Category: Torah Philosophy

GUARDING OURSELVES FROM ACCIDENTS

Current “Orthodox” Jewish theology does not seem to accept the possibility of “accidents” or chance events occurring.

In fact, those who believe chance events can occur may be labeled “heretics” nowadays.

However, according to Ramban, Rabbeinu Bachya, and Rambam, it does seem that chance events can occur at times, with the exceptions that the survival of species is guarded by Hashem, and also true “chassidim” are not subject to chance events.

“יִרְמֹז כִּי יְדִיעַת הַשֵּׁם שֶׁהִיא הַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ בָּעוֹלָם הַשָּׁפָל הִיא לִשְׁמֹר הַכְּלָלִים, וְגַם בְּנֵי הָאָדָם מֻנָּחִים בּוֹ לַמִּקְרִים עַד בֹּא עֵת פְּקֻדָּתָם, אֲבָל בַּחֲסִידָיו יָשׂוּם אֵלָיו לִבּוֹ לָדַעַת אוֹתוֹ בִּפְרָט,לִהְיוֹת שְׁמִירָתוֹ דְּבֵקָה בּוֹ תָּמִיד”

(Ramban on Genesis 18:19)

“וזה לשון כי ידעתיו שההשגחה בו ובשאר הצדיקים להצילם ממקרי בני האדם, וזה דעת הרמב”ן בפסוק זה כשתסתכל בו. “

(Rabbeinu Bachya on Genesis 18:19)

I believe there is a lesson from this-Jews must always guard themselves carefully and not assume that “accidents” cannot happen.

LEARNING AUTHENTIC TORAH PHILOSOPHY

Rambam (Maimonides) taught 13 Ikkarim (principles) that are an authentic Torah intellectual belief system.

By dabbling in “Kabbalah”, which often does not represent an authentic Torah mesorah (tradition), or else relying on substandard Torah scholarship, or relying on biased Torah sources with an agenda, one may come to accept a false or erroneous Torah intellectual belief system.

It is important to study the 13 principles from authentic Torah scholars. An example of this is the excellent Artscroll English/Hebrew volume “Kisvei HaRambam” on the Rambam’s writings, including the 13 Ikkarim. (Note: I don’t work for Artscroll nor do I receive any compensation for mentioning this.)

https://www.artscroll.com/Books/9781422633021.html

It seems that the Rambam has been distorted or revised in various places to advance certain agendas which are contrary to the Rambam’s teachings.
An unfortunate example of a distortion of the Rambam’s Ikkarim is this page on the main Chabad site:

“The following are the criteria for identifying the Moshiach, as written by Maimonides: If we see a Jewish LEADER…INFLUENCES the Jews to follow the ways of the Torah”

https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1121893/jewish/Who-Is-Moshiach-the-Jewish-Messiah.htm )

However the Rambam in Hilchot Melachim 11:4 writes “If a KING from the House of David will arise…and he will COMPEL ALL of Israel to follow (the Torah)”.

By misquoting the Rambam’s words where he states that Moshiach is a king who compels all Jews to follow the Torah, and instead claiming Moshiach is a “leader” who “influences the Jews”, the false notion of the deceased Chabad rebbe being Moshiach can be made compatible with the Rambam.

The deceased Chabad rebbe certainly did vital work influencing many Jews to observe Torah, but he was not a king, and in no way did he compel all of the Jews to observe the Torah.

Everything is NOT from Hashem

Everything is NOT from Hashem

The Torah does Not claim “everything that happens is from Hashem”.

“וְעַתָּ֕ה הִנֵּ֛ה צַעֲקַ֥ת בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בָּ֣אָה אֵלָ֑י וְגַם־רָאִ֙יתִי֙ אֶת־הַלַּ֔חַץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר מִצְרַ֖יִם לֹחֲצִ֥ים אֹתָֽם׃ Now the cry of the Israelites has reached Me; moreover, I have seen how the Egyptians oppress them.” (Exodus 3:9)

“I am very angry with those nations that are at ease; for I was only angry a little, but they overdid the punishment.” (Zechariah 1:15)

On the Exodus verse, Ramban’s commentary explains that the Egyptians are excessively oppressing the Israelites, MORE than Hashem had actually decreed for the Israelites to be oppressed. Therefore Hashem has heard the cries of the Israelites, and Pharaoh and his people will be punished for their oppression of the Israelites. Sforno on that verse also explains that the Egyptians were oppressing the Israelites excessively. Sforno also cites the prophet Zechariah 1:15 that the nations oppressed the Jews excessively, more than Hashem had decreed.

Radak on Zechariah 1:15 explains that Hashem was only angry a little with Israel, and the nations did excessive evil to Israel. Radak also cited Isaiah 47:6 that the nations showed Israel no mercy.

All these citations allow us to respond to some of the deterministic Hareidi “preachers” nowadays that might want us to believe that all evil the Jews suffer is willed by Hashem, and/or the Jews always deserve any punishments meted out to them.

Rather, even when the Jews sin, Hashem did not give the non-Jews a blank check to oppress the Jews to an unlimited extent, so it follows that the nations who oppressed the Jews will be punished.

Man’s Efforts Have An Effect

Akeidat Yitzchak (AY) was a great medieval Torah authority. . In Akeidat Yitzchak no. 26, he provides a fascinating lecture on the various reasons for a person’s success.According to AY, there appear to be 4 causes (or circumstances) a person may find himself in:. . . A Righteous person Good Mazal: Little exertion is

Man’s Efforts Have An Effect

Akeidat Yitzchak (AY) was a great medieval Torah authority.

In Akeidat Yitzchak no. 26, he provides a fascinating lecture on the various reasons for a person’s success.

According to Akeidat Yitzchak (AY), in many cases Man’s efforts do matter.

I. A summary of the Akeidat Yitzchak on 4 different circumstances where a person’s success may or may not be solely controlled by Hashem:

  1. Righteous person + Good Mazal: Little exertion is required for a person to acheive success.
  2. Unrighteous person + Good Mazal: He will not prevail over Hashem’s will, despite his best efforts.
  3. A person born with average skills and intelligence, and average Mazal: The Torah is addressing this large group of people – this person must certainly exert himself, his successes or failures are due overwhelmingly to his own efforts or lack of efforts. He is operating under the laws of nature – “One employs every known medication to ward off infection”.
  4. A Righteous person with negative Mazal: His efforts plus Hashem’s assistance will neutralize the negative Mazal.

II. A Summary of Recent Hareidi Torah Philosophy (referencing the 4 above):

  1. Everyone is assumed to belong to either category 1 or category 2 in the list above.
  2. No. 3 in the AY list above has been completely deleted, so that a person’s success is never dependent on his efforts at all.
  3. The effect of “Mazal” has been usually deleted from all 4 of the list above.

Thus in normative Hareidi philosophy,a person must make minimal token efforts but they have no real effect on the results. If a person is failing to achieve results, it is assumed to be a decree from Hashem, it cannot be due to the person’s lack of effort.

This deterministic viewpoint I believe has caused severe damage to Hareidi communities.

The fatalistic “religious” viewpoint promotes a very negative effect on society by discouraging and minimizing the value of Man’s efforts.

According to Akeidat Yitzchak, it seems that most people must make an effort, not simply because making an effort may be a mitzvah, but because the effort does have an effect.