Nonsense - Chi is not pantheism. It is simply energy flows in the human body, and other life forms, which can be blocked or too stimulate, or negative.
They use this principle in acupuncture, as well as martial arts such as Tai Chi and chi gung.
"Universal energy" is not about G-d, it may be about forces of nature that are not understood or are understood in other ways.
The power animating the Universe - needs to be defined before you can say it is x or y. Does gravity animate the universe? How about motion? The Earth orbits around the sun, by these forces, that is animation. Since these are physical forces, then the writer himself is committing pantheism by claiming this is Hashem. Same goes with light from the Sun - it is created by a nuclear fusion process that fuses Hydrogen into helium . The light then radiates to the outer worlds including Earth. Hashem created this process, but one cannto derive from that that it is G-d's essence, chas v'shalom. Rav Eliyashiv's ruling - as presented in this article, or perhaps "misrepesented" is very muddled. If they are avodah zarah techniques, they would be assur in any case. Even if we don't understand how they work, that in itself doesn''t mean they should be forbidden.
How is sticking needles at certain points in the skin related to avodah zarah?
In Rambam's day, people used to let blood, and he even mentions it. is that avodah zarah? Is it effective? then what are the rules of nature? Does Western science have a monopoly on nature? I don't think any of the rabbis mentioned accept western science - certain Rav shach didn't. What if Easter medicine has something to teach us?
Then what does he mean "as we know them" ? Well we know Rav Belsky was a self trained astronomer , but was he an expert in all areas of science? That is impossible - it is nto possible to master all areas of science - you can only get so many PhDs in one lifetime, and not many poskim hold even a single PhD. Next, we have to get to the problem of Pantheism. certain Seforim which are holy to many frum people hold by "memale kol col haaretz " or "kol olamim". The Nefesh HaChaim tries to dispel this notion, pointing out that from our side , such a viewpoint is pantheism - avodah zarah. But he is not universally accepted. The Tanya even says that G-d's essence is in human sperm, which is why it is such a sin to "spill" the seed. How is that for pantheism?
What makes something Derech Emori is often the pagan intention. Is there a pagan intention here or is this tapping into a mystical energy God imbued the universe with?
Think the issue is, yes everyone agrees it's a reality. But avodas kochavim used the chi and others for their avoda Zara. Question now is, since they attached that to AZ, can we now "use" it.
not really - if you read Rambam's exposition of how Avodah zarah evolved - originally people were monotheists, but they saw that the stars were also channelling energy into the world, so they stated to elevate the stars, which were closer to us in physical form. If you use sunlight to grow vegetables, that doesn't mean you are an idol worshipper.
Rambam writes that none of the ancient idolaters believed that the planets and stars were actual gods, but only intermediaries to Hashem - see Guide 1:36
Nonsense -
ReplyDeleteChi is not pantheism. It is simply energy flows in the human body, and other life forms, which can be blocked or too stimulate, or negative.
They use this principle in acupuncture, as well as martial arts such as Tai Chi and chi gung.
"Universal energy" is not about G-d, it may be about forces of nature that are not understood or are understood in other ways.
The power animating the Universe - needs to be defined before you can say it is x or y. Does gravity animate the universe? How about motion? The Earth orbits around the sun, by these forces, that is animation. Since these are physical forces, then the writer himself is committing pantheism by claiming this is Hashem. Same goes with light from the Sun - it is created by a nuclear fusion process that fuses Hydrogen into helium . The light then radiates to the outer worlds including Earth. Hashem created this process, but one cannto derive from that that it is G-d's essence, chas v'shalom.
Rav Eliyashiv's ruling - as presented in this article, or perhaps "misrepesented" is very muddled. If they are avodah zarah techniques, they would be assur in any case. Even if we don't understand how they work, that in itself doesn''t mean they should be forbidden.
How is sticking needles at certain points in the skin related to avodah zarah?
In Rambam's day, people used to let blood, and he even mentions it. is that avodah zarah? Is it effective? then what are the rules of nature? Does Western science have a monopoly on nature? I don't think any of the rabbis mentioned accept western science - certain Rav shach didn't. What if Easter medicine has something to teach us?
Then what does he mean "as we know them" ? Well we know Rav Belsky was a self trained astronomer , but was he an expert in all areas of science? That is impossible - it is nto possible to master all areas of science - you can only get so many PhDs in one lifetime, and not many poskim hold even a single PhD.
Next, we have to get to the problem of Pantheism. certain Seforim which are holy to many frum people hold by "memale kol col haaretz " or "kol olamim". The Nefesh HaChaim tries to dispel this notion, pointing out that from our side , such a viewpoint is pantheism - avodah zarah. But he is not universally accepted. The Tanya even says that G-d's essence is in human sperm, which is why it is such a sin to "spill" the seed. How is that for pantheism?
What makes something Derech Emori is often the pagan intention. Is there a pagan intention here or is this tapping into a mystical energy God imbued the universe with?
ReplyDeleteThink the issue is, yes everyone agrees it's a reality. But avodas kochavim used the chi and others for their avoda Zara. Question now is, since they attached that to AZ, can we now "use" it.
ReplyDeletenot really - if you read Rambam's exposition of how Avodah zarah evolved - originally people were monotheists, but they saw that the stars were also channelling energy into the world, so they stated to elevate the stars, which were closer to us in physical form. If you use sunlight to grow vegetables, that doesn't mean you are an idol worshipper.
ReplyDeletenope!
ReplyDeletethey were real idolators regardless of the rationale
According to the logic of this article, benefitting from the sun is also idolatry, because it's one of the forces of the universe.
ReplyDeleteRambam writes that none of the ancient idolaters believed that the planets and stars were actual gods, but only intermediaries to Hashem - see Guide 1:36
ReplyDelete