The sole purpose of our life is Kiddush Hashem1i. This understanding is reflected on the attitude that we are commanded to live our lives as Ovday Hashemii. The only way to achieve Kiddush Hashem is in accordance with the servitude of the carrying out of Mitzvosiii. The Almighty gave Moshe Rabbaynuiv the Torah with an immutable tradition from Sinai until today which has enabled generations of Jews to function and worship according to the Torah. while they are obligated in several ways to learn and guard the Torah in order to follow it2. It is the l’shmor v’laasos3v of the Mitzvos that are written by the obligation of Kiddush Hashem4 and are the foundation of Torah. The Sages teach us that there are three basic aspects of the learning of Torah5: its learning alone, its teach to others and its carrying out. Truly the Torah makes an impression on all that live by its teachings, additionally the Torah provides the framework that one can grow within his own spiritual growth as well as interaction with others. The growth in Ruuchniusvi is limitless however the time to grow is merely a Lifetime.
If one looks at the early obligations of a male this seems apparent. A child is ready for chinuchvii at the time when he can recite the verse of Torah צוה לנו משה. After that we learn6 that he should begin learning Chumashviii at the age of Five, learn Mishnayosix at the age of Ten, at the age of Thirteen he is obligated on a Torah level to perform Mitzvos, and begin learning תלמוד at the age of Fifteen, and the Mishnah goes on to state more specifics. From the time of Twenty and onward, he is liable to punishment as well as serving in the army. Thus proving that with age and progression comes with the ability to adhere closer to the Torah7. We believe that through age one is closer to Torah. The most kavod is given to the oldest of a group, as this is an apparent halachah in all aspects of the Torah. We know that every year we are expected to do ודוי and teshuvah. This is truly the way that we improve in terms of our adherence to Mitzvos. We are required to reflect our past year and decide what factors we must improve upon. The idea of teshuvah can truly be tied in with the aforementioned premise of life. There is an obligation of walking in the way of the Almighty this is interpreted to teach us to follow the virtues of the Almighty in all ways. Thus we live our lives in the mannerisms of the Almighty with the details of the Torah, all for the eventual goal of providing Kiddush Hashem.
As we learn, the reason for קרבנות is not because the Almighty needs them, rather to fulfill our desire to give back. We learn from the sages that there is no end to the praises of the Almighty that is why in the עמידה we limit the amount of adjectives describing the virtues of the Almighty to הנורא,הגדול והגיבור a question is asked as to why we don’t extrapolate on the virtues of the Almighty the simple answer is because there is no amount of words to describe the endlessness, so we limit it to the ones from the the Anshei Kneses HaGadol. We see that in all natures of the Torah, the attitude is aimed towards preserving the sacredness of the Torah. Above all, the strive for perfection like the Almighty is based off the fact that we are בצלם אלקים. This gives us the need to better ourselves in all ways possible.
We know that in terms of the Mitzvos we are obliged to fulfill; can be viewed in many different means of organization. One method is the relationship of the commandment and those who follow it. We know that there are two and some say three relationships. Between man and the Almighty which include all commandments in the long run, but on a simple level contain all aspects of Mitzvos where the one obligated has no need for interaction with anyone else. As opposed to commandments between man and his fellow. This is simply the way one interacts with his fellow. However, on a deeper level this would also be included in the interaction with the Almighty as well since all things affect kavod shaim shemayim. The last category is between man and himself. This is the inner struggles that one faces in terms of his adherence to the commandments. In reality, all the categories of these commandments are truly the same, as everything interacts together. The end result is everything one does will effect the other type of commandment.
Taking what has been said in account, as time progresses man is expected to achieve a great deal more adherence to the commandments and becoming closer and closer to perfection. If everyone took all that was said in account at every moment of the day that they were permitted to, the attitude towards life would be nothing other then being a Servant of Hashem. What happens? Why isn’t our adherence to the commandments, not like this? With this known, why do we have mishaps with others? The answer is simple. We are not perfect, only given the ability and directions to become so. With outside influences, we become distracted from what is important, and we begin to loss our grasp on what is truly the רצון השם. There are two basic types of people in this sense. One being the people whom make mistakes, realize them, and take necessary steps towards safeguarding them, these are the people that live Torahdik lives. The other type of person in this sense, is the one whom places emphasis in the wrong areas of his life. He conceals himself from the truth because he is so involved in other aspects of this world, that the truly important aspects of life are not given the attention they deserve. It is possible that one may be both people that is most prevalent among many people of our time. These are the people whom have dwindled down to the various sects of Judaism whom lack adherence to the true laws of the Torah. They place emphasis in secondary goals of their lives, as opposed to focusing on the truth. May the Almighty have רחמנות on these people and give them a the ability to come back to observance of the Torah full heartily.
