Q&A: Jewish Thought
Jewish Thought
Question
Hello Rabbi, I’ve seen in several places that you relate to books like Maharal, Ramchal, Nefesh HaChaim, Hasidism, and others as “Torah in the person,” and also in the latest column. As I understand it, most of these books are generally interpretations with a bit of addition to works of Kabbalah. It is commonly said even about Mesillat Yesharim that it is all from kabbalistic sources. (The ten levels that Ramchal mentions parallel the ten sefirot.) And Kabbalah is supposed to go back to Sinai, like the rest of the Oral Torah, and so too the Zohar from Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. If not, then most of these books are unfounded and unreliable. And if it is from Sinai, then it should be “Torah in the object,” no? Or perhaps you do not believe that the Zohar is attributed to Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai?
Answer
In my understanding, Kabbalah as a whole is a collection of spiritual intuitions of various people. So even if you were right that those books are interpretations of Kabbalah (and in my opinion you are not right), at most that would still be “Torah in the person.”
Regarding the Zohar, there is no connection at all between your question and the question of whether it is from Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai or not. But of course it is not from Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, since Amoraim appear in it. Apparently there are certain passages in it whose source is earlier.
Discussion on Answer
The term intuition is a basic concept in the Rabbi’s thought, and it’s worth reading the Rabbi’s books (Truth and Stability, Two Carts and a Balloon) and the site in order to understand it and the Rabbi’s answer.
Intuition is a cognitive capacity to grasp reality not through the senses (though perhaps by means of them). There are people with an ability to grasp spiritual reality.
I understand. Just one last point: this “Torah in the person” is supposed to be much more than sin and punishment if it deals with spirituality, no?
What does it mean, “deals with spirituality”? Everything is spirituality. The human soul is spiritual.
What does “spiritual intuitions” mean? Kabbalistic ideas deal with things there’s no way to understand on one’s own; you have to assume the basic premises that were handed down from generation to generation. You can interpret them and explain them, but not more than that. That’s how I understand it, but I don’t know Kabbalah, so if you understand it differently I’d be glad if you could explain.
In addition, all this is just a matter of formal definitions. Torah study is important because it is the way to draw close to God, since it deals with His laws. Occupation with spirituality (in the way He operates) should also be important as Torah. Am I right?