A Comparison of Pico’s and Skalić’s Understanding of

A Comparison of Pico’s and Skalić’s Understanding ofChristian Cabala

Skuhala Karasman, Ivana

Source / Izvornik: Synthesis philosophica, 2014, 29, 403 - 413

Journal article, Published versionRad u časopisu, Objavljena verzija rada (izdavačev PDF)

Permanent link / Trajna poveznica: https://urn.nsk.hr/urn:nbn:hr:261:513139

Rights / Prava: In copyright

Download date / Datum preuzimanja: 2021-10-18

Repository / Repozitorij:

Repository of the Institute of Philosophy

https://urn.nsk.hr/urn:nbn:hr:261:513139

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

https://repozitorij.ifzg.hr

https://dabar.srce.hr/islandora/object/ifzg:449

OriginalPaperUDC141.331.5:27–1“14/15”ReceivedFebruary28th,2013

Ivana Skuhala KarasmanInstituteofPhilosophy,UlicagradaVukovara54,HR–10000Zagreb

[email protected]

AComparisonofPico’sandSkalić’sUnderstandingofChristian Cabala*

AbstractThe founder of what was later to be known under the name of Christian Cabala is thought to be the Renaissance philosopher Giovanni Pico della Mirandola (1463–1494). He has namely written The72CabalistTheses that were published in Rome in 1486 as part of his 900 Theses. The Croatian philosopher Pavao Skalić (1534–1575) wrote on Chris-tian Cabala in his work Encyclopaediae seu orbis disciplinarum, tam sacrarum, quamprophanarumEpistemon as well, where he calls it “symbolic philosophy”. In this paper I will expound on the understanding of Christian Cabala as found in the works of Pico and Skalić and show what similarities and differences underlie their comprehension of it. Based on Epistemon, it is evident that Skalić was familiar with Pico’s understanding of Cabala, but Skalić was far more influenced by the German humanist Johannes Reuchlin (1455–1522) and his work Deartecabalistica, whom, unlike Pico, he actually mentions by name in his own writings.

KeywordsChristianCabala,GiovanniPicodellaMirandola,PavaoSkalić

Introduction

ThefirstdocumenteduseofthetermChristian Cabala1 isfoundintheworktitledAdumbratio cabbalae christianaebytheFlemishalchemistFranciscusMercuriusvanHelmont(1618–1699).However,thefounderofwhatwaslatertobeknownunderthenameofChristianCabalaisthoughttobetheRenais-sancephilosopherPicodellaMirandola(1463–1494).HehasnamelywrittenThe72 Cabalist Theses2thatwerepublishedinRomein1486aspartofhis900 Theses.IntheseCabalisticthesesheusesCabala3toconfirmfundamen-talChristian teachings,whichearnedhimtheflattering titleof thefounder

*This article expands and elaborates on thepresentationIheldattheinternationalsympo-sium“FromPetrićtoBošković:CroatianPhi-losophersintheEuropeanContext”aspartofthe21st Days of Frane PetrićorganizedbytheCroatian Philosophical Society in Cres thattookplacefromSeptember26 toSeptember29,2012.

1

See:JoachimRitter,KarlfriedGründer(ed.),Historisches Wörterbuch der Philosophie,

Vol. 4, I–K, “Kabbala”, WissenschaftlicheBuchgesellschaft,Darmstadt,1976,p.664.

2

The full title of this work isConclusiones cabalistae numero LXXI. secundum opin-ionem propriam, ex ipsis Hebraeorum sa-pientium fundamentis christiana religionem maxime confirmantes.Eventhoughthetitlesuggests only 71 theses, there are, in fact,72.

SYNTHESISPHILOSOPHICA58(2/2014)pp.(403–413)

I. Skuhala Karasman, A Comparison ofPico’sandSkalić’sUnderstanding…404

ofChristianCabala.TheoriginofChristianCabalaneedstobeexaminedinlightofthesearchfordifferentsourcesthatwouldaffirmfundamentalChris-tianteachings.InFlorence,PicomettheprominentNeo-PlatonistphilosopherMarsilioFicino(1433–1499),whotranslatedCorpus HermeticumintoLatin(14tractatesknownasPoimander,afterthetitleofthefirsttractate).Insuchanenvironment:

“[…]ofForentineNeoplatonism,withitsHermeticcore,itwasnotdifficulttoassimilateCa-bala,whichwasbelievedtobeanancientwisdomtraditiondescendingfromMoses,andwhichinfacthasgnosticelementswhich theRenaissancescholarcouldassimilate to theHermetictypeofgnosticism.”4

PicoacquiredhisknowledgeofCabalabyreadingSefer ha Bahir5 (The Book of Illumination),Sefer ha Zohar6(The Book of Splendor)andSefer Jecirah7(The Book of Creation).Hewas also familiarwith theworks ofCabalistssuchasYosefbenAbrahamGikatilla(1248–after1305),YohananAlemanno(around1435–after1504)or the13thcenturymysticAbrahambenSamuelAbulafi (1240–1292) and the Italian JewFlaviusMithridates (1450–1483)providedhimwithCabalisticmanuscripts.ItisapparentfromthisthatPicowaslargelyinfluencedbySpanishJews(suchastheaforementionedAbulafiandMithridates)andhencehisunderstandingofCabalaisactuallyasimpli-fiedformofSpanishCabala.AccordingtoSheilaJ.Rabin,Pico’suseofCa-balainhisThesesconstitutesthemostoriginalpartofhisnaturalphilosophy.8PicoalsowritesonCabalainhislaterworkApologiapublishedin1487,ayearaftertheTheses.InmyarticleIwillalsorecountsomeofhispositionsonCabalastatedinthiswork.CroatianphilosopherPavaoSkalić(1534–1575)9wroteonChristianCabalain hisworkEncyclopaediae seu orbis disciplinarum, tam sacrarum, quam prophanarum Epistemon aswell,where he calls it symbolic philosophy.10HisworkEpistemonwas firstpublishedduring theProtestantphase inhislife,inBaselin1559,andthenagainafterherepatriatedtoCatholicColognein1571,onlynow

