מַאֲמָר ב׳ · תִּקּוּן הַמִּדּוֹת

אִם אַתֶּם מְקַבְּלִים הַתּוֹרָה מוּטָב וְאִם לָאו שָׁם תְּהֵא קְבוּרַתְכֶם.

If you accept the Torah, good; and if not, there will be your burial.

מִכָּאן מוֹדָעָא רַבָּה לְאוֹרַיְיתָא.

From here is a great declaration for the Torah.

קִיְּמוּ וְקִבְּלוּ הַיְּהוּדִים (אֶסְתֵּר ט"ט), קִיְּמוּ מַה שֶּׁקִּבְּלוּ כְּבָר.

The Jews 'established and accepted' (Esther 9:27) they established what they had already accepted.

(שַׁבָּת פ"ח).

(Shabbos 88).

לְאֵיזֶה עִנְיָן הוּצְרְכוּ לִכְפּוֹת הָהָר כְּגִיגִית,

For what matter was it necessary to force the mountain over them like a barrel,

הֲלֹא עָמְדוּ אָז בְּמַדְרֵגָה גְּבוֹהָה מְאֹד וְהִגִּיעוּ לָזֶה שֶׁהִקְדִּימוּ נַעֲשֶׂה לְנִשְׁמָע,

Did they not then stand on a very high madreiga, and reach this, that they declared 'na'aseh' before 'nishmah'?

וּבְאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה פָּסְקָה זוּהֲמָתָם (עַיֵּין עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה כ"ב),

And at that time their spiritual impurity ceased (see Avodah Zarah 22),

וְהִגִּיעוּ לְמַדְרֵגַת אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן קֹדֶם הַחֵטְא,

And they reached the madreiga of Adam HaRishon before the cheit,

וְלָשׁוּם מַה הָיְתָה כְּפִיָּה זוֹ?

And for what purpose was this coercion?

מַה עִכֵּב בַּעֲדָם וְהִפְרִיעַ אוֹתָם וּמַה הִכְבִּיד עֲלֵיהֶם,

What held them back and disturbed them, and what weighed heavily upon them,

עַד שֶׁהָיָה מִן הַהֶכְרֵחַ לִכְפּוֹף אוֹתָם,

until it was necessary to compel them,

הֲלֹא הָיוּ עוֹמְדִים אָז בְּמַדְרֵגַת הִתְפַּשְּׁטוּת הַגַּשְׁמִיּוּת?

Were they not standing then at the level of the stripping away of physicality?

וּמַה שֶּׁיּוֹתֵר תָּמוּהַּ הוּא, שֶׁהַדּוֹר שֶׁהָיָה בִּימֵי אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ,

And what is even more astonishing is that the generation that was in the days of Achashverosh,

אוֹתוֹ הַדּוֹר שֶׁנֶּהֱנָה מִסְּעוּדַת אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ,

That very generation that enjoyed Achashverosh's feast,

וְשֶׁאֶצְלוֹ הָיוּ כָּל הַמַּפְרִיעִים,

and that with him were all the disturbances,

וְשֶׁלְּפִי הַשְׁקָפָה רִאשׁוֹנָה תָּמוּהַּ מְאֹד,

And that, according to a first glance, is very puzzling,

אֵיךְ זֶה יָכְלוּ לְהַפְקִיר אֶת הֶעָבָר שֶׁלָּהֶם וּלְשַׁנּוֹת אֶת כָּל אֹפֶן חַיֵּיהֶם וּלְסַדְּרָם עַל פִּי דֶּרֶךְ הַתּוֹרָה,

How is it that they were able to abandon their past and change their entire way of life and arrange it according to the path of the Torah,

דַּוְקָא אוֹתוֹ דּוֹר קִבֵּל אֶת הַתּוֹרָה בְּרָצוֹן גָּמוּר וּבְחִירָה חָפְשִׁית וְלֹא מֵאוֹנֶס,

Specifically that generation accepted the Torah with complete will and free choice, and not out of coercion,

וְהַדּוֹר שֶׁעָמְדוּ עַל הַר סִינַי,

And the generation that stood at Har Sinai,

שֶׁהִגִּיעוּ לְמַדְרֵגַת שֵׂכֶל פָּשׁוּט וְעָמְדוּ לְמַעְלָה מִכָּל הַמַּפְרִיעִים וְהַמִּקְרִים בָּהֶם נֶאֱמַר שֶׁכָּפָה עֲלֵיהֶם הַר כְּגִיגִית.

that they reached the madreiga of simple intellect and stood above all the disturbances and occurrences, regarding whom it is said that He suspended the mountain over them like a barrel.

