Rambam: On Becoming Acquainted with Truth (Lessons 3-4)

This is a continuation of Rambam: On Becoming Acquainted with Truth (Lessons 1-2).

Lesson #3: Encountering Truth In Order

The Rambam continues recounting his history with R' Yosef: 

Thereupon I began to let you see certain flashes and to give you certain indications. Then I saw that you demanded of me additional knowledge and asked me to make clear to you certain things pertaining to divine matters, to inform you of the intentions of the Mutakallimun in this respect, and to let you know whether their methods were demonstrative and, if not, to what art they belonged. As I also saw, you had already acquired some smattering of this subject from people other than myself; you were perplexed, as stupefaction had come over you; your noble soul demanded of you to "find out acceptable words” (Koheles 12:10). Yet I did not cease dissuading you from this and enjoining upon you to approach matters in an orderly manner. My purpose in this was that the truth should present itself to your mind in its proper order, and that you should not hit upon it by mere chance.

Contrary to what the American Educational System would have you believe, truth is dynamic - not static. Truth doesn't consist of a set of fixed entities (i.e. statements, concepts, formulas) that can be collected in any haphazard manner, like gold coins or Pokémon. Man's ability to perceive reality is inherently limited. He doesn't simply "grasp" the truth as it actually is; rather, he "glimpses" it through the veils of his intellectual and psychological imperfections. For this reason, the same truth will be apprehended in a completely different manner, depending on when he encounters it. "How good is a statement in its proper time!" (Mishlei 15:23).

Truth may be likened to a piece of music: if one hears the notes or musical phrases out of order, the musical composition will become distorted, even to the point where it becomes something else entirely. Le'havdil, encountering the truth out of order, "by mere chance," is comparable to hearing a joke for the first time after you were told the punchline or watching a movie after the ending has been spoiled: you end up with all of the right parts, but the climax doesn't "register" as intended. 

I realize that I'm speaking entirely in vague descriptions and metaphors here, but that's only because I can't quite explain why this is the nature of truth. I just know it from experience. 

This is especially true with regards to the specific category of truths that the Rambam is discussing here, namely, the sodos ha'Torah ("secrets" of Torah - i.e. the deepest areas of metaphysics). Encountering other truths out of order might not cause much harm, but venturing prematurely into the study of the sodos ha'Torah can lead to irreparable damage. Later in the Moreh (1:33) the Rambam writes:

You must know that it is very dangerous to begin with this branch of philosophy – namely, [the deepest areas of] metaphysics – or to explain at the outset the sense of the allegories occurring in prophecies, and interpret the metaphors which are employed in historical accounts and which abound in the writings of the Prophets ... He who begins with metaphysics, will not only become confused in matters of belief, but will fall into absolute heresy. I compare such a person to an infant fed with wheaten bread, meat and wine: it will undoubtedly die, not because such food is naturally unfit for the human body, but because of the weakness of the child, who is unable to digest the food, and cannot derive benefit from it.

In the next chapter he warns:

Instruction should not begin with abstruse and difficult subjects. In one of the metaphors contained in the Torah, wisdom is compared to water, and among other interpretations given by our Sages of this simile, occurs the following: He who can swim may bring up pearls from the depth of the sea, he who is unable to swim will be drowned, therefore only such persons as have had proper instruction should expose themselves to the risk.

And again:

He who approaches metaphysical problems without proper preparation is like a person who journeys towards a certain place and, on the road, falls into a deep pit, out of which he cannot rise, and he must perish there; if he had not gone forth, but had remained at home, it would have been better for him.

To summarize: truth should be approached in its proper order in any area of knowledge, but in the realm of the sodos ha'Torah, the failure to do so can be disastrous. 

(This isn't to say that there is zero benefit to encountering a sode "by chance," out of order. At the very least, one will still gain the minimal benefit of becoming aware that such a sode exists. To borrow another video game reference: certain video games will grant players access to high level bosses at a very early stage in the game, knowing full well that these bosses are unbeatable when encountered at that point; this sets up an expectation in the mind of the player which guides and motivates him in his quest. The same is true with sodos: there is value in knowing, that an concept about a certain topic exists, even if one cannot understand the concept at the present time. In future, one will know where to look when the time is right; alternatively, that concept might suddenly "light up" one day, when the mind is ready to see it. The same goes for "cryptic" parts of Tanach are widely known to contain sodos, but which people know are inaccessible , such as the opening chapter of Sefer Yechezkel, or the sixth chapter of Sefer Yeshayahu. For this reason, I like the fact that the Rambam framed his warning in terms of "taking a big risk." Trying to understand a sode without going through the proper channels isn't inherently destructive, and it might even yield some benefit; nevertheless, it is a risk - one with high stakes.) 

Lesson #4: Truth is Not Egalitarian

The Rambam concludes by stating the circumstances which led him to compose the Moreh:

Whenever during your association with me a [Biblical] verse or some text of the Sages was mentioned in which there was a pointer to some strange notion, I did not refrain from explaining it to you. Then when God decreed our separation and you betook yourself elsewhere, these meetings aroused in me a resolution that had slackened. Your absence moved me to compose this Treatise, which I have composed for you and for those like you, however few they are. I have set it down in dispersed chapters. All of them that are written down will reach you where you are, one after the other. Be in good health.

Not everyone will be zocheh (meritorious) to reach the highest levels of knowledge. Some might consider this point to be obvious, but I think it's still worth mentioning. Although the Torah maintains that all human beings are created b'tzelem Elokim, with the capacity to seek abstract knowledge, not everyone is equal in this respect. Korach famously preached that "the entire assembly - all of them - are holy, and Hashem is among them" (Bamidbar 16:3). It is evident from Hashem's response that He disagreed with Korach's view. Everyone is on a different level, and the levels vary as much as the distance from east to west.

The Rambam writes about metaphysics: "This science, as you know, is not like the science of medicine or the science of geometry, and not everyone has the disposition required for it in the various respects we have mentioned" (Moreh 1:34). In the Mishneh Torah he quotes Chazal's statement about the four Sages who entered pardes (i.e. the study of the deepest areas of metaphysics), noting that "even though they were the greatest [scholars] of Israel and very wise, not all of them had the capacity to know and to grasp all of these principles clearly." 

It is human nature for a person to believe that he is the exception to the rule. There will inevitably be those who read the Rambam's statement: "I have composed for you and for those like you, however few they are" and will automatically assume that they are in this elite category. A person who is that haughty or that oblivious to his own level of chochmah is certainly not ready for the Moreh. Chazal teach (Berachos 7a) that on account of the fact that "Moshe hid his face, for he was afraid to gaze toward God" (Shemos 3:6), he was zocheh to reach the highest level of knowledge possible. That is the type the anavah (humility) that one must have: to know one's own limits, and to practice the guidelines set forth by Chazal (Bereishis Rabbah 8:2):

Into that which is beyond you, do not seek; into that which is more powerful than you, do not inquire; about that which too wondrous for you, do not desire to know; about that which is hidden from you, do not ask. Analyze that which is permitted to you, and do not engage yourself in the hidden things.