מַאֲמָר ב׳ · תִּקּוּן הַמִּדּוֹת

אָמְנָם אִם נִתְבּוֹנֵן הֵיטֵב בָּזֶה,

However, if we will contemplate this well,

נִמְצָא כִּי גַּם עַל הָעֲבֵירָה לִשְׁמָהּ שֶׁל יָעֵל פָּרִיךְ בַּגְּמָרָא וְהָא קָא מִתְהַנְּיָא מֵעֲבֵירָה וְאֵין זֹאת עֲבֵירָה לְשֵׁם מִצְוָה אֶלָּא עֲבֵירָה לְשֵׁם עֲבֵירָה וְאֵיךְ עָשְׂתָה הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה?

It is found that even regarding Yael's 'sin for its own sake,' the Gemara raises an objection: 'But she benefited from a sin!' And this is not a sin for the sake of a mitzvah, but rather a sin for the sake of a sin. So how could she have done such a thing?

וּמִשְּׁנֵי טוֹבָתָן שֶׁל רְשָׁעִים רָעָה הִיא אֵצֶל צַדִּיקִים וְכוּ'.

And from both of their good, that of the wicked is evil in the eyes of the righteous, etc.

נִמְצָא, כִּי לוּלֵא הָיְתָה מַדְרֵגָתָהּ מִסּוּג טוֹבָתָן שֶׁל רְשָׁעִים רָעָה הִיא אֵצֶל צַדִּיקִים לֹא הָיְתָה רְאוּיָה לַעֲשׂוֹת הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה וְאֵין זוֹ עֲבֵירָה לִשְׁמָהּ,

It is found, that were her level not of the type of the good deeds of the wicked, which is evil in the eyes of the righteous, she would not have been worthy to do this thing, and this is not an aveirah lishmah (a transgression for its own sake).

כִּי אָז הָיְתָה נִקְרֵאת הָעֲבֵירָה הַזֹּאת עֲבֵירָה לְשֵׁם הֲנָאָה,

For then this transgression would be called a transgression for the sake of pleasure,

וַאֲסוּרָה לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן, וְאֵימָתַי אָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל כִּי גְּדוֹלָה עֲבֵירָה לִשְׁמָהּ,

And it is forbidden to do so, and when did Chazal say that a transgression done for the sake of Heaven is great,

רַק דַּוְקָא בְּלֹא הֲנָאָה כְּלָל, וְזֶה שֶׁמְּשַׁנֵּי בַּגְּמָ'

Only specifically with no pleasure at all, and this is what the Gemara answers,

שֶׁהָיָה בְּעֶצֶם רָעָה לָהּ הַמַּעֲשֶׂה הַזֶּה וְלֹא עָשְׂתָה לְשֵׁם הֲנָאָה אֶלָּא לְשֵׁם מִצְוָה לְבַד,

that this act was essentially bad for her, and she did not do it for pleasure, but only for the sake of a mitzvah,

וְלוּ הִרְגִּישָׁה קְצָת הֲנָאָה, הָיְתָה מִתְרַחֶקֶת מִזֶּה וַדַּאי בְּלֹא שׁוּם סָפֵק,

And if she would feel even a little pleasure, she would certainly distance herself from it without any doubt,

כִּי אָז הָיָה אָסוּר מִן הַדִּין לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן.

For then it would have been forbidden by halacha to do so.

וְעוֹד, שֶׁאִלּוּ עָשְׂתָה לְשֵׁם הֲנָאָה,

And furthermore, if she had done it for the sake of pleasure,

לֹא הָיְתָה יְכוֹלָה לְהוֹצִיא לָאוֹר כַּוָּנָתָהּ הַטּוֹבָה לְהָמִית לְאוֹתוֹ רָשָׁע כִּי כְּבָר הָיְתָה נִפְתָּה מֵהַהֲנָאָה וּקְשׁוּרָה אֵלֶיהָ וְיָכוֹל לִהְיוֹת שֶׁהָיָה לוֹקֵחַ אוֹתָהּ לוֹ לְאִשָּׁה,

She was not able to bring to light her good intention to kill that wicked one, for she had already been enticed by the pleasure and bound to it, and it is possible that he would have taken her for himself as a wife,

וְאָז הָיְתָה צוֹמַחַת מִזֶּה רָעָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל,

And then, from this, evil would grow for Yisrael,

וּמִכׇּל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁלֹּא הָיְתָה נִשְׁלֶמֶת מְגַמָּתָהּ לְהוֹשִׁיעַ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל.

