The Chilul Hashem of Chumrot: Parasites in Salmon

Hearing the latest controversy about the Kashrut of Salmon reminded me of a comment Rambam makes in a letter to his pupil regarding the controversies that broke out about the Mishne Torah after its publication. Apparently it threatened the authority of the then Gaon in Baghdad, Rabbi Shmuel Ben Eli and other rabbinical leaders so they went on the attack against many of the MT Halachik rulings as well as theological positions. The controversy turned nasty and Rambam’s pupil Rabbi Yosef ben Yehudah corresponded with him about it. In a lengthy letter (or as some claim a series of letters gathered into one), Rambam advises his pupil, amongst other quite fascinating comments, to refrain from getting caught up in the dispute and restrain himself from responding.

“And about your being upset because he (R. Shmuel Ben Eli) attacked you in a public document – do not let this bother you because no person would remain quiet when hurt by another one. You must realize that you hurt him very much. You destroyed his reputation and blunted his arrows. Without you, the Rosh Hagalut (apparently the title of the leader of the community in Aleppo where Rav Yosef lived) would have been like a dove in the talons of a kite (bird of prey) as he would have shamed him in the matter of the Get and other such matters, destroying him. (Apparently Rav Yosef defended the Rosh Hagalut against an attack by RSBE on a ruling he made and RY defended him). You cannot expect that someone you caused harm to should love you and praise you! There is also no point in your asking where his Fear of Heaven is? For this man (RSBE) and others like him, even those who are greater than he is, even those that preceded him, see Yra’at Shamayim (fear of heaven) to be punctiliousness in Chumrot just as it is in the perception of the masses. However, the obligations that pertain to developing good character traits are not considered by these people to be a part of Yra’at Shamayim. They also are not careful with their speech, like those who have perfected their Yire’ah are. Furthermore, all the people of religion, especially those that have positions of authority, once a matter threatens their authority, their Yire’ah (fear of heaven) disappears!” (Translated from Iggerot Harambam by Rav Sheilat page 308).

The insistence of these technocrats of Halacha in how to ensure that every technical detail of a Halacha even to its illogical conclusion is foisted on their followers and public is done without any regard or thought to the underlying theology of the Mitzvah. If they did not put up this great barrier between thought and technical detail, if they did not dismiss theology as unnecessary, and questioned a little the whys and wherefores, we might end up with less Chumrot and more Yire’ah. Furthermore, by continuing this nonsense, they erode the authority of Halacha in the eyes of people and create a great Chilul Hashem. They are trying to assert themselves and impose their control at the detriment of the truth, without any regard to the consequences that their actions have on the Klal. In fact they are eroding legitimate Halachik authority and the influence of authentic rulings.

This is just from a religious perspective. From a practical Halachik perspective, there is plenty of discussion already in the press and online. Here is a synopsis in one article.

Reward and Punishment in the Torah Teaches Humanity To Take Their Fate Into Their Own Hands.

In my last post, I discussed “miracles” and focused on those that are “naturally impossible”. Rambam also lists another category of “miracles” – the “naturally possible”. Examples are:

Occasional occurrences - the plagues of locust, hail and plague (dever) in Egypt

Common Occurrences –that can happen in all lands and times. Examples of such are the splitting of the altar while Yerovam was on it (Melachim 1:13:3) which is common for newly built structures. The torrential rains brought about by Shmuel during the harvest (Shmuel 1:12:17).The blessings and curses in the Torah.

As discussed in the last post, “miracles” are like flag posts that point out and teach a lesson. For common occurrences that are usually seen as normal and even occasional occurrences that are rarer, something more has to be added to make them stand out and teach something. They therefore have to have an additional component to make them stand out. They therefore have to have one or more of the following conditions:

They happen when predicted by a prophet, as was the case with Shmuel and Yerovam.

They come in exaggerated form, greater than usual such as the plagues in Egypt mentioned above לְפָנָיו לֹא-הָיָה כֵן אַרְבֶּה כָּמֹהוּ, וְאַחֲרָיו לֹא יִהְיֶה-כֵּן. (Shemot 10:14 also see Shemot 9:24 and 9:6).

They are constant as the blessings and curses in the Torah were.

The first condition, prediction of the prophet, is quite obvious. The second one, where the occurrence is in an exaggerated form, apparently also requires the first condition, the prediction of the prophet to make it stand out. Interestingly, the cases Rambam brings as examples, the plagues in Egypt, also had Moshe predict them. I cannot think of a case where the second condition alone was enough to make the occurrence stand out. (The locust at the time of Yoel was also predicted). But the third condition, the one that is generally referred to as Schar Ve’onesh - reward and punishment - needs to be fleshed out much more.

To really understand Rambam’s view of reward and punishment and its relationship with Torah we have to take a step back and look at humanity from an historical perspective. We live in an era where the scientific method is part of our normal thinking and there are very few who still question it. That was not so for much of human history. At the time Torah and Judaism came into existence, when Moshe Rabbeinu brought us the Torah, man was completely dependent on the vagaries of nature without any hope to take his fate into his own hands. He saw the world as populated by good and evil spirits who controlled the physical world and the only recourse was to placate them. It would take millennia to overturn this mindset. It is a gradual process that is still ongoing. It teaches that man has to learn and understand his environment and take his fate into his own hands. That is what the Torah teaches us. We can take control of our fate and there are consequences to our actions. It is the first commandment the Torah gives to humankind and sets it as its general goal and purpose.

וַיְבָרֶךְ אֹתָם, אֱלֹהִים, וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם

אֱלֹהִים פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ וּמִלְאוּ אֶת-הָאָרֶץ, וְכִבְשֻׁהָ; וּרְדוּ

בִּדְגַת הַיָּם, וּבְעוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם, וּבְכָל-חַיָּה, הָרֹמֶשֶׂת

עַל-הָאָרֶץ.

28 And God blessed them; and God said unto them, 'Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that creeps upon the earth.'

The way for humanity to exit the dark ages of superstition and helplessness is a long process. It teaches man that there are no spirits, just one God, the First Cause, and that everything He caused into existence is logical and sensible imbued with a great wisdom that is incumbent on us to learn and discover. It is this revolution in thinking that slowly is taking humanity on the long road to

כִּי-מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ, דֵּעָה אֶת-יְהוָה, כַּמַּיִם, לַיָּם מְכַסִּים.

For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. {S} (Yeshayahu 11:9)

This educational process includes the idea that there are consequences to our actions. They are not always immediately apparent. Some actions have an immediate impact others may take some time for results to be seen, but ultimately we are responsible for our own fate. Those are the blessings and curses of the Torah – reward and punishment. Rambam in Hilchot Ta’aniyot 1:2-3 teaches –

ודבר זה, דרך מדרכי התשובה הוא: שבזמן שתבוא צרה ויזעקו לה

ויריעו, יידעו הכול שבגלל מעשיהם הרעים הרע להן--ככתוב "עוונותיכם, הטו

אלה לכם, וזה הוא שיגרום להם להסיר הצרה מעליהם.

אבל אם לא יזעקו, ולא יריעו, אלא יאמרו דבר זה ממנהג העולם

אירע לנו, וצרה זו נקרוא נקרית--הרי זו דרך אכזרייות, וגורמת להם להידבק

במעשיהם הרעים, ותוסיף הצרה וצרות אחרות: הוא שכתוב בתורה, "והלכתם עימי,

בקרי. והלכתי עימכם, בחמת קרי" (ויקרא כו,כז-כח),

כלומר כשאביא עליכם צרה, כדי שתשובו--אם תאמרו שהוא קרי, אוסיף עליכם חמת אותו קרי.

This [type of prayer] belongs to the ways of repenting. When a disaster occurs and they cry out for it and blow trumpets, all realize that this came about as a result of their misdeeds as it says, “Your sins brought this about upon you”. This [realization] will cause the disaster to lift.

Should they not cry out or blow trumpets, saying that this thing happened in normal ways of the world, that this disaster is just a serendipitous occurrence, this [kind of thinking] is cruel for it encourages them to stick to their errant ways bringing more disasters. That is the meaning of the verse “should you walk with me serendipitously, I will walk with you in the wrath of serendipity”. In other words, when I bring down a disaster upon you, so that you repent, and you will attribute it to serendipity, I will add to you the wrath of that serendipity.

In a letter to the sages of Marseilles, which I quoted in the past, Rambam blames the destruction of the temple on the Jews turning to spirits rather than arming and defending themselves while engaging in diplomacy! Repentance in this context is making ourselves aware that it is up to us to figure out how to prevent a disaster. We have to accept responsibility for our actions or inactions and take our fate into our hands.

