while there is another who is so unambitious, that he

* Code, Hilkot De'ot, chapter i.

* Ecclesiastes 5. 9.

143



144 POST-BIBLICAL HEBREW LITERATURE

is content with a small thing which is hardly suf-
ficient for him, and does not strive to obtain all that
he needs. There is one man who emaciates himself
by starvation, and saves all his money, and is very
grieved when he has to spend a Perutah for his food ;
while there is another who wilfully squanders all his
possessions. And in the same manner are all other
dispositions, as for instance, one man is hilarious,
while another is melancholy ; one is niggardly, while
another is generous; one is cruel, while another is
merciful ; one is faint-hearted, while another is cour-
ageous, and so forth.

Between two contrar}' dispositions which are at the
two extremes there are intermediate dispositions
which are likewise different from one another. There
are some dispositions which are inherent in a man
from his very birth, in accordance with the nature of
his body ; while there are others to which a man's nature
is so predisposed, that they are readily adopted by
him sooner than any other ; and there are still others
which are not inherent in a man from his very birth,
but are acquired by him through imitating other
men, or are adopted by him of his own accord because
of an idea that occurred to him, or because, having
heard that this disposition was good for him and
worthy of being cultivated, he regulated his conduct
accordingly, until it has become fixed in his heart.

The two diametrically opposed extremes of all dis-
positions are not the good way, and it behooves no
man to walk therein, nor to adopt them. If a man
finds that his nature inclines toward one of them, or
is predisposed to adopt it, or that he has already acquired
it, and regulated his conduct accordingly, he should



MOSES B. MAIMON 14S

return to that which is good, and walk in the way of
the good ones, wdiich is the right way.

The right way is the intermediate qtiahty of every
disposition of man, and that is the disposition which
is equidistant from both extremes, being neither
nearer to the one nor to the other. The ancient sages
have therefore commanded that a man should always
put, arrange, and direct his dispositions in the middle
course, so that he may be sound in his body. In
what manner? He should not be irascible, easily pro-
voked to anger, nor as a dead man that is insensible,
but should take the middle course : he should only get
angry on account of an important matter, when it be-
hooves to show anger in order that a similar offence
should not be again committed. Similarly, a man
should only desire those things which are necessary and
indispensable for his body, as it is written : ' The right-
eous eateth to the satisfying of his desire.' ^ In like
manner, he should not exert himself in his business more
than to obtain the necessities of life, as it is written :
' A little is good for the righteous.' * He should not
be too niggardly, nor squander his money, but should
give charity according to his means, and in a fitting
manner lend to him who is in need. He should not
be hilarious and mirthful, nor gloomy and melancholy,
but always happy and contented and of cheerful coun-
tenance. In the same manner should all his disposi-
tions be. This way is the way of the wise ; every
man whose dispositions are intermediate, that is to
say, in the middle course, is called wise.

A man who is very strict with himself, and removes
himself from the middle course slightly toward one

' Proverbs 13. 25.
* Psalm 27. 16.

10



146 POST-BIBLICAL HEBREW LITERATURE

side or another, is called pious. In what manner?
He who removes himself from haughtiness toward
the other extreme, and is very humble, is called pious ;
and this is the quality of piety. If, however, he moves
only as far as the middle, and is modest, he is called
wise ; and this is the quality of wisdom. In the same
manner are all other dispositions. The pious men of
ancient times used to turn their dispositions from the
middle course toward the extremes ; some disposi-
tions were made to incline toward the one extreme,
while others toward the other extreme ; this is beyond
the line required by the law. We, however, are com-
manded to walk in middle courses, which are the
good and upright ways, as it is written : * And thou
shalt walk in His ways.' ° In interpreting this com-
mandment, the sages say : * As He is called gracious,
so shalt thou be gracious ; as He is called merciful,
so shalt thou be merciful ; as He is called holy, so shalt
thou be holy.' ' And for this reason did the prophets
call God by all these attributes : slow to anger, abun-
dant in lovingkindness, righteous, upright, perfect,
mighty, strong, and so forth, in order to let us know
that these are good and upright ways, according to
which a man is obliged to regulate his conduct, so
that he may be like unto Him, as far as lies in his
power.