The tendency to do sins, even for the first type of people is still possible. The truth is, there would never be an idea of teshuvah had there not been sin8. The sin is the beginning of what we do in order to better ourselves in our ever longing goal towards perfection9.
The obligation of אהבת ישראל is a basis for the overlying concept of the way we treat others. Within our lives, we are required to have a good standing relationship with the other individuals that inhabit this world. It is prohibited to hate another Jew to the extent that to even think of doing a prohibited act between a fellow is prohibited. The only difficulty is that people differ from one and another. One is shy, one is friendly, one is quiet the other is loud, one is more intelligent, one is more simple. The fact is that the Almighty created a very vast and wide range of people. Thus making the obligation of living peacefully with your fellow even more difficult.
The תלמוד is written with the utmost precision in terms of words, their order, and even their spelling. A person can deeply analyze a piece of תלמוד and end up with a certain understanding of it. There are certain guidelines he can follow within that learning that are consistent within all of תלמוד the problem is, people are not. People have הרגשה. People have experiences and other factors of life which cause them to live and act in a certain respect. Their actions, and thoughts don’t always seem logical, and sometime simply aren’t. However, there is an obligation to treat every Jew (there are some exceptions)10 with respect, kindness, and follow the virtues of the Almighty in doing so. Since the beginning of time Man has had difficulty in interacting with one another. The Torah doesn’t wait long to show deception, lying, murder, as well as many of the other common wrong doings of man to his fellow. Even within following the letter of the law, is not so simple in terms of people. There is no real שלחן ערוך for you and your fellow. That is because one must treat every person differently in terms of how to communicate without upsetting his or her well being.
The first step in understanding your fellow is to begin to understand yourself. Your own tendencies, habits, mannerisms, and the like. Knowing how you bother others, as well as what others like about you are both integral. Knowing all the sides of your personality and your means of communication can allow you to know what factors to look for in others. So too, if you see things that others do that do not coexist with your well being, make sure to prevent yourself from doing the same.
To elaborate on this concept one should consult the great Sifrai Mussar on this subject of knowing oneself, but perhaps we can list a few ideas. Understanding yourself is not the solution rather the beginning to a solution. Since each person is different from his fellow knowing yourself won’t always protect another’s emotions to a scenario because we cannot necessarily relate to their past and present. This of course requires everyone to at least expect the fellow to react the way you would, though do not be shocked to find that itself may not be true. It is noteworthy to realize that the attribute of being stubborn and not open to the allowance for change that make first impressions so important. A constant thought should always run through your mind that even one word or one gesture said or done can shift another’s impression of you. Your care about what others think of you is something to be discussed later, as it requires some explanation. The chezkas or a mechanic status that is assumed based off of prior reasoning is sometimes much harder to break than it should be. Misconceptions of others can be placed without not words but just by the clothing worn or the people associated with, and that is a reality regardless of its justification. Countless times the Sages teach us that one must assume that a person of generally proper actions who for sure seen doing something that was less than proper he is assumed to have done teshuvah and only if he repeats this action countlessly can you have any question in him. In such a situation you are still always never sure, even if you think you are sure.
To dan l’kaf zchus is the obligation, that is two-fold. Perhaps one may think that means you have to be creative and think of a hypothetical scenario that would make it possible that what you saw is actually permissible. Perhaps, we can say its nothing more than there can always be an option that you didn’t think of. It is only the haughtiness of a person that can lead him to think that there is no other option. Furthermore even if there is no other option there is still the fact that you don’t know the circumstances that led to that action. If that is true, how is it that one can ever have an obligation of Tochachah?
