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Someone with some knowledge of modern day Orthodox Judaism can confirm that mysticism has a much greater relevance to religious life than just being a subcategory of Jewish mythology. The two are wildly different from each other. Mysticism permeates many laws and customs, from the ritual handwashing upon awakening to the bedtime prayers (and everything in between). This has been raised by User:IZAK before, and I believe that he has considered requesting arbitration on this.
Please discuss any planned changes here before making them. An edit war on this issue would be too ridiculous for words. JFW | T@lk 19:57, 8 Jun 2004 (UTC)
I concur with JFW | T@lk completely in this case. Jewish mysticism is an inherent part of large parts of Sephardic Jews and of all Hasidic Judaism Jews as they follow the teachings of some of the greatest rabbis respected by ALL Jews. Thus, Sephardic Jews have incorporated readings from the main mystical text the Zohar into their prayers and rituals ( and they are NOT believers in "mythology"), and all Hasidic Judaism Jews study mystical texts because the Baal Shem Tov, the father of Hasidism was a MYSTIC, but he was NOT a "mythologist" being neither a teacher of "myths" nor attracting or encouraging "mythologists". Hence, MYSTICISM is most certainly part of Judaism whereas mythology is a perjorative term applied by CRITICS of Judaism to denigrate that faith's true teachings. Similarly, the famous Rabbi Joseph Karo the author of the Shulkhan Arukh which is the pillar of Jewish Law known as halakha was at the same time also a MYSTIC and sought out the teachings of the greatest mystic of his time Rabbi Isaac Luria. Neither of these great Jewish sages were in any way shape size or form devotees of "mythology", on the contrary, they were classical rabbis who knew that Judaism incorporates in it whole strata of mysticism such as in the Kabbalah, but none of this has anything to do with SECULAR or non-religious notions of "mythology" which is often times just a code-word for mocking religion's "na`iveties" or "primitive beliefs". Please note that Judaism actually FORBIDS belief in such things as Greek mythology, Roman mythology, and Norse mythology (the greatest and best known mythologies in the West) because of the MULTIPLE DEITIES and IMMORAL BEHAVIOR of so many of the so-called mythological gods who are very far removed from the God that Jews have always worshipped rooted in the Torah and the Monotheism at its core defined by the Ten Commandments which actually FORBIDS recognizing the mythological gods. The point should be clear, Judaism embraces mysticism, (even though it may have its own debates about it), whereas Judaism totally REJECTS mythology of any kind. Judaism and mythology do not belong together anywhere (even though certain writers may have myths they cherish and demons they love and a desire to foist them on the world, when they owe it to be more NPOV and not create a bad environment for classical Judaism as it has been practiced for over 3,000 years).IZAK 09:30, 9 Jun 2004 (UTC)"
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