CHAPTER 20

High [ram] is an equivocal term having the signification of being elevated in space and of being elevated in degree, I mean to say in exalted station, nobility, and great worth. Thus it says: And the ark was lifted high above the earth.¹ In this passage [25a] the first sense of the term is employed. It also says: I have placed on high one chosen2 out of the people;³ Forasmuch as I have placed thee on high from among⁴ the dust;⁵ Forasmuch as I haveplaced thee on high from among the people.⁶ In these verses the term in question has its second meaning. Every word derived from heightening⁷ [haramah] has this second meaning when occurring with reference to God. Thus: Be thou heightened, O God, above the heavens.⁸

The term to bear [nasoʾ]⁹ has similarly the signification of elevation in space and of elevation in degree and abundance of good fortune. The verse, And they bore aloft their corn upon their asses,10 uses the word in its first sense. And similar instances are frequent in cases in which the word is used to signify carrying and transporting, for this implies lifting in space. The second meaning of the term is found in: And his kingdom shall be borne aloft;¹¹ And He carried them and bore them;¹² Wherefore do you bear yourselves high.¹³ Every mention of bearing that occurs with reference to God, may He be exalted, has this latter meaning. Thus: Bear Thee on high, Thou Judge of the earth;¹⁴ Thus saith the High, [He that is] borne on high.¹⁵ In these passages, the word means elevation, exalted station, and great worth, not height in space. Perhaps my saying elevation in degree, exalted station, and great worth, creates a difficulty for you. For you may ask:¹⁶ how can you consider that many notions are included in one meaning?¹⁷ However, it shall be made clear to you that in the opinion of those who have perfect apprehension, there should not be many attributive qualifications predicated of God; and that all the numerous attributive qualifications indicating any exaltation of Him and of His great worth, power, perfection, bounty, and various other things, refer to one and the same notion. That notion is His essence and nothing outside this essence. Chapters on the names and attributes will reach you later. In this chapter my purpose is to show that the words: The High, [He that is] borne on high, do not have the meaning and signification of height in space, but of elevation¹⁸ in degree.