The word ascetic

Essay by Rev. Nile of Sinai “The Ascetic Word” (75 chapters, around 425) is devoted to the presentation of the theoretical foundations of monastic life, spiritual struggle, internal work and the acquisition of virtues. In the treatise of St. Nile reveals the basics of ascetic life: struggle with passions, sobriety of mind, unceasing prayer and humility. The author pays special attention to mental warfare - opposition to sinful thoughts, emphasizing the need for attention to the inner state of the soul. He gives practical advice on achieving dispassion and acquiring virtues through obedience, fasting and prayer. According to the content, the treatise can be divided into 4 parts. In the 1st part (chapters 1-20) St. Neil explains the meaning of monastic life "as a true philosophy." Part 2 (chapters 21-41) contains teaching about monastic mentors, their spiritual qualities, duties and difficulties associated with spiritual leadership. In the 3rd part (chapters 42-65), the author calls on ordinary monks to fulfill their duties (obedience, renunciation of earthly goods and a constant struggle with passions). The 4th part (chapters 66-75) gives a description of a soul that has achieved dispassion and perfect mental contemplation, detached from everything sensory. St. The Nile reminds us of the “eternal good” awaiting those who have adorned their lives with deeds of virtue. *The title of the work in Greek is Λόγος ἀσκητικός. *The title of the work in Latin is Liber de monastica exercitatione. Chapter 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 Many of the Hellenes and a considerable number of Jews began to practice philosophy, but some of Christ’s disciples were jealous of true wisdom, because they alone had Wisdom itself as a teacher, showing in practice what kind of life is appropriate for such a purpose. For the first, as if appearing to act in a disgraceful manner, adorned themselves with someone else’s mask, bearing only one name and being deprived of true wisdom. With an old cloak, a beard and a staff, they showed their wisdom, but they took care of the body, served lusts like mistresses, were slaves of the womb, allowed gross pleasures as a natural thing, submitted to anger, loved fame, greedily, like dogs, rushed to luxurious meals, not knowing that the wise must first of all be free and, above all, avoid being a slave passions or a mercenary and servant of slaves. For whoever lived as he should, it did not harm him at all that he was a slave to people, but whoever has passions as mistresses, he, serving pleasures, is exposed to shame and arouses great laughter. Some of them are not at all concerned about active life, but, as they think, are engaged in speculative wisdom, delving into difficult research, talking about things that cannot be proven, boasting that they know the size of the sky, the measure of the sun and the effectiveness of the stars. And others sometimes attempted to theologize, although in this the truth is unsearchable and the guess is dangerous; they lived more dishonestly in the mud of wallowing pigs. If some led an active life, then they became worse than the first, having worked hard for fame and praise, for out of nothing other than the desire to show themselves and the love of fame, these pitiful people began many things, accepting a cheap and insignificant reward for such misery: because they always remain silent, eat grass, cover their bodies with thin rags and live, enclosed in a barrel, not expecting any reward for this death, worse than any madness. This meant limiting the rewards for virtue to real life, imposing on oneself feats for which there is no time to receive crowns, waging a constant struggle without any rewards for it, being in competitions that bring nothing but shedding sweat. Among the Jews, the descendants of Jonadab turn out to be admirers of this way of life, who, accepting everyone who wants to live like this, subject them to the same rule, themselves always living in booths, abstaining from wine and from all luxury, being content with a poor meal, commensurate with bodily needs. Therefore, they are both very concerned about moral education and spend a lot of time in speculation, which is why they are called Essenes, so that the very name makes them seen as wise people. In a word, in their opinion, the goal of wisdom is fully achieved when deeds do not in the least contradict the vow. But what is the use of exploits and difficult struggles for them, who rejected Christ the Lawgiver? And their reward for their labors also perishes, because they have renounced the Distributor of the rewards of true life, and therefore are far from wisdom. For wisdom is the correction of morals, with true knowledge of Existence. And far from him are those and others, both Jews and Greeks, who rejected the Wisdom that descended from Heaven and attempted to philosophize without Christ, Who alone showed true wisdom in deed and word. He was the first with His life to pave the way to this wisdom, showing the image of pure living, always ascending with His soul above bodily passions, and finally, when the salvation of people, which He was building, required death, without sparing even the soul; and thereby teaching that those who intend the right to be wise must renounce everything pleasant in life, work, neglecting the body, dominate the passions and not highly value the soul itself, but, when it must be used for the demonstration of virtue, willingly betray it. And having borrowed this way of life, the holy Apostles imitated it. As soon as they were called, they renounced worldly life, considered their fatherland, clan, and estate as nothing, immediately entered into a harsh and difficult life, overcame all inconveniences, “grieving, embittered” (Heb. 11:37), being persecuted, naked, suffering a lack of the most necessary things, and subsequently daring to death. In everything they perfectly imitated the Teacher and in their lives they left an example of the best way of life. But since all Christians, being obliged to chart their lives according to this model, either did not want to, or did not have the strength to imitate, a few were able to rise above worldly rebellions, avoid the stormy city life and, thus placing themselves outside the unrest, love the monastic life, then only the latter made their lives an imprint of apostolic virtue, preferring non-covetousness to acquisitions, so as not to have fun with anything, giving instead of gourmet food the advantage of a hastily prepared food, so that, by satisfying the bodily needs of the food that has happened, thereby preventing the uprising of passions; disdaining lush clothes and made beyond the need, as an invention of human luxury, they used a simple and simple robe according to the needs of the body, despising pleasures, recognizing it as an unwise thing to leave the care of Heavenly things, and to occupy the mind with what lies on the earth and naturally goes to the animals, they did not know the world, becoming outside of human passions: there was between them neither an advantage, nor an inferior advantage, nor a judge, nor suing. For each had his own conscience as an incorruptible judge, and it did not happen that one became rich and another became poor, one wasted away with hunger, and another sat down from satiety, because the poverty of those who were insufficient was replenished by the generosity of those who were abundant. They had equality and equal rights, and inequality was banished by the voluntary union of the advantaged with the inferior. It would be better to say that there was no equality then, because even then the zeal of those trying to become more humble produced inequality, just as the frantic desire of those who intensify to become more famous now produces inequality. Envy was banished from them, hatred had no place, vanity fled from them, pride was destroyed, everything that could become a cause of indignation was exterminated - for the strongest passions they were somehow dead and insensitive, not even dreaming of them, because at first, with daily exploits and patience, they perfectly diverted from themselves the remembrance of passions. In a word, having established themselves in this state, they became, as it were, lamps shining in the darkness, non-wandering stars illuminating the gloomy night of life, showing everyone with the calmness surrounding them how convenient it is to hide in the pier, harmlessly avoiding the attack of passions. But this strict life, this Heavenly rule of life, like an image that, from the negligence of those who copy it over time, gradually becomes less similar, finally reached the point of dissimilarity and became completely far from the prototype. Those who were crucified to the world, who renounced worldly life, who renounced living like other people, who strived through the immutability of dispassion to be transformed into the nature of ethereal Forces, again turned back to everyday pursuits, to shameful crafts, darkening the strict life of those who had previously spent it beautifully and, through their inattention, doing that they blaspheme those who could have been praised and praised for their virtue. We still hold on to the handle of the rala, maintaining an honest appearance, but we have already become unsuitable for the Heavenly Kingdom, because we have returned back and with great care we hold on to what we were obliged to forget, we are no longer trying to live a life that does not require costs and troubles: we do not recognize silence as necessary to rid ourselves of outdated impurities, but we respect many things that require care that is useless for the true goals, and the competition about the material prevailed over the saving advice. The Lord completely freed us from caring about earthly things and commanded us to seek only the Heavenly Kingdom, and we, as if trying to follow the opposite path, did not pay attention to this, renouncing the Lord’s commandments and the Lord’s care for us, and placed our hope in our own hands. For the Lord says: “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap, nor gather into barns, but your heavenly Father feeds them” (Matthew 6:26); and again: “Look at the crops of the villagers, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin” (Matthew 6:28). He forbade even having a scrip, a sack and a rod (see Luke 9:3, 10:4), but commanded to be content with one untruthful promise, which, sending His disciples to do good to other people, he said: “For he is worthy who works his reward” (Matthew 10:10). For he knew that this promise in the provision of what we need is stronger than our effectiveness. But we do not refuse to acquire as much land as we can, we buy herds of sheep, working oxen, different in appearance and size, fatted donkeys, so that the sheep provide us with plenty of wool for products, and the oxen, serving the products of agriculture, give us food and food for themselves and other animals; the jugular pack animals, making up for what was lacking in one country with those brought from other countries, supplied the necessary food with seasonings, thereby increasing the pleasantness of life. And among the arts, those that are more profitable and do not leave us any time to remember God, steal all our leisure from us, we prefer, condemning, as can be seen, either the Trustee in weakness, or ourselves for our previous confession; and although we do not admit this in word, we expose ourselves to this in our deeds, admiring the life of the laity, when we do the same things as they do, and even, perhaps, spend more time than them in bodily exercises. Why do many even consider piety to be a means to acquisition and think that this serene and blessed life of ancient times is engaged in nothing more than to, under the guise of feigned piety, avoid difficult services and, having acquired the freedom to enjoy unhindered, extend their aspirations to anything, with great shamelessness boasting before the inferior, and sometimes even before those who have an advantage, as if a virtuous life is considered a reason for autocracy, and not to humility and modesty. Therefore, those who should respect us look at us as an idle crowd: bureaucrats and commoners laugh at us more than at those hustling in the markets, because we do not, as we should, have any difference from others, we want to be known not by life, but by clothing, we refuse to work for virtue, and desire glory for it with fury, showing in ourselves one shadow of the former truth. And now another, having taken upon himself this venerable image, but not having yet washed away the impurities of his soul, not having erased the imprinted traces of previous sins in his heart, even, perhaps, still unruly admiring their representation and not having taught his character to conform to this promise, not knowing what the purpose of wisdom according to God is, raises his eyebrows in a Pharisaical manner, thinking highly of one external image as success in virtues, and goes everywhere, carrying with him shells with which he has not learned to act, with his visible appearance he shows in himself knowledge that he has not tasted even at the edges of his lips, turning out to be an underwater rock instead of a pier, instead of a church a sunken coffin (see: Matt. 23:27), instead of a sheep a wolf - to the destruction of those caught by appearances. For when such, having fled from the monasteries because they could not bear the severity of life, give themselves freedom in the cities, then, already disturbed by the needs of the belly, to the deception of many they accept the image of piety as a bait, being ready to do everything that bodily need forces them to do, because the compulsion of natural necessity is stronger than anything, which in difficult circumstances skillfully invents an outcome from them. Especially when deliberate idleness is added, then every pretext finds its place with greater cunning. Therefore, just as relentlessly as parasites, they stand at the doors of the rich, like slaves, run in front of them in the squares, pushing aside those who come close to them, driving away those they meet, try to provide them with the most convenient passage and do this out of need at meals, without learning to restrain their voluptuousness when eating delicious dishes and not wanting, according to the Mosaic commandment, to carry a spatula in their belts so that when needed dig a hole (see: Deut. 23:13). For those who used it knew that the limit of any enjoyment of foodstuffs is the larynx and that what accidentally replenishes bodily poverty covers the indecentness of untimely desire. Therefore, the name of God is blasphemed, and the desired life has become an object of disgust, and the acquisition of 2 people who live truly virtuously is considered deceit, and cities are burdened with those walking hither and thither without doing anything, and the owners of houses suffer anxiety, feel discomfort at the very sight, seeing how they beg for alms with shamelessness, standing at the door, and many, having received shelter in the house, covered themselves for a while Having protected themselves from suspicion of malicious intent by feigned piety and a mask of hypocrisy, they subsequently rob the homeowner, leave and thereby dispel a bad reputation about monastic life in general. Thus, finally, those who were once teachers of chastity are expelled from the cities as destroyers of it; and they do not find access for themselves, like the unclean, on a par with those possessed by leprosy. Others would rather trust themselves to robbers and those who dig up walls than to those going through the monastic life, reasoning that it is more convenient to beware of someone who clearly intends to be malicious, rather than someone who inspires trust with the intention of luring them into the net. And these, who have not even laid the foundation for a pious life, who have not known what the benefits of silence are, and who, perhaps, are prompted by some necessity to begin the monastic life without reasoning, and who regard monasticism as an opportunity to buy what is necessary, would behave, I think, more piously if they did not walk through the doors of everyone, but as an excuse for shame - to collect abundant alms - they would have their own clothes, and those wishing to bring 3 not just the