English translation — נח א

1.

On the verse

(at the beginning of our parshah)

"These are the generations of Noah, Noah was a righteous man, perfect in his generations,"

there are two interpretations¹

in the precision of "in his generations" — "Some of our Sages interpret it to his praise etc. and some interpret etc."²

According to the opinion that "in his generations" means not to praise, our Sages say

(as Rashi explains)

: "For³

his generation he was righteous, but had he been in the generation of Abraham he would not have been considered anything"⁴

Then the wording "had he been in the generation of Abraham" is not smooth: Abraham was born 58 years before Noah's death⁵

— as the sign of Ibn Ezra⁶

"And Abraham our father was 58 years old when Noah died"⁷

— is

Yet Noah was a duration of time "in the generation of Avraham"⁸

And although in the beginning of his days Avraham apparently had not yet reached the perfection of the level of "tzaddik",

until it says in the Midrash⁹

"that our father Avraham was afraid and said: Perhaps there is in my hand a sin that I worshipped idolatry all these years"¹⁰

and only afterwards did he become acquainted with his Creator -

But still before the time of the son of 58 years he already according to all opinions<sup>11</sup>

recognized his Creator; and in addition to that — a recognition <b>by his own power</b>,

as the Rambam elaborates at the beginning of Hilchos Avodah Zarah,

how Abraham came on his own to know and recognize the Almighty "and he had no teacher nor informer of anything"

whose knowledge and recognition of the Creator was

(as is implied<sup>12</sup>)

not by his own power,

and as we find regarding the secret of the intercalation <b>explicitly</b>,

that he

He learned from

(Chanoch¹³

and)

Methuselah¹⁴

his grandfathers.

And in particular,

according to what the Rambam writes¹⁵

that Methuselah had a yeshivah¹⁶

and a court¹⁷

then certainly his main grandson Noach¹⁸

was there and learned there.

He received from others before him

(and likewise is also the difference regarding their conduct: "Noach¹⁹

needed a supporter to support him,

but Avraham strengthened himself and went in his righteousness on his own")²⁰]

Then how is it appropriate to say "<b>If he had been </b>in the generation of Avraham etc.",

when Noach was indeed for a duration of time in the generation of Avraham

(already after Avraham "recognized his Creator")²¹?

Even if one explains that "the generation of Avraham" means and begins

(not from the time of Avraham's service with himself,

but)

from when he began to engage with others - "the souls which they made in Charan"<sup>22</sup>,

and as the Gemara<sup>23 </sup>

says that specifically from then began the two thousand years of Torah<sup>24</sup>

- then also the beginning was several years before the death of Noach,

as the Gemara says<sup>23</sup>

: "It is a tradition that Avraham at that time was fifty-two years old".

B.

Regarding the age when Avraham recognized his Creator there are several opinions: three years old<sup>25</sup>,

forty years old,

forty-eight years old<sup>26</sup>,

fifty years old<sup>27</sup>.

The Rambam in Hilchos

Avodah Zarah

says that "at the age of forty, Avraham recognized his Creator".

Says on this the Ra'avad

"There is an Aggadah: at three years old, as it is said

because Avraham listened to My voice, from where [do we derive] 'eikev'."

The Kesef Mishneh explains,

that "it is possible to fulfill this and that he was three years old when he began to think etc.³²

to recognize his Creator, but when he was forty years old he completed recognizing Him³³.

And our Rebbe wrote the main point that it is the completion of recognition, i.e., when he was forty years old.

And it must be that he had a variant reading...

forty years old³⁴...

and not forty-eight as it is in the books".

One must, however, understand: since the <b>common</b> version in the midrashim before us³⁵

is "forty-eight³⁶

years old Abraham recognized his Creator" - why did the Rambam adopt specifically the version that "forty years old³⁷

Abraham recognized his Creator"³⁸?

Also one must understand: because that "it is possible to fulfill both this and that"

(both the opinion that at three he recognized his Creator and also the opinion that he was forty)

and the Rambam himself speaks at the beginning of the halacha about how Avraham was in his youth - "since &lt;b&gt;this mighty one was weaned &lt;/b&gt; he began to roam in his mind &lt;b&gt;and he was small and began to think &lt;/b&gt;etc.",

then why does he not mention explicitly,

that at the time when "&lt;b&gt;he began &lt;/b&gt;to think etc." he was three years old&lt;sup&gt;39&lt;/sup&gt;.

