Getting to know truth: a Jewish perspective

[Robert_Sock]

"She [the Torah] may be compared to a beautiful and stately maiden, who is secluded in an isolated chamber of a palace, and has a lover of whose existence she alone knows. For love of her he passes by her gate unceasingly, and turns his eyes in all directions to discover her. She is aware that he is forever hovering about the palace, and what does she do? She thrusts open a small door in her secret chamber, for a moment reveals her face to her lover, then quickly withdraws it. He alone, none else, notices it; but he is aware it is from love of him that she has revealed herself to him for that moment, and his heart and his soul and everything within him are drawn to her.

"So it is with the Torah, which discloses her innermost secrets only to them who love her. She knows that whosoever is wise in heart hovers near the gate of her dwelling place day after day. What does she do? From her palace, she shows her face to him, and gives him a signal of love, and forthwith retreats back to her hiding place. Only he alone catches her message, and he is drawn to her with his whole heart and soul, and with all of his being. In this manner, the Torah, for a moment, discloses herself in love to her lovers, so as to rouse them to renewed love… She commences to speak with him, at first from behind the veil which she has hung before her words, so that they may suit his manner of understanding, in order that he may progress gradually… Then she speaks to him behind a filmy veil of finer mesh, she speaks to him in riddles and allegories… When, finally, he is on near terms with her, she stands disclosed face to face with him, and holds converse with him concerning all of her secret mysteries, and all the secret ways which have been hidden in her heart from immemorial time…

“[But] woe to [those] who look upon the Torah as simply tales pertaining to things of the world, seeing thus only the outer garment. But [those] whose gaze penetrates to the very Torah, happy are they. Just as wine must be in a jar to keep, so the Torah must be contained in an outer garment. That garment is made up of the tales and stories; but we, we are bound to penetrate beyond.”
*
(Scholem, Gershom, Ed. (1995). Zohar: The Book of Splendor. Schocken Books: New York.)*

 

[Robert_Sock]

Any comments?

 

[reen12]

Any comments?

Hello, Robert Sock,

I note that the referenced work is:
(Scholem, Gershom, Ed. (1995). Zohar: The Book of Splendor. Schocken Books: New York.)

My understanding is that the* Zohar* is the prime work, vis a vis Kabbalistic thought.
Mysticism.

[Apparently, the Classics of Western Spirituality series includes a work on the *Zohar,
The Book of Enlightenment.]

I fear these matters are too high for me, as says the psalm.

Yet I find my heart moved by the simple hassidic tales,
and my mind uplifted to the Master of the Universe, in reading same.

chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/6588/jewish/Chassidic.htm

Metaphorically, I can’t even walk yet, spiritually - much less
climb the heights of mystical thought. http://bestsmileys.com/nono/9.gif

Would you care to share your own thought on the words quoted in
your opening post?

Best wishes,

reen12

 

[Robert_Sock]

Hello, Robert Sock,

I note that the referenced work is:
(Scholem, Gershom, Ed. (1995). Zohar: The Book of Splendor. Schocken Books: New York.)

My understanding is that the* Zohar* is the prime work, vis a vis Kabbalistic thought.
Mysticism.

[Apparently, the Classics of Western Spirituality series includes a work on the *Zohar

,
The Book of Enlightenment.]

I fear these matters are too high for me, as says the psalm.

Yet I find my heart moved by the simple hassidic tales,
and my mind uplifted to the Master of the Universe, in reading same.

chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/6588/jewish/Chassidic.htm

Metaphorically, I can’t even walk yet, spiritually - much less
climb the heights of mystical thought. http://bestsmileys.com/nono/9.gif

Would you care to share your own thought on the words quoted in
your opening post?

Best wishes,

reen12

I see the excerpt as something that can be easily applied to Catholicism. It fits in with my study of the bible where I struggle with passages almost to despair, but then something spiritual happens where the things I was struggling with turns to deeper insight.

The Zohar is a deep book but here its talking about Torah study. The same first 5 books of our bible.

As for the Zohar, I did explore it but I came to the conclusion the the copies available today are watered-down version of the true Zohar. I would not recommend it at this time.

I often read the covers of books and I often find deeper meaning in what is said. That’s what I provided here, an excerpt from the back cover. The passage provides me with hope in the dread of discouragement in bible study. Too often we get fixated on the tales and stories and we fail to penetrate deeper to the core.

Thanks for your comments!

 

[reen12]

I see the excerpt as something that can be easily applied to Catholicism. It fits in with my study of the bible where I struggle with passages almost to despair, but then something spiritual happens where the things I was struggling with turns to deeper insight.

The Zohar is a deep book but here its talking about Torah study. The same first 5 books of our bible.

As for the Zohar, I did explore it but I came to the conclusion the the copies available today are watered-down version of the true Zohar. I would not recommend it at this time.

I often read the covers of books and I often find deeper meaning in what is said. That’s what I provided here, an excerpt from the back cover. The passage provides me with hope in the dread of discouragement in bible study. Too often we get fixated on the tales and stories and we fail to penetrate deeper to the core.

Thanks for your comments!

You’re welcome, Robert Sock.

Too often we get fixated on the tales and stories and we fail to penetrate deeper to the core.

May I advance two thoughts?

Since God created the human mind and heart, it is clear that He knew
that stories would both delight and stay with us.

A man was set upon by robbers, on the road to Jericho…

And then what happened…?

They threw Jonah overboard, and he was swallowed by a big fish…

What happened next? http://bestsmileys.com/nono/9.gif

The ark rolled upon the waters of the deep…

Did it sink? How did they feed all of those animals?

Stories engage the human mind and heart. That there exist
further levels of meaning, notwithstanding.

For those inclined toward further layers of meaning,
the 12 year old Jesus - speaking with His elders in the Temple -
sets the precedent, I think.

The passage provides me with hope in the dread of discouragement in bible study.

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven…
-Ecclesiastes 3

A time to study and a time to rest?
A time for serenity, and a time to engage difficult work?
A time to read of His stars and the heavens,
and a time to be in wonder at His heavens, and '."…the works of His hands…"

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

If “Wisdom has built herself a house…” maybe Wisdom did that
to provide a place of shelter and rest for the human mind and heart. [Proverbs 9]

Godspeed, on your journey toward a more profound understanding of
His scriptures, Robert Sock.

Kindest regards,

reen12