Rambam - 3 Chapters a Day

As stated in the previous two chapters, every person has the potential to repent at all times.

No matter how severe his sins are, “there is nothing which can stand in the way of Teshuvah (Chapter 3:14).”

Chapter 2, Halachah 2, relates that in addition to feeling remorse, a sinner must make a verbal confession.

The phrase is borrowed from Isaiah 33:15. As Chapter 2, Halachah 3, emphasizes, a verbal confession must be accompanied by a firm resolution to change one’s behavior.

Chapter 3, Halachah 14, explains that even a person who denied God’s existence throughout his entire life merits a place in the world to come if he repents on his deathbed. As explained in the following halachah, these concepts are relevant, not only for a person on his deathbed, but also for every individual, within the context of our day to day behavior.

This is not meant to imply an otherworldly approach to life. Rather, it gives one a true perspective with which to appreciate and take advantage of life in this world.

Pirkei Avot 2:10 quotes Rabbi Eliezar as saying, “Repent one day before your death.” Shabbat 153a relates that his students asked him: “Is it possible for a person to know the day on which he will die?” Rabbi Eliezer replied: “Therefore, he should repent today and, thus, all his days will be spent in repentance.”

If he dies without repentance, he may be forced to receive severe retribution for his sins.

Similarly, Devarim Rabbah 9:3 explains that a person does not have the authority to tell the angel of death: “Wait for me until I organize my accounts and leave a testament to my family.”

Commenting on that verse, Rav Moshe Alshich explains that the body is often described as “the garment of the soul.” The body should be white, i.e., immaculate, without the slightest taint of sin.
Shabbat (153a) explains this verse with a parable. A king announced that he would be holding a feast for his subjects. The wise among them dropped all other affairs and prepared themselves to participate in the feast. The foolish took little heed to the pronouncement and went about their daily affairs as usual. Suddenly, the king announced that all his subjects should present themselves at the feast immediately. Those who had prepared themselves were able to come dressed in their finest garments. Those who had tended to their own affairs were forced to present themselves in their workclothes. The king was upset with the subjects who had not prepared themselves and did not allow them to partake of the food prepared. However, he appreciated the attention shown by the wise and rewarded them dutifully.

Transgressions for which the need for repentance is obvious.

Because Teshuvah is a spiritual process involving the renewal of one’s bond with God, it must affect every dimension of our personality.

Chapter 2, Halachah 2, defines Teshuvah as the abandonment of sin and thoughts of sin.

Hilchot De’ot 2:3 relates that: Anger is a very bad quality and a person should separate himself from it to the other extreme…. The Sages of the earlier generations declared: “Anyone who becomes angry is considered as if he worshiped idols.” See also Chapter 4, Halachah 5.

Hilchot De’ot 6:5 states: “Anyone who holds hatred for another Jew in his heart violates one of the Torah’s prohibitions.

Hilchot De’ot 2:7 counsels: A person should not be characterized by laughter or frivolity…. Our Sages said: “Laughter and light headedness accustom a person to lewdness.” [Rather,] they commanded that a person should neither be uncontrolled in frivolity, nor sad, as if in mourning. Rather, he should greet all people with a cheerful countenance.

Hilchot De’ot (ibid.) continues: A person should not possess a greedy spirit, lusting after money…. He should not be envious, or desiring all things, or pursuing honor. Our Sages declare: “Envy, desire, and [a craving for] honor drive a man from this world.”

Hilchot De’ot 5:1 relates: A Torah scholar should not be a glutton, but rather should only eat food which is necessary for the health of his body. [Even then,] he should not overindulge. He should not be like those who constantly seek to fill their stomachs.

Vayikra Rabbah 3:7 relates that a burnt offering would atone for one’s sinful thoughts. Thus, we see that even a person who merely thinks about sin without actually violating a transgression must repent and seek atonement. Furthermore, not only do evil thoughts lead to sin, at times, they are themselves considered as a sin. As mentioned in the commentary to Chapter 4, Halachah 4, Sefer HaMitzvot (negative commandment 47) considers [Numbers 15:39], “Do not follow after your heart and your eyes,” as one of the Torah’s 613 prohibitions. See also Hilchot Issurei Bi’ah 21:2.

Yoma 29a states: “Thoughts of sin are more severe than sin itself.” Note the commentary of the Maharsha. In the Guide for the Perplexed, Vol. III, Chapter 8, the Rambam explains that sinful thoughts are more severe because they blemish man’s most elevated potential.

Thought is much more closely bound up with our characters than deed. To control our actions may not seem easy, but it is far less difficult than controlling our thoughts. A further point concerning the difficulty of repenting for these transgressions can be derived from Chapter 4, Halachah 4. Often, a person will not realize that by entertaining such thoughts, he has sinned and will not appreciate the need for Teshuvah.

The verse’s first clause refers to Teshuvah for wicked deeds, and the second, for undesirable thoughts.

A Baal Teshuvah should always maintain a humble self-image as explained in Halachah 8. Nevertheless, there is no need for him to be depressed and despondent because of his previous behavior. On the contrary, in doing so, one denies God’s willingness to accept our Teshuvah. Rather, a Baal Teshuvah should believe in God’s promise to grant atonement and, therefore, spend his future days serving Him with joy.

This concept is reflected in Torah law. Kiddushin 49a relates that even when a totally wicked person consecrates a woman on the condition that he is completely righteous, the consecration is binding if he repents at that time.

Behavioral patterns are self-reinforcing as Avot 4:2 states: “One mitzvah brings another. One transgression leads to another.” Once a person has succumbed to his temptations and tasted sin, he must make a greater effort to separate himself from it in the future.

Berachot 34b.

Most texts of the Talmud read “do not stand.” The Rambam amends the text, further emphasizing the high level of service that a Baal Teshuvah reaches.

This principle, stated by Rabbi Abahu, is not accepted by all the Sages of the Talmud. Rabbi Yochanan maintains that the level of the righteous surpasses that of Baalei Teshuvah.

In Shemoneh Perakim, Chapter 6, the Rambam elaborates on the advantage of conquering one’s natural drives. He explains that, in certain aspects, a person who desires to sin, but overcomes that desire, expresses a deeper and more involving commitment to God than one who has no desire to sin at all.
Tanya, Chapter 7, explains that the Baal Teshuvah is on a higher level because his thirst for Godliness is greater. The fact that his sins separated him from God motivates him to yearn to establish a connection with deeper strength and fervor.
Other commentaries associate the advantage that Baalei Teshuvah possess over the completely righteous with Yoma 86b’s statement that Teshuvah motivated by love transforms even willful transgressions into merits. Furthermore, the merits possessed by a Baal Teshuvah are of a more elevated nature than those possessed by a completely righteous man. The sages of the Kaballah (see Zohar, Vol. III 47b commenting on Ecclesiastes 2:13) explain that the transformation of darkness into light produces a higher quality of light.

