# Falling

<div dir="rtl">נְפִילָה</div>

Source: https://ajew.org/reader/sefer-hamidos/1/64


## Segment 1

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לִפְעָמִים אָדָם נוֹפֵל מִמַּדְרֵגָתוֹ לְעֵת זִקְנָתוֹ.

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1. Sometimes, a man falls from his level in his old age.


## Segment 2

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עַל־יְדֵי גְּבִיַּת מַס נוֹפֵל אָדָם מִמַּדְרֵגָתוֹ.

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2. Through collecting taxes, a man falls from his level.


## Segment 3

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עַל־יְדֵי קִנְאָה נוֹפֵל מִמַּדְרֵגָתוֹ.

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3. Through jealousy one falls from his level.


## Segment 4

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עַל־יְדֵי קִנְאָה אֵינוֹ הוֹלֵךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ אֶחָד, לִפְעָמִים מִתְפַּלֵּל בְּהִתְלַהֲבוּת וְלוֹמֵד בְּהַתְמָדָה, וְלִפְעָמִים הַתְּפִלָּה וְהַלִּמּוּד עָלָיו כְּמַשָּׂא.

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4. Due to jealousy, a person does not have consistency. Sometimes he prays with enthusiasm and learns with diligence, and other times, the prayer and learning are a burden to him.


## Segment 5

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מִי שֶׁנִּמְעָד בְּדִבּוּרוֹ, וּבְוַדַּאי הָרְגִילוּת שֶׁל לְשׁוֹנוֹ הָיָה צָרִיךְ לְדַבֵּר כָּל מַה שֶּׁצָּרִיךְ, אֲבָל מִי שֶׁנִּמְעָד בִּרְגִילוּת לְשׁוֹנוֹ, בְּיָדוּעַ שֶׁפַּרְנָסָתוֹ נִתְמַעֵט וְהוּא צָרִיךְ לְחֶסֶד גָּדוֹל וִישׁוּעָה שֶׁיִּתֵּן לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא פַּרְנָסָה.

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5. One who blunders in his speech [stammers], and certainly one needs a fluent tongue for everything he needs to express - but one who (nevertheless) blunders in his speech, it is certain that his livelihood has been curtailed, and he is in need of great kindness and salvation, that the Holy One, Blessed be He, should grant him his livelihood.


## Segment 6

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עַל־יְדֵי הַשְּׁבוּעָה נִכֶּרֶת [נִכְרַת] הַהִשְׁתּוֹקְקוּת שֶׁל אָדָם.

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6. By (taking) an oath, a person's longings can be recognized [alternate version: his longings are cut off. Both versions are correct, however only one justifies this dictum to be categorized here under the entry of falling].


## Segment 7

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כְּשֶׁאָדָם מַחֲלִיק וְנוֹפֵל, זֶה עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁהִתְחַזֵּק לַעֲבֹר עֲבֵרָה.

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7. When a man slips and falls, this is because he had strengthened himself to commit a sin.


## Segment 8

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כְּשֶׁאַתָּה מַתְחִיל לַעֲשׂוֹת אֵיזֶה מִצְוָה, וְהַהַתְחָלָה הִיא בְּכָל לֵבָב, תַּצְלִיחַ בְּזוֹ הַמִּצְוָה וְלֹא יֶאֱרַע לְךָ שׁוּם הֶזֵּק.

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8. When you begin doing a Mitzvah, and the beginning is with all your heart, you will be successful in fulfilling this Mitzvah, and no harm will come to you.


## Segment 9

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מִי שֶׁנּוֹפֵל מִיִּרְאָתוֹ, בְּיָדוּעַ שֶׁיִּרְאָתוֹ לֹא הָיְתָה טְהוֹרָה.

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9. One who falls from his awe of G-d, it is certain that his awe was not pure.


## Segment 10

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אָדָם נוֹפֵל מֵחֲמַת תַּאֲוַת מָמוֹן.

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10. A person falls due to desire for money.


## Segment 11

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כְּשֶׁתִּשְׁמֹר אֶת עַצְמְךָ מִגְּזֵלוֹת וּמִשְּׁבוּעוֹת וּמִשֶּׁקֶר, לֹא תִּפֹּל מִמַּדְרֵגָתְךָ.

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11. If you guard yourself from thievery, and from oaths, and from falsehood, you will not fall from your level.


## Segment 12

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כְּשֶׁאָדָם מִתְפַּלֵּל בְּמִנְיָן שֶׁיֵּשׁ שָׁם רְשָׁעִים, לִפְעָמִים הֵם מַשְׁלִיכִין אוֹתוֹ לְמַטָּה, וְהַסְּגֻלָּה לָזֶה – שֶׁיַּגְבִּיהַּ יָדָיו לְמַעְלָה בִּשְׁעַת הַתְּפִלָּה.

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12. When a man prays in a minyan which includes wicked people, they sometimes cast him down. A segulah (to be protected) for this is to raise one's hands up during prayer.


## Segment 13

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מִי שֶׁלִּבּוֹ נוֹפֵל מֵהַהִתְלַהֲבוּת, הוּא מֵחֲמַת שֶׁשּׂוֹנֵא אֶת הַצַּדִּיק.

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13. One whose heart falls from its enthusiasm, it is because he hates the Tzaddik.


## Segment 14

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הַצַּדִּיק שֶׁמַּנְהִיג בֶּאֱמֶת אֶת הָעוֹלָם, לֹא יִפֹּל מֵחֲשִׁיבוּתוֹ.

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14. The Tzaddik who rules the world with (/in) truth will not fall from his importance.


## Segment 15

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מִי שֶׁבּוֹרֵחַ מִן הַכָּבוֹד וְהַכָּבוֹד רוֹדֵף אַחֲרָיו, בְּוַודַּאי לֹא יֵרֵד וְלֹא יִפֹּל מִכְּבוֹדוֹ.

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15. One who flees from honor and the honor pursues him, will certainly not descend from nor fall in prestige.


## Segment 16

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עַל־יְדֵי הִתְקַשְּׁרוּת לַצַּדִּיקִים לֹא יִפֹּל מִמַּדְרֵגָתוֹ.

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16. Through attachment to Tzaddikim, one will not fall from one's level.


## Segment 17

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מִי שֶׁהוֹלֵךְ וְנוֹפֵל, יֵדַע שֶׁמַּלְאָכָיו הַשּׁוֹמְרִים אוֹתוֹ נִסְתַּלְּקוּ.

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1. One who who is going (walking) and falls, should know that his guardian angels have deserted him.


## Segment 18

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מִי שֶׁבָּא לוֹ הִרְהוּר זְנוּת עִם בַּת אֵל נֵכָר, בְּיָדוּעַ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ אֵיזֶהוּ נְפִילָה.

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2. One who has a thought of having relations with a gentile woman, it is certain that he will have some sort of fall.


## Segment 19

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אוֹ אֵיזֶהוּ חוֹלַאַת יָבוֹא עַל אִשְׁתּוֹ וּבָנָיו.

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3. Or some sickness will come upon his wife and children.