Stage 3 · Moses Maimonides (1138–1204)

Moreh Nevukhim: Part I, Chapter 13 — ʿAmidah (Standing)

דלאלהֵ אלחאירין — The Guide of the Perplexed

ʿAmidah ('standing') bears three senses: standing up or still; desisting and ceasing ('she ceased from bearing'); and enduring and abiding ('his righteousness endures forever'). Of God only the last applies — 'His feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives' means His causes shall be made firm. The literal sense is reserved for the cross-reference on regel ('foot'). Hover a phrase to see its English light up; tap any word for a gloss; dotted words are key terms.

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Part One · Chapter Thirteen — ʿAmidah

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ʿAmidah is an equivocal noun. It bears the sense of standing up and standing still: 'when he stood before Pharaoh' (Gen 41:46); 'though Moses and Samuel stood' (Jer 15:1); 'and he was standing over them' (Gen 18:8).

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And it bears the sense of desisting and ceasing: 'for they stood still and answered no more' (Job 32:16); 'and she ceased from bearing' (Gen 29:35).

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And it bears the sense of endurance and abiding: 'that they may endure many days' (Jer 32:14); 'and you will be able to endure' (Exod 18:23); 'its taste stayed in it' (Jer 48:11) — it remained and abided and did not change; 'and his righteousness endures forever' (Ps 111:3) — fixed and abiding.

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And every 'standing' that comes regarding God, may He be exalted, is of this last sense: 'and His feet shall stand on that day upon the Mount of Olives' (Zech 14:4) — and His causes shall be made firm, I mean His effects. This will be explained when the equivocity of regel ('foot') is treated.

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And of this sense is what He, may He be exalted, said to him: 'but as for thee, stand thou here by Me' (Deut 5:28); and 'I stood between the Lord and you' (Deut 5:5).

English is a working draft — alignment is sentence-by-sentence.

Scripture cited in this chapter