Prophecy—Learning to Access the Zoom Lens of the Mind 1

Rejuvenating Prayer, Class #25, May 14, 2019 1

Zoom Lens of the Mind
Experiencing Makif and Penimi

Imagine yourself sitting in a giant auditorium about to listen to a symphony orchestra play one of your
favorite classical pieces. Experience the sights, the sounds, the anticipation of the audience. Hear the
different musicians tuning up, the violins, the oboes, the bases, the harps. See the Conductor hold his baton
aloft calling for total attention, and finally, they begin. Focus in on one of the violinists. See the hand
movements. Look at the face, the hands, the movements. Let’s say this is this violinist’s favorite piece. See
the emotion. See the power. See the concentration. Concentrating on her forehead, enter into her mind. See
her as a child, practicing and learning. Experience her personhood. Her soul. We won’t go there now, but
through focusing deeply on her soul, we could now expand and ascend up up up up up into the spiritual
universes. Return to the auditorium.

Imagine a magnificent mural on the side of a massive ten-story building portraying the history of the Jewish
people. See all the scenes of the Tanakh come alive before your very eyes. Imagine walking up close the
wall. Your field of vision narrows. You are moving toward the area in the mural where the Exodus of the
children of Israel is portrayed. You see details that you couldn’t see before from a distance. The closer you
get, the more details that are revealed. You see that there is much more here than “meets the eye.” You
make a mental note to return to this specific area. You back off. There’s more to say about this too, but not
now.

From Tna’ey HaNefesh LeHasagat HaChasidut by Rabbi Menachem Ekstein (1881-1943), pub. 19212
‫ ו נדמה לנו כאלו רואים אנחנו מרחוק את כדור‬,‫ראשית כל נשתדל לצייר לנו בשכלנו ובכח הדמיון שבנו את כדור הארץ‬
‫ נצייר לנו גם את כל העמים הדרים בכל‬.‫ עם כל חמשת חלקי התבל אשר עליו ואת כל הימים המקיפים אותם‬,‫הארץ כולו‬
‫ כאלו אנו‬,‫ את כל זה נצייר לנו היטב‬.‫ ואת מספר האנשים של כל אומה ולשון‬,‫חלקי התבל ללשונותיהם ולגבולותיהם‬
‫ כי הלא חדש הוא‬,‫ בתחילה לא יפעול הדמיון הזה הרבה‬.‫ בחוש הראיה הגשמי שלנו‬,‫רואים את המ חזה הזה לפנינו ממש‬
‫ אם נשקוד‬,‫ אולם במשך הזמן‬.‫ כי עוד לא השתמשנו בו עד עכשיו כל צורכו‬,‫ כח דמיוננו הרי עדיין חלש הוא‬.‫עודנו אצלנו‬
‫ אזי נראה זאת‬,‫ גם פעמיים ביום‬,‫ ולפעמים אם יהיה אפשר לנו‬,‫ נתרגל לעבודה זו יום יום בלי הפסק‬,‫על הדבר בהתמדה‬
.‫ כאילו אפשר היה למשמש במראה זו בידיים‬.‫ תמיד ביתר ברירות וביתר בהירות‬,‫בעינינו הרוחניות ועיני שכלנו‬
Imagine you’re not only looking at a mural, but at the planet Earth, from outer space. Envision planet Earth,
majestic, revolving, spinning, floating in space.3 See its continents and oceans. Envision mankind living on
Earth, the populations of different nations and their national borders. At first this image will not have much
effect. It is a new experience for you. But with time and the persistence of daily practice (even twice a day
if possible, corresponding to Shachrit and Arvit), you will see these things in your mind’s eye ever more
clearly, until you will feel that you can actually touch them.

