Kabbalistic approaches to the sciences and humanities

This article is about Kabbalistic cross-fertilisation with secular thought. For Kabbalistic opposition views, see Torah Umadda.

Kabbalistic scheme of spiritual worlds, also implying descent of revealed wisdom and ascent of human wisdom, multiple layers of deeper meaning capable of being uncovered, and the ultimate unity of all disciplines

The concepts and structures of Jewish Kabbalah have been used by a small number of followers in the contemporary world to open systematic comparative dialogue, and cross-fertilization, with the modern secular disciplines of the Sciences and Humanities. This has been an uncommon phenomenon, since it requires wide internal understanding of both traditionalist Kabbalah and modern secular thought, and for social reasons Jewish modernity has seen isolation and entrenchment between the two. Among the first to express unity was Abraham Isaac Kook (1865–1935), innovative mystical thinker and first Chief Rabbi of Mandate Palestine. However, his consideration was intuitive, and a component of his wider theological approach. In the contemporary world, systematic investigations in the issue have been carried out through the different approaches of Yitzchak Ginsburgh (traditionalist-Sciences) and Sanford Drob (universalist-Humanities). The recent flourishing of historian Jewish mysticism studies in academia, while not a part of the issue, has opened up and offered new perspectives on Kabbalah for wide dissemination, influencing the Neo-Kabbalistic-universalist approach of Drob, as well as bridging the former schism between Non-Orthodox Judaism and Kabbalah.

Kabbalistic views

Harmonisation or opposition

Traditionalist Kabbalah and its development in Hasidic Judaism generally took negative views of secular wisdoms. While some historical Kabbalists were learned in the canon of medieval Jewish philosophy, and occasionally some later mathematics and sciences, its relationship to medieval Jewish philosophy (built on medieval science and cosmology) was ambiguous. Kabbalistic dissemination began in the 12th century in order to stem the rationalist influence of Maimonides, in the context of the controversies in Jewish society that arose over his teachings. While the Kabbalistic dictum that they "stood on the shoulders of the philosophers" expressed their claim to superior knowledge, it also indicated that they systemised their doctrines in the context of the profound questions of philosophy, offering a mythological answer to the philosophical questions.

Subsequent Kabbalistic views on secular studies were shaped by both mystical-theological views and Jewish social context:

"Occupying oneself with the sciences of the nations of the world is… included in the category of engaging in inconsequential matters insofar as the sin of neglecting the Torah is concerned… Moreover, the impurity of science is greater than the impurity of idle speech… Thus this is forbidden unless one employs [this knowledge] as a useful instrument, viz., as a means of [earning a livelihood] with which to be able to serve God… or unless he knows how to apply them in the service of God or to his better understanding of His Torah [i.e., in the manner of] Maimonides and Nachmanides…"

— Shneur Zalman of Liadi, Tanya: Likutei Amarim, 8

See also

• Torah Umadda
• Jewish views on evolution
• Jewish reactions to intelligent design
• Relationship between religion and science

External links

• Torah and Science Main Index on Yitzchak Ginsburgh's inner.org
• Site entry of Sanford Drob's newkabbalah.com