Mercy is a most praiseworthy quality and is one of the thirteen attributes associated with the Holy One, Blessed be He, as it is written: "Merciful and Gracious" (Exod. 34:6). A man should do as much as he can to conduct himself in this quality. And just as a person desires people to have mercy upon him in the hour of his need, so it is proper for him that he should have mercy upon anyone who is in need, as Scripture says: "And you shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Lev. 19:18).
The Creator, may He be Blessed, apportioned this quality to the righteous and to His servants so that through this quality they might be identified, as you learn in the case of Joseph, "whose mercies were kindled" (Gen. 43:30). And it is fitting for the intelligent person that the quality of Mercy and Graciousness should be firmly fixed and present in his heart at all times.
There are several kinds of mercy and each rather far apart from the other. The mercy of a father on his child — this is a mercy that comes from the very nature of all creatures that live, as in the case of dogs and cattle. And then there is the case of the master who has mercy on his servant and the man who has mercy on his friend. Even though he expects some benefit from his act, nevertheless, it is very good that he should grasp and hold in his heart the quality of mercy. But the best and most lofty manifestation of the quality of mercy is when a man has mercy upon his son in order to bring him to the service of the Creator, may He be Blessed, as it is written; "The father shall make known Thy truth to his children" (Is. 38:19), and has more mercy upon his son's soul than upon his body. For it is necessary to strike him with the rod of chastisement in order to make him walk in the right path, yes, even if he chastises him harshly, for this apparently cruel conduct is in reality sublime mercy. And if he should withhold the rod of chastisement from his son because he feels too much pity for him to strike him and lets his son go on in the hardness of his evil heart — then this type of mercy drives out and destroys the son from life in the world to come. And even one who raises an orphan of whom it is said: "Ye shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child" (Exod. 22:21), it is a commandment to give stripes even to him in order to make him go upright in the upright path. Nevertheless he must, in spite of this command, (to correct the orphan) conduct himself with this orphan with more mercy than with all others, but he must not permit him to go on in the obduracy of his heart.
And, also, on the poor must one have mercy, and especially on those who revere God. And this is the principal manifestation of mercy — that he should be gracious and show mercy to those who serve God, and do His will.
But there is a kind of mercy that is worse than cruelty. For example, when one has mercy on the wicked and strengthens them. And there is a great stumbling block before the one who raises up the wicked and gives them his hand and abases and rejects the good, and on this it is said in the Torah: "Neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him" (Deut. 13:9). Nor shall one have mercy upon the poor in the course of a law suit, but judge the case fairly, as it is written: "Neither shall you favor a poor man in his cause" (Exodus 23:3), which means that he should not prevert justice because of sympathy with the poor man's distress. And there is mercy which is cruelty. For example, when one gives alms to a poor man and afterwards burdens the poor man by saying, "I gave you this and this; now you must do something for me and serve me just like all that I did for you." And of this type of mercy it is said : "The mercies of the wicked are cruel" (Prov. 12:10).
One must also have pity on animals for it is forbidden to cause pain to living creatures and on this subject the Torah has said: "Thou shalt surely help him lift him (the animal) up" (Deut. 22:4). And one must feed one's animals before he himself sits down to eat (Berakoth 40a).
The quality of mercy identifies the descendants of Abraham our father — the seed of Israel as it is written in Deuteronomy 13:18: "And He shall show you mercy and have mercy upon you and multiply you" i.e. (God will give you the quality of mercy). Therefore, everyone should accustom himself to speak all his words with the language of petition and mercy. Also, when he prays, his prayer should be in the tone of plea and petition. And great indeed is the reward that a man will receive from his words of mercy when he speaks to the heart of the poor.
Many know the commands that lie behind these precepts. You surely see that our Rabbis said: "He who gives a penny to the poor is blessed with six blessings, and he who appeases him with words of kindness is blessed with eleven blessings, therefore, his alms should be clothed in merciful words that will speak kindly to the poor and let his words be gentle to the one in need. And let him comfort him with his deeds and the effort of his hands and honor him and lift him" (Baba Bathra 9b).
