The soul is created from the place of the Holy Spirit, as it is said, "And breathed into his nostrils the breath of life" (Gen. 2:7). And it is hewn out from a place of purity, and it is created from the supernal radiance, from the Throne of Glory. And in the realm above, in the place of the Holy of Holies, there is no falsehood. There everything is truth, as it is said, "But the Lord God is the true God" (Jer. 10:10). I have found written, "I am that I am" ** Hebrew: Eheyeh asher Eheyeh. (Ex. 3:14). And it is also written, "And the Lord God is the true **** Hebrew: emet. God, He is the living God and everlasting king" (Jer. 10:10).
And now it is important to make it known to you that the Holy One, Blessed be He, is the God of Truth. For you will find twenty-one times the word EHEYEH which is, by computation of letters, the numerical equivalent of Emet (Truth). And you will also note that EHEYEH (the Name of the Eternal) is by computation of letters, also twenty-one (the numerical value of Emet being 441 or 21 times21).
God made man to be upright (see Eccl. 7:29), and the seal of the Holy One, Blessed be He, is Truth (Shabbath 55a and see T.P. Sanh. 1:5). And it is written, "He that speaketh falsehood shall not be established before mine eyes" (Ps. 101:7). When a man occupies himself with falsehood, then the falsehood does not cleave to the truth. And where there is Truth is as though one were able to describe it as the place of His dwelling in the heavens and directed towards mankind, for where there is Truth among mankind, then everyone concedes that He made heaven and earth and the sea and all they contain. And this is what is said, "Who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is" (Ps. 146:6). And this is followed by, "Who keepeth truth for ever" (ibid.). But where there is treachery and falsehood, it would appear that the place of the dwelling of the Eternal One is not in the heaven and the earth. And he who is worthy to consider these things, how the souls are hewn out from the source of Truth, will conduct all of his affairs with Truth, and he will not permit falsehood to enter into the place of the holiness of truth. And therefore the verse says, "The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him in truth" (Ps. 145:18). For the Holy One, Blessed be He, who is Truth, draws near to him who calls upon Him in truth. And what is meant by, "Who call upon Him in truth?" This refers to the one who cleanses his heart of everything in the world, and draws near to the Holy One, Blessed be He, alone; and whose mind continually strengthens itself to cleave to the supernal light; and who directs his thought in that desire always. And this is what a man can attain when he sits alone in his room and studies, and for this reason every pious person should often separate himself and sit alone, and should not associate with people, except for a great need. But if he prays with only the movement of his lips, facing the wall, and thinks about the affairs of the world, and he calls to God with his tongue, while his mind is on some thing else, or if he expects to be honored because of the sweetness of his voice, and he tries to find favor in the eyes of people, in order to receive praise from them, then his service is not true. And he is one of those of whom it is said, "Thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins" (Jer. 12:2).
Therefore we pray and purify our hearts to serve Thee in truth, that we should do all of our service in truth, and we should believe with a complete heart and with a soul that desires, and our faith should not be something that we demonstrate only before people, or because of money matters or because we are in distress. And that is what is said, "If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up" (Job 22:23). For when no thought divides you from the Almighty, then you will build with a mighty building in the radiant light of the Divine Presence. Therefore David said, "Lord, who shall sojourn in Thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell upon Thy holy mountain? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh truth in his heart" (Ps. 15:1—2). And he did not say, "He who speaks the truth in his mouth," for what he meant was that the truth should be deeply rooted and established in the heart of man. Therefore, when the pious men of old had some object to sell, they would sell it to the purchaser for the price they had already determined in their mind, and even if the purchaser wanted to pay more, they did not want anything except what their heart had already decided to accept. If an esteemed person who follows this path of speaking the truth in his heart, makes up his mind to do a certain thing, he should write down that thought in order not to forget it, and he should not break the promise made in his thought. And if he is unable to fulfill it, let him go to a Sage, who will absolve him of the promise made in his thoughts. And he may vow that nothing in his thoughts shall be considered binding so long as he does not utter it with his mouth.
Everyone who speaks the truth in his heart and does not want even to think falsely, even without meaning to do so, his words and his thoughts will be fulfilled, as it is said, "Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee" (Job 22:28). And he who is a man of truth, in every transaction of his, whether it be in buying or selling, or in loaning, should express his full intention at the outset, and he should accustom all those who do business with him to know that he will not alter, that he will not add to or diminish from the terms agreed on. The wise man said, "Always place the truth before you." By this he meant that a man ought to make certain signs for himself, for example, in business matters that he remember not to speak falsehood. And he should put this down in writing, and he should bring this writing with him and he should look at it before he begins his transaction. He should write something when he sits in his study, and at his table, that he should remember not to speak falsehood, and that he may not forget to speak the truth. And so did one person do. He wrote on the walls of his house, and in his study on the upper part of all the walls: "Remember the day of death, and you will not sin." And he who does not speak anything but the truth will live, and live long, and be free.
