(טז) רבי חנניא בן עקשיא אומר, רצה הקדוש ברוך הוא לזכות את ישראל, לפיכך הרבה להם תורה ומצות, שנאמר (ישעיה מב) יי חפץ למען צדקו יגדיל תורה ויאדיר:
(16) Rabbi Ḥananya ben Akashya says: The Holy One, Blessed be He, sought to confer merit upon the Jewish people; therefore, He increased for them Torah and mitzvot, as it is stated: “It pleased the Lord for the sake of His righteousness to make the Torah great and glorious” (Isaiah 42:21).
There are essentially two sipe ways of looking at this statement:
1) Mitzvot are like “stars”, the more stars you geet, the better your “prize”, so G-d gives us more chances to get “stars” versus less chances.
2) Mitzvot are a call to duty. They demand a higher moral and for the transcendency of humanity over themselves in some way. The more Mitzvot we have, the larger the demand and the higher the calling. This is ultimately the “merit”, that the Jewish people are called to a higher level or state of being.
As we will see, Rambam will give us yet a third approach.
(יב) וְעַתָּה֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מָ֚ה יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ שֹׁאֵ֖ל מֵעִמָּ֑ךְ כִּ֣י אִם־לְ֠יִרְאָה אֶת־יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ לָלֶ֤כֶת בְּכָל־דְּרָכָיו֙ וּלְאַהֲבָ֣ה אֹת֔וֹ וְלַֽעֲבֹד֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ֖ וּבְכָל־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃ (יג) לִשְׁמֹ֞ר אֶת־מִצְוֺ֤ת יְהוָה֙ וְאֶת־חֻקֹּתָ֔יו אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּ֑וֹם לְט֖וֹב לָֽךְ׃ (יד) הֵ֚ן לַיהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וּשְׁמֵ֣י הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם הָאָ֖רֶץ וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר־בָּֽהּ׃
(12) And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God demand of you? Only this: to revere the LORD your God, to walk only in His paths, to love Him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and soul, (13) keeping the LORD’s commandments and laws, which I enjoin upon you today, for your good. (14) Of course! The highest of heavens belong to the LORD your God, the earth and all that is on it!
When we talk about doing something for another “for their good’ it comes in two ways. One is simply recognizing the fact that the other person wants or needs something and we decide to help them or facilitate them achieving their will or desire. In this sense, their is no sharing of will and desire, this is simply an act of kindness and no more.
There is another way of doing something “for their good”. This is when we deeply connect to the other’s want, need or passion. There “will” becomes our own, so to speak. In this sense, the desire is shared, there is a somewhat mutual experience over the want, need or passion. This is most commonly experienced between parents and their children. The child’s passion or want is not merely facilitatd or fulfilled by the parent, rather the child wanting create a deep and shared sense of want within the parent.
I believe that this second type of “for their good” is what the Torah means when G-d gives the Mitvot “for your good”. See Mishnayot Avot Ch. 2:4.
This relates to the note on the source above. If w go with the first tit-for-tat take on Mitzvot, it is easy to take the “for your good” as G-d and Torah simply facilitating our achievments without much of a shared expreiencee. However, if the expansion of the number of Mitzvot is about a higher calling and a transcendent human, we could begin considering that G-d may be mor mutually invested than we otherwise would have imagined.
However, Maimonides writes something fascinating in explanation of the Mishnaic passage cited above (Source 1) which changes our entire perspective:
רמב״ם פירוש המשנה מכות ג:טז׳
רבי חנניא בן עקשיא אומר רצה הקב"ה לזכות את ישראל כו':
מעקרי האמונה בתורה כי כשיקיים אדם מצוה מתרי"ג מצות כראוי וכהוגן ולא ישתף עמה כוונה מכוונת העולם בשום פנים אלא שיעשה אותה לשמה מאהבה כמו שבארתי לך הנה זכה בה לחיי העולם הבא ועל זה אמר רבי חנניא כי המצות בהיותם הרבה אי אפשר שלא יעשה אדם בחייו אחת מהם על מתכונתה ושלמותה ובעשותו אותה המצוה תחיה נפשו באותו מעשה וממה שיורה על העקר הזה מה ששאל ר' חנניא בן תרדיון מה אני לחיי עוה"ב והשיבו המשיב כלום בא מעשה לידך כלומר נזדמן לך לעשות מצוה כהוגן השיבו כי נזדמנה לו מצות צדקה על דרך שלמות ככל מה שאפשר וזכה לחיי העוה"ב. ופירוש הפסוק (ישעיהו מ״ב:כ״א) ה' חפץ למען צדקו לצדק את ישראל למען כי יגדיל תורה ויאדיר:
One of the Torah’s fundamental beliefs is that if a person will do one of the 613 Mitzvot properly and as it should be done. In addition, they do not intend in any way an ulterior motive along with thiis performance. Rather, the Mitzvah is done for its on sake out of love, as I have explained, with this action they merit Olam Habah.
