ืคืจืง ื continues ืืืื's soliloquy, turning to the distant past.
ืื ืืณ ืงื ื ื ืจืืฉืืช ืืจืื; ืงืื ืืคืขืืื ืืืื ืื ืืขืืื ื ืกืืชื ืืจืืฉ ืืงืืื ืืจืฅื
ืืืื was present before the universe was created. Whatever that means.
ืืื ืฉืืืจืฉืืช ืืชืืื ื; ืืื ืื ืขืกืง ืื ืกืชืจืืช.
The gemara warns us against looking into this.
ืื ืืืกืชืื ืืืจืืขื ืืืจืื, ืจืืื ืื ืืืื ืื ืื ืืขืืื: ืื ืืืขืื, ืื ืืืื, ืื ืืคื ืื, ืืื ืืืืืจ.
But we are going to have to look at ืื ืืคื ืื in order to think about ืงืื ืืคืขืืื ืืื. The midrash famously calls the Torah, the blueprint of creation.
ืืชืืจื ืืืืจืช: ืื ื ืืืืชื ืืื ืืื ืืชื ืฉื ืืงืืืฉ ืืจืื ืืื. ืื ืื ืฉืืขืืื ืืื ืืฉืจ ืืื ืืื ื ืคืืืื, ืืื ื ืืื ื ืืืชื ืืืขืช ืขืฆืื ืืื ืืืขืช ืึปืึผึธื, ืืืืื ืืื ื ืืื ื ืืืชื ืืืขืช ืขืฆืื ืืื ืึผึดืคึฐืชึผึฐืจึธืืึนืช ืึผืคึดื ึฐืงึฐืกึธืืึนืช ืืฉ ืื, ืืืขืช ืืืื ืืื ืขืืฉื ืืืจืื, ืืืื ืืื ืขืืฉื ืคึผึดืฉืึฐืคึผึฐืฉืึดืื. ืื ืืื ืืงืืืฉ ืืจืื ืืื ืืืื ืืชืืจื ืืืืจื ืืช ืืขืืื. ืืืชืืจื ืืืจื ืึผึฐืจึตืืฉืึดืืช ืึผึธืจึธื ืึฑืึนืงึดืื. ืืืื ืจืืฉืืช ืืื ืชืืจื, ืืืื ืื ืืืช ืืืจ: ืืณ ืงึธื ึธื ึดื ืจึตืืฉืึดืืช ืึผึทืจึฐืึผืึน.
ืฉืฉื ืืืจืื ืงืืื ืืืจืืืช ืืขืืื. ืืฉ ืืื ืฉื ืืจืื, ืืืฉ ืืื ืฉืขืื ืืืืฉืื ืืืืจืืืช. ืืชืืจื ืืืืกื ืืืืื, ื ืืจืื. ืชืืจื ืื ืื, ืฉื ืืืจ: ืืณ ืงึธื ึธื ึดื ืจึตืืฉืึดืืช ืึผึทืจึฐืึผืึน. ืืกื ืืืืื ืื ืื, ืืืชืื (ืชืืืื ืฆื:ื): ื ึธืืึนื ืึผึดืกึฐืึฒืึธ ืึตืึธื ืืืืณ. ืืืืืช ืืืฉืจืื ืืืืช ืืืงืืฉ ืืฉืื ืฉื ืืฉืื, ืขืื ืืืืฉืื ืืืืจืืืชโฆ
ืืื ืืื ื ืืืืข ืืืื ืืื ืงืื, ืื ืืชืืจื ืงืืื ืืืกื ืืืืื ืืื ืืกื ืืืืื ืงืื ืืชืืจื. ืืืจ ืจืื ืืื ืืจ ืืื ื: ืืชืืจื ืงืืื ืืืกื ืืืืื, ืฉื ืืืจ ืืณ ืงึธื ึธื ึดื ืจึตืืฉืึดืืช ืึผึทืจึฐืึผืึน [ืงึถืึถื ืึดืคึฐืขึธืึธืื ืึตืึธื], ืงืืื ืืืืชื ืฉืืชืื ืื : ื ึธืืึนื ืึผึดืกึฐืึฒืึธ ืึตืึธื.
