Maimonides - The Guide for the Perplexed (1190)

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Man's love of God is identical with his knowledge of Him.

Maimonides
All attributes ascribed to God are attributes of His acts, and do not imply that God has any qualities.

Maimonides
Now, we occupy a lowly position, both in space and rank in comparison with the heavenly sphere, and the Almighty is Most High not in space, but with respect to absolute existence, greatness and power.

Maimonides
It is thus necessary to examine all things according to their essence, to infer from every species such true and well established propositions as may assist us in the solution of metaphysical problems.

Maimonides
Consequently he who wishes to attain to human perfection, must therefore first study Logic, next the various branches of Mathematics in their proper order, then Physics, and lastly Metaphysics.

Maimonides
He, however, who begins with Metaphysics, will not only become confused in matters of religion, but will fall into complete infidelity.

Maimonides
The whole object of the Prophets and the Sages was to declare that a limit is set to human reason where it must halt.

Maimonides
Be convinced that, if man were able to reach the end without preparatory studies, such studies would not be preparatory but tiresome and utterly superfluous.

Maimonides
If a person studies too much and exhausts his reflective powers, he will be confused, and will not be able to apprehend even that which had been within the power of his apprehension. For the powers of the body are all alike in this respect.

Maimonides
You will certainly not doubt the necessity of studying astronomy and physics, if you are desirous of comprehending the relation between the world and Providence as it is in reality, and not according to imagination.

Maimonides
You must consider, when reading this treatise, that mental perception, because connected with matter, is subject to conditions similar to those to which physical perception is subject.

Maimonides
While one man can discover a certain thing by himself, another is never able to understand it, even if taught by means of all possible expressions and metaphors, and during a long period; his mind can in no way grasp it, his capacity is insufficient for it.

Maimonides
How individuals of the same species surpass each other in these sensations and in other bodily faculties is universally known, but there is a limit to them, and their power cannot extend to every distance or to every degree.

Maimonides
The spiritual perfection of man consists in his becoming an intelligent being—one who knows all that he is capable of learning.

Maimonides
The foundation of our faith is the belief that God created the Universe from nothing; that time did not exist previously, but was created.

Maimonides
In the realm of Nature there is nothing purposeless, trivial, or unnecessary.

Maimonides
All this is applicable to the intellectual faculties of man. There is a considerable difference between one person and another as regards these faculties, as is well known to philosophers.

Maimonides