Questions about Judaism answered by a Jew!

[King David]

Wait a sec, in the movie "The Ten Commandments" with Charelton Heston, it shows Moses (pbuh) going up to the mountain for 40 days and bringing the tablets to the people. They did not witness the actual revalation. This was a Jewish production, was it not?

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :haha: :haha: :haha: :haha:

Are you for real?

Pls read and get smarter:


http://www.chabad.org/library/article.asp?AID=63255
http://www.mechon-mamre.org/

 

[Skywalker]

I didn't find any useful infomation regarding my question by following those links. Do you think you could find more direct links to the subject? Or just make it simple and answer the question...please.

 

[King David]

I didn't find any useful infomation regarding my question by following those links. Do you think you could find more direct links to the subject? Or just make it simple and answer the question...please.

Shemot - Chapter 19-9. And the Lord said to Moses, "Behold, I am coming to you in the thickness of the cloud, in order that the people hear when I speak to you, and they will also believe in you forever." And Moses relayed the words of the people to the Lord.

Shemot - Chapter 20
15. And all the people saw the voices and the torches, the sound of the shofar, and the smoking mountain, and the people saw and trembled; so they stood from afar.
16. They said to Moses, "You speak with us, and we will hear, but let God not speak with us lest we die."
17. But Moses said to the people, "Fear not, for God has come in order to exalt you, and in order that His awe shall be upon your faces, so that you shall not sin."
18. The people remained far off, but Moses drew near to the opaque darkness, where God was.
19. The Lord said to Moses, "So shall you say to the children of Israel, You have seen that from the heavens I have spoken with you.


If you want to read more on this

http://www.chabad.org/library/article.asp?AID=9880

 

[rebelishaulman]

Wait a sec, in the movie "The Ten Commandments" with Charelton Heston, it shows Moses (pbuh) going up to the mountain for 40 days and bringing the tablets to the people. They did not witness the actual revalation. This was a Jewish production, was it not?

Hahaha! The Movie!!! :giggling: :giggling: ;D ;D :giggling: :giggling: ;D

You watched the movie and are using it as a source? Please read the Torah while watching the movie and tell me how accurate it is... lol. You crack me up man!

 

[Skywalker]

I'm glad you guys are finding my lack of Jewish knowledge funny, but for ur info, I wouldn't laugh at you if you asked me a silly question about Islam. Maybe it's just the way each of us views mutual respect...

Alright, so if this is NOT how it happened, then why did they present it that way in the movie? Wouldn't the Jewish authority responsible for the accuracy of the movie be careful to make it as accurate as possible?

 

[rebelishaulman]

I'm glad you guys are finding my lack of Jewish knowledge funny, but for ur info, I wouldn't laugh at you if you asked me a silly question about Islam. Maybe it's just the way each of us views mutual respect...

Alright, so if this is NOT how it happened, then why did they present it that way in the movie? Wouldn't the Jewish authority responsible for the accuracy of the movie be careful to make it as accurate as possible?

I'm sorry, I am not laughing at you at all, I am laughing at the fact at how common these questions are. The movie was not made in accordance at all from the Torah. It was made as a movie.

I don't think there was such a "Jewish police" forcing them to be ver accurate in concerns to the actual story.

Read this:

• [*]There are many differences between the film and the storyline as it is traditionally understood from the Bible. According to the DVD commentary track, some details were taken from the Koran. (Right there this should tell you this work has nothing to do with the actual Torah story.)
  [*]In the movie, Yochabel, Moses' birth mother (Jochebed in the Bible), is shown as a slave working on the Treasure City construction site. However, the descendants of Levi (the third son of Jacob) had never been enslaved. DeMille was aware of this; he has Yochabel in a later scene saying "We are Levites, appointed Shepherds of Israel." If Moses wanted to live the life of a slave, he must not have declared himself a Levite.
  [*]Omitted from the film are the story of Shiphrah and Puah (Exodus 1:15-21), the attack by the Amalekites and the Battle of Rephidim, the story of Zipporah circumcising her son by Moses (Exodus 4:24-26), the stories about God providing manna, quail and water to Israel, and the account of Moses and seventy Elders of Israel eating and drinking in the presence of God (Exodus 24:9-11).
  [*]The Pharaohs are all named in the film: Ramses I, Seti I, Ramses II. In the Bible, they are all called "Pharaoh" and no other names are given. (see Pharaoh of the Exodus).
  [*]In the Bible, the wives of the Pharaohs are not even mentioned. In the film, we see a great deal of Queen Nefretiri. Her name is a variant of Nefertari, the Great Royal Wife of Rameses II. The Bible says "The Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart", and the film makes clear that Nefretiri's schemes are the means through which God does this.
  [*]In the film, the young Moses is a successful military commander who defeats a Nubian army and makes the Ethiopians allies of Egypt. This is sourced in Flavius Josephus but isn't in the Bible.
  [*]In Exodus 2:11-12, Moses "looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian and hid him in the sand." No such caution in the film: Moses jumps right in to fight the Egyptian. Instead of sensibly fleeing to Midian immediately, as he does in the Bible, he stays in Egypt and is arrested and exiled.
  [*]The movie adds a subplot about Joshua coming to Moses to beseech him to return to Egypt to free the Israelites.
  [*]In the Bible, Moses complains to the Lord that he is slow of speech, and of a slow tongue; in the film he only says "what words can I speak that they will heed?" DeMille considered having Moses stammer slightly, but Heston couldn't do it, and settled for speaking very slowly. Modern midrash asserts the relevance of the phrase "divine apostasia," which rehabilitates the term "apostasia" from its heretical or pejorative sense by defining it as an inability to articulate given the tools (or limitations rather) of language. This sense of the term apostasia asserts the moral humility and/or wisdom of silence or hesitance applied to speech and writing.
  [*]The film shows four of the Plagues of Egypt: Blood, Hail, Darkness, and Death of the Firstborn, omitting the rest. DeMille could not figure out a way to enact the plagues of frogs, flies and so on, without it coming out as unintentionally humorous.
  [*]Pharaoh may have drowned with his army in Exodus 15:19 (it is unclear; and if so, he wasn't Rameses II). In the movie, he prudently stays in the rear and witnesses the parting of the waters.
  [*]In Exodus, the Israelites, led by Miriam, sing and dance to celebrate the death of Pharaoh and the Egyptian army. In the film, they stand still in stunned silence.
  [*]In the Bible, the reception of the Ten Commandments began as a national revelation, as opposed to the private one depicted in the DeMille film.
  [*]The story of Korah and his rebellion, which occurs much later in the Bible narrative, is conflated with that of the Golden Calf in the film. Korah himself is omitted, replaced with Dathan.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ten_Commandments_(1956_film)#Differences_from_the_Bible

