COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY ORIENT AL STUDIES

Vol. XXVII

THE

HIGH WAYS TO PERFECTION OF

ABRAHAM MAIMONIDES

BY

SAMUEL ROSENBLATT

AMS PRESS, INC. NEW YORK, N.Y. 10003

1966

13 1 - 13° ­

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Ms. 1275 The ninth part of the book (( Sufficient unto the servants (of p. 13b

God "), a composition of our lord and master Abraham son of our lord the master and our master Moses son of our master Maimum, the memory of the righteous be blessed, it being the second (part) of the fourth (section) of the division of the book in which there are (contained) of the chapters of the fourth section thirteen chapters, to wit:

the eleventh chapter, referring to the permanent legal way (of life) ;

the twelfth chapter, noting what the elevated paths have in common;

the thirteenth chapter, on the sincerity of actions; the fourteenth chapter, on mercy; the fifteenth chapter, on generosity; the sixteerith chapter, on gentleness; the seventeenth chapter, on humility; the eighteenth chapter, on faith; the nineteenth chapter, on contentedness; the twentieth chapter, on abstinence; the twenty-first chapter, on the war (against the self); the twenty-second chapter, on the government of the faculties

and their control to serve their noble end; the twenty-third chapter, on solitude.

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XI

133 ­- 1}2

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Ms. 1275

In the name of the Lord, God of the world p. za

A chapter on the permanent legal way 1 (of life)

The permanent legal way (of life obtaining) 2 after the perfection of the Law 3 and unto (all) future time is to be divided into two ways, a common way and a special way. As for the common way it is the way (consisting) in the performance of the explicit commandments {of the Law)-i. e. the carrying out of what is commanded to be done and the avoidance of what is commanded not to be done-by every person in Israel according to his requirement thereof. For the commandments of circumcision, of the Succah and the Lulab, although they are obligatory upon the males of Israel, they are not obligatory upon the women; and the commandments (pertaining) to the priesthood although they are obligatory upon the priests, they are not obligatory upon the rest of Israel; and the commandments (pertaining) to the sanctuary and its sacred objects cannot be complied with in the diaspora. And so it is with the negative commandments, for His declaration,,- exalted be He, "Thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor favor the person of the great" 4 does not appertain to the public but its obligatoriness (rests) upon the judges. Now the essence of this way of the performance of the commandments (consists herein) that the professor of the Law understand what God, exalted be He, has commanded in His book to do, and what He has forbidden to do, considering that command or prohibition in its relation to his (par­ticular) case, resolutely taking it upon himself to carry out what is specified for him to do .and to avoid what is forbidden to him to do. And unless he knows what has been commanded he will not succeed in this way, and thereto did they 5 refer when they said: " An empty­headed person cannot be a fearer of sin." 6 Now if he be thus informed of what is required of him (and) carries it out he would be following the right way on the road which God, exalted be He, directed (us) to follow. And he who follows this common way of the performance of the commandments

1 i.e. conduct in consonance ';"ith the Torah. 2 The words in parentheses are those of the editor. a i.e. the Torah. • Leviticus I 9, I 5. 5 i. e. the rabbis. 6 A/Joth 2, 5.

135 - 134 ­

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I :-tP"W'N 18 I NP'~M'~ 18 I ..,'K 17 I i'MlD~ 17 I Y~K' 16 I "., 16 I 'bC' 16 I ''''N 16

cnnc~ 21 I N.,:"I 21 I ~M",pn, 21 I :-lb"i'Mb'K 19 I YN::l'N 19 I K.,:-t, 19

is the one who is called i"'~ (just), and 01'1 (integrite), and "'I~~ p.2b (upright), and lrl~ "'10 (he who turns away from evil), and in the usage of the sages, their memory be blessed, "'I~" (proper). But the best name for that is i"'~ which is derived from i"~ the meaning of which is "justice" and "the full payment of what is due," for the performance of the obligatory commandments is a claim that He, exalted be He, has upon us, (being as) obligatory upon us as is the slave's compliance with his master's command, "For unto Me are the children of Israel servants, &c.," 7 "And thou shalt re­member that thou wast a slave in Egypt; and thou shalt observe and do these statutes." 8 And he who is remiss in this way is the one who is called V~' (unjust), and V~'" (faithless), and v' (evil), and V"'I~ (evildoer), and other names which it is not necessary to treat in full and interpret. And each one of these names applies to the person according to the extent of his sin, his transgression, his remissness or his unbelief. But the best name for him is V~' because he does an injustice in not paying what is due to his master from him and in not paying his rational soul what is due to its perfection.

9 And

(as for) the exposition of this common path that is it whereof we have already fully treated in the three preceding parts (of this book) what is most necessary and what is most important in it. And as for the special way it is the way (which takes account) of the purposes of the commandments and their secrets and of what can be understood of the intentions of the Law and the lives of the prophets and the saints and their ilk. And he who follows this direction of the special way is the one who is called ~"i' (holy), and "on (benevolent), and ")V (humble) and the like. But the best name for him is ,'on because it is derived from ,on the meaning of which is "benevolence" for he goes beyond what is required of him according to the explicit sense of the Law. And (as for). this special way we have already shown the road to it in the preceding chapters when we called attention to the purposes of the command­ments and their secrets and when we broadened out to motives that we understood thereof, and in this part we shall complete the

explanation of them

7 Leviticus 2 5, 55. 8 Deuteronomy 16, 12.

9 C( the chapter on the " soul" in the introduction.

1}6 ­ 1}7

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• •• L. L.I "10 20 I NC:'1~' 20 I :"'Ii"P" 19 l'i'M'C' 19 I ':I'MC' 18 I "1C7 18 I mtcN:l7ac 17

according to the utmost of our understanding and what our p. 3 a

knowledge has arrived at. And we say that he who eats unleavened bread and refrains from eating what is leavened on the Feast of Unleavened Breads, and he who sits in the Succah and carries the Lulab on the Feast of Booths, and he who refrains from doing any work on the Sabbath and on the Day of Atonement, and from eating and drinking on the Day of Atonement, and from doing servile work on the holiday, and he who puts on the fringes and the phylacteries, and he who refrains from forbidden foods and forbidden cohabitations according to the explicit sense of the Law so that he does not pass by a positive commandment which is obligatory upon him and he does not transgress over a negative commandment, (we say) that he follows the common explicit way. And we say that is "the common (way)" because it is common to the best of. Israel and their masses, for just as doing work on the Sabbath is forbidden to Joshua the son of Nun and dwelling in the Succah on the festival is obligatory upon him, so is the doing of work on the Sabbath forbidden to the entirety of Israel and dwelling in the Succah on the festival obligatory upon them both those of them that have passed (already) and those that come after them until the (most distant) future. And we say that is the "explicit (way)" because it is something that everybody under­stands, and therefore punishment is inflicted upon him who is presumptuously remiss in it. And we say that he who understands the secret (meaning) of the Sabbath and its purpose and occupies himself on it with remembering the creation of the world and its origination and turns his mind to the genesis (of the world) and withdraws to inner sanctity, and that he who understands the secret (meaning) of the fringes and recalls on putting them on the commandments of the Lord so that they wrest him out of the state of neglectfulness into which he has fallen and he rises to true inner sanctity as it is said therein: "And ye, shall be holy unto your God,"IO and he who' understands from the secret of forbidden foods the diminution even of what is permitted and restriction to the useful­

10 Numbers IS, 40.

139 ­13 8 ­

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:T"lM~N 21 I CNr'N 20

and the necessary and similarly (he understands) from the secret p. 3b

of forbidden cohabitations, and resolutely takes it upon himself to act according to what he understands, (we say) that he follows a special implicit way. The reason why we say it is (a) "special" (way) is because that is something which not everyone of the professors of the Law arrives at, and the reason why we say (it is) " implicit" is because it is not explicitly obligatory, and therefore

no secular punishment by human hands applies to him who is

remiss in it. And according to that it will be clear to thee that (as for) the common way there is no differences (of gradation) in

most of it, for there is no gradation between the being eaten or the not being eaten of what is forbidden and between a man's profaning

or his not profaning the Sabbath, but everyone of Israel sO fat as the explicit way is concerned either resolutely takes it upon himself or is remiss in it. And if a difference (of gradation) applies to it, it is in the number of paths 11 or in the repetition of the default in the one path, for there may be a defaulter in the explicit way

whose remissness is considerable in that he forsakes a number of commandments (of the class) of positive commandments and trans­gresses over a number of negative commandments, and another

defaulter whose remissness is slight because the commandments in which he is remiss are small in number or (because) the prohibitions

which he oversteps are few. And it may be that between twO

defaulters in the one path there be a difference (of gradation) with

respect to the repetition of the default, for the default of him who did not make fringes on a garment that he wears by day only or

who continually shaves the corner (of his hair) is not equal to the default of him who one time in his life put on a garment requiring

fringes without fringes or who one time shaved off the corner (of his hair). So in this respect difference (of gradation) applies to the common way. And I say to thee that there is no difference of

gradation in most of it because the commandment of fear (of God)­

11 i. e. commandments.

- 14° ­

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Nn'N£ln n~£l j~~;NC;N nNj-" n'N£ln, .:l-'VOO mro 1;; ;Nno ii,nN';N iii~'N' ,nN';N 1;CO;N ~£l ~h~Ji~

i'n.:lCO ;N-,ttr ~,~cn 10 i-NSWN fiJi;Ji y.,£l) N3N CNV;N n~,;c; ~N:t~N 'p cn,nN' mnN' Nn.:lC n~£l

nn-':l£l.:l I;N~ 1';C n.:lW ;,;n jO VN)nON;N' nN.:lCN;N.:l 10

jN.:l ii~;oj ii-':l£l e;NV;N p;S ~£l -':l£l£l n.:lC;N fi~N~ ~£l

mN' eN~N iinc ~£l p,;SO NOm~.:l NO' Y-'N;N' NOC;N viw~'N p;NS;N N;N m,j" ~n.:lN N; ;iN e~,p en j~~ e;

jN.:l rNS;N n:l';C jN£l ~~NJi;N' N;V' ;} n.:lC;N.:l N~;

NO n;N.:l.:l -,to~N jN.:l 11ft' ti;i£lO fh:l£l 1;; ~£l -':l£l 15

;N nN~;~ -'.:lnVN ilJN 1;; ~;N ~N:t~N' ;;N;N mtoSN ;N r:l-,o jO nnN~rj jO mN.:lnv~ m:lO; NO' ,,5,

~£l 'Pn nno~n -'.:lnVN' ~;VN;N 1;£l;N to~no ~;N'ihN , ;N ~£l' ;m;N C'~;N ~£l p;S NO n-,toNS ~£l ;i£l' ,,5';N Nin

cn£l; NO .:ll:ln CN~N;N finc;N ti~p.:l 10 c,~ c,~ ~£l' ~)NJi 20

jN.:l j;NS;N n~,;c IN~ Ji;N1'i;N' n-WN-'.:l nV1£l 10

I. :"I'''C»''N 4 I rN:::lt,N' 3 I ~K»t,N 3 I ,"N~ 3 I :"I:::l.,n~~ 3 I :"Ib'rOP 2 I :"IbMP 1

I "Nnb 7 I :"I'M~"N 7 I ~:::l"N' 7 I N.,'n:::l 7 I :'l"~~ 5 I Y"P 5 I YN:::l"N 5 I N3'~ 4 I :"I'N' 1 1 I rN: 10 I tll~:"1C 9 I :"I'MM' 9 I n~c 9 I rlC:~N 8I :"Inr,n 8 I N)M 8 1,,,, 7 I "N I 3 I en 13 I 1':::l' 13 I :"Inc 12 I i""~b 12 I :"I'''~~ II I :;"::El II I i''': II, . I YN:::l"N 14 I ')Mn"M' 14 I t,~ 14 I :"~b"N 13 I i'''N:''1C 13 I N"N 13 I ',n::1C 13

I "'N"IC 16 I :"I"fQ::lN 16 I "fQ:1C 15 I 1"" 15 I :"I":ltElb 15 I ~"1:::lEl 15 I ,,,, 15 I i',b 19 I :"I"roN:::l 19 I ":ltEl, 19 I N':"I 19 I :"InN'NI~5 17 I nlC'''~ 16 I ,,,, 16

YN:::l'1C 21 I n"lCn"N' 2 1 I :"InC'M 20 I :"I'i'~ 20 I ')Nn"ac 19 I "'N"IC 19

141 ­

and the commandment of love (of God) and the commandment of P·4 a

the service of the heart are common commandments and in pursuing them there are great differences (of degree) as thou knowest for their beginnings 12 are shared (in common) 13 and their ends are the uttermost point of the two ways, the common and the special. But as for the practical commandments there is no difference (of gradation) in their performance as we have explained. Now as regards the special way it has a very great range,14 (as great) as the distance of East from West, and the degrees of those pursuing it vary greatly in the one path Hi and (even) in the one time.

16 For

example if we were to assume three persons of the saints of Israel observing one Sabbath in it,1 7 then for one of them there is added to his common way of resting and refraining from profaning the Sabbath a special way in that he thinks of the purpose of the Sabbath and so reflects in a general way about the creation of the world, namely that the heaven and the earth and what is between them was created in six days and that there was no eternal first (being) whose existence had no beginning except the Creator who gives us the law of the Sabbath, may He be magnified and exalted. And (as for) the second his special way (consists) in his reflecting thereof in a detailed manner, and that is that he recalls in his heart what the first one recalls and there is added to that that he considers the totalities of creation and what he is able to consider of its particulars from the center of the earth up to the circumference of the highest (celestial) sphere, and he considers His wisdom, exalted be He, in this creation and particularizes in his thought what was created on the first day and on the second day and on everyone of the rest of the six days according to what can be understood from the portion of " the genesis." And (as for) the third his special way

(consists) in that

12 i. e. of these commandments. 13 i.e. have to be observed by everybody. 14 i. e. in the manner of performance. 15 i. e. the one commandment or vinue. 16 i. e. the single act or performance. 11 i.e. the special way.

