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they did not polytheize but declared unity; they did not go astray but were guided; they did not kill, steal, or commit adultery — they practiced truth, justice, and equity.
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One whose path is such has the majority of his deeds as good deeds; those few sins relative to these [good deeds] are paid for in this world, and he emerges pure — as I explained in the Fifth Maamar.
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As for the tenth question — whether they encounter one another — I say, upon reflection, I have found:
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The righteous and the wicked only see each other by looking — as it says of the righteous: וְיָצְאוּ וְרָאוּ בְּפִגְרֵי הָאֲנָשִׁים וְגוֹ ["They will go forth and look at the corpses of the people..."],
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and whenever they discern the punishment of the wicked, they say: "Glory to the One who delivered us from this punishment!" — and they rejoice and are glad at their own state.
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And regarding the wicked it says: פָּחֲדוּ בְצִיּוֹן חַטָּאִים אָחֲזָה רְעָדָה חֲנֵפִים מִי יָגוּר לָנוּ אֵשׁ אוֹכֵלָה מִי יָגוּר לָנוּ מוֹקְדֵי עוֹלָם ["The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling has seized the godless: 'Who among us can dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us can dwell with the everlasting flames?'"],
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They marvel at the righteous — how they can neighbor that scorching fire without being harmed in the slightest — and they grieve over having missed that reward.
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Scripture compares them to people invited to a banquet alongside people brought for punishment — who see the guests and grieve,
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as it says: הִנֵּה עֲבָדַי יֹאכְלוּ וְאַתֶּם תִּרְעָבוּ הִנֵּה עֲבָדַי יִשְׁתּוּ וְאַתֶּם תִּצְמָאוּ הִנֵּה עֲבָדַי יִשְׂמְחוּ וְאַתֶּם תֵּבֹשׁוּ הִנֵּה עֲבָדַי יָרֹנּוּ מִטּוּב לֵב וְאַתֶּם תִּצְעֲקוּ מִכְּאֵב לֵב וּמִשֵּׁבֶר רוּחַ תְּיֵלִילוּ ["Behold, My servants will eat but you will be hungry; behold, My servants will drink but you will be thirsty; behold, My servants will rejoice but you will be put to shame; behold, My servants will shout for joy but you will cry out from heartbreak and wail in anguish of spirit"].
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As for the righteous among themselves: if one's station is close to another's, they meet together; if it is far, they do not.
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I believe that even among the punished, any two whose stations are adjacent will not meet — since their pain and preoccupation with their own condition keeps them apart.
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Chapter 10. As for the final question — whether they have obligations of obedience to their Lord (mighty and exalted) — I say: yes, since