Volume 1 — CONTENTS

PAGE

Life of Maimonides xv

Moreh Nebuchim Literature. Analysis of the Guide for the Perplexed xxvii

Part I.

Introduction—

Dedicatory Letter 1

The Object of the Guide 2

On Similes 4

Directions for the Study of this Work 8

Introductory Remarks 9

CHAPTER.

I The homonymity of Ẓelem 13

II On Genesis iii. 5 14

III On tabnit and temunah 16

IV On raah, hibbit and ḥazah 17

V On Exod. xxiv. 10 18

VI On ish and ishshah, aḥ and aḥot 19

VII On yalad 19

VIII On maḳom 20

IX On kisse 21

X On ʻalah, yarad 22

XI On yashab 23

XII On kam 24

XIII On ʻamad 25

XIV On adam 25

XV On naẓab, yaẓab 25

XVI On Ẓur 26

XVII On Mishnah Ḥagigah ii. 1 27

XVIII On ḳarab, nagaʻ, niggash 27

XIX On male 28

XX On ram, nissa 29

XXI On ʻabar 30

XXII On ba 32

XXIII On Yaẓa, shub 32

XXIV On halak 33

XXV On shaken 34

XXVI On “The Torah speaketh the language of man” 34

XXVII On Targum of Gen. xlvi. 4 35

XXVIII On regel 37

XXIX On ʻaẓeb 39

XXX On akal 39

XXXI, XXXII On the Limit of Man’s Intellect 40, 42

XXXIII to XXXVI On the Study and the Teaching of Metaphysics 43–52

XXXVII On panim 52

XXXVIII On aḥor 53

XXXIX On leb 54

XL On ruaḥ 55

XLI On nefesh 56

XLII On ḥayyim-mavet 56

XLIII On kanaf 57

XLIV On ʻayin 58

XLV On shamaʻ 58

XLVI, XLVII On the Attribution of Senses and Sensations to God 59, 63

XLVIII The Targum of shamaʻ and raah 64

XLIX Figurative Expressions applied to Angels 65

L On Faith 67

LI–LX On Attributes 68–89

LI On the Necessity of Proving the Inadmissibility of Attributes in reference to God 68

LII Classification of Attributes 69

LIII The Arguments of the Attributists 72

LIV On Exod. xxxiii. 13; xxxiv. 7 75

LV On Attributes implying Corporeality, Emotion, Non-existence and Comparison 78

LVI On Attributes denoting Existence, Life, Power, Wisdom and Will 79

LVII On the Identity of the Essence of God and His Attributes 80

LVIII On the Negative Sense of the True Attributes of God 81

LIX On the Character of the Knowledge of God Consisting of Negations 83

LX On the Difference between Positive and Negative Attributes 87

LXI On the Names of God 89

LXII On the Divine Names composed of Four, Twelve and Forty-two Letters 91

LXIII On Ehyeh, Yah and Shaddai 93

LXIV On “The Name of the Lord,” and “The Glory of God” 95

LXV On the phrase “God spake” 96

LXVI On Exod. xxxii. 16 98

LXVII On shabat and naḥ 99

LXVIII On the Terms: The Intellectus, the Intelligens and the Intelligibile 100

LXIX On the Primal Cause 102

LXX On the attribute rokeb baʻarabot 105

LXXI The Origin of the Kalām 107

LXXII A Parallel between the Universe and Man 113

LXXIII Twelve Propositions of the Kalām 120

LXXIV Proofs of the Kalām for the creatio ex nihilo 133

LXXV Proofs of the Kalām for the Unity of God 138

LXXVI Proofs of the Kalām for the Incorporeality of God 141

Part II.

The Author’s Introduction. The Twenty-Six Propositions employed by the Philosophers to prove the Existence of God 145

CHAPTER.

