Mishpatim: Chapter 14

"Keep you far from a false matter"

Synopsis

The commandment is to treat the protagonists equally and be far from falsehood. This section explores the issue of 'the evil man - goodness befalls him' and 'the righteous one - evil befalls him.' Even in the evil man there is still goodness existing somewhere; perhaps he will repent and overpower his inclination. When evil befalls the righteous, it stems from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil; the Good Inclination controls him and so he is righteous, although there is evil present in him that is under domination. The perfect righteous one who has no evil inclination stems from the Tree of Life.

Echad (One) One (Echad) Tetragrammaton Yud Hei Vav Hei (YHVH)

436. "Keep you far from a false matter" (Shemot 23:7). The commandment is to treat equally the protagonists and be far from falsehood, so that no one will say there is favoritism IN THE MATTER. Regarding the Holy One, blessed be He, it is written, "Who favors no person, and takes no bribe" (Devarim 10:17). The last letter of these words equals One (Heb. echad). A judge must be like the "One"-One Yud Hei Vav Hei, without bribe, so as to be in His image.

436. מִדְּבַר שֶׁקֶר תִּרְחָק וְנָקִי וְצַדִיק אַל תַּהֲרוֹג וְגוֹ.' פִּקּוּדָא לְהַשְׁווֹת הַבַּעֲלֵי דִּינִין, וּלְהִתְרַחֵק מִדְּבַר שֶׁקֶר, דְּלָא יֵימְרוּן מַשּׂוֹא פָּנִים. דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ, אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִשָּׂא פָּנִים. וְלֹֹ"א יִקַּ"ח שֹׁחַ"ד, בְּסוֹפֵי תֵּיבוֹת אֶחָד. הַאי דַּיָּין, צָרִיךְ לְמֶהֱוֵי כְּגַוְונָא דְּאֶחָד, דְּאִיהוּ יְדֹוָ"ד אֶחָד, דְּלָא יִקַּח שֹׁחַד, דִּיהֵא אִיהוּ בְּדִיּוּקְנֵיהּ.

Deeds Judgment

437. So in judgment, one should treat both protagonists the same, and not bend the law to favor one over the other, but give them similar importance, until they receive judgment. Later each is judged according to his deeds.

437. וּבְדִינָא לְהַשְׁווֹת תַּרְוַויְיהוּ כְּאֶחָד, וְלָא יַטֶּה דִּינָא לְדָא יַתִּיר מִן דָּא, אֶלָּא בְּתִקְלָא חַד, עַד דִּיקַבְּלוֹן דִּינָא. וּלְבָתַר, כָּל חַד אִתְּדָן, כְּפוּם עוֹבָדוֹי.

Evil Evil Inclination Good Inclination Judgment Mishnah Righteous Torah Tree Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil Tree of Life Zeir Anpin

438. The masters of the Mishnah have established that the righteous one is judged by the Good Inclination, and the evil man by the Evil Inclination. The intermediate man is judged by both. The one who stems from the Tree of Life, WHICH IS DRAWN FROM ZEIR ANPIN, has no Judgment at all, no Evil Inclination. Such is the perfect righteous one, 'the righteous-goodness befalls him,' and goodness means only the Torah, as it is written, "For I give you a good doctrine, forsake not My Torah" (Mishlei 4:2). 'The righteous one - evil befalls him,' stems from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, DENOTING MALCHUT. Why is he called righteous if he has evil, which is the Evil Inclination, REFERRED TO AS EVIL? The answer is that the Good Inclination controls him and so he is a righteous man even though there is evil present which is under domination.

438. וְאוּקְמוּהָ מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין, צַדִּיק יֵצֶר הַטּוֹב שׁוֹפְטוֹ. רָשָׁע, יֵצֶר הָרָע שׁוֹפְטוֹ. בֵּינוֹנִי, זֶה וְזֶה שׁוֹפְטוֹ. מַאן דְּאִיהוּ מֵאִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי, לֵית לֵיהּ דִּינָא כְּלָל, לֵית לֵיהּ יֵצֶר הָרָע, וְדָא צַדִּיק גָּמוּר, וְדָא צַדִּיק וְטוֹב לוֹ. וְלֵית טוֹב, אֶלָּא תּוֹרָה. הה"ד, כִּי לֶקַח טוֹב נָתַתִּי לָכֶם תּוֹרָתִי אַל תַּעֲזוֹבוּ. וְצַדִיק וְרָע לוֹ, מִסִּטְרָא דְּעֵץ הַדַּעַת טוֹב וָרָע. וַאֲמַאי אִתְקְרֵי צַדִּיק בָּתַר דְּרַע לוֹ, דְּאִיהוּ יֵצֶר הָרָע. אֶלָּא, בְּגִין דְּטוֹב שַׁלִּיט עָלֵיהּ, אִתְקְרֵי צַדִּיק וְרָע לוֹ. דְּהַהוּא רָע אִיהוּ תְּחוֹת רְשׁוּתֵיהּ.

