Petach 4

רצה הא"ס ב"ה להיות מיטיב הטבה שלמה, שלא יהיה אפילו בושת למקבלים אותו. ושיער לגלות בפועל יחודו השלם - שאין שום מניעה נמצאת לפניו, ולא שום חסרון. לכן שם ההנהגה הזאת שהוא מנהג, שבה יהיה בפועל החזרת הרע לטוב, דהיינו במה שנתן בתחילה מקום לרע לעשות את שלו, ובסוף הכל כבר כל קלקול נתקן, וכל רעה חוזרת לטובה ממש. והרי היחוד מתגלה, שהוא עצמו תענוגן של נשמות:

The Infinite One wanted to express utter and complete benevolence in such a way that its recipients wouldn't be ashamed to accept it. So He set out to (eventually) reveal His Yichud, (and to thus show) that He has neither deterrents nor defects.

He accordingly established the system of governance that He now uses (which is the gist of what the Kabbalistic system sets out to illustrate), thanks to which wrongfulness will (eventually) revert to goodness.

For while God initially granted wrongdoing a realm in which to do what it can, in the end all harm will be rectified and all wrong will revert to actual goodness. And God's Yichud will thus be revealed, (the experience of) which will in fact be the delight of the souls.

This fourth petach -- which is the last of the introductory petachim -- sets out to tie up loose ends and to fully explain God's ways and intentions in general. It clarifies the extent and implications of God's beneficence as well as the final status of wrong and injustice, and it illustrates the outcome of the revelation of God's Yichud. Whereas to now Ramchal has revealed the intention for which the world was created, he here divulges the means by which God will carry it out.

1.

First, recall that Ramchal had defined God's Yichud in the first petach as the playing out of the fact that "only His will functions (fully) and that no other will functions other than through it", despite appearances, and that "He has neither deterrents nor defects" as he added above.

Now, his point has been that everything created -- every single item, person, phenomenon, and process -- is part of a great and splendid "device", if you will, whose sole aim is to prove that God's reign is utter and supreme. The implications of that are of course quite stunning, breathtaking, even undoing, since it implies that nothing has a life or raison d'être of its own so much as a role to play in the revelation of God's sovereignty. Yet we've also been taught that we have free will (1:4), which would clearly affirm our own personal reality as well as our importance in the makeup of the universe. So what role do we play in the end?

Significantly, since it's we alone who allow for the revelation of God's Yichud in the world, as we'll see, we clearly matter infinitely much.

2.

Wanting to allow us this high purpose, God meant for us to accept His benevolence on our own and to thus assume an active part in it. But we're not inclined to accept out-and-out benevolence, because of a uniquely human inability to accept a favor without being embarrassed by our benefactor's largesse. As our sages put it, "One who eats what is not his is ashamed to look in his (benefactor's) face" (J. T., Orlah 1:3) [1].

So in order to avoid this, we're told, and to assure the fact that we wouldn't be "ashamed to accept" his benevolence, God saw to it that humankind would "have a way of doing something to earn the good that they'd receive". That way they'd enjoy what had come to be theirs through their efforts, and they'd thus be the sort of willing participants in the process He wants us to be.

In order to facilitate that effort God set out to create the system of good and evil (to allow for our good and bad choices), of reward and punishment (to affirm the seriousness of each one of our choices), and free will (to in fact allow us our own input).

With all that in place, God will indeed then be able to "express utter and complete benevolence in such a way that its recipients wouldn't be ashamed to accept it" -- since we would have earned it and would be willing to accept it.

Accordingly, God then "established the system of governance that He now uses", (the system of good versus evil, reward versus punishment cited above) which allows humankind to participate constructively and maximally in God's world, and for the eventual revelation of God's Yichud, as we'll now see. And "thanks to which wrongfulness will (eventually) revert to goodness", once His Yichud is revealed.

3.

The reward we'll be granted in the end will be the revelation of God's Yichud which, as we'd learned, would be the stark discovery that despite appearances, God has "neither deterrents nor defects" and is utterly sovereign in His rule.

For while God initially granted wrongdoing a realm in which to do what it can, so as to allow us a voluntary role in the grand scheme of things, in the end all harm will be rectified and all wrong will revert to actual goodness [2]. But know that that "could not come about in fact until wrongfulness was actually revealed" in the world; so while wrongfulness certainly does its harm and ravages many souls, it's still and all a "necessary evil", if you will, without which full and effulgent goodness could never come about.

