Knowledge is a highly treasured commodity -- and we believe that the Torah was composed by the ultimate source of knowledge. For many, therefore, there is a keen expectation that familiarity with the Torah’s text and laws grants one an automatic and profound insight into the truths and mysteries of the universe. Such an expectation however is not easily compatible with a verse in this parashat Nitzavim: a verse which forms the basis of that week’s discussion in Judaism Reclaimed:
“The hidden matters are for Hashem our God, and the revealed matters are for us and our descendants forever to perform all the words of God.”
What are these “hidden matters” which remain in God’s domain rather than our own?
Our analysis starts with Rambam’s citation of this verse in Mishneh Torah. There he teaches that the Torah’s process of verifying prophets and its reliance upon two witnesses are not fool-proof measures. In this context, the Torah appears to provide certain mandatory steps which must be followed, rather than a method for obtaining absolute certainty in these important areas.
Concentrating on kashrut and Shabbat, as well as citing consistent examples from other areas of the Torah, we highlight how halachic definitions follow what is observable to the human eye; animal life, interactions of tumahand property damage which cannot be picked up by the naked eye [nistarot] will often not register for halachic consideration.
Note the irony : far from seeking to provide us with absolute objective truth, the Torah appears to be quite uninterested in it, defining its laws instead in terms of human experience and perception! This phenomenon of anthropocentric halachic definitions seems particularly congruent with the approach to mitzvotchampioned by Rambam – who views the Torah’s commandments as having been carefully designed to train and rectify the frailties of the human character and mind. On this basis it is to be expected that mitzvot will relate specifically to the realm of human and perception and experience. This phenomenon is however harder to justify for those who understand a primary function of halachahto be the manipulation of celestial spheres.
The Torah’s recognition of the limitations of human understanding is not restricted to the realm of halachah. Ralbag, in his explanation of “nistarot”, applies this concept to speculation as to reasons for the mitzvot – an application that Rambam supports elsewhere. Drawing upon the evident divergence of understanding between man and God, we observe how the Mishnah openly recognises that certain areas of the Torah – including its account of Creation (Ma’aseh Bereishit) – include hidden Divine mysteries which transcend regular human understanding.
We note Rambam’s quotation of a tantalising Midrashic statement on the subject, before questioning the accuracy of the much-touted clashes between one opaque source which declares itself to have hidden depths and a discipline which has yet to reach its final understanding of the world’s origin. A lengthy footnote attempts to extrapolate, from Rambam’s analysis of Torah and science in his own era, a suggestion as to how he would have approached the matter in today’s world. No firm conclusion is offered.
Finally, we question the function of the Torah’s passages describing Creation if, as is claimed by the oral tradition, they defy a simple understanding – and offer a solution from the writings of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks.
First posted on Facebook 24 September 2019, here.