 

[Woodrow]

Reminder:

This thread is question and answer only. Questions asked about Judaism are to be answered by Lavikor and rebelishaulman only.

 

[Grace Seeker]

I would not know. That would be up to G-d. However, when you are reincarnated into an animal that means that this specifically occured because the purpose of you returning to earth was very minor, so you did not need to form major relationships, and the task may have been more on intention then action since I believe you are completly aware that animals can think and do make day to day choices. Apes in the jungle live very emotional lives. They have free will and must make choices as well. Since G-d will judge us based on our intentions a lot, like what we meant to do during a certain moment, animals can still accomplish nessesary tasks.


Here are some sites on basic Judaism and "Giglgul" which means cycle or reincarnation:

http://www.askmoses.com/
www.aish.com
www.chabad.org
http://www.askmoses.com/article.html?h=215&o=190
http://www.aish.com/literacy/concepts/Reincarnation_and_Jewish_Tradition.asp
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/reincarnation.html

A soul descends to this world from “beneath the throne of glory”—a place much higher than the highest angels—to accomplish her mission in this physical world. After her allotted time, the soul returns to be judged. She may need to be cleansed in gehinom. But eventually, she is able to reap her reward, which is to experience the Divine light that she generated through all her good deeds. But usually the entire mission of that soul does not get accomplished in a single lifetime. There may also be some mess that needs to be fixed up, left over from a previous life. So that aspect of the soul that still needs completion must return. And so, souls return again and again, until their job is complete. By now, almost all souls that come here are returnees.

Huh? I had never heard that Jews believe in re-incarnation before?

How widespread is this belief? Has it always been part of Judaism, or is it a more recently introduced thought? It all sounds more Hindu than Jewish to me.

 

[Grace Seeker]

Even though Moshe learned from Hashem for 40 days and nights, the entire nation heard Hashem say Anochi, lo yihiyeh lechah.

Can you translate that last phrase please, or give me the verse reference? My own quick re-reading of Exodus has Moses going up and down Mt. Sinai to receive G-d's revelation and pass it on to the nation. I have missed where G-d spoke to the entire nation.

 

[Grace Seeker]

Yes, I have read those passages. The way I read it is that Moses talks with G-d on Mt. Sinai, but the people say that they do not want to listen to G-d themselves, that they just want Moses to speak to G-d and then to tell them what G-d has to say. And based on G-d's subsequent statements to Moses, "tell the Israelites this:", it appears that G-d indeeds allows for it to proceed in that manner.

Can you (or anyone), please, explain in more detail why it is that you think G-d is speaking to the whole nation.

 

[lavikor201]

Huh? I had never heard that Jews believe in re-incarnation before?

How widespread is this belief? Has it always been part of Judaism, or is it a more recently introduced thought? It all sounds more Hindu than Jewish to me.

Please read the large article below. Thanks.

Yes rebbe please show me where in the Tanach we can find reincarnation?

It has nothing to do with the original Judaisme but some medieval pagan influence that entered part of judaisme.

PS: remember your undercover cop (from your other post)http://www.islamicboard.com/comparative-religion/40798-shalom-praise-hashem.html

Find me where it tells us to fast on Yom Kippur! It does not, only telling us to "inflict" ourselves. Why not cut yourself instead David? Because the Oral Law is nessesary to complete and explain the Written Law.

Here you go:

By Rabbi Ariel Bar Tzadok

“So that you may know that not on bread alone does a man live, but on all that comes forth from the Mouth of HaShem does a man live.” (Dev. 8:3)

Parashat Ekev is often used by the holy Mekubalim to explain the secret Torah teachingsabout reincarnation. In light of recent statements made by HaRav HaGaon Ovadiah Yosef regarding reincarnation, I thought it wise to address the subject in brief. Yet, first a short introduction about Sitrei Torah (the secrets of Torah) in general is appropriate. All Poskim (Halakhic authorities) agree that the secrets (sodot) of the Torah were revealed by G-d at Mt. Sinai along with the other three methods of Torah understanding, pshat (simplicity), remez (implications) and drash (moralisms). Together these four are referred to throughout Torah literature as the PaRDeS. The validity and authenticity of the Sitrei Torah (secrets of Torah) is undeniable in all Torah faithful (Orthodox) communities. It is widely said by many Poskim, Ashkenazi and Sephardi alike, that one who denies the authenticity of the Sitrei Torah is as one who denies the entire Torah. Such a denier is to be considered an outcast. See our KosherTorah essay on this subject that documents all the opinions,

http://www.koshertorah.com/Kabbalah_in_Halakha.pdf.

