KNOWLEDGE IS POWER -- G-DLY KNOWLEDGE IS SUPER POWER.
The fourteen volumes of the Mishneh Torah, is the most important set
of books on Jewish law written by Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon, known as the
Rambam – Maimonides, 1135 - 1204. It includes minute details about
sacrifices, G-ds chariot, the fundamental elements of the universe,
healthy diets, the laws of keeping kosher, the Jewish holidays, family
law, and the ultimate redemption with the coming of Moshiach, and much
more. The Rambam/Maimonides deduces from the Talmud and Rabbinic
literature clear legal decisions, reorganizes them, and creates a
perfect order out of the apparent Talmudic disarray. No one since, has
achieved anything like it.
The following, is guidance and inspiration from the actual words of the Rambam, applicable in our current daily lives, based on the eternal wisdom and words of G-d in the Torah.
THE ULTIMATE GOAL IN PERFORMING G-DS COMMANDMENTS IS, TO SUBJUGATE THE EVIL INCLINATION.
All of these ordinances are to subjugate one's evil inclination and improve one's character. Similarly, most of the Torah's laws are nothing other than "counsels given from distance" from "He Who is of great counsel" to improve one's character and make one's conduct upright. And so it is written Proverbs 22:20-21: "Behold, I have written for you in the Torah prominent matters, to inform you of the veracity of the words of truth, so that you will respond truthfully to those who send to you."
Blessed be the Merciful One Who grants assistance.
G-ds commandments are the ultimate recipe to gain mastery over ourselves.
ONE IS NOT ALLOWED TO LIE EVEN IF HE INTENDS IN THE END TO DO THE HONEST THING.
It is forbidden for a person to lodge a false claim to distort a judgment or prevent its execution. What is implied? If a person was owed a hundred dollars by a colleague, he may not lodge a claim against him for 200, so that the defendant/borrower will admit owing one hundred and (then will) be obligated to take an oath. (Since anyone who partially admits to a claim must make an oath.)
If a person owes a colleague a hundred dollars, and the colleague claims 200 from him, he should not say: "I will deny the entire amount in court so that I will not be required to take an oath (since according to the Bible, one who denies the entire claim is exempt from taking an oath before the judges) and acknowledge the debt of the 100 dollars (later on) in private."
FORBIDDEN TO SELL DANGEROUS ITEMS….. EVEN TO SOMEONE, WHO MIGHT SELL IT, TO THE PROBLEM PERSON
It is forbidden to sell to dangerous people (who have a presumption of acting unlawfully) any weaponry. We may not sharpen weapons for them or sell them a knife, chains put on the necks of prisoners, fetters, iron chains, raw Indian iron, bears, lions, or any other object that could cause danger to people at large. One may, however, sell them shields, for these serve only the purpose of defense.
Just as it is forbidden to sell such weaponry to these type of people, so too, is it forbidden to sell it to an otherwise upright person who will sell it to these people.
It is permitted to sell weapons to the soldiers of the country in which one lives, because they defend the inhabitants of the land.
MAN’S NATURE IS SUCH THAT IT CAN NOT BE RELIED UPON TO ALWAYS TO WHAT’S RIGHT, THEREFORE WE NEED, “LAWS”.
…Human nature tends to increase his property and attach importance to his money. Even though he made a vow or consecrated something, it is possible that he will reconsider, change his mind, and redeem it for less than its worth. Hence the Torah states: "If he redeems it for himself, he must add a fifth."
Similarly, if he consecrated an animal in a manner that its physical person becomes consecrated, he might reconsider. In this instance, since he cannot redeem it, he will exchange it for a lesser one. If he was given permission to exchange a superior animal for an inferior one, he will exchange an inferior one for a superior one and claim that it was superior. Therefore, the Torah removed that option, forbidding all exchanges and penalized him if he made an exchange, "It and the animal to which its holiness will be transferred shall be consecrated."
All of these ordinances are to subjugate one's evil inclination and improve one's character.
The following, is guidance and inspiration from the actual words of the Rambam, applicable in our current daily lives, based on the eternal wisdom and words of G-d in the Torah.
THE ULTIMATE GOAL IN PERFORMING G-DS COMMANDMENTS IS, TO SUBJUGATE THE EVIL INCLINATION.
All of these ordinances are to subjugate one's evil inclination and improve one's character. Similarly, most of the Torah's laws are nothing other than "counsels given from distance" from "He Who is of great counsel" to improve one's character and make one's conduct upright. And so it is written Proverbs 22:20-21: "Behold, I have written for you in the Torah prominent matters, to inform you of the veracity of the words of truth, so that you will respond truthfully to those who send to you."
Blessed be the Merciful One Who grants assistance.
G-ds commandments are the ultimate recipe to gain mastery over ourselves.
ONE IS NOT ALLOWED TO LIE EVEN IF HE INTENDS IN THE END TO DO THE HONEST THING.
It is forbidden for a person to lodge a false claim to distort a judgment or prevent its execution. What is implied? If a person was owed a hundred dollars by a colleague, he may not lodge a claim against him for 200, so that the defendant/borrower will admit owing one hundred and (then will) be obligated to take an oath. (Since anyone who partially admits to a claim must make an oath.)
If a person owes a colleague a hundred dollars, and the colleague claims 200 from him, he should not say: "I will deny the entire amount in court so that I will not be required to take an oath (since according to the Bible, one who denies the entire claim is exempt from taking an oath before the judges) and acknowledge the debt of the 100 dollars (later on) in private."
FORBIDDEN TO SELL DANGEROUS ITEMS….. EVEN TO SOMEONE, WHO MIGHT SELL IT, TO THE PROBLEM PERSON
It is forbidden to sell to dangerous people (who have a presumption of acting unlawfully) any weaponry. We may not sharpen weapons for them or sell them a knife, chains put on the necks of prisoners, fetters, iron chains, raw Indian iron, bears, lions, or any other object that could cause danger to people at large. One may, however, sell them shields, for these serve only the purpose of defense.
Just as it is forbidden to sell such weaponry to these type of people, so too, is it forbidden to sell it to an otherwise upright person who will sell it to these people.
It is permitted to sell weapons to the soldiers of the country in which one lives, because they defend the inhabitants of the land.
MAN’S NATURE IS SUCH THAT IT CAN NOT BE RELIED UPON TO ALWAYS TO WHAT’S RIGHT, THEREFORE WE NEED, “LAWS”.
…Human nature tends to increase his property and attach importance to his money. Even though he made a vow or consecrated something, it is possible that he will reconsider, change his mind, and redeem it for less than its worth. Hence the Torah states: "If he redeems it for himself, he must add a fifth."
Similarly, if he consecrated an animal in a manner that its physical person becomes consecrated, he might reconsider. In this instance, since he cannot redeem it, he will exchange it for a lesser one. If he was given permission to exchange a superior animal for an inferior one, he will exchange an inferior one for a superior one and claim that it was superior. Therefore, the Torah removed that option, forbidding all exchanges and penalized him if he made an exchange, "It and the animal to which its holiness will be transferred shall be consecrated."
All of these ordinances are to subjugate one's evil inclination and improve one's character.
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