Description: Chapter 1 - 01
Derech Hashem
Chapter 1 – 01
Every Jew is obligated to believe that there is a being who exists from before all other creations existed. Hashem is both ‘kadmon’ meaning His existence has no beginning, and ‘nitzchi,’ He is eternal – with no end. He created all that we know, and continues to give life and existence to all creations.
Another integral element of our belief about Hashem is, that Hashem cannot be understood by us. We can’t grasp what Hashem is, or who He is. The only thing we do know about Hashem is that He is ‘shalaim,’ perfect in every level and aspect of possible perfection.
These are facts which our Avos grasped and understood, our Nevi’im taught us, and every single Jew witnessed with his or her own eyes on Har Sinai. After seeing this with a clarity, they taught it to the next generation who handed it down, until our generation. This itself is a mitzvah that Moshe commanded us from the mouth of Hashem, ‘pen tishkach es hadevorim asher ra’u ainechah… vi’hodatum li’vanechah u’livnei vanechah.’ Lest you forget the things you witnessed with your eyes, and you will teach it to your children and your grandchildren. This is the mitzvah of zechiras maamad har Sinai, which you can find in the ‘sheish zechiros’ printed in the end of Shachris.
This can also be proven through logic. Through clear thinking, one can prove each one of these truths, and all the more so if we are knowledgeable in the sciences, where every aspect of the different sciences prove the existence and omnipotence of Hashem. However, we will stick with the truth as we have learned it through our mesorah, from our parents and grandparents, and them from theirs, all the way back to Har Sinai itself.
Another important element of our belief, is that Hashem’s existence is ‘muchrach,’ it can’t be otherwise – there’s no possibility of Hashem not existing, chas v’shalom. In addition, Hashem’s existence is not dependent on anything else.
The next point we have to realize about Hashem is that He is one in totality. There are no conflicting forces within Hashem. We as humans have many different powers and forces at work within us. Memory, imagination, desire, are all distinct attributes that the human mind contains, but Hashem isn’t subject to different forces and abilities, He is one in the most simple and perfect way possible.
The Ramchal continues to expound upon this point, but I will move ahead, as these are very deep and intricate concepts, which really require a much longer shiur to be able to begin to comprehend them. The Ramchal himself writes, that it is almost impossible to put some of these concepts into words! Much of the sefer Daas Tevunos of the Ramchal is dedicated to working through and developing our understanding of Yichud Hashem and Metzius Hashem. Here he touches on them briefly, just to establish the core beliefs every Jew has to have, and to define our knowledge of Hashem – what we do know and what we don’t and can’t!
Derech Hashem
Chapter 1 – 01
Every Jew is obligated to believe that there is a being who exists from before all other creations existed. Hashem is both ‘kadmon’ meaning His existence has no beginning, and ‘nitzchi,’ He is eternal – with no end. He created all that we know, and continues to give life and existence to all creations.
Another integral element of our belief about Hashem is, that Hashem cannot be understood by us. We can’t grasp what Hashem is, or who He is. The only thing we do know about Hashem is that He is ‘shalaim,’ perfect in every level and aspect of possible perfection.
These are facts which our Avos grasped and understood, our Nevi’im taught us, and every single Jew witnessed with his or her own eyes on Har Sinai. After seeing this with a clarity, they taught it to the next generation who handed it down, until our generation. This itself is a mitzvah that Moshe commanded us from the mouth of Hashem, ‘pen tishkach es hadevorim asher ra’u ainechah… vi’hodatum li’vanechah u’livnei vanechah.’ Lest you forget the things you witnessed with your eyes, and you will teach it to your children and your grandchildren. This is the mitzvah of zechiras maamad har Sinai, which you can find in the ‘sheish zechiros’ printed in the end of Shachris.
This can also be proven through logic. Through clear thinking, one can prove each one of these truths, and all the more so if we are knowledgeable in the sciences, where every aspect of the different sciences prove the existence and omnipotence of Hashem. However, we will stick with the truth as we have learned it through our mesorah, from our parents and grandparents, and them from theirs, all the way back to Har Sinai itself.
Another important element of our belief, is that Hashem’s existence is ‘muchrach,’ it can’t be otherwise – there’s no possibility of Hashem not existing, chas v’shalom. In addition, Hashem’s existence is not dependent on anything else.
The next point we have to realize about Hashem is that He is one in totality. There are no conflicting forces within Hashem. We as humans have many different powers and forces at work within us. Memory, imagination, desire, are all distinct attributes that the human mind contains, but Hashem isn’t subject to different forces and abilities, He is one in the most simple and perfect way possible.
The Ramchal continues to expound upon this point, but I will move ahead, as these are very deep and intricate concepts, which really require a much longer shiur to be able to begin to comprehend them. The Ramchal himself writes, that it is almost impossible to put some of these concepts into words! Much of the sefer Daas Tevunos of the Ramchal is dedicated to working through and developing our understanding of Yichud Hashem and Metzius Hashem. Here he touches on them briefly, just to establish the core beliefs every Jew has to have, and to define our knowledge of Hashem – what we do know and what we don’t and can’t!