And you, O son of man, have mercy on your soul which endures forever! Bring it to a wondrous joy that no eye has seen and let not your many lusts bring you to sin and you be thus thrust from light to darkness. Have pity on yourself and be merciful to your own soul and do not profane the splendor of your soul with the vain frivolities of idle pleasure. The wise man has said, "From his deeds of charity does a man attain the quality of mercy." And in the words of Solomon it is commanded concerning mercy and grace when he says: "Save those that are being taken to death and those near to be slain" (Prov. 24:11).
And you will discern and understand the great virtue of this quality of mercy in that the Creator conducts Himself with that quality with all His creatures, as it is said: "And His tender mercies are over all His works" (Ps. 145:9).
שַׁעַר הַשְּׁבִיעִי – שַׁעַר הָרַחֲמִים
Chapter Seven: ON MERCY
הָרַחֲמִים. זֹאת הַמִּדָּה הִיא מְשֻׁבַּחַת מְאוֹד, וְהִיא אַחַת מִשְּׁלוֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה מִדּוֹת הַמְּיֻחָסוֹת לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, כְּדִכְתִיב (שמות לד ו): ״רַחוּם וְחַנּוּן״. וְכָל מָה שֶׁיּוּכַל הָאָדָם לְהִתְנַהֵג בָּהּ – יִתְנַהֵג וְיִשְׁתַּדֵּל. וְכַמָּה שֶׁהָאָדָם רוֹצֶה שֶׁיְּרַחֲמוּ עָלָיו בִּשְׁעַת צָרְכּוֹ – כֵּן רָאוּי לוֹ שֶׁיְּרַחֵם עַל מִי שֶׁיִּצְטָרֵךְ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (ויקרא יט יח): ״וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ״.
Mercy is a most praiseworthy quality and is one of the thirteen attributes associated with the Holy One, Blessed be He, as it is written: "Merciful and Gracious" (Exod. 34:6). A man should do as much as he can to conduct himself in this quality. And just as a person desires people to have mercy upon him in the hour of his need, so it is proper for him that he should have mercy upon anyone who is in need, as Scripture says: "And you shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Lev. 19:18).
הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרַךְ חִלֵּק זֹאת הַמִּדָּה לַצַּדִּיקִים וְלַעֲבָדָיו לְהַכִּירָם בָּהּ, כַּאֲשֶׁר יָדַעְתָּ בְּיוֹסֵף (בראשית מג ל): ״כִּי נִכְמְרוּ רַחֲמָיו״. וְרָאוּי לַמַּשְׂכִּיל שֶׁתִּהְיֶה מִדַּת הָרַחֲמִים וְהַחֲנִינָה תְּקוּעָה וְנִמְצֵאת בְּלִבּוֹ כָּל הַיָּמִים.
The Creator, may He be Blessed, apportioned this quality to the righteous and to His servants so that through this quality they might be identified, as you learn in the case of Joseph, "whose mercies were kindled" (Gen. 43:30). And it is fitting for the intelligent person that the quality of Mercy and Graciousness should be firmly fixed and present in his heart at all times.
וְיֵשׁ כַּמָּה מִינֵי רַחֲמָנוּת, וְהֵם רְחוֹקִים זֶה מִזֶּה. רַחֲמֵי הָאָב עַל הַבֵּן – זֶהוּ רַחֲמָנוּת הַבָּא מִטֶּבַע כָּל הַחַיִּים, כְּדֶרֶךְ הַכְּלָבִים וְהַבְּהֵמוֹת. וְאִם יִמְנַע שֵׁבֶט מוּסָר מִבְּנוֹ, כִּי נִכְמְרוּ רַחֲמָיו עָלָיו לְהַכּוֹתוֹ, וּמַנִּיחוֹ לֵילֵךְ בִּשְׁרִירוּת לִבּוֹ הָרַע – הִנֵּה זֶה הָרַחֲמָנוּת טוֹרֵד וּמְאַבֵּד אֶת הַבֵּן מֵחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. הִנֵּה הָאָדוֹן מְרַחֵם עַל עַבְדּוֹ, וְאָדָם הַמְּרַחֵם עַל חֲבֵרוֹ בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁמְּקַוֶּה מִמֶּנּוּ תּוֹעֶלֶת – בְּכָל זֶה הִיא טוֹבָה מְאוֹד שֶׁיִּתְפֹּס בְּלִבּוֹ מִדַּת הָרַחְמָנוּת. אֲבָל