In the reading of Shabbos Chol Hamoed Pesach we read that Hashem refused Moshe's request to see His face, for "no man shall see me and live". It is usually understood that a man that gazed directly upon the Divine Presence would necessarily die and God wanted to spare Moshe this fate. However, a fascinating alternate interpetation is found in Chazal.
R. Levi says: "..whoever sees the Divine Countenance does not die, as it is written: "In the light of the King's countenance is Life (Proverbs 16:15) (Midrash Tehilim 68:10)" SImilarly it says in Tikkunei Zohar 69, Hashem said to Moshe: "Man may not see me but if he were to see Me, he would live forever".
Thus, Hashem did not want Moshe to see His Face for then Moshe would live forever.
Abraham Joshua Heschel (in Torah Min Hashemayim...) sees in this the same line of thought as R. Yehuda. "The tablets were God's work and the writing was God's writing incised on the tablets (Ex. 32:16). Do not read harut-incised but herut-freedom. R. Yehudah interpets this to mean -freedom from the Angel of Death. A similar view is reported in the name of R. Eliezer, son of R. Yose Hagelili. "When the Jews stood at Mount Sinai and said, "naaseh v'nishma", Hashem called to the Angel of Death and said to him - you have no power over this people (Lev. Rabbah 18:13)".
Good post.
Just looking at your categories, what is the difference between "Talmudic Spirituality", "Kabbala", and "Mithnagdic Spirituality"?
Posted by: Reb Chaim HaQoton | April 08, 2007 at 01:13 PM
There is obviously a great deal of overlap. Generally, when the material is purely Tannaitic or Amoraic I consider it for inclusion in Talmudic Spirituality. When it is pure kabbolah, it goes to Kabbala. If it pertains to rishonim and acharonim and not Mussar, I put it into the Mithagdic Spirituality basket.
These are only guidelines = suggestions.
Posted by: avakesh | April 08, 2007 at 02:12 PM