צַדִּיקִים נִדְמֶה לָהֶם כְּהַר גָּבוֹהַּ וּרְשָׁעִים נִדְמֶה לָהֶם כְּחוּט הַשַּׂעֲרָה (סוּכָּה נ"ב).

For tzaddikim, it appears to them like a high mountain, and for resha'im, it appears to them like a hair-thin thread (Sukkah 52a).

בְּאוּר הַדָּבָר, כִּי כָּל כֹּה הַיֵּצֶר וּגְבוּרָתוֹ בָּזֶה,

The explanation of the matter is that all the yetzer hara's power and might in this,

שֶׁאֵינוֹ בָּא אֶל הָאָדָם בְּפַעַם אַחַת לְהָסִיתוֹ לַעֲקוֹר אֶת הַכֹּל וּלְהַפְקִיר אֶת עַצְמוֹ לְגַמְרֵי,

for it does not come to a person all at once to incite him to uproot everything and to completely abandon himself,

כִּי אָז וַדַּאי לֹא יִשְׁמַע לוֹ,

for then surely he will not listen to him,

מִשּׁוּם שֶׁרוֹאֶה הוּא בְּחוּשׁ, שֶׁרַע וּמַר תִּהְיֶה דַּרְכּוֹ וְהַמִּדּוֹת יוֹצִיאוּ אוֹתוֹ מִן הָעוֹלָם,

Because he sees with his senses that his path will be bitter and evil, and his middos will remove him from the world,

וְלֹא יֹאבֶה וְלֹא יִשְׁמַע לוֹ.

And he will not desire, and he will not listen to it.

אֶלָּא בָּא הוּא עָלָיו בְּעָרְמָה וּבְתַחְבּוּלוֹת-מִלְחָמָה,

Rather, he comes upon him with cunning and with war-tactics,

וּכְשֶׁהוּא רוֹצֶה לְלַכֵּד אוֹתוֹ בִּמְצוּדָתוֹ,

And when it wants to trap him in its net,

מְפַתֵּהוּ מִתְּחִלָּה, שֶׁיִּשְׁמַע לוֹ אֶל דָּבָר קָטָן — חוּט הַשַּׂעֲרָה מַמָּשׁ.

It entices him at first, that he should listen to it for a small matter — literally a hair's breadth.

לְפִי הַשְׁקָפָה רִאשׁוֹנָה לֹא יַעֲשֶׂה עָלָיו שׁוּם רֹשֶׁם וּבָטוּחַ שֶׁלֹּא יַזִּיק לוֹ,

According to a first glance, it will not make any impression on him, and it is certain that it will not harm him,

וּכְשֶׁשָּׁמַע לוֹ בַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה וְנִתְקָרֵב עַל יְדֵי זֶה לְדָבָר יוֹתֵר גָּדוֹל,

And when he listened to him in this matter, and through this he drew closer to a greater matter,

מְשָׁכוֹ הַיֵּצֶר לִקְרֹב לוֹ וּמִשָּׁם הָלְאָה,

The yetzer hara pulled him to draw close to it, and from there onward,

עַד שֶׁמּוֹשְׁכוֹ לַעֲקוֹר אֶת כָּל הַתּוֹרָה וְאֶת חַיָּיו מִן הָעוֹלָם,

until it pulls him to uproot all the Torah and his life from the world,

הוֹי מוֹשְׁכֵי הֶעָוֹן בְּחַבְלֵי הַשָּׁוְא

Woe to those who draw sin with ropes of futility (Yeshayahu 5:18).