142 - 143 ­

p. 4 b ;N iii~~;N h;h ~~ Pi~JitN' ~JNJi;N h~~ i~~ NC ~~ i~~

;N~ to~NN' ii~p~pn;N ntv"p;; ;PJiJN IN ~;N fi~c;V

;N ,JV h;N;i iNUN lC hJtoN~ ~;V PitvN NC; VJN~

nV'J~C f10tov~ nJictOV ~;V ;N;'JiON;N' n~~ lii~~

hJ~~' hJ~~ ~Ji;N ii~Vitv;N' ii~;PV;N fipN;V;N 9itv 1i'N' 5

~J~~ h~ V~itvJi;N ~~ VJi h;'P ~~ Ji~O;N~ '~P NC~

;N 9V~~ NC ~;V ntv, O;,V; N~h Ji'N ;Nitv~ ~~~ 1~~'

h~~ ~itv;N' ;~N;N lV NVJJiCO 1;;; lN~~ l~JiPN;V

;~ h;~to~ hn~tv lV 1~hN~ h~~ ,n NOV hVtoP~ N;;; fi~NhJ ~~ 1;; lc h; ;~n~ m,~~ 'h NC i~~ ~~ hn~tv 10

Ji;~ IN Ji~PN hp~tvm h~hN' hNi~ ltoN~;N h~';O

NC~ hO~~ V~~; V"i;N~ ~n~ N; 'h, Ni~;N lC hN~VN

pitoJi' ~tv~J V~tvJi ltv" ~;n 'o~ ", ;Np NC~ Nh; ;~Ji

J;1Ni~~6 ~;V hJ~V VPJi, NhJV ;,~tvc ,m hVCO JiN'~N;N

N;~N' 1;;; lN~~ NhJi~'i lV i~~;N ih5~c;N~ ,m ii~cn 15

tv~J Ji'NJi 1i~r;, 1Ctv; h;'ONO' m,~pc; n~,;o~

~JNJi;N 1';0' Ji~O;N~ h;NJi;N Nin 1';0 1~~ nSN ;tv N;~

Ji'N~Ji N~~N ;;N;N 1';0' ~JNJi;N 1'~0 1~~' O~tOV Ji'N~Ji

O~tOV i~Ji~ Ji'N~Ji~ ;;N;N' Ji;NJi;N 1';0 1~~ NCN' i\~~

;N 1;NOC;N ii'p~ ~~ iCN;N ~i.i~ ;NJic;N Nih ~;V' iiic~ ~o

Ji'i'ON Ji';~NC 10 rN~ 1';0 n; ;~n lc o~; hJN; iiiNS

'n '" :"1'.1'''' 16 I " '~O C1'~:"I1I I 3 I 'I' 1M" lI'C" 6

I :1~r6'::l 4 I :1~~~r,M 3 I :1'i"i'M!;IM 2 I ~,~r,~r,M I I :1~~~r,M I I :1.,;' 1 I '~Mnr,M I

I M~ll 9 I Mr"r, 9 I ,r,.,r, 8 I Mit" 7 I :1'~'"iIt'r,N' 5 I ~~r,i'l'r,M 5 I ~i'Mr,,lr,M 5

I ~M~~::lb 14 I eM' 12 I M'i5r,M 12 I nr,~ II I :1'Mm 10 I ,r,., 10 I ? ,r" r,::l 9 I r.r,Mnr,N 17 I M.,:1 17 I itt.' 17 I r,~M' 15 I ,r,.,r, 15 I y~~6r,M:J 15 I :"1'OM 15

I "'Mr,M' I 9 I nr,Mnr,M 19 I "'M~n 18 I r,'Mr,M 18 I '~Mnr,M 18 I "'M~n I 8 I '~Mnr,M r 7

rM~ 2 I I :1~M~r,N 20 I ;"i'::l 20 I r,Mnr.lr,M 20 I W":"1 20 I :1"~::l 20 I .,'n:J 19

he reflects about what the second reflects, and (besides) he becomes p. 4 b absorbed in this philosophical 18 reflection until he is transported to the true sanctity and rejoices in the Maker because of what there shines on his inward parts of the lights of His majesty as he reflects about Him and adduces evidence for His greatness from the greatness of what He has made.19 And he comprehends the nobleness of the intellectual and legal 20 bond that (exists) between Him and him as was intended by the Sabbath in His declaration, exalted be He, in its legislation: "Between Me and between the children of Israel is it a sign forever." 21 And he diminishes that which would weaken the two bonds and so he refrains from eating and drinking on it lest it cut him off from that wherein he is (engaged), not to speak (of refraining) from idle speech, nay, speech about subjects which are not within his intention (at present). And so he attains from this (preoccupation) at the end of his implicit way fear (of God), love (of God) and (a) longing (for God) that (finally) bring it about that the members of his body be in need of nourishment and (yet) he do not feel any hunger because his soul is sated with that which it has attained as David said, «My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness," 22

and sounds strike his ear and (yet) he is too much preoccupied (to hear) them, and his eye falls on sensible scenes and (yet) he is like one whose eyes are closed so that he does not see them. And he therefore arrives through his way at what he strove and hoped for, "Unto Thy name and Thy memorial is the desire of our soul." 23 And there is no doubt that between the way of this third one with regard to the Sabbath and the way of the second there is a great difference (of degree), and (that) between the way of the second and the way of the first there is also a big difference (of degree). And now between the way of the third and the first there is a considerable, very great difference (of degree). And according to this example does the matter stand with the rest of the special paths, for he who has attained a special way in the matter of (the observance of the laws of) forbidden foods (consisting)

18 literally " scientific." 19 literally" of what is made by Him." 20 i.e. the bond created by observing the laws of the Torah regarding the Sabbath

which where given by God. 21 Exodus 3I, 17. 22 Psalms 63, 6. 23 Isaiah 2.6, 8.

144 - 145

p. sa ~no tQP~ '\:1J~N:l "'l:lC~ N" On~~N:l o~n~ N~ "N~ iN:l :lp ,~, ;,~~ ~~p NO ,cn ~~ rN~~N "~C~N iO ;,~ ~~n 10

~~ "ON~N ~.,j~ ,~i ~~V' n:l~ :l"V~ n:l~ :l"VO l~:l,.,n

Nmo (,nN] ~:l i~V iN ~JVN ftV~~"~N mNS~N '~NCO~N "~NC

n'N~n :lcn:l' .,~n:l N;'~~ l~:l'NC'N 1~:l n'N~n~N' "~:l:l 5

NV~~" N:l'CO N3~:l NiN~ O;,"~ n'N~n~ ;'''~J' O;':l,'C ii.,~n:l N'imv ;,~~ iN O;'~N No;"n~, V7tN,n'N 'N ,m'N:l

,rtt C~, mN' m~:lJ 0' 'N N~~ Y'''V'N "n 10 NF:l ;,w V7tN,n N" l~~:lJ'N 10 Nort.,\:J ,rtT:l V~'N' ':-t~r,N

iN "P~ ft~tQ,n'N mrt 'V:l, l'~O'N'N 10 ,nN vjN,n:l 10

rrV"~~N ,'NCO'N rti;, 10 rtNJO;,£l NO l~:lJ iN NJ'~p

;'N3~:l ~i'N iN' Nrt~o "00 ,'CC ~~ l1iN:i'N fiV~~"'N

rt,~o lN~:l' ft~V:ln'N:l ,;, iioipnC'N NdN'N ~~ "i 10

ii,nN"N ;"~O'N p~n 'p' N;'NJ~:l ~n'N n"~C'N 10 m~ NC;,-,\:n :l,tQ o,~, n:l~ ~~ Nj~:l NO:l mN5 ,'NCO 11;V.' ~i,n 15

,rt ,nN"N ,r,CO'N l':l~ 'p ~i'N ,'COr,N :lCn:l NJM m~:lJ NO' fro'pC'N ~~ ,m'N "ON 10 NF:l NC:l n,,~o ml? ii~NJ

"P~ ,r,i ~~ NJV'''~ ':lp' r-i'N Nirt nNC~po iC iih'Nn'N "r,C'N ~~ '~~C'N :l~n.,nr,N' n~n~'N .,rQJr,N rr~p~ ~i'N iN ~,~n'N 10 ;,JNr, .,rtNrQ'N ,"Cr,N ON:lnN:l rtN':l'N m 20

,~cn rt~N rt'1\:J rt:l lrQ~ 'N rtc~J:l lr6~ r~~ l':l~ iN '~'~'N

: '" n'JlIn 2

I .,'m 5 I :-t,,~.,r,K 4 I :"lJK::lr,K 4 I ,r" 3 I ", 2 I YK::lr,K 2 I r,M~ I I I:I:;)M' I

I :-t'ro'Mr,K 10 I ~,~ 10 I :"l~'~~ 8 I K~'~ 8 I :-t"'M::l 7 I r"" 7 I K~'::l 6 I K'K~ 6

I MK~'~ 12 I "r,K I 2 I m:K:;)'K 12 I :"1,,~.,r,N I 2 I ~'.t'''lt'r,N 1I I :-t,~ I 1 I I":::l~ 11

I "'M 15 I :-t'MK'lr,N 14 I r:::lM 14 I :-t''':::lMr,K~ 13 I :"1~ipM~'K 13 I ,r" I3

I ~" 17 I :"l'N~ 17 I "r,K 16 I ,r,c~ 16 I m'~~ 16 I K~':::l 15 I :-tJK:;) 15 I :-n,r, 15

1"r,'K I 9 I ,r" I 8 I N'~ 18 I MK~"i'~ I 8 I :'m'Nnr,K 18 I :-t~'i'~r,K 17 I K;':::l 17

I ItO' 2 I I ItO' 2 I I y::llt' 2 I I :-t'K':::lr,K 20

therein merely that he does not get indigestion from the meat and p. 5a

does not get drunk with grape-wine is not like him who has attained of the special way therein that whereof it was said "A Kab of carobs is sufficient from one Sabbath-eve to the other." 24 And thus does the matter stand with the remaining special elevated paths, I mean that the range of each one of them is big and (that) the difference (of degree) between those that pursue them is considerable and their attaining 25 varies according to the variation between the way they are going and (ways) other than it. So when(ever) we explain an elevated path like abstinence or humility and the like, understand (Oh reader) that there are in it many gradations whether we have explained something of these gradations or not, for the abstinence of Elijah and Elisha was not like the abstinence of prophets other than they, nor was the humility of Moses like the humility of anyone of the men. And after these preliminary remarks we say that we intend to explain what we understand of these legal, elevated, special paths in every path thereof (separately), for that which we explained thereof in the preceding parts was in the sequence of the explanation of the individual commandments of those commandments that we explained, and it is possible that one commandment conduce to a number of special paths as we have explained in the case of the Sabbath and the holiday and other (commandments) besides them. And what we shall explain here will be according to the path it being possible that one path be the purpose of a number of commandments as we have explained (it) in the matter of abstinence in the third preamble of the preambles of this part. And before we commence therewith, we will say that the thing that the correct view and useful order decree about the journey is to begin with properly pursuing the explicit way, for it is a gross error that a. person think of himself or that another think of him that he is a saint

24 Ta'anith 24 b. 25 Cf. the discussion of the summllm bonum in the introduction. Rosenblatt. 10

146 - 147 ­

p. 5b O~N~ 'N '~N'N "pt.5 'N C'~'N CtN~C 'N jNn'N .,jn nJ'~~

Nt:l~ .,t:lN'N ,~ j~'N' ~~n.,b 'N n,,~c~ 'SO ,m 9'~'N N' NC~ '~Q r.,N C)) jN' ,~on r.,Nn C)) N" N"NP

~n'N m,n "c,n n'~Q~ ~N,SN i'"1N CJ) nJ'~' nc,))~

n'N'pN .,~n))n jN ~j~ iC '~'NPN jC, m'~Q'N '~N jQ ~n 5

i;~N"~'N fi~"n, ii~,n'N ~.,jc ~.,jn Nn,m, '~NU;N iN ,.,n~, fi~'n'N i~"N 5., '~P~ N" j~"N fi~~pn ~.,~C ~.,jn

~!) ~Nn~'N "p jC cnil~ NC f1'Q~ jC Nim NJN n,p m~,

~'.'l'N' '~'~'N rtr,~n'N Nin ci ~~, np~ N~' yn nnN~~

[CNJ)'NJ"'O'N~ 'N,SN'N'rN~'N"'C'N~ 'N.'ln~N'NiQ C~tO))'N 10

,~nn 'N j'''.'l~ N.,p n~~J iNO' ~')) ;bn ip "i~ "~"N '~p' CnN~n ~P))~ n~~" C))~~ ~CV, '.'In, ,"p C.,n "il'~~

n~J) np'~ "~N ~'.'l~ p~iln~ ~~." n;.", p~'~ C,~ C,~ ~n'N'

1i~!)n~ C'n'N n~.,p P'~ ~toil~Q ~J"N~~ ~rJ) N' ,~n'N toil~t:l'

~~." ~~ "'O'N' yN'S'N ftj.", ~P"1n'N '~NP N~ nJ~ iNil 15

'~NP C~N~~Jn ~J~' 'N"~~ ~,~on ,." ~M ~n'N :i~~~S'N ~,~

,~"toc ~'N ,~n jN ~'N n~,)) 'J\))~' ,JC im M~~"~ "'0 CN))'N "'C'N~ N'~N!) ,n'N i~))~CC' .,nto~' N~ N"Np NQ~

'))~' mr~ 'Cl'~ NOQ ~~~ ,3n N" n~il'nON' .,nNtO'N j~JC .,~p 'Q'~ iN C,))N' rNS'N "'O'N ~il ))"~N "i 20

'CN~" M~J.'l 'N 't.'l iC ii,nN' ii':N '~')) mi,~ n,,~on

: 'Il, :1'M:= ,. 'M: M'II M'I"V ,: 'n~ Mil" ,. ''1i' :1,ltl 18 I I, .'11 'M: M'V't'· 11 I 'M " :1':11 3

I :"I""n, 6 I ~~";'''N 6 I lb 6 I ,~~ 5 I KI;lNI;l~N 4 I I;l~o 3 I ":b 2 I l;l"i'Q 1

I r~~"N 10 I ~~ 9 I c, 9 I ;,'='~.i 8 I N'~' 8 I ~"i:-l'='N 7 I ::., 7 I :"1\~pn 7

I ;'~"¥~"N 16 I rN'~"N 15 I ~.i.,," 15 I "p,n"lt 15 I ,,=,,:: II I '='N"~N"N' 10

I ~"::It 2 1 I ;,."," 2 1 IyN~"N 20 I,,,, 20 IK~~ 19 I "~n I 9 I CKP"K 1 8 I "::KEl 18

, M'I"lK' 21

because he gives up marriage or fasts continually or eats little or p. 5b wears wool while he is remiss in (certain) commandments or trans­gresses over (certain) prohibitions. But the matter is as they 26

said, "Nor can an ignorant man be pious," 27 for an ignorant person is remiss in that which he does not know and his being ignorant (denotes) being remiss in the commandment to study Torah which is one of the most important commandments. And one of the declarations of him whose utterances thou must consider is that voluntary prayers and the like have the status of a gift, and the fulfillment of obligations has the status of the payment of a debt, and the creditor will not accept the gift and leave his debt. Now I say that this is (one) of the things to be understood from the declaration of the Bible regarding His attributes, exalted be He, C< And He does not take (bribe)." 28 And in censure of this gross error and the great mistake of engaging in the special way while being remiss in the common way and of striving to attain (the goal) thereby He has said, exalted be He, in the language of His prophet, "Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a horn and declare unto My people their transgression, and to the house of Jacob their sin. Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know My ways; as a nation that did righteousness and forsook not the ordinance of their God, they ask of Me righteous ordinances, they delight to draw near unto God." And if, oh thou who strivest to rise to the rank of the best and to walk in the particular ways of the Eternal which is the way of the saints of Israel and the disciples of the prophets, (if) thou dost intend (to pursue) a way which He, exalted be He, will find acceptable from thee and whereon He will aid thee until thou dost arrive at thy quest as they said,29 "When one comes to be purified they 30 aid him (therein)," 31 then begin with the common explicit way and carry it out in full and do not be remiss in anything thereof which is required of thee, and after that commence with the special way. And know that thy eating once (of what comes) from robbery or theft causes thee to forfeit thy fasting ten years as a matter of piety and that thy putting on

26 i. e. the rabbis. 27 Apoth 2, 5. 28 Deuteronomy 10, 17.

