לשון הרע אמרו רבותינו ז"ל (ערכין דף י"ד ע"ב) שקשה מעבודה זרה גלוי עריות ושפיכות דמים שהן החמורות מכל העברות, ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (שם ט"ו ע"ב) כל המספר לשון הרע כופר בעיקר כמו שכתוב (תהלים י"ב ה') אשר אמרו ללשוננו נגביר שפתינו אתנו מי אדון לנו:
Evil speech is a quality about which our sages, of blessed memory, stated,523Talmud Bavli, Arachin 16b; Mishneh Torah, Hilchot De’ot 7:3 “There are three transgressions that bring retribution against the one who perpetrates them in this world and disinherit him from a share in the coming world. These are idolatry, forbidden relations, and murder, but evil speech outweighs them all.” Our sages, of blessed memory, also stated,524Talmud Bavli, Arachin 15b “Whoever speaks with an evil tongue denies the fundamental principle of the existence of HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He, as written,525Psalms 12:5 ‘Those who said, ‘Because of our tongues we shall prevail, our lips are with us, who is master over us?’’”
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רכילות הורג שלשה ושקול כשפיכות דמים ואינו נכנס בגן עדן, כמו שכתוב (תהלים ט"ו א') מי יגור באהליך וגו' לא רגל על לשונו. והנה דואג האדומי אביר הרועים ראש הסנהדרין, מפני הרכילות נטרד מן העולם הבא ונכרת בחצי ימיו וגרם הריגת אנשי נוב עיר הכהנים ומיתת שאול ובניו ובני ביתו:
Gossip kills three people and is equal to murder, and on account of it, one is barred from entry into the Garden of Eden. This is as written,526Psalms 15:1 “HaShem-יהו״ה, who may sojourn in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your Holy Mountain? One who walks in perfect innocence and does what is right, and who speaks the truth from his heart; who has no gossip on his tongue etc.” We see that Doeg the Edomite was one of the mighty shepherds of Israel and the head of the Sanhedrin.527Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 106b However, because of his gossip he was excised from the coming world, was killed having lived only half his days, and caused the people of Nov, the city of the Priests, to be killed, as well as the death of Shaul and his household.
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הלבנת פנים, ומכנה שם רע לחבירו, והמתכבד בקלון חבירו, יורדין לגיהנם ואינם עולים ואין להם חלק לעולם הבא: והם בכלל לא תרצח, כמו שאמרו רבותינו ז"ל בפרק הזהב (ב"מ דף נ"ח ע"ב) במערבא במאי זהירי טפי, באזיל סומקא ואתי חורא:
Causing embarrassment, calling one’s fellow by a negative nickname and glorying in the downfall one’s fellow cause a person to descend to purgatory and never ascend, having no share in the coming world. These are included in the commandment,528Exodus 20:13 “You shall not murder.” This is as our sages, of blessed memory, taught,529Talmud Bavli, Bava Metziya 58b “Whoever humiliates another in public, it is as though he is spilling his blood. Over what mitzvah are they particularly vigilant in the West?530The land of Israel In refraining from causing the color to leave a person’s face, so that his face becomes pale.”
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ליצנות היא אחת מארבע כתות שאינם מקבלות פני שכינה, ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (עבודה זרה דף י"ח ע"ב) כל המתלוצץ נופל בגיהנם, ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (אבות פ"ג משנה ב') אפילו ישב בטל הרי זה מושב לצים וכמו שכתוב (תהלים א' א') אשרי האיש אשר לא הלך בעצת רשעים ובמושב לצים לא ישב וסמיך ליה כי אם בתורת ה' חפצו וגו', מה כתיב בתריה והיה כעץ שתול על פלגי מים וגו' לא כן הרשעים וגו',
Levity is one of the four classes of traits that prevent a person from receiving the countenance of the Indwelling Presence of HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He – the Shechinah.531Talmud Bavli, Sotah 42a Our sages, of blessed memory, stated,532Talmud Bavli, Avodah Zarah 18b “Whoever acts with levity falls into purgatory (Gehinnom).” Likewise, our sages, of blessed memory, stated533Mishnah Avot 3:2 that even if a person sits idly and not engaging in Torah study, it is considered as if he is sitting with the frivolous who have contempt for Torah, as it states,534Psalms 1:1 “Praiseworthy is the man who did not walk in the counsel of the wicked and did not stand in the path of the sinful and did not sit in the gathering of the frivolous.” The very next verse continues and states,535Psalms 1:2 “But his desire is in the Torah of HaShem-יהו״ה, and in His Torah he meditates day and night.” It continues,536Psalms 1:3-4 “He shall be like a tree planted alongside brooks of water, that yields its fruit in its season and whose leaf never withers; and everything that he does will succeed. Not so the wicked; Rather they are like the chaff that the wind drives away etc.”
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ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (אבות פ"ו משנה ב') בכל יום בת קול יוצאת ואומרת אוי להם לבריות מעלבונה של תורה שכל מי שאינו עוסק בתורה נקרא נזוף, רצונו לומר מנודה לשמים. ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (סנהדרין דף ל"ט ע"ב) כי דבר ה' בזה וגו' (במדבר ט"ו ל"א) הכרת תכרת הנפש ההיא וגו', רבי נחמיה אומר זה כל מי שאפשר לו לעסוק בתורה ואינו עוסק, ואמר רב כל הפורש מדברי תורה ועוסק בדברי שיחה אש אוכלתו, וכל מי שמרפה עצמו מדברי תורה נופל בגיהנם ומאכילים אותו גחלי רתמים שנאמר (איוב פרקל' ד') הקוטפים מלוח עלי שיח, ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (אבות פ"ג מ"ה) המפנה לבו לבטלה הרי זה מתחיב בנפשו שנאמר (דברים ד' ט') רק השמר לך וגו':
Our sages, of blessed memory, stated,537Mishnah Avot 6 “Every day, a Heavenly voice (Bat Kol) goes forth from Mount Chorev and proclaims, ‘Woe to the creatures for their contempt of Torah.’ For, whosoever does not occupy himself in the study of Torah is called censured-Nazuf, meaning excommunicated from Heaven. Our sages, of blessed memory, stated,538Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 99b; Yalkut Shimoni Remez 749 “The following verse applies to such a person,539Numbers 15:31 ‘For he had contempt the word of HaShem-יהו״ה and violated His commandment, that soul shall surely be cut off – his sin is upon him.’ Rabbi Nechemiah says: This refers to anyone who is able to engage in Torah study but fails to do so.” Similarly,540Talmud Bavli, Bava Batra 79a “Rav said: “Whoever excuses himself from studying the words of Torah, a fire consumes him.” Likewise, our sages, of blessed memory, stated,541Talmud Bavli, Chagigah 12b; Ketubot 111b; Brachot 63a and elsewhere. “Whoever weakens or stops his study of words of Torah to engage in idle chatter, will be fed the hot coals of a Juniper tree, as written,542Job 30:3 ‘They pluck saltwort and the leaves of wormwood and the roots of the Juniper tree is their bread.’” Our sages, of blessed memory, likewise stated,543Mishnah Avot 3:4 “One who turns his heart to idle matters is mortally guilty,” as written,544Deuteronomy 4:9 “Only beware for yourself and greatly beware for your soul, lest you forget the words545The word “Dvarim-דברים” is generally translated as “things” but also means “words” and in the above verse refers to the words of Torah and the Ten Commandments (which are called (Exodus 34:28) “Aseret HaDvarim-עשרת הדברים”), as stated in the continuing verse (Deuteronomy 4:10), “The day that you stood before HaShem-יהו״ה, your God, at Chorev.” that your eyes have beheld and lest you remove them from your heart all the days of your life etc.”
