Good job explaining a complex concept simply. Looking forward to part 2/2...
One comment, and if I am misunderstanding you please explain: at some points you suggest that the powers weren't real and God made them appear real for the sake of free will. Other times you explain that it is like electricity, which would you say isn't real? This analogy sounds like these 'powers' still exists today, only we are not in touch with them. I personally think both of these statements are true (i.e., electricity is also only 'appears' to work in order to allow for free will, see https://irrationalistmodoxism.substack.com/p/the-acceptance-of-creation) but a) I'm not sure you agree, and b) even if you do, it just wasn't so clear. (I see your sources from that insights to the daf website that bring both ways, but I would say that this point needs to be clarified if you are including both. I probably would've left it with the latter )
I guess just by dividing up the two points into their own space?
I'm really not a Mr. Advice, and you are better at this than me: only because a yira'as Shamayim asked I will try...
I personally would organize it by first focusing on the latter - the electricity analogy is excellent! The idea that knowledge is power and that knowing the physical sciences allows us to control them and we can now make computers (!) and spaceships (!) and MRI machines, so too knowing the inner workings of the world would allow us to access their power, etc. etc. as you wrote so beautifully.
If you also want to point out that really whatever power there is to be, be it electricity or avoda zara, these powers are illusory; really Hashem is in charge and controlling it all, your welcome to, especially if you're trying to explain those sources in that link, though I'm not sure that is even the focus. If you feel like it adds a lot to this particular discussion (which it definitely does in the right context), I would just be careful to point it out very distinctively - basically, saying it in a way that wouldn't negate the fact that if we today had the focus and determination necessary to uncover those spiritual truths, we would also be able to harness their powers because they are things HKBH set into the Briah.
(In case not clear, what it adds to the discussion IMHO is that we shouldn't be to enthralled with their glamorous magic. I'm open to hearing other reasons though if you had others in mind...)
Interesting. To me it refers to how to hear G-d's voice in the present and to have discernement... I hear prophecy everywhere today, the internets are full of people giving their opinion and predict the future from a place where fear becomes powerful (I don't deny the mess the world is in, whether our Earth or our political systems, but what is the role of these prophecies if it has no guidance at all? What is a prophecy? My message is not well elaborated, I hope I'll get understood.
Very poetic ,and truly very nice sentiment, so long as you are also aware that prophecy is a real thing with Hashem actually talking to humans. I assume you acknowledge that and are just adding this beautiful idea (Reb Hirsch makes a similar point in explaining the פסוקים of השמים מספרים כבוד א-ל וגומר, that looking at the heavens and examining the earth scream God's glory...) but it should be spoken out.
Indeed. It's just that my english is still too poor to articulate deep feelings, poetry is actually my work but it's easier with sounds. Btw I'm not Jewish either which might make my words a bit weird or even disconvenient (?). Of course I have respect but my language might be awkward to other readers here.
Anyway I work with the vibration of vowels in my artistic practice and have been exploring the hebraic letters and their deep meanings for a while now, enough to be confirmed that all around us and inside us is made to receive Hashem's voice.
Good job explaining a complex concept simply. Looking forward to part 2/2...
One comment, and if I am misunderstanding you please explain: at some points you suggest that the powers weren't real and God made them appear real for the sake of free will. Other times you explain that it is like electricity, which would you say isn't real? This analogy sounds like these 'powers' still exists today, only we are not in touch with them. I personally think both of these statements are true (i.e., electricity is also only 'appears' to work in order to allow for free will, see https://irrationalistmodoxism.substack.com/p/the-acceptance-of-creation) but a) I'm not sure you agree, and b) even if you do, it just wasn't so clear. (I see your sources from that insights to the daf website that bring both ways, but I would say that this point needs to be clarified if you are including both. I probably would've left it with the latter )
As you noted, both are true. Any suggestions for how I can clarify this?
I guess just by dividing up the two points into their own space?
I'm really not a Mr. Advice, and you are better at this than me: only because a yira'as Shamayim asked I will try...
I personally would organize it by first focusing on the latter - the electricity analogy is excellent! The idea that knowledge is power and that knowing the physical sciences allows us to control them and we can now make computers (!) and spaceships (!) and MRI machines, so too knowing the inner workings of the world would allow us to access their power, etc. etc. as you wrote so beautifully.
If you also want to point out that really whatever power there is to be, be it electricity or avoda zara, these powers are illusory; really Hashem is in charge and controlling it all, your welcome to, especially if you're trying to explain those sources in that link, though I'm not sure that is even the focus. If you feel like it adds a lot to this particular discussion (which it definitely does in the right context), I would just be careful to point it out very distinctively - basically, saying it in a way that wouldn't negate the fact that if we today had the focus and determination necessary to uncover those spiritual truths, we would also be able to harness their powers because they are things HKBH set into the Briah.
(In case not clear, what it adds to the discussion IMHO is that we shouldn't be to enthralled with their glamorous magic. I'm open to hearing other reasons though if you had others in mind...)
You explained this so clearly. I enjoyed reading it.
Interesting. To me it refers to how to hear G-d's voice in the present and to have discernement... I hear prophecy everywhere today, the internets are full of people giving their opinion and predict the future from a place where fear becomes powerful (I don't deny the mess the world is in, whether our Earth or our political systems, but what is the role of these prophecies if it has no guidance at all? What is a prophecy? My message is not well elaborated, I hope I'll get understood.
Looking forward to the 2nd part of your post.
Very poetic ,and truly very nice sentiment, so long as you are also aware that prophecy is a real thing with Hashem actually talking to humans. I assume you acknowledge that and are just adding this beautiful idea (Reb Hirsch makes a similar point in explaining the פסוקים of השמים מספרים כבוד א-ל וגומר, that looking at the heavens and examining the earth scream God's glory...) but it should be spoken out.
Indeed. It's just that my english is still too poor to articulate deep feelings, poetry is actually my work but it's easier with sounds. Btw I'm not Jewish either which might make my words a bit weird or even disconvenient (?). Of course I have respect but my language might be awkward to other readers here.
Anyway I work with the vibration of vowels in my artistic practice and have been exploring the hebraic letters and their deep meanings for a while now, enough to be confirmed that all around us and inside us is made to receive Hashem's voice.
Got it. And don't worry a your English is pretty good!