Daat Tevunot by the Ramchal: the dialogue between the intellect and the soul
Daat Tevunot (דעת תבונות), “The Knowing Heart,” is a work by Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, the Ramchal. It is written in the form of a dialogue between the intellect and the soul, and explains from the perspective of Kabbalah what God expects of man.
Quick facts
| Title | Daat Tevunot |
| Author | Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (Ramchal) |
| Composition | Between 1735 and 1743, Amsterdam (according to Sefaria) |
| First printing | Warsaw, 1899 (according to Sefaria) |
| Form | Dialogue between the intellect and the soul |
Content
According to Wikipedia it bridges rationality and Kabbalah and, according to its bibliography, explains the duality of positive and negative at all levels of reality, which underlies God’s “showing his face” and “hiding his face.” It also covers the coexistence of good and evil.
Relation to other works of the Ramchal
It belongs to the author’s Amsterdam period, like Derech Hashem and Mesillat Yesharim.
Frequently asked questions
What form does it take?
A dialogue between the intellect and the soul.
When was it written?
Between 1735 and 1743, during the author’s stay in Amsterdam.
Sources
- Da’at Tevunot, entry on Sefaria
- Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, reference article (English Wikipedia)
