by Reisha Golden

Ahad Ha’am said, “More than Jews have kept the Shabbat, Shabbat has kept the Jews.”

G-d plagued the Egyptians and set us free. With this freedom came the ability for us to live an ordinary life in an extraordinary way. According to Abraham Heschel, this is the meaning of Shabbat, a day in which we sanctify space and time. And when we sanctify space and time on Shabbat, we, in essence, are bringing together the divine masculine and divine feminine within each of us, space being an inherent masculine quality, time being an inherent feminine quality.

Space is the aspect in which men have predominated in our culture, such as, in the creation and use of tools with which to achieve mastery over their surroundings, such as for hunting or for protecting or conquering territory or space or in the creation and use of tools with which to build space or dwellings for their loved ones or to commune with god, such as the Temple.

Women inherently have always been at one with time. Women have inherent physiological cycles, for example, menses, pregnancy, and birthing, which can all be symbolized by the womb, a symbol of receptivity. In the agrarian culture, the women often were the ones who tended to the life cycle of plants, the harvest, the young.

Let us examine the various rituals and symbols of Shabbat, and how they are inherently masculine and feminine, how they inherently sanctify space and time. Then we will see how they, in turn, bring about a yichud, a bringing together of the divine feminine and the divine masculine within each of us.

We begin every Shabbat, or make it kadosh, or set it apart from the rest of the week, by lighting two candles. Kabbalists (mystics of the Jewish tradition) suggest that the two candle lights represent the light of the sun and the light of the moon. The sun representing the masculine divine — achievement, conquering, penetration and the moon representing the feminine divine — receptivity, intuition, flow.

The early rabbis imagined our foremother Sarah lit candles long before the Torah was given. In the temple, we had a Ner Tamid, an eternal light.

Light, in essence, links us eternally to the beginning of creation, when light was the first element god created, which in turn links us to what G-d did on the sixth day, when mankind was created in G-d’s image, feminine and masculine.

On the seventh day, on Shabbat, we stop working, we stop creating, or as Aryeh Kaplan explains, we stop, as God stopped, interfering with god’s world, we emulate God and we give up our Mastery over the world. To experience this, many homes turn off their televisions, computers, and telephones and put away their pens and pencils.

Then we bring in the Shabbat. We sing songs, we pray, we recite the kiddush, we wash hands, cut, salt and eat from two challot, sit at a table dressed in white and enjoy a festive meal.

Each of these rituals are symbolic of the feminine and masculine.

The songs, the act of praying, where and when did that begin? The act of praying comes from our foremother Hannah, who instead of sacrificing an animal in the holy Temple to ask g-d for a child, she prayed deeply from her heart to have a child. Her wish was granted. It was through prayer she communed with god.

We recite the Kiddush. We fill our kos or kiddish cup to the brim. This symbolizes how grateful we are for our overflowing plentitude, with wine representing our wealth. Traditionally, the man of the house holds the Kiddush cup in his right hand with his palm face up, supported with upturned fingers. According to Adin Steinsaltz, a contemporary writer on Jewish mysticism, this resembles a rose of five petals, as well as the womb, symbolic of the feminine divine.

The wine also reminds us of the Sabbath wine sacrifices our priests performed in the space of the Temple, a masculine symbol.

Then we wash our hands. The washing of the hands is similar to what our priests did in Temple times before they entered a sacred space to commune with god.

Then we cut and salt the 2 Challot.

We have two braided breads or challot? In the Temple, there were 12. Some Chassidic homes have 12 challot every Shabbat. Most of us have two. This represents the extra portion of manna G-d gave us on Fridays while we wandered in the desert. God apportioned manna for each day but on Fridays the portion doubled so we wouldn’t have to collect manna or do work on Shabbat.

But why do we braid the bread? According to Tamar Frankiel in her book “The Voice of Sarah” braids are an archetypal feminine image, related to weaving, to the web, or net, as we may “do up” our hair into braids or circles, symbolic of our understanding of time or the the natural cycles within us and in nature.

We salt and cut the bread with a knife. This represents the sacrifices performed by the priests in Temple times, again a masculine symbol.

Then we sit down at our table, representing the Temple alter. The meal representing the Sabbath sacrifice. Our table is dressed in white, as we would a bride, in our sacred space, our home, then the Temple, and we eat our Sabbath meal.
As you see many Shabbat symbols are both feminine and masculine. The feminine symbols being prayer, the kiddish cup, the braided bread, and the white tablecloth. The masculine symbols being space-related symbols, such as the Temple, our home, the wine as a Sabbath sacrifice, the cutting and salting of the 2 challot as we would a sacrifice, and the table representing the Temple alter.

It was in the giving of the Torah that it was realized that space, an inherent masculine quality, and that time, an inherent feminine quality, both needed to be sanctified.

When Moses was up on the mountain, and the people waited impatiently below, Midrash says that it was men who contributed their gold jewelry to the Golden Calf. The men needed what the Golden Calf represented: a means in space to commune with the divine. Men in turn were given the Tabernacle, and to sanctify that space, they had male representatives, Priests, who sacrificed on alters the various elements in nature: animals, grain, wine. This was done in order to come closer to G-d. A sacrifice or, in Hebrew, korban, comes from the root, karov, which means to approach or come near.

Women, on the other hand did not contribute jewelry, they had faith, that, in time, Moses would bring what he had promised.

For this faith in time at Mt. Sinai, women were given the celebration of the New Moon, a marking of time in a cycle.

Perhaps this is one reason, but not the only one, why Shabbat, as a marking of time, represents, in our kabbalistic or Jewish mystical tradition, the feminine divine or the Shechina. The song L’chah dodi that we sing every Friday night, a song composed by the sixteenth century kabbalist Rabbi Shlomo Halevi Alkabetz , is about welcoming the Sabbath bride, the shechina.