,‫ היינו את כל הבהמות והחיות שנדע אותן‬,‫ כי אם גם את שאר הנבראים הנמצאים בעולם‬,‫לא רק את הא נשים נצייר לנו‬
‫ את המון‬,‫ האיך הן טורפות ואוכלות‬,‫ את המון החיות הטורפות שבמדבריות ויערות‬,‫היכן הן נמצאות ומה מראיהן וטבען‬
‫ כמו‬,‫ את המון שאר מיני הנבראים היותר קטנים‬:‫ האיך הם משתמשים בהן ונהנים מהן‬.‫הבהמות הביתיות שבין בני אדם‬
,‫ רצים‬,‫ הולכים‬,‫ איך הם רוחשים בארץ‬,‫ והיותר גדולים כמו הפילים; את הנחשים ושאר מיני שקצים ורמשים‬,‫היתושים‬
‫ שהם מצפצפים ומנגנים‬,‫ את המון מיני הצפצופים והנגינות‬:‫ את כל מיני העופות הפורחים‬.‫ נבראים ומתים‬,‫ אוכלים‬,‫נחים‬
‫ נצודים‬,‫ נולדים‬,‫ נבלעים‬,‫ האיך הם שטים‬,‫ את המון מיני הדגים שבימים ובנהרות‬.‫ בשדות ובכרמים‬,‫ באילנות‬,‫באוויר‬
,‫ השדות‬,‫ הפרדסים‬,‫הגוונים; הגנות‬-‫ החוחים והפרחים רבי‬,‫ העשבים‬.‫ הירקות‬,‫ התבואות‬,‫ את כל מיני הצמחים‬.‫ומתים‬
,‫ גדלים‬,‫ נפתחים‬,‫ איך הם פורחים‬,‫ את כל אותם הדברים כפי מה שאנו יודעים אותם מה מראיתם‬.‫הכרמים והיערות‬

1 Contact Avraham Sutton, www.AvrahmSutton.com; email: avraham.sutton@icloud.com; Ph: 0525-640-249.

2 Published in English as Visions of a Compassionate World (Urim Pub., 2001), pp. 33-35.
3 Smaller to larger frames of reference: The earth is spinning on its axis at a rate of around 1,000 miles per hour (0.3 miles per second).

At the same time, Earth is traveling (orbiting) around the Sun at a speed of about 66,000 miles per hour (18 miles per second). At the
same time, our Sun (dragging along our entire solar system) is traveling around the center of the Milky Way Galaxy at a speed of
483,000 miles per hour (130 miles per second). At the same time, the entire Milky Way is moving at a speed of 1.3 million miles per
hour (370 miles per second). Light travels at a speed of 670 million miles per hour (186,000 miles per second).
 Prophecy—Learning to Access the Zoom Lens of the Mind 2

,‫ ובדרך כלל הכל ביחד‬,‫ כל דבר בפרט על מקומו‬,‫ את כל זאת נצייר לנו באר הטב‬.‫ נ ופלים ונחלפים‬,‫ נכמשים‬,‫מתייבשים‬
.‫ או קראנו ולמדנו אודותם‬,‫כפי מה שראינו אותם‬
After visualizing mankind in this way, go on to visualize other life forms. See the domestic
animals that you know so well; see them in their natural habitats. See the wild animals in the
deserts and forests; see how they prey on their food. See the house pets that human enjoy, and
the tiny house pests like mosquitos and flies. See the great elephant, the snakes and reptiles; see
how they move and eat, are born and die. See all the birds as they fly in the sky, hear the sweet
tunes of their chirping. See all the fish in the rivers and oceans, how they swim, are devoured or
caught, are born and die. See all the grass, the plant life, the crops, the vegetables, the thorns and
the flowers. See all the gardens, the orchards and fields; see the great trees of the forests. See these
all bud, develop and grown, and then wither and die. See each of these things in all its details;
then see all of it as one great whole.

