Q&A: Maimonides’ Conception of God
Maimonides’ Conception of God
Question
Peace be upon you, Rabbi,
My name is Ariel Tzesner, and I live in Aluma near your son Moshe. We met not long ago at the grocery store in Revaha.
About ten years ago, when I was sitting next to you in the kollel at Bar-Ilan, you solved a complex I had carried for four years about Maimonides by saying a few simple words to me. When I asked you whether you had read The Guide for the Perplexed, you answered: parts of it. You told me then that it was an old book grounded in a philosophy that has long since become outdated (and that only in yeshivas do people still study books like that). Just like that, with a wave of the hand, you solved a complex I had after reading Micah Goodman’s book on the Guide.
The complex was this: according to Micah Goodman, in Maimonides’ view the Holy One, blessed be He, is a cold and alienated God, whose connection to the world barely exists. Since God is perfect, and since that which is perfect does not change, it follows that the Holy One, blessed be He, does not intervene in the world at all, because intervention equals change.
At the time, I didn’t ask you what you thought about the idea that the Holy One, blessed be He, does not change in relation to the world, and in fact just this Sabbath a dear friend came to me when he was close to losing his faith in the Creator for exactly that reason.
I have a few questions for the Rabbi:
A. Do you accept Maimonides’ position that since God is perfect and unchanging, He therefore does not intervene in the world at all (not in the past and not today)?
B. If not, how do you refute Maimonides’ argument?
C. Would you agree to meet with my friend to speak with him about faith in general and this topic in particular?
Answer
Hello,
A. I see no reason whatsoever to think that the Holy One, blessed be He, does not change. But regardless of that, in my opinion He is not involved in the world today (or almost not at all). The reason for this claim is observation of what happens in the world. I have discussed this at great length in the second book of my trilogy and also here on the site.
B. You mean the argument that if He is perfect then He does not change? Very simple. First, even if He is perfect, He is supposed to respond to what happens in the world, and if different things happen then He changes accordingly. Second, it is possible that perfection is a function that depends on time. Who says perfection is a static state? You are looking at perfection as a momentary attribute, and if He is perfect at moment X then He will remain perfect in the same way at the next moment. But if perfection is a complete function across the entire axis of time, then that way of looking at it collapses on its own.
C. Gladly. I meet with many people. He should call me: 052-3320543
Discussion on Answer
The purpose of man is to become like God; God intervenes in nature through man, who performs kindness, justice, and righteousness, in which the Lord delights.
Yehuda, ancient Greek philosophy is studied today only in yeshivas (and in philosophy departments that are interested in the history of philosophy). I don’t know what there is to read about this. It’s a simple fact.
A note — indeed, the Aristotelian philosophical part has become outdated, but there is a great deal of material on the perspective on Judaism
I would be happy to understand what is meant by “an old philosophy that has long since become outdated.” What exactly is being referred to? I would appreciate reading recommendations on the subject..
Thank you