"Idol worship is still

within us"
by Shlomo Mallin

Shlomo Mallin

Part I: Yeroboam's golden calves

and Arizal

After receiving
the "Yakir Yerushalaim Award" (for 1990)
Prof. Yeshayahu Leibowitz said:
. "There are those who see in me --- and rightly so --- one
who desecrates all their values and profanes all that is holy to
them. I do this intentionally!! I want to desecrate all their
values and profane all that is holy to them."
. Prof. Leibowitz is widely known for his frequent radical and upsetting
remarks. However, perhaps the most controversial and important among
these are his outspoken opinions about the Kabbalah (Jewish Mysticism).
Today Kabbalah has spread throughout a large part of the orthodox Jewish
world, and it is unquestionably thought by many to be a purely Jewish
phenomenon. However, Leibowitz, in the name of truth, fearlessly
desecrates the 'sanctity' of the Kabbalah. Leibowitz maintains:
. "Kabbalah, in its entirety, is a collection of pagan
superstitions which have penetrated into the world of Jewish
faith, and which cannot be reconciled with 'the Lord our
God, the Lord is One.' The Zohar (the most fundamental

Kabbalistic work) was fabricated and written by a certain

Moshe DeLeon in Spain in the late thirteenth century hence,
the idea that the Zohar is a 'holy' Tannaic work is nothing but
foolishness. The Tannaic Sage, Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai (who
lived about nineteen hundred years ago) had no connection
with the Zohar whatsoever!"
. Prof. Leibowitz has also published numerous articles in popular
newspapers, such as Yediot Aharonot, under provocative and offensive titles
such as "All Kabbalistic literature is pagan."
. I met with Prof. Leibowitz on the third day of Hanukah, to find out more
about his view points and see whether they could stand up to critical
scrutiny.
Question: Professor, as a very orthodox Jew, you know that all editions of
today's standard orthodox Jewish Prayer Books contain chapter 22 of the
Book of Genesis, theAkeidath Yizhaq, (the Binding of Isaac). Many editions,
(including those circulated at the Kotel) introduce this section with the
following words:
. "The Holy Zohar emphasizes the importance of reciting
the Akeidath Yizhaq, so too the writings of the Holy Arizal, and
all Kabbalistic works."
What is your opinion about this sir?
Answer: You have the right to recite the entire Bible every day as part of
your prayer. But this is not integral to the mizvah (the religious requirement)
of prayer. This is simply an intellectual sport. If you are a Jew who observes
Torah, you should pray in accordance with halakhic requirement (that is,
follow the Shulhan Arukh, the Code of Jewish Law written by Yosef Karo
over four hundred years ago in Safad/Zefat). What do you care about those
stupid fools who tamper with the original texts of the Prayer Books and add
all sorts of things. Halakhicly there is one, and only one, Prayer Book in
common to all Israel.
Question: But sir, this misleads innocent people to follow the teachings of
the Zohar and the Kabbalists, which you consider pagan?
Answer: But you know that the orthodox Prayer Book currently in print
does not comply with the Shulhan Arukh. The Akeidath Yizhaq does not
appear in the laws of prayer in the Shulhan Arukh. Now any prayer that does
not comply with the code is superfluous. A printer might print todays daily
newspaper in the Prayer Book. Will this make the paper a part of the