שֶׁהַצַּדִּיק הָרוֹאֶה אֶת הַנּוֹלָד,

that the tzaddik who sees what is to be born,

רוֹאֶה אֶת אוֹתוֹ חוּט הַשְּׂעָרָה,

He sees that very hair-thin thread,

שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה לוֹכֵד הַיֵּצֶר אֶת הָאָדָם בְּרִשְׁתּוֹ,

for through this the yetzer hara traps a person in its net,

כְּהַר גָּבוֹהַּ, כִּי יוֹדֵעַ הוּא שֶׁ"כָּךְ דַּרְכּוֹ שֶׁל יֵצֶר הָרָע הַיּוֹם אוֹמֵר לוֹ עֲשֵׂה כָּךְ וּמָחָר אוֹמֵר לוֹ עֲשֵׂה כָּךְ עַד שֶׁאוֹמֵר לוֹ עֲבוֹר עֲכוּ"ם (שַׁבָּת ק"ה).

like a high mountain, for he knows that "such is the way of the yetzer hara: today it tells him, 'do this,' and tomorrow it tells him, 'do that,' until it tells him, 'go worship an idol' (Shabbos 105a).

וּמִשּׁוּם זֶה יָרֵא מֵ"חוּט הַשַּׂעֲרָה" כְּמוֹ שֶׁהוּא יָרֵא מִן "הָהָר",

And because of this, he fears a "hair's breadth" just as he fears "the mountain",

וְאוֹזֵר כָּל כֹּחוֹתָיו לְכָבְשׁוֹ,

and he girds all his strengths to conquer it,

כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יָבֹא לִידֵי מַעֲשֶׂה כְּהַר.

So that he should not come to an act like a mountain.

וְהָרָשָׁע, אֲשֶׁר כְּסוּמָא לֹא רָאָה אוֹר מִיָּמָיו,

And the wicked person, who like a blind man never saw light in his days,

דָּן אֶת חוּט הַשַּׂעֲרָה כְּמוֹ שֶׁהוּא נִרְאֶה לְמַרְאֵה עֵינָיו וְאֵינוֹ חָשׁ לְהִזָּהֵר מִמֶּנּוּ וּלְהַטֵּט אַחֲרָיו,

He judges the hair-thin thread as it appears to his eyes, and he does not feel the need to be careful of it or to search after it,

כִּי לְפִי דַעְתּוֹ לֹא יַזִּיק לוֹ כְּלוּם וְלֹא יַעֲשֶׂה שׁוּם רוֹשֶׁם עָלָיו,

For according to his understanding, it will not harm him at all, and it will not make any impression upon him,

וְהוֹלֵךְ הוּא מֵחוּט שְׂעָרָה זֶה שֶׁלְּאַחֲרָיו וּמִשָּׁם הָלְאָה,

And he goes from this hair-thin line that is behind him and from there onward,

עַד שֶׁמּוֹשֵׁךְ עָלָיו כָּל הָהָר, וְלֹא יוּכַל לָזוּז מִדַּרְכּוֹ הָרַע וְיָמוּת בְּרִשְׁעוֹ.

until he draws upon himself the entire mountain, and he will not be able to move from his evil path and will die in his wickedness.

הַרְבֵּה אֲנָשִׁים שֶׁאֵינָם מַנִּיחִים תְּפִילִּין וְעוֹבְרִים עַל כָּל הַתּוֹרָה,

Many people who do not lay tefillin and transgress the entire Torah,

בַּאֲשֶׁר אֵינָהּ נֶחְשֶׁבֶת בְּעֵינֵיהֶם וּלְכְלוּם,

because it is not considered in their eyes as anything at all,

שֶׁבִּתְחִלָּתָם הָיוּ מְבַקְּשִׁים לְלַמֵּד וְגַם לְקַיֵּם,

that at their beginning they would seek to teach and also to fulfill,

אָמְנָם מִשּׁוּם שֶׁלֹּא בָּא אֲלֵיהֶם הַיֵּצֶר בְּפַעַם אַחַת לְהוֹרִידָם מֵאִיגְרָא רָמָא לְבֵירָא עֲמִיקְתָּא,

However, because the yetzer hara did not come to them all at once to bring them down from a lofty roof to a deep pit,

אֶלָּא מְעַט מְעַט, מִמַּדְרֵגָה אַחַר מַדְרֵגָה,

Rather, little by little, from one level after another level,

מִשּׁוּם זֶה לֹא הִרְגִּישׁוּ בְּרָעָתָם וְנִלְכְּדוּ בְּרִשְׁתּוֹ.

Because of this, they did not feel their evil, and they were trapped in his net.

