2 Channeling the Divine: Tomer Devorah Yamim Noraim and Tashlich

(1) (Devarim 11:22) "to walk in His ways": Which are the ways of the Holy One Blessed be He? (Shemoth 34:6-7) "The L-rd, the L-rd, G-d of mercy and grace, slow to wrath and abundant in mercy and truth, keeping lovingkindness for thousands, forgiving transgression, offense, and sin, and cleansing …" And it is written (Yoel 3:5) "All who will be called by the name of the L-rd will escape": Now how is it possible for a man to be called by the name of the Holy One Blessed be He? But, (the intent is) just as the L-rd is called "merciful and gracious," you, too, be merciful and gracious, and give gratuitously to all. Just as the Holy One Blessed be He is called "righteous," viz. (Psalms 145:17) "Righteous is the L-rd in all His ways and saintly in all His acts" — you, too, be righteous. Just as the Holy One Blessed be He is called "saintly," — you, too, be saintly.

(1) Chapter 1 - That it is fitting for a person to emulate their Creator: It is fitting for a person to resemble their Creator and then they will be [configured] in the secret of the Highest Form, [both] in image and likeness. And if they reflect in their body but not in their actions, they betray the Form; and they will say about them, "A lovely form, but ugly deeds." And behold, the essence of the Highest Image and Likeness is Divine actions. And what will it benefit them to have the structure of their limbs like the Highest Form, but not resemble their Creator in their actions? Therefore it is fitting that they should [make their actions] resemble the actions of the Crown (Keter), which are the thirteen highest traits of mercy. And they are hinted to in the secret of the verses (Michah 7:18-20), "Who is a power like You; G-d will again have mercy on us; You shall give truth." If so, it is fitting that these thirteen traits [also] be found in humans. And now we will explain these thirteen actions that are fitting to be with them.

(2) ‎The First: "Who is a power like You" instructs about the blessed Holy One being a long suffering Ruler[that] tolerates insult in a manner beyond understanding. Behold, nothing is hidden from Divine oversight, without a doubt, and [yet] there is no moment ‎when a person is not nourished and preserved by the Highest force that flows upon them; and behold, you find that ‎there was never a person who sinned against God, without God - at that very instant - [willing] the flow of their existence and the movement of their limbs. While a person sins with that force, God does not withhold it from them at all. Rather, the Blessed Holy One, tolerates such an insult - to flow the power for the movement of thus ‎limb into the person, and the person [uses] that power at that moment for sin and iniquity, and [to] anger ‎[God]; and the Blessed Holy One, tolerates [it]. And you [should] not say that God is not able to withhold God’s goodness from that person - God forbid. As behold, it is in Divine power to make their arms and legs rigid instantly, like Divine word - similar to what God did to Yerovam (I Kings 13:4). And even with all this, that God has the power in Divine hand to withdraw that flowing force, ‎and God could have said, "Since you sin against Me, sin with your own [strength], not with Mine" - God ‎does not withhold good from a person for this. Instead, God tolerates the insult, flows the force [to do this] ‎and gives the person of Divine goodness. Behold, this is long sufferingness and [its] toleration that cannot be told. And for this, the ministering angels call the Blessed Holy One, the long suffering Ruler. And this is [the meaning of] its stating, "Who is a power like You" - You ‎are a Power that is a Master of Kindness that benefits, a Power that is a Master of strength to take revenge and ‎take back what is Yours; and with all that, You tolerate [it] and are long suffering until [the person] repents.

(3) Behold, this is a ‎trait that a person must practice - I mean tolerance; and, so, to be insulted, even to this extent, and nonetheless not to ‎withhold one’s goodness from the recipient.‎

(4) The second: "Who bears iniquity" - and behold, this is greater than the previous. As behold, a person does not do an iniquity without creating a destructive spirit (mashchit); as it is learned (Avot 4:11), "One who transgresses a single iniquity acquires a single prosecutor." And behold, this prosecutor stands in front of the Blessed Holy One, and says, "X made me." And no creature exists in the world except from the flow of the Blessed Holy One - and behold, this destructive spirit that stands in front of the Blessed Holy One, from what do they exist? It would be logical that the Blessed Holy One, would say, "I do not nourish destructive spirits -they should go to the one that made him and be sustained from him." And the destructive spirit would go down immediately and take their soul, excise them or have them punished according to their punishment - until this destructive spirit is nullified. But the Blessed Holy One, does not do this; but God rather bears and tolerates the iniquity - and [just] as God nourishes and sustains the whole world, [so too] does God nourish and sustain this destructive spirit until there be one of three things: Either the sinner repents and they finish him and nullifies him with their mortifications; or that the righteous Judge nullifies him with afflictions and death; or [that the sinner] goes to Geihinom and they pay their debt there. And that is [the meaning of] that which Kain said (Genesis 4:13), "Is my iniquity too great to bear?" And the Sages, may their memory be blessed, explained it (Midrash Tanchuma, Bereshit 9), "You tolerate the whole world" - meaning nourish and sustain - "and my iniquity is [so] heavy that you cannot tolerate it" - meaning to sustain it until I repent and repair [it]. If so, behold this is a great trait of tolerance - that God nourishes and sustains an evil creature, that the sinner created, until they repent.

