[Avodah] pshat in Rambam on teshuva

[Eli Turkel]

We have discussed the Brisker Derech and how much it reflects pshat in Rambam.

Let me present another Rambam that I  (and others) find difficult.
In hilchot teshuva the Rambam defines Tzaddik, Rasha and Benoni in
simple arithmetic terms, more, less or equal mitzvot to averot
(suitably weighted but that doesnt affect our analysis). That implies that
it is highly improbable to be a benoni and further one can change ones
status several times a day.
A further problem is that for the 10 days of repentance Rambam stresses teshuva
and it is not clear what the connection is to the previous arithmetic
calculation.

R. Hutner answers that what counts is not the (weighted) arithmetic
comparison but
rather ones entire personality and outlook. One looking for mitzvot is
a tzaddik,
for aveirot is a rasha and one without a clear goal is a benoni.
Thus to become a tzaddik during the 10 days of teshuva one needs to change
one's outlok and not simply add one more mitzva.

IMHO though this pshat is very satisfying I find it difficult to put
it into the words
of the Rambam. Moreover further down in chapter #3 the Rambam adds
that one should
see himself and indeed the whole world as exactly in the middle and so
his mitzvah or
averah will decide. This does not seem to fit at all with R. Hutner.
Our rabbi tried
to explain that what Rambam means is that one must change ones
personality traits
as R. Hutner says. However, to do that one starts one mizvah at a
time. It cannot
be changed entirely overnight.

Again, nice pshat but difficult to fit into the words of the Rambam.

Bottom line is that a simple reading of the words of the Rambam leads to very
difficult conclusions. However, any reasonable explanation has to be
forced into the words of Rambam.


-- 
Eli Turkel