UMaimonides—Umuntu Owabuchaza Kabusha UbuJuda

“KUSUKELA kuMose kuya kuMoses, akekho owayefana noMoses.” AmaJuda amaningi ayowabheka lamazwi adidayo njengenkulumo yokuncoma isazi sefilosofi esingumJuda sekhulu le-12, umbhali, nomkhulumeli weTalmud nemiBhalo, uMoses Ben Maimon—owaziwa futhi ngokuthi uMaimonides nangokuthi uRambam.a Namuhla abaningi abamazi uMaimonides, nokho izincwadi zakhe ziye zaba nethonya elijulile kumaJuda, amaSulumane, nezazi zesonto zosuku lwakhe. Ngokuyisisekelo, wabuchaza kabusha ubuJuda. Wayengubani uMaimonides, futhi kungani amaJuda amaningi embheka ‘njengoMose wesibili’?

Wayengubani UMaimonides?

UMaimonides wazalelwa eCórdoba, eSpain, ngo-1135. Uyise, uMaimon, owamnikeza ukuqeqeshwa kokuqala okuningi okungokwenkolo, wayeyisazi esidumile esivela emkhayeni worabi abaqavile. Lapho ama-Almohad enqoba iCórdoba ngo-1148, amaJuda kwadingeka akhethe ukuguqukela enkolweni yamaSulumane noma abaleke. Lokhu kwaqala inkathi ende yokuzula komkhaya kaMaimonides. Ngo-1160, wahlala eFez, eMorocco, lapho aqeqeshelwa khona ukuba udokotela. Ngo-1165, kwadingeka ukuba umkhaya wakhe ubalekele ePalestine.

Nokho, isimo sakwa-Israel sasiguquguquka. Umphakathi omncane wamaJuda wawubhekene nengozi yabaLweli Benkolo beLobukholwa namabutho amaSulumane ngokufanayo. Ngemva kwezinyanga ezingaphansi kweziyisithupha “eZweni Elingcwele,” uMaimonides nomkhaya wakhe bathola isiphephelo eFustat, iDolobha Elidala laseCairo, e-Egypt. Yilapha lapho amakhono kaMaimonides aqashelwa khona ngokugcwele. Ngo-1177 waba umholi womphakathi wamaJuda, futhi ngo-1185 wamiswa njengodokotela enkantolo yomholi odumile wamaSulumane, uSaladin. UMaimonides waziphatha zombili lezizikhundla kwaze kwaba sekufeni kwakhe ngo-1204. Ulwazi lwakhe kwezokwelapha lwaludume kangangokuthi kuthiwa kusukela eNgilandi ekude, iNkosi uRichard eneNhliziyo Yebhubesi yenza imizamo yokuzitholela uMaimonides njengodokotela wayo siqu.

Yini Ayibhala?

UMaimonides wayengumbhali ophumelelayo. Lapho ebalekela ushushiso lwamaSulumane, ecasha futhi ephila njengombaleki, wabhala ingxenye enkulu yalencwadi, i-Commentary on the Mishnah.b Njengoba ibhalwe ngesi-Arabhu, ichaza imiqondo namagama amaningi atholakala kuyiMishnah, ngezinye izikhathi iphendukela ezincazelweni zefilosofi kaMaimonides ngobuJuda. Engxenyeni echaza indaba ethile ye-Sanhedrin, uMaimonides wahlela izimiso eziyisisekelo ezingu-13 zokholo lwamaJuda. UbuJuda babungakaze buchaze isivumo sokholo. Manje, iZimiso Zokholo ezingu-13 zikaMaimonides zaba isibonelo sokuqala sokulandelana kwamazwi aklanyiwe esivumo sokholo samaJuda.—Bheka ibhokisi ekhasini 23.