In support of this statement is the verse, "But the Lord God is the true God, He is the living God, and the everlasting King" (Jer. 10:10). And if a man does not speak anything but the truth, he will be free all the days of his life, as it is written, "The law of truth was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not found in his lips… "For he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts" (Malachi 2:6—7). The angels above are in the form of truth, and they are not in physical form. The souls of men give light like the light that goes from the sun. Now the souls are in bodies, therefore they know only a little of the secret things and then only in the visions of the night. For the souls do not occupy themselves with the needs of the body, and he who knows the secret of the soul will testify to this. Now dreams are very much like thoughts, as it is written, "Thy thoughts came (into thy mind) upon thy bed" (Dan. 2:29). And dreams come about through an angel who accompanies man, and just as all thoughts are not true, so all dreams are not true. And he who accustoms himself that all of his thoughts are true, then even in the night he will see visions of truth, and he will know future things, just as the angels do.
As for him who speaks the truth, there is no quality like it. Therefore, "The beginning of thy word is truth" (Ps. 119:160). And it is said, "Keep thee far from a false matter" (Ex. 23:7).
Even the gestures of a man should be true, for the reward of truth is very great. Therefore a person should accustom himself to walk in truth, and he should study the Torah and know the truth, so that he will fulfill the commandments truthfully as the law requires. And he should always confess the truth. Even the Aggadah [the non-legal parts of the Talmud], which does not involve the observance of the commandments of the Torah, even this he must study in order that his heart shall believe the truth. Do not be ashamed to receive the truth from any man whatever — even from the smallest of the small and the most despised, even from him should you receive the truth. For a precious pearl, even in the hands of the small and the despised, is still a precious pearl.
Now that our exile has lasted so long because of our many sins it is more important than ever that Israel should separate themselves from the vain things of the world and take hold of the Seal of the Holy One, Blessed be He, which is Truth — and sanctify themselves even in things that are permitted to them (Yebamoth 20a), and not to lie — not to a Jew and not to a heathen, and not to deceive them in any matter, as it is said, "The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies, neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth" (Zeph. 3:13). And it is further written, "And I will sow her unto Me in the land" (Hos. 2:25). Surely a man sows a seah in order to harvest many kurim, thus, the Holy One, Blessed be He, exiled Israel among the nations only so that proselytes might join them (Pesahim 87b). And so long as they conduct themselves among the heathens without guile, the latter will cleave to them. And behold the Holy One, Blessed be He, was furious with the wicked for their robbery, as it is said, "For the earth is filled with violence" (Gen. 6:11).
A parable will illustrate this (Deut. Rabbah 3:3). There is a story about Rabbi Simon, the son of Shetah, who purchased a donkey from an Ishmaelite. His pupils went and found a precious stone hanging from the donkey's neck. They said to him, "Rabbi, 'The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich' " (Prov. 10:22). He said to them, "I purchased a donkey; — a precious stone I did not purchase." So he went and returned the gem to that Ishmaelite. And the Ishmaelite called out concerning him, "Blessed is the Lord the God of Simon, the son of Shetah." There is a similar instance in the Jerusalem Talmud (Baba Mezi'a 2:5). Some mise men of old purchased wheat from heathens, and found in this wheat a bundle of money, and they returned the money to them, and the heathens said, "Blessed is the God of the Jews." And similarly there are many stories of people who restored an object to sanctify the name of God.
When there is truth below, God looks down with justice upon the earth, as it is said, "Truth springeth out of the earth, and righteousness hath looked down from heaven" (Ps. 85:12). Therefore see that all your matters shall be done in truth, and rely upon "The faithful God who keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments" (Deut. 7:9).
What is this faithfulness of God? It is that He keeps His covenant. If a righteous man commits a small sin, God exacts retribution in this world. And clearly, it is much better for the righteous person to be sentenced even with afflictions like Job's, all his days in his body, which is a valueless thing, and in this world where he has but a short time to live, and to have God give a good reward to his soul, which is honored in the upper world and never dies away, and is never finished, to the end of time. And this is surely better for the righteous person than if God did not exact retribution from him in this world, and then would have to sentence him in the world of souls to the punishments of Gehennah, and then if, because of his sins, God should lessen the lofty place of his soul in the world of souls, where otherwise he would cleave to the radiance of the Most High, to which light there is no estimate or likeness. As for the wicked, He has given them their reward in a little pleasure, which soon ceases, in the brief world that is this world, while their sins are kept for the long world-to-come, and the great torment that is Gehennah, and which is too great to be calculated.
May the Merciful One guide us with His Truth, and may He bring us to His chambers, so that we may reach the Supernal Light, where is the secret place of his strength and the beauty of His glory.
שַׁעַר הָעֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁלוֹשָׁה – שַׁעַר הָאֱמֶת
Chapter Twenty Three: ON TRUTH
הָאֱמֶת. הַנְּשָׁמָה נִבְרֵאת מִמְּקוֹם רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ב ד): ״וַיִּפַּח בְּאַפָּיו נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים״; וְנֶחְצְבָה מִמְּקוֹם טָהֳרָה, וְנִבְרֵאת מִזֹּהַר הָעֶלְיוֹן מִכִּסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד. וְאֵין לְמַעְלָה בִּמְקוֹם קָדְשֵׁי הַקֳּדָשִׁים שֶׁקֶר, אֶלָּא הַכֹּל אֱמֶת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיהו י י): ״וַיְיָ אֱלֹהִים אֱמֶת״. וּמָצָאתִי כִּי כְּתִיב: ״אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה״ (שמות ג יד), וּכְתִיב: ״וַיְיָ אֱלֹהִים אֱמֶת, הוּא אֱלֹהִים חַיִּים וּמֶלֶךְ עוֹלָם״ (ירמיהו שם).
The soul is created from the place of the Holy Spirit, as it is said, "And breathed into his nostrils the breath of life" (Gen. 2:7). And it is hewn out from a place of purity, and it is created from the supernal radiance, from the Throne of Glory. And in the realm above, in the place of the Holy of Holies, there is no falsehood. There everything is truth, as it is said, "But the Lord God is the true God" (Jer. 10:10). I have found written, "I am that I am" ** Hebrew: Eheyeh asher Eheyeh. (Ex. 3:14). And it is also written, "And the Lord God is the true **** Hebrew: emet. God, He is the living God and everlasting king" (Jer. 10:10).
וְעַתָּה יֵשׁ לְהוֹדִיעֲךָ שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֱלֹהִים אֱמֶת: כִּי תִּמְצָא עֶשְׂרִים וְאַחַת פְּעָמִים ״אֶהְיֶה״ שֶׁהוּא בְּגֵימַטְרְיָא ״אֱמֶת״, וְגַם כֵּן ״אֶהְיֶה״ בְּגֵימַטְרְיָא עֶשְׂרִים וְאַחַת.
And now it is important to make it known to you that the Holy One, Blessed be He, is the God of Truth. For you will find twenty-one times the word EHEYEH which is, by computation of letters, the numerical equivalent of Emet (Truth). And you will also note that EHEYEH (the Name of the Eternal) is by computation of letters, also twenty-one (the numerical value of Emet being 441 or 21 times21).
וְהָאֱלֹהִים עָשָׂה אֶת הָאָדָם לִהְיוֹת יָשָׁר (קהלת ז כט), וְחוֹתָמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֱמֶת (שבת נה א). וּכְתִיב: ״דֹּבֵר שְׁקָרִים לֹא יִכּוֹן לְנֶגֶד עֵינָי״ (תהלים קא ז). וּכְשֶׁאָדָם עוֹסֵק בְּשֶׁקֶר – אָז אֵין הַשֶּׁקֶר דָּבֵק לָאֱמֶת. וּכְשֶׁיֵּשׁ אֱמֶת, כִּבְיָכוֹל מְכוֹן שִׁבְתּוֹ בַּשָּׁמַיִם כְּנֶגֶד בְּנֵי אָדָם, כִּי כְּשֶׁיֵּשׁ אֱמֶת בִּבְנֵי אָדָם – אָז מוֹדִים שֶׁעָשָׂה שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ, וְהַיָּם וְכָל אֲשֶׁר בָּם. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם קמו ו): ״עֹשֶׂה שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ, אֶת הַיָּם וְאֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר בָּם״, וּסְמִיךְ לֵהּ: ״הַשֹּׁמֵר אֱמֶת לְעוֹלָם, עֹשֶׂה מִשְׁפָּט...״. וּכְשֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּגִידָה וְשֶׁקֶר, כִּבְיָכוֹל אָז כְּמִי שֶׁאֵין מְכוֹן שִׁבְתּוֹ בַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ. וּמִי שֶׁהוּא זוֹכֶה לְהִתְבּוֹנֵן בִּדְבָרִים אֵלּוּ, אֵיךְ הַנְּשָׁמוֹת נֶחֱצָבוֹת מִמְּקוֹר הָאֱמֶת – יַעֲשֶׂה כָּל עִנְיָנָיו בֶּאֱמֶת, וְלֹא יַכְנִיס הַשֶּׁקֶר בִּמְקוֹם קְדֻשַּׁת הָאֱמֶת. וּלְכָךְ אָמַר הַפָּסוּק (תהלים קמה יח): ״קָרוֹב יְיָ לְכָל קֹרְאָיו, לְכֹל אֲשֶׁר יִקְרָאֻהוּ בֶאֱמֶת״, כִּי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁהוּא אֱמֶת – מִתְקָרֵב לְמִי שֶׁקּוֹרְאוֹ בֶּאֱמֶת. וְאֵיזֶה דָּבָר נִקְרָא ״קְרִיאַת אֱמֶת״? זֶהוּ הַמְפַנֶּה לִבּוֹ מִכָּל דָּבָר שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, וּמִתְקָרֵב אֶל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְבַד, וְשִׂכְלוֹ הוֹלֵךְ וּמִתְחַזֵּק לְהִדָּבֵק בָּאוֹר הָעֶלְיוֹן, וְיָשִׂים מַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ בְּחִשְׁקוֹ תָּמִיד. וְזֶה הָעִנְיָן יַשִּׂיג הָאָדָם כְּשֶׁהוּא מִתְבּוֹדֵד בְּחֶדְרוֹ. וּמִפְּנֵי זֶה יַרְבֶּה כָּל חָסִיד לְהִפָּרֵד וּלְהִתְבּוֹדֵד, וְלֹא יִתְחַבֵּר עִם בְּנֵי אָדָם רַק לְצֹרֶךְ גָּדוֹל. אֲבָל אִם הִתְפַּלֵּל בַּהֲנָעַת שְׂפָתָיו אֶל הַכֹּתֶל וּמְחַשֵּׁב בְּעִנְיְנֵי הָעוֹלָם, וְיִקְרָא בִּלְשׁוֹנוֹ וְלִבּוֹ בְּעִנְיָן אַחֵר, אִם שֶׁיַּחְשֹׁב לְהִתְכַּבֵּד אֵיךְ קוֹלוֹ עָרֵב כְּדֵי לִמְצֹא חֵן בְּעֵינֵי בְּנֵי אָדָם לְקַבֵּל מֵהֶן שֶׁבַח – אָז אֵין עֲבוֹדָתוֹ אֱמֶת. וְהוּא מֵאוֹתָם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עֲלֵיהֶם (ירמיהו יב ב): ״קָרוֹב אַתָּה בְּפִיהֶם, וְרָחוֹק מִכִּלְיוֹתֵיהֶם״.