הַטּוֹב וְהַמְּעֻלֶּה שֶׁבְּמִדַּת הָרַחְמָנוּת: שֶׁיְּרַחֵם עַל בְּנוֹ לַהֲבִיאוֹ לַעֲבוֹדַת הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרַךְ, כְּדִכְתִיב (ישעיהו לח יט): ״אָב לְבָנִים יוֹדִיעַ אֶל אֲמִתֶּךָ״. וִירַחֵם עַל נִשְׁמָתוֹ יוֹתֵר מִמָּה שֶׁמְּרַחֵם עַל גּוּפוֹ. וְצָרִיךְ לְהַכּוֹתוֹ בְּשֵׁבֶט מוּסָר, לְהַדְרִיכוֹ בְּדֶרֶךְ יְשָׁרָה אֲפִלּוּ בְּאַכְזָרִיּוּת, כִּי זֶה הָאַכְזָרִיּוּת הוּא רַחֲמָנוּת. וְאַף הַמְגַדֵּל יָתוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עָלָיו (שמות כב כא): ״כָּל אַלְמָנָה וְיָתוֹם לֹא תְעַנּוּן״ – מִצְוָה לְהַלְקוֹתוֹ בִּכְדֵי לְיַשְּׁרוֹ לְדֶרֶךְ יְשָׁרָה. אַף עַל פִּי כֵן צָרִיךְ לְנַהֵל הַיָּתוֹם בְּרַחֲמִים יוֹתֵר מִשְּׁאָר כָּל אָדָם, אַךְ לֹא יַנִּיחֵהוּ לֵילֵךְ בִּשְׁרִירוּת לִבּוֹ.
There are several kinds of mercy and each rather far apart from the other. The mercy of a father on his child — this is a mercy that comes from the very nature of all creatures that live, as in the case of dogs and cattle. And then there is the case of the master who has mercy on his servant and the man who has mercy on his friend. Even though he expects some benefit from his act, nevertheless, it is very good that he should grasp and hold in his heart the quality of mercy. But the best and most lofty manifestation of the quality of mercy is when a man has mercy upon his son in order to bring him to the service of the Creator, may He be Blessed, as it is written; "The father shall make known Thy truth to his children" (Is. 38:19), and has more mercy upon his son's soul than upon his body. For it is necessary to strike him with the rod of chastisement in order to make him walk in the right path, yes, even if he chastises him harshly, for this apparently cruel conduct is in reality sublime mercy. And if he should withhold the rod of chastisement from his son because he feels too much pity for him to strike him and lets his son go on in the hardness of his evil heart — then this type of mercy drives out and destroys the son from life in the world to come. And even one who raises an orphan of whom it is said: "Ye shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child" (Exod. 22:21), it is a commandment to give stripes even to him in order to make him go upright in the upright path. Nevertheless he must, in spite of this command, (to correct the orphan) conduct himself with this orphan with more mercy than with all others, but he must not permit him to go on in the obduracy of his heart.
וְגַם צָרִיךְ שֶׁלֹּא יְרַחֵם עַל עַצְמוֹ יוֹתֵר מִדַּי, אֶלָּא צָרִיךְ לְיַסֵּר עַצְמוֹ וְלָכֹף יִצְרוֹ הָרַע.
And it is also necessary that he not indulge in too much self pity, but that he reprove himself and bend his evil desire.
וְכֵן יְרַחֵם עַל קְרוֹבָיו הָעֲנִיִּים, כְּדִכְתִיב (ישעיהו נח ז): ״וּמִבְּשָׂרְךָ לֹא תִּתְעַלָּם״.
And he should have mercy on his relatives, as it is written: "And that you hide not yourself from your own flesh" (Is. 58:7).
וְגַם עַל הָעֲנִיִּים יְרַחֵם, וּבְיוֹתֵר יְרַחֵם עַל יִרְאֵי הַשֵּׁם. וְזֶהוּ עִקַּר הָרַחֲמָנוּת – הַחוֹנֵן וְהַמְּרַחֵם עוֹבְדֵי הַשֵּׁם וְהָעוֹשִׂים רְצוֹנוֹ.
And, also, on the poor must one have mercy, and especially on those who revere God. And this is the principal manifestation of mercy — that he should be gracious and show mercy to those who serve God, and do His will.
