Both methods of calling attention to the service of G-d are necessary because the innate urge of the understanding is weak in three respects; and we are therefore under duty to strengthen it by religious instruction.
The Creator has implanted in his soul qualities and forces which make him yearn for things, the use of which will promote his physical well-being, so that he will develop vigor to populate the earth, in order that the race may continue while individuals perish. This quality is the desire for bodily pleasures common to all living creatures that propagate their species.
The Creator has also engrafted in the human soul other qualities and forces, which, if he uses them, will make him loathe his position in this world and yearn to separate himself from it. This is the desire for perfect wisdom.
Since, however, bodily pleasures come to a man's soul first, already in early youth, and the attachment to them is, from the outset, strong, great and extremely urgent, the desire for sensual pleasure overcomes his other faculties, until it overpowered the intellect, for the sake of which man was created. And so his spiritual sight fails and the indications of his desirable qualities disappear.
Man therefore needs external means, by the aid of which he may resist his despicable instinct - the lust for animal enjoyments - and vitalize the marks of his noblest endowment - the intellect. These aids are the contents of the Torah, whereby G-d, through His messengers and prophets, taught His creatures the way to serve Him.
Secondly, the intellect is a spiritual entity, originating in the higher, spiritual world. It is a stranger in this world of gross material bodies. Sensual lust in man is the product of natural forces and of a combination of his physical elements. Its foundation is in this world, its root in this abode. Food gives it strength. Physical pleasures add to its vigor, while the intellect, because it is a stranger here, stands without support or ally, and all are against it. Hence it follows that it must become weak and that it needs an external means to repel the mighty power of lust and overcome it. The Torah is the remedy for such spiritual maladies and moral diseases.
The Torah therefore prohibits many kinds of food, clothing, sexual relations, certain acquisitions and practices, all of which strengthen sensual lust; it also exhorts us to use those means which resist lust and are its opposite. These are prayer, fasting, charity-giving, [acts of] kindness; by which the intellectual faculties are revived and man is aided in this world and for the world to come, as David said: "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Tehilim 119:105) ; "For the commandment is a lamp and the torah is light" (Mishlei 6:23) ; "I saw that wisdom is preferable to folly as light is preferable to darkness" (Koheles 2:13).
Third, the sensual desire, constantly employed in feeding the body, never ceases working by day or night. The intellect, on the other hand, is only called into activity to help one gratify his passions. Now it is well known that physical faculties which are constantly exercised in accordance with their nature, improve and become more efficient, while those that are less frequently used deteriorate and become inefficient. It logically follows therefore that the sensual desire would become stronger because it is continually exercised, while the intellectual faculty would weaken, because it is so seldom used, and so little for its proper purpose.
Hence it was necessary for there to exist something, whose true (proper) use would not involve man's physical organs nor the animalistic lusts, but only the exercise of his intellect, freed from the predominance of lusts. This aid is the Torah, the study of which will make the intellect stronger, purer, and more luminous and will drive away from man the folly that masters his soul and prevents him from seeing things as they really are and placing them in their proper relations. As the Psalmist said, "The law of the L-ord is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the L-ord is faithful, making wise the simple; the ordinances of the L-ord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the L-ord is pure, enlightening the eyes" (Ps. 19:8-9).
From what has been said, it is clearly established how necessary it is that a human being should be aroused to the service of G-d by the Torah, which includes rational precepts as well as those accepted on authority (prophecy), so that through these we may rise to the service of G-d which, our reason demonstrates, is man's duty and the main purpose for which the human species has been called into existence in this world.
אַךְ הַצֹּרֶךְ הַמֵּבִיא אֶל כָּל חֵלֶק מֵחֶלְקֵי הַהֶעָרָה הוּא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהַהֶעָרָה הַתְּקוּעָה בַּשֵּׂכֶל נֶחְלֶשֶׁת מִג׳ פָּנִים הִתְחַיַּבְנוּ לְחַזְּקָהּ בַּהֶעָרָה הַתּוֹרִיָּה.
Both methods of calling attention to the service of G-d are necessary because the innate urge of the understanding is weak in three respects; and we are therefore under duty to strengthen it by religious instruction.
וְהָאֶחָד מֵהַג׳ פָּנִים הוּא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁנִּבְרָא הָאָדָם מִדְּבָרִים שׁוֹנִים זֶה מִזֶּה וּטְבָעִים מִתְגַּבְּרִים זֶה עַל זֶה וּמֵעֲצָמִים זֶה הֵפֶךְ זֶה וְהֵם נַפְשׁוֹ וְגוּפוֹ.
