Keter

[volgadon]

Breaking off of the Kabbalah and Mormonism thread (http://www.mormondialogue.org/topic/57129-kabbalah-and-mormonism/page__st__140) I am starting a new thread to discuss crown and Keter in LDS and and Jewish thought.

Here are some of SamIam's comments.

I am going to develop this in pieces in order to move through the reasoning behind how I get from point A to point B. I believe this is necessary as one of the primary difficulties in relating Kabbalah to LDS Theology is the distinctly unique nomenclatures that each group uses to describe its concepts. Otherwise each topics terminology remains unique to the language of its origin which is used to describe the principles. Thus one remains Jewish mysticism while the other remains LDS theology and neither party recognizes, for the distinctness of their language, that the other is discussing the same material.

For a weak example it is like learning the slang terminologies of a foreign language. An English speaker can learn terminologies that are in Spanish for instance that he might never in a million years express the English equivalents but because that individual lacks the familiarity of being reared in a society that recoils at their use, he tosses them out without a sense of how impacting they might be to a native speaker of Spanish. Thus a Spanish speaker might do the same with a few English terms not realizing how offensive some things are to an English speaker. Thus, each party using a language that the other owns but they themselves do not fails to grasp the significance of what is communicated to the native speaker.

When some of us who “speak” LDS theological toss out a few mystical terms like 10 sefirot, for our lack of genuine native understanding we fail to realize we are using someone else’s language for concepts that we ourselves have a language to express and visa versa. It takes a great deal of effort and more than a little inspiration but I believe that to be in part the transition Joseph Smith had to make in bringing information from one source into his native language. However, on occasion he left a term here or there to communicate the origin of where his thoughts originated and where we might find a means of determining what he saw. This linking word for you and I to consider is one that is shared between the two concepts we are discussing. In the 10 sefirot, the top most point is “Keter” and in Joseph Smith’s Kingdom of God diagram the top most point is “Keter.” Here then is the loose string that we must pull if we are to unravel the mystery of uniting Kabbalah and LDS theology on these two embracing concepts.

The first transitional consideration which I wish to float will follow. I am being careful, I must admit. If I can’t make this paradigm shift seem reasonable and palatable then I must abandon the effort at whatever point it becomes apparent it is futile. If we do not condemn ourselves to an intellectual’s limitation for only accepting the “tangible proofs” but take the intellectuals offerings and apply a bit of reason and faith, this can go very far.

I can see no way to reconcile Jewish mysticism and Lds theology without first finding the common theme around which they should be united. While I am very much intrigued by Jewish methodologies for analyzing the sacred, that is not to say that I believe the Jews use of the methodologies always led them to the truth.

So to proceed in this endeavor of showing some of the correlations between the 10 sefirot and the Kingdom of God Image of Joseph Smith we have to go in search of a Peshat level of understanding that will sustain the foundation of both images and indeed all interpretive keys in scripture that will be used. At least on one level the Jews make this an easy starting point as this Peshat understanding that I think is most significant is found in Moses 6:63:

[volgadon]

My comment.

I agree, it is a good approach to start from a point of mutual contact, so lets explore keter. The thing to look for is whether or not they are both talking about the same thing rather than it being a universal, intuitive symbol or concept.

Shall we decide upon which sources to use?

[volgadon]

SamIam:

Please suggest what comes to mind for you and lets see how this goes. I have already developed a process of getting from point a to point b which I hope will be able to remain essentially intact. This will be a good test. What sources do you suggest?

Volgadon:

I am fine for now with your suggested process. It might take me a bit to come up with a list, but we probably don't want to overdo it at the very beginning. I will look for English translations as they'll save me the time of knocking out a translation. I suggest approaching this holistically, using both early and later sources on God as king and on crowns. One for sure is ibn Gabirol's Keter Malchut. Probably Gikatilla as well.

SamIam:

I wonder if we are not already starting from differing perspectives. We may have to go slower and I will take some time to review your sources. They will be best for me if they are online English translations. If you have publications that are otherwise that I can procure through the interlibrary system I can do that as well. The Standard Works, have to be on our list. Orson Hyde's portrayal of Joseph Smith's Kingdom of God image and text as well. From my perspective we are trying to find corollaries in Kabbalism that we can use according to PRDS type processes to relate the 10 sefirot to the Kingdom of God image and Book of Mormon imagery. We are really trying to bridge a gap that I have not observed bridged in the past to find examples in one medium that represent elements in the other so that we can then begin to cross over in communication. This relies on our own skills of extrapolation to create the connective potential. I plan to isolate specifically on the 10 sefirot, which for the breadth width and height of its reach isn’t much of a isolation but it is the focus.