God's Yichud will thus be revealed after all -- after all harm is reverted to goodness--
and that will (prove to) be the delight of the souls (in reward for their efforts) [3], given that "all souls long to rejoice in and return to their Source" [4] as Ramchal puts it.

_____________________________________________________

Notes:

[1] This notion, known as Nahama D'kisufa ("The Bread of Shame"), is also cited in Tosephot to Kiddushin 36b, "Kawl Mitzvah"; R' Yoseph Karo's Maggid Maisharim (Breishit, "Ohr Layom Shabbat 14 Tevet"); R' Menachem Azariah De Fano's Yonat Elim (beginning); and the anonymous Orchot Tzaddikim's Sha'ar HaBusha. Also see Derech Hashem 1:2:2

Also see R' Shriki's note 7* on pp. 13-14 where he raises the question as to why God couldn't have just undone this anomaly.

[2] Ramchal indicates here that this alludes to the Kabbalistic concept of Tzimtzum (the "contraction" or diminution of God's Light that had to occur if things were to exist) which was said to occur in the "center" of God's being (see Eitz Chaim, Drushei Iggulim V'Yosher 11:3). As Ramchal explains it, the "center" referred to in the concept of Tzimtzum (see Eitz Chaim, Drushei Egul v'Yosher 11:3) alludes to the fact that the allowance for wrong and injustice, its eventual undoing, and eventual perfection is the central theme of the universe as it is now. See Da'at Tevunot 40, Clallam Rishonim 3, Biurim l'Sefer Otzrot Chaim 6.

[3] See petach 49 below and Ramchal's Esser Orot Ein Sof 1 (Ginzei Ramchal p. 307). Also see Shabbat 152b; Chovot Halevovot 4:4, 8:4, and 10:1; Kuzari, 1:103; 3:20; and Rambam's Moreh Nevuchim 1:74 (seventh method), comments to Perek Chelek, and Hilchot Teshuvah Ch. 8.

[4] See Da'at Tevunot ¶24. Also see R' Schneur Zalman of Liady's Likkutei Torah, beginning of Parshat Haazinu; and Leshem Shevo v'Achlamah, Chelek HaBiurim 2, p.14.

(c) 2009 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman

Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org

-------------------------------------

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Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon "The Path of the Just" and "The Duties of the Heart" (Jason Aronson Publishers).

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Petach 3

תכלית בריאת העולם הוא להיות מיטיב כפי חשקו הטוב בתכלית הטוב:

The world was ultimately created so that God could be beneficent in accordance with His generous desire to bestow utmost goodness (upon the universe)
[1].

We continue to explore God's will and its implications for us.

The first thing to surmise from this short petach is that God is purposeful and always acts with an end in mind. It thus follows that everything that He does is meant to achieve that end, and that nothing happens arbitrarily or by happenstance [2].

The next is that His purpose is to "be beneficent" and to "bestow … goodness" upon the world, since "good beings want to do good things" [3].

What would motivate God to do that? After all, He needs nothing and derives no benefit from anything, so doing good things obviously doesn't fulfill a need in Him. Ramchal's conclusion then is that God's beneficence is utterly, boldly altruistic.

Finally, we're taught here that since God wanted to provide the "utmost goodness" He created the system of free will, and reward and punishment, since (we're told) it's the best method for humankind to achieve ultimate goodness [4].

This last point will be explained in the next petach.

_____________________________

Notes:

[1] Ramchal discusses the reason for creation in a number of places, including Da'at Tevunot 18, Klallei Pitchei Chochma v'Da'at 1, Ma'amar HaChochma, "v'omek shel hainyan", Kinat Hashem Tzevakot 2, Klallot Shorshei haChochma (beginning), Derech Hashem 1:2, Ma'amar HaIkkurim, "Torah v'Mitzvot", Biurim l'Sefer Otzrot Chayim 5, and Iggrot Pitchei Chochma v'Da'at, "Yediah Sheniya".

[2] Recall though, as we said in the first petach, that we're talking about God's will rather than Himself, about whom nothing can be said. For even though the idea that everything here is directed from above with an ultimate end in mind is astounding and utterly other-worldly, it nonetheless doesn't touch upon God's own Being, which is wholly unfathomable.

[3] See note 3 to petach 2.

We'll explain Ramchal's use of the term "utmost goodness" below. But for now it's important to explain the idea that God is sure to do good, by virtue of the fact that "good beings want to do good things", as if God were compelled by a kind of law of nature to that affect.

