To: K-list
Recieved: 1999/10/01 09:16
Subject: Any Rabbis out there with a background in Kabbalah?
From: Tceffer
On 1999/10/01 09:16, Tceffer posted thus to the K-list:
I have two rather obscure technical question that - to me, at least - are
very important and which I pray to G-d you are able and willing to help me
with. Specifically, in your study of Jewish mysticism, have you ever run
across either:
1. A reliable first-hand description of the "mechanics" of the esoteric
practice of transforming evil into good, e.g., the "descent for the sake of
the ascent" (e.g., as in "for the descent is sure, but the ascent is anything
but certain") or the "sin for the sake of heaven" (e.g., as in "even the
worst sins of the tzaddik are transformed into virtue"), which practice the
Ba'al Shem Tov describes as very dangerous and which nobody else really seems
to say much about? By "mechanics," I mean how it's done, the practitioner's
description of the experience, whether it is the practitioner who initiates
the practice or whether it is the practice which initiates the practitioner
(I suspect the latter is true), etc. I've found some interesting hints in
the English translations of some Kabbalistic works, particularly in the
translated writings of R. Abraham Abulafia (e.g., the experience of "love in
the flames of fire") and R. Nachman of Breslov (who, at times, gets pretty
darn close to specific, but - for obvious reasons - takes great care to
conceal the "plain meaning" of his words in "garments" of symbolic
"possibility"). I suspect that such descriptions do, in fact,exist but that
they are not generally available (to say the least!) and have never been -
and probably will never be - translated into English. (It's probably
unnecessary for me to say this, but I will say it anyway: rest assured that I
have NO intention of using any information you may give me to engage in ANY
theurgic practice, let alone this particular theurgic practice. Such things
are best left to the tzaddikim). OR
2. A reliable first-hand description of the experience of the
spontaneous, continuous (for about 2 weeks) and very strong "firing" of all
of the synapses of the sympathetic nervous system, causing (among other
things) the whole body to tremble/vibrate/flicker, rhythmically - exactly
like the flame of a candle or like David's ecstatic and unself-conscious
"leaping and dancing" [of all of his "reins" (e.g., as in "let all my reins
praise You!")] before the ark of the Lord with great strength" - in the
context of intense & highly affective meditation/mental prayer? I've read
that R. Nachman said he could "leap and dance" without moving a muscle, and
also that, in his estimation, it was a most efficacious spiritual practice
for a hasid, to "flicker" back and forth in prayer like the flame of a
candle, or like the plucked strings of King David's kinor. No doubt R.
Nachman was speaking in the language of symbolism when he said this. But
that doesn't necessarily foreclose the possibility that R. Nachman was also
speaking quite literally. Curious, I e-mailed the Breslovers and asked them
pretty much the same thing I'm now asking you, never really thinking that
they'd reply. But they did reply, may G-d bless them, and very, very gently.
They said that someone having this experience should pray to G-d either for
strength to bear it, or for relief from the experience until such time as
he/she - with the help of G-d - is able to bear it.
Naturally, such a gentle & ambiguous reply merely heightened my
curiousity. Were they just being polite? Or is there some religious
significance to this phenomenon which the Breslovers are reluctant to discuss
(either at all, or with someone like me, about whom they know absolutely
nothing).
Suffice it to say that I'm not prepared to abandon my quest for answers
to these questions. I've searched for the last 21 years. And I'll continue
searching for the next 21 years, if necessary.
Unfortunately, I've no Hebrew and know of no ("real") Kabbalists who are
willing to discuss such matters with the likes of me. But I'm willing to bet
that you've come across something like this in your readings - or know
somebody who probably has - and can point me in the right direction. I'd be
MOST GRATEFUL for any information, contacts, and/or suggestions for further
research that you might be willing to provide (not for my sake, of course,
but as a pure [because undeserved] act of charity). Thank you for your time
and patience. G-d bless! C.G. Effer
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