Rambam: On the Three Types of Ra

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Rambam: On the Three Types of Ra

It is difficult to choose which chapters of the Rambam's Guide for the Perplexed (Moreh ha'Nevuchim) are the most important, from an objective standpoint. I can, however, say that this chapter (Section 3 Chapter 12) is one that has had the greatest impact on me, personally, in my day-to-day life. 

I teach this text as part of my Iyov curriculum. Truthfully, this chapter ought to be read within the context of the several chapters that precede and follow it. However, it can be read as a standalone text. I decided to present a full translation of this single chapter here, without commentary, so that I can more easily make reference to it in future blog posts. 

One important note on translation. The term "ra" (רע) in Hebrew is multifaceted, and is therefore difficult to render into a single English equivalent. Depending on the context, "ra" can be translated as the following nouns and adjectives:

• bad / badness
• (morally) evil
• displeasing / detestable
• detriment / detrimental
• harm / harmful
• loss / destruction / non-existence
• corruption / deterioration
• pain / suffering
• deficiency / lack / privation
• unhealthy
• inferior

Each usage must be inferred from its context. For example, when a pasuk describes Haman as "ra," it clearly means "evil," but when Hashem is described as "bringing ra upon Bnei Yisrael," it means "harm" or "loss" or "destruction." In Paroh's dream, the adjective "raos" used to describe the cows means "unhealthy" or "inferior." When Mishlei speaks of "ra" as a consequence, it means "detrimental" or "painful." 

In an attempt to preserve this omni-comprehensive use of the term "ra," I will keep it as a transliteration throughout this excerpt. The word "ra" will be used for the adjective or singular form of the noun, and "raos" will be used for the plural form of the noun. Accordingly, the transliterations "tov" and "tovos" will be used as a stand-in for "good" and "goods," and should be understood as the opposite of "ra" and "raos." 

The translation below is a fusion of the Friedlander, Pines, and Qafih translations, along with some of my own. The paragraph divisions and headings are my own as well. 

Rambam: Moreh ha'Nevuchim 3:12

The Mistaken Assessment of the Ratio of Ra to Tov

Men frequently think that the raos in the world are more numerous than the tovos; many non-Jewish sayings and songs dwell on this idea. They say that tovos are found only exceptionally, whilst raos are numerous and lasting. Not only common people make this mistake, but even many who believe that they are wise. 

Al-Razi wrote a well-known book: On Metaphysics [or Theology]. Among other mad and foolish things, it contains also the idea, discovered by him, that there exists more ra than tov. For if the happiness of man and his pleasure in the times of prosperity be compared with the mishaps that befall him – such as grief, acute pain, defects, paralysis of the limbs, fears, anxieties, and troubles – it would seem as if the existence of man is a punishment and a great ra for him. This author commenced to verify his opinion by counting all the raos one by one; by this means he opposed those who hold the correct view of the tovos bestowed by God and His evident kindness – namely, that God is absolutely Tov, and that all that comes from Him is absolutely tov without a doubt.

The Cause of this Error and its Remedy

The origin of the error is to be found in the circumstance that this ignorant man – and his party among the common people – judge the whole universe by examining one single person. For an ignorant man believes that the whole universe only exists for him, as if nothing else required any consideration. If, therefore, anything happens to him contrary to his expectation, he at once concludes that the whole universe is ra. 

If, however, he would take into consideration the whole universe, form an idea of it, and comprehend what a small portion he is of the universe, he will find the truth. For it is clear that persons who have fallen into this widespread error as regards the multitude of raos in the world, do not find the raos among the angels, the stars and galaxies, the elements, and that which is formed of them, namely, minerals and plants, or in the various species of living beings, but only in some individual instances of mankind. They wonder that a person, who became leprous in consequence of bad food, should be afflicted with so great an illness and suffer such a misfortune; or that he who indulges so much in sensuality as to weaken his sight, should be struck with blindness, and the like. 

The Correct Perspective of Man's Place in the Universe

What we have, in truth, to consider is this: The whole mankind at present in existence, and likewise every other species of animals, form an infinitesimal portion of the permanent universe, as it is stated: “Man is like nothingness” (Tehilim 144:4); “How much less is man, [who is like] a maggot, and a mortal, [who is like a worm?” (Iyov 25:6); “Surely [He finds fault] with those who dwell in houses of clay” (ibid. 4:19); “Behold, all the nations are as a drop from a bucket” (Yishaya 40:15). There are many other passages in the books of the prophets expressing the same idea. 

It is of great advantage that man should know his station, and not erroneously imagine that the whole universe exists only for him. We hold that the universe exists because the Creator wills it so; that mankind is low in rank as compared with the uppermost portion of the universe, namely, with the planets and the stars. But as regards the angels, there cannot be any real comparison between man and angels, although man is the highest of all beings on earth – that is, of all beings formed of the four elements. 

