When these three premises are established, the inference will be, for one who understands how to apply them and combine them - that the world has a Creator who created it from nothing, as we will demonstrate with G-d's help.
PROOF OF FIRST PREMISE Anything that exists, after it had not existed, cannot escape one of two possibilities: Either it created itself or something else created it.
Both are impossible, because if we suppose that it created itself after it existed, then it did nothing, since it was not necessary to make itself because it already existed before doing anything, therefore, it did nothing.
If we suppose it made itself before it existed - at that time it was "efes v'ofes" (absolutely nothing - TL), and that which is efes (nothing) cannot perform any action nor preparation (potential) for action, because nothingness cannot do anything. Therefore, it is impossible for something to make itself in any way.
Whatever has a limit/end (i.e. is finite) must have a beginning, because it is evident that something which has no beginning (i.e. existed eternally) has no limit/end (i.e. is finite), since it is impossible for man to fathom the limits of that which is without beginning.
Therefore, that which was found to have a limit/end, we know that it must have had a first beginning which had no beginning before it, and a starting with no starting before it. And when we consider the finite character of all the beginnings found in the world, we must conclude that they had a first Beginning with no beginning before it and a first starting with no start before it, since there cannot be an infinite chain of (non-eternal) beginnings.
SECOND PROOF THAT BEGINNINGS/CAUSES MUST BE FINITE IN NUMBER Furthermore, it is evident that anything which has parts must have a whole, since a whole is merely the sum of its parts. It is not conceivable for something infinite to be comprised of parts, because a part, by definition, is an amount separated from another amount, and through the part the whole is measured, as Euclides mentioned in the fifth treatise of his book of measures.
If we consider in our thoughts something which is infinite in actuality, and we take a part from it, the remainder will undoubtedly be less than what it was before. And if the remainder is also infinite, then one infinite will be greater than another infinite, which is impossible.
Alternatively, if the remainder (of the whole) is now finite, and we put back the part that we took away - then the whole will be finite, but it was originally infinite, if so the same thing is finite and infinite which is a contradiction and impossible. And therefore, it is impossible to take out a part from something which is infinite, since whatever is comprised of parts is undoubtedly finite.
Now of all things (individuals) that have ever existed in the world, if we take out a part of this total number, such as all the individual things that came into existence from the days of Noah to the days of Moses. The total number of individual things of this part is finite, therefore the whole together is also finite. And since the whole of this world is finite in the number of its individual things, it must also be that the number of its beginnings (causes) is also finite, and perforce this world has a first Cause which had no previous cause, and it is necessary because of this, that the beginnings reach an end.
PROOF OF THIRD PREMISE The demonstration of the third premise: Anything composite is evidently composed of more than one thing, and these things which it is composed of must precede it by nature. Likewise, whatever assembled the compound must also precede it by nature and by time.
The kadmon (that which always existed), is that which has no cause, and that which has no cause has no beginning, and that which has no beginning has no limit/end (as before). Consequently, that which has a beginning is not kadmon, and anything which is not kadmon is mechudash (created, brought into existence from nothing), since there is no third term that can be between eternal and created which is neither eternal nor created. If so, anything which is composite is not eternal, and therefore must have been created. Since the third premise has been demonstrated, all three premises have been established.
אַךְ הַהַקְדָּמוֹת אֲשֶׁר יִתְבָּרֵר מֵהֶן כִּי יֵשׁ לָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה בּוֹרֵא בְּרָאוֹ מֵאַיִן הֵן שָׁלֹשׁ הַקְדָּמוֹת.
There are three premises which lead to the inference that this world has a Creator who created it from nothing:
אַחַת מֵהֵנָּה כִּי הַדָּבָר אֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה אֶת עַצְמוֹ.
1) A thing cannot make itself.
וְהַשֵּׁנִית כִּי הַהַתְחָלוֹת יֵשׁ תַּכְלִית לְמִסְפָּרָן וְכֵיוָן שֶׁיֵּשׁ תַּכְלִית לְמִסְפָּרָן יֵשׁ לָהֶן רִאשׁוֹן שֶׁאֵין רִאשׁוֹן לְפָנָיו.
2) Beginnings (causes) are limited in number; therefore, they must have a First Beginning (First cause) which had no beginning (cause) before it.
וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁי כִּי כָל מְחֻבָּר מְחֻדָּשׁ.
3) Anything composite must have been brought into existence (cannot be eternal, i.e. without beginning).
