An examination of the 11th principle of faith, exploring why divine reward and punishment focus on the World to Come rather than this world, and redefining reward as deveikut (spiritual closeness) with the Almighty.
Rabbi Zweig analyzes the 11th principle of faith: belief in divine reward and punishment. He begins by noting Maimonides' emphasis that the greatest reward is the World to Come while the greatest punishment is being cut off from it, raising fundamental questions about why the Torah (תורה) almost exclusively discusses reward and punishment in this world rather than the afterlife. The lecture identifies several problems: Why doesn't the Torah extensively discuss the World to Come if it's the primary reward? Why does the Torah stress temporal rewards when they're supposedly secondary? How can one believe in divine reward while performing mitzvot without expectation of reward? Rabbi Zweig proposes a two-level understanding of reward and punishment. In this world, rewards and punishments represent the natural order - mitzvot maintain the world in its perfect state, like following blueprints for proper construction. When people observe the 613 commandments, the world functions ideally with proper weather, crops, and harmony. This isn't divine intervention but the natural consequence of following God's design for creation. However, the principle's true focus is schar (reward) in the World to Come, which Rabbi Zweig redefines as deveikut - spiritual closeness and connection with the Almighty. This reward isn't material benefit but the soul's ability to cleave to God's perfection. Mitzvot are not mere obligations but vehicles for developing relationship with the divine. This explains why the principle appears after hashgacha pratit (divine providence) - it represents the next level of God's relationship with individuals. Rabbi Zweig addresses the apparent contradiction between seeking reward and performing mitzvot selflessly. He distinguishes between two types of motivation: seeking personal benefit separate from God (forbidden) versus seeking closeness to God (obligatory). Using an analogy of a student studying either for personal fame or to better understand and connect with his teacher, he explains that pursuing deveikut as reward is not only permitted but mandatory. The World to Come receives little Torah emphasis because it represents unity with God, transcending the bilateral covenant structure of Torah, which addresses two separate parties. True schar involves such complete unity ("Yisrael, Oraita, v'Kudsha Brich Hu chad") that duality disappears, making it beyond Torah's covenant framework. The principle's placement after divine providence creates logical development: first establishing that God orchestrates events, then explaining that mitzvot create deveikut, giving divine coordination its ultimate purpose.
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 - 11th Principle
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