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]
No comments:
Post a Comment