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Come Journey to the center seeking the one

In spiritual terms the further away you get from the center the less clear the message. As you recede from this center fragmentation appears and separation is experienced. It is only when you constantly seek to connect with this center that a sense of unity begins to develop.

At first there are false starts and perhaps progress is made followed by a regression that once again causes a distance between you and that center. Still with persistence you will keep making the effort to connect all the while improving your tethers which bring you in ever closer and also keep you from straying too far.

The center is Hashem and while this represents the awesome nature of deity which is something far beyond our limited comprehension we may in fact partake of this divinity every day. We are able to do this because of our attention. When that attention remains focused we experience Hashem in our own ways as well as reaching up to understand the many symbolic representations of Hashem found in the Torah.

Hashem as a concept may only be connected to on the fly. This is due to the continuous nature of deity and because of this we have to match our movements so to speak with that of deity. The curious way this happens is that as we are trying to connect with deity it is at the same time always offering that connection.

The ultimate expression of deity, of Hashem is that we become transparent so that Hashem may freely be experienced as flowing through us. We come into being as reflection and then seeking Hashem continuously we emulate by becoming the thing we are seeking. This kind of action is called self nullification in Chassidus. While this may seem to be something that is antithetical to our nature, this self nullification called bitul in Hebrew is really the extension of the self to the maximum of its ability to connect with Hashem. Understand that achieving this state of bitul is a goal that is continuous. Because of this you may only experience moments of this bitul and yet it will keep calling to you in order to always be what you are seeking.

The truth is that it is our seeking that becomes the end in itself leading to all sorts of revelations. It is this seeking that is what is meant by serving Hashem,

Devarim 6:5 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

You serve Hashem by giving your attention to Hashem. When you contemplate the Mystery it becomes ever a part of you as it says in this week's Torah portion Behar Bechukotai.

Vayikra 26:11. And I will place My dwelling in your midst, and My Spirit will not reject you;
-12. I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be My people.

When you are thinking about something it dwells within you and the spirit of the thing you are thinking about is in harmony with you. As your thoughts continuously turn to Hashem you will see the evidence everywhere of holiness. It is in this way that Hashem walks among us showing us that our attention is the key to our revelation. Our service then becomes a part of that unity of connection that is Hashem.
The positive mitzvoth in Torah are meant to bring us closer in service. The negative mitzvoth are telling us not to stray from that service. All in all the lesson here is that Hashem is one and there is no other.

If we should start to stray away from our service to Hashem then by definition we will not be attached to that center and our lives will begin to experience the chaos of separation. But if we return our attention to Hashem we will once again be restored to our previous state of holiness.

We have choices to make each moment along the pathways of realization. If you wish to understand better the nature of reality then seek Hashem in all you do. Seek Hashem in your lives, in Torah where everything is woven together in perfect unity and seek Hashem in each moment choosing to give your attention to serving and seeking the Mystery.

B"H

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, LA Kabbalah Examiner

Mark Siet has studied Kabbalah for more than twenty-five years. His writings are passionate, insightful, and uplifting. He has authored Thought Into Form, 360 Degrees of Good, and the forthcoming, The Enlightened Bahir. Email: mark@marksiet.com.

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