Beliefs & Opinions (Saadia Gaon)
- world results from an act of creation
- G-d can introduce changes at will
- R' S. Limits scope of such changes
Once G-d miraculously transforms the nature of simple elements in joining them to composite bodies, the only subsequent changes are the miracles performed to validate the prophetic mission.
- random miracles, no fixity
- breaks in customary sequence = miracle
- Doctrine of Miracles in a Theory of Nature - Mu'tazite Al-Nazzam
- ordinary exegete - abrogate
- miracles -> revelatory laws - abrogation
- proved by reason (x)
- divination
- Created glory - Kavod nivra
- Speech/voice (dibbur/qol)
- Eternal voice (dalima)
- veridical dreams
- Doctrine of Created Glory: Light entity
- Doctrine of Created Speech: Activity
- "G-d created words" - the very air contains G-d's words.
- sing ('alama) - mass transformation, essential change in substance
- created glory = bright light = Shechinah
- from Temple = all travel to temple by this light
- Glory = sign of prophecy
- Void/speech - medium of prophecy
- dreams not equal prophecy
- fire: kalima - speech, spirit, will, volition
- air: kavod - indivisible
- subtle air = holy spirit
- descent of holy spirit (merkava descent)
- substance of subtle air -> angels -> fire
- fire = substance of heaven
- divine light (from the world to come)
- spiritual, non-visible
- Glory assumes visible manifestation
- verification & causal
Chai
י + ה => ח => חי
Between the Yud and the Chet of the Chai is our perception
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Beriah, Yetzirah, Assiyah = Thought, Speech, Deed
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Thought = internal; unified with thinker
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Speech = intermittent; directed outward to another; 'limitation of thought'
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Action = further away (from the "soul", the source of the experience); deeds exist independently
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Angels : Comprehend Divine; bounded, ordained.
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Man: Greater potential (for Good/Evil); Given choice - the blessing and the curse.
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Yud: - represents 10; completeness. Doubled, it is one of the appelation of G-d.
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Heh:
3 lines, with Yud as potential
one leg, the left, leg is the Vav, which has Yud at the top.
it is unattached, missing the "connection", a piece (the Yud).- Vav: Has Yud on top, ascent to אין סוף
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Het:
was Yud, enclosed, representing 3d.
{NOTE: the image is of the yud, the essential essence, manifesting. Then as the it grew legs and a head, and became the chet. But, upon the yud manifesting, there was a space of not-yud, that had to be as well. So the heh has the not-yud, while the yud, has hidden in the chet. Now, when I refer to a space of not-yud, it is the complimentary opposite, which is also known as a portal. By engaging/entangling (entering the space of) the not-yud, you can "track/trace" the yud. You could say you enter through the not-yud, and exit through the yud, which is the same place. The mystery here is that only by contemplating the space of the not-yud, you can find the yud, which is right there all the time. The mystery continues, because it is not the chet, which is the representation ofthis, but the heh, which is "missing" the yud. But the real yud, the one we are referring to here, is "hidden", or cannot be seen with our eyes, so it appears as an invisible yud, one that only those with the right eyes can see, and know that it is the portal to the yud realm - but has to be approached from the non-yud space.}
The difference between chet and bet is the bet is open to the future, while chet is only open below. Thus, the mystery of the chet is not to "fall" down, but to rise up to the heavens, and open the yud portal at the top (left/feminine).
Thus vav could also be looked at as an ascent (or portal).
Beliefs & Opinions (cont)
- Faith: Single commandment = descent along the Vav
- All 613 happen right now for each and every one of us
- All we need is faith + His 613 commandments to create the vessel/chariot/merkaba
- Merkaba: metatron - the "root" particle design from the spiritual world. It is the template from which all 'tron's are fashioned - proton, electron, neutron, positron, etc.
- Metatron = Merkaba of Malchut in the world of Assiya
- "Shall live" = resurrection of the dead!
- Public domain: Kabbalah, Angelic Realm, QP
- Private domain: faith (Spiritual)
Intelligent design
Argument for intelligent design is the fact of a result not being the optimum one. If counter with "perhaps in some greater framework..."... then this greater framework much possess greater intelligence to.
The Word of G-d is Speech—the thought given voice, made manifest—which is the process of Tzimtzum. Which is the descent and flow of the Light, or life force, from the upper planes to the lower by a series of contractions. This density continues to occur until it reaches a density that is sufficient for manifest life to appear.
Yet there seems to be a critical threshold beyond which it begins to affect the life negatively, and enters into a realm which we call Sitra Ahara, the Other. This "threshold" could be identified by the "Light becoming Dark", which means that it is less. And that would make sense - as the Light travels further and further from the source, it will get less. This densification of the Light is called kelipot.
Now, we have a problem, if this Light was the Light of the Creator, it would fill everything, and so how could there be Darkness? Well, in the beginning the Light was supernal, which means it was pure and simple - no darkness, no shadows. Then He "split" the Light, made them essentially male and female - light and dark. This is the fundamental beginning of Creation. It does not begin with Aleph, but with Bet. There can be no story, no drama, no dance, unless there are you have someone to tell the story, or play out the drama with and we spend much of our life seeking that dance partner.
We receive light from the Divine Word and Breath ("breathed into his nostrils"), concealed from us, by the Divine Will, and the densification which is our birthright. This densification is an expression of the downward thrust of the Tzimtzum towards the centre - which is where Adonai sits.