Who Was Rabbi Isaac Luria (the Arizal)? Jewish Biography Lecture Dr. Henry Abramson

Emerging from the sixteenth-century Safed Circle of Jewish mystics, Rabbi Isaac Luria (the Arizal) was a pivotal figure in the history of Kabbalah. His influence on later Jewish movements, in particular Hasidism, is still felt to this day.
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[@timurmishiev6845]

Please do a lecture on Jewish merchants of the Silk Road .

[@rolandtours8404]

One of Dr. Abramson's most interesting and wide-ranging lectures, from the economic to the mystical.

[@mendyross6121]

If I'm not mistaken only Reb Chaim Vital had permission from the Ari to write his Kabbalah. Today some purist students of the Ari will only study Sefarim of Reb Chaim Vital (Pri Eitz Chaim and Eitz Chaim).

[@thekriskokid]

I love your lectures. Thank you so much for having these available. Every one is so informative!

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Glad you enjoy them!

[@aminaz1778]

The teaching style of Rabbi Abramson is beautiful, an excellent Maram

[@BoqPrecision]

He really is a great teacher. I'm not Jewish but he is my go to source for Jewish history.

[@jasonblairlewis]

Thank you so much, I have a Judaism test tomorrow and you helped so much!

[@davidsavage6324]

your statement about Jews being integral to international commerce in the old world is well illustrated by Yiddish having over 250 words for buy and sell; I was blown away when I read that; any Jewish knowledge is so interesting, but the doozies can have an enchanting effect; may that enthusiasm for knowledge spread like wildfire through the apathy and blase complacency so commonplace nowadays.

[@tapasyatyaga4041]

You have the good honest energy of the pure personality

[@tapasyatyaga4041]

@@HenryAbramsonPhD Luria like the mind of my spiritual Master AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabupada. Srila Prabhupada say it not matter of the religion...it only matter that peoples praise God. Especially important to chanting the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra. But Krishna the same as Jehova. So say the Jewish prayer like Shma Israel prayer is similar. Or the Jewish peoples saying Baroocks Hasham...also the same. Hare Bol

[@drweb1620]

Thank you abraham for another excellent lecture👍

[@nectar552003]

Great words

[@kwyzi]

thanks, always terrific

[@theperfectbastard451]

@ 55:50 - This is the explanation for Shabbetai Tsvi's, and later Jacob Frank's, inversion of Tikkun Olam; all that is good now becomes a sin, and all that was a sin is now good, and is the reason for the orgies, incest, ritualized murder, sacrificing of children and later genocides. Because they followed the "Lurian" interpretation of the Talmud, which stated that in order for the messiah to come, people had to be either completely good or completely bad, and since it's impossible for everyone to be good, then everybody must act bad.

[@isaaczlatkin464]

Amazing as usual

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Thank you!

[@zoomed66]

Can you do a video on baal hasulam (Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag) ?

[@JulianUberuaga]

very articulate. thanks Henry!

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Glad it was helpful!

[@gideon880]

Can somebody give me the link of the book he mentioned on 37:46? Thank you.

[@michaelsharpe4217]

There is an episode in the science fiction show the X-files called 'Kaddish' where a woman creates a golem. It has refences to Isaac Luria and Sefer Yitzireh.

[@ExploringtheKawithRa]

are you still taking sponsors for new lectures

[@alexxss999]

Verdaderamente interesante, saludos Durango Mex.

[@rayleewayne9109]

The island Jazriat al-Rawda referred to at 31:12 is in the Nile River in Central Cairo.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Thanks for the information!

[@rayleewayne9109]

@@HenryAbramsonPhD You are MOST welcome. If my professors had been as good as you, I might have stayed in school!

[@BenAdam3012]

Shalom Dr. Abramson, you mentioned that Arizal learned by Ramak for 2 years. Do you remember the source for that. I would love to study it more in depth. Thanks

[@user-ll6cu4op4x]

Toda raba!

[@johnpfmcguire]

The reason for there to be a secret society to monitor rabbis' behavior is because of a simple truth in human nature that those who teach others to do right are sometimes prone to the worst unrighteousness. I think this is obvious to anyone who isn't too institutionalized, but I could be wrong.

