I Am That I Am

G*D told Moses in this weeks parsha, “I AM THAT I AM”. What exactly does that mean? It means the same to us today as it meant to the Israelites in bondage in Egypt. Midrash explains that although He has not yet displayed His power toward you, He will do so, He is eternal and He will redeem you. In scripture it talks about G*D being our rock, our foundation, it is upon this foundation that we must build our emunah, our faith in a Mystery that is much bigger than us so that when the trials come, and they will come beloved, that nothing can shake our bond with the Source that we have built our very life on.
That foundation is built on the knowledge we gain from studying G*D's Torah. We can learn and learn and still be no closer to understanding the Mystery. But we are closer to and have a more intimate relationship with the One who is the Source of that Mystery.That relationship is unique and will manifest itself differently for each of us. I AM THAT I AM, says that beneath all the "I think" and all the "I do", "He is", and "I Am" here. It is a place that our good deeds cannot create and that our bad deeds can never destroy.
Rashi's thoughts are that no words can sum up all that He will be to His people, but His everlasting faithfulness and unchanging mercy will be made manifest more and more through the guidance of Israel. In other words G*D says,"I SAVE THE WAY I SAVE". We are His people and it is up to us to show the world His faithfulness and mercy.

Beloved, Chazal say that G*D manifested Himself to Moses in the form of a burning bush because Moses had a burning desire to save his people. May we all have that burning desire to show G*D’s love to all people.
Shabbat Shalom, Elisheva Amaris
The following is an excerpt from Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan's book, “Jewish Meditation: A Practical Guide” (Schocken Books), pp. 92-98.

CONVERSING WITH G*D

G*d is totally ineffable, beyond the realms of thought and speech. Yet, as difficult as it is to speak about G*d, it is relatively easy to speak to Him. What person has not at some point in life prayed to G*d in his own words? If one is a believer, it is a natural reflex in times of trouble or distress to direct one's words toward God. When a loved one is ill or when one faces something unfaceable, one's thoughts and prayers automatically flow toward the Supreme Being. Prayer is a cry from the depths of the heart, from the ground of one's being, and communication is simple and direct.

Children naturally tend to pray to G*d. A child who is lonely or hurt will automatically call out to his Father in heaven. A child who has never been taught to pray may begin to do so on his own. It is as if there were a built-in instinct that leads us to call beyond the realm of the physical when we are in dire need.

Although many sources discuss spontaneous prayer, one Jewish leader gave it a central role in his teachings: Rabbi Nachman of Braslav. Rabbi Nachman was a great-grandson of the Baal Shem Tov, founder of the Chasidic movement. The Baal Shem taught that every individual could attain a strong personal relationship with God. Rabbi Nachman expanded this concept, teaching that the most powerful method to attain such a relationship with G*d is personal prayer in one's own native language.

This, of course, was not meant to downgrade the importance of the formal system of worship, which forms the Jew's daily order of devotion. The prescribed worship service is of paramount importance in Judaism. However, worship services can at times become dry and sterile. One's own personal prayers, on the other hand, are always connected to the wellsprings of the heart.

How does a person begin to speak to G*d? In times of crisis or trouble, it is almost automatic. There is a need to call out to someone, and one knows that G*d is always there. When our lives are on an even keel, on the other hand, it is not as easy. When everything is going our way, what is there to discuss with God? How does one begin a conversation?

It is very much like being away from a parent or a close friend for a long time. In times of crisis, it is easy to renew contact since the crisis itself serves as a point of departure. Similarly, when there are special occasions, it is easy to pick up the phone and say hello. This is why relatives often see one another only at weddings and funerals. Such occasions serve as an excuse to get together after prolonged absence.

To pick up the phone and, without any excuse, call a friend you have not spoken to in years is not a very easy thing to do. How does one justify the sudden, unexpected call? And perhaps most important of all, how does one justify not having made contact for the long period before the call.

It is significant that Rabbi Nachman refers to the practice of speaking to G*d, not as prayer, but as meditation. It appears that the line between prayer and meditation here is a very fine one, but there is an important difference. When a person speaks to G*d spontaneously, whenever he feels impelled to do so, then it is prayer. When a person makes it a fixed practice and spends a definite time each day conversing with God, then it is meditation.Meditation is thinking in a controlled manner. If this thinking consists in a conversation with G*d, it is no less a meditative experience.

In this context, Rabbi Nachman prescribes making a commitment to spending a fixed amount of time each day speaking to G*d. The amount of time he prescribes is approximately an hour every evening. In our fast-moving modern society, many find twenty to thirty minutes a more comfortable period for such conversation. The main thing is that it be for a fixed period of time and that it be practiced every day without fail.

The most difficult thing is to begin. Rabbi Nachman advises sitting down in the place where you meditate and saying to yourself, “For the next twenty minutes, I will be alone with G*d.” This in itself is significant, since it is like the beginning of a “visit.” Even if there is nothing to say, it is a valid experience since you are spending time alone with G*d, aware of His presence. If you sit long enough, says Rabbi Nachman, you will eventually find something to say.

As the conversation becomes easier and more relaxed, the experience deepens. It becomes a powerful meditative technique, which can easily bring one to higher states of consciousness. In these states of consciousness, G*d's presence becomes almost palpable.

Gut Shabbos, Elisheva Amaris