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Jewish Latin Princess

Black and White? || ¿Blanco y negro?

January 8, 2015 by Yael 3 Comments

B”H

I recently taught a group of young ladies a few classes on a pretty esoteric Jewish concept and I wanted to create a visual model to help convey the lesson. Using a clear vase, some battery operated LED lights from Target, foil paper, and a piece of black disposable table cloth, I created a visual model to illustrate the Jewish concepts of holy and un-holy.

Recientemente enseñé una serie de clases a un grupo de chicas jóvenes, sobre conceptos judíos bastante esotéricos y quería crear un modelo visual par transmitir la lección. Con un envase de cristal transparente, unas lucesitas LED operadas con baterías de Target, papel de aluminio y un mantel desechable negro, creé un modelo visual para ilustrar los conceptos judíos de sagrado y no-sagrado.
materials

The concepts of holy and un-holy might seem like clear opposite- as clear cut as black and white- but there’s actually a lot of gray area between them.

Los conceptos de sagrado y no-sagrado parecen ser dos conceptos opuestos- como el blanco y negro-  pero en realidad, hay muchísima área gris entre ambos.

In order to understand the spiritual significance of the gray areas of life, as well as what we do with them, it’s helpful to first understand the following verse from Torah. “Just as the neshama (soul) fills the body, H” (G-d) fills the world.” (Midrash on Tehilim 103, 4)

Para entender la significancia espiritual de estas áreas grises y qué hacemos con ellas en el plano físico, conviene primer entender el siguiente verso de la Torá. “Al igual que la neshamá (alma) llena el cuerpo, H” (Di-s) llena el mundo.” (Midrash del Tehilim 103, 4)

The soul gives life to our bodies and as long as the soul is within it, our entire body is enlivened. However, we see that some parts of the body seem more alive than others. Specifically, our brain and heart seem more alive than our foot and toe. While both sets are definitely alive, life is much more obvious and revealed in the heart than in the toe. While we can’t live without the former, we could live without the latter.

El alma le da vida a nuestro cuerpo y mientras esté dentro del cuerpo, este esta vivo. Sin embargo,   vemos que hay partes de nuestro cuerpo que parecen estar mas vivas que otras. Especificamente, nuestro corazón y nuestro cerebro parecen mas vivos que nuestro pie o nuestro dedo del pie. Si bien todos están vivos, la vida es mucho mas obvia o revelada en el corazón, que en el dedo del pie. Mientras podemos vivir sin uno, no podemos vivir sin el otro.

Similarly, the world is full of G-dliness or of G-d, Who is constantly infusing His energy (G-dly spark) into all creation allowing it to exist. But, we don’t have to look too far into the daily news to realize that G-dliness is not obvious or revealed in a whole lot of things. G-dliness may be there, but it is often hidden, very hidden.

De manera similar, el mundo está lleno de divinidad o de Di-s, quien está constantemente inyectando su energía (chispa divina) en la creación, permitiendo que esta exista. Pero no tenemos que mirar mas allá del noticiero para darnos cuenta de que la divinidad no es obvia o no está revelada en muchas cosas. Si bien esta ahí, la divinidad está muy escondida.

Just as life is not as obvious in our toe as it is in our heart, there are things in this world in which G-dliness is not obvious. Namely, the un-holy. And there are other things in which the G-dliness is obvious. That is, the holy.

Al igual que la vida no es tan obvia en nuestro dedo del pie como lo es en nuestro corazón, hay cosas en este mundo en las cuales la divinidad no es obvia. Específicamente, lo no-sagrado. Por el otro lado, hay cosas en las cuales la divinidad si es obvia. Osea, lo sagrado. 

While everything in the world is G-dly; not everything is Holy.

Mientras todo en este mundo es divino, no todo es sagrado.

G-dliness means: H” is there. Holiness means: H” is revealed there.

Divino quiere decir que H” está ahí; mientras que sagrado, quiere decir que H” está revelado ahí.

Let’s look at the visual model to illustrate. The glass vase represents all created matter. The lights inside the vase are the G-dly spark inherent in every creation (G-dliness).

Veamos el modelo visual que cree para ilustrar esto. El envase representa la materia creada. Las luces dentro del envase representan la energía divina presente en esa creación.

So here is what holiness looks like. G-dliness (the light) is revealed.

Así podemos visualizar lo sagrado. Osea, la divinidad (luz) está revelada.

Holy/Sagrado/Kedusha
Holy/Sagrado/Kedusha

Diametrically opposite to this are the areas of creation in which the G-dliness is not revealed: the un-holy. The G-dly sparks are still there, but they are totally covered up by a dark layer/peel. The dark layer on top of the vase represents the klipah – the peel that is covering up G-dliness.

