Actuality Is Only Greater Than Potential Because God Willed It To Be

Okay, good evening, gentlemen. We're continuing in this revolutionary safer of Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan. Ma'ayanei Ha'ar. I got messages from all across the Rabbi Kaplan's family. Um so this limud is reverberating far beyond our chabura over here. And we're talking about the defining and identifying the tachlis of creation, the purpose of creation. We brought many sefarim that said the purpose of creation was to because of Hashem's midas hachesed. Cuz Hashem wanted to be meitiv to creation. And on the other hand, there are many sources that the purpose of creation is that we should come to know Hashem and recognize him and fear him. So what is it? Is it for Hashem's chesed to us or is that there's a purpose that we come to recognize Hashem? So to that regarding that question, we answered that the primary function is that Hashem created the world to be meitiv to us. The secondary purpose and the way the medium with which Hashem will be meitiv to us is through us coming to recognize Hashem and us fearing Hashem. But the primary purpose of creation is for our benefit, not his benefit. It serves Hashem no benefit to create the world. However, then the Rabbi Kaplan went further because there is a Gemara in Yoma that says the whole purpose of creation was lichvodai. Leibaruch Hakadosh Baruch Hu asah olam ela lichvodai. Or look on page Yad Aleph, the Gemara in Yoma says on daf lamed ches, kol pa'alo Hashem lema'ano. Also in the Braisa at the end of Avos, it says kama shebarah Hakadosh Baruch Hu ba'olam leibar ela lichvodai. This sounds like the purpose of creation is for his benefit, not for our benefit. Okay. So last week we saw this whole approach basically spelled out in the sefer Shvilei Ha'Emunah of Rav Meir ben Rabbi Yitzchak Aldabi, a grandson of the Rash, that before the world was created, Hashem didn't need us. And just like he didn't need us before it was created, he doesn't need us after it's created. But he created it to show the glory of his greatness, because he's not considered a creator until he creates. And even though had he not created the world, nothing would have been missing, and nothing was added by creating the world, but he's not called the creator until he creates, even though he's not missing anything before he creates. But by creating the world, he adds perfection to his perfection. I must you really like that. And the the upshot is there's more 1 second, but this is this is not an answer yet. We really just stopped short. That the the Tamtzis Hadvarim is there's more perfection in actuality than there is in potential. Even though Hashem could create the world if he wants to, but there's more perfection in doing it than in being able to do it. And then Rabbi Kaplan quotes Eitz Chaim that from Drush Agudam V'Yashar that Hashem is perforce, he needs to be shalem in all of his actions, in all of his abilities, and all of his names, and therefore if he does not bring out his ability to fruition, he's lacking in shlemus. And this comes from the Zohar and the Raya Mehemna that Yesh Lad'as Shehu Nikra Chocham B'chol Minei Chochmais U'meivin B'chol Minei Tvunais Adein Sa'if, but before God created the world, Haya Nikra B'chol Ois U'madregas Hashem Bru U'shuas Livrei, before God created the world, all the various names Hashem had, creator, compassionate, merciful. What do you mean a creator? He didn't create. What do you mean merciful? To who? What do you mean compassionate? To who? So, all of the names of Hashem before creation were potentials. Because if Hashem doesn't create the world, then what way is he a rachum, a dayan? How is Hashem a rachum, a dayan, an Elokim, and Adonai? It's all potential. Okay, now we'll go to Yud Gimel. Sorry, I'll read mine is a bit more clear than yours. So, kodem bri'as ha'olam, Hashem was missing. Because if he added perfection to his perfection, that means his perfection wasn't perfect. Also, the lashon of these farm is Hashem was muchrach to be shalem. He was muchrach? Then what? Then what? Hashem needed to create the world? What? That means Hashem has a need. He has a need to be perfect. That means if he's not perfect, he's missing. So, that by definition is an impossibility. To say that it was muchrach for Hashem to create the world, >> [snorts] >> then you have to say the world had to be. Well, if it had to be, if the bri'ah had to be, then that means if it wasn't, then something was missing. But how could we say that in any way Hakadosh Baruchu was missing? It's mashma that