29 i. e. the rabbis. 30 i. e. the heavenly creatures. 31 Shabbath 104a, Yoma 38b, 'Apodah Zarah 58a, Mena/loth 29b.

10"

148 149 ­

p. 6a 'CN~' '~'V i"l,i~~ ,'OV ';':IN N'i"lt mm~ ~t~'N 'N ~~ 'VNtoj'JN~ n~~~~ 1~' n~~~~ n~~~~nOi"l n~'tQ

Ci"l"N i"lmO p' i"lmO~ ~~~ni"l n~~ '~'V mi~~ 1~JC 'N~i"i 'Jp i"lJN~ fb'J ~N N~i"lC ,JO i"v P:l~ 1N N'N NO ~~ fiJN~~'N~ fiJNVN'N~ tQ'~ NO ~'V ii'~JO'N ~S,n 5

p~;,:,n~ 'N'ttt~ ~,~cn 'N~:l NJ~N' ,,, ,jN'~ ~JNnC~

~t nN,~nn~ Nl"lJO nON'C'N ~~ p,~nn~~ :Ui'N 10 NJ~N' NO:l v~ttt,:, to'~ Ni"lJtQN~ ~~~ tiVNJttt Nmi"lNto

~~~ 1N rn ~~ ~i"l ~i'N CNV 'JVOi"l ~J~n [,,~] ,,~ i"l~p,n N~N

i"lnj~r i,Sn 1N:Nj~~ tQnp'N l~JC ~~ 'tQO'N~ i"lnim ~i"l 10

N'ttt ~':l i"l~P~ i"lJV i"l'NC 10' ,Ift "v~~ iiJ~rc i"lNp,nn ,,, C~~ ,~o,n'N ~~ ,tQo NO~ n'nN i"ltttN~ ~J~V 1nN

,oNn~ 'Utuo ii~N'~'N 10 N~'lt"N ni"'N "n ~~ ~i"l jO 1N' ~N' ft~'J~ ~ ,~~ '~tQ:' 10 ft~ttt:, ,~ N'S~ NtttNn NCJ'N

umN ,~V ~:l '~:lr u,~~ ~~ N~i"l ~:l NO Nnp~ ~~~tQ 15

N' 'N,n ~~ P:l~ hv 1N!) i"l~ ,UW ~i"l "':' 1V VtQp;~ i"lJN O'VN~ i'l,im "i Oi"l~N~ i"l'~N~ i.ciN~V~ ON,n ~~

~N 'i"lt, ~'J 10 ~'~J i"lJ;~ ~N 'i"lJ~~N NO ,~ ~£l tQ~,tt~

:"i 1nJ~ viN~n ~N iiVNJp iiV~t"N ,'NCO'N CV~ NO ~'V i"l~~Jn'N ~~ ,~~ 2O~'

f·v~~ Nmv~ fttQ~n,o ftV~~"N ,'NCO'N 1N O'VN

I ',. "~ o'~:'I1'I 15 I : '" Ole' 10 I .'" 1'1"111'1 9

I ,j.,M 5 I ,r,., 4 I ~~r,.i 4 I Nr,N 4 I l:I:1r,r,N 3 I :"1"'" 3 , ;,.,.", I I "M~N I

I ;'bNr,l:Ir,N 7 I :m,r,N 7 I j1~':JM' 6 I ,r" 6 I ;,m,~r,N' 5 I :1:N»Nr,N' 5 I :1"l)iCr,N 5

I :"1,~,b I I I ;'Npr,MM II I j"~M 10 11'~N~;' 10 IN'»" 9 I ,.,r,N 9 I »'1W:J 8 I :1PN:W 8

I Nr,~, 14 I r,bNM~ 13 I ;"Nr"r,N I 3 I ;,;."r,N I 3 I ,r" I 2 I ,r" II I r,r,»" II

I N.,N'l." 17 IN',' 16 I ":J 16 11.'1Oi"El 16 1Mi" 15 I ~»N' 14 I :1~r,~, 14 I ~'W~ 14

I :"11O~M'b 2 I I:-ll."El,r,N 2 I I:-r»'El.,r,N 20 I t:l», 20 I,r" I 9I;'»N'i' I 9I"r,~M' 17 I,r" 17

a garment requiring fringes without fringes causes thee to forfeit p. 6a

thy wearing woolen and suchlike (clothes) out of abstinence most of thy life and that (allowing) a house requiring a Mezuzah (to remain) without a Mezuzah causes thee to forfeit thy being isolated in the mountains for years. By God, only if it occur to thee out of oversight or by force is there in such a case hope of forgiveness for what is past and (God's) help and caution against what may happen in the future. And on that account we see how the great saints of Israel were afraid of sins and employed, in order to be safe from them, (all sorts of) ruses which (appeared) externally ridiculous but internally (bespoke) extreme humility, as we see (in the case of) Abba Chilkiah the grandson of Choni Ham'agel, peace be upon him, who (had reached) so (high) a stage (of virtuosity) that he and his wife would pray for rain in years of drought and be answered (by God),32 (how) his wife would go out to meet him adorned (with ornaments), and he would justify that to him who asked him about it by saying, "(I am doing this) in order that I may not set my eyes on another woman" as it is written in the Talmud.33 And that was not (done) 34 because he who is in that highest rank of holiness may be preoccupied with thinking about women, God forbid, but out of fear of the incidence of an evil impulse and of being overcome by a natural urge at some time, "for He knoweth our inclination; He remembereth that we are dust," 35 so that he would be cut off from the good (works) wherewith he is busied, and in order that, if it should occur, it be in what is permitted not in what is forbidden, and God prevent it. So (then) understand that and attain it and know that it is conditioned in all that I shall explain or that another than me has explained who has recommended abstinence or contentedness or humility and the like.

A chapter in which attention is drawn to what the elevated paths XII have in common.

Know that the elevated paths are bound up with one another

32 Ta'anith 23 a• 33 T,ranith 23b. 34 i. e. these devices were not contrived. 35 Psalms 103, 14.

Ip15° ­

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and follow necessarily from one another and (that) some are a p.6b

discipline for the others and (that) the disciplines for them are associated. Such is the case with most of them. Mercy is bound up with generosity and generosity is followed by mercy, and the discipline for generosity is a discipline for mercy, and the discipline for mercy is a discipline for generosity. And so (does) the matter (stand) with (respect to) mercy and gentleness. Mercy is bound up with gentleness and gentleness follows mercy. And so (does) the matter (stand) with (respect to) gentleness, and humility, and abstinence, and contentedness, and the fighting (against one's nature), and faith (in God). And therefore thou findest the merciful (person) to be generous, and the generous (person) to be merciful. And the gentle (person) is humble, and the humble person is gentle, and the contented (person) is abstinent, and the abstinent (person) is contented, and so forth. And the reason for that is tha~ these paths have, to begin with, one aim, and in accordance with that did Rabbi Eleazar ben Arakh say defining the good way to which a man should cleave (that it is) "a good heart," and his master Rabban Jochanan ben Zakkai preferred his definition to the definition of his comrades and said, "I regard his words as better than yours for your words are included in his." 30 And all of them lead to one end and that is the "goal" 37 in regard to which we shall explain that which we will be able to impart of what we understand. And thou must know that some of these elevated paths are qualities ascribed to Him, exalted be He, like mercy and generosity and gentleness, wherefore they are both, with respect to what they conduce to, "paths," and, with respect to the imitatio (Dei) that is prescribed, something of a "goal"; and they are (furthermore), in the state of training therein before becoming fixed, (merely) a "way," and, at the time of their fixation and their remaining fixed forms in the soul, nearer to the "goal." 38

And after understanding' that and attaining it and attaining what we have deposed in the p;eceding chapters,

36 A{7oth 2, 9. 37 literally "the attaining." 38 Cf. introduction for the discussion of the summum bOn/1m.

152 153

p. 7a M!lJNno6~N ~tl!l~N ~!l m~~ NC~ 1J"lQn ~.,~~ 1~N~ ~J).iN

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set thy heart and turn thy care to what we shall explain in the P·7 a

forthcoming chapters about every individual path of these elevated paths which are the purposes of the Law; then will it 39 serve thee as enlightenment with the help of heaven.

A chapter on the sincerity of acts XIII

Know that the professors of the Law are divided with respect to their legal performances 40 into (several) divisions two of which divisions being two opposite extremes and other divisions (lying) between the two extremes. Now one of the two divisions which are at the two extremes is (characterized by) the performer's being hypocritical in his performance of the law as for example .that he rest (on the Sabbath) and refrain from eating leaven on Passover out of fear lest men testify against him and punish him, and, if he were secure against that, he would neither rest (on the Sabbath) nor refrain from eating leaven on Passover, and like one who studies the science of the Law so that men regard him as great and honor him or that he obtain thereby (some) other advantage and (who) indulges much in prayer and worship and (in) the continual wearing of fringes and phylacteries so that men regard him as pious and so forth. And this manner (of behavior) the sages, blessed be their memory, call "presumption" 41 and they define it and fear it and say, "We apprehend presumption." 42 And they call him who performs the acts of the Law in this form "one who carries out the Torah not for its own sake." 43 And they have explained the error of this class and that its adherents effect nothing. They said, (namely,) explaining that in the inter­pretation of "Good understanding have all they that do them": 44

"those that carry it out for its own sake not those that carry it out not for its own sake, and as for those that carry it out not for its own sake it were better for them that they were not born." 45

Only that they prefer him who performs (the laws) in this form to him who does not perform (them at all) in the hope

39 i. e. the Torah. 40 i.e. with regard to the way in which they carry out the Law. 41 42 BeTakhoth 17 h, Pesachim 55 a. 43 BeTakhoth ]7 a. 44 Psalms] II, 10.

45 BeTakhoth ]7 a.

155154

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that he would be carried over to the obligatory form. They said p. 7b

(namely): "For through (carrying it out) not for its own sake he comes to (carry it out for) its own sake." 46 But the truth of the matter is that so long as the adherents of this class (base themselves merely) on the form of simulation (in the fulfillment of the Law) in their exterior which contradicts their interior they are like those who are empty (of all good deeds), for before the author of the Law, magnified and exalted be His name, no simulation is complete, "For it is not as man seeth: for man looketh on the outward appearance but the Eternal looketh on the heart." 47 And this erring class is the one that is called by them, blessed be their memory, also "the class of hypocrites" that are enumerated among the four classes that are not to greet the Divine presence 48 as is proven by his 49 statement: "For a hypocrite cannot come before Him," 50 and our object is too high above (even) warning against anything like that. And the division opposed to this one is (characterized by) the performer of the acts of the Law being per­fectly sincere in his performance. By saying "sincere" I mean that his interior should in his performance be (directed) to God, exalted be He, not to men, to such an extent that if it seemed to him that men regard him as religious and God-fearing and honor him extremely while there is in his interior something that contra­dicts that, he would be afraid and seized with dread of Him, exalted be He; and if it seemed to him that men regard him as faulty and pretending religiosity while his interior is constant with Him, exalted be He, he would not pay any attention to it. And therefore did one of them 51 say: "May my portion be with him whom they suspect of a thing and it is not in him." 52 Now the meaning of this statement is not that the religious devotee expose himself to the ways of suspicion for they have already forbidden that and they have said: "Because a man must satisfy (as to his good character) the creatures in the (same) way in which he must satisfy the Infinite, blessed be He,53 for it is said: "Then shall ye be clear before the Lord and before Israel." 54 But (the sages expressed that wish) because so long as he pursues the required (way) internally

46 Pesachim 50 b, Nazir 23~' Solah 22 b, Sanhedrin 105b, Horayoth 10 b, 'AraHJin 16b.

47 I Samuel 16, 7. 48 So!ah 4 2a•

49 i. e. Job's. 50 Job 13, 16.

51 i. e. the rabbis. 52 Shabbath II 8b, Mo'ed ((alan 18 b. 53 Palestinian Talmud, She~alim m, halakhah 4· 54 Numbers 32, 22.

15 6

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157 ­

and externally, although evil men falsely suspect him of being the p.8a opposite of what he is, he 55 pays no attention thereto. And with regard to this matter-I mean with regard to the sincerity of the interior-David says: ({ Examine me, Oh Lord, and try me: test my reins and my heart." And he 56 says: ({ Search me, Oh God, and know my heart; try me and know my thoughts, &c.," and so forth. And I mean when I say ({ perfectly sincere" that his per­formance, besides being sincerely (devoted) to God, exalted be He, should be sincerely (performed) out of love for him, exalted be He, and in order to fulfill the condition of subservience to Him,­I mean the performance (of the Law) solely out of obedience to His command, exalted be He, which is the condition of subservience (to God) as He said: ({ And thou shalt remember that thou wast a slave in Egypt; and thou shalt observe and do these statutes," 57

-not out of hope for reward in spite of the certainty and the assurance (that he has) that He, exalted be He, does reward, for He, exalted be He, is ({ A keeper of the covenant and kindness with them that love Him and keep His commandments," 58 nor out of fear of punishment in spite of the certainty and assurance (that he has) that He, exalted be He, punishes when He has not forgiven as He said: "A jealous God," 59 "For He doth not acquit," 60 "He visiteth the iniquity of parents on the children," 61 ({ And He repayeth them that hate Him," 62 and so forth. But even if it were possible by way of supposition that He, God forbid, should punish him in spite of obedience, he would persist in obedience; or that He should not punish him in spite of disobedience, he would avoid disobedience. And this high degree of perfect sincerity is the degree of the lovers of the Lord and he who has attained thereto is the one of whom they, blessed be their memory, say that he is ({ one who serves (God) out of love"; 63 and that is what Antigonos of Sokho exhorted to when he said: "Be not like servants who minister to their master upon the condition of receiving a reward; but be like servants who minister to their master without the condition of receiving a reward"; 64 and my father and teacher, the memory of the righteous be blessed, has already explained that in his commentary on the tractate of A\;>oth of his commentary on the Mishnah 65 and at the end of the laws of repentance in the Sefer Madda'.66 And know that this is the

55 i.e. the sincere man. 56 Psalms 26,2; 139,23' 57 Deuteronomy 16,12. SB Deuteronomy 7, 9. 5!t Exodus 20, 5. 34, 14. Deuteronomy 4, 24· 5, 9· 6, 15· 60 ExodllS 20, 7. 34, 7. Numbers 14, 18. Deuteronomy 5, I I. Nahum I, 3. 61 Exodus 20, 5. 34, 7. Numbers 14, 18. Deuteronomy 5,9, 62 Deuteronomy 7, 10. 63 C£ So{ah 3I a. 64 Apoth I, 3. 65 Viz. Moses Maimonides comment on the preceding passage. 66 Yad Hachaza~ah, Seier Madda', Hi/khoth Teshupah chap. 10 par. 4.

15915 8

p. 8 b ON' ~Nn~~N ~~p \~ m~n~N NM\~N n~'J \n~N n.v\~'j~N n:''i'

O\tO~tVOM nN~ M~NM O\pnM nN n~tVz,'~ 1t~o 1\M~N + MtM

