“Meditation, Judaism, and Self-Mastery”
Let’s reclaim our spiritual heritage!
03-31-2021
We will complete our study of Hitbodedut – “Isolation” – with a survey of references to this mediation throughout Jewish teachings.
We will also discuss how to deal with problems encountered when meditating, such as discouragement.
Passover schedule of classes:
Wednesday April 7: 8pm
Sunday April 11: 8pm
Student questions currently being researched:
“I am curious why ‘purchasing / re-purchasing.’ How to better understand it? ‘Re-purchases’ from whom?”
“What does Judaism say about astrology (Mazalot?)”
“Can the Messiah be a woman?”
The Traditions: Internal Isolation
Rabbi Kaplan – “Meditation and the Bible”
Review -Internal Isolation, pp 1 -3
Surprise!
Basic vocabulary
One word – Hitbodedut
To be alone
Physical and internal isolation
Important to prophetic experience
Ralbag
Sources, pp 10 – 15
Hai Gaon
Ibn Ezra
Ramban
R Jacob Ben Asher
R Shem Tov ibn Shaprut
R Joseph Albo
Radbaz
The Ari
R Elazar Alkazri
R Emanuel Frances
R Israel Baal Shem Tov
The Chida
Rebi Nachman
=====
Best practices for meditation
Bhante Gunaratana, “Mindlfulness in Plain English,”
Problems, pp 97 – 107
Discouragement, pp 104 – 105