What is the examination? Contemplating the marks of the Creator's wisdom manifested in the created things and evaluating these marks according to one's mental capacity.
For [divine] wisdom, though varied in its manifestations in created things, is fundamentally and essentially one - just as the sun is one body, while the appearance of its rays when passing through glasses that are white, dark, red or green, varies and assumes respectively the color of each medium, and just as water with which a park is sprinkled assumes the color of the blooms on which it falls.
Therefore, contemplate G-d's creations, from the smallest of them to the largest, and reflect on those matters which are at present hidden from you; and, with the help of the Almighty, you will find that they are as I have told you. And because these marks of divine wisdom vary in created things, it is our duty to contemplate them and think on them until the whole matter becomes established in our souls and abides in our consciousness.
If these marks [of divine wisdom] were the same in all created things, no man would have any doubt in them [that they all stem from one Source]. The wise and the fool would be equal in their recognition. The reason being that when one and the same thing is always being produced in the same way, it is clear that the maker is not a voluntary agent but a force acting according to the nature imposed upon it - compelling it to act in a definite way which it has no power to alter, just like fire whose sole function is to burn, or water whose nature is to cool. But one who has the power to do as his will prompts him will act in various ways at various times.
Since the Creator has free will in whatever He does, is not forced, needs nothing and is not forced by any nature, therefore He created things diverse, according as His wisdom each time dictated; so that the variety shall point to His unity and His free-will in whatever He does, as it is said "Whatsoever the L-ord pleased, has He done in heaven and on earth" (Tehilim 135:6).
G-d alone knows if it is on this account only that all creatures have not been made in one form and likeness; rationally it would seem that this is the purpose of the variety in the marks of wisdom exhibited in created things. But the Creator's wisdom is too exalted for us. What we have just mentioned is only one out of many other reasons to the knowledge of which we have not attained. Complete wisdom belongs to G-d alone, and there is no power beside Him.
אָמַר הַמְחַבֵּר אַךְ מַהוּת הַבְּחִינָה הִיא הִתְבּוֹנֵן בְּסִימָנֵי חָכְמַת הַבּוֹרֵא בַּבְּרוּאִים וְשַׁעֲרָם בַּנֶּפֶשׁ כְּפִי כֹּחַ הַכָּרַת הַמַּבְחִין.
What is the examination? Contemplating the marks of the Creator's wisdom manifested in the created things and evaluating these marks according to one's mental capacity.
כִּי הַחָכְמָה וְאִם סִימָנֶיהָ נֶחְלָקִים בַּבְּרוּאִים הִיא בִּיסוֹדָהּ וְעִקָּרָהּ אַחַת כַּשֶּׁמֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר הִיא אַחַת בְּעִקָּרָהּ וּבְעַצְמָהּ וּמִתְחַלְּקוֹת מַרְאוֹת נִצוּצֶיהָ בַּשְּׁמָשׁוֹת הַנַּעֲשׂוֹת מִן הַזְּכוּכִית הַלְּבָנָה וְהַשְּׁחֹרָה וְהָאֲדֻמָּה וְהַיְּרֻקָּה וּמִשְׁתַּנֶּה אוֹרָהּ כְּפִי הִשְׁתַּנּוּת צִבְעֵי הַזְּכוּכִית וְכַמַּיִם שֶׁמַּשְׁקִין מֵהֶם הַפַּרְדֵּס שֶׁפְּרָחָיו שׁוֹנִים זֶה מִזֶּה בְּמַרְאֶה שֶׁהֵם נִרְאִים עֲלֵיהֶם בְּמַרְאֵיהֶם.
For [divine] wisdom, though varied in its manifestations in created things, is fundamentally and essentially one - just as the sun is one body, while the appearance of its rays when passing through glasses that are white, dark, red or green, varies and assumes respectively the color of each medium, and just as water with which a park is sprinkled assumes the color of the blooms on which it falls.
עַל כֵּן הִתְבּוֹנֵן בִּבְרִיאוֹת הַבּוֹרֵא מִקְּטַנָּם וְעַד גְּדוֹלָם וְהִתְיַשֵּׁב בַּנֶּעֱלָם מִמְּךָ מֵהֶם תִּמְצָאֵם כַּאֲשֶׁר סִפַּרְתִּי לְךָ בעז״ה. וּמִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵם מִתְחַלְּקִים בַּבְּרוּאִים הִתְחַיַּבְנוּ לְהִתְבּוֹנֵן וְלַחְשֹׁב בָּהֶם עַד שֶׁיִּתְיַשֵּׁב עִנְיָנָהּ בְּנַפְשׁוֹתֵינוּ וְיָנוּחַ בְּרַעֲיוֹנֵינוּ.
