I see Math and Physics as a kind of service towards God along the lines of how we consider learning the Oral and Written Law. I do it more from the standpoint of a part of the mitvzah of learning Torah rather than as a vocation. There is a lot to go into about this. It is not just that I discovered this in the Rambam. There was a whole history of events leading up to the point that I realized this is important. It started as you can imagine with my admiration for my Dad. I knew he was working as a scientist and so that got my curiosity up about as to what he was involved with. Then I saw this mentioned in books of Musar while at the Mir Yeshiva in NY. But at that time I was on different track and did not want to listen - even to Musar which I knew was an accurate representation of the Torah approach. Later I saw this more openly expressed in the Rambam's Mishne Torah and the Guide. And at some point in Israel I started to relearn it.
I also think survival skills are important and that idea comes from the Gemara itself but more should be said about that in a different blog entry.
In a nut shell the idea of the Rambam is that learning Physics and Metaphysics are in themselves a fulfillment of the Mitvzahs to love and fear God. To love and fear are emotions and as such can not be commanded. Thus the Rambam basing himself on the Geonim held that learning Physics and Metaphysics which bring one to be inspired with love and awe of God are the actual fulfillment of these mitzvahs.
As Kabalah became more popular the older ideas of what מעשה ברשית מעשב מרכבה (The work of creation and the work of the Divine Chariot) meant were altered to agree with the kabalsistic approach. This was a dramatic shift but it was introduce subtly so that people would not notice it. I have nothing against learning Isaac Luria whose writings I think-are very important. Still that is not what the Rambam was referring to when he was talking about מעשה בראשית מעשה מרכבה The work of creation and the work of the Divine Chariot.
In a nut shell the idea of the Rambam is that learning Physics and Metaphysics are in themselves a fulfillment of the Mitvzahs to love and fear God. To love and fear are emotions and as such can not be commanded. Thus the Rambam basing himself on the Geonim held that learning Physics and Metaphysics which bring one to be inspired with love and awe of God are the actual fulfillment of these mitzvahs.
As Kabalah became more popular the older ideas of what מעשה ברשית מעשב מרכבה (The work of creation and the work of the Divine Chariot) meant were altered to agree with the kabalsistic approach. This was a dramatic shift but it was introduce subtly so that people would not notice it. I have nothing against learning Isaac Luria whose writings I think-are very important. Still that is not what the Rambam was referring to when he was talking about מעשה בראשית מעשה מרכבה The work of creation and the work of the Divine Chariot.
