Every JEW is an ARTIST (9:27)
What is the true purpose of Jewish art?
Every JEW is an ARTIST (9:27)
Which of these statements is true? 1) Torah has been an inspiration for Jewish art. 2) Torah severely discourages and limits the use of art.
On the one hand, Moses introduced the idea that G-d should be “adorned” with beautiful religious implements. (Exodus 15:2) The first artists (Betzalel and company) mentioned in the Bible were contracted to design a Sanctuary for G-d. (Exodus 35:31) Inference: Decorative items for ritual purposes are firmly rooted within Judaism.
On the other hand, the Second Commandment reads, “You shall not make any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in the heaven above, or the earth below.” Implication: Judaism is antagonistic to art. But, upon further study, this verse forbids imagery only if used for idol worship. True, the text does not specifically permit representational art for other purposes; and hence the ambiguity concerning the propriety of artistic endeavor.
Surprisingly, human figures do appear in 3rd century Syrian synagogue murals. However, Jewish visual art did not acquire a ‘Kosher’ stamp, until the 11th century, when Rashi allowed two-dimensional wall frescoes depicting Biblical scenes. (Shabbos, 149a) In the next century, Maimonides permitted three-dimensional animal sculptures. (Avodas Kochavim.3:10-11)
In Medieval Europe, religious intolerance excluded Jews from the world of art. Western art was Christian art commissioned by the Church or nobility. So instead of painting and sculpture, artistically talented Jews used art for utilitarian purposes: to make a living. They became jewelers, goldsmiths, silversmiths, engravers, ceramicists, weavers, embroiderers, glassblowers, wood-carvers, calligraphers, and illustrators of Hebrew manuscripts.
Kabbalistically speaking, creative expression can be traced back to the Biblical persona of Noach. When spelled in reverse, Noach (נח) becomes Chen (חן), meaning grace or beauty. CheN itself is an acronym for CHochmat Nistar, hidden wisdom. CheN thus denotes inner beauty.
Of Noach’s three sons, we read, “G-d shall enlarge Yafet. He shall dwell in the tents of Shem. Cham shall be their servant.” The name Yafet, the progenitor of Greek and Western civilization, is related to the word Yafa, visible or surface beauty, while Shem correlates to Shma, hearing, and Cham to CHomer, matter and tactility. Just as Noach’s family includes three sons, so too CHen, true artistic beauty must incorporate these three modalities; the visual, aural, and tangible.
In different cultures, one modality tends to dominate. Ancient ethnic art is largely tactile, albeit symbolic (i.e., African masks from the family of Cham). Modern Western art is primarily visual. Jewish art, CHen, requires a union of modalities. Example: At the climactic Giving of the Torah at Sinai, “The people heard that which was normally seen and saw that which was usually heard.” In Judaism, the sense of sight is not always limited to surface perception. It is associated with insight. While, most cultures see the external and hear the internal, in Judaism, the opposite is true. Panim, face and P’nim, internal are the same word.
This dynamic interplay of the aural and visual, where perception penetrates beyond the surface to the interior, is essential to Jewish art. So though G-d’s “enlarging of Yafet” allowed Cyrus, a descendants of Yafet, to build the Second Temple, the Divine Presence was manifest only in the First Temple which King Solomon built.
Though Yafet, the master of the visual arts “constructed a glorious edifice,” (Succot 51b) he could not create a perfect beauty. Only King Solomon’s First Temple, the epitome of splendor, actualized the ideal of CHen. For Jewish art not only combines the different senses, it connects the physical and spiritual dimensions of our lives.
Thus the words for spirit, ruach (רוח) and matter, chomer (חמר) are intimately related when inverted. (In Kabbalah, the letters ‘vav’ and ‘mem’ are also interchangeable.) Whereas in certain traditions you have to renounce physicality in order to attain spirituality, in Judaism they are essentially one. Jewish art, then, is about the spiritual nature of one’s encounter with the physical world.
This unique interchange necessitates an active involvement on behalf of the viewer, since Jewish art is a multi-media, all-involvement event. Compare the passive spectator of traditional Western theatre to a Passover Seder. We follow a Haggada, but it is not a text in the classic sense. We drink four cups of wine, we cry over bitter herbs, we chase an Afikomen. The audience and the performers are the same people. It is a multi-sensory, multi-media event.
