Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • The Kiss of God Spiritual and Mystical Death in Judaism

    Uploaded by

    Iermina Herciu
    71 views80 pages

    Original Title

    The kiss of God spiritual and mystical death in Judaism

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    PDF or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    Report this Document

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    71 views80 pages

    The Kiss of God Spiritual and Mystical Death in Judaism

    Uploaded by

    Iermina Herciu

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    of 80
    craewien sreorts The cepa a i 1SS abo: Jevish istry and Jeu Mey oO Se Go d tie Pr peace Spiritual and Mystical et he to a Rh Death in Judaism evil ey ihe Mode Wd ee MICHAEL FISHBANE 1. Pez end he Maing of Mode Jeu Cate ‘by Ruth R, Wine The Kir of Gol Spinal and My Dethin uo ty Miche Fane Gen Aiton i Mode Fi Hit The Res and Reps f Women ‘Pas E. Hyman rieLan affuesoh Gey UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON PRESS by Samael C Henan Seate & London 1964 Contents Prefice Introduction a 1. “Ifyou wih live, then de” Aspects of Death and Desire in Jewish Spirituality 4 2. “For Your sake we are illed all day long ‘The Sanctification of God in Love st 3. "As fhe scrified a soul” Forms of Ritual Simulation and Substitution 7 Epilogue 13s Notes 9 Index 183 Introduction _Aitiereotite Hee ie he great exons tion found in Deuteronomy’ 63, “you shall love the Lord your God with ll your heated with ll our soul and with all your might” These words at also at the eat Judaism and constitute ts lgius eel. The people ae addressed with this postive dry flowing Moses proclamation that "the Lords One," eng rad alone (4) Inthe legal vocabulary of aie ltl the term “love” formally spulstesIyalty and covenant commitment" et what more sinvolved> ‘Thelanguage i tlng, Fst and forest, the speech acultes a spcital ask fr esch and every individual (you sal love). A personal response athe communal eed thas requited: and the terms of hs response ae specified in the deepest and mow comprehensive way (Cwith all your heare and with all your soul and with 2ll your might). Clea, the linguage of love evokes ‘more than legal loyal asthe otal self The ripe formu “with al!” punctuates he absolute nature ofthis demand, and each phrase determines a distinct mode of devotion. In vew of rinsed understanding of bi paychology the sequence of her, sou, and might may ‘ven mark parca intensifeton of persooal commit ‘ment: beginning with one's heat (or mind), expanding {© one soul (or fe force), and culminating with one's catire ef as ors energy (or might). Such reading ‘ofthe list moves fom part whole and complements nother tht Would se here 4 progression from inner sae (thought and emotion) to outer effet (or worldly Introduction provoction)» Whatever the cu, the over intents cae [an exclusive God demands absolate devotion ‘As iro biblical Scripta, the ancen esis turned to Deateronomy 6:38 the primary formulation of their ‘monotheistic Faith and regarded the duty to "Jove the Tord your God wth ll your heart and with al your sal and with ll your might” (63) a 49 uncompromising Cillenge. They therfore rrned the tee thi ay and that fr exegetical elie that might deinest the natore Sand extene ofthe tsk. Not ssrprisingly, the confits ‘of discal rabbinic paychology ste dicovered in their nteqpretatons along with the highest ideals of spite pesfcton. A brief exploration of there interpretations ‘vl provide urtal prologue to the religio agenda to ‘be considered in eubequentchaprers. ‘One ofthe ealist comments on Deateronomy 6 is found inthe Mishnah, Berbhor IX. 5. Here, after cing the entire verse, each phrase is successively repeated and cexpline. I begs: "with al your her with Your two Incnations, wath she goed sncinstion [yetz and with thecvl inclination [jeten + At ft plance, the comment is pring and seems eniely arbitrary. Butchi snot fo. Thesnderstanding of the human heart compasing theo diner inclinations wae wellestablshed festure of {cen Jewish paychology Is origin derives frm such Sexprral passages as Genesis 8:21, where we read that the yeeer ofthe heat [le] of «human being is evil ‘om is youth "as wellas om her wadiions. Among ‘hte one may count certsin metaphial speculations Concerning "wo way" (good and ev) found in Jewish Hellenistic wring! and in moral dita and mirashim of the sages 038 wel asthe connection drawn inthe De Sex Scrat between the dal “spits” of human nature ae the divinely determined mature of dings. 7 The abbis Introduction Bate us ret othe Jewish Greek synthe, Beyin ning with Pio, chough derived fom Pit, its focus is font mode of ascetical piety that st elf guns his wordy dsiees,precslybecise these dese stimilate {he physi elf'and um one sway fom God and spt AAiverane.As2 mode ofits activi, such pty sdvocites a hind of selFiberation of the soul though + strengthening of the inelect au ite attachment 0 Death and Desire in Jewish Spirituality ‘sdom. This pone is made with exegetical sharps by ‘he cast Jewish Neoplatonicphloiopher, Ian irae In his tenth-eetary work The Bok of Deitons, he Provides the liosng quotation commentary. Pato sd ht philosophy ira a stein, ad concen or eth Saytiase Thissa desenpocrof ret pend ond ttevted eeanng For saying “once fr dea he age ‘mene ito beendenood inthe oe othe king of bexsty esis nd sts, fein eee monfition nd avoidance ‘he highest rank, the raped splendor sete ety into ‘Ge ream oft, And by vsyng bel dees and hs andy senghening them, nen fle at dra ny fiom that which i dv 1 God inthe way of obedience, iy, and attention to prayer athe pescabed boars Thisisa wonder piece of synthetic encgesi, lend ing Greek an Jewish thought ina commenary fort Israel ves Pato (not revlon) the voice of authority summarizing eta scon ofthe Phas (64-8 uted catlir. To this he glosses, in