Climaxing, Spherically

We continue to rough through the fog of mysticism, and at that - looking for traces of messianism, so we can continue to the Sabbatianism chapter, which is the grandest messianic phenomenon and is entirely Kabbalistic at the same time.

We want to approach it with context and background, enough to understand in principle how messianism and Kabbalah really intertwined in modern Judaism.

In Principle

So. We have been more or less in alignment with the notion that in Jewish mysticism originally there was no inherent conjunction with messianism. Okay.

There was some crossover, but the conjunction happens later as a development...

We saw the Book of Zerubavel as an ancient apocalyptic midrash very messianic; we saw in Sefer ha’Bahir but a hint of messianism; and then Abulafiya pioneered a form of spiritualism that was also messianic, in the 13th century.

Finally, in the Zohar itself, in its ‘main body’, we read a text, a famous messianic midrash, of the bird’s nest. We were impressed by the system of the Spheres and the figure of the Messiah that connect but not inherently, inconsistently.

In other words, they are two separate threads that interact in the text - but the theosophical style of the Spheres does not include the messianic figure inside that mystical Spherical system. The messianic figure seems to be an additional external part, to the messianic malkhut (kingdom) sphere of the Spherical system.

However, we then have in the Zoharic literature - though considered by historians a later attachment, not from the original 'main body' structure from the generation of Moshe de Leon - is the Idra Raba. And this Idra Raba piece is considered generally to be quite the messianic text. 

Come Together

Idra means convention or gathering. There are two texts actually, one is the Idra Raba, meaning the great gathering, and the other Idra Zuta, smaller gathering. 

Rashbi is dying. He has 9 disciples around him. They are at the edge of a vineyard, in a field. At the peak of this story he dies along with 3 disciples:

How long will we depend on the one pillar? He asks, quoting Psalm 119:126, it is written - “a time to act for the Lord, your Torah violated…” 

In other words, the dependence of all things on Rasbhi himself alone must be rectified, as the - tsaddik yesod olam, a phrase from Proverbs 10:25, literally - the righteous one is the everlasting foundation, including the term yesod, which is foundation, and a name of a particular Sphere that transmits the divine abundance into malkhut, kingdom, into this world, into the shechina. 

He is inviting his disciples to take it upon themselves, this burden and function.

What about the 2nd part, on violation or breaking of the Torah?! He continues, crying and declaring, “Woe to me if I reveal, woe to me if I do not reveal…”

In other words, as the esoteric mystical righteous leader, he bears the burden, the dilemma, of revealing secret knowledge and revelation to his pupils.

Then one of the pupils in response quotes Psalm 25:14, “the secret of the Lord belongs to those who fear him, His covenant will be made known to them…”

In other words, the grand motif is, a great deed must be done, an extraordinary task, almost or actually breaking the law, for the sake of the law or greater good or purpose, by revealing secrets.

[Just like in the days of the Mishna, the Oral Torah was documented in written form, from the crisis, though breaching the rule or the norm essentially, breaking the rules - in regards to Torah itself.]

This deed, the tikkun, a fix, a reckoning, a mission that would bring more peace and union above inside the Divine Spheres, is THE ultimate moment, the climax of the mystical agent, and the peak of the Zoharic literature, right here.

It is described metaphorically as extending the Face of G-d, and also as intimate relations between male and female (sex / eros), to balance and connect left and right, judgement and mercy, release the Shekhina, the presence, in this world. 

Oil Everywhere

G-d is here called (in Aramaic) the lower and longer face (zeir anpin / erech anpin), associated with the text of Psalm 133 : “Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together, as good oil upon the head descending upon the beard, the beard of Aharon that descends upon his garments, like the dew of (Mount) Hermon that descends upon the mounts of Zion, for there the Lord commands the blessing, life for evermore.”

Associating the mystical peak convention of the righteous one and his close followers with the words and metaphors of Psalm 133, we have a literal messianic homily - the mystical process, and the mystical phrases, are as anointing oil, and like that of the priest.

There is a mirrored process - in the heavenlies, within the Spheres, from the divine place, down upon the people in this world, and the people are anointed, spiritually, with powers, or providence, or authority, and what not. 

Necessary Death

As Rashbi reveals the mystical kabbalistic secrets his soul leaves him. He dies in the act. Only by dying, paying the price for the revealing of the secrets, like gazing upon the divine, this is too powerful for the living.

But the deed had to be done, the mystical tradition and powerful secrets and knowledge passed on to the next generation of righteous ones to carry the burden of kingdom, the task of being the pillars, secretly holding all together.

The Idra Zuta and Idra Raba describe the meeting of the legendary mystical leader with his disciples revealing secret knowledge out of necessity, even though it was a breach of protocol and cost him his life. 

More of One, Less of Another

It wasn't clear how messianic the Idra was until the oil imagery, which aligns somewhat with the style of Abraham Abulafiya's messianic spirituality:

The practice of Kabbalah, theosophical and theurgical, means the mystical people serve to establish the world and the divine flow - this is described metaphorically as anointing oil coming down from above, dripping down, like from the head to the beard to the garments. 

The messianic figure, the PERSON, is not quite part of this equation, not central to it, or we are not certain how so exactly. These texts do not exclude the messianic figure, they assume him coming, assumed is the traditional redemptive plot, but essentially they expand the messianic activity to the mystics, and are partially reframing what it means to be messianic and activate messianic redemption, by mystical knowledge and practice.

Think of it as developing traditions. The new ideas are created, and creep into the mix, without directly or intentionally excluding the usual other ideas, in our case the traditional messiah, but there becomes an inconsitent mix of new ideas and older ideas, side by side, though essentially some of the new ideas somewhat reduce the value or relevance or emphasis on the older ideas.

There is a process developing here - not completed, just in the midst of the development, where mysticism will be equated with spiritualistic messianism:

Rashbi, the new typological mystical leader, like Moses and Elijah, they are associated with the Kabblistic Divine Sphere that is YESOD, foundation, and THIS figure, is emphasized as the hero of the redemptive process - and less so the classic Davidic messianic figure.

As we will see, others to come will follow this form of association with Yesod, including Isaac Luria, Nathan of Gaza, and the the Ba’al Shem Tov.