Fear of Heaven Unit 2

Rishon A precedent for even the likes of RaMChaL (see Unit 1)

,(Chovot HaLevavot,3 Section 2 “The Section of Discernment (of God’s Existence ספר חובות הלבבות1 שער ב - שער הבחינה פרק ו Chapt. 6 And amongst them (causes for not acknowledging God’s Existence and...... ומהם הגאות בטובות הבורא, שיחשוב הכסיל הפתי, ,Involvement in the world) is haughtiness regarding the Goodness of God כי הוא ראוי להם וליותר מהם, ואיננו בוחן that the fool and the light-minded think that he is worthy of them (there בטובות האלקים ולא יחייב את נפשו לשבח Goodnesses) and even more, and he fails to discern the Goodnesses coming עליהם ולהודות לבורא... from God, and in turn he does not obligate himself to praise Him regarding them and to give thanks to His Creator… :Things that directly affect such discernment, among them are אך הדברים התלוים בבחינה, מהם: That a person understand the Goodnesses of God that have been given (1 1( שיבין האדם טובות האלקים עליו ושיקבל עבודתו בעבורם,2 to him, and that he undertake serving Him because of them;4 2( ומהם שישיב אל לבו תמיד סימני חכמת 2) That a person recognize continually the indications of the Wisdom of הבורא, ולא יעמד מחשב בהם ומחקר the Creator, and he not stand considering them and analyzing them עליהם בכל אשר יגיע אליו מן המוחשים ,regarding all that happens to him via his senses and his intellect והמושכלים, …And that he does not cease in recognizing innovation each day (3 3( ואיננו פוסק מראות סימן חדש בכל יום... And when you reach through this the goal that is within your ability, it is וכאשר תגיע מזה עד התכלית אשר ביכלתך, ראוי לך appropriate for you to know that everything that you have discerned לדעת, כי כל מה שעמדת עליו מחכמת הבורא regarding the Wisdom of the Creator and His Ability with respect to this ויכלתו בעוה"ז איננו נחשב למאומה לנגד יכלתו world is nothing when compared to His True Ability and Wisdom, because וחכמתו, כי אין נראה אלא מה שהצורך אליו all that will be seen is what is necessary for the sake of man alone, and not בעבור האדם בלבד לא כפי הגעת יכלתו, כי אין .in accordance with the extent of His Ability, because It is without end לה קץ. And it is appropriate that there be within your heart Fear of Him and the Great וראוי שיהיה בלבך מיראתו וגודל יכלתו כפיהו, לא כפי …Ability as It truly Is, not merely as you understand It מה שתבין ממנו בלבד...

Chovot HaLevavot, Section 4 “The Section of Trust (in God)”, Chapt. 7 ספר חובות הלבבות שער ד - שער הביטחון פרק ז It is appropriate for us now to explain the causes of a diminution in the trust … ... ראוי לנו עתה לבאר מפסידי הבטחון באלקים... placed in HaShem… Foolishness with respect to the Creator and His Good Attributes, because one הסכלות בענין הבורא ובמדותיו הטובות, כי מי שאינו who does not understand the Mercies of the Creator towards His Creations מבין רחמי הבורא על ברואיו והגנתו עליהם and His Protection of them and His Supervision and Rulership over them,

English: Duties of the Heart), is the primary work ,חובות הלבבות :Chovot HaLevavot, or Ḥobot HaLebabot (Hebrew 1 of the Jewish philosopher , full name Bahya ben Joseph ibn Pakuda. Ibn Paquda was a Jewish philosopher and who is believed to have lived in Saragossa, Spain, in the first half of the eleventh century.[1] It was written in Judeo- (but in Hebrew characters) approximately in 1040 under the title Kitab al-Hidāya ilā Fara'id al-Qulūb, Book of Direction to the Duties of the Heart, sometimes titled as Guide to the Duties of the Heart, and translated into Hebrew by Judah ibn Tibbon in the years 1161-80 under the title Chovot HaLevavot. There was another contemporary translation by Joseph Kimhi, but its complete text did not endure the test of time... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chovot_HaLevavot 2 As in 13:7-8 : 7 Unleavened bread shall be eaten throughout the seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee, in all thy borders. 8 And thou shalt tell thy son in that day, saying: It is because of that which the LORD Did for me when I came forth out of Egypt. 3 See fn. 1. 4 See fn. 2.