ie own voice, his own, epitome rm che Tal (Tami 3)-that "te kling™ of beastly deste lends to the highest good, whereas viviying beastly dses” draws one fom the tae path. Acordngiy he Scholars ofthe south resold Plato fiom obscurity ~and sae rac hs not merely adjusted 2 Hellenized Jesh eaching to Platonic thought he bas Phtonized that nsteacton 9 boot, Thus, proper pres requis mental discipline snd secon. But hat ot AIL A glance tthe concason shove eh ack ao speaks ‘commie Jew, dedicated he egmen ofthe Law 3 8 dscphine of Self-development. Indeed, by referring to “the way of obedience, puri ad tenon fo payer a the presebed hour,” theres atother dese tle fom the lnely path fhe philosopher othe communal pi Death and Desire in Jewish Spirituality othe people, Blending solitary vices with Halakhah — the palsophical ques wich pla soldaty = ark the way of Mose with stops Maimonides (1135-1304) contin this philosophical tacos. Alchough his great work The Gude of le Pox leeds sufased with sconce for individ pet, tion (with the "governance ofthe solitary,” a Shes Toe ‘ssigna ie), comments here sidin the compen Miioh Torah make cle that forthe “Greve Bag balic practice isthe divinely given means wheccby ‘one’ soul may be ateched co God in this word apd etmanety joined cothe Ave nelle upon ath, The ‘estes of mierial exten ate hus contaled by al icxy and diminished by philosophies! Lnowledge hea Sense these isin Maimonides doctrine» Lind of eso by which you ae or become what you think abe so ‘hat o be inetecually focused upon God at ll simesig Proprssivey co srengthen the link beeween the human Intellect ands divin source, But sachs bond ean neveg be completes long asthe soul emits inthe body. ad {he mere race of mater tints it with anes hes ‘To be perfected one must lve God with so undvered ‘sprit tention witha your sout) eroughons ite ‘The cimax, for Maimonides is dead death ty divine bts. Herein how he describes tins famous pasage neat fhe end ofthe Guide 5). Wn che mesne in which the fculies of the body are weakened and the fe ofthe deste is quene, the cl lest strengthened. “es ppchension pono aed ‘ies n wha apprehend The rs that when fect man is sricken wh years and spproses tvs ‘is apprehension increases very powell joy overt apprehension becomes strget, tail te seal sper Death and Desire in Jewish Spirituality from che body at that momen in his sat of plese. Becate of hs the Sages hv indoned wih free tothe eas of Moses, Ano snd Miriam thatthe treo thers bed by ais They side he dictum "And Monte servant ofthe Lord died theres he lod of Mob by the mouth ofthe Lord” (Deuteronomy 4) indies that he sist thes. Sil isa of Maro. "By the neath ‘ofthe Lor, and died thete™ (Numbers 3338). A they ‘ai of Mita in these way: "She aod bythe ig > Buc with regatd torts nt at "by che mone of the Lon ect she was a woman, the ue ofthe furan xpresion was ocsutbie with egardco hee The orp st nite tha the hte of ther did in he ferns ofthis apprehension due tothe intensity of pasion love In this dium che Sages. may ect memory be Mesto, folowed the general accepted postal way o expron tucal he appreension hat a cheved vaste ener tod passionate love for Him, may He be exe + kn in accordance wich the deo “Les him hss me with he esc fis mouth Gongs 2)... Ale aving esehed ths codon of enduring permancac, hime tense ‘i one and he same sxe the pediment Ga somes screed him off having been removed. And he wll ema fa tha sate of intense peau, which dow ot belons fo ‘he gens of bodily petite ss we have expe 4m his remarkable discussion, Maimonides interpeets ainterpreion of Script interns of pial deh in capeare, The sequences flows. Theo eabiniat ‘ages (in che Talmud and Midas) read the accounts of the death of Moses and Aaron "by the mouth ofthe Lord” quite tery Fr ehem chs expresion does noe simply tefer to death by divine drction, which he fppurent plan sense ofthe passage, bat death “by the ss of Goa” The righeous thus die peacefly, they Death and Desire in Jewish Spirituality taught; and thei sous ae withdeawn from ths bodies 2s pailesly a hair removed fom onl (Beat 45) Bue Maimonides went Farther whan he interpeted thes expiration a4 dcuth in ecstasy. + death "hr the ‘plessare of nll apprehension dae othe ingest ‘of pasionate love" The kisi thas "s poe way” of talking about the consummation of spiritual eos ss the death of she each ele He hs thas llegoracd Songs 1a, "Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth Peshaps forthe fist ime, we now have 2 personal reading of the Song ~ one that takes the personal lane sage seriously but avoid es lpia lst. "To dodge ts hoger, cater commenacore from the eabinissager Rashi eesolurely adopt historia teading fied ‘atin, Maimonides converts it. For him "the he ofthe estes i quenched” —but not tue love (ef Songs 8-7), ‘Driven by the purification of apprehension and the joy it gender. he inlet seenghens its bond wih Gov It ‘sfimlly released by aks. However "pontial" dest is thus eroiized as 2 anscendentalplenute of “ending remanence.” Indeed, with exquisite irony the orig ‘arthcentred eos is ansigued, andthe male female love ofthe Song is now rea God (pitta) Rising men but not women, for that would be 4 consume breach of propre By the thireemh century, the mod of killing one's desires and dying by divine kis ate fixed topice of Halosophical and ethical dicourse, Combined thoy epresent the two poles of spiritual ation ~ of mean and ends. On che one side, philosophical apprehension grows with “practicing deaths and onthe other ile Fecal pefecion i failed bya consummate rape Sem Tov ibn Falaguera provides repeated exteples ofthe need co subjee or contol the Earthy appentes Death and Desire in Jewish Spirituality im order thatthe rational sul be enlivened. “Ifyou Aull fami] your body in secking the Truth you wll Yivify your sou” he semarks in Sefr he Maggs, and in comparable Words eluewhere 