The “miracle” of the blessings and curses of the Torah are seen as teachings when they are constant. When the Jews followed the path of Torah, abandoned the ways of superstition and idolatry, acting on their convictions and consequently lived peacefully on their land, they taught humanity that our actions have consequences. They taught that unlike the other nations who rely on spirits and therefore are dependent on the vagaries of nature, we Jews take our fate into our own hands, because we believe that HKBH created the world with wisdom. It is up to us to understand it and act accordingly. Coming back to our treatise on Resurrection and the verse in Devarim 4:19, we read –

וכבר זכר בתורה שהוא מופת מתמיד, ר"ל תיקון העניינים

עם העבודה, והפסדם עם המרי. אמר "והיו בך לאות ולמופת ובזרעך עד עולם"

ומפני זה אמרו "אין מזל לישראל", רצו לומר שתיקונם והפסדם אינם לסבה טבעית

ולא על מנהג המציאות, אלא נתלה בעבודה ובמרי. וזה אות יותר גדול מכל אות.

וכבר בארנו שזה בדין צבור ובדין יחיד כמו שיראה מן המעשה ההוא והוא נאות

לאומרו ובזרעך עד עולם.

ומן המאמר המפורסם באומה "ראה אדם ייסורין באים עליו יפשפש במעשיו".

והוא העניין בעצמו הוא המכוון ג"כ באומרו "אשר חלק ה' אלהיך אותם לכל

העמים תחת כל השמים, ואתכם לקח ה'.. להיות לו לעם נחלה כיום הזה". ר"ל

שענייניהם אינם נוהגים עניין מנהג שאר האומות, אבל ייחדם השם בזה המופת

הגדול שיהיו פעולותיהם תמיד נקשרות בתיקון ענייניהם או בהפסדם.

It is already mentioned in the Torah that the fact that things work out [for the Jews] when they act [correctly] and do not work out when they transgress is a permanent sign [that we are not dependent on the vagaries of nature]. That is the meaning of the Rabbi’s saying “Yisrael do not depend on luck”. That is their well-being or mishaps do not depend on natural events or vagaries of existence but rather on their [correct] actions or transgressions. That is a greater sign than any other sign [that there are consequences to our actions]. We already explained that this applies to both the public and the individual. (I cannot translate the end of the sentence, as I do not understand it. See R. Sheilat in note 90 that he suspects the text is corrupt). That is also seen from the famous saying “When a person sees suffering coming upon him he should look at his deeds”. [IOW we are to blame for our own suffering and should not shift the blame to others]. That is also the meaning when he says “אֲשֶׁר חָלַק יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, אֹתָם, לְכֹל הָעַמִּים, תַּחַת כָּל-הַשָּׁמָיִם - which the LORD thy God has allotted unto all the peoples under the whole heaven –

וְאֶתְכֶם לָקַח יְהוָה - But you hath the LORD taken”. Meaning that their [the Jewish people’s] matters are not like those of other nations [who rely and depend on vagaries of nature]. God has particularized them with this great sign [teaching to others] that their actions are intimately tied to their well-being or the mishaps.

Rambam disagrees with commentators and Rishonim who read this verse as affirming that Jews are different and under the influence of HKBH while the rest of the world is under the auspices of the stars. He understands that Jews are a paradigm for the world as a people who understand that HKBH has given the world to humanity to conquer and thus control his fate. Unlike the beliefs of the nations who believed, that man depends on outside forces like the stars and the vagaries of fate.

This post is already much too long. I will come back to this in my next post.

Techyat Hametim - Resurrection of the Dead - A Prophesized Miraculous Event - Not a Reward!

The traditional idea of Techyat Hametim – Resurrection of the Dead – is that it is a reward to the righteous and a phase in a complex sequence of after death “judgments”. There are many variations describing the exact sequences of this system of judgments which I do not want to expand on here as most of us grew up with them. Although I am no expert in other religions, I have read enough to know that similar conjecture about after death experiences with variations exist in Christianity and Islam too.

Most go something like this. After death, the soul hovers around the body, eventually faces judgment and is sent to a holding place –if guilty to hell and purgatory for cleansing, if righteous to heaven or Gan Eden to await resurrection. During this time, things evolve on earth and Mashiach arrives and the Jews are ingathered to Eretz Israel. The bones of the dead also somehow gather and make Aliyah through underground tunnels and the souls reunite with their respective bodies. All these systems see Mashiach, TH and OH as different components of a complex system of rewards where those alive when those times arrive are joined by the righteous or the now cleansed dead for an eternal physical life. Anyone that does not accept nay questions this idea, that all righteous will resurrect and live physically forever, is seen as a non-believer, Kofer and Apikores. (For an attempt at a rational approach to this, see Rav Sa’adyah Gaon in his Emunot Vede’ot Sha’ar 7).

Rambam disagrees with this whole system. He cannot accept that physical life is a reward. After all perfection to him is when man perfects his mind and apprehends the transcendental and non-physical. Why would return to the physical, be seen as a reward, once the higher levels of apprehension have been attained? To the contrary, as we saw in the last post, Rambam sees OH as the ultimate attainment and therefore a non-physical existence. As usual, Rambam is clear in his categories and sees Mashiach, Olam Haba and Techyat Hametim as three distinct and unrelated concepts. Mashiach describes the evolution of humanity from barbarism to a utopian state of intellectual life. When man understands his role and what is expected of him, when emulating God becomes humanity’s main activity, Mashiach will have arrived. Nothing will change from the normal physical existence other than a perfected society of men. Olam Haba on the other hand, is a personal and intellectual achievement which we can all attain if we dedicate ourselves to understanding God and His ways. Techyat Hametim is a totally unrelated idea and has nothing to do with these two concepts. It is a belief that Rambam defines as a cornerstone of the religion and has to do with basic Jewish theology but not in the category of Reward and Punishment to which the other two belong. It belongs in the category of miracles. Explaining why he is not more expansive in Pirush Hamishna and in Mishne Torah on the subject of TH Rambam states:

אמנם תחיית המתים הוא אחד מהמופתים, ומבואר מאוד, שענינו מובן ואין שם אלא

להאמין בו לבד, כמו שבאתנו ההגדה האמיתית. והוא עניין יוצא חוץ לטבע

המציאות, ואין ראיה עליו מצד העיון. ואמנם ינהג מנהג הנפלאות כולם ויקובל

אין שם זולת זה. ומה היה לנו אפשר לומר בו או להאריך

TH is one of the miracles and is quite clear. The subject is well understood, as there is nothing else to do but believe it based on the true prophetic saying. [Rambam earlier wrote that the first mention of TH in Tanach is by Daniel, one of the last prophets. As we will see this is very important for understanding miracles.] It [TH] is something outside natural existence and cannot be logically proven. One can only treat as one treats all the wondrous things – accept it and nothing more. What was there for us to talk more at length about it?

Rambam thus believes that Daniel, the prophet who introduced first the idea of TH, was predicting a miraculous event that will happen at some time in the future where some dead will be resurrected. Daniel does not give a reason nor offers any context for this occurrence, just predicts a wondrous event.

וְרַבִּים, מִיְּשֵׁנֵי אַדְמַת-עָפָר יָקִיצוּ; אֵלֶּה לְחַיֵּי עוֹלָם, וְאֵלֶּה לַחֲרָפוֹת לְדִרְאוֹן עוֹלָם

2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to reproaches and everlasting abhorrence.

According to Rambam, the everlasting life or everlasting abhorrence in the verse will occur after these resurrected live a normal life and die.

Considering he has not added anything to what he already told us in his other writings, Rambam offers some additional points that may help understand this a little further. As we will see there is quite a bit of innovation in what he says and helps us understand his position on miracles.

First, he addresses the treatment of TH in Tanach. Besides the one verse in Daniel, there is no further unequivocal statement in Tanach that clearly states that the dead will be resurrected. All the verses state that once a person dies it is all over as far as the physical is concerned. Rambam answers this simply that all the prophets are talking about the natural way of the world. A person dies, his body returns to its elements. Daniel is predicting a future miraculous event. It has no impact in the normal day-to-day life of a person other than the need to accept the predictions of a prophet. Daniel predicted TH in context of his prophecy. However, denial of the possibility of miraculous events stems from not accepting the idea of creation from nothing. It assumes that God has no will and therefore the anomalies we observe in nature are not a result of His omniscience. That is why TH is considered a cornerstone of Jewish theology. I will come back to this later.

Secondly, he addresses the question, if TH is a cornerstone of Judaism, why does the Torah not mention it at all. Here Rambam makes a startling and counterintuitive point, at least to a contemporary reader.

והיו בני אדם כולם בזמן ההוא מכת הצאב"א, אומרים בקדמות העולם שהם היו

מאמינים שהשם רוח הגלגל, כמו שבארנו ב"מורה הנבוכים" ומכזיבים הגיע הנבואה

מאת השם לבני אדם. וכן יתחייב להם לפי אמונתם הכזבת המופתים, וייחסו אותו

לכישוף ולתחבולה.

People at that time all belonged to the Sabeans who believed that the world is eternal. They believed that God is the “spirit” of the sphere as we explained in the Moreh. [They believed that the First Cause and the world are concomitantly eternal. In other words, they denied that God created the world from nothing.] Their belief necessitates the denial of miracles ascribing them to magic or trickery.