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and that they are intrinsically bound to Him, will not place (in Him) his heart והשגחתו ומשלו בהם ושהם קשורים באסוריו, .and will not rely upon Him לא ינוח לבו ולא יסמך עליו. And among them foolishness with respect to the Commandments of the ומהם סכלותו במצות הבורא יתברך ר"ל תורתו, אשר Creator, may He Be Blessed, i.e., His Tora, in which He Warns to rely upon הזהיר בה לסמך עליו ולבטח בו... Him and to trust in Him… And among them attributing (what happens) to immediate causes that one ומהם נטותו אל הסבות הקרובות, אשר הוא רואה sees, and he is unaware that the outcomes are whatever results from the אותן, ולא ידע, כי העילות, כל אשר תקרבנה Cause, that they have little ability either to assist the Cause or to cause מהמעולל, תמעט יכלתם להועיל למעולל ולהזיקו. וכל אשר תרחקנה, יהיה כח יכלתם harm to Him. And (paradoxically) the more distant they are from Him, it להועילו ולהזיקו יותר חזק ונראה... would appear that they have more power to assist him or to cause Him

harm… והבורא יתעלה, אשר הוא תכלית העילות ברוחק מן And the Creator, may He Be Exalted, Who is the essential First Cause and at the המעוללים, ראוי לבטח בו ולסמך עליו לחוזק greatest distance from all of the outcomes, is worthy to trust in Him and to יכלתו על תועלתם ונזקם... rely upon Him due to the power of His Ability regarding their benefit as well …as their detriment וכללו של דבר בענין הבטחון, כי יתרון הבטחון And the general rule with respect to trust, that the benefit of trust for those מהבוטחים באלקים, כפי יתרון ידיעתם אותו who trust in God, directly corresponds to their knowledge of Him and their ואמונתם בהגנתו עליהם ורוב השגחתו על belief in His Protection over them and His Great Supervision to assure their טובתם... good… And if an individual’s recognition of God becomes stronger, he will trust in Him ואם תחזק הכרתו באלקים עוד, יבטח בו ג"כ במה also regarding what He Prepares for him by means of strategy, e.g., he will שיתכן לו בו קצת תחבולה, כמו הבאת הטרף desist from obtaining food by dangerous methods and physical exertions בסבות המסוכנות והמלאכות המיגעות את because of his trust in God, and rely on obtaining food in ways that are safer הגופים, ויניחם, לבטחונו באלקים, שיטריפהו .and easier במה שיהיה קל להתעסק בו יותר מהם. And if an individual’s recognition of God becomes stronger still, he will place his ואם תחזק הכרתו באלקים יותר, ישיב בטחונו אליו ,trust in Him with regard to all situations which are either difficult or easy בכל הסבות הקשה מהם והקלה, ויכוין and will intend while engaged in these pursuits to serve HaShem and to בהתעסקו בהם לעבודת האלקים ולשמר מצוותיו. observe His Commandments. וכאשר תחזק הכרתו יותר מזה בחמלת הבורא על And when an individual’s recognition of God is even stronger in his awareness of ברואיו, ירצה במה שיהיה מגזרת האלקים לו the Creator’s Compassion for His Creations, he will find acceptable the בלבו ובלשונו ובנראהו ובנסתרו, וישמח בכל Decrees of God in his heart, in terms of what he says, in what he can see אשר עשה לו האלקים ממות וחיים וריש ועושר and in what is hidden from him, and he will rejoice in all that God Does on וחולי, לא יכסף לזולת מה שבחר לו האלקים ולא his behalf in terms of death and life, poverty and wealth and sickness; he ירצה אלא מה שרצה לו, ונמסר אל האלקים will not desire anything other than what God has Chosen for him, and he ומשליך נפשו וגופו אל דינו, ולא יגביר ענין ולא will not be satisfied with anything besides what Satisfies Him. And he gives יבחר זולת מה שהוא בו מעניני עולמו... himself over to God and he willingly subjects his soul and his body to His Judgment. And he will not raise anything or choose an alternative to what …has been apportioned to him in his world וכאשר תחזק הכרתו באלקים יותר מזה, וידע הענין And when an individual’s recognition of God is that much stronger yet, and he המכוון אליו בבריאתו ויציאתו אל העולם הזה הכלה, understands what has been intended for him with regard to his Creation ויכיר מעלת העולם האחר הקיים, ימאס בעוה"ז and his being Brought forth into this temporal world, and he recognizes the ובסבותיו, וימסר במחשבתו ובנפשו וגופו אל האלקים superiority of the alternative and existing world, he will be contemptuous of ית' וישתעשע בזכרו בבדידות, וישתומם מבלתי this world and its various aspects, and he will give over his thought and his המחשבה בגדולתו. ואם יהיה במקהלות, לא יתאוה כי soul and his body to God, may He Be Blessed, and he will rejoice in His אם לרצונו ולא יכסף כי אם לפגיעתו, ותטרידהו remembrance and his solitude; and if he is with others, he will desire only שמחתו באהבתו משמחת אנשי העולם בעולם ושמחת אנשי העולם הבא בעולם הבא. וזאת העליונה to carry out His Will, and he will only wish to be in His Presence. And his joy שבמדרגת הבוטחים מהנביאים וחסידים וסגולת that comes about from the Love of Him will overwhelm the joy that comes האלקים הזכים... about from other people in this world, when compared to the joy of the

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people in the World to Come in the World to Come. And this is the highest level with respect to those who trust in God realized by the prophets, the pious ones and the pure treasures of God.

