Kedoshim: Chapter 15

"Nor put a stumbling block before the blind"

Synopsis

We are told that the title verse is referring to someone who curses a person behind their back; that evil speech ascends and prosecutes the speaker. Every word that people speak ascends and has a consequence. Also, one must not cause another to sin. Anyone who walks in the righteous path of Torah earns a share in the World to Come, since the words of Torah that he speaks ascend very high and are taken higher and higher. We learn the consequences for one who does not study the Torah in a pure way, and of someone who wants to learn Torah but cannot find a good teacher.

Blind Blood Curse Deaf

89. After him, Rabbi Chiya recited the verse: "You shall not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind" (Vayikra 19:14). This verse has a literal meaning, yet we learned some other SUPERNAL matters connected one to the other from this whole portion. EVERY BRANCH BELOW SHOWS IT HAS A ROOT ON HIGH. Come and behold: one who curses another who stands before him, and shames him, it is considered as if he shed his blood. We established that. This verse IS SPEAKING OF THE TIME the other one is not before him and he curses him. This speech ascends AND PROSECUTES HIM.

89. ר' חִיָּיא פָּתַח וְאָמַר קְרָא אֲבַתְרֵיהּ, לֹא תְּקַלֵּל חֵרֵשׁ וְלִפְנֵי עִוֵּר וְגוֹ,' הַאי קְרָא כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ. אֲבָל פַּרְשְׁתָּא דָּא כֹּלָּא, אוֹלִיפְנָא מִינָּהּ מִלִּין אָחֳרָנִין, וְכֻלְּהוּ תַּלְיָין דָּא בְּדָא. ת"ח, מַאן דְּלָיִיט לְחַבְרֵיהּ, וְאִיהוּ קַמֵּיהּ, וְאַכְסִיף לֵיהּ, כְּאִלּוּ אוֹשִׁיד דָּמֵיהּ, וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא. וְהַאי קְרָא, דְּלָאו חַבְרֵיהּ עִמֵּיהּ, וְהוּא לָיִיט לֵיהּ, הַהִיא מִלָּה סַלְּקָא.

Abyss Angels

90. There is not a word that emits from man that has no sound. That sound ascends. Numerous destructive angels are joined with this sound until it ascends and awakens the place of the great abyss, THE SEAT OF THE KLIPOT, as we explained. Many OF THEM are roused against this person TO PUNISH HIM. Woe to one that emits harmful speech from his mouth. That we established.

90. דְּלֵית לָךְ מִלָּה וּמִלָּה דְּנָפִיק מִפּוּמֵיהּ, דְּלָא אִית לֵיהּ קָלָא, הַהוּא קָלָא סָלִיק לְעֵילָּא, וְכַמָּה קַסְטְרִין מִתְחַבְּרָן עִמֵּיהּ דְּהַהוּא קָלָא, עַד דְּסַלְּקָא וְאִתְּעַר אֲתַר דִּתְהוֹמָא רַבָּא, כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ וְכַמָּה מִתְעָרִין עָלֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא ב"נ. וַוי לְמַאן דְּאַפִּיק מִלָּה בִּישָׁא מִפּוּמֵיהּ, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ.

Blind Grades Sin World to Come, The

91. "Nor put a stumbling block before the blind," literally. We explained this to mean one who causes another to sin. So too, when one strikes his grown son, ALSO, "nor put a stumbling block before the blind," MEANING one who has not yet reached the level to render Halachic decisions, yet teaches it, as it is written: "For she has cast down many wounded: and many strong men have been slain by her" (Mishlei 7:26). This person transgressed against, "nor put a stumbling block before the blind," because he caused the other to stumble on an obstacle WITH HIS RENDERING THE LAW, before the World to Come.

91. וְלִפְנֵי עִוֵּר לֹא תִתֵּן מִכְשׁוֹל, כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ. וְאוּקְמוּהָ, בְּמַאן דְּגָרִים לְאָחֳרָא לְמֶחֱטֵי. וְכֵן מַאן דְּמָחֵי לִבְרֵיהּ רַבָּא. וְלִפְנֵי עִוֵּר לֹא תִתֵּן וְגוֹ,' בְּמַאן דְּלָא מָטָא לְהוֹרָאָה וְאוֹרֵי, דִּכְתִּיב כִּי רַבִּים חֲלָלִים הִפִּילָה וַעֲצוּמִים כָּל הֲרוּגֶיהָ. וְהַאי אַעְבָּר, מִשּׁוּם וְלִפְנֵי עִוֵּר לֹא תִתֵּן מִכְשׁוֹל, בְּגִין דְּאַכְשִׁיל לֵיהּ לְחַבְרֵיהּ לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי.

