A peer review of Efriam Palvanov's lecture on Erev Rav
I am putting this analysis here for those who will listen to these lectures, for context and clarification and so nobody falls victim to sinat hinam or mistaken conclusions. I sincerely hope you benefit from it.
I invite honest comments and encourage debate with the following conditions for comments:
1. Admit to and accept the truth of anything for which you cannot find evidence for objection or dispute and
2. Anything proven as the pashat (simple foundational meaning) of the words of our sages in the Gemara, that you do not apply irreconcilable interpretations or exegesis.
The first lecture on Erev Rav seemingly disparages prayer at the graves of the righteous, so I would like to present a few sources to clarify where this tradition comes from and assert that the overwhelming consensus is that it is both called for, permitted and even required at times. Even the Rambam's Mishna Berurah on Shulchan Aruch, O.C. 581:4 explicitly states that "one should not direct his supplication to the dead, but should ask G-d to have mercy upon him in the merit of the Sadikim", but in doing so permits it and does not come out against the practice. The Beit Yosef O.C. 581 quotes Mahari Abuhav - "One should go to the graves of the Sadikim...and daven to G-d that He should have mercy on him in the merit of the Sadikim who rest in the earth."
This tradition is not just limited to one's relatives, but includes Sadikim, and the reason for the practice is to elevate the souls of the deceased, to obtain forgiveness from the deceased, to repent, but most pointedly - that the deceased should intervene on ones behalf.
*(credit to R' Y. Goldstein for many valuable sources)
Sotah: 42(b) - regarding Kalev, perhaps the most important Torah reference of the practice of praying at the graves of Sadikim;
Michaber 344:20 mentions visitations of graves at different periods within the first year;
Rama 581:4 regarding visiting Kivrei Sadikim on Erev Rosh Hashanah;
M”A 581:16 “one is to be Mishtateach on Kivrei Sadikim” to prostrate oneself on the graves. The Ari teaches in Shaar HaKavanot much more profound and advanced practices involving unifications of divine names in this way to his student, Rav Chaim Vital.
Derashot Mahril; Elya Raba 581:39;
Levush 579;
Peri Megadim 581:16;
Machatzit Hashekel 581:16; M”E 581:50;
Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 128:13; M”B 581:27;
Kaf Hachaim 581:95 and 98;
Minchat Elazar 1:68;
Alef Hamagen 581:113;
Minchat Yitzchak 8:53;
Piskei Teshuvot 581:21;
Maharam Shick 293;
Bereshit 48:7- Rashi mentions that Yaakov had nevuah that when the Babylonians would lead the exiles out of the Land of Israel, Bnei Yisrael would pass by Rachel's grave and "Rachel will come out and cry and plead" on our behalf.
Jeremiah 31:15-17 - "A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and bitter weeping, Rachel is weeping for her children..." confirms that Rachel did indeed intercede on behalf of Bnei Yisrael.
Zohar Teruma p. 141b;
Zohar Shemot 8(b) describes the intercession of the Sadikim after their passing as even more powerful than during their lifetimes.
Zohar Acharei Mot 70(a) states that When one visits a grave to beseech him about a certain problem, *the Nefesh of the deceased goes and awakens the Ruach of the deceased, which then goes and awakens the Neshamah of the deceased, and effects that Hashem have mercy on the world
The Gemara in Taanit 16(a) explicitly recommends prayer in a cemetery "in order they pray on our behalf" before a fast day.
The Sefer Chasidim 450 explains that visitation affords an elevation of the soul in the higher worlds and is of great benefit to the deceased, similar to recitation of Kaddish.
I feel there is an opportunity for improvement in the lecturer's assertions in general outside this particular lecture, which is reliance on Rambam as an argument against the mystical aspects of Judaism and a reliance on purely rational interpretations of the metaphysical. At the time Rambam's magnum opus, Mishna Torah was published, he did not have Kabbalistic knowledge. In the Shomer Emunim by Rav Yosef Ergas, a well known letter by the Rambam from late in his life is cited, wherein he corresponds with a Rabbi who received the entire Kabbalah tradition in an unbroken chain who explains it to him. The Rambam replies that much of what he said about this hidden dimension of Torah would not have been written. Had he also received the closely guarded information, which at that time was transmitted to only a select few directly from Sinai - he would have in fact retracted many of his opinions on these matters. The Rambam was not in the chain of those few privy to these deep recondite secrets directly until the end of his life. Today, there are very few who are, and there are certainly none who have access to the internet or who advertise publicly. The Ramban states quite clearly that those who received the Maasei Bereshit tradition directly from Moshe Rabenu are obligated to conceal it.
