Chapter 3 - How a person can accustom himself with the trait of wisdom (chokhmah): Behold, the Highest Wisdom is completely spread over all things that exist, even as It is very concealed and sublime. About It is it stated (Psalms 104:24), "How many are Your creations, Lord; You made all of them with wisdom." So [too,] is it fitting for a person's wisdom to be found in everything; and he [should] 'teach to benefit' people - he [should] endow each and every one according to his ability, that which he can endow from his wisdom. And no cause [should] disturb him [in this] at all.
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שני פנים לחכמה: וְהִנֵּה אֶל הַחָכְמָה שְׁנֵי פָנִים:
The two sides of Wisdom: And behold there are two sides to Wisdom.
And [just] like Wisdom endows each and every Sefirah according to its size and need, he [should] endow [wisdom] to every person according to the measure of his intellect with which he can hold [it], and that which is pleasant for him and his need. And he [should] guard from giving more than the measure of the intellect of the endowed, so that a mishap not follow from it. As so is it that the higher Sefirah does not add beyond the restricted measure of the Receiver.
Surveillance over the needs of others: It is also from the way of Wisdom for It to be surveying all things in existence, since It is the Thought that thinks about all things in existence. And about It is it stated (Isaiah 55:8), "For My thoughts are not your thoughts"; and written (II Samuel 14:14), "and He thinks thoughts that one banished not be banished from Him"; and [also] written (Jeremiah 29:11), "For I have known the thoughts that I am thinking about you, House of Israel; thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give to you an ending of hope." So [too,] must a person's eyes be open over the behavior of the people of God, to benefit them. And his thoughts [should] be to bring close the banished, and to think good thoughts about them. [Just] like the Mind thinks [about the] benefit of all existence, so [should] he think about the benefit of his fellows and counsel them [with] advice [that is] good with God and with His people, [both] individually and generally. And he [should] lead one who leaves good behavior, towards straight behavior; and he [should] be like a mind and thought to steer him and lead him to good and straight action - [just] like the Highest Thought straightens the Highest Man (the Divine Emanations below It).
To bestow life. And Wisdom also gives life to everything, as it is written (Ecclesiastes 7:12), "and Wisdom gives life to the one that possesses It." So [too, should] he instruct life to the whole world and cause [them to have] life in this world and in the world to come, and facilitate life for them. This is the general principle - he [should] exude life for all.
To be like a father: And Wisdom is also a Father to all that exist, as it is written (Psalms 104:24), "How many are Your creations, Lord; You made all of them with wisdom" - and they are living and survive from There. So [too,] must he be a father to all of the creations of the Holy One, blessed be He, and to Israel, the essence - as they are the holy souls emanated from There. And he [should] always seek mercy and blessing for the world - in the way that the Highest Father is a Merciful One upon His creatures - and always pray about the distress of those in distress, as if they were his actual children and as if he created them. As this is the will of the Holy One, blessed be He - in the way that the faithful shepherd stated (Numbers 11:12), "Did I conceive all this people, that You should say to me, 'Carry them in your bosom.'" And in this [way], he [should] carry all of the people of God 'as a nurse carries an infant' - 'with his forearm he gathers the lambs, with his bosom carries, leads the nurse-mothers.' He [should] remember the hidden, seek the young, heal the broken, sustain the needy and return the lost. And he [should] have mercy on Israel and carry their load with a pleasant countenance - like the Highest Merciful One, who tolerates everything and does not wither nor ignore nor get sick [of them], but [rather] leads each one according to his need.
To have mercy upon all of the creatures: He must also have his mercy extend to all the creatures. He [should] not disgrace them nor destroy them. As behold, the Highest Wisdom is spread over all the creatures - the inanimate, the growing (plants), the living (animals) and the speaking (people). And we are warned about disgracing food for this reason. And about this thing it is fitting that [just] like the Highest Wisdom does not disgrace anything in existence and everything was made from There, as it is written, "You made all of them with wisdom" - so [too, should] the mercy of a person be over all of His creations, may He be blessed. And for this reason was the holy Rebbe punished: Since he did not pity the young calf that was hiding with him and said to it, "Go, you were created for this," afflictions came upon him (Bava Metzia 85a). As they were from the side of judgement; since behold, mercy protects from judgement. And when he had mercy on a weasel and said, "It is written (Psalms 145:9), 'and His mercies are over all of His creatures,'" he was saved from the judgement - since the light of Wisdom was spread over him and the afflictions withdrew. And upon this way, he [should] not disgrace anything in existence from that which exists, as all of them are with Wisdom. And [so] he [should] not uproot a plant except for a need nor kill an animal except for a need. And [then] he [should] chose a nice death, with a checked knife, to have mercy in as much as is possible.
