Kuzari I

The Khazar king dreams of an angel saying “Your intentions are desirable to G-d but not your deeds.”  The king wishes to know which deeds please G-d.  He invites a philosopher, Christian, Muslim and Rabbi. (1:1)

The philosopher teaches purity of heart and intellectual contemplation.  The king rejects philosophy because it does not answer his dream.  He already has good intentions but his deeds do not please G-d (1:2).  Philosophers are faulted for lacking miracles and prophecy (1:4).

Christianity and Islam are rejected because there is no tangible proof for the divinity of Jesus or the prophecy of Mohamed (1:4-5).

Prophecy is believable when a supernatural phenomenon, publicly witnessed, accompanies the prophet (1:8).  This is so for Judaism: yetzias mitzraim, matan Torah, miracles in the midbar etc. (1:9)

Human reason ultimately fails as philosophers are unable to agree on what is true (1:13).

When Moshe spoke to Paroh he said “G-d of the Hebrews sent me” and not “the Creator sent me.”  It was well known that G-d was with the Avos, but no one witnessed creation.  So too at Sinai G-d introduced Himself not as the Creator but as the One who took us out of mitzraim.(1:25).

Torah was given to Israel alone because we are the choicest of mankind (1:27).

There are different levels of existence: mineral, vegetable, animal and human.  (1:39) Above this level is Israel. They are capable of being angelic, as Moshe (1:41-43)

From Moshe the Jewish people had a chronology of all of human history (1:43).  This account is reliable; Moshe could not have fabricated major cvents to the public. (1:47-48).

Previously the Divine influence (inyan eloki ) rested only on certain individuals.  With Yaakov’s family it then rested on the entire Jewish nation (1:47).

No nation invents a new language to replace the old one.  There must have been one original language, from Adam, and only some event in history forced each nation to have a different language. (1:53-58).

All people agree on a seven day week and the decimal system, based on mesora from Adam (1:57-59).

The Greeks had no mesora of Divine wisdom, only Jews do.  The philosophers therefore cannot be faulted for their mistaken view of creation (1:63).

 Reason does not resolve the debate over creation vs. eternal world.  We believe in creation because of mesora. (1:65-67). There is no proof for an eternal world. Torah does not expect us to believe in anything contradicted by proof. (1:67)

Human reason cannot know how to draw down Divine influence.  This is like a fool who hands out random prescriptions in a pharmacy.  Only G-d’s Torah provides such instruction (1:79).

Yetzias mitzraim and Israel’s survival in the midbar clearly showed the hand of G-d.  It could not have been illusion or magic (1:84-86).

After these miraculous events Israel still doubted prophecy.  G-d removed all doubts by speaking the Aseres Hadibros to the entire nation at Sinai (1:87).

Philosophers are wrong about prophecy, Jews are right .  luchos, Ark(1:87).

G-d is not physical but has physical manifestations (89-91)

The Jewish nation did not worship the egel hazahav. Ancient people felt a need for images.  The Jews wanted an image, symbolic of G-d’s presence, on which to focus, and believed Divine influence would extend to it. It is similar to the reverence we have today for holy places and objects.  Their sins were (a) making a forbidden image and (b) regarding their own creation, not commanded by G-d, as a receptacle for  Divine influence.  The sinners were few in number.  The sin was pardoned by G-d and did not remove the Divine influence from the nation.  Great is the nation whose sins are counted.

As nature functions according to details, so do G-d’s commandments.  Moshe taught the details of the commandments as received from G-d (1:99).

Jews are in a different category from the rest of humanity.  They can achieve prophecy, or at least approach that level via their actions, purity and attachment to prophets.(1:103)

The prophet is evidence of the world to come; he can envision the spiritual realm.  The wisdom and practices which achieve prophecy will surely benefit the soul in the world to come (1:103).

The prophet would desire death so he can perceive holy light continuously (1:108).