As described in Chapter 4, Halachah 2.

The Kessef Mishneh cites the source for this halachah as Yoma 86b: Teshuvah is great because it brings close the redemption as implied by [Isaiah 59:20]: “A redeemer shall come to Zion and to those in Jacob who repent of transgression.” Why will “a redeemer come to Zion?” Because of “those in Jacob who repent of their transgressions.” The Sefer HaKovetz cites Sanhedrin 87b which relates: “All the appointed times [for the Messianic redemption] have passed and the matter is only dependent on Teshuvah.”

Since the Jew’s essential nature is Godly. Ultimately, that Godliness will surface in a movement of Teshuvah.

Sanhedrin (loc. cit.) continues: Rabbi Eliezer declares: “If Israel repents, she will be redeemed. If they do not [repent], they will not be redeemed.” Rabbi Yehoshua answered him: “If they do not repent, they will not be redeemed?! Rather, [in such an instance,] God will raise up a king whose decrees are as harsh as Haman’s and then, Israel will repent.”

Shir HaShirim Rabbah 5:2 states: “If Israel will repent for even one day, she will immediately be redeemed.” Since Teshuvah represents a transcendent experience, a movement beyond the limits of time and space, the effects it produces are also not bound by those limits and come immediately.

“The blessing and the curse.” These experiences will cause Israel to “take the matter to heart.”

Israel will repent, and then.

Bringing about the redemption.

Teshuvah, in its most elevated sense, is not merely repentance for sin, but rather, “return” to God, establishing a deeper and more encompassing connection with Him. Therefore, it is an appropriate preparation for the advent of the Messianic era.

The Divine Presence.

Though Teshuvah is generally translated as repentance, its literal translation is “return.” Through Teshuvah, a person returns to God and reestablishes a bond with Him.

Yoma 86a comments on this verse: “Teshuvah is great for it reaches God’s throne.” The Maggid of Meseritch notes that the name of God, E-lohim, translated as “Lord,” refers to God as the source of power and strength. On that basis, the above verse can be interpreted: “Return in Teshuvah until God becomes your E-lohim, i.e., until you become aware that God is your power and your strength.”

Establishing a more powerful bond with God than existed before the sin.

Isaiah 57:19 proclaims: “Peace, Peace, for those far and near.” Sanhedrin 99a explains that this refers to a person who was far removed from God and has come close.

The Sifri (Deuteronomy, note 148) uses similar expressions to describe a person who worships idols and (ibid., note 295) one who falsifies measurements. From this, we can assume that all sinners can be described in such terms.

Yalkut Shimoni (Psalms, note 671) notes that the children of Korach repented for joining their father’s rebellion against Moses. What was their reward? They became “dear” to God, as evident from Psalm 45 which was authored by the sons of Korach as a “song of endearment.”

Hoshea 1:9 relates how God had told the Jews: “You are not My people and I am not your God.”

Yechaniyahu, also called Yehoyachin, was the second to last king over Jerusalem in the first Temple period. He reigned only three months before being deposed by Nebuchadnezzar and carried off to Babylon (see II Kings 24:8-15).

Yechaniyahu “did what was evil in the eyesof God (ibid.:9).”

The significance of a signet ring is that a king seals all his proclamations with it. Therefore, he wears it at all times.

While he was king, these prophecies were certainly fulfilled for his three-month reign contained no success. Afterwards, he was confined to a dungeon in Babylon.

Vayikra Rabbah 19:6 relates that while in prison, Yechaniyahu’s wife was brought to him so that they could perpetuate the Davidic dynasty. However, before they could engage in relations, she menstruated. Rather than continue, Yechaniyahu waited until the necessary time had passed and she had immersed herself in the mikvah.
When God saw this, He exclaimed, “In Jerusalem, you did not keep these laws, and here, you observe them.” Immediately, God forgave him for all his previous sins.

Who led the return to Eretz Yisrael after the Babylonian exile (See Ezra, Chapter 3).

Actually, his great-grandson. Yechaniyahu gave birth to Shaltiel, who gave birth to Pedaya, who gave birth to Zerubavel (Radak, I Chronicles 3:17-19).

The same expression “signet ring” used to damn Yechaniyahu is employed to bless his descendant.

The Rambam is precise in his delineation of individual halachot. Thus, although this halachah resembles the previous one, a differentiation between them must be made. Accordingly, it may be suggested that this halachah refers to an “exalted level” of Teshuvah, a greater degree of closeness to God than described previously.

No entity in this world is truly separate from God, for His oneness pervades all creation. However, a person’s sins create an apparent separation between God and the individual, causing Divine influence to be less revealed within his life.

Because, as the verse continues, “your hands are full of blood.”

The verse continues: “Bring Me no more vain offerings… I cannot bear iniquity with solemn meeting.”

Because, as the prophecy continues, though, “My Name is great among the nations… you profane it.” Though God will not accept a sinner’s mitzvot, a person should not refrain from doing mitzvot until he fully repents. In the Ma’amer Kiddush HaShem, written by the Rambam to Jews who were forced to accept other faiths, at least for appearances’ sake: Each person should try to fulfill whatever mitzvot he can…. A person must know one of the fundamental principles of faith: Just as Jeroboam, the son of Navat, willbe punished for making the calves [which he instituted as idols for the Jews], he will be punished for negating the practice of Eruv Tavshilim…. For every sin which a person commits, he will suffer retribution and for every mitzvah he performs, he will receive reward.

Moses made these statements to the Jews as he began to review the Torah with them before their entry into Eretz Yisrael. He explained that though, throughout the journey, the Jews had committed many sins, now, they were “clinging” to God.

Since a Baal Teshuvah clings to God, without any separation, there is no need for the passage of time and his prayers are answered immediately.

This prophecy describes the Messianic age, when as the following verse explains “the wolf and the lamb shall feed together.” As explained above, the advent of that era will be preceded by Teshuvah.

Halachah 2 explains the connection of the verse which follows with Teshuvah.

The previous verses describe how God will send “My messenger,” who will be “like the refiner’s fire and the washer’s soap,” motivating the people to repentance.

