[Avodah] pshat in Rambam on teshuva

[Micha Berger]

On Fri, Aug 28, 2009 at 02:32:47PM +0300, Eli Turkel wrote:
: 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)...

This is problematic to understand in and of itself, since the Rambam in
the Moreh tells us that mitzvos "only" exist to provide opportunities
for yedi'ah. If so, then how can someone who does more total mitzvos but
never gets that yedi'ah be more of a tzadiq than someone who koneh olamo
besha'ah achas -- despite being further from nevu'ah, leihanos miziv
hashechinah (which according to the Rambam does NOT have a capitalized
"S") and olam haba?

The Moreh is akin to RET's citation of R' Hutner:
: R. Hutner answers that what counts is not the (weighted) arithmetic
: comparison but rather ones entire personality and outlook...

with the obvious caveat that the Rambam holds that personality and
outlook are a consequence and measure of yedi'ah, and not themselves
the ikkar.

: 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.

I see this exactly as R' Hutner's position. Personality and outlook
determine how one changes more than how one is. Think REED and nequdas
habechirah.

I think one is forced to a non-naive read of the Rambam even before
reaching RET's question. Which, to remind the olam, was:
:                                       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.

I think his "further problem" will evaporate once one finds the kasuv
hashelishi to my shenei kesuvim.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             "As long as the candle is still burning,
micha at aishdas.org        it is still possible to accomplish and to
http://www.aishdas.org   mend."
Fax: (270) 514-1507          - Anonymous shoemaker to R' Yisrael Salanter