"The Way of G-d" - PART 1 - The Fundamental Principles of Reality - Ch 1

"The Way of G-d" - PART 1 - The Fundamental Principles of Reality - Ch 1 - Par 6

Derech Hashem

Chapter 1 - The Creator

Paragraph 6

We end our foray into the nature and make-up of G-d, if you will, this week. And we venture into less utterly transcendent though exciting spiritual realms, including the nature of our *own* beings, the meaning of our lives, what G-d expects of us, how our righteousness affects us personally and the entire world, the Jewish year, the Jewish day, and so much more.

Ramchal offers one last insight into G-d's being now, then he sums up the entire chapter by encapsulating the six facts about G-d we'd do well to dwell upon and take to heart if we're ever going to understand the world.

That last point is that it's clear that there is only *one* G-d.

After all, as the argument goes, if there were more than one G-d, then there would have to have been one "Over-G-d", so to speak, from whom they would have all come. Since all multiples (many gods, in this case) necessarily come from a singular (the one "Over-G-d", or G-d Himself, in this case). Much the way individual state constitutions for example all derive from the Constitution of the United States, which gives them their authority and validates their existence.

If the various gods did indeed come from Him, then they obviously depend on Him and they're thus not utterly self-sufficient (as G-d Himself is) and they wouldn't be gods, by defintion. It therefore follows that there is only *one* G-d.

The six aforementioned facts about G-d we'd need to recall and ruminate upon as much and as often as it takes to "get it" are the facts that G-d *exists*, He's *perfect*, His existence is *imperative*, He's utterly *self-sufficient*, He's *simple*, and there's only *one* of Him.

Since we're about to enter the human realm as we indicated, it would serve us well to contrast G-d's being with our own.

The truth be known, though, we're not about to jump into humanity per se, so much as ease into it. Because as we'll see for ourselves Ramchal will start discussing G-d's *intentions* for us before he explains us ourselves. As such, we go from G-d, to G-d's idea of and plans for us "in theory", then to the reality of our beings-- both in potential and as is (for better or for worse). But let's do now what we set out to do, and contrast our beings with G-d's, despite those other intermittent ideas.

The first things that sets us apart from G-d is the fact that no one doubts that we exist. G-d certainly doesn't doubt it, and we don't either. G-d knows we exist because He's intrinsically tied to us as our Creator. And we know we exist for a few reasons: because we're intrinsically tied to ourselves, because we sense our own existence, and also *because we see ourselves*.

And though it's self-evident, we'll say it anyway-- while G-d is invisible, we're not. And it's G-d's invisibility that captures our imagination so and challenges our belief, since we only trust deeply what we can see and otherwise experience tangibly. In fact, one could say that it's our visibility and G-d's invisibility which is the "necessity" that has served as "the mother" of the "invention" of science and inquiry.

The second way we and He differ-- and this is a revelation to many, and a life-lesson some of us have to learn again and again--- lies in the fact that we're simply not perfect. We're flawed, no matter how wonderful, no matter how otherwise stunning. Yet there *is* implanted within us the dream of perfection and the uncanny urge to achieve it, which is undoubtedly rooted in our aforementioned intrinsic ties to G-d.

Third, unlike G-d, none of us is indispensable (i.e., "imperative")-- *none of us*. The world will carry on very well without us, and we'll quickly be replaced in the scheme of things.

Fourth, none of us is utterly self-sufficient-- only apparently, delusionarily so. If nothing else, we clearly need sunlight, food, drink, etc. But G-d needs nothing.

Fifth, while G-d is pure and simple, we're multifarious and complex. While some thinkers simply love human complexity, most of us yearn for simplicity, also likely because of our aforementioned ties to G-d.

And sixth-- obviously-- while there's only one G-d, there are many, many of us. But since, as we said above, all multiples necessarily come from a singular, then like state constitutions, we're all "derived" from G-d who "gives us our authority" and "validates" us. And we all hold sway over our own domain. (We'd all do well to reflect on the analogy!)

A final point. "The Way of G-d" is set out like a tree. It starts with a seed, sets out roots, and extends upward and outward. The "seed" has been this chapter, which discusses G-d's make-up. All that follows is an offshoot of it. So, always keep this chapter in mind and dwell on it often.

For without it-- without G-d, and what we know of Him-- nothing else makes sense.

By Rabbi Yaakov Feldman

Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has translated and commented upon "The Gates of Repentance", "The Path of the Just", and "The Duties of the Heart" (Jason Aronson Publishers). His works are available in bookstores and in various locations on the Web.

Courtesy of:

For any comments, questions or topic requests, please contact Rabbi Yaakov Feldman.

Subscribe to Ramchal and receive the class via e-mail.

Join the Jewish Learning Revolution! Torah.org: The Judaism Site brings this and a host of other classes to you every week.

Visit Torah.org or email learn@torah.org to get your own free copy of this mailing.

Need to change or stop your subscription? Please visit Torah.org's subscription center, http://torah.org/subscribe/ -- see the links on that page.

Project Genesis, Inc.

Ramchal's Spiritual Gems

Sunday, 31 January 2010

Aryeh