Angels Crowns Eden Flow Light Righteous Rivers Torah Tree World to Come, The Zeir Anpin

92. We learned that one who walks in the righteous path of Torah and toils in Torah properly earns for himself a permanent good share in the World to Come, since the word of Torah emanating from his mouth flies in the world and ascends very high. Many holy ANGELS on high join with this word, and it rises in the straight way, adorned with a holy crown. And it washes itself in the river of the World to Come, BINAH, that flows and exits from Eden, DENOTING CHOCHMAH, and is accepted by it, and is drawn within. The supernal tree, NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN, takes pleasure from around that river - MEANING THAT IT CAUSES ZEIR ANPIN TO RECEIVE THE ILLUMINATION OF THE RIVER FROM BINAH. Then the supernal light exits, and it adorns that person all that day, as we learned.

92. דְּתָנֵינָן מַאן דְּאָזִיל בְּאוֹרַח מֵישַׁר בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וּמַאן דְּאִשְׁתְּדַל בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא כַּדְקָא יָאוּת, אִית לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא טָבָא תָּדִיר לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי. דְּהַהִיא מִלָּה דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא דְּאַפִּיק מִפּוּמֵיהּ, אַזְלָא וְשָׁאֲטָא בְּעָלְמָא, וְסַלְּקָא לְעֵילָּא. וְכַמָּה עִלָּאִין קַדִּישִׁין מִתְחַבְּרָאן בְּהַהִיא מִלָּה, וְסַלְּקָא בְּאוֹרַח מֵישָׁר, וְאִתְעַטָּר בְּעִטְרָא קַדִּישָׁא, וְאִסְתֲּחֵי בְּנַהֲרָא דְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק מֵעֵדֶן, וְאִתְקַבַּל בֵּיהּ, וְאִשְׁתְּאַב בְּגַוֵיהּ, וְאִתְעַנָּג סוֹחֲרָנֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא נַהֲרָא, אִילָנָא עִלָּאָה. וּכְדֵין נָגִיד וְנָפִיק נְהוֹרָא עִלָּאָה וְאִתְעַטָּר בֵּיהּ בְּהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ כָּל יוֹמָא, כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר.

Blind Fear Righteous Torah

93. When he who toils in Torah does not do so in a pure or righteous way, that word rises and turns off the path. Nothing joins it; all push it out and it flies around the world without finding a haven. Who caused this? That person who turned off from the straight path. As it is written, "nor put a stumbling block before the blind," MEANING DO NOT PLACE AN OBSTACLE BEFORE WORDS OF TORAH THAT EMANATE FROM HIS MOUTH. For this reason, it is written, "but shall fear your Elohim: I am Hashem" (Leviticus 19:4).

93. וּמַאן דְּלָעֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְלָא אִשְׁתָּדַּל בָּהּ בְּאוֹרַח קְשׁוֹט, וּבְאוֹרַח מֵישָׁר. הַהוּא מִלָּה סַלְּקָא, וְסָטֵי אוֹרְחִין, וְלֵית מַאן דְּיִתְחַבָּר בָּהּ, וְכֹלָּא דַּחְיָּין לָהּ לְבַר, וְאָזִיל וְשָׁאט בְּעָלְמָא וְלָא יִשְׁכַּח אֲתַר. מַאן גָּרִים לֵיהּ הַאי. הַהוּא דְּסַאטֵי לֵיהּ מֵאוֹרַח מֵישָׁר, הה"ד וְלִפְנֵי עִוֵּר לֹא תִתֵּן מִכְשׁוֹל. וּבְגִּינֵי כַּךְ כְּתִיב, וְיָרֵאתָ מֵּאֱלֹהֶיךָ אֲנִי יְיָ.'

Lights Love Streams Torah

94. And there is the situation of one who has the yearning to toil in Torah, but cannot find someone to teach him. Yet, with his love of Torah, he speaks of it and stammers with it, as he does not know better. Each word ascends and the Holy One, blessed be He, rejoices with that word, receives it, plants it around that stream, DENOTING BINAH and from these are made large trees, MEANING GREAT LIGHTS, called 'the willows of the streams.' This is the meaning of the verse, "and be you ravished always with her love..." (Mishlei 5:19).

