בזולת מה שקדם אלינו בענין התורה שאין ללמוד אותה אלא ממלאך ה׳ צבאות כדפירשו רבותינו ז״ל (מו״ק יז.), וגם אמרו שלא ילמוד אדם מן האמגושי (שבת עה.), עוד צריך צווי פרטי אל המתחילים בחכמה זו
Previous [indications] in this matter [are] that one may not study Torah except from a messenger of the Lord of Hosts (Mal. 2:7), as our rabbis, their memory be a blessing, have taught.1Mo’ed Katan 17a: “If the master is like a ‘messenger of God,’ they should seek Torah from his mouth. If not, let them not seek Torah from his mouth.” They have also said that one should not learn from a magus.2Shabbat 75a: “He who learns one thing from a magus is worthy of death.” Besides that, there are two rules [to be followed] by those beginning in this science.
3
שלא ילמודו אלא ממי שנהג במדות הקודמות אלינו מריש ועד כען, לאפוקי כת הטועות או כת החוטאת שלא ילמד מהם, כי אני מבטיחו שלא ימצא בידם כלל, וקרוב הוא לבא אל הסכנה הרבה והיא סכנת האמונות הנשחתות, כאשר ראינו רבים טועים בדברים רבים, והיה סבת זה להם המשכם אחר הכתות הנזכר:
[The first is] that they should not study except with one who has conducted himself according to the principles I have outlined up to this point. This excludes [members of] the “erring” and “sinning” groups.3These are some different sections of the Zohar. For a complete listing of these sections, see Scholem, Major Trends, pp. 159-163. One should not learn from them, for I guarantee that [this science] will not be found among them at all. Moreover, [the student] would be [placing himself] in grave danger of losing his faith, for we have seen many men erring in many [of these] matters because they followed [the opinions of] these groups.
4
גם ישתדל ללמוד ממי שנהג בדרכי יושר כפי האפשר כי בידו מסורים גנזי רבו, ואל ירדוף אחר המתגאים בידיעתם כי קולם יהמה כגלי הים ואין להם כדי רביעית, וזה נסיתי אני פעמים הרבה:
[Secondly,] he should attempt to study with one who has conducted himself as uprightly as possible, for in his hands are entrusted the treasuries of his Master. Let [the student] not chase after those who boast of their knowledge, for while their voices sound like the waves of the sea, they [actually] contain not even a fourth [of a log of wisdom]. I have experienced this many times.
5
וקרה גם ענין זה לקצת מחברים יחברו ספריהם בחידות ומליצות וחרוזים עד יבאו דבריהם ברב ענין, ולא נכניס ראשנו בזה ח״ו, שאין ראוי להטיל מום בקדשים.
The same [caveat] applies to some authors who compose their books with riddles and metaphors and rhymes so that their message is encumbered by much [extraneous] matter. We ourselves would not do this, God forbid. It is improper to place a blemish on sanctified things.
6
אמנם הספרים שידבק בהם האדם להשגיח בהם, הם, חבורי הרשב״י ע״ה כמו הזהר והתקונים ורעיא מהימנא ושה״ש וסבא וינוקא. ומהקודמים אליו, ספר יצירה, וספר הבהיר, ומדרש רות, ומדרש איכה מהזהר. ומהמאוחרים, מדרש מגלת אסתר מהזהר. וגם ספר מעין החכמה, ופרקי מרכבה, ופרקי מעשה בראשית, וכיוצא, וקצת פקודין הנמצאים להרשב״י ע״ה. בהם ידבק האדם לאהבה ויצליח בחכמה זו, ובתנאי שיעמיק בהם בעיון נמרץ ואז ימצא מבואר רוב מה שנמצא בספרי המפרשים האחרונים ולא יצטרך אליהם, ולא ח״ו כונתנו לפסול אלא לבחור אל המעיין הדרך הקצרה עם היותה ארוכה:
These are the books which one should stick to; [reading] them is praiseworthy. They are the compositions of Rabbi Simeon bar Yoḥai, peace upon him, such as the Zohar, the Tikkunim, Ra’aya Mehemna, Shir ha-Shirim, Sabba, and Yanuka.3These are some different sections of the Zohar. For a complete listing of these sections, see Scholem, Major Trends, pp. 159-163. [Of the books of Rabbi Simeon’s] predecessors, [one can find] Sefer Yeẓirah,4Sefer Yeẓirah was attributed to the patriarch Abraham. Cf. Scholem, Kabbalah, pp. 23-30. the Bahir,5Sefer ha-Bahir was attributed to R. Neḥunya b. ha-Kanah. Cf. Scholem, Kabbalah, pp. 312-316. Midrash Ruth and Midrash Lamentations from the Zohar.6It is noteworthy that Cordovero considers these two works, normally associated