Re: Book Reviews
Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2013 5:45 pm
David Chaim Smith – The Kabbalistic Mirror of Genesis; Commentaries on Genesis 1-3
I actually stumbled across this book while reading Amazon reviews for David Fideler's Sun of God. In it Smith presents a non-theistic interpretation of the Kabbalah that ignores the hierarchical medieval, messianic systems of Luria et al. in favour of early Kabbalistic theorising and later Hassidic developments. This entails a non-dualistic interpretation that's similar to Hindu Advaita and Buddhist thought, actually listing the six senses (Āyatana). This is probably intentional as Smith seems widely read, however it struck me as significant as Raphael Patai suggests some syncretism between Kali and Shechina (which he argues was originally a goddess) due to travellers such as Abraham Abulafia.
The basic cosmogeny presented is based on B'reshit (continual state of becoming) and Ain Sof (without limitation), the purity of which can't be affected by whatever happens. The Sephiroth pertain to different levels of the human mind:
The basic theology regarding the serpent is directly related to the gematria of Nachash (serpent) and Moshiach (messiah) both of which number 358. “Messianic redemption awaits in the heart of life in whatever broken and distorted form it arises in”. The fall was a “set-up” made inherent by mankind's tendency for dualism e.g. the separation of Eve from Adam, the habitual categorisation and naming of things etc. Therefore the serpent is presented as something of a trickster who makes ambiguous statements, within which reside perfect wisdom.
In summary, I like this interpretation very much due to its non-dualism and the ambiguity of the serpent. If you hadn't noticed by now, I'm a massive fan of ambiguity in literature and film . Smith has another book out and a forthcoming one, both of which I'll definitely be getting. His art's pretty good too. Because of this I am now also reading Umberto Eco – Foucault's Pendulum .
I actually stumbled across this book while reading Amazon reviews for David Fideler's Sun of God. In it Smith presents a non-theistic interpretation of the Kabbalah that ignores the hierarchical medieval, messianic systems of Luria et al. in favour of early Kabbalistic theorising and later Hassidic developments. This entails a non-dualistic interpretation that's similar to Hindu Advaita and Buddhist thought, actually listing the six senses (Āyatana). This is probably intentional as Smith seems widely read, however it struck me as significant as Raphael Patai suggests some syncretism between Kali and Shechina (which he argues was originally a goddess) due to travellers such as Abraham Abulafia.
The basic cosmogeny presented is based on B'reshit (continual state of becoming) and Ain Sof (without limitation), the purity of which can't be affected by whatever happens. The Sephiroth pertain to different levels of the human mind:
- Level 1 – Yechidah; Sephira – Keter; Function – unborn essence (pure cognisant potentiality)
- Level 2 – Chaya; Sephira – Chochmah; Function – dynamic nature (pure knowingness)
- Level 3 – Neshamah; Sephira – Binah; Function – axiomatic space (the capacity for thought)
- Level 4 – Ruach; Sephira – Middle Six; Function – perceptual motion (activity of thinking and feeling)
- Level 5 – Nefesh; Sephira – Malkut; Function – display of vital presence (apparitional display)
The basic theology regarding the serpent is directly related to the gematria of Nachash (serpent) and Moshiach (messiah) both of which number 358. “Messianic redemption awaits in the heart of life in whatever broken and distorted form it arises in”. The fall was a “set-up” made inherent by mankind's tendency for dualism e.g. the separation of Eve from Adam, the habitual categorisation and naming of things etc. Therefore the serpent is presented as something of a trickster who makes ambiguous statements, within which reside perfect wisdom.
In summary, I like this interpretation very much due to its non-dualism and the ambiguity of the serpent. If you hadn't noticed by now, I'm a massive fan of ambiguity in literature and film . Smith has another book out and a forthcoming one, both of which I'll definitely be getting. His art's pretty good too. Because of this I am now also reading Umberto Eco – Foucault's Pendulum .