An ancient prophecy

[thekabalist]

Hello forum,

Since not many of you visit the Jewish Perspective subforum I thought I'd post this here. Perhaps it'll encourage more of you to visit us down there.

When commenting on the Scriptures that were given unto Adam (and thus intended for all mankind) the Zohar which is a Kabbalistic work from 2 CE makes the following statement:

"And this is a secret we have learned. "This is the Book [given to Adam]," namely there are two books. There is an upper book and there is a lower book. The lower book is called 'the Book of the Remembrance', which means the Book of that Remembrance, which is a certain Righteous one, namely Yesod, called "this (Heb. zeh)." And Malchut is his book. In order not to separate them, since they are always together and form one, it is therefore written: "This (Heb. zeh) is the book" - two levels which are one, the principle of Male and Female. For "this" is masculine, Yesod, and the "Book" is feminine, Malchut." (Zohar Yitro 4:63)

Essencially this Kabbalistic commentary interprets Scripture as saying that the Book of the Generations of Adam is actually a reference to the fact that two books were given unto mankind, which complement each other.

I'll leave the rest to you. :-)

b'shalom!

[pam]

It's interesting because when I was a teenager, I was encouraged to keep a "Book of Remembrance." I still have it. In this book I could keep a history or a record of my family (ancestors and any descendants). I could also keep a history of my life and things of significance that were going on in the world around me.

It makes me wonder now the significance of giving it the name of "Book of Remembrance."

[volgadon]

Well, a work that appeared in the last decades of the 13th century. It purports to be the work of Rashbi.

[thekabalist]

Well, a work that appeared in the last decades of the 13th century. It purports to be the work of Rashbi.

It is almost unanimously accepted in Judaism as the work of Rashbi. The Zohar itself was only compiled in the 13th century from the teachings of Rashbi which doesn't mean the teachings itself are of the 13th century. :)

[volgadon]

I've been asked in the past not to debate anything with you, so Ii won't press the issue.

[thekabalist]

Please don't think I'm trying to debate. I'm just stating what could be considered the official position of Judaism. I am aware that there has been criticism on the Zohar. Both positions are well and extensively argued both online and offline.

Anyway even if we assumed the Zohar to be a 13th century book it would still be before the BoM was translated and I was merely stating how this interesting prophecy pointed to two books of Scripture becoming one. It was never my intention to promote the Zohar among Christians. Forgive me if this is what it sounded like.

[Vanhin]

I've been asked in the past not to debate anything with you, so Ii won't press the issue.

Hey Volgadon,

Not to put too fine a point on it, but what you were asked to do before was to follow the rules of a specific sub-forum, which did not allow debate.

You are welcome to respectfully challenge, and even debate, topics on other forums. This being one of them. Whether anyone specifically wants to engage with you or not is up to them.

Regards,

Vanhin

[rameumptom]

In the Book of Moses, a book of remembrance was kept. Enoch was the great scribe of his day.

[OneEternalSonata]

You've got my spiritual gears turning more than usual with this thought!

[Giant_Son]

thekabalist, are you familiar with the LDS understanding of the stick of Ephraim (or Joseph) spoken of in Ezekiel 37? We understand the stick of Judah to be the Holy Bible and the Stick of Ephraim to be the Book of Mormon. They are meant to be "one" in the Lord's hands. What do you believe or think that these two sticks (re: scrolls) refer to? What do you understand to be the fate of the Tribe of Ephraim?

Here is a FAIR article on the subject: Book of Mormon as the stick of Ephraim - FAIRMormon

Edited January 8, 2010 by Giant_Son

[HiJolly]

Well, a work that appeared in the last decades of the 13th century. It purports to be the work of Rashbi.

The full story of the coming forth of the Zohar is similar to the story of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon.

Joseph said the actual text was not contemporary, but of ancient (or at least older) origins. He said he was not the author, just the translator (term used loosly)

I'd love to get the Pritzker edition of the Zohar that just started getting published in the last several years. Good stuff!

Amazon.com: The Zohar: Pritzker Edition, Vol. 1 (9780804747479): Daniel C. Matt: Books

HiJolly

[volgadon]

The full story of the coming forth of the Zohar is similar to the story of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon.

Joseph said the actual text was not contemporary, but of ancient (or at least older) origins. He said he was not the author, just the translator (term used loosly)

I'd love to get the Pritzker edition of the Zohar that just started getting published in the last several years. Good stuff!

Amazon.com: The Zohar: Pritzker Edition, Vol. 1 (9780804747479): Daniel C. Matt: Books

HiJolly

I thought someone would bring that up. there are just as many differences as similarities between the coming forth of both books.

[HiJolly]

I thought someone would bring that up. there are just as many differences as similarities between the coming forth of both books.

You think its a 50/50 between similarities and diffs? That's more than I would've thought --- very impressive!

HiJolly

[volgadon]

Dunno about the 50/50 I never approached it that mathematicaly.