“[…]underamodifiedtitlethatdoesnotcontainthetermencyclopediaanymore,butsimplystatesitasthetitle(whichisincorrect)ofapreviouslypublishedmanuscriptdamagedbysome-oneelse’shand:Epistemonis catholici liber primus inthecollection Miscellaneorum tomus se-cundus, sive catholici Epistemonis, contra quandam corruptam et depravatam Encyclopaediam libri XV[…].”11

Inthespecifiedworkand

“[i]naccordwiththeprogramofwritinganintroductiontoanencyclopediaoracertainfieldof science stated in the titleof theedition,Skalićcollecteddifferentgenresof texts in thesamevolume.Hesuceedes inexecuting thisprogram insixof them.Theearliest textsaretwothesauri.HewrotethefirstonetitledConclusionesasayoungmaninBolognaaround1552,usingPicodellaMirandola’sConclusiones asamodelandmaincitation source,butwithouteveractuallyreferencingit.HisproposalstodisplayhisthesesforpublicdebateinBologna,orlaterinRome,weretonoavail.LikePico,SkalićalsodividedhisConclusionesintosubthesauri,awhole17ofthem,whichdoesnotmeanthathecoveredasmanysciencesordisciplines.”12

InthispaperIwillexpoundontheunderstandingofChristianCabalaasfoundintheworksofPicoandSkalićandshowwhatsimilaritiesanddifferencesunderlie their comprehension of it. Based on Epistemon, it is evident thatSkalićwasfamiliarwithPico’sunderstandingofCabala,butSkalićwasfarmoreinfluencedbytheGermanHumanistJohannesReuchlin(1455–1522)



andhisworkDe arte cabalistica,whom,unlikePico,heactuallymentionsbynameinhisownwritings.

1. A Comparison of the Understanding of ChristianCabalainPicoandSkalić

AttheverybeginningitisnecessarytolaydownthefundamentsofPico’sunderstanding of Cabala fromwhich Christian Cabala developed later. InhisdeliberationofthemysteryofthenameofGodheturnstoJewishtexts.HeclaimstheyholdevidenceofGod’snamereferringtotheChristianun-derstandingof theTrinity,which isapparent fromthe5th thesis,wherehewrites:

“AccordingtotheprinciplesandpostulatesofCabala,everyJewishCabalistisforcedtoinevi-tablyaccepttheverythingthattheCatholicfaithoftheChristiansprescribesontheTrinityandeverydivineperson,theFather,theSonandtheHolySpirit,withoutanyaddition,reductionorchange.Corollary.NotjusttheonesthatdenytheTrinity,butalsotheoneswhodefineitinawaydifferentfromtheCatholicChurch,e.g.theArians,theSabeliansandthelike,canindisput-ablyberebuttedifoneacknowledgestheprinciplesofCabala.”13

3

OntheoriginanddevelopmentofCabalasee:GershomScholem,Origins of the Kabbalah,The Jewish Publication Society, PrincetonUniversityPress,Princeton,1987.

4

FrancesAmeliaYates,The Occult Philosophy in the Elizabethan Age,Routledge,London–NewYork,2001,p.20.

5

Sefer ha BahiristheearliestCabalisticdocu-mentthatappearedaround1180intheSouthofFrance.

6

Sefer ha Zohar isthecapitalworkofCabala,originatingaroundtheyear1275inCastile.

7

Sefer Jecirahwaswritteninthe6thcentury.

8

SheilaJ.Rabin,“PicoonMagicandAstrol-ogy”, in: M. V. Dougherty, Pico della Mi-randola: New Essays,CambridgeUniversityPress,Cambridge,2008,p.155.

9

On the understanding of Cabala of PavaoSkalićseemyarticle“RazumijevanjekabaleuEpistemonuPavlaSkalića”,Gazophylacium, časopis za znanost, umjetnost, gospodarstvo i politiku,1–2(2010),p.77–82.

10

Skalićstatesonsymbolicphilosophy:“Itaquesymbolicadoctrinanihilaliudestquamearumrerum,quaesubobscurioribusrerumindic-tis tradebandur explicatio.” “The symbolicdoctrine is therefore nothing more than theexplanationof those things thatwerepropa-gated under [even] more obscure names.”

Pauli principis de la Scala et Hun[garia],marchionis Veronae, et domini CreutzburgiPrussiae,Miscellaneorum de rerum causis et successibus et de secretiore quadam methodo qua eversiones omnium regnorum universi orbis et futurorum series erui possint libri septem, ExOfficinaTypographicaTheodoriGraminaei,Coloniae,1570,p.48.

11

MihaelaGirardi-Karšulin,“UvodoPavluSka-lićuinjegovuEpistemonu”,in:PavaoSkalić/PaulusScalichius,Epistemon,MihaelaGirar-di-Karšulin (ed.), translated by Ivan Kapecand Neven Jovanović, Institut za filozofiju,Zagreb,2004,p.28.

12

IvicaMartinović,Žanrovi hrvatske filozofske baštine od 15. do 18. stoljeća,Filozofskifa-kultetSveučilištauSplitu,Split,2011,p.62.