In what manner should a man accustom himself to
these dispositions, so that they should become part of
his nature? He should do once, and twice, and three
times the deeds which he is to do according to the
intermediate dispositions, and should always keep on
repeating them until they have become so easy for

^ Deuteronomy 28. 9.

" Shabbat 133b ; Sotah 14a.



MOSES B. MAIMON 147

him that he can do them without the sHghtest effort ;
the dispositions will then become fixed in his soul.
Because the Creator is called by these names, they
are according to the middle course wherein we are
obliged to walk, and this way is called the way of God ;
it is the one which Abraham taught his children, as
it is written : ' For I have known him, to the end

that he may command ' ' And he who walks in

this way brings welfare and blessing to himself, as
it is written : ' To the end that the Lord may bring
upon Abraham that which He hath spoken of Him.' '

' Genesis 18. 19.
" Ibid.



XXV. JOSEPH B. MEIR IBN ZABARA

[Poet and physician. He was born in the city of Barcelona
about the middle of the twelfth century. As a writer he is best
known by his Sefer Sha'ashuim (Book of Delight) which is
a store-house of folk-lore and science. In this book, which is
written in rhymed prose, Ibn Zabara shows himself abreast of
the sciences of his day. His style ii fluent and pleasant. He
is also the author of liturgic and secular poems.]

Jacob the Broker and the Necklace *

There was a Jew in Cordova whose name was Jacob
the broker. That man was good and faithful, readily
obedient to the command of the judge. One day a
necklace of choicest stones and pearls was com-
mitted to his care that he should sell it for five hun-
dred pieces of gold. And it came to pass that, while
he was carrying the necklace in his hand, a lord, one
of the king's nobles, met him, and said to him : ' Jacob,
what kind of a necklace is this? ' He replied: ' My
lord, it was handed over to me that I should sell it.'

' For how much wouldst thou sell it ? '

He replied: 'For five hundred pieces of gold.'

The nobleman said to him : ' Wilt thou give it to
me for four hundred ? '

He replied : ' I cannot, for its owner warned me
not to take for it less than five hundred pieces of gold.'

Whereupon the nobleman said : ' Take it to my
house, and if it is good in the sight of the mistress
of the house, I will buy it.'

So he walked with him until he reached the gate of
his house. The nobleman then said : ' Stand here,

^ Sefer Sha'ashuim, Davidson's edition, pp. 49, seq.
148



JOSEPH B. MEIR IBM ZABARA 149

until I have brought out unto thee the money or the
necklace." He entered the house, and closed the door
behind him. The Jew waited until evening-, but nobody
came forth from the door of the nobleman's house.

And it came to pass at the going down of the sun
that Jacob went to his house full of grief, so that
death would have been pleasant unto his soul ; care
settled in his heart, and wounded it. He came home,
and passed the night lying on the ground. He ate no
bread, neither he nor his wife and children, and put
not off his garments. He closed not his eyes and eye-
lids, and turned about as clay under the seal. He rose
early in the morning to go to the house of the lord,
and behold, he was coming forth from his house.
When Jacob saw him, he ran to meet him, and said
unto him : ' My lord, dost thou desire to buy the
necklace, or wilt thou return it unto me that I may
sell it to another man ? ' But he said : ' Which neck-
lace? Hast thou seen one of the children of Anak? ' '
And Jacob said unto him : ' The pea'd necklace which
thou tookest yesterday from my hand.' Whereupon
the nobleman said unto him : * Madman, lunatic, as
my soul liveth, and as the king's soul liveth, were it
not that I regard my honor, I would have lifted up
thy head from off thee, and would have covered thee
with the blood of thy liver.'

And it came to pass, when Jacob saw his anger and
the roughness of his words, that terrors of death fell
upon him. He turned back, and fled from before
him, for he saw that he sharpened his eyes upon him.
He went to the house of the judge his master. The
judge looked at him, and behold, grief bit him with its

^ There is a pun in the original: Anak is a necklace as well
as a name of a tribe of giants.



