Q&A: Searching for God in the World
Searching for God in the World
Question
Rabbi Michael, hello,
I read the interesting things you wrote at the attached link — Searching for God in the World.
My question is: isn’t Kabbalah, which purports to influence and activate God and divinity for the benefit of human beings, basically that same childish belief that you argue against, and rightly so?
https://mikyab.net/%d7%9b%d7%aa%d7%91%d7%99%d7%9d/%d7%9e%d7%90%d7%9e%d7%a8%d7%99%d7%9d/%d7%97%d7%99%d7%a4%d7%95%d7%a9-%d7%90%d7%97%d7%a8-%d7%90%d7%9c%d7%95%d7%94%d7%99%d7%9d-%d7%91%d7%a2%d7%95%d7%9c%d7%9d
Answer
Not necessarily. Kabbalah too can be interpreted in either of two ways: that God is involved right now at every moment, or that He created the spiritual mechanisms and now they operate like the laws of nature. In particular, those mechanisms could also serve as another explanation for the natural mechanisms, and not as an alternative to them.
Discussion on Answer
I didn’t understand your labels for these things (they seem childish to me). The important question is whether it’s true or not, not whether it’s childish or mature.
I used your label, “childish,” from the article.
So as for your question, do you think items 1 and 2 are true?
1 is not childish but contradictory. If tzimtzum is not literal, then you and I do not exist. So who is discussing the question of whether tzimtzum is literal or not?
2 In my opinion, yes. See columns 170 and 360.
In the article I wrote “childish” because that approach expresses a longing for a Father in Heaven who will take care of us, not because of the mistake in the conception.
1. Tzimtzum not in its literal sense — there is no place devoid of Him.
2. Kabbalistic theurgy — “Whenever Israel do the will of the Holy One, blessed be He, they add strength to His might.”
When Israel fulfill God’s will, they can amplify His power; that is, the human being influences divinity.
In your opinion, are these principles in Kabbalistic teaching mature or childish?
Thank you