What does it mean, ืืชืืจื ืงืืื ืืืกื ืืืืื? We have talked before (in Blueprints and elsewhere) about the symbolism of the ืืกื ืืืืื.โ ืืณ as it were, โsitsโ in heaven.
The primary meaning of the Hebrew yashab is โhe was seatedโ [but] the term was applied to everything that is permanent and unchangingโฆWhen applied to G-d, the verb is to be taken in that latter sense: (ืืืื ื:ืื)โ ืึทืชึผึธื ืืณ ืึฐืขืึนืึธื ืชึผึตืฉืึตืโฆ
ืืณ is fixed and unitary, unchanging. But creation is variegated, never constant, and we experience ืืณ's presence in the world in many different ways. In the metaphor, we see the Divine Light through the medium of His sapphire throne, the ืืกื ืืืืื.
ืื ืืืืขื ืืจืงืืข ืืฉืจ ืขื ืจืืฉื ืืืจืื ืืื ืกืคืืจ ืืืืช ืืกื; ืืขื ืืืืช ืืืกื ืืืืช ืืืจืื ืืื ืขืืื ืืืืขืืืโฆ ืื ืืืจืื ืืงืฉืช ืืฉืจ ืืืื ืืขื ื ืืืื ืืืฉื ืื ืืจืื ืื ืื ืกืืื ืืื ืืจืื ืืืืช ืืืื ืืณ; ืืืจืื ืืืคื ืขื ืคื ื ืืืฉืืข ืงืื ืืืืจื
ืืจืื ืืช ืืืกื ืืืจืื ืืื ืกืคืืจ ืฉืืื ืืืื ืืงืื ืื ืืืจืืืชโฆืืืื ืืฉืคืข ืืืืจืืช ืืืืืงืืช ืืฉืจ ืืืฆืืืืช ืืขืืืื ืืฉืืขื ืืืื ื ืืงืฉืช ืืื ืฉืืชืื โืืืจืื ืืงืฉืช ืืฉืจ ืืืื ืืขื ื ืืืื ืืืฉื ืืืืณโ, ืื ืงืจื ืืื ืกืคืืจ ืขื ืฉืโฆืฉืืืฉื ืืื ืืืกืคืืจืืช ืฉืืืขืื.
The idea is that ืืณ is infinite and unknowable but manifests in the world in perceptible ways. These various ways that we experience the presence of G-d are called the ืกืคืืจืืช, which I will leave untranslated, but we know what they are: ืืกื,โ ืืืืจื,โ ืชืคืืจืช,โ ื ืฆื,โ ืืื,โ ืืกืื,โ ืืืืืช. These categories help us think about theological concepts; ืืณ doesnโt have โpartsโโืืณ ืืื; this is a metaphor. The image is of ืืณ's manifestation in the world, the ืฉืคืข ืืืืงืืช, is a pure Divine โlightโ, and we see it as a spectrum of colors. The ืืกื ืืืกืื represents the prism that refracts the white light into those colors. The act of creation was the act of creating that prism.
ืืืืจืฅ ืืืชื ืชืื ืืืื ืืืฉื ืขื ืคื ื ืชืืื; ืืจืื ืืืงืื ืืจืืคืช ืขื ืคื ื ืืืืื
ืืกื ืืืืื ืขืืื ืืืืืจ ืืืจืืฃ ืขื ืคื ื ืืืื.
ืืื, water, is formless and represents the primordial chaos, with the ืืกื ืืืืื imposing order on it.
