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    • Shalom & Welcome...

    Monday, October 19, 2020

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    שָׁלוֹם בְּרָכָה וְטוֹבָה

    Welcome to the blog of Rabbi Jason Bright. A blog for the creative expression of Rabbi Bright's unique Torah perspectives and spiritual teachings. Herein you will find many articles dealing with a number of issues related to Judaism, Kabbalah, Science and anything else that Rabbi Bright may feel compelled to write about. If you have any questions please feel free to contact Rabbi Bright or leave a comment within the designated comment sections. 

    Thanks for your interest and don't forget to also peruse the "pages" for other material being offered on the top right side of this blog. Shalom!

    Parshat Vayak'hel-Pekudei

    Monday, March 16, 2020

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    Parshat Vayak'hel-Pekudei

    וַיֹּ֤אמֶר משֶׁה֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל רְא֛וּ קָרָ֥א יְהֹוָ֖ה בְּשֵׁ֑ם בְּצַלְאֵ֛ל בֶּן־אוּרִ֥י בֶן־ח֖וּר לְמַטֵּ֥ה יְהוּדָֽה:

     

    "Moses said to the children of Israel: "See, YHVH has called by name Bezalel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.'"


    In the beginning of the second Aliyah we are introduced to the two men who were responsible for crafting the furnishings for the inside of the Sanctuary. We are told that the people of Israel were called upon by Moses to provide the needed supplies to construct these furnishings.

    We know that the people of Israel have recently come out of Mitrayim, which represents that base carnal and animalistic nature. It is a state of gross material consciousness. The exodus of Israel is an analogy of the liberation of the consciousness from the expressly carnal to a state of spiritual liberty. In Kabbalistic terms, this is the state of mochin d'katnut transcending to the state of mochin d'gadlut. In Biblical terms this is Jacob becoming Israel.

    The Israelites represent illuminated thoughts of higher spiritual consciousness which are being developed through discipline. These illuminated thoughts are "drawn out" by the Moses Principle (note: the term Moshe literally means to draw out). Moses draws out these higher spiritual thoughts (Israelites) through the Divine Torah which is a law of execution and activity – the Torah is a universal Law that purifies the consciousness through the realization of Truth. Note that when we refer to Torah we are expressing its truest nature as the expression of Divine Ideals that order the Universe.

    The Sanctuary is a temporal vessel for the transient state of wandering wherein the Shekinah dwells in the physical world. Likewise, the human being is a temporal vessel on a transient journey in the material world which has to be built up in its consciousness in order to be refined as a proper vessel for the Shekinah in the physical world. This is an aspect of the Kabbalistic secret known as the "Unification of the Name."

    Among the higher spiritual consciousness of Israel there are two aspects drawn out: Bezalel and Oholiab. These are two "craftsmen" who take the collective contributions of the Israelites (Spiritual thoughts) and apply them productively towards the furnishing of the Sanctuary (Human Being/Temple).

    The name Bezalel is from the root term b'tzelem which appears in Genesis 1:26, 27 when Man is created in the image of God. Bezalel means in the "image, likeness and shadow of God." Bezalel is the Son of Ur (enlightened understanding) and the grandson of Hur (filled with Light). The Torah states that Bezalel was filled with Wisdom (Chokmah) and Understanding (Binah).

    The name Oholiab means: "tent of the Father" and he is the son of Ahisamach (supporting brother) and grandson of Dan which represents Judgement (Da'at).

    In other words, the Shekinah can dwell in the human body (Sanctuary) and experience Itself in a transitory state of Being when the human vessel has its thoughts (Israelites) refined to a higher state of Chockmah and Binah (mochin d'gadlut) which is supported and properly ordered by correct Judgment (Da'at). Da'at (judgment) is the correct attitude of Man which builds up and supports the Sanctuary by balancing Chokmah and Binah through the moderating force of Judgment.

    What is the meaning of "Tikkun?"