But as R' Chaim Friedlander's points out (see his note 2 on p. 4 of his edition of Da'at Tevunot) , it's absurd to suggest that God is compelled to do anything by nature. It's best to say that He simply willed that such a rule be in place which He then chose to abide by (see Friedlander's note 19 on p. 51 there as well).

Also see Shomer Emunim (1:53) for the same idea, though he doesn't address the subject at hand per se here. Also see the last paragraph to note 3 to petach 2 above.

This solves another quandary: the idea that God created the world to offer His largesse seems to suggest that creating beings to enjoy it somehow fulfills God, which is of course absurd. But the point once again is that God simply willed there to be an apparent "need" for the world to exist.

[4] See Derech Hashem 1:2 for another perspective on this that touches on God's desires for humankind.

(c) 2009 Rabbi Yaakov FeldmanFeel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org
----------------------------------------------------------
AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman's translation of Maimonides' "Eight Chapters" is available here at a discount.
You can still purchase a copy of Rabbi Feldman's translation of "The Gates of Repentance" here at a discount as well.
Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon "The Path of the Just" and "The Duties of the Heart" (Jason Aronson Publishers).
Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled "Spiritual Excellence” and “Ramchal”.

Petach 2

רצונו של המאציל ית"ש הוא רק טוב, ולכן לא יתקיים שום דבר אלא טובו. וכל מה שהוא רע בתחלה, אינו יוצא מרשות אחר ח"ו, שיוכל להתקיים נגדו, אלא סופו הוא טוב ודאי. ואז נודע שלא יש רשות אחר אלא הוא:

The Emanator wants only (to do) good, so nothing but (manifestations of) His goodness exists. Hence, whatever is initially wrongful (by all appearances) does not emanate from another sphere of influence that could oppose Him (as we might think) -- God forbid; instead it will undoubtedly (prove to be) good in the end. And (thanks to that) it will be known that there's no sphere of influence apart from Him.

Continuing to explicate God's role in the world and His great plans, this complex petach focuses on the vexing contradiction between His over-arching beneficence as stated here and the reality of wrong and evil which seems to contradict both.

The theme of God's beneficence continues on through the next 2 petachim as well, making this a major theme in this first section of the book, along with God's sovereignty.

1.

We're told here that God's will is to only (do) good [1], that is, to be thoroughly beneficent and not at all malevolent. In fact, we're told that He wants to bestow utmost, which is to say, utter and complete goodness (see petachim 3-4).

It stands to reason that would be so, Ramchal asserts elsewhere, since God is good and it's the nature of the good to do good things [2].

But, as a result of that, there should be no wrong or evil in the world [3], yet we see instances of wrong all the time; so how are we to reconcile that incongruity? In the end we'll find that wrong doesn't undermine God's over-arching beneficence -- in fact, it only helps Him achieve it. And we'll learn too that all instances of wrong will undoubtedly (prove to be) good in the end.

Ramchal would obviously need to explain the role of wrong and injustice in the grand scheme of things to explicate that. But before coming to that, he contends with a smaller, though just as vexing a problem.

2.

It seems that the existence of wrong should compel God to act a certain way as a just God: to oppose it as a matter of course and to punish those guilty of it. But that would make Him subservient to wrong in a way, since it would seemingly be able to "force His hand", if you will.

Instead, Ramchal makes the point that "the Torah says otherwise" -- God doesn't need to punish the wrongful. For He indicated that "I will be gracious to whomever I will be gracious" (Exodus 23:19), which the Talmud indicates means "even though he may not be worthy" (Berachot 7a) [4]. And Ramchal points out that it's also written that "The sin of Israel will be sought but will not (be found to) exist; the transgression of Judah will not be found (to exist)" (Jeremiah 3:2), implying that God has His own system of reckoning. Hence, both of these examples underscore the fact that God is not beholden to sin and wrongdoing or to human understandings of merit. Thus, as Ramchal puts it, "we see from here that it is God's will to benefit even the wrongful" [5] -- He is beholden to nothing.

3.

We're liable to reason that since God is said to be utterly beneficent, and given that there's nonetheless wrong and injustice in the world, it must follow that some other heavenly force exists that allows for wrong and injustice. But as Ramchal puts it, the answer is a resounding No: "All that's … wrongful does not emanate from another sphere of influence that could oppose Him" -- since "there's only one Sovereign Being" [6].