And all the more so, its purpose to save Yisrael would not have been completed.

כְּשֶׁנַּשְׁקִיף לְעֵין הָאֱמֶת עַל דַּרְכֵּנוּ שֶׁנִּרְצֶה לִבְחֹר לָנוּ,

When we will look with the eye of truth at our path that we will want to choose for ourselves,

לֹא נוּכַל לֹאמַר עַל עַצְמֵינוּ שֶׁמִּצַּד הַנְּגִיעָה וְהַהֲנָאָה יֵשׁ לָנוּ הַשְׁתַּוּוּת,

We cannot say about ourselves that from the side of personal involvement and pleasure we have equanimity,

וְלֹא נְבַכֵּר הַדֶּרֶךְ הָאַחַת עַל הַשְּׁנִיָּה אַף כְּחוּט הַשַּׂעֲרָה,

And we should not prefer one path over the other, even by a hair's breadth,

אִדְּרַבָּה, אִם שָׁוֶה לָנוּ אֹפֶן זֶה לְאֹפֶן זֶה מַדּוּעַ אָנוּ בּוֹחֲרִים רַק צַד הַקּוּלָא וְלֹא צַד הַחֻמְרָא,

On the contrary, if this manner is equal to that manner for us, why do we choose only the side of leniency and not the side of stringency?

אֶלָּא בָּרוּר וּמוּבָן כִּי כָּל הַדֶּרֶךְ הַזֹּאת הִיא פְּעֻלַּת הַנְּגִיעָה שֶׁבָּנוּ,

Rather, it is clear and understood that this entire path is the action of the touch within us,

שֶׁהָאָדָם נוֹגֵעַ עִם עַצְמוֹ וְהֶעָבָר שֶׁלּוֹ,

that a person touches with himself and his past,

וּמוּרְגָּל לִרְדֹּף אַחֲרֵי רְצוֹנוֹ.

And he is accustomed to chase after his will.

מִזֶּה נוֹבְעִים כָּל הַחֶשְׁבּוֹנוֹת וְהַדְּרָכִים,

From this stem all the reckonings and the paths,

וְכָל הַדֶּרֶךְ לְהַצְדִּיק אֶת הָרָשָׁע וּלְהַרְשִׁיעַ אֶת הַצַּדִּיק הוּא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁקָּמְתַּהֲנֵי מֵעֲבֵירָה.

And the entire way of justifying the wicked person and condemning the righteous person is because you derive pleasure from sin.

וְהוּא מוּפְרָךְ מִן הַדִּין וּמוּפְרָךְ מִן הַמְּצִיאוּת.

And it is refuted from the law and refuted from reality.

מִן הַדִּין אֵין כָּאן לִשְׁמָהּ, יַעַן כִּי הוּא עוֹבֵר לְשֵׁם הֲנָאָה,

From the perspective of the halacha, there is no 'lishma' here, because he transgresses for the sake of pleasure,

וְגַם בַּמְּצִיאוּת לֹא יַגִּיעַ אֶל הַמְּבֻקָּשׁ שֶׁלּוֹ,

And also in reality he will not reach his desired goal,

כִּי יִפְסַח עַל כָּל הַסְּעִיפִים וְיִשָּׁאֵר קֵרֵחַ מִכָּאן וְקֵרֵחַ מִכָּאן,

for he will 'limp' over all the branches and remain 'bald' from here and 'bald' from here,