In the past century, secular skeptics have arisen who have dared to cast aspersions on the holy teachings of the Sitrei Torah. These secular so-called scholars claim that there are no authentic ancient references to anything mystical in Judaism. Yet, the scholarly evidence is so overwhelmingly against their foolish viewpoints that their so-called scholarly objections are revealed for what they are - secular anti-religious prejudice. The works of secular anti-religious so-called scholars such as Gershom Sholem of Hebrew University are best sent to the refuse heap than to a library. Everything that that man has written is full of errors and his personal prejudices. Sholem has done horrible damage to the holiness of the mystical traditions of Judaism. Barukh HaShem, Hebrew University has other scholars today who are much more professional and respectful of Torah.

Over the centuries, there have even been one or two Rabbis who have compromised their souls by speaking out against the authenticity of holy Sitrei Torah. If you wish, try to find out who they are or what they taught and you will have to search rather deep. The Poskim have agreed to blot out their names and their false teachings from the collectiveteachings of Israel. One of the sacred teachings of the Sitrei Torah is called Torat HaGilgul (the Torah of reincarnation). This set of teachings was known throughout Biblical times and subtlehints are made to it throughout the TaNaKh (Bible) and all later Torah literature. So widespread was the knowledge about Torat HaGilgul that reference to it is to be found even among the Dead Sea Scrolls. Christians may find it objectionable, but even their religion originally believed in reincarnation and reference to it is subtly made in their Avon Gilyon (Christian Bible).

In our many sins and in fulfillment of prophecy, one of the punishments decreed upon Israel from Heaven, after the destruction of the Temple, was that there would be a famine for the word of HaShem. After over a thousand years of the mystical teachings being widespread, the Divine edict was for them to be concealed for over a thousand years. Thus from a period soon after the writing of the Mishna by Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi, the sacred teachings of mystical Torah were removed from any type of publicexposure.

The holy Zohar, which records the teachings of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yohai some fifty years after the Temple’s destruction was included in this edict. The Zoharicwritings were only to be edited and published in Spain in 1290. During the time of the formations of both the Yerushalmi and Bavli Talmuds, the mysticalteachings of Torah became known as the Sitrei (secrets of) Torah. Access to them was limited to only those small groups who were entrusted to safeguard them throughout the centuries. During this time, all Rabbinic literature, especially the Talmud Bavli, makes numerous hints to these secrets. Indeed, to this day, all the secrets of the Torah can be found in the dapim (pages) of the Talmud Bavli – if one knows how to break the secret codes to unravel them. Such holy Rabbanim as HaRav Yitzhak Haver and HaRav Yosef Haim have written works revealing only the smallest sample of mystical Talmud. Indeed, the Talmud Bavli is the greatest of all mystical (Kabbalistic) texts, greater than even the Zohar. Yet to the majority, the mystical teachings of Talmud Bavli (and Torah in general), to this day,remain an enigma and a mystery. During the time of the edict of silence many Rabbanim overtly avoided any discussion ofthe Sitrei Torah. RaMBaM is the case in point. Long championed as the father of rationalism (and thus the antagonist of mysticism) RaMBaM himself was very well aware of the secrets of the Torah. RaMBaM used Greek philosophy as his vessel to explain the secrets of the Torah in a permissible manner in his work, the Moreh Nebukhim (The Guide to the Perplexed).

This is evident from the writings of Rabbi Avraham Abulafia. RaMBaM’s mystical knowledge also is evident in his Hilkhot Yesodei Torah (the laws of the Foundations of Torah). Indeed, in this work, RaMBaM revealed knowledge about the 10 Angelic orders that has no other source in Torah literature other than in the holyZohar, a work that was not to be published for another 50 years. Our holy Rabbis havealways known how to keep a secret and at the same time let us know that indeed there was a secret being kept. Reference our KosherTorah.com essay on RaMBaM and the Kabbalah at

http://www.koshertorah.com/PDF/rambam.pdf.

With regards to reincarnation, there is a statement made in the writings of HaRav Saadiah Gaon (some three hundred years before RaMBaM) denying its legitimacy. Some individuals have latched onto this statement to condemn Torat HaGilgul. Yet, in my opinion, there is very good reason why he wrote what he did, although he himself knew otherwise. First, as leader of the Jewish nation under Moslem rule, HaRav Saadiah Gaon would have endangered the lives of all Jews if he publicly embraced a mystical teaching which the Moslem authorities had branded as apostate (as did Christian Europe).

Second, there was no reason to defend this mystical teaching at that time because it was under a ban of secrecy. HaRav Saadiah Gaon couldn’t have spoken about it in public even if he wanted to. We have many of HaRav Saadiah Gaon’s mystical writings. History clearlydocuments his mastery of Torah mysticism. Therefore, his words denying the legitimacyof reincarnation have to be understood with the context of his times and his place. Now let us explain in brief the teachings of reincarnation based upon the teachings found in Sha’ar HaMitzvot, Parashat Ekev and other writings of the Ari’zal, as well as from Sefer Minhat Yehuda of Rabbi Yehuda Fatiya. On KosherTorah.com we have the following essays on this topic that will surely interestyou: “The Secrets of Reincarnation”

(http://www.koshertorah.com/gilgul.html) and “The Teachings of Rabbi Yehuda Fatiya” (http://www.koshertorah.com/fatiyah.pdf).

HaShem created in his universe an infinite numbers of souls, referred to prior to theiroriginal descent into this world as “nitzotzei kedusha” (sparks of holiness). As explained in the Ari’zal’s lectures on the topics of the “Shattering of the Vessels” and “The Fall of the Primordial Kings” many of these sparks of holiness fell from their lofty heights in holiness and descended into the pits of the netherworlds. All fallen souls are given the opportunity rise again to their original heights of holiness and to be stand before their Creator. Yet, this time, they will have earned their place and can, therefore, never fall again. Yet, in order to achieve this lofty status, souls have to work hard in order to earn it. HaShem created His universe to operate under the forces of good and evil, reward andpunishment, blessing and curse. When we obey HaShem’s Will we contribute to the evolution of the universe. When we (souls) obey HaShem’s commandments in theTorah, we are rewarded with good and blessings. We ascend the ladder of holiness.Unfortunately, the opposite is also true. When a soul violates HaShem’s mitzvot, instead of reward there is punishment, instead of good there is evil.

