. The soldier went back to visit the orphanage over and over. He knew, somewhere inside of him, that he wanted to adopt this boy. He had to go through great lengths to do this, and finally it was done. This is a single man, living in Wisconsin, and for all intents and purposes, this would not occur. Yet for some reason, this boy got into his heart and a miracle occurred. I read this story yesterday and thought about how this soldier is creating a miracle for this boy. From this boy's perspective, this truly was a miracle. Anyway, I may have felt warm in the heart prior to our Saturday discussion, but I am starting to look at it with much more depth than that now.
It truly is a wonderful life.
Mendy wrote...
I'm sitting in the office at my computer, because Malkie and I are working on a big project.
The undertaking is daunting, and the thought literally gave me a headache.
Then I met with someone here in the office. I told her about the project, and she reacted very positively, describing the beauty of helping people to hear their own soul, their inner voice; she referred to it as one's 'inner song'.
I really needed that conversation. Seeing this project as an instrument, a means of allowing light into people's lives, has made all the difference to me this morning.
We can all be miracle workers. And when we recognize that, life has a special flavor.
See you,