DEUT1551 Cruelty is the opposite of mercy, as it is written (Yirmeyahu 50:42): "They are cruel and have no mercy." This trait is not found in the righteous, but in the souls of the wicked, as it is written (Mishlei 12:10): "And the mercies of the wicked are cruel." This trait is also found among the arrogant, as it is written [this verse]: "An arrogant nation, that does not respect the old and is not merciful to the young." The evil of the trait of cruelty is well known, as may be induced from the fact that the punishment of the wicked, rebellious man is thus epitomized (Mishlei 17:11): "The wicked man seeks only rebellion, but a cruel messenger it will be sent against him." The cruel man does not possess lovingkindness, as it is written (ibid.11:17): "The man of kindness is good to his soul, but the cruel one despises his flesh."

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

DEUT1552 God declares in plain words that it is the object of all religious acts to produce in man fear of God and obedience to His word--the state of mind which we have demonstrated in this chapter for those who desire to know the truth, as being our duty to seek. Comp. [this verse]. Consider how clearly it is stated here that the only object and aim of "all the words of this law" is to (make man) fear "the glorious and fearful name." That this end is attained by certain acts we learn likewise from the phrase employed in this verse: "If thou wilt not observe to do… that thou mayest fear." For this phrase clearly shows that fear of God is inculcated (into our hearts) when we act in accordance with the positive and the negative precepts. But the truths which the Law teaches us--the knowledge of God's Existence and Unity--create in us love of God, as we have shown repeatedly. You know how frequently the Law exhorts us to love God. Comp. "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all they might." (Deuteronomy 6:5 ) The two objects, love and fear of God, are acquired by two different means. The love is the result of the truths taught in the Law, including the true knowledge of the Existence of God, whilst fear of God is produced by the practices prescribed in the Law. Guide of the Perplexed, III, chap. 52. (Maimonides)

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

DEUT1553 The second type of fear [of sin] [the first type being fear of punishment - AJL] is awe of His exaltedness, which means that one must distance himself from transgression and refrain from sinning because of the immense glory of the Blessed One. For how can one commit a desecration – or how can the heart of one who is flesh and blood, lonely and despicable, dare do something against the will of the Creator, blessed and exalted be His name! This type of fear is not very easily attainable; it will only emerge when one harnesses knowledge and understanding to contemplate the exaltedness of the Blessed One and the inferior state of man. All of these are the results of a thoughtful and intelligent mind, and it is this type of fear – that we previously placed within the second category of [virtue of] piety – which causes a person to become embarrassed and tremble when standing before his Master in prayer or in any form of worship. This is the most exemplary form of fear [of the Eternal] for which the eminently pious were praised. And this is what Moshe says in his statement [this verse]: "So as to fear this glorified and awesome Name, the Eternal, your God."

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

DEUT1555 Out of reverence for His Name, [a person who loves God] must be aware of all that might bring him to swear in the Name of the Creator, may He exalted, [whether] to affirm what is true or refute what is false, and certainly not to affirm what is false or refute what is true, as it is written: “He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not sworn falsely by My Name or sworn deceitfully” (Tehillim 24:4); “To fear this glorious and awesome Name” (Devarim 28:58) ; “But the sunrise will bring salvation to you who fear My Name, with healing in its wings” (Malachi 3:20). Our sages, of blessed memory, said [of the last verse]: “’You who fear My Name’ refers to people who fear to utter the Name of God in vain” (Nedarim 8b). “Curses” include revilement, vilification, and insults in which God's Name is mentioned. This is exceedingly disgraceful in a believer; yet the masses permit themselves this practice to a most reprehensible degree. Their intention [in mentioning God’s Name] is to dramatize and exaggerate in their vilification and heighten and embellished their insults. In this they embody what the Wise One said: “To a fool it is like sport to commit an indecency” (Mishlei 10:23). It is also said: “Every mouth speaks impiety” (Yeshayahu 9:16); “The tongue of a righteous man is like pure silver” (Mishlei 10:20).

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

DEUT1554 (Continued from [[LEV379]] Leviticus 19:14 curse GATES 225-7). Our Sages said (Shevuos 35a) that one who curses his fellowman or himself with Hashem's Name is punishable with lashes. Furthermore, his punishment administered by Heaven is very severe, as the pesukim say [this and next verse]; [Although the Gemara in Temurah (3b) states that "plagues" means the punishment of lashes administered by beis din, Rabbeinu Yonah appears to include the simple meaning of the word as well, which implies Heavenly punishment (Zeh Hasha'ar). Alternatively, he could be referring to the end of the pasuk, "...and severe and persistent illnesses."]. Our Sages, z"l, explained (Temurah 3b) that this pasuk is referring to one who curses another individual or himself using Hashem's Name.