    Tuesday, May 2, 2017

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    Judaism and especially the Kabbalah talks a lot about a concept called “Tikkun.”  Tikkun is the word used in the Kabbalah for the Great Work, which means "rectification," "reintegration," "repair", "correction," "mending," or "healing," and implies a process of refinement, perfection, fulfillment or completion. On the one hand, the doctrine of tikkun alludes to a state wherein creation must be restored; on the other hand, it alludes to creation as an on-going process, akin to the basic principles of evolution - hence a Creative Evolution. These two ideas are not mutually exclusive, for this state represents the Ideal of Creative Evolution - the Highest of Life abiding in a conscious unification with the Divine. In both cases it is human beings who are able to bring about tikkun, for having been created in the image and likeness of God (b’tzelem Elohim) human beings are co-creators with God.

    In teachings on Ma'aseh Bereshit (Work of Creation) we hear of the shattering and fracturing of the Vessels of Creation, the Sefirot (Emanations) of the five Olamot (Universes), and the outbreak of a conflict of forces in the World of the Angels, and the entrance of evil and death into the world, all based upon the "Fall of the Human One" which represents involution in the creative process. Thus, it is through the development and evolution of the Human One, and restoration of the Human One to a conscious unification with the Divine, that tikkun is brought about on all of these levels.

    In this light Kabbalah teaches there are grades of tikkun: The tikkun henefesh which is the healing of the human soul, which represents a conscious development and evolution of oneself - the perfection of oneself; the tikkun olam which is the healing of the world, which is brought about by the tikkun of human individuals; the tikkun of healing the heavenly realms and heavenly hosts; and the tikkun of healing the Great Name, which represents the Realm of the Sefirot.

    How the tikkun of the human soul brings about the tikkun of the metaphysical structure of creation is a great mystery, yet it is this very mystery that lies behind the great truth according to the Kabbalah and it is in this sense that we contemplate the Mystery of Divine unification and the divine drama that unfolds in the Torah.

    The only way we can begin to penetrate this mystery is by understanding that the inmost part of our soul is a spark of Or Ain Sof (the Light of the Infinite), and, thus, that in our inmost part we are united with the very essence of the Divine. Therefore, we are akin to quantum manifestations of God - the Divine Presence and Power, and in our soul we are inseparable from the metaphysical structure of the universe. Because the human soul is inseparable from the metaphysical structure of creation there is immeasurable theurgic power in the soul and state of the human soul and state of the metaphysical structure of the universe are inextricably bound together.

    Tikkun is often spoken of in terms of individual souls working out their "karma" through the process of gilgulim (reincarnations) and accomplishing the soul's mission in life. Yet, when the larger doctrine of tikkun is understood it is actually speaking of something much greater than a personal salvation or individual enlightenment - it is actually speaking about the enlightenment of the world and the whole of creation in the One (ein od milvado).

    Obviously, the teachings on tikkun are far too extensive to disclose here - the teachings would fill whole volumes of books. But from what is said here there is an in road to a deeper contemplation of the Mystery of the Torah in the Kabbalah, specifically the Mystery of the Divine Unification.

    To give a further hint, we may say this: The enlightenment and liberation of an individual is a cosmic event, and the whole of creation labors for this divine event. 

    New!!! Siddur Mochin d'Gadlut - now available.

    Monday, May 1, 2017

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    After many years of effort I would like to announce the completion of a new contemplative siddur.
    This has been the hardest project I have ever worked on in many ways, i.e. formatting, editing, notations, being innovative, balancing tradition with progress and reflecting my own spiritual attitude when it comes to the essence of prayer and meditation.

    This siddur has a unique lay out which I believe makes it easy to navigate. All of the Hebrew is transliterated. The contents of this siddur includes: a complete Shabbat for synagogue and the home, numerous b'rachot for special events and festivals, hundreds of notes, meditations and contemplative resources. This siddur also contains the complete Pirkei Avot which is also entirely transliterated. It is my understanding that I have made the first ever transliterated version of Pirkei Avot.

