עוֹד זֹאת יָשִׂים אֶל לִבּוֹ לְקַיֵּים מַאֲמַר רַבּוֹתֵינוּ ז״ל: "וֶהֱוֵי שְׁפַל רוּחַ בִּפְנֵי כָּל הָאָדָם״ (אבות פרק ד משנה י). וֶהֱוֵי – בֶּאֱמֶת לַאֲמִיתּוֹ.

In addition, one should ensure that one fulfills our Rabbis' teaching "Be of humble spirit in the presence of all people" (Mishna Avot 4:10). The expression "be" implies being humble in the truest sense. This dictum is difficult to properly understand and fulfill. The author of the Tanya explains that this statement places emphasis on the imperative "be," indicating that a person must do more than act humbly. It should not just be expressed in his behavior, but rather he must possess an internal, intrinsic sense of humility.

בִּפְנֵי כָּל הָאָדָם – מַמָּשׁ, אֲפִילּוּ בִּפְנֵי קַל שֶׁבַּקַּלִּים.

The phrase "in the presence of all people" is to be taken literally so that one is humble even in the presence of the most unworthy. One should feel humble not only in the presence of people greater than he but in the company of everyone else, even the most unworthy people. This begs the question: How can a God-fearing Torah scholar, punctilious in his performance of the mitzvot, view himself as less than the "most unworthy"?

וְהַיְינוּ עַל פִּי מַאֲמַר רַבּוֹתֵינוּ ז״ל: "אַל תָּדִין אֶת חֲבֵירְךָ עַד שֶׁתַּגִּיעַ לִמְקוֹמוֹ״ (אבות פרקב משנה ד). כִּי מְקוֹמוֹ גּוֹרֵם לוֹ לַחְטוֹא, לִהְיוֹת פַּרְנָסָתוֹ לֵילֵךְ בַּשּׁוּק כָּל הַיּוֹם וְלִהְיוֹת מִיּוֹשְׁבֵי קְרָנוֹת,

This is achieved by adhering toplace" our Rabbis' teaching "Do not judge your fellow man until you have reached his (Mishna Avot 2:4), for it is his place that causes him to sin, to walk through the marketplace every day for his livelihood and be among those who sit on street corners. "Place" in this context is to be understood in both the abstract sense of a person's spiritual attainments and in the concrete sense of his physical environment. He does not have the option of sitting in a secluded corner of the study hall amid God-fearing individuals. He must make his way through the marketplace and the streets. Even if he is not just being idle, like some who spend their days on the street corners, at the very least, such is the company he keeps.

וְעֵינָיו רוֹאוֹת כָּל הַתַּאֲווֹת, וְהָעַיִן רוֹאָה וְהַלֵּב חוֹמֵד,

Consequently, his eyes see all sorts of temptations, and it is axiomatic that the eye sees and the heart covets, The world in which we live subjects us to unrelenting temptation. Such constant, formidable pressure applied over an extended period is very difficult to withstand. This is not an occasional and temporary desire that can be dismissed with relative ease but the pervading influence of the environment at all times. In that atmosphere, even someone ordinarily immune to such temptations finds that over the course of time, as "the eye sees," eventually "the heart covets."

וְיִצְרוֹ בּוֹעֵר כְּתַנּוּר בּוֹעֲרָה מֵאוֹפֶה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּהוֹשֵׁעַ: "הוּא בוֹעֵר כְּאֵשׁ לֶהָבָה״ וגו׳ (ז, ו).

and certainly if he is one whose evil inclination burns within him like an oven fired by a baker, as it is written in Hosea, "For in their ambush, they prepared their heart like an oven. Their baker sleeps all night; in the morning it burns like a blazing fire" (Hos. 7:6). The environment influences all individuals. Even one who is intrinsically on a high level may capitulate, so the environment will certainly affect a person who has strong passions. Some people have an evil inclination that burns hot as an oven, and not an oven found in the average home but that of a baker, which burns red hot twenty-four hours a day.

מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן מִי שֶׁהוֹלֵךְ בַּשּׁוּק מְעַט, וְרוֹב הַיּוֹם יוֹשֵׁב בְּבֵיתוֹ,

This is not the case concerning one who seldom walks through the marketplace and stays at home most of the day, A person who spends the day at home or in the study hall is not distracted by sights that tempt him. When the eye does not see, the heart does not covet so strongly. This kind of person has no authority to judge those who find themselves in circumstances that unceasingly inflame their evil inclination. The person who dedicates all his time to Torah study cannot claim superiority on the grounds that such temptations do not drive him to sin.

וְגַם אִם הוֹלֵךְ כָּל הַיּוֹם בַּשּׁוּק, יָכוֹל לִהְיוֹת שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְחוּמָּם כָּל כָּךְ בְּטִבְעוֹ,

and even if the beinoni does walk through the marketplace all day, it is possible that he is not so passionate by nature, Even if the beinoni were surrounded by every manner of temptation, yet still does not sin, that is still not proof that he has a superior character. It is possible that he is naturally indifferent to worldly allurements. Although his eyes see, his heart does not covet. For someone with such a nature, his immunity to temptation cannot be attributed to any spiritual triumphs or purity on his part. It is only on account of his dispassionate nature that he is impervious to the surrounding enticements.

כִּי אֵין הַיֵּצֶר שָׁוֶה בְּכָל נֶפֶשׁ, יֵשׁ שֶׁיִּצְרוֹ כו׳, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר.

for the evil inclination is not the same in every person. There are those whose evil inclination is more passionate and some less so, as explained elsewhere (Likkutei Torah, Lev. 2d). No two people are alike, and this includes their inclinations. Some people are unaffected by tempting stimuli that others find impossible to resist. There are those who are lustful, while others' inclinations burn for money. Those who are by nature not easily impassioned should not feel superior. Like a blind person who cannot congratulate himself on not being tempted by his eyes, a dispassionate person cannot view his lack of passion as a sign of superiority.

וְהִנֵּה בֶּאֱמֶת גַּם מִי שֶׁהוּא מְחוּמָּם מְאֹד בְּטִבְעוֹ, וּפַרְנָסָתוֹ הִיא לִהְיוֹת מִיּוֹשְׁבֵי קְרָנוֹת כָּל הַיּוֹם, אֵין לוֹ שׁוּם הִתְנַצְּלוּת עַל חֲטָאָיו! וּמִיקְרֵי רָשָׁע גָּמוּר עַל אֲשֶׁר "אֵין פַּחַד אֱלֹהִים לְנֶגֶד עֵינָיו״ (תהלים לו, ב).

In truth, even someone who is extremely passionate by nature, and his livelihood forces him to sit on street corners all day has no excuse whatsoever for his sins. He is categorized as a completely wicked person, for "there is no fear of God before him" (Ps. 36:2). He should have restrained himself and controlled the spirit of lust in his heart due to the fear of God, who sees all his actions, Although this argument mitigates our judgment of an individual overcome by temptation, the fact that he possesses strong drives and has the opportunity to do wrong in no way justifies sinful behavior. At times there are circumstances in which a person who possesses powerful desires is compelled to sit at street corners for his livelihood and is therefore constantly beset by temptations. It would seem that succumbing to these temptations is, at least to a certain degree, justified. Yet the author of the Tanya vehemently rejects this notion, asserting that there is no justification for his failure to subdue his evil inclination. In fact, the moment he sins, he is considered completely wicked. Even when a person is overwhelmed by temptation, he must control himself and his inclination. If he does sin, he is liable.

כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר לְעֵיל, כִּי הַמּוֹחַ שַׁלִּיט עַל הַלֵּב בְּתוֹלַדְתּוֹ.

a feat attainable by all, as explained above (chap. 12), since it is the innate nature of the mind to control the heart. Temptations overcome a person only when some measure of conscious complicity exists. Feelings, holy or otherwise, do not arise in a vacuum. They develop within one's conscious awareness, within the image of the world as one understands it. Even if a person cannot dominate his feelings – his heart – he can control his intellect. He can use his mind to visualize God gazing at all he does until this awareness becomes part of his worldview, a tangible component of his reality. If this image is sufficiently robust, he will develop correspondingly powerful feelings that can, at the very least, stand in staunch opposition to the urges that threaten to overwhelm him. These newfound feelings will give him the strength to overcome both the evil inclination that surges within him and the great temptations that assail him from without, ultimately leading him to victory.

