Tag Archive for ketura

Are they some Kabalist/Rabbis who take their powers from evil sources?

This article was constructed with the help of either writings, lectures or shiurim of Rabbi’s Noach Isaac Oelbaum, Berrel Wien, Eliyahu ben Chaim, Asher Hurzberg, Naftali Gonzvi, Pinchus Winston, Yossi Bilius,  Abba Wagensberg, Nissan Midel and The Nachshoni

What’s the difference between a Kabbalist and a Rabbi? A Kabbalist is in a higher tax bracket.

Do traditional Jews take mysticism with a grain of salt? One prominent Orthodox Jew, when introducing a speaker on the subject of Jewish mysticism, basically said, “It’s nonsense, but it’s Jewish nonsense, and the study of anything Jewish, even nonsense, is worthwhile.”

However in many circles going to a Kabbalist is a way of life. One may have a favorite social drink, favorite sport team and a favorite Kabbalist. Perhaps in our New York circles, the Kabbalist has replaced the psychologist as “the go to guy” for help with every aspect of life’s decisions. It makes a great conversation piece at wedding, “Oh, who’s your Kabbalist? Does he take American Express?”

One has to ask if this is the right path for us Jews to consider. Do Kabbalists actually have special powers? And if they do, where do they get their powers from? Is it possible they can get their energy source from a negative evil side? Can we tap in to their superpowers?

First and foremost, one has to realize that once people begin to complicate their lives by attending a Kabbalist it becomes addicting. The reliance increases for every small item. It could start with a legitimate inquiry and gravitate toward the most trivial, like what color paint my patio should be. People start to think, “No I can’t make that decision, I’m not as worthy as the Kabbalist.” This is an addiction and it starts when man seeks to have an edge in life. However, man, not being G-d, is part of that perfect imperfection and is therefore prone to making mistakes. Man, be it the person seeking help as well as the Kabbalist, can, even innocently at times, end up working against G-d even when, at times, he thinks that he is working with Him. As it has been said, the road to Gehinom is paved with good intentions.

We see how having an edge sometimes could lead to a big fiasco. Korach saw through Ruach HaKodesh that from him is destined leadership. But “the eyes fooled him” (Rashi). He didn’t realize is that it was not him who was destined to be the leader but his descendent Shmuel. He misread the divine prophesy.

Similarly, Achitofel was King David’s teacher and was the smartest man in the world at the time. His advice was as good as gold. He saw in Ruach HaKodesh, again that edge, the he is destined the Kingdom. That motivated him to contrite a plan instigating David’s own son Avshalom to rebel against his father. This became one of the uglier episodes in Jewish History. At the end the coup failed and both Achitofel and Avshalom died. What he too didn’t realize was that it wasn’t he who would be king but his great grandson Shlomo.

POWERS TODAY?

In the early part of the 1900’s in Eastern Europe there were documented cases of “DEBUK”- a malevolent wandering spirit that enters and possesses the body of a living person until exorcized. Why was there such a scary phenomenon at this particular period and place? Can one imagine children being possessed by evil spirits? Our Rabbis taught us a concept that when there is a high level of kedusha then there will automatically also be a high level of impurity. In our illustrious Jewish history, this period was known for tremendous amount of Torah learning. The Volozhin as well as the Pressburg Yeshivot were at their heyday and produced some of the greatest Torah scholars that we ever had. But life has to be of equilibrium. When there is a high level of kedusha there will always be an equal amount of evil. The balance must always be.

Today however the generation is substantially weaker compared to yesteryear and it would be highly unlikely that we can produce high levels of great Torah scholars, and equally unlikely to have witches, demons, ghosts or goblins. You are the product of the environment.

Where do magic and extra -terrestrial powers measure on the glucometer of today? Let’s examine the mechanics or at least touch upon one of the many major ways one can elevate himself to superhuman status. In this week’s parsha we encounter one of the more fascinating characters in the Torah, Bilam.

