The Law of the Lord – Why does he join the idea of the Law with that of the sun? His meaning is, that as the heavens and the sun and the spheres are witnessing to and declaring the glory of God and His wisdom, so the Law and the Commandments which He has commanded His people Israel witness to His wisdom and uprightness, as it says (Deut. 4:8), "(What great nation is there) that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this Law?⁠" And further he says that as the heavens and the sun benefit the world, and through them the world continues to exist, so is the Law, which is perfect and restores the soul, and upon which (depends) the preservation of the soul as the preservation of the world (depends) upon the sun; for the soul in the body is as a stranger in a foreign land who has none to help or assist him, for the agents which minister to the body are for the most part such as follow after the appetites, and she (the soul) is as a solitary one and captive amongst them. So also says Solomon, who compares her to a poor wise man (Koh. 9:15). And notice the Law restoreth the soul in that it teaches man the right way and draws him away from worldly desires and from many stumbling–blocks. And notice it restoreth the soul from captivity and confinement to her (rightful) birth and the place of her glory. And David declares in respect of the Law and the commandments and the judgments, their truth and uprightness. Now the Law (תורה, lit. teaching) is the orderly setting forth of the commandment with reference to the manner of its performance; and this (may be understood) from the general sense of such passages as "I have not obeyed the voice of my teachers (מורי)" (Prov. 5:13); "and to teach (להורת) He hath put in his heart" (Exod. 35:34); for (the Torah) teaches the ordering of a thing, as "the law (Torah) of the beast and of the fowl" (Lev. 11:46); "the law of the leper" (ibid. 14:2); "the law of her that beareth" (ibid. 12:7); "the law of him that hath an issue" (ibid. 15:32); "the law of the Nazirite" (Num. 6:21). Nevertheless the book (itself) is called by the name of the Law (Torah) from Genesis to Deuteronomy, as is written (Deut. 31:9): "And Moses wrote this Law"; "Take this book of the Law" (ibid. 26); (this is) because it narrates the history of Creation and also narrates the affairs of the Fathers; it likewise sets forth every single one of the things which teach about God: that He is the founder of the world, of His goodness and of the beings created by Him, and His providence in the case both of the good and the evil. He mentions the commandments also – that is, what God commanded (man) to do in the ways of the service of God and love of Him, as of a master who gives commandment to his servant. And the testimony – that is, what was testimony between Israel and God, that they had accepted Him for (their) God, and He had accepted them for a peculiar people; cf "the ark of the testimony" (Exod. 25:22); "the tent of the testimony" (Num. 17:23). For the commandments about which Israel received commands – these are the testimony, and also the tables which had on them the Ten Words, which contain (are) the whole Law entirely; and these Words were a great testimony to Israel when they saw His glory on Mount Sinai in the thunderings and lightning; and that great sight was the testimony to them and their children forever. So also the observance of the Sabbath and the festivals is to them a testimony and a sign and memorial; the (year of) release also, and the jubilee – all is a testimony to them and their children forever; as it says, "for all the earth is Mine" (Exod. 19:5); "they are My servants" (Lev. 25:55). He says: the precepts of the Lord in respect of the commandments of the understanding which God has ordained and put in the heart; and about these the understanding teaches. He says fear because it is the beginning of the commandments and their root; for the servant, unless he fear the master, will not do his behests, and perfect fear is in secret. He says also judgments – that is, the rules (that are to be observed) between a man and his fellow. Now it is to be noticed he has mentioned for us all the different kinds of commandments except "statutes" (חקים). The reason is that he applies to them (such epithets as) perfect, restoring the soul, sure, making wise the simple, right, rejoicing the heart, pure, enlightening the eyes, clean, true, righteous altogether, to be desired, and sweet; all which it is only admissible to apply to the commandments whose reason is clear and apparent; whereas the "statutes,⁠" such as those regarding the eating of swine's flesh and wearing mixed stuffs and the like, whose reason is not clear to all how could it be said of them that they are to be desired, are sweet and pure? And although they are such to him to whom their reasonableness is apparent, yet this is not apparent to the great majority of men. And he says:

is perfect – because it is altogether complete; not one thing is lacking in it of all the things a man needs in this world and in the world to come. And he says:

restoring the soul – in the sense we have interpreted. He says also:

The testimony of the Lord is sure – for there is no falsehood in it; for the Glory rested on Israel in the sight of all Israel, there was none to contradict or gainsay. And he says:

making wise the simple – For all the things of the Tabernacle (embodied) wonderful wisdom; for no (mere) thing(s) were the lamp–stand and the altars and the curtains. And so all the things (sc. of the Tabernacle) entirely teach of wisdom, so that the wise call it (the Tabernacle) the middle world, for it is a likeness of the upper world and of the little (lower) world. So also the observance of the Sabbath is a (source of) great wisdom, for on its account man will investigate the question of the world's renewal and all the work of creation, and that (results in) Natural Science. It (Scripture) says also of the Law (Deut. 4:6): "for–this is your wisdom and your understanding in the eyes of all the people" etc. Again, it says (ibid.): "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.⁠" Yet although he distributes these attributes and says of the Law that it is perfect and restores the soul, and of the testimony that it is sure, making wise the simple, and similarly of the rest, all share the attributes. He does not apply this attribute to one (only); the same applies also to the other, except that each attribute is attached closely to the substantive nearest it; and that it is necessary to study it in the light of the attribute in accordance with the way we have interpreted and shall interpret.