I Philosophical proofs for the Existence, Incorporeality, and Unity of the First Cause 149

II On the Existence of Intelligences or purely Spiritual Beings 154

III The Author adopts the Theory of Aristotle as least open to Objections 156

IV The Spheres and the Causes of their Motion 156

V Agreement of the Aristotelian Theory with the Teaching of Scripture 159

VI What is meant by the Scriptural Term “Angels” 160

VII The Homonymity of the term “Angel” 162

VIII On the Music of the Spheres 163

IX On the Number of the Heavenly Spheres 163

X The Influence of the Spheres upon the Earth manifests itself in four different ways 164

XI The Theory of Eccentricity Preferable to that of Epicycles 166

XII On the Nature of the Divine Influence and that of the Spheres 168

XIII Three Different Theories about the Beginning of the Universe 171

XIV Seven Methods by which the Philosophers sought to prove the Eternity of the Universe 174

XV Aristotle does not scientifically demonstrate his Theory 176

XVI The Author refutes all Objections to Creatio ex nihilo 178

XVII The Laws of Nature apply to Things Created, but do not regulate the Creative Act which produces them 178

XVIII Examinations of the Proofs of Philosophers for the Eternity of the Universe 181

XIX Design in Nature 184

XX The Opinion of Aristotle as regards Design in Nature 189

XXI Explanation of the Aristotelian Theory that the Universe is the necessary Result of the First Cause 190

XXII Objections to the Theory of the Eternity of the Universe 192

XXIII The Theory of Creatio ex nihilo is preferable to that of the Eternity of the Universe 195

XXIV Difficulty of Comprehending the Nature and the Motion of the Spheres according to the Theory of Aristotle 196

XXV The Theory of Creation is adopted because of its own Superiority, the Proofs based on Scripture being Inconclusive 199

XXVI Examination of a passage from Pirḳe di-Rabbi Eliezer in reference to Creation 200

XXVII The Theory of a Future Destruction of the Universe is not part of the Religious Belief taught in the Bible 201

XXVIII Scriptural Teaching is in favour of the Indestructibility of the Universe 202

XXIX Explanation of Scriptural Phrases implying the Destruction of Heaven and Earth 204

XXX Philosophical Interpretation of Genesis i.-iv. 212

XXXI The Institution of the Sabbath serves (1) to Teach the Theory of Creation, and (2) to promote Man’s Welfare 218

XXXII Three Theories concerning Prophecy 219

XXXIII The Difference between Moses and the other Israelites as regards the Revelation on Mount Sinai 221

XXXIV Explanation of Exodus xxiii. 20 223

XXXV The Difference between Moses and the other Prophets as regards the Miracles wrought by them 223

XXXVI On the Mental, Physical and Moral Faculties of the Prophets 225

XXXVII On the Divine Influence upon Man’s Imaginative and Mental Faculties through the Active Intellect 227

XXXVIII Courage and Intuition reach the highest degree of Perfection in Prophets 229

XXXIX Moses was the fittest Prophet to Receive and Promulgate the Immutable Law, which succeeding Prophets merely Taught and Expounded 231

XL The Test of True Prophecy 232

XLI What is Meant by “Vision” 234

XLII Prophets Received Direct Communication only in Dreams or Visions 236

XLIII On the Allegories of the Prophets 238

XLIV On the Different Modes in which Prophets Receive Divine Messages 240

XLV The Various Classes of Prophets 241

XLVI The Allegorical Acts of Prophets formed Parts of Prophetic Visions 245

XLVII On the Figurative Style of the Prophetic Writings 247

XLVIII Scripture ascribes Phenomena directly produced by Natural Causes to God as the First Cause of all things 249

Part III.

The Author’s Introduction and Apology for Publishing, contrary to the Teaching of the Mishnah, an Interpretation of Ezek. i. 251

CHAPTER.

