## Bnei Machshava Tova, Principles and Advice

###### Bnei Machshava Tova, Principles and Advice 7:1
[Bnei Machshava Tova, Principles and Advice 7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bnei%20Machshava%20Tova/s/Principles%20and%20Advice/r/7:1)

אֲבָל אַל נָא נְדַלֵּג בְּפַעַם אַחַת כָּל כָּךְ הַרְבֵּה אֶל מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ זְמַנֵּי מַחֲשָׁבָה טוֹבָה זוֹ, כִּי רְצוֹנֵנוּ בָּזֶה לְהַעֲלוֹת בְּחֶבְרָתֵנוּ אֶת כָּל חֲבֵרֵינוּ אֶל זְמַנֵּי קֹדֶשׁ כָּאֵלּוּ וּלְגַלּוֹת גַּם בָּהֶם מַחֲשָׁבָה טְהוֹרָה.

**Experiencing the Divine, trans. Yaacov David Shulman, 2018:**
**From Image to No-image**
Let us not in one leap attempt to attain the abilities of a person who already experiences periods of positive mindfulness. Our desire is to elevate everyone in our group, so that everyone will be able to reach such holy moments and discover this positive mindfulness.


###### Bnei Machshava Tova, Principles and Advice 7:2
[Bnei Machshava Tova, Principles and Advice 7:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bnei%20Machshava%20Tova/s/Principles%20and%20Advice/r/7:2)

וְכָאָמוּר, הַבִּקּוּר זֶה מֶה שֶׁרוֹצֶה וְדוֹרֵשׁ מִכָּל מַחְשָׁבָה הִתְדַּמּוּת אֶל כָּל מַחְשְׁבוֹת הָעוֹלָם זוֹהִי מְנִיעָה גְּדוֹלָה שֶׁמּוֹנַעַת אֶת הָאָדָם מִכָּל מַחֲשָׁבָה נְקִיָּה, אַף הַהִתְעוֹרְרוּת שֶׁל קְדֻשָּׁה וּתְפִלָּה טְהוֹרָה.

**Experiencing the Divine, trans. Yaacov David Shulman, 2018:**
The analytical filter within us that demands that our every thought show a similarity to this-worldly thought is a great obstacle, one that does not allow us to attain any pure awareness—not even the inspiration of holiness and pure prayer.


###### Bnei Machshava Tova, Principles and Advice 7:3
[Bnei Machshava Tova, Principles and Advice 7:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bnei%20Machshava%20Tova/s/Principles%20and%20Advice/r/7:3)

וְהָאִם אֵין זֹאת עִקַּר סִבַּת פְּגַם הָאֱמוּנָה, יִרְאָה וְאַהֲבָה גַּם כֵּן.

**Experiencing the Divine, trans. Yaacov David Shulman, 2018:**
And is this not the essential cause of a flaw in our belief and our awe and love of God?


###### Bnei Machshava Tova, Principles and Advice 7:4
[Bnei Machshava Tova, Principles and Advice 7:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bnei%20Machshava%20Tova/s/Principles%20and%20Advice/r/7:4)

כְּבָר הִתְנַצֵּל אַבְרֵךְ לְפָנַי וְאָמַר: "אִם הָיִיתִי יָכוֹל לְצַיֵּר לִפְנֵי אֵיזֶה דְּמוּת בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאֲנִי עוֹמֵד לִפְנֵי השי"ת בִּתְפִלָּה הָיִיתִי מִתְעוֹרֵר פָּשׁוּט עַל כָּל פָּנִים כְּמוֹ מִי שֶׁמְּבַקֵּשׁ וּמִתְחַנֵּן לִפְנֵי הַכֹּל יָכוֹל שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיָדוֹ לְהוֹשִׁיעַ לִי, אוֹ שֶׁהָיִיתִי מִזְדַּעְזֵעַ וּמְרַתֵּת מִן הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה וְהַצִּיּוּר בְּעַצְמוֹ שֶׁאֲנִי עוֹמֵד לִפְנֵי כִּסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד, אֲבָל כֵּיוָן שֶׁאָסוּר לִי לְצַיֵּר שׁוּם דְּמוּת וְצִיּוּר רַק יְדִיעָה שֶׁהִיא בְּלֹא מַחְשָׁבָה, וּבְלֹא מַחֲשָׁבָה אִי אֶפְשָׁר לִי לְהִתְעוֹרֵר אִם לֹא בָּאָה הַהִתְעוֹרְרוּת מֵעַצְמָהּ, וּמִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁאוּכַל עוֹד לְהַתְמִיד בְּהַרְגָּשׁוֹת הִתְלַהֲבוּת, זֶה אִי אֶפְשָׁר לִי כְּלָל.