with the Zoharic literature, to have emanated from a time prior to that of Rabbi Simeon bar Yoḥai, putative author of the Zohar. From [his] successors [one can find] the Midrash of the Scroll of Esther from the Zohar.7To date, no section of the Zohar proper dealing with Esther has been found. Cf. Scholem, Kabbalah, p. 219. Also [there is] the book Ma’ayan ha-Ḥokhmah, the Chapters of the Chariot, the Chapters of the Account of Creation, and similar works,8These texts, with the exception of Ma’ayan ha-Ḥokhmah, which I have been unable to identify, are texts of Merkavah mysticism. Cf. Scholem, Kabbalah, pp. 373-376. The work referred to as Ma’ayan ha-Ḥokhmah might be either the introduction to the magical text Shimmushei Torah, published by Jellinek in Bet ha-Midrasch 1, pp. 58-65, or, perhaps, one of the texts of the ‘Iyyun circle. [as well as] a few minor works of Rabbi Simeon bar Yoḥai, peace upon him. [The student] should stick with these works lovingly, and he will [then] succeed in [mastering] this science on condition that he delve deeply into them and [devote to them] exceptional study. He will then find explanations for most of what is to be found in the books of the latter commentators, which he need not consult. It is not our intention to declare these [latter works] unfit, God forbid, but rather to indicate for the [would-be] student the path which is short, though it seems to be long.9A similar tendency to disregard later Kabbalistic works can be found in a passage from the introduction to Sha’ar ha-Hakdamot, attributed to R. Ḥayyim Vital and printed at the beginning of Etz Ḥayyim and Sefer Oẓrot Ḥayyim. It states that the founders of Kabbalah, from R. Abraham b. David to Nahmanides, received true Kabbalah from the revelation of the prophet Elijah. However, the Kabbalistic works after Nahmanides, according to the fragment, should not be read, since they were based on human intellect and were not received either from earlier authorities or from heavenly beings (‘elyonim). Cf. Elliot Wolfson, “By Way of Truth,” p. 105, n. 6.
7
והנה אל המעיין בספרים אלה צריך שני דרכים, האחד, לשנן לשונו פעמים הרבה, ולציין לו ציונים כדי שיזכור הבקיאות, ואל יעמיק ראשונה הרבה. והשני ילמוד במקום שני בעיון רב כפי כחו. נמצא אל המעיין שתי הלכות בקביעות, האחד בעיון בשעות הנזכרים בפרק א׳, השני בבקיאות כפי כחו, פעמים ירבה בזה פעמים ימעט בזה הכל לפי צורך השעה והשקט השכל, ובזה בריא לו כי ילך לבטח דרכו וישיג הדרך הישרה.
The reader should approach these books in two ways. First of all, he should review the texts many times, making notes in order to remember [his] studies fluently. He should not delve too deeply at first. Secondly, he should study the material with great concentration according to his ability. Thus the reader should have two permanent rules: (1) [To study] with concentration at the times mentioned in [part III] chapter 1. (2) [To study] with fluency according to his ability. At times [the proportions] should be increased and sometimes lessened, all according to the need of the hour and the [degree of] peace of mind. Thus [the student] shall go on his way confident of attaining the straight path.
8
ואף אם יראה אל המעיין שאינו מבין, עם כל זה לא יפסיק גרסתם מפומיה, כי נאמן בעל מלאכתו להמציאו נסתר החכמה, כי כאשר ירגיל איש את בנו כן הקב״ה מזכה לעוסק בחכמה זו מעט מעט, ודבר זה נסיתיו פעמים אין מספר. ויש ראיה אל העצה הזו ממה שהעתקנו מהזהר בחלק א׳ בפרק חמישי בס״ד:
Though it may seem to the student that he does not understand [the material], he should nevertheless not cease studying, for his Master will faithfully cause him to discover esoteric wisdom. For just as a father trains his son, so does the Holy One, blessed be He, grant merit to one who pursues this science bit by bit. I have experienced this innumerable times. There is proof for this course [of action] from the Zohar [passage] I cited in part I, chapter 5, with God’s help.
