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— he is analogous to the false prophets of whom He said: 'those who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing' (Ezek 13:3).
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And the one who interprets matters pertaining to the Creator wrongly and goes astray is analogous to unbelievers — like those who interpreted 'Let us make Adam in our image' (Gen 1:26) and concluded that an angel created Adam and likewise the rest of the world.
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Of them He said: 'Those who use Your name for evil schemes, who take it for falsehood — Your enemies' (Ps 139:20).
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I say: the judge who punishes and penalizes on his own authority — if his intent is to preserve religion and its rulings, he is rewarded, as the early authorities said: 'A court may flog and penalize not in accordance with Torah law — not to transgress the words of Torah, but even to build a fence around the Torah.'
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But if his intent is inclination or desire, he destroys himself — as He said: 'Punishing the righteous is not good; striking the noble for uprightness' (Prov 17:26).
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I say regarding the unlettered — those who do not read the Torah: if that was not possible for them and they consult the most learned of their generation and community and act accordingly, their religious practice is complete — as He said: 'The lips of the righteous feed many' (Prov 10:21).
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If they do not do this, they are not excused — of them He said: 'The scoffer does not love one who reproves him; he does not go to the wise' (Prov 15:12).
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I say regarding the poor who fall short in their prayers and observances: whatever falls short due to incapacity, they are excused; whatever exceeds that, they are accountable — as He said: 'He rescues the poor person through his affliction' (Job 36:15).
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I say regarding the sick: they are not excused for what exceeds necessity during their illness — as He said: 'They did not cry to Me from their heart, though they wail upon their beds' (Hos 7:14).
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— regarding the drunk: they have no excuse if they commit an offense while intoxicated, for the legal ruling states: 'A drunkard's acquisition is an acquisition and his sale is a sale; one who transgresses a capital offense is executed; one who transgresses a flogging offense is flogged.'
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I say regarding the oppressed among the children of Israel under the power of nations: they are not excused for their impatience — they must endure — as He said: 'Let him give his cheek to one who strikes him; let him be filled with disgrace' (Lam 3:30).
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I say regarding recidivists in transgression: their repentance is harder — as He said: 'Like a dog returning to its vomit is a fool who repeats his folly' (Prov 26:11); and the early authorities said: 'One who says "I will sin and repent, I will sin and repent" is not given the opportunity to repent.'
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I say regarding those who rely on the atonement of Yom Kippur: it does not benefit them without repentance — as the early authorities said: 'One might think it atones for those who repent and for those who do not; Scripture therefore teaches "only on the tenth" — it atones only for those who repent.'
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I say regarding those who corrupt the people: their repentance is not complete except through reversal — as He said: 'How well you direct your way to seek love! Therefore you have also taught evil women your ways' (Jer 2:33).
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I say regarding those who reform the people: their transgression is not complete through recidivism — as He said: 'My foot has held fast to His steps; I have kept His way and have not turned aside; I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth' (Job 23:11–12).
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I know that even if I were to gather many more topics I would not exhaust what is needed to alert the people to their religion — but these are sufficient summaries from which people may benefit, with the help of the Merciful One.
The Fifth Maamar is complete.