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ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (סנהדרין דף ז' ע"א) אין תחלת דינו של אדם אלא על דברי תורה שנאמר (משלי י"ז י"ד) פוטר מים ראשית מדון, וכתיב (יהושע א' ח') והגית בו יומם ולילה כי אז תצליח את דרכך ואז תשכיל, וכל רגע, שעה, ויום שאדם בטל מדברי תורה עליו נאמר (קהלת א' ט"ו) וחסרון לא יוכל להמנות,
Our sages, of blessed memory, stated,546Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 7a “The beginning of a person’s judgment is that he is judged only concerning the study of Torah, as written,547Proverbs 17:14 ‘Exemption from waters is the beginning of judgment.’”548The term “release-Poter-פוטר” here means that he exempts himself from the waters, which refers to Torah study. The term “Madon-מדון” which means “strife,” is also of the root “judgement-Din-דין” as the Talmud here indicates. Thus, the verse is understood to mean, “Excusing oneself from the waters of Torah study is the beginning of judgment.” (See Rashi to Talmud Bavli, Kiddushin 40b.) Similarly, it is written,549Joshua 1:8 “This Book of the Torah shall not leave from your mouth; you shall contemplate it day and night, so that you may guard yourself to do according to all that is written in it; for then your way will be successful, and then you will be wise.” About each moment, hour or day that a person is idle from studying the words of Torah, it is written,550Ecclesiastes 1:15 (See Rashi) “Crookedness that cannot be straightened, lacking that is incalculable.”
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ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (פאה פ"א משנה א') אלו דברים שאדם עושה אותם אוכל מפירותיהם בעולם הזה והקרן קימת לו לעולם הבא וכו' ותלמוד תורה כנגד כולם, ולא עוד אלא שהעוסק בתלמוד תורה פטור מכל המצות שהיא שקולה ככל המצות:
On the other hand, our sages, of blessed memory, stated,551Mishnah Pe’ah 1:1 “These are the things, the fruits of which a person enjoys in this world, while the principle remains for the coming world; honoring one’s father and mother, doing deeds of kindness, early attendance in the house of study morning and evening, welcoming guests, visiting the sick, dowering a bride, escorting the dead, concentration in prayer, bringing peace between man and his fellow and between husband and wife. But the study of Torah is equal to them all.” Moreover, whoever is engaged in Torah study is exempt from all the commandments, since it equals all the commandments.552Talmud Bavli, Sukkah 25a-26b; Brachot 11a, 16a; Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Ishut (Laws of Marriage) 15:2, and elsewhere.
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ותנא דבי אליהו זכור לטוב (עבודה זרה דף ה' ע"ב) אשרי אדם שמשים עצמו כשור לעול וכחמור למשאוי ויושב וקורא ושונה בתורה בכל יום תמיד ומיד רוח הקודש שורה עליו, ואם היושב בטל נענש כל כך, קל וחומר למי שמתלוצץ ממש:
It was taught in the school of Eliyahu, who is remembered for good,553Tanna d’Bei Eliyahu Zuta, Ch. 1; Talmud Bavli, Avodah Zarah 5b “Happy is the man who subjugates himself to Torah study, like an ox to a yoke and like a donkey to a burden, sitting and studying and reviewing Torah every day constantly. The Holy Spirit (Ru’ach HaKodesh) will immediately rest upon him.” If this is the case, that when a person sits idly he is punished to such a great degree, then how much greater is the punishment of a person who actually behaves with levity and disdain toward Torah.
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שיחה בטלה גורמת לידי עבירות גדולות, כי הרי אפילו ישב בטל הרי זה מושב לצים ונענש ענשים גדולים, כנזכר לעיל בענין הליצנות, מכל שכן השח שיחות בטילות בפועל, ולא עוד שמביא לידי לשון הרע ורכילות וליצנות ומספר בגנות חבירו:
Idle chatter leads to very great sins. For, even when he merely sits idly it is considered as though he sits with the frivolous who have contempt for Torah, and he is punished with very great punishments, as we mentioned before regarding the matter of levity and mockery. This being so, how much more is this true of one who actually engages in empty chatter. Moreover, this brings him to come to speak badly of others, to gossip, slander and mock others.
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ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (יומא דף י"ט ע"ב) השח שיחה בטלה עובר בעשה שנאמר (דברים ו' ז') ודברת בם, ואמרו על רבן יוחנן בן זכאי (סוכה דף כ"ח ע"א) ועל רב (רמב"ם פרק ב' מהלכות הלכה ט') שמימיהם לא שחו שיחת חולין, ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (אבות פ"א מי"ז) לא מצאתי לגוף טוב אלא שתיקה, וכתיב (מיכה ג' כ"ח) ישב בדד וידום יתן בעפר פיהו, וכתיב (משלי י"ח כ"א) מות וחיים ביד לשון, ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (אבות פ"ג מי"ג) סיג לחכמה שתיקה, ואמר שלמה (קהלת ה' א') אל תבהל על פיך ולבך אל ימהר להוציא דבר לפני האלהים כי האלהים בשמים ואתה על הארץ על כן יהיו דבריך מעטים:
Our sages, of blessed memory, stated,554Talmud Bavli, Yoma 19b “One who engages in idle chatter violates a positive commandment, as written,555Deuteronomy 6:7 ‘You shall speak of them,’ referring to words of Torah, rather than other matters.” It was said about Rabbi Yochanan ben Zachai,556Talmud Bavli, Sukkah 28a that in all his days he never engaged in idle conversation. Our sages, of blessed memory, likewise coined this adage,557Talmud Bavli, Megillah 18a “If a word is worth one sela, silence is worth two.” Similarly, our sages, of blessed memory, stated,558Mishnah Avot 1:17 “In all my days I grew up among the sages and I found nothing better for a person than silence.” It is written,559Lamentations 3:28 “Let one sit in solitude and be silent,” and it states,560Proverbs 18:21 “Death and life are in the hands of the tongue.” Our sages, of blessed memory, also said,561Mishnah Avot 3:13 “The guardrail of wisdom is silence.” King Solomon said,562Ecclesiastes 5:1 “Be not rash with your mouth, and let not your heart be hasty in uttering a word before God; for God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.”
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ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (חולין דף פ"ט) האמנם אלם צדק תדברון (תהילים נ״ח:ב׳) מה אומנותו של אדם בעולם הזה ישים עצמו אלם, ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (חגיגה כ"ג ע"א) רבי כד הוה מטי להאי קרא הוה בכי (עמוס ד׳:י״ג) כי הנה יוצר הרים ובורא רוח ומגיד לאדם מה שיחו, אפילו שיחה קלה שאדם משיח עם אשתו ואפילו דברים שאין בהם ממש הם נכתבים על פנקסו של אדם וקוראים לפניו בשעת מיתתו:
Our sages, of blessed memory, stated,563Talmud Bavli, Chullin 89a “The verse states,564Psalms 58:2 ‘Is there truly (HaUmnam-האמנם) silence (Eilem-אלם) when you should be speaking righteousness?’ That is, in what skill (Umanut-אמנות) should a person toil in this world? He should toil in making himself as if he is mute (Eelem-אלם).” Similarly, our sages, of blessed memory, stated,565Talmud Bavli, Chagigah 23a “When the Master would read the following verse, he would cry. The verse states,566Amos 4:13 ‘For behold, He Who forms the mountains and creates the wind, and declares to man what is his speech.’ This even includes the lighthearted and frivolous speech between a man and his wife before engaging in relations. Even if they are completely insignificant, they nevertheless written into a person’s ledger and read before him at the time of his death.”
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ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל שתיקתו של אדם מביאתו לידי ענוה, והענוה היא ראש ליראת שמים, ובשעה שאינו עוסק בתורה יהיה דומם ומדביק שפתותיו זו לזו כשתי ריחים ששוכבות זו על זו מפני שצדקותיו וזכיותיו של אדם כולם אינם מספיקות במה שיוציא בשפתיו, אשרי מי שישים עצמו אלם וחרש חגר וסומא, וכל כך למה כדי שלא יחטא ויחייב עצמו ואת איבריו לגיהנם, וכן דוד הוא אומר (תהלים ל"א י"א) ואני כחרש לא אשמע וכאלם לא יפתח פיו:
Our sages, of blessed memory, stated,567Mishnah Sotah 9:15; Also see Tanchuma Vayeitze 6; Tzava’at HaRivash, translated as The Way of The Baal Shem Tov, Ch. 49. “One’s silence leads to humility,” and humility the chief quality that leads to fear of Heaven.568Talmud Bavli, Avodah Zarah 20b Thus, when engaging in the study of Torah, he should be silent and glue his lips together, like two millstones that sit upon each other. This is because all the righteousness and meritoriousness a person accrues are insufficient from saving him from what comes out of his lips. Happy is he who makes himself as if mute and like a deaf person, like a cripple and one who is blind! Why is it imperative to take such great care? So that he should not come to sin and obligate himself and his limbs, thus condemning himself to purgatory (Gehinnom). Similarly, King David said,569Psalms 38:14 “I am like a deaf man, I do not hear, like a mute who does not open his mouth.”
