Jewish Temperament

Understanding temperament through the prism of Chassidus and Kabbalah
December 29, 2013

Personalities: Yaakov

by Zalman

The forefathers are referred to as a merkavah, a chariot for G-d, meaning that every step they took was in complete accordance with G-d’s will. This was possible because their entire self was wholly dedicated to G-d. This, however, didn’t detract from their particular personalities, and it is for this reason that each of the forefathers represent a different spectrum of G-d’s attributes, directly corresponding to their own temperament.

What’s more, the Gemara states that all Jewish people possess three qualities: humility, empathy, and generosity. These qualities are inherited from the forefathers, with each one contributing a different quality. It turns out that each of the forefathers specifically contributed the quality that most represented their own temperament.

Yaakov is famously cited in Chassidus as representing the center path — meaning the unifying path — of the sefirot, which include da’as, tiferes, and yesod. Yaakov is referred to as “the attribute of truth”, which is understood to mean the center path, that which unifies the right and left. In this way, Yaakov was an Idealist, embodying such traits as diplomatic intelligence, authenticity, mystical, romantic, and peace-seeking. Let’s take a look:

Diplomatic intelligence: There are many instances in the Torah where Yaakov displays his innate understanding of people, and his skill of influencing them for good. Here are a few examples:
In conversation with Eisav, Yaakov addressed his brother with utmost respect, consistently appealing to Eisav’s desire for power by referring to him as “my master”. And later, Yaakov tactfully declined unwanted offers of companionship from Eisav, knowing as he did how quickly their fragile relationship could sour.
When his son Yosef announced his ambitious dreams before Yaakov and his sons, Yaakov diplomatically pointed to the falsehood the dream contained in the hopes that this would ameliorate his sons’ animosity towards Yosef. He did this even though he himself believed the dreams to be true, and anticipated their fulfillment.
Yaakov teaches us proper etiquette when addressing a king, blessing Pharaoh at the beginning and end of his audience with him.
In connection to requesting of Yosef to fulfill his last wish, Yaakov makes sure to resolve a potential sore point for Yosef — the seeming ordinary burial of his mother Rochel.
Yaakov was very in-tune with the personality, needs, and desires of each of his sons, so that he was able to bless each one personally and intimately. At that time, Yaakov made sure to give Yosef his due, bowing to him as the viceroy of Egypt, despite also being his own son.

Authenticity: When Yaakov’s mother instructed him to trick his father, Yaakov registered his protest to such a plan, specifically being concerned that his father will discover his plot and consider him a liar. Even when carrying out the plan, Yaakov goes out of his way not to actually lie, instead skirting the truth to allow his father to draw his own conclusions.
Before the epic confrontation with his brother Eisav, Yaakov requested G-d’s protection, although it had already been promised to him. Yaakov considered himself unworthy of G-d’s protection, thinking it may have already been used up by all the favors G-d had already done for him.
In Yaakov’s battle with Eisav’s angel, he demanded the angel recognize his claim to the firstborn rights and the blessings of Yitzchak. The angel informed Yaakov that he would at a later date affirm Yaakov’s claims, when G-d would change his name — indeed, his identity — to Yisroel (“the Nobleman of G-d”). But this wasn’t enough for Yaakov. He forced the angel to acknowledge his title then and there.
Later in life, Yaakov consistently blamed himself for events that transpired to him. One of his greatest fears was to fail in his life-mission to build the Jewish nation out of his twelve sons. If one were to die beyond Yaakov’s control, he would still consider it a personal failure, to the extent that he would expect to suffer in “שאול” for it.

Mystical: Angels were a big part of Yaakov’s life: he had multiple dreams about angels, with some ascending and descending his famed ladder, and others helping in his financial disputes with Lavan. He is said to have been accompanied by angels on his way to Charan, and met by more on his way back. Yaakov even wrestled with an angel while he was preparing to meet his brother Eisav.
Two major events in Yaakov’s life developed as a result of his intuition, or רוח הקודש: He sent his son Yosef to check on his brothers, though he knew it meant risking his life, because Yaakov “saw” that it would affect great positive change. And later, Yaakov sent his sons to Egypt, having “seen” that there was hope there.

Romantic: The first time Yaakov gazed upon his cousin and future wife, Rochel, he was so star-struck that he rolled a huge boulder off a well single-handedly — a feat usually accomplished by many men. He kissed her even before introducing himself, and he said that the seven years he had to wait before marrying her felt like a few days.
When Yaakov decided to leave his father-in-law’s house, he made a point to ask his wives if they were okay with leaving.
Yaakov famously mourned for his lost son unconsolably for twenty-two consecutive years. In fact, Yaakov is recorded as having cried at least four times in the Torah, and every one of them was in connection to a relationship.

Peace-seeking: Yaakov avoided confrontation, and sought reconciliation all his life. First, he ran from his brother Eisav, but later made peace with him in a grand brotherly spectacle. He also requested leave of his father-in-law multiple times, but couldn’t bring himself to actually go without his blessing. When Yaakov finally got the message from G-d that it was time to leave, he didn’t request it or demand it of Lavan. He didn’t even inform him. He snuck out in middle of the night. All, to avoid the confrontation. Later, when Lavan caught up with Yaakov, they ended up coming to terms.
When his daughter Dinah was abducted and violated, the high-ranking offender had the audacity to request her hand in marriage. Yaakov didn’t respond at all, instead leaving the matter to his more confrontational sons.
Towards the end of his life, Yaakov settled down with but one request: he wanted to spend the rest of his days in tranquility. He first had to go through twenty-two years of hell, but in the end, he got what he asked for.

