wkp@lanl.ARPA (05/23/85)
> One last point. If you don't understand something, don't go abusing > it. The zohar is not written for every scholar, let alone the layman. > Kaballa is not for everyone. So if you don't see what the point of the > zohar is, don't make fun of it publicly. My apologies to Eliyahu (and others) if I misrepresented a complicated subject like the Zohar so flippantly. I do believe that there is sufficient evidence that parts of the Zohar were influenced by pagan mythologies. However, I may have given the wrong impression that I consider the entire Jewish mystical tradition to be a bogus shell game. Untrue! On the contrary, I do not pretend to know all the mysteries of the universe. As the Zohar says quite eloquently: "See how many hidden causes there are...hidden from the comprehension of human beings. There are lights upon lights, each one dark by comparison with the one above it." My point was to warn against the great danger of believing in witchcraft or mysticism at the expense of rationality. [For example: Eliyahu's belief in the magical powers of karate experts.] As the Torah says: "There is no enchantment in Yaakov, nor divination in Israel" or again, "For the nations that you are about to kick out, listen to soothsayers and magicians, but as for you, the L-rd your G-d has not allowed you to do so." Hope this clarifies the issue. Again, my apologies for any misunderstandings. -- bill peter inhp4!lanl!wkp