ממון MONEY: book one 20-26

20. A man's livelihood is paramount to the splitting of the Red Sea, and more than the Redemption, and twice as difficult as childbirth.

21. Whence a person is appointed as a parnas (president to manage the welfare) of a group, he becomes wealthy.

22. The Incense burned in the Temple makes (the officiating priest) wealthy.

23. A person should not worry saying, so-and-so curtailed my livelihood. For against their will seat you in your (rightful) place and call you by your (rightful) name.

24. On account of four things, the possessions of householders fall into continuous reduction: For delaying the payment of employees, for fully denying employees their salary, and for casting off responsibility from their necks and placing it on their fellows, and for arrogance.

25. Changing one's place and name are beneficial for making a livelihood.

26. The rain is only withheld due to not giving terumos (portion for priests) and tithes, people who speak lushon hura (bad talk/slander), haughty people, annulling study of the Torah, and the sin of stealing.

ארץ ישראל Land of Israel - BOOK TWO

ספר המידות - ערך ארץ ישראל חלק שני

א. על ידי ישיבת ארץ ישראל משיגין השגחת השם יתברך על העולם:

BOOK TWO:

1. Through settling the Land of Israel, one perceives Divine Providence over the world.

2. According to the novelties a man derives from the Torah, he draws an illumination from the holiness of the Land of Israel.

ב. לפי החדוש שאדם מחדש בתורה, כן נמשך לו הארה מקדושת ארץ ישראל:

3. According to the longing one has to come to the Land of Israel, through this there is bountiful large income.

ג. על ידי השתוקקות שאדם משתוקק לביאת ארץ ישראל, על ידי זה נשפע פרנסה גדולה:

4. One who supports many people, through this he draws blessing from Israel to the rest of the world.

ד. מי שהוא מפרנס את הרבים, על ידי זה ממשיך הברכה מארץ ישראל לחוץ לארץ:

5. One who longs for the Land of Israel arouses longing in his mother and father—meaning, in their souls—so they come to Israel, and the Holy One, Blessed be He comes with them, and they wait and long for him (t.n. to come to the Holy Land).

ה. מי שמשתוקק לארץ ישראל, על ידי זה מעורר השתוקקות אצל אביו ואמו, הינו נשמותיהם, ובאים לארץ ישראל, והקדוש ברוך הוא בא עמם ומצפים ומשתוקקים אליו:

6. Through the money one gives to the poor people that live in the Land of Israel, through this his wealth is maintained.

ו. על ידי הממון שנותן לעניי ארץ ישראל, על ידי זה ממונו נתקים בידו:

7. One who knows about the Land of Israel, who has truly tasted the taste of the Land of Israel, can recognize in another if he had been by a true tzaddik on Rosh HaShana or not. For one whom merited being by a true tzaddik on Rosh HaShana, wherever he looks, the air of that place gains the aspect of the air of Israel. Therefore, anyone who knows the taste of the Land of Israel, each person according to his level, will without question sense the Land of Israel when he chances upon and meets with a man who had been by a true tzaddik on Rosh HaShana. For through such a man the air becomes the aspect of the air of the Land of Israel, as explained above.

ז. מי שיודע מארץ ישראל, שטעם באמת טעם ארץ ישראל, הוא יכול להכיר באחר, אם היה אצל צדיק [אמתי] על ראש השנה אם לאו. כי מי שזוכה להיות אצל צדיק אמתי על ראש השנה, אזי בכל מקום שהאיש הזה מסתכל, נעשה אותו האויר בחינת אוירא דארץ ישראל, ועל כן מי שיודע מטעם ארץ ישראל, כל אחד כפי ערכו, הוא מחויב להרגיש ארץ ישראל, כשפוגע ומתועד יחד עם זה האיש, שהיה אצל צדיק אמתי על ראש השנה, כי על ידו נעשה האויר בבחינת ארץ ישראל כנ"ל:

אמונה FAITH - book one 1-9

אמונה FAITH

book one

1. It is necessary to believe in Hashem, may He be Blessed, by way of faith and not by way of proof.


2. Through humility, you merit faith.


3. When you see something unusual happen, do not say it happened by chance. Rather, believe that this is the providence of Hashem, may He be Blessed.


4. There are things that cause great damage to the world. This is a difficult matter -- why were they created? You should know that, certainly, they have one good aspect in them.


5. Someone who enjoys the words of a heretic, even if the words are not heretical, through this, he comes to thoughts of idol worship.


6. Through faith, a person is beloved to Hashem, may He be Blessed, as a wife is to her husband.


7. Someone who does not prepare his heart, is not able to come to faith.


8. Someone who has lost something, it is certain that he fell from his faith.


9. Someone who lost his faith, should go to Jewish graves and tell over the loving-kindnesses that the Holy One, Blessed be He, did for him.