That soul descends further into the pit. When a soul incarnates as a human being, even more so a Jew, it is given the opportunity to greatly enhance its spiritual stature. If the Gentile soul fully observes the Sheva Mitzvot D’benei Noah (seven universal laws), then the soul graduates from that level and is promoted to the next level. HaShem sends the soul back to Earth as a Jew. In this way the soul can perform even more mitzvot and rise to even higher levels. Such was the case of Eliezer, the servant of Avraham Avinu. During the days of Avraham, Eliezer was a Caananite. Yet, due to his righteousness, he merited to be reincarnated, in the days of Moshe Rabbeynu, as a member of the tribe of Yehuda. Eliezer reincarnated as Caleb Ben Yefuneh. His soul later incarnated higher and higher until he was eventually a Kohen Gadol (Zecharia, the High Priest) and years later a Master Kabbalist (Rabbi Moshe Cordevero). (Reference Sha’ar HaPesukim of the Ari’zal, I have this material available in translation in a recorded lesson entitled, “The Reincarnations of Eliezer, Servant of Abraham”available in our KosherTorah online store, item #M0015). Alas, in our many sins, just as souls can evolve upward in Kedusha (holiness) so can they descend into tumah (uncleanness). When this occurs, HaShem can punish a human soul by incarnating it into a non-human form. Indeed, a human soul can incarnate into anything that HaShem has created. HaShem has placed fallen human souls into animals of all kinds, into plants and even into rocks, water, sand and dirt. Each of these places is to act as a prison for the soul, each in accordance to the sins it performed. The fallen soul is destined by Divine edict to stay trapped in its non-human form with all its memories of being human for a specified amount of time. It is said that this form of punishment is most hard to bear and the most painful punishment of all. Yet, although HaShem is a G-d of Justice, He is also a merciful and compassionate G-d. He has given into the hands of the righteous souls the opportunity to redeem the souls of the fallen sinners. The righteous do this by performing a basic down to earth mitzvah of dailyeating and saying a Berakha (blessing) over one’s food. Indeed, the reason why Berakhot (blessings) were ordained to be said in precise ritual fashion (Barukh Atah HaShem Elokeynu Melekh HaOlam etc…) is because the words contain a secret code that is used to help elevate fallen souls that are entrapped in the foods that we eat. Human souls are often reincarnated into animals. Of these, kosher animals arepurchased by Jews, slaughtered according to Torah Law and eaten as part of a seudat mitzvah (festive meal). We have stories told about many Rabbanim who recognized within an animal the soul of a fallen Jew, who would then purchase the animal for kosher slaughter. The holy Rabbanim saw with Divine inspiration that such a fate was the destined rectification for the fallen soul. Indeed, once the animal is kosher slaughtered and iseaten with appropriate blessings before and after, the soul therein finds rest in the Heavenly spheres. However, this only occurs when the officiating Rav knows the propermeditations to elevate the soul along its journey. So important is the eating of meat as a spiritual ritual of soul rectification that the Gemara has taught that an Am HaAretz (an unlearned individual) is forbidden to eat meat. The underlying secret message in the Gemara is that the mere eating of meat for the sake of physical pleasure does not release the souls incarnated within. Indeed, one who eats for mere physical pleasure instead of for spiritual reasons can end up harming souls, not helping them. The penalty for such a spiritual blemish is midah k’neged midah (measure for measure).

Guess who gets reincarnated as a cow next time? Human souls, including Jews can also reincarnate in any other form of matter. A soul can return in a piece of fruit or in a potato, in a glass of water or in a piece of pizza.Therefore, it is incumbent upon us that when we eat we perform the mitzvah of pidyon shibuyim (redemption of captives). We must recite our berakhot with full intention and also keep in mind, if not verbally state the following small prayer – “HaShem, may it be Your Will that any souls incarnated in the food that I am about to eat be rectified and elevated to their holy source above.” In this way we assist in redeeming fallen souls and keep ourselves away from being blemished. The fallen soul becomes absorbed into the one eating. When that one peforms a mitzvah using the strength gaining from the food eaten, the fallen soul is transformed into the mitzvah and thus ascends above along with it. The soul has now been elevated.Nonetheless, while it has been cleansed of specific previous sins, it still has no merits to speak of. Thus, HaShem allows the soul to return to Earth to acquire for itself merit by the performance of mitzvot. However, if the soul has any left-over judgement still hanging over it from other previouslives, then HaShem will send to the soul trials and travails in its lifetime until the Heavenly slate has been cleared. Thus, even if a soul is perfectly righteous in thislifetime, such as Job, bad things can still happen to it, to purify it of previous sins. This isthe secret of why the righteous suffer. (Job was the reincarnation of the Terah, the father of Avraham Avinu. Terah served idols. Job was punished for what he did asTerah, although as Job he was guiltless. Nonetheless, once his spiritual account was settled G-d again blessed him in full). It was in reference to this that HaRav Ovadiah Yosef made mention, when his words were purposely misinterpreted by a hostile secular Israeli media many years ago with a remark about why so many suffered during the Holocaust. Thus, our parasha teaches us, “man does not live by bread alone, but on all that comesforth from the Mouth of HaShem.” What comes forth from the “Mouth of HaShem” is therectification of souls. These accompany our physical food. Thus, we must elevate ourphysical eating to being a spiritual act. Indeed, the Ben Ish Hai and others have full orders of learning and mystical prayers to be recited at meal times. We must always remember that our dinner tables are altars to HaShem and our mealsare like sacrifices to Him. If we keep this in mind as we eat, we elevate fallen soulsincarnate in our food and we elevate our own souls as well.

