The Upside-Down Tree of Life

By David Nossel

We have all heard of the Tree of Life. But what is this mystical tree all about?

 

Rabbi Dr David Nossel has had the opportunity to study the meaning of life through the magnificence of both Medicine and Torah.

But when it came to understanding what the Tree of Life was all about, he felt that his Medical and Torah studies had still left him totally in the dark.

 

Then, in the darkest, most sacred hours of Friday night, exploring the deep secrets of Kabbalah, he discovered a most astonishing mystical teaching: 

The Tree of Life is an upside-down tree. 

 

And there was light! He understood what the Tree of Life was really all about.

It changed his view on Torah. It changed his approach to Medicine. It changed his life.

 

This book is a collection of around 50 short, thought-provoking Torah ideas arranged according to the weekly portion of the Torah, and inspired by the meaning of that upside-down Tree of Life. It aims to change your life too.

 

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Batya Bricker
• Release date: Jun 11, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223430636

David Nossel

David Nossel is a rabbi, an author, an educator and a medical doctor. Raised in South Africa in a traditional Jewish home he discovered the world of Jewish observance and Torah thought during his university student days. After obtaining his degrees in both science (B.Sc.) and medicine (MBBCh.) and completing his medical internship he travelled to Israel to explore the depth of Torah study in the great Yeshivot of Jerusalem. There he remained for close to twenty years. During this time he studied under some of the foremost Torah thinkers and leaders of the generation. Upon becoming a Rabbi he authored a book on the Hebrew language, developed a system of Talmudic analysis, taught in a number of prominent Yeshivot and Seminaries in Jerusalem and lectured internationally. He and his South African born wife then decided to return with their children to their families and their former community in South Africa. Upon his return Rabbi Nossel has served as a community rabbi, trained as a marriage therapist, authored a book on marriage, lectured in medical ethics and has re-entered the field of clinical medicine. He is uncovering the exciting new field of Life Medicine which looks at the life messages that illnesses and their treatments have to offer. Rabbi Dr Nossel feels privileged to be able to combine his abilities as a rabbi, an author, an educator and a medical doctor to be of benefit to others.

Book preview

CONTENTS

PREFACE

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

INTRODUCTION

LESSONS

DEDICATIONS

PREFACE

The articles in this book represent a transformative and blessed journey that I have travelled.

I was brought up in a traditional South African family, and received a traditional Jewish Day School education. After completing high school I went to Wits Medical School in Johannesburg and qualified as a doctor.

It was during my medical studies that I became more and more involved in Jewish practice and Jewish study – principally the study of the magnificent Babylonian Talmud. Immediately after completing my internship I set off for Jerusalem to study in its great Yeshivot. It was there that I studied (and subsequently taught) for almost twenty years.

To be in the holy city of Jerusalem living a life of Torah study was wonderful. It was like being in heaven.

And then God in His infinite kindness guided me and my family to leave Jerusalem and to return to Johannesburg, to venture out of heaven and to return to earth. Initially this was painful. It seemed that something had gone wrong.  

But it had not. Something had really gone right. I was shown what has become the greatest blessing in my life: the message that heaven is not the destination of life; the message of this book.

It’s not only the message of this book. As I understand it is the message of Judaism. The first Jew, Abraham our forefather discovered it. Whereas his predecessors were looking to reach up to heaven, Abraham was looking to reach down to earth.

For so long I had been striving to reach higher and higher. And then, when I had reached high enough (for God’s purposes that is; at the time I had felt that I had hardly reached base camp!) I understood that God was telling me, in no uncertain terms, that my life was ready for change. It was time to follow the path of my great forbearer, Abraham, and to reach down to earth.

I had heard the amazing teaching of our Talmudic Sages that Abraham interrupted his conversation with God in order to welcome in three strangers as guests. It took me about three seconds to enjoy the thought of a man who focused on conversing with God’s creatures rather than on conversing with God Himself. It has taken me about three decades to understand and realise the power and profundity of its message.

The Torah of Abraham is about being partners with God in taking care of this world. It is the Torah of kindness, of compassion, and of contribution. It is the Torah of tolerance, of peace, of inclusiveness, of humanitarianism, and of caring for the world. It is the Torah I had been drawn to when I was still a young adult, and it is the Torah I have been blessed to rediscover.

It is the Torah of Life. For life is about making a positive and constructive difference not in heaven, but here on earth. Our Sages say: Righteous people, tzaddikim, are considered alive even when they have passed away; negative people, rashaim, are considered dead even while they are alive (1). What does this mean? It means that the impact people have on this world is the determinant of their being alive. While peoples’ positive impact on this world is still being felt, then even once they have physically died, they are still considered to be alive. On the other hand, when people are still present in this world, but are not having a positive impact on it, those people are considered dead.

In all the articles of this book I have tried to look into the Torah text, and with the help of the Talmud or the great commentator Rashi I have tried to find the precise, accurate message that is being conveyed. Is the message that I have discovered correct? Are the life-lessons that I extracted from the words actually in the words? I think they are.

I hope that through the pages of this book that I have followed the path of Abraham, and have succeeded in making some positive contribution to the Torah, and thereby to the world.

I’d be delighted to hear your thoughts and your views.

With Torah blessings,

Rabbi Dr David Nossel

[e-mail] 

6 July 2023

17 Tammuz 5783

ENDNOTES

(1) Kohelet Rabbah 9:4

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This book was made possible by the care and support of a number of very special people.

My wonderful wife, Leanne, read and improved countless drafts of this book. Without her love and encouragement this book would not have made it. Neither would I. Our children Dvorie and Aron, Naomi and Mair, Avrami and Dani, Yudi and Orah, Yaakov, Lozi, Levi and Gali have been there cheering me on.

