Congregation Shaarei Shamayim Shabbat Gathering

Shabbat Gathering: Tzimtzum?

Brian D. Johnson -

Dear Chevrei, as is our custom, we will gather tonight at 5.45p ct to welcome Shabbat. These are the coordinates:

Zoom
Meeting ID: 883 8469 4181
Password: 822665
Phone: +1 312 626 6799

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Here we go.

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? This everlasting riddle is mirrored in Judaism: the creation of the world. It goes like this:

  1. Hashem is infinite.
  2. When it came time for creation, because Hashem is infinite, there wasn’t any room for the Garden of Eden or anything else.
  3. So Hashem contracted from the infinite to make room for creation. This contraction is called Tzimtzum.
  4. But Hashem is still infinite and there is still room for creation.

That doesn’t explain how it all works, but there are whole theologies focused on this idea so you can explore them in more detail than a 420 word newsletter. Some believe that Tzimtzum is ongoing whereby Hashem continues to contract to give us more room to make art, be kind to each other, and create horrors. The 20th century is chock-a-block with examples of all of that and more.

Tzimtzum and me.

I'm trying to follow Hashem’s example of Tzimtzum.

Sometimes my ego feels like it’s infinite, way too big for a boy from Arkansas. If I pull in my ego, preconceptions, assumptions, and prejudices, I’m making room in my life for new ideas, relationships, and more hope in a world that seems to require more hope just to get through the day.

Tzimtzum. This is an act I’ve started to apply to my own life to increase my wellbeing.

I’ve let you, dear friends, into my life. And I’ve let many other people into my life too. To quote Walt Whitman, “I contain multitudes.” A special friend of mine is all too familiar with one of my motto: “More.” More diet Pepsi, more Star Trek, more fountain pens and it can all be too much when it crowds out friends, art, and Torah.

I pray for my ego to be shrunk into something better. Tzimtzum.

And may it be for all of us a blessing.

See you tonight!
Gut Shabbes!

All my love,
brian.

PS

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