בַּתְּחִלָּה הֵקֵלּוּ לְעַצְמָם לִקְרוֹא סְפָרִים כָּאֵלֶּה,

At first, they were lenient with themselves to read such books,

שֶׁלְּפִי דַּעְתָּם אֵינָם בִּכְלַל סְפָרִים חִיצוֹנִיִּים,

that according to their opinion are not included in external books,

וְהִשְׁקִיעוּ מַחְשְׁבוֹתֵיהֶם בָּזֶה,

And they immersed their thoughts in this,

כְּדֵי לְחַזֵּק עַל יָדָם אֶת חוֹמַת דָּתָם.

In order to strengthen through them the wall of their Torah.

וּמִסְפָּרִים כָּאֵלֶּה נִמְשְׁכוּ לְבַקֵּשׁ גַּם אֵלּוּ שֶׁאֵין,

And for such numbers, even those who are not [yet on that level] were drawn to seek [it],

לְפִי דַּעְתָּם, נִזְקָם גָּדוֹל יוֹתֵר מִתּוֹעַלְתָּם וּבִכְלָל סְפָרִים הַחִיצוֹנִיִּים הֵמָּה אַךְ לְפִי הַשְׁקָפָתָם הֵם.

According to their view, their damage is greater than their benefit, and in general, the external books are only according to their perspective.

וְיָרְדוּ לְאַט לְאַט עַד שֶׁהִרְשׁוּ לְעַצְמָם לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ גַּם בְּסִפְרֵי מִינִים שֶׁכֻּלָּם נֶזֶק וְאַבְדּוֹן,

And they descended slowly, slowly, until they permitted themselves to use even books of heretics, all of which are damage and destruction,

עַד שֶׁיָּצְאוּ לְגַמְרֵי לְתַרְבּוּת רָעָה וְנַעֲשׂוּ לְפוֹרְקֵי עֹל הַתּוֹרָה וְהַדָּת,

until they completely went out to a bad culture and became those who cast off the yoke of Torah and religion,

וְכָל זֶה בָּא לָהֶם מִשּׁוּם שֶׁלֹּא הִשְׂכִּילוּ מֵרֹאשׁ לִרְאוֹת אֶת הַנּוֹלָד,

And all this came to them because they did not understand from the outset to see what would be born (i.e., what would come to be).

וְלוּ הָיוּ רוֹאִים מִיָּד בְּחוּט הַשַּׂעֲרָה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה שֶׁיִּסְתַּבֵּב מִזֶּה לְהַר גָּבוֹהַּ, בְּוַדַּאי לֹא הָיוּ מְקִילִים לְעַצְמָן כָּל כָּךְ בִּתְחִלָּתָם.

And if they would see immediately, from the very first hair-thin thread, that from this it would become entangled into a high mountain, certainly they would not be so lenient with themselves at their beginning.

גַּם יָרָבְעָם בֶּן נְבָט, שֶׁחָטָא וְהֶחֱטִיא אֶת הָרַבִּים,

Even Yeravam ben Nevat, who sinned and caused the many to sin,

לֹא חָטָא בִּתְחִלָּתוֹ אֶלָּא בְּחוּט הַשַּׂעֲרָה,

He did not sin at its beginning except by a hair's breadth,

וּמִחוּט הַשְׂעָרָה הַזֹּאת הִתְפַּתְּחָה כָּל הַשִּׁיטָה שֶׁלּוֹ,

And from this hair-thin thread developed his entire system,

אָמַר (יָרָבְעָם) גְּמִירִי דְּאֵין יְשִׁיבָה בָּעֲזָרָה אֶלָּא לְמַלְכֵי בֵּית יְהוּדָה בִּלְבָד,

He said (Yeravam), 'It is a tradition that there is no sitting in the Azarah except for the kings of the House of Yehudah alone,'

כֵּיוָן דַּחֲזוּ לֵיהּ לִרְחַבְעָם דְּיָתִיב,

Since they saw Rechavam sitting,

וַאֲנָא קָאמִינָא, סָבְרִי הָא מַלְכָּא יְהֵא עַבְדָּא" (סַנְהֶדְרִין ק"א) וּמִפְּנֵי שֶׁלֹּא רָצָה לִהְיוֹת עִם רְחַבְעָם יַחַד בָּעֲזָרָה מָנַע אֶת עַצְמוֹ וְאֶת כָּל הָעָם לַעֲלוֹת לָרֶגֶל לִירוּשָׁלַיִם וְעָשָׂה לוֹ עֲגָלִים בַּדֶּרֶךְ.

