Sefer ha-Yirah, the Book of Awe, of our Pious Rabbi Yonah Gerondi of blessed memory. To show the people of God the way of God and the deeds which they may do all of their days, when they lie down and when they rise up, when they go and when they come, so that it may be good for them and their children, in this [world] and in [the world-to-] come. ¹

I.² It is good that a man³ should take up the Yoke [of the commandments] in his youth. (Lam. 3:27) For it is good that a person⁴ should take up and to endure the Yoke of the Holy One Blessed Be He⁵ and to set the reins and the staffs⁶ upon his neck to enter into the service of the Creator of the World.

footnotes: ¹ Superscription in Me’ah She’arim edition. Vilna edition reads: “That was made by our completely pious Rabbi Yonah Gerondi, may his memory be for a blessing.” Moriah edition reads, “of the Genius, the pious Rabbenu Yonah of Gerondi, may his memory be for a blessing.” ² The Arabic-numeral line numbers follow the edition of מקור היראה, by R. Benjamin Moshe Zilber (Zilber ed.). The Roman-numeral section numbers follow the edition containing the gloss of R. Moshe Negrin (Negrin ed.). ³ גבר ⁴ אדם ⁵ I have chosen not to use gender-sensitive translation. The book is gender-specific and the translation will try to be true to its setting in time and place. ⁶ Zilber ed. omits ומותות.

Now he should remember his Creator in the days of his youth.⁷

footnotes: ⁷ Zilber, Moriah read “כחו,” “his strength.” Mea She’arim reads בחורותיו, “his youth.” Vilna gives כחו in round brackets, בחורותיו in square brackets, and resolves the variation thus, “and so it must be read. From the written language, Ecc. 12:1. “Remember your creator in the days of your youth.”Makor ha-Yirah, “I have learned in Duties of the Heart (R. Bachya Ibn Pakuda) which explains that the distinction between today and tomorrow is the same difference as between youth and age, and this is the language in the chapter on making personal accounting (חשבון הנפש) #13 therefore put yourself to this length as much as you are able to pay what you owe to the Creator every day (which means every day you remain (lit., lengthen) upon this earth one should pay back, relieve, and complete today what you owe to the creator, etc.) and do not put off to tomorrow what can be done today lest it should be weighty for you to separate (i.e., die) if you arrive tomorrow and it shall be hard from this if it shall come to your end and closed off for you and your error shall end for the world is like a market that will be gathered and afterward separated and he that pays the reward is happy and he that causes loss feels sorry for it therefore the wise one (Solomon) says “remember your creator…” Thus far his words. [Zilber goes on to cite R. Yonah’s own work, The Gates of Repentance, II:32, “...when one defers repentance, his transgressions age and lose their sting and he does not worry over them as in the beginning.” (The Gates of Repentance, trans. Shraga Silverstein. Feldheim: New York, 1967. 73.)

Each and every day he should strengthen and be encouraged in the commandments of the Creator of the World,

he should bring His love into his heart⁸ that to bring love into one’s heart means to act like Abraham in his great love for his fellowmen. He also discusses the commentators on whether love of God and fear of God are one or two separate mitzvot. and

footnotes: ⁸ There are several 3ms pronouns in a row here – the translation tries to keep which refer to God and which refer to man straight by use of capitalization.Makor ha-Yirah: a long exigesis arguing on the basis of Rambam sefer mitzvoth gedolot

he should think⁹ of his Creator [as] eternally before his [very] eyes. And thus he may set the fear¹⁰ of the Rock [of Israel] upon his face, and

footnotes: ⁹ Vilna places (ויחשוב) in round brackets. In square brackets it adds, “Perhaps it should read “set before,” as the verse says, (Ps. 16:8) ‘I have set the ETERNAL before me always.’” ¹⁰ The first occurrence of the word “יִרְאָה” . There are several translation options available: fear, awe, or reverence. "Awe" and "reverence" would both be legitimate choices, and would sound more euphonious to a modern audience, especially one familiar with Abraham Joshua Heschel and his idea that radical amazement is the foundation of faith. But "fear" seems more in keeping with Rabbeinu Yonah's medieval sensibilities and closer to what he actually meant.

make his heart tremble,

and lower his spirits and lower his stature and the height of his eyes,

let him go [along] bent [over], regretting the sins of his youth,

and always crying over them.¹¹

footnotes: ¹¹ Although pietist, this is not a chassidic spirituality. This halachah stands in sharp contrast to the teachings of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, who would say, מצוה גדולה היא להיות בשמחה.

So let him keep with all his strength from sinning more in secret, and let him not do it in dark deeds. And so he will be beloved and treasured in the eyes of the Creator and all who see him will rejoice in him.

II. These are the things that a man may do and live life everlasting by them.¹² Every morning when he awakens from his sleep, let him tremble and be startled and seized by the fear of the Creator when he remembers the loving kindness¹³ by which He did for him and the faith which He kept by him, for He returned his soul which He entrusted to him.

footnotes: ¹² Boldface in Moriah edition. ¹³ חסד. A notoriously difficult word to translate; it could mean "love," "grace," "kindness," or "charity."

So then with [all] his heart let him bless the Creator who has done great things¹⁴ with him, for He has renewed and restored his strength. And when he sets these words upon his heart¹⁵ the love of the Creator will burn in his heart.

footnotes: ¹⁴ הגדיל לעשות. See Ps. 126:2-3 for similar usage. ¹⁵ The language echoes the ואהבת prayer.

So then (he should not roll over¹⁶ upon his bed in the way of a sluggard),¹⁷ but rather with speed and vigor let him rise immediately.¹⁸ But if he be disfigured by plague and it should cause him to go about in a lazy way,¹⁹ let him reply His words²⁰ to him and pay attention²¹ to it, for if a creditor -- whether gentile or another man²² – shall call after him²³, he should rise immediately, whether because of the honor due to the man, whether because of the momentary gain that it shall bring to him,²⁴ or from fear of financial loss, like falling on the fuel of the fire, let him get up immediately, speedily, and not be lax. Or, if he needs to go to the service of the prince²⁵ let him get up and not be lax. Otherwise, they may heap abuse upon him.²⁶ Or [just] to find favor in the eyes of the prince.²⁷ How much the more so in the service of the King of Kings of Kings, the Holy One Blessed be He, so he must take heed to rise with speed, vigorousness, and awe, else he may be late to come.²⁸ III²⁹ And how good and pleasant it is if he should rise before the light of the morning to supplicate himself before his Creator and to direct the hours of the different night-watches dividing the night into three equal parts³⁰, since these are the times the Holy One³¹ is reminded of the destruction of the Temple and the exile of Israel among the nations and the prayer that a man may pray at that hour about the destruction and the exile is desired and his supplication falls before the Omnipresent One, whether he lengthens or shortens³² [his prayers] so long as he directs his heart (BT Berachot 5b) with his supplications, for better to say little with intention than much without intention.³³

footnotes: ¹⁶ Three editions spell with ס while one spells with ש. Meah She'arim points with ָkamatz; Moriah points with chirik; Vilna spells with ס. Thus the verb יָסוב / יִסוב would be parsed qal: jussive: 3ms: ס-ב-ב, do not turn about. The vocalization is a distinction without a difference. Zilber spells ישב: qal: jussive: 3ms: ש-ו-ב, do not return. Vilna: לא יסוב; others אל . ¹⁷ Square brackets and alternative reading: he should not [lie down on his bed in the manner of the sluggard,] in Vilna edition. N.b. the definite article in this variation.Makor ha-Yirah: : this is the version in the old editions. The מ"א wrote get up immediately not only so (דוקא) but rather stay (שהה) a little as is spelled out (?) in BT, Gittin 70. Therefore our rabbi wrote precisely (דוקא) that he should not sit in bed in a lazy manner but before he gets up from his bed it is good or well that he should tarry a little in his sleep. (אוהל יוסף) Now it seems to me that where our rabbi wrote to sit (יושב) its meaning is is like “to dwell in praise” (יושב תהילות) or “so you dwelt in Kadesh (many days)” (Deut. 1:46) which is the language of delay. ¹⁸ See e.g., Shulchan Aruch1:1. See n. 28. ¹⁹ Hebrew unclear.Makor ha-Yirah: BT Kiddushin 31a, Berachot 43b. SA (__) 2:6. “Our rabbi explains that as is said there the reason is as if the footsteps of the shekhinah were pressing, His glory fills the whole world. since the Shekhina is above his head, it is like as if he removes the fear from off of him, so writes our rabbi, as in # 105, and in another gloss Rabbenu Nissim [Gerondi(?)] on Kiddushin (31a) ‘in order that it appear that he has a lord over him and around him that sees and knows all his hiding places (מצפוניו).’ ²⁰ That is, God’s words. ²¹ lit., “set his heart upon it.” ²² Vilna: בעל חוב כותי; Zilber ed.: בעל חוב גוי. Both mean "a gentile creditor;" כותי may be a nod to medieval Christian censors. Moriah and Meah She’arim read בעל חוב או אדם אחר, “a creditor or another man.” Negrin ed. גוי בעל חוב ²³ Negrin ed. deletes the word אליו ²⁴ Vilna: [שיביא] (שיבא), (shall come) [it shall bring to him]; Zilber ed: שיבא "shall come"; Moriah and Meah She’arim both have שיביא “that it shall bring” ²⁵ Zilber ed., Moriah, Mea She’arim all have המלך, "the king"; i.e., the gentile authorities. ²⁶ The verb עלל does not occur in the hiphil according to Jastrow, but in the kal it means “abuse.” ²⁷ Again, Zilber ed., Moriah, Mea She’arim read המלך, the king. ²⁸ Makor ha-Yirah: (at his n. 13) [He gives a list of halachic authorities for early rising:] M. Avot 4. (but quoting R. Yehuda b. Teimah, M. Avot 5:20); Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 1:1, Tur 1:1, 2:1, R. Moses Isserles (mappah, gloss on Shulchan Aruch 1:1). And the ב"ח draws an inference that despite that he agrees about rising early, he should get up before the light of the morning.So it is in the older edition, and our rabbi writes here three which are really six reasons which by their hand a man should wake up to conquer his natural inclinations to get up immediately: (a) fear of a man and respect due the man, (b) financial gain and loss, (c) fear and respect of the king to find favor in his eyes. And not to connect solidifying (?) that to write of the most stubborn of them to learn, how much the more so to rise immediately because of the King of Kings, the Holy One Blessed be He. Since just as knowledge has no conclusion, feeling has no conclusion, and each one gets up according to his own marker and level just as one who is a prince and a head does not connect himself to the accounting of fear and honor of man … but this should be understood… thus as written in Duties of the Heart, 30 accountings but for each accounting a man has it in his ability to reverse the accounting from one extreme to the other and to bring himself close to the Blessed Creator. And on the other hand this one must explain always excite a man’s good impulse over his evil appetite, and there is no more room to continue here. ²⁹ Negrin ed. includes a whole section here labeled (ג) which does not appear in the other four eds. It is in square script, as part of the text, not the Negrin gloss. ³⁰ Lit., “which are one-third of the night and at the end [of that one] the second third of the night and to the end of the night…” ³¹ הב"ה = הברוך הוא ³² אחד המרבה ואחד הממעיט This phrase appears in the regular text at line 54 in the context of a discussion of prayer. ³³ AMEN (III). Negrin does not discuss the injunction to rise swiftly. However, he recommends that as soon as a man rises, he should learn the Torah portions of the Binding of Isaac (Gen. 22) and of the Manna (citing the Tur). Learning the Binding of Isaac, he explains will lessen God’s harsh judgment of us (in mystical thinking, by sympathetically linking us to the meritorious actions of our ancestors) and learning the portion of Manna will mystically invoke blessing and prosperity upon us, too. He mentions that it is not necessary to learn the Binding of Isaac on Shabbat because on that day God’s judgment is dormant and God feels only loving mercy (רחמים). Instead, one should learn the 10 commandments for the sake of mystically unifying the disparate aspects of God. For the same reasons, he recommends learning the portions of the Torah involving the daily sacrifices in the ancient Temple, as a way of symbolically offering them ourselves, and thereby mystically invoking God’s love.

Now, he should think to do all of his deeds for the sake of Heaven. And he should, as much as he is able, go by the way of the sages. But let him be humble.

Let him not get out of bed naked but only sit up. As Rabbi Yossi explained, “In all my life the inside of my tunic did not see the beams of my house.³⁴ Instead, let him take his undershirt and put his head and arms in it, so that when he gets up he will be covered. And he should not say, “Why, here I am in the inner rooms of a dark house, who will see me and who will know it is me?”³⁵ it is written, מי יועדני ומי רואני, “who will designate me and who will see me?” and it is written in the ב"ח (=בדפוס חדש?) new edition, but this language is to say, ‘who will know it is me, why, there is no man with me and even if there were a man with me, who would see me in the middle of the night?,’ as in the verse in Isaiah, “(…and their works are in the dark,) and they say ‘who sees us?’ and ‘who knows us?’” (Is. 29:15). Not like in *sefer ha-Yirah,*who will designate me, from language of witnessing. So far his words. And on the basis of this explanation it is possible to say what our Rabbi meant by [the apparent redundancy of] “inner rooms” and “dark house”: “will know me,” in the inner rooms and “wil see me” in the dark house. for the whole earth is full of His glory. Before Him, the darkness is like light.³⁶

footnotes: ³⁴ Makor ha-Yirah: BT, Shabbat 118b. Shulchan Aruch 2, Be’ur ha’Gra (Vilna Gaon). That is, he would not pull his undershirt off over his head, thereby turning it inside out and exposing it to the rafters above. We see the value of modesty here, an important value underlying this entire work. See also Leviticus Rabbah 20:11! ³⁵ Vilna: [יודעני] (וידעני): (and will know me) [will know me]. Zilber ed.: (יועדני)[יודעני] [will know me] (will designate me) (?). Moriah: יוֹעִדֵנִי, will designate me? Meah She'arim: מעדני, will designate me.Makor ha-Yirah: (with respect to the textual variance): In the Tur ³⁶ AMEN (ה): The reason for this is that the man’s limbs hint at things of the upper worlds, as Job wrote: (19:26) “…from my body, I would see God.” Even the [sign of] the holy covenant [i.e., the circumcision] and therefore it is not fitting to reveal them, for the honor of God is in the secret of his limbs.Negrin further comments on the issue of modesty (his ו’): the inner spark (הפנימי) is pure, but the outer side (הצד החיצון) is susceptible to impurity. Therefore it is not fitting to make the inner outer and the outer inner.

Now he should put on his clothes. He should have a tallit katan³⁷ and let him put it on underneath his outer garments³⁸ for the crux of the commandment of wearing fringes is always remembering when getting dressed.³⁹ Because the commandment was given for remembering, and so that a man should not turn away after the stubbornness of his heart or after the gaze of his eyes which cause his body to sin. But this way will not be found unless he should go on the way in which the naked things ⁴⁰. One will not stray into sin unless he goes on a way where he will find temptations. are found.⁴¹

footnotes: ³⁷ That is, a four-cornered, fringed ritual undergarment meant for wearing all day. ³⁸ Negrin ed. תכף בקומו כדי שלא ילך ארבע אמות בלא ציצית, “when he gets up in so that he should not walk four cubits without ritual fringes...” ³⁹ Zilber ed. deletes the phrase כי עיקר מצוה and simply says כי לזכרון המצוה נתנה, “because the commandment was given for memory.” ⁴⁰ Lev. 18, Acharei Mot ⁴¹ AMEN (ח): Negrin quotes from Zohar, Shelach Lecha 83:331 -- apparently Tallit gadol and tallit katan are symbolic.

Therefore let him dress himself immediately without a blessing if he has not washed his hands. But it is good to be strict to wash his hands first⁴² and to bless after he has done it.⁴³

footnotes: ⁴² AMEN (ט): The explanation of “first” -- that he touch his clothes according to the custom of the first Chassidim [i.e., in Hasmonean times] (See note כ) who would prepare vessels of water by their bed in order to wash their hands and purify them and not handle their clothes with their impure hands, as mentioned in the Zohar, Bereisheet p. 36:146, and in such manner they would bless before doing it.AMEN (כ) Negrin continues at his XX: “The rabbi ends here, but I need to explain: Know that it is forbidden for a man to walk 4 cubits with impure hands. The first chassidim would prepare a ladle of water by their beds so that when they stirred in the night they washed their hands while they were still in bed in order that they not contaminate their clothes with impure hands.” ⁴³ עובר לעשייתוֹ – high flown Hebrew in original.

Now it is necessary to wrap himself in a tallit⁴⁴ in a standing position.

footnotes: ⁴⁴ i.e., the more familiar four-cornered ritual garment.

And it is good for that same tallit katan to be a kind of cloak⁴⁵ for there is no shaking with this.⁴⁶ (ב"י) § 8 and see in Shulchan Aruch (__?) 8:10.

footnotes: ⁴⁵ כעין סרבל ⁴⁶ פִּיקפּוּק. Makor ha-Yirah: It should be as big as a kind of cloak so that it should be appropriate for [completely] wrapping oneself in, for any kind of shaking, as explained in the Beit Yosef

Now let him put on his right shoe first and the left one afterwards but tie the left one [first] and afterwards the right, as our rabbis said, “Awe of heaven coming out of all of them,” to fulfill the words of the Mishnah and the words of R. Yochanan: just as his prayers, thus his shoes: just as his prayers on the left, so his shoes on the left.⁴⁷ 61a; SA __ 2:4.

footnotes: ⁴⁷ Makor ha-Yirah: BT Shabbat

And as soon as he gets up to walk on the road he should bend his height and he should cover his head for the shekhinah⁴⁸ is above his head.

footnotes: ⁴⁸ That is, the divine indwelling feminine presence of God on earth.

And therefore it is correct to cover his head and not to go bareheaded.

Now, let a man go and and let him take care of his needs⁴⁹ in the bathroom.⁵⁰

footnotes: ⁴⁹ lit, “check himself.” ⁵⁰ AMEN (XIV). Negrin sets forth a prayer that one entering the bathroom should recite, calling on the ministering angels who accompany each person to guard him and help him: “be clean, O honorable holy ministering angels of the most high, guard me, guard me, help me, help me, wait upon me as I enter until I leave, for such is the way of men.” (Tur, top of § 3). He then discusses the need to repeat “guard me,” and “help me.”

And there he should be modest.⁵¹ He should not expose himself but for a hands-breadth in front of him and two hands-breadths behind him. And for a woman, one hands-breadth behind her and in front of her, nothing.⁵² and the Tur, Orach Chaim, and the scrivener’s error has falllen into the books, in front instead of behind and behind instead of in front. Now the words of our rabbi do not mention but in the new printing (?) הב"ח writes that since even in Sefer ha-Yirah the version is so, it is difficult to dismiss as a scrivener’s error, one falling in all the books but rather it is certain that the versions in the shas ibid, and distinguish between a man and a woman, it appears that as to the woman the stricture is greater. But in the new printing (?) it explicates a different reason: to choose the stricter of the two versions. And see in the Mishnah Berurah in the name of the Latter [sages]. (אחרונים)

footnotes: ⁵¹ Negrin ed., “Now let him be modest in the bathroom and not expose himself until he sits; afterwards he may expose in front of him two hands-breadths and behind him one hands-breadth; and a woman, behind her one handsbreadth and and in front of her, nothing.” (emphasis mine.) ⁵² AMEN (XV). From here, one must be strict not to expose even his arm when he lays tefillin because all the limbs of a person hint at great and awesome things and there is not praise like modesty.Once again, Negrin shows the kabbalistic idea that the limbs of a person reflect aspects of the divine being.Negrin continues: When he sits, he should face south with his back to the north. The south is associated with [the sefirah of] Hesed, the characteristic of Abraham, as is said, “loyal love (חסד) to Abraham” (Micah 7:20 following Koren), and his back to the north, as is said, “out of the north the evil shall break forth,” (Jer. 1:14, Koren). And he should not sit between east to west, since the Shekhina is in the west and since everlasting memory לזכר בעלמא … is between east to west it is forbidden in whatever place may be. And by my opinion the secret [meaning] of east to west the crown of Tiferet, in order not to divide them, and it is enough to understand.Makor ha-Yirah: But see, in the Shas (the Talmud) BT Berachot 62b, 23__ it is explained the opposite, (as we see in the Negrin ed.), in front of him two hands-breadths because of spouting urine. And behind him one hands-breadth, and so it turns out that there is no distinction between a man and a woman as to the matter of behind. But according to the edition of our rabbi goes the Bet-Yosef

He should not urinate standing up in case there be sprinkles splashing upon his legs and he should appear like one whose urinary canal is mutilated. Rather, let him stand in a high place or urinate in dust. But if he does urinate standing up he should take care lest he take hold of the membrum virile – rather, [he should hold it] from the corona on down the lower side⁵³ even if he be married.⁵⁴ 13a; Shulchan Aruch __ 3:13,14. “Even if he be married…” see the Beit Yosef (ב"י) which brings our Rabbi’s words (as) the source for the Tur, which forbids (it (masturbation)) even for a married man, and where the Beit Yosef explains the characteristic of piety he means according to our Rabbi, and thus it is decided in the Shulchan Aruch. [He appears to disagree with the Taz (Turei Zahav?)] Rambam, ch. 21 of Laws of forbidden sexual entry: it is not permitted to a married man except to urinate; Be’ur ha’Gra (Vilna Gaon); Shabbat 41a (R. Abahu was married.) For the punishment for it⁵⁵ is so great as to destroy the world.⁵⁶ He must strengthen himself and sanctify himself, even in what is permitted to him. And thus our holy Rabbi: in all his days he did not put his hand under his belt.⁵⁷

footnotes: ⁵³ lit., “to the side of the earth.” ⁵⁴ Evidently, a man should never masturbate, nor even touch the top of his own penis.Makor ha-Yirah: BT Niddah ⁵⁵ That is, masturbation. ⁵⁶ lit., “bring the flood to the world.” Presumably capital punishment, or he may refer to a divine punishment. ⁵⁷ BT, Shabbat 118b.

When he sits to relieve himself he shall sit and uncover and cover and stand.

But he should not strain⁵⁸ himself hard in case he should tear the glands of the rectum and be in danger.

footnotes: ⁵⁸ Vilna and Zilber ed.: יפצר. Moriah: יִפְצַּר and Mea She'arim: [יְצַעֵר] (יַפְצֵּר). All mean "strain."

He should wipe off with the left (hand) but not with the right because he points out the tropes of the Torah and eats with it.

He should inspect himself very well afterwards for his guts and his bowels need to bless the Creator always, as is said,⁵⁹ “Bless the ETERNAL, O my soul, and all my innards His holy name,” (Ps. 103:1). It is not fitting to bring a belly full of excrement before the Holy One, Blessed be He, Master of the Universe, to bless Him.⁶⁰

footnotes: ⁵⁹ Vilna, Moriah, Mea She'arim have this quotation from Psalms here; Zilber ed. omits it. ⁶⁰ Vilna: לברכי, to bless me. Others לברכוֹ, to bless Him.

Let him take care lest he soil his clothes, whether with urine or with excrement.

