1) Men who went after the highest extreme of asceticism, to be like spiritual beings (angels, i.e. non-physical beings). They renounce everything that distracts them from G-d. They left civilization to dwell in the deserts, the wastelands, and the high mountains, places where there is no companionship and no acquaintance. They eat whatever can be found, vegetation growing on the soil and leaves of the trees. They dress in worn garments and raw wool. They take shelter in the rocks. Their fear of the Creator drives away fear of the created beings.
Their delight in love of G-d distracts them so much that they do not think of the love of human beings. They are content with whatever sustenance G-d reserves for them, and they do not expect anything from human beings.
This class is the furthest extreme of all the classes from the middle way prescribed by the torah. For they renounce worldly interests completely and the torah does not bid us to give up social life entirely, as we have introduced earlier from the verse "He did not create it to be a waste but formed it to be inhabited" (Yeshaya 45:18).
2) The second class, men who went in the middle way of abstinence. They are completely repulsed with the superfluous things of this world, and undertake to bridle their lust in them.
Two: superflous things which cleave to a man whose causes are not outside of him, such as: [superfluous] speech, laughter, relaxation, leisure, watching or listening useless things, and useless musings.
This second class has renounced all things that are "superfluous", but did not deem it fit to withdraw from society. They stayed to provide their bodies with its minimum need, as is their duty. They exchanged the deserts and mountains with confinement in their homes and solitude in their dwelling. They attained both matters and reached both portions. They are closer to the middle way of the torah, than the previous class.
3) The third class consists of those who walk on the lowest level of abstinence. These separated themselves from the world in their hearts and minds. But they associate outwardly with other people in the rectification of the world, such as plowing and sowing. They also actively toil with their bodies in the service of G-d. They realize that a man is being tested in this world, and that he is like a prisoner and a stranger in it, taken from the world of spirits and brought here.
They wait for death, and yet they guard themselves from death (danger). They prepare provisions (torah and good deeds) for the time of their journey, and they consider with what will they arrive to their final abode before their departure. They take from this world, the minimum of their food needs, yet they do not neglect anything of taking and carrying provisions that will be good for their final end, according to their ability.
ABSTINENCE IN SECULAR AFFAIRS Those who practice abstinence in order to secure worldly benefits. Their abstinence is in their limbs but not in their minds and hearts. These fall into three classes:
1) Those who abstain from some of their lusts or pleasures in order to gain a reputation for abstinence, in order to receive praise for their faith and piety, so that through this method they will obtain their full lusts.
They are hypocritical in faith and in abstinence. They act in this manner in order that men should trust them, deposit their money with them, and reveal their secrets to them, so that they will be able to harm them. They are the worst class of all human beings, furthest removed from the truth and more disgraceful than anyone else. Of such people, scripture says: "Their tongue is a deadly arrow; It speaks deceit; With his mouth one speaks peace to his neighbor, But inwardly he sets an ambush for him" (Yirmiya 9:7).
2) The second class: Those who obtained a small amount of wealth. When they see how swiftly money is lost and circumstances change, and combined with their little trust in G-d, they pain themselves by eating little and abstaining from their lusts (to save money). They then claim that abstinence has driven them to live this way.
But after true inspection, what really brought them to this is their great love for this world, their zeal to increase of its wealth, their worry from poverty, and their little satisfaction with what they have obtained from this world. Of such people, the wise man said: "a man whom G-d has given riches and property and honor, and his soul lacks nothing of all he desires; [yet G-d gives him not power to eat of it, but a stranger eats it: this is vanity, and it is an evil affliction]" (Koheles 6:2).
3) The third class: Those who are not capable of making enough money and have only acquired enough money to live in the poorest of circumstances. They deem it proper to maintain their self-respect and subsist with whatever food they can obtain rather than having to stand to ask and embarrass themselves to beg from other people. They restrain their desires by bearing constant hunger and by covering themselves with basic clothing. They do this in order to avoid receiving charity and to not be ashamed of asking help from others, thereby becoming disgraced. Yet, they claim to be doing all of this out of asceticism.
If you wish to test the true motive of one who claims to practice abstinence, whether he is doing this for religious or secular improvement, test them with the conditions for perfect abstinence which I will mention, and you will with G-d's help, discern whether they are genuine ascetics or only pretending to be so.
אֲבָל לְכַמָּה כִּתּוֹת נֶחְלָקִים הַפְּרוּשִׁים בַּפְּרִישׁוּת, אוֹמַר בִּתְשׁוּבַת הַשְּׁאֵלָה הַזֹּאת,
- The classes of abstainers
As to how many classes the abstainers are divided, I will answer this question as follows.