1 Ass pret thie iscerninly more exteme ~ even asetieal advice dan ‘one might expece from a pilosopher who accepted Arittles golden mean to guide hutman behovon* fn another wotk, Falaguta makes he poine more fossa “The mean ofthe appetitve [ool ie, the sul pow «med by base desires stat one should sbandon bodily pleasures, excep for what i necesary"® Mavmonides ‘On che other sie ofthe spectrum, there is a rewaed for acetic igor and ielectal development — nd tht sth possibilty of leaving tthe divine melee This superior state is figured ars kis, even ab divine Kiss ‘hereby one des and squires immortality. Among he frst philosophical commentators af the Sang of Sones, ‘Moses ibn Tibbon ieterpres Songs 1:2 ("et him kee 1m asa indication "ta the esting ofthe human soul withthe Separate nec posible" ad Va ib. Sahula makes a simar point» In philosophic crac Issa itm Lait speaks more prciely when he says that ‘he cleaving ofthe man intellect the Active lncleet takes the form of he kis" and Moses Narbon adopts {he commentator’ tye when he sey “Let Him bist ‘him withthe Kise of Fis mouth, and et him receive the fcsve intellect in the light of hs soul which res upon hex" The femininity ofthe soul and the masculiniy ofthe divin intellect, combined with the figure ofthe ‘iss and che om “ses upon he” give shis portrsya of an incerta! conjunction starkly erotic exe. Tis 4 hes gama, or sacred marrage of sors, inthe most (hoscphialy) dead of ems Death and Desire in Jewish Spirituality ‘combination ofthe theme of ns with pital death ‘noted by Rabbi Babye ben Ahr in his bible! com mentary (on Desteronomy 34:4) and in his chological Aiaionsry Kai ho Qoma. The entre theme septomized ‘ear the end of the enty “Love” and provides x concise summary our preceding discussion [Now with regard to this high rank of intense lve was ‘he Song of Songs established, or it bese "Lat as Be ime with the Rises of hit mouth and our blosed sages explained (it dhs) "al eh wings ar ly, but the Soo of Song th Holy of Holi” forthe end of whats sought fom hamankind i to leave the inlet tothe Holy of otis vi the heavenly attibutes). and indeed the vy word “kis” means cleaving. Now out mate Mason of blesed memory, achieved this high ky for bi death was by a kiss Thus did our Heted sages exp, “Ad ‘Moses the servant of th Lorde there inthe nd of Mons by the mouth of de Lord meaning that he et by ane Now the word “kis” means the deving ofthe lover with ‘hebove flit. thesubjecr ofits ove with tobe, snd his mea the soul septate fom thie wor without any sens of death whatever “The means to tan the hits of God varies For the philosophers, incllesal tuning provided scursealam ‘of dspline nd a developmen ofthe apprehension of the Aivine rats. Bur chete wt alo rane tedion and is regimen of piety and contol. ts purpose, secording ‘9 Mrimonides, is functional: ta guide ne sway from ‘worldly matters and toward single-minded devetion to God. "Know." he counsels, tha all the practices ofthe worship, such as reading the Tons, prays and the pet formance ofthe other commando, have only the eno ‘ining yout oeeupy youre wih Hiscommnandwnn, Death and Desire in Jewish Spirituality may He be exalted, rather than wih matters petining to this wosld" (Guide 52). Through the Law, then ‘one coli begin to imitate Davi, who sid, “Ihave set ‘he Lord always before me" (Pram x68, and to fafill the advice ofthe sages: "Do not let Goa be absent fom your thought” (b Shab soe) ‘Bur there isa more interne tning afforded by the Law. Thishs several aspect, To begin with, Maimonides "575, one should tempt emey the mind of everything, and recite the Shema payee (Devteronomy 64-9) with focased intent. This combination of tis fr sl mptyng) and eneitaive devotion bats the mind om ‘wot things nd seit on the eure of loving God with allone' hear (mi a soul and might. a pectic he rots, that mast be “etre ou coment" and practiced consistently for yeas." Only then cn one begin to take ‘he second and chird stepson tit path, which consis of refletive attention onthe Torah and prophets lections and on all benediction ~ fre of districting thoughts. “These practices alo require ardvous devotion and must be practiced consisted. eis only aller this discipline is perfected dat one e propery prepared to attend to “things peruining oth world” be they the necessier lif, che welt of the body, o fellowship with ons ‘amily — without losing spiritual balance. Nevertheless, swotdly materof whatever sort must never oepy one's thoughts whale “perfooming the actions imposed by the aw” With respect to the commandments the adept must vender to God single-minded service and separate ‘mediate ras oom personal and socal demas The “posemance ofthe solitary" takes potty (in principle andinpracice) over the "“poverante ofthe howachold” ‘Bur all his pertains to externa, public beavors, Dering more private moments then you ate alone Death and Desire in Jewish Spirituality With yousel'and no one ele these, and while you ie awake in your be") another pean advocated, And that sha the devote shuld engage excluively i the incl worship of God. Awakened te thelove ot God by philosophical apprehension ofthe tac reales the \orshipes willemploy intelectual thought sn onnty Ioving Him. Such permanence isthe goal of tric and is “[mjostly.. achieved in solitade and islaon 4 ur insofie asthe adept slate his mind fom entered ‘ings, profound atachment to God can be ahievel enon thin the intra resi. This is ely the ghee stage of meditative practice and overcomes the opt becween insects atendion on divine things dure worship and occupying ones thoughts wily more things etherwise. tn this state one may outwardly be with people bt inwardly wholly sumed towed God. This *xcetional level of consciousness, of which more wil be ‘aid ate, isthe highest ng of pilosophical matioron For Maimonises, nothing beter capris eaity thn + "Poetical parable” in ehe