The Torah obligation of giving Tochachah11 is not as simple as one may think. The idea being that the other person ends up feeling good about themselves after the matter is brought to their attention. Going back to the two types of people that exist, the latter would be someone whom would take great offense in such a implication. People whom have misguided lives, will also take a helping hand the wrong way. If your entire goal for living is to perfect yourself, you want nothing more than someone else to help you do so. However if that is not your true intention, you will feel criticized and will be offended. Offense is not something virtuous. Feelings of guilt, and insult have no purpose. Even in terms of ones observance in being a servant of the Almighty guilt is not helpful. Guilt is when the other person or entity wanted the thing done, or not done. The Almighty doesn’t need your Mitzvos, he is providing a deed to us, one that is of unimaginable greatness. Instead of just handing us the World to Come, we are given the ability to work for it. To show how must be appreciate the chance. We are given the ability to live a life of fulfillment and beauty by have this world in order to have even greater appreciation for the next world. If someone is insulted that means that they think they matter. They have no right being insulted. Every person should think and know that the Almighty would have created the world just for them. That is the truth. However, within that the world is inhabited by all of the people and creatures here. When someone is insulted they are putting themselves at a level where they have an attitude of puzzlement how one could say or do such a thing. This is a sign of being haughty, and that is for sure not within the goals of the Torah. When a fellow does a wrong doing to you, it should be taken with a great deal of quietness. As it is very easy for one sin to become several. If one reacts the way the Torah says, with dignity, and respect for the the Torah, as well as observance of its laws, only good can come from that. It is the attitude that you give off in a poor situation, that people can see how you truly are. They will imagine how virtuous the Almighty is if this person is merely trying to live along the same path. Therefore we know that there is a commandment of providing Holiness to Hashem.
The difficulty is that most people have difficulty in admitting such an obligation exists. In doing so, they are forcing themselves to change the very nature of their lives. Their lives are no longer “theirs”, rather only a tool in which they have to utilize in order to achieve the ultimate goal of perfecting oneself like the Almighty. However the Evil Inclination strengthens our desires to sway from this goal. In all mannerisms, we are given some means of perversion from the path in which we truly must take. In the end, the decision is our, though there only one true path the desire of Hashem. Once one has truly gotten to the point in which he is going to devote to his live to serving Hashem, he must now be able to accurately distinguish between that which is the desire of Hashem, and that which is really the Evil Inclination. There is no exact rule to determine such an undertaking, had there been surely more people would have control of their actions, rather more people would take control of their actions. However that is not the case, and people must fend for themselves in determining the more precise means of analysis in order to truly determine how each and every one of the actions a person makes may effect his life. This effect can vary from a nearly insignificant means to something of great matters. The truth of the matter is that it is not within our grasp of this world to be able to know the impact of our actions. Had someone been given the option to see what his actions caused, logically he would modify his actions. If a child burns his mouth on a hot piece of food, he puts the next piece in his mouth and sure enough the same burning sensation occurs. Now, if the child is distracted for a short period of time, giving the food time to cool off. If he tries putting the food in his mouth, he is satisfied with the fact that did not get burned. The first two times he felt the pain he received, but since he was able to eat the third piece, he will most likely forget that the first two times ever occurred. He could reason that since now he didn’t get burned, for some reason the other times I was burned, but now…He could very well rationalize his emotions in to a theory, or he could take himself out of the situation and analyze all the events that occurs and his perception of them at the time in reflection to his perception of them now. With little thought the factor of time seemingly is the cause for this phenomenon. It wasn’t that the food was never hot, rather the heat diminished as the time elapsed. Logically speaking the child would be more cautious and given the same scenario once he would determine the food is hot, he would wait until it cools down. However, chances are the child either doesn’t remember his previous incident, or has yet to learn from it. This analogy is obvious to any scenario when it comes to sin. The only difference is that a child burns himself is an immediate and undeniable sensation. Kares, is the exact opposite. The punishment one receives for forcibly transgressing a biblical prohibition of the desecration of Shabbos is Kares. Kares is simply taking years off of your life and separating oneself from the Almighty. Kares in all aspects is the opposite of how we are supposed to live our lives; a long life getting close to the Almighty. We see that there is punishment in this world as well as punishment in the next world. The people whom truly lack any fear of the Almighty cares neither about this world or the next world.
