Sefer HaMiddot, Immoral Behavior, Part I/ספר המדות·ניאוף·חלק ראשון

1A man’s thoughts for a non-Jewish woman prevent his sons from becoming Torah scholars.

2A woman’s mazal is consistent with her husband’s mazal.

3Children conceived in a beautiful home will be beautiful and wholesome in appearance.

4Having sexual relations with a non-Jewess is like intermarrying.

5Fragrances increase a man’s desire.

6When the daughter of a Kohen marries a regular Jew (Israelite), or when the daughter of a Torah scholar marries a boor, the marriage will not go well. She will either be widowed or divorced or childless. He will bury her or she will bury him, or else she will bring him to poverty and shame.

7It is particularly repugnant when an old man behaves immorally. In the end, he will come to look upon himself with disgust.

8There are seven who are like outcasts, one of them being a man who has no wife.

9A person can distance himself from lustful desire only by distancing the desire from his eyes and thoughts.

10Don’t enter into arguments and counter-arguments with temptation. Allowing an immoral thought to linger in the mind, even in order to reject it, strengthens its attraction and wins one over to it.

11Most immoral behavior is brought on by drunkenness.

12Without a wife, a man is not a man. It is almost as if he is guilty of shedding innocent blood and diminishing the Divine Image.

13A man who causes his wife grief by neglecting her conjugal rights will be punished with death.

14It sometimes happens that after a couple gets engaged, one of them dies. This is because they were an unsuitable match.

15When a man marries a woman who was divorced by her first husband because of her wickedness, she will bury him.

16A woman’s licentiousness destroys the home.

17A man who commits adultery causes his wife to dream of impure things.

18When a man marries a woman for the sake of Heaven, it is as if he gave birth to her.

19Couples whose marital relations are devoid of holiness are punished by fire.

20Whoever has an opportunity to sin but refrains will have a miracle performed for his sake.

21When a man marries a woman who is unsuitable for him, it is as if he plowed up the entire earth and planted salt. When the Holy One will rest His Divine Presence upon the Jewish people, confirming the members of each tribe, that man will be left out.

22Violating the brit is equivalent to violating all the mitzvot.

23Wearing pants atones for the sins of incest.

24Where there is immorality, the Tzaddikim fall from stature.

25By mourning the death of Tzaddikim, one is able to break his love for women.

26By masturbating, a man creates evil forces that clothe themselves in people who oppose and argue with him and cause him suffering.

27A person guilty of adultery will eventually be guilty of shedding innocent blood.

28Whoever rids the world of adulterers rectifies the sins of his ancestors.

29Whoever desires to guard the sign of the brit will always tell the truth and act kindly even with someone from whom he expects nothing in return.

30Anyone guilty of blemishing the brit should make amends by pursuing peace.

31Contentiousness brings a person to blemishing the brit.

32Immoral thoughts come as a result of [what in Kabbalistic terminology is known as] breaking the vessel of lovingkindness. The amount of immoral thoughts that ensue corresponds to the amount of “sparks” [that fall when the vessel is broken].

33A person guilty of transgressing the prohibition against homosexual practices will suffer imprisonment.

34Mercury is a segulah for virility.

35The child conceived at a time when a husband feels hatred for his wife will turn into an apostate.

36Immoral behavior leads one to be exiled under the rule of derisive rulers. He also falls into debt.

37Mashiach will come in the merit of the women having guarded against immorality. At that time, people will not be dependent upon each other [for sustenance], and the glory of the righteous will increase.

38Unholy divination and sorcery lead to immorality.

39A man who has relations with a non-Jewess transfers all blessing over to the Other Side.

40Infidelity leads to forgetfulness.

41The way to make amends for wasting seed is by striving to bring people back to God in repentance.

42The Holy One grants merit to a person who guards the brit, even if he has no ancestral merit.

43{43 Immoral thoughts come from a lack of faith.}

44The sins of sorcery and immorality cause the Tzaddik to be taken from the world.

45Children born from adultery will have need of sorcery.

46Children born through the use of sorcery will be immoral.

47Most of those guilty of immoral behavior are opponents of the Tzaddikim.

48Masturbating is like sacrificing one’s children to idolatry. Such a person is sentenced to stoning.

49Immoral behavior causes one to lose his memory.

50Immoral behavior causes one to lose his feelings of shame.

51Gluttony leads to immoral behavior.

52A person who sins will afterwards feel remorse because of the holy spark within him. The exception is someone who defiles the brit. He feels no remorse afterwards, because the holy spark has already left him.

53Whoever keeps from defiling the brit keeps his memory sound.

54Swearing falsely brings to immoral thoughts.

55Whoever stands as a guarantor for a wicked individual turns to immorality.

56Whoever destroys his seed becomes penniless.

57Incest leads to murder.