לימוד יומי

דוּבָזֶה יוּבַן כֶּפֶל לְשׁוֹן הַשְּׁבוּעָה: ״תְּהִי צַדִּיק, וְאַל תְּהִי רָשָׁע״; דְּלִכְאוֹרָה תָּמוּהַּ, כִּי מֵאַחַר שֶׁמַּשְׁבִּיעִים אוֹתוֹ ״תְּהִי צַדִּיק״, לָמָּה צְרִיכִים לְהַשְׁבִּיעוֹ עוֹד שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה רָשָׁע?

4Now we can understand the redundancy of the oath, “Be righteous (tzaddik) and be not wicked,”¹³ which is unintelligible at first glance: Since he is warned, “Be righteous!” where is the need to put him on oath again that he shall not be wicked?

האֶלָּא, מִשּׁוּם שֶׁאֵין כָּל אָדָם זוֹכֶה לִהְיוֹת צַדִּיק, וְאֵין לָאָדָם מִשְׁפַּט הַבְּחִירָה בָּזֶה כָּל כָּךְ, לְהִתְעַנֵּג עַל ה׳ בֶּאֱמֶת, וְשֶׁיִּהְיֶה הָרָע מָאוּס מַמָּשׁ בֶּאֱמֶת, וְלָכֵן מַשְׁבִּיעִים שֵׁנִית ״אַל תְּהִי רָשָׁע״ עַל כָּל פָּנִים, שֶׁבָּזֶה – מִשְׁפַּט הַבְּחִירָה וְהָרְשׁוּת נְתוּנָה לְכָל אָדָם לִמְשׁוֹל בְּרוּחַ תַּאֲוָתוֹ שֶׁבְּלִבּוֹ וְלִכְבּוֹשׁ יִצְרוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה רָשָׁע אֲפִילוּ שָׁעָה אַחַת כָּל יָמָיו, בֵּין בִּבְחִינַת ״סוּר מֵרָע״, בֵּין בִּבְחִינַת ״וַעֲשֵׂה טוֹב״, – וְ״אֵין טוֹב אֶלָּא תוֹרָה״, דְּהַיְינוּ תַּלְמוּד תּוֹרָה שֶׁכְּנֶגֶד כּוּלָּן.

5The answer is that inasmuch as not everyone is privileged to become a tzaddik, nor has a person the full advantage of choice in this matter to experience true delight in G–d and to actually and truly abhor evil; he is consequently adjured a second time, “You shall,” at any rate, “not be wicked!” Here the right of choice and freedom is extended to every person, to check the drive of his heart’s desire and to conquer his nature, so that he shall not be wicked even for a moment throughout his life, whether in the realm of “turn away from evil” or in that of “do good,” there being no “good” other than Torah,¹⁴ that is, the “study of the Torah which balances them all.”

ואַךְ אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן, צָרִיךְ לִקְבּוֹעַ לוֹ עִתִּים גַּם כֵּן לָשִׁית עֵצוֹת בְּנַפְשׁוֹ לִהְיוֹת מוֹאֵס בְּרָע, כְּגוֹן, בַּעֲצַת חֲכָמֵינוּ־זִכְרוֹנָם־לִבְרָכָה: ״אִשָּׁה – חֵמֶת מְלֵאָה צוֹאָה כוּ׳״, וּכְהַאי גַּוְונָא, וְכֵן כָּל מִינֵי מַטְעַמִּים וּמַעֲדַנִּים נַעֲשִׂים כָּךְ: חֵמֶת מָלֵא כוּ׳; וְכֵן כָּל תַּעֲנוּגֵי עוֹלָם הַזֶּה, הֶחָכָם רוֹאֶה הַנּוֹלָד מֵהֶן, שֶׁסּוֹפָן לִרְקוֹב וְלִהְיוֹת רִמָּה וְאַשְׁפָּה.

6Nevertheless, a person must set aside specific periods in which to commune with his soul in order to cultivate the abhorrence of evil, as, for example, reminding himself of the admonition of our Sages¹⁵ that “a woman is a vessel full of filth…,”¹⁶ and in like manner. So, too, all dainties and delicacies turn into a “vessel full of filth.” Likewise in regard to all pleasures of this world, the wise man foresees what becomes of them, for in the end they rot and become worms and dung.