וְכַאֲשֶׁר תִּתְקַיֵּמְנָה אֵלֶּה הַשָּׁלֹשׁ הַקְדָּמוֹת תִּהְיֶה הַתּוֹלָדָה מֵהֶן לְמִי שֶׁיֵּדַע לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בָּהֶן וּלְחַבְּרָן כִּי יֵשׁ לָעוֹלָם בּוֹרֵא בְּרָאוֹ מֵאַיִן כְּמוֹ שֶׁיִּתְבָּאֵר מִמָּה שֶׁאָנוּ עֲתִידִין לְבָאֲרוֹ בע״ה.
When these three premises are established, the inference will be, for one who understands how to apply them and combine them - that the world has a Creator who created it from nothing, as we will demonstrate with G-d's help.
וְהָרְאָיָה עַל בֵּרוּר אֵלּוּ הַג׳ הַקְדָּמוֹת הוּא מָה שֶׁאֲסַפֵּר.
The proof of these three premises is as follows.
וְהוּא שֶׁנֹּאמַר כִּי כָל נִמְצָא אַחַר שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה אֵינֶנּוּ נִמְלָט מֵאֶחָד מִשְּׁנֵי דְּבָרִים אִם שֶׁהִמְצִיא הוּא אֶת עַצְמוֹ אוֹ שֶׁהִמְצִיא אוֹתוֹ זוּלָתוֹ.
PROOF OF FIRST PREMISE
Anything that exists, after it had not existed, cannot escape one of two possibilities: Either it created itself or something else created it.
וְכָל מָה שֶׁנַּחְשֹׁב עָלָיו שֶׁהוּא עָשָׂה א״ע לֹא יִמָּלֵט ג״כ מֵא׳ מִשְּׁנֵי דְּבָרִים אִם שֶׁעָשָׂה א״ע קֹדֶם הֲוָיָתוֹ אוֹ אַחַר הֲוָיָתוֹ,
If it created itself, then, also it cannot escape one of two possibilities: Either it created itself before it existed or after it existed.
וּשְׁנֵיהֶם אִי אֶפְשָׁר כִּי אִם נֹאמַר שֶׁעָשָׂה א״ע אַחַר הֲוָיָתוֹ לֹא עָשָׂה כְּלוּם שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה צָרִיךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת עַצְמוֹ מִפְּנֵי הַקְדָּמַת הֲוָיָתוֹ לְמַעֲשֵׂהוּ א״כ לֹא עָשָׂה כְּלוּם.
Both are impossible, because if we suppose that it created itself after it existed, then it did nothing, since it was not necessary to make itself because it already existed before doing anything, therefore, it did nothing.
וְאִם נֹאמַר שֶׁעָשָׂה אֶת עַצְמוֹ קֹדֶם הֲוָיָתוֹ בָּעֵת הַהִיא הָיָה אֶפֶס וְהָאֶפֶס לֹא יִהְיֶה מִמֶּנּוּ מַעֲשֶׂה וְלֹא הַנָּחָה כִּי הָאֶפֶס לֹא יַעֲשֶׂה דָּבָר וְנִמְנַע שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַדָּבָר עוֹשֶׂה אֶת עַצְמוֹ בְּשׁוּם פָּנִים,
If we suppose it made itself before it existed - at that time it was "efes v'ofes" (absolutely nothing - TL), and that which is efes (nothing) cannot perform any action nor preparation (potential) for action, because nothingness cannot do anything. Therefore, it is impossible for something to make itself in any way.
וְהִתְבָּרְרָה הַהַקְדָּמָה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה אֲשֶׁר הִקְדַּמְנוּ:
The first premise has been clarified.
וּבֵרוּר הַהַקְדָּמָה הַשֵּׁנִית הוּא עַל הַדֶּרֶךְ הַזֶּה,
PROOF OF SECOND PREMISE - (Beginnings are limited in number)
The proof of the second premise is as follows: (commentaries to follow)
שֶׁכָּל מַה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ תִּכְלָה יֵשׁ לוֹ תְּחִלָּה כִּי כְּבָר נִתְבָּרֵר שֶׁכָּל מָה שֶׁאֵין לוֹ תְּחִלָּה אֵין לוֹ תִּכְלָה מִפְּנֵי שא״א לְהַגִּיעַ בְּדָבָר שֶׁאֵין לוֹ תְּחִלָּה אֶל גְּבוּל שֶׁיַּעֲמֹד הָאָדָם אֶצְלוֹ,
Whatever has a limit/end (i.e. is finite) must have a beginning, because it is evident that something which has no beginning (i.e. existed eternally) has no limit/end (i.e. is finite), since it is impossible for man to fathom the limits of that which is without beginning.