יַעַן כִּי הַהֲנָאָה תַּנְחֶה אוֹתוֹ וְלֹא הַשֵּׂכֶל,

because pleasure guides him and not intellect,

וְהַהֲנָאוֹת מוֹצִיאִין אֶת הָאָדָם מִן הָעוֹלָם,

And the pleasures take a person out of the world,

וְזֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב: "אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה הָאֱלֹקִים אֶת הָאָדָם יָשָׁר" (קֹהֶלֶת ז' כ"ט),

And this is what the verse says: "That Elokim made man straight" (Koheles 7:29),

לִמְסֹר לְגַמְרֵי אֶל הַתּוֹרָה בְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁל נַעֲשֶׂה קֹדֶם לְנִשְׁמַע וּלְבַטֵּל דַּעְתּוֹ מִכֹּל וָכֹל וְרַק אָז יַגִּיעַ אֶל כָּל מְבֻקָּשׁ,

to completely surrender to the Torah in the way of 'we will do' before 'we will hear,' and to nullify one's own opinion entirely, and only then will he reach all that he seeks,

אוּלָם הֵמָּה בִּקְשׁוּ חֶשְׁבּוֹנוֹת רַבִּים,

However, they sought many reckonings,

הֵמָּה רָחֲקוּ לָלֶכֶת בְּדֶרֶךְ הַזֹּאת מִפְּנֵי שֶׁעָשׂוּ חֶשְׁבּוֹנוֹת רַבִּים,

They distanced themselves from walking on this path because they made many calculations,

אֵיךְ יַעֲשׂוּ עִם הֶעָתִיד, וְלָכֵן עָשׂוּ פְּשָׁרוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה,

how they will manage with the future, and therefore they made compromises in Torah,

וְעוֹד סָבְרוּ כִּי הַפְּשָׁרָה הִיא אֲמִיתִית וְהִיא בְּגֶדֶר עֲבֵירָה לִשְׁמָהּ.

And furthermore, they thought that the compromise was true, and it was in the category of 'an aveirah for its own sake'.

אָמְנָם לֹא כֵן הַדָּבָר.

Indeed, the matter is not so.

כָּל הַפְּשָׁרָה הַזֹּאת הִיא רַק מִפְּנֵי שֶׁקָּמְתָּ מֵעֲבֵירָה וְכָל עִקָּרוֹ וִיסוֹדוֹ הוּא רַק הֲנָאָה,

All this compromise is only because you arose from transgression, and its entire essence and foundation is only pleasure,

כָּךְ אֻמָּנוּתוֹ שֶׁל יֵצֶר הָרָע וְכוּ' (שַׁבָּת ק"ה) וְסוֹפוֹ שֶׁיִּכְפּוֹף עָלָיו אֶת כָּל חַיָּיו,

Such is the craft of the yetzer hara, etc. (Shabbos 105), and in the end, it will bend his entire life upon him,

וְלָכֵן בִּימֵי אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ, כִּי הִכִּירוּ מִצַּד הַחִסָּרוֹן וְרָאוּ בַּחוּשׁ כִּי בְּדַרְכָּם אָבְדוּ כִּמְעַט קַט כָּל חַיֵּיהֶם וְרַק הַתּוֹרָה הִצְלִיחָם לָכֵן קִיְּמוּ וְקִבְּלוּ מַה שֶּׁקִּבְּלוּ כְּבָר,

And therefore, in the days of Achashverosh, because they recognized from the side of the deficiency and saw with their senses that through their own path they had almost completely lost all their lives, and only the Torah made them succeed, therefore they affirmed and accepted what they had already accepted,

הַיְינוּ, הַדֶּרֶךְ שֶׁל נַעֲשֶׂה קֹדֶם לְנִשְׁמַע מְנַקֶּה גַּם הַחֲטָאוֹת שֶׁל עֲבֵירָה לִשְׁמָהּ.

That is, the path of 'we will do' before 'we will hear' cleanses even the sins of 'an aveirah for its own sake' (i.e., committed with a holy intention).

רְאֵה אָנֹכִי נֹתֵן לִפְנֵיכֶם הַיּוֹם בְּרָכָה וּקְלָלָה (דברים י"א כ"ו).