9
ואם יסתפק לו ענין בחכמה הזאת ימתין כי במשך הימים יתגלה לו הענין, ועיקר שכר חכמה זאת היא המתנת הסודות שיתגלו לו בהמשך הזמן. וכן מוכח בכמה מקומות מהזהר שפעמים הרבה היה מתחדש להם דבר שנסתפק להם זמן הרבה, ומשל בפיהם על מלה דא רדיפנא כל יומאי, וכן מוכח בפרשת חיי שרה כי על זה נאמר יעשה למחכה לו כאשר נעתיק לקמן בחלק ד׳ פרק ג׳. ונוסף על זה פעמים הרבה כשימשכו הימים יתוסף לו הדעת בדרושים המוקדמים לו, וכיוצא נמצא בזהר
Should any subject in this science seem doubtful for [the student], he should wait, for in the course of time the matter will be revealed to him. The essential reward [for the study] of this science is [derived from] waiting for [the revelation of] the mysteries which will be revealed to him in the course of time. In several passages in the Zohar it is proven that oftentimes something which had been doubtful for them for a long time would come to them. Their saying was “We have searched all day for this word.”10I have not succeeded in identifying this passage from the Zohar. This is [also proven] in [Zohar,] section Ḥayyei Sarah, [where it states that the verse who works] for Him waits for Him (Isa. 64:3) was written for this [context].11Zohar I, 130b. We will cite [this] further on in part IV, chapter 3. Moreover, often [the student’s] knowledge of the treatises he previously [studied] will increase with the passage of time. [Something] similar is to be found in the Zohar.
10
ויקרה לעומדים בחכמה זו כי בהפכם בדרושים פעמים הרבה יוסיפו בהם דעת ותוספת בעקר, ועל כזה נאמר אין מדרש בלא חדוש (חגיגה ג. ירושלמי שם א׳ א׳. במ״ר י״ד י״א):
It occurs to those who succeed in this science, that when they search these treatises many times, their knowledge will increase. In a similar context we say, There is no investigation without new [knowledge resulting].
ממי ילמד.
From Whom Shall [the Student] Learn?
בזולת מה שקדם אלינו בענין התורה שאין ללמוד אותה אלא ממלאך ה׳ צבאות כדפירשו רבותינו ז״ל (מו״ק יז.), וגם אמרו שלא ילמוד אדם מן האמגושי (שבת עה.), עוד צריך צווי פרטי אל המתחילים בחכמה זו
Previous [indications] in this matter [are] that one may not study Torah except from a messenger of the Lord of Hosts (Mal. 2:7), as our rabbis, their memory be a blessing, have taught.1Mo’ed Katan 17a: “If the master is like a ‘messenger of God,’ they should seek Torah from his mouth. If not, let them not seek Torah from his mouth.” They have also said that one should not learn from a magus.2Shabbat 75a: “He who learns one thing from a magus is worthy of death.” Besides that, there are two rules [to be followed] by those beginning in this science.
שלא ילמודו אלא ממי שנהג במדות הקודמות אלינו מריש ועד כען, לאפוקי כת הטועות או כת החוטאת שלא ילמד מהם, כי אני מבטיחו שלא ימצא בידם כלל, וקרוב הוא לבא אל הסכנה הרבה והיא סכנת האמונות הנשחתות, כאשר ראינו רבים טועים בדברים רבים, והיה סבת זה להם המשכם אחר הכתות הנזכר:
[The first is] that they should not study except with one who has conducted himself according to the principles I have outlined up to this point. This excludes [members of] the “erring” and “sinning” groups.3These are some different sections of the Zohar. For a complete listing of these sections, see Scholem, Major Trends, pp. 159-163. One should not learn from them, for I guarantee that [this science] will not be found among them at all. Moreover, [the student] would be [placing himself] in grave danger of losing his faith, for we have seen many men erring in many [of these] matters because they followed [the opinions of] these groups.
גם ישתדל ללמוד ממי שנהג בדרכי יושר כפי האפשר כי בידו מסורים גנזי רבו, ואל ירדוף אחר המתגאים בידיעתם כי קולם יהמה כגלי הים ואין להם כדי רביעית, וזה נסיתי אני פעמים הרבה:
[Secondly,] he should attempt to study with one who has conducted himself as uprightly as possible, for in his hands are entrusted the treasuries of his Master. Let [the student] not chase after those who boast of their knowledge, for while their voices sound like the waves of the sea, they [actually] contain not even a fourth [of a log of wisdom]. I have experienced this many times.