Kares is placed on as the first Mishnah in Kresos says that there are thirty-nine cases that have a punishment of Kares. Most of these cases deal directly with chokim m’shemayim. These are for the most part dinim in which the simple outlook of them doesn’t necessarily seem to make sense. This is what is truly a test of faith and the ability to push oneself to do the will of the Almighty full heartily. There are two positive commandments in which when neglected for a certain duration will result in a punishment of Kares. They are Milah, and Karbon Pesach.
A note worthy observation, דברים שבבל אינו דברים except when it comes to אונס. People whom have pondered the purpose, the meaning, and true essence of life do not necessarily practice it. There is a theorem that exists in Mathematics that can provide a way to look at such a thought. Let’s say there is a person standing in a room with a door. In order for him to reach that door he must walk the length of the distance between the place in which he stands and his goal. However, if you take that numerical distance, and halve it you are left with a number that will infinitely extend towards zero, though never touching it. The understanding is that in mathematics there is an infinite amount of space in between you and the door, however we of course know that you are capable of reaching that door as long as you walk the distance. Going back to our original case, the person whom wants to reason and rationalize he will never reach his goal. However, if one proclaims the truth and walks the distance he must he will get to the door. Things that are matters of the heart, meaning thoughts aren’t really thoughts except for matters in which it is in accidental occurrences.
People do not like being criticized. If the person is a ירא שמאים the person will eventually realize the true benefit of the critiziee’s input.
A persons convictions are so strange that he himself isn’t truly aware of them. חז”ל teaches us that we must have constant דעת that the Almighty is as the verse says אנכי יי. However, if one could do that and still do a sin something is very wrong within him. Therefore one must conclude that either they do not have constant דעת of the presence of the Almighty or the man is not sane. So what is that drives people to do עבירות? Is it the opposite of the force that one has to do Mitzvos? The reason one is supposed to do Mitzvos is for no reason other than the fact that he is commanded to do so. In the realization that the Almighty has constant control of all that is, and that the Torah is that of the רצון השם. One does what he is told to. Since people do the Mitzvos osay and ח”ו they do the Lo Saaseh they are contradicting themselves. Thus one must conclude that either the actual driving force to do Mitzvos osay is not the Torah that would serve to reason how one could do עבירות. However, there of course is the יצר הרע. Even if one does Mitzvos osay with the proper intentions, and attempts to do so by Mitzvos Lo Saaseh the truth is that the true רצון השם which is the Taryag Mitzvos can be thwarted to and from until the צוי may fit into ones רצון בפני עצמו. Since he only adjusted the צוי he can continue to go on doing what can be called רצונו השם, meaning his desire of השם. When one truly wants to do something, and believes that it precedes his עבודת השם he may often end up beingעוקר the truth and replace it with an excuse.
When a person claims he wants something, then when given an opportunity to get that but lacks the ability to proceed accordingly due to certain difficulties the ‘want’ was not strong enough in his mind. Is there a difference between knowing the difficulties from the time of claim, or prior to. Often people lack care in detail, therefore they neglect viewing something from all standpoints. The halachahx according to all opinions is that in order to receive מלקות, one must have עידים and אזהרה prior to doing an act of חלול שבת in order to receive סקילה. There is discussion in terms of what his response must be, meaning if he must clarify his recollection of the עונש and that today is שבת and that the action at hand is in fact אסור. In an analogous case, a man hires an individual to follow him around all day wherever he goes, that if he says לשון הרע he will wound him until he is unconscious. Such an idea is absolutely absurd, and of course against the Torah. However, rather effective. The סנהנדרין gives מכות for all prohibitions with an action with the exception of three, and those that result in the same resultant as the prohibited act through a variant methodology (לפי הרמב”ם). The idea of מלקות which of course is a דין מן הTorah (there is also מלקות מרדות which is דרבנן) is seemingly a קנס. If one had the knowledge12 of such a קנס the person would take that into account prior to making his claim. People13 would never do anything if they were aware of such consequences. Several factors must be elaborated upon to understand how they can do so.