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

DEUT1556 See [[LEV1119]] Leviticus 26:16 wreak OXFORD 313-4

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

DEUT1557 See [[LEV999]] Leviticus 25:17 fear DORFFWITO 89-91

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

DEUT1558 "For my life is spent in sorrow and my years in sighing; my strength fails because of my iniquity." – Psalms 31:11 Pain is a major contributor to human unhappiness (see "Contentment and Discontent"). In addition to the physical discomfort, pain exacerbates the sufferer's mental anguish by its implication of his guilt. The Pentateuch emphasizes the link between sin and sickness. "But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments … and he will bring back upon thee all the diseases of Egypt … also every sickness which is not written in the book of this law" [this verse, Deuteronomy 60-61]. ... The average observant man justifiably ponders several questions. Does suffering serve a higher moral purpose? Is pain due to divine punishment? Is it proper to cry out against pain if it is divinely ordained? Is it proper to berate a person who persistently complains of pain? Is it proper to seek remedial help to ease one's pain? The rabbis provided answers to these questions. In many instances pain is indeed inflicted in punishment for sin. "He who can engage in the study of Torah and he does not do so, the Almighty brings upon him severe suffering." (Berachot 5a). "Man's sins bring upon him divine retribution" (Tanchuma, Tazria 8). Judaism also ascribes some pain to a divine design to open the sufferer's heart to penitence (Menachot 53b). Rabbi, the saintly editor of the Mishnah (2nd-3rd cent.), was said to have suffered excruciating pain for thirteen years because he had neglected to show humane compassion for a calf which sought his protection against a butcher who was taking it to the slaughterhouse. The pain disappeared when Rabbi, in an obvious mood of contrition, demonstrated compassion for a brood of weasels which were discovered by a maid in his home (Baba Metzia 85a). This incident supports the view that pain ennobles man's character. It is axiomatic that every individual who goes through life inevitably commits some indiscretion or a transgression of law. In the words of Ecclesiastes: "For there is not a righteous man upon earth, that does [only] good, and sins not" (Ecclesiastes 7:20). However, one is not necessarily aware of his wrongdoing. Suffering in the here and now is atonement which spares the sinner punishment in the hereafter (Berachot 5a). Under such circumstances, the suffering is evidence of God's love and is regarded as a "suffering of love" (ibid.). It brings reward in the hereafter by purging one's sins on this earth (Yoma 86a). Rabbi commented that such suffering is "precious" (Baba Metzia 85a). The true rationale of one's pain is never revealed to man. The rabbis therefore advised sufferers to examine their past deeds. If they discover some faults they should repent. If they fail to find any personal guilt, they may assume that the suffering does not reflect divine anger but divine love (Berachot 5a). Despite theological rationalizations of pain, most people cannot make peace with suffering and surely do not welcome it. Those who are confident of their virtue and merit plaintively echo the biblical cry: "To punish also the righteous is not good, nor to strike the noble for their uprightness" (Proverbs 17:26). Even a religious leader of the stature of Rabbi Yohanan (3rd cent.) exclaimed: "I want neither the pain nor its reward" (Berachot 5b). The Talmud concludes that not all pain serves a high moral purpose. "There is death without sin and suffering without inequity" (Shabbat 55b). Man is mortal, and he is subject to a process of aging in which pain is endemic. An individual who cries out in the agony of his pain is not unethical. It is wrong to preach to him that he deserves his fate. It is absolutely proper to try to ease one's pain. Those who are induced by pain to reexamine their daily conduct provide a useful redeeming feature to a period which is otherwise bleak and dismal.

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

DEUT1559 See [[DEUT3]] Deuteronomy 1:11 bless ROSNER-BLEICH 61

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

DEUT1560 Anger is an evil trait. Just as scurvy is a disease of the body, so anger is a disease of the soul. Our Sages have said (Nedarim 22a): "If one gets angry, all the varieties of Gehinnom rule over him, as it is written (Koheles 11:10): 'Remove anger from your heart, and remove evil from your flesh,' and evil is nothing other than Gehinnom, as it is written (Mishlei 16:4): 'Hashem made everything for His own sake, and even the wicked man for the day of evil.' What is more, he is affected by piles, as it is written [this verse]: 'And Hashem will give you there an angry heart and failing eyes and despondency of soul.' What is it that causes the eyes to fail and the soul to despond – piles." Our Sages have further said (Nedarim 22b): "If one gets angry, even the Shechinah is of no account to him as it is written (Tehillim 10:4): 'The wicked man, when his anger grows, [says that] He will not inquire [after My deeds]. All his thoughts are that there is no God.' And he also forgets his learning and growth in folly, as it is written (Koheles 7:9): 'For anger resides in the breast of fools,' and (Mishlei 13:16): 'And the fool will spread out folly.' And it is known that his sins are more than his merits, as it is written (ibid 29:22): 'And the man of anger is abundant in sin.'" And his punishment is very great, as it is written (ibid. 19:19): "He who waxes in anger bears his punishment."

SHOW FULL EXCERPT