The teachings of Rabbi Isaac Luria, the Ari (AR"Y), have been profoundly influential on Jewish mystical thought of the past five hundred years. In this episode of the podcast, the second lecture in a series exploring post-Lurianic Kabbalah, David discusses the historical background, lives, and ideas of two iconic Jewish intellectual and spiritual figures - the Vilna Gaon and Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto. In doing so, he examines their remarkable contributions to kabbalistic thought on G-d, the world, and Divine revelation.

Listeners who find this material new or challenging may wish to refer to the glossary of kabbalistic terms provided here https://davidsolomon.online/kabbalistic-terms/

This lecture includes discussions on:

- the Zohar and Lurianic Kabbalah
- Jewish explorations of alchemy
- revelation and redemption, the geula
- the Haskalah (Jewish Enlightenment)
- Shabtai Zvi and Nathan of Gaza
- messianic movements
- the Ramchal, Rabbi Chayim Luzzatto
- the Maggid of Mezritch, Rabbi Dov Ber ben Avraham of Mezeritch
- Rabbi Joseph Ergas
- Rabbi Immanuel Hai Ricci
- Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz
- ein sof and marshal
- the Khmelnytsky massacre

Find part one of the series here https://youtu.be/DXH-kXxEMKg

Find part three of the series here https://youtu.be/6tyOQ1APOgs

Find more of David Solomon's podcast, with dozens of lectures on Jewish history, the Bible, Jewish philosophy, and Kabbalah at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPZc8ZC7r568Er1pwL8ZiLbU1tV6PFf4L

For more lectures on Kabbalah and Jewish Mysticism https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPZc8ZC7r569DWkmJ1gf8otyANZU9pXLG

Learn more at davidsolomon.online

Support David's teaching at https://www.patreon.com/davidsolomononline

Images:

Kabbalistic Tree Kabbalistic Tree of Life (Sephiroth). Public domain.

Stephan Rohl under CC licensing https://www.flickr.com/photos/boellst...