Ramchal is referring to the fact that there was a school of thought that "arrived at the fallacious notion that it's impossible to imagine something existing without assuming its complete opposite", which then argued that if "there's a God who's utterly beneficent, then there must (God forbid) be another deity who's utterly malevolent" [7].

In point of fact, that theory would seem to solve the dilemma of the existence of evil in the face of God's beneficence. But it would also deny God's sovereignty so it's unacceptable. For "even though we see … so many different and conflicting great and major triggers and prompts" in the world, "we nonetheless know that there is only One God, with one (overarching) will".

4.

Now, as to the matter of wrong and injustice, Ramchal grants us that there are things that are initially wrongful by all appearances, i.e., that seem to countervail God's goodness. Still and all, that's not to say "that the Supreme Will wanted other wills to exist that would have the ability to limit Him" or to thwart His own will. For while wrong and wrongdoers do exist indeed, and they're contended with by God -- that's not the be-all-and-end-all of wrong. For it serves a role in the universe (in fact a vital one at that, as we'll see), and it will be undone in the end.

For, as Ramchal asserts at the end of this petach, wrong "will undoubtedly (prove to) be good in the end", and that as a result "it will be known that there's no sphere of influence apart from Him".

He explains that "all the wrongdoing that now exists now will … not go on forever" -- it will cease to exist at a certain point, after its purpose would have been served [8]. That's to say that, as indicated above, wrong will eventually be cleansed from the universe en toto, and God will thus prove to be beneficent as a consequence of that. And that vital aspect of the future will prove God's beneficence [9].

In the process we'll recognize "retroactively", to use Ramchal's word, that all the instances of wrongdoing we'd experienced until then weren't "mistakes" on God's part, but were purposeful, foreseen, on-target, and just instead -- even if they didn't appear to be at first. And we'll thus come to "know of God's perfection and Yichud" which "we're to believe with perfect faith" [10].

The central theme of the eventual undoing of wrong and of the lessons humankind will learn from that will be expanded on in the 4^th petach.

Notes:

[1] Ramchal terms God "The Emanator" (HaMa'atzil) in the original at this point, in reference to God being the Provider, the one and only Source of all things who emanates and imparts everything from Himself. The term is used here because we're now concentrating on that aspect of Him, as opposed to His role as Creator, since we're discussing how He functions within creation, after creation.

[2] See Da'at Tevunot 18 as well as petach 3.

[3] This is no small matter of course for many reasons, but most especially because in a very real sense it's the existence of wrongdoing, evil, injustice and the like that prevent many from believing in and trusting God.

As to other sources for the controvertible idea that God only wants to do good, see the beginning of Ari's Eitz Chaim (cited in note 1 to Ch. 1 with reference to another point). Also see petach 92 below, Ramchal's Da'at Tevunot 18, Derech Hashem 1:2, Klallei Pitchei Chochma v'Da'at 1, Adir Bamarom pp. 54, 393, Iggrot Ramchal # 23, as well as the statement in Messilat
Yesharim (Ch. 1) that "we were created to delight in God and enjoy the radiance of His Divine presence".

Also see R' Aryeh Kaplan's (sole Hebrew-language work) Moreh
Ohr in which he cites other classical sources for this idea, including the declaration in Birkat Hamazon that "You (God) are good and beneficent to all", as well as the verses that read "O consider and see that God is good" (Psalms 34:9), "give thanks to God, for He is good" (106:1), "You (God) are good, and do good" (119:68), and "God is good to all" (145:9).

Kaplan also cites Emunot v'Deot 3 (at beginning), Shiur Komah, "Torah" (13); Shnei Luchot Habrit, "Beit Yisrael"; Pardes, "Seder Atzilut" 4; and Reishit Chochma, Teshuvah 1 as other sources. Also see Sefer
HaChinuch (431). We'd also cite Sa'adia Gaon's Sefer Emunot v'Deot (1:4), Chovot Halevovot (Avodat Elokim 9), Sefer Hakuzari (2:26), Moreh Nevuchim (3:53-54), Rabbeinu Tam's Sefer HaYashar (Gate 1), Chasdei Crescas's Ohr Hashem (2:6), and Cordovero's Shiur Komah (1).

And if, as we're taught, "Out of the wrongful comes forth wrong" (1 Samuel 24:13), it likewise follows that goodness comes forth from the Good as a matter of course.

