16. It is written, “Now Heber the Kenite had separated from the Kenites, the descendants of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses.” Heber the Kenite was from Jethro’s children’s children. He was called Kenite for he had made a Ken [nest] in the desert to engage in Torah, like a bird. He was separated from the city and separated from Cain, and separated from the Midianites, with whom he was in the beginning, and adhered to the Creator, and then separated from Cain.
17. Happy is the man who was rewarded with the Torah, to go and adhere to her ways, for when a person walks in the ways of Torah, he draws upon him a high and holy spirit, as it is written, “until he pours upon us a spirit from on high.” When a person directs his ways away from the Torah, he draws upon him a spirit from the other side, from the side of impurity. The side of impurity awakens from the side of the great abyss, which is the dwelling place of the evil spirits that harm people, and which are called “harm-doers of the world.” They are present from the side of the first Cain.
18. In the beginning, Jethro was a priest of idol-worship and worshiped that side, drawing upon himself a spirit from that side. This is why he was later called “Kenite,” since he parted from Cain and adhered to the Creator. Anyone who adheres to the Creator and observes the commandments of the Torah, it is as though he sustains the world, the world above and the world below, as it is written, “And observe My commandments and do them.”
19. Anyone who breaks the commandments of the Torah, it is as though he blemishes above, blemishes below, blemishes himself, and blemishes all the worlds. There is an allegory about sailors who were sailing in a ship. A fool who was among them arose and wanted to make a hole in the ship. His friend told him, “Why are you drilling?” He replied, “What do you care? I am drilling under me!” He said to him, “But both of us will drown together in the ship!”
20. For this reason, it is written, “When a man or woman commits any of the sins that men commit by unfaithfulness against the Lord.” This implies Adam HaRishon, as it is written, “But they, like Adam, have transgressed against the covenant.” Adam transgressed against one commandment in the Torah, causing death to himself and causing the whole world a blemish above and a blemish below. That iniquity will be hanging until the Creator sustains the sustains the world as in the beginning, and that blemish will pass from the world, as it is written, “Death will be swallowed up forever, and the Lord God will wipe the tear from every face.” This is why it is written here, “When a man or woman commits any of the sins that men commit.” “Men” implies Adam HaRishon.
21. “Unfaithfulness against the Lord,” since one who exits Rachamim [mercy] and suckles from the judgment causes a blemish. This is why the Merciful One will deliver us from the wicked of this world and from their blemish, since many righteous ones depart because of them, besides all that they cause above and below.