Tuesday, May 11, 2004
Rabbi Yehudah Ashlag's "Introduction to the Zohar"
-- as translated and commented on by Rabbi Yaakov Feldman
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Section 7, Part 1
"Now that we know that, we can begin to fully and clearly explain our second inquiry."
-- That is, now we can finally understand the role we play in the great course of events (see 1:3), in light of what we've just learned about the role of pleasure.
"For we've determined that there's in fact a phenomenon that's clearly not a part of G-d's essence, which can thus be said to have been created utterly anew rather than out of anything else."
-- That is, since G-d doesn't need *anything* it follows that the need to derive pleasure is clearly something extrinsic to Him and thus utterly original. So it must play a unique and purposeful role in creation. And besides, ...
"Now that we know for certain that G-d's intent when He created the world was to bestow pleasure upon His creatures, it's clear that He necessarily had to have created a willingness to accept all the pleasure and goodness He'd planned for them. Thus it's the willingness to accept (all that) that wasn't a part of G-d's essence before He placed it in our souls. After all, from whom could He receive?"
-- ... and what could He be lacking?
"So He did indeed create something anew that wasn't part of His Being."
(c) 2004 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman
You can always contact Rabbi Feldman at feldman@torah.org
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Get your own copy of Rabbi Feldman’s translation of “The Gates of Repentance” by logging onto http://www.aronson.com/jbookstore/ and typing in "The Gates of Repentance".
Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has translated and commented upon "The Gates of Repentance", "The Path of the Just", and "The Duties of the Heart" (Jason Aronson Publishers). And his new work on Maimonides' "The Eight Chapters" will soon be available from Judaica Press.
His works are available in bookstores and in various locations on the Web.
Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled "Spiritual Excellence" and "Ramchal".
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-- as translated and commented on by Rabbi Yaakov Feldman
_______________________________________________
Section 7, Part 1
"Now that we know that, we can begin to fully and clearly explain our second inquiry."
-- That is, now we can finally understand the role we play in the great course of events (see 1:3), in light of what we've just learned about the role of pleasure.
"For we've determined that there's in fact a phenomenon that's clearly not a part of G-d's essence, which can thus be said to have been created utterly anew rather than out of anything else."
-- That is, since G-d doesn't need *anything* it follows that the need to derive pleasure is clearly something extrinsic to Him and thus utterly original. So it must play a unique and purposeful role in creation. And besides, ...
"Now that we know for certain that G-d's intent when He created the world was to bestow pleasure upon His creatures, it's clear that He necessarily had to have created a willingness to accept all the pleasure and goodness He'd planned for them. Thus it's the willingness to accept (all that) that wasn't a part of G-d's essence before He placed it in our souls. After all, from whom could He receive?"
-- ... and what could He be lacking?
"So He did indeed create something anew that wasn't part of His Being."
(c) 2004 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman
You can always contact Rabbi Feldman at feldman@torah.org
********************************
Get your own copy of Rabbi Feldman’s translation of “The Gates of Repentance” by logging onto http://www.aronson.com/jbookstore/ and typing in "The Gates of Repentance".
Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has translated and commented upon "The Gates of Repentance", "The Path of the Just", and "The Duties of the Heart" (Jason Aronson Publishers). And his new work on Maimonides' "The Eight Chapters" will soon be available from Judaica Press.
His works are available in bookstores and in various locations on the Web.
Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled "Spiritual Excellence" and "Ramchal".
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