But also, for the mystic, the feminine is represented by the womb, or the receiver of the divine masculine, where the masculine is represented by the qualities of god that penetrate from above. In other words, the masculine signifies g-d’s transcendent qualities, or those qualities that exist beyond the material universe, or the manifestation of god outside time, space and finite beings, whereas the feminine aspect of god signifies god’s immanent qualities, or god’s presence throughout the universe, or the manifestation of God within time, space and finite beings. For the kabbalist, this is the experience of Shabbat, a Yichud, the bringing together, or the penetration of the transcendent, the masculine aspect of god into the feminine, the womb, the receiver, or the immanent aspect of God.

So what do we do every Shabbat?

With the lighting of the candles, singing, praying, reciting the kiddush, washing our hands, cutting and salting two challot, dressing the table in white, we, in essence, are creating an atmosphere in which to sanctify time and space. And when we sanctify time and space, we are in essence sanctifying the feminine and masculine qualities within each of us.

This process, in turn, brings that which is transcendent, that which dwells beyond time and space, such as our souls, into the immanent, that which dwells within time and space, such as our bodies. We remember on Shabbat who we are both in body and soul; we link ourselves back to our essences, to our deeper self, and in turn, with the divine.

It is as though on Shabbat, there is an exchange of you with your deeper self, you and a lover, you and God, of giver, receiver, receiver, giver.

We find that it is a day we can experience heaven on Earth, a day we experience ordinary life in an extraordinary way.

So that the rest of the week, when we, as Jews, are involved with Earthly matters, such as providing or caring for our loved ones, such as listening and watching the news and seeing devastation at home or around the world, such as in Asia, where people now can no longer experience a sense of freedom or rest, we give of our feminine and masculine qualities, our time and our resources to help them out of their environmental enslavement, and bring again to them the experience of heaven on Earth, what we experience as Shabbat. Or equally important, we continue to take the time and resources to keep our planet clean, and realize perhaps that our creative use of nature may at times pollute, more than preserve, this G-d given space called Earth, in which we are just transient beings.

“Ahhh Savasana…” Those longed for words at the end of an intense class. Even the newest yogi knows the pleasure, relief, and release that comes with Savasana. It is the time to bliss out, recover, and be at peace.

Countless Jewish Yoga articles have mentioned the relationship between Shabbat, the day of rest, which comes at the end of a long work week, and Savasana. Rest is important for healing, creativity, and a justly deserved reward for hard work. However, the hard work in this pose, and what it is really is about, is often left aside. In fact, there are elements – solemn, perhaps even grave, sobering concepts – that are not discussed, misunderstood, and forgotten. Forgetting Corpse Pose is about death, one risks losing the pose’s effects entirely.

Ecclesiastes 7:2 states, “It is better to visit a house of mourning, than to attend a party, for this (death) is the end of all men, and the living should take this to heart.”

Ok so, Savasana is Corpse Pose. It’s about experiencing death – and to forget this removes an integral element of the pose and it’s desired effect. What desired effect though? Why is it important to feel death, if just for five minutes a day? What are we missing in our Savasana that Ecclesiastes wants us to internalize?

This week, I attended my grandmother’s funeral. I looked down in the ground and saw her simple wooden casket. I shoveled earth onto her grave and shivered with the sound of the dirt hitting the wood, speaking with a distinct finality. The night before, mom and I sat and discussed what dying is all about. I told her that in Hebrew, we describe a dead person as “niftar.” The shoresh or root of the word “niftar” is “PTR”, and has a number of different meanings: deceased, exempt, redeemed. The question was though, how were each of these words related, and what did it teach us about death and dying in Judaism?

I found an answer in an introduction by Gregory Hillis, to a version of the Tibetan Book of the Dead by W.Y. Evan-Wentz. To paraphrase, Hillis makes a sharp distinction between the Western and Eastern approach to death. In the Western approach, fear of death comes about from fear that there is nothing after this world. This world is our one chance to live – and then it is all over. In the Eastern approach to karma and samsara, the fear of death comes from the exact opposite: the fear of returning to this world, with unfinished business. Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan writes in Jewish Meditation on the very first page that, “Judaism is an eastern religion.” Could this approach to death be a Jewish perspective as well?

The Hebrew definitely supports that this could be so. Why do we call someone who died “niftar?” It’s because we’re being respectful. We assume that this person fulfilled his or her life’s mission, the soul’s mission, and has no need to return to this world. This is why the person is now “exempt” or patur from mitzvot – because the soul has been “redeemed” or niftar by his or her actions.

Savasana is there to make us realize how blessed we are to have completed our practice. It exists to inspire us to move and be active, to breathe deeper. The fear of death should be part of our Savasana practice. It should instill within us the motivation to do every other pose actively and meaningfully and to live a meaningful life. Instead of seeking the relieving Savasana in every pose, perhaps try to find an inspirational Savasana in every pose, in every moment, and in every experience life offers.

Shalom and Namaste

***
SHALOM ISAACSON is a RYT 200 yoga instructor. He teaches at the Jewish Community Center in Houston, both mixed and men’s only classes, as well as at other studios and health clubs around the city. He also teaches chair yoga to the elderly at different Jewish synagogues/temples. “My Judaism and Yoga definitely impact one another. Whether it be teaching yoga in shul on Yom Kippur, using Jewish music in class, or adding a Jewish theme to teaching…you could easily call it ‘Jewish Yoga.’ Additionally, lessons from the mat can be applied to prayer, be it through internal focus, or deep breathing.” In addition to yoga, Shalom teaches spinning and enjoys dance cardio.

Email: Shalom Isaacson
Mobile: 810-373-2231.