required prayer?! Furthermore, in fact, contrary to what you say, very few
people recite the Akeidath Yizhaq. In the synagogue where I pray every
single day, it is never recited in the prayer.
Question: Very well sir, but is the poem Lekha Dodi not recited in the
Friday night service of your synagogue? This poem, as you know, was
composed and circulated by Kabbalists!
Answer: Yes, of course. I know that this poem was composed by the
Kabbalist Shlomo Alkebitz about four hundred years ago. My synagogue
recites this poem, as do all orthodox synagogues. In fact it has been
universally accepted. But this poem is not taken from a Kabbalistic literary
source. And there is not even a hint of Kabbalistic imagery in it. The fact
that a Kabbalist composed it is mere coincidence.
Question: But what about the prayer Brikh Shemai (recited when a Torah
Scroll is taken out of the Ark)? This prayer is taken directly out of the
Zohar, word for word. It is printed in all orthodox Prayer Books, and all
orthodox Jews recite it. Yet, you maintain that the Zohar is a pagan work?!
Answer: Yes, you are right. This prayer is taken directly out of the Zohar,
and the Zohar is definitely a pagan work. There are indeed halakhic sources
that prohibit the recital of this prayer, and it is not included in the standard
Yemenite Prayer Book. But you must admit that there is not a single
Kabbalistic concept in this prayer. This is interesting! People introduced this
prayer because they found it pleasing, and then it spread widely. But it is
interesting to note that this particular passage from the Zohar has absolutely
no Kabbalistic content, and all those unsuspecting Jews, who innocently
recite it, have no idea that it comes from the Zohar. You know this and I
know this, but they do not know this.
Question: Sir, you yourself, who know the truth, do you recite Brikh
Shemai?
Answer: Do you want me to exclude myself from the community? If the
entire community recites it, you expect me not to recite it? Whats with
you?!
Question: Dont you think there should be some supervision over what is
being printed in the standard orthodox Prayer Book? Perhaps the chief
Rabbis should exercise some control over this?
Answer: What does this have to do with the Rabbis?! This applies to me!!
And I am more important than all these Rabbis in everything pertaining to
the observance of Torah and Mizvot and to matters of faith. I dont want to

hear such words "What must the Rabbis do?" ask what I must do!! (Note:
This interview was held a short time after Haim Pardess, a practicing Rabbi
and Court Father of the Rabbinic Court of Tel Aviv, was convicted of sexual
offences. I assume that this is what motivated the Professor to reply so
harshly.)
Question: Okay Professor. Excuse me. Let me ask you personally, how do
you arrange your Seder Plate on the eve of Pesah (Passover)?
Answer: You want to know if I arrange my Seder Plate according to the
Kabbalistic Lurianic order which began to dominate European Jewry over
200 years ago.
Reply: Yes sir.
Answer: According to the Lurianic order, the Seder Plate is rearranged so as
to symbolically depict the Kabbalistic Sepherot as appears in one of the later
commentaries to the Shulhan Arukh (Laws of Pesah, Law 473). And you
know that I am in full agreement with Yizhaq bar Sheshet (Rivash) who
wrote about 600 years ago concerning the ten Kabbalistic Sepherot:
. "The Kabbalists are worse than the Christians. For the
Christians pray to three fold gods (the Trinity), while the
Kabbalists pray to ten fold gods (the Ten Sepherot) (Responsa
157)".
I maintain, as you know, that the Kabbalistic Sepherot is a pagan Gnostic
tradition. [Note: For an in depth study of the Kabbalistic alteration of
the Seder Plate see The Maharal Haggadah by Shlomo Mallin, the section
titled The Seder Plate of the Maharal, page 44 or click here.]

Reply: That is right sir.

Answer: Well first of all I want to tell you that all the so-called Lurianic
writings (known as the writings of the Arizal) were in fact not written by
Luria but by a certain Haim Vital. Luria wrote nothing except a few short
poems.
Reply: Yes, I am well aware of the history of the Ari. In 1570 he migrated
from Egypt to Safad when he was in his thirties. He lived in Safad for about
a year and ten months. During this time he had unsuccessfully attempted to
found a mystic commune in Safad. He then became melancholic and began
predicting the deaths of his immediate family (including his small children),