כִּי הַפְּרִישׁוּת מִן הָעוֹלָם תִּהְיֶה לְאַחַת מִשְּׁתֵּי עִלּוֹת כְּמוֹ שֶׁהִקְדַּמְנוּ וְהֵם הַתּוֹרָה וְהָעוֹלָם,
As we introduced, abstinence from this world is due to one of two reasons, one is religious and the other is secular.
וְהַפּוֹרְשִׁים מֵחֲמַת מָסֹרֶת הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁהֵם אַנְשֵׁי הַפְּרִישׁוּת הָאֲמִתִּי הֵם שָׁלֹשׁ כִּתּוֹת.
Those who abstain due to religious reasons. They are the true genuine abstainers and are divided into three classes.
אַחַת מֵהֶם אֲנָשִׁים שֶׁהָלְכוּ בְּגֶדֶר הַפְּרִישׁוּת הָעֶלְיוֹן לְהִדָּמוֹת כָּאִישִׁים הָרוּחָנִיִּים וַיַּעַזְבוּ כָּל מָה שֶׁיַּטְרִידֵם מִן הָאֱלֹהִים וּבָרְחוּ מִן הַיִּשּׁוּב אֶל הַמִּדְבָּרִיּוֹת וְהַיְּשִׁימוֹן וְהֶהָרִים הַגְּבוֹהִים מָקוֹם שֶׁאֵין צִוּוּת וְלֹא חֶבְרָה, אוֹכְלִים מָה שֶׁהֵם מוֹצְאִים מֵעֵשֶׂב הָאָרֶץ וַעֲלֵי הָאִילָנִים וְלוֹבְשִׁים הַבְּלוּיִים וְהַצֶּמֶר וְיֶחֱסוּ בַּסְּלָעִים. טְרָדָם מוֹרָא הַבּוֹרֵא מִמּוֹרָא הַבְּרוּאִים.
1) Men who went after the highest extreme of asceticism, to be like spiritual beings (angels, i.e. non-physical beings). They renounce everything that distracts them from G-d. They left civilization to dwell in the deserts, the wastelands, and the high mountains, places where there is no companionship and no acquaintance. They eat whatever can be found, vegetation growing on the soil and leaves of the trees. They dress in worn garments and raw wool. They take shelter in the rocks. Their fear of the Creator drives away fear of the created beings.
וְשִׁעְשְׁעָה אוֹתָם אַהֲבַת הַבּוֹרֵא מֵחֲשֹׁב בְּאַהֲבַת ב״א וְהִסְפִּיק לָהֶם מָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהֶם אֵצֶל הָאֱלֹהִים וְלֹא שֶׁיְּיַחֲלוּ עַל מָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בִּידֵי אָדָם.
Their delight in love of G-d distracts them so much that they do not think of the love of human beings. They are content with whatever sustenance G-d reserves for them, and they do not expect anything from human beings.
וְהַכַּת הַזֹּאת רְחוֹקָה מִכָּל הַכִּתּוֹת בְּגֶדֶר הַדֶּרֶךְ הַשָּׁוָה הַתּוֹרִיָּה מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵם עוֹזְבִים עִנְיַן עוֹלָמָם לְגַמְרֵי וְאֵין בְּדִין הַתּוֹרָה לַעֲזֹב יִשּׁוּב הָעוֹלָם לְגַמְרֵי כְּמוֹ שֶׁהִקְדַּמְנוּ בְּמָה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (ישעיה מה) לֹא תֹהוּ בְרָאָהּ לָשֶׁבֶת יְצָרָהּ.
This class is the furthest extreme of all the classes from the middle way prescribed by the torah. For they renounce worldly interests completely and the torah does not bid us to give up social life entirely, as we have introduced earlier from the verse "He did not create it to be a waste but formed it to be inhabited" (Yeshaya 45:18).
וְהַכַּת הַשְּׁנִיָּה אֲנָשִׁים שֶׁהָלְכוּ בְּדֶרֶךְ הַגֶּדֶר הַבֵּינוֹנִי שֶׁבַּפְּרִישׁוּת וּמָאֲסוּ מוֹתְרֵי הָעוֹלָם לְגַמְרֵי וְסָבְלוּ לַחְסֹם תַּאֲוָתָם מֵהֶם.
2) The second class, men who went in the middle way of abstinence. They are completely repulsed with the superfluous things of this world, and undertake to bridle their lust in them.
