The Jewish Way of Life

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 18:06:23 EST

According to the Jewish tradition, the art of living isthe art of being holy. The Book of Leviticus records the holysaying thus: ‘Be holy, as I, the Unconditioned One, am holy'.

What does it mean to be holy? Judaism offers two answers.The first focuses on the virtues seekers are to cultivate. The second focuseson the behaviors we need to master if we are to live holy lives.

The virtues are the thirteen attributes of God experiencedby Moses; he hears a divine voice calling out the nature of God - Yod, Hay,Vav, Hay, Compassion, Tenderness, Patience, Kindness, Awareness, Love, Freedom,Forbearance and Forgiveness. The first four attributes are stated to be theletters of God's Divine Name. They are virtues that cannot be translated intoany human language. They are to be cultivated in the deepest mystical unionwith God as the ‘I AM'.

The other nine attributes are known virtues, clear andachievable. If we are to live holy lives, we are to live with compassion,tenderness, patience, kindness, awareness, love, freedom, forbearance andforgiveness.

The Jewish way of life includes both a virtuous mindsetand an active engagement with physical reality. These virtues have to comealive in specific behaviors. This becomes possible when we conduct ourselveswith justice and kindness, and walk in spiritual union with God. The way ofholiness is the specific way we walk through life as God's partners, the holycaretakers and caregivers of life on this planet, and of the planet itself.

This way of life focuses on three categories of behaviorthat God's partners have to honor. The first category is ‘doing justly'. Doingjustly obligates us to three spiritual practices. One is ethical consumption.It means that one is obligated to care for oneself, for others, for animals,and for nature. The second is ‘just use' of finances. One is to take care toearn wealth ethically and use it wisely. One is to donate a percentage of one'sincome to help those in need. This is not a matter of charity, but of justice.The third is perfecting the world. One is obligated to support thoseorganizations and efforts one believes will make the world a more just, kind,sustainable and holy place.

The second category is loving-kindness. Loving-kindnessobligates us to four spiritual practices. One relates to acts of kindness. Actsof kindness put other people before us. When we put other people before us, weawaken to the fact that other people are part of us, and that all life is partof the Greater Self that is God. Kindness is a spiritual discipline that helpsthe ego see beyond itself. The second is avoidance of hateful talk. Words have power,both creative and destructive. We are to use our words to heal rather than tohurt.

The third is embracing the stranger. Loving your neighborand welcoming the stranger require an opening of self. We have to cultivateopenness and friendship for others, freeing us from the shadow of ‘otherness'.The fourth is making households peaceful. We are to celebrate family, andimprove our ability to love, befriend and look after other members of thefamily. We are to condemn violence in whatever form it occurs, learn to live inpeace with others, and help those who suffer from abuse.

The third category is walking humbly with God, cultivatingspiritual intimacy by engaging in practices that free the self from theillusion of self. Spiritual intimacy obligates us to five spiritual practices.

One is to set a day of mindfulness. This is to set asidegenerally the seventh day for rest and mindfulness. This is for remembering andgiving thanks for all that you have and are. This is in the nature of a refugefrom the cravings of self and a delight for the soul. The second is learningsacred scriptures and ethical teachings that remind us of our obligation to beholy. This study is ordained once a week to reclaim deep insight into eternalvirtues. The third is meditation and contemplative prayer. Meditation is thepractice of moving from self to selflessness, from focusing on the physicalbeing to awakening to the Ground of Being. One is to meditate and prayeveryday. The fourth is perfecting oneself. Each night the seeker is to reviewwhat has happened during the day and account for the degree of holiness he haslived. He is to note the errors and make a vow to correct them, and not torepeat. Similarly, he recalls the people that have helped him, and vows tothank them. The fifth is the way of blessing. A blessing is a statement ofthanks that cultivates the deep sense of gratitude that is a vital part of theholy way of living. The recitation of blessings requires one to know what ishappening, and in that way, to notice not only what is being done, but alsowhat more can be done to do the bidding of the Divine.

K. R. Paramahamsa is an author of book Living in Spirit.

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The Jewish Way of Life