The author says: Regarding how many ways the unity of the Creator is conceived, I will answer as follows: Since the word "unity" spread among men of the unity (Jews), they became accustomed to using it frequently in their tongue and speech, until it became an expression of amazement whether for good or for bad.
And they use it to express their dread of great calamity, and to exaggerate it and to express amazement on it, and they don't put to heart to understand the true matter of what passes through their tongue (when reciting the Shema), due to ignorance and laziness. And they consider the matter of Unity is done for them when they finish (reciting) its words, and they do not sense that their heart is devoid of His truth and that their mind is empty of its meaning because they declare His unity with their tongue and in words. They will conceive Him in their hearts to be more than One (i.e. with forms of "plurality" as will be explained) and represent Him in their minds with the likeness of other "unities" to be found, and they will speak of His attributes in a way that cannot belong to the true Unity, because they don't understand the matter of true Unity versus temporary unity, except for a treasured few who plumbed the depths of wisdom and understood the matter of the Creator versus the created, and the characteristics of true Unity and what G-d is singular in.
The philosopher spoke truth when he said: "no one can serve the Cause of causes and Beginning of beginnings except the prophet of the generation with his senses or the primary (perfect - TL) philosopher with the wisdom he acquired, but others serve other than Him, since they cannot conceive what exists, but rather can only conceive that which is composite.
(1) Unity of G-d in the tongue only. This level is reached by the child and the simpleton who does not understand the matter of (true) religion, and in whose heart its truth is not fixed.
(2) Unity of G-d in the mind and in the tongue through Tradition, because he believes those who he received from, but he does not understand the truth of the matter through his own intellect and understanding. He is like the blind man who follows the seeing man, and it is possible that the one he follows received the Tradition from a receiver like himself, whereby it would be like a procession of blind men where each one places his hands on the shoulders of the fellow before him until at the head is a seeing man who guides them all. If the seeing man fails them or neglects them and is not careful to guard them, or if one of the blind men in the chain stumbles or some other trouble happens - all of them will share the same fate, and will stray from the path; and it is possible they will fall in a pit or ditch, or they will stumble in something which blocks their progress.
Similarly for one who proclaims the unity out of tradition, one cannot be sure he will not come to association, that if he hears the words of the Meshanim and their claims, it is possible that he will change his outlook, and will err without noticing. Because of this our Sages said: "Be eager to study the Torah and know what to respond to an apikoros (heretic)" (Pirkei Avos 2:14).
(3) The third group: Unity of G-d with the mind and the tongue after one can bring logical proofs demonstrating the truth of His existence, but without understanding the matter of true Unity versus temporary unity. This is like a seeing man who is travelling along the road, wishing to reach a faraway land. Even though he knows the general direction, but the road splits to many uncertain roads, and he does not recognize the correct road which leads to the city he wishes to reach.
He will greatly tire himself and will fail to reach his destination, because he does not know the (correct) road, as the verse says: "the toil of the fool will tire him who knows not to reach a city" (Eccles. 10:15).
(4) The fourth group: Acknowledgement of the Unity of G-d with the mind and the tongue after one knows how to bring proofs on it, and to comprehend the truth of His Unity through intellectual derivation and correct, sound reasoning - this is the complete and important group, and this is the level which the prophet exhorted us in saying: "Know therefore this day, and set it in your heart, that the L-ord He is G-d" (Deut. 4:39).
אָמַר הַמְחַבֵּר אַךְ עַל כַּמָּה פָּנִים מִתְחַלֵּק יִחוּד הַבּוֹרֵא. אוֹמַר. מִפְּנֵי שֶׁפָּשְׁטָה מִלַּת יִחוּד בְּדִבְרֵי אַנְשֵׁי הַיִּחוּד הִרְגִּילוּ בָּהּ הַרְבֵּה בִּלְשׁוֹנָם וּבְמִלּוֹתָם תָּמִיד עַד אֲשֶׁר שָׁבָה אֶצְלָם מִמִּלּוֹת הַתֵּמַהּ עַל הַטּוֹב וְעַל הָרַע,
The author says: Regarding how many ways the unity of the Creator is conceived, I will answer as follows: Since the word "unity" spread among men of the unity (Jews), they became accustomed to using it frequently in their tongue and speech, until it became an expression of amazement whether for good or for bad.