The last sentence is fascinating. Those who believe in the eternal existence of the world are the ones who believe in magic. Those who accept creation from nothingness accept miracles and deny the existence of magic! What is the connection?

My next post will address this point and then I will return to the answer Rambam proposes to this second question.

On a personal note: I have read this treatise many times in the past. As with all Rambam’s writings I find that, every revisit inevitably brings a new insight. I never noticed the fascinating sentence I highlighted that says so much until yesterday morning as I was rereading it. The depth of thought of this great thinker is incredible. It is no wonder that it is an accepted rule that Rambam has to be read with just as much care as the Gemara. (Yad Malachi Kelalei Harambam 3 in the name of the Migdal Oz.) Rambam himself confirms that in this treatise:

ולו היה אפשר לי לשית התלמוד כלו בפרק אחד, לא הייתי משים אותו בשניים

Had I been able to put all of the Talmud in one chapter I would not have done it in two.

שכל חיבורינו אמנם הם קב ונקי, ואין כוונתנו להגדיל גוף הספרים ולא לכלות

הזמן במה שלא יביא אל תועלת. ולזה כשנפרש, לא נפרש אלא מה שצריך לפירוש,

ובשיעור שיובן לבד.

For all our writings are clear and clean. We do not plan to increase the physical size of the books nor waste time on things that will not bring any benefit. Therefore when we explain something, we will only explain what is necessary as explanation and only enough for it to be understood.

Olam Haba - the Coming Existence.

After lowering our expectations in his preamble and dissuading us from any hope that he will offer any great innovative explanation of Techyat Hametim, Rambam now addresses the issue. He differentiates between Olam Haba (hereafter OH) and Techyat Hametim (hereafter TH) – Resurrection of the Dead. OH is a natural outcome of a person’s development. As the person gains knowledge of HKBH and an understanding of His creations, something happens to that person’s mind and at death, when the bodily needs no longer exist, there is an integration of the knowledge and understanding one has attained during a lifetime with the Sechel Hapoel – the Active Intellect. This is the most mystical part of Rambam’s philosophy and is one of the underlying arguments of professor Blumenthal, who I have discussed in the past (see the labels), for rational mysticism. As I discussed many times, Rambam looks at the physical world as composed of matter and Form. I visualize it in my mind as Form being the science behind a thing, the concept that gives matter its physical attributes. The science that brought that thing into existence was there before it existed. That science when looked at it in the macro, the science that is responsible for the whole of physical existence, is how I understand the idea of the Active Intellect. God being the First Cause, the Active Intellect would be the closest thing to the transcendental God, the immediate source thereof. In a metaphorical sense, one could say it is the mind of God. As our minds grasp knowledge, it becomes absorbed and integrated with the Active Intellect, with the “mind of God” so to say.

OH is a concept that we can understand inductively but it cannot be grasped by our minds bound by physicality. As Rambam in Hilchot Teshuvah (8:11-13) explains it, (excerpts – not the full text),

יא הטובה הגדולה שתהיה בה הנפש בעולם הבא, אין שם דרך בעולם הזה

להשיגה ולידע אותה, שאין אנו יודעין בעולם הזה אלא טובת הגוף, ולה אנו

מתאווין;

אבל אותה הטובה גדולה עד מאוד, ואין לה ערך בטובות של עולם הזה

אלא דרך משל

There is no possibility, in this existence [traditionally: world but see below], to apprehend and know the great good that the mind [traditionally: soul but see below] will experience in the coming existence. For in our current existence we know only physical good and we strive for it. However, that good [the OH one] is very great and can only be compared allegorically to the current existences’ good.

(I have chosen to translate the word “Olam” as “existence” rather than the traditional “world”. I base it on the last Halacha quoted below. I have also chosen to translate “nefesh” as “mind” rather than “soul” based on the opening statement in Shemona Perakim –

דע, שנפש האדם אחת, ויש לה פעולות רבות, חלוקות, יקראו קצת הפעולות ההן, "נפשות"

Although I realize that it is a translation from the Arabic, I believe it to be how Rambam understands nefesh as opposed to Neshamah. But this is a subject for another day.)

כבר הודיעונו חכמים הראשונים שטובת העולם הבא אין כוח באדם

להשיגה על בורייה, ואין יודע גודלה ויופייה ועוצמה אלא הקדוש ברוך הוא לבדו

The early sages have already informed us that the good of the coming existence cannot be thoroughly apprehended by man. Only HKBH alone knows its greatness, beauty and awesomeness.

(Note the addition of על בורייה “thoroughly” apprehended in this context. Apparently as we grow in apprehension by studying the ideas of the early sages, we can get a sense of OH though not a real understanding.)

אבל טובת חיי העולם הבא, אין לה ערך ודמיון, ולא דימוה

הנביאים, כדי שלא יפחתו אותה בדמיון. הוא שישעיהו אומר "עין לא ראתה,

אלוהים זולתך--יעשה, למחכה לו

כלומר הטובה שלא ראתה אותה עין נביא, אלא עשה אותה האלוהים לאדם שמחכה

אמרו חכמים, כל הנביאים כולן לא נתנבאו אלא לימות המשיח, אבל העולם

הבא,עין לא ראתה, אלוהים זולתך

But the good [we experience] while living in the coming existence, cannot be valued or imagined. The prophets have not [described it] metaphorically [literally: imaginatively] so as to not lessen it in our imagination. That is Yeshayahu (64:3) saying “no eye has seen it besides God. It was made for those who wait for it.” Namely, the good that the eyes of a prophet have never seen, God has made for the person that waits for it. The sages said, all the prophets prophesized regarding the days of Mashiach, but the coming existence has not been seen by any eye except for God.

זה שקראו אותו חכמים העולם הבא, לא מפני שאינו מצוי עתה וזה העולם אובד

ואחר כך יבוא אותו העולם. אין הדבר כן, אלא הרי הוא מצוי ועומד, שנאמר "

מה רב טובך, אשר צפנת ליראיך" (תהילים לא,כ).

ולא קראוהו העולם הבא, אלא מפני שאותן החיים באין לו לאדם אחר חיי העולם

הזה, שאנו קיימין בו בגוף ונפש, וזה הוא הנמצא לכל אדם בראשונה.

The reason the sages refer to it as the “coming” existence is not because it does not exist now and it will come after our current world is destroyed. That is not so. It exists and stands now as it says in Tehilim (31:20) “how great is the good You have hidden for those who fear You!” They called it “coming” existence, because a person does not experience that life only after the life in this existence, which is composed of body and mind. A person has that too at first.

Clearly, OH is not a physical experience. To the contrary, it is only experienced once a person abandons physical existence.

My problem with this understanding of OH is the issue of individuation. If OH means becoming one with the universal Active Intellect, how is one person’s OH different from another’s’? But as it has been my experience with these issues, with time and thought, coming back to the problem repeatedly, eventually an insight moves me closer to a new understanding.

Be it as it may, OH as described above is a kind of ecstatic and transcendental experience that is eternal because it is not bound by matter and physicality thus the idea of time does not apply. On the other hand, Techyat Hametim, the Resurrection of the Dead, is a physical event. It is the idea that people who died somehow come back to life, to a physical existence that is also time bound. Rambam categorizes it as a miraculous event and does not necessarily see it as a reward for good deeds. I will address this and the concept of miracles in my next post.

Teaching the Masses - Was Rambam an Elitist?

I left off my last post with Rambam’s statement that in the Treatise on Resurrection he is not adding anything to what he already wrote on the subject because he intends it to be understood by the unsophisticated masses. At first blush, it would seem to be an elitist approach where the “masses” are discriminated against. As we will see this is far from the truth.

The word “knowledge” is not easy to define and is still a matter of discussion by philosophers. For our purpose, I will define it as the totality of information that a human can (theoretically) garner about existence. At a basic level, it is a practical quest for understanding. A person wants to know about his environment so that he can use it for his own, or for his specie’s survival. But there is a deeper need to satisfy a curiosity about everything that is out there and how it works, what made it come into existence and to what end. That curiosity has to be fostered and developed. It does not come naturally to most of us. Left to ourselves most of us would give the whole issue only passing attention. It is however an extremely important subject and is at the core of human existence. In Judaism’s view of the world, humanity has a role to play in the continuity of the whole of existence and it is up to humankind to discover that role and act on it at appropriate times. Discovering what that role is can only be accomplished if we question the reasons for our existence, how we came about and where all this is going. It also has to be a communal effort. The task is so daunting that a single individual alone in his short lifetime can never accomplish it. It is therefore crucial that as many human beings as possible during endless generations are made cognizant of this responsibility and are recruited to this great endeavor. That is the goal of Torah. It is supposed to teach us from childhood to focus on this quest. Although all human beings have to some degree the ability to embark on this quest, it is part of man’s nature that he has free will. For reasons known only to HKBH He wanted us to have that freedom, an apparently necessary trait for the fulfillment of our role and part in existence. Free will demands that we choose to pursue our destiny responsibly. Choice means we do not have to and our other natural tendencies drive us to focus on ourselves ignoring the existential questions that confront us. The Torah’s goal is to trigger us into thinking, questioning and searching for answers. How does it go about it?