The greatest הנאה in this world is that of Torah though one second of הנאה doesn’t compare to the amount of הנאה in עולם הבא. This is a very difficult concept to grasp, though simply understanding the Torah is not part of this world rather the essence of the world, both this and the next. Therefore there is no contradiction. Is the pain and suffering in this world also not comparable to the next world?
We are עבדים as expressed throughout דברי חז”ל. We were given the option to choose between חירות and עבדות. The change was between the מר….
Why must be with others? Why must we live and grow alongside our fellows and exist as a communal unit? Is it not enough that we keep the Mitzvos of the Torah? Just let me grow into a mensch for a few years, learn Torah, do Mitzvos then I can handle anything!? Just like we are given a span of time prior to our obligations begin to prepare ourselves for our duties, so too all of Avodas Hashemxi is given that preparatory period. The same Almighty that obligated us to say krias shma bi daily also commanded us to not hold a grudge on our fellow. This is not a matter of righteousness, rather the letter of the law. This is not a stringency, or a action of the pious, rather the minimal expectation of the Almighty. We must constantly be aware of this notion, that even though that the learning of Torah is correlated as a fulfillment of all of the Mitzvos of the Torah the tremendous responsibility of not causing someone embarrassment is given the severity in the eyes of the Sages as killing someone. It is that thought that should wake us up to how important it is to realize that the words one says mean something, even in a joking fashion. As the Sages tell us in regards to the priority of a positive obligation over a transgression the Gemara14 says that perhaps you would have thought that because one is obligated to honor his parents, if they were to decree you to desecrate the Sabbath you are not permitted to. Says the Gemara it is the same Almighty that obligated you to honor your parents for his kavod that obligated you to keep the Sabbath, and “all of them are obligated for my kavod“. That is to say that all Mitzvos are for one sake and that is because the Almighty has obligated us to perform them.
1וכן אמרו חז”ל בספרא פרשת אמור סוף פרק ט ז”ל המוציא אתכם מארץ מצרים על תנאי הותאתי אתכם מארץ על תנאי שתמסרו א”ע לקש את שמי להיות לכם לאלקים על כרחכם אני ה’ אני נאמן לשלם שכר עכ”ל. ע”ז אין מספקתי כלל שכלל חיות מיוחס לקדש שם שמים בתוך בני ישראל, וזה עיקר הדין בתוך ב”י לאו בחוץ כמו שכמה חשבינו, טעות הוא. אפשר גבי חילול חלילה כיון בתוך ב”י כתוב בסיפא הקרא אע”פ העיקר בתוך ב”י. איך יכול מקדש שם שמים בתוך ב”י ע”י מה שכתוב בפסוק קדמו ושמרתם מצותי ועשיתם אתם וכו’. לי באומר לי זהו גם ההיהמשך לעניני מועדים בפרק אחרונה שכתב הספרא לשון אני ה’ אליקיכם כלומר אני נאמן לשלם שכר, אפשר זהו שכרותים ע”י התו”מ אלה המועדים. אשר תרקאו ע”י הקבלת העבדות מתוך מצרים אע”פ שחז”ל דרשינן זהו קידוש החודש. הפשטות שאנחנו תקראו החגים, אפשר זהו ע”י הקבלותיהם בידי התורה הקודשה בידי העול התורה יומם ולילה.
2ע”ש חידושי רבי ראובן ע”מ סוכה גבי הילני המלכה ודיני חינוך. אין כל כך קושיא כיון דחינוך לאו על הקטן אלא על הגדול וקטן הוא החפצא המצות חנוך. אבל לעולם הקטן צריך מרגיל כדי לעשות כל דברים בדיוק. לשון תפילה שאמרינו השיבנו לתורתך וקרבינו מלכינו לעבודתך וחזרינו בתשובה שלימה לפניך עכ”ל צ”ל לשון לשניך וחזירונו באים כאחד. איך שייך לעשות תשובה מרחוקה אם נקי וטהור לגמרי? תשבות ראשון שאמרו בלשון רבים, אבל ותו הוא צריך עומד לפניך אע”פ הוא נקי מחטא ל”ד הוא עומד לפניך. כלומר מי הוא ברא מתחילה בלי חטא נמי אינו שלם במדות. הוא נקי אבל זהו אינו דומה לבעלי תשובה הוא נעשה חטא ואחר כך גבור על יצרו ומקיים רצון הבורא ולא יצרו, אלא נעשה כך הוא רצונו לעולם. וזהו הלפניך הוא עומד לפניך בתשובה למעלה מנקית חטא אלא נקי ותו קדוש ועומד מלא רוחניות. וכנ”ל פשוט.
