Halakhah sobre Jó 28:29

The third meal is the upper source, which is called Ayin – “Nothing” -from what is written, “And Wisdom you will find comes me-ayin –“from Nothing.”²⁶⁷Job 28:12, which JSB translates “And wisdom, from where [me-ayin] can it be found?” R. Bahya creatively “misreads” the verse to reveal its kabbalistic meaning. And this is the meaning of you will not find it today on the plain.”²⁶⁸Ex 16:25.

The truth is that Scripture mentions the heavens and the earth because they form one globe, with the heavens like the circumference and the earth like the point at the center.¹³ Ibn Ezra is of the opinion that the “heavens” spoken of in Genesis refer to the lower sky, the atmosphere that is immediately above the earth. Genesis does not speak of the spheres of planets and stars that encompass the earth. See Ibn Ezra’s commentary to Genesis 1:1–2. Now the earth was covered with water from all sides, as it is written “they will not return to cover the earth” (Psalms 104:9), and the wind surrounds the waters.¹⁴ Thus the lower world consists of four spheres, each one encompassing those below it. Their order from innermost to outermost is: earth, water, air, and fire. The ancients believed that everything in the lower world, the world below the moon’s sphere, is composed of four elements – fire, air, water, and earth. This lower world is the subject of Creation in the book of Genesis. These are the four elements, namely, the heavens, earth, wind and water, for the heavens correspond to fire. Similarly we find “To make a weight for the wind and He counted the waters by measure” (Job 28:25), “For He gazes to the edges of the earth, under all the heavens He sees” (ibid. 28:24). Similarly, “Who measured the waters with his fist and counted the heavens with a span, and all the dust of the earth in a measure… who counted the wind of God” (Isaiah 40:12–13). Again, “Who ascended to the heavens and descended” (Proverbs 30:4), and the other three follow the word “heavens.”¹⁵ The verse reads: “Who ascended to the heavens and descended, who gathered wind in his fists, who bound the waters in a garment, who erected the ends of earth” (Proverbs 30:4). Here again, the four basic elements are enumerated. Also, “The sun shines” (Ecclesiastes 1:5) corresponds to the heavens, “and the earth remains forever” (ibid. 1:4), “round and round goes the wind” (ibid. 1:6), “all the rivers go to the sea” (ibid. 1:7). Since the circumference, which is the heavens, and the center, which is the earth, were created, so too all that is between them was created.

The truth is that Scripture mentions the heavens and the earth because they form one globe, with the heavens like the circumference and the earth like the point at the center.¹³ Ibn Ezra is of the opinion that the “heavens” spoken of in Genesis refer to the lower sky, the atmosphere that is immediately above the earth. Genesis does not speak of the spheres of planets and stars that encompass the earth. See Ibn Ezra’s commentary to Genesis 1:1–2. Now the earth was covered with water from all sides, as it is written “they will not return to cover the earth” (Psalms 104:9), and the wind surrounds the waters.¹⁴ Thus the lower world consists of four spheres, each one encompassing those below it. Their order from innermost to outermost is: earth, water, air, and fire. The ancients believed that everything in the lower world, the world below the moon’s sphere, is composed of four elements – fire, air, water, and earth. This lower world is the subject of Creation in the book of Genesis. These are the four elements, namely, the heavens, earth, wind and water, for the heavens correspond to fire. Similarly we find “To make a weight for the wind and He counted the waters by measure” (Job 28:25), “For He gazes to the edges of the earth, under all the heavens He sees” (ibid. 28:24). Similarly, “Who measured the waters with his fist and counted the heavens with a span, and all the dust of the earth in a measure… who counted the wind of God” (Isaiah 40:12–13). Again, “Who ascended to the heavens and descended” (Proverbs 30:4), and the other three follow the word “heavens.”¹⁵ The verse reads: “Who ascended to the heavens and descended, who gathered wind in his fists, who bound the waters in a garment, who erected the ends of earth” (Proverbs 30:4). Here again, the four basic elements are enumerated. Also, “The sun shines” (Ecclesiastes 1:5) corresponds to the heavens, “and the earth remains forever” (ibid. 1:4), “round and round goes the wind” (ibid. 1:6), “all the rivers go to the sea” (ibid. 1:7). Since the circumference, which is the heavens, and the center, which is the earth, were created, so too all that is between them was created.

