Epistle 19 – Part 2

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ולכאורה יש להפליא הרי נאמר: ולא קם עוד נביא בישראל כמשה

Now this seems surprising. After all, it is said,10 “There rose no other prophet in Israel like Moshe.”

ואיך השיג האריז״ל יותר ממנו, ודרש כמה דרושים בבחינת פנימיות, אפילו בספירות ומדרגות רבות שלמעלה מהחכמה וכתר דאצילות

How then did R. Isaac Luria, of blessed memory, apprehend more than he, and expound many themes dealing with the pnimiyut, even of many Sefirot and levels that transcend Chochmah and Keter of Atzilut?

Yet the AriZal writes that Moshe Rabbeinu’s prophecy did not enable him to grasp the pnimiyut of Chochmah of Atzilut!

Likkutei Haggahot (a compilation of glosses to the Tanya)11 quotes here Chiddushei HaRitva:12 “The Supernal Chariot [not as it appears in the World of Beriah nor in the World of Atzilut, but at a higher level] was never beheld by the prophets, yet its secrets were known to the mystics of the Kabbalah [lit., ‘to the Masters of Truth’].”

אך הענין הוא פשוט ומובן לכל

But it is plain and clear to all,

שיש הפרש גדול בין השגת חכמי האמת, כרשב״י והאריז״ל, שהיא השגת חכמה ודעת

that there is a great difference between the apprehension of the Kabbalists, such as R. Shimon bar Yochai and R. Isaac Luria, of blessed memory, which is an apprehension through wisdom and knowledge,

ובין השגת משה רבנו עליו השלום ושאר הנביאים, בנבואה

and the prophetic apprehension13 of Moshe Rabbeinu, peace to him, and the other prophets,

המכונה בכתוב בשם ראיה ממש

to which Scripture refers as actual vision.

Seeing something grasps its essence; comprehension merely grasps its externality.

וראית את אחורי

In these terms Scripture describes Moshe Rabbeinu’s prophetic apprehension:14 “You shall see My back.”

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