God) is a destroying (lit. eating) fire" (Deut. iv. 24), that is, He destroys those who rebel against Him, as the fire destroys everything that comes within its reach. Instances of this kind are very frequent.
With reference to the second effect of the act of eating, the verb" to eat is figuratively used in the sense of" acquiring wisdom ... .. learning"; in short, for all intellectual perceptions. These preserve the human form (intellect) constantly in the most perfect manner, in the same way as food preserves the body in its best condition. Comp." Come ye, buy and eat" (Isa. lv. I):" Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good" (ib. 2):" It is not good to eat much honey" (Prov. XXV. 27):" My son, eat thou honey, because it is good, and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste; so shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul" (ib. xxiv. 13, 14).
This figurative use of the verb" to eat" in the sense of" acquiring wisdom" is frequently met with in the Talmud, e.g., Come, eat fat meat at Raba's (Baba Bathra 22a); comp." All expressions of eating' and ' drinking' found in this book (of Proverbs) refer to wisdom," or, according to another reading," to the Law" (Koh. rabba on Eccl. iii. 13) - Wisdom has also been frequently called" water," e.g.," Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters" (Isa. Iv. 1).
The figurative meaning of these expressions has been so general and common, that it was almost considered as its primitive signification, and led to the employment" of hunger" and" thirst" in the sense of" absence of wisdom and intelligence": comp." I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord";" My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God" (Ps. xlii. 3). Instances of this kind occur frequently. The words," With joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation" (Isa. Xii. 3), are paraphrased by Jonathan son of Uzziel thus:" You will joyfully receive new instruction from the chosen of the righteous." Consider how he explains" water" to indicate" the wisdom which will then spread," and" the wells" (ma'ayene) as being identical with" the eyes of the congregation" (Num. XV. 24), in the sense of" the chiefs," or" the wise." By the phrase," from the chosen of the righteous," he expresses his belief that righteousness is true salvation. You now see how he gives to every word in this verse some signification referring to wisdom and study. This should be well considered.
CHAPTER XXXI
KNOW that for the human mind there are certain objects of perception which are within the scope of its nature and capacity; on the other hand, there are, amongst things Aich actually exist, certain objects which the mind can in no way and by no means grasp: the gates of perception are closed against it. Further, there are things of which the mind understands one part, but remains ignorant of the other; and when man is able to comprehend certain things, it does not follow that he must be able to comprehend everything. This also applies to the senses: they are able to perceive things, but not at every distance: and all other power; of the body are limited in a similar way. A man can, e.g., carry two kikkar, but he cannot carry ten kikkar. How individuals of the same species surpass each other in these sensations and in other
