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Introduction to The Book of Zohar
September 19, 2017 /0 Comments/in Library /by Katie
Found in the book "Unlocking The Zohar"
1) In this introduction, I would like to clarify matters that are seemingly simple. Matters that everyone fumbles with, and for which much ink has been spilled, attempting to clarify. Yet we have not reached a concrete and sufficient knowledge of them. And here are the questions:
What is our essence?
What is our role in the long chain of reality, of which we are but small links?
When we examine ourselves, we find that we are as corrupted and as low as can be. And when we examine the operator who has made us, we are compelled to be at the highest degree, for there is none so praiseworthy as Him. For it is necessary that only perfect operations will stem from a perfect operator.
Our mind necessitates that He is utterly benevolent, beyond compare. How, then, did He create so many creatures that suffer and agonize all through their lives? Is it not the way of the good to do good, or at least not to harm so?
How is it possible that the infinite, that has neither beginning nor end, will produce finite, mortal, and flawed creatures?
3) Our sages said, that man is the center of reality, that the Upper Worlds and this corporeal world and everything in them were created only for him (The Zohar, Tazria, 40), and obliged man to believe that the world had been created for him (Sanhedrin 37). It is seemingly hard to grasp that for this trifling human, whose value is no more than a wisp, with respect to the reality of this world, much less with respect to all the Upper Worlds, whose Height and Sublimity is immeasurable, that the Creator had troubled Himself to create all these for him. And also, why would man need all that?
4) To understand these questions and inquiries, the only tactic is to examine the end of the act, that is, the purpose of Creation. For nothing can be understood in the middle of the process, but only at its end. And it is clear that there is no act without a purpose, for only the insane can act purposelessly.
6) Our sages have already said that the Creator created the world for no other reason but to delight His creatures. And here is where we must place our minds and all our thoughts, for it is the ultimate aim of the act of the creation of the world. And we must bear in mind that since the Thought of Creation was to bestow upon His creatures, He had to create in the souls a great measure of desire to receive that which He had thought to give them. For the measure of each pleasure and delight depends on the measure of the will to receive it. The greater the will to receive, the greater the pleasure, and the lesser the will, the lesser the pleasure from reception.
Thus, the Thought of Creation itself necessarily dictates the creation of an excessive will to receive in the souls, to fit the immense pleasure that His Almightiness thought to bestow upon the souls. For the great delight and the great desire to receive go hand in hand.
9) And you find that in spirituality the disparity of form acts like the ax that separates in the corporeal world, and the distance between them is proportional to the oppositeness of form. From this we learn that since the will to receive His delight has been imprinted in the souls, and we have shown that this form is absent in the Creator, because from whom would He receive, that disparity of form that the souls acquired separates them from His essence, as the ax that carves a stone from the mountain. And because of that disparity of form the souls were separated from the Creator and became creatures. […]
10) […] To mend that separation, which lays on the Kli of the souls, He created all the worlds and separated them into two systems, as in the verse: "God has made them one against the other," which are the four pure worlds ABYA, and opposite them the four impure worlds ABYA. And He imprinted the desire to bestow in the system of the pure ABYA, removed the will to receive for themselves from them, and placed it in the system of the impure worlds ABYA. Because of that, they have become separated from the Creator and from all the worlds of holiness.
For that reason the Klipot are called "dead," as in the verse: "sacrifices of the dead" (Psalms 106, 28). And the wicked that follow them, as our sages said, "The wicked, in their lives, are called 'dead,'" since the will to receive imprinted in them in oppositeness of form to His Holiness separates them from the Life of Lives, and they are remote from Him from one end to the other. […]
11) And the worlds cascaded onto the reality of this corporeal world, to a place where there is a body and a soul and a time of corruption and a time of correction. […]
14) Thus you necessarily find that on the whole, there are three states to the soul:
The First State is their presence in Ein Sof, in the Thought of Creation, where they already have the future form of the End of Correction.
The Second State is their presence in the six thousand years, which were divided by the above two systems into a body and a soul. They were given the work in Torah and Mitzvot, in order to invert their will to receive and turn it into a will to bestow contentment upon their Maker, and not at all to themselves.
During the time of that state, no correction will come to the bodies, only to the souls. This means that they must eliminate any form of self-reception, which is considered the body, and remain with but a desire to bestow, which is the form of desire in the souls. […]
The Third State is the end of correction of the souls, after the revival of the dead. At that time the complete correction will come to the bodies, too, for then they will turn reception for themselves, which is the form of the body, to take on the form of pure bestowal. And they will become worthy of receiving for themselves all the delight and pleasure and pleasantness in the Thought of Creation.
And with all that, they will attain strong adhesion by the force of their equivalence of form with their Maker, since they will not receive all that because of their desire to receive, but because of their desire to bestow contentment upon their Maker, since He derives pleasure when they receive from Him. […]
16) Therefore, one must not wonder at how it was that the choice had been taken from us, since we must be completed and come to the third state, since it is already present in the first. The thing is that there are two ways the Creator has set for us in the second state to bring us to the third state:
The Path of Keeping Torah and Mitzvot.
The Path of Suffering, since the pain itself purifies the body and will eventually compel us to invert our will to receive into the form of a will to bestow, and cleave to Him. It is as our sages said (Sanhedrin, 97b), "If you repent, good; and if not, I will place over you a king such as Haman, and he will force you to repent." Our sages said about the verse, "will hasten it in its time": "If they are rewarded, I will hasten it; and if not, in its time."
This means that if we are granted through the first path, by keeping Torah and Mitzvot, we thus hasten our correction, and we do not need the harsh agony and the long time needed to experience them, so they will compel us to reform. And if not, "in its time," meaning only when the suffering will complete our correction and the time of correction will be forced upon us […]
18) And we must not ponder the state of other beings in the world but man, since man is the center of Creation, as will be written below (item 39). And all other creatures do not have any value of their own but to the extent that they help man achieve his perfection. Hence, they rise and fall with him without any consideration of themselves.
19) Indeed, when all human beings agree to abolish and eradicate their will to receive for themselves, and have no other desire but to bestow upon their friends, all worries and jeopardy in the world would cease to exist. And we would all be assured of a whole and wholesome life, since each of us would have a whole world caring for us, ready to fulfill our needs.
Yet, while each of us has only a desire to receive for ourselves, it is the source of all the worries, suffering, wars, and slaughter we cannot escape. They weaken our bodies with all sorts of sores and maladies, and you find that all the agonies in our world are but manifestations offered to our eyes, to prompt us to revoke the evil Klipa of the body and assume the complete form of the will to bestow. And it is as we have said, that the path of suffering in itself can bring us to the desired form. Bear in mind that the Mitzvot between man and man come before the Mitzvot between man and God, because the bestowal upon one's friend brings one to bestow upon his Maker.
33) Now remains the clarification of the sixth inquiry, which is the words of our sages who said that all the worlds, Upper and lower, were created only for man. It seems very peculiar that for man, whose worth is but a wisp compared to the reality before us in this world, much less compared to the Upper, Spiritual Worlds, the Creator would go to all the trouble of creating all that for him. And even more peculiar is what would man need all these vast Spiritual Worlds for?
And you must know that any contentment of our Maker from bestowing upon His creatures depends on the extent that the creatures feel Him—that He is the giver, and that He is the one who delights them. For then He takes great pleasure in them, as a father playing with his beloved son, to the degree that the son feels and recognizes the greatness and exaltedness of his father, and his father shows him all the treasures he had prepared for him, as it is written (Jeremiah 31): "Ephraim, my darling son, is he joy of his parents? For whenever I speak of him, I earnestly remember him still. Hence, My heart yearns for him, I will surely have compassion upon him, says the Lord" (Jeremiah 31, 19).
Observe these words carefully and you can come to know the great delights of the Lord with those whole ones that have been granted feeling Him and recognizing His greatness in all those manners He has prepared for them, until they are like a father with his darling son, the joy of his parents. And we need not continue on that, for it is enough for us to know that for this contentment and delight with those whole ones, it was worth His while to create all the worlds, Higher and lower alike.
39) Now we have shown that the Creator's desired goal for the Creation He had created is to bestow upon His creatures, so they would know His truthfulness and greatness, and receive all the delight and pleasure He had prepared for them, in the measure described in the verse: "Ephraim my darling son, is he joy of his parents?" (Jeremiah 31, 19). Thus, you clearly find that this purpose does not apply to the still and the great spheres, such as the earth, the moon, or the sun, however luminous they may be, and not to the vegetative or the animate, for they lack the sensation of others, even from among their own species. Therefore, how can the sensation of the Godly and His bestowal apply to them?
Humankind alone, having been prepared with the sensation of others of the same species, who are similar to them, after delving in Torah and Mitzvot, when they invert their will to receive to a will to bestow, and come to equivalence of form with his Maker, they receive all the degrees that have been prepared for them in the Upper Worlds, called NRNHY. By that they become qualified to receive the purpose of the Thought of Creation. After all, the purpose of the creation of all the worlds was for man alone.
40) And I know that it is completely unaccepted in the eyes of some philosophers. They cannot agree that man, which they think of as low and worthless, is the center of the magnificent Creation. But they are like a worm that is born inside a radish. It lives there and thinks that the world of the Creator is as bitter, as dark, and small as the radish it was born in. But as soon as it breaks the shell of the radish and peeps out, it claims in bewilderment: "I thought the whole world was the size of the radish I was born in, and now I see a grand, beautiful, and wondrous world before me!"
So, too, are those who are immersed in the Klipa (singular for Klipot) of the will to receive they were born with, and did not try to take the unique spice, which are the practical Torah and Mitzvot, which can break this hard Klipa and turn it into a desire to bestow contentment upon the Maker. It is certain that they must determine their worthlessness and emptiness, as they truly are, and cannot comprehend that this magnificent reality had been created only for them.
Indeed, had they delved in Torah and Mitzvot to bestow contentment upon their Maker, with all the required purity, and would try to break the Klipa of the will to receive they were born in and assume the desire to bestow, their eyes would immediately open to see and attain for themselves all the degrees of wisdom, intelligence and clear mind, that have been prepared for them in the Spiritual Worlds. Then they would themselves say what our sages said, "What does a good guest say? 'Everything the host has done, he has done for me alone.'"