I will start posting sources or links to them, we should begin with that.

[Robert F. Smith]

Breaking off of the Kabbalah and Mormonism thread (http://www.mormondia...m/page__st__140) I am starting a new thread to discuss crown and Keter in LDS and and Jewish thought.

While you and Samlam are getting your sources in order, may I insert here something about a "crown, tiara," in the Book of Mormon:

Zeniff – first king of a group of Nephites who return to Lehi-Nephi ca. 200 BCE (Mosiah 7:9 - 11:1). Most likely derived from Hebrew ṣānîp (pronounced tzanif) “headband, tiara,” worn by men (Job 29:14), kings (Isaiah 62:3, Ecclesiasticus 11:5), and high priest (Leviticus 16:4, Zechariah 3:5, Ecclesiasticus 40:4), or by women (Isaiah 3:23 ǁ2 Nephi 13:23). Cf. Hebrew miṣnepet (pronounced mitznefet) “tiara, turban-like headband,” worn by king (Ezekiel 21:31), or high priest (Exodus 28:4,37,39, 29:6, 39:28,31, Leviticus 8:9, 16:4, Ecclesiasticus 45:12) > Greek masnaephthēs (Josephus, Antiquities, III, 7, 3 § 157), cognate with Syriac maṣnaptā “headband, turban,” měṣannap “to wrap around, wind around” (note the pun at Isaiah 22:18 ṣānôp yiṣnāpkā ṣěnēpâ “wrapping you up like a whorl”). Personal names meaning “Crown, Tiara,” are known from the Bible (Atarah and Stephen), and other ancient contexts.

[SamIam]

As we proceed I would like to establish what I consider a foundational perspective this comes from a post by DubaNura post:

"The trick in Kabbalah is to remember that all of Kabbalah is a metaphor."

Understanding the metaphorical and using that understanding is, in my mind, the foundational means of trying to unite two religious languages with differing terminologies. We will have to not just weigh the gold in the LDS crown or the Gold in the Jewish crown but like Archimedes find a means of weighting them in a medium that allows us to determine their equity in meaning. We will have to not just see the physical aspects of the crown but take all that the crown represents and the imagery that is captured in the distinctions of each.

As well I wanted to remind of where I think, at least for myself, that central point is that will help us unite our concepts:

Moses 6:63

63 And behold, all things have their likeness, and all things are created and made to bear record of me, both things which are temporal, and things which are spiritual; things which are in the heavens above, and things which are on the earth, and things which are in the earth, and things which are under the earth, both above and beneath: all things bear record of me.

We must continue to allow the Holy Ghost to cleanse the record for us a piece at a time and return Christ as the central theme in the Kabbalistic resources we have at our disposal. That is the example that is set for us by Joseph Smith [in the translations of the Pearl of Great Price materials] and if we are sincerely interested in seeing the union of LDS theology with Kabbalah we can only do so by following Joseph’s lead. This alone will cause many departures in Kabbalah to reconcile appropriately and at the same time will then give an expanded vista for our own pondering upon LDS theology to swell into considerations of remarkable interest. Still to engage in such a process is wasted without the guidance of the spirit....

...So, applying the methodologies of the Jews from a PRDS perspective we might could use the restored gospel as a means of correcting some basic obvious efforts that have removed Christ from the Jewish message. Again this is one of the significant adjustments in the Book of Moses that enables Joseph Smith to take the Genesis record and expands but a few chapters of material into a rich and valuable scriptural resource. Reinserting Jesus Christ into the message expands it and gives the message a more correct meaning for us to derive a more correct interpretation.

As well my thanks to Volgadon for initiating this discussion and all others who wish to join in. Let the effort begin and we shall see if we can find the Keter and the Crown that unite these two kingdoms of Kabbalah and LDS Theology.

Edited April 29, 2012 by SamIam

[volgadon]

Understanding the metaphorical and using that understanding is, in my mind, the foundational means of trying to unite two religious languages with differing terminologies. We will have to not just weigh the gold in the LDS crown or the Gold in the Jewish crown but like Archimedes find a means of weighting them in a medium that allows us to determine their equity in meaning. We will have to not just see the physical aspects of the crown but take all that the crown represents and the imagery that is captured in the distinctions of each.

What I do want to be careful with is forcing a reading or interpretation unto either LDS or Jewish sources that simply isn't there. That will be the biggest challenge.

While I am putting together a bibliography, we can take another look at Orson Hyde's statement.

[SamIam]

I will start posting sources or links to them, we should begin with that.

