Rabbi Leivi Sudak
Rabbi Leivi Sudak is the rabbi of Lubavitch of Edgware. Each week, he enlightens us about religious rituals and traditions with his A to Z of Jewish customs.
Infinity - no holds barred
Ask someone to speak about infinity, and you run the risk of inviting them to speak on and on and on.
But we all know that that is not infinity; it may be endless (and perhaps hollow) talk, but it will be very finite - that person will be engrossed in thinking and talking about themselves, and excluding anyone or anything else from the equation!
Infinity does not mean 'no end'!
Ask someone what terms he would use to describe infinity and you receive an explanation 'something that is awesomely great', or 'something that is majestic beyond our proportions'. But that too, is not infinite, that is just 'b-i-g'.
Infinity is not down to size!
One final attempt in understanding infinity may result in a description of absolute strength, where there is nothing that is able to stand up to the capacity and strength displayed. Clearly, this person has not observed a situation in which the weaker of the two in a contest results as the victor. That person's appreciation of infinity is very much on the intellectual level of a winner in a boxing tournament.
Infinity is not a play of power!
Infinity is a state of existence wherein nothing is withheld nor beyond, Infinity is a mark of excellence belonging to the one for whom there is nothing that is 'impossible', Infinity is a state of being that we might begin to comprehend but will not ever intellectually embrace.
Infinity means an ability to be the largest entity, as it has to be the only entity (the existence of anything else negates the status of Infinity). Yet Infinity means that it tends to and cares for each and every individual existence (for if there was even one existence that could not be tended to the status of Infinity would again be negated).
Infinity is the attribute that could only apply to God alone, for He is above and beyond any dimension, He is beyond any limitation, and He is the true existence.
The quintessential declaration of our Jewishness is the verse of the Shema. Rambam begins his entire work of Mishneh Torah with the declaration 'The base of all foundations and the pillar of any wisdom is the knowledge that God is the Primary Existence, and that anything that exists can only come about into existence from His True Being (Yesodei HaTorah 1:1).' As we declare the Shema and proclaim that 'Hashem is One' we declare that aside from Him alone nothing else exists. It is with this declaration in mind that we continue in the Shema with the instruction 'And you shall love God your God with all your heart etc.' Apparently, knowing of God's Infinity allows us to love God. How?
Rabbi Schneur Zalman, the Alter Rebbe explains that contemplating about how God is truly infinite and yet He cares for each and every one of us and tends to our finest detail evokes a spontaneous love for Him (Tanya p. 45). He later explains the function of the parts of our morning prayers that precede the Reading of the Shema (known as Psukei dZimroh) as being the time when, through intense thought about God and His wonders, we can arrive at a befitting level of Love for Him (Likutei Torah, Bamidbar, p. 134b). Thankfully, our minds are able to grapple with the concept of infinity, and we know that the applied results deserve to be reflected in the manner that we conceive Hashem, and then broaden our love and appreciation of His Kindness to each and every one of us, each and every day.
Have a wonderful Shabbos and best wishes to all at Jewish News for a wonderful YomTov, Leivi