41) But there still remains to clarify why would man need all the Upper Worlds the Creator had created for him? What use has he of them? Bear in mind that the reality of all the worlds is generally divided into five worlds, called a) Adam Kadmon, b) Atzilut, c) Beria, d) Yetzira, and e) Assiya. In each of them are innumerable details, which are the five Sefirot KHBTM (Keter, Hochma, Bina, Tifferet, and Malchut). The world of AK (Adam Kadmon) is Keter; the world of Atzilut is Hochma; the world of Beria is Bina; the world of Yetzira is Tifferet; and the world Assiya is Malchut.
And the Lights clothed in those five worlds are called YHNRN. The Light of Yechida shines in the world of Adam Kadmon; the Light of Haya in the world of Atzilut; the Light of Neshama in the world of Beria; the Light of Ruach in the world of Yetzira; and the Light of Nefesh in the world of Assiya.
All these worlds and everything in them are included in the Holy Name, Yod-Hey-Vav-Hey, and the tip of the Yod. We have no perception in the first world, AK. Hence, it is only implied in the tip of the Yod of the Name. This is why we do not speak of it and always mention only the four worlds ABYA. Yod is the world of Atzilut, Hey—the world of Beria, Vav—the world of Yetzira, and the bottom Hey is the world of Assiya.
42) We have now explained the five worlds that include the entire spiritual reality that extends from Ein Sof to this world. However, they are included in one the other, and in each of the worlds there are the five worlds, the five Sefirot KHBTM, in which the five Lights NRNHY are dressed, corresponding to the five worlds.
And besides the five Sefirot KHBTM in each world, there are the four spiritual categories—Still, Vegetative, Animate, and Speaking. In it, man's soul is regarded as the speaking, the animate is regarded as the angels in that world, the vegetative category is called "dresses" and the still category is called "halls." And they all robe one another: the speaking category, which is the souls of people, clothes the five Sefirot, KHBTM, which is the Godliness in that world. The animate category, which are the angels clothes over the souls; the vegetative, which are the dresses, clothe the angels; and the still, which are halls, revolve around them all.
The dressing means that they serve one another and evolve from one another, as we have clarified with the corporeal still, vegetative, animate and speaking in this world (Items 35-38): the three categories—still, vegetative, and animate—did not extend for themselves, but only so the fourth category, which is man, might develop and rise by them. Therefore, their role is only to serve man and be useful to him.
So it is in all the spiritual worlds. The three categories—still, vegetative, and animate—appeared there only to serve and be useful to the speaking category there, which is man's soul. Therefore, it is considered that they all clothe over man's soul, meaning to serve him.
43) When man is born, he immediately has a Nefesh of Kedusha (Holiness). But not an actual Nefesh, but the posterior of it, its last discernment, which, due to its smallness, is called a "point." It dresses in man's heart, in one's will to receive, which is found primarily in one's heart. […]
55) Thus, we have clarified what we asked, "Why does man need all the Upper Worlds, which the Creator had created for him? What need has man of them?" Now you will see that one cannot bring contentment to one's Maker, if not with the help of all these worlds. This is because he attains the Lights and degrees of his soul, called NRNHY, according to the measure of the purity of his will to receive. And with each degree he attains, the Lights of that degree assist him in his purification.
Thus, he rises in degrees until he achieves the amusements of the final aim in the Thought of Creation (Item 33). It is written in The Zohar (Noah, Item 63), about the verse, "He who comes to be purified is aided." It asks, "Aided with what?" And it replies that he is aided with a holy soul. For it is impossible to achieve the desired purification for the Thought of Creation, except through the assistance of all the NRNHY degrees of the soul.
57) Now you can understand the aridity and the darkness that have befallen us in this generation, such as we have never seen before. It is because even the worshipers of the Creator have abandoned the engagement in the secrets of the Torah.
Maimonides has already given a true allegory about that: If a line of a thousand blind walk along the way, and there is at least one leader amongst them who can see, they are certain to take the right path and not fall in the pits and obstacles, since they are following the sighted one who leads them. But if that person is missing, they are certain to stumble over every hurdle on the way, and will all fall into the pit.
So is the issue before us. If the worshipers of the Creator had, at least, engaged in the internality of the Torah and extended a complete Light from Ein Sof, the whole generation would have followed them. And everyone would be certain of their way, that they would not fall. But if even the servants of the Creator have distanced themselves from this wisdom, it is no wonder the whole generation is failing because of them. And because of my great sorrow I cannot elaborate on that!
58) Indeed, I know the reason: it is mainly because faith has generally diminished, specifically faith in the holy men, the wise men of all generations. And the books of Kabbalah and The Zohar are filled with corporeal parables. Therefore, people are afraid lest they will lose more than they will gain, since they could easily fail with materializing. And this is what prompted me to compose a sufficient interpretation to the writings of the Ari, and now to the Holy Zohar. And I have completely removed that concern, for I have evidently explained and proven the spiritual meaning of everything, that it is abstract and devoid of any corporeal image, above space and above time, as the readers will see, to allow the whole of Israel to study The Book of Zohar and be warmed by its sacred Light.
And I have named that commentary The Sulam (Ladder) to show that the purpose of my commentary is as the role of any ladder: if you have an attic filled abundantly, then all you need is a ladder to reach it. And then, all the bounty in the world will be in your hands. But the ladder is not a purpose in and of itself, for if you pause on the rungs of the ladder and will not enter the attic, your goal will not be achieved.
And so it is with my commentary on The Zohar, because the way to fully clarify these most profound of words has not yet been created. But nonetheless, with my commentary, I have constructed a path and an entrance for any person by which to rise and delve and scrutinize The Book of Zohar itself, for only then will my aim with this commentary be completed.
59) And all those who know the ins and outs of the holy Book of Zohar, that is, who understand what is written in it, unanimously agree that the holy Book of Zohar was written by the Godly Tanna (sage) Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. Only some of those who are far from this wisdom doubt this pedigree and tend to say, relying on fabricated tales of opponents of this wisdom, that its author is the Kabbalist Rabbi Moshe De Leon, or others of his contemporaries.
60) And as for me, since the day I have been endowed, by the Light of the Creator, with a glance into this holy book, it has not crossed my mind to question its origin, for the simple reason that the content of the book brings to my heart the merit of the Tanna Rashbi (Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai) far more than all other sages. And if I were to clearly see that its author is some other name, such as Rabbi Moshe De Leon, than I would praise the merit of Rabbi Moshe De Leon more than all other sages, including Rashbi.
Indeed, judging by the depth of the wisdom in the book, if I were to clearly find that its writer is one of the forty-eight prophets, I would consider it much more acceptable than to relate it to one of the sages. Moreover, if I were to find that Moses himself received it from the Creator Himself on Mount Sinai, then my mind would really be at peace, for such a composition is worthy of him. Hence, since I have been blessed with compiling a sufficient interpretation that enables every examiner to acquire some understanding of what is written in the book, I think I am completely excused from further toil in that examination, for any person who is knowledgeable in The Zohar will now settle for no less than the Tanna Rashbi as its writer.
61) Accordingly, the question arises, "Why was The Zohar not revealed to the early generations, whose merit was undoubtedly greater than the latter ones, and were more worthy"? We must also ask, "Why was the commentary on The Book of Zohar not revealed before the time of the Ari, and not to the Kabbalists that preceded him"? And the most bewildering question, "Why were the commentaries on the words of the Ari and on the words of The Zohar not revealed since the days of the Ari through our generation"?
The answer is that the world, during the six thousand years of its existence, is like one Partzuf divided into three thirds: Rosh (head), Toch (interior), Sof (end), meaning HBD (Hochma, Bina, Daat), HGT (Hesed, Gevura, Tifferet), NHY (Netzah, Hod, Yesod). This is what our sages wrote, "Two millennia of Tohu (chaos), two millennia of Torah, and two millennia of the days of the Messiah" (Sanhedrin 97a).
In the first two millennia, considered Rosh and HBD, the Lights were very small. They were regarded as Rosh without Guf (body), having only Lights of Nefesh. This is because there is an inverse relation between Lights and vessels: with the Kelim (vessels) the rule is that the first Kelim grow first in each Partzuf; and with the Lights it is the opposite—the smaller Lights dress in the Partzuf first.
Thus, as long as only the upper parts are in the Kelim, the Kelim HBD, only Lights of Nefesh dress there, which are the smallest Lights. This is why it is written about the first two millennia that they are considered Tohu. And in the second two millennia of the world, which are Kelim of HGT, the Light of Ruach descends and clothes in the world, which is considered the Torah. This is why it is said about the two middle millennia that they are Torah. And the last two millennia are Kelim of NHYM (Netzah, Hod, Yesod, Malchut). Therefore, at that time, the Light of Neshama dresses in the world, which is the greater Light, hence they are the days of the Messiah.
This is also the conduct in each particular Partzuf. In its vessels of HBD, HGT, through its Chazeh (chest), the Lights are covered and do not begin to shine open Hassadim, which means that the appearance of the sublime Light of Hochma occurs only from the Chazeh down, in its NHYM. This is the reason that before the Kelim of NHYM began to show in the Partzuf of the world, which are the last two millennia, the wisdom of The Zohar in particular and the wisdom of Kabbalah in general were hidden from the world.
But during the time of the Ari, when the time of the completion of the Kelim below the Chazeh had drawn closer, the Light of the sublime Hochma was revealed in the world, through the soul of the Godly Rabbi Isaac Luria (the Ari), who was ready to receive that great Light. Hence, he revealed the essentials in The Book of Zohar and the wisdom of Kabbalah, until he overshadowed all his predecessors.
Yet, since these Kelim were not yet completed (since he passed away in 1572), the world was not yet worthy of discovering his words, and his holy words were only known only to a chosen few, who were prohibited to tell them to the world.
Now, in our generation, since we are nearing the end of the last two millennia, we are given permission to reveal his words and the words of The Zohar throughout the world to a great measure, in such a way that from our generation onwards the words of The Zohar will become increasingly revealed in the world, until the full measure is revealed, as the Creator wills it.
63) Now you can understand that there really is no end to the merit of the first generations over the last, as this is the rule in all the Partzufim (plural for Partzuf) of the worlds and of the souls, that the purer one is the first to be selected into the Partzuf. Therefore, the purer Kelim, HBD, were selected first in the world and in the souls.
Thus, the souls in the first two millennia were much Higher. Yet, they could not receive the full measure of Light, due to the lack of the lower parts in the world and in themselves, which are HGTNHYM.