אֲבָל יֵשׁ רַחֲמָנוּת שֶׁהִיא רָעָה יוֹתֵר מֵאַכְזָרִיּוּת: כְּגוֹן הַמְרַחֵם עַל הָרְשָׁעִים וְהַמַּחֲזִיק אוֹתָם. וְיֵשׁ מִכְשׁוֹל גָּדוֹל לְאִישׁ הַמַּגְבִּיהַּ הָרְשָׁעִים וְהַנּוֹתֵן לָהֶם יָד, וּמַשְׁפִּיל הַטּוֹבִים וּמוֹאֵס בָּהֶם. וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר בַּתּוֹרָה (דברים יג ט): ״וְלֹא תָחוֹס עֵינְךָ עָלָיו, וְלֹא תַחְמֹל״. לֹא יְרַחֵם עַל עָנִי בַּדִּין, כְּדִכְתִיב (שמות כג ג): ״וְדָל לֹא תֶהְדַּר בְּרִיבוֹ״ – שֶׁלֹּא יַטֶּה מִשְׁפָּט עֲבוּר דּוֹחֲקוֹ שֶׁל עָנִי. וְיֵשׁ רַחֲמָנוּת שֶׁהִיא אַכְזָרִיּוּת: כְּגוֹן הַנּוֹתֵן צְדָקָה לְעָנִי, וְאַחַר כָּךְ מַכְבִּיד עַל אוֹתוֹ עָנִי וְאוֹמֵר: נָתַתִּי לְךָ כָּךְ וְכָךְ, צָרִיךְ אַתָּה לִטְרֹחַ בַּעֲבוּרִי וְלַעֲבֹד אוֹתִי כְּכָל אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתִי לְךָ. וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (משלי יב י): ״וְרַחֲמֵי רְשָׁעִים אַכְזָרִי״.
But there is a kind of mercy that is worse than cruelty. For example, when one has mercy on the wicked and strengthens them. And there is a great stumbling block before the one who raises up the wicked and gives them his hand and abases and rejects the good, and on this it is said in the Torah: "Neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him" (Deut. 13:9). Nor shall one have mercy upon the poor in the course of a law suit, but judge the case fairly, as it is written: "Neither shall you favor a poor man in his cause" (Exodus 23:3), which means that he should not prevert justice because of sympathy with the poor man's distress. And there is mercy which is cruelty. For example, when one gives alms to a poor man and afterwards burdens the poor man by saying, "I gave you this and this; now you must do something for me and serve me just like all that I did for you." And of this type of mercy it is said : "The mercies of the wicked are cruel" (Prov. 12:10).
גַּם עַל הַבְּהֵמוֹת צָרִיךְ לְרַחֵם. כִּי אָסוּר לְצַעֵר בַּעֲלֵי חַיִּים, וְעַל זֶה אָמְרָה תּוֹרָה (דברים כב ד): ״הָקֵם תָּקִים עִמּוֹ״. וְצָרִיךְ לְהַאֲכִיל לִבְהֶמְתּוֹ קֹדֶם שֶׁיֹּאכַל הוּא (ברכות מ א).
One must also have pity on animals for it is forbidden to cause pain to living creatures and on this subject the Torah has said: "Thou shalt surely help him lift him (the animal) up" (Deut. 22:4). And one must feed one's animals before he himself sits down to eat (Berakoth 40a).
מִדַּת הָרַחְמָנוּת הִיא סִימָן לְזֶרַע אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ, זֶרַע יִשְׂרָאֵל, כְּדִכְתִיב (דברים יג יח): ״וְנָתַן לְךָ רַחֲמִים, וְרִחַמְךָ וְהִרְבֶּךָ״ (יבמות עט א). לָכֵן כָּל אָדָם יַרְגִּיל עַצְמוֹ לְדַבֵּר כָּל דְּבָרָיו בִּלְשׁוֹן תַּחֲנוּנִים וְרַחֲמָנוּת. גַּם בְּעֵת הִתְפַּלְלוֹ – יַעֲשֶׂה תְּפִלָּתוֹ תַּחֲנוּנִים (אבות ג יג). וּמְאוֹד יְקַבֵּל אָדָם שָׂכָר גָּדוֹל מִדִּבְרֵי רַחֲמָנוּת, בְּדַבְּרוֹ עַל לֵב עָנִי דְּבָרִים רַכִּים.
The quality of mercy identifies the descendants of Abraham our father — the seed of Israel as it is written in Deuteronomy 13:18: "And He shall show you mercy and have mercy upon you and multiply you" i.e. (God will give you the quality of mercy). Therefore, everyone should accustom himself to speak all his words with the language of petition and mercy. Also, when he prays, his prayer should be in the tone of plea and petition. And great indeed is the reward that a man will receive from his words of mercy when he speaks to the heart of the poor.
וְרַבִּים יוֹדְעִים מִצְוַת חִיּוּב הַצְּדָקָה וּשְׂכַר פְּעֻלָּתָהּ, אֲבָל אֵינָם יוֹדְעִים גֹּדֶל מִצְוַת הַדִּבּוּרִים. הֲלוֹא תִּרְאֶה כִּי אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (בבא בתרא ט ב): הַנּוֹתֵן פְּרוּטָה לֶעָנִי מִתְבָּרֵךְ בְּשֵׁשׁ בְּרָכוֹת, וְהַמְּפַיְּסוֹ מִתְבָּרֵךְ בְּאַחַת עֶשְׂרֵה בְּרָכוֹת. לָכֵן בְּדִבּוּר שְׂפָתָיו יִלְבַּשׁ צְדָקָה לְדַבֵּר עַל לֵב עָנִי, וְיִהְיוּ דְּבָרָיו בְּנַחַת לְעָנִי וְאֶבְיוֹן, וִינַחֲמֵהוּ מִמַּעֲשָׂיו וּמֵעִצְּבוֹן יָדָיו, וִינַשְּׂאֵהוּ.
Many know the commands that lie behind these precepts. You surely see that our Rabbis said: "He who gives a penny to the poor is blessed with six blessings, and he who appeases him with words of kindness is blessed with eleven blessings, therefore, his alms should be clothed in merciful words that will speak kindly to the poor and let his words be gentle to the one in need. And let him comfort him with his deeds and the effort of his hands and honor him and lift him" (Baba Bathra 9b).
וְאַתָּה בֶּן אָדָם תְּרַחֵם עַל נִשְׁמָתְךָ הַמִּתְקַיֶּמֶת לַעֲדֵי עַד, לַהֲבִיאָהּ אֶל תַּעֲנוּג מֻפְלָא אֲשֶׁר לֹא רָאֲתָה עַיִן. וְלֹא יְבִיאֲךָ רֹב תַּאֲוָתְךָ לְחֵטְא, וְתִהְיֶה נִדְחֶה מֵאוֹר אֶל חֹשֶׁךְ. חֲמֹל עַל עַצְמְךָ, וְחוּס עַל נַפְשְׁךָ, וְאַל תְּחַלֵּל הוֹד נִשְׁמָתְךָ בְּהֶבְלֵי הַתַּעֲנוּגִים. אָמַר הֶחָכָם: מִן הַנְּדִיבוּת יַעֲמוֹד אָדָם בְּמִדַּת הָרַחֲמִים. וּבְדִבְרֵי שְׁלֹמֹה מְצַוֶּה עַל הָרַחֲמִים וְעַל הַחֲנִינָה בְּאָמְרוֹ (משלי כד יא): ״הַצֵּל לְקוּחִים לַמָּוֶת, וּמָטִים לַהֶרֶג״.
And you, O son of man, have mercy on your soul which endures forever! Bring it to a wondrous joy that no eye has seen and let not your many lusts bring you to sin and you be thus thrust from light to darkness. Have pity on yourself and be merciful to your own soul and do not profane the splendor of your soul with the vain frivolities of idle pleasure. The wise man has said, "From his deeds of charity does a man attain the quality of mercy." And in the words of Solomon it is commanded concerning mercy and grace when he says: "Save those that are being taken to death and those near to be slain" (Prov. 24:11).
וּמַעֲלַת הַמִּדָּה הַזֹּאת תַּבְחִין וְתַשְׁכִּיל, אֲשֶׁר הַבּוֹרֵא מִתְנַהֵג בָּהּ עִם כָּל הַבְּרוּאִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קמה ט): ״וְרַחֲמָיו עַל כָּל מַעֲשָׂיו״.
And you will discern and understand the great virtue of this quality of mercy in that the Creator conducts Himself with that quality with all His creatures, as it is said: "And His tender mercies are over all His works" (Ps. 145:9).