One among much method is through the Mitzvah of Kryat Shema. The Halacha requires us to declare twice daily that God is unique – Hashem Echad. The saying of Shema is the first thing taught a Jewish child as soon as he acquires the ability to talk and is the last thing a person says at the time of death. It is so important that it is the only daily Torah obligation. There is no other Mitzvah that is a Torah mandated (as opposed to Rabbinic) daily obligation. When the child asks what the word unique in Shema means, he is told much more than just that God is unique.

“For in the same way as all people must be informed and even children must be trained in the belief that God is One, and that none besides Him is to be worshipped, so must all be taught by simple authority that God is incorporeal. There is no similarity in any way whatsoever between Him and His creatures. His existence is not like the existence of His creatures, His life not like that of any living being, His wisdom not like the wisdom of the wisest of men. The difference between Him and His creatures is not merely quantitative, but absolute [as between two individuals of two different classes]. I mean to say that all must understand that our wisdom and His or our power and His do not differ quantitatively or qualitatively, or in a similar manner. For two things, of which the one is strong and the other weak, are necessarily similar, belong to the same class, and can be included in one definition. The same is the case with any other comparisons: they can only be made between two things belonging to the same class, as has been shown in works on Natural Science. Anything predicated of God is totally different from our attributes; no definition can comprehend both; therefore His existence and that of any other being totally differ from each other, and the term existence is applied to both as homonyms, as I shall explain.” (MN1:35)

Of course, Rambam is describing a long process of education where a child is taught the basic ideas and slowly progresses as he matures to a more advanced understanding. However all this is taught “by simple authority” without any logical proof or argument. When the maturing child confronts the new texts he is now learning, the contrast and apparent contradiction with this teaching about God’s uniqueness and the text itself, triggers a series of questions. That forces those that are more intelligent and have the mental capacity to think, venturing farther afield and thus deal with the existential questions.

“That God is incorporeal, that He cannot be compared with His creatures, that He is not subject to external influence; these are things which must be explained to every one according to his capacity. They must be taught by way of tradition to children and women, to the stupid and ignorant, as they are taught that God is One, that He is eternal, and that He alone is to be worshipped. Without incorporeality, there is no unity, for a corporeal thing is in the first case not simple, but composed of matter and form which are two separate things by definition, and secondly, as it has extension it is also divisible. Persons having received this doctrine, having been trained in this belief are in consequence at a loss to reconcile it with the writings of the Prophets. The meaning of the latter must be made clear and explained to them by pointing out the homonymity and the figurative application of certain terms discussed in this part of the work. Their belief in the unity of God and in the words of the Prophets will then be a true and perfect belief.” (MN 1:35)

Rambam’s Torah does not suffer of an inferiority complex. On the contrary, it challenges man to question and search for Truth. When man understands rationally the meaning of uniqueness (unity) as applied to God, the idea of transcendence, omniscience, omnipotence etc… and his own place and status in that context, he truly understands the words of the prophets. The prophets teach man about his responsibility and need to discover his role in existence. The prophets teach that man has to try to understand God, His deeds and emulate Him in creation. The Torah defines this goal of humankind in the story of creation.

כו וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים, נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם

בְּצַלְמֵנוּ כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ; וְיִרְדּוּ בִדְגַת הַיָּם וּבְעוֹף

הַשָּׁמַיִם, וּבַבְּהֵמָה וּבְכָל-הָאָרֶץ, וּבְכָל-הָרֶמֶשׂ, הָרֹמֵשׂ

עַל-הָאָרֶץ.

26 And God said: 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.'

The prophets continue this teaching and apply it to practical day-to-day behavior.

Of course, Torah is not one-dimensional. Shema is only one Mitzvah among many. There are many more Mitzvot that permeate our daily life and force us to constantly confront the question of why we are doing them. The search for an answer invariably leads us back to thinking about God, the lawgiver who is also the Creator and First Cause. Thus, all Mitzvot have the same goals – turn us into thoughtful human beings in search of God and our role in His universe.

Rambam believes that when the Torah and that includes the Prophets and the rabbis of the Mishna and Talmud, teach theology through direct edicts or through stories and metaphors, they use a multi-level language. It is a language that can be understood by the beginner child as well as by the sophisticated philosopher. They both will have an understanding that will trigger further thought at their respective level of apprehension. It is this dialectic between the written text and the “simple authority” at first and the logical understanding and conviction as the person progresses, that induces the person to question it and promotes thoughtfulness. When Rambam is telling us that he is not adding anything more than he has said in the past on the subject so that the masses understand him, he is emulating the way he understands Torah teaches. He will repeat and elaborate on what he has already said, without revealing more, expecting the reader according to his level, to question further and find the answer. He sees the masses, the women and children as he many times refers to them, as the beginners where each has the ability, if properly directed, to gather a deeper understanding of life and their role in it. They thus can contribute to the great mission of humanity; to know God and His ways and emulate Him doing good which is synonymous to promoting continuity of existence in Rambam’s parlance, as we have discussed many times.

I have digressed a little from my discussion of the verse in Devarim 6:19 and I will do so a little more in my next post to discuss Rambam’s presentation on Techyat Hametim and touch a little on the issue of miracles. Please indulge my wandering thoughts.

Those who "Think They Are Sages of Israel, While in Reality They Are the Greatest Fools Among Men".

Rambam wrote the Ma’amar Techyat Hametim – Treatise regarding Resurrection of the Dead – in the latter years of his life, in response to criticism of his treatment of the issue in Mishne Torah. He writes with an underlying tone of frustration and annoyance directed at the more learned of his audience who do not seem to get it. He introduces the treatise by explaining that he felt the need to write about philosophical issues in his Halachik compositions (Chiburim). Here are his words in the Hebrew translation followed by my English paraphrase/translation. (The English will be based on the Sheilat edition while I cut and pasted the Ibn Tibon one which explains the slight differences).

וכאשר נחלצנו לזה, ראינו שאינו מן הדין לדון למה שנרצה, רצוני לומר לבאר

ולקרב סעיפי הדת ולהניח שורשיו נעזבים שלא אבארם ולא אישיר אמיתותם. וכל

שכן שכבר פגשנו אדם שהיה נחשב שהיה מחכמי ישראל, וחי השם יודע היה דרך משא

ומתן במלחמתה של תורה לפי מחשבתו מנעוריו, והוא היה מסופק אם השם גשם, בעל

עין יד ורגל בני מעיים, כמו שבא בפסוקים, או אינו גוף. אמנם אחרים שפגשתי

מאנשי קצת ארצות, פסקו לגמרי שהוא גוף, והחזיקו לכופר מי שהיה מאמין

חילופו, וקראוהו מין ואפיקורוס. והבינו דרשות רבות על פשוטיהן. וכיוצא בזה

שמעתי על קצת אנשים שלא ראיתי.

וכאשר ידעתי באלו האובדים לגמרי שהם מוקצים, וחושבים שהם חכמי ישראל,

והם הם הסכלים שבבני אדם ויותר תועי דרך מהבהמה. וכבר נתמלא מוחם

משיגעונות הנשים הזקנות, ודמיונם הנפסדות כעיוורים וכנשים, ראינו שצריך

לנו לבאר בחיבורינו התלמודיים עיקרים תוריים על צד הסיפור לא על צד הביא

ראיה. כי הבאת הראיה על השורשים ההם צריך למהירות בחכמות רבות, לא ידעו

התלמודיים דבר מהם, כמו שבארנו במורה הנבוכים.

ובחרנו להיות האמיתות

מקובלות אצל ההמון לפחות

As we got ready to do this, [write Halachik books] we realized that it is not proper and will not fulfill our goal if we were to organize and gather the branches of the religion while ignoring the principles [literally – roots], leaving them unexplained and incorrect. This became more so when we met a person considered to be one of the sages of Yisrael, who I swear knew the arguments of the Law, according to his understanding of them, but was unsure whether God is corporeal, having eyes, hands, feet and intestines as is the plain reading in the verses or not. Furthermore, I met others from several countries who decided that God is corporeal and anyone that denies it is a Kofer labeling him a Min and Apikores. They read the Aggadot in Massechet Berachot literally. I heard similar things about others I have not met. These are complete losers [Rambam means this literally. Their soul is lost] who mature thinking they are sages of Israel, while in reality they are the greatest fools among men, misdirected worse than animals, their heads filled with oldwife tales and mistaken imaginings of children and women. We therefore felt that there is a need to include in our Talmudic compositions, theological principles of Torah in a decision format without proofs. For to bring proofs regarding these principles [and understanding them], requires familiarity with many different types of knowledge that Talmudic scholars know nothing about, as we explained in the Moreh Hanevuchim. We therefore chose to [at least make sure] that these truths be known [and accepted] to the masses.