וְהַמּוֹתָרִים עַל שְׁנֵי פָּנִים.
The superfluous things are of two types:
אֶחָד מֵהֶם מוֹתָרִים שֶׁהֵם חוּץ לָאָדָם וְנִפְרָדִים מִמֶּנּוּ כַּקִּנְיָנִים הַגּוּפִיִּים וְהַמַּאֲכָל וְהַמִּשְׁתֶּה וְהַמַּלְבּוּשׁ וְהַמִּשְׁכָּן.
One: superfluous things which are outside of a man and separate from him, such material things as food, drink, clothing, and dwelling.
וְהַשֵּׁנִי מוֹתָרִים דְּבֵקִים לָאָדָם אֵין נִפְרָדוֹת מִמֶּנּוּ סִבּוֹתָם כַּדִּבּוּר וְהַשְּׂחוֹק וְהַמַּרְגּוֹעַ וְהַמְּנוּחָה וְהַבֵּט אֶל הַמּוֹתָרִים וְהַאֲזֵן אֲלֵיהֶם וְהַעֲבֵר עַל הָרַעֲיוֹנִים מָה שֶׁאֵין צָרִיךְ.
Two: superflous things which cleave to a man whose causes are not outside of him, such as: [superfluous] speech, laughter, relaxation, leisure, watching or listening useless things, and useless musings.
וּפָסְקָה הַכַּת הַזֹּאת מִמֶּנָּה כָּל קְרוּאֵי הַמּוֹתָרִים וְלֹא רָאוּ לָצֵאת מֵהַיִּשּׁוּב לְהַסְפִּיק לְגוּפָם מְזוֹנוֹתָם כְּמוֹ שֶׁהֵם חַיָּבִים בּוֹ וְהֵמִירוּ הַמִּדְבָּרִיּוֹת וְהֶהָרִים בַּבְּדִידוּת בְּבָתֵּיהֶם וְהַיְּחִידוּת בְּמִשְׁכְּנֵיהֶם וְהִשִּׂיגוּ שְׁנֵי הָעִנְיָנִים וְהִגִּיעוּ אֶל שְׁנֵי הַחֲלָקִים וְהֵם יוֹתֵר קְרוֹבִים אֶל הַדֶּרֶךְ הַשָּׁוָה וְהַתּוֹרִיָּה מִמִּי שֶׁהִקְדַּמְנוּ זִכְרוֹ.
This second class has renounced all things that are "superfluous", but did not deem it fit to withdraw from society. They stayed to provide their bodies with its minimum need, as is their duty. They exchanged the deserts and mountains with confinement in their homes and solitude in their dwelling. They attained both matters and reached both portions. They are closer to the middle way of the torah, than the previous class.
וְהַכַּת הַשְּׁלִישִׁית אֲנָשִׁים שֶׁהָלְכוּ בְּדֶרֶךְ הַגֶּדֶר הַשָּׁפֵל שֶׁבַּפְּרִישׁוּת וְהוּא שֶׁפֵּרְשׁוּ מִן הָעוֹלָם בְּלִבּוֹתָם וּבְמַצְפּוּנָם וְהִשְׁתַּתְּפוּ עִם אַנְשֵׁי הָעוֹלָם בַּנִּרְאֶה מִגּוּפֵיהֶם בְּיִשּׁוּב הָעוֹלָם כַּחֲרִישָׁה וּזְרִיעָה וְהִתְעַסְּקוּ בְּגוּפֵיהֶם בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַבּוֹרֵא ית׳ עָמְדוּ עַל צוּרַת נִסְיוֹן הָאָדָם בעוה״ז וּמַאֲסָרוֹ בּוֹ וְגֵרוּתוֹ וְהַגְזָרָתוֹ מֵעוֹלָם הָרוּחָנִיּוֹת (ס״א הרוחות) אֵלָיו.
3) The third class consists of those who walk on the lowest level of abstinence. These separated themselves from the world in their hearts and minds. But they associate outwardly with other people in the rectification of the world, such as plowing and sowing. They also actively toil with their bodies in the service of G-d. They realize that a man is being tested in this world, and that he is like a prisoner and a stranger in it, taken from the world of spirits and brought here.
וְנַפְשׁוֹתָם מוֹאֲסוֹת בָּעוֹלָם וּבְהוֹנוֹ וְנִכְסָפוֹת לעוה״ב.
They are repulsed by the (pleasures of this) world and by its wealth, and they long for the next world.
