A world as ours where creative, loving and imaginative
unique individuals may be found is a sign for some of us that the ultimate source of this creation
also holds all the qualities of a creative unique individual including uniqueness
and individuality. Did this world happen by chance from the original mix of
forces and elements or is the world a conscious creation? Many of the newer and
diverse views of “God” within the Jewish tradition steer away from this idea
that the Creator has unique individuality. Some of this has been a reaction
against the old man in the sky view of a punishing deity. Also folks have tried
to fit their understanding of the divine so as to align more with the
scientific views of the origins of the creation and the time/space-
matter/energy only shape of the world. With such confusion and differing contrasting
concepts and views of the ‘Supreme Deity” here is offered an analogy that may
help reveal the true shape of the “Elephant” so to speak (from the legend of
the five blind men and the elephant).
If we may conceive of the entire living creation as a vast
mighty tree as many ancient cultures have we may also envision her ultimate
source as an original seed. The life in the seed is the very divine essence
that flows throughout the tree and into every single individual cell. Each
individual cell contains the life essence (divine spark) and the complete
information within it (DNA) that define all the qualities of the original seed
and the entire tree. (We are made in the image of HaShem)
In this analogy the only spin needed to understand a fit in
the conceptual view of an omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient deity which ancient
Jewish tradition ascribes to the Holy One is to understand that the original
seed is eternal and unchanging. This
original seed also exists as the ever flowing fount of divine life essence into
the great tree that is creation.
We may understand that there is a variegated array of the
function of different single cells in the structure of the great tree. There
are of course cells as part of the roots, trunk, leaves, flowers, fruits and
seeds. Certain cells are destined to themselves become seeds and this state of
the individual cell may be understand as that of an “enlightened” individual
with the many different names that various religious/spiritual traditions
ascribe to a fully present awakened individual. This seed state within the tree
may also be understood as an individual that has become so fully cognizant of
the array of unique qualities that she carries that she comes into a close
relationship and knowing of the original seed (I and Thou).
Different religions and spiritual traditions may have a
variation or spin on this analogy that would better fit their own world view,
divine view and understanding of the individual in relation to the greater
world and the divine. Some traditional
Jews may argue with this analogy and cite the Rambam where he says that the
Creator(haBoreh) has no form so how may we conceive of that one in the form of
a seed? In the ancient Jewish worldview (from the Sepher Yetzirah) there are
three realms- time(shanah),space(olam) and soul(nephesh) unlike the modern view
of only time/space. Therefore the original seed may not have to be embodied in
a physical corporeal form to exist since the realm of soul is as original as
the space/time physical world and as real. Various Buddhist traditions may
understand this seed as a state achieved through Buddhist practice but a state
that is not to be attached to or understood as having any permanency or hierarchial importance. This
would be the greatest difference in Buddhism where the idea of deity is not
usually a concern except in relation to the many deities in some traditions as
in Tibet. Great secrets may be revealed and I believe have been discovered by
folks venturing into sincere loving interfaith comparison (The Jew in the
Lotus). Some Christians might believe that the Original seed is like the “Father”,
the entire life of the tree like the “Holy Spirit” and the “Son” once appeared
embodied in a new seed that started teaching the other “cells” about the
original seed. These different spins have become elements of faith and dogma in
some instances but how they all fit together might be of interest in further interfaith
dialogue.
