The Seven Lamps
Sanctifying the seven "lamps" of the head can bring you to complete spiritual understanding and awareness. Your heart will then burn with passion for God…
Translated and adapted by Rabbi Avraham Greenbaum
“Knowing God”, Part 1
It is impossible to explain to someone else how you personally perceive God’s greatness. You can’t even explain it to yourself from one day to the next. Tomorrow you will not be able to recapture completely the understanding you had today.
It is impossible to describe one’s perceptions of God. They are so lofty – higher than high! They cannot be put into words. (Sichot Haran #1)
The Goal of Knowledge: To Know That we Know Nothing
The ultimate goal of all knowledge of God is to realize that one knows nothing. Yet even this is unattainable. A person may come to realize his own ignorance, but only in a certain area on a particular level. There is still the next level, which he has not even touched. He does not know enough about the next level to begin to realize his ignorance. No matter how high he climbs, there is always the next step. A person therefore knows nothing: he cannot even understand his own ignorance. For there will always be a level of ignorance beyond his present level of perception. (Sichot Haran #3)
The more you draw yourself to God, the more you must realize how far you are from Him. When a person believes that he has succeeded in achieving closeness to God and understanding of Him, it is a sign that he does not know anything at all. If he did, he would understand that he is very far from God and knows absolutely nothing, because God’s greatness is without limits. (Likutei Moharan I, 63)
Hints, Messages, and Guidance
You should reflect on the different situations and occurrences that God sends your way day by day. Each day has its own thoughts, words and deeds. They are all completely unique to that day. God “contracts” His infinite, endless Godliness in such a way that Godliness is present even in the innermost point of the finite material world in which man finds himself. Thus God sends to each individual the thoughts, words and deeds appropriate for the day, the person and the place. Within them are hints intended to draw the person closer to God’s service.
This is why you should pay attention to what happens to you and consider what it may signify. Think about the thoughts, words and deeds that God sends you each day in order to understand His hints to you to draw closer to Him at every moment. This applies to everyone, no matter who and in what circumstances.
But be cautious when thinking about these things: you must stay within certain limits and not delve to excess, because otherwise it is possible to stray beyond the bounds of holiness. Flying off into speculation can be dangerous. Stay within the limits of human understanding and steadily expand your horizons without trying to step beyond your level, because “you may not investigate that which is too wondrous for you” ( Chagigah 13a). (Likutei Moharan I, 54)
The Seven Lamps of the Head
To gain spiritual understanding and awareness, you must sanctify the seven “lamps” of your head: your mouth, nostrils, ears and eyes.
Guard your mouth from speaking any falsehood.
Sanctify your nostrils with the fear of Heaven, as it is written: “…he will scent the fear of God” (Isaiah 11:3). The way to sanctify the nostrils is through meekness and humility. You must be patient and not let anger burn inside you, even if people treat you badly.
Use your ears to listen to the words of the Sages: believe in what they say. The way to sanctify your ears is through discretion and loyalty. If people tell you secrets, be sure to keep them and not reveal them to anyone.
Lower your eyes and avert them from evil.
Sanctifying the seven “lamps” of the head can bring you to complete spiritual understanding and awareness. Your heart will then burn with passion for God, because the activity of the mind generates heat and fervor in the heart. The more you occupy your mind with thoughts of Torah and devotion, the more your heart will burn for God. The deeper your understanding, the greater your fervor will become. This fervor purifies the heart, protecting it from becoming inflamed with evil desires, which merely pollute it. When a person’s heart is pure, he will never be at a loss for words when he speaks to God. He will always find new words and new approaches.
One who sanctifies the seven “lamps of the head” can attain awesome levels of perception of God. These heights of understanding are a blessing from God which is bestowed from above without any preliminaries and introductions. This is the gift of ruach hakodesh : holy spirit. (Likutei Moharan I, 21)
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