God made man to be upright (see Eccl. 7:29), and the seal of the Holy One, Blessed be He, is Truth (Shabbath 55a and see T.P. Sanh. 1:5). And it is written, "He that speaketh falsehood shall not be established before mine eyes" (Ps. 101:7). When a man occupies himself with falsehood, then the falsehood does not cleave to the truth. And where there is Truth is as though one were able to describe it as the place of His dwelling in the heavens and directed towards mankind, for where there is Truth among mankind, then everyone concedes that He made heaven and earth and the sea and all they contain. And this is what is said, "Who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is" (Ps. 146:6). And this is followed by, "Who keepeth truth for ever" (ibid.). But where there is treachery and falsehood, it would appear that the place of the dwelling of the Eternal One is not in the heaven and the earth. And he who is worthy to consider these things, how the souls are hewn out from the source of Truth, will conduct all of his affairs with Truth, and he will not permit falsehood to enter into the place of the holiness of truth. And therefore the verse says, "The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him in truth" (Ps. 145:18). For the Holy One, Blessed be He, who is Truth, draws near to him who calls upon Him in truth. And what is meant by, "Who call upon Him in truth?" This refers to the one who cleanses his heart of everything in the world, and draws near to the Holy One, Blessed be He, alone; and whose mind continually strengthens itself to cleave to the supernal light; and who directs his thought in that desire always. And this is what a man can attain when he sits alone in his room and studies, and for this reason every pious person should often separate himself and sit alone, and should not associate with people, except for a great need. But if he prays with only the movement of his lips, facing the wall, and thinks about the affairs of the world, and he calls to God with his tongue, while his mind is on some thing else, or if he expects to be honored because of the sweetness of his voice, and he tries to find favor in the eyes of people, in order to receive praise from them, then his service is not true. And he is one of those of whom it is said, "Thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins" (Jer. 12:2).
לְכָךְ אָנוּ מִתְפַּלְּלִים: ״וְטַהֵר לִבֵּנוּ לְעָבְדְּךָ בֶּאֱמֶת״ – שֶׁנַּעֲשֶׂה כָּל עֲבוֹדָתֵנוּ בַּאֲמִתּוּת, וּלְהַאֲמִין בְּלֵב וְנֶפֶשׁ חֲפֵצָה, וְלֹא מִפְּנֵי אֲנָשִׁים וְלֹא בִּשְׁבִיל מָמוֹן אוֹ רְעוּת רוּחַ. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (איוב כב כג): ״אִם תָּשׁוּב עַד שַׁדַּי, תִּבָּנֶה״ – שֶׁאֵין מַחֲשָׁבָה חוֹצֶצֶת בֵּינְךָ וּבֵין שַׁדַּי, אָז תִּבָּנֶה בְּבִנְיָן חָזָק בְּזֹהַר הַשְּׁכִינָה. לָכֵן אָמַר דָּוִד (תהלים טו א-ב): ״יְיָ מִי יָגוּר בְּאָהֳלֶךָ, מִי יִשְׁכֹּן בְּהַר קָדְשֶׁךָ: הוֹלֵךְ תָּמִים, וּפוֹעֵל צֶדֶק, וְדֹבֵר אֱמֶת בִּלְבָבוֹ״ – וְלֹא אָמַר ״דּוֹבֵר אֱמֶת בְּפִיו״, אֶלָּא רוֹצֶה לוֹמַר שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הָאֱמֶת תָּקוּעַ וְקָבוּעַ בְּלֵב הָאָדָם. לְכָךְ חֲסִידִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, כְּשֶׁהָיָה לָהֶם מִקַּח – הָיוּ נוֹתְנִים אוֹתוֹ לַקּוֹנֶה כְּפִי הַסְכָּמַת לְבָבָם, אֵיךְ שֶׁהָיוּ מַסְכִּימִים לִתֵּן; אֲפִלּוּ אִם הָיָה הַקּוֹנֶה רוֹצֶה לְהוֹסִיף – לֹא הָיוּ רוֹצִים אֶלָּא כְּפִי הַסְכָּמַת לְבָבָם. אָדָם חָשׁוּב הַהֹלֵךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ זֶה לְדַבֵּר אֱמֶת בִּלְבָבוֹ, אִם קִבֵּל עָלָיו בְּמַחְשְׁבוֹתָיו לַעֲשׂוֹת דָּבָר אֶחָד – יִכְתֹּב אוֹתָהּ מַחֲשָׁבָה, שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁכָּחֶנָּה וְלֹא יַחֵל דִּבְרֵי מַחְשְׁבוֹתָיו. וְאִם אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לַעֲמֹד בּוֹ – יֵלֵךְ אֵצֶל חָכָם וְיַתִּיר לוֹ מַחְשְׁבוֹתָיו. וִיהַדֵּר שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה בְּמַחְשַׁבְתּוֹ כְּלוּם כָּל זְמַן שֶׁלֹּא יוֹצִיאֵם בְּפִיו.
Therefore we pray and purify our hearts to serve Thee in truth, that we should do all of our service in truth, and we should believe with a complete heart and with a soul that desires, and our faith should not be something that we demonstrate only before people, or because of money matters or because we are in distress. And that is what is said, "If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up" (Job 22:23). For when no thought divides you from the Almighty, then you will build with a mighty building in the radiant light of the Divine Presence. Therefore David said, "Lord, who shall sojourn in Thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell upon Thy holy mountain? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh truth in his heart" (Ps. 15:1—2). And he did not say, "He who speaks the truth in his mouth," for what he meant was that the truth should be deeply rooted and established in the heart of man. Therefore, when the pious men of old had some object to sell, they would sell it to the purchaser for the price they had already determined in their mind, and even if the purchaser wanted to pay more, they did not want anything except what their heart had already decided to accept. If an esteemed person who follows this path of speaking the truth in his heart, makes up his mind to do a certain thing, he should write down that thought in order not to forget it, and he should not break the promise made in his thought. And if he is unable to fulfill it, let him go to a Sage, who will absolve him of the promise made in his thoughts. And he may vow that nothing in his thoughts shall be considered binding so long as he does not utter it with his mouth.
כָּל הַדּוֹבֵר אֱמֶת בִּלְבָבוֹ, וְאֵינוֹ רוֹצֶה לַחֲשֹׁב הַשֶּׁקֶר, אֲפִילּוּ דְּבָרִים שֶׁלֹּא יְכַוֵּן לָהֶם – כָּל דְּבָרָיו וּמַחְשְׁבוֹתָיו יִתְקַיְּמוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (איוב כב כח): ״וְתִגְזַר אוֹמֶר וְיָקָם לָךְ״. וּמִי שֶׁהוּא אִישׁ אֱמֶת, בְּכָל מַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן שֶׁלּוֹ, הֵן בְּמִקָּח וּמִמְכָּר הֵן בְּהַלְוָאָה – לְעוֹלָם יֹאמַר בָּרִאשׁוֹן סוֹף דַּעְתּוֹ, וְיַרְגִּיל כָּל אוֹתָם הַמִּתְעַסְּקִים עִמּוֹ שֶׁיֵּדְעוּ שֶׁלֹּא יְשַׁנֶּה, וְלֹא יַעֲדִיף וְלֹא יַחְסִיר. אָמַר הֶחָכָם: תָּדִיר תָּשִׂים הָאֱמֶת לְעֻמָּתְךָ. רְצוֹנוֹ לוֹמַר: שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה סִימָנִים לְעַצְמוֹ. כְּגוֹן לַעֲשׂוֹת מַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן שֶׁיִּזְכֹּר שֶׁלֹּא יְשַׁקֵּר – יִכְתֹּב בִּכְתָב, וְיָבִיא אֶצְלוֹ אוֹתוֹ כְּתָב, וְיִרְאֶה בּוֹ קֹדֶם מַשָּׂאוֹ וּמַתָּנוֹ. וְכֵן יִכְתֹּב בְּבֵית מִדְרָשׁוֹ וְעַל שֻׁלְחָנוֹ, שֶׁיִּזְכֹּר וְלֹא יְדַבֵּר שֶׁקֶר, וּכְדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁכַּח לְדַבֵּר הָאֱמֶת. וְכֵן עָשָׂה חָכָם אֶחָד: כָּתַב עַל כָּתְלֵי בֵּיתוֹ וּבְבֵית מִדְרָשׁוֹ בְּכָל הַכְּתָלִים לְמַעְלָה: ״זְכוֹר יוֹם הַמִּיתָה וְלֹא תֶּחֱטָא״. וּמִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְדַבֵּר אֶלָּא אֱמֶת – יִחְיֶה וְיַאֲרִיךְ יָמִים וְיִנָּצֵל.
Everyone who speaks the truth in his heart and does not want even to think falsely, even without meaning to do so, his words and his thoughts will be fulfilled, as it is said, "Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee" (Job 22:28). And he who is a man of truth, in every transaction of his, whether it be in buying or selling, or in loaning, should express his full intention at the outset, and he should accustom all those who do business with him to know that he will not alter, that he will not add to or diminish from the terms agreed on. The wise man said, "Always place the truth before you." By this he meant that a man ought to make certain signs for himself, for example, in business matters that he remember not to speak falsehood. And he should put this down in writing, and he should bring this writing with him and he should look at it before he begins his transaction. He should write something when he sits in his study, and at his table, that he should remember not to speak falsehood, and that he may not forget to speak the truth. And so did one person do. He wrote on the walls of his house, and in his study on the upper part of all the walls: "Remember the day of death, and you will not sin." And he who does not speak anything but the truth will live, and live long, and be free.
