1
As I am going to demonstrate a weighty proposition in disciplined wisdom, namely, that Torah-faithful reasoning is sovereign over the emotions. I would willingly advise you to give the utmost heed to disciplined wisdom.
2
For reason is necessary to everyone as a step to knowledge. In addition, it embraces the praise of self-control, the highest uprightness.
3
If, then, reasoning appears to hold the mastery over the emotions which stand in the way of disciplined restraint, such as gluttony and lust,
4
it surely also and manifestly rules over the affections which are contrary to righteousness, such as malice, and of those which are hindrances to courage, such as wrath, pain, and fear.
5
Perhaps some may ask, “How is it, then, that reasoning, if it rules the emotions, isn’t also master of forgetfulness and ignorance?” They attempt a ridiculous argument.
6
For reasoning does not rule over its own emotions, but over those that are contrary to righteousness, courage, disciplined restraint, and self-control; and yet over these, so as to withstand, without destroying them.
7
I might prove to you from many other considerations, that Torah-faithful reasoning is sole ruler over the emotions;
8
but I will prove it with the greatest force from the fortitude of Elazar (Eleazar), and seven kindred, and their mother, who suffered death in defence of uprightness.
9
For all these, treating pains with contempt even to death, by this contempt, demonstrated that reasoning has command over the emotions.
10
For their forms of uprightness, then, it is right that I should commend those men who died with their mother at this time on behalf of nobility and goodness; and for their honours, I may count them blessed.
11
For they, winning admiration not only from men in general, but even from the persecutors, for their courage and endurance, became the means of the destruction of the tyranny against their people, having conquered the tyrant by their endurance, so that by them their land was cleansed.
12
But we may now at once enter upon the question, having commenced, as is our custom, with laying down the doctrine, and so proceed to the account of these people, giving glory to Elohim, whose wisdom is complete.
13
Therefore the question is whether reasoning is sovereign over the emotions.
14
Let’s determine, then, what reasoning is and what emotion is, and how many forms of emotion there are, and whether reasoning rules over all of these.
15
Reasoning is intellect accompanied by a life of righteousness, putting foremost the consideration of wisdom.
16
Wisdom is a knowledge of matters of Elohim and matters of humanity, and of their causes.
17
This is contained in the instruction of the Torah, by means of which we learn matters of Elohim reverently and human matters profitably.
18
The forms of wisdom are self-control, righteousness, courage, and disciplined restraint.
19
The leading one of these is self-control, by whose means, indeed, it is that reasoning rules over the emotions.
20
Of the emotions, pleasure and pain are the two most comprehensive; and they also by nature refer to the inner life.
21
There are many attendant affections surrounding pleasure and pain.
22
Before pleasure is lust; and after pleasure, joy.
23
Before pain is fear; and after pain is sorrow.
24
Wrath is an affection, common to pleasure and to pain, if any one will pay attention when it comes upon him.
25
There exists in pleasure a malicious disposition, which is the most complex of all the affections.
26
In the inner life, it is arrogance, love of money, thirst for honour, contention, faithlessness, and the evil eye.
27
In the body, it is greediness, indiscriminate eating, and solitary gluttony.
28
As pleasure and pain are, therefore, two growths out of the body and the inner life, so there are many offshoots of these emotions.
29
Reasoning, the universal farmer, purging and pruning each of these, tying up, watering, and transplanting, in every way improves the materials of the morals and affections.
30
For reasoning is the leader of the forms of uprightness, but it is the sole ruler of the emotions. Observe then first, through the very things which stand in the way of disciplined restraint, that reasoning is absolute ruler of the emotions.
31
Now disciplined restraint consists of a command over the lusts.
32
But of the lusts, some belong to the inner life and others to the body. Reasoning appears to rule over both.
33
Otherwise, how is it that when urged on to foods forbidden by Torah, we reject the gratification which would come from them? Isn’t it because reasoning is able to command the appetites? I believe so.
34
Hence it is, then, that when craving kinds of fish, birds, four-footed animals, or other foods forbidden to us by the Torah, we withhold ourselves through the mastery of reasoning.
35
For the affections of our appetites are resisted by the temperate understanding, and bent back again, and all the impulses of the body are reined in by reasoning.