הַיּ֥וֹם הַה֗וּא יְֽהִ֫י חֹ֥שֶׁךְ אַֽל־יִדְרְשֵׁ֣הוּ אֱל֣וֹהַּ מִמָּ֑עַל וְאַל־תּוֹפַ֖ע עָלָ֣יו נְהָרָֽה׃
Пусть этот день будет тьмой; Пусть Бог не спросит его сверху, и пусть свет не осветит его.
Olat Reiyah
Prayer deepens within us the highest holy feeling, which is the essence absorbed of the light of the Life-giver20This name of G–d is closely associated in prayer with the conclusion of Pesukei d’Zimra, the songs of praise which precede the declaration of unity found through the shema. As Rav Daniel days “Through Pesukei d’Zimra we have come a little closer to understanding the unity of the individual elements of creation. By calling God ‘Unique One, Life-Giver of the worlds’ at the conclusion of Pesukei d’Zimra and then declaring Him the One ‘who makes light and creates darkness’ at the beginning of the blessings of shema, we are transitioning to a consciousness of the unity of all and of the One who is its root.”
Here is a parallel text from R’ Kook which sheds light on his usage of this name of G–d.
התשובה העליונה באה מהברקה של הטוב הכללי, של הטוב האלהי השורה בעולמות כולם, אור חי העולמים. נשמת כל האצילית מצטירת לפנינו בהודה וקדושתה, כמה שהלב יכול לספוג ; והלא באמת הכל הוא טוב וישר כל כך, והיושר והטוב שבנו הלא הוא בא מהתאמתנו אל הכל, ואיך אפשר להיות קרוע מן הכל, פרור משונה, מופרד כאבק דק שכלא נחשב. ומתוך הכרה זו, שהיא הכרה אלהית באמת, באה תשובה בחיי הפרט ובחיי הכלל.
(אורות התשובה סוף פרק ב(
The highest form of repentance comes as a flash from the all-encompassing good, the Divine goodness which dwells in all the world, the light of the Life Giver of the Worlds. The emanated and noble neshama of all is depicted before us in all its majesty and sanctity, to the extent that the heart can absorb. In truth, is everything not absolutely good and right? And are the rectitude and goodness within not the result of harmonizing ourselves with all? How is it possible to be torn from this wholeness, an estranged fragment, separated off like an insignificant mote of dust? From this awareness, which is true Divine awareness, comes repentance in the life of the individual and the all. (Orot HaTeshuva, end of 2nd chapter)
See also Kuzari Ma’amar revii, 3 p.162 of the Worlds in our souls; she plants within us holy lights that sprout fruits of salvation. Not only for us isolated individuals in our particularity, but rather everything which prayer does for us and with us is in relation to all that is, to all life and existence according to all their value21See footnote 14 – past, present and future. And how wondrous the manifestations, how lofty the scintillations that intensify with each prayer, even when it is haphazard, individual and isolated; and all the more so when fixed22The role which keviyut, permanence or fixity, plays in prayer has two faces in the mind of the Sages, and in this introduction. The mishna in Pirke Avot 2:18 and Berachot 4:4 warn against making one’s prayer kavuah (see below section 2:3) However the gemara Berachot 6b teaches – “R. Helbo, in the name of R. Huna, says: Whoever has a fixed (kavuah) place for his prayer has the God of Avraham as his help. And when he dies, people will say of him: Where is the pious man, where is the humble man, one of the disciples of Avraham avinu! — How do we know that Avraham Avinu had a fixed place for his prayer? For it is written: And Avraham got up early in the morning to the place where he had stood. And ‘standing’ means nothing other than prayer. For it is said: Then stood up Pinchas and prayed.” Perhaps the resolution lies in the distinction between a prayer which is itself kavuah and one which has a kavuah place (makom.) The significance of the concept of makom is explored in section 2:5., encompassing and communal. She flows from the transcendent Divine spring in which all that is elevated and holy are combined, all that is raised up, and from which they flow; and to it she returns in mighty strength, in power and potency, filled with the holiest of holy, adding blessing to the wellspring of life, girding the whole Tree of Life and glorifying its branches. Its rivulets join one to another, moistures various and abundant, each one brimming with radiance and light (Iyov 3:4. See also 4:14 below) , filling rivers of delight which satisfy with joy and eternal noble pleasures, united as a source of blessing and rivers of worldly love23אהבת עולם – האהבה העולמית. אהבת העולמים כולם, כל היצורים וכל חוג החיים וההויה שלהם. אהבת כל ההויה. תולדתה של האהבה רבה כשיורדת מעולם האצילות לעולם הבריא (עפ"י א"ק ב תמב, תמג)
