Following chapters of heavy analysis of Rambam’s theories concerning Divine Attributes, Providence and Prophecy, the chapters of Judaism Reclaimed relating to parashat Vayigash adopt a lighter and more exploratory approach. The discussion begins by noting that the account of the clash between Yosef and his brothers in Egypt contains the Torah’s first uses of the term “to’eiva”; its only occurrence in a narrative rather than a legal context. A Gemara explains that to’eivah can be read as a contraction of the words “to’eh atah vah” (You are straying regarding this).
We analyse the Torah’s application of the term to’eivahto various sins. Three areas of sin (forbidden foods, sexual offences and idolatry) attract the epithet to’eiva unqualified. Based on various passages of Moreh Nevuchim we propose that these prohibitions represent humanity’s unique status and distinction from the animal kingdom (control over basic animalistic desires to eat and procreate) and recognition of its essential mission and direction (monotheism over pagan worship). On this basis, failure to observe these laws can be viewed as humans “straying” from their inherent humanity.
More challenging is the array of further offences (such as offering animals with a blemish and inaccurate weights and measures) to which the Torah applies the qualified form of “to’avat Hashem”. We suggest that while the unqualified “to’eiva” refers to basic straying from the human mission, the qualified “to’avat Hashem” discloses that the sinner is straying in some core aspect of his or her relationship with God. Several commentaries are drawn upon in an attempt to explain the Torah’s choices of “to’avat Hashem” sins in this manner.
Returning to the phenomena of “to’avat Mitzrayim”, which appears three times in the Torah, we consider that the Torah’s use of this loaded term is intended to convey a deep-seated ideological gulf between Egyptian and Hebrew worldviews, which prevented the two from even sharing a dinner table. This paves the way for an analysis – based on the writings of Rabbi S. R. Hirsch – of the profound contrast between pagan deification of the numerous natural forces on the one hand, and belief in the free, transcendent God of monotheism on the other.
Pagans rationalised the many concepts and forces in the universe which appear to be in conflict with one another in terms of there being a multiplicity of deities, each with limited powers and spheres of influence - who engage in battle with one another where their interests or spheres of influence come into conflict. Human fate was largely thought to be determined by the result of such fearsome battles between limited and typically unsavoury gods, though attempts were made to appease its worst excesses. The contrast with monotheism could not be greater. The belief system of the Hebrews was premised on a single, free, transcendent God, who is above and not limited by nature. Only such a transcendent and free God could grant free-will to humanity (Rabbi Meir Simcha of Dvinsk understood this to be the basis of humanity’s tzelem Elokim – divine element) and consequently demand any form of moral accounting.
The second essay related to parashat Vayigash returns to focus on Rambam’s strict approach to the Torah’s sexual prohibitions, noting the emphasis placed by Rambam, based on Talmudic sources, on avoiding not just prohibited actions but also sexual thoughts. We investigate this approach in terms of both Rambam’s understanding of the human soul as well as more recent psychology.
First posted to Facebook 2 January 2020, here.
