In the previous chapter, the Rebbe Rashab explained how yeshus prevents symbiotic relationships in Torah study and avodah, Divine service. In this chapter, he develops the idea that yeshus can prevent a person from looking positively on a fellowman.

וְהִנֵּה כְּמוֹ כֵן בְּעִנְיְנֵי עֲבוֹדָה אֵינָם יְכוֹלִים לְהִתְעָרֵב וּלְהִתְאַחֵד

Similarly, in matters of Divine service, people motivated by a self-oriented approach cannot cooperate and join in unity.

מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְחַשֵּׁב כְּלָל עֲבוֹדַת זוּלָתוֹ

The insecurity their yeshus breeds prevents them from valuing the Divine service of another person at all

וְאֵינוֹ חוֹשֵׁב אוֹתוֹ לְעוֹבֵד

and/or considering him to be an oved, i.e., a person who devotes himself earnestly to Divine service and self-refinement.

שֶׁנּוֹתֵן מִגְרַעַת בַּעֲבוֹדַת חֲבֵרוֹ וְיִמְאַס וִיבַטֵּל אֶת הַטּוֹב שֶׁלּוֹ.

Such a person minimizes other people’s Divine service and shows antipathy regarding their positive qualities, considering the good within them to be of no worth.

וּמַה שֶּׁיִּמְצָא בּוֹ אֵיזֶה חִסָּרוֹן

When he finds a fault in another person,

אַף גַּם בְּחִיצוֹנִיּוּת שֶׁאֵינוֹ נוֹגֵעַ לְגוּף וְעֶצֶם הָעֲבוֹדָה כְּלָל

even if it is merely superficial and affects neither the main body nor the essence of that person’s service at all,

יַגְדִּיל וְיַרְחִיב הַדָּבָר וִידַבֵּר בְּזֶה הַרְבֵּה וִיבַזֶּה אוֹתוֹ.

he will magnify it and expand upon it, speaking about it profusely, and humiliating that person.

וּמִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן כְּשֶׁנִּמְצָא בּוֹ אֵיזֶה מִדָּה לֹא טוֹבָה

How much more so should he discover an internal character flaw in his fellow —

אֲשֶׁר אֵין אָדָם צַדִּיק כוּ',

which is inevitable, for “there is no righteous man on earth who does good and does not sin”1 —

יַפְסִיק בִּשְׁבִיל זֶה כָּל חֵלֶק הַטּוֹב שֶׁלּוֹ שֶׁהוּא כְּאַיִן וְאֶפֶס מַמָּשׁ

he will decide that this flaw proves that any good the other person possesses is really of no value whatsoever.

וְיַגְדִּיל אֶת הָרַע עַל הַטּוֹב חַס וְשָׁלוֹם עַד שֶׁהוּא אֶצְלוֹ כְּאִלּוּ אֵינוֹ כוּ'.

Conversely, he will exaggerate the evil in comparison to the good to the point where he overlooks any good the person possesses and considers it as nothing.

וּבֶאֱמֶת אֵינוֹ כֵן,

In truth, this does not reflect the reality.

דַּהֲרֵי מַה שֶּׁעוֹבֵד אֶת ה' בִּתְפִלָּה וְעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה וְקִיּוּם הַמִּצְוֹת הֲרֵי זֶה טוֹב,

That individual’s Divine service in prayer, Torah study, and the fulfillment of mitzvos, is in itself good,

וַהֲרֵי זֶהוּ עִקַּר מְלַאכְתּוֹ וַעֲבוֹדָתוֹ כָּל הַיּוֹם שֶׁעוֹסֵק בִּתְפִלָּה וְתוֹרָה כוּ'.

and this — his involvement in prayer and Torah study — constitutes his primary labor and field of activity throughout the day.

וּמַה שֶּׁנִּמְצָא בּוֹ מִדָּה רָעָה זֶהוּ לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא נִתְקַן עֲדַיִן,

The fact that he still possesses a negative character trait is understandable. The person is striving to develop his character. It is only that there remains what to be corrected.

כִּי הֲרֵי עַיִר פֶּרֶא אָדָם יִוָּלֵד,

Every person has such traits, since “Man is born [like] a wild young donkey.”2

דְּמִתְּחִלַּת לֵדָתוֹ אֵינוֹ מְתֻקָּן

He is born in an unrefined state,

כִּי אִם זֶהוּ עֲבוֹדָתוֹ כָּל יְמֵי חָלְדּוֹ לְתַקֵּן מִדּוֹתָיו

and this is the service he is destined to perform throughout his entire life: to correct his character traits.

