The Rambam-Arizel controversy
Leibowitz claimed that the Rambam and the Arizel disagreed about the essence of God in a very profound way. My question is whether the rabbi can point to a source or an explanation that highlights the differences between the Rambam and the Arizel or the Kabbalah regarding the essence of God. I will not make the mistake of throwing slogans around without examining things in depth.
This is too broad a question. There is a difference in the perception of God between the philosophers and the Kabbalists, and not necessarily between Maimonides and the Arizal. I will try to be brief.
From the perspective of the philosophers, God is far above us and between us (= the universe to the moon’s sphere) there is an infinite empty space (in Kabbalistic terms, this is what surrounds and does not fill. Transcendent and not immanent. Although there are philosophers who also speak of the dimension of filling, I think Maimonides is not among them). We cannot perceive Him (except through negative descriptions of His appearance towards us). From the perspective of the Kabbalists, this space is full of spheres and worlds. Which mediate between us and Him (there is an interpretive dispute as to whether the Light of God at the top of the pyramid is God Himself or whether it still belongs to Her appearances and disappears above all).
One could argue that these are two similar observations in different terminology, especially if one understands that his invisible essence is not included in the worlds that are before the light of the universe. In this case, it is the same description, and the difference is only in the question of whether the space is full or empty.
Thank you very much.
As a continuation of this discussion, where in this picture is the world of ideas located?
It is a bit difficult to locate. It is common to identify the world of ideas with the world of creation (below creation and above making). Creation comes from the word form. Creation expresses the creation of objects out of nothing, creation contains the forms, and in making the form dresses the material and creates objects as they are familiar to us (material + form).
Thank you. And what is, in this picture, the world of nobility?
The nobleness is parallel to the soul within objects. The being is the formation of the object, but within the object (especially the living object, but not only) there is some spiritual dimension that gives it its life and uniqueness as a single and unified object. Incidentally, the Hashem has already explained that nobleness is rooted in him, that the light of the soul is within the body. Perhaps we could also say that nobleness is the soul that is “with” the object and animates it.
Leave a Reply
Please login or Register to submit your answer
