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Ralbag has two explanations of the order of creation that can address this. The first explanation is that everything existed at once. The sequence delineated in Genesis is just the order in which t...
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#1: Post edited
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Monica Cellio
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2020-09-01T01:53:20Z (about 4 years ago)
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<p>Ralbag has two explanations of the order of creation that can address this. The first explanation is that everything existed at once. The sequence delineated in Genesis is just the order in which they were revealed. This is likened to someone who plants various seeds at the same time but some sprout before others. The second explanation is that existence is attributed to some things before others in order to show their priority in essence and cause (i.e. the sequence is not meant chronologically).</p><blockquote><p>×•×”× ×” המשילו ×”×—×›×ž×™× ×”×’×œ×•×ª ההויה בקצת ×”×“×‘×¨×™× ×§×•×“× ×§×¦×ª במעשה בר×שית למישזרע ×–×¨×¢×™× ×—×œ×•×§×™× ×™×—×“ ב×רץ ויצמחו ×§×¦×ª× ×§×•×“× ×§×¦×ª וכן ×מרו שהיה ×”×¢× ×™×Ÿ×‘×”×•×™×ª ×”×¢×•×œ× ×©×”×›×œ × ×ª×”×•×” יחד ×ž×”×©× ×™×ª×¢' ×•× ×’×œ×” קצתו ×§×•×“× ×§×¦×ª ×ו × ×מר ×©×›×‘×¨× ×ª×™×—×¡×” ההויה לקצת ×”×“×‘×¨×™× ×§×•×“× ×§×¦×ª להעיר על ×”×™×•×ª× ×§×•×“×ž×™× ×‘×¢×¦× ×•×‘×¡×‘×” ×›×™×›×•× ×ª התורה ×”×™× ×œ×”×¢×ž×™×“× ×• על חכמת ×”× ×ž×¦×ות בזה הספור ×”×‘×¤×œ× ×›×ž×• שקד×</p></blockquote><p>(See also his similar discussion in Wars of the Lord ('מלחמות ×”) Book VI Part 2 Chapter 8.)</p><p>R. Abraham of Vitirbo (<a href="http://hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=43991&st=&pgnum=88" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Sefer Emunas Chachamim Fifth Essay</a>)applies the general rule of "ein mukdam u'meuchar b'torah" to the account of creation, in which case the sequence of six days does not necessarily represent the true chronological sequence.</p><blockquote><p>ויש מן ×”×¤×™×œ×•×¡×•×¤×™× ×©×”×§×©×• ×›×™ ×”×™×ך × ×ª×”×•×” ×”×ור ×‘×™×•× ×”×¨×שון ×•×”×œ× ×¢×“×™×Ÿ ל×× ×‘×¨×ו המ×ורות ול×ו ×§×•×©×™× ×”×™× ×›×™ ×ין ×ž×•×§×“× ×•×ž×וחר בתורה</p></blockquote>
- Ralbag has two explanations of the order of creation that can address this. The first explanation is that everything existed at once. The sequence delineated in Genesis is just the order in which they were revealed. This is likened to someone who plants various seeds at the same time but some sprout before others. The second explanation is that existence is attributed to some things before others in order to show their priority in essence and cause (i.e. the sequence is not meant chronologically).
- > והנה המשילו החכמים הגלות ההויה בקצת הדברים קודם קצת במעשה בראשית למי
- > שזרע זרעים חלוקים יחד בארץ ויצמחו קצתם קודם קצת וכן אמרו שהיה הענין
- > בהוית העולם שהכל נתהוה יחד מהשם יתע' ונגלה קצתו קודם קצת או נאמר שכבר
- > נתיחסה ההויה לקצת הדברים קודם קצת להעיר על היותם קודמים בעצם ובסבה כי
- > כונת התורה היא להעמידנו על חכמת הנמצאות בזה הספור הבפלא כמו שקדם
- (See also his similar discussion in Wars of the Lord ('מלחמות ה) Book VI Part 2 Chapter 8.)
- R. Abraham of Vitirbo ([Sefer Emunas Chachamim Fifth Essay][1])applies the general rule of "ein mukdam u'meuchar b'torah" to the account of creation, in which case the sequence of six days does not necessarily represent the true chronological sequence.
- > ויש מן הפילוסופים שהקשו כי היאך נתהוה האור ביום הראשון והלא עדין לא
- > נבראו המאורות ולאו קושיא היא כי אין מוקדם ומאוחר בתורה
- [1]: http://hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=43991&st=&pgnum=88