How Does the Perpetual Elevation Offering Teach Us Equanimity?

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Parashat Pinchas
How Does the Perpetual Elevation Offering Teach Us Equanimity?

How can our Belief in Hashem’s Goodness Affect our Attitude to Hardships?

You don’t have to be bipolar to suffer from mood swings. Everyone and especially women experience ups and downs. There is even a kabbalistic term describing this phenomenon: Mochin de’Gadlut – expanded consciousness, and Mochin de’Katnut – constricted consciousness. As these terms indicate, mood swings have nothing to do with your life circumstances at any given moment. It is possible to experience expanded consciousness even when G-d forbid facing tragedy. It’s not easy to achieve such a place of spiritual freedom, joy, love, and fulfillment when in the midst of great hardships, but this is the goal towards which every believing Jew must aspire. Knowing that Hashem is the Master of the Universe in charge of EVERYTHING that happens everywhere and being aware that כָּל דְּעָבִיד רַחְמָנָא - לְטַב עָבִיד (בבא קמה לח) – “Everything the Compassionate One does is for the good” (Babylonian Talmud Baba Kama 38), how can we not be constantly happy? If our belief is more than just lip service, our hearts must be perpetually filled with love, trust, and acceptance of whatever Hashem dishes out to us. When in the state of expanded consciousness, we can break through, triumph over our emotional-intellectual-spiritual limitations, and express our latent powers of divine connection. Yet, unfortunately, even if we would never admit it, when life doesn’t unfold our way, we may harbor repressed resentment towards Hashem, struggling with the feeling that He has turned his back on us, no longer caring about us. How can we elevate ourselves out of this state of constricted consciousness? How can we overcome the negative impulse of sadness and feeling estrangement?

The Key to Feeling Constantly Cheerful Through Thick and Thin

I’m feeling so elated that my son finally got engaged! It now is becoming crystal clear how all the hardships our family went through during the last decade led us to this happy celebration. Yet when we were in the midst of the murkiest challenges, on the verge of despair, not yet glimpsing the light at the end of the tunnel, how could we perceive Hashem’s goodness and His love for us? If only I had known that in another decade, year, or month my prayers would be fulfilled, the years of waiting wouldn’t have been so unbearable. Like a pregnant mother with swollen legs, heartburn, heaviness, or other side effects, she can bear it all when she imagines the baby she soon will birth. So, the key to feeling constantly cheerful through thick and thin is developing our sense of imagination, to envision all the possible good that ensues from our present suffering. Had we not been waiting so many years for our son to get engaged, we would not have felt as elated when it finally happened. The deeper the pain the greater the gain! From our peak of joy, we can now fathom the good points of being down and low. I believe the secret to acquiring the constancy in our Divine service, is to superimpose our moments of spiritual highs unto the bleak epochs of gloom. By learning to perpetually cleave to Hashem and remember His prior kindness, whether to us or to our ancestors, we can elevate the hard times and infuse them with eternal joy.   

Unpacking the Secret to Equanimity

Sarah our Matriarch possessed the secret to equanimity – as it states, “The life of Sarah was one hundred years and twenty years and seven years; [these were] the years of the life of Sarah” (Bereishit 23:1). Rash”i learns from the apparently redundant phrase “Shnei Chayei Sarah” – “the years of the life of Sarah” – that all her years were equally good. It is a very high level to achieve such a temimut (wholeheartedness) regardless of what we are going through. Although the beginning of Sarah’s life bore many difficulties such as famine, being taken captive by Pharaoh, and Avimelech, and only at the end of her life she experienced great blessings. Nevertheless, she never changed her positive attitude with the changes in her life. Therefore, it says about Sarah: “She bestows good and never bad all the days of her life.” Her perfection was above the effects and changes of time and therefore she was able to withstand any test (Sefat Emet, Parashat Chayei Sarah, Year 1896).