If he can, he should have two pairs of pants: one that he wears at the time of prayer only for the sake of being the most clean when praying, but if he cannot, he should be careful not to soil his⁶¹ [pants].

footnotes: ⁶¹ Me’ah She'arim has: שֶלּוֹבֵש, (his)[that he wears]. Others, שלוֹ.If it could not be taken for granted that every man would own at least two pairs of pants, then צדקה would be an important value.

He should always wash them to take away the stains of filth from off of them.

XX. He should wash his hands completely.⁶² with water if he has it. He should wash them exceedingly well and recite the al netilat yadayim, “concerning the washing of the hands” blessing over them.⁶³

footnotes: ⁶² Lit., "with cleanness." ⁶³ AMEN: (A continuation of the note above) Now know that when a man sleeps at night the soul goes out from his body and immediately שורה the unclean spirit upon his hands, and the reason [for] the hands is that they are against two arms of teh world/eternal which seize powers of impurity and therefore the שורה upon the hands. Now the one who walks four cubits with impure hands is liable for death from Heaven since he brought to the Other in his hands and about him it is said, “The tents of robbers prosper, and they who provoke God are secure; they who bring their God in their hand.” (Job 12:6 following Koren). Who they who provoke God? They who bring their Other in their hand. etc.In other words, the hands are vectors of dangerous ritual impurity, and again we see Negrin’s comparison of the human body to the cosmic map.

He should wait until prayer to recite the asher yatzar blessing, but if he does say asher yatzar he should also say the blessing that begins elohai neshamah with it⁶⁴ for it is dependent upon it⁶⁵ and therefore it does not begin with baruch (“blessed be”) so at the time of praying he should begin, “…who has given the rooster knowledge…”

footnotes: ⁶⁴ Vilna: [עמה] (עד) either ("further") or ("until") but probably "further,"[with it]. Zilber ed., עוד אלוקי נשמה כי. Other editions spell אלוהי correctly; the use of 'ק instead of 'ה is a pietism to avoid spelling out a divine name. Moriah and Mea She'arim both have עִמָּהּ, "with it." ⁶⁵ הסמוכה לה

Or then he should⁶⁶ go back and repeat asher yatzar.⁶⁷

footnotes: ⁶⁶ Zilber ed. אז [לא], "then he should [not]..." Other editions, ואז. ⁶⁷ Me’ah she'arim: [לפני אלוהי נשמה] in small font.

He should recite the ...al netilat yadayim blessing when he dries his hands, not when he washes them.

XXIII. Then he should immediately⁶⁸ recite the “...about the mitzvah of fringes” blessing on the Tallit which he put on if he did not bless when he wrapped himself.

footnotes: ⁶⁸ Boldface in Moriah, Me’ah She’arim.

But every time that he wraps himself he needs to recite the blessing.

XXIV Then afterwards he should lay the arm-tefillin⁶⁹ on the left arm above the part that they call the elbow in the common tongue,⁷⁰, kovri, or kovdo in Spanish or French, and there seems to be much confusion among the editions. It could be something like "cubit," which is a measure from elbow to fingertip. "Elbow" is my emendation. adjusted slightly toward the heart and recite the blessing, “…to lay tefillin.” After that he should put on the head-tefillin next to the brain⁷¹ and recite the “…about the commandment of tefillin” blessing.

footnotes: ⁶⁹ Vilna: [תפלה](של תפליו). Zilber ed. תפילין של יד. Moriah, Me’ah She’arim: תְּפִלָּה שֶל יָד. ⁷⁰ Vilna: שקורין קובד"י בלעז. Zilber ed. שקורין קובד"י בלע Makor ha-Yirah ז. Moriah: שֶקּוֹרִין קובר"י בְּלַעַז in small font. Me’ah She'arim: שקורין קובדו בלע"ז in small font.Unclear what language he refers to here. As far as I know there is no word kovdi ⁷¹ כנגד המוח

He should not speak between the arm-tefillin and the head-tefillin; if one chats between the tefillin he should go back and bless over the head-piece twice, “…to lay…” and “…about the mitzvah of…” ⁷²

footnotes: ⁷² Pointed eds. set off the names of the blessings in quotation marks.

He should always handle the arm-tefillin first and the head-tefillin afterwards so that he shall be careful to be clean⁷³ for tefillin require a clean body that shall not fart in them and shall not sleep in them.⁷⁴

footnotes: ⁷³ בנקיות. Meaning unclear. ⁷⁴ Yet it has become fashionable among some charedim in Jerusalem today to wear tefillin all day.

And he needs to bless when he handles them for a long time after putting them on, as it is established⁷⁵ according to the Rabbis in the name of R. Ashi: “every time I handled (them) I blessed (them).”⁷⁶, 46a.

footnotes: ⁷⁵ Vilna, Zilber ed., דקיימא לן, Moriah, Me’ah She’arim דְּקַיְמָא לָן. ⁷⁶ BT, Sukkah

But according to⁷⁷ my teacher R. Shmuel bar Shneur⁷⁸ I heard that one does not need to bless on account of handling except when they are taken out from their place and he returns them to their place.

footnotes: ⁷⁷ Lit., “but from the mouth of” ⁷⁸ “who lived and directed a school in Evreux (N. France)” -- Rabbi Dr. A. T. Shrock, Rabbi Jonah ben Abraham of Gerona: His Life and Ethical Works. (London: Goldston, 1948), 25. All eds. give the title Rabbi twice: unpointed eds., הרב ר', pointed eds הָרַב רַבִּי .

Now, with regard to the matter of sleep there are three parts to the matter: When they are on his head he may nap but not sleep.⁷⁹

footnotes: ⁷⁹ Lit., occasional sleep but not fixed.

But when they are held in his hand he may not sleep or nap in case they fall from his hand.

Now if he puts them on where he lies down let him spread a blanket over them and sleep. And in them he may sleep [something] between a nap and a full sleep.⁸⁰ 26; Berachot 20. SA __ 44. Also the opinion of the Rosh is so.

footnotes: ⁸⁰ Makor ha-Yirah: 44-46: BT Sukkah

When he goes to the bathroom he takes them off outside the four cubits [of the bathroom] or winds them up and sets them down in a vessel inside a vessel in his pocket next to his heart.

Then he should go to the synagogue. And when he comes close to the synagogue he should quicken his steps, as is written, “In the house of God let us walk in excitement." (Ps. 55:15)⁸¹

footnotes: ⁸¹ Translation mine.

But he should check his shoes in case they are filthy or soiled as [King] Solomon said in his Wisdom: “Guard your foot when you go to the house of God.” (Ecc., 4:17)

He should come to the synagogue and say when he enters, “As for me, in your great love I shall come to your house, I shall bow down to your holy temple in fear of You,” and he should sit in his seat. (Ps. 5:8) ⁸²

footnotes: ⁸² In other words, he should recite מה טובו as is reflected in the prayerbook.

If he has another tallis he should cover himself in it and recite the blessing, “…to wrap oneself in tzitzit.”⁸³

footnotes: ⁸³ Again, evidence that the wealth of the community may have been quite modest. Tallitot are not that expensive, and can be made by hand if need be.

Then he should sit and not open his mouth until he pauses a little and answers in his heart: Before Whom he stands and Who is the One hearing his words. And thus he will be seized by⁸⁴ trembling, fear, sweating, and feeling awestruck.

footnotes: ⁸⁴ ועז ילבש. Lit., he will wear trembling... The pointed eds. put this in the qal, but in the rabbinic binyan afeyl אַלְבֵּיש is to seize. I would therefore point this as יַלְבֵּש .

Now let him begin his prayer in the [proper] order, [it does not matter whether] one that lengthens or one that shortens,⁸⁵ only that [so long as] he directs his heart to heaven.⁸⁶ 5b; Menachot 110a. Only Mea She'arim gives the second citation.

footnotes: ⁸⁵ Referring to two styles of praying: speaking slowly versus speaking rapidly, but the same keva. ⁸⁶ BT, Berachot

He should prepare his clothes, as is said, (Amos 4:12) “Prepare to meet your God, Israel.”

And when he prays⁸⁷ he should not raise his voice in his prayer.

footnotes: ⁸⁷ Boldface in Moriah only.

But he should speak only loud enough so that his own ears hear what comes out of his mouth.

XXX. He should clearly enunciate⁸⁸ each and every letter. He should not swallow them.⁸⁹ (XXI) Also he should enunciate the end of the words to separate them from the word next to it in case he stumbles over (Ps. 96:3) “tell of His glory among the gentiles…”⁹⁰ (Ps. 147:12) “… praises of Jersualem…”⁹¹ And so it is with each and every “ et, ve'otoh, ve’otah.”⁹² that is next to a [letter] mem:⁹³ [one] needs to separate them, this one from that one, and so with “ [adonai] elocheichem emet” and [such] as come out with these.⁹⁴

footnotes: ⁸⁸ Lit., "cut with his lips." ⁸⁹ Vilna and Mea She'arim: ואל יבלען . Zilber ed. and Moriah: ואל יבלעם ⁹⁰ Moriah helpfully inserts a makkef: ב-סַפְרוּ בַגוּיִם . Ps. 96:3. ⁹¹ Ps. 147:12. ⁹² untranslatable Hebrew direct object markers, ּאֶת, וְאוֹתוֹ, וְאוֹתָהּ ⁹³ AMEN (XXX): Negrin comments at great length on the importance of proper pronunciation. First, he says that the words and letters must be carefully separated because each and every word and letter in the Torah is a hint of the sefirot and the upper worlds. One should sing “Baruch she’amar” beautifully because it contains 87 (פ"ז) letters, which equals “his head is most fine gold” ( ראשו כתם פז) (Song of Songs, 5:11). Such is Ashkenazi practice, established by the men of the Great Assembly (c.f. M. Avot 1:1) But it is important not to add to the 87 letters because it would detract from the kavvanah. They also say it while standing in all lands of Ashkenaz and Tzarfat. “Baruch she’amar” contains 10 “baruch…” statements, according to the 10 statements by which the world was created (i.e., “And God said, ‘let there be light,’ and there was light...”) He continues through the early parts of the morning prayer service, mentioning “kol ha’neshamah t’hallel yah” and “yishtabach” mentioning the Talmudic requirement to recite praise with song and melody before praying (the Amidah) [BT Berachot 32a]. He adds that the air is full of evil spirits and that prayer will protect against them. Later in this lengthy comment he says that when reciting פותֵחַ את ידיך in the Ashrei, one should pronounce ידיך as יוּדיך (“your yuds”) as the secret meaning of the two letterֿs yud (perhaps in the abbreviation of the divine name יְיָ) that draw down the great light and the holy flow into the world. This is also the meaning of the 3 letters yud in the [beginning of each phrase of the] priestly blessing. And from Ashrei through “l’olam va’ed” there are 613 letters, so that by reciting them correctly it is as if one had fulfilled all 613 mitzvot. The ten psalms that begin and end with “halleluyah” are compared to praise of a king. But if one cannot recite them all, he should say at least: ברוך שאמר, תהילה לדוד, הללו אל בקדשו which accompish something of the same purpose. Reciting shirat ha-yam will merit seeing the messiah, as when Israel first recited it they were crowned with the same crown that God will in the future crown the messiah. It has 18 verses corresponding to the 18 vertebrae in the spine [a concept seen elsewhere in Sefer ha-Yirah] adn the placement of “then Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the shore of the sea” next to “so Moses sang” hinting at the death of the nations but the life of Israel. He discusses the need to pronounce the letter Kaf in מי כָּמוֹךָ to avoid language of blasphemy or else it would sound like “Michah is like you, O God” asserting that the Biblical prophet Micah secreted away the pronunciation of the divine Name. Negrin segues into how responding forcefully enough to the prayers such as “amen” or “y’hei shmei raba” or “baruch hashem hamevorach” causes unfavorable heavenly judgments to be ripped up. He goes so far as to say that the letters of the prayers should be said with as much exactitude as the letters of the Torah. Eventually, he concludes by saying each and every letter is like a candle corresponding to one of the 248 positive mitzvot (the metaphor comes from “the commandment is a lamp and Torah is light.” Prov. 6:23) ⁹⁴ There are siddurim that actually place stars over such letters to make clear the need to enunciate where the letters would run into one another.

He should not be one who lengthens his prayer too much in public in case they should think him a a show-off or a scoffer.⁹⁵

footnotes: ⁹⁵ Vilna: [ליהיר] (לכבד). Zilber ed. לכבד ולץ. Moriah: לְכָבֵד וְלֵץ. Mea She'arim: לְיָהִיר ולֵץ. Translation follows Mea She'arim here.

When he recites⁹⁶ the Sh'ma he should be very careful to utter with his lips and hear with his ears all 248 letters that are in it.

footnotes: ⁹⁶ Boldface in Vilna and Moriah.

But he must allow an interval between words that may easily run into one another (BT, Berachot 15b). According to the words of our Rabbis, peace be upon them, “with all of your heart” and “upon your heart” and [such] as come out with them.

And with each and every one of the three [divine] names that are in the first line⁹⁷ he should lengthen them until he thinks [of] past, present, and future but he should not lengthen the aleph ("one").

footnotes: ⁹⁷ The first line of the Sh'ma has three occurrences of the divine name: יי ,אלוקינו and יי the second time.

And he should not hurry the [letter] chet [in the word echad] as if to read it with a chataf.⁹⁸

footnotes: ⁹⁸ That is, one should not shorten the ח' in the word אחד to read אֶחָד as if it were אֶחֳד.

And he should lengthen the [letter] dalet [in the word echad] until he considers in his heart that the Creator of the world is king above and below, in heaven and on earth, and the four winds of the world, from east and the west, north and south, and the great depth, and the 248 limbs that are in him.

But if he just cannot direct his heart so much (have so much kavvanah) let him direct himself to Hashem, who is now our God, in the future to be one.⁹⁹, “on that day the age-old dream shall be fulfilled: He shall be one and His name shall be one.” This is a very interesting law, for Rabbenu Yonah, who seems so dour and so exacting, to be so understanding of and lenient here toward human nature. Also very interesting temporal theology.

footnotes: ⁹⁹ C.f. Aleynu lishabeach

And each time he mentions the Specific Name¹⁰⁰ let him think on it the meaning of its reading: that He is Lord of all.

footnotes: ¹⁰⁰ That is, the four-letter name of God.

[When he recites] “With all your heart,” he will need [to meditate] on two [things]:¹⁰¹ the good appetite and the evil appetite. “And with all your soul,” [is] even taking your soul.¹⁰² “And with all your might,” [means] Whatever measure that He measured out for you (M. Berachot, 9:5. BT, Berachot 54a).¹⁰³

footnotes: ¹⁰¹ בשני יצרך ¹⁰² i.e., even martyrdom for the sanctification of the Divine Name. Such practice was a very real possibility in medieval Christian Europe. ¹⁰³ Translation following Prof. M. Jastrow.

[At] “Which I command you today,” let him pause and consider, “ today they were commanded to me."

“Upon your heart,” thus far, the intention of the heart and the crux of the acceptance of the Yoke of the kingdom of heaven, and even when walking on the road, being directed until he arrives at “upon your heart.”

But even from the first verse, he has fulfilled his obligation.¹⁰⁴

footnotes: ¹⁰⁴ Another surprisingly lenient rule.

From here on he should read according to his usual way with as much intention as he can.

And for when he arrives at “bind them for a sign upon your hand” he should touch the arm-tefillin and “for totafot between your eyes,” he should touch that of the head.

And when he comes to “and look at it” he should look at his tzitzit .

Plus, he should enunciate [the letter] zayin in [the word] Tizkaru ("you shall remember");¹⁰⁵

footnotes: ¹⁰⁵ לְמַעַן תִּזְכְּרוּ וַעֲשִׂיתֶם | אֶת-כָּל-מִצְוֹתָי, at the conclusion of the recitation of the Sh'ma.

and he should not¹⁰⁶ wink¹⁰⁷ 62b for use of רמז to mean "wink." nor gesticulate with his lips¹⁰⁸ 19b. or one who rubs his legs¹⁰⁹ or one who points with his fingers. For anyone who does these is an abomination of the LORD.¹¹⁰

footnotes: ¹⁰⁶ Boldface in Moriah, Mea She'arim. ¹⁰⁷ See BT Shabbat ¹⁰⁸ Translation following Prof. M. Jastrow. See BT Yoma ¹⁰⁹ וימלול ¹¹⁰ See e.g. Prov. 6:12.

Now, one who sits in prayer should not lean on [something] behind him, nor shall he lean to his sides in the manner of a proud person. Rather, he should sit with his head bowed so that he should not see the face of the person sitting in front of him beyond his four cubits. And his arms aligned with the body, with hands crossed over the waist.

And his two hands [should be] under his clothes, the right over the left in front of his navel and he should not stretch his legs but rather sit upright upon his "sit” bones in order that he should be more trembling and fearful.

Then he should shake his body [like a lulav]¹¹¹ to fulfill the verse, “all my bones shall say, LORD...” (Ps. 35:10).¹¹² the custom of swaying the body while praying*.*

footnotes: ¹¹¹ translation following Prof. M. Jastrow. ¹¹² Perhaps the origin of shuckeling,

When he stands up to pray he should stand with his legs next to one another.

He should bow his head.

Let him press his elbows into his body until his belt and let him place his hands below his clothing, the right over the left.

He makes seven bows. He shall bend at the beginning and end of the Avot [section of the Amidah].

He should bow quickly at “you are blessed” and he should straighten up slowly at the divine] Name;¹¹³ he should bow at the beginning and the end of the modim (thanksgiving section of the Amidah) and no more in the eighteen [benedictions of the Amidah].

footnotes: ¹¹³ ויזקוף בשם בנחת

But¹¹⁴ when he takes three steps he gives peace beginning with the left, to the right and bows, before him and bows.¹¹⁵ after saying יהיו לרצון אמרי פי...

footnotes: ¹¹⁴ אבל. A stronger "but" than the usual prefixed ו. ¹¹⁵ i.e., when finishing the Amidah

The bow should be as the sages said, until all the vertebrae in the spine¹¹⁶ shall protrude¹¹⁷ until he is able to see an isar¹¹⁸ of flesh opposite his heart -- now this is flesh the width of an isar between the part of the spine opposite the heart. And when the person straightens, [it] disappears and is not seen.¹¹⁹ And when he bows, the vertebrae of the spine separate themselves and the same flesh reappears.

footnotes: ¹¹⁶ חוליות שבסדרה ¹¹⁷ Zilber ed. יתפרקו, which could also mean "be loose," "be moved," "be bent," or "be flexed." Others יתפקקו. "are loosened." Translation follows explanation given in Schottenstein edition of the Talmud. ¹¹⁸ A roman coin. ¹¹⁹ BT, Berachot, 28b.

He should not immediately return to his place lest he be thought like a dog returning to its vomit.¹²⁰

footnotes: ¹²⁰ קיאו.

He should not spit during his prayer.¹²¹, in the traditional line which has been edited out of most North American siddurim, even traditional one, but which appears in the ArtScroll siddur and in most Israeli siddurim: (שֶׁהֵם מִשְׁתַּחֲוִים לְהֶבֶל וָרִיק וּמִתְפַּלְלִים אֶל אֵל לֹא יוֹשִׁיעַ). I have seen a Lubavitch edition of the siddur which actually gives the stage direction to spit. Apparently, this custom is older than the Chassidic movement. See BT, Sanh. 101a; JT Ber. III, 6d. But if he is spat upon, he hides the spittle in his cloak.¹²². Translation following Jastrow.

footnotes: ¹²¹ As opposed to the chassidic practice of spitting during the Alenu ¹²² See BT, Ber. 24b; JT Sabb. VII, 10b

He should not even belch¹²³ or yawn,¹²⁴ but if he does yawn he puts his hand upon his chin or over his mouth.¹²⁵

footnotes: ¹²³ Vilna, Zilber ed: ואף לא יגהק (בלעז אינטרילי"ר); Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: ואף לא יגהק (בלע"ז אינטרילי"ד). It is unclear what foreign language is referred to. ¹²⁴ all eds. ולא יפהק (בלע"ז בדליי"ר). (unpointed eds. בלעז without abbreviation indicators). Which foreign language unclear. ¹²⁵ See BT, Ber. 24a.

He should not hold anything at all in his hand, for he should be afraid lest it fall from his hand and he will not be deliberate [in his prayer].¹²⁶

footnotes: ¹²⁶ ולא יתכווין. The root does not appear in the hitpael acc. to Jastrow, but in modern Heb. "be deliberate."

Neither in front of nor behind his master shall he pray.

He should offer praise [in] his prayer.¹²⁷

footnotes: ¹²⁷ ויסדר תפילתו. Boldface in Moriah and Me'ah She'arim eds.

But he should not make it fixed like the person who says, "it is a fixed law upon me every day, the obligation to say such and such prayers¹²⁸ lies upon me," but rather let him make [them] supplications before the Omnipresent One.¹²⁹

footnotes: ¹²⁸ Vilna, Zilber ed. [תפילות] (תפלה). (prayer)[prayers] ¹²⁹ See M. Avot, 2:13.

Let him not contemplate his prayer, saying, "I have prayed so much with intentionality, it is worthy to be accepted, for it is one of three things mentioned [in connection with] the sins of a person¹³⁰ for they¹³¹ accuse him about them¹³², saying, "Is it worthy that such a prayer should be accepted, and has he not done such and such?" But let him think in his heart that he really should have stood much longer in prayer, perhaps one of his small[er] sins would be forgiven, and let him remember that is he is [but] flesh [and blood] breath leaving and not returning.

footnotes: ¹³⁰ The others being repentance and charity (ותפילה, וצדקה, ותשובה מעבירין את רוע הגזרה). See High Holy Day liturgy. ¹³¹ That is, accusers on high, prosecuting angels. ¹³² Vilna, Zilber ed. עליהם "about them," Moriah, Me'ah She'arim עליו, "about it."

And what gain is there for him to boast about his deeds? Should he not be on guard for such [as this]? But if his heart must grow proud, let him think about¹³³ great people of the world that fell away and passed away from the world but which did a thousand times more good than he.

footnotes: ¹³³ lit., "set in his heart."

Now, while he is still in the synagogue, let him not speak a profane word¹³⁴ with a person, especially not¹³⁵ during the reading of the Torah.

footnotes: ¹³⁴ Vilna, [ידבר] (יהיה לו) אל , "(let there [not] be to him)" "[let him [not] speak]" Zilber ed. אל יהיה לו. "let there not be to him." Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: יְדַבֵּר ¹³⁵ Vilna: [כי] (לא) ואף. Zilber ed. ואף לא. Moriah: וְאַף לֹא. Me'ah She'arim: וְאַף כִּי. The distinction is subtle.

