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Showing posts from February, 2011

Derech HaShem: 1:3;5-8 The Mistake

The Ramchal has explained the fundamental purpose of creation (so HaShem can bestow goodness upon another), our role (to be that beneficiary), and our environment (olam haze to become partners in our own creation; olam haba to fully experience/realize our relationship with HaShem).  Up to this point, however, everything has been from a very high level with no details.  Something like explaining that to put a man on the moon you need to build a really big rocket.  True, but not really enough detail to appreciate what is involved.  The Ramchal will devote much of the rest of the sefer to describing how all of this works together and delving into some details.  Before he can do that, however, the Ramchal will delve into one "detail" that had a profound effect on the entire course of human history. Essentially, our first use of the gift of free will was to make a mistake.  This is not the place to go into either what that mistake was nor what it means that we all par