13

Joannes Picus Mirandulanus, “Conclusionescabalistae numero LXXI. secundum opin-ionem propriam, ex ipsis Hebraeorum sapi-entium fundamentis christiana religionemmaximeconfirmantes”,in:JoannesPicusMi-randulanus,Opera omnia,BottegaD’Erasmo,Torino,1971,5ththesis,p.108:“QuilibetHe-braeusCabalistasecundumprincipiaetdictascientiae Cabalae cogitur inevitabiliter con-cederedetrinitateetqualibetpersonadivina,patre,filio,etspiritusanctoilludpraecisesineadditione, diminutione aut variatione, quodponit fides catholica Christianorum. Cor-rolarium. Non solum qui negant trinitatem,sed qui aliomodo eamponunt, quamponatCatholica ecclesia, sicutArriani, Sabelliani,et similes, redarguipossuntmanifeste si ad-mittanturprincipiaCabalae.”



Similarly,inthe7ththesishestates:“NoJewishCabalistcandenythenameofJesusifweexplainitinthewaysandaccordingtotheprinciplesofCabala,whichinfactmeansnothingother,i.e.God,GodasSonandthewisdomoftheFatherthroughthethirdpersonoftheTrinity,whichisthemostferventfireoflove,joinedtogetherbychoiceintheunityofthehumannature.”14

BrianP.Copenhaverarguesinhisarticle“Number,Shape,andMeaninginPico’sChristianCabala:TheUprightTsade,theClosedMem,andtheGapingJawsofAzazel”thatPicopossiblyintendedhis72 Cabalistic Thesestoformaroundnumberandserveasatalismantodrawthegreatestangels.Itispos-sible,Copenhavercontinues,thatPicofoundtheincentivetousetalismanicmagicintheteachingsofYohananAlemanno.15InpracticalCabalathenamesoftheangels,1672ofthem,areusedtocreatetalismans.Thenumber72isimportantsymbolicallybecauseitistheproductofthenumbers9and8.Thusthenumber9“[…]being thefinalmember in thenumbersequence,simultaneouslyannounces theendingandthebeginning,i.e.atransitiontoanewlevel.Itcontainstheideaofrebirthandsprouting,aswellastheideaofdeath[…].Astheultimatenumberinthematerialworld,thenumber9opensupaphaseoftransmutations.Itmarkstheclosingofthecycle,theendoftheroad,thetyingoftheloop.”17

Thenumber8presentsthecosmicbalance,“[i]tisthenumberofthecardinaldirectionsintheworld,aswellastheordinalones[…].”18SkalićassociatesGod’snamewiththenumber72:“Hence,ifbetweenfourletterswetaketheletterjodfourtimes,andthuslydescendingwetakehej19threetimes,vavtwotimes,hejonce,immediatelythenumber72willappear,theamountthatdisclosesthenameofGod,incomprehensibleandunutterable,onethatiscalledtheunitarysymbolicinordertosignifytheuniquenessofGod.”20

Hethusadoptsthewell-knownpostulateaccordingtowhichthelettersjod,he,vav,heיהוה,thetetragrammaton,composethenameofGod,whichisalsoprovidedbyPicoinhis15ththesis:“Bythenamejod,he,vav,he, whichisanunutterablenameandonethatwillbethenameoftheMessiahaccordingtotheCabalists,itcanclearlybeseenthathewillbeGod,sonofGodthroughtheholyspiritthatbecameaman,andafterhim,hewilldescenduponmenasthepro-tectoroftheperfectionofthemankind.”21

Skalićalsowritesaboutthe70angelsoftheworldwhojoinedMoses,while2arepivotalinthemysteryofsalvation:“[t]hisbecomescleartousfromtheunutterablenameJHVH,through72namesthatareclearlyassembledintheHolyScriptureinEx14from‘ThentheangelofGod,whohadbeentravelinginfront…’allthewaytotheendwhereitiswritten‘Thewatersweredivided,…’.”22ItisclearfromthestatedthatbothSkalićandPicowerewell-acquaint-edwiththesymbolismofnumbers,aswillbeprovenfurtheroninthepaper.Pico divides Cabala into the science about sephirot and the science aboutshemot, orspeculativeandpracticalscience,respectively.23ThedivisionintospeculativeandpracticalCabalaoccursatthebeginningof14thcentury.ThepracticalCabala is thusacollectionofmagicalpractices thatwereused inJudaismfromtheTalmudicerauntiltheMiddleAges.Itactuallyteacheshowtoconnectwithmagicalforces.SpeculativeCabalaontheotherhandreferstothe10sephirot.MostofthecontentofthepracticalCabalaoriginatedinde-pendentlyandearlierthanthecontentofthespeculativeCabala.Skalićdoesnotintroducetheabove-mentionedsubdivision,eventhoughReuchlin,24whoundoubtedlyexertedanextensiveinfluenceonhisunderstandingofCabala,actuallyprovidesitbycitingPico.



InApologiaPicohoweverdistinguishesbetweenars combinandi,whichhealsocallsars Raymundi,andthesciencethatdealswiththeforcesofhigherthingsthatarebeyondtheMoon.25Ars Raymundi referstothesystemdevel-opedbythemedievalCatalanphilosopherRaymondLull(1232–around1316)thatiscomprisedof9lettersB,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,Kthatsymbolizeeachindividualsetofrulesofthe9principles,whiletheletterAsignifiestheunut-terableabsolute.Whatis thentheconnectionbetweenCabalaandars Ray-mundi?AsPaulRichardBlumstates,ars RaymundicanbecalledCabalaonly

14

Ibid., 7th thesis, p. 108: “Nullus HebraeusCabalistapotestnegare,quodnomenIesu,sieumsecundummodumetprincipiaCabalaeinterpretemur,hoctotopraeciseetnihilaliudsignificat, id estDeumDei filiumpatrisquesapientiam per tertiam divinitatis personam,quaeest ardentissimusamoris ignis,naturaehumanaeinunitatesuppositiunitum.”

