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DEUTERONOMY — 4:12 shape

DEUT95 The prophet has already warned us that we should be careful not to think that God has any form or likeness, saying: “Watch yourselves most carefully, since you saw no image” (Devarim 4:15); “But you saw no image--there was only a voice” (ibid. 4:12). “Watch yourselves... carefully” means: be careful -- in your thinking and imagination -- not to represent the Creator by any shape, nor to conceive of Him in any image or likeness, for your eyes beheld neither image nor form when He spoke to you, as it says: “To whom, then, will you liken the Almighty? What likeness will you compared to Him?” (Yeshayahu 40:18); “‘To whom then, will you liken Me, that I should compare to?’ says the Holy One” (ibid. 40:25); “For who in the skies can be compared to God? Who is like God among the heavenly beings?” (Tehillim 87:7); “There is none like you among the Gods, Hashem, nor are there works like Yours” (ibid. 86:8); and there are many similar passages.

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DEUTERONOMY — 4:29 search

DEUT124 All that keeps a sinner from repentance is his own corrupt inner life and deceitful heart. But if he sincerely wishes to draw closer to God, the gate of repentance is not closed to him and no obstacle will prevent him from reaching it. On the contrary, God opens the gate of refinement for him and, in His grace and beneficence, guides him on the right path. As it says: “God is good and upright; He therefore guides sinners on the way” (Tehillim 25:8); “But from there you will search for Hashem your God, and you will find Him, if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul” (Devarim 4:29); “It is a thing very close to you...that you can do” (ibid. 30:14); “God is close to all who call Him, to all who call Him in truth” (Tehillim 145:18).

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DEUTERONOMY — 4:39 know

DEUT137 Most people need inner wisdom. Perhaps the duties of the heart are so obvious and well known to all, I thought, and people are so faithful in fulfilling them, that it was unnecessary to write a book about them. But when I made an inquiry into the conduct of previous generations as documented in written records, I found that the people were far removed from them. Only the most fervent and outstanding personalities among the people lived up to these duties, as we know from accounts of their conduct; the rest of the people, however, sorely needed guidance and instruction in this area. How much the more so in our generation! Most of the people do not take seriously the duties of the limbs, certainly not the duties of the heart. Those among the people who are drawn to Torah study aim only to be considered scholars by the common people and to be thought of as great men. They veer off the path of the Torah to [study] that which brings no excellence of character, does not correct personal faults, and ignorance of which brings no punishment, while neglecting the study of the fundamentals of the religion and the foundations of the Torah, which should not be ignored or forsaken. Without knowledge of these [fundamentals and foundations] and without practicing them, one simply cannot fulfill the commandments. Belief in the unity of God is an example: Is this something which we are obligated to investigate intellectually, or is it enough to know of it by way of tradition and declare--as the simple do--without argument or proof, that our God is one? Must we investigate the meaning of “the absolute one” and “the relative one,” in order to differentiate between this meaning and that of the other existing unities? It is forbidden for a believer to remain in ignorance of these matters, for the Torah has cautioned us in this regard, saying: “Understand it today and reflect on it in your heart: Hashem is the God in the heavens above and on the earth below” (Devarim 4:39). The same is true of the other duties of the heart which have been mentioned and which will be mentioned: the believer's faith is not complete unless he knows of them and practices them. This is the inner wisdom, which is the light of the heart and the radiance of the soul. It is this that the verse refers to, saying: “Surely You desire truth in the inward parts; teach me wisdom in my innermost being” (Tehillim 51:8).

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DEUTERONOMY — 4:39 know

DEUT139 You must therefore apply yourself, until you come to know the truth of your Creator from the evidence of His works, not from the essence of His glory. For from the perspective of His works, He is closer than close, but in any representation of the essence of His glory or comparison with it, He is infinitely remote. From that standpoint, our minds cannot fathom Him, as we have stated. When you reach the point [where] you remove Him from your conjecture and sensations, as if He is not to be found, but in the signs of His works you find Him as though He were inseparable from you, you will then have reached the highest degree of knowledge of Him, which the prophet exhorts us to attain, saying: “Understand it today and reflect on it in your heart, Hashem is the God in the heavens above and on the earth below, there is no other” (Devarim 4:39).

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DEUTERONOMY — 4:39 understand

DEUT140 ... four levels of acknowledging God's unity are to be found among men, according to their different levels of understanding and insight into this concept. The first [level] is the declaration of God's unity by the tongue alone. This level is attained by the child or the simple person who has no understanding of the meaning of belief, nor is its truth fixed firmly in his heart. The second level is the acknowledgment of God's unity with the heart and tongue, based on what one has received from tradition, because he believes the person from whom he has received it. lHowever,] one does not grasp [at this level] the true meaning of the subject on the strength of one's own intellect and understanding; rather, one is like a blind man who is led by one who can see. It may happen that one receives [the tradition] from someone who, likewise, knows it only from tradition. That would resemble a string of blind men, each of whom has his hand on the shoulder of the one in front of him, until the file reaches a person endowed with sight, who is at their head and guides them. Should this guide of theirs fail them and neglect to watch over them carefully, or if one of them should stumble or suffer an accident, then all of them would be affected: they would all stray from the path and either fall into a pit or a ditch, or blunder into an obstacle that would prevent them from continuing. The same is true of one who acknowledges God’s unity because he relies on tradition. One cannot be sure that he will not embrace polytheism, for when he hears the statements and arguments of the dualists, his views might change and he might fall into error without his being aware of it. For this reason our Masters have stated: “Be diligent in the study of Torah, and know what answer to give a heretic” (Avos 2:14). The third level is the acknowledgement of God's unity with the heart and tongue after one is able to support it [the doctrine] with arguments for the truth of His existence, by way of reasoned analysis. [However,] one does not have knowledge of the meaning of “the absolute one” and “the relative one.” A person [at this level] resembles a man, endowed with sight, who, on a journey to a distant land, reaches a point in the road where it branches off into many different directions. Although he knows the general direction and location of his city of destination, he does not know which road will take him there; despite great effort on his part, he fails to reach his destination, for he does not know the way. This is like what Scripture says: “A fool wearies himself with his efforts, for he does not know how to get to the city” (Koheles 10:15). The fourth level is the acknowledgement of God's unity with the heart and tongue after one knows how to support [the doctrine] with arguments and arrive at knowledge of His true oneness by way of analysis and correct, reasonable theories. This is the highest and most accomplished level of them all, and it is this high station which the prophet urged us to attain, when he said: “Understand it today and reflect on it in your heart: Hashem is the God in the heavens above and on the earth below, there is no other” (Devarim 4:39).

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DEUTERONOMY — 4:39 understand

DEUT141 Having discussed in the preceding gate the essentials of repentance and its conditions, and since self-accounting is one of these conditions, I think it proper to follow with an explanation of different kinds of self-accounting, for through such introspection one is moved to that which will further one’s well-being in both worlds, as David, peace be upon him, said: “I consider my ways, and I turn my feet to Your testimonies” (Tehillim 119: 59 ).... Self-accounting is earnest deliberation on one's religious and secular concerns, in the privacy of one's thoughts, to discover what he has accomplished--and has yet to accomplish--of his obligations. The prophet charged us to do so when he said, “Understand it today and reflect on it in your heart: Hashem is the God... (Devarim 4:39). David, peace be upon him, said: “Enhance your awareness and discover that God is good” (Tehillim 34:9); “Know the God of your father and serve Him” (Divrei Ha-Yamim I, 28:9); “Don't be like a horse or a mule, without understanding” (Tehillim 32:9). Of one who fails to examine his concerns and does not critique himself in them, it was said: “No one reflects on it in his heart, no one has knowledge or understanding” (Yeshayahu 44:19); “They did not remember His power” (Tehillim 78:42). It says further: “Remember the days of old, reflect on the years of generations past...” (Devarim 32:7ff.); Remembering days of old, [I meditate on all that You did]” (Tehillim 143:5); “I turn my thoughts far away [and ascribe righteousness to my Maker]” (Iyov 36:3).

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