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The Guide for the Perplexed, Part 3

Moses Maimonides (1138 - 1204)
Translated by Michael Friedländer (1833 - 1910)

The Guide for the Perplexed, Part 3 (Arabic: دلالة الحائرين Dalālat al-ḥā'irīn דלאלת אלחאירין; Hebrew: מורה נבוכים Moreh Nevuchim) by Rabbi Moses ben Maimon the Sephardi (משה ברבי מימון הספרדי) who is commonly known as Maimonides and also referred to by the acronym Rambam (רמב״ם). The Guide was written in Judeo-Arabic using the Hebrew alphabet in the form of a three-part letter to the Rambam's student, Rabbi Joseph ben Judah of Ceuta. Maimonides says, "To give a full explanation of the mystic passages of the Bible is contrary to the Law and to reason; besides, my knowledge of them is based on reasoning, not on divine inspiration. I have not received my belief in this respect from any teacher, but it has been formed by what I learnt from Scripture and the utterances of our Sages, and by the philosophical principles which I have adopted. ... I ask you to study attentively the chapters which follow on this sublime, important, and grand subject, which is the pin upon which everything hangs, and the pillar upon which everything rests." Translated by Michael Friedländer who was principal of Jews' College. Cover: The Serpent Beguiled Me by cartoonist Robin Bougie. (Summary adapted from Wikipedia and the text)

Genre(s): Medieval, Other religions

Language: English

Keyword(s): philosophy (946), God (77), plato (38), judaism (29), aristotle (28), Torah (19), jewish (16), Moses (14), neoplatonism (7), platonism (4) ... [Show full list]

