The Great Sources with Rabbi Shnayor Burton

Rambam writes in the Guide, 3:41:The punishment meted out to anyone who has done wrong tosomebody else consists in general in his being given exactly the same treatment that he has given to somebody else. If he has injured the latter’s body, he shall be injured in his body… And he who has deprived someone of a member, shall be deprived of a similar member: “As he hath maimed a man, so shall it be rendered unto him” (Leviticus 24:20). You should not engage in cogitation concerning the fact that in such a case we punish by imposing a fine. For at present my purpose is to give reasons for the [biblical] texts and not for the pronouncements of the legal sciences. Withal I have an opinion concerning this provision of legal science, which should only be expressed by word of mouth.

What was the secret opinion Rambam held regarding this law?

Written essays are published bi-weekly ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Please subscribe!

"Exodus, Exile and Redemption" is a study of the profound significance of Judaism's history.
Written essays are published bi-weekly ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Please subscribe!
This series is made possible by the Jacob Lights Foundation. To support this and other ongoing foundation initiatives, please consider becoming a paid subscriber to the Substack newsletter or making a tax-deductible donation via Zelle to [email protected].

0:00 What is Judaism all about?2:00 Did the forefathers know the Name of Hashem or not?4:00 Exodus initiated two seemingly different things: knowledge of Hashem and freedom from bondage5:55 Where does the Torah fit into Exodus?9:00 "Nobody is free but for he who studies Torah" – how does the Torah make a person free?13:15 The prophets' opposition to sacrifices, in contradiction to the Torah18:45 Midrash is the insistence to read verses closely and exactly21:30 The focus of the prophets on da'as Hashem25:45 The response to "I am Hashem" is da'as Hashem29:30 Summary of the points made thus far32:00 Moshe asked to know Hashem, and his request was denied36:30 The contradiction between the Torah and the Prophets about whether Hashem can be seen38:30 Two meanings of "seeing" and two meanings of "knowing"43:00 A creature of super-human intelligence once visited earth and revealed that the totality of human knowledge is folly46:15 It's easy to see Hashem – but then you die48:00 Why sacrifices and da'as Hashem are mutually exclusive50:30 Why suicide is the root problem of philosophy1:02:00 Law is for those who don't have da'as Hashem1:13:00 Moshe thought that his mission was one of bringing da'as Hashem to the people, just like all the prophets1:18:45 Hashem told Moshe that the impossibility of da'as Hashem is also a fundamental component of the Torah1:20:30 The one who has da'as Hashem is truly free, since his mind is the mind of Hashem1:25:15 Judaism is fundamentally about freedom1:28:45 "They did not listen to Moshe because of shortness of spirit and because of hard labor" – they refused to embrace da'as Hashem1:31:30 You cannot understand anything about the Torah without realizing that there are two contradictory paths throughout the Torah1:33:30 Is it impossible to be completely free; human beings cannot allow themselves to be completely free1:36:30 In order to being thinking freely, there must be guardrails beyond which one wouldn't think1:41:45 How the Torah is a function of the servitude in Egypt1:43:30 True da'as Hashem is the hypothetical ideal 1:45:45 How the Torah supports the convincing illusion of da'as Hashem1:47:30 Many people make the mistake of trying to make the Torah make sense and have it replace da'as Hashem1:49:20 The stronger your da'as Hashem, the stronger your Torah needs to be

"Exodus, Exile and Redemption" is a study of the profound significance of Judaism's history.
Written essays are published bi-weekly ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Please subscribe!
This series is made possible by the Jacob Lights Foundation. To support this and other ongoing foundation initiatives, please consider becoming a paid subscriber to the Substack newsletter or making a tax-deductible donation via Zelle to [email protected].