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ובספר הזוהר (ח"ב נ"ט ע"א) לית לך הבל דלית ליה קלא, וכל אנון מלין דאשתדל בהו בר נש דלאו אינון לפלחנא דקודשא בריך הוא ההיא מלה אתעביד מנה הבל ושטאת בעלמא, וכד נפקא נשמתיה ההוא הבל מגלגלא ליה בעלמא, ודא איהו (שמואל א כ״ה:כ״ט) ואת נפש אויביך יקלענה בתוך כף הקלע, ואמרו שם (ח"ג קפ"ג ע"ב) ותלבש אסתר מלכות אוליפנא כל מאן דנטיר פומיה ולישניה זכי לאתלבשא ברוח קודשא:
In Zohar it states,570Zohar II 59a “There is not a single breath that does not possess a voice and create a spirit. All the words that a person speaks which are not for the sake of serving the Holy One, blessed is He, create a spirit that carries and travels around in the world and when the soul leaves him upon death, that spirit is hurled at him in the torments of the grave, like a stone flung from a slingshot (Kaf HaKela). This is the meaning of the verse,571Samuel I 25:29 ‘may He hurl away the soul of your enemies as one shoots a stone from a slingshot (Kaf HaKela).’” It also states in Zohar,572Zohar III 183b “From the verse,573Esther 5:1 ‘And Esther donned royal garments,’ we learn that any person who guards his mouth and tongue, merits to don the garment of the spirit of holiness and Divine Inspiration (Ru’ach HaKodesh).’”574Just as Esther guarded her mouth (Esther 2:20) “and did not reveal her kindred or her people, as Mordechai had instructed her.”
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[תרגום - אין לך הבל שאין לו קול וכל אותן מילים שמשתדל בהם בן אדם שאינם לעבודת הקדוש ברוך הוא אותה מילה נעשה ממנה הבל ומסתובבת בעולם, וכאשר יוצאת נשמתו אותו הבל מגלגל אותו בעולם. וזה הוא מה שנאמר ואת נפש אויבך יקלענה בתוך כף הקלע. ואמרו שם ותלבש אסתר מלכות למדנו שכל מי ששומר פיו ולשונו זוכה להתלבש ברוח הקודש]:
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המסתכל בעריות אפילו יהיה כמשה יד ליד לא ינקה מדינה של גיהנם. וסופו לחטוא בעריות ומגרה יצר הרע בעצמו ויבוא לידי קרי החמור כמו שיתבאר בשער ו':
One who gazes at women,575See Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 92a; Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Teshuvah 4:4 even if he literally is equal in stature to Moshe, he will not be cleansed of the judgments of purgatory (Gehinnom). In the end he will come to sin with forbidden relations. He rouses the lusts of his evil inclination within himself, and will ultimately come to wasteful seminal emissions, the gravity of which will be explained in the sixth gate.
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הנהנה בכבוד התורה נוטל חייו מן העולם ומתחייב בנפשו, ומעשה דרבי טרפון יוכיח (נדרים דף ס"ב ע"א) שהיו משליכין אותו ליאור להורגו ולא רצה ליהנות מדברי תורה, כמו שאמרו רבותינו ז"ל (אבות פ"ד מ"ה) אל תעשם עטרה להתגדל בהם ולא קרדום וכו', שכל הנהנה מכבוד תורה נוטל חייו מן העולם וסופו יורש גיהנם:
One who derives benefit from the honor of the Torah removes his life from the world and is liable of the death penalty. The incident with Rabbi Tarfon proves this.576Talmud Bavli, Nedarim 62a Namely, “A certain man found Rabbi Tarfon eating figs when most of the knives had already been set aside.577That is, Rabbi Tarfon assumed that the figs were abandoned. (Rashi to Nedarim 62a ibid.) He placed Rabbi Tarfon in a sack, lifted him up and carried him to throw him into the river. Rabbi Tarfon cried out and said, ‘Woe to Tarfon, for this man is killing him.’ When the man heard that it was Rabbi Tarfon, he left him and ran away. Rabbi Abahu said in the name of Rabbi Chananiyah ben Gamliel: All the days of that righteous man he was distressed over this matter, saying, ‘Woe is me, for I made use of the crown of Torah.’” As our sages, of blessed memory, stated,578Mishnah Avot 4 “Do not make them into a crown for self-exaltation, nor a spade with which to dig… Whoever derives worldly benefit from the words of Torah, removes his life from the world.” In the end, such a person inherits purgatory (Gehinnom).
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השקר. המדבר שקרים כופר באלהי ישראל ומודה באל אחר שהוא שקר. והוא מכת שאינו רואה פני שכינה כמו שכתוב (תהלים ק"א ז') דובר שקרים לא יכון לנגד עיני, ואינו בכלל ישראל שכתוב בהם (צפניה ג' י"ג) שארית ישראל לא יעשו עולה ולא ידברו כזב, וימיו מתקצרים,
Falsehood. A person who speaks falsehood denies the God of Israel, giving credence to another god, called falsehood. A person such as this is in the category of those who shall not greet the countenance of the Indwelling Presence of HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He, the Shechinah. This is as stated,579Psalms 101:7 “One who tells lies shall not be established before My eyes.” A person such as this is not considered to be included amongst the Jewish people, about whom it is written,580Zephaniah 3:13 “The remnant of Israel will not commit corruption, they will not speak falsehood, and a deceitful tongue will not be found in their mouth,” and the lifespan of such a person will be shortened.
20
אך הדובר אמת מאריך ימים כמו שאמרו במסכת סנהדרין (דף צ"ז ע"א) על רב טביומי דאילו הוו יהבי ליה כל חללי דעלמא לא הוה משני בדבוריה. זמנא חדא איקלע לההוא אתר דקושטא שמיה דלא הוו משנו בדבורם ולא הוה מיית איניש בלא זמניה וכו' שכיבו ליה תרתין בנין, אמרו ליה, במטותא מינך פוק מהכא ולא תגרי בנא מותנא.
In contrast, one who speaks truthfully lengthens his lifespan, as stated in Tractate Sanhedrin581Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 97a about Rav Tavyomee that, “Even if they were to give him the entire world, his words would not deviate from the truth. Rava said: “Once, I happened to come to a certain place called Truth, the inhabitants of which never deviated from truth in their words, and no one ever died prematurely there. I married a woman there and she bore me two sons.” One day his wife was sitting and washing her hair and her neighbor came and knocked on the door. He thought, ‘It is improper to say that she is bathing,’ and he instead said, ‘She is not here.’ Because of this, his two sons died. The people of the place came and asked him, “What is the meaning of this?” He answered, explaining the nature of the incident. They said, “Please leave our place and do not provoke premature death upon these people.”
21
וכתיב (ירמיה ט' ד') למדו לשונם דבר שקר וגו' העל אלה לא אפקד בם נאם ה' אם בגוי אשר כזה לא תתנקם נפשי.
It is written,582Jeremiah 9:4-8 “Each man lies to his fellow and they do not speak truth; they train their tongue to speak falsehood, striving to be iniquitous. Your dwelling is amid deceit; because of their deceit they refuse to know Me – the word of HaShem-יהו״ה. Therefore, thus said HaShem Tzva’ot-יהו״ה צבאו״ת, I shall smelt them and I shall test them – for what [else] can I do for the daughter of My people? Their tongue is like a drawn arrow, speaking deceit; with his mouth a person speaks peace with his fellow, but within himself, he lays his ambush. Shall I not punish them for these things? – the word of HaShem-יהו״ה. From a nation such as this, shall My soul not exact vengeance?”
