THE PROBLEM
The most difficult task that has ever faced humanity
since its inception has been to acquire a correct concept of their Creator and
maintain that concept down through the ages. This responsibility floundered
very early in the history of humanity when Enosh the son of Seth the son of
Adam began to “profane the Name”[1] or the true concept of G-d.
It is difficult to believe, but it only took two generations from the first
human being, Adam, created by our Creator to distort the correct concept of
G-d.
Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon commonly refereed to as
Rambam in one of his great works states[2]:
“During the times of Enosh, mankind made a great
mistake, and the wise men of that generation gave thoughtless counsel. Enosh himself
was one of those who erred. Their mistake was as follows: They said G-d created
stars and spheres with which to control the world. He placed them on high and
treated them with honor, making them servants who minister before Him.
Accordingly, it is fitting to praise and glorify them and to treat them with
honor. [They perceived] this to be the will of G-d, blessed be He, that they
magnify and honor those whom He magnified and honored, just as a king desires
that the servants who stand before him be honored. Indeed, doing so is an
expression of honor to the king.
After conceiving of this notion, they began to
construct temples to the stars and offer sacrifices to them. They would praise
and glorify them with words, and prostrate themselves before them, because by
doing so, they would - according to their evil conception - be fulfilling the
will of G-d.
This was the essence of the worship of false gods,
and this was the rationale of those who worshipped them. They would not say
that there is no other G-d, except for this star. This message was conveyed by
Jeremiah, who declared (10:7-8): 'Who will not fear You, King of the nations,
for to You it is fitting. Among all the wise men of the nations and in all
their kingdoms, there is none like You. They have one foolish and senseless
notion; that which they are punished, is [mere] wood.' i.e., all know that You
alone are G-d. Their error and their stupidity consists of conceiving of this
emptiness as Your will.”
I would now like to point out a couple of statements
found in Rambam's assessment of the downfall of humanity that eventually led
them to the practice of idolatry:
1. He states in the very first paragraph that: “the
wise men of that generation gave thoughtless counsel.”
Thus, Rambam makes it very clear that this was not a
mistake of the ignorant but of the wise men of the generation of Enosh, and
even of Enosh himself. And that through their thoughtless or careless council
led men away from the worship of the Creator - to the worship of the created.
Also in the second paragraph: “[They perceived] this
to be the will of G-d.”
“Their”(the wise men’s) next mistake was their
instance that by paying homage and honor to the various created things, one was
actually doing the will of the Creator.
No we can begin to see the development of idolatry
and the means through which it came about. It was through carelessness and self
perceived ideas of the wise. But their
self-perceived ideas concerning the will of G-d and their lack of concern for
imparting the correct notion of the Creator only led mankind down the dark path
of idolatry.
The age in which we live has not changed so much
from the time in which Enosh and the wise of his generation lived. Many of the
so-called wise men of our generation have fallen into the same trap as those of
the days of Enosh. They continue to proclaim their self-perceived ideas
concerning the correct notion and will of G-d and thereby continue to
contribute to many treading the darken path of idolatry.
THE PERFECTION
The way out of this darken path, of course, is to
begin to toss aside our self-perceived ideas of G-d. Next, rather then being
careless when it comes to developing a correct concept of our Creator, we
should fully concentrate our efforts on the limit of our G-d given ability to
discover the correct idea of our Creator.
Now how do we approach the seemingly impossible task
of beginning to acquiring a correct concept of the Creator? It becomes quite clear that since we cannot
depend upon our own rationale to discover the true concept of G-d, or as Rambam
states[3], “and this was the
rationale of those who worshipped them.”
If the rationale of the wise of the generation failed to discover and
maintain the true concept of G-d, what makes us think today that we may discover
with our own rationale what they failed to through their own rationale without
succumbing to error? What makes us better then they? Are we wiser?
As far as we know, at least in the recorder history of
the generations of Adam, there has been only one man that has ever arrived at
the true concept of the Creator through his own intellect and rational -
Abraham. It is no wonder that three
different world religions lay claim to this man as its founder.
But we all cannot be Abraham. How can we begin to
arrive at a correct concept of the Creator? Where are we to start?
I would suggest that while Creation itself is enough
to declare to all peoples in all languages that there is indeed a Creator.[4] But where do we turn in order to learn to do His will and
discover a true concept of Him? According to King David[5], “The Torah of HaShem is
perfect and able to restore the soul.”
Although creation may silently declare that a Creator exists, the Torah,
Tenach, and the Sages of Israel provide us with much more insight than the
creation.
According to the Prophet Isaiah it is impossible to
physically equate Him or to intellectually compare Him to anyone or anything.
“To whom then will you liken Me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.” [6]
When you have a One of a kind Being how does anyone
attempt to make a comparison?
Psychologically speaking, the human mind works from
the basics of comparisons and when we fail to have anyone or anything to
compare someone or something with then we are at a loss to describe the thing
whether it is inanimate or animate. The prophets were at a loss of words on
many occasions to describe the visions they received from G-d and in many
instances relied upon the use of similes to convey what they had seen. Similes
are often used to point out similarities in two objects that seem to have very
little in common. Such as: “And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of
their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot: and they sparkled like the
colour of burnished brass.” [7] Ezekiel upon having his vision of the Hayyoth attempts to explain
to those who have never seen such spiritual beings before in the only way he
can. He does so by comparing these spiritual beings to physical ones that most
people have come into contact with and would have some basic idea of what they
looked like and by the use of comparisons of two completely different types of
objects. He thereby informs us of what they look like but the likeness is never
exact, only a similarity in likeness.
The same applies in our every day lives. We are
constantly using comparisons to convey ideas to those whom we speak with. For example: If I say, table, a certain type
of table appears in your mind but in truth it may not be the same type of table
that I am about to describe to you. But, because we all have the basic idea of
a table i.e., an object that has either a small or large flat surface supported
by legs or a center post. Thus, we all may speak of a table even though it may
be different in actually composition or design.
Based on the proclamation by Isaiah and our own
inadequacy all that we can ever know of the Creator is that which He chooses to
reveal to us in His Torah.
Our Creator through the words of Balaam and stamped
with the approval of Moshe Rebbanu who records his words uses the same type of
language[8] to inform us of certain
incorrect ideas that men may attribute to Him. Such as when Balaam says, “G-d
is not a man that He should lie; neither the son of man that He should repent:
hath He said, and shall He not do it? Or hath He spoken, and shall it not make
it good?” [9]
The words of the Torah declare that G-d is not a man
“Ish” neither is He a “ben Adam.” The Prophets also make the same
declaration. “And also the Strength of
Israel will not lie nor repent: for He is not a man that He should repent.”[10]
Some will look at these texts and dismiss the fact
that these texts do not actually dismiss the possibility of the Creator not
being mortal or a corporal being. But that they only describe the fact that as
the Creator He is not lacking in power and has no need to lie or repent. And
indeed they may ascribe that also. However, the words clearly state, “G-d is
not a man” which negates the possibility of Him being such.
1. One may
look at this text and discount altogether that it describes the incorporeality
of G-d.
2. Another
may read this same passage and because of a lack of knowledge not be able to
decide if it denies the incorporeality of G-d.
3. Lastly, another
individual perceives that one of the truths that is found in these words is
indeed a clear denial of any possibility of the Creator having a body and sets
out to clearly prove this to be so.
The question now is which one of these individuals is
closer to a true concept of the Creator? [11]
From these texts and from others that are like it we
may discover a great secret and that great secret is that what we can truly
know of the Creator is always found in the negation of a quality that is attributed
to the Creator. The Tenach in several places declares what the Creator is not
and it is through these negations that we may begin to arrive at a correct
concept of the Creator. Generally speaking we can never know what He is, but it
is certain that we can eliminate all that he is not and arrive at a complete
understanding of what He is not.
Rambam in one of his works states: “...I shall show
you that we cannot describe the Creator by any means except by negative
attributes.” [12]
“Once we
comprehend that ‘we cannot comprehend the Incompressible One’, then for the
very first time we have truly comprehended, and have formulated a correct
concept of the Creator.” [13] And this can only be arrived at through the negation of qualities
that are attributed to Him.
THE PURPOSE
Why should we put so much effort into this
discovery?
Rambam also states[14], “The true worship of G-d
is only possible when correct notions have previously been conceived. When you
have arrived by way of intellectual research at a knowledge of G-d and His
works, then commence to devote yourselves to Him, try to approach Him and
strengthen the intellect, which is the link that joins you to Him.”
Since our worship and approach to G-d is limited by
our incorrect notions of Him according to one of the great Sages of Israel, it
behooves us to constantly seek to Formulate A Correct Concept of our Creator to
the best of our G-d given ability.
[1] See Rashi's comments on Genesis 4:26, "It was then that they called profanely upon the Name of G-d."
[2] Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Avodat Kochavim V' Chukkoteihem, Moznaim Publishing Corporation 1990, Chapter One pp. 14-16.
[3] Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Avodat Kochavim V' Chukkoteihem, Moznaim Publishing Corporation 1990, Chapter One p. 16
[4] Psalms 19:1-6
[5] Psalms 19:7f.
[6] Isaiah 40:25
[7] Ezekiel 1:7
[8] For G-d to have to state that He is not a man must have been done in order to correct an incorrect idea that some men held of Him.
[9] Numbers 23:19
[10] I Samuel 15:29
[11] See, The Guide for the Perplexed, Dover Publishing, p. 84
[12] The Guide for the Perplexed, Dover Publishing, p. 81
[13] My Comment after reading The Guide for the Perplexed for the first time.
[14] The Guide for the Perplexed, Dover Publishing, p. 385