Vayikra: Chapter 29

"If a soul shall sin"

Synopsis

Rabbi Yosi says that before the soul is born, God advises it with promises and punishments so that it will observe His commandments. When the soul is in the body and it sins, the Torah wonders how this can be. Rabbi Yosi and Rabbi Elazar agree that the soul must repent of its sins before the time comes to die. Rabbi Shimon says that anyone who forgets the words of the Torah or refuses to study it acts as though he has forgotten God altogether.

Fear Sin Soul, The

207. "If a soul shall sin" (Vayikra 4:2): Rabbi Yosi opened the discussion saying, "Before the day cools, and the shadows flee away..." (Shir Hashirim 2:17). How much should men fear sinning, so as not to sin before their Master! For every day a crier comes forth and declares: people, waken your hearts before the Holy King, arise to beware of your sins, rouse the holy soul He placed in you, out of the supernal holy place.

207. נֶפֶשׁ כִּי תֶחֱטָא. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי פָּתַח, עַד שֶׁיָּפוּחַ הַיּוֹם וְנָסוּ הַצְּלָלִים וְגוֹ,' כַּמָה אִית לְהוּ לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא לְאִזְדַּהֲרָא מֵחוֹבֵיהוֹן, דְּלָא לְמֶחֱטֵי קָמֵי מָארֵיהוֹן, דְּהָא בְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא כָּרוֹזָא נָפִיק וְקָארֵי, אַתְּעֲרוּ בְּנֵי עָלְמָא לִבַּיְיכוּ לְקָמֵי מַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא. אַתְּעֲרוּ לְאִזְדַּהֲרָא מֵחוֹבַיְיכוּ. אַתְּעֲרוּ נִשְׁמְתָא קַדִּישָׁא דְּיָהַב בְּגַּוַויְיכוּ מֵאֲתַר קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה.

Crowns Garments Precepts Soul, The Torah

208. We learned that when the Holy One, blessed be He, takes out the soul to bring it down amongst men, He advises it with many promises and many punishments, so that it will observe His precepts. Furthermore, He passes it through a thousand and eight worlds, to have delight and see in them the honor of those who study the Torah. It stands before the King with a precious garment of a worldly shape. With a precious supernal garment, it daily beholds the King's glory and He adorns it with many crowns.

208. דְּתָנֵינָן, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַפִּיק נִשְׁמְתָא לְנַחְתָּא בִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא, אַסְהִיד בָּהּ בְּכַמָּה יִעוּדִין, בְּכַמָּה קַסְטוֹרִין, בְּגִין לְנַטְרָא פִּקּוּדוֹי. וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא דְּאַעְבָּר לָהּ בַּאֲלַף וּתְמַנְיָא עָלְמִין לְאִשְׁתַּעְשְׁעָא, וּלְמֶחֱמֵי בְּהוּ יְקָרָא דְּאִינּוּן דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא. וְקַיְּימָא קָמֵי מַלְכָּא בִּלְבוּשׁ יְקָר, בְּדִיּוּקְנָא דְּהַאי עָלְמָא, בִּלְבוּשׁ יְקָר עִלָּאָה אִסְתְּכָּלַת בִּיקָרָא דְּמַלְכָּא כָּל יוֹמָא, וְאַעְטַּר לָהּ בְּכַמָּה עִטְרִין.

Body Crowns Darkness Garden of Eden Righteous Seven Sin Soul, The Torah

209. When the time comes to descend into this world, it fixes its abode in the Garden of Eden for thirty days to behold the preciousness of the Master of the righteous. It then rises to its place above. Afterwards, it descends into the world. The Holy King adorns it with seven crowns and it then comes into a man's body. When it is in a man's body and sins in this world and is occupied with darkness, the Torah then wonders at it and says, why, with all this glory and perfection with which the most high King perfected the soul, does it sin before Him? "If a soul shall sin." Wherefore does it sin?

209. בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּמָטֵי זִמְנָא לְנַחְתָּא לְעָלְמָא, עַבְדַת מָדוֹרָהָא בְּגִנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן דְּאַרְעָא תְּלָתִין יוֹמִין, לְמֵחֱמֵי יְקָרָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא, וְסַלְּקָא לְאַתְרָהָא לְעֵילָּא, וּבָתַר דָּא נַחְתַּת לְעָלְמָא, אַעְטָּר לָהּ מַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא, בִּשְׁבַע עִטְרִין, עַד דְּאָתַת וְעָאלַת בְּגוֹ גּוּפָא דְּב"נ. וְכַד אִיהִי בְּגוּפָא דְּב"נ, וְחָבַת בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, וְאִשְׁתַּדְּלַת בַּחֲשׁוֹכָהָא. אוֹרַיְיתָא תַּוְוהָא עָלָה, וְאַמְרַת, וּמַה כָּל יְקָרָא דָּא, וְכָל אַשְׁלְמוּתָא אַשְׁלִים לְנַפְשָׁתָא מַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה, וְהִיא חָבָאָת קָמֵיהּ, נֶפֶשׁ כִּי תֶחֱטָא, מַה דִּין הוּא דְּתֶחֱטָא.