necessary things as tribute to the body, but that the luxury of whimsical and immoderate desires has been acquired. But it is difficult to heal those suffering from such an incurable disease. Can anyone interpret the benefits of health to those who have never tasted health, but from the very beginning grew up with a debilitating illness and, out of habit, think about the corruption of their nature that there is no disadvantage against the natural state? Every word will be in vain and will not correct when the diligence of those listening, deviating towards the worse, has an opposite disposition to what is offered as advice, and especially when the hope of benefits is fed by desire and passion blocks the ear for any advice, so that advice about chastity does not find any access when the heart is directed towards greed, no matter how vile it is. But we, beloved ones, who, out of love for virtue, as we think, have renounced worldly life, renounced worldly lusts and promised to follow Christ, why do we again fall into worldly distraction and, to spite ourselves, build up what we previously so beautifully destroyed? Why do we take part in the evil intentions of those who go about their business, not as they should, by our efforts for vain things, inflaming the desires of the weak, for the simple-minded we become a path to covetousness? We have been commanded by the Lord to heal, and not to irritate those who seek and please us first - to have in mind what is beneficial to our neighbor, so that, following our reckless desires, we do not cause many of the common people to stumble, becoming for them a reason for competition about earthly things. Why do we place a substance that we have been taught to despise into greatness, having an attachment to money and property, dividing the mind into many and useless worries? Trying to do this, just as it diverts us from careful care for the most necessary and leads to the fact that we do not care about the blessings of our souls, so those who are carried away by the pomp of life and consider the pleasure brought by wealth to be the highest well-being, when they see that those who promised to be philosophical and boasted that they are above pleasures, are trying for them more than they themselves, lead into a deep abyss. Nothing leads more to inevitable punishment than to make many zealots of their own evil deeds: because the destruction of the imitators becomes an increment of punishment for the one who taught, and those who do not refuse to imitate, as vile deeds, are threatened with considerable condemnation when they also have a teacher of evil deeds, which those with a chaste thought avoided, recognizing the teaching as reprehensible. Therefore, let no one be offended by what was said, but either correct what is sinfully done through the indifference of many to the shame of the name, or let him renounce the name. For if we are supposed to be wise, then possessing property is a superfluous matter for philosophy, which vows to be alien to the body itself for the sake of spiritual purity. And if someone desires to acquire property and enjoy the pleasures of life, then why do they honor wisdom in word, shunning it in practice, and, adorning themselves with honorable names, commit deeds that are contrary to what they promise? Then let us not consider it shameful for ourselves that those whom we recognize as inferior and call laity reproach us for violating the Laws of the Savior, and those who should learn from us teach us the commandments of the Lord that we have neglected. For when we quarrel and they tell us: “But it is not fitting for the servant of the Lord to become a fool, but to be quiet to everyone” (2 Tim. 2:24) and when we ask about money and property and they remark to us: “Whoever wants... to take your robe, let him also have his swearing” (Matthew 5:40), then they will do nothing else but mock us, Will they ridicule and shame us for contradicting our deeds to our vow? For there is no need to quarrel with someone who disputes our property and do everything that care for him forces us to do. One moved the border of the vineyard and added part to his own, another let cattle into your field, another diverted the water flowing into the garden: is it really necessary for this to go berserk, to become worse than frantic, to prepare vengeance on all of them, to nail the mind, which is obliged to engage in the contemplation of Existence, to the judgment seats, and to turn the contemplative power into office cunning, in order to successfully abound in what is not at all useful for us? Why do we challenge someone else’s as our own, preparing for ourselves the heavy shackles of matter, and do not listen to the one who calls them unfortunate? The Prophet says: “Woe to him who multiplies his own burden without it being,... and to him who aggravates his burden.” (Hab. 2:6). For if those who pursue us are light, according to the word of him who said: “The swift (κουφοι) were persecuting us more than the eagles of heaven” (Lamentations 4:19), and we burden ourselves with worldly affairs, then it is obvious that, moving more slowly in our course, we will easily be caught by enemies, from whom Paul taught us to flee, saying: “Flee fornication.” (1 Cor. 6:18) and extortion. Sometimes, even with all readiness for honor, if they do not rush with intense effort, they remain far behind, not receiving what they want, perhaps because the steps of the pursuing enemies are more accelerated. Those who hasten to great virtue are hindered by addiction to worldly affairs, which often causes death to both soul and body. For what destroyed Naboth the Israelite? Was it not the enviable vineyard that became the cause of his death, arousing envy towards him 4 in his neighbor Ahab? What caused the two and a half tribes to remain outside the land of promise? Aren't there a lot of cattle? What separated Lot from Abraham? Was it not a great number of sheep, which aroused constant quarrels between the shepherds, and finally divided them among themselves? Therefore, if the estates of the envious incite those who own them to murder, the owners themselves are diverted from the most important occupations, ties of kinship are broken, friends are driven to enmity, have nothing to do with the Life of the Future and do not bring any great benefit to the body, then why, leaving the service of God, do we completely indulge in vanity? For it is not we ourselves who provide for what is needed for our life. God organizes everything: human effort, if there is no God’s help, of necessity does not reach the end, but God’s Economy delivers perfect benefits even without human effort. What benefit did their own labor bring to those to whom God said: “You sow much and take in little: ...I have breathed” (Hag. 1:6,9) from your houses”? Do those who live virtuously lack anything necessary? Did they not care about this at all? Didn’t the Israelites, for forty years without using anything from agriculture, eat without lack of food? But the sea again creates extraordinary food, supplying quails, and the stone, unaffected by moisture, disintegrating, delivers water in abundance, and the sky brings down manna, this extraordinary and unprecedented rain, and clothes and shoes, which do not wear out, serve all the time. What kind of land did Elijah eat while cultivating the stream? Didn't the crows bring him food? And when he came to Zarephath, the widow, in need of necessities, did not provide him with bread, stealing it from the mouths of her children, so that it would become clear that virtue is preferable to nature. Although this is extraordinary, it is nevertheless fair, because one can live without food, whenever God pleases. For how did Elijah complete the forty-day journey “in the fortress of one poison” (1 Kings 19:8)? How did Moses, after talking on the mountain with God for eighty days, remain without tasting human food? For, having descended after forty days, when, irritated by the merging of the calf, he broke the tablets, he immediately ascended the mountain again and, spending the same number of days on the mountain and then receiving the second tablets, came down to the people. What kind of human reasoning can provide a sufficient explanation for such a miracle? How is it possible for the fluid nature of man to be exhausted for so long, while nothing replenishes the daily lost strength? But this perplexity is resolved by God’s word when he says: “Man will not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Deut. 8:3). And therefore, why are we dragging the heavenly life down to earth, burdening us with material disasters? Why do we “nourish ourselves” once “in scarlet garments”, we dress ourselves “in pus”, as Jeremiah said about some in Lamentations (see: Lamentations 4:5)? For when we rest in bright and flaming thoughts, then we feed “on purple garments,” and when, having emerged from such a state, we interfere in earthly affairs, then we clothe ourselves “in pus.” Why, having abandoned hope in God, do we make our muscle a support for the flesh, attributing the Providence of the Lord to our hands? And what, as Job experienced, was imputed to him as a great sin, that is, placing his hand on his mouth and kissing it (see: Job 31:27), we are not afraid to do now. For it is the custom of many to kiss hands and say that from their hands is abundance. Making them understand by images, the Law says: “He who walks on his hands is not clean, he who has many legs is also not clean, and he who always walks on all fours is not clean” (see Lev. 11, 27, 42). He who walks on his hands is the one who leans on them and places all his hope in them; walks on four, who, having given himself over to sensual affairs, constantly occupies the sovereign mind with them, and multi-legged, who is surrounded from everywhere by the body. Therefore, the wise Influx wants the perfect one to have not even two legs, but one and that one rarely moves for bodily affairs. “Do not often,” he says, “bring your foot to your friend, lest when he has had enough of you, he will hate you” (Proverbs 25:17). If someone rarely approaches Christ with a request for bodily needs, then he will be loved by Him, for this serves the purpose of such friends, as the Savior says to His disciples: “You are naturally my friends” (John 15, 14) If he does this often, he will become hated by Him. Who will inspire confidence and will not be abominable, always troubled by these needs and never restored to the right life, because he does not have shins higher than his feet on which to rise from the ground? Just as the lower legs, bending at first, take on the entire weight of the body, and when approaching a little to the ground, they cause it to immediately rise upward, so the thought, discerning natural affairs, after it has humbled itself to the needs of the body, quickly raises a light thought, without taking with it any of the vicious impurities. Having straight legs is also characteristic of those who are very devoted to pleasure and always remain down, but it is also characteristic of the Heavenly Powers, because they have no need at all for the body 5 and do not require bending their legs for this. This means, as I think, the great Ezekiel said, that “their legs are right, and their feet are feathered” (Ezek. 1:7), which depicts the inflexibility of the will and the speed of this nature in thoughts. But it is enough for a person to have bending shins, and to use them for ascents, sometimes bodily, and sometimes spiritual, raising mountains, and, due to the affinity of the soul with the Mountain Forces, often contemplate the Heavenly with them, and, according to the strength of the body, be as concerned about the earth as the need forces it. Always groveling in someone who serves for pleasure is a truly unclean thing and not befitting a person who has received rational knowledge as his inheritance. For the Law called the one who walks on four unclean with restrictions, and not just, but if he walks “always on four” (Lev. 11:42), because he gave those in the body time to descend to the needs of the body. And Jonathan, fighting with the Ammonite Nahash, “creeping” (1 Samuel 14:13) on four, won the victory, because he served only the need of nature. And the one fighting with the serpent crawling on his toes (this is how the name “Naas” is interpreted) had to transform somewhat to resemble him in that he could also walk on all fours, and then, having stood up and assumed his own position, overcome it with greater convenience. What does the story of Ish-bosheth teach us? Is it not that one should not be too busy with the physical and entrust one’s self-protection to one’s feelings? Ishbosheth, the king, slept in a spoon, and at his gate, as it is said, he allowed a woman to stand 6 . Those who came with Rechab, finding that the gatekeeper had taken a nap while clearing the wheat, secretly entered and killed Ishbosheth, who was also found sleeping. For everything falls into sleep - the mind, the soul, the heart, and the feeling when it overcomes the bodily. The fact that the gatekeeper cleaned the wheat shows that the thought was diligently occupied with the bodily and not lightly, but with some care, took care of the purity of this. For that the Scripture does not retell this in the form of only history is clear from the following. Why was a woman a gatekeeper to the king, who was supposed to be surrounded by many warriors and given all the honor 7 due to his rank? Or why was the king so poor that the gatekeeper cleaned the wheat? But the incongruous is often mixed into history for the reason that what is signified is true. For everyone’s mind, like a king, resides somewhere inside, having the heart as the gatekeeper of the senses, and when it entrusts itself to the body (for the body’s job is to cleanse the wheat), then the evil ones without difficulty secretly mortify the mind. That is why the great Abraham does not entrust a woman with guarding the door, because he knows the deceitfulness of feeling: how, enjoying the vision of the sensual, it separates the mind and convinces it to partake of the pleasant, and this communion is obviously dangerous. On the contrary, he himself is at the door, making open access to Divine thoughts and closing the door to worldly concerns. For what does vain worry about this give us in life? Is not “all the work of a man,” according to the word of Ecclesiastes, “in his mouth” (Eccl. 6:7)? Food and clothing, according to the Apostle, are sufficient to support this pitiful flesh (see 1 Tim. 6:8). Therefore, why does it endlessly and, as Solomon says, “work in the wind” (cf. Eccl. 5:15), being careful about earthly things, preventing the soul from enjoying Divine blessings, loving the flesh and its peace more than necessary? From the neighbors we raise her into an enemy 8 and adversary, so that not only the struggle between them becomes doubtful, but, with a great increase in strength, struggling against the soul, she rejoices 9 that she does not allow the soul to achieve honors and crowns. What is the need of the body, under the pretext of which it extends its desire to the point of useless difficulty? Without a doubt, in bread and water. And don’t springs supply water in abundance? Isn’t bread easily purchased by everyone who has hands? We can earn it by other works, with which our bodily needs are satisfied, and we have little or no fun. But doesn't clothing require great care? Not a little, if we keep in mind one need, and not our usual pampering. For did the first man wear clothes made of gossamer fabric, or fine linen, or purple, or silk robe? Was it not skins that the Creator prepared for him to wear? And didn’t he command us to eat grains? He set these limits to bodily needs. This is what the statute gave and has put a long distance behind the spreading indecency of man today. I don’t say that those who live well, without a doubt, are even now nourished by the One who feeds the birds of the air and clothed with such glory by the One who clothes the lilies of the field, I don’t say, because it is in no way possible to convince so many who have apostatized from this faith. But to someone who lives virtuously, who will not offer him what he needs even with a request? If the Babylonians, barbarian people, having taken Jerusalem by right of war, respected the virtue of