Description: Introduction to Derech Hashem 01
Derech Hashem
Introduction 01
We will now take a temporary break from learning She’arim Bi’Tefillah, as we have learned about two-thirds of the sefer, and we have learned through seven of the different forms of tefillah, bitzur, sha’avah, na’akah, tze’akah, pegiah, rinah, and kriah.
We will now change over to learning Derech Hashem. Derech Hashem was written by the Ramchal, the author of Mesilas Yesharim. The purpose of Derech Hashem according to his own testimony, is a short work to organize and list the basics of emunah and Avodas Hashem. Once someone knows the ‘klalim’, the rules, they can extrapolate all the applications on their own.
Of course, when the Ramchal says he wrote a ‘short’ work, it is deceptive. Sefer Derech Hashem has four sections, twenty-seven chapters, and is hardly a short sefer. Four or five people have written commentary to Derech Hashem as well. It is a classic, on par with Mesilas Yesharim, Chovos Halevavos, Orchos Tzaddikim and so on. It clarifies the concepts of emunah that every Jew is required to know. He works through the foundations of our belief, defining our understanding of Hashem, of Hasgachah, what Nevuah means and what role it played, what our ultimate job in life is and what Olam Habah is. Derech Hashem lays out a path in Avodas Hashem, from mitzvos to davening, to learning Torah.
Derech Hashem is a mussar sefer which works through the same concepts we were working on when we were learning Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh. It is more of an intellectual sefer, helping us understand these concepts, whereas Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh was an action oriented sefer, giving us tools and techniques to acquire the middos of emunah, bitachon, and Yiras Shamayim.
I’m excited to begin learning Derech Hashem, as it also clarifies concepts that he refers to in Mesilas Yesharim, and many other core yedios, that we all need to understand. It is written succinctly, and with a few short sentences he can encapsulate huge topics, so we will try to develop the more difficult points, with the help of the various sefarim written on these topics. Once again, I will just learn from the sefer without quoting, and will talk in his voice, so to speak.
The Derech Hashem introduces his sefer with a comparison – a mashal. What’s the difference between a botanical garden, and a wild-growing forest? In a botanical garden, every type of flower is planted in its own area, and landscaped according to color and size. The trees line the garden, and provide shade and decoration, each in its proper place. The overall effect is that everything has a purpose, fits together, works together, and is in harmony. It allows you to appreciate each thing individually and together as a whole. It enables you to see the point! In a wild-growing forest, everything is haphazard and random, and you can’t make out individual trees and species due to the confusion of types.
This is the difference between approaching avodas Hashem with understanding of each individual facet of service of Hashem, and just doing things as they come your way. If we understand the place and purpose of each midah and each concept in Avodas Hashem, what emunah means, and what purpose it serves, what is hashgachah and where is bitachon necessary, and what does Hashem want from us and His world, we can appreciate our purpose in life, and the meaning of every aspect of Avodah. Whereas, if we don’t examine and learn them individually, and try to understand where they fit in to the larger picture, we will be wandering confused through a large forest, and this will prevent us from truly reaching our goal, and realizing our desire – to become close to Hashem. That’s what the Ramchal will try to accomplish in this sefer – to lay out a plan for Avodas Hashem, and all it’s facets, and demonstrate how they work together.
Derech Hashem
Introduction 01
We will now take a temporary break from learning She’arim Bi’Tefillah, as we have learned about two-thirds of the sefer, and we have learned through seven of the different forms of tefillah, bitzur, sha’avah, na’akah, tze’akah, pegiah, rinah, and kriah.
We will now change over to learning Derech Hashem. Derech Hashem was written by the Ramchal, the author of Mesilas Yesharim. The purpose of Derech Hashem according to his own testimony, is a short work to organize and list the basics of emunah and Avodas Hashem. Once someone knows the ‘klalim’, the rules, they can extrapolate all the applications on their own.
Of course, when the Ramchal says he wrote a ‘short’ work, it is deceptive. Sefer Derech Hashem has four sections, twenty-seven chapters, and is hardly a short sefer. Four or five people have written commentary to Derech Hashem as well. It is a classic, on par with Mesilas Yesharim, Chovos Halevavos, Orchos Tzaddikim and so on. It clarifies the concepts of emunah that every Jew is required to know. He works through the foundations of our belief, defining our understanding of Hashem, of Hasgachah, what Nevuah means and what role it played, what our ultimate job in life is and what Olam Habah is. Derech Hashem lays out a path in Avodas Hashem, from mitzvos to davening, to learning Torah.
Derech Hashem is a mussar sefer which works through the same concepts we were working on when we were learning Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh. It is more of an intellectual sefer, helping us understand these concepts, whereas Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh was an action oriented sefer, giving us tools and techniques to acquire the middos of emunah, bitachon, and Yiras Shamayim.
I’m excited to begin learning Derech Hashem, as it also clarifies concepts that he refers to in Mesilas Yesharim, and many other core yedios, that we all need to understand. It is written succinctly, and with a few short sentences he can encapsulate huge topics, so we will try to develop the more difficult points, with the help of the various sefarim written on these topics. Once again, I will just learn from the sefer without quoting, and will talk in his voice, so to speak.
The Derech Hashem introduces his sefer with a comparison – a mashal. What’s the difference between a botanical garden, and a wild-growing forest? In a botanical garden, every type of flower is planted in its own area, and landscaped according to color and size. The trees line the garden, and provide shade and decoration, each in its proper place. The overall effect is that everything has a purpose, fits together, works together, and is in harmony. It allows you to appreciate each thing individually and together as a whole. It enables you to see the point! In a wild-growing forest, everything is haphazard and random, and you can’t make out individual trees and species due to the confusion of types.
This is the difference between approaching avodas Hashem with understanding of each individual facet of service of Hashem, and just doing things as they come your way. If we understand the place and purpose of each midah and each concept in Avodas Hashem, what emunah means, and what purpose it serves, what is hashgachah and where is bitachon necessary, and what does Hashem want from us and His world, we can appreciate our purpose in life, and the meaning of every aspect of Avodah. Whereas, if we don’t examine and learn them individually, and try to understand where they fit in to the larger picture, we will be wandering confused through a large forest, and this will prevent us from truly reaching our goal, and realizing our desire – to become close to Hashem. That’s what the Ramchal will try to accomplish in this sefer – to lay out a plan for Avodas Hashem, and all it’s facets, and demonstrate how they work together.