3לשמור ולעשות – כתוב כמה פעמים ותנ”ך ותפילותינו אבל גבי פסוק בפרשת אמר פרק ט ז”ל ושמרתם זו משנה ועשיתם זו המעשה וכל שאינו במשנה אינו מעשה. ושמרתם את מצות ה’ ועשיתם אותם ליתן שמירה ועשי’ במצות, אני ה’ אני נאמן לשלם שכר עכ”ל. הגר”א באד”א שם כתב ד”א באמצעה משמע שהם שתי מהלכים של הפסוק. אפשר לומר חילוק זה בין אם ללמוד תורה פועל שינוים בעצם או ע”י הלימוד מזהיר אדם כדי לעשות המעשים כהגון, עיין לקמן גבי נקודה זה.
4כ”כ בכמה ברייתות שת”ת כנגד כולם. זהו פשוט, אלא צ”ל שאפילו המעשה בעצם לאו בידי מעשה אע”פ זהו חשוב מאד חלוקה התכלית הת”ת. עצם הלימוד וכן אמרו רש”י בפרושו בספר קהלת פ”א בפסוק ג’ ד”ה תחת השמש ז”ל תמורת התורה שהיא קרויה אור, שנאמר (משלי ו,כג) ותורה אור, כל עמל שהוא מחליף בו את עסק התורה מה שכר בו עכ”ל. וע”ז אמרו השפתי חכמים פשט שתמורת התורה זהו יתרון כיון העצם לימוד התורה חשוב מעשה משא”כ גבי שאר מעשים הם עמלות בעלמה והתכלית השכר משא”כ תורה שנים השכר העמלות והקנין תורה ממילה.
5אבות פ”ד מ”ה ז”ל רבי ישמעאל אומר: הלומר על מנת ללמד מספיקין בידו ללמד וללמד; והלומד על מנת לעשות מספיקין בידו ללמד וללמד, לשמור ולעשות. רבי צדוק אומר: אל תעשם עטרה להתגדל בהם, ולא קרדם לחפר בהם. וכך היה הלל אומר: ודאשתמש בתגא, חלף. הא למדת, כל הנהנה מדברי תורה נוטל חייו מן העולם עכ”ל. ופיוש רבינו יונה ח”ו הרישא נקיט גבי מעבירין על פשט אמיתת כיון אינו להבין בידי מעשהים אלא אם כן לא יורד לסוף אמת אלא אם לומר כדי מבין פשט אמיתת ממש. וכן מה שכתבי הלימוד בעצם זהו שייך בכלל ר’ ישמעאל אלא הדין “לימוד בידי מעשה” זהו דין גבי זהירות המעשים ע”י הלימודו לאו איירי גבי משנתינו כאן כיון אהא מעשה נקיט גבי מדרגת הלימודו. אבל לעולם נראין שאין מצוה אלא כולל כולהו. אם חד לומד ואינו מגיע מעשים אין כלום אלא כתוב הרמב”םבפ”ב מהלכות תשובה אע”פ אחד נעשה עבירות השכר לימוד יכול מעמד הוא אם הוא לעשות תשובה ולאו כל כך כמו מתחרט במ”ע חלילה. אלא צ”ב לקמן בקונטריסי שמו ובלכתך בדרך.