In general, Hilchot De’ot 2:3 praises the practice of humility, stating: There are temperaments with regard to which a man is forbidden to follow the middle path. He should move away from one extreme and adopt the other. Among these [qualities] is pride. There is no better path for a person to follow than to be humble at all times…. Accordingly, our Sages (Avot 4:4) commanded: Be very, very humble….” However, in particular, the memory of his previous sins should inspire a Baal Teshuvah to an even greater degree of humility than other men. It must be emphasized that the Rambam is referring to humility, not sadness or depression. On the contrary, a Baal Teshuvah must be confident of God’s willingness to accept his Teshuvah and aware of the great spiritual levels that Teshuvah can bring him as explained in the previous halachot. Hence, his prevailing attitude will be one of happiness and joy.

See Hilchot De’ot 2:3 (based on Shabbat 88b): This is the way of the righteous. They accept humiliation, but do not humiliate others; they listen when they are shamed, but they do not answer. They do this with love and are joyous in their sufferings. Of them [Judges 5:31] states, “And those who love Him are like the sun when it comes out in its strength.”

Berachot 12b states: “Whoever commits a sin and is embarrassed for it will have all his sins forgiven.” Though a Baal Teshuvah himself may not take offense at the mention of his previous behavior, another person should not take advantage of his forbearance.

It is forbidden to shame our fellow-men. Chapter 3, Halachah 14, Hilchot De’ot 6:8, and Hilchot Mechirah 14:12-13 relate that a person who shames a colleague in public will not merit a portion in the world to come.

Sefer HaMitzvot (negative commandment 251) and Sefer HaChinuch (mitzvah 338) consider this as one of the Torah’s 365 prohibitions. There is a slight difficulty in this matter. Hilchot De’ot (loc. cit.) derives the prohibition against shaming a colleague from another verse, Leviticus 19:17: “Do not bear a sin because of him.” Sefer HaMitzvot (negative commandment 303) also includes this as one of the Torah’s 365 prohibitions. Hence, it is necessary to differentiate between the types of shame forbidden by each prohibition.

This phrase is adapted from Psalms 31:20: “How great is the good that You have hidden for those who fear You.”

The Rambam includes the principle of reward and punishment in his Thirteen Principles of Faith (Commentary to the Mishnah, introduction to Sanhedrin, Chapter 10). There, he states, “The greatest reward is the world to come.” In this and the following chapter, the Rambam describes the various rewards which we will be granted for our observance of the Torah and its mitzvot; the ultimate reward to be granted in the world to come and the lesser, material rewards to be granted in this world. As mentioned above, the Rambam structured the Mishneh Torah as a text of halachot, practical directives for our behavior. He omits all philosophical and ethical concepts which are not halachot, i.e., which are not directly applicable in our daily lives. In this context, his explanation of the world to come and the other rewards mentioned in these chapters, is not included as an end in its own right. Rather, the Rambam mentions it as a necessary preface to the concept discussed in Chapter 10, the service of God motivated by love with no desire for any ulterior motive. Antigonus of Socho taught the latter principle to his students in his statement (Avot 1:3): “Do not be like servants serving the master for the sake of a reward. Rather, be like servants who serve their master with no intention of receiving a reward.” Two of his most promising students, Tzadok and Beitus, misunderstood Antigonus’ intention and interpreted that statement to mean that man would receive neither reward nor punishment for his behavior. Disillusioned, they forsook the Torah entirely and started breakaway sects, the Sadducees and Beitusees, which led thousands away from Jewish practice and destroyed the unity of the Jewish people (See the Rambam’s Commentary to Avot, loc. cit.). To prevent the possibility of his statements being similarly misunderstood, the Rambam prefaces his discussions of that concept with a detailed description of the rewards and punishments man will receive. Afterwards, he concludes that our service should not be carried out for the sake of receiving those rewards, but rather, out of love for God.

I.e., the eternal spiritual life of the soul. Note the Rambam’s statements, Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah 1:11, explaining the description of God as alive. Since each soul is a spark of God, in microcosm, these concepts apply to our souls as well.

In this spiritual realm, the soul will have no contact with evil and its effects.

This promise, extended for the fulfillment of the mitzvah of sending away the mother bird, can, by extension, be considered as being granted for the fulfillment of the totality of Torah and mitzvot.

More precisely, the expression מפי השמועה, refers to a tradition of the Sages based on an allusion from a Biblical verse (Yad Malachi).

The Torah explicitly promises long life for honoring one’s parents and for sending away a mother bird when taking its eggs. Kiddushin 39b relates that once Rabbi Ya’akov saw a father tell his son to bring pigeon eggs down from a tree. With proper filial obedience, the son climbed to the nest, drove away the mother, and descended with the eggs. On his way down, he fell and was killed. After he saw this, Rabbi Ya’akov remarked: “There is no reward for the fulfillment of mitzvot in this world. The long life promised by the Torah refers to life in the world to come.” Though as explained in Chapter 9, the Rambam maintains that we will receive a certain measure of reward in this world as well, he also agrees that the essential reward for the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvot will be in the world to come.

As described in Halachot 2-5.

In his introduction to Chapter 10 of Sanhedrin, the Rambam states that karet, being cut off, is the most severe punishment the soul can receive. However, that statement is not intended to imply that no other retribution will be given. On the contrary, in Chapter 3, Halachah 5, the Rambam states: All the wicked whose sins are greater [than their merits] are judged according to their sins [and will receive appropriate retribution], but they are granted a portion in the world to come, for all Israel have a share in the world to come. The following individuals do not have a portion in the world to come. Rather, their [souls] are cut off and they are judged for their great wickedness and sins forever. This implies that in addition to being cut off from the world to come, they will be judged in Gehinom and receive retribution. Thus, it would appear that there are three categories of sinners; a) Those who commit “minor sins. They suffer retribution in Gehinom for a maximum of twelve months and then are granted a portion in the world to come; b) Those who commit sins punishable by karet. They are “cut off” and do not merit the life of the world to come; c) The thirteen categories mentioned in Chapter 3, Halachah 6. In addition to being denied a portion in the world to come, they suffer eternal judgment and retribution. This elaboration is necessary because many commentaries (See Kessef Mishneh and the Ramban, Sha’ar HaGmul) mention that it is possible to misinterpret the Rambam’s statements in this halachah and infer that no other punishment will be received other than the “death” and nullification of the soul. They take great lengths to explain how retribution in Gehinom is one of the fundamental concepts of Jewish belief. [Parenthetically, it must be noted that selections from the Sha’ar HaGmul are printed in most publications of the Rambam under the title, Peirush — “explanation.” That term is a misnomer for, in many instances, the Ramban takes a different view than the Rambam. As will be explained, the Ramban bases many of his principles on the teachings of the Kaballah and thus, disputes a number of the concepts stated by the Rambam.]

