New on the site: Michi-bot. An intelligent assistant based on the writings of Rabbi Michael Avraham.

Question about the fifth notebook

שו”תCategory: philosophyQuestion about the fifth notebook
asked 4 years ago

peace,
I would like to ask how the assumption regarding the creation of man also for the purpose of some correction in the divine being (Book Five, p. 10, the words of the Ari and Rabbi Kook) is consistent with the one-sided dependence between the creature and God, according to Halacha 3, according to the words of the Maimonides at the beginning of the Fourth Book of the Strong (Book Five, p. 52-53)?
(And if you could please explain in this context how you understand what is called “theorism” – the influence of man on higher worlds, etc., as well as the sentence: “For the sake of the uniqueness of God and His Shechinah”).
Intuitively, one might understand that there is no contradiction because everything is one essence. But it is very difficult to explain this. Maybe you can help.
 


Discover more from הרב מיכאל אברהם

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Leave a Reply

0 Answers
מיכי Staff answered 4 years ago
I wrote about this in columns 170 and 360, p. I can suggest settlements (that it doesn’t need us for its existence but does need us for its completeness), but why do you assume that it should be settled with Maimonides?

Discover more from הרב מיכאל אברהם

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

שואל replied 4 years ago

Thank you very much. As far as I understand, in the notebook this was not presented as contradictory approaches. Although it was not brought together, it seemed to be part of a general process of things explained throughout the notebook. (The story of the bread and the flower..) Are these indeed contradictory approaches? Or are they not contradictory? Can Maimonides (perhaps in other places) agree with the theoretic approach?
The theoretic approach and also the two supposed ”entities” implied by the sentence “for the sake of the uniqueness of the Almighty and His Shekinah” that need the help of man – feel very foreign and strange when encountered for the first time, but, of course, the Zohar is full of this.
“Not for its existence but yes for its perfection” This is not yet really a settlement, perhaps the settlement is to see it as a kind of continuum between man and God? But that too is problematic.

I read the two columns you referred to, there is no complete answer there. I would love to hear your opinion on this.

Regarding God and the Divine Presence – If the Divine Presence is a divine presence in the world, then what is actually being asked for in the phrase “for the sake of oneness”?

מיכי Staff replied 4 years ago

I don't remember the details anymore. There is a contradiction between the two concepts if you take them as a whole. But you could say that he doesn't need us except for the purpose of completing himself.

Leave a Reply

Back to top button