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Rabbi Tanchum Cohen

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Rabbi Tanchum Cohen National Tragedies Rabbi Tanchum Cohen and Individual Rebbe, Yeshiva University High School for Boys Suffering Director / Rosh Chabura, The Undergraduate Chabura, Yeshiva University Assistant Director, Masmidim Program, Yeshiva University Assistant Rabbi, Congregation Beth Abraham, Bergenfield, NJ PORTAL TO PROFUNDITY:¹ A FIRST INTRODUCTION TO RAMBAM’S LETTER ON TECHIYAS HA-MEISIM, AND SOME OF THE DOORS IT OPENS TO EMUNA DEPTH ince the days of the Rishonim, The Narrative Background The thirteenth principle is techiyas ha- discussions of aveilus have often meisim. I have already explicated it above.6 One of the most direct formulations included a hashkafic look at life Earlier he also stated, succinctly and Safter death.2 The tragic experience of emuna principles throughout unambiguously, that techiyas ha- of personal loss and often mishna appears near the end of aveilus meisim is a cardinal principle of the Masseches Sanhedrin, in which the awaken many questions about the Jewish faith: details of the postmortem state of the first individual identified as losing ּותְחִ יַת הַמֵתִ ים הוא יסוד מיסודי תורת משה -neshama, as well as the specifics and his footing in Olam ha-Ba, the world רבנו עליו השלום, ואין דת ולא דבקּות בדת reality of techiyas ha-meisim, the future to-come, is one who denies techiyas יהודית למי שלא יאמין זה ... :resurrection of the deceased. ha-meisim, future resurrection Techiyas ha-meisim is a cardinal ואלו שאין להם חלק לעולם הבא: האומר אין A particularly intriguing conversation 5 principle of Toras Moshe, a necessary תחיית המתים, … on this topic appears in a lengthy belief for one who wishes to subscribe to letter3 penned by Rambam in 1190- The following have no portion in the the Jewish religion. 1191, commonly known as his Iggeres world-to-come: one who denies future Techiyas ha-Meisim (Letter Regarding resurrection ... Yet despite these unequivocal pronouncements about techiyas the Resurrection of the Dead). The It is in his commentary to this mishna ha-meisim, there were those7 who historical backstory of the Iggeres is (commonly known as his hakdama raised the canard that Rambam had itself fascinating, and in the Rambam’s le-Perek Cheilek) that Rambam heretically denied techiyas ha-meisim. masterful hands the topic becomes famously enumerates his list of the 13 Rambam is clearly frustrated by this a springboard over the course of the foundational and cardinal principles radical distortion of his writing: Iggeres for several larger topics in the of our faith, and techiyas ha-meisim 4 והנה חבורינו כבר נתפרסמו ויקראו ויראו אנה study of emuna. We will sketch some makes a brief and clear appearance as אמרנו זה. :of that background and touch upon the final principle some of these broader points. My oeuvre has been published and והיסוד השלושה עשר, תחיית המתים. וכבר disseminated. It can be read and ביארנוה. 25 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Tisha B’av 5779 determined whether I said this.8 Olam ha-Ba is the world of ultimate ha-meisim further contributed to the reward, experienced by those who will misunderstanding of his position, as He wrote Iggeres Techiyas ha-Meisim 11 some mistook that brevity (compared in order to set the record straight, to have undergone techiyas ha-meisim. to his expansiveness in exploring … ואחרי כן יבא המשיח והוא מכלל חיי clarify that he did believe in — and Olam ha-Ba) to indicate that he העולם הזה ובסופה יהיה יום הדין ותחיית had always believed in — techiyas actually denied techiyas ha-meisim המתים שהוא השכר הכולל הגוף והנפש והוא ha-meisim. He reviews various points ,entirely. This is of course erroneous העיקר הגדול שהוא תקות כל מקוה להקדוש in his writings where he clearly stated as he pithily notes that a truism stated ברוך הוא והוא העולם הבא שבו ישוב הגוף that belief in techiyas ha-meisim is briefly remains true. Drawing out an כמו נפש והנפש תדבק בדעת עליון כהדבקה necessary and one of the cardinal idea makes it no truer than the short בגן עדן עולם הנשמות ותתעלה בהשגה גדולה beliefs for every Jew. sentences quoted above, in which ממנה ויהיה קיום הכל לעדי עד ולנצח נצחים. Rambam opens the Iggeres by noting Following this world (which will Rambam unequivocally states that the irony that his very attempt to culminate with the era of Mashiach), belief in techiyas ha-meisim is absolutely elaborate on ikkarei emuna was techiyas ha-meisim will inaugurate the required of every Jew.13 itself misunderstood as a rejection ultimate reward which encompasses of the well-known ikkar of techiyas both body and soul. This ultimate The Rational and the Super- ha-meisim. He dramatically takes reward is Olam ha-Ba, in which we will Rational some