15

Brian P. Copenhaver, “Number, Shape, andMeaning in Pico’s Christian Cabala”, in:AnthonyGrafton,NancySiraisi (ed.),Natu-ral Particulars: Nature and the Discipline in Renaissance Europe,MITPress,Cambridge,Massachusetts – London, England, 1999, p.50.

16

These are the names of the angels as listedbyReuchlininhisworkDe arte cabalistica:Vehuiah, Ieliel, Sitael, Elemiah, Mahasiah,Ielahel,Achaiah, Cahethel, Haziel,Aladiah,Lauiah, Hahaiah, Iezael, Mebahel, Hariel,Hakamiah,Louiah,Caliel,Leuuiah,Pahaliah,Nelchael, Ieiaiel,Melahel, Haiuiah, Nithha-iah,Haaiah,Ierathel,Saeehiah,Reiaiel,Oma-el, Lecabel, Vasariah, Iehuiah, Lehabiah,Chauakiah, Manadel, Aniel, Haamiah, Re-hael, Ieiazel, Hahahel, Michael, Veualiah,Ielahiah,Sealiah,Ariel,Asaliah,Mihael,Ve-huel, Daniel, Hahasiah, Imamiah, Nanael,Nithael,Mebahiah,Poiel,Nemamiah,Ieialel,Harahel, Mizrael, Vmabel, Iahhael,Anauel,Mehiel,Damabiah,Mauakel,Eiael,Habuiah,Roehel, Iabamiah, Haiaiel, Mumiah. Iohan-nesReuchlin,De arte cabalistica,in:JoannesPicus Mirandulanus, Opera omnia, BottegaD’Erasmo,Torino,1971,p.593.

17

Jean Chevalier, Alain Gheerbrant, Rječnik simbola, Grafički zavod Hrvatske, Zagreb,1999,p.119.

18

Ibid.,p.465.

19

HejistheAshkenazipronunciationofthelet-terhe(ה).

20

Skalić/Scalichius,Epistemon,p.247.

21

Picus Mirandulanus, “Conclusiones cabalis-taenumeroLXXI.secundumopinionempro-priam,ex ipsisHebraeorumsapientiumfun-damentischristianareligionemmaximecon-firmantes”, 15th thesis, p. 109: “Per nomeniod, he, vau, he, quod est nomen ineffabile,quoddicuntCabalistae futurumesse nomenMessiae,evidentercognosciturfuturumeumDeumDeifiliumperspiritumsanctumhom-inem factum, et post eum ad perfectionemhumani generis super homines paracletumdescensurum.”

22


23

Picus Mirandulanus, “Conclusiones cabalis-taenumeroLXXI.secundumopinionempro-priam,ex ipsisHebraeorumsapientiumfun-damentischristianareligionemmaximecon-firmantes”,1stthesis,p.107–108:“QuicquiddicantcaeteriCabalistaeegoprimadivisionescientiam Cabalae in scientiam Sephirot etSemot,tanquaminpracticametspeculativamdistinguerem.”“WhatevertheotherCabalistsmaysay,Iwouldfirstlydistinguishthedivi-sionofthescienceofCabalaintothesciencessephirot and shemot, i.e. into practical andspeculativescience.”

24

Iohannes Reuchlin,De arte cabalistica, in:Joannes Picus Mirandulanus, Opera omnia,Bottega D’Erasmo, Torino, 1971, p. 604:“Vester Mirandulanus innongentis conclu-sionibus scripsit his uerbis, quicquid dicantcaeteriCabalistae,egoprimadivisionescien-tiamCabalaeinscientiamSephirotetSemoth,id est, numerorum et nominum tanquam inpracticam et speculativam distinguerem.”“YourMirandolianwrotein[thework]Nine Hundred Theses,whatevertheotherCabalistsmaysay,Iwouldfirstlydistinguishthedivi-sionofthescienceofCabalaintothesciences sephirot and shemot, i.e. [science] aboutnumbersandnamesorpracticalandspecula-tive[science].”

25

Joannes PicusMirandulanus, “Apologia”, in:Joannes Picus Mirandulanus, Opera omnia,BottegaD’Erasmo,Torino,1971,pp.180–181:“Inuniversaliautemduasscientiashocetiam



inametaphoricalsense.26ThescienceofcombiningfoundinLullisonlyaconnectionbetweenmagicandCabala.Anotherimportantdifferencebe-tweenCabalaandars RaymundiliesinthefactthatLulluseslettersoftheLatinalphabetinhissystem,whereasCabalausestheHebrewalephbet.PicodividesspeculativeCabalaintofourparts,asitisstatedinthe2ndcon-clusion:

“Whatever theotherCabalistsmay say, Iwouldperforma fourfolddivisionof the specula-tivepartofCabala,whichisconsistentwiththefourfolddivisionofphilosophyIcommonlypropose.ThefirstoneisthescienceIcall[thescience]aboutthealphabetaryrevolution,whichcorrespondstothepartofphilosophyIcallCatholic/generalphilosophy.Thesecond,thirdandfourthpartscomposeathreefoldMerchiana,whichcorrespondstothethreefoldparticularphi-losophy,[i.e.thescience]aboutdivine,mediatedandsensorynatures.”27

