[The Believer] What's up with Judaism, really?

[CplFerro]

Hello,

I screened the film The Believer recently, and was intrigued by some of what the main character was talking about regarding the core ideas of Judaism. Admittedly, this was a feature film interested more in drama than intellectualism, but, nevertheless, the questions it raised are probably not pulled from thin air, but rather have a basis in Judaic doctrine.

What I'm specifically referring to fits into the concept of Judaism, espoused by at least one Jew I know of, but, I gather, quite probably many more, as being a religion of questions. There is an old joke that goes something like this: "The Jews are the people who invented the phrase, "But on the other hand..."".

So, in The Believer we have the main character discussing how the quintessence of Judaism revolves around "nothingness" of some kind, as in, "If God didn't exist, we would still worship." Now, I didn't quite catch all this, or understood what I caught, but it is interesting - it's almost (or perhaps is) Lovecraftian in its existential connotations of ultimate Nothingness.

What I'm wondering, then, is, if anyone has perceived this film, and/or knows what I'm referring to regarding Judaic Nothingness, could they explain the concept further, preferably (though I realise I'm cutting my request a bit fine) in black light of the Cthulhu Mythos, if possible. Thanks in advance; perhaps a discussion can come of this.

Cpl Ferro

[Marquis de Carabas]

The title makes this sound like a lead in to a Seinfeld routine...

Do a search on "ayin" and "kabbalah". Ayin is mystical nothingness from which all being springs in Jewish mysticism. To my (admittedly shallow) knowledge, it is not a concept related to more traditional Judaism.

[CplFerro]

Thanks Marquis, I'll give that a shot.

Cpl Ferro

[Bri]

I haven't seen the film, and although it's not generally translated as "nothingness," it sounds like you may be referring to Tzimtzum (contraction/constriction).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tzimtzum:

Quote:

In Jewish Mysticism, Tzimtzum (צמצום Hebrew: "contraction" or "constriction") refers to the notion in the Kabbalistic theory of creation that God "contracted" his infinite essence in order to allow for a "conceptual space" in which a finite, independent world could exist. This contraction is known as the Tzimtzum.

...

It is understood that the concept of Tzimtzum contains a built-in paradox, requiring that God be simultaneously transcendent and immanent.

...

This paradox is strengthened by reference to the closely related doctrine of Divine simplicity, which holds that God is absolutely simple, containing no element of form or structure whatever. Thus, here, if God's creative will is present, then He must be present in total - whereas the Tzimtzum, on the other hand, results in, and requires, a paradoxical "partial Presence" as above. The paradox has an additional aspect, in that the Tzimtzum results in a perception of the world being imperfect despite God's Presence being everywhere. As a result, most Kabbalists see the Tzimtzum as a cosmic illusion. Furthermore, since man is an Olam Katan, a "world in miniature", this same process of tzimtzum is said to be replicated within each person.

-Bri

[shalomsteph]

What Bri said.

I saw the movie, and it's representation of Judaism is very accurate. My kids go to Jewish Day School, so they are more educated than I am on Judaism, though.

[arthwollipot]

I'm going to be having nightmares for days after seeing your avatar, shalomsteph.