3.

This will be understood with the introduction of the general explanation in the Rambam, Laws of Idolatry.

In the first chapter the Rambam begins: "In the days of Enosh people made a great error",

and after he explains at length their error he concludes "and this was the essence of idolatry".

Then he continues

(in halacha 2)

: "And after the days were prolonged, there arose among mankind false prophets, and they said that God commanded and said to them: Worship such-and-such a star, etc.,"

And he specifies and explains how they began to worship such-and-such a star etc. and he explains at length how they later descended to the lowest level of idolatry.

"And since the days were prolonged, the honored and awesome name was forgotten from the mouth of all living beings, and there was not

any person who knew Him..

except individuals in the world, such as Chanoch and Metushelach, Noach, Shem, and Ever,

And in this manner the world continued to evolve until the pillar of the world was born, and he is Avraham our father."

And in Halachah 3, he explains at length how Avraham came to recognize his Creator, and about all the lofty deeds and matters that he did afterwards to implant the "great principle"

(recognition of the Creator and His service)

in the hearts of "thousands and myriads,"

until "he made it known to Yitzchak his son ..

and Yitzchak made it known to Yaakov ..

and Yaakov taught his sons etc.,"

and how was the situation of the sons of Yaakov until the Most High sent Moshe Rabbeinu and gave the commandments to the Jews,

and — all this with great length.

Which at first glance is not understood: The Rambam is a book of "halachos halachos"

(as the Rambam writes in the introduction to his book),

not a book that tells world history or even Jewish history —

So what is relevant &lt;b&gt;to halacha &lt;/b&gt;the entire length of all the chapter,

how was the chain of descent of the idolaters from since the days of Enosh and onward,

until the time when "Hashem chose Israel as an inheritance and crowned them with commandments and made known to them the way of His service and what will be the judgment of idolatry and all who err after it"?

If the Rambam would have preceded,

that Adam the first was commanded concerning

(prohibition)

idolatry&lt;sup&gt;40&lt;/sup&gt;,

one could have answered

(at least with difficulty),

that the aforementioned length is relevant to that which the Rambam writes further in the chapter

In ⁴¹

"that whoever admits to idolatry denies etc. and in all that the prophets were commanded <b>from Adam </b>until the end of the world etc."

Add to this: Since also the children of Noah were commanded regarding idolatry⁴²,

it is with the elaboration warned,

that although in the course of many generations from the days of Enosh onward they served idolatry,

until that "this matter spread throughout the entire world"⁴³,

one should not think that among them this was not a prohibition,

rather they thereby transgressed the command of G‑d.

The Rambam however does not mention in this entire chapter,

that Adam the first was commanded regarding idolatry,

and does not at all emphasize the severity of the prohibition in the matter also in those times⁴⁴.

It turns out,

that the continuation and elaboration of the matters in the entire chapter is seemingly only a narration of events,

which has no connection to the Sefer HaYad of the Rambam⁴⁵

whose subject is — laws.

D.

And it may be said,

that the chapter <b>first</b> of Hilchot Avodah Zarah and the elaboration of its matters is a <b>general introduction</b> to all the laws of Avodah Zarah in the Rambam.

The explanation of this:

The sin of idolatry,

although in general it consists of prohibitions related to action⁴⁶

and in practice

(<b>foreign </b>worship),

is however its content⁴⁷

and its essence connected with the thought of man,

the meditation of the heart - that which he thinks in his heart and his thought,

that a created being,

an angel,

a sphere etc. is a deity,

or at least an intermediary,

an independent existence,

That also this is an explicit prohibition,

And as the Rambam specifies in the laws immediately at the beginning of chapter 2: "The essence of the commandment regarding idolatry is not to serve any of the creations, not an angel etc., and even though the worshiper knows that Hashem is God and he serves this created being in the manner that Enosh served etc., and this matter is what the Torah warned about

etc., meaning, lest you lift up your eyes to heaven and see that these are the ones that lead the world and that they are what G-d apportioned, etc., and you say that it is fitting to bow down to them and serve them,

