Musar do Jeremiasza 22:32

This is the way the סמ"ג describes the commandment as number seven in his list of positive commandments. "One must walk in His good straightforward paths, seeing that the Torah says והלכת בדרכיו, as well as אחרי ה' אלוקיכם תלכו (Deut 13,5), which is interpreted in the Talmud Sotah 14a as a reference to G–d's virtues. Just as G–d provides clothing for the naked, since the Torah says: 'G–d made leather aprons for Adam and his wife and He clothed them,' G–d also visits the sick, as we know from the beginning of this פרשה. G–d comforts the mourners as we know from Genesis 25,11: 'After the death of Abraham G–d blessed Isaac.' G–d also buries the dead, as we know from Deut. 34,6: 'He buried him (Moses) in the valley in the land of Moab.' This is the way I explained the contents of this paragraph to the scholars of Spain. You should know the G–d of your fathers, and serve Him, for just as He is gracious and merciful, so you should be gracious and merciful. Just as He performs acts of kindness, justice and charity on earth, so should you. You have two examples. In Jeremiah 22,15 it is reported of King Josiah that 'he ate, drank and performed justice and righteousness, whereupon all was well with him. Then he judged the poor and the needy, and all was well with him. That is truly heeding Me, says the Lord.' We have another verse in Jeremiah 9,22: 'Thus said the Lord: Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom; let not the strong man glory in his strength…but only in this should one glory; in his earnest devotion to Me, For I the Lord act with kindness, justice and equity in the world; for in these I delight, says the Lord." Thus far the סמ"ג.

This is the way the סמ"ג describes the commandment as number seven in his list of positive commandments. "One must walk in His good straightforward paths, seeing that the Torah says והלכת בדרכיו, as well as אחרי ה' אלוקיכם תלכו (Deut 13,5), which is interpreted in the Talmud Sotah 14a as a reference to G–d's virtues. Just as G–d provides clothing for the naked, since the Torah says: 'G–d made leather aprons for Adam and his wife and He clothed them,' G–d also visits the sick, as we know from the beginning of this פרשה. G–d comforts the mourners as we know from Genesis 25,11: 'After the death of Abraham G–d blessed Isaac.' G–d also buries the dead, as we know from Deut. 34,6: 'He buried him (Moses) in the valley in the land of Moab.' This is the way I explained the contents of this paragraph to the scholars of Spain. You should know the G–d of your fathers, and serve Him, for just as He is gracious and merciful, so you should be gracious and merciful. Just as He performs acts of kindness, justice and charity on earth, so should you. You have two examples. In Jeremiah 22,15 it is reported of King Josiah that 'he ate, drank and performed justice and righteousness, whereupon all was well with him. Then he judged the poor and the needy, and all was well with him. That is truly heeding Me, says the Lord.' We have another verse in Jeremiah 9,22: 'Thus said the Lord: Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom; let not the strong man glory in his strength…but only in this should one glory; in his earnest devotion to Me, For I the Lord act with kindness, justice and equity in the world; for in these I delight, says the Lord." Thus far the סמ"ג.

But even for this sickness - even though it does not have a remedy in the way of other iniquities - there is a remedy if God, may He be blessed, assists one to sanctify His Torah in front of people and to inform people of God’s power and the glory of His majestic Kingship. And his iniquity is removed according to the greatness of the action’s effect, which is the opposite of [the effect of] the action with which he was foolish and with which he sinned. [This is] like the statement of the physicians about the sickness of the body - that it is cured with its opposite, and its resuscitation comes about with its replacement. And King Solomon, peace be upon him, said (Proverbs 16:6), “Iniquity is atoned by kindness and truth.” And we have explained this in the first Gate (1:47) about repentance. And the explanation of the matter of truth that he mentioned is that the sinner should prepare his heart to strengthen the truth, help those seeking faith and remove falsehood and error. For making the truth known and turning it back into a fortress is [an aspect of] the glorification of God - like the matter that is stated (Jeremiah 22:16), “He upheld the rights of the poor and needy; then all was well - was not this to know Me?” And it is stated (Jeremiah 9:5), “through deceit they refuse to know Me.” And our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said about the matter of Herod - who killed the sages - asking (Bava Batra 4a) Bava ben Buta advice if he could heal him or cure him of his wound. And he said to him, “You have extinguished the light of the world. Go and involve yourself in the light of the world and make efforts for the building of the Temple.”

So now we see that the Lord, may He be Exalted, has placed two types of service in the hands of man — one — his own necessary labor for a livelihood and the second — his Service of the Torah, and a man must follow the middle road between both of these services — and devote special hours to the service of the Torah and special hours to work for the needs of this world. And you must strengthen yourself to always accomplish both for the good of yourself and your posterity. And one type of service should not be considered a loss as against the other service as it is said : "Did not your father eat and drink and do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him" (Jer. 22:15). And it says : "It is good that you should take hold of the one and from the other not withdraw your hand" (Eccl. 7:18). And he must trust in the Lord, may He be Blessed, that He will cause him to prosper in his affairs, and he ought not to trust in his work and his occupations, but consider that his work and occupation are merely means to his support from the Lord, may He be Blessed; just as when a man splits wood with an axe, even though the axe splits the wood, the power does not come from the iron blade of the axe but from the man who wields the axe and splits the wood with it.

Concerning Coniah in his wickedness, it is said, "Write ye this man childless, a man shall not prosper in his days" (Jer. 22:30), and, "Though Coniah, the son of Jehoiakim, King of Judah, were the signet upon My right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence" (Jer. 22:24). And inasmuch as he repented when he was in exile, it is said of Zerubbabel, his son, "In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, My servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the Lord, and I will make thee as a signet" (Hag. 2:23).

Concerning Coniah in his wickedness, it is said, "Write ye this man childless, a man shall not prosper in his days" (Jer. 22:30), and, "Though Coniah, the son of Jehoiakim, King of Judah, were the signet upon My right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence" (Jer. 22:24). And inasmuch as he repented when he was in exile, it is said of Zerubbabel, his son, "In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, My servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the Lord, and I will make thee as a signet" (Hag. 2:23).