מְצַפִּים אֶל הַמָּוֶת וְהֵם נִזְהָרִים מִמֶּנּוּ הֵכִינוּ צֵדָתָם לְעֵת נְסִיעָתָם וְחָשְׁבוּ בְּמָה שֶׁמַּגִּיעָם אֶל בֵּית מַרְגּוֹעָם קֹדֶם הַעְתָּקָתָם וְלֹא לָקְחוּ מֵהָעוֹלָם אֶלָּא פָּחוֹת מִמְּזוֹנוֹתָם וְלֹא הִנִּיחוּ מִמֶּנּוּ מָה שֶׁהוּא טוֹב לָהֶם בְּאַחֲרִיתָם כְּפִי יְכָלְתָּם אֶלָּא לָקְחוּ מִמֶּנּוּ צֵדָה וּנְשָׂאוּהוּ.
They wait for death, and yet they guard themselves from death (danger). They prepare provisions (torah and good deeds) for the time of their journey, and they consider with what will they arrive to their final abode before their departure. They take from this world, the minimum of their food needs, yet they do not neglect anything of taking and carrying provisions that will be good for their final end, according to their ability.
וְהַכַּת הַזֹּאת קְרוֹבָה אֶל הַדֶּרֶךְ הַשָּׁוָה הַיְּשָׁרָה הַתּוֹרִיָּה יוֹתֵר מִמָּה שֶׁזָּכַרְנוּ קֹדֶם.
This class is the closest to the correct balance and right way which is in accord with the torah than the other classes we mentioned..
אַךְ הַפּוֹרְשִׁים לִמְשֹׁךְ תּוֹעֶלֶת הָעוֹלָם וּפְרִישׁוּתָם בָּאֵבָרִים וְלֹא בַּמַּצְפּוּנִים וּבַלְּבָבוֹת. וְהֵם שָׁלֹשׁ כִּתּוֹת,
ABSTINENCE IN SECULAR AFFAIRS
Those who practice abstinence in order to secure worldly benefits. Their abstinence is in their limbs but not in their minds and hearts. These fall into three classes:
אַחַת מֵהֶם אֲנָשִׁים חָסְמוּ תַּאֲוַת נַפְשׁוֹתָם מֵהַשִּׂיג קְצָת הַתַּעֲנוּגִים כְּדֵי שֶׁיֵּצֵא לָהֶם שֵׁם בִּפְרִישׁוּת וִישַׁבְּחוּ אוֹתָם בֶּאֱמוּנָה וּבְחֶסֶד לִהְיוֹת זֶה סִבָּה חֲזָקָה לְהַגִּיעַ אֶל תַּכְלִית תַּאֲוָתָם.
1) Those who abstain from some of their lusts or pleasures in order to gain a reputation for abstinence, in order to receive praise for their faith and piety, so that through this method they will obtain their full lusts.
וְהֵם מַחְנִיפִים בֶּאֱמוּנָה וּבִפְרִישׁוּת בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁיִּבְטְחוּ בְּנֵי אָדָם בָּהֶם וְיַפְקִידוּ אֶצְלָם מָמוֹנָם וִיגַלּוּ לָהֶם סוֹדוֹתָם וְיוּכְלוּ לְהַזִּיקָם וְהֵם הַכַּת הָרָעָה שֶׁבְּכָל כִּתּוֹת בְּנֵי אָדָם וְיוֹתֵר רְחוֹקָה מִן הָאֱמֶת וּמְגֻנָּה מִכֻּלָּם וּבִכְמוֹהֶם אָמַר הַכָּתוּב (ירמיה ט) חֵץ שָׁחוּט לְשׁוֹנָם וְגוֹ׳.
They are hypocritical in faith and in abstinence. They act in this manner in order that men should trust them, deposit their money with them, and reveal their secrets to them, so that they will be able to harm them. They are the worst class of all human beings, furthest removed from the truth and more disgraceful than anyone else. Of such people, scripture says: "Their tongue is a deadly arrow; It speaks deceit; With his mouth one speaks peace to his neighbor, But inwardly he sets an ambush for him" (Yirmiya 9:7).
וְהַכַּת הַשֵּׁנִית אֲנָשִׁים שֶׁמָּצְאָה יָדָם מְעַט מֵהוֹן הָעוֹלָם וְכַאֲשֶׁר רָאוּ מְהִירוּת אֲבֵדַת הַמָּמוֹנוֹת וְהִתְהַפְּכוּת הָעִנְיָנִים עִם מִעוּט בִּטְחוֹנָם בֵּאלֹהִים הֵצֵרוּ עַל נַפְשׁוֹתָם בִּמְזוֹנוֹתֵיהֶם וְחָסְמוּ תַּאֲוָתָם וְטָעֲנוּ כִּי הַפְּרִישׁוּת נְשָׂאָתַם עַל זֶה.
