Illustration by Yoseph Savan based on The Zohar
Ariel Ben Avraham – JERUSALEM IN THE BOOK OF PSALMS (IV)
“[May the Lord] Send forth your help from the altar [lit. from the sacred], and from Zion [He may] support you.” (Psalms 20:3)
All comes from God, and He sustains and supports His creation. This principle includes the help we need to fulfill our existence, especially when it is according to His will. In this verse King David is referring to a particular kind of help and support that only comes from the sacredness of God’s presence in this world, which is His chosen place known as Zion.
We realize that the Creator has multiple ways to sustain His creation, ones more sublime than others, as we see it in this verse. We have to be sacred in order to approach God’s sacredness.
This ideal requires from us to detach from the negative traits and trends derived from an egocentric approach to life, by embracing the ways and attributes of goodness that are our bond with the Creator of all. For this we need the help that comes precisely from the highest level of our consciousness also known as the altar of the Sanctuary in Zion.
The verses that follow give us the context of the Psalmist’s plea to God.
“[That may the Lord] Remember all your meal offerings and your burnt offerings forever. [To] Grant you according to [what] your heart [desires], and fulfill all your plans.” (20:4-5)
The offerings we bring to the Temple of Jerusalem are commanded by God to make us close to Him. We have mentioned that the Hebrew semantic root for “offering” is the same for “closeness”.
In this closeness we are actually redeemed from anything that prevents our well being, plenitude and self-realization. Hence our desires and plans must be aimed to pursue only goodness in life, as God wants us to experience His ways and attributes in this world.
“Only loving kindness and compassion shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever [lit. for many long days].” (23:6)
If we paraphrase this verse, we understand that in order to dwell in God’s presence manifest in His house, the Temple of Jerusalem, only loving kindness and compassion must lead every aspect and expression of life.
The previous verses in the chapter quoted here refer to what happens in us when we embrace God’s ways and attributes as the ruling ethical principles and fundamentals to experience life in this world.
The outcome is stated in this verse, as the culmination of living in full awareness of the goodness coming from our Creator.
- Ariel Ben Avraham
- Kochav Yaakov, Safed, northern Galilee, Israel
- Ariel Ben Avraham (f. Zapata) was born in Cartagena, Colombia in 1958. After studying Cultural Anthropology in Bogotá moved to Chicago in 1984 where he worked as a television writer, reporter and producer for 20 years. In the 1990’s he produced video documentaries related to art, music, history and culture such as “Latin American Trails: Guatemala” distributed by Facets.org. Most of his life he studied ancient spiritual traditions and mysticism of major religions, understanding the mystic experience as the individual means to connect with the Creator of all. Since 2004 he studies and writes about Jewish mysticism and spirituality mainly derived from the Chassidic tradition, and the practical philosophy of the teachings of Jewish mystic sages. The book “God’s Love” is the compilation of many years studying and learning Jewish mysticism. The messages of his book are part of the content, exercises and processes of a series of seminars, lectures and retreats that he facilitates in Israel.
