מַאֲמָר ב׳ · תִּקּוּן הַמִּדּוֹת

וּמָצִינוּ שֶׁהַבַּעַל אַגָּדָה מְחַלֵּק אֶת בְּנֵי הָאָדָם לְאַרְבַּע בָּנִים, וּכְנֶגֶד אַרְבַּע בָּנִים דִּבְּרָה תּוֹרָה.

And we find that the Baal Agaddah divides Bnei Adam into four sons, and corresponding to four sons the Torah spoke.

וְיִתָּכֵן שֶׁהַחֲלוּקָה הַזֹּאת הִיא חֲלוּקָה הֶכְרָחִית,

And it is possible that this division is a necessary division,

אֲשֶׁר בֵּין מַצָּב הַיּוֹתֵר נָמוּךְ וּבֵין מַצָּב הַיּוֹתֵר גָּבוֹהַּ עוֹבְרִים בֵּינֵיהֶם הָאַרְבַּע בָּנִים הָאֵלֶּה.

that between the lowest state and the highest state, these four sons pass between them.

חָכָם, רָשָׁע, תָּם וְשֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ לִשְׁאוֹל.

The wise one, the wicked one, the simple one, and the one who does not know how to ask.

הוּא מִתְרָעֵם עַל כָּל הָאֶמְצָעִים שֶׁעַל יָדָם הִגִּיעַ הַצַּדִּיק לְצִדְקוֹ.

He complains about all the means through which the tzaddik reached his righteousness.

לָמָּה לָנוּ הָעֲבוֹדָה הַזֹּאת לְבַקֵּשׁ הַבֵּינְתַיִם שֶׁל הַצַּדִּיק וְהַבֵּינְתַיִם שֶׁל הָרָשָׁע?

Why do we need this avodah, to seek out the in-between state of the tzaddik and the in-between state of the rasha?

וְלָמָּה צְרִיכִין, בֶּאֱמֶת, הַדִּקְדּוּק בְּכָל הַדַּקּוּת וְעַל כָּל הַלְשָׁמָּה הוּא מִתְנַגֵּד.

And why do we truly need the precision in every subtlety and against every 'for its own sake' (lishma) that it opposes?

כִּי לְדַעְתּוֹ לֹא נָחוּץ כָּל כָּךְ לְהַחְמִיר כָּךְ עַל כָּל חוּט הַשַּׂעֲרָה וּלְהִלָּחֵם עִם כָּל נְטִיָּה.

For in his opinion, it is not so necessary to be so stringent on every hairsbreadth and to battle with every inclination.

וְעַל הַבֵּינְתַיִם שֶׁל הָרָשָׁע אֵינוֹ רוֹאֶה כָּל כָּךְ חִסָּרוֹן.

And regarding the interim of the wicked person, he does not see such a deficiency.

כִּי מַה יַּעֲשֶׂה?

For what will he do?

הַאִם בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁאֵינוֹ רוֹצֶה לְוַתֵּר מִכְּבוֹדוֹ כָּל כָּךְ נִקְרָא מִפְּנֵי זֶה רָשָׁע.

Is it that because he does not want to give up so much of his honor, he is called a rasha because of this?

זֶה מוּכְרָח לוֹ וְזֶה לֹא יָכוֹל, וּמִזֶּה קָשֶׁה לִפְרוֹשׁ, וְזֶה יוֹתֵר גָּבוֹהַּ.

This is essential for him, and this he cannot do; and from this it is hard to separate, and this is higher.

וּבִכְלָל אֵינוֹ תּוֹפֵס בְּשִׂכְלוֹ לְבַקֵּשׁ בְּהִשְׁתַּדְּלוּת גְּדוֹלָה כָּל הַדַּקּוּת שֶׁלּוֹ וְלִבְרוֹחַ מִן כָּל רֵיחַ כָּבוֹד כְּבוֹרֵחַ מִן הָאֵשׁ,

And generally, he does not grasp with his intellect to seek with great effort all its subtleties, and to flee from every scent of honor like one fleeing from fire,

וְכָל דַּק מִן כֹּחִי וְעֹצֶם יָדִי,

And all that is subtle from 'my strength and the might of my hand,'

לִהְיוֹת אֶצְלוֹ כְּמוֹ אֶפִּיקוֹרְסוּת.

To be for him like heresy.

עַל כָּל הָעֲבוֹדָה הַזֹּאת, הוּא שׁוֹאֵל מָה הָעֲבוֹדָה הַזֹּאת?

Regarding all this avodah, he asks, 'What is this avodah?'

מַה צְּרִיכִין לְכָל זֶה?

What do we need all this for?

וְאָמַרְתָּ לוֹ בַּעֲבוּר זֶה עָשָׂה ה' לִי בְּצֵאתִי מִמִּצְרָיִם.

And you shall say to him, 'It is because of this that Hashem acted for me when I went out of Mitzrayim' (Shemos 13:8).

זָכַרְתִּי לָךְ חֶסֶד נְעוּרַיִךְ אַהֲבַת כְּלוּלוֹתַיִךְ לֶכְתֵּךְ אַחֲרַי בַּמִּדְבָּר בְּאֶרֶץ לֹא זְרוּעָה

I remembered for you the kindness of your youth, the love of your bridal days, your going after Me in the wilderness, in an unsown land (Yirmiyahu 2).

הֲרֵי לָנוּ שֶׁעִקַּר הַחֶסֶד שֶׁנִּכַּר לָהֶם מַה שֶּׁמָּסְרוּ נַפְשָׁם אֶל גְּזֵרַת אֶחָד וְהָלְכוּ בְּרַעְיוֹן שֶׁל נַעֲשֶׂה קֹדֶם לְנִשְׁמָע.

Behold for us, that the main kindness that was recognized for them was that they gave over their souls to the decree of the One, and they went with the thought of 'we will do' before 'we will hear'.

וְהַגַּם שֶׁהוּא מְדַבֵּר לֹא זְרוּעָה לֹא שָׁאֲלוּ כְּלוּם,

And even though he speaks, 'not sown,' they did not ask anything.

אֵיךְ יִחְיוּ שָׁמָּה כֵּיוָן שֶׁשָּׁמְעוּ צִוּוּי ה' שֶׁיֵּלְכוּ,

How will they live there, since they heard Hashem's command that they should go,

הָלְכוּ וְלֹא שָׁאֲלוּ כְּלוּם, וְזֶהוּ חֶסֶד גָּדוֹל וּבִשְׁבִיל זֶה הָיוּ רְאוּיִם לָצֵאת מִמִּצְרַיִם.

They went and did not ask anything, and this is a great kindness, and for this they were worthy to leave Mitzrayim.