And concerning this matter He commanded and said, etc., meaning, that you should not err in the thought of the heart to serve these to be a mediator between you and the Creator"; and in the further laws he continues that "The Holy One, blessed be He, commanded us not to read those books

(about idolatry)

at all, and not to meditate on it nor on anything of its matters&lt;sup&gt;48&lt;/sup&gt;

And all&lt;sup&gt;49&lt;/sup&gt;

these negative commandments are about one matter, namely, that one should not turn after idolatry, etc.&lt;sup&gt;50&lt;/sup&gt;

And not only idolatry is it forbidden to turn after in thought, but any thought that causes a person to uproot a fundamental of the fundamentals of the Torah, etc.&lt;sup&gt;51&lt;/sup&gt;.

5.

From this it is understood that in order to properly fulfill the negative and positive commandments of not serving idolatry, it is not enough to know only the laws regarding the &lt;b&gt;practice &lt;/b&gt;- what one must do and what one may not do,

but rather - &lt;b&gt;first and foremost &lt;/b&gt;the thought must be guarded &lt;b&gt;to the utmost &lt;/b&gt;- and therefore the great length about this.

It must be fixed &lt;b&gt;in the thought&lt;/b&gt; of man and his heart,

that all creations in the world have no existence for themselves,

and consequently there is no place to honor,

to consider or to serve, heaven forbid, any created being&lt;sup&gt;52&lt;/sup&gt;

- "Not an angel nor a sphere nor a star nor any one

of the four elements nor any of the creations from them"&lt;sup&gt;53&lt;/sup&gt;.

And moreover - the introduction to the laws of idolatry pertains to the fulfillment of all the commandments,

because the avoidance of idolatry is "the foundation of all the commandments"⁵⁴.

And therefore the Rambam precedes the entire first chapter before the laws of idolatry,

beginning from "In the days of Enosh etc. people erred etc. <b>the wise men of that</b> generation" and he <b>explains</b> that their error consisted in that they thought,

that "since God created the stars..

and apportioned them honor etc.",

therefore it is fitting that one should honor and praise them,

until building temples for them and serving them, heaven forbid.

With this the Rambam makes understood,

that the main point and cause of idolatry,

(also as it was in the days of Enosh

(when they intended with it "to attain &lt;b&gt;the will of the Creator &lt;/b&gt;in their evil mind")),

is refuted not only because of the command and decree of G‑d,

but this is the opposite of truth and reality,

the opposite of intellect&lt;sup&gt;55&lt;/sup&gt;,

this originated from that "&lt;b&gt;men erred &lt;/b&gt;a great error"; knowing "that You alone are [G‑d]" they fell into the sin of idolatry because of "their error and foolishness that they imagine that this vanity is Your will" &lt;sup&gt;56&lt;/sup&gt;.

And in law b the Rambam brings out the lower and worse forms of idolatry that exist — saying,

that "G‑d commanded His servant, a certain star"; and the "priests tell them that through this worship you will succeed"; or that "the star itself...

said to them, worship me" — up to saying "that this image does good and does harm etc." — and that they come from that "there arose among men false prophets".

D.

E.

That the error in thought and heart mentioned above led&lt;sup&gt;57&lt;/sup&gt;

to such a descent,

which is even lower than error in intellect and understanding,

but this is a matter of the opposite of intellect entirely,

which stems from "&lt;b&gt;false&lt;/b&gt; prophets...

&lt;b&gt;lying&lt;/b&gt; others".

And this brings eventually to completely forgetting about the Holy One, blessed be He,

as it was then — "and when the days lengthened, the honored and awesome name was forgotten from the mouth of all creatures, etc." — that because of this great error, one went in the course of time from bad to worse,

until the state of forgetting and not knowing that there is a Creator of the world and its Leader⁵⁷.

And after all this, the Rambam adds to describe

(in Halacha 3)

how Abraham our father came to knowledge of God,

which brings out even more than that a person must be refuted

(also from the aspect of intellect)

every form of idolatry — that even when Abraham found himself among idol worshippers in a bad way⁵⁸,

"and he worshipped with them",

and nevertheless he was the one who "attained the path of <b>truth</b> and understood the line of <b>righteousness</b>⁵⁹

from his correct understanding etc. and knew that the whole world was mistaken etc."60.

