Sefer HaMiddot, Prestige and Importance, Part II

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Sefer HaMiddot, Prestige and Importance, Part II 1 Links ›

א. מִי שֶׁנִּכְנַס בִּתְחוּמוֹ שֶׁל חֲבֵרוֹ, גְּדֻלָּתוֹ נִתְמַעֵט.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

A person who trespasses the domain of another has his importance diminished.

Sefer HaMiddot, Prestige and Importance, Part II 2 Links ›

ב. אֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא נוֹתֵן גְּדֻלָּה לְאָדָם, עַד שֶׁבּוֹדְקוֹ בְּדָבָר קָטָן.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

The Holy One does not grant importance to a person unless He has first tested him in some minor matter.

Sefer HaMiddot, Prestige and Importance, Part II 3 Links ›

ג. עַל־יְדֵי בִּלְבּוּל הַדַּעַת נִתְקַלְקֵל הַיִּרְאָה. גַּם עַל־יְדֵי בִּלְבּוּל הַדַּעַת מֶמְשַׁלְתּוֹ נוֹפֶלֶת.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

When a person’s mind is confused, it ruins his fear of Heaven. It also causes his authority to diminish.

Sefer HaMiddot, Prestige and Importance, Part II 4 Links ›

ד. עַל־יְדֵי זְרִיזוּת זוֹכֶה לִהְיוֹת רוֹעֶה נֶאֱמָן. וְסִימָן לַדָּבָר: לֵךְ אֶל נְ'מָ'לָ'ה' עָצֵל וּכְתִיב: מִשָּׁם רוֹעֶה אֶבֶן יִשְׂרָאֵל.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

When a person is zealous, he merits becoming a faithful leader. This is alluded to in the verse, “Go to the NeMaLaH(ant) you lazy one” (Proverbs 6:6). NeMaLaH is written with the last letters of “mi’shaM ro’eH eveNyisraeL (from then on he became a shepherd, a builder in Israel)” (Genesis 49:24).

Sefer HaMiddot, Prestige and Importance, Part II 5 Links ›

ה. כְּשֶׁנּוֹתְנִין מָמוֹן לְהַשָּׂר בִּשְׁבִיל אֵיזֶהוּ הִתְמַנּוּת, שֶׁיַּעֲבִיר אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ וִימַנֶּה אוֹתוֹ, זֶהוּ כְּמוֹ כִּשּׁוּף.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

Bribing an official in order to gain appointment in place of another person is comparable to sorcery.

Sefer HaMiddot, Prestige and Importance, Part II 6 Links ›

ו. הִרְהוּרֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְהִרְהוּרֵי זְנוּת וּשְׁפִיכַת־דָּמִים וּלָשׁוֹן הָרָע, הֵם בָּאִים עַל מִי שֶׁרָגִיל בִּנְדָרִים, אֲבָל נִתְבַּטְּלִים עַל־יְדֵי הַמַּנְהִיג שֶׁבָּעִיר, הַמְסַדֵּר הַגְּבִיּוֹת וְהַמִּסִּים עַל כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד לְפִי עֶרְכּוֹ, שֶׁיּוּכַל לִסְבּל.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

Thoughts of idolatry, immorality, killing and slander beset a person who is in the habit of taking vows. However, they are eliminated when the city’s comptroller sets the appropriate amount of taxes to be collected from each inhabitant of the city.

Sefer HaMiddot, Prestige and Importance, Part II 7 Links ›

ז. כְּשֶׁאֵיזֶה רָשָׁע נִתְגַּדֵּל, אֲזַי קָשֶׁה לְחַדֵּשׁ אֵיזֶהוּ סְבָרָה בַּפּוֹסְקִים. גַּם דִּבְרֵי הַדַּיָּנִים אֵינָם נִשְׁמָעִים בְּאָזְנֵי הַבַּעֲלֵי־דִינִים.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

Whenever a wicked person prospers, it becomes difficult to develop new logical arguments in disputed matters of Halakhah. Judges’ verdicts also become unacceptable to the litigants.

Sefer HaMiddot, Prestige and Importance, Part II 8 Links ›

ח. אָדָם כָּשֵׁר צָרִיךְ לְהַקְטִין אֶת עַצְמוֹ, כְּשֶׁרוֹאֶה מֶמְשֶׁלֶת הָרָשָׁע.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

A religious person must humble himself when the wicked are in control.

Sefer HaMiddot, Prestige and Importance, Part II 9 Links ›

ט. מִי שֶׁנּוֹטֵל שְׂרָרָה לְעַצְמוֹ, עַל־יְדֵי זֶה בִּתּוֹ נַעֲשֵׂית זוֹנָה.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

When a person’s authority is self-appointed, his daughter will prostitute herself.

Sefer HaMiddot, Prestige and Importance, Part II 10 Links ›

י. מִי שֶׁמַּנִּיחַ צָרְכֵי צִבּוּר וְעוֹסֵק בְּצָרְכֵי עַצְמוֹ, כְּאִלּוּ לוֹקֵחַ שׁחַד.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

When a person refrains from working for the common good and is concerned only with his own well being, it is as if he were accepting a bribe.

Sefer HaMiddot, Prestige and Importance, Part II 11 Links ›

יא. עַל־יְדֵי וִדּוּי דְּבָרִים זוֹכֶה לְהִתְנַשְּׂאוּת.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

A person who confesses his sins gains prestige.

Sefer HaMiddot, Prestige and Importance, Part II 12 Links ›

יב. עַל־יְדֵי קְדֻשַּׁת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, הַהִתְנַשְּׂאוּת שֶׁל רָאשֵׁי הַדּוֹר בְּתֹקֶף וָעז, וְעַל־יְדֵי זֶה נֶחְשָׁב בְּעֵינֵי כל הַמִּצְוָה שֶׁל הַכְנָסַת אוֹרְחִים, וְעַל־יְדֵי זֶה הַלּוֹמְדִים זוֹכִים שֶׁהֲלָכָה כְּמוֹתָם.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

God’s holiness validates and affirms the prominence of the generation’s leaders. This in turn brings everyone to value the mitzvah of hospitality, and the Torah scholars to merit having the law follow their opinion.