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DEUTERONOMY — 6:13 fear

DEUT285 Our Sages, z"l, have explained the nature of an epikoros (Sanhedrin 99b) as one who does not conduct himself out of a reference for Torah scholars, even if he does not belittle them, such as one who belittles another in the presence of a Torah scholar, without showing respect for the scholar's Torah. [He would not act in such a pompous manner before an important official.] Since he does not sufficiently venerate the Torah to treat it in a respectful manner, he has no share in the World to Come--for this too is counted as one who has desecrated the Torah. Consequently, our Sages, z"l, (Pesachim 22b), "You shall fear Hashem, your God' [this verse] -- this includes Torah scholars."

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DEUTERONOMY — 6:16 test

DEUT291 "You must not test Hashem, your God" [this verse]. We have herein been admonished that a person should not say, "Let me test through charitable work [this does not include giving ten percent of one's gain to charity, where one is allowed to test Hashem; see below] whether Hashem will make me successful" or "Let me determine through proper deeds whether He will enrich me with silver and gold." A good person [I.e., Whose only desire is to fulfill the will of Hashem (Sha'arei Teshuvah Hamevo'ar)] will not weaken [in his service of Hashem, even] if, after having labored with wisdom, knowledge, and proper deeds [I.e., Following the way of Hashem (Sha'arei Teshuvah Hameforash)] he still has not been successful in acquiring wealth or any of the other physical benefits [of life]. Our Sages, z"l, said (Ta'anis 9a) that only concerning the mitzvah of tithes is it permissible to test Hashem, as the pasuk says (Malachi 3:10), "Bring all the tithes to the store house, that there may be food in My house, and test me now with this." [Rabbeinu Yonah in his Sefer HaYir'ah expands this dispensation to include tithing all one's gainful wealth, and does not limit it only to the tithing of produce (ma'asros).

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DEUTERONOMY — 7:2 favorably

DEUT325 "You must not regard them favorably" [this verse]. Our Sages, z"l, have commented (Avodah Zarah 20a), "Do not attribute to them any grace; it is forbidden to say, 'How beautiful is this gentile.'" They further interpreted it to mean that it is forbidden to give a gift to a gentile for no [legitimate] reason. [The words "lo t'chanaym" are interpreted as "lo titen cheenam."

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DEUTERONOMY — 7:10 instantly

DEUT345 One who is guilty of excision is sometimes granted an extension of two or three generations in this world, due to a particular merit that he may possess. Delay of death for the wicked is in order to grant them their award in this world so that they will perish in the World to Capcom, as the pasuk says [this verse], "To those who hate Him, He repays in [their] lifetime [I.e., For whatever good deeds they have performed], so as to eliminate [them from the World to Come]; he will not delay to [reward] one who hates Him, but will repay him in his lifetime." This is explicit in the words of David [HaMelech], a"h, (Tehillim 92:7-8), "A brutish man cannot know, nor can a fool understand this. When the wicked flourish like grass and all evil doers blossom, it is that they be destroyed forever." So did Asaf, a"h, say (ibid., 73:23-17), "For I envied the boastful when I saw the peacefulness of the wicked. For there are no fetters to their death… When I entered into the sanctuaries of God, I understood their end." This means that the retribution for the wicked is [only administered] at "their end"," as the pasuk says (Mishlei 24:20), "For there will be no remnant to evil; the light of the wicked will be extinguished."

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DEUTERONOMY — 8:5 chastises

DEUT366 One is required to contemplate and realize that the tribulation that has befallen him and the suffering that has beset him are not commensurate to the gravity of his transgression in the amount of his sins. Rather, Hashem chastises him in the manner of a father his son, out of His compassion for him [Vayera 19:16], as the pasuk says [this verse], "You shall realize in your heart that just as a man chastises his son, so Hashem, you God, chastises you." Our Sages, z"l, commented on this (Yalkut Shemos 303): "Your heart realizes [from] the actions you have committed and the chastisement I have a brought upon you, that I have not chastised you commensurate to your deeds. The pesukim further say (Iyov 11:6), "Know, that God exacts from you [less] than your transgressions [deserve]"; and (Ezra 9:13), "For you, our God, withheld [Your punishment] to less than our transgressions [deserve]."

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DEUTERONOMY — 8:14 haughty

DEUT387 The ninth principle [of repentance] is breaking one's physical desire. One must impress upon himself that desire leads the soul to sin and draws transgression with cords of emptiness [Yeshayahu 5:18]. He should establish restraints for safeguarding the path to repentance--he must refrain from pleasures, and not be drawn to his own desires, even when permissible. He should follow the ways of abstinence, and only eat to satisfy his needs and to maintain his body, as the pasuk says (Mishlei 13:25), "A righteous person needs to satiate his soul." [I. e., To satisfy his needs, rather than to indulge in pleasure.] He should not engage in intercourse other than to fulfill the mitzvah of procreation or that of conjugal rights. For as long as one pursues his desires, he will be drawn towards the material [world], and he will be distanced from the path that leads to the higher intellect. Subsequently, his yetzer will prevail, as the pesukim say, (Devarim 32:15), "But Yeshurun grew fat and kicked [rebelliously]"; (ibid. this and preceding two verses) "Lest you eat and be sated... and you will become haughty"; and (Mishlei 30:9), "Lest I be sated and deny [Hashem]." The Sages, z"l, have commented (Sukkah 52b), "There is one small organ in man--when he satiates, it is hungry, and when he staves it, it find satisfaction." ... Desire, which is lodged in the heart, is the root of all of one's activities. Therefore, if he corrects his desires and all his limbs are drawn towards the intellect, subordinating themselves and serving its needs, rather than serving the desires--this will rectify all his activities, (Mishlei 21:8), "But one who is pure [I.e., free of his desires] his action is upright."

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DEUTERONOMY — 8:16 test

DEUT390 Every individual, when going through troubled times, must turn to reflection and fasting, together with repentance and prayer, just as the community is obligated to fast during times of collective distress, as our Sages, z"l, have enacted [See Mishnah Ta'anis 1:5-6] -- this is a preferred fast and day of favor. When Divine chastisement is directed to one who is pure and upright, it is there to test him and to enhance his reward in the World to Come, as the pasuk says [this verse], "In order to afflict you and you test you; to ultimately benefit you." Our Sages, z"l, said regarding this (Berachos 5a): "One who scrutinizes his deeds during times of distress, and undergoes self-examination and self-analysis without finding any sin--these then are the sufferings of love." [I.e. The stress is for the sake of increasing his reward in Olam Haba, beyond what he deserves based upon his deeds (Rashi).

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