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On 1/2/2013 9:56 AM, Prof. Levine wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid:20130102155724.40286300631@nexus.stevens.edu"
type="cite"> From
<a moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://tinyurl.com/bah5lbo"
eudora="autourl">http://tinyurl.com/bah5lbo</a><br>
<font size="3"><br>
</font>
<dl>
<dd>Oh how the generation lifted its eyes and spoke words directed
above:
“This is your god, Israel” (Ex. 32:8), every tree and rock. They reveal
the Torah contrary to law in the verse: “Blessed is the glory of God
from
His place” (Ez. 3:12) and in the verse: “And you preserve them all”
(Ne.
9:6).<br>
<br>
</dd>
</dl>
As Willensky points out in his footnotes, these are accusations of
heresy. The Vilna Gaon charges Chassidim with believing in
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panentheism">panentheism</a>, that
God is present in everything, even inanimate objects. The Tanya
(2:Yichud Ve-Emunah:1) states that God is present in inanimate objects
and in this next chapter explains Ne. (9:6) similarly. It also explains
(1:42) Ez. (3:12) in this manner.<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
Saying that they reveal the Torah contrary to law refers to the
decision of Chassidim to teach Kabbalistic concepts publically, which
was prohibited by the Anshei Knesset HaGedolah. It isn't that
panentheism (or something similar) is heresy; it's that expressing it
publically, when it can so easily be misunderstood, is forbidden.<br>
<br>
<blockquote cite="mid:20130102155724.40286300631@nexus.stevens.edu"
type="cite"><br>
<font size="3">We see that the Ba’al Ha-Tanya accepts the Vilna
Gaon’s
description of his views as panentheism. However, he defends this
theological view as authentically Jewish while the Vilna Gaon rejects
them as heresy.<br>
</font></blockquote>
<br>
I don't think he rejects them as heresy. I think his objection was to
publicizing them, contrary to halakha.<br>
<br>
Lisa<br>
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