And afterwards, in the two middle millennia, when the Kelim of HGT were selected into the world and in the souls, the souls were indeed very pure, in and of themselves. This is because the merit of the Kelim of HGT is close to that of HBD. Yet, the Lights were still concealed in the world, due to the absence of the Kelim from the Chazeh down, in the world and in the souls.
Thus, in our generation, although the essence of the souls is the worst, which is why they could not be selected for Kedusha thus far, they are the ones that complete the Partzuf of the world and the Partzuf of the souls with respect to the Kelim, and the work completed only through them.
This is because now, when the Kelim of NHY are being completed, and all the Kelim, Rosh, Toch, Sof are in the Partzuf, full measures of Light, in Rosh, Toch, Sof, are now being extended to all those who are worthy, meaning complete NRN. Hence, only after the completion of these lowly souls can the Highest Lights manifest, and not before.
66) Bear in mind that in everything there is internality and externality. In the world in general, Israel, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, are considered the internality of the world, and the seventy nations are considered the externality of the world. Also, there is internality within Israel themselves, which are the wholehearted workers of the Creator, and there is externality—those who do not devote themselves to the work of the Creator. Among the nations of the world, there is internality as well, which are the Righteous of the Nations of the World, and there is externality, which are the rude and the harmful among them.
Additionally, among the servants of the Creator among the Children of Israel, there is internality, being those rewarded with comprehension of the soul of the internality of the Torah and its secrets, and externality, who merely observe the practical part of the Torah.
Also, there is internality in every person from Israel—the Israel within—which is the point in the heart, and externality—which is the inner Nations of the World, the body itself. But even the inner Nations of the World in that person are considered proselytes, since by cleaving to the internality, they become like proselytes from among the Nations of the World, that came and cleaved to the whole of Israel.
67) When a person from Israel enhances and dignifies one's internality, which is the Israel in that person, over the externality, which are the Nations of the World in him, that is, when one dedicates the majority of one's efforts to enhance and exalt one's internality, to benefit one's soul, and gives minor efforts, the mere necessity, to sustain the Nations of the World in him, meaning the bodily needs, as it is written (Avot, 1), "Make your Torah permanent and your labor temporary," by so doing, one makes the Children of Israel soar upwards in the internality and externality of the world as well, and the Nations of the World, which are the externality, to recognize and acknowledge the value of the Children of Israel.
And if, God forbid, it is to the contrary, and an individual from Israel enhances and appreciates one's externality, which is the Nations of the World in him, more than the inner Israel in him, as it is written (Deuteronomy 28), "The stranger that is in the midst of thee," meaning the externality in that person rises and soars, and you yourself, the internality, the Israel in you, plunges down? With these actions, one causes the externality of the world in general—the Nations of the World—to soar ever higher and overcome Israel, degrading them to the ground, and the Children of Israel, the internality in the world, to plunge deep down.
68) Do not be surprised that one person's actions bring elevation or decline to the whole world, for it is an unbending law that the general and the particular are as equal as two peas in a pod. And all that applies in the general, applies in the particular, as well. Moreover, the parts make what is found in the whole, for the general can appear only after the appearance of the parts in it, according to the quantity and quality of the parts. Evidently, the value of an act of a part elevates or declines the entire whole.
That will clarify to you what is written in The Zohar, that by engagement in The Book of Zohar and the wisdom of truth, they will be rewarded with complete redemption from exile (Tikkunim, end of Tikkun No. 6). We might ask, what has the study of The Zohar to do with the redemption of Israel from among the nations?
69) From the above we can thoroughly understand that the Torah, too, contains internality and externality, as does the entire world. Therefore, one who engages in the Torah has these two degrees, as well. When one increases one's toil in the internality of the Torah and its secrets, to that extent, one makes the virtue of the internality of the world—which are Israel—soar high above the externality of the world, which are the Nations of the World. And all the nations will acknowledge and recognize Israel's merit over them, until the realization of the words, "And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the Lord" (Isaiah 14, 2), and also "Thus says the Lord God, Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations, and set up my standard to the peoples: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried on their shoulders" (Isaiah 49, 22).
But if, God forbid, it is to the contrary, and a person from Israel degrades the virtue of the internality of the Torah and its secrets, which deals with the conduct of our souls and their degrees, and the perception and the tastes of the Mitzvot with regard to the advantage of the externality of the Torah, which deals only with the practical part? Also, even if one does occasionally engage in the internality of the Torah, and dedicates a little of one's time to it, when it is neither night nor day, as though it were redundant, by that one dishonors and degrades the internality of the world, which are the Children of Israel, and enhances the externality of the world—meaning the Nations of the World—over them. They will humiliate and disgrace the Children of Israel, and regard Israel as superfluous, as though the world has no need for them, God forbid.
Furthermore, by that, they make even the externality in the Nations of the World overpower their own internality, for the worst among the Nations of the World, the harmful and the destructors of the world, rise above their internality, which are the Righteous of the Nations of the World. And then they make all the ruin and the heinous slaughter our generation had witnessed, may God protect us from here on.
Thus you see that The redemption of Israel and the whole of Israel's merit depend on the study of The Zohar and the internality of the Torah. And vise versa, all the destruction and the decline of the Children of Israel are because they have abandoned the internality of the Torah. They have degraded its merit and made it seemingly redundant.
70) This is what is written in the Tikkunim (corrections) of The Zohar (Tikkun 30): "Awaken and rise for the Holy Divinity, for you have an empty heart, without the understanding to know and to attain it, although it is within you." The meaning of it is, as it is written (Isaiah 40), that a voice pounds in the heart of each and every one of Israel, to cry and to pray for raising the Holy Divinity, which is the collection of all the souls of Israel. But Divinity says, "I have no strength to raise myself off the dust, for 'all flesh is grass,' they are all like beasts, eating hay and grass." This means that they keep the Mitzvot mindlessly, like beasts, "and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field, all the good deeds that they do, they do for themselves."
That means that with the Mitzvot they perform, they have no intention of doing them in order to bring contentment to their Maker. Rather, they keep the Mitzvot only for their own benefit, and even the best among them, who dedicate all their time to engagement in the Torah, do it only to benefit their own bodies, without the desirable aim—to bring contentment to their Maker.
It is said about the generation of that time: "A spirit leaves and will not return to the world," meaning the spirit of the Messiah, who must deliver Israel from all their troubles until the complete redemption, to keep the words, 'for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord.' That spirit had left and does not shine in the world.
Woe unto them that make the spirit of Messiah leave and depart from the world, and cannot return to the world. They are the ones that make the Torah dry, without any moisture of comprehension and reason. They confine themselves to the practical part of the Torah, and do not wish to try to understand the wisdom of Kabbalah, to know and to understand the secrets of the Torah and the flavors of Mitzva. Woe unto them, for with these actions they bring about the existence of poverty, ruin, and robbery, looting, killing, and destructions in the world.
71) The reason for their words is, as we have explained, that when all those who engage in the Torah degrade their own internality and the internality of the Torah, leaving it as though it were redundant in the world, and engage in it only at a time that is neither day nor night, and in this regard, they are like blind searching the wall, by that, they intensify their own externality, the benefit of their own bodies. Also, they consider the externality of the Torah higher than the internality of the Torah. And with these actions they cause all the forms of externality in the world to overpower all the internal parts in the world, each according to its essence.
This is so because the externality in the whole of Israel, meaning the Nations of the World in them, overpowers and revokes the internality in the whole of Israel, which are those who are great in the Torah. Also, the externality in the Nations of the World—the destructors among them—intensify and revoke the internality among them, which are the Righteous of the Nations of the World. Additionally, the externality of the entire world, being the Nations of the World, intensify and revoke the Children of Israel—the internality of the world.
In such a generation, all the destructors among the Nations of the World raise their heads and wish primarily to destroy and to kill the Children of Israel, as it is written (Yevamot 63), "No calamity comes to the world but for Israel." This means, as it is written in the above corrections, that they cause poverty, ruin, robbery, killing, and destruction in the whole world.
And through our many faults, we have witnessed to all that is said in the above-mentioned Tikkunim, and moreover, the judgment struck the very best of us, as our sages said (Baba Kama 60), "And it start with the righteous first." And of all the glory Israel had had in the countries of Poland and Lithuania, etc., there remains but the relics in our holy land. Now it is upon us, relics, to correct that dreadful wrong. Each of us remainders should take upon himself, heart and soul, to henceforth intensify the internality of the Torah, and give it its rightful place, according to its merit over the externality of the Torah.
And then, each and every one of us will be rewarded with intensifying his own internality, meaning the Israel within us, which is the needs of the soul over our own externality, which is the Nations of the World within us, that is, the needs of the body. That force will come to the whole of Israel, until the Nations of the World within us recognize and acknowledge the merit of the great sages of Israel over them, and will listen to them and obey them.
Also, the internality of the Nations of the World, the Righteous of the Nations of the World, will overpower and submit their externality, which are the destructors. And the internality of the world, too, which are Israel, shall rise in all their merit and virtue over the externality of the world, which are the nations. Then, all the nations of the world will recognize and acknowledge Israel's merit over them.
And they shall follow the words (Isaiah 14, 2), "And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the Lord." And also (Isaiah 49, 22), "And they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried on their shoulders." That is what is written in The Zohar (Nasoh, p 124b), "through this composition," which is The Book of Zohar, "they will be delivered from exile with mercy." Amen, would that be so.
https://kabacademy.eu/aa/content/uploads/sites/32/2019/02/KAB-AFRICA-ASIA-COLOUR-300x59.png 0 0 Katie https://kabacademy.eu/aa/content/uploads/sites/32/2019/02/KAB-AFRICA-ASIA-COLOUR-300x59.png Katie2017-09-19 00:02:162017-09-19 00:02:16Introduction to The Book of Zohar
About Bnei Baruch
Bnei Baruch is a global organisation under the leadership of Michael Laitman and dedicated to widening access to Kabbalah.
This site is the learning platform dedicated to provide information and support to Bnei Baruch students in Europe
Bnei Baruch Kabbalah
Kabbalah Archive
© Copyright - Kabbalah Academy In Asia & Africa
Appendix 1: Selected References in Praise of The Zohar Preface to The Book of Zohar


