(18) You need have no fear of them [the peoples residing in the land]. You have but to bear in mind what your God Ad-nai did to Pharaoh and all the Egyptians: (19) the wondrous acts that you saw with your own eyes, the signs and the portents, the mighty hand, and the outstretched arm by which your God Ad-nai liberated you. Thus will your God Ad-nai do to all the peoples you now fear. (20) Your God Ad-nai will also send a plague against them, until those who are left in hiding perish before you. (21) Do not stand in dread of them, for your God Ad-nai is in your midst, a great and awesome God.
~ What is the image of God portrayed in these verses?
~ How do you feel about this way of understanding God?
~ What is the immediate point [meaning, for the Jews listening this at the border]?
~ What is the point for the future generations [meaning, us]?
וַֽיְעַנְּךָ֮ וַיַּרְעִבֶ֒ךָ֒ וַיַּאֲכִֽלְךָ֤ אֶת־הַמָּן֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־יָדַ֔עְתָּ וְלֹ֥א יָדְע֖וּן אֲבֹתֶ֑יךָ לְמַ֣עַן הוֹדִֽיעֲךָ֗ כִּ֠י לֹ֣א עַל־הַלֶּ֤חֶם לְבַדּוֹ֙ יִחְיֶ֣ה הָֽאָדָ֔ם כִּ֛י עַל־כׇּל־מוֹצָ֥א פִֽי־ה׳ יִחְיֶ֥ה הָאָדָֽם׃
So [God] afflicted you and made you hungry, and made you eat the mahn which you had not known and which your ancestors had not known, in order to make you know that not by bread alone do humans stay alive, but rather by all that comes from Ad-nai’s mouth do humans stay alive.
~ What is the image of God portrayed in this verse?
~ How do you feel about this way of understanding God?
~ What is the point of this illustration; locally and for future generations?
~ Is there a bracha that you know that reflects this verse?
Blessed are You, Ad-nai, our God, Ruler of the Universe, creator of all life and their needs, for all you have created to sustain every living being. Blessed is the Life of the Universes.
You are to know in your heart
that just as a man disciplines his child,
Ad-nai your God disciplines you.
~ What is the image of God portrayed in this verse?
~ How do you feel about this way of understanding God?
~ What is the point of this verse? Do you think parent-child relationships have changed? How, or why not?
(11) Take care lest you forget your God Ad-nai and fail to keep the divine commandments, rules, and laws which I enjoin upon you today. When you have eaten your fill, and have built fine houses to live in, and your herds and flocks have multiplied, and your silver and gold have increased, and everything you own has prospered, beware lest your heart grow haughty and you forget your God Ad-nai —who freed you from the land of Egypt, the house of bondage; who led you through the great and terrible wilderness with its seraph serpents and scorpions, a parched land with no water in it, who brought forth water for you from the flinty rock; who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your ancestors had never known, in order to test you by hardships only to benefit you in the end— and you say to yourselves, “My own power and the might of my own hand have won this wealth for me.” Remember that it is your God Ad-nai who gives you the power to get wealth, in fulfillment of the covenant made on oath with your fathers, as it is today.
~ What is the image of God portrayed in this verse?
~ How do you feel about this way of understanding God?
~ Is there a difference in understanding of these verses between us, in our generation, and then?
וְיָדַעְתָּ֣ הַיּ֗וֹם כִּי֩ ה׳ אֱלֹקֶ֜יךָ הֽוּא־הָעֹבֵ֤ר לְפָנֶ֙יךָ֙ אֵ֣שׁ אֹֽכְלָ֔ה ה֧וּא יַשְׁמִידֵ֛ם וְה֥וּא יַכְנִיעֵ֖ם לְפָנֶ֑יךָ וְהֽוֹרַשְׁתָּ֤ם וְהַֽאֲבַדְתָּם֙ מַהֵ֔ר כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר דִּבֶּ֥ר ה׳ לָֽךְ׃
You are to know today that Ad-nai your God, he is the one who is crossing over before you, a consuming fire; he will wipe them out, he will subjugate them before you, so that you dispossess them, so that you cause them to perish quickly, as Ad-nai promised you.
~ What is the image of God portrayed in this verse?
~ How do you feel about this way of understanding God?
~ Is there a way to eek meaning for us, today, in the diaspora?
