מַאֲמָר ב׳ · תִּקּוּן הַמִּדּוֹת

וְכֵן בְּמַעֲשֵׂה הָעֵגֶל, אֲשֶׁר חָטָא הָעָם חֲטָאָה גְדוֹלָה" (שְׁמוֹת ל"ב) - הֲזֹאת מֵאַיִן בָּא לָהֶם בֶּאֱמֶת הַחֵטְא הַזֶּה?

And similarly with the incident of the Calf, 'that the people sinned a great sin' (Shemos 32) - from where did this sin truly come to them?

הִנֵּה גַּם שָׁם הָיָה לָהֶם מָקוֹם לִטְעוֹת כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה: "וַיַּרְא הָעָם כִּי בֹשֵׁשׁ מֹשֶׁה" (שְׁמוֹת ל"ב),

Behold, even there they had room to err, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: "And the people saw that Moshe delayed" (Shemos 32),

אַל תַּקְרִי בּוֹשֵׁשׁ אֶלָּא בָּאוּ שֵׁשׁ.

Do not read 'boshesh' (delayed), rather 'ba'u shesh' (six came).

בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁעָלָה מֹשֶׁה לַמָּרוֹם אָמַר לָהֶם לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְסוֹף אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם בִּתְחִלַּת שֵׁשׁ אֲנִי בָּא,

At the time Moshe ascended to the Heavens, he said to Yisrael, 'At the end of forty days, at the beginning of the sixth hour, I am coming.'

לְסוֹף מ' יוֹם בָּא שָׂטָן וְעִרְבֵּב אֶת הָעוֹלָם וְכוּ' אָמַר לָהֶם בָּאוּ שֵׁשׁ וְלֹא הִשְׁגִּיחוּ עָלָיו,

At the end of forty days, the Satan came and confused the world, etc. He said to them, 'It is six o'clock,' but they did not pay attention to him.

מֵת, וְלֹא הִשְׁגִּיחוּ עָלָיו, הֶרְאָה לָהֶם דְּמוּת מִטָּתוֹ (שַׁבָּת פ"ט),

He died, and they did not pay attention to him, he showed them the image of his bed (Shabbos 89a),

וְאַף כַּאֲשֶׁר הֶרְאָה לָהֶם דְּמוּת מִטָּתוֹ, מִי שֶׁרָצָה לִטְעוֹת טָעָה, וּמִי שֶׁלֹּא רָצָה לִטְעוֹת לֹא טָעָה.

And even when He showed them the image of His 'bed' (His presence), whoever wanted to err, erred, and whoever did not want to err, did not err.

וְהָעִנְיָן כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַב הָרַמְבַּ"ן שֶׁ"שֶׁקֶר אֵין לוֹ רַגְלַיִם",

And the matter is as the Ramban wrote, that "falsehood has no legs."

הַיְינוּ, שֶׁאֵין לַשֶּׁקֶר שׁוּם בֵּית אֲחִיזָה,

Meaning, that falsehood has no foothold whatsoever,

כְּמוֹ הַפָּאקוּסִים אֲשֶׁר מְרַמִּין בּוֹ אֶת בְּנֵי אָדָם וְלוֹקְחִין עַל יָדוֹ אֶת מָמוֹנָם,

Like the 'fakusim' (swindlers) who deceive people with it and take their money through it,

בִּמְצִיאוּתוֹ אֵין לוֹ שׁוּם בֵּית אֲחִיזָה וְכָל כֹּחוֹ הוּא הַמְּהִירוּת,

In its reality, it has no foothold whatsoever, and all its strength is speed,

שֶׁהָאָדָם הָעוֹשֶׂה הַפַּאקוּסֶס הוּא מְמַהֵר כָּל כָּךְ בַּעֲשִׂיָּתוֹ עַד אֲשֶׁר מֵרוֹב מְהִירוּתוֹ לֹא יָכוֹל הָאָדָם לִתְפּוֹס בְּעֵינָיו אֶת הַשֶּׁקֶר הַכָּרוּךְ בַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה.

That the person who does the 'fakuses' (tricks/deceptions) is so quick in his doing of them, until from the abundance of his swiftness, the person cannot grasp with his eyes the falsehood involved in this matter.

