Musings on Maimonides: 130720 - Chapter I - III of GftP

Musings on Maimonides - 20 July 2013
The Guide for the Perplexed - GftP

"Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepth the truth may enter in." [Isiah 36:2]  Such is the introduction to Part I of GftP.

[Chapter I] Gen 1:26 says, "Let Us make man in Our zelem" where zelem is translated as image.  Men have for millennium translated zelem as meaning that G-d looked like a man and some even took that to mean that G-d had a corporeal body like man.  They went so far at to say that G-d looked like man except that He excelled in greatness and splendor and that He was not flesh and blood and bone.  WHAT, exactly, He was or is has not been said.

This chapter also explains that G-d is not corporeal at all by explaining the true meaning of zelem and demut.  The ordinary shape and form of a thing can be toår (Gen 30:6, Sam 28:14, Judges 8:18).  This term is not applicable to G-d.  The term zelem, according to RaMBaM, however, does apply to G-D.  Gen 1:27, "In the zelem of G-d He created him." 

Demut comes from the term "he is like unto...".  This denotes a general abstract term that means in agreement with something as regards an abstract relationship.  For example, "I am like a pelican in the wilderness."  (Ps 102;7)  David does not mean that he has feathers, claws and a beak but rather that he is sad like a pelican that is lost without the rivers and lakes to the point of sadness.

[Chapter II] RaMBaM points out the Elohim (mighty ones, lords, angels, judges, rulers, etc.) is the plural form of Eloha.  Elohim also is the singular form of G-d Almighty.  This was properly pointed out by Onkelos the Proselyte where he explained that Gen 3:5 "And ye shall be like Elohim " is properly translated as "Ye shall be like princes " or "Ye shall be like kings " rather than "Ye shall be like G-d ".  The rest of Chapter II deals with explaining that mankind should study and not just read the TaNaKh (the Bible) now and then.  It is only by deep insight that we can understand the simple words that G-d has llaid out before us.

The words of emet and sheker,  of true and false, of morally right and wrong, the tov and ra' - distinctions that are applied to all arguments.  Also, RaMBaM covers the passage in Psalms 8:6, "Thou has made him (man) a little lower than the angels."

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Personally, because of the right of any Jew to interpret TaNaKh according to what he sees fit so long as it does not conflict with the TaNaKh itself, I have always seen this as passage as, "Thou has made him a little lower than God." where Elohim is interpreted as G-d.  That would put mankind above the angles but lower than G-d.  Now, back to Maimonides.
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After Adam transgressed in the Garden of Eden and he fully understood what he had lost he understood the passage, "ye shall be like elohim knowing good and evil " but not in the sense of discerning the true and false.  It was then that the eyes of Adam and Eve were opened and they both knew that they were naked.  After that, Adam had to sweat to make the Earth produce her fruit and bread and thorns and thistles grew where pleasant foods had grown before.

[Chapter III]  This chapter deals with the Hebrew Homonym words words temunah and tabnit that many think are the same, but they are not.  Tabnit  is derived from banah, meaning "he built" and signifies to build or construct a thing.  Compare this with the tabnit of the Tabernacle and the tabnit or pattern of its vessels (Ex 35:40).    On the other hand, temunah is used in three different senses.

• the outlines of things are perceived by our bodily senses, their shape or form.  "And ye make an image the form (temunat) of some likeness " (Dt 4:16)
• the forms of our imagination, or the impressions retained in our imagination when the objects no longer affect our senses.  For example, "in thoughts from the visions of the night" in Job 4:13, which concludes "it remained but I could not recognize its sight, only an image (temunah) was before my eyes, "
• the true form of an object that is perceived only by the intellect.  it is this term that is applied to G-d.  The words "And the similitude of the HaShem shall he behold" (Num 12:8) means "he shall comprehend the true essence of HaShem."

Next week I shall try and cover another three chapters or so.   Hang around, comment if you like.  If you can find a way to put Hebrew letters into a blog like this let me know and I will do it.  I really hate having to transliterate into English.

Shalom
Yaakov On