I The “Four Faces” are Human Faces with four different peculiarities 252

II The Ḥayyot and the Ofannim 252

III Further Explanation of the Ḥayyot and the Ofannim derived from Ezek. x. 255

IV The rendering of Ofan by Gilgal in the Targum of Jonathan 256

V The Vision of Ezekiel is divided into three stages: (1) Ḥayyot (=the Spheres); (2) Ofannim (=Earthly elements); and (3) the man above the Ḥayyot (=Intelligences) 257

VI On the Difference between the Vision of Ezekiel and that of Isaiah (vi.) 258

VII The Different Ways in which the Prophet perceived the Three Parts of the Mercabah (Chariot) 259

VIII Man has the Power to Control his Bodily Wants and Earthly Desires 261

IX The Material Element in Man Prevents him from Attaining Perfection 264

X God is not the Creator of Evil 265

XI Man is the Cause of his own Misfortunes 267

XII Three Kinds of Evil: (1) That caused by the Nature of Man; (2) Caused by Man to Man; (3) Caused by Man to himself 267

XIII The Universe has No other Purpose than its own Existence 272

XIV It is the Will of the Creator that the Spheres regulate the Affairs of Mankind 277

XV Impossible Things are not ascribed to the Creator, but it is difficult to Prove the Impossibility in each Individual Case 279

XVI On God’s Omniscience 280

XVII Five Theories concerning Providence 282

XVIII Every Individual Member of Mankind enjoys the Influence of Divine Providence in proportion to his Intellectual Perfection 289

XIX It is an ancient Error to Assume that God takes no Notice of Man 290

XX God’s Knowledge is Different from Man’s Knowledge 292

XXI The Creator’s knowledge of His Production is Perfect 295

XXII Object of the Book of Job, and Explanation of the First Two Chapters 296

XXIII Job and his Friends Discuss the various Theories concerning Providence 299

XXIV On Trials and Temptation 304

XXV The Actions of God are Not Purposeless 307

XXVI The Divine Precepts Serve a certain Purpose 310

XXVII The Object of the Divine Precepts is to Secure the Well-being of Man’s Soul and Body 312

XXVIII This Object is easily seen in some Precepts, whilst in others it is only known after due Reflection 313

XXIX On the Sabeans or Star-worshippers 315

XXX It is one of the Objects of the Law of Moses to Oppose Idolatry 320

XXXI The Law Promotes the Well-being of Man by teaching Truth, Morality and Social Conduct 321

XXXII Why did God give Laws to Oppose Idolatry instead of Uprooting it directly? 322

XXXIII Another chief Object of the Law is to Train Man in Mastering his Appetites and Desires 327

XXXIV The Law is based on the ordinary condition of man 328

XXXV Division of the Precepts into Fourteen Classes 329

XXXVI First Class of Precepts, to Know, Love and Fear God 331

XXXVII Second Class, Laws concerning Idolatry 332

XXXVIII Third Class, Moral Precepts 338

XXXIX Fourth Class, Laws relating to Charity 339

XL Fifth Class, Compensation for Injury and the Duty of Preventing Sin 342

XLI Sixth Class, Punishment of the Sinner 344

XLII Seventh Class, Equity and Honesty 350

XLIII Eighth Class, Sabbath and Festival 352

XLIV Ninth Class, Prayer, Tefillin, Ẓiẓit and Mezuzah 354

XLV Tenth Class, The Temple, its Vessels and its Ministers 355

XLVI Eleventh Class, Sacrifices 359

XLVII Twelfth Class, Distinction between Clean and Unclean; and on Purification 366

XLVIII Thirteenth Class, Dietary Laws 370

XLIX Fourteenth Class, Marriage Laws 372

L On Scriptural Passages with seemingly Purposeless Contents 380

LI How God is worshipped by a Perfect Man 384

LII On the Fear of God 391

LIII Explanation of Ḥesed (Love), Mishpat (Judgment), and Ẓedaḳah (Righteousness) 392

LIV On True Wisdom 393

Index of Scriptural Passages 399

Index of Quotations from the Targumim 409

Index of Quotations from the Midrashim 409

Index of Quotations from the Talmud 410

Index of References to Other Works of Maimonides 411

Index of References to Works of Science and Philosophy 412

Alphabetical Index 412