*+ WARNING: This program (3dfim) is very old, may not be useful, and will not be maintained.
Purpose: Calculate functional image from 3d+time data file.
Note: values greater than p are set equal to p.
allows the use of wildcarded ideal filenames.
latter method allows the use of wildcarded ort filenames.


Vector Security is excited to announce its sponsorship of BK Racing, a professional U.S. stock car racing team competing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. As part of the arrangement, the company will sponsor car No. 83 at the "Pure Michigan 400" race taking place at the Michigan International Speedway on August 28, 2016.
Prominently branded with the Vector Security name and logo, car No. 83 is driven by Matt DiBenedetto, who has been racing for more than 13 years and recently captured his first NASCAR Sprint Cup top 10 finish at the Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee.
BK Racing is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team based in Charlotte, N.C. Its staff of more than 60 employees work to field the No. 23 and No. 83 entries in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series as a Toyota racing team. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is the top racing series of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. The series is named for its current sponsor, the Sprint Corporation, and has been known by other names in the past.


42% of schools have cancelled recess activities at their school. Only 1 in 5 of today's youth obtain the recommended 60 minutes or more of play each day. Recess Cleveland would like to host over 10 pop up recess events in Cleveland schools during the 2018-2019 school year. Schools that are awarded a free visit from Recess Cleveland will be selected through public vote and sponsorships. Funds raised during this crowdfunding campaign will go towards purchasing new equipment and staffing costs.
UPDATE 10/5/18 – We raised $3060 to fund most of the play equipment. This is crowdfunding campaign Round 2.
Purchase of Required Play Equipment for Human Bowling, Zorb Racing, and several other New Games!
Promotional Materials, T-Shirts for Staff, Volunteers and Participants.
Recess Cleveland is part of the Re-Inspire Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. All donations to Recess Cleveland made in the US are tax-deductible.
Teaming up with other charities to provide fun, physical activities at their fundraising events.
Recess Cleveland is moving into neighborhood schools, offering nearly 75 pop-up events at locations throughout the Cleveland Metropolitan School District and North East Ohio this year.
Your support has allowed us to begin offering our services for private events like company appreciation days, birthday parties and community festivals.
Your donation to Recess Cleveland directly supports our mission of bringing families and community members together promoting physical activity and the development of positive emotional and social skills in areas of the city that lack positive recreational environments. We'll have contests, team games and individual activities for people of all ages and abilities! Donated funds help us offer snacks and refreshments at our events – the more donors we have, the more fun and support we can provide!
Social Impact: Research shows there is a direct correlation between physical activity and an overall positive, healthy lifestyle. Unfortunately, there is also a direct correlation between impoverished neighborhoods, minorities and a lack of options for physical activity. Only 61% of African-American students get recess at school as compared to nearly 85% of white students. Neighborhoods with high rates of minorities and low incomes are the least likely to have resources to provide physical activity to its residents. Recess Cleveland changes all that.
Jarrett, O. A Research-Based Case For Recess. www.usplaycoalition.clemson.edu November 2013.


text:
Geotab ranked number one Commercial Telematics vendor worldwide by ABI Research
Company edges out Verizon and Trimble in innovation and implementation
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Geotab, a global leader in IoT and connected transportation, is pleased to announce it has been named the top commercial telematics provider worldwide by ABI Research. Providing strategic guidance on the most compelling transformative technologies, ABI, a market-foresight advisory firm, placed Geotab first in both innovation and implementation, with an overall score of 82.3.
Through its Competitive Assessment (CA), ABI conducted unbiased research, ranking commercial telematics providers in two key areas: innovation and implementation. The providers were analyzed based on a series of criteria including: open platforms, tech development, user interface and experience, market share, geographic coverage, vertical segments, partnerships, financial strength and solution options.
Receiving top recognition in both innovation and implementation, ABI Research identified Geotab's massive market share growth, extensive partnership model and Marketplace, open platform approach and focus on technological development as key contributors to the company's ranking.
"We are thrilled to be recognized as the global leader in telematics by ABI Research," said Geotab CEO Neil Cawse. "Considering our world-class competitors, it is truly an honor that demonstrates our commitment to providing fleets with the most advanced connected technologies—including for electric vehicles—and our ability to contribute significantly to the transformation of the logistics industry."
ABI forecasts global commercial telematics system revenues to rise across trucking segments from US$13.3 billion in 2017 to over US$23 billion in 2022. According to ABI Research principal analyst, Susan Beardslee, the commercial telematics industry will continue to transform rapidly, addressing a marketplace transition from rising OEM factory installs to evolving technologies such as prognostics, video and blockchain. Recognizing Geotab's significant 44% growth of its subscriber base in 2018, ABI predicts that global telematics subscriptions are slated to top 45 million by the end of 2019.
Currently equipping more than 1.7 million vehicles with its telematics technology, Geotab provides data-driven insights to over 40,000 customers worldwide and enables users to customize their solution through a suite of over 150 hardware add-ons, software add-ins and applications available on the Geotab Marketplace. With active devices present in more than 119 countries, Geotab's solutions are sold through its global network of Authorized Geotab Resellers.
"Geotab's reputation and leadership continues to be reflected not only with this recognition from ABI, but in the caliber of recent contracts it has been awarded from both the GSA and the State of California," added Cawse. "It is through our dedicated staff and the commitment of our strong network of partners that Geotab continues to strengthen its presence around the globe and experience unprecedented success year over year."
For more information, visit www.geotab.com.
About Geotab
Geotab is advancing security, connecting commercial vehicles to the internet and providing web-based analytics to help customers better manage their fleets. Geotab's open platform and Marketplace, offering hundreds of third-party solution options, allows both small and large businesses to automate operations by integrating vehicle data with their other data assets. As an IoT hub, the in-vehicle device provides additional functionality through IOX Add-Ons. Processing billions of data points a day, Geotab leverages data analytics and machine learning to help customers improve productivity, optimize fleets through the reduction of fuel consumption, enhance driver safety, and achieve strong compliance to regulatory changes. Geotab's products are represented and sold worldwide through Authorized Geotab Resellers. To learn more, please visit www.geotab.com and follow us @GEOTAB and on LinkedIn.
Valerie Christopherson
GRC (Global Results Comms) for Geotab
geotab@globalresultspr.com
Communications Team Lead
Geotab Inc.
kellyhall@geotab.com

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


I do not have an attorney.
I understand that the Facilitator is not my attorney.
I understand that nothing I tell the Facilitator is confidential.
I understand that the Facilitator will not represent me in court.
I understand that the Facilitator may assist the other party or parties in my court case.
I understand that the Facilitator cannot give me legal advice.
I understand that some issues cannot be addressed without the assistance of an attorney and that I may be referred to an attorney.
1. Does the proposed Customer Agreement violate any Rules of Professional Conduct?
. . . [T]o avoid any inference that an attorney-client relationship has been established or that the information a prospective client provides will be kept confidential, a law firm may wish to consider the inclusion of a disclaimer on the website or external voicemail warning the person to not disclose confidential or sensitive information. The website disclaimer might also state, for example, that no attorney-client relationship is being formed when a prospective client submits information and that the firm has no duty to maintain as confidential any information submitted. The disclaimer should be clearly worded so as to overcome a reasonable belief on the part of the prospective client that the information will be maintained as confidential. In addition, the Committee recommends the use of a "click-through" (aka "click-wrap") disclaimer, which requires the prospective client to assent to the terms of the disclaimer before being permitted to submit the information.
The Customer Agreement similarly has the pro se litigant understand and acknowledge that the limited assistance provided by the Facilitator does not create a lawyer-client relationship, that no legal advice is given, that information will not be kept confidential3 and that the Facilitator may provide assistance to adverse litigants. Without such disclaimers in the Customer Agreement a person receiving limited assistance might form a belief or expectation that the Facilitator is their lawyer and thereby bound by the ethical duties that apply when a lawyer-client relationship is formed. See LEO 1842.
Further, Rule 1.2(b) provides that a lawyer may limit the objectives of the representation if the client consents after consultation. Comment 6 to that rule provides: "The objectives or scope of services provided by the lawyer may be limited by agreement with the client or by the terms under which the lawyer's services are made available to the client." The proposed Customer Agreement is consistent with these principles.
2. Would a lawyer participating in the FCSHC be providing "short-term limited legal services" contemplated by Rule 6.5 of the Virginia Rules of Professional Conduct? For example, would a participating lawyer be providing "short term limited legal services" if he or she participates in a legal education seminar or other information session sponsored either by the local court(s) or the local bar association, which is open to members of the public, and specifically tailored to pro se litigants on general family law issues in Virginia, to include: presentation of educational material, forms, sample pleadings, and information already found on the court's website and the websites of legal services groups; as well as a mock demonstration on how to present evidence in an ore tenus uncontested divorce hearing or in an ore tenus pendente lite support hearing?
3. Does a lawyer provide "short-term limited legal services" by participating in a self-help or pro se legal information center housed within the courthouse and sponsored either by the local court(s) or the local bar association, which is open to members of the public, and specifically tailored to pro se litigants, to assist them in the dissemination of educational materials, forms, sample pleadings, and information already found on the court's website and the website of legal services groups; to assist with the completion of forms and sample pleadings, preparation of support calculations and to otherwise assist in the answering of general questions?
4. Is an attorney-client relationship established by participation in any of the activities described in (2) or (3)?
5. Is it necessary to keep a conflict list of participants who attend sessions or centers as described in (2) or (3)?
Whether a list of participants or customers must be maintained is fact-specific and will depend upon the nature of the services provided to a customer and whether a volunteer lawyer is aware of a conflict when providing short-term limited legal services to a customer.10 If the activity described in Questions 2 and 3 does not constitute the practice of law or create a client-lawyer relationship, it is not necessary to keep a conflict list of participants who attend sessions or centers. If the volunteer lawyer provides a "short-term limited legal service" under Rule 6.5, a client-lawyer relationship is created, and the lawyer may need to make a list of those persons to avoid conflicts that may arise in the future after providing short-term limited services to a customer. Under the written Customer Agreement the "client" will have waived any conflict created by that lawyer's (or any other participating lawyer's) short-term limited assistance to another party in the same matter. This conflict waiver, which is limited to the lawyer's representation of other clients in a short-term limited representation, is to allow the program to serve participants in the program whose interests are directly adverse.
As Rule 6.5(a)(2) states, unless the participating lawyer knows that another lawyer in the firm has a conflict, a lawyer associated in the participating lawyer's law firm may represent a client adverse to the limited representation client. Rule 1.10 does not apply and the conflict is not imputed to the participating lawyer's firm. While Rule 6.5 dispenses with the need for the volunteer lawyers to conduct conflicts checks before providing short-term limited legal services to a customer, the rule does not govern conflicts that may arise after a volunteer lawyer has provided short-term limited legal services to a customer and is thereafter asked to undertake representation by an adversary in the same or substantially related matter.
6. Does Rule 6.5 apply to participation in a program described in (2) or (3)?
Rule 6.5 does not apply unless the services provided are "short-term limited legal services." As stated previously, much of the activity you describe does not constitute "short-term limited legal services" subject to Rule 6.5. However, if the volunteer assists the pro se litigant in the completion of form legal documents or sample pleadings or gives legal advice in the completion of legal forms, such activity is considered "short-term limited legal services" subject to Rule 6.5.
If the Facilitator is a paralegal rather than a lawyer, the paralegal's assistance may not include the unsupervised preparation of pleadings or other legal documents, nor may the paralegal without supervision assist the pro se litigant in the preparation of sample form pleadings or other legal documents. See UPL Op. 207 (2005) (non-lawyer assistance to the general public in the completion of form documents or the providing of legal advice concerning the completion of forms is the unauthorized practice of law).13 Therefore, the lawyers participating in the FCSHC may not train a paralegal to provide unsupervised services that constitute the unauthorized practice of law. LEO 1792, Rule 5.5(c).
(c) the pro se litigant should obtain further assistance, if needed, from another lawyer outside the center or session."?
If the lawyer's participation in the FCSHC creates a "short-term limited legal relationship" or a client-lawyer relationship subject to Rule 6.5, it would not be improper for the participating lawyer to have the client acknowledge in writing limitations on the scope of the representation including that (a) the scope of the representation is limited to the services provided in the session or center; (b) the relationship does not continue after the session or center assistance is concluded; and (c) the pro se litigant should obtain further assistance, if needed, from another lawyer outside the center or session. See Rule 1.2(b).
8. If guidelines were established for attorney volunteers distinguishing between information and legal advice, such as those attached, would that make a difference in the answer to question 4?
1 An Analysis of Rules That Enable Lawyers to Serve Pro Se Litigants, ABA Standing Committee on the Delivery of Legal Services (November 2009) at 4 at http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/migrated/legalservices/delivery/downloads/prose_white_paper.authcheckdam.pdf ("ABA Report") citing Self-Represented Litigants and Court Legal Services Responses to Their Needs: What We Know, by John Greacen (undated), at http://www.lri.lsc.gov/pdf/02/020045_selfrep_litigants&whatweknow.pdf, reporting on an internal analysis of four California counties, where 91.1 percent of small claims and 81.1 of landlord/tenant proceedings went forward with at least one pro se litigant. See also No Time for Justice: A Study of Chicago Eviction Court, by the Chicago Lawyers Committee for Better Housing and the Chicago-Kent College of Law Class of 2004 Honors Scholar (December 2003), finding that in 96 percent of observed eviction cases at least one party was unrepresented.
2 Courts in Washington, California and Florida use courthouse facilitators who assist with detailed procedural information and form preparation on a one-to-one basis. Other courts have established desks staffed by volunteer lawyers who provide similar individual information. Several courts have self-help centers, following a model originated in the Maricopa County branch of the Superior Court of Arizona. These centers or kiosks provide forms, packets of information and sometimes, technological tools to provide directions and answers for an array of procedural questions. State courts also provide extensive information through the Internet. Many courts provide downloadable forms and a few incorporate document assembly tools so that litigants can either fill in the forms online or answer questions that are used to assemble the forms needed for the litigant's matter. See ABA Report, supra, n.1at 5.
3 Given the limited scope of the services in this hypothetical the disclosure of confidential information is likely to be minimal.
4 Authorities have long distinguished between providing "legal information" and giving "legal advice." See Virginia Legal Ethics Op. 1577 (1995) and Va. UPL Op. 185 (1995)(concluding bankruptcy legal information hotline staffed by non-lawyers is not "practicing law" but recommending disclaimer that the information provided "is not legal advice."); Va. UPL Op. 131 (1989) (non-attorneys may provide general information about legal matters (i.e. religious freedom) to members of the general public through seminars, publications, responses to letters, and telephone inquiries); Va. UPL Op. 104 (1987) (Committee approved of an attorney licensed in a foreign jurisdiction publishing articles containing general legal information in a Virginia newspaper stating that "general legal information is distinguished from specific legal advice to specific clients with regard to their respective problems."); Va. LEO 1368 (1990) (lawyer-mediator who provides legal information not legal advice to disputants is not per se engaged in the practice of law). For a detailed and thorough analysis of the difference between "legal information" and "legal advice" see Report: Unauthorized Practice of Law Guidelines for Virginia Mediators at http://www.courts.state.va.us/courtadmin/aoc/djs/programs/drs/mediation/resources/upl_guidelines.pdf (last checked December 18, 2012).
5 In Va. Legal Ethics Op. 1761 (2002) this Committee concluded that it would not be improper for a legal aid office to assist pro se litigants who did not qualify for legal services by providing sample pleadings and forms where no legal advice is given.
6 In regard to providing general legal information see note 4, supra. See also, Va. UPL Op. 73 (1985) (It is not the unauthorized practice of law for a non-lawyer to prepare form documents such as wills, leases, power-of-attorney, bills of sales for sale for the general public. It is, however, the unauthorized practice of law for a non-lawyer to give assistance to the general public in the completion of such forms or to render any legal advice concerning the completion of the forms.); New York Lawyers' Assn. v. Dacey, 287 N.Y.S.2d 422, 21 N.Y.2d 694, 234 N.E.2d 459 (N.Y. Ct. App. 1967) (publication of book How to Avoid Probate and multitude of forms for all manner of legal situations is a commonplace activity and their use by the Bar and public in general; and conjoining of the text and the forms with advice as to how the forms should be filled out does not constitute the unlawful practice of law).
7 See also Va. UPL Op. 207 (2005) (preparation of warrants in debt and other forms necessary for pro se representation by non-lawyer is unauthorized practice of law) (2005); Va. Legal Ethics Op. 1803 (2005) (attorney serving as institutional attorney at a state prison pursuant to Va. Code §53.1-40 has an attorney-client relationship with at least some of the inmates receiving assistance, based on the legal advice or services provided in those instances).
1. One undertakes for compensation, direct or indirect, to advise another, not his regular employer, in any matter involving the application of legal principles to facts or purposes or desires.
2. One, other than as a regular employee acting for his employer, undertakes, with or without compensation, to prepare for another legal instruments of any character, other than notices or contracts incident to the regular course of conducting a licensed business.
3. One undertakes, with or without compensation, to represent the interest of another before any tribunal - judicial, administrative, or executive - otherwise than in the presentation of facts, figures, or factual conclusions, as distinguished from legal conclusions, by an employee regularly and bona fide employed on a salary basis, or by one specially employed as an expert in respect to such facts and figures when such representation by such employee or expert does not involve the examination of witnesses or preparation of pleadings.
9 See note 4, supra.
10 As a practical matter, if the participant and volunteer/facilitator both sign off on the Customer Agreement a record will be made, and a "client list" can be easily made by a compilation of the agreements. The Committee assumes that the program will retain these agreements in case questions, concerns, misunderstandings or complaints are made about the services provided or the agreements under which they were provided.
11 Even if the participating lawyer declines the representation because he or she knows of a conflict, it would behoove that lawyer to make a record of the declination in case the issue is raised later.
12 The Rules of Professional Conduct do not mandate that a lawyer keep a "conflict list" or a list of persons he or she has represented. However, as a practical matter, such lists are often the only means by which conflicts can be detected.
13 "The only assistance that a social worker, or any non-lawyer may provide to a pro se litigant to complete form legal documents is direct translation of the document (if the litigant does not speak or read English) to the litigant's native language, direct transcription, or direct transcription and translation to English, of information necessary to complete forms as dictated by the litigant. The social worker may also provide general administrative instructions such as how and where and when to file the forms with the appropriate court/tribunal." UPL Op. 207 (2005).
14 John M. Greachen, Legal information vs. legal advice—Developments during the last five years, American Judicature Society, located at http://www.ajs.org/prose/pro_greacen.asp (last checked December 19, 2012); Legal Information vs. Legal Advice: Guidelines and Instructions for Clerks and Court Personnel Who Work with Self-Represented Litigants in Texas State Courts, Texas Courts Online located at http://www.courts.state.tx.us/pubs/LegalInformationVSLegalAdviceGuidelines.pdf (last checked December 12, 2012). To take a quiz on questions that seek legal advice versus legal information see Pro Profs Quizmaker: Legal Advice vs. Legal Information at http://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/story.php?title=legal-advice-vs-legal-information (last checked on Dec 19, 2012); Legal Information vs. Legal Advice: A Curriculum for Court Employees, National Center for State Courts (May 2002) at https://www.ncsconline.org/d_icm/programs/cedp/papers/Research_Papers_2002/ICM_Legal_InfoLegal_Advice.pdf; Legal Information vs. Legal Advice: Guidelines and Instructions for Court Staff Who Work With Self-Represented Litigants in Utah's State Courts, Prepared by the Education Subcommittee of the Utah Judicial Council Standing Committee on Resources for Self-Represented Parties (April 2010) at http://www.co.washington.or.us/LawLibrary/upload/TF_Utah_Legal_Info-v-Advise.pdf; May I help you? Legal Advice vs. Legal Information: A Resource Guide for Court Clerks, Judicial Council of California, Administrative Office of the Courts and the Access and Fairness Advisory Committee (June 2004) at http://lri.lsc.gov/legal-representation/pro-se/articles-publications/may-i-help-you-legal-advice-vs-legal-information-resource-guide-court-clerks.