I will write on the tablets the words that were on the tablets, the first-ones, that you smashed, and you are to put them in the Ark.
~ What is the image of God portrayed in this verse?
~ How do you feel about this way of understanding God?
~ What is the point of this scene?
Here, to Ad-nai your God’s are the heavens and the heaven of heavens, the earth and all that is on it!
~ What is the image of God portrayed in this verse?
~ How do you feel about this way of understanding God?
Only to your fathers was Ad-nai attached, to love them, so He chose their seed after them,
you, above all peoples, like it is this day.
~ What is the image of God portrayed in this verse?
~ How do you feel about this way of understanding God?
(17) For your God Ad-nai the god of gods and the lord of lords the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who shows no favor and takes no bribe. He upholds the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and befriends the stranger, providing food and clothing.
~ What is the image of God portrayed in this verse?
~ How do you feel about this way of understanding God?
~ What is the point of this illustration?
אֶ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־ה׳ אֱלֹקֶ֖יךָ דֹּרֵ֣שׁ אֹתָ֑הּ תָּמִ֗יד עֵינֵ֨י ה׳ אֱלֹקֶ֙יךָ֙ בָּ֔הּ מֵֽרֵשִׁית֙ הַשָּׁנָ֔ה וְעַ֖ד אַחֲרִ֥ית שָׁנָֽה׃ {ס}
[It is] a land that Ad-nai your God cares for, the eyes of Ad-nai your God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year until the afterpart of the year.
~ What is the image of God portrayed in this verse?
~ How do you feel about this way of understanding God?
~ What is the point of this verse?
(כב) כִּי֩ אִם־שָׁמֹ֨ר תִּשְׁמְר֜וּן אֶת־כׇּל־הַמִּצְוָ֣ה הַזֹּ֗את אֲשֶׁ֧ר אָנֹכִ֛י מְצַוֶּ֥ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם לַעֲשֹׂתָ֑הּ לְאַהֲבָ֞ה אֶת־ה׳ אֱלֹקֵיכֶ֛ם לָלֶ֥כֶת בְּכׇל־דְּרָכָ֖יו וּלְדׇבְקָה־בֽוֹ׃ (כג) וְהוֹרִ֧ישׁ ה׳ אֶת־כׇּל־הַגּוֹיִ֥ם הָאֵ֖לֶּה מִלִּפְנֵיכֶ֑ם וִֽירִשְׁתֶּ֣ם גּוֹיִ֔ם גְּדֹלִ֥ים וַעֲצֻמִ֖ים מִכֶּֽם׃
(22) If, then, you faithfully keep all this Instruction that I command you, loving your God Ad-nai, walking in all God’s ways, and clinging fast to God, Ad-nai will dislodge before you all these nations: you will dispossess nations greater and more numerous than you.
~ What is the relationship portrayed between us and God in this verse?
~ How do you feel about this way of understanding God?
~ What is the point of this verse?
אמר ריש לקיש פעמים שביטולה של תורה זהו יסודה דכתיב (שמות לד, א) אשר שברת אמר לו הקב"ה למשה יישר כחך ששברת
Reish Lakish says: Sometimes the apparent dereliction of the study of Torah is its foundation as it is written: “And the Lord said to Moses: Hew for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and I will write upon the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which [asher] you broke” (Exodus 34:1). The word “asher” is an allusion to the fact that that the Holy One of Blessing said to Moses: Your strength is true [yishar koḥakha] in that you broke the tablets.
~ What is Resh Lakish saying?
~ Is it jarring? Can you imagine a situation in which this applies?
~ How does "clinging to God" apply here?
~ How does this piece of the Talmud understand God's descriptions in our parsha?
~ How do we "cling" to God, according the Talmud?
~ What is left for us to do?