(5) A person [should] learn [from this] how much they need to be tolerant, to carry the yoke of their fellow and their evils that they did against him; to the measure such that their evil that they sinned against him is still in existence - and they tolerate [it] until their fellow repairs [it], or that it is nullified by itself, and similar to it.

(6) The third: "And passes over transgression" - this is a great trait. As behold, the pardon is not through an emissary but rather actually through the Blessed Holy One - as it is written (Psalm 130:4), "For with You is forgiveness, etc." And what is that forgiveness? That God washes away the transgression, as it is written (Isaiah 4:4), "When the Lord will have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, etc." And so [too,] is it written (Ezekiel 36:25), "I will sprinkle upon you pure waters, etc." And this is [the meaning of] "and passes over transgression" -God sends forth waters of washing, and God passes and washes [away] the transgression.

(7) And behold, just like this likeness must a person be - such that they not say, "And shall I fix what x sinned or destroyed?" a person should not say like this; for behold, a person sins and the Blessed Holy One - Godself, and not through an emissary - 'fixes the twisted,' and washes away the filth of their transgression.

(8) And from here, the person will be ashamed to sin again; for behold, the Ruler, Godself, washes the dirt of their clothes.

(9) The fourth - "To the remnant of Divine inheritance" - behold, the Blessed Holy One, acts with God’s people in this way, to say, "What can I do with Israel, [as] they are My relatives - relation of flesh do I have with them." As they are the spouse to the Blessed Holy One; and God calls them, "My daughter" and "My sister," "My Mother" - as they, may their memory be blessed, explained (Shir HaShirim Rabbah 3:11:2). And it is written (Psalms 148:14), "Israel, God’s close (kerovo) nation" -God has actual closeness (kurvah) with them, and they are Divine children. And that is [the meaning of] the remnant of (she'erit) Divine inheritance" - it is an expression of relation (she'er) of flesh; and in the end, they are Divine (literal) inheritance. "And what shall I say? If I punish them, behold the pain is upon Me; as it is written (Isaiah 63:9), 'In all their distress, the distress (tsar) was to God.'" And [to Him (lo)] is written with a [letter,] alef, to say that their pain reached the Highest Wonder (Wonder, peleh, being composed of the same letters as the spelling of alef, and representing Keter) - and all the more so, the two Faces through which is the central running [of the world] - but it is written with a [letter,] vav, [to mean that] the distress is to Him. And it is written (Judges 10:16), "and Divine soul could not bear the travail of Israel" - as God does not bear their pain and their disgrace, because they are "the she'erit [of] Divine inheritance."

(10) So is it [regarding] a person with their fellow: All Israel are relations of flesh, these with those. Since all of their souls are bound together, this one has a share in that and that one has a share in this. And hence it is not similar when the many do the commandments [to when they are only done by individuals]. And all of this is because of their being bound together. And our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, thus explained (Berakhot 47b) about the one who is counted from the first ten in the synagogue - [that] even if a hundred come after him,they receive the reward that corresponds to all of them. It is actually a hundred, as per its understanding. Since the ten are included - these in those - behold, they are ten times ten, one hundred. And [so] each one of them is composed of a hundred [parts]. If so, even if one hundred come [afterwards],they have the reward of a hundred. As so from this reason, Israel are guarantors for each other. Since each one actually has a part of their fellow - when the one sins,they damages themselves and they damage the part that their fellow has in them. It comes out from the side of that part that their fellow is their guarantor. If so, they are the relation, one of the other. And hence it is fitting that a person be desiring of the good of their fellow and their eye be good towards the good of their fellow, and that their honor should be as beloved to them as their [own] - as they literally are them[self]. And from this reason were we commanded (Leviticus 19:18), "you shall love your neighbor as yourself." And it is fitting that they desire the propriety of their fellow and not speak about their disgrace at all. And they[should] not want it, in the way that the Blessed Holy One, does not want our disgrace nor our pain - from the reason of relation. So too [should]they not want the disgrace of their fellow nor their pain, nor their corruption. And it [should] be bad for them on account of [their fellow], as if they actually experience that pain, or [good for them from] that good [that they experience].

(11) The fifth - "God does not hold on to Divine fury forever" - this is a different trait: that even if a person holds on to their sin, the Blessed Holy One, does not hold on to Divine fury. And if God holds on to it, not forever. Rather, God nullifies Divine anger, even if the person does not repent. As we found in the days of Yerovam the son of Yoash, that the Blessed Holy One, brought back the boundary of Israel [from occupation] and they were [still] worshipping calves - God had mercy upon them, but they did not repent. If so, why did God have mercy? For the sake of this trait, that God does not hold on to God’s fury forever. Just the opposite, Divine fury weakens - even as the sin is still in existence, God does not punish, but rather God expects and has mercy that they may repent. And that is [the meaning of] "God will not contend forever, or begrudge for all time" (Psalms 103:9). Rather, the Blessed Holy One, acts with softnesses and harshnesses, all for the good of Israel.