ISO POST-BIBLICAL HEBREW LITERATURE

teeth, so that it changed his likeness and the appear-
ance of his countenance. And the judge said unto
him : ' What ails thee that thou art so changed ? Art
thou afflicted in aught ? ' He replied unto him : * My
lord, I am in great distress; but I cannot tell my
trouble unto thee, lest thou shouldst declare me a
liar, and make my speech nothing worth.' And the
judge said unto him : ' Tell it to me, for in my sight
thou art trustworthy in all thy words, and righteous
in whatsoever thou sayest.' Whereupon he related to
him all that had happened to him about the necklace,
so that his soul chose strangling. The judge then
said unto him : ' Put away vexation from thy heart,
and remove grief from thee ; be not in pain, and cry
not in thy pangs, for I shall restore the necklace unto
thee.'

And it came to pass in the morning that the judge
sent for the nobles, elders, sages, and wise men of
the city to come to the court; for it was his custom
to send sometimes for the wise men, and to discuss
points of law with them. And they all came to
his house to hear the words of his understanding and
his wisdom. Now before they came, he said unto his
servant: 'When that nobleman comes, take his shoe/
and go to his house, and say unto his wife : " My
lord thy husband sent me to thee that thou shouldst
give him the necklace which he bought yesterday or the
day before yesterday ; for he desires to show its good-
ness and beauty; behold, he gave me his shoe for a
testimony and for a sign." ' When the woman saw
her husband's shoe, she gave him the necklace. The
servant brought it to his master, and hid it in his
bosom until the men went out from the house of judg-

' It is an Oriental custom to talce off the shoes.



JOSEPH B. MEIR IBN ZABARA 151

ment. And it came to pass, when they went out, that
his master said unto him : ' Hast thou brought the
necklace ? ' And he replied : * I have brought it ; '
and he took it out from his bosom, and gave it to him.
Then he sent and called Jacob the broker, and said
unto him : ' Be still, and groan not, for I have restored
the necklace unto thee, and have taken out from the
house of the nobleman the thing he gained by oppres-
sion.' When the Jew saw it, he kissed his hands and
blessed him. He carried it to his house, joyful and
glad of heart.



XXVI. SAMUEL B. JUDAH IBN TIBBON

[Physician and translator. He was born at Lunel about
1 150, and died at Marseilles 1230. He continued the work of
his father, and earned for himself the gratitude of Hebrew
readers by translating Maimonides' Guide of the Perplexed
into Hebrew. He also compiled a glossary of the philosophic
terms that occur in that book. He was an enthusiastic follower
of Maimonides.]

On the Limitations of Man's Intellect^

Know that there are objects of perception which
are within the capacity and nature of the human
intellect to grasp. There are in existence other things
and objects which are not in its nature to perceive
in any shape or form ; indeed the gates of percep-
tion are closed against it. There are in existence
still other things of which the intellect may grasp
one part, while remaining ignorant of the other. Be-
cause the intellect has the power of grasping, it does
not necessarily follow that it can grasp everything,
just as there are objects of perception which the senses
can perceive only at a certain distance, and no other.
The same is the case with all other corporeal faculties.
Thus, for instance, although a man is able to carry
two kikkars, he is not able to carry ten. That indi-
viduals of the same species surpass one another in
these sensations and other corporeal faculties is clearly
manifest to every man ; but there is a limit to individual
superiority, which does not extend to every distance and
degree. The same is the case with the perceptions of
the human intellect. The individuals of the human

^Maimonides' Guide of the Perplexed, vol. I., chapter 31.
152



SAM UEL B. JUDAH IBM TIBBON IS3

species greatly surpass one another in this respect
This, too, is clearly manifest to the men of wisdom.
For while one man can discover a certain thing by
himself through his own speculations, another man
is never able to understand it; even if he is taught
by means of all possible expressions and examples,
and during a long period, his intellect can in no way
grasp it, the power of his mind being insufficient to
understand it. This distinction is likewise not unlim-
ited. Indeed, the human intellect undoubtedly has a
boundary where it must stop. There are certain
things which are manifestly inaccessible to the un-
derstanding of man, so that his soul does not even
long to know them, being aware of the impossibility
of such knowledge, as there is no opening through
which he may enter to attain to it. For instance, we
are ignorant as to the number of the stars of heaven,
whether it is even or odd ; nor do we know the
number of the species of animals, minerals, plants,
and similar things. There are, however, other things
to comprehend which man entertains a strong de-
sire, and mental efforts to seek and investigate the
truth thereof are made by every thinking sect of
men at all times. It is with regard to these things
that opinions differ, and thinkers disagree, and con-
fusions constantly arise, because the intellect is bent
on comprehending them, that is to say, on account
of the longing entertained for them: every one
thinks that he has discovered a way by which he may
know the truth of the thing, whereas it is not within the
power of the human intellect to produce demonstrative
proof on the matter. (For every proposition, the truth
of which can be ascertained by proof, is not subject
to dispute, contradiction, or rejection; none but the