כֵּן כָּל מַעֲשֵׂה הַיֵּצֶר אֵין לוֹ שׁוּם בֵּית אֲחִיזָה אֶלָּא שֶׁכָּל כֹּחוֹ הוּא רַק הַמְּהִירוּת שֶׁמְּמַהֵר כָּל כָּךְ עֲבוֹדָתוֹ עַד אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָכוֹל הַשֵּׂכֶל לְהַכִּיר חֻלְשָׁתוֹ,

So too, every act of the yetzer has no real hold, except that all its strength is only the speed with which it hurries its work so much, until the intellect cannot recognize its weakness,

וְהַמִּין הַזֶּה הָיָה מֵהַמְּקוֹמוֹת הַטָּעוּת שֶׁל מַעֲשֵׂה הָעֵגֶל כִּי רָאוּ מֹשֶׁה מֵת,

And this type was from the mistaken places of the act of the Calf, for they saw Moshe dead,

וְהָרְאָיָה הַזֹּאת אֵין לָהּ בֶּאֱמֶת שׁוּם בֵּית אֲחִיזָה וְלוּ הִבִּיטוּ עַל הַדְּמוּת הַזֶּה בְּעַיִן חַדָּה לֹא הָיוּ טוֹעִים בָּהּ כְּלָל,

And this proof truly has no foothold at all, and if they would look at this image with a sharp eye, they would not err in it at all,

רַק מְהִירוּת מַעֲשֵׂהוּ הִטְעָה אוֹתָם,

Only the swiftness of his deed misled them,

וְהָרְאָיָה שֶׁשֵּׁבֶט לֵוִי לֹא טָעוּ.

And the proof is that Shevet Levi did not err.

הֲרֵי לָנוּ שֶׁמִּי שֶׁלֹּא רָצָה לִטְעוֹת לֹא טָעָה.

Behold for us, that one who did not want to err, did not err.

מִזֶּה נָבִין שֶׁמִּי שֶׁטָּעָה לֹא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמְּקוֹם הַטָּעוּת גָּרַם לוֹ,

From this we will understand that one who erred, it was not because the place of the error caused it for him,

אֶלָּא הוּא גָּרַם שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַמָּקוֹם לְמָקוֹם טָעוּת,

Rather, he caused that the place should become a place of error,

וְכֵיוָן שֶׁטָּעוּ בַּהַמְרָאָה טָעוּ גַּם כֵּן בַּהַשֵּׁשׁ שָׁעוֹת וְלוּ הָיוּ מַכִּירִים אֶת הַדִּמְיוֹן כִּי כּוֹזֵב הוּא עוֹד הָיוּ מִתְעַלִּים מִן הַנִּסָּיוֹן,

And since they erred in the ascent, they erred also in the six hours, and if they would have recognized the imagination that it is false, they would have still elevated themselves from the nisayon.

וְעַכְשָׁיו שֶׁלֹּא הִכִּירוּ יָרְדוּ מִמַּדְרֵגָתָם,

And now, because they did not recognize, they descended from their madreiga,

כִּי זֶה מִשְׁפַּט הַמָּקוֹם טָעוּת,

For this judgment of the place is a mistake,

נִסָּיוֹן הוּא, מִי שֶׁמְּנַצְּחוֹ מַרְוִיחַ וּמִי שֶׁמְּנֻצָּח מִמֶּנּוּ מַפְסִיד.

It is a nisayon; one who overcomes it profits, and one who is overcome by it loses.

כִּי עַל פִּי דִּין הָיָה דַּי הַהַכָּרָה בְּמַהוּת הַתּוֹרָה,

For according to the letter of the law, the recognition of the essence of Torah would have been enough,

כִּי הִיא הַחַיִּים וְהֶעְדֵּרָהּ הִיא הַמָּוֶת,

for it is life, and its absence is death,

כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ.

As we explained.

זֶה לְבַד הָיָה דַּי שֶׁהַמְבַקֵּשׁ יָשִׂים לֵב לְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת דֶּרֶךְ הַתּוֹרָה,

This alone would be enough, that the seeker pay attention to seek the path of Torah,

אֶלָּא לְפִי שֶׁיָּדַע הַבּוֹרֵא כִּי יֵשׁ מָקוֹם לִטְעוֹת,

Rather, because the Creator knew that there is room to err,

וְגַם הַהַכָּרָה לֹא יָכוֹל לְהוֹעִיל אוֹתוֹ,

And also, the recognition cannot help him,

לָכֵן נִכְנַסְתִּי עִמָּכֶם לִפְנִים מִשּׁוּרַת הַדִּין וְגִלֵּיתִי לָכֶם גַּם אֶת זֶה וְאָמַרְתִּי לָכֶם וּבָחַרְתָּ בַּחַיִּים,

Therefore, I entered with you beyond the letter of the law and revealed to you even this, and I said to you, "And you shall choose life,"

שֶׁגַּם אִם תְּבַקֵּשׁ רַק קִיּוּם הַתּוֹרָה,

that even if you will seek only the fulfillment of the Torah,

בַּקִּיּוּם גּוּפָא תּוּכַל לִטְעוֹת וְצָרִיךְ אַתָּה לִבְחֹר גַּם שָׁם,

In the very existence itself you can err, and you need to choose even there,

כְּמַאֲמַר חֲזַ"ל: זָכָה – נַעֲשֶׂה לוֹ סַם חַיִּים,

As Chazal said: If he merits it, it becomes for him a life-giving elixir,

לֹא זָכָה נַעֲשָׂה לוֹ סַם הַמָּוֶת (יומא ע"ב).

