2: Understanding Chesed

Torah is a guide to living an enlightened way of life. When we live in harmony with ourselves, our family, nature and all her creations, we can claim we live an enlightened way of life. This is the main teaching of Torah.

Duality

Duality is a concept in spirituality that refers to the idea of two opposing forces or energies that exist in the universe. These forces are often described as being complementary and interdependent, with each relying on the other to maintain balance and harmony.

In many spiritual traditions, duality is represented by various symbols and concepts, such as light and dark, yin and yang, male and female, or positive and negative energy. These opposing forces are seen as part of the natural order of things, and the goal of spiritual practice is often to achieve a state of unity or transcendence that transcends these dualities.

Duality can also refer to the idea that we are all made up of both a physical body and a spiritual essence or soul. This duality between our material and spiritual nature is seen as another aspect of the natural order of things, and many spiritual practices aim to help us connect with our inner spirit and transcend the limitations of the physical world.

Non-Duality

Nonduality is a concept in spirituality that refers to the state of yoga (oneness or unity) where all apparent dualities and distinctions disappear. It is the state of being beyond the mind, where there is no separation between the individual and the universe, and where everything is seen as one and the same.

Nondual awareness is often described as an experience that is beyond words and concepts, and that can only be understood through direct experience. It is said to be a state of profound peace, joy, and freedom that is available to anyone who is willing to let go of their ego and embrace their true nature.

Nonduality is often associated with various spiritual traditions, such as Advaita Vedanta, Zen Buddhism, and Taoism. In these traditions, the goal of spiritual practice is to realize this state of nonduality or oneness, which is often described as the ultimate truth or reality.

Nonduality is very important to understanding Torah. Nondual awareness is expressed in a variety of ways but the simplest is: Ayn Zulato or Ein Od which means "there is nothing other than [God]". In the Sefer Yetzirah - an ancient hebrew mystical text - God is described as beyond time, space and being. In this context, God is not a verb, but is rather an unchanging existence and complete and absolute oneness without the other.

In the Zohar, it says "leht atar panui mineha" - "there is no place devoid of [God]" (Tikkunei Zohar, folio 122b). All of these are essential teachings of the Torah's teaching on nondual awareness of Ayn Zulato.

Torah and Enlightenment

The Torah way of life takes us beyond the shadow of divine consciousness and into direct knowledge of Yahweh (creator God). Torah reveals the purpose of relative consciousness on the earth plane and our journey into absolute consciousness in the upper heavens of our inner selves. It is a transmission that gives, we the people, the opportunity to evolve our own consciousness.

• Sh'ma: Moshe taught the jewish people this ancient prayer 3300 years ago and many Jews recite the sh'ma at least 2x per day. It is the first prayer a jewish child learns and the last prayer we are instructed to say before we die.

  • Sh'ma Yisra'el Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Echad

  • Listen, Israel, God is our Lord, God is One

• When we understand from the nondual perspective, the sh'ma