Promises of other religions are limited to afterlife, unsubstantiated (1:105). Judaism promises reward in this world: prophecy or near-prophecy, attachment of Divine influence, permanent settling in eretz yisrael , receiving Divine providence above laws of nature (rest of the world is subject to nature). One who achieves such reward will not fear death (1:109).

Foolish is the belief of other religions that one can attain paradise by uttering one word (1:10). The non-Jew is not deprived of his spiritual reward if he is deserving (1:111).

Had we accepted our lowliness in exile with submission to G-d’s Torah, the Divine influence would have remained with us and Mashiach would be here.  Still, Jews have merit for at least enduring the exile without converting (1:115).

Only Jews can be prophets.  Converts can become very close to G-d but do not achieve prophecy (1:115).

Scripture refers to the world to come, without details.  Details are discussed by Rabbis (1:115)

  

Ramban: Toras Hashem Temimah

Ramban (Nachmanides) is a 13th century Jewish sage and a titan of Judaism. He is considered the greatest Torah commentator besides Rashi, the foremost commentator on the Talmud among Spanish Jewry and the greatest Kabbalist in the era of Rishonim.  Ramban never wrote a systematic book of Jewish philosophy, but his Torah commentary is a premier work of Jewish thought.

This discourse of Ramban, delivered in a Barcelona synagogue in 1263, is entitled Toras Hashem Temimah.  It  summarizes major themes of his Torah commentary.  We present a synopsis:

King David says (Psalms 19) The heavens declare the glory of God and later says The Torah of God is perfect, restoring the soul.  The testimony of God is faithful, making the simpletons wise.


This teaches that Torah proclaims God's glory more than the heavens. 

Torah is a cure for the entire body (Chazal).  It wisdom surpasses the wise.

The wisdom of a civilized society is merely the "fruit of Torah."

Societies that know nothing of Torah wisdom and do not acknowledge the Creator are beneath even that level.  They do not know of mitzvos and lack knowledge and purpose.

The earth is created for man's sake.  Man is created to recognize the Creator.

If Israel has not accepted the Torah, the purpose of the world would have been void.

When the Torah was given no nation had observances as good and laws as just. This is even more true of the chukim which are the laws of the heavens engraved in the natural forces of the world.

Christianity and Islam adopted some Torah ideas and pave the way for the true Jewish Mashiach.

Torah teaches great wisdom even in its accounts of historical events.

Moshe had a tradition going back only a few generations of the Flood and Creation.  This could not have been fabricated.  Torah presents an organized chronology of early human history.

Torah teaches of Avraham's excellent character, faith and influence. Even kings honored him.

Events in Avraham's life and his persistent proclaiming of God's name are confirmed in Egyptian book.

Bereshis was written by Moshe according to God's word: events in Moshe's time confirmed its teaching of creation from nothing and prophecy.

Egyptian magicians admitted plagues of boils and lice were from God.  Further evidence was the parting of Red Sea, well in the desert, clouds of Glory and public Divine revelation at Sinai.  If matter were eternal, God could not control nature as such.

In Moshe's time no one denied creation or rebelled against God; they merely sought benefit through worship of various forces.  It was Aristotle who later denied the supernatural.

The nations doubted prophecy in Moshe's time, but the Jews did not. They doubted Moshe's prophecy but miraculous events, especially Revelation at Sinai, removed these doubts.

At Sinai it was confirmed that God speaks to Moshe "face to face", the highest level of prophecy.  Therefore Jews will forever believe in Moshe and reject any "prophet" contradicting him.

Prophets do not generally receive prophecy through angels, as Maimonides claims.

When prophecy disappeared, temptation existed to foretell the future through illicit means.  Torah prohibited these practices (which are permitted to the nations).

The Jews are God's portion and He endowed them with prophecy.  This obviated any need for illicit fortune telling, which is anyway not fully reliable and does not favor Israel.  Jews are to be "whole-hearted with God" (Devarim 18:12).

These illicit practices are especially unnecessary in the Land of Israel, as prophecy occurs only there (with some exceptions).