22
ולא נענשו המרגלים ודור המדבר אלא מפני עדות שקר, ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (סנהדרין צ"ב ע"א) כל המחליף בדבורו כאלו עובד עבודה זרה. וכתיב (משלי ו' ט"ז) שש הנה שנא ה' וגו' עינים רמות, לשון שקר ויפיח כזבים וגו', וכתיב (תהילים ל״ד:י״ג) מי האיש החפץ חיים וגו' נצור לשונך מרע.
The spies and the generation of the desert were only punished because of false testimony. Our sages, of blessed memory, stated,583Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 92a (See Rashi) “Whoever speaks deceitfully, it is as though he worships idolatry.” It is written,584Proverbs 6:16-19 “HaShem-יהו״ה hates these six, but the seventh is the abomination of His soul. Haughty eyes, a false tongue and hands that spill innocent blood. A heart that plots iniquitous thoughts, feet that run to do evil, a false witness who spouts lies, and one who stirs up strife among brothers.” The verse states,585Jeremiah 9:4-8 “They do not speak truth… Shall I not punish them for these things?” It also is written,586Psalms 34:13 “Who is the man who desires life, who loves days of seeing good? Guard your tongue from speaking evil, and your lips from speaking deceit.”
23
גחזי לא נטרד אלא מפני ששקר בשם אלישע. אמנון כזב לתמר ונהרג, רוחו של נבות נטרד ממחיצתו על שדיבר כזב שנאמר (מלכים א כ״ב:כ׳) מי יפתה את אחאב וגו' צא, צא ממחיצתך,
Gechazi was only punished because he lied in the name of Elisha.587Kings II 5:20-27; Midrash Tanchuma, Metzora 1:1 Amnon deceived Tamar, which led to him being killed.588Samuel II 13:1-29 The spirit of Navot was sent out from before the Presence of HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He, because he spoke deceitfully,589Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 102b; Zohar I 192b (Kings I 21:1-13) as it states,590Kings 1 22:20-22 “And HaShem-יהו״ה said, ‘Who will lure Achav to go up [to war] that he may fall in Ramoth-Gilead?’ This one said, ‘Like this’ and this one said, ‘Like this!’ Then a spirit came forward and stood before HaShem-יהו״ה and said, ‘I shall lure him!’ And HaShem-יהו״ה said, ‘How?’ [The spirit] replied, ‘I will go out and be a spirit of falsehood in the mouths of all his prophets.’ He said, ‘You will lure him and you will succeed. Go out (Tzei-צא) and do so!’” What is the meaning of the term “Go out-Tzei-צא?” It means, “Get out of My presence!”591Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 102b ibid.; Zohar I 192b ibid. – That is, he was a liar in the first instance, and was thus expelled from the presence of HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He.
24
ואמר רב הונא לא גלו ישראל מארצם אלא על שעברו על פסוק (שמות כ"ג ז') מדבר שקר תרחק. ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (שבת דף קי"ט ע"ב, חגיגה דף י"ד ע"ב) לא חרבה ירושלים אלא על שפסקו ממנה בעלי אמנה שנאמר (ירמיה ה' א') שוטטו בחוצות ירושלים.
Rav Huna said,592Reishit Chochmah, Shaar HaKedushah, Ch. 12 “The Jewish people were only exiled from their land because they transgressed the verse,593Exodus 23:7 ‘Distance yourself from a false word.’” Similarly, our sages, of blessed memory, stated,594Talmud Bavli, Chagigah 14a “Jerusalem was not destroyed until trustworthy men ceased to exist in it, as it states,595Jeremiah 5:1 ‘Walk about in the streets of Jerusalem, see now and know, and seek in its plazas; if you will find a man, if there is one who dispenses justice and seeks truth, then I will forgive her.’”
25
ובספר הזוהר בזמנא דשקר דאיהו סמא"ל שלטא כתיב (דניאל ח' י"ב) ותשלך אמת ארצה. ודא גרים חרבן בית ראשון ושני.
It states in Zohar,596Tikkunei Zohar, Tikkun 63, 95a “About a time in which the Jewish people speak falsely about the Torah of Truth, the verse states,597Daniel 8:12 ‘Truth was hurled to the ground.’ It is about such a time of exile that the verse states,598Isaiah 59:15 ‘Truth became lacking,’ and falsehood reigns in the world. What is falsehood? That is Sama’el. This is what caused the destruction of both the first and second Holy Temples.”
26
ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (אבות פ"א מי"ח) על שלשה דברים העולם עומד על הדין ועל האמת ועל השלום, וכתיב (תהלים ט"ו א') ה' מי יגור באהליך וגו'. ודובר אמת בלבבו, אף מה שחשב בלבבו צריך לאמת אותו במעשה, כמו שאמרו רבותינו ז"ל בעובדא דרב ספרא, וכתיב (מלאכי א') תורת אמת היתה בפיהו ועולה לא נמצא בשפתיו כי מלאך ה' צבאות הוא:
Our sages, of blessed memory, stated,599Mishnah Avot 1:18 “The world stands on three things: On Justice, Truth and Peace.” It is written,600Psalms 15:1-2 “Who may sojourn in Your tent? One who speaks the truth in his heart.” That is, even when it comes to matters that he only thought in his heart, he must bring forth into action and actualize them truthfully, in accordance what our sages,601Talmud Bavli, Bava Batra 88a; Makkot 24a, and Rashi there, citing She’eltot d’Rav Acha (She’ilta 36) – The incident with Rav Safra is that he had placed an object for sale. A man came before him to purchase it when he was in the middle of reciting the Shema. The man named his price, but Rav Safra did not respond because he was in the middle of the Shema. The man thought that Rav Safra was not interested in selling it at that price, so he raised his purchase price. When Rav Safra concluded the Shema, he told the man that he would accept the original price, for that is the price that he was originally satisfied with. It is about him that the verse states (Psalms 15:2), “One who speaks the truth in his heart” is applied. of blessed memory, taught regarding the incident with Rav Safra. It is written,602Malachi 2:6 “The Torah of Truth was in his mouth, and injustice was not found on his lips… for he is an angel of HaShem Tzva’ot-יהו״ה צבאו״ת.”
27
החנף הוא מן ארבע כתות שאינן מקבלות פני שכינה, לפי שמזלזל בכבוד המקום בהחניפו את הרשע, וכמו שכתוב (משלי כ"ד כ"ד) אומר לרשע צדיק אתה יקבוהו עמים יזעמוהו לאומים, ואפילו שמחניף למי שאינו רשע הרי הוא כמתירא ובוטח באדם, וכתיב (ירמיהו י״ז:ה׳) ארור הגבר אשר יבטח באדם, וכתיב (איוב י״ג:ט״ז) לא לפניו חנף יבוא,
The flatterer is amongst the four classes of people who shall not greet the countenance of the Indwelling Presence of HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He (the Shechinah).603Talmud Bavli, Sotah 42a This is because he denigrates the honor of the Ever Present One, HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He, when he cajoles and flatters the wicked. This is as written,604Proverbs 24:24 “One who tells a wicked person, ‘You are righteous,’ – the peoples shall curse him, the nations shall despise him.” Even if he flatters and cajoles a person who is not wicked, it nevertheless is as if he fears man and places his trust in man, as it is written,605Jeremiah 17:5 “Accursed is the man who puts his trust in people.” Regarding such a person the verse states,606Job 13:16; See Talmud Bavli, Sotah 42a ibid. “The flatterer shall not come before Him.”
