הַדֶּרֶךְ הַיְשָׁרָה הִיא מִדָּה בֵּינוֹנִית שֶׁבְּכָל דֵּעָה וְדֵעָה מִכָּל הַדֵּעוֹת שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ לָאָדָם. וְהִיא הַדֵּעָה שֶׁהִיא רְחוֹקָה מִשְּׁתֵּי הַקְּצָווֹת רִחוּק שָׁוֶה וְאֵינָהּ קְרוֹבָה לֹא לָזוֹ וְלֹא לָזוֹ. לְפִיכָךְ צִוּוּ חֲכָמִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים שֶׁיְּהֵא אָדָם שָׁם דֵּעוֹתָיו תָּמִיד וּמְשַׁעֵר אוֹתָם וּמְכַוִּן אוֹתָם בַּדֶּרֶךְ הָאֶמְצָעִית כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהֵא שָׁלֵם בְּגוּפוֹ. כֵּיצַד. לֹא יְהֵא בַּעַל חֵמָה נוֹחַ לִכְעֹס וְלֹא כְּמֵת שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַרְגִּישׁ אֶלָּא בֵּינוֹנִי. לֹא יִכְעֹס אֶלָּא עַל דָּבָר גָּדוֹל שֶׁרָאוּי לִכְעֹס עָלָיו כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יֵעָשֶׂה כַּיּוֹצֵא בּוֹ פַּעַם אַחֶרֶת. וְכֵן לֹא יִתְאַוֶּה אֶלָּא לִדְבָרִים שֶׁהַגּוּף צָרִיךְ לָהֶן וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לִהְיוֹת בְּזוּלָתָן כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי יג כה) "צַדִּיק אֹכֵל לְשֹׂבַע נַפְשׁוֹ". וְכֵן לֹא יִהְיֶה עָמֵל בְּעִסְקוֹ אֶלָּא לְהַשִּׂיג דָּבָר שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לוֹ לְחַיֵּי שָׁעָה כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהילים לז טז) "טוֹב מְעַט לַצַּדִּיק". וְלֹא יִקְפֹּץ יָדוֹ בְּיוֹתֵר. וְלֹא יְפַזֵּר מָמוֹנוֹ אֶלָּא נוֹתֵן צְדָקָה כְּפִי מִסַּת יָדוֹ וּמַלְוֶה כָּרָאוּי לְמִי שֶׁצָּרִיךְ. וְלֹא יְהֵא מְהוֹלֵל וְשׂוֹחֵק וְלֹא עָצֵב וְאוֹנֵן אֶלָּא שָׂמֵחַ כָּל יָמָיו בְּנַחַת בְּסֵבֶר פָּנִים יָפוֹת. וְכֵן שְׁאָר דֵּעוֹתָיו. וְדֶרֶךְ זוֹ הִיא דֶּרֶךְ הַחֲכָמִים. כָּל אָדָם שֶׁדֵּעוֹתָיו דֵּעוֹת (בֵּינוֹנִית) [בֵּינוֹנִיּוֹת] מְמֻצָּעוֹת נִקְרָא חָכָם:
The straight path is the mean disposition found in each and every tendency of all the human tendencies. Such tendency is removed from both extremes an equal distance, and is not nearer to one than to the other. Therefore have the wise men of yore commanded that man should ever review his tendencies, estimate them, and direct them toward the middle-path so that he will be sound in body. How may one do it? He should not be an excitable person, easily angered; nor like the dead without feelings, but adopt a middle-course, not to become indignant, save only at something big which is worthy enough to be angry at, so that the like should not be done another time. Likewise shall he not crave for aught save the things which the body requires, and without which it is impossible to be, as the subject is spoken of: "The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul" (Pro. 13.25). Likewise shall he not continue to fatigue himself in his affairs, save to acquire what is necessary for him to live on for the time being as the subject is mentioned, saying: "A little that a righteous man hath is better" (Ps. 37.16). He should not be too close-fisted, nor yet squander his money, but give Z'dakah within the means of his hand, and lend accordingly to the needy. He should not be too optomistic and playful, nor too pessimistic and mournful, but spend all of his days in good cheer and with a pleasant countenance. So should he measure all the rest of his tendencies. And this path is the path of the wise men. Every man whose tendencies are mean tendencies of the middle-course, is called wise.
Man shall not be frivolous and sarcastic, nor sad and pessimistic, but of good cheer. Thus said the wise men: "Frivolity and light-headedness train man for prostitution" (Pir. Ab. 3.13). And they have commanded: Man shall not be boisterous in laughter, nor sad and forlorn, but receive every person with a kind expression upon his face. And so should he not be a man of an over-ambitious soul rushing for wealth, nor despondent and idle from work; but a being with a goodly eye, engage in affairs but little and be occupied in the study of the Torah, and in that little portion of his he shall rejoice. He shall not be contentious, envious, covetous or vain-glorious. Thus have the wise men said: "Envy, covetousness, and vain-gloriousness remove man from life" (Pir. Ab. 4.25). As a general rule of the matter he should follow the tendency of the middle-course of each and every disposition to the end that all of his tendencies will be firmly in the center, which is as Solomon said: "Balance well the track of thy foot, and let all thy ways be firmly right" (Prov. 4.26).
1) Humility. This is a total sense of unimportance. Such a person distances himself from any kind of anger, because anger is a result of haughtiness.
2) Silence. Except when he is occupied in the study of Torah and mitzvoth or in the physical needs of the body or for the needs of others, he acts as if mute, as one who cannot open his mouth.
3) He despises all physical pleasure or unnecessary excesses.
4) He is always happy with his lot. This is because he realizes that it is all from above and everything that G-d brings about is for the good. This attitude also results in alacrity with perfect joy in serving his Creator, as scripture states, “I rejoice in your words (O G-d) as one who has discovered vast treasure.” Similarly our sages stated, “Make Torah study your permanent priority and your occupation a temporary one”.
1) Humility. This is a total sense of unimportance. Such a person distances himself from any kind of anger, because anger is a result of haughtiness.
2) Silence. Except when he is occupied in the study of Torah and mitzvoth or in the physical needs of the body or for the needs of others, he acts as if mute, as one who cannot open his mouth.
3) He despises all physical pleasure or unnecessary excesses.
4) He is always happy with his lot. This is because he realizes that it is all from above and everything that G-d brings about is for the good. This attitude also results in alacrity with perfect joy in serving his Creator, as scripture states, “I rejoice in your words (O G-d) as one who has discovered vast treasure.” Similarly our sages stated, “Make Torah study your permanent priority and your occupation a temporary one”.
1) Humility. This is a total sense of unimportance. Such a person distances himself from any kind of anger, because anger is a result of haughtiness.
2) Silence. Except when he is occupied in the study of Torah and mitzvoth or in the physical needs of the body or for the needs of others, he acts as if mute, as one who cannot open his mouth.
3) He despises all physical pleasure or unnecessary excesses.
4) He is always happy with his lot. This is because he realizes that it is all from above and everything that G-d brings about is for the good. This attitude also results in alacrity with perfect joy in serving his Creator, as scripture states, “I rejoice in your words (O G-d) as one who has discovered vast treasure.” Similarly our sages stated, “Make Torah study your permanent priority and your occupation a temporary one”.