What You See Is What You Get

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What You See Is What You Get
Rabbi David Aaron
Author of Endless Light, Seeing G-d and The Secret Life of G-d


"Daddy, where is G-d?"
"Son, wherever you let Him in."
— Attributed to Rebbe Pinchas of Koretz

How do we open our souls' eyes to let G-d in?

The world that you and I live in is a product of our perception of reality. The philosopher Immanuel Kant probed this concept. He asked: Do we see reality or do we see our perception of reality? Kant's answer, of course, is that we do not see reality, but only our perception of reality. In other words, is this world reality? No, this world is your perception of reality. Therefore, the focus and clarity of your consciousness will determine the kind of world you live in.

Imagine three people sitting right next to each other in a doctor's waiting room. Are they sitting in the same room? Let's say the first person walked in, and complained, "Oh, how small this room is!" The second person entered, and exclaimed, "Look how bright this room is." The third person came in, and thought, "Ugh, what a messy room." Now, they are sitting inches apart, but they are not in the same room. The first person is sitting in a small room, feeling really cramped. The second person is sitting in a light room, feeling cheerful. The third person is sitting in a messy room, feeling disgusted.

Essentially, what you see is what you get. The world you live in is a product of what you are looking and willing to see. This is expressed in the Kabbalah classic - the Zohar's commentary on the story of Jacob as he's going to Egypt to be reunited with his long-lost son Joseph. Jacob has misgivings about leaving the land of Israel, even to see his beloved son. G-d appears to Jacob and says, "Jacob, don't worry. Joseph will close your eyes." The Zohar queries, what does this mean? According to Torah, when a person passes away, someone must close the eyes of the deceased. The Zohar explains that the colors and textures and shapes of this world exist in your eyes. In order to enter a new world, a higher world, after death, the soul must first leave this world. This world exists in one's eyes, so the eyes must be closed in order to take leave of this world and see a higher world. G-d is announcing to Jacob that he is going to die in Egypt and Joseph will be there to close his eyes to this world, so that he will be able to enter, i.e. see, the next world.

Is the Zohar saying that this world is an illusion? No. The Zohar is saying that this world is your subjective perception. Your consciousness of reality determines the world you're in. Your consciousness of G-d determines how much of the light and the truth of G- d will be allowed into your world. To the extent that you acknowledge G-d, to that extent G-d will be in your life. This is a very crucial idea. Although G-d is, G-d is not revealed in your perceptual world unless you actively acknowledge and invite G-d in.

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That's essentially the choice we have. If we don't want to believe in G-d, then G-d won't be in our world. That doesn't mean G-d isn't real. G-d is real, but not for those who choose do deny that truth.

In other words, if I've never tasted papaya, then there's no flavor of papaya in my life. Whether it's real or not for others, it's not in my life. If I'm blind to the color red, then red will not be one of the colors in my life. Mammals do not see colors, so they live in a colorless world. If I'm not willing to see G-d, then my world is godless.

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Everyone is thirsty for love, but how much love you can receive is dependent on how much you believe someone can love you. How much you believe is how much you receive. The more you acknowledge and believe in G-d the more you receive and see G-d in your life.

To the extent that we build our awareness, expand our consciousness, and acknowledge that G-d is the power directing the show, to that extent we see how G-d runs the show for us.

Each one of us has a choice. You can believe that this world is filled with the presence of G-d who cares about it and guides it. Or you can believe that this world is one big accident, a chaotic mess. The choice is yours. But remember what you believe is ultimately what you will see. What you believe creates the world you live in.

The Talmudic Sages taught: "Everything is in the hands of G-d except awe of G-d."

The Hebrew word for awe, yira, means both "awe" and "will see." Everything is in the hands of G-d, except for our acknowledging and seeing and being in awe of G-d. If we are in awe we will see G- d. If we are not in awe, if we are not open to seeing G-d, then G-d is not in our world. It's that simple and that serious.

Some people experience constant Divine presence, which means they see and feel G-d's care and guidance in their lives. They need $800 to pay for a car repair, and an unexpected check for $800 arrives in the mail. They miss a bus, so they get on the next bus, and the person they sit down next to turns out to be a friend from twenty years ago.

Why are such experiences not part of everyone's daily life? Because what you see is what you get.

Down Broadway..

Fun skate all the way down Broadway UPWS to WTC..
Too bad I couldn't find the dream house..I think I rang the wrong bell. The Safra Shul was open though (it's open 24 hrs..) the accoustics is really good there..

fun adventures in NYC

So it was going to be iyiny or iyun? (Integral Yoga - hanging out with the harmonium or Iyyun.. IYeshiva) I chose the later. It was fun. Before class I went to one of my favorite parks..under the bridge.. sang some songs-a few chapters of Tehillim by the rocks and water.. while green and red lights were bouncing off from the light installations.. it's really cool, that piece..






It was a great class b"h.. I am glad I went.. I really need to get back in the swing of attending more classes. And still need to jam with the harmonium..
After class I walked around a bit.. and then the bridge was right in front of me. I couldn't resist. It's been a while since I have skated from Brooklyn to Manhattan. I put on skates and off I went to my night out in the City. My bearings are really rusty.. I remember speeding down the bridge needing to stop and slow down at the lights.. but not this time.. I am waiting for the 110 mm and I'll get them B'eH.. it's not worth servicing the bearings or buying new ones.. I then skated south to Staten Island Ferry (where I started my 4 month skating trip across America..) and then all around Battery Park City for a few hours all the while singing.. screaming.. praying..
and later visited the Winter Garden..



