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PostPosted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 8:43 am
by YaakovNathan
By hasgacha protis I came across this quote from the Tzemach Tzedek in the Rebbe's Igros Kodesh, where the Rebbe is decrying a certain questionable book that misrepresents ideas of kabbalah.

Writes the Tzemach Tzedek:

"One shouldn't learn sifrei kabbalah, because one who doesn't know how to strip the words of their physicality -- he will become exceedingly physicalized [in his understanding] through this study, giving form to matters of G-dliness, etc."


In this letter the Rebbe refers to the questionable book and writes:
"Whoever will flip through the pages of the Arizal, even a beginner, would ridicule the book (if there wouldn't be a case of "cutting the shoots", may the Merciful One save us)."


In the end, the Rebbe concludes that such a book, al pi halacha, should be burnt.

The letter of the Rebbe quoted above is, IMHO, applicable in the case of the "teachings" of the subject of this thread.

PostPosted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 6:16 pm
by STOV
YaakovNathan wrote:By hasgacha protis I came across this quote from the Tzemach Tzedek in the Rebbe's Igros Kodesh, where the Rebbe is decrying a certain questionable book that misrepresents ideas of kabbalah.

Writes the Tzemach Tzedek:

"One shouldn't learn sifrei kabbalah, because one who doesn't know how to strip the words of their physicality -- he will become exceedingly physicalized [in his understanding] through this study, giving form to matters of G-dliness, etc."


In this letter the Rebbe refers to the questionable book and writes:
"Whoever will flip through the pages of the Arizal, even a beginner, would ridicule the book (if there wouldn't be a case of "cutting the shoots", may the Merciful One save us)."


In the end, the Rebbe concludes that such a book, al pi halacha, should be burnt.

The letter of the Rebbe quoted above is, IMHO, applicable in the case of the "teachings" of the subject of this thread.


Very interesting. Okay that's it. From now on we should consult YN for kosher Torah sites :!:

Personally, I tend to filter out the garbage and go for the information that I am researching. I completely forgot about the sci-fi stuff. I simply found Kosher Torah to be informative in other areas in light of current events. But in the past, I had questioned some of the bizarre concepts. One example of many is the idea that souls reincarnate into non-human form. I asked a 'kosher' rabbi who said it's an esoteric concept but is true.

As demonstrated on this site, which by the way should be referred to primarily for entertainment purposes (except when YN is posting) there are a lot of twisted ideas. Furthermore, it's alarming that the information on a certain blatantly unkosher website continues to be endorsed here by a couple of people. The bottom line is that each person needs to have a mashpia. I would hope that the Rebbe qualifies even though we can't talk directly to him. But a personal one is vital as well.

PostPosted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 10:21 pm
by Devorah
That's the trouble, there are no mashpias. People turn to the internet because they don't have other means of getting questions answered. People are confused and don't know what to believe anymore and don't necessarily have anyone else to ask. Even in communities where there are rabbis, people are unaffiliated and may feel intimidated so they try to learn from the internet.
People don't know what they should "filter" out. You can only know what to filter out if you have knowledge in the first place.
Some of the lectures I've heard on the internet - esp from Sephardic rabbis and kabbalah - are pretty scary. I don't think they necessarily know what they are doing when they put all this stuff out there.

PostPosted: Tue Jun 16, 2009 1:51 pm
by shloime
Devorah wrote:That's the trouble, there are no mashpias. People turn to the internet because they don't have other means of getting questions answered. People are confused and don't know what to believe anymore and don't necessarily have anyone else to ask. Even in communities where there are rabbis, people are unaffiliated and may feel intimidated so they try to learn from the internet.
People don't know what they should "filter" out. You can only know what to filter out if you have knowledge in the first place.
Some of the lectures I've heard on the internet - esp from Sephardic rabbis and kabbalah - are pretty scary. I don't think they necessarily know what they are doing when they put all this stuff out there.


there are no mashpiim? when the rebbe gives us an instruccion, we are always able to do it. if he is telling us that each one of us should have a mashpia, that means that we are able to have one. might not be easy to find the right one, but we can get one for sure. the rebbe screamed once because we are being too too picky in selecting our mashpia, and at the end we dont get anybody.
i see many times that is more the fact that we are scared and dont want to rely on any rabbi, than any other thing. many times is just a matter of ego.