By Dr Zvi Bellin

I recently co-lead a Contemplative Shabbat retreat at Pearlstone Conference Center near Baltimore, MD. I leave the weekend feeling that I am doing the work that I am supposed to be doing. The group consisted of 22 people from New York, DC, Philadelphia, Virginia, Boston, and Baltimore. My co-director was Rabbi Jacob Staub of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. Rabbi Jacob is a mentor and friend of mine through the Nehirim community. I feel that our personalities blended well and we created a beautiful container for the group to engage in contemplative practice.

Silent retreats at Pearlstone have a unique challenge that I have not encountered in other settings. We share space with other groups that are talking. At first, I was concerned about this fact. Last retreat, I managed this by reserving a completely separate space of the facility. This year, that space was not available. Also, I wanted our practice space to be held in one of the newer and nicer rooms of the main building. My concern increased when I learned that one of the groups would be a middle school group from a local Yeshivah. When the students checked-in for their retreat, I noted that their rambunctiousness exceeded my imagination. I seriously wondered if this would work out. Our group ended up in a separate wing of the main building. We had our own meeting room (with several huge windows looking out on the beautiful grounds of Kayam Farm), took our meals in a smaller private dining room, and had access to a connected private lounge area. I protected our sacred space by posting signs on all the entrances – “Entering SILENT SPACE. Please enter and exit QUIETLY.” To my delight, our space was seldom “invaded,” and only by the kitchen staff when they were dropping off food.

Our group also shared the intention that we would be impacting the groups around us by our contemplative practice. The other groups were told that they were sharing space with silent Jewish meditators and they can expect to see people walking slowly and not answering their greetings of “Good Shabbas.” (Though we were holding a gentle silence, so it was still in practice to regard others in a way that seemed the least disturbing to one’s inner peace.) It was fun for me, almost a game, to demonstrate to other Jewish people that we were dedicating a Shabbat to slow down and see what was going on inside. I hope that some of those guests will find themselves at a silent retreat one day.

During the retreat, I wanted to give an example of how a desirous thought can occupy the mind. I used an example of sitting and thinking about kissing a man. This felt risky for two reasons: 1. Talking about sexual intimacy in general, and 2. Coming out in such a causal way in a public space where I was holding a professional role. I considered that thoughts about sex come to everyone’s mind during meditation at some point and if I was going to talk about sex, I might as well be honest and not waist energy hiding. I knew I was sitting with progressive-minded people, though there was still that moment’s hesitance – “Is this okay?” I feel good about my decision to open the space up for sex to emerge with less shame, in general and for same-sex intimacy. Similarly, Rabbi Jacob talked specifically about painful memories that can arise during meditation practice. Through our teachings, we created an environment where any piece of anyone’s story was safe to notice, acknowledge and to gently send off. We bring our whole selves to the cushion, might as well be whole with that!

During individual sessions I listened carefully to what participants were reporting. I waited for a thought to come through intuitively and then, if there was space, I shared it. I learned that my initial response should be acknowledgment and an honoring. What thoughts, judgments, and feelings arise for a person is real and true for the person. Before I attempt to loosen a judgment, or create perspective in a thought by guiding an individual back to the practice, I first need to let the person know that they have been received and heard. A key word that resonates for this Shabbat is honoring. Empathy first.

Perhaps the most intense experience I offer on retreat is what I call, “Dynamic Breath Practice.” In this past retreat, I guided the group through two 10-minute sessions of Rebirthing breath work (continuous deep full inhales, completely relaxed exhales). After each session I posed the question for contemplation, “Who am I?” I think it is the most intense because it can be physically demanding to sustain this kind of breath, and there is a quick integration of body-heart-mind that leads to rapid energy release. I know that there is more for me to learn in guiding such breathing sessions, especially with the mix of group dynamics. I would like to commit to learning more.

Finally, I want to share about one assumption that was put in check for me. After retreats that I have attended, I generally have felt a sense of love and connection for the people that I have sat with. My experience is that there is something in the silence that bonds people together, perhaps more solidly than regular social bonding activities. I have received similar feedback from my friends who have attended meditation retreats. What I think I should notdo (which I did this weekend) is say that people can expect to feel bonded when we end the retreat. I feel it created a general expectation about the quality of group cohesion for the individuals sitting. Also, perhaps people were waiting to feel a strong sense of connectivity develop as the weekend progressed. It is probably the case that not everyone at the end of our retreat felt completely integrated into the group. There were also probably those that did not care about feeling close to others in group.

All in all, I am looking forward to growing in this work, leading Contemplative retreats. I feel very nurtured when I get to hold this kind of space for other people. I hope to integrate more of my meaning work into retreat leadership – having personal meaning emerge as a theme that is touched upon and explored through my talks and contemplative exercises.

December 2010
​​
Dr. Zvi Bellin holds a Ph.D. in Pastoral Counseling and is a licensed therapist in Maryland and DC. Zvi directs intimate retreats for the Jewish community that are both spiritually uplifting and intellectually stimulating. Practicing Vinyasa-style Yoga for over ten years, he completed a Yoga Alliance approved Registered Yoga Teacher training at Flow Yoga in D.C. in 2008. His teaching style follows the tradition of blending Torah study with contemplative Jewish practice. Zvi has studied extensively with teachers spanning various Jewish denominations, including, Rabbi David Zeller, Miriam Ribner, Rabbi Zvi Miller, and Rabbi Jeff Roth.

