The More Select and Obscure Dogmas of the Kabbalists

[God] sent down from on high the Kabbalistic spirit, destined to illuminate holy religion among all nations. But since, until these times, the Kabbalistic sun had not yet openly risen for the Latin or Greek peoples: that famous Pico della Mirandola Giovanni Pico della Mirandola (1463–1494), a brilliant Renaissance philosopher who sought to synthesize all knowledge and was a pioneer of "Christian Kabbalah.", the glory of Italy and a man of remarkable piety, striving to spread the Kabbalistic light—so very beneficial to religion—from the Hebrews to the Latins, formulated many Kabbalistic conclusions according to his own understanding (which I have very recently explained, and have given to the public printed for common use).

Moreover, many sayings worthy of note from the more secret theologians were interspersed within his nine hundred conclusions Pico's famous 900 Theses, which he intended to defend in a public debate in Rome in 1487., which he left untouched. I, however, although I have been a devotee of the name of Kabbalah Cabala From the Hebrew Qabbalah, meaning "received tradition"; a form of Jewish mysticism that Renaissance scholars like Pico believed held hidden Christian truths. for many years, have undertaken such a grave matter not under my own auspices, but under yours, commenting on these things and hoping that divine aid will not be lacking for such a necessary and pious duty.

But those who bring forth new things are immediately barked at by the rage of a thousand Scyllas and a thousand Charybdises original: "scyllae rabies... charibdes." In Greek mythology, these were two sea monsters on opposite sides of a narrow strait. Here, the author uses them to represent the overwhelming and inescapable attacks from critics.. They are never free from rivals who tear at them with malevolent mouths, pour venom upon them, and spread a blasphemous opinion about them throughout the whole world. These critics surely ought to have considered how much opportunity they provide for heretics and Jews to mock us, when they see those whom they thought were the asserters and defenders of Christian dogma Christiani dogmatis now being refuted and rebuffed; indeed, they rejoice that these men are attacked by their own people, whom...