**Experiencing the Divine, trans. Yaacov David Shulman, 2018:**
A young man came to me and lamented, “If I could picture some image when I stand before God in prayer, I would be inspired, at least in a simple way, like a person begging an omnipotent being to save him. Or I would tremble and shake when I would have the thought and image that I am standing before God’s Throne of Glory. However, since it is forbidden to visualize any image or form, all I have is the concept that I am standing before God—a concept without substantive thought. But without a concrete thought, I cannot be inspired, unless it is some spontaneous inspiration, out of my control. And I am certainly unable to achieve an ongoing experience of fiery, passionate feeling.”


###### Bnei Machshava Tova, Principles and Advice 7:5
[Bnei Machshava Tova, Principles and Advice 7:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bnei%20Machshava%20Tova/s/Principles%20and%20Advice/r/7:5)

וּמִי יוֹדֵעַ אִם לֹא הָיְתָה זֹאת גַּם יְסוֹד וְסִבַּת חֵטְא הָעֶרֶב רַב, שֶׁאָמְרוּ עָשָׂה לָנוּ אֱלֹהִים שֶׁיֵּלְכוּ לְפָנֵינוּ, וְשֶׁנִּרְאֵהוּ, רַק הֵם הִרְחִיקוּ לָלֶכֶת וּלְבַקֵּשׁ לֹא צִיּוּר מַחֲשָׁבָה בִּלְבַד רַק גַּם דְּמוּת בְּפוֹעֵל, וְעוֹד הִתְטַפְּשׁוּ לִרְצוֹת דְּמוּת אֱלֹהֵי מִצְרַיִם רַחֲמָנָא לִיצְּלָן."

**Experiencing the Divine, trans. Yaacov David Shulman, 2018:**
Perhaps this was underlying motive behind the sin of the mixed multitude, who said, “Make us a god who will go before us” (Exodus 32:1). They wanted a god that they could see. They went too far, however, and sought not only a mental image, but a physical one. And, even more egregious, they foolishly desired an image of the god of Egypt.


###### Bnei Machshava Tova, Principles and Advice 7:6
[Bnei Machshava Tova, Principles and Advice 7:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bnei%20Machshava%20Tova/s/Principles%20and%20Advice/r/7:6)

וְכֵיוָן שֶׁיְּסוֹד חֶבְרָתֵנוּ הוּא שֶׁלֹּא לִגְעֹר וְלִגְזוֹר סְתָם עַל הָאִישׁ עשה כָּךְ וְכָךְ כִּי אוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁמַע לָנוּ אוֹ שֶׁיִּרְאֶה אֶת עַצְמוֹ לֵאמֹר שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ מַחֲשָׁבָה טוֹבָה וְהִתְעוֹרְרוּת וְאֵין לוֹ.

**Experiencing the Divine, trans. Yaacov David Shulman, 2018:**
The basis of our group is that we do not rebuke and command people—for either they will not listen, or they will look at themselves and say that they already possess positive mindfulness and inspiration, even if that is not the case.


###### Bnei Machshava Tova, Principles and Advice 7:7
[Bnei Machshava Tova, Principles and Advice 7:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bnei%20Machshava%20Tova/s/Principles%20and%20Advice/r/7:7)

כִּי בֶּאֱמֶת גַּם כֻּלָּם רוֹצִים לִהְיוֹת טְהוֹרֵי לֵב וּבְנֵי עֲלִיָּה רַק שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לָהֶם לְהִתְעַלּוֹת מִן רִפְשָׁם כַּנַ"ל.

**Experiencing the Divine, trans. Yaacov David Shulman, 2018:**
This is because everyone wants to be pure of heart and elevated. However, most people cannot rise beyond the flotsam in which they are afloat.


###### Bnei Machshava Tova, Principles and Advice 7:8
[Bnei Machshava Tova, Principles and Advice 7:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bnei%20Machshava%20Tova/s/Principles%20and%20Advice/r/7:8)

וְכָל יְסוֹד חֶבְרָתֵנוּ הוּא לְהַרְכִּין אֶת הַכָּתֵף לִמְקוֹם נְמִיכֻיּוֹת הַחֲבֵרִים עַד כַּפּוֹת רַגְלֵי נַפְשָׁם וְגוּפָם, וּמִשָּׁם לְהַעֲלוֹתָם בְּאֶמְצָעִים מַתְאִימִים לָהֶם.

