This is the second and concluding installment we present from Bahya ibn Pakuda’s introduction to his Duties of the Heart (the first part appeared in our August issue). The work is one of the most widely read classics of Jewish philosophic thought; its attraction lies mainly in the vigor with which the author, a Spanish Jewish philosopher who lived sometime between the 11th and 12th century, placed religious intention at the very heart of ritual observance. In the previous excerpt Bahya addressed himself to the task of establishing the existence of the duties of the heart; here he enumerates and briefly describes the ten principal duties.
The translation is by the late Rabbi Moses Hyamson, published by him in the volume Duties of the Heart (1925).—ED.
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Having resolved to treat in this book of the various divisions of the Duties of the Heart, I made it my aim to select for exposition those duties that were most comprehensive and would include the rest.
The wholehearted acceptance of the Unity of God I set up as the chief and most fundamental principle. I then pondered the question as to which of the duties that we owe to God should immediately be joined to the acceptance of His Unity. I fully realized that as the Creator is the true Unity, and has neither material substance nor material quality, our intellects which are incapable of apprehending that which has neither substance nor material quality cannot apprehend God, in His Divine essence. We are therefore under the necessity of knowing Him and apprehending His existence through His creatures. This forms the topic of the part treating of the observation of God’s works. I therefore made this observation—the second fundamental principle—a general theme of the Duties of the Heart.
I then reflected on the sovereignty belonging to the One True God, and the service correspondingly due to Him from His creatures. I accordingly made the acceptance of the Service of God—the third fundamental principle—a general topic of the Duties of the Heart.
It then became clear to me in respect to what is due to the Truly One God that, as He alone rules all things and all the benefits we enjoy and injuries we suffer come from Him and are under His sole control, we are in duty bound to put our trust in Him and submit to Him. I therefore made Trust in God—the fourth fundamental principle—a general topic of the Duties of the Heart.
I then meditated on the conception of Absolute Unity—that, as the Almighty is unique in His glory, has nothing in common with aught else, nor resembles aught else, we are under the necessity of connecting with the foregoing the duty of serving Him alone, and devoting all activities to His name, since He does not accept worship which another shares with Him. I therefore made the dedication of all our acts to God—the fifth fundamental principle—a general topic of the Duties of the Heart.
Then when my thoughts went on dwelling on what we owe to the Absolute Unity in the way of proclaiming His glory and greatness, there being none like Him, and that therefore we need to add to the foregoing the duty of humbling ourselves to the utmost before Him, I made Humility—the sixth fundamental principle—a general topic of the Duties of the Heart.
And when I reflected on what takes place among the children of men, how they ignore their obligations in regard to the service of God, or fall short of fulfilling them, and considered that the way to correct their perverseness and shortcoming is repentance and supplication for forgiveness, I made Repentance—the seventh fundamental principle—a general topic of the Duties of the Heart.
When I sought to Obtain a clear understanding as to what our inward and outward duties to God really are, and realized that it is impossible for us to fulfill them unless we hold a reckoning with our souls before God in regard to them, and are punctilious concerning them, I made Self-Communion—the eighth fundamental principle—a general topic of the Duties of the Heart.
When again I reflected on the subject of the true Unity, I saw that the wholehearted acceptance of the doctrine of God’s Unity will not endure even in the believer’s soul, if his heart is drunk with the wine of love of the world, and inclines to sensual desires. Only when he strives to liberate his heart and mind from the superfluities of the world and separate himself from its luxuries, will he completely accept God’s Unity and rise to the height of that conception. I accordingly made Renunciation—the ninth fundamental principle—a general topic of the Duties of the Heart.
I then inquired as to what are our obligations to the Creator who is the goal of all our desires and hopes and with whom all things begin and end, and as to what is due to Him from us, in regard to the love of His favor and the fear of His anger, the former being the highest good, the latter the direst evil, as Scripture saith (Ps. 30:6): For terror is in His anger, Life in his favor. I accordingly made Love of God—the tenth fundamental principle—a general topic of the Duties of the Heart.
After I had arrived at these principles by reasoning, I searched our Scriptures and traditions, and found them indicated in several passages. Each of these principles I shall, with God’s help, expound in the part specially devoted to it. To the entire book, I have given a title that accords with my aim in writing it. It is called “A System of the Duties of the Heart.”
