Okay, back to more thoughts on our time with Rabbi Zalman Marcus at the Chabad Jewish Center. It's been pretty sweet in that I've had some time to let the thoughts from the night ferment for a while and have seen some connections that I didn't see before.
Rabbi Marcus spent the bulk of the time delving into the Jewish concept of heaven and hell, which was fascinating, as well as enlightening. Basically, his statement to us was it might be inaccurate to ask the question, "What does Judaism believe about heaven and hell?" This is due to the wide variety opf reading and interpretations on the text. Since the written Torah is almost absent of anything that speaks to the realities of heaven and hell, we are left to the oral Torah, or the oral interpretations of the text. It is there that we find a wide variety of understandings. Therefore, Rabbi Marcus reminded us that it might be better to ask each individual Jew what they think of the realities of heaven and hell, rather than trying to find some objective, universal opinion of Judaism.
One insight he shared with us was that the concept and realities of heaven and hell cannot not be taken as literally as we find them in referenced in the text. For Judaism, the text was never meant to be read as literal as we often read it. There was not just "one meaning" for everything, but rather a myriad of readings and interpretations [like the "Scripture as a jem" idea that's been written in other posts here]. To say that one has "the" meaning of a text, would be therefore limiting of the layers of truth in the text.
With this in mind, Rabbi Marcus noted that heaven and hell must be read through a mystical lens, not a literalist lens. What we are doing in speaking about heaven and hell is speaking about something spiritual, using physical metaphors. In short, language is limited in its scope to be able to speak of God and the spiritual, therefore the text implores metaphorical language, or a language that we can understand, in order to speak of these realities. It does not mean that the realities do not exist, but that we are trying to explain something transcendent, using a finite and limited medium. In short, speaking of something metaphorically does not exclude the reality itself - we are not dealing with what is real and not real. Therefore, by using metaphorical language, we are not tryin to understand the literal reality, but are using the language to speak of some shared properties.
Heaven and hell, according to Rabbi Marcus, exists, but in another reality than the one we currently see and experience. Often time, hell is spoken of with references to fire. This is purposeful. The Jewish understanding is that fire has always existed and does at this moment. Fire exists everywhere. We do not "creating" fire, but we are bring the right elements together to bring fire forth from its reality into this currrent reality. Therefore, when we strike a match, we are somehow pulling fire into this present physical reality.
If heaven and hell therefore do exist, but in another reality than our present physical reality, like fire - then this has huge implications. One implication is that we can, by our current actions, bring a piece of heaven here. Likewise, we can also bring a piece of hell into this present reality by the way we live. Therefore, in a very profound sense, how we live matters. Heaven and hell are not something completely off in the future, but can be brought forth into present physical reality by the way humankind choose to live. We can choose to bring heaven here, or we can choose to bring hell here.
This has enormous impact on understanding the teachings of Jesus. Remember that Jesus is Jewish, speaking to a Jewish audience, who sees life and God through a Hebraic understanding. Maybe this can offer some insight...
Isn't it fascinating that when Jesus speaks about heaven and hell, it is almost always in light of what we do or don't do. Like Jesus' teaching in Matthew 25 about the sheep and the goats. Both found their eternal reality tied up in their present choices. It was precisely how they lived their lives that influenced their eternal experience. Hhhmmm. Think about it. What we do and how we choose to live has eternal consequences. Not just a one time belief, but the rhythm of our lives has consequence on our present, physical reality.
Maybe being a follower of Jesus is more than just a one time belief. Perhaps our role in human history is bigger than our personal salvation. Maybe it includes that and so much more. What if we lived our lives as if we wanted to see this world filled more with heaven than hell? How would that our involvement with world hunger, AIDS, the environment? How would that change how we treat others? Would we treat others with more dignity and love?
Moving this world to look more like heaven.
That's something I can give my life to. Not just a hope for someday, but a hope for now. A hope that I can invite others to experience. A movement of hope that I can invite others to be a part of. Maybe this is what is central to the gospel... a message of hope for the reconciliation of all things.
May we be the kinds of people who taste salvation and heaven now, and choose to live a life that advances heaven, rather than hell, on earth.
People's good deeds are used by the Eternal as seeds for planting trees in the Garden of Eden: thus, each of us creates our own Paradise. [The Mezeritzer Rebbe]
Those are some cool thoughts:) I like that idea of what we do bringing heaven or hell to earth, I think that's so true! It's cool to think of salvation in these terms, i've never been so happy since I found your blog and Brian McLaren's books it's just opened a total other world to me, kinda killed me for the usual Christian terms and preachers,lol
"That's something I can give my life to. Not just a hope for someday, but a hope for now. A hope that I can invite others to experience. A movement of hope that I can invite others to be a part of. Could that be what is central to the gospel?"
I think so!! I've been having a huge debate with my mum about the gospel actually, I was just telling her how I thought sometimes actions speak louder than words, but she thinks we have to preach the gospel too, as in Jesus died to save sinners, he bore our sickenesses etc I dunno I just find it hard to put the gospel into words because it is so vast and I would only screw it up,lol. I think she takes her idea from "Go you into the world and preach the gospel to every creature" I have no idea what the orginal bible language translates,lol but I just wonder how that word 'preach' came about and if it had more meanings than just speaking to a group of people.
Anywho i've written too much as usual!
Peace
Kirsty
Posted by: Kirsty | August 23, 2005 at 12:09 PM
the one segment of this post that popped out at me was: ". . . language is limited in its scope to be able to speak of God and the spiritual, therefore the text implores metaphorical language, or a language that we can understand in order to speak of these realities (heaven and hell). It does not mean that these realities do not exist, but that we are trying to explain something transcendent using a finite and limited medium."
right on.
Posted by: kathryn | August 23, 2005 at 06:22 PM
These are awesome truths. Your explaination of the Rabbi's thoughts is elequently written and brings out alot of things I had not fully considered.
There's been one statement the Rabbi said that's been ringing in my ears. He said that with "the right wick" Hell can be brought forth into our physical reality. Same with Heaven. Maybe the Church movement is all about finding and being the "right wick" for heaven to burn on.
Posted by: Wes | August 23, 2005 at 08:54 PM
Love this post!
Posted by: kimj | August 27, 2005 at 12:31 AM
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (Jesus, Mt5:14-16)
Perhaps God does work through our actions to enable "[His] kingdom [to] come, [His] will [to] be done on earth as it is in heaven."
Posted by: -josh | September 02, 2005 at 10:30 AM