Day 15: More Cautionary Tales

Day 15: More Cautionary Tales

Tuesday, September 5, 2017 English Translation Follows

3.10

מַחְטִיאֵי הָרַבִּים:  אֶחָד שֶׁהִחְטִיא בְּדָבָר גָּדוֹל, כְּיָרָבְעָם וְצַדּוּק וּבַיְתּוֹס; וְאֶחָד שֶׁהִחְטִיא בְּדָבָר קַל, אַפִלּוּ לְבַטַּל מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה.  וְאֶחָד הָאוֹנֵס אֲחֵרִים עַד שֶׁיֶּחֶטְאוּ כִּמְנַשֶּׁה, שֶׁהָיָה הוֹרֵג יִשְׂרָאֵל עַד שֶׁיַּעַבְדוּ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה; אוֹ שֶׁהִטְעָה אֲחֵרִים וְהִדִּיחָם כְּיֵשׁוּעַ.

Those who cause others to sin: it matters not whether the sin is large, such as that of Jeroboam and Zadok and Boethus, or whether the sin is small, even to nullify a positive commandment. It matters not if one forces others to sin like Manasseh, who would kill a Jew who did not worship an idol, or if one tempts or persuades others like Jesus.

3.11

הַפּוֹרֵשׁ מִדַּרְכֵי צִבּוּר:  אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא עָבַר עֲבֵרוֹת, אֵלָא נִבְדַּל מֵעֲדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאֵינוּ עוֹשֶׂה מִצְווֹת בִּכְלָלָן וְלֹא נִכְנָס בְּצָרָתָן וְלֹא מִתְעַנֶּה בְּתַעְנִיתָן, אֵלָא הוֹלֵךְ בְּדַרְכּוֹ כְּאֶחָד מִגּוֹיֵי הָאָרֶץ, וּכְאִלּוּ אֵינוּ מֵהֶן–אֵין לוֹ חֵלֶק לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.

הָעוֹשֶׂה עֲבֵרוֹת בְּיָד רָמָה כִּיהוֹיָקִים:  בֵּין שֶׁעָשָׂה קַלּוֹת, בֵּין שֶׁעָשָׂה חֲמוּרוֹת–אֵין לוֹ חֵלֶק; וְזֶה הוּא הַנִּקְרָא מְגַלֶּה פָּנִים בַּתּוֹרָה, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵעִיז מִצְחוֹ וְגִלָּה פָּנָיו וְלֹא בּוֹשׁ מִדִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה.

One who separates from the ways of the community, even if he does not sin but only separates from the congregation and does not perform commandments together with them, refraining from sharing in their suffering with them and fasting with them, instead going about as if he were not Jewish, and not one of them: he has no portion in the World to Come.

And one who commits a sin in a haughty manner like Jehoiachim, whether he commits one of the light sins or whether he commits one of the severe sins, he has no share. This is what is meant by “he reveals his face before the Torah,” because he hardens his forehead and shows his face without embarrassment before the words of Torah.

3.12

שְׁנַיִם הֶם הַמּוֹסְרִים:  הַמּוֹסֵר חֲבֵרוֹ בְּיַד גּוֹיִים לְהָרְגוֹ אוֹ לְהַכּוֹתוֹ, וְהַמּוֹסֵר מְמוֹן חֲבֵרוֹ בְּיַד גּוֹיִים אוֹ בְּיַד אַנָּס שְׁהוּא כְּגוֹי–שְׁנֵיהֶם, אֵין לָהֶן חֵלֶק.

There are two types of informers. One who hands over his fellow to non-Jews for execution or physical punishment, and one who hands over the wealth of his fellow to non-Jews, including a Jewish extortionist who is effectively like a non-Jew. Both of these have no share.

3.13

מַטִּילֵי אֵימָה עַל הַצִּבּוּר שֶׁלֹּא לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם:  זֶה הָרוֹדֶה צִבּוּר בְּחָזקָה וְהֶם יְרֵאִים וּפוֹחֲדִים מִמֶּנּוּ הַרְבֵּה, וְכַוָּנָתוֹ לִכְבוֹד עַצְמוֹ וּלְכָל חֲפָצָיו, לֹא לִכְבוֹד שָׁמַיִם, כְּגוֹן מַלְכֵי הַגּוֹיִים.

One who spreads fear in the community for the wrong reasons refers to one who rules over the community with force, making people fear and tremble before him. He does this with the intention of self-aggrandizement. His actions are not at all for the sake of Heaven, and he behaves like the kings of the nations.

Translation from Maimonides on Teshuvah (5th Edition, 2017)