Q&A: Dispute between Nachmanides and Maimonides
Dispute between Nachmanides and Maimonides
Question
Hello Rabbi Michi!
Sorry for asking so many questions.
A question just occurred to me.
Maimonides says (in Hilkhot Yesodei HaTorah, ch. 1) that everything exists by virtue of the very existence of the First Being (that is, everything exists thanks to God, and this is basically like a series connection: if one bulb burns out, the rest stop working).
Our friend Nachmanides says in the portion of Bo that everything is from miracle.
How are these things different from one another?
I really don’t understand.
Happy holiday! Until the Haggadah I’m going to read Alice in Wonderland.
Thank you for your time
Answer
I didn’t understand the question. A miracle means existing because of a direct connection to the Holy One, blessed be He. Where did you see a dispute?
As for “our friend Nachmanides,” see Sanhedrin 102b.
Discussion on Answer
That’s one possible interpretation of Maimonides, but to a certain extent it can also be interpreted like Nachmanides.
I see a dispute here because
Maimonides says yes, the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world, but He also created laws of nature, and He can put it on autopilot, and if there’s something unusual He’ll intervene.
Nachmanides says we live by virtue of an ongoing miracle and that the Holy One, blessed be He, intervenes constantly.
So isn’t that actually the same thing? Same lady, different dress?
As for “friend,” it’s like in the Kuzari, where “the friend” is a Jewish sage. Does that wording seem incorrect to you?
Thank you for your time!