1. Organised Religion
(כ) וַיֵּֽצְא֛וּ כָּל־עֲדַ֥ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִלִּפְנֵ֥י מֹשֶֽׁה׃ (כא) וַיָּבֹ֕אוּ כָּל־אִ֖ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־נְשָׂא֣וֹ לִבּ֑וֹ וְכֹ֡ל אֲשֶׁר֩ נָדְבָ֨ה רוּח֜וֹ אֹת֗וֹ הֵ֠בִיאוּ אֶת־תְּרוּמַ֨ת ה' לִמְלֶ֨אכֶת אֹ֤הֶל מוֹעֵד֙ וּלְכָל־עֲבֹ֣דָת֔וֹ וּלְבִגְדֵ֖י הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ׃ (כב) וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֖ים עַל־הַנָּשִׁ֑ים כֹּ֣ל ׀ נְדִ֣יב לֵ֗ב הֵ֠בִיאוּ חָ֣ח וָנֶ֜זֶם וְטַבַּ֤עַת וְכוּמָז֙ כָּל־כְּלִ֣י זָהָ֔ב וְכָל־אִ֕ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֵנִ֛יף תְּנוּפַ֥ת זָהָ֖ב לַה'׃ (כג) וְכָל־אִ֞ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־נִמְצָ֣א אִתּ֗וֹ תְּכֵ֧לֶת וְאַרְגָּמָ֛ן וְתוֹלַ֥עַת שָׁנִ֖י וְשֵׁ֣שׁ וְעִזִּ֑ים וְעֹרֹ֨ת אֵילִ֧ם מְאָדָּמִ֛ים וְעֹרֹ֥ת תְּחָשִׁ֖ים הֵבִֽיאוּ׃ (כד) כָּל־מֵרִ֗ים תְּר֤וּמַת כֶּ֙סֶף֙ וּנְחֹ֔שֶׁת הֵבִ֕יאוּ אֵ֖ת תְּרוּמַ֣ת ה' וְכֹ֡ל אֲשֶׁר֩ נִמְצָ֨א אִתּ֜וֹ עֲצֵ֥י שִׁטִּ֛ים לְכָל־מְלֶ֥אכֶת הָעֲבֹדָ֖ה הֵבִֽיאוּ׃ (כה) וְכָל־אִשָּׁ֥ה חַכְמַת־לֵ֖ב בְּיָדֶ֣יהָ טָו֑וּ וַיָּבִ֣יאוּ מַטְוֶ֗ה אֶֽת־הַתְּכֵ֙לֶת֙ וְאֶת־הָֽאַרְגָּמָ֔ן אֶת־תּוֹלַ֥עַת הַשָּׁנִ֖י וְאֶת־הַשֵּֽׁשׁ׃ (כו) וְכָל־הַ֨נָּשִׁ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר נָשָׂ֥א לִבָּ֛ן אֹתָ֖נָה בְּחָכְמָ֑ה טָו֖וּ אֶת־הָעִזִּֽים׃ (כז) וְהַנְּשִׂאִ֣ם הֵבִ֔יאוּ אֵ֚ת אַבְנֵ֣י הַשֹּׁ֔הַם וְאֵ֖ת אַבְנֵ֣י הַמִּלֻּאִ֑ים לָאֵפ֖וֹד וְלַחֹֽשֶׁן׃ (כח) וְאֶת־הַבֹּ֖שֶׂם וְאֶת־הַשָּׁ֑מֶן לְמָא֕וֹר וּלְשֶׁ֙מֶן֙ הַמִּשְׁחָ֔ה וְלִקְטֹ֖רֶת הַסַּמִּֽים׃ (כט) כָּל־אִ֣ישׁ וְאִשָּׁ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר נָדַ֣ב לִבָּם֮ אֹתָם֒ לְהָבִיא֙ לְכָל־הַמְּלָאכָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֧ה ה' לַעֲשׂ֖וֹת בְּיַד־מֹשֶׁ֑ה הֵבִ֧יאוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל נְדָבָ֖ה לַה'׃
(20) So the whole community of the Israelites left Moses’ presence. (21) And everyone who excelled in ability and everyone whose spirit moved him came, bringing to the LORD his offering for the work of the Tent of Meeting and for all its service and for the sacral vestments. (22) Men and women, all whose hearts moved them, all who would make an elevation offering of gold to the LORD, came bringing brooches, earrings, rings, and pendants—gold objects of all kinds. (23) And everyone who had in his possession blue, purple, and crimson yarns, fine linen, goats’ hair, tanned ram skins, and dolphin skins, brought them; (24) everyone who would make gifts of silver or copper brought them as gifts for the LORD; and everyone who had in his possession acacia wood for any work of the service brought that. (25) And all the skilled women spun with their own hands, and brought what they had spun, in blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and in fine linen. (26) And all the women who excelled in that skill spun the goats’ hair. (27) And the chieftains brought lapis lazuli and other stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece; (28) and spices and oil for lighting, for the anointing oil, and for the aromatic incense. (29) Thus the Israelites, all the men and women whose hearts moved them to bring anything for the work that the LORD, through Moses, had commanded to be done, brought it as a freewill offering to the LORD.
