THE ALEPH-BET BOOK  - Sefer HaMiddot

HACHNASAT ORCHIM - HOSPITALITY

Part A

1)An inhospitable person strengthens the hand of the evildoers so that they do not return to God.

2) The people of] a city where hospitality is not practiced will turn to immoral behavior, and this will bring murder into their midst.

3)Hospitality brings a woman to be blessed with children.

4)Receiving guests is like receiving the Sabbath.

5)When a person welcomes a Torah scholar into his home, it is like he brought the daily sacrificial offerings.

6)Hospitality is even greater than arriving early at the House of Torah Study and receiving the Shekhinah.

7)Jews who have no rabbis in their midst are like Kuttim, Samaritans.

Part B

 

1)Hospitality earns a person the fearful-respect of others.

2)Hospitality is a segulah for returning a woman's menses [so that she can again bear children].

3)The prominence of the leaders of the generation is strengthened by God's holiness. This [prestige] brings everyone to value the mitzvah of hospitality and causes those who study the Torah to have the law accepted as they understand it.

AHAVAH - LOVE

Part A

1)When there is no love between people, they bear tales and then mock one another. Their mockery then leads them to telling lies.

2)Turmoil and [destruction by] fire are the result of hatred.

3)The love you have for God will protect your soul from misfortune.

4)Achieving a love for God requires that you first repent for your sins.

5)Everyone loves the person who is completely given over to praying for the Jewish People.

6)Love produces encouragement.

7)Encouraging someone in his service of God will bring him to love you:

8)You can merit loving God by reciting Haliel - the prayer extolling His praise - in a loud voice.

9)When you have litigation with a mute who refuses to reach an agreement, your having guarded yourself against unwarranted hatred will bring him to settle with you.

10)A person who guards against swearing falsely will certainly not transgress the precepts of "not taking revenge nor bearing a grudge" (Leviticus 19:18).

11)Garlic is a segulah for [increasing one's feelings of] love.

12)The merit earned by a man who serves God out of love stands as a lasting protection for two-thousand generations.

13)God is present wherever pacts and agreements are made.

Part B

1)When the earth's produce blossoms, it brings love into the world.

2)A woman's love for her husband can be detected by the [number of] flies and gnats which are in the house. From their love, one can also tell if the passion of the evil inclination has been weakened or not.

3)The wise men of the generation who love each other and visit each other from time to time have the power tojudge the entire world. Their judgement is lasting and no one will be able to change or nullify it, for God himself is the head magistrate of their court.

4)Unwarranted hatred causes a person to unintentionally eat non-kosher food.

5)A person's lust for food causes him to favor one son over the others.