[Avodah] Skeptics

[Micha Berger]

... and since I just raised the topic in my previous post...

On Fri, November 16, 2007 3:47 pm, R Richard Wolpoe wrote:
: While  I concede that the Rambam was into philosophy etc. I think WADR
: you are focusing on the tree and not the forest, the means and not the
: end

: The Tachils  accocrding to Rambam  is "da'as es hashem"  [as in
: Yirmeyahu  "hakseil vado'a osi"
: Yeshaya: "D'aas es Hasehm kemyaim layam kechashin.
: Shir Hashirim in toto, etc.

: The Tachliss aisi is a form of GNOSIS....

Do you see that in the Rambam?

Judging from Yesodei haTorah 2:1-2, AYH is built upon machashavah,
contemplating everything He does for us and the Wisdom inherent in it.
And this connection is "miyad" -- not via a middle step.

In the Moreh II:18 and III:50, it's having the "Form" of HQBH in one's
mind that makes one fully human (WRT hashgachah) and gives one a
connection to the Borei. No mention of knowing Him as something
different than knowing about Him.

This is the same Rambam who uses the expression "small soul" (in
Arabic) to mean someone of lesser intelligence. Such as those who
shouldn't pick up his Moreh.

I find the Rambam's cerebralism both blatant and a bit off-putting.
(But the latter is primarily because this is Shuby's dad writing.) To
the extent that I tried finding a way out. I couldn't find support for
something as extreme as what RRW writes.

But I would note that the Rambam calls character traits "dei'os"; he
assumes that people are sufficiently rational for personality to
follow thought. (Which is in consonance with Aristo, FWIW.) Thus, his
da'as not only means intellect, it means intellect as it shapes your
essence.

SheTir'u baTov!
-micha

-- 
Micha Berger             One who kills his inclination is as though he
micha at aishdas.org        brought an offering. But to bring an offering,
http://www.aishdas.org   you must know where to slaughter and what
Fax: (270) 514-1507      parts to offer.        - R' Simcha Zissel Ziv