and of his close friends. These prophesies came to pass (some authorities
assume that Luria in fact may have poisoned them to verify his prophesies).
Then he predicted his own death (in July 1572) which also came to pass
(some assume he poisoned himself).
. During the short time he was in Safad, he asked Yosef Karo, the author
of the Shulhan Arukh a legal question. Karo answered with a published
responsa (Afkat Rokhel136) where he mentions that Lurias opinion was
based on a misinterpretation of a passage in the code of the Rambam.
Furthermore, the very fabric of his arguments was illogical and internally
inconsistent. "I must wonder about the condition of your mind (Hosheshani
meTohar Sikhlekha)" wrote Karo to Luria.
. Haim Vital became acquainted with Luria sometime during the one year
and ten months that he was in Safad, exactly when cannot be determined
with certainty. And it was Haim Vital who created the image of the Ari as
well as the writings of the Ari, many years after the Aris death. It was these
writings that were later spread throughout orthodox European Jewry.
Answer: Yes, that is correct, and it is true that these writings of Vital contain
a great many alterations of Jewish customs and prayers, and there is no
substance to these things. They have nothing to do with true halakha.
Question: But Professor, you havent answered my question. Do you display
the pagan Gnostic cult symbols on your Pesah table or not?
Answer: Well, well, ah, well.
Reply: Professor, you either do or you dont, Aristotles Law of the
Excluded Middle applies here!
Answer: Well, I dont know. I dont arrange the Seder Plate. My wife
arranges the Seder Plate. I dont pay attention to how she arranges it, and I
dont really care. I know that there are halakhic authorities that object to the
Lurianic order, but there is disagreement here. And since some do it this
way and some that way we are no longer obligated, according to halakha to
follow one custom in particular. I dont understand why you make a major
issue out of this triviality.
Question: But sir, is it not important to you that practices based on pagan
traditions are circulating within the orthodox Jewish world?
Answer: You are surprised that idol-worship has penetrated into the Jewish
faith?! How nave you are? Was it not Israel that worshipped the Golden
Calf? And did Yeroboam not set up the Golden Calves?! Now, Ahiyah the

Shiloni tried to stop this, but he wasnt successful. Its still here! Today too,
this rubbish is here. Even theShehina (Gods Presence), who descended
upon Mount Sinai, He too did not succeed in stopping this idol-worship. Im
talking facts! He said, "You will not have other gods" But within a short
time Israel made the Golden Calf!
. This has continued throughout history, to the time of the Kabbalists and
even to this very day And this is not unique to the People of Israel --- the
entire world is involved in this It is true that Judaism has attempted to
stamp out idol-worship. Nevertheless it has not succeeded, and idol-worship
is still within us. This is the power of pagan superstition, it is a universal
phenomenon and the Torah is unable to stop it. It continues to spread all the
time!
. There was no greater hero who fought against pagan cult worship than
the Rambam (the Philosopher/Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon, who published the
code of Jewish lawMishna Torah about 800 years ago). The Rambam wrote
in one of his responses about a certain unacceptable pagan custom, and he
says, "Look, the Torah is battling against this thing for 2500 years, and it
has still not succeeded in extracting it from within us." The Rambam of
course knew that pagan superstition is common to all mankind. But among
us Jews, it should not exist seeing that the Torah prohibits it!
Reply: But sir, if you were alive then, I am sure that you would have been
on the side of Ahiyah the Shiloni. You would surely have attempted to
uproot pagan superstition, idol-worship and ignorance!
Answer: Yes, there are certain practices in circulation which undoubtedly
oppose the halakha, such as the custom of kapparot (waiving a white hen
above the head seven times on Yom Kippur eve, and then slaughtering the
hen). Should it come to my attention that someone is about to perform this
pagan ceremony, I tell him, "Beware you are about to perform a pagan
ceremony!" The code of the Shulhan Arukh clearly states in the Laws of
Yom Kippur (Law 605): "The custom of kapparot on Yom Kippur eve, to
slaughter a hen should be prevented." Commentaries explain that the
prohibition involved in this custom is witchcraft.
Question: You are aware of the fact that there is considerable controversy
over this custom. Moshe Isserless, in his note on the Shulhan Arukh, permits
it.
Answer: Yes, but in my opinion it should be clear to every intelligent being
that slaughtering a white hen is a pagan superstition. The Mishna in Tractate
Avoda Zara chapter one (13b) explicitly prohibits selling a white hen to a
pagan since it will probably be used in a pagan ritual.