(ב) בָּעוּ (ד"א בעא) לְמֵיזַל. קָמוּ. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן מִלָּה הָכָא גַּבָּן. פָּתַח רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְאָמַר, תְּרֵי קְרָאֵי כְּתִיבֵי, (דברים ד׳:כ״ד) כִּי ה׳ אֱלֹקֶיךָ אֵשׁ אוֹכְלָה הוּא. וּכְתִיב הָתָם (דברים ד׳:ד׳) וְאַתֶּם הַדְּבֵקִים בַּה׳ אֱלֹקֵיכֶם חַיִּים כֻּלְּכֶם הַיּוֹם. הָנֵי קְרָאֵי אוֹקִימְנָא לְהוּ בְּכַמָּה אֲתַר וְאִתְעָרוּ בְּהוּ חַבְרַיָיא. תָּא חֲזֵי, כִּי ה׳ אֱלקֶיךָ אֵשׁ אוֹכְלָה הוּא, הָא אִתְּמָר מִלָּה דָא בְּגוֹ חַבְרַיָיא דְּאִית אֶשָׁא אָכְלָא אֶשָׁא (ואיתאשא) וְאָכִיל לָהּ וְשָׁצֵי לָהּ. בְּגִין דְּאִית אֶשָׁא תַּקִּיפָא מֵאֶשָׁא וְאוּקְמוּהָ.
(ג) אֲבָל תָּא חֲזֵי, מָאן דְּבָעֵי לְמִנְדַע חָכְמְתָא דְּיִחוּדָא קַדִּישָׁא. יִסְתַּכַּל בְּשַׁלְהוֹבָא דְּסָלְקָא מִגּוֹ גַּחֶלְתָּא. אוֹ מִגּוֹ בּוֹצִינָא דְּדָלִיק. דְּהָא שַׁלְהוֹבָא לָא סָלְקָא אֶלָּא כַּד אִתְאַחִיד בְּמִלָּה גַּסָּה (נ"א אחרא).
(ד) תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּשַׁלְהוֹבָא דְּסָלְקָא אִית תְּרֵין נְהוֹרִין. חַד נְהוֹרָא חִוְורָא דְּנָהִיר. וְחַד נְהוֹרָא דְּאִתְאַחִיד בָּהּ אוּכְמָא אוֹ תִּכְלָא. הַהוּא נְהוֹרָא חִוְורָא אִיהוּ לְעֵילָא וְסָלְקָא בְאוֹרַח מִישׁוֹר. וּתְחוֹתֵיהּ הַהוּא נְהוֹרָא תִּכְלָא אוֹ אוּכְמָא דְּאִיהוּ כָּרְסַיָא לְהַהוּא חִוְורָא.
(ה) וְהַהוּא נְהוֹרָא חִוְורָא שָׁארֵי עִלָוֵּיהּ וְאִתְאֲחִידוּ דָא בְּדָא לְמֶהוֵי כֹּלָּא חַד. וְהַהוּא נְהוֹרָא אוּכְמָא אוֹ גַּוָון תִּכְלָא דְּאִיהוּ לְתַתָּא הוּא כָּרְסַיָא דִיקָר לְהַהוּא חִוָּורָא. וְעַל דָּא רָזָא דִּתְכֶלְתָּא.
(ו) וְהַאי כָּרְסַיָא תִּכְלָא (או) אוּכְמָא אִתְאֲחַד בְּמִלָּה אָחֳרָא לְאִתְדַּלְּקָא דְּהוּא מִתַּתָּא וְהַהוּא אִתְעַר לֵיהּ לְאִתְאַחֲדָא בִּנְהוֹרָא חִוְּורָא (ס"א עלאה).
(ז) וְדָא תִּכְלָא אוּכְמָא לְזִמְנִין אִתְהֲדַר סוּמְקָא. וְהַהוּא נְהוֹרָא חִוְּורָא דְּעֲלֵיהּ לָא אִשְׁתַּנֵּי לְעָלְמִין דְּהָא חִוְּורָא הוּא תָּדִיר. אֲבָל הַאי תִּכְלָא אִשְׁתַּנֵּי לִגְוָונִין אִלֵּין. לְזִמְנִין תִּכְלָא אוֹ אוּכְמָא. וּלְזִמְנִין סוּמְקָא.
(ח) וְהַאי אִתְאֲחִיד לִתְרִין סִטְרִין. אִתְאֲחִיד לְעֵילָא בְּהַהוּא נְהוֹרָא (ס"א עילאה) חִוְּורָא. אִתְאֲחִיד לְתַתָּא בְּהַהוּא מִלָּה דִּתְחוֹתוֹי דִּמְתַקְנָא בֵּיהּ לְאַנְהָרָא (מלין דשויין ליה לאדלקא) וּלְאִתְאַחֲדָא בֵּיהּ.