Kohelet Rabbah 3:18 states: “The wicked are like the beasts: Just as the beasts are destined to die in this world and will not receive a portion in the world to come, so, too, the wicked….” Similarly, the tractate of Kallah states that a beast will not receive a portion in the world to come.

Sanhedrin 90b relates that Rabbi Akiva considered the repetition of a verb in Torah as an allusion to a new concept and not merely a literary device.

Moed Kattan 28a relates that a person who violated a sin punishable by karet would die before reaching the age of fifty. See Tosafot’s commentary. In his Commentary on the Mishnah, Sanhedrin 9:6, the Rambam emphasizes that premature death does not represent the totality of the retribution these individuals will receive.

And cease to exist. See the commentary to Halachah 5.

These statements created a great controversy among the commentaries. The Ra’avad writes: “The statements of this individual resemble those who say that the resurrection will not be for the bodies, only for the souls. I swear that our Sages of blessed memory do not share that opinion….” The Kessef Mishneh explains that the difference between the Rambam and the Ra’avad is semantic. Ikarim (Discourse 4, Chapter 31) explains that, in the Talmud and the Midrashim, the Sages used the expression, the world to come, to refer to two different rewards: a) the spiritual world of the souls which the righteous merit after death; and b) the age of the resurrection of the dead, when the entire nation will rise from their graves, both body and soul. Both the Rambam and the Ra’avad believe in both these concepts. Indeed, the Rambam includes the belief in the resurrection of the dead in his Thirteen Principles of Faith (principle thirteen) and in Chapter 3, Halachah 6, lists those who deny the resurrection among those who will not merit a portion in the world to come. However, he defines the term, “the world to come,” as referring to the world of the souls alone. In contrast, the Ra’avad interprets the expression, “the world to come,” as referring to the era of the resurrection. Indeed, the abovementioned difficulty led to such controversy, that the Rambam found it necessary to compose a special treatise, Iggeret T’Chiat HaMeitim, to emphasize his belief in the resurrection of the dead. In that text, he explains that in the Mishneh Torah, he elaborated more on the concept of the world to come than on the resurrection because: I only saw people discussing the resurrection… while forgetting entirely about the world to come…. Furthermore, though as explained there, the resurrection is one of the cornerstones of Moses’ Torah, it is not the ultimate purpose. Rather, the ultimate purpose is the world to come. Though these two opinions agree on the fundamental principles of faith, there is still a basic difference between them. As will be explained in the commentary to Chapter 9, Halachah 2, the crux of the issue is the question: What is the ultimate good which the Jewish people will merit? Is it the spiritual world of the souls, as the Rambam maintains, or will that good become manifest within the context of material reality at the resurrection of the dead as conceived by the Ra’avad?

In Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah 2:3-5, the Rambam writes that the angels are spiritual entities without a body. The Sages of the Kabballah, basing their statements on Psalms 104:4, explain that the souls are on an even higher level than the angels. The angels have a spiritual body, while the souls have no body whatsoever.

In Sha’ar HaGmul, the Ramban questions why the Rambam felt the need to elaborate on this matter: Even the smallest student in Israel knows that the soul of a righteous man who dies rests in the [spiritual] good of the higher worlds with no contact with a body or matter at all…. Though the nature of his mystery is known only to a select few and only God can grasp the true comprehension of the matter, the general awareness of this concept is simple for all.

Thus, though certain statements of our Sages will employ such terms, they all must be considered metaphors used only because “the Torah speaks in human terms.” See Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah 1:11-12.

Berachot 17a relates that Rav would frequently repeat this statement.

It is absurd to think that God would create a body equipped to perform physical functions, e.g., digestion and reproduction, in an era when these functions will be nullified. One of the fundamental principles of faith is that God does not create anything without a purpose. Thus, if there will be no need for bodily functions, there will be no purpose for a physical body (Iggeret T’Chiat HaMeitim, Chapter 4).

Even in the spiritual realms, the righteous will “proceed from strength to strength (Psalms 84:8)” as Moed Kattan 29a relates, “The righteous have no rest in this world or the world to come.” Nevertheless, that spiritual progress will not be accompanied by any physical effort or struggle.

Pesachim 50a declares: “Happy is he who comes here (to the world to come) with his studies with him.” The commentaries explain that in the world to come, the soul will review the same Torah knowledge with which it was involved in the material world. However, in the material world, it would appreciate the concepts in physical terms, while in the world to come, it will appreciate the spiritual truths that motivate those concepts. See also the Rambam’s introduction to the tenth chapter of Sanhedrin and the notes to the following halachah.

Chapter 9, Halachah 1, relates that the portion in the world to come a person merits is determined by, “the greatness of a person’s deeds and the abundance of his knowledge.”

Shir HaShirim Rabbah 3:11 quotes Rabbi Chaninah bar Yitzchok: “We have reviewed the entire Bible and have not found a record of Batshevah making a crown for her son.” Thus, he concludes that the phrase is a metaphor. However, he interprets the metaphor differently than the Rambam.

Knowledge is the most exalted of our potentials and thus can be viewed as the “crown” of our personalities.

The physical nature of the body puts limits on our intellect and prevents us from appreciating the true nature of Godliness (see Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah 1:10).

In Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah (4:9), the Rambam refers to the aspect of the soul which is connected with our bodily functions with the term neshamah, while here, he uses the term nefesh. Similarly, in the Guide for the Perplexed (Vol. I, Chap. 49), the Rambam differentiates between these two aspects of the soul.

This is “the image and form” of God which He granted man (Genesis 1:26), i.e., man’s power to conceive concepts intellectually.

In the Guide for the Perplexed (Vol. I, Chapter 68), the Rambam explains how before a person conceives of an idea, the person, the idea which he wishes to conceive, and his thought processes are three different things. However, after he conceives of the idea, he and the idea are one.

Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah (4:9) explains that the soul has the potential to conceive concepts whose existence transcend the four elements on which our material reality is based.

Halachot 8 and 9.

And not that element of soul which endows our bodies with physical life.

Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah 4:3 relates that the existence of all creation is dependent on the combination of the four elements: fire, wind, water, and dust. Hence, ultimately, all these entities will have a limited span of existence until eventually, this combination will cease. Halachah 9 of that chapter explains that the “form of the soul” is not dependent on these elements, but comes “from God, from the heavens.” Therefore, it has the potential to grasp abstract concepts as above and, hence, will merit eternal life.

See Targum Yonatan on that verse. In his introduction to the tenth chapter of Sanhedrin, the Rambam emphasizes how the soul’s existence is dependent on its knowledge of God, the source of life: “The existence of the soul… is forever, like the existence of the Creator for He is the reason for its existence for it has grasped Him.