וקרה גם ענין זה לקצת מחברים יחברו ספריהם בחידות ומליצות וחרוזים עד יבאו דבריהם ברב ענין, ולא נכניס ראשנו בזה ח״ו, שאין ראוי להטיל מום בקדשים.
The same [caveat] applies to some authors who compose their books with riddles and metaphors and rhymes so that their message is encumbered by much [extraneous] matter. We ourselves would not do this, God forbid. It is improper to place a blemish on sanctified things.
אמנם הספרים שידבק בהם האדם להשגיח בהם, הם, חבורי הרשב״י ע״ה כמו הזהר והתקונים ורעיא מהימנא ושה״ש וסבא וינוקא. ומהקודמים אליו, ספר יצירה, וספר הבהיר, ומדרש רות, ומדרש איכה מהזהר. ומהמאוחרים, מדרש מגלת אסתר מהזהר. וגם ספר מעין החכמה, ופרקי מרכבה, ופרקי מעשה בראשית, וכיוצא, וקצת פקודין הנמצאים להרשב״י ע״ה. בהם ידבק האדם לאהבה ויצליח בחכמה זו, ובתנאי שיעמיק בהם בעיון נמרץ ואז ימצא מבואר רוב מה שנמצא בספרי המפרשים האחרונים ולא יצטרך אליהם, ולא ח״ו כונתנו לפסול אלא לבחור אל המעיין הדרך הקצרה עם היותה ארוכה:
These are the books which one should stick to; [reading] them is praiseworthy. They are the compositions of Rabbi Simeon bar Yoḥai, peace upon him, such as the Zohar, the Tikkunim, Ra’aya Mehemna, Shir ha-Shirim, Sabba, and Yanuka.3These are some different sections of the Zohar. For a complete listing of these sections, see Scholem, Major Trends, pp. 159-163. [Of the books of Rabbi Simeon’s] predecessors, [one can find] Sefer Yeẓirah,4Sefer Yeẓirah was attributed to the patriarch Abraham. Cf. Scholem, Kabbalah, pp. 23-30. the Bahir,5Sefer ha-Bahir was attributed to R. Neḥunya b. ha-Kanah. Cf. Scholem, Kabbalah, pp. 312-316. Midrash Ruth and Midrash Lamentations from the Zohar.6It is noteworthy that Cordovero considers these two works, normally associated with the Zoharic literature, to have emanated from a time prior to that of Rabbi Simeon bar Yoḥai, putative author of the Zohar. From [his] successors [one can find] the Midrash of the Scroll of Esther from the Zohar.7To date, no section of the Zohar proper dealing with Esther has been found. Cf. Scholem, Kabbalah, p. 219. Also [there is] the book Ma’ayan ha-Ḥokhmah, the Chapters of the Chariot, the Chapters of the Account of Creation, and similar works,8These texts, with the exception of Ma’ayan ha-Ḥokhmah, which I have been unable to identify, are texts of Merkavah mysticism. Cf. Scholem, Kabbalah, pp. 373-376. The work referred to as Ma’ayan ha-Ḥokhmah might be either the introduction to the magical text Shimmushei Torah, published by Jellinek in Bet ha-Midrasch 1, pp. 58-65, or, perhaps, one of the texts of the ‘Iyyun circle. [as well as] a few minor works of Rabbi Simeon bar Yoḥai, peace upon him. [The student] should stick with these works lovingly, and he will [then] succeed in [mastering] this science on condition that he delve deeply into them and [devote to them] exceptional study. He will then find explanations for most of what is to be found in the books of the latter commentators, which he need not consult. It is not our intention to declare these [latter works] unfit, God forbid, but rather to indicate for the [would-be] student the path which is short, though it seems to be long.9A similar tendency to disregard later Kabbalistic works can be found in a passage from the introduction to Sha’ar ha-Hakdamot, attributed to R. Ḥayyim Vital and printed at the beginning of Etz Ḥayyim and Sefer Oẓrot Ḥayyim. It states that the founders of Kabbalah, from R. Abraham b. David to Nahmanides, received true Kabbalah from the revelation of the prophet Elijah. However, the Kabbalistic works after Nahmanides, according to the fragment, should not be read, since they were based on human intellect and were not received either from earlier authorities or from heavenly beings (‘elyonim). Cf. Elliot Wolfson, “By Way of Truth,” p. 105, n. 6.