ืืงืืดื ืืจื ืื ืื ืืจืืื ืืืคืืกื ืืืืืช. ืืืื ืืฆืื ื ืืืฉืื ืืงืืฉ ืืืืฆืืช ืืืฉ ืืืื ืืื ืืฉืื โืืจืโ; ืืืื ืื ืื ืขืฉืโืชืืช ืืฉืืฉ ืื ืืืขืืโืืืื ืื ืืืื ืืชืืื ืจืืฉืื ื. ืืื ืืืฆืื ืื ืืืคืก ืืืืืจ ืืืืื ืืกืื ืืง ืืื, ืืื ืื ืืืฉ, ืืื ืืื ืื ืืืฆืื, ืืืื ืืงืื ืืฆืืจื ืืืฆืืช ืื ืืื ืื ืืคืขื. ืืืื ืืืืจ ืืจืืฉืื, ื ืงืจื ืืืื ืื โืืืืืโ. ืืืืจ ืืืืืื ืื ืืจื ืืืจ, ืืื ืืฆืจ ืืขืฉื, ืื ืืื ื ืืืฆืื ืืื ืืืืืืฉ ืืฆืืจืืช ืืชืงื ืืืชื. ืืืข, ืื ืืฉืืื ืืื ืืฉืจ ืืืโืืืจ ืืื, ืืืืจืฅ ืืื ืืฉืจ ืืโืืืจ ืืื. ืืืงืืดื ืืจื ืืื ืฉื ืืื ืืืื, ืืฉื ืืื ืืืื ื ืืจืืื, ืืืื ื ืขืฉืื ืืื. ืืืืืจ ืืื, ืฉืงืจืื ืืืืื, ื ืงืจื ืืืฉืื ืืงืืฉ โืชืืโ, ืืืืื ื ืืืจื ืืืฉืื ื (ืงืืืืฉืื ื,ื): โืืชืืื ืขื ืืจืืฉืื ืืชโ. ืืคื ื ืฉืื ืื ืืื ืืืืจ ืื ืฉื, ืชืืื ืื ืืื ืืงืืจืื ืืฉื ืืืจ, ืื ืื ืืืฉ ืฆืืจื ืฉืืชืคืฉ ืื ืืฉื ืืื. ืืืฆืืจื ืื ืืืฉืช ืืืืจ ืืื ื ืงืจืืช ืืืฉืื ืืงืืฉ โืืืโ, ืืืืื ืืจืืืช, ืืืืืจ โืื ืืืโ.
So I would say that ืืจืื ืืืงืื ืืจืืคืช ืขื ืคื ื ืืืื has the same implications as ืืืืจืฅ ืืืชื ืชืื ืืืื.โ ืืื is Rambanโs ืชืื, Aristotleโs แฝฮปฮท, formless ืืืจ.โ ืจืื ืืืงืื is Rashiโs ืืกื ืืืืื, Rambanโs ืืื, Aristotleโs ฮผฮฟฯฯฮฎ, form, ืฆืืจื.
But Torah โexistedโ โbeforeโ that.
ืื ืืืื ืชืืืืช ืืืืืชื; ืืืื ืืขืื ืืช ื ืืืื ืืืื ืื ืืืจื ืืจืื ืืืืขื; ืืคื ื ืืืขืืช ืืืืืชืื ืื ืขื ืื ืขืฉื ืืจืฅ ืืืืฆืืช; ืืจืืฉ ืขืคืจืืช ืชืืื ืื ืืืืื ื ืฉืืื ืฉื ืื ื; ืืืงื ืืื ืขื ืคื ื ืชืืืื ืื ืืืืฆื ืฉืืงืื ืืืขื; ืืขืืื ืขืื ืืช ืชืืืื ืื ืืฉืืื ืืื ืืงื ืืืื ืื ืืขืืจื ืคืื; ืืืืงื ืืืกืื ืืจืฅื
Tohuโthe appalling nature of this realityโis echoed in the word tehom. Normally translated โthe deepโโthe dark, watery mass that G-dโs words transfigureโtehom is, in the evocative version cited by Frosh, rendered โthe murmuring deepโ. This poetic reading conveys some of the complex harmonics of tehom: the Hebrew roots hamam, hamah, hom cover meanings like humming, murmuringโฆrestlessness, stirring, panic. A large register of tones and sounds and movementsโฆ
ืชืื: ืื ื ืงืจืืช ืืืจืฅ ืืืืืฉืืช ืืื ื ืืื.
ืืจืืฉ ืขืคืจืืช ืชืื: ืืื ืืจืืฉืื.
Again, the image of creation as ืืฉืืื ืืื ืืงืโฆืืืืงื ืืืกืื ืืจืฅ the creation of formless matter, chaos, and then the imposition of order on that. The Torah was the blueprint for that order.
The question is, what does that mean? Does the Torah literally describe creation? Obviously, the first chapter of ืืจืืฉืืช describes creation, but should we take that literally, as the creation of the physical universe?