(12) And this is a trait that is fitting for a person to practice with their fellow. Even if they are permitted to rebuke their fellow or their children with upbraiding and they [accept it], it is not because of this that they[should] increase their rebuke. And they[should] not hold on to their anger - even if they got angry - but rather nullify it. And they[should] not hold on to their rage forever, even if it is a [rage] that is permitted to a person, similar to that which they explained: "When you see the donkey of your fellow, etc." (Exodus 23:5); and they explained (Pesachim 113b) what is this anger - that they saw him transgressing a sin, but [the one seeing] is [alone, such that]they may not testify; and [so]they hate them for the matter of the sin. And even so, the Torah states, "you shall surely release with him" - leave that which is in your heart; rather it is a commandment to bring them close with love. [As] perhaps it will be beneficial [to act] in this way. And this is exactly the trait of, "God does not hold on to Divine fury forever."

(13) The sixth: "For God is One that desires kindness" - did we not already explain in its place that in the known chamber, there are angels appointed to receive the bestowing of kindness that a person does in this world? And when the trait of justice prosecutes against Israel, these angels immediately show this kindness, and the Blessed Holy One, has mercy upon Israel, since God desires kindness. And even with their being guilty, if they bestow kindness - one to another - God has mercy upon them. And it is like it was at the time of the destruction [of the Temple]: That it was told to Gavriel (Ezekiel 10:2), "Go inside the wheelwork, etc." - as he is the minister of judgment and power; and God gave him authority to receive powers of judgment, inside the wheelwork from under the cherubs, from the fire of the altar. This is the judgment of the power of kingship (malkhut). And the judgment was intensified until it sought to finish everything off - to uproot the seed of Israel, since they were liable for destruction. And it is written (Ezekiel 10:8), "And by the cherubs there appeared the form of the hand of a human under their wings." And this is [meaning] that the Blessed Holy One, said to Gavriel, "They are bestowing acts of kindness - these with those - and even if they are liable, they are saved and there shall be a remnant from them." And the reason is because of this trait - since God is One who desires kindness, God desires that which Israel does kindness. And God recalls that side for them, even as they are not fitting from another side.

(14) If so, it is fitting for a person to practice this approach. If they see a person doing evil to them and angering them - if there is a good side to [that person], that they do good to others or [have] a good trait that they practice appropriately, that side should suffice for them to nullify their anger from upon them. And their heart [should] be appeased about them; and they[should] desire kindness and say, "It is enough for me with this goodness that they have." And all the more so [is this the case] with their wife; as our Rabbis explained (Yevamot 63a), "It is enough that they raise our children, and save us from sin." So should they say about every person, "It is enough for me with x goodness that they did for me," or "that they did with y," or "[with the] good trait z that they have." God will [hence] be desiring kindness.

(15) The seventh: "God will again have mercy on us" - behold, the Blessed Holy One, does not follow the trait of flesh and blood. [That trait is that] if [someone] angers them- if they are reconciled, they reconcile partially, [but] not like the previous love [they had for them]. But if a person sinned [to God] and they repented, their stature is greater with the Blessed Holy One, [than before]. And this is [the meaning of] "In the place that penitents stand, [even] completely righteous ones cannot stand" (Berakhot 34b). And the reason is like they explained in the chapter [entitled] HaBoneh (it is in Menachot 29b in our texts) regarding why [the letter,] hey is made like a portico: "Such that the one that wants to exit from their world [may] exit." The explanation is that the world was created with a hey. And the Blessed Holy One, created the world widely open to the side of evil and sin. There is no side that does not have physicality, the evil impulse and defect - like a type of portico. It does not have fences but rather has a large breach, open towards the side of evil, to the bottom side. How many openings are there for anyone who wants to exit from their world -they cannot turn to a side that they will not find a side of sin and iniquity to go out to the external forces (chitsonim)! But it is [also] open from above; so that if they repent,they will be accepted. And they asked, "Let him be taken back through [the bottom]!" [They answered,] "the matter will not help." They [meant] with this that one who repents will not suffice to be fenced from iniquity [with a fence] like the fence of the righteous ones, since the righteous did not sin - a small fence suffices for them. However a small fence will not suffice for the sinner that sinned and repented. Rather,they need to fence themselves with several strong fences, since they already breached the small fence once. If they approach there, their impulse seduces them easily. Rather they need to distance themself with a very great distancing. And for this [reason],they do not enter through the opening of the portico, where the breach is there. Rather,they ascend and enter through the small opening, [such that]they make several difficulties and mortifications for himself and [thereby] closes the breaches.