The Temple in Jerusalem embodied that same totality of experience. One smelled the incense, ate the sacrifices, heard the Levites singing, etc. Thus the Sanctuary established the essential prototype of Jewish art: 1) Man does not create for the sake of art alone; 2) art reveals the spiritual in the physical, the ruach in the chomer.
Sadly enough, true Jewish art did not flourish during much of our history. Many non-Jewish factors contributed to this phenomenon. Under Islamic rule, much of art was off-limits. In the Christian world, the illiterate masses required pictures, while Jewish children who could read the Biblical stories made depiction unnecessary. A more encompassing reason: Unlike churches, ornate art in synagogues did not exist because of political and economic weakness of Jewish communities, plus their own desire not to draw attention.
In the twentieth century, Jews are no longer restricted by the outside world. Consequently, Jewish artists have proliferated. The Rebbe addressed one such artist. “The essential quality of an artist is his ability to detach himself from the superficial appearance of the image ... [and] penetrate the true essence of the object and transform his impression into a picture with physical dimensions.
“This artistic production reveals to the viewer that which he could not recognize on his own, an essence that was obscured by superficial layers. Only an artist has the skill to reveal the inner dimensions of an object, thus enabling the observer to see it with a different perspective, and to realize the limitations of his previous awareness.
”In short, one who is divinely gifted, whether in sculpture, painting or another artistic endeavor, has the privilege of being able to convert inanimate objects (such as paint, brush and canvas) into a vital form. In a deeper sense, this implies the ability to transform the material into the spiritual…In the esoteric teachings of the Torah the entire creation emanates from, and is constantly sustained by, the word of G-d. However, because of the process of divine concealment, His word is hidden, and only the material substance is visible.
“Therefore, the challenge (as well as the goal) is to become aware of the G-dliness extant in all objects, and in so doing, minimize the concealment of the true G-dly reality.” (Igros Kodesh, Vol. 4, p. 223)
This is the true purpose of Jewish art, and indeed, of all life. In that sense, every Jew is required to be an artist.
"Kila Myahudi ni msanii, na ""usanii wa Kiyahudi"" ni nini?" "Kila Myahudi ni msanii, "" (Mithali 9:27) "" Ni nini kinachotokea wakati wa mauaji?" 1) Torati imekuwa chanzo cha msukumo kwa sanaa ya Kiyahudi. 2) Torati hupinga sana na kupunguza matumizi ya sanaa. Kwa upande mmoja, Musa alianzisha wazo kwamba Mungu anapaswa "kupambwa" kwa vifaa maridadi vya kidini. (Kutoka 15:2) Wasanii wa kwanza (Betzaleli na kampuni) waliotajwa katika Biblia walipewa mkataba wa kubuni Hekalu la Mungu (Kutoka 35:31) Matokeo: Vitu vya mapambo kwa madhumuni ya kidesturi vimejiingiza sana katika Dini ya Kiyahudi. "Kwa upande mwingine, Amri ya Pili inasema: ""Usifanye sanamu yoyote iliyochongwa, wala sanamu yoyote iliyofanana na kitu chochote kilicho juu mbinguni au chini duniani."" - Mathayo 24:31, 32." Lakini, baada ya kujifunza