BH
The friends are working on putting out a new edition of Sefer Hamidos in English, and hopefully it will be ready soon. In the meantime I have started editing. Here is the first entry of this holy work:
אֱמֶת TRUTH
א. מִי שֶׁרוֹצֶה
לְדַבֵּק אֶת עַצְמוֹ בְּהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, עַד שֶׁיֵּלֵךְ בְּמַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ
מֵהֵיכָל אֶל הֵיכָל וְיִרְאֶה אֶת הַהֵיכָלוֹת בְּעֵינֵי הַשֵּׂכֶל, יִשְׁמֹר אֶת
עַצְמוֹ מִלּוֹמַר שֶׁקֶר אֲפִלּוּ בְּטָעוּת.
1. One who
wants to attach himself to the Blessed G-d, to the extent that he can traverse
with his thoughts from Haichal to Haichal (chamber to chamber), and to see the haichaloas
(chambers) with the eyes of the intellect,
must guard himself from saying falsehood, even by mistake.
ב. מֻתָּר
לְשַׁנּוֹת בִּדְבַר הַשָּׁלוֹם.
2.It is
permissible to alter [the truth] for the sake of peace.
ג. כַּת
שַׁקָּרִים אֵינָם מְקַבְּלִים פְּנֵי הַשְּׁכִינָה.
3. The grouping of liars cannot receive the countenance
of the Divine Presence.
ד. שָׁרֵי לְהוּ
לְצַדִּיקַיָּא לִסְגוּאֵי בְּרַמָּאוּתָא עִם רַמָּאֵי.
4. It is
permissible for the tzadikim to act with conniving with a swindler.
ה. כָּל
הַמּוֹסִיף גּוֹרֵעַ.
5. All who add,
detract.
ו. עַל יְדֵי
שֶׁקֶר בָּאִים הִרְהוּרֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה.
6. Through
falsehood come thoughts of idolatry (similary see article 28).
ז. עַל־יְדֵי
אֱמֶת לֹא יָמוּת קֹדֶם זְמַנּוֹ הַקָּצוּב.
7. Through
truth, one will not die before his allotted time.
ח. מֵרוּחַ פִּיו
שֶׁל הַשַּׁקְּרָן נַעֲשָׂה הַיֵּצֶר הָרָע, וּכְשֶׁיָּבוֹא
מָשִׁיחַ אָז לֹא
יִהְיֶה שֶּׁקֶר, וּבִשְׁבִיל זֶה לֹא יִהְיֶה יֵצֶר הָרָע בָּעוֹלָם.
8. From the
breath (of the mouth) of a liar, the evil
inclination is created, and when the Messiah comes, (then) there will be no falsehood,
and consequently, there will be no evil inclination in the world.
ט. מִי שֶׁהוּא
אִישׁ אֱמֶת, אֲזַי הוּא מַכִּיר בְּאַחֵר, אִם אַחֵר דּוֹבֵר שֶׁקֶר אִם לָאו.
9. Someone who
is a person of truth (then he) can discern in another,
whether the other lies or not.
י. הַסִּימָן שֶׁל הַשֶּׁקֶר - כְּשֶׁלֹּא יַסְכִּימוּ עָלָיו רַבִּים, וְהוּא מִשְּׁלֹשָׁה שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא
שׂוֹנְאָן.
10. The indication of falsehood - when the
many do not agree with it, and it is one of the three things that the Holy One
Blessed be He hates.
יא. עָשִׁיר מְכַחֵשׁ - אֵין הַדַּעַת סוֹבְלוֹ וְהוּא נִבְזֶה בְּעֵינֵי עַצְמוֹ.
11. A rich man who denies (having
the possessions of others) - the conscience cannot bear it, and he is
despicable in his own eyes.
יב. תִּקּוּן לַפֶּה -
שֶׁיִּתֵּן צְדָקָה.
12. A rectification for the mouth – that he
should give charity (see also articles 12, 13,
and Charity 31).
יג. עַל־יְדֵי אֱמֶת הָעוֹלָם נִשְׁמָר מִכָּל הֶזֵּקוֹת.
13. Through truth, the world is protected
from all harm.
יד. עַל־יְדֵי חֲנֻפָּה בָּא לְשֶׁקֶר.
14. Through fawning, one comes to
falsehood.
