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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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).
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."
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.