If he was not meritorious, it becomes for him a deadly poison (Yoma 72a).

וְעוֹד אָמְרוּ "הֲלֹא כֹּה דְבָרַי כָּאֵשׁ נְאֻם ה' " (יִרְמְיָהוּ כ"ג כ"ט),

And further they said, "Behold, so are My words like fire, says Hashem" (Yirmiyahu 23:29),

זָכָה מְאִיר לוֹ לֹא זָכָה שׂוֹרַפְתּוֹ בִּיקוּדָהּ,

If he merits, it illuminates for him; if he does not merit, it burns him with its fire.

וְעוֹד אָמְרוּ "אֲנִי חָכְמָה שָׁכַנְתִּי עָרְמָה" (מִשְׁלֵי ח' י"ב),

And further they said, "I, Chochmah, dwell with cleverness" (Mishlei 8:12),

זָכָה נַעֲשֶׂה עָרוּם בַּכֹּל, לֹא זָכָה נַעֲשֶׂה עָרוּם מִכֹּל.

If he merits, he becomes clever in everything; if he does not merit, he becomes stripped of everything.

וְכֵיוָן שֶׁכֵּן הוּא, צָרִיךְ אַתָּה לִבְחֹר בָּחוּר,

And since this is so, you must choose a choice,

בֵּאוּר בְּתוֹךְ הַחַיִּים עַצְמוֹ,

an elucidation within life itself,

כִּי יֵשׁ מָוֶת בְּצוּרַת חַיִּים וְיָכוֹל בַּחֲמוּת הַזֶּה לִפֹּל מַטָּה מַטָּה,

For there is death in the form of life, and one can, with this 'heat,' fall lower and lower,

וּבְעֵת הַבְּחִירָה סָבַר כִּי חַיִּים הוּא,

And at the time of the choice, he thought that it was life,

עַל כֵּן אָמַרְתִּי וּבָחַרְתָּ בַּחַיִּים,

Therefore I said, 'And you shall choose life,' (Devarim 30:19)

בְּתוֹךְ הַחַיִּים.

Within life.

עַד כִּי חָרָה לַשַּׂר מְאֹד וְאָמַר לַמֶּלֶךְ הֲכִי לֹא יוֹעִיל לִי בְּפַעַם אַחַת שֶׁתָּשׁוּב אַתָּה לְשָׁנָה וּלְשָׁלֹשׁ אֵלַי.

Until it angered the minister greatly, and he said to the king, 'Will it not benefit me even once that you return to me for a year or for three?'

אָמַר לוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ אַף עַל פִּי כֵן אֲנִי אוֹמֵר לְךָ פַּעַם רְבִיעִית שֶׁלֹּא תִּתֵּן לוֹ יָד בְּדֶרֶךְ אַסְמַכְתָּא עַל שׁוּם עִנְיָן בָּעוֹלָם.

The king said to him, 'Nevertheless, I tell you a fourth time that you should not give him ahand by way of an asmachta (a non-binding assurance) concerning any matter in the world.'

וְכֹה נִפְרַד מִמֶּנּוּ.

And thus he separated from him.

בְּבֹאוֹ שָׁמָּה, כַּעֲבוֹר יָמִים אֲחָדִים,

When he came there, after a few days,

בָּא אֵלָיו שַׂר אֶחָד וְהִצִּיעַ לוֹ לִתְקוֹעַ עִמּוֹ יָד בְּדָבָר מַה,

One minister came to him and proposed to join hands with him in some matter,

וְנִזְכַּר הַשַּׂר צִוּוּי הַמֶּלֶךְ וְלֹא רָצָה וְאָמַר לוֹ פַּעַם שְׁנִית אַף עַל פִּי כֵן אֲנִי אוֹמֵר לְךָ שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְךָ גַּבְנוּנִית וַאֲנִי תּוֹקֵעַ יָד לָתֵת עֲשָׂרָה מִילְיוֹן אִם לֹא אֶרְאֶה לְפָנַי כָּל אֲמִתַּת דְּבָרַי.

And the minister remembered the king's command, but he did not want to, and he said to him a second time, 'Nevertheless, I tell you that you have a hunchback, and I pledge my hand to give ten million if I do not see before me the full truth of my words.'