. Furthermore, although Moshe Isserless mentions in the above note, "It is

also customary to visit cemeteries on erev Yom Kippur, and all such
customs are appropriate" I disagree with this and follow the opinion of the
Rambam, who maintains that visiting cemeteries is strictly forbidden. A few
weeks before Rosh HaShanna of this year a neighbor of mine mentioned
that he was about to visit Russia, so that he could prostrate himself on the
grave of Rabbi Nahman of Bratslav. I said to him:
. "In my opinion you are committing a serious transgression.
The Torah states: "There must not be found among you a
fortune teller, an enchanter, a witch and one who seeks out the
dead," (Deut. ch. 18). And you are going to seek out the dead.
Now, this person believes in God and believes in the Torah. He might even
be more careful in the observance of the Shulhan Arukh than I am. Yet, he
innocently commits a serious transgression.
. Take a look at this. (The Professor showed me a printed page which
invited the reader to rent the Holy Tunic for a modest sum, claiming that
any one who wears it will immediately be cured of any disease, his fortune
(mazal) will be improved, and he will be relieved of poverty.) I found this in
my mailbox. Not just in my mailbox, but the mailboxes of the whole
neighborhood. This is an example of the paralysis of which orthodox
Judaism is suffering. The content of this advertisement is completely pagan!
Pagan witchcraft!!!
Question: Professor, it still isnt clear to me how you differentiate between
the Holy Tunic and the Kabbalistic Seder Plate; or between Yeroboam and
the Kabbalists?
Answer: Although Kabbalah is connected with idol-worship, still there is an
important difference between the Kabbalists and Yeroboam. This lies in the
fact that the Kabbalists observe Torah and Mizvoth. There were of course
many Kabbalists who stopped observing Torah and Mizvoth, such as the
followers of Shabtai Zvi in the middle seventeenth century, but they
converted to Islam. So too the Kabbalistic Frankist sect in the eighteenth
century converted to Christianity. However, the Kabbalists who did not
convert, observed Torah and Mizvoth. It is true that many of their practices
are extremely controversial, even prohibited according to many opinions.
However, they nevertheless still observe Torah and Mizvoth.
. Gershom Scholem couldnt understand this. He would say to me, "How
is it that the Kabbalists are so strongly attracted to idol-worship and yet did
not rebel against God?" But the answer is clear! Take the first Lubavitcher
Rabbi, the Baal HaTanya as an example. He was a Kabbalist, and he wrote

the Tanya, which is a Kabbalistic work packed with prohibited things.

However, he did not write only the Tanya, he also wrote a Shulhan
Arukh, (based on the Shulhan Arukh of Karo).
Question: Perhaps the Kabbalists practice the Mizvoth (e.g. the Seder Plate
on Pesah) in the same spirit that they practice the Holy Tunic, which in your
opinion is witchcraft? Perhaps Mizvoth are just witchcraft for the
Kabbalists?!
Answer: No! No! No! There is a distinction here! The Holy Tunic is applied
Kabbalah (Kabbalah Maasit), while the Kabbalistic Seder Plate is
theoretical Kabbalah(Kabbalah Eyounit). The Kabbalists eat kosher, just
like you do. They wear Tefillin, just like you do. Their theoretical
Kabbalistic interpretations remain in the domain of their hearts. And this is a
matter for God, not for man. However, Kabbalist who performs witchcraft
and Kabbalah Maasit, is committing a serious sin. Theoretical Kabbalah,
however, has nothing to do with Kabbalah Maasit. Kabbalah Maasit is
exactly the same as witchcraft that is being practiced all over the world.
There is nothing specifically Jewish about Kabbalah Maasit. Superstitions
of this type are to be found everywhere!
Question: But the Kabbalists make prohibitive changes in the Mizvoth. For
example they add an additional bitter herb to the Seder Plate and change its
order. They add additional prayers to the services etc. etc.?
Answer: In your opinion these things are prohibited, but in their opinion
they are not prohibited! Since there is controversy here, there is no
definite halakhic verdict. About such situations it has been said, You follow
your tradition and they follow their tradition. These Kabbalistic additions
and alterations have nothing to do with the halakha and dont even as much
as touch the halakha. Although in my eyes Kabbalistic customs are rubbish.
(YOUR JERUSALEM /February 1991 [In the past YOUR JERUSALEM
was a monthly insert in THE JERUSALEM POST])

