Mishneh Torah, Foundations of the Torah 1-3

Hook

From the sun-drenched courtyards of medieval Spain to the bustling marketplaces of Baghdad, the whisper of the Creator's absolute oneness resonated, a foundational truth echoing through generations.

Context

Place

Across the rich tapestry of Sephardic and Mizrahi lands—from Al-Andalus to North Africa, the Ottoman Empire, and the Middle East.

Era

Principally the medieval period, deeply shaped by the profound intellectual and spiritual legacy of figures like Maimonides (Rambam), 12th century.

Community

Sephardi and Mizrahi Jewry, whose traditions often interwove rigorous philosophical inquiry with deep spiritual devotion.

Text Snapshot

"The foundation of all foundations and the pillar of wisdom is to know that there is a Primary Being who brought into being all existence... This God is one. He is not two or more, but one, unified in a manner which [surpasses] any unity that is found in the world... He, blessed be He, is elevated and exalted above all this."

Minhag/Melody

This profound concept of God's singular, incorporeal existence, as articulated by Maimonides, found its way into daily Sephardic liturgy through the beloved piyut Yigdal. This hymn, often sung with a resonant, soulful melody, paraphrases Maimonides' Thirteen Principles of Faith, opening with "Yigdal Elohim Chai v'Yishtabach, Nimtza v'Ein Eit l'Himtzato" (Magnified and praised be the Living God, He exists and there is no time to His existence), directly reflecting the text's assertion of a "Primary Being."

Contrast

While Yigdal is widely embraced across many Jewish traditions, its almost universal and prominent placement in Sephardic daily prayers (often at the conclusion of morning services) highlights a particular Sephardic comfort and integration of Maimonidean philosophical principles directly into communal worship, sometimes more explicitly than in other minhagim.

Home Practice

Before reciting the Shema Yisrael, pause for a moment. As you prepare to declare "Adonai Echad," reflect on the Rambam's teaching: God is one, not merely singular, but an absolute, incomparable unity, without physical form or limitation.

Takeaway

The Sephardi legacy invites us to approach faith with both the heart of a mystic and the mind of a philosopher, finding deep devotion in the rigorous pursuit of understanding God's unparalleled oneness.