This chapter is a Maimonidean exposition of the traditional religious ideas of the fear and love of God; the two ways of relating to God that arise from jalal and jamal respectively. Up to this point, we have learned that Maimonides teaches us about a God who is in nature quite different from the ‘traditional’ religious conception of God, for this is not a God who is moved to anger or pleasure or any other emotion. He is not a vengeful God, for example; what place, then, is there for the fear of God, much less for the love of God, in such a theology?

Maimonides’ answer has to do with the Intellect; drawing an analogy once again with a king and with how humans usually relate to a mighty king, he says:

We do not … occupy ourselves when we are alone and at home in the same manner as we do in the presence of a great king. If we … desire to attain human perfection, and to be truly men of God, we must … bear in mind that the great king that is over us, and is always joined to us, is greater than any earthly king, greater than David and Solomon. The king that cleaves to us and embraces us is the Intellect (al-‘aql العقل) that emanates upon us (faaiz ‘alaina الفائض علينا — Friedlander uses “influences us” here), and forms the link (الصلة) between us and Him most high.

It is in contemplation of this king — ‘aql — that man should live his life in a state of piety, humility, modesty and reverence. For this reason, “the great men among our Sages would not uncover their heads because they believed that God’s glory was round them and over them; for the same reason they spoke little.” And it is the attainment of this englightened state of mind that is the objective of the Law, because it provides a formula through which “some few pious men may attain human perfection. They will be filled with respect and reverence towards God”

The two objects [of the Law], love and fear of God, are acquired by two different means. The love is the result of the truths taught in the Law, including the true knowledge of the Existence of God; whilst fear of God is produced by the practices prescribed in the Law.