The Thirteen Petalled Rose: A Discourse on the Essence of Jewish Existence and Belief

The Thirteen Petalled Rose

Contents:

Kabbalah, the Zohar, and the Rose (Part 2)

He stresses that occurrences in our world impact on other worlds and can affect significant change in the spiritual realms.

I could not agree more. The author works through each of the spiritual dimensions in highly coherent way explaining concepts and terminology in original and insightful ways. He explains, 'higher' and 'lower' worlds for example in terms of 'nearer' and 'farther' or degrees of 'transparency' to the divine light. And tells us that, as one descends through the worlds materiality becomes greater and a sense of independence is felt with an ever increasing intensity.

This blocks the divine light and obscures, per the author, the unchanging essence that lurks beneath the personality. I find Steinsaltz's understanding of divinity, angels, humans and the reality we inhabit impressive. I imagine a reality of not four but almost innumerable levels with good deeds and sacred actions radiating upward and outward, expanding and elevating, and ultimately touching the divinity to which we are all connected.

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I feel that I have come away from this reading with a clearer understanding of the nature of spiritual beings and the very fundamental differences between angels and man. Additionally I found the text validating on a personal level as it is my deep-seated belief that there are many largely imperceptible dimensions beyond our own limited understanding of what is.

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I could not recommend this book more highly! You may read the complete review of this wonderful book and others on my blog MysticalLiving. Kindle Edition Verified Purchase. I am Catholic but I will tell you now that this work is a masterpiece in new wave thinking.

There are areas that just blow your mind and stretch your thinking to a new level. The Rabbi has surely written an inspired work that offers good meat for those hungry for spiritual food. My own philosophy allows me to treat this work with an open mind, and an open mind brings fresh air! I became interested in this book after reading "On the Road with Rabbi Steinsalz". That book was a compilation of conversations the author had with the rabbi.. The Thirteen Petalled Rose is an insightful book, a discourse on the deep meaning of spiritual concepts esp.

However, everyone will be able to identify, understand and relate to the concepts presented.

They relate to many of the other spiritual discourses I've read, as well as other religions. I find this book to be a little wordy.

I also felt that Rebbi Steinsaltz's paraphrasing is a bit over the top. The context is very interesting and leaves the reader wanting to read more. It is hard to put the book down. One person found this helpful. Allow me to spark your curiosity as to how truly insightful and provocative this book is: First paragraph of the first page: Most of these worlds are spiritual in their essence; they are of a different order from our know world.

The Thirteen Petalled Rose by Adin Steinsaltz (Chapter 1 Part 1)

Which does not necessarily mean that they exist somewhere else, but means rather that they exist in different dimensions of being. What is more, the various worlds interpenetrate and interact in such way a way that they can be considered counterparts of one another, each reflecting or projecting itself on the one below or above it, with modifications, changes, and even distortions that are the result of such interactions. It is the sum of this infinitely complex exchange of influence back and forth among different domains that comprises the specific world of reality we experience in our everyday world.

From this moment he can begin to follow the guiding strings that are leading him, usually with enormous toil and labor, toward the focal point of himself. For in truth it is not one question with two sides but a meeting place of two questions, that of man seeking himself and of God seeking man.

Kabbalah, the Zohar, and the Rose (Part 2)

Together they can approach a solution of the problem of man's existence. And in the search for this solution, within this desperate exploration, this going after God, man will rediscover himself as well as the definition of his particular being. The invisibility experiment fails—blame it on the unworthiness of the experimenter. The subordination of women. Trouble is, that place is firmly subordinated to that of the Male.

A lot of what the Zohar says about the Sitra Ahra makes shuddery good reading, especially around Halloween time. Which is not exactly good for human relationships. The sacralization of sex. This is a bad thing? The sexual act becomes something divine, a replication of the sacred orgasms by which the cosmos is sustained. So in what way can we appreciate Kabbalah, even learn from it, without allowing ourselves to be damaged by it?

The rose as a feminine symbol of compassion was quite popular in religious thought of the Middle Ages, see hagiography of catholic saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Miracle of the Roses, which appeared in The Golden Legend collection compiled by Jacobus de Varagine around and similar legend surrounding Elizabeth of Portugal It seems probable that the author s of the Zohar were aware of these legends and adapted the rose symbolism to fit its own particular style and way of thought.

If not, cease from drawing near to this great and terrible labor. The sages stressed that the overt nature of this wisdom is not its essence, for the tongue must speak in parable and image. So it is with Israel. So long as they are hard-hearted and do not make a start at repenting, they do not emit fragrance, and there is none to remove them from among the thorns. Informal prayer is essentially private. For formal prayer, the Siddur Jewish prayer book is the standard and most popular repository for Jewish text.

But there are also other sources of prayers such as Mishna and Kabbala. And new prayers are being written today. So, you learn some formula. The intention is the same but the structure is something already made. When a family prays, each has their own desires. If a family wants to pray successfully, sometimes it would be [through] the prayer of a child. And that would come from a different part of the prayer book. The Siddur is not a collection of private prayers but an attempt to create national prayer. It has different details, some of which would be pertinent to me now; and some of which would simply be details.

For example, we have a blessing for full health. But I want to express these prayers in a way that reflects the whole nation in prayer. The essence of prayer, the rabbi says, is turning to God in our hearts. And ideally, prayer should blend our inner desire to pour our hearts out to God with the communal service. The person praying and the words being prayed are one. Rabbi Steinsaltz compares that sort of unity to when one dances to a piece of music?

Unfortunately, there is no guaranteed formula to get to the point where one prays with genuine feeling and understanding. But the rabbi suggests three methods that can point us in the proper direction. One method is to wrestle with the prayer book; that is, attempt to squeeze some meaning out of every word. So, I have to find, inside myself, those things I can have a connection with.

Yesterday, I was basically aligned with a text. People are very changeable.