The lecturer frequently cites public, theoretical mystical knowledge and seems to neglect the primary dictum of the secrets of Torah - that nothing we learn of the upper worlds is applicable in the lower worlds: "Eino Megashem". This is why I conclude that his albeit fascinating intellectual attempts to anchor Kabbalah in particle physics (or vice versa), anthropology, psychology, physiology, neurochemistry etc., is flawed. The only way to access the perception of the higher worlds (the upper regions of the Asiya and above), is by first refining one's physical traits (including the intellectual, psychological and emotional) to nullify all physical connections. The higher parts of each world are repelled by the lower, analogous to the relationship of matter and anti-matter, they cannot coexist or be perceived together and are mutually destructive. The Ramchal's Mesilat Yesharim is in actuality a preparatory requisite for advanced meditative Kabbalah with the end goal being the perception of the higher realities, both the quasi-spiritual upper realms of Asiya and the worlds above through which Asiah is manifest. The Ramchal progressively instructs prospective initiates on the sequence to achieve this elevated consciousness and perception. For clear contradistinction, the DMT experience is limited to the "spiritual" realms of the Asiya, which as we know is mostly evil with very little good and thus nothing can be gained by interacting with it, in actuality much can be lost. It is not an authentic spiritual experience (which only exists in the Yetzira) and thus DMT cannot be associated with Sefirot in any meaningful way, as implied by a previous lecture nor can relevant comparisons be made with the other primary neurotransmitters as they too only exist in the lowest levels of the Asiya. The experiences are almost certainly real, and independent of the minds of those experiencing them, but are not beyond the natural world.
There are no shortcuts here, only dangerous pitfalls. Eino Megashem.
It is important to reiterate that the Asiya contains both physical and psuedo-spiritual levels, but is still only the Asiya and nothing higher. It contains no bona fide spiritual aspects whatsoever, only physical aspects which manifest in such a way as to be perceived as such in relation to physical laws. As a relatable analogy, Newtonian physics break down at the level of the quantum to the degree that assumptions as fundamental as causality reduce to probabilities but both are still purely physical, albeit spooky phenomena.
The Asiya only interfaces with the Nefesh, and the levels of the Asiya correspond to levels of the Nefesh-
the Nefesh of the Nefesh,
the Ruach of the Nefesh,
the Neshama of the Nefesh,
the Chaya of the Nefesh, and
the Yechida of the Nefesh.
While the properties of these 5 components of the lowest (animal) soul have elevated properties in similar gradations to the higher soul levels, they are limited in their consequence and composition to the Asiya. This is a common mistake of university indoctrinated scholars, intellectuals, and philosophers and is evidenced by the lecturer's hypothesis connecting neurotransmitters to Sefirot which violates the principal of "Eino Megashem".
To connect the Supernal Sephirot to anything at all in the Asiya is akin to Aristotle's System of Intelligences proposing theories of cosmology in a geocentric model. Aristotle also discussed sefirot and an intelligent design behind these based on advanced science of his time and refined philosophy but both the application to the philosophical and the physical are about as relevant now as the Flat Earth Society. One can mathematically prove a geocentric model, and while it is far more beautiful and symmetrical than a heliocentric model, the practicality renders it as useless as myths about Zeus and Apollo. Due to the availability and advancement of natural science it is possible to relate with analogies to the theoretical Kabbala but if and only if one understands that science is not revealing Kabbala, that Kabbala is not revealing science. Any such analogies are only a metaphor explaining another metaphor which, in and of itself cannot draw down upon a student the higher soul with which to perceive the higher reality and the infinitely more complex mechanics of those systems above the Asiya. Only the sub-sefirotic patterns in the Asiya are seen in the Asiya, and without that clearly stated, all that can be revealed are effectively Rorschach mirages.
"Eino Megashem"
*Zohar III Behaalochta 152a:
R. Shimon said: Woe to the person who says that the Torah only comes to tell simple stories and ordinary matters. If this were so, then even now, we could write the Torah with ordinary words, and make it even better. If Torah comes to tell us matters of this world, then even world leaders have better among them. If so, we should go after them and make a Torah out of it in their style. Rather, all the words of the Torah are supernal matters and supernal secrets.
