Derech Hashem: Generalities and Details
~ Torah Parallels: Derech Hashem ~
Generalities and Details
By: Daniel Listhaus
By: Daniel Listhaus
Hakdama
The Ramchal (R' Moshe Chaim Luzzatto) writes in his introduction to Derech Hashem that when one is confronted with many details but is not aware how they relate to one another, the details remain a paradox and take a toll on the mind that carries them. Each particular detail might grab one's attention to focus to it in curiosity and want to delve deeper to understand. However, if one allows his curiosity to further himself down the proverbial rabbit hole at the detail level, it will be a frustrating ride. One would still be missing the huge step back and trying to grasp what the overall underlying concept is that is driving the details. Imagine someone who know absolutely nothing even as basic as logic, simple math, or knowledge of the laws of nature. Imagine this person drops a baseball a realizes that it falls instead of staying in place - he discovered gravity. However if he remains with the specigic details of "when I drop a white baseball with red stitches it falls to the ground" and continues down that route, he will have started his assumptions without including the fact that anything dropped to the ground will fall, let alone that everything will fall at the same speed, let alone that there is a gravitational pull, let alone that the Earth is hovering in space, etc. etc. etc.
Details are fun to explore, available to debate, and easy to recall; however details are not what decide the rules around how things work; that is for the generalities.
The study of concepts are vital as they define the details. The understanding of the concepts lead to understanding of the applications. Sometimes details look like larger concepts but really, they are just part of something bigger. Whenever one comes across a piece of information, one must ask himself is it a part or a whole, a particular or a general, an effect or a cause. Knowing how to search for the roots and core parts of things is essential to understanding the parts, details, or effects. After all, one who knows the core will already have a good sense of the possible outcomes and applications.
The purpose of the Derech Hashem is to set forth the general principles of Jewish belief and clearly define some of the underlying themes and overlaying concepts found in the Torah and meforshim. The sefer is divided into four sections:
1. Klal Yesodos ha'metzius u'phrotosuv (General basis of all existence and its details)
2. Hashgachas Hashem (G-d's providence)
3. Nevuah (prophecy)
4. Avodah (religious observance)
The Ramchal (R' Moshe Chaim Luzzatto) writes in his introduction to Derech Hashem that when one is confronted with many details but is not aware how they relate to one another, the details remain a paradox and take a toll on the mind that carries them. Each particular detail might grab one's attention to focus to it in curiosity and want to delve deeper to understand. However, if one allows his curiosity to further himself down the proverbial rabbit hole at the detail level, it will be a frustrating ride. One would still be missing the huge step back and trying to grasp what the overall underlying concept is that is driving the details. Imagine someone who know absolutely nothing even as basic as logic, simple math, or knowledge of the laws of nature. Imagine this person drops a baseball a realizes that it falls instead of staying in place - he discovered gravity. However if he remains with the specigic details of "when I drop a white baseball with red stitches it falls to the ground" and continues down that route, he will have started his assumptions without including the fact that anything dropped to the ground will fall, let alone that everything will fall at the same speed, let alone that there is a gravitational pull, let alone that the Earth is hovering in space, etc. etc. etc.
Details are fun to explore, available to debate, and easy to recall; however details are not what decide the rules around how things work; that is for the generalities.
The study of concepts are vital as they define the details. The understanding of the concepts lead to understanding of the applications. Sometimes details look like larger concepts but really, they are just part of something bigger. Whenever one comes across a piece of information, one must ask himself is it a part or a whole, a particular or a general, an effect or a cause. Knowing how to search for the roots and core parts of things is essential to understanding the parts, details, or effects. After all, one who knows the core will already have a good sense of the possible outcomes and applications.
The purpose of the Derech Hashem is to set forth the general principles of Jewish belief and clearly define some of the underlying themes and overlaying concepts found in the Torah and meforshim. The sefer is divided into four sections:
1. Klal Yesodos ha'metzius u'phrotosuv (General basis of all existence and its details)
2. Hashgachas Hashem (G-d's providence)
3. Nevuah (prophecy)
4. Avodah (religious observance)
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