I have located Selected Poems of Solomon Ibn Gabirol off of Amazon and have ordered it. It claims to have an English translation of Keter Malkut. Hopefully it will work as one of the resources.

[volgadon]

I have located Selected Poems of Solomon Ibn Gabirol off of Amazon and have ordered it. It claims to have an English translation of Keter Malkut. Hopefully it will work as one of the resources.

Ibn Gabirol was one of the greatest and profoundest Hebrew poets, so you should enjoy the book regardless.

I was able to find R. Moshe Cordovero's Palm Tree of Deborah online. An influential and widely-read work of mystical ethics. Keter and the believer's relationship to it is discussed extensively. http://www.digital-brilliance.com/kab/deborah/c21-7.htm

[volgadon]

In a certain strand of Hekhalot literature (651-655 in Schafer's Synopsis) R. Nehuniah HaQanah provides R. Ishmael with a "seal" and a "crown," knowledge needed for heavenly ascent. Both consist of holy names. The crown, symbolising authority, is used to adjure "all the princes of wisdom (hochmah)." The name mustn't be used without its companion prayer, or the user will perish. "The prayer of the mighty (norah) crown. You are the Great, Powerful and Mighty God. The King of Kings, Blessed be He, a crown greater and lovelier than all other crowns. And your power is greater than all other powers. Who is like unto our King, who is like unto our God, who is like unto our Creator, King of the World (Melech ha-Olam)? Be sanctified above. Be magnified below. Be blessed above. Be glorified below..."

[DubaDNura]

If we're going to have that kind of fun, why not turn to Sefer Yetzirah? In chapter 1, mishnah 9 (according to some editions):

10 Sefirot without substance. One, the Spirit of the living G-d. Blessed [is he, and] Blessed is the name of the life of all worlds. Voice, wind/spirit, and speech. This is holy spirit.

The commentaries generally agree that "one" is referring to Keter, the first Sefirah. It is identified as the "spirit" of G-d. The Raava''d begins is comment by reminding us that Kabbalah uses terms that have practical meanings to stand in for hidden concepts "because we from what is revealed, we understand the concealed, even though the comparison is not entirely accurate." Spirit and wind are the same word, Ruach. Wind comes from inside a person, from within his lungs, or his essence. Wind is essential for life. But G-d is not defined by his creations. He transcends creation to the point where creation is merely incidental. The voice is truly beyond his essence. But in order for the voice to be heard, it must be channeled through the medium of wind/air/spirit. And in order for the voice to be given form, it must be expressed through letters and words (of speech). This is the Keter, Chochma, and Binah within the supernal Keter (each sefirah includes infinite combinations of every other sefirah, like Chesed of Malchut of Chochmah of Malchut of Chesed).

But whenever talking about Keter, its important to remember that

Keep your mouth from speaking about it, or your heart from thinking of it.

This refers to Keter. Your mouth refers to Malchut, or the attribute of speech. Keter cannot be described. Your heart refers to Binah, or the attribute of thought. It cannot even be understood.

[SamIam]

If we're going to have that kind of fun, why not turn to Sefer Yetzirah? In chapter 1, mishnah 9 (according to some editions):

This refers to Keter. Your mouth refers to Malchut, or the attribute of speech. Keter cannot be described. Your heart refers to Binah, or the attribute of thought. It cannot even be understood.

I have thought of the same thing concerning using the primary texts. It might be more difficult to use secondary and tertiary sources when they often are extrapolations from the explicit texts such as the Zohar and the Sefer Yetzirah as well as the Bahir. I have the 5 volume Zohar by Maurice, there is an online Sefer Yetzirah here http://www.sacred-texts.com/jud/sy/index.htm and I have some of the traditional Matt, Gershom Scholem and a few other texts that are secondary sources. The Ibn Gabirol is on the way. This site may have other texts that we feel comfortable with as well. http://www.sacred-texts.com/jud/#kabbalah . The imagery in the primary texts often seems easier to relate to LDS scriptural sources for the commonness of the concepts and phrasing. Still I'm game for what ever we can work out.

[Robert F. Smith]

I have thought of the same thing concerning using the primary texts. It might be more difficult to use secondary and tertiary sources when they often are extrapolations from the explicit texts such as the Zohar and the Sefer Yetzirah as well as the Bahir. I have the 5 volume Zohar by Maurice, there is an online Sefer Yetzirah here http://www.sacred-te...ud/sy/index.htm and I have some of the traditional Matt, Gershom Scholem and a few other texts that are secondary sources. The Ibn Gabirol is on the way. This site may have other texts that we feel comfortable with as well. http://www.sacred-te...m/jud/#kabbalah . The imagery in the primary texts often seems easier to relate to LDS scriptural sources for the commonness of the concepts and phrasing. Still I'm game for what ever we can work out.