‫ אחרי אשר נראה את הציורים האלה‬,‫ כבר יבורר לנו הדבר הזה היטב‬,‫ כאשר לפי טבע האדם ולפי השקידה‬,‫אחרי זמן ידוע‬
‫ כמו האדם‬,‫ עד שנתפעל מהם בנפשנו ונרגיש בחוש איך המחזה היפה הזה פועל עלינו ומקסים אותנו‬,‫בבהירות כה זכה‬
‫ אזי נלך הלאה וננסה לצייר לנו את המקום אשר אנחנו עומדים עליו‬.‫המתפעל מהדר הטבע אשר רואה בעיניו הגשמיות‬
‫ מתחלה יקשה לנו הדבר מאד‬.‫ ונשתדל להציג את עצמנו בין המון כל אותם בני האדם והמון כל אותם הברואים‬, ‫עכשיו‬
‫ כי כל ישותנו וכל חשיבותנו הדמיונית שנטבעה בנפשנו תתקומם נגדנו תיתן לנו בשום אופן להאבד‬.‫לצייר לנו ציור כזה‬
‫נעימה כל‬-‫ ולראות את האמת האי‬,‫ לא תתן לנו בשום אופן לוותר על גאוותנו המדומה‬,‫ולהבטל בין המון כל אותן הבריות‬
,‫ ובמשך הזמן יעלה בידינו להתגבר על כל המניעות‬,‫ אולם ההרגל יעשה את שלו‬.‫ שהיא שפלותנו וקטנותנו הנוראה‬,‫כך‬
.‫ויקל לנו תמיד יותר לצייר לנו בכח רמיזתו את הציור הנפלא הזה‬
It will take you time to master these visualizations, depending on your nature and your consistency. But
when they become so vivid that they enchant you, and you actually feel their spellbinding effects, as if you
behold them with your physical eyes, then you are ready to visualize yourself. First begin by envisioning
the very place you are at. Now see yourself in the midst of all the inhabitants of this city, this country, this
continent, and finally, again, of planet Earth…

From The Bible Unauthorized by A.H.Moose, NY 1942 (§109-110, 128-130) 4

Imagine an incredible mansion with many large and richly furnished rooms, balconies, with trees, terraces,
and fountains all around. See it all before you; observe every detail. Visualize its structure in all its
grandeur, as if it were real and standing before your eyes. How did this mansion come into being? What is
it made of? What happens to it when you open your eyes?
Your mind, which is a living spirit millions of times bigger than your brain, compresses itself,
creating a vacuum in its midst, large enough for your will to transform itself into the mansion, while the
rest of your mind stands contracted for the time being. It watches the will building and beautifying the
mansion. It gives practical advice in the work and enjoys the structure while in stands intact. Thus, the
whole mansion and everything in it is actually nothing else than your will, which is itself part of your mind.
More exactly, the mansion is your will itself, transformed into a mansion. Every inch of the apportioned
vacuum in your mind is entirely occupied by your will; your will that compressed itself and turned itself
into the mansion, while the rest of your mind stands aloof. As soon as you (your mind) decides that it does
not want the mansion any more, it expands (un-compresses). The will is drawn back to be reunited with
the rest of the mind. The vacuum vanishes and the whole structure disappears as if it never existed.
In exactly the same way, GD created the universe, but the Divine Will also all-powerful, actually
(mamash) turned itself into real things which it visualized, into physical elements and matter, instead of
merely imaginary stuff, as our human will does when it builds its desired, fantasy mansion.5
The entire universe and every it contains…is actually the Divine Will, not only in the act of being
created and set in motion, but in continued existence. Just as our human will is itself the very material out
of which the imaginary structure is built, there being no other material in it except that of the will, so is the
Divine Will itself the actual material out of which the universe is constructed. But IT is real, not imaginary.

4 A.H.Moose was Aharon HaLevi Hirsch. A for Aharon; H for HaLevi, and Moose for Hirsch in Yiddish. Chasid of Rabbi Yoseph
Yitzchak of Lubavitch.
5 See source for this in Tanya, Likutey Amarim, Chapter 48, p. 68a-b.
 Prophecy—Learning to Access the Zoom Lens of the Mind 3

