Empowerment I

"I am what I will be"  --  Ex. 3:14

The Pirke Avot ("Sayings of the Fathers"), asserts, "Who is he that is mighty?  He who subdues his [evil] inclination."  The sages have taught that anything taken to excess and, thereby, deviates from the balance of creation is evil.  Then, an empowered person is one who has self-control that is directed to maintaining balance.  The same view is echoed in Kabbalah, Yoga, Zen Buddhism and other metaphysical systems.

We will now apply the concepts that we have derived from the Kabbalistic model of the Sefirot to the process of empowerment.  These are the principles of balance and connection that lead to: 1) the morality of "respect your neighbor as yourself", 2) the justice of "measure for measure" and 3) the acquisition of the knowledge of God's governance found in "you shall be holy; because I the Lord your God am holy".

The statement from the Pirke Avot implies three major steps to empowerment.  The first is that no one can empower you.  Only you can empower yourself.  The second asserts that empowerment comes from the acquisition of self-control (or self-discipline).  Finally, empowerment must be directed toward a purpose beyond oneself in order to be realized.

 The first step is to recognize that no one can empower you.  Others can delegate power to you.  However, the power still rests with the delegator.  You are still dependent on the delegators for your power.  They can withdraw that power at their will.  Teachers can show you the way to power.  However, they cannot make the journey for you.

You can make the choice to use delegation of power and teaching on your path to power.  A teacher can provide you with guidance.  You must apply that guidance to achieve your own empowerment.  Delegated power can provide an apprenticeship to power.  Through it, you can learn to enhance your own power by learning to develop it in the midst of the world in which you live.  This, too, depends on your choice.

In a recent article, Jack Welsh, former CEO of GE, provided an example of the characteristics a person can develop during this "apprenticeship".  "Everyone knows that to succeed in today’s competitive global marketplace, you also have to be smart, curious, and highly collaborative. You have to be able to work with diverse teams and ignite them as a manager to excel together. You need heaps of positive energy, the guts to make tough yes-or-no decisions, and the endurance to execute—get the job done. And, indeed, you do have to possess self-confidence and humility at the same time. That combination is called maturity."  

An empowered person is motivated by the drive to achieve, not by the desire to beat others.   Achievement requires self-control.  A great athlete is focused on beating his/her last performance.  This is true for any achiever.  In a world of competition, you achieve when you are your primary competitor.

Clearly, achievement requires self-confidence.  You must believe in yourself in order to achieve.  As the boxer Sugar Ray Leonard said, "A champion is someone who knows he's a champion before anyone else does".  Self- confidence grows from self-awareness.  When you can recognize your strengths, and talents, then you have the foundation for self-confidence.

However, it also requires the humility of seeing and dealing with your limitations.  There are two types of limits, those we can overcome and those we cannot.  The former are related to our talents and strengths.  Overcoming these provides the motivation for further achievement.  The latter are natural limitations.  For example, some people have musical talent, others do not.  To try to overcome lack of talent is futile.  Children of very talented people do not, necessarily, possess the talents of their parents.  There is something intrinsically mysterious about talent.  This underscores the importance of recognizing your strengths.

Humility is also needed in competition with others.  If your own biases block you from seeing others as they really are, you will be at a disadvantage.

Thus, empowerment requires the balance of self-confidence and humility.  However, something is lacking in this discussion.  As any parent knows, an infant is born with no self-control.  It is dependent on others to fulfill its needs.  What is the source of the self-control that will lead to its empowerment?

-- To be continued. –

Original content copyright © Secular Kabbalist

 

Choice

"I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life"  --  Deut. 30:19

Most people live a life of paradox.  They want the stability of certainty, and, at the same time, they demand freedom of choice.  Logically, this appears to be impossible.  Freedom of choice requires uncertainty.  Whenever we make a choice, there is an element of uncertainty with regard to the outcome.

