PRAISE FOR OPEN SECRETS “Open Secrets would make a good launching point for discussion among teachers of the most advanced spiritual disciplines of the world religions. He is a master teacher.” Father Thomas Keating “The truth our hearts long for could not be more clearly or poignantly put than it is in this little book, Open Secrets, by Rami Shapiro. I will read this book again and again, reminded by it’s clarity to remember what I thought I could never forget. Here is the essence of how the mystic within each of us sees reality, the truth that will take us home over and over again.” Oriah Mountain Dreamer, author of The Invitation, The Dance, and The Call “These letters are diamonds. I shall re-read them often.” Andrew Harvey, author of The Direct Path and The Passion of Rumi “Open Secrets is my favorite way to introduce readers to the essence and depth of Judaism. In such few words it goes right to the heart: “God is ALL!” Bo Lozoff, author and founder of the Human Kindness Foundation “In Open Secrets, Rabbi Rami Shapiro presents a universal wisdom with a distinctly Jewish flavor. This is a book to read and share.” Rodger Kamenetz, author of The Jew in the Lotus “Open Secrets drew my heart closer to my roots. It opened the door for me to study the tradition of Judaism further. I highly recommend it as one of the best bridges of Eastern and Western wisdom.” Dennis Genpo Merzel, author of The Path of the Human Being: Zen Teachings on the Bodhisattva Way “Open Secrets offers a rare spiritual journey into the heart of hasidic wisdom. Its beauty is in its simplicity and intimacy. I felt I was sitting in the presence of a great seer of India. Reb Yerachmiel’s teachings echo ancient upanishadic truths, and reflect deep God-realization. The wisdom in these letters has the power to lift off the page and enter the heart. This book is written by a true man of God.” Sister Pravrajika Brahmaprana, Vedanta Convent “These letters are vessels of teachings to enlighten and bring light to the spirit. Rami has an ecumenical, universal outlook in his philosophy that is most refreshing.” Swami Murugananda Also by Rami M. Shapiro Hasidic Tales: Annotated & Explained Proverbs: The Wisdom of Solomon The Way of Solomon: Finding Joy and Contentment in the Wisdom of Ecclesiastes Minyan: Ten Principles for Living a Life of Integrity Wisdom of the Jewish Sages: A Modern Reading of Pirke Avot Open Secrets: The Letters of Reb Yerachmiel ben Yisrael Copyright © 2004 by Rami M. Shapiro. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission from the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information contact Monkfish Book Publishing Company, 22 E. Market Street, Rhinebeck, New York 12572 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Shapiro, Rami M. Open secrets : the letters of Reb Yerachmiel ben Yisrael / Rami M. Shapiro. p. cm. eISBN 9781939681119 1. Judaism. 2. Jewish way of life. 3. Spiritual life--Judaism. 4. Imaginary letters. I. Title. BM45.S462 2004 296.7--dc22 2004012995 Book and cover design by Georgia Dent Bulk purchase discounts for educational or promotional purposes are available. Contact the publisher for more information. First edition First impression 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Monkfish Book Publishing Company 22 E. Market Street Rhinebeck, New York 12572 To Father Thomas Keating whose unflagging love for Reb Yerachmiel and his teachings kept the promise of this book alive. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS THIS BOOK HAS had a life of its own. Originally created as a handout for a seminar I offered at my Miami synagogue in the early nineties, these letters have been circulated in a variety of ersatz editions throughout North and South America. In 1994, Open Secrets found a home with Bo and Sita Lozoff and the Human Kindness Foundation. There it lived for ten years, as part of the mailings they send to residents of our nation’s many prisons. I am grateful to Bo and Sita, and also to the hundreds of prisoners who have written me in appreciation of this book and its teachings. The muse behind these letters is the real Aaron Hershel—my son. I wrote these letters shortly after his Bar Mitzvah. They were a distillation of my philosophy that I hoped to share with him during his adolescence. I don’t know how well I did in that regard. For all my desire to impart these teachings to him, I also felt the need to allow him to discover them on his own. Maybe the book was my way of saying, “Here is the dad I meant to be. Here are the things I wanted to share with you.” I am proud of my son and the man he has grown up to be. While most of the credit goes to his mother, Debbie, I will reserve a bit for Reb Yerachmiel and myself. A few additional thank yous are vital here. First, to my rebbe Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, whose concern for me and respect for my work led to the revival of this book. Second, to my friend and teacher Father Thomas Keating, whose endless enthusiasm for this book pushed me to find a commercial outlet for it. Third, to my publisher Paul Cohen of Monkfish whose willingness to back this venture turned Fr. Thomas’s urgings into reality. And fourth, to my editor, Toinette Lippe. This is my fourth book with Toinette, and in some ways it has been the most satisfying. She has been involved with Open Secrets almost as long as I have: reading and rereading it, making suggestions to clarify both the text and the teaching, and encouraging me to stick with it even when the only home we could find for it was my desk drawer. Her eagerness to bring this book to fruition is a gift for which I am eternally grateful. Table of Contents PRAISE FOR OPEN SECRETS Also by Rami M. Shapiro Title Page Copyright Page Dedication ACKNOWLEDGMENTS PREFACE INTRODUCTION AN INVITATION