Asitwasstatedbeforehand,thespeculativeCabaladealswithsephirot.Sephi-rotareDivineemanationswhereintheDivinecreativepowerresides.Thereare tenof them:KetherElyon (thesupremecrownofGod),Hokhmah(thewisdomofGod),Binah(theunderstandingofGod),Hesed(theloveorkind-nessofGod),GevurahorDin(themightofGod),Rahamim(thecompassionofGod),Netsah(theenduringperseveranceofGod),Hod(themagnificenceofGod),Yesod(thefoundationofalltheactiveforcesinGod)andMalkhuth(thekingdomofGod).AsopposedtoPico,whodoesnotaccountforthenamesofsephirotanywhereinhistheses,Skalićdoesnamethe10sephirotinhisency-clopedia:thecrown,thewisdom,thereasonorintelligence,themildnessorkindness,thesolemnityorstrictness,theadornment,thetriumph,theacknowl-edgementoftheglory,andthekingdom.ThusSkalićwriteshow“[t]herearetenlevelsoftheladderleftoverwhichwecanclimbfromthebottomtothetop,totheknowledgeofeverythingthattrulyis[…].”28FollowingtheCaba-listictradition,PicoconnectsthehighestsephiraKetherElyonwithMalkhuth,thelowestone,whichcanbeobservedinthe66ththesiswhereitisstated:

“Icompareoursoulwiththetensephirotinawaythatitsunitycorrespondstothefirst[sephira],itsintelligencetothesecond,itsintellecttothethird,itshigherlustful[part]withthefourth,itshighervaliant[part]withthefifth,itsfreewillwiththesixth.Andallofthisshouldbeconvertedupwards,liketheseventhdownwardstotheeighth,andthecombinationbetweenthetwobyindistinguishablityormutualadhesionratherthanbysimultaneousinclusionwiththeninthandbythepowerinhabitingthefirstabodewiththetenth.”29

In the48th thesisherelates theorderbetween the10sephirot to theorderbetweenthecelestialspheres:

“WhatevertheotherCabalistmaysay,Isaythattenspherescorrespondtotenenumerationsinsuchwaythat,startingfromtheedifice,Jupiterisinthefourth,Marsinthefifth,theSuninthesixth,Saturnintheseventh,Venusintheeighth,Mercuryintheninth,theMooninthetenth,andthenthefirmamentabovetheedificeisinthethird,thefirststimulantisinthesecondandthecelestialempyreusinthefirst.”30

CabalistsnamelybelievethattheworldofsephirotisconnectedwiththeworldthatissituatedoutsideofGod,because“[…]fromtheCabalisticperspective,not only does everything appear in everything, but everything also affectseverything.”31TheideathateverythingintheworldismutuallyintertwinedthecanbefoundinSkalićaswell.HecomprehendsmanasamicrocosmthatisconnectedwiththemacrocosmthroughtheangelMetatron.Atthispointitisnecessarytoreturntothesymbolismofthenumbers,orratherthatofthenumber10,forthereareexactly10sephirot(therootofthewordsephiraisthewordsefar,whichmeans‘tocount’).Tenisalsothesumofthefirstfournumbers,1+2+3+4andsignifiescompletion.Thenumber10ismentionedin



theTalmudaswell.Thustheworldwascreatedbytensayings,thereweretengenerationsfromAdamtoNoah,Abrahamwastestedwith10temptations,tenmiraclescametopassinEgypt,tenmiracleswereperformedattheTem-ple,andtenthingswerecreatedattwilightonSaturdayeve.32InSefer Jeci-rah,thenumber10isaffiliatedwiththetenfingers.33Skalićstatesthatthereisnothingbeyondthenumber10,34andinaccordancewiththePythagoreanphilosophy,hewrites:“Thus,tetractysisthefirstevencompositenumberthatisthecauseofeveryperfection,containingone,twoandthree.”35Otherthanthenumber10,thenumber22isalsosignificantinCabala:

“When Cabalists talk about the divine attributes and the sephirot, they describe this hiddenworldfromtenaspects;when,ontheotherhand,theytalkaboutthedivinenamesandletters,theyareobligatedtousethetwenty-twoconsonantsoftheHebrewalphabetthatwereusedtowritetheTorahor,astheywouldputit,theletterswhereinitssecretessencewasmadeacces-sibleforcommunication.”36

nominehonorificarunt,unamquaediciturarscombinandi,etestmodusquidamprodedendiinscientiis,etestsimilequidsicutapudnos-trosdiciturarsRaymundi,licetfortediversomodoprocedant.Aliamquaeestdevirtutibusrerumsuperiorumquaesuntsupralunam,etestparsmagiaenaturalis suprema.““Gener-ally, two sciences have been known underthisname:onethatwascalledthescienceofcombining,andrepresentsawayofadvanc-ing in sciences and is similar to what withoursiscalledthescienceofRaymund,eventhoughtheymightadvanceindifferentways.Thesecond[science]dealswiththeforcesofhigher things thatarebeyond theMoonandformsthehighestpartofnaturalmagic.”

26

PaulRichardBlum,“Pico,Theology,andtheChurch”,in:M.V.Dougherty(ed.),Pico del-la Mirandola: New essays,CambridgeUni-versityPress,Cambridge,2008,p.52.

27

Picus Mirandulanus, “Conclusiones caba-listae numero LXXI. secundum opinionempropriam, ex ipsis Hebraeorum sapientiumfundamentis christiana religionem maximeconfirmantes”,2ndthesis,p.108:“Quicquiddicant alii Cabalistae, ego partem speculati-vam Cabalae quadruplicem dividerem, cor-respondentes quadruplici partitioni philos-ophiae,quamegosolitussumafferre.Primaest scientia quam ego voco Alphabetariaerevolutionis, correspondentem parti philos-ophiae, quam ego philosophiam catholicamvoco.Secunda,tertiaetquartaparsesttriplexMerchiana, correspondentes triplici philo-sophiaeparticularis,dedivinis,demediisetsensibilibusnaturis.”