(16) And from this reason, "In the place that penitents stand, etc." - because they do not enter through the opening of the righteous ones, so that they will be with the righteous ones. Rather, they trudge and climb through the higher opening, and mortify themselves and become much more separated from sin than the righteous ones. Hence they climbed and stood on the level (or acclivity) of hey (the numerical equivalent of which is five) - the fifth chamber in the Garden of Eden, that is to say the roof of the hey - whereas the righteous ones are at the opening of the hey, at the entrance of the portico. And accordingly, when a person undergoes repentance (teshuvah) - which is [that] hey returns (teshuv hey) to its place - and the Blessed Holy One, brings back Divine Presence upon them, God does not come back [with a love] only like the first love, but rather much more. And this is [the meaning of] "God will again have mercy on us" - that God will add to Divine mercy on Israel and refine them more and bring them closer.

(17) And so must a person act towards their fellow. God should not begrudge enmity from the earlier anger. But rather when they see that their fellow seeks their love,they should have a level of mercy and love [that is] much more than before. And they should say, "Behold, for me they are like penitents, that the completely righteous cannot stand next to them." And they[should] bring them the closest - closer than they bring those that are completely righteous with them, that have not sinned towards them.

(18) The eighth: "God suppresses our iniquities" - behold, the Blessed Holy One, acts towards Israel with the trait of the secret of the suppression of iniquities. Behold the mitzvot are compared to a budding grapevine. When it blossoms, its bud arises' and it pierces and climbs endlessly, to enter before the blessed God. But iniquities, however, cannot penetrate there, God forbid. Rather, God suppresses them, such that they not enter - as it is written (Psalms 5:5), "evil does not dwell [with] You (yegurcha)"; evil shall not dwell in Your domicile (megurcha). If so, the iniquity does not enter inside. And from this reason, "There is no reward for a commandment in this world" (Kiddushin 39a) - as [the commandments] are in front of the blessed God. And how can God give the person from that which is in front of God, Godself - a spiritual reward - in the world that is physical? And behold, the entire world is not worth one commandment and the satisfaction [from it] in front of God. And for this reason, God does not take the bribe of commandments. The metaphor for this is that the Blessed Holy One, does not say, "He did forty commandments and ten sins; there remain thirty and the [other] ten go [away] with the ten" - God forbid! Rather, even if they were completely righteous and they committed one sin, it is similar before God as if they burned the entire Torah, until they repay their debt. And afterwards,they can receive the reward for all of their commandments. And this is a great kindness that the Blessed Holy One, does with the righteous ones - that they do not reduce [the reward], as the commandments are very important and climb until [they reach] in front of the blessed God. And how could God subtract from them on account of sins - as the repayment of sins is from the share of Geihinom, from that which is disdained; whereas the reward of the commandments is from the honored, the radiance of the Divine Presence. How could these be reduced [on account of] those? Rather, the Blessed Holy One, collects the debt of the sins and pays the reward of all of the commandments. And this is [the meaning of] "God suppresses our iniquities" - that the iniquities do not intensify in front of God, like the commandments. Rather God suppresses them that they should not rise and not enter - even as God is supervising over the ways of a human, good and bad. Nonetheless, God does not suppress the good, but rather it blossoms and climbs until [it grows] very much. And [so] one commandment is grouped together with [another] commandment and a great edifice is built, and a fine suit [is formed]. But iniquities do not have this special quality, but God rather suppresses them, that they should not have this success, and [not] enter inside [in front of God].

(19) A human needs to also practice this trait - to not suppress the good of their fellow and remember the evil that they did to him. Rather, just the opposite -they[should] suppress the evil, forget it and neglect it, and 'evil shall not dwell in their domicile.' And the good [should] always be ordered in front of them, and they[should] remember [their fellow's] good. And they[should] intensify it over all of the deeds that they had done to them. And they[should] not reduce [that] in their heart, and say, "If they did me good, behold they[also] did me evil," and forget the good. One should not do this. Rather,they[should] be appeased in any way of appeasement [possible]. And they[should] never neglect the good from [being] before their eyes; and avert their eye from the evil as much as they can, in the way that the Blessed Holy One, suppresses iniquities, as I have explained.

(20) The ninth: "And You will hurl into the depths of the sea all of their sins" - this is a good trait of the Blessed Holy One. As behold, Israel sinned; God delivered them into the hand of Pharaoh, and they repented. Why [should]God punish Pharaoh? And likewise Sancheriv; and likewise Haman and those similar to them. The Blessed Holy One, is not only assuaged to say, "They [the Jews] have repented. If so, let them not have any more evil. If so, let Haman withdraw from them," or Pharaoh, or Sancheriv. This does not suffice. Rather, God puts the travail of Haman back on their head; and likewise Pharaoh; and likewise Sancheriv. And the reason for this practice is the secret of "And the goat carries upon him all of their iniquities to a desolate land" (Leviticus 16:22). And its explanation is that it carries the actual sins. But this is very difficult: And shall Israel sin and the goat carry [it]? Rather [this] trait is like this: A person confesses [sins], and their intention in the confession is to receive purification upon himself; like the matter that David stated (Psalms 51:4), "Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity." And so, in our saying, "Purge [me] in Your great mercy," [one] is only praying that the afflictions be light, such that there not be a hindrance of Torah [study]; and this [is also the intention of] that which we say, "But not through bad (harsh) afflictions." And so, in their saying, "And You are righteous about all that happens to me" -they intend to truly accept afflictions with a pleasant countenance, in order to atone; as there are iniquities that [only] afflictions purge or that [only] death purges. And such is the trait: As soon as this one confesses in their prayer - they explained in the Zohar in Parshat Pekudei (p. 262b) that this is the portion of Samael, similar to the goat. What is their portion that the Blessed Holy One, decreed for them? Afflictions. And [so] Samael immediately arrives there and goes and collects their debt. And behold, [this is] the goat carrying the iniquities - that the Blessed Holy One, gives him authority to collect their debt, and Israel is [thus] purified. But, behold, it all devolves upon Samael. And the reason is because the Blessed Holy One, decreed upon the world, that anyone who does this, will be nullified. And this is the reason for, "and you shall kill the beast" (Leviticus 20:15). And likewise the stone or sword used in commanded executions require burial (Sanhedrin 45b) to nullify their existence and power after their judgment is finished.

(21) And behold, there is actually the secret of the image of Nevuchadnetsar in this: Israel was given over to the hand of the king of Babylonia, "the head of gold" (Daniel 2:32). That head was humbled and given over to the hand of Persia, who are "the chest and the arms of silver." And likewise, these were pushed off for those, until Israel descended to "their feet, some of them were iron and some of them were clay" (Daniel 2:33). And what is the good ending? In the end, the Blessed Holy One, stands them up and carries out judgment upon them, as it is written (Deuteronomy 32:23), "I will finish My arrows upon them" - My arrows end, but Israel does not end (Sotah 9a). "All at once, the (bronze, silver, gold, etc.) were crushed" (Daniel 2:35). Behold at the beginning, it is written (Daniel 2:34), "and struck the image on its feet" - there is nothing of the image besides its feet, as the power of the head, its arms and its belly had already been nullified. And nonetheless at the end, it was crushed [entirely] as one. In the future, the Blessed Holy One, will stand up Samael and the evildoers that do their deeds and acts, and carry out the judgment upon them. And that is [the meaning of] "and You will hurl into the depths of the sea all of their sins" - it wants [to say], God will hurl the power of judgment to bring [it] down on the hands of these, who are "the depths of the sea." [As it is stated (Isaiah 57:20),] "But the wicked are like the troubled sea which cannot rest, whose waters toss up mire and mud" - these are the ones that enact judgment upon Israel, all the payment of whom falls back on their heads. And the reason is because after Israel has received their judgment, the Blessed Holy One, forgives what preceded, and God [avenges] their insult. And it is not enough [that they carried out the judgment on Israel], but rather, "I was a little mad, but they assisted for the bad" (Zechariah 1:15).

(22) Also this trait must a person practice with their fellow. Even if they are an evildoer that is plagued with afflictions,they shall not hate him - as once they had been debased, behold they are like your brother (Makkot 23a). And they[should] bring close the downtrodden and punished and have mercy upon them. And just the opposite,they should save them from the hand of the enemy, and they should not say, "It is their iniquity that caused it." But rather,they should have mercy upon them with this trait, as I have explained.

(23) The tenth: "You shall give truth to Yaakov" - this trait applies to those average people that do not know how to act beyond the [letter] of the law - and they are called Yaakov, since they only act with true behavior; and also the Blessed Holy One, has a trait of truth, which is straightforward judgment. And with those who act with straightness in the world, the Blessed Holy One, acts with truth. God has mercy upon them in a manner of straightness and judgment.

(24) A person must also behave with their fellow in a manner of straightforward truth, without inclining the judgment of their fellow - to have mercy upon them in truth; [just] like God, may God be blessed, has mercy upon the average creatures with the trait of truth [in order] to refine them.

(25) The eleventh: "Kindness to Avraham" - these are the ones that act beyond the [letter] of the law in the world, like Avraham, our father; also the Blessed Holy One, acts with them beyond the [letter] of the law. God does not take the law (judgment) to its [full] force, even in the way of straightness. Rather, God [seeks to] go beyond straightness with them, [just] like they act. And that is [the meaning of] "kindness to Avraham" - the Blessed Holy One, practices the trait of kindness with those that are like Avraham in their behavior.

(26) Also a person - even as they act with righteousness, straightness and justice towards every person - their behavior towards the best and the pious [should] be beyond the [letter] of the law. And if they were a little patient with other people - towards these [they should be] much more [patient], and have mercy upon them; to go with them beyond the [letter] of the law that they follow with all other people. And they should be very important and [be] beloved to them, as though they are among their friends.

(27) The twelfth: "Which You swore to our fathers" - there are people that are not proper, and the Blessed Holy One, has mercy on all of them. And they explained in the Gemara (Berakhot 7a), "and I will give grace to the one that I give grace" (Exodus 33:19) - "The Blessed Holy One, said, 'this storehouse is for those that are not worthy.'" There is a storehouse of those given grace that the Blessed Holy One, has mercy and gives them as an act of grace. As the Blessed Holy One, said, "Behold, they have the merit of the fathers - I swore to the fathers. Therefore, even if they are not worthy, they shall merit because they are from the seed of the fathers to whom I swore. Hence, I will lead them and guide them until they are refined."

(28) And so should a person be if they meet wrongdoers: one should not be cruel towards them or curse them and the like. Rather,they should have mercy upon them and say, "In the end, they are the children of Avraham, Yitschak and Yaakov. If they are not fit, their ancestors were fit and proper. And one who disgraces the children, disgraces the ancestors. [Hence] I do not desire that they be disgraced through me." And they conceal their insult and refines them according to their ability.

(29) The thirteenth: "From days of yore" - behold [this is] the trait that the Blessed Holy One, has with Israel when their merit and all else fails. What shall God do - behold, they are not worthy in their own right? It is written (Jeremiah 2:2), "I remembered for you the kindness of your youth, your love as a bride" - the Blessed Holy One, actually remembers the days of the early ones, the love that God had from before, and has mercy upon Israel. And through this, God remembers for them all the commandments that they did from the day they were born and all of the good traits with which the Blessed Holy One, runs Divine world. And from all of them, God produces a special quality to have mercy for them. And behold, this trait includes all of the traits entirely, as they explained in the Idra (Zohar, Nasso, p. 134b).

(30) So [should] a person refine their behavior with people, such that even if they do not find an argument from those mentioned [in the other traits],they should say, "There were already times when they did not sin. And behold, that time, or those earlier days, they were worthy." And they[should] remember for them that good that they did in their childhood, and remember for them the love of the 'ones weaned from milk, removed from the breasts.' And through this, there will not be a person who will not be fit to benefit, to pray for their welfare and to have mercy upon them.

(31) Now [we] have reached the thirteen traits through which a person should resemble their Creator, which are the highest traits of mercy. And their special quality is that [just] as a person acts below, so [too] will they merit to open for themself the highest trait above - exactly as they act, so will there be a flow from above. And they will cause that trait to shine in the world. And so they should not have these thirteen traits escape from the eyes of [their] mind. And they[should] repeat these verses, so that it will be a reminder - when a situation comes to him that they need to uses one of the traits,they will remember and say, "Behold, that thing depends upon trait x; I do not want to stray from it, so that this trait does not disappear and retreat from the world."

(1) Chapter 2 - Some major activities that are the main governance: Further for a person to resemble their Creator from the secret of the trait of the Crown (Keter),they must possess some traits that underlie all behavior.

(2) The first: The trait of humility - which includes everything - because it is dependent on the Crown. As behold, It is a trait over all of the Traits, but it does not raise itself and become proud above [the others]. Indeed, It goes down and always looks downwards. And that is for two reasons: The one is that It is embarrassed to look at Its Cause, rather Its Emanator always looks down upon It to benefit It; and It looks down to the lower ones. So [too,] must a person be embarrassed to gaze upwards, to be proud. Rather,they must always look downwards, to diminish themself all that they can. And behold, this trait is generally dependent upon the head. As a human only shows their pride with the lifting of their head upwards, whereas the poor person lowers their head downwards. And behold, there is none as tolerant and humble as our God with the trait of the Crown, such that God is the epitome of mercy. And there is no defect nor iniquity nor judgment nor any other trait that intervenes in front of God, that prevents [God] from surveying, flowing and bestowing good constantly. So must a person [be], that no cause in the world prevent them from bestowing good; and that no iniquity or improper act of people intervene in front of them in order to impede them from bestowing good from those that need their good at any time and at any instant. And [just] like God sits and nourishes 'from the antelope's horns to the lice's eggs,' and does not disgrace any creature - as if God were to disgrace the creatures because of their smallness, they would not exist in the world even for an instant - but [God] rather supervises and gives Divine mercies upon them all; so must a human be, to bestow good to all and not to have any creature disgraced in front of them . Rather, even the puniest of the puny creatures [should] be very important in their eyes, and they[should] put their mind to it; and bestow good to all that need their good. And this trait is dependent on the Crown, in the secret of the Head as a whole.

(3) The second: That their thought resemble the thought of the Crown. [Just] as that Wisdom (Chochmah) does not ever cease to think good thoughts and evil does not intervene - as It is complete mercy, and there is no judgment there, nor any hardness at all - so [should] a human's thought be always free from anything ugly. And [just] as It is the secret of the Wisdom of the primordial Torah and It is never lacking the secret of the Torah; so must they not divert themself to any diversion from the thought of Torah and [from] thinking about the greatness of God and Divine good actions, bestowing good, and the like.

(4) The principle is that no foreign or idle thing should intervene in their thought. And this was the virtue of Rabbi Shimon (bar Yochai) and their colleagues - and behold in the Zohar in Parshat Vayakhel, how much Rabbi Shimon chastised Rabbi Yose when they diverted their thought a little.

(5) The third: That there not be any hardness in their forehead at all, but it rather resemble the Forehead of will, that wills everything. Even if they find people angering [them], they [should] appease them and quiet them with their good will. As so is the will of the Forehead - always willing, appeasing the severities (gevurot) and refining them. So [too, should] they appease the powerful ones (geeborim) that intensify their anger; and they[should] lead them with good will and engulf [them] with great wisdom to quiet the anger - so that it not pass the limit and be destructive, God forbid. And they[should] use the model of the Higher Will, which is drawn from the wondrous Wisdom of the Forehead of the Ancient One (Aatika), and appeases all from there.

(6) And they[should] draw [on this] to always be agreeable towards the creatures; as if their traits are hard with people from a [particular] angle, they will not be appeased by him. And this is the explanation of the mishnah (Avot 3:10), "Anyone from whom the spirit of creations find pleasure, from him the spirit of the Omnipresent finds pleasure."

(7) The fourth: That their ears are always inclined to hear the good. Indeed, a false or disgraceful report [should] not be heard at all. In the way that no judgment nor defect of evil speech enters the Highest Listening, so [should] they only listen to goodnesses and beneficial things. And they[should] not listen to the other things that intensify anger at all. And [just] like the Serpent’s speech and words do not enter Above, so [too,] must no disgraceful thing enter to them . And that is [the meaning of]: "You shall not raise a false report" (Exodus 23:1) - all the more so, [should] the other disgraceful things not enter their ear at all. And it [should] only listen to good things.

(8) The fifth: Divine eyes [should] not gaze at any disgraceful thing at all. Indeed, they [should] always be open to survey and have mercy upon all the despondent, according to their ability. And when they see the distress of a poor person,they[should] not shut their eyes at all. Rather, they [should] contemplate about them in their mind - according to their ability - and arouse mercy upon them before the Heavens and the creatures. And they[should] distance themself from all observation of evil, in the way that the Highest Eye is open and gazes immediately at the good.

(9) The sixth: That there [should] never be burning fury (literally, fury of the nose) from their nostril at all. Rather, that there always be life, good will and patience (literally, duration of nose) in their nose. And they [should] always want to fulfill the will [of others], to satisfy every request and to sustain every downtrodden one; and always extract forgiveness of iniquity and (stopping) [passing over] of transgression from their [breath]. And they[should] not get angry with one who sins against them , but rather always be appeased and desire kindness, to create a pleasantness of spirit for all.

(10) The seventh: Divine face [should] always be shining and they[should] receive every person with a pleasant countenance. As so it is stated about the Highest Crown, "There is life in the light of the face of the King" (Proverbs 16:15); and no redness (harshness) or judgment enters there at all. So [should] the light of their face not be changed; anyone who gazes at him will only find joy and a pleasant countenance. And no cause [should] disrupt him from this at all.

(11) The eighth: One’s mouth [should] only bring out good; and their speech be Torah and the cause of goodwill. And they[should] not cause a disgraceful thing, a curse or the fury of anger from their mouth at all. And they[should] be similar to that Highest Mouth that never closes at all, and never prevents the good. And therefore,they must not be silent from speaking good about everything, and to always bring out goodness and blessing from their mouth.

(12) Behold, these are eight good traits; and they are all under the masthead of humility. As they are above in the Crown, in the Highest Limbs. And at the time that a person wants to approach the Above, to resemble God- to open their sources to those below -they must master these two chapters.

(13) When they must practice the traits of the Crown: Indeed, we know that it is impossible to always practice these traits, as there are other traits in which a person must attain perfection - and those are the lower severities (gevurot), as we will elucidate. However, there are specific days that the severities are not active and people do not need them, as the Crown rules over them [then]; and times that the Crown is [wholly] required. Then one must use all of these traits that we mentioned.

(14) Yet [with] the other traits - even if they are a need of the service at their [appropriate] times - [the times just mentioned are] not the time to use them, as the light of the Crown [would] nullify them; and hence they should not use those harsh traits. For example,they [should] not use these traits on Shabbat - when the world is refined with the secret of delight, and [so] we do not judge [cases] on Shabbat. Then they [should] use all of the traits [of the Crown] - to open the Highest Sources. As if they focused their concentration on the lights of the Crown in their prayers but they act the opposite with their actions, how will they open the Source of the Crown? And behold, they actually push It off with their actions. And behold the things are an a fortiori argument (kal vechomer): If the Crown does not dwell in the Highest Sefirot (divine emanations) that intensify holy judgments and holy anger, is it not even more so that the Crown and Its light will not dwell upon a person who is intensifying external anger - even if it is for the sake of the Heavens? And even more so, since they comes to challenge the Highest Traits. And God [will] say, "How brazen-faced is that one - the light of the Crown is not revealed in Us because of Our holy and pure judgment, and they seek to reveal It [while]they are full of anger and disgraceful external actions?"