There are three distinct and separate areas of Kabbalah - the theoretical (which is logical and highly structured and often confused with philosophy), the Meditative (which progressively facilitates perception of the higher worlds through nullification of the Asiya) and the Practical (which is dangerous, defies physical laws of the lower Asiya, and is reserved for national emergencies or true pikuach nefesh) which the Ari Z"L deemed spiritually degrading and advised against it in general. While similarities can be found in higher physics, the practical Kabbalah deals exclusively with the suspension of known natural laws by manipulation of the quasi-spiritual levels of the Asiyah at which, time and space are collapsed into fewer dimensions. Time and space do not exist at all in the Yetzira but are condensed to a single point in the Nukva of Yetzira - the Keter of Asiya, through which all natural existence manifests. All upper levels are guarded through restriction of information, methodology and texts, but there is a safeguard of middot by means of which perceptive, observational and interactive access is restricted, in that only the impure levels can be reached without first completely refining one's physical and intellectual faculties. The "spiritual" and the physical are mutually exclusive. The impure higher levels of the Asiya thus exact a harsh and merciless toll on any violators, as is their function as gatekeepers in this respect.
The lectures often quote directly from the Zohar, which is meritorious and beneficial even without understanding, but it was only the Ari who could decode the metaphors in which the tradition was encoded, and it requires a reading of the Matok M'Devash commentary to line up the Ari's understanding with the Zohar texts and gain a basic understanding. Consequently, the lectures do not reconcile with the pshat - basic meanings and seem to be shooting arrows into a target and then drawing bulls eyes around them. This suggests a lack of requisite study at best, or at worst of a deficiency of fully seated Bina consciousness - mochin d'katnut. For those who understand, this is sufficient.
About the lecture's criticism of Jewish livush, Ashkenzi and Hasidic exclusively, there are a number of issues to unpack but this is clearly an issue of minhagim. There are three types of minhagim at play here, the minhag of one's parents, the minhag of a community and universal minhagim accepted by all Jews.
The Peri Chadash: Dinei Minhagei Issur, 5 rules that an individual may not abandon a community minhag by means of nullification of vows through a hatarat nedarim at a Beit Din. This can only be accomplished if the majority of the community formally performs the nullification.
The Peri Chadash (ibid. Issur 6) cites Sh"t Maharashal 7 that minhagim accepted by all Jews can never be nullified. Regarding the minhagim of one's parents,
Peri Chadash (ibid. 7) cites Gemara Chulin 105(a) that if the parent had a meritorious practice, it is not incumbent on them to continue it provided they performed the practice at least once during the life of the parent, or once after their passing.
The lecture rather divisively characterizes livush as what is termed "galut mentality" without confronting the halachic restrictions on nullifying a long standing community minhag. It seems that the subsequent lectures will deal with the sources of these minhagim with the intent to disparage or discourage them, and it is important to emphasize that no family, community or Jewish custom can be changed without adhering to halacha. The origin of the kippa is traced to the Babylonian exile as a prime example which no religious Jew would rationally object to.
The aim of dressing uniformly as Jews is to be obviously and outwardly distinct and identifiable as Jews, to be separate. The Satmar Rebbe, ZTQ"L, Rav Yoel, was once asked by a hostile secular person why he and his Chasidim wore shtreimels and his reply was that he was unsure where the practice originated exactly, but in light of the fact that those opposed to the Torah were so bothered by it, he was thus certain that it came from a very holy place. We are also taught that one of the 3 reasons we merited redemption from Egypt was our distinctive dress, and this is an important reason that we have certain customs. Distinct Jewish languages like Yiddish and Ladino are other examples of separateness in line with this merit, but the most relevant to our current situation is that we refrain from intermarriage, which we avoided entirely in Egypt, and I question why this is not emphasized by the lecturer.
As a listener to the lectures, I find it difficult to reconcile the emphasis on distinctly European Jewish dress, while presupposing by omission the donning of an Ottoman Fez, or Arabic Jellabiya as perhaps not "galut mentality"? The Sephardi Hachamim who did and still do hold to the dress of their ancestors are somehow superior to their Ashkenazi and Hasidic brothers is implied by omission here. Interesting to note a curious counterpoint that with the influx of great Ashkanzi Torah Scholars after the foundation of the Zionist State, the Sephardi Hachamim did in fact adopt many European uniformities of dress including ties, black hats and dark suits during the week, aside from official duties as Chief Rabbis, Shabbat and Holidays, etc. Ironically, those who are averse to traditional Jewish dress (of any extraction) on the basis that it does not have Jewish roots, largely wear European fashion which in and of itself must therefore be "galut mentality".