94. וּמַאן דְּתִיאוּבְתֵּיה לְמִלְעֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְלָא אַשְׁכַּח מַאן דְּיוֹלִיף לֵיהּ, וְהוּא בִּרְחִימוּתָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, לָעֵי בָּהּ, וּמְגַּמְגֵּם בָּהּ, בְּגִמְגוּמָא דְּלָא יָדַע. כָּל מִלָּה וּמִלָּה סַלְּקָא, וקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא חַדֵּי בְּהַהִיא מִלָּה, וְקַבִּיל לָהּ, וְנָטַע לָהּ סָחֲרָנֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא נַחֲלָא, וְאִתְעָבֵידוּ מֵאִלֵּין מִלִּין אִילָנִין רַבְרְבִין, וְאִקְרוּן עַרְבֵי נַחַל, הה"ד בְּאַהֲבָתָהּ תִּשְׁגֶּה תָמִיד.

David Mochin Soul, The Torah Tree Tree of Life Zeir Anpin

95. And King David said: "Teach me the way, Hashem; I will walk in Your truth" (Tehilim 86:11), and, "and lead me in an even path, because of my enemies" (Tehilim 27:11). Fortunate are those who know the ways of Torah and toil in it in a straight path, for they plant trees of life above - MEANING THEY DRAW MOCHIN TO ZEIR ANPIN, CALLED 'THE TREE OF LIFE,' a healing TO THE SOUL. For this reason, it is written: "The Torah of truth was in his mouth" (Malachi 2:6). HE QUESTIONS: Is there an untruthful Torah? AND HE ANSWERS: Yes, like we said, if someone, who knows not teaches HALACHIC INSTRUCTIONS, this is untruthful. One who learns from him learns something untruthful. Of this, it is written: "The Torah of truth was in his mouth."

95. וְדָוִד מַלְכָּא אָמַר, הוֹרֵנִי יְיָ' דַּרְכֶּךָ אֲהַלֵךְ בַּאֲמִתֶּךָ. וּכְתִיב וּנְחֵנִי בְּאֹרַח מִישׁוֹר לְמַעַן שׁוֹרְרָי. זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן דְּיַדְעִין אוֹרְחוֹי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וּמִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בָּהּ בְּאֹרַח מֵישָׁר, דְּאִינּוּן נַטְעִין אִילָנִין דְּחַיִּין לְעֵילָּא, דְּכֻלְּהוּ אַסוּותָא. וּבְגִין כַּךְ כְּתִיב, תּוֹרַת אֱמֶת הָיְתָה בְּפִיהוּ. וְכִי אִית תּוֹרָה דְּלָאו אִיהִי אֱמֶת. אִין כְּגַוְונָא דְּאַמָרָן, דְּאוֹרֵי מַאן דְּלָא יָדַע, וְלָאו אִיהוּ קְשׁוֹט וְהַהוּא דְּאוֹלִיף מִלָּה מִינֵיהּ, אוֹלִיף מִלָּה דְּלָאו אִיהוּ אֱמֶת. וּבְגִּינֵי כַּךְ כְּתִיב, תּוֹרַת אֱמֶת הָיְתָה בְּפִיהוּ.

Precepts Torah

96. With all this, one needs to learn Torah from all people, even from one who does not know, since through this he will be aroused in Torah and come to learn from someone who does know. Later, it will turn out that he walked in Torah in a true way. Come and behold: a person should toil in Torah and precepts even if not for its own sake, for studying not for its own sake will lead to studying for its own sake.

96. ועכ"ד, מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְמֵילַף מִלֵּי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא מִכָּל ב"נ, אֲפִילּוּ מִמַּאן דְּלָא יָדַע. בְּגִין דע"ד יִתְּעַר בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְיֵיתֵי לְמֵילַף מִמַּאן דְּיָדַע, וּלְבָתַר אִשְׁתְּכַח, דְּאָזִיל בָּהּ בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא בְּאֹרַח קְשׁוֹט. ת"ח, יִשְׁתְּדַל בַּר נָשׁ בְּעָלְמָא בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא וּפִקּוּדוֹי, אֲפִילּוּ דְּלָא עָבֵיד לִשְׁמָהּ, דְּמִתּוֹךְ שֶׁלֹּא לִשְׁמָהּ בָּא לִשְׁמָהּ.

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