Chapter 29: 10-12
Character Traits to Follow
10. It is human nature for one's behavior to be influenced by one's
friends, associates, and neighbors. Therefore, a person must associate with
the righteous and always sit with the wise in order to learn from their
deeds. He should stay far from the wicked, who walk in darkness, so that he
will not learn from their actions.
King Solomon declared (Proverbs 13:20): "One who walks with the wise
becomes wise, while one who associates with fools will suffer harm."
Similarly, [Psalms 1:1] states: "Happy is the man who does not walk in the
counsel of the wicked..."
A person who lives in a city whose leaders are wicked and whose inhabitants
do not follow a just path should move away from there, to a city whose
inhabitants are righteous and follow the proper paths.
11. It is a positive mitzvah to cling to Torah Sages in order to learn from
their deeds, [as implied by Deuteronomy 10:20]: "Cling to Him." [Kesuvos
111b asks rhetorically]: "Is it possible for a person to cling to the
Divine Presence?" and interprets the verse to mean: cling to the Torah Sages.
Therefore, a person should try to marry the daughter of a Torah Sage, marry
his daughters to Torah Sages, eat and drink with Torah Sages, do business
in association with them and associate with them in every possible manner,
[as implied by Deuteronomy 11:22] "cling to Him."
Similarly, [Ovos 1:4] commands: "Sit in the dust at their feet; drink in
their words thirstily."
12. It is mitzvah incumbent on every individual to love each and every Jew
as one loves one's own body, as [Leviticus 19:18] states: "Love your
colleague as yourself."
Therefore, one should always speak favorably of another Jew and care for
his honor and property as one cares for his own. A person who seeks to
glorify himself through his colleague's dishonor will not receive a share
in the world to come unless he fully repents.
(The above applies even though one's colleague is not present and no shame
will reach him; furthermore, even if nothing was said explicitly to
discredit him, but rather, one merely compared his own good deeds or wisdom
against those of his colleague in a manner which will make him appear
honorable and his colleague shameful.)
