A rabbi comes upon a ladder and climbs up to appear before the flame of enlightenment. The rabbi's eyes are open, but the rabbi’s mind and heart are closed. Thus, the rabbi sees the flame of enlightenment, but is not ready to understand the truth that it reveals. The rabbi climbs back down and heads off into the world ignorant of the truth, wandering aimlessly, struggling through trial and tribulation until the Rabbi’s eyes, mind, and heart become open to the truth.
A second rabbi comes upon the ladder and climbs up and faces the flame of enlightenment. This time the rabbi's eyes and mind are wide open, but the rabbi's heart is closed. Thus, the rabbi comes to understand the truth, but is not ready to be the truth. The rabbi climbs down and sets off into the world only to suffer unrelenting self-torment inflicted by the hypocrisy of understanding, but not being the truth, until the rabbi’s heart becomes open to the truth.
A third rabbi comes across the ladder and climbs up to face the flame of enlightenment. This time the rabbi's eyes, mind and heart are wide open. The rabbi climbs back down. Fully illuminated in the heart, the rabbi sees a path upon which the word truth is inscribed. The rabbi understands the revelation as a calling to be. The rabbi follows the path, letting go of what was, and that which is to come, and in doing so, becomes illuminated truth through being. Thereafter, the rabbi lives an authentically beautiful life.
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Life experiences are like seeds. Some open themselves to meaning when the gentlest kiss of light touches the mind’s eye, while others remain tightly clenched in the mind’s fist, sealed from understanding until the slumber of consciousness is awaken by demon or angel, as one’s resistance or lack thereof might clothe the coming moment of enlightment.