Part II: Yeroboam's golden calves

and Aristotle

This article is a continuation of last months interview by Shlomo

Mallin. In it, Professor Yeshayahu Leibowitz conveyed some of his basic
viewpoints concerning the Kabbalah (Jewish Mysticism). According to
him, "Kabbalah in its entirety is a collection of pagan superstitions that
have penetrated into the world of Jewish faith."
. However, he differentiates between applied Kabbalah (Kabbalah
Maasit), and theoretical Kabbalah (Kabbalah Eyounit). The customs
of kapparot, visiting cemeteries and the Holy Tunic are examples
of Kabbalah Maasit. Kabbalah Maasit, according to Professor Leibowitz
is equivalent to witchcraft and is a serious sin that is strictly prohibited.
However, theoretical Kabbalah, such as the Kabbalistic Seder Plate or
Kabbalistic additions to the Jewish Prayer Book, may be practiced
under certain circumstances, such as to avoid excluding oneself from
the community.
. Kabbalistic customs are tainted with idol-worship, however, this
cannot be avoided since, "Judaism has not succeeded in stamping out
idol-worship and idol-worship is still within us."
. Not all authorities agree with Leibowitz position. Some, such as
Rabbi Yihya Kafah, maintain to the contrary that the Kabbalistic use of
Mizvoth to deceptively spread pagan Kabbalistic values within the
Jewish world is a much more serious sin than superstitions such as the
Holy Tunic. Shlomo Mallin thus asked Professor Leibowitz the
following
Question: If so, you disagree with Rabbi Kafah who wrote:
. " I therefore [prohibit] all the customs and laws that have
been fabricated and circulated by the Kabbalists I not only
prohibit their customs, but condemn the Kabbalists themselves.
All restrictions that have been placed upon heretics also apply
to the Kabbalists and here are several examples: A Torah
scroll, Tefillinand a Mezuzah written by a Kabbalist is
disqualified The meat of an animal slaughtered by a
Kabbalist is prohibited. A marriage or divorce performed by
him is not valid. One is prohibited from answering Amen after
a blessing recited by a Kabbalist Woe unto us! Because of
this deceptive book, The Zohar, we have become like the
pagan nations, the Hindus, Persians and other pagan
faiths (Sefer Milhamat Hashem ch. 141. Click here).
Answer: Yes, of course I disagree with Rabbi Kafah. Kafah published his
book over 70 years ago. I was a young boy then. The book caused a great

deal of commotion. Rabbi Kook, the first chief Rabbi of Israel gathered
together a great many Rabbis, and they threatened to excommunicate Rabbi
Kafah, if he did not retract his book.
. However, Kafahs book, as well as the controversy between him and
Kook, had nothing to do with scholarship and ideology. This conflict arose
out of personal animosity Today you will find the same thing --- the
followers on one Hasidic Rabbi disqualifying the ritual slaughter of a
competitive Hasidic Rabbi, although they know that both Hassidic groups
perform the ritual slaughter in exactly the same way, according to the same
laws of the Shulhan Arukh. But since this group hates that group, they
prohibit the ritual slaughter. In truth there is no halakhic prohibition
involved, although these Rabbis present matters as if there is
a halakhic prohibition.
. However, although I disagree with this aspect of Kafahs opinion, I fully
agree with this statement that the Zohar is a pagan work. He is absolutely
right about that!
Question: Did you ever talk personally with Rabbi Kook about his conflict
with Rabbi Kafah?
Answer: No, I never spoke to him about Rabbi Kafah, but I did once have a
very long talk with him concerning the Zohar and the Kabbalah.
Incidentally, I am not only fully acquainted with the teachings of Rabbi
Kook, but I am also one of the remaining few who actually spoke with him
personally. I still remember this conversation very clearly. It was on the
intermediate days of the Succoth festival, in the year 1929, sixty-two years
ago. I was then in my mid-twenties. We talked in his Succah, which stood
on that same street in Jerusalem, which today bears his name.
Question: Rabbi Kook was a great promoter of the Kabbalah and the Zohar.
I remember seeing in his published letters that anyone who doubts the
authenticity of the Zohar is a heretic and does not have a share in the world
to come. Your discussion with him must have been heated?!
Answer: No! No! No! You cant be right! Rabbi Kook did not believe that
the Zohar was ancient or that it was written by the Tannaic sage Rabbi
Shimon bar Yohai.
Question: How do you know this?
Answer: I inferred it from our discussion (that is, the discussion between
Leibowitz and Kook). Among other things, I showed him one of the wellknown sections of the Zohar that is a replica of a section of

