Day 7 of Elijah Interfaith Summer School
Monday 10th August 2020 — Hosted in Jerusalem, participants zoomed-in from around the world
The question for today was, ‘Where does Religion take place — heart, home, community? What is the balance between these loci of the religious life in different traditions and what happens when the “normal” is disrupted?’
The first speaker was Timothy Gianotti. He was preparing to leave Toronto to take up his new post as President of the American Islamic College.
Timothy started out with the Roman Catholic faith. It was as he pursued scholarly studies that he expanded into Islam. I did note that he spoke of this journey as an expansion rather than a conversion.
Timothy acknowledged the passing of the father of one of Elijah’s staff by using a prayer that he recites in the video clip below.
Again I am reminded how much is already in my head from the previous 6 days as my ability to record my reflections seemingly begins to wane. As a substitute, I found an earlier video of Timothy with Elijah.
It was apt that Timothy was in the process of moving from one country to another hence he drew on the parallel between a building being a house to ‘home’ you but that your home is forever with you.
He also spoke of the spiritual journey being the emptying of the heart that which rivals God. Suggesting that ‘ the power of God only works from an empty place.’
He drew on the example of Hager and her son Ishmael being displaced yet God being faithful to them and providing for them.
Rachel Pear was our second guest
Rachel completed a study of texts which spoke of exile yet the presence of God being with the people.
Returning to the theme of expansion she shared the ‘Four -Fold song’ by
Rabbi Kook (1865-1935- first Chief Rabbi of the Jewish community in Mandate Palestine)
There is a person who sings the song of the self. He finds everything, his complete spiritual satisfaction, within himself.
And there is a person who sings the song of the nation. He steps forward from his private self, which he finds narrow and insufficiently developed. He yearns for the heights. He clings with a sensitive love to the entirety of the Jewish nation and sings with it its song. He shares in its pains, is joyful in its hopes, speaks with exalted and pure thoughts regarding its past and its future, investigates its inner spiritual nature with love and a wise heart.
There is a person whose soul is so broad that it expands beyond the border of Israel. It sings the song of humanity. This soul constantly grows broader with the exalted totality of humanity and its glorious image. He yearns for humanity’s general enlightenment. He looks forward to its supernal perfection. From this source of life, he draws all of his thoughts and insights, his ideals and visions.
And there is a person who rises even higher until he unites with all existence, with all creatures, and with all worlds. And with all of them, he sings. This is the person who, engaged in the Chapter of Song every day, is assured that he is a child of the World-to-Come.
And there is a person who rises with all these songs together in one ensemble so that they all give forth their voices, they all sing their songs sweetly, each supplies its fellow with fullness and life: the voice of happiness and joy, the voice of rejoicing and tunefulness, the voice of merriment and the voice of holiness.
The song of the soul, the song of the nation, the song of humanity, the song of the world- they all mix together with this person at every moment and at all times.
The final session of the day turned out to be quite reflective and ended with Alon, the director of Elijah, sharing with us his vision of a Hope Centre in Jerusalem where all faiths would have a place.
We departed contemplating whether zoom has provided such a place of Hope.
Best day,
g