~~~ M~~P~ 1tV~J ~~~~ 1~~~ ~~~ On~N n\tVln n'iOtV'l

n\'i~n M\~ NO~ i'N;~N~~ n'iNtVN M\~ 1tV~J ~~~~ 1~~~

i'N~~N~N .vO N;-N CNn;N 'NMnjN;N ii~\ N;~ 'NMnjN;N~ 5

'NMn.iN;; m~n;N n~'J ·N~C n'N~.v;N MiM ;Jio~~ CNn;N

1~~; ;~~ 1\M;N \'\ nN n~MN~ ~NP M~MN;N \~ i)N;SN;N~

;~~~ 1~~~ ;~~ On~N n\tV.v~ n'iotV~ ~NP NO~ 1tV~J ~~~~

im M;;N 1;~~\ M\~.v, ;O.vN~ M;~m 1~i OM~N~ 1tV~J

;N 10 ~'ip\~ 1\~'itO;N 1\iM i\~ NO NON~ M\~N MnJN.vN~ 10

;N M;O.v \~ M1~P~ n~.v'itV;N M~NO.vN jro\ 10 \\N'iO

jO~ NM'i\~ ~N nON'i~~ CNJ;N 10 .vN~nJN;N~ im M; i'i.vNtO

M~O.v~ MO;.v or;\ NO o;.v\~ OM~\; n.v\'itV;N o;.v N'ip\

\i~N ~M Nim 1~i mJ~ ;iON'i~~ fli'Nj~ N~\N 1;i~ ;NJ\;~

O~''iP N~~ OM~ ;'Jnn; mtO.v otV.vn N; on;~p~ m.v N~m 15

ii~.v'itV~N n;NOVN j~:ln \n;N y;:'C;N 10 ~'ip\~ 1no ;~N~

MNJ'i;~ j\\O'N;N ~NPV 10 n~t:,; N,; im M~NP.v jO :i~~S;

m\J~ ~N ON'i=N;N~ 1\\0'N;N :N~Ji nNj'i; N; vn n~N~Ji

i~N;~N~ C\; N~\N Nim nN'i\O '~~.v m~cc\ \;;N ~M N;m

;tO~ n~N~Ji jO ON\~ jm n~Np.v jO jON;N i~'i~ ~; mN; 20

mN\~ oipn \i;N n~MNO '~~.v ~Jio N~;:'O m C\;~ n;o.v

I .'M~ ;,Ill,c 1"1' 19 I " " r1'~M' .'~c c',,; 1"1" '= P'D MIlll! r~ ", 15 I ';, " C"~' 7 I 'Jill ',~ c',=, 1

I 101"101 5 I OIoCM"1oC 5 I n~' 5 I YIoCr,::lK;'r, 4 I ~~IoC1t'1oC 4 I :'ll."~~"101 1 I ~5~, I

i YIoCr,::lK"K~ 7 I 101'0 6 I :'l'K::l.l'r,N 6 I :'l':'l 6 I r,M~::l' 6 I ONM"N 6 II'N"::lN"1oC 5

I '~i" 13 I ~~N~::l::l 12 I :1.l'l(~r,N 11 I :'l-;.l'~Wr,N 11 I 1":1 10 I :'l"~n, 9 I ,r" 9

I ""N 14 I N':-l' 14 I ,r" 14 I :'l~IoC~::l' 14 I :'l:'lN5, 14 I ,",::l 14 I ".l"~lt'''N 13

i N':-T' 19 I ::l1oC'M 18 I :1::lK'M 18 I :'l~'::l" 17 I :'l~'::lr, 17 I :1;P~ID"101 16 11'r,::lb"l01 16

I ,.,r,K 21 I "M~ 21 I yr,::l~ 21 I :'l::lIoC~M"o I YNr,::lN::l 19 I N':'l' 19 I :'l~'~0' 19 I ""101 19

high degree to which the Torah exhorted by the statement of the p. 8b Bible: "This day the Lord thy God commandeth thee to do these statutes and ordinances; thou shalt therefore observe and do them with all thy heart and with all thy sou!." 67 Now in its statement of "with all thy heart and all thy soul" there is an allusion to

sincerity just as there is in it an express call towards zealousness, and perfect zealousness is possible only where there is perfect sincerity. And just as in (case of) this (matter of) service (of God) the Torah likewise exhorted to zealousness and sincerity in the matter of the love (of God). It said, namely, "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and all thy soul" 68 just as it said, " And thou shalt observe and do them with all thy heart and all thy soul." So understand that and attain it and act upon it, then will God, exalted be He, cause thee by means of His grace to reach it. Now as for what lies between these two extremes, he approaches the hypocrite who amalgamates (the purpose of) his performances of the Law by intending through his performance to obey Him, exalted be He, and to gain (some) advantage from men such as respect and things other than it, like one who studies the science of the Law that he may understand and know what is obligatory upon him to know and do, and in order that he may also obtain thereby consideration and respect, and so forth. And this is what they forbade when they said: "Thou shalt not make them a crown to magnify thyself therewith nor a spade to gain thy livelihood through them." 69 And he approaches the sincere man whose performances of the Law are (carried out by him) because of his fear of His punishment, exalted be He, not because of his fear of the punishment of men, and because of his hope for His reward, exalted be He, not because of his hope to be rewarded by men by being honored or otherwise. And this (man) is the one they call "he who serves God out of fear." 70 And this tOO is not sincerity, for he, if he were to suppose himself to be secure from His punishment, exalted be He, and despaired of His reward, his performance (of the Law) would be nullified. Hence he is not sincere like him who serves (God) out of love the exposition of whom was given before.

67 Deuteronomy 26,16. 68 Deuteronomy 6, 5. 69 Derekh Ere! Zurta chap. II. Cf. also Nedarim 62 a and Apoth 4, 6. 70 Cf. SO!ah 313.

161160 ­

p. 9a ~N ftN~N"'O~ n~ov O~~' iN i'~':O~N iO :l~"P mN N~-N

~Nn cn~~ CNOPN~N nin iO cn~~ NO :lOn:l' i~~O'N

NnNS;:l ~n~N ~n Nn~'~N' NmO :lS"lnn CNOpN r;;~

1~~V~' N~"~N iO1~'~~ im ,m n~~v ~O!JN' 11ft cn~N~

: YN~'=N~N ~~V 5

liOn"~N ~~ ~l~ ,~

~n' . liV~"t:I~N '~NPO iO' fiV~~"~N 1~NOO~N iO fiOn"~N

~N n.,;~, C,n., ~N im n~~N li:l'O~O~N nN~~~N iO li~~ "iN iun ~N nnN ~~ N~:l~N~N n~Np' 1~n~N ~,~ C,n., ~N ~~ 1~i n,,'n

n~ niN'" C~"~~N P~~~N Nin~ li~"t:I~N n:l'~ 'p' c,m, 10

"ON NO ~~ :l'~P~N fnNOp npp'" ii.,~Ji~ liiN~"

liiN~" "~P~~N in., i." i~~NOO~N' N"j'~~N ,~., iO n:l nN yONn N~ ft'NOP~N iV im ~n~' fion"~N p~S ~,~n~

l'11~7 n'n~o~ N'l:7 ~~ :l~P~N fnNop P~P"ln ~~ ~NP' 1:l:l~

~'~N ~NP' ~?tr n~~ ,.,v~ ,n~ot:l N't1 15

im, i'~:l~7 ~~~~ n~~~ C,~ n'R~ ~Jj~~-t N~ C~

n:l,j" 1~OO~N Nin fi~~~~ i~~:ln ~~ ti~NtoN~N ill iN)nol:l ~N Nin iO Ji~Nri~N tj~N ~~ n~N~:l' N~~ cipn NO~' n"'nrO~

n."n~N i~~:ln iO nN).,~i NO~' N"P~~N ,~., ~~ :lNn~

iN N~N n':lN~N .,~o, n~~ N~.,~i ~i~N ~~~~N ~~ ~O,~ lil:ln.,~ 20

'n O~~ ~~N "~t:I~ ~i~N V~~"~N 1~OO~N Nin iN N~~ ~p~ im I '='~ ': C'Q':'I ~, ,'''';' ,'I' '= :'I'Q"' ,'" ': ~IC" r'V1 ': " :'1;\' 9 I 'II~ " C":' 9 I " "~ I'1'Q~ 8

I ':'I' '~:"II IS I '" ':, I'1'Q~ 14 I 'I ',= c',:, 13

I ~::"Z'1Z'1 3 I mr, =~0i'~ 3 I :-n~ 2 I ~~.~.,~" I I .,~ I I l''':I~''~ I I ~,,~ I

I ~r'''It'''~ 7 I ~r'~""~ 7 I ~~.,,~ 7 I n~~""~ 6 I l'~":I~r,~ 5 I .,,,., 4 I ~~~);~ 3

I i''':1''~ 10 I ~.,n' 10 ll"1r"'It'''~ 10 I .,,,., 9 I Z'1"":I, 8 I n~'l:m~"~ 8 I :-t~~ 8 I ",~ 8

I i',:1 13 I ~:iN'" 12 I 1m12 I .,." 12 I ~,atCi' II I Z'1~i'''' II I ,""'Z'1:1 II I tr:i~'" I I

I l"1'~fQ~"~ 17 I 11·~tc7 n~~'. 16 I :-tWit? 16 I ~~Ci' 14 I m~oi'''~ 13 I ~~~""N 13

I ''''N 20 I n~~.,,, 20 I n~)":I" 19 I 1M:'1 18 I Z'1"~Z'1"~ 18 I ~":-t 17 I :-t"'xm 17

I •.,,,~ 2 I I ~"l"1 21 I N'lt 20 I "'0 20 I ~)":I" 20

Yet he is near to the sincere (man) inasmuch as his performance p. 9 a

is not (meant) for the dissimulation of men. And according to what can be understood from these divisions there can be understood the condition of a number of divisions composed of them but the elements are those that we have explained. So (then) understand that and act upon it, then He, exalted be He, will guard thee against hypocrisy and will aid thee towards sincerity.

A chapter on mercy

Mercy is (one) of the elevated paths and (one) of the purposes of the Law: and it is the first attribute of the attributes ascribed to Him, exalted be He, (he being called:) "a merciful God"; 71

and the Torah repeated that (appellation by saying): "For a merciful God is the Lord thy God." 72 And the prophets have said: "For Thou art a gracious and merciful God." 73 And the Law has already exhorted to this noble trait and given a con­siderable training for it and softened the hardness of hearts. Whatever He has commanded in the matter of supporting the poor and the needy and of returning the poor man's pledge is a discipline towards the attainment of the trait of mercy. And He has forbidden, exalted be He, hardness (of heart), (saying): "Thou shalt not harden thy heart"; 74 and He said in order to soften the hardness of heart: "For that is his only covering, it is his garment for his skin; wherein shall he sleep?" 75 And Job said: "If I have not wept for him that was in trouble, and if my soul grieved not for the needy." 76 And we have no need for expatiating on the exposition of the excellence of this path and of its necessity because it is (too) apparent, and because of what has been pre­viously explained by us in the third part of this book in connection with the support of the poor, and because of what we noted of the Torah's exposition of Joseph's mercy in the chapter wherein we noted the lives of the patriarchs. We shall only say here that this elevated path to which we refer does not (consist)

71 Exodus 34, 6. 7Z Deuteronomy 4, 3I.

73 Jonah 4,2. Cf. also Joel 2, 13. Nehemiah 9, 17. 31. II Chronicles 30, 9· 74 Deuteronomy 15, 7. 75 Exodus 22, 26. 76 Job 30, 25. Rosenblatt. II

XIV

163162 - ­

p. 9b 10 in,nJ' iN'OJ~N~ tQ,ElC .~NVElJN' iip, Ni jNOJN~N p~~ 1N n:l; jO P'~ jN cn~V:l:l 'ON~N ~~~ 1~i~N O'ElJ~N 1~El~V~~N

n'Nop~N :lJN~ 11' fi~~NO OElJ~N 1,~n 1N ~:l 1~' ,m, ~"El~N

~El non,~~ iiEl;:;~c 1~ 1'0' np~~N' non'~N :lJN'; ~~N

,~jnco~N' ;'NJ~ ~~ jO ~,n~o~N~ cn,~ jN :l~~ 10 pn 5

,m, ~C~~ 1N~,.v~N' CVro~ 1NV~~~N' 'Nj; no~t6~ JOO

~N nV~~tt-'~N n:l~'N 10 ~~v nom~N jO nVJnoo, 1~;

