נפילה Falling: - book one

נפילה Falling:

BOOK ONE

1. Sometimes, a man falls from his level in his old age.

2. Through collecting taxes, a man falls from his level.

3. Through jealousy one falls from his level.

4. Due to jealousy, a person does not have consistency. Sometimes he prays with enthusiasm and learns with diligence, and other times, the prayer and learning are a burden to him.

5. One who blunders in his speech [stammers —and certainly, one needs a fluent tongue for everything he needs to express—but one who (nevertheless) blunders in his speech, it is certain that his livelihood has been curtailed, and he is in need of great kindness and salvation, that the Holy One, Blessed be He, should grant him his livelihood.

6. By (taking) an oath, a person's longings can be recognized [alternate version: his longings are cut off. Both versions are correct, however only one justifies this dictum to be categorized here under the entry of falling].

7. When a man slips and falls, this is because he had strengthened himself to commit a sin.

8. When you begin doing a mitzvah, and the beginning is with all your heart, you will be successful in fulfilling this mitzvah, and no harm will come to you.

9. One who falls from his awe of G-d, it is certain that his awe was not pure.

10. A person falls due to desire for money.

11. If you guard yourself from thievery, and from oaths, and from falsehood, you will not fall from your level.

12. When a man prays in a minyan which includes wicked people, they sometimes send him down. A segulah (to be protected) for this is to raise one's hands up during prayer.

13. One whose heart falls from its enthusiasm, it is because he hates the Tzaddik.

14. The Tzaddik who rules the world with Truth will not fall from his importance.

15. One who flees from honor and the honor pursues him, will certainly not descend from nor fall in prestige.

16. Through attachment to tzaddikim, one will not fall from one's level.