[Avodah] Rambam on corporality

[David Riceman]

From: "Daniel Eidensohn" <yadmoshe at 012.net.il>

<I'm not sure whether this was directed to me or to RDG>
> I don't think your alternative is relevant for the masses and my
> original question remains.

I'll entirely rephrase what I wrote (without re-citing any sources). 
Consider the following syllogism:

MP:  Only something embodied exists.
mP:   God exists.
C:     God has a body.

We can analyze this logically or halachically.  The Rambam points out two 
logical flaws: the major premise is false, and the major and minor premise 
use the same word ("exists") to mean two different things.  Either flaw is 
enough to invalidate the syllogism.

The Rambam also points out, however, that the masses do not recognize either 
of these flaws.  They accept the major premise, and they believe that the 
word "exists" has the same meaning in both the major and minor premise.

Halachically the major premise is false but not heretical (accepting or 
rejecting it is of no halachic significance), the minor premise is true and 
is yesod hayesodoth v'amud hahachnoth (someone who rejects it is liable to 
summary extrajudicial execution - - moridin v'lo ma'alin), and the 
conclusion is heretical (someone who accepts it is liable to summary 
extrajudicial execution).

What's perturbing about this is that, for the Rambam (in mathematical 
lingo), heresy is not closed under deduction.  In plain English, premises 
which lead to heretical conclusions need not be heretical.

If I understood RDE's original question correctly, it was isn't the Torah 
teaching heresy? My answer was that the Torah is teaching the major premise, 
which is not heretical, and avoiding the logical conclusion (which is 
heretical) by fiat: "v'el mi tdamyuni ...."  RDE's objection to that, if I 
understand him correctly, is that the masses are not sophisticated enough to 
understand the distinction between a premise and a conclusion, so the Torah 
really is teaching them heresy.

What's wrong with that objection is that the sophistication of the masses is 
irrelevant.  The masses may be deducing heresy from the Torah, but the 
structure of the laws of heresy are such that the premises from which they 
make the deductions are not prohibited.

And it is that problem that the Rambam responds to with the idea of 
progressive education.  Why teach premises which could lead the unwary to 
heretical conclusions? Because they are the fastest way to even more 
important true conclusions.

David Riceman