And I say, 'Do you think this king will be a servant?' (Sanhedrin 101a) And because he did not want to be with Rechavam together in the Azarah, he prevented himself and all the people from going up for the pilgrimage to Yerushalayim, and he made for himself calves along the way.

וְעַד כַּמָּה דַּקָּה הָיְתָה נְגִיעָה זוֹ,

And how subtle was this touch,

אֶפְשָׁר לִרְאוֹת מִזֶּה, שֶׁהֻצְרַךְ שְׁמוּאֵל הַנָּבִיא לְהוֹכִיחַ אוֹתוֹ שְׁתֵּי פְּעָמִים וּלְגַלּוֹת לוֹ כִּי מָאַס ה' אֶת מַלְכוּתוֹ,

From this, it is possible to see that Shmuel HaNavi needed to rebuke him two times and to reveal to him that Hashem had rejected his kingship,

כְּדֵי שֶׁיַּרְגִּישׁ בְּעַצְמוֹ בִּנְגִיעָה זוֹ,

in order that he should feel within himself this touch,

דְּהָרֵי כְּשֶׁבָּא שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל שָׁאוּל,

For behold, when Shmuel came to Shaul,

אָמַר "אֲשֶׁר חָמַל הָעָם", וְאָמַר לוֹ שְׁמוּאֵל,

He said, "that the people spared," and Shmuel said to him,

הֲלֹא צִוָּה הַשֵּׁם "לֵךְ וְהַחֲרַמְתָּה אֶת הַחַטָּאִים,

Did not Hashem command, "Go and destroy the sinners,

אֶת עֲמָלֵק, וְנִלְחַמְתָּ בּוֹ עַד כַּלּוֹתָם אוֹתָם.

Amalek, and you fought him until their utter destruction.

הֶחָפֵץ לַה' בְּעוֹלַת וְכוּ' יַעַן מָאַסְתָּ אֶת דְּבַר ה' וַיִּמְאָסְךָ מִמֶּלֶךְ

He who desires Hashem with an offering, etc., 'Because you have rejected the word of Hashem, He has also rejected you from being king.'

וְרַק אָז אָמַר שָׁאוּל "חָטָאתִי וְכוּ' כִּי יָרֵאתִי אֶת הָעָם" (שְׁמוּאֵל א' ט"ו).

And only then did Shaul say, "I have sinned, etc., for I feared the people" (Shmuel I, 15).

וּמוּבָן שֶׁאֵין הַכַּוָּנָה, שֶׁמִּתְּחִלָּה לֹא רָצָה שָׁאוּל לְהוֹדוֹת עַל הָאֱמֶת,

And it is understood that the intention is not that initially Shaul did not want to admit to the truth,

חָלִילָה לָּנוּ לוֹמַר כֵּן, הֲלֹא אָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל עַל שָׁאוּל שֶׁהָיָה כְּבֶן שָׁנָה "שֶׁלֹּא טָעַם טַעַם חֵטְא" (יוֹמָא כ"ב),

Far be it from us to say so! Didn't Chazal say about Shaul, that he was like a one-year-old, "who had not tasted the taste of sin" (Yoma 22),

אֶלָּא הוּא הַדָּבָר שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ, שֶׁנְּגִיעָה זוֹ,

Rather, it is the matter that we said, that this touch,

שֶׁפָּחַד לַעֲבֹר עַל דַּעַת הָעָם,

that he feared to transgress the will of the people,

הָיְתָה אֶצְלוֹ כָּל כָּךְ דַּקָּה וּמַשֶּׁהוּ מִן הַמַּשֶּׁהוּ,

It was with him so subtle, and a something from the something,

עַד שֶׁלֹּא הָיְתָה נוֹדַעַת לוֹ כְּלָל.

until it was not known to him at all.

וּרְאָיָה לַדָּבָר, שֶׁגַּם הַבַּת־קוֹל אָמְרָה "אַל תְּהִי צַדִּיק הַרְבֵּה" (קֹהֶלֶת ז', שָׁם).

And proof for the matter, that even the Bas Kol said, "Do not be overly righteous" (Koheles 7, there).

