Mussar
Chovot HaLevavot, Shaar HaPerishut 4 חובות הלבבות, שער הפרישות ד׳
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אֲבָל תְּנָאֵי הַפְּרִישׁוּת הַמְיֻחֶדֶת כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמַר קְצָת הַחֲסִידִים,
- The marks of special abstinence
The marks of the special abstinence are as one of the pious declared:
- The marks of special abstinence
The marks of the special abstinence are as one of the pious declared:
הַפָּרוּשׁ,
The [genuine] ascetic:
The [genuine] ascetic:
צָהֳלָתוֹ בְּפָנָיו וְאֶבְלוֹ בְּלִבּוֹ.
* His joy is on his face, and his sorrow is in his heart.
* His joy is on his face, and his sorrow is in his heart.
לִבּוֹ רָחָב מְאֹד.
* His heart is exceedingly broad.
* His heart is exceedingly broad.
וְנַפְשׁוֹ שְׁפָלָה מְאֹד.
* His soul is exceedingly lowly.
* His soul is exceedingly lowly.
אֵינֶנּוּ נוֹטֵר.
* He does not bear a grudge.
* He does not bear a grudge.
וְלֹא חוֹמֵד.
* He does not covet.
* He does not covet.
וְלֹא מְסַפֵּר בִּגְנוּת.
* He does not speak negatively of anyone.
* He does not speak negatively of anyone.
וְלֹא מְדַבֵּר מֵאָדָם.
* He does not discuss anyone.
* He does not discuss anyone.
מוֹאֵס בַּגְּדֻלָּה.
* He abhors being honored.
* He abhors being honored.
וְשׂוֹנֵא הַשְּׂרָרָה.
* He hates dominion over others.
* He hates dominion over others.
מְיֻשָּׁב.
* He is calm and collected.
* He is calm and collected.
זַכְרָן.
* He remembers well.
* He remembers well.
מוֹדֶה.
* He admits the truth.
* He admits the truth.
רַב בֹּשֶׁת.
* Has much shame.
* Has much shame.
מְעַט נֶזֶק.
* Avoids damaging.
* Avoids damaging.
אִם יִשְׂחַק לֹא יַרְבֶּה.
* If he laughs, it will be little.
* If he laughs, it will be little.
וְאִם יִכְעַס לֹא יִתְקַצֵּף.
* If he becomes angry, he will not be wrathful.
* If he becomes angry, he will not be wrathful.
שָׂחֳקוֹ רֶוַח שְׂפָתַיִם,
* his laughter is a mere parting of the lips.
* his laughter is a mere parting of the lips.
וּשְׁאֵלָתוֹ לִלְמֹד.
* his asking is in learning.
* his asking is in learning.
חָכְמָתוֹ רַבָּה וְעַנְוָתוֹ גְּדוֹלָה.
* His wisdom is extensive and his humility is great.
* His wisdom is extensive and his humility is great.
הַסְכָּמָתוֹ חֲזָקָה.
* His resolve is strong.
* His resolve is strong.
לֹא יְמַהֵר וְלֹא יִסְכַּל.
* He is neither hasty nor foolish in his actions.
* He is neither hasty nor foolish in his actions.
מַחֲלָקְתּוֹ נָאָה וּתְשׁוּבָתוֹ נִכְבֶּדֶת.
* His arguing is polite, his reply is courteous.
* His arguing is polite, his reply is courteous.
צַדִּיק אִם יִכְעַס.
* He acts righteously when angry.
* He acts righteously when angry.
חוֹמֵל אִם יְבֻקַּשׁ.
* He is compassionate when entreated.
* He is compassionate when entreated.
יְדִידוּתוֹ זַכָּה.
* His friendship is sincere.
* His friendship is sincere.
וְאִסּוּרוֹ חָזָק.
* His resolution is strong.
* His resolution is strong.
וּבְרִיתוֹ נֶאֱמָנָה.
* His covenant is faithful.
* His covenant is faithful.
רוֹצֶה בְּדִין הַבּוֹרֵא.
* He desires in the judgment of the Creator.
* He desires in the judgment of the Creator.