But if some people sat by him talking intentionally¹³⁶ let him shake his lips in disdain¹³⁷ and make himself quiet as when he prays. But he let him not lord over [them], saying, "it is not I who is talking," for every time one is haughty he takes away a little bit of his reward.¹³⁸

footnotes: ¹³⁶ Vilna: בני אדם המדברים (ברצון). "people talking (intentionally)." Zilber ed. בני אדם המדברים ברצון. ¹³⁷ Perhaps, "shake his head in disdain." But all four eds. have שפתיו, "his lips." ¹³⁸ כי כול המתפאר כמעט הוא נוטל

Now let him respond "amen" to each and every blessing¹³⁹ that is, phrase beginning (and possibly ending) with יה-וה ... וברוך אתה . For the one who responds "amen" is greater than the one who says the blessing and the gates of paradise open for him.

footnotes: ¹³⁹ Vilna and Zilber ed. על כל ברכה וברכה, "to each and every blessing,"; Moriah and Me'ah She'arim: עַל כָּל בְּּרָכָה, "to every blessing." "Blessing" is here used to mean a brachah,

[At] "may His great name be blessed..."¹⁴⁰. let him respond with all his ability with his mouth and with all his concentration.¹⁴¹ together with the leader of the prayer both out loud and concentrating on his words.

footnotes: ¹⁴⁰ A quotation from the Kaddish ¹⁴¹ That is, he should recite this part of the Kaddish

And he should not leave the synagogue during the reading of the Torah if not between a man and his fellow.¹⁴² 8a

footnotes: ¹⁴² אם לא בין גברא לגברא. See BT Berachot

As long as¹⁴³ a man is busy speaking of the Shekhinah¹⁴⁴ between the time of prayer and the time of the grace after meals, he shall not be plagued.¹⁴⁵

footnotes: ¹⁴³ Boldface in Moriah, Me'ah She'arim. ¹⁴⁴ The indwelling feminine presence of God that goes into Exile with the People of Israel. ¹⁴⁵ יגע בבשרו. lit., "struck in his flesh." could also be read as hurt or injured. alt. trans: [a man shall never be hurt so long as he speaks of the Shekhinah from the time of prayer to the time of the grace after meals]

Except in his hands¹⁴⁶ up to the forearm,¹⁴⁷ or in his neck as far as the shirt, but not in his legs, and not in all the rest of his flesh or his feet. But if he is plagued let him wash his hands or rub them¹⁴⁸ with dust [or with pebbles]¹⁴⁹ or with [wood] chips.¹⁵⁰ 59a

footnotes: ¹⁴⁶ Moriah: כִּי אִם בְּיָּדָיו; others: כי אם בידים ¹⁴⁷ Zilber ed., Me'ah She'arim: הפרק העליון; Vilna, Moriah: פרק העליון. ¹⁴⁸ Moriah, יְשַפְשְפֵם ; others, יְשַפְשְפֵן ¹⁴⁹ Moriah, Me'ah She'arim, [או בצרור], ["or with pebbles"] ¹⁵⁰ Zilber: BT Nazir

But if he needs to scratch, let him scratch over his undershirt; and he must not touch neither a cavity nor the hair of the arm-pit nor the area of the genitals.¹⁵¹ But if he does touch [them] he should wash his hands or rub them with dust, pebbles, or wood-chips.¹⁵²

footnotes: ¹⁵¹ ובית הערוה ¹⁵² Interesting that this is the same treatment for the plague in the first place.

Now if at the time of prayer, a hands-breadth is exposed -- even to his wife¹⁵³ -- of genital area, then it is forbidden to recite shema or to pray or look upon it.¹⁵⁴

footnotes: ¹⁵³ אפילו באשתו Translation of this halachah follows the interesting word order of the original. ¹⁵⁴ or "upon her."

Then he goes¹⁵⁵ out from the synagogue humbly and in a bowing manner;¹⁵⁶ he says, "Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness..." (Ps. 5:9), then he goes.¹⁵⁷

footnotes: ¹⁵⁵ Boldface in Moriah, Me'ah She'arim. ¹⁵⁶ בנחת ובדרך כריעה ¹⁵⁷ Ps. 5 does not appear to be a fixed part of the standard liturgy of today.

But when he goes on his way,¹⁵⁸ he should not bend too much.¹⁵⁹ And he should not lower his scarf over his eyes lest he be thought a mockery.

footnotes: ¹⁵⁸ ובלכתו בדרך -- note the beautiful echo of ובלכתך בדרך from the ואהבת prayer. ¹⁵⁹ But see halachah #8, a man should always go about bent over.

Nor should he walk with proud carriage¹⁶⁰ for one who walks at his full stature is like one who suspends the fear [of heaven] from upon him. But rather he should walk in an average manner, not erect but not too bent. Rather¹⁶¹ so that he should not look one who comes in front of him in the face.

footnotes: ¹⁶⁰ בקומה זקופה; at his fully erect stature. ¹⁶¹ Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: [עַד] (אֶלָּא). "(rather) [until]"

Let him lower his eyes so that he should not look his fellow right in the eye.

And if he should come in contact with a thing of nakedness such as a woman, whether Jewish or gentile¹⁶², whether married or single, whether big or small, he should close his eyes or turn his face¹⁶³ aside so that he shall not see her. And so said the sage, "You have no such barrier¹⁶⁴ faced with of sexual desire as the closing of the eye."

footnotes: ¹⁶² ארמית lit., "Aramean." R. Yonah could not directly say "Christian" due to censorship. ¹⁶³ פניו, "his face," appears in Vilna, Zilber ed.; Moriah and Me'ah She'arim omit it. ¹⁶⁴ אין לך דבר חוצץ בפני התאוה. More literally, "you have no way of separation in the face of desire..."

And the same if he should come in contact with and boar and a sow or a dog and a bitch¹⁶⁵ or any animal in intercourse¹⁶⁶ with each other¹⁶⁷ -- he must not look upon them.

footnotes: ¹⁶⁵ Moriah, Me'ah She'arim omit או כלב ובלבתא ¹⁶⁶ Vilna, Zilber ed.: נזקקין (Rabbinic plural); Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: נִזְקָקִים (Biblical plural). ¹⁶⁷ Vilna, Zilber ed.: זה לזה; Moriah: זֶה לָזֶה (masc.) ; Me'ah She'arim: זוֹ לָזוֹ (fem.)

And he should be the first to greet every man,¹⁶⁸ even a gentile¹⁶⁹ so that he should be beloved and precious to [God's] creatures.

footnotes: ¹⁶⁸ אדם, which this work has generally rendered, "person," but in this case "man" seems more appropriate given the following halachah. ¹⁶⁹ Vilna, Zilber ed.: כותי, lit. a "Cuthite," a Samaritan, but in eds. published under censorial influence, כותי frequently is a euphemism for גוי. Me'ah She'arim: אֵינוֹ-יִשרָאֵל, a non-Jew. Moriah: גוי, a gentile.

But he should not greet a woman, so that he may return to his home and family in peace.¹⁷⁰

footnotes: ¹⁷⁰ לביתו, in all eds., could also mean "to his wife."

Then he should take off his tefillin, and put them in the bag, the hand-piece on top of the head-piece.

He should take off the head-piece first, and the hand-piece second, then he should take off his pants and put on other ones.¹⁷¹

footnotes: ¹⁷¹ See halachot 31-32. If a man is able to have more than one pair of pants, he should keep a good pair for shul -- his "Sunday best," as it were.

And it would be good for him to learn [some Torah] immediately, since it is written, "they go from strength to strength," (Ps. 84:8),¹⁷² immediately, before he goes out to his business.

footnotes: ¹⁷² i.e., going from the strengthening activity of prayer to the strengthening activity of Torah study.

But if¹⁷³ he be a weak man and accustomed to breakfast, let him eat immediately.

footnotes: ¹⁷³ Boldface in Moriah, Me'ah She'arim.

But he should wash his hands¹⁷⁴ first with a lot of water. At the very least he should wash with a quarter-log¹⁷⁵ 99a. of water.¹⁷⁶

footnotes: ¹⁷⁴ That is, a ritual handwashing. ¹⁷⁵ A Talmudic unit of liquid measurement roughly equal to one large glass. See BT Pesachim ¹⁷⁶ Vilna: [מים] (ממי) "(of water) [water]." Zilber ed. ממי. Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: מַיִם.

Let him pour water over his hands three times.¹⁷⁷

footnotes: ¹⁷⁷ Zilber cites sources explaining the purpose of each pouring.

And let him rub them¹⁷⁸ well, so that there should be no barrier¹⁷⁹ for any barrier to immersion [in a mikveh] is a barrier to [ritual] handwashing.

footnotes: ¹⁷⁸ Moriah: וִישַפְשְפֵם , others: וישפשפן. Is he talking about ritual handwashing or handwashing for cleanliness? I'm not aware that one scrubs one's hands in any ritual handwashing? ¹⁷⁹ again, דבר חוצץ. Such as a ring that would prevent the water from coming into contact with the skin.

He should raise them in the washing so that the first waters do not drip down¹⁸⁰ and ritually impurify his hands.

footnotes: ¹⁸⁰ יחזרו

Then let him dry them very well.

Now he blesses hamotzi over the bread, but he must leave an interval between each and every letter.¹⁸¹ in לחם מין into one another.

footnotes: ¹⁸¹ Lest he run the two letters mem

And everything from this world that he may enjoy, whether in fruits¹⁸² or in scent or in eating or any other thing that he may enjoy, it is forbidden to enjoy without a blessing. And let him bless every thing with the blessing that was said by our Rabbis before it and after it, may peace be upon them.

footnotes: ¹⁸² פירות

Now, if he has no expert [in blessings] let him go to an expert to learn and not make himself like a [dumb] animal.¹⁸³ eats and smells without saying a blessing. See below. But if he does not find an expert he goes and leaves his enjoyment of it. And he shall not enjoy any thing until he knows how to bless its Creator over it according to the law.¹⁸⁴

footnotes: ¹⁸³ In case he does not know the proper blessing. A beheimah ¹⁸⁴ כדת וכמשפט.

Now when he blesses let him direct his heart to bless the Creator and not as a thing that is a habit in the mouth of a man to come out without [proper] intention. And so too with the blessing over a mitzvah.¹⁸⁵ And any deed that a person may do, let him do¹⁸⁶ things for the sake of doing them¹⁸⁷ and not as a commandment trained by people and an ancestral custom.¹⁸⁸. R. Yonah returns to this theme again and again.

footnotes: ¹⁸⁵ e.g., anything that one would say אשר קידשנו במצוותיו. ¹⁸⁶ Vilna, Moriah: [יעשה] יעשה ¹⁸⁷ לְשֵם פֹּעֲלָם ¹⁸⁸ A frequent trap of ritual observance is doing things by rote and by memory, without giving them proper kavvanah

He should have excellent manners when he eats.

And after he finishes¹⁸⁹ his meal he should recite the blessing of the food.¹⁹⁰.

footnotes: ¹⁸⁹ Vilna, גמר [ואחר] "[and after] he finishes"; Moriah: בַּאֲכִילָתוֹ, גָמַר ("his eating...he finishes..."). ¹⁹⁰ The grace after meals, Birkat ha-Mazon

Afterwards, let him drink water or wine to complete one hundred blessings in a day.¹⁹¹

footnotes: ¹⁹¹ It is a worthy goal to recite one hundred blessings in a day, so he should drink a little water or wine just for the sake of achieving the goal.

And all [of these blessings] for the sake of heaven.¹⁹². It is not enough just to recite 100 blessings; one should actually mean them.

footnotes: ¹⁹² See the earlier discussions in this work about proper kavvanah

Now, before¹⁹³ he goes to his work, let him learn one verse [of Torah] or one law to fulfill the mitzvah of "you shall meditate on it day and night." (Josh. 1:8).

footnotes: ¹⁹³ Boldface in Vilna as well as Moriah, Me'ah She'arim.

At the same time let him learn with musing of the heart. And let his ears and his eyes be open to what his lips bring forth.

Let him not break off from his study for idle things. For even saying, "How beautiful is this tree," or "How beautiful is that field," in which there is a excellent thing¹⁹⁴ such that one would recite, "Blessed is the One who has such in His world," over it, why, this one is liable for the death-penalty.¹⁹⁵ (Avot, 3:7)¹⁹⁶ How much the more so for profane chatter, upon which all words of sin hang.

footnotes: ¹⁹⁴ דבר שבח ¹⁹⁵ חייב בנפשו. Olitzky's Avot translation renders, "sins against his soul," but this is an interpretive translation. ¹⁹⁶ Moriah and Me'ah She'arim cite to Avot 3:9, but this appears to be a variant ed. Chanoch Albeck numbers the mishnah 3:7.

And one who chatters on them transgresses both a negative and a positive commandment.¹⁹⁷ The positive commandment to "speak upon them,"¹⁹⁸ prayer, "...teach them faithfully to your children, and speak of them when you lie down and when you rise up..." (Deut. 6:7) not of other things. And the negative [commandment] comes from the positive [commandment]: what it says to do, do [and what it says not to do, do not do].¹⁹⁹ And the negative, "all such things are wearisome; no man can ever state them" (Ecclesiastes, 1:8).²⁰⁰ Moreover, everyone who does break off from words of Torah are obligated²⁰¹ to engage in them. And about those who break off [from Torah] it is said, "They cut up mallows by the bushes, and roots of broom for warmth" (Job, 30:4).²⁰² And our sages of blessed memory said, all those who break off from words of Torah to engage in idle chatter,²⁰³ They feed them fiery coals in Geihinnom.²⁰⁴

footnotes: ¹⁹⁷ BT, Yoma, 19b. ¹⁹⁸ That is, words of Torah. This is a quotation from the Torah portion that contains ve'ahavta ¹⁹⁹ ולאו הבא מכלל עשה עשה ²⁰⁰ Translation following JPS. ²⁰¹ Vilna: [אשר הוא חייב] (החייבין). Zilber ed.: החייבין. Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: שֶהוּא חַיָּב, "since he is obligated." ²⁰² Translation following Koren. JPS: "They pluck saltwort and wormwood; the roots of broom are their food." The prooftext works by the connection of the word שיח in its Biblical sense of a plant with שיח in its Rabbinic sense of idle chatter. The difference is in how they translate לחמם. Koren renders "ל-חם-ם," "for their warmth"; JPS renders "לחם-ם," "their food." ²⁰³ Vilna places [ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל...שיח] in square brackets; Zilber ed. omits the clause. Moriah and Me'ah She'arim include it without brackets. ²⁰⁴ Hell. BT, Chagigah, 12b.

After²⁰⁵ this, he should go to his business, for it is good to earn a living:²⁰⁶ no one can serve the Creator if he is busy begging for his meals.²⁰⁷ And thus said [King] David: "Happy is everyone who fears the LORD; who walks in his ways. For you shall eat the labor of your hands." (Ps. 128:1-2).²⁰⁸

footnotes: ²⁰⁵ Boldface in Moriah, Me'ah She'arim. ²⁰⁶ דרך ארץ ²⁰⁷ There is an unusual negative particle in this phrase. ²⁰⁸ Translation following Koren. Psalms are traditionally ascribed to King David.

Now his business shall be conducted faithfully,

and he should keep away from lying words

or from bad company²⁰⁹

footnotes: ²⁰⁹ Lit., "from the company of bad men." Vilna omits the 'וּ. A fortuitous translation given that this section is about Jewish business ethics.

or an assembly of scoffers.²¹⁰ "an assembly of scoffers." But if he must sit with them: in case they mock and make light of him²¹¹ 21b. and he should appear as one who puffs himself up²¹² let him not interrupt their words or reply²¹³ to them except with shortness of breath²¹⁴ and let him get up as immediately as he is able.

footnotes: ²¹⁰ See M. Avot ²¹¹ See BT, Eruvin ²¹² ויראה כעשה עצמו חשוב. Lit., “and he appears as one who makes himself important.” ²¹³ Vilna: ואל (ישוב) [ישיב]. "Do not (return) [reply]." All others have the hiphil, יָשִיב, "reply." ²¹⁴ Vilna, Zilber ed., קוצר רוחו, "shortness of his breath." Moriah, Me'ah Shearim omit the pronominal suffix 'ו. Or "despondency of his spirit," following Exod. 6:9.

Let him take care²¹⁵ not to treat his fellow overbearingly²¹⁶ neither with words, all the more so with money.

footnotes: ²¹⁵ Vilna, (ויזהיר)[ויזהר]. "(Let him caution or forewarn) [Let him take care.]" Moriah, Me'ah She'arim, וַיִזָּהֵר ²¹⁶ בלי להונות

Even his business with the gentile²¹⁷ should be with faith, lest he desecrate the name of Heaven and the Torah of Israel be despised by his hand.²¹⁸

footnotes: ²¹⁷ Vilna, Zilber ed.: הכותי. Moriah: הַגּוֹי. Me'ah She'arim: הַנָּכְרִי. See note קס"ג: Vilna, Zilber ed. and Moriah all are consistent in their terminology for the non-Jew. Me'ah She'arim uses both the terms אינו-ישראל and נכרי. ²¹⁸ תתבזה. And see Ruth Rabbah 1:1.

But if he should hear evil reports²¹⁹ about a man,²²⁰ he should not believe them, for it may be that they are of his enemies; rather act like he believes without actually believing.

footnotes: ²¹⁹ מוציאי דבּה. Vilna actually places the dagesh in the בּ. ²²⁰ איש

Now, if a person should curse him or revile him, he should not reply anything at all, but let him submit to humiliation and not humiliate.

Neither let him be quick to go out to quarrel.

He should not stay with people whispering²²¹ together.

footnotes: ²²¹ or, "inciting," or "informing." R. Yonah seems to be talking about gossip here.

Nor should he give evil reports about anyone, even his enemy.

And let him not hate in his heart,²²² except what the Omnipresent One hates.²²³

footnotes: ²²² See Lev. 19:17. ²²³ Vilna: כי אם אשר המקום שנא, "except which the Omnipresent One hates." Zilber ed.: כי אם את המקום שנא, "except what the Omnipresent One hates." Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: כִּי אִם אֶת אֲשֶׁר הַמָּקוֹם שׂנֵא. "except that which the Omnipresent One hates."

Every²²⁴ business dealing of his²²⁵ should be²²⁶ for the sake of Heaven.

footnotes: ²²⁴ Vilna: [וכל] (ובכל) "(and in all) [and all]"; Zilber ed., ובכל. Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: וְכָל ²²⁵ עניינו ועסקו. ²²⁶ Vilna, Zilber ed., יהיה; Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: יְהֵא

When he returns from his business, he should not sit idly, for what [does it do] for a man to be sitting idly? does not laziness bring him into the hands of stupefaction and impure fancies? whereas there is no end [to the reward] of learning Torah.²²⁷ BT Shabbat 127.

footnotes: ²²⁷ See M. Pe'ah, 1:1;

Now, if²²⁸ guests should come to his house, he should welcome them with a cheerful countenance.²²⁹ 1:16.

footnotes: ²²⁸ Boldface in Vilna, Moriah, Me'ah She'arim. ²²⁹ See, e.g. M. Avot

And as soon as they come he should set bread before them to eat²³⁰ for sometimes a poor person may come who has not eaten but is ashamed to ask.²³¹

footnotes: ²³⁰ Vilna: ישים [לפניהם] לחם, "he should put bread before them"; Zilber ed.: ישים להם לאכול "he should set for them to eat"; Moriah, יָשִׂים לִפְנֵיהֶם לֶאֱכוֹל ; "let him set before them to eat"; Me'ah She'arim: יָשִׂים לִפְנֵיהֶם לֶחֶם לֶאֱכוֹל , "let him set before them bread to eat." ²³¹ Reflecting a sensitivity to the poor and the hungry that motivated the writing of the book .

Now let him give them his bread and his water and what he might eat to brighten their faces.²³² But even if there should be sorrow and worry in his heart²³³ let him warm his heart in front of them,²³⁴

footnotes: ²³² בפנים מאירות ²³³ Vilna, Zilber ed.: ואף אם יהיה לבבו עצב; "even if his heart should be sorry..."; Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: בִּלְבָבוֹ, "in his heart" ²³⁴ Following Vilna, ישחנה, Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: יַשְׁחֶנָּה, "let him warm his heart." But Zilber ed., ישתנה, "let him change his heart."

and put them at rest with his words, and be for them²³⁵ a restorer of the soul.

footnotes: ²³⁵ Vilna: [ויהי] (ויתן) "(and let him gave) [and let him be]"; Zilber ed. ויתן, Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: וִיהִי

And even if he may have a thousand servants, he should serve them himself. Who do we have as great as Abraham who served the messengers [of the Lord]²³⁶ but had many manservants and maidservants, as it is said, "and all his homeborn slaves, and all those he had bought" (Gen. 17:23).²³⁷ And despite that they appeared like Arabs²³⁸ according to our Rabbis of blessed memory:²³⁹ 86b and with everything that Abraham did by himself, the Holy One Blessed Be He repaid on his behalf to Israel in His dignity and Himself.²⁴⁰

footnotes: ²³⁶ See Gen. 18:1-15, parshat va-yera. ²³⁷ Vilna: [בראשית יז כג אולי צ"ל =צריך לאמר ואת כול ילידי ביתו](ובני ביתו) ("and the children of his house") Zilber ed. ואנשי ביתו. Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: וְאֵת כָּל-יְלִדֵי בֵיתוֹ (בראשית יז כג) . Context: after Sarai's name change to Sarah, Abraham circumcises his entire household, both those born in his household and all its members. Translation follows JPS. ²³⁸ ואע"פ שנראו כערביים. I.e., they looked like ordinary people. ²³⁹ BT, Bava Metzia ²⁴⁰ ובכל מה שעשה על ידי עצמו שלם לו הקב"ה לישראל בכבודו ובעצמו.

He should not recount before them, "such and such happened²⁴¹ to me," from some of his troubles,²⁴² for these²⁴³ words shatter their spirits, appearing to them that for their sake he says so and that he hardly has any money in his purse.²⁴⁴

footnotes: ²⁴¹ Moriah: אִירע ; Me'ah She'arim: אֵירע ²⁴² Vilna: תלאותיו; Zilber ed.: תלואותיו; Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: תְּלָאוֹתָיו ²⁴³ Vilna, Zilber ed.: אלה; Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: אֵלּוּ ²⁴⁴ וכמעט שאין לו שכר כעמלו. Lit., "that he barely has reward in the fruits of his labor."

But let him honor them as his lords. And so we find with Abraham, who called them "my lords," (Gen. 18:3). And greater was welcoming them than receiving the face of the Shekhinah.²⁴⁵

footnotes: ²⁴⁵ Welcoming guests is one of the duties whose reward is beyond measure. M. Pe'ah 1:1, BT Shabbat 127.

And at meal-time, he should show himself as one who grieves ²⁴⁶that he is not able to prepare more for them:²⁴⁷ And so it says,²⁴⁸ "if you draw out your soul to the hungry," (Isa. 58:10).²⁴⁹ Therefore say to him²⁵⁰ "I am dying that I have no more to give you."²⁵¹

footnotes: ²⁴⁶ יַראֶה את עצמו כמצטער ²⁴⁷ להֵטיב להם יותר ²⁴⁸ וכן הוא אומר, not the more traditional שנאמר or ככתוב. ²⁴⁹ Translation following Koren and Holladay, A Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament, "if you grant your desire to the hungry." ²⁵⁰ Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: וְיֹאמַר לוֹ. Vilna, Zilber ed. omit; the shift to first person indicates the quotation. ²⁵¹ A play on the words of the Isaiah quotation: ותפק לרעב נפשך. The literal meaning of the Hebrew תצא נפשי, "my soul goes out."

