Gilgul/Reincarnation in Sefer Habahir, Zohar and Lurianic Kabbalah
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The Jews in Italy: Their Contribution to the Development and Difusion of Jewish Heritage
Yaron Harel, Mauro Perani, eds. The Jews in Italy: Their Contribution to the Development and Difusion of Jewish Heritage. Brookline: Academic Studies Press, 2019. 444 pp. $129.00, cloth, ISBN 978-1-64469-026-0. Reviewed by Howard Adelman (Queen's University) Published on H-Judaic (June, 2020) Commissioned by Barbara Krawcowicz (Jagiellonian University) This collection of articles presents the pro‐ and early on had a presence in the south of the ceedings of a conference on the Jews of Italy held peninsula, where, according to Yaron Silverstein, it in 2011 at Bologna University, in conjunction with flourished under the influence of Jewish traditions Bar Ilan University and the Italian Association for from Palestine and Babylonia. There it would con‐ the Study of Judaism. Most of the twenty-two arti‐ tinue to be impacted by Arab, Spanish, and French cles represent new voices in the study of Italian culture. Jewry from Italy and Israel. The articles and their The Italian Jewish communities in the north notes provide a good opportunity to survey the re‐ developed in the course of the fifteenth and six‐ cent scholarship on Italian Jewry, despite the fact teenth centuries after the forced conversions, in‐ —or maybe due to the fact—that several of the ar‐ quisition, and expulsions of the Jews of the Iberian ticles are very technical and present untranslated peninsula and Spanish foreign holdings, including passages and terms. Although the articles do not territories in the south of the Italian peninsula, es‐ reflect consistency in editing and translation, indi‐ pecially Naples. Italian Jewry continued to expand vidually and collectively they provide valuable in‐ after the expulsions and exoduses of Jews from formation and analysis about the current state of French territories, the northern Tzorfatim, and the research of Italian Jewry in particular and in the southern Provencalim, as described by Shimon context of Jewish studies in general. -
Moses Hayim Luzzatto's Quest for Providence
City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works All Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects 10-2014 'Like Iron to a Magnet': Moses Hayim Luzzatto's Quest for Providence David Sclar Graduate Center, City University of New York How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/380 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: [email protected] “Like Iron to a Magnet”: Moses Hayim Luzzatto’s Quest for Providence By David Sclar A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty in History in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy The City University of New York 2014 © 2014 David Sclar All Rights Reserved This Manuscript has been read and accepted by the Graduate Faculty in History in satisfaction of the Dissertation requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Prof. Jane S. Gerber _______________ ____________________________________ Date Chair of the Examining Committee Prof. Helena Rosenblatt _______________ ____________________________________ Date Executive Officer Prof. Francesca Bregoli _______________________________________ Prof. Elisheva Carlebach ________________________________________ Prof. Robert Seltzer ________________________________________ Prof. David Sorkin ________________________________________ Supervisory Committee iii Abstract “Like Iron to a Magnet”: Moses Hayim Luzzatto’s Quest for Providence by David Sclar Advisor: Prof. Jane S. Gerber This dissertation is a biographical study of Moses Hayim Luzzatto (1707–1746 or 1747). It presents the social and religious context in which Luzzatto was variously celebrated as the leader of a kabbalistic-messianic confraternity in Padua, condemned as a deviant threat by rabbis in Venice and central and eastern Europe, and accepted by the Portuguese Jewish community after relocating to Amsterdam. -
Judaism, Reincarnation, and Theodicy