~on~ N~ 1N ~nNp~N ~El vn n~~N 'ON NO~ n~~v rhNcp

unpn ~n:lro CVo nO'V:l u,n~ 'Ml" ~V ~N ,r ~~,

,~ :l'N' mv'~ NJtt-' ~N n~n~ ~~, N~~N n~El ~NP' n,o~ 10

,nN UnJ' Ctt-'O ~N ,np~' "~j) ~Jpr ,n~tt-" "~' ,~~V cp' 11' ~m~N ~El ~NP' ',~, '~~j) 1J~V omn N~ no, c,n ~NJ '~:l

Nj):ltQ :l':lnO~N '~'~N 1N~ ,~, n~co~N ~~V PNEltt-'N~N

,:l n\nn 1'~ m,nn J,n ~~ ,\~V nc~n N~' ~onn N~'

~~v PNEltt-'N~N 1V \m~N ~El N~~N ~NP' ,n~on~ m'tt-'N':l 15

~~\l? c,n1;1 N~ n~~ nte n~~P-1 n~~v n'Ncp~N :lj\ 10 m:lN \~;n~ jN n"o, ,,'c 1:l \El vn n'CN 1~ 10 ,~,

"~' 'ON' '~:lN ,:l 'tt-'Eln, ~np~~ i~' ·n~:l~ n'N~nN nON' ~NovncN Nn~El n,~, N~:lJN~N 'NnN n~ONn NiN nJN'

1~;:lJ~N ,~c Nn3'~'O ~El ti'NcP~N' Nnv~,o ~El non'~N 20

~'~on nN 1~' c~Nt6~N ~'~O~N pn ~El ,m~tt-" ~,~ ,:lV ntt-'O

1'Il' 'M' C'",, 18 I '" ':"" C'"'' 16 I 'Il 'J' c'", 14 I 'J'-'ll' 'Il' C'"'' 10 I ',. 'II' f11tlltl 9 I ',. " f1'lllU 21

I n'KCi'!:lK 3 I ~I;I'K~ 3 I ,!:l., 3 I n~., 2 I ,.,I;IK 2 I C:"1,n~, I I np", 1 I K., I

I j!:l., 7 I nK~~ 5 I .,:il 5 I :"l~n.,t,t, 4 I :"l!l"~~ 4 I j!:l., 4 I :"l~'1t,K' 4 I n~n.,t,K 4

I .,:lK' 17 I i't~ 16 I n'~Ci't,K 16 I n'Kcj.hK 7 I nr,.,!t't,K 7 I n~n.,t,K 7 I :"lr~n~~, 7

I "KnK 19 I nt,~Kn 19 I K.,K 19 I t,ni"1;1 18 I n~~, 18 I '!:l,n' 17 I ,,,., 17

I :"l'KCP"K' 20 I :"l~n ""K 20

in the man's being soft and excessively impressionable like the p. 9b women and those (that are) like them of the weak-souled in the case of one of whom the matter reaches (such a point) that he is seized with pity at the slaughtering of chickens and the like, but (it consists) in the soul's inclining from the direction of hardness (of heart) to the direction of mercy and softness (of heart) and its employing, for (all) that, mercy in the case of him on whom mercy must be exercised-such as that he who is afflicted by misfortune be helped, and that he who asks for protection against him who wrongs him be protected, and that the hungry be fed and the naked be clothed and so forth-and its refraining from mercy on him towards whom the Torah required hardness of heart just as God, exalted be He, commanded with regard to the slayer that he should not be protected: "And if a man come presump­tuously upon his neighbor, to slay him with guile, thou shalt take him from My altar, that he may die." 77 And He also said regarding him: "But if any man hate his neighbor, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, &c.; then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence, and shall deliver him into the hand of the avenger of the blood that he may die. Thine eye shall not pity him, &c." 78 And He said, prohibiting (the entertaining of) com­passion for the seducer, even if he be (one's) child, the (thing most) beloved by nature: "And thou shalt not spare nor conceal him; but thou shalt surely kill him; thy hand shall be first upon him to put him to death." 79 And he said also, prohibiting (the enter­taining of) compassion on him against whom hardness of heart is required: " And thou shalt cut off her hand, thine eye shall have no pity." 80 And (still) severer than that is His command, exalted be He, with regard to the wayward and rebellious son that his father and his mother take charge of bringing him to court that he be killed: "Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, &c." 81 And if thou dost carefully regard the records of the prophets thou wilt find in them the use of mercy in its (proper) place and of hardness (of heart) in its (proper) place. The master of prophets, Moses, servant of the Lord and His messenger in the case of the tyrannical Egyptian, "[And] 82 he smote the Egyptian,

77 Exodus 21, 14. 78 Deuteronomy 19, II. 12. 13. 79 Deureronomy 13, 9. 80 Deureronomy 25, 12. 81 Deuteronomy 21, 19. 82 Words in brackets are in the text.

I I:~

164 I

Ip· lOB. rl~ ep~' li~O,~tbt:l~~ ~~\V., liU~ pn ~!l' ~n~ ,mt:lto~'

e~~o~~ rl~~V "t:l~ 1~'t:l lim ~!l' CJ~~ li~ p~' iV~~'~'

:in~~o ~~ i~~'liPt:l~~ :icn., ,~i ~!l o'~' ~10~ .,~t ~~ U.,rl tom~ ~Sl rl~~li!l ~~.,~ pn ~!l ON;: ", ,~i~' i~~li~P~~

