Yesodei haTorah - Chapter One

The Rambam begins every one of the fourteen books of the Mishneh Torah with a relevant verse from the Prophets or the Holy Scriptures.

As he states in his introduction, the Rambam intended the Mishneh Torah to explain all the various mitzvot which we are obligated to perform. Nevertheless, rather than discuss each mitzvah individually, he has grouped several mitzvot together and explains them in the same halachah. In order to clarify which mitzvot are discussed in each of the halachot, he lists them at the very beginning.

Note that the Rambam uses the word “to know”, and not “to believe”. The popular translation of Sefer HaMitzvot (the Rambam himself composed the text in Arabic, the Mishneh Torah being the only text he wrote in Hebrew) begins: “The first mitzvah is the commandment... to believe in God.”
Many other Sages have objected to the latter definition of the commandment. For example, in his text Rosh Amanah, Rav Yitzchak Abarbanel mentions two frequently asked questions: a) How can the first commandment be to believe in God? He is the one who issued the commandments. Without belief in Him, there can be no concept of serving Him by carrying out His will. b) How can one command belief? Belief is a state of mind and not an action that is dependent on a person’s will.
By stating that the command is “to know” — i.e., to develop one’s knowledge and awareness of God — both of these questions are answered: Though one believes in God, he must work to internalize that belief and make it part of his conscious processes. Furthermore, the intellectual activity necessary for this process of internalization is an act which can be required of a person. See Derech Mitzvosecha, mitzvas HaAmanat Elokut.
[Note also the Hasagot of the Ramban to Sefer HaMitzvot and the response of the Megillat Esther. Also, it is worthy to mention that Rav Kapach and other modern translators of Sefer HaMitzvot also translate the command there as “to know.”’]

The commentaries note that the opening letters of these words form the name of God (י-ה-ו-ה). The Rambam begins his text by proclaiming the name of God.
The knowledge of God's existence serves as the foundation for the entire Torah, because “If a person does not accept God's existence..., he will not have faith in the Torah” (Perush). Thus, although, in general, all the laws in these halachot are “the laws [which are] the foundations of the Torah,” God's existence is the fundamental principle upon which everything is based (Rosh Amanah).

i.e., comprehend intellectually and not merely believe.

In the Guide for the Perplexed, Vol. 1, Chapter 37, the Rambam explains that the term “being” is inappropriate to describe God; nevertheless, it is used “because we have no other way to express the idea that He is not nonexistent.” Though all terms are inadequate descriptions of Him, we must use a term to clarify the idea that He does exist.
When listing the mitzvot, the Rambam states that the mitzvah is to know that there “is a God.” Here, however, he uses the expression “a Primary Being.” Two somewhat opposite concepts have been advanced in explanation of this choice of phraseology:
a) There are seven different names for God. (See Chapter 6, Halachah 2.) Each of these names refer to God as He is associated with a different quality. (See Shmot Rabbah 3:6.) Were the Rambam to use any of these names or an accepted term for the Divinity, we might think that he was referring to a limited dimension of Godliness. Here, the Rambam is referring to God’s essence, a level that transcends all definitions and boundaries. By referring to God as “a Primary Being,” he indicates that we must develop a conception of His existence that has no limitation and is not bound by any form.
b) The Hebrew מצוי ראשון can also be rendered “first existence.” The Rambam is not referring to those aspects of Godliness which transcend worldliness entirely, but rather that dimension of the Divinity which recognizes the limitations of our world, and therefore can become the source for creation. Accordingly, the Rambam describes God as an “existence,” albeit different from — as explained in Halachot 3 and 4 — but still associated with all other forms of existence, and calls Him “first,” which implies the possibility of a second or a third.
Implicit in this interpretation is that it is unnecessary to teach us about the levels of Godliness that transcend the limitations of our existence. What is significant to us and what serves as “the foundation of all foundations and the pillar of wisdom” for the totality of our Torah practice is that there is a level of Godliness which relates to our world (Hadran al Sefer Mishneh Torah 5745, the Lubavitcher Rebbe).

