Everyone knows the story that was told by the holy Rebbe of Berdichev zy”a about Mushke, who believed with all his heart that HaKadosh Baruch Hu is the only One Who sustains and provides for him, and not the poritz (landowner) nor anyone else. And even when the poritz became angry and raged, Mushke stood firm in his faith that sustenance comes from Heaven, and the poritz is only a messenger.
The continuation is well known: the poritz closed down Mushke’s tavern, and a few days before the chag of Pesach, the poritz’s monkey died after swallowing many gold coins. In his “great generosity,” the poritz sent the dead monkey to the house of Mushke the Jew. For the Jew, there was light and joy, [ליהודי היתה אורה ושמחה] and then even the gentile poritz admitted that HaKadosh Baruch Hu alone sustains and provides, and all others are merely the means and messengers sent by Him Yisbarach.
When the time came for the creation of man, HaKadosh Baruch Hu, as it were, consulted with the angels, as the Torah says (1:26): “And God said, Let Us make man.” At first glance, this is not understood—why did HaKadosh Baruch Hu write in His holy Torah something from which heretics and deniers could learn, chas v’shalom, that He might have taken helpers in the creation of man?
But Rashi HaKadosh answers this question, and these are his words: “Although they did not assist Him in His creation, and there is room for the heretics to rebel, He did not refrain from teaching proper conduct and the trait of humility, that the greater should consult and take permission from the lesser.”
The plain meaning of Rashi’s words is clear, but as is our way, we wish to descend to a deeper level of his holy words. We tend to think that a heretic or denier (min or apikoros) is one who does not believe in the existence of Hashem Yisbarach. But from Rashi’s words we learn that even if a person believes that Hashem Yisbarach exists, yet he believes in “partnership” (shittuf), he too is called an apikoros.
Therefore, one who believes that HaKadosh Baruch Hu was, chas v’shalom, assisted by the angels in the creation of man, is a complete denier. In the same vein, we must remember the first of the Thirteen Principles of Faith formulated by the Rambam: “That the Creator Yisbarach Shemo is the Creator and Ruler of all created beings, and He alone made, makes, and will make all things.”
Therefore, if one asks someone, “From what do you earn your livelihood?” and he answers, “From such-and-such work” or “from this business,” that is heresy and denial. Rather, one must always remember that only HaKadosh Baruch Hu Himself—He alone—made, makes, and will make all things, and all others are merely His messengers.
Tiv HaTorah - Bereishis
