Yitro: Chapter 35

"You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery"

Synopsis

This section tells us that in specific instances killing may be prohibited or permitted, in order to kill those who transgress the law. Intercourse may be prohibited or allowed for correct reasons like procreation. The text goes on to tell how the tonal pause in each commandment allows for the possibility of prohibition or permission under certain circumstances. However, "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor" is always forbidden. "You shall not covet" is always forbidden except for the desire of the Torah. In truth, the Ten Utterances contain the essence of all celestial and terrestrial commandments, and through their engraving on the tablets of stone they were revealed to all the children of Yisrael. At that time the bodies of the children of Yisrael became lucent, with no impurity, and their souls were bright as they beheld the glory of their Master. The Holy One, blessed be He, was made known both above and below, and He was exalted over all.

565. "You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal" (Shemot 20:13-15). UNDER the word "shall not (Heb. lo)" in all three commandments, there is a tonal pause, for in the absence of this interruptive mark, harmony would be unattainable in the world. It would be forbidden to kill even one who transgresses the law. However, the presence of the pause TEACHES that in specific instances, killing may be prohibited or permitted.

565. לֹא תִּרְצַח. לֹא תִּנְאַף. לֹא תִּגְנֹב. לֹא. פָּסְקָא טַעֲמָא בְּכָל הָנֵי תְּלָת. וְאִי לָא דְּפָסְקָא טַעֲמָא, לָא הֲוֵי תִּקּוּנָא לְעָלְמִין, וִיְהֵא אָסִיר לָן לְקָטְלָא נַפְשָׁא בְּעָלְמָא, אע"ג דְּיַעֲבוֹר עַל אוֹרַיְיתָא. אֲבָל בְּמָה דְּפָסְקָא טַעֲמָא, אָסִיר, וְשָׁרֵי.

Torah

566. "You shall not commit adultery:" in the absence of this tonal pause, it would be prohibited to engage in the commandments of procreation or to enjoy marital intercourse. The inclusion of the trope INDICTATES the possibility of prohibition or permission. "You shall not steal:" in the absence of the interruptive mark, it would be forbidden to deceive one's Torah teacher or a Torah scholar in order to gaze upon him. Furthermore, it would be prohibited for a judge to trick a swindling claimant or two disputants in order to clarify the truth. However, once again the punctuation INDICTATES that it is permitted or prohibited.

566. לֹא תִּנְאַף. אִי לָאו דְּפָסְקָא טַעֲמָא, אָסִיר אֲפִילּוּ לְאוֹלָדָא, אוֹ לְמֶחֱדֵי בְּאִתְּתֵיהּ חֶדְוָה דְּמִצְוָה. וּבַמֶּה דְּפָסְקָא טַעֲמָא, אָסִיר וְשָׁרֵי. לֹֹא תִּגְנֹב. אִי לָאו דְּפָסְקָא טַעֲמָא, הֲוָה אָסִיר אֲפִילּוּ לְמִגְנַב דַּעְתָּא דְּרַבֵּיהּ בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא. אוֹ דַּעְתָּא דְּחָכָם, לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בֵּיהּ. אוֹ דַּיָּינָא דְּדָאִין דִּינָא לְפוּם טַעֲנָה, דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ לְמִגְנַב דַּעְתָּא דְּרַמָּאָה, וּלְמִגְנַב דַּעְתָּא דְּתַרְוַויְיהוּ, לְאַפָּקָא דִּינָא לִנְהוֹרָא. וּבַמֶּה דְּפָסְקָא טַעֲמָא, אָסִיר וְשָׁרֵי.

Torah

567. "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor" (Shemot 20:13). Here there is no tonal pause, indicating that this is always forbidden. The Holy One, blessed be He, has placed supernal mysteries in all the words of Torah and instructed mankind how to strive towards perfection through it, as it is written, "I am Hashem your Elohim who teaches you for your profit, who leads you by the way that you should go" (Yeshayah 48:17).

567. לֹֹא תַעֲנֶה בְרֵעֲךָ עֵד שָׁקֶר. הָכָא לָא פָּסְקָא טַעֲמָא, בְּגִין דְּאָסִיר הוּא כְּלָל כְּלָל. וּבְכָל מִילֵי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שָׁוֵי רָזִין עִלָּאִין, וְאוֹלִיף לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא אָרְחָא, לְאִתְתַּקְנָא בָּהּ, וּלְמֵהַךְ בָּהּ. כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר, אֲנִי יְיָ' אֱלֹֹהֶיךָ מְלַמֶּדְךָ לְהוֹעִיל מַדְרִיכְךָ בְּדֶרֶך תֵּלֵךְ.

