THE BOOK OF JOB

In this one chapter, Rambam claims to sketch out his view of the entire book of Job. Actually, though, he ignores the various opinions expressed in the bulk of the work—he explains those in the next chapter, which we will see, be-ezrat Hashem, next week. This chapter, then, means to give a framework within which to understand what is going on in the book.

Rambam is of the opinion that the whole book of Job is a parable, meaning that the events never occurred, and are presented this way to teach readers some lesson. He first notes that his view is supported by one opinion in the gemara. Even those who believe the story actually occurred differ greatly over when it happened—the suggestions range from the times of the Avot, the Patriarchs, to the time of the return of Jews from Babylon (in between the two Temples).

Rambam points out that the range of the disagreement actually supports his view that it never occurred. He does not explain why, but I believe he means that if Hazal had no evidence at all about when Job lived, the odds were good that he never lived. Rambam could mean (again, he doesn’t make his point explicit) that the opinions about when Job lived were not meant literally, but were meant to indicate eras when the questions with which the book deals were particularly pressing.

THE INRODUCTION TO THE BOOK

Whether or not the events of the story happened, Rambam says, it should be obvious that the prologue is a parable included for educative purposes—since Job is not a book of prophecy, we have no way of knowing what happens in Heaven. Rather, the interactions between Satan and God must be meant as a parable.

For those of you who did not read the first three chapters (SHAME!), the book reports that Job was a man from the land of Utz. In taking the book as a parable, Rambam sees the word uts as from the root for etsah, advice or counsel. The place of the book, therefore, is a reminder that this is a work that requires great etsah, counsel or thought.

I would note that Rambam does not present his view of the book in a particularly organized fashion—he rather picks central concepts to explain, and assumes we will put it all together ourselves. In my summary, I will try to put it together at the same time that I mention the views he expresses.

Rambam notes—and this is an important point, I believe—that the book does not characterize Job as wise or intelligent; rather, it only praises his moral virtues and his righteousness. We will come back to this later, when we summarize what the book means, in Rambam’s view.

SATAN—RAMBAM’S VIEW

The most problematic concept for Rambam, however is Satan. A superficial reading of the book suggests that Satan is a force in the world that competes with God in some way, with Satan trying to trap people in sin, and God reveling in their resistance to Satan’s blansdishments. I hope by now it is obvious that Rambam would not appreciate that view.

There are two important insights that help Rambam discard this view. First, he notices that there is a difference in the way the book refers to Satan’s appearance before God each of the two times that he does so. The first time, the verse says that the sons of God presented themselves before God, and Satan was among them. The second time, it simply says that the sons of God and Satan presented themselves before God.

Rambam, admitting that the idea came to him in a way approaching prophetic revelation, notes that distinction. The first time, it seems, Satan was not inherently part of the company of those who present themselves to God. The next time, he was.

Rambam also notes that the text makes it clear that Satan is earthbound—he was coming from roaming to and fro in the Earth; in the Heavens, there was no place for him to roam. In addition, Satan has no power over men’s souls, only their physical beings and possessions.

IDENTIFYING SATAN

Then, Rambam cites a statement of Hazal’s that equates Satan, the Angel of Death, and the Evil Inclination. He cites a series of statements, all suggesting that the evil inclination is a part of our physical person, and that as we gain wisdom (intellect) we learn to control that evil inclination, and we develop more fully our good inclination. Although he does not say so explicitly, I strongly believe he means that our interest in the physical world and our attachment to it leads to the evil inclination (even if he doesn’t say it here, he says it elsewhere, and it’s clear in many sources).

Since death is a function of our physical being, it becomes clear that Rambam means to say—working off that maamar Hazal—that all the forces of evil in the world stem simply and directly from the physical nature of that world. Remembering what Rambam has said before about suffering and how much of it stems simply from the world’s being a physical place, it means that Rambam thinks that Satan in Job is simply the physical forces of the world.

THE TWO PRESENTiINGS OF SATAN, OR, WHY DOES GOD CARE MORE ABOUT SATAN THE SECOND TIME?

If that’s true, we understand why Satan didn’t present himself to God the first time—Satan isn’t an actual force, it is simply carried along by the celestial spheres. As a result of those spheres, though, Satan is also part of God’s general awareness of the world.

In the parable, then, God is noting Job’s moral perfection, and how wonderful it is. The question becomes whether that level of goodness can sustain the trials of physical misfortune that can befall people, again simply as a result of the physical world. Rambam notes that the order of troubles recorded in the book follow the general psychological disposition of people—some cannot even bear losing possessions, some can but cannot bear losing children, and some are most bothered by personal suffering. At that point—personal suffering—all those who are of Job’s level (that is, having moral but not intellectual qualities) will lose their ability to accept the world with equanimity, and will begin to question the fundamental justice of the world.

When Satan appears before God the second time, Job has been catapulted by events to begin considering the world and the way it works. He has lost his possessions and his children, so we can expect that his simple acceptance of God’s goodness has been rendered problematic. Since, as Rambam has said, providence for people rises as their intellectual level rises (and by level Rambam does not mean native talent, but the extent to which someone has developed an intellectual understanding and appreciation of the truths of God and the world.)

As Job moves towards a deeper understanding of the world, then, God’s providence towards him increases (I believe—Rambam only mentions that Job was not considered wise at the beginning of the story and that Satan is the angel of Death, etc.), which makes Satan a more important character, so that God’s providence (read: interest) of Satan will increase, and Satan will become an actual part of the gathering.

THE THRUST OF THE BOOK