Ramchal

Question

Are the writings of Rabbi Ramchal reliable for Torah study? I am asking because I heard there are some controversy about his writings?

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Answers

  1. The Just Ask! - AskTheRabbi.org Team

    It is true that the Ramchal was controversial in his day and he had to leave Italy to avoid Rabbinic sanctions. In truth, it is necessary to be aware of the historical context in order to understand why there was a controversy to be able to understand the extreme reaction of the Rabbinate in Italy.

    Nevertheless, the Ramchal’s teachings are pure and they are considered to be an integral part of the foundations of Jewish belief and thought. The Ramchal’s writings were praised and learned and taught by the greatest scholars of the Ramchal’s generation – the most important of them being the famed Vilna Gaon. The Vilna Gaon is reputed to have said that if the Ramchal were still alive he would have walked all the way from Vilna to learn “at his feet.”

    In any event, the works of the Ramchal are considered to be vital to the growth of every Torah scholar, and every properly stocked Jewish library will contain several of his works.

    Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team