Further: the Rambam also describes in detail how Avraham came to this - "And he was perfect, how is it possible that this sphere should always conduct itself and have no leader, and who will turn it, for it is impossible for it to turn itself..

And his heart roamed and understood".

D.

E.

So the creation itself compels and reveals the "path of truth",

that "there is one God and He leads the sphere and He created everything etc."

That all this is as mentioned above,

an introduction and a foundation

(and also a part)

of <b>Laws of</b> idolatry: not only is this effective and operative that a Jew should guard himself from idolatry in deed,

but this does, and primarily,

that <b>in his thought</b> and in his heart should be established the truth which prevents that there should be at all any place for this sin - that in his intellect it becomes verified for him that all creations have no existence and importance on their own,

and as mentioned above⁶¹.

6.

Based on this one can explain why the Rambam chose the version "And at <b>forty</b> years old Abraham recognized his Creator" - and not the version "at forty-eight years" and the like

(and additionally on this, a reason is needed - why does the Rambam need to say at all how old he was then),

Because also through this comes to in the aforementioned emphasis and highlighting of the negation of idolatry:

Regarding the age of forty years, Chazal say⁶²

that "a son of forty [is] for understanding."

D.

H.

That when one reaches the age of forty years,

one comes to,

<b>from his nature</b>,

to a perfection in understanding and comprehension

(like "a son of thirty for strength" which precedes is a matter in the <b>nature</b> of man,

and likewise "a son of five for Scripture" which precedes it,

and "a son of fifty for counsel",

"a son of sixty for old age" etc.,

which follow)⁶³.

From this it is understood,

that the comprehension and recognition of the existence of the Creator,

and of the negation of the existence and importance of anything besides Him, may He be blessed,

is a matter that is connected with the &lt;b&gt;nature&lt;/b&gt; of the &lt;b&gt;created&lt;/b&gt; intellect — not a matter that is above the category of created intellect&lt;sup&gt;64&lt;/sup&gt;.

And for this reason the Rambam adopts the version of "at forty years old he &lt;b&gt;recognized&lt;/b&gt; his Creator",

because this is the age when the recognition and comprehension of the intellect is at its fullness,

And this is in accordance with the content of the entire halacha and chapter

(Although also according to the opinion of the Rambam, most years will make known wisdom⁶⁵

and as mentioned "at fifty etc." also afterwards Abraham was successively elevated in the recognition of the Creator,

at forty-eight,

fifty,

and so forth)⁶⁶.

Based on this it is also understood why the Rambam does not mention

(at the beginning of the halacha)

that Abraham was "three years old" when "he began to think and roam in his thought" and with this began the matter of "he recognized his Creator" - because then it would have given a place for error,

that this was for him not connected with the nature of the intellect from its own side,

but entirely in a miraculous manner⁶⁷,

above intellect⁶⁸

; being

At three years old,

he already had a recognition of G‑dliness⁶⁹

7.

And with this point and intention, the Rambam continues further in the halachah,

elaborating and detailing how Abraham "began to answer answers etc. and to arrange <b>argument</b> with them ..

since he overcame them <b>with his proofs</b>, the king sought to kill him⁷⁰

etc." and how "he would travel and call out and gather the people from city to city",

until he returned the people "to the path of <b>truth</b>⁷¹

until thousands and myriads gathered to him, and they are the men of the house of Abraham, and he planted <b>in their hearts</b> this great principle" —

Through rational proofs and demonstrations he turned back "thousands and tens of thousands"

(who were idol worshipers)

"to the path of truth" "and planted in their hearts",

which all of this adds and emphasizes in the strength and verification of man's recognition in the negation of idol worship as above.

Ch.