Torah World to Come, The

568. Also in the commandment: "You shall not covet" (Ibid. 17), the tonal pause is absent. If you say that even desiring Torah is forbidden, due to the absence of the punctuation, come and behold, the previous prohibitions were stated in a general manner. However, specific details were stated in regards to this prohibition, as it is written, "Your neighbor's house, his field, or his manservant..." (Devarim 5:18). The prohibition extends ONLY towards material possessions, thus excluding the Torah, which is forever desirable. It is delight and eternal life in this world and the World to Come.

568. אוּף הָכִי, לֹֹא תַחְמֹד, לָא פָּסִיק טַעֲמָא כְּלָל. וְאִי תֵּימָא, אֲפִילּוּ חִמּוּדָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא אָסִיר, כֵּיוָן דְּלָא פָּסְקָא. ת"ח, בְּכֻלְּהוּ עַבְדַת אוֹרַיְיתָא כְּלָל, וּבְהַאי עַבְדַת פְּרָט. בֵּית רֵעֶךָ שָׂדֵהוּ וְעָבְדוּ וְגוֹ,' בְּכָל מִילֵי דְּעָלְמָא. אֲבָל אוֹרַיְיתָא, אִיהִי חָמוּדַת תָּדִיר, שַׁעֲשׁוּעִים, גִּנְזֵי דְּחַיֵּי, אַרְכָּא דְּיוֹמִין, בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי.

Creation Eyes Hundred Stone Tablets Ten Ten Commandments Thirteen Torah

569. The Ten Utterances of the Torah contain the essence of all celestial and terrestrial commandments, the essence of the ten sayings of Creation. They were engraved on tablets of stone and all the hidden things in them were seen by everybody's eyes, so as to conceive and behold the secret of the 613 commandments of the Torah. Everything was revealed to their eyes, through understanding, to the attentive hearts of all of Yisrael. Everything shone before their eyes.

569. הָנֵי עֲשַׂר אֲמִירָן דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, אִינּוּן כְּלָלָא דְּכָל פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא, כְּלָלָא דְּעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא, כְּלָלָא דְּכָל עֲשַׂר אֲמִירָן דִּבְרֵאשִׁית. אִלֵּין אִתְחְקָקוּ עַל לוּחֵי אֲבָנִין, וְכָל גִּנְזִין דַּהֲווֹ בְּהוּ, אִתְחָזוּן לְעֵינֵיהוֹן דְּכֹלָּא, לְמִנְדַּע וּלְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בְּרָזָא דְּתרי"ג פִּקּוּדִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא דִּכְלִילָן בְּהוּ, כֹּלָּא אִתְחָזֵי לְעַיְינִין, כֹּלָּא אִיהוּ בְּסָכְלְתָנוּ, לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בְּלִבָּא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כֻּלְּהוּ, וְכֹלָּא הֲוָה נָהִיר לְעֵינַיְיהוּ.

Creation Earth Heaven Sinai Torah

570. At that hour, all the mysteries of the Torah were revealed. No mystery of heaven and earth was held back from them, for they saw the splendor of the glory of their Master; that which has never occurred since the creation of the world, the revelation of the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, upon Mount Sinai.

570. בְּהַהוּא שַׁעֲתָא, כָּל רָזִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְכָל רָזִין עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין, לָא אַעְדֵּי מִינַיְיהוּ. בְּגִין דַּהֲווֹ חָמָאן עֵינָא בְּעֵינָא, זִיו יְקָרָא דְמָרֵיהוֹן, מַה דְּלָא הֲוָה כְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא, מִיּוֹמָא דְּאִתְבְּרֵי עָלְמָא, דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְגְּלֵי בִּיקָרֵיהּ עַל טוּרָא דְּסִינַי.

Angels Ezekiel Garments Prophets Red Sea Sinai

571. You might say that we learned that upon the crossing of the Red Sea, even a maid-servant saw more than the prophet Ezekiel - THAT IT RESEMBLED the day when Yisrael stood upon Mount Sinai. This is not so. For on this day all the dross was removed from them, and their bodies became as lucent as the angels above when they are clothed in radiant garments for the accomplishments of their Master's mission.

571. וְאִי תֵּימָא, הָא תָּנֵינָן דְּחָמָאת שִׁפְחָה עַל הַיָּם, מַה דְּלָא חָמָא יְחֶזְקֵאל נְבִיאָה, יָכוֹל כְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא דְּקָאִימוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל טוּרָא דְּסִינַי. לָאו הָכִי. בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא דְּקַיְימוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל טוּרָא דְּסִינַי, אַעְבַּר זוּהֲמָא מִנַּיְיהוּ, וְכָל גּוּפִין הֲווֹ מְצַחְצְחָן, כְּצַחְצְחָא דְּמַלְאָכִין עִלָּאִין, כַּד מִתְלַבְּשָׁן בִּלְבוּשֵׁי מְצַחְצְחָן, לְמֶעְבַּד שְׁלִיחוּתָא דְמָרֵיהוֹן.