Jeremiah and generously provided him with every bodily allowance, giving him not only what he needed for food, but also vessels usually used at the table, then wouldn’t those who purified their minds to understand the beautiful and zealots of virtue respect a virtuous life from childhood more than the barbarians? For if, due to the weakness of nature, they themselves cannot become ascetics of it, then they honor virtue and are amazed at its ascetics. Who convinced the Shunammite woman to build an upper room for Elisha, to place there “a meal, a throne, a bed and a candlestick” (cf. 2 Kings 4:10)? Isn't this man's virtue? What persuaded this widow, when the whole earth was depleted by famine, to prefer serving the Prophet to her own needs? Without a doubt, if she had not been amazed by Elijah’s wisdom, she would not have offered him even a small consolation in life, taking it from herself and her children and, out of generosity to the stranger, choosing prematurely death, which she had vividly imagined shortly before. What made them so was their courage, tirelessness in their work and carelessness about the affairs of life. For, having loved moderation and not to become poor, having succeeded, so to speak, in having few needs, they approached the ethereal Powers. Why, being invisible in body and ignorant, they became more powerful than those in charge of everything, and spoke with such boldness with those wearing a diadem, with which they do not speak with their subjects. For, relying on what weapon or what strength did Elijah say to Ahab: “I do not corrupt Israel, but are you and your father’s house” (1 Kings 18:18)? How does Moses zealously resist Pharaoh, having no other guide to courage other than virtue? How did Elisha, when the army of the two kings, Israel and Judah, joined forces for battle, said to Ahab’s son 10: “As the Lord of hosts lives, He will stand before Him this day, because if I had not received the face of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, would I have looked upon you and seen you” (2 Kings 3:14)? He was not afraid of the advancing army, nor was he afraid of the irritability of the king, who, probably due to the war, was driven by an unreasonable desire and whose thoughts were outraged by the struggle. Is the power of the king of the earth able to do anything like virtue? What porphyry divided the river like the mantle of Iliin? What diadem stopped illnesses like the apostolic leaders? The Prophet alone denounced the lawless king, surrounded by the entire army, and since the denunciation aroused anger, the king, stretching out his hand against the Prophet, did not touch him, and could not bend his withered hand to himself. There was a direct conflict between virtue and royal power, and the victory of virtue turned out to be the strongest: the Prophet did not fight and virtue put the enemy to flight, the ascetic remained inactive, but faith acted, the king’s supporters became judges of the struggle and the hand witnessed the victory of virtue. They did this because they decided to live with one soul, despising the body and bodily needs, and the fact that they had no need for anything made them superior to everything. For they would rather decide to leave the body and free themselves from life in the flesh than to change their virtues and, for the sake of a bodily need, to flatter someone living in abundance. And we, when we need something, like young dogs who, cheerfully waving their tails, caress those who throw a bare bone, perhaps a bone or crumbs, we run to the rich, calling them benefactors and trustees of Christians, and, in a word, attribute to them every virtue, although they are extremely vicious, just so that we can succeed in what we want; We are not curious to find out how the saints lived, whose virtues, of course, we expected to compete with. Naaman, the Syrian military commander, once came to Elisha, bringing with him many gifts. What about the Prophet? Did you do him a favor? Did you hurry to meet him? Was it not through the boy alone that he explained to him his need, for which he came, without even receiving him in person, so that he would not think that the healing was given to him for the sake of what was brought? This is not said so that we learn arrogance, but so that for the sake of bodily needs we do not flatter those who care about what we have vowed to neglect. Therefore, why do we, leaving the goal of philosophy, engage in agriculture and trade? What great thing do we bring to God through our care? 11 To make it clear that the care of agriculture is a common task, human effort dissects the earth, puts in seeds, and God irrigates the earth with occasional rains, helping the seed to spread roots in the softened bowels of the earth, brings out the sun, warming the earth, and, with warmth, causing the plants to rise, sends winds, commensurate with the age of the cultivated fruits. First, with gentle breaths it blows through the plain covered with greenery, so that the hot winds do not burn the crops warmed by the sun, and with strong gusts of winds it brings the milky juice of the fruit to maturity in the vaginas, during threshing it gives the necessary heat, and during winnowing - suitable winds. If we don’t get enough of this, then human labor will turn out to be vain and our efforts, unimpressed by God’s gifts, will come to nothing. But often there is no lack of anything in order for everything to come to perfection, and a heavy rain that happens at the wrong time carries away either the ear that still requires threshing, or the wheat that was harvested in time. And sometimes, in the granary itself, worms and aphids destroy it, stealing, so to speak, the ready meal from the very mouth. Therefore, in what way and for what is our effort useful to us, when God rules the helm and moves and leads everything as He pleases? Shall we say that a body in weakness needs consolation? But how much better it is to die than to do something unbecoming of our vow! Of course, if God wants us to still live, then he will either give the body strength equivalent to weakness in order to endure the difficulty of illness and accept crowns for courage, or he will come up with a means to console the suffering, and this idea in the Source of salvation and wisdom will not prove insufficient for salvation. Therefore, it is a wonderful, truly wonderful thing, beloved, to once again enter into primeval bliss and take up the life of the ancients, because, I think, this is convenient for anyone who wants to. And if any work is required, it will not be fruitless, having sufficient relief for this in the glory of those who preceded and in the correction of those who will follow. For for those who have begun such a way of life and leave for others an example of a perfect life, the perception of what they have left behind will be of considerable benefit. Let us avoid staying in cities and villages, so that those living in cities and villages will flock to us; let us rush into the desert in order to attract to ourselves, if anyone is quite pleased with this, those who are now fleeing from us. For in a song of praise it is written about some that they left the cities, settled on rocks and became “like mourning doves” (Ezek. 7:16). And John the Baptist was in the desert, and all the cities with all the inhabitants came to him to see the leather belt, flocked dressed in silk clothes, agreed to talk in the open air, having houses with gilded roofs, and resting on beds decorated with precious stones became more glorious than reclining on the sand, and everything was bearable for them, although it was done against custom, because love for the virtue of their husband took away their feeling mournful, and surprise at what they saw covered up the difficulty of a harsh life. So much virtue is more honorable than wealth and a silent life is more glorious than a lot of money! How many rich people were there at that time who thought highly of their fame? And they are silent about them, they were consigned to oblivion, and the unglorious man is sung with surprise to this day, and the memory of the desert dweller is coveted by everyone, because it is characteristic of virtue to be glorious and to send rumors about himself as a messenger of his goodness. Let us give up feeding livestock in order to take on the pastoral title. Let us leave the shameful purchase in order to acquire “beads of great value” (cf. Matt. 13:46). We flee from cultivating the land that produces thorns and thistles, in order to become workers and guardians of paradise. Let us give up everything and choose a silent life in order to shame those who now reproach us for our addiction to covetousness. For nothing shames those who attack so much as the correction of those who are reproached, accompanied by modesty, because the change that has taken place in those who are reproached turns into shame for those who reproach. I consider it vile, and truly vile is what everyone rightly laughs at us for. Others, having barely begun monastic life, having learned only the first rules of asceticism, immediately volunteer to be a teacher in what they did not learn: how to pray, when and what rules to observe in food; entails a number of students when he himself has a need for training, and to a greater extent, the more convenient he considered this task for himself, not knowing that of all the difficult things, the most difficult is to take care of souls, which first of all must be cleansed of old impurities, and then with great care brought to the point that the lessons of virtue are imprinted in them. And who does not imagine anything more than bodily asceticism, how to correct the morals of his subordinates? How to remake those over whom a bad habit has prevailed? How to help those struggling with passions, without knowing at all what mental warfare is? Or how to heal ulcers received in battle, when you yourself still lie in ulcers and need bandages. Any art requires time and a lot of study to be successful. One takes on the art of art without studying. And the inexperienced will not dare to take up farming; Those who are not initiated into the art of medicine do not undertake this matter either. For they will expose themselves: one by the fact that they will not benefit the sick, but will even make their illness more severe, and the other by turning the good land into barren and worthless. The untrained dare to do piety alone, as the most convenient thing, and many consider this inconvenient task to be easy. What Paul admits that he has not “achieved” (cf. Phil. 3:13), that they knew this exactly, is claimed by those who do not know the very thing that they do not know this. That is why monastic life has become despicable and those who go through it are ridiculed by everyone. And who wouldn’t laugh, seeing that yesterday the one who carried water in the tavern is today surrounded by students as a teacher of virtue with obsequiousness, or in the morning the one who retired from public affairs, due to failure in them, in the evening with many students, pompously walks around the entire square? If they were fully convinced that it is a great task to lead someone to godliness, and they knew exactly what danger is accompanied by the task, then, of course, they would refuse it as beyond their strength. But while they don’t know this and consider it to be a glory to rule over someone, they throw themselves into such an abyss and consider it easy to be thrown into a burning furnace, and thereby arouse laughter in those who knew their yesterday’s life and anger God with such rashness. If neither venerable old age, nor long-standing boldness, nor priestly rank turned away God’s wrath from Elijah, who neglected to correct the children, then will those who have not acquired God’s trust through previous deeds, who do not know either the nature of sin or the method of correction, but who, out of love for glory, unskillfully undertake a terrible task, get rid of this wrath? Therefore, although the Lord, apparently condemning the Pharisees, said: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you have traversed sea and dry land, creating one stranger: and when you find him, create him as a son of Gehenna worse than you” (Matthew 23:15), but in reality, by reproaching them he admonishes those who will subsequently fall into those sins, so that, hearing this: “Woe,” they would refrain from untimely wishes, recognizing that the disaster that threatens them is worse than human glory. May Job convince them either to take care of his subordinates like him, or to abandon such superiors as those who do not know how to act in the same way as he, who do not even want to make the same efforts about those under their care. For if he, wanting his children to be clean from mental defilements, made daily sacrifices for them, saying: “When my sons thought evil thoughts against God in their thoughts” (Job 1:5), then how can these, not being able to discern obvious sins, because their reason is darkened by the dust raised in the fight against passions, begin to rule over others and take upon themselves healing others, having not yet healed their passions and not having the strength, as a result of their victory, and also lead others to victory? For first one must struggle with passions, and with much sobriety commemorate what happened during the battle, and then, based on what has been experienced, communicate to others the rules of the struggle, and make victory more convenient for them by telling them in advance how to conduct the battle. For others have overcome passions in themselves, perhaps through a long-term strict life, but do not know the method of victory, because, as in a night battle, they did not follow the course of the whole matter and their mind did not accurately understand the enemy’s intentions. This, portrayed in images, was done by Joshua when the army crossed the Jordan at night, ordering to take stones from the middle of the river and outside the river to build a pillar out of them and write how they crossed the Jordan, meaning by this that the deep thoughts of a passionate life should be made obvious and put them to shame in all clarity, and not hide this knowledge from others out of envy, so that not only those who crossed would know the way to cross, but also those who intend to do it They conveniently made this transition according to the lesson given to them, and the experience of some became an instruction for others. But our teachers do not see this, they do not listen when others speak, they look only at their own conviction, and they assign slave service to the brethren, like mercenaries, placing all their glory in this, in order to command a larger number, and they compete to lead slaves along with them, no less than others, during their processions, showing themselves to be more traders than teachers. For when they consider it an easy matter to command in word, although what is ordered is difficult, and do not agree to teach by deed, then they make their goal clear to everyone that they are taking on this authority, because they are not trying to bring benefit to those who come, but to fulfill their own pleasure. Let them, if you please, learn from Abimelech and Gideon that it is not a word, but a deed that leads those in authority to imitate. Abimelech, having chopped wood, carried it and said: “Even as you see me creating, you will also create” (cf. Judges 9:48), and Gideon, leading to a common cause, goes ahead and says: “See to me, and do likewise” (Judges 7:17). And the Apostle, who says: “Serve to my demand and to those who are with me.” these hands” (Acts 20:34), and the Savior Himself, Who does and then teaches, who will not be convinced by teaching by deeds to consider teaching by words more convincing? But they close their eyes to these examples, and with arrogance they prescribe what should be done. And when, apparently, they know something like this by ear, then, like the shepherds condemned by the Prophet for inexperience, they wear a “sword on a muscle,” which is why, in addition to the muscle, their “eye... gum... goes blind” (cf. Zech. 11:17), because the activity of the gum, foolishly left in negligence, along with it extinguishes the lightness of contemplation. Those who punish severely and inhumanly are subjected to this as soon as they