This is illustrated in chapter three of Genesis.  Adam and Eve ate the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.  They expected to become god-like.  After making the choice, they discovered that there were unexpected consequences. 

A contemporary example is a football game.  The coach makes a choice based on his knowledge of the capability of the players on both sides.  He calls the play.  The other team intercepts the ball and carries it to a touchdown.  This is representative of the "game" of life.  Every time we make a choice, there are unforeseeable outcomes.  However, would you pay $50 to attend a game where the outcome of every play is known beforehand?

Nevertheless, we crave for stability.  Stability is comfortable because there are no surprises.  Unfortunately, this is true only if everything around us stays the same.  An earthquake or a rebellion will quickly end our stability.

In contemporary life, bureaucracies are an example of the striving for stability.  As a government or business grows, bureaucracies become increasingly rigid.  They resist change in order to reduce choice.  This is a self-protective device that the bureaucrat believes will reduce error and enhances his/her position.  However, experience has demonstrated that the consequences are a growing inability to respond to change.  This leads to increasing error.  Furthermore, it results in growing disconnection among the various subdivisions.  The outcome is reduction of the effectiveness and ultimate collapse of the organization. 

Once again, the resolution is found in the principle of balance.  In this case, we are looking for the balance between certainty and uncertainty, or stability and adaptability.  If the outcome of every choice is certain, then there is no need to acquire new knowledge.  On the other hand, if the outcome of every choice is totally uncertain, then there is no ability to acquire new knowledge.  Everything is chaotic.  At both extremes, there is no need for an observer.  In either case, our postulate that our purpose is the acquisition of knowledge of God is invalid.  Creation requires a balance of certainty and uncertainty.

This conclusion is supported by modern Physics.  The Uncertainty Principle of Quantum Theory asserts that, in the domain of atomic dimensions, the results of an experiment are uncertain until the outcome is measured.  The acquisition of knowledge of a quantum system depends on a balance of certainty and uncertainty.  Everything in the universe, including ourselves, is composed of particles of atomic dimensions.

However, in this uncertain creation, there is also need for certainty.  That certainty provides the "platform" for advancing knowledge.  The application of new knowledge requires reproducibility.  This application gives us the technology needed to extend our ability to acquire new knowledge.

Uncertainty and certainty are built into God's Creation.  Without it, we could not fulfill our purpose as observers.  If we do not recognize the necessity of this balance, we also lose control of our lives.

If you cling to stability, the changing circumstance of Creation will ultimately overwhelm you.  On the other hand, if you recognize and accept the instability of stability, you can reduce, not eliminate, the risk.  This is the reason we have insurance.  By creating an "insurance community", we reduce the potential loss to any member of the community.

In order to control our lives in the midst of cosmic uncertainty, we need the three elements of Kabbalah and Torah.  These are: 1) the morality of "respect your neighbor as yourself", 2) the justice of "measure for measure" and the knowledge of "you shall be holy; because I the Lord your God am holy".  These are not the fanciful wishes of an unrealistic world.  They are the solid rocks that insure our survival in the cosmic reality of uncertainty.

 

Original content copyright © Secular Kabbalist

Knowledge

"You shall be holy; for I the Lord your God am holy." 

--  Lev. 19:2

Thus far, we have encountered two of three levels of Kabbalistic growth.  The first was the balance of self-respect and respect for others.  This is embodied in the principle, "you shall respect your neighbor as you respect yourself".  This led to the discovery that we are all connected.  Recognition of this connectedness leads to the responsible individual.  The only way that a person becomes self-empowered is to accept responsibility for his/her actions.

That recognition of connection took us to the next level.  That is, we can only achieve our freedom and empowerment within a just society.  A just society requires the balance of strict judgment and compassion.  The principle that creates a just society is "measure for measure".  This produces a community that is focused on the well-being and security of every member.

These two steps are necessary but not sufficient.  They provide the process, but they do not provide the purpose.  The validity of any process is determined by the outcomes it produces.

