אות - רכה

When Rabbainu, o.b.m., was in Uman, someone asked him if it is possible to know the wisdom of Kabbalah without fasts and ritual immersions — for someone had said it is impossible to know Kabbalah except through those means. He replied: It is possible to know this wisdom without those mentioned. For it is a wisdom, etc. And he said then that the reason it is difficult to understand the book Eitz Chaim, etc., is because it was not written in order. And he said: Where the wisdom of philosophy ends — there the wisdom of Kabbalah begins (which is the wisdom of truth).[411] (The explanation: for the philosophers investigated only as far as the spheres, and from there upward they know absolutely nothing. And also in the wisdoms below the spheres they are very confounded in most matters — as they know themselves. But the wisdom of Kabbalah begins from the root of Asiyah in its spirituality, and from there upward. For all of the world of Asiyah together with the spheres is encompassed in Kabbalah in a single word — the world of Asiyah. And all the wisdom of Kabbalah speaks of its higher dimensions — Yetzirah and Beriyah and Atzilus, higher and higher, etc.[412] And even within Asiyah itself, in the inner dimension of Asiyah — meaning the spirituality of Asiyah — the philosophers have absolutely no knowledge at all. But the wisdom of Kabbalah speaks only from the root of Asiyah in its spirituality, and from there upward. It is found that where the wisdom of the investigators ends — there the wisdom of Kabbalah begins.) I myself also heard from his holy mouth regarding his awesome attainments — he spoke of this several times and said: Is it not the case that among the investigators their knowledge ends at the spheres? And it seems to them that from there upward it is only the pure essence of the G-dliness Yisburach. But in truth all the study of Kabbalah is of worlds and levels that begin from there upward. So too: even one who has well attained the wisdom of Kabbalah, which is the wisdom of truth — even so, there is no measure to His understanding, for there is still higher above higher, etc. And once he saw a book compiled from the writings of the Ari, o.b.m., that are not commonly available — which speaks of the progression and levels before Atzilus, which is the world of Malbush,[413] etc., as written in the book "Vayakhel Moshe," etc.[414] And he spoke with me about this. And I was very astonished — that there is study in Kabbalah even above Atzilus, and it seemed to me there was nothing higher. And he laughed and said then as well: But among the investigators it seems that knowledge ends at the spheres, etc. — as mentioned above. And his intention was: similarly, even in the knowledge of truth — higher and higher — there is still higher above higher without measure or reckoning, etc. For His greatness is beyond all investigation. And this matter is impossible to explain in writing. 411. RAK: See Likutay Halachos, Orach Chaim, Washing of Hands, Law 6, section 79. 412. RAK: See Pardes Rimonim, chapter 16; Eitz Chaim, Gate of ABY"A. 413. RAK: See Pardes Rimonim, chapter 11; Eitz Chaim, Discourse of Circles and Straightness, chapter 4; Gate of Introductions, chapter 1. 414. RAK: A Kabbalistic work compiled by Rabbi Moshe ben Menachem, a student of Rabbi David Oppenheimer of Prague (5184–5256). Printed first in Dessau in 5459.