הֲרֵי שֶׁגַּם הַבַּת־קוֹל הוֹדְתָה שֶׁבְּצֶדֶק עָשָׂה אֶת הַדָּבָר.

Behold, even the Heavenly Voice admitted that he did the thing with justice.

וַיָּרֶב בַּנַּחַל עַל עִסְקֵי נַחַל וְכוּ'

And he quarreled by the stream concerning the matters of the stream, etc.

וּמַה נֶּפֶשׁ אַחַת אָמְרָה תּוֹרָה הָבֵא עֶגְלָה עֲרוּפָה, כָּל הַנְּפָשׁוֹת הַלָּלוּ עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה (שם).

And if for one soul the Torah said, 'Bring an eglah arufah' (a calf whose neck is broken, as atonement for an unsolved murder), all these souls, how much more so! (There, i.e., in the same source).

וְרַק אַחַר שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ שְׁמוּאֵל שְׁתֵּי פְּעָמִים,

And only after Shmuel told him two times,

שֶׁלֹּא קִיֵּם אֶת דְּבַר ה' וְעוֹד הוֹסִיף כִּי מָאֲסוּ ה' מִמֶּלֶךְ,

that he did not fulfill the word of Hashem, and he further added that Hashem rejected him from being king,

הִרְגִּישׁ שָׁאוּל בִּנְגִיעָתוֹ, שֶׁכֵּן הוּא מֻנָּח בַּטֶּבַע,

Shaul felt his touch, for it is placed in nature,

שֶׁמִּקֹּדֶם בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁחָשַׁב אֶת עַצְמוֹ לְמֶלֶךְ עַל הָעָם וְהָיָה קָשׁוּר אֵלָיו וְקָרוֹב הָיָה לוֹ הָעָם מְאֹד מְאֹד,

that previously, at the time he considered himself a king over the people, and was connected to them, and the people were very, very close to him,

לֹא יָכֹל לְהַרְגִּישׁ שׁוּם דָּבָר,

He was not able to feel anything,

מִשּׁוּם שֶׁאֵין אָדָם רוֹאֶה אֶת קְרוֹבוֹת,

Because a person does not see his own close ones,

וְרַק אַחַר שֶׁאָמְרוּ לוֹ, כִּי קָרַע ה' אֶת מַלְכוּתוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ וְאֵין לוֹ עוֹד עַם,

And only after they told him, that Hashem tore his kingdom from him and he no longer had a nation,

וְנַעֲשׂוּ הוּא וְהָעָם לִשְׁנֵי דְּבָרִים נִפְרָדִים שֶׁאֵין בֵּינֵיהֶם שׁוּם יַחַס וְקֶשֶׁר,

And he and the people became two separate things, between whom there is no relationship or connection whatsoever,

רַק אָז הִרְגִּישׁ בַּדָּבָר, שֶׁרַק מִשּׁוּם זֶה לֹא הֶחֱרִימָם עַד כְּלוֹתָם,

Only then did he sense the matter, that only because of this He did not utterly destroy them,

מִשּׁוּם שֶׁיָּרֵא אֶת הָעָם, וּשְׂחוּט־שַׂעֲרָה זֹאת הִטָּה אֶת דַּעְתּוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת קַל וָחֹמֶר וּלְהַשְׁאִיר מְעַט בַּחַיִּים,

because he feared the people, and this hair-splitting swayed his mind to make a kal v'chomer and leave a few alive,

וְלֹא הִרְגִּישׁ מִתְּחִלָּה בִּנְגִיעָה דַּקָּה זוֹ,

And he did not feel from the beginning this subtle touch,

אֵיךְ הִיא עוֹסֶקֶת בּוֹ וּפוֹעֶלֶת עָלָיו לְבַקֵּשׁ רְאָיוֹת וּטְעָמִים לְהַצְדִּיק אֶת פָּעֳלוֹ וְלִנְטוֹת מִן הַצִּוּוּי הַפָּשׁוּט,

how it engages with it and acts upon it to seek proofs and reasons to justify its action and to deviate from the simple command,

כִּי אָז בְּלֹא שׁוּם סָפֵק, לֹא הָיָה פּוֹנֶה אַחֲרֶיהָ כְּלָל.

For then, without any doubt, he would not have turned after it at all.