It is to this belief that R’ Chananya spoke. Since there are many Mitzvot, it is simply inconceivable that a person would not do even one of them to perfection. Through that one Mitzvah that was done perfectly, their soul finds its life-source.
A proof to this idea is from the story [in the Talmud] of R’ Chananya ben Taradyon who asked [his mentor] “where do I stand to merit Olam Habah”, his Rabbi responded, “well, have you ever done anything?” - in other words, did you ever get the chance to that one Mitzvah in absolute perfection? R’ Chananya answered that one time he displayed honesty and integrity in dealing with moneys of charity.
It is among the fundamental principles of the Torah that when an individual fulfills one of the 613 commandments in a fit and proper manner, not combining with it any aspect of worldly intent but rather doing it for its own sake, out of love, then they merit the World to Come through this single act. This is what R' Hananya meant - being that the Holy One have us so many commandments it is impossible that in a lifetime one not do a single one in a full and proper manner, and in doing so their soul will live through that act. When R' Hananya ben Tradiyon's asked 'will I merit to life in the coming world' and received the response 'have you ever done anything?' this also indicated the same principle. The answer he received meant 'have you ever had the chance to do one of the commandments properly?' His answer was that he once had the chance to give tzedaka in a wholehearted fashion, as much as is possible, and it was through this that he merited to life in the World to Come.
1) Mitzvot are the way in to Olam Habah - “heaven” in the colloquial.
2) It takes only one Mitzvah done in perfection to achieve Olam Habah.
3) In order to assure that every individual in Israel could achieve Olam Habah, G-d gave many many Mitzvot.
In other words, it isn’t the multitude of Mitzvot per se which achieves the ultimate good, even one single Mitzvah in an entire lifetime can achieve the ultimate good. Rather, the array of Mitzvot are intended to grant enough opportunity to guarantee that at least one Mitzvah will be good enough.
This is a strange assertion; certainly went against my visceral feelings. Let’s ask two other questions:
Maimonides himself notes here [and this claim has sources in ancient Rabbinic radition] that there are only 613 Mitzvot. Why is the number limited? Shouldn’t there be an endless number of Mitzvot if the point is to ascertain Olam Habah for the Jewish people?
Additionally, how could it be that such a diverse array of actions should each bring about a similar outcome? How is it that each Mitzvah on its own can achieve the same thing as every other Mitzvah?!
Maimonides must admit that there are deeper elements to the existence and meaning of Mitzvot. In fact, in his magnum opus titled “Mishneh Torah”, Rambam does seem to reflect on a deeper point :
וּמֵאַהֲבַת ה' אוֹתָנוּ וּמִשָּׁמְרוֹ אֶת הַשְּׁבוּעָה לְאַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ עָשָׂה משֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ רַבָּן שֶׁל כָּל הַנְּבִיאִים וּשְׁלָחוֹ. כֵּיוָן שֶׁנִּתְנַבֵּא משֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ וּבָחַר ה' יִשְׂרָאֵל לְנַחֲלָה הִכְתִּירָן בְּמִצְוֹת וְהוֹדִיעָם דֶּרֶךְ עֲבוֹדָתוֹ וּמַה יִּהְיֶה מִשְׁפַּט עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וְכָל הַטּוֹעִים אַחֲרֶיהָ:
And because of G-d's love for us, and because He observes the covenant, Brit, with Abraham our father, He appointed Moshe our teacher, teacher of all prophets, and G-d’s messenger. After Moshe was endowed with prophecy and the G-d chose Israel as an inheritance, He crowned them with commandments, and made known to them the way to serve Him, and what will be the judgment rendered against idolatry and all its erring devotees.
Let’s make one note, however, before moving on. In the first citation of Rambam, he wrote that the perfect Mitzvah is performed “out of love”. Here too, the Mitzvot are set into the context of “G-d’s love for us”. Coincidence?