Death and the Afterlife Judgment Purification Sin Soul, The

210. Rabbi Yosi said, "If a soul shall sin." Let us return to the verse: "Before the day cools." This is advice to the soul to beware of its sins and return to be cleansed "before the day cools" of this world. Then that harsh day will come when the King will demand to execute Judgment and take it out of this world. "And the shadows flee away:" It is a secret among the friends, who say that when a man's time comes to leave this world, the man's image leaves him. Hence, it says, "Before the day cools," before the day passes and leaves this world "and the shadows (Heb. tzelalim) flee away," as the image (Heb. tzelem) departs to return before its Master.

210. אָמַר ר' יוֹסֵי, נֶפֶשׁ כִּי תֶחֱטָא אַהֲדַרְנָא לִקְּרָא עַד שֶׁיָּפוּחַ הַיּוֹם, עֵיטָא לְהַאי נֶפֶשׁ לְאִזְדַּהֲרָא מֵחוֹבָהָא, וְתִיתוּב לְאִתְדַכְּאָה, עַד שֶׁיָּפוּחַ הַיּוֹם, עַד שֶׁלֹא יָפוּחַ יוֹמָא דְּהַאי עָלְמָא, וְיֵיתֵי הַהוּא יוֹמָא תַּקִּיפָא, דְּיִתְבַּע לָהּ מַלְכָּא דִּינָא, לְנָפְקָא מֵהַאי עָלְמָא. וְנָסוּ הַצְּלָלִים, דָּא הוּא רָזָא בֵּין חַבְרַיָּיא דְּקָא אַמְרֵי, דִּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּמָטֵי זִמְנָא דְּב"נ לְנָפְקָא מִן עָלְמָא, צוּלְמָא דְּבַר נָשׁ אִתְעַבָּר מִנֵּיהּ, הה"ד עַד שֶׁיָּפוּחַ הַיּוֹם, עַד דְּלָא יִנְשׁוֹף יוֹמָא לְנָפְקָא מֵהַאי עָלְמָא. וְנָסוּ הַצְּלָלִים, דְּאִתְעֲבָר צוּלְמָא, יְתוּב קָמֵי מָארֵיהּ.

Repentance

211. Rabbi Elazar said, Man has two images (Heb. tzelamim) when he is alive, one big and the other small, as it written "shadows (Heb. tzelalim)" IN THE PLURAL, THE LEAST OF WHICH IS two. When they are together, man is alive. It is therefore written, "And the shadows flee away." It behooves a man then to examine his actions, and to rectify them before his Master and confess them, for the Holy One, blessed be He, is called merciful and gracious and accepts them who repent before Him.

211. רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר, תְּרֵין צוּלְמִין אִית לֵיהּ לב"נ כַּד אִיהוּ בְּקִיּוּמֵיהּ, חַד רַבְרְבָא, וְחַד זְעֵירָא, דִּכְתִּיב הַצְּלָלִים, תְּרֵי. וְכַד מִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי כַּחֲדָא, כְּדֵין הוּא ב"נ בְּקִיּוּמֵיהּ. וְעַל דָּא, וְנָסוּ הַצְּלָלִים כְּתִיב. כְּדֵין בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בְּעוֹבָדוֹי, וּלְתַקְּנָא לוֹן קָמֵי מָארֵיהּ, וְיוֹדֵי עָלַיְיהוּ. בְּגִין דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִקְרֵי רַחוּם וְחַנּוּן, וּמְקַבֵּל לְאִינּוּן דְּתָבִין קָמֵיהּ.

Evil Repentance Solomon

212. This continues "until the day cools and the shadows flee away." When these shadows depart from him and he is put in chains AND ABOUT TO DIE, it is considered repentance as well IF HE THEN REPENTS, but not as good as repentance he does when alive. King Solomon declares, "Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come..." (Kohelet 12:1).

212. וְדָא הוּא עַד שֶׁיָּפוּחַ הַיּוֹם וְנָסוּ הַצְּלָלִים, דְּכֵיוָן דְּאִינּוּן צְלָלִים מִתְעַבְּרָן מִנֵּיהּ, וְאִיהוּ תָּפִיס בְּקוֹלָרָא, תְּשׁוּבָה הִיא אֲבָל לָא מְעַלְיָא כ"כ כְּזִמְנָא דְּקָאֵים אִיהוּ בְּקִיּוּמֵיהּ. וּשְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא אַכְרִיז וְאָמַר, וּזְכוֹר אֶת בּוֹרְאֶךָ בִּימֵי בְּחוּרוֹתֶיךָ עַד אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָבֹאוּ יְמֵי הָרָעָה וְגוֹ.'