והנה אל המעיין בספרים אלה צריך שני דרכים, האחד, לשנן לשונו פעמים הרבה, ולציין לו ציונים כדי שיזכור הבקיאות, ואל יעמיק ראשונה הרבה. והשני ילמוד במקום שני בעיון רב כפי כחו. נמצא אל המעיין שתי הלכות בקביעות, האחד בעיון בשעות הנזכרים בפרק א׳, השני בבקיאות כפי כחו, פעמים ירבה בזה פעמים ימעט בזה הכל לפי צורך השעה והשקט השכל, ובזה בריא לו כי ילך לבטח דרכו וישיג הדרך הישרה.
The reader should approach these books in two ways. First of all, he should review the texts many times, making notes in order to remember [his] studies fluently. He should not delve too deeply at first. Secondly, he should study the material with great concentration according to his ability. Thus the reader should have two permanent rules: (1) [To study] with concentration at the times mentioned in [part III] chapter 1. (2) [To study] with fluency according to his ability. At times [the proportions] should be increased and sometimes lessened, all according to the need of the hour and the [degree of] peace of mind. Thus [the student] shall go on his way confident of attaining the straight path.
ואף אם יראה אל המעיין שאינו מבין, עם כל זה לא יפסיק גרסתם מפומיה, כי נאמן בעל מלאכתו להמציאו נסתר החכמה, כי כאשר ירגיל איש את בנו כן הקב״ה מזכה לעוסק בחכמה זו מעט מעט, ודבר זה נסיתיו פעמים אין מספר. ויש ראיה אל העצה הזו ממה שהעתקנו מהזהר בחלק א׳ בפרק חמישי בס״ד:
Though it may seem to the student that he does not understand [the material], he should nevertheless not cease studying, for his Master will faithfully cause him to discover esoteric wisdom. For just as a father trains his son, so does the Holy One, blessed be He, grant merit to one who pursues this science bit by bit. I have experienced this innumerable times. There is proof for this course [of action] from the Zohar [passage] I cited in part I, chapter 5, with God’s help.
ואם יסתפק לו ענין בחכמה הזאת ימתין כי במשך הימים יתגלה לו הענין, ועיקר שכר חכמה זאת היא המתנת הסודות שיתגלו לו בהמשך הזמן. וכן מוכח בכמה מקומות מהזהר שפעמים הרבה היה מתחדש להם דבר שנסתפק להם זמן הרבה, ומשל בפיהם על מלה דא רדיפנא כל יומאי, וכן מוכח בפרשת חיי שרה כי על זה נאמר יעשה למחכה לו כאשר נעתיק לקמן בחלק ד׳ פרק ג׳. ונוסף על זה פעמים הרבה כשימשכו הימים יתוסף לו הדעת בדרושים המוקדמים לו, וכיוצא נמצא בזהר
Should any subject in this science seem doubtful for [the student], he should wait, for in the course of time the matter will be revealed to him. The essential reward [for the study] of this science is [derived from] waiting for [the revelation of] the mysteries which will be revealed to him in the course of time. In several passages in the Zohar it is proven that oftentimes something which had been doubtful for them for a long time would come to them. Their saying was “We have searched all day for this word.”10I have not succeeded in identifying this passage from the Zohar. This is [also proven] in [Zohar,] section Ḥayyei Sarah, [where it states that the verse who works] for Him waits for Him (Isa. 64:3) was written for this [context].11Zohar I, 130b. We will cite [this] further on in part IV, chapter 3. Moreover, often [the student’s] knowledge of the treatises he previously [studied] will increase with the passage of time. [Something] similar is to be found in the Zohar.
ויקרה לעומדים בחכמה זו כי בהפכם בדרושים פעמים הרבה יוסיפו בהם דעת ותוספת בעקר, ועל כזה נאמר אין מדרש בלא חדוש (חגיגה ג. ירושלמי שם א׳ א׳. במ״ר י״ד י״א):
It occurs to those who succeed in this science, that when they search these treatises many times, their knowledge will increase. In a similar context we say, There is no investigation without new [knowledge resulting].