הֵם אָמְרוּ שְׁלשָׁה שְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר, יְהִי כְבוֹד חֲבֵרְךָ חָבִיב עָלֶיךָ כְּשֶׁלָּךְ, וְאַל תְּהִי נוֹחַ לִכְעֹס. וְשׁוּב יוֹם אֶחָד לִפְנֵי מִיתָתְךָ. וֶהֱוֵי מִתְחַמֵּם כְּנֶגֶד אוּרָן שֶׁל חֲכָמִים, וֶהֱוֵי זָהִיר בְּגַחַלְתָּן שֶׁלֹּא תִכָּוֶה, שֶׁנְּשִׁיכָתָן נְשִׁיכַת שׁוּעָל, וַעֲקִיצָתָן עֲקִיצַת עַקְרָב, וּלְחִישָׁתָן לְחִישַׁת שָׂרָף, וְכָל דִּבְרֵיהֶם כְּגַחֲלֵי אֵשׁ:
Dijeron tres cosas [en derech eretz, en mussar y en medio (porque en las áreas de prohibido permitido, exento de responsabilidad, dijeron muchas cosas. O, en estas tres áreas, siempre había una "perla" en su bocas.)] R. Eliezer dice: Deja que el honor de tu amigo sea tan querido para ti como el tuyo y no te conmuevas fácilmente. [es decir, ¿cuándo es esto posible? Cuando no te mueves fácilmente a la ira. (Esto es una cosa, porque si te enojas fácilmente, es imposible no menospreciar el honor de tu amigo).] Y arrepiéntete un día antes de tu muerte. [Esta es la segunda cosa. Porque como uno no sabe cuándo va a morir, se arrepentirá hoy para que no muera mañana.] Y caliéntate ante el fuego de los sabios. [Esto es lo tercero.], Pero ten cuidado con su carbón [para que no te sientas mareado ante ellos] para que no te quemen [es decir, para que no seas castigado por ellos]. Porque su mordedura es la mordedura de un zorro, [que es muy difícil de curar. Porque sus dientes son pequeños, torcidos e inclinados, y el cirujano corta la carne con un bisturí para ensanchar la picadura], y su aguijón es el aguijón de un escorpión, [que es peor que la mordedura de una serpiente], y su El habla es el silbido de una serpiente ardiente. [que arde cuando silba. Alternativamente: La serpiente ardiente no debe ser hechizada como otras serpientes, como está escrito (Salmo 58: 6): "No escucha la voz de los encantadores". Entonces, un estudioso de la Torá. Si lo antagonizas y vienes a apaciguarlo, no es (fácilmente) apaciguado], y todas sus palabras son como carbones de fuego.
Chovat HaTalmidim
Yet you are not able to suffice with a general mental resolution to accept upon yourself to be a good Jew. Rather you must put forth efforts at this time of elevation to improve specific bad traits and shortcomings that you know you have. Of course, it is true that when a Jew is praying with enthusiasm, it is better not to get into many calculations. He should not deal, and dirty his hands, with his shortcomings. He should rather pray and study and enthuse and get close [to God], according to that which is stated in the holy books about this. But [he should work on his shortcomings] immediately after his prayer - and even during the prayer leader's repetition of the Shmoneh Esreh. And likewise, if he is occasionally aroused at other times besides during prayers, he should make efforts to improve [his traits] individually [than as well]. For it is impossible to search for chametz without the light of the candle. When you are aroused and the spark of holiness is now burning inside you, examine yourself so as to improve yourself - while it has not yet been extinguished. For example, if you are prone to anger, God forbid, reflect: Is it good for me to get angry and to be flung away from in front of God? The Gemara says (Nedarim 22b), "Even the Divine Presence is not considered important before someone who is angry"; (Shabbat 105b) "Anyone who gets angry is as if he is worshipping idolatry." (Editor's note from the printed edition: This is brought down by Rambam in his Commentary on the Mishnah, Avot 2:10) So shall I get angry and do this abomination, God forbid? Shall I rebel against the God of Israel, the God of my spirit and soul that I feel now inside of me, God forbid? I am accepting upon myself not to get angry anymore, and I am accepting this wholeheartedly. Master of the world, please help me stand my ground and not get angry. And fix this thought and resolution so powerfully in your heart and soul that when something angering happens to you and you begin to get angry, you will remember your disparagement of anger and the resolution you took upon yourself not to get angry; and it will be easier for you to control yourself and relax. And from then on, when you are aroused to anger, your main work will be to be obstinate in remembering and picturing for yourself - in the strongest possible way and with the clearest possible thought - the time of your elevation and the resolution that you took upon yourself then. And likewise should you do with the other shortcomings that you sense that you have.
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