Editorial notes: This draft exposition is significant as it is the first documented evidence to Shai’s deep study of Kabbalistic concepts. Alongside his Kabbalistic writings, Shai also uses (sometimes extensively) a special notation for depicting combinations Hebrew letters. So, 1I refers to the Hebrew letter Aleph, 8I to the Hebrew letter Chet, and 4I to the Hebrew letter Daled. In this...
Editorial notes: In October 2016, Shai opens his eighth blog, entitled “A Bashful Hope“ and sub-title “Dreaming of meaning”. Between October 2016 and December 2016 he posts 13 articles in this blog. This blog is clearly a work-in-progress and its menu structure suggests that Shai planned to incorporate articles across the vast areas of Kabbalah, Torah commentary and Zionism. I can only speculate...
Editorial notes: The first part of this short autobiographical narrative refers to the time Shai lived in a debilitated farmhouse in the Brisbane area. I was there is June 2015 and the description of the farmhouse, its surroundings and inhabitants is spot on. The last paragraph is Shai’s beautiful, yet painful, reflection of his continuing battle with drug addiction. The analogy he draws between...
Editorial notes: This post was found in ‘Draft’ mode in the original blog and may be incomplete. It is published here in its original state. It was last updated on 27/09/2016 Hint: To properly appreciate this essay, explore the links. They add another dimension into the message Shai wanted to convey. The foundation of all foundations and the pillar of all wisdom is to know that there...
Editorial notes: This poem was found in ‘Draft’ mode in the original blog and may be incomplete. It is published here in its original state. It was last updated on 19/09/2016 Arise, my heart. Don’t look down, no matter the pains that surround me. Shine, my heart. Cast the beacon of your feelings on all that arises within me. Your light has come, my heart. The sympathy you seek...
Editorial notes: This post was found in ‘Draft’ mode in the original blog and may be incomplete. It is published here in its original state. It was last updated on 13/09/2016 A rabbi who was kind to me and who gave me hope before I could understand it, told me that we travel in circles, forever repeating our lessons with opportunities to rise ever higher. I reflect on my biography but...
Editorial notes: This untitled post was found in ‘Draft’ mode in the original blog and may be incomplete. It is published here in its original state. It was last updated on 13/09/2016 Like a captain far from any familiar shore, gifted with a map without which he could only be utterly lost, yet dreading the fear that his past mistakes can only repeat so that he will lose even the ken...
Editorial notes: This post was found in ‘Draft’ mode in the original blog and may be incomplete. It is published here in its original state. It was last updated on 15/06/2016 Decomposition of Zoroastrian mythology into Rasta ritual and cant An historical narrative with novel conclusions The field of comparative religion has been stymied by a reluctance to attribute any reality to...
Editorial notes: This post was found in ‘Draft’ mode in the original blog and may be incomplete. It is published here in its original state. It was last updated on 12/05/2016 I first heard this story while smoking a thick reefer, bathing in a hot water spring in the interior of Fiji. I had travelled by cattle truck, foot and horse to arrive at this place. And it was good. I had long...
Editorial notes: This post was found in ‘Draft’ mode in the original blog and may be incomplete. It is published here in its original state. It was last updated on 23/01/2016. Perspective of samma ditthi[I] Right view is an achievement of comprehension, regarding the nature of experience. It is the answer to the question, “What is reality”, and also “What is the...
