There are five reasons why instruction should not begin with
Metaphysics, but should at first be restricted to pointing out what is
fitted for notice and what may be made manifest to the multitude.
First Reason.—The subject itself is difficult, subtle and profound,
“Far off and exceeding deep, who can find it out?” (Eccles. vii. 24).
The following words of Job may be applied to it: “Whence then cometh
wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?” (Job xxviii. 20).
Instruction should not begin with abstruse and difficult subjects. In
one of the similes contained in the Bible, wisdom is compared to water,
and amongst other interpretations given by our Sages of this simile,
occurs the following: He who can swim may bring up pearls from the
depth of the sea, he who is unable to swim will be drowned, therefore
only such persons as have had proper instruction should expose
themselves to the risk.
Second Reason.—The intelligence of man is at first insufficient; for he
is not endowed with perfection at the beginning, but at first possesses
perfection only in potentiâ, not in fact. Thus it is said, “And man is
born a wild ass” (Job xi. 12). If a man possesses a certain faculty in
potentiâ, it does not follow that it must become in him a reality. He
may possibly remain deficient either on account of some obstacle, or
from want of training in practices which would turn the possibility
into a reality. Thus it is distinctly stated in the Bible, “Not many
are wise” (ib., xxxii. 9); also our Sages say, “I noticed how few were
those who attained to a higher degree of perfection” (B. T. Succah
45a). There are many things which obstruct the path to perfection, and
which keep man away from it. Where can he find sufficient preparation
and leisure to learn all that is necessary in order to develop that
perfection which he has in potentiâ?
Third Reason.—The preparatory studies are of long duration, and man, in
his natural desire to reach the goal, finds them frequently too
wearisome, and does not wish to be troubled by them. Be convinced that,
if man were able to reach the end without preparatory studies, such
studies would not be preparatory but tiresome and utterly superfluous.
Suppose you awaken any person, even the most simple, as if from sleep,
and you say to him, Do you not desire to know what the heavens are,
what is their number and their form; what beings are contained in them;
what the angels are; how the creation of the whole world took place;
what is its purpose, and what is the relation of its various parts to
each other; what is the nature of the soul; how it enters the body;
whether it has an independent existence, and if so, how it can exist
independently of the body; by what means and to what purpose, and
similar problems. He would undoubtedly say “Yes,” and show a natural
desire for the true knowledge of these things; but he will wish to
satisfy that desire and to attain to that knowledge by listening to a
few words from you. Ask him to interrupt his usual pursuits for a week,
till he learn all this, he would not do it, and would be satisfied and
contented with imaginary and misleading notions; he would refuse to
believe that there is anything which requires preparatory studies and
persevering research.
You, however, know how all these subjects are connected together; for
there is nothing else in existence but God and His works, the latter
including all existing things besides Him; we can only obtain a
knowledge of Him through His works; His works give evidence of His
existence, and show what must be assumed concerning Him, that is to
say, what must be attributed to Him either affirmatively or negatively.
It is thus necessary to examine all things according to their essence,
to infer from every species such true and well established propositions
as may assist us in the solution of metaphysical problems. Again, many
propositions based on the nature of numbers and the properties of
geometrical figures, are useful in examining things which must be
negatived in reference to God, and these negations will lead us to
further inferences. You will certainly not doubt the necessity of
studying astronomy and physics, if you are desirous of comprehending
the relation between the world and Providence as it is in reality, and
not according to imagination. There are also many subjects of
speculation, which, though not preparing the way for metaphysics, help
to train the reasoning power, enabling it to understand the nature of a
proof, and to test truth by characteristics essential to it. They
remove the confusion arising in the minds of most thinkers, who
confound accidental with essential properties, and likewise the wrong
opinions resulting therefrom. We may add, that although they do not
form the basis for metaphysical research, they assist in forming a
correct notion of these things, and are certainly useful in many other
things connected with that discipline. Consequently he who wishes to
attain to human perfection, must therefore first study Logic, next the
various branches of Mathematics in their proper order, then Physics,
and lastly Metaphysics. We find that many who have advanced to a
certain point in the study of these disciplines become weary, and stop;
that others, who are endowed with sufficient capacity, are interrupted
in their studies by death, which surprises them while still engaged
with the preliminary course. Now, if no knowledge whatever had been
given to us by means of tradition, and if we had not been brought to
the belief in a thing through the medium of similes, we would have been
bound to form a perfect notion of things with their essential
characteristics, and to believe only what we could prove: a goal which
could only be attained by long preparation. In such a case most people
would die, without having known whether there was a God or not, much
less that certain things must be asserted about Him, and other things
denied as defects. From such a fate not even “one of a city or two of a
family” (Jer. iii. 14) would have escaped.