When the Divine Will wishes to have light, It transforms Itself into real light. When It wants water or plants,
It transforms Itself into real oceans and forests. It would not be the Will of GD if It could not do that.
At any moment pleasing to Itself, the Divine Will, could, however, turn Itself back to Its former
state of pure Divine Will, and the whole universe would then vanish like a motion-picture when the
projector is turned off…
According to the Bible, man, in order to fulfill his mission…is responsible to the Divine Will not
only for himself, but also for everything in creation, for the whole earth and also for the heavens….He is
the one to keep the universe intact and in normal working order, or to throw it out of gear and create chaos,
or even complete destruction. In the first case, he is a success and has fulfilled the mission, for whatever
purpose the Divine Will wishes him to fulfill it. In the second, he is a failure and will be destroyed or
remodeled, whether or not he has been singing praises to GD. Like a manage in a branch office, he has to
make good or be replaced by somebody else. If no one else can make good, the office will be closed entirely.
To praise the head office in letters or speeches is futile.
Thus the idea is that when one man fails, that man is corrected or physically destroyed. When
Sodom fails, Sodom is destroyed. When all mankind except one family fails, all mankind with everything
on earth except the one family is physically destroyed. And if mankind should fail completely to its very
last man, the whole earth, the whole solar system, or the whole universe would be destroyed. Where the
failure is comparatively slight, those who have failed are subject to some correction instead of destruction.
Such correction we call punishment, though its purpose is not to make the guilty one suffer, but to repair
him. The process might be painful as a surgical operation is painful, but the purpose is to cure and the pain
is unavoidable. To please GD, man must obey the Divine Will which demands of him: Make the universe
a success. Do not spoil it or destroy it, either individually or collectively, neither the whole nor any part
thereof!