Bilam first appears in our parsha as a human menace, one who with magic or the evil eye by sight or by speech can cause havoc. However we find something interesting that he, by his behavior, is totally dependent on G-d. Although he doesn’t listen very well and transgresses the command against harming Israel, nevertheless he seeks Divine consultation. Strangely, we see a shift later; his devilish image disappears, replaced by that of a prophet who knows the secrets of the future. But we’re not quite finished with him yet. The next episode has him becoming an inciter, who advises corrupting Israel in the pleasures of the flesh. Ultimately, he is killed in battle by the Jews.

In our modern world what can we learn from him? Not the black magic that he inherited from his father (or as some say his grandfather) Lavan. Nor is it the presents Balak received from the gifts that Avraham, our forefather gave to the sons of Ketura, one of his wives. Rav Yirmiya bar Aba taught, “He gave over to them the use of G-d’s name with impurity.” This, Rashi tells us, means that he taught them black magic and demonology. Some Sages teach us that some of the black magic had to do with incense. Avraham received the knowledge of this power from Pharoah as a gift along with his daughter Hagar when he went to Egypt. But today all this is pretty much irrelevant and a waste of time. The Torah is attempting to teach us something. In order to understand a tremendous insight in ourselves and our powers, what we can achieve, we have to examine a few occurrences in our rich past.

We left Egypt in the most thunderous way, with miracles and with the hand of G-d clearly visible. What a way to become a nation. As we know from the Torah and the stories we recite at the seder, we were in a rush (I guess we trace that trait from our ancestors) and didn’t have time to bake the dough. Apparently they didn’t even want to prepare anything for the way, and thus the commentators explain that they had to leave quickly in order to avoid descending to the final level of the Fifty Gates of Impurity. This, of course, is where we encountered Matzot.

However, this does not seem to be correct. Just the opposite! The strength of impurity had been eliminated as a result of the revelation of the Divine Presence, as it says, “For the Children of Israel even a dog will not growl.” (Shemot 11:7). He judged their gods and killed their firstborn. If so, how can it be said that impurity has any control, G-d forbid?

After the redemption had already commenced, from the time the plagues had begun 12 months prior, Evil (Sitra Achra) began to lose power and he continued to do so from that point onward, particularly from the time the actual oppression ended which was on Rosh Hashanah, as it says in Tractate Rosh Hashanah (11a).

In the month of Nissan, and especially on the first night of Pesach, Evil- the S”A was completely beaten and conquered to the point of extinction. If so, how can one say there was concern about the power of the 50th gate of Impurity?

For, G-d, shined His holy light onto the Jewish people, as the author of the Haggadah has written, “The King of Kings was revealed to them.” Therefore, they could not remain in Egypt a moment longer lest the S”A become completely eradicated and free will become eliminated. Egypt was the chief of all the Klipos- negative energy, and if she had been destroyed then so too the S”A and Evil inclination would have been destroyed completely. Free will would no longer have existed, and for this reason they could not delay. Thus, the verse says, “Egypt imposed itself strongly upon the people to hasten to send them out of the land, for they said, ‘We are all dying.'” (Shemot 12:33).

Thus, redemption had not occurred as a result of their own merit, but on the contrary, they had been quite absorbed and drowning in the zuhama and depths of Egyptian impurity. Indeed, only as a result of the merit of covenant with our forefathers Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaacov had this been accomplished.

What begs to be asked is in what method did G-d eradicate and weaken Evil, the Yetzer Hara?

At one point in history, the leading sages were Rabbi Yehudah, Rabbi Yosei the Galilite, and Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. While discussing what attitude to take towards the Roman government, Rabbi Yehudah suggested a friendly one, Rabbi Yosei expressed no opinion, while Rabbi Shimon spoke very bitterly of the Roman tyrants and advocated every possible defiance. Rabbi Shimon could never forget the terrible sight of his beloved master and teacher, Rabbi Akiva, being tortured to death by the Roman executioners. The sages were not aware that their conversation was overheard by a certain young man, Judah ben Gerim. At one time a disciple of Rabbi Shimon, Judah ben Gerim later turned spy for the Roman authorities. This treacherous man reported the conversation of the sages to the Roman authorities.

Rabbi Shimon fled for his life together with his son Rabbi Elazar. Without telling anyone of their whereabouts, they hid in a cave for thirteen years.