וּמָה שֶׁנִּמְצָא לוֹ אַחֲרִית נֵדַע כִּי הָיָה לוֹ רִאשׁוֹן אֵין רִאשׁוֹן לְפָנָיו וּתְחִלָּה שֶׁאֵין לוֹ תְּחִלָּה וְכָל אֲשֶׁר נַעֲמֹד עַל תַּכְלִית מֵהַהַתְחָלוֹת הַנִּמְצָאוֹת בָּעוֹלָם נֵדַע כִּי הָיָה לָהֶם רִאשׁוֹן אֵין רִאשׁוֹן לְפָנָיו וּתְחִלָּה שֶׁאֵין לָהּ תְּחִלָּה. כִּי אֵין הַתְחָלוֹת מִבְּלִי תַּכְלִית לִתְחִלָּתָם.
Therefore, that which was found to have a limit/end, we know that it must have had a first beginning which had no beginning before it, and a starting with no starting before it. And when we consider the finite character of all the beginnings found in the world, we must conclude that they had a first Beginning with no beginning before it and a first starting with no start before it, since there cannot be an infinite chain of (non-eternal) beginnings.
וְעוֹד מִן הַיָּדוּעַ כִּי כָל מַה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ חֵלֶק יֵשׁ לוֹ כֹּל כִּי אֵין הַכֹּל כִּי אִם כְּלַל חֲלָקָיו וְלֹא יִתָּכֵן לִהְיוֹת חֵלֶק לְמָה שֶׁאֵין לוֹ תַּכְלִית כִּי גֶּדֶר הַחֵלֶק אֵינוֹ כִּי אִם שִׁעוּר נִפְרָד מִשִּׁעוּר כִּי שִׁעוּר הַקָּטָן סוֹפֵר אֶת הַגָּדוֹל כַּאֲשֶׁר זָכַר אָקְלִידֶ״ס בִּתְחִלַּת הַמַּאֲמָר הַחֲמִישִׁי מִסֵּפֶר הַשִּׁעוּר.
SECOND PROOF THAT BEGINNINGS/CAUSES MUST BE FINITE IN NUMBER
Furthermore, it is evident that anything which has parts must have a whole, since a whole is merely the sum of its parts. It is not conceivable for something infinite to be comprised of parts, because a part, by definition, is an amount separated from another amount, and through the part the whole is measured, as Euclides mentioned in the fifth treatise of his book of measures.
וְאִם נַעֲלֶה בְּמַחְשַׁבְתֵּנוּ דָּבָר שֶׁאֵין לוֹ תַּכְלִית בְּפֹעַל וְנַפְרִישׁ מִמֶּנּוּ קְצָתוֹ יִהְיֶה הַנִּשְׁאָר פָּחוֹת מִמָּה שֶׁהָיָה קֹדֶם מִבְּלִי סָפֵק וְאִם יִהְיֶה הַשְּׁאָר מֵאֵין תַּכְלִית יִהְיֶה דָּבָר שֶׁאֵין לוֹ תַּכְלִית גָּדוֹל מִדָּבָר שֶׁאֵין לוֹ תַּכְלִית וְהוּא מָה שא״א.
If we consider in our thoughts something which is infinite in actuality, and we take a part from it, the remainder will undoubtedly be less than what it was before. And if the remainder is also infinite, then one infinite will be greater than another infinite, which is impossible.
וְאִם יִהְיֶה לַשְּׁאָר תַּכְלִית אִם נוֹסִיף עָלָיו הַחֵלֶק הַמֻּפְרָשׁ מִמֶּנּוּ וְהוּא יֵשׁ לוֹ תַּכְלִית יִהְיֶה הַכֹּל דָּבָר שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ תַּכְלִית. וּכְבָר הָיָה בִּתְחִלַּת דְּבָרֵינוּ מֵאֵין תַּכְלִית. וא״כ יִהְיֶה בְּתַכְלִית וּמֵאֵין תַּכְלִית וְזֶה הֵפֶךְ שא״א לִהְיוֹת וְלֹא יִתָּכֵן לְהַפְרִישׁ מִמָּה שֶׁאֵין לוֹ תַּכְלִית חֵלֶק כִּי כָל מַה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ חֵלֶק יֵשׁ לוֹ תַּכְלִית מִבְּלִי סָפֵק,
Alternatively, if the remainder (of the whole) is now finite, and we put back the part that we took away - then the whole will be finite, but it was originally infinite, if so the same thing is finite and infinite which is a contradiction and impossible. And therefore, it is impossible to take out a part from something which is infinite, since whatever is comprised of parts is undoubtedly finite.
