APOCALYPTIC AND MERKAVAH MYSTICISM

Hekhalot Zutreti

Hekhalot Zutreti is probably the oldest Hekhalot text we possess. It is a collection of short Merkavah passages, some in Aramaic. Professor Jonas Greenfield locates it in Eretz Israel, probably 2-3 CCE. Professor Gershom Scholem agrees, who on analysis regards it as representing merkavah lore of the Tannaitic, possibly early Amoraic period.

"If you want to be singled out in the world and that the secrets of the world and the mysteries of wisdom should be revealed to you, you should study this mishnah and be careful about it till the day of your death...."- one of the rare claims for secrecy in Hekhalot literature.

"This book is (a book of) wisdom, sagacity, and knowledge, and inquiries about the things above and below, the hidden things of the Torah and of heaven and earth, and the mysteries that G-D gave Moses, and revealed it to him at Mount Horeb, and by the means of which the world is sustained. By means of this book, Moses performed all the wonders and miracles in Egypt and with its help he beat the Egyptians. It is the fire of the Burning Bush.

And Metatron revealed Himself to Moses ..."

This passage maintains a secret revelation of a certain mystical or magical book to Moses on Mount Sinai, like the Book of Jubilees. (Revealed to Moses at Sinai).

3rd paragraph of Hekhalot Zutreti introduces the Name which was revealed to Rabbi 'Akiva when he contemplated Ma'aseh Merkavah.

A central place in the Hekhalot Zutreti is occupied by the story of the 4 who entered the Pardes.

The sixth palace is mentioned. this is considered to represent the true meaning and possibly the original setting of Rabbi 'Akivas saying in Bavli Hagigah 14b, "When you reach the pure marble stones, do not say: Water, water".

1: Ben 'Azai said; "These waters, what are they?" He died.

2: Ben Zoma went out of his mind.

3: Rabbi 'Akiva said: "Ben 'Azai was found worthy and stood at the gate of pure marble stones. They cut off his head and threw upon him 11000 iron bars.

Rabbi 'Akiva was left alone.

The text continues with a long discussion of the question how it is possible to have a physical vision of G-D when it explicitly said that no man can see G-D and live. Rabbi 'Akiva settled the subject saying: "It is as if he resembles us, but He is greater than everything else, and that is His glory which is hidden from us.

And Moses says to those and to those: "Do not reflect on your own words, since He, Blessed be He, is in His place." The reference here is to Ezekiel 3:12 which in Midrashic literature is interpreted as indicating the fact that G-Ds real place of dwelling is completely unknown."