Position: Rabbi, Spiritual Care Counselor
Specializations
Bar/Bat Mitzvah Tutoring
Funerals, Memorial Services & Unveilings
Hospice Chaplaincy
Law Enforcement/Disaster Chaplaincy
Teaching/Education
Thesis Title:
REVELATION IN EXILE:
Ivrim’s Ultimate Road Trip, Surfing The Boundaries (2006)
Abstract
As the same Hebrew word-root serves as the basis for both the Hebrew word for revelation and the Hebrew word for exile, are there aspects of those two profound experiences that may be correlated? My thesis offers ground to explore values that may be derived from mining the resonance manifested by these two words from the same word-root. A review of Jewish exile sets a context to consider the path of Judaism’s individuation in the world. Examination of the root g-l-h, along with other ideologically related roots, opens up the concepts of exile, revelation and inherent paradoxes. For example, through halacha, through our movements (literally through our walking through life in accordance with Divine guidance), we allow ourselves to experience Revelation. Lech-l’cha (“go out”), from all you know, so that you may come to yourself.
Movement is implicit in revelation, and exile is essentially indicated by movement. Revelation, which resolves hiddenness, expresses itself fully as movement through time and space. G-l-h refers to spherical quality. Textual references to the related value-concept of return (“t’shuvah,” or repentance), support the premise of revelation in exile, which is itself supported by basic notions in particle physics. Heschel’s observations about prophetic insight and experience of knowledge, and approaches by Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch and Rashi to the study of relative word-roots, also form a basis for further exploration.
Email: malkamitt@gmail.com