"There is a straight path before a
person and its end is the paths of
death." Proverbs 14:12
The shortest path between two points may or
may not be a straight line; it all depends
upon the obstacles along the way.
I contemplate our human way of viewing
things; how we consider ourselves wise,
cautious and preparatory. We all try our
best to foresee that which cannot be seen and
to prepare for a future unknown. Yet, try as
we do to make our futures secure, there are
limits to what is possible to accomplish. We
simply do not have the ability to plan our
futures and to materialize them exactly how
we have planned.
Life is a long road and only Heaven knows the
right course through it. That which is the
right course for one may very well be the
wrong course for another. One's course
through life is highly subjective. The path
which one follows is never the exact same
path followed by another.
Therefore, only with guidance from Heaven
will one find one's true path. Without the
guidance of Heaven one will walk through life
lost and forever searching for that place
which only the Soul within can recognize as home.
Human foresight at best sees what it can see,
yet even the best cannot foresee all the
dangerous curves on the road ahead. One
never sees the need to slow down before it is
too late. One never plans for the
inevitable, unknown and unforeseen twists and
turns that make each of our lives unique and
unpredictable.
We cannot foresee, but Heaven already sees.
Smart people lecture about their smartness.
Wise people share their wisdom, but only
those who eyes look up to Heaven can see the
road in front of them.
For the path we walk cannot be seen with
human vision. So we turn our eyes to Heaven
and see our reflection cast within the great
sky. We see our walk here on Earth by seeing
it reflected back to us from the eyes of
Heaven. Although we cannot see, Heaven sees
for us.
When we surrender our vision and our future
to Heaven, only then can we see those
dangerous curves before we approach them.
With our eyes on Heaven we can internally
know that which is coming and make proper
preparations for, what for others, is yet the
unseen future. Yet, for the one with eyes on
Heaven, no future is unseen and no dangers
can overtake one unannounced.
How strange is it that the only way to see
ahead is to look away. With eyes on Heaven
all is seen and foreseen. Look as one may
towards the future, one will always trip up
over some unseen thing here in the present,
all because one is not paying attention where
one is at.
The vision from Heaven is not like looking
forward with human eyes. No words can
describe it. No talk can justify it. The
way of Heaven is invisible to the untrained
mind, for the way of Heaven is seen and known
in the heart. The mind always has a hard
time understanding the language and ways of
the heart.
Torah is the Way of the universe. Only by
gazing into the Torah can one penetrate
beyond its surface and see the reflection of
Heaven therein. Through this reflection one
can gaze upon the proper course of one's own
life, know it and walk it accordingly.
It may not make any sense in the eyes of the
blind. Yet, the blind cannot see, especially
when they think that they are not blind and
can indeed see. Should we follow the blind?
Should we become the blind led by the blind?
I should say not!
So then, gaze into that place where true
vision is to be found. Cast off the derision
of the blind. Their path is lost to them.
They will never see the terrible precipice in
time to avoid it. This may be their destiny,
but it does not have to be ours.