6אבות פ”ה מכ”א
7כתוב באד”א על ישעיה פרק א פסוק ב ד”ה בנים ע”ש בדיוק החידושים נפלאים בדבריו. וכן סדרתי מש”כ ע”י זה. זהו הג’ חקירה באות 3. ותו גבי בן אדם למקום חבירו ועצמו זהו רומז למעלה. שיש ימי עליה ימי עמידה וימי ירידה, אלה הן החמור, שור, ואדם. החמור רודף אחר התאוות ושור רוצה כבוד ואדם הוא ימי זקנה כאשר יש חכמה. וכן שמעתי מפי מרן הראש ישיבה רב אהרן פלדמן שליט”א שבימי זקנה הוא הימי ליצנות. כאשר יש ירידה הגשמויות ואין בו תאות כנערות ואין רוצה כבוד אינו אלא ליצנות וזהו הירידה כיון מיתה קרובה על פי טבע וזהו מקום ירידה ח”ו. ותו הערתיו שכל ג’ גבולים שייך בכל תקופות אע”פ הם עיקר בתקופותיהם. וכל ימים כאשר יש גידל יש גידל בירצו כנגד. כלומר הכח היצר גבי נער קטן מאד כלפי צדיק, אינו מיאש היצר אלא גדול אצלו. ותו גבי גשמיות כנראה שימי זקנה יש דמיון לימי ינוקה כאשר אין יכול עושה צרכיו ורך ופרק וכו’. זהו החילוק כאשר הוא רוב רוחניות הגוף מקושר עמו אבל בזקנה הגוף נמי קלקלה אבל הרוחניות אינו שינוי אלא יש נסיונות ככתבתי.
8The sin of the Etz HaDas shifted the world into an existence with the Truth and False mixed together. In this newly convoluted environment a concept of D’var Rishus or doing something for one’s own sake. This separation from living a Life of worship of the Almighty is the sole hardship that befell Man and his Free Choice. The choice is ours, to do for ourselves or to do for the Almighty.
9Not necessarily reaching perfection in its actuality rather reaching ones own personal semi-perfection. The greatest truth is that there is no perfection but the Almighty, and all are able to grow and improve without any limit.
10The Torah prohibits the sympathizing of those who are heretics from the principles of the Torah and one must not associate with them.
11It is without question an obligation on all people in an event that it may given in the proper fashion. This is discussed at length in Chofetz Chaim and should be approach with great preciseness. There is a maaseh from Reb Yisroel Salanter regarding the sefer Chofetz Chaim he claimed regarding the process of Teshuvah from L’shon Harah that the one who was spoken about was not aware may not be notified that such an event took place in order to ask mecillah for it. The reason is because you are not allowed to hurt another Yidd’s feelings for your Teshuvah. This is the same concept here that eventhough you are obligated to tell this person the right way to act you may not hurt them. One may ask, how can the Torah both obligate the mitzvah of Tochachah as well as Ahavta l’rayechah kamochah if you will always hurt the other. The truth is that the greatest ahavah for your fellow is by showing them in the right way of acting. Then why is it that we see how careful we must be when being mochiach our fellow? That is simply because we may have additional agendas in the middle of our words. The feeling of haughtiness as well as not saying with sincerity and kindness. Sadly there is also the person who is so far away who doesn’t even think that what you are saying it Emes and that is most common in our times. A persons first reaction to tochachah is usually denial, its the easiest thing to do. For more explanation on this look at the sifrei mussar or my little to say on the matter in Tochachah - you need to know.
12 past belief, meaning the reliance on the belief so strongly that it is fact
13 אנשים שמאמין בהי”ג עיקרים של הרמב”ם בפהמש”ר במסכת סנהנדרין פרק חלק
14.יבמות ו
iKiddush Hashem – Glorification of the sanctity of the Almighty.
iiOvday Hashem – Servants of the Almighty.
iiiMitzvos n. pl.- The 613 obligations that are commanded by the Almighty.
ivRabbaynu adj. – Our teacher.
vl’shmor v’laasos – The observance and following through with the actions of the Mitzvos.
viRuuchnius – Spirituality; association with existence past a physical manifestation.
viiChinuch n. - Education
viiiChumash n. – Literally the Five Books of the Torah: Bereishis (Genesis), Shmos (Exodus), Vayikra (Leviticus), Bamidbar (Numbers), Devarim (Deuteronomy).
ixMishnayos n. pl. – The compiled and written Oral Law that had been handed down from the Almighty to Moshe Rabbaynu on Sinai that is the explanation and derivation of the written law the Tanach. (Mishnah sing.).
xHalachah – The law.
xiAvodas Hashem - The servitude of the Almighty.
Hashkafah, Mussar Ben Adom L’chavaro, Limud HaTorah, Shviras HaMidos