My dear father, Harvey and my late mother Iris Nossel a’h have showered me with their tremendous love and support, as have my parents-in-law Robin and Helene Jacobson. Our siblings, Martin and Kerri, Jenny and Errol, Moshe and Gila, Josh and Liora, together with their families, have always been a source of encouragement and blessing.

A special thank you to the brave group of people who assisted in the editing of the book. My very insightful and long-standing Skype learning partner Debra Goldman put her heart and soul into the task of going through the articles and my beloved friend David Cohen did whatever he could to be of assistance. Divine providence and favour led me to Batya Bricker, who has been the brains and blessing behind the final editing. I cannot thank you enough.

I am most grateful to Lauren and Adrian Gore for dedicating this book in the memory of Lauren’s late father, David Moffson. David was blessed with a brilliant mind, a passionate thirst for knowledge, a deep love for Torah, a genuine care for his fellow, and an unwavering commitment to our daily shiur. It is an honour for me to have this book dedicated in his name.

I sincerely thank each and everyone who made a dedication in the book for their care, support and generosity. May God bless you and your families for your great kindness and warm friendship.

May the words of this book bring blessing to us all, and may the Divine Presence reside on the work of our hands.

INTRODUCTION

We have all heard of the Tree of Life. But what is it all about? It sounds like some sort of mystical tree in the Garden of Eden that somehow produces life-giving fruits.

King Solomon in his Book of Proverbs tells us that Torah ‘is a Tree of Life to those who hold onto it.’ But what does that mean?

During my many years of Torah study I learnt Hebrew, Aramaic, Scripture, the Talmud and its commentaries, and Jewish Law. I even dabbled a bit into the mystical realm of Kabbalah. I experienced the beautifully bright and warm light of the Torah. But when it came to understanding exactly what the Tree of Life was all about, I was totally in the dark.

It was in the darkest, most sacred hours of a Friday night that I decided to take a peek into the deep secrets contained in one of the precious Kabbalistic books that I had collected over the years. In it I came across the most astonishing mystical teaching:

The Tree of Life is an upside-down tree.

With this mystical insight I was no longer in the dark. I now understood what the Tree of Life really meant. And I understood what King Solomon was teaching us about the nature of Torah.

This discovery changed my view of Torah. It changed my life.

My intention in this book is to offer you an insight into what the upside-down Tree of Life is all about. The book is a collection of Torah ideas that I have put together over the past few years, arranged according to the weekly portion of the Torah. Many of the ideas are drawn from the delicious orchard of the Talmud and from the delectable vineyard of the great Torah commentator, Rashi.

My hope is that you find them not only short and sweet, but life-changing too.

BEREISHIT – GENESIS

1. BEREISHIT

A lesson about what it means to be alive

2. NOAH

A lesson about taking responsibility

3. LECH LECHA

A lesson about seeing the big picture

4. VA'ERA

A lesson about true kindness

5. CHAYEI SARAH

A lesson about self-sacrifice in marriage

6. TOLDOT

A lesson about successful living

7. VA'YEITZEI

A lesson about the power of caring

8. VA'YISHLACH

A lesson about attitude

9. VAYEISHEV

A lesson about growing up

10. MIKEITZ

A lesson about self-growth

11. VAYIGASH

A lesson about listening

12. VA'YECHI

A lesson about inner strength

SHEMOT - EXODUS

13. SHEMOT

A lesson about being present

14. VA’EIRA

A lesson about choosing the right role in life

15. BO

A lesson about adding virtue to ritual

16. BESHALACH

A lesson about the purpose of prayer

17. YITRO

A lesson about the importance of following listening with action

18. MISHPATIM

A lesson about the difference between good Torah teachers and great ones

19. TERUMAH

A lesson about understanding the Greater Divine Plan

20. TETZAVEH

A lesson about the source of light and fulfilment

21. KI TISA

A lesson about Jewish nationhood

22. VAYAKHEL

A lesson about mastering of self

23. PIKUDEI

A lesson about Divine forgiveness

LEVITICUS - VAYIKRA

24. VAYIKRA

A lesson about our relationship with God

25. TZAV

A lesson about one’s own contribution

26. SHEMINI

A Lesson about the Essence of the Oral Torah

27. TAZRIA

A lesson about food and people

28. METZORAH

A lesson about finding balance

29. ACHAREI MOT

A lesson about determining where the World to Come is

30. KEDOSHIM

A lesson about holiness

31. EMOR

A lesson about the meaning of the Sabbath and the festivals

32. BEHAR

A lesson about what it means to give life to others

33. BECHUKOTAI

A lesson about the importance of engaging in deep Torah study

BAMIDBAR – NUMBERS

34. BAMIDBAR:

A lesson about closeness to God

35. NASSO

A lesson about how to guard oneself from negativity

36. BEHA’ALOTCHA

A lesson about being there for others

37. SHELACH

A lesson about the purpose of speech

38. KORACH

A lesson about what makes a person blossom

39. CHUKAT

A lesson about what lies at the heart of peace

40. BALAK

A lesson about teaching 

41. PINCHAS

A lesson about the big and small pictures

42. MATTOT

A lesson about what it means to be wise in Torah

43. MASAI

A lesson about the true nature of love for God

DEUTERONOMY - DEVARIM

44. DEVARIM

A lesson about rebuke

45. VA’ETCHANAN

A lesson about the love God desires from us

46. EIKEV

A lesson about uncovering the meaning of the commandments

47. RE’EH

A lesson about wealth

48. SHOFTIM

A lesson about dealing with one’s fellow

49. KI TEITZEI

A lesson about human compassion

50. KI TAVO

A lesson about the Jewish