2. Doing the right thing
(יג) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר מָרְדֳּכַ֖י לְהָשִׁ֣יב אֶל־אֶסְתֵּ֑ר אַל־תְּדַמִּ֣י בְנַפְשֵׁ֔ךְ לְהִמָּלֵ֥ט בֵּית־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ מִכָּל־הַיְּהוּדִֽים׃ (יד) כִּ֣י אִם־הַחֲרֵ֣שׁ תַּחֲרִישִׁי֮ בָּעֵ֣ת הַזֹּאת֒ רֶ֣וַח וְהַצָּלָ֞ה יַעֲמ֤וֹד לַיְּהוּדִים֙ מִמָּק֣וֹם אַחֵ֔ר וְאַ֥תְּ וּבֵית־אָבִ֖יךְ תֹּאבֵ֑דוּ וּמִ֣י יוֹדֵ֔עַ אִם־לְעֵ֣ת כָּזֹ֔את הִגַּ֖עַתְּ לַמַּלְכֽוּת׃ (טו) וַתֹּ֥אמֶר אֶסְתֵּ֖ר לְהָשִׁ֥יב אֶֽל־מָרְדֳּכָֽי׃ (טז) לֵךְ֩ כְּנ֨וֹס אֶת־כָּל־הַיְּהוּדִ֜ים הַֽנִּמְצְאִ֣ים בְּשׁוּשָׁ֗ן וְצ֣וּמוּ עָ֠לַי וְאַל־תֹּאכְל֨וּ וְאַל־תִּשְׁתּ֜וּ שְׁלֹ֤שֶׁת יָמִים֙ לַ֣יְלָה וָי֔וֹם גַּם־אֲנִ֥י וְנַעֲרֹתַ֖י אָצ֣וּם כֵּ֑ן וּבְכֵ֞ן אָב֤וֹא אֶל־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־כַדָּ֔ת וְכַאֲשֶׁ֥ר אָבַ֖דְתִּי אָבָֽדְתִּי׃ (יז) וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֖ר מָרְדֳּכָ֑י וַיַּ֕עַשׂ כְּכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־צִוְּתָ֥ה עָלָ֖יו אֶסְתֵּֽר׃ (ס)
(13) Mordecai had this message delivered to Esther: “Do not imagine that you, of all the Jews, will escape with your life by being in the king’s palace. (14) On the contrary, if you keep silent in this crisis, relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from another place, while you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows, perhaps you have attained to royal position for just such a crisis.”