**Experiencing the Divine, trans. Yaacov David Shulman, 2018:**
The entire purpose of our group is to raise people. We will lower our shoulders to whatever low level another member may be on, down to the soles of the feet of his spirit and body, and from there we will raise him, using means appropriate to his condition.


###### Bnei Machshava Tova, Principles and Advice 7:9
[Bnei Machshava Tova, Principles and Advice 7:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bnei%20Machshava%20Tova/s/Principles%20and%20Advice/r/7:9)

לָכֵן נרְאֶה נָא גַּם לָהֶם תַּקָּנָה וְעֵצָה אֵיךְ לְהַרְגִּילָם כְּפִי מַצָּבָם. לָכֵן בְּמַצָּב כָּזֶה בְּרֵאשִׁית גִּדּוּל וְהִתְרַחֲבוּת מַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ יִסְמֹךְ עַצְמוֹ עַל הָרָאָבָ"ד זַ"ל שֶׁמֵּשִׁיב עַל הָרַמְבַּ"ם זַ"ל פֶּרֶק ג' מֵהִלְכוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה הֲלָכָה ז וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנוֹ: "אמר אברהם וְלָמָּה קָרָא לְזֶה מִין? כַּמָּה גְּדוֹלִים וְטוֹבִים וכו' הָלְכוּ בְּזוֹ הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה וכו'."

**Experiencing the Divine, trans. Yaacov David Shulman, 2018:**
Group members must be given exercises and counsel appropriate to their level, which will help them habituate themselves to mindfulness. And so, in this spirit, my counsel is that a person in such a situation—at the beginning of the growth and expanding of his mindfulness—should depend upon the view of the Ravad, who responded to the Rambam: “Why does he call a person [who attributes physicality to God] a sectarian? A number of great and good people . . . have entertained this idea . . . “ (Hilchot Teshuvah 3:7).


###### Bnei Machshava Tova, Principles and Advice 7:10
[Bnei Machshava Tova, Principles and Advice 7:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bnei%20Machshava%20Tova/s/Principles%20and%20Advice/r/7:10)

וְעַל פִּי פּשטו קָשֶׁה לְהָבִין אֶת דִּבְרֵי הָרַאֲבַ"ד זַ"ל הֲלֹא מִקְרָא מָלֵא הוּא, "כִּי לֹא רְאִיתֶם כָּל תְּמוּנָה" וְכַדּוֹמֶה. וְעַיֵּן בְּכֶסֶף מִשְׁנֶה שָׁם קֻשְׁיָתוֹ.

**Experiencing the Divine, trans. Yaacov David Shulman, 2018:**
It is difficult to understand the words of the Ravad. Does the verse not clearly state, “You saw no image” (besides other such statements)? (Cf. the *Kesef Mishnah*’s question ibid.)


###### Bnei Machshava Tova, Principles and Advice 7:11
[Bnei Machshava Tova, Principles and Advice 7:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bnei%20Machshava%20Tova/s/Principles%20and%20Advice/r/7:11)

וּלְפִי הַנָּ"ל לֹא שֶׁאָמַר הָרָאָבָ"ד זַ"ל שֶׁיִּטְעֶה הָאִישׁ לֵאמֹר שֶׁיֵּשׁ ח"ו לְמַעְלָה שׁוּם תְּמוּנָה, חַס מִלְּהַזְכִּיר, אֲבָל כַּנַ"ל בֶּאֱמֶת יֵדַע הָאִישׁ שֶׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ אֵינוֹ בַּעַל שׁוּם תְּמוּנָה ח"ו רַק הוּא הַקָּרוּץ מֵחֹמֶר אִישׁ מְגֻשָּׁם בַּעַל תְּמוּנָה מְצַיֵּר לוֹ זֹאת, כְּדֵי שֶׁתּוּכַל מַחְשַׁבְתּוֹ לְהֵאָחֵז וּלְהִתְגַּדֵּל וּלְהִתְרַחֵב.

**Experiencing the Divine, trans. Yaacov David Shulman, 2018:**
But in line with what was stated above, we can understand this as follows. The Ravad is not saying that we should delude ourselves that there is some image in the upper realm, God forbid, let it not even be uttered. Rather, we must know in truth that God has no image, heaven forbid. But we beings scraped of physicality, corporeal people who possess form, visualize such a thing so that our mindfulness will be able to grasp, expand and broaden.