First, man is made up of diverse entities, natures conflicting and mutually antagonistic. These entities are his soul and his body.
וְנָטַע הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּנַפְשׁוֹ מִדּוֹת וְכֹחוֹת יִכְסוֹף בָּהֶם לִדְבָרִים כַּאֲשֶׁר יִתְנַהֵג בָּם הָאָדָם יִגְדַּל בָּהֶם גּוּפוֹ וְיִתְחַזֵּק עַל יִשּׁוּב הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְיִשָּׁאֵר הַמִּין הָאֱנוֹשִׁי עַל עִנְיָנוֹ וְאִם יִפָּסְדוּ אִישָׁיו וְהַמִּדָּה הַזֹּאת הִיא הַתַּאֲוָה לַהֲנָאוֹת הַגּוּפִיּוֹת וְהִיא כּוֹלֶלֶת כָּל מִינֵי הַחַי הַגָּדֵל.
The Creator has implanted in his soul qualities and forces which make him yearn for things, the use of which will promote his physical well-being, so that he will develop vigor to populate the earth, in order that the race may continue while individuals perish. This quality is the desire for bodily pleasures common to all living creatures that propagate their species.
וְהִרְכִּיב הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְעַלֶּה בְּנֶפֶשׁ הָאָדָם עוֹד מִדּוֹת וְכֹחוֹת יִכְסוֹף בָּהֶם [אֶל דְּבָרִים] כַּאֲשֶׁר יִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בָּהֶם לִמְאֹס (ימאס) בַּעֲמִידָתוֹ בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְיַחְפֹּץ לְהִפָּרֵד מִמֶּנּוּ וְהִיא הַחָכְמָה (ס״א ההכרה) הַשְּׁלֵמָה.
The Creator has also engrafted in the human soul other qualities and forces, which, if he uses them, will make him loathe his position in this world and yearn to separate himself from it. This is the desire for perfect wisdom.
וּמִפְּנֵי שֶׁהָיוּ הַהֲנָאוֹת הַגּוּפִיּוֹת קוֹדְמוֹת אֶל נֶפֶשׁ הָאָדָם מִנְּעוּרָיו וּצִוּוּתוֹ בָּהֶם מִתְּחִלַּת עִנְיָנוֹ חָזָק וְגָדוֹל וְנָחוּץ בָּם יוֹתֵר הִגְבִּירָה מִדַּת הַתַּאֲוָה עַל שְׁאָר מִדּוֹתָיו עַד שֶׁגָּבְרָה עַל הַשֵּׂכֶל שֶׁנּוֹצַר עָלָיו הָאָדָם וְטַחָה מֵרְאוֹת עֵינוֹ וְאָבְדוּ סִימָנֵי חֲמוּדוֹתָיו.
Since, however, bodily pleasures come to a man's soul first, already in early youth, and the attachment to them is, from the outset, strong, great and extremely urgent, the desire for sensual pleasure overcomes his other faculties, until it overpowered the intellect, for the sake of which man was created. And so his spiritual sight fails and the indications of his desirable qualities disappear.
וְהֻצְרַךְ הָאָדָם בַּעֲבוּר זֶה לִדְבָרִים שֶׁהֵם חוּץ לוֹ לַעֲמֹד בָּהֶם כְּנֶגֶד מִדָּתוֹ הַמְגֻנָּה וְהִיא הַתַּאֲוָה לַהֲנָאוֹת הַבַּהֲמִיּוֹת וּלְהַחֲיוֹת בָּהֶם סִימָנֵי מִדָּתוֹ הַמְּשֻׁבַּחַת וְהוּא הַשֵּׂכֶל וְהַדְּבָרִים הָהֵם עִנְיְנֵי הַתּוֹרָה אֲשֶׁר הוֹרָה בָּהֶם הָאֵל בְּרוּאָיו דֶּרֶךְ עֲבוֹדָתוֹ עַל יְדֵי שְׁלוּחָיו וּנְבִיאָיו ע״ה.
Man therefore needs external means, by the aid of which he may resist his despicable instinct - the lust for animal enjoyments - and vitalize the marks of his noblest endowment - the intellect. These aids are the contents of the Torah, whereby G-d, through His messengers and prophets, taught His creatures the way to serve Him.
