133. He commenced: "For Hashem knows the way of the righteous; but the way of the wicked shall perish" (Tehilim 1:6). HE QUESTIONS: What is meant by, "Hashem knows?" AND HE ANSWERS: It means that the Holy One, blessed be He, knows and looks after the way of the righteous to benefit them and defend them, and He walks before them to guard them. Therefore, whoever sets a course needs to see to it that this course is the way of the Holy One, blessed be He, so that THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, will participate with him. For this reason, it is written: "For Hashem knows the way of the righteous: but the way of the wicked shall perish." IT PERISHES on its own, since the Holy One, blessed be He, does not make Himself known to their way, and does not go with them.

134. HE QUESTIONS: SOMETIMES it is written, "a way," AND SOMETIMES, "a path." What is the difference between them? AND HE ANSWERS: "A way," implies a way that all the feet of people tread. "A path" is a recently opened path AND HAS NOT BEEN TRODDEN LONG BY MANY PEOPLE. About this path does the verse say, "But the path of just men is like the gleam of sunlight, that shines ever more brightly, until the height of noonday" (Misheli 4:18).