296. Because of this, all those that are not marked in their flesh with the holy impression, MEANING THEY ARE NOT CIRCUMCISED, are not His people. They are not OF THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE. It is apparent that they stem from the direction of impurity and it is prohibited to fraternize with them and speak with them regarding matters of the Holy One, blessed be He. It is prohibited to relate words of Torah to them, as the entire Torah is the name of the Holy One, blessed be He. Every letter of the Torah is connected with the Holy Name; THEREFORE, ANYONE whose flesh is not marked with the holy impression must not be informed of Torah words, and one must not study with him.
296. וּבְגִּינֵי כַּךְ, כָּל אִינּוּן דְּלָא רְשִׁימִין בִּרְשִׁימוּ קַדִּישָׁא בִּבְשָׂרֵיהוֹן לָאו אִינּוּן דִּילֵיהּ, וְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָן דְּכֻלְּהוּ מִסִּטְרָא דִּמְסָאֲבוּתָא אַתְיָין, וְאָסִיר לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בְּהוּ, וּלְאִשְׁתָּעֵי בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ, בְּמִלּוֹי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְאָסִיר לְאוֹדָעָא לְהוּ מִלֵּי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, בְּגִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא כֻּלָּא שְׁמָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְכָל אָת דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, מִתְקַשְּׁרָא בִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא. וְכָל מַאן דְּלָא אִתְרְשִׁים בִּרְשִׁימָא קַדִּישָׁא בִּבְשָׂרֵיהּ, אָסִיר לְאוֹדָעָא לֵיהּ מִלָּה דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא. וכ"ש לְאִשְׁתַּדְּלָא בֵּיהּ.
297. Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion saying, "This is the ordinance of the Pesach: no stranger shall eat of it" (Shemot 12:43). It is also written, "But every man's servant..." (Ibid. 44) and "a foreign and a hired servant shall not eat of it" (Ibid. 45). If something like eating the pascal lamb is forbidden to the uncircumcised just because it hints at a holy matter - MEANING BECAUSE "HASHEM WILL PASS OVER THE DOOR..." (IBID. 23) - then how much more should the Torah, which is the Holy of Holies, the sublime name of the Holy One, blessed be He, be forbidden to them.
297. ר"ש פָּתַח, זֺאת חֻקַּת הַפָּסַח כָּל בֶּן נֵכָר לֹא יֺאכַל בּוֹ, וּכְתִיב וְכָל עֶבֶד אִישׁ וְגוֹ.' וּכְתִיב תּוֹשָׁב וְשָׂכִיר לֹא יֺאכַל בּוֹ. וּמַה פִּסְחָא דְּאִיהוּ בִּשְׂרָא לְמֵיכְלָא, עַל דְּאִתְרְמִיז בְּמִלָּה קַדִּישָׁא, אָסִיר לְכָל הָנֵי לְמֵיכַל בֵּיהּ, וּלְמֵיהַב לְהוּ לְמֵיכַל, עַד דְּאִתְגְּזָרוּ. אוֹרַיְיתָא דְּהִיא קֺדֶשׁ קֳדָשִׁים שְׁמָא עִלָּאָה דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, עאכ"ו.
300. HE QUESTIONS: What does the verse mean IN THE WORDS, "HIS STATUTES AND HIS JUDGMENTS (LIT. 'JUSTICES') TO YISRAEL?" HE ANSWERED: everyone who is circumcised and marked with the Holy Name is passed on with the revealed words of the Torah. He is informed generally of basic matters in brief, and has placed upon him the very strict CARE of the commandments of the Torah, and not more until he is elevated to another level. This is what the verse says, "He declares His word to Jacob," but "His statutes and His Judgments (lit. 'justices') to Yisrael" is a higher level, as it is written, "Your name shall not be called any more Jacob..." (Beresheet 35:10). THUS, ISRAEL IS MORE ESTEEMED THAN JACOB. THEREFORE, it is written, "His statutes and His Judgments (lit. 'justices') to Israel." These are the secrets of the Torah, the statutes of the Torah and the hidden parts of the Torah, which are not revealed except to one who finds himself to be on a more lofty level, as is proper.