We have seen a strong reaction (both positive and negative) in response to Rav Ginsburgh’s position on yoga. We believe this is a positive thing. It shows that people have a passion and desire for something meaningful, mystical, healthy and holistic in their lives, proof that the search for spiritual meaning is alive and well.That said, it is all the more urgent that a truly kosher form of mindful exercise be developed, one where every aspect of its thought, speech and action can be utilized to create a spirit and body. As mentioned in the original article, Rav Ginsburgh has in the past made some progress in this direction, but more work needs to be done to complete and publicize such a form of exercise.The Gal Einai editorial staff has consulted with Rav Ginsburgh to provide the following information and elaboration that will hopefully help address some of the issues and questions raised by the original article.

Question: Why is it an issue that the term “yoga” is in Sanskrit or that the poses are called by their Sanskrit names? How is Sanskrit different from any other language?

Answer: Unlike other languages, Sanskrit is considered a sacred language and is the language of Hindusim that is used in all religious practice. It is specifically the use of the language that has an impact, as opposed to just the meaning of the words themselves (which is why yoga poses are generally called by their Sanskirt names and yoga itself is a Sanskrit word.)
As explained (The Magic of Sanskrit: Yogi Times): “What may often be overlooked, however, is the importance of the particular sound vibrations used, for it is not merely the act of chanting but more importantly the use of Sanskrit that produces profound change within people. In fact, vedic literature declares that Sanskrit chanting is an extremely enjoyable, powerful way for people to transform and awaken, a magical vehicle for accessing higher states of consciousness.”

The site continues to explain: “There is a mythological story about the derivation of Sanskrit that deserves mention. According to this account, Lord Brahma (the creative force of the Divine) spoke vedic knowledge in Sanskrit to the devas (higher beings) who in turn passed the information on from the heavenly spheres to mystics who were deep in meditation, living in a pristine state and attuned to subtle energies. Thus Sanskrit is a ‘heard’ language and referred to as devanagari from ‘deva’ meaning ‘god’ and “nagari” meaning ‘city,’ and translated as ‘the language of the gods.’ The holy seers recorded all of the vedic texts in Sanskrit, much like early European spiritual texts were written in Latin, with priests serving as the keepers of Sanskrit. Like Latin, Sanskrit was not a spoken language, but rather a language in which prayers and mantras were written and chanted.”

Q: The yoga classes I go to often begin with a mantra in Sanskrit. I don’t understand what is being said, but I don’t say anything when it is being chanted. As long as I am not saying the words, why would there be a problem with me being there?

A. Many types of yoga practice begin with a mantra in Sanskrit which is a foundational aspect of the yoga class. For example, Ashtanga yoga’s mantra, which is traditionally chanted at the beginning of each class, starts with: “Om” which is considered the “word of god” and “is a mystic syllable, considered the most sacred mantra in Hinduism and Tibetan Buddhism,” (gaia.com). The mantra continues: “I worship the Guru’s lotus feet….”

There is no question that chanting the above mantra is fundamentally problematic for a Jew. But the atmosphere we are around also affects us. Being in a class where this is being chanted and heard does impact us, subconsciously if not consciously. That is why we go to great lengths to ensure that we not only abstain from spiritually problematic behaviors but that we also are careful to separate ourselves from such environments.

If anything, one of the hopes and goals of the chants being used in a yoga class is specifically to impact the participants, whether or not those participants are saying or even actively listening to the chants or words themselves. As the same article continues: “For yogis, what may be most interesting is that Sanskrit has the ability to actually create healing through its vibration, since Sanskrit mantras directly affect the chakras, organs and nervous system. Although it is certainly important to understand the meaning of chants, their power lies mostly in the actual sounds themselves, that mystically allow blessings to manifest around and within us. By working with Sanskrit chants, we erase ill karma, cleanse our minds and emotions of negative patterns, and create new, positive conditions. Repeated use of Sanskrit chants liberates us from the material world, so that we may eventually escape the cycle of reincarnation.”

Q: My yoga class doesn’t have any spiritual or religious dimensions. There is no chanting, gongs or buddhas or the like in my class. It is solely about a physical exercise, so what could possibly be problematic? Some people even say that yoga is not really connected to Hinduism but a modern day invention. And even if it was originally, westernized modern yoga is about movement and flexibility and nothing more.

A: There are definitely yoga practitioners that claim to completely separate the yoga they teach from anything spiritual. However, there are many dedicated yogis who will say that such a thing is impossible, as to be authentic yoga, it is a spiritual and religious exercise. “The essence of yoga is to reach oneness with god,” (Pattabhi Jois: an Indian yoga teacher and Sanskrit scholar who developed and popularized the vinyāsa style of yoga referred to as Ashtanga Yoga.)
“Most Hindu texts discuss yoga as a practice to control the senses and ultimately, the mind. The most famous is the Bhagavad Gita (dating back to 6th-3rd Century BCE), in which Krishna speaks of four types of yoga – bhakti, or devotion; jnana, or knowledge; karma, or action; and dhyana, or concentration (often referred to as raja yoga, though not all sources agree on the term) – as paths to achieve moksha, the ultimate goal according to Hindu understanding. Of the four, the description of dhyana yoga has the most in common with yoga as it is largely understood today,” (Yoga Beyond Asana: Hindu Thought in Practice, hafsite.org).

A typical yoga class (including the ones that claim to have no religious or spiritual connection) will include poses and movements that in and of themselves are problematic. As stated above, the fact that one may not actively think or connect what is being said or done to its source, does not take away from the fact that the source is still very present and affecting the person.

For example, the “warm up” of stretches in most yoga classes are referred to as the “Sun Salutations: Surya Namaskara.” This is also often the first yoga sequence a new student of yoga will learn. Clearly that term, even if only used in the English and not the Sanskrit, already conjures up a spiritual meaning and worship. While every type of workout is going to have a series of warm up exercises and stretches, the sequence that is done through these Sun Salutations is very specific and carries meaning.

