The afflictions dispatched against a person are made to take an oath that they will begin only on a set date and end only on a set date, and at a set time, and [carry out their mission] only through the designated means. Nevertheless, repentance, prayer and charity have the power to nullify their oath.

Despair, that is to say, depression, opens a person to bad fortune, and through bad fortune the attribute of severe judgment rules.

Reciting the Torah chapters about the choshen (Exodus 28:15-30; 39:8-21) is a rectification for harsh judgments.

A person who suffers affliction should give charity. This charity will be like a fee paid to a judge for his services, which, if accepted, invalidates the judge’s verdict. The person’s severe judgments are thus mitigated.

What is the least amount of suffering [that can still be considered suffering]? [See Arakhin 16b: “Even just reaching into one’s pocket for three coins and coming up with only two is a form of suffering.”]

Whoever goes forty days without suffering has already been given his share of the World to Come. Misfortune is on the way.

One who rebukes a fellow Jew for the sake of Heaven has a thread of lovingkindness drawn over him.

There are three things that call to mind a person’s sins: a shaky wall, expectation in prayer, and an informant who brings judgment upon another.

There are four things which abolish harsh decrees against a person: giving charity, crying out to God, changing one’s name, and improving one’s conduct.

Crying out to God helps an individual only prior to the final decree.

A final decree accompanied by an oath is not abolished, even for the sake of an entire community.

Fasting during a year of hunger saves a person from an unnatural death.

When judgments are decreed against a person, they are decreed for a specific place. This way, he can save {himself} by changing his place.

When one feels pain in his eyes or intestines, clearly harsh judgments have settled upon him.

A person should tell others about his anguish so that they will pray for mercy on his behalf.

When there is some harsh judgment against Israel, God forbid, the Holy One informs the Tzaddikim of this so that they should pray for the Jewish people. Whoever does not pray for them incurs God’s anger.

Seeing that he has been beset by harsh judgments, a person should talk about his enemies and justify their actions.

Appointing worthy judges eliminates suffering.

God punishes a person who makes a vow and does not carry it out. Then, if he remains silent, it is considered as if he fulfilled his vow.

Accepting suffering with love is like bringing a sacrifice.

When a person falls while walking, it is a sign that on high he has been designated for a downfall.

Immersing in a mikvah relieves suffering and brings salvation.

As long as a harsh decree against a person has not yet become public knowledge, it can be easily overturned.

Whoever falls from faith should know that he is being judged on high.

A person suffering from harsh judgments should regularly gaze at the heavens.

The Holy One exonerates a person who teaches righteousness to the wicked.

Through truth one receives God’s lovingkindness undisguised by judgments.

The Holy One hides His face from you because of the heresy that you have within.

Trust in God mitigates judgment and draws down lovingkindness.

Through faith it is possible to convince God to follow your will.

Charity turns justice and judgment into lovingkindness.

When a person has no faith, clearly God has removed His lovingkindness from him.

When lovingkindness is dear and scarce, you should know that crying helps for this. (Reb Noson adds: “When I transcribed this from the Rebbe, I heard from his holy mouth that this aphorism is alluded to in the verse, ‘How dear is Your lovingkindness, God; therefore the children of man take shelter under the shadow of Your wings’ (Psalms 36:8). ‘How dear is your lovingkindness’—that is, lovingkindness is dear and scarce since harsh judgments are prevalent, God forbid. The solution then is for ‘the children of man [to] B’tzail K’nafekha Yechesayun (take shelter under the shadow of your wings).’ The first letters spell Be’KhY (crying), since crying helps for this.”)

Daat draws down lovingkindness.

Giving charity to a worthy person enables you to draw lovingkindness also upon your loved ones.

A person who does not accept rebuke will experience suffering.

To mitigate harsh judgments, recite Psalm 39.

A person who girds himself and makes many preparations before praying is relieved from suffering, even if in the end he does not pray as he should.

To mitigate harsh judgments, recite the Mishnayot of the tractate Zera’im.

There are times when the Holy One will put an end to a father’s suffering so that his son finds peace.

A vow forestalls God’s wrath.

To mitigate harsh judgments, recite Psalm 77.

Whoever binds himself to the quality of faith at night mitigates the harsh judgments that are upon him.

Haughtiness causes lovingkindness to depart heavenward.

Reciting Tikkun Chatzot mitigates harsh judgments.

Remaining awake throughout the night saves a person from harsh judgments.

From the suffering that he experiences, a person can determine and understand his sins.

Visiting the Tzaddik is in itself sufficient to mitigate harsh judgments.

Likewise, giving charity to the Tzaddik is in itself sufficient to mitigate harsh judgments.

When a person is depressed, on high they consider ways to cause him harm.

A person’s accusers are beaten off by the study of Torah.

Falling down while walking sometimes nullifies a sentence of death that has been issued against a person.

When the nations issue an evil decree against the Jews, Psalm 62 should be said.

Remaining underwater in the mikvah until you can no longer hold your breath mitigates harsh judgments.

There are times when drinking wine will arouse harsh judgments.

Whoever gives his bread to someone with no daat will experience suffering.

A person who lacks daat will in the end be exiled.

Postponing harsh judgments causes them to be nullified.

Whoever studies Torah for its own sake brings peace to the Divine agencies of both heaven and earth.

One who recites a Torah verse at its appropriate time brings good to the world.

There are certain times and places that are designated to have good things happen in them. The opposite is also true, [as there are times and places designated for bad].

There are times when harsh judgment can be staid by the leader of the generation, and other times by the people of the generation.

From one’s enemies it is possible to determine the harsh judgments that are on high.

When hearing a fellow Jew speak of his suffering, one must listen wisely so that this suffering does not then befall him.

When a person studies Torah at night, the Holy One draws a thread of lovingkindness upon him during the day.

One should give money to charity for a pidyon.

As long as it is possible to save yourself with money, don’t make use of the power of prayer.

Whenever there is a dispute on high over some matter, the final decision follows the opinion of the Tzaddik who is alive in this world.

When a person is judged on high, he is judged by his name, it sometimes happens that the heavenly messengers substitute another’s name, so that the decree of death or suffering falls upon someone else.

Whoever does not plead for mercy on behalf of his generation is punished.

If you have someone sick or suffering in your home, go to a sage so that the sage will plead for mercy on his behalf or will bless him.

Those who hear accusations against the Jewish people must speak well of them and endeavor to find their good points.

The Holy One removes His wrath when He sees His honor jealously defended.

The best time for a pidyon or for prayer is only during the day.

Not everyone is sufficiently worthy of performing a pidyon.

A person who wants to mitigate harsh judgments should not drink wine that entire day.

Through humility we appease the Holy One.

In times of harsh judgment, a person should pray fervently.

Building a stone house is mortally dangerous.

Charity mitigates harsh judgments.

Immersing in a mikvah mitigates harsh judgments.

Once the final decree has been passed, it is necessary to veil one’s prayer in stories.

By opening a Torah scroll, harsh judgment is mitigated and returned to its place of origin.

Silence mitigates harsh judgments.

Fasting and donning sackcloth are a segulah for nullifying a decree.

To mitigate harsh judgments, recite the Torah sections about the eleven curtains of goat-skin (Exodus 26:7-14, 36:14-19), the incense-offering (Exodus 30:34-38), the eleven blessings that Moses blessed the Jewish people (Deuteronomy 33:6-25), and the Vision of the Chariot in Ezekiel (Chapter 1).

Also, recite the Torah section on vows (Numbers 30), and the Mishnayotof the tractate Shavuot.

Humbleness nullifies harsh judgment.

Reciting the Song of Songs mitigates harsh judgment.

A person who can study Torah but does not, experiences suffering.

Studying the tractate Ohalot is a segulah for mitigating harsh judgment.

A person who raises dogs arouses harsh judgment.

There are times when God will bring suffering upon a wicked person so that he should turn to the Tzaddik to pray on his behalf.

Harsh judgments can be mitigated by drawing lots, as was the case with the Azazel (see Leviticus 16). (Reb Noson writes that he heard the following explanation from Rebbe Nachman’s holy mouth at the time of transcribing this aphorism: “A person should take two coins and draw lots—one for God and the other for Azazel. The coin that is designated for God should be given to charity; the other one, designated for Azazel, should be thrown away. This will mitigate harsh judgments.”)

Sometimes, the leading Tzaddik of the generation will get angry at you in order to mitigate harsh judgment.

When a new king or minister rises to power among the nations, harsh judgment is aroused.

When a person stubbornly refuses to repent, he brings irreparable harm upon himself.

It is not good for two people with the same name to live in the same apartment.

Depression arouses harsh judgment.

Accepting embarrassment mitigates harsh judgment.

A person should let others know of his suffering.

When permission has been granted to the powers of destruction to act, no distinction is made between the righteous and the wicked. Indeed, the Tzaddik is the first to suffer.

A change of place eradicates a decree of judgment.

Being merciful mitigates harsh judgment.

There are times when a person dies from fright or some other cause of sudden death. You should believe that his time had come.

Humility enables a person to nullify a decree of judgment.

Tending to the needs of the Tzaddikim mitigates harsh judgment.

In reward for having visited the sick, a person dies without suffering.

Once judgment has been passed against a person on high—even prior to its going into effect—it can be detected through the flies in the house.