300. מַאי קָא מַיְירֵי. אֶלָא כָּל מָאן דְּאִתְגְּזַר וְאִתְרְשִׁים בִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא, יָהֲבִין לֵיהּ בְּאִינּוּן מִלִּין דְּאִתְגַּלְּיָין בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, כְּלוֹמַר, מוֹדִיעִין לֵיהּ בְּרֵישֵׁי אַתְוָון, בְּרֵישֵׁי פִּרְקִין, יָהֲבִין עָלֵיהּ חוּמְרָא דְּפִקוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא, וְלָא יַתִּיר, עַד דְּיִסְתָּלַק בְּדַרְגָּא אָחֳרָא, הה"ד מַגִּיד דְּבָרָיו לְיַעֲקֺב. אֲבָל חֻקָּיו וּמִשְׁפָּטָיו לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּאִיהוּ בְּדַרְגָּא עִלָּאָה יַתִּיר. וּכְתִיב לֹא יִקָּרֵא שִׁמְךָ עוֹד יַעֲקֺב וְגוֹ.' חֻקָּיו וּמִשְׁפָּטָיו לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, אִלֵּין רָזֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא וְנִמּוּסֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא, וְסִתְרֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא, דְּלָא יִצְטָרְכוּן לְגַלָּאָה אֶלָּא לְמַאן דְּאִיהוּ בְּדַרְגָּא עִלָּאָה יַתִּיר כַּדְקָא חֲזֵי.
301. If it is so to Yisrael, THAT TORAH IS NOT TO BE REVEALED BUT TO ONE WHO IS IN THE UPPER LEVEL, it is all the more so with the idolatrous nations. If one gives to all those who are uncircumcised even a single letter of the Torah, it is considered as if he devastated the world and was false to the name of the Holy One, blessed be He. It is all dependent upon this, CIRCUMCISION. One is bound to the other, TORAH IS CONNECTED TO CIRCUMCISION, as it is written, "If My covenant be not day and night, it were as if I had not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth" (Yirmeyah 33:25).
301. וּמַה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל הַאי, לְעַמִּין עע"ז עאכ"ו, וְכָל מַאן דְּלָא אִתְגְּזַר וְיָהֲבִין לֵיהּ אֲפִילּוּ אָת זְעֵירָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, כְּאִלּוּ חָרִיב עָלְמָא, וּמְשַׁקֵּר בִּשְׁמָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּכֺלָּא בְּהַאי תַּלְיָא, וְדָא אִתְקְשַׁר, דִּכְתִּיב אִם לֹא בְרִיתִי יוֹמָם וָלָיְלָה חֻקּוֹת שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ לֹא שָׂמְתִּי.
302. Come and see: It is written, "And this is the Torah which Moses set before the children of Yisrael" (Devarim 4:44). "Before the children of Yisrael" he set it, but not before the other nations, so for this reason, speak to the children of Yisrael. "You shall say to the children of Yisrael" (Vayikra 20:2), and it is so in all places, ONLY TO YISRAEL. May they rest, the fathers of the world, Hillel and Shamai, who spoke so to Onkelos, but they did not reveal Torah topics to him until he was circumcised.
302. תָּא חֲזֵי, כְּתִיב וְזֺאת הַתּוֹרָה אֲשֶׁר שָׂם מֺשֶׁה לִפְנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. לִפְנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שָׂם, אַבָל לִשְׁאָר עַמִּין לָא שָׂם. בְּג"כ דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְאֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל תֺּאמַר. וְכֵן כֻּלְּהוּ. יְנוּחוּן אֲבָהָן דְּעָלְמָא, אִינּוּן הִלֵל וְשַׁמָּאי, דְּהָכִי אָמְרוּ לְאוּנְקְלוּס, וְלָא אוֹדְעוּ לֵיהּ מִלָּה דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא עַד דְּאִתְגְּזַר.
