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August 1959

Maimonides on the Taamei Hamitzvot (1959)

Reasons for the Commandments
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The problems of medieval Jewish philosophy seem to be wholly irrelevant to the major philosophical concerns of modern Jews. And yet, if Torah is to provide answers to our contemporary problems – or at least to direct the questioning – then one of the major inquiries of Jewry’s Golden Age must be reopened for investigation. We, too, must be prepared to deal with such metaphysical questions as: why observe? Why kashrut? Why Shabbat? What is the reason for all these? Indeed, is there a reason for the divine commandment of any of the rituals?While the modern task of assigning reasons for religious observances is not identical with the medieval polemics on the role of reason in religion – one is mostly pedagogical, the other was primarily philosophical – yet they are contiguous. And the results of the latter-day debate between rationalism (in the footsteps of Maimonides) and anti-rationalism (such as Halevi’s) will determine the type of answers we will give to the modern Jew’s questions, and thus will affect the complexion of Judaism in our new age. We must, therefore, welcome a significant modern contribution to Jewish philosophy by Dr. Samuel Belkin, president of Yeshiva University. In a booklet entitled The Philosophy of Purpose, the first in a series of “Studies in Torah Judaism” published by the community service division of Yeshiva under the editorship of Rabbi Leon Stitskin, Dr. Belkin provides us with an intellectual tool which cuts through to the very heart of the issue.His formula, with regard to observances, the cornerstone of Judaism, is one of classic simplicity: the distinction between reason and purpose. “The [philosophy of reason] is the approach of the pure rationalist; the [philosophy of purpose] is the traditional Jewish attitude.” Reason projects us into historical research. It centers upon the question: why did God ordain this or that practice? Its concern is with origins, with divine wisdom as it is applied to specific historical conditions which,…
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Correspondence

Exchange with Stuart Fischman about "Torah Lishmah" and the Rationale for Mitzvot (2001)

Dear Rabbi Lamm, Hello. I’ve been reviewing the Maharal and I came across a point that I think reflects an idea in your Torah Lishmah (p. 120 page 78 in the Hebrew edition). It seems that perhaps the Maharal shared the perspective of Griz zt"l that you mention in chap. III note 77, that the nissim of Mitzrayim occurred to provide the rationale for the matzot and not the other way around. I found a similar idea as well in מהר”ל (נצח ישראל פכ”ב). I read that you are retiring from the presidency of YU. I hope that freedom from administration will give you more time to write.
Reasons for the Commandments