וְהִנֵּה בֶּאֱמֶת שֶׁהִיא מִלְחָמָה גְּדוֹלָה וַעֲצוּמָה לִשְׁבּוֹר הַיֵּצֶר הַבּוֹעֵר כְּאֵשׁ לֶהָבָה מִפְּנֵי פַּחַד ה׳,

In truth, it is a great and intense battle to break the evil inclination, which burns within like a blazing fire, through one's fear of God Though the sinner has no excuse because he could have overcome the temptation, it is wrong to disparage such a person and feel superior to him. The sinner must struggle to overpower his fiery passion through a conscious fear of God. A person who does not experience such passion, who is not susceptible to the fire of lust burning in his blood and overwhelming his senses, cannot understand that struggle, what it means to withstand temptation and declare, "Because I fear God, I will not sin!"

וּכְמוֹ נִסָּיוֹן מַמָּשׁ.

and must be viewed as a true test. The fierceness of the battle could be equated to the challenge of martyrdom. The temptation to sin is as strong as the desire for life in a person who must accept death to avoid desecrating God's name.

וְהִלְכָּךְ צָרִיךְ כָּל אָדָם לְפִי מַה שֶּׁהוּא מְקוֹמוֹ וּמַדְרֵגָתוֹ בַּעֲבוֹדַת ה׳,

Therefore, every person, according to his place and rank in the service of God, Every Jew, from the most unworthy, from the most deliberate sinner, to the beinoni, who fulfills all the mitzvot and justifiably sees himself as being on a higher level than they, must nevertheless take careful stock of his divine service.

לִשְׁקוֹל וְלִבְחוֹן בְּעַצְמוֹ אִם הוּא עוֹבֵד ה׳ בְּעֵרֶךְ וּבְחִינַת מִלְחָמָה עֲצוּמָה כָּזוֹ וְנִסָּיוֹן כָּזֶה.

must weigh and assess himself, determining whether he serves God according to the quality and nature of such an intense battle and test. When a person is judged, whether by himself or others, that assessment cannot take into account superficial criteria alone. To compare people and judge fairly, it is not enough to merely align one person's deeds with those of another. The true assessment of two people can be reached only by taking their inner struggles and challenges into consideration and comparing them both. A person's character is determined, not by his objective accomplishments alone, but also by his subjective efforts. A beinoni should therefore not disparage someone who has failed and sinned but should consider the struggles the person has endured. Rather than diminish the sinner, the beinoni should ask himself if he would be able to withstand similar challenges. Has he faced his own desires and struggles with the same degree of self-sacrifice that he expects of others?

בִּבְחִינַת ‘וַעֲשֵׂה טוֹב׳, כְּגוֹן בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַתְּפִלָּה בְּכַוָּונָה לִשְׁפּוֹךְ נַפְשׁוֹ לִפְנֵי ה׳ בְּכָל כֹּחוֹ מַמָּשׁ, עַד מִיצּוּי הַנֶּפֶשׁ

As for the aspect of doing good, such as in the service of prayer with concentration, so that he pours out his soul before God literally with all his might until he exhausts his soul, Although the beinoni's struggle does not involve either withstanding actual sin or neglect of performing mitzvot, he too faces unyielding demands and must engage in a remorseless battle in order to do good and turn aside from evil. In the realm of doing good, he will face challenges in the service of prayer, which demands intense and constant concentration. The service of prayer is not only worship in the ceremonial sense, such as the service of the Temple, but also an effort that draws on the powers of the body and soul. That work must be done with such intent and concentration that it results in "exhaustion of the soul," when a person can draw forth nothing more from within himself.

וּלְהִלָּחֵם עִם גּוּפוֹ וְנֶפֶשׁ הַבַּהֲמִית שֶׁבּוֹ, הַמּוֹנְעִים הַכַּוָּונָה בְּמִלְחָמָה עֲצוּמָה,

the beinoni must wage war against his body and the animal soul within it, which thwart his concentration, in an intense battle, The Zohar states that "the time of prayer is a time of war" (Zohar 3:243a). When one prays, he is assailed by the body and animal soul, which divert his focus so that the divine soul struggles to rise upward against their downward pull.

וּלְבַטְּשָׁם וּלְכַתְּתָם כֶּעָפָר קוֹדֶם הַתְּפִלָּה שַׁחֲרִית וְעַרְבִית, מִדֵּי יוֹם בְּיוֹם.

crushing and pulverizing them like dust each and every day prior to the morning and evening prayers. A person lays the groundwork for successful prayer first by breaking the egocentric and coarse nature of his body and animal soul, so that he will be able to approach his prayers with the proper mindset and maintain that state throughout his prayers.

וְגַם בִּשְׁעַת הַתְּפִלָּה לְיַיגֵּעַ עַצְמוֹ בִּיגִיעַת נֶפֶשׁ וִיגִיעַת בָּשָׂר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁיִּתְבָּאֵר לְקַמָּן בַּאֲרִיכוּת.

Also, while praying, one must exert himself with exertion of the soul and the exertion of the flesh, as will be explained below at length (chap. 42). It is not enough to engage in battle before prayer. Even when a person has prepared properly by crushing his animal soul and grinding it into dust, that is no guarantee that he will pray well and without struggle. Prayer is more than the recitation of the words in the prayer book, which is no great struggle. It is a time of battle between mighty forces as the soul wrestles with all the opposing forces assailing it. This is a spiritual and physical effort in which one concentrates all his thoughts and attention, oblivious to everything else. The combination of such unswerving focus with the effort to arrive at a higher level of union with the Divine demands a strenuous battle. To wage this battle on a continuous and daily basis, one requires "the exertion of the soul and the exertion of the flesh."

וְכֹל שֶׁלֹּא הִגִּיעַ לִידֵי מִדָּה זוֹ, לְהִלָּחֵם עִם גּוּפוֹ מִלְחָמָה עֲצוּמָה כָּזוֹ, עֲדַיִין לֹא הִגִּיעַ לִבְחִינַת וְעֵרֶךְ מִלְחֶמֶת הַיֵּצֶר הַבּוֹעֵר כְּאֵשׁ לֶהָבָה לִהְיוֹת נִכְנָע וְנִשְׁבָּר מִפְּנֵי פַּחַד ה׳.

Anyone who has not attained this state, that of waging such an intense battle with his body, has not yet experienced the quality and dimension of the battle waged by the most unworthy against the evil inclination that burns within them like a blazing fire so that it may be subdued and broken through fear of God. The demand that every prayer be an instance of union with the Divine, of an outpouring of one's soul, that one's physicality should be stripped away, is a very exalted one. It is a demand for an intense war engaged in daily to overcome one's nature and habits. It would be understandable if a person were to declare himself incapable of such laborious effort, to declare, "I cannot do this." But the author of the Tanya states that this seemingly exalted and extreme expectation is actually less than that which is required of the simplest person, "the most unworthy," in his battle with his evil inclination. For such a person, whose livelihood compels him to engage in a world rife with temptations, his struggle presents a much greater difficulty than for one who is fortunate to spend his days in spiritual devotion and thus is guarded against the outside world. If a person finds the demand to pray with perfect divine union until his soul is exhausted to be too overwhelming, he should not demand the same of the person who makes his living in the marketplace, filled with desires and surrounded by temptations. He has no right to view the one deemed "the most unworthy" in a condescending manner.

וְכֵן בְּעִנְיַן בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן וְכָל בִּרְכוֹת הַנֶּהֱנִין וְהַמִּצְוֹת בְּכַוָּנָה,

So too with regard to concentration during the Grace after Meals and all blessings, whether those recited over food or over the performance of mitzvot, The demand for concentration, for focusing and clinging to God, pertains not only to prayer but also to the Grace after Meals and to every blessing that a person recites in the course of the day. In a sense, reciting a brief blessing with concentration is even more difficult than praying with concentration. Blessings are said often and in a variety of settings, usually when neither place nor time is conducive to proper focus.

וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר כַּוָּנַת הַמִּצְוֹת לִשְׁמָן.

and it goes without saying that proper concentration is required in the authentic performance of the mitzvot. If a blessing over a mitzva must be recited with concentration, how much more so the performance of the mitzva itself.

וְכֵן בְּעִנְיַן עֵסֶק לִימּוּד הַתּוֹרָה, לִלְמוֹד הַרְבֵּה יוֹתֵר מֵחֶפְצוֹ וּרְצוֹנוֹ לְפִי טִבְעוֹ וּרְגִילוּתוֹ, עַל יְדֵי מִלְחָמָה עֲצוּמָה עִם גּוּפוֹ. כִּי הַלּוֹמֵד מְעַט יוֹתֵר מִטִּבְעוֹ, הֲרֵי זוֹ מִלְחָמָה קְטַנָּה וְאֵין לָהּ עֵרֶךְ וְדִמְיוֹן עִם מִלְחֶמֶת הַיֵּצֶר הַבּוֹעֵר כְּאֵשׁ,

Likewise, with regard to engaging in Torah study, the battle one must wage to study far more than one's natural and habitual desire and will is by means of an intense battle with his body. Although studying only a bit more than the desire of his innate nature demands effort, it is a minor struggle, bearing no parallel or comparison to the battle against the evil inclination that burns like fire within, Studying Torah according to one's nature and habit, even if one studies a great amount in this way, does not entail a struggle. Likewise, studying just a bit more than one is accustomed does not constitute an "intense battle," since it does not at all compare to the supreme struggle required of one to overcome one's evil inclination, defined above as "a great and intense battle" and a "true test."

דְּמִקְרֵי רָשָׁע גָּמוּר אִם אֵינוֹ מְנַצֵּחַ יִצְרוֹ לִהְיוֹת נִכְנָע וְנִשְׁבָּר מִפְּנֵי ה׳.

for which one is regarded as a completely wicked person if he does not conquer his evil inclination so that it is subdued and broken before God (see chap. 1). It makes no difference whether the struggle with the evil inclination is over something great or something small, whether one struggles to withstand sinning or one struggles to exert effort in his service. In either case, the battle could be of equal intensity and importance. A person who has studied Torah for eight or ten hours may feel unable to continue and is absolutely convinced that he needs a break. At that moment, the effort to go on is a battle no less demanding than the war against the evil inclination's most fiery desires. In the final analysis, there is no qualitative difference between a person who sins because he gave in to the distractions of the streets and a scholar who does not increase his study schedule or pray with concentration. Neither is prepared to struggle, and neither steps beyond his limitations.

וּמַה לִּי בְּחִינַת ‘סוּר מֵרָע׳ וּמַה לִּי בְּחִינַת ‘וַעֲשֵׂה טוֹב׳.

What difference is there between turning away from evil and doing good? The man on the temptation-filled street, whose evil inclination burns like fire, struggles to "turn away from evil" and refrain from sinning. The person who sits undisturbed in the study hall and whose temperament is naturally indifferent struggles to increase his Torah study and pray with concentration – to "do good." In either case, the battle is the same.

הַכֹּל הִיא מִצְוַת הַמֶּלֶךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ, יָחִיד וּמְיוּחָד בָּרוּךְ הוּא.

Everything is ultimately a commandment of the holy King, the one and only, blessed be He. At the root of everything stands the will of God, infinite, one, and unique. Disobedience of God's will is equally serious whether a person commits a wrongdoing or refrains from acting correctly, violating either the injunction to "turn away from evil" or "do good," and whether his is a major or minor infraction. In the face of the fact that he has opposed God's will, the particulars do not matter. Once he has rebelled, it is not important exactly how he has done so.

וְכֵן בִּשְׁאָר מִצְוֹת,

So too with regard to the other mitzvot, This goes beyond Torah study alone. It does not suffice to fulfill one's duty. A person must do more, whether quantitatively or qualitatively.

וּבִפְרָט בְּדָבָר שֶׁבְּמָמוֹן, כְּמוֹ עֲבוֹדַת הַצְּדָקָה וּכְהַאי גַּוְונָא.

particularly concerning monetary matters, such as the service of giving charity and the like. Like the mitzva of Torah study, by Torah law the mitzva of giving charity is not limited in any sense. It can be performed at all times and in all circumstances and is not bound by any qualitative or quantitative constraints. In light of this, a person must struggle against an innate miserliness and give more than he is accustomed to giving beyond his normal ability.

וַאֲפִילּוּ בִּבְחִינַת ‘סוּר מֵרָע׳ יָכוֹל כָּל אִישׁ מַשְׂכִּיל לִמְצוֹא בְּנַפְשׁוֹ שֶׁאֵינוֹ סָר לְגַמְרֵי מֵהָרַע בַּכֹּל מִכֹּל כֹּל

Even with regard to turning away from evil, any intelligent person may find within himself that he has not completely and utterly turned away from evil The beinoni may feel that he is almost perfect and thus superior to the "most unworthy." But if he were to compare how difficult it is to pray well with the effort that they must expend to refrain from sinning, he would realize that he is not intrinsically superior to them even in terms of turning aside from evil.

בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְמִלְחָמָה עֲצוּמָה כָּעֵרֶךְ הַנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל, וַאֲפִילּוּ פָּחוֹת מֵעֵרֶךְ הַנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל, כְּגוֹן: לְהַפְסִיק בְּאֶמְצַע שִׂיחָה נָאָה,

in a circumstance that requires an intense battle of the degree described above, or even of a lesser degree than that described above. For example, he may not be able to stop in the middle of a pleasant, though pointless, conversation, Above, the author of the Tanya explained that the beinoni must not regard himself as superior to the "most unworthy" in the arena of doing good. The amount of effort they require simply to not succumb to their evil inclination is by no means matched by the beinoni in his effort to fulfill a mitzva perfectly. Now the author of the Tanya suggests that if the beinoni performs a careful self-examination, he will realize that he is not superior to the "most unworthy" even with regard to turning away from evil. For example, he may find it difficult to cut short a meaningless but permissible conversation that gives him pleasure.

אוֹ סִיפּוּר בִּגְנוּת חֲבֵירוֹ וַאֲפִילּוּ גְּנַאי קָטָן וְקַל מְאֹד, אַף שֶׁהוּא אֱמֶת, וַאֲפִילּוּ כְּדֵי לְנַקּוֹת עַצְמוֹ,

or while recounting an incident disgracing another, even if it is only a minor and very trivial disparaging remark, even if it is true, and even if the purpose of the remark is to exonerate himself, In these examples, the individual is not speaking purposelessly or for his personal gain but clearing himself of some innuendo. Still, it is considered a wrongdoing from which he should have refrained.

כַּנּוֹדָע מֵהָא דְּאָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן לְאָבִיו, רַבֵּינוּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ: לָאו אֲנָא כְּתָבֵיהּ אֶלָּא יְהוּדָא חַיָּיטָא כְּתָבֵיהּ. וְאָמַר לוֹ: כַּלֵּךְ מִלָּשׁוֹן הָרַע [עַיֵּין שָׁם בַּגְּמָרָא רֵישׁ פֶּרֶק י׳ דְּבָבָא בָּתְרָא (קסד, ב)].

as is known from Rabbi Shimon's statement to his father, the saintly Rabbeinu, Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, concerning a problematic bill of divorce: "I did not write it but rather Yehuda Ḥayyata wrote it." Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said to his son, "Turn away from uttering this kind of malicious speech." (See the talmudic passage there at the beginning of chapter 10 of Bava Batra [164b].) Although Rabbi Shimon made his statement only to exonerate himself, and it was not merely a purposeless remark, his father castigated him for slandering another. For a person on Rabbi Shimon's level, such a statement is considered slander, a grave sin that one must firmly avoid. The struggle to refrain from such a remark is as difficult as that faced by someone else who must withstand the burning desire to transgress an explicit Torah-mandated prohibition.

וּכְהַאי גַּוְונָא כַּמָּה מִילֵּי דִּשְׁכִיחֵי טוּבָא,

The same applies to many similar matters that frequently occur, This is a reference to matters that seem unimportant but require attention and "a great and intense battle" if one is to properly turn aside from evil. These may be between a person and God or between one person and another, such as disparaging speech, gaining honor at the expense of others, or financial impropriety.

וּבִפְרָט בְּעִנְיַן לְקַדֵּשׁ עַצְמוֹ בַּמּוּתָּר לוֹ,

particularly those pertaining to sanctifying oneself with regard to permitted matters, For the beinoni, the struggle to turn aside from evil applies specifically with regard to matters that are technically permitted. In such cases, he is enjoined to sanctify himself by avoiding overindulgence, regarding such an act as strictly prohibited. A person becomes sanctified by separating himself from worldly matters, even in circumstances where these matters are completely kosher and permissible. For some people, it is a struggle to sanctify themselves by making moral choices as to how they will engage in these activities.

שֶׁהוּא מִדְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: "קְדוֹשִׁים תִּהְיוּ״ וגו׳ (ויקרא יט, ב).(שם יא, מד),

which is a biblical mandate, as it is written, "You shall be holy…" (Lev. 19:2), and it states, "And you shall sanctify yourselves…" (Lev. 11:44). In his commentary on the verse "You shall be holy…," Ramban explains that this mitzva demands that a person sanctify himself particularly with those things that are permitted to him so that he will not be "a degenerate with the Torah's sanction." An individual's holiness or spiritual decadence is defined by how he conducts himself when confronted with something that by Torah law is permissible yet if misused could potentially lead to a spiritual downfall. Faced with such a challenge, this person is invited to assess the situation and make the appropriate moral choices by exercising his free will. This call for higher moral conduct is not a mere suggestion but is the actual mitzva entailed by the verse "You shall be holy."

וְגַם דִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים חֲמוּרִים מִדִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה וכו׳.

Also, injunctions of the Sages are more severe than prohibitions of the Torah and so on, Even though rabbinic decrees would seem to be less important than biblical laws, the Sages tell us that in some ways one must be more stringent with regard to rabbinic injunctions. Moreover, a person who transgresses the words of the Sages is sometimes punished more severely than one who violates the Torah's commandments.

אֶלָּא שֶׁכָּל אֵלּוּ וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן הֵן מֵעֲווֹנוֹת שֶׁהָאָדָם דָּשׁ בַּעֲקֵבָיו,

yet all these and the like are among the sins that a person tends to disregard, For a variety of reasons, people consider some commandments and prohibitions, even those that are grave, to be of little account. This may be because a certain commandment is widely ignored, so the sinner does not sense the shame of his behavior. The relative assessment of commandments and prohibitions fluctuates based on any given circumstance. Each society creates an illusory frame of reference as to what is important and necessary and what is of little worth. Once a sin has been defined as insignificant, the prohibition against it is disregarded and forgotten.

וְגַם נַעֲשׂוּ כְּהֶיתֵּר, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁעָבַר וְשָׁנָה וכו׳.

and they come to be regarded by him as if they are permitted since he committed these transgressions repeatedly and so on. The first time a person commits a sin, he trembles to the depths of his being. But as he repeats his behavior, the offense appears less grave, and the shock grows less dire. The sense that he is harming himself, polluting and blemishing his soul, loses its power. It is not only the feeling of trepidation that dissipates but even his assessment of the act as egregious. Even when a person knows that he is committing a prohibited and perhaps even grave offense, he gradually ceases to feel that he is sinning or that his worth has been diminished. The breach remains unrepaired for so long that it becomes a comfortable way station.

אֲבָל בֶּאֱמֶת אִם הוּא יוֹדֵעַ סֵפֶר וּמַחֲזִיק בְּתוֹרַת ה׳, וְקִרְבַת אֱלֹקִים יֶחְפָּץ,

In truth, however, if he is a scholar, upholds God's Torah, and desires closeness to God, A Torah scholar is aware of the true value of the fulfillment of mitzvot and the gravity of transgressing prohibitions. Moreover, since he is primarily occupied with Torah study, he defines his life mission as an ongoing attempt to come closer to God.

גָּדוֹל עֲוֹנוֹ מִנְּשׂוֹא וְאַשְׁמָתוֹ גָּדְלָה בְּכִפְלֵי כִפְלַיִים, בַּמֶּה שֶׁאֵינוֹ נִלְחָם וּמִתְגַּבֵּר עַל יִצְרוֹ

his sin is unbearably great, and his guilt is magnified exponentially because he did not battle and overcome his evil inclination

בְּעֵרֶךְ וּבְחִינַת מִלְחָמָה עֲצוּמָה הַנִּזְכֶּרֶת לְעֵיל,

commensurate with the degree and nature of the intense battle described above. This intense battle refers to the great struggle that a passionate person in the prime of life experiences, particularly if he finds himself in an environment where everything is permitted and easily available. He must struggle to control his thoughts and deeds due to the fear of God and His glory. But the need to engage in ferocious battle applies as well to the one who is not disturbed by such desires, who confines himself to the study hall, untroubled by outside distractions. Yet even he must protect his soul vociferously against his particular temptations, precisely because he is a scholar. If he fails, he will be deemed guiltier than the man of passion. Since he knows more, his misdeed is that much more willful.

מֵאַשְׁמַת קַל שֶׁבַּקַּלִּים מִיּוֹשְׁבֵי קְרָנוֹת הָרְחוֹקִים מֵה׳ וְתוֹרָתוֹ, וְאֵין אַשְׁמָתָם גְּדוֹלָה כָּל כָּךְ בַּמֶּה שֶׁאֵינָם כּוֹבְשִׁים יִצְרָם הַבּוֹעֵר כְּאֵשׁ לֶהָבָה, מִפְּנֵי פַּחַד ה׳ הַמֵּבִין וּמַבִּיט אֶל כָּל מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם,

His guilt is greater than the guilt of the most unworthy, than those who sit on street corners, who are distant from God and His Torah. Their guilt for not overpowering their evil inclination, which burns like a blazing fire, through fear of God, who understands and sees all their deeds, is not as great The further a sinner is from God and His Torah, the less drastic his descent and guilt. Since such people are not scholars, they lack the tools they need to contemplate and attain fear of God, which would lead them to conquer their inclinations. Granted, such a person cannot justify himself. He too could have overcome his evil inclination and is expected to do so. But guilt is bound up with awareness, and this person lacks the clear understanding, illuminated by the fear of God, of the consequences of his actions. He is not even aware that he should call on his fear of God in order to overpower his evil inclination. On the contrary, he finds the concept altogether foreign.

כְּאַשְׁמַת "כָּל הַקָּרֵב הַקָּרֵב״ אֶל ה׳ וְאֶל תּוֹרָתוֹ וַעֲבוֹדָתוֹ,

as the guilt of one who draws close to God, His Torah, and His service. In contrast to one who is unlearned, the Torah scholar is well aware of his actions. The closer a person comes to God and increases his fear of Heaven, and the more he devotes his time to Torah study and increases his piety, the more he is responsible for his actions and the more liable he is if he transgresses.

וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ ז״ל גַּבֵּי ‘אַחֵר׳ שֶׁיָּדַע בִּכְבוֹדִי וכו׳ (על פי עין יעקב חגיגה טו, א).

As our Rabbis said concerning the apostate Aḥer , Elisha ben Avuya, "He knew My glory yet rebelled against Me" (see Ein Yaakov, Ḥagiga 15a). Elisha ben Avuya was one of the greatest Sages of his time until he strayed and became an apostate and so became known as Aḥer, "other." It is true that others who acted as egregiously as he did found atonement. But since Aḥer was a scholar of the first rank and one of the leaders of the generation, who even gazed at the mystic chariot, his guilt was that much worse, to the extent that he could no longer find atonement.

וְלָכֵן אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ ז״ל עַל עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ, שֶׁ״זְּדוֹנוֹת נַעֲשׂוּ לָהֶם כִּשְׁגָגוֹת״ (בבא מציעא לג, ב).

Therefore, our Rabbis stated concerning the ignorant that "their intentional transgressions become for them tantamount to unwitting transgressions" (Bava Metzia 33b). Even if an unlettered person purposely commits a sin or neglects to perform a mitzva, his sin is considered unintentional and minor because it lacks the basic element of complete willfulness: rebellion, denial of a supreme Master, and a conscious turning away from God's will. A person who is distant from God and His Torah cannot be considered a purposeful sinner. This person does not truly understand the significance of holiness and the mitzvot. He is thus considered to be acting unwittingly, like a child who breaks an expensive item whose value he cannot appreciate. Even when such a person acts knowingly, his knowledge does not extend to a full understanding. To be willful, a person must be aware. When his consciousness is on a low level, when he does not adequately understand the significance of a transgression and the value of a mitzva, he cannot be judged on the same scale as someone who does know and comprehend. This chapter began by proposing that the