This is the general rule: Compassion upon all things in existence - not to injure them - is [rooted] in Wisdom. [This is] unless it is to raise them from [one] level to [another] level - from growing to living; from living to speaking. As then it is permitted to uproot a [plant] and kill an [animal] - to disadvantage [it] in order to benefit [it].
האיך ירגיל האדם עצמו במדת החכמה: הִנֵּה הַחָכְמָה הָעֶלְיוֹנָה פְּרוּשָׂה עַל כָּל הַנִּמְצָאִים כֻּלָּם, עִם הֱיוֹתָהּ נֶעֱלֶמֶת וְנִשְׂגָּבָה מְאֹד, וְעָלֶיהָ נֶאֱמַר (תְּהִלִּים קד, כד): "מָה רַבּוּ מַעֲשֶׂיךָ ה' כֻּלָּם בְּחָכְמָה עָשִׂיתָ". כָּךְ רָאוּי לְאָדָם שֶׁתִּהְיֶה חָכְמָתוֹ מְצוּיָה בַּכֹּל וְיִהְיֶה מְלַמֵּד לְהוֹעִיל לִבְנֵי אָדָם לְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד כְּפִי כֹחוֹ כָּל מַה שֶׁיּוּכַל לְהַשְׁפִּיעַ עָלָיו מֵחָכְמָתוֹ יַשְׁפִּיעֵהוּ וְלֹא תַטְרִידֵהוּ סִבָּה כְּלָל.
Chapter 3 - How a person can accustom himself with the trait of wisdom (chokhmah): Behold, the Highest Wisdom is completely spread over all things that exist, even as It is very concealed and sublime. About It is it stated (Psalms 104:24), "How many are Your creations, Lord; You made all of them with wisdom." So [too,] is it fitting for a person's wisdom to be found in everything; and he [should] 'teach to benefit' people - he [should] endow each and every one according to his ability, that which he can endow from his wisdom. And no cause [should] disturb him [in this] at all.
שני פנים לחכמה: וְהִנֵּה אֶל הַחָכְמָה שְׁנֵי פָנִים:
The two sides of Wisdom: And behold there are two sides to Wisdom.
הַפָּן הָעֶלְיוֹן הַפּוֹנֶה אֶל הַכֶּתֶר - וְאֵין אֹתָם הַפָּנִים מִסְתַּכְּלִים לְמַטָּה אֶלָּא מְקַבְּלִים מִלְמַעְלָה.
The higher side that faces the Crown - that side does not gaze below, but rather receives from Above.
הַפָּן הַשֵּׁנִי הַתַּחְתּוֹן פּוֹנֶה לְמַטָּה - לְהַשְׁגִּיחַ בַּסְּפִירוֹת שֶׁהִיא מִתְפַּשֶּׁטֶת בְּחָכְמָתָהּ אֲלֵיהֶם.
The second lower side that faces below - to survey the Sefirot that it extends to with its Wisdom.
כָּךְ יִהְיֶה אֶל הָאָדָם שְׁנֵי פָנִים:
So [should] there be two sides to a person.
הַפָּן הָרִאשׁוֹן - הוּא הִתְבּוֹדְדוּתוֹ בְּקוֹנוֹ כְּדֵי לְהוֹסִיף בְּחָכְמָתוֹ וּלְתַקְּנָהּ.
The first side - that is meditation about his Creator in order to add to his wisdom and to refine it.
הַשֵּׁנִי - לְלַמֵּד בְּנֵי אָדָם מֵאוֹתָהּ חָכְמָה שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הִשְׁפִּיעַ עָלָיו.
The second - to teach people from that wisdom that the Holy One, blessed be He, endowed upon him.
וּכְמוֹ שֶׁהַחָכְמָה מַשְׁפַּעַת אֶל כָּל סְפִירָה וּסְפִירָה כְּפִי שִׁעוּרָהּ וְצָרְכָּהּ, כֵּן יַשְׁפִּיעַ בְּכָל אָדָם כְּפִי שִׁעוּר שִׂכְלוֹ אֲשֶׁר יוּכַל שְׂאֵת וְהַנֵאוֹת אֵלָיו וְצָרְכּוֹ. וְיִשָּׁמֵר מִלָּתֵת יוֹתֵר מִשִּׁעוּר שֵׂכֶל הַמֻּשְׁפָּע, שֶׁלֹּא תִמָּשֵׁךְ מִמֶּנּוּ תַּקָּלָה, שֶׁכֵּן הַסְּפִירָה הָעֶלְיוֹנָה אֵינָהּ מוֹסֶפֶת עַל הַשִּׁעוּר הַמֻּגְבָּל בִּמְקַבֵּל.
