The Way of God
Part I: Fundamentals 29
1. The Creator 31
1.1.1 The Existence of God 31
1.1.2 His incomprehensibility, Tradition 31
1.1.3 His imperative existence 33
1.1.4 His independence 33
1.1.5 His simplicity 33
1.16 His Unity 35
2. The purpose of Creation 37
1.2.1 The bestowal of good 37
1.2.2 Earning this good 39
1.2.3 God as the ultimate good 39
1.2.4 Good and evil 41
1.2.5 Man 43
3. Man 45
1.3.1 Free will 45
1.3.2 Body and soul 45
1.3.3 Effort and reward 47
1.3.4 The World to Come 47
1.3.5 Original Sin 49
1.3.6 Before the Sin 49
1.3.7 The soul’s power 49
1.3.8 The result of Adam’s sin 51
1.3.9 Death and the world’s destruction 51
1.3.10 The different levels of reward 53
1.3.11 The world of souls 53
1.3.12 Experiences of the disembodied and soul 55
1.3.13 Resurrection 57
4. Human Responsibility 61
1.4.1 Man’s nature and environment 61
1.4.2 The physical and the spiritual 61
1.4.3 Man’s physical nature 63
1.4.4 Use of this world 65
1.4.5 Commandments 67
1.4.6 Awareness of God 67
1.4.7 Commandment and necessity 67
1.4.8 Love and fear of God 69
1.4.9 Study of the Torah 71
1.4.10 Effects of the commandments 71
1.4.11 Their details 73
5. The Spiritual Realm 75
1.5.1 Physical and spiritual 75
1.5.2 Forces and angels 77
1.5.3 The transcendental Forces 79
1.5.4 Determinism and indeterminism 79
1.5.5 Effects of man’s deeds 81
1.5.6 Interaction with Free Will 83
1.5.7 Forces of good and evil 83
1.5.8 The root of evil 83
1.5.9 Good and evil concepts 87
Part II: Providence 89
1. Providence in General 91
2.1.1 Everything has a purpose 91
2.1.2 The sequence of Providence 91
2.1.3 The distinction of man 93
2. Man in This World 95
2.2.1 The purpose of this world 95
2.2.2 The Perfected Community 95
2.2.3 Judgment in this world 97
2.2.4 Spiritual punishment 99
2.2.5 Suffering in general 101
2.2.6 Reward of the wicked in this world 101
2.2.7 Levels in the Perfected Community 103
2.2.8 Deeds rewarded in this world 105
2.2.9 Apparent injustice 107
3. Individual Providence 109
2.3.1 Man’s circumstances as his test 109
2.3.2 How these circumstances are decided 113
2.3.3 Everything as a challenge 113
2.3.4 The influence of one’s deeds 113
2.3.5 Suffering to stimulate repentance 117
2.3.6 The limitations of evil 117
2.3.7 Effects of association 119
2.3.8 Atonement by the righteous 121
2.3.9 The effects of suffering 125
2.3.10 Reincarnation 125
2.3.11 The choice of causes 127
2.3.12 Means and ends 129
4. Israel and the Nations 133
2.4.1 Their conceptual difference 133
2.4.2 Rectification of Adam’s sin 133
2.4.3 Abraham and the Generation of Separation 135
2.4.4 Conversion to Judaism 139
2.4.5 The nation’s last chance 141
2.4.6 The present status of the nations 141
2.4.7 The nations in the Future World 143
2.4.8 Angelic overseers of the nations 143
2.4.9 Rectification depends on Israel 145
5. How Providence Works 147
2.5.1 God’s perception and influence 147
2.5.2 God’s omniscience 147
2.5.3 The chain of Providence 147
2.5.4 Guardian angels 149
2.5.5 General perfection as the goal 151
2.5.6 Miracles 151
6. The System of Providence 155
2.6.1 The heavenly tribunals 155
2.6.2 Their reason 155
2.6.3 Procedures in these Courts 157
2.6.4 Satan as the prosecutor 161
2.6.5 Regulations affecting these Courts 161
7. The Influence of the Stars 163
2.7.1 Stars in the chain of Providence 163
2.7.2 Astrological influence 163
2.7.3 Overriding this influence 165
2.7.4 Limitations of astrology 165
8. Details of Providence 169
2.8.1 Justice and mercy 169
2.8.2 Providence affecting physical and spiritual 171
2.8.3 The effects of God’s influence 173
2.8.4 The four states of the world 175
2.8.5 Holy seasons and places 177
Part III: The Soul, Inspiration & Prophecy 181
1. The Soul & Its Influence 183
