[Avodah] ain Od Milvado v. Bechira

[Zev Sero]

On 28/04/2011 4:00 PM, David Riceman wrote:
> RMB:
>> In Izhbitz thought the only bechirah we have is whether we interpret
>> our decisions as being in concert with that Plan, or in rebellion.>>

> Is this any different from Spinoza?

Very different.  Spinoza says that "elokim" is just another word for
Teva, while Torah says that "teva" is just another word for Elokim.


On 28/04/2011 4:21 PM, Micha Berger wrote:
> Another logical step in the Tanya I never "got" was his notion of the
> relationship between physical objects and Or Ein Sof. The Tanya appears
> to liken all of existence, including the physical, to the light emitted
> from the Source. But, he also compares the physical to the circle of
> light left when the beam hits the wall. The Shefa E-loki is described
> as both being the beri'ah and being its cause. First, what's the "wall"
> in this mashal -- it too is light. Second, what's the light -- it too
> is the Source. Third, is a physical object the beam of light itself or
> the spot it makes at its intersection with the wall?

The use of light as a mashal depends on an understanding of light's
nature which is inconsistent with modern physics. You have to set aside
what you know about light's actual nature and think like a medieval.
Light has no physical substance, its source is no smaller for emitting
it, or indeed in any way affected by emitting it, and it's permanently
entangled with its source, so that if the source were to disappear the
light would instantaneously disappear too. The same light is perceived
differently in different circumstances, but it remains the same; what
changes is the viewer's perspective. In the mashal of the spot on the
wall, no actual wall is required; the mashal is about the spot, which
is made up of the light itself, not of the wall.

Light is basically Chabad chassidus's way of reconciling tzimtzum
with "Ani Hashem lo shanisi". Tzimtzum is not literal anyway, but
whatever non-literal tzimtzum happens, happens only to the light,
not to the Source. It's a pity that modern physics has rendered the
mashal obsolete, but that happens. Perhaps Moshiach will come up with
a better mashal.

-- 
Zev Sero
zev at sero.name