Mishneh Torah, Foundations of the Torah 1

Welcome back. Perhaps you remember the drone of "God is One" from a sun-drenched (or fluorescent-lit) Hebrew School classroom, a phrase recited more than truly felt. Or maybe the idea of "God" itself felt too rigid, too distant, too... other to connect with your messy, beautiful, complicated adult life. You weren't wrong to feel that way; sometimes the language of faith gets stuck in translation, or the nuances get lost in childhood rote.

But what if "God is One" isn't just a theological slogan, but a profound statement about reality, about your reality, offering a surprising anchor in a world that often feels anything but unified? What if the ancient pursuit of knowing the Divine is less about mastering dogma and more about rediscovering a fundamental truth that breathes fresh meaning into your daily grind, your family life, and your search for purpose?

Let's peel back the layers of Maimonides, one of Judaism's greatest thinkers, and see what timeless wisdom lies beneath those familiar, yet perhaps misunderstood, words.

Hook

Remember that feeling in Hebrew school? The "Shema Yisrael" felt like a secret handshake, a sacred chant, but also, let's be honest, sometimes a bit... stale. "God is One." Okay, got it. One. Not two. What's the big deal? If you, like many, bounced off the seemingly abstract concepts of God's nature, feeling they had little to do with the tangible struggles and joys of your life, you weren't wrong. The way these ideas were presented often lacked the depth needed for a curious adult mind. But what if this seemingly simple declaration holds a key to understanding existence itself, and your place within it, in a way that feels utterly fresh and profoundly relevant today? Let's revisit the very foundations of Jewish thought, not as a dry academic exercise, but as an on-ramp to re-enchanting your perspective.

Context

The Architect of Foundations

Our journey begins with Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon, famously known as Maimonides or Rambam (1138-1204). He wasn't just a rabbi; he was a physician, philosopher, and legal scholar who tried to bring all Jewish law into one organized, accessible code: the Mishneh Torah. It's a colossal work, and where does he start? Not with rituals, not with holidays, but with "Foundations of the Torah." Why? Because, as one commentary (Peirush on Mishneh Torah, Foundations of the Torah 1:1:2) notes, "if the existence of God... is not affirmed, there will be no faith in the Torah." For Rambam, understanding God isn't an optional extra; it's the bedrock upon which everything else stands.

Beyond Counting: What "One" Really Means

When we say "God is One," it's easy to think of it as a simple numerical statement: not two, not three. But Rambam means something far more profound. He argues that God's "oneness" isn't like the unity of a collective (a team is "one" but made of many individuals) or the unity of a body (your body is "one" but has many parts). Instead, God is absolutely, uniquely, indivisibly unified. This means God isn't composed of parts, isn't limited, and isn't dependent on anything else for existence. He is a "Necessary Existent" (מצוי מחוייב המציאות, Peirush on Mishneh Torah, Foundations of the Torah 1:1:2), existing purely by virtue of His own being, the ultimate source from which all other existence flows.

Demystifying Divine Descriptions

If God is so utterly beyond our comprehension, what about all those Biblical verses describing God with "hands," "eyes," "feet," or even "anger" and "laughter"? Rambam tackles this head-on. He asserts that God has no body, no physical form, and therefore no human emotions or physical attributes. So why does the Torah speak this way? Because, as Rambam famously states, "The Torah speaks in the language of man." These are metaphors, analogies designed to help our limited human minds grasp incredibly complex, transcendent ideas. They are communication tools, not literal descriptions of a Divine being with human characteristics. Understanding this frees us from imagining a God who is just a bigger, more powerful version of ourselves, subject to our own limitations and moods.

Text Snapshot

Here are a few lines from Rambam that truly set the stage for our deeper dive:

"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... If one would imagine that He does not exist, no other being could possibly exist. If one would imagine that none of the entities aside from Him exist, He alone would continue to exist, and the nullification of their [existence] would not nullify His existence, because all the [other] entities require Him and He, blessed be He, does not require them nor any one of them."

"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; i.e., He is not one in the manner of a general category which includes many individual entities, nor one in the way that the body is divided into different portions and dimensions. Rather, He is unified, and there exists no unity similar to His in this world."

"All these [expressions were used] to relate to human thought processes which know only corporeal imagery, for the Torah speaks in the language of man."

New Angle

Insight 1: The Anchor in an Age of Contingency – Finding Stability in the "Necessary Existent"

The Shifting Sands of Adult Life

As adults, we navigate a world of constant change and contingency. Our jobs are fluid, relationships evolve, social structures shift, and our sense of self is constantly refined, sometimes painfully so. We build our lives on foundations that often feel like shifting sands: a career can vanish, health can falter, a family dynamic can be upended. We are, in essence, contingent beings – our existence and well-being depend on a myriad of external factors. We often seek validation, meaning, and stability from external sources – our achievements, our family's approval, our social circles. This relentless dependence can leave us feeling vulnerable, anxious, and perpetually searching for something solid to hold onto.

Rambam's Radical Stability

Rambam opens his monumental work with the idea of a "Primary Being" (מצוי ראשון) whose existence is necessary (מחוייב המציאות). This Being "brought into being all existence" but "does not require them nor any one of them." Imagine that. A reality that simply is, utterly self-sufficient, utterly foundational, utterly unchanging. "If one would imagine that He does not exist, no other being could possibly exist." This isn't a threat; it's a statement about ultimate reality. It implies that at the deepest level, beneath all the flux and fragmentation, there is an unshakeable, non-contingent ground of all being.

This Matters Because…

In your adult life, this concept offers a profound anchor. When your work environment feels unstable, your family relationships are challenging, or your personal identity feels fractured, the idea of a "Necessary Existent" provides a framework for understanding that there is a truth that isn't dependent on your performance, your popularity, or even your current circumstances. It frees you from the exhausting pursuit of external validation. If He "does not require them nor any one of them," then perhaps we, too, can cultivate a deeper sense of inner stability and self-sufficiency, knowing that our intrinsic value isn't tied to what we do or have, but to the simple fact that we are – reflections of that Primary Being. This insight encourages a radical acceptance of self and a profound trust that even when everything feels like it's falling apart, there's an underlying, unchanging reality that sustains all. It's not about escaping your responsibilities, but approaching them from a place of grounded strength, rather than anxious striving.

Insight 2: Embracing the Infinite – Unity and Non-Corporeality as a Pathway to Inner Wholeness and Broader Perspective

The Fragmented Self in a Divided World

Modern adult life often pulls us in countless directions. We're expected to be successful professionals, attentive parents, supportive partners, engaged citizens, and self-actualized individuals – often feeling like we're playing different, disconnected roles. Our internal experience can feel fragmented, pulled between responsibilities, desires, and anxieties. Externally, the world is often defined by division: political polarization, social silos, economic disparities. We easily get trapped in limited perspectives, viewing ourselves and others through narrow, judgmental lenses. We look for external forms and labels to define everything, including ourselves and the divine.

Rambam's Vision of Limitless Unity

Rambam states that God is "one, unified in a manner which [surpasses] any unity that is found in the world." He's not a collection of parts, not limited by form or definition. He is not a body, cannot be measured, confined, or categorized. The anthropomorphic descriptions in Torah ("God's hand," "God's anger") are simply "metaphoric imagery" because "the Torah speaks in the language of man." This isn't just a theological technicality; it's an invitation to transcend our own limited, fragmented ways of seeing.

This Matters Because…

The idea of God's absolute unity and non-corporeality offers a powerful blueprint for personal growth and a deeper engagement with the world.

1. Inner Wholeness: If God, the ultimate reality, is indivisibly unified, it challenges us to cultivate a similar sense of wholeness within ourselves. Instead of feeling fragmented by our roles or emotions, we can strive for an integrated self – a "unified" being where our actions, thoughts, and values align. This isn't about erasing complexity, but finding a cohesive center. It allows you to bring your full, authentic self to your work, your family, and your community, rather than showing up as a collection of disjointed personas.
2. Transcending Limitations: The understanding that God is not a physical body, devoid of human limitations like "anger" or "sadness" (Malachi 3:6: "I, God, have not changed"), invites us to transcend our own limitations. We often project human flaws onto the divine, leading to a transactional or fearful relationship with faith. By realizing God is beyond these, we can cultivate a relationship based on unwavering truth and boundless potential. This matters in your relationships and work, as it encourages you to look beyond superficial appearances and judgments, to see the deeper, unified essence in others and in situations, moving past knee-jerk reactions and towards a more empathetic, expansive view.
3. Closeness Beyond Proximity: One profound commentary (Seder Mishnah on Mishneh Torah, Foundations of the Torah 1:1:1) on Rambam's opening states that the ultimate purpose of knowing God is "closeness to God" (קרבת אלקים), not reward. If God is non-corporeal and infinite, "closeness" isn't about physical proximity. It's about alignment, emulation, and understanding. It means striving to embody divine attributes – justice, compassion, wisdom, truth – in your daily life. This isn't abstract; it's intensely practical. How do you bring more unity to a divided team at work? How do you practice unconditional love in your family, mirroring a God who "does not require them nor any one of them"? How do you seek truth and wisdom beyond superficial narratives? This "closeness" transforms faith from a set of rules into a dynamic pursuit of becoming more whole, more expansive, and more aligned with the foundational reality of existence. It’s an invitation to live a life that reflects the boundless, unified nature of the Divine, making your daily choices a conscious act of spiritual deepening.

Low-Lift Ritual

The Unchanging Core (2 minutes)

This week, pick one moment each day – maybe while waiting for coffee, in traffic, or during a quiet minute before sleep.

1. Observe the changing: Notice something around you that is in flux: the weather, your mood, a news headline, your to-do list for work, a child's tantrum. Acknowledge its impermanence.
2. Recall the anchor: Take a deep breath. Gently bring to mind Rambam's core idea: "If one would imagine that He does not exist, no other being could possibly exist. If one would imagine that none of the entities aside from Him exist, He alone would continue to exist."
3. Feel the ground: Don't try to intellectualize it deeply. Just allow a sense of that unchanging, necessary, foundational existence to settle in your awareness, even for a fleeting moment. It's like feeling the solid ground beneath your feet, even if the world around you is spinning. This simple practice helps you connect with a deeper stability that underpins all the fluctuations of your adult life, offering a quiet strength that isn't dependent on external circumstances.

Chevruta Mini

1. Maimonides states that understanding God as beyond physical form is a positive commandment. How does understanding God as non-corporeal (and therefore beyond human limitations like anger, favoritism, or physical presence) change your personal sense of connection, or disconnect, to the Divine, especially in moments of personal crisis or joy?
2. The commentaries highlight that the ultimate purpose of knowing God is "closeness to God" (קרבת אלקים). If God is non-corporeal and infinite, what does 'closeness' mean to you in a practical, adult sense—in your work, relationships, or personal growth—and what might it look like to pursue it this week?

Takeaway

You weren't wrong to find the "God is One" a bit abstract. But when we re-engage with these foundational ideas, they transform from dry dogma into profound truths that ground us in a chaotic world. Rambam isn't just defining God; he's inviting you to discover a deep, unchanging reality that gives stability to your contingent life and offers a path to wholeness and expansive meaning. Let's keep exploring what else might be waiting for you.