But see the point made in Ramchal's Arimat Yadi (Ginzei Ramchal p. 226) about the fact that God is certainly not beholden to the principle of utter beneficence (since His having to be beholden to anything would diminish His sovereignty), it's just that this is one option among an infinite number of them available to Him, and that He elected to "subjugate" Himself to it for His own ends. So while the idea that God created the world to offer His largesse seems to suggest that creating beings to enjoy it somehow fulfills God, which is of course absurd, the point once again is that God simply willed there to be an apparent "need" for the world to exist.

Also see several Chassidic works for discussions about God's beneficence, including Sefer Ohr HaMeir, Parshiot Vayera, Vayigash, and elsewhere), Avodat Yisrael, Breshit and Pirkei Avot 1, Ohaiv Yisrael, Breshit, and Iggra D' Kallah 11b, 32a.

[4] See Da'at Tevunot 36 where Ramchal explains this.

[5] As an aside, it goes without saying that no one will "get away with murder", if you will, and that justice will indeed prevail in the end. It's just that as Ramchal revealed elsewhere, God wants everyone to enjoy His benevolence in full (see Da'at Tevunot 36; Ma'amar
HaIkkurim, "Gan Eden"; Derech Hashem 2:2) and doesn't long for punishment or retribution. For as He Himself put it, "As surely as I live … I take no pleasure in the death of the wrongful, but rather (in the fact) that they turn from their ways and live" (Ezekiel 33:11). And yet we're told that God doesn't ignore wrongdoing or look the other way (see Baba Kamma50a) anymore than He closes His eyes to good and righteousness (see Messilat Yesharim Ch. 4).

Thus, the wrongful are indeed disciplined, but not for punishment's sake: only "in order (for them) to be forgiven afterwards" as a consequence of their having been refined in the process. For, "punishment" isn't that in fact so much as a means of "decontamination"-- a thorough and diligent erasure to be sure, but not a purposeful pressing down hard.

This too will prove that "in the end … everyone -- be he righteous or (initially) wrongful -- will profit from God's beneficence". Ramchal also makes the point that we can see that all is ultimately for the good by virtue of the fact that wrongdoers are penalized. Because, "if God's intention was to reject the wicked, they would literally be destroyed instead of being punished" -- they would have been undone rather than made to suffer the consequences of their actions as they are.

The other point to be made is that God saw to it that "just as (punishment) will not go on forever in each individual case" -- since one only suffers trials and tribulations in this world for a finite period of time, and one will endure their equivalents in the Afterlife for only so long and no more -- punishment will likewise not "go on forever for the world at large". For, wrong will cleansed from the universe en toto in the end (as we'll see). Hence, God will indeed prove to be utterly and absolutely beneficent on all levels.

[6] See Da'at Tevunot 36 for a discussion of this, and see Sanhedrin 39a.

Ramchal is assumedly referring to Zoroastrianism which thrived in Talmudic times and threatened Jewish beliefs, since it maintained that a pair of co-equal spirits called Ahura Mazda (the beneficent "Wise Lord") and Angra Mainyu (the malevolent "Evil Spirit") competed with each other for control of the universe. (He might, though, be alluding to the Medieval "Catharist Movement" which held that the physical world was evil and created by Satan, while the good world of spirit was created by God).

[7]The idea that "it's impossible to imagine something existing without assuming its complete opposite" somewhat parallels Newton's third law of motion which indicates that whenever two equal objects interact with each other they exert "equal and opposite" forces upon each other.

[8] See petach 30 below.

[9] For further details on the eradication of evil and the yetzer harah see Sukkah 52a; Eliyahu Rabbah Ch. 4; Breishit
Rabbah 48:11; Pesikta Rabati 33:4; Midrash Tanchuma (Yitro, at end); and Yalkut Shimoni, I:133 on Genesis 33:13.

[10] Ramchal adds that in fact "we've been commanded to (believe this, since it's written): 'Know this day and convey it into your heart, that God is the (sovereign) Lord in the heavens above and on the earth below: there is none other' (Deuteronomy 4:39)". See the beginning of Da'at Tevunot for a discussion of that.

(c) 2009 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman

Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org

----------------------------------------------------------

AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman's translation of Maimonides' "Eight Chapters" is available here at a discount.

You can still purchase a copy of Rabbi Feldman's translation of "The Gates of Repentance" here at a discount as well.

Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon "The Path of the Just" and "The Duties of the Heart" (Jason Aronson Publishers).

Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled "Spiritual Excellence" and "Ramchal".