In the end, it is fitting that Yaakov, who takes the role of Idealist — the unifying type — bequeathed the quality of empathy to all his descendants for all generations.

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November 3, 2013

Personalities: Yitzchak

by Zalman

The forefathers are referred to as a merkavah, a chariot for G-d, meaning that every step they took was in complete accordance with G-d’s will. This was possible because their entire self was entirely dedicated to G-d. This, however, didn’t detract from their particular personalities, and it is for this reason that each of the forefathers represent a different spectrum of G-d’s attributes, directly corresponding to their own temperament.

What’s more, the Gemara states that all Jewish people possess three qualities: humility, empathy, and generosity. These qualities are inherited from the forefathers, with each one contributing a different quality. It turns out that each of the forefathers specifically contributed the quality that most represented their own temperament.

Yitzchak is famously cited in Chassidus as representing the left path — meaning the contractive path — of the sefirot, which include binah, gevurah, and hod. It is taught that the fact that Yitzchak resembled his father was miraculous, due to the vast difference in their respective personalities. In this way, Yitzchak was a Guardian, embodying such traits as logistical — organizing — intellect, a need for tradition and aversion to change, respecting and obeying authority unquestioningly, yet being amicable and social. The Torah doesn’t say much about Yitzchak, which is as much a testament to his humility than anything. Nevertheless, let’s see what we can find:

Logistical, organizing intellect: On the road with his father, unknowingly proceeding to his own slaughter, Yitzchak asks the simple question of, “Where is the sacrifice?” But notice his precise word usage and method, signifying his deductive and logistical reasoning: “Here is the fire and the wood, but where is the sheep for slaughter?”
Later in life, Yitzchak is said to have reaped one hundred times what was expected. This may be a simple, or even exaggerated, statement, or it may be a testament to Yitzchak’s innate ability for accounting.
Yitzchak was also known to be careful about his properties and those of his father, so that he would argue over wells dug, and he went out of his way to re-dig his father’s wells that were clogged by the Plishtim.
As well, something that impressed Yitzchak about his son Eisav were his questions about the details of ma’aser, in which a tenth of one’s possessions is given to charity.
Yitzchak also scheduled a meeting with his son Eisav, offering to bless him only after he brought Yitzchak a meal. The timing was significant on the other side as well, as Yitzchak was trying to fit in the blessing before his anticipated passing.

Traditional and change averse: Yitzchak was not allowed to leave his birthplace as his father did, rather he had to stay put in his traditional setting. As with Avraham, although this was instructed to him by G-d, Yitzchak was obviously the one temperamentally suited for such an instruction.
Somewhat inexplicably, Yitzchak claimed about his wife that she was his sister, following directly in the footsteps of his father who had done the same.
Additionally, Yitzchak was only convinced of his wife’s worth when she displayed the same three miraculous abilities as his mother Sarah: her bread was unusually satiating, her lamp lasted for an entire week, and a cloud hovered above her home.

Respect and obedience: The most glaring example of this is when, after being told he was the intended sacrifice for slaughter, Yitzchak walked with his father with the exact same level of cooperation he had before.
In an effort to respect his father’s honor, Yitzchak re-dug wells of Avraham that the Plishtim had plugged.
Yitzchak also clearly valued respect, which easily explains why he loved his son Eisav, even in the face of his great wickedness. Eisav is cited in the Gemara as being the greatest historical model of respecting one’s father. No wonder Yitzchak valued him so.
Yitzchak’s blessing to Ya’akov was filled with a message of being a master over his brother, and demanding his obedience.

Social: We don’t find much in the way of Yitzchak’s social life, however we do see that he made allies with Avimelech in a peace pact. Along the way, Yitzchak displayed his hospitality, giving his guests a meal and a place to stay the night.

Ultimately, Yitzchak is a good representation of what we know as the Guardian, the contractive type, and it is therefore fitting that we inherit from him the limiting attribute of humility.

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November 3, 2013

Personalities: Avraham

by Zalman

The forefathers are referred to as a merkavah, a chariot for G-d, meaning that every step they took was in complete accordance with G-d’s will. This was possible because their entire self was entirely dedicated to G-d. This, however, didn’t detract from their particular personalities, and it is for this reason that each of the forefathers represent a different spectrum of G-d’s attributes, directly corresponding to their own temperament.

What’s more, the Gemara states that all Jewish people possess three qualities: humility, empathy, and generosity. These qualities are inherited from the forefathers, with each one contributing a different quality. It turns out that each of the forefathers specifically contributed the quality that most represented their own temperament.

Avraham is famously cited in Chassidus as representing the right path — meaning the expansive path — of the sefirot, which include chochmah, chessed, and netzach. There is even a midrash that states that G-d’s attribute of chessed complained that it has nothing to do since Avraham entered the world. In this way, Avraham was an Artisan, embodying such traits as tactical intellect and creativity in action, generosity, impact, influence, spontaneity, audacity and boldness. Let’s take a look:

Tactical intellect and creativity in action: Avraham famously manipulated and strong-armed people into blessing G-d, by giving them meals and lodging in middle of the desert, and then charging them exorbitant prices for these services. For his guests, the only way out of paying was for them to bless G-d. To Avraham, the thought and emotion of the guest didn’t matter much, it was the action of blessing that was deemed important.
Another anecdote well expressing Avraham’s tactical intellect was when he taught his city about G-d… by destroying his father’s entire inventory of idols and fabricating an elaborate tale to prove his point. He claimed that the idols had begun fighting over who should receive an offering he had presented them. The largest idol, Avram claimed, had picked up a hammer and smashed the lot of them. His point? Idols cannot see, hear, speak, or think, much less protect their worshipper. The aftermath of this spectacle highlighted another aspect of Avraham’s expansive temperament, as we shall see.