UMaimonides wafuna ukuchaza uhlelo olunengqondo lokulandelana kwazo zonke izinto, ezibonakalayo noma ezingokomoya. Wakulahla ukukholwa kokuthatheka, efuna izincazelo zakho konke ngesisekelo salokho ayekubheka njengeziqinisekiso ezizwakalayo ezinobuchule. Lokhu kuthambekela okungokwemvelo kwaholela ekubhalweni kwencwadi yakhe enkulu kunazo zonke—i-Mishneh Torah.c

Osukwini lukaMaimonides amaJuda ayengabheki “iTorah,” noma “uMthetho,” njengebhekisela emazwini alotshwa uMose kuphela kodwa kuzo zonke izincazelo zaworabi zaloMthetho phakathi nawo wonke amakhulu eminyaka. Lemibono yalotshwa kuyiTalmud nasezinqumweni nezincwadi zorabi eziyizinkulungwane eziphathelene neTalmud. UMaimonides waqaphela ukuthi isilinganiso esincane nokungahleleki kwakho konke lokhu kwaziswa kuye kwashiya umJuda ovamile engakwazi ukwenza izinqumo ezazithonya ukuphila kwakhe kwansuku zonke. Abaningi babengakwazi ukutadisha izincwadi zorabi kukho konke ukuphila kwabo, njengoba eziningi zazo zazibhalwe ngesi-Aramu esinzima. Ikhambi likaMaimonides kwakuwukuhlela lokhu kwaziswa, aqokomise izinqumo eziwusizo, futhi akuhlele kube isimiso esisodwa esihlelekile sezincwadi ezingu-14, ezihlukaniswe ngokwezihloko zezindaba. Wakubhala ngesiHeberu esizwakalayo, okulula ukusifunda.

I-Mishneh Torah yayiyisiqondiso esiwusizo kangangokuthi abaholi abathile bamaJuda besaba ukuthi yayizoyithathela indawo ngokuphelele iTalmud. Nokho, ngisho nalabo abenqaba baye baphawula ukwanda kwabafundi baleyoncwadi. Lendlela yokubhala ehleleke kakhulu yayiyimpumelelo eyabangela inguquko enkulu, yavuselela isimiso sobuJuda umuntu ovamile ayengenakusichaza noma asiqonde.

Khona-ke, uMaimonides wazilungiselela ukubhala enye incwadi enkulu—ethi The Guide for the Perplexed. Ngenxa yokuhunyushelwa kwesiGreki sakuqala olimini lwesi-Arabhu, amaJuda engeziwe ayeseqala ukujwayelana no-Aristotle nezinye izazi zefilosofi. Abanye babedidekile, bekuthola kunzima ukuhlanganisa izincazelo ezingokoqobo zamagama eBhayibheli nefilosofi. Encwadini ethi The Guide for the Perplexed, uMaimonides, owayemazisa kakhulu u-Aristotle, wazama ukuchaza ukubaluleka kweBhayibheli nobuJuda ngendlela eyayivumelana nemicabango yefilosofi nobuchule bayo.—Qhathanisa neyoku-1 Korinte 2:1-5, 11-16.

Ngaphezu kwalezizincwadi ezinkulu nezinye izincwadi ezingokwenkolo, uMaimonides wabhala ngegunya emikhakheni yemithi neyesayensi yokuhlolwa kwezinkanyezi. Kunesinye isici esinemivuzo sezincwadi zakhe okungamelwe singanakwa. I-Encyclopaedia Judaica ithi: “Izincwadi zikaMaimonides ziphawula inkathi ebalulekile yokubhala izincwadi. Ungumbhali wokuqala ongumJuda izincwadi zakhe eziye zalondolozwa kakhulu. . . . Izincwadi zakhe ziye zakhanga izingqondo nezinhliziyo zalabo ayebabhalela, futhi wayehlukahluka endleleni yakhe yokubhala ukuze ivumelane nabo.”

Yini Ayeyifundisa?

EZimisweni zakhe Zokholo ezingu-13, uMaimonides wanikeza uhlaka olucacile lwezinkolelo, ezinye zazo ezisekelwe emBhalweni. Nokho, izimiso 7 no-9 ziphikisana nokubaluleka kokukholelwa kuJesu njengoMesiya okusekelwe emiBhalweni.d Uma sicabangela izimfundiso zezihlubuki zeLobukholwa, njengoZiqu-zintathu, nobuzenzisi obukhulu obuye baboniswa ukuchitheka kwegazi eziMpini Zenkolo, akumangalisi ukuthi uMaimonides akazange aqhubeke egxila endabeni yokuba kukaJesu uMesiya.—Mathewu 7:21-23; 2 Petru 2:1, 2.