Petach 1

יחוד האין סוף ב"ה הוא - שרק רצונו ית' הוא הנמצא, ואין שום רצון אחר נמצא אלא ממנו, על כן הוא לבדו שולט, ולא שום רצון אחר. ועל יסוד זה בנוי כל הבנין:

"The Infinite One's Yichud" implies that only His will functions (fully) and that no other will functions other than through it. Hence, He alone reigns (supreme) and no other (being's) will does. The entire structure is erected upon this foundation.

Ramchal's primary concern in this work is to define and underscore the grand and ultimate significance of God's "Yichud" (which will be explained below) and to use the Kabbalistic system to do it. That's why he started off with a definition of it. But before he gets to that he sets out to explain a number of other essential things.

1.

His first point is that it's imperative to understand that "we won't be discussing God Himself"-- God irrespective of creation and in His utterly unfathomable being -- in this work, since we may not [1]. As such, whatever will be said in Klach Pitchei Chochma will only touch upon God's will rather than on Himself, since "we are permitted to speak of it" [2]. That explains Ramchal's references to God's will alone later on.

He warns us, though, that even discussions about God's will have their restrictions, given that "there's a limit as to how far our minds can go" there as well [3].

2.

He then takes the opportunity here to explain the place and intention of the kabbalistic system (which will be the thrust of this work), asserting that it is "first and foremost meant to exhibit the truth of the (Jewish) faith". That's to say, what Kabbalah does better than anything else is explain in detail why we believe what we do, and by implication, why we do what we do.

He adds that the kabbalistic system also "comes to illustrate how all … (of creation) materialized out of the Supreme Will" rather than out of sheer nothingness and at random. It likewise "demonstrates how everything is governed as it should be" rather than haphazardly; it provides us with "in-depth understandings of all the rules and processes of Divine governance"; and it comes to illustrate that God wants most of all "to bring the entire cycle of creation to perfection in the end." This last point will be discussed later [4].

It should also be understood that while other Kabbalists strove for an encyclopedic knowledge of the system for their own mystical, arcane motivations, Ramchal contended that we're to know the system only so as to catch sight of and follow God's overarching presence and sovereignty in the cosmos -- to have access to the cosmic backdrop [5]. So when he says that the entire structure is erected on this foundation, he's referring to the Kabbalistic system or structure [6].

3.

Ramchal then makes the most crucial statement in this work: that the reality of God's Yichud "is the foundation of (the Jewish) faith and the core of (all) wisdom". So let's see just what this Yichud is.

The Hebrew term "Yichud" literally means oneness and union, or uniqueness, but it has other implications which Ramchal offers.

He says that we'll only understand God's Yichud once we come to know that "everything that we see" and experience "has but one Lord", God Almighty.

That's to say that God's Yichud implies that He is the lone Sovereign Ruler; that He "alone carries everything out, and controls everything".

Or as Ramchal put it in his opening statement, "The Infinite One's Yichud" implies that only His will functions (fully) and that no other will functions other than through it. Hence, He alone reigns (supreme) and no other (being's) will does. Yichud thus refers to the absoluteness of God's will and dominion [7].

Now, even though the idea of God being in full command is taken on faith by believers, the implications of God's utter omnipotence are so overturning and revolutionary that we'd have to know it for ourselves.

And we will, in fact, come to know and experience it in the future, since God's plan is to make His utter sovereignty manifest.

There's another element of God's Yichud that we'd have to know about as well, which goes back to the idea of Yichud as "uniqueness" cited above. God is utterly unique in the sense that "only His existence is imperative … none other". That's to say that while God must exist for anything else to, His existence depends on nothing else: it is imperative for Him to exist if anything else is to. In fact only He has that quality -- He is unique that way [8]. So in light of God's imperativeness, it follows that "only He is in control of everything", since everything depends on Him to exist. Hence both aspects about Yichud -- God's sovereignty and His unique imperativeness -- tie in.

4.

Ramchal then begins a rather protracted discussion of the seeming contradiction between the idea of mankind's God-given free-will and God's over-arching will. If, as we're taught, we're each utterly free to make the ethical choices we deem fit and we're thus seemingly capable of "foiling" God's wishes in the process, then how could God's will be absolute [9]?

As such, some might argue that indeed "Originally, God may have been alone" i.e., independent and hence omnipotent, but "He then chose to create beings … with wills of their own," which then made it "possible … for them to thwart His will … and go against it". After all, they'd argue, didn't God also "create the Other Side" – i.e., wrongfulness and ungodliness, which apparently goes against His will all the time. And don't we also see that "the Nation of Israel has sinned, and there is (apparently) no salvation for them", so how could He, who chose them to be the purveyors of His will, be said to be omnipotent [10]?

