Q&A: The Controversy over Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto
The Controversy over Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto
Question
In the first lecture on dogmatics, you argued that the bans issued against the Sabbateans, Spinoza, and the Hasidim were not because of their beliefs but because of their lack of adherence to Jewish law. In that way you support your claim that the essence of Judaism is observance of Jewish law, not beliefs.
What would you say about the controversy over Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto? There was almost a consensus against him in his generation, solely because he presumed to introduce new ideas in Kabbalah and to write a second Zohar, etc. I have not heard that there were any halakhic claims against him whatsoever. He almost remained outside the pale, if not for Rabbi Chaim Friedlander, who forcefully pushed him back in.
Answer
You’ve gotten completely carried away. There were disputes about him—so what? Are there no ideological disputes? Isn’t the conflict between Hasidim and Mitnagdim also an ideological dispute? I assume that regarding Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto too, the root issue was concern about halakhic deviations. The fact that people raise ideological claims—well, that was also true in the ban against Spinoza.
And to say that Rabbi Chaim Friedlander was the one who saved Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto from being pushed outside the pale—that’s simply a pathetic joke.