Transcendence — with a twist

Rising above yourself is a good thing. Isn't that what spirituality is all about? And we take pride in the fact that we are a spiritual people. But we Jews always do and understand things a bit differently than everyone else.

Take this week's Torah reading of Naso ("Raise Up"), which rounds off the headcount of the spiritual tribe of Levi and legislates the laws of the Sotah (a woman whose husband is suspicious of her corporal activities) and the Nazir (a person who forswears wine and other earthly involvements). The message is one of transcendence, but with a twist. Or take the idea that the more perfect a life one leads, the more cause there is for regret and remorse. Or the concept of Shabbat, "the dark of light and the light of dark." Or our children's knack for reaching for the long-term satisfactions which lie obscured by momentary feelings... In all these, the point is to strive for that higher place. But which way is up and which way is down?