So if they should stay with him, he should lay them down in the best of his beds, for it is greater to rest the weary than to be well-rested.²⁵² And giving [his guest] rest makes more rest²⁵³ for him than to feed him or slake his thirst.²⁵⁴ And it comes back to him in the next world.²⁵⁵

footnotes: ²⁵² שוכב בטובו, more lit., "than to lie down in goodness." ²⁵³ נחת רוח. or satisfaction, gratification, pleasure. ²⁵⁴ המאכילו ומשקהו. Lit, "who feeds him or waters him." ²⁵⁵ BT Shabbat 191a. I.e., what goes around comes around, or good karma.

And when they leave he should accompany them.

He should give them a bit of provision for the road²⁵⁶, for "a man will transgress for a piece of bread," (Prov. 28:21).²⁵⁷ For since Jonathan did not give David a piece of bread when he parted from him the thing caused the priests of Nov to be killed²⁵⁸ 104a. The statement refers to the episode of David and Jonathan. See 1 Sam. 20:1-22:19., eighty-five men who wore the linen Ephod.²⁵⁹ And you shall surely press [gifts] upon them according to the donation of your hand.²⁶⁰

footnotes: ²⁵⁶ לדרך Exactly as we say, "for the road"! ²⁵⁷ Translation following Koren. ²⁵⁸ .נתגלגֵל הדבר ונהרגו כהני נוב Perhaps, "the matter spiraled out of control and the Priests of Nov were killed." BT, Sanhedrin. ²⁵⁹ 1 Sam. 22:18. Translation follows JPS. ²⁶⁰ והעניק תעניק להם מסת נדבת ידך.

Now, if²⁶¹ you have the opportunity to do a mitzvah²⁶² make haste²⁶³ to do it and do not be relaxed about it.²⁶⁴ For caution brings one into zeal, cleanliness, separation, purity, holiness, fear of sin, piety, and humility.²⁶⁵

footnotes: ²⁶¹ Boldface in Moriah, Me'ah She'arim. ²⁶² ואם באה מצוה לידך., Lit., "if a mitzvah comes into your hand." Note the shift to second person. ²⁶³ Vilna: [תמהר] (שמש) "(serve)[hurry]." Zilber ed.: שמש. Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: תְּמַהֵר. ²⁶⁴ Makor ha-Yirah that R. Yonah is putting two halachot together: 1) to do the mitzvah by oneself not by an appointee, and 2) being rapid about it. ²⁶⁵ BT Avodah Zarah 20b.

Be²⁶⁶ cautious with the honor of the sages. If a sage should come to your home, welcome him with honor and honor him.

footnotes: ²⁶⁶ Boldface in Moriah.

If there is a groom in the city, go outfit him²⁶⁷ and rejoice with him, for one who rejoices with him merits seeing the redemption of Jerusalem.²⁶⁸

footnotes: ²⁶⁷ I.e., make sure he has enough money to put on a proper wedding. ²⁶⁸ BT, Ketubot 17a.

If there is a death in the city, attend to the dead²⁶⁹ and mourn him. Even in a middling aspect²⁷⁰ for it does not honor him²⁷¹ to tell beyond what he had, and silence is beautiful. Only those good characteristics which you know that he had you shall tell and you shall escort him.²⁷²

footnotes: ²⁶⁹ I.e., perform שמירה וטהרה, the rituals of washing the dead body and standing guard over it for the entire period before burial. ²⁷⁰ I.e., Engage in the preparation and eulogize, but do not aggrandize the dead. ²⁷¹ Vilna reads און, sin, but it appears to be an error. ²⁷² Referring to the actual funeral service and burial.

If there is a circumcision [to be done]²⁷³ in the city, attend to him²⁷⁴ and be as one who assists in the mitzvah,²⁷⁵ 13b on one who does not return מיסב the mitzvah of his friend for the reward of the one who assists is as great as of the one who does the mitzvah.²⁷⁶ 5b.

footnotes: ²⁷³ i.e., not only the circumcision itself, but the feast that should take place afterwards. ²⁷⁴ טרח ועֲסוק בו ²⁷⁵ Zilber: See BT Pesachim ²⁷⁶ Zilber: BT. Makkot

If your fellows are in distress be distressed in their distress.²⁷⁷

footnotes: ²⁷⁷ Zilber: BT Berachot 12b: all that it is possible for him to request mercy upon his fellow...

Do not rejoice in their downfall, but be happy at their good fortune.²⁷⁸. Zilber, BT Ta'anit 20b. M. Avot, 4:12 (let the honor of your fellow be as the honor of your teacher).

footnotes: ²⁷⁸ In a German word, schadenfreude

Moreover, if you have heard of the distress of Jews²⁷⁹ far away, groan and pray²⁸⁰ for them,²⁸¹ 12b, Ta'anit 21b, Yevamot 52b; Rambam ch. 1 of the laws of fasting הל"א = halacha 1 or halacha 31. and just as much for those near by.²⁸² 52b.

footnotes: ²⁷⁹ ישראל ²⁸⁰ הֵאָנַח ותתפלל. Vilna: האָנח. ²⁸¹ Zilber: 166. BT Berachot ²⁸² Zilber: "just as much for those near by" BT Yevamot

Bless the Rock²⁸³ [of Israel] over everything that comes, over the good and over the bad, rejoice in suffering²⁸⁴ and consider everything for good, with each and every measure that He measures out for you. And this is²⁸⁵ "and with all your might." (Deut. 6:5).²⁸⁶, "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might." And do not be contumacious in suffering,²⁸⁷ but consider²⁸⁸ it all for the good, and say, "Whatever the Merciful One does is for good."²⁸⁹ 60b. Translation following Jastrow. Zilber: BT Ta'anit 21a. Vilna, Zilber ed.: כל דעביד רחמנא לטב. Moriah: כָּל דְּעָבֵד רַחֲמָנָא -- לְטוֹב. Me'ah She'arim: כֹּל דְּעָבִיד רַחֲמָנָא לְטַב עָבִיד. Makor ha-Yirah: Berachot 54a, 60b. "Rejoice in suffering," BT Shabbat 85b. "And do not rebel..." TY, Shekalim, 8:4 (פ"ח ה"ד). "Consider it all for the good..." BT Berachot 60b. Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayyim § 222. "Whatever the Merciful One does..." BT Ta'anit 21a.

footnotes: ²⁸³ That is, "the Rock of Israel," an appellation for God, as in the popular Chanukah hymn, מאוז צור. Especially as in צדוק הדין, the acceptance of judgment recited upon a death which repeatedly refers to God as הצור, “the Rock.” Vilna, Zilber ed.: ברך הצור. Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: בָּרֵךְ אֶת הַצּוּר ²⁸⁴ Vilna, Moriah: ביסורין (Rabbinic plural). Zilber ed., Me'ah She'arim: ביסורים (Biblical plural). ²⁸⁵ Vilna, Zilber ed., Moriah, וזהו בכל-מאדך. Me'ah She'arim: וְזֶהוּ שֶׁכָּתוּב (דברים ו ה) וּבְכָל-מְאֹדֶךָ ²⁸⁶ As in the ve'ahavta ²⁸⁷ Zilber ed. omits this phrase from ואל תבעט through לטובה. Moriah: וְאַל תְּבַעֵט בְּיִסּוּרִין. pointing the verb in the binyan piel, "do not be contumacious" (that is rebellious, challenging instead of accepting). Me'ah She'arim: ואֵל תִּבְעַט בְּיִסּוּרִים. pointing the verb in the qal, "do not resist, or reject." ²⁸⁸ Me'ah She'arim: וְתַחְשׁוֹב qal imperfect; others וַחֲשוב, qal imperative. ²⁸⁹ Aramaic. See BT Berachot

Keep away²⁹⁰ from vows, for on account of broken vows children die and a man's wife dies.²⁹¹ 32b, Nedarim 20a. Rabbinic Judaism has long been skeptical of taking vows.

footnotes: ²⁹⁰ Boldface in Moriah, Me'ah She'arim. ²⁹¹ Back to third person. Makor ha-Yirah: BT Shabbat

And from oaths.²⁹², 2:5, Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayyim,156:71.

footnotes: ²⁹² As in, "May God damn me if..." which contemporary English has shortened to (God) damn! Makor ha-Yirah: TY, Shevuot

And from anger, for anyone that becomes angry mixes up his reason with his spirit, and will not place himself in the love of the Creator. And so our Rabbis said, "do not get hot and you will not sin" (BT, Berachot 29b). And in several places [King] Solomon said in his wisdom, "remove anger from your heart," (Eccl. 11:10), "for anger rests in the bosom of fools" (Eccl. 7:9). Nothing will come to the hand of a quarrelsome person but his irritability. And even with Moses our Teacher, who was the greatest of the sages and the prophets, whenever he was under the influence of anger he came under the influence of mistaken judgment.²⁹³

footnotes: ²⁹³ Makor ha-Yirah: "Our sages said..." BT Berachot 29b. "Nothing will come to the hand of a quarrelsome person..." Kiddushin 41a, and see ch. 2 halachot de'ot halacha 3. (rambam?) And what is written there. And so Moshe our teacher…., Pesachim 66b. And see also Sifré Num. 157, "because he was under the influence of anger he was under the influence of mistaken judgment." Translation following Jastrow.

Even if someone treats you inappropriately, do not lose your temper. But learn from Hillel the modest one,²⁹⁴ of blessed memory.²⁹⁵ 31a.

footnotes: ²⁹⁴ ולמד מהלל ענותן. BT, Shabbat 31a. The reference is to a famous aggadic story of the sage, when a man made a bet that he could cause the patient Hillel to lose his temper and went to see him on a Friday afternoon before Shabbat, asking pointless questions to try to cause him to lose his patience. ²⁹⁵ Vilna, Zilber ed., ז"ל. May = זכרונו לברכה, "may his memory be for a blessing." Moriah: זָכוּר לַטוֹב , "may he be remembered for good." Me'ah She'arim: זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה.Makor ha-Yirah: BT, Shabbat

The same goes for fear inside his home: it is a mitzvah to show himself like one who can get angry but whose mind is settled.²⁹⁶, Rambam, ibid. But he should not develop additional fear, but only a moderate amount.²⁹⁷

footnotes: ²⁹⁶ Vilna, Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: נחה, "at rest"; Zilber ed.: נאה, "suited/becoming/handsome."Zilber comments: BT, Shabbat 105b ²⁹⁷ It is permissible to have authority, but not too much.

He should not smash dishes²⁹⁸ in his anger. He should not destroy anything at all.²⁹⁹ Id. (105b).

footnotes: ²⁹⁸ Vilna: places asterisk after כליו and footnotes בגדיו, "his clothes." ²⁹⁹ Makor ha-Yirah: BT, Shabbat

Let him bend his inclination from anything which he may enjoy, even from idle chatter, for what gain is there in needless words? This is nothing but increasing liability for negligence.³⁰⁰

footnotes: ³⁰⁰ See M. Avot 4:1. (But the text is slightly different: הכובש את יצרו, not ויכוף את יצרו). and M. Avot 1:5.Makor ha-Yirah: Bava Metzia 32b. To bend his inclination: Pesachim 113b and in הגההת of the Vilna Gaon. Even from idle chatter: Chagigah 5b, Yoma 77a. Rambam ch.2 halachot de'ot halacha 14. "This is nothing but increase of sin..." Prov. 10:19 "where there is much talking, there is no lack of transgressing." JPS. "In many words..." Avot d'Rabbi Natan end of ch. 22.

Be beloved to your brothers and to your fellows.³⁰¹

footnotes: ³⁰¹ Boldface in Moriah, Me'ah She'arim. Back to second person.Makor ha-Yirah: Berachot 17a, Shabbat 118b. What they said: in all my days I have not transgressed against my friend by my speech. (?)

You shall not even lie down at night if you have a quarrel with a person. But go and appease him until you both reconcile. But even if he has sinned against you, seek reconciliation from him. Do not say, "see,³⁰² he has sinned against me, it is up to him to reconcile with me," bend your inclination and go to him, so that your heart shall not grow proud and you shall be abominable in the eyes of³⁰³ the Creator. As it is said, "Every proud heart is an abomination to the LORD," (Prov. 16:5).³⁰⁴ 28a. "But even if he has sinned against you…" Yoma 87a, see there.

footnotes: ³⁰² Zilber ed.: הוא חטא לי, "he has sinned against me,"; others, הן חטא לי, "see, (he) has sinned against me." ³⁰³ Vilna, על פני הבורא, "in the face of the Creator"; Zilber ed.: בעיני הבורא, "in the eyes of the Creator"; Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: לִפְנֵי הַב, "before the Creator." ³⁰⁴ Translation mine.Makor ha-Yirah: BT, Megillah

Be especially³⁰⁵ careful not to lie, even in a words of a rhetorical phrase, for there is desecration of the [divine] Name in speech. And also not to be rewarded in a lie, for the gain will be offset by the loss, since the four classes of those who will not receive the face of the Shekhinah: the class of liars, the class of hypocrites,³⁰⁶ the class of scoffers and the class of slanderers. And such is the punishment of the liar, that even if he speaks the truth, no one believes him (BT, Sanhedrin, 89b). And anyone who repeats his speech is as if he were an idol-worshipper (Ibid., 92a). As is written in this case: "I shall seem to him a deceiver," (Gen. 27:12).³⁰⁷ [Regarding] anyone who changes his words [is written]: "They are vanity, the work of delusion," (Jer. 10:15).

footnotes: ³⁰⁵ Boldface in Moriah, Me'ah She'arim. ³⁰⁶ Or, flatterers, faithless, arbitrary, fickle. ³⁰⁷ Translation following Koren. Context: Jacob is reluctant to fool Isaac into giving him the blessing.

Now take care to avoid scoffing, for it is the second of the transgressions. For it transgresses³⁰⁸ against the fear [of Heaven]. And it accustoms a person to transgress. Every one who speaks frivolously falls into the Valley of Death.³⁰⁹ 18b and what is written there. "For it is the second of the transgressions…" Pirkei d'Rabbi Eliezer Zuta. "And it transgresses…" Avot 3:17 שחוק וקלות ראש כו' ומש"כ. "And everyone who speaks frivolously…" Avodah Zarah 18b.

footnotes: ³⁰⁸ Vilna, Zilber ed.: והיא מעברת את המורא. Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: מַעֲבִירָה אֶת הַמּוֹרָא. ³⁰⁹ Makor ha-Yirah: BT, Avodah Zarah

And that he not be hypocritical.³¹⁰ "For a hypocrite shall not come before Him." (Job 13:16)³¹¹ 42a.

footnotes: ³¹⁰ or "flatter," or "deceive." ³¹¹ Makor ha-Yirah: BT, Sotah

And that he not tell slander,³¹² for everything has a cure but slander.³¹³ (?) 17b.

footnotes: ³¹² לשון הרע, "the evil speech,": malicious gossip. ³¹³ Makor ha-Yirah: BT, Arachin

And that he not listen to it, as is said, "you must not carry false rumors." (Exod. 23:1).³¹⁴ 118b.

footnotes: ³¹⁴ Translation following JPS.Makor ha-Yirah: BT, Pesachim

And one should keep away from honor, but honor every person. ³¹⁵

footnotes: ³¹⁵ Makor ha-Yirah: M. Avot 6 from the 48 things [by which the Torah is acquired], i.e., 6:6. And see BT Bava Metzia 23b . [R. Yisrael] Salanter says flee from honor but honor your friend.

You shall turn away from your [own] characteristics.³¹⁶ 17a.

footnotes: ³¹⁶ Vilna, Zilber ed., Me'ah she'arim: ותעביר (hiphil imperfect); Moriah: וְהַעֲבֵר (hiphil imperative). "Turn away from" as in Ps. 119:37. Note another switch from 3d person to 2d person. Makor ha-Yirah: BT, Rosh Hashanah

Judge everyone in the scale of merit, for the sake that in Heaven they shall overlook your sins and judge you in the scale of merit.³¹⁷ 127b. Magen Avraham (?) § 156.

footnotes: ³¹⁷ i.e., give everyone the benefit of the doubt, so that God will give you the benefit of the doubt. Makor ha-Yirah: M. Avot 1:6, BT Shabbat

If³¹⁸ you are with people that you are obligated to honor such as your father and your mother honor them and be fearful of them.³¹⁹ § 240.

footnotes: ³¹⁸ Boldface in Vilna. Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: וְאִם אַתָּה , "but if..." or "now if..." or "and if..." ³¹⁹ כבדם ותירא מהם. The structure is not exactly parallel.Makor ha-Yirah: BT Kiddushin 31b; Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De'ah

And you shall not sit in their place.³²⁰ in their place (emph. mine)

footnotes: ³²⁰ Mainly speaking in a literal sense.Makor ha-Yirah: Id. Yoreh De'ah Ibid. And see, in the gemara also (איתא נמי) do not stand

And you shall not contradict³²¹ their words, if they say something, even if you know that it is not³²² so. Do not say, "it was not so."³²³ 11.

footnotes: ³²¹ Following Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: וְלֹא תִסְתּוֹר אֶת דִבְרֵיהֶם (qal: impf) "do not contradict"; Vilna, Zilber ed.: ולא תסתיר (hiphil: impf) "do not hide" ³²² Vilna, Zilber ed.: כי אינו כן. Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: כִּי אֵינֶנּוּ כֵן. ³²³ Makor ha-Yirah: Ibid. and Ibid. 32b. And Shulchan Aruch ibid. se'if

And if they have a word with a person, do not compromise between them.³²⁴

footnotes: ³²⁴ Following Sifra introd.: שני כתובים המכחישים...ויכריע ביניהם. Because this has ויכריע ביניהם. I.e., while generally peacemaking is commendable and commanded, when your own parents or someone else that you are obligated to honor is one of the parties to the dispute, you may not mediate because you should be showing favor to your parents (or whoever it is).Makor ha-Yirah: BT Kiddushin 31b; Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De’ah § 240. From the the language of our rabbi it appears that he agrees with the opinion of (R. Menahem ha-Meiri) which is brought in the Tur (ibid.) that even to say something like the words of the father is forbidden. And see in the Beit Yosef where it is also explained this way. Also according to Rashi. What the halakhic decisors and Rashi adopted for the matter it is a negative law just so: if there is a division in his own words, it is also forbidden to harmonize them, according to the meaning of our rabbi.

Do not interrupt them, for even one who interrupts his fellow is called a fool.³²⁵

footnotes: ³²⁵ Makor ha-Yirah: The words are appropriate/fitting for the one who says them. And what is written, "for even…" M. Avot 5:7.

The rule of the matter: everything that might be attached to their honor should be attached³²⁶ and not to his.³²⁷

footnotes: ³²⁶ Vilna, Zilber ed.: כל מה שיוכל לתלות הכבוד בהם [יתלה] ולא בו. The pointed eds. omit the square brackets. ³²⁷ Makor ha-Yirah: Ibid., Shulchan Aruch ibid. סע"ז.

One must be very careful with their honor, for their honor is compared to the honor of the One Who Is Everywhere, and one who honors them is as if he honors the One Who Is Everywhere, but one who causes them pain is as if he pains himself.³²⁸

footnotes: ³²⁸ Vilna, Zilber ed., כאילו צער עצמו "as if he troubles himself"; Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: כְּאִלּוּ צִעֵר (עַצְמוֹ) [הַמָּקוֹם]. "as if he troubled (himself) [the One Who Is Everywhere]." Although it would seem that the "right" choice is the one in square brackets, i.e., he troubles God, the idea that one who troubles his parents really makes trouble for himself feels very wise and true. R. Yonah would say, “how could someone cause damage to the One?”

Further, he is obligated to feed them, give them drink, dress them, bring them in and take them out.

But if he does not have [anything for them] let him go knock on the doorways of people’s homes and beg³²⁹ and give [the alms] to them.

footnotes: ³²⁹ Vilna, Zilber ed.: יסבב, Moriah: יְסַבֵּב (piel, impf) "let him beg"; Me'ah she'arim: יָסוֹב (qal: impf) "let him go around."

And whatever he may do for them, let it be by way of honoring them. For one [person] may feed his father pheasant³³⁰ and drive him out of the world³³¹ but someone else may make his father grind in the mill and bring him into everlasting life in the world-to-come (BT, Kiddushin 31a).³³² 74.

footnotes: ³³⁰ Vilna, פיסיוני, others, פַסיוני . According to Jastrow this is a variant spelling. ³³¹ I.e., makes him desperate. translation following Jastrow. ³³² Zilber comment: Ibid 31a, Shulchan Aruch

If his father transgressed the words of the Torah, he must not say to him, "Father, you have transgressed the words of the Torah," but rather he says to him, "the verse is written in the Torah like so." And he shall understand on his own and he shall not be disgraced.³³³

footnotes: ³³³ Vilna:יתבייש ואל, ("you shall disgrace him") ["he shall not be disgraced"]. Zilber ed.: תביישו. Moriah: יִתְּבַּיֵּשׁ Me'ah She'arim: תְּבַיְּשׁוֹ.

And he should not³³⁴ speak of their deeds in any matter, even if he throws his money-bag into the sea or into the fire in front of him, do not rebuke him.³³⁵ 31a.

footnotes: ³³⁴ Zilber ed., ושלו ידבר "and that he not speak,"; others, ולא ידבר, "and he should not speak." ³³⁵ Jastrow, BT, Kiddushin

But if he hears a person speaking about them improperly, blunt his teeth³³⁶ and say to him, "you are telling a lie." But there is no striking his fellow over such. But even silence is appropriate in a place where the parents are not dishonored. As in the case where he knows if he shall protest, then [the other] shall add; the dignity of the parents would not be served by a reply.

footnotes: ³³⁶ i.e., refute his arguments. (Jastrow).

And their³³⁷ will is their honor.³³⁸

footnotes: ³³⁷ Whose? The parents? ³³⁸ Zilber cites Yerushalmi.

And they that wipe out their honor³³⁹ -- their honor is wiped out.³⁴⁰ 32a.

footnotes: ³³⁹ Zilber ed. appears to have כבידם, probably a typo or a technical issue of copying. ³⁴⁰ Makor ha-Yirah: BT, Kiddushin

And be³⁴¹ in awe of the sages, as Rabbi Akiva expounded (BT Pesachim 22a) on the verse "you shall fear the lord your God," (Deut. 6:13) including the disciples of the sages.

footnotes: ³⁴¹ Boldface in Moriah, Me'ah She'arim. Although we appear to be in a new section, this really is also about the honor due to parents, now just extended to teachers. Grammatically, this paragraph speaks in the imperative voice, not the jussive.

Cleave unto them and their ways of the good.³⁴²

footnotes: ³⁴² Makor ha-Yirah: Pesachim 49a, Ketubot 111b; Rambam ch. 6 halachot de'ot

And stand up before them, even before elders that are not sages³⁴³. and nullify your will before their will.³⁴⁴ 2:4, "…nullify your will before His will…"

footnotes: ³⁴³ as in the Biblical precept, מפני סיבה תקום (Lev. 19:32) Found today on Israeli buses meaning "please give this seat to the elderly."Makor ha-Yirah: Kiddushin 32b, SA Yoreh De'ah 244:71. And "even before elders who are not sages…" Kiddushin 33a, SA ibid. The comment discusses chiddur mitzvah ³⁴⁴ A paraphrase of M. Avot

And honor your elder brother. And the brother of your father. And the brother of your mother. And the husband of your mother. And the wife of your father.³⁴⁵ For on all of them the sages of blessed memory³⁴⁶ expounded: (BT, Ketubot 103a) from the verse, "Honor your father and your mother," (Exod. 20:12).³⁴⁷

footnotes: ³⁴⁵ See, e.g., Lev. 18. ³⁴⁶ Vilna, Zilber ed. include חכמים ז"ל (=זכרונם לברכה) "may their memory be for a blessing"; pointed eds. omit. ³⁴⁷ In the Decalogue. Vilna and Zilber ed. also cite Deut. 5:16, the restatement of the decalogue. Ketubot 103a: The extension of the duty to respect.

Do not seek out³⁴⁸ a gathering of ignoramuses or scoffers because from them you shall not learn wisdom but only empty words and scoffing.³⁴⁹ 3:14, "Rabbi Dosa b. Hircanus says…" Scoffers: see BT Pesachim 113a.

footnotes: ³⁴⁸ more literally, "pursue after" ³⁴⁹ Makor ha-Yirah: M. Avot

But seek out the sages because from them you shall learn wisdom. ³⁵⁰ 6:9, ארי=אמר רבי יוסי בן קיסמא.

footnotes: ³⁵⁰ Zilber comment: M. Avot

And do not be contemptuous of the words of your brother, and do not mock any³⁵¹ person.³⁵² 4:3.

footnotes: ³⁵¹ "a single person" would have resonance today when so many people have trouble finding their "soul-mate." Do not mock a single person, i.e. a person who is single. ³⁵² Makor ha-Yirah: M. Avot

Do not³⁵³ withhold good from one who deserves it (Prov. 3:27).³⁵⁴ 77a. If a person asks you for a favor or for a mitzvah, do not refuse to do it. But if you have no knowledge about the matter, say to him "do according to your wisdom."

footnotes: ³⁵³ Boldface in Moriah, Me'ah She'arim. ³⁵⁴ Makor ha-Yirah: the verse is in Prov. 3. [However, none of the other editions have the citation.] And see BT Bava Metzia

Be accustomed to giving as much tzedakah as you can at the very least³⁵⁵ discipline yourself to ransom your soul.³⁵⁶ for one’s own salvation. A fixed law: every week a pruta or a half.³⁵⁷ For even³⁵⁸ a poor person who is supported from tzedakah must give tzedakah.³⁵⁹

footnotes: ³⁵⁵ Zilber says something about הפחות שבמטבעות, "the smallest coins," so perhaps R. Yonah is saying that giving even the smallest coins to tzedakah causes oneself to prosper! Zilber "even giving the smallest coins on 2d and 5th (Monday and Thursday) fulfills his obligation. ³⁵⁶ לבורא לתת כופר נפשך. One might need to rely on tzedakah ³⁵⁷ Rhymed mnemonic in original. ³⁵⁸ Vilna abbreviates אפי'=אפילו. ³⁵⁹ לעשות צדקה, perhaps, "do justly."Makor ha-Yirah: even a poor person… BT Gittin 7b, SA,YD 248:1

Now, when you give to the poor, give in secret, for "a gift in secret averts anger," (Prov. 21:14).³⁶⁰

footnotes: ³⁶⁰ Citation in pointed eds. only. Makor ha-Yirah: BT Bava Batra 9(a?); SA [YD 249:6].

And your poor people take precedence.³⁶¹

footnotes: ³⁶¹ וענייך קודמין.

And do not close your hand³⁶². from lending to³⁶³ the poor at their most urgent time. For greater is the one who lends³⁶⁴ than the one who gives tzedakah, and his righteousness endures forever. For he does not lose the principal, and he should consider for how many gentiles³⁶⁵ he lends without interest.³⁶⁶

footnotes: ³⁶² As opposed to פותח את ידך ומסביע לכל חי רצון from Ashrei ³⁶³ The verb לוה in the hifil can also mean to escort (the dead), but context here indicates it means to lend money at interest. Zilber ed.: מלהלוות; others מהלוות. Zilber ed. may be a misprint or typo. ³⁶⁴ Vilna: כי גדול המלוה[לעני]יותר מן העושה, "for greater is the one who lends [to the poor] than one who gives…" This halachah is reminiscent of the Chinese proverb, "Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day; teach him how to fish and he'll eat forever." ³⁶⁵ Vilna, Zilber ed. גוים; Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: נָכְרִים. See above. ³⁶⁶ Referring to lending in the ordinary course of business: advancing the cost in order to keep a customer. This is not necessarily referring to moneylending.Makor ha-Yirah: BT, Yevamot 63a. "For the one who lends is greater…" Shabbat 63a, Sukkah 49b; SA 249:6.And know that lending is a positive mitzvah greater than any in the 613 by any counting of the mitzvot. Even for a rich person when he does not have … it fulfills a positive mitzvah as explained in Sukkah 49 and SA ibid. But the poor person takes precedence. And see the words of our rabbi in peirush to avot…

But if it should be difficult in his eyes to lend without collateral, let him lend with collateral and set for him a time to pay it back.³⁶⁷ But during the term of the loan he is not to call upon him to do his labor or any thing if he will not pay him his complete salary, since it would be seen as interest.³⁶⁸ 64b; SA YD 166.

footnotes: ³⁶⁷ Vilna: להלואתו; Zilber ed.: להלוואתו; Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: לְהַלְוַאַתוֹ. Makor ha-Yirah: …that he is not obligated to lend to him for an unlimited time… ³⁶⁸ Makor ha-Yirah: "…he shall not call upon him…" BT, Bava Metzia

And in tithes,³⁶⁹ do not let your hand be lax from removing what is appropriate. How? From everything that he profits, whether to teach,³⁷⁰ whether to write, whether to do labor, or even if he should find a finding, or if they gave it to him as a gift, or anything that may come to be³⁷¹ whether money, or money’s value,³⁷² from everything let him set aside the tithe, for this thing has no value, since everything which the Creator forbids to try him in any case, He permits in tithing.³⁷³ (BT, Ta'anit 9a).

footnotes: ³⁶⁹ Boldface in Moriah. This indicates that observant Jews of the day were tithing their income. another reason R. Yonah would have been concerned about falling levels of observance. ³⁷⁰ Zilber ed.: ללמוד (qal: to learn); others לְלַמֵּד (pi'el: to teach). Although one certainly profits by learning, it is easier to see how one would tithe one's profits from teaching than from learning. ³⁷¹ Vilna: [שיהיה] (שיבא) "(that will come) [that may be]." Zilber ed.: שיבא. Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: שֶׁיִּהְיֶה. Translation attempts to capture the flavor of both variants. ³⁷² Vilna: הן כסף הן [שוה] זהב, "whether silver, whether [equal of] gold." Zilber ed.: הן כסף הן זהב, "whether silver, whether gold." Moriah: [כֶּסֶף] (הֵן כֶּסֶף הֵן שְׁוֵה (זָהָבֶ "whether silver whether like unto (gold) [silver]. Me'ah She'arim: הֵן כֶּסֶף הֵן שָׁוֶה זָהָב, "whether silver, whether equal to gold." Translation follows Zilber ed. for simplicity and euphony. ³⁷³ כי את אשר אסר הבורא בכל דבר לנסותו התּיר במעשר. I.e., one may not eat forbidden foods or benefit from forbidden things but one must still tithe from them. לנסותו would generally mean to test a person as Abraham was tested.

Do not deceive [God's] creations, even gentiles.³⁷⁴ Do not hustle³⁷⁵ your fellow too much.³⁷⁶ And do not say to him, "I have done this thing for you," if you did not do it for him. But if he should err and it should seem that for him you have done it, there is no need to tell him, "I did not do it for your sake," for he has erred on his own and this is not deception. The rule of the matter is: all forms³⁷⁷ of deception are forbidden.³⁷⁸

footnotes: ³⁷⁴ Vilna: ואפילו דעת כותי; Zilber ed. ואפ' דעת כותי; Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: וַאֲפִילוּ דַעְתּוֹ שֶׁל גוֹי. See above regarding the distinction between גוי and כותי. Pointed eds. include the Rabbinic redundant possessive, where unpointed eds. used Biblical construct. Again, one might not expect to have to see such sentiments in supposedly tolerant and pluralistic medieval Spain. ³⁷⁵ תסרהב, to press, hurry. As the previous line is about trickery, this might also suggest to "hustle" somebody as in to be dishonest! ³⁷⁶ Vilna, Zilber ed., מדאי; Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: מִדַּי . ³⁷⁷ כל צד גניבת דעת אסור, lit., every side of deception is forbidden. ³⁷⁸ Vilna, Zilber ed.: אסור; Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: אסורה.

Do not mention the name of Heaven in vain, for anyone who takes the name of Heaven in vain should be excommunicated.³⁷⁹ (BT, Nedarim 7b) And not even of necessity [should one mention the Divine Name] in a filthy place.³⁸⁰ 12(b?) Makor ha-Yirah: BT, Chullin 94a.

footnotes: ³⁷⁹ ראוי לנדותו pi'el of נדה = banish, excommunicate. Such a person is appropriate for being banned or shunned. ³⁸⁰ Vilna: ואף (לא) לצורך [לא] במקום מטונף. Zilber ed.: ואף לא לצורך במקום מטונף. "And not even for need in a defiled place." Moriah, ואף שלא לצורך בְמָקוֹם מְטֻנָּף, "and not even of necessity in a defiled place." (Note that it is pointed as "in a place" and not בִּמְקוֹם, "instead of.") Me'ah She'arim: ואף שלא לצורך [ולא] בְמָקוֹם מְטֻנָּף, "and not even of necessity, nor in a defiled place."Makor ha-Yirah: And to the matter of a defiled place, see BT Shabbat

And do not swear at all, not even by the colloquial names [of God],³⁸¹ nor even by His attributes or His deeds such as "His servants and His Ministers serving above."³⁸²

footnotes: ³⁸¹ Such as רחום וחנון. See Tractate Soferim. Makor ha-Yirah gives more detail on such colloquial names. ³⁸² שמשיו ומשרתיו מלאכי מעלה. Referring to God indirectly, rather than by name.

And thus he should not swear on the Torah nor on truth, for God is called Truth: "But the lord is a true God," (Jer. 10:10).³⁸³ 14b. "and not on truth…" Shabbat 55a, Sanhedrin 65a. And see in Ba'al ha-Turim on Num.11:16.

footnotes: ³⁸³ Translation following Koren. See also the final paragraph of the recitation of the Sh'ma in the siddur: ה' אלוהיכם אמת, "the Lord your God is true."Makor ha-Yirah: BT, Nedarim

And he should not curse his fellow by the Name, nor even himself³⁸⁴ by saying, "so help me God."³⁸⁵ 35a.

footnotes: ³⁸⁴ Vilna, Zilber ed.: אף לו עצמו [באמרו] כה יעזרני השם. "nor even himself [by his statement] 'so help me God.'" Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: אף לו עצמו כה יעזרני השם ³⁸⁵ An oath which is certainly popular in our time and place.Makor ha-Yirah: BT, Shevuot

And let no impure name³⁸⁶ be heard upon your lips like the names of the Sodomites,³⁸⁷ may they be uprooted and destroyed!³⁸⁸ 63b; SA YD § 147:1. But when you must mention them in front of the gentiles³⁸⁹ speak in an undertone and with solemnity.³⁹⁰ 21b

footnotes: ³⁸⁶ Vilna: טומאה [שום] (שם) ואל ישמע "and let no impure (name) [no impure thing] be heard…" Zilber ed.: ואל ישמע שום טומאה. "and let no impure thing…" Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: ואל יִשָׁמַע שֵׁם טֻמְאָה, "and let no impure name be heard…" ³⁸⁷ Vilna, Zilber ed.: כגון שמות עכו"ם = עובדי כוכבים ומזלות "such as the names of worshippers of stars and constellations… (i.e., idol worshippers)." Moriah, Me'ah She'arim, שׁמוֹת הַקְּדֵשִׁים. "The names of the Sodomites…"From the root ק-ד-ש, to be consecrated, set apart. In Biblical Hebrew, a קָדֵשׁ is a consecrated person, i.e., a cultic prostitute. In Rabbinic Hebrew, it has come to be associated with the sinners of Sodom. It would seem that from קָדוֹשׁ, holy, to קָדֵשׁ, a cultic whore, is not such a far distance. R. Yonah is making reference to the dregs of society, outcasts such as whores who are not to be mentioned in polite conversation. ³⁸⁸ Makor ha-Yirah: BT Sanhedrin ³⁸⁹ Vilna, Zilber ed.: הכותי; Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: הגוים. See above. ³⁹⁰ Translation following Jastrow, after BT, Mo'ed Katon

And any lascivious talk³⁹¹ or kind of sexually immoral speech shall not be heard upon your mouth, such as mentioning a prostitute or any obscene thing.³⁹² 32a. See above. For "the mouth of a forbidden woman is a deep pit," (Prov. 22:14).³⁹³ These deepen gehinnom for him and it is appropriate that he should be liable for³⁹⁴ a [divine] decree of seventy years for punishment³⁹⁵ (BT Shabbat 33a). And even those who hear and are silent but enjoy hearing and do not leave from there come to grief on the matter.³⁹⁶

footnotes: ³⁹¹ וכל דבר נבול וצד דבר ערוה לא ישמע על פיך. Following Jastrow, ניבול פה = lascivious talk. ³⁹² Makor ha-Yirah: BT, Shabbat ³⁹³ Translation following JPS. Lit., "…a strange woman…" ³⁹⁴ והופכים לו גזר דין. ³⁹⁵ לרעה. Vilna, Zilber ed. include the abbreviation רח"ל (=רואה חוב לעצמו?) ("he sees an obligation for himself,"?) ³⁹⁶ Makor ha-Yirah: BT, Shabbat 32a. (but 33a cited in pointed eds.)

Do not³⁹⁷ suspect your fellow, since he may be worthy³⁹⁸ in the thing, and one who suspects the worthy is smitten with disease.³⁹⁹

footnotes: ³⁹⁷ Boldface in Moriah, Me'ah She'arim. ³⁹⁸ Lit., "kosher." ³⁹⁹ Translation following BT Yoma 19b: החושד...לוקה בגופו. (Jastrow). It might also be, "one who suspects the innocent will be punished with lashes," but as this is not one who accuses the innocent, there would be no objective way to tell if a person harbored suspicions, so it seems more likely R. Yonah is talking about divine punishment for suspecting the innocent.

And do not bring yourself into suspicion, being clean from God⁴⁰⁰ and from Israel, lest people should come to grief by your hand, since [God's] creations suspected you.⁴⁰¹ 83(b?) ,פ"ג ה"בYebamot 24b. "Lest they come to grief…" BT Shabbat 149b. Anyone whose fellow is punished on his account… and for this reason our Rabbi (mesik?) pardon all who suspect you, and see above #59 (which has to do with not lengthening public prayers for fear of being suspected as a scoffer). Pardon all who suspect you.⁴⁰²

footnotes: ⁴⁰⁰ Vilna, Zilber ed. abbreviate ה'; Moriah, Me'ah She'arim resolve הַשֵׁם "the Name," i.e., God. ⁴⁰¹ This is something like an early statement of fiduciary duty: the equitable need to act with clean hands and to avoid even the appearance of impropriety.Makor ha-Yirah: BT Shekalim ⁴⁰² Vilna, Zilber ed.: מחול לכל החושדים לך. Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: מְחוֹל לכל החוֹשׁדים בְּךָ. (binyan qal: imperative.)

Do not⁴⁰³ kill a louse or do a single loathsome thing in front of your fellow.⁴⁰⁴ 5a.

footnotes: ⁴⁰³ Boldface in Moriah, Me'ah She'arim. ⁴⁰⁴ Minor textual variances in the spelling of "your fellow." Makor ha-Yirah: BT Chagigah

But if others do so in front of you and you were filled with loathing⁴⁰⁵ 24. pardon them that they should not come to grief by your hand.⁴⁰⁶ 28a.

footnotes: ⁴⁰⁵ Jastrow translates נמאס as "be repulsive, be loathsome," but in context it makes more sense to say that if you were disgusted by your fellow's behavior in front of you, forgive him. See BT Yevamot ⁴⁰⁶ Makor ha-Yirah: It seems to me (כנ"ל) #222, and see BT Megillah

If you have found spittle lying on the ground, pick it up and take it away or cover it, and forgive whoever did it, in case another should come and [it] cause him to come to grief since he shall not forgive?

And take care that filth shall not be found upon your clothes or fat,⁴⁰⁷ or any loathsome thing. For one who soils himself⁴⁰⁸ and is not careful with cleanliness causes the lovers of God, the [divine] creations to hate and is worthy of the death penalty.⁴⁰⁹ As is said, "All they who hate me love death," (Prov. 8:36). Do not read m'sanai, "they who hate," but rather mas'ni'ai, "they who cause hate."⁴¹⁰ And people who see God-fearers who do not keep themselves in cleanliness say,⁴¹¹ 114a, and see BT Ta'anit 28a. “How many learners of Torah are filthy!” and the result is -- the Name of Heaven is desecrated by them?⁴¹², in that R. Yonah seems to be turning the lash on his own. Religious people of all stripes can seem self-righteous and off-putting, but here R. Yonah admits that those who learn Torah can go around filthy and causing disgust, therefore defiling God's image (God's brand name, as it were). I think of the ugly stereotype of the foul-smelling charedi Jew.

footnotes: ⁴⁰⁷ שומן, שֻׁמָּן. ⁴⁰⁸ Negrin ed.: כל ת"ח=תלמיד חכם. Any Torah scholar who soils himself and is not careful with cleanliness... ⁴⁰⁹ Vilna: ( חיי"מ (=חייב מיתה Others חייב מיתה. ⁴¹⁰ This is an especially difficult post-rabbinic idiom to translate, first because the wordplay is lost in English, but also because the verb שׂנא does not occur in the hiphil binyan according to Jastrow, Holladay, and Brown-Driver-Briggs. ⁴¹¹ אומרים רואיהם. Hebrew unclear. Makor ha-Yirah: BT Shabbat ⁴¹² An unusual and fascinating halachah

Do not⁴¹³ make your soul detestable by delaying⁴¹⁴ your openings. The one who delays his openings in the large and in the small transgresses two⁴¹⁵ [negative commandments]: "you shall not make yourselves abominable," (Lev. 11:43) and "that He see no unclean thing in you," (Deut. 23:15).⁴¹⁶ or d'oraita.]

footnotes: ⁴¹³ Boldface in Moriah only. ⁴¹⁴ בהשהות. i.e., go to the bathroom when you feel the urge. big: little :: anus: urethra. ⁴¹⁵ Vilna, Zilber ed.: שתים; Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: בִּשְׁתַּיִם. ⁴¹⁶ Makor ha-Yirah: BT Makkot 16b, SA Orach Chayyim 3:16. [he discusses why it transgresses two -- there's something about whether it's an issur d'rabbanan

You shall not say a word of soothsaying, for "Lo, there is no augury in Jacob, no divining in Israel," (Num. 23:23).⁴¹⁷ In how many places does our Torah⁴¹⁸ warn "there shall not be found among you…or a soothsayer," (Deut. 18:10).⁴¹⁹ "You shall not practice divination or soothsaying," (Lev. 19:26).⁴²⁰ And we are not to make any sign but only what our sages of blessed memory have said.⁴²¹ And if a person has to do a mitzvah such as to return to the tractate [of the Talmud] or to make his son return to the book, he should not say "I shall wait until the new moon⁴²² or until Pesach," for every day and at every time it is good to begin to do mitzvot. And, one who does not lose his temper: they should never lose their tempers with him. But the ones who lose their tempers: the Accuser⁴²³ stands upon their right and their left, strengthening them in their error.⁴²⁴ 66a. "But only what our sages have said…" BT Chullin 95b. "But if a person has to do a mitzvah…" see SA YD 179:72. "But the ones who lose their temper:…" BT Pesachim 110b

footnotes: ⁴¹⁷ Translation following JPS. ⁴¹⁸ Vilna, Zilber ed.: תורה "Torah," Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: תוֹרָתֵנוּ, "our Torah." ⁴¹⁹ Vilna: [לא ימצא (מנחש)[וגו' ומנחש "there shall not be found (a soothsayer")["…or a soothsayer."] Zilber ed.: לא ימצא מנחש. Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: לא יִמָצֵא בְךָ וגו' מנחש. "There shall not be found among you...or a soothsayer." ⁴²⁰ Translation following JPS. ⁴²¹ Vilna, Zilber ed.: ואין לנו לשום שום סימן אלא מה שאמרו חכמינו ז"ל. Moriah: ואין לנו לָשׂוּם שׁוּם סימן אלא...חֲכָמֵנוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה. Me'ah She'arim: ואין לנו לָשִׂים שׁוּם סימן אלא...חֲכָמֵנוּ זכרונם לברכה. ⁴²² Vilna, Zilber ed.: ר"ח...במצות; Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: ראש-חודש...מִצְוֹת. ⁴²³ השׂטן, the accusing angel of the Book of Job, which has come to be called Satan in our culture. ⁴²⁴ Makor ha-Yirah: BT Sanhedrin

Do not⁴²⁵ elevate yourself at the expense of the degradation of your fellow.⁴²⁶ 28a; Rambam ch. 6 halachot de'ot, halachah 3 and in ch. 4 (ובפ"ד) from halachot teshuva 4...

footnotes: ⁴²⁵ Boldface in Moriah, Me'ah She'arim. ⁴²⁶ Translation following Gen. Rabbah s. 1 (Jastrow).Makor ha-Yirah: BT Megillah

And you shall not raise your arm against any man to strike him, for the one who slaps a Jew’s face is as if he slaps the face of the Shekhinah,⁴²⁷ 58b). [as is said, "it is a snare for a man to rashly declare, 'it is holy,'" (Prov. 20:25)⁴²⁸ and his hand be cut off.⁴²⁹] As is said, "the upraised arm is broken," (Job 38:15).⁴³⁰ And he is fitting to be buried alive, as is said, "the mighty man, who has the earth," (Job 22:8).⁴³¹ And even when he raises his hand he is called wicked, as in "he said to the wicked one, why do you smite your fellow?" (Exod. 2:13). Therefore a person must take much care to avoid striking, if it is not his minor child or his student who he is rebuking.⁴³²

footnotes: ⁴²⁷ Lit., who slap's a Jew's jaw is as if he slapped the jaw of the Shekhinah (Jastrow, BT Sanhedrin ⁴²⁸ Meaning of the proof-text is unclear, but it seems to be a play on לועו, "his jaw" and ילע, "declare." ⁴²⁹ It is not appropriate to rush to judgment as to what he believes is holy and to strike someone over it. One that does so should be severely punished. ⁴³⁰ Brackets in Moriah, Me'ah She'arim; Vilna, Zilber ed. omit the proof-text and following phrase. ⁴³¹ Translation following Koren. The proof-text puns on זרוע, meaning both "arm" and "mighty," in the original context, it speaks of a powerful man having dominion over the earth, but in the rabbinic context he has the earth in a more literal sense, being buried in it. ⁴³² Makor ha-Yirah: BT Sanhedrin 58b. "And it is fitting for him to be buried…" see, so explains our rabbi there in the gemara in what they say (במאי דאמרינן) there is no fixing (תקנה) for him but burial, however Rashi does not explain it so. "If not his child…" BT Makkot 8a. "minor" Mo'ed Katan 17a. "Or his student…" Makkot ibid., Bava Batra 21a, SA YD 245:10.

