S6, E6 Shemona Perakim; Man as Explicator and the Limits of Explanatory Power

This shiur was generously sponsored in memory of R' Moshe Chaim ben Yitzchak David.

Highlights:

Themistius' Law: Reality doesn't follow opinion; rather, correct opinions follow from reality

The universe comports with how humans think

The centrality of humans to the universe is based on the fact that humans can understand the universe

On Kabbalah and philosophy

According to Maimonides, explanatory power reflects truth, but there are also things that are inexplicable; according to Aristotle, everything is explicable

Human beings are explicators

Maimonides opposes predicating the existence of God on creation ex nihilo because creation ex nihilo is inexplicable

If we could explain everything, we wouldn't have awe of God

God is the ultimate explanation, and the human that knows Him is the ultimate human being

The Will of God is inexplicable

The awe that miracles induce is based on us considering ourselves explicators and considering explanation valid; why animals don't have awe of Heaven

Maimonides' strange description of the Chanukkah miracle

Man's sphere lends itself to explanation, and the heavens don't lend themselves to explanation

This series is a project of the Jacob Lights Foundation.