As explained: “…One of the means of honoring the sun is through the dynamic asana sequence Surya Namaskar (better known as Sun Salutation). The Sanskrit word Namaskar stems from namas, which means “to bow to” or “to adore.” The familiar phrase we use to close our yoga classes, namaste--te means “you”—also comes from this root. The essence of its meaning is “the divine in me honors the divine in you.” Each Sun Salutation begins and ends with the joined-hands mudra (gesture) touched to the heart. This placement is no accident; only the heart can know the truth. Surya Namaskar, or sun salutation, is included in a regular morning ritual of prayer and worship. It is the prayer of Lord Surya, the god of health,” (shantiyoganola.com).

Another example is the way almost any yoga class ends, which is in Corpse Pose, Savasana. "Corpse pose is the practice of the ultimate surrender of dying. This pose comes form the archetype of Shiva, the very first yogi, who is the god of destruction and letting go." (pranamarvillas.com)."

As the original article explains, the issues with a yoga class exist throughout, which is why the concept of “kosher yoga” is a contradiction in terms. Whether intentional or unintentional, conscious or subconscious, the sequence of the movements, the movements themselves, the name of the poses, and calling the entire process “yoga” carries with it problematic religious meaning, connection and significance. The Kabbalistic term for this is “makif d’tumah” which is the “atmosphere of impurity.” When something is impure it affects all that comes into contact with it.

Q: If Yoga is so problematic, why is it being taught at my Chabad House and local Jewish Community Center?

A: The fact that yoga is so widespread in the Jewish world was the impetus for publishing the original response. There is a lot of misunderstanding about the origins of yoga and arguments that it is really not related to Hinduism and therefore not problematic. Because there have been versions that are seemingly missing the obvious issues, many feel it is fine to teach or attend such classes. As this piece addresses, there are fundamental and foundational problems though that still exist, and therefore people need to do educate themselves to understand why yoga is so problematic.
​
The most obvious reason that it is being offered in so many places is because people are seeking it and enjoy it. There are an incredible amount of benefits that people ascribe to yoga. But as Jews, we must ensure that our diet not just be “healthy” but it must be kosher as well. We may love a certain food or restaurant, but if we value the concept of kosher and believe that a kosher diet is what is spiritually necessary, we would only eat there with rabbinical supervision and approval. Even if it tastes good. Even if it makes us feel good. Even if there is no other place that offers such delicious food.
It is not easy to tell someone that something they enjoy and love doing is not spiritually healthy for them. However, that is the case with yoga. And unfortunately, as of yet, there is no quick or easy replacement for that. But that doesn’t mean there can’t be. If anything, the fact that so many people are seeking yoga as a practice of mind, body and soul shows the urgency for the creation of a truly kosher form of movement to be further expanded and developed. Gal Einai and Rav Ginsburgh are working actively towards this goal. In the meantime, it is imperative that the spiritual dangers associated with yoga be shared with others so that they can become aware and educated regarding this matter.

Sarede Switzer, a guru in “kosher” yoga, runs a successful yoga and fitness studio in Crown Heights, NY with a mostly religious, female client base.

“The majority of my clientele are Jewish religious women who don’t feel so comfortable going to a regular yoga studio, where it’s a mixed class or a religious element like an idol or chanting.”

While Switzer is not into trends like Torah Yoga and Kabbalah Yoga, she does believe in bringing this wonderful form of physical and mental exercise into religious, Jewish communities and making it more accessible to them. For example, Switzer won’t use the term “sun salutations” for the common yoga flow series but will utilize the movements and make it more Jewish-friendly. As the demand for yoga grew in the Jewish community, Switzer moved away from teaching in private homes and opened her studio. The studio has even branched out to include a popular “Jewmba” class and a highly anticipated all mens Yoga class.

The interest in Kosher Yoga has grown so much that Sarede and Kinneret Feuer have successfully been running a Yoga Teacher Training course in Toronto, New York, and Israel, suitable for Jewish women of all backgrounds. The next New York training begins August 4th and the next Israel training begins July 7th.

For more information about Crown Heights Fitness, check out: http://www.crownheightsfitness.com

For more information on Sarede and Kinneret’s Yoga Teacher Training, check out: http://www.kinneretyogatraining.com/
​
Keep up the great work, ladies!

“I personally do not think that Yoga can co-exist with Judaism, because, Yoga is for Satanists, while Judaism is not, unless if I am misinformed.” You are, but even non-lunatics agree this is an issue!
For those of us too lazy, poor or contrary to jump on the yoga bandwagon, there are many ways to justify our indolence. But rarely do we invoke higher powers. Not surprisingly, yoga’s getting big in Israel. But for the country’s sizable Orthodox population, it’s the subject of hot debate. The issue? Many yoga practitioners involve Hindu chants dedicated to multiple deities in their practices, which flies in the face of the Jewish injunction to worship only one God. Cranks like the poster quoted above are obviously not going to whip out a mat any time soon. But for those craving the physical and mental benefits of yoga, the question’s trickier. Some authorities, after studying the matter, have granted a qualified OK. As Israelity puts it,

theologians have posited that since they all essentially represent manifestations of the one primary godhead, Brahman, the additional Hindu gods can be seen as analogous to Jewish mysticism’s concept of the sephirot, the kabalistic manifestations of the Jewish God’s various components of holiness.
​Even so, American-born Aviva Schmidt, whose “Power Flow” is known as “Israel’s first kosher power yoga studio” is at pains to keep things, well, kosher, emphasizing yoga’s physical – rather than spiritual – aspects. As she puts it, “I don’t say the names of the positions, there is no chanting, no ohming. I do focus on the breathing, as this is very important in yoga, but any kind of eastern philosophy stays outside.” Adds another practitioner: “Yoga physical exercise can be kosher as long as it remains within the context of physical fitness and stress management.” Some rabbis even recommend studying Torah before practice, to keep one’s mind clear of polluting influences.