28


29

Picus Mirandulanus, “Conclusiones caba-listae numero LXXI. secundum opinionempropriam, ex ipsis Hebraeorum sapientium

fundamentis christiana religionem maximeconfirmantes”,66ththesis,p.113:“Egoani-mamnostramsicdecemSephirotadapto,utper unitatem suam fit cum prima, per intel-lectumcumsecunda,perrationemcumtertia,persuperioremconcupiscibilemcumquarta,per superiorem irascibilem [corr. ex irasci-bile]cumquinta,per liberumarbitriumcumsexta. Et per hoc totum ut ad superiora seconvertitur,cumseptimautadinferioracumoctava,etmixtumexutroquepotiusperindif-ferentiamvelalternariamadhaesionemquamsimultaneam continentiam cum nona, et perpotentiamquainhabitatprimumhabitaculumcumdecima.”

30

Ibid., 48th thesis, p. 111: “Quicquid dicantcaeteriCabalistae[corr.exCabalisticae],egodecem sphaeras, sic decem numerationibuscorrespondere dico, ut ab aedificio incipi-endo, Iuppitersitquartae,Marsquintae,Solsextae, Saturnus septimae, Venus octavae,Mercurius nonae, Luna decimae, tum supraaedificumfirmamentumtertiae,primummo-bilesecudnae,coelumempyreumprimae.”

31

GershomScholem,Kabala i njezin simboli-zam,translatedbyDragutinHlad,MISL,Za-greb,1998,p.141.

32

See:Talmud,translatedbyEugenVerber,Beo-gradski izdavačko–grafički zavod, Beograd,1990,V,1–5.

33

See:Sefer Jecirah,translatedbyLazarusGold-schmidt,WissenschaftlicheBuchgesellschaft,Darmstadt,1969,p.49.

34


35

Ibid.,p.61.

36

Scholem,Kabala i njezin simbolizam,p.44.



Ofcourse, thenumber22hasa symbolicmeaningaswell: it signifies themanifestationofthebeinginitsdiversityinspaceandtime.InSefer Jecirah,itisstatedthatGodcreatesallcreaturesandeverythingthatneedstobecre-ated through 22 letters37 (3matrices, 7 double consonants, and 12 simpleconsonants).Thethreematricesarethelettersא(alef),מ(mem)iׂש(shin)andthreeelementsareassignedtothem:air(wind),waterandfire.Thelettersא(alef),מ(mem)andׂש(shin)arealsoconnectedtothehumanbody:theheadwascreatedfromfire,thereforetheheadisassignedtotheletterׂש(shin);thebodywascreatedfromairsoitisassignedtotheletterא(alef);andthestomachisassignedtotheletterמ(mem)sinceitwascreatedfromwater.Inthebeginning,theskywascreatedfromfire,theEarthfromwaterandtheairfromwind.TheSefer Jecirahliststhesevendoubleconsonantsaswell,whichareB(Bh),G(Gh),D(Dh),K(Kh),P(Ph),R(Rh),T(Th).Theyrepresentlife,peace,wisdom,wealth,mercy,theseedandthereign.ThetwelvesimpleconsonantsareH,V,Z,H,T,J,L,N,S,O,S,Qandtheyrefertotheface,tohearing,smell,speech,eating,sleeping,activity,walking,anger,laughter,thinkinganddreaming.Cabalistsalsobelievethateveryletterhas70aspectsanddifferentaspects“[…]aresecretsthatcanbediscoveredineveryword.”38Inadditiontotheaforementioned,aspecificnumericalvalueisattributedtoeachofthe22lettersoftheHebrewalephbet.Skalićalsomentionsthe22lettersoftheHebrewalephbetassociatingthemwithacertainkindofangelbycitingReuchlin.ItissignificantthatthelettercalledisSkalićtoaccordingwhoMetatron,39archangelthedenotes(kaf)כ“[…]theoperativereasonofthematerialworld”.40AccordingtoJewishtra-dition,EnochwastakenfromEarthbyGodandturnedintoMetatron–theprince of angels.His body turned into blazing fire, his sinews into flame,hiseyelashesintolightningflashes,andhiseyeballsintofierytorches.PicomentionsMetatroninthe10thconclusion,consideringhimtobe“[…]whatOrpheuscallsPallas,[what]Zoroaster[terms]themindofthefather,[what]Mercurius[titles]thesonofGod,[what]Pythagoras[describesas]wisdom,andParmenides[asthe]intelligiblesphere.”41MetatronisthusimportantforPico’sspeculativeCabala,butasthesupremearchangelheisaforceinpracti-calCabalaaswell.IthasbeenshownherehowPicoandSkalićunderstandspeculativeCabala,whichistosaythescienceaboutsephirot.However,inordertocomprehendtheirunderstandingofCabalaentirely,itisnecessarytoexplainthescienceaboutshemot aswell.TheHebrewwordshemot(שתומ)means‘names’andsignifies“TheBookofExodus”,thesecondbookoftheTorah.ThusShemotbeginswiththewords:“ThesearethenamesofthesonsofIsraelwhocametoEgyptwithJacob,eachwithhishousehold:Reuben,Simeon,Levi,andJudah,Issachar,Zebulun,andBenjamin,DanandNaphtali,GadandAsher.”42Thetitleshemot referstothepracticalpartofCabalathat“[…]practicesformalmetaphysicsandlowertheology.”43Pico’sdivisionofCabalaintopracticalandspeculativeisinfactthetraditionalunderstandingofthedivisionofCa-balafor“[theu]nderstandingofthenameofGodasthehighestconcentrationofdivinepowercreatesaconnectinglinkbetweentwosetsofideas,onethatwas initiallyaffiliatedwithmagicand theother that referred to themysticspeculationinitself.”44