See Halachah 6.

See Halachah 7.

The commentaries have raised many questions concerning this halachah: Why did the Rambam cite so many metaphors? Why did he choose these terms and omit others, e.g., the land of life [Psalms 27:13]?” Which rationale did he use governing the order in which these phrases were quoted? Among the answers given is that these expressions reflect the spiritual reality. The expression, “the courtyards of God,” is a plural term, implying that it refers to two levels: an inner courtyard and an outer courtyard. Thus, in total there are ten levels mentioned here. According to the Kaballah, there are ten Divine powers (Sefirot) which are the source for all creation. Hence, the world was created with ten statements of creation. The spiritual realms are also governed by the same ten potentials. Thus, each of the ten metaphors mentioned above correspond to a different spiritual level. The order chosen by the Rambam reflects the order of the spiritual realms which these metaphors describe.

For example, Avot 3;16 states: “Everything is prepared for the feast.” In his Commentary on the Mishnah, the Rambam explains that the ultimate purpose of all the activities of this world is to merit the world to come. The use of the metaphor of a feast to describe the appreciation of Godliness is also employed by the Sages in their interpretation of Exodus 24:11: “They had a vision of God and they ate and drank.” Vayikra Rabbah 20:10, Zohar (Vol. I. 135a, b) interpret the verse to mean that the vision of God was satisfying and nourishing like food. In his gloss on this halachah, the Ra’avad again objects to the Rambam’s statements, explaining that Pesachim 119b relates that after the feast which God will make for the righteous, God will grant David the privilege of reciting grace with the cup of blessing. In a spiritual feast, that would not be possible. The Kessef Mishneh resolves that difficulty according to the principles mentioned above. The feast the Ra’avad describes will be held in the Messianic age, while the feast the Rambam mentions refers to the world to come. Other commentaries note that even were Pesachim, loc. cit., also to be referring to the world to come, there would be no difficulty. The “cup of blessing” can also be understood as a metaphor. Nevertheless, it must be emphasized that most major Rabbinical figures agree that the feast referred to by our Sages will be a meal of food and drink at which the Leviathan and aged wine will be served. See the statements of Rav Saadia Gaon in The Paths of Faith, Section 10, Chapter 2; the commentary of the Ramban and Rabbenu Bachaye on Genesis 1:21; the commentary of the Rashba and the Maharsha on Bava Batra 74b. Indeed, Rav Avraham, the Rambam’s son, in the text Milchemot Hashem, writes that in the Messianic age, God will make a feast for the righteous.

It is significant that the Rambam does not mention the term, Gan Eden, the Garden of Eden. In his introduction to the tenth chapter of Sanhedrin, the Rambam explains that Gan Eden is a physical place, “the choicest place in the earth with many streams and fruit trees. It will be revealed to man in the Messianic age.” In Sha’ar HaGmul, the Ramban elaborates on this matter. He takes pains to emphasize that Gan Eden is also a physical place, the place where Adam lived before the sin. It exists at present and will be enjoyed by the righteous in the Messianic age. Nevertheless, he adds that the same term also applies to a correspondent realm in the spiritual worlds where, after death, the soul will enjoy the benefits of its service in this world. He brings a number of Talmudic and Midrashic statements which employ the term Gan Eden in the same context as the Rambam uses the term, “the world to come.”

As mentioned in the commentary to Halachah 1, there were many who misinterpreted these statements as an implication that the soul would not suffer punishment in Gehinom for its sins. Indeed, this was one of the reasons why many of the leading Rabbis of the Alsace-Lourraine community considered banning the Book of Knowledge (the first of fourteen books in the Mishneh Torah) and prohibiting its study. In a polemic written in defense of that work, the Ramban brings examples (see the commentary to Halachah 1) to show that the Rambam also believed in other punishments. However, he saw karet as the ultimate punishment and the most total retribution.

Halachah 1 quotes our Sages as explaining the repetition of the verb: הכרת means to be cut off in the world and תכרת to be cut off in the world to come.”

In contrast to others, such a person’s sins cannot be purged by the punishments of Gehinom.

The Sifra relates: The meaning of the term karet raises questions. However, since Leviticus 23:29-30 states: “Any soul who does not fast… will be cut off… I will obliterate that soul…,” we may presume that karet also involves the obliteration of the soul.

As in the previous halachah, the reasons why the Rambam cites these metaphors and quotes them in this order is problematic. Among the resolutions offered by the commentaries is that, according to Kabballah, there are four degrees of Kelipah, evil, and they are alluded to by these four terms.

In the Sha’ar HaGmul, the Ramban takes issue with this concept and explains that “it is impossible for this sublime soul to be nullified or obliterated.” Emek HaMelech (Tikkunei Teshuvah), Torah Or (Parshat Yitro), and other Kabballistic texts stress this point, emphasizing that the soul is a spark of God. Thus, it is an eternal entity that can never be nullified. Due to the severity of its sins, a soul may not merit to attain the spiritual rewards of the soul after death (the Rambam’s interpretation of the world to come). However, ultimately, even such a soul will be resurrected together with the entire Jewish people (the Kabballistic interpretation of the world to come). In that context, the Sefer HaGilgulim explains how the above principles can be reconciled with our Sages’ statements that certain individuals will not merit a portion in the world to come. It explains that every Jewish soul will merit resurrection. Furthermore, each different incarnation of the soul will be resurrected as an independent entity. However, if a person committed sins so severe that he was denied a portion in the world to come, the particular incarnation which committed those sins will not merit resurrection.

The common Arabs of the Rambam’s time and many other primitive peoples also believed that the righteous would merit an eternal existence after death. However, instead of appreciating the spiritual nature of this existence, they conceived of it in material terms, viewing it as an extension of physical good.

Kiddushin 49b states: “Ten measures of lewdness descended to this world, nine were taken by the Arabs.”

As the Rambam proceeds to explain, there is no intrinsic value to material satisfaction. It is only because of our own physical needs, that we attach value to these pleasures.

In his introduction to the tenth chapter of Sanhedrin, the Rambam explains that even within the context of material existence, a person will often forgo physical satisfaction because of an ideological conflict or to enhance his reputation. Thus, we see that even in the physical world, these pleasures are not considered as the ultimate good. Surely, within the context of the spiritual existence of the world to come, they are of no value.

Hilchot De’ot 4:1 states: “Maintaining the body healthy and complete is of the paths of God for it is impossible to comprehend or grasp any aspect of the knowledge of God while one is sick.” Accordingly, in Chapter 3 of that section, he prescribes a middle course of behavior which tends neither to asceticism, nor to over-indulgence in material pleasures. Nevertheless, those directives only apply within the context of our present existence in which our souls are contained within physical bodies.

