Maybe you enthusiastically shouted "Amen!" a few too many times, or perhaps you lingered a little too long on the "Modim" (we give thanks) during the Amidah. Turns out, there's a surprisingly deep reason why our Sages frowned on such repetition.
The Mishnah (the earliest code of rabbinic law) in Berakhot, Chapter 1, and Megillah, Chapter 4, both state that if someone says "Modim, Modim" (we acknowledge, we acknowledge) or "Shema, Shema" (hear, hear) twice, we silence them. Why?
The commentators explain that it can appear as if there are two authorities, as if the person is accepting two deities. It hints at a multiplicity that undermines the fundamental Jewish belief in the absolute oneness of God. As Rabbi Zeira said, according to the Talmud in Berakhot 33a, saying "Shema, Shema" is akin to saying "Modim, Modim." It’s about the impression it gives.
The Talmud in Berakhot 14a brings another example. Someone stood before Rava and said "Emet, Emet" (truth, truth) twice. Rava remarked, "Every 'Emet, Emet' that he said, he took hold of it." The idea is that truth is singular; repeating it suggests a division where none should exist. You can't say "Achad, Achad" (one, one) because it implies multiplicity, not unity. Truth, like God, is one.
So far, so good. Seems straightforward. But then… things get complicated.
The Zohar (Genesis 34a) delves into the mystical significance of the phrase "The Lord is King, the Lord was King, the Lord will be King forever and ever." The Zohar interprets this as referring to different aspects of God: "The Lord is King" refers to Erich Anpin (long of face), representing the Father and Mother. "The Lord will be King forever and ever" refers to the "small and female."
Wait a minute... isn't that sounding suspiciously like multiple divine entities? If God is crowning three "kings" with that one statement, how can we then say, "Our Father, our King, we have no king but You"? Haven't three kings already been crowned? Which one are we choosing to reign? And what happens to the others?
This is where things get thorny.
Rabbi Ba'al Ha'ikarim, wary of such interpretations, issued a strong warning: avoid studying the Zohar and other Kabbalistic texts without proper grounding! He cautioned against straying from the established paths of Torah, lest one become ensnared in their complexities. He felt that engaging in Kabbalah without the guidance of an authorized and accepted sage could jeopardize one’s pure and fortified faith.
Why such a strong warning? Because, without proper understanding, these complex ideas can lead to what seems like a belief in multiple authorities, contradicting the core principle of God's absolute oneness.
So, what are we to make of all this? On the one hand, we have a clear emphasis on the singular nature of God, reflected in the seemingly simple rules against unnecessary repetition in prayer. On the other hand, we have mystical texts that hint at a more complex, multifaceted divine reality.
Perhaps the key lies in understanding that Kabbalah isn't meant to be taken literally. It uses symbolic language to describe aspects of God that are beyond our full comprehension. The goal isn't to create a pantheon of deities, but to deepen our understanding of the divine.
Ultimately, the message is clear: approach these profound ideas with humility, respect, and a firm grounding in the tradition as transmitted by our Sages. Study with a qualified teacher, and always remember that the ultimate goal is to draw closer to the one, indivisible God. After all, the core of our faith, passed down through generations from Moses himself, is the absolute, unwavering belief in the Echad – the One.
32) In addition, it is known and well-known how much our Sages emphasized the strictness of transmitting the tradition from Moses, may he rest in peace. They specifically emphasized the case of one who says "Modim, Modim" (we acknowledge, we acknowledge) twice or "Shema, Shema" (hear, hear) twice, as they silence him, as stated in the Mishnah in Berakhot, Chapter 1: "Ein Om'din" (they do not interrupt). And in Megillah, Chapter 4, regarding the one who says "Modim, Modim," they silence him as well. And in Berakhot, page 33a, Ger said that Rabbi Zeira said, "Anyone who says 'Shema, Shema' is similar to one who says 'Modim, Modim.'" The explanation given by the commentators is that it appears as if there are two authorities or as if he accepts two deities upon himself. In Berakhot, page 14a, there is a case where someone stood before Rava and heard someone say "Emet, Emet" (truth, truth) twice. Rava said, "Every 'Emet, Emet' that he said, he took hold of it." Therefore, the intention is in the eye of the beholder. Just as one cannot say "Achad, Achad" (one, one) because it implies multiplicity and not unity, one cannot say "Emet, Emet" because truth is only one. This is the statement of Rava, a concise expression of truth, that he firmly holds onto. This means that he believes in strengthening his words with the truths of the Almighty, as he adds and does not subtract from them. In Sukkah, chapter "HaChalil," it is taught: "We read it 'Anu LeYeih' ('we read it as such'), but I say, Rabbi Zeira said, 'Whoever says "Shema Shema" (hear, hear) is as though he said "Modim Modim" (we give thanks, we give thanks).'" Rashi explains that this is because we silence him, as it appears as if there are two authorities. However, the resolution is as follows: "We read it 'Modim' (we give thanks)," and we forgive him for it. Thus, it implies that the Rabbis were particular, but the matter suggests that there are two authorities. And this is the ruling of all the decisors, that if one says "Shema Shema" or "Modim Modim," we silence him because it appears as if there are two authorities. And from this, we can derive a logical inference (according to the principle commonly accepted in our hands that a person can reason from himself) to make a comparison and draw an a fortiori argument. This is discussed in the Zohar (Genesis 34a), where it is written: "The Lord is King, the Lord was King, the Lord will be King forever and ever." The Lord is King above, the Lord is King in the middle, the Lord will be King below. The Holy One, blessed be He, explained that the King mentioned here is "Erich" (long). The Lord is King; He is the Father and Mother. The Lord will be King, small and female. Thus, when it is stated that "The Lord is King," it means He is crowning Erich Anpin. When it is stated that "The Lord is King," it means He is crowning the Father and Mother. And when it is stated that "The Lord will be King forever and ever," it means He is crowning the small and female. Is there any belief greater and more significant than this belief in multiple authorities and great entities? Since it states that God crowned three kings with the statement, "The Lord is King," how can one falsely claim, "Our Father, our King, we have no king but You"? Haven't three kings already been crowned? In which of them is He now choosing to reign? And how can He remove the crown of kingship from the others? In this regard and similar cases, the words of Rabbi Ba'al Ha'ikarim in the end of Chapter 28 hold true. He strongly warned not to study the Zohar and other Kabbalistic texts. He emphasized and advised you, "Be cautious and guard your soul diligently, lest you stumble after them and be ensnared in their trap." For they forsake the paths of righteousness to walk in the ways of darkness, for they do not know and do not understand the darkness in which they walk. Those who engage in Kabbalah without proper knowledge, relying on sources other than the received tradition from an authorized and accepted sage, are at fault. Therefore, every lover of the Almighty and adherent to His written and oral Torah, which our sages, the masters of the Mishnah and Talmud, transmitted, should distance themselves from the new Kabbalah. They should not worry about its reasons and concerns, lest they jeopardize their pure and fortified faith, which has been established multiple times according to the teachings of the Tannaim, Amoraim, and Poskim.