the Ribono shel Olam needed, it was muchrach that he be complete in the epitome of perfection. Therefore, he had to bring potential to actuality. V'livro olam, the existence of the world was a necessity, which means the world had to be in reality. What do you mean it had to be? Well, if it wasn't, was something missing? That's a that's a wonder. The only thing is the reality of Hashem himself. And now we're further saying according to this case, God needs the creation. You know, that's the big controversy. Does God need every aid? We say no. According to the standard way of looking at things says Rabbi Kaplan, it would come out Hashem would need creation. The Rambam writes explicitly in that all that is Nitzav needs him and he doesn't need them or anything. And then says Rabbi Kaplan, then the words of the Ariza would contradict each other cuz he says in the beginning of Shaar Haklallim the Ariza says that Hashem created the world when he decided to, when he wanted to, which implies he did not have to. Wanted to means he decided to. And now we're saying no, he needed to because if he didn't, then he would not have actualized the potential and actuality is greater than potential. >> [snorts] >> void If you're going to say that wanting to create the world and needing to bring from potential to reality is a contradiction, then there's a steer in the words of the Ramak himself from what he writes in the Pardes Rimmonim that the Ramak says when it entered Hashem's simple will to reveal his godliness and to do good through meidoise. So, in other words, the Ramak is saying explicitly that Hashem created the world when he wanted to create the world. Nothing would have been lacking had he didn't. If something would have been lacking, then you can't express Hashem wanting to create the world. He had to. More than this, we find in the Reishit Chochmah Shaar HaTeshuvah HaKadosh Baruch Hu Rav Chesed. Hashem is abundantly kind. He bore and he created the world with his kindness binadavah, generously, belishum without any being without being forced. Hashem created the world. Nothing compelled him. Mimeni shemi daso leheitiv, his middah is to do good. Verotzo leheitiv, he wanted to do good linemsam bishiyakiru godlei, they should recognize his greatness. So, the Reishit Chochmah says Hashem wanted to as a free will binadavah without any force, but then he says because of his middah to do good. If you look carefully at the lashon of the Reishit Chochmah, timtza beemes, you'll see in truth yeish teretz chazal, there's an answer bikeeifel halashon. Cuz first he says mim shemi daso leheitiv that God created the world at it's his middah. His middah is to do goodness. It was almost God was compelled through his middah of hatavah to do goodness. And then the Reishit Chochmah says verotzo leheitiv, he wanted to do good. Which implies that even though his middah is to do good and to be motzei his goodness to actuality, nevertheless nitztarich al lashonai. We do need his will. So, in other words, it's somewhat of a contradiction. Did God create the world because he wanted to? Or is because that's his nature to do so. Again, perhaps we would have said that Hashem want Hashem wanted to create the world. And but that's not a contradiction to Hashem as the motive, so to speak, a natural outgrowth of his meter of hatava is that his his meter of goodliness dictated he that he needs to give. No, that is seen as a contradiction because of his meter of toiva is compelling him to give, that means Hashem needs to create the world. So says Rabbi Kaplan, the hoterets to lay the masholim omerem. The answer is really dependent on what the world says. She have poel who hayoitsu shalom mikoyach shiloy yoitsu lapoel. We're here saying that actuality is greater than potential. So therefore we're have a question. If actuality is greater than potential, then Hashem is compelled to create the world because so long as it's only potential goodness, then something's lacking. But the truth is who's to say that actuality is greater than potential? Just because we say it, you know, we say it because it's true, but it's only true because God willed it to be true. In other words, step one is God decided that actuality is greater than potential. Once God decided that he had to create the world. But he didn't have to create the world. He only created the world because he decided actuality is greater than potential. I'll give you a mashal. >> [snorts] >> I I want [snorts] to learn motzei Shabbos. So since I want to learn motzei Shabbos, I give a shiur Sunday morning, and therefore I