Which Spiritual Legacy did Avraham Impart to His Children?

 

Parashat Chayei Sarah

Which Spiritual Legacy did Avraham Impart to His Children?

Is there a connection of the Wisdoms of the Far East and the Abrahamic Torah?

We – who have searched for truth in the East before coming to Torah – are all intrigued by the gifts that Avraham gave to the sons of his concubines whom he sent off to the far East. Even after becoming Torah observant, we are aware that there is some truth to be found in the Far East. It seems that this truth is connected with the gifts that Avraham gave to the sons that he sent to the East, away from Yitzchak. Within the society of the oldest religion of the East – Hinduism – the highest priestly class of religious teachers are called Brahmins or Brahmans. The name ‘Brahman’ has an uncanny resemblance to the name ‘Avraham.’ Perhaps the teachings of their Veda derive from the יֵדַע/Yeda – ‘knowledge’ that Avraham transmitted to them. Interestingly, the word Brahman is missing the א/alef from the name A-braham, and that very first letter of the Hebrew alphabet with its numerical value of one refers to the oneness of the very first being – the Creator of the world. As we are all aware, while there is some mystical truth in the far East, it is wrapped up with husks of idol worship, as the Zohar explains that the teachings of the East are very close to the teachings of the Torah. Nevertheless, warns the Zohar, “Keep yourselves from their books in order that your hearts not be drawn to their [idolatrous] practices…” (Zohar Part 1,100a). But isn’t there a way to glean the kernel of truth inherent in the Far East while discarding its idolatrous husk?

Using the Teachings of Eastern Energy Centers in Emunahealing

In my spiritual healing course, Kabbalah and Selfhealing – Healing with the Sefirot, I compare the Sefirot with the Chakras (Eastern Energy Centers). By the way, although the word ‘Chakra’ – referring to the seven energy centers – derives from the Sanskrit word for ‘wheel, ‘vortex’ or ‘turning,’ which seems rather devoid of idolatry; still, I received Rabbinic guidance to avoid using this term, as it has negative energy. From now on we will instead use the term, Eastern Energy Centers. There is certainly truth to these energy centers as there are many parallels between them and the Sefirot. Yet, there are several differences as well, as I teach in my course. Whereas the way to heal through the Sefirot is concealed, using the Eastern Energy Centers for healing is much more available to the public. Due to the Zohar’s warning, I asked my Rabbi regarding extrapolating teachings from the East and applying them to healing with the Sefirot. I received the answer that this work of extracting the kernel of truth from the husk is not only permissible but even a mitzvah – to redeem sparks awaiting their return to a righteous path. Although, most people should stay away from the wisdom of the East, as the Zohar teaches, nevertheless, those who have vast Torah knowledge, and pure intentions to integrate purity, authenticity and innovation in their work, can engender benefit rather than harm from extrapolating points of truth from the teachings of the East.

Which Gifts did Avraham Send with Keturah’s Sons after Having Given Yitzchak Everything?

In order to delve further into the nature of the gifts that Avraham gave to the sons of Keturah, we need to look at the Torah verses from Parashat Chayei Sarah on this topic:

 ספר בראשית פרק כה פסוק ה וַיִּתֵּן אַבְרָהָם אֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ לְיִצְחָק: ו) וְלִבְנֵי הַפִּילַגְשִׁים אֲשֶׁר לְאַבְרָהָם נָתַן אַבְרָהָם מַתָּנֹת וַיְשַׁלְּחֵם מֵעַל יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ בְּעוֹדֶנּוּ חַי קֵדְמָה אֶל אֶרֶץ קֶדֶם:

“Avraham gave all that he possessed to Yitzchak. But to the sons of Avraham’s concubines, Avraham gave gifts, and he sent them away from his son Yitzchak, while he [Avraham] was still alive, eastward, to the land of the East” (Bereishit 25:5-6).

Before Avraham sent away sons to the East with gifts, he imparted everything he had to Yitzchak. Which gifts did Avraham send eastward with Keturah’s sons after he had already given Yitzchak everything? What could be left to impart to them?

רש"י על בראשית פרק כה פסוק ו: נתן אברהם מתנות - פי’ רבותינו שם טומאה מסר להם (סנהדרין צא).

Our Rabbis explained that he handed them over an impure name (Rashi, Bereishit 25:6). 

Rashi explains that Avraham transmitted to them the names of impure things. “This refers to sorcery and magic arts practiced in idolatrous and impure worship. Matanot cannot mean gifts as ordinarily understood, for it is stated that he gave all that he had to Yitzchak” (Rabbi, Dr. A. M. Silbermann, Pentateuch with Rashi’s Commentary Translated into English p.112, footnote 1). The word for spiritual impurity טֻמְאָה/tumah is similar to the word ‘tamas’ from Vedic Hinduism referring to darkness, sleep, inertia, and ignorance (literally being in the dark, not knowing), and has the color, black. Rabbi M. Glazerson notices that it is likely that the term tamas is connected with the tameh element, which formed the basis for the knowledge of impure names, which were sent to the East by Avraham (The Grandeur of Judaism and the East pp. 23-24).