Chovot HaLevavot, Section 7 “The Section of Repentance” Chapt. 7 ספר חובות הלבבות שער ז - שער התשובה פרק ז …But there are many causes for the diminution of repentance אבל מפסידי התשובה רבים מאד... :And among these causes are וממפסידיה: ,.The decision to continue to sin, i.e עוד ההסכם על העברה והוא: its continual transgression and (1 1( ההתמדה על עשותה …the significant delay in discontinuing it (2 2( והאחור מהניח אותה... The continual transgression: if it begins as a minor sin, as one continues to ועוד, כי ההתמדה על העברה, ואם היא קטנה, הולכת transgress it, it becomes ever larger; and with respect to a major sin, when וגדלה בהתמדתו עליה. והגדולה, כשמבקש בעליה מחילה עליה ועזב אותה ליראת האלקים, an individual wishes to be forgiven for it and forsakes it out of fear of God, it הולכת הלך וחסר ומתמעטת, עד שתמחה מספר continues to become smaller and smaller, until it is removed from the עונותיו וינקה ממנה בעליה בתשובה. הלא תראה record of the individual’s sins and the individual is purged of it via החוט של משי כמה הוא חזק כשיכפל פעמים repentance. Behold, you see how the silken cord it is strengthened when it רבות... is doubled repeatedly… And among the causes for its diminution is also that the individual pushes off his וממפסידיה גם כן מי שייחל את נפשו לשוב באחרית repentance until the end of days, and he thinks that he will distance himself ימיו, וחושב, שיתרחק מן העברות לאחר שיגיע from the transgression once he satisfies his desires and fulfills his lusts. It is אל רצונו וישלים תאותו מהם והוא כמרמה את as if he is misleading God, and regarding such a person the have אלקיו, ובו אמרו רז"ל: האומר אחטא ואשוב אין said: “The one who says, ‘I will sin and then I will repent’ will not have מספיקין בידו לעשות תשובה...5 enough time to repent”…6 And among the causes for repentance’s diminution is also when a penitent וממפסידי התשובה ג"כ שיהיה השב שב מקצת ,.repents from only some of his sins, and continues to transgress others, e.g עוונותיו ומתמיד על קצתם, כמו, שיצא מן he forsakes the sins between man and God, and repents from them, but העברות שבינו ובין המקום, וישוב מהם, ולא יצא does not abandon the sins between man and man, like thievery, making ממה שיש בינו ובין בני אדם מגזל ואונאה וגנבה …inappropriate profits, stealing and the like והדומה לזה...

Questions for thought and discussion:

1. In Section 2, Chapter 6 there is an emphasis upon God’s Goodness. People seem to have a tendency to focus upon the things with respect to themselves as well as the Jewish people and the world in general, that they have trouble with, in effect experiences that appear to suggest the opposite of R. Bachya’s assumption. Is the author overstating his case and thereby opening himself up to be rejected by the reader, or are we viewing the world in a myopic manner? Discuss. 2. In Section 4, Chapter 7 R. Bachya associates knowledge and recognition of God, with trusting in Him. How is one to deepen his knowledge of God in order to realize such a goal?

5 Mishna Yoma 8:9 “The one who says, ‘I will sin and then I will repent; I will sin and then I will repent,’ he will not have enough time to repent…” The Mishna, by repeating the claim, makes the point more starkly than Chovot HaLevavot. It is not as if repenting hasn’t crossed the person’s mind on several occasions. Each time his conscience bothers him, he has to reassert the fact that he will put off discontinuing the sin at some indeterminate future time, which of course never arrives. 6 See fn. 5.

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3. R. Bachya states that people have a tendency to attribute what happens to them to immediate causes rather than the First Causes, God Himself. This also is reflected in the “scientific approach” to perceiving reality, where only phenomena that can be empirically verified are taken into consideration, an approach that is much stronger now than in the 11th century when Chovot HaLevavot was written. We are very much products of a “scientific age.” While there are some who simply reject scientific thinking even today, due to our education and culture, we cannot do so. How might a person combine the perspective that he has been taught with the ability to deeply believe and trust in the Divine? Is compartmentalization the only approach that is available to us? 4. Section 7, Chapter 7 seems to be more accessible to the modern temperament than the previous two citations. The extent to which we perceive God’s Goodness and attribute all that happens to him, is fundamentally different from aspects of self-discipline and striving to comply with Tora and Mitzvot. Discuss why this may be so, or would you disagree with this assumption? 5. If an individual wishes to be more likely to change his lifestyle in order to comply with Tora ideals, how might he be able to negate the tendencies that R. Bachya describes in Section 7, Chapter 7?

Practical applications of the sources:

1. Rate yourself in terms of the three dimensions discussed by R. Bachya: 1) To what extent do you recognize God’s overall Goodness and Goodness to which you have been a beneficiary? 2) Do you acknowledge God’s Involvement in history and your personal life? 3) Are you sufficiently evaluating your ideals and commitments in the interests of trying to continually perfect your actions from the perspective of Tora and Mitzvot?

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