כז. לְהַרְחִיק גַּאֲוָה וָכַעַס, וּגְעַר בְּיֵצֶר הָרָע הַמַּשִּׂיאֲךָ לָלֶכֶת בְּדַרְכֵי לִבְּךָ. וְאַל יֵשְׂט, כִּי דְרָכָיו [נ''א ואל תשט אל דרכיו כי דרכיך] זַךְ וְיָשָּׁר:
Distance yourself from arrogance and anger. Rebuke your Evil Inclination and thoughts which exhort you to listen to your own will. Do not follow them. Rather, fulfill the Will and Ways of God as revealed in the Torah, which are clear, pure and straight.
Distance yourself from falsehood and matters of lies. Do not use God’s Name in vain nor ever express any of God’s various Names in a filthy place, even if you have reason to use one of them.
Remove the yoke of envy which burdens the hearts of men. Rely not on people; be modest and humble before your Creator. Trust not in gold and wealth, for this is the first step in idolatry, and causes you to divert your attention from the Holy One, blessed be He. Disburse your monies as He wishes, for He has the power to restore all your losses, and satisfy all your and your household’s needs.
Know who is this God of your fathers. Know that your words will be weighed in the Scale of Justice, and justice will be meted out. Say nothing wrong or irrational or inappropriate. Keep your word and do not change what you have promised. Make the dispersion of your monies easier than your speech. Do not be quick in speaking evil. Therefore, do not say a harsh word, even if there is good reason to nor say nothing until you weigh your words sensibly and carefully.
Always have in mind the day of your demise, and equip yourself with the provisions for your final trip, that is Torah and good deeds. If you remember this at all times, as well as regretting your sins and doing repentance, you will be prepared for the day of death and your journey to the Next World; and your bed should be soaked in tears remembering your sins. It should frighten you to contemplate that even the great and pious Talmudic Scholar, Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai of blessed memory, who was the leader of Israel during the time of the destruction of the Second Temple, and who had many outstanding students who he taught until they, themselves, were great Torah scholars, was himself afraid of his ultimate fate when he took ill. He was an exemplary human being and learned much Torah and did enormous good. And yet, he was terrified that maybe he failed to do enough good or that possibly he may have once committed some minor injustice and, for that, Gehinna was awaiting him. All the more so should we be horrified.
Be a good friend to the God-fearing. Associate and bond with them. Distance yourself from those who are ungodly, lawless and unjust. Love your reprovers and their admonitions.
It is beneficial and proper for you to belittle your good deeds in your own eyes, while exaggerating the number and gravity of your offenses. Contemplate, at all times, the boundless compassion and unlimited grace your Creator bestows upon you; the One who feeds you when you need to be fed. Do not serve Him for recompense, rather do so because you were so commanded, and for the glorification of His Holy Name.
Remember and speak of this at all times: at night when you retire, envelop yourself with love for Him. In the day, when you arise, when you go about your business, turn to Him, be quick and meticulous with your service to Him. With this, He will give you strength and support, and direct you to do His Will.
Pray with devotion, for prayer is worship of the heart. Think. Was your son to speak frivolously with you, would you not be angry with him? So, too, you who came from a putrid drop, standing before the King and Master of the world, should you not be earnest in your prayers? Do not be like a slave who was assigned an honorable task, one beneficial for him, and yet he spoils it. How dare he stand before the king! What, then, would be better than to ask for forgiveness when we say, “Selach lonu” (forgive us) in the Shemoneh Esrei, but worse than to recite it without conviction? If it is impossible to maintain concentration and devotion during the entire Prayer, say at least the first Blessing of the Shemoneh Esrei with sincerity, as well as the first verse of Krias Shema. For one does not fulfill his obligation for Prayer if he does not say at least these sections with intent.
