{"id":169,"date":"2017-04-24T14:07:26","date_gmt":"2017-04-24T14:07:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rabbiyaakovfeldman.aishdas.org\/daattevunot\/?p=169"},"modified":"2017-04-24T14:07:26","modified_gmt":"2017-04-24T14:07:26","slug":"daat-tevunot-1-19-58","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rabbiyaakovfeldman.aishdas.org\/daattevunot\/2017\/04\/24\/daat-tevunot-1-19-58\/","title":{"rendered":"Da\u2019at Tevunot 1: 19 (# 58)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Da\u2019at Tevunot<\/em> 1: 19 (# 58)<\/p>\n

1.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re now at the end of the first section of Da\u2019at Tevunot<\/em> in which Ramchal has set out to explain how G-d interacts with us as well as what His ultimate plans for the universe are, and he\u2019s about to broach the recondite subject of the resurrection of the dead. His aim here, though, is to underscore the point made just before that it\u2019s G-d\u2019s will alone that steers everything 1<\/sup>.<\/p>\n

He\u2019ll do that by citing the well-known statement that \u201cG-d is the site of the universe while the universe isn\u2019t the site of G-d\u201d (Breishit Rabbah<\/em> 68:9). But we\u2019d need to uncover some things before we could come to understand how that statement illustrates the point that it\u2019s G-d\u2019s willingness alone that upholds the universe\u2019s very moorings.<\/p>\n

2.<\/p>\n

As Ramchal made the point early on 2<\/sup>, we know that only G-d\u2019s existence is imperative 3<\/sup>. His point here is that everything else exists only because He wants<\/em> it to 4<\/sup>. After all, aren\u2019t we told that G-d\u2019s will controls the great amorphous \u201cupper waters\u201d (Breishit Rabbah<\/em> 4:3, Ta\u2019anit<\/em> 10A) and the colossal \u201csupport beams\u201d that bear heaven and earth (Chagigah<\/em> 12b); that it\u2019s His \u201coutstretched arms\u201d which the cosmos rest and depend upon for stability (Ibid.); and that He bears everything here down below from up above (Yalkut Shimoni<\/em> 1:964) 5<\/sup>? But the truth of the matter is that G-d Almighty didn\u2019t need anything else: He single-handedly created and maintains the universe simply because He wants it to exist.<\/p>\n

Knowing that, we can now understand the statement that \u201cG-d is the site of the universe while the universe isn\u2019t the site of G-d\u201d. It means to say that while G-d Himself needs nothing in the background for Him to exist 6<\/sup>, the universe, on the other hand, simply couldn\u2019t exist without G-d in the background wanting it to exist 7<\/sup>. For, indeed, it\u2019s G-d\u2019s will alone that serves as the reality behind everything since nothing could exist without it.<\/p>\n

For, He existed before anything else could have, though certain ancient thinkers denied that, claiming instead that both He and the universe always existed. But that\u2019s not true as the universe isn\u2019t immortal — G-d had to want to create it, as nothing could exist without that in the background. Indeed, G-d wasn\u2019t at all impelled by any \u201cneed\u201d to create the universe: He created everything completely \u201cout of the blue\u201d and by dint of His own will.<\/p>\n

3.<\/p>\n

Ramchal then cites something that seems to contradict this. The psalmist wrote, \u201cMay G-d\u2019s glory endure forever; May He always be pleased with 8 <\/sup>His handiwork\u201d (Psalms 104:31). Doesn\u2019t that seem to imply that it\u2019s His handiwork — we — who please Him; that somehow we\u2019re able to see to it that He\u2019s glorified forever; and that He\u2019s thus in some way better-off by our existence?<\/p>\n

But of course that\u2019s not so, and the explanation is as follows. Being that nothing could exist without G-d\u2019s willingness for it to exist, the only reason why it could be implied that we have those abilities is because He wanted<\/em> there to be entities that could please and glorify Him. Indeed, everything exists, is interacted with and continues to exist only because G-d wants that to be so 9<\/sup>.<\/p>\n

Footnotes:<\/p>\n

1\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/sup>Refer to the end of 1:18. Also see Clallim Rishonim<\/em> 4.<\/p>\n

2\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/sup>See 1:5 above and note 1 there.<\/p>\n

3\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/sup>I.e., only His existence is indispensable while everything else is expendable.<\/p>\n

4\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/sup>As such, everything then becomes<\/em> indispensable because He wants it to exist. It\u2019s just that they\u2019re not inherently indispensable like G-d is. There are very many deep implications to this idea, but suffice it to say it follows that whatever<\/em> exists is thus purposeful, intended, and indispensable, without exception.<\/p>\n

5\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/sup>That\u2019s to say that while these statements set out to explain the \u201cmechanics\u201d of G-d\u2019s control, G-d doesn\u2019t literally take hold of the upper waters or the support beams, and He doesn\u2019t have arms to bear the cosmos, but He does will<\/em> all of those things to function the way they do so the universe can exist.<\/p>\n

6\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/sup>Because His existence is imperative and depends on nothing else, as we said.<\/p>\n

7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/sup>That is, while G-d\u2019s willingness for the universe to exist functions as the \u201csite\u201d, \u201cspace\u201d or \u201csetting\u201d within which everything is situated \u2013 its background, His existence requires nothing of the sort.<\/p>\n

Understand it also as underscoring the fact that while G-d can contain the entire universe and thus all of reality, and<\/em> more<\/em>, in His being, His being is too large for the universe to contain.<\/p>\n

8\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/sup>Or, by<\/em>\u2026<\/p>\n

9\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/sup>Ramchal is making an important albeit erudite point here. He\u2019s reiterating the important idea that not only is G-d\u2019s being imperative but His will and thus His utter sovereignty (after all, what greater proof of His sovereignty is there than the fact that He need only stop willing for the universe to exist and it will!) are also utterly imperative.<\/p>\n

See Ramchal\u2019s own comments to Klach<\/em> Pitchei<\/em> Chochma<\/em> 1, and see our first note to 1:5 above.<\/p>\n

(c) 2017 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<\/p>\n

Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org<\/a><\/p>\n

———————————————————-<\/p>\n

Rabbi Feldman’s new annotated translation of Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag\u2019s \u201cIntroduction to the Zohar\u201d is available as \u201cThe Kabbalah of Self\u201d on Kindle here<\/a>. His annotated translation of Maimonides’ “Eight Chapters” is available here<\/a> and his annotated translation of Rabbeinu Yonah\u2019s “The Gates of Repentance” is available here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

He has also translated and commented upon “The Path of the Just” and “The Duties of the Heart” (Jason Aronson Publishers).<\/p>\n

Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes torah.org entitled \u201cSpiritual Excellence<\/a>\u201d and \u201cRamchal<\/a>\u201d that can be subscribed to.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Da\u2019at Tevunot 1: 19 (# 58) 1. We\u2019re now at the end of the first section of Da\u2019at Tevunot in which Ramchal has set out to explain how G-d interacts with us as well as what His ultimate plans for … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2,3,4,5,6,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-169","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-hashkapha","category-jewish-thought","category-kabbalah","category-luzzatto","category-ramchal","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7iqo7-2J","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rabbiyaakovfeldman.aishdas.org\/daattevunot\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rabbiyaakovfeldman.aishdas.org\/daattevunot\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rabbiyaakovfeldman.aishdas.org\/daattevunot\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rabbiyaakovfeldman.aishdas.org\/daattevunot\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rabbiyaakovfeldman.aishdas.org\/daattevunot\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=169"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/rabbiyaakovfeldman.aishdas.org\/daattevunot\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":171,"href":"https:\/\/rabbiyaakovfeldman.aishdas.org\/daattevunot\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169\/revisions\/171"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rabbiyaakovfeldman.aishdas.org\/daattevunot\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=169"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rabbiyaakovfeldman.aishdas.org\/daattevunot\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=169"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rabbiyaakovfeldman.aishdas.org\/daattevunot\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=169"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}