{"id":1211,"date":"2019-05-22T02:38:01","date_gmt":"2019-05-22T06:38:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.creativecommunicationsgroup.com\/wordpress\/?p=1211"},"modified":"2019-05-22T12:12:57","modified_gmt":"2019-05-22T16:12:57","slug":"the-good-path-part-ii","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/creativecommunicationsgroup.com\/wordpress\/the-good-path-part-ii\/","title":{"rendered":"The Good Path – part II"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Rabbi Eliezer said: A good eye<\/span>
\n<\/strong><\/em>To Rabbi Eliezer, the\u00a0light<\/em>\u00a0of creation cannot refer simply to the light by which we see, for the simple reason that Hashem did not create the sun and the stars until the fourth day, whereas He created light on day one. If so, what was this\u00a0light<\/em>?<\/span><\/p>\n

The kabbalists explain that since Hashem is everywhere, He could not begin to create the universe until He had first created a place where He was\u00a0not<\/em>, a spiritual blank canvas on which He would produce the greatest creative masterpiece \u2014 the universe, and humanity. Only after preparing this spiritual vacuum (the void<\/em>and darkness<\/em>described in the verse), could Hashem begin the act of creation, reintroducing divine energy into the spiritual void \u2014 an act described in the expression,\u00a0Let there be light!<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>Thus Rabbi Eliezer declares that to walk the \u201cgood path\u201d requires a \u201cgood eye,\u201d the ability to perceive Divine light and follow it through our world of spiritual darkness. Once we cultivate the spiritual sensitivity to appreciate Torah\u2019s Divine illumination, we will be able to cling to the good path.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\"\"<\/em>Rabbi Yehoshua said: A good friend
\n<\/strong><\/em><\/span>According to Jewish law, each 24-hour day actually begins as the evening sun falls below the horizon. Just as Shabbat starts Friday evening, so too does every day of the week begin as night falls, rather than as the sun rises. The biblical source for this is the verse,\u00a0And there was evening and there was morning \u2014 one day.<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Why?<\/span><\/p>\n

Human nature dictates that we truly appreciate only those things we are forced to do without. Just as the light of creation is essential, equally essential is our appreciation of that light. Hashem created darkness before light, to enable us to fully appreciate the light that illuminates our world.<\/span><\/p>\n

Light, therefore, became a\u00a0good friend <\/em>to the darkness that preceded it, while the darkness provided the context with which to appreciate the light. According to Rabbi Yehoshua, adherence to the good path requires not only spiritual perception but also a context to give that perception true meaning \u2014 not only a\u00a0good eye<\/em>\u00a0but also a\u00a0good friend<\/em>.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"Rabbi Yossi said: A good neighbor<\/span>
\n<\/strong><\/em>The kabbalists introduce us to the mystifying idea that in the earliest moments of creation, light and darkness were not divided, but were intertwined in harmonious coexistence.<\/span><\/p>\n

After defining the light of creation as spiritual illumination of Divine will, we can interpret light as symbolic of\u00a0good<\/em>\u00a0and darkness as symbolic of\u00a0evil<\/em>. Since everything Hashem does is ultimately for the good, light and darkness, good and evil, were initially, inextricably, woven together. But since the ultimate purpose of creation requires us to recognize and choose the good path, Hashem separated the two and enabled us to discern the good we must follow. As Rabbi Yossi understands a\u00a0good neighbor<\/em>, the ability to recognize boundaries between the light and the darkness, between good and evil, is the key to walking the good path.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"Rabbi Shimon said: To foresee consequences<\/span>
\n<\/strong><\/em>The Talmud explains that the creation of light, although necessary for human existence, also presented a profound danger.<\/span><\/p>\n

Just as nuclear technology can produce energy to sustain, so too can it produce the power to annihilate. In the hands of the righteous, divine spiritual light can elevate humanity to the level of godliness. In the hands of the unscrupulous, it can be perverted to manipulate and exploit this world\u2019s unlimited blessings. To limit the access of the wicked to His Divine light, and protect it from abuse, Hashem concealed his light in a place where the wicked would not go: the Torah.<\/span><\/p>\n

To truly acquire Torah wisdom, the student of Torah internalizes Torah values. Torah transforms a person\u2019s characterand activates the ability to discern possible consequences.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"Rabbi Elazar said: A good heart<\/span>
\n<\/strong><\/em>\u201cThe greatest distance,\u201d our rabbis teach, \u201cis from the head to the heart.\u201d True wisdom comes when we internalize what we know in our minds, so that it penetrates our hearts, and becomes part of who we are.<\/span><\/p>\n