3. Tzimtzum
כִּי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ מֵחֲמַת רַחֲמָנוּתוֹ בָּרָא אֶת הָעוֹלָם, כִּי רָצָה לְגַלּוֹת רַחֲמָנוּתוֹ, וְאִם לֹא הָיָה בְּרִיאַת הָעוֹלָם עַל מִי הָיָה מַרְאֶה רַחֲמָנוּתוֹ. וְעַל כֵּן בָּרָא אֶת כָּל הַבְּרִיאָה מִתְּחִלַּת הָאֲצִילוּת, עַד סוֹף נְקֻדַּת הַמֶּרְכָּז שֶׁל עוֹלָם הַגַּשְׁמִי, כְּדֵי לְהַרְאוֹת רַחֲמָנוּתוֹ. וְכַאֲשֶׁר רָצָה הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ לִבְרֹא אֶת הָעוֹלָם, לֹא הָיָה מָקוֹם לְבָרְאוֹ, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁהָיָה הַכֹּל אֵין סוֹף, עַל־כֵּן צִמְצֵם אֶת הָאוֹר לִצְדָדִין, וְעַל יְדֵי הַצִּמְצוּם הַזֶּה נַעֲשָׂה חָלָל הַפָּנוּי, וּבְתוֹךְ הֶחָלָל הַפָּנוּי הַזֶּה, נִתְהַוּוּ כָּל הַיָּמִים וְהַמִּדּוֹת, שֶׁהֵם בְּרִיאַת הָעוֹלָם (כמ"ש בעץ חיים בתחילתוֹ). וְזֶה הֶחָלָל הַפָּנוּי הָיָה מֻכְרָח לִבְרִיאַת הָעוֹלָם, כִּי בִּלְתִּי הֶחָלָל הַפָּנוּי לֹא הָיָה שׁוּם מָקוֹם לִבְרִיאַת הָעוֹלָם כַּנַּ"ל. וְזֶה הַצִּמְצוּם שֶׁל הֶחָלָל הַפָּנוּי אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְהָבִין וּלְהַשִּׂיג כִּי אִם לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא, כִּי צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר בּוֹ שְׁנֵי הֲפָכִים: יֵשׁ וָאַיִן, כִּי הֶחָלָל הַפָּנוּי הוּא עַל־יְדֵי הַצִּמְצוּם, שֶׁכִּבְיָכוֹל צִמְצֵם אֱלֹקוּתוֹ מִשָּׁם, וְאֵין שָׁם אֱלֹקוּת כִּבְיָכוֹל, כִּי אִם לֹא כֵן אֵינוֹ פָּנוּי, וְהַכֹּל אֵין סוֹף, וְאֵין מָקוֹם לִבְרִיאַת הָעוֹלָם כְּלָל. אֲבָל בֶּאֱמֶת לַאֲמִתּוֹ, בְּוַדַּאי אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן יֵשׁ שָׁם גַּם כֵּן אֱלֹקוּת, כִּי בְּוַדַּאי אֵין שׁוּם דָּבָר בִּלְעֲדֵי חִיּוּתוֹ, וְעַל־כֵּן אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְהַשִּׂיג כְּלָל בְּחִינַת חָלָל הַפָּנוּי עַד לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא:
(ה) כֵּן יֵשׁ כַּמָּה מְבוּכוֹת וְקֻשְׁיוֹת אֵצֶל הַמְּחַקְּרִים, שֶׁבֶּאֱמֶת אֵינָם שׁוּם חָכְמָה, וְהַקֻּשְׁיוֹת בְּטֵלִים מֵעִקָּרָא, אַךְ מֵחֲמַת שֶׁאֵין בְּהַשֵּׂכֶל אֱנוֹשִׁי לְיַשְּׁבָם, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נִדְמִים לְחָכְמוֹת וְקֻשְׁיוֹת.
(ו) וּבֶאֱמֶת אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְיַשֵּׁב אֵלּוּ הַקֻּשְׁיוֹת, כִּי אֵלּוּ הַקֻּשְׁיוֹת שֶׁל אֶפִּיקוֹרְסוּת הַזֹּאת בָּאִים מֵחָלָל הַפָּנוּי, אֲשֶׁר שָׁם בְּתוֹךְ הֶחָלָל הַפָּנוּי אֵין שָׁם אֱלֹקוּת כִּבְיָכוֹל, וְעַל כֵּן אֵלּוּ הַקֻּשְׁיוֹת הַבָּאִים מִשָּׁם, מִבְּחִינַת חָלָל הַפָּנוּי, אִי אֶפְשָׁר בְּשׁוּם אֹפֶן לִמְצֹא לָהֶם תְּשׁוּבָה, הַיְנוּ לִמְצֹא שָׁם אֶת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, כִּי אִלּוּ הָיָה מוֹצֵא שָׁם גַּם כֵּן אֶת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, אִם־כֵּן לֹא הָיָה פָּנוּי, וְהָיָה הַכֹּל אֵין סוֹף כַּנַּ"ל.
