It’s like trying to grasp the trunk of a massive, ancient tree, its branches reaching so high you can barely see the top. It’s... well, it’s complicated.
I recently came across some writings – let’s just say they weren't exactly brimming with respect for some core Jewish beliefs. The author seemed to be taking issue with the way we understand divinity, and honestly, it felt like a bit of a slap in the face to the wisdom of our sages. Why should we be swayed by such disdain? It doesn’t touch us, but it does impact the legacy and wisdom of the wise sages of Israel, upon whom all of Israel relies, and it is through their merit that the world stands.
Specifically, they were questioning the Kisei Eliyahu, the Throne of Elijah, suggesting that it implied God's unity was somehow similar to… well, other things. But that’s a misunderstanding! The text itself clarifies that these "likenesses" are just ways for our limited human intellect to grasp at something beyond comprehension. These are holy lights that we can’t fully understand, presented in a way that our minds can begin to process. As it says on page 4b, these descriptions are analogies within the spheres and emanations of created beings. But the Divine itself? No likeness, no form, no way to truly capture it in thought.
Then came the challenge about how we relate to Zair Anpin. Now, Zair Anpin (the "Small Face" or "Short-Tempered One") is a complex Kabbalistic concept, often understood as a collective term for different aspects of the Divine, with a hidden soul concealed within them. The author seemed to think we were suggesting these aspects somehow serve Zair Anpin with divine power. But Rabbi Kesa explains it beautifully in Tractate Hagigah, page 25b.
It’s like… why waste time mocking things you can't even begin to understand? Instead, maybe focus on the incredible miracle of your own body. Think about speech, the very thing that makes us human. Why wasn't the power of speech granted to you from above your eyes? Rather, such is the decree of His wisdom. If you have fair advice, go to your Creator and consult with Him.
And then, the big one: the claim that Kabbalists contradict Maimonides (the Rambam)! The argument goes that Kabbalists describe things like divine power in ways that sound… physical. But as all accepted authorities respond and say, anyone who presents such views regarding the Sefirot like yours is a heretic and has no share in the God of Israel!
This brings up a really thorny question: If even things like the Divine Presence (Shekhinah) and the Glory of God (Kavod) are, as Maimonides suggests in The Guide for the Perplexed, created lights, then how could the Israelites prostrate themselves before something created? Did the prophets only receive prophecy from the created realm, not from the Creator Himself?
If we say the created being is attached to the Creator, then according to your understanding, it is a physical entity!
It's a mind-bender, right? It forces us to ask what we even mean when we talk about God. Are we talking about some distant, abstract concept? Or something intimately connected to the world, even if beyond our full grasp?
Ultimately, it circles back to the idea that we can't fully comprehend the Divine. As it says, "We do not comprehend Me, says the Lord." (Jeremiah 3:14) It's a humbling thought, isn't it? That the mystery is always bigger than our understanding. Maybe that's the point.