This is a fascinating preamble. Rambam sees the Talmudic scholars, the supposed sages, as being responsible for hindering the masses from accepting basic principles. He certainly talks plainly seeing them as less worthy than animals! Rambam comes to the rescue of the masses by including these principles in a format that can be understood by all, within the corpus of Law that he has prepared. That work will be used by all and therefore all will know the Truth. The scholars who think they know their own truth may ignore and disagree but will no longer keep it from the masses! Rambam foresaw the future. It was the Talmudic scholars of his and the following generation(s), who tried to eradicate Rambam’s work by having it burned. It is the masses led by the real sages, those that understood Rambam that saved it.

Rambam then continues to list some of the theological principles that he inserted in his Halachik compositions in a decision format without elaborating the underlying proofs so that –

וזכרנו בו ג"כ כל העניינים עיקרים התוריים והתלמודיים, וכיוננו בזה שיהיו

אלה הנקראים תלמידי חכמים, או חכמים, או גאונים, או כמו שתקראם, בונים את

סעיפיהם על שרשים תלמודיים, ותהיה תורתם סדורה על פיהם, ותלמודם במסילה

עולה

וכל זה נבנה על עיקרים תוריים, ולא ישליכו ידיעת השם אחרי גוום, אבל

ישימו השתדלותם הגדול וזריזותם על מה שישלימם ויקרבם אצל בוראם, לא על מה

שיביא בהם השלמות אצל ההמון

We also mentioned all the principles found in the Torah and Talmud. Our purpose was so that those that are called Talmidei Chachamim, Chachamim or Geonim or whatever other name title they may have, should build their branches on Talmudic principles. That way their Torah will be organized and their learning will be set on the correct path. Having built all this on Torah principles, they will not leave the knowledge of God behind their back, but will put their efforts on matters that will perfect them and bring them close to their Creator and not to things that will make them look good to the masses.

The underlying theme here is that those learning Torah without knowing the fundamental theological principles are like the Emperor wearing imaginary clothes. The masses respect them for their great erudition while they in reality are empty shells. (Rav Sheilat in his notes contends that when Rambam uses the words Talmudic he is referring also to Halachik principles. I think he has a point. However, I would add, that as anyone who has analyzed Rambam’s Halachik works knows, the underlying Halachik and theological/philosophic principles of any Halacha are one. They are interdependent and entwined.)

Rambam then retells all the letters and criticisms he received on the subject of his treatment of Techyat Hametim after the publication of the Mishne Torah (MT) and his various responses. Before Rambam deals with the meat of this treatise, he makes a very important statement –

ומהנה אתחיל בזיכרון זה המאמר: דע אתה המעיין שכונתנו בזה המאמר היא לבאר

מה שנאמינהו בזאת הפינה אשר נפלו בו דברים בין התלמידים, והיא תחיית

המתים. ואין בזה המאמר דבר נוסף כולל על כל מה שאמרנוהו בפירוש המשנה

והחבור, אבל יש בו כפל עניינים והארכה המונית ותוספת ביאור יבינוהו הנשים

והסכלים לא זולת זה

I will now begin this treatise. Know that our goal in this treatise is to clarify our belief in this cornerstone that is the subject of discussion among the students namely Techyat Hametim [Resurrection of the Dead]. There will be nothing in the treatise that we have not already said in the Pirush Hamishna and the composition (MT). The Treatise contains repetitions, expansion for the masses and additional clarifications so that it can be understood by women and the fools, nothing more.

This statement is extremely important in understanding the Treatise, so important that Rambam repeats it several times at key points, making sure that we keep this in mind. In my next post I will define exactly how Rambam defines what the masses must know and how theological matters have to be presented to them.

Mila (Circumcision), Authority and the Historical Record.

In Rav Shailat’s edition of Rambam’s letters, (page 410) there is a letter to a simple Baghdad Jew, not a scholar. I already posted about a touching comment Rambam makes to this simple Jew http://yediah.blogspot.com/2007/04/was-rambam-elitist.html . Here is another part of this letter that opens up quite a vista about how Rambam viewed Torah and Mitzvot. The particular subject the letter deals with in this segment is repeated in Rambam’s Pirush Hamishna Chulin 7:6. Here is a translation/paraphrase as usual.

“You mentioned too, that people took exception with our statement that Mila (circumcision) was commanded by Moshe Rabbeinu and not our father Avraham. They argued that [I must be wrong] as the 13 covenants were made with Avraham. Whoever said this says a foolish thing and proves that he knows nothing about the foundations of the Law, while our statement is correct without a doubt. For among the 613 Mitzvot given to Moshe at Sinai, Mila and Gid Hanashe [the sciatic nerve which was forbidden based on the story of the fight between Yaakov and the angel] are included. It is as the Rabbis taught [in the Mishna Chulin 7:6], it was written in its place [as part of the story told in Chumash] but we follow the rule because it was given at Sinai that confirmed to us the prohibition of Gid Hanashe and [the mitzvah] of Mila which preceded it. As far as the 13 covenants mentioned at Mila [that apparently was the basis of the contention], it behooves to ask these blind people who are trying to compete with seeing men, the following question. Were those verses about the 13 covenants told to Avraham, written down and published by him and then Moshe Rabbeinu copied these verses and inserted them into the Torah as plagiarists do with the writings of others, or rather, the verses mentioned in the Torah were written by Moshe as he heard them from God? For anyone who does not believe that these verses including the whole Torah was told to Moshe from the mouth of God [literally – Hagevurah - the Power] is considered among those who claim the Torah is not from Heaven. How else would we know, and how did Moshe Rabbeinu know, what was told to Avraham when he was commanded to do Mila? We know it from Moshe at Sinai! Therefore, the source of this Mitzvah and its command is from Moshe Rabbeinu as are the 13 covenants, as told to him by God. This is obvious and is obscure only to one who has not learned the foundations of the law, wasting his days with the branches. There is no difference within parts of our Torah; the Torah commanded to us by Moshe, all of it comes from Moshe and Hashem. Everything that is in it that was given to an earlier person, such as the seven Mitzvot to Noach and Mila to Avraham we do not accept it because its earlier transmission but only because of the last command that was given to us, the community of Yaakov.”

Rambam offers a similar argument in his Pirush Hamishna on Chulin 7:6. Basically, the obligation that we have in keeping the Mitzvah of Mila stems from Sinai and not from the earlier command to Avraham. The same goes for the seven Noachide laws and Gid Hanashe, the obligation stems from Sinai and not the earlier revelation. The basis for this position is the Mishna in Chulin that sets this out regarding Gid Hanashe and Rambam extrapolates to all other similar Mitzvot. The theology underlying this is the uniqueness of Moshe’s prophecy and Rambam in MN 2:39 expands on it.

“There were prophets before Moses, as the patriarchs Shem, Ever, Noah, Methuselah, and Enoch, but of these none said to any portion of mankind that God sent him to them and commanded him to convey to them a certain message or to prohibit or to command a certain thing. Such a thing is not related in Scripture, or in authentic tradition. … Men like Abraham, who received a large measure of prophetic inspiration, called their fellow men together and led them by training and instruction to the truth which they had perceived. … Abraham did not tell the people that God had sent him to them with the command concerning certain things which should or should not be done. Even when it was commanded that he, his sons, and his servants should be circumcised, he fulfilled that commandment, but he did not address his fellow men prophetically on this subject.”

I would also like to touch on two other rather revealing statements in this letter. When Rambam argues “Were those verses about the 13 covenants told to Avraham, written down and published by him and then Moshe Rabbeinu copied these verses and inserted them into the Torah as plagiarists do with the writings of others?” he rejects any possibility of a documentary basis for torah. IOW, according to him, he would have considered plagiarism were the Torah to quote an earlier source and not refer to it as such. Absent a clear reference[1], we must assume that the source was revelatory only. It does not negate the possibility of a written record by Avraham; it just does not accept it as a source. When Rambam asks “How else would we know, and how did Moshe Rabbeinu know, what was told to Avraham when he was commanded to do Mila?” he is saying that the Torah is telling the story its way and from its perspective. The historical record is much less important than the interpretation thereof.

The other comment I find fascinating is “This is obvious and is obscure only to one who has not learned the foundations of the law, wasting his days with the branches.” Rambam sees the Torah as a tree with roots, a trunk and branches. The roots contain the basic theology and the trunk is the corpus of philosophy and laws that grow out of those roots. How to perform the Mitzvot in detail are the branches. Focusing on the branches alone is like seeing the trees without the forest. (I know, at least I think I know, Rambam uses this metaphor “Shoresh and Anaf” in a similar context elsewhere. I, for the life of me, cannot think where. I could use some help.)