The Gift of Accessing Spirituality While Being Impure

Rabbi Eliyahu Kitov asks how Avraham could possibly transmit impure things such as sorcery and magic when these are forbidden to Benei Noach? Furthermore, what exactly are these gifts, and why didn’t Yitzchak get any gifts? According to Malbim, Avraham knew that the Keturah’s sons would be subjugated to the forces of the universe. Therefore, he handed them the names which rule the forces of the universe, and which extract power from the constellations and stars. He also sent them away from Yitzchak, his son, so they would have no part in the inheritance of the land of Israel, and to avoid wars between them and Yitzchak. Rabbi Eliyahu Dessler explains in Strive for Truth that Avraham didn’t give them טֻמְאָה/tumah, but rather he gave them spiritual teachings which they used for tumah. Fa’aneach Raze clarifies Rashi’s commentary to mean that Avraham gave Keturah’s children the ability to mention the ineffable name without harming them, even while their body is impure. Since this gift was given explicitly to the children sent away from Yitzchak, it seems that it does not apply to Jews. Because we have a greater spiritual capacity, a more perfected vessel is required to hold this spiritual light. Therefore, it may be possible that until we have developed our vessels to the highest degree, spirituality may be easier accessible to the descendants of the Keturah than to Yitzchak’s descendants. This is despite, or rather because of the fact that our spiritual capacity is so much greater.

Why Must we Hate Gifts? Why is Our Life Dependent on Hating Gifts?

Our Rabbis’ explanation that Avraham handed over an impure name derives from the missing ו/vav in the word מַתָּנֹת/matanot – ‘gifts.’ The ו/vav  קְטוּרָה/Keturah derives from the word קְטַר/katar and קָשׁוּר/kashur – ‘tied.’ Keturah is Hagar who did teshuva and tied herself to Hashem. Yet, tying is not דָּבֵק/davek – ‘cleaving.’ Tying is an external connecting pasted on, while cleaving is deep union from the root. It states, וְדָבַק בְּאִשְׁתּוֹ/vedavak be’ishto – “He shall cleave to his wife” (Bereishit 2:24), not merely to tie himself to his soulmate, but to דָּבֵק/davek – cleave – to become one. Man and woman are not merely tied together. They are inherently one being separated into two different bodies. In Hagar’s teshuva of tying herself to Hashem, there still remained a layer of separation. She was not cleaving to Hashem in profound unity.

Avraham Imparted Essential, Permanent Power of Blessing to Yitzchak

Spiritual inheritance is the parents infusing their essence to their progeny. When the Torah says that Avraham gave Yitzchak everything, it means that Avraham gave Yitzchak Avraham. It is an inner dimension of transfer, a union between father and son. A gift, in contrast, is not essence. The letter ו/vav (missing in the word מַתָּנֹת/matanot) is always the letter of inner connection and shefa (spiritual influx into the world). Since the gifts that Avraham gave the children of Keturah were missing this ו/vav; they were missing this inner connection from Avraham, and they remained outside. On a deepest level, giving a gift takes away from the person’s life force. By giving him something which he did not labor and invest in, he receives something external detached from his root and essence. Thus, rather than “giving a man a fish,” we need to “teach a man to fish” Allowing others to integrate the information and develop it into becoming their own. (Adapted from Ari Sherbill based on shiurim from R’ Lopiansky). Thus, rather than taking charge of healing the passive person in treatment, the role of the spiritual healer is to be a guiding light enabling her to connect with her unactualized potential of self. Therefore, in EmunaHealing we offer tools of selfhealing, supporting women in owning their healing process, rather than being dependent and relying on the healer to do the work for them. This way their healing becomes an integrated part of their internal root, rather than just an external gift. “This is what Avraham gave Yitzchak! He gave him a permanent blessing, for the Holy One, blessed be He, had said to Avraham (above 12:2) ‘you shall be a blessing,’ i.e., the blessings are delivered into your hand to bless whomever you wish. Avraham now handed this ability over to Yitzchak” (Rashi, Bereishit 25:5, second explanation).

EmunaHealing Exercise to Tap into Our Own Unactualized Potential
1 Make yourself comfortable and take several deep breaths all the way in and all the way out.
2. Allow yourself to breathe even deeper than you think you can.
3. Focus on your goal in life, envision yourself expressing your highest potential. See your illuminated self, radiating your fullest light.
4. What is holding you back from expressing your higher self? What are your physical blocks? Do you need to work on developing better sleeping patterns, healthier diet and incorporating more physical exercise into your life?
5. What are your emotional blocks that hold you back from reaching your lifegoals?
Do you need to become more caring, loving, and forgiving?
6. Open your heart and fill it with loving care and forgiveness, as you keep breathing softly.
7. What are your spiritual blocks that prevent you from cleaving to Hashem? 
Do you need more meditation, prayer and Torah in your life? Is there a specific mitzvah that you need to focus on perfecting?
8. Keep breathing Hashem’s lifegiving energy into your physical, emotional and spiritual blocks, believing that Hashem empowers you to overcome them.
9. Visualize yourself reaching even unreachable goals. Realistic goals are usually based on what others think is possible. Allow yourself to believe that with Hashem’s help you can even tap into new ways that until now have been out of reach.
10. Imagine the effort necessary to break free of the husks and access your essential, inner lifeforce – your kernel of truth. Allow yourself to accept tolerating discomfort for a greater purpose.
11. Envision yourself making challenging changes in your life routine, both physically, emotionally and spiritually. Get in touch with how these changes empower you to tap into your own unactualized potential and become the person you are meant to be, expressing your inner essential self.