Četvorica su ušla u vrt (Pardes)

Kotel DaDon - Prethodno priopćenje

The Four Who Entered the Pardes

Sažetak
Ovaj rad ima za cilj propitati jednu od najzanimljivijih priča koje donosi rabinska mistična literatura, priču o četvorici koja su pokušala ući u Pardes. Mnogi je učenjaci smatraju upozorenjem protiv izučavanja misticizma. Isto tako, oni se uglavnom slažu da je tradicija koja se iznosi u ovoj priči upozorenje koje želi odvratiti one koji bi mogli pokušati »ući u Pardes«, dakle, baviti se izučavanjem židovskog misticizma, mističkim špekulacijama, interpretacijama ili praksom. Rabinska legenda o četvorici koja su ušla u Pardes ima prilično značajnu ulogu u znanstvenoj raspravi o karakteru židovskog misticizma te načinu na koji se o njemu razmišljalo u talmudsko vrijeme. Ovim radom željeli bismo raščlaniti identitete i pozadinu četiriju glavnih aktera ove priče: Šimona ben Azaja, Šimona ben Zome i Eliše ben Abuje (Ahera) koji su predstavljeni kao antitip idealnog Rabi Akive, koji utjelovljuje osobine koje nedostaju svakome od njih. Prije negoli se upusti u raspravu, autor raščlanjuje tri inačice priče koje se pojavljuju u različitim izvorima; u Tosefti, u Babilonskom Talmudu i u Zoharu. Potom autor tumači koncept Pardesa u rabinskoj literaturi i židovsko stajalište u vezi izučavanja kabale. Glavna rasprava se bavi četvoricom rabina i njihovom osobnom povijesti. Raščlamba tih pitanja načinjena je na temelju niza izvora rabinske literature, od talmudskih vremena preko srednjega vijeka, sve do suvremenih rabina i literature koja je ovdje prvi put prevedena na hrvatski jezik. Tekstove s hebrejskoga i aramejskog preveo je sam autor.

Abstract
This work is intended to examine one of the most interesting stories brought in the Rabbinical mystical literature, the story about The four who attempted to enter Pardes. Many scholars view it as a warning against the study of mysticism. They likewise generally agree that the tradition expressed in this story is a warning that attempts to dissuade those who might attempt to “enter pardes,” i.e., to engage in the study of Jewish mysticism, mystical speculation, interpretation, or practice. The Rabbinic legend concerning the four who entered Pardes plays a particularly important role in scholarly discussion concerning the character of Jewish mysticism and its assessment in the Talmudic period. In this work we wished to analyse the identities and backgrounds of the four major figures included in this story: Shimon ben Azaj, Shimon ben Zoma, and Eliša ben Abuya (Aher) who are presented as antitypes to the ideal Rabbi Akiba, who embodies qualities that each of the others lacks. Before enaging in discussion, the author is analysing the two different versions of the story appears in two different sources; in the Babylonian Talmud and in the Zohar. Later on the author is explaining the concept of Pardes in rabbinical literature and the Jewish perspective toward Kabala study. The main discussion is about the four rabbis and their personal stories. This work is analysing this question through many sources of Rabbinical literature from the Talmud time through the middle ages until modern time, literature that for the first time is being translated to the Croatian language by the author from Hebrew and Aramaic.