[The rationalist medieval philosophers like Saadya Gaon, Rambam and Ralbag] thought that the Bible teaches science and metaphysics in a positive fashion, a view that may be called โboldโ concordism. To take an example: in rationalist readings, the opening of Genesis includes reference to the four elements of Greek cosmology, and the creation story as a whole expresses what was then perceived to be the scientifically accurate viewโฆ
In some of the medieval cases, words, phrases, verses and whole narratives were understood figuratively in order to arrive at the scientific or metaphysical interpretation; in others, they were understood literally, but in a non-obvious literal sense.
The Active Intellect is no longer with us, but in Orthodox circles today there are continuers of this bold form of concordism. Thus, the Israeli physicist Nathan Aviezer, in his often ingenious book, In the Beginning, proposes that the six โdaysโ of creation correspond to six epochs in the evolutionary story; that the created light is the primeval fireball; that the separation of light from dark is the decoupling of electromagnetic radiation from the dark fireball-plasma mixture; that the โwaters above the firmamentโ refer to the ice in outer regions of the solar system; that the gathering of waters into one place is the receding of oceans described by science; that ha-tanninim ha-gedolim (said by other concordists to be dinosaurs) are the Ediacaran fauna, which, as Rashi says about the tanninim, became extinct; that the two stages in the development of animals (days five and six) correspond to two stages of their development according to evolutionary theory.
But I donโt think that is what ืืฉืื is talking about; our sefer is concerned with ethics, not physics. So the idea of the Torah as the blueprint of creation has a different meaning.
ืขื ืืจืื ืื ืืื ืืืงืจื ืกืืจ ืืืงืืืื ืืืืืืจืื ืืืื.
To assume that the commandments are nothing more than Heavenly guidelines necessary to direct and maintain civilization is a great error. The commandments of the Torah were not promulgated to conform to the needs of society; rather, it is society that was created to conform to the dictates of the Torah. The commandment to honor oneโs parents, for example, is not imposed on the child because this is his duty to his elders. Rather, G-d ordained that children be born of parents so that they may perform the commandment of โHonor your father and your motherโ.
ืืืืื ืืื ืืืื ืืงืืดื ืืืจืื ืืขืืื ืืื ืืชืืจื. ืื ืื ืื ืืืจืืื ืืืืืช ืื ืืจืืื, ืืืืืช ืืื ืืืจืืื ืืืืคื ืฉืืืื ืืืื ืืืืื ืขืืืืช ืืฉืดื ืืื ืืืจ. ืืื ืฉืืชืื โืืืื ืืชืืจื ืืืจืโ. ืคืืจืืฉ ืฉืืื ืืืจ ืืืืจืืื ืืฉ ืื ืขื ืื ืืชืืจื ืืืืื ืืืื ืื ืืื ืื ืกืื.
The universe we live in is the universe in which the Torah is applicable. The world was created to fulfill the Torah. That is what is means to say that the Torah is the blueprint of creation.
ืื ืืืจ ืืณ ืื ืื ืืจืืชื ืืืื ืืืืื ืืงืืช ืฉืืื ืืืจืฅ ืื ืฉืืชืื
ืืืืืจ ืจืื ืืืขืืจ: ืืืืืื ืชืืจื ืื ื ืชืงืืืื ืฉืืื ืืืจืฅ, ืฉื ืืืจ: โืื ืื ืืจืืชื ืืืื ืืืืื ืืงืืช ืฉืืื ืืืจืฅ ืื ืฉืืชืโ.
The question of whether we can learn ethics from observing the universe, from purely intellectual philosophy is an old one.
The isโought problem, as articulated by the Scottish philosopher and historian David Hume, arises when one makes claims about what ought to be that are based solely on statements about what is. Hume found that there seems to be a significant difference between descriptive statements (about what is) and prescriptive statements (about what ought to be), and that it is not obvious how one can coherently transition from descriptive statements to prescriptive ones.
Humeโs law or Humeโs guillotine is the thesis that an ethical or judgmental conclusion cannot be inferred from purely descriptive factual statements.
