Apple Dipped in Honey: For a Sweet New Year! - Jews in Green

NATIONALLiberator.ILetting Goof theThe Kabbalah of SukkotBy Shifra Hendrie"You shall dwell in sukkot(huts) for seven days… sothat you will know, for allgenerations, that I had theChildren of Israel dwell insukkot,when I took them outof the Land of Egypt;I am G-dyour G-d" (Leviticus 23:42-43)We live in a world of timeand space, a world madeof countless, everchangingand often conflicting details.However, this endless diversity hidesthe truth--that in essence, everythingis one.Kabbalah explains that there isabsolutely nothing outside of G-d. But,in order to allow us the experience ofpersonal existence, G-d conceals thisfundamental truth. He contracts andRoofhides His infinite presence, and indoing so allows us to be.Like Alice in Wonderland, welive our lives in a "through the lookingglass" world, trapped within theillusion that we are the true reality andthat G-d, if He exists at all, issomewhere outside of us, separateand not entirely real.But on Sukkot this illusionbegins to break down. As we sit insidethe sukkah we experience anexistential joy. This joy stems from asoul awareness of the truth--that weexist not separate from G-d, but withinHim.As we sit within the sukkah we aresitting inside G-d.The Illusion of CertaintyOne evening,a couple of years ago,I had an oddly powerful experience. Iwas in my room getting ready for bed.Iwas going through the usual routine,brushing my teeth,washing my face,allthe while looking forward to gettinginto my snug safe bed and reallyrelaxing.But suddenly, for a moment, myperspective shifted. I realized that thefeeling of security I was experiencingwasn't about simply being releasedfrom the pressures and demands ofthe day. It was the repetitiveness andpredictability of my regular nighttimeroutine that was making me feel safe.At that moment my four wallsdidn't seem so solid anymore. I sawthat my safety, my invulnerability, wasan illusion. That in reality, the solidstructure that allowed me to feel safeand secure was anything but solid.What I saw then was this:Althoughpreparing for sleep felt like being in asafe, protective space, safety doesn'tcome from routine.No matter what wepretend, life is never entirely certain.Rather than being solid, defined andpredictable, it is actually fluid,unpredictable and always new.Continuous CreationAccording to Kabbalah, this is acore principle of Creation. Ouruniverse is actually not a solid,immutable reality at all. It exists in afluid and dynamic state known ascontinuous creation.The world exists at this momentonly because G-d is consciously anddeliberately choosing to bring it intoexistence. In fact, Kabbalah explainsthat the natural state of the universe isnon-existence. If G-d were to stop"speaking" the words of Creation foreven an instant, the whole universewould disappear as if it had neverbeen. This makes it, despite theevidence of our senses, as far from asolid reality as anything could be.However, in concealing His infinitepresence, G-d allows us to exist aslimited and defined personalities in aphysical world. Without thisconcealment we would exist--but onlylike light within the body of the sun.There, but not as a defined or separatereality at all.16VOL. XII NO. 1ELUL 5767-TISHREI 5768 / FALL 200716