Rambams Guide for the Perplexed. Now, if the Zohar was in fact written
2,000 years ago, how could it have included a section of a book written in
the thirteenth century? In fact, you of course know that the Zohar was
written about a half century after the Guide for the Perplexed.
Reply: Yes sir.
Answer: Anyway, Rabbi Kook didnt answer by saying, "What are you
talking about, how could a Tannaic work contain a passage from the
Rambams Guide?" Instead he said, "Two authors can independently arrive
at the same truth, and this does not necessarily mean that one author was
influenced by the other author." Since he compares the author of Zohar to
the Rambam, as though they are in the same class, we can infer that he
himself knew that the Zohar in fact first appeared at about the same time the
Rambams writings appeared --- in the thirteenth century. And this is in fact
the truth.
. However, his conflict with Kafah had nothing to do with ideology. Look
at the current conflict between Rabbi Shach and the Lubavitcher. You dont
have to introduce any religious content into this conflict, although they
present the conflict to the public as though it was about matters of faith and
religion. However, the simple fact is that this person despises that other
person.
Question: Professor, it is widely known that you are an extremely orthodox
and pious person, and that you strictly follow the Shulhan Arukh to the letter
of the law. How do you reconcile this with the fact that the author of
the Shulhan Arukh, Yosef Karo, lived in Safad, and was steeped in the
Kabbalistic tradition?!
Answer: Even though the author of the Shulhan Arukh was completely
submerged in the world of Kabbalah, as we know from his other writings.
Nevertheless, in theShulhan Arukh there is not even a trace of this! One who
reads the Shulhan Arukh and studies the Shulhan Arukh would not even be
aware that there was ever the phenomenon of Kabbalah in the world of
Judaism.
. The same thing applies to Lithuanian Jewry 200 years later. The spiritual
world of the Vilna Gaon, the head of Lithuanian Jewry, was totally
submerged in the world of Kabbalah. Nevertheless, there is not even a hint
of Kabbalah in the Lithuanian halakha.
. This is the answer to your question [which attempts to associate
the Shulhan Arukh with the Kabbalah]. No such association exits!!! Except
for a few superstitions which crept in here and there. Halakha is a closed

system, which follows absolute Halakhic principles and thus cannot be

influenced by anything external, such as Kabbalah. Although it is true that
the everyday lives of many men of halakha was mystical/spiritual. They
nevertheless knew that the world of halakha is closed into itself, and that
one is totally refrained from taking into account extrahalakhic considerations when dealing with the halakha. This indeed is the
position of Rabbinic Halakhic Judaism: When dealing with the halakha, one
deals with halakha and only halakha!
Question: Sir, perhaps these facts can be explained differently. Perhaps Karo
led a dual existence. In secret, he and his Kabbalist friends in Safad
practiced Kabbalah Maasit, evoking spirits of the dead, and all kinds of
abominable and mischievous witchcraft, which you so despise, as his secret
Kabbalistic writings indicate. However, publicly, he portrayed himself as a
righteous codifier of Jewish law, and was careful not to let his second
identity leak out to the public. We know that even today this type of
behavior is not rare among certain orthodox Jews. Even the ultra-orthodox
religious party Shas has been accused of maintaining two sets of books!?
Answer: Woe onto me!! I can not believe what my ears are hearing! How
can you make such accusations against Yosef Karo?! This is blaspheming!
Dont you know that the Shulhan Arukh is the crowning perfection of the
Rabbinic world of halakha?! Orthodox Judaism has been standing upon
the Shulhan Arukh now for over 400 years! I thought you were an intelligent
person, but now I see you know nothing! The Shulhan Arukh brought the
tradition of the Rambam to perfection, and even the Rabbis of the Talmud
cannot match up to the standards of the Rambam.
Question: What do you mean?
Answer: The Rabbis of the Talmud circulated many legends that are
comparable to the Holy Tunic. What do you think? Superstitions penetrated
into the Talmud also. All this existed among the general population. The
Talmud, you realize, is not a systematic organized work. It absorbed all that
was going on around it. This is why the Rambam had to write Mishna
Torah, because he wanted to organize the knowledge scattered throughout
the Talmud in a systematic way.
Reply: I see all this in a different light sir. In my opinion the Talmud
operates according to a system of non-Greek logic which is not fully
understood today, and it therefore seems disorganized. The Rambam,
however, believed in Greek logic, and his aim was to alter Talmudic logic
and thereby attempt to force it into a Greek rationalistic framework. To my
mind, the Rambam is a corruption of the Talmud!