(ט) וְדָא אָכְלָא תָּדִיר וְשָׁצֵי לְהַהוּא מִלָּה דְּשַׁוְיָין לֵיהּ. דְּהָא בְּכָל מַה דְּאִתְדָּבַּק בֵּיהּ לְתַתָּא וְשַׁרְיָא עֲלוֹי הַהוּא נְהוֹרָא תִּכְלָא שָׁצֵי לֵיהּ וְאָכִיל לֵיהּ. בְּגִין דְּאוֹרְחוֹי הוּא לְשֵׁיצָאָה וּלְמֶהֱוֵי אָכִיל. דְּהָא בֵּיהּ תַּלְיָא שֵׁצוּ דְּכֹלָּא מוֹתָא דְכֹלָּא. וּבְגִינֵי כָךְ אִיהִי אָכִיל כָּל מַה דְּאִתְדָּבַּק בֵּיהּ לְתַתָּא.
(י) וְהַהוּא נְהוֹרָא חִוְּורָא דְּשַׁרְיָא עֲלוֹי לָא אָכִיל וְלָא שָׁצֵי לְעָלְמִין וְלָא אִשְׁתַּנֵּי נְהוֹרֵיהּ. וְעַל דָּא אָמַר משֶׁה כִּי ה׳ אֱלֹקֶיךָ אֵשׁ אוֹכְלָה הוּא. אוֹכְלָה וַדַּאי. אָכִיל וְשָׁצֵי כָּל מַה דְּשַׁרְיָא תְּחוֹתוֹי. וְעַל דָּא אָמַר ה׳ אֱלֹקֶיךָ וְלֹא אֱלקֵינוּ. בְּגִין דְּמשֶׁה בְּהַהוּא נְהוֹרָא חִוְּורָא דִלְעֵילָא הֲוָה דְּלָא שָׁצֵי וְלָא אָכִיל.
(יא) תָּא חֲזֵי, לֵית לֵיהּ אִתְעֲרוּתָא לְאִתְדַּלְּקָא הַאי נְהוֹרָא תִּכְלָא לְאִתְאַחֲדָא בִּנְהוֹרָא חִוְּורָא, אֶלָּא עַל יְדֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל דְּאִנּוּן מִתְדַּבְּקָן בֵּיהּ תְּחוֹתוֹי.
(יב) וְתָּא חֲזֵי, אַף עַל גַּב דְּאָרְחֵיהּ דְּהַאי נְהוֹרָא תִּכְלָא אוּכְמָא לְשֵׁיצָאָה כָּל מַה דְּאִתְדָּבַּק בֵּיהּ תְּחוֹתוֹי. יִשְׂרָאֵל מִתְדַּבְּקָן בֵּיהּ תְּחוֹתוֹי וְקָיְימָן בְּקִיּוּמָא הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (דברים ד׳:ד׳) וְאַתֶּם הַדְּבֵקִים בַּה׳ אֱלקֵיכֶם חַיִּים. בַּה׳ אֱלקֵיכֶם וְלָא אֱלקֵינוּ (אלא בה׳ אלהיכם). בְּהַהוּא נְהוֹרָא תִּכְלָא אוּכְמָא דְּאָכִיל וְשָׁצֵי כָּל מַה דְּאִתְדָּבַּק בֵּיהּ תְּחוֹתֵיהּ. וְאַתּוּן מִתְדַּבְּקָן בֵּיהּ וְקָיְימֵי. דִּכְתִיב חַיִּים כֻּלְּכֶם הַיּוֹם.
(יג) וְעַל נְהוֹרָא חִוְּורָא, שַׁרְיָיא לְעֵילָא נְהוֹרָא סְתִימָא דְּאַקִּיף לֵיהּ. וְרָזָא עִלָּאָה הָכָא. וְכֹלָּא תִשְׁכַּח בְּשַׁלְהוֹבָא דְּסָלִיק וְחָכְמְתִין דְּעֶלְיוֹנִין בֵּיהּ. אֲתָא רַבִּי פִּנְחָס וּנְשָׁקֵיהּ. אָמַר בְּרִיךְ רַחֲמָנָא דְּאִיעַרְעָנָא הָכָא. אֲזְלוּ עִמֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי פִּנְחָס תְּלַת מִילִין.
(2) Rabbi Simeon said: In one place it is written, “For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire” {Deut. 4:24}, and elsewhere, “But ye that cleave unto the Lord your God are alive every one of you this day” {Deut. 4:4}. The Companions have already discussed the seeming inconsistency between these texts, but I offer yet another interpretation. It has been affirmed by the Companions that there exists a sort of fire which is stronger than other fire, and the one consumes and annihilates the other.