וְהֵם מִשְׁתַּמְּשִׁים בָּהּ בְּחֶרְדָתָם לְצָרָה גְּדוֹלָה לְהַגְדִּילָהּ וּלְהַפְלִיא עִנְיָנָהּ וְאֵינָם מַעֲלִים עַל מַחְשַׁבְתָּם לְהָבִין אֲמִתַּת עִנְיַן מָה שֶׁיַּעֲבִירוּ עַל לְשׁוֹנָם מִן הַסִּכְלוּת וְהָעַצְלוּת וְהֵם חוֹשְׁבִים כִּי עִנְיַן הַיִּחוּד נִגְמַר לָהֶם כַּאֲשֶׁר נִגְמְרָה מִלָּתוֹ וְלֹא יַרְגִּישׁוּ כִּי לִבּוֹתָם רֵיקִים מֵאֲמִתָּתוֹ וּמַצְפּוּנֵיהֶם נְעוּרִים מֵעִנְיָנוֹ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמְּיַחֲדִים אוֹתוֹ בִּלְשׁוֹנָם וּבְמִלֵּיהֶם וְיַחְשְׁבוּהוּ בִּלְבָבָם יוֹתֵר מֵהָאֶחָד וִידַמּוּהוּ בְּמַצְפּוּנָם בִּדְמוּת שְׁאָר הָאֲחָדִים הַנִּמְצָאִים וִיסַפְּרוּ אוֹתוֹ בְּמִדּוֹת לֹא תֵּאֹתְנָה לָאֶחָד הָאֱמֶת בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁאֵינָם יוֹדְעִים עִנְיַן הָאֶחָד הָאֱמֶת וְעִנְיַן הָאֶחָד הָעוֹבֵר אֶלָּא הַסְּגֻלָּה מֵאַנְשֵׁי הַיִּחוּד שֶׁהֶעֱמִיקוּ בַּחָכְמָה וְהֵבִינוּ עִנְיַן הַבּוֹרֵא וְהַנִּבְרָא וְחֻקֵּי הָאֶחָד הָאֱמֶת וּמָה שֶׁהוּא מִתְבּוֹדֵד בּוֹ.
And they use it to express their dread of great calamity, and to exaggerate it and to express amazement on it, and they don't put to heart to understand the true matter of what passes through their tongue (when reciting the Shema), due to ignorance and laziness. And they consider the matter of Unity is done for them when they finish (reciting) its words, and they do not sense that their heart is devoid of His truth and that their mind is empty of its meaning because they declare His unity with their tongue and in words. They will conceive Him in their hearts to be more than One (i.e. with forms of "plurality" as will be explained) and represent Him in their minds with the likeness of other "unities" to be found, and they will speak of His attributes in a way that cannot belong to the true Unity, because they don't understand the matter of true Unity versus temporary unity, except for a treasured few who plumbed the depths of wisdom and understood the matter of the Creator versus the created, and the characteristics of true Unity and what G-d is singular in.
וֶאֱמֶת אָמַר הַפִילוֹסוֹף בְּאָמְרוֹ ״לֹא יוּכַל לַעֲבֹד עִלַּת הָעִלּוֹת וּתְחִלַּת הַהַתְחָלוֹת אֶלָּא נְבִיא הַדּוֹר בְּטִבְעוֹ אוֹ הַפִילוֹסוֹף הַמֻּבְהָק בַּמֶּה שֶׁקָּנָהוּ מִן הַחָכְמָה אֲבָל זוּלָתָם, עוֹבְדִים זוּלָתוֹ, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵינָם מְבִינִים נִמְצָא אֶלָּא מֻרְכָּב״.
The philosopher spoke truth when he said: "no one can serve the Cause of causes and Beginning of beginnings except the prophet of the generation with his senses or the primary (perfect - TL) philosopher with the wisdom he acquired, but others serve other than Him, since they cannot conceive what exists, but rather can only conceive that which is composite.