Before creation, there was utter nothingness, no being other than God, and no potential for existence. Indeed, the term “nothingness” is also inappropriate, for it implies empty space waiting to be filled. The Torah’s conception of creation ex nihilo implies that God brought into being not only the world as it exists, but the very potential for its existence.

God is the sole Creator and source for all existence. Often people will accept the premise that God is the Creator, but maintain that He created our world from an undefined mass of matter and energy, that other forces were involved, or the like. (See the Guide for the Perplexed, Vol. II, where the Rambam elaborates on the negation of gentile conceptions which accept God as the power which formed the world, but maintain that the potential for the world existed previously, because it is impossible for something to come into being from absolute nothingness.) Here, the Rambam is underscoring that God is the sole source of being and that without His willful creation, nothing else would exist.

The Rambam does not state “from the essence of His being,” because the essence of God is not invested within the creation. Though God is one with creation, the world is not a part of God.

On a simple level, the Rambam is explaining that since creation is ex nihilo, the existence of all entities depends on God. Were He not to exist, they also could not exist.
The Hebrew יעלה על הדעת, which literally means “raise upon one’s knowledge,” allows for a different interpretation. If one were to elevate one’s thinking and conceive of God only in lofty, transcendent terms, without allowing for a dimension of the Divinity which is an “existence” and can, therefore, serve as a source for creation, then no other entity could exist. It is His willingness to lower Himself to the level of “a first existence” that allows for the potential for our existence.
Directly after stating “the foundation of all foundations,” the Rambam feels it necessary to teach this concept, because the two complement each other. God’s being on the level of “a first existence” generates the potential to elevate the world through our Torah practice, while the transcendent levels of God’s existence generate the potential to negate the concept of a world separate from Godliness (Hadran al Sefer Mishneh Torah 5745, the Lubavitcher Rebbe).

There are certain gentile perspectives which view God’s existence as dependent on the world, as it were, comparing the relationship between Him and the world to that existing between the body and the soul. According to their notion, just as a soul cannot exist without a body, God cannot exist without the world.
This perspective is totally untenable. A god who is dependent on other entities cannot be God.
On a deeper level, the Rambam’s statements emphasize that although God is the Creator, that dimension does not describe His being, and His existence is not at all dependent on whether our world comes into being or not.
In his introduction to the tenth chapter of Sanhedrin in his Commentary on the Mishnah, the Rambam groups together the concepts contained in this and the first two halachot as the first of his thirteen principles of faith.

He needs neither all of them as a whole, nor any one in particular. He exists independent of all existence.

The basis for this statement (and Halachot 1-4 in general) is the concept of מחויב המציאות. (See the Guide for the Perplexed, Vol. I, Chapter 57.)
This term translates literally as “whose existence is obligatory.” It means to imply that God’s existence is absolute, dependent on no other forces or entities outside of Himself. Every creation came into being from absolute nothingness. Therefore, its existence is dependent on its Creator. In contrast, God never came into being; He is.
The Rambam calls this type of existence “true,” because within the context of our reality, truth can serve as a metaphor to express this concept. When an idea is true, be it a simple mathematical equation like 2 + 2 = 4 or as complex a concept as Einstein’s theory of relativity, its truth does not depend on man’s perception of it. The fact that someone declares 2 + 2 = 5 or that relativity waited thousands of years to be discovered, has no effect on the truth of the concepts themselves. They are true, regardless of whether man grasps their truth or not.
The truth of all worldly beings is limited. If we see an entity or it has a physical being which can be perceived through our senses or a given instrument, it is. If not, it does not exist. Thus, the truth of its existence does not extend beyond its physical being. In contrast, God’s existence is essentially true. Our perception of Him or the physical manifestation of His existence is not at all relevant to the truth of His being. He is because He is.
Nevertheless, the truths of our world are only metaphors for His truth, since they exist only within the context of creation. If God had not desired to create the world in this manner, these truths would not exist.

The commentaries note that the Jerusalem Talmud (Berachot 1:5) cites this verse and asks: “What is ‘true’?” and replies “that He is the living God and King of the world.”