Generosity: One need not search long for Avraham’s generosity. His home was famously open in each direction, to welcome in wayfarers. He would treat all with the utmost hospitality, no matter their origins or beliefs. The Torah recounts that he once slaughtered three choice calves to serve three guests whom he’d never met previously.
When Avraham heard that his estranged nephew Lot had been captured in an epic battle, he magnanimously set off to rescue him. Upon return from battle, Avraham declared that he would not take even a shoelace from the spoils, rather he would give them back to the captives.
Later in life, after the Torah testifies that “G-d had blessed Avraham with everything,” Avraham signed away every last of his possessions to his son, Yitzchak, to give him a better chance at marrying the right girl.

Impact and influence: Avraham was widely recognized in his time as a leader of the generation. This was in part due to his elaborate displays of faith, which included many miracles, as well as his talking to and convincing others, authoring and publishing books on monotheism, and more.
After Avraham’s miraculous salvation from a fiery furnace, he convinced an entire city of idolaters, the infamous Nimrod among them, to accept Hashem as the only true G-d.
When Avraham threw a party for his newborn son, Yitzchak, all the Kings, noblemen and leaders of the period were there to celebrate with him. When Avraham expressed his intent to purchase a field from a commoner, his people immediately promoted him to a position of honor.

Spontaneity: Virtually everything Avraham did was spontaneous. He destroyed his father’s idols, and as a result was thrown into a fiery furnace. Mind you, this was even before G-d had revealed Himself to Avram, promising to protect him. Avram up and left his house on a moment’s notice, even though he had no idea of the destination. He circumcised himself at ninety nine years of age. The Torah is specific in describing Avraham’s eagerness and hastiness in fulfilling G-d’s command — waking up early in the morning, and saddling his donkey — even if that meant slaughtering his own son.
Yes, many of these were at the behest of G-d. However, first of all, G-d didn’t specify that Avram act with haste and seeming spontaneity. And besides, the fact that G-d asked Avraham to do these things, and not someone else, emphasizes how temperamentally suited to these tasks Avraham was.

Audacity and boldness: Many of the points we mentioned already describe Avraham’s audacity. The fact that he was alone in his beliefs, completely against the prevalent tide. As a mere youth, he faced off against the most powerful person of his time, Nimrod, daring him to punish Avram for his “errant” beliefs. Avraham went to battle against four mighty armies with but a handful of servants, a tactical plan, and some sand.

In the end, Avraham is the most obvious representation of what we know as the Artisan, the expansive type, and it is therefore fitting that we inherit from him the wonderful attribute of generosity.

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November 3, 2013

Temperaments: Rational

by Zalman

According to Chassidus, each of the four temperaments can be described entirely with a single overarching term, which for the Rational is abstraction. As such, when we dig deeper into the Rational’s personality, we discover that this specific term describes its every aspect. While each of the other three temperaments are described in Chassidus in three categories, the Rational is described with only one: Malchus.

The sefira of Malchus is in the center path, making its theme one of unification and truth. However, its unification method isn’t through harmony (as is the rest of the center path), rather through sovereignty: Malchus unifies opposites by looking beyond their differences. Malchus accomplishes this by existing in the beyond, or abstraction. We also see this in the fact that Malchus receives from all sefirot, considered to have nothing of its own to express. In other words, its entire existence is to examine, absorb, and re-express any information it encounters. On the other hand, we see, Malchus transforms from being a mere recipient, to being an all-powerful and unknowable creator. It is said to possess the power of the Creator Himself, and has a direct line to Kesser. This also emphasizes the tendency of Malchus to be abstract, beyond the world it is related to.

Being that Malchus comprises what it receives from the sefirot, it is considered to possess an entire path within itself. Thus, within Malchus are the three categories of intellect, personal disposition (i.e., with regard to oneself), and relational disposition (i.e., in the context of others). So, in short, if we were to categorize the Rational, we would find that his intellect, personal disposition, and relational disposition are all abstract.

The Rational’s intellect is abstract. Abstract intellect is the ability to examine a problem objectively, from all possible angles. Rationals will hardly ever approach a new idea from a preconceived perspective, nor will they involve their emotions or personal preference into the discussion. Because of this objectivity, Rationals would be the first to admit they were wrong, without any regret or animosity, if they were proven to be so. With their abstract intellect, Rationals embody the phrase of the Mishna: “Who is wise? He who sees what will become.” This is what Keirsey calls strategic intellect: constantly predicting, anticipating, and consequently engineering the results of their (and others’) actions. In this, Rationals strive toward efficiency: the most effective and immediate path toward the goal. Rationals are also not likely to believe something just because others believe so, or because they are instructed to; rather they are consistently skeptical and questioning. Rationals will likely only believe in those things that they can objectively prove to be true.