מוֹשֵׁל בְּיִצְרוֹ.
* He rules over his evil inclination.
* He rules over his evil inclination.
לֹא יְדַבֵּר עָתָק עַל מִי שֶׁיַּזִּיקֵהוּ.
* He does not speak badly about one who harmed him.
* He does not speak badly about one who harmed him.
וְלֹא יִתְעַסֵּק בְּמָה שֶׁלֹּא יוֹעִילֵהוּ.
* He does not occupy himself with what is not useful.
* He does not occupy himself with what is not useful.
לֹא יִתְנַקֵּם לְאֵיד.
* He does not become joyful in the downfall of his enemy.
* He does not become joyful in the downfall of his enemy.
וְלֹא יִזְכֹּר לְאָדָם רָעָה.
* He does not remind to anyone a wrong which that person had done him.
* He does not remind to anyone a wrong which that person had done him.
מַשָּׂאוֹ קַל וְעֶזְרָתוֹ רַבָּה.
* He troubles others lightly but helps them much.
* He troubles others lightly but helps them much.
הוֹדָאָתוֹ רַבָּה בְּעֵת הָרָעָה.
* His gratitude is great at a time of bad.
* His gratitude is great at a time of bad.
וְסִבְלוֹ אָרֹךְ בְּעֵת הַנֶּזֶק.
* His bearing is patient at a time of financial loss.
* His bearing is patient at a time of financial loss.
אִם יִשְׁאֲלוּ מִמֶּנּוּ יִתֵּן וְאִם יַחְמְסוּ אוֹתוֹ יִמְחֹל.
* If he is asked from, he gives. If he is robbed, he will forgive.
* If he is asked from, he gives. If he is robbed, he will forgive.
וְאִם יִמְנְעוּ מִמֶּנּוּ יִתְנַדֵּב.
* If others refuse from him something, he will nevertheless volunteer.
* If others refuse from him something, he will nevertheless volunteer.
וְאִם יַרְחִיקוּהוּ יְקָרֵב.
* If they keep him at a distance, he will nevertheless bring them close (be friendly to them).
* If they keep him at a distance, he will nevertheless bring them close (be friendly to them).
רַךְ מֵחֶמְאָה וּמָתוֹק מִדְּבַשׁ.
* he is softer than butter, sweeter than honey.
* he is softer than butter, sweeter than honey.
מְצַוֶּה עַל הָאֱמֶת.
* He exhorts others to adhere to the truth.
* He exhorts others to adhere to the truth.
דּוֹבֵר צֶדֶק.
* He speaks righteously.
* He speaks righteously.
עוֹזֵב מַאֲוַיָּיו. מְצַפֶּה לְיוֹמוֹ.
* He relinquishes his desires, and looks forward to his final day.
* He relinquishes his desires, and looks forward to his final day.
אוֹמֵר וְעוֹשֶׂה.
* What he says, he does.
* What he says, he does.
חָכָם.
* He is wise.
* He is wise.
זָרִיז.
* He is energetic.
* He is energetic.
נַפְשׁוֹ יְקָרָה,
* His soul is noble.
* His soul is noble.
וּבְרִיתוֹ נָאָה.
* His covenant is agreeable.
* His covenant is agreeable.
גִּבּוֹר (ס״א נר מאיר) בָּאָרֶץ.
* He is powerful in the land.
* He is powerful in the land.
נִצּוֹל מִכָּל גְּנוּת.
* He is free of all that is blameworthy.
* He is free of all that is blameworthy.
עֶזְרָה לַדַּל וּתְשׁוּעָה לֶעָשׁוּק.
* He is a helper of the poor and a savior of the oppressed.
* He is a helper of the poor and a savior of the oppressed.
לֹא יַחְשֹׂף מִסְתּוֹר וְלֹא יְגַלֶּה סוֹד.
* He does not expose what is hidden nor reveal a secret.
* He does not expose what is hidden nor reveal a secret.
צָרוֹתָיו רַבּוֹת וּתְלוּנָתוֹ מְעוּטָה.
* His troubles are many, but his complaints are few.
* His troubles are many, but his complaints are few.
