Ein-Sof, the Infinite God, has no static, definable form. Instead, the Kabbalists conceive God, the world and humanity as evolving together through, and thus embodying, a number of distinct stages and aspects, with later stages opposing, but at the same time encompassing, earlier ones. The Kabbalistýs God is both perfectly simple and infinitely complex, nothing and everything, hidden and revealed, reality and illusion, creator of man and created by man,. As Ein-Sof evolves it is progressively revealed as "nothing whatsoever" (Ayin), the totality of being, the Infinite Will (Ratzon) , Thought and Wisdom, the embodiment of all value and significance (the Sefirot), the wedding of male and female, and ultimately the union of all contradictions. Ein-Sof is both the totality of this dialectic and each of the points along the way. Ein-Sof must be constantly redefined, as by its very nature, it is in a constant process of self-creation and redefinition. This self-creation is actually embodied and perfected in the creativity of humanity, who through practical, ethical, intellectual and spiritual activities, strives to redeem and perfect a chaotic, contradictory and imperfect world.
god is too complex for my small vocabulary.......
- Thread starter The Devil Inside
- Start date
you think so? thats unfortunate.
*hands barabas a piece of candy*
That sounds interesting, especially the "union of all contradictions" part, which is where I am hoping truth must be.
I would wonder how the kabbalist realtes to YHWH. Considered the same as ein-sof?
How does the person who reads the hebrew scripture deal with the problem of their God being reported by their own people as doing some pretty mean stuff. I mean, can you say those people reported it in a way that makes themselves look blameless, and didn't get the whole ein-sof thing? Or do you use the, "that wasn't bad stuff that He did" argument, or what?
If you want to save the "evil" part and just give some more info, that's fine with me, but people around here are all talkin' bout, "evil" this, and "evil" that, right now. (for good reason I guess)
I would wonder how the kabbalist realtes to YHWH. Considered the same as ein-sof?
How does the person who reads the hebrew scripture deal with the problem of their God being reported by their own people as doing some pretty mean stuff. I mean, can you say those people reported it in a way that makes themselves look blameless, and didn't get the whole ein-sof thing? Or do you use the, "that wasn't bad stuff that He did" argument, or what?
If you want to save the "evil" part and just give some more info, that's fine with me, but people around here are all talkin' bout, "evil" this, and "evil" that, right now. (for good reason I guess)
you have misunderstood everything i wrote above. you have turned god into a "mean old man on the throne" figure.
its obvious that you didnt read the full text of the start of the thread.
try again.
NEXT!!! (waves his hand in a welcoming fashion)
its obvious that you didnt read the full text of the start of the thread.
try again.
NEXT!!! (waves his hand in a welcoming fashion)
tetragrammaton is one way to spell "a" name you could call god. but still, it is by no means a definition.
Devil, thanks for the unnecessary snottiness, but what I was asking for was information on the connection between the kabbalist and the Jew.
Maybe you should have answered my question "how does the kabbalist realte to YHWH?" (i was trying to type relate, which I assumed you would gather, as this isn't a discussion forum for realtors), instead of wasting time waving your hands around.
Maybe the kabbalists don't concern themselves too much with the Jewish perspective. I can understand if the kabbalists, like sufi muslims, are above the common misunderstanding of God.
I just don't know what the connection is between the kabbalist and Jew is. That is why i asked.
By the way DEVIL, COLE GREY didn't turn God into the man on the throne, people from times long ago did that.
Maybe you should have answered my question "how does the kabbalist realte to YHWH?" (i was trying to type relate, which I assumed you would gather, as this isn't a discussion forum for realtors), instead of wasting time waving your hands around.
Maybe the kabbalists don't concern themselves too much with the Jewish perspective. I can understand if the kabbalists, like sufi muslims, are above the common misunderstanding of God.
I just don't know what the connection is between the kabbalist and Jew is. That is why i asked.
By the way DEVIL, COLE GREY didn't turn God into the man on the throne, people from times long ago did that.