UMaimonides uyabhala: “Singaba khona yini isikhubekiso esikhulu ukwedlula [ubuKristu]? Bonke abaprofethi bakhuluma ngoMesiya njengomhlengi nomsindisi ka-Israyeli . . . [Ngokuphambene nalokho, ubuKristu] babangela amaJuda ukuba abulawe ngosiko lwenkemba, ukuba insali yawo ihlakazeke futhi ihlaziswe, ukuba iTorah ishintshwe, abantu abaningi bezwe bone bakhonze unkulunkulu kunokuba bakhonze iNkosi.”—Mishneh Torah, “The Laws of Kings and Their Wars,” isahluko 11.

Nokho, nakuba eye waboniswa inhlonipho, amaJuda amaningi aye akhetha ukungamnaki uMaimonides ngokuphathelene nezindaba ezithile aye wazibeka ngokungagwegwesi. Ngenxa yokwanda kwethonya lobuJuda obuyimfihlo (iKabbalah), ukufundwa kwezinkanyezi kwakuqala ukuthandwa kakhulu phakathi kwamaJuda. UMaimonides wabhala: “Noma ubani ohileleka ekufundweni kwezinkanyezi futhi ahlele umsebenzi wakhe noma uhambo ngokusekelwe esikhathini esimiswe yilabo abahlola izinkanyezi angaba sengozini yokuthola isijeziso . . . Zonke lezizindaba zingamanga nokukhohlisa . . . Noma ubani okholelwa kulezizindaba . . . uyisiwula futhi akanakuqonda.”—Mishneh Torah, “Laws of Idolatry,” isahluko 11; qhathanisa noLevitikusi 19:26; Duteronomi 18:9-13.

UMaimonides wabuye waphikisana kanzima nomunye umkhuba: “[Orabi] baye bazifunela izimali kubantu ngabanye nasemiphakathini futhi babangela ukuba abantu bacabange, ngobuwula obuphelele, ukuthi kuyimfuneko futhi kufanelekile . . . Konke lokhu akulungile. Akukho nelilodwa igama, kuyiTorah noma emazwini ahlakaniphile [eTalmud], asekela lenkolelo.” (Commentary on the Mishnah, Avot 4:5) Ngokuphambene nalaborabi, uMaimonides wasebenza ngokuzikhandla ukuze azondle njengodokotela, akazange amukele imali ngenxa yezinkonzo ezingokwenkolo.—Qhathanisa neyesi-2 Korinte 2:17; 1 Thesalonika 2:9.

UbuJuda Nezinye Izinkolelo Kwathinteka Kanjani?

UProfesa Yeshaiahu Leibowitz waseHebrew University, eJerusalem, wathi: “UMaimonides ungumuntu onethonya elikhulu emlandweni wobuJuda, kusukela enkathini yeziNzalamizi nabaProfethi kuze kufike enkathini yamanje.” I-Encyclopaedia Judaica iyaphawula: “Ithonya likaMaimonides ngentuthuko yobuJuda yesikhathi esizayo alinakulinganiswa. . . . UC. Tchernowitz . . . uze ngisho athi uma kwakungengenxa kaMaimonides ubuJuda ngabe sebahlukana baba amahlelo nezinkolelo eziningi . . . Kwakuyimpumelelo yakhe enkulu ukuhlanganisa izenzakalo ezenzeka ngezikhathi ezihlukahlukene.”

Ngokuhlela kabusha ukucabanga kwamaJuda ukuze afake imibono yakhe yokuhleleka nobuchule, uMaimonides wabuchaza kabusha ubuJuda. Izazi noquqaba lwabantu luyithole iwusizo futhi ikhanga lencazelo entsha. Ngisho nabaphikisi bakhe ekugcineni baye bazamukela izindlela eziningi zikaMaimonides. Nakuba izincwadi zakhe zazihloselwe ukukhulula amaJuda esidingweni sokuphendukela ezincazelweni ezingapheli, ngokushesha kuye kwalotshwa izincazelo eziningi ngokuphathelene nezincwadi zakhe.