הֲרֵי לָנוּ שֶׁעִקַּר קִיּוּם הַתּוֹרָה תָּלוּי רַק בִּשְׁמִירַת חוּט הַשַּׂעֲרָה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה,

Behold for us, that the essence of the Torah's existence depends only on guarding the very first hair-thin thread,

וְאִם לֹא יָשִׂים לֵב אֵלָיו, סוֹפוֹ שֶׁיְּסוֹבֵב אֶת כָּל הָהָר.

And if he will not pay attention to it, his end will be that he will circle the entire mountain.

מַדּוּעַ אֵינוֹ רוֹאֶה כֵּן הָרָשָׁע וְאֵיפֹה הוּא מְקוֹם הַטָּעוּת שֶׁלּוֹ.

Why does the wicked person not see it so, and where is the place of his error?

אָמְנָם, הָהָר הַזֶּה אֵינוֹ נִרְאֶה לְעֵין הָאָדָם לְהַר מַמָּשׁ אֲשֶׁר לֹא יְצֻיָּר.

Indeed, this mountain is not seen by the eye of man as a literal mountain that cannot be imagined.

מֵעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר יָנוּחַ הָאָדָם תַּחְתָּיו וְיִחְיֶה,

from a world where a person rests beneath it and lives,

אֶלָּא הֶהָר הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר מוֹשֵׁךְ עָלָיו הַיֵּצֶר מֵרִבּוּי חוּטֵי הַשְּׂעָרוֹת שֶׁלּוֹ,

Rather, this mountain that the yetzer hara draws upon itself from the abundance of its hair-like threads,

הוּא בְּעֶצֶם הַר כְּגִיגִית אֲשֶׁר יֵשׁ חָלָל וּמָקוֹם בָּהָר שֶׁיָּכוֹל הָאָדָם לְהַלֵּךְ שָׁמָּה וּלְטַיֵּל,

It is essentially a mountain like a barrel, where there is a hollow and a place in the mountain where a person can go there and wander,

אֲבָל אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לָצֵאת וּמוּכְרָח לְהִקָּבֵר שָׁם,

But he cannot leave and is forced to be buried there,

וְלָכֵן הַמְחַפֵּשׂ דְּרָכָיו הוּא רוֹאֶה אֶת הָהָר כְּגִיגִית.

And therefore, one who searches his ways, he sees the mountain as a small tub.

הַגִּיגִית אֵינֶנָּהּ מָסָךְ מַבְדִּיל בְּעַד הָהָר אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁרוֹאֶה אֲנָשִׁים חַיִּים בְּתוֹכָהּ,

The tub is not a separating screen for the mountain, even though one sees living people within it,

הַבֶּרֶק הַחִיצוֹנִי אֵינוֹ מְעַוֵּר אֶת עֵינָיו לִרְדֹּף אַחֲרֵיהֶם כִּי יוֹדֵעַ הוּא כִּי לְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים יִמָּשֵׁךְ הַדָּבָר וְסוֹפָם שֶׁאֵינָם יְכוֹלִים לָצֵאת מִדַּרְכֵיהֶם,

The external glitter does not blind his eyes to chase after them, for he knows that for many days the matter will continue, and their end is that they cannot depart from their ways,

וְהָרָשָׁע הוּא רָץ אַחַר הַבָּרָק הַחִיצוֹנִי,

And the wicked person, he runs after the external glitter,

כִּי מִיָּד שֶׁרוֹאֶה הַטִּיּוּל נִמְשָׁךְ מִיָּד אַחֲרֵיהֶם וְאֵינוֹ רוֹאֶה אִם נִכְנַס בְּדֶרֶךְ לִבּוֹ סוֹפוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יוּכַל לָצֵאת מִמֶּנּוּ וְיִסְבֹּל מִכָּל מְקוֹרוֹת הַזְּמַן עַד שֶׁיָּמוּת בְּחֶרְפָּה.

For immediately when he sees the 'stroll' (the yetzer hara's enticement) continuing right after them, and he does not see if he has entered the path of his heart, his end will be that he will not be able to leave it, and he will suffer from all the sources of time until he dies in disgrace.