Section	Chapter	Reader	Time
Play 01	Introduction & I. The "Four Faces" are Human Faces with four different peculiarities	Geoffrey Edwards	00:08:49
Play 02	II. The Ḥayyot and the Ofannim	Geoffrey Edwards	00:19:01
Play 03	III. Further Explanation of the Ḥayyot and the Ofannim derived from Ezek. x.	Geoffrey Edwards	00:05:47
Play 04	IV. The rendering of Ofan by Gilgal in the Targum of Jonathan	Geoffrey Edwards	00:07:01
Play 05	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)	Geoffrey Edwards	00:06:45
Play 06	VI. On the Difference between the Vision of Ezekiel and that of Isaiah (vi.)	Geoffrey Edwards	00:04:00
Play 07	VII. The Different Ways in which the Prophet perceived the Three Parts of the Mercabah (Chariot)	Geoffrey Edwards	00:11:48
Play 08	VIII Man has the Power to Control his Bodily Wants and Earthly Desires	Geoffrey Edwards	00:23:41
Play 09	IX. The Material Element in Man Prevents him from Attaining Perfection	Geoffrey Edwards	00:04:30
Play 10	X. God is not the Creator of Evil	Geoffrey Edwards	00:09:52
Play 11	XI. Man is the Cause of his own Misfortunes	Geoffrey Edwards	00:03:02
Play 12	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	Geoffrey Edwards	00:23:38
Play 13	XIII. The Universe has No other Purpose than its own Existence	Geoffrey Edwards	00:28:35
Play 14	XIV. It is the Will of the Creator that the Spheres regulate the Affairs of Mankind	Geoffrey Edwards	00:09:04
Play 15	XV. Impossible Things are not ascribed to the Creator, but it is difficult to Prove the Impossibility in each Individual Case	Geoffrey Edwards	00:05:18
Play 16	XVI. On God's Omniscience	Geoffrey Edwards	00:09:02
Play 17	XVII. Five Theories concerning Providence	Geoffrey Edwards	00:35:16
Play 18	XVIII. Every Individual Member of Mankind enjoys the Influence of Divine Providence in proportion to his Intellectual Perfection	Geoffrey Edwards	00:08:10
Play 19	XIX. It is an ancient Error to Assume that God takes no Notice of Man	Geoffrey Edwards	00:12:13
Play 20	XX. God's Knowledge is Different from Man's Knowledge	Geoffrey Edwards	00:11:53
Play 21	XXI. The Creator's knowledge of His Production is Perfect	Geoffrey Edwards	00:05:38
Play 22	XXII. Object of the Book of Job, and Explanation of the First Two Chapters	Geoffrey Edwards	00:18:56
Play 23	XXIII. Job and his Friends Discuss the various Theories concerning Providence	Geoffrey Edwards	00:26:31
Play 24	XXIV. On Trials and Temptations	Geoffrey Edwards	00:18:55
Play 25	XXV. The Actions of God are Not Purposeless	Geoffrey Edwards	00:14:25
Play 26	XXVI. The Divine Precepts Serve a certain Purpose	Geoffrey Edwards	00:13:16
Play 27	XXVII. The Object of the Divine Precepts is to Secure the Well-being of Man's Soul and Body	Geoffrey Edwards	00:07:34
Play 28	XXVIII. This Object is easily seen in some Precepts, whilst in others it is only known after due Reflection	Geoffrey Edwards	00:06:46
Play 29	XXIX. On the Sabeans or Star-worshippers	Geoffrey Edwards	00:28:08
Play 30	XXX. It is one of the Objects of the Law of Moses to Oppose Idolatry	Geoffrey Edwards	00:05:51
Play 31	XXXI. The Law Promotes the Well-being of Man by teaching Truth, Morality and Social Conduct	Geoffrey Edwards	00:04:43
Play 32	XXXII. Why did God give Laws to Oppose Idolatry instead of Uprooting it directly?	Geoffrey Edwards	00:29:01
Play 33	XXXIII. Another chief Object of the Law is to Train Man in Mastering his Appetites and Desires	Geoffrey Edwards	00:09:28
Play 34	XXXIV. The Law is based on the ordinary condition of man	Geoffrey Edwards	00:04:28
Play 35	XXXV. Division of the Precepts into Fourteen Classes	Geoffrey Edwards	00:12:40
Play 36	XXXVI. First Class of Precepts, to Know, Love and Fear God	Geoffrey Edwards	00:06:36
Play 37	XXXVII. Second Class, Laws concerning Idolatry	Geoffrey Edwards	00:37:40
Play 38	XXXVIII. Third Class, Moral Precepts	Geoffrey Edwards	00:01:37
Play 39	XXXIX. Fourth Class, Laws relating to Charity	Geoffrey Edwards	00:18:00
Play 40	XL. Fifth Class, Compensation for Injury and the Duty of Preventing Sin	Geoffrey Edwards	00:12:05
Play 41	XLI. Sixth Class, Punishment of the Sinner	Geoffrey Edwards	00:42:05
Play 42	XLII. Seventh Class, Equity and Honesty	Geoffrey Edwards	00:08:39
Play 43	XLIII. Eighth Class, Sabbath and Festivals	Geoffrey Edwards	00:15:28
Play 44	XLIV. Ninth Class, Prayer, Tefillin, Ẓiẓit and Mezuzah	Geoffrey Edwards	00:01:52
Play 45	XLV. Tenth Class, The Temple, its Vessels and its Ministers	Geoffrey Edwards	00:22:07
Play 46	XLVI. Eleventh Class, Sacrifices	Geoffrey Edwards	00:45:05
Play 47	XLVII. Twelfth Class, Distinction between Clean and Unclean; and on Purification	Geoffrey Edwards	00:22:34
Play 48	XLVIII. Thirteenth Class, Dietary Laws	Geoffrey Edwards	00:13:35
Play 49	XLIX. Fourteenth Class, Marriage Laws	Geoffrey Edwards	00:45:13
Play 50	L. On Scriptural Passages with seemingly Purposeless Contents	Geoffrey Edwards	00:19:38
Play 51	LI. How God is worshipped by a Perfect Man	Geoffrey Edwards	00:45:19
Play 52	LII. On the Fear of God	Geoffrey Edwards	00:07:43
Play 53	LIII. Explanation of Ḥesed (Love), Mishpat (Judgment), and Ẓedaḳah (Righteousness)	Geoffrey Edwards	00:06:58
Play 54	LIV. On True Wisdom	Geoffrey Edwards	00:25:14

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The Guide for the Perplexed, Part 3