Although he called it "The Author's Introduction," we have already seen that that was more an indictment than an introduction. There the author implored his readers to take Mussar seriously. But here, in chapter one, Luzzatto raises the stakes.
Life has a single purpose and that is to gain an intimate relationship with Hashem. "D'veikus." The primary location for this relationship is in the next world - but the only way to get there is through the mitzvos performed in this world. The higher the quality of the mitzvos and the more we break down the barriers of physicality and materialism that separate us from Hashem, the more we will succeed in fulfilling life's purpose.
Achieving this goal obviously requires training and that is where this guidebook comes in. The study of Mussar has now become the only way to make life meaningful.
But is d'veikus attainable in this world? If yes, why does Luzzatto emphasize the world to come?
From what I understood, Ramchal is arguing that this world cannot be "the ultimate" world because life is short and it is impossible to not have most of it spent in some sort of suffering and struggle.
ReplyDeleteBut the example of Yaakov and the rocks seems to say that D'veikut *is* possible in this world, it just takes a while. Isn't Ruach HaKodesh a direct manifestation of this?
LK: Luzzatto brought the incident with the rock(s) as evidence that man can elevate the world; it doesn't say much about man's d'veikus.
ReplyDeleteBut your evidence from Ruach HaKodesh is excellent.
I understood the story of the rocks as making both points. The rocks all "stuck together" in order to be able to connect with the tzaddik who had attained his own d'veikut with Hashem.
ReplyDeleteOk. I hear you now.
ReplyDeleteFrom my understanding:
ReplyDeleteAt first there was God. God was all there was. Through an act or allowance called tzimtzum, "non-God" came into existance.
The purpose of creation of non-God was to be meitiv to a zulas. In order for that hatava to be maximized, non-God had to earn, though choice, that hatava.
The greatest good was a d'veykus right back to the only Truth, the only Necessary Existence- God.
Even though man, one aspect of non-God, had bechira, it is not clear that the rest of creation (or non-God) had bechira. But since all creation was created for this purpose of hatava and since God is perfect and perfectly efficient, all that He created is meant to be davuk back to Him.
Through mitzvos, man not only "breaks down barriers of physicality and materialism," he elevates the world. The mitzvos serve to elevate that very physicality and materialism. To be sure, the mitzvos elevate man. But by his elevation, the world is elevated as well.
The goal is to get as far as we can in this world towards narrowing the gap between the world and God. After the chet of Adam, full deveykus is impossible without death and purfication, if then.
Put differently: God created pirud to allow for an earned kiruv (i.e. deveykus). Everything is to go back as close to how it was before, just without the naama dikeysufa, if you will.
Deveykus is a return and along with the return of man is a return of all of non-God, through mitzvos. That is why contemplation alone is not primary for Ramchal as it is for Rambam, to pick one of many. For Rambam, the ikkur was contemplation of Man which requires much leftover debris. For Ramchal the ikkur is a tikkun of the pirud to create a meaningful hatava. There can be no left over debris- it all must come back.
Both this world and the next are part of a process of return. Mitzvos serve to bring man and the world back to Him.
Anonymous: I found the clarity of your thought and expression refreshing, but I lost you when you got to the Rambam. I am unfamiliar with this "contemplation of man" and "leftover debris." Care to elaborate?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous: I think I get it now. You're saying that the Rambam believes that the elevation of man by way of his contemplation of Hashem is the sole purpose of creation. All else that exists is there merely to serve man in this endeavor and is ultimately doomed to be leftover debris, never to be elevated.
ReplyDeleteCare to cite your sources?
Thank you Rabbi Gordon. You may want to consider Rambam, Moreh III,XVII for a distinction between man and beast and the next chapter thereafter for a distinction between different men. I would be interested to see if you think the ideas relate to my earlier point.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous: The Rambam there presents the different opinions about divine providence. He does say that he believes there is no providence on individual non-humans, but is that same as saying they cannot be elevated?
ReplyDeleteRabbi Gordon- I read the Rambam to be saying more. I read him to say he does not think God cares about individual entities other than man. He leaves them to pure chance.
ReplyDeleteאין אני מאמין בשום אופן שעלה זה נשר בהשגחה עליו, ולא שעכביש זה טרף זבוב זה בגזרת האל ורצונו הפרטי עכשיו. ולא שהיריקה שירק ראובן נעה עד שפגעה ביתוש זה במקום מסוים והרגה אותו על-פי גזירה. ולא שכאשר דג זה חוטף תולעת זאת משטח פני המים, זה בחֵפֶץ אלוהי פרטי. כל זה, לדעתי, במקרה לחלוטין כמו שסובר אריסטו.
I find it difficult to believe that God can leave animals to "mikra lachalutin" and still have a plan to redeem them through man's actions. Is it possible to redeem the min and not the prat?
For Ramchal the world will be redeemed either by man's actions or by the cleansing of gehenem, but in either event the world will be misdabek.
For Rambam, the stakes are much higher. If our intellectual capabilities and preparations fail, the act of creation will be for naught. Since many have passed through life and failed, part of the world remains unredeemed because it is unworthy of deveykus.
Look at the difference in how each describes the chet adam harishon. For Ramchal it creates imbalance. For Rambam it creates a sullied world. Ramchal just needs the balance restored by having the satan remove his hand from the scale. For Rambam there is no uncracking the egg, as any pastry chef can tell you.