סֶמֶךְ לַדָּבָר מָה שֶׁאוֹמֵר הַפָּסוּק (ירמיהו י י): ״וַיְיָ אֱלֹהִים אֱמֶת, הוּא אֱלֹהִים חַיִּים וּמֶלֶךְ עוֹלָם״. וְאִם לֹא יְדַבֵּר אֶלָּא אֱמֶת – יִנָּצֵל כָּל יְמֵי חַיָּיו, דִּכְתִיב (מלאכי ב ו-ז): ״תּוֹרַת אֱמֶת הָיְתָה בְּפִיהוּ, וְעַוְלָה לֹא נִמְצָא בִשְׂפָתָיו... כִּי מַלְאַךְ יְיָ צְבָאוֹת הוּא״. הַמַּלְאָכִים הָעֶלְיוֹנִים הֵם צוּרַת אֱמֶת וְאֵינָם בְּגוּפוֹת, וְהַנְּשָׁמוֹת יָאִירוּ מֵהֶם כָּאוֹר הַיֹּצֵא מִן הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ. הַנְּשָׁמוֹת הֵם בְּגוּפוֹת, עַל כֵּן אֵינָם יוֹדְעִים הַנִּסְתָּרוֹת רַק מְעַט וּבְמַרְאוֹת הַלַּיְלָה, שֶׁאֵין הַנְּשָׁמוֹת מִתְעַסְּקוֹת בְּצָרְכֵי הַגּוּף, וְהַיּוֹדֵעַ סוֹד הַנְּשָׁמוֹת יָעִיד בַּדָּבָר. וְהַחֲלוֹמוֹת מֵעֵין הַמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת, דִּכְתִיב (דניאל ב כט): ״רַעְיוֹנָךְ עַל מִשְׁכְּבָךְ סְלִקוּ״. וְהַחֲלוֹמוֹת עַל יְדֵי מַלְאָךְ הַמְּלַוֶּה לָאָדָם. וּלְפִי שֶׁאֵין כָּל הַמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת אֱמֶת, עַל כֵּן אֵין כָּל הַחֲלוֹמוֹת אֱמֶת. וּמִי שֶׁמַּרְגִּיל עַצְמוֹ שֶׁיִּהְיוּ כָּל מַחְשְׁבוֹתָיו אֱמֶת – גַּם בַּלַּיְלָה יִרְאֶה מַרְאוֹת אֱמֶת, וְיֵדַע הָעֲתִידוֹת כְּמוֹ הַמַּלְאָכִים.
In support of this statement is the verse, "But the Lord God is the true God, He is the living God, and the everlasting King" (Jer. 10:10). And if a man does not speak anything but the truth, he will be free all the days of his life, as it is written, "The law of truth was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not found in his lips… "For he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts" (Malachi 2:6—7). The angels above are in the form of truth, and they are not in physical form. The souls of men give light like the light that goes from the sun. Now the souls are in bodies, therefore they know only a little of the secret things and then only in the visions of the night. For the souls do not occupy themselves with the needs of the body, and he who knows the secret of the soul will testify to this. Now dreams are very much like thoughts, as it is written, "Thy thoughts came (into thy mind) upon thy bed" (Dan. 2:29). And dreams come about through an angel who accompanies man, and just as all thoughts are not true, so all dreams are not true. And he who accustoms himself that all of his thoughts are true, then even in the night he will see visions of truth, and he will know future things, just as the angels do.
וְהַמְּדַבֵּר אֱמֶת – אֵין מַעֲלָה כָּמוֹהָ. וְכֵן כְּתִיב (תהלים קיט קס): ״רֹאשׁ דְּבָרְךָ אֱמֶת״; וְנֶאֱמַר (שמות כג ד): ״מִדְּבַר שֶׁקֶר תִּרְחָק״.
As for him who speaks the truth, there is no quality like it. Therefore, "The beginning of thy word is truth" (Ps. 119:160). And it is said, "Keep thee far from a false matter" (Ex. 23:7).
גַּם הָרְמִיזוֹת שֶׁל אָדָם יִהְיוּ אֱמֶת, כִּי שְׂכַר הָאֱמֶת גָּדוֹל מְאוֹד, לָכֵן יַרְגִּיל עַצְמוֹ לֵילֵךְ בָּאֱמֶת. וְיִלְמַד תּוֹרָה וְיֵדַע הָאֱמֶת, שֶׁיּוּכַל לַעֲשׂוֹת הַמִּצְווֹת עַל אֲמִתּוּתָן וּכְהִלְכָתָן. וּלְעוֹלָם יוֹדֶה עַל הָאֱמֶת. אֲפִלּוּ בְּדִבְרֵי הָאַגָּדָה שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ קִיּוּם מִצְווֹת יִלְמַד, כְּדֵי שֶׁיַּאֲמִין הַלֵּב דְּבַר אֱמֶת. וְאַל תֵּבוֹשׁ לְקַבֵּל הָאֱמֶת מֵאֵיזֶה אָדָם שֶׁיִּהְיֶה, אֲפִלּוּ מִקָּטָן שֶׁבַּקְּטַנִּים וְנִבְזֶה – אֲפִלּוּ הָכֵי תְּקַבֵּל הָאֱמֶת מִמֶּנּוּ. כִּי מַרְגָּלִית טוֹבָה שֶׁהִיא בְּיַד קָטָן וְנִבְזֶה, אֲפִלּוּ הָכֵי חֲשׁוּבָה הִיא הַמַּרְגָּלִית.
