Archive for January, 2006
The Awakening Self
by admin on Jan.21, 2006, under The Integral Judaism Project
The Hebrew word Yisrael, or Israel, has been used in the Judaic tradition as a label for the Judaic “tribe” as a whole, and for the land that the tradition has held as sacred.
The name Yisrael was first used in Genesis 32 in the story of Jacob wrestling with a “stranger” from Heaven. In this story Jacob is at a crossroads in his life and he heads off alone in the middle of the night and ends up wrestling with a divine force in order to receive a blessing. This blessing finally was given to Jacob in the form of a new name, Yisrael.
This name has several mystical meanings that all relate to the process described in the story (Gordis, 1995). These definitions include: One who wrestles or struggles with the Divine; one who yearns for the Divine; the song of the Divine; and the Awakening Self (the Self that struggles to awaken to it’s true oneness with the Divine).
A mystical translation of this biblical story reveals the archetypal psycho-spiritual pattern of our struggle to awaken to our true Self and the Divine:
In the middle of the night Jacob arose
and sent his loved ones and all his possessions
across the river of struggles.
Jacob remained alone.
A stranger appeared and wrestled with him
until the break of day.
The stranger saw that Jacob was strong in faith
and touched the hollow of Jacob’s thigh,
causing a great strain.
The stranger said:
“Let me leave for the dawn is breaking.”
Jacob told the stranger:
“I will not let go until I am blessed.”
The stranger replied:
“Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel,
the one who strives to awaken
and know the truth of the Divine.”
Jacob asked the stranger’s name.
The stranger replied:
“Why do you seek my name?”
He then blessed Jacob.
Jacob named the place Divine Face and said:
“I have seen the Divine face to face,
and my soul has withstood it.”
The sun rose and was shinning on him
as he continued on his way.
- Genesis 32:23-32
REFERENCES
Gordis, D. (1995). God was not in the fire. New York: Scribner.
*Image: Jacob wrestling with the Angel of God
*Originally published on KabbalahBlog hosted by Enlightenment.com
