“A Sage Understands of His Knowledge” (mHag 2:1). Degrees and Hierarchy of Knowledge in Abraham Abulafia
2017; University of Porto; Volume: 36; Linguagem: Inglês
10.21747/21836884/med36a3
ISSN2183-6884
Autores Tópico(s)Ancient Egypt and Archaeology
ResumoThis paper addresses the degrees and hierarchies of esoteric knowledge as they are stipulated in the thirteen Century kabbalist Abraham Abulafia.The stating point is a well-known Rabbinic statement: «a sage understands of his own knowledge».This Rabbinic dictum resonates also in Abulafia's kabbalistic texts and designates the need for an autonomous understanding of a esoteric topic that is either difficult or subject to secrecy.In his Or ha-Sekhel (The Light of the Intellect), Abulafia largely elaborates on degrees and hierarchies of esoteric knowledge and distinguishes between three progressive epistemological degrees.As a result of this, Abulafia stipulates a three-ranked hierarchy of knowledge: wisdom, intelligence, and knowledge.
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