eath of God vivified the universe,
renewing daily the work of creation, and that hence the world of
everyday was as inspired as the Torah, the one throwing light on the
other. The written Law must be interpreted in every age in accordance
with the ruling attribute of God--for God governs in every age by a
different attribute, sometimes by His Love, sometimes by His Power,
sometimes by His Beauty. "It is not the number of ordinances that we
obey that brings us into union with God," said the Master; "one
commandment fulfilled in and through love of Him is as effective as
all." But this did not mean that the other commandments were to be
disregarded, as some have deduced; nor that one commandment should be
made the centre of life, as has been done by others. For, though the
Zaddik, who gave his life to helping his neighbor's or his enemy's ass
lying under its burden, as enjoined in Exodus xxiii. 5, was not
unworthy of admiration--indeed he was my own disciple, and desired
thus to commemorate the circumstances of my first meeting with the
Baal Shem,--yet he who made it his speciality never to tell the
smallest falsehood was led into greater sin. For when his fame was so
bruited that it reached even the Government officers, they, suspecting
the Jews of the town of smuggling, said they would withdraw the charge
if the Saint would declare his brethren innocent. Whereupon he prayed
to God to save him from his dilemma by sending him death, and lo! when
the men came to fetch him to the law-court, they found him dead. But a
true follower of the Master should have been willing to testify for
truth's sake even against his brethren, and in my humble judgment his
death was not a deliverance, but a punishment from on high.

Had, moreover, the Saint practised the Humility--which my Master put as
the first of the three cardinal virtues--he would not have deemed it so
fatal to tell a lie once; for who can doubt there was in him more
spiritual pride in his own record than pure love of truth? And had he
practised the second of the three cardinal virtues--Cheerfulness--he
would have known that God can redeem a man even from the sin of lying.
And had he practised the third--Enkindlement--he would never have
narrowed himself to one commandment, and that a negative one--not to
lie. For where there is a living flame in the heart, it spreads to all
the members.

"Service is its own reward, its own joy," said the Baal Shem. "No man
should bend h