For their original and absolute state is non-being, and the truth their existence possesses is dependent on the physical manifestation of their existence.

On an obvious level, the Rambam has stated that God is the only absolute existence, and no other entity exists in a similar manner.
There is also a deeper dimension to the Rambam’s statements. From the statement, “aside from Him, there is no true existence,” one can conclude that with Him, there is true existence. When a Jew lives according to the Torah, he establishes a unity with God that allows his existence to take on a truth and meaning stemming from that of God Himself (Likkutei Sichot, Vol. 24).

The Radbaz (Vol. 6, Responsum 21) explains that the expressions “God of the world” and “Lord of the entire earth” refer to two different levels. “God of the world” refers to His relationship with all aspects of existence on both the higher and lower planes, and, in particular, to man, who can consciously acknowledge His being.
”Lord of the entire earth” describes His dominion over material existence, thus negating the belief that even though He created the world, He abandoned it to the control of the laws of nature. By stating “the entire earth,” the Rambam implies that Divine Providence controls every facet of worldly existence.

This refers to the ninth sphere, which “encompasses all the others and causes them to revolve” (Chapter 3, Halachah 1). Refer to that chapter for a description of the spheres and their functioning.

In the Guide for the Perplexed (Vol. II, Chapters 1 and 2), the Rambam elaborates on the idea mentioned briefly in this halachah. He explains that the movement of any entity in the physical world is caused by the influence of another entity, which must itself undergo change to initiate this movement.
The source for all physical activity is the movement of the ninth sphere. The power which moves that sphere must be different, by its very nature, from the sphere itself and that it must transcend material existence. Otherwise, the fact that it causes the sphere to move would be proof that it is also being moved by a higher power.

The Rambam discusses the negation of any anthropomorphic aspects of God in Halachot 7-12.

I.e., of all the points mentioned in the previous halachah (Rosh Amanah). The Rambam’s mention of the commandment after five halachot and not after the first halachah alone implies that our knowledge of God’s existence must be developed and cannot be left as a general, undefined conception.

In Sefer HaMitzvot, the Rambam mentions this as the first of the positive commandments. The Sefer HaChinuch lists this as mitzvah 25. See also the notes to the listing of the commandments at the beginning of these halachot. The Ramban cites the objections of the Baal Halachot Gedolot and others to the inclusion of this commandment as one of the mitzvot. Note that in his Hasagot to the negative commandments (1) and in his commentary on the Torah, the Ramban himself states an opinion that parallels the Rambam’s view.

Though there is no explicit statement of a command in this verse, implicit is the obligation to accept God's Divinity. Thus, the Mechilta compares this verse to a king's statement: “I will rule over you.” Makkot 23a states that this is one of the 613 commandments. See also the Ramban's Hasagot to the negative commandments (1).

In Sefer HaMitzvot, the Rambam mentions this as the first of the negative commandments. Sefer HaChinuch lists this as mitzvah 26. This transgression does not involve making an idol or worshiping another god (these acts are prohibited in their own right), but merely the acceptance of another entity as a god (Megillat Esther, Negative Commandment 1). With these statements, the Rambam is also laying the basis for his conception that the very thought and acceptance of another deity or power that exists apart from God or is required by Him to maintain the world constitutes a violation of the prohibition against worshiping other gods (see Hilchot Avodah Zarah, ch. 1 and Hilchos Teshuvah 3:7). There is no need that he perform a deed of worship.

In Hilchot Teshuvah 3:7, the Rambam describes one who does not believe in God as a min (heretic), who does not have a portion in the world to come.

As the second of his Thirteen Principles of Faith, the Rambam states: “The cause of all existence is one.” In Hilchot Teshuvah 3:7, the Rambam describes one who does not believe in God’s oneness as a min (heretic), who does not have a portion in the world to come.

Generally, we conceive of unity as the combination of separate entities. God’s unity is absolute and, as the Rambam proceeds to illustrate, surpasses all the types of unity found among created beings.