The Rational’s personal emotion is abstract. Generally, an abstract personal disposition doesn’t lend itself too well to strong emotions, which is why Rationals generally don’t display their emotions. The best way to describe the personality of the Rational is calm. Despite — and sometimes because of — what may be happening around them, Rationals will remain calm and resolute. If anything, Rationals will immediately go into problem-solving mode when faced with immediate tension or danger. And when they are questioned about past trauma or negative events, Rationals have a relativistic outlook: everything that happens to them is neither good nor bad, it just depends on what they make of it.

The Rational’s relational disposition is abstract. Rationals remain detached and aloof from other people and situations. Rationals are often seen as arrogant for this reason, and that is not an entirely inaccurate assessment. Rationals consistently believe their perspective is more correct than others, and will sometimes display open disdain for ideas — or even people — they perceive to be unintelligent. Similarly, Rationals desire to be autonomous: they eschew societal rules that seem arbitrary to them, and only live by those that have passed their scrutiny. Owing to this, Rationals do not automatically respect or bow to others just because of their seniority or rank. Rather, they will inspect others’ ideas and work before coming to respect them.

Malchus, Chassidus teaches, is closely related to, and even interchangeable with, Kesser. Kesser is known as being the power of will. This strongly applies to Rationals as well, who receive their self-confidence from their resolve: Rationals believe they can overcome any obstacle at all — even themselves — with the power of their resolve. Their worst fear is that their will power may weaken, and they will fail to carry out what they have resolved to do. Rationals will even develop phobias and irrational fears about things that are beyond their control, for example germs and filth; and of situations that they cannot control into which they put themselves, such as fear of heights or flying.

* * *

The Rational in Judaism

Hero: Yosef Hatzadik

Symbol on the Merkavah: Eagle

Davening Meditation: The Rational is similar to the Idealist, in that they both effect fusion. The difference between their approaches, however, is great: the Idealist fuses two opposites together harmoniously, by emphasizing their mutual unique qualities. The Rational, on the other hand, fuses two opposites together by evoking a power greater than the both of them, thereby negating their differences. Similarly, in his meditation, the Rational attempts to grasp the perspective of G-d Himself, in which there is neither higher nor lower, neither physical nor spiritual; there is but G-d alone. The first step to grasping the absoluteness of G-d is to grasp the non-existence of creation. However, both are equally unattainable, save for a single fleeting moment reached in meditation, in which we can feel the power of G-d’s ultimate existence. It was during this meditation that the Alter Rebbe exclaimed, “I want nothing but You alone!”

Divine Purpose: The Rational is the voice of absolute and unwavering truth. It is the Rational who plumbs the depth and internal meaning of G-d, G-dliness, Torah, and mitzvot. Invariably, when listening to a Rational, one is struck by the truth of his approach, and cannot help but appreciate it as such. Rationals have a unique perspective on Yiddishkeit and our purpose in this world, and it behooves them to share their essential and existential ideas with others.

Learning Torah through sod: what is the essence of this piece of information. Rationals can find intrigue in many parts of Torah, including halacha, Gemara, and philosophy, but especially in the abstract (“haskalah“) parts of Chassidus. When learning halacha, the Rational will try to find the patterns and structure to halacha, and try to derive the essence of an halacha (or even better: multiple halachos) from its sources. Similarly, when learning Gemara, the Rational’s approach to resolving a sugya is to understand the essence of the idea he is learning. This includes those schools of thought that emphasize chakira, like R’ Chayim Brisker and his students. However, beware of false distinctions and erroneous applications; many people don’t recognize when they are misapplying a fine distinction, but the alert Rational will detect it immediately. Chassidus, however, is the Rational’s wonderland, as it affords them the opportunity to think entirely abstractly. The famous stories of great Chassidim becoming completely lost in thought for hours on end, to the point of not knowing where they are or where they were headed, is primarily a Rational trait. Rationals can spend months or even years on a single deep concept, constantly delving deeper and deeper in grasping its essence.

Vocation: A Rational’s career is his life, and chances are therefore good that the observant Rational’s life will become one of Torah. Generally, Rationals need to feel like they have a challenge, and they’re contributing to the knowledge or understanding of themselves and others. For this reason, Rationals are likely to publish their research and studies. Alternatively, Rationals may go into teaching, generally of older students who are capable of resolving deep philosophical concepts. This also includes teaching and consulting for adults and professionals.
Shlichus is a great place for a Rational to exercise his teaching skills. Without fail, constituents will be awed by the knowledge and keen depth the Rational brings to the Judaism he teaches. Additionally, Rationals serve as excellent leaders, with unmatched vision and strategy, to drive any organization or institution toward guaranteed success.
Rationals going into the general workforce — if they can’t enter as an executive — often find jobs in science, technology, or engineering. In today’s age, becoming a computer engineer or software developer is trivial for a Rational to master, even without going to school. It is common to find Rationals in these roles.
One thing to beware of: once a Rational feels like he has mastered a skill, including the ability to teach, he may lose interest in that particular project and move on to others. For this reason, one might find a Rational with an impressive résumé who is working on personal projects, with no paycheck in sight.

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July 8, 2012

Temperaments: Idealist

by Zalman

According to Chassidus, each of the four temperaments can be described entirely with a single overarching term, which for the Idealist is unification. As such, when we dig deeper into the Idealist’s personality, we discover that this specific term describes its every aspect. The many aspects of personality are divided in Chassidus into three primary categories; those being intellect, personal disposition (i.e., with regard to oneself), and relational disposition (i.e., in the context of others). So, in short, if we were to categorize the Idealist, we would find that his intellect, personal disposition, and relational disposition are all unifying.