h~~~l"l li~' li~t h~Vl"l ~~~h li'O i~ ,~ ,.,'~n li~~~ 5

~~~.,n~, mJO~ C~' "~!l~~~ pn ~!l' ~on ~~ "~N ~V ',~,

li~ ~~'O~ ~o~~, oNV ~~'o~, ~t"~h li,.,tJO~' ~t"~h

:~ ~~~, .,~li~ ~~~J~~N .,~li~ ~!l ,~i ~lio, ", 'J!l~ JJ~

VO f~~ hOSlJ ~~V pn~~ ,mv 'P' N'~JN~~ .,~Ji~ ~!l ~'P~ w !

liN~~tJ iO ~~" ,on ~." C'!l~ ,.,~, rum em., m,~ 10

~NVO~~ hliOM"1 ~!l ~NP h!l~' NO rl~~li~ ~~ Vli hliOn., ~N C~h~N VO~ ,~ rl'~V hQN N~~' htvtoV It:l h~~~ ,JV

h~h' .;~ 10 rl'~N ri'JliOO~~ i~"~~ hV~OO '!l' .,VJh ~'P C,.,Q rl;~J iNO~ '~V ~NP' ~JN iun ,~ 'liVO~' '~N PV~' ,~

C~~!l~ m., li,'nh~ n," ~!l~' ~~, liN' P~~N ~"P' 15

liN' ~,~ C~J'\:1N ~N VO'~ ,~ h~~J ~NP' C~N~'J ~~ li,'nh~'

hU'J ~V o,nN N~ 'IN' hU\J ii~ip ~!l ~NP' m~ N~ ""~ON

C,N N'~" m~v C'li~O il~"h il~ ~, "~N h~"Jh .,'Vh

,~i iO CVN' h~" hOh~' '~NO~~ 'J~O' i'~ lrT' N~ "~N

~~ ~V "on." "~'~N ~Nn ~"PliON h~ 'h~' NO mN'~ 20

~V li'~N iW 'p!l liO'''~~N illiNSl~ ~!l ~NP ,~i vo "~VO

I '" ',,, 'M 'N'~I.' 7 I'M' ':I' ':I 'M'~'" 6 I " ..~ ':I' ':I 'Mllll1 5 I 'I' 'M' ~:I'll:l 3 I 't' ':I rm111 1

I'M' " ~l" 17 I '" 'IlC C"~r1 16 I ',"'f' ~'VI1' 14 I ',:l '.:l:l r111111 13 I '" 'M:l r1'I1M~:I 12

I " '" r1llll1 21 I '1!l '~IlP C"~r1 20

I ~t'1W 8 I ,r" 8 I r,t'1~, 8 I ,r,,:I, 4 I ~nr,~~ 3 I ~~"., 3 I ,r" 3 I ~,t5 2

I ,r" 19 I 1'I'~i' J7 I .,~ 13 I n'5nc6r,M 13 I ,w.,~r, 13 I "lCt'1lC 9 I "'t'1~ 8 I :-t~'''~r,lC 2 1 I ,r" 2 1 I ~i't'1CM 20

and hid him in the sand"j 83 and in the case of the daughters of p. loa Reuel that had been wronged, "[And] Moses stood up and helped them and watered their flock "; 84 and in connection with the campaign against Midyan he commanded, peace be upon him, "Slay every male among the little ones," 85 and there was not (displayed) therein mercy towards those who were (subsequently) slain but (there was considered) the welfare of the slayers. And likewise David, peace be upon him, where Israelites were concerned, his sentence was with regard to him who slaughtered his neighbor's lamb, "That the man who has done this deserveth to die, and the lamb, &c., because he had no pity," 86 and where infidels were concerned, "[And] he put them under saws and under harrows of iron and under axes of iron." 87 And Samuel, peace be upon him, "[And Samuel] hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord." 88 And there are many (instances) like these among the records of the prophets. And why shall I say among the records of the prophets when God 89 has already testified regarding Himself that despite His being merciful and gracious and long-suffering and abundant in kindness-and He has described in His book of the particularities of His mercy, exalted be He, what he has described. He said, (namely,) in connection with His mercy over Ishmael when he wept because of his thirst and his mother wept over him: For<C

God hath heard the voice of the lad," 90 and with regard to His hearing the cry of him who appeals to Him for help from mis­fortune: "And it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto Me, that I will hear; for I am gracious." 91 And He said in the language of His prophet: "I dwell in the high and holy place, and with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." 92 And His prophet said: "For the Lord hearkeneth unto the needy and despiseth not His prisoners." 93 And he said in the case of Nineveh: " And should not I have pity on Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than six score thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand, and also much cattle?" 94 And more embracing than that is His declaration, to which the inference from the condition of creation testifies, " And His tender mercies are over all His works" 95-in spite of that He said in (describing) His noble attributes (that He) :' visiteth the iniquity of the fathers upon

83 Exodus 1, 11. 84 Exodus 2, 17. 85 Numbers 31,17, 86 IT Sam~l 11,5.6. 87 II Samuel 11, F. 88 I Samuel 15,33, 89 literally" the Truth." Cf. the introduction. 90 Genesis 11, 17. 91 Exodus 11, 16. 92 Isaiah 57, 15. 93 Psalms 69, 34. 94 Jonah 4, II. 9~ Psalms I45, 9.

166

p. lOb n!l~"vn~ n~~v CVJC~N n~,C." M1~V ~NP' tl~J~ ~J~ ~V' tl~J~

VWlM" ~NP' NJp ~N N,n n~~N !tiN ,~n~N ~,~ ~~ ftO~"~~N nN£)~~N

C~~nN~n~, C~V!tI!l~ N!tI~ N~ N,n NJp ~N N'~ tl~tMp tl~n'N ~~

~'J~N ~!l ~r ~.:n~N ~NP' .,~n~ ,'i ,rio, ,,~, ,~rvn ~~

N,~inCN' vn nom~ ftom'N P'~ n, 10 ,~ IN nom" Ii

,~.,m ,om, tl~on., " 1m, ~Nn~'N "P~ "i ~'V

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~jNn~N ~j~ N~' ~~~n C~~!l'tt'n ,w.", ce,r 'v ~!l 'Np' 15

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N,el"!!l NO': rN~~" "'N~~ N' IN ~j~i ,~.,nN I~P"~ I~N np'~'N' i~'N "~~Nn ~j~ N" C~!lN ,.,N vn nnN!l~ 10

ft~N~'~N' nN~~N Ie lN~ ~i'N CNV ,r CJ ~N cnm IN N"Np 90

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167

the children and upon the children's dlildren." 96 And His servant p. lob and messenger, who was graced (by Him) in that He made known (to him) His noble attributes, said: "For the Lord thy God is a devouring fire, a jealous God." 97 And Joshua said: "For He is a holy God; He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your trans­gressions nor your sins. If ye forsake, &c." 98 And there are many statements like these. And the sages, blessed be their memory, said, exhorting to mercy, that whoever possesses the trait of mercy, He, exalted be He, has mercy on him; 99 and they cited as a proof for that the declaration of the Bible: And He will show theecc

mercy, and have compassion upon thee, and multiply thee," 100 and in spite of that they said: "One should have mercy only on him who has sense." 101 (So then) thy mercy or the littleness of thy impressionability and the resistance to thy softness (of heart) should be according to what God regards as acceptable not according to what thy defective nature or thy habits that are not regulated according to the rules of the Law decide. And after that know that pitying him who deserves no pity is religiously less dangerous than that he who deserves pity be not pitied. And in accordance with that patience is necessary in the punishment of the trans­gressor, as He, exalted be He, said with regard to the greatest of sins, and that is the sin of idolatry, "Then shalt thou inquire, and make search, and ask diligently"; 102 and He said regarding the perjured witness, "And the judges shall inquire diligently." 103 But there should be no slowness (of action) with reference to him whose case is doubtful as to whether he deserves marity and benevolence or does not deserve (it), (i. e.) with reference to anyone who implores charity. But (it is) as they said: " If he says, 'sustain me,' one does not investigate about him." 104 And no haste must be made to punish, as they have understood from His attributes, exalted be He,lO" (namely from the one that He is) "long­suffering." 106 And there must be no delay of benevolence and charity. They have said that Nahum of Gimso, peace be upon him, who was in so high a stage of virtuousness and holiness that the miracles (that occurred) to him were sum as is well known in the stories of the Talmud,107

96 Exodus 34, 7. 97 Deuteronomy 4, 24. 98 ]oshlla 24, 19. 20. 911 Shabbath 151 b. Cf. also Tosefta Bapa ~ama chap. 9. 100 Deuteronomy 13, 18.

101 Cf. Berakhoth 3p, Sanhedrin 9la. 102 Deuteronomy 13, 15.

loa Deuteronomy 19, 18. 10' Bapa Bathra 9a. 105 T"anith, Palestinian Talmud chap. 2, halakhah I, Pesi~ta derap Kahana ed.

Buber p. 161 b. Cf. also'Eru/7in 22 a, Ba/Ja ~ama 50 a. 106 Exodus 34, 6. Numbers 14, 18. 107 Ta'anith 2 Ia ff.

168

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. n~,v

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I :"1~m"N' 21

169 ­

was tried (by God) in his body with blindness and leprosy, and p. II a that he was asked for the reason for that, and he related that one day he was travelling and had with him abundant food, and a poor man who happened to meet him on the road implored nourishment from him, so he asked him to wait until he would take the load down from his beast of burden. But the poor man was too weak to follow the beasts on the march and he fell on the road and died, and (Nahum said) that he, peace be upon him, knew that he had been at fault for not hastening to bring forth that wherewith he could sustain him; and that weighed sorely upon him, and he prayed to Him, exalted be He, to try him in this world and not to punish him in the world to come. So he was tried with this tria1.I°8 And they have said, blessed be their memory: "The quality of mercy is five-hundred times as great as the quality of justice." 109 They derived this from the statement of the Bible regarding (God's) quality of mercy (namely that He) "keepeth kindness unto thousands" 110 which Onkelos interpreted "unto thousands of generations" as the other (scriptural) passage says: "to a thousand generations," 111 and the smallest plural (number) is two. And since now of thousands of generations the smallest (plural thousand) is two thousand generations and (Scripture) says regarding (God's) quality of justice (that He) 112

"visiteth the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation" and stops, then when two thousand is divided by four the quotient is one for every five hundred. So understand that and act upon it.

A chapter on generosity

Generosity is an expression for the lavish bestowal of benefits upon him who does not have any claim upon it nor deserves it from him who lavishes it upon him, for paying the hired man his wage and the creditor his debt is not generosity but righteousness and justice, and charity to the poor, and hospitality, and gift-giving and the like are generosity.

108 Ta'anith 2 la.

109 Tosefta Sotah IV beginning. 110 Exodus 34, 7. 111 Deuteronomy 7, 9. 112 ExMus 20, 5.

xv

17 117° ­

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And generosity is (one) of the elevated paths and (one) of the p. II b purposes of the Law and (one) of the attributes ascribed to Him, exalted be He, for He, exalted be He, defined (it to be) of His attributes what is seen of His generosity and His liberality, (namely that He is) "gracious" 113 and "abundant in kindness." 114 And His bringing into existence of creation was (an act of) bounty and generosity from His part (as He said:) "I have said: 'The world is built out of kindness.''' lUi And His liberality and His generosity embrace all His creatures. "The Lord is good to all." 116 And thou must understand the difference between generosity the opposite of which is miserliness and between prodigality the opposite of which is parsimony, for prodigality and parsimony are (expressions) for what pertains to the man himself: prodigality brings it about that the prodigal be lavish toward himself in his sustenance, his dress and his habitation and the like and parsimony brings it about that the parsimonious be stingy with respect to himself and pinch himself; and generosity and miserliness are (expressions) for what pertains to what arrives from the part of a man to another than he: generosity brings it about that the generous be liberal toward his fellow and miserliness brings it about that he be not liberal toward his fellow even though he is lavish toward himself. Now the generosity that is exhorted to (consists) in the man's being liberal toward his fellow not in his being lavish toward himself only; on the contrary, if he be stingy with himself and liberal toward his fellow that would be an increase in his generosity. And the generosity that is lauded does not (consist) in a man's spending his wealth upon another than himself in any way whatsoever, as the multitude understands of the condition of generosity that it means merely giving much food to whoever chances (to come the way) and the presenting of gifts to whoever is there, but the generosity that is exhorted to as being (one) of the elevated paths (consists) in the man's being generous (and) liberal with that which God, exalted be He, has given to him toward such a person other than he as needs and deserves it.

113 Exodus 22, 26. 34, 6. Joel 2, 13· Jonah 4, 2 et al. 114 Exodus 34, 6. Numbers 14. 18. Joel 2. 13. Jonah 4, 2 et al. 115 Psalms 89, 3. 116 Psalms 145. 9.

172 ­173

p. 12 a ii~~pY;N Ti~tl'N r~~ C; pN'lQN;N ~;1' 'N,j;N i:n mN; ~JNOJN;N jNt~;N ~;y ;~ ~;~S;N' ~~N~n;N jNtO;N ~;y

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For He, exalted be He, the liberal one absolute, did not pour out the intellectual Form upon the temperament 117 of the donkey and the horse but upon the human temperament, and He did not make the nourishment of the non-reasoning animal as fine in substance (and) as variegated as the nourishment of man; and He was not liberal with the Torah toward (the) infidel Turk 118 or the negroes,119 and he did not reveal nor announce (anything) to anyone who was not worthy of it. So understand that and meditate about (it). Now generosity with (one's) wealth consists in the man's not hoarding that whereof God, exalted be He, has given to him so that he cause another to inherit it,-" He heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them." 120 And Solomon explained that that is an affliction and a punishment for the sinners: "And to the sinner He giveth the task, to gather and to heap up," 121_

nor in merely srending it on things superfluous to his sustenance or the upkeep 0 his family, but he should spend his wealth on his necessities and what is close to them 122 (for) him, and his family and those belonging to him, and be liberal therewith toward his fellow just as the Bible exhorted thereto by its statement: "And thou shalt rejoice in all the good which the Lord thy God hath given unto thee, and unto thy house, thou, and the Levite, and the stranger that is in the midst of thee." 123 And there is a difference between him who is generous with a well-visited banquet wherein he gives to eat to rich (people) who do not need it and between him who with its quantity feeds poor (people) who need (it). He said (namely), exalted be He, with respect to His attributes and His liberality: "To revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." 124 And He said exhorting to what he finds acceptable: "Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor, that are cast out, to thy house? When thou seest the naked, that thou cover him, &c." 125 "And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul, &c." 126 And the generosity that is exhorted to is not only (generosity) with wealth and what can be bought therewith but also (generosity) with (one's) power, knowledge and religion. As for (generosity) with (one's) power (it consists) in the man's being liberal with that whereof God, exalted be He, has given him

117 118 119 Viz. the introduction. 120 Psalms 39, 7. 121 Ecclesiasres 2, 26. 122 i. e. close to being necessities. 123 Deuteronomy 26, I I. 12( Isaiah 57, 15. 125 Isaiah 58, 7. 126 Isaiah 58, 10.

p. 12a

174 175

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toward him who needs it as we see that in the records of the p. ) 2 b prophets in the statement of Elisha: "Wouldst thou be spoken for to the king or to the captain of the host?" And as for (generosity) with (one's) knowledge (it consists) in his teaching him who strives for it and he is worthy of learning what he would teach him as the transmitters (of tradition) explained to us in the interpretation of "and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children": " 'Thy children' these are thy disciples." 128 And they have said interpreting (the words of) "Behold I have taught you": "Just as I have learnt gratis, so you too have learnt from me gratis, like­wise when you teach (future) generations (let it be done) gratis." 129

And as for (generosity) with religion (it consists) in attracting those far from it to it and reclaiming the disobedient by reprimand­ing them for their sins and letting them know their error and rousing them from their state of neglectfulness, as the transmitters (of tradition) have taught us in the interpretation of "Thou shalt surely rebuke thy neighbor." 130 And the Torah has frequently exhorted to this noble trait and elevated path and has given variegated disciplines for its attainment and its becoming fixed as a form in the souls of the professors of the Law: whatever He, exalted be He, commanded of the laws of the poor, (namely,) Peah and Peref and 'OIle/ath and Shikchah and the poor-tithe and charity and loan(s) and the priesthood gifts and the Levitical tithe and the repetition with regard to the benevolence to (be shown to) the Levites and the strangers and the providing of the Hebrew slave (with gifts at his release) and the release of the soil and the release of money (on the Sabbatical year) and the law of the Jubilee, all that and the like is a discipline toward this noble trait and toward the trait of mercy in addition to its being a discipline for abstinence according to what we have said before. And the Law has described him in whose soul is the trait of miserliness with the epithet of unbelief. He said (namely): "Certain base fellows are gone out, &c." 131 and He said: "Beware that there be not a base thought in thy heart, saying, &c." 132 And thou must regard the records of the noble ancestor

127 II Kings 4, )3. 128 Sifre on Deuteronomy 6, 7. 129 Sifre on Deuteronomy 4, 5. Cf. also Nedanm 37a. Bekhoroth 29a. 130 Sifra on Lnliticus 19, 17. Cf. also 'Arakhin 16b, Ba/Ja Melia' 31a. 131 Deuteronomy 13. 14. 132 Deuteronomy 15, 9.

176 In

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our father Abraham who established (the custom of) generosity as P·I3 a

is well-known even among the peoples of the world up to this our time. There is ascribed to him what is celebrated of hospitality. !he transmitters (of tradition) said namely by the rule of notarikon In the interpretation of "And he planted a tamarisk" that he established eating, drinking and accompanying.133 They mean giving the guests to eat and to drink and accompanying them when they leave. And do not think that his generosity, peace be upon him, (consisted) merely in giving food to eat and hospitality. Nay that was the lowest degree of his generosity. But know that his generosity, peace be upon him, was (also exercised) with his know­ledge and his religion and his power and his wealth. As for his generosity with his knowledge (it consisted therein) that he, peace be upon him, taught and instructed men in proclaiming the unity of the name of the Lord, and the ways of the Lord. Thereto did the transmitters (of tradition), blessed be their memory, refer when they said: "Abraham was a scholar and a member of an academy," 134 and they supported this tradition by a verse, as they used to say: "The verse is merely a support"; 135 and they said in support thereof: "For it is said: 'And Abraham was zaken.''' 136137 And the Torah alluded to that when it said: " And the souls that they had gotten in Haran" 138 and Onkelos inter­preted that (to mean): "And the souls that they had made subservient to the Torah in Haran." And that is (one) of the things to be understood from His declaration, exalted be He, regarding him: "For I have known him, to the end that he may command, &c." 139 And as for his generosity with his religion (it consisted) in his making Him manifest and his making Him well-known and his calling upon Him. Wherever he halted he would build the altar and offer upon it an offering to the Lord and he would call publicly among the people upon the name of the Lord, the God of the world, that he might enlighten the men in that which to him was certain of the unity of Him, exalted be He, and His sovereignty. And the passages of the Bible thereon are explicit (and) numerous. And as for his generosity with his power the biblical passage thereon is " And he led forth his trained men, born in his house, &c," 140 Ahd Lot followed him therein as