For example, a species — the human species or the lion species — in which one general category includes many different individual entities. Though all these entities share a certain commonality, each has its particular existence and there are differences between them (Perush).

The body represents a higher state of unity. Though it contains many different limbs and organs, they all share a single identity and function together as a single organism. Nevertheless, each of these limbs and organs is still an entity in its own right, with dimensions of its own.
The reason why the potential for absolute unity is impossible within our physical world is that every entity in our world exists within the context of time and space. Thus, by definition, every entity possesses specific qualities which differentiate it from other creations which are characterized by different particulars.

The Rambam is referring to the unity of the different dimensions of Godliness. God is the Creator. He is the ultimate of wisdom, the ultimate of good, the ultimate of mercy including within Himself the source for all positive qualities we know. These qualities are not separate entities (separate gods), but rather are one in a single, unified existence. (See Chapter 2, Halachah 10.)

The Rambam is not referring only to body and form as we know them, but even to a spiritual sense of these concepts. Note Chapter 2, where he speaks of the angels having a specific form. Even these spiritual limitations cause separation.

Once an entity is distinct, there is a way to define the manner in which it is distinct. This definition is itself a limitation of that entity.
In the Guide for the Perplexed (Vol. II, Preface 12), the Rambam states: “Any power that is expressed within a body is limited, for the body itself is limited.” There is an interrelation between mass and energy, as evidenced by the fact that if one detracts from an object’s mass, one will also detract from the energy it is capable of producing (Shem Tov).

Which is possible only when set in motion by an infinite power.

For it is infinite and no body can contain infinite power.

As explained in Halachot 3 and 4, He is מחויב המציאות: His existence differs from all other existence. This concept also necessitates that the realization He is absolutely one, because an entity which is מחויב המציאות cannot be defined or limited. Indeed, the term “one” is inappropriate to describe such unity. We, however, because of the limitations of our conceptual framework, have no other way to express this concept (Guide for the Perplexed, Vol. I, Chapter 57).

The Rambam (Sefer HaMitzvot, Positive Commandment 2) and the Sefer HaChinuch (mitzvah 417) consider this as one of the Torah’s 613 commandments. It is interesting to note that the Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chayim 61) interprets this verse as referring not only to God’s essential unity, but to the expression of that unity throughout creation. When we recite the Shema, we must conceive of God as both essentially one, and at one with the entire creation.

Within his discussion of God’s oneness in the previous halachah, the Rambam mentioned that He has no body or physical form. In this and the following halachot, he discusses that concept as a subject in its own right. In his Thirteen Principles of Faith, the Rambam mentions as Principle 3: The negation of material existence from His being, that this unified being described above (God) is not a body or a corporeal power.”
In Hilchot Teshuvah 3:7, the Rambam states that a person who conceives of God in corporeal terms is a min (heretic) who does not have a portion in the world to come.

An error appears to have crept into the text, for the quote couples the verse from Deuteronomy with a similar verse, Joshua 2:11.

Hence, God’s existence in both the heavens and the earth demonstrates that He is not confined to a physical form.

I.e., at the revelation at Sinai.

Though today the negation of God having any corporeal form is accepted by all as axiomatic truth, at different periods of Jewish history, there was a need to clarify this concept. Note Iggeret Techiyat HaMeitim, Chapter 1, where the Rambam describes his meetings with many people who considered themselves to be Torah sages and yet, conceived of God in corporeal terms. Similarly, though the Ra’avad accepts the Rambam’s principles as true, he states (in his notes to Hilchot Teshuvah, loc. cit.) that scholars who were “greater and better” than the Rambam conceived of God as having a body.

For frequently, the Torah uses anthropomorphisms to describe God. Note the Guide for the Perplexed, Vol. I, Chapters 28, 44, 45, and 66, where the Rambam explains the intent of these metaphors.

In the Guide for the Perplexed (Vol. I, Chapter 26), the Rambam explains:
On the initial levels of thought, the common people will not be able to comprehend true existence — only material existence. They view anything that is not material or manifest in material terms as not existing. Thus, any quality which we consider to be an expression of accomplishment will be ascribed to Him, to show that He is complete in all terms of perfection.
See also Chapters 33 and 46 of that text.