The Idealist’s intellect is Daas — unifying intellect. In the process of resolving an idea, Daas represents the stage when we relate to the idea, when it becomes relevant. In this context, Daas is the unification of ideas with emotions, intuiting what an idea means to me. On a more general level, Daas represents the intuitive understanding of emotion and human psyche, which Keirsey calls diplomatic intellect. Owed to this trait, the Idealist takes interest in studying and affecting people, through counseling, teaching, guiding, and mentoring. On a personal level, Daas drives the Idealist in his life-long struggle to understand, and be true to, himself. It is because of Daas that Idealists wear their emotions on their sleeve, expressing themselves with delightful enthusiasm.

The Idealist’s personal emotion is Tiferes — unifying personal disposition. With Tiferes, we may recognize worthiness and lack thereof, yet we can overlook it, to extend our sympathy and care to others. Idealists, therefore, are described as benevolent; being kind, caring, merciful, and sympathetic to others. The Idealist sees potential good in everyone, no matter whom, and will readily give of themselves to help others grow. In fact, the Idealist despises selfishness and wouldn’t be able to live with themselves if they are not living for others.

The Idealist’s relational emotion is Yesod — unifying relational disposition. Yesod, being relational, brings Tiferes to another level. Yesod is empathy; the ability to identify with others on an emotional level. It’s the ability to have a personal relationship with another person, recognizing oneself and the other within a relationship. The Idealist is therefore an incurable romantic, always yearning for that deep, personal connection. Because of Yesod, the Idealist will go to great lengths to effect peace; in their own relationships, in others’ relationships, and indeed, in the world over.

* * *

The Idealist in Judaism

Hero: Yaakov Avinu

Symbol on the Merkavah: Man

Davening Meditation: Just like the Idealist’s nature is unification, so too his meditation is of G-d’s unity. On the one hand, G-d sustains the world through His vital energy, but on the other hand, from the perspective of G-d’s spirituality, the world is worthless. Through this meditation, we recognize that both tell the same story: the physical world should not be seen as an interference with the spiritual, rather the actualization of its purpose. The world has no value other than the fulfillment of G-d’s desire, but at that level, the world gains the most value. Therefore, the only way to realize the true potential of the physical is to fuse it with the spiritual. In this way, both the perspective that the world is nothing compared to G-d, as well as G-d’s energy which sustains the world, work toward the same purpose: to actualize the purpose of creation.

Divine Purpose: The Idealist’s greatest gift is the ability to unify. To unify above and below, physical with spiritual, and a man with his fellow. The Idealist becomes unified to G-d through immersing himself in Torah, both through learning it, and through keeping it. The Idealist finds mystical meaning all around him, especially in fulfilling mitzvot, through which we become more refined and better people while connecting to G-d’s will. At the same time, it pains the Idealist to know of others’ disputes, and he can use his unifying ability to bring them together. The Idealist understands the power that Torah has to unite, and uses the lessons and messages found in Torah to do just that.

Learning Torah through drush: what this piece of information teaches us about humanity. Idealists take a natural liking to the inspiring parts of Torah, including aggadah, navi, history, midrash, and especially the personal-growth (“avodah“) parts of Chassidus. However, as the material gets more technical, the Idealist may become less interested (though they may continue studying because they should). Therefore, when learning dry Halacha, the Idealist tries to find inner meanings and “richness” to the various opinions and arguments they encounter. Similarly, being abstract, Idealists can find much enjoyment in Gemara and its method, with its vast treasure of ideas, perspectives and thought processes. Still, when learning anything, the Idealist invariably tries to find the personal relevance or the hidden mystical meanings in the subject material.

Vocation: Idealists will generally take up positions that help others grow: teachers, counselors, rabbis, mentors; for which there are plenty positions within Judaism. Generally, the most beloved teachers and rabbis are Idealists, due to their ability to connect to others. Many Idealists also become artists, whether in visual art, literature, or music; with a focus on inspiring others through their more spiritual form of art.

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June 25, 2012

Korach

by Zalman

It would seem that Korach was a Guardian.

From a Torah and Chassidic perspective, Korach is related to conflict and division, as it states in Pirkei Avos. In fact, Chassidus relates Korach directly to the second day of Creation, which was an expression of Hashem’s Gevurah. Similarly, Korach represents division.

Even on a practical level, Korach’s primary complaint was that he wasn’t given the honor, respect, and authority of the rank he felt he deserved. From a strictly Keirsey perspective, every one of those descriptive words are related to the Guardian: complaint, honor, respect, authority, rank, and deserved.

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June 17, 2012

Temperaments: Guardian

by Zalman

According to Chassidus, each of the four temperaments can be described entirely with a single overarching term, which for the Guardian is contraction. As such, when we dig deeper into the Guardian’s personality, we discover that this specific term describes its every aspect. The many aspects of personality are divided in Chassidus into three primary categories; those being intellect, personal disposition (i.e., with regard to oneself), and relational disposition (i.e., in the context of others). So, in short, if we were to categorize the Guardian, we would find that his intellect, personal disposition, and relational disposition are all contractive.