[@kehath64]

YOUR A GENUIS RABBI... Excellent lecture, very informative....

[@360ttv5]

Please could you assist me in understanding the concept of blessing the coffee in your cup, by releasing it the divine light, is released. One then uses the energy from the coffee for good deeds. What about the actual cup, must we not release the light of the cup and if so should the mug not disappear. Can the husk or shell keep physical form without the divine light, Is the mug not also being created continually? Thank you

[@zacharycibach6241]

Man, by being one of the higher elements of creation, interprets the world on mankind's behalf (and scripturally, we could say the animals as well), as a force which God pays attention to. So it is a case of giving human understanding to God's inquisitiveness about such, as man is "lower than the angels" but still a player as a "divine thing" in the overall experience of the world. The coffee example is quite simplistic... what would be the effects of this blessing? Perhaps God will over many generations learn to better harmonize caffeine with the human nervous system, making a better cup of coffee. Or perhaps it is merely our task in life, to amuse a God which could do this for no reason? Philosophically, I suppose either is possible, but the idea that God and Man are in a reciprocal relationship because God is interesting and cares about the world is the religious thought I think is being alluded to.

[@TDWUSA]

Todah Rabbah ! TuvZal ------------------------- PLZ... Present a lecture on the four who entered Padres and why their outcome: R. Ben Aiza - died R. Ben Zoma - went insane R. Elisha Ben Avuyah - apostate R. Akiba - unscathed What's the Moral Lessons ???

[@aristeidislykas7163]

What is "Padres"?

[@davidsavage6324]

you mentioned Sfat adepts practicing exorcisms. I've also read the Baal Shem Tov performed hundreds of exorcisms. I wonder if those Besht exorcisms were influenced by Lurianic practice.

[@markjacobi3537]

It's Lag BOmer and thank you Dr Abramson I'm listening to your talk on line from AUSTRALIA (DOWN UNDER)!!! YasherKOach a very informative talk just I have one question please to ask: The restriction to learning Kabbalah or the mystical side of Torah used to be that you have to be 40 years of age or older- didn't the ARI Z"L remove this once standing regulation/Din and say one everyone must study Toras HaNistar the once secret part of The Torah. Moreover this regulation is for everyone isn't it: Men, Women and children no aged restriction? THis is an area of study needed to survive and be an ERlicher Yid nowadays!

[@hieronyma_]

What was the book you were studying at 25 that included a bit of everything to study for each day?

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Chok L’Yisrael.

[@hieronyma_]

@@HenryAbramsonPhD thank you professor!

[@abbyedery7077]

Tax farming is not really a subject that makes you jump from your seat but I have to say I wanted to learn more. Jews to have the ability to work with numbers and were very literate during this process, shows so much intelligence because I'm sure it was not easy especially in those times work with numbers and not everyone was literate.

[@victormorgado5318]

when exactly did he die? in some pages it says July 25th, in others it is August 5th

[@RafaelRabinovich]

July 25, the 5th day of the month of Av in the Jewish calendar (which this year falls on August 6)

[@budahookah919]

Please allocate some of the sponsorship to better video edits with words on screen

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Click on closed captioning for the words on the screen.

[@Cosmos142857]

It is interesting to consider the concept of the Maggid vis the concept of Moshe De Leon writing at his kitchen table. :) ....or how about the idea R. Luria wasn't quite your normal guy: What did R. Vital call him? "A Human Angel." Ah are we really to believe? As the kids today say, "seriously?". :

[@mariahavraham7507]

We cannot see the slides in this presentation.

[@BennyKaye]

The term Eloki is often used on Mekubalim. I think it refers to the study of Elokus, or theology.

[@776281]

The more I learn the less I know, seeking understanding I get confusion. Yet perhaps that is a greater reflection on where I am (raised on a logic of linearity) than what I learn. I need to learn circularity and inter-relativity. The absolute clarity was an illusion. Apologies if this is a bit rambling, still in a bit of a Whaaaat mode.

[@aminaz1778]

With due respect, Dr Abramson the ottomans are not Arabs never spoke Arabic but used Arabic alphabet until late nineteen century

[@JNoelVelazquez]

Who was Moshe de León?

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Good question!

