The Guide for the Perplexed 25 - מורה נבוכים

Chapter 36.

This is our 25th class together learning Moreh Nevuchim.

Let's begin.

The Rambam says, [clears throat] "I shall explain to you when speaking of the attributes in what respect it is said that God is pleased with or made angry and wrathful by a certain thing.

It is in this sense that it is said of certain indivi- individuals among men that God was pleased or angry with them or full of wrath.

This notion is not the subject of this chapter, the subject being that which I'm about to speak of.

Know that if you consider the whole of the Torah and all the books of the prophets, you will find that the expressions wrath, anger, and jealousy are exclusively used with reference to idolatry.

You will also find that the expressions enemy of God or adversary or hater are exclusively used to designate an idolater.

Thus, scripture says," and now he's quoting a bunch of pesukim, "And you serve other gods and so on, and the Lord's wrath will be kindled against you." Another pasuk, "Lest the wrath of the Lord be kindled to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands.

They have roused me to jealousy with a no god.

They have-" Provoke me to anger with their vanities and so on.

For a jealous God and so on.

Why have they provoked me to anger with their graven im-images? Because of the a-- because of the anger provoked by his sons and his daughters.

For a fire is kindled in my wrath, for he will take vengeance on his adversaries and repay his enemies, and repay them that they hate them, until he has driven out his enemies, which the Lord thy God has for every abomination to the Lord which he has.

Expressions, express-- okay, that's end quote.

Expressions of this kind are too numerous to be counted.

However, if you trace them all in the books, you will find that it is as we have said.