“You shall observe My statutes - You shall not crossbreed your livestock with different species. You shall not sow your field with a mixture of seeds, and a garment which has a mixture of Shaatnez shall not come upon you.” (Vayikrah 19:19)
There is a fundamental debate between Rashi and the Ramban on what Hashem’s, “statutes” represent. Rashi believes that all the statutes (Chukim) mentioned in the Torah refer to the decrees of the Divine King, which have no rationale that a human being can comprehend.
The Ramban argues and says that only the prohibition of Shatnez (wearing wool and linen together) should be understood this way. However, other Chukim mentioned in the Torah should be taken as laws that may have reasons that some people can understand, however they are given without reasons nonetheless, so that they will be observed out of a sense of awe and fear of Hashem.
The Ramban then provides the reason for the prohibition of crossbreeding different species and mixing seeds (Kilayim). He says that it is for the sake of preserving the species and that one who combines two different species changes and defies the work of Creation. It is as if he is thinking that Hashem has not completely perfected the world and he desires to help the creation of the world by adding new kinds of creatures. However, if Hashem would have given this reason, some people may have found fault with this reason due to mistaken impressions (e.g. he may see the waning of the population of certain species) and therefore conclude that the reason is faulty and that the Torah itself is lacking or wanting.
The Ramban appears to be saying that a person’s Yetzer HaRah (evil inclination) would tell him that Hashem’s Torah is lacking because of a mistaken impression. How is it possible that one would come to question the integrity of the Torah from not understanding one of the reasons given for a commandment? Namely, instead of believing that the reason for Kilayim is wrong, one should rather believe that his impression is mistaken or perhaps he does not fully understand the reason of the Creator?
It is obvious to every intelligent individual the depth of understanding of the Creator, and that there are unfathomable things that He has created that may never be understood. Examples abound! How and why does the sun generate its periodically reversing large-scale magnetic field? What is dark matter and what is its origin? How exactly does the trigeminal nerve in birds, combined with the metal in their beaks, allow them to orient themselves? And just as these unfathomable things exist in the physical world, they should surely exist in the spiritual world regarding the reasons for Mitzvos in the Torah!
We must conclude that a person certainly knows and understands that Hashem’s knowledge is above his own. He surely knows that his own intellect cannot understand the knowledge of Hashem. Yet, his faith may be impaired when he does not understand. The explanation is that he feels in his heart that there cannot be a deficiency within his own intellect. Rather than admit to himself that he is wrong or that is intellect is limited, he concludes that the reason in the Torah is wrong, Heaven forbid.
It goes without saying that a person may have trouble admitting that he is wrong when he is corrected by his friends, family or Rav. Accordingly, to be able to serve Hashem properly, we must humble ourselves and admit when we make mistakes to be able to rectify them and serve Hashem properly.