Song of Songs (3.3) "deep, ‘boty heareisawakeehe vice of my beloved knoe tn this remarkable reading,» new testimony given sor the excited fantasy of desire bat anumbing the enenoe Senses so thatthe presence of Gol may be cited n pre inwardness n ime and with propet devotion he lovee may hope fora kiss and thereby exchange this werd for the world wo come [putes mystics. spsinal deh snot dered £0 the end of ie and docs noe depend upon bla Practice per se. To be sure, eration! devotion say bea ‘aunied exercise, but the onset ofthe esta i iggeed by other effects. There nonhalahic Behavios ey be ‘enthusiastic unnegulatedclsraons, or they ay kept Death and Desire in Jewish Spirituality of regimen of medatv techniques developed by cei masters and requiring sstere ting and porevcrane The result may be ethers temporary sate of myeoeal ‘ying or physical death nut bls ln some cases the adepe may even choose beeen the wo while ia ste oF ennai consciousness ‘An extraordinary example of sudden death in cevesy is preserved inthe Sad ht Shas, from the endo the Uhiteenth or the beginning ofthe fourteenth cena Preceding the key episode, there a bie discussion of ‘he employmeat ofthe eantillation note called sae bythe Levtes and high pat inthe ance Temp, This ‘seal tone was pat of "scence of musc™ Known to ‘these holy men and wsed for vasioas songs and forthe pronunciation ofthe divine Name, These proce see f exalted “joy” or bliss, which i an inf fromthe Holy Spin: Bue such efets were aoe limited to seta intos, for we are immditely cold Sch so was the incident of the eo young French ili the ty ofthe voleano [= Montpelier], ascent canes ‘They bnew how to perform mane and they had pemane voice and they excelled in the scence of muse They ‘gun eo rece [alm 3] To the chit munis upon Shoshannim, for the sons of Korah, Mask A Song of Loves” They chaed acorn tothe saight path andy ose wi the higher ents, and they wc absorbed song that belre they fnihel hal the psi, Cad cet at hesing the song fom these mouth a is way, The tune rose upwatds, they achieved union and their soul scended eo Heaven. Sechow Ge je at heen ane done correct and how mach power thee sin good ini! We this hve a recotd of «special musical tation known eo owe young gids. They knew the “cence of Death and Desire in Jewish Spirituality music” and applied ic to Psalm 45. In he process of {heir rection, they Became absorbed in thei eong and, "cough it in the divine reales ~ so much ac thes sous ascended in union wih God, and they expe. The ‘verb used toexpress the medial nd final sae of psa conjunctions daa, 2 technical tc for mys eae ings and the expesion foe pil expiration, pochoh sot, recalls the idioen in Songs Rat describing the eat ofthe Inalites athe sound of Gots commend Even more crucial for apprecting this cestimony ie fac that he ils werereking Psi 4, whose ial ne fest a “Song of Loves" shir yee. This sopgesis ‘hat the eceion wasan exaticlove song to God, eich was received in oy and reciprocate by the sbsorpin ‘ofthe holy sous on high. Stimulating vin ten, the Bik dicdin love ~ conjoined to God ‘A more delete practice hiked to ovr theme of ean hanats occurs in the Mtn ‘Ena, by Rabb leaac of Acre (ea. 1270-1352). This gre diiple of [Nahimanides provides peatioe based on visatnnion of ‘he Tetageamimaton inorder to achieve a sate of won with God. The adept is urged to fix aenton on God's [Name by plcing "the ltr ofthe Unique Naw Before his ier eye (i, he eyes of his inllect and thowghe] asf they weee writen befoe him on a sell writes op Square scrip it, Asha, with cach ler of infinite extent" This isthe Secret of binding one soul Above nd causing one’s thought o cleave othe Exalted God 035 to acquis ctcrmal li i the world to ome, This Process is gradual and perfective, for “in proportion ‘ones knowledge... will be the [degee of desving ‘Fone’ thought fon high) and in proportion vo once leaving to Him willbe [ee sekerexakation snd soul inthe wor to come ~ anti (vie the soul departs Death and Desire in Jewish Spirituality fom his body with kits and returns to ts source? ‘The ene sage is reminiscent of Maimonides: the teltionshp beeen thought and love inthe eae of "the soul bya kis, andi che did efor o plac he Lord before one's mind always. The significant difernce les in the mens employed which for Rabbi Ita is ‘echnigue of innee Vision center on the iconography ofthe Name, Through such devored practice on might ‘ape evil "happenigs” inthe here and mow and aequire Immortality Maimonides thought likewise Te may ‘hrefre be supposed that Rabi sac had access the Guide and, in particule, thoee mystical inerpestons ‘ofc chat were available ia Span chrough the dips of Rabbi Abraham Abul, In other wecings, Rabbi fase speaks of spiel leaving a6 a type of absorption by which de soul is swallowed” by God, ‘When the pous maski [nella ker] causes his souk to send baste eave in comect manne ite caving tothe divine mystery to which she eaves, {God swallow It. And this ithe cert of the verse in Numbers «20, “bur they sll nt come at sc when the bly things ane concealed [it allowed}. kt they die" ‘This asimilation of the soul tothe divin is leely an imate mystical sate ~ a death in ecstasy Mich ike the image of divine is, the human soul sabsorbed by God afer ic achieves a pected lve of cleaving, Two sages ae hus involved! ative nd pasive, Ace outset, the soul srves to connect with Ga, with grester and ‘more permanent sus. But onc his pois eae, ‘he soar swallowed up, ‘Other passages indieateatansional pin his mys ial process, shrough the related image of"Sinking™ nto Death and Desice in Jewish Spirituality ‘he ocean of divinity. Rabbi etc employs this ferm in the content of dsewting the dangers af mystical pte and cena oditingush between viable conterplation fee divine ight anda more extee fren whi reals in Sinking” evil). The repeited cautions to “guaed yourself" ory to see [the