And [just] like Wisdom endows each and every Sefirah according to its size and need, he [should] endow [wisdom] to every person according to the measure of his intellect with which he can hold [it], and that which is pleasant for him and his need. And he [should] guard from giving more than the measure of the intellect of the endowed, so that a mishap not follow from it. As so is it that the higher Sefirah does not add beyond the restricted measure of the Receiver.
השגחה על צרכי אחרים: וְעוֹד מִדֶּרֶךְ הַחָכְמָה לִהְיוֹתָהּ מַשְׁגַּחַת עַל כָּל הַמְּצִיאוּת מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהִיא הַמַּחְשָׁבָה הַחוֹשֶׁבֶת עַל כָּל הַנִּמְצָאוֹת וְעָלֶיהָ נֶאֱמַר (יְשַׁעְיָה נה, ח): "כִּי לֹא מַחְשְׁבוֹתַי מַחְשְׁבוֹתֵיכֶם", וּכְתִיב (שְׁמוּאֵל ב יד, יד): "וְחָשַׁב מַחֲשָׁבוֹת לְבִלְתִּי יִדַּח מִמֶּנּוּ נִדָּח" וכתיב (ירמיה כט, יא): "כִּי אָנֹכִי יָדַעְתִּי אֶת הַמַּחֲשָׁבֹת אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי חוֹשֵׁב עֲלֵיכֶם בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל מַחְשְׁבוֹת שָׁלוֹם וְלֹא רָעָה לָתֵת לָכֶם אַחֲרִית תִּקְוָה". כָּךְ צָרִיךְ הָאָדָם לִהְיוֹת עֵינָיו פְקֻחוֹת עַל הַנְהָגַת עַם ה' לְהוֹעִילָם, וּמַחְשְׁבוֹתָיו תִּהְיֶינָה לְקָרֵב הַנִּדָּחִים וְלַחְשֹׁב עֲלֵיהֶם מַחֲשָׁבוֹת טוֹבוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁהַשֵּׂכֶל חֹשֵׁב תּוֹעֶלֶת הַנִּמְצָא כֻּלּוֹ, כָּךְ יַחְשֹׁב הוּא תּוֹעֶלֶת הַחֲבֵרִים וְיִתְיַעֵץ עֵצוֹת טוֹבוֹת עִם ה׳ וְעִם עַמּוֹ בִּפְרָט וּבִכְלָל, וְהַיּוֹצֵא מֵהַהַנְהָגָה הַטּוֹבָה יְנַהֲלֵהוּ אֶל הַהַנְהָגָה הַיְשָׁרָה וְיִהְיֶה לוֹ כְּמוֹ שֵׂכֶל וּמַחְשָׁבָה לְנַהֲגוֹ וּלְנַהֲלוֹ אֶל הַמִּנְהָג הַטּוֹב וְהַיֹּשֶׁר, כַּמַחֲשָׁבָה הָעֶלְיוֹנָה הַמְיַשֶּׁרֶת הָאָדָם הָעֶלְיוֹן.
Surveillance over the needs of others: It is also from the way of Wisdom for It to be surveying all things in existence, since It is the Thought that thinks about all things in existence. And about It is it stated (Isaiah 55:8), "For My thoughts are not your thoughts"; and written (II Samuel 14:14), "and He thinks thoughts that one banished not be banished from Him"; and [also] written (Jeremiah 29:11), "For I have known the thoughts that I am thinking about you, House of Israel; thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give to you an ending of hope." So [too,] must a person's eyes be open over the behavior of the people of God, to benefit them. And his thoughts [should] be to bring close the banished, and to think good thoughts about them. [Just] like the Mind thinks [about the] benefit of all existence, so [should] he think about the benefit of his fellows and counsel them [with] advice [that is] good with God and with His people, [both] individually and generally. And he [should] lead one who leaves good behavior, towards straight behavior; and he [should] be like a mind and thought to steer him and lead him to good and straight action - [just] like the Highest Thought straightens the Highest Man (the Divine Emanations below It).
להשפיע חיים: וְעוֹד הַחָכְמָה תְּחַיֶּה הַכֹּל כְּדִכְתִיב (קֹהֶלֶת ז, יב): "וְהַחָכְמָה תְּחַיֶּה בְעָלֶיהָ" כָּךְ יִהְיֶה הוּא מוֹרֶה חַיִּים לְכָל הָעוֹלָם וְגוֹרֵם לָהֶם חַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא וּמַמְצִיא לָהֶם חַיִּים. זֶה הַכְּלָל יִהְיֶה נוֹבֵעַ חַיִּים לַכֹּל.