3.1.1 Man’s animal soul 183
3.1.2 The divine soul 185
3.1.3 Interaction between body and soul 185
3.1.4 Levels of soul 187
3.1.5 Influence of the soul 187
3.1.6 Dreams 189
2. Theurgy 193
3.2.1 The transcendental Roots 193
3.2.2 Theurgic influence 195
3.2.3 Spiritual liberation 195
3.2.4 Performing miracles 197
3.2.5 God’s emanations and Names 197
3.2.6 Levels of spiritual liberation 201
3.2.7 Manipulation of angels 201
3.2.8 How evil parallels good 207
3.2.9 Sorcery 207
3. Inspiration and Prophecy 213
3.3.1 Divine inspiration 213
3.3.2 Its uses 213
3.3.3 Its broadest sense 215
3.3.4 True prophecy 215
3.3.5 The need for intermediaries 217
3.3.6 Differences between inspiration and prophecy 217
4. The Prophetic Experience 221
3.4.1 Experiencing God 221
3.4.2 Training for prophecy 221
3.4.3 Inadvertent prophecy 223
3.4.4 The master prophet 223
3.4.5 Levels of prophecy 225
3.4.6 The prophetic mission 225
3.4.7 Mistaken prophecy 227
3.4.8 The wording of prophecy 229
3.4.9 Pitfalls of prophecy 229
3.4.10 False prophecy 231
3.4.11 Ahab’s prophecy 233
5. Moshe as a Prophet 239
3.5.1 The unique category of Moshe 239
3.5.2 His prophecy while fully conscious 239
3.5.3 His not being overwhelmed 239
3.5.4 “Lenses” transmitting prophecy 241
3.5.5 His clarity of vision 243
3.5.6 His universal access 243
3.5.7 The meaning of the vision 245
Part IV: Serving God 249
1. General Areas of Divine Service 251
4.1.1 Study and observance 251
4.1.2 Categories of observance 251
4.1.3 Continuous, daily, seasonal and circumstantial 251
4.1.4 The goal of observance 253
4.1.5 Reasons for its details 253
2. Study of the Torah 255
4.2.1 As a necessary concept 255
4.2.2 Influence of the Torah 255
4.2.3 Levels of understanding 257
4.2.4 To rectify all creation 259
4.2.5 Reverence for the Torah 259
4.2.6 Rectification of one’s deeds 261
4.2.7 Power of the Torah 263
3. Love and Fear of God 267
4.3.1 Fear and awe 267
4.3.2 Love and attachment 269
4. The Sh’ma & Its Blessings 271
4.4.1 The unity of creation 271
4.4.2 God as King 277
4.4.3 Recognition of God’s Kingdom 279
4.4.4 The Sh’ma 283
4.4.5 Giving one’s life for God 283
4.4.6 “Hear O Israel” 287
4.4.7 “Blessed be the Name of His kingdom’s glory” 289
4.4.8 The first paragraph of the Sh’ma 291
4.4.9 Recalling the Exodus 293
4.4.10 The 248 words 295
4.4.11 The Blessings surrounding the Sh’ma 295
4.4.12 The evening Blessings 297
5. Prayer 301
4.5.1 The reason for prayer 301
4.5.2 As an elevation of human effort 301
4.5.3 As an approach to God 303
4.5.4 The rituals of prayer 305
4.5.5 In place of sacrifice 305
6. The Order of the Day 307
4.6.1 Authority of evil at night 307
4.6.2 Man’s defilement at night 309
4.6.3 Man’s purification of the world 311
4.6.4 Washing the hands 311
4.6.5 The Tallis and Tefillin 313
4.6.6 Tzitzis 313
4.6.7 Tefillin 315
4.6.8 Exemption from Tefillin on holy days 315
4.6.9 The morning service 317
4.6.10 Its four divisions 317
4.6.11 The Amidah 319
4.6.12 The Holy Day Amidah 321
4.6.13 The four universes 321
4.6.14 The closing prayers 325
4.6.15 Confession, the Thirteen Attributes, and Tachanun 325
4.6.16 The three daily services and midnight service 327
4.6.17 The Musaf service 329
7. Periodic Observances 331
4.7.1 Special days 331
4.7.2 The Sabbath in general 331
4.7.3 Sabbath observance 335
4.7.4 Honoring the Sabbath 335
4.7.5 Other holy days 337
4.7.6 Initial and anniversary influence 337
8. Seasonal Commandments 341
4.8.1 Passover 341
4.8.2 Sukkos 343
4.8.3 Chanukah and Purim 345
4.8.4 Rosh Hashanah 345
4.8.5 Yom Kippur 349
4.8.6 Torah reading 349
9. Circumstantial Observances and Blessings 353
4.9.1 Each thing has its commandment 353
4.9.2 Blessings over food 355
4.9.3 Blessings over rituals 355