וְאִלּוּ פָּחֲדוּ לָלֶכֶת בַּמִּדְבָּר.

And if they feared to go in the wilderness.

הָיוּ נִשְׁאָרִים בְּמִצְרַיִם תַּחַת שִׁעְבּוּדוֹ שֶׁל פַּרְעֹה.

They would have remained in Mitzrayim under the enslavement of Pharaoh.

וְלָכֵן הָרָשָׁע שֶׁשּׁוֹאֵל מָה הָעֲבֹדָה זֹאת לָכֶם וּמִתְרָעֵם עַל כָּל מְסִירַת נֶפֶשׁ,

And therefore, the wicked one who asks, 'What is this avodah to you?' and complains about every act of mesiras nefesh,

תֹּאמַר לוֹ בַּעֲבוּר זֶה עָשָׂה ה' לִי,

You shall say to him, 'For this Hashem did for me,'

לִי וְלֹא לוֹ.

For me, and not for him.

אֲנִי שֶׁהִפְקַרְתִּי עַצְמִי וּמָסַרְתִּי אֶל גְּזֵרַת ה', לָכֵן נִגְאַלְתִּי.

I, who made myself ownerless and surrendered myself to the decree of Hashem, therefore I was redeemed.

וְאִלּוּ הָיָה שָׁמָּה לֹא הָיָה נִגְאָל,

And if he had been there, he would not have been redeemed,

כִּי גַּם שָׁמָּה הָיָה מְפַחֵד לָלֶכֶת אַחַר צִוּוּי הַמָּקוֹם בַּמִּדְבָּר,

For even there he was afraid to go after the command of the Omnipresent One in the desert,

כִּי אֵינוֹ רוֹצֶה לְוַתֵּר מֵהֶרְגֵּלָיו כְּלוּם,

for he does not want to give up anything from his habits,

וְנִמְצָא דְּהָיָה בְּוַדַּאי נִשְׁאָר בְּמִצְרַיִם וּמִזֶּה נַשְׂכִּיל לָדַעַת שֶׁאִם לֹא יִמְסֹר הָאָדָם אֶת עַצְמוֹ לְהַפְקִיר כָּל חוּט הַשַּׂעֲרָה הַמַּפְרִיעַ לְהַשְׁלָמָה,

And it turns out that he would have certainly remained in Mitzrayim. And from this we will gain understanding to know that if a person does not give over himself to abandon every single hair-thin thread that obstructs his perfection,

סוֹפוֹ לָרֶדֶת מַטָּה מַטָּה, וְיִתְגַּבֵּר עָלָיו טִבְעוֹ וּמִדּוֹתָיו הַהֲגוּנוֹת וְיוֹצִיאוּ אוֹתוֹ מִן הָעוֹלָם,

In the end, he will descend lower and lower, and his nature and his proper character traits will overpower him and remove him from the world,

כִּי מַה שֶּׁיִּרְצֶה לֹא יַשִּׂיג, וּמַה שֶּׁיַּשִּׂיג לֹא יִרְצֶה,

For what he desires, he will not attain; and what he attains, he will not desire.

וְיוֹמָם לֹא יָנוּחַ וְלַיְלָה לֹא יִשְׁקֹט כִּי רַבִּים מַכְאוֹבִים לָרָשָׁע.

And by day he will not rest, and by night he will not be tranquil, for many are the pains of the wicked one.

יוֹדֵעַ הוּא כִּי אֵין חֹק בְּלֹא מִשְׁפָּט וְכָל הַתּוֹרָה תָּלוּי בְּשִׁקּוּל הַדַּעַת שֶׁל הָאָדָם,

He knows that there is no law without judgment, and the entire Torah depends on a person's discretion,

וְהַטָּעוּת שֶׁל הָאָדָם הוּא רַק בַּמָּקוֹם שֶׁשּׁוֹקֵל בְּדַעְתּוֹ.

And the error of a person is only in the place where he weighs in his mind.

וְעַל פִּי רֹב מָצוּי הַשִּׁקּוּל הַדַּעַת רַק בְּדַקּוּיוֹת וְהַחוּט הַשַּׂעֲרוֹת שֶׁל סְבַךְ הַמִּדּוֹת וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִים.

And for the most part, the weighing of the mind is found only in the subtleties and hair-thin threads of the tangle of character traits and judgments.

וְאִם לֹא יְהֵא טָהוֹר בְּכָל רְצוֹנוֹ לְהַרְגִּישׁ נְגִיעוֹתָיו וּפְנִיּוֹתָיו, וַדַּאי שֶׁעַל כָּל נְטִיָּה דַּקָּה יַעֲבֹר וְלֹא יַרְגִּישׁ, יִרְאֶה וְלֹא יַכִּיר.

And if he will not be pure in all his will to sense his touches and his turns, certainly over every subtle inclination he will pass and not feel, he will see and not recognize.

כִּי כָּל הַמֵּקֵל יַגִּיד לוֹ (פְּסָחִים נ"ב),

For whoever is lenient, it will tell him (Pesachim 52),

וְיַכְרִיעַ הַמִּשְׁקָל כְּמוֹ שֶׁלִּבּוֹ חָפֵץ,

and the scale will tip as his heart desires,

וְזֶה כָּל הַבֵּין עֲבוֹד ה' לְלֹא עֲבָדָיו,

And this is all the understanding between serving Hashem without His servants,

שֶׁזֶּה מַשְׁגִּיחַ וְחוֹדֵר לְתוֹךְ הַדַּקּוּת,

that this watches over and penetrates into the subtlety,

וּמַרְגִּישׁ כִּי כָּל נְטִיָּה דַּקָּה מִן הַדַּקָּה יָכוֹל לַהֲרֹס אֶת כָּל הַנְּשָׁמָה וְרוּחַ חַיִּים שֶׁלּוֹ,

And he feels that every inclination, even the slightest, can destroy his entire neshama and ruach chaim,

וְזֶה לֹא יִחוּס עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה כְּלָל, וְאַדְּרַבָּה,

And this is not at all a connection to avodah zarah, and on the contrary,

מַבִּיט עַל הַדִּקְדּוּק בַּהֲדָקוּת בַּעַל דָּבָר מֻתָּר וּבִלְתִּי נֶהֱנִין.

He looks at the precision, with exactitude, at a permitted thing from which one does not derive benefit.

זֶה לוֹחֵם לְהַשְׁלִים הַדַּקּוֹת, וְזֶה מַרְגִּישׁ שֶׁמַּפְסִיד כָּל הָרוּחַ חַיִּים שֶׁלּוֹ אִם יַתְמִיד לַחְדֹּר וּלְדַקְדֵּק בְּכָל נְטִיּוֹתָיו הַדַּקִּים הָאֵלֶּה.

