I began reading the new parasha of Ri'ay this afternoon, refreshed and inspired from some time away, in which I still worked and maintained all of my spiritual habits while the time away was still, well, refreshing and inspiring.
There is a thought in Judaism that real religious observance is in the near infinitude of practice. I once heard a rabbi, a very spiritual rabbi, say that "Judaism dictates every single move." This sounds like it could be true. But then again, every move? Every single one? Surely there are some nooks and crannies which are still yet unexplored by halacha.
For this reason, while repeatedly emphasizing the "commandments, ordinances, and decrees," and the importance of listening and observing them, the Torah also repeatedly emphasizes more general statements and guidance for life, the type that we read about in Devarim 12:7: "You shall eat there before H' your G-d, and you shall rejoice in every undertaking of your hand, you and your households, as blessed you has H' your G-d."
If this is not an encapsulation, a complete manual of life - I don't know what is. It's not enough to serve with joy. It's not enough to have my entire family serve with joy. But only that holy combination - joyful service and clear and distinct and express recognition that it all comes from H's Holy Blessing - that is the key to truth, understanding, and, as the Torah says, rejoicing.
And even more than that - the Torah leaves real, lasting, and permanent enlightenment as an option if we, to use the Torah's so beautiful word, listen. Here is the source for which I've been looking for for so long, after hearing so many masters say that, essentially, there is no enlightenment in Judaism, there is only constant "falling and getting back up" and the "work is never done." Yes, that may be true, but if there's another holy truth that I've been integrating more lately, it's that we can have it both ways - we can have the falling and the constant growth and the need to continue exploring until the very day we die, but as we've seen recently, we can also have rejoicing in every activity, every undertaking, every thought, speech, action. To vastly over-simply it: every day can be a good day, living in holy enlightenment, in true recognition of holy relationship and bracha from H', the G-d that is standing right in front of us.
There are so many parts of Torah I would love to frame, or scribe, or just memorize one day, and this is certainly one of them. But even more than that, this idea - this idea that enlightenment and constant rejoicing is possible and is right there - right there in front of us, in our Holy Torah! - is so refreshing and exciting, I won't be forgetting it - well, I can't be forgetting it - anytime soon.
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