The world of ideas #4 צלם

יסוד היסודות ועמוד החכמות, לידע שיש שם מצוי ראשון והוא ממציא כל הנמצא

מצוי ראשון (1 the foundation of Existence is known to us as an, neccessary entity / existent (מצוי). He is first in the causal order or chain (ממציא כל הנמצא) all contingent entities / existent
(נמצא) need Him as a cause:

לא נמצאו אלא מאמיתת הימצאו

2)The need for Him as cause expresses itself in two separate causal chains or Hierarchies (Sedarim):

a) Seder muskal of nimtzaim mufradim michomer b) Seder havayat nimtzaim bi-chomer

Seder muskal of nimtzaim mufradim michomer.

This is the hierarchy of "mind" or ideational contingent entities that are more abstract than material laws. These contingent entities' order is in terms of priority of actual haskalah -their knowledge is dependent upon each other in a way which is analogous to a students dependence on the ideas of his master. Each level is assigned the action of bringing into being the next in order as result of its haskala of idea. The lowest muskal in this order is Sechel ha-poel tzura bichomer on Aretz- the active intellect. This tzura bichomer is expressed in an evolutionary process (Seder havaya) whose climax is the realization of mind in man.

Seder havayat nimtzaim bi-chomer

The evolutionary process of Seder havayat nimtzaim bi-chomer is accomplished through realizing potential- Hylic Tzura. Hylic Tzura expresses itself in the eternal structure of the Contingent entities ie the continuous becoming of generations of changing individuals. This structure identifies a hierarchy of species minim: ha-domem, ha-tzomech, Chai and midaber that interact in a ecosystem called aretz. Each of these species exist in matter as a idea expressed as a law in a material substratum (gravity,DNA,chemical bonds). This material substratum presupposes a material process that evolves from mechanistic combinations of primordial elements (Yesodot) through a series of material stages into the fully developed, self perpetuating earthly ecosystem. This self perpetuation is the eternal series of generations- lifetimes of individuals of the same kind interacting in our ecosystem.

b. The end product of this evolutionary process or the highest hylic tzura is human mind or nefesh. It is first because its coming into being is actual sechel-the action of reflection upon ideas. This reflection upon ideas rests upon the power of sechel to reflect upon its own difference from baal chai as a nefesh chaya. This reflection upon the phenomenon of nefesh chaya, a knowledge of the eternal ideas underlying the hierarchy of minim is the link of Shamayim va-aretz. As actual knowing, mans knowledge of the cause of eternity in minim whose individual hovim are changing is the final substratum of tzura bichomer. In contrast the other species unconsciously act on the basis of laws,but are not conscious of the ideas that move them. By his realizing the potentia for knowing, man completes the Creation of the ecosystem of Aretz.

3) The realization of nefesh chaya through discerning its distinctness on aretz opens the possibility of man aiding in Creating the end product of aretz . The first man initiates the process by choosing to realize the potentia to be a realized mind differentiated from the rest of Aretz. This self realization involves a seeking of means to attain ones unique human potentia as a mind. These means are of two kinds of cultivations relevant to human success- yishuv daat and yishuv aretz. Yishuv daat involves gaining the experience in psychological/philosophical/political knowledge needed to make wise decisions. Yishuv aretz involves the actual crafts and skills needed to apply these decisions in real time. How these functions realize themselves depend upon the circumstances.This attainment is difficult due to matter, dimayon and mitaveh which seek to limit man's decisions and crafts to an animal society.

4) The difficulty of attaining realization of tzura banefesh points to the need for Torah, the instrumental Nimmus hamegia adam lihatzlacha. It is the Torah that makes us aware of the dangers of an animal life such as Egypt. An Egyptian society ignores the reality of theoretical ideas and focuses exclusively on ideas useful for inventions used in success measured exclusively by human conquest of the material world. This preoccupation with conquest,by definition, removes all theoretical meaning from thought and reduces life to competition for greatest conqueror-the animal alpha. The Torah liberates the mind from the slavish meaninglessness and cruelty of a purely competitive life and guides us to a moderate success that balances conquest with the higher need of enabling the glorious apprehension of a life of justice and chesed of knowing theoretical ideas and cooperating with others in their attainment.