Mesillat Yesharim 2:8ืืกืืืช ืืฉืจืื ืืณ:ืืณ
In truth, this is one of the cunning strategies of the evil inclination, to relentlessly burden people's hearts with his service so as to leave them no room to reflect and consider which road they are taking.
ืืืืื ืื ื ืืืช ืืืืช ืืืช ืืชืืืืืืช ืืืฆืจ ืืจืข ืืขืจืืชื ืืืืืื ืขืืืืชื ืืชืืืืืช ืขื ืืืืช ืื ื ืืืื ืขื ืฉืื ืืฉืืจ ืืื ืจืืื ืืืชืืื ื ืืืืกืชืื ืืืืื ืืจื ืื ืืืืืื.
Mesillat Yesharim 2:9ืืกืืืช ืืฉืจืื ืืณ:ืืณ
For he knows that if they were to put their ways to heart even the slightest bit, certainly they would immediately begin to feel regret for their deeds. The remorse would go and intensify within them until they would abandon the sin completely.
ืื ืืืืข ืืื ืฉืืืืื ืืื ืฉืืื ืืื ืืืขื ืงื ืขื ืืจืืืื, ืืืื ืฉืืื ืืื ืืชืืืืื ืืื ืื ืืืขืฉืืื, ืืืืชื ืืืจืื ืืืืืช ืืืชืืืจืช ืืื ืขื ืฉืืื ืขืืืืื ืืืื ืืืืจื.
Mesillat Yesharim 2:10ืืกืืืช ืืฉืจืื ืืณ:ืืณ
This is similar to the wicked Pharaoh's advice saying "intensify the men's labor..." (Ex. 5:9). His intention was to leave them no time whatsoever to oppose him or plot against him. He strove to confound their hearts of all reflection by means of the constant, incessant labor.
ืืืจื ืื ืืขืื ืขืฆืช ืคืจืขื ืืจืฉืข ืฉืืืจ (ืฉืืืช ื): ืชืืื ืืขืืืื ืขื ืืื ืฉืื ืืื', ืฉืืื ืืชืืืื ืฉืื ืืื ืื ืืื ืจืืื ืืื ืืืืชื ืืชื ื ืื ืื ืืฉืืื ืขืฆื ื ืืื, ืืื ืืื ืืฉืชืื ืืืคืจืืข ืืื ืืื ืืชืืื ื ืืช ืืื ืืชืืืช ืืขืืืื ืืืืชื ืืคืกืงืช.
Mesillat Yesharim 2:11ืืกืืืช ืืฉืจืื ืืณ:ืืดื
This is precisely the ploy employed by the evil inclination on human beings. For he is a skilled warrior, expert in the art of cunning. It is impossible to escape from him without great wisdom and far-reaching vision. This is what the prophet screamed out "give heed to your ways!" (Chagai 1:7).
ืื ืืื ืขืฆืช ืืืฆืจ ืืจืข ืืืฉ ืขื ืื ื ืืืื, ืื ืืืฉ ืืืืื ืืื ืืืืื ืืขืจืืืืืช, ืืื ืืคืฉืจ ืืืื ืืื ื ืืื ืืืืื ืจืื ืืืฉืงืคื ืืืืื. ืืื ืื ืฉืื ืืื ืฆืืื ืืืืืจ (ืืื ืืณ:ืืณ): ืฉืืื ืืืืื ืขื ืืจืืืื.
Moed Katan 5a:13ืืืขื ืงืื ืืณ ื:ืืดื
ยง It was taught in the mishna: One may mark graves on the intermediate days of a Festival so that passersby will know to avoid them and not become ritually impure. Rabbi Shimon ben Pazi said: Where is there an allusion in the Torah to the marking of graves? The verse states: โAnd when they that pass through shall pass through the land, and any see a manโs bone, then shall he set up a sign by itโ (Ezekiel 39:15). Ezekiel prophesies that at some future time, the Jewish people will erect signs over the strewn remains of the dead so that others will know to avoid ritual impurity.
