[Avodah] rationalism and mysticism

[Richard Wolpoe]

On 9/24/07, Arie Folger <afolger at aishdas.org> wrote:
>
>
> On account of this post, I took my trusted Moreh Nevukhim (thank you for
> the
> impetus) and turned to the latter part of the third section, and sure
> enough,
> chapters 50 and 51 seem difficult to read as an ultrarationalist. One must
> be
> careful, however, as you already pointed out, to consider that there are
> things which we may consider to be nonrational, such as the soul, which
> for
> the Rambam fit into Aristotelian physics and metaphysics. However, this
> does
> not detract from my observation that Rambam knows some kind of mysticism.
> IOW, Rambam's rationalism included some nonrationalism in it, for it
> seemed
> rational to him to include some nonrationalism.
>
>
> My point was that the existence of RSG's philosophical commentary on Sefer
> Yetzira does not require that SY was read rationalistically only. Somehow,
> barring explicit statements to that effect on Rambam's part, I would
> consider
> such a view very difficult.
>
>
> Kol tuv,
> --
>

I posted years ago that Qabbalh and Mysticism were not identical - albeit
overlapping. A Sephardic haCham confirmed this to me recently.

He confieded to methat Mysitcism as exemplefied by Nevi'im and beni nevi'im
is an old honorable Jewish Tradition to "encounter the Divine" etc.

Qabbalah is OTOH some kind of system [I was fuzzy as to exactly WHAT kind]
and he claimed it  has many questionable problems with Sephiros and other
structures which would never fit a purely Maimonidean concept of  Yichud
Hashem.  [for parallels see Selichos such as Macchnisei Rahcamim or "na kol
Middah nechona, etc."]

Back to Tanach: Some of the Purest forms of Mysticism can be found in
Tehillm and Shir haShirim. And some Jewish forms of Rationalism can easily
be noted in Mishlei and Kohelles.   Therefore, both Rationlism and Mysticism
are native to Judaism

He concluded that Qabbalah was  a form of  mysticism heavily influenced by
Babylonia and Eastern philosophies, while Rambam was influenced by
Aristotle and Western Philosophies.

Years ago I taught a class on Ratonalism and Msyticism and I showed that
there were a series of many 'Rational Mystics."  Some Great Examplars
include the RambaN, Maharal miPrague and the Gra, RambaM might fit tis mold
too, albeit his mysticism seems divorced from pure Qabbalah .

-- 
Gmar Tov
Best Wishes for 5768,
RabbiRichWolpoe at Gmail.com
Please Visit:
http://nishmablog.blogspot.com/
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