• ME

  Michoel Ezra -10 years ago

  Terminology confusion
  Thank you so much for these wonderful shiurim.
  
  I am struggling with the terminologies and would love some clarity.. allow me to write what I am currently understanding based on the shiurim- with at least one point that i am almost certian is incorrect- with the hope of receiving the clarification.
  
  
  
  

  
  here's where Im holding...  using the mushul of the light from the sun 

  
  

  
  A) the "ein sof" is the guf of the sun...he also calls this "ein sof atzmo"...

  
  

  
   

  
  

  
  B) and the "shem ohr ein sof" is the light while it is still in the sun, 

  
  

  
  (it is at this level that tzimtzum takes place )  

  
  

  
  the translation of shame being "name" or "essence" (rav paltiel shlita does not say "essence" but i see the term being used in the translation  of one of the rebbe zya maamarim translated into english as "on the essence of chassidus"...

  
  

  
  this is the level where kabbalah most concerns itslef..what we would call elokut or Godliness

  
  

  
   

  
  

  
  C) and the "ohr" , which is the sefiros,  is the actual rays of the sun once they are off the sun...

  
  

  
   

  
  

  
  ...on of the confusions that I have with this is that I was always translating ein sof as "Godliness" (elokut) , and from my understanding above (in point #1) it sounds like "ein sof"  means G-d Himself (the guf of the sun, the actual mekor)...??... Rav Paltiel shlita also seems to  clearly state in class #5 of this series (minute 1:12) that "ein sof" is not God himself.
  
  
  
   

  
  

  
   

  
  

  
   

  
  

  
   

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  • A

    Anonymous -10 years ago

    Re: Terminology confusion
    The words Ein Sof are used in various ways depending on the context. On occasion there is a difference between ‘Ein Sof’ and ‘Ohr Ein Sof’ and even ‘Ohr Ein Sof Baruch Hu’, but as a rule Ein Sof is Godliness not God.
    
     
    
    God would be called (for lack of words in this context) ‘Ein o Techilla (has no beginning which automatically includes having no end), the Light would be Ein Sof, or Ohr Ein Sof.
    
     
    
    Are there exceptions to this rule of course, but this is how it is generally.
    
     
    
    Now, the mashal of the Sun is another issue. As a rule this Mashal would refer to the Source (God) and the light would be an allusion to what emanates from the Source, namely: Godliness.
    
     
    
    Are there exceptions to this rule of course, but this is how they are used normally.
    
     
    
    Sheim, which means ‘the Name’ is a s a rule an allusion to the Light as well and not to the source, though there are many levels of the Light and accordingly many understandings of the notion of the Name.
    
     
    
    Are there exceptions to this rue of course, but this is how it is normally.
    
     
    
    The word ‘essence’ is used as a substitute (not a translation) for the word ‘Etzem’, in no way does translating ‘Etzem’ as essence solve anything, because no one knows what ‘essence means and no knows how the word is meant when used in translations of Ma’amarim. Now, in my view Etzem means (like the word Atzmi or Atzmo) ‘anything in relationship with itself.
    
     
    
    Accordingly we could call Hashem an Etzem, as He exists in relationship with Himself alone (and has need for anything other than Himself).
    
     
    
    But we could call the light of Ein Sof especially on the highest levels ‘Etzem’, as it has not yet been brought into proximity with anything ‘other’.
    
     
    
    Even the Ohr that is in Chochma of Atzilus (which is Mimalei kol Almin) is called (relative to the rest of Atzilus (at least)) ‘Ohr Atzmi’.
    
     
    
    So let’s cool it on fixing the terminology, this is involved, very involved.
    
     
    
    On the other hand the name may not be the Etzem, but the light.
    
     
    
    Finally, the light being the S’firos is true only in certain Ma’amarim. In most Ma’amarim, Sovev is the Light and it is higher than S’firos.
    
     
    
    This particular Ma’amar may have unique terminology and when learning such a Ma’amar you must balance (at least as a teacher) the standard uses of these words and how they are used here.
    
     
    
     
    

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• CA

  Chris Aharon -12 years ago

  Please
  Our community here in Brazil would like to view these videos with special translation into our language Portuguese Brazil.
  
  
  
  Brazil has the world's premier and need this information and valuable studies of the Kaballah.
  
  
  
  Thank you.

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  • A

    Anonymous -12 years ago

    Re: Please
    Great!
    
    
    
    Do you have someone who would do the subtitles? Thanks so much

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Yossi Paltiel

• November 17, 2011
• |
• 20 Cheshvan 5772
• |
• 853 views

Classes in this Series

• 

  1 hr 7 min

  The Fundamentals of Kabbalah -- Part One

  The Sefiros: So Close, Yet So Far. Studying the book of Torah Or Vayeira Maamar Pasach Eliyahu
• 

  1 hr 4 min

  The Fundamentals of Kabbalah -- Part Two

  The Sefiros: Can G-d Have a “Personality?” Torah Or Maamar Pasach Eliyahu
• 

  53 min

  The Fundamentals of Kabbalah -- Part Four

  The Cosmic Curtain: When G-d Begins to Speak in Metaphors. Torah Or Maamar Pasach Eliyahu #4
• 

  1 hr 19 min

  The Fundamentals of Kabbalah -- Part Five

  The Great Debate on Tzimtzum: Is G-d Present Within the World? Torah Or Maamar Pasach Eliyahu