Hasidic movement,Kabbalah etc.,

Hasidic Judaism is not one movement, but a collection of separate individual groups with some commonality. There are approximately 30 larger Hasidic groups, and several hundred minor groups. Though there is no one version of Hasidism, individual Hasidic groups often share with each other underlying philosophy, worship practices, dress (borrowed from local cultures), and songs (borrowed from local cultures). The word means “piety” or loving kindness and it is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that promotes spirituality and was founded in the 18th century Eastern Europe by Rabbi Issrael Baal Shem Tov as reaction against overly legalistic Judaism. His emphasis was on redemption for the individual in the present ,the here and now. Compare this with St.Pauline dictum:’Today is the day of Salvation’. Hasidim worshiped God not only in prayer and study, but at work and play. Their style was to make a song and dance about it literally!
Kabbalah and Rabbinic Judaism has different views of human sexuality. The former saw humanity in a more romantic light than the other.Rabbinic interpretations of the Torah is called the Mishna.
“Know whence you came: from a putrefying drop; and whither you are going: to a place of dust, worm and maggots.” Kabbalah on the other hand views man as the last highest of the divine emanation.(Isaac Luria)
Evil came into being and became intermixed with good at the moment of creation, when God’s masculine and female aspects became separated. This concept of ‘Ardhanari’( the concept of half male and female principle in godhead is also found in Hinduism)
When these aspects came as one it signified God’s wholeness. Kabbalah would denote denote the glory of god as shekinah (from Shachan meaning presence of God in human events. In my opinion any man who conducts himself from highest motives that stem from his moral sense, and where his own personal fortunes are at stake giving the glory of God precedence over his own, has God as his friend.(ack: wikipedia-Hasidic Judaism)
benny

Read Full Post »

The Rubaiyat-Benny Thomas: Quatrain #87

Divine Will- the Inner Eye

Life of the senses has spread the feast sure

Each takes his fill and thinks the world as fair:

But in death earth has her treasures laid out

True heirs we are, bereft of senses there.

benny

“Under God’s benign eye we may see His rich treasures through His eyes. What makes any one think his eyes are better than that of his maker?” b

Read Full Post »

Quatrain #28- the Rubaiyat

Read Full Post »

Quatrain #29

Read Full Post »

The Weekend Poetry

quatrain#21 the illustrated Rubaiyat

Read Full Post »

Notice: new Omar Khayam blog

I have begun a new blog exclusively for posting quatrains that deal with mysticism, art and short essays in keeping with the work of Omar Khayyam.
The title of the blog is The Rubaiyat- Benny Thomas

http://omarikhayyamdotcom.wordpress.com/

All are welcome.
benny

Read Full Post »

The Illustrated Omar Khayyam

Read Full Post »