154 POST-BIBLICAL HEBREW LITERATURE

i^orant would join in a controversy which is known
as the ' controversy capable of demonstrative proof.'
Thus one finds that men disputed concerning the
spherical form of the earth, or the circular revolution of
the sphere, and the like. Such matters do not belong to
this treatise). Now as to the subjects in which this
confusion prevails, it is exceedingly frequent in meta-
physical speculations, less so in matters relating to
physics, and is entirely absent from the exact sciences.
AlexanderAphrodisius says that there are three causes
which bring about disputes on various subjects :
firstly, love of authority and conquest which prevents
a man from attaining to the exact truth ; secondly, the
subtlety, depth, and difficulty of the subject which is
to be comprehended; thirdly, the ignorance of
the investigator and the insufficiency of the power
of his intellect to comprehend that which may be com-
prehended. That is what Alexander states. In our
times there is a fourth cause which Alexander did not
mention, because it did not exist at that time, namely,
habit and training. For men naturally love and are
attracted by that to which they have been accustomed.
We thus see that villagers, although they seldom wash
their heads and their bodies, and, missing all pleasures,
lead a life of privation, nevertheless dislike the cities,
and do not enjoy their pleasures ; they prefer bad
things to which they are accustomed to good things
to which they are not accustomed. They de-
rive no satisfaction from dwelling in palaces, from
being clad in silk, and from indulging in baths, oint-
ments, and perfumes. The same happens to a man
with reference to his opinions to which he has been
accustomed, and in which he has been brought up:
he cherishes them, defends them, and shuns the op-



SAMUEL B. JUDAH IBM TIBBON iS5

posite views. It is likewise through this cause that
a man is prevented from attaining to truth, and clings
to the things to which he has been accustomed. Such,
for instance, is the case with the vulgar notions con-
cerning God's corporeaHty, and many other metaphysi-
cal questions, as we shall explain. This is due to long
familiarity with scriptural verses, which, as a fixed
dogma, were respected and believed in, and the literal
sense of which implies corporeality of God and
imageries in which there is no truth ; these passages,
however, were written as parables and allegories, for
reasons which I shall mention below.

Do not think that that which we have said of the
insufficiency of the power of the human intellect and
of the limit where it must stop is an assertion made
only in accordance with the Torah ; in truth it is a
matter which the philosophers have likewise asserted,
and which they have comprehended in a true man-
ner, without inclining to any doctrine or opinion. It is
an established fact that can only be doubted by one
who is ignorant of things that have been proved.



XXVII. JUDAH B. SOLOMON AL-HARIZI

[Celebrated poet of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. Born
in Spain, he travelled to the Holy Land and Babylon. He
possessed a very vivid imagination and descriptive pen, and in
his master-piece Tahkemoni he embodied the result of his ex-
perience during his travels. In that book, which is modelled
after the Makamat of the famous Arabic poet al-Hariri, he
shows himself a keen critic of men and things. He displayed
marvellous skill in translating al-Hariri's book under the title
Mahberot Ithiel. His style is fluent and melodious. He also
translated Maimonides' Guide of the Perplexed into Hebrew,
but in this work was less successful than Ibn Tibbon,]

Seven Young Men Discuss the Merits
of the Various Virtues*

Heman the Ezrahite ^ saith : I was in the land of
Pethor, the city of Balaam the son of Beor ; and while
I was walking by the riverside, under the shadows
of plants and thickets of flowers, I perceived seven
pleasant youths of the choicest society. They sat
upon the bank of the river, making their hearts merry
with words of rhetoric. One of them called out, and
said : ' Which is the best quality that is more beloved
than all other qualities and is the worthiest in the
sight of God and man? '

One of them said: I know that all qualities are
praiseworthy, but there is none as sublime as humility ;
for it conceals all faults, and reveals all that is beauti-
ful ; it causes to forgive transgressions, and makes its

^ The nineteenth Makamah, or chapter of the Tahkemoni.