This can be illustrated with a parable of a baseball game.  It is the ninth inning.  The winning home run has just turned third base.  The third baseman catches the ball, chases the runner and brings him down with a superb flying tackle.  The crowd boos.  The winning run goes to the opposition.  The third baseman is fined and is fired from the team.  The lesson is that you have to know what game you are playing.  If it were football, he would have been a hero.

In the "game" of life, you have to know what game you are playing.  Who wrote the rules?  What are the expected outcomes?  In both a metaphysical and a scientific context, these are determined by something beyond us.  You may call that something God or nature.  The essential issue is it is beyond us.  We must observe the "game" in order to know what game we are playing.

The third metaphysical level is knowledge.  This brings us back to the observer of the Anthropic Principle of science, and to Maimonides metaphysical principle that the perfection of humanity is the acquisition of knowledge of God.  Many metaphysicians claim that complete knowledge of God is beyond human comprehension.  However, Maimonides and others assert that knowledge of God can be acquired by the study of God's creation.  This is the nexus of science and theology.

Knowledge is achieved through the balance of reason and revelation.  In science, new knowledge begins with the "flash" of revelation that comes from the discovery of unexpected phenomena in creation.  Then reason is applied to order and describe the data.  Finally, the description is tested to confirm that it correctly corresponds to the observed phenomena.  This process is duplicated in metaphysics.  In this case, it provides the connection between humanity, and God and God's creation.  This is embodied in "You shall be holy; for I the Lord your God am holy."  This is the purpose of the responsible individual and the just society.

What does it mean to be holy?  The Hebrew root means to be separated.  In Genesis, God created by a series of separations.  The final separation was that between God and humans.  This separation was necessary so that humans could become observers and acquire knowledge of God.  However, the separation can never be complete.  If the observer and observed were totally separated, there would be no connection between the two.  The acquisition of knowledge would be impossible.

This process of self, society and knowledge of God is cyclic.  Responsible people create a just society.  A just society provides the proper environment to acquire knowledge of God's creation.  That knowledge supports a just society, which, in turn, contributes to the growth of responsible people.  It is analogous to "Jacob's Ladder" (Gen. 28:12), with angels (messengers) ascending and descending. Except, this time we are the messengers.

These concepts of balance, connection, self, society and knowledge of God's creation are all contained within the Kabbalistic model of the Sefirot.  The metaphysical study of the Sefirot requires the same effort as the scientific study of Cosmology.  However, it is not necessary to know all of the details in order to appreciate the results of either.  The five basic concepts cited here will give us the basic tools for appreciating that application of Kabbalah's influence on our daily reality.

 

Original content copyright © Secular Kabbalist

 

Crime and Punishment

"Justice, only justice shall you pursue"  --  Deut. 16:20

There is a humorous story about the person who killed his parents.  Then he begged for mercy on the grounds that he was an orphan.  This little tale raises the essential questions of the purpose and application of justice. 

What is the purpose of justice?  Is it for the well-being of the community?  Or, is it for the well-being of the individual?  If it is for the community, then it should provide the greatest protection for the community.  If it is for the individual, then it should seek the greatest compassion for the accused.

In previous posts, we have examined the role of the individual.  However, we discovered that, in order to maintain the principles of balance and connection, the individual must be viewed in terms of his/her interaction with others.  The balanced, or responsible, person must have self-respect and respect for others.  Cain's lack of respect led to the death of Abel.  Then, responsibility ensures the well-being of each individual.

In a society, each person is connected to the other members. Then each person's action can threaten the well-being and safety of the community.  The metaphysical principle of connection implies that if one person violates the social contract, the entire community will suffer from the consequences.  Then the goal of justice is to restore the well-being and safety of the entire society.  Furthermore, the success of any justice system can be measure by the outcomes it produces.

In the Bible, the Sinai Covenant is the social contract.  Any violation of the social contract is an offense against the entire society.  Then it is the responsibility of the community to respond.  That response must reflect the principal of balance.  In this case, the balance must be between strict judgment and compassion.  The community must measure the degree of the threat.    Then it must determine the appropriate reaction to a specific individual's action.  That reaction must require restitution from the offender that will restore balance to the society.

Justice requires balance between strict judgment and compassion.  Either, carried to an extreme, can produce an evil outcome.  Strict judgment taken to the extreme becomes vengeance.  Vengeance breeds more vengeance.  Compassion taken to the extreme encourages repetition of the offence.  In either case, balance cannot be restored.  This explains why the balance scales have been the symbol of justice since ancient Egypt.

Within this context, how must a just society deal with those who choose to violate the contract?  One way is restitution another is removal.  For example, if the offense was stealing, then the offender must restore the stolen object to its owner and pay a penalty for any loss incurred because of the absence of the stolen property.  If the object is no longer available, then the offender must pay for the total loss or provide services to the owner that represents the value of the loss.  It is important to recognize that restitution must go to the victim.  The balance of the community is achieved through the restoration of balance between the parties involved.

If the crime was murder, there is no way to restore the victim to the society.  In that case, the only restitution available is the life of the offender.  The sixth commandment correctly reads, "Don't murder".  It does not say don't kill.  It recognizes that there are times that killing is unintended or justifiable.

Now, let's return to the case of the "orphaned" offender.  The matter must focus on the protection of the society.  Clearly, in this case, his status of "orphan" is irrelevant.  He was the means that led to his being "orphaned".  The only relevant issue is will the safety of the community be restored after his case is adjudicated.  If he murdered because he wanted to turn a video game into reality, then he will likely continue to be a threat to society.  He must then be removed from society. 

On the other hand, what if his parents had become an immediate threat to his life and he saw no other way out?  The balance might be restored in a way that will benefit the community.  For example, with proper supervision and training he might commit his life to assisting others in a similar situation to find another way out.  Notice, in this scenario he still must make restitution with his life by benefitting the society (strict judgment).  At the same time, he is given the opportunity to live (compassion).

True justice is the highest form of respect for all people in a society.  Those who choose to keep their contract are respected for who they are - contributors to the community.  And, those who choose to violate their contract are respected for who they are - threats to the community.

 

Original content copyright © Secular Kabbalist

 

Justice

"The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it."  -- Albert Einstein

In order to address the metaphysical meaning of justice, we must first go back to two statements in Genesis 1.  These are "And God created man in His image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." and you shall "have dominion over" (or "rule over") all that is upon the earth. 

Adam and Eve are the allegorical representation of all of humanity.  Therefore, we are all made in "God's image".  If we are truly "made in God's image", then we must respect ourselves.  Otherwise, we would be demeaning God.  In addition, since everyone is made in the image of God we must learn to respect others for who they are.  This requires that every person in a community will respect their neighbor as they respect themselves.

The second statement raises a question.  What is dominion in the context of the Torah?  You cannot understand any document or statement unless you know its context.  From the context of the entire Torah, the specific meaning of dominion is responsibility.  These two statements come together when we recognize that no one can accept responsibility without self-respect.

In order to have a just society, every person in the community must be responsible for his/her actions.  Justice is the result of the value system that determines the nature of that responsibility.    Justice is not a system of laws.  It establishes the manner in which the law is applied.  Laws are dependent upon the society's value system.  History has taught us that the most law-abiding nation can produce evil when the law is perverted.  A nation of laws does not necessarily produce a just society.  A just society produces a just legal system.

Then we must ask can humans, left to their own devices, establish a just society?  Genesis 1 asserts that God is the creator and, therefore, the governor of the universe.  George Washington maintained, "It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible."  From the perspective of the Anthropic Principal, we are observers and the observed. As the observed, we are subject to the governance of the universe.  Whether, our perspective is metaphysical or scientific, we are governed by something that exists beyond us.  It is this "something" that defines justice. 

