Was God a Designer?

Architectural Digest 2006 Home Design Show - Part 1 of 3

I would for nothing in this world miss my weekly Tune-Up Zohar consciousness class at the Kabbalah center in New York. The last few Parshots (weekly Torah, five books of Moses, portions), Terumah and Tetzaveh have dealt with God’s specific projects of design respectively of arch and adornments of the Cohen Hagadol (High Priest).

“ The people of Israel are called upon to contribute fifteen materials gold, silver and copper; blue dyed wool; flax, goat hair, animal skins, wood, olive oil, spices and gems — out of which, God says to Moses, blue, purple, and crimson wool; linen and goat hair ;
5. Ram skins dyed red, tachash skins, and acacia wood;
6. Oil for lighting, spices for the anointing oil and for the incense;
7. Shoham stones and filling stones for the ephod and for the choshen.
8. And they shall make me a sanctuary and I will dwell in their midst 9. According to all that I show you, the pattern of the Mishkan and the pattern of all its vessels; and so shall you do.
10. They shall make an ark of acacia wood, two and a half cubits its length, a cubit and a half its width, and a cubit and a half its height.
11. And you shall overlay it with pure gold; from inside and from outside you shall overlay it, and you shall make upon it a golden crown all around.
12. And you shall cast four golden rings for it, and you shall place them upon its four corners, two rings on its one side, and two rings on its other side.
13. And you shall make poles of acacia wood and you shall overlay them with gold. 14. And you shall bring the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry the ark with them.
15. The poles of the ark shall be in the rings; they shall not be removed from it.
16. And you shall place into the ark the testimony, which I will give you.

After this detailed instruction Abe, my teacher started elaborating his thoughts out loud…
“ Can you imagine? A brand whose name could be “Designed by God” ?” (I have always been as an outside observer a ferocious fan of the Rav Berg’s Kabbalah Center powerful marketing strategic thinking and techniques) so I decided to elaborate my own thoughts about this matter by going to what New York has best to offer at this moment in the world of design. Maybe a “Designed by God “ sticker would appear on a couch in the middle of the Pier 99 Architectural digest Home Design exhibit.

As I stroll the red carpet isles I take pictures of spaces that I like best. I notice what really can be said is today’s trend in interior design. Nature. Yes nature. Natural wood, natural fibers, natural way of living… Nature itself was the original plan if I recall in the Bible. I wander why are we being so “creative”. It took us only few thousand years to realize that the original plan was already designed. It looks as we have realized that it’s about time that to be ‘ECO’ conscious is not just trendy, but it is knowing who we really are respecting ourselves by respecting our planet hearth , its trees and water…it’s Nature.

According to the Zohar, God designed furniture that had a specific function in Moses Tabernacle; Design in philosophy refers to purpose, in Teleology (for an end) the supposition that there is design, purpose, directive principle, or finality in the works and processes of nature.

Are we therefore finally aware that, by creating a process of originating and developing a plan for a new object like a wool woven carpet in Tibet or the last technological plasma TV in Japan, we are just a part of a bigger and final plan or proposal?

The answer to the former question refers to the fact that many issues like child labor exploitation in Asia; rainforest destruction, and industrial pollution should no longer be involved in the process of an object reaching our home. This is why, in an exhibition like the Architectural Digest and many others nowadays there is a growing industry trend within the field of architecture, construction and interior design of what is called Green Design also referred as “Sustainable design” or “Eco-Design.”

The brand’s master plan “Designed by God” principle mentioned by my Kabbalah teacher is in fact fairly simple and, in my opinion, after strolling at the fair, the choice of design purpose whenever possible, should be energy efficient. In harmony with the natural features and resources surrounding the project itself the use of the materials should be of out of sustainability growth and recycling from new renewable resources thus reducing waste of energy and material rather than new ones

I know we are not there yet, but in the world of design for 2006 like at the times of Moses’s Tabernacle, the trend and the desire, for sure, are here to stay.

Joelle Lifestyle - The World at Home

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