receive the power to impose punishment in their hands: in them, contemplative thoughts, which belong to the number of gums, soon fade away, and also deeds, being deprived of contemplation, fade away, because those who have a sword girded not on the thigh, but “on the arm”, can neither do nor see anything. They attach a sword to their thigh, who use God’s word against their passions. And they wear it “on a muscle”, in whose hands is the power to punish the sins of others. Likewise, the Ammonite Nahash (which is interpreted as “serpent”) threatens the perspicacious Israel to gouge out everyone’s right eye (see: 1 Samuel 11:2), so that no right thought of the one who prevails would lead him to right activity, for he knew that this is the reason for great success in those who move from contemplation to activity, because for such, what they did becomes innocent, being foreseen by the discerning eyes of vision. And that accepting authority over others is characteristic of easy-going people, for whom there is no benefit at home - this is clear from experience, because one who has tasted silence and has begun to practice a little in contemplation will not agree to bind the mind with concerns about the body and, having distracted it from knowledge, when for the most part it soars supremely, turn it to earthly affairs. But this is even more clear from the notorious parable that Jotham 12 proposed to the Shechemites, saying: “The trees of the forest went to anoint themselves a king and went to the vine: come, be our king. And the vine said to them: “I will leave my good fruit for food, and God and men will glorify it, and I will go and take possession of the trees” (Judges 9:8–9, 11–13)? When, like this, both the fig tree refused due to its sweetness, and the olive due to its fatness, the thorn, a barren and thorny tree, assumed authority over them, having no fatness either in itself or in the trees of its subordinates, because the parable called the trees that required authority over them not garden trees, but forest trees. And just as the vine, the fig tree, and the olive tree refused to rule over the trees of the forest, rejoicing more in their fruit than in the position of authority, so those who see in themselves some fruit of virtue and feel benefit from it, even though many force 13 such authority, reject the honor bestowed by many, preferring their own benefit to it. What the thorn tried to do to the trees in the parable, happens to the people who drew up similar agreements. For either, as it is said, “fire will come out of the thorns and girdle up” (Judges 9:15) the trees of the forest, or fire will come out of the trees and girdle the thorns. When useless agreements are drawn up, then it is necessary to follow the danger both for those who have subordinated themselves to an inexperienced teacher, and for the students themselves who have taken over the leadership through carelessness. For both the inexperience of the teacher destroys the students, and The negligence of the students puts the teacher in danger, especially when the students are lazy due to the teacher’s lack of information. For nothing that contributes to the correction of subordinates should be hidden from the teacher, and students are obliged not to neglect any of the teacher’s commands. To disobey and not pay attention to those who sin is dangerous and disastrous. Let them not consider these things to be a pretext for peace and pleasure. The most difficult thing is to rule over souls. Those overseeing the dumb and cattle do not encounter any contradiction in the herds, and therefore the supervision over them is often successful. But for superiors over people, the difference in morals and the cunning of the mind make the superiority very difficult, and those who approach it must anoint themselves as if it were a difficult feat, so as to endure the shortcomings of everyone with all patience, and generously teach them what is hidden from them through ignorance. Therefore, the laver in the church is supported by oxen, and the candlestick was constructed entirely tightly poured and carved. And just as the candlestick meant that the one appointed to enlighten others must be solid in all parts, not have anything light or empty, and that everything superfluous in him must be smoothed out, which would not be useful for those looking on to see in a model of blameless life, so the oxen under the laver meant that the one who begins a task of this kind should not refuse everything that comes close to him, but bear both the burdens and uncleanness of the lower ones, As long as it's safe to wear. For if he makes the actions of those who come clean, then, of course, it is necessary for him himself to become involved in some uncleanness. Likewise, the laver, while cleansing the hands of the one who washes them, itself takes into itself his uncleanness. And it is impossible for one who talks about passions and destroys similar defilements in others to avoid being desecrated, because the very remembrance usually defiles the speaker’s thought. And although it does not imprint with living colors images of the shameful, it nevertheless defiles the mind for a long time, disturbing the streams of words with unclean names 14. And the abbot should be so knowledgeable that not a single one of the enemy’s plans remains unknown to him, and he could, entrusted to him, indicate in detail the secret tricks in the fight, and, predicting the enemy’s malice, without difficulty proclaim victory to them, and crowned with limelight from the feat. But it is rare and not easy to find such an abbot. The great Paul testifies to this, saying: “For we are not ignorant of his plans” (2 Cor. 2:11). And the wonderful Job, perplexed by something like this, says: “Who will open the face of his vestment, and who will enter into the bow of his chest? Who will open the doors of his face? (Job 41:4–5). And this means: his face is not visible, because he covers his deceit with many clothes, catches him with deceptive appearances, and secretly insidiously arranges his death. And in order not to count himself among those who do not know the properties of the enemy, Job tells his signs, as if he clearly knows all his strangeness, and says: “His eyes see the morning star” (Job 41:9); “His belly is a shield of copper” (Job 41:6). And he says this, denouncing his evilness, because, transforming himself into the image of a star, he manages to attract those who look at him, and with the shields that are inside him, he prepares death for those who approach. Yes, and the parable makes it clear the danger of the matter, saying: “He who cuts wood will cause trouble in them: if the cut falls away” (Eccl. 10:9-10). He who disassembles a thing in his word, and in what is considered to be united, dissolves the connection, and separates what was completely alien to the other, with the intention of showing what is truly good in what is considered as such, if he does not protect the words from everywhere, he “accepts trouble” in those who listen, as soon as this fence falls from the word, giving the students a reason for temptation. So one of Elisha’s disciples, cutting down a tree near the Jordan, when the ax fell into the river, seeing the trouble, cried out to the teacher: “Oh, lord, this is also a loan” (2 Kings 6:5). Those who undertake to teach by hearsay are subject to this and are unable to achieve their goal because they do not speak according to their own understanding. When, during the course of the conversation, they become aware that they have said something contrary to what was supposed, then they admit ignorance, incurring disaster from the word used. That is why the great Elisha, having plunged the tree into the depths, caused iron to float out; and thus the thought that the student had lost and which was considered hidden in the depths, the Prophet clarified and presented to the eyes of those listening. Here Jordan means the word of repentance, for there the Baptism of repentance was performed by John. But whoever spoke the word about repentance inaccurately, and by revealing hidden kindness made the listeners become careless, threw the ax into the Jordan. It is clear that the tree that appears will carry the ax out of the depths and force it to surface. For before the Cross, the word about repentance was hidden, and therefore those who intended to say something about it were convicted as having ventured prematurely, but after the Cross it became clear to everyone, as at one time shown by the tree. I say this, not only inspiring not to be a guide for anyone, and not forbidding any of the young to lead the way to godliness, but advising them to first acquire the habit of virtue, corresponding to the greatness of the matter, and not hastily indulge in achieving the goal, thinking only about pleasant things - about the services of students and about good fame among outsiders, omitting from sight the subsequent danger, and before establishing the world of war weapons should not be converted into agricultural tools. When all passions are subdued, enemies no longer bother you from anywhere, and defensive weapons do not need to be used, then it is good to cultivate the souls of others. And while the passions still reign supreme, the struggle with the wisdom of the flesh continues, we must not take our hands away from weapons, but we must constantly have them at hand, so that the evil ones do not turn our repose into an attack and capture us without shedding blood. For as those who valiantly strive for virtue and, out of great humility, think that victory has not yet been won, the word of Scripture gives the following advice: “Forge your swords into plowshares and your spears into pruning hooks” (cf. Isa. 2:4), inspiring them not to attack vanquished enemies in vain, but for the benefit of many to turn the spiritual strength from the battle skill to cultivation to those who are still abounding in the fruits of vicious deeds, so to those who, having not come to such a state, out of inexperience or foolishness, took up a task that exceeded their strength, he advises the opposite, saying: “Cut your crops into swords and your sickles into spears” (Joel 3:10). For what good is agriculture to us when the country is engulfed in war, which prevents us from taking advantage of the products of agriculture, and it will bring abundance to the enemies rather than to the laborers? Therefore, perhaps, God does not allow the Israelites, who were still fighting in the desert with different nations, to take care of agriculture, so that this would not interfere with military exercises, and after conquering the enemies He advises them to take up it, saying: “When you enter the land of promise, plant every tree in it” (Lev. 19:23) fruitful, but before come in, do not plant.” For in the first commandment the last was also implied; and this is fair, for what is implanted before perfection is not durable, especially when those who want to implant are still of an unstable disposition. But order and consistency, if in anything else, then in matters of piety, have a place and must be introduced into regulations from the very beginning. For those who have lost sight of what constitutes the firstfruits, and are caught up in deceitful things afterward, are necessarily convinced to conform to the sequence of order. And just as Jacob, captivated by the beauty of Rachel, despised the weakness of Leah’s eyes, but did not run away from the labor of acquiring such virtue, but “fill this week” (Gen. 29:28), so he who wants to legally settle in a way of life must not be raised from the end to the beginning, but from the beginning successfully stretch to perfection. For in this way he himself will achieve what he wants, and he will reproachably lead his subordinates to the end of virtue. But many, without putting in any work, without having accomplished any small or greater deeds of godliness, without reasoning pursue the name, showing a terrible clouding of mind, not recognizing the danger in this, and not only do not refuse when others call them to action, but, bypassing the back streets, forcibly attract those they meet, promising any service, like constituting contracts with mercenaries for food and clothing. And with such love for the work, when they want to show up with a crowd at the crossroads, rest, leaning on the hands of their companions, and fully withstand the face of the teacher - as those who have taken on such a performance, so that those who provide this service do not abandon them, it is necessary for them to do a lot for the pleasure of the employees, and give freedom to their wishes, like a driver who lowered the reins and allowed the horses to run freely, rush along rapids and abysses and hit the everything that is underfoot, because there is no one to stop and hold back disordered aspirations. But let such ones hear how blessed Ezekiel mourns those who provide food for the pleasure of others and yield to the desires of everyone who treasure up their own grief, for they say: “Woe to those who sew heads together under every piece of hand and make curtains over every head of every age, so as to corrupt souls: a handful of barley and a crust of bread” (Ezek. 13, 18–19 ). So they, too, collecting for themselves from alms what they need for the body and being content, as it were, with scraps of collected supplies, shame those who are obliged to pray or prophesy with their heads open with veils, turning the masculine state by laying veils into a feminine one and destroying the souls with which they should not die. Most of all, having submitted to the True Teacher Christ, they had to, with all their might, refuse to care for others. For He says to His disciples: “Don’t be called a teacher” (Matthew 23:8). If he advises Peter, and John, and the entire rank of the Apostles to stay away from such matters and consider themselves small for this dignity, then after this, who will imagine that he is higher than the Apostles, and will award himself the dignity that was forbidden to them? Or perhaps He who said: “Do not be called a teacher” forbids not to be, but to be called only teachers? If someone, involuntarily, because he has accepted one or two, is forced to rule over many, then first of all let him carefully examine himself, whether in deed, rather than in word, he is able to teach what to do, presenting his life as a model of virtue to students, so that those who copy from this model will not diminish the beauty of virtue by the ugliness of an error against the original. Then let him know that he should worry no less about his subordinates than about himself, because he will give an account both for himself and for them, how quickly he took upon himself to save them. And for the saints it was a special concern to leave their disciples no less than themselves in virtue and bring them from their previous state to a better state. So the Apostle Paul made Onesimus a martyr from a runaway slave; Elijah prepared the prophet Elisha from a farmer; Moses adorned Jesus with perfections more than anyone else; Eli reached the point where Samuel was even taller than him. For if the diligence of the disciples themselves helped them to acquire virtue, then the main reason for their success was that they met teachers who were so perfectly able to ignite the smoldering spark of zeal with greater power, and it made them luminous, which is why they became the mouth of God, they served people to communicate the will of God to them, because they heard the One who said: “If you have learned what is honest from unworthy, as My mouth shall be” (Jer. 15:19). And what the teacher is capable of, God inspires Ezekiel, teaching what kind and from whom he should prepare disciples, for he says: “Son of man, take a plinth for yourself and set it before your face, and write on it the city of Jerusalem” (Ezek. 4:1), meaning that the teacher makes the disciple a holy church out of clay. This is also beautifully said: “Put it before your face.” For improvement in the student will occur more quickly if he is always in the mind of the teacher: frequent reminders of beautiful examples draw similar likenesses in the souls of those who are not very cruel and stubborn. That is why Gehazi and Judah fell, one into theft, and the other into betrayal, because they moved away from the eyes of the teacher, and