Can you translate that last phrase please, or give me the verse reference? My own quick re-reading of Exodus has Moses going up and down Mt. Sinai to receive G-d's revelation and pass it on to the nation. I have missed where G-d spoke to the entire nation.

Please see below.

Yes, I have read those passages. The way I read it is that Moses talks with G-d on Mt. Sinai, but the people say that they do not want to listen to G-d themselves, that they just want Moses to speak to G-d and then to tell them what G-d has to say. And based on G-d's subsequent statements to Moses, "tell the Israelites this:", it appears that G-d indeeds allows for it to proceed in that manner.

Can you (or anyone), please, explain in more detail why it is that you think G-d is speaking to the whole nation.

[Moses told the Israelites]: 'Only beware for yourself and greatly beware for your soul, lest you forget the things that your eyes have beheld. Do not remove this memory from your heart all the days of your life. Teach your children and your children's children about the day that you stood before the L-rd your G-d at Horev [Mount Sinai]...

G-d spoke to you from the midst of the fire, you were hearing the sound of words, but you were not seeing a form, only a sound. He told you of His covenant, instructing you to keep the Ten Commandments, and He inscribed them on two stone tablets.' (Deut.4:9-13)

He woodrow why cant I answer questions about my faith?
Whay do you delete the answer?

I cant speek about judaisme i cant speek about Islam what can I talk about?

Your answers do not coincide with the answers of mainstream Judaism. They are your opinions, and I you are welcome to have them, however, I ask you to find one Jewish source, that says that Mohammad was actually a prophet and the Quran a book for the gentiles of the earth.

 

[lavikor201]

but the Oral law is not the whole Talmud only part of it. The Reincarnation isnt found in Oral law. But actually only in Kabbalah that isnt even part of the Talmud there was at the Time of Maimonides.

Read this:

All of Hashem’s actions in this world are systematic and work along certain patterns that He created. The study of these patterns and this system, and how they connect our world and Hashem, is Kabbalah. It has zero to do with witchcraft.

There are two reasons, why only very advanced, very righteous, Torah scholars may learn Kabbalah. If anyone else tries to, first, it is wrong, and two, it won’t work.

All of Torah describes the will of G-d. This means that someone who learns Torah becomes familiar with who Hashem is. The more Torah you learn, the more you “recognize He Who created the world” (Sifri Devarim 6:7).

Now let’s say you have acquaintances who know you. But they only know the outside of you. Only your friends you let into the “inside” of you. But not all the way. Maybe there’s someone very special in your life that knows the real inside of you. Someone who has special access to really deep inside of you. Only this special person you let in there.

Same thing with the Torah. The goyim know Hashem as acquaintances or friends, so Hashem let’s them know Torah shebiksav (the Written Torah). But that’s as far as they can go.

We Jews are the special people to Hashem, we have that special relationship with Him that he allows us to know the inside of Him, what He is really like; what He really wants; what he really cares about. Only we can go there, because we are the special people in His “life”.

This inside of Hashem is called Torah shebal peh (the Oral Torah – the Talmud and Midrashim). Only Jews are privy to this special part of Hashem. A goy who learns Torah shebal peh commits a capital sin! Because he has no right to invade Hashem’s privacy like that. Only Jews, who are in a special relationship with Hashem, can go there.

But then, maybe there’s a part of you that’s so deep and so private, that not even that special person in your life knows that part of you. Maybe you yourself don’t even know that part of you. This is the inside of the inside. The deepest most private parts of your personality. Even your most special people you maybe won’t let in there.

That’s the Kabbalah. It’s the inside of the inside of Hashem’s Will. Even though he lets us in to the Oral Torah part of Him because we have that special relationship with Him, but to go to the inside of the inside – the Kabbalah – even Jews cannot go. For that, you have to have an especially special relationship with Him; otherwise it’s terribly inappropriate for you to peek so deep into the Will of Hashem. This place is reserved only for the special of the special. The great Tzadikim, the great Talmidei Chachamim.

That’s first.

Second, even if you were to learn Kabbalah, you would not be successful unless you are an advanced Torah scholar.

Kabbalah is like sunglasses.

Yes, sunglasses. Sunglasses let you look at the sun, but they distort the image. The sun looks green, less shiny, and altogether different than it is in reality.

So if you look at the sun with your sunglasses, but you don’t understand intellectually what the sun looks like, you will go away with a totally wrong idea of what the sun looks like.

So too the Kabbalah. It allows you to see places that otherwise would shine too bright for you to look at, but the image you will get is distorted. You therefore need the intellectual knowledge of advanced Shas and Poskim (Talmud and Halachah) so that when you do learn Kabbalah, you will get the proper impressions.

---

Kabalah is, and always was, part of Torah. It is one of the "sod" part of the 4 parts of Torah, i.e. Pardes. Because only people who reached a certain level should learn it, it was restricted throughout the generations to mouth-to-mouth tradition from established mentor to worthy disciple.

From the earliest times, those worthy have learned Kabalah - after all, it is part of Torah. But you can't ask to find a proportionate sample of it in the Gemora - the Gemora was designed for a more inclusive audience. Not everything Chazal learned or said or did is in the Gemora. Don't think the Gemara is an accurate representation of Chazal's activities. Medrash exists too, and so did Kabalah. The Gemora has a specific purpose, and because something is not there does not mean it didn't exist.

As the Gemora (Pesachim 119a) learns from a posuk in Yeshaya:

"This refers to someone who conceals the things that Hashem concealed. And what are these things? The secrets of the Torah."

And in Gemora Chagiga (13a): Rav Ami said, we do not give the secrets of the Torah to anyone who does not have these five qualifications..."

These "secrets of the Torah" (sisrei torah) are Kabalah.

As far as Hashkafa and Neshama, etc, that as always dealt with, in Medrashim. It was made into Seforim by various authors as time went by for the same reason most seforim are made - there was a need for them.

---

The Rambam did not use Kabbalah in his writings (although the Migdal Oz quotes a letter from the Rambam written in his later years that says he discovered Kabbalah and he regrets many things that he said previously about it), and he was also never saw the Zohar. He based his writings on philosophy, not Kabbalah.

Nevertheless, there is a school of Kabbalists - the Yismach Moshe and his line - that use the Rambam's writings to explain Kabbalistic concepts, and vice versa. (A computer search for Moreh Nevuchim quoted in Chasidishe seforim will show it very rarely -usually not quoted at all, a couple of times in Kedushas Levi, but all over the Yismach Moshe.)

The Satmar Rebbe ZTL, a descendant of the Yismach Moshe writes that even though the Rambam did not have Kabblaah, because he was on such a high level to know the truth, because of his greatness, he came to truths on his own that are Kablistic concepts; and that the Rambam - get this - did not contradict the Kabbalah at all.

(As far as sheidim, they are all over shas. But Rabbeinu Avrohom, his son, quoted by Rav Yonason Shteif ZTL at the beginning of Brachos - says that the Rambam really did believe in sheidim and statements otherwise were inserted by others.)

So while it is theoretically possible for any Rishon to base his statements on a metzius that is later shown to not be the case, the words of the rishonim can be interpreted on all levels of PaRdES (pshat, remez, drush, and sod), and it is fine to interpret their words in a way that fits in with reality.

---


The Zohar was indeed written by Rav Shimon bar Yochai, as confirmed by all our Torah experts, including the Arizal, who was the greatest expert in Kabbalah ever. The Gra, too, as well as all other experts in this topic agree that the Zohar is for real. It is quoted by the Bais Yosef in Ch. 140, and by the Ramah in Shulchan Aruch in a number of places. It is also quoted countless times in the Poskim, thorughout the generations. (There was one Rav who questioned the authenticity of the Zohar, but his opinion has been dismissed as an overreaction to the Shabse Tzvi debacle, because of the above reasons, plus the fact that he had not one shred of evidence to back up his position).

We do not learn Kabbalah because it is the "inner sphere", but it is more than 100% legitimate. There is no Torah authority after the above authenticating authorities who have chas v'sholom rejected the Zohar. The whole idea is nonsensical, and a product of non-religious, anti-Torah elements.

Rav Yaakov Emden held that parts of the Zohar were written by the "students and students' students" of Rav Shimon bar Yochai without a doubt, but it is as if Rav Shimon bar Yochai himself wrote it" (M'tpchas Sforim I p.31).

This is not the issue. The issue is whether the Zohar was "written centuries later", which alludes to the old, disproven opinion of Gershom Sholem, a heretic who knew not much about Judaism, despite - or actually, in line with - his title of "Professor of Kabbalah" at Hebrew University.

This man decided, about 60 years ago, that that he understood Kabbalah better than the Arizal, the Ramak, and the other masters, and that really Kabblah is not part of Torah but rather an alien outgrowth from Gnosticism and philosophy.

This is not, c"v, the view of Rav Yaakov Emden, the Chasam Sofer, or any other clear headed Jew. R. Yaakov Emden writes about the Zohar:

"Holy is the Sefer HaZohar ... cholilah to question it! The worthy reader will see in it holy light and the path to righteousness ... " (ibid, intro.)

Said R. Yaakov Emden, "The Seforim that I authored are full of Kabblah, based on the Zohar" (Adus B'Yaakov p. 21)

While it is true that Rav Yaakov Emden did on occasion change the text of the Zohar to conform to what he held was the original, or remove some later insertions - and it should be mentioned that even this opinion of his was rejected by the overwhelming majority of scholars - he writes, "Cholilah that I should erase even one letter from the Zohar except where it is absolutely necessary" (MS I p.31). (See also Teshuvos Teshuva M'Ahava I:13, and I:26).

So out of touch was this G. Sholem, and that he even went on a campaign to publicize his "discovery" that Rav Yonason Eyebuschitz ZT"L was a closet follower of Shabse Tzvi! Of course, Rav Yonason was accused of that in his day by Rav Yaakov Emden, but the accusation was subsequently found to be a total mistake. But the fact that the Vilna Gaon himself found only pure Torah in Rav Yonason's Kabalistic writings did not impress Sholem. I guess it was because The Gra was did not have a PhD from Hebrew U in Kabalah.

Of course, all serious scholars at that time such as Rabbi Reuven Margolis ZT"L did a chainsaw massacre on Sholem's "discovery", exposing it for nothing more than ignorance and distortions.

Sholem latched on to a statement of Rav Yonason quoting "Drush Tanini" regarding the Kabalistic concept of "the holy nachash" and that Moshiach is Gemtria "nachash", which, the professor of Kabblaah said, is obviously referring to a work of Noson Ha'azasi, the notorious student of Shabse Tzvi.

Of course, Rav Margolis pointed out that in the Zohar (Bo) there is a "Drush Taninim" and that is what Rav Yonason was referring to.

Sholem insisted that his opposition doesn’t know what they are talking about, and "anyone who understands the Zohar knows that this is an open lie, that we do not even have to deal with".

He wrote: "Every single commentary on the Zohar without exception agrees with me".

This is what happens when someone tries to learn Kabbalah from the printed word without a mentor, thus misunderstanding everything he sees.

Well, the professor, of course, turned out to be wrong. The Kabbalistic explanation of Rav Yonason Eyebu****z ZT"L turned up --- guess where? -- in the commentary of Rav Yaaov Emden on that very Zohar!

Kind of a Kiddush Hashem, when something like that happens. (See Zaharei Yaavetz p.125 - 132 for details)

Even the phony secular pseudo-Kabbalists have begun to give up on Sholem's ideas. Moshe Idel, "Professor of Jewish thought" (sic) in Hebrew U (he has a "PhD in Kabbalah" (sic). I am not kidding) has proven Sholem wrong. In his "Kabblah, New Perspectives" (SIC!) he shows that Kabalah is really ancient and that the Gnostics actually were influenced by Kabbalah, not vice versa.

Well, duh. At least someone takes Sholem seriously enough to bother disproving him.

No, sorry, all so-called "scholarship" trying to discredit Kabbalah has already been discredited, and if you present any particular tidbit of such "scholarship" I will show you why it doesn’t work.

Or perhaps you can find a "Professor of Truth" somewhere in Hebrew U that can explain it.

Rav Yaakov Emden surely does dispute that. He said clearly that the Zohar was written by the students etc. of Rav Shimon bar Yochai - please see above. It is not necessary for him to repeat that.

The Arizal and the GRA, as well as other authorities of that caliber accepted the authorship of the Zohar as RSHB"I, or at the very most, with some parts by the students etc. But its authority as a Talmudic source was undisputed among the Torah authorities.

There is also no reason to oppose the Minhagim or Halachos from the Zohar. The Gemora about Eliyahu Hanavi is talking about Eliyahu making a gezeirah against a Minhag (see Meiri ad loc). Since we had a minhag to do chalitzah with a sandal, we will not accept his gezeirah. But if he were to come and tell us we were wrong, we would have to contend with his position with due Halachic process. Another interpretation is that the Gemora's ruling in the theoretical case of Eliyahu saying not to use a sandal for Chalitzah is because he has no halachic reasoning to back up his position. In other words, even if Eliyahu tells us something halachicly invalid, we should not listen. But if he would have the reasoning to show us we were wrong then we would indeed listen.

Besides, the Zohar may disagree with the Gemara regarding the statement about Eliyahu hanavi, the same as it can argue with any other part. But it is not at all necessary to make such a dispute. Following the Zohar where appropriate is not a contradiction to what the Gemora says.

That Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochaii didn’t write the Zohar meaning the all the exact words are not written by him is pretty clear - and yes, you don’t need to swear to that. The Zohar was clearly edited by students of RSHBI, or even Geonim (the Steipler said that). Like the Mishna was edited by R"Y Hanasi.

That doesn’t mean at all that it doesn’t have the authority of RSHBI any more than the fact that the Mishna was edited means c"v it doesn’t represent the opinions of the Tannaim quoted there.

As far as the disproofs of Gershom Sholem, my point is that since there is a clear tradition and expert testimony to the authoritativeness of the Zohar, the onus would lie on those who dispute that. Once their claims are disproven, the default value so to speak of this issue is the traditional one.

The Zohar was not widely publicized, and not printed, and went lost in the days of the Tannaim. It was "found" later on - some say the Ramban found it.

The Gemora is not kol hatorah kulah, though it is the most authoritative part of it. The Rishonim that rejected gilgulim did so not because it says in the Gemora that gilgulim do not exist but rather for the lack of evidence that it does exist, together with their own understanding. There is no disagreement here between the Mishnah and the Zohar.

The idea that the Zohar was written by Moshe DeLeon comes form the maskilim. It has long been disproved, discredited, and discarded. Please do a search for his name on this site where the proofs against those ignorami are discussed.

It’s not only the Zohar that accepts gilgullim - it is every Torah authority unanimously that ever discussed the issue since the Zohar was uncovered. That goes all the way form the Rishonim to the Arizal to the GRA down.

The idea that Gilgulim are fiction is not accepted at all, and we attribute such statements in Rav Sadiah Gaon to the fact that he did not have the benefit of the Zohar. Nobody, since the Zohar was revealed, agrees with it.

​

 

[lavikor201]

Do you actually still studie Tanach? (all those manwritten books must take a lot of precious time away):

Right, because it is interpreted “afflict” to mean de-emphasizing the body’s needs in five areas: bathing; using creams, oils, perfumes or other skin accessories; wearing leather shoes; sexual relations; and eating and drinking.

So can you find me in the Tanakh where all these are as well with the word afflict? I would be very impressed if you could.

I assume now that your a Karaite.

Some things in the Talmud are genuine Tanach studies. But some are just fabrications!!!

Alright so your a Karaite. An ignoramus who refuses to believe the Oral Law.

Find me one scholar that rejects the Gemara. Please... I would love to hear about him.

 

[lavikor201]

Im happy you posted this:

It proves that the Zohar was written By Shimon bar Yochai when he fled with his son to the cave next to pekiin (the druze village druze believe in reincarnation) because of fear of being put to death by Romans becausewhat he previously said about them.(suddenly after writing such pagan things he was allowed not to be killed) That All great sages had no Knowledge of this. Because simmon bar yochai (people thaught at that time he was the masciah (pha)) wrote it. It is a studie and thought that has been launched by him and that wasnt before.

Now your post aknowledges that it has been written by a man in the 2nd century Ce so it can be wrong.

Didn't read this did you:

"We do not learn Kabbalah because it is the "inner sphere", but it is more than 100% legitimate. There is no Torah authority after the above authenticating authorities who have chas v'sholom rejected the Zohar. The whole idea is nonsensical, and a product of non-religious, anti-Torah elements."

Do you actually still studie Tanach? (all those manwritten books must take a lot of precious time away):

Since your a Karaite can you give me the Karaite opinion this?