Man's existence is nevertheless a wonderfully tov situation for him, and his distinction and perfection is a divine gift. The numerous raos to which individual persons are exposed are due to the defects existing in the persons themselves. We complain and seek relief from our own faults. We suffer from the raos which we, by our own free will, inflict on ourselves, and we ascribe them to God, Who is far from being connected with them, as it is stated: “Corruption is not His – the blemish is His children’s, a perverse and crooked generation” (Devarim 32:5). This is explained by King Solomon, who says: “A man’s foolishness corrupts his way, but his heart rages against Hashem” (Mishlei 19:3). 

I explain this theory in the following manner. The raos that befall man are of three kinds: 

Type #1: Inherent in Matter

(1) The first kind of ra is that which is caused to man by the circumstance that he is subject to genesis and destruction, or that he possesses a body. It is on account of the body that some persons happen to have great deformities or paralysis of some of the organs. This ra may be part of the natural constitution of these persons, or may have developed subsequently in consequence of changes in the elements, e.g., through bad air, or thunderstorms or landslips. We have already shown that, in accordance with the divine wisdom, genesis can only take place through destruction, and without the destruction of the individual members of the species the species themselves would not exist permanently. Thus the true kindness, and beneficence, and goodness of God is clear. 

He who thinks that he can have flesh and bones without being subject to any external influence, or any of the accidents of matter, unconsciously wishes to reconcile two opposites, namely, to be at the same time subject and not subject to change. If man were never subject to change there could be no generation: there would be one single being, but no individuals forming a species. Galen, in the third section of his book, The Use of the Limbs, says correctly that it would be in vain to expect to see living beings formed of an egg fertilized with sperm, who will not die, will never feel pain, or will move perpetually, or will shine like the sun. This statement of Galen is part of the following more general proposition: Whatever is formed of any matter receives the most perfect form possible in that species of matter; in each individual case the defects are in accordance with the defects of that individual matter. The best and most perfect being that can be formed of the egg and the sperm is the species of man, for as far as man's nature is known, he is living, rational, and mortal. It is therefore impossible that man should be free from this type of ra. 

You will, nevertheless, find that the raos of the above kind which befall man are very few and rare; for you find countries that have not been flooded or burned for thousands of years; there are thousands of men in perfect health; deformed individuals are a strange and exceptional occurrence; or say few in number if you object to the term exceptional; they are not one-hundredth, not even one-thousandth part of those that are perfectly normal. 

Type #2: Interpersonal 

The second class of raos comprises such raos as people cause to each other, when, for example, some of them use their strength against others. These raos are more numerous than those of the first kind, and their causes are numerous and known. They likewise originate in ourselves, though the sufferer himself cannot avert them. 

This kind of ra is nevertheless not widespread in any country of the whole world. It is of rare occurrence that a man plans to kill his neighbor or to rob him of his property by night. Many persons are, however, afflicted with this kind of ra in great wars, but these are not frequent, if the whole inhabited part of the earth is taken into consideration. 

Type #3: Self-Inflicted 

(3) The third class of raos comprises those which every one causes to himself by his own action. This is the largest class, and is far more numerous than the second class. It is especially of these raos that all men complain, only few men are found that do not sin against themselves by this kind of ra. Those that are afflicted with it are therefore justly blamed in the words of the prophet: “This was brought about by your own hand” (Malachi 1:9); the same is expressed in the following passage: “A destroyer of his own soul will do this” (Mishlei 6:32). In reference to this kind of ra, Solomon says: “A man’s foolishness corrupts his way, but his heart rages against Hashem” (Mishlei 19:3). In the following passage he explains also that this kind of ra is man's own work: “But, see, this I did find: God has made man upright, but they have sought out many scheming calculations” (Koheles 7:29), and these scheming calculations bring the raos upon him. The same subject is referred to in Iyov: “For affliction does not emerge from the dust, nor does misery grow from the earth” (Iyov 5:6). These words are immediately followed by the explanation that man himself is the author of this class of raos: “For man is born to trouble” (Iyov 5:7). 

This class of raos originates in man’s flaws, such as excessive desire for eating, drinking, and sex; indulgence in these things in undue measure, or in improper manner, or partaking of unhealthy food. This course brings diseases and afflictions upon body and soul alike. The sufferings of the body in consequence of these raos are well known. 

Those of the soul are twofold: First, such raos of the soul as are the necessary consequence of changes in the body, insofar as the soul is a force residing in the body; it has therefore been said that the properties of the soul depend on the condition of the body. 

Secondly, the soul, when accustomed to superfluous things, acquires a strong habit of desiring things which are neither necessary for the preservation of the individual nor for that of the species. This desire is without a limit, whilst things which are necessary are few in number and restricted within certain limits; but what is superfluous is without end. 

For example, you desire to have your vessels of silver, but golden vessels are still better; others have even vessels of sapphire, or perhaps they can be made of emerald or rubies, or any other substance that could be suggested. Those who are ignorant and perverse in their thought are constantly in trouble and pain because they cannot get as much of superfluous things as a certain other person possesses. They, as a rule, expose themselves to great dangers, for example, by sea voyage, or service of kings, and all this for the purpose of obtaining that which is superfluous and not necessary. 

Blaming God for Self-Inflicted Harm

When they thus meet with the consequences of the course which they adopt, they complain of the decrees and judgments of God; they begin to blame the time, and wonder at the lack of justice in its changes; that it has not enabled them to acquire great riches, with which they could buy large quantities of wine for the purpose of making themselves drunk, and numerous concubines adorned with various kind of ornaments of gold, embroidery, and jewels, for the purpose of driving themselves to sexual indulgence beyond their capacities – as if the whole universe existed exclusively for the purpose of giving pleasure to these low people. 

The error of the ignorant goes so far as to say that God's power is insufficient, because He has given to this universe the properties which they imagine cause these great ra, and which do not help all ra-disposed persons to obtain the ra which they seek, and to bring their ra souls to the aim of their desires, though these, as we have shown, are really without limit. 

The virtuous and wise, however, see and comprehend the wisdom of God displayed in the universe. Thus David says: “All of the ways of Hashem are kindness and truth, to those who guard His covenant and His testimonies” (Tehilim 25:10). For those who observe the nature of the universe and the commandments of the Torah, and know their purpose, see clearly God's kindness and truth in everything; they seek, therefore, that which the Creator intended to be the aim of man, namely, pursuit of knowledge. Forced by the claims of the body, they seek also that which is necessary for the preservation of the body – “bread to eat and garment to clothe” (Bereishis 28:20), and this is very little; but they seek nothing superfluous. With very slight exertion man can obtain it, so long as he is contented with that which is necessary. 

"You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing" (Tehilim 145:16)

All the difficulties and troubles we meet in this respect are due to the desire for superfluous things. When we seek unnecessary things, we have difficulty even in finding that which is necessary. For the more we desire to have that which is superfluous, the more we meet with difficulties; our strength and possessions are spent in unnecessary things, and are lacking when required for that which is necessary. 

Observe how nature proves the correctness of this assertion. The more necessary a thing is for living beings, the more easily it is found and the cheaper it is; the less necessary it is, the rarer and dearer it is. For example, air, water, and food are necessary to man. Air is most necessary, for if man is without air a short time he dies, whilst he can be without water a day or two. Air is also undoubtedly found more easily and cheaper [than water]. Water is more necessary than food, for some people can be four or five days without food, provided they have water; water also exists in every country in larger quantities than food, and is also cheaper. The same proportion can be noticed in the different kinds of food; that which is more necessary in a certain place exists there in larger quantities and is cheaper than that which is less necessary. No intelligent person, I think, considers musk, amber, rubies, and emerald as very necessary for man except as medicines – and they, as well as other like substances, can be replaced for this purpose by herbs and minerals. 

This shows the kindness of God to His creatures, even to us weak beings. His righteousness and justice as regards all animals are well known; for in the transient world there is among the various kinds of animals no individual being distinguished from the rest of the same species by a peculiar property or an additional limb. On the contrary – all physical, psychical, and vital forces and organs that are possessed by one individual are found also in the other individuals. If anyone is somehow different, it is by accident, in consequence of some exception, and not by a natural property; it is also a rare occurrence. There is no difference between individuals of a species in the due course of Nature; the difference originates in the various dispositions of their substances. This is the necessary consequence of the nature of the substance of that species: the nature of the species is not more favorable to one individual than to the other. It is no wrong or injustice that one has many bags of finest myrrh and garments embroidered with gold, while another has not those things, which are not necessary for our maintenance; he who has them has not thereby obtained control over anything that could be an essential addition to his nature, but has only obtained something illusory or deceptive. The other, who does not possess that which is not wanted for his maintenance, does not miss anything indispensable. “Whoever took more had nothing extra and whoever took less was not lacking; everyone according to what he eats had they gathered” (Shemos 26:18). This is the rule at all times and in all places; no notice should be taken of exceptional cases, as we have explained. 

In these two ways you will see the mercy of God toward His creatures, how He has provided that which is required, in proper proportions, and treated all individual beings of the same species with perfect equality. In accordance with this correct reflection the chief of the wise men says: “All His ways are justice” (Devarim 32:4). David likewise says: “All of the ways of Hashem are kindness and truth”; he also says explicitly: “Hashem is good to all; His mercies are on all His works” (Tehilim 145:9), for it is an act of great and perfect goodness that He gave us existence; and the creation of the controlling faculty in animals is a proof of His mercy towards them, as has been shown by us.