The worldly love, the love of all the worlds, all creatures and categories of life and theire being. Love of all being, a consequence of ahavah rabbah when it descends from the world of Emanation (atzilut) to the world of Creation (briah) adapted from Orot HaKodesh II, 442-443 and abundant love, and blessing and peace for all the cosmos. And when the prayer of Israel is lifted to the holy height, when she is centered in the Land of eternal desire, in the lofty sanctuary of the G–d of the world24Translation of God’s name presents a unique challenge. Even were I to be systematic with using specific translations for specific Hebrew terms, this would still not give the reader access to the meaning which these names often embody, in that every name is a modes of relationship between Creator and creation. The various meanings held by these names sometimes influence the reading of the piece as whole. I opted here for maximum readability over any attempt to convey meaning or attain specific consistency. I encourage the English reader to always look at the original name being presented, and ask those working with both texts not to get confused., of the Master of all works25See Talmud Bavli Chagigah 3b:3-5 for an illumination on the special nature of this Divine name., blessed be He, streams flood all the worlds, myriad souls are renewed in the radiance from above, and the transcendent ideals26This word is borrowed from Plato, for whom it refers to an intellectual world of perfect conceptions which are reflected like pale shadows in our sensible world. In truth the concept appears in the Tanach, though not the word – see Iyov 36:3-4 with the Malbim’s comment. There you will see the difference as well. Ultimately the Torah rejects the absolute dualism of ideal and manifest realities, though it embraces the paradoxical tension of essence and form. are lifted up in holy pride, and the transcendent glory receives blessing forever. ‘Blessed is the glory of G–d from His place.’ (Yechezkiel 3:12)
Here is a parallel text from R’ Kook which sheds light on his usage of this name of G–d.
התשובה העליונה באה מהברקה של הטוב הכללי, של הטוב האלהי השורה בעולמות כולם, אור חי העולמים. נשמת כל האצילית מצטירת לפנינו בהודה וקדושתה, כמה שהלב יכול לספוג ; והלא באמת הכל הוא טוב וישר כל כך, והיושר והטוב שבנו הלא הוא בא מהתאמתנו אל הכל, ואיך אפשר להיות קרוע מן הכל, פרור משונה, מופרד כאבק דק שכלא נחשב. ומתוך הכרה זו, שהיא הכרה אלהית באמת, באה תשובה בחיי הפרט ובחיי הכלל.
(אורות התשובה סוף פרק ב(
The highest form of repentance comes as a flash from the all-encompassing good, the Divine goodness which dwells in all the world, the light of the Life Giver of the Worlds. The emanated and noble neshama of all is depicted before us in all its majesty and sanctity, to the extent that the heart can absorb. In truth, is everything not absolutely good and right? And are the rectitude and goodness within not the result of harmonizing ourselves with all? How is it possible to be torn from this wholeness, an estranged fragment, separated off like an insignificant mote of dust? From this awareness, which is true Divine awareness, comes repentance in the life of the individual and the all. (Orot HaTeshuva, end of 2nd chapter)
See also Kuzari Ma’amar revii, 3 p.162 of the Worlds in our souls; she plants within us holy lights that sprout fruits of salvation. Not only for us isolated individuals in our particularity, but rather everything which prayer does for us and with us is in relation to all that is, to all life and existence according to all their value21See footnote 14 – past, present and future. And how wondrous the manifestations, how lofty the scintillations that intensify with each prayer, even when it is haphazard, individual and isolated; and all the more so when fixed22The role which keviyut, permanence or fixity, plays in prayer has two faces in the mind of the Sages, and in this introduction. The mishna in Pirke Avot 2:18 and Berachot 4:4 warn against making one’s prayer kavuah (see below section 2:3) However the gemara Berachot 6b teaches – “R. Helbo, in the name of R. Huna, says: Whoever has a fixed (kavuah) place for his prayer has the God of Avraham as his help. And when he dies, people will say of him: Where is the pious man, where is the humble man, one of the disciples of Avraham avinu! — How do we know that Avraham Avinu had a fixed place for his prayer? For it is written: And Avraham got up early in the morning to the place where he had stood. And ‘standing’ means nothing other than prayer. For it is said: Then stood up Pinchas and prayed.” Perhaps the resolution lies in the distinction between a prayer which is itself kavuah and one which has a kavuah place (makom.) The significance of the concept of makom is explored in section 2:5., encompassing and communal. She flows from the transcendent Divine spring in which all that is elevated and holy are combined, all that is raised up, and from which they flow; and to it she returns in mighty strength, in power and potency, filled with the holiest of holy, adding blessing to the wellspring of life, girding the whole Tree of Life and glorifying its branches. Its rivulets join one to another, moistures various and abundant, each one brimming with radiance and light (Iyov 3:4. See also 4:14 below) , filling rivers of delight which satisfy with joy and eternal noble pleasures, united as a source of blessing and rivers of worldly love23אהבת עולם – האהבה העולמית. אהבת העולמים כולם, כל היצורים וכל חוג החיים וההויה שלהם. אהבת כל ההויה. תולדתה של האהבה רבה כשיורדת מעולם האצילות לעולם הבריא (עפ"י א"ק ב תמב, תמג)
The worldly love, the love of all the worlds, all creatures and categories of life and theire being. Love of all being, a consequence of ahavah rabbah when it descends from the world of Emanation (atzilut) to the world of Creation (briah) adapted from Orot HaKodesh II, 442-443 and abundant love, and blessing and peace for all the cosmos. And when the prayer of Israel is lifted to the holy height, when she is centered in the Land of eternal desire, in the lofty sanctuary of the G–d of the world24Translation of God’s name presents a unique challenge. Even were I to be systematic with using specific translations for specific Hebrew terms, this would still not give the reader access to the meaning which these names often embody, in that every name is a modes of relationship between Creator and creation. The various meanings held by these names sometimes influence the reading of the piece as whole. I opted here for maximum readability over any attempt to convey meaning or attain specific consistency. I encourage the English reader to always look at the original name being presented, and ask those working with both texts not to get confused., of the Master of all works25See Talmud Bavli Chagigah 3b:3-5 for an illumination on the special nature of this Divine name., blessed be He, streams flood all the worlds, myriad souls are renewed in the radiance from above, and the transcendent ideals26This word is borrowed from Plato, for whom it refers to an intellectual world of perfect conceptions which are reflected like pale shadows in our sensible world. In truth the concept appears in the Tanach, though not the word – see Iyov 36:3-4 with the Malbim’s comment. There you will see the difference as well. Ultimately the Torah rejects the absolute dualism of ideal and manifest realities, though it embraces the paradoxical tension of essence and form. are lifted up in holy pride, and the transcendent glory receives blessing forever. ‘Blessed is the glory of G–d from His place.’ (Yechezkiel 3:12)
Olat Reiyah
The more one elevates their morality111Mussar is another word which defies simple translation. It is a moral discipline and practical instruction which are products of wisdom and understanding. For the biblical basis of this definition, see the Book of Proverbs, especially chapter 1, verses 2-3,7-8., so rises their will112See Shmonah Kvatzim 8:233 from R’ Kook on the link between human will, Divine will and prayer which illuminates this piece.. Even the natural will for life, and for everything connected to the will of the vital soul, things required by every man and desired by many animals, receive a refined form in the clarified soul. The highest exaltation, which comes through the elevation of the will at the hands of Godly consciousness and Divine intimacy, which penetrates ideas, intellect and emotion, aspiration and desire, the stormy and the calm, lifts up all the sparks of will to the pinnacle of elevation to unite them with the all-embracing aspiration of absolute wholeness of the Divine light which pours into the world to give it existence and life. When, through revealing the desire of the ‘righteous who is an everlasting foundation,’113See Mishle 10:25, Yoma 38b we arouse a will such as this, the will of one who lives their life in a luminous form lit by the light of the Life-giver of the world114See footnotes 20 and 40 for an explanatory texts on the Life-giver of the World - requests are fulfilled and rule over all is magnified because of the Divine light which flashes in the pure will in the fullness of wisdom and loving kindness. When one such as this reveals their will through the soul-revelation of prayer115See section 1:1 for an articulation of this definition of prayer, the light of the Life-giver of the world is revealed along the paths of their desire, which is itself revealed through outward expression and inner meditation in the intensity of life116It seems from many sources (one of which is found above in footnote 116) that R’ Kook believes once one uncovers their true will they have found a manifestation of the Divine will. See footnote 17 for a practice which can aid in uncovering this will. But if one succeeds the question remains – what if I discover that I disagree with G–d in my essence. I have heard this question from many of my queer students, and it seems to me that the only answer is to stand before G–d as you actually believe yourself to be, using prayer and His presence as a mirror to strip away all falsehood while insisting on unbroken relationship.. Then the aim of the all-encompassing good, as it relates to that particular which is right now the sole objective of the who one pleads, is revealed from the innermost place of the neshama. For the great neshama, every small request is encompassed within the greatest of desires. Each individual suffering, every pain and sickness, all sorrow and distress borne by any soul, when impressed upon the illuminated soul which is filled with the Divine good, ceases to be a small, individual suffering, and becomes a world spanning, universal sadness. And the removal of this suffering brings an encompassing light (Iyov 3:4) to the horizon of life and existence. According to the greatness of the will for Divine good in the soul of the one praying, and the degree to which the light of wisdom and the Divine might is nested in the depths of their heart, so prayer hits its mark, and the revelation of desire effects its action. “Who confirms the words of his servant, and performs the counsel of his messengers…” (Isaiah 44:26)