In
order to get us in the proper mode of thinking about the book, we'd like you to
suspend disbelief, open up your eyes, minds, and hearts, and imagine a world in
which our primary purpose in life was clear to everyone. The reason we are here
in this world is to work on ourselves, thereby becoming better people. The
ultimate goal is to fix the whole world, but we do so, first and foremost, by
working on ourselves.
Let's
say that everyone knew that, and even further, that we knew exactly in which
way we were supposed to improve ourselves. There are certain attributes, known
in Hebrew as Sefirot, which are qualities
that we are supposed to work on, and these qualities are a reflection of G-d. The
more we work on them, the more we become like Him, and are closer to Him. Just
as G-d is kind, so would we work on being kind. Just as He is mighty and
strong, so do we work on our might and strength, and so on. Further, imagine that we all knew what we were
supposed to work on each week of the year, and even each day of the week.
Imagine how much less confusion and
anxiety this could help alleviate. How much easier it would be to find meaning
and purpose.
That is the vision of
the book. This vision, and the structure of the calendar that it presents,
appears to have been known since the beginning of time. This structure is
reflected in ancient, foundational Jewish practices and writings, such as the
Counting of the Omer, Pirkei Avot, also
known as Ethics of Our Fathers, and Perek
Shirah, the Song of Creation. Even though many of these ancient teachings
and practices are well known, the rationale behind their order and structure was
not, perhaps, until now...
Ann:
Good
afternoon. Once again, thank you all for being here.
It
is a blessing to be part of this wonderful journey with Rabbi Kahane regarding
the precious treasures of the Torah. Specifically, I am so thankful that Daniel
introduced me to the book Perek Shirah,
a truly a mysterious and environmentally-conscious work, and which is very much
the focus of our book as well.
We’d like to now read to you a few sections from
our book’s introduction, explaining this work:
Perek
Shirah, which means Chapter of Song, is an
ancient text published only in a handful of prayerbooks around the world. While
the authorship of this work is not certain, many attribute it to King David. Perek
Shirah itself hints to David’s authorship as it describes his interaction
with a frog immediately following the completion of the Book of Psalms. In this
conversation, the frog exclaims, “David! Do not become proud, for I recite more
songs and praises than you.”
Among
sacred Jewish texts, Perek Shirah is a pioneer when it comes to the
environment. It is a work of enormous lyricism and exaltation of the Creator,
including songs from the sun and the moon, heaven and earth, as well as from
various members of the plant and animal kingdoms. The praises found in this
book are like a great orchestra in which, instead of musicians, each element
and living being contributes to a beautiful and emotional masterpiece. That
result is the best possible exclamation of G-d’s greatness by all of His
Creation.
It
is extraordinary that of all the different elements and creatures listed in Perek
Shirah that glorify the Creator, there are exactly fifty-two animals in Perek
Shirah, one for each week of the solar year.
When
reading Perek Shirah, it is fascinating to observe how the animals so
gracefully praise and acknowledge G-d’s actions. If animals glorify G-d in such
a way, how much more so should we! Furthermore, through each animal and its
respective song, we extract examples and lessons on how to help us heal and
combat sadness.
…
(pass
microphone to Daniel) For me, one of the most striking discoveries of the book
has been its explanation of the order of Pirkei
Avot. Pirkei Avot, which literally means “Chapters of the Fathers,”
is part of the Mishnah (the Oral Torah) compiled by Rabbi Yehudah
HaNassi. In these chapters, each of the main rabbis of the generation writes in
concise form what he considers to be most important in order to live ethically
and in accordance with the principles of the Torah. Pirkei Avot can also
be understood as “Father Chapters,” since these chapters include the
fundamental principles for the study and fulfillment of the rest of the Torah.
In this sense, the teachings of Pirkei Avot are like
"parents," and the rest of the Torah’s teachings are like their
children.
It
has always been our custom to study Pirkei Avot as a mechanism of
self-improvement. The book, The Kabbalah of Time, shows how the
teachings of the rabbis found in Pirkei Avot are organized in such a way
that each rabbi listed corresponds to a week of the year.
Here
is an example of how the book works. We are currently in the 21st
week of the year. The Divine attribute we are supposed to work on is Malchut shebeTiferet, which is further
explained in the book. This week also corresponds to the 21st animal
in Perek Shirah, the fly, and the 21st
rabbi in Pirkei Avot, Rabbi Yaakov:
On
the twenty-first week of the year, coming to the end of the month of Shevat, in Perek Shirah the fly calls out to the Jewish people when they are
not engaging in the study of Torah. The fly, often a symbol of decay, sings “All
life is like the grass and the flower of the field… the grass withers and the
flower fades... but the word of the Lord our G-d shall stand forever.”
Soon after Tu B'Shvat (The New Year of the Trees),
when we emphasize the importance of trees and nature, the fly comes to remind
us that nature and life itself, although beautiful, pleasurable, and
meaningful, are ultimately fleeting. Even though they are a reflection of the
Creator, it is ultimately only the Creator Himself, and those indelibly
attached to Him, that are eternal.
The lesson in Pirkei Avot for the week after Tu B'Shvat, taught by Rabbi Yaakov,
continues on this same theme: “When one is on a path studying Torah, if one
interrupts his study and exclaims: ‘How beautiful is this tree! How beautiful
is this plowed field,’ it is considered by Scripture as if he were endangering
his life.” (III:7) Rabbi Yaakov’s words parallel the song of the fly. We must
maintain our focus on what is truly important and everlasting, and continue in
our main path, which is to advance in our study and transmission of Torah
knowledge. The study of the eternal words of the Creator should not be
interrupted in order to enjoy fleeting occurrences or even to exalt His own
Creation.
…
(pass
the microphone to Ann). We’d like to conclude with the very beginning of our
book, hopefully as motivation for all of you to also embark on this amazing
journey:
We
often go about our lives with great uncertainty, without the benefit of sage
advice or guidance. Yet somehow we just keep going, attaching ourselves to
values that confuse our minds and our hearts, and ignoring the real needs and
wants of our soul.
We
become so busy with our own personal affairs and so distracted by the avalanche
of superfluous information directed at us, that we blind ourselves to the signs
all around, the lessons and warnings G-d presents to us at every moment.
Certain instances, however, awaken us from this darkness. In those times, which
are like lightning bolts of clarity, we realize that there is something
greater, something beyond this physical plane and our worldly concerns.
The
reality is that our soul needs to sing! Yet what are we to do if we do not know
the melody and the lyrics of the song? The Ba’al Shem Tov, the founder of the
Chassidic movement, explains that this is the feeling behind the shofar blast
on Rosh Hashanah. The shofar is the most basic and primal
expression of the soul, and it is with this cry that the Jewish people awaken
spiritually at the start of every year.
This
book’s objective is to bring us closer to our song. The song of the soul: of
the individual, of the Jewish people, of humanity, and of nature.[1] This
“four-fold song”[2] is directed
towards G-d, and the Jewish calendar itself is its sheet music.
In an effort to promote more harmony in our lives, we
will study Jewish values and techniques for spiritual enhancement that will
make ourselves attuned to the energy of each week of the year. This book will
give access to unknown tools, which allow for an open channel of dialogue with G-d. These teachings are not new.
They are already found in the Torah itself. They are within everyone’s reach,
close to the mouth and to the heart.[1]
Through continuous effort, an individual who is
committed to change can obtain personal as well as collective transformation:
in the family, the local community, the city, and beyond. As the prophet Isaiah
exclaims, the Earth was not created to be chaos.[2] We
desperately need to live in a better world, and leave it more peaceful for
future generations.
