Mishneh Torah, Foundations of the Torah 1

Hook

Ever wonder about the ultimate "why" behind everything? Like, who pressed the "start" button on the universe? Today, we'll dip our toes into a foundational Jewish idea about just that!

Context

Here’s a little background on the text we’re looking at:

• Who: Maimonides (Rambam for short), a super-smart Jewish teacher.
• When: He lived around 800 years ago.
• Where: Mostly in Egypt and Spain.
• What: His most famous work, the Mishneh Torah.

  • Mishneh Torah

  A Mishneh Torah is a guide to Jewish law.

You can find the full text here: https://www.sefaria.org/Mishneh_Torah%2C_Foundations_of_the_Torah_1

Text Snapshot

Maimonides kicks off his huge work with this powerful thought:

"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 does not have a body or corporeal form..." (Mishneh Torah, Foundations of the Torah 1:1-3)

Close Reading

Let's break down a few simple, yet profound, ideas from this text:

Insight 1: The Ultimate Starter

Imagine the whole universe like a giant Rube Goldberg machine. Maimonides says God is the very first push, the "Primary Being" who started it all. Nothing else could exist without God.

Insight 2: Totally Unique

God is one, not like a team or a collection of parts. God is utterly unique and unlike anything else we can imagine. No two Gods, no God with different pieces – just one singular Source.

Insight 3: Not Physical

Forget the old man in the sky! This text makes it clear: God isn't a body. God doesn't have hands, feet, or any physical form. God is beyond anything we can touch or see.

Apply It

This week, take 30 seconds to look at something amazing – a tree, a baby, a perfectly ripe avocado – and simply think: "Wow, this exists because there's a unique, non-physical Source."

Chevruta Mini

1. What feels new or interesting to you about the idea of God being totally non-physical?
2. How might knowing God is the ultimate, singular source change how you see the world?

Takeaway

God is the one, non-physical source of all existence.