לא להניח שום יום בלא מצוה הן קלה הן חמורה כמו שאמרו רז"ל הוי זהיר במצוה קלה כבחמורה. זהיר מלשון והמשכילים יזהירו וכו' דהיינו שהנשמ' תאיר ותזהיר ממצוה קלה כבחמורה כי רחמנ' ליבא בעי.
Do not let a day to pass without fulfilling a Mitzvah-commandment, whether it is a minor mitzvah or a major one, like our sages, of blessed memory, stated,27Mishnah Avot 2:1 “Be as radiant-Zahir-זהיר with a minor mitzvah as with a major one.” Though the word Zahir-זהיר is usually translated as “careful,” it is of the same root, as in the verse,28Daniel 12:3 “And they that are wise will be radiant-Yazhiru-יזהירו like the Zohar-זהר-radiance of the firmament.” In other words, the soul should be as radiant and illuminated from the performance of a minor mitzvah as a major one, for “the Merciful One seeks the heart.”29Zohar Vol. 2, 162b; Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 106b.
2
והוא דבר גדול מאד כי אז ידע שעשה פעולה ביום זה שברא מלאך אחד ואם יש עליו מלאך מליץ אחד וכו'.
This is a very great matter, for through it you will know that you have affected the day and created an angel. As the verse states,30Job 33:23-24 “Even if there is only a single advocating angel, out of a thousand, to declare man’s uprightness on his behalf; HaShem will be gracious to him and say, ‘Redeem him from going down into the grave. I have found atonement for him.’”
3
וסימנך שומר מצוה לא ידע דבר רע. היינו. כשאדם מקבל על עצמו דבר זה אזי צריך להיות עומד על משמרתו מהבוקר עד הערב אולי יזדמן לו מצוה. וזהו שומר מלשון ואביו שמר את הדבר אזי הסגולה שלא ידע דבר רע ח"ו. היינו שלא יבא לידי קרי הנקרא רע ח"ו.
The mnemonic by which to remember this, is the verse,31Ecclesiastes 8:5 “He who guards-Shomer-שומר the mitzvah will know no evil.” In other words, whoever accepts this matter upon himself, must stand guard at his post from morning to evening, awaiting the opportunity to fulfill any mitzvah that comes his way. That is, the term guard-Shomer-שומר is of the same root used in the verse,32Genesis 37:11 “His father waited in anticipation-Shamar-שמר of the matter.”33Rashi to Genesis 37:11 Through this, one merits that, “He will know no evil.” That is, he will not be subject to random happenstance (Keri-קרי)34Leviticus 26:21 & Rashi there; Also see Ginat Egoz of Rabbi Yosef Gikatilla, translated as HaShem Is One, Volume 2, pg. 353. which is called evil, God forbid.
4
וסימנך חסד אל כל היום היינו שבכל יום ויום צריך לעשות חסד לאל ית':
The mnemonic by which to remember this is the verse,35Psalms 52:3 “The kindness of God is all day long.” That is, one must do acts of lovingkindness for God, blessed is He, every single day.
לא להניח שום יום בלא מצוה הן קלה הן חמורה כמו שאמרו רז"ל הוי זהיר במצוה קלה כבחמורה. זהיר מלשון והמשכילים יזהירו וכו' דהיינו שהנשמ' תאיר ותזהיר ממצוה קלה כבחמורה כי רחמנ' ליבא בעי.
Do not let a day to pass without fulfilling a Mitzvah-commandment, whether it is a minor mitzvah or a major one, like our sages, of blessed memory, stated,27Mishnah Avot 2:1 “Be as radiant-Zahir-זהיר with a minor mitzvah as with a major one.” Though the word Zahir-זהיר is usually translated as “careful,” it is of the same root, as in the verse,28Daniel 12:3 “And they that are wise will be radiant-Yazhiru-יזהירו like the Zohar-זהר-radiance of the firmament.” In other words, the soul should be as radiant and illuminated from the performance of a minor mitzvah as a major one, for “the Merciful One seeks the heart.”29Zohar Vol. 2, 162b; Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 106b.
והוא דבר גדול מאד כי אז ידע שעשה פעולה ביום זה שברא מלאך אחד ואם יש עליו מלאך מליץ אחד וכו'.
This is a very great matter, for through it you will know that you have affected the day and created an angel. As the verse states,30Job 33:23-24 “Even if there is only a single advocating angel, out of a thousand, to declare man’s uprightness on his behalf; HaShem will be gracious to him and say, ‘Redeem him from going down into the grave. I have found atonement for him.’”
וסימנך שומר מצוה לא ידע דבר רע. היינו. כשאדם מקבל על עצמו דבר זה אזי צריך להיות עומד על משמרתו מהבוקר עד הערב אולי יזדמן לו מצוה. וזהו שומר מלשון ואביו שמר את הדבר אזי הסגולה שלא ידע דבר רע ח"ו. היינו שלא יבא לידי קרי הנקרא רע ח"ו.
The mnemonic by which to remember this, is the verse,31Ecclesiastes 8:5 “He who guards-Shomer-שומר the mitzvah will know no evil.” In other words, whoever accepts this matter upon himself, must stand guard at his post from morning to evening, awaiting the opportunity to fulfill any mitzvah that comes his way. That is, the term guard-Shomer-שומר is of the same root used in the verse,32Genesis 37:11 “His father waited in anticipation-Shamar-שמר of the matter.”33Rashi to Genesis 37:11 Through this, one merits that, “He will know no evil.” That is, he will not be subject to random happenstance (Keri-קרי)34Leviticus 26:21 & Rashi there; Also see Ginat Egoz of Rabbi Yosef Gikatilla, translated as HaShem Is One, Volume 2, pg. 353. which is called evil, God forbid.
וסימנך חסד אל כל היום היינו שבכל יום ויום צריך לעשות חסד לאל ית':
The mnemonic by which to remember this is the verse,35Psalms 52:3 “The kindness of God is all day long.” That is, one must do acts of lovingkindness for God, blessed is He, every single day.