Didn't I tell ya, Devil!The Devil Inside to cole grey said:
But that aside, the post you started the thread with sounds almost Islamic. Sometimes, I find it difficult to distinguish Orthodox and Islamic theology. Outside of the theology of the two religions, I have absolutly no problem telling the two apart.
BTW, I'm an atheist in case you haven't seen any of my other posts.
well, the snottiness was.....lol unintentional.....
i cannot relate to YHWH (the tetragrammaton). it is not the kabbalist's place to relate to that concept.
kabbalists are jewish. anyone that calls themselves a kabbalist and does not adhere to judaism is not a kabbalist. they may be learned in kabbalah, but they are not true students.
the relationship between kabbalists and jews is this: there is no kabbalah without judaism.
any time you think of god as the old man, you place god in that position in your heart. merely blaming the past for misconceptions does not justify the continued use of the stereotype.
*hands you a lollypop* (grape)
i cannot relate to YHWH (the tetragrammaton). it is not the kabbalist's place to relate to that concept.
kabbalists are jewish. anyone that calls themselves a kabbalist and does not adhere to judaism is not a kabbalist. they may be learned in kabbalah, but they are not true students.
the relationship between kabbalists and jews is this: there is no kabbalah without judaism.
any time you think of god as the old man, you place god in that position in your heart. merely blaming the past for misconceptions does not justify the continued use of the stereotype.
*hands you a lollypop* (grape)
DEVIL- "any time you think of god as the old man, you place god in that position in your heart. merely blaming the past for misconceptions does not justify the continued use of the stereotype."
I think this is a great way to put that. Fortunately, it doesn't apply to my concept of God.
I posted about "their God", referring to the jewish concept of God (which I see from your further statements, varies on the type of Jew you would ask).
Although i should go straight to the library and read up, I have too many books right now. Feel free to give us more info,
I think this is a great way to put that. Fortunately, it doesn't apply to my concept of God.
I posted about "their God", referring to the jewish concept of God (which I see from your further statements, varies on the type of Jew you would ask).
Although i should go straight to the library and read up, I have too many books right now. Feel free to give us more info,
david sheinkin. read him.
sort of a "beginners guide to learning about kabbalah". not dogmatic, not absolute (on purpose), and most of all.....it can be understood by non-kabbalists. "the path of the kabbalah" is by him.
"But that aside, the post you started the thread with sounds almost Islamic. Sometimes, I find it difficult to distinguish Orthodox and Islamic theology. Outside of the theology of the two religions, I have absolutly no problem telling the two apart."
i dont completely understand if you drifted off into islam, or if you are still talking about judaism........
btw, how do you quote me from past posts? commands, i mean......thx fer the help if you choose to
i dont completely understand if you drifted off into islam, or if you are still talking about judaism........
btw, how do you quote me from past posts? commands, i mean......thx fer the help if you choose to
No, I didn't drift off into Islam, but I feel it necessary to have some understanding of it since so many seem bent on killing us Americans. (Ohhhhh, did I say that?) I've tried to converse with some, but for the most part, they're too interested in proselytizing. Intense proselytizing is a sign of weakness in a belief system. I'm also pretty ignorant of Judaism, but then I don't feel threatened by Jews. I guess I just have a basic curiousity about what makes a theist tick and what motivates them to do the things they sometimes do.
About quoting, you can just click on the REPLY on the right top of a post. I prefer to right click and open a new window. That makes it easy to refer back to the thread. You can find more about vB code at the bottom of each thread - "Smilies", too.
So just sign me a dumb hillbilly!
About quoting, you can just click on the REPLY on the right top of a post. I prefer to right click and open a new window. That makes it easy to refer back to the thread. You can find more about vB code at the bottom of each thread - "Smilies", too.
So just sign me a dumb hillbilly!
well, i dont think there IS a "correct" answer, so i am not offended by you saying that i sound like a muslim.
i agree about the prosetylizing.
if you have any particular questions about judaism, feel free to send a message with your questions. i am by no means an expert, but i try my best to know what i can!
i agree about the prosetylizing.
if you have any particular questions about judaism, feel free to send a message with your questions.
i am by no means an expert, but i try my best to know what i can!