ืึฐืฆึทืึผึฐื ึดืื ืึถืช ืึทืงึผึฐืึธืจืึนืช. ืึธืึทืจ ืจึทืึผึดื ืฉืึดืึฐืขืึนื ืึผึถื ืคึผึทืึผึดื: ืจึถืึถื ืึฐืฆึดืึผืึผื ืงึฐืึธืจืึนืช ืึดื ืึทืชึผืึนืจึธื ืึดื ึผึทืึดื, ืชึผึทืึฐืืึผื ืืึนืึทืจ: ืดืึฐืจึธืึธื ืขึถืฆึถื ืึธืึธื ืึผืึธื ึธื ืึถืฆึฐืืึน ืฆึดืึผืึผืืด.
Moed Katan 5a:22ืืืขื ืงืื ืืณ ื:ืืดื
And finally, Ravina said: This obligation is alluded to by the verse โAnd to him who orders his way, I will show the salvation of Godโ (Psalms 50:23), meaning that one must mark the pathways that are ritually pure and upon which it is appropriate to walk.
ืจึธืึดืื ึธื ืึธืึทืจ: ืดืึฐืฉืึธื ืึผึถืจึถืึฐ ืึทืจึฐืึถื ึผืึผ ืึผึฐืึตืฉืึทืข ืึฑืึนืึดืืืด.
Moed Katan 5a:23ืืืขื ืงืื ืืณ ื:ืืดื
With regard to the verse from Psalms cited above, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Whoever appraises his ways in this world and contemplates how to act in the most appropriate way possible merits seeing the salvation of the Holy One, Blessed be He, as it is stated: โAnd to him who orders his way.โ Do not read it as vesam, who orders; rather, read it as vesham, and appraises. With this reading, the verse indicates that one who appraises his ways, him will I show the salvation of God.
ืึธืึทืจ ืจึทืึผึดื ืึฐืืึนืฉืึปืขึท ืึผึถื ืึตืึดื: ืึผืื ืึทืฉึผืึธื ืืึนืจึฐืืึนืชึธืื โ ืืึนืึถื ืึฐืจืึนืึถื ืึผึดืืฉืืึผืขึธืชืึน ืฉืึถื ืึทืงึผึธืืึนืฉื ืึผึธืจืึผืึฐ ืืึผื, ืฉืึถื ึผึถืึฑืึทืจ: ืดืึฐืฉืึธื ืึผึถืจึถืึฐืด, ืึทื ืชึผึดืงึฐืจึตื ืดืึฐืฉืึธืืด, ืึถืึผึธื: ืดืึฐืฉืึธื ืึผึถืจึถืึฐืด โ ืดืึทืจึฐืึถื ึผืึผ ืึผึฐืึตืฉืึทืข ืึฑืึนืึดืืืด.
Psalms 50:23ืชืืืืื ื ืณ:ืืดื
Whoever offers praise glorifies me: and to him that orders his way aright I will show the salvation of God.
ืึนืึตึฅืึท ืชึผืึนืึธึื ืึฐึฝืึทึซืึผึฐืึธึฅื ึฐื ึดื ืึฐืฉืึธึฅื ืึผึถึืจึถืึฐ ืึทึืจึฐืึถึื ึผืึผ ืึผึฐืึตึฃืฉืึทืข ืึฑืึนืึดึฝืืืย {ืค}
Mesillat Yesharim 3:12ืืกืืืช ืืฉืจืื ืืณ:ืืดื
I see a need for a man to be meticulous and weigh his ways each and every day like the great merchants who continuously evaluate all of their business matters in order that they not degenerate. He should fix definite times and hours for this weighing so that it not be haphazard but rather with the greatest regularity for it yields great results.
ืืื ื ื ืจืืื ืฆืืจื ืืืื ืฉืืืื ืืืงืืง ืืฉืืงื ืืจืืื ืืืจ ืืื ืืืืื ืืกืืืจืื ืืืืืืื ืืฉืจ ืืคืืกื ืชืืื ืื ืขืกืงืืื ืืืขื ืื ืืชืงืืงืื, ืืืงืืข ืขืชืื ืืฉืขืืช ืืื ืฉืื ืืืื ืืฉืงืื ืขืจืื, ืืื ืืงืืืขืืช ืืืื, ืื ืจื ืืชืืืื ืืื.