Deeds Oath Precepts Sin Soul, The

213. Therefore, "before the day cools" it behooves man to make good his deeds, for when his time comes to depart from the world, the Holy One, blessed be He, wonders at him and says, "If a soul shall sin and hear the voice of adjuration" (Vayikra 5:1). I have made it swear by oath in My name that it will not be false to Me, and warned it when it descended into the world. "And is a witness" (Ibid.), for several times I admonished it to keep My precepts. Hence, since a man is a witness when he returns before the King, "whether he has seen or known of it" (Ibid.), "whether he has seen" the sins he committed and looked at them, "or known" clearly that he transgressed his Master's command, "if he does not utter" (Ibid.) and confess before his Master, when he departs from the world, THEN "he shall bear his iniquity" (Ibid.). When he bears his iniquity, how will an opening be opened to him and how shall he stand up before his Master?! It is therefore written, "If a soul shall sin."

213. וְעַ"ד עַד שֶׁיָּפוּחַ הַיּוֹם, דְּבָעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְאַתְקְנָא עוֹבָדוֹי. דְּכַד מָטוּן יוֹמוֹי לְאִסְתַּלְּקָא מִן עָלְמָא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא תּוֹהֵא עָלֵיהּ, וְאוֹמֵר, וְנֶפֶשׁ כִּי תֶחֱטָא וְשָׁמְעָה קוֹל אָלָה, וְהָא אוֹמֵינָא לָהּ בְּאוֹמָאָה דִּשְׁמִי דְּלָא לְשַׁקְּרָא בִּי, וְאַסְהֲדִית בָּהּ כַּד נַחְתַּת לְעָלְמָא, וְהוּא עֵד וַדַּאי, מִכַּמָּה זִמְנִין דְּאַסְהֲדִית בָּהּ, לְנַטְרָא פִּקּוּדָי. בְּגִין כַּךְ הוֹאִיל וב"נ הוּא עֵד, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּיֵתוּב קָמֵי מַלְכָּא, אוֹ רָאָה אוֹ יָדָע. אוֹ רָאָה, אִינּוּן חוֹבִין דְּעָבֵד וְאִסְתְּכַּל בְּהוּ. אוֹ יָדָע בְּבִירוּרָא דְּמִלָּה דְּעָבַר עָל פִּקּוּדָא דְּמָארֵיהּ, אִם לֹא יַגִּיד, אִם לָא יוֹדֵי עָלַיְיהוּ קָמֵי מָארֵיהּ כַּד יִפּוּק מֵהַאי עָלְמָא, וְנָשָׂא עֲוֹנוֹ. וְכַד יִשָּׂא עֲוֹנוֹ, הֵיאַךְ פַּתְחִין לֵיהּ פִּתְחָא, וְהֵיאַךְ יְקוּם קָמֵי מָארֵיהּ, וְעַל דָּא נֶפֶשׁ כִּי תֶחֱטָא כְּתִיב.

Brit (Covenant) Covenant (Brit) Judgment Sin Soul, The Torah Zot (This, Fem.)

214. "If a soul shall sin." Rabbi Aba opened the discussion with the verse: "All this is come on us, yet we have not forgotten You, nor have we been false to Your covenant" (Tehilim 44:18). "All this is come on us:" HE ASKS, Why didn't it say 'All these are come,' INSTEAD OF 'COME' IN THE FEMININE SINGULAR? HE ANSWERS, All the Judgments above INCLUDED IN "ZOT (LIT. 'THIS' FEM.)" have come on us; NAMELY, IT SAYS "ALL THIS (HEB. ZOT)" BECAUSE "ZOT" IS MALCHUT, WHICH INCLUDES ALL THE UPPER JUDGMENTS. SCRIPTURE THEREFORE SAYS, "IS COME" IN THE FEMININE. "Yet we have not forgotten You;" NAMELY, we have not forgotten the words of Your Torah. From this, we learned that he who forgets the words of the Torah and refuses to study it, it is as if he forgot the Holy One, blessed be He, as the whole Torah is the name of the Holy One, blessed be He.

214. נֶפֶשׁ כִּי תֶחֱטָא. רִבִּי אַבָּא פָּתַח, כָּל זֹאת בָּאַתְנוּ וְלֹא שְׁכַחֲנוּךָ וְלֹא שִׁקַּרְנוּ בִּבְרִיתֶךָ. כָּל זֹאת בָּאַתְנוּ, כָּל אֵלּוּ בָּאוּ עָלֵינוּ מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ. אֶלָּא כָּל דִּינִין דִּלְעֵילָּא אָתוּ עֲלָנָא. וְלָא שְׁכַחֲנוּךָ, וְלָא אַנְשֵׁינָא מִילּוּלֵי אוֹרַיְיתָךְ. מִכָּאן אוֹלִיפְנָא, כָּל מַאן דְּאַנְשֵׁי מִלּוּלֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא, וְלָא בָּעֵי לְמִלְעֵי בָּהּ, כְּאִלּוּ אַנְשֵׁי לקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּהָא אוֹרַיְיתָא כֻּלָּהּ שְׁמָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הֲוֵי.

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