Upper Light] and expe fis Angers)” suggest a esidsal amount of wl between the fntenton to cleave and the lous of willpower in cetsy ‘A comparable moment of decision is recorded in at anonymous mystical collection roughly contemporary th Rabi Inc. Here another “eat seen” inteported, bur with a enexpected eis, Ben Azzi gazed and died, fr he locked upon the splendor ‘ofthe Shekna and afer bi cleaving to hel not wane separat om tases splendor and [ea ‘mumersd [ar and biden within i adi soul as cowed and wrethed by that spn and allan whch so creature an ceaveto and thee Ives is wien fin ods 3320), "foro person may ce Me and Ines “This account is based on the Famous episode of “Four ‘Who Entered (2) Pardes" preserved in several tabinic versions. Is posible that this pericope war ovigenally merely oratory parable about fur ges who entered ‘yal gardens! ~ with dnt results, In several verions elem that “ben Arzai gazed and wae stricken” "ben ‘oma gated and died.” “Elaha ben Abuya [oe Aber] ‘ut the shoots,” and "Rabbi Akiba entered sally and departed salty” li. in peace). Inthe account found in the Babylonian Talmad (b. Hagiga 148) te roles of ‘ben Aasiand ten Zoma ae switched 20 that ie the former who gazed and diel" and ths icthe version upon ‘hich the foregoing elaboration is base. In ation Death and Desire in Jewish Spirituality the same teutment of ben Assi this acount presumes thar he hada eaytical experience ~and js hit moti resent inthe almudic text.Fllowing there "Four Who Entered a) Pare and before the report of the experiences, Rabbi Akiba warned them about a iionary Alsion nthe upper heavens. This transfrms the garden fotos mystic realm ~a parade ~ and the enty ino ie ‘mystical ght ofthe soul Infact. Akiba su ohne "ascended nd descended” in peace? Airs glance it would thetefre sera that the Baby tonian Talmud’s version of the rabbinic epic is ‘uthonary teaching abou the danger of myst vison = insofr asec ado death made, or apostasy oles ‘one is properly tained and focuied. Hut at some eatly lage various proof texte were added to the pericope explicate the meaning of he instrtion. By cing Sones 154 (‘Draw me after you the king has brought te {nto his chambers) in connection with Akibe thee it declan attempt o state dat the tr mystic begin wih athumble request and is then taken up by God in aptre into the heavenly palaces. Simi, by means of rovers 28:16 Ifyou have found honey, eit only what you needs Jest you glut yourselfand vomit itup") ben Zomasnry fs deemed the result ofan iterperte spit appetite The case of Elisha ben Abuya store complex. The vetse ‘ited (Do not bing your fs into sin, and Jo ot say before the angel that isan errs Besser $9) ho ‘suggests an ncauios act daring the mystical state hich \we know to be an improper assessment of the status of fhe angel Merton in heaven; and such behave may rightly be another ase of pride before a ill ‘Thais brings us to ben Azza, whose deh flowed by the remark: "Precious in the eyes ofthe Lordi the dat of Hs ght one” (Pal 1615)" iscleany Death and Desire in Jewish Spirituality 4 postive evaluation; and one may conclide that, a contrast to Rabbi Aiba, eho experienced myst is and erumed othe werd ben Azz died in apa, and that his death pleased the Lod. The medical epsome ofthis event ite above follows this understanding, with the aed information that betoeen the intial leaving ‘nd leimate sinking ben Azza decided not "to separate fiom that sweet splendor” but to remain immersed 2 flood of supernal ight. He thus died in a state of he sweets bliss ‘A forsertansformation of ben Aza into a medieval ‘atic ccusin the mys Torh commentary of Rat Menabem Recanat (ate thirteenth to early furtenth ‘cenry). Citing the eabbinie radon in which Rat ‘Asba came upon ben Azei in trance and thought hien to be dealing with the superal secrets ofthe Henly (Chariot (Songs Rebbe 1-10), Recanat ineeprets ben ‘Azzs response ("wasting and ecking and he words Llevarin] descended. before me") as veering to 4 ‘echnique of vsuakzaton, “When he had cased hs sul to leave tothe Upper Soul, the awesome words sarin] ‘were engraved in his mind and he would draw then [before his iamer eye} Ax distin trom Rabbi tac’ aforementioned technique of cleaving tos visual icon of the divine Name, we now ste tht the vuaiation of “swesome devarin” since by the state of conjunction wth the superal soul ~ for through the divine efx ‘hs brought forth "the elements expand and incre oyfly in his consiousnes. A slghly diferent sequence Seems to be eported for the ancient “pious and preted ones” Recanati aye that when engaged in “supernal rysterie” these mystics began by wsaling things snd then, when they caused thc souls to cleave to the higher realms, hese “things” began “expanding” and Death and Desite in Jewish Spirituality "ppeaingofthemelves” fom dhe source of choug 1 lemay betha there rel dilleeace betwen the oro methods, whi cae Ben Azz ao began wah an Imaginative veelzation bated on (weak) sonjunction ‘with divine eats and as his caving incese, so were the shape ofthe represent sceessvey enlarged tn ny cae the repented elerence othe things inteasing ancl expanding” is undoubedly drawn from Rabbi Ariel ‘Athi point, Reina goes cnt say tit may happen thatthe uter "oy" or pleasure of thie medative sate vwllnducein dhe adep 3 mighty and overwhelning ry lbetipah), and is spin and oul will esc to separate fiom his bod.” Ths an exaked moment, diferent from the ecaigue a yng i ode ole anya experienc and om the stances of weeping allowing Such estas ria ete Berween inl rape and ter most expition, reminiscent of the eae oben Aza who decided 2 sch point wo remain in soperraltaepor and Ai Indeed, nthe presen istance he decisive mom t a lat gasp of this-worllyconscoumess andi exposed 2:2 ery of absolute loging for permanent tion with God, Recana py comments here that "this [epuraion ofthe soul flo the body] x death by [ee] ks fo Goa To cai his point, Reeanat adds dition from ‘he Zohar (L144) which speaks of the ecstatic death ‘OF Rabbi Yose, Rathi Hiskiah, nd Rabbi Vis upon receiving an atonishing mythical-theceophicalrevele- ‘ion about the primordial emanation. As the remaining comrades watched the holy angele transporting thor fends of in 3 canopy,” they were greatly distraught bythe possibiy tat they tov had sinned and would be nished for reveaing esoteric knowledge. They were 2ssiaged by 2 heavenly reply confirming their Heed Death and Desire in Jewish Spirituality “porn” and inparing te knowledge thet the sous of that comrades caved othe dine at ie soy ene of death The Zahra shat the “ote [tte hn, Cornea] departed witha Ki and were Bouma eee sscending canopy And why dd thse des Boss cn an cates ocasin they entered nd cree {wheres llth others had ented andemerged fe 4st ey alls to the mystical enero of Ral Aiba, who emered the hevenly teint nd sent “in peice" By cons the eat death of tne come real ben Az ie tom,hedidon ape One fia image deserves comment I scene Zotar ag the couse ofscommenton Senge As inthe commentary afin Sahl hee see individual deat by dine his preceded by stop scading of the vee. Ie thus ho the early eee ‘ho cil to her mule lover bat the sapere (aed "Commanty ofa) in guest af conjures ‘wth er evvenl Spouse (aeons). eee the ode mide reading tansormed. Ne lovey founded in outinal history, the cur of the becomes mehistore ® Acedgly she doe sss othing ess than 3 yearning fr enon siti divine eth. But now the Zar anes queen Wie docs the text read “let ht hiss me and at oe hn, Jove me” ~ a igh be expeced? And the mses thatthe word "issn ihe devng fap ‘Pi fr jut ashes deve om te meal ohn is "the souice and outlet ofp" athena ne 2 permanent Bonding of Spr to Sp Ins soe the Zohar concaes tht “one whe soul Sear wok 2 Kvn] kiss dates to anoier apn ape thar inspable fom i" A pieced death ee apne seperlconjuncions, stotir asthe piel og ot Death and Desire in Jewish Spirituality the female (hua) soa to de divine a death resembles the perfect contanetion of sis inthe herwenly tel ‘And according to zohaictheozopiy, sich» human et also induces the intadivin nien In this way, the dest ofthe sins repairs the connote The roar edition of ecstatic death by divine kis 5 noc affected by philosophical notions of voabulary hich dtingushes it rom the Maimonidean ewerking ofthe tlm teadiion, a well from the myst ‘Maption of Maimonides by Abahatn Abuhi (ica "291 and hi disciples. Ths ater development s parton lay interesting forthe way tenses mystic potenti in dhe “fective imellectalen” ofthe Gude and for ‘development of technical prtices wholly dane fom the halakhic discipline of the Misch Tole Cor tainly Maimonies’ own references to private mediation ‘echiniqus and his deal of ledempeon deh par sioned atachment (leaving) to God inspired Abul, Equally infeneal was the soul-body dualism andthe necessity to control the passions in der thatthe Soul snsy bond with God forever ‘As ed earlier, Maimenides spoke of » progres sive development of the 00 toward such spit release: “le the measure that she faculties the body se weakened. the imtllec is strengthened ite apprehensions puried, and rejoices in what i appre bends... une thesoul separated fom the body in this sate of pleasure” (Guide Ls) Abulafia gives stinely mystical explication to this pasage in Ser Heyy ha Olam he Bl The more the divine fineectve nf i strengthened Within you, the more your ester and intemal organ wll weaken, and your body wl begin oem very rest, Death and Desire in Jewish Spirieuality unl you ink eat you ae about 10 ie for your soul Become separated om your Day da tothe gest joy in rerning and knowing wha you have known ‘A inst Meimonido’dsuson, whee the Fre fing psp oi pt ofan ie fie 2rpeeenion af God by ean ofmedanetegucs freraraory the gos wceing themes nd eh S tivne kis, Aba conak feos an mercion oncoming mts emansefeaey which produces eat of cae Shen” ad an ono rowed no dred om lta say “heflood of divine te ef then deere she above caso, lng ith te set of Seah ‘are Tad tend chore over den 2th momen iz, sclera" of ona seach) forthe sake afte chrecion ot hou oo pn inaraion). That thi techie of "ying ot final at Gs in Msimonies = tidnced By Abul seats the dace should master his pce of “Choosing if and ten he wil fe realy fo ghee, std eisony in onneron with more Jesh eh enough ine Nae athe mse ops of death by divine kiss. a Deewingonoli inc rion« ipe of Abula sxe toa wed irl Joh hrngh susepontion ‘aon reminet ofeach [for inert 4 man esi, that man wil fives ax the philosopher ay IF you with to ve by nature de voluntary and live by nate and if you wh o de by ‘tut, ive velutay and deb nate." And lee {0 4 tan who has been granted by God knowlege and sunderstandng and itl: blewe be He who has paced with knowledge. And our sage si ikem, te Death and Desire in Jewish Spirituality saying “What stall wan doo liv? He bl di, And wha ‘Bullman dovo die? He hl hiv" Abulafa himself ces eis calmadic saying fom b ‘Tamid 326 (Wha shall mando 7) na veveation oF mystical “secret” abou reife and goes ones hae ‘his themes also ined ain Numbcts an. If man dhs inhistene "6 Ths passage had ong been pee on the ascii of Torah ey, bast onan itesprevaon by Resh Labs ("The words of Torah ae ead ony hrough one who kllimsel ove thes Cin $7) [Able cites thi eradison and adds shat “be Rabi {Maimonides} sd in Sef haa. tha he Tota {sealed only by one who kill ims inthe tens of ‘wisdom For Maimonides this "wisdom ee inner hloropicl sentof the Torah, andi ends perfected prehension realign spisial deh. Abulaia soughe the Active Inellec through theargical mesiations and yeamed to din the rape of ts boul How The Abulaan echnigue of physical soliton and shyekmicreckatons of holy leets was cated on by his (sip. A vematkable mana in th ration, cing Awol regimen oF sprit ascont is preserved in he Silom ha Aliyah of Rabb Jada Albu (erway cael saeenthcencury).