To serious practitioners of yoga, this is problematic to say the least; as one commenter on a message board commented, “Can’t be done. Yoga without the spiritualism is like a martini without the drink. You’re missing the point.” Or, as a friend of mine put it, “Sure, you can stretch and breathe – but it’s not going to be yoga.” This is a particularly stark example of the kind of culture clashes that are not uncommon in modern Israel. Says Isreality, “We’ve heard of kosher cell phones and kosher sex, so kosher yoga? Why not.” Well, there is the devil-worship issue…


Yoga Puts Religious Israelis In An Uncomfortable Position [Israelity]
Israel: Can Yoga And Judaism Coexist? [Global Voices]
Kosher-Style Yoga [Haaretz]

by Rabbi Itzchak Marmorstein, MSW

Ophanim is a recently emerged kabbalistic yoga that helps people flow in harmony with the inner Tree of Life: “In the midst of the garden is the Tree of Life.” (Genesis 2:9)

Sefer Yetzira (The Book of Creation), the first and primary book of kabbalah (the Jewish mystical tradition), describes the tree as rooted in “32 wondrous paths of wisdom” that are engraved through all existence. These 32 paths are the foundations of the Tree of Life and the entire human body is the physical expression of these Divine attributes.

Ophanim was developed by a female kabbalah scholar and mystic in Jerusalem more than 30 years ago. After years of labor and research in which she immersed herself in the study of Sefer Yetzira and related sources, she discovered that particular movements of the body related to the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The 22 letters are the channels of connection between the 10 sefirot (spheres) of the Tree of Life. Together, they comprise the 32 paths of wisdom.

Sefer Yetzira explains that ophanim are “angels of form” that are carried through the breath. The practice of Ophanim is an embodiment of these teachings and is helpful in opening the paths of our “inner tree.” The postures of Ophanim mirror the 22 letters and the breathing practice follows the path of the 10 spheres. It is actually a triple yoga that brings together the three elements of space, time and being into one single practice.

The yoga of space is present in the shapes of the postures; each posture or ophan is different in its spatial representation. The yoga of time is present by the fact that different letters are practiced on different days and relate to different parts of the body and their specific energy sources. The yoga of being is present in the breathing rhythm and the focus on its inner pathways.

The woman who developed Ophanim taught it to a young Moroccan mystic who began to teach it in the West about 10 years ago. He wrote this about this new discovery:

“The implication was that, for the first time, the wonder of Judaism was going to be witnessed in the world of bodies. Until now, according to the traditional view, the body was mainly elevated through not doing, or doing for the sake of religious prescription only. It seemed as if Judaism was mostly preoccupied with providing the soul a pure enough residence inside the body. Purification of the physical realm through restraint was the main channel to communicate with our souls. But now a new teaching was giving birth to a sanctuary of direct expression of the soul through the body. The body can now speak the words of God. The exile in the head was over.”

Ophanim is rooted in Sefer Yetzira, the first text of kabbalah. Its teachings and applications are universally applicable as the Tree of Life grows in all of us as it grows in all of life.

The kabbalah speaks of the body as divine and tells of how we are made in the image of the Divine. Through the practice of Ophanim , the body becomes a form writing the name of God. Anyone interested in opportunities to experience this practice can e-mail me at [email protected]. For more information, http://www.nefeshhaya.com/
​
Rabbi Itzchak Marmorstein, MSW, has been ordained by Rabbi Zalman Nechemia Goldberg of Jerusalem (1990), Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach z’l (1992) and Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (1996). He teaches Kabbalah, Ophanim, a recently emerged Kabbalistic Yoga and the teachings of Rav Kook in a variety of Jewish and non Jewish settings. He is also the author of MilaYomit: The Torah, Word by Word, a cyber learning circle that is going through the Torah word by word.

MEDITATION BASICS – (condensed version of article)
By Steven J. Gold, Founder/Director, Yoga and Judaism Center

Following is a condensed version of a longer article on this subject that can be found at www.yajcenter.blogspot.com

There are many different meditation techniques and variations to those techniques. For the sake of brevity, I am limiting these descriptions to one primary practice and slight variations to that practice that I have learned through my yoga tradition and experimented with over the years. This practice is generally categorized as a silent, internal, receptive practice, as distinct from many other meditation and contemplation practices that involve other elements, such as using external aids, chanting, guided visualizations, etc. I believe this practice provides an excellent foundation that can serve as a springboard for other practices, and can be utilized with internal visualizations or mantras in various languages and from various spiritual traditions. If sounds, colors or images come forward of their own accord during a meditation session, they may be worthwhile tools for focusing one’s inner attention.

Why Meditate? People who desire to learn how to meditate often want to learn to relax, de-stress, quiet down their noisy minds. Meditation will do all of that and more. It will help you address an inner call/yearning to connect with the spiritual essence that resides within us all. When that inner essence is contacted and magnified, the other benefits will follow, including becoming a more productive participant in everyday life.

Posture. “Head, neck and trunk in a straight line”. My spiritual father, Swami Rama, never tired of saying this. There are a variety of seated positions that accomplish this. The most important point is to get the body in a position with this basic alignment that is comfortable, so that bodily discomfort is not creating a distraction. In this form of meditation, the primary concern is to leave bodily awareness and external sensation behind, which can only be accomplished if the body is comfortable and not a cause for distraction. (Zen meditation is quite different, where bodily and external sensory awareness is heightened. In contrast, the traditional yoga meditation involves withdrawing awareness from external sensation, freeing up this energy to focus within). It is also emphasized in this traditional yoga practice that the aligned head, neck and trunk need to be perpendicular to the ground in a seated position, and not lying down.