With the coming sources, we will try to resolve Rambam’s initial words regarding the “one perfect Mitzvah”, as well as gain an understanding for all the emphasis on love. We will also answer the questions we have posed until now.
(כ) נְצֹ֣ר בְּ֭נִי מִצְוַ֣ת אָבִ֑יךָ וְאַל־תִּ֝טֹּ֗שׁ תּוֹרַ֥ת אִמֶּֽךָ׃ (כא) קָשְׁרֵ֣ם עַל־לִבְּךָ֣ תָמִ֑יד עָ֝נְדֵ֗ם עַל־גַּרְגְּרֹתֶֽךָ׃ (כב) בְּהִתְהַלֶּכְךָ֨ ׀ תַּנְחֶ֬ה אֹתָ֗ךְ בְּֽ֭שָׁכְבְּךָ תִּשְׁמֹ֣ר עָלֶ֑יךָ וַ֝הֲקִיצ֗וֹתָ הִ֣יא תְשִׂיחֶֽךָ׃ (כג) כִּ֤י נֵ֣ר מִ֭צְוָה וְת֣וֹרָה א֑וֹר וְדֶ֥רֶךְ חַ֝יִּ֗ים תּוֹכְח֥וֹת מוּסָֽר׃ (כד) לִ֭שְׁמָרְךָ מֵאֵ֣שֶׁת רָ֑ע מֵֽ֝חֶלְקַ֗ת לָשׁ֥וֹן נָכְרִיָּֽה׃
(20) My son, keep your father’s commandment; Do not forsake your mother’s teaching. (21) Tie them over your heart always; Bind them around your throat. (22) When you walk it will lead you; When you lie down it will watch over you; And when you are awake it will talk with you. (23) For the commandment is a lamp, The teaching is a light, And the way to life is the rebuke that disciplines. (24) It will keep you from an evil wife, From the smooth tongue of a forbidden woman.
Why are Mitzvot framed in this way? Why are they seen in terms of relationships and marriage? Well, if We agree that they aren’t simply religious rite, as we noted above from the Torah, it may not be so difficult to understand.
Let us turn to a passage from a well-known Midrash (Midrash is a general term for any compendium of Rabbinic lore and thought. Most Midrash dates earlier than the common era):
(ג) זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (משלי א, ט): כִּי לִוְיַת חֵן הֵם לְרֹאשֶׁךָ... דָּבָר אַחֵר, מַהוּ כִּי לִוְיַת חֵן, אָמַר רַבִּי פִּינְחָס בַּר חָמָא לְכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁתֵּלֵךְ הַמִּצְווֹת מְלַוּוֹת אוֹתְךָ, (דברים כב, ח): כִּי תִבְנֶה בַּיִת חָדָשׁ וְעָשִׂיתָ מַעֲקֶה לְגַגֶּךָ. אִם עָשִׂיתָ לְךָ דֶּלֶת, המצוות מלוות אותך, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ו, ט): וּכְתַבְתָּם עַל מְזֻזוֹת בֵּיתֶךָ. אִם לָבַשְׁתָּ כֵּלִים חֲדָשִׁים... שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כב, יא): לֹא תִלְבַּשׁ שַׁעַטְנֵז. אִם הָלַכְתָּ לְגַלֵּחַ... שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא יט, כז): לֹא תַקִּפוּ פְּאַת רֹאשְׁכֶם, וְאִם הָיָה לְךָ שָׂדֶה וְהָלַכְתָּ לַחֲרשׁ בְּתוֹכָהּ... שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כב, י): לֹא תַחֲרשׁ בְּשׁוֹר וּבַחֲמֹר יַחְדָּו. וְאִם זָרַעְתָּ אוֹתָהּ... שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כב, ט): לֹא תִזְרַע כַּרְמְךָ כִּלְאָיִם. וְאִם קָצַרְתָּ אוֹתָהּ... שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כד, יט): כִּי תִקְצֹר קְצִירְךָ בְשָׂדֶךָ וְשָׁכַחְתָּ עֹמֶר בַּשָֹּׂדֶה, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֲפִלּוּ לֹא הָיִיתָ עוֹסֵק בְּדָבָר אֶלָּא מְהַלֵּךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ, הַמִּצְווֹת מְלַוּוֹת אוֹתְךָ, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כִּי יִקָּרֵא קַן צִפּוֹר לְפָנֶיךָ.
