ייִדישער מחשבֿה אויף תהילים 144:4

Some of our Jewish philosophers have accepted the premise of the importance of being close to the original Cause. Both Maimonides and Gersonides have adopted this basic point of view. They scoff at those who interpret the verse "They shall be as light bodies in the sky of the heavens, to give light to the earth" as meaning that heavenly bodies have been placed there for the convenience of lowly man. One must seek allegorical meaning in those details of the report of creation of the planetary system. After all, an inventor who would spend millions to create machinery capable of supplying almost worthless trinkets would hardly be regarded as a genius. Similarly, were G-d to have employed all His power to create instruments for the convenience of someone who is merely the last in a chain of creatures preceding him, He would not enhance His reputation amongst His creatures. This line of thought is supported by the fact that all things created more recently than others, are subject to death and oblivion, whereas the things created earlier are either abstract and as such not subject to death, or are made of such durable composition that they appear destined to endure forever. Our objection to the basic argument that creatures created more recently are by definition inferior to those created previously is based on the considerations listed below. To assume that man is inferior to the animals and that the animals are inferior to plants is ridiculous; this would have to be assumed, however, if the only criterion for determining one's relative importance is the "when" of its creation. Bereshit Rabbah in chapter 19 refutes this theory by saying that whosoever was created more recently exercises control over things created previously. The fact that G-d personally involved Himself and all other existing phenomena in the creation of man, i.e. "in Our image and Our form" (Genesis 1,26), indicates that the concept of "whatever is closer to the original source is more important" could be applied at best to the things created up to and including the planetary system (fourth day), and that from then on the system was reversed, an idea for which we cannot find any substantiation. Also, if true, it would require that we discover other functions of the objects created earlier than the ones we know about from our observation in the universe. Also, apart from the motion of the stars and planets, we have no evidence that any of those things possesses intelligence.

And the wise man said: "the heart of the wise is in the house of mourning" (Koheles 7:4), and "It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting; for that is the end of all men, and the living will lay it to heart" (Koheles 7:2), the intent of "the living" is he whose heart is living, namely, one who understands and realizes. It is also written: "Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passes away" (Tehilim 144:4).

The origin of the error is to be found in the circumstance that this ignorant man, and his party among the common people, judge the whole universe by examining one single person. For an ignorant man believes that the whole universe only exists for him; as if nothing else required any consideration. If, therefore, anything happens to him contrary to his expectation, he at once concludes that the whole universe is evil. If, however, he would take into consideration the whole universe, form an idea of it, and comprehend what a small portion he is of the Universe, he will find the truth. For it is clear that persons who have fallen into this widespread error as regards the multitude of evils in the world, do not find the evils among the angels, the spheres and stars, the elements, and that which is formed of them, viz., minerals and plants, or in the various species of living beings, but only in some individual instances of mankind. They wonder that a person, who became leprous in consequence of bad food, should be afflicted with so great an illness and suffer such a misfortune; or that he who indulges so much in sensuality as to weaken his sight, should be struck With blindness! and the like. What we have, in truth, to consider is this:—The whole mankind at present in existence, and a fortiori, every other species of animals, form an infinitesimal portion of the permanent universe. Comp. “Man is like to vanity” (Ps. 144:4); “How much less man, that is a worm; and the son of man, which is a worm” (Job 25:6); “How much less in them who dwell in houses of clay” (ibid. 4:19); “Behold, the nations are as a drop of the bucket” (Isa. 40:15). There are many other passages in the books of the prophets expressing the same idea. It is of great advantage that man should know his station, and not erroneously imagine that the whole universe exists only for him. We hold that the universe exists because the Creator wills it so; that mankind is low in rank as compared with the uppermost portion of the universe, viz., with the spheres and the stars: but, as regards the angels, there cannot be any real comparison between man and angels, although man is the highest of all beings on earth; i.e., of all beings formed of the four elements. Man’s existence is nevertheless a great boon to him, and his distinction and perfection is a divine gift. The numerous evils to which individual persons are exposed are due to the defects existing in the persons themselves. We complain and seek relief from our own faults: we suffer from the evils which we, by our own free will, inflict on ourselves and ascribe them to God, who is far from being connected with them! Comp. “Is destruction his [work]? No. Ye [who call yourselves] wrongly his sons, you who are a perverse and crooked generation” (Deut. 32:5). This is explained by Solomon, who says, “The foolishness of man perverteth his way, and his heart fretteth against the Lord” (Prov. 19:3).