305. For this reason, the Torah, THE SECRET OF ZEIR ANPIN, is the sustenance of everything and the Faith of all to bind the bond of Faith, NAMELY MALCHUT, one with another properly. He who is circumcised is bound with that bond of Faith, but he who is not circumcised is not bound with it, as it is written, "No stranger shall eat of the holy thing" (Vayikra 22:10) and "for no uncircumcised man shall eat of it" (Shemot 12:48). The spirit of defilement is stirred up from him and it comes to intermingle with holiness. Blessed is the Merciful One who set apart His children, Yisrael, who are marked with the holy impression, from them and their filth. About them, it is written, "And I had planted you a noble vine, an entirely right seed" (Yirmeyah 2:21). For this reason, IT IS WRITTEN, "You will show truth to Jacob" (Michah 7:20) and to no one else, a true Torah to a true seed. Rabbi Elazar approached and kissed him on his hands.
305. בְּגִינֵי כַּךְ, אוֹרַיְיתָא קִיוּמָא דְּכֺלָּא, וּמְהֵימְנוּתָא דְּכֺלָּא, לְקַשְּׁרָא קִשְׁרָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא דָּא בְּדָא כַּדְקָא חֲזֵי. וּמַאן דְּאִתְגְּזַר, אִתְקָשַׁר בְּהַהוּא קִשְׁרָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא. וּמַאן דְּלָא אִתְגְּזַר, וְלָא אִתְקְשַׁר בֵּיהּ, כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ, וְכָל זָר לֹא יֺאכַל קֺדֶשׁ. וְכָל עָרֵל לֹא יֺאכַל בּוֹ. דְּהָא אִתְּעַר רוּחַ מִסְאֲבָא דְּמִסִּטְרֵיהּ, וְאָתֵי לְאִתְעָרְבָא בִּקְדוּשָּׁה. בְּרִיךְ רַחֲמָנָא, דְּפָרִישׁ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּנוֹי, רְשִׁימִין בִּרְשִׁימָא קַדִּישָׁא, מִנַּיְיהוּ וּמִזוּהֲמָא דִּלְהוֹן. עָלַיְיהוּ כְּתִיב, וְאָנֺכִי נְטַעְתִּיךְ שׂוֹרֵק כֻּלֺּה זֶרַע אֱמֶת. וּבְגִּינֵי כַּךְ, תִּתֵּן אֱמֶת לְיַעֲקֺב, וְלָא לְאָחֳרָא. תּוֹרַת אֱמֶת, לְזֶרַע אֱמֶת. אָתָא רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וּנְשָׁקֵיהּ עַל יְדוֹי.
307. We have learned that the Torah is called "covenant." The Holy One, blessed be He, is called covenant and this holy mark, MEANING CIRCUMCISION, is called "covenant." So they are all intertwined and not apart one from another. Rabbi Yesa said to him that Torah and Yisrael ARE CALLED COVENANT, and that is fine. But how do we know that the Holy One, blessed be He, is called covenant? He replied: Because it is written, "And He remembered for them His covenant" (Tehilim 106:45) and it is well known THAT THE SECRET OF IT IS YESOD, as we have learned.
307. תָּאנָא, אוֹרַיְיתָא אִקְרֵי בְּרִית, וקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִקְרֵי בְּרִית. וְהַאי רְשִׁימָא קַדִּישָׁא אִקְרֵי בְּרִית. וְעַל דָּא כֺּלָּא אִתְקְשַׁר דָּא בְּדָא, וְלָא אִתְפְּרַשׁ דָּא מִן דָּא. אָ"ל ר' יֵיסָא, אוֹרַיְיתָא וְיִשְׂרָאֵל שַׁפִּיר אֲבָל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְנָלָן דְּאִקְרֵי בְּרִית. אָ"ל דִּכְתִּיב וַיִּזְכּוֹר לָהֶם בְּרִיתוֹ, וְהָא אִתְיְידַע, וְהָא אִתְּמַר.