וּבַעֲבוּר זֶה מִתְחַלֵּק הַיִּחוּד כְּפִי הִתְחַלְּקוּת דֵּעוֹת בְּנֵי אָדָם וְיִתְרוֹן הַכָּרָתָם עַל אַרְבָּעָה חֲלָקִים:
Because of this the acceptance of the Unity falls into four divisions, corresponding to the different levels of recognition and understanding in men:
תְּחִלָּתָם יִחוּד הָאֵל בַּלָּשׁוֹן בִּלְבַד וְהַמַּעֲלָה הַזֹּאת הִיא הַמַּעֲלָה אֲשֶׁר יַגִּיעַ אֵלֶיהָ הַקָּטָן וְהַפֶּתִי אֲשֶׁר אֵינֶנּוּ יוֹדֵעַ עִנְיַן הָאֱמוּנָה וְאֵין אֲמִתָּתָהּ קָבוּעַ בְּלִבּוֹ.
(1) Unity of G-d in the tongue only. This level is reached by the child and the simpleton who does not understand the matter of (true) religion, and in whose heart its truth is not fixed.
וְהַחֵלֶק הַשֵּׁנִי הוּא יִחוּד הָאֵל בַּלֵּב וּבַלָּשׁוֹן ע״י הַקַּבָּלָה מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא מַאֲמִין בְּמִי שֶׁקִּבֵּל מֵהֶם וְאֵינֶנּוּ יוֹדֵעַ אֲמִתַּת הָעִנְיָן מִצַּד שִׂכְלוֹ וּתְבוּנָתוֹ וְהוּא כְּעִוֵּר הַנִּמְשָׁךְ אַחֲרֵי פִּקֵּחַ וְאֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיְּקַבֵּל מִמְּקַבֵּל כְּמוֹתוֹ וְהוּא כְּחֶבְרַת עִוְרִים שָׂם כָּל אֶחָד מֵהֶם יָדוֹ עַל שְׁכֶם חֲבֵרוֹ עַד שֶׁהִגִּיעוּ אֶל הַפִּקֵּחַ אֲשֶׁר בְּרֹאשׁ הַחֲבוּרָה שֶׁמַּנְהִיגָם שֶׁאִם יִפְשַׁע הַפִּקֵּחַ הַזֶּה בָּהֶם וְיִתְעַלֵּם מֵהֶם וְלֹא יִזָּהֵר בִּשְׁמִירָתָם אוֹ אִם יִכָּשֵׁל אֶחָד מֵהֶם אוֹ יִקְרֵהוּ מִקְרֶה, יִקְרֶה לַכֹּל הַמִּקְרֶה הַהוּא וְיִתְעוּ מִנִּי דֶּרֶךְ וְאֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיִּפְּלוּ בְּבוֹר אוֹ בְּגֻמִּין אוֹ שֶׁיִּכָּשְׁלוּ בְּדָבָר שֶׁיִּמְנָעֵם מִלֶּכֶת.
(2) Unity of G-d in the mind and in the tongue through Tradition, because he believes those who he received from, but he does not understand the truth of the matter through his own intellect and understanding. He is like the blind man who follows the seeing man, and it is possible that the one he follows received the Tradition from a receiver like himself, whereby it would be like a procession of blind men where each one places his hands on the shoulders of the fellow before him until at the head is a seeing man who guides them all. If the seeing man fails them or neglects them and is not careful to guard them, or if one of the blind men in the chain stumbles or some other trouble happens - all of them will share the same fate, and will stray from the path; and it is possible they will fall in a pit or ditch, or they will stumble in something which blocks their progress.
וְכֵן הַמְיַחֵד מִצַּד הַקַּבָּלָה אֵין בּוֹטְחִין בּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יָבֹא לִידֵי שִׁתּוּף שֶׁאִם יִשְׁמַע דִּבְרֵי הַמִּינִים וְטַעֲנוֹתָם אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁתִּשְׁתַּנֶּה דַּעְתּוֹ וְיִטְעֶה וְלֹא יַכִּיר וּמִפְּנֵי זֶה אָמְרוּ רז״ל הֱוֵי שָׁקוּד לִלְמוֹד תּוֹרָה וְדַע מָה שֶׁתָּשִׁיב לָאֶפִּיקוֹרוֹס.