if each of them had remained with the one who had disciplined him, they would not have sinned. And that the teacher is in danger from the negligence of his disciples, God depicted this in the words that followed, saying: “And put an iron pan between you and the city, and it will be a wall between you and between it” (Ezek. 4:3). Whoever does not want to share the punishments with those who indulge in negligence, after making him a city out of plinth, must remind him of the punishments that are forgotten by those returning from such a state, so that these punishments, becoming a wall, separate the innocent from the guilty. Commanding this, God says to Ezekiel: “Son of man, I have given you as a watchman to the house of Israel,” and if you see “the sword that is coming” and do not testify to them, and “take away from them” someone’s “soul, I will require it at your hand” (Ezek. 33:7, 3, 6, 8). Moses sets up such a wall for himself, saying to the Israelites: “Take heed to yourself, lest you seek to follow them after consuming them” (Deut. 12:30) from you.” This happens to those who do not pay careful attention to their hearts: after the passions are cut off, images of old ideas begin to arise in them, like some offspring, and if someone gives them the freedom to often fall into the ruling mind and does not forbid entry, then they will again open a shelter for the passions within themselves, after victory making life again unsafe from struggles. For passions, even when they are tamed and, like oxen, trained to eat hay, tend, through the negligence of the tamer, to become wild again and come to brutal ferocity. Therefore, so that this does not happen, it is said: “Do not seek to follow them after consuming them” (Deut. 12:30) from you, so that the soul, when required, has acquired the habit of enjoying such ideas, does not return to its former vicious life. The great Jacob, knowing that this happens and that such things, if you see them often and think about them often, harm the heart most of all, the clearest and most open images of shameful ideas - alien gods - are sealed and hidden "in Shikimech" (Gen. 35:4), because this work in the fight against passions hides and destroys them not for a short time, but even "until this day" ( Gen. 35:4), that is, for all time, for the word “today” is extended to the entire age, always meaning the present time. And the word “Sikimy” is interpreted: laying on the shoulders 15, which means work in the fight against passions. Therefore, Jacob and Joseph, who struggled with passions, for their work in this struggle give the preferential property - Sikimy. For Jacob himself, saying that he took Sikim “with sword and bow” (Gen. 48:22), shows that through struggle and labor he prevailed over passions, hiding them in the land of Sikim. Apparently, something opposite appears in hiding the gods in Sikimekh, and in putting an idol in hiding, for the first - hiding in Sikimekh - is commendable, and the latter - putting an idol in hiding - is reproachful. So the Law decreed this with an oath, saying: “Cursed is he who places” an idol in hiding” (Deut. 27:15), because it is not the same thing to hide forever in the ground and put it in hiding: what is hidden in the ground and is no longer visible to the senses is erased over time and from memory, and what is placed in hiding, although it is hidden, perhaps, from strangers, is often visible to the one who placed it, renews the memory that secretly carries the idol. For every shameful thought formed in thought is a hidden image. So, it is a shameful thing to make such mental ideas public, it is dangerous to put a statue in hiding, and it is even more dangerous to follow and look for images that have already been destroyed, while the heart conveniently inclines again to the torn passion and tugs the scales to the ground on the side of idols. For this is the property of virtue: it is very sensitive and, if we are careless, it is very conveniently pulled to the opposite side. It seems that Scripture depicts this as an image when it says: “Earth, on the lower side you are entering,” moving forward in the movement of 16 “pagan people” (1 Ezra 9:11). For, as soon as one who has the habit of virtue moved towards the opposite, virtue also moved along with it, because the earth is moving 17. Therefore, it is necessary at first not to give access to the heart to ideas that usually damage the thought, and not to allow it to retire to Egypt, because from there it is forcibly taken to the Assyrians. If the heart is plunged into the darkening of unclean thoughts (for this is how Egypt is interpreted), then it is forcibly and involuntarily drawn towards passionate activity. Therefore, the Lawmaker, blocking the entrance to voluptuousness and expressing this in an image, commanded to guard the head of the serpent, because he also guards the heel (see Gen. 3:15). His goal is an action that, if he does not take up, it will not be easy for him to infuse poison in remorse, and we must take care to crush the very attack of voluptuousness, because, after crushing it, the action of the serpent is weak. Perhaps Samson would not have burned the foreigners’ fields if he had not turned the heads of the foxes and tied them with their tails. For, by preliminary actions he was able to guess the machinations of cunning thoughts, regardless of the beginning (because thoughts contrive to make them seem worthy in order to reach the end), by mutual comparison of extremes, he could expose the incongruity of thoughts, connecting tail to tail and placing a candle of reproof between them. And in order to make what is asserted clearer, I will reveal what was said in addition to two thoughts, for this will be a true confirmation in the reasoning of other thoughts. Often the thought of fornication arises from vanity and, although it shows the vestibule of the paths leading to hell as venerable, it nevertheless hides those disastrous ways in which those who follow it are foolishly led into the secret places of hell. For he sometimes puts on display the priesthood, and sometimes the perfect monastic life, imagines that many come for the sake of benefit, leads him to dreams of glorification for word and deed, and when, having sufficiently nourished him with such thoughts, he takes him away from natural sobriety, then, vividly depicting his meeting with a woman, of course, an honest one, he entices him to commit a shameful deed, reducing freedom of conscience to extreme shame. Therefore, he who intends to tie his tails, let him take the ends of two thoughts: the end of vanity - honor and the end of fornication - dishonor - and when he clearly sees that they are opposite, then let him think that he acted like Samson. And also the thought of gluttony ends with the thought of fornication, and the thought of fornication ends with the thought of sadness, because sadness and despondency immediately follow in someone overcome by such thoughts, after he has become sober. Therefore, let the ascetic think not about the enjoyment of food and not about the pleasantness of pleasure, but about the end of both, and when he finds that sadness follows both thoughts, then let him know that he has tied tail to tail and destroyed the Philistine fields with reproof. Therefore, if warfare with the passions requires such knowledge and such experience, then let those who take upon themselves leadership over others know how much knowledge they need, so that they can wisely show their subordinates the way “to the honor of the high calling” (Phil. 3:14), clearly teach everything that is needed in the struggle 18, and not only imagine the image of victory, striking the air with your hands, but lead actual struggle with the opponent, inflicting fatal blows on him and not in vain throwing up his hands in the air, but crushing the opponent himself. For this struggle is much more difficult than a physical struggle: there the fighters’ bodies bend, which can be straightened without difficulty, but here souls fall, which, if once overthrown, can hardly be restored. If someone, still struggling with a passionate life and being stained with blood, undertakes from reasonable souls to build God's church, then he will, without a doubt, hear: “You did not build for Me” (2 Samuel 7:5) a church, “for you are a man of blood” (2 Samuel 16:8); To build a church to God, you need a peaceful state. And Moses, who accepts the tabernacle and places it outside the camp, lets them see that the teacher should be as far as possible from the noise of war and, having decided to lead a peaceful and non-military life, settle away from the blood-stained army. When such teachers are found, they need students who have renounced themselves and their will so much that they do not distinguish themselves in any way from an inanimate body or from a substance given into the hands of an artist, so that just as the soul in the body does what it wants, and the body does not in the least oppose it, and just as an artist shows his art on a substance and the substance does not interfere with his intention, so the teacher produces knowledge of virtue in his students and they are obedient to him and do not contradict anything. To wish to inquisitively examine the orders of the teacher and evaluate his orders means to hinder your own success. For, of course, what is in reality not solid is what seems solid and probable to the inexperienced. The artist and those who do not know art judge differently what concerns art. One rule is its reduction, and the other - probability: the probable rarely falls on the truth, but more often evades correctness, being led into the seduction of affinity. Apparently, what seems more unreasonable than this is if the helmsman, when the ship is rushing indirectly towards navigation, which seafarers call direct, orders, leaving the edge of the ship raised above the water, to sit on the edge immersed in the water, while the wind presses harder and submerges the edge that he ordered to burden! And although probability advises to burden the edge that is raised up, and not to go to the edge that is in danger, swimmers listen more to the helmsman than to their own imaginations. Necessity convinces them to enslave themselves to the art of the one entrusted with their salvation, although what is visible does not assure them of what is actually happening. Therefore, those who have entrusted their own salvation to others, leaving behind the probable, let them yield to the art of the knowledgeable, recognizing his information as more reliable than their reasoning. And firstly, having renounced themselves, let them not leave anything, not even the smallest thing, outside, fearing the example of Ananias, who, thinking of hiding property from people, 19 received condemnation from above for theft. But let them betray both themselves and everything they own, fully knowing that what they left behind, constantly attracting thoughts to itself, will greatly distract from the best, and in the end will completely tear them away from brotherhood. Therefore, the Holy Spirit wrote the lives of the saints, so that each of those who go through any way of life would be led to the truth by similar examples. Therefore, why did Elisha, having submitted to the teacher, renounce the world? It is said: “Two men and ten oxen slaughtered” with oxen before him, and “killed” the oxen, “and baked them in oxen vessels” (1 Kings 19, 19, 21), and this means the fervor of zeal; did not say: “I will sell the oxen and dispose of them as it should be,” did not reason that the sold oxen would bring more benefit, but, completely surrendering to the desire that attracted him to cohabitation with the teacher, he neglected the visible and tried even more to free himself from this, because it distracted him from the right intention; he knew that slowdown is often the cause of a change in intention. Therefore, the Lord, offering the rich the perfection of living according to God, would he have commanded to sell his property and give it to the poor, and leave nothing for himself, if he had not known that what he leaves behind, as well as all his property, becomes a reason for entertainment? I think that Moses, when he commands those intending to cleanse themselves in great prayer to shave their entire body (see Lev. 14:9), hereby prescribes complete renunciation of property. And secondly, let them forget the affinity and property, so as not to ever bother themselves with a reminder of them. If the ark made the cows harnessed to its chariot forget their nature and, when their calves were locked up at home and no one forced the cows, they unmistakably completed their journey, without turning aside “to the right hand, to the lower hand” (1 Samuel 6:12), even by turning their necks and not showing affection for the children and not expressing pain in the lowing about separation from those born, but, and burdened with the weight of the ark, and drawn back by the sovereign power of nature, walking as if according to the rule, they did not stray anywhere from the straight path, having overcome natural compassion with reverence for the ark placed on them, then why not do the same for those intending to lift the mental ark? And even more must be done so that in matters of necessity over rational nature there does not appear to be superiority in the nature of the dumb, when the rational does not do according to reason what the dumb do out of necessity. Or maybe Joseph got lost in the desert because he was looking for the limit of perfection in the affinity of names. Why does a person, with a desire to find out the truth, ask him about the reason for wandering, when he learned that the reason is passion for his own (Joseph, if he had not had an erroneous judgment about art, would have asked not about where the brothers pasture, but where they feed the flocks), says to him: “I left from here: I heard them saying: Let us go to Dophaim” (Gen. 37:17) (and “Dophaim” is interpreted: sufficient abandonment), teaching this that he who is still attached to the physical is mistaken and that it is impossible to achieve perfection otherwise than by sufficiently abandoning the attachment to carnal affinities. For if someone leaves Haran, which means feelings (for “Haran” is interpreted: caves), and comes out of the vale of Hebron, that is, low affairs, and from the desert in which the seeker of perfection wanders, but does not move to sufficient abandonment, then there will be no benefit for him from long-term distress, as he has deviated from perfection due to attachment to affinity. Yes, and the Lord, correcting the thought of the Mother of God Mary, who was looking for Him among her relatives (see: Luke 2:49), and recognizing Himself as unworthy, whoever loves his father or mother more than Him, expressively inspires the abandonment of family ties. Having succeeded in this, those who have recently been freed from rebellion are advised to remain silent, and with frequent outings not to irritate the wounds inflicted on the heart through feelings, and not to bring new images to the old idols of sins, but to reject the attack of new ideas, and to use every effort to blot out the old ones. Silence is difficult for those who have recently renounced the world, for then memory, taking advantage of time, sets in motion all the impurity stored in it, without having the leisure to do this before for many inexhaustible matters. But after difficulty, silence brings benefits, freeing the mind over time from confusion by bad thoughts. For if it is necessary for someone to wash and cleanse 21 souls from everything that defiles, then they are obliged to withdraw from all deeds that increase impurity, give great silence to the mind, withdraw from irritants, avoid cohabitation with relatives, loving solitude - this mother of philosophy. But it is easy for them to fall back into the nets from which they considered themselves freed, when they fearlessly try to be in community with crowds of people of all kinds. For it is of no use to one who has gone over to the side of virtue to amuse himself with the same deeds from which he himself, having condemned them, fled. Habit is a strong current, why should one be afraid lest, in the silence achieved with great care, one should not resume vile undertakings and bring to memory forgotten bad deeds. For the mind