Pemikiran Yahudi Ulangan 22:6: Akeidat Yitzchak, Yesod Mora VeSod HaTorah, Nineteen Letters & Sefer Yesodei HaTorah

Reason is distinct from will in that it strives to imbue any action with purpose and make it failsafe. Aristotele, in chapter six of his book of ethics states that reason does not initiate any action that is not of benefit to its subject. Man's activities can be divided into four categories, a) Foolish actions; B) actions designed to gratify some urge, but devoid of moral purpose. C) Futile actions, actions that are not capable of achieving their purpose. D) Actions motivated by the desire to achieve meaningful constructive results. Maimonides in Moreh Nevuchim, expresses this somewhat differently. There are meaningless actions, (hevel, vain) and meaningful actions. The latter fall into two categories, depending on whether they are motivated by constructive or destructive considerations. The former originate with our reason, the latter with our will and its shortcomings. The actions originating with our reason employ will-power merely for execution of a purpose initiated by our intellect. Freedom of choice, or moral choice, was granted man so that he can use it in combination with his reason. On the other hand, man is to avoid actions that are initiated by will without benefit of reason. Whenever we fail to apply these criteria in planning our actions, we have reason to join the prophet Isaiah when he exclaims "I have toiled in vain, and wasted my strength; yet my judgment is with the Lord, my deeds with G'd." (Isaiah 49,4) The prophet describes his efforts as failures because he has not seen them crowned with success. He knows however, that sooner or later, G'd will cause his efforts to be crowned with success. All G'ds actions are based on reason; this is the meaning of Deut. 32,4, "the Rock, His work is perfect, for all His ways are justice." Historians may argue that even G'ds plans went awry when He commanded animal sacrifices as a means to sublimate existing idolatrous practices. History shows that in time, G'd needed the prophets to rebuke the people for the erroneous concepts they entertained about the meaning of the sacrifices. Eventually, the very sanctuary, the site of the sacrifices, had to be destroyed. According to Maimonides then, G'ds plans had misfired. Also, according to our own view that the sacrificial rites were designed to achieve a closeness with G'd, such a goal has evidently not been achieved. The answer to the problem lies in the fact that G'ds plans are long range and comprehensive on the one hand, and tactical, of limited duration on the other hand. The thought that G'ds long term objectives would fail to be realised is intolerable; on the other hand, short term objectives need not be realised. Even a short term objective need not be considered as having failed, when the lesson it was supposed to have taught is absorbed by a change of our lifestyle. If, say, sacrifices were meant to bring man closer to G'd through his having offered himself vicariously through the animal, then a lifestyle which includes three daily prayer sessions certainly can be said to be evidence that man has come closer to G'd, views Him as the source of all he strives for. Even while the temple had still been standing, sacrifice had been accompanied by prayer. Representatives of all the tribes were always present in Jerusalem to do this. Our sages in Chagigah 21, go so far as to say that had it not been for the ma-amadot, these Israelites who prayed when the sacrifices were being offered, heaven and earth would long since have ceased to exist. The prophet Hoseah exhorts us to employ "words" to achieve what the bulls had been meant to atone for. (Hoseah 14,3) We see therefore, that prayer is a very effective method of getting closer to G'd. Chapter two in Jeremiah makes it clear that the iniquities he talks of include those committed knowingly, purposely. All of these are covered by Hoseah's appeal "take words with you and do pennance." If prayer, coupled with proper remorse, of course, can atone for such sins, something which sacrifices never could, then prayer is a more powerful tool to achieve closeness with G'd. Prayer never ceased to be effective, whereas sacrifices, in order to achieve their purpose had to meet many pre-conditions. Not the least of these pre-conditions was the existence of a sanctuary at a site approved by G'd. In Psalms 51,17-20, David describes the mental state of man necessary in order that he may achieve what cannot be achieved in any other way today, due to the absence of sacrifices. When David says of G'd "for You do not wish a sacrifice," this is to be understood like "when you happen to encounter a bird's nest etc." (Deut 22,6), or "when you build a new house," (Deut 22,8) These situations are not bound to occur. The Torah addresses itself to circumstances that may or may not occur. David too means that if an occasion arises when sacrifice seems called for, but cannot be offered due to the absence of a temple, then G'd will not insist on a sacrifice if the sinner is humble and of contrite heart. Nonetheless, we pray urgently for His return to Zion and the restoration of sacrificial service.

Devarim Rabbah in Parshat Ki Teytze is explicit about how the commandments accompany man wherever he is, since they apply to food, dress, habitation, commerce, etc., in short to every conceivable matter man may at any time be engaged in.

