[Avodah] Does God Change His Mind?

[David Riceman]

Michael Makovi wrote:
> I guess because we've found many other Chazalic Maaseh Merkavah works
> (the Hekhalot), and Shiur Koma fits in with these texts perfectly, and
> there's no basis for doubting its authenticity.
>   
This is not true.  As far as I know Shiur Koma is the only merkava text 
which purports to describe God rather than a lesser creature.

Furthermore it misses the main point.  It is true that there was a group 
of Merkava mystics in EY at some point.  Their relationship with Hazal 
is (as far as I know) unknown.  For example, Shiur Koma purports to have 
been written by R. Yishmael (R. Akiva's bar plugta, not his grandfather 
the mystic).  I sincerely doubt that you will find any scholar who 
accepts this.

If I understand the Rambam's position, he doesn't doubt that Shiur Koma 
was written during the times of Hazal, he doubts it was written by 
someone mentioned in Talmud or Midrash, someone we would recognize as 
one of Hazal.

David Riceman