28
וכמו שאמרו רבותינו ז"ל (סנהדרין דף י"ט ע"א) בעובדא דינאי המלך שהחניפו לו הסנהדרין בדבר מועט שלא העמידוהו בשעת הדין ובא גבריאל וחבטן בקרקע ומתו, גם כשהחניפו לאגריפס המלך שהיה צדיק נתחייבו שונאיהם של ישראל כליה,
This accords with what our sages, of blessed memory, stated607Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 19a-19b about the incident with King Yanai, that because the sages of the court of the Sanhedrin flattered and yielded to him in a minor way by not forcing him to stand during judgment, the angel Gavriel came and struck them to the ground and they died.608A slave of King Yanai killed someone. The court sent word to him and he sent them the slave. They sent word back to him that he himself must come in person, as per the verse (Exodus 21:29), “He should be testified against, with his owner.” Yannai came and sat down. Shimon ben Shetach said to him: Yannai the King, stand on your feet and witnesses will testify against you. It is not before us that you will be standing, but it is before He who spoke and the world was, as it states (Deuteronomy 19:17), “Then both people, between whom the controversy is, shall stand.” Yannai answered: “I will not stand if you alone say this, but only according to what your colleagues say.” Shimon ben Shetach turned to his right, but the other judges lowered their faces to the ground and said nothing out of fear. He turned to his left, and they too forced their faces to the ground and said nothing out of fear. Shimon ben Shetach said to them: You are masters of thought! May the Master of thoughts come and punish you. Immediately, Gavriel came and struck those judges to the ground and they died. (Sanhedrin 19a-19b ibid.) Similarly, when they flattered King Agrippa, who was righteous, the enemies of the Jewish people609This is a euphemism for the Jewish people. were sentenced to destruction.610Talmud Bavli, Sotah 41a-b – King Agrippa rose and read from the Torah while standing, and the sages praised him for it (though a king can read while sitting). When he came to the verse (Deuteronomy 17:15), “You may not appoint a foreigner over you,” tears flowed from his eyes (since it excluded him from Kingship, being that he was a descendent of Herod). The assembled said to him: Fear not, Agrippa, for you are our brother. It was taught in the name of Rabbi Natan that in that moment, they were sentenced to destruction for having flattered Agrippa.
29
ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (פסחים דף קי"ג ע"ב) שלשה הקדוש ברוך הוא שונאן המדבר אחד בפה ואחד בלב. ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (סוטה דף מ"א ע"ב) כל אדם שיש בו חנופה נופל בגיהנם שנאמר (ישעיהו ה׳:כ״ד) הוי האומרים לטוב רע וכו' לכן כאכול קש לשון אש וגו'. ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (סוטה דף מ"ב ע"א) כל עדה שיש בה חנופה מאוסה כנדה שנאמר (איוב פרק ה') כי עדת חנף גלמוד, ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (יומא דף ע"ב ע"ב) כל תלמיד חכם שאין תוכו כברו נקרא תועבה,
Our sages, of blessed memory, stated,611Talmud Bavli, Pesachim 113b “The Holy One, blessed is He, hates three types of people: One who says one thing with his mouth but thinks another in his heart etc.” Similarly, our sages, of blessed memory, stated,612Talmud Bavli, Sotah 41b “Any person who has flattery in him falls into purgatory (Gehinnom), as written,613Isaiah 5:20 ‘Woe to those who call evil good and good evil,’ the continuation of which states,614Isaiah 5:24 ‘Therefore, as the tongue of fire devours straw, and as chaff is consumed by the flame, so will their root become rot and their flower will be blown away like dust etc.’”
30
ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (סוטה דף מ"א ע"ב) כל בזמנא דשקר דאיהו (ס"מ) שולט כתוב ותשלך אמת ארצה, וזה גרם חורבן בית ראשון ושני: אדם שיש בו חנופה מביא אף לעולם שנאמר (שם ל"ו) וחנפי לב ישימו אף, ולא עוד אלא שתפלתו נמאסת, ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (שם) כל מי שיש בו חנופה אפילו עוברים שבמעי אמם מקללים אותו, ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל בעון חנופה, בני אדם נופלים ביד אויביהם שנאמר (ישעיה פרק י'), בגוי חנף אשלחנו.
Our sages, of blessed memory, stated,615Talmud Bavli, Sotah 42a “Any congregation in which there is flattery is as repulsive as a menstruating woman, as is stated,616Job 15:34 ‘A flattering congregation will be forlorn.’” Our sages, of blessed memory, stated,617Talmud Bavli, Yoma 72b “Any Torah scholar whose inside is not like his outside is not a Torah scholar and is called a loathsome abomination.” Our sages, of blessed memory, stated,618Talmud Bavli, Sotah 41b “Any person who has flattery in him brings wrath to the world, as stated,619Job 36:13 ‘Those with flattery in their hearts bring about wrath.’ Moreover, his prayers are despised and are not heard.” Our sages, of blessed memory, stated,620Sotah 41b ibid. “Any person who has flattery in him, even fetuses in their mothers’ wombs curse him.” Our sages, of blessed memory, stated about the sin of flattery, that it will cause a person to fall into the hands of his enemies,621Sotah 41b ibid.; Reishit Chochmah, Shaar HaKedushah 12:32 as it states,622Isaiah 10:6 “I shall send them against a flattering people.”
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קשה חנופה כעבודה זרה גלוי עריות ושפיכות דמים, עבודה זרה מנין שנאמר (ישעיה פרק ל"ב) לעשות חנף ולדבר אל ה' תועה. גלוי עריות מנין שנאמר (ירמיה פרק ג') הן ישלח איש את אשתו וגו' הלא חנוף תחנף הארץ וגו'. שפיכות דמים מנין שנאמר (תהלים פרק ק"ו) ותחנף הארץ בדמים.
Flattery and hypocrisy are just as bad as idolatry, forbidden relations, adultery and murder. From where do we learn that it is equal to idolatry? From the verse,623Isaiah 32:6 “For the vile person speaks villainy and his heart plans iniquity, to act with hypocrisy and to speak falsehood about HaShem-יהו״ה.” From where do we learn that it is equal to forbidden relations and adultery? From the verse,624Jeremiah 3:1 “If a man divorces his wife and she goes from him and is with another man, can he return to her again? Would that not surely bring the profound guilt of hypocrisy upon the land?” From where do we know that it is equal to murder? From the verse,625Psalms 106:38 “They spilled innocent blood… and the land was polluted by the blood of hypocrisy.”
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ובעון החנופה הגשמים נעצרים. ובעון החנופה נדון בגיהנם לעולמי עולמים שנאמר (ישעיה פרק ל"ג) פחדו בציון חטאים אחזה רעדה חנפים מי יגור לנו אש אכלה וגו' ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (סנהדרין דף ק"א ע"ב) לא זכה ירבעם למלכות אלא על שלא החניף לשלמה:
It is on account of the sin of flattery and hypocrisy that the rains are withheld.626See Talmud Bavli, Taanit 7b On account of the sin of flattery and hypocrisy, one is judged in purgatory (Gehinnom) eternally, as it states,627Isaiah 33:14 “Sinners were afraid in Zion; trembling seized hypocrites, [saying], ‘Which of us can live with the consuming fire? Which of us can live with the never-dying blaze?’” Our sages, of blessed memory, stated628Talmud Bavli, Sanedrin 101b that the only reason Yeravam merited kingship was because he did not flatteringly yield to Solomon.
33
רמיה יש בה שתי רעות גדולות, האחת, שהוא כענין השקר והחנופה. והשניה, שהוא כענין הגניבה והאונאה, ומזלזל בשם יתברך שנראה ח"ו כי אין הקדוש ברוך הוא מכיר ברמאותו. וכתיב (ויקראכ"ה י"ז) ולא תונו איש את עמיתו ויראת מאלהיך, וכתיב (שם י"ט) לא תעשו עול וגו' אני ה' אלהיכם. ותחלת דינו של אדם אחר הפטירה, נשאת ונתת באמונה.
Fraud has two great evils. The first is that it is similar to the matter of falsehood and hypocrisy, and the second is that it is like theft and deception. In doing so, he denigrates the Name of HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He, and thinks to himself that the Holy One, blessed is He, does not see his deception, God forbid. It is written,629Leviticus 25:17 “Each of you shall not defraud his fellow, and you shall fear your God, for I am HaShem-יהו״ה your God,” and it is written,630Leviticus 19:35 “You shall not commit a perversion of justice, in measures of length, weight, or volume. You shall have correct scales, correct weights, correct dry measures, and correct liquid measures – I am HaShem-יהו״ה your God.” At the beginning of one’s judgement after passing from this world, he is asked, “Did you conduct your business faithfully?”631Talmud Bavli, Shabbat 31a – That is, with honesty and integrity.
34
והוא מארבע כתות שאינן מקבלות פני שכינה, שנאמר (תהלים פרק ק"א) לא ישב בקרב ביתי עושה רמיה, ולא חרבה ירושלים אלא על שפסקו ממנה בעלי אמנה כנזכר לעיל במדת השקר. וכתיב (תהלים פרק ט"ו) ה' מי יגור באהליך וגו' ודובר אמת בלבבו.