[@balompedico]

Very interesting and personal view on Luria in particular, and in all lectures in general. Wasn't Gershom Scholem the first scholar who gave authorship of Zohar to Moshe de Leon? Funny how you described the imagery of the Zohar.

[@aristeidislykas7163]

Behind every great man there is a great woman. I wish I had a wife that would let me be away from home 6 days a week for a duration of 6 years.

[@maxi4182]

The rashbi is also called eloki

[@LouieTzepher]

I don't get the joke in the beginning?

[@KimSevern]

An observant Jew wouldn't pick of the fifty dollar bill on Shabbos

[@tapasyatyaga4041]

The Jew do the study of every aspects of Tanakh. Sometime the extreme study be the vice not the virtues. But I think all the big rabbi are the sincere peoples with the good spirit and wanting bringing the light to the peoples. But of a particular rabbi gain the celebrity status [like Luria] he can take the religion down some special path. Hopefully that path is the good path. Do the Judayism of Rabbi Akiva anything like the Judayism of the Chabad? Can somebody explain.

[@augustreigns9716]

video mark 7:52 tombstone. so, the enlightened person is returned to the earth. but, the words spoken, live on. for whom, were these words, intended?

[@elikaufman9641]

לכבוד התנא האלוקי רבי שמעון

[@Mk-vd9qs]

If his uncle came from France then he must have been of Ashkenazi background, and this uncle is his mother's brother, so wasn't his mother Ashkenazi too??

[@sheriecooper4260]

I learn through the jokes

[@776281]

An anti Semitic joke, that only Jews would understand properly? Since I have started watching your informative, interesting talks I have been getting You Tube Adverts for the Shabbos Project.

[@davidsavage6324]

Are you ever too old to enroll in yeshiva?

[@grayj7441]

Then he was done with his purpose if G-D took him. As a righteous man he would have been allowed to stay if others couldn't carry on his work.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Beyond my ability to judge.

[@douglasmoffat1538]

Always fascinating. Only problem is he shies from the controversial.. Example: on Saul/Paul he avoids probable mental illness, fabrication of certain epistles and total absence of biographical material on Jesus. Still, unparalleled lecturer

[@al3x]

Tsabatai tzevi 1666: The source of all the nowadays problems....

[@andersbjorkman8666]

Sir you should elaborate. What do you mean by this?

[@al3x]

@@andersbjorkman8666 Roberth Sephr "1666 redemption through sin"

[@charlesgeckler3991]

I love your work Professor, thanks so much. Honestly, you could dispense with the jokes though. your occasional quips about Hebrew suffice

[@pkostov86]

I disagree, jokes are good. Need more jokes.

[@KimSevern]

I like the jokes too.

[@letsrelaxwithtexts2114]

Serious cough right there

[@gazpipe916]

RABBI means teacher, metaphysical is witch craft, how did the purity of the torah get so corrupted, this makes me weep bitterly, "professing themselves to be wise, they became fools and their hearts were darkened. How dark that is!

[@BennyKaye]

When you're done weeping, tell me, is God physical, metaphysical or a witch?

[@360ttv5]

+Benny Kaye I am not at a place that I understand that I do not understand anything, If I may give my current opinion. G-d is infinite. physical, metaphysical or a witch, all these things are equally mundane to G-d. Like a grain of sand, no differance.

[@gazpipe916]

Benny Kaye The Bible says God is spirit and that we must worship Him in spirit and in truth. Jews do not have a corner on God either. Abrahams' seed meant Jesus and those who have faith in Him. I pay zero heed to the outrageous and satanic Talmudic teachings.

[@aristeidislykas7163]

Look, these lectures are about the historical events. Just enjoy them.

[@thekriskokid]

@@aristeidislykas7163 Agreed. The comment section here should not be used to argue polemics!

[@alexsantana3588]

This Arizal uttered abominable blasphemy about the Lord Jesus. How can he be praised so much? One should question the kind of people that would do that.

[@akivatalansky]

Jesus is not the lord. Check out Rabbi Tovia Singer's videos on KZbin for more information.

[@mrchow7517]

very deceptive

[@petradollah3896]

Torah is white magic, Talmud black magic?

[@aaronettinger1165]

Ummm...No.