Do not criticize the terms applied to the intellect in this chapter and others. For the purpose here is to guide toward the intended notion and not to investigate the truth of the essence of the intellect 5 for other chapters are devoted to a precise account of this subject.20 CHAPTER 33 Know that to begin with this science is very harmful, I mean the divine science. In the same way, it is also harmful to make clear the meaning of the parables of the prophets and to draw attention to the figurative senses of terms used in addressing people, figurative senses of which the books of prophecy are full. It behooves rather to educate the young and to give firmness to the deficient in capacity according to the measure of their 18. B.T., Hagigah, lib. The entire passage reads: Whoever considers four things does not deserve to have come into the world, [ namely, he who considers ] what is above, what is below, what is in front, and what is behind.
3 7« ] The Guide of the Perplexed 1-33 7/ apprehension. Thus he who is seen to be perfect in mind and to be formed for that high rank — that is to say, demonstrative speculation and true intellectual inferences — should be elevated step by step, either by someone who directs his attention or by himself, until he achieves his perfection. If, however, he begins with the divine science, it will not be a mere confusion in his beliefs that will befall him, but rather absolute negation.1 In my opinion an analogous case would be that of someone feeding a suckling with wheaten bread and meat and giving him wine to drink. He would un¬ doubtedly kill him, not because these aliments are bad or unnatural for man, but because the child that receives them is too weak to digest them so as | to derive a benefit from them. Similarly these true opinions were not hidden, enclosed in riddles, and treated by all men of knowledge with all sorts of artifice through which they could teach them without expounding them explicitly, because of something bad being hidden in them,2 or because they undermine the foundations of Law, as is thought by ignorant people who deem that they have attained a rank suitable for speculation. Rather have they been hidden because at the outset the intellect is incapable of receiving them; only flashes of them are made to appear so that the perfect man should know them. On this account they are called secrets and mysteries of the Torah, as we shall make clear. This is the cause of the fact that the Torah speaketh in the language of the sons of man, as we have made clear.3 This is so because it4 is presented in such a manner as to make it possible for the young, the women, and all the people to begin with it and to learn it. Now it is not within their power to understand these matters as they truly are. Hence they are confined to accepting tradition with regard to all sound opinions that are of such a sort that it is preferable that they should be pronounced true and with regard to all representations of this kind — and this in such a manner that the mind is led toward the existence of the objects of these opinions and representations but not toward grasping their essence as it truly is. When, however, a man grows perfect and the mysteries of the Torah are communicated to him 5 either by somebody else 1. The term taHZl used by Maimonides may mean the emptying of the concept of God of all content, the denial of His having any action whatever, and so forth.
2. The Arabic text of Joel’s edition (p. 48, 1. 5) reads: kawniha fiha —which seems mean¬ ingless. On the other hand, Ibn Tibbon’s translation seems to correspond to an Arabic text — kawninftha —which makes better sense. In this case the English translation con¬ forms to Ibn Tibbon’s. The fact that the word kawniha occurs in the same sentence a few words later may have caused kawnin to be miswritten kawniha.
4. Namely, the Torah. 5. Cf. B.T., Hagigah, 13a.
or because he himself discovers them6 — inasmuch as some of them draw his attention to others —, he attains a rank at which he pronounces the above- mentioned correct opinions to be true; and in order to arrive at this conclu¬ sion, he uses the veritable methods,7 namely, demonstration in cases where demonstration is possible or strong arguments where this is possible. In this way he represents to himself these matters, which had appeared to him as imaginings and parables, in their truth and understands their essence. Accordingly the following speech of the Sages has been repeated to you several times in our speech:HThe Account of the Chariot ought not to be taught even to one man, except if he be wise and able to understand by himself, in which case only the chapter headings may be transmitted to him,9 On this account one ought not to begin to teach this subject to anyone unless it be according to his capacity and then only under these two conditions; one of them | being that the one who is to be taught is wise, I mean that he has achieved knowledge of the sciences from which the premises of speculation derive 5 and the other, that he be full of understanding, intelligent, sagacious by nature, that he divine a notion even if it is only very slightly suggested to him in a flash. This is the meaning of the dictum of the Sages: able to understand by himself I shall make clear to you the cause10 that prevents the instruction of the multitude in the veritable methods of speculation and that prevents their being taught to begin to grasp the essences of things as they are. I shall also explain to you that it is requisite and necessary that this should not be otherwise than thus. These explanations shall be made in the chapter following upon the present one. I shall then say: CHAPTER 34 The causes that prevent the commencement of instruction with divine science, the indication of things that ought to be indicated, and the presentation of this to the multitude, are five.
