The Origins of Hasidism
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Book of Zohar ((Itemsitems 666-71).6-71)
The Path of Kabbalah By Rav Michael Laitman PhD The Path of Kabbalah LAITMAN KABBALAH PUBLISHERS By Rav Michael Laitman PhD Executive Editor: Benzion Giertz Editor: Claire Gerus Translation: Chaim Ratz Compilation: Shlomi Bohana Layout: Baruch Khovov Laitman Kabbalah Publishers Website: www.kabbalah.info Laitman Kabbalah Publishers E-mail: [email protected] THE PATH OF KABBALAH Copyright © 2005 by MICHAEL LAITMAN. All rights reserved. Published by Laitman Kabbalah Publishers, 1057 Steeles Avenue West, Suite 532, Toronto, ON, M2R 3X1, Canada. Printed in Canada. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. ISBN: 0-9732315-9-9 FIRST EDITION: DECEMBER 2005 The Path of Kabbalah TA B LE OF CONTEN T S Part One: The Beginning .........................................................................9 Part Two: Phases of Spiritual Evolution ............................................... 70 Part Three: The Structure of the Upper Worlds .................................140 Part Four: Proper Study ...................................................................... 253 Part Five: Religion, Prejudice and Kabbalah ...................................... 306 Part Six: Genesis ................................................................................. 320 Part Seven: The Inner Meaning .......................................................... 333 Detailed Table of Contents ............................................................... -
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. -
The Baal Shem-Toy Ballads of Shimshon Meltzer
THE BAAL SHEM-TOY BALLADS OF SHIMSHON MELTZER by SHLOMO YANIV The literary ballad, as a form of narrative metric composition in which lyric, epic, and dramatic elements are conjoined and whose dominant mood is one of mystery and dread, drew its inspiration from European popular ballads rooted in oral tradition. Most literary ballads are written in a concentrated and highly charged heroic and tragic vein. But there are also those which are patterned on the model of Eastern European popular ballads, and these poems have on the whole a lyrical epic character, in which the horrific motifs ordinarily associated with the genre are mitigated. The European literary ballad made its way into modern Hebrew poetry during its early phase of development, which took place on European soil; and the type of balladic poem most favored among Hebrew poets was the heroico-tragic ballad, whose form was most fully realized in Hebrew in the work of Shaul Tchernichowsky. With the appearance in 1885 of Abba Constantin Shapiro's David melek yifrii.:>e/ f:tay veqayyii.m ("David King of Israel Lives"), the literary ballad modeled on the style of popular ballads was introduced into Hebrew poetry. This type of poem was subsequently taken up by David Frischmann, Jacob Kahan, and David Shimoni, although the form had only marginal significance in the work of these poets (Yaniv, 1986). 1 Among modern Hebrew poets it is Shimshon Meltzer who stands out for having dedicated himself to composing poems in the style of popular balladic verse. These he devoted primarily to Hasidic themes in which the figure and personality of Israel Baal Shem-Tov, the founder of Hasidism, play a prominent part. -
1 Jews, Gentiles, and the Modern Egalitarian Ethos
Jews, Gentiles, and the Modern Egalitarian Ethos: Some Tentative Thoughts David Berger The deep and systemic tension between contemporary egalitarianism and many authoritative Jewish texts about gentiles takes varying forms. Most Orthodox Jews remain untroubled by some aspects of this tension, understanding that Judaism’s affirmation of chosenness and hierarchy can inspire and ennoble without denigrating others. In other instances, affirmations of metaphysical differences between Jews and gentiles can take a form that makes many of us uncomfortable, but we have the legitimate option of regarding them as non-authoritative. Finally and most disturbing, there are positions affirmed by standard halakhic sources from the Talmud to the Shulhan Arukh that apparently stand in stark contrast to values taken for granted in the modern West and taught in other sections of the Torah itself. Let me begin with a few brief observations about the first two categories and proceed to somewhat more extended ruminations about the third. Critics ranging from medieval Christians to Mordecai Kaplan have directed withering fire at the doctrine of the chosenness of Israel. Nonetheless, if we examine an overarching pattern in the earliest chapters of the Torah, we discover, I believe, that this choice emerges in a universalist context. The famous statement in the Mishnah (Sanhedrin 4:5) that Adam was created singly so that no one would be able to say, “My father is greater than yours” underscores the universality of the original divine intent. While we can never know the purpose of creation, one plausible objective in light of the narrative in Genesis is the opportunity to actualize the values of justice and lovingkindness through the behavior of creatures who subordinate themselves to the will 1 of God. -