To bestow life. And Wisdom also gives life to everything, as it is written (Ecclesiastes 7:12), "and Wisdom gives life to the one that possesses It." So [too, should] he instruct life to the whole world and cause [them to have] life in this world and in the world to come, and facilitate life for them. This is the general principle - he [should] exude life for all.
להיות כמו אב: וְעוֹד הַחָכְמָה אָב לְכָל הַנִּמְצָאוֹת כְּדִכְתִיב (תְּהִלִּים קד, כד): "מָה רַבּוּ מַעֲשֶׂיךָ ה׳ כֻּלָּם בְּחָכְמָה עָשִׂיתָ" וְהֵן חַיִּים וּמִתְקַיְּמִים מִשָּׁם, כָּךְ יִהְיֶה הוּא אָב לְכָל יְצוּרָיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל, עִקָּר שֶׁהֵם הַנְּשָׁמוֹת הַקְּדוֹשׁוֹת הָאֲצֻלּוֹת מִשָּׁם, וִיבַקֵּשׁ תָּמִיד רַחֲמִים וּבְרָכָה לָעוֹלָם, כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁהָאָב הָעֶלְיוֹן רַחֲמָן עַל בְּרוּאָיו וְיִהְיֶה תָמִיד מִתְפַּלֵּל בְּצָרַת הַמְּצֵרִים כְּאִלּוּ הָיוּ בָנָיו מַמָּשׁ וּכְאִלּוּ הוּא יְצָרָם, שֶׁזֶּהוּ רְצוֹנוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁאָמַר הָרוֹעֶה הַנֶּאֱמָן (בַּמִּדְבָּר יא, יב): "הֶאָנֹכִי הָרִיתִי אֶת כָּל הָעָם הַזֶּה כִּי תֹאמַר אֵלַי שָׂאֵהוּ בְחֵיקֶךָ", וּבָזֶה יִשָּׂא אֶת כָּל עַם ה׳ כַּאֲשֶׁר יִשָּׂא הָאוֹמֵן אֶת הַיּוֹנֵק, בִּזְרוֹעוֹ יְקַבֵּץ טְלָאִים, וּבְחֵיקוֹ יִשָּׂא, עָלוֹת יְנַהֵל, הַנִּכְחָדוֹת יִפְקֹד, הַנַּעַר יְבַקֵּשׁ, הַנִּשְׁבָּרֶת יְרַפֵּא, הַנִּצָּבָה יְכַלְכֵּל, הָאֹבְדוֹת יַחְזִיר. וִירַחֵם עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִשָּׂא בְּסֵבֶר פָּנִים יָפוֹת מַשָּׂאָם כְּאָב הָרַחֲמָן הָעֶלְיוֹן הַסּוֹבֵל כֹּל, וְלֹא יִבּוֹל וְלֹא יִתְעַלֵּם וְלֹא יָקוּץ, וִינַהֵל לְכָל אֶחָד כְּפִי צָרְכּוֹ.
To be like a father: And Wisdom is also a Father to all that exist, as it is written (Psalms 104:24), "How many are Your creations, Lord; You made all of them with wisdom" - and they are living and survive from There. So [too,] must he be a father to all of the creations of the Holy One, blessed be He, and to Israel, the essence - as they are the holy souls emanated from There. And he [should] always seek mercy and blessing for the world - in the way that the Highest Father is a Merciful One upon His creatures - and always pray about the distress of those in distress, as if they were his actual children and as if he created them. As this is the will of the Holy One, blessed be He - in the way that the faithful shepherd stated (Numbers 11:12), "Did I conceive all this people, that You should say to me, 'Carry them in your bosom.'" And in this [way], he [should] carry all of the people of God 'as a nurse carries an infant' - 'with his forearm he gathers the lambs, with his bosom carries, leads the nurse-mothers.' He [should] remember the hidden, seek the young, heal the broken, sustain the needy and return the lost. And he [should] have mercy on Israel and carry their load with a pleasant countenance - like the Highest Merciful One, who tolerates everything and does not wither nor ignore nor get sick [of them], but [rather] leads each one according to his need.
אֵלּוּ הֵן מִדּוֹת הַחָכְמָה אָב רַחֲמָן עַל בָּנִים:
These are the traits of Wisdom, the merciful Father over [Its] children.