כְּשָׁמְעוֹ הַשַּׂר כִּי הוּא מַבְטִיחַ לִתֵּן עֲשָׂרָה מִילְיוֹן עַל מַה שֶּׁהוּא יוֹדֵעַ כִּי הוּא שָׁוְא וְשֶׁקֶר סָבַר בְּדַעְתּוֹ כִּי עַל עִנְיָן כָּזֶה לֹא עָלָה מֵעוֹלָם עַל דַּעַת הַמֶּלֶךְ לְצַוּוֹת שֶׁלֹּא יִתָּקַע עִמּוֹ יָד,

When the minister heard that he was promising to give ten million for something he knew was vanity and falsehood, he thought to himself that regarding such a matter, it never entered the king's mind to command that one should not shake hands with him,

יַעַן כִּי הוּא רִוְוחַ בָּרוּר,

Because it is a clear gain,

וְהִסְכִּים בְּדַעְתּוֹ כִּי לֹא עַל זֶה צִוָּה הַמֶּלֶךְ,

And he agreed in his mind that it was not for this that the King commanded,

וְתָקַע עִמּוֹ יָד, וְאַחַר כָּךְ הִפְשִׁיט אֶת עַצְמוֹ עָרוֹם וְהֶרְאָה לִפְנֵי כֹּל כִּי אֵין לוֹ גַּבְנוּנִית וְלָקַח הַמָּעוֹת.

And he shook hands with him, and afterwards he stripped himself naked and showed before all that he had no hump, and he took the money.

כַּאֲשֶׁר בָּא בַּחֲזָרָה אֶל הַמֶּלֶךְ סִפֵּר לוֹ כָּל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה.

When he came back to the king, he told him all these things.

הוֹי!

Woe!

אָמַר לוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ, שׁוֹטֶה שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם,

The king said to him, 'Fool of the world,'

הֲלֹא אָמַרְתִּי לְךָ כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה פְּעָמִים שֶׁלֹּא תִּתְקַע עִמּוֹ יָד בְּשׁוּם אֹפֶן שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם,

Did I not tell you many, many times not to shake hands with him in any way in the world,

גַּם עַל זֶה צֻוֵּיתִי לְךָ.

Also concerning this, I was commanded to you.

הֲלֹא תֵדַע כִּי הוּא תָּקַע עִמִּי יָד בְּעֶשְׂרִים מִילְיוֹן,

Do you not know that he struck hands with me for twenty million,

שֶׁתַּצִּיג שְׁמִי עָרוֹם לִפְנֵי כָּל הַבְּרִיּוֹת וּבְרִוְחֲךָ הִפְסַדְתַּנִי כִּפְלַיִם.

that you should display My Name naked before all creatures, and with your profit, you caused Me double loss.

וְהוּא טוֹעֶה בְּרֶוַח מוּעָט לְהַפְסִיד כִּפְלֵי כִּפְלַיִם,

And he errs for a small profit to lose double and redoubled,

בְּעֵת נִדְמֶה לְפָנָיו מָוֶת בְּצוּרַת חַיִּים,

At the time when death appears before him in the form of life,

הוּא בּוֹחֵר אוֹתָהּ מִפְּנֵי הַחַיִּים וּלְסוֹף יִפּוֹל עַל יָדָהּ מַטָּה מַטָּה.

He chooses it for the sake of life, and in the end, he will fall by its hand, lower and lower.

לָכֵן צָרִיךְ הָאָדָם לִבְחֹר הַרְבֵּה בְּתוֹךְ הַחַיִּים גּוּפָא וּלְנַפּוֹת כָּל דָּבָר בְּשֶׁבַע נָפוֹת.

Therefore, a person needs to choose much within life itself, and to sift every matter with seven sieves.

כְּטֻמְאַת הַנִּדָּה הָיְתָה דַּרְכָּם לְפָנַי.

Their path before Me was like the defilement of a niddah.

(יְחֶזְקֵאל ל"ו).

(Yechezkel 36).

בַּנּוֹהֵג שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, אֵין אָדָם עוֹשֶׂה שׁוּם דָּבָר בְּלִי שֶׁמַּגִּיעַ לוֹ רֶוַח מִזֶּה,

In the way of the world, a person does nothing without profit coming to him from it,

וְלֹא יִתֵּן מַה שֶּׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ בְּלִי שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהַתְּמוּרָה עוֹדֶפֶת עָלָיו וְאַדְּרַבָּה,

And he will not give what he has without knowing that the return is greater than it; on the contrary,

שֶׁמְּבַקֵּשׁ בְּכָל עֲסָקָיו שֶׁיְּהֵא הָרֶוַח בְּבֵרוּר,

who seeks in all his dealings that the profit should be clear,

וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁלֹּא עָשָׂה שׁוּם דָּבָר עַל צַד הַהֶפְסֵד,

And all the more so that he did not do anything at all on the side of loss,

כִּי לְשׁוֹטֶה יֵחָשֵׁב אִם יַעֲמֹל לָרִיק וְיִיגַע לְהֶפְסֵד.