small solace in commiserating enjoy unimaginable pleasure through 9 with Hashem Himself, noting the exceptionally profound connection with All this begs the question, one whose ultimate irony that His most direct Hashem. This state will be eternal and answer may open new doors for us: statement of monotheism, namely everlasting.12 Why was the Rambam remarkably Shema, was utterly misinterpreted and Rambam disagreed strenuously with brief? If indeed he accepts techiyas ha- misconstrued by Christians to imply meisim, as he did and as every believing the exact reverse.10 this opinion. One of the central topics of his hakdama le-Perek Cheilek is that Jew must, isn’t there much to discuss, techiyas ha-meisim is one of the end- to elaborate? Moreover, his brevity was Of Techiyas ha-Meisim and stages of Olam ha-Ze, of this world (in dangerous, as we have seen that it led Olam ha-Ba this sense, akin to yemos ha-Mashiach). some to mistakenly deduce that he did It is not a part of nor the same as Olam not truly accept this ikkar be-emuna. One of the great debates on emuna ha-Ba. In both his hakdama le-Perek 14 topics among mainstream Rishonim Rambam’s response is succinct and Cheilek and his Mishne Torah, he profound: is the question of techiyas ha-meisim writes briefly abouttechiyas ha-meisim and Olam ha-Ba. Both terms appear Belief in one Creator implies belief that He and extensively about Olam ha-Ba. in the abovementioned mishna can perform any miracle at His will.15 Yet and throughout the Talmud Bavli Rambam believes that they cannot it is clear both from the Torah and from and beyond. At times they appear be the same, as he marshals several empirical observation that He generally to be interchangeable, and the mekoros and logical arguments to wishes the universe to operate according preponderance of Rishonim believe develop the thesis that Olam ha-Ba will to the logical and scientific patterns that that indeed they are. Hashem will bring be an entirely spiritual existence devoid He founded, and He seldom chooses to us back to life to enjoy the ultimate of any physical aspects, while techiyas actually suspend these natural patterns reward. The event oftechiyas ha-meisim ha-meisim will obviously involve the and perform open miracles.16 will inaugurate the eternal era of Olam reconnection of body and soul. Techiyas ha-meisim is fundamentally . This opinion is often associated ha-Ba He reiterates this point in the Iggeres, and intrinsically miraculous, as physical particularly with Ramban, as he and notes that his “disequation,” his items tend to decay and corrode over expresses it repeatedly and develops it uncoupling of techiyas ha-meisim from time.17 Techiyas ha-meisim is therefore at length throughout the final segment Olam ha-Ba, was one of the causes that a “super-rational” phenomenon, of his . For instance, Sha`ar ha-Gemul led some to misunderstand him and beyond the reach of scientific or logical claim that he denied techiyas ha-meisim. analysis; we know it to be true since the העולם הבא הוא עולם השכר לאותן שהקדוש Rambam’s brevity in discussing techiyas Tanach and Chazal tell us so, but we ברוך הוא מחיה בתחיית המתים. 26 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Tisha B’av 5779 Experience have no analytical tools available to fill in details not already provided by nevua or by Torah she-be-`al Pe tradition. We are thus unable to fill in details oftechiyas ha-meisim about which we are often curious, such as with which clothes the dead will arise, or whether they will arise old or young.18 While these questions may often be of substantial interest, summer חברthis ן and at times be emotionally fraught, we are not equipped ו -to answer them due to the super-rationality of techiyas ha meisim, and we can only say that we will know once it has happened. Moreover, Rambam therefore wrote very briefly about techiyas ha-meisim. This led some to misunderstand that he did not take it seriously, while in fact he simply wrote only what was of substance: we believe firmly intechiyas ha-meisim, though we are at present unaware of most of its detail. On the other hand, while Olam ha-Ba is not “scientific” in the usual sense of the word, Rambam understands that it is logical (as spiritual entities do not naturally decay, and ultimate reward is logical), and thus — unlike techiyas ha- meisim — Olam ha-Ba does yield to rational analysis and Book a Tour for a Fun & Educational elaboration. Rambam therefore wrote about it at relatively greater length.19 Day for the Whole Family! « « Why the 13th Principle? KEVER BEIT RACHEL HADASSAH A closer look at this notion may resolve another puzzle « MA’ARAT HAMACHPELA as well, another apparent anomaly about techiyas ha- & JEWISH NEIGHBORHOODS meisim.
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