[Avodah] Ein lo dmus hagguf...

[Micha Berger]

On Thu, Jun 18, 2009 at 08:07:10PM +0000, rabbirichwolpoe at gmail.com wrote:
: However,
: could HKBH Create a briyah in material form and put words in its mouth -
: something like an android or a robot?

What would be the reason to posit no? IOW, I can't think of a clear
case, but I can't think of a philosophical objection to saying it could
have.

>From the mal'akh who spoke within the fire in the seneh (none of the 3
have bechirah and the fire and bush are both material) to Hashem speaking
mitokh gerono shel Mosheh, there are numerous near examples. For that
matter, if the sounds of Moshe's nevu'ah or nevu'ah at Har Sinai started
in the air, then that suddnely vibrating air would qualify as an automaton
that He made speak.

The only limitations one can place on Omnipotence (that I can think of)
are of two varieties:

1- The Machloqes between the Rambam and the Ramchal's sources as to
whether a Omnipotence includes being able to do a paradox. The Rambam
says that paradoxes, (his eg: a round square) are a bunches of nonsense
sounds, and therefore ruling them out does not reduce Omnipotence.

2- The "Can G-d catch a cold?" variety -- Hashem violating his own
essence.

And the two varieties aren't necessarily distinct. The Rambam also says
that Emes is His Essence, and logic is thus of his Essense, not a
beri'ah. (I have problems with this, but now is not the time to go into
the existence of multiple systems of logic.)

Analyzing the rock so heavy even He can't lift it -- the Rambam would
say that the phrase is a meaningless bunch of words, and since the
Ramchal tells me I can't rely on logic, I can't figure out how I could
conclude /what/ he would say. But it is a "catch a cold" problem.

Hashem assuming a body is easier to see as a "catch a cold" thing;
you're asking can G-d limit himself. Or divide Himself into aspects and
limit an aspect. All of which violates His Essence.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             Our greatest fear is not that we're inadequate,
micha at aishdas.org        Our greatest fear is that we're powerful
http://www.aishdas.org   beyond measure
Fax: (270) 514-1507                        - Anonymous