2) The second class: Those who obtained a small amount of wealth. When they see how swiftly money is lost and circumstances change, and combined with their little trust in G-d, they pain themselves by eating little and abstaining from their lusts (to save money). They then claim that abstinence has driven them to live this way.
וְעִם הָעִיּוּן הָאֲמִתִּי לֹא נְשָׂאָם עַל זֶה אֶלָּא רֹב אַהֲבָתָם בָּעוֹלָם וַחֲרִיצוּתָם לְהַרְבּוֹת מֵהוֹנוֹ וְאֶבְלָם עַל רִישׁ נַפְשׁוֹתָם וּמִעוּט הִסְתַּפְּקוּתָם בְּמָה שֶׁהִגִּיעַ אֲלֵיהֶם מִמֶּנּוּ, וּבִכְמוֹתָם אָמַר הֶחָכָם (קהלה ו) אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִתֶּן לוֹ הָאֱלֹהִים עֹשֶׁר וּנְכָסִים וְכָבוֹד וְגוֹ׳.
But after true inspection, what really brought them to this is their great love for this world, their zeal to increase of its wealth, their worry from poverty, and their little satisfaction with what they have obtained from this world. Of such people, the wise man said: "a man whom G-d has given riches and property and honor, and his soul lacks nothing of all he desires; [yet G-d gives him not power to eat of it, but a stranger eats it: this is vanity, and it is an evil affliction]" (Koheles 6:2).
וְהַכַּת הַשְּׁלִישִׁית אֲנָשִׁים קָצְרָה יָדָם מִקְּנוֹת מָמוֹן וְלֹא הִגִּיעוּ מֵהוֹן הָעוֹלָם אֶל מָה שֶׁיְּזוּנֵם אֶלָּא עַל הַצַּר שֶׁבָּעִנְיָנִים וְרָאוּ שֶׁיִּתְכַּבְּדוּ וְיִסְתַּפְּקוּ בְּמָה שֶׁנִּזְדַּמֵּן לָהֶם מִן הַמָּזוֹן וְלֹא יַעַמְדוּ מַעֲמַד הַשְּׁאֵלָה וְזֻלּוּת הַבַּקָּשָׁה מִבְּנֵי אָדָם וְחָסְמוּ תַּאֲוָתָם בְּהַתְמָדַת הָרָעָב וְהִסְתַּתֵּר בִּמְעַט מַלְבּוּשׁ לְהִשָּׁמֵר מִפְּנֵיהֶם וְשֶׁלֹּא יִתְבַּזּוּ בְּשָׁאֳלָם מִזּוּלָתָם וְיִהְיוּ לְחֶרְפָּה בָּעוֹלָם וְתָלוּ כָּל זֶה בִּפְרִישׁוּת מִן הָעוֹלָם.
3) The third class: Those who are not capable of making enough money and have only acquired enough money to live in the poorest of circumstances. They deem it proper to maintain their self-respect and subsist with whatever food they can obtain rather than having to stand to ask and embarrass themselves to beg from other people. They restrain their desires by bearing constant hunger and by covering themselves with basic clothing. They do this in order to avoid receiving charity and to not be ashamed of asking help from others, thereby becoming disgraced. Yet, they claim to be doing all of this out of asceticism.
וְכַאֲשֶׁר תִּרְצֶה לַעֲמֹד עַל אֲמִתַּת מִי שֶׁיִּטְעֹן מִן הַפְּרִישׁוּת אִם הוּא לְתַקָּנַת תּוֹרָתָם אוֹ לְתַקָּנַת עוֹלָמָם בְּחָנֵם בַּתְּנָאִים אֲשֶׁר בָּהֶם תֻּשְׁלַם הַפְּרִישׁוּת אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי עָתִיד לְזָכְרָם וְתַעֲמֹד עַל בֵּרוּר מַצְפּוּנָם מִכְּזָבָם מִפְּרִישׁוּת בְּעֶזְרַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ:
If you wish to test the true motive of one who claims to practice abstinence, whether he is doing this for religious or secular improvement, test them with the conditions for perfect abstinence which I will mention, and you will with G-d's help, discern whether they are genuine ascetics or only pretending to be so.