of those who have just evaded vice is like a body that has begun to regain its strength after a long-term illness, for which, as it is not yet completely strengthened, even an unimportant pretext can cause the return of the disease. And the rational forces in these people waver and weaken, why should we be afraid that the passion that is usually irritated when we swirl in a crowd of people does not return? That is why Moses commanded those who did not want to suffer anything from the destroyer to stay inside the closed doors, saying: “Let no one come out of the doors of his house” (Ex. 12:22), lest the destroyer touch you.” It seems that Jeremiah also commands the same thing when he says: “Do not go out into the fields and do not walk in the path, because the sword of the enemy dwells around” (Jer. 6:25). It is common for courageous ascetics to boldly enter into battle with enemies and avoid their malice unharmed. And if anyone is not yet able to fight, then let him remain at home without reproach, finding comfortable security for himself in silence. Such was Joshua, about whom it is written: “The servant Jesus, the young man, did not come out of the tabernacle” (Ex. 33:11). For, taught by the legend of Abel, he knew that those who go out into the field out of long-standing rivalry are killed by their bodily brothers and friends in the flesh. But no less than this, from the legend about Dinah one can learn exactly that it is common for a truly girlish and effeminate mind to accept what is higher than our state, and to be deluded by the thought that my strength is enough for this too. If Dina had not hastily given herself over to the sight of what the natives had, of course assuming that she had sufficient strength to do so, and had not been in the least carried away by the pleasantness of what she saw there, she would not have untimely corrupted spiritual prudence, captured by the representation of feelings before she legitimately entered into an interview with the male mind. God, knowing that this passion (I mean self-conceit) has taken hold among people, and wanting to uproot it from our habit, says to the legislator Moses: “Be reverent, the children of Israel” (Lev. 15:31), for he knew that he was alien to reverence and was unable to hastily begin deeds. Therefore, if you have not perfected yourself, you should not interfere in public riots, but run away from them as far as possible, placing your thoughts away from the noise that is heard. For it is of little benefit to those who have withdrawn from worldly affairs to be made public with rumors about them and who have left the city, like Lot, to sit at the gates of action, filled with the confusion there. But, following the example of the great Moses, one must withdraw outside, so that not only the deeds, but also the voice about them, ceases, as he says: “When I come out of the city, I will stretch out my hand to heaven, and the thunder will cease” (Ex. 9:29). For then there is true silence, when not only actions, but also the remembrance of them, having subsided, give the soul time to come to the state of seeing the impressed images, to enter into a struggle with each of them and to tear it out of the heart. When images come one after another, then it is impossible to erase the previous imprints, because the mind is occupied with new images and the work of cutting off the passions with them necessarily becomes more burdensome because, gradually increasing, they acquire strength and, like rivers, with their incessant flow, they darken the spiritual vision with new ideas. Just as those who want to see the bed of a river dry (perhaps for the sake of something lying there and worthy of study) will not receive any benefit by running out of water in the very place where, in their opinion, the thing they are looking for lies, because the empty place is immediately filled again with incoming water (and when the flow is blocked at the top, the bottom will open without difficulty, since the remaining water will drain by itself and leave dry land for them for the desired exploration), so it happens conveniently to exhaust the active images of passions, when feelings no longer bring anything from the outside; when, like a stream, they give new and new sensations, then it is not only difficult, but also impossible to completely clear the mind of such a tide. For although passions do not disturb, and do not find a chance to be aroused in frequent meetings with people, however, returning imperceptibly, they become more and more strengthened, acquiring new strength over time. Just as the often trampled earth, even if there are thorns on it, does not produce them again, because trampling underfoot prevents growth (but these thorns, spreading deep, strong and very juicy roots in its depths, sprout as soon as time allows to sprout), so passions, which frequent meetings with people prevent from expressing themselves, take advantage of the silence, become stronger and attack with great cruelty, heavy and making warfare dangerous for those who at first did not care about fighting them. That is why the Prophet commands: “Consume the seed from Babylon” (Jer. 50:16), advising to destroy the images while they are still in the vaginas of the senses, so that, falling to the ground of the heart, they do not sprout and, watered by the abundant and useless rains of their successive occupation, do not bear a hundredfold fruit of vice. And another Prophet pleases those who do not wait for the maturity of passions, but destroy at the very breasts, saying: “Blessed is he who has and will dash your babies against the stone” (Ps. 136:9). Or perhaps the great Job, self-philosophizing with himself, suggests someone like that, saying that “cattails” and “rumin” grow in water, and when deprived of water, “all things dry up” (cf. Job 8:11-12). And what was said: “I am wicked and perish, having no food” (Job 4:11), seems to mean something similar. For the great Job, wanting to show the insidiousness of passion, invented a complex name for it, combining the names of the bravest lion and the most insignificant of all creatures, the ant, because attacks of passions begin with unimportant ideas, creeping in imperceptibly like ants, and the consequences become very important for the one subjected to these attacks and are no less dangerous, like the attack of a lion. Why should an ascetic then fight passions when they approach like an ant, offering their insignificance as bait? For if they manage to reach the lion’s fortress, they become insurmountable and greatly oppress if they are not given food; their food, as has already been said more than once, is the incoming images of passions through the senses, because these images feed the passions, successively placing each idol in the soul. Therefore, in the church, the Lawgiver installed “latticed windows” (Ezek. 41:16), meaning that those who intend to keep their hearts pure, like the church (just as it was done there with lattice windows so that nothing unclean could enter), should protect their feelings with visors of thoughts - the fear of a future Judgment, visors that would block the entrance of newly born and invading unclean images. And that is why, perhaps, Ahaziah “fell ill”, since he “fell from a lattice window” (cf. 2 Kings 1:2), for, during temptations, having indulged in pleasures, to ignore the doctrine of retribution means to fall from a lattice window. What is more serious than this illness? For physical illness is an unnatural state, when the balance of the elements is taken out of the natural state by the predominance of one. Mental illness is a deviation from right thoughts, when the soul is overcome by disease-causing passions. With such a lattice barrier, Solomon protected the vision of the one capable of hearing, saying: “When your eyes see someone else’s, your mouth will then speak obstinately” (Prov. 23:33), calling “obstinate”, which after sin will meet the soul at the time of retribution. Thinking about this and bringing oneself into the proper state rejects all dangerous sight of the eyes. Solomon also spoke about the state of thought that should be at this time: “You will recline like in the heart of the sea and like a helmsman in great excitement” (Proverbs 23, 34). For if someone, during a struggle with his eyesight that irritates him, is able to bring himself, with threatening punishments, into such a confrontation as a man is in when he is overwhelmed at sea, then he will easily overcome those who overcome him, without feeling the blows being inflicted, so that he will say: “Beat me, and I was not hurt, and they mocked me, but I did not understand” (Proverbs 23:35), that is: “They beat me, thinking abused, but I did not feel the blows, because “the arrows of the child caused their wounds” (Ps. 63:8), I did not pay attention to their deception, without even showing the appearance that I noticed their presence.” So David, despising such opponents, said: “I did not know the evil one who turned away from me” (Ps. 100:4), that is, he did not feel when they came and when they left. And whoever does not even know that the senses have great communication with the sensual and that from this communication we easily fall into seduction, he, not suspecting what harm can come from feelings, and carelessly being carried away by them, just as during seduction he recognizes malice, without learning to distinguish this in advance? And that the feelings have a struggle with the sensual and the sensual imposes tribute on the defeated feelings, this is clear from the war of the Assyrians with the Sodomites. Scripture historically sets out this enterprise of the four kings of the Assyrian people against the five kings of Sodom, describing first the conference, alliance and peace sacrifices at the Salt Sea, then the slavery of the five kings for twelve years, after this their fall away in the thirteenth year, and in the fourteenth a war in which the four kings attack the five kings and take them captive (see: Gen. 14, 1-11). And the legend ends with this, and from this legend we learn what concerns us, and we learn the struggle of the senses with the sensory, for each of us up to twelve years from birth, not yet having a pure mind, is unconsciously subjected to slavery (and the senses carry out the orders of sensory things, like their rulers: sight - of visible things, hearing - of sounds, taste - of juices, smell - of odors, touch - of all sensory things that move this feeling is given) and a person, in infancy, is not able to distinguish and resolve his sensations. And as soon as reason begins to mature and begins to feel harm, it immediately plots apostasy and escape from such slavery. And if a person, having strengthened his mind, is confirmed in this decision, then he will forever remain free, having escaped from cruel rulers. If his determination in this undertaking is weak, then a person again betrays his feelings, defeated by the dominion of the sensual, into captivity, and they remain in painful slavery without any good hope. That is why the five kings, according to legend, defeated by four kings, run to the “treasuries of tar” (cf. Gen. 14:10), teaching us that those defeated by the sensual, as if in an abyss or a well, throw into each sense everything sensual, namely, what is tangible for each of them, no longer thinking about anything visible, because they are immersed in desire They loved earthly things and the pleasures of this place more than the pleasures of the mind. Likewise, a slave who loves his master, wife and children, renouncing true freedom by affinity with the body, becomes an eternal slave, having pierced his ear with an awl (see Ex. 21:5-6), so as not to ever perceive the words about freedom, having heard the natural opening of the ear, but, having loved the present, to remain a slave forever. Therefore, the Law commanded that the hand of a wife who took “by the yatra” when two husbands were fighting each other be cut off (see Deut. 25:11-12), because during the struggle of thoughts about the choice of worldly and heavenly goods, abandoning this choice, she took hold of the one that leads to birth and corruption (the Lawgiver with the generative members signified the work of birth). Therefore, renouncing worldly affairs is of no benefit to those who do not remain with their determination, but are again carried away and give in to thoughts, and therefore often return to what they abandoned and thereby declare their addiction to it, just as Lot’s wife, looking back, has until now become an example for the disobedient, having turned into a pillar of salt (see Gen. 19:26). This is also the habit, the image of which was Lot’s wife, and which irrevocably brings back those who intend to leave. What does the Law say, which commands the one who enters the church, after praying, not to return through the same gates by which he entered, but to go out through the opposite gates, traveling in a straight direction and not turning back (see Ezek. 46:9)? Is it not that efforts in direct progress towards virtue should not be weakened by doubts? For frequent inclinations to that from which we have moved away will, without a doubt, lead us back from the habit, and, weakening the striving forward, will completely attract us to ourselves and force us to return to our previous bad deeds. For habit is strong enough to hold you back and not allow you to return to the previous habit of virtue, because from habit comes skill, and skill turns into nature; It is difficult to transform and change nature. Even if it is shaken somewhat by violence, it soon returns to itself, but, driven out of its limits, it does not achieve perfection unless great work gives it the opportunity to return again along the same path in order to move from the acquired habit to the abandoned skill. Look at the soul, following its habits, how it sits on idols, nailing itself to substances that have no image, and renounces 22 the ascent to the teaching that is ready to guide it to the highest, and says: “I cannot stand before you, for I am an ordinary woman” (Gen. 31:35). And the soul, which has long been at peace with the affairs of life, sits on idols, which in themselves do not have an image, but receive an image from human art. For wealth, fame and other things of life are not something that does not have an image, but they do not have anything definite and articulate in themselves, they are counterfeited with an attractive likeness to resemble the truth, every minute turning from one type to another, but we ourselves give them an image, when we form a useful idea with human thought about something that is not suitable for anything useful. For when we extend the satisfaction of the necessary needs of the body to enormous expense, seasoning food with thousands of sweets, richly adorning clothing to the point of luxury and splendor, and then, accused of that vanity, which in vain and in vain were called luxurious costs for such a need, which can be satisfied with little, we come up with the excuse that we are doing as we should, then what else are we doing but not trying to give an image to unimageable substances? We rightly called such a soul the one who sits on them, for the soul, having confirmed in itself such judgments about what has been said, is nailed to the here, serving idols, and not the truth and not having the strength to return to it, but through habits, like monthly impurity, desecrating the nature of everything here. By the word “seed” (Gen. 31:34) Scripture here means laziness in doing good and lust - laziness when it says: “They who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, bound in poverty and iron” (Ps. 106, 10), because darkness and fetters serve as an obstacle to doing, - voluptuousness, when he speaks of those who have turned their hearts to Egypt and reasoning with each other: “We remembered, “when we sat down over the pots of meat and killed the meat until we were full” (Ex. 16, 3).” For those who truly sit over the cauldrons are those who kindle desires within themselves with pampered and incessant fervor. The mother of voluptuousness is gluttony, for it gives rise to voluptuousness, and perhaps many other passions; from it, like offspring from a root, other passions arise and, soon becoming trees, on the one that gave birth they grow into vices reaching to