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  Mordechai -4 years ago

  sand on the moon

  I didn't understand, what the Rambam writes that the 4 elements only start beyond the spheres, how is there sand on the moon?

  Also, I am trying to understand, if we are surrounded by the spheres, if the sun and moon are spheres (yoreich, chama) how could we see them like a ball, instead of seeing just a part of them that's on top of us? (looks like we are seeing them entirely, but we are actually in their sphere?)

   

  Thank you again for your wonderful shiurim, and I hope you would have the minute to respond to my daunting questions. 

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  • Anonymous -4 years ago

    Great questions.

    1. As I discussed, the "element of earth" discussed in Chazal and Rambam may be something different than sand.

    Also, as discussed in the intro to chapters 3-4, there is another dimension to all of these laws: the spiritual counterpart of the cosmos,

    2. Yes, we are in a sphere, but not in the sphere of the sun or the moon. They are planet located inside a sphere, and the sphere encompasses the earth. They themselves do not. Hence we can see the entire "ball."

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  Aharon -4 years ago

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fKBhvDjuy0

  this is a fascinating video made in 1977 showing distance telescopically and microscopically.   Check it out and enjoy.   

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  Sara -4 years ago

  But the Mishnei Torah...

  Is not so easily understood by a person either by themselves or even with a teacher, there are many who disagree with Rambam’s conclusions, books were written to explain even further. Still seems like a contradiction to say these things should not be written down and then writing them down.  Like telling a child not to do something, but doing it yourself. Maybe Rambam should have just left that out. Seems to complicate it even more.

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    Moshe Mohadeb -4 years ago

    In light of the fact that the Rambam states these matters very cryptically and does not explain in depth, perhaps when he writes that these mysteries should be taught with the proper qualifications, it is not a contradiction to record  a "drop of the ocean" or a "drop of the bucket" to give the masses a glimpse of the esoteric.

    Additionally, from the perspective that all these physical terms are in fact metaphors for the metaphysical spheres, as Rabbi Jacobson reiterates, the Rambam is not disclosing any information at all about the actual esoteric wisdom, but rather presents a few parables (that can also be understood at face value), which does not defy or contradict the ban of speaking of these subjects to the masses.

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  • MM

    Moshe Mohadeb -4 years ago

    In light of the fact that the Rambam states these matters very cryptically and does not explain in depth, perhaps when he writes that these mysteries should be taught with the proper qualifications, it is not a contradiction to record  a "drop of the ocean" or a "drop of the bucket" to give the masses a glimpse of the esoteric.

    Additionally, from the perspective that all these physical terms are in fact metaphors for the metaphysical spheres, as Rabbi Jacobson reiterates, the Rambam is not disclosing any information at all about the actual esoteric wisdom, but rather presents a few parables (that can also be understood at face value), which does not defy or contradict the ban of speaking of these subjects to the masses.

    Reply to this comment.Flag this comment.

  • MM

    Moshe Mohadeb -4 years ago

    In light of the fact that the Rambam states these matters very cryptically and does not explain in depth, perhaps when he writes that these mysteries should be taught with the proper qualifications, it is not a contradiction to record  a "drop of the ocean" or a "drop of the bucket" to give the masses a glimpse of the esoteric.

    Additionally, from the perspective that all these physical terms are in fact metaphors for the metaphysical spheres, as Rabbi Jacobson reiterates, the Rambam is not disclosing any information at all about the actual esoteric wisdom, but rather presents a few parables (that can also be understood at face value), which does not defy or contradict the ban of speaking of these subjects to the masses.

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• MF

  Morris Friedman -4 years ago

  Question for Rabbi YY

  Missed the class on number four this morning. Very frustrated cannot find it anywhere. It seems very disorganized. Eventually I will give up

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    Isaac -4 years ago

    Your comment is on the very video page of this class!! Just scroll up and click play.
    

    On the website, there is "last 30 days of classes," you can always see there.

    Here is the full series:

    https://www.theyeshiva.net/search//1227

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  Moshe -4 years ago

  To see and read about our planet as a teeny dot from VEEEERY far away

  Search for "pale blue dot". That picture 30 years old! 

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  Simcha -4 years ago

  Question for Rabbi YY

  מהגופות הקדוקיים , הגדולים....What an awesome set of 3 words....And your picture of Earth taken billions of miles away....nailed our perspective right on. A very exciting 4 perakim. I'm starting to appreciate the Rambam, the man. It will be very interesting how you turn the ensuing dry halachos into fire. Hatzlocha Rabba.