The first cause is the difficulty, subtlety, and obscurity of the matter 6. Literally: either from someone other than he or from himself.
7. Literally: he pronounces these correct opinions to be true in virtue of the veritable methods for pronouncing a thing true.
10. In fact there are several causes, as is explained in the following chapter.
38a ] The Guide of the Perplexed 1-34* in itself. Thus Scripture says: That which was is far off and exceeding deep; who can find it out P1 And it is said: But wisdom, where shall it be found P2 Now it is not fitting in teaching to begin with what is most difficult and obscure for the understanding. One of the parables generally known in our community is that likening knowledge to water. Now the Sages, peace be on them, explained several notions by means of this parable; one of them being that he who knows how to swim brings up pearls from the bottom of the sea, whereas he who does not know, drowns. For this reason, no one should expose himself to the risks of swimming except he who has been trained in learning to swim.
The second cause is the insufficiency of the minds of all men at their beginnings. For man is not granted his ultimate perfection at the outset; for perfection exists in him only potentially, and in his beginnings he | lacks this act. Accordingly it is said: And man is born a wild ass.5 Nor is it neces¬ sarily obligatory in the case of every individual who is endowed with some thing in potency, that this thing should become actual. Sometimes it remains in its defective state either because of certain obstacles or because of paucity of training in what transforms that potentiality into actuality. Accordingly it is clearly said: Not many are wise.* The Sages too, may their memory be blessed, have said: I saw the people who have attained a high rank 5 and they were few.6 For the obstacles to perfection are very many, and the objects that distract from it abound. When should he be able to achieve the perfect preparation and the leisure required for training so that what subsists in a particular individual in potency should be transformed into actuality?
The third cause lies in the length of the preliminaries. For man has in his nature a desire to seek the ends;7 and he often finds preliminaries tedious and refuses to engage in them. Know, however, that if an end could be achieved without the preliminaries that precede it, the latter would not be preliminaries, but pure distractions and futilities. Now if you would awaken a man — even though he were the dullest of all people — as one awakens a sleeping individual, and if you were to ask him whether he desired at that moment to have knowledge of the heavenly spheres,8 namely, what their number is and what their configuration, and what is contained in them, and what the angels are, and how the world as a whole 5. Literally: I saw the sons of elevation.
7. Here in the sense of objects with a view to which an act may be accomplished.
8. Literally: of these heavens.
7^ The Guide of the Perplexed 1-34 [ 386 was created, and what its end is in view of the arrangement of its various parts with one another, and what the soul is, and how it is created in time9 in the body, and whether the human soul can be separated from the body, and, if it can, in what manner and through what instrument and with what distinction in view, and if you put the same question to him with regard to other subjects of research of this kind, he would undoubtedly answer you in the affirmative. He would have a natural desire to know these things as they are in truth; but he would wish this desire to be allayed, and the knowledge of all this to be achieved by means of one or two words that you would say to him. If, however, you would lay upon him the obligation to abandon [ his occupation for a week’s time until he should understand all this, he would not do it, but would be satisfied with deceptive imaginings through which his soul would be set at ease. He would also dislike being told that there is a thing whose knowledge requires many premises and a long time for investigation. You know that these matters are mutually connected; there being nothing in what exists besides God, may He be exalted, and the totality of the things He has made. For this totality includes everything comprised in what exists except only Him. There is, moreover, no way to apprehend Him except it be through the things He has made; for they are indicative of His existence and of what ought to be believed about Him, I mean to say, of what should be affirmed and denied with regard to Him. It is therefore indispensable to consider all beings as they really are so that we may obtain for all the kinds of beings true and certain premises that would be useful to us in our researches pertaining to the divine science. How very many are the premises thus taken from the nature of numbers and the properties of geometrical figures from which we draw inferences concerning things that we should deny with respect to God, may He be exalted! And this denial is indicative to us of many notions. As for the matters pertaining to the astronomy of the spheres and to natural science, I do not consider that you should have any difficulty in grasping that those are matters necessary for the apprehension of the relation of the world to God’s governance as this relation is in truth and not according to imaginings. There are also many speculative subjects that, although no premises can be obtained from them for the use of this science, nevertheless train the mind and procure it the habitus of drawing inferences and know¬ ledge of the truth in matters pertaining to its essence. They also put an end to the confusion in most of the minds of those engaged in speculation, a 9. huduth, the Arabic term used, may mean “happening” or “taking place in time.”