have no choice but to learn motzei Shabbos. So when I'm learning motzei Shabbos, do I want to or do I have to? I have to, but I'm the one who wanted to learn, so I made the sheer, so now I have to learn Motzei Shabbos. So, the Ribono shel Olam wanted actuality to be greater than potential, and therefore, since he wanted actuality to be greater than potential, therefore, he is compelled to create the world, but ultimately, it stems from his desire that actuality be greater than potential. The Emes Kochi is in the Pardes. We find this in the Pardes. Tasha yedameh ha'adam besichli. When a person thinks in his mind lahavois is a metzius shetiya, to bring about a reality, hinei machshavto lo tafeh, his thoughts won't make it happen. Vahaya kol haya, it won't exist just because he wants something to exist, it won't exist ad yifol be'etzlo payol, until it comes out to fruition. Venimtzah payol sholeim akoyach, so it comes out actuality is more perfect than potential, because potential is lacking reality, and it has no metzius shelamos. But not so when it comes to the actuality of Hashem, the actions of Hashem, that when it comes to the realm of Hashem, >> [snorts] >> actuality is not greater than potential. Ella, the Emes she'afila sorasha payol yoyse shalem akoyach, even according to this logic that actuality is greater than potential, zeh gam kein ba'amur tzon eis boche, that only becomes comes from Hashem willing it to be. Vim haya Hashem roitzeh, if Hashem wanted, Hashem could be goizer that potential is greater than actuality. This is what the Reishis Chochmah means. Hashem's middah is to be meitiv. Hashem's compelled to do good, because Hashem has the potential to do good, and he brings out his potential to reality, why? Cuz he wants to. So, because God wants to, he decides reality is greater than potential. >> [snorts] >> God decreed that actuality is more perfect than kayak than potential. This is more understandable based on what Rabbeinu Tam says in the safer Hayashar. He says, Acharei asher Hisborchu lehavdil After it's explained that the world was not created for any need. >> [snorts] >> God did not create the world for any need. No, rather we're going to say ki nivra lesheim gedolah, it was created for a great cause, which is Avodas Hashem. Listen to what Rabbeinu Tam says. Ki kashya hamelach lo yikarei melech ad asher yehiyu lo am. A king is only a king when he has a nation, like it says berev am hadras melech. So, too, the name creator, you can't be called a creator until there's a creation, and you can't be called Elokim until there's a people, like it says vihayisi lachem leilokim viatem tiyu li laam. Haborei lo yechsar kocho kodem nivra oilam. So, Rabbeinu Tam, the creator was not lacking before the world was created. However, creation added perfection to him. Ach habriah bivrias oilam, by creating the world, hosif shleimusho lo. It added to Hashem's perfection. Ki brias oilam because the creation of the world hosif shleimus shem Elokus, brought perfection to his name. Listen carefully. Vaharei mevuor midvarav, it's clear from the words of Rabbeinu Tam, shelo hosif shleimus beatzmuso chos vishalom. Nothing was added to the perfection of the essence of Hashem. The only thing that was added was to the name of Hashem. The name of Hashem is a yud out of Hashem. It's exterior to Hashem. It's net sal me meno. God's name is made on his ratzain to bring the potential to reality. That he's called this because he's destined to create. Meaning, once God dictated that reality is greater than potential, so what happened was God wanted reality to be greater than potential. He then created the name for himself creator and God. And now that reality is greater than potential and he created the name creator and God, he is now compelled to create the world. So you ask, well then God is deficient if he doesn't create the world. No, it's only because he decided that reality is greater than potential and that thereby created the names boyre and elokim. And now, in order to attain that added perfection, he has to create the world. >> [snorts] >> So, the order of operations, as Rabbeinu Tam explains it, is that God willed reality to be greater than potential. That carved out certain names, boyre and elokim. And now God is compelled, because he wanted to, to create the world. So it's a three-step process. God willed that reality is greater than potential. That carves out his names and now God is compelled to create the world. Okay, guys, bezrat Hashem, next time we'll pick it up over here. Wish you all bracha vehatzlacha vechol tov selah.