Immortality

Commentary by Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis

And the last one is on immortality. And here we suggested some very interesting notions. The banner, the inscription says " Ner adonai nishmat adam," which means: "The light of the Lord is the soul of man." And it has various circles, these are like the s'firot in mysticism, but what we have done is to place basic Jewish values and concepts that run throughout the whole tradition. Begins on top with "tzelem elokim," the image of God, that every human being is created in God's image. Every human being, Jew, non Jew...every human being. Then it has beneath that "k'doshim t'hiyu," ye shall be holy, by which is meant the imitation of God's attributes. As God is merciful, be you merciful. As God clothes the naked, you cloth the naked. As God feeds the poor, you feed the poor. Then we have "netzach Yisrael" which is the eternity of the Jewish people, its ongoing belief. And on the bottom, "kavod ha-b'riyot," which means respect for the creatures.

I think it is a very important notion that we have in this tableau as it were, both particularistic ideas that specifically refer to Jews and the Jewish people, and universal ideas that refer to humanity. So when you look at this entire tableau, you get a feeling for the rites of passage and for the passages that these rites celebrate. Without these rites life becomes quite prosaic and the purpose of these rites is to concentrate and make you recognize the affirmation of life and the wonders of living and the celebration of the process from life to immortality. 

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