There is I as I really am

Myself as I perceive myself 

Me as you see me

 

My self perception is defined by some combination of the above.  Life is a journey of moving from the latter two (self perception as others perceive me and my own self perception of who I am) to the objective truth of who I really am.

 

The three words that open the Ten Commandments that we read this Shabbos carry this message.

 

Anochi – I – G-d as He is, without descriptors, names or relationships. 

Hashem – a name of G-d. This reflects identity. It’s G-d’s identity so to speak as He sees Himself in relation to Creation.

Elokecha – Your G-d. G-d as He exists within a relationship to others.

 

If we think about this it is quite jarring and liberating at the same time.

 

My self perception inherently is that I’m amazing, because I am amazing.  When I was born, I was pure, with all the inherent potential to be amazing!

 

Then as the raising of “me” began, I began to develop a self perception.  I heard people say things to me, my brain kicked into gear, I started interpreting things, I made choices, I began to evaluate myself and I began to see myself in a certain fashion.

 

Then as I grew into adolescence and adulthood, I began to evaluate myself through your eyes and the eyes of others I interact and interacted with.

 

But what remains true is that despite all the journeys I’ve been on, my deepest essence, my truest self is amazing, infinite, powerful… 

 

The opening of the Ten Commandments is Anochi – I, Hashem is telling us that the highest truth is the I, the Divinity that is within each of us. 

 

In fact, according to the Midrash this word Anochi is an Egyptian word. Hashem is telling us that our most physical and mundane selves, our shortcomings, our Egypts are all the key to accessing our truest self, the I.

 

It is a tough journey indeed. Both jarring and liberating.

 

How do we achieve this, how do we navigate this?

 

Through Anochi. Through connecting through Torah and Mitzvah to the Anochi – the Truest Oneness of Hashem.