The lecture goes beyond advocacy for working in addition to learning Torah in shockingly derisive hyperbole, to the extent of explicitly recommending a schism between a combination of religious Zionists and Modern Orthodox, against what is derogatorily termed as "ultra-Orthodox" and Haredi. I have stated in the past that the dati leumi, like the mizrachi movement before it, have been utilised by the Erev Rav as a knife with which to divide the G-d fearing Jews in Eretz Yisrael in order to denigrate the Torah and Torah Scholars, in an open effort to consolidate power in a similar way to Yerovam Ben Nebat's secessionist wars against Judea and Jerusalem, (unironically by...Israel).
Probably the strongest and most controversial element in the lecture is the position that one is forbidden from learning full time and not working. This is a deep and nuanced dispute that goes back to the Mishna quoted in Avot, and it would be helpful if the lecturer studied the argument because those who do learn full time without working have a strong basis on which to rely, and I can think of no one more authoritative in our generation than Ha Rav Moshe Feinstein who wrote in Yorei De'ah B 116 that:
Disagreement of opinion is perfectly kosher, but to present it as fact without authoritative citation and especially without presenting the basis of those who disagree is misleading and undermines the credibility of the lecture's central thesis. Those poskim on both sides of the argument never fail to cite each other's opinions in full detail in their psak. In the case of R Feinstein above, the consensus is so beyond debate that he doesn't even need to cite dissenting opinions. I invite citations against only if they are inclusive of those for, and of equal or greater authority.
The lecture also heavily deemphasizes the importance of the next world, which borders on Epicureanism's (Apikousut's) adage to eat, drink etc., because tomorrow we may die. To suggest influence on the Torah and it's exegesis by The Egyptian Book of the Dead to this end is patently absurd and baseless. The only purpose of this world is to prepare provisions for the World to Come, not the afterlife, which is temporary, but for the time after the resurrection of the dead in which all the upper worlds converge with the lower world in a way which has never occurred and cannot be conceived, even by the melachim. This world is rectified by redirecting the attachments to physicality towards the higher worlds, and thereby creating a vacuum in which "light" from the upper worlds can exist in this world.
In Mishna Sanhedrin 10:1 it states:
With this in mind, I call into dispute the directive in the lecture to [ensure that rigorous] secular studies are taught in a Yeshiva, that one should "check out the weight room", and the assertion in the lecture that this Mishna was somehow written due to the influence of the Egyptian Book of the Dead. The Mishna and the entire Oral Torah was passed down from Moshe on Sinai in it's totality, although we lack a great deal of it, there is no dispute as to what Rebbi memorialized. Further I dispute that [boycotting], divesting [and sanctioning] traditional Torah Institutions is correct in halacha. Among religious Jews, there has not been a schist like this proposed since the Enlightenment or the creation of Reform Judaism. To suggest that listeners try and persuade their more strongly observant friends and family to move away from that is highly objectionable and divisive, and by definition, and action that Erev Rav would promote.
As someone who has studied in Kolel and completed serious university studies including advanced theoretical mathematics, I can attest to shortcomings of the Yeshiva system, but I send my children to what would be termed Haredi schools in spite of that because I understand why they are the way they are - to guard against assimilation of Hellenistic ideas even at the expense of ignorance of otherwise valid pursuits in a time of unparalleled darkness. I, as many other parents, supplement the learning of our children with popular sports leagues and kosher secular studies that are not taught in Yeshivas. As a consequence, my children have never heard of "alternative lifestyles", have never participated in "social media", and retained a profound spiritual sensitivity that those who have been exposed to media have lost. Every school that has a strong secular studies program and rigorous gym class has children who have been poisoned by exposure to toxic ideas, without exception. This is a worthwhile trade off. Parnassa comes from above, not through our education or efforts. I know a family in Williamsburg who cannot speak English well, and have no secular education whatsoever but own the premier electronics retail company in NYC - B&H. I can point to countless examples without disparaging those who pursue professional degrees for their livelihood. Everyone at their own level.