טו. מִי שֶׁנּוֹתֵן צְדָקָה שְׂכָרוֹ שֶׁיִּזְכֶּה לֶאֱמֶת.
15. One who gives charity his reward is that
he will merit to truth (see also articles 12, 23, and Charity 31).
טז. הַשַּׁקְרָן שׂוֹנֵא עֲנִיווּת.
16. The liar hates humility (see also
article 46).
יז. אָדָם נִכָּר עַל־יְדֵי מְשָׁרְתָיו, אִם הוּא אוֹהֵב שֶׁקֶר כִּי זֶה בָּזֶה
תָּלוּי. לִפְעָמִים מְשָׁרְתָיו נוֹפְלִים לַעֲבֵרוֹת עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁהוּא שַׁקְרָן,
וְלִפְעָמִים הוּא נוֹפֵל לְשֶׁקֶר עַל־יְדֵי מְשָׁרְתָיו, שֶׁאֵינָם הֲגוּנִים.
17. A person is recognized through his
servants, whether he loves falsehood, for each is dependent on the other.
Sometimes his servants fall into sins through that which he is a liar, and
sometimes he falls into falsehood through his servants, that aren't proper
(-this teaching is brought succinctly in Faith 64).
יח. כְּשֶׁאֵין אֱמֶת אֵין חֶסֶד. גַּם אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לַעֲשׂוֹת )חֶסֶד( עִם בְּנֵי־אָדָם.
18. When there is no truth, there is no
kindness, also he cannot do (kindness) with people (see article 23).
יט. הַשֶּׁקֶר מְעַכֵּב אֶת הַיְשׁוּעָה, כִּי הַשֶּׁקֶר מְגַלֶּה עֲווֹנוֹתָיו,
כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יוֹשִׁיעוּ לוֹ.
19. Falsehood forestalls the salvation, for
falsehood exposes one's sins, in order that he not be saved.
כ. הָאֱמֶת הִיא פּוֹדָה מִכָּל הַצָּרוֹת.
20. The truth redeems from all troubles.
כא. טוֹב לָאָדָם שֶׁיָּמוּת, מִשֶּׁיִּחְיֶה וְיִהְיֶה שַׁקְרָן בְּעֵינֵי בְּנֵי־אָדָם.
21. It is better for a man to die, than to
live and be [considered] a liar in peoples' eyes.
כב. כְּשֶׁיֵּשׁ אֱמֶת יֵשׁ שָׁלוֹם.
22. When there is truth, there is peace.
כג. מִי שֶׁרָחוֹק מֵאֱמֶת, רָחוֹק מִצְּדָקָה.
23. Someone who is far from truth is far from
charity (see
articles 12, 15, 18, and Likutay Moharan 251).
כד. עַל־יְדֵי אֱמֶת נִשְׁמָר אוֹת בְּרִית.
24. Through truth, the sign of the covenant
(referring primarily to sexual purity. t.n.) is guarded.
כה. עַל־יְדֵי אֱמֶת יִזְכֶּה לְשֵׁם עוֹלָם.
25. Through truth, one merits to an
everlasting name.
כו. אִישׁ וְאִשָּׁה שֶׁרְגִילִין לוֹמַר שֶׁקֶר, הַבָּנִים שֶׁלָּהֶם יִהְיוּ מִתְנַגְּדִים
גַּם יִהְיוּ פּוֹגְמִים בַּבְּרִית.
26. A husband and wife who are accustomed
to saying lies, their children will be opposers, and also will be defecting the covenant (referring
primarily to sexual infractions. t.n.).
כז. הַשֶּׁקֶר בָּא עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁמְּקַבֵּל עַל עַצְמוֹ פַּחַד מִבְּנֵי־אָדָם.
27. Falsehood comes through accepting upon
one's self fear of people.
כח. עַל־יְדֵי הַשֶּׁקֶר שׁוֹכְחִין אֶת הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא.
28. Through falsehood, one forgets the Holy
One, Blessed be He (-similarly see article 6, also see article 34).
כט. מִי שֶׁאֵין לּוֹ בִּטָּחוֹן, הוּא דּוֹבֵר שְׁקָרִים, וְעַל־יְדֵי שְׁקָרִים
אֵין יָכוֹל לִבְטֹחַ בָּאֱמֶת.
29. Someone who does not have trust (in
G-d), he
speaks lies, and through (his) falsehood, he cannot have real trust.
ל. לְפִי הַרִחוּק מֵאֱמֶת כֵּן מַחֲזִיק אֶת הַסּוּר־מֵרָע לְשׁוֹטֶה.
30. According to one's distance from truth,
so one perceives a person who shuns evil, as a fool.
לא. מִי שֶׁרוֹצֶה לָסוּר מֵרָע, וְרוֹאֶה שֶׁאֵין אֱמֶת בָּעוֹלָם, עוֹשֶׂה עַצְמוֹ
כְּשׁוֹטֶה.
31. One who wants to turn away from evil,
and sees that there is no truth in the world, makes himself as a fool.
לב. מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר שֶׁקֶר, הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא מוֹשִׁיעַ לוֹ בְּעֵת
צָרָתוֹ גַּם בָּנִים יִהְיוּ לוֹ.
32. Someone who does not say falsehood, the
Holy One Blessed be He saves him in the time of his trouble. Also, he will have
children.
לג. עַל־יְדֵי דִּבּוּר שָׁוְא בָּא מַכּוֹת בָּנִים.
33. Through pointless speech, comes a
smiting of the children.
לד. מִי שֶׁמְּקֻשָּׁר לַשָּׁוְא, בָּא לְשִׁכְחָה.
34. One who is connected to aimlessness, comes to
forgetfulness (see also article 28).
לה. עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁקֶר בָּא לְנִאוּף, וּמַחֲזִיק יְדֵי מְרֵעִים, שֶׁלֹּא יַחְזְרוּ
בִּתְשׁוּבָה.
35. Through falsehood one comes to
promiscuity, and strengthens the hand of evildoers, that they should not return
in repentance.
לו. עַל־יְדֵי שְׁקָרִים אֵין לוֹ רְפוּאָה אֲפִלּוּ בְּהַרְבֵּה רְפוּאוֹת.
36. Through falsehood, one will not have
healing, even from many varied treatments.
לז. מִי שֶׁדּוֹבֵר כְּזָבִים נוֹפֵל בַּחֶרֶב. גַּם נַעֲשָׂה שׁוֹטֶה.
37. One who speaks falsehood (t.n.
there is a slight connotation of hollowness and non continuance) falls by
the sword, also he becomes a fool.
לח. עַל־יְדֵי יִרְאָה בָּא לֶאֱמֶת.
38. Through fear (of
G-d), one
comes to truth.
לט. מִי שֶׁשּׁוֹמֵר אֶת עַצְמוֹ מִשֶּׁקֶר, הוּא מְנַצֵּחַ תָּמִיד.
39. One who guards himself from falsehood,
he is victorious always.
מ. מֻתָּר לְשַׁנּוֹת, כְּדֵי לְהַצִּיל אֶת עַצְמוֹ.
40. It is permissible to alter the truth in
order to save oneself (also see article 2).
מא. מִי שֶׁאוֹהֵב כְּזָבִים, הוּא מְבַזֶּה אֶת הַצַּדִּיק גַּם הוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ
נִתְבַּזֶּה.
41. One who loves falsehood, he
disgraces the Tzaddik, also, he himself becomes disgraced.
מב. מִי שֶׁדּוֹבֵר כְּזָבִים, הוּא אוֹבֵד.
42. One who speaks falsehood, he is lost.
מג. עַל־יְדֵי אֱמֶת נִצּוֹל מִלָּשׁוֹן־הָרָע גַּם תְּפִלָּתוֹ נִתְקַבֵּל. גַּם
כְּשֶׁדָּנִים אוֹתוֹ לְמַעְלָה, דָּנִים אוֹתוֹ לְפִי זְכֻיּוֹת שֶׁלּוֹ.
43. Through truth, one is guarded from evil
speech (lushon hura), also his prayer is accepted. Also, when he is
judged above, he is judged according to his merits.
מד. עַל־יְדֵי חֲלוֹמוֹת יֵדַע אָדָם אִם לִבּוֹ אֱמֶת עִם אֱלֹקָיו.
44. Through dreams, a person can know if his
heart is true with his G-d.
מה. מִי שֶׁמְּקַיֵּם דִּבּוּרוֹ, יָכוֹל לַעֲשׂוֹת פְּעֻלּוֹת.
45. Someone who keeps his word can be
enterprising.
מו. מִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ גַּאֲוָה נִצּוֹל מִשָּׁקֶר.
