Our story begins with a question, a seeker looking for clarity on a crucial point of Jewish theology: How do we direct our service to God? The initial response, according to our text, references the book Kisei Eliyahu ("The Throne of Elijah"), pages 13-18, and the principle of "Yishma Chacham veYosef Lakach" – "Let the wise hear and increase learning." It also mentions that "the accepted practice in our hands is that the service is directed to one Lord, to draw the influence from Him to the ten Sefirot (the divine emanations)," as written in the book "Lacham Shlomo" ("Bread of Solomon"). Sounds straightforward. But the questioner wasn't satisfied. He shoots back, essentially saying, "Wait a minute! That's not clear at all! Does this 'accepted practice' align with what Kisei Eliyahu says, or contradict it?" He went to those pages, and instead of finding a clear answer, he found… well, a metaphor.
Kisei Eliyahu, on page 3, uses the analogy of a house. "Just as this house, in its entirety, is called by the name 'one house'," it says, "and if you enter it, you will find many large and small rooms and various other places… Each and every one of them is given a specific name." It's a powerful image, isn't it? A unified whole composed of diverse parts. The text extends this to a wall made of individual stones, each distinct, yet forming a single structure. It even compares it, on pages 25 and 29, to the human body, with its bones, tendons, organs, and limbs – all called simply "human."
So, what's the point of all these metaphors? The questioner sees it as a description of Divine Unity, but not necessarily the exclusive kind of unity he's seeking. He argues that Kisei Eliyahu seems to suggest a complex, multi-faceted Divine reality, not a simple, undifferentiated one.
Then, the text digs even deeper, referencing core Kabbalistic concepts. On pages 25-27, it discusses the Ein Sof (the Infinite), the ultimate, unknowable source, which emanates and sustains all of creation through Zair Anpin (the Small Face), a Kabbalistic term for a particular configuration of the Sefirot. "The fundamental principle that emerges from the mouths of all the Kabbalists is that the first cause called Ein Sof… is concealed within the Zair Anpin… Therefore, He is our God, and we are with Him because our souls are His portion, and Him we serve."
But here's the kicker: "However, the Infinite is beyond the other countenances that are above the Zair Anpin, and even if people arrange their prayers to them specifically, without praying to the Zair Anpin… they will cry out, but they will not be answered. On the contrary, those who pray to them will be punished…" That’s a pretty strong statement! It emphasizes the importance of directing our prayers appropriately within the Kabbalistic framework.
The questioner then points out that this perspective in Kisei Eliyahu seems to contradict some major authorities. He names Rambam (Maimonides), the author of Chovat HaLevavot ("Duties of the Heart"), and Saadia Gaon, all giants of Jewish thought who emphasized God's absolute, incomparable unity. He quotes them saying that God’s unity is unlike any other kind of unity we can imagine. It’s not like a pair, a species, or an individual that can be divided.
He further challenges Kisei Eliyahu's description of the Infinite as an "ancient soul, long and expansive, a father and a mother, small and encompassing." This, he argues, clashes with the traditional rabbinic understanding that God is not a body, nor a force within a body. He highlights the implication that Abba and Ima (Father and Mother), other Kabbalistic terms for Divine aspects, precede the "small and encompassing being," which he says Kisei Eliyahu calls "our God." This, the questioner says, goes against the grain of traditional Jewish theology, which asserts that God predates all existence.
Finally, the questioner raises the point that the Ein Sof is beyond all service and invocation. The very names we use for God, including the Tetragrammaton (YHVH) and Adonut (Lordship), apply only to the Divine Emanation (the Zeir Anpin) within the world of Atzilut (Emanation), not to the higher realms. He references Keter (Crown, the highest of the ten sefirot) Shem Tov to bolster this claim.
So, what are we left with? A theological puzzle! A fascinating glimpse into the complexities of Jewish mystical thought. The questioner, in his detailed and critical response, reveals the challenges of reconciling different perspectives on Divine Unity. He forces us to confront the tension between the unknowable, transcendent Ein Sof and the more accessible, immanent aspects of God through which we interact with the Divine.
This exchange reminds us that grappling with these profound questions is a vital part of our spiritual journey. It's okay to find contradictions. It's okay to question. It's in the wrestling, in the searching, that we truly engage with the depth and richness of our tradition. Perhaps, the very act of seeking, even without finding a definitive answer, brings us closer to the Divine mystery.