If sitting cross-legged on a cushion on the floor is not comfortable, then sitting in a firm chair is the next best choice. A second important aspect is to sit in a manner in which the posture itself supports the back, without the back leaning on anything else, like the back of the chair. So, if utilizing a chair, sit forward, away from the back, and find a comfortable posture with the head, neck and truck aligned. It is helpful for the feet to be comfortably touching the ground with the soles planted on the ground, for the thighs to be roughly parallel to the ground and the lower legs to be roughly perpendicular to the ground. For short people whose feet dangle from a normal chair, use cushions under the feet. For tall people whose height prevents the thighs from being parallel to the ground and the lower legs from being perpendicular to the ground at the same time, stretch the legs out in front until the thighs are parallel to the ground and cross the legs at the ankles, right ankle over left. If for any reason it is not comfortable to sit without external support to the back, then use whatever support for the back that will make you comfortable.

Sense Withdrawal. As discussed above, this meditation technique is designed to aid in withdrawing the expenditure/dissipation of energy through the external senses, and redirect this energy within, to aid in the unfoldment of inner dimensions. The eyes are gently closed, thus easily eliminating the sensory expenditure involved with sight. Concerning the distraction of external hearing, meditate in a quiet space. It is also easy enough to select a space not prone to strong odors, minimizing exposure to stimulating smells; and it is recommended that you meditate on an empty stomach for many reasons, including that by doing so, there is little chance of any lingering tastes in the mouth that may provide a distraction. Concerning touch, positioning of the body in a still, comfortable posture as addressed above minimizes the sensations of touch.

It is worth noting that for every external sensation, there is a corresponding internal sensation that may be experienced during meditation and may help provide a point of inner focus. For sight, there is inner light, colors, images, visions; for hearing, there is inner sound and music; for taste, there is inner flavor such as a taste of nectar/ambrosia; for smell, there is inner fragrance; and inner touch usually takes the form of a sensation of inner heat, although other inner touch sensations are possible. While these inner sensations may be pleasant and assist with inner focus, they are not to be considered the goal of meditation, but only guideposts and tools along the way.

Breathing. Although there are techniques that promote exhaling through the mouth, this practice emphasizes breathing only through the nostrils on both inhalation and exhalation. So to accomplish nostril-only breathing, as described earlier, during this technique the lips should remain gently sealed. Breathing should be at a comfortable and natural pace, allowing the bodily intelligence and needs to set the rhythm. It should be done diaphragmatically, coordinating the movement of the abdomen and solar plexus area with the breath: the abdomen/solar plexus region gently expanding during inhalation and gently contracting during exhalation. This is deep but gentle breathing, utilizing the internal diaphragm muscle located in the lower rib cage/solar plexus region, as distinct from utilizing expansion of the chest. Only the lower portion of the rib cage should expand and contract just a little to assure optimum use of the diaphragm and minimum use of the chest. There should be no extended pauses between inhalation and exhalation, just a natural continuous flow with that split second of suspension as it transitions from inhalation to exhalation, like the waves of the ocean coming onto the beach, turning, receding out, then turning and flowing in again. The breath should be smooth through the duration of each inhalation and exhalation, without any halting or jerkiness.

Visualize with each inhalation that your body is like an empty glass being filled with the breath, first pouring down to the bottom and filling it up as it goes. Likewise, with each exhalation, the glass is emptied first from the top (being pushed up and out from the bottom), with the last bit of exhalation coming from the bottom. A slight variation is to visualize/sense a circuit of energy flowing into the body and up the spine during inhalation, and flowing out and down the front of the body during exhalation, creating a circuit running up the spine and out through the nose and down the front of the body, then up the spine again, and so on. A further visualization is to imagine the release of stresses, toxins and obstructions with each exhalation, and replacing those with nurturance, healing and well-being with each inhalation.

Focal Points for the Journey Within. Once you are settled into your seated posture and have closed your eyes, begin to focus on the breathing as described above. To assist with establishing a comfortable breathing rhythm, first focus attention on the gentle expansion and contraction of the abdomen/solar plexus region coordinated with the inhalation and exhalation of the breath. Once a steady, comfortable rhythm is established, move the focal point to the tip of the nose, and observe the sensation of the breath as it moves in and out through the nostrils. This process aids in relaxation and moving your awareness from bodily awareness to breath awareness and the more subtle awareness of the life force (“prana” in yoga, “ruach” in kabala) that rides with the breath.
Once the attention is steadied on the movement on the breath at the point at the tip of the nostrils, you may move your focus of attention from the tip of the nostrils to either the “third eye” point between and above the eyebrows (the center of the mind), or the region of the heart (the center of the emotions). Moving your focus of attention is similar to moving your sense of identity. The idea is to locate the higher quiet mind (as distinct from the lower chattering mind) or the higher quiet heart (as distinct from the lower emotive heart) and rest your attention/identity in one place or the other. The lower heart and lower mind are very noisy and chatty, creating a seemingly never-ending emotionally-charged inner soundtrack/dialogue. By locating and maintaining the focus on the quiet higher inner heart or quiet higher inner mind, the chattering starts to cease or at least recede into the background. The image I often use is that of a hurricane: the eye of the hurricane remains calm, even while the bustle surrounding it continues. Meditation is about locating and remaining with our inner eye of peace and serenity.

