Divine Noticing

“Divine Noticing”
Cantor Phil Baron
Parashat Vayeitsei
10 Kislev, 5777

There is a new buzz word in our culture right now. The word is “mindfulness,” which is a term that I never heard until a couple years ago, although the concept is quite ancient. In fact, as this week’s Torah portion demonstrates, it may have been invented by our ancestor Jacob.

Before getting into Jacob’s story, I’d like to suggest a mindfulness exercise. Go to your pantry and pick up a raisin – one raisin. Place the raisin in your hand and observe it for a few moments (don’t worry, this is not one of those “become one with the raisin” things). Explore the raisin for a minute or two – the wrinkles, the tactile stickiness, the unique squooshiness. Then put it in your mouth and experience the burst of flavors, and a whole new range of sensations. Swallow it down and take a moment to appreciate that process.

Now contrast the experience with the way you usually eat raisins, popping them into your mouth as you think about, or do other things. Normally eating a raisin has little or no impact on your conscious mind. That’s because your mind is usually busy planning future actions or reliving some past experience. It’s rare that we “mindfully” experience the present.

Now imagine yourself in an environment having nothing to do with raisins or eating of any kind – say, in prayer. Many people say they can’t connect to God or to prayer. But are they really allowing themselves to enter into the experience with their full focus and intention? Here is another interesting “mindfulness” example, this one from an 18th century rabbi, Yaakov Yosef Hakohen of Polonnoya:

We can try to explain the difference between the one who thinks about God and the one who does not do so always by means of a parable: if you were quickly to pass a stranger on the street, and if he were to pass by you once again, even then if he were to pass you again you would not recognize him. Despite the fact that you have seen him, you still will not recognize him. Because you saw his face for only a moment, his figure was not imprinted on your consciousness at all, nor in your memory. Therefore, you were not able to connect to him the second time; you had no knowledge of him and no connection to him at all.

This is how it is for the person who does not give thought to the Creator at all, or perhaps only when it comes to mind. He or she will have no knowledge of God at all, no love and no connection at all. This is not the case with the person thinks always of the Creator, or at least gives thought to God whenever he or she can. They are like someone who has seen a person (like this stranger) several times on many different occasions. His figure is well imprinted on their heart.

Now let’s turn to this week’s Torah reading. Jacob awakens after a mystical, and mystifying dream. But the dream ends with a clear message from God: “Remember I am with you: I will protect you wherever you go and will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I promised you.” When he wakes up, Jacob experiences what A.J Heschel called “radical amazement.” Jacob exclaims, “Surely the Lord is in this place and I did not know it!” The Torah is telling us that God is always present.

But how present are we?

I’d like to suggest we practice “divine noticing.” Jews actually do it all the time. That’s why we hang mezuzot on our doors, wear kipot, and recite b’rachot. These are all ways to focus our minds, or be mindful of the blessings around us and the presence of the holy in our lives. Be in the moment. Notice the people around you. Listen louder than you speak.

If you’re interested in the path of Jewish Mindfulness and meditation, VBS has several offerings including this month’s Sisterhood Meditation Program on December 12 (7:00 pm), our monthly Meditation Service on December 17 (10:30 am) , or our Weekly Meditation, Thursdays in Winer Chapel (6:00 pm). I hope you can join us.