According to this is explained the matter of the above,

that "if he were in the generation of Abraham he would not be considered anything":

Here it is not meant that regarding Avraham himself "he was not considered anything" but regarding "&lt;b&gt;the generation &lt;/b&gt;of Avraham" -

And "the generation of Avraham" means

(not the time when Avraham became famous in his generation through "the souls which they made in Charan"

(which this began already in the lifetime of Noach,

as above),

at the time when the generation became &lt;b&gt;his generation&lt;/b&gt;,

in accordance with the way of Avraham,

to his opinion, his system, and his conduct,

which this had not yet been revealed at the time when he was in Ur Kasdim where only "&lt;b&gt;he prevailed &lt;/b&gt;over them with his proofs",

and even not being in Charan,

but much la- ter,

when "he arrived in the land of Canaan and he called out, as it is stated&lt;sup&gt;72&lt;/sup&gt;

and he called there in the name of Hashem, the God of the world, until thousands and myriads gathered to him and they are the men of the house of Avraham &lt;b&gt;and he planted &lt;/b&gt;in their hearts this great principle":

The point in this is,

that their recognition of the Creator was not

(only)

through that which Avraham had vanquished them,

"<b>He prevailed </b>over them with his proofs" and even also not

but)

(only)

in a manner that they <b>accepted </b>with <b>their intellect </b>the explanations and proofs of Avraham,

and consequently their recognition of G‑dliness was like an acquired matter

(from that which Avraham had placed into them)

— rather "<b>He implanted </b>in their hearts",

he <b>implanted </b>in them⁷³

the recognition and knowledge of G‑dliness,

so that it became in them an intrinsic thing,

in the manner as with Avraham — they recognized G‑dliness

(also)

from <b>their </b>own intellect itself.

And then it is appropriate to say that this is "the generation of Avraham" — <b>Avraham's </b>generation⁷⁴,

that the generation⁷⁵

was thoroug-

Taking with recognition of G‑dliness,

in the manner of Abraham⁷⁶.

And accordingly the wording "If he were in the generation of Abraham" is understood,

because the state of the generation was after the death of Noah,

when Abraham was in his seventies⁷⁷.

9.

According to this, one can however understand the continuation in halacha 3,

where the Rambam says,

that after the children of Yaakov became a "nation that knows G-d until the days of Israel in Egypt were prolonged

(is in continuation to this a change occurred)

and they returned to learn their deeds and worship idols like them etc. and almost the principle that Avraham planted was uprooted" - according to the above brings out the opposite of the content of the entire chapter,

that man from his intellect itself knows the emptiness of idolatry,

and knows and recognizes the Supreme One - and here one says,

that even the "nation that knows G-d",

"returned to learn their deeds and worship idols like them".

So this is understood according to the continuation and conclusion of the chapter in the Rambam,

and this is its language: "And from the love of G-d for us He made Moshe the master of all prophets and sent him, since Moshe our teacher prophesied and G-d chose Israel as an inheritance, He crowned them with commandments and informed them the way of His service and what will be the judgment of those who err after them".

and all who err after them".

The Rambam thereby emphasizes: that the existence of idolatry and its worship in any manner whatsoever

(even in the manner of the generation of Enosh)

has no existence,

is indeed a matter conceived and understood from the nature of human intellect and compelled from creation,

as above,

and this is relevant to know as an introduction to the laws of idolatry,

because this effects in the human intellect recognition of G-dliness and negation of idolatry,

as above -

But together with this one must know,

that one &lt;b&gt;cannot rely&lt;/b&gt;,

&lt;b&gt;build &lt;/b&gt;also on this alone,

that his intellect should be the sole &lt;b&gt;foundation &lt;/b&gt;to keep oneself from idolatry and to have recognition of the existence of the Creator and serve Him; as we see from Israel in those days,

that after becoming a "nation that knows the L-rd" it was when "the days of Israel in Egypt lengthened and they returned to learn their deeds and worship idols like them etc..

the children of Jacob return to the error of the world and their errors"

- In order to protect from the sin of idolatry, they needed to arrive at that which "Because of Hashem's love for us ..

Moshe Rabbeinu, the master of all prophets, made and sent, and since Moshe Rabbeinu prophesied and Hashem chose Israel as an inheritance, &lt;b&gt;He crowned them with commandments and informed them of the way of His service &lt;/b&gt;etc." - d.

h.

So the existence was from the side of Hashem's command.