Response. Your answer is explained in the book "Kisei Eliyahu" from page 13 to page 18. One should listen attentively and study the teachings of the wise and Joseph's acquisition. And the accepted practice in our hands is that the service is directed to one Lord, to draw the influence from Him to the ten Sefirot, as written in the book "Lacham Shlomo" (Bread of Solomon). This is the response.
The questioner responded and said, "Your answer, my friend, is vague and ambiguous, containing only a reference to 'see in the book Kisei Eliyahu, from page 13 to page 18, Yishma Chacham veYosef Lakach, and the accepted practice in our hands is that the service is directed to one Lord,' etc." I didn't understand your opinion and intention in this matter, whether the accepted practice in your hands aligns with the words of Kisei Eliyahu or contradicts them. When I examined the section of Kisei Eliyahu you mentioned, I did not find what I was looking for. On the contrary, on page 3, it presents the concept of the Creator's unity compared to other types of unity, stating: "Just as this house, in its entirety, is called by the name 'one house'." And if you enter it, you will find many large and small rooms and various other places. Each and every one of them is given a specific name. Similarly, a structure made of trees contains various forms within it. You will also find that the holy wall, which was built, had different parts. Each stone was divided into its own sections, with the earth being bound together in clusters and the lime in separate parts, and so on. And after the builder came and connected all these parts with his wisdom, one within another, and this next to that, they became one unified wall, etc. Then everything was one piece and one unit. The same applies to our matter, etc. And there, on page 25 and 29, it compares it to the human body, which is composed of bones, tendons, flesh, a head, an eye, an ear, a nose, a mouth, hands, and feet, and all of it is called by the name "human," whether it is Reuben or Simon. And on pages 25, 26, and 27, it is written: The fundamental principle that emerges from the mouths of all the Kabbalists is that the first cause called "Ein Sof" (the Infinite) is the one who emanated, created, formed, and made, and He is concealed within the "Zair Anpin" (Small Face) and within the Zair Anpin, He reigns over all creatures, guides them, sustains them, and provides for them with the power of the Infinite within Him. Therefore, He is our God, and we are with Him because our souls are His portion, and Him we serve. He is the God of our ancestors, in His hands lie the governance of the worlds, rewards and punishments. However, the Infinite is beyond the other countenances that are above the Zair Anpin, and even if people arrange their prayers to them specifically, without praying to the Zair Anpin, even if they direct their intentions to the concealed soul within them, they will cry out, but they will not be answered. On the contrary, those who pray to them will be punished, for it is the will of the First Cause that He alone be the one who brings forth and bestows His abundance upon the lower beings, and there is no other besides Him. This is stated and understood. The words of Rabbi Kisa Eliyahu stand in opposition to the words of the Rambam (may his memory be blessed) in his commentary on the Mishnah, his compilation, and the Guide for the Perplexed. They also stand in opposition to the words of the pious author of Chovat HaLevavot, in the Gate of Unity, as well as the words of Saadia Gaon in his book, Emunot ve-De'ot, and the philosopher who wrote that the unity of the Divine is not like the unity of a pair, nor like the unity of a species, nor like the unity of an individual that can be divided into many. And not one like the simple body, etc., which accepts division into infinity. But the Almighty is one in a oneness that has no comparison. Similarly, Kisei Eliyahu wrote that the Infinite is an ancient soul, long and expansive, a father and a mother, small and encompassing, and our revered sages of blessed memory wrote that it is not a body and not a force within a body! And according to his words, it is a force within a body. Similarly, he wrote that the long and expansive beings, Abba and Ima (Father and Mother), preceded the small and encompassing being, which is our God (according to his words), and it is called the child of Abba and Ima, and so on. And our Sages said that He predates all existence, and that every existing thing is not preeminent compared to Him, and so on. Likewise, it is written that the Infinite One, may He be blessed, is not subject to any service or invocation whatsoever. And in Him, no name is applicable, neither the Tetragrammaton (YHVH) nor "Adonut" (Lordship), and so on. They only pertain to the Divine Emanation (Zeir Anpin) and its counterpart, which exist in the world of Emanation (Atzilut) alone, and not to the World of Creation (Assiyah), the Father and Mother, Zeir Anpin, and its counterpart, which exist in the higher realms above the world of Emanation, as explained there in the book (Keter Shem Tov) on page 49, at the end of page 1, and on page 53...