This one struggles to complete the minutes, and this one feels that he loses all his life force if he persists in penetrating and scrutinizing all these subtle inclinations of his.

לָכֵן הָרִאשׁוֹנִים שֶׁהָיָה שִׂכְלָם חָזָק וְגִבּוֹרֵי כֹּחַ,

Therefore, the Rishonim, whose intellect was strong and who were mighty in strength,

וְעָמְדוּ בְּכָל עִנְיָן בְּשִׁקּוּל הַדַּעַת הָאֲמִתִּי,

And they stood in every matter with true deliberation,

זָכוּ לְקִיּוּם הַתּוֹרָה וְתִקּוּן הַמִּדּוֹת וּלְחַיִּים הַנִּצְחִיִּים.

They merited the fulfillment of the Torah and the rectification of character traits, and eternal life.

בָּכָה רַבִּי יֵשׁ קוֹנֶה עוֹלָמוֹ בְּשָׁעָה אַחַת וְכוּ'

Rebbi cried, 'There is one who acquires his World in one hour,' etc. (Avodah Zarah 10a).

וְאֵיךְ הִתְפָּרֵץ מִלִּבּוֹ הַבְּכִיָּה?

And how did the crying burst forth from his heart?

מֵאַחַר שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר לָאָדָם לְהַגִּיעַ לִשְׁלֵמוּתוֹ בְּשָׁעָה אַחַת, לָמָּה לֹא יַגִּיעַ אוֹתָהּ אֶלָּא לְאַחַר כַּמָּה שָׁנִים?

Since it is possible for a person to reach his perfection in one hour, why does he not reach it until after several years?

וְכֵן מָצִינוּ אֵצֶל רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶּן דּוֹסָא שֶׁהֵבִיא עֲרוֹד בְּבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ וְאָמַר אֵין הָעֲרוֹד מֵמִית אֶלָּא הַחֵטְא מֵמִית (בְּרָכוֹת ל"א).

And so too we find with Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa, that he brought a venomous snake into the Beis HaMidrash and said, "It is not the venomous snake that kills, but rather sin that kills" (Berachos 31a).

בִּמְקוֹם שֶׁהָאָדָם שׁוֹקֵל בְּדַעְתּוֹ לִבְרוֹחַ מִמְּקוֹם סַכָּנָה וּלְקַצֵּר בַּעֲבוֹדַת ה' אַחַר שֶׁהוּא עוֹמֵד בְּמַצָּב שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לַעֲשׂוֹת מַה שֶּׁמוּטָל עָלָיו,

In a place where a person considers in his mind to flee from a place of danger and to shorten his avodah for Hashem, after he stands in a situation where it is impossible to do what is incumbent upon him,

כִּי אִם לְהַעֲמִיד עַצְמוֹ תַּחַת כּוֹתֶל רָעוּעַ,

but rather to place himself under a shaky wall,

שָׁמָּה דַּוְקָא הָיָה הַשִּׁקּוּל הַדַּעַת שֶׁל רַבִּי חֲנִינָא לְהֵיפֶךְ,

There, specifically, Rebbe Chanina's consideration was the opposite,

אִדְּרַבָּה, אֵין הֶעָרוֹד מֵמִית אֶלָּא הַחֵטְא מֵמִית "וְשׁוֹמֵר מִצְוָה לֹא יֵדַע דָּבָר רָע" (קֹהֶלֶת ח',

On the contrary, it is not the snake that kills, but rather sin that kills, as it says, "And one who keeps a mitzvah will not know an evil thing" (Koheles 8,

ה'.

Hashem.

הֲרֵי לָנוּ שֶׁעִקַּר שִׁקּוּל הַדַּעַת תָּלוּי בִּמְסִירָתוֹ אֶל הַתּוֹרָה וּלְפִי אֵיכוּת מְסִירַת נַפְשׁוֹ שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ בְּעַד הַתּוֹרָה,

Behold, for us, that the main consideration depends on his dedication to the Torah, and according to the quality of his self-sacrifice that he has for the Torah,

כֵּן יֻזְקַק שִׂכְלוֹ לְהַכְרִיעַ בְּשִׁקּוּל הַדַּעַת שֶׁלּוֹ וּלְעֻמַּת זֶה לְפִי אֵיכוּת שֶׁל אַהֲבַת עַצְמוֹ,

So too, his intellect will be compelled to decide in his judgment, and corresponding to this, according to the quality of his self-love,

כֵּן יִטָּרֵף מִמֶּנּוּ הַשִּׁקּוּל הַדַּעַת הָאֲמִתִּי.

So too, the true da'as, the true consideration, is torn away from him.

וְנִזְכַּר שֶׁשַּׁבָּת הוּא וְנִמְנַע אוֹתוֹ חָסִיד וְלֹא גָּדְרָהּ וְכוּ'

And he remembered that it was Shabbos, and that chassid refrained, and he did not fence it in, etc. (Shabbos 150b).

וּבְטַ"ז שׁוּ"עַ אוֹ"חַ סִי' שַׁ"ז סָ"ק י"ד).

And in the Taz (Turei Zahav commentary on Shulchan Aruch), Orach Chaim, Siman 307, Seif Katan 14).

הֲגַם עַל פִּי דִּין דִּבּוּר אָסוּר הִרְהוּר מֻתָּר (שָׁם עַמּוּד א').

Even though, according to halacha, speech is forbidden, thought is permitted (there, page 1a).

וְאֵין הָאִיסּוּר רַק מִמִּדַּת חֲסִידוּת, וּבְכָל זֶה נִמְנַע מִלִּגְדְּרָהּ לְעוֹלָם.

And the prohibition is only from the attribute of piety, and despite all this, he refrained from fencing it in forever.

וְעַל כֵּן צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר שֶׁכְּמוֹ כֵן הִפְקִיר אֶת הַכֶּרֶם,

And therefore, it must be said that similarly he abandoned the vineyard,

כִּי אִם יִמָּנַע מִלִּגְדֹּר לְבַד וְגוּף הַכֶּרֶם לֹא יַפְקִיר יִכָּשְׁלוּ בוֹ בְּנֵי אָדָם בְּאִסּוּר גֶּזֶל (וְעַיֵּן בַּבָּא מְצִיעָא דַּף ל' עַמּוּד ב',

For if he merely refrains from fencing it, but does not declare the vineyard itself ownerless, people will stumble into the prohibition of theft through it (and see Bava Metziah page 30b,

וּבְתוֹסְ' שָׁם ד"ה אִפְקְרָה).