For our purpose, let us take the Sinai Covenant as an example that creates a just society.  In the Ten Commandments, the source is immediately identified, "I am the Lord your God".  In Exodus 24:7, we are told "And he took the Book of the Covenant, and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, "All that the Lord has said will we do, and obey."  This is clearly a voluntary contractual agreement made between God and every individual.  The commandments define the responsibilities of each individual, e.g. no idols, keep the Sabbath, don't murder, don't steal, etc.  It is the responsibility of every individual to fulfill his/her part of the contract. 

The purpose of the commandments is to create a just society.  The source that defines a just society is God.  The society must reflect God's governance.  This is the meaning of "You shall be holy; for I the Lord your God am holy." (Lev. 19:2).  This also clarifies the meaning of "God's image".  We are intended to reflect God's governance in our society.

In the next post, we will examine the application of the contract and the judgment of those who choose to violate it.

 

 

Original content copyright © Secular Kabbalist

 

Community Love

“If I am not for myself, who is for me? And if I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?”  – Hillel

There is a beautiful tale of a great Sage who was watching the crowds of people coming to Jerusalem for one of the festivals.  He stood on a hill, surrounded by his disciples.  Suddenly he raised his arms heavenward and cried out, "Lord thank- you for the blessing of all these people".  His disciples were aghast, and criticized him.  "Master you are one of the wisest men in the world.  Why should you be grateful for those who are inferior to you?"  He looked at them sternly, and chastised them.  "Do you see that man over there?  He is a butcher.  He provides me with the meat that I eat.  That man is a tailor. He makes my clothing.  And, that man is a baker who supplies me with bread.  If it weren't for them, I could not be who I am."

This is the essence of community love.  If each person is contributing to the well being of the community in accordance with their particular capabilities, then each deserves the respect and gratitude of the others for who they are.  In this case, respect is earned through the outcomes of an individual's actions and the benefits they bring to the community.  Respect is not measured by title, or wealth, or power, or wisdom, or any other characteristic of an individual.  It is measured by the benefit that each individual brings to the community.

In this environment, a mystical exchange takes place.  As each individual learns to respect others for who they are, his/her respect for her/himself increases.  This cycle is the source of self-respect, and, ultimately, to true self-empowerment.  It provides meaning to the first command given to Abraham: "Go out to yourself" (Gen. 12:1).

The story of the building of the Tabernacle, Ex. 35-40, provides another example of this process.  Each member of the community participated in the building of the Tabernacle.  Everyone brought the materials and/or the talents needed for its construction.  All had an investment in the Tabernacle, and all were elevated by its presence.

 Unfortunately, this does not describe the world in which we live.  In our world, respect and gratitude of this sort are rare.  Then we are confronted with a dilemma.  How do we acquire self-respect in this world?  Surprisingly, the answer is quite simple.  We train ourselves to appropriately respect others.

The training is a variant of the process discussed in the previous post ("Love").  There is a simple exercise that I recommend to start this training.  Commit to find a reason to say thank-you to, at least, nine people every day, three family members, three friends or co-workers and three strangers.  Each thank-you must be personalized and sincere.  For example, suppose your server in a restaurant was particularly pleasant and attentive.  Then, at the end of the meal you might say, "I really enjoyed your pleasant attitude.  It made my meal all the better.  Thank-you very much."

Since you are looking for something unique in that person, you become better able to see others as they really are.  By responding to people in terms of what is important to them, you will start to discover that you have the capacity to impact on the lives of others.  In most cases, the impact will be small.  Over time, you will become aware that these small encounters can be life changing for some. 

By offering positive incentives to others, your self-respect will grow.  As your self-respect grows, you will become less dependent on the opinion of others.  You will be able to put aside the barriers to yourself and become who you really are. Self-empowerment is the ability to be yourself.  Once again, we confront the metaphysical mystery.  As you seek to help others achieve greater respect for themselves, you receive the greatest benefit.