In addition, to the all-encompassing mission to refine the world and make it a dwelling for G‑d through the observance of the Torah and its mitzvos, every person is given an individual mission — to refine and elevate his own personality and character traits.3

שֶׁעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר יְמֵי שְׁנוֹתֵינוּ בָּהֶם שִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה

The need for such efforts is alluded to4 in the verse,5 “The days of our years in them number seventy.”

בָּהֶם אוֹתִיּוֹת בְּהֵמָה

The Hebrew word for “in them” (בָּהֶם, bahem) contains the same root letters as the word for “animal” (בְּהֵמָה, beheimah)

וְקָאֵי עַל הַמִּדּוֹת הָרָעוֹת הַטִּבְעִים שֶׁל הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַבַּהֲמִית

and thus refers to the natural negative character traits inherent to the animal soul.

The Rebbe Rashab is referring to the seven middos (emotional attributes) of the animal soul.6

שֶׁעַל זֶה נִתַּן לְאָדָם שִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה לְבָרֵר הַז' מִדּוֹת רָעוֹת כוּ'.

A person is given 70 years in which to refine these seven negative character traits.

70, 7x10, reflects how the above-mentioned seven attributes are integrated with every other one of the soul’s ten attributes. Over the course of his life, a person has an obligation to refine his animal soul and its attributes until they reflect the positive qualities of his G‑dly soul.7

וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְתַקֵּן הַכֹּל כְּאַחַת

This process of self-correction cannot be completed at once;

רַק מְעַט מְעַט אֲגָרְשֶׁנּוּ מִפָּנֶיךָ כוּ',

rather, “little by little will I drive them out from before you.”8

In its source, this verse refers to the manner in which G‑d would drive out the Canaanite nations before the Jewish people during their conquest of Eretz Yisrael. In a similar way, in every person’s process of internal spiritual refinement, his self-correction cannot be immediate. Instead,

שֶׁצְּרִיכִים עַל זֶה רִבּוּי יְגִיעָה וַעֲבוֹדָה

this requires considerable effort and labor.

עַד שֶׁבְּמֶשֶׁךְ זְמַן בְּרִבּוּי עֲבוֹדָה בִּתְפִלָּה בְּהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת בֵּאלֹקוּת וּבְהִתְגַּבְּרוּת הַמִּדּוֹת שֶׁל הַנֶּפֶשׁ הָאֱלֹקִית

Ultimately, over the course of time, after extensive endeavors in prayer, meditation on G‑dliness, and strengthening of the attributes of one’s G‑dly soul,

מַחֲלִישׁ וּמְבָרֵר וּמְזַכֵּךְ אֶת הַמִּדּוֹת טִבְעִים דְּנֶפֶשׁ הַבַּהֲמִית כוּ',

it is possible to weaken, refine, and purify the natural character traits inherent to the animal soul.

A twofold process is involved. First of all, by intensifying his labor in his Divine service, a person will inevitably weaken the material orientation of his animal soul. In addition, if he sincerely desires to refine himself, he must undergo a step-by-step, systematic process of developing his intellectual and emotional potentials, highlighting and polishing his positive attributes and correcting his shortcomings. That takes time; it cannot happen overnight.

וְכַאֲשֶׁר הוּא עוֹבֵד ה'

Taking all this in mind, it is necessary to judge another person generously. Since he serves G‑d,

בֶּטַח יְבָרֵר וִיתַקֵּן מִדּוֹתָיו.

over the course of time, he will surely refine and correct his character traits.

וְלִפְעָמִים צְרִיכִים עַל זֶה סִיּוּעַ מִזּוּלָתוֹ,

The interrelation between people is important in this process of self-refinement because at times, one needs help from others in order to achieve this goal.

כִּי בְּעַצְמוֹ מִצַּד אַהֲבַת עַצְמוֹ לִפְעָמִים אֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ מֵהַמִּדָּה רָעָה שֶׁבּוֹ.

Every person’s self-love will sometimes blind him and deter him from recognizing a negative character trait he possesses on his own.

