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THE ETHICS OF MAIMONIDES

giving us, as regards these, freedom of choice. Consequently, punishment is inflicted upon those who disobey, and reward granted to the obedient, as it is said, "If thou wilt hearken", and "If thou wilt not hearken".[1] Learning and teaching are also necessary, according to the commands, "Ye shall teach them to your children",[2] "and ye shall do them and observe to do them",[3] and, similarly, all the other passages referring to the study of the commandments. It is also necessary to take all the precautionary measures laid down in the Law, such as, "Thou shalt make a battlement for thy roof; that thou bring not blood upon thy house",[4] "lest he die in the battle",[5] "wherein shall he sleep?"[6] , and "no man shall take to pledge the nether or the upper millstone",[7] and many other passages in regard to precautions found in the Law and the Prophets.[8]The statement found in the sayings of the Rabbis, "All is in the power of God except the fear of God"[9] is, nevertheless, true, and in accord with what we have laid down here. Men are, however, very often prone to err in supposing that many of their actions, in reality the result of their own free will, are forced upon them, as, for instance, marrying a certain woman, or acquiring a certain amount of money. Such a supposition is untrue. If a man espouses and marry a woman legally, then she becomes his lawful wife, and by his marrying her he has fulfilled the divine command to increase and multiply. God, however, does not decree the fulfillment of a commandment. If, on the other hand, a man has consummated with a woman an unlawful marriage, he has committed a transgression. But God does not decree that a man shall sin. Again, suppose a man robs another of money, steals from him, or cheats him, and then uttering a false oath, denies it; if we should say that God had destined that this sum should pass into the hands of the one and out of the possession of the other, God would

  1. ↑ Deut. XI, 27. 28.
  2. ↑ Ibid., XI, 19.
  3. ↑ Ibid., V, 1.
  4. ↑ Ibid., XXII, 8.
  5. ↑ Ibid XX, 5 or 7.
  6. ↑ Ex. XXII, 26.
  7. ↑ Deut. XXIV, 6.
  8. ↑ See H. Teshubah, V, 4, and Moreh, III, 20; cf. Ibn Baud, Emunah Ramah, II, 6, 2, p. 96.
  9. ↑ Berakot, 33b; Niddah, 16 b; Megillah, 25 a.
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