---

[1] יד עַל-כֵּן, יֵאָמַר, בְּסֵפֶר, מִלְחֲמֹת יְהוָה: אֶת-וָהֵב בְּסוּפָה, וְאֶת-הַנְּחָלִים אַרְנוֹן. 14 wherefore it is said in the book of the Wars of the LORD: Vaheb in Suphah, and the valleys of Arnon, (Bamidbar 21:14)

Rambam Responds to Criticism On Mishne Torah.

After last post I am entitled to some lighter fare for a while so here goes an interesting comment Rambam makes in one of his letters. The letter is in the Sheilat edition page 300. Rambam writes to his pupil R. Yosef who apparently was reporting about disparaging remarks made by Rambam’s opponents in Aleppo.

Here it is in my usual translation/paraphrase:

… I knew and it was clear to me when I was writing [Mishne Torah] that it will fall, without doubt, into the hands of a jealous and evil person who will denigrate its merits by showing that it [the book] is unnecessary or deficient. Or [fall into the hands of] an ignorant or a fool, who will not appreciate the value of what was accomplished in writing it and will see little usefulness in it. Or [fall] into the hands of a novice, who just began learning, has nonsensical notions, errs and finds difficulties in various places because he does not know the sources or because he is unable to extract from the text what I was able. Or [fall] into the hands of a person who sees himself as fearing Heaven [Yerei Shamayim], who is entrenched [literally: frozen in his own residue], a fool, who will criticize the foundations of belief that are included in the book. All of the above comprise the majority. [Rambam clearly is referring to the supposed Talmidei Chachamim, the elite and not the plain people]. Thus the book will be of value [literally: fall] [in the hands] of the remnants that God calls upon, people who are straight, correct and have good minds; they will know what we have done. You are the first of that group and should you have been the only one during my lifetime it would have satisfied me. How much more [am I delighted] having already received letters from the French wise men and from others in their name, expressing their wonderment about what was done and are asking for the book in its totality. [Apparently, the MT was published in segments and many had only parts of it at the early stages. See Sheilat comment ad locum]. The book has already spread to the ends of civilization. Regarding your report that there are some people who have not received it well, that is so only during my lifetime. In future times, when jealousy and power seeking are no longer a factor, all the children of Israel will be satisfied using only it [Mishne Torah] and abandon all others [Sefarim] without a question. They [the other Sefarim] will be used only by someone who is looking for something to occupy himself during a lifetime without any goal.

I wonder to which Sefarim he was referring to in the last sentence? Apparently, Rambam took very seriously his statement in the introduction to MT where he categorically says that there will no longer be any need to learn the Gemara before reading the MT. In another letter, he mentions that when there are doubts about the meaning of his ruling, the Gemara should be consulted. Apparently, he proposed that Gemara should be learned as an adjunct to his MT.

See also this post http://yediah.blogspot.com/2007/01/pilpul-and-chumrot-are-they-meaningful.html for an additional insight into Rambam’s understanding of what learning is all about.

Love the proselyte - A lesson in human relations and love.

Finishing the various responsa Rambam wrote to R. Ovadyah the Proselyte, here is the last piece which I find the most touching and pertinent from a human relation point of view. R. Ovadyah told Rambam that when he asked his Rebbe a question about whether Muslims were idolaters and whether the wine they touched, though forbidden to drink, may be traded, his Rebbe insulted him and told him that of course they are idolaters. Don’t they worship Mohammed by throwing stones in Mecca? Isn’t that the Avodah Zara referred to in the Gemara in AZ that one may not worship Markolis? Rambam answers in a lengthy discussion explaining that though it seems to be a similar act, the Muslims do this as a sign of respect rather than worship. I will skip that part and leave it to those who want to work through this Halacha in Hil. Ma’achalot Assurot chapter 11. I want to concentrate on Rambam’s response regarding the insults by R. Ovadyah’s Rebbi.


ואשר השיבך רבך שלא כהוגן והעציבך והכלימך וקראך כסיל עבירה גדולה בידו וחטא גדול חטא וקרוב בעיני ששוגג הוא וראוי לו לבקש ממך מחילה, אע"פ שאתה תלמידו ואחר כך יצום ויזעק ויתפלל ויכנע אולי יתכפר לו וימחול לו האל יתעלה, וכי שכור היה זה [ולא ידע] שבשלשים וששה מקומות +ב"מ נ"ט ב', ועי' בהקדמת ס' המצות שורש ט'+ הזהירה תורה על הגר ואיה דבר וגר לא תונה +[- שמות כ"ב כ',] עי' ה' סנהדרין פ"כ הי"ב וה' מכירה פי"ד הט"ו+ והיא אונאת דברים. אילו אמר הוא האמת והיית אתה התועה היה לו להסביר לך פנים ולדבר לך רכות כל שכן שאמרת האמת והוא התועה ועוד שזה דורש אחר הישמעאלים אם הם עובדי ע"ז אם לאו היה לו לחוש לעצמו על הכעס שכעס עד שהכלים גר צדק שלא כדין וכבר אמרו רז"ל +שבת ק"ה ב', ועי' נדרים כ"ב ב', [1]כל הכועס יהיה בעיניך כעובד ע"ז. דע שחובה שחייבתנו התורה על הגרים גדולה היא. על האב ועל האם נצטוינו בכבוד ומורא ועל הנביאים לשמוע להם ואפשר שיכבד אדם ויירא וישמע ממי שאינו אוהבו, ועל הגרים צונו +עי' ס' המצות מ"ע סי' ר"ז וה' דעות פ"ו ה"ד+ באהבה רבה המסורה ללב ואהבתם את הגר וגו' כמו שצונו לאהוב את שמו ואהבת את ה' אלהיך. והקב"ה בכבודו אוהב גר, שנ' ואוהב גר לתת לו לחם ושמלה. וזה שקרא לך כסיל תמה גדול הוא, אדם שהניח אביו ומולדתו ומלכות עמו וידם הנטויה והבין בעין לבו ובא ונדבק באומה זו שהיא היום למתעב גוי עבד מושלים והכיר וידע שדתם דת אמת וצדק והבין דרכי ישראל וידע שכל הדתות גנובות מדתם זה מוסיף וזה גורע זה משנה וזה מכזב ומחפה על ה' דברים אשר לא כן זה הורס יסודות וזה מדבר תהפוכות והכיר הכל ורדף אחר ה' ועבר בדרך הקדש ונכנס תחת כנפי השכינה ונתאבק בעפר רגלי משה רבינו רבן של כל הנביאים ע"ה וחפץ במצותיו ונשאו לבו לקרבה לאור באור החיים ולהעלות במעלת המלאכים ולשמוח ולהתענג בשמחת הצדיקים והשליך העולם הזה מלבו ולא פנה אל רהבים ושטי כזב, מי שזו מעלתו כסיל יקרא. חלילה לך לא כסיל קרא ה' שמך אלא משכיל ומבין ופקח והולך נכוחות תלמידו של אברהם אבינו שהניח אבותיו ומולדתו ונטה אחרי ה' ומי שברך את אברהם רבך ונתן לו שכרו בעולם הזה ולעולם הבא הוא יברך אותך ויתן לך שכרך כראוי בעולם הזה ולעולם הבא ויאריך ימיך עד שתורה במשפטי ה' לכל עדתו ויזכה אותך לראות בכל הנחמות העתידות לישראל והיה הטוב ההוא אשר ייטיב ה' עמנו והטבנו לך כי ה' דבר טוב על ישראל. משה ב"ר מימון זצ"ל.

Paraphrase/Translation as is my custom:

Regarding your Rebbi answering you improperly, saddening and shaming you, calling you a fool, he sinned greatly! I am almost positive that he did this inadvertently and he should apologize to you even though you are his pupil. He should then fast, cry out, pray and humble himself and maybe God will forgive him. Was he drunk and did not remember that the Torah warned 36 times that a proselyte must be treated properly? Where is the prohibition to insult a proselyte? Had he been correct and you wrong he still would have been commanded to treat you respectfully and speak softly to you, how much more when he is wrong and you are right! Furthermore, while this person is questioning whether Muslims are idolaters he forgets to worry about his anger that went so far as to insult a proselyte incorrectly! Did not the rabbis say, one who gets angry should be looked upon as if he worshiped idols?

Know that the obligation the Torah put on us regarding proselytes is very great. We were commanded to respect and fear our mother and father, we were commanded to hearken to prophets. One can respect, fear and hearken to, someone that one does not love. However, we were commanded to love proselytes. Love has to be heartfelt and genuine! We were commanded to love a proselyte just as we were commanded to love God! God Himself loves proselytes as it says, “He loves a proselyte giving him bread and clothing”.

How could he call you a fool? A person who leaves his parents, his birthplace, his nation that is dominant, understands with clarity [the truth] and joins this nation that is nowadays despised, a slave to masters and all this because he realized that their [Israel} law is true and just? He understood the way of Israel, saw that all the other religions are copies of it, one adding and one subtracting, one making changes another denying and accusing [literally: covering up] God of things that are not so, one destroys fundamentals while the other talks nonsense [literally: overturned things]! This man recognized all this and ran after God, went in the holy path, entered under the wings of the Shechinah, covered himself with the dust of Moshe Rabbeinu’s feet, the father of all prophets, desired his commandments and decided to partake in the Eternal light [literally: light of life]. He wants to elevate himself to the level of angels, rejoice and enjoy the happiness of the righteous, throwing away worldly pleasures and turning away from false hopes. Can one call such a person a fool? God forbid, you are not a fool but a thinker, a smart and knowledgeable person who follows the straight paths of Avraham Avinu who also abandoned his parents and birthplace to follow God. The One who blessed Avraham our father rewarding him in this world and the world to come, will bless you and give your reward in both worlds. He will lengthen your days until you teach God’s laws to His community and make you partake in all the good things that will befall us – Moshe the son of Rav Maimon ZL.

It is interesting to note that Rambam predicts that this R. Ovadyah will eventually teach God’s laws to the Jews from birth. Not only is he part of the community but also has the potential to lead it. But what always inspires me when I read this is the idea that there is a commandment to love a proselyte just like there is one to love God. If we are to take this literally, Rambam told us many times that loving God means knowing Him, loving a proselyte means therefore also getting to know him. It is necessary to understand what impelled him to decide to join us, what did he see that impelled him to give everything up for the service of God. We may be jaded but looking through his eyes, we can renew our understanding and commitment to HKBH.



[1] הוספת א"ן: ליתא שם, כידוע, ועיין פירוש המשניות לר"מ אבות פ"ב ובהלכות דעות פ"ב ה"ג ועיין שם בהגהות בני בנימין לרא"ד רבינאוויטץ ובהערה שם וכבר ציין בקובץ הפסגה שנה א עמוד ע' כמה מקומות בזוהר וזוהר חדש ותיקונים שנמצא שם מאמר זה, ועיין אף הגהות הגר"ח העליר בספר המצות שהוציא עמוד נ' הערה ה'+

Everything is in the hands of Heaven - Dealing with contradictions between reason (Torah) and the sayings of the Rabbis.

Continuing with my Translation /paraphrase /in Italics) and comments (in brackets) of Rambam’s responsa to R. Ovadyah the Proselyte:

שו"ת הרמב"ם סימן תלו

(לר' עובדיה גר צדק). שאלה על הכל בידי שמים חוץ מיראת שמים +ברכות ל"ג ב' וש"נ.+ תשובה על מה שאמרת אתה כי כל מעשה [בני] האדם אינם בגזירה מלפני הבורא יתעלה הוא האמת שאין בו דופי ולפיכך נותנים לו שכר אם הלך בדרך טובה ונפרעין ממנו אם הלך בדרך רעה וכל מעשה בני האדם בכלל יראת שמים הם וסוף כל דבר ודבר ממעשה בני האדם בא לידי מצוה או עבירה וזה שאמרו רז"ל הכל בידי שמים במנהגו של עולם ותולדותיו וטבעו כגון מיני אילנות וחיות ונפשות ומדעות וגלגלים ומלאכים הכל בידי שמים, וכבר הרחבנו בפי' מסכת אבות ענין זה והבאנו ראיות. וכן בתחלת החבור הגדול אשר חברנו בכל המצות. וכל המניח דברים שביארנו שהם בנויים על יסודי עולם והולך ומחפש בהגדה מן ההגדות או במדרש מן המדרשים או מדברי אחד הגאונים ז"ל עד שימצא מלה אחת ישיב בה על דברינו שהם דברי דעת ותבונה אינו אלא מאבד עצמו לדעת ודי לו מה שעשה בנפשו. וזה שאמ' לך רבך בת פלוני לפלוני וממון של פלוני לפלוני אם גזרה השוה בכל היא זאת והדברים כפשוטן. למה נאמ' בתורה פן ימות במלחמה ואיש אחר יקחנה ואיש אחר יחללנו. וכי יש בעולם בעל דעה יסתפק לו דבר זה אחר מה שכתוב בתורה. אלא כך ראוי למי שהוא מבין ולבו נכון לטול דרך האמת שישים ענין זה המפורש בתורה עיקר ויסוד שלא יהרוס בנין ויתד התקועה אשר לא תמוט וכשימצא פסוק מדברי הנביאים או דבר מדברי רז"ל חולק על עיקר זה וסותר ענין זה ידרוש ויבקש בעין לבו עד שיבין דברי הנביא או החכם אם יצאו דבריהם מכוונים בענין המפורש בתורה הרי מוטב ואם לאו יאמר דברי הנביא הזה או דברי חכם זה איני יודע אותם. ודברים שבגו הם ואינם על פשוטיהם. וזה שאמ' החכם בתו של פלוני לפלוני דרך שכר או דרך פורענות הוא זה. שאם זה האיש או זאת האשה עשו מצוה שראוי ליתן שכרה בהם זיווג יפה ומשובח הקב"ה מזווגן זה לזה. וכן אם ראוי ליפרע מהם בזיווג שיהיה בו קטטה ומלחמה תמיד מזוגן. וזה כענין שאמרו רז"ל +ירושלמי קדושין פ"ג הי"ד, בראשית רבה פ' ס"ה אות ב'+ אפילו ממזר אחד בסוף העולם וממזרת אחת בסוף העולם הקב"ה מביאן ומזווגן זה לזה ואין דבר זה השוה לכל אלא לאלו שנתחייבו או שזכו כמו שישר בעיני אלהים יתעלה. וכל אלו הדברים הם בנויים על מה שפירשנו בפירוש משנת אבות +שם, ועי' שמנה פרקים פ"ח+ כמו שהבנת. וחכם גדול אתה ולב מבין יש לך שהבנת הדברים וידעת דרך הישרה. וכתב משה ב"ר מימון זצ"ל

Regarding your question on the meaning of the Gemara Berachot 33b, which states that everything is in the hands of heaven except the fear of heaven [the classical understanding is that everything is out of our hands. That being the case where is our freedom of choice? See Rashi and compare to what follows.]

Your statement that all men’s deeds are not an edict from God is undeniably true. That is why man is rewarded for walking in the good paths and is punished for walking in evil paths. ALL that man does is included in fear of heaven. After all, EVERYTHING A MAN DOES LEADS TO EITHER A MITZVAH (good deed) OR AN AVEIRAH (a transgression). [Man’s actions are consequential and they will bring about either good or evil]. When the Rabbis say that everything is in the hands of Heaven they refer to natural events and species such as trees, animals, other sentient things[1], sciences[2], the spheres and angels. All are in the hands of Heaven as I have already explained at length with proofs in my Pirush Hamishna on Avot (4:22) and at the beginning of my opus (Hilchot De’ot) that I wrote on all the Mitzvot. ANYONE THAT IGNORES THE THINGS WE EXPLAINED THAT ARE BUILT ON FOUNDATIONS OF REALITY [literally foundations of the world or eternity] AND SEARCHES FOR A HAGGADIC, A MIDRASHIC STATEMENT OR OF ONE OF THE GEONIM UNTIL HE FINDS ONE WORD THAT CONTRADICTS OUR WORDS, WHICH ARE RATIONAL AND INTELLIGENT, IS COMMITTING SUICIDE AND WOE TO HIS SOUL!

Regarding your Rebbi’s quote you from the Gemara in Sotah 2a, which states “the daughter of x is to marry y” or “the money of x will go to y” [in other words things are preordained]. If one were to take these quotes literally why does the Torah say (Devarim 20:5) [a soldier may not go to war in his first year of marriage because] he may die in the war and another will take her [his wife]? [A soldier may not go to war if he owns a new vineyard] lest another man take it? How can a rational person question this after reading these verses? This is the true path for someone who has understanding and a straight mind: He must see the Torah as the root and unshakable foundation, as the strong and deeply embedded nail that cannot be uprooted. WHEN HE FINDS A VERSE IN THE NEVIIM OR A SAYING OF THE RABBIS THAT CONTRADICTS THIS [Torah] STATEMENT, HE SHOULD TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT EXACTLY THESE PROPHETS OR RABBIS HAD IN MIND. IF HE FINDS THAT THEY AGREE WITH THE CLEAR TORAH STATEMENT, FINE. HOWEVER IF NOT LET HIM SAY THE HE DOES NOT UNDERSTAND THE WORDS OF THIS PROPHET OR RABBI and there must be something else that he cannot grasp in those words. The quoted saying “the daughter of x is to marry y’ is talking about reward and punishment. If this man or woman acted in a way that deserves a good match, HKBH brings them together. On the other hand, if they deserve to live in perpetual fight and war, HKBH matches them. It is comparable to the Rabbi’s saying (Yerushalmi Kiddushin 3:14) that even a mamzer at the end of the world and a female mamzer at the other find each other as HKBH brings them together. It is dependent on the state of the person and what they deserve in the eyes of God. All these things are built on my Pirush on the Mishna of Avot (see above and Eight Chapters chapter 8) as you understood. You are a great scholar and possess a wise heart as you understood these things and found the straight path on your own.
So wrote Moshe the son of Rav Maimon ZTL.