(3) If we continue this thought, it can be said that he who cares to pierce into the mystery of the holy unity of God should consider the flame as it rises from a burning coal or candle.
(4) In the flame itself may be seen two lights: the one white and glowing, the other black, or blue. Of the two, the white light is the higher and rises unwavering. Underneath it is the blue or black light upon which the other rests as on a support.
(5) The two are conjoined, the white reposing upon the throne of the black.
(6) The blue or black base is, likewise, connected to something beneath it, which feeds it and makes it to cling to the white light above.
(7) At times this blue or black light turns red, but the light above remains constantly white. This lower light, at times black, at times blue, at times red,
(8) serves to link the white light above it with the material substance below to which it is bound and through which it keeps kindled.
(9) This lower light is in its nature an instrument for destruction and death, devouring whatever comes near it.
(10) But the white light above neither consumes nor demolishes, nor does it ever change. Therefore Moses said, “For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire” {Deut. 4:24}, consuming, actually, all that is beneath him; for this reason he said “thy God” and not “our God,” inasmuch as Moses stood in the supernal light which does not consume and does not demolish.
(11) Remark further. It is Israel alone which impels the blue light to kindle and to link itself with the white light, Israel, who cleave to the blue light from below.
(12) And though it be in the nature of the blue or black light to destroy whatever it touches beneath, yet Israel, cleaving to it from beneath, are not destroyed; so it is said, “But ye that cleave unto the Lord your God are alive every one of you this day.” Your God and not our God; that is to say, it is the blue or black flame, consuming and annihilating whatever cleaves to it from below, and still you cleave and are alive.
(13) Only just perceptible above the white light and encompassing it, is yet another light, this one symbolizing the supreme essence. So does the aspiring flame symbolize the supernal mysteries of wisdom. Rabbi Phineas went to him and kissed him, and said, Blessed be God who guided me here. And they went out with Rabbi Phineas, accompanying him for three miles.
דָּבָר אַחֵר, זֹאת תִּהְיֶה תּוֹרַת הַמְצֹרָע, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים נ, טז): וְלָרָשָׁע אָמַר אֱלֹקִים מַה לְּךָ לְסַפֵּר חֻקָּי וַתִּשָּׂא בְרִיתִי עֲלֵי פִיךָ, בֶּן עַזַּאי הָיָה יוֹשֵׁב וְדוֹרֵשׁ וְהָאֵשׁ מְלַהֶטֶת סְבִיבוֹתָיו, אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ שֶׁמָּא בְּסִדְרֵי מֶרְכָּבָה אַתָּה עוֹסֵק, אָמַר לָהֶן לָאו, אֶלָּא מַחְרִיז דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה לִנְבִיאִים, וּנְבִיאִים לִכְתוּבִים, וְדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה שְׂמֵחִין כְּיוֹם נְתִינָתָן בְּסִינַי, עִקַּר נְתִינָתָן בָּאֵשׁ נִתְּנוּ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (דברים ד, יא): וְהָהָר בֹּעֵר בָּאֵשׁ...
Another matter, “this shall be the law of the leper.” That is what is written: “But to the wicked one, God says: Who are you to speak of My statutes or to invoke My covenant?” (Psalms 50:16). Ben Azai was sitting and expounding and fire was blazing around him. They said to him: ‘Are you, perhaps, engaging in the secrets of the Chariot?’ He said to them: ‘No. I am, rather, connecting words of Torah to the Prophets, and Prophets to Writings, and the words of Torah are as joyous as the day they were given at Sinai. The essential giving of the Torah was in fire; that is what is written: “The mountain was burning with fire”’ (Deuteronomy 4:11)...
~ How does the room look when Ben Azzai is teaching, and why, according to him?