133 Midrash Agadah ed. Buber on Genesis 21. 23. See the notes on the passage. mYoma 28b. 135 C£ Bacher, Die exeg. Term. d. judo Traditionsliteratur IT p. 13. 130 which may be translated "elder" or " old." 137 Genesis 24. I.'

138 Genesis 12, ). 139 Genesis 18, 19. ItO Genesis 14, 14.

Rosenblatt. 12

179 ­178 Ms. 1176

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Ms. 1176 is clear from his pleading for his guests in that vision and his giving p. Sb even his daughters in exchange for their protection, and this was an extreme and making the utmost efforts in generosity and magnanimity, the way of which he had learnt from Abraham whom he followed. And as for his generosity with his wealth (it is seen) in his saying to the angels in his revelation: "Let now be fetched a little, &c." 141 "And I will fetch a loaf of bread, and stay ye your heart; after that ye shall pass on." 142 And his justifying that (invitation) by his saying: "forasmuch as you have passed by your servant," 143 shows that such was his custom with everyone who passed by him. And it is clear from the story that he did not content himself with merely bringing a loaf of bread but he selected for the making of the bread the best qualitiy of fine flour "fine meal," 144 and he increased its measure to three seahs although the guests in the vision were only three persons. And he brought, in addition to the bread of which he had spoken, "curd and milk and the calf which he had dressed." 145 And with regard to that the sages, blessed be their memory, said: "Righteous (men) say little and do much." 146 And he added, peace be upon him, to generosity perfect politeness. "And he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat." 147 And Lot followed his way therein also for when he saw the two angels in his vision he hastened to offer (them) hospitality. "And Lot saw, and rose up to meet them, &c.," 148

" And he said: C Behold now, my lords, turn aside, I pray you, into your servant's house, and stay overnight, &c.''' 149 And he made the utmost efforts in pressing (his) hospitality. "And he urged them greatly; and they turned in unto him." 150 And he was lavish. "And he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened cakes, and they did eat." 151 And this act in that vision informs (us) that such was his custom when he was awake to offer hospitality to the passersby. And (a mark) of the astonishing generosity of our father Abraham, which points to the extreme generosity of his nature in addition to the

141 Genesis 1 8, 4. 142 Genesis 18, S. 143 ibid. IH Genesis 18,' 6. 145 Genesis 18, 8. 146 Baba Melia' 87a. Tanchuma ad loco 147 Genesis 18, 8. 148 Genesis 19, I. 149 Genesis 19, 2.

ISO Genesis 19, 3. 151 ibid. 12*

180 ­

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181

indication there is therein of his contentedness and his belief and p. 6 a

his faith in Him, exalted be He, and his contempt for the riches of this world, is his diligence in acquiring great wealth and his stripping himself thereof. "And Abram said to the king of Sodom: 'I have lifted up my hand to the Lord, God most high, maker of heaven and earth, that I will not take a thread nor a shoe-latchet nor aught that is thine, lest thou shouldest say: I have made Abram rich' "152 So know that and imitate it and do likewise in whatever thou canst. And know that in this noble (and) elevated trait, the trait of generosity and liberality, there is an indication of (firm) belief and trust (in God) and of rejoicing but little in the riches of this world and of confidence in the resultant from knowledge and religious belief; for generosity with wealth and the like points to faith in Him, exalted be He, that He will replace that wealth, and to rejoicing (but) little in this world and its passing riches, and to the soul's turning towards what is lasting, not clinging to what is passing; and miserliness therewith points to the opposite thereof. And generosity with (one's) power points to the soundness of one's belief in Him, exalted be He, that He will guard that power and that He will not diminish it nor crush in him the help through it unto him who has need of it and benefits from it, and niggardliness therewith points to the opposite thereof. And generosity with knowledge points to confidence in the resultant from knowledge and that it will not be diminished through teaching but be increased as they have said: "Much wisdom have I learnt from my colleagues, more than from my teachers, and from my pupils more than from all of them." 153 And it points to (how) little hurt (can come) to the knowledge. And sound excellent knowledge (is such that) he who is in possession thereof is impelled to teach it. Said the wise (Solomon): "Wisdom crieth aloud in the street, she uttereth her voice in the broad places; she calleth at the head of the noisy

streets, at the entrances 'of the gates,

152 Genesis 14, 22. 23.

153 T"anith 7 a. Makkoth loa.

182 18 3

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in the city, she uttereth her words: 'How long, ye thoughtless, will p. 6h ye love thoughtlessness? &c.''' 154 And he said: " Doth not wisdom call, and understanding put forth her voice? In the top of the high places, &c." 155 "Unto you, Oh men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of men. Oh ye thoughtless, understand prudence, and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart." 156 And niggard­liness with (one's) knowledge points to the opposite of that. And generosity with (one's) religious conviction, (consisting) in attracting the men to it and guiding them thereto and teaching it to them, points to the firmness of (his) religious conviction and its strength and to (his) desire therefor. Said David: "Come, ye children, hearken to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord." 157 And niggardliness with (one's) religious conviction points to the opposite of that. So set thy zeal on the pursuit of this elevated path for it is not an easy path. "He loveth righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the loving kindness of the Lord." 158

A chapter on gentleness XVI

Gentleness is an expression for the littleness of wrath and anger which is close to their being absent; and it is (one) of the elevated prophetic paths and (one) of the attributes ascribed to Him, exalted be He, (namely that He is) "long-suffering." 159 And (with respect to) this elevated path there either is in the constitution of the person and his nature a disposition for it by (virtue of) the equilibration of the mixture 160 of the heart and the tranquility of the impulsive faculty and the abundance of the reasoning faculty, so that the training for it is easy; or there is in the (person's) character a difficulty against being disposed for it owing to the person's being of a hot temperament and the impulsive faculty therein being disposed to anger, so that only strenuous cultural 161

and legal training 162 can resist that disposition. And that is it whereof Solomon says: "He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city." 163 (That) means he who has (the) power to control his wrath and to resist it. And thou must know that the (kind of) gentleness that is lauded is the one that is due to the authority of the

154 Proverbs I, 20. 155 Proverbs 8, I. 2. 156 Proverbs 8, 4. 5. 157 Psalms 34, 12. 158 Psalms 33, 5· 159 Exodus 34, 6. Numbers 14. 18 et at. 160 Viz. the introduction. 161 i.e. a reform in one's mode of living, or in one's habits. 162 i.e. the training afforded by carrying out the laws of the Torah. 163 Proverbs 16, 32.

184 - 18 5

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l"IpNOn)N' ;'p;N ;N7liiN; l"IN)Oip NO rV~ N)l"I ,~V) 110

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reasoning faculty over the impulsive faculty and its sovereignty p. 7 a

over it and its employing it according to the requirement of the direction of the intellect and the decree of the opinion of the Law, not that that be due merely to coldness of temperament and the fatigue of the impulsive faculty and feebleness. And after that know that anger is (the thing) that incites to vengeance in (the case of) most men and leaves 164 rancor behind in the soul. Now, if the anger be evident and strong and there be coupled with it (the) power to take revenge, then revenge takes place, just as kings and their ilk take revenge immediately in the moment of their wrath. But, if the anger be weak and hidden and there be coupled with it powerlessness to take speedy revenge, it leaves rancor behind in the soul. And therefore did the Bible couple the prohibition against the (nursing of) hatred with the prohibition against revenge-taking (saying:) "Thou shalt not take vengeance nor bear any grudge." 16(;

He, however, who punishes according to (his) obligation not out of anger or because of being overcome (by emotion), that man is in a high stage of holiness that is close to prophecy, and that (act of his) is called revenge-taking only metaphorically and by simile, just as was said with regard to His punishment, exalted be He: "And I will avenge Me of Mine enemies"; lliG but that is called punishment and retribution. And anger brings about serious vices and great legal 167 sins because like drunkenness it causes the intellect to disappear which (alone) prevents license. And therefore did the transmitters (of tradition) combine the two of them in the pro­hibition thereof (saying:) "Be not excited so that thou sinnest not; do not intoxicate thyself that thou sinnest not." 168 Now we have already told thee a great deal in the preceding parts (of the book) about the censure of anger and of the vices and sins that it brings about, and here we shall repeat some of (the things) that we have said before for the sake of the continuity and the good ordering of the thesis. And after these preliminary remarks we say that the (kind of) anger that is censured (does) not (consist) in

164 i. e. leaves as a trace. 165 Le-uiticus 19, 18. 166 Isaiah I, 24. 167 i. e. transgressions of the Law. 168 Berakhoth 29 b.

187186 ­

p. 7b ';,n~ N~ iN O~~~N p~~ ~nn .~hnc ?:l0 .,\,~ ,hn~ lNOJ~~N

j,no ?:l0 '~J~ j,n~ N~ rtiN~ j,no ?:l0~ N~N lNOJ~~N lNOJ~~N p~~ )N ,rt O'O;O~N j,n~N ~:l ~PV~N 1,~n50~N N~N

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I :; M:l~ 7·

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a man's becoming angry without any anger-provoking cause (from p. 7 b

which it would follow) that gentleness (denotes) a man's becoming angry only because of an anger-provoking cause, for only those whose minds are deranged become angry for no anger-provoking cause; but the (kind of) anger that is censured (consists) in a man's becoming angry over what naturally would provoke anger, and the (kind of) gentleness that is lauded (and) exhorted to (consists) in a man's not becoming angry even over anger-provoking causes, like the case of Hillel the Elder in the story which we cited for thee in the first part (of the book) about who~ it was said: "It once happened that two men entered into a wager against one another, &c." 169 And this matter has a very great range and con­siderable difference (of gradation) according to the variety of al;J.ger­provoking things and a man's (disposition for) becoming ~ngry over them, for there is some anger provoking cause toward which only the gentlest of men can maintain constancy because of the keenness of its wounding, and there is some anger-provoking cause over which only the most strongly disposed of men toward anger will become angry because of the slightness of that cause and the littleness of its wounding; and when a man is of medium character in that (matter) not becoming angry over slight causes nor remaining constant in the case of serious causes, that person of medium character is not to be described as (possessing the trait of) anger and be reprimanded on account of it, nor is he to be described as (possessing the trait of) gentleness for following its road and training himself therein; and he who is near to the side of anger over slight causes is near to censure, and he who is near to the side of constancy in the case of serious matters is near to being described as pursuing this elevated path, and there is a (wide) range in that (whole matter) and there are (various) grades in it. And this path, I mean gentleness is (very) high and its attainment difficult and (great) zeal is required in the pursuit thereof and one must guard oneself against swerving from it by (taKing up) cultural

169 Shabbath 30 b.

188 - 189 ­

p. 8 a ~:l7l'N l"IC£lJ 1NCJ~'N '~'.vn£l ft~:l'N'N NON n~.v~tv'N'

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and legal discipline(s). As for the cultural (discipline) it (consists) p. 8a

in a man's accustoming his soul to have patience with anger­provoking things, and when the impulsive faculty is aroused toward wrath it is held back by the reins of the intellect and does not hasten openly to show anger as Solomon recommended among his (rules of good) manners: "Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry." 170

And it 171 becomes disciplined by the reflection and the consideration that anger causes the intellect to disappear, and when the intellect is absent man becomes like the lion and the tiger and their ilk of the beasts of prey. And anger is a consequence of ignorance and confirms it just as gentleness points to knowledge and the fixation of intellect. Said Solomon: "He that is slow to anger is of great understanding; but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly." 172

And he said: "It is the discretion of a man to be slow to anger, and it is his glory to pass over a transgression." 173

And (the person) who (thus) disciplines himself recalls the previous outbreaks of his anger in the preceding part of his life and the sin which (now) he regrets and the escaped (utterance) which he cannot (now) retract that occurred to him or another than he in the state of anger; and (he recalls) that anger brings about the arising of evils and the acquisition of enmities,-and that (the advantage gained in) permitting the soul to reach its desires by giving the impulsive faculty power through that which stimulates its agitation 174 does not compensate for the future adversities and pains into which the man falls which there is no means of warding off. Said Solomon: "A wrathful man stirreth up discord; but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife." 175 And thou must know that the two paths of gentleness and humility are associated just as their two opposites which are anger and pride are associated, for what mostly arouses the impulsive faculty to anger is inner pride and what mostly brings about gentleness is inner humility, and therefore did they say: " A person should always be humble

170 EccleJiaJteJ 7, 9. 171 i. e. the soul. 172 ProverbJ 14, 29. 173 PrO'VerbJ 19, 1 I.

m i.e. by giving it free rein, allowing it to break fonh and become strong. 175 PrO'l)erbJ 15, 18.

19° 19 1

p. 8 b N~N 1'~P ~~NPO lnuv C~~, ~NOW~ i'~P ~l"l~ ~N' ~~l"l~

C'J) Nm.,W ~~l"l nunuJ) Nm.,W NO 'J~n l"lNJ~~ N~~

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I n'K't' 21

like Hillel and he should not be irritable like Shammai" 176_ p. 8b and "humble" is not the opposite of "irritable" except in (the way in) whidl we have explained it-and when they commented on Hillel's humility they commented (also) on the absence of his anger. And according to that the cultural and legal discipline(.s) for these two paths are associated, and there is no alternative (for us) but that we speak of the legal discipline for this path according to its need even though part of this discipline be also a discipline for humility. So (then) we say that the legal discipline for gentleness (consists of) two (kinds of) disciplines: one of them (consists in regarding) the records of the reprimanded (kind of) anger and the records of the lauded (kind of) gentleness that appear in the Pentateum and the books of the prophets, and also (in) the careful consideration of the utterances of the sages, blessed be their memory, and what is recorded about them in this matter; and the second of them (consists in) the careful consideration of the commandments the aim of which is to train (man) to be gentle and to restrain the quality of anger from the soul and to efface its traces and its causes. As for the first discipline, the first thing that is to be considered in it is that of the sin committed by Kain in killing Abel, whereof he said: "My iniquity is greater than I can bear" 177 and on account of whim he and his offspring were punished, the cause was anger, for the slayer and every avenger is really moved to vengeance by anger in the way we have told you. And also of Esau's enmity for Jacob and of the impulse of hi.s soul to spill blood like that of Jacob, as the Bible relates his innermost thought: "Let the days of mourning for my father be at hand; then I will slay my brother Jacob," 178 the cause was wrath and anger. Rebecca said (namely) to Jacob: "Until thy brother's fury turn away, until thy brother's anger turn away from thee, &c." 179 And Onkelos said in his interpretation of "for he said: 'I will appease him with the present''': 180 "For he said: 'I will appease his anger.''' And also of the enmity of

176 Shabbath 30 b. 177 Genesis 4, 13.

178 Genrsis 27, 4 I.

179 Genesis 27. 44. 45. 180 Grnrsis 32, 2 I.

19 2 - 193

p. 9 8 Cl"in~.,n, t:lN~O;N Cl"ln;O~ ~;V l"l; 90'~ f;'';N t:l~to~rv;N

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the tribes, the brothers of Joseph, peace be upon all of them, for p. 9 a him and of the impulse to kill the cause was nothing but anger with him and wrath over him. Onkelos said (namely) in the interpretation of "they have dealt bitterly with him and shot": lin " And they were embittered against him and took revenge on him," and there is no doubt about their regret when they saw how intensely Jacob was overcome by his loss, where (however) regret was of no avail to them because there had already passed beyond (them) that which they could no (longer) retrieve, and that ended with the trial (they underwent) of which they said: "Therefore, also, behold, his blood is required "; 181 8. and the matter finally led to the servitude of (Israel) in Egypt. And thou knowest Jacob's declaration about the oldest of them, "Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce, and their wrath, for it was cruel." 182 And it suffices for thee that that fault for which Moses was punished was nothing but wrath as a result of which he said, peace be upon him: "Hear now, ye rebels, &c." 183 And my father (and) teacher, the .'memory of the righteous be blessed, says that the punishment in that (matter) was chiefly for the anger, as it is written by him in the commentary on the tractate of Al)oth,184 and we abbreviate (our) discussion of that (subject). And Saul the chosen one of the Lord was led into the killing of the priests of the Lord' and the devastation of Nob the city of the priests only by his wrath and his anger. And David the annointed of the Lord was moved to seek to kill Nabal only by his anger over him, and thou knowest already his confession to Abigail, when she prevented him from that sin by her saying to him: "That this shall be no stumbling block unto thee nor an offence," 185 (his confession) in which he said to her: "And blessed be thy discretion, and blessed beest thou, that hast kept me this day from blood guiltiness." 186 And nothing led him to accept the calumny which Ziba made against Mephibosheth but his anger over him, and that conduced to his falling into (a kind of conduct) that did not befit his firm religiosity and his abundant magnanimity, (namely) into not accepting from him his excuse and (into) saying to him: "Why speakest thou any more

