## Tzava'at HaRivash Chapter 17

###### Tzava'at HaRivash 17:1
[Tzava'at HaRivash 17:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tzava%27at%20HaRivash/r/17:1)

**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.

**The Way of The Baal Shem Tov. Adapted into English by Rabbi Amiram Markel and Yehudah Shimon Markel, 2020:**
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,²⁷ “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,²⁸ “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.”²⁹

footnotes:
²⁷ Mishnah Avot 2:1
²⁸ Daniel 12:3
²⁹ Zohar Vol. 2, 162b; Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 106b.


###### Tzava'at HaRivash 17:2
[Tzava'at HaRivash 17:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tzava%27at%20HaRivash/r/17:2)

והוא דבר גדול מאד כי אז ידע שעשה פעולה ביום זה שברא מלאך אחד ואם יש עליו מלאך מליץ אחד וכו'.

**The Way of The Baal Shem Tov. Adapted into English by Rabbi Amiram Markel and Yehudah Shimon Markel, 2020:**
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,³⁰ “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.’”

footnotes:
³⁰ Job 33:23-24


###### Tzava'at HaRivash 17:3
[Tzava'at HaRivash 17:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tzava%27at%20HaRivash/r/17:3)

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 Way of The Baal Shem Tov. Adapted into English by Rabbi Amiram Markel and Yehudah Shimon Markel, 2020:**
The mnemonic by which to remember this, is the verse,³¹ “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,³² “His father waited in anticipation-*Shamar*-*שמר* of the matter.”³³ Through this, one merits that, “He will know no evil.” That is, he will not be subject to random happenstance (*Keri-קרי*)³⁴ which is called evil, God forbid.

footnotes:
³¹ Ecclesiastes 8:5
³² Genesis 37:11
³³ Rashi to Genesis 37:11
³⁴ Leviticus 26:21 & Rashi there; Also see Ginat Egoz of Rabbi Yosef Gikatilla, translated as HaShem Is One, Volume 2, pg. 353.


###### Tzava'at HaRivash 17:4
[Tzava'at HaRivash 17:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tzava%27at%20HaRivash/r/17:4)

וסימנך חסד אל כל היום היינו שבכל יום ויום צריך לעשות חסד לאל ית':

**The Way of The Baal Shem Tov. Adapted into English by Rabbi Amiram Markel and Yehudah Shimon Markel, 2020:**
The mnemonic by which to remember this is the verse,³⁵ “The kindness of God is all day long.” That is, one must do acts of lovingkindness for God, blessed is He, every single day.

footnotes:
³⁵ Psalms 52:3