One day after Rabbi Shimon emerged he met Judah ben Gerim, the treacherous spy who had caused him so much trouble. Rabbi Shimon exclaimed, “Is this man still alive?” and soon afterwards Judah ben Gerim died.

Our Sages comment how Rabbi Shimon killed the spy. “Rabbi Shimon gazed at him and he turned into a heap of bones.” With his gaze, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai was able to suck out all the kedusha of the individual, like a mosquito sucking blood from a person. Similarly by the redemption, the kedusha was being drained out of Egypt and for this reason the Israelites had to hasten their leave.

According to the Mystiques, our job in this world is to uncover or perhaps increase the sparks of kedusha from elements and people that we encounter. Everything is covered by a shell (klipa). There are times when we can increase the kedusha from under these sparks, but there are also times when we can decrease kedusha; empty it of its holiness. The two examples we used were Egypt and the death of the spy by the gaze of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. In order for evil to exist it needs sparks of kedusha. For this reason all of our most notorious enemies have had in one sense or the other an association with G-d, the Torah or the Jewish people.

Shabtai Tzvi (1648), the false prophet whom we discussed a few weeks ago, began eating prohibited foods claiming he was able to bring out the spark of kedusha from these products even though in essence you can’t. When the Mashiach comes then we all will be able to eradicate those sparks. Apparently Shabtai Tzvi thought he was the Mashiach and gave his stamp of approval to do so. The Sages were suspect of his claim and thought otherwise. We have seen that all of Creation is composed of a mixture of good and evil. Likewise, in every food that a person eats there is a combination of good and evil. Food physically consists of good counterparts, i.e. nutrients, and bad aspects, i.e. waste or indigestible matter. Likewise, spiritually, food contains sparks of holiness, or good components, and husks, or kelipot, which are the gross, bad components that encompass the sparks.

Eating is one of our most common activities. It must be G-d’s Will that we are so involved in eating. There must be an important spiritual purpose to it. If we really can separate good from evil by eating correctly, then this purification has great ramifications upon all levels of reality.

HOW CAN WE INCREASE OUR ABILITY TO BE SUPER?

Let’s examine Noah. Noah was an ISH (man) TZADDIK (righteous person) TAMIM (who was completely righteous) (Genesis 6:9). The word ISH is a compliment in its own right, and the additional descriptions heap honor upon honor on Noah. No other personality is described with so many consecutive praises in one verse!

The first verse in the Book of Psalms teaches: “Fortunate is the man (ISH) who has not gone in the counsel of the wicked, and has not stood in the path of sinners, and has not sat in the company of scoffers.” The Midrash Socher Tov, in the name of Rabbi Yehuda, comments that the phrase “Fortunate is the man (ISH)” refers to Noah, since Noah is called ISH, as in our pasuk.

Why is Noah described as “fortunate”? According to the Midrash, Noah was fortunate in that he did not follow the ways of the three categories of people (wicked, sinners, scoffers) cited in Psalms. These three negative categories correspond to the three generations that arose in the world over the course of Noah’s lifetime: the generation of Enosh (Adam’s grandson, who initiated the practice of idolatry), the generation of the Flood (who were immersed in immoral behavior), and the generation of the dispersion (who built the Tower of Babel in order to wage war against G-d). It was Noah’s good fortune that he did not go in the path of any of these three generations.

The Midrash teaches us that Noah spent his entire life surrounded by evil and wickedness, yet he managed to make himself into one of the most righteous people who ever lived. This is a remarkable feat. How is it possible for a person to maintain such a high level of spirituality while surrounded by an environment of depravity and corruption?

A passage from the Talmud will help us resolve this question. Ben Zoma says, “Who is a wise person? One who learns from everyone.” (Avot 4:1). This is a strange statement. It seems reasonable for us to want to learn from righteous people, but what is wise about learning from the wicked?

The Berditchiver Rebbe remarks that righteous people are able to perceive positive qualities in even the most negative situations. From everything they encounter, they learn how to serve G-d better.

For example, if a righteous person were to witness someone passionately engaged in sinning, he would recognize and appreciate the tremendous motivating power of passion. However, instead of taking that power and using it to accomplish negative goals, the righteous person would redirect it for a meaningful purpose. The correct channeling of passion has the potential to change rote, sterile performance of God’s mitzvot into mitzvah observance driven by enthusiasm and fire! (Kedushat Levi, end of Parshat Bereishit.)