    The purpose of this project was not to simply have another siddur out in the world of Yiddishkeit. This siddur is intended to be something much more. My purpose with this siddur is to expand your mind by focusing your awareness of the Divine within you and within all things. Prayer is not simply an act rather it is a journey – a journey of your mind, heart and soul.

    You can order this siddur in hardback at:



    My New Book: The Mystical Exodus

    Friday, January 27, 2017

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    The Mystical Exodus

    Today the Jew has traveled through the annals of time to experience hope, pain, triumph and suffering in a continual loop of repetition. This experiential existence is not an unfortunate accident rather it is the demonstration to humanity of the process of life and growth itself. The birth of the Jew, the land of Israel and the history of Judaism itself reveals the process of spiritual evolution; a cyclic process of human experience common to all humanity but most vividly demonstrated in the life of the Children of Israel. This book reveals the application of the existence of Israel for the whole of humanity and the elevation of our collective consciousness and rectification of the Soul.

    Please help support my work by picking up a copy on Amazon:



    Our Universal Existence in Perspective

    Monday, January 25, 2016

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    The Ramchal (Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzato) wrote an interesting idea concerning the Kabbalistic view of the entirety of the Universe. He stated that the whole Universe is the effigy of God which is known as Adam Kadmon (Primordial Man). Of course the Kabbalist's have long taught that the macrocosm of existence is wholly contained within the microcosm of existence (I will discuss this later in an article on holography). Considering this idea of the Ramchal it is logical to conclude that each human being, moreover everything in existence, comprises an aspect of the entire body of Adam Kadmon. We each have a role to play in the Universal body be it as a cell, gene, platelet, etc.; it is quite possible to view our own bodily functions as a metaphor for the Divine existence.
    Consider that the human brain is a type of computer called a neural network, composed of about 100 billion neurons, each of which is connected to, on average, about 7,000 others via synapses. Neurons are cells that receive process and transmit information within the brain. Synapses are connections between neurons through which chemical and electrical messages are transmitted. All these neurons in our brains, constantly communicating with each other, ostensibly enable all the functions of our brain, including planning, memory, imagination, information processing, calculation, simulation, and every other aspect of thinking.

    The human race is like a neural network. Our planet has almost seven billion people walking around communicating with each other. We're each connected to thousands of other humans by relationships, through which we're constantly exchanging information, energy, chemicals, objects, etc. While neurons and humans may seem to bear little resemblance, from a computing perspective the global human network has a very similar architecture to a brain.

    This raises the question: if we are able to think by virtue of our interacting neurons, and human civilization has the same basic architecture as a brain, then is Earth thinking?
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    The Consciousness of Mashiach

    Sunday, January 24, 2016

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    From Bereishit A, 283. At that time, Israel (the elect) shall each merit to receive their soulmate. Thus, it is written: "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you..." (Ezekiel 36:26), and "your sons and daughters shall prophesy..." (Joel 3:1). These are the new souls that shall appear among Israel (the elect) in the future, as is stated: Messiah son of David shall not come until all souls of the body are exhausted, referring to the old souls. Only then shall New Souls come. (The Unabridged English Translation of the Zohar) 

    In the Sefer Yetzirah, Mishna 2:5, one finds a discussion in the commentaries on the formation of a golem - an image of a human being made of clay or other natural substance, which is then brought to life, but not having a human soul. There are three principle levels of interpretation of this Mishna, one of which concerns the distinction of the bestial versus the spiritual human being.

    Many Jewish mythologies have played upon the idea of the golem in the creation of Adam, for according to several schools of thought Adam is formed by the malachim but without a living soul. Accordingly, unknown to the malachim the Most High entered in and breathed the living soul into Adam, and the "golem" became a human being. In other words, the potential human life-form was generated by the natural order, but the Gift of a Fiery Intelligence and Living Soul comes from the Divine Order. In general, from a Kabbalistic perspective, the present humanity on the collective level stands in a twilight zone between the completely bestial state and the completely spiritual state - the state of a golem and the state of an authentic human being.
    Read More >>