The following may have been Divinely inspired...
The words "divine inspiration" mean different things to
different people. The meanings range from "direct communication
from God" all the way to poetic or artistic flare. Yet all agree
that these words mean something positive and desirable. Who wouldn't
want to fee a touch of the Infinite Being? If only we could have some
subtle connection with eternity or the foreverness that God represents.
The reason most of us don't have that connection is plain and simple.
We don't want to put in the effort.
Few throughout history were willing to do what it takes to experience
the Divine, which is a pity because this experience is open to every
last one of us. It is God's desire, so to speak, that everyone attain
the level of Divine Inspiration in his/her lifetime. As the prophet
Eliahu said, "Jew or non-Jew, man or woman, servant or maidservant,
everything is according to one's deeds whether or not Divine Inspiration
will rest on a person."[1]
But what exactly is there to be had? In Hebrew it's called "Ruach
HaKodesh". Rabbi Luzzatto explains that the Almighty implanted
in mankind the ability to transcend the natural boundaries of the
intellect, and connect to spiritual realms that are normally beyond
our reach. In this way a person can gain enlightenment beyond the
norm, and also receive information about future events. One may also
gain exceptional clarity on subjects privy to natural intellect and/or
even know what someone else is thinking. This type of inspiration
comes in a variety of levels but doesn't reach prophecy, which is
a direct communication from God and on a much higher spiritual level.
The Biblical spiritual leaders, whether prophets or not, attained
the level of Divine Inspiration, as did many leaders and sages from
the Talmudic Era. There is actually a ten-step approach to attaining
this level, which involves disciplined character development, outlined
in the Talmud. Rabbi Luzzatto's book "Path of the Just"
is based on this outline. Another technique mentioned by the kabbalists
is to focus on one of the 613 commandments and fulfill it with the
utmost care and devotion attending to all the details of its laws.[2]
Sometimes even one extreme act of devotion to God or good deed can
be a catalyst for Divine Inspiration to rest on a person.
If you don't engage in any of this, God has many ways of "communicating"
with you aside from inspiration. He may give you a sign or a message
in a dream, or through events that people (who are out of touch with
their Creator) call coincidence. On some level, every
molecule of existence is a manifestation of God's personal communication
with you. In order to recognize how the world is His communication
we need to raise our consciousness of G-d by putting Him into our
lives in every way possible; through prayer, meditation, study, and
trying to live life according to His will.
On the other hand, the aim of the specific tools and techniques mentioned
for Divine Inspiration are ways to connect so intensely to God that
the illusion of physicality fades and we're left with reality.
If you really want Divine Inspiration, don't be afraid to take a step
into reality.
[1] Tana D'bei Eliahu 9
[2] Sharei Kedusha 3:7
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