As regards the privileged few, “the remnant whom the Lord calls” (Joel
iii. 5), they only attain the perfection at which they aim after due
preparatory labour. The necessity of such a preparation and the need of
such a training for the acquisition of real knowledge, has been plainly
stated by King Solomon in the following words: “If the iron be blunt,
and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength; and it
is profitable to prepare for wisdom” (Eccles. x. 10); “Hear counsel,
and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end”
(Prov. xix. 20).
There is still another urgent reason why the preliminary disciplines
should be studied and understood. During the study many doubts present
themselves, and the difficulties, or the objections raised against
certain assertions, are soon understood, just as the demolition of a
building is easier than its erection; while, on the other hand, it is
impossible to prove an assertion, or to remove any doubts, without
having recourse to several propositions taken from these preliminary
studies. He who approaches metaphysical problems without proper
preparation is like a person who journeys towards a certain place, and
on the road falls into a deep pit, out of which he cannot rise, and he
must perish there; if he had not gone forth, but had remained at home,
it would have been better for him.
Solomon has expatiated in the book of Proverbs on sluggards and their
indolence, by which he figuratively refers to indolence in the search
after wisdom. He thus speaks of a man who desires to know the final
results, but does not exert himself to understand the preliminary
disciplines which lead to them, doing nothing else but desire. “The
desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour. He
coveteth greedily all the day long; but the righteous giveth, and
spareth not” (Prov. xxi. 25, 26); that is to say, if the desire killeth
the slothful, it is because he neglects to seek the thing which might
satisfy his desire, he does nothing but desire, and hopes to obtain a
thing without using the means to reach it. It would be better for him
were he without that desire. Observe how the end of the simile throws
light on its beginning. It concludes with the words “but the righteous
giveth, and spareth not”; the antithesis of “righteous” and “slothful”
can only be justified on the basis of our interpretation. Solomon thus
indicates that only such a man is righteous who gives to everything its
due portion; that is to say, who gives to the study of a thing the
whole time required for it, and does not devote any part of that time
to another purpose. The passage may therefore be paraphrased thus: “And
the righteous man devotes his ways to wisdom, and does not withhold any
of them.” Comp. “Give not thy strength unto women” (Prov. xxxi. 3).
The majority of scholars, that is to say, the most famous in science,
are afflicted with this failing, viz., that of hurrying at once to the
final results, and of speaking about them, without treating of the
preliminary disciplines. Led by folly or ambition to disregard those
preparatory studies, for the attainment of which they are either
incapable or too idle, some scholars endeavour to prove that these are
injurious or superfluous. On reflection the truth will become obvious.
The Fourth Reason is taken from the physical constitution of man. It
has been proved that moral conduct is a preparation for intellectual
progress, and that only a man whose character is pure, calm and
steadfast, can attain to intellectual perfection; that is, acquire
correct conceptions. Many men are naturally so constituted that all
perfection is impossible; e.g., he whose heart is very warm and is
himself very powerful, is sure to be passionate, though he tries to
counteract that disposition by training; he whose testicles are warm,
humid, and vigorous, and the organs connected therewith are surcharged,
will not easily refrain from sin, even if he makes great efforts to
restrain himself. You also find persons of great levity and rashness,
whose excited manners and wild gestures prove that their constitution
is in disorder, and their temperament so bad that it cannot be cured.
