{"id":119,"date":"2006-10-05T19:23:52","date_gmt":"2006-10-05T19:23:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/summametaphysica.com\/ge\/90010-contraction-of-divine-consciousness\/90012-grounding\/90012f-clarification-of-biblical-hester\/"},"modified":"2018-04-23T21:11:52","modified_gmt":"2018-04-23T21:11:52","slug":"90012f-clarification-of-biblical-hester","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.summametaphysica.com\/ge\/90010-contraction-of-divine-consciousness\/90012-grounding\/90012f-clarification-of-biblical-hester\/","title":{"rendered":"900.12f Clarification of Biblical Hester<\/i> (pps.132-134)"},"content":{"rendered":"

hard cover page 132<\/p>\n

Our formulation integrates the concepts of Hester<\/em> Panim<\/em>, Divine Self-limitation, Divine contraction, and tsimtsum<\/em>.
\nThe contraction of real-time consciousness clarifies biblical Hester<\/em>. We formally define contraction (tsimtsum<\/em>) of Divine hereand-now (real-time) consciousness as a primary form of Hester<\/em> Panim<\/em>.<\/p>\n

We reinvoke Gersonides’ “there remains no alternative but (to posit) that in one way He knows them and in another way He does not know them. Would that I knew what these two ways are.” We reject (“minimalist”) definitions of Hester<\/em> which do not yield whatsoever on God’s surveillance; we reject (“maximalist”) definitions of Hester<\/em> which posit a complete suspension of Divine surveillance-in time and out-of-time.519<\/sup><\/p>\n

The “minimalists” face a greater challenge reconciling their<\/p>\n

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519 <\/sup>“Hester minimalists” retain essentially complete Divine surveillance even during Hester. “Hester maximalists” posit a complete blockage of Divine surveillance during Hester.<\/p>\n

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hard cover page 133<\/p>\n

definition with the clear thrust of Scripture. The “maximalists” face a greater challenge reconciling their definition with the Jewish concepts of Divine omniscience, din ve-mishpat<\/em> (judgment and justice), and sachar va-onesh <\/em>(reward and punishment) for those living within a period of Hester<\/em>.<\/p>\n

We choose to define Hester<\/em> Panim<\/em> as a contraction of real-time consciousness, as opposed to a total severance of consciousness, in order that we may preserve other Jewish concepts of omniscience, omnimercifulness, and sachar va-onesh<\/em>.<\/p>\n

We posit that the Divine essentially does not exercise individual a priori omniscience for the same general purpose, i.e., to yield man bona fide freedom. If Hester<\/em> were then a total blockage of Divine consciousness-in-time and out-of-timefor a specific period, how does one truly reconcile the other two concepts?
\nWe view both “sin” and “quest for knowledge” as having embedded within them assertions of freedom. Consequently, the result of either or both is an increased contraction of the Divine.<\/p>\n

Thus man demands or asserts his freedom in two major ways:
\n1. by ascent in knowledge, and<\/p>\n

2. by sin.520<\/sup><\/p>\n

Both result in a lowering of Divine providential care. Both result in higher freedom. Both cause-and-effect relationships appear in the Torah.<\/p>\n

At Eden man is admonished that knowledge will yield man the travails of freedom; we postulate that the freedom comes by way of a Divine contraction. Later on man is admonished that extreme sin will yield a complete Hester<\/em>; we postulate that Hester<\/em> means a Divine contraction.<\/p>\n

In I and Thou<\/em>, Buber taught that God speaks constantly to man. Many years later he was moved to fall back on the traditional Jewish doctrine of the “Hiding of the Face” and asserted that an eclipse of God is possible at any time.521<\/sup><\/p>\n

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520 <\/sup>See Schechter, Aspects of Rabbinic Theology,<\/em> chap. 14, “Sin as Rebel- lion.” Specifically, p. 2 19: “. , . sin and disobedience are conceived as defiance and rebellion.”<\/p>\n

521 <\/sup>Asserted by Fackenheim in To Mend the World,<\/em> p. 196.<\/p>\n

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hard cover page 134<\/p>\n

“Eclipse of the light of heaven, eclipse of God-such indeed is the character of the historic hour through which the world is passing. But it is not a process which can be adequately accounted for by instancing the changes that have taken place in man’s spirit. An eclipse of the sun is something that occurs between the sun and our eyes. not in the sun itself. Nor does philosophy consider us blind to God. Philosophy holds that we lack to-day only the spiritual orientation which can make possible a reappearance “of God and the gods,” a new procession of sublime images.522<\/sup><\/p>\n

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522 <\/sup>See Buber, Eclipse of God,<\/em> p. 23.
\nCf. ibid., p. 127. “What is it that we mean when we speak of an eclipse of God which is even now taking place? Through this metaphor we make the tremendous assumption that we can glance up to God with our ‘mind’s eye,’ or rather being’s eye, as with our bodily eye to the sun, and that something can step between our existence and His as between the earth and the sun. That this glance of the being exists, wholly unillusory, yielding no images yet first making possible all images, no other court in the world attests than that of faith. It is not to be proved; it is only to be experienced; man has experienced it. And that other, that which steps in between, one also experiences, today. I have spoken of it since I have recognized it, and as exactly as my perception allowed me.”
\nCf. ibid., p. 129. “The eclipse of the light of God is no extinction; even tomorrow that which has stepped in between may give way.”
\nCf. Buber, “A God Who Hides His Face,” in Glatzer, The Dimensions of Job<\/em>, p. 63. “The just creator gives to all His creatures His boundary, so that each may become fully itself.”<\/p>\n

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hard cover page 132 Our formulation integrates the concepts of Hester Panim, Divine Self-limitation, Divine contraction, and tsimtsum. The contraction of real-time consciousness clarifies biblical Hester. We formally define contraction (tsimtsum) of Divine hereand-now (real-time) consciousness as a primary form of Hester Panim. We reinvoke Gersonides’ “there remains no alternative but (to posit) that in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":113,"menu_order":595,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":[],"yoast_head":"\n900.12f Clarification of Biblical Hester (pps.132-134) - David Birnbaum Summa Metaphysica I<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.summametaphysica.com\/ge\/90010-contraction-of-divine-consciousness\/90012-grounding\/90012f-clarification-of-biblical-hester\/\" \/>\n<link rel=\"next\" href=\"https:\/\/www.summametaphysica.com\/ge\/90010-contraction-of-divine-consciousness\/90012-grounding\/90012f-clarification-of-biblical-hester\/2\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"900.12f Clarification of Biblical Hester (pps.132-134) - David Birnbaum Summa Metaphysica I\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"hard cover page 132 Our formulation integrates the concepts of Hester Panim, Divine Self-limitation, Divine contraction, and tsimtsum. 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