In these chapters, Maimonides warns against beginning one’s philosophical studies with Metaphysics (ilm al-ilahi العلم إلهي), and likens this to feeding an infant with food meant for adults.

He, however, who begins with Metaphysics, will not only become confused in matters of religion, but will fall into complete infidelity. I compare such a person to an infant fed with wheaten bread, meat, and wine; it will undoubtedly die, not because such food is naturally unfit for the human body, but because of the weakness of the child, who is unable to digest the food, and cannot derive benefit from it.

In truth, far from being injurious to the (properly prepared) student, Maimonides considers learning the secrets of metaphysics to be the apotheosis of religious belief, because it puts those beliefs which one initially acquires through Scripture in allegorical language on a firm, scientific foundation; such a person will “have a true notion of those things which he previously received in similes and metaphors”.

he who wishes to attain to human perfection, must therefore first study Logic, next the various branches of Mathematics in their proper order, then Physics, and lastly Metaphysics … all these subjects are connected together; for there is nothing else in existence but God and His works, the latter including all existing things besides Him: we can only obtain a knowledge of Him through His works; His works give evidence of His existence, and show what must be assumed concerning Him.

Chapter 34 gives five reasons why “instruction should not begin with Metaphysics” and it should be limited to a select few.

  1. The difficulty of the subject
  2. The insufficiency (sans proper training) of man’s intellect
  3. The fact that, according to Maimonides, there is a hierarchy of disciplines, and Metaphysics builds upon other subjects, and consequently a student should “first study Logic, then the various branches of Mathematics in their proper order, then Physics and lastly Metaphysics.”
  4. Metaphysics requires a certain temparament and bent of mind, which only comes through years of moral training and uprightness.
  5. Worldy concerns of earning a living distract most people from being able to give the subject the necessary care and attention.

Maimonides views revelation (in the form of the Law given to Moses) as a ‘shortcut’ to arriving at the correct, rigorously supported conclusions of Metaphysics. If everyone had to depend on a careful study of Logic, Mathematics, and Physics before they could embark upon the study of Metaphysics, then clearly only a very few people would have formed correct notions about the nature of God and his relationship with the created world, because not everyone is equipped with the inclination to study Metaphysics. “In such a case most people would die, without having known whether there was a God or not, much less that certain things must be asserted about Him, and other things denied as defects.”