Maimonides’s Mishneh Torah, one that he quoted often: “Throughout the year, a person should always regard himself as if he were equally balanced between innocence and guilt, and should regard the whole of humankind as if it were [also] equally balanced between innocence and guilt. Therefore, if he performs one sin, he tips his balance and that of the entire world to the side of guilt and brings destruction upon himself [and, by implication, to the world]. [On the other hand,] if he performs one mitzvah, he tips his balance and that of the entire world to the side of merit and brings
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