כִּי הָאָדָם מַבִּיט עַל הָעוֹלָם כְּמוֹ הַזְּבוּב עַל הַצַּלַּחַת הַצָּדָה זְבוּבִים,

For a person looks at the world like a fly on a plate that traps flies,

שֶׁרוֹאֶה אֵיךְ זְבוּבִים מְטַיְּלִים בְּתוֹכָהּ וּשְׂמֵחִים שָׁמָּה,

who sees how flies stroll within it and are happy there,

וְחוֹטֵף לוֹ תְּשׁוּקָה לַחְתּוֹר לוֹ דֶּרֶךְ מִתַּחַת הַצְּלוֹחִית לַעֲלוֹת בְּתוֹכָהּ,

and he snatches for himself a desire to tunnel a path for himself from beneath the plate to ascend into it,

וְסוֹפוֹ כְּמוֹ הַזְּבוּב שֶׁנִּכְנַס לְתוֹכָהּ,

And his end is like the fly that entered into it,

שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לָצֵאת מִשָּׁם וְטוֹבֵעַ בַּמַּיִם.

that he cannot leave from there and drowns in the water.

כֵּן הוּא סוֹבֵר לִפְסֹחַ עַל שְׁתֵּי הַסְּעִפִּים,

So he thinks to skip between two branches,

וְסוֹפוֹ שֶׁיִּלָּכֵד שָׁמָּה עַד שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל עוֹד לִבְחֹר הָאֱמֶת כִּי קְשׁוּרָה בּוֹ כְּכֶלֶב וְשָׁם תְּהֵא קְבוּרָתוֹ.

And his end is that he will be trapped there until he can no longer choose the truth, for it is tied to him like a dog, and there will be his burial.

הַצַּדִּיק רוֹאֶה אֶת כָּל הָעוֹלָם כְּמוֹ עִיר כְּבוּשָׁה,

The tzaddik sees the entire world like a conquered city,

שֶׁבְּתוֹכָהּ עוֹבְרִים וְשָׁבִים אֲנָשִׁים,

within which people pass through and return,

אֲבָל לִנְסֹעַ מִמֶּנּוּ לְעִיר אַחֶרֶת אֵין הָרְשׁוּת בְּיָדָם,

But to travel from it to another city, the permission is not in their hand,

כְּמוֹ שֶׁמָּצוּי בִּזְמַנֵּינוּ עַתָּה,

Just as it is common in our times now,

וְלָכֵן אֵינוֹ רוֹצֶה לְהַסְכִּים עִמָּהֶם וּלְהִתְאַגֵּד אֶצְלָם,

And therefore he does not want to agree with them and to join with them,

כִּי חַיֵּיהֶם אֵינָם חַיִּים, וְכָל אֶחָד נִמְשָׁךְ אַחַר חֲבֵירוֹ,

For their lives are not lives, and each one is drawn after his fellow,

וְלָכֵן הוּא מֵשִׂים לֵב עַל כָּל חוּט הַשְּׂעָרָה שֶׁלֹּא תַנְחֶה אוֹתוֹ עַד שֶׁיֹּאבַד בְּחִירָתוֹ,

And therefore, he pays attention to every hairsbreadth, that it should not lead him until he loses his free will,

וְלִהְיוֹת מִן הַכַּת שֶׁל כָּל בָּאֶיהָ לֹא יָשׁוּבוּן (מִשְׁלֵי ב',

and to be from the group of all her visitors who do not return (Mishlei 2,

י"ט).

19).

לֹא כֵן הָרָשָׁע, הוּא רוֹאֶה מַה שֶּׁבְּתוֹךְ הָעִיר וְאֵינוֹ רוֹאֶה מַה שֶּׁחוּץ לָעִיר,

Not so the wicked person: he sees what is inside the city and does not see what is outside the city,

וְגַם מַה שֶּׁבְּתוֹךְ הָעִיר אֵינוֹ רוֹאֶה הַצַּד הָרַע הַמְרֻבֶּה שֶׁבּוֹ אֶלָּא יִתְלַהֵט הוּא מִן הַבָּרָק הָרִאשׁוֹן וּמִיָּד יִתְפַּתֶּה וְיֹאבַד,

And also, what is within the city does not see the abundant evil side within it, rather he will be inflamed by the first flash, and immediately he will be tempted and lost,

עַד שֶׁנִּשְׁאַר כְּלֹא אַיִן וָאֶפֶס.

until he remained as naught, nothing, and zero.