Yeshaya Chapter 40
ַ‫ (יג) ִמי ִתכֵּן אֶּ ת רּוח‬:‫ָארץ וְּ ָש ַקל בַ פֶּ לֶּס הָ ִרים ּוגְּ בָ עוֹת בְּ מֹ אזְּ ָניִם‬ ֶּ ָ‫(יב) ִמי מָ דַ ד בְּ ָשעֳל ֹו מַ יִם וְּ ָשמַ יִם בַ ז ֶֶּּרת ִתכֵּן וְּ כָל בַ ָשלִ ש עֲ פַ ר ה‬
‫ (טו) הֵּ ן ּג ֹויִם‬:‫ (יד) אֶּ ת ִמי נוֹעַ ץ וַ יְּבִ ינֵּהּו וַ ְּיל ְַּמדֵּ הּו בְּ א ַֹרח ִמ ְּשפָ ט וַ ְּיל ְַּמדֵּ הּו דַ עַ ת וְּ דֶּ ֶּרְך ְּתבּונוֹת יו ִֹדיעֶּ ּנּו‬:‫יְּהֹ וָ ה וְּ ִאיש עֲ צָ ת ֹו יו ִֹדיעֶּ ּנּו‬
‫ (יז) כָל הַ ּג ֹויִם כְּ ַאיִן נֶּגְּד ֹו‬:‫ (טז) ּולְּ בָ נוֹן אֵּ ין דֵּ י בָ עֵּ ר וְּ חַ יָת ֹו אֵּ ין דֵּ י ע ֹולָה‬:‫כְּ מַ ר ִמ ְּדלִ י ּוכְּ ַשחַ ק מֹ אזְּ ַניִם נ ְֶּּח ָשבּו הֵּ ן ִאיִים כַדַ ק יִּטוֹל‬
‫צֹרף בַ זָהָ ב י ְַּר ְּקעֶּ ּנּו ְּּורתֻ קוֹת כֶּסֶּ ף‬
ֵּ ְּ‫ (יט) הַ פֶּ סֶּ ל נָסַ ְך חָ ָרש ו‬:ֹ‫ (יח) וְּ אֶּ ל ִמי ְּתדַ ְּמיּון אֵּ ל ּומַ ה ְּדמּות ַתעַ ְּרכּו לו‬:ֹ‫מֵּ אֶּ פֶּ ס וָ תֹ הּו נ ְֶּּח ְּשבּו לו‬
‫ (כב) הֲ לוֹא תֵּ ְּדעּו הֲ לוֹא ִת ְּשמָ עּו הֲ לוֹא‬:‫ (כ) הַ ְּמסֻ כָן ְּתרּומָ ה עֵּ ץ ֹלא י ְִּר ַקב יִבְּ חָ ר חָ ָרש חָ כָם יְּבַ ֶּקש ל ֹו לְּ הָ כִ ין פֶּ סֶּ ל ֹלא יִמוֹט‬:‫צו ֵֹּרף‬
‫ָארץ וְּ יֹ ְּשבֶּ יהָ כַחֲ גָבִ ים הַ ּנוֹטֶּ ה ַכדֹק ָשמַ יִם ַוי ְִּמ ָתחֵּ ם כָאֹ הֶּ ל‬ ֶּ ָ‫ישב עַ ל חּוג ה‬ ֵּ ַ‫ (כב) ה‬:‫ָארץ‬ ֶּ ָ‫הֻ ּגַד מֵּ רֹאש ָלכֶּם הֲ לוֹא הֲ בִ ינֹ ֶּתם מו ְֹּסדוֹת ה‬
‫ָארץ ּגִ זְּ עָ ם וְּ גַם נ ַָשף בָ הֶּ ם‬ ֶּ ָ‫ (כד) ַאף בַ ל נִּטָ עּו ַאף בַ ל ָזֹרעּו ַאף בַ ל ש ֵֹּרש ב‬:‫ (כג) הַ ּנוֹתֵּ ן רוֹזְּ נִ ים לְּ ָאיִן שֹפְּ טֵּ י אֶּ ֶּרץ ַכתֹהּו עָ ָשה‬:‫ל ָָשבֶּ ת‬
‫ (כו) ְּשאּו ָמרוֹם עֵּ ינֵּיכֶּם ְּּוראּו ִמי בָ ָרא אֵּ לֶּה הַ מוֹצִ יא‬:‫ (כה) וְּ אֶּ ל ִמי ְּתדַ ְּמיּונִ י וְּ אֶּ ְּשוֶּ ה יֹאמַ ר ָקדוֹש‬:‫ּוסעָ ָרה כ ַַקש ִת ָשאֵּ ם‬ ְּ ‫וַ יִבָ שּו‬
:‫בְּ ִמ ְּספָ ר צְּ בָ ָאם לְּ ֻכלָם בְּ ֵּשם י ְִּק ָרא מֵּ רֹב אוֹנִ ים וְּ אַ ִמיץ כֹחַ ִאיש ֹלא נֶּעְּ דָ ר‬
Who has measured the waters [of the earth] in the hollow of his hand, and measured the expanse of the
heavens with a ruler; measured the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales
and the hills in a balance? Who has directed GD’s spirit or instructed Him as His advisor? From whom did
He take advice? Who instructed Him, showing Him the path of justice, teaching Him knowledge, and
showing Him the way of understanding? Behold, the nations are like a drop in a bucket, dust on the scales.
Behold, the isles are like fine dust. And Levanon is not sufficient fuel, nor its beasts enough for burnt
offerings. All the nations are like nothing before Him; in His eyes they are emptiness and vanity. To whom,
then, will you like GD? Or what likeness will you compare to Him? An idol? The craftsman casts it; the
goldsmith overlays it with gold, and the silversmith casts for it silver chains. A tree is set apart; he chooses
one that will not rot; he seeks a skillful craftsman to set up an image, that will not be moved. Do you not
know? Have you not heard? Have you not been told from the beginning? Haven’t you understood from
when the time when the foundations of the earth were established? He is the One who sits above the chug
(compass, sphere, circle, circumference) of the earth, such that its inhabitants are like grasshoppers. For He
stretches the heavens out like a curtain and spreads them like a tent in which to dwell. He brings princes
to nothingness, and considers [the judgments of] the judges of the earth as vanity. They are scarcely planted
and scarcely sown; their stock has barely taken root in the ground. But He blows on them and they wither;
the wind carries them away like stubble. “To whom, then, will you like Me,” says the Holy Transcendent
One. Lift up your eyes on high and see [and wonder], “Who created these?” He who brings forth their hosts
 Prophecy—Learning to Access the Zoom Lens of the Mind 4

by number, calling them all by name, through the greatness of His might and the force of His power. Not
one is missing.