Such persons can never attain to perfection; it is utterly useless to
occupy oneself with them on such a subject [as Metaphysics]. For this
science is, as you know, different from the science of Medicine and of
Geometry, and, from the reason already mentioned, it is not every
person who is capable of approaching it. It is impossible for a man to
study it successfully without moral preparation; he must acquire the
highest degree of uprightness and integrity, “for the froward is an
abomination to the Lord, but His secret is with the righteous” (Prov.
iii. 32). Therefore it was considered inadvisable to teach it to young
men; nay, it is impossible for them to comprehend it, on account of the
heat of their blood and the flame of youth, which confuses their minds;
that heat, which causes all the disorder, must first disappear; they
must have become moderate and settled, humble in their hearts, and
subdued in their temperament; only then will they be able to arrive at
the highest degree of the perception of God, i.e., the study of
Metaphysics, which is called Maʻaseh Mercabah Comp. “The Lord is nigh
unto them that are of a broken heart” (Ps. xxxiv. 18); “I dwell in the
high and lofty place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble
spirit; to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of
the contrite ones” (Isa. lvii. 15).
Therefore the rule, “the headings of the sections may be confided to
him,” is further restricted in the Talmud, in the following way: The
headings of the sections must only be handed down to an Ab-bet-din
(President of the Court), whose heart is full of care, i.e., in whom
wisdom is united with humility, meekness, and a great dread of sin. It
is further stated there: “The secrets of the Law can only be
communicated to a counsellor, scholar, and good orator.” These
qualities can only be acquired if the physical constitution of the
student favour their development. You certainly know that some persons,
though exceedingly able, are very weak in giving counsel, while others
are ready with proper counsel and good advice in social and political
matters. A person so endowed is called “counsellor” and may be unable
to comprehend purely abstract notions, even such as are similar to
common sense. He is unacquainted with them, and has no talent whatever
for them; we apply to him the words: “Wherefore is there a price in the
hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it?” (Prov.
xvii. 16). Others are intelligent and naturally clear-sighted, able to
convey complicated ideas in concise and well chosen language,—such a
person is called “a good orator,” but he has not been engaged in the
pursuit of science, or has not acquired any knowledge of it. Those who
have actually acquired a knowledge of the sciences, are called “wise in
arts” (or “scholars”); the Hebrew term for “wise in arts”—ḥakam
ḥarashim—has been explained in the Talmud as implying, that when such a
man speaks, all become, as it were, speechless.
Now, consider how, in the writings of the Rabbis, the admission of a
person into discourses on metaphysics is made dependent on distinction
in social qualities, and study of philosophy, as well as on the
possession of clear-sightedness, intelligence, eloquence, and ability
to communicate things by slight allusions. If a person satisfies these
requirements, the secrets of the Law are confided to him. In the same
place we also read the following passage:—R. Jochanan said to R.
Elasar, “Come, I will teach you Maʻaseh Mercabah.” The reply was, “I am
not yet old,” or in other words, I have not yet become old, I still
perceive in myself the hot blood and the rashness of youth. You learn
from this that, in addition to the above-named good qualities, a
certain age is also required. How, then, could any person speak on
these metaphysical themes in the presence of ordinary people, of
children, and of women!
Fifth Reason.—Man is disturbed in his intellectual occupation by the
necessity of looking after the material wants of the body, especially
if the necessity of providing for wife and children be superadded; much
more so if he seeks superfluities in addition to his ordinary wants,
for by custom and bad habits these become a powerful motive. Even the
perfect man to whom we have referred, if too busy with these necessary
things, much more so if busy with unnecessary things, and filled with a
great desire for them—must weaken or altogether lose his desire for
study, to which he will apply himself with interruption, lassitude, and
want of attention. He will not attain to that for which he is fitted by
his abilities, or he will acquire imperfect knowledge, a confused mass
of true and false ideas. For these reasons it was proper that the study
of Metaphysics should have been exclusively cultivated by privileged
persons, and not entrusted to the common people. It is not for the
beginner, and he should abstain from it, as the little child has to
abstain from taking solid food and from carrying heavy weights.