Airing in recent days on GSN were the finals of the $50,000 buy-in Full Tilt Doubles Poker Championship. Offering a unique team concept, the Doubles Poker Championship final table was down to three teams when the one-hour episode, which aired last Saturday, kicked off. Howard Lederer and Phil Gordon paced the group with a stack of one million, while Huck Seed and Allen Cunningham boasted a stack of 672,000 and were in second place. The low men on the totem pole were arguably the two most feared players at the final table, Chris Ferguson and Phil Ivey, who began with 324,000 in chips.
Lederer and Gordon were up just over 2:1 in chips entering heads-up play against Seed and Cunningham. At stake were a $1 million grand prize and a $500,000 consolation prize; despite the stakes, the two teams went at it rather quickly. Cunningham committed his team's chips with K-9 on a board of K-9-2-J for two pair, while an aggressive Gordon tabled K-4 for top pair. Gordon and Lederer were drawing to a jack on the river for a chop, but a six hit to double up Seed and Cunningham.
Then, on a board of 6-4-3-8, Seed led out for a pot-sized bet of 160,000 with A-4 for a pair of fours and Lederer shipped his chips in with Q-8 for top pair. Seed folded and told Cunningham that he meant to bet 80,000, or half of the pot, but accidentally put out double that amount. The hand marked the second "live misclick" for Seed, a heads-up guru, and his team suffered a setback as a result.
Then, disaster struck for Gordon and Lederer. Seed and Cunningham were once again all-in, this time with A-5 against Lederer and Gordon's 10-9. After the first four cards came A-3-Q-Q, Lederer and Gordon were drawing dead to the river and fell to 2:1 underdogs in chips.
On the final hand of the inaugural Full Tilt Doubles Poker Championship, Cunningham slyly just called before the flop with pocket jacks and Gordon raised to 160,000 with A-K of hearts. Cunningham re-raised all-in and Gordon insta-called for his stack to set up the defining hand of the tournament. The board came 6-2-3-8-10 and Seed and Cunningham were crowned the victors. Each took home a Doubles Poker Championship trophy and banked a total of $1 million.
Cunningham told Jones and viewers at home that the heads-up match was far from a walk in the park: "They played aggressively and just kept us from being able to chip away at them easily." All six players on the final three teams are sponsored pros at Full Tilt Poker, the industry's second largest online poker site. No announcement has been made by GSN as to whether a second cycle of the Doubles Poker Championship will be shown.


text:
package org.geneticmachine.navigation.generators

import org.geneticmachine.navigation._

import scala.util.Random

final case class RandomWalkGenerator(lineLenDelta: Int, minLineLen: Int)
                                    (size: Point) extends LabyrinthGenerator {

  override def toString: String = s"RandomWalkGenerator(line: $minLineLen - ${minLineLen + lineLenDelta}, " +
    s"size: ${size.x}x${size.y})"

  def apply(): (Labyrinth, RobotPosition, Point) = {
    val Point(rows, cols) = size
    val lab = Labyrinth.occupied(rows, cols)

    val start = Point(0, (cols - 1) / 2)
    val goal = Point(rows - 1, (cols - 1)/ 2)

    def gen(lab: Labyrinth, p: Point, goal: Point): Labyrinth = {
      if (p != goal) {
        val len = Random.nextInt(lineLenDelta) + minLineLen
        val direction = Direction.directions(Random.nextInt(4))
        val newP = line(lab, p, len, direction)
        gen(lab, newP, goal)
      } else {
        lab
      }
    }

    (gen(lab, start, goal), RobotPosition(start, Direction.North), goal)
  }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Australia in the World this Week
This episode looks at the recent leaders' meetings at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the US-China trade war and the state of the Australian aid program in the context of the Sulawesi earthquake and tsunami.
The analysis of recent events opens with a focus on the recent leaders' meetings at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. Donald Trump made the most headlines by bringing his "America First" doctrine to the heart of global multilateralism, and Darren asks about the extent to which we should attach any significance to this fact. The discussion turns to Australia, and new Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne's UNGA speech and its contrast with Trump. While she was in New York, Senator Payne also met with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi, hopefully advancing the "reset" in bilateral relations that was kicked off by former Prime Minister Turnbull. Finally, Allan and Darren discuss New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's "baby diplomacy" in New York and the genuine soft power success it represents.
Discussion then turns to the trade war between the US and China, which escalated in September with a fresh round of tariffs being imposed by both sides. Darren elects to play devil's advocate, posing three arguments to Allan for why the trade war might actually be positive for Australia's interests: one economic, one strategic, and one political. Allan dismisses each in turn.
Finally, against the background of the recent earthquake and tsunami that has devastated the Indonesian island of Sulawesi and particularly the city of Palu, Darren and Allan briefly take stock of the current state of the Australian aid program, given the downgrading of the portfolio from a ministerial position.
Allan Gyngell AO FAIIA is National President of the Australian Institute of International Affairs and an Honorary Professor at the ANU's College of Asia and the Pacific.
Dr Darren Lim is a Lecturer in the School of Politics and International Relations at the Australian National University.
Allan and Darren would like to thank the people who helped make this possible, in particular: AIIA interns Stephanie Rowell (research assistant) and Mani Bovell (audio engineer); Martyn Pearce and Maya Bhandari of the Crawford School for technical support; Rory Stenning for composing the theme music; and AIIA National Executive Director Melissa Conley Tyler for her hard work behind the scenes to help make this happen.
Renegotiating the Indonesia-Australia Maritime Boundary Agreement?
By Dr I Made Andi Arsana
This March, Timor Leste and Australia finally came to an agreement on a maritime boundary in the Timor Sea. How might the recent agreement affect the Indonesia-Australia relationship?
Supporting Afghanistan Amid Coronavirus Is In America's Interest
By Maryam Jami
As the US grapples with a worsening economic situation stemming from the Coronavirus pandemic, it should not abandon its commitment to support Afghanistan. Doing so may help America save its position as a global superpower.
11 December: The Week in Australian Foreign Affairs
This week in Australian foreign affairs: the new Foreign Relations Act, Payne's speech at DFAT, the Malaysia-Australia Foreign Ministers' Meeting, the Richardson Review, and more.