Therefore, contemplate G-d's creations, from the smallest of them to the largest, and reflect on those matters which are at present hidden from you; and, with the help of the Almighty, you will find that they are as I have told you. And because these marks of divine wisdom vary in created things, it is our duty to contemplate them and think on them until the whole matter becomes established in our souls and abides in our consciousness.
וְאִלּוּ הָיוּ סִימָנֶיהָ עַל דֶּרֶךְ אַחַת בַּבְּרוּאִים כֻּלָּם לֹא הָיָה עִנְיָנָהּ מִסְתַּפֵּק עַל אֶחָד מֵהֶם וְהָיָה הַמַּשְׂכִּיל וְהַכְּסִיל שָׁוֶה בְּהַכָּרָתָם. וְהָעִלָּה בָּזֶה שֶׁהַדָּבָר שֶׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה מַעֲשֶׂה אֶחָד תָּדִיר מוֹרֶה שֶׁמַּעֲשֵׂהוּ אֵינוֹ לִרְצוֹנוֹ אַךְ הוּא עוֹשֶׂה בְּטִבְעוֹ שֶׁהֻטְבַּע עָלָיו בִּלְבַד וְיֵשׁ לוֹ מַכְרִיחַ שֶׁמַּכְרִיחוֹ עַל הַמַּעֲשֶׂה הַהוּא וְאֵין לוֹ יְכֹלֶת לְשַׁנּוֹת מִמֶּנּוּ כָּאֵשׁ אֲשֶׁר כֹּחָהּ הַשְּׂרֵפָה בִּלְבַד וְכַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר הֵם מְקָרְרִים בְּטִבְעָם בִּלְבַד וַאֲשֶׁר הוּא עוֹשֶׂה בְּחֶפְצוֹ יֵרָאוּ מִמֶּנּוּ מַעֲשִׂים מִשְׁתַּנִּים בְּעִתִּים מְשֻׁנִּים.
If these marks [of divine wisdom] were the same in all created things, no man would have any doubt in them [that they all stem from one Source]. The wise and the fool would be equal in their recognition. The reason being that when one and the same thing is always being produced in the same way, it is clear that the maker is not a voluntary agent but a force acting according to the nature imposed upon it - compelling it to act in a definite way which it has no power to alter, just like fire whose sole function is to burn, or water whose nature is to cool. But one who has the power to do as his will prompts him will act in various ways at various times.
וּמִפְּנֵי שֶׁהַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרַךְ חָפֵץ בְּמַעֲשֵׂהוּ וְאֵינֶנּוּ מֻכְרָח וְלֹא צָרִיךְ וְלֹא מֻטְבָּע עָשָׂה הַדְּבָרִים מִשְׁתַּנִּים זֶה מִזֶּה כְּפִי שֶׁמְּחַיֶּבֶת חָכְמָתוֹ בְּכָל עֵת כְּדֵי שֶׁיּוֹרֶה הִשְׁתַּנּוּתָם עַל אַחְדוּתוֹ וְעַל חֶפְצוֹ בְּפָעֳלוֹ כמ״ש (תהלים קלה) כֹּל אֲשֶׁר חָפֵץ ה׳ עָשָׂה בַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ.
Since the Creator has free will in whatever He does, is not forced, needs nothing and is not forced by any nature, therefore He created things diverse, according as His wisdom each time dictated; so that the variety shall point to His unity and His free-will in whatever He does, as it is said "Whatsoever the L-ord pleased, has He done in heaven and on earth" (Tehilim 135:6).
וְהָאֱלֹהִים יוֹדֵעַ אִם בַּעֲבוּרָהּ לֹא הָיוּ כָּל הַבְּרִיּוֹת בִּדְמוּת אַחַת וּתְמוּנָה אַחַת וְהַדִּין נוֹתֵן בַּעֲבוּר זֶה הִשְׁתַּנּוּת סִימָנֵי הַחָכְמָה בַּבְּרוּאִים וְחָכְמָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ נֶעֶלְמָה מֵהַשִּׂיג. אַךְ זָכַרְנוּ אֶחָד מֵהַרְבֵּה פָּנִים שֶׁלֹּא הִגַּעְנוּ אֲלֵיהֶם וְלוֹ יִתְעַלֶּה הַחָכְמָה הַמַּגַּעַת וְאֵין אֱלוֹהַּ מִבַּלְעָדָיו:
G-d alone knows if it is on this account only that all creatures have not been made in one form and likeness; rationally it would seem that this is the purpose of the variety in the marks of wisdom exhibited in created things. But the Creator's wisdom is too exalted for us. What we have just mentioned is only one out of many other reasons to the knowledge of which we have not attained. Complete wisdom belongs to G-d alone, and there is no power beside Him.