309. It is later written, "He has not dealt so with any other nation" (Ibid. 20). We have learned that even though he was circumcised, if he does not perform the commandments of the Torah he is to be considered an idolater throughout. It is thus forbidden to teach him the words of the Torah. We have learned that "you will make Me an altar of stone" (Shemot 20:22). This, CIRCUMCISION, is considered literally an altar of stone, MEANING IT SOFTENS HIS STONE HEART, but for he WHO IS CIRCUMCISED YET DOES NOT OBSERVE THE COMMANDMENTS OF THE TORAH, the hardness of his heart remains as is and the filth does not cease from him. For this reason, the circumcision did not succeed nor did it help him. Therefore, it is written, "For if you lift up your tool upon it, you have defiled it" (Ibid.). THIS MEANS THAT EVEN THOUGH YOU RAISED YOUR SWORD UPON IT, MEANING IF ONE IS CIRCUMCISED, YET DOES NOT OBSERVE THE COMMANDMENTS, "YOU HAVE DEFILED IT" - THE CIRCUMCISION BECOMES DEFILED AND IS TO NO AVAIL. THUS, IT IS PROHIBITED TO TEACH HIM TORAH.
309. בַּתְרֵיהּ מַה כְּתִיב, לֹא עָשָׂה כֵן לְכָל גּוֹי. וְתָנֵינָן, אע"ג דְּאִתְגְּזַר וְלָא עָבֵיד פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא, הֲרֵי הוּא כְּגוֹי בְּכֺלָּא, וְאָסִיר לְמֵילַף לֵיהּ פִּתְגָּמֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא. וְעַ"ד תָּנֵינָן מִזְבַּח אֲבָנִים, דָּא מִזְבֵּחַ אֲבָנִים מַמָּשׁ. וְהָא קַשְׁיוּ דְּלִבֵּיהּ בְּאַתְרֵיהּ קַיְּימָא, וְזוּהֲמָא לָא אִתְפְּסָק מִנֵיהּ. בְּגִינֵי כַּךְ, לָא סָלִיק בִּידֵיהּ הַהוּא גְּזִירוּ, וְלָא מְהַנְיָא לֵיהּ. וְעַ"ד כְּתִיב, כִּי חַרְבְּךָ הֵנַפְתָּ עָלֶיהָ וַתְּחַלְלֶהָ.
310. For this reason, "He has not dealt so with any other nation." "NATION," is unspecified, INCLUDING ALSO HIM THAT IS CIRCUMCISED YET DOES NOT PERFORM THE PRECEPTS. "And as for His ordinances they have not known them" forever and ever. Another interpretation, MEANING ACCORDING TO THE LITERAL MEANING OF THE TORAH AND THE PRECEPTS, we do not hand to them, and surely not the esoteric explanations of Torah and the ordinances of Torah. It is written, "For Hashem's portion is His people; Jacob is the lot of His inheritance" (Devarim 32:9) and "Happy is that people, that is in such a case: happy is that people, whose Elohim is Hashem" (Tehilim 144:15).
310. בְּגִינֵי כַּךְ, לֹא עָשָׂה כֵן לְכָל גּוֹי סְתָם. וּמִשְׁפָּטִים בַּל יְדָעוּם לְעָלַם וּלְעָלְמֵי עָלְמִין. מִלָּה אָחֳרָא, לָא יַהֲבֵינָן לְהוּ, כ"ש רָזֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא, וְנִמוּסִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא. וּכְתִיב, כִּי חֵלֶק יְיָ' עַמּוֹ יַעֲקֺב חֶבֶל נַחֲלָתוֹ, אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם שֶׁכָּכָה לּוֹ אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם שֶׁיְיָ' אֱלֺֹהָיו.