See, I place before you today a blessing and a curse (Devarim 11:26).

אָמַר רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר, מִשֶּׁאָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִדָּבָר הַזֶּה בְּסִינַי,

Rabbi Eliezer said, from the moment the Holy One, blessed be He, spoke this matter at Sinai,

בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה 'מִפִּי עֶלְיוֹן לֹא תֵצֵא הָרָעוֹת וְהַטּוֹב' (אֵיכָה ג'),

At that time, 'From the mouth of the Most High, neither the bad nor the good emanates' (Eichah 3),

אֶלָּא מֵאֵלֶיהָ הָרָעָה בָּאָה עַל עוֹשֵׂה הָרָעָה,

Rather, of its own accord, evil comes upon the one who does evil,

וְהַטּוֹבָה בָּאָה עַל עוֹשֵׂה הַטּוֹבָה.

And the good comes upon the one who does good.

אָמַר רַבִּי חַגַּי וְלֹא עוֹד שֶׁנָּתַתִּי לָכֶם שְׁתֵּי דְּרָכִים,

Said Rabbi Chaggai: And not only that I gave you two paths,

אֶלָּא שֶׁנִּכְנַסְתִּי לִפְנִים מִשּׁוּרַת הַדִּין,

Rather, I entered beyond the letter of the law,

וְאָמַרְתִּי לָכֶם וּבָחַרְתָּ בַּחַיִּים (דְּבָרִים ל').

And I said to you, 'And you shall choose life' (Devarim 30).

(דְּבָרִים, רַבָּה, פָּרָשָׁה ד').

(Devarim, Rabbah, Parsha 4).

וּמַה הוֹסִיף עָלָיו ר' חַגַּי וּמִפְּנֵי מַה הוּא לִפְנִים מִשּׁוּרַת הַדִּין?

And what did Rabbi Chaggai add to it, and why is it beyond the letter of the law?

מִרְגְּלָא בְּפוּמֵי דְּאִינְשֵׁי לֹא בְּעַד עֲבֵירָה זוֹרְקִין אֶבֶן עַל רֹאשׁ וְאֵין מְשַׁלְּמִין כִּיס מָלֵא זָהָב בְּעַד הַמִּצְוָה.

It is a common saying among people: 'Not for an aveirah do they throw a stone at one's head, and they do not pay a purse full of gold for a mitzvah.'

רוֹאִים הֵמָּה הַתּוֹרָה וּמִצְוֹתֶיהָ לְדָבָר נִפְרָד מִן הַחַיִּים שֶׁל הַהֹוֶה.

They view the Torah and its mitzvos as something separate from the life of the present.

לֹא מָצְאוּ הַתּוֹרָה לִמְקוֹר הַבְּרָכוֹת שֶׁבַּחַיִּים,

They did not find the Torah to be the source of the blessings in life,

וְהֶעְדֵּרָהּ לִמְקוֹר הַקְּלָלוֹת שֶׁבַּחַיִּים,

and its absence is the source of the curses in life,

כִּי אִם רָאוּ אָדָם רָצוּץ וְנִדְכָּא,

For if they saw a person crushed and downtrodden,

לֹא תָּלוּ הַיִּסּוּרִין מִשֹּׁרֶשׁ מַעֲשָׂיו הָרָעִים עַל פִּי הֲבָנַת טֶבַע הָעֲבֵירוֹת,

The yissurim (sufferings) are not suspended from the root of his evil deeds, according to understanding the nature of the aveiros (transgressions),

וְכֵן כִּי רָאוּ אָדָם מְאוּשָׁר וְשָׁלֵו בָּעוֹלָם לֹא הָיוּ מְבִינִים לְיַחֵס לְמַעֲשָׂיו הַטּוֹבִים יַחַס טִבְעִי וְקֶשֶׁר חִיּוּנִי,

And so, when they saw a person who was happy and tranquil in the world, they would not understand to attribute to his good deeds a natural connection and a vital link,