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  Moshe -4 years ago

  Considering how small planet is in the picture

  Hashem still says that everything we do matters.

  Black Lives matter then, would just be a sub-set

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  Sholem -4 years ago

  Question for Rabbi YY

  This question my be out of our context for what we are learning today Bichol Zot I’ll ask. How do we explain and understand the hearts of The autistic community How would rambam explain that They have the image of Hashem but can’t express more then that they are in there own world they say it maybe they have higher souls Then most of us? How do we look at them?From a Torah / Rambm prospectus ?

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  Moshe -4 years ago

  We can already see sub-atomic particles revolving around a center

  And then we know both from the Rambam and from astronomy that we are on a planet and/or the sun that revolve around center, and ditto for galaxies, etc., etc.

    Is it possible we are a sub-atomic particle under the microscope of a much larger universe, and so on? Can there be teeny tiny (from our subjective point of  view) entities dwelling on the things we call sub-atomic particles peering into their instruments ar yet further sub-sub-atomic  particles? 

    I.e. an infinite chaining up and down of levels if existence? 

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  Moshe -4 years ago

  The Rambam states the entropic principle, i.e. everything decomposes

  Some scientist was the first who wrote that at some point.  What could have been his reaction if  a talmud chocham pointed out that the Rambam wrote it long before? Or maybe he himself was a talmud chocham who just plagarized!

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  Moshe -4 years ago

  All matter down here made up of the 4 elements

  What about those few items that came down here from shomayim. The manna? The luchos? The note saying that the Baal Shem Tov's sukka was kosher? Anything else that came down? Made up of the 4 elements? Decomposes also? 

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  Moshe -4 years ago

  The 4 basic elements combine in endless ways in each creation

  Can we align the multitude combinations of these 4 basic elements with the basic elements of DNA that also combine in endless ways  to form each individual let alone each species?

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  Moshe -4 years ago

  Everything down here made up of the 4 elements

  Einstein says that matter can be converted to  energy and vice versa. (Thank you Einstein for helping us win WW2).

    If so, then energy itself, whether as energy per se or as potential matter, or even after being converted to matter after nuclear fusion,  should also be composed of  the  4 elements. Is that true?

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• CA

  chaim akerman -4 years ago

  what happened to the rambam class??

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• AH

  Alizah Hochstead -4 years ago

  Are we having a class?

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• Anonymous -4 years ago

  Shalom Alechem

  Another pshat

  

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• Anonymous -4 years ago

  2 Rambams

  The Rambam says in halacha 12  בזמן שאדם מתבונן בדברים האלו ומכיר כל הברואים ממלאך וגלגל ואדם כיוצא בו ויראה חכמתו של הקב"ה בכל היצורים וכל הברואים. מוסיף אהבה למקום ותצמא נפשו ויכמה בשרו לאהוב המקום ברוך הוא. ויירא ויפחד משפלותו ודלותו וקלותו כשיעריך עצמו לאחד מהגופות הקדושים הגדולים. וכ"ש לאחת מהצורות הטהורות הנפרדות מן הגולמים שלא נתחברו בגולם כלל. וימצא עצמו שהוא ככלי מלא בושה וכלימה ריק וחסר

  Doesn't this seem extra as the Rambam already wrote in 2:2 והיאך היא הדרך לאהבתו ויראתו. בשעה שיתבונן האדם במעשיו וברואיו הנפלאים הגדולים ויראה מהן חכמתו שאין לה ערך ולא קץ מיד הוא אוהב ומשבח ומפאר ומתאוה תאוה גדולה לידע השם הגדול כמו שאמר דוד צמאה נפשי לאלהים לאל חי. וכשמחשב בדברים האלו עצמן מיד הוא נרתע לאחוריו ויפחד ויודע שהוא בריה קטנה שפלה אפלה עומדת בדעת קלה מעוטה לפני תמים דעות. כמו שאמר דוד כי אראה שמיך מעשה אצבעותיך מה אנוש כי תזכרנו. ולפי הדברים האלו אני מבאר כללים גדולים ממעשה רבון העולמים כדי שיהיו פתח למבין לאהוב את השם. כמו שאמרו חכמים בענין אהבה שמתוך כך אתה מכיר את מי שאמר והיה העולם ?

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Rambam Mishneh Torah #16

Rabbi YY Jacobson

• July 21, 2020
• |
• 29 Tamuz 5780
• |
• 1005 views

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