“For they are a charming accompaniment upon your head”... R’ Pinchas bar Chama said, [this refers to the phenomenon that] anywhere you go, the Mitzvot accompany you, when you build a new house there are safety requirements (Deutronomy 22:8), when you finish the doorways you must affix a Mezuzah (Deuteronomy 6:9). If you buy new clothes, you must be aware of The forbidden mixes of wool and linen fabrics (ibid. 22:11). A haircut... (Leviticus 19:27), when you on a field... (Deut. 22:10)... when you plant it... (ibid. 22:9)... Said G-d, even if you are doing nothing other than traveling, Mitzvos are there for you, as it says “when you chance upon a bird’s nest, in front of you”...
People intuit that if there is one thing the world is not intended for, that is to be alone.
“לא טוב היות האדם לבדו” - “It is not good for Man to remain alone”, exclaims G-d at the beginning of Genesis, describing loneliness as the only element of creation that is “not good” - apparently death and the desire to Sin were not only “good”, but according to Rabbinic literature were actually “very good”. The only thing in the entire Genesis narrative to be labeled as “not good” is man remaining without a companion.
It is clear that the world, regardless of your world-view, is not meant to be experienced by humans in isolation or loneliness. According to the great Hassidic master R’ Tzadok HaKohen (1823-1900, Lublin) this is intended by a statement in the Talmud (Eruvin 54a), “If one finds themself alone on the road, they should immerse in Torah thoughts”. The road refers here to life on earth. One who feels lonely in the universe, claims the Talmud, should seek out Torah to provide them companionship.
This is also hinted to in another Mishna (Avot, Ch. 3:4), “one who walks alone at night is liable for [negligence of endangering] their very life”. Night referring to this world as it does in much of Rabbinic Literature. One who tries to walk in this world in isolation, is being negligent and endangering their existence.
In another Midrash, we find a similar idea:
(ו) (במדבר טו, מ): לְמַעַן תִּזְכְּרוּ וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אֶת כָּל מִצְוֹתָי, מָשָׁל לְאֶחָד מֻשְׁלָךְ לְתוֹךְ הַמַּיִם, הוֹשִׁיט הַקַּבַּרְנִיט אֶת הַחֶבֶל וְאָמַר לוֹ תְּפֹס חֶבֶל זֶה בְּיָדְךָ וְאַל תַּנִּיחֵהוּ, שֶׁאִם תַּנִּיחֵהוּ אֵין לְךָ חַיִּים. אַף כָּךְ אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, כָּל זְמַן שֶׁאַתֶּם מְדֻבָּקִין בַּמִּצְוֹת (דברים ד, ד): וְאַתֶּם הַדְּבֵקִים בַּה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם חַיִּים כֻּלְכֶם הַיּוֹם.
(6) "So that you will remember and do all my mitzvot." This is comparable to one who was thrown into the sea. The captain extended a rope to him and said: 'Catch this rope in your hand and don't let it go, for if you let it go, you will have no life.' The Holy One (blessed be He) said to Israel: The whole time that you cleave to the mitzvot - (Deut. 4:4) "And you who cleave to Ha-shem your God, you are all living today."
The fact that Mitzvah is seen as a key component for developing relationships, led the Hassidic masters to notice that the Hebrew word for Mitzvah - “מצוה” - is related to another hebrew synonym for togetherness or companionship - “צוות”. Here is one example from R. Nosson Of Bratzslav (1780-1844), the famed disciple of R. Nachman of Bratslav (1772-1810):
(א) וְזֶה לְשׁוֹן מִצְוָה שֶׁהוּא לְשׁוֹן הִתְחַבְּרוּת, מִלְּשׁוֹן צַוְתָא וְחִבּוּר, (יט) כִּי עַל-יְדֵי כָּל מִצְוָה וּמִצְוָה מִמִּצְוֹת הַתּוֹרָה מְצַוְּתִין וּמְקַשְּׁרִין וּמְחַבְּרִין אוֹר הַזְּרִיחָה שֶׁל הרשימו אֶל כְּלֵי הַמֹּחִין, שֶׁעַל-יְדֵי זֶה מְקֻשָּׁרִין בּוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ...