כְּשֶׁיִּרְאֶה טוֹב יִזְכְּרֶנּוּ וְאִם יִרְאֶה רַע יְכַסֶּנּוּ.
* If he sees good, he will mention it, if he sees bad, he will cover it.
* If he sees good, he will mention it, if he sees bad, he will cover it.
רָצוּי וְזַךְ.
* He is pleasing in his manners and pure in his heart.
* He is pleasing in his manners and pure in his heart.
חֶבְרָתוֹ שִׂמְחָה. הַרְחָקָתוֹ אֲנָחָה.
* His company is a joy, his absence, a cause for sorrow.
* His company is a joy, his absence, a cause for sorrow.
זִקְּקַתְהוּ הַחָכְמָה,
* Wisdom purges him.
* Wisdom purges him.
וְיִפַּתְהוּ הָעֲנָוָה.
* Humility has embellished him
* Humility has embellished him
מַזְכִּיר לַמַּשְׂכִּיל.
* He is a mentor to the wise.
* He is a mentor to the wise.
מְלַמֵּד לַסָּכָל.
* He is a teacher to the ignorant.
* He is a teacher to the ignorant.
כָּל מַעֲשֶׂה אֶצְלוֹ זַךְ מִמַּעֲשֵׂהוּ.
* Every act of others he considers purer than his.
* Every act of others he considers purer than his.
וְכָל נֶפֶשׁ בְּעֵינָיו יוֹתֵר בָּרָה מִנַּפְשׁוֹ.
* Every person he considers more pure than himself.
* Every person he considers more pure than himself.
יוֹדֵעַ אֶת מוּמוֹ.
* He is aware of his own lacking.
* He is aware of his own lacking.
זוֹכֵר אֶת עֲוֹנוֹ.
* He remembers his iniquity.
* He remembers his iniquity.
אוֹהֵב הָאֱלֹהִים. רוֹדֵף רְצוֹנוֹ.
* He loves G-d and chases to do His will.
* He loves G-d and chases to do His will.
לֹא יִנְקֹם לְנַפְשׁוֹ.
* He does not take revenge for any wrong done to him.
* He does not take revenge for any wrong done to him.
וְלֹא יַתְמִיד בְּקִצְפּוֹ.
* He does not keep his anger long.
* He does not keep his anger long.
חָבֵר לַמַּזְכִּירִים.
* His company is with those that remind him [of his duty to G-d].
* His company is with those that remind him [of his duty to G-d].
יוֹשֵׁב עִם הָעֲנִיִּים.
* He sits with the humble.
* He sits with the humble.
אוֹהֵב לְאַנְשֵׁי הַצֶּדֶק. נֶאֱמָן לְאַנְשֵׁי אֱמֶת.
* He loves men of righteousness, and is faithful to men of truth.
* He loves men of righteousness, and is faithful to men of truth.
עוֹזֵר לָרָשׁ. אָב לַיָּתוֹם. בַּעַל לָאַלְמָנָה. מְכַבֵּד הַדַּלִּים.
* He helps the poor, is a father to orphans and a protector to the widow, and shows respect to the needy.
* He helps the poor, is a father to orphans and a protector to the widow, and shows respect to the needy.
וּמִתְּנָאֶיהָ עוֹד קַבָּלַת כָּל חוֹבוֹת הַלְּבָבוֹת אֲשֶׁר זָכַרְנוּ מִמָּה שֶׁקָּדַם בַּסֵּפֶר הַזֶּה וְאֵינֶנִּי צָרִיךְ לִשְׁנוֹתָם שֶׁלֹּא יֶאֶרְכוּ לָנוּ הַדְּבָרִים בַּשַּׁעַר הַזֶּה, וְאַתָּה דַּע לָךְ:
To these marks (of a true ascetic) should be added that he undertakes all the duties of the heart we mentioned earlier in this book and which I do not need to repeat them so that this treatise does not become too lengthy. Take note for yourself.
To these marks (of a true ascetic) should be added that he undertakes all the duties of the heart we mentioned earlier in this book and which I do not need to repeat them so that this treatise does not become too lengthy. Take note for yourself.