In his introduction to the tenth chapter of Sanhedrin, the Rambam states: “Just as the blind man cannot appreciate the hue of colors, the deaf man cannot grasp the sound of voices, nor the eunuch, the desire for sex, so too, our bodies cannot appreciate spiritual pleasures.” The very nature of material reality prevents any complete and actual awareness of spiritual truth.

Shmot Rabbah 30:24 relates that in the world to come, when Jews will see the reward for the mitzvot, they will appreciate how it is too great for the physical world to contain.

As mentioned in Halachah 4, we find expressions used by the Bible and the Sages which appear to describe the world to come in physical terms. However, to appreciate the intent of these expressions, we must view them in the abstract, as metaphors, and try to appreciate the spiritual concepts which they communicate.

In his introduction to the tenth chapter of Sanhedrin, the Rambam uses the following parable to explain how after appreciating the spiritual pleasures of the world to come, the soul will no longer have any appreciation or desire for material pleasures. In his youth, a prince would play ball with his friends in the streets of the city. When he assumed the throne, he was introduced to higher forms of pleasure and derived satisfaction from ruling his kingdom in a righteous manner. Having tasted this more sophisticated pleasure, he has no desire whatsoever to return to his childhood games.

As mentioned in Halachah 2, the good of the world to come will be the: “‘Delight in the radiance of the Divine Presence’…. They will comprehend the truth of Godliness which they cannot grasp while in a dark and humble body.” In his introduction to the tenth chapter of Sanhedrin, the Rambam further elaborates on the nature of this spiritual pleasure, explaining that it results from the direct appreciation of “the truth of the Creator.” As long as our souls are enclothed within a physical body, such awareness is impossible.

The Sifri (Deuteronomy 33:29) relates that before Moses’ death, the Jews asked him to describe the world to come to them. He replied: “I don’t know how to describe it to you, but one thing I can tell you: ‘Happy is your portion.’”

Berachot 4a comments on this verse: David told God, “I trust that in the future you will give a generous reward to the righteous, but I do not know if I will be included among them.”

Most commentaries maintain that the Rambam is referring to the passage from Berachot which he quotes at the conclusion of the halachah.

As explained in the previous halachah, the very nature of material reality prevents us from gaining a complete and actual awareness of spiritual concepts. Thus, man cannot conceive of the world to come.

God knows all of His creations, both physical and spiritual, and thus, He appreciates the nature of the world to come.

The prophetic visions do not refer to the ultimate reward of the world to come, but rather, to the Messianic age, when Israel will be granted dominion over the gentile nations and an age of peace and knowledge will begin. See Chapter 9, Halachah 2, Hilchot Melachim, Chapters 11 and 12.

Any praise that a mortal man would use to describe the world to come would describe this spiritual concept in material terms and thus, serve as an inadequate description of this ultimate good.

It is to be their reward for fulfilling the Torah and mitzvot as He desires.

Berachot 34b, Sanhedrin 99a.

There is a difficulty in the Rambam’s quotation of this statement. The Talmud explicitly states that this statement conflicts with that of Shmuel: There is no difference between the present age and the Messianic era except [the emancipation] from our subjugation to the [gentile] kingdoms. The Messianic prophecies represent a change in the nature of the world and the introduction of a miraculous order. This runs contrary to Shmuel’s opinion which maintains that, in the Messianic era, the natural order of the world will not change. Thus, the question arises: In Hilchot Melachim (12:2) and in the following chapter, Halachah 2, the Rambam quotes Shmuel’s statement as halachah. How can the Rambam quote two conflicting statements and establish them both as binding halachah? The Lechem Mishneh explains that though the Rambam quotes Shmuel’s words, he interprets them differently. Shmuel maintains that there will be no change whatsoever between the present era and the Messianic age except for the distribution of power between Israel and the nations. In contrast, the Rambam maintains that there will be a change between the two time periods. In the Messianic age, the prophets’ promises will be fulfilled and an age of peace and knowledge will begin. Nevertheless, as he explains in the Hilchot Melachim, Chapter 12, the fulfillment of the Messianic prophecies will not represent a fundamental change in the nature of the world. All of the prophecies that appear to imply such a change must be interpreted as metaphors. For example, the prophecy (Isaiah 11:6), “A wolf will dwell with a lamb,” should not be interpreted to mean that the wolves will change their preying nature. Rather, the prophecy is a metaphor describing how the gentile nations, “the wolves,” will dwell in peace with Israel, “the lamb.”

The Rambam seeks to clarify that the world to come will not come into being only in the future.

The existence of the World to Come does not require the nullification of our world.

We should not think that the World to Come does not exist because we cannot perceive it. There are various levels of existence. On a plane of existence which transcends ours, the spiritual truths of the World to Come exist as actual realities.

The past tense is used, implying that the world to come was already “made” and “hidden” by God and that it exists at present, albeit on a different place of existence than the material reality we know.

A term which allows for such misconception.

Similarly, the Medrash Tanchuma (VaYikra 10) explains that the term “the world to come” is appropriate only in regard to man and not to God.

For it is our service in this world which allows us to merit a place in the world to come.

To enable them to earn a place in the world to come. The Ra’avad objects to this halachah, stating that it appears that the Rambam denies the statement (Sanhedrin 97a) that there will be only six millennia to the existence of the present state of our world. As above, the Kessef Mishneh explains that the difference between the two is only semantic. The Ra’avad interprets the world to come as the world of resurrection. Hence, he emphasizes how the nature of existence will change. The Rambam does not need to make such a distinction for he refers to the world to come as the spiritual world of the souls. In Iggeret T’Chiat HaMeitim (Chapter 4), the Rambam writes that even the souls which are resurrected will die. In contrast, the world to come will remain as an eternal spiritual reality.

This phrase is borrowed from Pirkei Avot 2:16. Note the Rambam’s interpretation of that mishnah.

As Halachah 1 of the previous chapter explains, this verse refers to the World to Come.

As explained in the commentary to Halachot 1 and 5 of the previous chapter, karet is the ultimate, but by no means, the only punishment received by the soul.

For example, in the second paragraph of the Shema, Deuteronomy 10:12-15 relates: “If you carefully pay heed to My commandments… I will grant the fall and spring rains… you will have an ample harvest…. You will eat and be satisfied.” Similarly, many other passages throughout the Torah promise material blessings for its observance.

For example, the above cited passage (ibid. 16-17) continues: “Be careful lest your heart be tempted to go astray…. God’s anger will then be directed against you. He will lock up the heavens… the land will not bring forth its crops and you will vanish from the land.” Similarly, in many other instances, the Torah also threatens material catastrophes for the failure to observe Torah and mitzvot.