Conclusion

ThesimilaritesandthedifferencesbetweentheunderstandingofCabalaintheworks of Pico dellaMirandola and Pavao Skalić have been shown in



this article. From all the aforementioned it is clear that Skalićwas famil-iarwith Pico’s understaning ofCabala, even though he does notmentionhimanywhereinhisEpistemon.InhisunderstandingofCabalaSkalićwasmuchmoreinfluencedbyJohannesReuchlinafterall,whomhereferencesin theEpistemonunder theGrecizedbynameCapnion.45Eventhoughit isapparentthatSkalićknewaboutReuchlinandhiswork“[i]twouldbedif-ficulttopointtoalltheborrowedparts,becauseSkalićconnectedthetextsheborrowedfromReuchlininanewwayandwasgenerallyexcerptingmuchmorethanusingthepartsinaliteralsense,atleastwhentheBaseleditionisconcerned.”46Hence,Skalićbecame familiarwithPico’sunderstandingofCabalathroughReuchlin’sworkDe arte cabalistica.OneshouldnotforgetthatReuchlinhimselfwasunder influenceofPico inhisunderstandingofCabala,andheciteshimnumeroustimesinhisDe arte cabalistica.Namely,asFrancesAmeliaYatespointsout:“ByallmeansPico’sworkinfluencedReuchlin,andsohecametoItalyinordertolearnHebrewandprofitfromtheabundanceofHebrewliteraturethatwascirculatingItaly.”47Withhisunder-staningofCabalaPicoalsoinfluencedtwoothersignificantCabalistsoftheRenaissance:FrancescoZorzi(1466–1540)andHeinrichCorneliusAgrippavonNettesheim(1486–1535).

Translatedby: IvanaMaurović

37

Sefer Jecirah,p.54.

38


39

On Metatron see: Gershom Sholem,Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism, Thames andHudson,London,1955,p.67.

40

Ibid.,p.299.

41

Picus Mirandulanus, “Conclusiones caba-listae numero LXXI. secundum opinionempropriam, ex ipsis Hebraeorum sapientiumfundamentis christiana religionem maximeconfirmantes”, 10th thesis, p. 108: “IlludquodapudCabalistasdiciturЖilludestsinedubio,quodabOrpheoPallas,aZoroastrepa-ternamens,aMercurioDeifilius,aPythagorasapientia, a Parmenide sphaera intelligibilisnominatur.”

42

Ex1,1–5.

43

Picus Mirandulanus, “Conclusiones Caba-listae numero LXXI. Secundum opinionempropriam, ex ipsis Hebraeorum sapientiumfundamentis Christiana religionem maximeconfirmantes”, 3rd thesis, p. 108: “Scientiaquae est pars practicaCabalae, practicat to-tam metaphysicam formalem et theologiaminferiorem.”

44


45

Ibid.,p.71.

46

Mihaela Girardi-Karšulin, “Komentar”, in:Skalić/Scalichius,Epistemon,p.355.

47

Yates, The Occult Philosophy in the Eliza-bethan Age,p.27.



Bibliography

Beitchman,Philip,Alchemy of the Word: Cabala of the Renaissance,SunnyPress,Albany,1998.

Biblija,Stari i Novi zavjet,Kršćanskasadašnjost,Zagreb,1994.

Blum,PaulRichard,“Pico,Theology,andtheChurch”,in:M.V.Dougherty(ed.),Pico della Mirandola: New Essays,CambridgeUniversityPress,Cambridge,2008,p.52.

Chevalier,Jean/Gheerbrant,Alain,Rječnik simbola,GrafičkizavodHrvatske,Zagreb,1994.

Copenhaver,BrianP.,“Number,Shape,andMeaninginPico’sChristianCabala:TheUp-rightTsade,theClosedMem,andtheGapingJawsofAzazel”,in:AnthonyGrafton,NancyG.Siraisi(ed.),Natural Particulars: Nature and Disciplines in Renaissance Europe,Cam-bridge,Massachusetts–London,England,1999.

GirardiKaršulin,Mihaela,“PicodellaMirandola”,in:ErnaBanić-Pajnić(ed.),Filozofija renesanse,Školskaknjiga,Zagreb,1996.

Martinović, Ivica,Žanrovi hrvatske filozofske baštine od 15. do18. stoljeća,FilozofskifakultetSveučilištauSplitu,Split,2011.

PicusMirandulanus,Joannes,“Apologia”,in:JoannesPicusMirandulanus,Opera omnia,BottegaD’Erasmo,Torino,1971.

PicusMirandulanus,Joannes,“ConclusionescabalistaenumeroLXXI.secundumopini-onempropriam,exipsisHebraeorumsapientiumfundamentischristianareligionemmax-ime confirmantes”, in: Joannes PicusMirandulanus,Opera omnia, BottegaD’Erasmo,Torino,1971.

Rabin,SheilaJ.,“PicoonMagicandAstrology”,in:M.V.Dougherty,Pico della Miran-dola: New Essays,CambridgeUniversityPress,Cambridge,2008.

Reuchlin,Iohannes,De arte cabalistica,in:JoannesPicusMirandulanus,Opera omnia,BottegaD’Erasmo,Torino,1971.

Ritter,Joachim/Gründer,Karlfried(ed.),HistorischesWörterbuch der Philosophie,vol.4,I-K,“Kabbala”,WissenschaftlicheBuchgesellschaft,Darmstadt,1976.