If you shall rebuke your fellow do not rebuke him and put him to shame (BT Erachin 16b), but rebuke him in secret. Even a hundred times.

You shall not whiten the face of your fellow in public, for one who whitens his fellow's face, it is considered blood, spilled blood, (as) you know: the red color (of the face) disappears and the white takes its place⁴³³ 58b (translation and citation following Jastrow). Vilna, Zilber ed.: תדע דעזיל סומקא ואתי חיורא; Moriah: סֻמְקָא. Me'ah She'arim: סֻמָּקָא. and he has no share in the world-to-come. And it would be better for that man that he should throw himself down into a fiery furnace than to whiten his fellow's face in public. (BT Berachot 43b)⁴³⁴ 58b; Rambam hilchot de'ot:8. "Better for him…" BT Bava Metzia 59a; "he has no share…"ibid., M. Avot 3:13. (But 3:11 in some eds.).

footnotes: ⁴³³ Targ. Gen. 30:35, BT Bava Metzia ⁴³⁴ Makor ha-Yirah: Bava Metzia

But if you have strongly rebuked a person in private a few times but he does not accept [it], it is permitted to put him to shame and whiten his face and hate him and pursue him until he does accept [it]. And anyone who is in a position to rebuke the one who commits a transgression but does not rebuke the transgressor, the transgression is on his head.⁴³⁵ But if he does rebuke, then it saves his life.⁴³⁶ and בין אדם למקום.

footnotes: ⁴³⁵ Vilna: וכל מי שיש בידו להוכיח [האדם העובר עבירה] ואינו מוכיח (אדם עובר) העבירה בראשו. Translation following Vilna for best understanding. Zilber ed., Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: וכל מי שיש בידו להוכיח ואינו מוכיח אדם עובר, העבירה בראשו. "and whoever is in a position to rebuke and does not rebuke a man who transgresses, the transgression is on his head." ⁴³⁶ Zilber's comment here discusses sins בין אדם להברו

Do not be alone with any woman, even your daughter or your sister, and even⁴³⁷ an unmarried woman, other than your wife, even if she is ritually impure [due to menstruation] and your mother.⁴³⁸ 37a SA אח"ע 23. And as our rabbi wrote: even your daughter.

footnotes: ⁴³⁷ Perhaps "especially." ⁴³⁸ Makor ha-Yirah: BT Kiddushin 81b. "Even a niddah…" BT Sanhedrin

Now what [does it mean to be] alone?⁴³⁹ To be (in a room) locked with a key or with a padlock,⁴⁴⁰ this is [being] alone as said in the Torah, "if your brother, the son of your mother, or your son, or your daughter, or the wife of your bosom entices you in secret…" (Deut. 13:7).⁴⁴¹

footnotes: ⁴³⁹ Occasionally R. Yonah breaks into a Talmudic "voice," from giving aspirational laws to discussing the meanings of his rules. This is one of these places. Vilna, Zilber ed.: ואיזה הוא יחוד. Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: וְאֵיזֶהוּ (more proper Rabbinic diction). ⁴⁴⁰ סגור במפתח או במנעול. ⁴⁴¹ Vilna: כי יסיתךאחיך בן אמך וגו' [בסתר]. Others end at וגו'; Zilber ed. spells out וגומר.

And even with two women.⁴⁴²

footnotes: ⁴⁴² Makor ha-Yirah: according to Rashi, two are forbidden but more are permitted.

And it is good to be on guard against even sitting with one woman in an open doorway in public.

Do not let your ears hear the voice of a woman singing,⁴⁴³ for the voice of a woman is nakedness, her hair is nakedness, and everything that is mentioned in Song of Songs -- voice, hair, teeth, neck -- [is] nakedness.⁴⁴⁴

footnotes: ⁴⁴³ Translation following Jastrow on Ber. 1. c. ⁴⁴⁴ Vilna, Zilber ed.: וכל האמור בשיר השירים לשבח, היינו -- קול, שער ,שינים, צואר --ערוה. "and everything that is mentioned in the Song of Songs for praise, this is -- voice, hair, teeth, neck -- nakedness." Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: וכל האמור בשיר-השירים, ערוה. קול, שֵׂער, שִׁנַּיִם, צואר, כל האמור בפרשה לשבח. "And everything that is mentioned in the Song of Songs is nakedness. Voice, hair, teeth, neck, everything that is mentioned in the chapter for praise." I.e., Song of Songs 6. Makor ha-Yirah: BT, Berachot 24a.

And it is forbidden for him⁴⁴⁵ even to gaze at the little finger of a woman to derive pleasure from the sight. And anyone who pays money to a woman by counting coins from his hand to her hand in order to gaze at her,⁴⁴⁶ 61a, Eruvin 18b. even [though] he [might] have received the Torah at Sinai like our Teacher Moses from the hand of the Holy One Blessed be He, will not be cleared from the sentence of Gehinnom.⁴⁴⁷

footnotes: ⁴⁴⁵ Vilna, Zilber ed.: ואסור לו להסתכל; Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: ואסור (לו) להסתכל. ⁴⁴⁶ Translation following Jastrow, BT Berachot ⁴⁴⁷ Zilber ed.: מדינו של גיהנם; others מִדִינָהּ של גיהנם

Always⁴⁴⁸ accustom⁴⁴⁹ your lips (to) words of the fear of Heaven such as, "Be strong as a leopard, [" (M. Avot 5:24);⁴⁵⁰ "The end of the matter, when all is said and done: [Fear God and keep His commandments]," (Eccl. 12:13); "And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you but to fear [the Lord your God]," (Deut. 10:12); "Be very, very humble," (M. Avot 4:4). And such as come out like these, accustom your language, and you shall not come to grief.

footnotes: ⁴⁴⁸ Boldface in Moriah, Me'ah She'arim. ⁴⁴⁹ Me'ah She'arim: הרגל תמיד; others תמיד הרגל. ⁴⁵⁰ Vilna gives the cite as M. Avot 5:23; Zilber ed. gives it as 23:23 (probably a misprint).

Do not⁴⁵¹ be attached to a book.⁴⁵²

footnotes: ⁴⁵¹ Boldface in Moriah, Me'ah She'arim. ⁴⁵² אל תַּהֲדוֹק. But be engaged in the study for the sake of improving your heart.Makor ha-Yirah: According to the Vilna Gaon and others, all study should be for the deed and for making some fence. He should not budge from the book until the learning has made some listing in his heart to add to the fear of the Lord. I have seen the marvelous teaching... so in the middle of the learning permission is granted to a person to break off for a short time “before” his heart is covered with the fear of the Lord since he accepts it upon himself before the start of learning. And in his words is hidden the entire secret of the acceptance of the Torah.

Nor kill a louse on the table, for it is called an altar.⁴⁵³ 55a. At the time the Temple was standing the altar atoned for Israel, but now a man's table atones for him. [Jastrow: ref. to Ez. 41:22] And do not speak during the Grace after Meals.

footnotes: ⁴⁵³ Makor ha-Yirah: (At this point the formatting of Makor ha-Yirah looks different. It may just be a publishing error, but it may be something more substantive.) BT Berachot

Bring up⁴⁵⁴ your sons⁴⁵⁵ for learning Torah and good deeds, even in their old age they will not depart from them. And teach your daughters⁴⁵⁶ the laws of nidah and [separating] challah, prohibitions and permissions, teachings that apply to them⁴⁵⁷ lest they feed you a forbidden thing or to the members of their families.⁴⁵⁸

footnotes: ⁴⁵⁴ Boldface in Vilna. ⁴⁵⁵ Modern Jews would read “children,” but R. Yonah probably meant "sons." ⁴⁵⁶ Vilna: [לבנותיך] (לבניך)("your children")["your daughters"]. In this case בניך almost has to mean "children," because these are laws that pertain to women. Zilber ed., לבניך; Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: לִבְנוֹתֶיךָ It might be more egalitarian to translate "your children" here. ⁴⁵⁷ דברים הנוהגים בהם. Vilna: הנוהגים (בהם) [בהן]. (masculine ending) [feminine ending]. Zilber ed., בהם. Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: בהו ⁴⁵⁸ Vilna: פן יאכילוך דבר אסור או לבני (ביתם) [ביתן]. (masculine ending) [feminine ending]. Zilber ed., Moriah: ביתם. Me'ah She'arim: ביתן.

Take⁴⁵⁹care in [reciting] the blessing of the new moon each month at its [proper] time from when they enjoy its light until the fullness of the moon, for if Israel were to merit nothing but to greet their Father in heaven only once a month, it would be enough for them⁴⁶⁰ 41b. Alfasi, end of the chapter of morning prayer. SA OC § 426: (seems long but comprehensible. is it me or is there a substantive change to the makor ha-yirah here?) (BT Sanhedrin 42a).

footnotes: ⁴⁵⁹ Boldface in Moriah only. ⁴⁶⁰ Makor ha-Yirah: BT, Sanhedrin

Take care with the honor due your wife, according to our sages, "he loves his wife as himself, and honors her more than himself," (BT Yebamot 62b) for it is enough for you that she raises your children and saves you from sin. And be careful not to hurt her feelings, for her tears are frequent. Therefore her pain is immanent, for the gates of tears are not locked (BT Bava Metzia 59a).

Keep your secret and all the more so with another’s secret. "Keep the gates of your mouth shut from her that lies in your bosom," (Micah 7:5).⁴⁶¹

footnotes: ⁴⁶¹ הסתר סודך וכל-שכן סוד אחרים. The final line does not seem to comport with the rest of the "aishet chayil" kind of feeling of the halachah.

Enjoy⁴⁶² the mitzvot⁴⁶³ to the most of your ability. And adorn the mitzvah up to one-third of the [value of the] mitzvah. For example, if he found⁴⁶⁴ an etrog for 12 prutas⁴⁶⁵ for 12 coins…" (number abbreviated 10+2); אתרוג בשתים-עשרה פרוטות " …etrog for 12 *prutas." (*number written out in full). and he found another one more beautiful than it, he should add up to 18 prutas⁴⁶⁶. to get the more beautiful one.⁴⁶⁷ 133b. And what is written, "adorn the mitzvah…" BT Bava Kamma 9b, SA OC § 656:1 (71?) (he goes on at some length, citing the Gaon of Vilna).

footnotes: ⁴⁶² Boldface in Moriah, Me'ah She'arim. ⁴⁶³ Vilna, Zilber ed.: במצוה, "the commandment." Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: בַמִּצְוֹת; "the commandments." ⁴⁶⁴ Zilber ed.: מצאו, "if they found"; Others מצא, "if he found." ⁴⁶⁵ Vilna, Zilber ed.: אתרוג בי"ב מנה, "…etrog ⁴⁶⁶ Vilna, Zilber ed.: י"ח מנה , 18 coins. Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: שמונה-עשרה פרוטות, eighteen prutas ⁴⁶⁷ Makor ha-Yirah: BT Shabbat

A mitzvah that has no interpretation: interpret it. And let it not be a light thing in your eyes, neither the mitzvah, nor the transgression.⁴⁶⁸ 63a 'at the time they bring in the dispersed (? -- פזר)…' "Let it not be a light thing…" M. Avot 2:1, 4:2.

footnotes: ⁴⁶⁸ Makor ha-Yirah: BT Berachot

You shall not flee from doing a mitzvah neither for fear of monetary⁴⁶⁹ loss nor because of fear of physical pain.⁴⁷⁰ For the mitzvah is worth it⁴⁷¹ to protect you from all danger. And if, God forbid,⁴⁷² (initials) ח"ו, as in Vilna, Zilber ed. some damages should befall you, the master of your labor⁴⁷³ is faithful to repay the loss that you incurred on its behalf.

footnotes: ⁴⁶⁹ Vilna, Zilber ed.: לא בשביל יראת הפסד ממון ולא, "neither for fear of monetary loss nor…"; Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: לֹא בִשְׁבִיל יִרְאַת הֶפְסֵד ולא, "neither for fear of loss nor…" Translation follows Vilna, Zilber ed. for clarity. ⁴⁷⁰ פחד עונש הגוף. lit., "fear of punishment of the body." This is not just respect but outright fear. Not literal punishment, but the discomfort and risk associated with it. ⁴⁷¹ Vilna, Zilber ed.: כי כדאי היא המצוה. "for the mitzvah is worth it..."; Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: כִּי כְדָאִית הִיא הַמִּצְוָה ⁴⁷² Moriah: חס ושלום; Me'ah She'arim: חס וחלילה. Both roughly mean "God forbid," and the discrepancy is probably due to guessing what the mss. meant when it gave rashei teivot ⁴⁷³ בעל מלאכתך, the master of your labor, i.e. God -- The One who commanded you to do the thing that resulted in loss will repay your loss.

When you go on your⁴⁷⁴ way, go without any harm being done.⁴⁷⁵ And take care with [reciting] the Wayfarer's Prayer, and this is it: "May it be your will⁴⁷⁶, our god and god of our fathers,⁴⁷⁷ that you lead us in safety and direct us in safety, and support us in peace.⁴⁷⁸ And that you save us from the hand of all foes and those lying in wait on the road. And may you bring us to rest to the safe harbor of our desire in peace, and may you return us to our homes in peace, for you are the One who hears prayer. Blessed are You, the eternal, who hears prayer."⁴⁷⁹ And he must say it even if he does not want to go, except⁴⁸⁰ if he is only going a parasang.⁴⁸¹ [And he must say it] within walking a parasang.⁴⁸² And the same if he forgot to say it and remembered after walking more than a parasang, [but] he says it without the seal of the blessing.⁴⁸³" clause. Makor ha-Yirah: BT, Bava Kamma 60b. "And take care to say the Wayfarer's..." BT Berachot 29b. SA OC § 110:4.

footnotes: ⁴⁷⁴ Boldface in Moriah, Me'ah She'arim. ⁴⁷⁵ צא בכי-טוב. Leave well. ⁴⁷⁶ Vilna, Zilber ed. abbreviate: יה"ר (=יהי רצון) ⁴⁷⁷ Vilna, Zilber ed. abbreivate: ה' או"א (=יי אלוהינו ואלוהי אבותינו). ⁴⁷⁸ Vilna: ותסמכנו [לשלום], "and support us [in peace]." ⁴⁷⁹ This is not the current form of the Wayfarer's Prayer. Although it is similar it is shorter and not as complicated. Evidently the prayer continued to evolve and grow after R. Yonah's day. ⁴⁸⁰ Vilna, וצריך לאמרה אפילו אם אינו רוצה ללכת כ"א פרסה, Zilber ed.: וצריך לאמרה אפילו אם אינו רוצה ללכת כי אם פרסה. Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: וצריך לאמרָהּ אפילו אם אינו רוצה ללכת אֶלָּא . פַרְסָה Despite the variance, they say substantively the same thing. Translation following Vilna, Zilber ed. ⁴⁸¹ Or, a "Persian mile" (Jastrow). ⁴⁸² Zilber ed. omits ובתוך מהלך פרסה. ⁴⁸³ That is, the final "baruch atah...

If gentiles confront you⁴⁸⁴ do not change your manner of speaking as if you were not a Jew.⁴⁸⁵ Even if they say to you, "you are a gentile," say to them "I am a Jew."

footnotes: ⁴⁸⁴ Vilna, Zilber ed.: פגעת כותים. Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: גוֹיִם ⁴⁸⁵ יהודי. Interesting word choice; he often uses ישראל to mean "a Jew."

And do not cross the toll-collectors⁴⁸⁶ and get arrested⁴⁸⁷and put your dignity and your life at risk.⁴⁸⁸ 13:2). Apparently tax farmers were feared above all other brigands. It is related to יראה as well. You shall not stand in a place of danger and rely upon a miracle, but always fear lest it cause you to sin. But remember our father Jacob, "Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed…" (Gen. 32:8). Do not annoy [even] a gentile child for the gentiles⁴⁸⁹ bear grudges.⁴⁹⁰

footnotes: ⁴⁸⁶ Vilna, Zilber ed.: המכסים. (this could be read as מֹכֵּסִים, tax collectors). Moriah, Me'ah She'arim: הַמֻּכְסָנִין. Heb. unc. According to Jastrow, revenue farmers, publicans, custom-collectors are considered robbers by Jewish law. ⁴⁸⁷ Vilna: ותתּפש ותשת. Zilber ed.: ותשת , Hebrew unclear. Moriah, Me'ah She'arim, וְתִתָּפֵשׂ וְתָשִׂים , "and get arrested and put..." ⁴⁸⁸ יראתך ונפשך על קרן הצבי. Lit, "your fear and your soul upon the horn of the deer." I.e., following Jastrow, put them where they cannot be reclaimed. (See M. Kethubot ⁴⁸⁹ All four eds.: גוי קטן...הגוים. None uses a euphemism here. ⁴⁹⁰ Makor ha-Yirah: BT Pesachim 114. "Do not stand…" BT Shabbat 32a. "Do not harass…" BT Pesachim 113a.

Do not⁴⁹¹ be too righteous.⁴⁹² If you see a naked woman⁴⁹³ drowning in a river, do not say, "I shall flee and I shall not look at her," or things like this.⁴⁹⁴ If you hear a man saying [he will] kill⁴⁹⁵ his fellow, do not say, "I shall not reveal him and be a talebearer." Do not stand by the blood of your neighbor,⁴⁹⁶ but say to the best of your ability that it is not the language of talebearing, and then your life shall be saved.

footnotes: ⁴⁹¹ Boldface in Moriah, Me'ah She'arim. ⁴⁹² אל תהי צדיק הרבה. Perhaps, overly righteous? Senderos de Vida: No seas justo mucho demasiado, “Do not be too much of a just one.” This appears to be one of those places R. Yonah recognizes people's limitations. ⁴⁹³ Vilna, Zilber ed.: אשה ערומה טובעת בנהר, "a naked woman drowning in a river,"; Moriah, Me'ah She'rim omit the word ערומה, "naked," perhaps not wanting to include the phrase “naked woman” in a religious text. What an amazing dictum from this paragon of stern morality! This is akin to R. Bachyah Ibn Pakuda, the eleventh-century Babylonian philosopher saying that this is more than just fulfilling the nuts and bolts, but also that there are greater duties afoot. ⁴⁹⁴ וכיוצא בזה ⁴⁹⁵ lit., “saying to strike…” ⁴⁹⁶ "Do not go as a talebearer among your people; neither shall you stand by the blood of your neighbor" (Lev. 19:16) I.e., you will avoid the punishment for talebearing because you were fulfilling the mitzvah not to stand by the blood of your neighbor.Makor ha-Yirah: BT, Sotah 21b, “Who is pious? One who שוטה…” “If you hear of a man…” in the gemara ibid but see Rambam ch.1 laws of the murderer 14.

Do not praise a woman for her beauty in front of your fellow, lest you should make him desire her; when the verse, “you shall not covet,” (Exod. 20:16)⁴⁹⁷ can be read “you shall not covet” and also be read ⁴⁹⁸ “you shall not cause coveting.”⁴⁹⁹ Do not flirt with the women⁵⁰⁰ in order to seize them with desire for you.⁵⁰¹ And do not increase conversation with them,⁵⁰² 1:5. Zilber ed.: ואל תרבה שיחה עמה, “and do not increase chatter with her...”; Others, עמהן, “with them.” even with your wife.

footnotes: ⁴⁹⁷ Exod. 20:14 in JPS and Koren. It cannot be an error because both pointed eds. have this cite. ⁴⁹⁸ קרי ביה...וכן קרי ביה One might expect אל תקרא...אלא here, so it might have something to do with קֶרִי, having an emission of semen, which might be the eventual result of praising a woman’s beauty to another man, and which Judaism, especially mystical Judaism, frowns on, but this rendering seems the most likely. ⁴⁹⁹ Vilna: .וכתיב לא תחמוד. קרי ביה לא תחמיד וכן קרי ביה לא תחמד (This gives the form of the verb, in the qal in the original Biblical commandment, in the hiphil and in the piel. Jastrow lists the piel as synonymous with the qal, and lists no meaning in the hiphil). Zilber ed.: וכתוב לא תחמוד קרי ביה לא תחמוד וכן קרי ביה לא תחמד. “And the verse ‘you shall not covet’ can be read ‘you shall not covet,’ and can also be read you shall not make covet.’” (giving the verb in the qal form twice and the piel form once). Translation generally follows Zilber ed. for ease of understanding. Moriah: וּכְתִיב (שמות כ טז) לֹא תַחְמוֹד, קְרִי בֵהּ לֹא תַחְמִיד, וְכֵן קְרִי בֵהּ לֹא תְחַמֵד. Puts קְרִי in the imperative: “read it:...”. Me’ah She’arim: identical to Moriah but points קְרֵי. ⁵⁰⁰ Vilna, Zilber ed.: אל תקשט נפשך ותלך בין הנשים. Moriah, Me’ah She’arim: אַל תְקַשֵׁט עַצְמְךָ ⁵⁰¹ Vilna, Zilber ed.: כדי שתתאוינה לך; Moriah, Me’ah She’arim: כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּתְאַוּוּ לָךְ ⁵⁰² M. Avot

Now this⁵⁰³ is increase of conversation: like the one that asked of Beruriah [the wife of Rabbi Meir, a Talmudic sage]: “By which road do we go to Lod?” She said to him, “Stupid Galilean! You should have asked me, “which to Lod?!”⁵⁰⁴ which R. Yonah quotes here, “the one” who was unfortunate enough to wind up on the wrong side of her quick mind and sharp tongue by asking her the question using more than the absolutely fewest words required was none other than R. Yosei the Galilean.

footnotes: ⁵⁰³ Vilna, Zilber ed.: וזהו; Moriah, Me’ah She’arim: וְזֶה ⁵⁰⁴ Beruriah was the wife of Rabbi Meir, a Talmudic sage of the Tannaitic era. While not herself a rabbi, she is sometimes called the only female Sage in Talmudic literature. In the mishna

Nor should he look at their dyed clothes, even those stretched out on the wall [to dry]. The rule of the matter: whatever a man⁵⁰⁵ can do to distance himself from [women] and their business transactions⁵⁰⁶ and their speech, he should do to distance himself. For the evil inclination is forever burning like a fire to cause man to sin.⁵⁰⁷ Therefore a man must always be a military advisor to make war with the evil inclination.⁵⁰⁸ 30b; Yebamot 63b

footnotes: ⁵⁰⁵ While in general this text has rendered אדם”person,” R. Yonah clearly here means men specifically because he is talking about how they should behave around women. ⁵⁰⁶ כל מה שיכול האדם להתרחק מהן וממשאן וממתנן that is, from their משא ומתן, their business dealings. ⁵⁰⁷ Vilna, Zilber ed.: להחטיא האדם; Moriah, Me’ah She’arim: לְהַחֲטִיא אֶת הָאָדָם. The pointed eds. correct the text to include the direct object marker. ⁵⁰⁸ צריך האדם להיות כל שעה יועץ תחבולות לעשות מלחמה עם יצר הרע. Or, “a man must always be seeking the advice of councils to make war with the evil appetite.”Makor ha-Yirah: … BT Kiddushin

Do not⁵⁰⁹ praise anyone in front of his enemy, since it makes him incensed against him and in the praise cause him to speak of his shortcomings,⁵¹⁰ 16a. Zilber comment gives the same cite, plus BT Bava Batra 164b. and do not put him to shame in front of his friend.⁵¹¹

footnotes: ⁵⁰⁹ Boldface in Moriah, Me’ah She’arim. ⁵¹⁰ Which would be evil speech or talebearing. Translation following Jastrow, BT Arakhin ⁵¹¹ אוהבו. More literally, “his lover,” but seems to be used here as the opposite of “his enemy.”

