Sefer HaMiddot, Rebuke, Part II
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א. מִי שֶׁאֵין בְּמַעֲלוֹת הַצִּדְקוּת, וְגַם אֵין לוֹ זְכוּת אָבוֹת וְרוֹצֶה לְקָרֵב אֶת בְּנֵי אָדָם לַעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, יִשְׁמר אֶת עַצְמוֹ מִנִּסְיוֹנוֹת, וּבִפְרָט שֶׁלּא יִתְקַנְּאוּ בּוֹ. הָרְשָׁעִים.
When a person wants to inspire others to serve God, but lacks the requisite level of righteousness and has no ancestral merit, he should avoid being tested. He should particularly keep from arousing the jealousy of the wicked.
ב. מִי שֶׁמְּקָרֵב אֶת הָרְחוֹקִים לַעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, הַבְּרָכוֹת מְסוּרִים בְּיָדוֹ.
Anyone who brings those distant from God to serve Him is given the power to bless others.
ג. מִי שֶׁשּׁוֹמֵעַ תּוֹכָחָה וְאֵינוֹ נִתְקַבֵּל אֶצְלוֹ, יֵדַע שֶׁיִּצְטָרֵךְ לִלְווֹת אֵצֶל אֲחֵרִים, וְסִימָן לַדָּבָר: "בִּדְבָרִים לא יִוָּסֶר עָבֶד", "לוֶה לְאִישׁ מַלְוֶה".
A person who rejects rebuke should know that he will have to borrow from others. This is alluded to through [a combination of the verses in Proverbs]: “Words of rebuke will not move a slave to correct his ways” (29:29), and “A borrower becomes a slave to the lender” (22:7).
ד. אֵין מִי שֶׁיָּכוֹל לִזְרק דִּבּוּרִים לְתוֹךְ פִּיו שֶׁל חֲבֵרוֹ מֵרָחוֹק, אֶלָּא עַד שֶׁיַּכְנִיס אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ לִבְחִינַת עִבּוּר תְּחִלָּה.
One person will not be able to convince another of anything unless he first attaches his soul to that of the other person.
ה. בָּזֶה שֶׁיּוֹצְאִין לִקְרַאת אָדָם חָשׁוּב, נִתְעוֹרְרִין עֲשָׂרָה מַאֲמָרוֹת, שֶׁבָּהֶם נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם, גַּם עַל יְדֵי קִרְבַת הָרְחוֹקִים גַּם כֵּן.
Going out to greet an important person summons forth the Ten Statements through which the world was created. Bringing Jews who are distant from God closer to Him does this as well.