וְהַשֵּׁנִי שֶׁהַשֵּׂכֶל הוּא עֶצֶם רוּחָנִי נִגְזַר מִן הָעוֹלָם הָעֶלְיוֹן הָרוּחָנִי וְהוּא נָכְרִי בְּעוֹלָם הַגּוּפִים הֶעָבִים וְהַתַּאֲוָה אֲשֶׁר בָּאָדָם מְחֻבֶּרֶת מִכֹּחוֹת הַטֶּבַע וּמֶזֶג הַיְסוֹדוֹת וְהִיא בָּעוֹלָם יְסוֹדָהּ וּמְעוֹן שָׁרְשָׁהּ מוֹשְׁכִים אֵלֶיהָ הַמַּאֲכָלִים כֹּחַ וּמְחַזְּקִים אוֹתָהּ הַהֲנָאוֹת הַגּוּפִיּוֹת. וְהַשֵּׂכֶל מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא נָכְרִי אֵין לוֹ מְחַזֵּק וְלֹא חָבֵר וְהַכֹּל כְּנֶגְדּוֹ וּמִן הַדִּין הָיָה שֶׁיֵּחָלֵשׁ וְנִצְטָרֵךְ לְדָבָר שֶׁיִּדְחֶה בּוֹ מֵעָלָיו גֹּבֶר הַתַּאֲוָה וְשֶׁיְּחַזְּקֵהוּ עָלֶיהָ וְהָיְתָה הַתּוֹרָה רְפוּאָה לְחֹלִי כָּזֶה מֵחֳלָיֵי הַנְּפָשׁוֹת וּמַדְוֵי הַמִּדּוֹת.
Secondly, the intellect is a spiritual entity, originating in the higher, spiritual world. It is a stranger in this world of gross material bodies. Sensual lust in man is the product of natural forces and of a combination of his physical elements. Its foundation is in this world, its root in this abode. Food gives it strength. Physical pleasures add to its vigor, while the intellect, because it is a stranger here, stands without support or ally, and all are against it. Hence it follows that it must become weak and that it needs an external means to repel the mighty power of lust and overcome it. The Torah is the remedy for such spiritual maladies and moral diseases.
וְעַל כֵּן תִּמְצָא הַתּוֹרָה מַזְהֶרֶת מֵהַרְבֵּה מַאֲכָלִים וּלְבוּשִׁים וּבְעִילוֹת וְקִנְיָנִים וּמַעֲשִׂים שֶׁהֵם מְחַזְּקִים כֹּחַ הַתַּאֲוָה. וְכֵן הוּא מְצֻוָּה (הִיא מְצַוָּה) בְּמָה שֶׁהוּא עוֹמֵד כְּנֶגְדָּהּ מֵהַדְּבָרִים שֶׁהֵם הֶפְכָּהּ וְהֵם הַתְּפִלָּה וְהַצּוֹם וְהַצְּדָקוֹת וּגְמִילוּת חֲסָדִים וּלְהַחֲיוֹת בָּהֶם סִימָנֵי הַשֵּׂכֶל וּלְהוֹעִיל הָאָדָם בָּם בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וּבָעוֹלָם הַבָּא כמ״ש דָּוִד (תהלים קיט) נֵר לְרַגְלִי דְבָרֶךָ וְאוֹר לִנְתִיבָתִי וְאָמַר (משלי ו) כִּי נֵר מִצְוָה וְתוֹרָה אוֹר וְנֶאֱמַר (קהלת ב׳:י״ג) וְרָאִיתִי אָנִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ יִתְרוֹן לְחָכְמַת מִן הַסִּכְלוּת כִּיתְרוֹן הָאוֹר מִן הַחֹשֶׁךְ.
The Torah therefore prohibits many kinds of food, clothing, sexual relations, certain acquisitions and practices, all of which strengthen sensual lust; it also exhorts us to use those means which resist lust and are its opposite. These are prayer, fasting, charity-giving, [acts of] kindness; by which the intellectual faculties are revived and man is aided in this world and for the world to come, as David said: "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Tehilim 119:105) ; "For the commandment is a lamp and the torah is light" (Mishlei 6:23) ; "I saw that wisdom is preferable to folly as light is preferable to darkness" (Koheles 2:13).
וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁי כִּי הַתַּאֲוָה מִשְׁתַּמְּשִׁים בָּהּ תָּדִיר בִּמְזוֹן הַגּוּף וְלֹא תִּרְפֶּה מֵהָעֲבוֹדָה לַיְלָה וָיוֹם וְהַשֵּׂכֶל אֵין מִשְׁתַּמְּשִׁים בּוֹ אֶלָּא בְּמָה שֶׁהוּא מֵפִיק לַתַּאֲוָה. וּמִן הַיָּדוּעַ שֶׁהַכֵּלִים שֶׁמִּשְׁתַּמְּשִׁים בָּהֶם תָּמִיד עַל דֶּרֶךְ הַטֶּבַע מוֹסִיף תִּקּוּנָם וּמִתְחַזְּקִים מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם. וְכַאֲשֶׁר יִמְעַט שִׁמּוּשָׁם יִפָּסְדוּ וְיֵחָלְשׁוּ מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם וְהַדִּין נוֹתֵן שֶׁתֶּחֱזַק הַתַּאֲוָה מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמִּשְׁתַּמְּשִׁים בָּהּ תָּדִיר וְיֻחְלַשׁ הַשֵּׂכֶל מִפְּנֵי מִעוּט הַשִּׁמּוּשׁ בּוֹ וְהַנְהָגָתוֹ עַל מָה שֶׁהֻטְבַּע עָלָיו.
Third, the sensual desire, constantly employed in feeding the body, never ceases working by day or night. The intellect, on the other hand, is only called into activity to help one gratify his passions. Now it is well known that physical faculties which are constantly exercised in accordance with their nature, improve and become more efficient, while those that are less frequently used deteriorate and become inefficient. It logically follows therefore that the sensual desire would become stronger because it is continually exercised, while the intellectual faculty would weaken, because it is so seldom used, and so little for its proper purpose.
וְהִצְרִיךְ הַדֹּחַק לִמְצִיאוּת עִנְיָן שֶׁאֵין מִשְׁתַּמְּשִׁים בַּאֲמִתָּתוֹ מֵאֶבְרֵי הָאָדָם וְתַאֲוֹתָיו הַבַּהֲמִיּוֹת מְאוּמָה. אֲבָל מִשְׁתַּמְּשִׁים בָּהּ בַּשֵּׂכֶל הַנִּצָּל מִגֹּבֶר הַתַּאֲוָה עָלָיו הִיא הַתּוֹרָה אֲשֶׁר בְּהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ הַשֵּׂכֶל בָּהּ יַחֲזִיק וְיִזַּךְ וְיַזְהִיר וְיִדְחֶה מֵעַל הָאָדָם הַסִּכְלוּת הַגּוֹבֶרֶת עַל נַפְשׁוֹ הַמּוֹנַעַת אוֹתוֹ מֵרְאוֹת הַדְּבָרִים עַל אֲמִתָּתָם וּמֵהַנִּיחָם עַל מְכוֹנֵיהֶם כמ״ש (תהלים יט) תּוֹרַת ה׳ תְּמִימָה מְשִׁיבַת נָפֶשׁ עֵדוּת ה׳ נֶאֱמָנָה מַחְכִּימַת פֶּתִי פִּקּוּדֵי ה׳ יְשָׁרִים מְשַׂמְּחֵי לֵב מִצְוַת ה׳ בָּרָה מְאִירַת עֵינָיִם.
Hence it was necessary for there to exist something, whose true (proper) use would not involve man's physical organs nor the animalistic lusts, but only the exercise of his intellect, freed from the predominance of lusts. This aid is the Torah, the study of which will make the intellect stronger, purer, and more luminous and will drive away from man the folly that masters his soul and prevents him from seeing things as they really are and placing them in their proper relations. As the Psalmist said, "The law of the L-ord is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the L-ord is faithful, making wise the simple; the ordinances of the L-ord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the L-ord is pure, enlightening the eyes" (Ps. 19:8-9).
וְהִתְחַיְּבָה מֵאֲשֶׁר זָכַרְנוּ הֶעָרַת הָאָדָם בְּדֶרֶךְ הַתּוֹרָה הַכּוֹלֶלֶת הַמִּצְוֹת הַשִּׂכְלִיּוֹת וְהַשִּׁמְעִיּוֹת לַעֲלוֹת בָּהֶם אֶל הָעֲבוֹדָה אֲשֶׁר הָאָדָם חַיָּב בָּהּ מִדֶּרֶךְ הָרְאָיָה הַשִּׂכְלִית אֲשֶׁר הִיא תַּכְלִית הָעִנְיָן הַמְכֻוָּן בּוֹ בִּבְרִיאַת הַמִּין הָאֱנוֹשִׁי בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה:
From what has been said, it is clearly established how necessary it is that a human being should be aroused to the service of G-d by the Torah, which includes rational precepts as well as those accepted on authority (prophecy), so that through these we may rise to the service of G-d which, our reason demonstrates, is man's duty and the main purpose for which the human species has been called into existence in this world.