Guide For the Perplexed - Lecture 101: Part 3 Chapter 17b

Guide For the Perplexed - Lecture 101: Part 3 Chapter 17b

Rambam describes the fourth and fifth possible understandings of how God's providence works, the fifth one being the simple meaning of the Torah. He reviews the flaws of all the possibilities, and leads us toward his own understanding of God's providence, which he will describe next.

Guide For the Perplexed - Lecture 100: Part 3 Chapter 17a

Rambam describes various opinions regarding God's providence. In this lecture we cover the first three approaches.

Guide For the Perplexed - Lecture 99: Part 3 Chapter 16

Rambam begins his discussion of the difficult question of theodicy by describing what led many philosophers to conclude that God doesn't know what is happening in His universe.

Guide For the Perplexed - Lecture 98: Part 3 Chapters 14 & 15

In chapter 14, Rambam describes why it is unreasonable to think that God created the world for the sake of human beings, as we are but a tiny speck within the vast universe. He also explains that the sages were only competent in scientific matters according to their time. In 15 Rambam describes why God cannot do the impossible.

Guide For the Perplexed - Lecture 97: Part 3 Chapter 13b

Rambam discusses the idea that every creation was created for its' own significance, not for the purpose of serving something else. All of creation, every creature, every being, every moment, is significant for itself. The question of the purpose or end of creation is not a proper question.