Contrary to what a certain reader of this blog claims - the issue of the Zohar its origin and relationship to Rambam is neither a new issue or one easily answered. Simply do a google search and you will see many discussions regarding all aspects and including the claim that Rambam knew the Zohar and ruled with it in a number of issues to the view he learned about it only at the end of his life and wanted to retract his works because of his new knowledge. Others claim Rambam was always a kabbalist and the Moreh Nevuchim is not philosophy but kabbala. No one has succeeded in satisfying everyone
For earlier sources than Rabbi Moshe de Leon (e.g. the Gaonim) who quote or rely on Zohar, see Rabbi David Luria's Kadmut Sefer HaZohar. In addition, see Dr. Chaim David Chavel's article Sefer HaZohar k'makor Chashuv l'Pirush HaRamban and Rabbi Reuven Margolis's article HaRambam v'HaZohar.
R' Margoliot famously claimed that the presence of the theory of avodah zarah which rambam brings in his MT, in the Zohar, is proof that Rambam was working from a copy of the Zohar. The sceptics say this further proves that the author of the Zohar had a copy of the MT in front of him!
ReplyDeleteFor something to have continuous tradition, and chain of transmission, it has to be known by gedolei hador.
ReplyDeletefind me the Rif, Ibn Magash, Maimon, and maimonides on the Zohar?
There is no such tradition.
The simplest way I understand it is that the actual Zohar written by Rashbi was like the Mishnah of Rebbe. And just like the Mishnah eventually morphed into a huge book as subsequent generations added their two bits in, so too the Zohar grew except unlike the Talmud, there was no date where someone said "Okay, that's enough" until Rav De Leon printed what by then was "the Zohar" and announced it as the genuine text.
ReplyDeleteAnyone claiming that the Rambam knew about a book called the Zohar (although he was likely familiar with general Jewish mysticism) does more twisting than an Olympic gymnast.
If my friend Leon wrote a book so good, it beats the Zohar, the talmud, and Chas vshalom, is even more gripping than the Tanakh G-d forbid.
DeleteI then start disseminating it, and it picks up speed, and is the midrash of David hamelech or something other figure,
There's no evidence of its existence for 3k years, but the world gets so hooked on it, that it is anachronistically corroborated with earlier seforim.
That's actually how cults and new religions are formed.
Also, Moses de Leon was unheard of and a failure until he turned this on the world. He's still pretty much a nobody. Nobody reads all the other books and he didn't write any legal works or responsa.
Shabbetai zevi might have pulled off something similar if he didn't convert to Islam.
Just like Ben zaki says there's no intrinsic truth or value to the red heifer. Similarly, there's no intrinsic truth to history or logic. It's just what people want it to be.
playing this game is nonsense
DeleteYou can can keep manufacturing stories but it simple is not convincing anyone to alter their view
Correct, it's not going to change anyone's view
Delete