Crowns Dust Evil Evil Inclination Head Punishment Repentance Righteous Torah

439. HE ASKS, 'The wicked-goodness befalls him,' REFERS TO TORAH THAT IS CALLED 'GOOD,' AS MENTIONED. IF SO, why is he called 'evil?' HE ANSWERS, He is at the head of his Evil Inclination. Goodness is under his control, like a servant serving under his master. Even though the evil one crowns the righteous, and the perfect righteous can punish him, "Neither is it good to punish an innocent man (lit. 'the righteous')" (Mishlei 17:26); because of that goodness that still exists beneath the feet of the evil man, perhaps he will repent and overpower his inclination, and THE EVIL INCLINATION will become as dust beneath his feet.

439. רָשָׁע וְטוֹב לוֹ, אֲמַאי אִתְקְרֵי רָשָׁע. בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ אִסְתַּלָּק לְמֶהֱוֵי רֵישָׁא יצה"ר דִּילֵיהּ, וְטוֹב אִיהוּ תְּחוֹת רְשׁוּתֵיהּ, כְּעַבְדָּא תְּחוֹת רַבֵּיהּ. וְאע"ג דְּרָשָׁע אִיהוּ מַכְתִּיר אֶת הַצַּדִּיק, וְיָכִיל צַדִּיק גָּמוּר לְאַעְנָשָׁא לֵיהּ, גַּם עֲנוֹשׁ לַצַּדִיק לֹא טוֹב, בְּגִין הַהוּא טוֹב דְּאִיהוּ תְּחוֹת רַגְלוֹי דְּרָשָׁע, לֵית לְאַעְנָשָׁא לֵיהּ, דְּאוּלַי יַחֲזוֹר בִּתְשׁוּבָה וְיִתְגַּבֵּר עַל יִצְרֵיהּ, וִיהֵא עָפָר תְּחוֹת רַגְלוֹי.

Death Death and the Afterlife Evil Evil Inclination Female Foreigner Male Shechinah

440. From the aspect of, 'the evil man-goodness befalls him,' the Shechinah lies, AS THE VERSE SAYS, "and uncovered his feet, and laid herself down" (Rut 3:7). This is in essence, "and a handmaid that is heir to her mistress" (Mishlei 30:23). The maid is considered the female of the Evil Inclination. The Evil Inclination is male, and so it says, "And My glory will I not give to another" (Yeshayah 42:8), and it says, "And the stranger that comes near shall be put to death" (Bemidbar 1:51). FOR THE EVIL INCLINATION IS CALLED 'ANOTHER' AND 'A STRANGER.'

440. דְּמִסְטְרָא דְּרָשָׁע וְטוֹב לוֹ, שְׁכִינְתָּא שְׁכִיבַת, וַתְּגַל מַרְגְּלוֹתָיו וַתִּשְׁכָּב. הַאי אִיהוּ וְשִׁפְחָה כִּי תִירַשׁ גְּבִירְתָּהּ. שִׁפְחָה, יֵצֶר הָרָע נוּקְבָּא. יֵצֶר הָרָע, דְּכַר. בְּגִינֵיהּ אִתְּמַר, וּכְבוֹדִי לְאַחֵר לֹא אֶתֵּן. וְהַזָּר הַקָּרֵב יוּמָת.

Crowns Evil Evil Inclination Foreigner Head Righteous Shechinah

441. From the aspect of, 'the righteous-evil befalls him,' the Shechinah here is like a crown on the head of man. The maid, the Evil Inclination, is subjugated beneath Her mistress. From the standpoint of the perfect righteous, there is neither a stranger, nor an Evil Inclination here. From the aspect of the completely evil man, he has no part with the Shechinah because man can only have a share in the Shechinah from the Good Side.

441. וּמִסִּטְרָא דְּצַדִּיק וְרָע לוֹ, שְׁכִינְתָּא אִיהִי עֲטָּרָה עַל רֵישָׁא דְּבַר נָשׁ, וְשִׁפְחָה יֵצֶר הָרָע, אִתְכַּפְיָיא תְּחוֹת גְּבִירְתָּהּ. וּמִסִּטְרָא דְּצַדִּיק גָּמוּר, לֵית זָר, וְלֵית יֵצֶר הָרָע. וּמִסִּטְרָא דְּרָשָׁע גָּמוּר, לֵית לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא בִּשְׁכִינְתָּא, דְּלֵית חוּלָקָא לְב"נ בִּשְׁכִינְתָּא, אֶלָּא מִסִּטְרָא דְּטוֹב.