Mesillat Yesharim 3:13ืืกืืืช ืืฉืจืื ืืณ:ืืดื
Our sages of blessed memory taught us explicitly the need for this accounting as they said (Bava Batra 78b):
ืืืืืื ืืืจืื ื ืืืจืื ืืืจืื ื ืืคืืจืืฉ ืฆืืจื ืืืฉืืื ืืื, ืืืื ืื ืฉืืืจื ื"ื (ืืื ืืชืจื ืขื):
Numbers 21:25ืืืืืจ ืืดื:ืืดื
And Yisraแพฝel took all these cities: and Yisraแพฝel dwelt in all the cities of the Emori, in แธคeshbon, and in all its hamlets.
ืึทืึผึดืงึผึทืึ ืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตึื ืึตึฅืช ืึผืืึพืึถืขึธืจึดึืื ืึธืึตึืึผึถื ืึทืึผึตึคืฉืึถื ืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตืึ ืึผึฐืืืึพืขึธืจึตึฃื ืึธึฝืึฑืึนืจึดึื ืึผึฐืึถืฉืึฐืึผึืึนื ืึผืึฐืืืึพืึผึฐื ึนืชึถึฝืืึธื
Numbers 21:26ืืืืืจ ืืดื:ืืดื
For แธคeshbon was the city of Siฤฅon the king of the Emori, who had fought against the former king of Moแพฝav, and taken all his land out of his hand, as far as Arnon.
ืึผึดึฃื ืึถืฉืึฐืึผึืึนื ืขึดึืืจ ืกึดืืึนึื ืึถึฅืึถืึฐ ืึธืึฑืึนืจึดึื ืึดึืื ืึฐืึฃืึผื ื ึดืึฐืึทึื ืึผึฐืึถึคืึถืึฐ ืืึนืึธืึ ืึธึฝืจึดืืฉืึืึนื ืึทืึผึดืงึผึทึงื ืึถืชึพืึผืืึพืึทืจึฐืฆึืึน ืึดืึผึธืึืึน ืขึทืึพืึทืจึฐื ึนึฝืื
Numbers 21:27ืืืืืจ ืืดื:ืืดื
Wherefore they who speak in similes say, Come to แธคeshbon, let the city of Siฤฅon be built and established:
ืขึทืึพืึผึตึื ืึนืืึฐืจึฅืึผ ืึทืึผึนืฉืึฐืึดึืื ืึผึนึฃืืึผ ืึถืฉืึฐืึผึืึนื ืชึผึดืึผึธื ึถึฅื ืึฐืชึดืึผืึนื ึตึื ืขึดึฅืืจ ืกึดืืึฝืึนืื
Bava Batra 78b:12ืืื ืืชืจื ืขืดื ื:ืืดื
The Gemara cites a related discussion. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naแธฅman says that Rabbi Yoแธฅanan says: What is the meaning of that which is written: โTherefore they that speak in parables [hamoshlim] say: Come to Heshbon! Let the city [ir] of Sihon be built and established! For a fire is gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon; it has devoured Ar of Moab, the lords of the high places of Arnonโ (Numbers 21:27โ28)?
ืึธืึทืจ ืจึทืึผึดื ืฉืึฐืืึผืึตื ืึผึทืจ ื ึทืึฐืึธื ืึธืึทืจ ืจึทืึผึดื ืืึนืึธื ึธื, ืึทืื ืึผึดืึฐืชึดืื: ืดืขึทื ืึผึตื ืึนืืึฐืจืึผ ืึทืึผึนืฉืึฐืึดืื ืึฐืืึนืณืด?
Bava Batra 78b:13ืืื ืืชืจื ืขืดื ื:ืืดื
The Gemara interprets these verses homiletically. โHamoshlimโ; these are the people who rule over [hamoshlim] their evil inclination. They will say: โCome to Heshbon,โ meaning: Come and let us calculate the account of [แธฅeshbono] the world, i.e., the financial loss incurred by the fulfillment of a mitzva in contrast to its reward, and the reward for committing a transgression, i.e., the pleasure and gain received, in contrast to the loss it entails.
