The human being is free in his imagination but fettered by his reason.1One who lives according to his imagination is unbridled and instinctive, whereas one who lives according to the dictates of reason exercises restraint and recognizes boundaries. His imagination leads him, undisciplined, on the path his heart desires. He acts without fear of the inevitable future, when God will hold him accountable2Compare Isaiah 27:1. for all his activities, and he will be chastised with harsh judgments. No one else will be held accountable in his stead. He alone will bear the fruit of his sin. The one who commits the sin is the one who is punished. It is a bitter fate. Let the person not say: This is my affliction and I will bear it.3Compare Jeremiah 10:19. He should not be complacent about the possibility of punishment, for it will exceed his capacity to bear it.
הָאָדָם חָפְשִׁי בְּדִמְיוֹנוֹ, וְאָסוּר בְּמֻשְׂכָּלוֹ. דִּמְיוֹנוֹ מוֹלִיכוֹ שׁוֹבָב בְּדֶרֶךְ לֵב רְצוֹנוֹ, בַּל יֵחַת מֵהֶעָתִיד הַוַּדַּאי, עֵת יִפְקֹד ה' עַל כָּל מִפְעָלָיו, וּבִשְׁפָטִים קָשִׁים יִוָּסֵר, בַּל יִלָּכֵד זָר בִּגְלָלוֹ, הוּא לְבַדּוֹ יִשָּׂא פְּרִי חֶטְאוֹ, אֶחָד הוּא, עוֹשֶׂה הָעֲבֵרוֹת וְהַנֶּעֱנָשׁ. מָרָה הִיא, בַּל יֹאמַר הָאָדָם זֶה חֹלִי וָאֶשָּׂאֶנּוּ:
The human being is free in his imagination but fettered by his reason.1One who lives according to his imagination is unbridled and instinctive, whereas one who lives according to the dictates of reason exercises restraint and recognizes boundaries. His imagination leads him, undisciplined, on the path his heart desires. He acts without fear of the inevitable future, when God will hold him accountable2Compare Isaiah 27:1. for all his activities, and he will be chastised with harsh judgments. No one else will be held accountable in his stead. He alone will bear the fruit of his sin. The one who commits the sin is the one who is punished. It is a bitter fate. Let the person not say: This is my affliction and I will bear it.3Compare Jeremiah 10:19. He should not be complacent about the possibility of punishment, for it will exceed his capacity to bear it.