The Psalmist said (Psalm 119:18), "Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law." This new month (Exodus 12:2) is for you the beginning of months, the day of birth, which is truly the head, and on it the Tabernacle was established. And on the tenth of this month, the twisted thread is honored, and this happens in the house of disgrace. Likewise (Exodus 12:3), "On the tenth day of this month," and the day of remembrance, I have explained it. And on the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Feast of Tabernacles, in their completeness and halves, due to the delay during the journey, therefore the eighth day is called Shemini Atzeret. And the word "mila" (circumcision) is closer to "zayin" (seven) full days, for a moment that remains in it is considered a full day according to the calculation of the Torah, and similarly, a day in the year is considered a full year. The matter of the seventh year is also known as the Sabbatical year, and the seven weeks of years lead to the Jubilee, which is called "liberty" (Leviticus 25:10) when a person who is fifty years old is released from the service of work. The second Passover corresponds to the year that passed (Exodus 21:19-23:19). "You shall not boil a kid in its mother's milk" (Exodus 23:19) is similar to "You shall not slaughter it on the same day" (Leviticus 22:28), "You shall not take the mother with the young" (Deuteronomy 22:6), and "You shall not plow" (Deuteronomy 22:10). The matter of planting mixed species (Leviticus 19:19) is "You shall not make any vessel of stone" (Leviticus 22:24). And likewise (Leviticus 18:4), "You shall observe My statutes; you shall not make any of your cattle gender with a diverse kind." The closing of seven days is a known reason, and likewise the impure woman, the woman who gives birth, and the Nazirite from the age of one month until returning to the place and until the Lord (Numbers 6:2-21). From the age of 20 to 50, there are 30 years. From 50 to 60, there are 10 years. And from 60 to 70, there are 10 years. Therefore, it is like the power of his soul and his body, which is 50, corresponding to the number of the Lord's years. And from there, lacking the Lord, and for the female, it is closer to half. Therefore, it is 23 and 30. The matter of Azazel is like the matter of leprosy, and its secret is explicitly explained in the words of our holy sages. And likewise, the matter of the heifer in the valley, and one who understands the secret of the precision of the language will understand the reason "which has not served you." The genius Rabbi Saadia said that we should not wonder about the matter of the red heifer, which renders the pure impure and the impure pure, because honey is beneficial and harmful depending on the change in the body's constitution caused by the food. The reason for the impure animals, impure birds, and water creatures is known. And the offering of a prostitute and the price of a dog are for the purpose of humiliation, as well as to offer a sacrifice with a blemish or to offer it if the priest has a blemish or a bald head because it is the opposite of the work of God. And like the commandments of tithing (Deuteronomy 14:14-15), "You shall surely tithe," and remember that you were a slave and the Lord redeemed you with a great possession. The prolonged period for sending away the mother bird is not for the purpose of taking the offspring, as it is a permission. Similarly, with honoring one's father and mother, who brought one into this world, and by honoring them, one prolongs their days, as stated in Deuteronomy 22:7, "And you shall prolong your days." And it is said (Leviticus 19:14), "You shall fear your God; I am the Lord," before a deaf person and before a person who does not speak, lest they cause you harm. And similarly, to honor the presence of an elder, and if you do not fear him, fear the Lord, who will bring judgment upon you in your old age. It is written on the face of an idol, figuratively (Jeremiah 10:11), "The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth." And likewise (Exodus 20:22), "You have seen that from heaven I have spoken with you; you shall not make for yourself any likeness." As Moses explained (Exodus 20:21), "For you saw no form," there is no need for you to make a likeness of Me for worship. And I have already explained the incident of the golden calf, that it was not idol worship. And the testimony is (Exodus 32:5), "Tomorrow is a feast to the Lord," as Aaron commanded, and they did so, and it was the next day that they brought burnt offerings. And this is the Lord alone, and it is not like the idols of other gods. The Ark was known by the knowledgeable person who understood the voice that emanated between the two cherubim. Its length was two and a half cubits, and its width was equal to its length in order to fill the Ark. The half-cubit of the thickness of the plank was positioned on top with the legs, similar to the structure of the table, as it is written on its four legs. This term is found in many places in the Holy Language and does not refer to a corner. The faithful testimony and the two rings, as explained by the commentators, should have been two rings. The incense altar was placed between the menorah and the table, outside the curtain, and it was higher than both of them, with ten curtains. Twelve is also a known secret, as well as twenty-eight, and the bronze altar is beneath its cover and extends from its bottom to its half, as it truly is. The secret of the ephod is highly esteemed because it had two stones, which are on the ephod, both on the left and right sides, with six names on each stone. And behold, both of them are stones, and they have no shape, corresponding to the concept of thought, and these are the divisions among the Israelites. The breastplate was made in the likeness of the ephod, and it was square, corresponding to the four points, therefore, you shall not place stone upon stone. The matter of the settings and rings that were always on the ephod, on the account of the great central line that did not incline. The lights correspond to their name, and the "thummim" corresponds to the round shape. Moses placed them on the breastplate initially, when they first set up the tabernacle, and the knowledgeable ones will understand.