Would it be helpful to display a diagram of the Qabbalistic "Tree of Life" (minutum mundum the universe in miniature)? There is an excellent example of it, with paths between the Sephiroth online at http://dhlab.ru/os/lib/exe/fetch.php?cache=cache&media=01_2006:science:%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%813.png .

It is my understanding that there are three worlds in Qabbala: (1) supercelestial-angelic, (2) celestial, and (3) terrestrial-sublunar. Is this correct, and what does it mean? And what of the Qabbalistic concept of ensoph "infinity"?

Finally, what did Harold Bloom (Yale) mean by saying that "Smith and his apostles restated what Moshe Idel, our great living scholar of Kabbalah persuades me was the archaic or original Jewish religion" (Bloom, The American Religion, 99)? After all, both George Mitton and Blake Ostler seem to think that Joseph Smith fits very well into the Qabbalistic throne-theophany-Merkaba tradition. Do you agree?

[SamIam]

Would it be helpful to display a diagram of the Qabbalistic "Tree of Life" (minutum mundum the universe in miniature)? There is an excellent example of it, with paths between the Sephiroth online at http://dhlab.ru/os/l...cience:рис3.png .

It is my understanding that there are three worlds in Qabbala: (1) supercelestial-angelic, (2) celestial, and (3) terrestrial-sublunar. Is this correct, and what does it mean? And what of the Qabbalistic concept of ensoph "infinity"?

Finally, what did Harold Bloom (Yale) mean by saying that "Smith and his apostles restated what Moshe Idel, our great living scholar of Kabbalah persuades me was the archaic or original Jewish religion" (Bloom, The American Religion, 99)? After all, both George Mitton and Blake Ostler seem to think that Joseph Smith fits very well into the Qabbalistic throne-theophany-Merkaba tradition. Do you agree?

Robert

I took a look at the link you provided. It is usable, however, my approach has always been to get as far back as I can to hopefully be as close to the source as possible. Your image actually illustrates one of my primary concerns in that it has been overlaid with nuances of the new age Kabballah. Over the years, I have found Kabballah to be one of the most abused and polluted religious concepts around. In an effort to hope to not have to weed through any more distracting interpretations than necessary, I avoid new age Kabballah and its emphasis on fortune telling, tarot readings, astrological signs and so on. Some of these are wide variants from Kabbalistic intent and others are just off by degrees of emphasis.

To that ends we originally floated this link:

http://thesefirot.blogspot.com/

Our goal was to compare concepts found in the link above and this link:

http://www.heavenlyascents.com/2009/03/09/orson-hyde-the-dead-sea-scrolls-and-the-hierarchy-of-the-gods/

to determine if there was a means of correlating the two concepts as expressed in the images and commentary on such.

I may be wrong but the Adam Kadmon link to the 10 sefirot is not exactly the oldest as the image that I have seen associated with the text of the Sefir Yetzirah is probably older in existing references but the Adam Kadmon image super imposes some additional Kabbalistic influences of antiquity that are helpful for me when I am working with the imagery. We could do just as well

Your question on the three worlds and einsof etc are perspectives that I hope to see us explore but the development, at least for me, has to be more than tossing out bare bone concepts without adequate bridgework to show the correlations. I really do hope to make some headway on uniting LDS theology and Kabballa and I think that should be a well thought out process. We haven’t really gotten started as we are working to correlate sources and come to a consensus on what works best. Volgadon is leading the charge on that front and time constraints have made the process a bit slow for me. Still with patience I hope we can get there.

Anyway back to the three worlds and einsof…This is my own feelings about the 10 sefirot. I have studied the image for over 12 years as part of my personal research and goal of understanding scripture and the gospel more effectively. It is not an esoteric review for me of technical documents to make me feel like I know something. I have embraced it read as much as I could reasonably acquire, pondered it, associated it with thoughts and concepts from scripture and continue to do so every so often as my studies embrace the need for the influence.