I got some goodies too to remind me of good times - blue natural chips..(I usually get them on trips in America which I haven't taken in a while.. ) my favorite drink - bolthouse vanilla tchai.. and tofutti ice cream sandwich- just because I wanted to eat some ice cream in this cold weather.. next to the water and to commemerate and be מתקן for the tofutti ice cream that I ate last year this time @ the water but wasn't that much enjoyed and appreciated.. I could only eat one.. so I gave them out.. to passbyers... I still got 3 left.. I am skating home soon.. So if you want one come on out..

Living his dreams..

The most painful.. much more than the actual punishment or the bad/ difficult situation.. is the feeling that G-d is punishing you.. G-d has left you.. And when that happens after attempting to do good then it is so much more painful... We think to ourselves is this what I get for being 'good'.. for trying to help out.. It is hard not to focus on the bad that has befallen us .. but rather to look at the bigger picture and think about higher state of life.. of dreams..

Yosef was able to do that.. He had the most painful and difficult youth.. He was an orphan, betrayed by his brothers, a stranger in Egpyt, a slave, suffered harrasment, then thrown into prison.. and for so many years he had no sign from G-d.. yet he was able to overcome his challenges.. and grow.. He is the only one called Hatzadik - the righteous one.

The angel approached Yosef Hatzadik asking him "What are you searching for?" What's your mission? Yosef answers "את אחי אני מבקש" I am concerned about my brothers..
Even though he knows his brothers despise him .. he goes to look for them and is concerned about them.. but what happens? no positive reward.. or feedback from G-d.. on the contrary he is thrown into the pit.. to be eaten by poisonous snakes.. then gets sold by his own brethern as a slave..

But what keeps him going is his dreams.. Higher purpose in life.. He does not focus on his own pain.. and even though he is in prison.. he still thinks about how he can help others? מדוע פניכם רעים היום It hurts him that others are sad.. and tries to cheer them up.
His years in prison passed by really quickly for him because he knew it was all from Hashem and had faith in G-d that it is all good.

When his brothers came to Egypt and bowed to him.. the verse does not say.. and he rembered the pain they had caused him.. he remembered how they threw him into the pit.. they sold him as a slave.. they mocked him.. but the verse says.. He remembered the dream.. He knew it was all from Hashem.. It's all part of a grand plan..

Oh G-d.. let us live that way..

-Rebbitzin Yungreis Thursday Torah class - @ Hineini

Inspirational Story

Compliments of Yossi Robbins

Brenda was a young woman who was invited to go rock climbing. Although she was very scared, she went with her group to a tremendous granite cliff. In spite of her fear, she put on the gear, took hold of the rope, and started up the face of that rock.

She got to a ledge where she could take a breather. As she was hanging on there, the safety rope snapped against Brenda’s eye and knocked out her contact lens. So there she was, on a rock ledge, with hundreds of feet below her and hundreds of feet above her. Of course, she looked and looked and looked, hoping it had landed on the ledge, but it just wasn’t there. Far from home, her sight now blurry, desperate and upset, she prayed to the Lord to help her to find it. When she got to the top, a friend examined her eye and her clothing for the lens, but there was no contact lens to be found.

Despondently she sat down, waiting for the rest of the party to make it up the face of the cliff. She looked out across range after range of mountains, thinking of that verse that says, “The eyes of HaShem run to and fro throughout the whole earth.” She thought, “HKB’H, You can see all these mountains. You know every stone and leaf, and You know exactly where my contact lens is. Please help me.”

Finally, they walked down the trail to the bottom. At the bottom there was a new party of climbers just starting up the face of the cliff. One of them shouted out, “Hey, you guys! Anybody lose a contact lens?” Well, that would be startling enough, but you know why the climber saw it? An ant was moving slowly across the face of the rock, carrying it on its back.

Brenda told me that her father is a cartoonist. When she told him the
incredible story of the ant, the prayer, and the contact lens, he drew a picture of an ant lugging that contact lens with the words, “HaShem, I don’t know why You want me to carry this thing. I can’t eat it, and it’s awfully heavy. But if this is what You want me to do, I’ll carry it for You.”

I think it would probably do some of us good to occasionally say, “HaShem, I don’t know why You want me to carry this load. I can see no good in it and it’s awfully heavy. But, if You want me to carry it, I will.”

(This story was seen on frumsatire.worldpress.com)

my comment:
I love it.. I’m taking it for my blog.. reminds me when I was in Goa swimming far off shore.. for hours.. being amazed by G-d’s beautiful world.. watching the sun set… It got dark and I decided to swim back to shore.. I got there.. but my clothes weren’t there.. they had been stolen… I had ‘nothing’ .. I cried out to G-d.. after a few hours of songs, prayers..searching to no avail.. I looked up and saw someone up on the mountain.. I didn’t give up on my clothes..and I asked him if he knew anything about them.. a few minutes later he climbed down the mountain. Are these yours?

truelife said this on December 19th, 2006 at 9:20 p12

the buildup..

wow! the excitement.. It might happen..

it was quiet.. just the music of the waves.. and the sweet songs I was chanting.. where.. where.. can I find (y)..
g-d please one more glimpse show me.. (July 16)

Thank you G-d