SHELACH

Shalom Shalom. This week’s DEVAR TORAH is SHELACH which means send.
•     We travel in cycles going from one cycle to another cycle ascending up the SULAM (ladder). When the cycle is complete then there is a test. Going into the Land to spy was a test. The challenges should have brought about rearrangement. When they saw what was on the next level, they focused on the past and their limitations. Because they failed the test, they were not able to go into the Land/the next level. Answer the challenge with stillness and it moves you in an upward direction. Be consistent and don’t complain. Then they got into impatience. Patience is enduring without complaining. Complaining takes them into the wilderness for the next 40 years. After complaining, they move into defiance because of their identification with the ego.
•    CHAYAH I: the unfoldment of miracles. CHAYAH II: everything is a miracle. We are in a universe of becoming. Every event is a miracle aiding us to the Goal of Creation. CHAYAH II takes away complaining.
•    We need to separate from that which is corporeal (body consciousness) which is pain/pleasure. Being conscious of the BEGED (body) is to be weak. Being conscious of the Soul, you can’t be defeated.
•    We have to establish firmness - not being body consciousness. When you are no longer conscious of the body, you are able to maintain Pure Soul Consciousness (CHAYAH I, CHAYAH II and YECHIDAH). There is a sense of peace, stillness, bliss. Walk in firmness and the solution will appear when needed. Don’t claim firmness if you don’t have it, it is defiance. Faith will not deliver you.  
•    Torah is ETZ CHAIM (Tree of Life). We are to maintain Pure Soul Consciousness. Pure Soul Consciousness is maintained by eating of the Tree of Life.  
•    Offering bread to ECHAD is to sustain high levels of consciousness. Until you have completely entered in, you have experiences of the ego. Inner engineering - eat the bread of Torah (Root, RAZ), sustain it in the mind until it is automatic in the mind. A time will come when it is automatic - no longer wrestle with discrimination.
•    Unintentional sin is something that occurs with no inner intention. Intentional sin is idol worship (you and God), wrong perception, abuse of things through ignorance. Intentional sin is not allowed in a Jewish community.  Intentional sin wars against ascension.
•    No one has ever been stoned to death by the Jewish People for violating Shabbat. Picking up wood is insignificant, but doing something insignificant puts the whole universe against you. The Shabbat is a day of rest, to stay focused on the higher levels of consciousness.
•    After the Fall, Adam worked to sustain himself, not to do purpose. Purpose always out trumps work to sustain yourself. We are created to do purpose. Everybody is created to rest. Not everyone is created to work, but to refine the mind and establish it on the planet. They establish high levels of thought that affects nations. It takes a dedicated life, devotion. He does it every day not just on Shabbat. Totally devoted and there is no work.

 

SHELACH

Shalom, Shalom. We commence this DEVAR TORAH by focusing our attention on the opening narrative of the PARASHAT. It is written, “HaShem spoke to Moses saying, Send forth men, if you please, and let them spy out the land of Canaan that I give to the Children of Israel, one man each from his father’s tribe shall you send, every one a leader among them. Moses sent them forth from the Wilderness of Paran at HaShem’s command; they were all distinguished men; heads of the Children of Israel were they.” Numbers 13:1-3. From this scenario, we are given instructions on how one should effect the ASCENSION into Spirituality.

Spirituality is the experience of MOCHIN DE GADLUT, i.e., an expanded consciousness. In egism, which is body consciousness, that is, the experience of OLAM (the world) through the five senses, the awareness is one of limitation. This limited awareness is termed MOCHIN DE KATNUT in Hebrew. The transliteration MOCHIN DE KATNUT is indicative of a constricted consciousness that gives rise to a narrow existence. The narrow existence, from the perspective of time, is an awareness of only that which is in the past and the present. On the other hand, the expanded consciousness termed MOCHIN DE GADLUT not only embraces the PAST and the PRESENT but also the FUTURE. It is the knowledge of THINGS TO COME that is revealed in Spirituality.

From the ROOT LANGUAGE, the LAND mentioned in the text is indicative of Spirituality. The command from the Holy Blessed One of Israel to spy out the land is an instruction suggesting that spiritual leadership is to investigate SPIRITUALITY before attempting to lead the protege in the attainment. We can not lead a person to a place that we have not been. This would be the BLIND leading the BLIND.

Thus we are able to conclude from this scenario that competent SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP is that which has attained SPIRITUALITY and thus empowered to lead others.