Because of the world we live in, this process must be selective.  Otherwise, we would suffer for our efforts.  It, necessarily, presumes that all parties that are involved are trying to enhance the well-being of their community.  However, it does not require that all participate to the same degree.  Their offering should be consistent with their relative capability to contribute.  From this perspective, everyone has the ability to invest in the well-being of the community and their own self-respect.

 

Original content copyright © Secular Kabbalist

 

Love

"you shall love your neighbor as yourself" -- Lev. 19:18

Perhaps, one of the most striking applications of the dominion - humility connection in our daily lives is in love and marriage.  Very often, each member of a couple is looking for someone to fill their needs.  If one, or both, does not respond to the needs of the other, this becomes a narcissistic arrangement.  The relationship becomes a competition for attention.  The usual outcome is the loss of love and the destruction of the relationship.  This is a living example of dominion taken to the extreme.

It is true that most of us have needs that require the help of others.  It is not the needs that are at issue.  It is a matter of how those needs are satisfied.

Someone once defined love as when the well-being of the one you love is as important as your own well-being.  However, this presumes that this applies to both members in the relationship.  That is, it is a reciprocal relationship.

Now let us look at "you shall love your neighbor as yourself".  Note that this is a conditional statement.  It is not love your neighbor.  It requires that you shall love your neighbor as   yourself. 

The word love has many meanings in our culture.  With regards to the biblical intent of the commandment, let us equate the word love with the word respect.  This definition is consistent with every commandment in the Torah.  It is the essential requirement for every relationship, both between people and people and God.

The implication of the commandment is profound.  It was given to an entire community.  It applies equally to every member of the community.  It requires reciprocity on the part of every member of the community.  This reciprocity is demonstrated with acts of respect and gratitude.  Furthermore, it recognizes that you cannot respect others unless you respect yourself.  This places an obligation on the community to ensure that all members of the community respect themselves, no matter what their status.

A marriage is a community of two.  The first step toward a loving relationship is that both members must know themselves.  To know yourself is to know both your strengths and your weaknesses.  It is not narcissistic self-love.  Rather, it is the ability to sustain the balance between dominion and humility within yourself.  If you can see yourself as you really are, then you can remove the barriers and self-illusions, and see others as they are.  A person who achieves this balance can then respect him or herself and respect others for who they are. 

The first step makes it possible for you to see the other person for who he/she really is, not who you want her/him to be.  You will be living with that real person.  The next step is for each person to discover who the other person is.  Strangely, it is separation that makes true intimacy possible.  No person can be who you want him or her to be because each of us is unique.  The real purpose of a good relationship is complementarity.  It is an intimate union in which two basically different people achieve greater self-respect because of their differences.  In this way, each can grow. 

The result of this is gratitude that the other person is exactly who they are at any given time in the relationship.  The mystery is that by appreciating another you learn to appreciate yourself. This is love!  Sadly, so many relationships are growth limiting.

This might seem complex, but at the level of real application, it can be very simple.  Consider a couple who are similar in some ways and quite different in others.  Very early, they set a simple rule for their marriage: "if it bothers you, you do it".  For example, she cannot tolerate a dirty bathroom.  Being a male, his definition of a dirty bathroom is different from hers. If he does not clean his bathroom according to her expectations, she cleans it herself.  Not a word is exchanged until he thanks her.  On the other hand, he cannot stand to have dirty dishes sitting around after a meal.  She is satisfied to leave dishes until there is enough to fill the dishwasher.  Then he washes the dishes most of the time, and she thanks him.  This might seem amusing, but this simple exercise is very important to their appreciation of each other.  They never have reason to say, "I wish you were..."  They are always saying "thank-you for being you".  It results in constantly growing gratitude for each other and their own continuing growth.

Original content copyright © Secular Kabbalist