Atzilut Body Briyah Evil Matron Shechinah Throne Tree Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil Tree of Life Worlds Zeir Anpin

442. Not all of the Shechinah is the same. The Shechinah of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil is considered a throne, SITUATED IN THE WORLD OF BRIYAH OR 'BODY OF MAN.' But of the Shechinah of the Tree of Life, BEING THE WORLD OF ATZILUT, it is written, "Nor shall evil dwell with You" (Tehilim 5:4). But since it is written, "And His kingdom rules over all" (Tehilim 103:19), one who causes a defect in Her site, IN BRIYAH OR 'BODY OF MAN,' is considered as one who causes dishonor in the Matron herself, IN ATZILUT. Dishonor of the Matron is considered of one who cheapens Her in Her abode. Dishonor of the Matron is equivalent to disgrace of the King, ZEIR ANPIN, AND RESULTS IN DISGRACE TO ZEIR ANPIN.

442. וְלֵית כָּל שְׁכִינְתָּא שְׁקִילִין, דְּהָא שְׁכִינְתָּא דְּאִילָנָא דְּטוֹב וָרָע, אִיהוּ כֻּרְסְיָיא, אֲבָל שְׁכִינְתָּא דְּאִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי, עָלָהּ אִתְּמַר, לֹא יְגוּרְךָ רָע. אֲבָל בְּגִין דְּאִתְּמַר בָּהּ, וּמַלְכוּתוֹ בַּכֹּל מָשָׁלָה, מַאן דְּפָגִים אֲתָר דִּילָהּ, אִתְחֲשִׁיב כְּאִילּוּ עָבִיד בְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא קְלָנָא. דְּקָלָנָא דְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא אִיהוּ, מַאן דִּמְזַלְזֵל בְּאַתְרָהָא. וּקְלָנָא דְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא, דְּמַלְכָּא אִיהוּ.

Briyah Matron Repentance Sin Worlds

443. Even more so for the one who causes Her to move from Her position IN BRIYAH, and appoints the maid in Her stead, for wherever he dishonors Her, the Matron does not abide, but rather the maid, who is defected and dwells in a defected place. The defect of man due to his sins causes defects to all his limbs to the extent that the Matron finds no place to dwell. There is no remedy for him until he returns Her all his limbs, MEANING HE REPENTS HIS SINS.

443. כָּל שֶׁכֵּן מַאן דְּאַעְבַּר לָהּ מֵאַתְרָהָא, וְשַׁוֵּי שִׁפְחָה בְּאַתְרָהָא. דִּבְכָל אֲתָר דְּאִיהוּ פָּגִים, מַטְרוֹנִיתָא לָא שַׁרְיָא תַּמָּן, אֶלָּא שִׁפְחָה, דְּאִיהִי פְּגִימָא, שַׁרְיָא בַּאֲתָר פָּגִים. וּפְגִימוּ דְּבַר נָשׁ דְּחוֹבוֹי, פָּגִים בְּכָל אֵבָרִין דִּילֵיהּ, עַד דְּלָא אַשְׁכָּחַת מַטְרוֹנִיתָא אֲתָר לְשַׁרְיָא תַּמָּן. וְלֵית לֵיהּ תִּקּוּנָא עַד דְּיַחֲזִיר לָהּ עַל כָּל אֵבָרִין דִּילֵיהּ.

Precepts Shechinah Shepherd

444. The Holy Luminary, RABBI SHIMON, said, Faithful Shepherd, you therefore make ready, with this composition of 248 precepts, the means to coronate the Holy One, blessed be He, upon all the limbs of the Shechinah, in each and every precept, and you are not concerned about your honor. Happy is your lot! As you coronate the Holy One, blessed be He, over the limbs of the Shechinah - that are the men of virtue of all Yisrael, inasmuch as the men of virtue are the Shechinah's limbs - so does the Holy One, blessed be He, cause His name to dwell upon you and coronate you over the upper and lower encampments.

444. אָמַר בּוּצִינָא קַדִּישָׁא, רַעְיָא מְהֵימָנָא, בְּגִין דָּא, אַנְתְּ מְתַקֵּן, בְּחִבּוּרָא דָּא, דְּרמ"ח פִּקּוּדִין. לְאַמְלְכָא לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַל כָּל אֵבָרִים דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא, בְּכָל פִּקּוּדָא וּפִקּוּדָא, וְלֵית אַנְתְּ חָיִישׁ לִיקָרָךְ. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקָךְ, דִּכְגַוְונָא דְּאַנְתְּ מַמְלִיךְ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּכָל אֵבָרִים דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא, דְּאִינּוּן בַּעֲלֵי מִדּוֹת, דְּכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל. מָארֵי מִדּוֹת אִינּוּן אֵבָרִיָם דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא, הָכִי עָבֵיד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְשַׁרְיָא שְׁמֵיהּ עָלָךְ, וְיַמְלְכִינָךְ, עַל כָּל מַשְׁרְיָין עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין.

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