For he will be considered a fool if he toils for naught and labors for loss.

עַל הָאָדָם וְכָל אַזְהָרוֹתָיו הוֹלְכִים עַל צַד הַהֶפְסֵד שֶׁל הָאָדָם,

Regarding man, all his warnings go on the side of man's loss,

כִּי הַתּוֹרָה לוֹקַחַת מִן הָאָדָם וְאֵינֶנָּה נוֹתֶנֶת לוֹ שׁוּם תְּמוּרָה בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְכָל דְּרָכֶיהָ הֵמָּה נֶגֶד הַשֵּׂכֶל וְנֶגֶד הָרָצוֹן,

For the Torah takes from a person and does not give him any compensation in this world, and all its ways are against the intellect and against the will,

וְלוּ יְצוּיָּר שֶׁבָּא כֵּן הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה לְפָנֵינוּ הָיִינוּ גַּם כֵּן מֻכְרָחִים לַעֲשׂוֹת רְצוֹנוֹ,

And if it were to be imagined that this matter came before us in such a way, we would also be compelled to do His will,

הֱווּ כַּעֲבָדִים הַמְשַׁמְּשִׁים אֶת הָרַב שֶׁלֹּא עַל מְנָת לְקַבֵּל פְּרָס

Be like servants who serve the Master not in order to receive a reward.

אֲבָל בֶּאֱמֶת לֹא כֵן, כִּי הַתּוֹרָה וְהַשְּׁלֵמוּת נִבְנוּ עַל דַּרְכֵי נֹעַם,

But in truth, it is not so, for the Torah and perfection were built upon paths of pleasantness,

וַאֲפִלּוּ כּוּפְרָא (עֵץ כְּמִין חֲרוּתָא) בִּשְׁבִיל לוּלָב וְחִלְדּוֹן (כְּמִין קְלִפָּה עֲשׂוּיִין עָלָיו) בִּמְקוֹם הֲדַס,

And even a kufra (a tree like a carob) for a lulav, and a chiledon (like a peel made on it) in place of a hadas,

דַּרְכֵי נֹעַם וְהַאי מְבַרְז בְּרִיז אֶת הַיָּדַיִם כְּקוֹצִים שֶׁרֹאשׁוֹ עָלָיו עֲשׂוּיִין הַדִּין כְּמַחַט) (סוכה ל"ב).

Its ways are ways of pleasantness, but this one, it cuts and pricks the hands like thorns whose head is upon it, made like a needle (Sukkah 32b).

וְלוּ יְהֵא שֶׁכָּל הָעוֹלָם לֹא יִמְצְאוּ לְקַיֵּים מִצְוַת ד' מִינִים בַּהֲדַר אַחֵר אוֹ לוּלָב אַחֵר,

And even if it were that the whole world would not find to fulfill the mitzvah of the Four Species with another hadar (citron) or another lulav,

בָּטְלָה הַמִּצְוָה, וְהַכּוֹפְרָא וְהַיַּרְדּוּף פְּסוּלִים.

The mitzvah is nullified, and the caper and oleander are invalid.

וְאֵין זֶה מִדַּת חֲסִידוּת.

And this is not the measure of Chassidus.

כִּי הֲרֵי מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה הִיא.

For behold, it is a positive mitzvah.

הֲרֵי לָנוּ שֶׁהַהַגְדָּרָה הָאֲמִתִּית בְּמִצְוַת הַתּוֹרָה הוּא הַכְּלָל שֶׁל דַּרְכֵי נֹעַם.

Behold for us, that the true definition in the mitzvah of the Torah is the principle of 'its ways are ways of pleasantness'.

וְאַחַר שֶׁאֵין כּוּפְרָא וְהַיִּרְדּוּף נֹעַם לְפִי שֶׁיְּכוֹלִים לְהַזִּיק בְּקוֹצֵיהֶם וּמַחְטֵיהֶם אֵינָם בִּכְלַל צִוּוּי הַתּוֹרָה.

And since the henna plant and the oleander are not pleasant, because they are able to harm with their thorns and their needles, they are not included in the Torah's commandment.

