The Rev. Dr. Mark LaRocca Pitts on finding shalom with G-d

Creating Space for G-d

Isaac Luria, a medieval Jewish Rabbi and mystic, taught that before G-d created the world, G-d alone existed: G-d was “all in all” without end, beginning, or dimensions of any sort – Ein-Sof (lit. “without end”), as the Kabbalah teaches. If everything, everywhere, and everywhen was G-d, then where was G-d going to find a place for a world that by biblical theistic definition is the created and not the Creator? G-d solved this problem, Luria explains, by retreating or withdrawing from a part of G-d’s Self and thereby creating a space within the very Being of G-d that was not G-d. In this empty space or vacuum, in which the “aroma” of G-d’s presence still lingered, G-d then created the world through a series of emanations. Into this world, G-d then placed humans whose souls contain a divine spark – a small bit of G-d’s very Being. This divine spark longs to be reunited with G-d and acts to lure us, along with the world we inhabit, back into divine union with G-d.

Whether agreeing with this metaphysical speculation or not, it does provide a profound metaphor that may speak to your spiritual journey, as it has to mine. If, before the beginning, G-d created within G-d’s Being a space for us, then now, within our being, we can create a space for G-d.

In case you haven’t noticed, with all the advances in modern technology, many of which are intended to simplify our lives, our lives have become increasingly more complex and busier than ever. We feel lost and cut off when we are beyond the reach of our cell phones, pagers and PDAs. From morning until night and even into our sleep, we are in motion – never resting, never slowing down, never finding peace and solitude. Even when our bodies are at rest, our minds are racing and our emotions are seething. Even when we set aside time for prayer and meditation, we fill it with words, longings, images and supplications. Our world, both external and internal, is overflowing with events, things, thoughts, doubts, memories, feelings, hopes, fears, loves, and loathings. These and many other things crowd out the space where G-d is waiting to meet us.

Creating a space for G-d takes practice and patience. It begins and it ends by stilling our bodies, by stilling our minds, by stilling our hearts, and by stilling our wills. As the Psalmist put it, “Be still and know that I am G-d.” Or, as the 16th century Christian mystic John of the Cross put it, “Silence is G-d’s first language.” We create a space for G-d within our being when we silence all our physical, mental, affective and willful doings. In this silent space, where we have retreated beyond our ego self and where the “aroma” of G-d’s presence still lingers, that which is G-d within reunites with that which is G-d without and we find shalom – rest, healing, and wholeness – first for ourselves, and then for our world.

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