Even the gestures of a man should be true, for the reward of truth is very great. Therefore a person should accustom himself to walk in truth, and he should study the Torah and know the truth, so that he will fulfill the commandments truthfully as the law requires. And he should always confess the truth. Even the Aggadah [the non-legal parts of the Talmud], which does not involve the observance of the commandments of the Torah, even this he must study in order that his heart shall believe the truth. Do not be ashamed to receive the truth from any man whatever — even from the smallest of the small and the most despised, even from him should you receive the truth. For a precious pearl, even in the hands of the small and the despised, is still a precious pearl.
וְעַתָּה שֶׁהֶאֱרִיךְ הַגָּלוּת בַּעֲוֹנֹתֵינוּ הָרַבִּים יוֹתֵר מִדַּי, יֵשׁ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְהִבָּדֵל מֵהַבְלֵי הָעוֹלָם וְלֶאֱחֹז בְּחוֹתָמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁהוּא אֱמֶת, וּלְקַדֵּשׁ עַצְמָם אַף בַּמֻּתָּר לָהֶם (יבמות כ א), וְשֶׁלֹּא לְשַׁקֵּר לֹא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל וְלֹא לְגוֹי, וְלֹא לְהַטְעוֹתָם בְּשׁוּם עִנְיָן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (צפניה ג יג): ״שְׁאֵרִית יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא יַעֲשׂוּ עַוְלָה וְלֹא יְדַבְּרוּ כָזָב, וְלֹא יִמָּצֵא בְּפִיהֶם לְשׁוֹן תַּרְמִית״. וְעוֹד כְּתִיב (הושע ב כה): ״וּזְרַעְתִּיהָ לִּי בָּאָרֶץ״ – כְּלוּם אָדָם זוֹרֵעַ כּוֹר אֶחָד אֶלָּא לְהַכְנִיס כַּמָּה כּוֹרִים? כָּךְ זָרַע הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּאֲרָצוֹת, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּתּוֹסְפוּ עֲלֵיהֶם גֵּרִים (פסחים פז ב), וְכָל זְמַן שֶׁהֵם מִתְנַהֲגִים עִמָּהֶם בְּלֹא מִרְמָה – יִדְבְּקוּ בָּהֶם. וְהִנֵּה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הִקְפִּיד עַל גָּזֵל שֶׁל רְשָׁעִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ו יא): ״וַתִּמָּלֵא הָאָרֶץ חָמָס״.
Now that our exile has lasted so long because of our many sins it is more important than ever that Israel should separate themselves from the vain things of the world and take hold of the Seal of the Holy One, Blessed be He, which is Truth — and sanctify themselves even in things that are permitted to them (Yebamoth 20a), and not to lie — not to a Jew and not to a heathen, and not to deceive them in any matter, as it is said, "The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies, neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth" (Zeph. 3:13). And it is further written, "And I will sow her unto Me in the land" (Hos. 2:25). Surely a man sows a seah in order to harvest many kurim, thus, the Holy One, Blessed be He, exiled Israel among the nations only so that proselytes might join them (Pesahim 87b). And so long as they conduct themselves among the heathens without guile, the latter will cleave to them. And behold the Holy One, Blessed be He, was furious with the wicked for their robbery, as it is said, "For the earth is filled with violence" (Gen. 6:11).
מַעֲשֶׂה בְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן שָׁטַח, שֶׁקָּנָה חֲמוֹר מִיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִי אֶחָד. הָלְכוּ תַּלְמִידָיו וּמָצְאוּ אֶבֶן טוֹבָה תְּלוּיָה בְּצַוָּארוֹ. אָמְרוּ לוֹ תַּלְמִידָיו: רַבִּי, ״בִּרְכַּת ה׳ הִיא תַעֲשִׁיר״ (משלי י כב). אָמַר לָהֶם: חֲמוֹר קָנִיתִי, אֶבֶן טוֹבָה לֹא קָנִיתִי. הָלַךְ וְהֶחֱזִיר לְאוֹתוֹ הַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִי. קָרָא עָלָיו אוֹתוֹ הַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִי: בָּרוּךְ הַשֵּׁם אֱלֹהֵי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן שָׁטַח! (דברים רבה ג ג). וְכֵן יֵשׁ בַּיְּרוּשַׁלְמִי (ירושלמי בבא מציעא ב ה): חֲכָמִים הַזְּקֵנִים קָנוּ חִטִּים מִן הַגּוֹיִים, וּמָצְאוּ בּוֹ צְרוֹר שֶׁל מָעוֹת וְהֶחֱזִירוּ לָהֶם. אָמְרוּ הַגּוֹיִים: בְּרִיךְ אֱלָהֲהוֹן דִּיהוּדָיֵא! וְכֵן יֵשׁ הַרְבֵּה מַעֲשִׂים שֶׁהֶחֱזִירוּ מִפְּנֵי קִדּוּשׁ הַשֵּׁם.