But the truth is that we live our lives assuming that the world โoughtโ to exist; not even Hume lived his own philosophy.
The Ur-example [of being purely empirical, denying the reality of values] is of course David Hume, who indulges in hundreds of pages of the most radical skepticism about causality and knowledge, then goes out of his study to play backgammon with his friends as though thereโs some actual relationship between his sense impressions and underlying reality.
So we have to assume that what philosopers call โNatural Lawโ is real: we can learn Ought from Is. We should behave ethically even without being commanded to do so.
ืืื ืชืืืจ ืืื ื ืขื ืฉื ืืืจ ืืืืื ืืืืจ ืฉืื ื ืฆืืื ืขื ืืืฆืืช. ืืืดื ืืฉ ืืื ืืฆืืช ืฉืืืืืื ืื ื ืืื ืืฉืืจื ืืื ืกืืจืช ืืืขืช ืืขืคืดื ืฉืื ื ืฆืืื ืืืคืืื ื ืขื ืฉื, ืืื ืงืื ืฉื ืขื ืฉ ืขื ืฉืคืืืืช ืืืื ืืขืคืดื ืฉืื ื ืฆืืื ืขื ืื.
We have talked many times about this, the concept of ืืจื ืืจืฅ.
ืืดืจ ืืฉืืขืื ืืจ ืจื ื ืืื ืขืฉืจืื ืืฉืฉื ืืืจืืช ืงืืื ืืจื ืืจืฅ ืืช ืืชืืจื. ืืืื ืืืืจ (ืืจืืฉืืช ื:ืื) ืึดืฉึฐืืึนืจ ืึถืช ืึถึผืจึถืึฐ ืขึตืฅ ืึทืึทืึดึผืื. ืืจื ืื ืืจื ืืจืฅ, ืืืืดื ืขืฅ ืืืืื ืื ืชืืจื.
โฆืืจื ืืจืฅ, ืฉืืื ืื ืืื ืฉืืื ืจืืื ืืืื, ืืืื ืืื ืืืจื ืืืกืจ ืฉืื ืงืฉืื ืขื ืืืื ืจืง ืืืจื ืฉื ืืืืื ืื ื ืืื ืืื ืืจื ืืืืื, ืืื ื ืงืจืืื ืืจื ืืจืฅ. ืืืื ืื ืืืกืืชื ืฉื ืืจื ืืจืฅ ืฉืืื ืืื ืืื ืืืฉืจื ืืืืืื. ืืื ืจืื ืื ืฉื ืงืจื ืืจื ืืจืฅ ืืื ืืจื ืขืืื, ืืคื ื ืื ืืืจืฅ ืืื ืืฉืื ืืื ื ืืื ืืื ืฉืืื ื ืืื ืืืจื ืื ืืื ื ืืื ืืืฉืืโฆ
ืืืื ื ืืื ืื ืืจื ืืจืฅ ืืกืื ืืชืืจื ืฉืืื ืืจื ืขืฅ ืืืืื, ืืืื ืืชืณ ืืชื ืืืงื ื ืขื ืืฉืืืจืื ืืจื ืขืฅ ืืืืื.
And Avraham argues with ืืณ that there exist rules that even He should obey.
ืืืื ืื ืืขืฉืช ืืืืจ ืืื ืืืืืช ืฆืืืง ืขื ืจืฉืข ืืืื ืืฆืืืง ืืจืฉืข; ืืืื ืื ืืฉืคื ืื ืืืจืฅ ืื ืืขืฉื ืืฉืคืื
ืืฉืื is telling us that the Is-Ought connection is the fact that the Torah, the source of Ought, was the blueprint of creation, of the Is.
ืืจืฆืื ืืืืืื ืืช ืืืื ืืงืืื ืืช ืืขืืื ืืืืืื ืข ืืืฉืืชื, ืคืืขื ืืื ืืื ื ืืช ืคืขืืืชื ืืืจื ืืชื-ืืจืืช, ืฉืืจื ืืื ืืืื ืืงืืื ืื ืืืืืชื, ืืืฃ ืขื ืคื ืื ื ืืืข ืืื ืืจืฆืื ืืื ืืืืืจืืช ืืจืืฉืืช ืฉืื ืคืขืืืชื ืืื ืืจื ืืชื-ืืืจื.
