[Avodah] Apikores?

[Daniel Eidensohn]

R' Zev Sero wrote:
> R' Ben Waxman wrote:
>   
>> How can someone who goes by Rov Rishonim be considered a heretic?
>>     
>
> Because now we know better.  Many rishonim lived before the discovery
> of the Zohar, and all lived before the AriZal and the Baal Shem Tov,
> so they were missing information.  The AriZal was taught by Eliyahu
> Hanavi, and the Baal Shem Tov by Achiyah Hashiloni, and therefore knew
> things that had been completely forgotten in previous generations.
>   
This is not relevant in the issue of HP because the Arizal is not the 
source of the current chasidic view. The Lubavitcher Rebbe clearly 
states it originated with the Baal Shem Tov. His writings on this are in 
Shaarei Emuna  pages 83-104. However even in chasidic source - even 
Chabad - the view of the Rishonim is still found in their writings until 
150 years ago. There is a vague statement of the Baal Shem Tov that is 
cited in Keser Shem Tov. However the Baal Shem Tov and early chassidius 
was not viewed as initating this deviance from the mesora of the 
Rishonim since there is no reference to it in the polemical literature 
between the misnagdim and chassidus. [This was a major issue a while ago 
in Avodah and thus should be available in the archives.]

In sum the idea of the revelation of kabbala being the source for this 
is belied by the relatively recent acceptance of this doctrine even 
amongst chassidim and the fact that the Gra did not have such a 
doctrine. The classic introductory work on kabbala - Shomer Emunim - did 
not hold by it and was therefore criticized by the Munkatcher Rebbe. 
Furthermore Rav Dessler did not hold by it - and he was familiar with 
both the kabbalistic literature and chassidus. It is poshut there is no 
obligation to reject the view of the Rishonim.

Daniel Eidensohn