Eventually, if you keep at it long enough, this profound sense of inner peace attained through regular silent seated meditation stays with you, and you can take it with you into the external world of everyday activity. That is what is called “meditation in action”. You will become a more centered, peaceful, yet dynamic and productive participant and contributor to everyday life, and experience a deep sense of fulfillment and existential meaning and purpose. So now we have come full circle and have concluded with the answer to the question posed at the beginning, “Why meditate?”
​
A Few Last Details. Recommended time: 20 to 30 minutes, twice a day, on an empty stomach; best first thing in the morning, and either late afternoon before supper, or before bed-time. Locate a quiet place in your residence for meditation sessions, and commit to doing your sessions regularly. Meditation practice has a cumulative effect if done regularly. If not done regularly, the effect is diminished. It is that simple. The above are optimal conditions, but meditation can be done in a variety of less than optimal settings, including on buses, trains, planes, airline terminals, etc. Bon voyage! Om Shalom.

by Matthew Gindin

I had an insight into Kabbalah today while reading the words of a Japanese sage, Shunryu Suzuki. Suzuki Roshi (as he is called by his North American students) was instrumental in bringing Soto Zen spiritual practice1 to the United States. I have some slight connection to his lineage, having practiced Zen meditation with students of his lineage- Peter Levitt2 and Norman Fischer3. Like many people in North America who have practiced Buddhism (perhaps most) I have read Suzuki Roshi’s beloved book Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind. Today, however, I was reading a lesser known book of his called Branching Steams Flow In The Darkness. It is a transcription of Suzuki Roshi’s teachings in the 70’s on an ancient Japanese poem called the Sandokai, which can be translated as “The Interpenetration of The Ultimate and the Relative.” This, like all of Suzuki Roshi’s teachings, is marked by gentility, humour, maturity, and an enticing combination of nuance and directness. As I read it I am struck both by how I resonate with many aspects of his teaching and not with some others, which don’t fit my own deepest intuitions. In any case, as I read it today I was struck by something which shot like an arrow through my mind and hit a surprising and seemingly distant target: a teaching by Rabbi Isaac Luria, the 16th century Spanish-Israeli Kabbalist known as the Arizal, who reshaped Jewish mystical teachings in his brief life (1534-1572). The Arizal was also much concerned with what could be called the “interplay of the ultimate and the relative” or the interplay of the being of God, “The Endless One Blessed Be” and the being of phenomena- “materiality” or “the concealing shell”.

The passage from Suzuki Roshi I was reading is this one: “Kai means to shake hands. You have a feeling of friendship. You feel that the two of you are one. In the same way, this one great whole being and the many things are good friends, or more than good friends because they are originally one.”

According to the Kabbalah of the Arizal, when the Holy One, Blessed Be created the universe it burst into a million fragments racing madly away from eachother. From an original point which was so unified, so whole, that it transcended our mode of existence entirely, came being and being implies beings4. These quanta of being raced away from eachother, sparks of light becoming enclosed in the “husks” (klipot) of materiality. These energetic threads thus spun forth to become a great web of interdependent moving, humming, transforming strands of materiality concealing divine light within. With the birth of phenomena of greater and greater complexity came, paradoxically, greater and greater individuality for each compounded phenomena. This apparent individuality is the essence of the Arizal’s idea of klipa as understood by the Alter Rebbe5. Klipa conceals Divine Oneness because it appears to be independent phenomena.

In the world of the senses- the sensual universe which reveals materiality to us- we perceive a complex field of disparate objects with no obvious relation to eachother besides contingent functional relationships. Our toaster and our running shoes appear to be unrelated inanimate objects with seperate origins and purposes. It appears that way to me even when I consider the existence of the running shoe a miracle- why does it, or anything, exist at all?-or reflect that every moment, according to Torah, the whole of creation is willed into being by the Creator. The individual objects in my perception still seem alienated from eachother. But perhaps they shouldn’t.

Rashi6, commenting on the story of the Garden of Eden, asks why we are told that Adam was formed “from the dust of the earth”. He answers “To tell us that we all have a common origin- no descendant of Adam can claim higher rank.” In a similar way, all material phenomena- the running shoes, the oven, the flower on the table- are all united by a deep internal bond. A familial bond.

According to Lurianic Kabbalah all of the phenomena of our world were born from the same “singularity”- the singularity of Hashem’s willing of the Creation to arise in the womb created by tzimtzum7. In that sense all things, no matter how high or low, are one family, deeply intimate with eachother, sharing an infinite bond and identical internal signature in their hidden recesses- much like human beings. This was what I was struck by while reading Suzuki Roshi’s comment “the great whole being and the many things are good friends…because they are originally one”.

If we reflect on this we can remove the illusion of being an alien in the universe, trapped in an expanse of lifeless, impersonal objects. We can contemplate the truth of the kinship of all things, that they are “all good friends”. Our apparent individuality is a common inheritance from a common parent.

We are united in our common origin in a way deep beyond our imaginations. In the end, paradoxically, even the fact of our individuality, as well as its nature, unites us as something we share.

Matthew Gindin

http://mgindin.wordpress.com/

1Soto is a sect of Japanese Zen Buddhism. Zen emphazises waking up to the true nature of mind and world in a way which liberates from afflictive emotions and suffering. Soto emphasizes doing this through sitting meditation where one simply sits and is lucidly aware while not grasping at or rejecting any phenomenon which arises.

2Peter is the teacher of the Salt Spring Zen Circle on Salt Spring Island, BC Canada. He is a student of Jakusho Kwong Roshi, a spiritual heir of Suzuki Roshi’s.

3Norman Fischer is also a teacher of Jewish meditation and spirituality.

4For something to be it must not be something else.

5Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the first Rebbe of Chabad (1745-1812)

6 Rabbi Shlomo Yitzhak, great Torah commentator of Medieval France.
​​
7Tzimtzum: Lurianic Kabbalah teaches that in order to create the world the Infinite One had to contract her infinitude and create a wombal space where she was not and the world could be.