Do not censure the bargain⁵¹² of your fellow in front of him, and do not praise him but rather be silent; why would you respond⁵¹³ and flatter?

footnotes: ⁵¹² אל תגנה מקח, could also be read, “do not censure the bribe-taking…” but this reading seems more likely. ⁵¹³ Vilna: תשיב: hiphil: imperfect: 2ms: שוב: “reply, refute.” Zilber ed.: תשוב: qal: imperfect: 2ms: שוב: “return.” Moriah, Me’ah She’arim: תֵשֵׁב: qal: impf: 2ms: ישב “sit”

Do not enter your home suddenly, and all the more so⁵¹⁴ for your neighbor’s house.⁵¹⁵

footnotes: ⁵¹⁴ Vilna, Zilber ed.: וכ"ש (=וכול שכן); pointed eds. resolve the abbreviation. ⁵¹⁵ Makor ha-Yirah: BT Pesachim 112a.

Do not advise⁵¹⁶ a person according to your way, but rather give advice that is good and befitting to whomever seeks counsel with you,⁵¹⁷ for the honor of the Creator.

footnotes: ⁵¹⁶ Moriah: אַל תְּיַעֵץ; Me’ah She’arim: אַל תְּיָעֵץ. ⁵¹⁷ Zilber ed.: שיעץ probably intending שיועץ as Vilna, Moriah, Me’ah She’arim.

The rule of the matter: anything that is entrusted to your heart⁵¹⁸ 32b, Bava Metzia 58b. that a person cannot distinguish for what you intend, [whether] for good or for evil, on this it is said: “You shall fear your God,” (Lev. 19:14) the One who knows your thoughts.

footnotes: ⁵¹⁸ Translation following Jastrow. BT Kiddushin

Do not⁵¹⁹ call any man by his attribute⁵²⁰, even [if] he is not in front of you, or even⁵²¹ to say [it] to a[nother] person so that he may be able to recognize him. Rather push yourself after [what] that person [is really about] until he can recognize him.⁵²²

footnotes: ⁵¹⁹ Boldface in Moriah only, but it seems to be a logical place for a section break. ⁵²⁰ e.g., “the blond one,” “the lame one,” “the Black one”, etc... ⁵²¹ Zilber ed.: אפילו...אפילו; others: אפילו...ואפילו. ⁵²² Vilna, Zilber ed.: אך דחק עצמך בענין אחר פב"פ עד שיכירהו. Moriah: אחֵר פְּלוֹנִי בֶּן פְּלוֹנִי, “other, another.” Me’ah She’arim: אַחַר פְּלוֹנִי בֶּן פְּלוֹנִי. “after so-and-so” i.e., about this person. Translation following Me’ah She’arim. Makor ha-Yirah: BT Bava Metzia 58b.

Do not call any one⁵²³ by the name of any disgraceful thing; it is forbidden to call even a child by any loathsome or repulsive⁵²⁴ name in a joking manner⁵²⁵ for they are all clean and holy.

footnotes: ⁵²³ Vilna, Zilber ed., Moriah: אל תקרא משום אדם מישראל, “do not call any Jew...” Me’ah She’arim omits מישראל, making it more inclusive. Translation follows Me’ah She’arim. ⁵²⁴ Vilna: מאוס: repulsive; Zilber ed.: מיאוס, loathsome. Moriah, Me’ah She’arim: מָאוּס. Translation preserves both options. ⁵²⁵ Zilber ed. omits דרך שְׂחוק which is found in the other eds.

And do not praise any gentile⁵²⁶ neither by grace, nor by beauty, but rather⁵²⁷ by his deeds. And when you see a gentile doing good, or righteousness, or dealing faithfully -- worry! for grace for the nations of the world is sin for Israel. And do not give them the benefit of the doubt⁵²⁸ (except in front of them for the sake of peace).⁵²⁹ 20a...SA YD § 151:14. (etc.) “and when you see gentiles doing good…” BT Bava Batra 10b. “And do not judge them in the scale of merit…” (etc.) “except in front of them…” this is not a prohibition except d’Rabbanan.

footnotes: ⁵²⁶ Vilna: כותי; others גוי. See above. ⁵²⁷ Vilna: אלא במעשיו, “…but only by his deeds.” Zilber ed.: ולא במעשיו, “…nor by his deeds.” Moriah, Me’ah She’arim: [ולא] (אלא). (“but only...”) [“neither”] “by his deeds.” ⁵²⁸ Lit., “and do not judge them in the scale of merit.” ⁵²⁹ Makor ha-Yirah: BT Avodah Zarah

Now: do not give ink to gentile scribes⁵³⁰ who write the Names of impurity and its nullities⁵³¹ for it is forbidden to support the hands of transgressors.⁵³²

footnotes: ⁵³⁰ Vilna: סופר כותי; Zilber ed.: אומות העולם “of the nations of the world,” Moriah, Me’ah She’arim: אֻמוֹת-הָעוֹלָם ⁵³¹ Vilna, Zilber ed.: הכותבים שמות הטואמה ופסוליה “the ones who write the names of impurity and its nullities”; Moriah, Me’ah She’arim: …שׂמוֹת הַטֻמְאָה וּפְסִילֵיהֶם, “...the names of impurity and their nullities. I.e., what seems to be divine, but the nullities associated with it are idolatry. ⁵³² עוברי עבירה, lit., “who transgress transgressions.”Zilber’s comment mentions Rashi on BT Avodah Zarah 55a

Be on guard against⁵³³ causing pain to animals,⁵³⁴ whether beast or foul, and all the more so⁵³⁵ not to cause pain to a person, since he is made in the image of the Omnipresent One.⁵³⁶

footnotes: ⁵³³ Boldface in Moriah, Me’ah She’arim. ⁵³⁴ Vilna, Zilber ed. abbreviate בע"ח; Moriah, Me’ah She’arim resolve to בעלי-חיים ⁵³⁵ likewise, Vilna, Zilber ed. abbreviate וכ"ש; Moriah, Me’ah She’arim resolve to וְכָל-שֶׁכֵן ⁵³⁶ המקום, lit., “the place,” a Rabbinic name for God. Makor ha-Yirah: BT Bava Metzia 32b, SA Choshen Mishpat § ער"ב (?)

If you want to hire workers and you have found poor ones, let them be as members of your own family. And you shall surely not disdain them; you shall only command them in a manner of respect; and pay them their wages in full, neither shall you press them in saying, “go and come back”⁵³⁷ for there are many negative [commandments]⁵³⁸ about the matter⁵³⁹ and to it He may take his life in payment.⁵⁴⁰ 1:5; BT Bava Metzia 60b. SA YD § 249, §251. “ואל תדחם בלך ושוב” Bava Metzia 110b

footnotes: ⁵³⁷ ואל תדחם בלך ושוב. ⁵³⁸ unpointed eds. give Rabbinic plural לאוין; pointed eds. give Biblical plural לאוים. ⁵³⁹ Such as not to oppress the poor. ⁵⁴⁰ Lit., “he lifts up his soul.” Vilna: ואליו הוא נושא את נפשו (שלומין). “…his soul ([in] payment).” Zilber ed.: ואליו הוא נושא את נפשו. Moriah: …אֶת נַפְשׁוֹ שִׁלּוּמִים. “his soul [in] payment.” Me’ah She’arim: אֶת נַפְשׁוֹ. Makor ha-Yirah: M. Avot

Do not⁵⁴¹ sit among the standing nor stand among the sitting; do not sleep among the waking nor be awake among the sleeping. Do not rejoice among the sorrowful nor be sorrowful among those who rejoice. The rule of the matter: a person should not differ from the custom; however, all will be for good and fear of heaven⁵⁴² if one should see scoffers, he shall not join in their scoffery.⁵⁴³ ch. 10 (?); BT Ketubot 17a

footnotes: ⁵⁴¹ Boldface in Moriah, Me’ah She’arim. ⁵⁴² Vilna, Zilber ed. abbreviate ובירש"ם; Moriah, Me’ah She’arim resolve וביראת-שמים. ⁵⁴³ Makor ha-Yirah: Masekhet Kallah

Do not⁵⁴⁴ be glorified by⁵⁴⁵ any thing that you have done.

footnotes: ⁵⁴⁴ Boldface in Moriah. ⁵⁴⁵ Vilna, Zilber ed.: ואל תתפאר בשום דבר שעשית; Moriah, Me’ah She’arim: וְאַל תִּתְפָּאֵר מִשּׁוּם .

Do not even stand in a place where there is superior rank⁵⁴⁶ lest your heart grow haughty.

footnotes: ⁵⁴⁶ מעלה perhaps, “haughtiness”?

Now if you hear that people have praised you, worry and apologize about the matter.⁵⁴⁷ 6:2*.*

footnotes: ⁵⁴⁷ Makor ha-Yirah: M. Avot

Do not separate yourself from the community, for you shall not receive a reward with them.⁵⁴⁸ And if you separate, the two accompanying angels that every person has set their hands upon his head and say, “So-and-so, who separated from the community, shall not see the comfort of that community.”⁵⁴⁹, rabbinical ordination, setting that person apart in the realm above as he separated himself in the world below. Makor ha-Yirah: BT Ta’anit 11a; Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim § 574:5. If the community has elected you leader, do not lord it over them.⁵⁵⁰

footnotes: ⁵⁴⁸ Zilber ed. המעם, probably a typographical error; Others, עמהם, “with them.” ⁵⁴⁹ Second person/third person confusion in original. “The comfort of that community,” i.e., its reward for its righteousness. The angels placing their hands upon the head of the transgressor is a strange, inverted version of s’michah ⁵⁵⁰ Zilber ed. omits this clause, but the next halachah seems to depend on it.

And do not put fear over them that is not for the sake of heaven. And bear their troubles, for the reward of a great leader of the generation.⁵⁵¹ 17a.

footnotes: ⁵⁵¹ Translation following Moriah: וּסְבוֹל טָרְחָם, כִּי גָדוֹל [שְׂכַר] פַּרְנַס הַדּוֹר. Others: כי גדול פרנס הדור.Makor ha-Yirah: BT Rosh Hashanah

Now, if you are a [Torah] scribe, do not omit a letter or a word or add⁵⁵². to sign your name at the top.⁵⁵³ 13a. “to seal…”

footnotes: ⁵⁵² תְיַתֵּר: piel: impf: 2ms: יתר According to Jastrow this root does not occur in the piel ⁵⁵³ Makor ha-Yirah: BT Eruvin

And if you are hired to teach Torah take care when you are at your work not to do any other work, not even any other thing, for the moment your students shall err but you shall not hear, your work [is] a work of cheating, and cursed chearting.⁵⁵⁴ Not even to answer or speak to anyone, and learn from Abba Hilkiyah, of blessed memory (BT Ta’anit 23a).⁵⁵⁵ 8b. [He also mentions the Ta’anit 23a cite]. Abba Hilkiyah is a grandson of the famous Talmudic figure Choni the Circle-drawer, who like his grandfather saves teh community from drought by praying for rain to fall. In the aggadah cited in the Talmud, he displays exemplary humility and piety.

footnotes: ⁵⁵⁴ ומלאכתך רְמִיָּה ורמיה בארור ⁵⁵⁵ Makor ha-Yirah: BT Bava Batra

There shall not dwell in your home⁵⁵⁶ a book of Torah, Prophets, and Writings⁵⁵⁷, the Hebrew Bible. that has not been corrected if you know how to correct it.⁵⁵⁸].

footnotes: ⁵⁵⁶ Boldface in Moriah, Me’ah She’arim; lit. “you shall not cause to dwell in your tent.” ⁵⁵⁷ I.e., a copy of the Tanakh (= Torah, Nevi’im, Ketuvim) ⁵⁵⁸ Books at the time were handwritten manuscripts susceptible to scribal errors.Makor ha-Yirah: BT Ketubot 19b; “There shall not dwell in your house a book…” SA YD top of § 279. [about needing to place the book in a genizah

And do not allow your home [to be] without a railing for the steps.⁵⁵⁹

footnotes: ⁵⁵⁹ ואל תַּנִּיחַ ביתך בלא מַעֲקֶה למדרגות.Makor ha-Yirah: [“What our Rabbi innovates that the steps require a railing that is not mentioned in the decisors, is simple, is not different from a hole in the courtyard that is decided in Sifrei and decided in the Rambam and the SA, § 427, “that a fence is obligated.”]

Nor shall you raise a dangerous dog⁵⁶⁰ or anything else that causes damage in the midst of your home. The rule of the matter: remove from your home⁵⁶¹ every danger and every stumbling-block.⁵⁶² 15b, SA (YD) § 409*.*

footnotes: ⁵⁶⁰ R. Yonah specifies כלב רע. The Shulchan Aruch will later ban all dogs. ⁵⁶¹ הָסֵר מביתך: hiphil: impv: 2ms: סור ⁵⁶² Makor ha-Yirah: BT Baba Kamma

[If] you have borrowed a tool from your neighbor, or anything else with which to do work, do not do other work with it.

You shall not borrow any thing without permission, for one who borrows without knowledge is a robber.⁵⁶³ 88a; SA (YD) § 359:5.

footnotes: ⁵⁶³ Makor ha-Yirah: BT Baba Batra

And do not lend [it] to others without permission from whom you borrowed it.⁵⁶⁴ 29a; SA (YD) § 342.

footnotes: ⁵⁶⁴ Makor ha-Yirah: BT Baba Metzia

Now if a person has given you something to use, do not sell it without his permission. Or if he has given you payment⁵⁶⁵ to buy a tallit [katan] do not buy an undershirt with it, for the one who deviates from the consent of the master of the house⁵⁶⁶ is a robber.⁵⁶⁷ 78b.

footnotes: ⁵⁶⁵ דָּמִים ⁵⁶⁶ Vilna abbreviates בעה"ב (= בעל הבית); others spell the phrase out in full. ⁵⁶⁷ Zilber commments: BT Baba Metzia

The greatest rule in the Torah: That which is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor.⁵⁶⁸ 31a.

footnotes: ⁵⁶⁸ Quoted in Aramaic. Makor ha-Yirah: BT Shabbat

Now at every⁵⁶⁹ time and every hour it is important how you shall do the commandments and how you shall keep from transgression in order that you should finish the entire day with goodness.⁵⁷⁰

footnotes: ⁵⁶⁹ Boldface in Moriah, Me’ah She’arim. ⁵⁷⁰ A similiar sentiment to R. Bahya Ibn Pkuda, expressed in Duties of the Heart: it is not enough to fulfill commandments mechanistically; it matters how you do them. This is not a new thought in R. Yonah’s work; we have seen it before.

The end of the matter when all is said and done:⁵⁷¹ remove from your heart⁵⁷² all thoughts of iniquity;⁵⁷³ only meditation⁵⁷⁴ on Torah and fear of Heaven.

footnotes: ⁵⁷¹ An echo of Ecc. 11:13. Translation following both JPS and Koren. ⁵⁷² Zilber ed.: מלבבך; others, מִלִּבְּךָ ⁵⁷³ אָוֶן. Or, falsehood, wrong. ⁵⁷⁴ Me’ah She’arim: הַרְהֵר, pilpel: impf: הרר “meditate”; others: הִרהוּר “meditation.”

And instead⁵⁷⁵ of being soiled in the bathroom let him⁵⁷⁶ think of punishment and reward⁵⁷⁷ for this is the thing that will remove from his heart thoughts of pollution and replace them with thoughts of purity. And after his purity⁵⁷⁸ blessing. let him return to his prior thoughts, how⁵⁷⁹ he should be strict in the service of the Creator,⁵⁸⁰ this [one] is called deliberate in the fear [of Heaven].⁵⁸¹

footnotes: ⁵⁷⁵ Zilber ed.: במקום; others וּבמקום. ⁵⁷⁶ Another shift from second person to third person. ⁵⁷⁷ חשבונות; or, “accountability.” ⁵⁷⁸ i.e., after washing his hands and saying the אשר יצר ⁵⁷⁹ Zilber ed.: היאך; others אֵיך. ⁵⁸⁰ Vilna, Zilber ed.: בעבודת הבורא ית’ (=יתבורך) (in the service of the the Creator, may He be blessed.) Moriah, Me’ah She’arim: הַבּוֹרֵא. ⁵⁸¹ ערוּם ביראה; (Jastrow: considers in what manner he can best serve the Lord.)

At evening-time⁵⁸² go and examine yourself exceedingly well⁵⁸³ before you walk to the synagogue.⁵⁸⁴

footnotes: ⁵⁸² Boldface in Moriah, Me’ah She’arim. ⁵⁸³ i.e., in the bathroom; see #23, above. ⁵⁸⁴ בית התפילה, lit., “the house of prayer,” not בית הכנסת which might be expected. Swith to second person in original.

Put on your pants and do the entire order which we have said with [regard to] the morning prayers.

Now, if you are able, you shall not eat before the evening prayer, neither on days of heat nor on days of rain,⁵⁸⁵,” “nine months of winter and three months of hell.”) as our sages, may their memory be for a blessing,⁵⁸⁶ expounded [in BT Berachot 10b,⁵⁸⁷ from the verse] “and me, you have cast behind your back,” (1 Kings 14:9) for after you become haughty shall you accept the Kingdom of Heaven?⁵⁸⁸ If you do not eat for the rest of the day the measure increases threefold.⁵⁸⁹

footnotes: ⁵⁸⁵ Perhaps referring to the hot and rainy seasons of the Spanish climate. (But that would be practically all the time: “nueve meses del invierno y tres meses del infierno ⁵⁸⁶ Vilna, Zilber ed.: רז"ל. Moriah: רַבּוֹתֵינוּ ז"ל (=זכרונם לברכה). Me’ah She’arim: רַבּוֹתֵינוּ. ⁵⁸⁷ Vilna gives BT Berachot 6b, probably a typographical error (י and ו confusion). ⁵⁸⁸ Vilna, Zilber ed.: וכו’ לאחר שנתגאה זה קבל עליו מלכות שמים. (“after this one has become haughty he takes the Kingdom of Heaven upon himself”) (Vilna places a period after זה). Moriah, Me’ah She’arim: לְאַחַר שֶׁנִּּּּּּּּּתְגָּיתָ תְּקַבֵּל עֹל מַלְכוּת-שָׁמַיִם (“after you have become haughty shall you take the up the yoke of Kingdom of Heaven”). Translation follows Me’ah She’arim which places a question mark after the phrase indicating a rhetorical question. ⁵⁸⁹ גדול שיעור שלש פרסאות

If he⁵⁹⁰ has come from the house of prayer and the time for bed has come, let him recite all of the Sh’ma since there are two hundred forty-eight words in it⁵⁹¹ to keep all danger away from the two hundred forty-eight limbs in him. And let him say the vihi no’am,⁵⁹² and the hashkivenu⁵⁹³ without a chatimah.⁵⁹⁴ And let him recite verses of Torah, one great and one small.⁵⁹⁵ Then let him commend his soul⁵⁹⁶ to the hand of his Creator. Then let him confess and forgive all who hurt him, according to the sages of our sages (may their memory be for a blessing):⁵⁹⁷ let him forgive for all the hurts they may do him. (BT, Megillah 28a).⁵⁹⁸

footnotes: ⁵⁹⁰ The switch to third person is in the original. ⁵⁹¹ Vilna, Zilber ed.: יקרא ק"ש כלו שיש בו רמ"ח תיבות ; Moriah, Me’ah She’arim: יקרא קריאת-שמע כֻּלָהּ שיש בָּהּ מאתים וארבעים ושמונה תֵבוֹת. (Resolving the abbreviations and putting the term in the feminine). ⁵⁹² A quotation from Ps. 90 which is part of the traditional bedtime Sh’ma ritual. ⁵⁹³ A prayer asking for God’s protection while sleeping, also part of the traditional bedtime Sh’ma ritual. ⁵⁹⁴ lit., a “seal,” that is, the final line of the blessing which begins, “...ברוך אתה יי”. ⁵⁹⁵ There are multiple verses of Torah in the traditional bedtime Sh’ma ritual; perhaps at this time it was customary to choose verses. At a later time the verses may have become standardized. ⁵⁹⁶ ויפקיד רוחו ביד בוראו echoes בידו אפקיד רוחי, “into His hand I commend my soul,” from Adon Olam. ⁵⁹⁷ Vilna, Zilber ed.: כדארז"ל. Moriah, Me’ah She’arim resolve to: כְדְאָמְרֵי רבותינו, deleting ז"ל (=זכרונם לברכה) ⁵⁹⁸ ּשרי ליה לכל מאן דמצערן. Vilna: שרי ליה (ומחול) לכל מאן דצערן (ליה), perhaps inserting Hebrew translation into the Aramaic and adding an extra pronoun.

Now let him put his bed between north to south.⁵⁹⁹ and Abraham (Micah 7:20); North being associated with evil (Jeremiah 1:14). So that when he sits up in bed he shall face south and not north. See AMEN (XIV) line 24. Makor ha-Yirah: BT Berachot 5b, SA (OC) § 3:6. And the opinion of our master is like the opinion of the Rambam in ch. 7 from Laws of the House...[]...even if he does not have his wife with him he must be strict about this.

footnotes: ⁵⁹⁹ ויתן מטתו בין צפון לדרום. May have mystical signficance, “South” being associated with Hesed

Then let him take off his left [shoe] first and afterwards his right [shoe].⁶⁰⁰

footnotes: ⁶⁰⁰ Moriah, Me’ah She’arim: ויחלוץ (מנעליו) של שמאל.Makor ha-Yirah: See above, #20.

Then let him lie down and take off his undershirt in his bed⁶⁰¹ without the beams of his house seeing him naked.⁶⁰² And if he has holy writings there in the place where he sleeps let him cover them.⁶⁰³ And [as for] a chumash⁶⁰⁴ he must set it down in a chest and it must be covered.

footnotes: ⁶⁰¹ See discussion about getting dressed in the morning. ⁶⁰² i.e. under the covers; see above. ⁶⁰³ יכסה. Moriah: יְכַסֶּם “cover them.” ⁶⁰⁴ A book of the Pentateuch.