Faith and Philosophy: Journal of the Society of Christian Philosophers Volume 30 Issue 4 Article 2 10-1-2013 Judaism, Reincarnation, and Theodicy Tyron Goldschmidt Beth Seacord Follow this and additional works at: https://place.asburyseminary.edu/faithandphilosophy Recommended Citation Goldschmidt, Tyron and Seacord, Beth (2013) "Judaism, Reincarnation, and Theodicy," Faith and Philosophy: Journal of the Society of Christian Philosophers: Vol. 30 : Iss. 4 , Article 2. DOI: 10.5840/faithphil201330436 Available at: https://place.asburyseminary.edu/faithandphilosophy/vol30/iss4/2 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at ePLACE: preserving, learning, and creative exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faith and Philosophy: Journal of the Society of Christian Philosophers by an authorized editor of ePLACE: preserving, learning, and creative exchange. JUDAISM, REINCARNATION, AND THEODICY Tyron Goldschmidt and Beth Seacord The doctrine of reincarnation is usually associated with Buddhism, Hindu- ism and other Eastern religions. But it has also been developed in Druzism and Judaism. The doctrine has been used by these traditions to explain the existence of evil within a moral order. Traversing the boundaries between East and West, we explore how Jewish mysticism has employed the doctrine to help answer the problem of evil. We explore the doctrine particularly as we respond to objections against employing it in a theodicy. We show how it supplements traditional punishment, free will and soul-building theodicies, and helps these theodicies avoid various objections. Why is there a righteous person who has good, and [another] righteous person who has evil? This is because the [second] righteous person was wicked previously, and is now being punished. -
The Concept of Infinity (Eyn-Sof ) and the Rise of Theosophical Kabbalah
T HE J EWISH Q UARTERLY R EVIEW, Vol. 102, No. 3 (Summer 2012) 405–430 The Concept of Infinity (Eyn-sof )andthe Rise of Theosophical Kabbalah SANDRA VALABREGUE-PERRY THIS ESSAY DISCUSSES the rise of theosophical Kabbalah in light of the development of the notion of infinity. Arguing that the origin of the theosophic notion of infinity goes back to Sefer yetsirah, I will analyze its applications in early sources and in Sefer yetsirah’s medieval philosophical commentaries up to its theosophical commentaries in Kabbalah. In these theosophical texts we encounter a concept of God as infinite dimension, where emanation is primarily understood as an infinite essence in expan- sion. This essay sets out to demonstrate how this theosophical infinite God has emerged from the multidirectional expansion of the sefirot in Sefer yetsirah. The very movement from the sefirot to God himself and from the cosmological to the theosophical was made possible by two major shifts. The first depends on the understanding of the sefirot as divine, thus as infinite; and the second, in the shift from the multidirectional expansion to a unidirectional and vertical one. This argument leads, therefore, to a new understanding of Eyn-sof and its role in theosophic Kabbalah. It will reflect, as well, upon the relation between Kabbalah and philosophy. After some short methodological remarks, I will examine the concept of Eyn-sof in early Jewish sources and notably in Sefer yetsirah. Then, in order to understand the novelty of theosophical Kabbalah, I will analyze the philosophical interpretations of Eyn-sof in the philosophical commen- taries of Sefer yetsirah. -
A Fresh Perspective on the History of Hasidic Judaism
eSharp Issue 20: New Horizons A Fresh Perspective on the History of Hasidic Judaism Eva van Loenen (University of Southampton) Introduction In this article, I shall examine the history of Hasidic Judaism, a mystical,1 ultra-orthodox2 branch of Judaism, which values joyfully worshipping God’s presence in nature as highly as the strict observance of the laws of Torah3 and Talmud.4 In spite of being understudied, the history of Hasidic Judaism has divided historians until today. Indeed, Hasidic Jewish history is not one monolithic, clear-cut, straightforward chronicle. Rather, each scholar has created his own narrative and each one is as different