As discussed in earlier posts http://yediah.blogspot.com/2007/01/acquiring-providence-arduous-task-part_11.html Rambam understands Hashgacha to be a function of a person getting close to God by learning His ways and, emulating them and thus partaking in His running of the universe and its inhabitants. Clearly only those who apprehend God enjoy this special status, each to his level, while those who do not are subject to the laws of nature and chance.
Surprisingly Ramban seems to be saying the same thing. Especially in his Pirush on Iyov 36:7, after explaining his position in words that echo Rambam in MN 3:18 and 51, he ends by saying that the Rav (Rambam) explained this well in his Sefer Hamoreh. (I could not find this Ramban online. I suggest that the reader look it up as I will be addressing it indirectly throughout this post.)
Ramban first lays out his position in Breishis 18:19 on the verse:
יט כִּי יְדַעְתִּיו, לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר יְצַוֶּה אֶת-בָּנָיו וְאֶת-בֵּיתוֹ אַחֲרָיו, וְשָׁמְרוּ דֶּרֶךְ יְהוָה, לַעֲשׂוֹת צְדָקָה וּמִשְׁפָּט--לְמַעַן, הָבִיא יְהוָה עַל-אַבְרָהָם, אֵת אֲשֶׁר-דִּבֶּר, עָלָיו.
19 For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which He hath spoken of him.'
רמב"ן בראשית פרק יח פסוק יט
והנכון בעיני שהיא ידיעה בו ממש. ירמוז, כי ידיעת השם שהיא השגחתו בעולם השפל, היא לשמור הכללים. וגם בני האדם מונחים בו למקרים עד בא עת פקודתם. אבל בחסידיו ישום אליו לבו לדעת אותו בפרט, להיות שמירתו דבקה בו תמיד, לא תפרד הידיעה והזכירה ממנו כלל. כטעם לא יגרע מצדיק עיניו (איוב לו ז). ובאו מזה פסוקים רבים, כדכתיב (תהלים לג יח) הנה עין ה' אל יראיו, וזולת זה:
Paraphrasing:
Knowing Avraham is meant literally. God’s knowledge of the world manifests itself in His watching over the generalities. People are also left to chance until their time of judgment arrives[1]. As to His righteous, he watches over every detail of their life constantly, He never takes His attention from them keeping them in mind always. He proceeds to bring proof texts one of which is the Passuk in Iyov I mentioned earlier.
Ramban thus agrees that only the righteous deserve personal Hashgacha. However we have to remember Ramban’s worldview and his understanding of nature and chance. To him nature is a front for reality. Reality is the constant interference of either the stars as servants of God in the day-to-day occurrences in the lives of the general population or God himself in the lives of the righteous Jews. The stars do not react to good deeds; they are indifferent and act according to their own agenda. God on the other hand is a just judge and rewards those that serve Him well by keeping His Mitzvot. Punishment means reverting to the control of the stars. To Ramban, science is the study of the recurring phenomenon. The fact that things seem to run in a pattern is deceiving. At any moment things can and may change without reason. Science is therefore a very mediocre way of understanding nature, how things are being run and predicting future events. Metaphysics which includes necromancies, magic and all spiritual studies as well as the knowledge of God, are the real sciences (magic and necromancies forbidden by the Torah although they are real and work). He therefore comments in his Torat Hashem Temimah (page 155 Chavel Hebrew edition) that the amount of hard work needed to learn sciences is not worth the effort. There is therefore no direct cause and effect between man’s action and Providence. Good and bad things that happen to a person do not relate directly and result from his actions. There is only an indirect relationship. Just by acknowledging God by keeping his Mitzvot[2], man is thrown under His direct aegis and no harm can befall him miraculously. It is when man forgets to acknowledge God that he reverts to the control of the stars and chance. That is the meaning of God knowing Avraham. Avraham having chosen to follow God’s ways came under His direct protection.
Thus in the context of the verse, this statement of knowing Avraham has two meanings. In addition to protecting Avraham and his family from the forthcoming cataclysm because of his way of life, God also wants to share the destruction of Sodom with him because He knows that he will learn and teach his children God’s ways.
רמב"ן בראשית פרק יח פסוק יח[3]
כי ידעתי בו שהוא מכיר ויודע שאני ה' אוהב צדקה ומשפט, כלומר, שאני עושה משפט רק בצדקה, ולכך יצוה את בניו וביתו אחריו לאחוז דרכי
By being part of this process, observing even partaking in God’s cogitation, Avraham will learn how God acts towards Sodom and teach this insight to his children. It is not by contemplating nature but rather by experiencing God’s direct involvement that one learns His ways. Although the destruction of Sodom seems to be a natural event, Avraham is made privy to the reality that God is involved constantly and acts justly rewarding the good (Avraham) by protecting them and punishing the evil. God’s justice is further highlighted by the way He arrives at His verdict during His discussions with Avraham. That is the lesson that Avraham will pass on to his children.
A careful read of Ramban in Iyov highlights the difference between these two giants. Although Ramban paraphrases Rambam, he subtly adapts him to fit his own understanding of how the world is run. After explaining that those who are close to God are protected, he addresses the fact that at war soldiers are called up, the fearful are sent home and all the preparations before battle we see in Tanach. After all if they are following God’s orders why do they need to prepare themselves? Who needs armies? This question could only be asked if natural events are really miraculous and cannot be predicted. Ramban in fact answers that the only reason these preparations are needed is because most people cannot be constantly in touch with God. Had they been they would have won all battles with their bare hands and minimal numbers. In Rambam's worldview this question would not even come up.
Although both Ramban and Rambam agree that only the righteous are subject to God’s providence, they have two different ideas of what providence is. Rambam sees it as an understanding of nature and God’s ways where the good outcome is a direct result of one’s actions. Ramban sees it as the indirect result of following God’s Mitzvot which when followed properly makes one acknowledge God’s existence and miraculous ways in running things. One who does this is rewarded by falling under God’s direct aegis and from then on all is miraculous. The implications of these two different outlooks are far reaching and cover almost every aspect of Judaism from prayer to Ta’amei Hamitzvot. (I will address Rambam’s reading of the verse in Breishit 18:19 in a future post as this one is already much too long.)
As I compare Rambam to Ramban in these areas, I am again amazed and puzzled at why Ramban’s approach has nowadays become mainstream Judaism while Rambam is relegated to a few intellectuals. One would think that with the advances in sciences and the better understanding of how our universe operates, Rambam’s view would prevail. I guess it is easier to believe that by being meticulous in rituals, following every Chumra, one buys a ticket into God’s club rather than taking responsibility for one’s actions and their direct consequences.
[1] Exactly the meaning of these last two words is a little unclear.
[2] The purpose of keeping Mitzvot is just that – acknowledging God. (See the last Ramban in Parshat Bo quoted in my earlier post).
[3] The following quote is just the pertinent segment in a different interpretation of this verse.
"A careful read of Ramban in Iyov highlights the difference between these two giants. Although Ramban paraphrases Rambam, he subtly adapts him to fit his own understanding of how the world is run. After explaining that those who are close to God are protected, he addresses the fact that at war soldiers are called up, the fearful are sent home and all the preparations before battle we see in Tanach. After all if they are following God’s orders why do they need to prepare themselves? Who needs armies? This question could only be asked if natural events are really miraculous and cannot be predicted. Ramban in fact answers that the only reason these preparations are needed is because most people cannot be constantly in touch with God. Had they been they would have won all battles with their bare hands and minimal numbers. In Rambam's worldview this question would not even come up."
ReplyDeleteNot so. Rambam mentions this in shmone prakim and also in his letter to R Ovadiah Hager on bashert he brings up these psukim as proof that actions are not predestined and good results not guaranteed - and says the same thing as Ramban. Ramban was not catering to a philosophically- influenced group that believed in or struggled with predetermination and didn't write polemics about it, so he focuses on hashgacha, but it's the same proof.
"Rambam sees it as an understanding of nature and God’s ways where the good outcome is a direct result of one’s actions. Ramban sees it as the indirect result of following God’s Mitzvot which when followed properly makes one acknowledge God’s existence and miraculous ways in running things."
I continue to dispute that you are accurately characterzing Rambam's approach to hashgacha as naturalistic, reducing hashgacha from an external event to an understanding nature and being able to manipulate it. (It is also clear that Ramban did not understand him that way, or he would not be agreeing with him and approving of his views on hasghacha! In addition to my previous criticisms that we had out in the past, if your approach were correct, the rambam would not be saying that even a tzaddik will lose protection of hashgacha when distracted by daily pursuits because he can't contemplate god always. That would reduce matters to an absurdity. The more a person paid attention to daily pursuits - checking a building before entering, keeping their eyes on the road while driving - the more safe they would be. Yet the Rambam says that they *lose* hashagacha becuase they cannot when occupied with trivialities necessary to function always keep their mind directly on God. According to you, a person entering a building, or driving a car would be just as much under hashgacha as anyone else - in fact more so if they kept their eye on the road or checked the building code before entering - what the Rambam thinks is the precondition for hashgacha is keeping ones mind connected to god and receiving his shefa - not understanding nature and predicting natural events. As a side issue, do you believe everyone in the Western world is under more hashgacha today than in the past b/c people understand nature better? How is that compatible with the Rambam and how does that not reduce the concept to absurdities. Have we become more righteous? The most cutting edge person with the best understanding of medicine possible in the 1300s had poorer results than an ignorant patient today who visits a doctor - why should the ignorant patient today receive more "hashgacha"? Hashgacha is being turned into a social/cultural phenomenon, and the degree of hashgacha any individual receives has more to do with what society he happens to be born in and the degree of scientific (not religious) knowledge the experts in his community have than anything the individual does.
"As I compare Rambam to Ramban in these areas, I am again amazed and puzzled at why Ramban’s approach has nowadays become mainstream Judaism while Rambam is relegated to a few intellectuals."