The latter expression is found frequently in the Talmud — e.g., Berachot 31b, Ketubot 67a. The Rambam, however, is employing the expression for a slightly different purpose from the Talmud. The Talmud uses this concept to explain why the Torah employs certain stylistic techniques — for example, the repetition of words. The Rambam is saying that not only the style, but also the content of the Torah’s statements was chosen to fit the terminology that man would understand and relate to.

The apparent contradiction between the two visions leads us to the conclusion that neither of these images is a true representation of God, but both convey different metaphoric significance. A further proof of this idea is that a similar contradiction appears in the visions of a single prophet.

See Exodus 15:3.

Note the interpretation (Rosh HaShanah 17b) of Moses’ vision recorded in Exodus, Chapter 34. (See also Hilchot Tefillah 8:12.)

I.e., if God cannot be grasped through our senses, what was he asking to see?

In the Guide for the Perplexed (Vol. 1, Chapter 54), the Rambam explains Moses’ request in depth. He explains that Moses made two requests of God: With the request, “Please show me your way” (Exodus 33:13), he asked God to reveal His qualities. With the request, “Please, show me Your glory,” he asked to comprehend His essence.
In Shemonah Perakim (ch. 7.), the Rambam elaborates: “When Moses knew... that there was no obstacle which he had not removed, and he had perfected his emotional and intellectual development entirely, he requested to comprehend the essence of God... and asked: ‘Please show me Your glory.’”

When one knows another person well, that person’s identity becomes distinct from others. He is no longer just a figure in a mass of humanity, but possesses a unique and recognizable identity. Furthermore, one’s awareness of that person’s uniqueness remains even when one does not see him (Shemonah Perakim, op. cit.).

Not only as an axiomatic intellectual principle, but as perceived truth.

Note also the Rambam’s explanation of this concept in the Guide for the Perplexed (Vol. 1, Chapters 21 and 37).

As Exodus 33:20 states: “You are not able to see My face, for no man can see Me and live” — i.e., man cannot attain such knowledge, because our powers of comprehension are limited by our bodies.
As the Rambam explains in Shemoneh Perakim, loc. cit.: “God, blessed be He, informed him that this was impossible because [Moses’] intellect was lodged in matter — i.e., because he was human.... Behold, there was nothing standing between him and his comprehension of God’s essence except one… divider, human intellect.”

See the description of Moses’ uniqueness in Chapter 7, Halachah 6.

In the Guide for the Perplexed (Vol. I, Chapters 38 and 54), the Rambam explains that Moses became aware of God’s ways — i.e., His qualities and attributes. On the one hand, since God’s qualities are united with Him (see Chapter 2, Halachah 10), one who knows God’s ways appreciates the difference between Him and other entities. Nevertheless, since in a less perfect way, these attributes and qualities are found in other entities besides God, knowledge of these ways does not create an absolute distinction between God and all other existence.

Note the Ra’avad’s comment (cited in the Kessef Mishneh), in which he objects to the Rambam’s interpretation and explains this passage as referring to mystic truths, which should be revealed to only a select few.

See Halachah 9.

The three dimensions (length, width, and depth) apply only within the context of physical reality and thus cannot be ascribed to Him. Though the Torah and the prophets will occasionally refer to God in these contexts, these are, as explained in the following halachah, only metaphors employed to allow us to comprehend certain aspects of Godliness in terms we can relate to. In the Guide for the Perplexed (Vol. 1, Chapter 8), the Rambam defines what is meant by the metaphor of place.

All these concepts are applicable only to material beings. Though at times the Torah uses these expressions to describe God, they must also be understood as metaphors. In particular, in the Guide for the Perplexed (Vol. 1, Chapters 10, 11, 13, 37, and 38), the Rambam explains what is meant by the metaphors mentioned here.

The three dimensions (length, width, and depth) apply only within the context of physical reality and thus cannot be ascribed to Him. Though the Torah and the prophets will occasionally refer to God in these contexts, these are, as explained in the following halachah, only metaphors employed to allow us to comprehend certain aspects of Godliness in terms we can relate to. In the Guide for the Perplexed (Vol. 1, Chapter 8), the Rambam defines what is meant by the metaphor of place.

This relates to the concept of מחויב המציאות explained above. The essential state of all created entities is non-being. Afterwards, their existence begins. Ultimately, it will come to an end, and in the interim it can be measured in units which we call age. However, the starting point of this conceptual cycle is that the existence of all created entities is dependent on God’s bringing them into being.
God’s existence is an essential unchanging reality. There was never a time when He was not, nor did He ever come into being. Therefore, He always will be, and the passage of time within our framework of existence has no relevance to His being.

Change comes about because of an interaction between two entities, each one affecting the other. Such an interaction is possible only when both entities are on a similar level. (To illustrate this concept metaphorically: A wise man will not be affected by an insult hurled at him by an uncultured boor. Since the two are on two different social planes, the statements one makes are of no consequence to the other. Furthermore, this allegory is not a true comparison for the wise man and the boor are both humans, while the Creator and the creation are on two different planes of being.)
Thus, it is impossible for there to be another entity that can effect a change in God, for there is no other entity on His plane of existence. (See the Guide for the Perplexed, Vol. I, Chapter 11.)

This concept is explained in greater detail in Chapter 2, Halachah 10. Life and death as we know them result from the connection of the soul to the body, and thus cannot apply to God. There is, however, a deeper conception of life, the true and ultimate expression of this quality, which can be ascribed to God and, indeed, to God alone.

This idea is also touched on in Chapter 2 (ibid.). In the Guide for the Perplexed (Vol. I, Chapter 58), the Rambam explains the concept of תוארי שלילה ”negative descriptions.” He explains that when we describe an entity in this world, we describe qualities that are possessed in a definite manner by that entity. Such descriptions cannot be applied to God, because by doing so, we would be defining and limiting Him.
When speaking, however, of positive qualities, e.g., wisdom, it is also impossible to say that these qualities are not possessed by God, for He is the ultimate of perfection. However, we cannot say that He possesses them as we know them. Therefore the philosophers and the mystics used the term “negative descriptions.” God is — to borrow the wording of the Tikkunei Zohar — “wise, but not with knowable wisdom… understanding, but not with comprehensible understanding.”

In particular, the Rambam explains the intent of some of these metaphors in the Guide for the Perplexed (Vol. I, Chapters 29 and 36).

Our speech creates audible sounds, intelligible to other human beings. This type of speech cannot be ascribed to God. Nevertheless, the Torah — when describing the creation of the world or the revelation to the Prophets — uses the expressions “And God spoke,” “And God said.” These statements must be interpreted, as explained in the following halachah, as illustrative metaphors. Just as human speech allows for communication between an individual and a colleague, God’s “speech” is a process of revelation to entities, which, at least according to their own perception, are separate from Him.

Chagigah 15a.

This translation of the Talmudic statement is based on the Rambam’s statements in the third of his thirteen principles of faith. Rashi and other commentators on Chaggigah, op. cit., interpret the phraseology differently. Nevertheless, all the interpretations share the same basic thrust: God is above all bodily functions

In the Guide for the Perplexed (Vol. I, Chapter 46), the Rambam explains that since man considers these activities as expressions of positive qualities, we must assume that God possesses, indeed, in a more complete manner, the positive qualities that are associated with these activities. Though these activities as we know them involve change and thus cannot be ascribed to God, the Torah does not describe their Divine parallels in lengthy, abstract terms. Instead, it employs simple human imagery as analogies, with the understanding that a person who is bothered by the anthropomorphisms will seek to understand the analogue which they are intended to convey.

The verse in Jeremiah indicates that God is above being affected by man's deeds. Therefore, we must assume that the verses which appear to indicate that He can be so affected must be interpreted figuratively.

The latter phrase is borrowed, out of context, from Job 4:19.

Though God is the ultimate of all positive attributes, the manner in which He possesses these qualities surpasses the nature of human understanding.