On an even deeper level, this is only the outer rind of what Yeshaya and the other neviim experienced.
Behind the surface meaning of their words, something much more profound was happening. For when
they received their visions, they felt their soul embraced by Hashem. They lost their sense of separateness
and attained complete devekut (ecstatic bonding with the Divine). They felt His kisses, drank the ecstatic
wine of the Torah, became satiated with its life giving waters, enfolded in its wings.
If we would ask any of these giants of the spirit, after they returned to their normal waking
consciousness: What was it like? Can you tell us, communicate it in words? Their answer would be twofold:
(1) “There are no words. For, you see, I didn’t exist. There was no subject-object duality. I don’t know who,
what, where I was. It was incredible, overwhelming. I’ll never forget it, but how will I ever succeed in
sharing even a minute detail of what I experienced?” (2) “I have to put it in words, words that will not
obscure the light completely. Maybe they won’t express everything, not, at least, on the surface, but deep
down, inside the words themselves, I will clothe my experience for posterity. I will inscribe my nefesh (soul)
in the words I write.”
Stage #1 thus corresponds to “My soul departed when He spoke” (Song of Songs), and stage #2
corresponds to the acrostic of the word Anokhi (ANoKhY), the first word of the Decalogue, each letter of
which stands for a word: “Ana Nafshi Ketavit Yahavit—[In these words] I have written My soul and given it
[to you].”6

Moshe on Mount Sinai after the sin of the golden calf

Rabbi Yochanan said, “If it were not written [in the Tanakh7], it would be impossible to say. But we are
taught that Hashem appeared [to Moshe in prophetic vision as an Atik Yomin] wrapped in a tallit like a
shaliach tzibur (prayer leader). [By metamorphosing the face of this ancient of days from anger to
compassion,] He showed Moshe the order of prayer. He said, ‘Whenever Israel sins, let them enact (yaasu)
this order [i.e., this metamorphosis] before Me, and I will forgive them’” (Rosh Hashanah 17b).

Hashem descended in a cloud [of glory] and stood there with him [Moshe], vayikra beshem, Hashem—and
He, Hashem, called out in the merciful name. Vayaavor Hashem al panav—Hashem passed over His/his
face [overcame and transformed His attribute of justice] vayikra—and He/he called out: Hashem! Hashem!
(1) El—loving God, (2) rachum—merciful, (3) ve’chanun—and gracious; (4) erekh—long-suffering, (5) apayim—
kind-faced; (6) ve’rav chesed—You bestow love abundantly (7) ve’emet—and truthfully; (8) notzer chesed—You
safeguard the good deeds [of the great-grandparents] (9) la’alafim—for thousands of generations; (10) nosei
avon—You forgive transgression, (11) va’fesha—rebellion, (12) va’chataah—and [all the more so] error; (13)
ve’nakeh—and You cleanse (Exodus 34:5-7).

See all the mistakes you have made not only from the perspective of Hashem’s love and mercy, but from
the perspective of your own Keter, your own Atik Yomin. Not just from outer space, but from the highest
makifim of the spiritual dimension, and in this way reconnect your penimi with your makif, to draw down
and internalize the highest potential of your soul now, in this lifetime. As we ask in Tachanun, “Be’rogez,
rachem tizkor. Be’rogez, ahavah tizkor. Be’rogez akedah tizkor. Be’rogez, temimut tizkor—when You/you are
angry, remember mercy (connect with your higher daat and see yourself from above; have compassion on
yourself). When You/you are angry, remember the love of Avraham. When You/you are angry, remember
that Yitzchak was ready to sacrifice his life. When You/you are angry, remember Yaacov’s wholeness, his
integrity, how he brought daat into all his midot.

We’re not finished. To be continued with Pesach, Omer, Shavuot…

6Shabbat 105a.
7We read in the Book of Daniel, “As I looked, I beheld thrones being placed, and an Atik Yomin (Ancient of Days) did sit; His garment
was as white as snow, and the hair of his head was like pure wool” (Daniel 7:9). Atik Yomin embodies the exalted level of Keter,
Hashem’s unmitigated love and mercy, infinitely transcending the dictates of justice…