Rav Moshe Chaim Luzzatto is one of the most important Jewish thinkers of the past three centuries. His Mesilas Yesharim is perhaps the most significant musar work ever written. Ramchal is arguably the most systematic author in Jewish history (outside the area of halacha). He wrote methodically organized explanations of Jewish thought, Kabalah, logic and methods of Talmud study. He was revered by both the Vilna Gaon and early Chasidic masters.
We present below a synopsis of Daas Tevunos, an overview of the goal towards which G-d is guiding His creation:
G-d guides the world with perfect justice. This needs explanation, since we see events that appear to indicate the opposite of Divine providence.
G-d created the world for man's sake. Man was created imperfect so he could merit perfecting himself. Attaining this goal is an enjoyment man will have for eternity.
G-d is the essence of G-d. It is the nature of good to bestow good. G-d created man to bestow His goodness upon him. For this good to be complete it could not be a free gift. It must be earned by man's efforts. Man feels satisfaction, without shame, when he is the producer of the good he possesses.
Perfection is being joined to the holiness of G-d and enjoying the apprehension of His glory. The soul is a portion of G-d and desires to cleave to its source.
G-d is perfect, but He created an imperfect world to give man the satisfaction of perfecting the world and himself. G-d constrains his own perfection and goodness to make room for this process.
G-d wills to reveal His perfection to man, but only a minute perception of it. We cannot perceive all of it.
G-d wills to reveal clearly His oneness. Other features of His perfection are beyond our grasp; for example we are not wise enough to fathom His wisdom. We are forbidden to probe what is beyond our grasp. His oneness can be made clearly understood, and internalized in our hearts. The goal of all G-d's processes is the revelation of this truth alone.
Oneness is more than that He is absolutely one and there is none beside Him. It also means there is no other force operating in the world, and nothing can prevail against His will.
G-d as one means He is the creator of evil. Nothing happens in the world contrary to His will.
G-d can cancel the laws by which He operates the world. For instance, He can override justice and be gracious to the undeserving. He will save the Jewish people in the end, whether or not they are deserving.
if G-d only willed to reveal His goodness, there would be no need for evil. Oneness, however, is defined by its opposite: absence of plurality. Therefore, revelation of oneness requires the creation of evil which is eventually negated. When G-d negates evil, this shows G-d is the one and only force.
G-d alone has necessary existence. He alone must be. Everything else is contingent on His will.
Only for G-d's oneness is there a reason to reveal deficiency. Deficiency is necessary for man to serve G-d. Concealment of G-d's presence creates an arena for free choice. Therefore evil is present, but G-d will negate evil and deficiency when He ultimately reveals His oneness.
Man's performance of mitzvos is what reveals G-d's radiance and removes evil. But even if man does not do mitzvos, He will reveal His oneness and remove evil on His own. Freedom of choice will end after 6000 years, when G-d will renew and purify the world. The period of Mashiach, prior to the 6000th year, too will involve purification of evil.
The belief that G-d will end the freedom to do evil is a comfort to Jews who must endure current exile. On that day His name will be one.
It is necessary to conceptualize evil to comprehend G-d's oneness. Adam perceived evil, in the form of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Adam should have realized anything contradicting the truth of perfection was a deceit, that evil was a test from G-d and will be negated for G-d's honor. Then G-d's oneness would have been revealed by the first Shabbos in creation.
Because Adam was led astay, G-d needed to make evil more tangible than ever; hence the hardships of this world. If we would see clearly that evil is falsehood and that G-d is really one, the world would achieve its tikun. But humanity has added to evil, and the world has diminished.
When G-d brings the world to perfection, that will be a time of reward rather than service of G-d. Free will be lost and human nature will change.
G-d's essence cannot be understood. "Merciful", "gracious", "strong" etc. do not describe His essence but rather His will to act in ways adapted to human intellect. There is no comparison to G-d and anything in creation, good or bad, is invented by His will. His qualities are willed by Him, not necessary to Him.
Though G-d has no likeness to His creation, He wills some revelation of His glory. Therefore He established ways of conduct by which man can reach this goal.
We can only relate to G-d by what He does, not by what He is. Even of His actions we can only understand the effects but not how He effects them.
Currently His oneness and goodness is concealed, allowing human free will. Sometimes people draw to themselves perfection, and sometimes imperfection. Nevertheless G-d guides the world by providence. The world is a mixture of good and evil, yet G-d has secretly woven into the framework His goodness in such a way that the world will come to ultimate perfection. Therefore everything G-d does is for the good. Each day moves closer to perfection.
In the end we will see the goodness of all that has transpired, though we will never fathom the wisdom of His deeds.
Resurrection: Man is body and soul, and through both he does mitzvos. It follows that G-d should reward both.
The soul's function is to purify and the sanctify the body. This purification was complete in men such as Moshe, Chanoch, and Eliyahu. The soul is symbolized by Avraham, and the purified body by Sarah. Perfection of His creatures is the glorification of G-d. G-d created everything for His glory.
Since Adam's sin, complete purification of the body cannot occur before death. Death allows the reconstitution of the body, and then the soul will illuminate the body in full force.
Before death G-d does not allow the soul to shine too potently. That would purify the body instantly and deprive man of free choice. The soul reaches supreme heights from merits acquired. The mitzvos purify the body somewhat before death. At resurrection the soul shines in full force in a refined body..
The body benefits the soul by providing challenges through which the soul gains merit.
G-d has two modes of conduct: Divine illumination and concealment. The former projects His goodness and holiness, and is involved in the soul's creation. The latter is involved in the creation of the body. G-d continues to reveal the workings of concealment through the body and the workings of illumination through the soul. Man is created in G-d's image; he reflects all the orders of G-d's ways.
When man is drawn after materialism, G-d too relates to him in the concealment mode. When the soul is given priority, that person enjoys Divine illumination. This is why hardships entered the world after Adam's sin. Israel rectified Adam's sin at Sinai, but the sin of the Golden Calf ruined it.
When the soul is given priority, man becomes greater than the angels, and this will happen in the end times.
Man was created to contemplate G-d's glory, not to be engrossed in the vanities. The world is regressing; earlier generations were more occupied with wisdom.
The body has different organs for different functions. The soul has multiple functions without individual organs. This reflects the order of concealment and illumination respectively.
Perfection is one, without addition or subtraction. in
[to be continued]
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