נבהל להון איש רע עין

"The man, who is eager for money, possesses an evil eye" (i. e. is envious). (Prov. 28 ch. 22 v.)

144. Benevolence and a rational enjoyment of his lawfully acquired property, on the other hand, are highly beneficial to man, since they promote his temporal and spiritual welfare, and will always secure him the love of God and men.

It is better to possess * טוב מעט ביראת ה' מאוצר רב ומהומה בו •

little, with true reverence of God, than to have great riches, with a disturbed conscience." (Prov. 15 ch. 16 v.)

The liberal man will be » טוב עין הוא יברך כי נתן מלחמו לול:

blessed, for he gives of his bread to the poor." (Prov. 22 ch. 9 v.)

145. 3. Envy promotes hatred and strife, and thus causes the transgression of all the commandments; the envious enjoys neither rest nor satisfaction, and is therefore the cause of unhappiness to himself and others.

146. But contentment with his lot and good-will towards others will make a man serene, tranquil and satisfied. For the contented man never envies the possessions of another, but trusts in God, and fulfils his duties with scrupulous care.

-A contented heart pre * חיי בשרים לב מרפא ורקב עצמות קנאה •

serves the body healthy, but envy destroys the bone." (Prov. 14 ch. 30 v.)

147. 4. Anger is very injurious to man's health, disturbs his understanding, irritates him no less against God than against men, and is the fruitful source of a variety of sins.

איש אף יגרה מדון ובעל חמה רב פשע •

"An irritable man excites quarrels, and a passionate man commits many faults." (Prov. 29 ch. 22 v.)

148. Patience, mildness and suavity of temper, however, are an honourable distinction to man, as they are the source of joy, bring comfort in adversity, and enable him to be a true worshipper of God.

A forbearing man is * טוב ארך אפים מגבור ומשל ברוחו מלכד עיר •

better than one strong in arms; and he who governs his passions is better than the conqueror of a city." (Prov. 16 ch. 32 v.)

149. 5. Intemperance in eating and drinking, leads to extravagance, wastefulness, poverty, and lastly to stealing and other vices; it is for this reason, that we were commanded to punish a young man with death, who had become intemperate,* to prevent him from committing greater crimes.

ton and a drunkard; and all his townsmen shall stone him--and thus thou shalt remove the evil from amidst thee." (Deut.21 ch.22 v.)

תלביש נומה וקרעים יורש The drunkard and glutton * כי סבא וזולל

must become poor, and drowsiness will clothe a man in rags.' (Prov. 23 ch. 21 v.)

150. But moderation confers upon man a sound body and a vigorous and cheerful mind. The moderate man says, I eat only to live; but live not to eat. And whereas he knows, how to limit his wants to the indispensable, he will never expose himself to the temptation of procuring his livelihood in an unlawful manner.

צדיק אכל לשבע נפשו ובטן רשעים תחסר :

"The righteous eats only to satisfy his hunger; the wicked have never enough." (Prov. 13 ch. 25 v.)

*It is namely one of the characteristic features in the law relative to the disobedient child.

Translator.

151. 6. Idleness and slothfulness depress man's spirit, lead him to bad thoughts, wicked actions, poverty, and to every specics of sins. Even if he were guilty of nothing else, save the mere nothing-doing, it would nevertheless be unpardonable, to spend the noble and valuable time, his life, so uselessly.

The desires of the lazy man * תאות עצל תמיתנו כי מאנו ידיו לעשות •

Even he, who is slow * גם מתרפה במלאכתו אח הוא לבעל משחית •

will kill him, for his hands refuse to work." (Prov. 21 ch. 25 v.)

in his business, is a brother to the spendthrift." (Prov. 21 ch. 25 v.)

152. Activity and industry are in fact a part of the duties of man, and he is intended by God for labour and employment; for it is said (Gen. 3 ch. 19 v.):

In the sweat of thy brow, thou shalt eat * בזעת אפך תאכל לחם •

bread."

Labour makes a man healthy, and tends to raise his spirits, and is the best preservative from want and sin. And when man does his part with diligence, he may also rely then with confidence on the blessing of God.

The hand of the industrious » יד חרוצים תמשול ורמיה תהיה למס •

will govern; but the lazy must be tributary." (Prov. 12 ch. 24 v.)

153. 7. Bad company has a very pernicious influence on the heart and morals of any man; it makes him forgetful of his duties, and seduces him to the commission of many vices. The bad examples, which he sees, work imperceptibly on his mind, and are the cause of his losing, by degrees, all taste for what is good, and of at last extinguishing in him every germ of virtue. We therefore find, that the pious David, and the wise Solomon, commence their respective books, with an admonition against the frequenting of bad society.

בני אם יפתוך חטאים אל תבא - בני אל תלך

་

בדרך אתם מנע רגלך מנתיבתם •

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My son if sinners will

mislead thee to folly,

listen not to them! My son! go not with them, and avoid their paths." (Prov. 1 ch. 10-19 v.)

O happy is the man, who » אשרי האיש אשר לא הלך בעצת רשעים ובדרך חטאים לא עמד ובמשב לצים

never came in the coun

לא ישב •

never stood in the path of sinners, and sit." (Ps. 1, v. 1.)

cil of the wicked; who never sat where deriders

154. But the intercourse with the wise, nay even the desire for good company, ennobles a man, incites him always to the practice of virtue, and enables him to accomplish the object of his being here; which is, to grow daily in wisdom and virtue.

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The associate of fools will » הולך את חכמים יחכם ורעה כסילים ירוע

be unhappy; but he, who holds intercourse with the wise, will become wise himself." (Prov. 13 ch. 20 v.)

CHAPTER X.

3. OF THE DUTIES TOWARDS OUR FELLOW-MEN.

155. What does Holy Writ say, concerning the duties which we have to observe towards our fellow-men?

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It has been told * הגיד לך אדם מה טוב ומה ה' דורש ממך כי אם עשות משפט ואהבת חסד והצנע לכת עם אלהיך •

thee, O man! what is good, and what the Lord asks of thee: to exercise justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly before thy God." (Micah, 6 ch. 8 v.)

And thou shalt love thy neighbour as * ואהבת לרעך כמוך אני ה' •

thyself, I am the Eternal" (who command it thee). (Lev. 19 ch. 18 v.)

156. Do these duties constitute an essential part of our holy -religion?

Most undoubtedly; the love of our neighbour is the foundation of all the other laws, and is derived immediately from the love we ought to bear to God.

157. Please to explain, how the love towards our neighbour is connected with our love towards God.

Whoever loves and honours God sincerely, will also love all those whom he has made after his likeness, and whom he has destined for everlasting beatitude.

Ye are the children of the Eternal your » בנים אתם לה' אלהיכם •

God." (Deut. 14 ch. 1 v.)

And would not every good child willingly contribute, what