Noah epitomized this ability to channel negative forces toward a higher purpose. A hint to this idea is found in his name. The Torah tells us (Genesis 6:8) that Noah found chen (favor) in the eyes of God. The name NOAH (nun-chet), when reversed, spells CHEN (chet-nun)! Noah found favor in the eyes of God by mastering the art of reversal. He had the ability to redirect every energy from a negative goal to a positive one. All powers come from one source, and therefore they are all good; the only question is how they are used. It is written in our holy books, “Who is strong? One who conquers his self.” Our sages define conquering as channeling and redirecting, and that is what Noah did.

This is why a wise person learns from everyone. Instead of being corrupted by his evil generation, Noah used it as an opportunity for spiritual growth. He had the ‘best’ teachers available! All Noah had to do was learn to take their ingenuity, arrogance, passion, jealousy and zeal, and use them in a productive, constructive way to get closer to G-d.

The understanding from the writings of our great Sages is that each one of us has been created in our own unique way and each individual can reach to the highest spiritual superpower level by his own gifts and abilities. There must be a tremendous amount of Torah learning, refinement of character and acts of kindness. The secret is it has to be done measured correctly to our own self. We all can tap in to Kochot-powers that we didn’t know we had. If we hone our abilities we would be shockingly surprised with ourselves. By channeling different aspects of our character traits and shuffling around the different reservoirs of our personality we can master the world. This was Noah’s great ability. He was able to redirect kochot and channel the energy in a positive G-dly light

May we all learn how to transform the power of every energy into positive actions in order to become the best we can possibly be ….. and that can be enormously super!

So in conclusion there is no difference if one, the kabbalist, goes through evil or kosher route, since  all sources  originates from G-d. This is evident from the reliance Bilam  put on the Master of the Universe. What is important to note that we are able to transform a negativity to a positive light. Noach is the prime example of this. The other way around is also true, Furthermore, the kedusha in the world is not on the strength of yesteryear therefore the power of evil is not as strong. Good and evil are always equal.”

Kabalah -BENEFICIAL OR DANGEROUS

KABALAH-BENEFICIAL OR DANGEROUS

The “practicality” philosophy that America preaches and believes in, has a great deal of influence on yours truly. Furthermore, being raised all my life in the Ashkenazi yeshiva school system  has instilled in me a prudent and “down to earth” way of looking at things. However, I am a Sefardic Jew, and some of us like to be adventurous seeking high falutin experiences to say the least. This kind of  contrast at times can be most difficult. However,   every so often it can have  an unpredictable and refreshing  way of observing things.  Perhaps that is the reason people read this publication. There are many different approaches  on any given topic. We are proud to say we try to accommodate all.

  There is an example of the “adventurous” vs the “practical”. How many remember reading the first volume of the Me’am Loez in English. Many loved  the psycadelic angels and demons and extra terrestrials that were incorporated throughout the book!! Others found it to be not for them.
  Lets take the topic a step further. We humans have many issues and problems that we have to deal with; that’s life. We live a high pressured life style that requires “on demand” quick and precise answers.  Many  Americans benefit by using a psychiatrist to help them through their problems while some of us Jews have Rabbi’s and Kabbalists. Oh yes, you heard right kabbalist not therapist. We  occasionally want to beat the system and come out on top and a kabbalist,  can provide us with precisely that.
 A Kabbalist, if one believes in this approach,  can help give many an angle on some of the tough decisions that one makes. Some believe they get an edge on making difficult decisions consulting with a Kabbalist/Rabbi.
  When I was in the jewelery business I once send out merchandise worth about $20,000 on the recommendation of someone to a store out in Arkansas. The trade book gave them an excellent rating. However, the owner recently retired and handed over the helm to his daughter who was not very capable, to say the least. The daughter sent back the merchandise to the wrong address uninsured!!. After refusing to pay and answer my calls I, with the recommendation of a friend from another neighboring state hired a lawyer. The law is one can only hire a lawyer from the state of which the defendant is being sued. Having a choice of 3 lawyers I asked a kabbalist, Rabbi Shienberger z’l, from the Sanza Rebbi dynasty, who would be the best choice for my case. He chose one & was right ; I retrieved most of my money.
 The question is asked; do kabbalists actually have special powers? Where do they get their powers? Is it possible they can get their energy source from a negative evil side?
There are different types of powers that kabbalists possess which they learned from the Jewish mystical traditions. Every one has a different source of power which they learned from their teacher (Rebbi) through tradition.
1-chochmat hayad- palm reading
2-chochmat hapartzuf- Knowing about an individual by looking at his face
3- combination of Hebrew names
4-koach hanefesh- Some have a gift from G-d; they are able to feel what can happen in the future. Although, at times its not so reliable sometimes, it can be very accurate. The individual can hone and sharpen his gift through learning Torah. This may not be considered kabbalah. It may be genetic.
5-Unknown- There, most likely, may be other forms of power source.
If one does practice the mystical tradition he would have to be granted permission to do so from a superior Rabbi.
 In this weeks parsha we find the collaboration of Bilam and Balak, both experts in black magic, both Jew haters, on a mission to destroy the Jews.
How did Bilam and Balak have knowledge of such powers?
  We learn a very interesting but difficult passage referring to our forefather Avraham: Abraham marries Keturah at the end of  parshat Chayei Sarah, and Rashi tells us that this is Hagar. When the Torah refers to someone by introducing the figure with “Shmo” or “shma” (“His/her name is”) we know that the Torah is describing the person’s essence. In this case we know that Ketura was really Hagar, Abraham’s concubine, but something about her essence involved incense, as Rashi tells us (the word Ketura is related in incense).
“And to the children of Avraham’s pilagshim (concubines-which the midrash recognizes as Hagar or Ketura) Avraham gave presents to, and sent them away from the vicinity of Yitzchok,his son, while he was still alive, eastward, to the country of the east.” There were six sons whom received gifts.

Note the following:
1. “presents…while he was still alive” tells us that Yitzchok was his sole heir.
2. “Presents” coming from Avrohom must indeed have connoted something special and unusual. Just what were the presents? The Gemara is Sanhedrin 91a (on the bottom) teaches us that Avraham gave everything he had to Yitzchok, physically and spiritually. What then, were the gifts that he give the sons of Ketura? Answers Rav Yirmiya bar Aba, “He gave over to them “The use of G-d’s name with impurity.” This Rashi tells us means that he taught them black magic and demonology. Some Sages teach us some of the black magic had to do with  incense. The knowledge of this power, Avraham received from Paroah as a gift, along with his daughter Hagar when he went to Egypt. The Maharsha asks there how could it be that Avrohom taught Ketura’s children Kishuf (black magic) which is forbidden by the Torah?
 Avraham passed down the power of kedusha to his son Yitzchak. We learned that there has to be an equilibrium in the world or else freedom of choice can not exist. Therefore just as goodness was passed to Yitzchak, so too evil black magic was reviled and given to his other sons.
Interestingly, there are other forms of negative energy. One of which is cross breeding.
The Torah prohibits the cross-breeding of species. This action is called kelaim. Shaatnez is crossbreeding linen and wool, Chessed and Gevurah,  and has tremendous ramification in the spiritual world.
 When these negative energies are created they can be formed to be more of a potent element by Evil people

Evil and impurity are often referred to in the Zohar as “the other side” [sitra achra], meaning the side distinct from, and opposed to holiness. Evil is also referred to as kelipa, meaning literally “shell” or “bark”. The kelipa conceals within it a spark of holiness, which is the vital force by virtue of which the kelipa exists, analogous to a fruit surrounded by a shell or peel. In order to release the holy spark the encumbering shell must be removed.

 

Kabbalah uses the term Kelipah to describe evil. Literally, Kelipah means a “peel” or “shell,” as in the peel of a fruit.

An orange will not retain its juice if it does not have a protective jacket. However when one eats the orange, one discards the peel. The peel is only there to preserve the fruit. The same is true of the existence of evil.
The Zohar distinguishes among four kelipot, three of which are entirely evil. The fourth, kelipat noga, is the shell which actually envelops the spark of holiness. It thus has direct contact with holiness and is not entirely evil. The other three kelipot surround kelipat noga and are therefore further removed from holiness.

 

Kabbalah divides everything in this world into either Sitra D’Kedushah (the side of holiness) or Sitra Achra (the side of impurity)-literally meaning “the other side,” or the side of Kelipah. There is nothing that is in between-every thought, speech, action, or creation has its source either in Kedushah or Kelipah.

 

The Midrash states that prior to the creation of this world, G-d created other worlds and destroyed them. The first world created was the World of Chaos taken from the word in Genesis 1:2, “In the beginning of G-d’s creating the heavens and earth, the earth was Tohu Vavohu-chaotic and empty. There was a great advantage of the World of Chaos, for it was brilliant and filled with intense Lights. Its great disadvantage was that each Sefirah ( sefirah (pl. sefirot) is a channel of Divine energy or life-force. This most fundamental concept of Kabbalah is that in the process of creation an intermediate stage was emanated from God’s infinite light to create what we experience as finite reality) was egotistic and wanted all the Light for itself, unable to share or co-exist with another. The root of independence and ego therefore stems from the World of Chaos.

 

Such a world could not exist so it was destroyed and a much better World of Correction (Tikkun) was constructed. Where then the new world was called the World of Correction.

Many people beleive one should not get involved with a Kabbalist. What tends to happen is one often begins to rely too much on the kabbalist, on his kochot (strength) hakabala and forgoes his own kochot of the brain. However for those who are able to minimize their request to the “absolutely necessary” then perhaps, it can help one in life.

 

Interestingly, my father z’l passed away from prostate cancer. Unfortunately, it was diagnosed late where it already reached the bone. Nevertheless, it was localized and was under control for many years. After the illness reached an advanced stage there is no standard treatment. All the oncologists basically perform their own doctrine of medicine. Everyone had his own contraption mixing various  medication, such as different hormone therapy with chemo-therapy. I guess one can equate it to the wild wild west, where anything goes. There is no supervision; if it works, it works. Its the same with kabalah; it seems like after a certain time and experience  each kabalist has his own method.

Perhaps the reason for the “wild wild west” disparity is that each one of us, because of our diversity, has the ability to reach the highest level through our own unique way.  Conceivably, it was designed that way. There is more of an individuality; there is more of a particularity when dealing with the higher level. The essence of a person stands out more when one reaches this lofty level. He’s able to rise above with the strength of his name SHEMO.  However, and this is a very important prerequisite, one can only reach that level when he has refined his character by being aware of the importance of giving, performing chessed, and being sensitive to others.

 

Lets take Avraham our forefather; remember he gave the gifts to his children from Ketura. Perhaps we will see why Avraham gave gifts to those sons without string attached  while to his chosen son Yitzchak  he incorporated character development along with the secret kabbalah tradition .  When Avraham had his brit milah (circumcition) at a very old age,he wanted to do chessed-kindness. His trusted servant, Eliezer, whom he sent out to find people, came back saying he couldn’t find anybody to perform kindness. No individual was present in the heatwave. Avraham said I cannot trust my slave. There has to be someone out there.  This is  very strange. Avraham later on trusted Eliezer in finding his son Yitzchak a wife; he was his right hand man. How can he not trust him?

 

Chessed is an opportunity The world is build on chessed-kindness. The love of man kind  that one masters through this great trait is crucial in maintaining the existence of the world. With chessed one  fixes the TIKUN of this world contrasting the world of TOHU VAVOU. Then and only then it will  lead  one to sharpen his own individuality. In this way one is able to bring out the orange from the klipa.

 

I once spoke to an individual, a chasidic fellow, who practically went to every kabbalist in the world. A few years ago, out of frustration he stopped cold turkey. He said “I can get just as close to G-d as they do. Perhaps, at times,  they can give me the right answers nevertheless I’d rather go one on one’. One has to really do his homework in knowing how legitimate a kabbalist is. I know how legitimate my prayers are. I feel I am in control having a conversation with G-d.”

 

Going to a kabalist is not for everybody. For some it can be beneficial however for some it can be destructive