[Avodah] reality

[David Riceman]

RMB:

<<Which the Maharal meant, IMHO, depends on is how events in higher 
olamos are connected to ones in ours.>>

While there are hints of "higher olamos" much earlier than the Ari (cf. 
Iyov 1:6-12), I don't think the concept was of much importance to the 
Maharal (he was born before and died after the Ari, but I don't know of 
any evidence that he read R. Hayyim Vital's works).  I don't think this 
question is one that fits neatly into the Maharal's world view.

I explained the Maharal's view of what Hazal were talking about when 
they discussed science in an earlier post.  Neither "real world" nor 
"reality as we are able to experience it directly" are accurate 
descriptions.

Consider the example (the source is in a previous post) of Hazal's list 
of sins which induce solar eclipses.  The Maharal explains that Hazal 
knew perfectly well that solar eclipses can be predicted, and are 
explained by astronomical phenomena.  What they meant was that God 
designed human nature and the stellar bodies in parallel: the ability to 
have solar eclipses and the ability to commit those certain sins are 
parallel capacities.  I can't imagine how to fit that example into 
either of your descriptions.

Incidentally, the Maharal cites the pasuk "v'chofrah halevanah ubosha 
hahama" (Is. 24:23) to demonstrate that the same capacity can parallel 
something entirely different in eschatalogical time.

I suspect you were thinking of an entirely different type of example.  
It might be helpful if you mention it explicitly.

David Riceman