(15) Therefore, on holidays and Shabbat and Yom Kippur and at the time of prayer and the times of Torah involvement - that are [all] not times of severities, but rather times of the revelation of the Highest Will - a person must arrange their characteristics around all of these traits. And they can use the remaining traits for the service of God at the other times - but not the disgraceful one of them, as there is no time that it controls a person that it is not bad for him. And when they use these traits [of the Crown],they can be prepared and sure that they will open the Highest Sources. Hence every human must gradually accustom themself to these traits. And the central one that they [should] grasp - which is the key to everything - is humility; as it is the head of all of them. It is the first aspect of the Crown, and all are included under it.

(16) And behold, the essence of humility is that they not find any value at all in themselves, but rather think of themselves as nothing. And the matter is like the statement (Exodus 16:7), "and what are we, that you complain about us" - until they are in their eyes, the lowliest of all the creatures and very disgraceful and unworthy. And when they constantly toil to reach this trait, all the other traits will be dragged after it. As behold, the first trait that is in the Crown is that It makes Itself appear like nothing in front of Its Emanator. Likewise, [should] a person make themselves [to be an] actual nothing; and they[should] think of their absence as much better than their existence. And with this,they will be in front of their detractors as if the [truth] is with them and they are [actually] disgraceful and blameworthy. And this will be a catalyst for the acquisition of the good traits.

(17) Suggestions to accustom oneself to humility: And I have found a remedy for a person to gradually accustom himself to these things. It is possible that, through them,they will heal themselves from the sickness of pride and enter the gates of humility. And it is a bandage made of three drugs.

(18) The first: That they accustom themselves to flee as much as they can from honor. Because if they accustom themselves to having people honor him,they will become habituated to pride. And nature will make them want this always, and they can only be healed with difficulty.

(19) The second: That they accustom their thought to see their disgrace and say, "If it is that people do not know of my inferiority, what is that to me? And do I, myself, not recognize that I am disgraceful with such and such" - whether it is with the lack of knowledge, the weakness of ability or the disgrace of food and the feces that come out from it, and similar to this - until they be disgraced in their eyes and disgusting.

(20) The third: That they constantly think about their iniquities and desire purification, upbraiding and afflictions. And they[should] say, "What are the best afflictions in the world, which will not disturb me from the service of God?" There is nothing more beloved in all of them than that they should curse them, and disgrace them and condemn them. As behold, they do not detract from their strength and vitality with illnesses; and they do not prevent their eating and their clothing; and they do prevent their life and the life of their children from death. If so, they [should] truly want them and say, "What is it for me to fast and mortify myself with sackcloth and lashes - that weaken my strength from the service of God - that I should accept them actively? It is better for me to mortify myself with the disgrace of people and their cursing me; and my strength will not depart and I will not be weakened." And with this, when insults come upon them, they will rejoice about them; and just the opposite, they will desire them. And they[should] make a bandage for their heart from these three drugs and train himself with it all of their days.

(21) Additional suggestions to accustom oneself to humility: And I have found a very good potion, but the potion does not help as much as the bandage mentioned above. And it is that they accustom themselves to two things.

(22) The first: Completely honor all of the creatures. Since they recognize the virtue of the Creator that created man with wisdom - and the wisdom of the Creator is likewise in all of the creatures - and he, himself, sees that they are very, very honored; as the Creator of all, the virtuous Wise One, dealt with them in their creation. And if they disgraces them, God forbid,they detract from the honor of their Creator. And behold, this is similar to a wise smith -they made a vessel with great wisdom and they showed their creation to people. And one of them began to denounce it and to disgrace it. How much anger will come to that wise one - since they are disgracing their wisdom, in that they are disgracing the work of their hands. And so, too, will it be bad in the eyes of the Blessed Holy One, if they disgrace any creation of Divine creations. And this is [the meaning of] that which is written (Psalms 104:24), "How many are Your creations, Lord" - it does not state, "great," but rather, "many (rabu)," an expression [like], "the important one (rav) of the house" (Esther 1:8), [meaning] they are very important - "You made all of them with wisdom": And since Your wisdom has been involved with them, Your works become important and great. And [so,] it is fitting for a person to contemplate wisdom in them, not disgrace.

(23) The second: God [should] accustom Godself to internalize the love of people into their heart - and even the evildoers - as if they were their siblings, and even more than this; until they fix the love of all people into their heart. And they [should] even love the evildoers in their heart and say, "Who will give that they all be righteous penitents, and all be great ones and desirable to the Omnipresent," like the statement of the trusted friend of all of Israel. God stated (Numbers 11:29), "and who will give that all of the people of the Lord be prophets, etc?" And with what (how) will they love [them]? When they mention in their thought the good [qualities] that they have and covers their blemish, and they not gaze at their scabs but rather at the good traits that they have. And they[should] say in their heart, "If this disgusting poor human was a rich person, how happy I would be with their friendship - as I am with the friendship of x. And behold, if they would dress this one with nice clothes like x, behold there is no difference between them. If so, why [should] they lack honor in my eyes? And behold, in the eyes of God,they are more important than I - as they are stricken and downtrodden with poverty and afflictions, and [so] cleaned of iniquity. And why would I hate one that the Blessed Holy One, loves?" And through this, their heart will turn to the side of the good and accustom themselves to think about all the good traits that we mentioned.