Rising Perpetually to Focus on the Good Beyond the Changes of the Times

In Parashat Pinchas we are told to offer a עֹלָה תָמִיד/olah tamid – ‘perpetual elevation offering:’ 

ספר במדבר פרק כח פסוק ג וְאָמַרְתָּ לָהֶם זֶה הָאִשֶּׁה אֲשֶׁר תַּקְרִיבוּ לַהָשֵׁם כְּבָשִׂים בְּנֵי שָׁנָה תְמִימִם שְׁנַיִם לַיּוֹם עֹלָה תָמִיד:

“You shall say to them: This is the fire offering which you shall offer to Hashem: two unblemished lambs in their first year each day as a continual burnt offering” (Bamidbar 28:3).

It didn’t say olat tamid – ‘a perpetual burnt offering’ but olah tamid – ‘perpetually rising’ for we are called upon to perpetually rise before the measure of judgment and offer defense for others (Siftei Kohen, Bamidbar 28:3). The tzaddikim (righteous) only look at the good points of Israel, to awaken them from slumber. Their eyes always look upward, that is – upon the good points within Israel which rise above to the highest realm. Tzaddikim don’t want to look down at all, that is – at their evil, for the good is the aspect of above, whereas the bad is the aspect of below. This is the explanation of “Who knows the spirit of people which ascends on high, and the spirit of the beast which descends below to the earth?” (Kohelet 3:21); (Rebbe Natan of Breslev, Likutei Halachot, Orach Chaim, Hilchot Techumin Ve’iruvei. Halacha 6). Rising above perpetually to focus only on the good is what enables us to rise beyond the changes of the times like Sarah, our Mother, to tap into true inner joy unaffected by our external circumstances.

EmunaHealing Exercise for Achieving Steadfast, Perpetual Equanimity

1. Sit upright supported by the back of your chair or cushion, by the wall or if you are able, sit upright with a straight back without any support.  Close your eyes and inhale slowly.

2. Breathe deeply through your nose and imagine that your head is being pulled upward with an invisible string connecting you with the Above. Become aware of your body and how you are sitting steadfastly straight as you lift your chest and heart upwards. Your feet are firmly planted on the earth and your seat touching the ground or cushion with your arms resting relaxed at your side. Envision a straight line from your lower back through your neck all the way to the top of your head.

3. Now imagine a flame of fire rising upward above your head and directing your entire being towards the higher Divine realms. Envision that you are rising with the flame, you are perpetually rising upwards. Whatever distracting thoughts come your way, bring yourself back to being the perpetual flame, rising, rising, rising! Only seeing the good points in yourself and others.

4. Even if negative thoughts distract you to try to get you down, just let them pass through you and reconnect with the flame directed to the above. Keep steadfastly rising!

5. Just as the rose, when it is placed between the thorns, the northern wind pushes it towards the south and the thorn stings it; the southern wind pushes it towards the north and the thorn stings it. Nevertheless, its heart is directed straight to the Above. Similarly, Israel – although they are dried up, suffering, and under forced labor – their heart is directed towards their Father in heaven… (Midrash Vayikra Rabbah 23:5).

6. Imagine the fiery flame merging with the rose that withstands the wind and the changes of the times. So many challenges try to push you down, restrict your consciousness, and make you small-minded, yet you continue to steadfastly rise above. Breathe in while envisioning the word Olah – ‘rise,’ and breathe out while focusing on the word tamid – ‘perpetually.’ Repeat 4 additional times.

7. You are constantly becoming an olah tamid always rising up to G-d, despite all the obstacles. No pain – whether physical or emotional – can get you down because you are aware of the ultimate goodness of Hashem, the Almighty. Nothing less than the very best emanates from Him, even if it isn’t always apparent, your heart knows it, and your emunah keeps rising with the upward flame.

8. Breathe into Hashem’s goodness. כָּל דְּעָבִיד רַחְמָנָא - לְטַב עָבִיד/kol d’avid, Rachmana, l’tav avid – Everything the Compassionate One does, He does for the good! Be still and allow yourself to feel Hashem’s immense love for you right now! Raise your arms above your head and receive the Divine abundance and blessings and imagine sending them to different parts of your being while gently caressing the aura surrounding you.

9. You are an olah tamid – a perpetually offering! As you are embraced by Hashem’s love, your entire being yearns to become One with the Divine. Become aware of how the feeling of equanimity gradually settles within you and calms your spirit. Whenever you are ready you may open your eyes and reinter your world with renewed aspirations and calmness.