ืดืึทืึผึนืฉืึฐืึดืืืด โ ืึตืึผืึผ ืึทืึผืึนืฉืึฐืึดืื ืึผึฐืึดืฆึฐืจึธื. ืดืึผืึนืืึผ ืึถืฉืึฐืึผืึนืืด โ ืึผืึนืืึผ ืึผื ึฐืึทืฉึผืึตื ืึถืฉืึฐืึผืึนื ืึน ืฉืึถื ืขืึนืึธื; ืึถืคึฐืกึตื ืึดืฆึฐืึธื ืึผึฐื ึถืึถื ืฉืึฐืึธืจึธืึผ, ืึผืฉืึฐืึทืจ ืขึฒืึตืืจึธื ืึผึฐื ึถืึถื ืึถืคึฐืกึตืึธืึผ.
Bava Batra 78b:14ืืื ืืชืจื ืขืดื ื:ืืดื
โLet it be built and establishedโ means that if you make this calculation, you will be built in this world and you will be established in the World-to-Come. The phrase โcity [ir] of Sihonโ means that if a person fashions himself like this young donkey [ayir] that follows after pleasant talk [siแธฅa], i.e., if one is easily tempted to listen to his inclination, what is written after it? โFor a fire is gone out of Heshbonโฆit has devoured,โ i.e., a fire will go out from those who calculate the effect of their deeds in the world, and will consume those who do not calculate and examine their ways but instead do as they please.
ืดืชึผึดืึผึธื ึถื ืึฐืชึดืึผืึนื ึตืืด โ ืึดื ืึทืชึผึธื ืขืึนืฉืึถื ืึผึตื, ืชึผึดืึผึธื ึถื ืึผึธืขืึนืึธื ืึทืึผึถื ืึฐืชึดืึผืึนื ึตื ืึธืขืึนืึธื ืึทืึผึธื. ืดืขึดืืจ ืกึดืืืึนืืด โ ืึดื ืึตืฉืึดืื ืึธืึธื ืขึทืฆึฐืืึน ืึผึฐืขึทืึดืจ ืึถื, ืฉืึถืึผึฐืึทืึผึตืึฐ ืึทืึทืจ ืกึดืืึธื ื ึธืึธื โ ืึธื ืึผึฐืชึดืื ืึทืึฒืจึธืื? ืดืึผึดื ืึตืฉื ืึธืฆึฐืึธื ืึตืึถืฉืึฐืึผืึนื ืึฐืืึนืณืด โ ืชึผึตืฆึตื ืึตืฉื ืึดืึผึฐืึทืฉึผืึฐืึดืื, ืึฐืชึนืืึทื ืึถืช ืฉืึถืึตืื ึธื ืึฐืึทืฉึผืึฐืึดืื.
Mesillat Yesharim 3:24ืืกืืืช ืืฉืจืื ืืณ:ืืดื
To what is this analogous? To a labyrinth. This is a garden planted for amusement, commonly known to the noblemen. The hedges of plants are arranged into many intricate walls, among them many confusing and interlacing pathways, all of which appear similar.
ืื ืืื ืื ืืืื? ืืื ืืืืืื, ืืื ืืื ืื ืืืข ืืฆืืืง, ืืืืืข ืืฆื ืืฉืจืื, ืฉืื ืืืขืืช ืขืฉืืืืช ืืชืืื ืืชืืื, ืืืื ืืื ืฉืืืืื ืจืืื ื ืืืืื ืืืขืืจืืื, ืืืื ืืืืื ืื ืืื
Mesillat Yesharim 3:25ืืกืืืช ืืฉืจืื ืืณ:ืืดื
The goal is to reach the lookout tower in the midst of the maze. But among these pathways some of them truly lead one to the tower while others deceive him, leading him to stray away from it.
ืืืชืืืืช ืื ืืื ืืืืืข ืื ืืืกืืจื ืืืช ืฉืืืืฆืขื. ืืืื ื ืืฉืืืืื ืืืื ืืื ืืฉืจืื ืืืืืขืื ืืืืช ืื ืืืืกืืจื, ืืืื ืืฉืืื ืืช ืืืื ืืืจืืืงืื ืืืชื ืืื ื.
