Hakham Shaul’s School of Remes
Literal Equivalent translation by H. Em. Rabbi Dr. Eliyahu ben Abraham*
Adar 04, 5780
Romans 1:18-23
For the revelation of God’s wrath coming from the heavens is against all the wicked and unjust men who intentionally suppress the truth. This is because even intimate knowledge of God is evident to them, because God revealed Himself[1] among them. For from the creation of the world, His invisible attributes,[2] both His everlasting virtuous power and Divine majesty,[3] are discerned[4] clearly,[5] being understood in the things made, so that they are without excuse.
Because[6] although they knew[7] God, they did not[8] honor[9] him as God[10] or give Him thanks, but they became vain[11] (futile) in their reasoning,[12] and their unteachable[13] minds (hearts)[14] were darkened. Professing wisdom,[15] they acted foolishly,[16] and exchanged the glory of the immortal God with the images (idols) of corrupted human[17] beings,[18] birds, quadrupeds and reptiles.
Footnotes:
*AKA Dr Walter Oakley
[1] G-d revealed His true nature and plan to them. Yet, they withhold the truth (i.e. the Torah – Written and Oral) from those who are subordinate to them.
[2] The Invisible Attributes of G-d. This Remes statement teaches us that these invisible attributes are the upper three Sefirot, Hokhmah, Bina and Da’at. The Seven lower sefirot are seen is the congregation. The Bet Din remains invisible in the Remes mind. Hakham Shaul and Philo agree and may even be citing a common source.
The role of the Bet Din and the Sages is to serve as intermediaries between G-d and man, specifically the Congregation. It is through the Sifrah of Hokhmah that G-d makes his first expression. This is related to the chief officer of the Bet Din. But this does not limit any individual who puts in endless hours of Torah Study to better communicate with G-d. Through the Sefirot we find the linguistic expression of G-d.
Ps. 19:1 The heavens declare (mesapprim) the glory of God; and the firmament show His handiwork.
The heavens, or those who represent the heavenlies (cf. Eph. 1:3) tell mesapprim from “spr” (Sefer) meaning to “tell.” Thus, the Soferim tell the Kibod (glory) of G-d. Thus, the invisible attributes related to the upper Sefirot. Through these vehicles the speech of G-d comes from the realm of speechlessness into the mundane world through the agents of those Sefirot.
Ecc. 3:11 He (God) hath made everything beautiful in His time: also, He hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God makes from the beginning to the end.
Philo, in his discussion on the garments of the Kohen Gadol (High Priest. One of G-d’s principal agents) speaks of G-d’s use of “Logos.” God uses Logos to create the visible world from His invisible thoughts. The Logos (God’s Word’s) are an indestructible “Form of Wisdom” (Hokhmah the highest of the Sefirot relating to the Hakhamim). Interpreting the garment of the high priest (Exod. 28:34; 36) Philo states: “But the seal (on the Kohen’s Head) is an Idea of Ideas, according to which God fashioned the world, being an incorporeal (invisible) Idea, comprehensible only by the intellect” (Mig. 103). The invisible intelligible world which was used by the Logos as a model for creation or rather formation of the visible world from the (preexisting) unformed matter was created in the mind of God: “The incorporeal world then was already completed, having its seat in the Divine Logos (Reason) and the world, perceptible by the external senses, was made on the model of it” (Op. 36) There is then on the head “a golden leaf,” [Exodus xxviii. 36], pure, having on it the impression of a seal, “Holiness to the Lord.” And on the feet, there are, “on the fringe of the inner garment, bells and small flowerets.” [Exodus xxviii. 34].
Describing Moses’ account of the creation of man, Philo states also that Moses calls the invisible Divine Logos the Image of God (Op. 24; 31; LA 1.9) Forms, though inapprehensible, leave an impress and a copy and procure qualities and shapes to shapeless things and unorganized matter. Mind can grasp the Forms by longing for wisdom. “The desire for wisdom alone is continual and incessant, and it fills all its pupils and disciples with famous and most beautiful doctrines” (Spec. leg. 1-45-50).