###### Bnei Machshava Tova, Principles and Advice 7:12
[Bnei Machshava Tova, Principles and Advice 7:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bnei%20Machshava%20Tova/s/Principles%20and%20Advice/r/7:12)

וְכַאֲשֶׁר יַעֲזֹר לוֹ ד' וְתִתְחַזֵּק מַחְשַׁבְתּוֹ וְתוּכַל לַחֲשֹׁב בד' מַחֲשָׁבָה חֲזָקָה וּנְקִיָּה, וְדִמְיוֹן נִיצוֹץ נְבוּאָה יִתְגַּלֶּה לוֹ, אָז הַתְּמוּנָה הַצִּיּוּר גּוּפָנִי הַזֶּה מִמֵּילָא יִתְבַּטְּלוּ, וְיוּכַל לְצַיֵּר לוֹ בְּעֵת תְּפִלָּתוֹ שֶׁעוֹמֵד לִפְנֵי ד' ית' וְלִפְנֵי כִּסֵּא כְּבוֹדוֹ עִנְיָן כְּדֵי לְשַׂבֵּר אֶת הָאֹזֶן וּכְדֵי לְשַׂבֵּר אֶת הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה מָה שֶׁיְּכוֹלָה לַחְשֹׁב וּלְדַמּוֹת.

**Experiencing the Divine, trans. Yaacov David Shulman, 2018:**
Then, when God helps us and our mind grows stronger so that we can think of Him with a strong and clean mindfulness, and when an image of a spark of prophecy is revealed within us, this physical image will of itself cease to exist. When we pray, we will be able to picture that we are standing before God and His throne of glory—realizing that whatever we imagine is merely the way that our senses—our ears and mind—are capable of interpreting things .


###### Bnei Machshava Tova, Principles and Advice 7:13
[Bnei Machshava Tova, Principles and Advice 7:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bnei%20Machshava%20Tova/s/Principles%20and%20Advice/r/7:13)

וְגַם אַתָּה חָבֵר בְּחַבְרַיָּא בִּשְׁעַת הַדְּחָק צַיֵּר לְךָ שֶׁאַתָּה עוֹמֵד לִפְנֵי כִּסֵּא כְּבוֹדוֹ וְאַתָּה מִתְפַּלֵּל וּמְבַקֵּשׁ מִמֶּנּוּ ית' פָּשׁוּט כְּבֵן שֶׁעוֹמֵד וּמִתְחַנֵּן מֵאָבִיו רַחֵם נָא עָלַי אָבִי, כְּבָר אִי אֶפְשָׁר לִסְבֹּל נְדוּדֵי הַגּוּף וַעֲזִיבַת הָרוּחַ, וּמִן הָעֵת אֲשֶׁר הִשְׁלַכְתַּנִי מִמְּךָ וְהִסְתַּרְתָּ פָּנֶיךָ מֵאִתָּנוּ, מָגוֹר מִסָּבִיב.

**Experiencing the Divine, trans. Yaacov David Shulman, 2018:**
And so, member of this group, if you find yourself in such an extremity, visualize that you are standing before God’s Throne of Glory and that you are praying and begging Him simply, like a son crying and begging before his father, “Have mercy on me, my Father, I can no longer bear the wanderings of my body and the abandonment of my spirit. From the time that you cast me from You and hid Your face from me, I am surrounded by terror.”


###### Bnei Machshava Tova, Principles and Advice 7:14
[Bnei Machshava Tova, Principles and Advice 7:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bnei%20Machshava%20Tova/s/Principles%20and%20Advice/r/7:14)

וּמִי הוּא הָאִישׁ אַף בְּלֵב אֶבֶן שֶׁלֹּא יִמַּס בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁמְּצַיֵּר בְּמַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ אֶת הַדְּמוּת הַזֹּאת, אֵיךְ הוּא עוֹמֵד לִפְנֵי כִּסֵּא כְּבוֹדוֹ אֵשׁ אֹכְלָה וּמִתְחַנֵּן עַל עַצְמוֹ וְעַל בְּנֵי בֵּיתוֹ וְעַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל.

**Experiencing the Divine, trans. Yaacov David Shulman, 2018:**
Which person, even if has a heart of stone, will not melt when he pictures that he is standing before God’s Throne of Glory, a consuming fire, pleading for himself, his family, and all Israel?