® indeed the important een Chaper conse an “explanation of che ways af medic tion, and cleaving, and dhe peer preparations forthe adept follow in oder to atesin he goa of his metal] incension ~ thae he conjin his soul with the Active Imele and receive the oly Spt [of prophecy." The Preparations themselves inchde canto of he physical sions (hae “the inellec eacape the prison of animal Instinct of body parca, correction of moral asics, equanimity of eh spin, and single-minded Death and Desire in Jewish Spirituality concenteation on the divine inligbiln7Thus, “atl ‘eral eae #0 prion of the (naar insti 2d delne ofthe [moral abuts, quant ends fo the concentration {or solason of the [hight] sou and concenacion lads the aly Spin, which leads prophecy = which sd highest leva lel his adder ‘of ascent reworks the ancene program of piety (bai) ‘aughe by Rabbi Piabas ben Yair, who sid “eatin ends co devine, lesnines leads opi purity leads to oiness, holiness leads eo ham, hurt lead 0 fea of in, fearon eas ier, py lends och Help Spin, the Holy Spit leads othe resureston ofthe dead, {End} che resurecion of the dead leads so Eljoh, may he be remembered for good." The notable diffrence 1s Albupin’s substation of contemporary Sufi Stoic eas ( equaniniey and concentration) for she etic sain ites of he ancient se, and his eplacement of ‘hehope i pyial erection od maton eschatology withthe goal of spiritual estorason and redemption of ‘he individ so ‘The practical means of schcving personal salvation by becoming united ich the Acive Intec then described. Vaious preparations of site and seme are vied, along wieh creasing mental images and veiing divine Names. ASthe tele ofthe at separates fom ‘his-worldy constraint and becomes “active "he will collapse tothe ground ike a dead man” and receive a inflax of the divine cha vl ancins him with heavenly race fore has escaped neo the divine elm And chen bis sali simpli! and euvenated through ‘onjunexon with the root af he Source Fom which ir was hewn. And ie may happen tachi soul wil completly separate [tom is body} daring this period of smpication Death and Desire in Jewish Spirituality sd rms dead and such a deaths exalted and somewhar ike deat by [vine ie And in chi ray did ee sl ten Ari [ho “ooked ant ded" separate for hi oul sejoicel upon Seng the Source ram which twas hewn nd deseo eae to and remain there antes tothe body. And regarding i death es ad "rein thecyeofthe Lord the deh f His ghecous ons” ‘he eexe continues wit che rematk thae mystics ceaged in cis "practce”can prove sch an ovurenee 1 wl sl ee human eam (having fallen comatore bot not jet overiced by the infin), they sear guns Then they nay teu alive to she wold and en repeat this techie of “choosing fe” onl they tecome experts Thisslluson to Abulais Sf Flare Ho Olan ha B's uppemenea by cwo expires ‘ha workand is method of mating hay Nares. "The Abulain tradition of meditative estar, culm acing in prophocy also appears inthe wings ofthe Ssxcencentry Kabalst Ras Hayy Vie de great sci of Rab ase Leia of Safe. OF pair intrest istheweac called Shire! Qduhat Herel describes the proper prearaion fr beginning the mea prosees thatindace she divine foe. Varous sequences ae spel ‘ue. These nce repentance, mora ebutes, amie, and equanimity (Ila) and repentance, son, moral arubutes, ascetic widhdeawal, (physical) put. cone Eeneration, nd reception of de Holy Sprit (IL) Save for he inal element, the proces esermbles cae fund in Albu Sigifianely, pare LV opens with 2 caion ofthe sage of mora-spitinal development aught by Pinbas ben Yair, flowed by a whole cluster of cations fiom ae authors. Tete consi avin hain of ssthorides on he subjee and indicate the great value Death and Desire in Jewish Spirituality pliced ona gencalogy of masters ll ofthe authors we have considered and’many more) igure here, inlet Abraham Abul, ac of Ace, and Mendhem Recsnat (WV.1-3) A chat of holy Names used to induce ectay Follows (V3): dheawesome mantra ofthe Seventytne Names of God, in all char mysterious vocablen Test followed by ancthee wadition for generating the divine infos. abour which the author remarks “In my humble pinion this is what writen in the Sefer Hayy he ‘Olam he-Ba’ but iis mach abbreviated bere} The ote actualy comes fem Ablafin' Sefer he: Eee In Pare Il chapter 8 (the inal pact before the holy Names are disclosed), Vial elaborate on the inne tate of the mysie ducing his preparation for receiving she Holy Spies part of sequence of perfeions and recalls the teachings of Abulai and Albuns Here we ‘encounter the theme of death in aptre, "he Fifth Ipurication} is eis: When Ite ade) shall ‘repate himself o receve the Holy Spt. ale il the 00d qulieshave ben thoroughly intenazed, be should ‘mer a saiacy dveling wath prity and holiness ple ‘where sounds of humo the chirping of bids ennoe tur hin. The time after midnight he most nile for such mates. [Then] le him shot his een and dives ‘is thoughe fom al mates persining to ts wold et ‘Vis so dpaned fom him, a fom + ded man, oho ele rething, Aer ths he should sive witha great eft to {hink ofthe upper words anf deve thereto the mast ‘of his soul and wo the super ght. And thin mage inves iio pete an exendedon high Ande ha rake a configuration of the bigher worlds i he were standing in them. And sf he ahve any wniston ke tim mesiatom cand chezeby dew lhe apd be dig] nx through a the work Death and Desiee in Jewish Spirituality Of parsiule notes terol accord the imagination this pass. Twoacts ae mentioned. Theft comes after the mystic told ta block out the work ands sexsations "361 Ge) he were dead. This done he should fst “imagine” himself "dead ad his soa in superna ascent, Monitoring his tansport, the adep should then dea mental imager of the divine words "sf he sood therein. The hypotbeial contruction iintrgsing Presumably he dul