Leviticus, Chapter 26, and Deuteronomy, Chapter 28, relate a series of blessings which we will receive for fulfilling the mitzvot and curses which we will suffer if we ignore them. In conclusion, Deuteronomy 28:69 states: “These are the words of the covenant that God instructed Moses to make with the Israelites… besides the covenant that was made with them at Choreb.” Rashi interprets the covenant of Choreb as referring to the blessings and curses mentioned in Leviticus.

The promises of success for the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvot and disaster for their lack of observance have been fulfilled in both the national history of the Jewish people as a whole and the individual destiny of each particular Jew. In the future, these promises will continue to shape the face of our people.

Perhaps the Rambam mentions “all the mitzvot” as an allusion to the concept (Berachot 7a, Rosh HaShanah 16b) that a person who is not completely righteous is required to suffer difficulty in this world to absolve his sins. In contrast, a completely righteous man prospers in this world as well.

The passages in Berachot and Rosh HaShanah emphasize that at times, a wicked person will receive material benefits as recompense for the good deeds he has performed so that he suffer complete retribution for his sins after death.

Pirkei Avot 4:2 teaches, “The reward for a mitzvah is the mitzvah.” Among the interpretations of this statement is that the ultimate reward for the mitzvah is not the benefits one receives in this world, but the spiritual connection established with God. This will be revealed in the world to come.

Granting both material and spiritual life to those who observe it. The association of Proverbs 3:18, “It is a tree of life for those who hold fast to it,” with the Torah has its source in Berachot 32b.

See the commentary to Chapter 8, Halachot 2 and 3.

The Kabbalists emphasize that the Rambam’s interpretation of a portion in the World to Come, the spiritual rewards appreciated by the soul after death are dependent on the nature of its service of Torah and mitzvot. Nevertheless, the ultimate good to be experienced by the soul in the age of resurrection, the Kabbalistic interpretation of the World to Come, is not dependent on a person’s service but is rather, an expression of the essential Godly nature of the Jewish soul.

Hilchot Lulav 8:15 states: “The happiness which a person experiences in the fulfillment of a mitzvah… is a great service.”

These benefits and the removal of the difficulties mentioned above are not considered as the reward for the fulfillment of mitzvot, for that reward will come only in the world to come. Rather, they are incidental benefits granted by God to those who fulfill His will. A parallel can be drawn to an employer, who in addition to paying his workers their wages will seek to ameliorate their working conditions.

Hilchot Melachim 12:5 uses similar expressions to describe the benefits that the Jews will receive in the Messianic age: “In that era, there will be neither famine nor war, neither envy nor competition, for good will flow in abundance and all the delights will be available like dust.” The Messianic era represents the ultimate state of completion within the context of the limitations of our material world. Hence, all the negative influences such as envy and competition will be eliminated and “good will flow in abundance.” In our halachah, the Rambam describes the benefits that will come to a person for the observance of Torah and mitzvot within the context of our existence in the world at present. Therefore, there will be certain limitations on those benefits. Though there will be no war, envy will remain. Though there will be “an abundance of gold and silver,” still “all the delights” will not “be available like dust.” Since the service of God in the Messianic age will transcend that of the present era as described in the following halachah, the benefits which we will receive at that time will also be greater.

The Rambam emphasizes that these material benefits will not be given as ends in their own right. Rather, God will grant them to man in order to give him the opportunity to proceed further in the service of Torah and mitzvot and thus, attain the World to Come. A parallel can be drawn to an employer, who in addition to paying his workers their wages will seek to ameliorate their working conditions.

A good that it is too great to be earned and is only granted through God’s generosity, i.e., the World to Come.

Generosity, i.e., the World to Come.

The Rambam uses the verb שוגה. In the following chapter, he uses the same verb in the positive context.

. Berachot 32a emphasizes that wealth and luxury are a challenge that may cause a person to sin. In that Talmudic passage, Rabbi Ushia illustrates this concept with a parable: A farmer acquired a weak and skinny ox. He treated it kindly, offering it the finest fodder, but it stubbornly refused to obey him. The farmer became upset: “Why aren’t you obeying?” he shouted at the ox, “Because I am giving you choice fodder.”

Since the material benefits led these people to sin, God will remove them and force them to live in hardship.

Chapter 6, Halachah 3, states: A person may commit a great sin… causing the judgment… to be… that his Teshuvah will be held back. He will not be allowed the chance to repent from his wickedness in order that he will die and be wiped out because of the sin he committed. The present halachah describes a far less severe circumstance. Free choice is not taken away from the sinner and he has the potential to repent. Nevertheless, his behavior has created obstacles that obstruct his relationship with God. Accordingly, his path towards repentance will involve a much greater struggle. Both cases are governed by the same principle. Since a person has chosen to separate himself from God, God, in turn, creates difficulties for that person so that ultimately, he will suffer the consequences of his behavior and fail to merit a portion of the world to come. There is another reason for having the wicked suffer. Their difficulty may motivate them to realize that they have sinned and brought these problems upon themselves. Then, they will repent as Deuteronomy 4:30 declares: “When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, you will ultimately return to God.” See also Deuteronomy 30:1-2.

When you were blessed with abundant good.

While under the enemies’ rule, the Jews will have far less of an opportunity to observe Torah and mitzvot.

As explained above, a person’s service of Torah and mitzvot will cause God to grant him blessings which will facilitate his observance in the future.

See Chapter 8, Halachah 1.

Avodah Zarah 35b states: “A Torah Sage inherits two worlds, this world and the world to come.”

As mentioned above, our portion in the world to come is dependent on our deeds.

Kohelet Rabbah emphasizes that the awareness of this concept should motivate a person to a more inspired service of Torah and mitzvot in this world. Though a person will derive greater satisfaction in the world to come, there is an advantage to the service of God in this world. The world to come represents the pleasure a human being will experience. However, our service of Torah and mitzvot in this world creates pleasure for God as our Sages declared: “It is pleasurable for Me to have commanded and have had My will fulfilled.” Therefore, Avot 4:17 states, “One hour of Teshuvah and good deeds in this world surpasses the entire life of the world to come.”

The desire for physical pleasure is a major force leading one away from Torah and mitzvot.

One sin leads to another.” Because of a person’s sins, God will bring about circumstances which will make it more difficult for a person to avoid sin in the future.

Similarly, Hilchot De’ot 4:1 states: “Maintaining a healthy and complete body is among the ways of God for it is impossible to comprehend or grasp any aspect of the knowledge of God while one is sick.”