Learn the weekly Torah portion each week, reciting the Torah text twice, the Targum once, and then learn Rashi’s commentary. This should be completed before the time the Reader concludes the weekly, public Torah reading in Synagogue on Shabbos morning. Understand what Rashi is saying. Greatly embrace and attach yourself to his commentary. When learning Gemara, be certain that you correctly understand that, too, and cling to it. For it is a proper thing to learn Mishna and Gemara, and one will receive reward for so doing. The one who sacrifices himself and carefully and scrupulously learns Gemara so that he understands it correctly, makes himself beloved. There is no greater and unique a reward than there will be for learning Torah, and no better profession than to learn Gemara. The Mishna says that learning Torah is equal, for God, to all the best Good Deeds. It is impossible to properly understand the Torah without the Gemara. Talmud Torah is equal to all else.
כז. לְהַרְחִיק גַּאֲוָה וָכַעַס, וּגְעַר בְּיֵצֶר הָרָע הַמַּשִּׂיאֲךָ לָלֶכֶת בְּדַרְכֵי לִבְּךָ. וְאַל יֵשְׂט, כִּי דְרָכָיו [נ''א ואל תשט אל דרכיו כי דרכיך] זַךְ וְיָשָּׁר:
Distance yourself from arrogance and anger. Rebuke your Evil Inclination and thoughts which exhort you to listen to your own will. Do not follow them. Rather, fulfill the Will and Ways of God as revealed in the Torah, which are clear, pure and straight.
כח. מִדְּבַר שֶּׁקֶר תִּרְחָק. וְאַל תּוֹצִיא שֵּׁם שָּׁמַיִם לְבַטָּלָה וְלֹא בְּמָקוֹם מְטֻנָּף:
Distance yourself from falsehood and matters of lies. Do not use God’s Name in vain nor ever express any of God’s various Names in a filthy place, even if you have reason to use one of them.
כט. הָסֵר מִמְּךָ [נ''א משענת הקנה הרצוץ] מִשְּׁעֶנֶת בְּנֵי אָדָם, וְהַצְנֵעַ לֶכֶת עִם בּוֹרְאֶךָ. וְאַל תָּשִׂים זָהָב כִּסְלֶךָ, כִּי זֹאת תְּחִלַּת עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת, וּפַזֵּר מָמוֹנְךָ כַּאֲשֶּׁר הוּא רְצוֹנוֹ. כִּי בְּיָדוֹ לְמַלְּאוֹת חֶסְרוֹנְךָ וְלָתֵת טֶרֶף בְּנֵי בֵּיתֶךָ:
Remove the yoke of envy which burdens the hearts of men. Rely not on people; be modest and humble before your Creator. Trust not in gold and wealth, for this is the first step in idolatry, and causes you to divert your attention from the Holy One, blessed be He. Disburse your monies as He wishes, for He has the power to restore all your losses, and satisfy all your and your household’s needs.
ל. דַּע אֶת אֱלֹהֵי אָבִיךָ. וּדְבָרֶיךָ בְּמֹאזְנֵי צֶדֶק תִּשְּׁקֹל, וְהִין צֶדֶק יִהְיֶה לְךָ. וְיֵקַל בְּעֵינְיִךָ הוֹצָאַת מָמוֹנְךָ מֵהוֹצָאַת דְּבָרֶיךָ. וּפִיךָ אַל יְמַהֵר לְהוֹצִיא דָּבָר רָע עַד אֲשֶּׁר תִּשְּׁקְלֵהוּ בְּמֹאזְנֵי שִׂכְלֶךָ:
Know who is this God of your fathers. Know that your words will be weighed in the Scale of Justice, and justice will be meted out. Say nothing wrong or irrational or inappropriate. Keep your word and do not change what you have promised. Make the dispersion of your monies easier than your speech. Do not be quick in speaking evil. Therefore, do not say a harsh word, even if there is good reason to nor say nothing until you weigh your words sensibly and carefully.
לא. וִידּוּי עַל עֲוֹנוֹתֶיךָ עֶרֶב וָבֹקֶר אַל יֶחְסַר. וְזִכְרוֹן צִיּוֹן וִירוּשָּׁלַיִם בְּשִּׁבְרוֹן לֵב וּבִדְאָגָה וּבַאֲנָחָה וּבְדִמְעָה:
Confess your sins each morning and evening. Remember Zion and Jerusalem with a broken heart, sincere concern, groans and tears.
לב. זְכֹר יוֹם הַמָּוֶת תָּמִיד. וְצֵידָה לַדֶּרֶךְ הָכֵן. וְשִׂים בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ שְּׁנֵי אֵלֶּה תָּמִיד. וְיִהְיוּ מְזֻמָּנִים לְךָ לְיוֹם הַפֵּירוּד, וּמִטָּתְךָ בְּדִמְעָה תַּמְסֶה. וִיבַהֲלוּךָ רַעְיוֹנֶיךָ מִדֵּי זָכְרְךָ חֶרְדַּת רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה:
Always have in mind the day of your demise, and equip yourself with the provisions for your final trip, that is Torah and good deeds. If you remember this at all times, as well as regretting your sins and doing repentance, you will be prepared for the day of death and your journey to the Next World; and your bed should be soaked in tears remembering your sins. It should frighten you to contemplate that even the great and pious Talmudic Scholar, Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai of blessed memory, who was the leader of Israel during the time of the destruction of the Second Temple, and who had many outstanding students who he taught until they, themselves, were great Torah scholars, was himself afraid of his ultimate fate when he took ill. He was an exemplary human being and learned much Torah and did enormous good. And yet, he was terrified that maybe he failed to do enough good or that possibly he may have once committed some minor injustice and, for that, Gehinna was awaiting him. All the more so should we be horrified.
לג. חָבֵר טוֹב הֱיֵה לְיִרְאֵי ה'. הִתְחַבֵּר בְּחֶבְרָתָם. וּמֵחֶבְרַת פּוֹעֲלֵי אָוֶן הַרְחֵק, וֶאֱהוֹב הַמּוֹכִיחִים:
Be a good friend to the God-fearing. Associate and bond with them. Distance yourself from those who are ungodly, lawless and unjust. Love your reprovers and their admonitions.
לד. טוֹב וְיָשָּׁר לְךָ לְהַמְעִיט בְּעֵינֶיךָ פְּעֻלּוֹתֶיךָ הַטּוֹבִים וְהַגְדֵּל פְּשָּׁעֶיךָ. [נ''א ולהגדיל בעיניך פשעיך] וּלְהַרְבּוֹת חַסְדֵי בּוֹרַאֲךָ, וְיוֹצֶרְךָ מִבֶּטֶן, וְנוֹתֵן אָכְלְךָ בְּעִתּוֹ. וְלֹא תִּהְיֶה מְשַּׁמֵּשּׁ עַל מְנַת לְקַבֵּל פְּרָס בַּעֲשׂוֹתְךָ מִצְוֹתָיו:
It is beneficial and proper for you to belittle your good deeds in your own eyes, while exaggerating the number and gravity of your offenses. Contemplate, at all times, the boundless compassion and unlimited grace your Creator bestows upon you; the One who feeds you when you need to be fed. Do not serve Him for recompense, rather do so because you were so commanded, and for the glorification of His Holy Name.
לה. יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה זִכְרוֹ מִפִּיךָ אַל יָמוּשּׁ. בְּשָּׁכְבְּךָ תִּשְׁגֶּה בְּאַהֲבָתוֹ, וּבְקוּמֶךָ וּבְהִלּוּכֶךָ תִּמְצָאֶנּוּ, וַהֲקִיצוֹתָ בּוֹ תְּשַּׁעֲשָּׁע, וְהוּא יְיַשֵּׁר אוֹרְחוֹתֶיךָ:
Remember and speak of this at all times: at night when you retire, envelop yourself with love for Him. In the day, when you arise, when you go about your business, turn to Him, be quick and meticulous with your service to Him. With this, He will give you strength and support, and direct you to do His Will.
לו. כַּוֵּן בִּתְפִלָּתְךָ, כִּי הַתְּפִלָּה הִיא עֲבוֹדַת הַלֵּב. וְאִם בִּנְךָ יְדַבֵּר לְךָ וְלֹא מִלִּבּוֹ, הֲלֹא יִחַר לְךָ, וּמַה תַּעֲשֶׂה טִפָּה סְרוּחָה לִפְנֵי מַלְכּוֹ שֶּׁל עוֹלָם. וְלֹא תִּהְיֶה כְּעֶבֶד שֶּׁמָּסְרוּ לוֹ מְלָאכָה נִכְבֶּדֶת לְטוֹבָתוֹ, וְחִבְּלָהּ. וְאֵיךְ יַעֲמֹד לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ. וּמַה טּוֹב לְבַקִּשּׁ סְלִיחָה, עַל אָמְרְךָ סְלַח לָנוּ, בְּלֹא כַּוָּנָה. וְאִם אִי אֶפְשָּׁר בְּכָל הַתְּפִלּוֹת, בְּרָכָה רִאשּׁוֹנָה שֶּׁל שְּׁמוֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֶה, וּפָסוּק רִאשּׁוֹן שֶּׁל קְרִיאַת שְּׁמַע אַל יֶחְסַר. כִּי לֹא יָצָא חוֹבַת הַתְּפִלָּה מִי שֶּׁלֹּא כִּוֵּן בָּהֶם:
Pray with devotion, for prayer is worship of the heart. Think. Was your son to speak frivolously with you, would you not be angry with him? So, too, you who came from a putrid drop, standing before the King and Master of the world, should you not be earnest in your prayers? Do not be like a slave who was assigned an honorable task, one beneficial for him, and yet he spoils it. How dare he stand before the king! What, then, would be better than to ask for forgiveness when we say, “Selach lonu” (forgive us) in the Shemoneh Esrei, but worse than to recite it without conviction? If it is impossible to maintain concentration and devotion during the entire Prayer, say at least the first Blessing of the Shemoneh Esrei with sincerity, as well as the first verse of Krias Shema. For one does not fulfill his obligation for Prayer if he does not say at least these sections with intent.
לז. לְמֹד פָּרָשִּׁיּוֹתֶיךָ עִם הַצִבּוּר, שְּׁנַיִם מִקְרָא וְאֶחָד תַּרְגּוּם וּפֵרוּשּׁ רַשִּׁ''י ז''ל, וּתְדַקְדֵּק בּוֹ כַּאֲשֶּׁר תּוּכַל, וְכֵן יִהְיֶה לְךָ בַּגְּמָרָא, כִּי הָעוֹסֵק בַּגְּמָרָא מִדָּה טוֹבָה, וְנוֹתְנִין עָלֶיהָ שָׂכָר. וְאֵין לְךָ מִדָּה טוֹבָה הֵימֶנָּה, וּתְנַן תַּלְמוּד תּוֹרָה כְּנֶגֶד כֻּלָּם:
Learn the weekly Torah portion each week, reciting the Torah text twice, the Targum once, and then learn Rashi’s commentary. This should be completed before the time the Reader concludes the weekly, public Torah reading in Synagogue on Shabbos morning. Understand what Rashi is saying. Greatly embrace and attach yourself to his commentary. When learning Gemara, be certain that you correctly understand that, too, and cling to it. For it is a proper thing to learn Mishna and Gemara, and one will receive reward for so doing. The one who sacrifices himself and carefully and scrupulously learns Gemara so that he understands it correctly, makes himself beloved. There is no greater and unique a reward than there will be for learning Torah, and no better profession than to learn Gemara. The Mishna says that learning Torah is equal, for God, to all the best Good Deeds. It is impossible to properly understand the Torah without the Gemara. Talmud Torah is equal to all else.