User talk:Kasperay
Hi my name is kasperay. I am interested in knowing who user April8 is. --Kasperay (talk) 14:15, 26 October 2009 (UTC)
From April8 - 3rd, slightly improved clarification of post! Sorry - length expresses nuances![edit]
Hello! I'm just a sincere (Hasidic) Jewish layman. I began editing Wikipedia intermittently, under 2 years ago. I don't always have much time to edit, so end up doing "editing binges" every few months! Improving Wikipedia would be a lifelong task, so at the moment I'm just aiming to minimally cover the topics I hope to improve! This is rather urgent at the moment as I have some upcoming other things to deal with, and may not have much time to edit in the foreseeable future. I don't have my own computer, but go to local internet cafes. The transcendent search I outline on my new User:April8 page is excited and delighted by depth and transcendence in all its secular and religious forms. The profundity of adulthood and the enthusiasm of childhood! The personal ideal model of thinking implicit within it should, I hope, clarify the true nature of life, the ideal of psychology, and the shortfall of other psychological approaches. The heart responsive to higher light and depth could not be achieved from ego-centred psychology that would look for immanent fulfilment. Love and idealism here replace the justification to criticise others. Idealism solves self-justification, sarcasm, indifference or arrogance without tackling them, but automatically, by transcending impurity in all forms. This is the opposite of some other psychological approaches to life. The plurality of life means that the transcendent is found in all levels, from the outer to the inner, from the aesthetical, to the logical, and to the holy. When I speak to Hasidim, I like to tell them excitedly about "Classical" Music, or Modern Orthodox Jewish thought, or non-Jewish Philosophy, Art and Science (without boring them silly)! To religious Jewish non-Hasidim, I might try to convey my enthusiasm for Kabbalah and Hasidism! On Wikipedia, the pages I most wish to improve are in the "inner" Torah dimensions of Jewish mysticism, as other people are writing on the other topics. The Sciences and Humanities are so well covered on Wikipedia, while the mystical aspects of Judaism, and their position and connection with the outer aspects of Judaism, are not well written yet. There aren't many of us writing on the Wikipedia "Inner-Torah" pages! This puts lots of responsibility on me!
- The Inner-Torah within Judaism is most prone to mischaracterisation and subsequent dismissal by outsiders or secular people. However, its depth, profundity and potential beneficial contribution to others, from the layman to the scholar, is the reverse of any such misunderstanding! Its potentially universal spiritual contribution particularly applies to Hasidic mysticism, which saught the popularisation, internalisation and profound philosophical culmination of the Jewish mystical tradition. Kabbalah describes the abstract, highly elaborate structures of esoteric Jewish metaphysics. Hasidism saught their internal soul, both outwardly in emotional dveikut, joy, sincerity and prayer; and inwardly in its intellectual exegesis and philosophical synthesis "from Above" of all other aspects of Jewish thought. Talmudic legislation, Midrashic imagination, Philosophical thought "from Below" and Kabbalistic structures "from Above" are seen in intellectual articulations of Hasidic thought to unite in a higher Divine source of thought. In Hasidic terminology, a higher source in Divinity unites opposing, lower opinions, even including Kabbalah. This interprets Hasidism as the inner soul of Kabbalah (itself called the "soul of the Torah"). The aim in general Hasidism is that this higher source should awaken mystical perception and faith, arising from Hasidic exegesis of Biblical and Rabbinic texts. The genius of Nachman of Breslov gave this path its most imaginative and poetic expression, although Breslav Hasidus is a separate approach from mainstream Hasidism. The aim in Habad Hasidism is that the higher source should be articulated in fullest intellectual form. This would achieve the paradox of bringing down Divine intellect and above-rational paradox, into Human intellect. Divine "philosophy" (Intellect) brought down, rather than human, Medieval Jewish Philosophy, rising up to God. I hope in the future to write about this on Wikipedia!