וְלוּ יְצוּיָּר שֶׁהַתּוֹרָה צִוְּתָה בְּפֵירוּשׁ עַל הַכּוֹפְרָא וְהַיַּרְדּוּף,

And were it to be imagined that the Torah commanded explicitly concerning apostasy and persecution,

אָז וַדַּאי הָיִינוּ עוֹשִׂין כֹּל,

Then certainly we would do everything,

אֲבָל עַכְשָׁיו שֶׁלֹּא כְּתִיב בָּהּ אֵיזֶה לוּלָבִים וַעֲנָפֵי עֵץ עָבֹת דָּנוּ חֲזַ"ל,

But now, since it is not written in it which lulavim and branches of a thick tree, Chazal deliberated,

כִּי אֵין זוֹ מַה שֶּׁרוֹצָה הַתּוֹרָה,

For this is not what the Torah wants,

מִפְּנֵי מָה?

Because of what?

מִפְּנֵי שֶׁדְּרָכֶיהָ דַּרְכֵי נֹעַם (מִשְׁלֵי ג').

Because "Her ways are ways of pleasantness" (Mishlei 3).

נִמְצָא שֶׁהָיָה מְקֻבָּל לַחֲזַ"ל מֵהַפָּסוּק הַזֶּה לְיְסוֹד לִפְסֹל כָּל מַה שֶּׁיָּצָא מִן הַכְּלָל הַזֶּה,

It turns out that it was accepted by our Sages of blessed memory from this verse as a foundation to disqualify anything that deviated from this rule,

וְכָל מַה שֶּׁיֵּשׁ לָנוּ מִן הַתּוֹרָה וְהַשְּׁלֵמוּת אֵין זֶה מַס עָלֵינוּ וְדָבָר לֹא נָעִים,

And all that we have from the Torah and perfection, this is not a tax upon us and an unpleasant thing,

אֶלָּא אַדְּרַבָּה, בְּכָל פִּנּוֹת הַחַיִּים אָנוּ מוֹצְאִים אֶת הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר הַתּוֹרָה תַּנְחֶה אוֹתוֹ בְּכָל עִנְיָנָיו,

Rather, on the contrary, in all corners of life we find the person whom the Torah guides in all his matters,

וּמִצַּד עַצְמוֹ אֵין לוֹ שׁוּם נְגִיעָה,

And from its own side, it has no involvement whatsoever,

אֵיךְ יָבוֹא אֵלָיו כָּל תְּבִיעוֹת הַחַיִּים,

How will all the demands of life come to him,

כִּי הוּא מֻצְלָח מִכָּל הַצְּדָדִין,

for he is successful from all sides,

וְהָאָדָם הַנִּמְשָׁךְ בִּבְחִירָתוֹ אֶת דֶּרֶךְ הַחַיִּים,

And the person who is drawn by his choice to the path of life,

לְפִי נְטִיּוֹתָיו, לֹא דַּי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה דִּיּוּחַ בָּרוּר,

According to his inclinations, it is not enough that there be a clear report,

אֶלָּא גַּם יַפְסִיד מַה שֶּׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ,

rather, he will also lose what he already has,

כְּמוֹ שֶׁמָּצִינוּ בְּמִקְצוֹעַ הַכָּבוֹד,

Just as we find regarding the trait of honor,

אֲשֶׁר הוּא צִיר שֶׁל כָּל הַמִּדּוֹת הָרָעוֹת,

which is the axis of all the bad character traits,

אָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל: "כָּל הַמְחַזֵּר עַל הַגְּדוּלָּה,

Chazal said: 'Whoever pursues greatness,

גְּדוֹלָה בּוֹרַחַת מִמֶּנּוּ, וְכָל הַבּוֹרֵחַ מִן הַגְּדוֹלָה,

Greatness flees from him, and anyone who flees from greatness,

גְּדוֹלָה מַחֲזֶרֶת אַחֲרָיו" (עֵירוּבִין י"ג).

It is great, it pursues him" (Eruvin 13a).

מַה שֶּׁמִּצַּד הַשְּׁלֵמוּת לִבְרֹחַ מִן הַכָּבוֹד,

that which is from the side of perfection to flee from honor,

אֵין זֶה מַס עַל הָאָדָם וְעֹל עַל צַוָּארוֹ,

This is not a tax upon a person, nor a yoke upon his neck,

אוֹ מִדַּת חֲסִידוּת, אֲשֶׁר לוּ יְצֻיַּר שֶׁאִלּוּ לֹא חִיְּבָה הַתּוֹרָה,

Or the attribute of Chassidus, which, were it to be imagined that if the Torah had not obligated it,

הָיִינוּ חַיִּים אֶת חַיֵּינוּ בְּלֹא זֶה גַּם כֵּן,

We would have lived our lives without this as well,

וְעַל יְדֵי הַתּוֹרָה תִּכָּבֵד עָלֵינוּ לְכוֹנֵן דֶּרֶךְ הַחַיִּים,

And through the Torah, it will be weighty upon us to establish the path of life,

אִדְּרַבָּה!

On the contrary!

