3
1 Trustworthy is the dvar Emes: if anyone aspires to the congregational office of Mashgiach Ruchani (Spiritual Overseer) over the Adat Hashem(Congregation of G-d), he desires a good task. 2 It is necessary, therefore, for the congregational Mashgiach Ruchani to be without reproach, ba'al isha echat (a one woman man/master),* drug-free and clear-headed, a man of seichel, practiced in derech eretz and hachnosas orchim (hospitality), skillful as a rabbinic moreh (yeshiva teacher), 3 Not a shikkor (drunkard) indulging in much wine, not violent but forbearing and eidel (gentle, courteous), not a ba'al machlokes (quarrelsome person), not a gelt-loving kamtzan (miser). 4 He must be a ba'al bayit who can manage his own household well, having his banim (children) in submission with all respect. 5 Now if anyone does not have da'as of how to manage his own bais, how will he be a menahel ruchani (spiritual administrator) who can give oversight to the Kehillah of Hashem? 6 He must not be a neophyte in the emunah [of Moshiach], lest, having become a ba'al gaavah (a haughty person), he might fall into the din HaSatan (the judgment or verdict of the Adversary, the Accuser). 7 Now it is necessary also for him to have a keter shem tov (good name) with the outsiders, lest he might fall into reproach and a pakh (pitfall, trap) of HaSatan.
8 Messianic Shammashim similarly must be respectable men of derech eretz, not double-tongued, the Shammash not a shikkor (drunkard) indulging in much wine, not a lover of dishonest gain, 9 Keeping the sod haemunah (the mystery of the faith) with a clear matzpun†(conscience). 10 And let these Messianic Shammashim also be tested before holding office and then, if they prove unreprovable, let them have the avodas hakodesh sherut (ministry) of Messianic Shammashim. 11 Nashim‡(women) serving as Shammashim similarly must be tzidkaniyot (righteous women), respectable, not yentas with mouths of lashon hora and rekhilus (gossip), but nashim who are temperate and faithful in all things. 12 Let the Shammashim be ba'alei isha achat (one wife husbands), managing well their banim and their own batim (households). 13 For the ones having served well in the avodas hakodesh of Messianic Shammashim acquire for themselves a good standing and much bitachon in emunah in Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua.
14 I have the tikvah to come to you soon, but I am writing these directives so that, 15 If I delay, you may have da'as of the halachah in the Beis Hashem, which is the Adat HaEl Chai (the Community of the Living G-d), the ammud (pillar) and yesod (foundation) of HaEmes. 16 And confessedly great is the sod of chasidus:§
Elokim was manifested in basar,
was vindicated* by the Ruach HaKodesh,
was seen by malachim,
was proclaimed among the Nations,
was believed on in the world,
was taken up in kavod.
* 3:2 See 1Sm 2:22-25, i.e., kedushah and tahorah characterized by heterosexuality, exclusivity, and fidelity † 3:9 1:5,19 ‡ 3:11 see Ro 16:1 § 3:16 see 1Ti 3:9 * 3:16 proven just