Latest news with #Kabbalah
Fox News
11 hours ago
- General
- Fox News
Rare medieval Bible returns to Israel for public exhibit after centuries-long journey
Israeli officials recently put a unique 14th-century Bible on display just a year after it was bought for a seven-figure sum. The National Library of Israel announced its display of the Shem Tov Bible in a recent press release. The library began exhibiting the centuries-old book on loan from its owner on May 8. The Jewish book, which has been called a "monumental work of biblical, artistic, Masoretic and kabbalistic scholarship," dates back to medieval Spain. It was sold at a Sotheby's auction for $6.9 million in 2024, a representative confirmed to Fox News Digital. The Bible was created by a Kabbalist rabbi named Shem Tov ben Abraham Ibn Gaon, who completed it in 1312 in Spain. After finishing the book, he took it on a two-year-long journey to modern-day Israel. He studied Judaism for the rest of his life until his death in 1330. The Bible soon began changing hands, but it remained in the Middle East before being moved to North Africa in the 17th century. "In the 17th century, it moved to North Africa where mystical powers were attributed to it, including being brought to women in childbirth to assure an easy labor," the press release noted. Pictures of the medieval Bible show intricate artwork that was inspired by the Islamic and Christian art of its day. "These motifs were inspired by the Islamic and Christian visual languages of the period, adapted to the long-standing Jewish tradition of beautifying ritual objects." "Its design features include arcades, gothic arches, birds and beasts, gilded frames surrounding biblical verses, illuminated marginal markers, and more," the statement explained. "These motifs were inspired by the Islamic and Christian visual languages of the period, adapted to the long-standing Jewish tradition of beautifying ritual objects." Sallai Meridor, chairman of the National Library of Israel, called the display of the manuscript "profoundly significant." "Having traveled from Spain to Jerusalem, Baghdad, Tripoli, London and Geneva, the Shem Tov Bible has come full circle and is now back home, returning to the very place where Rabbi Shem Tov ben Abraham Ibn Gaon lived and intended for it to be, in the land of Israel, and now in Jerusalem," the official said. Meridor also thanked the owners of the Bible, the Herenstein family, who in turn said the book "characterized the best of medieval Jewish bookmaking." The family's statement read, "We are delighted to know that the Shem Tov Bible is incorporated into the Library's permanent exhibition of its greatest treasures, and equally delighted that the manuscript will be digitized to the highest standard, making it available worldwide, for study, research or to simply enjoy its beauty." National Library of Israel curator Chaim Neria also noted that the Bible allows scholars to study Jewish traditions "that have all but vanished from the historical record." "A significant aspect of the codex is its observance of the Sefer Tagei, a traditional guide outlining the scribal practices required for writing sacred texts," the historian said. Neria added, "The surrounding notations reference earlier, now-lost documents, specifically the Hilleli Codex of 600 CE." The Shem Tov Bible is one of many recently publicized Jewish historical finds in the last year. Last fall, the 16th-century Di Gara text was returned to a Jewish seminary after mysteriously ending up on an online marketplace. Earlier this year, a 1,600-year-old mikveh was uncovered in Italy – making it the oldest of its kind in Europe.
Time Business News
5 days ago
- General
- Time Business News
Unlocking your potential- A beginner's guide to understanding your human design chart
Human Design is an intriguing system that combines astrology, the I Ching, the Kabbalah, and the chakra system to offer a comprehensive map of a person's unique energetic configuration. This system offers insights into your personality, decision-making process, and potential life path. Below, we delve into the essential elements of a Human Design chart to help you begin your journey towards self-understanding and self-actualization. The five main types within Human Design are Manifestor, Generator, Manifesting Generator, Projector, and Reflector. Each type has a distinct way of interacting with the world and specific strategies for making decisions. For example, Generators are known for their ability to respond to life's events, while Projectors excel when they wait for invitations to share their wisdom. Recognizing your type is the first step in unlocking your potential, as it will dictate how you should approach life's opportunities and challenges. Your authority, meanwhile, is the aspect of your design that speaks to how you are best equipped to make decisions. It can range from emotional authority, where feelings guide you, to sacral authority, which relies on gut responses. Understanding your authority helps you hone your decision-making process, ensuring that you're acting in accordance with your true self, rather than being swayed by external pressures or fleeting emotions. The strategic approach recommended for each type aligns with how you're designed to move through the world. Practicing your strategy helps minimize resistance and frustration, making life's journey smoother. For instance, a Manifestor's strategy is to initiate, which stands in contrast to a Generator's need to wait to respond. By following these recommendations, individuals can foster greater ease and success. Diving deeper into the specifics of the Human Design types, each has a unique aura with a particular impact on others. Manifestors are the initiators with a repelling aura, who are here to ignite change. Generators have an enveloping aura that draws experiences to them needing to respond. Projecting a focused and absorbing aura, Projectors are designed to manage, guide, and direct others. Reflectors, with their resistant and sampling auras, reflect the health of their community and need lunar cycles to make correct decisions. Authorities offer a nuanced look into our inner workings, acting as the inner compass for making decisions. From the spontaneous splenic authority to the patient lunar authority, each provides a distinctive way of processing information and intuition. As we learn to trust our authority, we foster a deeper sense of self-trust and autonomy in navigating our lives. You might find that your strategy and authority sometimes contradict societal norms, such as when a Projector must wait for recognition rather than assertively pursuing goals. It takes courage and self-awareness to embrace these aspects of your design. Yet, doing so can lead you to experiences more in sync with your authentic self, fostering an enhanced sense of well-being and satisfaction. Your Human Design strategy provides you with a personalized way to engage with the world around you that aligns with your energy type. For instance, a Manifesting Generator will find success in visualizing their goals and waiting for the right moment to take action, unlike a Reflector who benefits from a period of contemplation before deciding. Adhering to your strategy helps avoid common pitfalls like burnout for Generators or a sense of disillusionment for Projectors. Profiles in Human Design suggest a profound dual nature to each individual's purpose and interaction with the world. A first-line profile indicates a person who is naturally investigative and foundational, always seeking to understand the underlying structure of things. On the other end, a sixth-line profile suggests someone who is a natural role model and has an overarching perspective on life, often after moving through distinct life phases. Combining your strategy and profile can dramatically change how you view your encounters and choices. It allows you to play to your strengths and to understand why certain approaches to life work better for you than others. As you experiment with this alignment, you may notice a significant shift in how effortless certain tasks become and how you are perceived by others. Within the bodygraph of your Human Design chart, there are nine centers that correspond to different aspects of your life, such as communication, emotions, and willpower. Each center can be either defined or undefined, influencing how you experience and process these aspects. Defined centers are consistent within you, while undefined centers are areas where you are open to the influence of others and the environment. Channels and gates are the pathways and portals through which the energy flows in the bodygraph. They connect the centers and form the circuitry of your energy system. Defined channels signify consistent access to the energy and traits associated with those channels, while undefined channels are areas where you have the potential to gain wisdom through experiences and interactions. Altogether, Human Design is a powerful tool for self-discovery and personal growth, providing keys to unlock your potential and live in alignment with your authentic self. Overall, whether you're new to Human Design or seeking to deepen your application of its principles, this guide serves as a foundation to transform the way you navigate life and your relationships with greater awareness and intentionality. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
