meta: {"file": "/data/tomer/Sefaria-Export/txt/Musar/Letter from Ramban to his Son/English/merged.txt"}
text: Letter from Ramban to his Son
  אגרת הרמב"ן לבנו
  merged
  
  This file contains merged sections from the following text versions:
  -Jewish Quaterly Review, 1892, Solomon Schechter
  -
  
  Letter from Ramban to his Son
  
  These are the regulations which I, Solomon, the son the martyr, Rabbi Isaac, the son of Zadoc, of blessed memory, draw up for myself. That as long as I am in good health, and free from accident, and think of it, I shall not eat before I have studied one page of the Talmud or of its commentaries. Should I transgress this rule intentionally, I must not drink wine on that day, or I shall pay half a Zehub to charity. Again, that I shall read every week the Lesson twice in the Hebrew text, and once in the Aramaic version. Should I intentionally omit completing the Lesson as above, then I must pay two Zehubs to charity. Again, that I shall take three meals every Sabbath, consisting of bread or fruit. Should I omit to do so, I must give in charity half a Zehub. Again, in order to subdue my appetites, and not to enjoy in this world more than is necessary for the maintenance of my body, I must not eat at one meal more than one course of meat, and not more than two courses altogether; nor must I drink more than two cups of wine at one meal, apart from the blessing-cup (over which grace is said), except on Sabbath, Festivals, Chanukah, New Moon, and at other religious meals (for instance, wedding-dinners and similar festive occasions). Again I must not have any regular meal on the day preceding Sabbath or Festivals. I must not have during the day more than one course, so that I shall enter upon the holy day with a good appetite. Should I transgress this resolve intentionally I shall have to fast a day, or to pay two Zehubs. Again, that I shall not eat the fish called burbot, if I think of it. Again, even on the above-mentioned days, I must not eat more than three courses at a meal, nor drink more than three cups of wine, exclusive of the blessing-cup. Again, I must not swear by God, nor mention the name of Heaven without a purpose, nor curse any man in the name of God. Should I, God forbid, transgress it, I must not drink more than one cup of wine on that day exclusive of the blessing-cup. Should I, however, transgress this after dinner, I must abstain from wine the following day. Should I transgress it, I have to pay half a Zehub. Again, that I shall get up every night to praise God, to supplicate for His mercy, and to confess. On those nights when confession is not to be said (Sabbaths and Festivals), I shall say hymns and psalms. This I shall do when I am in my house, and in good health, free from any accident. Should I transgress it, I shall drink not more than one cup of wine the following day, except the blessing cup. I again take upon myself to give to charity the following proportion of my expenditure - from each dress which I shall have made for myself or for one member of my family, costing more than ten Zehubs, I must pay one Pashut for each ten Zehubs. Again, if I should buy an animal, or a slave, or a female slave, or ground, that I shall also pay at the same rate. And if I shall buy clothes for sale, called fashas, I shall pay two Pashuts for each garment. As often as I am compelled to say the benediction of Hagomel (after having escaped danger), I shall pay a Zehub, except when I am travelling (also involving danger in those times), in which case I shall have to pay a Zehub on my arrival, and two Pashuts daily during the journey. Again, from every kind of fish bought for me, costing more than a Zehub, I shall pay a Pashut for each Zehub. And also, if I shall be worthy by God to marry my children, and to be present at their wedding, to cause them to give to the poor from the dowry brought to them by their wives, whether in money or in kind, at the rate of one per cent. If God will make me worthy of having sons, I must give to charity according to my means at the time.
  I shall also, between New Year and the Day of Atonement in each year, calculate my profits during the past year and (after deducting expenses), give a tithe thereof to the poor. Should I be unable to make an accurate calculation, then I shall give approximately. This tithe I shall put aside, together with the other money for a religious (charitable) purpose, to dispose of it as I shall deem best. I also propose to have the liberty of employing the money in any profitable speculation with a view of augmenting it. But all I have written above I shall not hold myself guilty if I transgress, if such transgression be the result of forgetfulness; but in order to guard against it, I shall read this through weekly.
  I also command my children to take upon themselves as many of the above regulations as may be in their power to observe, and also to bind it, from generation to generation, upon their children. And he who carries them out, and even adds to them, at pain of discomfort to himself, shall merit a special blessing.