אֶלָּא הַבִּיטוּ עַל מְצִיאוּת הַטּוֹבוֹת וְהָרָעוֹת כִּי מִפִּי עֶלְיוֹן הוּא,

Rather, look at the reality of the good things and the bad things, that it is from the mouth of the Most High,

וְיַד ה' הִיא וְלֹא גָּרְמוּ לוֹ מַעֲשָׂיו כְּלָל הֵן לְטוֹב הֵן לְמוּטָב,

And it is the hand of Hashem, and his deeds did not cause him at all, neither for good nor for bad,

כִּי עַל פִּי הַטֶּבַע לֹא בְּעַד עֲבֵירָה סוֹקְלִין בָּאֶבֶן וְלֹא זוֹרְקִין כִּיס זָהָב בְּעַד הַמִּצְוָה.

For according to nature, one does not stone for a transgression, nor does one throw a purse of gold for a mitzvah.

אָמְנָם, אַחַר הִתְבּוֹנְנוּת נִרְאֶה בְּחוּשׁ כִּי הַמִּשְׁפָּט יִתְהַפֵּךְ מִקָּצֶה לְקָצֶה.

Indeed, after contemplation, it is clearly seen that the statement will be overturned from end to end.

כִּי הַתּוֹרָה וּמִצְוֹתֶיהָ אֵינֶנָּהּ מַטִּילָה מַס אוֹ קְנָס עַל הָאָדָם,

For the Torah and its mitzvos do not impose a tax or a fine upon a person,

שֶׁמֻּכְרָח הוּא לָשֵׂאת עֹל עַל צַוָּארוֹ וּמַשָּׂא עַל שִׁכְמוֹ וְאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְהִפָּטֵר מִמֶּנָּהּ,

that he is compelled to carry a yoke upon his neck and a burden upon his shoulder, and he cannot be rid of it,

אף אם לבו ממאן בה ונפשו קצה בה.

[needs review]

הַתּוֹרָה אֵינֶנָּהּ דָּבָר נוֹסָף עַל הַחַיִּים אֲשֶׁר נֶאֱמַר כִּי יָכוֹל הָאָדָם לִהְיוֹת בִּלְעֲדֵי הַתּוֹרָה,

The Torah is not an additional thing upon life, about which it could be said that a person can exist without the Torah,

וְהַתּוֹרָה הִיא דָּבָר מֻתָּר עָלָיו,

And the Torah is a thing permitted upon him,

לֹא כֵן הַדָּבָר.

The matter is not so.

הַתּוֹרָה גִּלְּתָה דֶּרֶךְ הַחַיִּים וְדֶרֶךְ הַמָּוֶת,

The Torah revealed the path of life and the path of death,

וּבִלְעָדֶיהָ הָיָה הָאָדָם מַמָּשׁ כְּעִוֵּר בַּאֲפֵלָה וּמְכוֹנָתוֹ הָיְתָה עֲצוּמָה מְאֹד,

And without it, man would truly be like a blind person in darkness, and his machine would be very mighty,

וּמֵחַסְדֵי הַשֵּׁם חַיָּהּ כִּי הוֹרָה לָנוּ הַמְּצִיאוּת שֶׁל הַחַיִּים,

And from Hashem's kindness is its life, for He showed us the reality of life,

שֶׁלֹּא יוּכַל אַחֲרָיו לִתְעוֹת בְּדַרְכֵי הַחַיִּים,

so that he will not be able afterwards to err in the ways of life,

וְלִדְמוֹת עַל הָרַע כִּי טוֹב הוּא וְעַל הַמָּוֶת כִּי חַיִּים הוּא,

and to imagine about evil that it is good, and about death that it is life,

עַד כִּי אִם סָר הָאָדָם לִצְעֹד צַעַד מִן הַתּוֹרָה תְּיַסְּרֵהוּ רָעָתוֹ וּמְשׁוּבָתוֹ תַּהַרְגֵהוּ,

For if a person turns aside to take even one step from the Torah, his evil will torment him and his backsliding will kill him,

וְקָם הַכְּלָל לְהֵיפֶךְ, כִּי בְּעַד עֲבֵירָה זוֹרְקִין בָּאֶבֶן,

And the rule is established in reverse, that for a transgression, one is stoned with a stone,

וּבְעַד מִצְוָה זוֹרְקִין כִּיס עִם זָהָב.