Sefer Jecirah, translated by Lazarus Goldschmidt, Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft,Darmstadt,1969.

Scholem, Gershom, Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism, Thames and Hudson, London,1955.

Scholem,Gershom,Origins of the Kabbalah,TheJewishPublicationSociety,PrincetonUniversityPress,Princeton,1987.

Scholem,Gershom,Kabala i njezin simbolizam,translatedbyDragutinHlad,MISL,Za-greb,1998.

PauliprincipisdelaScalaetHun[garia],marchionisVeronae,etdominiCreutzburgiPrus-siae,Miscellaneorum de rerum causis et successibus et de secretiore quadam methodo qua eversiones omnium regnorum universi orbis et futurorum series erui possint libri septem,ExOfficinaTypographicaTheodoriGraminaei,Coloniae,1570.

Skalić,Pavao/Scalichius,Paulus,Epistemon,MihaelaGirardi-Karšulin(ed.),translatedbyIvanKapecandNevenJovanović,Institutzafilozofiju,Zagreb,2004.

SkuhalaKarasman, Ivana, “RazumijevanjekabaleuEpistemonuPavlaSkalića”,Gazo-phylacium, časopis za znanost, umjetnost, gospodarstvo i politiku,1–2(2010),Zagreb,p.77–82.

Talmud,translatedbyEugenVerber,Beogradskiizdavačko–grafičkizavod,Belgrade,1990.

Yates,FrancesAmalia,The Occult Philosophy in the Elizabethan Age,Routledge,Lon-don–NewYork,2001.



Ivana Skuhala Karasman

UsporedbaPicovaiSkalićevarazumijevanjakršćanskekabale

SažetakOsnivačem onoga što će biti poznato pod nazivom kršćanska kabala smatra se renesansni filo-zof Giovanni Pico della Mirandola (1463.–1494.). On je, naime, napisao 72kabalističkekon-kluzije koje se nalaze unutar njegovih 900konkluzija,koje je 1486. godine objavio u Rimu. Kršćansku kabalu u svom djeluEncyclopaediaeseuorbisdisciplinarum,tamsacrarum,quamprophanarumEpistemon tematizira i hrvatski filozof Pavao Skalić (1534.–1575.) nazivajući je simboličkom filozofijom. U radu ću iznijeti Picovo i Skalićevo razumijevanje kršćanske kabale te pokazati koje sličnosti, a koje razlike postoje u njihovom shvaćanju iste. Na temelju Skalićeva Epistemona vidljivo je kako se Skalić bio upoznat s Picovim razumijevanjem kabale, no Skalić je više bio pod utjecajem njemačkog humanista Johannesa Reuchlina (1455.–1522.) i njegova djela Deartecabalistica, kojeg za razliku od Pica i spominje u svom djelu.

Ključneriječikršćanskakabala,GiovanniPicodellaMirandola,PavaoSkalić


DieVergleichungvonPicosundSkalićsVerständnisderchristlichenKabbala

ZusammenfassungAls Gründer dessen, was später unter dem Namen der christlichen Kabbala bekannt wird, gilt der Renaissance-Philosoph Giovanni Pico della Mirandola (1463–1494). Er hat nämlich 72conclusionescabalisticae geschrieben, die sich innerhalb seiner 900conclusiones befinden, die er 1486 in Rom veröffentlicht hat. Die christliche Kabbala thematisiert in seinem Werk En-cyclopaediaeseuorbisdisciplinarum,tamsacrarum,quamprophanarumEpistemon auch der kroatische Philosoph Pavao Skalić (1534–1575), der sie symbolische Philosophie nannte. In diesem Text werde ich Picos und Skalićs Verständnis der christlichen Kabbala vorbringen und dabei zeigen, welche Ähnlichkeiten und welche Verschiedenheiten man in ihrem Verständnis der christlichen Kabbala finden kann. Aufgrund von Skalićs Epistemon ist sichtbar, dass Skalić mit Picos Verständnis der christlichen Kabbala vertraut war, jedoch stand er weit mehr unter dem Einfluss des deutschen Humanisten Johannes Reuchlin (1455–1522) und seines Werks Deartecabalistica, den er auch, zum Unterschied von Pico, in seinem Werk erwähnt hat.

SchlüsselwörterchristlicheKabbala,GiovanniPicodellaMirandola,PavaoSkalić


ComparaisondelacompréhensiondePicoetdeSkalićdelaKabbalechrétienne

RésuméGiovanni Pico della Mirandola (1463 à 1494), le philosophe de la renaissance, est considéré comme le fondateur de ce qui sera connu comme la Kabbale chrétienne. Il a en effet, écrit 72conclusionskabbalistiques incorporées en ses 900conclusions, publiées à Rome en 1486. Dans son œuvre Encyclopaediaeseuorbisdisciplinarum,tamsacrarum,quamprophanarumEpiste-mon Pavao Skalić (1534 à 1574), le philosophe croate, traite aussi la Kabbale chrétienne, en la nommant la philosophie symbolique. Dans cet article je vais exposer les conceptions de Pico et de Skalić de la Kabbale chrétienne et montrer quelles sont les similitudes et les différences entre leur compréhensions. Sur la base de d’ Epistemon de Skalić il est évident que Skalić a connu la conceptions de la Kabbale de Pico, mais il a été beaucoup plus sous l’influence de l’humaniste allemand Johannes Reuchlin (1455 à 1522) surtout de son œuvre Deartecabalistica, qu’il men-tionne dans son œuvre, contrairement à Pico.

Mots-clésKabbalechrétienne,GiovanniPicodellaMirandola,PavaoSkalić

Documents

A Comparison of Pico’s and Skalić’s Understanding of