sense of having «body in this word anda sou in another produce bifoated consciousness and this is aptured by he phrase “at if” Death and ecstasy ate has experienced from within ba viewed ftom without This ests im acren images ofthe sent Sou ie inthe very proces of is simplieation > A thied contemporary of Albutini and Vil, Rabbi Joseph Kato of Seed, gave exegetical expression to this sense of dea wien the sul fe of phys constants and begins (with increasing intensity) to cleave tothe Alive: Indeed, he doesnot focus on the techniques of ‘ecstasy but on thie situa end when he reports this advice fom his eles mentor Let your soul deve to your Crestor, and thus dent willbe for you rot. This herve mening of what or eget sai "He who want to live shoal die. and by ths Path fof morexton tis ike kling onc Thereby ome tly revives one sou and separation rom hs wor wil be fet as a profound rest by ceaing tthe Crestor, Fo if the soul adhered the Creator even whi imprisoned in ‘his vie body, bow much more wilt eae the Creator and be lamin bythe ight of Be nce ha eps ‘if fom nater™™ The passage stetesdeath athe perfect eazation of ‘enving 19 God and invokes au epitome fom b Tad Death and Desire in Jewish Spirituality saa for this porpose. Such a notion ean old theme, as we ive con, with eootein Maimonides But the Kabbatse ies the topos mystical ewist by focusing onthe death And revival ofthe soul inthe bere and now. Note at be saysthar one who “ely revives” his soul (it, cases 'o live) will experiences separation from worllines ss 4 kindof rest He ths implies state of mysvcal ance ile inthe work, which reminisce of Maimonides interpretation of Songs 5: ("am alep, but my het aah"). This exaed sete ea fom the prison ofthe “ile bod.” Indeed ies 2 kind of death, we can sume that Karo as lading Job 13a tht passage, Job desires release from the vrment of time and yeas for death and the solace of the grave, where “T would sleep and find test.” Karo hs eansfigued that deste ‘The chastening of bodily needs a5 what one does to il” ones (zm), s repeatedly srssed by Karo. fe {4 spin progeam of uncompromising ineasty tat ‘fen uses sacl images oexpess the eonsnaion of deste This topos rears inthe erly generations of “Hsisn as wel despie dhe gencral rend to natalie the ‘ceil practices ofeker morals, Pariclry sina, therefore, isthe Following private prayer abut to the Bet Shem Tov: Behold, 1 dese to kl fi, mori] myself in onde to seve the Name, be He bleed in uth and with woe eat, ove and fa, hat Facknow ledge His Unity ally Therefore, Ides il mse evento saeice myst san obltion before Him. 1 this pasage the Bel Shem eit his dese for consnvous self-sacrifice before God, a sactifice ofthe self of ego; oral the while ons lower selfs palpable Death and Desiee in Jewish Spicituality ic retes a dase, 20 eo speak inthe divine nity ‘Only uuersesegaion can fad to 4 magnification of God's Name; that os, eve worship can ose ely with saeifc or Ell (le hai of ons matural l (Cedex ‘my. Wih his, one can parce a bold reinterpretation ofthe alma eaehing of ee echoes ofthe south rho, almost wo millenia ere, answered ‘he query, “What shoul one dot ive?” with the reply, ami wm, "Lehi kl bist" ‘The ideal oF utr selnegation, of a Kowa of sont, continues among subsequent masters, ke the Mags of “Mezetiac and Rabi Levs Yieabak of Betdichey (who vent to study withthe Maggi in #766). Indicative the following intrpotain fb. Tami, reported by able Vso Viesak ha-Levi of Lblin in the name of ADL Levi Yithak, then of hos ess: "Whoever wants tive should Khel Theat [Whe lowing] fom ee Rabi of Pek, aye ive, who setrpcted [thus Whoever wants ve sould dosepnd his body concems and cause he though co cleave wo the (Creat Hesse be He. And [by] this oes “he shal il mst [eae heshall wba rom ims howe, hes evenbels alive, since he clesves toe Life fore] of [al] fe =. Whoever impovershea by br eng othe ever, blessed be He, i enily considered dead sd eleased Grom fil death beta “he liv n hen {vie he commandments; Levin 8) ‘The paradones of fe and death fas thisexegetical account of mys experiene ellos pater en le, though with the specie caveat tha the a of ‘deaing ro God, which aes the oul dep the bay, isa ling of oneself an act of slf-ana Death and Desire in Jewish Spirituality death ate nonethces 2 resrrecton to tru ie, since the sul is conjoined tothe source offi. ot though the rou har fll depated and therefore hs no need of beng leased at physi dest, the body remains in this world. The adepe thus exes in sprit ance of ‘seep and remains alive ar an existe being theongh the commandments. Were he o cease performing these dls, which dew ther sustenance fom the Life [fore] of [al] ie," morta death would fallow. The relzed mystic therefore cannot become utely quiescent Except in che depehs of payer "This wat 1 rea inhabited by the Maggid of Mezeritch, the pest disciple ‘of the Bul Shem and eicher of Levi Vitek From the secre of contemplative prayer e revealed the flowing ‘exching.7” He begins with a string of éttons “Rabba ta ba Hana sd to me: Ive seen dhe ‘ead of the descr fo Numbers 142,32), and hey were in atte ofeatlrton [it upon det backs. exh ib ate 7B), This mater is ike that mentioned inthe Talmad {Gemaraf "Whoever wanes ive sould kl hinsel™ [ Tamid 32a; ad alo, ~The Tora i elie only by ne who kills sel ort” [bitin sss wre, Ts isthe Toa one who dinate” [Numbers tt) Nowe ‘one must comprehend the [tre] meaning of dest Hor ‘To expin this, Rabbi Dow Ber (he Maggi) begins ith an analogy ofa sadent who, air some ificley, Petites che teachings of his maser and becomes so sorbed that he eannot respond 1 one who ell hi Such profound absoepin, says the Maggi, “is almost like deat or sleep, which is one-sinnth of death" In a simiar way does slene thought transcend speech; for when though leaves the limitations of language Death and Desice in Jewish Spirituality

    You might also like