Though readers may assume on first glance that Tsimtsum is a Japanese word because the ship is Japanese, it is actually a Hebrew word meaning “contraction” or “self-limitation.” It is used in the context of God or the Creator showing restraint when creating the universe, contracting His infinite light in order to leave room for free will and the material world.
Though Judaism is not one of the religions Pi explores and adopts, Pi mentions that the cosmogony theory of Isaac Luria, the 16th century Kabbalist from Safed, was the topic of his thesis for religious studies. Tsimtsum is a Jewish theological concept that emerges from his kabbalistic doctrine.
Pi offers two versions of his story to the Japanese businessmen, one with human characters and one with animal characters. In the same way, there is debate on Tsimtsum over whether it is literal or figurative. Believers of the former claim that God withdrew His light from the middle, creating an empty vacuum in which all was created. Opponents believe that this theory is a metaphor because God is in everything, so He could not actually remove Himself in order to create a vacuum, He merely “dimmed” his light to make room for free will. The story with humans is a parallel to the literal interpretation of Tsimtsum, a flat, dry reality without imagination.
A topic of ongoing debate in the book is the cause of the Tsimtsum’s sinking. Similarly, some may question why, if God is so perfect, the creator of the universe would allow immorality and evil into the world. However, the sinking of the ship ultimately led Pi to go through important personal growth in his religious life but also to develop and shape his personality. His experience following the sinking allowed him to learn that he can survive on his own, without his family and teachers to guide him. In the same way, humans are given the choice by God to express their faith and learn from their experiences with sin and temptation, leading to a journey of self-discovery.
Great response! To add on to your point, I think there is also a question brought up with how this story is then supposed to make one believe in god. You brought up the idea of how if god is so perfect then why isn’t everything good for everyone. Are you stating that God is being ‘perfect’ by putting individuals through experiences that lead to growth? I would disagree with the connection, because the statement from the beginning of the book in regards to making one believe in god is derived from the idea that this is a story plot that is so insane that one cannot hear it without believing in god. However, this story is so insane due to the fact that there are so many pitfalls and seemingly coincidences that occur to save Pi. The idea of an insane pure-chance story may be linked to making one believe in god. However, I don’t believe that these abstract events were what led to the special development of Pi. Therefore, I ,instead, think that this story abides with your first interpretation of Tsimtsum; God had created this world but left and allowed for situations like Pi’s to arise without the control of God.
Though readers may assume on first glance that Tsimtsum is a Japanese word because the ship is Japanese, it is actually a Hebrew word meaning “contraction” or “self-limitation.” It is used in the context of God or the Creator showing restraint when creating the universe, contracting His infinite light in order to leave room for free will and the material world.
ReplyDeleteThough Judaism is not one of the religions Pi explores and adopts, Pi mentions that the cosmogony theory of Isaac Luria, the 16th century Kabbalist from Safed, was the topic of his thesis for religious studies. Tsimtsum is a Jewish theological concept that emerges from his kabbalistic doctrine.
Pi offers two versions of his story to the Japanese businessmen, one with human characters and one with animal characters. In the same way, there is debate on Tsimtsum over whether it is literal or figurative. Believers of the former claim that God withdrew His light from the middle, creating an empty vacuum in which all was created. Opponents believe that this theory is a metaphor because God is in everything, so He could not actually remove Himself in order to create a vacuum, He merely “dimmed” his light to make room for free will. The story with humans is a parallel to the literal interpretation of Tsimtsum, a flat, dry reality without imagination.
A topic of ongoing debate in the book is the cause of the Tsimtsum’s sinking. Similarly, some may question why, if God is so perfect, the creator of the universe would allow immorality and evil into the world. However, the sinking of the ship ultimately led Pi to go through important personal growth in his religious life but also to develop and shape his personality. His experience following the sinking allowed him to learn that he can survive on his own, without his family and teachers to guide him. In the same way, humans are given the choice by God to express their faith and learn from their experiences with sin and temptation, leading to a journey of self-discovery.
-Lauren Lee
Hi Lauren!
DeleteGreat response! To add on to your point, I think there is also a question brought up with how this story is then supposed to make one believe in god. You brought up the idea of how if god is so perfect then why isn’t everything good for everyone. Are you stating that God is being ‘perfect’ by putting individuals through experiences that lead to growth? I would disagree with the connection, because the statement from the beginning of the book in regards to making one believe in god is derived from the idea that this is a story plot that is so insane that one cannot hear it without believing in god. However, this story is so insane due to the fact that there are so many pitfalls and seemingly coincidences that occur to save Pi. The idea of an insane pure-chance story may be linked to making one believe in god. However, I don’t believe that these abstract events were what led to the special development of Pi. Therefore, I ,instead, think that this story abides with your first interpretation of Tsimtsum; God had created this world but left and allowed for situations like Pi’s to arise without the control of God.