(Kaf) “When vileness is exalted (kerum) among the sons of men” (Ps. 12:9). And the rabbis expounded [about this verse] (Berakhot 6b), “These are matters in the heights of (berumo) the world, which people treat with contempt [– and that is prayer].” And [it is written] in Isaiah 29: 13-14, “Because that people has approached [Me] with its mouth, and honored Me with its lips, but has kept its heart far from Me […]. Hence, I shall further baffle that people with bafflement upon bafflement; and the wisdom of its wise shall fail.” And it appears to me [that this can be understood as follows]: Behold [it is written in] Ps. 78:36-37, “Yet they seduced Him with their mouth, were untrue to Him with their tongue. Their hearts were inconstant toward Him; they were untrue to His covenant.” Ostensibly, that which it said, “were untrue to Him with their tongue,” is difficult – as the essence of untruth is in his heart, whereas seduction is with his mouth and with his tongue. However they said (Berakhot 33b):
A certain [prayer leader] descended [before the ark] in the presence of Rabbi Chanina. He [extended his prayer and] said, “God, the great, mighty, awesome, etc.” [Rabbi Chanina said], “Had Moshe not said them […] and had the members of the Great Assembly not come and incorporated them into the prayer, we would not say [any words of praise for God at all]. And you went on and recited all of these? It is comparable to a king who possessed many thousands of golden dinars, yet they were praising him for [a hundred] silver dinars. That would be a disgrace for him.”
And the Guide writes (Guide for the Perplexed 1:59):
They did not say, “It is comparable to a king who possessed many thousands of golden dinars, yet they were praising him for a hundred golden dinars.” For this would imply that God's perfections were more perfect than those ascribed to man [but] still of the same kind; but this is not the case, as has been proved. Rather the wisdom of this metaphor is that they praise him with silver – to show that these attributes that are perfections as regards ourselves, are not such as regards [God], may He be blessed. In reference to Him they would all be defects – and as this metaphor elucidates and says – “would it not be a disgrace to Him?” [To here are his words].
And Rambam has already elucidated there that one should not ascribe to the Creator, may He be blessed, any homage or praise from the virtues of the wise or the strong, whereas He is distant from comparison – as He is elevated ‘above any blessing and homage.’ See there in Chapter 59. And if so, the main homage [for God] in the heart of the discerning is that he distance anything that he says with his mouth from his heart (mind). And he should understand that it is perforce that [we] speak in the language of man. But in his heart, the ‘silence is homage.’ And behold, it was already [written] in Duties of the Heart, in the Section on the Reckoning of the Soul, Chapter 3,⁹⁵8:3. and these [are his words], “And they compared this further to a servant whose master came to his house and he commanded his wife and children to honor [the master] and do everything for him. But [the servant] went away and got involved in mirth and laughter, and stopped himself from honoring [the master] himself, etc. And his master became enraged with him and did not accept his honor and his service and returned everything in his face.” To here [are his words]. And we will add a little [to the] metaphor – that his wife and his household did not know and did not understand the nature of the king and his glory, as they had still never seen a ruler in their days. And [so] they did not honor him fittingly, but rather as [would befit] one of the ministers. Then the rage of the king rose against his servant. But [the servant’s] wife and household were not blamed – as given their lack of awareness, what could they do? Not so the servant, the one that was aware. So too is the matter of prayer, when “they seduce Him with their mouths.” Since there is no limit to the glory of the Creator, may He be blessed, in the mouth and the tongue – as He is not of its nature and category at all, since He is elevated and distinct and removed from what can be said by the mouth – it is only something of homage and praise that is perforce fashioned to fit the ear of the speaker and the one giving homage. But ‘if their hearts are inconstant towards themselves’ – the explanation of which is that they do not have the intention in their hearts that all of what they are saying is only by way of illustration – then “they seduced Him with their mouth, were untrue to Him with their tongue.” As none of the homage and praises correspond to Him, may He be blessed, in any fashion. And this is the understanding of “Because that people has approached [Me] with its mouth, and honored Me with its lips, but has kept its heart far from Me” – meaning, that they did not have intention for that which we mentioned. “Hence, I shall further, etc. and the wisdom of its wise shall fail.” [This is] according to that which is stated in Job 28:12, “But where (meayin, which can also be understood as, from not) can wisdom be found” – the explanation of which is that the essential wisdom is in negation, such that we negate virtues [that could be] attributed to Him.⁹⁶See Guide for the Perplexed 1:55-60, in which Rambam develops what is known as the via negativa, which is a philosophical construct in which there are no accurate ways that man can describe God. Rather the only thing man can accurately do is negate the existence of any attributes that may be ascribed to God. But then “the wisdom of its wise shall fail.” However the ‘man of faith’ will guard [it] in his heart – he will be wise and say, “It is the ‘kindness of God’ to us that we [can] praise Him according to our level.”

From the laws of the commandment is, for example, that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Chullin 83b) that covering of the blood is practiced with every bird and with every animal - whether it was at hand or it was not at hand. "Who hunts" is only stated for what is common, etc. And it is practiced with non-sacred animals, but not with consecrated ones. And it is practiced with the koy, because it is a doubt whether it is a type of animal or beast; but we do not recite a blessing on its covering, due to the doubt. And blood that splattered and that is on the knife is obligated in covering when there is no blood besides it. But if there is any blood besides it, he does not need [to do so], as it is written, "he must cover it with dirt" - its understanding is even some of its blood (Chullin 83b). And the one who covers it must put dirt below and above [it]. And any dirt in the world that is fine enough that a potter does not need to pound it, is fitting to cover [it] (Chullin 28a). And likewise, we [may] cover with all that is called dirt - even though it is not actually dirt, such as shaved gold, which is called dirt (dust), as it is stated (Job 28:6), "and it has gold dirt." And one who saw his fellow slaughter but not cover is obligated to cover; as it is stated about this commandment (Leviticus 17:14), "and I say to the Children of Israel" - and they, may their memory be blessed, elucidated, "this commandment is to all of the Children of Israel (Chullin 86-87a). And the rest of its details are in Chullin in the chapter [entitled] Kisui Hadam (see Tur, Yoreh Deah 28).