His assertion that only someone of peak physical form can experience the Divine Presence is also misleading - Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai was buried up to his neck in a cave for years with sores all over his body and was the prime example of spiritual perfection. The pursuit of strength and physical perfection is the anthesis of Judaism, it's referring to those who neglect their health and indulge in overeating and who are lazy not bodybuilders or professional athletes (Athenians)! His hyperbolic assertion that there are prohibitions against physical fitness is so rare as to be as false as saying that the secular want to round up the religious and deport them. (The empty barrel makes the most noise).
Regarding Torah learning as a profession being forbidden by the Mishna, what profession did Rabbi Akiva engage in? His wife supported his studies and everything he did was to her merit. True, there are proponents of discouraging men from leaving Yeshiva to work, but look at the traps working men fall into and how their learning suffers in this society. The gender roles being reversed is a valid point, but in my own observation, there is a balance among all but the elite Torah scholars in that once they have children, the men focus on evening Kolel and the women focus on the children with help from their extended families and it functions very well. The Hasidim have a beautiful balance, and the Yeshivishe have strong Yissachar / Zevulun partnerships that are self sustaining, and their mastery of Torah is both unmatched and critical to our survival. To call them parasitic is akin to the wicked Titus who cursed the altar saying "Lucas, Lucas", wolf, wolf, implying that the altar of Hashem was impoverishing and destroying the Jewish people.
The degree of what Efriam terms as "chumras" (added stringencies) are in equal and opposite measure against the libertine dictates of the broken society in which we are currently living. These are necessary for the communities in which they are enacted and specific to these communities and not applicable to someone in another community. The speed limit in North Dakota is apparently unlimited like the Autobahn, does that mean that the 25MPH limit in New York City should be abolished?
All the ways of Torah are peace, and boycotting Jews or attempting to change them is the antitheses of peace, but looking inward and upward, understanding that all of us have critical roles to play that may not make sense to other groups is the way to redemption. We must insulate ourselves against outside foreign ideas and influences, not bring those influences to those who are more insulated! Our role may very well be rectifying ourselves by fighting in the army, but that is a very physical and low task that requires those whose rectifications in learning are needed to ensure the success of the army. Look not at Yerovam's army, which sacrificed Torah for unity and victory, but to Yehoshua's army, which excluded all but the holiest soldiers. The Israeli army is not Yehoshua's army and cannot be elevated by Torah scholars more than it can lower Torah scholars and undermine the missions of both.
It may be beyond our understanding to see the spiritual results of learning all day in Yeshiva, but I can guarantee that without the Yeshivas, the Land of Israel would vomit out everyone. Chazal were very clear about this. We must not allow ourselves to be divided by imposing our own rectifications on others through our logical conclusions and lack of deep understanding.
Incidentally, the GRA, who Efriam selects support from, goes into the rectification of the Erev Rav, who due to their sins must be the first to suffer physically in the rebuilding of the Land, (see Kol ha Tor for details). This can be achieved either physically by an army and by farmers, or by studying Torah, or by both, but the most effective rectification is done by studying Torah, and ultimately transcending the physical in such a way as to elicit divine assistance and protection without the need for a physical army or for casualties.
I will conclude by saying that Efriam's research is commendable, but that his mentalities are what is termed as "mochin d'katnut", immature mentalities, due to his insistence of holding onto physics, chemistry and natural laws, rather than letting it go to understand to experience the source - to move from the level of Elokim (G-d manifest in an orderly, predictable and natural way - midat ha din) to Havaya (the transcendence of the physical, suspension of nature - midat ha rachamim). As mentioned above, in the Asiya, one may have access to N.R.N.H.Y but without first nullifying the Nefesh, they are only higher components of the Nefesh and one has not drawn down and seated the Ruach level, which begins interfacing with the world of Yetzira. The Ramban clearly states that the upper worlds begin, where our ability to perceive / measure end.
Everything that the Haredi world does that doesn't make sense naturally or practically, is in fact an exercise in relinquishing the physical and asking Hashem to bring his presence (as Havaya) into the world, and to guard against each generation's unique situational danger. Are they perfect? Nobody is, but when we criticize them, we lower them and ourselves.
Only Hashem can redeem us, and all we have to do is cry out
to him ourselves. Whether we're Haredi,
Zionist, Reform, secular is not of any consequence. When we were trapped between the Sea and the
Egyptians, that is all it took for a nation that was steeped in idolatry to be
redeemed.
Comments
Post a Comment