Similarly for one who proclaims the unity out of tradition, one cannot be sure he will not come to association, that if he hears the words of the Meshanim and their claims, it is possible that he will change his outlook, and will err without noticing. Because of this our Sages said: "Be eager to study the Torah and know what to respond to an apikoros (heretic)" (Pirkei Avos 2:14).
וְהַחֵלֶק הַג׳ מֵחֶלְקֵי הַיִּחוּד הוּא יִחוּד הַבּוֹרֵא בַּלֵּב וּבְלָשׁוֹן אַחֵר שֶׁיּוּכַל לְהָבִיא עָלָיו רְאָיוֹת עַל אֲמִתַּת מְצִיאוּתוֹ כְּדֶרֶךְ הָעִיּוּן מִבְּלִי דַּעַת עִנְיַן הָאֶחָד הָאֱמֶת וְהָאֶחָד הָעוֹבֵר. וְזֶה דּוֹמֶה לְפִקֵּחַ שֶׁהוּא הוֹלֵךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ וְהוּא רוֹצֶה לָלֶכֶת אֶל אֶרֶץ רְחוֹקָה וְהַדֶּרֶךְ מִתְחַלֶּקֶת לִדְרָכִים רַבִּים מְסֻפָּקִים וְאֵינֶנּוּ יוֹדֵעַ וּמַכִּיר הַדֶּרֶךְ הַנְּכוֹנָה אֶל הָעִיר אֲשֶׁר שָׂם מְגַמָּתוֹ אֵלֶיהָ אע״פ שֶׁהוּא יוֹדֵעַ אוֹתוֹ הַצַּד וְאוֹתָהּ הַפֵּאָה,
(3) The third group: Unity of G-d with the mind and the tongue after one can bring logical proofs demonstrating the truth of His existence, but without understanding the matter of true Unity versus temporary unity. This is like a seeing man who is travelling along the road, wishing to reach a faraway land. Even though he knows the general direction, but the road splits to many uncertain roads, and he does not recognize the correct road which leads to the city he wishes to reach.
וְהוּא יָגֵעַ לִמְאֹד וְאֵינֶנּוּ מַגִּיעַ אֶל חֶפְצוֹ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ הַדֶּרֶךְ כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (קהלת י) עֲמַל הַכְּסִילִים תְּיַגְּעֶנּוּ אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָדַע לָלֶכֶת אֶל עִיר.
He will greatly tire himself and will fail to reach his destination, because he does not know the (correct) road, as the verse says: "the toil of the fool will tire him who knows not to reach a city" (Eccles. 10:15).
וְהַחֵלֶק הָרְבִיעִי הוּא יִחוּד הָאֱלֹהִים בַּלֵּב וּבַלָּשׁוֹן אַחַר אֲשֶׁר יֵדַע לְהָבִיא הָרְאָיוֹת עָלָיו וְלַעֲמֹד עַל אֲמִתַּת אַחְדוּתוֹ מִדֶּרֶךְ הָעִיּוּן וְהַסְּבָרוֹת הַנְּכוֹנוֹת הַשִּׂכְלִיּוֹת וְזֶהוּ הַחֵלֶק הַשָּׁלֵם וְהֶחָשׁוּב שֶׁבָּהֶם וְהַמַּעֲלָה הַזֹּאת הִיא אֲשֶׁר הִזְהִיר עָלֶיהָ הַנָּבִיא בְּאָמְרוֹ (דברים ד) וְיָדַעְתָּ הַיּוֹם וַהֲשֵׁבֹתָ אֶל לְבָבֶךָ כִּי ה׳ הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים וְגוֹמֵר:
(4) The fourth group: Acknowledgement of the Unity of G-d with the mind and the tongue after one knows how to bring proofs on it, and to comprehend the truth of His Unity through intellectual derivation and correct, sound reasoning - this is the complete and important group, and this is the level which the prophet exhorted us in saying: "Know therefore this day, and set it in your heart, that the L-ord He is G-d" (Deut. 4:39).