The Flaming Sword and the Icy Shield: Why Mysticism is a Healthy Dose for Faith

Shalom. I want to thank you for reaching out to me and wish you a happy Shabbos in advance. But before we begin this dialogue, We must remember that as a collective Jewish society, We are one people and not divided. This concept not only reflects our Creator but also rings a tone that resonates in all who call His name. Now, Sir, To your claims. While it's true that the yeshivas say it is impossible to have a union with G-d, Directly, It is also a known fact that many Kabbalists claim the same thing. They struggle to understand G-d. In spite of that, It makes sense. For if we were to look at the farthest star we would wonder how did it get there? Why is it there and yet, With all the knowledge we have accumulated in the last century, We still struggle to understand it. We can't even comprehend our deepest oceans, Much less the wilderness we call the universe. How then are we to understand the Will of the Creator? Here are two Torah verses to remember: "Man cannot know Me while alive (Exod. 33:20)" and "To what can you equate Me, And I will be similar? (Isaiah 40:25). " Now, I want to pose a challenge, Though not really. How difficult would it be to build a rose from nothing? I'm not accusing you of playing G-d, Only that He is incomprehensible. And that's how it's supposed to be. For if we knew the mind of G-d, We'd be Him. And this is Kabbalistic, Which brings me to another thought. You mentioned earlier that it is true that some "Kabbalistic thought is nonsensical. " Should we leave room for cherry-picking? Can such a source be trusted? If, However, It can be demonstrated, Beyond all doubt, That mysticism is in error, Would you accept? You will admit that G-d created man with the intellectual capacity to see truth from falsehood. Without this remedy, We would be lost. Yet, Most people never beg the question. They can accept anything, And accepting everything is as good as accepting nothing. So, Are we merely fooling ourselves? We know that the Torah is incontrovertible and reliable, Given the evidence of revelation from Mt. Sinai. Whether or not one doubts its validity is beside the point. There seems to be an inherent faculty embedded in our DNA to use reason when discerning truths from fiction. Those faculties are the criteria to knowledge. When looking to the past for answers, Men, Like Maimonides insist we turn to our five senses. We should accept nothing as true except for what is so. For example, If you see a dictionary then there must have been a writer. An author. Someone must have written that book. You don't have to know him but it is reasonable enough to conclude that a fellow human had something to do with that book. Another example is conversing with the dead. Truth is what we can experience. Thus, No-one has ever experienced conversing with the dead. So why does the Torah prohibit this act? Because it's impossible. They couldn't possibly respond because they're dead. That is the definition of being "dead. " In his commentary to Leviticus, 19:31, Ibn Ezra says: "Those with empty brains say 'Were it not that fortune tellers and magicians were true, The Torah would not prohibit them. ' But I (Ibn Ezra) say just the opposite of their words, Because the Torah doesn't prohibit that which is true, But it prohibits that which is false. And the proof is the prohibition on idols and statues. " This is precisely the reason why G-d forbids silly actions. Even Talmudic sages understood these stories as Aggadah (allegory) or as Ramban (metaphor). An example here is King Saul who believed he spoke to Samuel, Who foretold his impending death in his next activity, War. But in fact, It was only his imagination. He was desperate to conquer which thrilled his emotions to the point where he would latch onto anything ridiculous. He mistook a daydream of Samuel for a title of absolute authority, Rendering his vision as a fact, Which has become so prevalent in many religious circles today. Truth is, The Torah has no basis for mysticism. When the Jews asked Moshe for salvation from their enemies they never depended on unproven feelings. That is what we define as "mysticism. " It is a belief system void of reasoning. There are no records of the Prophets turning to mystical demons for acceptance. Needless to say, The Prophets have always accused the Jews of turning to useless methods, Amulets, Or some other "unseen force. " The Prophets admonished Israel of such notions that are not based on reality, And thus, Is a violation of Torah law. G-d desires that we use our gifted intelligence to denounce false notions. When our five sense is in use, We should not accept baseless claims. If we do, We render our faculties useless. People are often afraid to anger the masses. Yet, You do not rely on "mystical" trees to grow money while making a living.