zaidi, mstari huu unakataza picha tu ikiwa hutumiwa kwa ajili ya ibada ya sanamu. Ni kweli kwamba maandishi hayo hayaruhusu hasa sanaa ya kuigiza itumiwe kwa makusudi mengine; na kwa hiyo kuna utata kuhusu uadilifu wa jitihada za kisanii. Kwa kushangaza, sanamu za wanadamu zinaonekana katika michoro ya ukutani ya sinagogi la Siria ya karne ya tatu. Hata hivyo, sanaa ya kiume ya Kiyahudi haikupata stempu ya 'Kosher' hadi karne ya 11, wakati Rashi aliporuhusu michoro ya ukuta ya pande mbili inayoonyesha mandhari za Kibiblia. (Shabbat 149a) Katika karne iliyofuata, Maimonidi aliruhusu sanamu za wanyama za vipimo vitatu. (Avodas Kochavim 3:10-11) Katika Ulaya ya Enzi za Kati, Wayahudi walikataliwa kushiriki katika sanaa kwa sababu ya kutounga mkono dini. Sanaa ya Magharibi ilikuwa sanaa ya Kikristo iliyoagizwa na Kanisa au watu mashuhuri. Kwa hiyo, badala ya kuchora na kuchonga sanamu, Wayahudi wenye kipawa cha kisanii walitumia sanaa kwa makusudi ya manufaa: ili kupata riziki. Walikuwa wasanii wa vito, wa dhahabu, wa fedha, wa kuchonga, wa kauri, wa kushona, wa kutengeneza vitambaa, wa kuchonga glasi, wa kuchonga mbao, wa kuchora maandishi ya kale, na wa kuchora maandishi ya Kiebrania. Kwa kusema kwa njia ya Kabbalah, usemi wa ubunifu waweza kufuatiliwa hadi kwa mtu wa Biblia aliyeitwa Noa. Linapotajwa kinyume, Noach (נח) inakuwa Chen (חן), linalomaanisha neema au uzuri. CheN yenyewe ni kifupi cha CHochmat Nistar, hekima iliyofichwa. Hivyo, neno CheN linarejelea uzuri wa ndani. Kuhusu wana watatu wa Noa, tunasoma, <unk>Mungu atapanua Yafeti. Atakaa katika mahema ya Shemu. "Jina la Yaftha, mtumishi wa Mungu, linahusiana na neno Yafa, ""urembo unaoonekana au wa uso,"" na neno Shemu linahusiana na neno Shema, ""usikiaji,"" na neno Ham linahusiana na neno Chomer, ""muhimu na kugusa.""" Kama vile familia ya Noach inajumuisha wana watatu, hivyo pia CHen, uzuri wa kweli wa kisanii lazima ujumuishe njia hizi tatu; kuona, kusikia, na kugusa. Katika tamaduni tofauti-tofauti, njia moja huelekea kutawala. Sanaa ya kale ya kikabila ni ya kugusa, ingawa ni ya mfano (yaani, vinyago vya barani Afrika kutoka kwa familia ya Cham). Sanaa ya kisasa ya Magharibi ni ya kuona hasa. Sanaa ya Kiyahudi, CHen, inahitaji muungano wa njia. "Kama ilivyo katika kitabu cha Torati kilichotolewa huko Sinai, ""Watu walisikia yale ambayo kwa kawaida yalionekana na kuona yale ambayo kwa kawaida yalisikika."" - Mathayo 24:21, 22." Inahusianishwa na ufahamu. Ingawa, tamaduni nyingi huona mambo ya nje na kusikia mambo ya ndani, katika Dini ya Kiyahudi, kinyume ni kweli. Panim, uso na Pnim, ndani ni neno moja. Mchanganyiko huu wa sauti na kuona, ambapo utambuzi huingia zaidi ya uso hadi ndani, ni muhimu kwa sanaa ya Kiyahudi. "Kwa hiyo, ingawa ""kupanua kwa Yafethi"" kwa Mungu kulimruhusu Koreshi, mzao wa Yafethi, kujenga Hekalu la Pili, Uwepo wa Kimungu ulionekana tu katika Hekalu la Kwanza ambalo Mfalme Sulemani alijenga." Hata kama Yafeti, ambaye alikuwa mtaalamu wa sanaa za kuigiza, <unk>alijenga jengo lenye utukufu,<unk> (Sukothi 51b) hangeweza kutengeneza urembo mkamilifu. Hekalu la Kwanza la Mfalme Sulemani tu, mfano wa fahari, lilitimiza ndoto ya CHen. Sanaa ya Kiyahudi haijumuishi tu hisia tofauti, inaunganisha vipimo vya kimwili na kiroho vya maisha yetu. Hivyo maneno ya roho, ruach (רוח) na mambo, chomer (חמר) yanahusiana sana yanapobadilishwa. (Katika Kabbalah, herufi ‘vav na ‘mem pia zinaweza kubadilishwa.) Ingawa katika mapokeo fulani ni lazima uondoke katika mwili ili upate hali ya kiroho, katika Dini ya Kiyahudi ni moja. Kwa hiyo, sanaa ya Kiyahudi inahusu hali ya kiroho ya kukutana kwa mtu na ulimwengu wa kimwili. Kubadilishana hii ya kipekee inahitaji ushiriki wa kazi kwa niaba ya mtazamaji, kwani sanaa ya Kiyahudi ni tukio la media nyingi, ushiriki wote. Linganisha mtazamaji asiye na hisia wa maonyesho ya kitamaduni ya Magharibi na Sherehe ya Pasaka. Sisi hufuata Haggada, lakini si maandishi katika maana ya kawaida. """Tunakunywa vikombe vinne vya divai, tunalia juu ya mimea machungu, tunamfukuza Aphikomen." Watazamaji na waigizaji ni watu wale wale. Ni tukio la sensori nyingi, la vyombo vingi vya habari. Hekalu la Yerusalemu lilionyesha mambo hayo yote. Mtu alivuta harufu ya uvumba, alikula dhabihu, akasikia Walawi wakiimba, na kadhalika. Hivyo, Hekalu lilianzisha mfano wa msingi wa sanaa ya Kiyahudi: (1) Mtu haumba kwa ajili ya sanaa pekee; (2) sanaa hufunua kiroho katika kimwili, ruach katika chomer. Kwa kusikitisha, sanaa ya kweli ya Kiyahudi haikuzidi kusitawi katika sehemu kubwa ya historia yetu. Mambo mengi yasiyo ya Kiyahudi yalichangia jambo hilo. Chini ya utawala wa Kiislamu, sanaa nyingi hazikuruhusiwa. Katika ulimwengu wa Kikristo, watu wasiojua kusoma na kuandika walitaka picha, huku watoto Wayahudi ambao wangeweza kusoma hadithi za Biblia wakifanya picha zisizohitajika. Kwa sababu nyingine, tofauti na makanisa, sanaa ya mapambo katika masinagogi haikuwepo kwa sababu ya udhaifu wa kisiasa na kiuchumi wa jumuiya za Kiyahudi, pamoja na tamaa yao wenyewe ya kutovuta uangalifu. Katika karne ya ishirini, Wayahudi hawawezi tena kuzuiwa na ulimwengu wa nje. Kwa hiyo, wasanii Wayahudi wameongezeka sana. Rebbe alizungumza na mmoja wa wasanii hao. "Ubora muhimu wa msanii ni uwezo wake wa kujitenga na muonekano wa juu wa picha... [na] kupenya kiini cha kweli cha kitu na kubadilisha hisia yake kuwa picha na vipimo vya kimwili. <unk>Uzalishaji huu wa kisanii unafunua kwa mtazamaji kile ambacho hakuweza kutambua peke yake, kiini ambacho kilikuwa kimefichwa na tabaka za juu. Ni msanii tu aliye na ustadi wa kufunua vipimo vya ndani vya kitu, hivyo kumwezesha mtazamaji kuiona kwa mtazamo tofauti, na kutambua mipaka ya ufahamu wake wa awali. Kwa ufupi, mtu aliye na kipawa cha kimungu, iwe katika uchongaji, uchoraji au jitihada nyingine za kisanii, ana upendeleo wa kuwa na uwezo wa kubadilisha vitu visivyo na uhai (kama vile rangi, brashi na canvas) kuwa umbo muhimu. "Kwa maana ya kina, hii inamaanisha uwezo wa kubadilisha vitu vya kimwili kuwa vya kiroho, na katika mafundisho ya esoteric ya Torati, uumbaji wote hutoka, na unadumishwa daima na, neno la Mungu.""" Hata hivyo, kwa sababu ya mchakato wa kuficha kimungu, neno lake limefichwa, na tu nyenzo ya vitu ni inayoonekana. <unk>Kwa hiyo, changamoto (kama vile lengo) ni kuwa na ufahamu wa Uungu uliopo katika vitu vyote, na kwa kufanya hivyo, kupunguza kufichwa kwa ukweli wa kweli wa Uungu. <unk> (Igros Kodesh, Vol. " (Mstari wa 22) ""Hii ndiyo kusudi la kweli la sanaa ya Kiyahudi, na kwa kweli, la maisha yote." Kwa maana hiyo, kila Myahudi anahitajika kuwa msanii.