I-Encyclopaedia Judaica ithi: “UMaimonides . . . wayeyisazi sefilosofi esingumJuda esivelele kakhulu sangeNkathi Ephakathi, futhi incwadi yakhe ethi Guide of the Perplexed iyincwadi yefilosofi ebaluleke ngaphezu kwazo zonke kwezake zakhishwa umJuda.” Nakuba ibhalwe ngesi-Arabhu, i-Guide for the Perplexed yahunyushelwa olimini lwesiHeberu phakathi nesikhathi sokuphila kukaMaimonides futhi ngokushesha kamuva yahunyushelwa kolwesiLatini, okwayenza yatholakalela ukufundwa kulo lonke elaseYurophu. Ngenxa yalokho, ukuhlanganisa okuyingqayizivele kukaMaimonides ifilosofi ka-Aristotle nokucabanga kwamaJuda ngokushesha kwathola intuba yokungena ekucabangeni kweLobukholwa. Izazi zeLobukholwa zangaleyonkathi, njengo-Albertus Magnus noThomas Aquinas, kaningi zibhekisela emibonweni kaMaimonides. Izazi zama-Islam nazo zathonyeka. Izindlela zikaMaimonides zefilosofi ziye zathonya izazi zefilosofi zamuva ezingamaJuda, njengoBaruch Spinoza, ukuze zihlukane ngokuphelele nobuJuda obusadla ngoludala.

UMaimonides angase abhekwe njengomuntu weNkathi Yenguquko owaphila ngaphambi kwaleyoNkathi Yenguquko. Ukuphikelela kwakhe kokuthi ukholo kufanele luvumelane nendlela yokucabanga kuseyisimiso esisebenzayo. Lesisimiso samholela ekubeni akhulume ngokunamandla ngokumelene nenkolelo-ze yenkolo. Nokho, isibonelo esibi seLobukholwa nethonya lefilosofi ka-Aristotle kaningi kuye kwamvimbela ukuba afinyelele eziphethweni ezivumelana ngokuphelele neqiniso leBhayibheli. Nakuba kungebona bonke abangavumelana nokukhulumela okulotshwe ethuneni likaMaimonides—“Kusukela kuMose kuya kuMoses, akekho owayefana noMoses”—kumelwe kuvunywe ukuthi uye wayichaza kabusha inkambo nesimo sobuJuda.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 23]

IZIMISO ZOKHOLO EZINGU-13 ZIKAMAIMONIDESe

1. UNkulunkulu unguMdali noMbusi wazo zonke izinto. Uyena yedwa owenze, owenza, noyokwenza zonke izinto.

2. UNkulunkulu munye. Abukho ubunye obufana nobaKhe nganoma iyiphi indlela.

3. UNkulunkulu akanawo umzimba. Imicabango engokwenyama ayisebenzi kuYe.

4. UNkulunkulu ungowokuqala nowokugcina.

5. Kufanelekile ukuthandaza kuNkulunkulu kuphela. Umuntu akanakuthandaza kunoma ubani omunye nakunoma yini enye.

6. Wonke amazwi abaprofethi ayiqiniso.

7. Isiprofetho sikaMose siyiqiniso ngokuphelele. Wayengumprofethi omkhulu ngaphezu kwabo bonke abanye, bangaphambi nangemva kwakhe.

8. Yonke iTorah esinayo manje yileyo eyanikwa uMose.

9. ITorah ayinakushintshwa, futhi ayikho enye uNkulunkulu ayoyinikeza.

10. UNkulunkulu wazi zonke izenzo nemicabango yomuntu.

11. UNkulunkulu uyabavuza labo abagcina imiyalo yaKhe, futhi ajezise labo abonayo kuYe.

12. UMesiya uyofika.

13. Abafile bayobuyiselwa ekuphileni.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 21]

Jewish Division / The New York Public Library / Astor, Lenox, and Tilden Foundations