[3] For it follows of necessity that the Creator must always care for that which He has created, just as parents do also care for their children. And he who has learnt this not more by hearing it than by his own understanding, and has impressed on his own soul these marvelous facts which are the subject of so much contention—namely, that God has a being and existence, and that He who so exists is really one, and that He has created the world, and that He has created it one as has been stated, having made it like to Himself in singleness; and that He exercises a continual care for that which He has created will live a happy and blessed life, stamped with the doctrines of piety and holiness. Philo, A., & Yonge, C. D. (1996, c1993). The works of Philo: Complete and unabridged. Peabody: Hendrickson. p. 24
[4] Because Hakham Shaul is speaking on the deeper aspects of Remes, we can see that he is speaking of meditation on G-d and the aspects, which verge on So’od. Meditation and deep mental thought brings about a normal mysticism that reveals aspects of G-d’s character that can only be revealed through allegorical comparisons.
[5] καθοράω – “to look down,” perceive etc. The best understanding, we can derive from this sentence, is that there are those who have transcended great heights and are able to see from “above” per se. To these souls, G-d is “clearly” seen, or intimately known. Hakham Shaul is not suggesting that the subversive men who suppress the truth (i.e. the Torah – Written and Oral) are capable of this mental level. He here shows that there are those who do have this capacity and will appropriately worship and honour G-d.
[6] Διότι – dioti = “because” on account of; a marker of cause or reason.
[7] Generally associated with “Da’at,” here is in the negative showing an absence of “Da’at.” In other words, the pagan view of G-d is distorted and devoid of true “Da’at.” The “wisdom” of pagan humanity can never “know” G-d. Their “wisdom” is not Biblical, Jewish Hokhmah. Failure to find true wisdom is due to the absence of the Mesorah among the Gentiles. Eph 1:17 the Father of dignity grant you the power to comprehend through the Oral Torah, and His agents Chochmah, Binah and Da’at. The wisdom of the world, philosophical or otherwise cannot “know” G-d. In other words, the world (kosmos – pagan earthly system) cannot even achieve the level of “Da’at.” herein is the blinding “veil” which covers the minds of the unfaithful. cf. 2 Cor. 4: 3ff once the Mesorah is shined on the soul of the “Gentile” the true nature of that soul shines forth. If the resident soul is that of the Nefesh Yehudi that Neshamah will embrace the Torah, Oral and Written.
[8] Because they knew, they did not conduct themselves accordingly.
Γνόντες, the aorist participle is used since their experience of God has necessarily always gone before their failure to recognize its true significance and act accordingly. Cranfield, C. E. B. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans. The International Critical Commentary on the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. London; New York: T&T Clark International, 2004. p. 116
[9] Praise, glorify, honor and magnify. Δoxázō also means to “believe in.” Therefore, we have the connotation of pagans and Gentiles not believing in G-d. They had enough knowledge of G-d to know to give Him due benevolence, however, they failed/refused to do so. The phrase implies giving thanks for G-d’s actions towards man, i.e. His loving-kindness, “good.” Cf. Luzzatto, Moshe Hayyim. Derekh Hashem / the Way of God / by Moshe Chaim Luzzatto ; Translated and Annotated by Aryeh Kaplan; Emended by Gershon Robinson. Jerusalem; New York: Feldheim Publishers, 1998. pp. 37-41
[10] The article τὸν θεὸν implies the “true G-d.” Shedd, William G. T. Commentary on Romans. Wipf and Stock Publishers, 1999. p. 22 fn. #4
[11] Cf. D’barim (Deut) 32:21; Yermi’yahu (Jer.) 2:5
[12] Διαλογίζομαι implies that they have no ability to conceive of G-d. This means that the “Da’at” intimate knowledge they would possess is not available to them. In the Nazarean Codicil διαλογισμός – dialogismos is only used in the negative sense for evil thoughts or anxious reflection. G. Schrenk TDNT 2:96
[13] What we translated here as “unteachable” bears stronger language in Hebrew. The words “stupid,” “wicked” and “fallen.” ἀσύνετος takes on the connotation of being without or in opposition to the wisdom of the teacher (Hakham). As such, we note that Hakham Shaul refers here to those who have an unteachable spirit.
[14] The “heart” is the center of “inner life.” Morris, Leon. The Epistle to the Romans. Reprint edition. Grand Rapids, Mich.; Leicester, England: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2012. p. 85
[15] Professing to have Hokhmah, and or to be a Hakham
[16] To be recalcitrant, obstinately uncooperative attitude toward authority or discipline.
[17] Aramaic talya; “lamb, kid” (possibly young bull or calf) or “young boy.” This will bear a greater importance below.
[18] φθαρτός – phthartos is used of that which is corruptible and perishing.