Shi'ur Qomah
Encyclopedia
Shi’ur Qomah is a Midrashic text that is part of the Heichalot literature. It purports to record, in anthropomorphic terms, the secret names and precise measurements of God’s corporeal limbs and parts. The majority of the text is recorded in the form of sayings or teachings that the angel Metatron
revealed to the Tannaic Sage, Rabbi Yishmael who transmitted it to his students and his contemporary Rabbi Akiva
. It is also an exegetical analysis of Song of Songs
5:11-16 and proclaims that anyone who studies it is guaranteed a portion in Olam HaBa (the World to Come).
are of the opinion that it is from “either the Tannaitic or the early Amoraic period.” However in the 12th Century, the rationalist Jewish philosopher Maimonides
declared the text to be a Byzantine
forgery. Maimonides also believed that the text was so heretical and contrary to proper Jewish belief that it should be burned.
Rabbi Saadia Gaon
was also inclined to suspect the origins of the text, and stated that “since it is not found in either Mishna or Talmud
, and since we have no way of establishing whether or not it represents the words of Rabbi Yishmael; perhaps someone else pretended to speak in his name.” Nonetheless in the case that the text were somehow proven to be genuine, Saadia encouraged that it be understood in line with his “theory of 'created glory', which explains the prophetic theophanies as visions not of God Himself but of a luminous [created] substance.” Rabbi Moses Narboni also wrote a philosophic work about the text entitled Iggeret Al-Shi'ur Qomah (Heb: אגרת על שיעור קומה lit. Epistle on Shi’ur Qomah), wherein he dismisses the blatant anthropomorphisms of Shi'ur Qomah as speaking strictly metaphorically. Rabbi Narboni’s work in the Iggeret is a “meditation on God, Measure of all existing things. It is based on Abraham Ibn Ezra's
commentary on Exodus, and, with the aid of biblical and rabbinical passages, studies two kinds of knowledge: God's knowledge of his creatures, called knowledge of the Face; and His creatures’ knowledge of God, called knowledge of the Back (an allusion to Exodus 33:23).”
Metatron
Metatron or Mattatron is the name of an angel in Judaism and some branches of Christian mythology. There are no references to him in the Jewish Tanakh or Christian Scriptures...
revealed to the Tannaic Sage, Rabbi Yishmael who transmitted it to his students and his contemporary Rabbi Akiva
Rabbi Akiva
Akiva ben Joseph simply known as Rabbi Akiva , was a tanna of the latter part of the 1st century and the beginning of the 2nd century . He was a great authority in the matter of Jewish tradition, and one of the most central and essential contributors to the Mishnah and Midrash Halakha...
. It is also an exegetical analysis of Song of Songs
Song of songs
Song of Songs, also known as the Song of Solomon, is a book of the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament. It may also refer to:In music:* Song of songs , the debut album by David and the Giants* A generic term for medleysPlays...
5:11-16 and proclaims that anyone who studies it is guaranteed a portion in Olam HaBa (the World to Come).
Provenance & Rabbinic Understanding
Currently the text exists only in fragmentary form, and scholars have debated how to appropriately date it. Modern academic scholars of Jewish mysticism, such as Gershom ScholemGershom Scholem
Gerhard Scholem who, after his immigration from Germany to Palestine, changed his name to Gershom Scholem , was a German-born Israeli Jewish philosopher and historian, born and raised in Germany...
are of the opinion that it is from “either the Tannaitic or the early Amoraic period.” However in the 12th Century, the rationalist Jewish philosopher Maimonides
Maimonides
Moses ben-Maimon, called Maimonides and also known as Mūsā ibn Maymūn in Arabic, or Rambam , was a preeminent medieval Jewish philosopher and one of the greatest Torah scholars and physicians of the Middle Ages...
declared the text to be a Byzantine
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
forgery. Maimonides also believed that the text was so heretical and contrary to proper Jewish belief that it should be burned.
Rabbi Saadia Gaon
Saadia Gaon
Saʻadiah ben Yosef Gaon was a prominent rabbi, Jewish philosopher, and exegete of the Geonic period.The first important rabbinic figure to write extensively in Arabic, he is considered the founder of Judeo-Arabic literature...
was also inclined to suspect the origins of the text, and stated that “since it is not found in either Mishna or Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
, and since we have no way of establishing whether or not it represents the words of Rabbi Yishmael; perhaps someone else pretended to speak in his name.” Nonetheless in the case that the text were somehow proven to be genuine, Saadia encouraged that it be understood in line with his “theory of 'created glory', which explains the prophetic theophanies as visions not of God Himself but of a luminous [created] substance.” Rabbi Moses Narboni also wrote a philosophic work about the text entitled Iggeret Al-Shi'ur Qomah (Heb: אגרת על שיעור קומה lit. Epistle on Shi’ur Qomah), wherein he dismisses the blatant anthropomorphisms of Shi'ur Qomah as speaking strictly metaphorically. Rabbi Narboni’s work in the Iggeret is a “meditation on God, Measure of all existing things. It is based on Abraham Ibn Ezra's
Abraham ibn Ezra
Rabbi Abraham ben Meir Ibn Ezra was born at Tudela, Navarre in 1089, and died c. 1167, apparently in Calahorra....
commentary on Exodus, and, with the aid of biblical and rabbinical passages, studies two kinds of knowledge: God's knowledge of his creatures, called knowledge of the Face; and His creatures’ knowledge of God, called knowledge of the Back (an allusion to Exodus 33:23).”
See also
- Jewish Mysticism
- Heresy in Orthodox JudaismHeresy in Orthodox JudaismHeresy in Orthodox Judaism is principally defined as departure from the traditional Jewish principles of faith. Mainstream Orthodox Judaism holds that rejection of the simple meaning of Maimonides' 13 principles of Jewish faith involves heresy, although the status of creed in Medieval Jewish...
- Medieval Jewish Philosophy
- Moses TakuMoses TakuMoshe ben Chasdai Taku was a 13th century Tosafist from Bohemia. Despite his own seemingly mystical orientation, Rabbi Taku is controversially known to have been an opponent of both the esoteric theology of the Chassidei Ashkenaz Moshe ben Chasdai Taku (Hebrew: ר' משה בן חסדאי תאקו)(fl. 1250-1290...
External links
- Shi'ur Qomah - שיעור קומה Hebrew, p. 75-84.
- Shi'ur Qomah English Translation
- The Shiur Komah: Imaging the Divine By Joseph Dan