And in Tosafos there, under the heading "he declared ownerless").

מַבְהִיל הַדָּבָר עַד כַּמָּה הָיָה חוֹדֵר בְּכָל יְכָלְתּוֹ לְתַקֵּן חֶסְרוֹנוֹ אֲפִלּוּ דַּק מִן הַדַּק,

The matter is astounding, how much he would penetrate with all his ability to fix his deficiency, even the finest of the fine,

מִפְּנֵי חִסָּרוֹן שֶׁל הִרְהוּר בִּלְבַד הִפְקִיר אֶת כָּל הַכֶּרֶם שֶׁלּוֹ,

Because of a lack of even a thought, he abandoned his entire vineyard,

וְלֹא הִנִּיחַ אֶת עַצְמוֹ לְהִתְפַּעֵל עַל יְדֵי הִרְהוּר כְּלָל,

And he did not allow himself to be affected by any thought at all,

וְאַף לְאַחַר זֶה שֶׁהַרְהוּר כְּבָר עָבַר וְחָלַף,

And even after this, when the thought has already passed and gone,

וּמַה עָלָיו לַעֲשׂוֹת אַחַר שֶׁהִרְהֵר מִכְּבָר?

And what must he do after he has already thought about it?

הַאִם יוּכַל לְהֲשִׁיבוֹ?

Will he be able to return it?

אָמְנָם, רֹב עִיּוּנוֹ בְּדֶרֶךְ הַתִּקּוּן,

Indeed, most of his contemplation was on the path of rectification,

חָתַר לוֹ חֲתִירָה עֲמוּקָה, כִּי כָּל זְמַן שֶׁלֹּא הוֹצִיא לְפֹעַל הִרְהוּרוֹ,

He dug for himself a deep tunnel, for as long as he did not bring his thought into action,

אֵין הִרְהוּר מַשְׁאִיר שׁוּם רְשִׁימָה כָּל שֶׁהוּא,

A thought does not leave any impression whatsoever,

מִפְּנֵי שֶׁלֹּא נָתַן לָהּ מָקוֹם בְּעוֹלַם הַמַּעֲשֶׂה וּבְמַהֲלַךְ הַחַיִּים שֶׁלּוֹ,

because he did not give it a place in the world of action and in the course of his life,

וְלֹא יַזִּיק לוֹ כְּלוּם.

And nothing will harm him.

נִמְצָא שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ הַבְּחִירָה אַף לְאַחַר הַהִרְהוּר,

It is found that he has free choice even after the thought,

שֶׁלֹּא לְהַגְדִּיר אֶת כַּרְמוֹ וּלְהַפְקִיר אוֹתוֹ וְלַעֲמוֹד בִּלְתִּי הַכֶּרֶם,

not to fence in his vineyard and to abandon it and to stand outside the vineyard,

וְלֹא לִהְיוֹת קָשׁוּר עִמּוֹ כְּלָל,

and not to be connected with it at all,

וַעֲקִירַת הַמַּעֲשֶׂה יַעֲקוֹר אֶת הָרָצוֹן לְמַפְרֵעַ,

And uprooting the deed will uproot the desire retroactively,

וְאִם יָחוּס עַל הַכֶּרֶם וְיַגְדִּיר אוֹתוֹ הוּא נוֹתֵן עַל יְדֵי הַמַּעֲשֶׂה מַמָּשׁוּת בַּהִרְהוּר,

And if he has mercy on the vineyard and fences it, he gives, through the deed, substance to the thought,

כִּי הַהִרְהוּר תּוֹפֵס מָקוֹם בְּמַהֲלַךְ הַחַיִּים שֶׁלּוֹ וּפוֹעֵל עָלָיו,

For the thought takes up space in the course of his life and acts upon him,

עַל יְדֵי זֶה לְהָקֵל בְּאִסּוּר שֶׁל שַׁבָּת.

Through this, to be lenient regarding the prohibition of Shabbos.

אֲבָל אִם יִמְנַע הַפְּעֻלָּה יְתַקֵּן הַקֻּלָּא הַזֹּאת,

But if he refrains from the action, he will rectify this leniency,

וְאַדְּרַבָּה, עוֹד תַּגְדִּיל אֶצְלוֹ חֹמֶר הָאִסּוּר,

And on the contrary, it will further increase for him the severity of the prohibition,

כִּי בְּעַד הִרְהוּר שֶׁל אִסּוּר הוּצְרַךְ לְהַפְקִיר כָּל הַכֶּרֶם וְיֵעָשֶׂה עָלָיו רֹשֶׁם גָּדוֹל לְחֻמְרָה.

For because of a thought of issur, he needed to declare the entire vineyard ownerless, and it will make a great impression upon him towards stringency.

לָכֵן רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר רַבִּי אִלְעַאי שֶׁהִרְגִּישׁ הַחִסָּרוֹן לֹא עִכֵּב לוֹ שׁוּם דָּבָר שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם וְשִׁקּוּל הַדַּעַת שֶׁלּוֹ נָשָׂא לוֹ שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה כָּךְ.

Therefore, Rabbi Yehudah bar Ilai, who felt the lack, nothing in the world held him back, and his judgment led him to do so.

וְאַף בְּשִׁקּוּל הַדַּעַת הָיָה לוֹ חֶשְׁבּוֹנוֹת רַבִּים,

And even in his deliberations, he had many calculations,

שֶׁלֹּא לְהַפְקִיר אֶת הַכֶּרֶם בְּטַעֲנוֹת וְחֶשְׁבּוֹנוֹת עִם רוּחָנִיּוּת שֶׁל הֶעָתִיד,

not to abandon the vineyard with claims and reckonings concerning the spirituality of the future,

כִּי הַכֶּרֶם הָיָה כָּל תְּמִיכָתוֹ לוֹ וּלְכָל הַנִּלְוִים אֵלָיו.

For the vineyard was all his support, for him and for all those who joined him.

וְאִם יָחוּס כָּל כָּךְ עַל הַהִרְהוּר שֶׁל הַהֹוֶה וְיַפְקִיר אֶת חֶכְרָם שֶׁהוּא כָּל רוּחָנִיּוּת הֶעָתִיד,

And if he will have so much pity on the thought of the present, and abandon his portion, which is all the spirituality of the future,

מַה יַעֲשֶׂה עִם הַמָּחָר, הֲלֹא יֵשׁ גַּם מָחָר בַּמְּצִיאוּת,

What will he do with tomorrow? Is there not also a tomorrow in reality?

וּמָחָר צְרִיכִים גַּם כֵּן לְקַיֵּים אֶת הַתּוֹרָה.

