DEUT1703 The first principle [of repentance] his regret. One must understand in his heart [I.e., not just cognitively, but emotionally as well."] the harm and bitterness forsaking Hashem entails [some foods are sweet but harmful to a person, and others taste bitter but may be good for one's physical needs. Violating Hashem's will is both harmful and bitter (Sha'arei Teshuvah Hameforash)]. He must impress upon himself that there exists punishment and reprisal, and that one's transgression will be paid for, as the pesukim say [this verse] and (Iyov 19:29), "Dread the sword, for anger against sin [brings] the sword." Subsequently, one must regret his evil deeds and say to himself, "What have I done? How could I [have acted] without the fear of God before me? How was I not afraid of the [Torah's] remonstrations against sin or the terrible punishment? For great is the suffering of the wicked [Tehillim 32:10].

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DEUT1704 Since each minute of life has infinite value, ending a life a few minutes earlier than it would have ended naturally Is considered to be taking away infinite life and is murder. Thus, the man who helped King Saul to die (2 Samuel:9-10) is later condemned to death as a murderer (2 Samuel 1:13-16) since he ended Saul's life early. When Rabbi Chananya ben Tradyon was being burned alive by the Romans, his students begged him to open his mouth in order to die more quickly, but he refused because ending life early, even in torture and even though being murdered by someone else, is still forbidden as taking a life (Avodah Zarah 18a). Therefore, even if someone is dying and by ending his or her life, a person will relieve pain, it is prohibited in Judaism (Maimonides, Hilchot Rotze'ach 2:7). In addition to the reason that each moment of life has infinite value, there is another concept behind the prohibition for a human being to end life early. Determining the exact moment of death is an act that is not meant to be a human activity (for oneself or others). The Talmud (Pesachim 54b) says that the moment of death is something that is left up to God. The Torah itself implies this [this verse] when God says that He alone gives life and death. Therefore, we see that man can't "play God" and can't ever determine who and when a person will die.

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DEUT1705 See [[DEUT293]] Deuteronomy 6:16 try DUTIES 401-5

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DEUT1706 See [[LEV1119]] Leviticus 26:16 wreak OXFORD 313-4

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DEUT1707 We have further learned (Sanhedrin 90a), "Every Jew has a share in the World to Come, as the pasuk says, (Yeshayahu 60:21), 'Your people will all be righteous and will inherit the land forever.' [However,] the following are those who have no share in the World to Come: one who denies that the resurrection of the dead derives from the Torah, one who denies that the Torah was given by Hashem, and an epikoros." [The conventional explanation for this word is heretic, apostate, nonbeliever, i.e. one who denies a tenet of Judaism. However, Bartenura (Avos 2:14) says that it derives from the word hefker, one who denigrates the Torah and the learners of Torah; this is how Rabbeinu Yonah understands the term here.]. Through this passage, our Sages, z"l, have exhorted us in the tenet that the belief of the resurrection of the dead derives from the Torah, and that it is one of the principles of the Torah. One of the places where the resurrection of the dead is noted in the Torah is in [this verse], "I bring death and I bring life; I strike and I will heal." Concerning this, our Sages, z"l, said (Pesachim 68a): "We might think death as mentioned here refers to one person and the bringing to life refers to another [I.e., The birth of a baby]. Therefore, the pasuk says,' I strike and I will heal'--just as the striking and healing refer to one person, so too death and bringing to life refer to one person."

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DEUT1708 See [[NUM427]] Numbers 35:33 expiation COHON 287

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DEUT1709 The explanation of "one who treats the Torah with impudence" [Sanhedrin 99a] is as follows: one who audaciously speaks untruths about the Torah, and says, "these pesukim and narratives written in the Torah serve no purpose." Out of arrogance and conceit he tells himself, upon failing to grasp the inner nature of those things, that they hold nothing beneath the surface. The pasuk says [this verse] "For it is not an empty thing for you," and our Sages, z"l, interpreted (Yerushalmi Kesubos 8:11), "If it is empty -- it is so for you," because you do not know how to explain the matter.[I.e., if you find emptiness in the Torah, it is due to your own ignorance.] (Continued at [[GEN1042]] Genesis 18:26 sake GATES 315).

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DEUT1710 These are things whose fruits a man eats in this world and whose principal remains for the world to come: honoring one's father and mother, lovingkindness, fostering peace between man and his neighbor, and Torah study above all. R. Manna found them alluded to in this verse: "For it is not an empty thing from you" -- this refers to Torah study; "for it is your lives" -- this refers to honoring one's father and mother; "and through this thing shall you lengthen days" -- this refers to lovingkindness; "upon the land" -- this refers to the fostering of peace between man and his neighbor (Yerushalmi Peah 1:1)

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DEUT1711 See [[NUM108]] Numbers 12:3 humble AMEMEI 184-5

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DEUT1712 We are elevated when we find merit in others. The Midrash comments on this verse: "Whoever speaks out in defense of the Jewish people is elevated. We have proof from Moshe. Moshe was not called 'the man of God' until he spoke in defense of the Jewish people." (Moshe pointed out the loyalty of the Jewish people to God--see verses three and four and Rashi.) (Psikta D'Rav Kahane). Anyone can find fault with others. True greatness is to see the good points of others.

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