A comprehensive analysis of the ninth principle of faith - that the Torah (תורה) cannot be changed - while addressing the apparent contradictions posed by rabbinic additions and modifications throughout history.
This shiur provides an in-depth exploration of the ninth principle of faith from Maimonides' thirteen principles: that God will not replace or change His law for all time. Rabbi Zweig begins by presenting the Rambam (רמב"ם)'s formulation that nothing can be added to or subtracted from either the written or oral Torah (תורה), as stated in "You shall not add to it nor subtract from it." He then confronts a fundamental challenge to this principle by examining the numerous apparent changes and additions that have occurred throughout Jewish history. The lecture addresses several perplexing questions: How can we maintain that the Torah is unchangeable when we have rabbinic innovations like Chanukah (חנוכה) candles, Purim (פורים) observances, and countless other rabbinic laws? Why are we permitted to bury the dead in shatnez garments based on the principle that after resurrection people will be "chofshi min hamitzvos" (free from commandments)? How do we reconcile the Rambam's own statement that in messianic times, all sacred books except the Five Books of Moses and Megillas Esther will become obsolete? Rabbi Zweig resolves these contradictions by distinguishing between two fundamental concepts: changes to God's essence versus changes in human capacity. The Torah, he explains, is not merely a book of laws regulating human behavior, but rather an expression of God's very essence - His thinking and being revealed to mankind. Just as God cannot change, His Torah cannot change. The acronym for "Anochi Hashem (ה׳) Elokeicha" represents "Ana nafshi ketavis v'yahavis" - I, My very essence, wrote and transmitted. All rabbinic laws and customs, Rabbi Zweig demonstrates, are responses to changes in human capacity and circumstances, never alterations to the divine essence. When rabbis prohibited blowing shofar on Shabbos (שבת) or reading Megillah on Shabbos, they weren't changing these mitzvos but rather strengthening Sabbath observance in response to diminished human sensitivity. These rabbinic enactments are inherently temporary - directed at human frailty rather than divine law. The shiur explores the Talmudic story of Rabbi Yishmael who claimed he could study by candlelight on Shabbos without violating Sabbath laws, yet ultimately did transgress. This illustrates that when a generation requires rabbinic safeguards, no individual can completely extricate himself from his generation's spiritual limitations. Even the most righteous person is affected by the overall spiritual state of his time, though perhaps to a lesser degree. Regarding the messianic age, Rabbi Zweig explains that the prophetic books addressed people who had sinned and needed correction. The Talmud (תלמוד) states that had Israel not sinned, only the Five Books of Moses and Sefer Yehoshua would have been given. In the perfected messianic era, when humanity reaches its ultimate state, the corrective messages of the prophets will no longer be necessary, though the eternal essence of Torah remains unchanged. The lecture concludes by distinguishing authentic Jewish innovation from false prophecy. True Jewish authorities recognize human change and respond with appropriate safeguards while maintaining Torah's divine essence. False prophets claim that God Himself has changed His word, fundamentally misunderstanding that Torah min HaShamayim means God giving over His very self from heaven, not merely divine communication.
An introduction to the first chapter of Ramchal's Derech HaShem, covering six fundamental principles about God's nature and existence, including the difference between emunah (internalization) and yedi'ah (knowledge).
An introductory class to studying the Ramchal's Derech Hashem, covering the author's life, his major works (Mesilat Yesharim, Derech Hashem, Da'at Tevunot), and the philosophical foundations that will guide the series.
Thirteen Principles of Faith - Ninth Principle
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