heaven, because love of money, anger, sadness are the offspring and shoots of gluttony. A glutton, first of all, needs money to satisfy his always-burning lust, although it is never satisfied, and anger must be aroused when money interferes with the acquisition of money; Of necessity, sadness also follows when anger due to impotence does not turn into action. For he who walks “on the perso and belly” (cf. Gen. 3:14), when he has substances that produce pleasure, walks on the belly, and when this is lacking, he grovels on the perso, where anger lies, because sensualists, deprived of pleasures, become angry and upset. Therefore, the great Moses entrusts the word to the Persian priest, significantly meaning that the aspirations of the passion of anger must be curbed by thought, because the word of judgment is a rational force. And the priest restrains passions with reason, because he is imperfect; the perfect Moses completely separates from himself everything that is wrathful, because he does not bear the word, but separates the very breast, for it is said: “Moses has taken away the breast; Others, just as they do not completely cut off anger, do not restrain passion with reason, but overcome it with work; and these are the ones who take away the breast along with the “ram” (cf. Lev. 9:21), because the “ramo” (shoulder) is a sign of labor and doing. And in a similar way, this: “Walking on the belly” (cf. Gen. 3:14) - in the very truth means pleasure, because the belly is the immediate cause of pleasure. When it is full, then the desires for other pleasures are strong, and when it is impoverished, these desires remain calmer and unexcited. And here there is a difference between the prosperous and the perfect, for Moses, who completely rejected the enjoyment of food, “and the womb and feet were washed out with water” (Lev. 8:20), meaning by the womb to mean pleasure, and by feet ascension and prosperity. He who succeeds washes away what is in the womb, and not the whole womb. There is also a great difference in the words “isms” and “isperut” (Numbers 8:7), for the former is voluntary, and the latter is done by order. Just as a perfect person should be aroused to virtuous actions with spontaneous zeal, so a successful person should submit to the instructions of the abbot and, with extreme care, wean off the entire breast, and not wean off the womb, but wash it out. For the wise man is able to completely reject and eradicate anger, but he cannot cut off the womb, because nature forces even the most abstinent to consume the necessary foods. When the soul is not guided by the right and firm law, but is corrupted by adulterous 23 pleasures, then the womb is burned for this, since lust remains unsatisfied, although the bodily receptacles are overflowing, and the dissolution of the womb follows, due to the fall of the womb (see: Numbers 5:22), for the heart becomes powerless to give birth to good things. With the inflammation of the womb from the high value of food, spiritual forces also weaken, for the word of the Law meant them by the word “womb”. Therefore, the sensualist walks on his belly, pouring himself out in delightful pleasures. But he who begins a virtuous life takes away the fat from the womb, refusing foodstuffs that fatten the body. And the successful one exhausts what is in the womb, and the perfect one exhausts the entire womb, completely rejecting what is unnecessary for the necessary needs. It is very appropriate to add to the words “on your sides and belly”: “You will walk” (Gen. 3:14), because pleasure is possible not for those who are motionless and at rest, but for those who are moving and filled with confusion of passions. Moreover, voluptuous movement is akin to gluttony. And nature itself, wanting to show their affinity, assigned the instruments of cohabitation a place under the womb, by this proximity signifying a close connection. For if this passion weakens, then it weakens from the impoverishment of what is higher - the womb, and if it intensifies and comes into motion, then strength is given to it from there. But gluttony is not the only passion that feeds and rewards: it destroys everything good in a person. For, as soon as it prevails and gains the upper hand, good qualities usually fall and are destroyed: continence, chastity, courage, patience and all other virtues. This is precisely what Jeremiah portrayed when he said: “Destroy the wall of Jerusalem around” (Jer. 52:14) the archmagir (chief of the bodyguards) of Babylon,” calling the passion of gluttony the archmagir. For just as the Arch-Mage makes every effort to serve the stomach and comes up with thousands of artificial ways to give pleasure, so gluttony sets everything in motion, serving the pleasure of the larynx: the variety of foods overthrows and destroys the firmness of virtues. For sweets and seasonings, even for well-established virtue, become siege and battering weapons, shaking and overthrowing its stronghold and fortification. But just as luxury is destructive of virtue, so moderation usually destroys the strongholds of vice. Just as the wall of Jerusalem, that is, the soul of the pacified, was destroyed by the Babylonian archmagir, using the art of cooking to turn it into carnal pleasures, so the “lying... dough” of Israeli “barley bread” overthrew the “tabernacles of Midian” (cf. Judges 7:13). For a moderate lifestyle, rolling and prospering, for the most part destroys prodigal passions. The Midianites serve as an image of fornication, because they bring harlots to Israel and deceive a great multitude of young people. It is very appropriately said in Scripture that the Midianites have tabernacles, and Jerusalem a wall, because that which embraces virtue is strengthened and firm, but that which contains vice is only an appearance, a tabernacle, no different from a ghost. That is why the saints fled cities and averted crowded meetings, knowing that treatment of depraved people is much more pernicious than a contagious disease. Therefore, taking nothing with them, they left their property as spoils for others, refusing to entertain them. That is why Elijah, having left Judea, lived on Mount Carmel, deserted and filled with animals, except for trees, having nothing to console himself with food, because he was content with tree fruits, satisfying the necessary needs with them. Similarly, Elisha led the same life, borrowing from the teacher with other good qualities and a love for desert living. And John, living in the Jordanian desert, ate locusts and wild honey, showing many how easy it was to satisfy the needs of bodily life, and reproaching them for their burdensome pleasure. Or it may be that Moses, generally foreshadowing something similar, gives the Israelites a law about manna - to collect it day after day, secretly commanding that the human content should be only one day, and not prepared in advance, for he considered it proper for rational nature to be content with what one has, and to recognize Christ as the dispenser of everything else. He who cares about what lies ahead shows that he does not believe in God’s mercy, as if it does not always exude inexhaustible gifts to people. And to say briefly: therefore, all the saints, “of whom the world is not worthy,” left the inhabited universe, “wandering in the deserts and in the mountains and in dens and in the pits of the earth,” and “walking in sheepskin (and) in goatskins, deprivation, sorrow, embitterment” (Heb. 11, 38, 37), running human specious vices and strange deeds that fill the cities, so that by the force of their desire, like a stream, they are not forcibly drawn into the indifferent mingling of the crowd, rejoicing in being with animals and considering the harm from them less than the harm from people, it is better to say, running from people as from evil ones, and trusting animals as friends, because they do not teach vice, but marvel at virtue and honor it. So Daniel was destroyed, as they thought, by men, but saved by lions; and they, having preserved the person convicted unjustly out of hatred, let those know that there is no justice among people, proclaiming a truthful trial over the person convicted unjustly; and the husband’s virtue became a pretext for envy and discord for people, and a reason for respect and honor for animals. Therefore, in whom the love for improvement is instilled, let us be jealous of the virtues of the saints and, having refused to serve the commandments of the flesh, we will seek freedom, let us follow the “diviyago donkey”, released by the Creator into the desert, not listening to the “cold... tribute” and laughing at “the many people of the city” (cf. Job 39: 5, 7). And if until now we have prepared him to bear a burden, placing on him the yoke of sinful passions, then we will at least free him from the bonds. Even if those who are not born gentlemen, but who have acquired dominion by skill, object to this, then, of course, hearing, if only they hear that we say to them not with one tongue and not just with a voice, but with an inner disposition: “The Lord” “demands” him (Matthew 21:3), they will immediately release him, so that, adorned with the apostolic vestments, he will become the chariot of the Word or, released to the ancient pasture The words, “I sought after every grain” (cf. Job 39:8), that is, following the powerful sayings of the Divine Scripture, he was guided by them into a blameless life, acquiring at the same time both abundant food and great pleasure. But at the same time, one must look for how a wild donkey, released by God into the desert, “seeks after every kind of grain,” having “the desert as a dwelling and a rich village” (cf. Job 39:8, 6), when the salt marsh and the desert for the most part are not very capable of growing grass. Will anyone say that for one in whom there were no passions, when the one who harbors the passions is destroyed, it is enough to seek teaching in Divine words. Let's leave worldly affairs and turn to spiritual blessings. How long will we remain at children's games, not at all accepting a courageous way of thinking? How long will we be weaker in our actions than the smallest babies, and not guided by their example to succeed in the most important things? As they age, they change their disposition to games and easily give up their addiction to what they used to do as amusement. In childhood, perhaps nuts, bones, balls serve them as amusement, and they are partial to them until they come to a perfect mind, and consider it sufficient for themselves to prepare this. But as soon as someone succeeds and becomes a man, he gives up this and gets down to business with great diligence. And we remain in infancy, marveling at what is characteristic of childhood and worthy of ridicule, we do not want to worry about the best and think about what is appropriate for husbands, but, leaving this, we amuse ourselves with earthly affairs, providing a reason for laughter to those who judge matters in accordance with the natural order of ages. Just as it is shameful to see a perfect man sit on a heap of ashes and draw childish games in the ashes, so it is shameful, and much more shameful, to see that those who have in mind the enjoyment of eternal blessings rummage in the dust of earthly things and disgrace the perfection of the vow with the incongruity of their actions. And the reason for this with us, as it seems, is that we do not imagine anything more important than what is visible, from comparing the insignificance of real goods, we do not recognize the superiority of the goods there, and, illuminated by the brilliance of the goods revered here by the worthy, we dwell on them, and cling to them with desire. For in the absence of the best, the worst is always highly valued, taking the place of the better. And if we had a higher concept of the blessings of the future, we would not stop with surprise at the blessings here. Therefore, we will begin to eliminate real blessings, we will neglect property, and money, and everything that immerses ourselves and drowns our thoughts, we will throw away the load so that the boat can somehow rise out of the water; overwhelmed, we will throw out many shells so that the helmsman - the mind and the swimmers - can be saved. If those sailing the sea during a storm do not care about their goods and with their own hands throw the cargo into the sea, putting property below life, so that the ship, burdened with the weight of the cargo, is not in danger, scooping up water into itself, lighten it, throwing into the depths, perhaps even expensive rarities, then why do we not, for the sake of a better life, neglect what draws the soul into the abyss? Why is the fear of God not so strong as the fear of the sea? Those, out of love for temporary life, do not highly value the loss of what they are carrying, but we, speaking about ourselves that we desire Eternal Life, do not neglect even a little, but decide it is better to perish along with the cargo than to be saved by losing it. Therefore, I beg you, let us strip ourselves of everything - the enemy stands naked, because wrestlers do not enter into a fight clothed: the law of wrestling forces them into the field naked. Whether it’s hot or cold, they go out like this, leaving their clothes outside the field. If any of them refuses to expose himself, then he must refuse to fight. And we, having made a vow to asceticism, when we are fighting with opponents who are much more active than those who fight sensually, not only do not take off our clothes, but, carrying thousands of burdens on our shoulders, we enter into asceticism, giving those opponents many conveniences to capture us. How can someone who covets property fight against the spirits of evil when blows are conveniently thrown at him from everywhere? How to deal with the spirit of love of money showered with money? How to overtake the demons naked from all care, clothed with thousands of worries? Divine Scripture says: “Naked will flee in that day” (Am. 2:16). Naked, who is not clothed in numerous rags of concern for the affairs of everyday life, naked, for whom complex thoughts about money and property do not hinder the speed of running, because the naked is difficult and even impossible to catch those who are malicious. If the great Joseph had been naked, the Egyptian woman would not have found anything to grab him by, for the Divine word says: “Grab him by the robe, saying: Lie with me” (Gen. 39:12). Robes are physical deeds, which are driven by predominant voluptuousness; and whoever cares about them must be carried away, fighting against those who seduce them. Thus, the ascetic of chastity, as soon as he saw that he was being forcibly carried away by the necessary needs of the body to the pleasure of communication and unity, having learned that he had to live naked with a mistress who could restrain and force him, “leave off his vestments, run and go out” (Gen. 39, 13), as in paradise, walking in virtue naked in imitation of the primordial, who, having received nakedness as a gift from God, kept it until, through disobedience, he was reduced to the need for clothing. For while he was fighting against opponents who were urging him to break God’s commandment, like a wrestler in the field, he stood naked; the one who was defeated and left the fight, as it should have been, was clothed in a robe, leaving nakedness with the cessation of the ascetic state. That’s why the Inflower, turning his speech to the anointing one, says: “Take off his robe, let him go” (Proverbs 27:13). While he was out of the field, he made good use of the clothes of those who did not fight, hiding in himself the courage of a fighter by putting on clothes. But since he entered into the feat, “take off his robe,” because the naked must fight, and not only the naked, but even the anointed one. Being naked makes it impossible for the opponent to grab hold of the wrestler, and anointing him with oil, even if he is grabbed 24, makes it possible to escape from the hands of the one who grabs him. Why do opponents try to shower each other with earth, so that, by adding dust to the roughness of the smoothness of the oil, they can make the opponent easy to hold when he is captured? But what is dust there, then in our feat are earthly affairs, and what is oil there, then there is a lack of care; and just as there the anointed one