A parable will illustrate this (Deut. Rabbah 3:3). There is a story about Rabbi Simon, the son of Shetah, who purchased a donkey from an Ishmaelite. His pupils went and found a precious stone hanging from the donkey's neck. They said to him, "Rabbi, 'The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich' " (Prov. 10:22). He said to them, "I purchased a donkey; — a precious stone I did not purchase." So he went and returned the gem to that Ishmaelite. And the Ishmaelite called out concerning him, "Blessed is the Lord the God of Simon, the son of Shetah." There is a similar instance in the Jerusalem Talmud (Baba Mezi'a 2:5). Some mise men of old purchased wheat from heathens, and found in this wheat a bundle of money, and they returned the money to them, and the heathens said, "Blessed is the God of the Jews." And similarly there are many stories of people who restored an object to sanctify the name of God.
וּכְשֶׁיֵּשׁ אֱמֶת לְמַטָּה – אָז יַשְׁקִיף הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּצֶדֶק עַל הָאָרֶץ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים פה יב): ״אֱמֶת מֵאֶרֶץ תִּצְמָח, וְצֶדֶק מִשָּׁמַיִם נִשְׁקָף״. לָכֵן רְאֵה שֶׁיִּהְיוּ כָּל עִנְיָנֶיךָ בָּאֱמֶת, רַע אוֹ טוֹב, וְתִסְמֹךְ עַל הָאֵל הַנֶּאֱמָן, שֹׁמֵר הַבְּרִית וְהַחֶסֶד לְאֹהֲבָיו וּלְשֹׁמְרֵי מִצְוֹתָיו״ (דברים ז ט).
When there is truth below, God looks down with justice upon the earth, as it is said, "Truth springeth out of the earth, and righteousness hath looked down from heaven" (Ps. 85:12). Therefore see that all your matters shall be done in truth, and rely upon "The faithful God who keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments" (Deut. 7:9).
וּמָה הִיא נֶאֱמָנוּתוֹ? שֶׁהוּא שׁוֹמֵר הַבְּרִית. אִם צַדִּיק שֶׁחָטָא חֵטְא קַל, הוּא פּוֹרֵעַ גְּמוּלוֹ בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה. וְזֶה דָּבָר בָּרוּר, שֶׁטּוֹב יוֹתֵר לַצַּדִּיק לִהְיוֹת נִדּוֹן אֲפִלּוּ בְּיִסּוּרִין כְּאִיּוֹב כָּל יָמָיו בְּגוּפוֹ שֶׁהוּא דָּבָר בָּזוּי, בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה שֶׁהוּא לוֹ זְמַן קָצָר לִחְיוֹת, וְלָתֵת גְּמוּל הַטּוֹב לַנְּשָׁמָה שֶׁהִיא נִכְבֶּדֶת בָּעוֹלָם הָעֶלְיוֹן, שֶׁאֵינוֹ כָּלֶה וְאֵינוֹ פּוֹסֵק לְעוֹלָמִים – וְזֶה יוֹתֵר טוֹב לַצַּדִּיק מִמָּה שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה פּוֹרֵעַ לוֹ חֲטָאָיו בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, וְהָיָה דָּן אוֹתוֹ בְּעוֹלַם הַנְּשָׁמוֹת בְּיִסּוּרֵי גֵּיהִנֹּם; אוֹ מֵחֲמַת חֶטְאוֹ יִמְעַט לְנִשְׁמָתוֹ מִן מַעֲלָתָהּ בְּעוֹלַם הַנְּשָׁמוֹת וְהִדָּבְקָהּ לַזִּיו הָעֶלְיוֹן, אֲשֶׁר לָזֶה הָאוֹר אֵין לוֹ עֵרֶךְ וְדִמְיוֹן. וְלָרְשָׁעִים נָתַן לָהֶם גְּמוּלָם בַּהֲנָאָה מוּעֶטֶת הַפּוֹסֶקֶת בְּעוֹלָם קָצָר הוּא הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, וְחֶטְאָם שָׁמוּר לָעוֹלָם הָאָרֹךְ, וּבְצַעַר גָּדוֹל שֶׁהוּא גֵּיהִנֹּם, אֲשֶׁר לְאוֹתוֹ צַעַר אֵין לוֹ עֵרֶךְ.
What is this faithfulness of God? It is that He keeps His covenant. If a righteous man commits a small sin, God exacts retribution in this world. And clearly, it is much better for the righteous person to be sentenced even with afflictions like Job's, all his days in his body, which is a valueless thing, and in this world where he has but a short time to live, and to have God give a good reward to his soul, which is honored in the upper world and never dies away, and is never finished, to the end of time. And this is surely better for the righteous person than if God did not exact retribution from him in this world, and then would have to sentence him in the world of souls to the punishments of Gehennah, and then if, because of his sins, God should lessen the lofty place of his soul in the world of souls, where otherwise he would cleave to the radiance of the Most High, to which light there is no estimate or likeness. As for the wicked, He has given them their reward in a little pleasure, which soon ceases, in the brief world that is this world, while their sins are kept for the long world-to-come, and the great torment that is Gehennah, and which is too great to be calculated.
הָרַחֲמָן יַדְרִיכֵנוּ בַּאֲמִתּוֹ, וִיבִיאֵנוּ לַחֲדָרָיו לְהַגִּיעַ לָאוֹר הָעֶלְיוֹן, אֲשֶׁר שָׁם חֶבְיוֹן עֻזּוֹ וּצְבִי תִּפְאַרְתּוֹ.
May the Merciful One guide us with His Truth, and may He bring us to His chambers, so that we may reach the Supernal Light, where is the secret place of his strength and the beauty of His glory.