SHABBETAI TZVI the Biggest Hoax in Jewish History Nathan the Prophet and Tzvi the Messiah
1 SHABBETAI TZVI The Biggest Hoax in Jewish History While faith in the coming of the messiah is a linchpin of Judaism, Jews have traditionally taken a patient, quiet approach to their messianic beliefs. Since the devastation wreaked by false messiah Bar Kochba and his rebellion against the Romans, and the centuries of persecution caused by another messianic movement — Christianity — Jews have been understandably suspicious about anyone’s claim to be God’s anointed. The rabbis of the Talmud went so far as to introduce specific prohibitions against messianic agitation, instituting the “three oaths” which prohibited any attempt to “force the end” by bringing the messiah before his allotted time (Babylonian Talmud. Yet in the mid-17th century, belief in the false messiah Shabbetai Tzvi spread like wildfire throughout the Jewish world, sweeping up entire communities and creating a crisis of faith unprecedented in Jewish history. Shabbetai Tzvi was said to be born on the 9th of Av in 1626, to a wealthy family of merchants in Smyrna (now Izmir, Turkey). He received a thorough Talmudic education and, still in his teens, was ordained as a hakham — a member of the rabbinic elite. However, Shabbetai Tzvi was interested less in Talmud than in Jewish mysticism. Starting in his late teens he studied kabbalah, attracting a group of followers whom he initiated into the secrets of the mystical tradition. Shabbetai Tzvi battled with what might now be diagnosed as severe bipolar disorder. He understood his condition in religious terms, experiencing his manic phases as moments of “illumination” and his times of depression as periods of “fall,” when God’s face was hidden from him. -
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. -
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. -
THE SERMON on the MOUNT According to VEDANTA Other MENTOR Titles of Related Interest
\" < 'y \ A MENTOR BOOK 1 ,wami \ « r a m A |a fascinating Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2017 with funding from Public.Resource.Org https://archive.org/details/sermononmountaccOOprab 66Like Krishna and Buddha, Christ did not preach a mere ethical or social gos¬ pel hut an uncompromisingly spiritual one. He declared that God can be seen, that divine perfection can be achieved. In order that men might attain this su¬ preme goal of existence, he taught the renunciation of worldliness, the con¬ templation of God, and the purification of the heart through the love of God. These simple and profound truths, stated repeatedly in the Sermon on the Mount, constitute its underlying theme9 as I shall try to show in the pages to followr —from the Introduction by Swami Prabhavananda THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT according to VEDANTA Other MENTOR Titles of Related Interest □ SHAN KARA'S CREST-JEWEL OF DISCRIMINA¬ TION translated by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Ssherwood. The philosophy of the great Indian philosopher and saint, Shankara. Its implications for the man of today are sought out in the Introduction, (#MY1054—$1.25) □ THE SONG OF GOD: RHAGAVAD-GITA translated by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isher- wood. A distinguished translation of the Gospel of Hinduism, one of the great religious classics of the world. Introduction by Aldous Huxley. Appen¬ dices. (#MY1425—$1.25) □ THE UPAN5SHAD8: BREATH OF THE ETERNAL translated by Swam! Prabhavananda and Freder¬ ick Manchester. Here is the wisdom of the Hindu mystics in principal texts selected and translated from the original Sanskrit. (#MY1424—$1.25) □ HOW TO KNOW GOD: THE YOGA APHORISMS OF PATANJALI translated with Commentary by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isher- wood. -
Farbrengen Wi Th the Rebbe
פארברענגען התוועדות י״ט כסלו ה׳תשמ״ב עם הרבי Farbrengen wi th the Rebbe english úמי בúימ עו וﬢ ‰ﬧ ו ﬨו ﬨ ר ע ﬨ ˆ ר ﬡ ﬡ י מ נ ו פארברענגען עם הרבי פארברענגען עם הרבי י״ט כסלו תשמ״ב Published and Copyrighted by © VAAD TALMIDEI HATMIMIM HAOLAMI 770 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11213 Tel: 718 771 9674 Email: [email protected] VAADHATMIMIM.ORG The Sichos included in this Kovetz are printed with permission of: “Jewish Educational Media” We thank them greatly for this. INDEX Maamar 5 Maamar Padah Beshalom Sicha 1 11 Not the Same Old Story Sicha 2 17 A Voice with No Echo Sicha 3 23 Learning Never Ends Sicha 4 31 Called to Duty Sicha 5 35 Write for yourselves this Song…; Hadran on Minyan Hamitzvos; in honor of the Mivtzah of Ois B’sefer Torah Sicha 6 51 Architects of Peace; Hadran on Maseches Brachos Sicha 7 71 Full time occupation Sicha 8 73 The Road to Peace Sicha 9 87 In Word and in Deed Maamar Maamar Padah Beshalom Peace in our Avodas Hashem Padah Beshalom – peace in our Avodas Hashem. התוועדות י״ט כסלו ה׳תשמ״ב 6 MAAMAR 1. “He delivered my soul in peace from battles against me, because of the many who were with me.” The Alter Rebbe writes in his letter that this verse relates to his liberation, for while reciting this verse, before reciting the following verse, he was notified that he was free. Consequently, many maamarim said on Yud Tes Kislev begin with, and are based on this verse. -