- The Inner-Torah is also inherently affected, like any spiritual teaching, by superficial interpretation, including from its adherents. My User page hopes to locate the search for the transcendent, in all its secular and religious forms, including the spiritual teachings of Hasidism, in nullification of the ego before any form of higher light. (In Hasidism, the mystically inspired inner expression of this is called "bittul"-mystical self nullification). The importance of this is that it is the necessary beginning of the ideal personal model of thinking that I outline on my User page. To reach depth and inner reflection would require self nullification before the magnificence of any form of transcendence. Sincerity and nullification awaken wonder. This self-nullification is the required psychological vessel to open oneself to appreciating the true delight, depth and magnificence of the transcendent light. In my model of thinking, this differentiates between depth and cleverness. The nature of depth is revealed by its perception of the inner emotional content of ideas. Logic and analysis reveal the depths, but the heart percieves them in its awe and delight (and the other emotions of the Sephirot in the Kabbalistic model) before the aestheticism, intellectual elegance, or holiness. This is why my User page outlines expressions of emotional awe and delight in all manifestations of the transcendent. Nullification opens the heart. Nonetheless, there is a higher expression of personal transcendent fulfilment than inner depth and longing, whether secular or religious. The true nature of holy bittul is found in self sacrifice ("daily personal mystical martydom" in its expressions). This would be complete nullification before God. However, it would still involve some self fulfilment of ego. An even more inward expression of bittul would give up such personal fulfilment in loving devotion of other people. I called this "ideal forms of love" as I'm rather better at inner Agape love in my thoughts than in outer reality! True Bittul in Hasidism appreciates another individual on their own terms. It sensitises the heart to truely valuing them as they are, while also encouraging the resolution of any negative qualities they may have. This is not naive affection, as the negativity would be recognised for its true nature, but would be nullified before higher love. The idea of the transcendent search and the nature of depth, is that this negation of ego reverses the picture of reality of superficial views of things. Here, superficial interpretations of Hasidism can lead to negative results from a closed heart. The Hasidic follower may not have shed some levels of self centredness. The transcendent search I outline reorientates everything around yearning for the transcendent and idealised love of others. Nullification overcomes superficial interpretations of any spiritual tradition, as it automatically engenders devoted love of other people and God. In Hasidism, grasping the profundity of Hasidic thought awakens inner bittul of the soul. The special contribution of Hasidic thought is what a follower believes is its articulation of inner dimensions of Divinity. This revelation to the person of inner Ohr (light) of Divine Omnipresence leads to the dveikut, awe and love. I would hope to personally grow in my fulfillment of this!
- The User page follows the general division between Art and Science. Logic and analysis are found in Humanities thought, such as Philosophy, History or Literary Studies. Intuition is found in Science before empirical confirmation. Torah is understood to comprise both approaches in its different articulations. Systematic rational analysis has the advantage of bringing understanding into greater depth and internalisation. Transcendent forms of Artistic wonder awaken and draw down to a person, transcendent higher levels of consciousness beyond normal grasp. These can then affect the person externally. I hope to further develop my User page to be more comprehensive and a correct, balanced evocation of the plurality of transcendence. The music section gives a model of different levels of consciousness. In Messianic times, their plural diversity would become united. Presently, one can escape into the alternative worlds of the aesthetic, intellectual and mystical. While the transcendent search seeks them all, the consciousness of each is different. I like to be both within the Hasidic world and within the non-Jewish world. This could be described as a combination of Hasidism and Modern-Jewish Orthodoxy: In Judaism all approaches, with the mystical Hasidism foremost; in the wider world all disciplines, with their connections to transcendence saught out. The aesthetic has the advantage of greatest serenity. Secular thought has the delight of self fulfilment and expansive personal development. Mysticism has the delight in holiness and deepest meaning. For the initiate, holiness would be expressed in thirst for Godliness from the person's state of exile. In Kabbalah, love and awe of God are the two primary emotions. Higher love of God would percieve the direct, unfathomable Divine loving concern with the individual.
- In the view of the leaders of Habad Hasidism, the parts of Hasidic thought that relate to all people, such as the mystical explanations of Divine Unity, should also be spread to the Gentile Nations of the World, to enable them to fulfil their Seven Laws of Noah (Jewish spiritual teaching and redemption for other Peoples) in an internal way.
The drawback of all these ideas is that they might be an indulgent escapist refuge from reality! Therefore on my User page, I called them "a case in defence of the transcendent search". I hope my new User:April8 page gives more information.
P.S. How did you find my User page?
With best wishes April8 (talk) 21:52, 27 October 2009 (UTC)
- As I was writing the above, the internet cafe I was in closed, so I walked a long way round (through some solitude in nightime nature too!) to another internet cafe. If you read the above post before I expanded it a bit, I hope that by signing another message, your computer will say that you have another message, to draw your attention to its more complete form! April8 (talk) 23:47, 27 October 2009 (UTC)
Re: April18[edit]
Thank you... I enjoy reading you. I hope for the same universal understanding, the one that brings all tribes and all nations to a turning point. Moving mankind forward. Progress that has a benefit for all of the inhabitants on earth.
Collaboration to assure the facts that have been documented out of an unconditional love is where all the true answers are. Loving kindness will save us all...kasperay