ריבוי פירוד וגשמותWhere the Philosophers Stood

ribbui, perud ve-gashmutIn Gamatria ↗

Reason reached the One; it could not see the rungs.

Shaltiel asks why Yehoyada is harder on the Talmudists than on the philosophers, whom Rav Hai Gaon, the Rashba, the Rosh and the Rivash all condemned. Yehoyada agrees philosophy is no paved road. But some of it matches tradition. The Sefer ha-Peli'ah warns against multiplicity, division and corporeality, and the philosophers proved the same. The Zohar calls Greece 'close to the paths of faith', which Recanati applied to the thinkers before Aristotle. The real guilt lies with Jews who bent the Torah to Greek opinion, denying demons, amulets, holy names, providence and the soul's punishment. Because of them true kabbalists fell silent; even Ramban wrote that he could not explain. And simple unity is not enough: worship depends on knowing the sefirot, the intermediate causes. Through them one gains awe of God's exaltedness, not only fear of punishment.

Hover the image to look closer.Tap the image to look closer.