(ז) וְעַל כֵּן עַל הָאֶפִּיקוֹרְסוּת הַזֹּאת נֶאֱמַר (משלי ב): כָּל בָּאֶיהָ לֹא יְשׁוּבוּן; כִּי אֵין שׁוּם תְּשׁוּבָה עַל הָאֶפִּיקוֹרְסוּת הַזֹּאת, מֵאַחַר שֶׁבָּא מֵחָלָל הַפָּנוּי, שֶׁמִּשָּׁם צִמְצֵם אֱלֹקוּתוֹ כִּבְיָכוֹל.
(ח) רַק יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל־יְדֵי אֱמוּנָה עוֹבְרִים עַל כָּל הַחָכְמוֹת, וַאֲפִלּוּ עַל הָאֶפִּיקוֹרְסוּת הַזֹּאת הַבָּא מֵחָלָל הַפָּנוּי, כִּי הֵם מַאֲמִינִים בְּהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּלִי שׁוּם חֲקִירָה וְחָכְמָה, רַק בֶּאֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵמָה.
The Holy One, Blessed be He, created the world in His compassion, wanting to express His compassion - were there no world, to whom would He show compassion? Therefore He created all of creation, from the highest levels of emanation to the most central point of the physical world, in order to show his compassion. Yet when He wanted to create the world, there was no space for its creation, since everything was infinite ein sof. He therefore had to retract the light to the sides, and from this retraction an empty void was formed. It was in this empty void that he created time and space, and this was the creation of the world. This empty void was necessary for creation, since without it there would be no space for the world. Yet this [concept of] retraction to form the empty void is impossible to comprehend in our time, only at the end of days, since it entails a paradox of two opposites: presence and absence. ... But the deeper truth is that nonetheless, there certainly is divinity even there, because nothing exists without His vitality. As such, [the concept of] the empty void is incomprehensible until future time.
... There exists, however, a kind of heresy, which consists of types of 'wisdom' which are not wisdom at all, but since they are deep and cannot be comprehended, they seem to be wisdom. [...The arguments for such 'wisdom'] are fundamentally mistaken, but the human intellect can't resolve them and they therefore appear to be wisdom. Actually, these heretical challenges really can't be resolved because they derive from the empty void, and the empty void seems to be devoid of divinity. Any response to these challenges is tantamount to finding the Holy One within them, and this is absolutely impossible, since in such a case the void would not be empty and everything would be ein sof, as we have shown. Therefore it is written of this kind of heresy, "All who go there do not return," (Proverbs 2:19), since there is no possible response (teshuva, which can also mean 'return') to this heresy, as it comes from the empty void formed by the retraction of His divinity.
[...] Israel transcend all such heretical wisdoms and challenges, knowing that they can't be responded to, since doing so would destroy the empty void and the created world would not be able to exist.
4. Post-Judaism
"Everything is God" / Jay Michaelson, 2009
The fundamentalist finds a trigger that brings about an authentic and powerful spiritual experience - and then fetishizes the trigger, convinced that it and only it is the path to truth... Personally, I am a pluralist and a radical ecumenicist. I love the Torah, but I don't need to make it say everything I believe. I love that the Jewish path can lead me to devekut. But I don't need to prove that devekut is better than samadhi. I'm happy to share the Oneness with the rest of the world's religious traditions, to learn from them, and not to assume that the choice I've made to follow the Jewish path is necessarily the right or the best choice. Yet at the same time, I don't want to fall back into a mushy universalism either. I don't want to fetishize the trigger, but I do want to pull it.