Caterina.net: Jewish Mysticism and Language

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{ Saturday, February 15, 2003 }

Jewish Mysticism and Language

In creation and in ritual, the Hebrew language was considered by Jewish mystics as playing a role much more important than the common communicative one that language regularly plays. It was the main instrument of the creation of the world, and it is the vessel that is prepared by man to contain the divine light that is attracted therein in order to experience an act of union or communication. In both cases, the letters do not serve, in any way, as a channel of transmitting meaning; too powerful an instrument, the letters are conceived of as creative elements that enable different types of communication, averbal ones, that accomplish much more than merely conveying certain trivial information. Letters are regarded as stones, as full-fledged entities, as components intended to build up an edifice of words to serve as a temple for God and a place of encountering him for the mystic....As God was able to create a world by means of letters, man is supposed to rebuild the Temple in his ritual usage of language.

-- Moshe. Idel, "Reification of Language in Jewish Mysticism." In, S.T. Katz, Editor, Mysticism and Language. New York, 1992.

LINK | 3:49 PM | TB

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{ COMMENTS }

An old Rabbi briefly explained the methods of Qabala and Gematria to a skeptic and the skeptic replied, skeptically: "Ha! With these methods, one could make everything out of nothing!

The old Rabbi replied: "With these methods, One did make everything out of Nothing!"

Gwydion | February 15, 2003 6:29 PM

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let me see if I can tell this story so it makes sense! .. so in addition to every hebrew letter having a numerical counterpart, they also have something like personalities.. letters with flat 'bottoms' or feet are considered whole, and not lacking anything; this is evinced by them being able to stand on their own. letters that (if they were shapes) couldn't stand up without leaning on another letter for support are missing some vital thing.

a quick example is the letter Pe which is shaped like a backwards, square-ish letter G with a dot in the center. that dot represents a gift or charity ('tzaddaka' is the hebrew word), and the letter Pe (which is 'whole' and can stand on its own!) is chasing after the letter to the left, which cannot stand on its own--to give the letter to the left the gift that will allow it to become whole!

this would surely be a much cooler story if I remembered anything about hebrew from my classes besides that one story, which I love!

m | February 16, 2003 10:44 AM

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There's a nice little novel called Bee Season about a young Jewish girl and how she connects with her father (a cantor and student of Jewish mysticism) when she suddenly starts winning spelling bees.

mccreath | February 18, 2003 10:08 AM

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I do love the Jewish pepole, that's why i like to glean from thier wisdom.Shallom!

Alain Don'tony | January 15, 2004 6:51 AM

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