וְצָרִיךְ חֲבֵרוֹ לְעוֹרְרוֹ עַל זֶה וּלְהַמְצִיא עֵצוֹת כוּ' כַּנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל,

It is his friend’s responsibility to tactfully and lovingly make him aware of this fault and advise him on how to correct it, as mentioned previously.9

When people are in a relationship and one has a fault,

וְאִם הוּא אוֹהֲבוֹ בֶּאֱמֶת

if one truly loves the other

צָרִיךְ לְעוֹרְרוֹ עַל זֶה בֵּינוֹ לְבֵין עַצְמוֹ

he should arouse his attention and speak to him about his character faults privately,

שֶׁיְּתַקֵּן מִדָּתוֹ הַלֹּא טוֹבָה

encouraging him to correct an undesirable trait,

וְיַמְצִיא לוֹ עֵצָה אֵיךְ לְתַקֵּן כוּ'.

and offering him advice how to correct it.

וּכְשֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה כֵּן

If he does not do so,

כִּי אִם מְבַטֵּל וּמְבַזֶּה וּמַשְׁפִּיל אוֹתוֹ,

but instead, considers the other person as nothing, humiliates him, and degrades him,

וּבִפְרָט בִּפְנֵי אֲחֵרִים,

particularly if he does so in public —

זֶהוּ הוֹרָאָה עַל שִׂנְאָתוֹ אוֹתוֹ שֶׁשּׂוֹנֵא אוֹתוֹ בְּלִבּוֹ וְאֵינוֹ חָפֵץ כְּלָל בְּטוֹבָתוֹ

this is a clear sign that he hates that person in his heart and does not seek his welfare in any way.

(וְלֹא בִּכְלָלוּת הָעִנְיָן

(Moreover, such a person’s negative orientation is not focused only on other individuals but affects his general approach.

שֶׁיִּהְיֶה עֲבוֹדַת הוי',

In general, he does not encourage that there should be service of G‑d.

כַּאֲשֶׁר כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד צָרִיךְ לִרְצוֹת בֶּאֱמֶת

when, in truth, that should be the genuine desire of every individual —

שֶׁיִּהְיֶה עֲבוֹדַת ה' בָּעוֹלָם

that the service of G‑d flourish in the world,

שֶׁזֶּה חֵפֶץ וּרְצוֹן ה' כוּ')

for this is G‑d’s will and desire.)

אַדְּרַבָּה כוּ'.

On the contrary, instead of seeking his welfare, he shows him hatred.

וְהַסִּבָּה הוּא מִצַּד הֶעְדֵּר עֲבוֹדָתוֹ בֶּאֱמֶת,

The reason for this hatred is his own lack of sincere Divine service;

שֶׁהָעֲבוֹדָה שֶׁלֹּו אֵינוֹ אֲמִתִּית כוּ',

his own Divine service is not genuine.

דְּגַם שֶׁהוּא עוֹבֵד ה' בִּתְפִלָּה וְתוֹרָה כוּ',

Although he serves G‑d in prayer and Torah study,

מִכָּל מָקוֹם אֵינָהּ אֲמִתִּית בִּבְחִינַת בִּטּוּל וְהַנָּחַת עַצְמוּתוֹ,

nevertheless, his Divine service is not genuine; it is not characterized by bittul. He does not put himself aside and see the larger picture.

Although a person may dedicate himself to Divine service, he may do so for self oriented reasons. Rather than be focused on G‑d and His intent, he is searching for his own self-satisfaction.

כִּי אִם בִּבְחִינַת יֵשׁוּת וּבְמֻרְגָּשׁ בְּעַצְמוֹ כוּ'.

Instead, his Divine service is characterized by yeshus and feelings of self.

The way a person relates to somebody else says a lot about his own Divine service. If he slips into faultfinding and criticizing another person, he is revealing his own inner faults.

קִצּוּר.

Summary:

הַפֵּרוּד בְּעִנְיְנֵי עֲבוֹדָה מִטְּעָמִים שֶׁאֵינָם צוֹדְקִים.

Divisiveness in matters of Divine service results from unjustified reasons.

Instead of joining together with others, opening himself to their suggestions on how to improve his character, and offering them constructive advice regarding their own, a person often slips into building his own self-image by belittling others. He finds manifold reasons to look down upon them.

סִבָּתָם שִׂנְאָה וְהֶעְדֵּר עֲבוֹדָה אֲמִתִּית.

What motivates a person to conceive of these reasons is baseless hatred and a lack of genuine Divine service.