Cincinnati Torah הרות
MAIN LOGO בס"ד • A PROJECT OF THE CINCINNATI COMMUNITY KOLLEL • CINCYKOLLEL.ORG תורה מסינסי Cincinnati Torah Vol. IX, No. XXXVI Devarim A LESSON FROM THE PARASHA THE RABBI WAS ASKED GUEST CONTRIBUTOR ON THE PARASHA What To Ask For RABBI MECHAEL SOROKA 25TH YEAR LOGO THIS WEEK WITH Tisha B’Av is a day we mourn all tragedies be to look after the sick and investigate RABBI MEIR MINSTER we have suffered as a nation, with the whether their needs are being met. Are destruction of the Beis Hamikdash at the they being taken care of, or is something This week’s parasha: forefront. However, mourning alone missing? Q) It sounds like Moshe was looking for is not enough. The mourning must Another question still remains though. assistance in judging the nation. Was it not Yisro’s idea? lead to a yearning to return home to Dovid said he had “One request.” our homeland and to rebuild the Beis However it sounds like he was asking for A) Rashi seems to compound the Hamikdash. (Today, with the borders two things: to dwell with Hashem in the question with his comments on the to Israel still closed to most of us, it is Beis Hamikdash, and to be the one to take words (Devarim 1:9) “I said to you at that time, , ‘I cannot carry you alone... .‘” somehow is easier to relate to that this care of all the needs. saying year). This is what Chazal (the sages) refer Rashi asks what is the meaning of the to as tzipisa l’yehosua, anticipating the We therefore must say that the two are superfluous word “saying”? He answers salvation. -
The Upper Triad Material Cosmic Fire
The Upper Triad Material Topical Issue 7.71 Cosmic Fire The Key to Manifestation ____________________________________________________________ The Upper Triad Material Topical Issue 7.71 Cosmic Fire ____________________________________________________________ Fourth Edition, September 2006 ____________________________________________________________ Published by The Upper Triad Association P.O. Box 1306 Victoria, Virginia 23974 ( USA ) The Upper Triad Association is a 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit educational organization established in 1974 and devoted to the study and practice of various principles leading to personal and spiritual growth. www.uppertriad.org ____________________________________________________________ ii Contents Page ● Chapter 7.71 Cosmic Fire 1 ● Section 7.711 The Triple Fire 2 Cosmic Fire 1 C 569 3 Cosmic Fire 2 C 570 4 Fire by Friction C 573 6 Solar Fire C 574 8 Electric Fire C 575 9 Cosmic Fire 6 C 577 11 ● Section 7.712 The Internal Fires 13 Cosmic Fire 7 C 583 14 Cosmic Fire 8 C 584 15 The Etheric Body and Prana 1 C 588 17 The Etheric Body and Prana 2 C 592 19 The Etheric Body and Prana 3 C 596 20 The Etheric Body and Prana 4 C 600 22 The Etheric Body and Prana 5 C 604 24 Kundalini and the Spine C 608 25 Physical and Astral Motion 1 C 612 27 Physical and Astral Motion 2 C 616 29 Physical and Astral Motion 3 C 620 30 Physical and Astral Motion 4 C 626 32 Physical and Astral Motion 5 C 627 34 Physical and Astral Motion 6 C 635 35 Physical and Astral Motion 7 C 636 37 iii Page Cosmic Fire 22 C 643 39 Cosmic Fire 23 C 644 -
The Soul of a Jew and the Soul of a Non-Jew an Inconvenient Truth and the Search for an Alternative
47 The Soul of a Jew and the Soul of a Non-Jew An Inconvenient Truth and the Search for an Alternative By: HANAN BALK Holiness is not found in the human being in essence unless he sanctifies himself. According to his preparation for holiness, so the fullness comes upon him from on High. A person does not acquire holiness while inside his mother. He is not holy from the womb, but has to labor from the very day he comes into the air of the world. 1 Introduction: The Soul of a Jew is Superior to that of a Non-Jew The view expressed in the above heading—as uncomfortable and racially charged as it may be in the minds of some—was undoubtedly, as we shall show, the prominent position maintained by authorities of Jewish thought throughout the ages, and continues to be so even today. While Jewish mysticism is the source and primary expositor of this theory, it has achieved a ubiquitous presence not only in the writings of Kabbalists,2 but also in the works of thinkers found in the libraries of most observant Jews, who hardly consider themselves followers of Kabbalah. Clearly, for one committed to the Torah and its principles, it is not tenable to presume that so long as he is not a Kabbalist, such a belief need not be a part of his religious worldview. Is there an alternative view that is an equally authentic representation of Jewish thought on the subject? In response to this question, we will 1 R. Simhạ Bunim of Przysukha, Kol Simha,̣ Parshat Miketz, p.