זוְהַהֵפֶךְ, לְהִתְעַנֵּג וְלִשְׂמוֹחַ בַּה׳ – עַל יְדֵי הִתְבּוֹנְנוּת בִּגְדוּלַּת אֵין־סוֹף בָּרוּךְ־הוּא כְּפִי יְכוֹלְתּוֹ, אַף שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ בְּנַפְשׁוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יַגִּיעַ לְמַדְרֵגָה זוֹ בֶּאֱמֶת לַאֲמִיתּוֹ – כִּי אִם בְּדִמְיוֹנוֹת – אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן, הוּא יַעֲשֶׂה אֶת שֶׁלּוֹ, לְקַיֵּים אֶת הַשְּׁבוּעָה שֶׁמַּשְׁבִּיעִים ״תְּהִי צַדִּיק״, וַה׳ יַעֲשֶׂה הַטּוֹב בְּעֵינָיו.

7Conversely, [let him] delight and rejoice in G–d by reflection on the greatness of the En Sof, blessed is He, to the best of his capacity. He may well realize that he cannot attain to this degree with a full measure of truth except in illusion; nevertheless he should do his part in an effort to uphold the oath administered to him, “Be righteous,” and G–d will do as He sees fit.

חוְעוֹד, שֶׁהַהֶרְגֵּל עַל כָּל דָּבָר – שִׁלְטוֹן, וְנַעֲשֶׂה טֶבַע שֵׁנִי, וּכְשֶׁיַּרְגִּיל לְמָאֵס אֶת הָרָע – יִהְיֶה נִמְאָס קְצָת בֶּאֱמֶת, וּכְשֶׁיַּרְגִּיל לְשַׂמֵּחַ נַפְשוֹ בַּה׳ עַל יְדֵי הִתְבּוֹנְנוּת בִּגְדוּלַּת ה׳, הֲרֵי בְּאִתְעָרוּתָא דִלְתַתָּא אִתְעָרוּתָא דִלְעֵילָּא, וְכוּלֵּי הַאי וְאוּלַי יֵעָרֶה עָלָיו רוּחַ מִמָּרוֹם, וְיִזְכֶּה לִבְחִינַת רוּחַ מִשֹּׁרֶשׁ אֵיזֶה צַדִּיק שֶׁתִּתְעַבֵּר בּוֹ – לַעֲבוֹד ה׳ בְּשִׂמְחָה אֲמִיתִּית, כְּדִכְתִיב: ״שִׂמְחוּ צַדִּיקִים בַּה׳״, וְתִתְקַיֵּים בּוֹ בֶּאֱמֶת הַשְּׁבוּעָה שֶׁמַּשְׁבִּיעִים: ״תְּהִי צַדִּיק״:

8Furthermore, habitude reigns supreme in any sphere and becomes second nature. Therefore if he accustoms himself to despise evil, it will to some extent become despicable in truth; similarly, when he accustoms himself to gladden his heart in G–d, through reflection on His greatness—for self-impulsion induces heavenly inspiration.¹⁷ With all that, perhaps a spirit from above will descend upon him, and he will merit something of the spirit (ruach) that is rooted in some tzaddik that will attach itself to him, so that he may serve G–d with true joy, as is written, “Rejoice, in the L–rd, you righteous.”¹⁸ Then will in truth be fulfilled in him the avowed oath: “Be righteous.”

91 See above, chs. 11 and 12.

102 Prayer time, for instance, is more propitious, as mentioned in ch. 12. See note 5, ibid.

113 Psalms 34:15.

124 Note that “thought” is also included in the ability of self-control.

135 Isaiah 59:2.

146 Psalms 5:12.

157 Referring to the two categories of tzaddik (above, ch. 10).

168 Berachot 17a.

179 Numbers 18:7.

1810 Cf. below, ch. 43.

1911 The category of tzaddik is therefore “created,” i.e., given to a very few by Divine grace, and not easily attainable by one’s own efforts. Hence it is possible for Job to say, “You have created righteous men.” See beg. ch. 1.

2012 Introduction 1b.

2113 See above, beg. ch. 1.

2214 Berachot 5a.

2315 Shabbat 152a.

2416 In her menstrual period.

2517 Zohar II:135b.

2618 Psalms 97:12.

Kehot Publication Society (English Translation)