ืกืคืจ ืืฉืื now introduces an new twist to ืืืื:โ ืืจื ืืจืฅ isnโt just the law, it is fun. It brings joy.
ื ืืืืื ืืฆืื ืืืื; ืืืืื ืฉืขืฉืืขืื ืืื ืืื; ืืฉืืงืช ืืคื ืื ืืื ืขืชื ืื ืืฉืืงืช ืืชืื ืืจืฆื; ืืฉืขืฉืขื ืืช ืื ื ืืืื
ืืืื is ืืณ's ืฉืขืฉืืข, pastime, and it should be the pastime of human beings as well. You canโt learn ืืืื, and certainly cannot internalize it, without enjoying the learning.
ืืืืืืฉ ืืฉืจ ืืฆืื ื ืืขื ืื ื ืฉื ืชืืืื ืชืืจื, ืื ืืขืืื ืืืื ืืื ืื ืฉืืื ืืคืฅ. ืืืื ืคืฉืื ืืื ืื ืืื ืืงืืื ืฉื ืืืจืขื ืื ืืื ืืืืืื ืืชืืจืโฆืืฉืจ ืื ืืชืขืกืงืืช ืืืงืื ืฉืืื ืืคืฅ ืืื ืืืจืขืชื ืฉื ืืืื ืขืฆืื. ืืืกืืจืช ืืืืจืื ืืื, ืืโฆืื ืืคืฉืจ ืืฉืื ืืืื ืืืื ืืฉืื ืื ืื ืขื ืืื ืืืืจ ืขื ืขื ืื ื ืฉื ืืืืฉื. ืืืืจ ืื ืฉื ืืฉืื ืขื ืขื ืื ื ืฉื ืืืืฉื ื ืขืฉื ืืื ืืืื ืฉื ืืชืขื ืื ืืืืื ืืืฉืื. ืืื ืฉื ืืฉืื ืืื ืคืขืืืช ืืชืขื ืื ืืื ืืื ืืื ืฉื ืืขืื ืืืื ืคืขืืืช ืืืืจ, ืืืื ืืื ืฉื ืืืืื ืืืื ืคืขืืืช ืืืืืจโฆืืขื ืื ืืคืฅ ืืื ืืืจืขื ืืื ืจืง ืืชืืืื ืชืืจื, ืืฉืื ืืืฆืืช ืชืืืืื ืฉื ืชืืจื ืืชืงืืืืช ืืื ืืืื ืฉื ืืืฉืื ืืืืฉืืืโฆืืื ืขืื ืืื ืฉืจืืืื ืื ื ืื ืจืง ืืืืก ืืชืืืื ืชืืจื ื ืชืงื ื ืืจืืช ืชืื ืื ืื ืขื ืขืจืืืช ืืืืจืื, ืฉืืจื ืื ืืฆืื ื ืืืืืชื ืฉื ืืจืืช โืืืขืจื ื ืโ ืื ืืืข ืืฉืื ืืฆืื ืืืื ืชืืืื ืชืืจื. ืืื ืื ืืืืจืื. ืื ืืชืขื ืื ืืืฉืืช ืืืจื ืชืืจื ื ืื ืก ืืื ืืืื ืืืฃ ืืืฆืื, ืืืืื ืืฉืืจ ืืฆืืืช ืืื ื ืืื ืขืืจื ืฉื ืจืืฉื.
ืืืื concludes her soliloquy summarizing everything she has said: listen to me and you will live happily ever after.
ืื ืืขืชื ืื ืื ืฉืืขื ืื; ืืืฉืจื ืืจืื ืืฉืืจืื ืื ืฉืืขื ืืืกืจ ืืืืื; ืืื ืชืคืจืขืื ืื ืืฉืจื ืืื ืฉืืข ืื; ืืฉืงื ืขื ืืืชืชื ืืื ืืื ืืฉืืจ ืืืืืช ืคืชืืื ืื ืื ืืฆืื ืืฆื ืืืื; ืืืคืง ืจืฆืื ืืืณื ืื ืืืืื ืืืก ื ืคืฉื; ืื ืืฉื ืื ืืืื ืืืชื