Beshalach: Torah shorthand for thought

 

The one thing all of these experiences have in common is that we are making a connection. These connections may be in the form of connecting one disparate thought to another or finding new meanings for thoughts that we have been pondering for some time.  

 

In addition there are those connections that exist in terms of thinking about something and then experiencing that something in some remarkable way that allows us to remember the initial impetus that led to this particular experience. 

 

In any event the thread of causality is the tell tale link that starts us thinking about what could possibly be going on. Now when we begin to find various correspondences between these special revelatory experiences then we are well on our way to linking us with the above.  

 

What is this above?  It is the unified awareness that the sages have both pointed to and sought after throughout the ages.

 

This unifying experience that happens over the course of repeated correlations above results in what Kabbalah terms 'yechidah' or unity and is arrived at by the twin states of being called 'kavannah'  (intention) and 'hisbodedus' (meditation).  

 

Simply put these twin operations in mind lead to connection above.  In other words we could say that in order to reach a state of yechida you have to number one intend to do so and then two, think about it deeply for a long enough time that you begin to experience its (yechidah's) effects.

 

One of the ways that this process of the unification of Consciousness takes place is through a series of symbol substitutions.  This kind of works like a code but uses thoughts and their conceptual aggregates to get at the rarified phase of unity.  It works like this. 

 

When we are thinking about something we use words until we have described it sufficiently to allow our thoughts to coalesce into a kind of feeling.  Now all we have to do is to recall that feeling and all of our thoughts which go into this feeling are there albeit in compressed form.  

 

Imagine this compression of thoughts taking place on an infinitely greater level where the emotions are then attenuated and refined in such a way that produces what is known as revelations.  

 

These revelations represents a kind of a shorthand for thoughts that operate as a result of this compression on higher level of efficiency producing presupposition and indeed a forecasting of events that are about to occur.  This forecasting of events is more in the way of preparing the way forward as is evidenced by the pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night that leads Israel on their way out of Egypt.

 

Shemos 14:21. And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to cause it to lead them on the way and at night in a pillar of fire to give them light, [they thus could] travel day and night.

 

The key to understanding this verse above is to remember that Torah itself is shorthand for Consciousness and its practical inner workings.  B"H.