נקיי הדעת שבירושליםClean of the Permitted

nekiyyei ha-da'at she-bi-YerushalayimIn Gamatria ↗

The hardest sins are the ones the heart permits.

Cleanliness means being clean of every bad trait and sin, even those the heart permits itself. The watchful man avoids known sins, but desire still bends his judgment and shows him permissions. The clean man's sight is clear; even the lightest sin he recognizes and keeps away from. The Sages called such people 'the clean-minded of Jerusalem' (Sanhedrin 23a). It comes after long habit in watchfulness and zeal, once love of God has put out the fire of bodily desire. Open sins are easy to avoid. The hard ones are those a person tramples underfoot, which surround him at judgment. Most stumble in theft, some in sexual sin, and all in the 'dust' of evil speech. David cleansed himself so fully that he could ask to pursue his enemies to the end, which Jehoshaphat, Asa and Hezekiah did not ask.

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