In the "Tally of Mitzvos" at the beginning of his Mishnah Torah, the Rambam states: "The first of the positive commandments is to know G-d, as the verse states:
[1] 'I am G-d, your L-rd.' "
The Rambam begins the laws of Mishnah Torah[2] with this mitzvah as well: "The foundation of all foundations and the pillar of wisdom is the knowledge that there exists a Primary Being."
However, the Rambam does not immediately state that to have such knowledge is a positive command. Rather, he spends the next five paragraphs providing details about the "Primary Being." Only in the sixth paragraph does he go on to say: "Knowledge of this matter is a positive command, as the verse states: 'I am G-d, your L-rd.' "
We thus understand that, according to the Rambam, the positive command implied by the phrase "I am G-d, your L-rd" includes not only the general knowledge of G-d's existence as a Primary Being, but also the details about G-d that he enumerates.
It would seem that the Rambam's source for this is the Zohar's statement:[3] " 'You shall know that I am G-d, your L-rd'[4] - This is the primary command of all commands... to know G-d... that there is a Supernal Ruler who is Master of the Universe; He created all the worlds, the heaven and earth and all their hosts."
The Rambam's text is similar to that of the Zohar: "The foundation of all foundations" ("the primary command of all commands") "is the knowledge that there exists a Primary Being" ("to know G-d") "who brought about all beings, and all those who are found in heaven and earth and that which is between them...." ("He created all the worlds, the heaven and earth and all their hosts.")
From this passage in the Zohar, the Rambam learns that, although the verse simply states: "I am G-d, your L-rd," the commandment includes detailed knowledge of G-d.
An otherwise inexplicable matter in the Rambam can now be understood: The Rambam begins the second chapter of Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah by discussing the commandments to love and fear G-d.
He then continues:[5] "What is the way to attain love and fear of Him? When a person contemplates His wondrous and great deeds and creatures, observing therefrom His wisdom that has no comparison or end, the individual will immediately come to love G-d... know His great name... and fear. Accordingly, I shall explain important principles regarding the actions of the Creator, so that they serve as a discerning gateway to the love of G-d."
The Rambam then spends three chapters describing "His wondrous and great deeds and creatures;" one chapter[6] describing angelic beings (part of the "Works of the Divine Chariot"[7]), and the next two chapters in describing "Works of Creation."
He then concludes: "When an individual contemplates all this and is cognizant of all the created beings... it will enhance his love for G-d; he will fear and be in awe of Him."
Now, while it is true that love and fear of G-d are accomplished by contemplation, the Mishnah Torah is "a compilation of laws."[8] How is this lengthy exposition concerning "His wondrous and great deeds and creatures" germane?
The explanation is as follows. The matters described by the Rambam in these three chapters - "Works of the Divine Chariot" and "Works of Creation" - are not only contemplative exercises that eventually lead to love and fear of G-d, but are also relevant to a part of the mitzvah to know G-d.
This is as the commentary on Rambam states:[9] "Included within these two commandments [to know G-d, and to know that there is no other deity] are the 'Works of the Divine Chariot' and 'Works of Creation.' For by knowing them, one can ascertain proof of G-d's existence, and that He is the Primary Being and Creator of all."
The Rambam therefore explains the "important principles regarding the actions of the Creator" at great length, for in order to fulfill the mitzvah of knowing G-d, one must know these principles, leading as they do to "proof of G-d's existence, and that He is the Primary Being and Creator of all."
Based on Likkutei Sichos, Vol. XXVI, pp. 114-119
Notes:
- (Back to text) Shmos 20:2.
- (Back to text) Beginning of Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah.
- (Back to text) II, p. 25a.
- (Back to text) Shmos 6:7.
- (Back to text) 2:2.
- (Back to text) 2:3-8.
- (Back to text) 2:11.
- (Back to text) Text of the Rambam at the conclusion of his Introduction to Mishneh Torah. See also at length in Rosh Amanah ch. 19.
- (Back to text) Beginning of Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah.
From the passage in the Ten Commandments:
[1] "The seventh day is Shabbos to G-d your L-rd," our Sages
[2] learn that we are to refrain on that day not only from physical creative labor, but also from speaking about such labor, for just as G-d rested from the Ten Utterances of Creation, so too are we to refrain from such speech.
Moreover, our Sages go on to say[3] that on Shabbos, a pious individual shouldn't even think about work and labor. The reason is that G-d created with His speech the revealed world and with His thought the concealed worlds;[4] just as He rested from both speech and thought on the seventh day, so too will a pious individual rest.[5]
Since the underlying reason for man's cessation of creative physical labor is the same with regard to both action and speech, why is actual physical labor prohibited by the Torah, while speaking about such matters is only rabbinically proscribed, and thinking about such things is not prohibited at all, but simply not done by pious individuals?
Action differs greatly from both speech and thought, since it involves something external to the person himself. Thought and speech, however, take place within a person.
Thought reveals one's ideas and feelings to oneself, and speech reveals them to others.[6] Yet, there is a great difference between thought and speech as they relate to action:
Human thoughts are ethereal, and do not directly relate to action. Thus, one's thoughts can only affect oneself.
Speech, however, is produced by expelling air, and requires the physical involvement of one's tongue and lips, etc. Because it is so much closer to action, it has the power to compel others to act. Human thought, however, has no direct relationship to action.
But G-d's thoughts are fully capable of bringing about action, i.e., creation. The only difference between His thought and His speech is that His thought, being more sublime, creates creatures who are more spiritual, while His speech - which is on a lower level - creates revealed things.
In light of the above, it is clear that human thought cannot be compared to G-d's, since man's thought alone cannot affect another's deeds, while G-d's thought can and does. Man's speech, however, inasmuch as it is capable of compelling external action, does bear some similarity to G-d's speech.
The factors involved in refraining from labor on Shabbos with regard to action, speech and thought can be understood accordingly:
The general reason for refraining from labor on Shabbos is, "For [in] six days, the L-rd made the heavens and the earth... and rested on the seventh day."[7] Yes, we are supposed to emulate the Creator, but although G-d's Shabbos rest also involved resting from speech and thought since, in man's realm, thought and speech do not necessarily result in action, the Biblical commandment to rest on Shabbos does not require a cessation of mundane thought and speech.
Nevertheless, since there is some modicum of comparison between man's speech and G-d's, our Sages - who have the power to prohibit those things that are similar to Torah prohibitions - also prohibited speaking about creative physical labor.
Man's thoughts about labor, however, can in no way compare to Divine thought, so there is no reason for it to be even rabbinically prohibited. Still, a pious individual who seeks to emulate G-d's ways will refrain from mundane thoughts on Shabbos, since G-d rested on the seventh day from thoughts of creation.
Based on Likkutei Sichos, Vol. XI, pp. 80-85
Notes:
- (Back to text) Yerushalmi, Shabbos 15:3. See also Pesikta Rabasi 23:3.
- (Back to text) Shmos 20:10
- (Back to text) Yerushalmi ibid.
- (Back to text) Shaar HaYichud VehaEmunah ch. 11; Torah Or 69d, 71a; Likkutei Torah, Balak 67c.
- (Back to text) See Radak, Yeshayahu 58:13.
- (Back to text) Torah Or, 50a; Likkutei Torah, Vayikra 53a.
- (Back to text) Shmos 20:11.
Beshallach