as its author. While a brief introduction such as this cannot enter into all the myriad divergences and similarities between these stories, what I will attempt to do here is to incorporate and compare an array of different views in order to summarise the history of Hasidism and provide a more objective analysis, which has not yet been undertaken. Furthermore, my historical introduction in Hasidic Judaism will exemplify how mystical branches of mainstream religions might develop and shed light on an under-researched division of Judaism. The main focus of 1 Mystical movements strive for a personal experience of God or of his presence and values intuitive, spiritual insight or revelationary knowledge. The knowledge gained is generally ‘esoteric’ (‘within’ or hidden), leading to the term ‘esotericism’ as opposed to exoteric, based on the external reality which can be attested by anyone. 2 Ultra-orthodox Jews adhere most strictly to Jewish law as the holy word of God, delivered perfectly and completely to Moses on Mount Sinai. -
On the Festivals by Rabbi Yaakov Hillel Rosh Yeshivat Ahavat Shalom
On the Festivals by Rabbi Yaakov Hillel Rosh Yeshivat Ahavat Shalom Maftir Yonah: Far-reaching Repentance Yonah on Yom Kippur As Yom Kippur, the day of repentance and forgiveness, nears its conclusion and the time for Neilah approaches, we read the Book of Yonah, the Maftir following the Torah reading of the Afternoon Prayer. Why did our Sages institute the reading of Yonah at this special time (Megillah 31a)? Clearly, the story of the prophet Yonah and his mission to the Assyrian capital of Nineveh carries an essential message for this critical hour of the holiest day of the year. The obvious reason for reading Yonah before Minhah on Yom Kippur relates to the significance of this day, when Hashem forgives the sins of the Jewish people. Yom Kippur only atones for those who sincerely repent with all their heart and soul; the harsh decrees in store for them are rescinded and their sins are forgiven. This is the message of the Book of Yonah, which teaches us the great power of repentance. The Al-mighty does not want to punish us – He wants us to repent our wrongdoing and return to Him. When we do, He annuls even the most severe of looming Heavenly decrees. However, there is even more to the story of Yonah. Hashem instructed Yonah to go to the non-Jewish city of Nineveh and exhort its residents to repent their many sins. Instead of fulfilling his mission, Yonah attempted to flee by boat to Tarshish. A storm struck, threatening to sink the ship, and Yonah was recognized to be the 1 cause. -
Table of Contents | Shabbat Across Ramah Shiron
Table of Contents | Shabbat across ramah shiron Compiled by camp ramah in new england - Shira Hadracha 2014 Rutie MacKenzie-Margulies, Sarah Young, Hillel Schwarzman, and Jon Hayward -Under the direction of Ellie Deresiewicz יחד - p.3 p. 12 Yachad אחינו – Acheinu כל–העולם כלו - p. 3 p. 13 Kol Ha’Olam Kulo אליך – Elecha לא עליך - p. 3 p. 13 Lo Alecha אם אשכחך - Im Eshkachech מהרה – p. 3 p. 14 Meheira אנא בכח - Ana B’Koach מנוחה ושמחה - p. 4 p. 14 Menucha V’Simcha אני ואתה - Ani V’Ata מפי אל - p. 4 p. 15 Mipi El אני והגלשן שלי - Ani V’HaGalshan Sheli מקלות מים רבים - p. 5 p. 15 Mikolot Mayim Rabim אני נולדתי - Ani Nolad’ti מתחת לשמים - p. 6 p. 16 Mitachat La’Shamayim אשת חיל - Eshet Chayil נחמו - p. 6 p. 16 Nachamu אתה הראת - Ata Hareita עבדו - p. 6 p. 16 Ivdu בלבבי – Bilvavi עוד יבוא שלום - p. 7 p. 17 Od Yavo Shalom בשם ה‘ - Beshem Hashem עוף זלגו - p. 7 p. 18 Uf Gozal בשנה הבאה - Bashana Ha’Ba’ah עושה שלום - p. 7 p. 18 Oseh Shalom דוד מלך - David Melech על כל אלא p. 8 p. 19 Al Kol Eleh דודי לי - Dodi Li ענין של זמן - p. 8 p. 20 Inyan Shel Zman דרור יקרא - D’ror Yikra ערב של שושנים - p. 9 p. 20 Erev Shel Shoshanim דרכנו – Darkeinu פיה פתחה - p. 10 p. 21 Piah Patcha הללויה – Halleluyah רוממו – p. 10 p. 21 Rommemu המלאך – Hamalach צדיק כתמר - p. 11 p.21 Tzadik Katamar והאר עינינו - Vehaer Eineinu צור משלו - p. -
The Bulletin the Bulletin