text:
Documents of the Senate of the State of New York, Volume 8
By New York (State). Legislature. Senate
STEINWAY TUNNEL LIXE
SUBDIVISION 1.- A two-track underground railroad beginning at 42d street and Broadway in the borough of Manhattan and thence extending easterly under 42d street to the East river; thence continuing easterly under the East river to a point in the borough of Queens near the intersection of Fifth street produced with the bulkhead line; thence continuing easterly under the freight yards of the Long Island Railroad and private property to a point under Fourth street near West avenue; thence continuing easterly under Fourth street to a point therein near Van Alst avenue where a connection can conveniently be made with subdivision II, hereinafter described; provided, however, tliat a portion of the existing railroads in 42d street between Sixth avenue and Broadway may be utilized (Steinway TunnelTimes Square extension; Steinway Tunnel route).
SUBDIVISION II.- A two-track underground railroad beginning at a point in Fourth street near Van Alst avenue at the easterly end of subdivision I, above described and thence curving northeasterly under Fourth street and private property to Van Alst avenue; thence continuing northeasterly across Van Alst avenue, through private property and under Hunters Point avenue to a point in the freight yard of the Long Island Railroad Company; thence continuing northeasterly through said yard to a point therein where the road becomes an elevated railroad; thence continuing northeasterly as two-track elevated railroad over said yard to Davis street; thence continuing northwesterly over and along Davis street to Ely avenue; thence continuing northeasterly over and along Ely avenue to a point therein near Henry street; thence curving northeasterly over Ely avenue and private property to the Queensboro bridge approach; and thence continuing easterly over and along the Queensboro bridge approach and the Queensboro bridge plaza to at or about the Queensboro bridge plaza and Jackson avenue where a connection can conveniently be made with subdivision III and subdivision IV, hereinafter described (Steinway Tunnel and Queensboro Plaza route).
SUBDIVISION III.— A two and three track elevated railroad beginning at or about the Queensboro bridge plaza and Jackson avenue at the easterly end of subdivision II, above described, where a connection can conveniently be made with subdivision I of the Broadway-Fourth Avenue line as described in the contract between the City and the New York Municipal Railway Corporation, and thence curving southeasterly over the Queensboro bridge plaza and crossing over Jackson avenue to the Queens boulevard; thence continuing southeasterly and easterly over and along the Queens boulevard to a point at or near Gosman avenue; thence curving northeasterly over Queens boulevard to Greenpoint avenue; thence continuing northeasterly over and along Greenpoint avenue to Skillman avenue; and thence continuing over and along Skillman avenue to a point at or near Fifth street where a connection can conveniently be made with subdivision V, hereinafter described (59th Street, Woodside and Astoria route, section 36-A).
SUBDIVISION IV.-A two and three-track elevated railroad beginning at or about the Queensboro bridge plaza and Jackson avenue at the easterly end of subdivision II, above described, where a connection can conveniently be made with subdivision I of the Broadway-Fourth Avenue line as described in a contract between the City and the New York Municipal Railway Corporation, and thence curving northeasterly over the Queensboro bridge plaza to a point in Jackson avenue at or near Skillman place; thence continuing northeasterly over and along Jackson avenue to Second (formerly Debevoise) avenue; and thence continuing northerly over and along Second avenue to Ditmars avenue (59th Street, Wooside and Astoria route, section 36-B).
SUBDIVISION V.- A two and three track elevated railroad beginning at a point in Skillman avenue at or near Fifth street at the easterly end of subdivision III, above described and thence extending in a general easterly direction over Skillman avenue and Woodside avenue to Roosevelt avenue as the same is laid down on the map or plan of the city of New York, and thence continuing easterly over and along Roosevelt avenue as laid down upon said map or plan to Sycamore avenue (Roosevelt Avenue route).
WHITE PLAINS ROAD LINE
A two and three track elevated railroad beginning at a point in Boston road in the borough of The Bronx about halfway between East 178th street and East 179th street where a connection can conveniently be made with the existing railroads constructed under Contract No. 1, and thence extending over Boston road, private property, East 179th street, Bronx street, private property, the Bronx river, private property, Devoe avenue, East 179th street and private property to a point in private property in the block bounded by Devoe avenue, Lebanon street, Bronx Park avenue and East 179th street; thence continuing northeasterly over private property, Lebanon street and private property to a point in Bronx Park avenue between Lebanon street and East 180th street; thence curving northeasterly over Bronx Park avenue and private property to a point in East 180th street between Bronx Park avenue and Morris Park avenue; thence continuing still northeasterly over East 180th street, private property, Adams street, private property, Bronx Park avenue and private property to a point in private property north of Bronx Park avenue between Bronx park and the tracks of the New York, Westchester and Boston Railway; thence continuing northerly over private property between Bronx park and the tracks of the New York, Westchester and Boston Railway to Unionport road; thence continuing northerly over Unionport road and private property to Birchall avenue; thence continuing northerly over and along Birchall avenue to White Plains road; and thence continuing northerly over and along White Plains road to its intersection with East 241st street or Becker avenue (Boston Road and White Plains Road connection; West Farms Road and White Plains Road route).
Though all the above routes are to be constructed and owned by the city, the Company agreed to contribute one half of the cost of construction of the new lines. It was estimated that the new lines would cost about $116,000,000, exclusive of equipment, of which the Interborough is to contribute $58,000,000, $3,000,000 being allowed to it for the Steinway tunnel already constructed, and to be ceded to the city. In addition, the Company is to equip the new lines at its own expense, the cost of the equipment being estimated at about $22,000,000, so that the Company's contribution for the construction and equipping of the new lines is to aggregate $80,000,000.
The agreement provides that the earnings of the old and the new lines operated by the Interborough and owned by the City should be pooled, and distributed in the following manner:
1. To the City the rentals required to be paid under Contracts Nos. 1 and 2, namely, interest on the bonds issued for the existing subway, and one per cent into a sinking fund for the redemption of such bonds. Such rentals to continue through the life of the new contract, also such rentals actually payable by the Company for the use of other property in connection with the system as are not included in operating expenses.
2. Taxes and governmental charges of every description in connection with the system, including such assessments for benefits as are ·not properly chargeable to costs of construction or cost of equipment.
3. All expenses exclusive of maintenance actually and necessarily incurred in the operation of the system.
4. Twelve per cent of the gross revenue for maintenance, exclusive of depreciation. Maintenance is to include repair and replacement of tracks, and parts of construction and equipment units, but not the principal parts of the structure and equipment.
5. For the first year of operation an amount equal to five per cent of the gross revenue for depreciation of such portions as are not retired or replaced through expenditure for maintenance; thereafter as determined.
6. $6,335,000 to be retained by the Company as representing the annual average income from the operation of the existing railroads."
7. An amount equal to six per cent of the Company's contribution toward the cost of construction and equipment for initial operation (such contribution not to exceed $80,000,000). Out of this payment the company must set aside amounts sufficient with interest and accretion to amortize its contribution within the terms of the lease.
8. If additional equipment is provided the Company is to retain an amount equal to the annual interest on the cost of such equipment together with one per cent on the cost of the equipment to be paid into a sinking fund to be invested for the amortization of the same.
9. If the Company shall share in the cost of construction of later additions to the system, the Company is to retain an amount equal to the annual interest upon such cost plus one per cent for amortization,
10. The City is to be paid 8.76 per cent on its contribution towards the cost of its construction of the new lines.
11. In the event of construction of additional lines, the city is to receive the annual interest on the cost of such new lines plus one per cent for amortization.
12. One per cent of the gross revenue is to be paid into a separate fund under the control of a depreciation board, to be invested and re-invested to provide for a contingent reserve fund. The contingent reserve fund is to be accumulated until it reaches one per cent of the cost of construction and equipment, and it is to be maintained at that level. This fund is to be used to meet deficit in operation and for other purposes.
13. The amount remaining after the foregoing deductions is to be divided equally between the City and the Company.
The Company is to operate the new lines in connection with the existing subway as one system for a single five-cent fare. The lease under Contract No. 1, which expires October 27, 1954, with the privilege of renewal for 25 years, and the lease under Contract No. 2, which expires May 1, 1943, with a like privilege, are modified and extended until December 31, 1965, so that all leases may expire together. It is provided, however, that the lease of the new line under Contract No. 3, may be terminated by the city at any time after 10 years from commencement of operation thereunder, and in that event the Company is to receive a percentage of its contribution for the cost of the construction of such lines, together with the cost of equipment as set forth in a schedule beginning with 115 per cent of its contribution to be paid after 10 years, and decreasing by one-thirty-ninth of such percentage for every year that the contract is in force after 10 years from the beginning of operation. If the lease continues to the end of its term, December 31, 1965, then the City is to take over the road and equipment of the entire system free of cost. The Company is required to equip and operate portions of the new line when the Commission shall declare them ready for operation. Provision is made for the temporary equipment and operation of the Steinway tunnel, pending its reconstruction and completion, and for the giving of free transfers at 42d street and Park avenue between the Steinway tunnel and the Subway. The Company agrees to equip and operate ex: tensions which may hereafter be constructed as component parts of the system, if such extensions are accepted by it, and if not accepted, then it agrees to operate such extensions on the following terms:
From the gross receipts of the extensions the following deductions are to be made.
1. All expenses of administration, maintenance and operation, including taxes.
2. An amount to be retained by the Company equal to the annual interest payable on the cost of the additional equipment used on the extension, plus one per cent for amortization,
3. A similar amount to be paid to the City upon the cost of construction of the extensions.
4. A similar amount to be paid to the City upon the cost of construction of additions to the extensions.
The agreement provides that if the revenue from the extensions shall be insufficient to pay these charges, the Company may deduct such deficit from the revenues from the entire system prior to the payment to the City. If the revenue from the entire system is not sufficient 10 meet the deficit, the lease of the extension may cease, or the Company may continue its operation and the deficits shall be cumulative. In case the revenue of the extension meets all the charges then it is to become a part of the original system and to be operated as such.
In case of the termination of the lease for the new lines prior to the expiration thereof, the Company agrees to a modification of Contracts Nos. 1 and 2 for the exchange of legs of the present subway, so as to enable the City to take over a complete east side line or a complete west side line without taking over the entire system. This may be effected by the City taking the portion of the existing subway extending from 42d street and Broadway in Manhattan to Atlantic avenue Brooklyn, leased under Contracts Nos. 1 and 2, and substituting in its place the Seventh avenue branch leased under Contract No. 3, or by the City taking the portion of the existing subway-elevated road from 42d street and Broadway in Manhattan to the Bronx, leased under Contract No. 1, and substituting in its place the Lexington avenue branch, leased under Contract No. 3.
The City reserves trackage rights for the New York Municipal Railway Corporation (the Company with which a contract was executed on the same day for the operation of other lines of the dual system located principally in Brooklyn) on the portions of the Steinway Tunnel line covered by subdivisions 3, 4, 5, and of extensions thereof. Trackage rights are also reserved to the Interborough Rapid Transit Company as lessee of the Manhattan Railway Company to the portion of the Lexington Avenue branch covered by subdivision 2, to the White Plains Road line and to


