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Section 7. Having completed the explanation of those ten whose names I listed earlier, I now say: the balanced servant is one whose sins are equal to his merits.
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This servant, though his existence is limited, is shown mercy and counted among the righteous — for the mercy attributed to the Creator, exalted be He, being impossible for it to come upon or permeate Him since He has no accidents, as we established earlier,
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— therefore its meaning must be referred back to the created beings, and it becomes one of the names of action; so it yields for us three meanings:
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Accepting repentance — as He said: 'Let him return to the Lord and He will have mercy on him' (Isa 55:7); responding to the cry of the distressed — as He said: 'In wrath, remember mercy' (Hab 3:2); and counting the balanced servant among the righteous — as He said: 'Gracious is the Lord and just; our God has mercy' (Ps 116:5).
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The tradition has come to us explaining: 'Abounding in lovingkindness' (Exod 34:6) — inclining toward mercy — meaning: if the scales are even, it tips toward merit.
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For this reason, at the time of judgment there will be among servants only two groups with no third: the righteous and the wicked only — as He said: 'You will return and see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves...' (Mal 3:18).
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I see fit to include this observation at the end of this maamar: obedience from the distinguished is superior — as He said: 'Rejoice in the Lord, O righteous; praise is fitting for the upright' (Ps 33:1). And transgression from them is graver — as He said: 'For even —'
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'Prophet and priest alike are polluted' (Jer 23:11). And obedience in a sacred place is superior — as He said: 'For on My holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel — the word of the Lord God — there all the house of Israel will serve Me' (Ezek 20:40).
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And transgression in a sacred place is a graver sin — as He said: 'Even in My house I found their evil' (Jer 23:11).
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And self-denial from the young is superior — as He said: 'I raised up some of your sons as prophets and some of your young men as Nazirites' (Amos 2:11).
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And licentiousness from the old is uglier — as He said: 'Gray hair has been sprinkled upon him and he does not know it' (Hos 7:9).
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And trustworthiness in the poor is superior — as He said: 'Better a poor person who walks in his integrity than one who is crooked in his ways, even if he is rich' (Prov 28:6).
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And betrayal in the wealthy is graver — as He said: 'A traveler came to the rich man' (2 Sam 12:4) and the rest of the story.
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And helping one's enemy is superior — as He said: 'When a man finds his enemy and sends him on a good way' (1 Sam 24:20).
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And harming the righteous person is harder — as He said: 'He stretched out his hands against those who were at peace with him; he profaned his covenant' (Ps 55:21).
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And humility in the great is superior — as He said: 'The man Moses was very humble' (Num 12:3).
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And arrogance in the lowly is harder — as He said: 'When vileness is exalted among humanity' (Ps 12:9).
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And wronging the poor is harder — as He said: 'To crush the poor of the land and the needy of humanity' (Amos 8:4).
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And wronging the scholar from whose knowledge people benefit is more severe — as He said: 'For I know that your transgressions are many and your sins are great — you who afflict the righteous' (Amos 5:12).
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And multiplying the wronged is more severe — a thousand people wronged out of a thousand dirhams is harder than one person wronged out of a thousand dirhams — as He said: 'From the multitude of oppressions they cry out' (Job 35:9).
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And transgression on a solemn day is more severe — as He said: 'Behold, on your fast day you pursue your own desire' (Isa 58:3).
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And charity from the poor is superior — as He said: 'Better is little with the fear of the Lord' (Prov 15:16). And fasting —
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— fasting from those in ease is superior — as He said: 'Let the bridegroom leave his chamber and the bride her canopy' (Joel 2:16).
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And as we said regarding the dedication of first-born animals, early fruits, and morning prayer at sunrise — for these are things precious to us — as He said: 'All the best of your votive gifts which you vow to the Lord' (Deut 12:11).