The Eleventh Level: Do More for Those Who Do More

“Serve and Protect (Do More for Those Who Do More),” illustration of Level 11 by Rebecca Odessa, Courtesy The Wisdom Daily

The Eleventh Level: Do More for Those Who Do More

Translator’s Introduction

 The second part of the triad of Levels Ten, Eleven and Twelve refers to how we must forgive people who have a long history of helping others.  In the Tenth Level, we examined how we must extend just a little bit more credit to people as a matter of course, regardless of their moral character.  In the Eleventh Level, we see how we must go still further to forgive people who habitually put others before themselves. They, like all of us, experience moral challenges and sometimes fail. Their prior demonstrated commitment to helping others, however, means that they deserve an additional measure of mercy. Like the patriarch Abraham, known for his generous hospitality and caring for others, people who behave selflessly earn an additional measure of forgiveness.

הַאחת עשרה – חֶסֶד לְאַבְרָהָם

 הֵם הַמִּתְנַהֲגִים בָּעוֹלָם לִפְנִים מִשּׁוּרַת הַדִּין כְּאַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ גַּם הב”ה מִתְנַהֵג עִמָּהֶם לִפְנִים מִשּׁוּרַת הַדִּין, אֵינוֹ מַעֲמִיד עִמָּהֶם הַדִּין עַל תּוֹקְפוֹ אַף לֹא בדֶרֶךְ הַיֹּשֶׁר אֶלָּא נִכְנַס עִמָּהֶם לִפְנִים מִן הַיֹּשֶׁר כְּמוֹ שֶׁהֵם מִתְנַהֲגִים, וְהַיְּנוּ חֶסֶד לְאַבְרָהָם הב”ה מִתְנַהֵג בְּמִדַּת חֶסֶד עִם אֹתָם שֶׁהֵם כְּמוֹ אַבְרָהָם בְּהִתְנַהֲגוּתם.

גַּם הָאָדָם עִם הֱיוֹת שֶׁעִם כָּל אָדָם יִהְיֶה מִתְנַהֵג בְּצֶדֶק וּבְיֹשֶׁר וּבְמִשְׁפָּט, עִם הַטּוֹבִים וְהַחֲסִידִים תִּהְיֶה הַנְהָגָתוֹ לְפָנִים מִשּׁוּרַת הַדִּין. וְאִם לִשְׁאָר הָאָדָם הָיָה סַבְלָן קְצָת לְאֵלּוּ יוֹתֵר וְיוֹתֵר, וִירַחֵם עֲלֵיהֶם לִכָּנֵס עִמָּהֶם לִפְנִים מִשּׁוּרַת הַדִּין שֶׁהוּא מִתְנַהֵג בָּהּ עִם שְׁאָר הָאָדָם וְצָרִיךְ שֶׁיִּהְיוּ אֵלּוּ חֲשׁוּבִים לְפָנָיו מְאֹד מְאֹד וַחֲבִיבִין לוֹ וְהֵם יִהְיוּ מֵאַנְשֵׁי חֶבְרָתוֹ:

Translation

The Eleventh Level

Kindness to Abraham

             There are those whose conduct in this world is beyond the letter of the law, like Abraham our father, and God treats them beyond the letter of the law. God does not insist that they suffer the full force of the law, and not even that which would be correct, rather God goes beyond the letter of the law just as these people conduct themselves. This is “kindness to Abraham.” God uses the Level of “kindness” with those who are like Abraham in their own behavior.

            So too should a person behave.  One should always treat others with righteousness, in an upright and just fashion.  Nevertheless with those good and pious people one should go beyond the letter of the law.  If one is a little patient with most people, one should be more patient with these people, showing them mercy beyond the letter of the law, more than one would with others.  One should consider such people exceptionally important and dear, and they should be among one’s associates.

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