And for a mitzvah, one throws a purse with gold.

שֶׁעַל הָאָדָם לְהִתְלַמֵּד מִן טֶבַע הַצְּבִי,

that a person must learn from the nature of the deer,

כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב הִשְׁבַּעְתִּי אֶתְכֶם בִּצְבָאוֹת אוֹ בְּאַיְלוֹת הַשָּׂדֶה (שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים ב',

As it is written, 'I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or by the hinds of the field' (Shir HaShirim 2,

ז').

7).

וְטֶבַע הַצְּבִי הוּא, בְּעֵת שֶׁהַצַּיִד רוֹדֵף אַחֲרָיו לְהַשִּׂיגוֹ,

And the nature of the deer is, at the time that the hunter pursues after it to catch it,

בּוֹרֵחַ הוּא מִמֶּנּוּ אֶל עֲצֵי הַיַּעַר וְרָץ בְּתוֹכוֹ לְהִמָּלֵט עַל נַפְשׁוֹ,

He flees from it to the trees of the forest and runs within it to escape with his life,

וְלָפִי שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ שֶׁעַנְפֵי הָאִילָנוֹת מַפְרִיעִים אוֹתוֹ עַל דַּרְכּוֹ כִּי יִסְתַּבֵּךְ בְּקַרְנָיו הַמְפֻצָּלוֹת בָּהֶם,

And because he knows that the branches of the trees obstruct him on his path, for he will become entangled with his split antlers in them,

לָכֵן מִיָּד כְּשֶׁנִּכְנַס אֶל הַיַּעַר,

Therefore, immediately when he entered the forest,

שׁוֹבֵר מִקּוֹדֶם אֶת קַרְנָיו בְּאֵילוֹן,

He first breaks his horns in Elon,

וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן הוּא מַתְחִיל לָרוּץ,

And after that, he begins to run,

רִיצָה חָפְשִׁית בְּלִי מַפְרִיעַ כְּלָל.

A free run, without any interference at all.

כֵּן הָאָדָם, יֵשׁ לוֹ עוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר יַפְרִיעוּ לוֹ עַל דַּרְכּוֹ וּמִסְתַּבֵּךְ הוּא בּוֹ,

So too, a person, he has a world that interferes with him on his path and he becomes entangled in it,

כָּל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לִרְאוֹת אֶת הַנּוֹלָד וְלִשְׁבֹּר מִדּוֹתָיו הָרָעוֹת,

All the more so, one must see what is to be born (the future consequences) and break his bad character traits,

כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִלְכְּדֵהוּ הָאוֹרֵב הַפְּנִימִי.

So that the inner ambusher should not trap him.

שָׁם יֵשׁ יַעַר בַּמְּצִיאוּת וְאִם לֹא יִשְׁבֹּר אֶת קַרְנָיו וַדַּאי שֶׁיַּפְרִיעַ לוֹ הַיַּעַר עַל דֶּרֶךְ מְרוּצָתוֹ.

There is a forest in reality, and if he will not break his horns, certainly the forest will obstruct him on the path of his running.

אֲבָל בַּנִּדּוֹן פֹּה אֵין יַעַר בַּמְּצִיאוּת כְּלָל,

But in the case at hand here, there is no 'forest' in reality at all,

וְאֵין הַיֵּצֶר גּוֹרֵם מַה שֶּׁהָאָדָם מַרְגִּישׁ קַשִּׁיּוּת וְעִכּוּבִים לְהַשִּׂיג בְּחִירָתוֹ,

And the yetzer hara does not cause what a person feels as difficulties and hindrances to achieve his free will,

אֶלָּא אִם יֵשׁ עִכּוּב, אִם מַרְגִּישׁ שֶׁאֵין לוֹ חֵירוּת בְּעוֹלָמוֹ וְקָשׁוּר הוּא בַּעֲבוֹתוֹת עֲגָלָה,

