Author Description

www.stonehillpublishing.com stonehillpublishing@gmail.com It is the object of this work “to afford a guide for the perplexed,” i.e. “to thinkers whose studies have brought them into collision with religion”, “who have studied philosophy and have acquired sound knowledge, and who, while firm in religious matters, are perplexed and bewildered on account of the ambiguous and figurative expressions employed in the holy writings”. A disciple of Maimonides, is addressed by his teacher as an example of this kind of students. It was “for him and for those like him” that the treatise was composed, and to him this work is inscribed in the dedicatory letter with which the Introduction begins. Maimonides, having discovered that his disciple was sufficiently advanced for an exposition of the esoteric ideas in the books of the Prophets, commenced to give him such expositions “by way of hints.” His disciple then begged him to give him further explanations, to treat of metaphysical themes, and to expound the system and the method of the Kalām, or Mohammedan Theology. In compliance with this request, Maimonides composed the Guide of the Perplexed. The reader has, therefore, to expect that the subjects mentioned in the disciple’s request indicate the design and arrangement of the present work, and that the Guide consists of the following parts:—1. An exposition of the esoteric ideas (sodot) in the books of the Prophets. 2. A treatment of certain metaphysical problems. 3. An examination of the system and method of the Kalām. “Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to You.” (Psalm cxliii. 8.) “To you, O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of men.” (Prov. viii. 4.) “Bow down your ear and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge.” (Prov. xxii. 17.) My primary object in this work is to explain certain words occurring in the prophetic books. Of these some are homonyms, and of their several m