Sefer ha-Ḥus ṿeha-Muḥash me-Ḳitsur ibn Rushd (Hebrew MS 28)

It is my desire to write here a little from the introduction to the Alfasi refers to the legal code Sefer ha-Halakhot by Isaac Alfasi, and in it I will also explain a few matters regarding faith, as it appears to my humble opinion, in my limited capacity and meager understanding. And remembering the days of old, at the beginning of my words, I wish to make known a few of the foundations of religion and faith, according to the path I have seen in his ways; for all the perfect paths are the paths upon which they walked, and in them are seen the knowledge, morals, understanding, and intellect of the generations of old. And also in this, I will explain to you the words of our Sages original: "חז"ל" (Chazal), an acronym for Chakhameinu Zikhronam Livrakha in their homiletical interpretations and the stories found in the Talmud. And every single one of these matters is worthy of being known and understood according to their true meaning, not according to what appears on the surface, lest one who thinks or understands the matters according to their literal sense—and the simple meaning of the statements—should imagine what is not possible according to abstract reason, nor according to true judgment. And what is good is certainly to be found in the interpretation of these mentioned matters, and these are the essence of the Torah and the commandments. And the Rabbi also said in his introduction to Berakhot original: "ברכות", the first tractate of the Talmud, and these are his words: "And this is what is written: 'On the seventh day, the Sabbath of the Lord original: "קדש ה' לו"; for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.'" And the Rabbi, of blessed memory, wrote: "Behold, the text implies that the Holy One, blessed be He, as it were, rested on the seventh day, etc." And in truth, the judgment is not so, for the Blessed One attains neither fatigue nor exhaustion, and far be it from Him to have rest or repose; but everything is by way of parable and metaphor, according to our attainment and our limited knowledge. And this is the matter that is called in the Torah and written in it, that we have seen in many places the words of the Sages in their interpretations, and in their words, that which points to strange things in their literal sense, while their explanation and their inner meaning are deep and true matters in the paths of faith and intellectual concepts. And it is fitting for us that we should recognize and understand these matters with our intellect, lest our words be like those who deceive, heaven forbid. And what is good for a person to see is to study the commentaries and the books that interpret these matters according to the upright intellect. And behold, such things have come in the text, and the one who understands will understand; and all these matters are the words of the Living God. And also the famous wise man, the author of the Akeidah refers to Isaac Arama, author of Sefer Ha-Akeidah, of blessed memory, wrote in the first gate that everything depends on the understanding intellect, and so the words of the Sages will be interpreted in many places, for heaven forbid that they should write things that have no taste or scent, heaven forbid. And he concluded: "And may the Holy One, blessed be He, in His abundant mercies, show us the way of truth and teach us Torah and knowledge, and place in our hearts understanding and intellect to understand and to learn, and to teach, and to keep, and to do all the words of His Torah in truth and perfection. Amen, Selah." And this is what I wanted to mention here regarding a few words of the Sages of the homiletical tradition, and regarding faith, as mentioned above.