Now he must not sleep lying on his back in case he should placed his hand upon the nakedness.⁶⁰⁵ 13b; Niddah 14a and there Rashi writes another reason. SA Even ha’Ezer § 23:3 and there the reason is not to come into the hands of difficulty (קשוי).

footnotes: ⁶⁰⁵ used, like in its classical usage in Leviticus, as a euphemism for genitals.Makor ha-Yirah: BT, Berachot

And if he has a wife, he should be modest and strict not to speak with her obscenely, for even idle chatter that is between a man and his wife, all of it is judged.⁶⁰⁶ 5b

footnotes: ⁶⁰⁶ על הכול בא במשפט. Zilber: BT Chaggigah

And during intercourse he must not fantasize about another woman for it nearly makes his children bastards.⁶⁰⁷ 20b.

footnotes: ⁶⁰⁷ If Shmuely Boteach has not seen this halakhah, he should. Makor ha-Yirah: BT Nedarim

He must not force⁶⁰⁸ his wife in the matter of a mitzvah;⁶⁰⁹ rather he should persuade her.⁶¹⁰ 100b. SA OC § 240:9.

footnotes: ⁶⁰⁸ ואל יכוף ⁶⁰⁹ By the context of this halahcha in the book, i.e., פרו ורבו. That is, he should not force his wife to have sex even for purposes of procreation. ⁶¹⁰ Makor ha-Yirah: BT Eruvin

Nor should he couple with her half the day⁶¹¹ before her regular date of menstruation and not on the day of it.⁶¹² 18b, SA YD § 184:2. “And not on the day [of it]…” BT, Niddah 17b. [There is something about using the light of the candle; perhaps play on לשמש]

footnotes: ⁶¹¹ עונה אחת ⁶¹² Makor ha-Yirah: BT Shevuot

He should be exceedingly careful⁶¹³ that no obscenity or word of immorality⁶¹⁴ come out of his mouth, even by way of a joke.

footnotes: ⁶¹³ Zilber ed.: יזהר מאד מאד שלא יוציא; others, .וְיִזָהֵר ⁶¹⁴ דבר ערוה, lit, “word of nakedness.”

300.⁶¹⁵ Now, let him intend when doing the deed⁶¹⁶ [that it be] for the sake of a mitzvah: that he should have children who will walk in the ways of the Lord; let him not intend to enjoy it.⁶¹⁷ 13a. And to continue with the language of our Rabbi, it appears according to the opinion of the Kabbalists, when having sex (תשמיש) he should be careful to avoid a wanton emission of seed. It does not appear here that Zilber is talking about mainstream halakhah.

footnotes: ⁶¹⁵ Zilber ed. omits the line number 300. This appears to be line 300. ⁶¹⁶ .ויתכון בשעת מעשה Again, according to the context of the passage, the “deed” referred to is sexual intercourse. ⁶¹⁷ Makor ha-Yirah: BT Niddah

And let him avoid wanton emission of seed to the best of his ability.⁶¹⁸

footnotes: ⁶¹⁸ Vilna: שלא יוציא זר"ל ח"ו (=זרע לבטלה, חס ושלום). “That he not emit seed for naught, God forbid.” Zilber ed.: שלא להוציא שז"ל ח"ס. (Similar but slight variation). Moriah, Me’ah She’arim: שֶׁלֹא יוֹצִיא זֶרַע לְבַטָּלָה. “That he not emit seed for naught,” omitting “God forbid.”

Before retiring, he should study [Torah] to fulfill the mitzvah of “You shall meditate [upon it day and night.]” [Josh. 1:8]. The he should lie down and sleep and rest.

Why,⁶¹⁹ let a man be guided by this entire order as long as he breathes and let him add like this and like that⁶²⁰ to do good and increase the fear of Heaven.⁶²¹

footnotes: ⁶¹⁹ Boldface in Moriah, Me’ah She’arim. ⁶²⁰ ועוד יוסיף כָּהֵנָּה וְכָּהֵנָּה. ⁶²¹ This is the conclusion of the laws that apply every day -- R. Yonah will now briefly discuss laws of behavior on Shabbat and Yom Tov, and conclude the work.

Let him complete his weekly Torah portions with the community,⁶²² twice in the original and once in [Aramaic] translation.⁶²³ But if he does not have an Aramaic translation he may read twice in the original and once in the vernacular⁶²⁴ which is even better than reading three times⁶²⁵ in the original for the Aramaic translation was for one who was not well-versed; how much the more so is the vernacular commentary for those who speak the vernacular.⁶²⁶ 8a; SA OC § 285. “And if he has no targum…” see :2, :42(?)

footnotes: ⁶²² הצבור. Lit., “the public.” ⁶²³ Traditional Bibles are published with Rabbinic commentaries and Targum Onkelos, a translation into Aramaic from the Geonic period in Babylonia. ⁶²⁴ לעז. ⁶²⁵ Vilna, Zilber ed.: ג"פ Moriah, Me’ah She’arim resolve the abbreviation: שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים, “three times.” ⁶²⁶ Makor ha-Yirah: BT Berachot

Now, let him chant the Torah with its tropes, for if one reads it without its melody, the Torah puts on sackcloth.⁶²⁷ 32a.

footnotes: ⁶²⁷ Makor ha-Yirah: BT Megillah

And on the eve⁶²⁸ of the Sabbath,⁶²⁹ he should prepare for the Sabbath meal.⁶³⁰ And even if he has several servants, he should prepare it by himself⁶³¹ for the honor of the Sabbath, which is called “bride” and “queen” and its value is equal to all the other mitzvot on the scale. And let him strive [to complete] Sabbath preparations for this is the thing [Raba] salted a shibbuta himself (for the Sabbath). (BT Shabbat 119a).⁶³² was probably a mullet. Citation appears in Moriah and in Zilber comment, but there, he has Shabbat 109, without a folio.

footnotes: ⁶²⁸ Boldface in Moriah, Me’ah She’arim. ⁶²⁹ Vilna, וב"ש; others: ובערב שבת. ⁶³⁰ לִסְעוּדַת-שבת. ⁶³¹ The halakhah is about making one’s sabbath preparation on one’s own, as opposed to delegating the tasks. ⁶³² Translation following Jastrow, and according to him a Shibbuta

And as much as he can, let him buy sweets for the joy of the Sabbath.⁶³³

footnotes: ⁶³³ עֹנֶג שָׁבַּת. As in, the Oneg Shabbat.

Now, he should not eat on Sabbath eve⁶³⁴ from Minchah onwards, in case he should spoil⁶³⁵ the Sabbath evening meal. And right before evening he should set the table, chair⁶³⁶ and candelabra and put all of the cups and dishes in their proper place.⁶³⁷ 38b; SA OC § 249:2 “And close to erev…” Gemara, Id.; SA OC § 262.

footnotes: ⁶³⁴ Vilna, Zilber ed.: בע"ש; Moriah, Me’ah She’arim: בְּעֶרֶב-שָׁבַּת. ⁶³⁵ פן יפסיד ⁶³⁶ Vilna, Zilber ed.: וכסא; Moriah, Me’ah She’arim: כִּסֵּא ⁶³⁷ Makor ha-Yirah: BT Gittin

And let him be strict with the wine for the Sanctification of the Day.⁶³⁸. Makor ha-Yirah: BT Pesachim 106b; SA OC § 271.

footnotes: ⁶³⁸ קידוש היום. The special Sabbath evening Kiddush

He should wash his fingernails⁶³⁹ every Sabbath eve.⁶⁴⁰ And he should sharpen his knife, as our sages⁶⁴¹ expounded: “‘on the sixth day when they shall prepare…’⁶⁴² this [means] sharpening the knife.” (Sifrei to Exod. 16:5). They further expounded: “‘You shall know that your tent is at peace,’⁶⁴³ this [means] the sharpening of the knife,” (Sifrei to Job 5:24) for if the knife is dull and will not cut this is not [fulfilling the commandment of] peace of the home.⁶⁴⁴

footnotes: ⁶³⁹ ויטול צפרניו i.e., a ritual handwashing. ⁶⁴⁰ As above, Vilna, Zilber ed. abbreviate; Moriah, Me’ah She’arim resolve. ⁶⁴¹ Vilna, Zilber ed.: כמו שדרשו, “as they expounded…” Moriah, Me’ah She’arim insert רַבּוֹתֵינוּ, “as our sages expounded…” ⁶⁴² והיה ביום הששי והכינו את. Vilna, Zilber ed. place square brackets around the direct object marker thus: [את]. ⁶⁴³ Translation following Koren. ⁶⁴⁴ Makor ha-Yirah basically mentions the Sifrei quote. This is about doing things regularly, so that they become second nature.

Then he should wash his face, his hands, and his feet⁶⁴⁵ with hot [water] for the evening after he has done all his needs.

footnotes: ⁶⁴⁵ Such as Abraham did in the Torah.

Everything that he may do, let him think to do [it] for the honor of the Sabbath.

Then let him add from the profane up to the holy.

With⁶⁴⁶ [onset of] darkness let him examine⁶⁴⁷ his clothes and let him light [candles] while the sun is still upon the top of the trees.⁶⁴⁸ 35b.

footnotes: ⁶⁴⁶ Vilna, Zilber ed., ואם, “if”; Moriah, Me’ah She’arim, וְעִם , “with” (perhaps a textual emendation.) Translation follows pointed eds. ⁶⁴⁷ יְמַשְׁמֵשׁ , or, “feel,” “touch,” “handle,” “manipulate,” “search.” Perhaps to make sure they are not soiled or that there are no coins or anything in the pockets such that carrying them would violate the Sabbath. ⁶⁴⁸ Technically, one lights Shabbat candles eighteen minutes prior to sundown. R. Yonah says a man should light the candles. He does not assume his audience consists of married men.Makor ha-Yirah: BT Shabbat

He sanctifies⁶⁴⁹ the day⁶⁵⁰. Tense in original shifts to perfect: קדש היום. and he should pray [the order of prayers of] the Sabbath; then he should rest and enjoy himself. And he should banish from his heart all groaning and all thoughts, as if all his work were done.⁶⁵¹.

footnotes: ⁶⁴⁹ Boldface in Moriah. ⁶⁵⁰ i.e., he recites the Sabbath evening kiddush ⁶⁵¹ Zilber’s comment refers to the Mechilta

Now let him honor the Sabbath with clean clothing and a set table⁶⁵² as best he can.

footnotes: ⁶⁵² Vilna: ויכבד שבת בכסות נקיה [ושולחן ערוך] כפי מה שיוכל. Zilber ed. omits the bracketed phrase; Moriah and Me’ah She’arim include it without brackets.

And he should eat three meals.⁶⁵³ (third meal) Saturday afternoon before sundown.

footnotes: ⁶⁵³ Three meals during the course of the Sabbath: Friday evening dinner, Saturday afternoon lunch, and Se’udah Shlisheet

Let him not speak a word of his desires that he needs,⁶⁵⁴ but only the desires of Heaven.

footnotes: ⁶⁵⁴ אל ידבר שום דבר בחפציו הצריכים לו. Let him not mention his own petty personal needs.

Prior reckonings are permitted.⁶⁵⁵

footnotes: ⁶⁵⁵ חשבונות שעברו מותר. I.e., to be spoken of during Shabbat, but not current accounting.Makor ha-Yirah: SA __ § 307:6 and see there for what is called “prior reckonings.”

Let him not increase conversation if it is not words of Torah and fear of Heaven, for even peaceful requests permit difficulty.⁶⁵⁶

footnotes: ⁶⁵⁶ Vilna, Zilber ed.: כי אף (ד"ת) (=דברי תורה) [שאלת שלום] התירו בקושי. Moriah: כי אף דברי תורה (שאלת שלום) הִתִּירוּ בְקֹשִׁי. Me’ah She’arim: כי אף שאלת שלום התירו בקושי. Translation following Me’ah She’arim, Probable textual emendation.

Let him not march with hasty steps⁶⁵⁷ 10b if not to go to do a mitzvah, and no manner of preparation let him not do.⁶⁵⁸ 6b.

footnotes: ⁶⁵⁷ Translation following Jastrow, BT Ta’anit ⁶⁵⁸ Double negative in the original. Makor ha-Yirah: BT Berachot

Let him not speak of loved ones that died, or any manner of grief of the soul. The rule of the matter: the Sabbath is called a day of pleasure and rest.

323a.⁶⁵⁹ Now let him add from the profane upon the holy.⁶⁶⁰ 33a; SA §§ 294, 296. and let no tear come forth from his eyes. But let him keep it according to the laws taught by our Sages, may peace be upon them.⁶⁶¹ b. On Saturday evening⁶⁶² let him make a separation with prayer and over the cup.⁶⁶³, the ritual separation of the sacred time of Shabbat from the profane time of the rest of the week, which includes a candle with multiple wicks, aromatic spices, and a cup of wine. Makor ha-Yirah: BT Berachot 33a.

footnotes: ⁶⁵⁹ Zilber ed. accidentally numbers #323 twice. ⁶⁶⁰ Makor ha-Yirah: BT Berachot ⁶⁶¹ Vilna, Zilber ed.: וישמרהו כהלכותיו ע"פ רבותינו ע"ה. Moriah, Me’ah She’arim: …על פי רבותינו עליהם השלום. ⁶⁶² Vilna, Zilber ed.: במוצ"ש; Moriah, Me’ah She’arim: .במוצָאֵי שבת Lit., “On the going-out of Shabbat,” i.e., Saturday after nightfall, already יום ראשון, the first day of the Jewish week. Boldface in Moriah. ⁶⁶³ I.e., make havdalah

If he did not separate with prayer and he must attend to his needs⁶⁶⁴ prior to separating, let him bless [as follows]: “You are blessed, ETERNAL our God, ruler of the universe, who separates between sacred and profane,”⁶⁶⁵ then let him take care of his needs. ⁶⁶⁶ in the name of Rosh (Asheri) that he needs to say it with the Name and Kingship” I.e., not just בא"י but also אמ"ה.

footnotes: ⁶⁶⁴ .ובא לעשות צרכיו Perhaps, “it comes that he must take care of his needs…” ⁶⁶⁵ Vilna, Zilber ed. abbreviate the blessing: בא"י המבדיל וכו’ ויעשה. Moriah, Me’ah She’arim resolve it in full. ⁶⁶⁶ Makor ha-Yirah: “The Tur

Then he should set his table on Saturday night, even though he only needs to eat as much as an olive.⁶⁶⁷ Then he should send out the King with song and praise.⁶⁶⁸ And on festival eve,⁶⁶⁹ let him conduct himself as we have said on Sabbath eve. The rule of the matter: for every time at a season of rejoicing, rejoice. At Purim let him increase joy and drinking. But his heart should be [directed] to Heaven so that no word of immorality or obscenity comes out⁶⁷⁰ of his mouth. And in a season of sorrow, be sorrowful.

footnotes: ⁶⁶⁷ A halachic standard for the smallest amount of bread one must eat in order to say the Birkat ha’Mazon. ⁶⁶⁸ Vilna, Zilber ed., Moriah: המלך. Me’ah She’arim: המלכה, “the queen,” probably a textual emendation, but this is the usual personification of Shabbat. To personify Shabbat as a King is more unusual.Zilber: BT Shabbat 119b. ⁶⁶⁹ Boldface in Moriah, Me’ah She’arim, but Zilber ed. does not even assign a new line number. Vilna, Zilber ed.: .ובע"ש וי"ט ינהג כמו שאמרנו “And on Sabbath eve and festival eve let him conduct himself as we have said.” Moriah, Me’ah She’arim: ובערב יום טוב יִנהַג כמוֹ שאמרנו בערב-שבת. “And on festival eve let him conduct himself as we said about Sabbath eve.” ⁶⁷⁰ Zilber ed.: יוציא. Others: יֵצֵא

When [the Hebrew month of] Av enters, joy decreases.⁶⁷¹ 26:2. SA OC § 551.

footnotes: ⁶⁷¹ Due to the mournful nature of the fast of the 9th of Av. Vilna, Zilber ed.: ממעטין; Moriah, Me’ah She’arim: מְמַעֲטִים.Makor ha-Yirah: M. Ta’anit

When [the Hebrew month of] Elul enters, until the night after the Day of Atonement, be trembling and fearful from [being] scared of the Judgment.⁶⁷²

footnotes: ⁶⁷² יהא חרד וירא מאימת הדין. Makor ha-Yirah: Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer; SA (OC?) § 581.

In every month, one should always sit one or more days⁶⁷³ in fasting or at least eating [only] bread and water. Now on that day⁶⁷⁴ he should sit in crying and lamentation. Crying: this is the one who cries with tears. Lamentation: like a man who mourns his death, recounting his deeds and saying “Woe to me! That I have done such-and-such sin!⁶⁷⁵ Woe to me, that I am liable for the death-penalty⁶⁷⁶ unto the Eternal King!” But this is⁶⁷⁷ the exalted repentance said by⁶⁷⁸ Joel the prophet: “Now tear your hearts, not your clothes and turn back to the Lord,” (Joel 2:13)⁶⁷⁹ with fasting, with crying, and with lamenting.⁶⁸⁰

footnotes: ⁶⁷³ Vilna, Zilber ed.: יום א; Moriah, Me’ah She’arim: יום אחד. ⁶⁷⁴ Moriah, Zilber ed.: ואותו-היו; Vilna, Me’ah She’arim: ואותו יום. ⁶⁷⁵ אוי לי שעשיתי חטא פלוני. Me’ah She’arim puts the phrase שעשיתי חטא פלוני in smaller, unvocalized font. ⁶⁷⁶ Lit., “how I have obligated my soul...” ⁶⁷⁷ Vilna, Zilber ed.: וזו היא; Moriah, Me’ah She’arim: וזוהי ⁶⁷⁸ Vilna, Zilber ed.: ע"י; Moriah, Me’ah She’arim resolve to על ידי. ⁶⁷⁹ Vilna [וגם עתה וגו’] (וקרעו לבבכם ואל בגדיכם וגו) . Vilna also puts a reference to Joel 2:12 in square brackets: “Even now, swears the ETERNAL, turn back to me with all your hearts…” Moriah continues the quotation from Joel 2:13 through “…and return to the Lord,” while others truncate at “...rend your clothes.” ⁶⁸⁰ “with fasting…with lamenting.” appears in Moriah only.

Let him gaze⁶⁸¹ upon the sins of his youth that he has done and never return to them any more.

footnotes: ⁶⁸¹ וְיִתְהֶה, but Moriah וְיִתְהֶא (qal: impf: 3ms: תהה or תהא) Or “regret” but על afterwards appears to be “upon.”

And every day he confesses⁶⁸² over his sins that are known⁶⁸³ to him as they stand,⁶⁸⁴ so he should be gratefully acknowledging⁶⁸⁵ and letting go [of them] and not [like] one who enters a ritual bath with a lizard in his hand.⁶⁸⁶

footnotes: ⁶⁸² Vilna, Zilber ed.: מתודה; Moriah: יִתְוַדֶה; Me’ah She’arim lacks the phrase (see below). ⁶⁸³ עונותיו הגלוים, more lit., “his sins that are revealed to him.” Me’ah She’arim omits the entire phrase: .על עונות נעוריו שעשה ואל ישוב לעשות עוד ובכול יום יתודה על... Apparently a scrivener’s error -- haplography -- caused by the appearance of the phrase על עונות twice in two lines. ⁶⁸⁴ Vilna בהויתן; Zilber ed. כהויתן, Moriah, Me’ah She’arim: כַּהֲיָתָן. Translation follows Zilber ed. and Jastrow, ref to JT, Ber. II 4d. ⁶⁸⁵ מודה ⁶⁸⁶ Just as one cannot become ritually pure while holding an impure object such as a lizard; so too one cannot fully repent for past deeds while still holding onto them.

So let him pray⁶⁸⁷ every day as beautifully as he can⁶⁸⁸ for all of the ill of the holy nation that they may be healed, and for all the healthy ones that they may not fall ill⁶⁸⁹ and that they may be saved from all damage. And that the Holy One, Blessed be He,⁶⁹⁰ may save his people Israel⁶⁹¹ from all enemies⁶⁹² and from evil spirits⁶⁹³ and from the sufferings of poverty and from all kinds of divine punishments which rush to enter the world,⁶⁹⁴ and that He may free all the captives of His people and that He may untie the bonds of the women in the throes of birth⁶⁹⁵ and that He may bring back to the fear of Him all those forcibly seized by the Nations.⁶⁹⁶ And for all those lacking children⁶⁹⁷ 28a. that He may give them good and kosher seed. And for those that have them, that they may live in fear of the Lord. And for all of them, that the Holy One, Blessed be He,⁶⁹⁸ may guard the remnant of His people.⁶⁹⁹ And that He may execute their judgment speedily and in our days. And for the holy people, let them return in complete repentance, that he may receive them and take them back in complete repentance before Him.

footnotes: ⁶⁸⁷ Boldface in Moriah, Me’ah She’arim. ⁶⁸⁸ כפי צחוּת לשונו , lit. “according to the brightness of his language” ⁶⁸⁹ Vilna, Zilber ed. insert ח"ו (=חס ושלום) “God forbid.” ⁶⁹⁰ Vilna, Zilber ed.: הקב"ה; Moriah, Me’ah She’arim resolve to הקדוש ברוך הוא ⁶⁹¹ Translation follows Zilber ed., עמו ישראל; Vilna בנ"י, Moriah, Me’ah She’arim resolve to בני ישראל “children of Israel” or “Israelites.” ⁶⁹² Vilna, מכל אויב, others, מכל גוים, “from all of the nations,” or “all the gentile enemies.” ⁶⁹³ Me’ah She’arim, מרוחות רעות, others מרוח רעה, “from an evil spirit.” ⁶⁹⁴ Translation following Jastrow and JT Ber. V 8d. ⁶⁹⁵ ושיתיר את כל חבלי היולדות. BT Shabbat 32a, M. Sotah I:5 ⁶⁹⁶ Vilna: בידי עמים; Zilber ed. בידי גוים, Moriah, Me’ah She’arim: ביד גוים. That is bring Jewish children taken from their parents and raised as Christians (such as the later case of Edgardo Mortara) and forced converts back to Judaism. ⁶⁹⁷ Translation following Jastrow and BT Ervuin ⁶⁹⁸ As above, Vilna, zilber ed. abbreviate הקב"ה, Moriah, Me’ah She’arim resolve. ⁶⁹⁹ Vilna, Zilber ed. שישמור שארית תורתו, “that He may guard the remnant of his Torah.” Moriah, Me’ah She’arim: שישמור שארית (תורתו) [עמו]. The emended version makes more sense.

Every day one should read the Torah portion beginning “And now Israel, what does the Lord require of you?” (Deut. 10:12).⁷⁰⁰ For all of it⁷⁰¹ is fear of Heaven, so that he may always remember the Creator and that he may not sin.

footnotes: ⁷⁰⁰ Me’ah She’arim truncates the quotation at ועתה ישראל, “and now, Israel…”; others quote through “…what does the Lord your God require of you?” (The next part of the verse is “…but to fear the Lord your God…” which explains how the prooftext works.) ⁷⁰¹ Zilber ed.: שכולו; others, שכולהּ.