Extension:Ex-1.6.3-3
Torat Ha-‘olah
Rema completed writing Torat Ha-‘olah in 1564, and the work was printed in Prague in 1569. The book is a philosophical discussion of the world’s existence and the rationale for the Torah’s commandments. Rema’s goal was to explain the traditional sources, rather than resolve philosophical-scientific questions for their own sake. The discussion proceeds by exploring the meaning of the Temple, its dimensions, holy vessels, and rites. The book is divided into three parts. The first part deals with the layout of the Temple, the altar, and the holy vessels. The second part discusses the sacrifices, incense, and libations. Whereas the second part is a general exposition of the rationale for the commandments, the third part delves into the rationale for the sacrifices in detail. According to Rema, the reasons for the commandments are beyond the grasp of human intellect. Our mental faculties are only capable of comprehending a fraction of the true reasons.
At the end of the volume, Rema included a poem that begins with a prayer: “Here I beseech, regarding the future, that He strengthen me and grant me life and fortify me with His Torah study for the sake of His great kindness, and that I merit, along with all of Israel, to be among the redeemed, to return to Jerusalem.”