And not only the recognition of the existence of the Creator, but also His service,

which also this is a matter to which one is

came

(in the time of Abraham)

through his own recognition — "that it is not fitting to serve except the God of the world, and to Him it is fitting to bow down and to sacrifice and to pour libations etc."⁷⁸

— through this one <b>knows </b>that also this is connected with the word of G‑d,

the prophecy of Moses our teacher,

the Almighty "made known to them the way of His service".

And it may be said that this also pertains to halachah: even one,

for whom the negation of the existence of idolatry and the recognition is in him conceived and compelled by reason,

through him fulfilling the commandment and command of idolatry

(also the negative commandment in it,

the not serving idolatry)

because of that which "&lt;b&gt;made known to them &lt;/b&gt;the way of His service".

Yud.

According to the above it comes out,

that in chapter one of the Laws of Idolatry the Rambam brings out two laws: a)

that the sin of idolatry is a matter that is illogical also from the perspective of human intellect,

and through one delving into it with his intellect the absurdity and the detailed commands and prohibitions of idolatry become confirmed and fixed; b)

And on the other hand,

that the <b>fulfillment</b> of the commandment <b>in practice</b> should not be "built"

(Rather)

upon his recognition and knowledge,

rather he should do it because "He informed them of the way of His service",

because the Almighty so commanded through Moses our teacher "the master of all prophets".

D.

E.

The fulfillment in practice must be founded also on faith in God⁷⁹

and also the awe to transgress also the command of God.

The commands and prohibitions of idolatry are the negative side,

the matter of negative commandments,

and the positive side in this is the positive commandment of knowledge of God and unity of God

that the first book of the Book of the Hand "I will include in it all the commandments that are the foundation of the Torah of Moses our teacher, peace be upon him, etc., such as the unity of the Holy One, blessed be He, and the prohibitions of idolatry, and I called the name of this book the Book of Knowledge"⁸¹]

- so also when he speaks about the positive commandment the Rambam brings the two aforementioned matters:

In the beginning of Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah he says the wording "to know that there is a First Existence

(to know that there is a God&lt;sup&gt;82&lt;/sup&gt;)

so the commandment consists in knowing and understanding with intellect that there exists the First Existence,

the God, Creator of the world; and in the beginning of Sefer HaMitzvos&lt;sup&gt;83&lt;/sup&gt;

the Rambam says the wording

"He commanded us in the belief in the Godhead, that we believe that there is a Cause and a Reason etc." - the command is,

that one should believe with faith&lt;sup&gt;84&lt;/sup&gt;

(above intellect)

in the existence of a Divine Cause and Reason.

11.

And according to this, one may add in the inwardness of the matters:

Just as in the recognition and knowledge of the Creator of the world,

regarding the positive commandment,

it is not sufficient to have only the <b>knowledge</b> of G‑dliness⁸⁵,

because since the person compels this with his intellect — and with the intellect one can “grasp” only the aspect of G‑dliness that is drawn down in the manner of “the first existent and He brings into existence all that exists”⁸⁶,

d.

h.

as the Most High, so to speak, contracts Himself to have a connection to the existence of the world — but the recognition of the “true existence” of G‑dliness,

the Divine light as it is above having a connection to the world — this one can “grasp” only with faith,

which is above intellect;

So it is in the aspect of negation,

in the commands and prohibitions of idolatry,

that

(not only does their actual existence need not be built only on intellect,

but also)

that which needs to be verified in his intellect the absence of the existence and importance of every thing except the Most High

(and all the more so

the lowest extreme of idolatry)

Also <b>the </b>negation is not sufficient when it is only from the intellect,

because in addition to that when

(only)

his intellect is the foundation,

it can be painted that being immersed a long time in the world and in worldly matters,

the existence of the world

(and all that pertains to it)

has an influence and effect and overcomes his intellect,

until leading, heaven forbid, to the most opposite and lowest extreme,

as it was with the Jews in Egypt,

that because of this that "the length of days" caused "they returned to learn their deeds and to worship idolatry like them"],

The intellect of man is an existence — a created, limited existence,

therefore the intellect does not have the ability to negate the existence of the created beings with absolute negation.

Specifically when this comes from the command of the <b>Most High</b>,

and in the way of faith⁸⁷,

Then he truly hears⁸⁸,

that every reality other than Him, blessed be He, is utterly negated.

(From the talk of Motzaei Shabbos Parshas Noach 5740)