^ This name of the biblical sage (comp. i Kings 5. 11) has
been adopted for the name of the " narrator " (Al-Harizi him-
self ?) who records the exploits and wonderful utterances of
the " hero," Heber the Kenite.

156



JUDAH B. SOLOMON AL-HARIZI 157

possessor associate with the modest ; it increases his
lovers and friends, and causes him to inherit a precious
and pleasant name. And he took up his parable, and
said : Amongst man's good traits there is none like
meekness : it is graceful and sublime to all the wise ; it
stirs up love in hearts of enemies, and covers a man's
sins and transgressions.

His companion said unto him : From the right path
hast thou gone astray, and hast fed the wind. Hu-
mility or impudence is esteemed as nought when com-
pared with promptitude; for with it a man conquers
souls, and finds favor and good understanding in the
sight of God and men, and inherits much honor and
greatness in this world and in the next ; with it he
amasses increasing riches and houses full of all good
things. And he took up his parable, and said : It is
true that promptitude has no equal, and happy is he
who walks in its way ; all precious qualities are but
handmaids, and promptness is like a queen to them.

His third companion said : Thou has spoken fool-
ishly, for there is no quality as good and precious
as courage and bravery; for with it a man subdues
all his enemies, and does good to his friends; he joins
himself unto the great, and will cry, yea, he will shout,
he will prove himself mighty against his enemies. He
will ascend the throne of excellence, so that they wull
proclaim before him : ' Cast up the highway ! ' And he
took up his parable, and said : In truth there is no
precious trait in man like courage blended with
strength ; indeed with it a man subdues his foes, and
brings them down with sorrow to the grave.

The fourth one said : Thou hast wandered out of
the way, and hast been made to serve folly with rigor ;
for among all the qualities there is no quality as



IS8 POST-BIBLICAL HEBREW LITERATURE

worthy as faithfulness ; for with it a man lifts up his
head, his soul becomes precious, and he is honored
in the sight of all flesh and blood, and finds favor and
good understanding in the sight of God and man
And he took up his parable, and said : Know there is
no quality as worthy in God's sight as faithfulness ; if
prophecy assumed a mortal garb, it would appear like
faithfulness in formi.

The fifth one said : There is no steadfastness in thy
mouth, and thy speech is without understanding; for
the most sublime quality is wisdom : it lifts up those
of its adherents that are low, and raises its banners
upon their heads ; and wisdom preserves the life of
him that has it ; if not for wisdom, man would not
excel an animal. And he took up his parable and
said : In this our world there is no trait so sublime
and glorious to man's head as wisdom ; with it a man
ascends the royal throne, and with it the weary ones
will find strength.

The sixth one said : A vain vision hast thou seen,
and falsely hast thou testified ; for there is no quahty
as good to any flesh as culture ; for it is for his cul-
ture that a man is honored by those that know him,
and loved by those that hear him ; they cover all his
transgressions ; his memorial is pleasant to all mouths,
and his praise is like a tower built for an armory ;
such a man is a delight to the heart, and his praises
endure for ever and ever. And he took up his parable,
and said : There is no quality in man like culture ; it
is majesty and grace unto all flesh ; for if a man pos-
sesses all charms, but has no culture, know that he
lacks honor.

The seventh one said : Thou trustest in vanity, and.
following the east wind, feedest on wind; for



JUDAH B. SOLOMON AL-HARIZI 159

among all the qualities there is none as worthy as a
good heart; for through it a man is beloved of all
creatures, and is placed at the head of all guests ; he
is honored in the sight of those that hear him and see
him, all that look upon him love him, and even his
enemies praise him ; men laud him, and the angels of
heaven remember him for good. And he took up his
parable, and said : In truth there is no quality like a
good heart ; with it a man will flourish like a watered
garden; through it he will be beloved of his Maker,
and will find favor and good repute in His sight.

When the old man heard their words, he said unto
them : Ye are all perplexed, and walk in darkness ;
the right thing is hidden from you, and ye know not
to choose the truth ; for among all the qualities there
is no quality as good as generosity ; for all other quali-
ties bow down at its feet, and it excels them all ;
through it all sins are forgiven, and hatied is removed
from the heart ; with it a man attains desirable things
that are far away, even if they are in heaven ; through
it he is counted among the pious, for with it he does