The Guardian’s intellect is Binah — contractive intellect. Binah starts with an existing entity, which it breaks down into a multitude of small fragments. Binah sets the boundaries to the reach of an idea, determining where the idea applies, and where the idea doesn’t apply. In attempting to understand the forest, Binah inspects it tree by tree, until the entire vastness of the forest is documented. Binah, when separated from intellectual pursuits, describes what Keirsey calls logistical intellect, that is, intellect of organization: “Guardians can be enormously creative in seeing to it that the right people have the right supplies in the right place at the right time to get the job done.”

The Guardian’s personal emotion is Gevurah — contractive personal disposition. With Gevurah we try as much as possible to limit the attention we call to our individuality, with less and less need to creatively reform ourselves or our surroundings. Because Guardians are so defined by their Gevurah, they try not to make a splash, preferring to leave things just the way they were yesterday. Guardians want to know that they are safe in every way, and that everything is in its proper place, lest something suddenly blow up in their face. In this way, Guardians are consistently concerned, about their health, their families or jobs, community standards; anything that has a possibility of deteriorating into something uncomfortable, and even worse — dangerous. Guardians therefore respect authority unquestioningly, and in most cases act themselves as the pillars of society, ever mindful to uphold its standards and values.

The Guardian’s relational emotion is Hod — contractive relational disposition. Being that it is contraction within the context of others, Hod loses much of the intensity of Gevurah, instead becoming submissive. This quality brings humility, gratitude, and socialness. Because of Hod, Guardians pride themselves in being dependable, consistently coming through for others. Guardians like to ensure they belong to a community, a society, or an institution, in which they can lend a helping hand to those in need. Guardians are considered to be the most sociable of all the temperaments, always willing to go the extra mile for a friend, without so much as a mention of the discomfort it might cause them.

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The Guardian in Judaism

Hero: Yitzchak Avinu

Symbol on the Merkavah: Ox

Davening Meditation: During davening, the Guardian meditates on the perfect state of G-d’s spirituality and how the Neshama was at one time unified with that perfection. When we reflect upon how far the Neshama has fallen and its inability to touch G-dliness, we are awakened with a sense of yearning, thirst, and urgency to bring our Neshama back to its origins. This meditation inspires us to be as unified with G-d as we can on this earth, through learning Torah and accomplishing mitzvos, aware of our humble state and submitted to G-d’s will.

Divine Purpose: The Guardian is best at humble servitude. The famous terms eved Hashem (servant of G-d) and kabolas ol (accepting the “yoke” of G-d’s work), describe the Guardian’s role perfectly. Guardians set the standard for proper behavior, they keep it and enforce it religiously. The Guardian views life as a ladder; we start at the bottom rung and work our way up step by step, slowly but surely. The more Divine work the Guardian humbly accepts upon himself, the more worthy and deserving he becomes. The more mitzvos the Guardian accomplishes, the more Torah he learns, the closer becomes to G-d. And it doesn’t stop with the Guardian himself, but the Guardian teaches others the proper way, and raises them up step by step as well, transforming them into better people and bringing them closer to G-d.

Learning Torah through remez: what this piece of information teaches us about other information. Guardians like the practical parts of the Torah, including halachah, mishnayos, history, aggadah, and midrash. Many Guardians are especially fond of gematriot and other hidden associations. Due to their general tendency to follow rules, Guardians are especially diligent in their studies. As a result, Guardians can become very well-versed and knowledgable, retaining a lot of the information they learn. The method of the Guardian is to understand all the little bits and pieces until they’ve gathered all the information on the subject. Consequently, they ask questions, sometimes sharp and precise, to uncover the relationships between different laws or facts, and to determine when multiple facts or laws contradict or coincide. Guardians are generally able to resolve philosophical ideas (e.g. R’ Chaim Brisker’s method in Gemara) mainly through kabolas ol, and only when they are told the ideas. However, a thorough and intuitive comprehension of philosophical ideas and arguments does not come naturally to the Guardian.

Vocation: Much of Judaism is about following rules, and that’s right up the Guardian’s alley. Diligent Guardians who have had successful years in Yeshiva might stay in education, especially becoming a menahel, mashgiach (dean or principle), or even doing office work. Many Guardians continue active learning in kolel, as an elementary-school teacher, maggid shiur, or even as a rosh yeshiva. Guardians who become teachers generally excel at keeping their charges disciplined and focus on integrating students successfully into a functioning society.
Guardians do want security, though, especially financial security, which leads many Guardians to go into business, specifically in office work and clerical jobs (records, inventory, accounting, etc). Many Guardians will become bankers, managers, executives, brokers, and so on. Being financially secure is especially good for the Guardian’s mental and emotional well-being, and it also feeds into their desire to be beneficent, helping others as much as they can.
Shlichus (or kiruv) can be a good opportunity for anyone, Guardians included. However, when establishing a new institution in a new place, beware of the first few years, during which Guardians have an especially difficult and stressful experience: being away from family, friends, and community; having zero financial security (which doesn’t mean money available rather a reliable income); and uncertainty in the future. It is significantly less stressful for the Guardian to accept a position within an existing and established institution, maybe a desk or teaching job, receiving a regular check.

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June 14, 2012

Tzitzit

by Zalman

This week’s parsha, Shelach, ends with the mitzvah of tzitzit. The Ba’al Shem Tov taught that even the archangel Micha’el, from the greatest of all angels, would gladly trade all of his Divine service and recognition of Divinity for one of the four tzitzit worn by every Jew. It’s intriguing that the Ba’al Shem Tov specifically chose the mitzvah of tzitzit to articulate the advantage of our Divine service over that of the angels. One of the explanations for this:

In Tikunei Zohar it states that the four corners of the tzitzit garment correspond to the four beings of the Divine “chariot”, or throne. Indeed, one who wears tzitzit is regarded as if he himself has prepared a throne for G-d. The four beings on the throne, represented by the four corners of the tzitzit garment, also represent the four temperaments:
The bold Lion represents the audacious Artisan;
the hard-working Ox represents the dependable Guardian;
the emotionally-aware Man represents the empathic Idealist;
and the high-soaring Eagle represents the abstract Rational.

These four beings on the throne are represented by many different symbols, including the major angels: Micha’el on the right, Gavriel on the left, Refa’el in the center, and Uri’el representing Malchus. It turns out, then, that even though the angel Micha’el is himself one of the actual beings of the Divine throne, he would still elect to exchange all that for a single corner of a Jewish person’s tzitzit. But why?

Much as a physical throne is the vehicle for a king to avail himself to his subjects, the Divine “throne” is a metaphor for the manifestation of G-d’s presence. Consequently, the four beings of the throne represent the four general methods that G-d employs to manifest Himself to the world, to keep it in existence. If we were to speculate about where the real manifestation of G-d’s presence occurs, we might conclude it is with the angels, on the Divine throne and its spiritual beings.

The Ba’al Shem Tov teaches us that the real Divine throne, the real manifestation of G-d’s presence, is in a single corner of tzitzit. G-d’s purpose in creating the world is to manifest through this world. And one of the primary ways that is accomplished is through our own “chariot”, our temperament: when G-d’s presence shines through us, when our desires align with G-d’s desires, when our intellect emanates G-dly thought, and when our emotions are inspired by G-dly pursuits, G-d manifests in a manner that is even greater than through the angels.

Interestingly, this is also one of the explanations of how the Jewish People failed so miserably in the episode of the spies, as recorded earlier in the parsha. At the time, the Jewish People were being fed their every desire on a silver platter. They relied on G-d for everything, from their safety to their clothes. Their entire life-experience was based on obedience and dependency, both physically and spiritually: they had heard the commandments from G-d Himself, and they studied Torah from the mouth of its transcriber, Moshe. As a result, it seemed an insurmountable task for them to transform their own base selves, their coarse desires, intellect, and emotion. But that’s exactly what would be demanded of them as soon as they entered the Land of Israel, as soon as the ultimate purpose of creation was to be fulfilled.

Instead, the task was handed to their children, people who hadn’t witnessed G-d, who studied Torah second-hand, and who had to get used to a generally diminished spiritual life. These were people who began recognizing their own selves, their strengths and weaknesses, and summoned the fortitude to align their selves with G-d. And from them, this task was handed down to us, to manifest G-d in His real throne, our own selves.

— Based on the Chumash

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June 11, 2012

Temperaments: Artisan

by Zalman

According to Chassidus, each of the four temperaments can be described entirely with a single overarching term, which for the Artisan is expansion. As such, when we dig deeper into the Artisan’s personality, we discover that this specific term describes its every aspect. The many aspects of personality are divided in Chassidus into three primary categories; those being intellect, personal disposition (i.e., with regard to oneself), and relational disposition (i.e., in the context of others). So, in short, if we were to categorize the Artisan, we would find that his intellect, personal disposition, and relational disposition are all expansive.

The Artisan’s intellect is Chochmah — expansive intellect. Chassidus goes to great lengths to describe what exactly Chochmah is. Here are some of the highlights: Chochmah is quick, sudden, and impactful. It doesn’t last long. It cannot be stimulated through active thought, rather it strikes an emptied mind, giving birth to something entirely new. Intellect at that level is not comprehensible, which means that it’s not really an idea or theory. This describes what Keirsey calls tactical intellect, that is, intellect of action. It’s the intellect of the athlete, the performer, the virtuoso, the one who does or says exactly the right thing at exactly the right time with the exact mix of grace and velocity to have the most impact. The intellect of the Artisan best translates into their art, in the broad sense of the term, to also include arts like athletics, culinary, literary, and more.

The Artisan’s personal emotion is that of Chessed — expansive personal disposition. The quality of Chessed is that which wishes to have an impact, as big as possible, on as much as possible. To “own” everything, to touch everything. Because of their unbounded Chessed, Artisans tend to be excited in the present, optimistic about the future, and uncaring about the past. They want to live as large as possible, in the here and now. It is this quality which also lends to the Artisan’s impulsive pleasure-seeking (see Tanya ch. 1), even if not in line with society’s (or in this case, Torah’s) directives. On the other hand, this also lends itself to the Artisan’s great generosity, always giving, always impulsively, without thought for himself.

The Artisan’s relational emotion is Netzach — expansive relational disposition. When found within the context of others, Netzach is the quality that competes, perseveres, and emerges victorious, despite the obstacles in the way. It is due to this quality that nothing can inhibit the Artisan, and in fact, the Artisan will specifically spite boundaries and inhibitions, which bears their quality of audacity and boldness. This also applies to people: the Artisan will manipulate others for their own purpose, and even bypass them entirely if they are deemed unhelpful. With the right purpose, this quality serves the Artisan’s life-mission, as we’ll see below (Divine Purpose).