conveniently resolves the so-called traps, and if dust falls on him, he with difficulty avoids the hand of the opponent, so here too, he who does not care about anything is difficult for the devil, but whoever cares and cares, as if with some dust, gives roughness to the smoothness of an uncaring mind, he with difficulty gets rid of the devil’s hand. It is characteristic of a perfect soul not to have cares, but to overwhelm itself with worries is characteristic of an ungodly soul, for it is said about a perfect soul that it is “like a heap among thorns” (Song 2:2), and this means a soul that among those who care about many things lives without cares. Krin in the Gospel also means a soul that has no cares, for it is said: “He neither toils nor spins,” and, more than Solomon, is clothed with “glory” (cf. Matt. 6:28-29). About those who have a lot of worries about the body, it is said: “The whole life of the wicked is in care” (Job 15:20). And it is truly wicked to extend care for the physical for a whole life and not show any effort about the future; for the body, although it does not require more care about it, spend all the time, but for the soul, which has such a long path to success that a whole life is not enough to complete it, not even a little time can be devoted. For even if we spend apparently a little, we do it lazily and negligently, caught up in the splendor of the visible, subjecting ourselves to the same thing that those who are seduced by vile, dissolute women endure, who, due to a lack of natural beauty, invent a fake one to deceive the audience, correcting their ugliness by inventing rubbings. For, once overcome by the vanity of the present, we are unable to see the vileness of the substance, deceived by addiction. And that is why we do not stop at the necessary need, but, having set ourselves the goal of immoderate satiety with life, we strive for all kinds of acquisitions, not noticing that the measure of acquisition is bodily need and that which exceeds this measure is already disorder, and not need. Just as a shirt proportionate to the body is both a need and an adornment, but sagging on all sides, entangling the legs and dragging along the ground in ugliness becomes an obstacle to any work, so possessions that exceed bodily needs serve as an obstacle to virtue and are subject to great censure from those who are able to investigate the nature of things. Therefore, one should not pay attention to those who are deceived by the sensual, and recklessly follow those who, due to inattention to the mental, are addicted to earthly things. This would mean the same thing as making blind judges for flowers, or making deaf judges for music sounds, deprived of the ability to judge what is being assessed, and believing them as those who, according to reason, have chosen the enjoyment of real goods. For those who are blind are those who are deprived of the most necessary abilities to judge and their intellect, which usually pronounces judgment on what is worthy of respect and on what is indifferent. One of them was Achar, the son of Charmia, who confessed to Jesus that in the bush of life he hid the stolen goods under the ground and buried the silver under it. For he who values ​​motley and brilliant substances more highly, and buries reason under them, is naturally deceived, falling like a dumb man and indulging in the presentation of what he likes, because he has brought down reason from the throne of government and placed it alongside the subordinates, or rather, along with the defendants. For if he had been in his own dignity and had been entrusted with judgment over what is visible, he would have pronounced a truthful and faithful verdict, without giving in to the desire for what is deceptive. Therefore, it is wonderful to remain within the limits of need and try with all your might not to transgress them. For if someone is even somewhat carried away by the desire for the pleasures of life, then no reason will stop the striving forward: there is no limit to what is beyond need, but unlimited efforts and endless vanity will constantly increase the work on this, feeding the desire, like a flame that is fed by adding firewood. When those who have once transgressed the limits of natural necessity begin to succeed in material life, then they want the bread to be accompanied by pleasant food, and the water to be accompanied first by the usually used and then more expensive wine. However, they do not agree to be content with the clothes they usually use, but first they buy clothes made of wool, and moreover, more brilliant ones, choosing the very color of the wool, then from these clothes they move on to prepared together from flax and wool, after this they make silk clothes, and those are at first simple, and then dotted with images of battles, animals and all sorts of stories; They also acquire silver and gilded vessels, not only used for feasts, but also supplied in abundance for animals and beds. And should we say more about this excessive wastefulness, when they extend it to the most dishonest needs, and do not consider it proper to make vessels for eruptions from another substance, if silver is not used for such service? Thus, voluptuousness extends to extremes and honors the most dishonest deeds as precious substances. But this means behaving unnaturally. The natural way of life is the same determined by the Creator for both us and animals. “Behold,” God says to man, “I have given you all the grass in the field, it will be food for you and for the beasts” (Gen. 1:29-30). Therefore, having received food in common with the dumb and turned it into something more luxurious with our own imaginations, shouldn’t we justly be recognized as more foolish than the dumb, if the animals remain within the limits of nature, without violating what God has decreed, and we are people, gifted with reason, have completely departed from the ancient law? For what delicacies do the dumb ones have? What kind of bakers and cooks prepare delight for the poor belly? Don’t they love the ancient poverty, eating grass, being content with what happened, and sometimes drinking water, and that is why they indulge in carnal pleasures less often, without inflaming any desires? fattening food and not always knowing the difference between male and female sexes. For this feeling gives them one time in the year in which natural law, as a means of procreation, has invented to gather them to sow others like themselves: at other times they are so alienated from each other that they completely forget about this desire. And in people, from expensive dishes, the insatiable lust of fornication instilled frantic desires, not allowing the passion to subside at any time. Therefore, since the acquisition of property is accompanied by great harm and, like something pathogenic, serves as a reason for all passions, let us eliminate the very reason, if only we are thinking about the well-being of the soul. Let us heal the passion of the love of money by non-covetousness. Having loved solitude, we will run away from gatherings of useless people, because being with frivolous people is detrimental and detrimental to a peaceful state. Just as those who are exposed to contagious air will certainly become sick, so those who spend time with people of all kinds become familiar with their vices. For what do those who renounce the world have in common with the world? “No one who has been a warrior obliges himself with the purchases of this life, so that he may please the governor” (2 Tim. 2:4). Purchasing interferes with military exercises. And if we don’t practice, how can we stand firm in the fight against those who are tempted in battle? It’s better to say, if we’re telling the truth, we are fighting so lazily and carelessly that we cannot resist an enemy who has already been defeated, and we, who stand, are subjected to the malicious intentions of the fallen. What those who rob the dead for the love of money endure during the war, often after a victory are killed while lying down and for the sake of vile self-interest, who perish pathetically after acquiring trophies, is what we now endure as we approach the deposed and dying enemy. Just as those, out of passion for money, searching the dead, often approached another half-dead and undressed him, unnoticed received a mortal blow and fell, foolishly disgracing the glory acquired by victory, so we, when through chastity or abstinence we overthrow or consider ourselves to have overthrown a barbarian, then, seduced by his clothes, which people consider expensive, wealth, power, health, with honor, we approach him, wanting to take something from him, and thus we die, betraying ourselves to be killed. Thus, five virgins perished, killed by purity and abstinence, and by cruelty of heart, which is generated by the love of money, who cast themselves on the sword, when the enemy, as deposed, could not kill them, who stood firm. Therefore, let us not desire anything of the enemy, lest we destroy our souls along with what belongs to him. For even now he invites and encourages everyone to do this, especially if he finds those who obey him. If he also called on the Lord Himself, saying: “I will give all this to You, if you fall down in worship” (Matthew 4:9), and with what is considered brilliant in the world, he attempted to seduce Him who has no need for it, then will he really not think of seducing elusive people inclined to enjoy sensual things? Let us train ourselves in piety if physical training also has success: “bodily training is useful in small ways, like the lessons that are taught to children, but godliness is useful for everything” (1 Tim. 4:8), preparing health in the soul for those who want victory over opposing passions. Just as it is proper for wrestlers, learning from childhood games, to exercise their bodies and frequently move their limbs, and those who have matured in the art of wrestling should take care of their ascetic strength and anoint themselves for sacred feats, so those who begin to learn godliness should carefully restrain their active forces: it is important for them if they prevail over passions, being irritated by the pleasures in which they grew up, and almost involuntarily drawn into habitual evil deeds, and those who have already reached a state of active virtue and are concerned about what is reasonable are obliged to guard their reason with all care, so that during disorderly movement they do not get carried away into something imperfect, and, moreover, thoughtlessly. Some should try to learn how to control bodily movements, while others should try to teach the aspirations of the mind, harmoniously directed towards a single wise behavior so that not a single worldly idea distracts the mind from Divine thoughts. For the lust of the godly must be entirely directed towards the desired, so that there is no time left at all to put into action one’s passions based on misanthropic thoughts. If every passion, when it comes into motion, keeps the mind bound in the person who possesses it, then why not zeal for virtue keep the thought free from other passions? For does the irritated person receive any external sensation while mentally struggling with the idea of ​​the one who offended him? And also greedy for money, when, carried away by dreams, he fixes his gaze on what brings profit? Often a depraved person, sitting in company with others, constricts his feelings and, occupied with his beloved face, talks with him, forgetting those present, sits as a silent pillar, not knowing anything that is being done or said before his eyes, but, having gone deep inside himself, he is completely occupied with his performance. Perhaps the word of God calls such a soul a sitting one, when it, having stood far from the senses, stops its own activity, not accepting anything external into itself at all, due to the bad idea that occupies it. If this, due to addiction, so much takes over the thoughts and leads the feelings to inaction, then how much more will the love of philosophy, having enraptured the mind in the sublime and occupied with the contemplation of the mental, force it to renounce the sensual and the feelings? Just as in a person who is being cut or burned, the thought will not go further than the felt suffering due to the prevailing pain, so for someone who thinks about anything with passion, it is impossible not to direct all attention to the passion that occupies his heart and the thought has completely become one in quality with itself, because pleasure does not give room for sorrow, joy - sadness, joy - despondency, and conversely, the prevailing sorrow does not allow pleasure, the prevailing sadness is not combined with joy, despondency is not dissolved by joy. Opposite passions are incompatible with each other, never come together, do not enter into friendly communication due to naturally irreconcilable hostility and alienation. Therefore, let the purity of virtue not be disturbed by thoughts about worldly affairs, let the clarity of contemplation not be confused by bodily concerns, so that the image of true wisdom, shining with its inherent beauty, is not condemned by daring lips and, due to the inexperience of those who write, does not become the subject of ridicule, but is praised, if not by people, then at least by the Heavenly Powers or the Lord Himself Christ, from Whom the saints seek praise, like the great David, trampling upon human glory and asking for praise from God, says: “My praise comes from You” (Ps. 21:26); and again: “My soul will boast in the Lord” (Ps. 33:3). People often denigrate good things out of hatred, but the heavenly spectacle impartially judges deeds and pronounces a verdict on what has been done according to the truth itself. Therefore, let this spectacle, which needs to delight in the delight of deeds, be delightful. And as for people who can neither reward those who lived well, nor punish those who lived differently, it is not of great importance if, either through envy or partiality, the deeds of virtue are darkened by the names of vice, and the life recognized by God and people is denigrated with fictitious blasphemies. For during the reward of those who lived well, no doubt not according to human opinion, but according to the very reality of what was accomplished in life, there will follow the reward of eternal blessings, which may we all be worthy to receive by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom be glory to the Father together with the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the boundless and endless ages of ages! Amen. According to the manuscript it reads: έστερημένοι. Instead of: κτησις according to the manuscript it reads: κρισις. According to the manuscript it reads: βουλομένους είσφέρειν. Instead of: φόνον according to the manuscript it reads: φθόνον. According to the manuscript it reads: διά τό μηδόλως προσδέεσθαι των σωματικων. According to the Slavic translation (2 Kings 4:6) it reads “gatekeeper”, and for the Seventy: ή θυρωρός. Instead of: σκηνήν according to the manuscript it reads: τιμήν. Instead of: έχθρων according to the manuscript it reads: έχθρόν. Instead of: άνιαν according to the manuscript it reads: στρηνιαν. According to the manuscript it reads: τω Αχααβ. Instead of: έπί τη according to the manuscript it reads: είς τήν. So according to the manuscript and in the Slavic translation. Instead of: τιμωρίας according to the manuscript it is read τιμης. According to the manuscript it reads: τάς του λόγου διεξόδους όνόμασιν ού καθαροις έπιθολουσα. According to the manuscript it reads: Σίκημα δέ ώμίασις έρμηνεύεται. According to the Slavic translation: “It is unclean, because of uncleanness.” Instead of: κατελογίσθη according to the manuscript it reads: μεταβληθή. Instead of: της άπάτης according to the manuscript it reads: της πάλης. According to the manuscript it reads: τά ίδια νοσφίζασθαι. Instead of: παρασκευή μετρουμένη according to the manuscript it reads: παρευημερουμένη. Instead of: θεραπευσαι according to the manuscript it reads: καθαρευσαι. Instead of: ού προσιζομένη according to the manuscript it reads: άρνειται. Instead of: ψυχικαις according to the manuscript it reads: μοιχικαις. The words cannot be read from the manuscript: τό δέ έλαιον. Instead of: μικράν according to the manuscript it reads: μακράν. You might be interested in: