Jewish Inspiration Podcast · Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe

00:00 - Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe (Host)
Welcome back, everybody, to day number 38 in Orchos Tzaddikim, in ways of the righteous we're in the Treasure for Life edition, on page 216. V'etzarich ma'od li'yizor mi'chibur b'nei odom she'enu muhuganim. A person has to be very, very cautious about connecting himself with people who are not honest. K'dei shelayil mad'ma'aseyim not to learn from their evil ways, v'li yisrachek me'mo'ishav leitzim, and distance yourself from those who are scoffers, those who mock other people. Ve'amar hechocham levnoi, the wise man, king Solomon said to his son ki yaleh b'libcho li yischaber im b'nei adam, when you desire to associate with others, connect, associate with the wise people, it says. It says those who go and walk with the wise will indeed grow wise. Give wisdom to the wise and they will indeed grow wise. And Nehemiah, give wisdom to the wise and they will become wiser. Because, for, if you grow wise, he will praise you and not dispute your wisdom, and then you will know that you can rely upon your wisdom, and then you will know that you can rely upon your wisdom. If you honor him, he will honor you. If you will extol him, he will extol you. If you need his help, he will help you. Whatever you say, he will defend you. Okay, this is an unbelievable thing. Honor somebody, they'll honor you. Praise someone, they'll praise you. You need their help. They'll help you. Whatever you say, they will hold it and stand with it and they will defend it. And if you get angry, they will defend it. And if you get angry, they will tolerate it. The wise people they're truly wise learn from their ways and learn from every person something that can bring you closer in your service to Hashem V'amroch hachamim.

02:28
Our sages said kishetir tzilicha la chabor im adam. When you want to connect with a person, you want to know if this person is worthy of your friendship. You know what you need to do. Hachisehu, get him angry. V'im yodolochoh ha ha'em es b'shas ka'as. So yis chaber lo ve'im la'av ha'zov. Ha'so See how he conducts himself when he's angry. If he admits his wrongdoing even when he's angry, that's a good friend to have. But if not, run away, ve'alt yis chaber l'cho ver elol ami sheyak.

03:04
Choose a friend only among people who know their own worth. Someone who doesn't know their own self-worth, don't hang around them, don't stick around in their company. The Mishnah tells us, acquire a friend. What does that mean? To acquire a friend? That the friend will reprimand you and give you constructive criticism when you do the wrong thing, not someone who's going to be like I can't jeopardize my friendship. I can't jeopardize my friendship by saying a criticism to you and someone. Connect yourself with someone who's going to teach you to do the right thing and don't get irritated from their criticism. And don't get irritated from their criticism. Find someone who will help you with their heart, with their soul, with their money.

04:18
Such a friend, acquire such a friend and don't sell him. Don't sell him Because this is very rare, becauseזהו חברך נמום, because that's going to be a loyal friend. אבל חבר המכנף ומייה שלך תעוזך ושגגזך ומנחמוזך על מעשך הרעים. But a friend that is flattering you, rationalizes your mistakes and errors and who is sympathetic to you in your evil deeds. He stalek me, alov. Run away from such a person. Umna, ragol chom nesiv aso and distance. Keep your feet going. Don't stick around such a person and don't follow their ways either. V'chein chaber, shiyikach mimchot tzarkoi. Also, stay away from a friend who's only a taker for what he needs and someone who will harm you greatly for a little bit of pleasure.

05:22
Such a person. Stay away from them. Don't associate and don't befriend people who will consent to your wrongdoings. Do not say I join to everything which this people says. Let us form a plot.

05:53
It is forbidden to associate with the wicked man in the affairs of the world. As it is written. Because you have joined, hashem has ruined your plans. Why you associate with evil, you get the judgment of the evil Even for a good cause. You cannot associate with a wicked person. As the verse states and our sages said, there are many different paths of death found in the company of the wicked. And if a person will be cautious with himself and a person will speak gently and pleasantly with all people, and he's going to be with a like-minded, sociable person, way with other people.

07:09
Ne'elav mehem ve'einou olvam. He is willing to take shame from them but not to shame them in return. Mechabed lohem ve'af la'mekilimbo. He honors others, even those who disregard and disrespect him. Ve'noseh ve'noten be'amunah, and he gives and takes in his negotiations in business with honesty, with emunah, with trustworthiness and honesty, and he does not frequent with people who are not righteous. Yorei ha-tomid el be'osek ba'torah. Lo yei ro'eh Tomid el be'osek ba'torah, and he is never found without being busy studying Torah. Otuv be'tzitzus. U'muchta be'tzitzilin. He's constantly wearing tzitzis and wearing his tefillin.

08:07
Ve'osev ha-cholma'asov. Lefni mishur ha-sadin, and he does all of his actions more than the appropriate letter of the law, but he goes, he's extra stringent to perform things properly, so all so that all people praise him. But people will praise him and love him and desire to emulate his deeds. This kind of man sanctifies Hashem's name, and about him it is written. And he said to me you are my servant, israel, in you I will be glorified.

08:52
Bechah asher, bechah espoir, ha'arei zeh kides ha'shashem. What you want is people to look and say, oh, this is the example, this is what we're supposed to look like. This is the proper conduct of someone who fears God, and that's the verse that says v'yom r'li avdi ato v. Fears God, and that's the verse that says V'yom Eli Avdi Ato. V'yom Eli Avdi Ato. Yisroel Asher, becho Espoir. You are my servant, israel, in you I will be glorified. And this concludes day number 38. I think it's very important and just in a quick summary, for us to realize that we need to find the proper way to conduct our lives, and we all know things. We all know this is the right thing, that's the right thing, but do we actually? Are we willing to give up on friendships to do the right thing? Are we willing to give up on quote, unquote what's right, to do the right thing? Here we're being encouraged by the author of the Yeruch HaSaddikim to do the right thing because in the long run and in the short run it will be more beneficial.