Altar Angels Fear Fire Flame Garments Heaven Light Soul, The

572. They penetrated fire without fear wearing those radiant garments, as we have read concerning the angel who appeared to Manoach, who entered a flame and ascended to heaven, as it is written, "The angel of Hashem ascended in the flame of the altar" (Shoftim 13:20). When all the impurity was removed from Yisrael, their bodies became lucent, without any impurity whatsoever, and the souls within the bodies were as bright as the splendor of the sky, ready to receive light.

572. וּבְהַהוּא מַלְבּוּשָׁא מְצַחְצְחָא, עָאלִין לְאֶשָּׁא, וְלָא דַּחֲלִין. כְּגַוְונָא דְּהַהוּא מַלְאָכָא דְּמָנוֹחַ, כַּד אִתְחָזֵי לֵיהּ, וְעָאל בְּשַׁלְהוֹבָא, וְסָלִיק לִשְׁמַיָּא, דִּכְתִּיב, וַיַּעַל מַלְאַךְ יְיָ' בְּלַהַב הַמִּזְבֵּחַ. וְכַד אַעְבָּר מִינַיְיהוּ הַהוּא זוּהֲמָא, אִשְׁתָּאֲרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל גּוּפִין מְצוּחְצָחִין בְּלֹא טִנּוּפָא כְּלָל, וְנִשְׁמָתִין לְגוֹ כְּזוֹהֲרָא דִּרְקִיעָא, לְקַבְּלָא נְהוֹרָא.

Mount Sinai Red Sea

573. Such was the state of Yisrael when they beheld the glory of their Master. It was not thus at the Red Sea, when the filth had not yet been removed from them. There, at Mount Sinai, when impurity was removed from their bodies, even the embryos in their mother's wombs could observe their Master's glory, and everyone received according to his worth.

573. הָכִי הֲווֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל, דַּהֲווֹ חָמָאן וּמִסְתַּכְּלָן גּוֹ יְקָרָא דְמָרֵיהוֹן, מַה דְּלָא הֲוֵי הָכִי עַל יַמָּא, דְּלָא אִתְעֲבָר זוּהֲמָא מִנַּיְיהוּ בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא. וְהָכָא בְּסִינַי דְּפָסְקָא זוּהֲמָא מִגּוּפָא, אֲפִילּוּ עוּבָּרִין דְּבִמְעֵי אָמֵן, הֲווֹ חָמָאן וּמִסְתַּכְּלָן בִּיקָרֵא דְמָרֵיהוֹן. וְכֻלְּהוּ קַבִּילוּ כָּל חַד וְחַד, כַּדְקָא חֲזִי לֵיהּ.

Brit (Covenant) Covenant (Brit) Creation Earth Heaven Jeremiah Torah

574. On that day the Holy One, blessed be He, rejoiced more than on any previous day since He had created the world, for the world had no proper existence before Yisrael received the Torah, as it is written, "If my Covenant be not day and night, it is as if I had not made the ordinances of heaven and earth" (Yirmeyah 33:25).

574. וְהַהוּא יוֹמָא, הֲוָה חֶדְוָה קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, יַתִּיר מִיּוֹמָא דְּאִתְבְּרֵי עָלְמָא, בְּגִין דְּיוֹמָא דְּאִתְבְּרֵי עָלְמָא, לָא הֲוָה בְּקִיּוּמָא, עַד דְּקַבִּילוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹרַיְיתָא, דִּכְתִּיב אִם לֹֹא בְרִיתִי יוֹמָם וְלַיְלָה חֻקּוֹת שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ לֹא שַׂמְתִּי.

Earth Heaven Mount Sinai Peace Strength Torah

575. Once Yisrael received the Torah on Mount Sinai, the world was completely sweetened and heaven and earth received a proper foundation. And the Holy One, blessed be He, was made known both above and below, and He was exalted in His glory over all. Concerning that day it is written, "Hashem reigns, He is clothed with majesty, Hashem is robed, he has girded Himself with strength" (Tehilim 92:1), and "strength" is the Torah, as it is written, "Hashem gives strength to His people, Hashem blesses His people with peace" (Tehilim 29:11).

575. כֵּיוָן דְּקַבִּילוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹרַיְיתָא עַל טוּרָא דְּסִינַי, כְּדֵין אִתְבַּסַּם עָלְמָא, וְאִתְקְיָימוּ שְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְעָא, וְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדָע קב"ה עֵילָּא וְתַתָּא, וְאִסְתַּלָּק בִּיקָרֵיהּ עַל כֹּלָּא. וְעַל הַהוּא יוֹמָא כְּתִיב יְיָ' מָלַךְ גֵּאוּת לָבֵשׁ לָבֵשׁ יְיָ' עֹז הִתְאַזָּר. וְאֵין עֹז, אֶלָּא תּוֹרָה. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר יְיָ' עֹז לְעַמּוֹ יִתֵּן יְיָ' יְבָרֵךְ אֶת עַמּוֹ בַּשָׁלוֹם.

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