וּכְשֶׁנְּחַלֵּק מִמָּה שֶׁיָּצָא אֶל גֶּדֶר הַהֲוָיָה בָּעוֹלָם מִן הָאִשִּׁים מִימֵי נֹחַ עַד יְמֵי מֹשֶׁה ע״ה בְּמַחְשַׁבְתֵּנוּ יִהְיֶה חֵלֶק מִכָּל אִישֵׁי הָעוֹלָם וְהוּא מַגִּיעַ עַד תַּכְלִית א״כ הַכֹּל הוּא מַגִּיעַ אֶל תַּכְלִית מִסְפָּר. וְכֵיוָן שֶׁכָּל העה״ז מַגִּיעַ עַד תַּכְלִית צָרִיךְ שֶׁיִּהְיוּ תְּחִלּוֹתָיו מַגִּיעוֹת עַד תַּכְלִית מִסְפָּר וְהַדִּין נוֹתֵן שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה רִאשׁוֹן אֵין רִאשׁוֹן לְפָנָיו וְצָרִיךְ בַּעֲבוּר זֶה לְהַגִּיעַ הַתְחָלוֹת בְּרֵאשִׁיתָם כַּאֲשֶׁר הִקְדַּמְנוּ:
Now of all things (individuals) that have ever existed in the world, if we take out a part of this total number, such as all the individual things that came into existence from the days of Noah to the days of Moses. The total number of individual things of this part is finite, therefore the whole together is also finite. And since the whole of this world is finite in the number of its individual things, it must also be that the number of its beginnings (causes) is also finite, and perforce this world has a first Cause which had no previous cause, and it is necessary because of this, that the beginnings reach an end.
וּבֵרוּר הַהַקְדָּמָה הַשְּׁלִישִׁית שֶׁנֹּאמַר כִּי כָל מְחֻבָּר מֻרְכָּב מִבְּלִי סָפֵק מִדְּבָרִים יוֹתֵר מֵאֶחָד וְהַדְּבָרִים הָהֵם אֲשֶׁר חֻבַּר מֵהֶם הֵם קוֹדְמִים לוֹ הַקְדָּמָה טִבְעִית וְכֵן צָרִיךְ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מְחַבְּרוֹ קוֹדֵם לוֹ הַקְדָּמָה זְמַנִּית וְטִבְעִית,
PROOF OF THIRD PREMISE
The demonstration of the third premise: Anything composite is evidently composed of more than one thing, and these things which it is composed of must precede it by nature. Likewise, whatever assembled the compound must also precede it by nature and by time.
וְהַקַּדְמוֹן הוּא שֶׁאֵין לוֹ עִלָּה וּמָה שֶׁאֵין לוֹ עִלָּה אֵין לוֹ תְּחִלָּה וּמָה שֶׁאֵין לוֹ תְּחִלָּה אֵין לוֹ תִּכְלָה וּמָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ תְּחִלָּה אֵינֶנּוּ קַדְמוֹן וְכָל מָה שֶׁאֵינוֹ קַדְמוֹן הוּא מְחֻדָּשׁ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵין בֵּין הַקַּדְמוֹן וְהַמְּחֻדָּשׁ אֶמְצָעִי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לֹא קַדְמוֹן וְלֹא מְחֻדָּשׁ א״כ כָּל מְחֻבָּר אֵינֶנּוּ קַדְמוֹן וְעַל כָּל פָּנִים הוּא מְחֻדָּשׁ וְכֵיוָן שֶׁנִּתְבָּרְרָה הַהַקְדָּמָה הַשְּׁלִישִׁית אֲשֶׁר זָכַרְנוּ נִתְקַיְּמוּ הַשָּׁלֹשׁ הַקְדָּמוֹת:
The kadmon (that which always existed), is that which has no cause, and that which has no cause has no beginning, and that which has no beginning has no limit/end (as before). Consequently, that which has a beginning is not kadmon, and anything which is not kadmon is mechudash (created, brought into existence from nothing), since there is no third term that can be between eternal and created which is neither eternal nor created. If so, anything which is composite is not eternal, and therefore must have been created. Since the third premise has been demonstrated, all three premises have been established.