Abarbanel (Rosh Amana 12) Concerning
the Second question which was why the Rambam included in his fifth principle of
faith that it is prohibited to make intermediaries between man and G-d I replied that I already mentioned in the
introduction to the fifth principle that it includes true faith in G-d
First of all G-d is the only being that acts with free will
as opposed to even the angels,celestial spheres,stars and fundamental matter and
all things made from this matter. While all these things have control over
their activities they don’t decide what
to do. In contrast G-d acts solely according to
what He wants to do. That is why
worship and praise is only directed to G-d.
Secondly G-d is the only being that is omnipotent without
any limitations, That is what is meant by saying “they all have domain and
activities”. In other words all thes beings are limited and restricted to
specific tasks. In contrast G-d can do anything He desires as it states in
Tehilim (135), “All that G-d desires He does in the Heaven and Earth.” That is
why He alone is worshipped since only He can accomplish anything like clay in
the hand of the artisan. There is no thing who tells Him what to do.
The third point is that all the peoples and nations are uniquely dependent on the celestial powers that control them. In other words as has been stated there is the celestial ruler of the Greeks, Persians and all other nations except for the Jews who are not dependent on a celestial master or star Instead the Jews are uniquely dependent on G-d. This is as our master Moshe has said (Devarim 4:19-20) And lest you lift up your eyes to the skies, and when you see the sun, and the moon, and the stars, all the host of the skies, should you be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the Lord your God has allotted to all nations under the whole sky. But the Lord has taken you, and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be for him a people of inheritance, as you are this day. Ibn Ezra wrote it has been established that each people has
a unique star and mazel. This is also true for each city. G-d gave the Jews a
major and superior status in that He directly directs them and not through a
star. Jews belong to G-d. Concerning this idea we find in Pirke de rabbi Eliezar that the 70 celestial leaders cast a lottery as to
which one of the 70 nations they would rule while G-d got the Jews by this
lottery. That is why it says that the Jews are the property of G-d. In other
words the relation of each nation to its celestial leader is that which G-d has
with Jews without any intermediary of a star or any celestial being. This is the basis for the absolute avoidance
of idolatry
[to be continued]
Here's my question: " In other words as has been stated there is the celestial ruler of the Greeks, Persians and all other nations except for the Jews who are not dependent on a celestial master or star "
ReplyDeleteOkay, but the Greeks today aren't the same Greeks as the ones from Temple times. Neither are the Persians. There are way more than 70 nations today and thousands of groups that claim "nation" status even if they don't have a chunk of territory to occupy.
Here's a couple of good examples. According to Russia, Russians and Ukrainians are the same people. According to the Ukrainians, hell no! So do they have one or two celestial rulers? Or do they even have one since there were no Russians or Ukrainians back in Biblical times?
And if you say "Well there were Russians, they're one of the descendants of Noach but we're not sure which" then what about America or Canada, two invented nations which draw their populations from all around the world? Do we have a celestial ruler and if not, do we rely directly on God like Israel or are we all alone out here?
Rambam (Hilchos Melachim 5:12): A person should always dwell in Israel - even in a city which is mostly idol worshippers, and he should not live dwell outside of Israel - even in a city which is mostly Jews. That is because whoever leaves Israel is like one who worships idols…. Just as it is prohibited to leave Israel, it is also prohibited to leave Babylonia for other lands because Yermiyahu (27:22) said, “They shall be carried into exile in Babylonia and there they should remain.”
ReplyDeleteThat is a very interesting Derasha of the Ran!
ReplyDeleteAmazing actually,.
> Consequently the prayers of those who live outside of Israel are not so readily heard compared to those who live in Israel.
ReplyDeleteAnd then there's the folks who go to Uman.
However, how does this answer my question? My point was that traditionally there are 70 nations and therefore 70 "guardian angels" to watch over each. Who's watching over America or Canada?
You once posted a Netziv on Astrology, where he says that because we no longer have Nevuah. we can use astrology instead, although originally it was assur to do so.
ReplyDeleteSo does that principle apply to ... eg angels, stars, amulets etc? basically, all that Rambam includes within idolatry?
Are you worried that no new angels can be created? Or are you saying 70 is absolutely the maximum?
ReplyDeleteThat's my question. In some places Chazal treat it as a static number because there's 70 nations. But then they also treat Edom, Moab, and Ammon as nations and those definitely came after. Edom I can understand. He gets Samael but what about Moab and Ammon? Were new angels created for them?
ReplyDeleteAnd what constitutes citizenship in the nation to earn the angel's guidance? If a Turk immigrates to Germany, is he now under Germany's angel?