Panote Sirivadhanabhakdi, youngest son of Thai billionaire Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi, accepted the 2018 Thailand Real Estate Personality of the Year award at the 13th annual PropertyGuru Thailand Property Awards gala dinner held at The Athenee Hotel, a Luxury Collection hotel, Bangkok.
The prestigious honour was presented by the editors of PropertyGuru Property Report to the Group CEO of Frasers Property Limited and TCC Assets (Thailand) for being a pioneer of large-scale and master-planned mixed-use communities in the kingdom.
Panote's ventures include the 2017 two-time winner GoldenLand, the country's first LEED platinum mixed-use building at Park Ventures Ecoplex, and the highly anticipated One Bangkok integrated complex.
It is a true honour to be named 2018 Thailand Real Estate Personality of the Year, and to stand alongside the previous recipients who represent leaders and innovators in our industry.
Together all of us have a role and a duty to change the cities where we do business, to make them more liveable, more sustainable, more people centric. Over the last 10 years, my team and I have tried to create developments which set high standards in design, quality and connectivity. We believe we have been successful so far, and looking forward, we have landmark developments such as One Bangkok, The PARQ and Samyan Midrtown already underway.
What I've learned along the way is that creating great projects is never easy. It is hard work. This honour gives my team and me motivation because our efforts have been recognised and appreciated.
My wife has played a key role in my success, together with my family, she gives me clarity, perspective, love and support. I have also been very fortunate to grow up, guided by the personal philosophies of my parents, seeing them build a business first hand – I've seen theirtenacity, their resilience in the difficult times, their commitment to help others and society. In many ways, this honour reflects what my family and parents have taught me, and how I try to lead my life, to lead my business, every day.
To whom do you dedicate this special honour from PropertyGuru Property Report editors?
I am very thankful to all of my team whose ideas, hard work and commitment enables me to stand here today.
I would like to dedicate this honour to my parents, as I said it is their sincerity and personal philosophy to balance work and life, to balance the role of the company with the welfare of its staff and the community. It is these guiding ideals that have helped me to be an effective leader, develop a strong understanding of the local Thai market, and when we expanded internationally, with Frasers Property. They have imparted on me the importance of always learning, always thinking of others, always moving forward.
Why do you believe in masterplanned mixed-use communities?
The reasons we have cities are the same reasons that mixed-use developments are successful. People work best when we are together. A mixed-use development brings together more people, building more connections brings together ideas, it creates new opportunities and that leads to ways to collaborate and innovate. Mixed-use creates greater economic growth and jobs, and because of the size, mixed-use developments increases efficiency and sustainability due to economies of scale. By creating a single place where people can work, shop, eat, stay, see art, work out or relax without ever needing to travel, more than anything it creates time.
We believe that the fully integrated mixed-use district is a game changer for the modern business and the modern way of life here in Bangkok because it creates time and a better quality of life.
We have 3 major developments underway all in the Bangkok CBD. The PARQ, on the corner of Rachada/Rama IV, Samyan Midrtown, and One Bangkok opposite Lumphini Park. When you combine our three new projects all on the Rama IV innovation corridor along with existing developments and the transport infrastructure, there is a major network effect, enabling the Rama IV and Bangkok to emerge as a leading business gateway to the entire ASEAN region.
Always be learning. Listen first, then speak. Surround yourself with good people. Be willing to take risks and challenge yourself. Stay positive. Make work enjoyable. Try to set a good example. Be a positive force for good in the community. Most of all, be inclusive – I believe every single member of the team is equally valuable and has a role to play in the success of the company.
How will you inspire the next generation of real estate leaders in Thailand?
I believe the biggest source of inspiration for the next generation is seeing the impossible made possible. When our chairman, my father Khun Charoen, entrusted me and my team to oversee the development of One Bangkok, the task seems so big, the scale of the project is unprecedentedand is the largest private sector development ever undertaken in Thailand. The land's heritageis so important, opposite Lumphini Park and even the name of the road Wireless Road, comes from our site where the first radio station mast was originally located.
It may seem impossible to imagine now what our city will be like once One Bangkok is complete. But I believe that what we are creating has been thought through at a level not seen here before. We will set new standards in design and sustainability. We will include smart city innovations, cultural experience and our Thai heritage throughout the development.
Yes, it is a big responsibility but it is also my hope that each of our projects, and especially One Bangkok, can inspire the next generation of real estate leaders and innovators, to enhance our country on the world stage, and to showcase what Thais are capable of when we try to achieve the impossible. During the design and construction process we are constantly looking and finding new, better ways to do things. Sharing that process and those innovations we hope can inspire the next generation to also attempt the impossible themselves.


Mark your calendars: The week of 10/20 will be heretofore known as Pet Week, where Fast Company will explore the business, technology, innovation, adorableness, and oddness of humans keeping animals for work and companionship.
And is it your office dog?
*A photo of your office dog.
*The name of the dog.
*Rationale for winning. This could be a productivity tip, the time your dog helped win over a client, really any story that demonstrates top dog-ness. Please keep these statements to 100 words or less.
Bracket voting will begin on Monday, 10/20 so we'll need entrants by Wednesday, 10/15. The Top Dog will be chosen by Fast Company staff and a guest judge–Twitter's own animal expert, @darth. Please spread the word! America's Top Office Dog is out there. Prize TBA.


Just in time for fall…new Stormy Kromer!
Cardis, Sweaters and Ponchos, oh my! Stop in to see all out new fall sweater collection, by Woolrich, Rochelle, Aventurs, Desigual, Tommy Bahama and many more.
Navy duster by ONE A, Patterned hooded cardigan by Keren Hart, Poncho by Accessories Now!


It was announced yesterday that the 31-year-old, an Italian worldwide defender who was the captain of Fiorentina, had passed away after a "sudden illness".
The defender's body was discovered in his hotel room when he failed to join players for breakfast at their hotel just before their match in Udine, in northeast Italy.
Fiorentina's game was called off in the morning.
Italian prosecutors have revealed they have opened an investigation into the possibility Davide Astori's sudden death was linked to manslaughter.
"He was a fantastic guy - a great player but especially a fantastic guy".
CLAUDIO RANIERI mourned the death of countryman Davide Astori during yesterday's 1-1 draw with Marseille.
"It is odd that such a thing should happen to a professional who is so closely monitored without there being any warning signs".
Federation Internationale de Football Association and UEFA paid tribute to "a great player and great man" while Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester City and Bayern Munich were among the foreign clubs to send their condolences to Astori's family.
Fiorentina President Andre Della Valle told reporters that Astori had been due to sign a new contract with the club on Monday that would have kept him in Florence for the rest of his playing career.
All of Sunday's Serie A and Serie B matches were postponed as a sign of mourning. "He was only 31 and it's very hard to explain this situation". He played 14 times for Italy.
All matches in Italy's top league were cancelled.
This included loan spells at Roma and Fiorentina before his permanent move.
Italy visit Wembley later this month for a friendly with England and the Football Association has said it will honour Astori, saying it was "truly saddened" by the news.
Matteo Renzi, a former mayor of Florence and now leader of the Democrat Party in Sunday's Italian election, tweeted: "This seems to me impossible".
"You were the best expression of an old-fashioned world, one that people have left behind, with values like altruism, elegance, politeness and respect towards others".
"Congratulations indeed, you were one of the best sports figures I came across".
Nearly at the stroke, he rolled into a follow up sentence with the confession: "I've never lost this many games on the trot". Arsenal's next big test is against AC Milan in a clash of the old European heavyweights, in the UEFA Europa League .
The tribal council area comprises two-third of the state's territory and the tribals form one-third of the population. State BJP chief Mahendra Nath Pandey also attributed the party's performance to the Prime Minister and Shah.
A gunman who attacked the military headquarters was wearing the uniform of the national army, according to a security source . Burkina Faso's army has released the names of the eight members of the security force who were killed in the attacks.