There are several tree of life scenarios found in scripture and in religious studies of antiquity from cultures long deceased. Each of them seems to contain aspects that are always embraced within the tree of life image of the 10 sefirot. However, over the years my personal perception has become that no tree of life narrative is as densely packed with symbolic significance as is the 10 sefirot. The symbolisms are so dense that they embrace multiple themes of the gospel and one needs to be sure they are clear on how they are approaching the material that addresses concepts across several layers of gospel themes. For instance, from one perspective it is a study on the creation. That is the general tone of the text of the Sefer Yetzirah-creation. However, it very clearly has the entirety of the plan of salvation contained within its imagery. It embraces principles of pre-existence, the fall, redemption, as you pointed out three separate kingdoms, the fall, temple ordinances and most importantly of all it is a testament of Jesus Christ’s central role in all of these principles. I wouldn’t say that this is all obvious but with study of the various commentaries and using Jewish principles of scripture study one can make these arguments reasonably well.

However, one has to recognize what aspect of the symbolism is being elaborated on in any commentary they are researching in order to make sure they are not getting more confused than enlightened. I clearly acknowledge that the role of Christ has been diminished as a result of the failure to accept Jesus Christ as the Messiah but once one begins to see that it speaks constantly to Him in the associated commentaries by the imagery and phrasing that can be related to scripture it becomes clear how to sort out the imagery on multiple levels.

Originally our goal was to connect the concept of Keter, which exists at the top of the image of the 10 sefirot and also at the top of the Joseph Smith Kingdom of God image. It is not an overlay but is instead a progression. The fullness of the attribute Keter is embraced at each juncture or branch of the Joseph Smith Kingdom of God image. The Kingdom of God image is actually beyond the 10 sefirot in progression as the KOG image more exactly relates to the initial levels of the einsof of Kabballah, while the 10 sefirot reflect conditions for individual and collective attainment as they progress towards their own induction into an einsof type of existence. This all needs careful portrayal though to develop adequately and I hope we can get there in this effort.

As far as Harold Bloom, I can only guess what he was indicating but based on my experience I believe he might be indicating what I have come to believe and that is the Jewish Mysticism is no more mystical than the principles of the gospel as they attain a fullness of comprehension in the hearts of the members of the Church. In my mind, Kabballah is simply a corrupted form of the gospel as Adam knew it with emphasis on temple related themes. I think we go through the Book of Abraham and the Book of Moses to get to the more common aspects of preserved Jewish Mysticism but it is more accessible in the Joseph Smith translation than the Jewish Kabballistic writings that have come down through the ages. However, once one realizes that, some of the Jewish material that came down enhances our thoughts and enables us to see further insight into the restored gospel by means of expanding the horizons of our thoughts and what things we might even think to consider.

In my opinion, the -theophany-Merkaba tradition material is closely related to Moses 7. The imagery is magnified in the Merkabah and includes material not contained in the Moses 7 but all in all an excellent breakdown of the salient points. In this sense, I equally agree that Joseph Smith could be associated with the Kabbalistic material but not so much as a kabbalist but in as much as he knew more clearly many of the concepts of Kabballism having been taught by Adam and Abraham and many of the Fathers, the truths of their time. To Joseph they just represented much of the extended material that he had revealed to him that he, in minute amounts, shared with his contemporaries.

[volgadon]

I avoid new age Kabballah and its emphasis on fortune telling, tarot readings, astrological signs and so on. Some of these are wide variants from Kabbalistic intent and others are just off by degrees of emphasis.

To be fair, with the exception of tarot readings, both astrology and fortune telling have been prominent features of Kabbalah and to a great extent still are in Israel. Though you probably meant something of the sort when you wrote "just off by degrees of emphasis."

[SamIam]

To be fair, with the exception of tarot readings, both astrology and fortune telling have been prominent features of Kabbalah and to a great extent still are in Israel. Though you probably meant something of the sort when you wrote "just off by degrees of emphasis."

That was precisely why I added that line. It is not however to minimize something by saying it is only just barely off, or barely wrong. I have come to appreciate that the things that are most deceptive, esp. to LDS, are those things that are off by degrees of emphasis. These sorts of issues are hard to recognize because they are essentially correct in terminology and description and perhaps even seemingly in application but because the emphasis focuses on a tangent just left of center it effectively paves the way of slowly drifting from correct application of correct principles to unknowingly ending up somewhere else entirely. Perhaps an extreme example is Sabbatai Zevi who was a master of reassociating previous interpretations with greater corrupted emphasis until he was able to deceive an impressive number of adherants. He may be the extreme example though and one that I would hope most would recognize should such a one appear in our day – and yet isn’t that exactly what is portended to occur in the last days.

[SamIam]

I have a copy now of Sha'are Orah by Gikatilla. For all of the difficulty I thought that Selected Poems of Solomon Ibn Gabirol was going to be to effectively match to LDS theology, Gikatilla more than makes up for. An excellent and valuable resource which has already been a fruitful study. Thanks for the recommendation.