46. Someone who doesn't have arrogance is saved
from falsehood (see also article 16).
מז. מִי שֶׁשּׁוֹמֵר אֶת עַצְמוֹ מִשְּׂחוֹק שֶׁל הִתּוּל, בְּיָדוּעַ שֶׁהוּא אִישׁ
אֱמֶת.
47. Someone who guards himself from laughter of
ridicule, it is certain that he is a person of truth.
מח. מִי שֶׁהָיָה שַׁקְרָן מִגִּלְגּוּל הֶעָבָר, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה כְּשֶׁנִּתְגַּלְגֵּל,
נַעֲשָׂה אִטֵּר־יָד.
48. One who was a liar in a previous incarnation,
through this, when he was reincarnated, he was made to be left-handed.
מט. מִי שֶׁשּׁוֹמֵר אֶת עַצְמוֹ וְדוֹבֵר תָּמִיד אֱמֶת, כְּאִלּוּ עָשָׂה שָׁמַיִם
וָאָרֶץ וְאֶת הַיָּם וְאֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר בָּם.
49. One who guards himself and speaks truth at
all times, it is as if he made the heavens and earth, and the sea and all that
is in them (see also Likutay Moharan 47).
נ. הַשֶּׁקֶר אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא בְּפִיו, אֲבָל לֹא בִּכְתָב.
50. [The] Falsehood is only with one's mouth, but
not in writing.
נא. דִּבְּרוּ תּוֹרָה וּנְבִיאִים וַחֲכָמִים בִּלְשׁוֹן הֲבַאי.
51. The Torah, the Prophets and the Sages spoke
in common terms (-this usually refers to exaggerations).
חֵלֶק שֵׁנִי
SECOND PART
א.
עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁקֶר
דְּבָרָיו אֵינָם נִשְׁמָעִים. גַּם עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁקֶר מְאַלְמֵן, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, כַּמָּה
נָשִׁים.
1. Through
falsehood, one's words are not heard. Also, through falsehood, several women,
G-d forbid, can become widowed.
ב.
עַל־יְדֵי אֱמֶת
נִתְגַּלֶּה יִחוּדוֹ בָּעוֹלָם.
2. Through
truth, His unity is revealed in the world.
ג.
כְּשֶׁאַתָּה רוֹאֶה
שַׁקְרָן, תֵּדַע, שֶׁגַּם הַמַּנְהִיג שֶׁל הָאִישׁ הַזֶּה שַׁקְרָן.
3. When
you see a liar, know that the leader of
this person is also a liar.
ד.
עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁקֶר
בָּא לִידֵי גִּלּוּי־עֲרָיוֹת וּשְׁפִיכוּת־דָּמִים, וְגַם מַכְשִׁיל אֶת הַכְּשֵׁרִים
בְּגִלּוּי־עֲרָיוֹת וּשְׁפִיכוּת־דָּמִים, וּמַרְאֶה הֶתֵּר מִן הַתּוֹרָה.
4. Through
falsehood, one comes to sexual immorality and spilling of blood, and
also causes the upright people to fail in sexual immorality and spilling blood,
and he shows permissibility from the Torah.
ה.
מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְשַׁנֶּה
בְּדִבּוּרוֹ, הוּא יָכוֹל לְהַשְׁפִּיל הַגְּבוֹהִים וּלְהַגְבִּיהַּ הַשְּׁפָלִים.
5. Someone
who does not alter the truth with his words, he is able to humble the high and
raise up the lowly (see
article 1:45 and the notes there).
ו.
מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְדַבֵּר
אֶחָד בַּפֶּה וְאֶחָד בַּלֵּב, אֵינוֹ מִתְיָרֵא מִטְבִיעַת מַיִם.
6. One who
does not speak one thing with his mouth and another (-while
having a different) in his heart, does not fear from drowning [in water].
ז.
הָאֱמֶת מֵבִיא שֹׂבַע.
7. The
truth brings contentment (abundance).
ח.
הַשִּׁלְשׁוּל וְהָעֲצִירוּת
בָּא עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁקֶר.
8.
Diarrhea and constipation come as a result of falsehood.
ט.
עַל־יְדֵי אֱמֶת
בָּא הַקֵּץ.
9. Through truth comes the end (-of the exile –
redemption). (see Likutay Moharan, Torah-teaching 66:3 (also see Torah-teaching
7).
Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman