Mishneh Torah, Positive Mitzvot 84-166

Sugya Map

• Issue: The nature of the initial positive commandments: Yediat Hashem (knowledge of God) and Yichud Hashem (unification of God). Are these intellectual apprehensions actual mitzvot?
• Nafka Mina(s): How does one fulfill such a command? What constitutes a transgression? What is the role of intellectual inquiry in emunah?
• Primary Sources: Mishneh Torah, Positive Mitzvot 1-2¹; Exodus 20:2²; Deuteronomy 6:4³; Sefer HaMitzvot, Aseh 1-2⁴.

Text Snapshot

"המצוה הראשונה שנצטוינו בה היא לדעת שיש אלוה שנאמר 'אנכי ה' אלהיך'. וליחד אותו שנאמר 'ה' אלהינו ה' אחד'."¹ The Rambam employs "לדעת" (to know) rather than "להאמין" (to believe), signifying a profound intellectual apprehension leading to certainty, not mere passive assent. "וליחד אותו" (and to unify Him) similarly implies an active, cognitive recognition of His absolute singularity.

Readings

Rambam (Sefer HaMitzvot, Aseh 1)

The Rambam establishes Yediat Hashem as an explicit positive commandment, emphasizing intellectual attainment (השׂגת ה' יתעלה בדעת) through contemplation of God's existence and wisdom. This chiddush transforms belief from a passive state into an active, commanded pursuit of knowledge.

Ramban (Commentary on Sefer HaMitzvot, Aseh 1)

The Ramban fundamentally disagrees, arguing that "אנכי ה' אלהיך" is not a mitzvah but a declarative introduction to the entire Torah, establishing God's authority. He contends that belief in God is a prerequisite for all mitzvot, thus not a distinct command itself. His chiddush challenges the very categorization of foundational belief as a standalone mitzvah.

Friction

• Kushya: How can one be commanded to "know" or "believe"? Is knowledge volitional? Can ignorance be a sin?
• Terutz: The Rambam's "לדעת" (to know) implies an active, continuous intellectual pursuit and investigation into God's existence and attributes, as outlined in Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah. The mitzvah is not merely the static state of knowing, but the dynamic process of inquiry and profound contemplation that leads to this knowledge, a process which is volitional and commanded.⁵

Intertext

• Avot 2:16: "לא עליך המלאכה לגמור, ולא אתה בן חורין להבטל ממנה." (The work is not yours to finish, but neither are you free to desist from it.) This echoes the Rambam's view that the process of striving for knowledge is the ongoing mitzvah, even if complete apprehension is beyond human grasp.
• Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah 1:1: "יסוד היסודות ועמוד החכמות לידע שיש שם מצוי ראשון."⁶ This underscores the epistemological depth and centrality of this mitzvah for the Rambam.

Psak/Practice

The Rambam's view, largely embraced in halachic thought regarding emunah, establishes an ongoing obligation for every Jew to intellectually engage with and deepen their understanding of God. This meta-psak heuristic directs towards the study of emunah, philosophy, and the natural world as pathways to fulfilling these foundational mitzvot.

Takeaway

The Rambam reframes "belief" as an active, intellectual mitzvah of knowing God and His unity, demanding continuous inquiry and contemplation, rather than mere passive assent.

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¹ Mishneh Torah, Positive Mitzvot 1-2 (Sefaria text refers to the beginning of the list provided). ² Exodus 20:2. ³ Deuteronomy 6:4. ⁴ Rambam, Sefer HaMitzvot, Aseh 1-2. ⁵ See Rambam, Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah 2:1. ⁶ Rambam, Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah 1:1.