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Why did the Rambam (רמב"ם) organize all mitzvos into 14 categories in Moreh Nevuchim? Each category serves specific societal functions, from establishing fundamental beliefs to preventing social breakdown. The shiur demonstrates this through the 'mi shepara' curse, showing how even verbal agreements require enforcement because society depends on absolute trustworthiness to function.
Rabbi Zweig introduces a new series on the Rambam (רמב"ם)'s Moreh Nevuchim, focusing on Perek Lamed Hey (Chapter 35) where the Rambam divides all mitzvos into 14 categories based on their underlying purposes and societal benefits. The first category encompasses fundamental beliefs and knowledge found in Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah, including teshuvah and ta'aniyos. The Rambam explains that understanding these categories answers the question of what value and purpose mitzvos have. The second category deals with mitzvos related to prohibiting avodah zarah (idolatry), including seemingly unrelated laws like kilayim (forbidden mixtures) and orlah, which the Rambam connects to strengthening true beliefs and eliminating false ideologies. The third category focuses on mitzvos that improve character traits (tikun hamidos), found in Hilchos De'os, because good character is essential for society to function properly.
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Up Next in this Series
Why does the Rambam place Bris Milah in Sefer Ahavah alongside tefillah and Keriat Shema? The shiur develops the principle that milah teaches us to channel the yetzer hara rather than destroy it. True ahavah means giving our whole selves - including our drives and desires - to Hashem's service.
Why does Megillas Esther interrupt Torah study for a message the world deemed ridiculous—that every man should rule his home? The shiur develops the yesod that the moon's willingness to "make itself small" doesn't diminish it but creates unified sovereignty. A woman who enables her husband to lead isn't relegated to second class—she is the king-maker, comfortable creating oneness where a man cannot.
Does going to doctors contradict relying on Hashem as our healer? The Ramban holds medicine is a concession for those not on high spiritual levels, while the Rambam views medicine as a science—a domain Hashem established. The shiur resolves this by explaining that illness uniquely separates a person from Hashem, making self-cure through teshuvah impossible and necessitating medical intervention.
Moreh Nevuchim Part 1, Chapter 35
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Why do we pray to God when He already knows our needs? Prayer serves two functions: reminding us that Hashem is the source of all blessing, and activating our role as God's appointed managers of the world. The Rambam's discussion of Torah reading customs reveals that later generations can modify Moshe's enactments when he acted as king (not prophet), reflecting Jewish responsibility for national destiny.