I don't see why. All you have to do is substitute "nature" or "science" for astrology, which is what the yeshivishe do! in Ramban's time, science was not a good predictor of events. Today, the strongest believers in astrology whether in the secular or the religious world think it coexists with other scientific models, and accounts for only some effects. People who go to astrologists don't dispute the efficacy of science! What's changed is the relative weight people put on science vs mazel, that's all.
Ramban had a different model of the physical world than Rambam did, and thought astrology was how nature ran. Otherwise, I don't think he's saying anything different.
If you read Ramban and when he mentions astrology or stars, you subsitute nature (or if you like, nature plus some impact from astrology), you will be closer to how most people understand Ramban today IME.
>Rambam mentions this in shmone prakim and also in his letter to R Ovadiah Hager on bashert he brings up these psukim as proof that actions are not predestined and good results not guaranteed
ReplyDeleteRamban here asks if this is milchemet mitzvah who needs armies? God wins the war with even one person. Does'nt he do miracles all the time?
Rambam asks if a person's life span is predetermined, why should anyone be afraid? One cannot die before their time?
Rambam would never ask the first question. I have no idea at this time how Ramban would answer the second question.
>It is also clear that Ramban did not understand him that way,
See sefer hazikaron by Ritba Kahana edition page 55 (on breishit 5:4) LOL
On a more serious note, you bring up an interesting argument. Why would a Tzaddik, who watches how he crosses the street lose hashgacha at that moment? You are not reading Rambam correctly. look at my earlier posts on hashgacha. A tazaddik who does everything including his wordly affairs with one goal in mind, to partake in HKBH hanhaga of the world cannot suffer any bad outcome. After all HKBH does only good. What appears bad is in reality good because it fulfills God's plan. That was the Avot who did ebverything for a purpose, a long term one, to build a nation. Thus Ya'akov's bad years without Yossef, though he calls them Ra'im in reality were good as they fulfilled his long term plan. The chassid who follows in the Avot footstep cannot result in bad except when he deviates and does things without keeping the goal in mind. He then DOES ( not kavanot) things that will result in not being under hashgacha but ruled by chance.
"Ramban here asks if this is milchemet mitzvah who needs armies? God wins the war with even one person. Does'nt he do miracles all the time?"
ReplyDeleteNot really - he says that they could win with fewer people, and unarmed, etc and rambam would not dispute this is a possibility - I think it's not a substantive difference. Ramban has the opposite focus to the same end result. He thinks all nature is miraculous, and miracles are just more outstanding. Rambam thinks all is nature, and miracles are unusual natural events. The same events are possible under both scenarios, they just consistently approach from opposite directions and this results in a different tone. If you consider that the Ramban's astrology is just part of a model of how nature works, I think you will see the point.
"See sefer hazikaron by Ritba Kahana edition page 55 (on breishit 5:4) LOL"
I don't have this. Can you summarize what he says?
"You are not reading Rambam correctly. look at my earlier posts on hashgacha. A tazaddik who does everything including his wordly affairs with one goal in mind, to partake in HKBH hanhaga of the world cannot suffer any bad outcome. After all HKBH does only good. What appears bad is in reality good because it fulfills God's plan. That was the Avot who did ebverything for a purpose, a long term one, to build a nation. Thus Ya'akov's bad years without Yossef, though he calls them Ra'im in reality were good as they fulfilled his long term plan. The chassid who follows in the Avot footstep cannot result in bad except when he deviates and does things without keeping the goal in mind. He then DOES ( not kavanot) things that will result in not being under hashgacha but ruled by chance."
If the tzadik is not contemplating god at that specific moment, it should not matter, he will later understand god acts ltovah *unless one assumes that hashgacha means God's active intervention* His own kavana is not the issue in which building he enters, and so on, the examples the Rambam gives of when a person loses hashgacha - these are not things that a person does differently because he has this or that goal.
I don't want to keep on hacking on this, but I don't agree.
I agree to disagre. Just one little point. Ramban's "nature" is a changing target as it depends on either the star's or God's immediate decision constantly whether to let it go on in a regular pattern or not. it is therefore unpredictable and needs outside input, as from Sheidim, to know the future. According to Rambam all is preset from Sheshet yemei Breishit and the Navi knows when to take advantage. That is clear and if you read the two you will see that clear differentiation. But let's leave it at that and agree that we don't see eye to eye.
ReplyDeleteSefer Hazikaron is Ritba's defense of Rambam agianst Ramban's attacks in his pirush on chumash. The foolowing is a comment at the end of one of the first pieces:
"Veomnam ki bemechila merabeinu hagadol (Ramban) omer, ki lefi hanireh bikzat tefisotav al harav hamoreh ki merov haflagato batalmud ushekidat libo bechochmat ha'emet hayeduah lo, shlo hurgal besefer hamoreh karauy lo, velachen life'amim lo matza chidato vekavanato asher ymtza echad miketanei ketanim (he refers obviously to himself) shehurgal bo asher katno shel rabbeinu hagadol avah mimatnov"
In other words Ramban did noyt always understand Rambam correctly.
I agree on the first point, I didn't mean that there are no differences
ReplyDeleteLOL