We thus have explained that a person includes all the worlds within him/herself, about which it is written, “For this is the whole of the human being (Eccl. 12:13).” This is also the inner meaning of the verse, “Let us make the human being in Our image, after Our likeness,” (Gen. 1:26) and is why the word, “Let us make - Na’aseh -נעשה,” is in the plural form, since all worlds are partners, both in making the person and in her/his deeds. Because of this, He included all the worlds within the human being's form, for they all are in need of the human's deeds. This is also the meaning of the verse, “Ad-nai - יהו״ה God took the human and placed him in the Garden of Eden, to work it and to guard it,” (Gen. 2:15) referring to the fulfillment of the positive commandments (to work it) and the negative commandments (to guard it). This is also the meaning of the verse, “For Ad-nai -יהו״ה God had not yet sent the rain upon the earth,” after which the verse continues and gives the reason, “because there was yet no man to work the earth.” This also is the meaning of the verse, “And I have placed My words in your mouth, and have covered you with the shadow of My hand, to implant the heavens and to set a foundation for the earth, and to say to Zion, ‘You are My people.’ (Isaiah 51:16)” For, the human being is who draws life to the heavens and the earth through her/his deeds, and it therefore is as if s/he planted and founded them. This is why the verse concludes with the words, “You are My people (Ami Atah-עמי אתה),” which can be read, “You are with Me (Eemee Atah-עמי אתה),” which as our sages, of blessed memory stated, means “My partner.” That is, “I create them and you sustain them.”
~ In this introduction to the next part, Yosef Gikatilla makes several important basic statements about the human being. What are they? What is the function of the human in the cosmos? What is then the place of Israel as a people?
With the above in mind, it should not be difficult for you to understand the matter of prophecy. This is in line with what our sages, of blessed memory, stated about the verse, “and to cling to Him (L’Dovkah Bo -לדבקה בו),” and the verse, “to Him you shall cling (u’Vo Tidbak-ובו תדבק).” For, a prophet adheres to Ad-nai-יהו״ה, blessed, by drawing down prophecy and influence to the lower worlds, as stated by the Ramban and all the commentators, of blessed memory. Thus, this in no way is astonishing, since as explained, no light has greater adhesion to the light of the ten Sefirot than the light of the source of the souls, and this is the meaning of the verse, “You who cling (Dveikim דבקים) to Ad-nai יהו״ה your God are all alive today. (Deut. 4:4)”
~ Which idea of "clinging" to God does Yosef Gikatilla espouse? Who are those who cling to God? When do we say that verse (Deut. 4:4)?
(ג) אחר שהזהרנו את האדם בשער שקדם מכל דרכי ההשגה כנזכר לעיל, אל יתיאש האדם. כי הנה בפסוק (שופטים ד' ד') ודבורה אשה נביאה, תנא דבי אליהו, מעיד אני עלי שמים וארץ, בין איש בין אשה, בין גוי בין ישראל, בין עבד בין שפחה, הכל לפי מעשיו, רוח הקודש שורה עליו:
(3) After having warned you in the preceding gate regarding all the above-mentioned methods of Godly grasp, do not give up hope. For, about the verse, Judges II 4:4 “Devorah, the wife of Lapidot, was a prophetess,” it states in Tana d’Bei Eliyahu,Tanna d’Bei Eliyahu, Ch. 9 and 25. “I take the heavens and the earth as my witnesses; any person, be they man or woman, be they Jew or gentile, even if they are a servant or a maid, depending on that person’s deeds, the Holy Spirit (Ru’ach HaKodesh) of Divine inspiration will rest upon him.”
~ Who could be a prophet or prophetess, according to Gikatilla?
~ What is required, in your opinion?
(ה) הנה הדרך המובחר שבכולם הוא מה שכתבנו בשם תנא דבי אליהו זכור לטוב והיא הדרך שנהגו בה החסידים הפרושים הקדמונים. והוא, לשוב בתשובה עצומה מכל אשר קלקל, ואחר כך ישלים נפשו בקיום מצות עשה, ובכונת תפילותיו בתכלית, ובעסק התורה לשמה בזריזות, כשור לעול עד יותש כוחו, ובמעוט תענוגים ואכילה ושתיה, ובקימת חצות לילה או פחות מעט, ובהרחקת כל המדות המגונות, ובפרישות מכל אדם אפילו בעניני שיחה בטילה, ואחר כך יטהר גופו בטבילה תמיד, ואחר כך יתבודד לעיתים ויחשוב ביראת ה׳, וישים הוי"ה נגד עיניו תמיד, ויזהר להיות מחשבתו פנויה מכל הבלי העולם הזה וידבק באהבתו יתברך בחשק גדול, ועל ידי כן אפשר שיזכה לרוח הקודש באחד מאלו האופנים שנאמר:
(5) Now, the choicest of all paths is what we wrote about above, citing Tanna d’Bei Eliyahu, who is remembered for good. This is the path that the ancient Chassidim and hermits followed. Namely, one should return to Ad-nai-יהו״ה, blessed, with a very great repentance -Teshuvah over everything that one has ruined. Afterwards, one should perfect one's soul through fulfilling the positive commandments and should have the utmost devotional intent (Kavanah) in his prayers. Moreover, that person should study Torah for its own sake (Lishmah), meaning, for the sake of the Name - יהו״ה, blessed, doing so with zeal and like an ox to the yoke, even to the point that one's strength is weakened. Moreover, that person should minimize pleasures, such as only eating and drinking enough to maintain health. One should rise from bed at midnight or slightly earlier, and also distance oneself from any unbecoming character traits. Likewise, one should separate from others, so as to not engage in mundane matters such as idle chatter. Subsequently, that person should work to purify her/his body, regularly immersing in the ritual bath (Mikvah). Afterwards, one should occasionally go into seclusion, and at such times, contemplate specifically on matters that bring to fear of Ad-nai יהו״ה, blessed. One should set Ad-nai-יהו״ה before one's eyes constantly, and should take care to ensure that one's thoughts remain entirely empty of all of vanities of this lowly world. Instead, he should adhere to love of Ad-nai-יהו״ה, blessed, with great yearning and desire. Through this, he can possibly merit the Holy Spirit (Ru’ach HaKodesh) and be Divinely inspired in one of the following ways.
There indeed are additional methods that are accomplished through action, which will be explained in Part Four. However, their purpose is to awaken and draw one of the five above-mentioned types of revelation upon oneself, even if they have not come of their own accord. However, these methods require tremendous holiness and purity, in order to avoid any of the above-mentioned intermingling. However, know that it is the first path that the ancient Chassidim trod upon, even in the early generations. This is as written by the Ramban, of blessed memory, in explanation of the scriptural words, “to adhere to Him,” as well as in the Holy Letter that he composed, in the fifth chapter, in explanation of the statement that, “Ben Azai would sit and study surrounded by flaming fire.”
"We are taught to think about God’s power as coercive, I suspect, because when we think about human strength and force, we think of coercive power — warriors, despots, pharaohs, führers, commissars and terrorists. But it turns out throughout history that long-term power is not coercive; the most transformative power is persuasive. Pharaoh was brought down — and the persuasive ideals revealed among those ancient Hebrew slaves has been liberating people ever since. In your own life, think about the abiding impact of a really inspiring teacher. Reflect on how you have been transformed by a great mentor, or parent, or lover — people who broadened your vision, encouraged you and made it possible for you to do something you never thought possible. They did not accomplish this task using mere coercive power; they invited you to be yourself, lured you to exceed your prior limitations, inspired you to live in the light. The Bible is full of examples of God using not coercive, but persuasive power to enlist our participation in creating a worthy, covenanted future.
...
Reflect for a moment: The universe operates according to unchanging physical laws. If you were to do the same thing over and over and over again without change, wouldn’t the result be the same each time? Yet the universe has instantiated the same unchanging laws for 14 billion years, and new and increasingly complex events continue to emerge. You have got to ask yourself — why? I see God in that emerging novelty and increasing complexity. God is the One who makes relationships possible, the force that makes for greater complexity and deepening experience. God makes possible our ability to love, reach and help each other.
I don’t think God gave my son autism or could have stopped it. Tohu va-vohu is always present. I don’t believe God caused the Holocaust or could have prevented it. Creation is about containing the chaos, inviting order where there was none. The tehom is always bubbling chaos, and God is steadily extending cosmos. But the tohu va-vohu remains real, innovative and dangerous. The tehom continues to threaten and to beckon, bubbling over in crisis, tragedy and novelty alike.
God is the resilient force luring us/commanding us to rise to the best choices, celebrating our creation into freedom and asking us to covenant as partners (the rabbinic term is shutafim) in the continuing creation of the world. That we are given the God-like ability to create, to innovate, to perform deeds of lovingkindness and acts of justice is what it means to embody tzelem Elohim, God’s image, in the world. And God’s persuasive love is sufficiently resilient, sufficiently determined, to see us through in love."
Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson, God Almighty? No Way!
https://www.openhorizons.org/god-almighty-no-way2.html