Totalmente opuesto están las áreas de la creación en las cuales la divinidad no está revelada: lo no-sagrado. La divinidad aún está ahí, pero esta está completamente tapada por una capa o cáscara oscura. La capa oscura encima del envase representa la klipá – la cáscara que cubre la divinidad.

Un-holy/Asur
Un-holy/No-Sagrado/Klipah

I’ve allowed you to see in the picture that the G-dliness is still within the creation, because H” is still there. He’s just not revealed there. So in reality our model should look all black, where the klipah (peel) totally covers up the G-dliness or the light.

En la foto he permitido que se vea la luz para poder ilustrar que H” aún está en la creación, por que  si bien está ahí, no está revelado ahí. Osea que nuestro modelo en realidad debería ser completamente negro, en el cual la klipá (cáscara) tapa completamente la divinidad o la luz.

The klipah (peel) in these things cannot be removed to reveal the G-dliness, and as Jews we stay away from these things. These are the things the Torah considers asur (tied or bound up), meaning that they are spiritually tied and we are not able to reveal the G-dliness inherent in them. (ie. murder, idol-worship, non-kosher food, stealing etc.)

La klipá (cáscara) en estas cosas no se puede remover para revelar la divinidad y como judíos nos alejamos de estas cosas. Estas son las cosas que la Torá considera asur (atadas), queriendo decir que están espiritualmente atadas y por ende no tenemos la capacidad de revelar la divinidad inherente en ellas. (Por ejemplo, asesinato, idolatría, comida no-kasher, robo etc.)

But, what about all the things in life that are neither holy, nor un-holy? Our job, a kosher steak, our wardrobe, dark chocolate, the internet (gasp!)… the vast ocean of gray, which we all constantly navigate. Is G-dliness there? It’s not so evident, right? But, these are not un-holy things in and of themselves, are they?

¿Pero que hay de las cosas en esta vida que no son ni sagradas, ni no-sagradas? Nuestro trabajo, un pedazo de carne kasher, chocolate amargo, el internet (ah!)… un extenso océano gris, en el cual constantemente navegamos. ¿Está la divinidad ahí? No es tan evidente, ¿cierto? ¿Pero, estas no son cosas no-sagradas en si, o lo son?

Fortunately, within the realm of creation there is a vast ocean of gray which affords us endless opportunities to make an impact in the world- to make a transformation. These are most of the physical things we deal with every day.

Afortunadamente, dentro de la creación hay un océano gris de cosas que nos ofrece innumerables oportunidades de hacer un impacto en este mundo- de hacer una transformación. Estas son la mayoría de las cosas físicas con las cuales lidiamos diariamente.

Klipat Nogah
Klipat Nogah

We call this ocean of grey, klipat nogah (light peel). The klipah (peel) is there, covering up the G-dliness. But in this case, the peel can be removed.

Este océano gris lo llamamos klipat nogah (cáscara leve). La klipá (cáscara) está ahí, cubriendo la divinidad. Pero en este caso, podemos remover la cáscara.

When a Jew takes anything within life’s grey area and uses it for a mitzvah, he removes the peel, revealing the G-dliness in it.

Cuando un judío toma cualquier cosa dentro del área gris de la creación y la utiliza para hacer una mitzvá, remueve la cáscara, revelando la divinidad.

Klipat Nogah
Klipat Nogah transformed

Thus, transforming this thing into something holy.

Y así transformando esa creación en algo sagrado.

So, life is not all black and white. Throughout our lives we navigate in an ocean of grey areas. These might be challenging, but they are also opportunities to reveal the G-dliness, all hinting at our lives’ meaning and purpose.  Navigating this ocean of grey, we can make this world a Holier place.

Así es que las cosas en esta vida no son blanco o negro. Durante nuestras vidas navegamos en un océano de áreas grises. Si bien estas pueden ser un desafío, son también oportunidades para revelar la divinidad, las cuales insinúan cuál es el propósito y sentido de nuestras vidas. Navegando el océano de grises, podemos hacer de este mundo uno mas sagrado.

In what grey area of your life can you apply this transformation today?

¿En qué área gris de tu vida puedes hacer esta transformación, hoy?

 

 

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Gray inspiration || Inspiración gris

Comments

  1. 1

    Albertina || Mimosa Lane says

    January 8, 2015 at 2:37 pm

    So intereting! Loved your expalnation and great dynamic photo! (congrats!!)

    Reply
    • 2

      Yael says

      January 8, 2015 at 5:38 pm

      Thank You, Thank You!!!

      Reply
  2. 3

    Albertina || Mimosa Lane says

    January 8, 2015 at 2:37 pm

    interesting, explanation I meant to spell.

    Reply

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