[Avodah] rationalism and mysticism

[Moshe Y. Gluck]

R' RW:
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."] 
<SNIP>
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 . 


The Chidah writes in Sheim Hagedolim: "R' Chaim Vital wrote that the Shoresh
of the Rambam's Neshamah was from Peiah D'dikna D'Ze'eir Anpin Hasmalis, and
that's why the Rambam did not merit Chochmas HaZohar. In the beginning of
Sefer Migdal Oz it says that the Rambam occupied himself with Kabbalah
toward the end of his life. According to what we mentioned in R' Chaim
Vital's name, it could be that towards the end of his life he occupied
himself with the uses of certain holy Names, as is seen from a Megillas
Setarim attributed to the Rambam, and mentione (in Siman 117) by Maharam
Alshakar. However, I saw that Sefer Shushan Sodos (in manuscript) that
doubts whether that document is truly from the Rambam."

This doesn't necessarily contradict what R' RW is claiming about the Rambam,
and, I think, could be explained along the mysticism/Kabbalah delineations.

KT,
MYG