Ramchal's response is simply this: Whatever seems to thwart His will only does so because "He allows it to, for His own inscrutable reasons" as we'll see in the 2^nd petach. So the point is that at bottom God is in utter command of everything, "nothing can thwart His wishes", and all other wills are in fact "subservient to Him" and His wishes.

In fact, Ramchal concludes quite astonishingly, "everything created … is a single, complete entity that manifests the truth of (God's) Yichud". That's to say that everything is controlled by God and specific to His purposes, thus underscoring the fact that only His will functions (fully)
and that He alone reigns (supreme).

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Notes:

[1] We may not discuss God Himself for a number of reasons: most significantly, we'd offer, because whatever we'd say about Him in His essence -- which is necessarily out of the context of reality as we know it -- would be incorrect. Since all the words, symbols, and references we would have to draw upon would be based on human experiences which are un-Godlike by definition. For even the term "Will" in relation to God is purely metaphorical, since even the suggestion of so subtle and recondite element as a will is still-and-all anthropomorphic, and only depicts God in relation to created beings rather than Himself. Ramchal said elsewhere that only God could grasp Himself (Derech Hashem 1:1:2), for as it had once been put, "If I knew Him, I would be Him" (Sefer HaIkkurim 2:30).

Now, the ramifications of the fact that we're neither able nor allowed to speak of God Himself are huge. Among many other things it implies that God Himself isn't addressed in the Torah, only His will for us; and it suggests that most arguments for or against belief in God are off-the-mark since they only touch upon His role as Creator without addressing His Being before creation.

It's also important to say that speaking of God Himself might lead one to inadvertently demean Him, and to so misunderstand Him that one would be worshipping a not-God rather than Him. Nonetheless we took it upon ourselves to explain the concept of God below because in point of fact Ramchal "defined" God in another work written for a wider readership than this one, Derech Hashem (The Way of God). And he did that there presumably in order to introduce and clarify the matter to some degree as well as to further the conversation along.

He wrote there (1:1:6, based on Maimonides's Yesodei HaTorah Ch. 1) that what one should understand about God is that He exists, that He's perfect, that His existence is imperative, that He's utterly self-sufficient, that He's simple (i.e., purely God and unalloyed), and that there's only one of Him. (We'll touch upon a bit of this in section 3 below.) He also indicated that our knowledge of Him is thanks to the traditions we have from the Forefathers and prophets, and from our mystical experience at God at Mount Sinai (1:1:2), when God appeared to us with the revelation of the Torah (see Exodus 19-20), and when we were on par with Moses' level of prophecy (Yesodei HaTorah 8:1,3).

The opening word's of the Ari's Eitz Chaim, "When God first willed to create beings…" may have inspired the notion of addressing God's will per se.

See the following citations about our not being able or allowed to speak of God Himself: Ramchal's Da'at Tevunot 80, Adir Bamarom p.59A, Ma'amar HaVichuach 44, and Ma'amar Yichud HaYirah; also see the Vilna Gaon at the end of his commentary to Sifra D'tzniutah, "Sod Hatzimtzum"; the beginning of HaRav m'Fano's Yonat Elim; Ramban's introduction to his commentary to the Torah, and Tikkunei Zohar 17a (Petach Eliyahu). Also see Maimonides' Guide for the Perplexed (1:58-59).

[2] Ramchal makes the distinction later on between being allowed to speak of the will rather than of "The One Who Wills" (the Ba'al HaRatzon rather than the ratzon). Also see Cordovero's Pardes (20:1).

[3] … given that His will is the very first and hence most tenuous point at which His Being and creation converge.

[4] Elsewhere Ramchal explains that the kabbalistic system serves three distinct functions over-all: it illustrates how the various names and depictions of God's traits offered in the Torah and elsewhere apply (which he terms Kabbalah's most "superficial" function); it demonstrates the fact that God will eventually exhibit His abiding beneficence, which will then lead to the undoing of all wrongdoing and to the ultimate reward of the righteous (which will be discussed in the 2^nd
petach); and lastly (what Ramchal terms its most significant role) Kabbalah reveals God's Yichud and ever-presence, and shows just how everything will return to its Source (end of Iggrot Pitchei Chochma v'Da'at). This last, decidedly recondite, point -- which could perhaps be termed The Great Implosion -- is "the truth of the [Jewish] faith" cited above, which Ramchal contends few of us understand. We'll return to this idea.

An unknown student of Ramchal cited some other cogent reasons to study Kabbalah based on Ramchal's teachings, in a work known as Klallim Mitoch Sefer Milchemet Moshe (found on pp. 349- 365 of R' Friedlander's edition of Da'at Tevunot - Sefer HaKlallim) where it's explained there that we're actually enjoined to study it by the Torah itself.

[5] One more point is made about the role of Kabbalah at the end of the second petach, where we're told that "the benefit of studying … Kabbalah comes in knowing and understanding (all of the above) clearly"; as the Kabbalistic system will illustrate just how "the entire cycle of the universe is governed from beginning to end", hence by studying it we'll "see clearly (for ourselves just) how it is that everything comes only from God" and how "His … will to be beneficent will endure forever, and nothing else".

See Ramchal's Klallei Milchamot Moshe 1 for further discussion of the aim of Kabbalah study.

It's important to know that some latter-day Kabbalists disagreed with this assessment of the role of Kabbalah, including the Hassidic Master, Rabbi Meshulam Feivish of Zhebariza, the author of Yosher Divrei Emmet, who taught that we study Kabbalah so as to cling onto God's presence; and Rabbi Shlomo Eliyashuv, the author of Leshem Shevo v'Achlamah, who contended that limiting Kabbalah to a particular niche or outlook is inappropriate (Sefer HaDeah p. 57).

But see Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Charlop's Mai Marom Ch. 8 note 17 (cited by Rabbi S. Debliztky in his approbation to Rabbi Mordechai Shriki's Derech Chochmat haEmet) where he explains Ramchal's intentions.

[6] Ramchal also makes the point at the end of this petach that the entire structure upon which this foundation … is erected "refers to all that was brought into existence by God" both worldly and otherworldly, which is to say, the entire cosmic structure. And he refers to this structure again at the end of the 4^th petach in another context. But that doesn't preclude our statement here, since our position is that everything that exists is discussed by the kabbalistic system (albeit sometimes very allusively).

[7] God's Yichud is one of Ramchal's foremost themes. See Da'at Tevunot 35, 38 for more on it.

Also see Rabbi Mordechai Shriki's Rechev Yisroel pp. 167-228 and his essay HaYichud in his commentary to Da'at Tevunot pp. 61-66. He makes the point there that Yichud hearkens to the Kabbalistic concepts of "Yichud Kudhsha Breich Hu u'Sheintu", the ultimate Union of God (HaKadosh Baruch Hu) and His Shechina. This hearkens back to the statement we cited in section 2 to the effect that what God wants most of all is "to bring the entire cycle of creation to perfection in the end" which this phenomenon refers to. It also refers to the statement made at the very end of this petach that "everything created … is a single, complete entity that manifests the truth of (God's) Yichud".

[8] See Derech Hashem (1:1: 3-4) and Rambam's Yesodei HaTorah (1:2).

[9] See the following for the concept of free will in Jewish Thought: Deuteronomy 30:15–19 and Sifre on Deuteronomy 53–54; Pirkei Avot 3:15; Emunot v' Deot (Ch. 4); Chovot Halevovot (3:8), Moreh Nevuchim (3:17), and Hilchot Teshuvah Ch. 5. Also see Ramchal's statement to the effect that free-will is not at all permanent and will be rescinded in The World to Come (Da'at Tevunot 40).

[10] See Da'at Tevunot 36.

(c) 2009 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman

Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org

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Prologue

See our introduction to the work here.

We'll be dividing Klach Pitchei Chochma into the following 12 sections

1) On the Revelation of God's Yichud and His Beneficence (1-4)

2) Sephirot and Letters (5-23)

3) The Tzimtzum (24-30)

4) Adam Kadmon and its offshoots (31-35)

5) The World of Nikkudim and the Breaking of the Vessels (36-58)

6) The World of Tikkun (59-73)7) Partzuf Attik (74-89)

8) Partzuf Arech (90-108)

9) Partzuf Abbah and Imma (109-114)

10) Partzuf Zeir and Nukveh (115-119)

11) Partzuf Zeir Anpin (120-129)

12) Nukveh and the Convergence of Zachor and Nukveh (130-138)

When we cite the main statement of each petach (either in the first instance or in each one to follow) we will offer it in bold print, and when we cite Ramchal's own comments to each we'll set it off in quotes and in italics.

(c) 2009 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman

Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org