  And this is the text of the will which I, the above-mentioned Solomon, draw up for my children, may God preserve them. That they shall pray thrice daily, and endeavor always to utter their prayers with devotion. Again, that this prayer shall be said in the Beth Hamidrash (a prayer-house, which also served as a house of study), or in the synagogue together with the congregation. Again, that they shall apply all their powers to maintain the synagogues and the houses of study, which our ancestors have built, as well as to continue the endowments established by my ancestors and myself. They must always endeavor to imitate them, so that goodness shall never cease from among them. Again, that they shall always have a chair on which a volume of the Talmud, or any other Talmudical work, shall lie; so that they would always open a book when they come home. At least, they shall read in any book they like four lines before taking their meal. Again, that they shall read every week the Lesson twice in the Hebrew text, and once in the Aramaic version. Again, to take three meals on the Sabbath.
  Again, that they shall be always modest, merciful, and charitable, for these are the qualities by which the children of Israel are known. Let also all their thoughts and meditations be always directed to the service of the Lord, and be as charitable and benevolent as possible,  for this is all that remains to man of his labour. They shall also endeavor to regulate their diet according to the rules laid down by Rabbi Moses (Maimonides), so as to fulfill the words of Scripture: "The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul." And let them always be careful not to mention the name of God in vain, to be honest in all business transactions, and let their yea be always yea. They shall always have the obligation to train their children to the study of the Torah, but one shall devote his life to the study thereof. And it shall be incumbent upon his brothers to support this one, and to invest his moneys, and to provide for him that he and his family should live respectably, so that he be not distracted by worldly cares from his studies. Let also the elder love the younger brothers as their own children, and the younger respect the elder as a parent. Thus they may always bear in mind that they are a God-fearing family. Let them love and honour scholars, thus to merit the honour of having scholars for their sons and son-in-law. This will they shall themselves read weekly, and shall also make it incumbent upon their children, from generation to generation, to read weekly, in order to fulfill what is written (Gen. xviii. 19), "For I know him that he will command his children, etc.," and also the words of Isaiah (Lix. 21), "And this is my covenant, etc." But as often as they shall read this will, they shall also read the two letters below written, which Rabbi Moses be Nachman sent to his sons, with a view of being serviceable to them in many respects. Should, heaven forbid, they be by any sad accident prevented from fulfilling the injuctions above laid down, they must fine themselves by not drinking wine on that day, or be eating one course less at the dinner, or by giving some fine to charity...
  This is the letter which Rabbi Moses ben Nachman, of blessed memory, sent from the Holy Land to Barcelona: - "Hearken, my son, to the instruction of thy father..."
  And this is the letter which the above-mentioned Rabbi sent from the Holy Land to Castile, when his son was staying before the kind (in his service):-  May God bless you, and preserve you from sin and punishment. Behold, our master, King David, bore a son, wise and of understanding, like unto whom there was never one before or after. Nevertheless he said to him (1 Kings ii. 2): 'And keep the charge of the Lord thy God,' etc. He also said to him: 'And thou, my son, know the God of thy father' (1 Chron. xxviii. 9). Now, my son, if thou wilt measure thyself with Solomon, thou wilt find thyself a worm, - not a man, merely an insect, nevertheless, if thou wilt seek God, he will make thee great; and if thou wilt forsake him, thou wilt be turned out and forsaken. My son, be careful that thou readest the Shema morning and evening, as well as that thou sayest the daily prayers. Have always with thee a Pentateuch written correctly, and read therein the Lesson for each Sabbath...
  'Cast thy burden upon the Lord,' for the thing which thou believest far from thee is often very near unto thee. Know, again, that thou art not master over thy words, nor hast power over thy hand; but everything is in the hand of the Lord, who formest thy heart... Be especially careful to keep aloof from the women [of the court?]. Know that our God hates immorality, and Balaam could in no other way injure Israel than by inciting them to unchastity. [Here come many quotations from Malachi and Ezra.]... My son, remember me always, and let the image of my countenance be never absent from before thine eyes. Love not that which I hate... Let always be upon thy lips the words of the Psalmist, 'I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me' (Ps. Cxix. 19); and God, who is good and the dispenser of good, shall increase thy peace and prolong thy life in peace and happiness, and promote thy honour according to thy wish and the wish of thy father who bore thee, Moses ben Nachman." 