Rambam, Sefer Hamitzvot #1
Rambam Sefer Hamitzvot.pdf
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היא הצווי אשר צונו בהאמנת האלהות, והוא שנאמין שיש שם עלה וסבה הוא פועל לכל הנמצאים, והוא אמרו אנכי ה' אלהיך
It is important for teachers to note that the word האמנה is a mistranslation of the Arabic and it should be "לדעת"
"The first mitzva is that we are commanded to know God, that we must believe that there is an Origin and Cause, that He is the power of all that exists, And [the source of the command] is His saying (Exodus 20:2), "I am the Lord your God."
Here's what students will take away from this source:
- Rambam has an alternative definition of faith than what we have sen thus far. Namely, he defines faith in cognitive terms of knowing and believing that God exists.