The Bulletin The Bulletin Summer 2019 [email protected] Vol 20, Issue 2 www.merrickjc.org Winter 2020 [email protected] Vol 21, Issue 4 www.merrickjc.org Page 1 A Chanukah Message Light the Night II: The Return of the Guinness Record I’ll never forget the night when over one thousand of us gathered, each with our own Menorah, ready for the MJC to establish the Guin- ness Record for Most Menorot Lit in the same place at the same time. It was a glorious evening- one which filled us with enormous pride. We left the MJC that night feeling that we had celebrated Chanukah in a way that people all across our country would notice. And they did! The story of our triumph that night was told and retold in the media. How exciting it was to relive that thrill this past Sunday when so many of us joined together on Zoom to light our Menorot. Yes- we set the record once again! This will be a record for the ages. May we be together in person next year, feeling the uplift that is experienced whenever we gather as a community. Throughout Chanukah we’ll each light the Menorah and doing so will connect ourselves and our families spiritually with the great miracles which occurred in the time of the Maccabees. Especially this year, the light of the Menorah inspires us with the memory that even in the darkest of times our people did not succumb to despair. When we see how the Chanukah lights up our homes we understand the enduring meaning of this holiday which has served as a reminder for over 2000 years the great se- cret of Jewish existence has been the faith of our people that the worst moments were but a prelude to a better tomorrow. -
1 Beginning the Conversation
NOTES 1 Beginning the Conversation 1. Jacob Katz, Exclusiveness and Tolerance: Jewish-Gentile Relations in Medieval and Modern Times (New York: Schocken, 1969). 2. John Micklethwait, “In God’s Name: A Special Report on Religion and Public Life,” The Economist, London November 3–9, 2007. 3. Mark Lila, “Earthly Powers,” NYT, April 2, 2006. 4. When we mention the clash of civilizations, we think of either the Spengler battle, or a more benign interplay between cultures in individual lives. For the Spengler battle, see Samuel P. Huntington, The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996). For a more benign interplay in individual lives, see Thomas L. Friedman, The Lexus and the Olive Tree (New York: Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 1999). 5. Micklethwait, “In God’s Name.” 6. Robert Wuthnow, America and the Challenges of Religious Diversity (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2005). “Interview with Robert Wuthnow” Religion and Ethics Newsweekly April 26, 2002. Episode no. 534 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week534/ rwuthnow.html 7. Wuthnow, America and the Challenges of Religious Diversity, 291. 8. Eric Sharpe, “Dialogue,” in Mircea Eliade and Charles J. Adams, The Encyclopedia of Religion, first edition, volume 4 (New York: Macmillan, 1987), 345–8. 9. Archbishop Michael L. Fitzgerald and John Borelli, Interfaith Dialogue: A Catholic View (London: SPCK, 2006). 10. Lily Edelman, Face to Face: A Primer in Dialogue (Washington, DC: B’nai B’rith, Adult Jewish Education, 1967). 11. Ben Zion Bokser, Judaism and the Christian Predicament (New York: Knopf, 1967), 5, 11. 12. Ibid., 375. -
Polish Demons, Yiddish Demonology
Title: Polish Demons, Yiddish Demonology: Kawalerowicz’s Mother Joan of the Angels and The Dybbuk Author: Natalia Vesselova, University of Ottawa In an obituary published in The Independent, John Riley quotes one of the last interviews given by Jerzy Kawalerowicz, where he declares pointedly: “I do not think it possible to find in my work the influence of any school or director.” His films contradict this unpersuasive statement. In my presentation I am going to reveal and analyze the influence exerted on Kawalerowicz’s Mother Joan of the Angels (Matka Joanna od Aniołów, 1961) by Michał Waszyński’s Yiddish-Polish film classic The Dybbuk (Der Dibuk, 1937). In Kawalerowicz’s film, a priest comes to a rabbi (both roles played by the same actor) in search of an answer to the mystery of demons possessing the Ursulines in the local nunnery. The rabbi refuses any revelation, saying that he cannot summarize in a few words the knowledge gained by