הַתּוֹרָה גִּלְּתָה לָנוּ הַמְּצִיאוּת שֶׁל הַחַיִּים,

The Torah revealed to us the reality of life,

אֲשֶׁר אַף אִם יִרְצֶה הָאָדָם לְהָזִיד לִבּוֹ לִרְדֹּף אַחַר הַגְּדוּלָּה בְּהִשְׁתַּדְּלוּת מְרֻבָּה מְאֹד,

that even if a person would want to make his heart wicked to pursue greatness with very much effort,

הִיא הַנּוֹתֶנֶת שֶׁיִּבְרַח מִמֶּנּוּ כְּבוֹדוֹ,

This is what causes his honor to flee from him,

כִּי זֶה טֶבַע הַדָּבָר – שֶׁהָרוֹדֵף אֶת הַגְּדוּלָה הוּא מְרַדֵּף אוֹתָהּ מִמֶּנּוּ עוֹד יוֹתֵר וְהַהִשְׁתַּדְּלוּת לִהְיוֹת מְכֻבָּד בִּזָּיוֹן הוּא,

For this is the nature of the matter: that one who pursues greatness, it flees from him even more, and the effort to be honored is a disgrace.

וְכָל מַה שֶּׁיִּשְׁתַּדֵּל יוֹתֵר יַגִּיעַ אֵלָיו הַבִּזָּיוֹן יוֹתֵר,

And the more he will strive, the more disgrace will come to him,

וּמִצַּד הַהֶכְרֵחַ אֵין לָאָדָם דֶּרֶךְ אַחֶרֶת כִּי אִם לִבְרֹחַ לְגַמְרֵי,

And from the side of necessity, a person has no other way but to completely flee,

וְרַק אָז תָּבוֹא אֵלָיו מִמֵּילָא,

And only then will it come to him on its own,

כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: "כָּבוֹד חֲכָמִים יִנְחָלוּ" (מִשְׁלֵי ג' ל"ה).

As it is written: "Honor the wise shall inherit" (Mishlei 3:35).

בָּא לָהֶם בְּגֶדֶר נַחֲלָה, שֶׁאֵין הָאָדָם רוֹדֵף אַחֲרָיו וְיָבוֹא אֵלָיו מִמֵּילָא וּלְשׁוֹטֶה יֵחָשֵׁב מִי שֶׁיִּרְצֶה לְקָרֵב מִיתַת אָבִיו כְּדֵי לְנַחֲלוֹ.

It comes to them in the category of an inheritance, which a person does not pursue, and it will come to him on its own, and he will be considered a fool, one who would want to hasten his father's death in order to inherit from him.

אֶלָּא הוּא מֵסִיחַ דַּעַת מִמֶּנּוּ וְהַנַּחֲלָה בָּא מִמֵּילָא.

Rather, he diverts his mind from it, and the inheritance comes on its own.

כֵּן הָאָדָם, אִם יִשְׁתַּדֵּל לִרְדֹּף אַחַר הַגְּדוּלָּה יְגָרְשֶׁנָּה מִמֶּנּוּ יוֹתֵר וּלְשׁוֹטֶה גָּדוֹל יֵחָשֵׁב.

So too a person, if he will strive to pursue greatness, it will distance itself from him even more, and he will be considered a great fool.

וְנִמְצָא שֶׁאוֹר גָּדוֹל הֵאִירַת לָנוּ הַתּוֹרָה בְּהַחְלָטָתָהּ,

And it turns out that a great light the Torah illuminated for us with its decision,

שֶׁאֵין דֶּרֶךְ אַחֶרֶת כִּי אִם לִבְרֹחַ מִן הַגְּדוּלָה,

that there is no other way except to flee from greatness,

וְהֶכְרָחִי הוּא, וְאִם נִסְתַּכֵּל עוֹד בַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה,

And it is essential, and if we look further into this matter,

נִמְצָא שֶׁלֹּא לְבַד שֶׁעֶצֶם הָרְדִיפָה בִּזָּיוֹן הוּא,

It turns out that not only is the very act of pursuing a disgrace,

אֶלָּא אִם יִקַּח דֶּרֶךְ הָרְדִיפָה,

Rather, if he takes the path of pursuit,

יִהְיֶה מֻכְרָח לְשַׁנּוֹת אֶת עַצְמוֹ לְכַמָּה גְּוָנִין וְלֹא יָכוֹל לַעֲמוֹד עַל הָאֱמֶת כִּי יֵאָרַע לִפְעָמִים כִּי מוּטָב לוֹ אִם יַסְכִּים עִם פְּלוֹנִי,

He will be forced to change himself into several colors and will not be able to stand on the truth, for it will sometimes happen that it is better for him if he agrees with so-and-so,

יְסוֹבֵב כָּל הָרְאָיוֹת עַל דֶּרֶךְ שֶׁל פְּלוֹנִי,

He will turn all the proofs to the way of so-and-so,

וְכִי יֵאָרַע כִּי יִהְיֶה מוּטָב לוֹ אִם יַסְכִּים כְּנֶגְדּוֹ,

And should it happen that it would be better for him if he agrees against it,

סָבַב עִם כָּל שִׂכְלוֹ נֶגְדּוֹ, עַד שֶׁכָּל שִׂכְלוֹ וְהַסְכָּמָתוֹ הוּא כְּמוֹץ לִפְנֵי הָרוּחַ,

He turned with all his intellect against it, until all his intellect and his agreement was like chaff before the wind,

וּלְכָל צַד שֶׁהָרוּחַ מְנַשֵּׁב שָׁמָּה הוּא נוֹטֶה,

And to every side that the wind blows, there he inclines,

וְהוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ הוּא נָעוּר וָרֵיק מִכֹּל,

And he himself is stripped and empty of everything,

וְאֵין לוֹ אֶלָּא נְמִיָּה לִהְיוֹת מְכֻבָּד וְגַם הַגְּדוּלָּה בּוֹרֵחַ מִמֶּנּוּ,

And he has nothing but a slumber to be honored, and also greatness flees from him,

כִּי סָהֲדֵי שִׁקְרָא אַאַגְרַיְיהוּ זִילֵי (סנהדרין כ"ט),

For false witnesses are cheap regarding their payment (Sanhedrin 29a).

מִי שֶׁמַּחֲנִיף לוֹ יוֹדֵעַ הוּא לִבּוֹ הַנִּפְתֶּה וְאֵינוֹ מִתְחַשֵּׁב עִם הַסְכָּמָתוֹ כְּלָל,

One who flatters him, he knows his own enticed heart, and he does not consider his agreement at all,

אֶלָּא צָרִיךְ הוּא לַעֲסֹק בּוֹ, וְאַחַר שֶׁיִּפְעַל לוֹ פְּעֻלָּתוֹ,

Rather, he needs to engage in it, and after it performs its action for him,

הוּא מִתְלוֹצֵץ מִמֶּנּוּ, וּכְמִשְׂחָק יֵחָשֵׁב לוֹ.

He mocks him, and it is considered to him like a game.

כִּי תָּמִיד יָבִין אֶת הַחִסָּרוֹן מַה שֶּׁחֲבֵירָיו וּמַכִּירָיו יָבִינוּ זֶה.

For he will always understand the deficiency that his friends and acquaintances will understand this.

וְאִם יִמְצָא מִן הַחֶסְרוֹנוֹת אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָבִינוּ וְאֵין רוּחַ הָעוֹלָם מַסְכִּים עִם זֶה,

And if he finds among the deficiencies those which they will not understand, and the spirit of the world does not agree with this,

לֹא יַעֲלֶה עַל דַּעְתּוֹ לְהִשְׁתַּדֵּל לְתַקֵּן אֶת הַחִסָּרוֹן הַזֶּה,

It will not enter his mind to try to fix this deficiency,

וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁהַחֶסְרוֹנוֹת מַה שֶּׁדּוֹרוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנִים הֵבִינוּ זֶה לְחֶסְרוֹנוֹת זֶה לֹא יִתְפֹּס מֻתָּן לְגַמְרֵי,

And all the more so that the deficiencies, what the early generations understood as deficiencies, this will not completely seize their death,

כִּי הוּא צָרִיךְ לָצֵאת בְּמוּטָב שֶׁיִּקָּרֵא שׁוֹטֶה וְאַל יְהִי רָשָׁע בִּפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם (עדיות פ"ה),

For he needs to go out with 'it is better that he be called a fool and not be wicked before the Omnipresent' (Eduyos 5:6).

וְהוּא אִסְטְנִיס גָּדוֹל בִּכְבוֹדוֹ וּמְפַחֵד לִתְקֹעַ הוּטְמוֹ בְּדָבָר מָה וְעוֹבֵד אֶת הָעוֹלָם וַאֲנָשָׁיו,

And he is very delicate regarding his honor, and he is afraid to stick his nose into something, and he serves the world and its people,

וְהוּא גְּדוֹלוֹת לֹא יַשִּׂיג, וְנִשְׁאָר אָדָם בִּתְמוּנָה פְּשׁוּטָה וַהֲמוֹנִי אֲשֶׁר מַה שֶּׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ אֵינוֹ רוֹצֶה,

And he will not attain great things, and a person remains in a simple and common state, where what he has he does not want,

וּמַה שֶּׁרוֹצֶה אֵין לוֹ.

And what he wants, he does not have.