39& ] The Guide of the Perplexed 1-54 7j confusion mistaking things that are accidental for those that are essential;10 hereby an end is also put to the perversion of opinions arising out of this con¬ fusion. All this is achieved in addition to the representation of these | sub¬ jects as they really are, even if they in no way belong to the divine science. These subjects are also not devoid of utility in other points, namely, with re¬ spect to matters that lead up to that science. Accordingly it is certainly neces¬ sary for whoever wishes to achieve human perfection to train himself at first in the art of logic, then in the mathematical sciences according to the proper order, then in the natural sciences, and after that in the divine science. We find many people whose mind stops short at one of these sciences; and some¬ times even if their mind does not miss the mark, they are cut off by death while engaged in some preliminary study. Accordingly if we never in any way acquired an opinion through following traditional authority and were not correctly conducted toward something by means of parables, but were obliged to achieve a perfect representation by means of essential definitions and by pronouncing true only that which is meant to be pronounced true in virtue of a demonstration — which would be impossible except after the above-mentioned lengthy preliminary studies — this state of affairs would lead to all people dying without having known whether there is a deity for the world, or whether there is not, much less whether a proposition should be affirmed with regard to Him or a defect denied. Nobody would ever be saved from this perdition except one of a city or two of a family.11 As for the few solitary individuals12 that are the remnant whom the Lord calls,13 the perfection, which constitutes the end to be aimed at, is realized for them only after the above-mentioned preliminary studies. Solomon has made it clear that the need for preliminary studies is a necessity and that it is impossible to attain true wisdom except after having been trained. For he says: If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength; but even more preparation is needed for wisdom;1* and he also says: Hear counsel and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.i5 There is also a necessity of another kind for achieving knowledge of the preliminary studies. | It arises from the fact that when a man seeks to obtain knowledge quickly, many doubts occur to him, and he moreover quickly understands objections — I mean to say the destruction of a particular doctrine, this being similar to the demolition of a building. Now the establishment of doctrines as true and the solution of doubts can 10. Literally: that are of its essence. Namely, of the essence of the mind.
11. Jer. 3:14. 12. al-ahad. Literally: ones or units. 13, Cf. Joel 3:5.
*j6 The Guide of the Perplexed 1-34 [ 40a only be grounded upon many premises taken from these preliminary studies. One engaged in speculation without preliminary study is therefore com¬ parable to someone who walked on his two feet in order to reach a certain place and, while on his way, fell into a deep well without having any device to get out of there before he perishes. It would have been better for him if he had foregone walking and had quietly remained in his own place. In Proverbs, Solomon describes at length the state of lazy people and their incapacity — all this being a parable for the incapacity to seek knowledge of the sciences. Thus speaking of the desire of someone desirous to achieve his ends, but making no effort to achieve knowledge of the preliminary studies leading up to these ends does nothing else but desire, he says: The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labor. He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not.i6 In these verses he says that the reason why the desire of the slothful kills him is to be found in the fact that he makes no effort and does not work with a view to that which would allay that desire 5 he has only an abundance of longing and nothing else, while he aspires to things for whose achievement he lacks the necessary instrument. It would be healthier for him if he renounced this desire. Consider now how the ending of the parable explains its begin¬ ning. For in his dictum, But the righteous giveth and spareth not, the word righteous is not antithetical to slothful except according to the explanation we have propounded. For [Solomon] says that the just one among men is he who gives everything its due; he means thereby that he gives all his time to seeking knowledge and spares no portion of his time for anything else. He says, as it were: But the righteous gives his days to wisdom and is not sparing of them-, which corresponds to his saying: Give not thy strength unto women,17 Now the majority | of the men of knowledge, I mean those generally known as men of knowledge, labor under this disease — I mean that which consists in seeking to achieve the ends and in speaking about them without having engaged in the studies preliminary to them. With some of them, their ignorance or their desire to have the first place goes so far as to cause them to disapprove of these preliminary studies, which they are incapable of grasping or are too lazy to seek to understand. Accordingly they wish to show that these studies are harmful or useless. However, when one reflects, the truth of the matter is clear and manifest.18 The fourth cause is to be found in the natural aptitudes. For it has been explained, or rather demonstrated, that the moral virtues are a prepara- 18. Literally: And the truth in contemplating is clear and manifest.