Many people these days say that the Rabbi's have influenced Judaism to much. They want to follow the Torah and not made up rabbinical stuff right? Well following the Rabbi's is following the Torah:

Deuteronomy 17:8-12 from the Artscroll Stone edition:

17:8 If a matter of judgment is hidden from you, between blood and blood, between verdict and verdict, between plague and plague, matters of dispute in your cities - you shall rise up and ascend to the place that Hashem, your G-d, shall choose.
17:9 You shall come to the Kohanim, the Levites, and to the judge who will be in those days; you shall inquire and they will tell you the word of judgment.
17:10 You shall do according to the word that they will tell you, from that place that Hashem will choose, and you shall be careful to do according to everything that they will teach you.
17:11 According to the teaching that they will teach you and according to the judgment that they will say to you, shall you do; you shall not deviate from the word that they will tell you, right or left.
17:12 And the man that will act with willfulness, not listening to the Kohen who stands there to serve Hashem, your G-d, or to the judge, that man shall die and you shall destroy the evil from Israel.

I challenge you to find me one REPUTABLE Torah scholor who rejects the Gemora, and Kabbalah. I have explained why The Sadia Gaon did so already. I am just trying a find a minority opinion for you right now.

 

[Philosopher]

Is Jewish understanding of the Old Testament the same as the Christian understanding of it?

 

[Philosopher]

What is the difference between a Sephardi and a Hassidic Jew?

 

[lavikor201]

Is Jewish understanding of the Old Testament the same as the Christian understanding of it?

No, the Christians first believe that there are a few extra books of the Tanakh which we as Jews do not recognize. Second, they do not recognize the Oral Tradition of Judaism which explains the Torah (The Torah refers to the Oral Tradition in its text). Third, the Christian translation is a hideous translation which is of course translated to make Jesus seem like the Messiah which the text clearly shows otherwise.

What is the difference between a Sephardi and a Hassidic Jew?

Sephardic Jews are either Mizrachi (me) who are Arab Jews, or regular Sephards from Spain, Porutgaul and the area in africa south of spain. Hasidim are gnerally from Europe, although anyone can be a hassid, and there philsphy is that instead of studying the Torah and learning all day, it is more productive to completete all the laws, and show pure love of G-d. They are very ultra orthodox and follow the laws meticulously. In theory, a Spehardic Jew could follow the hasidic way of following the Torah with happiness and energy, but the movement began in europe, and ot a huge amount of sephardim are a part of it.

 

[Philosopher]

Third, the Christian translation is a hideous translation which is of course translated to make Jesus seem like the Messiah which the text clearly shows otherwise.

Yes, there was a verse in the King James's version talking about unicorns. It was a gross mistranslation of the Hebrew text.

 

[Grace Seeker]

Originally Posted by Philosopher
Is Jewish understanding of the Old Testament the same as the Christian understanding of it?

No, the Christians first believe that there are a few extra books of the Tanakh which we as Jews do not recognize.

This is not a true statement. It is true that the Catholic Church recognizes some books which the Jews do not recognize. These are called collectively the Dueterocanon by Catholics. Protestants do not recognize these books any more than Jews do. The list of books recognized by Protestants is:

Genesis - Bereish ith (typed with a space only because the system reads the middle part of the word as inappropriate language)
Exodus - Shemoth
Leviticus - Vayiqra
Numbers - Bamidbar
Deuteronomy - Devarim
(These first 5 books are the Torah.)

Joshua - Yehoshua
Judges - Shoftim
Ruth - Ruth
1 Samuel - Shmuel
2 Samuel - (also Shmuel)
1 Kings - Melakhim
2 Kings - (also Melakhim)
1 Chronicles - Divrei Ha-Yamim
2 Chronicles - (also Divrei Ha-Yamim)
Ezra - Ezra & Nechemyah (treated as one book, not two)
Nehemiah - (also Ezra & Nechemyah)
Esther - Esther
Job - Iyov
Psalms - Tehillim
Proverbs - Mishlei
Ecclesiastes - Qoheleth
Song of Songs - Shir Ha-Shirim
Isaiah - Yeshayah
Jeremiah - Yirmyah
Lamentations - Eikhah
Ezekiel - Yechezqel
Daniel - Daniel

(The final 12 are each a separate book in the Protestant Bible, but are treated as one book of "The Twelve" in the Tanakh.)
Hosea - Hoshea
Joel - Yoel
Amos - Amos
Obadiah - Ovadyah
Jonah - Yonah
Micah - Mikhah
Nahum - Nachum
Habakkuk - Chavaqquq
Zephaniah - Tzefanyah
Haggai - Chaggai
Zechariah - Zekharyah
Malachi - Malakhi

While the order is different than in the Tanakh and we have some boodk, like Samuel, divided into two books -- a 1st and 2nd Samuel, instead of just of just one larger book -- and we have listed the minor prophets by their individual book, rather than as one larger book containing them all together; I don't think you will find anything in the Protestant canon that is not in the Tanakh, nor anything in the written Tanakh that is not in the Protestant canon. If I am wrong I am willing to be corrected and hope that you will do so. If I am right, I would encourage you to stick to answering questions about Judaism and not Christianity.

Second, they do not recognize the Oral Tradition of Judaism which explains the Torah (The Torah refers to the Oral Tradition in its text).

True.

Third, the Christian translation is a hideous translation which is of course translated to make Jesus seem like the Messiah which the text clearly shows otherwise.

False. While we do certainly interpret passages like Isaiah 53 in light of our understanding of Jesus as the Messiah, we have not created that or any other passage, they are in the Tanakh. You may disagree with our interpretation, but I will place the quality of our translation alongside any translation you wish to provide. Caveat, you must use a modern standard translation, not the King James and not a paraphrase, and I will stipulate that the NIV gave in to pressure from conservative Christians who wanted Isaiah 7:14 to be translated "virgin" rather than "young woman". But I do not think that makes for a hideous translation.

 

[Philosopher]

Should a jew take the Talmud seriously? My friends say that the Tanakh is more important.