10 Shevat 5732 Sicha #2.
And 11 Nissan 5745 Sicha #4
A. Life’s Good … Or is it?
Maimonides’s life was full of hardships and suffering, and he devoted most of his days to strenuous labor, as he describes in a letter. He also had to contend with strong opposition to his approach and his writings from the rabbis of his generation.
The Rebbe highlights a remarkable point in this regard:
In the Guide for the Perplexed, Maimonides wrestles with the question of how we should view the world: is the world inherently negative and bad, or should we look at it positively, seeing it as G-d’s “garden”? He concludes that our perspective should be positive, with hope and trust.
The question arises: how does this align with the difficult life Maimonides led?
The same applies to us all: On the one hand, the Talmud and reality show that the Jewish people are afflicted and oppressed in exile, yet at the same time, we are commanded to serve G-d with joy. How is this possible?
The explanation is that G-d is present in the world, and this is His “dwelling.” Because we are together with G-d in this dwelling, the pleasure and joy of being in G-d’s garden overshadow suffering, making it seem marginal. This is like a person experiencing great pleasure who is suddenly stung by a mosquito—the sting is barely felt compared to the intensity of the enjoyment. Another example: A merchant who earns millions and loses a single coin—the loss is insignificant compared to the immense gain.
B. Our Attitude Towards Non-Jews
Maimonides’s Mishneh Torah is the only halachic code that explains the laws of the Seven Noahide Laws. Maimonides rules that the Jewish people have the duty to influence the nations to observe these laws, and that a non-Jew who fulfills them merits a share in the World to Come.
This idea is also hinted at in prophecy: “I will transform the peoples to a purer language so that they all will call upon the name of G-d and serve Him with one purpose,” indicating that in the days of Mashiach, all nations will serve G-d. As Maimonides rules, this will be one of the tasks of the Mashiach.
In other words, just as it is the responsibility of every Jew today to ensure that the world is properly civilized by ensuring that the nations observe the Noahide Laws, this will also be the role of the Mashiach: to bring perfection to the world by having all nations serve G-d.
This approach to the nations is also reflected in Maimonides’ own conduct, as he devoted time in his busy daily schedule to caring for non-Jewish patients, despite his own poor health.
C. Life in the Messianic Era
The Rebbe explains Maimonides’s words at the conclusion of the Mishneh Torah regarding the days of Mashiach:
“The good will be in abundance”—in the days of Mashiach, material abundance will be great. As a result, there will be no hunger, envy, rivalry, or wars, since these arise when one person has something that another lacks.
“All the delights will be as plentiful as dust”—even though material abundance will be great, it will hold no intrinsic importance, like dust.
“The occupation of the world will be only to know G-d”—with worldly distractions and hardships removed, we will be free to devote ourselves entirely to the service of G-d.