406 ] The Guide of the Perplexed 1-34 77 tion for the rational19 virtues, it being impossible to achieve true, rational acts20 — I mean perfect rationality — unless it be by a man thoroughly trained with respect to his morals and endowed with the qualities of tran¬ quillity and quiet. There are, moreover, many people who have received from their first natural disposition a complexion of temperament21 with which perfection is in no way compatible. Such is the case of one whose heart is naturally exceedingly hot; for he cannot refrain from anger, even if he subject his soul to very stringent training. This is also the case of one whose testicles have a hot and humid temperament and are of a strong constitution and in whom the seminal vessels abundantly generate semen. For it is unlikely that such a man, even if he subject his soul to the most severe training, should be chaste. Similarly you can find among people rash and reckless folk whose movements, being very agitated and disordered, indicate a corruption of the complexion and a poor quality of the tem¬ perament, of which it is impossible to give an account. Perfection can never be perceived in such people. And to make an effort for their benefit in this matter is pure ignorance on the part of him who makes the effort. For this science, as you know, is not like the science of medicine22 or the science of geometry, and not everyone has the disposition required for it in the various respects we have mentioned. It is accordingly indubitable that preparatory moral training should be carried out before beginning with this science, so that man should be in a state of | extreme uprightness and perfection; For the perverse is an abomination to the Lord, hut His secret is with the righteous,23 For this reason the teaching of this science to the young is disapproved of. In fact it is impossible for them to absorb it because of the effervescence of their natures and of their minds being occupied with the flame of growth. When, however, this flame that gives rise to perplexity is extinguished, the young achieve tranquillity and quiet; and their hearts submit and yield with respect to their temperament. They then may call upon their souls to raise themselves up to this rank, which is that of the apprehension of Him, may He be exalted; I mean thereby the divine science that is designated as the Account of the Chariot. Accordingly Scripture says: The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart. 24 And it says: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a 19. nutqiyya. The word from which this adjective derives means, like logos in Greek, both speech and reason.
20. nutqiyydt haqXqiyya. Literally: true rational things.
21. More or less iiterally: a temperamental disposition.
22. Literally: is not the science of medicine.
contrite and humble spirit, and so on.25 For this reason they say in the Talmud with respect to the dictum of the [Sages of the Mishnah]: The chapter headings may be transmitted to him; The chapter headings ought not to be transmitted except to a President of the Court, and one whose heart within him is full of care.26 The purpose of this is to signify obedience, sub¬ mission, and great piety joined to knowledge. It is also said there: The mysteries of the Torah may only be transmitted to a counsellor, wise in crafts, and endowed with understanding of whispering 27 Now these are matters that undoubtedly require a natural predisposition. Do you not know among various people one who is very feeble in point of opinion,28 though he be the most understanding of men? Another, on the other hand, may have an unerring opinion and an excellent way of conducting affairs in political matters 5 such a one is called counsellor. However, someone of that sort might not understand an intelligible notion even though it were close to being one of the first intelligibles. He might be very stupid and lacking in ingenious devices. Thus it is said: Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, seeing he hath no heart for it?22 Among men there is also found one who is naturally full of understanding and perspicacity and capable of giving concise and coherent expression to the most hidden notions. Such a one is called endowed with understanding of whispering. However, someone of this sort does not necessarily occupy himself with, and achieve knowledge of, the sciences. The one who actually has achieved knowledge of the sciences | is called wise in crafts. Of him the Sages say: When he speaks, they all become deaf l30 Consider how, by means of a text of a book,31 they laid down as conditions of the perfection of the individual, his being perfect in the varieties of political regimes as well as in the speculative sciences and withal his possessing natural perspicacity and understanding and the gift of finely expressing himself in communicating notions in flashes. If all this is realized in someone, then the mysteries of the Torah may be transmitted to him. It is likewise said there:32 Rabbi Yohanan said to Rabbi Elazar: Come, so that I should teach you the Account of the Chariot! Whereupon [ Rabbi Elazar ] said to him: I am not yet old;33 he means: I am not yet aged and up to now find in myself the effervescence of 28. ray, a term which here is the equivalent of the Greek doxa. 29. Prov. 17:16.
30. A pun arising from the resemblance between two Hebrew words: her shim (deaf) and harashim (in crafts). B.T., Hagigah, 14a.
31. kitab. This Arabic word may sometimes, and in this case does, denote a book which has authority.
32. I.e., in the same text.
4i&] The Guide of the Perplexed 1-55 79 nature and the recklessness of adolescence. See accordingly how they posed age as a condition superadded to the above-mentioned excellencies. How then could one plunge into these studies together with all the multitude, the children, and the women?