Rather, if there is a hindrance, if he feels that he has no freedom in his world and he is bound by wagon ropes,

וְכָל דָּבָר שֶׁנִּמְלַךְ בַּעֲשִׂיָּתוֹ יִשְׁקוֹל רַק מַה יֹּאמַר פְּלוֹנִי,

And any matter about which he consults regarding its doing, he will only weigh what so-and-so will say,

וּמַה יְדַבֵּר זֶה, וְאִם יִהְיֶה נִרְצֶה לִפְנֵי הָעוֹלָם,

And what will this one speak, and if he will be desired before the world,

אֵין הָעוֹלָם אָשֵׁם בְּכָךְ, אֶלָּא הוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ,

The world is not to blame for this, rather it is he himself,

הַקַּרְנַיִם שֶׁלּוֹ עוֹשִׂים לָהֶם יַעַר,

His horns make for them a forest,

"נֵס בְּתוֹךְ נֵס", לֹא יַעַר וְלֹא דֻּבִּים הֲווּ (סוטה מ"ז).

"A miracle within a miracle," there was no forest and no bears (Sotah 47a).

כֵּן בְּעֵינָיו הוּא דִּמְיוֹן בְּתוֹךְ דִּמְיוֹן,

So in his eyes, it is an imagination within an imagination,

כִּי בֶּאֱמֶת הָעוֹלָם אֵינוֹ מַפְרִיעַ כְּלוּם לָאָדָם,

For in truth, the world does not disturb a person at all,

וְלֹא מוֹנֵעַ אוֹתוֹ מֵהַשִּׂיג חֶפְצוֹ כְּלוּם,

And nothing prevents him from achieving his desire,

וְכָל מַה שֶּׁרוֹאֶה אֶת כָּל הָעוֹלָם לְמַפְרֵעַ שֶׁל יֵשׁוּת וּמְצִיאוּת,

And everything that he sees, the entire world, as an impediment of 'yeshus' (self-focus) and 'metzius' (material existence),

רַק דִּמְיוֹן הוּא וּמִדּוֹתָיו גּוֹרְמִים לוֹ שֶׁיֵּרָאֶה כָּךְ וְלוּ הִסְכִּים בְּדַעְתּוֹ,

It is only imagination, and his character traits cause it to appear this way to him; and if he would agree in his mind,

הַסְכָּמָה חֲזָקָה לַעֲמוֹד עַל הַחְלָטָתוֹ,

a strong agreement to stand by his decision,

כִּי אָז יוּכַח כִּי אֵין דֻּבִּים וְלֹא יַעַר וְהַמְּצִיאוּת הִיא כִּי כָּל הַבּוֹרֵחַ מִן הַגְּדוּלָּה,

For then it will be proven that there are no bears and no forest, and the reality is that anyone who flees from greatness,

הַגְּדוֹלָה מְחַזֶּרֶת אַחֲרָיו (עִירוּבִין יג).

The great one pursues it (Eruvin 13).

וּמִי שֶׁמְּפַחֵד פֶּן יִהְיֶה מוּפְרָךְ בָּעוֹלָם,

And one who fears lest he be rejected in the world,

וּבִלְתִּי נִרְצֶה לַאֲנָשָׁיו וּמְזָרֶה עַל הַגְּדוּלָּה וְרוֹדֵף אַחֲרֶיהָ,

and he is not desired by his people, and he scatters (disparages) greatness and pursues it (greatness).

בִּלְתִּי לִבְחֹר מַה שֶּׁאֵין הָעוֹלָם בּוֹחֲרִים בּוֹ,

It is impossible to choose what the world does not choose,

אָז הַגְּדוּלָּה בּוֹרַחַת מִמֶּנּוּ (שָׁם) וְיִמְצָא בּוּז וְקָלוֹן תַּחַת תִּקְוָתוֹ לִהְיוֹת מְכֻבָּד,

Then greatness flees from him (there) and he will find scorn and disgrace instead of his hope to be honored,

כִּי כָּךְ טֶבַע הַדָּבָר.

For such is the nature of the matter.