לרחם על כל הנבראים: עוֹד צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת רַחֲמָיו פְּרוּשִׂים עַל כָּל הַנִּבְרָאִים, לֹא יְבַזֵּם וְלֹא יְאַבְּדֵם. שֶׁהֲרֵי הַחָכְמָה הָעֶלְיוֹנָה הִיא פְרוּשָׂה עַל כָּל הַנִּבְרָאִים דּוֹמֵם וְצוֹמֵחַ וְחַי וּמְדַבֵּר. וּמִטַּעַם זֶה הֻזְהַרְנוּ מִבִּזּוּי אוֹכְלִים. וְעַל דָּבָר זֶה רָאוּי, שֶׁכְּמוֹ שֶׁהַחָכְמָה הָעֶלְיוֹנָה אֵינָהּ מְבַזָּה שׁוּם נִמְצָא וְהַכֹּל נַעֲשָׂה מִשָּׁם כְּדִכְתִיב "כֻּלָּם בְּחָכְמָה עָשִׂיתָ" , כֵּן יִהְיֶה רַחֲמֵי הָאָדָם עַל כָּל מַעֲשָׂיו יִתְבָּרַךְ. וּמִטַּעַם זֶה הָיָה עֹנֶשׁ רַבֵּינוּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ עַל יְדֵי שֶׁלֹּא חָס עַל בֶּן הַבָּקָר שֶׁהָיָה מִתְחַבֵּא אֶצְלוֹ וְאָמַר לוֹ "זִיל לְכָךְ נוֹצַרְתָּ" (בָּבָא מְצִיעָא פה.) בָּאוּ לוֹ יִסּוּרִין, שֶׁהֵם מִצַּד הַדִּין שֶׁהֲרֵי הָרַחֲמִים מְגִנִּים עַל הַדִּין, וְכַאֲשֶׁר רִחֵם עַל הַחֻלְדָּה וְאָמַר "רַחֲמָיו עַל כָּל מַעֲשָׂיו" כְּתִיב, נִצּוֹל מִן הַדִּין מִפְּנֵי שֶׁפֵּרַשׂ אוֹר הַחָכְמָה עָלָיו וְנִסְתַּלְּקוּ הַיִּסּוּרִים. וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ זֶה לֹא יְבַזֶּה בְּשׁוּם נִמְצָא מִן הַנִּמְצָאִים שֶׁכֻּלָּם בְּחָכְמָה וְלֹא יַעֲקֹר הַצּוֹמֵחַ אֶלָּא לְצֹרֶךְ, וְלֹא יָמִית הַבַּעַל חַי אֶלָּא לְצוּרֵךְ, וְיִבְרֹר לָהֶם מִיתָה יָפָה בְּסַכִּין בְּדוּקָה לְרַחֵם כָּל מַה שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר.
To have mercy upon all of the creatures: He must also have his mercy extend to all the creatures. He [should] not disgrace them nor destroy them. As behold, the Highest Wisdom is spread over all the creatures - the inanimate, the growing (plants), the living (animals) and the speaking (people). And we are warned about disgracing food for this reason. And about this thing it is fitting that [just] like the Highest Wisdom does not disgrace anything in existence and everything was made from There, as it is written, "You made all of them with wisdom" - so [too, should] the mercy of a person be over all of His creations, may He be blessed. And for this reason was the holy Rebbe punished: Since he did not pity the young calf that was hiding with him and said to it, "Go, you were created for this," afflictions came upon him (Bava Metzia 85a). As they were from the side of judgement; since behold, mercy protects from judgement. And when he had mercy on a weasel and said, "It is written (Psalms 145:9), 'and His mercies are over all of His creatures,'" he was saved from the judgement - since the light of Wisdom was spread over him and the afflictions withdrew. And upon this way, he [should] not disgrace anything in existence from that which exists, as all of them are with Wisdom. And [so] he [should] not uproot a plant except for a need nor kill an animal except for a need. And [then] he [should] chose a nice death, with a checked knife, to have mercy in as much as is possible.
זֶה הַכְּלָל: הַחֶמְלָה עַל כָּל הַנִּמְצָאִים שֶׁלֹּא לְחַבְּלָם תְּלוּיָה בַּחָכְמָה, זוּלָתִי לְהַעֲלוֹתָם מִמַּעֲלָה אֶל מַעֲלָה, מִצּוֹמֵחַ לְחַי, מֵחַי לִמְדַבֵּר שֶׁאָז מֻתָּר לַעֲקֹר הַצּוֹמֵחַ וּלְהָמִית הַחַי - לָחוּב עַל מְנָת לְזַכּוֹת:
This is the general rule: Compassion upon all things in existence - not to injure them - is [rooted] in Wisdom. [This is] unless it is to raise them from [one] level to [another] level - from growing to living; from living to speaking. As then it is permitted to uproot a [plant] and kill an [animal] - to disadvantage [it] in order to benefit [it].