The first four students all identified the correct source to answer their teacher\u2019s question, and accurately interpreted its relevance. Their responses varied because they each emphasized a different critical factor in how to adhere to the good path<\/em>. Perception, context, discernment, or foresight?<\/span><\/p>\n

They erred by failing to recognize that each of the steps they identified is an integral part of a process <\/em>that is incomplete without every component.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rabbi Elazar ben Arach expressed this understanding as a\u00a0good heart<\/em>: only after acquiring total perspective of every facet of the Divine light can we adhere to the\u00a0good path<\/em>. Once we internalize Torah values, we can refine our characters, so that Torah wisdom will serve us and we serve it.<\/span><\/p>\n

It is the total commitment to acquiring a good heart that enables one to walk the good path.<\/strong>This is why Rabban Yochanon declares:\u00a0I prefer the words of Elazar ben Arach over your words, for included in his words are all of yours.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"Days of transformation<\/span>
\n<\/strong><\/em>Between Pesach and Shavuot we count 49 days, from the\u00a0korban omer<\/em>\u00a0(the\u00a0offering of the first barley harvest)\u00a0to the\u00a0sh\u2019tei halechem<\/em>\u00a0(the offering of the first wheat harvest). Sefiras HaOmer<\/em>, therefore, represents our transition from creatures little better than animals, to humans more exalted than the\u00a0angels. The freedom of Pesach, ironically, does not even begin the count. Freedom is mere potential. What we do with freedom defines who and what we are.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"Gematria: a transformative Math Lesson<\/span>
\n<\/em><\/strong>Within Rabbi Elazar\u2019s formula of a good heart we find a profoundly mystical allusion. The numerical value of the\u00a0word\u00a0lev<\/em>, heart, is 32; the numerical value of\u00a0tov<\/em>, good, is 17. Together they equal 49.<\/span><\/p>\n

And so we discover that the first 32 days represent a transformation of the heart, where the final 17 days represent the application of our newly elevated moral character into the\u00a0practice of true good, or\u00a0tov<\/em>. The transition point is day 33: Lag b\u2019Omer.<\/em>\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

So now on Day 33 of the Omer<\/em>, take a moment (or 33!) to salute yourselves \u2013 for the work you do guiding your students along a critical process so that they will ultimately embody all the values articulated by Rabban Yochanon ben Zakka <\/em>and thus be able to cleave to a path that is good in all ways.<\/span><\/p>\n

* This discussion is adapted from the Chassidic classic, B\u2019nei Yissosschar. Expanded from an article originally published on<\/em>\u00a0<\/em>aish.com<\/em>.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

** Rabbi Yonason Goldson retired after 23 years in Torah education to found Ethical Imperatives, LLC. He is a professional speaker and TEDx presenter, teaching professionals how good ethics is good business. Visit him <\/em><\/span>here<\/a><\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/span>\u00a0or <\/em><\/span>here<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n

Click here to read the\u00a0Good Path – part I\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Click here to access 33 effective marketing tips <\/u><\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Have questions?<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>Should you have any questions about assessing present materials, implementing a marketing plan, crafting compelling stories, utilizing data-driven research to present your case, or any of my cost-effective day school services, please feel free to send me an\u00a0<\/span>email<\/u><\/a><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0or call me at 516.569.8070.
\n<\/span>
\nKol tuv,<\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Candace Plotsker-Herman<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Rabbi Eliezer said: A good eye To Rabbi Eliezer, the\u00a0light\u00a0of creation cannot refer simply to the light by which we see, for the simple reason that Hashem did not create the sun and the stars until the fourth day, whereas He created light on day one. If so, what was this\u00a0light? The kabbalists explain that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,11,14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1211","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-chagim","category-marketing","category-storytelling"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/creativecommunicationsgroup.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1211","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/creativecommunicationsgroup.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/creativecommunicationsgroup.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/creativecommunicationsgroup.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/creativecommunicationsgroup.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1211"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/creativecommunicationsgroup.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1211\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1232,"href":"https:\/\/creativecommunicationsgroup.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1211\/revisions\/1232"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/creativecommunicationsgroup.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1211"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/creativecommunicationsgroup.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1211"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/creativecommunicationsgroup.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1211"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}