181 Genesis 49, 23. 181" ibid. 42, 22. 182 Genesis 49, 7. 183 Numbers 20, 10. 184 end of chapter IV. 185 I Samuel 25, 31• 186 I Samuel 25, 33. Rosenblatt. 13

195194 ­

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of thy matters? I say; Thou and Ziba divide the land." 187 And P.9b the sages, their memory be blessed, said: "At the moment when David said to Mephibosheth; 'Thou and Ziba divide the land,' a divine voice came forth and said; 'Rehoboam and Jeroboam will divide the kingdom.' "188 And Asa, the king of Judah, despite his great virtuousness and His solicitude, exalted be He, for him was thrown by anger into being bold against His prophet, exalted be He, and (into) falling into bloodshed. "Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in the prison-house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the people at that time." 189 And Joash the king of Judah was brought out by his anger from his religiosity and his magnanimity until he killed Zechariah, son of Jehoyada the priest. "And they stoned him with stones at the command of the king in the court of the house of the Lord. Thus J oash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoyada his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said: 'The Lord look upon it and require it.''' 190 And there is much (in the Bible corroborating these views) besides what we have noted; if it be traced, it will appear. And we have already explained to thee in one of the chapters of the first part of this book that the cause of the sin of the curser 191 is anger. And Solomon has already dilated much on the censure of anger and the praise of gentleness in a number of (scriptural) passages of which we have noted some to thee, and thou must recall the rest of them. And the sages, too, blessed be their memory, censured anger greatly, so much so that they said: "He who rends his garments in his anger and scatters his money in his anger, let him be in thy eyes like one who worships idols. Such is the device of the evil inclination. Today it says to him: 'Do thus,' and he does (it); the next day it says to him: 'Go and serve idols,' and he serves." 192 And they said: "(Speaking of) that which is written (namely): 'There shall not be in thee a strange god,' 193 who is the strange god that dwells in man's body? Say this is the evil inclination." 194 And the evil inclination is (to be understood in a) general and (a) particular (sense). And its particular (application)

187 II Samuel 19, 30. 188 Shabbath 56 b. Yoma 22 b. I Nb 12 I l'~nn 12 I KiK 12 I ,'n:l 12 I ,,;, II I ;,j':lN 8 I ;'~:l~ 5 I '~.in' 5 189 II Chronicles 1 6, 10. 190 II Chronicles 24, 21. 22.

191 Viz. Exodus 22, 27. 192 Shabbath 105 b.I w,'n:l 16 I N~" 16 I N'~' 16 I "~':1l'ln 15 I N~":l" 15 I l:Ii 14 I :l~" 13 I K';' 13 193 Psalms 81, 10. 194 Shabbath 105 b.I :"!:It,:lt~, 21 I t":'::l, 21

J 3 'f

197 ­196 ­

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is the agitation of the impulsive faculty without the determination p. 10 a

of the mind. And regard the records of gentleness that appear in the Pentateuch and the book of the prophets. When Reuben calmed the (fierce) wrath of the tribes, so that they did not kill Joseph, by his saying: "Cast him into this pit, &c.," 195 they were trans­ferred, as their anger and their (fierce) wrath subsided, from killing to selling, as it is written. And as for the records of the gentleness Joseph (displayed) in pardoning his brothers and pitying them and treating them kindly, they are apparent, and there has already been said about that previously what has been said. And the gentleness of Saul the chosen one of the Lord in pardoning him who insulted him, despite Israel's impulse to kill the one referred to, is (clearly) written (of in the Bible): "And the people said unto Samuel: C Who is he that said: Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men that we may put them to death.' And Saul said: 'There shall not a man be put to death this day; for today the Lord hath wrought deliverance in Israel.''' 196 And the gentleness of David in his pardoning and refraining from (killing) Saul, although he was clearly seeking his life, is also written of. And Saul's answer to him and his confession (was): "Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rendered unto me good, &c.," 197 "For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the Lord reward thee good for that which thou hast done unto me this day." 198 And likewise was his gentleness (displayed) in his refraining from (killing) Shim'i ben Gera and his saying: "let him alone and let him curse," 199 and (in) his pardoning him also when he "came down to meet" him" at the Jordan" and (in) his oath to him: "I will not put thee to death with the sword." 200 Now as for his will to Solomon that he kill him, there must be explained about it that it 201 was legally required by the demands of duty, inasmuch as his slight to him was public, as the transmitters (of tradition) have explained that a scholar, if he has been publicly slighted, is not permitted to forgive,202

195 Genesis 37, 2:1.. 196 I Samuel II, 12. 13. 197 I Samuel 24, 18. 198 I Samuel 24, 20. 19!J IT Samuel 16, I I. 200 I Kings 2, 8. 201 i. e. the killing. 202 This is based on the statement of Moses Maimonides in his Yad Hachazakah,

Seier Madda', end of Hilkhot/, Talmud Torah (which is based on statements in Yoma 22 b, 23 a and f>,iddushin 32 b). See the commentators there. According to them this law is not directly stated in the Talmud.

198 199

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all the more so a king, annointed (and) prophet. And that is proven p. Job

by his saying (to Solomon): "Now therefore hold him not guiltless." 203 And this is the best explanation thereof according to our understanding, since he describes himself saying: "If I have requited him that did evil unto me," 204 and so forth. And gentleness belongs to the character of prophecy, except in cases (where) His (cause), exalted be He, (is concerned,) as we shall explain. And therefore did the sages, blessed be their memory, exhort stronv,ly to this noble trait, and they commanded (men) to hep as far away from anger as possible, and they said expressly: "A person should always be humble like Hillel and he should not be irritable like' Shammai," 205 and we have already explained that in the first part (of the book) among the qualities of the IHa st er from whose mouth words of Torah are quoted. And they in the description of those who sanctify the name (of God) "(that they are people) who are insulted but do not insult, who hc.1r themselves reviled but do not answer." 20() And they sa id: "A person should always be yielding like a reed a~ld not unbending like a cedar. Therefore was the reed privilel{C'd to supply the pen with which to write the Torah." 207 And they S;l id: "Whoever forbears from retaliating has all his transgressions passed over, for it has been said: 'That pardoneth iniquity "'nd passeth by transgression.' 20R Whose iniquity does I-Ie pardon? His who passes by (another's) transgression." 2011 And their utterances on the censure of anger and the praise of gentleness are very numerous. Now as for the second (kind of) discipline, which (consists in) the careful consideration of the commandments the aim of which is to prevent anger and to efface its trace, there belongs to that His legislation, exalted be He, concerning the cities of refuge (that were to be set aside), and the great attention paid to this matter, and the reaffirmation and repetition thereof. The Pentateuch says expressly, in giving the reason therefor, that it is to becalm the fit of al1g~r: "Lest the avenger of blood pursue the manslayer, while his heart is hot, &c." 210 And in the commandment of reproving it is said: "Thou shall surely rebuke thy neighbor, and not bear sin because of him" 2l1-it means: "Thou shalt dispel

203 I Kings 2, 9. 204 Psalms 7, 5. 205 Shabbath 30 b. 206 Shabbath 88 b. Yoma 2p. Citrin 36b. 207 Ta'anitb 20a, 20b. 208 Micah 7, 18. 209 Rosh Hashanah 17 a. Megillah 28 a. 210 Del4teronomy 19, 6. 211 Leviticus 19, I 7.

200 ­

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201

that which is in thy soul of it by means of the rebuke, as we have p. II a

explained it in the third part of this book in (our discussion of) the etiquette of friendship that that is the literal meaning of the verse, although there is within the object of the text also what tradition includes. And His prohibition, exalted be He, of taking vengeance and keeping a grudge (has as its purpose) the effacing of the trace of the displeasure and the erasing of the trace of anger from the impulsive faculty. And the prohibition against cursing a judge and a prince and a deaf (person), all that (is instituted) in order to prevent the trait of anger, in addition to the wrong and the injustice against the insulted that is contained in it. And my father and teacher, the memory of the righteous be blessed, has in his Sefer Mi~woth 212 already given a reason for His declaration, exalted be He: "Thou shalt not curse the deaf," 213 from which can be understood what we have noted. And likewise the prohibition against cursing father and mother and (against) striking them and against striking any man of Israel (which latter prohibition is contained) in His declaration, exalted be He, "He shall not exceed" the limit of stripes,214 all that (has as a purpose) to efface the trace of anger which causes one to fall into this great injustice and severe impudence. And (yet) other commandments have (some) pertinence to anger either by virtue of the fact that it-I mean anger-leads one to transgress over them or by virtue of the fact that they-I mean the commandments-are a protection against the attainment of the effect of anger; and it suffices that the cause of the sin of him who blasphemes the name (of God) is anger, and we have already explained thereof what we have explained in the preceding parts of the book; and thou knowest to what extent the Law emphasized gentleness and forgiveness in His declaration, exalted be He: " If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under its burden, thou shalt forbear to pass him by; thou shalt surely release it with him," 215 and the translator 210 made clear the explanation thereof (saying it means:) "Thou shalt surely leave go what is in thy heart against him and thou shalt unburden with him." And now that we have explained with regard to gentleness that it is (one) of the elevated paths to which the Law exhorts, it is (to be noted) that

212 Division of Negative Commandments, Commandment 317· 213 Leviticus 19, 14. 214 Deuteronomy 25, 3. 215 Exodus 23, 5. 216 Onkews.

20 3202

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despite the fact that gentleness is required in matters pertaining to p. I I b our (own) personal wishes and our secular aspirations, it is not required in matters of religion, and therefore did they, their memory be blessed, say: « Any scholar who is not revengeful and grudge-bearing like the serpent is no scholar"; 217 and when objection was raised against that from the statement of the Penta­teuch: « Thou shalt not take vengeance nor bear any grudge," 21 R

the answer (given) was: « There is no difficulty. The latter applies to matters of the world, the former to matters of heaven," 219

and we have already mentioned that in the third part (of the book). And every holy man or prophet of Israel is verily a follower of Moses, peace be upon him, (in this matter). And when we carefully consider what the Pentateuch has related of his gentleness, we find it (to be exercised) in cases pertaining to himself. (Thus) the officers of Israel say to him: « The Lord look upon you and judge," 220

and he excuses them and is seized with pity over their state and intercedes on their behalf and for all Israel saying: « Wherefore hast Thou dealt ill with this people, &c." 221 And with regard to him whose punishment Joshua regarded as necessary because of what belongs to good etiquette in the case of the messenger (of God), peace be upon him-which is a matter which does not lie within our present scope to explain-he says, peace be upon him, clearly showing his gentleness and the nobility of his character in the incident: « Art thou jealous for my sake? &c." 222 And (as for) Miriam, peace be upon her, His punishment, exalted be He, of her and His causing to come upon her what came upon her was due to her speaking (ill) about him, and (yet) he interceded for her (praying): « Heal her now, Oh God, I beseech Thee." 223 And despite that (we find) him taking offence in cases concerning Him, exalted be He: in the case of the making of the (golden) calf as it is written: « And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing; and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast, &c."; 224 and in the case where the sin­offering that should have been eaten was burnt up « [And] he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, &c." « Wherefore have ye not eaten the sin-offering, &c."; 225 and in the war against Midyan " [And] Moses was angry with the officers of the host, &c." 226 And thus we see Phineas zealo}ls for religion and indignant for its sake,

218 Levitin.s 19. 18.217 Yoma 23 a.

220 Exodus 5, 2 I.219 Yoma 23 a and cf. Berakhoth 7b.

222 Numbers I I, 29.221 Exodus 5, 22.

224 Exod,u 32, 19.223 Numbers 12, 13.

226 Numbers 31, 14·225 milieus II, 16. 17.

- 208 209 ­

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man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on p. 13 a

the heart," 242 and he (must) be guided by His declaration, exalted be He: "And thou shalt walk in His ways"; 243 and SOme of His ways are (that He is) "long-suffering," "forgiving iniquity" and "passing by transgression," wherefore he should be gentle; and some of His ways are (that He is) " jealous" and" visiteth iniquity," wherefore he should demand His legal rights, exalted be He, (and) not be indulgent with respect to them; and despite that he (should) be guided by (the fact) that most of His qualities, exalted be He, are (qualities of) mercy and that (only) some of them are (strict) justice, wherefore he should not hasten, even in religious matters, to avenge and make reprisals except after confirmation and patience and inquiry (into the matter) and ascertaining the necessity of the punishment, as God, exalted be, said with respect to the greatest and severest of sins and that is the sin of idolatry: " And it be told thee, and thou hear it, then shalt thou inquire diligently and, behold, if it be true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought in Israel," 244 then, after that, "Then thou shalt bring forth that man or that woman, &c."; 24G and He said concerning the condemned city: "If thou shalt hear, &c.," 246 "then thou shalt inquire and make search, and ask diligently; and, behold, if it be true, and the thing is certain that such abomination is wrought in the midst of thee," then, after that, "thou shalt surely smite, &c." 247 And he whose intellect is abundant and whose religiosity is great and whose training in the ways of the Lord is strenuous, so that anger is removed from his interior and despite that he does not neglect His rights, exalted be He, nor act indulgently with respect to them, and when he enforces them, it is on account of the demand of justice and the advantage to the Law not because of (some) fit of anger, as my father (and) teacher, the memory of the righteous be blessed, explained in his Guide,248 then that is a very high degree and a correct way (of journeying) in the ways of the Lord, for He, exalted be He, is above wrath and all affection, and He only indicates to us that He becomes wrathful as a figurative term for His punishing (used) to (suit) the power of our comprehension,

242 I Samuel 16, 7. 243 Deuteronomy 28, 9. 244 Deuteronomy 17, 4. 245 Dmteronomy 17, 5. 246 Deuteronomy 1 3, I 3- I5 . 247 Dellteronomy 13, 16. 248 I chap. 54. Rosenblatt. 14

210 2II

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as the sages, blessed be their memory, have explained to us by their p. 13 b

statement: "The Torah spoke (in a style) resembling the language of men." 249 And if (thou dost) not (admit this), then thou knowest (that) although the Pentateuch says: "They have roused Me to jealousy with a no-god; they have provoked Me with their vanities," 250 He, exalted be He, said explicitly in the language of His prophet: "Do they provoke Me? saith the Lord; do they not provoke themselves, to the confusion of their own faces?" 251 Hence His statement: "They have roused Me to jealousy, they have provoked Me," (has been put in that form) only in order to correspond to (its) opposite "I will rouse them to jealousy with a no-people; I will provok.e them with a vile nation." 252 And likewise the meaning of His declaration: "And My anger shall be kindled against them that day" 253 is (to be understood by) what comes after it (namely:) "and many evils and troubles shall come upon them." 254 And according to that the meaning of every expression of the enkindling of (God's) anger and (the) provocation (of God) is His punishing. And my father and teacher, the memory of the righteous be blessed, has already fully explained that in the Guide.255 And therefore were the sages, blessed be their memory, forced to explain (anent) the statement of the Pentateuch: " And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and He said: Is there not Aaron, thy brother, &c." 256 that the meaning of that is the duration of the slowness of his speech and tongue, peace be upon him, after that conversation,257 and the proof of it is his saying, peace be upon him, in the land of Egypt in His presence, exalted be He; "How then shall Pharao hear me who am of uncircumcised lips?" 258 and they said that that (defect) was removed from him, peace be upon him, from the time of the

249 Bacher, Die exeg. Term. d. jUd. Traditionslitteratur I p. 98. 250 Deuteronomy 32., 2. I. 25\ Jeremiah 7, 19. 252 Deuteronomy 32, 2.1. 253 Deuteronomy 31, 17. 254 ibid. 255 I chaps. 36 and 54. 256 Exodus 4, 14. 257 Deparim Rabbah, beginning. Yal~/lt Shim'oni ad loc. 258 Exodus 6, 12.

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21 3

stand before Mount Sinai.259 And in the Torah there is a notice, nay an express indication, of this secret,260 and that is His declaration, exalted be He, to the messenger 261 in the event of the (Golden) Calf: "Now therefore let Me alone, that My wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them." 262 Now the meaning of that (can) only be: "I shall punish them," solely, for one cannot say to the intercessor" Let me be angry," for anger is a state that comes upon the angry person at the moment when the anger-provoking thing presents itself to him, and once anger or (any) affection has come about-God is exalted above that­then it has

come about whether intercession has been made that he do not p. 14 a

carry out the anger or whether no intercession has been made. So there is nO difference between His saying, exalted be He, "Let me alone that My wrath may wax hot against them and that I may consume them" and between His saying, had He said, "Let me alone that I may consume them"; and the clear proof of that is Moses' interpretation, peace be upon him, of that very same statement in Deuteronomy (by the words): "Let me alone that I may destroy them," 263 and he did not mention in it the kindling of (God's) anger at all but interpreted the kindling of (God's) anger by its intended meaning. So understand that and persevere in it. And the chapter has already reached its end in accordance with its object.

259 DelJitnm Rabbah, beginning. Yal~ut Shim'oni on Exodus 4. 14. 260 of the real meaning of God's anger. 261 i. e. Moses. 262 Exodus 32, 10.

263 Deuteronomy 9, 14.

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