Hilchot Melachim 11:1 states: “Anyone who does not believe in him or does not wait for his coming denies… the Torah.” The Rambam emphasizes that belief in Mashiach is not sufficient. A Jew’s faith is not complete unless he anxiously waits for Mashiach to come. In Halachah 12:4 of that section, the Rambam explains the motivation for that yearning: The Sages did not yearn for the Messianic era in order to have dominion over the entire world, to rule over the gentiles, to be exalted by the nations, or to eat, drink, and celebrate. Rather, [they desired] to be free [to involve themselves] in Torah and wisdom without any pressures or disturbances so that they would merit the world to come.

The Rambam lived before the Spanish Inquisition and the massacres perpetrated during the later Crusades. Nevertheless, he had witnessed sufficient persecution of the Jews by the Christians to include in Hilchot Melachim a passage (11:4) that was removed from most printed texts of the Mishneh Torah by the Christian censors: Can there be a greater stumbling block than [Christianity…. It has] caused the Jews to be slain by the sword, their remnants to be scattered and humbled…. Similarly, in his treatise Kiddush HaShem (Chapters 1 and 4) and Iggeret Teiman (Chapter 1) the Rambam speaks of the severe persecutions Jews suffered under Moslem and Christian rulers.

The Rambam views the Messianic age as an opportunity for man to serve God fully, fulfilling all the mitzvot and acquiring great knowledge of God. As explained in the previous halachah, good deeds and the knowledge of God are the factors that enable a person to merit a place in the World to Come.

The verse continues: “as the sea fills up the ocean bed.”
The ocean contains a vast host of living beings. However, the waters cover them to the point that their individual existence is no longer perceived. Similarly, in the Messianic age, the world will continue to exist. However, every element of its existence will be permeated by the knowledge of God.

The previous verse states: “I will put My Torah in their inner parts and write it in their hearts.” Torah will become the natural instinct of the Jewish people. It must be noted that the published text of the Mishneh Torah reverses the order of the verse. The text in Jeremiah actually states: “One man will no longer teach his colleague, not a man his brother.” The Zohar (Vol. III, 23a) quotes the verse in the same manner as does the Rambam.

At present, there is often a gap between our intellectual comprehension of spiritual concepts and our emotional sensitivity to them. Though we may understand a concept abstractly, we often lack a feeling for the idea. It remains a cold, intellectual truth rather than becoming a dynamic, live force within our lives. In the Messianic age, God will remove the “heart of stone” that creates this gap between thought and feeling.

The Messiah must be a descendant of David as Hilchot Melachim 11:1 declares: “In the future Messianic king will arise and renew the Davidic dynasty.” See also Hilchot Melachim 11:4.

Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah, Chapter 9, distinguishes between Moses’ prophecies and those of the other prophets, explaining that none of the other prophets can be compared to Moses. In Iggeret Teiman, Chapter 4, the Rambam writes that the Messiah’s prophetic vision will exceed that of all the other prophets with the exception of Moses. The Maharatz Chiyot objects to this concept, explaining that Mashiach will reveal great spiritual concepts and, in the age of resurrection, Moses will come to hear his explanations of the Torah.

The Zohar (Vol. I, 118a) relates that, in that era, even little children will know the mystic secrets of creation.

Jewish thought relates that God rewards our behavior “measure for measure.” Since the Messianic age will involve the refinement of the gentile nations, it follows that as a preparatory step to hasten the advent of that era, we must work to refine the gentile nations by influencing them to accept the seven laws commanded to Noah.

In contrast, all life within this world, even the era of the resurrection of the dead, will have a certain limit (See Iggeret Techiyat HaMeitim, Chapter 4). In Sha’ar HaGmul, the Ramban disagrees with the latter concept, explaining that, after the resurrection, there will be no further death.

In Sha’ar HaGmul, the Ramban takes issue with the Rambam, explaining that the ultimate reward will be the resurrection of the dead. As he intimates, the debate between these two positions revolves on a major disagreement between Jewish philosophers and mystics. The philosophers conceive of spiritual awareness and material reality as two contradictory forces. Consequently, the ultimate state of human fulfillment, the world to come, must represent a total transcendence of material reality and a complete unity with spiritual truth. The Kabballists conceive of God as transcending equally the spiritual and the material. Just as He cannot be confined by the limitations of our material world, His Infinity also extends beyond the bounds of spiritual existence. Conversely, just as He reveals Himself within spirituality, He also has the potential to reveal Himself within the context of material existence. Indeed, the more transcendent levels of Godliness can be revealed more completely in our physical world than in the higher spiritual realms. The latter revelation will come about in the age of resurrection. Thus, that era represents man’s ultimate fulfillment and his full reward for the observance of Torah and mitzvot.

The Rambam reiterates these statements with greater emphasis in Hilchot Melachim: One should not presume that the Messianic king must work miracles and wonders, bring about new creations within the world, resurrect the dead, or perform other similar deeds. This is [definitely] not true (Chapter 11, Halachah 3). Do not presume that in the Messianic age, the nature of the world will change or that there will be innovations in the work of creation. Rather, the world will continue according to its pattern. Though Isaiah [11:6] states: “The wolf will dwell with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the young goat,” these [words] are a metaphor and a parable…. Similarly, other Messianic prophecies of this nature are metaphors (Chapter 12, Halachah 1). These statements are the subject of much debate among the commentaries. The Ra’avad and many other commentaries maintain that Mashiach’s coming will initiate a miraculous era in which the entire nature of the world will change. As the Rambam mentions, many of the Messianic prophecies appear to imply such a phenomenon. The Avodat HaKodesh attempts to resolve these two opinions, explaining that though the world will follow the rules of nature, the nature of the world will return to its state before the sin of Adam and the tree of knowledge. That sin affected the totality of creation. Hence, many of the Messianic prophecies which we regard as miracles can be considered as natural phenomena. The Sh’loh (23b) suggests a different resolution. He explains that, there will be two periods in the Messianic age: one in which the natural order of the world will not change, and a second period which will be marked by miracles. The Rambam’s inclusion of the resurrection of the dead as one of the thirteen principles of faith appears to support this opinion. There is no greater miracle and departure from the natural order than that. In Iggeret T’chiyat HaMeitim, Section 6, the Rambam writes that his statements in Mishneh Torah do not represent a definite and final decision on this question. The Messianic era may, in fact, represent a deviation from the natural order. He intended his statements to explain the Messianic prophecies without challenging the rules of logic or nature which govern our existence. By no means does he preclude the possibility that God will work miracles that transcend that order.

See Berachot 34b, Shabbat 63a, 151b.

See the notes to Chapter 8, Halachah 7.