Miracles are evidence of God's unity, knowledge and providence.  Miracles are not needed or deserved in all generations, hence God instituted memorials for past miracles.  Examples are Pesach, mezuzah, tefilin and reciting Scriptural passages invoking such events.

One who performs a mitzva without intent of heart or contemplating its significance has not fulfilled it to perfection.

Mitzvos memorializing the Exodus are also a means to acknowledge that God shows great mercy to those who perform His will (the Avos).  Thus observance of even a light mitzva point to all the roots of faith and perfection of one's thoughts about these matters.

Torah mentions Shabbos in connection with remembering "that you were slaves in Egypt (Devarim 5:15).  To remember the Exodus from slavery is to testify that God is the Creator who supervises the world.

The Ten Statements begin with "I am  YHVH your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt."   God does not identify Himself here as the Creator because the Exodus testifies to creation and providence etc.

The name YHVH includes His essence and contains the foundation of existence; by that name are performed wonders contrary to natural order.  We are obligated to believe in creation, God's knowledge and providence, His unity and  omnipotence.  God's speaking the Ten Statements publicly confirm belief in prophecy.

Therefore, you should have "no other gods."  Since God alone must be worshiped, there is no other beside Him, He is independent of all other forces, and you must honor His name.  Thus "do not take the name of YHVH your God in vain."  Observe Shabbos to verify belief in creation, in your thought, speech and action.

The rest of the Ten Statements are about material affairs.  Honoring parents is mentioned first, for just as one must honor the First Creator, so too one should honor His partners in creating a child.

The commandments that memorialize God's miracles inspire thankfulness to Him, which is the reason for the creation of man.  Prayer exists for the purpose of thanking God for creating and sustaining us.

In thanking God for open miracles, one will accept the truth of hidden miracles occurring regularly.  No one has a share in the Torah of Moshe without belief in hidden miracles. There can be no natural reason for the Torah's promises of good fortune for keeping the commandments and misfortune for violating them.

Prophecies  of the animal world behaving peacefully in Messianic times are meant literally, not as Maimonides wrote. Perhaps the violent nature of animals is a result of Adam's sin.

Torah enlightens us about the secret of creation.  The wise men of the nations do not know what Jewish  youth know.  They know what was created on each day.  Esoteric Jewish wisdom teaches whatever preceded in creation was thinner [less corporeal] than what emanated from it later.  It teaches about the elements and the primary matter called hyly.  God created one point, smaller than a mustard seed, from which emanated the entire universe at God's command.

The word bara means to create from nothing.

 When God said "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness" it means the earth puts forth man's physical elements while the soul is created in God's image.

The process of creation is a concealed matter and I [Ramban] do not know it, and anyway am prohibited from explaining it publicly.  The Sages of Israel have secret knowledge of creation on the basis of Torah verses.

The human soul is ascribed by Scripture to the Creator, for he who breathes of his spirit into a vessel imparts to it something of his own spirit.

God does not presently create out of nothing but brings forth one thing from another.

When Scripture says God established the earth forever, this is not meant literally, as Maimonides wrote.  It exists so long as God does not end it.  Chazal speak of a thousand years during which God will return the world to chaos and void.

Gan Eden is on this earth.  Our Sages understand hints from Scripture there is also a spiritual Gan Eden for souls after death.  The flaming swords surrounding Gan Eden symbolize Gehinom.

Chazal had secret knowledge such as reading faces and palms, which reveal the mind and character of a person.

It was proper for Torah to be given to a multitude at Sinai, so that there be an assembly of all kinds of minds.  Seeing a multitude of Jews necessitates a blessing "Blessed be He Who understands their secrets."  Men who understand all branches of wisdom can recognize different types of minds and relate to them  (e.g. Yehoshua bin Nun).

The sacrificial offerings is a wondrous subject, like an effective medicine whose essence is unknown.  Ibn Ezra writes that offerings are an atonement for the soul.  Since thought. speech and action are involved in sin, they must be involved in the sacrificial service. He should think that the blood spilled should really have been his own. The animal is a ransom (kopher) to attain atonement (kappara).

Shlomo Hamelech wondered about the Red Heifer.  The nations see reasons for the offerings but not the Red Heifer and the goat sent to Azazel.  The latter, in their view, resembles demon worship which is also performed in unsettled areas. It actually has a secret meaning that Ibn Ezra explained.  The Red Heifer perplexes them since its slaughter and burning outside the sanctuary court.. 

The offerings avert Divine punishment from the nation.

Forbidden foods are harmful to body and soul.  They obstruct the heart from absorbing holy wisdom.  Non-kosher birds are cruel and ingesting them causes cruelty in the soul.

Relations with a nidah is unhealthy and not conducive to procreation.

The entire Torah is comprised of Names of God.  Therefore a Torah scroll is invalid if even one letter is missing.  For this reason Moshe knew whatever a human being could ever understand.  By these names it is possible to enter heavenly palaces and revive the dead.

The Torah is enlightening about the future, such as the present exile.  Torah's wisdom is complete in everything; nothing is lacking.

Vayikra and Bamidbar were communicated to Moshe in the Tent of Meeting.  Why are the laws of Shmitta and Yovel (given at Sinai) repeated in the Tent of Meeting?  They are written next to laws of forbidden sexual relations, for both cause exile.  Yovel is like a testimony to the creation of the world.

The days of creation are like a microcosm of the years of world history.  Creation of light corresponds to the Adam (light of the world) who lived for almost a thousand years.  Division of the firmament corresponds to separation of the wicked from Noach.  The first sprouting on dry land corresponds to Torah given at Sinai (the "fruits" of the world).  Establishment of the luminaries corresponds to the Temple and the kingdom of David's family.  The division of the lights corresponds to the destruction of the two Temples. Creation and multiplication of fish and birds corresponds to the rule of kingdoms that do not recognize the Creator.  This continues into the sixth millennium.  The creation of Man in God's image alludes to Mashiach.  The seventh day corresponds to the world to come.

These matters are alluded to in the laws of Shmitta and Yovel.

Geneologies in the Torah are not pointless.  They substantiate creation.  Details of nations, individuals and their dispersion are a way to trace human history back to the beginning. 

Geneologies of Esav's family serve the commandments to destroy Amalek and to not abhor Esav's other offspring.  Kayin's geneology shows how God delayed his punishment of destruction, because Kayin humbled himself.  The story of Hevel contains a mystical secret.

Narratives of the Flood and destruction of Sodom and Amorah show God's foreknowledge and providence. 

The account of Enosh alludes to how idolatry began.  "They began to call in the name of God" does not mean worship of God began then, for Adam and Kayin already worshiped God.  It means they worshiped angels, called elohim, because they wanted to possess angelic power.  Torah  does not elaborate because it wants to conceal evil opinions.

There is no utility to demon worship. Demons lack power for good or evil and cannot predict the distant future.  They merely hear of what is imminent.

Worship of the constellations was one type of idolatry.  Nations thought they could thereby strengthen the power of the constellations and be helped by them.  Egypt worshiped Aries [the Ram}so they did not eat sheep.  God commanded us to slaughter a ram for Pesach during the month of Aries, to slaughter their god.

Angel worship was another form of idolatry.

[For Ramban's understanding of the Golden Calf, see the entry to Ki Tisa on this website].

The account of Noach and the Flood teaches the people were punished for violating the Seven Laws of Noach, in particular sexual immorality and violence. These prohibitions are understandable commandments and everyone who recognizes the Creator must beware of them.  Noach was saved because of his righteousness.  Torah specifies the duration of the Flood, and the location of where the Ark came to rest,  to give reliable information and assure the truth.

The covenant of the rainbow makes known Noach's righteousness, to protect his offspring forever. 

