Rabbi Aba sat at the gate of the city Lod. He saw a man sitting on a small hill. He [this man] was weary from the road, so he sat down and slept. While he was sleeping, he [Rabbi Aba] saw a snake coming toward him [this man]. A segment of tree root fell and killed the snake. When the man woke, he saw the snake was dead. He [this man]stood up and the hill then fell to the valley below. Thus, he was saved [from being killed in this landslide, by having gotten up then].

Rabbi Aba came to him [this man] and said: What have you done that G‑d performed for you two miracles — for these events did not happen without reason.

The man said: In all my days, I forgave and made peace with any man who did evil to me. If I could not make peace with him, I did not sleep on my bed before forgiving him and all those who grieved me. Thus, I did not harbor hatred anymore for that harm he did me. Moreover, from that day on, I tried to do kindness for them [so they wouldn't think that I hate them].

Rabbi Aba wept and said: This man's deeds exceed those of Joseph. As for Joseph, those [that wronged him] were his brothers. Assuredly, he should pity them [when they fell into his hands]. But what this one did is greater than Joseph['s deeds, for he pitied also strangers], so he is worthy to have G‑d perform one miracle after another for him.

He began [his discourse] by quoting, "He that walks with sincerity walks surely: but he that perverts his ways shall be found out". (Proverbs 10:9) "He that walks with sincerity" refers to the man who walks the ways of the Torah. He will "walk surely" for no fiend in the world will be able to harm him. "...but he that perverts his ways shall be found out." Who shall be found out? He who deviates from the way of truth and plans to repay his friend with evil. The phrase, "shall be found out" means that he will be recognized by all the prosecutors, who will not forget the image of that man and will bring him account. Therefore he will be found out.

Come and see: He who walks the way of truth is hidden by G‑d, so that he will not be found nor recognized by the prosecutors, "but he that perverts his ways shall be found out" and will be known to them. Fortunate are those men who walk the way of truth, walk surely in the world, and have no fear in this world or in the world to come.

BeRahamim LeHayyim: Why did the Ari and Chida include this section? What do they want us to learn?

The hero in the above story is a true disciple of Aaron who loves and pursues peace, above all else. He relates that if he could not succeed in making peace with his enemies directly, he forgave all who grieved him before retiring at night. This is today part of the liturgy each night in Keriyat shema al hamita (the prayer before going to sleep).

Do we take our own Keriyat shema al hamitah so seriously? Can we make it a 'dying confession', a time to forgive all for every transgression against our bodies, feelings, thoughts, souls? To make sacred this special time not only promotes peace between the world of awake and the world of sleep, but also protects one from the dangers of the night.

What does the above mean to you and why is it revealed to you now?

Bracketed annotations from Metok Midevash and Sulam commentaries
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