SHELACH

Shalom, Shalom. We commence this DEVAR TORAH by focusing our attention on the opening narrative of the SIDRA. The parashat begins with ECHAD speaking to the NAVI MOSHE concerning the sending forth of a company of men to spy out the Land (ERETZ YISRAEL) that had been predetermined to be the inheritance of BENEI YISRAEL. The company of men were leaders over each tribe. The men were described as being distinguished and heads of BENEI YISRAEL. No doubt, the description is a revelation that they had made a level of ATTAINMENT that gave rise to INSIGHT into SPIRITUALITY.

The root language further discloses a principle in making the ascension into SPIRITUALITY. The disclosure is that the ASCENSION is to be made by a corporate group. This disclosure is based upon the principle that the TRUTH OF BEING is that we are the composition of many SOULS that comprise one SOUL that is termed ADAM RISHON, yea, the abiding of ADAM RISHON in ERETZ YISRAEL is indicative of corporate conscious being the nature of spirituality. Therefore ascension into corporate consciousness is destined to be done by a corporate group.

The narrative continues its unfoldment with the idea of the NAVI MOSHE revealing the SUPERNAL NAME given to HOSHEA BEN NUN. The SUPERNAL NAME of an individual is a revelation of the personality ECHAD is becoming as an individual. The personality is the DIVINE PURPOSE for the becoming. Like the SUPERNAL NAME, the DIVINE PURPOSE is ETERNAL, that is, having no beginning or ending. This EMET reveals that the purpose of the NAVI MOSHE giving HOSHEA the SUPERNAL NAME YAHOSHUA was for preservation in the assignment through receiving from the UPPER LIGHT. The UPPER LIGHT would reveal to him the unlimited potential possessed by BENEI YISRAEL that would give rise to making the ATTAINMENT into ERETZ YISRAEL, that is, SPIRITUALITY.

Likewise, the HOST SOULS who have the corporate purpose of making the SPIRITUAL ATTAINMENT will be empowered to do so at the revelation of their SUPERNAL NAMES.

SHELACH

Shalom, Shalom. We commence this DEVAR TORAH by focusing our ATTENTION upon the title of the PARASHAT. The title of the PARASHAT is SHELACH. The IVRI (Hebrew) transliteration SHELACH is interpreted to mean SEND FORTH. The PARASHAT opens up with the SCENARIO of HaShem addressing the NAVI MOSHE concerning the sending forth of men to spy out the PROMISED LAND. The wording employed by HaShem seems to imply that sending forth the spies is OPTIONAL. It is written, “HaShem spoke to Moses saying, Send forth men, if you please, and let them spy out the Land of Canaan that I give to the Children of Israel…” The words “if you please” seem to imply that the sending out of the spies was OPTIONAL, that is, left up to the discretion of the NAVI Moshe.

No doubt the possession of the PROMISED LAND had been predetermined at the CAUSAL LEVEL of CONSCIOUSNESS is certain to take place in TIME and SPACE. The question is, why was it necessary to send in spies to SURVEY that which will ultimately be possessed?
The option that was being presented to the NAVI Moshe is revelatory that the PROMISES are subject to unfolding as a PROCESS. In other words, the SURVEY given by the leaders was destined to reveal their perception of the MATTER.

One’s perception of a MATTER effects one’s ability in the attainment of the GOAL. In other words, the time of the attainment of a GOAL can be now, but the perception of the one who is destined to make the attainment can hinder the unfoldment, yea, a lack of CONFIDENCE can HINDER what is meant to be obtained in the NOW.

An effective leader is one who comprehends the perception of his/her proteges. The comprehension of the perception gives rise to providing the spiritual counsel that is needful for success. An effective leader is one who understands that his/her success is based on the SUCCESS of his/her proteges. The option given to the NAVI Moshe was to enable in the comprehension of the perspective of his proteges.

SHELACH Part 2

Shalom, Shalom. We continue our focus upon the PARASHAT SHELACH by placing our ATTENTION on the following passage found in the SIDRAH, it is written, “But as for the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, and who returned and provoked the entire assembly against him by spreading a report against the Land - the people who spread the evil report about the Land died in a plague before HaShem. But Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh lived from among those men who were going to spy out the Land. Moses spoke these words to all of the Children of Israel, and the people mourned exceedingly. They awoke early in the morning and ascended toward the mountaintop saying, We are ready, and we shall ascend to the place of which HaShem has spoken, for we have sinned … But they defiantly ascended to the mountaintop, while the Ark of HaShem’s covenant and Moses did not move from the midst of the camp. The Amalekite and the Canaanite who dwelled on that mountain descended; they struck them and pounded them until Hormah.” (Numbers 14:36-40, 44,45) In this scenario, BENEI YISRAEL who had received the EVIL REPORT from ten of the twelve spies and witnessed to the JUDGMENT that occurred as a result of their DISBELIEF, repented taking upon themselves to war against the enemies. Their attempt failed leaving the question as to Why?

As aforementioned in the previous DEVAR TORAH, ECHAD did not require the MIGHT or POWER of BENEI YISRAEL in possessing the LAND, His requirement is to ALGIN our INTENTION with HIS. By ALIGNING our INTENTION with His, HASHGACHAH (working behind the scene) would be made MANIFEST. It had been predetermined by ECHAD that the earth would be filled with the VISIBLE MANIFESTATION of HIS INVISIBLE QUALITIES. This could only occur with those who have the SAME INTENTION and are willing to step out of the COMFORT ZONE to do that which requires HIS MANIFESTATION. Thus INTENTION is like a CONDUIT CONNECTING THE POWER SOURCE TO THAT which is to MANIFEST the POWER. It was the DISBELIEF, i.e. DEFIANCE against INTENTION that placed them in a position where they would have to function without MOSHE and the ARK. RELYING upon their own energy met utter defeat.

On the other hand, we must also consider the IDEA that they REPENTED. Their REPENTANCE seemingly was SINCERE, since it gave rise to a change of ACTION. Therefore the problem seemingly does not rest in the MECHANICS that they EMPLOYED. No doubt the problem has to do with TIMING. Once the word of HASHEM had been given, the SPACE for REPENTANCE was over. The TIME of CONSEQUENCES had begun.

These two ideas lead us to the EMET (truth) that success is effected by INTENTION and TIMING. Yea, we are destined to ALIGN our INTENTION with ECHAD in harmony with His TIMING. Employing these MECHANICS will aid with the INFOLDMENT of the MANY BECOMING ONE.

SHELACH

Shalom, Shalom. We commence this DEVAR TORAH by focusing upon the interpretation of the title of the PARASHAT, SHELACH. The IVRI transliteration SHELACH carries with it the idea to SEND FORTH. In particular, it is descriptive of the action of MOSHE REBEYNU sending forth spies to SEE THE LAND, HOW IS IT? THE PEOPLE THAT DWELLS IN IT, ARE THEY STRONG OR WEAK? FEW OR NUMEROUS? HOW IS THE LAND IN WHICH IT DWELLS, IS IT GOOD OR BAD? HOW ARE THE CITIES IN WHICH IT DWELLS, ARE THEY OPEN OR FORTIFIED? HOW IS THE LAND, IS IT FERTILE OR LEAN? ARE THERE TREES OR NOT? Then it goes on to say, “You shall strengthen yourselves and take from the fruit of the Land.” The question is, what is implied by the statement “You shall strengthen yourselves?”

From the DEVARIM (words) of King Solomon, it is obvious that ECHAD has predetermined events that take place in the earthen REALM. It is written, “I realized that whatever God does will endure forever; Nothing can be added to it and nothing can be subtracted from it, and God has acted so that (man) should stand in awe of Him. What has been, already exits and what is still to be, has already been, and God always seeks the pursued.” (Ecclesiastes 3:14,15) In this passage of KETHUVIM, it is evident from the CONCEPT, THAT WHAT has been already exists and what is still to be, has already been, that this statement is based upon the idea the ECHAD PREDETERMINES EVENTS. It is also evident that the PREDETERMINED EVENTS ARE CYCLIC in NATURE. In other words, the Jewish People possessing the LAND OF CANAAN was PREDETERMINED BY ECHAD, yea, what G-d has predestined can not be DENIED. Thus the sending forth of the spies was not for the purpose of SURVEY, i.e. to determine whether or not they would be able to be VICTORIOUS over the INHABITANTS of the LAND.

This EMET (truth) leaves us with the IDEA that the purpose of the SPIES being sent has to do with DIVINE INTENT. In other words, they were sent to align themselves with DIVINE INTENT. It has been promised to our ABBA AVRAHAM that “I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojourns - the whole of the land of CANAAN - as an everlasting possession…” (Genesis 17:8) In this portion of TORAH, it is disclosed that the land of CANAAN had been predetermined by ECHAD to be given to AM Yisrael. Thus the spies were not being sent to determine whether or not they were able to POSSESS the LAND, but rather to strengthen the INTENT to do so.

This suggests that the Jewish People are SENT to demonstrate to OLAM the POWER OF INTENTION. The INTENTION that is based upon what G-d has promised. The INTENT is not only to make ALLEYAH to the LAND, but also into a CONSCIOUS UNION with G-d, yea, the time has come that the MANY are to become the ONE. Let us align our INTENTION with both the ASCENSION to the LAND and our ONENESS with ECHAD.