Mesillat Yesharim 3:26ืืกืืืช ืืฉืจืื ืืณ:ืืดื
One who walks between the paths is not at all capable of seeing or knowing if he is walking along a correct path or a deceptive one. For each one appears similar, there is no noticeable difference whatsoever to the eye beholding them. He will not reach the tower unless he knows the correct path through prior experience and visual familiarity by having entered it before and successfully reached the goal, namely, the tower.
ืืืื ื ืืืืื ืืื ืืฉืืืืื ืืื ืื ืืืื ืืจืืืช ืืืืขืช ืืื ืื ืืื ืืฉืืื ืืืืืชื ืื ืืืืื, ืื ืืืื ืฉืืื ืืืื ืืคืจืฉ ืืื ืืื ืืขืื ืืจืืื ืืืชื. ืื ืื ืฉืืืข ืืืจื ืืืงืืืืช ืืืืืขืืช ืขืื ืฉืืืจ ื ืื ืก ืื ืืืืืข ืื ืืชืืืืช ืฉืืื ืืืืกืืจื.
Mesillat Yesharim 3:27ืืกืืืช ืืฉืจืื ืืณ:ืืดื
One standing on the lookout tower, on the other hand, can see all of the pathways before him and discern between the true and false ones. He is in a position to warn those walking in them and tell them: "this is the path to take!".
ืืื ื ืืขืืื ืืืจ ืขื ืืืืกืืจื ืืื ืจืืื ืื ืืืจืืื ืืคื ืื ืืืืืื ืืื ืืืืชืืื ืืืืืืืื, ืืืื ืืืื ืืืืืืจ ืืช ืืืืืืื ืื, ืืืืจ: ืื ืืืจื ืืื ืื!
Mesillat Yesharim 3:28ืืกืืืช ืืฉืจืื ืืณ:ืืดื
He that is willing to believe him will reach the designated place. But he who is not willing to believe him, but would rather follow his own eyes, will certainly remain lost and fail to reach it.
ืืื ื, ืื ืฉืืจืฆื ืืืืืื ืื, ืืืืข ืืืงืื ืืืืืขื. ืืื ืฉืื ืืจืฆื ืืืืืื ืืืจืฆื ืืืืช ืืืจ ืขืื ืื, ืืืื ืฉืืฉืืจ ืืืื ืืื ืืืืข ืืืื.
Mesillat Yesharim 3:29ืืกืืืช ืืฉืจืื ืืณ:ืืดื
So too here, one who still has not ruled over his evil inclination is lost in the midst of the "pathways" and cannot distinguish between them. But those who rule over their evil inclination, who have already reached the tower and left the pathways and who clearly see all the pathways before their eyes - they can counsel those who are willing to listen. It is these people that we must trust.
ืื ืืืืจ ืืื: ืื ืฉืขืืืื ืื ืืฉื ืืืฆืจื, ืืื ืืชืื ืืฉืืืืื, ืื ืืืื ืืืืืื ืืื ืืื. ืื ืืืืฉืืื ืืืฆืจื ืฉืืืจ ืืืืขื ืื ืืืืกืืจื, ืฉืืืจ ืืฆืื ืื ืืฉืืืืื ืืจืื ืื ืืืจืืื ืืขืื ืืื ืืืจืืจ, ืื ืืืืืื ืืืขืฅ ืืื ืฉืืจืฆื ืืฉืืืข, ืืืืืื ืฆืจืืืื ืื ื ืืืืืื.
Mesillat Yesharim 3:30ืืกืืืช ืืฉืจืื ืืณ:ืืณ
And what is the counsel they give us? "Let us enter into an accounting, come and consider the accounting of the world". For they already experienced, saw and learned, that this alone is the true path leading a man to the good which he seeks, and that there is none other besides this.
ืืืื ื ืื ืืื ืืขืฆื ืฉืื ื ืืชื ืื ืื ื? ืืืื ืืฉืืื, ืืืื ืื ืืฉื ืืฉืืื ื ืฉื ืขืืื, ืื ืืืจ ืื ื ืืกื ืืจืื ืืืืขื ืฉืื ืืืื ืืื ืืืจื ืืืืืชื ืืืืืข ืืืื ืื ืืืืื ืืฉืจ ืืื ืืืงืฉ ืืื ืืืืช ืื.