Answer: No! No! No! What you are saying is all wrong! Logic is a universal
human characteristic. There are no different forms of logic. There is only
one absolute logic.
Question: But arent you aware of the contemporary developments of
modern logic which differ with Greek logic and disagree with it?!
Answer: Thats something else entirely!!! That has nothing to do with the
Talmud! The Talmud is full of superstitions such as seeking out the dead.
For example in Tractate Brakhot 18a, Tractate Taanit 16a, and the wellknown story of the sage who gazed at the limousine of Rabbi Hiyah in the
heavenly college and was blinded. He then went and prostrated himself on
the grave of Rabbi Hiyah and said, "Sir, I need my eyes to study your
writings," and he was healed (Tractate Baba Mezia 85b).
Question: Sir, I believe these Talmudic stories, which also
have halakhic implications (i.e. not to wear Tallit and Tefillin in the
cemetery so as not to mock the poor. I disagree with Rambams prohibition
to visit cemeteries. There is a clear difference between visiting a cemetery
and seeking out the dead (that is, magically evoking the spirit of the dead)
as implied in Tractate Sanhedrin 65b.
. Furthermore, it is the Rambam who constantly associates himself with
Aristotle and his completely erroneous teachings (e.g. there is not a single
Aristotelian law of physics that actually works in the real world) and
outmoded ideology (Greek Rationalism). In his Guide the Rambam
explicitly refers to Aristotle dozens of times. He compares Aristotle to a
Prophet and a Tannaic sage, yet what was Aristotle if not a lowly pagan
idol-worshipper?!
Answer: No! No! No! Enough! Enough! Enough! I cant take any more of
this blaspheme. You talk stupidity! I cant talk with you. You profane
everything holy, everything of value.
Reply: Please Professor, be patient with me. I was only asking innocent
questions. I didnt mean to devalue things you cherish and to upset you.
Answer: Okay. But first let me make it clear that Aristotle did not worship
idols. Concerning Socrates and Plato, this is truly a question that I am
unable to answer. What did Socrates mean when he said, "My gods". I am
sure that Socrates concept of god was completely unlike the concept of God
that we know. However, concerning Aristotle there is no question. Aristotle
did not believe in idols, and that is certain!

Question: But sir, Aristotle is always referring to idols in his writings,

including his scientific writings. For example, in De Caelo (268a the Ross
edition), Aristotle is concerned with proving that there are no more than
three dimensions and there cannot be a fourth dimension. He writes:
. Is this not confirmed by the doctrine and authority of the
Pythagoreans, who say that all things are determined by
three which is the number of the whole and the number
used in sacrifices to the gods?
Excuse me Professor, but judging by Aristotles writings, I dont think he
could even be trusted with a white hen.
Answer: Yes, that is according to the Oxford edition, but that is a corrupt
reading!
Question: How do you know sir?
Answer: From Aristotle!!! I am acquainted with Aristotle!! What do you
mean?! Aristotle is fully known to us --- that he did not worship idols.
Socrates apparently did believe in idols, but not the Olympian gods. Most
Greek intellectuals did not believe in the Olympian gods. I am prepared to
admit that Aristotle might have been an atheist, but he did not believe in
idols!
. You understand nothing about Greek thought, and are far from
understanding the Rambam. Rambam observed the Torah and Mizvoth
because he understood that they are the Ultimate Truth. Let me teach you
this most important concept "Rambams Ultimate Truth".
(YOUR JERUSALEM /March 1991 [In the past YOUR JERUSALEM was
a monthly insert in THE JERUSALEM POST])