12 Jul Chukat; Red Heifer to Ascend and Addiction Recovery
Inspired by the teachings of Harav Yitzchak Ginsburgh and Rabbi Moshe Genuth
Everything that exists in the physical world began first in the spiritual world.
To make effective change physically we ned to make effective change spiritually.
Chukat; Red Heifer to Ascend…
and Addiction Recovery
Inspired by the teachings of Harav Yitzchak Ginsburgh and Rabbi Moshe Genuth
Everything that exists in the physical world began first in the spiritual world
To make effective change physically we ned to make effective change spiritually.
As a result of the Sin of the Spies, the entire generation of 40 years was to die in the desert never making into Eretz Yisroel (except for Joshua and Caleb). The ashes of the Red Heifer were to purify the impurity of any contact with death that the Israelites might come in contact with on their journey. The contact with the impurity of a corpse is the highest level of impurity (tumah) and would impede their ability to ascend. The ashes of the Red Heifer (Para Adumah) were the remedy to enable them to ascend.
This is the statute of the Torah which the Lord commanded, saying, Speak to the children of Israel and have them take for you a perfectly red unblemished cow, upon which no yoke was laid. And you shall give it to Eleazar the kohen, and he shall take it outside the camp and slaughter it in his presence. Eleazar the kohen shall take from its blood with his finger and sprinkle it toward the front of the Tent of Meeting seven times. The cow shall then be burned in his presence; its hide, its flesh, its blood, with its dung he shall burn it. The kohen shall take a piece of cedar wood, hyssop, and crimson wool, and cast them into the burning of the cow. (Numbers 19:2-6)
These verses describe part of the purification process for an individual or object which became impure through contact with a dead person. A red heifer was sacrificed and burned together with cedar wood, hyssop and crimson wool. Its ashes, mixed with water from a spring, were sprinkled upon those who had become defiled. The paradox is that although this purified them, it made impure all those who were involved in its preparation. This is one of the reasons this ritual is called a chukah (ordinance)–a law which we are not able to understand. (Chabad.org)
The color Red is significant as it is associated with the emotive characteristic of the sefirot of Gevurah; might, strength and is cognate to Gayvah; arrogance and pride. Although these traits can lead a person to transgress, ‘a drop’ is what is needed to uplift to be able to ascend. The Talmud describes this as an 1/8th of an 1/8th gevurah, 1/64th. The ashes of the Red Heifer are used to help uplift the ‘good’ aspects of pride of a person to help them overcome the impurity of the darkness of death (the tumah of a corpse). Any amount of impurity can detract from our physical and spiritual ascent.
The Paradox
This process of purification of the Red Heiffer of ‘what makes one pure also makes one impure’ is a demonstration of the perpetual power of opposites (ie opposing forces) in this world. Thus the teachings of the Para Adumah( The Red Heifer) illustrates the concept (again) that ‘we descend for the purpose to ascend’.
Addiction
As we learn about a corpse as it was in the desert, is the highest level of impurity, we may also learn that there are other levels of impurity that we may affect us spiritually and physically and emotionally as a result of our sin; ie transgressions that go against the laws, ordinances and righteious was of G-d that may cause harm to ourselves making it difficult to ascend. Where we may become overwhelmed to ascend, we may need invasive measures to help uplift ourselves in order that we are able to acquire healthy coping skills to ascend. This may be done through the careful use of medication combined with therapy.
Each of us will no doubt succumb to sin (transgression) in many different ways such as with substance and behaviour that removes us from a healthy connection with G-d. It may sound extreme but any transgression causes us an amount of spiritual and or physical death.
In managing issues of Addiction and Behaviour concurrent disorders on ‘the spectrum’ may be accompanied with disorders such as (not limited to) depression, bi polar disorder, anxiety disorder, OCD, ADD… etc,. Medication may play a role in recovery to help up-lift a person from an inability to ascend.
Addiction and Concurrent Disorders
The body’s chemical known a Serotonin is like a reusable match. Under healthy conditions once the match has been ‘Spent’, it goes in to a receptacle /reservoir to be re used (reuptake) for use again.
Serotonin once spent is still useful, it can be ‘recycled’. But where there is a ‘leak or a hole’ in the ‘catch receptacle/reservoir’, the body is unable to maintain a healthy chemical level . The spent chemical becomes depleted and discarded rather than reused.
A general class of medication known as an SSRI; Serotonin Reuptake Inhibiter, ‘plugs the hole’ in the reservoir/catch receptacle and allows the body to build up a healthy reserve of Serotonin. These medications don’t actually ‘add’ anything to brain chemistry, they only ‘plug the drain’ to acquire a healthy level. There is an advantage that half life of the medication is very short (12-24 hours) , so any excess drug there might be may be eliminated (or dose adjusted by your Dr.).
This class of medication can be very useful in helping a person reach a more stable emotional foundation making it possible to be able to learn new and better coping skills. SSRI’s are meant to be taken in concert with therapy and not a cure-all on its own. They help reduce the emotional difficulties of the anxiety that can trigger many issues; depression, OCD, bipolar, addictions and allow for a ‘most authentic’ healing experience to occur. There are many shared issues within the various categories known as ‘the spectrum’ that may benefit from this classification of medication.
They are therapeutically very manageable, non addictive, and most people do not remain on these drugs for extended periods of time. They may be interimlly needed to overcome the obstacles of not being able to ascend. A person should be properly assessed and closely monitored by a psychiatrist for these medications. It should also be understood that these medications do not ‘fix’ a problem, only that the threshold of the problem becomes more mangeable and the work towards wellness can take place. These medications should be used in conjunction with continued therapy.
Leib Getzel (Lawrence) Lax
Counseling and Addictions
lawrenceJlax@gmail.com