The term “Mitzvah” can connote “relationship” as in - “Tzavta” and connection. Because through each Mitzvah of the Torah, one connects, ties and forms bonds between the “light of the divine glow” to the “consciousness”, in this way one becomes tied to G-d...
Rabbi Nosson also seems to allude to an interface between Mitzvot and G-d called the “divine glow” or “light”. What is the nature and meaning of this interface?
See the Final Note at the end of this sheet. For now, though, the main point is clear which is that Mitzvot are an invitation to relationship .
Based on all of the above, it becomes obvious that the active elements of the Mitzvah, although necessary and demanded, are secondary to the investiture of the heart within them. R’ Avraham ibn Ezra (Spain, c. 1090 - c. 1165) writes this several times in his commentary to the Torah:
(א) בפיך ובלבבך. שכל המצות עיקרם הלב ויש מהם זכר בפה לחזוק הלב ויש מעשה כדי שיזכור בפה:
(1) in your mouth, and in your heart The essence of all the commandments is in one’s heart; but they also entail deeds, so that one may recall them with the words of one’s mouth.
So then, what are Mitzvot? Mitzvot are the way to access and express love in an otherwise cold, dark and empty universe. This is why Rambam is so careful to write that the impetus for these commandments were G-d’s “love” and “covenant”, the two essential components of a genuine meaningful relationship.
This is why Mitzvot are seen as the ultimate “Le’vayah”, according to the Midrash. They are the way in which the human can develop and access authentic companionship.
This may be the “crown” that we perceive in the Mitzvot, as Rambam wrote. The pride and kingship of being in a relationship with G-d and the universe around us. The term crown connoting something noble and divine, as the kings were perceived in their time.
Now we understand why even one Mitzvah done in genuine love is good enough, and why all Mitzvot lead to the same outcome. Because as far as Mitzvot are concerned, the physical action is secondary. The main point of the Mitzvot is an expression of absolute and pure loyalty, devotion, commitment and love.
We are left with two questions. First, so why are there a limited number of Mitzvot, why didn’t G-d just give us millions and millions of Mitzvot to provide even more opportunity?
Secondly, if the main point is the heart and love, why all the ado about law and minutiae? Where does this intense level of adherence to detail come from, and what in fact obligates it?
These two questions will be the discussion of part 2.
If you were paying close attention, you may have discovered a breathtaking level of depth here. Rambam’s approach should raise the immediate question of how statistics and probabilities should play a role in a divine framework. Surely G-d crafted each Mitzvah in conjunction with the condition and capacity of every individual Involved in the covenant of the Mitzvot. What room, then, is there for probability?
Rambam seems to hint here to an idea he discusses in other places regarding the interplay between the totality of existence and the individual. G-d - in Rambam’s approach to a vast supply of Talmudic And Rabbinic passages - guides creation as a totality. The roles and responses of the individual are left entirely open to the individual. The mechanism used in creation to bifurcate the role of the individual from the development of the totality is probability.
Therefore, on the level of the totality, Mitzvot are comprehensive and coherent. On the level of the individual they can do no more than strive to present a probabilistic opportunity for the individual to become aware and engaged in an existential reality that exists well beyond the narrow and finite perception of the individual consciousness and psychology - resembling an awareness such as love, as we discovered in the sources above.
This leads to an even more profound discovery. Regarding the individuals responsibility in engaging in and dealing with societal or world issues, it becomes clear that the individual should never seek to force or coerce large-scale or dramatic social shifts. The Mitzvot which represent the ultimate level of engagement and involvement in the world emphasize and give credence only for probabilistic evolutionary-type development. They avoid wide-scale social movements which seek to force action upon the totality of any specific subset of existence. However, in as much as they are coerced and coaxed, they lie outside the mechanism of probability. These movements, therefore, never represent the inherent potential of the totality of creation. They are reductionist by definition and therefore always result in destructive and often catastrophic events. In Jewish belief, this destruction is actually the self-corrective mechanism that is built into a probabilistic framework, but this is a digression here.
Regardless, The Rabbis say such forced social movement is tantamount to raping the universe. Mitzvot gently guide and prod totality using the patient and incremental achievements of the individuals who care enough to engage in them. Faith in the process is faith in G-d, and it begins with faith in the choices, responsibilities and self-improvements of the individual. It is, therefore, anti-Mitzvot to engage in coercive or compulsive social activity.
These two points are very deep and highly profound. Much thought should be given to them before one ultimately accepts or rejects them.