Know ye [therefore] that every thing is [actually] done by His pleasure, although our actions are left to ourselves. But how is this?

[It is so]; in the same way as it was the pleasure of the Creator, that fire and air should have an ascending power, that water and earth should have a descending power, that the orb should move in a circle, and also that all other things that were created in the universe, should have [certain] propensities, [namely] such as He wished them [to have]-so was it also His pleasure that a man should be possessed of free-will, that all his actions should be left to himself, (i. e. that he should be complete master of his actions), and that there should not be any thing to compel or attract him, but that he, by himself, and by the knowledge imparted to him by God, should [be able to] do any thing that a man can do. And for this reason is he (the man) judged according to his actions; if he do [that which is] good, good is done unto him; and if he do [that which is] evil, evil is done unto him. This is what the prophet says: This hath been by your means, (Mal. i. 9). Yea, they have chosen their own ways, (Isai.

literally: that the man should להיות האדם רשותו בידו 5

have the power in his hand.

6 And consequently the very circumstance of a man's possessing free-will, and the power of doing any thing that he desires, originates in the pleasure of the Almighty, and therefore cannot be said to clash with the verse quoted from the Psalms: Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did He, &c.

Ixvi. 3). And with regard to this Solomon also said: 'Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth... but know thou, that for all these [things] God will bring thee into judgment, (Eccles. xi. 9.); by which he meant to express [this]: Know thou that the power is in thine own hands to do [what thou pleasest], but that [in future] thou shalt have to give an account [of thy doings].

VI. Perchance you will say: Does not the Holy One, blessed be He! know all that is to happen? He therefore either must have known, even before it came to pass, that such and such a man would be righteous or wicked, or He must not have known it; but now if He knew that such a man would be a righteous man, [then] it was impossible [for him] not to be a righteous man; for if we were to say3; that although He knew that he would be a righteous man, it was still possible [for him] to be a wicked man, [then] behold! He did not know the thing to perfection?-Know ye [therefore] that, with regard to the discussion of this pro

1

1 Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but know thou, that for all these [things] God will bring thee into judgment.

2 1 literally: to give [satisfaction to] justice; a phrase which in the Rabbinical language is invariably used to denote the necessity of every man's undergoing a trial before the tribunal of the Most High God, and of his being called to account for his doings here below.

blem, the measure thereof [is] longer than the earth, and broader than the sea3, (i. e. the matter is utterly inscrutable), and that many principles of the greatest importance, [equal in sublimity to] the highest mountains, are attached to the same; but ye must also know and bear in mind that which I am about to tell you; [namely]: it has already been explained by us in the second Chapter of the Precepts relating to the foundations of the law, that the Holy One, blessed be He! does not know [things] by a knowledge distinct from Himself, as men [do]; for these and their knowledge are two [distinct things]; but He, (may His name be exalted!) and His knowledge, are one. Now this matter, the knowledge of man is not able perfectly to comprehend; and in the same way as it is not in the power of man to comprehend or to find out the TRUTH of the Creator (i. e. the nature of His being), as it is said: For there shall no man see Me, and live, (Exod. xxxiii. 20.), so neither is it in the power of man to comprehend or to find out the KNOWLEDGE of the Creator (i. e. the manner in which He knows things); this is what the prophet says: FOR MY

literally: that the answer to this שתשובת שאלה זו 4

question.

5 An expression taken from Job xi. 9. to denote the unfathomed profundity in which the problem in question is involved.

6 literally: great.

THOUGHTS [ARE] NOT YOUR THOUGHTS, neither [are] your ways My ways, (Isai. lv. 8.); and now the matter being so, [it must be admitted that] we have not the power of understanding how the Holy One, blessed be He! knows all creatures and their doings; but yet it is known so as not to admit of any doubt', that the actions of a man are in his own power, and that the Holy One, blessed be He! neither attracts him nor decrees that he should do so and so. Moreover this fact is not known by revelation only, but [may] also [be proved] by clear scientific demonstrations. Now in consequence of this [principle] it was announced [to us] in prophecy, that a man will be judged for all his actions, according to what they are, whether they be good or evil; this being the principle on which all the words of prophecy depend.

1 literally: without doubt, (past doubt). 2017 literally: in the hand of the man.

-literally : in consequence of the recep מפני קבלת הדת 3

tion of the law, (i. e. in consequence of [our] adherence to the lan).

4 literally: it was said.

PRECEPTS RELATING TO REPENTANCE.

CHAPTER VI.

THERE are many verses in the law as well as in the words of the Prophets, which [if not properly understood] seem to oppose this principle (namely, the principle of free-will established in the preceding Chapter), so that they are a stumbling-block to the generality of men; and some [are even led by them to entertain] the opinion, that the Holy One, blessed be He! decrees that a man should do good or evil, and that [the wishes of] the heart of a man are by no means under his own control, so that he should be able to incline them which way he pleases. But now, behold! I am about to explain one important principle, by which you will [be able to] know the [true] meaning of all those verses.

literally and that the ושאין לבו של אדם מסור לו 5

heart of a man is not delivered to himself.

6 literally: great.