The statement about how to treat apparent contradictions between rational thought (the Torah) and statements in prophets, Chazal and other respected Rabbis, is totally ignored nowadays. In fact, reason and reality are seen as Kefirah (blasphemy) while fantasy is supposedly divine. Rambam teaches us otherwise.

Postscript: Saying that HKBH brings couples together and the subject of reward and punishment in Rambam’s worldview is a fascinating discussion and I write about it in my upcoming Hakirah article on Divine Providence.


[1] See R. Shailat’s comment. All sentient things use their senses for survival which is natural and predictable. Man may choose to do so or to transcend that.
[2] Rambam saw knowledge as a corpus of information that is out there and that man taps into it through his brain. This is a long and interesting discussion.

Status of a Proselyte - A descendant of Avraham.

Some of the most touching letters of the Rambam are the ones he wrote to R. Ovadyah the Proselyte. The letters are printed in R. Shailat’s edition of the Rambam letters page 233 and in the Blau edition Responsa #s 293,436,448.


שו"ת הרמב"ם סימן רצג

שאלות ששאל ר' עובדיה גר צדק מרבינו משה זצ"ל ותשובותיו.

אמר משה ב"ר מימון מבני גלות ירושלם אשר בספרד זצ"ל. הגיע אלינו שאלות מרנא ורבנא עובדיה המשכיל המבין גר הצדק ישלם יי פעלו ותהי משכרתו שלימה מעם יי אלהי ישראל אשר בא לחסות תחת כנפיו. שאלת על עסקי הברכות והתפלות בינך לבין עצמך או אם תתפלל בצבור היש לך לומר אלהינו ואלהי אבותינו ואשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו ואשר הבדילנו ואשר בחר בנו ושהנחלת את אבותינו ושהוצאתנו מארץ מצרים ושעשה נסים לאבותינו וכל כיוצא באלה הענינים. יש לך לומר הכל כתקנם ואל תשנה דבר אלא כמו שיתפלל ויברך כל אזרח מישראל כך ראוי לך לברך ולהתפלל בין שהתפללת יחידי בין שהיית שליח צבור. ועיקר הדבר שאברהם אבינו הוא שלמד כל העם והשכילם והודיעם דת האמת וייחודו של הקב"ה ובעט בע"ז והפר עבודתה והכניס רבים תחת כנפי השכינה ולמדם והורם וצוה בניו ובני ביתו אחריו לשמור דרך ה' כמו שכתו' בתורה +בראשית י"ח י"ט+ כי ידעתיו למען אשר יצוה את בניו ואת ביתו אחריו ושמרו דרך ה' וגו'. לפיכך כל מי שיתגייר עד סוף כל הדורות וכל המיחד שמו של הקב"ה כמו שהוא כתוב בתורה תלמידו של אברהם אבינו ע"ה ובני ביתו הם כולם והוא החזיר אותם למוטב כשם שהחזיר את אנשי דורו בפיו ובלמודו כך החזיר כל העתידים להתגייר בצואתו שצוה את בניו ואת בני ביתו אחריו. נמצא אברהם אבינו ע"ה הוא אב לזרעו הכשרים ההולכים בדרכיו ואב לתלמידיו וכל גר שיתגייר. לפיכך יש לך לאמר אלהינו ואלהי אבותינו שאברהם ע"ה הוא אביך ויש לך לומר שהנחלת את אבותינו שלאברהם נתנה הארץ שנ' +בראשית י"ג י"ז, א"ן+ קום התהלך בארץ לארכה ולרחבה כי לך אתננה. אבל שהוצאתנו ממצרים או שעשית נסים לאבותינו אם רצית לשנות ולומר שהוצאת את ישראל ממצרים ושעשית נסים עם ישראל אמור. ואם לא שנית אין בכך הפסד כלום מאחר שנכנסת תחת כנפי השכינה ונלוית אליו אין כאן הפרש בינינו ובינך. וכל הנסים שנעשו כאלו לנו ולך נעשו. הרי הוא אומר בישעיה +ישעי' נ"ו ג'+ ואל יאמר בן הנכר הנלוה אל ה' לאמר הבדל הבדילני /יבדילני/ ה' מעל עמו וגו', אין שום הפרש כלל בינינו ובינך לכל דבר. ודאי יש לך לברך אשר בחר בנו ואשר נתן לנו ואשר הנחילנו ואשר הבדילנו. שכבר בחר בך הבורא יתעלה והבדילך מן האומות ונתן לך התורה שהתורה לנו ולגרים שנ' +במד' ט"ו ט"ו+ הקהל חוקה אחת לכם ולגר הגר חוקת עולם לדורותיכם ככם כגר יהיה לפני י"י. תורה אחת ומשפט אחד יהיה לכם ולגר הגר אתכם. ודע כי אבותינו שיצאו ממצרים רובם עובדי ע"ז היו במצרים נתערבו בגוים ולמדו מעשיהם עד ששלח הקב"ה משה רבינו ע"ה רבן של כל הנביאים והבדילנו מן העמים והכניסנו תחת כנפי השכינה לנו ולכל הגרים ושם לכולנו חוקה אחת. ואל יהא יחוסך קל בעיניך אם אנו מתיחסים לאברהם יצחק ויעקב אתה מתיחס למי שאמר והיה העולם. וכך מפורש בישעיה +ישעי' מ"ד ה'+ זה יאמר לי"י אני וזה יקרא בשם יעקב וגו'. וכל מה שאמרנו לך בענין הברכות שלא תשנה כבר ראיה לזה ממסכת בכורים
. הנה נתברר לך שיש לך לומר אשר נשבע י"י לאבותינו לתת לנו. ושאברהם אב לך ולנו ולכל הצדיקים ללכת בדרכיו והוא הדין לשאר הברכות והתפלות שלא תשנה כלום. וכתב משה ב"ר מימון זצ"ל

Paraphrase/Translation of some parts that I thought were very poignant. I have posted above the full responsa in Hebrew.

A list of [answers to] questions that R. Ovadyah Ger Tzeddek asked of Rabbeinu Moshe:

So says Moshe the son of Maimon, from among the exiles of Jerusalem in Spain:

We received the questions of our master and teacher Ovadyah, the one who knows and understands, the true proselyte, may God pay him for his deed and may he receive the full reward from Hashem the God of Israel under whose wings he came to shelter (as per Ruth 2:12).

When saying certain blessings and prayers, public or private, you asked if you could say Our God the God of “our” ancestors, who sanctified “us” in His Mitzvot and commanded “us”, who separated “us”, who chose “us”, who gave to “our” ancestors, who took “us” out of Egypt, who made miracles to “our” ancestors and other such similar statements. [The question is if he can refer to the ancestors as his, even though he does not descend from them, nor was he or his ancestors chosen etc…].

You say it exactly like every other Jew does and do not change anything.

You should say it exactly like every other Jew whether you are praying privately or acting as the Shaliach Tzibur. The reason is that Avraham taught the people the true Law, the unity of God and rebelled against idolatry by disrupting their [the gods] service. He also brought many under the wings of the Shechinah [HKBH] teaching and commanding his children and his household to follow in the ways of God as it says in Breishis 18:19… For this reason for all times, anyone that converts and who also recognizes the unique God as described in the Torah is considered a pupil of Avraham as are his household. For it is Avraham who brought them and all future proselytes back to God when he commanded his family and household [to follow in God’s ways] just like he brought back the people of his generation with his personal teachings. Avraham is therefore the father of all his righteous descendants who follow in his ways, as he is the father of his pupils and every proselyte.

[Rambam is saying that without Avraham there would be no Judaism and the knowledge of God. It is his inspiration and service of God that is the source of our theology.]

You should therefore say “our” God the God of “our fathers” as Avraham is your father and you can say, “the land you bequeathed “our forefathers” as he was given the land as it says in Breishit 13:17 Get up and walk the length and breadth of the land…

You should not look down upon your genealogy (Yichus) for if we are descended from Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov you can trace yourself to the One who said the world should come into existence… [A proselytes' father is HKBH!]

In summary, do not change anything in your prayers,

So wrote Moshe the son of Rav Maimon Z’L.

This Teshuvah is consistent with Rambam’s explanation of idolatry in the first chapter of Hilchot Avodah Zara where he describes Avraham as the one who was the catalyst that started Monotheism and is seen as responsible for where it developed with time.

What comes through is the love and admiration Rambam has for this Ger Tzeddek. I will be posting excerpts of two other letters to the same proselyte in the near future which are an inspiration as Rambam’s humanity and feelings come through loud and clear.