Seeing God and Prophetic Kabbala

 

The “prophetic kabbala” taught by R. Avraham Abulafia (1240-1292?) aspires, as its name suggests, to bring a person to the level of prophecy. This is a central stream of kabbala, and it had a significant impact on Chassidic philosophy over the generations, too.[1] R. Abulafia’s approach is based on the “kabbala of Names”: combinations of letters comprising Divine Names, and entails pronunciation of the names, methods of breathing, bodily movements, and music, leading the kabbalist to a state of ecstasy and devekut and – ultimately – an experience of prophecy.

 

It is easy to identify the similarity between R. Kalonymus and the tradition of prophetic kabbala if we compare what R. Kalonymus writes about seeing God with an excerpt from the writings of R. Yehuda Albotini, who was among the conveyors of the prophetic kabbala tradition founded by R. Abulafia. In this excerpt he guides the reader through one of the stages of the process that leads one to experience ruach ha-kodesh. An examination of the two fragments side by side serves to highlight the similarity between them:

 

 

A similar image is also to be found in R. Avraham Abulafia’s work, Chaye Olam ha-Ba:

 

 

R. Kalonymus, unlike the kabbalists, does not regard the visualization of the world of Beria (the Throne of Glory and the angels) as a privilege reserved for a select few individuals. He describes and recommends the experience even when he addresses young students. His advice is meant for the youngster at prayer, to give him a feeling of God’s closeness. The fervor required in prayer can be attained only if one senses that closeness of the Divine. The verse that became a Chassidic maxim – “the entire world is full of His glory”- must become a tangible experience. And that experience may be attained both through visualization of the supernal worlds and the figures that populate them (such as the angels), and through powerful thought – which, in this context, means internal conviction of Divine immanence. In his Chovat ha-Talmidim, aimed at young students, R. Kalonymus writes:

 

 

It may still be difficult for you to imagine that you are standing before God… Look then toward the sky and contemplate; focus your mind and think: I exist on this side, while on the other side of the heavens, there is another world, completely different from this one. There are angels there, and seraphim, the souls of the patriarchs and of the prophets and tzaddikim. The Throne of Glory is suspended in their midst, and God, great, holy and awesome, is present on the throne… Strengthen yourself, look, and think some more. ‘I stand on this side of the Divine, and I say, ‘Blessed are You, O Lord’ – it is You, Lord, the one toward Whom I lift my eyes, whether I see You or not; it is You that I bless. I shut my eyes and look at You, and bless You and speak to You.’”[6]

 

The main conclusion that we may draw from this comparison is that certain aspects of prophetic kabbala – a realm restricted to select individuals – became, in R. Kalonymus’s teachings, part of the guidance for the masses. While R. Kalonymus does not deal with the complex techniques of prophetic prophecy, his aim is still to prepare and train people for prophecy. Once again, we note R. Kalonymus’s aspiration to train not only mature and learned adults, but even children. His aim of preparing “children of prophets” entailed starting training at a young age.

 

 

The distinction that R. Kalonymus draws between “seeing” and “riddles” serves to clarify the way in which he understands the concept of “seeing God.”

 

In one of his sermons on parashat Beha’alotekha, R. Kalonymus talks about prophetic perception, noting a question that arises from a comparison of different verses in Tanakh. Concerning Moshe, we read that God tells him, “… and you shall see the back of Me, but My face shall not be seen” (Shemot 33:23). The prophet Yishayahu, in contrast, says, “…and I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and elevated…” (Yishayahu 6:1). The Torah itself testifies that “there has arisen in Israel no prophet like Moshe, whom the Lord knew face to face” (Devarim 34:10), it is impossible that Yishayahu – or any other prophet – could have experienced prophetic perception on a level higher than that of Moshe. Therefore, Chazal draw a distinction between the quality of Moshe’s prophecy and that of the other prophets: “All the prophets saw [as] through a cloudy glass, while Moshe Rabbenu saw [as] through a clear glass” (Yevamot 49b). In other words, Moshe experienced direct, clear, and intelligible prophecy, while the other prophets experienced prophecy through riddles, such as the boiling pot and the almond branch described by Yirmiyahu (chapter 1) and the golden menorah described by Zekharia (chapter 4). God Himself says of Moshe, “I speak with him mouth to mouth, manifestly, and not in riddles…” (Bamidbar 12:8).

 

R. Kalonymus asserts that even today, people have the ability to see “[as] through a clear glass”, just as there are those who see “as through a glass that is not clear” (or “riddles”), since, as the Zohar teaches, “the impact of Moshe lasts in every generation.”

 

 

There are two types of seeing. The first is based on awe and wonder at the wisdom of Nature, leading the observer to a realization of God’s work and to knowledge of Him. There is, however, another level: a person who perceives the ‘perfect, pleasing Radiance of the world’ (as God is described by R. Elazar Azkari in his liturgical poem, Yedid Nefesh)[8] experiences a direct, unmediated encounter with the essence of the world, through mystical seeing:

 

 

Each of these types of encounters with God has its advantages and disadvantages. The first type is based on intellectual observation; its advantage is that it allows for development through kabbalistic study, but its weakness is that it is sometimes emotionally sterile. A person can study kabbala mechanically, without ever reaching the essence and without ever feeling anything. Unmediated perception, on the other hand, brings a greater measure of fear and love of God, for there is a direct link between that which is perceived and the person’s inner consciousness. The disadvantage here is that there is no possibility of achieving a vision that is beyond one’s level, as is the case with intellectual perception based on study. Nevertheless, it remains possible that if this person elevates his spiritual service, he will “see more”:

 

 

The situation is different when it comes to actual ‘seeing,’ where one’s soul perceives God’s radiance in everything that exists in the world, leading him to greater love and fear of Him, in accordance with his own level… As he ascends higher, is able to see more, and this may be called a ‘clear glass,’ embodying the principle of ‘I have placed God before me always,’ which exists in every person.”[10]

 

R. Kalonymus concludes by saying that his sermon on the parasha of Beha’alotekha, teaching about the prophecy of Moshe and the other prophets, is aimed at clarifying the Divine service required of us. Indeed, as we have seen above, R. Kalonymus sought to make such perception of God practically accessible to every Jew willing to invest spiritual effort.

 

R. Hillel Zeitlin, a Polish chassidic kabbalist and philosopher who was a contemporary of R. Kalonymus, wrote:

 

 

Both R. Hillel Zeitlin and R. Kalonymus seek to bring man closer to the Divine, and to bring God closer to man. Both were killed during the Holocaust in Poland, both clinging to a burning faith that even within the greatest concealment, God’s face can be seen by those who seek Him.

 

 

Translated by Kaeren Fish