על שינוי השמות מ״אOn the Change of Names 41
א׳
1[233] I am profoundly struck by the law enacted for those who put off their sins and appear to be repentant. It bids them bring first as the victim a ewe without blemish, but “if his hand,” it continues, “have not strength for a sheep, he shall bring for the sin which he has committed two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one for sin and one for a burnt offering.
ב׳
2[234] But if his hand does not find a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons, he shall bring for his gift fine flour the tenth of an ephah. He shall not pour upon it oil, nor put upon it frankincense, because it is a sin offering, and shall bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take from it a complete handful and lay the memorial upon the altar” (Lev. 5:7 ff.).
ג׳
3[235] Moses, then, employs for propitiation the three methods of repentance here mentioned, beasts or birds or wheaten flour, adapted doubtless to the capacity of the penitent who is purified, for small things do not need great, nor great things small purifications, but such as are like and equal on the principle of proportion.
ד׳
4[236] Why then there should be three ways of repentance is worth inquiry. Practically cases both of sinning and of achieving righteousness fall into three classes, thoughts and words and deeds. And therefore in his Exhortations Moses, when he is shewing that the acquisition of the good is neither impossible nor hard to pursue, says,
ה׳
5[237] “You need not fly up to heaven nor go to the ends of earth and sea to lay hold of it, but near and very near (and with the next words he shews the nearness as it were almost visible to the eye) is every work to thy mouth and heart and hands” (Deut. 30:12 ff.). In these three words he figures words, thoughts and intentions, deeds. For good thinking and intending, good speaking and good doing make up, he means, human happiness just as their opposites make up unhappiness,
ו׳
6[238] since achievement of righteousness and sinning are found in all these three places, heart, mouth and hand. For indeed some think and intend with excellent judgement and speak what is best and do what they should do. Of the three wrong thinking and intending is the least serious, and actually carrying out injustice is the most serious, while saying what we should not stands midway between the two.
ז׳
7[239] Yet in practice the least serious proves to be the most difficult to rid ourselves from, for it is a hard matter to bring to a standstill the soul’s changing movements. Their irresistible stream is such that we could sooner stem the rush of a torrent, for thoughts. after thoughts in countless numbers pour on like a huge breaker and drive and whirl and upset its whole being with their violence.
ח׳
8[240] This then is the best and most perfect form of purification, never even to admit any heinous thoughts, but to live with our fellow-citizens in peace and law observance, that order of which justice is the guiding influence. And the second best is to abstain from sinfulness of word, either by lying or perjury or subtlety or calumny, and in general from aiming at the ruin of others by giving a free rein to the mouth and tongue which it were better to bridle and bind with chains of adamant.