Monthly Archives: February 2011

13 Ikkarim 11 – Tanya vs. Nefesh HaChaim

Rabbi Triebitz points out a fundamental argument between the Arizal as presented by the Tanya, and Nefesh HaChaim regarding the supremacy of Moshe Rabbeinu’s chochma. The Ari/Tanya claim that Moshe’s attainment of chochma was not as great as that of the Arizal. This appears to contradict Rambam’s 7th principle, that Moshe attained the highest level of chochma of anyone before or after him. Rav Tzadok and the Tanya both try to explain this apparent contradiction.
Nefesh HaChaim explains that Adam HaRishon before the sin attained the highest level of wisdom, but that Moshe was the only person after the sin to ever attain a comparable (though not quite as high) level. This is clearly an attack on the Tanya (and possibly the Arizal).
Rabbi Triebitz also brings the Leshem who explains the nature of the sin of Adam, and how it connects to chochma.

The sources for this shiur:
Tanya Iggeret HaKodesh chapter 19

Rav Tzadok HaCohen: Machashavos Charutz

Nefesh HaChaim 1:15 (which you can find at http://he.wikisource.org/wiki/ and then write (in Hebrew letters) nefesh_hachaim_shaar_aleph_perek_tetvav) but I can’t make that into a link because of the Hebrew letters

Leshem: Sefer HaDe’ah p. 290

(I also raise a question from Rav Chaim Volozhoner’s introduction to Safra de-Tzne’usa)

You can watch and download the shiurim below. As always please send any comments, thoughts, ideas or criticisms to admin at hashkafacircle.com

Video of shiur 11

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Thirteen Ikarim 11
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Click here to download the shiur in audio mp3 format
Thirteen Ikarim 11

Review by Marc Shapiro

In this article at Seforim Blog, Marc Shapiro reviews (amongst other things) one of Rabbi Triebitz’s Reshimu articles.

Have a look at what he says there Amongst other things he writes:

Returning to Maimonides and creation, I want to call attention to a very interesting article by R Meir Triebitz. It appears in Reshimu, vol. 1 no. 2 (2008), the journal of the so-called Hashkafa Circle. See here.

As explained in the preface to the first volume, this “Circle” aims to fill a gap in haredi yeshiva education by focusing on the classics of medieval Jewish philosophy which are pretty much ignored in contemporary haredi society. We thus have a situation where great talmudists and halakhists ignore major themes of Jewish philosophy, which were dealt with at length by the medieval sages. When there are theological discussions in haredi literature, they invariably reflect a very conservative position, often at variance with the major rishonim. I already touched on this issue in my conclusion to The Limits of Orthodox Theology, and if Triebitz and his group are successful this situation could be reversed.

Click on the link to read the full review, and why he thinks hashkafa circle will never succeed in fulfilling its mission statement.

13 Ikkarim 10 – Moshe as Chacham

Rabbi Triebitz addresses the contradiction between the 7th and 8th Ikarim. In the 7th, Rambam writes that Moshe reached the pinnacle of human achievement and prophecy, whereas in the 8th Rambam writes that Moshe was simply a ‘scribe’ writing down G-d’s words. It would seem that these two are irreconcilable. Rabbi Triebitz explains with a new and innovative approach to Moshe Rabbeinu and his role as the first Chacham as well as the first Navi.

Sources for this shiur:

Rambam’s first two shorashim in his introduction to Sefer HaMitzvot

Shoresh Rishon

Shoresh Sheni

There are also a couple of Reshimu articles on Shoresh Sheni that are relevant to this shiur

You can watch and download the shiurim below. As always please send any comments, thoughts, ideas or criticisms to admin at hashkafacircle.com

Video of shiur 10

Click here to download the shiur as an flv file
Thirteen Ikarim 10
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Click here to download the shiur in audio mp3 format
Thirteen Ikarim 10

13 Ikkarim 09 – Moshe’s Prophecy

In this shiur Rabbi Triebitz discusses the 7th Principle, the prophecy of Moshe Rabbeinu. He looks at Rambam’s distinctions between the prophecy of Moshe and that of all other prophets. He also claims that the book that Rambam claims that he will write about the prophecy of Moshe is in fact Moreh Nevuchim.

The sources for the next shiur are, Guide 2:35, Introduction to Guide, 3:25, 3:27, 2:39, 3:54, 3:26, 3:40, 2:45.

You can watch and download the shiurim below. As always please send any comments, thoughts, ideas or criticisms to admin at hashkafacircle.com

Video of shiur 09

Click here to download the shiur as an flv file
Thirteen Ikarim 09
(you may have to right click on the link and click ‘save target as’)

Click here to download the shiur in audio mp3 format
Thirteen Ikarim 09

13 Ikkarim 08 – Prophecy

This shiur discusses the 6th principle of the 13 Ikarim – prophecy. Rabbi Triebitz asks (and answers) several questions on this principle:

Why does Rambam include this as a separate principle, when it is basically included within the 7th principle – prophecy of Moshe Rabbeinu

Why is prophecy described by Rambam as the sum total of all wisdom?

Why does Rambam not mention here the Torah view of prophecy, making it sound instead more like the philosophers’ view of prophecy?

Is prophecy still possible today?

These and more are answered in this excellent shiur. Some of the sources for the shiur:

Moreh Nevuchim II:32 (and in English)
Moreh Nevuchim II:26 (and in English)
Moreh Nevuchim II:12 (and in English)
Moreh Nevuchim II:39 (and in English)
Bava Basra 12a (and in English)
Yesodei HaTorah chapter 7 (and in English)

You can watch and download the shiurim below. As always please send any comments, thoughts, ideas or criticisms to admin at hashkafacircle.com

Video of shiur 08

Click here to download the shiur as an flv file
Thirteen Ikarim 08
(you may have to right click on the link and click ‘save target as’)

Click here to download the shiur in audio mp3 format
Thirteen Ikarim 08