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My object in this work is to obtain wisdom for myself, and at the same time to stimulate the simple and negligent among those who hold our faith and have inherited the precepts of our religion. . . . My aim is to bring to light the root principles of our religion that are deeply fixed in the unsophisticated intellect—those pivot principles of our Torah which are latent in our souls. Once we rouse our minds to meditate on them, their truth becomes clear to us inwardly and their bright rays will even be manifest in us externally. The following is an apt analogy. An astrologer went to a friend’s courtyard, and divined that it contained a hidden treasure. He searched for it, and found a mass of silver that had turned black and had lost its luster because of the rust with which it had become encrusted. He took some of the metal, scoured it with salt and vinegar, washed and polished it, till it had recovered its original luster, beauty, and brightness. The owner then gave orders that the rest of the treasure should be similarly treated. I wish to do the same with the hidden treasures of the heart; namely, to bring them to light and exhibit their shining excellence so that any one who desires to draw near to God and cling to Him may do likewise.
When, my brother, you have read this book and apprehended its contents, take it as a reminder of your duties and of your shortcomings. Pass on yourself a true judgment. Read my book repeatedly; develop its thoughts. Bring it close to your mind and heart. If you see any error in it, correct the error; any omission, supply it. In studying the work, let your aim be the practical one of following its instruction and guidance. But do not let your object be to win a reputation or gain glory through the wisdom. Judge me leniently in regard to any mistake, oversight, or other shortcoming on my part that you observe—whether in substance or in style. For I hurried with its composition and did not linger, for fear that death might overtake me and prevent my accomplishing my project. You realize how feeble is the power of flesh to attain aught, how inadequate are the human faculties to complete anything. As Scripture saith (Ps. 62:10): Men of low degree are vanity and men of high degree are a lie; if they be laid in the balance, they are together lighter than vanity. . . .
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I thought it well to conclude the introduction of this work with a beautiful parable which will stimulate you to study its contents and help you to realize the special position of this class among other classes of duties, as well as the relation of the physical, mathematical, and philosophical sciences to the science of religion. Try to understand this parable when reading it; turn it over in your mind; and, with the Almighty’s help, you will attain your desire.
A King, wishing to test the intelligence of his servants, distributed among them skeins of silk. The diligent and sensible one among them sorted the portion allotted to him, again and again, and divided it according to its quality into three parts—superfine, medium, inferior. With each of these he did the best that could be done with it, and had the material made up by skilled workmen into gala dresses of different styles and colors, which he wore in the Royal Presence, selecting the garments suitable to the occasion and place. The fool among the King’s servants made, out of all his silk, that which the wise servant had made out of the worst sort, sold it for whatever it would fetch, and hastened to squander the proceeds in eating and drinking. When these things came to the King’s knowledge, he was pleased with the conduct of the zealous and intelligent servant, promoted him to a position near himself, and raised him to the rank of one of his favorites. But he was displeased with the action of the fool, drove him forth and had him transported to the desolate parts of his realm to keep company with those who had incurred the royal anger.
God, too, has given His servants the Book of His true Law, in order to test them. The wise and sagacious man, when he reads and clearly understands it, will classify its contents under three heads. First, he will endeavor to know the subtle spiritual themes which belong to the science of the Inward Life—the Duties of the Heart, the discipline of the soul, and will constrain himself continually to fulfill these duties. Then he will select the second part, namely the practical duties, which he will endeavor to perform, each in its due time and place. Then he will make use of the third part—the historical portions of the Scriptures—in order that he may know the various types of men and their histories, in chronological order, and the events of past ages and their problems. Every item in this third part he will apply at the right time, in the right place, in the right way, and as occasion requires.
And just as the diligent servant provided workmen’s tools in order to carry out his intentions in the manufacture of the silk which the King had presented to him, so in applying himself to these various divisions of the science of religion, the religious man will avail himself of the auxiliary sciences and of that department of logic which treats of evidence and demonstration—these being introductory to the study of the science of theology. For anyone who is not versed in these preliminary disciplines does not recognize the evidences of God’s wisdom displayed in His creatures, and will not know his own physical constitution, much less anything outside himself.
The foolish and unreflecting person when he occupies himself with the Book of God uses it to learn from it the riddles of the ancients and their sayings. He hastens to obtain through it worldly benefits. He adduces from it arguments which shall justify him in pursuing pleasure, abandoning the path of self-restraint, and following in practical life the will of any person and adopting the views and opinions of any class; as Scripture saith (Prov. 5:23): He shall die for lack of instruction and in the greatness of his folly, he shall reel.
Consider, O my brother, this parable. Reflect on it, and deduce from the Divine Scriptures the things to which I have called your attention; and, as a help to attain this aim, read the works of Saadia Gaon which brighten the mind, sharpen the understanding, instruct the simple, and stimulate the indolent. May God show us the right way to serve him, even as His Anointed prayed (Ps. 16:11): Thou makest me to know the path of life. In Thy presence is fullness of joy, in Thy right hand bliss for evermore.
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