Expert: Rabbi Ari Shishler - 10/28/2009

Question
If you follow this link: http://scriptures.lds.org/en/abr/3
Its Chapter 3 of the Book of Abraham. It says this at the top:
"Abraham learns about the sun, moon, and stars by means of the Urim and Thummim—The Lord reveals to him the eternal nature of spirits—He learns of pre-earth life, foreordination, the creation, the choosing of a Redeemer, and the second estate of man."
And I had a question regarding the eternal nature of spirits. It says this:
 "18 Howbeit that he made the greater star; as, also, if there be two spirits, and one shall be more intelligent than the other, yet these two spirits, notwithstanding one is more intelligent than the other, have no beginning; they existed before, they shall have no end, they shall exist after, for they are bgnolaum, or eternal.
 19 And the Lord said unto me: These two facts do exist, that there are two spirits, one being more intelligent than the other; there shall be another more intelligent than they; I am the Lord thy God, I am amore intelligent than they all."
Is Abraham referring to the "two spirits" that are eternal as possibly soul mates? I know Kabbalah has a theory of this but I'm not sure. What do the two spirits signify?
Also its interesting that in the bottom it says two came forward to Redeem humankind and God chose the Son of Man. That is exactly how it is in the New Testament, Jesus is portrayed as saying  "Here I am send Me Father. Then if this scripture is true, I thought perhaps Lucifer became envious of Jesus Christ as the Redeemer. Is this book authentic in Judaism?

Answer
Hi Victoria

The language and style of this book is not at all like that of classical Jewish texts, indicating that this is not an authentic Jewish source(in fact, I've never encountered it before). Accordingly, I cannot and would not comment on its message and teachings other than to say they are not genuine Kabbalistic teachings.

Sincerely

Rabbi Shishler