על שינוי השמות י״דOn the Change of Names 14
א׳
1[88] Again, while the race has three founders it is the first and last of these, Abraham and Jacob, whose names were changed, while the middle founder, Isaac, has the same name throughout. Why is this? Because both the scholar’s form of virtue and the practiser’s are open to improving influences, since the former desires to know what he is ignorant of, the latter desires crowns of victory and the prizes offered to a soul which rejoices to toil and seek the vision of the truth. On the other hand the kind which has no teacher or pupil but itself, being made what it is by nature rather than by diligence, goes on its way from the first equal and perfect like an even number with no other needed as complement.
ב׳
2[89] Not so with the controller of bodily necessaries, Joseph. For he changes his name and receives the title of Psonthomphanech (Gen. 41:45) from the king of the country. The meaning of this also needs explanation. Joseph is by interpretation “addition,” and conventional goods are an adjunct of natural goods. The former are such as gold, silver, chattels, revenues, services of menials, abundant stocks of heirlooms and furniture and all other luxuries, and the instruments of pleasure ready to hand in numberless forms.
ג׳
3[90] The provider and superintendent of these, Joseph, is found to have the appropriate name of “Addition,” since he is invested with the direction of the imported adventitious wealth which is an addition to the natural. This is attested by the oracles which state that he stored up the food and managed the provisioning of the whole land (ibid. 48) of the body.