The account of Ham teaches the great punishment for one who dishonors a parent.  Only Canaan was cursed because Ham's other sons were not yet born. Canaan is listed after his younger brothers because of their superiority.  In general a superior child is listed first even if not the oldest.

Torah elaborates about Avraham and the Avos to teach of their righteousness and its rewards. The difficulties they bore for God's glory stirs the hearts of people to God.  Another reason is because what happened to the Avos is a sign for the future of the Jewish people.

Avraham prayed for a son, not for life in the world to come.  The righteous understand the soul is not a destructible element.  So too Moshe had no need to explain this issue. Rather Moshe spoke of the wordly blessings resulting from doing mitzvos.

We pray that God continue to open our eyes to the wonders of His Torah.

(I acknowledge the help of Rabbi Chavel's translation in producing this synopsis).
















[to be continued]

Ki Tissa

THE PEOPLE SAW MOSHE DELAYED COMING DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAIN, AND THE PEOPLE GATHERED AROUND AHARON AND SAID TO HIM "ARISE, MAKE FOR US ELOHIM WHO WILL GO BEFORE US, FOR THIS MOSHE, THE MAN BROUGHT US UP FROM THE LAND OF EGYPT- WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM (Shmos 32:1).

Did the Jewish nation worship the golden calf?


No, says Ramban.

1. The people requested a replacement for Moshe, whom they never worshiped as a deity.

2. Aharon asked Moshe "not to be angry" for his role in the affair, an absurd request if he produced an idol to be worshiped.

3. When Moshe returned, they abandoned the calf and allowed Moshe to destroy it.  Why would they permit the destruction of their deity?

4. Aharon proclaimed a festival to YHVH, not to the calf.  (A calf is actually a prophetic symbol of the Divine chariot (Ezekiel 1:10), and Aharon apparently wished to obtain Divine favor upon the power symbolized by this image).

Kuzari (1:97) explains as follows:

1. Images were extremely popular in those days.  Even an ancient  worshiper of God would prefer an image on which to focus (to recount God's wonders)  and to which Divinity attaches itself.  It is like the reverence we have for holy objects and places.

2. This is why they came to Aharon and why Aharon agreed to help.

3. Their sin was to make a forbidden image, and to attribute Divine attachment to something not ordained by God.  By contrast, the cheruvim above the Ark were an image commanded by God, and  a place where God's presence was manifest.

4.  Less than 3000 men were executed, proving that the Jewish nation as a whole was innocent of idolatry.

Tetzaveh

Trumah

THEY SHALL MAKE AN ARK OF SHITTIM WOOD, TWO CUBITS AND A HALF LONG, ONE AND A HALF CUBIT WIDE, ONE AND A HALF CUBIT HIGH.  YOU SHALL COVER IT WITH PURE GOLD, FROM INSIDE AND OUTSIDE YOU SHALL COVER IT, AND YOU SHALL MAKE ON IT A GOLDEN DIADEM ALL AROUND (Shmos 25:10-11).

Why is the Ark made of both wood and gold?


Gold represents firmness and immutability.  Wood represents fresh ability to develop and progress.  We who receive and bear the Torah need to have both qualities (Rav SR Hirsch).

Why is both the inside and the outside made of gold?


Talmud Yoma 72b says a genuine Torah scholar must be the same on the inside as he appears on the outside (Sforno).

THE POLES MUST STAY IN THE RINGS OF THE ARK; THEY SHALL NOT BE REMOVED FROM IT (25:15).

Why did the poles need to remain even when the Ark was stationary, and not carried?


The Torah and its mission is in no way limited to the Sanctuary, as symbolized by permanently placed poles.  Torah is forever portable (Rav SR Hirsch).

The Ark deserves honor as the Torah's sanctuary.  The Ark must be ready to move at any moment.  The poles should be secure so no mishap occurs.  A mishap would dishonor the Ark (Sefer Hachinuch).

The poles represent the benefactors of Torah learning.  Supporters of Torah scholarship  forever share in the merit of the accomplishments of those they support (Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky).