Rosh Hashanah: Transformation of the
Soul
Understanding Rosh Hashanah from a
Kabbalistic point of view: Simply, Rosh
Hashanah is Adam's birthday. The day that G-d created Mankind:
The One Soul of Adam is what we are. Adam's Soul was split
apart: this is what we are in our essence. The Fall,
simply was turning away from G-d's attributes, rather than
towards God's attributes. In remembering
our purpose--- to emulate G-d, to become the essence of the
Divine, we pray, repeat and meditate on the 13 attributes of
G-d. Our goal is to raise our consciousness: embrace the Divine
qualities as our own-- not our Human qualities such as our Ego.
It is about transformation: transformation to being more like
G-d. In Kabbalistic terms we are focusing on raising ourselves
higher on the Tree of Life: raising our consciousness. More
importantly, we are focusing on being more consistently
in a state of higher consciousness. Finally, we hear about Rosh
Hashanah, that it is a time of judgment. I would say it is more
like a measurement, rather than a judgment. On this day you are
6 foot high, rather than 5'10" high. The requirement might be 7
foot to reach G-d's throne. (I'm 5' 0"s, so please no email on
height issues. It's an analogy.)
On the day we all reach our "height"--our
messiah consciousness ((christ consciousness, higher-self, our
Buddha self, our god-self--people us many names)) -- actually
represented by the Tree of Life, we will have achieved
everlasting peace, unconditional love, a place in this Garden of
Eden, the Sabbath of the world, etc, etc. This is known as being
in a messianic era. This measurement is also about transforming
your past misdeeds. From a Kabbalistic point of view it includes
your Tikkun or karma.
Therefore, Rosh Hashanah is about changing
your past and preparing for a more enlightened future. Here is a
list of what I do to do this:
Take a piece of paper and draw a
line vertically down the middle. On the left side title it:
Past Behavior. On the right side title it: Future
Behavior
On the left side, before Monday
night make a list of sins, mis-deeds, people you want
forgiveness from, behavior that you want to change, people you
want to forgive, patterns that need changing, habits to break,
etc. etc.
On the right side, recreate yourself
by looking at the 13 attributes of G-d. (See the link below.)
Before sundown on Monday read the
left side and make a commitment to change the items on the
left side.
Meditate and pray for the
transformation of these "mid-deeds."
If you are attending a service or
not: meditate and repeat the 13 attributes below. Remember
your goal is to emulate them.
Connect with the Creator-- emulate
the attributes, connect with the energy of the
Tree of Life, keep your focus on
the right side of your paper.
Keep this focus until Yom Kippur. It
is at Yom Kippur that G'd's energy is given for the year to
come. That is why it is called the Day of Atonement: you find
out how high you are.
After the two days of Rosh Hashanah
focus on the right side: creating a new life, transformed,
free of Tikkun. It becomes your mantra.
If you are going to services or
using the Kabbalistic prayer books yourself, connecting with
the Hebrew prayers, 13 attributes and the Torah will bring you
more Light and make the transformation to the Light easier.
If you are not going to services or
do not have a prayer book: meditate on the "72 names of God."
Do the exercises above.
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For a wonderful Kabbalistic interpretation of
Rosh HaShanah go to this site:
http://www.ou.org/torah/haber/tomerdevorah/default.htm
It includes a course on the 13
attributes:
"TOMER DEVORAH
Each year, as the
days of Selichos pass, we become more and more familiar with the
recitation of the thirteen attributes of G-d. Rav Moshe
Kordevaro teaches however, that by reciting G-d's attributes we
are not yet there. We must
emulate them. This is the essence of being
created in the image of G-d. We have the potential to act in a
G-dly fashion.
The Ramak uses the thirteen attributes as described by the
prophet Micah. In these shiurim, based on the writings of
Kordevaro, we will learn about G-d but even more important about
ourselves and just how G-dly we can become."
First Attribute:
"Introduction
It is proper for man to emulate his Creator, for then he
will attain the secret of the Supernal Form in both image (tzelem)
and likeness (demut). For if a person's physical form reflects
the Supernal Form, yet his actions do not, he falsifies his
stature. People will say of him, "A handsome form whose deeds
are ugly." For the essential aspect of the Supernal 'Form' and
'Likeness' is that they are the deeds of the Holy One, Blessed
Be He. Therefore, what good is it for a person to reflect the
Supernal Form in physical form only if his deeds do not imitate
those of his Creator? Thus, it is proper that man's actions
imitate the Thirteen Supernal Attributes of Mercy - the
functions of the sefirah of keter - hinted at in these verses:
Who is G-d like
You, who pardons iniquity and forgives the transgression of
the remnant of His heritage? He does not maintain His anger
forever, for He delights in kindness. He will again show us
compassion, He will vanquish our iniquities, and You will cast
all their sins into the depths of the sea. Show faithfulness
to Yaakov, kindness to Avraham, which You have sworn to our
fathers from days of old.
(Michah 7-18-20)
Consequently, it is proper
that these Thirteen Attributes, which we will now explain,
should also be found in man."
http://www.ou.org/torah/haber/tomerdevorah/default.htm
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Other LINKS:
http://www.kolel.org/pages/holidays/RoshHashanah_intro.html
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