There is also false piety. For instance: a man brings out a Scroll of the Law into the public thoroughfare on the Sabbath on account of a fire; or when a man says: ‘How shall I save a man’s life and profane the Sabbath?’ Another instance is: a question about declaring a thing forbidden or lawful is referred to a man who knows that he is well-versed in the Law, though there are others like him in the city, and he says: ‘Address the question to others;’ behold, his meekness may lead to sin: peradventure if he had given his decision, he would have forbidden that which others had declared lawful. There is sometimes a righteous judge that perishes in his righteousness. For instance: he sees two litigants, one being a swindler, and the other a simpleton; the swindler knows how to plead, but the simpleton, who does not know how to plead, is right; concerning him it is written: ‘Open thy mouth for the dumb.’[173] Likewise, if he knows that the verdict is unjust, one of the litigants having hired false witnesses, he should not say: ‘Let the sin be attached to the witnesses.’ A favor sometimes turns out to be harmful, and is regarded as an evil for its author and his offspring. In what manner is it? For instance: a man causes that sinners and they that lead others astray should dwell in the city. Now since it is bad for the people of the city, it is evident that he and his offspring will stumble over them, and they will do mischief to his offspring. It is in connection with such a case that it is written: ‘And he did that which is not good among his people.’[174] (Another explanation: _And he did that which is not good among his people_ refers to him who disgraces his family; he is punished, because he sinned by inflicting shame and injury upon his people). Another instance: he who does a good deed in order to be honored and to praise himself thereby. XXIX. ELEAZAR B. JUDAH B. KALONYMOS OF WORMS [Talmudist and mystic. He was born at Mayence about 1170, and died at Worms 1238. His teacher Judah he-Hasid initiated him in the mysteries of Kabbalah. His private life was cruelly tragic. In 1196, while he was engaged in writing a commentary on Genesis, the crusaders entered his house, and slew his wife and children. In spite of that, his writings are filled with spiritual joy, and he seems to soar above the calamities of the flesh. As a Halakist he was clear-sighted and logical, yet he was swayed by hallucinations, and saw angels and demons. He wrote numerous works on ethical, halakic, and mystical subjects. But the best known of his books is the _Sefer ha-Rokeah_ (Book of the Perfumer). That book is so called, the author tells us, because the numerical value of the word ‏רקח‎ is identical with that of Eleazar.] Moral Admonitions and Precepts[175]