And tomorrow, too, we need to fulfill the Torah.

וְאִם קִיּוּם הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁל הַהֹוֶה מַפְרִיעַ לְקִיּוּם הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁל הַמָּחָר וְכָל הֶעָתִיד,

And if the fulfillment of Torah of the present interferes with the fulfillment of Torah of tomorrow and all the future,

יָאוּת אוּלַי לְהַעֲבִיר אֶת הַהֹוֶה וּלְהִשָּׁאֵר בֶּעָתִיד,

Perhaps it is fitting to pass over the present and remain in the future,

כִּי אָמְנָם כָּל קִיּוּם הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁל הָעַכְשָׁיו שֶׁדָּאַג עָלָיו הוּא רַק מִדַּת חֲסִידוּת לְבַד וְקִיּוּם הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁל הֶעָתִיד הוּא קִיּוּם שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְהִפָּטֵר מִמֶּנּוּ בְּשׁוּם אֹפֶן וְחוֹב גָּמוּר הוּא,

For truly, all the Torah observance of the present, about which he worried, is only a measure of piety alone; and the Torah observance of the future is an observance from which he cannot be absolved in any way, and it is a complete obligation,

וְאֵיךְ יַהֲרֹס בְּעַד מִדַּת חֲסִידוּת כָּל הַקִּיּוּם הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁל הֶעָתִיד,

And how will he destroy for the sake of the attribute of Chassidus all the future existence of Torah,

וְיֵשׁ מָקוֹם אוּלַי לְוַתֵּר עַל הַחוּט הַשַּׂעֲרָה הַזֶּה מִפְּנֵי כָּל מַצָּב הָרוּחָנִי שֶׁלּוֹ.

And there is perhaps room to forgo this hair-thin thread because of his entire spiritual state.

אָמְנָם, ר' יְהוּדָה בַּר אִלְעַי לֹא חָשַׁב כֵּן וְהִפְקִיר אֶת כַּרְמוֹ וּמוּכְרָחִים אָנוּ לוֹמַר כִּי בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁעָלָה עַל דַּעְתּוֹ הַשְּׁאֵלָה מַה יַּעֲשֶׂה עִם הַמָּחָר,

Indeed, Rabbi Yehudah bar Ilai did not think so, and he declared his vineyard ownerless, and we are compelled to say that at the moment the question arose in his mind, 'What will he do with tomorrow?'

הֵשִׁיב לְעַצְמוֹ מַה יַעֲשֶׂה עִם הַהִרְהוּר,

He answered himself what he would do with the thought,

הֲלֹא חִסָּרוֹן נִצְחִי הוּא, וְאִם לֹא יֵעָקֵר הַהִרְהוּר הוּא נֶחְשָׁב כְּמֵת מִן הַחֵלֶק הַזֶּה וְאֵינוֹ מַרְגִּישׁ אִסּוּרוֹ כְּלָל וּבְמַחְסוֹר נַפְשׁוֹ לֹא רָצָה בְּשׁוּם אֹפֶן לִדְאֹג אוֹדוֹת מַצָּב הָרוּחָנִי שֶׁל הַמָּחָר,

Is it not an eternal deficiency, and if the thought is not uprooted, he is considered like dead from this part, and he does not feel its prohibition at all, and in the lack of his soul, he did not want in any way to worry about tomorrow's spiritual state,

כִּי הִרְגִּישׁ כִּי יֵשׁ לְפָנָיו כָּעֵת קִיּוּם הַתּוֹרָה,

for he felt that there was before him now the fulfillment of the Torah,

וְהַמָּחָר עוֹד לֹא בָּא.

And tomorrow has not yet come.

מַה יַּחְשֹׁב אֹדוֹת קִיּוּם הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁלֹּא בָּא לָעוֹלָם, הֲרֵי בָּא לְפָנָיו הִרְהוּר שֶׁל אִסּוּר וְצָרִיךְ לְתַקֵּן הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה.

What will he think about the fulfillment of the Torah that did not come into the world? For a thought of prohibition came before him, and he needs to fix this matter.

וְכֵיוָן שֶׁהוּא צָרִיךְ לַעֲסֹק עִם הָעַכְשָׁיו,

And since he needs to engage with the 'now',

בְּטֵלִים אֶצְלוֹ כָּל יְמֵי הַמָּחָר,

all tomorrows are nullified for him,

וְהַהֹוֶה יָקָר לוֹ מִכָּל הֶעָתִיד וְלֹא רָצָה לִהְיוֹת מֵת גַּם מִן הַמִּדַּת חֲסִידוּת.

And the present was more precious to him than all the future, and he did not want to be dead even from the attribute of piety.

וְהָיָה כָּל כָּךְ לָהוּט אַחַר חֶמְדַּת הַחֲסִידוּת שֶׁל הָעַכְשָׁיו עַד שֶׁלֹּא עָמַד לוֹ עַל דַּרְכּוֹ כָּל מַצָּב הָרוּחָנִי שֶׁל הֶעָתִיד,

And he was so zealous after the delight of the chassidus of the present, until no spiritual state of the future stood in his way,

וְכֵיוָן שֶׁשָּׁקַל בְּדַעְתּוֹ לְהַפְקִיר הִפְקִיר,

And since he weighed in his mind to abandon, he abandoned,

וְלֹא חָס מִפְּנֵי כֹּל.

And he did not spare on account of anyone.

וְעוֹד מִלְּבַד שֶׁלֹּא רָצָה לִהְיוֹת מֵת מִן הַחֵלֶק הַזֶּה הָיָה לוֹ עוֹד שִׁקּוּל הַדַּעַת לְהַפְקִיר,

And furthermore, besides the fact that he did not want to be dead from this portion, he also had the consideration to abandon it,

כִּי אִם יַנִּיחַ שֶׁהַשְּׁאֵלַת מָחָר יְעַכֵּב לוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת וּלְהַשְׁלִים אֶת הַהֹוֶה,

For if he allows that the question of tomorrow will hinder him from doing and completing the present,

וְיֵשׁ כֹּחַ בֶּהָמָחָר יוֹתֵר מֵהָעַכְשָׁיו,

And there is strength in 'tomorrow' more than in 'now',

הַכֹּחַ הַזֶּה לֹא לְבַד שֶׁלֹּא יַנִּיחֵהוּ לַעֲלוֹת לְמַעְלָה אֶלָּא שֶׁיּוֹרִידֵהוּ מַטָּה מַטָּה,

This power not only will not allow him to ascend upward, but rather will bring him down, lower and lower,

כִּי כְּשֵׁם שֶׁפָּעַל עָלָיו עַכְשָׁיו לְוַתֵּר מִדַּת חֲסִידוּת מִפְּנֵי הֶעָתִיד,

For just as it influenced him now to forgo the attribute of chesed because of the future,

כֵּן גַּם אִם יִזְדַּמֵּן דִּין מַמָּשׁ וִיהִי' סְתִירָה לֶעָתִיד גַּם כֵּן יִפְעַל עָלָיו לִדְחוֹת אֶת הַהֹוֶה מִפְּנֵי הֶעָתִיד,

So too, even if a real judgment should come about, and it would be a contradiction to the future, it will also cause him to push off the present for the sake of the future,

וְנִמְצָא שֶׁהִרְגִּישׁ הַהִרְהוּר הַזֶּה לְפָרָשַׁת דְּרָכִים אִם יִתֵּן מָקוֹם לַיֵּצֶר בְּהִרְהוּר יַעֲשֶׂה לוֹ מַדְרֵגָה לְמַה שֶׁאַחֲרָיו וְהוּא פֶּתַח שֶׁנִּכְנַס בּוֹ הַיֵּצֶר דֶּרֶךְ הִרְהוּרוֹ לְדִבּוּרוֹ וּמַעֲשָׂיו שֶׁכֵּן דַּרְכּוֹ שֶׁל יֵצֶר הָרָע.

And it turns out that he felt this thought as a crossroads: if he gives room to the yetzer in thought, it will make for him a step for what comes after it, and it is an opening through which the yetzer enters, through his thought, to his speech and his actions, for such is the way of the yetzer hara.

וְנִמְצָא אַף שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ מָקוֹם לְוַתֵּר אֶת מִדַּת הַחֲסִידוּת מִפְּנֵי מַצָּב הָרוּחָנִי שֶׁל הֶעָתִיד, לֹא רָצָה כֵּן.

And it is found that even though he had room to forgo the attribute of Chassidus because of the future spiritual state, he did not want to do so.

כִּי כָּאן מָצָא בַּעַל חוֹב לִגְבּוֹת אֶת חוֹבוֹ,

For here the creditor found to collect his debt,

וְכָאן יוּכַל לְהַגְדִּיר בְּעַד הַיֵּצֶר שֶׁלֹּא לְהַנִּיחַ שׁוּם מָקוֹם אֶצְלוֹ לְגַמְרֵי וּמַה יַבִּיט עַל הַמָּחָר,

And here he will be able to set a boundary against the yetzer hara, not to leave any place for it at all, and what will he look at regarding tomorrow,

מַה יַרְוִיחַ כִּי יִהְיֶה לוֹ הֶעָתִיד בְּעֵת שֶׁהַהֹוֶה אֵינוֹ יָשָׁר אִם כֵּן כָּל הַיָּמִים שֶׁיָּבוֹאוּ יִהְיוּ אֵינָם יְשָׁרִים,

What will he gain if he has the future, when the present is not straight? If so, all the days that will come will not be straight.

כְּמוֹ בְּעֵת שֶׁהַיְסוֹד אֵינוֹ יָשָׁר כָּל הַבִּנְיָן הַבָּנוּי עָלָיו מִתְעַקֵּם וְהוֹלֵךְ כֵּן כָּל הַיָּמִים נִגְרָרִים זֶה אַחַר זֶה וְאַחַר הַהֹוֶה,

Just as when the foundation is not straight, the entire building built upon it becomes crooked and goes, so too all the days are dragged one after another and after the present,

לָכֵן רְאֵה אֶת הַהֹוֶה גּוּפָא לֶעָתִיד,

Therefore, see the present itself as the future,

וְלָכֵן אִם יַעֲמוֹד חָזָק בַּהֹוֶה אֲשֶׁר כָּל הֶעָתִיד אֵינוֹ עוֹמֵד לוֹ עַל הַדֶּרֶךְ יִהְיֶה אָדָם אַחֵר בַּהֹוֶה וּבֶעָתִיד וְאִם לֹא יַרְגִּישׁ זֶה לְחִסָּרוֹן וְלֹא יִתֵּן כָּל הַחֲשִׁיבוּת וְהַמְּסִירַת נֶפֶשׁ בְּעַד הַהֹוֶה יִהְיֶה אָדָם אֶחָד בַּהֹוֶה וּבֶעָתִיד.

And therefore, if he stands strong in the present, such that all the future does not stand in his way, he will be a different person in the present and in the future. But if he does not feel this as a deficiency, and does not give all the importance and mesiras nefesh for the sake of the present, he will be one and the same person in the present and in the future.

וְאֵימָתַי יָכוֹל הֶעָתִיד לִהְיוֹת יָשָׁר בְּעֵת שֶׁהַהֹוֶה יִהְיֶה עַל פִּי הַתּוֹרָה וְתִקּוּן הַמִּדּוֹת,

And when can the future be straight? At the time when the present will be according to the Torah and the rectification of character traits,

וְלָכֵן קִבֵּץ כָּל מְסִירַת נַפְשׁוֹ לְהִלָּחֵם בְּעַד הַהֹוֶה וּלְהַפְקִיר כָּל הַחֶשְׁבּוֹנוֹת הָרַבִּים.

And therefore, he gathered all his mesiras nefesh to battle for the present, and to abandon all the many calculations.

וְאָמְנָם, מַה הָיָה הַסּוֹף?

And indeed, what was the end?

בְּמִדָּה שֶׁאָדָם מוֹדֵד מוֹדְדִין לוֹ וְנַעֲשֶׂה לוֹ מָחָר צַלָּף.

With the measure a person measures, so is it measured for him, and tomorrow he becomes a 'tzalaf' (a type of thorny bush, implying he will be worthless and cast aside).

כִּי שׁוֹמֵר מִצְוָה לֹא יֵדַע דָּבָר רָע,

For one who guards a mitzvah will not know an evil thing,

וְקוֹדֶם שֶׁהִרְהֵר בְּאִיסּוּר לֹא הָיָה יוּכַל לַעֲלוֹת לַמַּדְרֵגָה הַזֶּה,

And before he contemplated the forbidden, he would not have been able to ascend to this level,

כִּי בְּעֵת שֶׁהָיָה צַדִּיק גָּמוּר לֹא הָיָה צָרִיךְ לְהַפְקִיר וְלֹא הָיָה לוֹ בֵּרוּר אִם יָכוֹל לַעֲמוֹד גַּם בְּלֹא כֶּרֶם.

For at the time that he was a complete tzaddik, he did not need to abandon [his vineyard], and he did not have a clarification if he could stand even without a vineyard.

וְעַכְשָׁיו שֶׁהִרְהֵר בְּאִסּוּר וְשָׁב מִמֶּנּוּ וְהִפְקִיר כַּרְמוֹ נִתְבָּרֵר לוֹ כִּי גַּם בְּלֹא כֶּרֶם יָכוֹל לַעֲמוֹד,

And now that he thought about the forbidden and repented from it, and declared his vineyard ownerless, it became clear to him that even without a vineyard he can stand.

וְזֶה שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל: "בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁבַּעֲלֵי תְּשׁוּבָה עוֹמְדִים שָׁם אֵין צַדִּיקִים גְּמוּרִים יְכוֹלִים לַעֲמוֹד" (בְּרָכוֹת ל"ד).

And this is what Chazal said: "In the place where baalei teshuva stand, there even perfectly righteous people cannot stand" (Berachos 34).

וְהֶחָכָם שֶׁרוֹאֶה דֶּרֶךְ הָרִאשׁוֹנִים הוּא שׁוֹאֵל מָה הָעֵדוֹת וְהַחֻקִּים וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִים.

And the wise one who sees the path of the early ones, he asks, 'What are the testimonies and the decrees and the judgments?'

וּשְׁאֵלָתוֹ הוּא מַה עִמָּנוּ?

And his question is, what is with us?

לָמָּה אֵין אָנוּ הוֹלְכִים בְּדֶרֶךְ הַזֶּה?

Why do we not go on this path?

לָמָּה חָסֵר לָנוּ הַשִּׁקּוּל הַדַּעַת הָאֲמִתִּי?

Why are we lacking true discretion?

לָמָּה אֵין אָנוּ מַפְקִירִים כָּל הַחֶשְׁבּוֹנוֹת רַבִּים בְּעַד דַּק שֶׁל חָזֶה?

Why do we not abandon all the many calculations for a thin slice of breast?

וְאָמַרְתָּ לוֹ בְּהִלְכוֹת הַפֶּסַח אֵין מַפְטִירִין אַחַר הַפֶּסַח אֲפִיקוֹמָן.

And you should say to him regarding the laws of Pesach: 'One does not conclude after the Pesach offering with afikoman.'

תָּשִׁיב לוֹ שֶׁתַּעֲשֶׂה כְּמוֹ הִלְכוֹת הַפֶּסַח.

You should answer him that you will do like the laws of Pesach.

רֵאשִׁית, לָצֵאת בְּהַסְכָּמָה חֲזָקָה שֶׁהַכֹּל בָּטֵל אֶצְלוֹ מִפְּנֵי קִיּוּם הַתּוֹרָה וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאֵין אַחַר הַפֶּסַח אֲפִיקוֹמָן,

Firstly, to come out with a strong agreement that everything is nullified for him before the fulfillment of the Torah, and just as there is no afikoman after Pesach,

כֵּן אֵין אַחַר הַתּוֹרָה כְּלוּם וְיִבְחַר כָּל מַה שֶׁתִּבְחַר לוֹ הַתּוֹרָה.

Indeed, there is nothing after the Torah, and he should choose everything that the Torah chooses for him.

שְׁנַיִם שֶׁצָּלוּ פִּסְחֵיהֶן זֶה שֶׁאָכַל לְשֵׁם אֲכִילָה גַּסָּה הוּא בִּכְלַל לֹא עָבְדוּ וְיִמָּסֵר לְדַקְדֵּק אַף בְּתַבְנִיתַיִם שֶׁל הַצַּדִּיק הָעוֹבֵד לִרְדֹּף אַחַר הַלִּשְׁמָה וְכָל חוּט הַשַּׂעֲרָה מִן אֲכִילָה גַּסָּה יְבַעֲרֵהוּ מִן הָעוֹלָם.

Two people who roasted their Pesach offerings: the one who ate for the sake of gluttonous eating, he is included in 'they did not do the avodah,' and it is given over to be precise even in the 'intermediate' states of the tzaddik who serves Hashem, to pursue the 'for its own sake' (lishma), and every hair's breadth of gluttonous eating, he should burn it from the world.

וִיהִי נָכוֹן לְהִלָּחֵם בְּעַד הִרְהוּר דַּק שֶׁל חָזֶה לְהַפְקִיר מִפָּנָיו כָּל הֶעָתִיד וּבָזֶה יַשִּׂיג דֶּרֶךְ הָרִאשׁוֹנִים.

And he should be ready to fight for a subtle thought of the heart, to abandon before it all the future, and with this he will attain the path of the Rishonim.

וְהָתָם שׁוֹאֵל מַה זֹּאת?

And there he asks, 'What is this?'

כִּי הָרָשָׁע מִתְנַגֵּד לְהַלְשָׁמָה וּלְבֵרוּר הַמִּדּוֹת וְהַתָּם סוֹבֵר כִּי יַשִּׂיג אֶת הַלְּשָׁמָה בְּלֹא בֵּרוּר הַמִּדּוֹת,

For the wicked person opposes the neshama and the refinement of character traits, and the simple person thinks that he will achieve the neshama without the refinement of character traits,

וְלָכֵן שׁוֹאֵל לָמָּה צְרִיכִין כָּל בִּטּוּל הָעוֹלָם וּלְהַכִּיר הַפְּחִיתוּת וּלְבָרֵר כָּל הַמִּדּוֹת וְלִהְיוֹת מְבַקֵּר גָּדוֹל בֵּין טוֹב לְרַע לָמָּה נָחוּץ דַּוְקָא הָאֶמְצָעִים הָאֵלֶּה,

And therefore he asks, why do we need all the nullification of the world, and to recognize the lowliness, and to clarify all the character traits, and to be a great critic between good and evil? Why are specifically these means necessary?

וְלֹא דַּי בָּזֶה שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ כִּי שִׁוִּיתִי ה' לְנֶגְדִּי תָּמִיד וְצַדִּיק בֶּאֱמוּנָתוֹ יִחְיֶה.

And it is not enough that he knows that 'I have set Hashem before me always' and 'the righteous one lives by his faith'.

אֵינוֹ מֵבִין הָאֶמְצָעִים הָאֵלֶּה לְהֶכְרָחִי,

he does not understand these means to be essential,

כִּי אִם לֹא יַכִּיר אֲשֶׁר דְּרָכֶיהָ דַּרְכֵי נֹעַם,

For if he will not recognize that her ways are ways of pleasantness,

וְאִם לֹא יַכִּיר כִּי כָּל הָאָדָם תָּלוּי בַּהֲדַקּוּת וְאִם לֹא יְבָרֵר אֶת מִדּוֹתָיו הוּא כְּסוּמָא שֶׁלֹּא רָאָה אוֹר מִיָּמָיו.

And if he will not recognize that all of man depends on subtlety, and if he will not clarify his character traits, he is like a blind person who has never seen light in his days.

וּנְגִיעָה דַּקָּה תַּנְחֶה אוֹתוֹ לַהֲרוֹס אֶת כָּל הַתּוֹרָה וְלֹא יֵדַע מִזֶּה כְּלוּם וְעוֹד יִסְבּוֹר שֶׁהַכֹּל הוּא עוֹשֶׂה עַל פִּי דִּין,

And a subtle touch will guide him to destroy the entire Torah, and he will not know anything of it, and he will even think that everything he does is according to halacha,

לָכֵן הוּא שׁוֹאֵל אֶת כָּל מִי שֶׁמְּחַפֵּשׂ אַחַר מִדּוֹתָיו,

Therefore, he asks everyone who seeks after his character traits,

עַל כָּל חוּט הַשְׂעָרָה, מַה זֶּה,

On every single hair-thin thread, what is this,

וְאָמַרְתָּ לוֹ "כִּי בְּחֹזֶק יָד הוֹצִיאָנוּ ה' מִמִּצְרָיִם",

And you shall say to him, "For with a strong hand Hashem took us out from Mitzrayim,"

כִּי לְפִי שִׁיטָתְךָ לְמַעֵט בְּעֵסֶק בֵּרוּר הַמִּדּוֹת,

For according to your approach, to minimize the occupation with clarifying the middos,

וְלָדַעַת כִּי צַדִּיק בֶּאֱמוּנָתוֹ יִחְיֶה זֶה לְבַד סַגִּי לָמָּה הָיָה צָרִיךְ ה' לְכָל הַיָּד הַחֲזָקָה,

And to know that 'a righteous person lives by his faith' (Chavakuk 2:4) this alone is enough, why did Hashem need all the 'strong hand'?

וּלְכָל הַנִּסִּים וְהַנִּפְלָאוֹת וְכָל הַחֲרָדָה הַזֹּאת הָיָה לוֹ לְהָבִיא מִיָּד הַמַּכָּה הָאַחֲרוֹנָה מַכַּת בְּכוֹרוֹת וּלְהוֹצִיא אוֹתָם מִשָּׁם,

And for all the miracles and wonders and all this trepidation, He should have immediately brought the final plague, the plague of the firstborn, and taken them out from there,

אֶלָּא גַּם אַתָּה תָּבִין כִּי לֹא חַס וְשָׁלוֹם מֵחֶסְרוֹן הַיְּכֹלֶת לֹא עָשָׂה ה' כָּכָה,

Rather, you too will understand that it was not, chalila, from a lack of ability that Hashem did not do so,

כִּי הָיָה יָכוֹל בֶּאֱמֶת לְהוֹצִיאָם מִיָּד,

for he was truly able to remove them immediately,

אֶלָּא שֶׁהִרְחִיב ה' אֶת הָאֶמְצָעִים לְהוֹצִיאָם דַּוְקָא עַל יְדֵי רִבּוּיָם וְהַפְלָגָתָם,

Rather, Hashem expanded the means to bring them out specifically through their increase and their exaggeration,

וְרֹב אוֹפַנֵּיהֶם כִּי עַל יְדֵי זֶה הָיָה נִשְׁאָר לָנוּ יְדִיעָה רְחָבָה בְּעִנְיַן בֵּרוּר הַמִּדּוֹת שֶׁל הָאָדָם,

And most of their ways, for through this there remained for us a broad knowledge concerning the clarification of a person's character traits,

אַף שֶׁכָּל חַרְטוּמֵיהֶם הוֹדוּ כִּי יַד ה' הוּא,

Even though all their magicians admitted that it is the hand of Hashem,

וּבְכָל זֹאת לֹא פָּעַל זֶה עַל פַּרְעֹה לְשַׁחְרְרָם מִיָּד,

And despite all this, this did not influence Pharaoh to release them immediately,

וְאַחַר כָּל מַכָּה וּמַכָּה יִתְחָרֵט וְהִקְשָׁה אֶת לִבּוֹ עַד כַּמָּה גְּדוֹלָה הַנְּגִיעָה וְקָשֶׁה לְהִפָּרֵשׁ מִמֶּנָּהּ,

And after each and every blow, he will regret and harden his heart, [thinking] how great is the attachment and how difficult it is to separate from it,

וְלֹא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁלֹּא הִכִּיר אֶת הַבּוֹרֵא וְלֹא הֶאֱמִין בַּה' ,

And not because he did not recognize the Creator and did not believe in Hashem,

אֶלָּא רַק מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמִּדּוֹתָיו הָיוּ קָשִׁים כְּבַרְזֶל,

Rather, only because his character traits were as hard as iron,

וְיֵשׁ לָנוּ בֵּרוּר מִזֶּה כִּי אִם לֹא יַעֲבֹד אָדָם עַל מִדּוֹתָיו לֹא יוֹעִיל לוֹ אַף יִרְאֶה בַּחוּשׁ אֶת הַנִּסִּים וְהַנִּפְלָאוֹת,

And we have a clarification from this, that if a person does not work on his character traits, it will not help him even if he sees with his senses the miracles and wonders,

וְגַם הָאָדָם שֶׁנִּדְמֶה לוֹ שֶׁהוּא מַאֲמִין אֶת בּוֹרְאוֹ וּמָסוּר אֶל הַתּוֹרָה,

And also the person who imagines that he believes in his Creator and is devoted to the Torah,

אִם לֹא יְבָרֵר אֶת מִדּוֹתָיו, יִשָּׁאֵר עִם כָּל כֹּחוֹ וְעֹצֶם יָדוֹ,

If he does not clarify his character traits, he will remain with all his strength and the might of his hand,

וְהִכְשִׁיר עִם תּוֹרָתוֹ אֶת כָּל רְצוֹנוֹתָיו,

and he made all his desires kosher with his Torah,

וּמִן הַחִזּוּק יָד יַשִּׂיג הַתָּם הַכָּרָה,

And from the strengthening, the simple one will attain recognition,

עַד כַּמָּה צָרִיךְ הָאָדָם לְבֵרוּר הַמִּדּוֹת וְשֶׁלֹּא לְהַנִּיחַ שׁוּם דַּק שֶׁל חוּט הַשַּׂעֲרָה,

To what extent does a person need to clarify his middos, and not to leave even the slightest hairsbreadth,

כִּי יֵשׁ בְּכֹחָהּ לַהֲרֹס אֶת כָּל הַלְּשָׁמָה שֶׁל הָאָדָם.

For it has the power to destroy the entire neshama of a person.