generations of his forefathers, and admits having no clear explanation of demonic nature. What he tells the priest, though, is the story of his own unsuccessful exorcism of a girl possessed by the spirit of her dead lover. This is an exact reproduction of The Dybbuk’s plot, so that the rabbi himself can be viewed as a character imported from the Jewish film. In addition to the parable of love as diabolical possession, Kawalerowicz borrows from the earlier film’s symbols (the white bridal garments), narrative elements (opening one’s soul to evil spirits voluntarily), and visual effects (chiaroscuro and camera technique). -
Doikayt Jewish Inspiration
Jewish Inspirations for Worldbuilding and Adventuring By Randy Lubin of Diegetic Games Written for Doikayt, an anthology of Jewish storytellingg ames Jewish history, folklore, religion, and mythology can provide wonderful inspiration that you can incorporate into your roleplaying games. The following are adventure hooks, scenarios, minigames, and historical background that you can weave into your sessions or incorporate into a new game that you design. This chapter is far from comprehensive – Jewish culture and tradition is incredibly broad and diverse and we can only exploreasmallportionofithere.Mygoalistogiveyoua sampling from different parts of Jewish traditions and perhaps inspire further research. This guide is written with the intended audience of Jewish players and game designers, and for games where the protagonists are Jewish. If you are not Jewish, tread carefully and avoid using stereotypes during play. European Jews in the Middle Ages Many storytelling games are set in Local leaders would often use Jews as fantastic versions of Europe in the Middle scapegoats for any number of local Ages (roughly 5th-15th century) but they problems including natural disasters and often lack Jewish influence or perspective. the bubonic plague. This would often lead If you’re running a game or building a to pogroms and massacres by their world that’s inspired by the Middle Ages, neighbors. Such antisemitism could peak here are some significant aspects of the with official expulsion of Jews from the Jewish experience that you may want to land, as happened in England (1290), include. France (1394), and Spain (1492). Much of Jewish life in that time was Despite waves of persecution, European shaped by the attitudes and policies of Jews were able to benefit from several local leaders. -
Interpreting Diagrams from the Sefer Yetsirah and Its Commentaries 1
NOTES 1 Word and Image in Medieval Kabbalah: Interpreting Diagrams from the Sefer Yetsirah and Its Commentaries 1. The most notorious example of these practices is the popularizing work of Aryeh Kaplan. His critical editions of the SY and the Sefer ha Bahir are some of the most widely read in the field because they provide the texts in Hebrew and English with comprehensive and useful appendices. However, these works are deeply problematic because they dehistoricize the tradi- tion by adding later diagrams to earlier works. For example, in his edition of the SY he appends eighteenth-century diagrams to later versions of this tenth-century text. Popularizers of kabbalah such as Michael Berg of the Kabbalah Centre treat the Zohar as a second-century rabbinic tract without acknowledging textual evidence to the contrary. See his introduction to the Centre’s translation of the Zohar: P. S. Berg. The Essential Zohar. New York: Random House, 2002. 2. For a variety of reasons, kabbalistic works were transmitted in manuscript form long after other works, such as the Hebrew Bible, the Talmud, and their commentaries were widely available in print. This is true in large part because kabbalistic treatises were “private” works, transmitted from teacher to student. Kabbalistic manuscripts were also traditionally transmitted in manuscript form because of their provenance. The Maghreb and other parts of North Africa were important centers of later mystical activity, and print technology came quite late to these regions, with manuscript culture persisting well into the nineteenth, and even into the mid- twentieth century in some regions.