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The Artisan in Judaism

Hero: Avraham Avinu

Symbol on the Merkavah: Lion

Davening Meditation: Contemplating the greatness of G-d through the wonders of creation. When we realize how amazing the universe is, from the celestial bodies to the minutest organism, and by G-d’s word all work in perfect tandem to produce the result we see around us, we can appreciate the greatness of G-d Himself. But it doesn’t stop there. As Chassidus teaches, creation is but G-d’s word, only a sliver’s sliver of radiance from His essential being. From this we recognize not only the infinitesimalness of the universe in G-d’s eyes, but the unfathomable enormity of G-d’s omnipresence, and we are driven to bring G-d into every moment of our lives.

Divine Purpose: The Artisan’s strength lies in positive manipulation of others, which, on a motivational level could be called inspiration. Depending on their specific role-variant, Artisan’s have an uncanny ability to inspire people and/or manipulate objects for their purpose. The purpose of the Artisan, then, is to use this ability to further disseminate G-d’s presence in the world. To uplift people with their infectious excitement and inspire them to appreciate G-d and His Torah, as Avraham did. To infuse all manner of physical objects with G-dliness, from cow-hide in a Mezuzah to wool in Tzitzis. From food on the Shabbos table to dropping a coin in the Tzedakah box. And this includes bigger things as well, like establishing a school or building the biggest Shul in town. Everything the Artisan touches should turn into gold of goodness.

Learning Torah through pshat: acquiring a piece of information. Artisans tend to like their Torah delivered practically, and in bite sizes. That includes halachos, mishnayos, and the like, as well as more “fun” areas, like history, aggadah, midrash, and cute vertlach. Additionally, of all the types, Artisans may be the best memorizers. In the context of Torah, they can memorize words, halachos, mishnayos, mesechtas, etc. They also memorize concepts and ideas, sugyos, shakla ve’taryas, etc. Artisans are not into asking deep or divisive questions; they aren’t as interested in understanding the material, as they are in knowing it. And once they have acquired new information, Artisans will hold it until it can be used, much like a tool, in the most impactful way. Interesting tidbit: Artisans often learn better when they are simultaneously doing or playing with something tangible.

Vocation: For an Artisan, there are times when Judaism can be a bit overbearing, what with all its rules and regulations. However, the Torah knows who we are and it has designated a significantly large part to Artisans.
To begin with, many Artisans go into business, especially entrepreneurship, earn money, and make great contributions to their chosen institutions. Wherever you may reside, almost all of the well-known major contributors to local institutions are, in fact, Artisans.
Judaism has always had a special place for art, especially speaking, music, and poetry, which Jewish people have engaged in throughout the ages. This becomes even truer now, when the Jewish music scene is just getting started. Not to mention Jewish visual art, which has produced quite a few talents in recent history.
Judaism also has a few obviously kinesthetic vocations, such as safrus and shechita.
In the past hundred or more years, a new industry has blossomed, which is an aspiring Jewish Artisan’s heaven. That industry is known by many as shlichus, to others as kiruv. Shluchim thrive on inspiration, and that’s exactly what they deliver to their constituents. They require impact, every moment of every day. The schedule is spontaneous and in many situations, they need to think on their feet. If there’s any place an Artisan can be successful, Shlichus is definitely a good one.

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June 10, 2012

The Good Road

by Brachie

Pirkei Avot 2:10 states:

He said to them: Go out and see which is the good path to which man should cleave. R’ Eliezer said: A good eye. R’ Yehoshua said: A good friend. R’ Yosei said: A good neighbor. R’ Shimon said: One who foresees the consequences of his actions.

R’ Elazar said: A good heart. (Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai) said to them: I prefer the words of Elazar ben Aruch to all of yours, for his words include your own.

There are two questions on this Mishnah. First, what does the path set forth by each sage mean? And second, for what purpose were all these opinions brought forth when it merely could have stated the correct path of “a good heart”?

R’ Eliezer says the correct path is to have a good eye. To have a good eye means to view the world optimistically and to give freely and generously. Having a good eye also refers to a person who has a knack for noticing beauty when others can’t see it. In other words, R’ Eliezer is saying the correct path is to learn from the Artisan how to view the world in an open and positive light.

R’ Yehoshua says the correct path is to be a good friend. A good friend is able to differentiate between right and wrong. A good friend encourages good behavior and points out, at times admonishing, behavior that requires modification. In other words, R’ Yehoshua is saying the correct path is to learn from the Guardian how to judge and value right versus wrong.

R’ Yosei says the correct path is to be a good neighbor. A good neighbor brings over a freshly baked pie to show caring and friendship. A good neighbor is one who advocates peace and harmony in his community and neighborhood. In other words, R’ Yosei is saying the correct path is to learn from the Idealist how to feel empathy for others and bring society to greater unity.

R’ Shimon says the correct path is to see the consequences of one’s actions. This means to have the ability to visualize sequences of events in the mind’s eye. A person with such foresight will only make proper choices in order to bring about positive results. In other words, R’ Shimon is saying the correct path is to learn from the Rational how to think strategically and how to act purposefully.

The above four sages are in truth of the same opinion regarding the proper path. In essence they are saying that the ultimate goal is to learn from each temperament and acquire the positive traits of each one. Their colleague R’ Elazar was of a different opinion.

R’ Elazar says the correct path is to have a good heart. Having a good heart is to be able to put aside one’s own needs and desires and put someone else’s needs and desires in their place. This requires learning humility, a lessening of self, and becoming “selfish” for another person. In other words, R’ Elazar is saying that there is a quality we can achieve that trumps temperament; the quality of humility. When we aim to follow this path of putting the people in our relationships before ourselves, we are on the good road.

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