One who defrauds is amongst the four classes of people who do not receive the countenance of the Indwelling Presence of HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He (the Shechinah).632Talmud Bavli, Sotah 42a; Sanhedrin 103a This is as stated,633Psalms 101:7 “In the midst of My house shall not dwell a practitioner of deceit; one who tells lies shall not be established before My eyes.” As stated before, in the section on falsehood,634Talmud Bavli, Chagigah 14a “Jerusalem was not destroyed until trustworthy men ceased to exist in it.” In contrast, regarding one who conducts himself faithfully, with honesty and integrity, it is written,635Psalms 15:1 “HaShem-יהו״ה, who may sojourn in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy mountain? One who walks in perfect innocence, who does what is right and speaks the truth from his heart.”
35
ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (מדרש משלי פכ"ח) איש אמונות רב ברכות, זה הנושא ונותן באמונה שנכסיו מתרבים והקדוש ברוך הוא מזמין לו פרנסתו, ולא עוד אלא שנקרא צדיק שנאמר (חבקוק פרק ב') וצדיק באמונתו יחיה. ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (מכות כ"ד ע"ב) תרי"ג מצות הן וכו' ובא חבקוק והעמידן על אחת שנאמר וצדיק באמונתו יחיה:
Similarly, our sages, of blessed memory, stated,636See Rashi and the other commentators to Proverbs 28:20; Shemot Rabba 51:1; Zohar I 199b; Reishit Chochmah, Masa uMatan b’Emunah Ch. 2; Also see Mechilta d’Rabbi Yishmael 15:26; Ramban to Exodus 15:26; Sefer Chassidim 1062, and elsewhere. “The verse,637Proverbs 28:20 ‘A man of integrity will increase blessings,’ refers to one who conducts his business in good faith. Such a person’s possessions will be increased, and the Holy One, blessed is He, will arrange his financial sustenance.” Moreover, such a person is called a righteous Tzaddik,638Reishit Chochmah, Masa uMatan b’Emunah, Ch. 2 ibid. as it states,639Habakkuk 2:4 “The righteous (Tzaddik) shall live by his faith.” Our sages, of blessed memory, stated,640Talmud Bavli, Makkot 24a “There are six-hundred and thirteen commandments, but Chabakkuk came and established them upon one, as it states,641Habakkuk 2:4 ibid. ‘The righteous (Tzaddik) shall live by his faith.’”
השער החמישי:
Gate Five
במדות האסורות:
Forbidden Traits
לשון הרע אמרו רבותינו ז"ל (ערכין דף י"ד ע"ב) שקשה מעבודה זרה גלוי עריות ושפיכות דמים שהן החמורות מכל העברות, ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (שם ט"ו ע"ב) כל המספר לשון הרע כופר בעיקר כמו שכתוב (תהלים י"ב ה') אשר אמרו ללשוננו נגביר שפתינו אתנו מי אדון לנו:
Evil speech is a quality about which our sages, of blessed memory, stated,523Talmud Bavli, Arachin 16b; Mishneh Torah, Hilchot De’ot 7:3 “There are three transgressions that bring retribution against the one who perpetrates them in this world and disinherit him from a share in the coming world. These are idolatry, forbidden relations, and murder, but evil speech outweighs them all.” Our sages, of blessed memory, also stated,524Talmud Bavli, Arachin 15b “Whoever speaks with an evil tongue denies the fundamental principle of the existence of HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He, as written,525Psalms 12:5 ‘Those who said, ‘Because of our tongues we shall prevail, our lips are with us, who is master over us?’’”
רכילות הורג שלשה ושקול כשפיכות דמים ואינו נכנס בגן עדן, כמו שכתוב (תהלים ט"ו א') מי יגור באהליך וגו' לא רגל על לשונו. והנה דואג האדומי אביר הרועים ראש הסנהדרין, מפני הרכילות נטרד מן העולם הבא ונכרת בחצי ימיו וגרם הריגת אנשי נוב עיר הכהנים ומיתת שאול ובניו ובני ביתו:
Gossip kills three people and is equal to murder, and on account of it, one is barred from entry into the Garden of Eden. This is as written,526Psalms 15:1 “HaShem-יהו״ה, who may sojourn in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your Holy Mountain? One who walks in perfect innocence and does what is right, and who speaks the truth from his heart; who has no gossip on his tongue etc.” We see that Doeg the Edomite was one of the mighty shepherds of Israel and the head of the Sanhedrin.527Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 106b However, because of his gossip he was excised from the coming world, was killed having lived only half his days, and caused the people of Nov, the city of the Priests, to be killed, as well as the death of Shaul and his household.
הלבנת פנים, ומכנה שם רע לחבירו, והמתכבד בקלון חבירו, יורדין לגיהנם ואינם עולים ואין להם חלק לעולם הבא: והם בכלל לא תרצח, כמו שאמרו רבותינו ז"ל בפרק הזהב (ב"מ דף נ"ח ע"ב) במערבא במאי זהירי טפי, באזיל סומקא ואתי חורא:
Causing embarrassment, calling one’s fellow by a negative nickname and glorying in the downfall one’s fellow cause a person to descend to purgatory and never ascend, having no share in the coming world. These are included in the commandment,528Exodus 20:13 “You shall not murder.” This is as our sages, of blessed memory, taught,529Talmud Bavli, Bava Metziya 58b “Whoever humiliates another in public, it is as though he is spilling his blood. Over what mitzvah are they particularly vigilant in the West?530The land of Israel In refraining from causing the color to leave a person’s face, so that his face becomes pale.”
ליצנות היא אחת מארבע כתות שאינם מקבלות פני שכינה, ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (עבודה זרה דף י"ח ע"ב) כל המתלוצץ נופל בגיהנם, ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (אבות פ"ג משנה ב') אפילו ישב בטל הרי זה מושב לצים וכמו שכתוב (תהלים א' א') אשרי האיש אשר לא הלך בעצת רשעים ובמושב לצים לא ישב וסמיך ליה כי אם בתורת ה' חפצו וגו', מה כתיב בתריה והיה כעץ שתול על פלגי מים וגו' לא כן הרשעים וגו',
Levity is one of the four classes of traits that prevent a person from receiving the countenance of the Indwelling Presence of HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He – the Shechinah.531Talmud Bavli, Sotah 42a Our sages, of blessed memory, stated,532Talmud Bavli, Avodah Zarah 18b “Whoever acts with levity falls into purgatory (Gehinnom).” Likewise, our sages, of blessed memory, stated533Mishnah Avot 3:2 that even if a person sits idly and not engaging in Torah study, it is considered as if he is sitting with the frivolous who have contempt for Torah, as it states,534Psalms 1:1 “Praiseworthy is the man who did not walk in the counsel of the wicked and did not stand in the path of the sinful and did not sit in the gathering of the frivolous.” The very next verse continues and states,535Psalms 1:2 “But his desire is in the Torah of HaShem-יהו״ה, and in His Torah he meditates day and night.” It continues,536Psalms 1:3-4 “He shall be like a tree planted alongside brooks of water, that yields its fruit in its season and whose leaf never withers; and everything that he does will succeed. Not so the wicked; Rather they are like the chaff that the wind drives away etc.”
ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (אבות פ"ו משנה ב') בכל יום בת קול יוצאת ואומרת אוי להם לבריות מעלבונה של תורה שכל מי שאינו עוסק בתורה נקרא נזוף, רצונו לומר מנודה לשמים. ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (סנהדרין דף ל"ט ע"ב) כי דבר ה' בזה וגו' (במדבר ט"ו ל"א) הכרת תכרת הנפש ההיא וגו', רבי נחמיה אומר זה כל מי שאפשר לו לעסוק בתורה ואינו עוסק, ואמר רב כל הפורש מדברי תורה ועוסק בדברי שיחה אש אוכלתו, וכל מי שמרפה עצמו מדברי תורה נופל בגיהנם ומאכילים אותו גחלי רתמים שנאמר (איוב פרקל' ד') הקוטפים מלוח עלי שיח, ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (אבות פ"ג מ"ה) המפנה לבו לבטלה הרי זה מתחיב בנפשו שנאמר (דברים ד' ט') רק השמר לך וגו':
Our sages, of blessed memory, stated,537Mishnah Avot 6 “Every day, a Heavenly voice (Bat Kol) goes forth from Mount Chorev and proclaims, ‘Woe to the creatures for their contempt of Torah.’ For, whosoever does not occupy himself in the study of Torah is called censured-Nazuf, meaning excommunicated from Heaven. Our sages, of blessed memory, stated,538Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 99b; Yalkut Shimoni Remez 749 “The following verse applies to such a person,539Numbers 15:31 ‘For he had contempt the word of HaShem-יהו״ה and violated His commandment, that soul shall surely be cut off – his sin is upon him.’ Rabbi Nechemiah says: This refers to anyone who is able to engage in Torah study but fails to do so.” Similarly,540Talmud Bavli, Bava Batra 79a “Rav said: “Whoever excuses himself from studying the words of Torah, a fire consumes him.” Likewise, our sages, of blessed memory, stated,541Talmud Bavli, Chagigah 12b; Ketubot 111b; Brachot 63a and elsewhere. “Whoever weakens or stops his study of words of Torah to engage in idle chatter, will be fed the hot coals of a Juniper tree, as written,542Job 30:3 ‘They pluck saltwort and the leaves of wormwood and the roots of the Juniper tree is their bread.’” Our sages, of blessed memory, likewise stated,543Mishnah Avot 3:4 “One who turns his heart to idle matters is mortally guilty,” as written,544Deuteronomy 4:9 “Only beware for yourself and greatly beware for your soul, lest you forget the words545The word “Dvarim-דברים” is generally translated as “things” but also means “words” and in the above verse refers to the words of Torah and the Ten Commandments (which are called (Exodus 34:28) “Aseret HaDvarim-עשרת הדברים”), as stated in the continuing verse (Deuteronomy 4:10), “The day that you stood before HaShem-יהו״ה, your God, at Chorev.” that your eyes have beheld and lest you remove them from your heart all the days of your life etc.”
ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (סנהדרין דף ז' ע"א) אין תחלת דינו של אדם אלא על דברי תורה שנאמר (משלי י"ז י"ד) פוטר מים ראשית מדון, וכתיב (יהושע א' ח') והגית בו יומם ולילה כי אז תצליח את דרכך ואז תשכיל, וכל רגע, שעה, ויום שאדם בטל מדברי תורה עליו נאמר (קהלת א' ט"ו) וחסרון לא יוכל להמנות,
Our sages, of blessed memory, stated,546Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 7a “The beginning of a person’s judgment is that he is judged only concerning the study of Torah, as written,547Proverbs 17:14 ‘Exemption from waters is the beginning of judgment.’”548The term “release-Poter-פוטר” here means that he exempts himself from the waters, which refers to Torah study. The term “Madon-מדון” which means “strife,” is also of the root “judgement-Din-דין” as the Talmud here indicates. Thus, the verse is understood to mean, “Excusing oneself from the waters of Torah study is the beginning of judgment.” (See Rashi to Talmud Bavli, Kiddushin 40b.) Similarly, it is written,549Joshua 1:8 “This Book of the Torah shall not leave from your mouth; you shall contemplate it day and night, so that you may guard yourself to do according to all that is written in it; for then your way will be successful, and then you will be wise.” About each moment, hour or day that a person is idle from studying the words of Torah, it is written,550Ecclesiastes 1:15 (See Rashi) “Crookedness that cannot be straightened, lacking that is incalculable.”
ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (פאה פ"א משנה א') אלו דברים שאדם עושה אותם אוכל מפירותיהם בעולם הזה והקרן קימת לו לעולם הבא וכו' ותלמוד תורה כנגד כולם, ולא עוד אלא שהעוסק בתלמוד תורה פטור מכל המצות שהיא שקולה ככל המצות:
On the other hand, our sages, of blessed memory, stated,551Mishnah Pe’ah 1:1 “These are the things, the fruits of which a person enjoys in this world, while the principle remains for the coming world; honoring one’s father and mother, doing deeds of kindness, early attendance in the house of study morning and evening, welcoming guests, visiting the sick, dowering a bride, escorting the dead, concentration in prayer, bringing peace between man and his fellow and between husband and wife. But the study of Torah is equal to them all.” Moreover, whoever is engaged in Torah study is exempt from all the commandments, since it equals all the commandments.552Talmud Bavli, Sukkah 25a-26b; Brachot 11a, 16a; Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Ishut (Laws of Marriage) 15:2, and elsewhere.
ותנא דבי אליהו זכור לטוב (עבודה זרה דף ה' ע"ב) אשרי אדם שמשים עצמו כשור לעול וכחמור למשאוי ויושב וקורא ושונה בתורה בכל יום תמיד ומיד רוח הקודש שורה עליו, ואם היושב בטל נענש כל כך, קל וחומר למי שמתלוצץ ממש:
It was taught in the school of Eliyahu, who is remembered for good,553Tanna d’Bei Eliyahu Zuta, Ch. 1; Talmud Bavli, Avodah Zarah 5b “Happy is the man who subjugates himself to Torah study, like an ox to a yoke and like a donkey to a burden, sitting and studying and reviewing Torah every day constantly. The Holy Spirit (Ru’ach HaKodesh) will immediately rest upon him.” If this is the case, that when a person sits idly he is punished to such a great degree, then how much greater is the punishment of a person who actually behaves with levity and disdain toward Torah.
שיחה בטלה גורמת לידי עבירות גדולות, כי הרי אפילו ישב בטל הרי זה מושב לצים ונענש ענשים גדולים, כנזכר לעיל בענין הליצנות, מכל שכן השח שיחות בטילות בפועל, ולא עוד שמביא לידי לשון הרע ורכילות וליצנות ומספר בגנות חבירו:
Idle chatter leads to very great sins. For, even when he merely sits idly it is considered as though he sits with the frivolous who have contempt for Torah, and he is punished with very great punishments, as we mentioned before regarding the matter of levity and mockery. This being so, how much more is this true of one who actually engages in empty chatter. Moreover, this brings him to come to speak badly of others, to gossip, slander and mock others.
ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (יומא דף י"ט ע"ב) השח שיחה בטלה עובר בעשה שנאמר (דברים ו' ז') ודברת בם, ואמרו על רבן יוחנן בן זכאי (סוכה דף כ"ח ע"א) ועל רב (רמב"ם פרק ב' מהלכות הלכה ט') שמימיהם לא שחו שיחת חולין, ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (אבות פ"א מי"ז) לא מצאתי לגוף טוב אלא שתיקה, וכתיב (מיכה ג' כ"ח) ישב בדד וידום יתן בעפר פיהו, וכתיב (משלי י"ח כ"א) מות וחיים ביד לשון, ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (אבות פ"ג מי"ג) סיג לחכמה שתיקה, ואמר שלמה (קהלת ה' א') אל תבהל על פיך ולבך אל ימהר להוציא דבר לפני האלהים כי האלהים בשמים ואתה על הארץ על כן יהיו דבריך מעטים:
Our sages, of blessed memory, stated,554Talmud Bavli, Yoma 19b “One who engages in idle chatter violates a positive commandment, as written,555Deuteronomy 6:7 ‘You shall speak of them,’ referring to words of Torah, rather than other matters.” It was said about Rabbi Yochanan ben Zachai,556Talmud Bavli, Sukkah 28a that in all his days he never engaged in idle conversation. Our sages, of blessed memory, likewise coined this adage,557Talmud Bavli, Megillah 18a “If a word is worth one sela, silence is worth two.” Similarly, our sages, of blessed memory, stated,558Mishnah Avot 1:17 “In all my days I grew up among the sages and I found nothing better for a person than silence.” It is written,559Lamentations 3:28 “Let one sit in solitude and be silent,” and it states,560Proverbs 18:21 “Death and life are in the hands of the tongue.” Our sages, of blessed memory, also said,561Mishnah Avot 3:13 “The guardrail of wisdom is silence.” King Solomon said,562Ecclesiastes 5:1 “Be not rash with your mouth, and let not your heart be hasty in uttering a word before God; for God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.”
ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (חולין דף פ"ט) האמנם אלם צדק תדברון (תהילים נ״ח:ב׳) מה אומנותו של אדם בעולם הזה ישים עצמו אלם, ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (חגיגה כ"ג ע"א) רבי כד הוה מטי להאי קרא הוה בכי (עמוס ד׳:י״ג) כי הנה יוצר הרים ובורא רוח ומגיד לאדם מה שיחו, אפילו שיחה קלה שאדם משיח עם אשתו ואפילו דברים שאין בהם ממש הם נכתבים על פנקסו של אדם וקוראים לפניו בשעת מיתתו:
Our sages, of blessed memory, stated,563Talmud Bavli, Chullin 89a “The verse states,564Psalms 58:2 ‘Is there truly (HaUmnam-האמנם) silence (Eilem-אלם) when you should be speaking righteousness?’ That is, in what skill (Umanut-אמנות) should a person toil in this world? He should toil in making himself as if he is mute (Eelem-אלם).” Similarly, our sages, of blessed memory, stated,565Talmud Bavli, Chagigah 23a “When the Master would read the following verse, he would cry. The verse states,566Amos 4:13 ‘For behold, He Who forms the mountains and creates the wind, and declares to man what is his speech.’ This even includes the lighthearted and frivolous speech between a man and his wife before engaging in relations. Even if they are completely insignificant, they nevertheless written into a person’s ledger and read before him at the time of his death.”
ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל שתיקתו של אדם מביאתו לידי ענוה, והענוה היא ראש ליראת שמים, ובשעה שאינו עוסק בתורה יהיה דומם ומדביק שפתותיו זו לזו כשתי ריחים ששוכבות זו על זו מפני שצדקותיו וזכיותיו של אדם כולם אינם מספיקות במה שיוציא בשפתיו, אשרי מי שישים עצמו אלם וחרש חגר וסומא, וכל כך למה כדי שלא יחטא ויחייב עצמו ואת איבריו לגיהנם, וכן דוד הוא אומר (תהלים ל"א י"א) ואני כחרש לא אשמע וכאלם לא יפתח פיו:
Our sages, of blessed memory, stated,567Mishnah Sotah 9:15; Also see Tanchuma Vayeitze 6; Tzava’at HaRivash, translated as The Way of The Baal Shem Tov, Ch. 49. “One’s silence leads to humility,” and humility the chief quality that leads to fear of Heaven.568Talmud Bavli, Avodah Zarah 20b Thus, when engaging in the study of Torah, he should be silent and glue his lips together, like two millstones that sit upon each other. This is because all the righteousness and meritoriousness a person accrues are insufficient from saving him from what comes out of his lips. Happy is he who makes himself as if mute and like a deaf person, like a cripple and one who is blind! Why is it imperative to take such great care? So that he should not come to sin and obligate himself and his limbs, thus condemning himself to purgatory (Gehinnom). Similarly, King David said,569Psalms 38:14 “I am like a deaf man, I do not hear, like a mute who does not open his mouth.”
ובספר הזוהר (ח"ב נ"ט ע"א) לית לך הבל דלית ליה קלא, וכל אנון מלין דאשתדל בהו בר נש דלאו אינון לפלחנא דקודשא בריך הוא ההיא מלה אתעביד מנה הבל ושטאת בעלמא, וכד נפקא נשמתיה ההוא הבל מגלגלא ליה בעלמא, ודא איהו (שמואל א כ״ה:כ״ט) ואת נפש אויביך יקלענה בתוך כף הקלע, ואמרו שם (ח"ג קפ"ג ע"ב) ותלבש אסתר מלכות אוליפנא כל מאן דנטיר פומיה ולישניה זכי לאתלבשא ברוח קודשא:
In Zohar it states,570Zohar II 59a “There is not a single breath that does not possess a voice and create a spirit. All the words that a person speaks which are not for the sake of serving the Holy One, blessed is He, create a spirit that carries and travels around in the world and when the soul leaves him upon death, that spirit is hurled at him in the torments of the grave, like a stone flung from a slingshot (Kaf HaKela). This is the meaning of the verse,571Samuel I 25:29 ‘may He hurl away the soul of your enemies as one shoots a stone from a slingshot (Kaf HaKela).’” It also states in Zohar,572Zohar III 183b “From the verse,573Esther 5:1 ‘And Esther donned royal garments,’ we learn that any person who guards his mouth and tongue, merits to don the garment of the spirit of holiness and Divine Inspiration (Ru’ach HaKodesh).’”574Just as Esther guarded her mouth (Esther 2:20) “and did not reveal her kindred or her people, as Mordechai had instructed her.”
[תרגום - אין לך הבל שאין לו קול וכל אותן מילים שמשתדל בהם בן אדם שאינם לעבודת הקדוש ברוך הוא אותה מילה נעשה ממנה הבל ומסתובבת בעולם, וכאשר יוצאת נשמתו אותו הבל מגלגל אותו בעולם. וזה הוא מה שנאמר ואת נפש אויבך יקלענה בתוך כף הקלע. ואמרו שם ותלבש אסתר מלכות למדנו שכל מי ששומר פיו ולשונו זוכה להתלבש ברוח הקודש]:
המסתכל בעריות אפילו יהיה כמשה יד ליד לא ינקה מדינה של גיהנם. וסופו לחטוא בעריות ומגרה יצר הרע בעצמו ויבוא לידי קרי החמור כמו שיתבאר בשער ו':
One who gazes at women,575See Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 92a; Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Teshuvah 4:4 even if he literally is equal in stature to Moshe, he will not be cleansed of the judgments of purgatory (Gehinnom). In the end he will come to sin with forbidden relations. He rouses the lusts of his evil inclination within himself, and will ultimately come to wasteful seminal emissions, the gravity of which will be explained in the sixth gate.
הנהנה בכבוד התורה נוטל חייו מן העולם ומתחייב בנפשו, ומעשה דרבי טרפון יוכיח (נדרים דף ס"ב ע"א) שהיו משליכין אותו ליאור להורגו ולא רצה ליהנות מדברי תורה, כמו שאמרו רבותינו ז"ל (אבות פ"ד מ"ה) אל תעשם עטרה להתגדל בהם ולא קרדום וכו', שכל הנהנה מכבוד תורה נוטל חייו מן העולם וסופו יורש גיהנם:
One who derives benefit from the honor of the Torah removes his life from the world and is liable of the death penalty. The incident with Rabbi Tarfon proves this.576Talmud Bavli, Nedarim 62a Namely, “A certain man found Rabbi Tarfon eating figs when most of the knives had already been set aside.577That is, Rabbi Tarfon assumed that the figs were abandoned. (Rashi to Nedarim 62a ibid.) He placed Rabbi Tarfon in a sack, lifted him up and carried him to throw him into the river. Rabbi Tarfon cried out and said, ‘Woe to Tarfon, for this man is killing him.’ When the man heard that it was Rabbi Tarfon, he left him and ran away. Rabbi Abahu said in the name of Rabbi Chananiyah ben Gamliel: All the days of that righteous man he was distressed over this matter, saying, ‘Woe is me, for I made use of the crown of Torah.’” As our sages, of blessed memory, stated,578Mishnah Avot 4 “Do not make them into a crown for self-exaltation, nor a spade with which to dig… Whoever derives worldly benefit from the words of Torah, removes his life from the world.” In the end, such a person inherits purgatory (Gehinnom).
השקר. המדבר שקרים כופר באלהי ישראל ומודה באל אחר שהוא שקר. והוא מכת שאינו רואה פני שכינה כמו שכתוב (תהלים ק"א ז') דובר שקרים לא יכון לנגד עיני, ואינו בכלל ישראל שכתוב בהם (צפניה ג' י"ג) שארית ישראל לא יעשו עולה ולא ידברו כזב, וימיו מתקצרים,
Falsehood. A person who speaks falsehood denies the God of Israel, giving credence to another god, called falsehood. A person such as this is in the category of those who shall not greet the countenance of the Indwelling Presence of HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He, the Shechinah. This is as stated,579Psalms 101:7 “One who tells lies shall not be established before My eyes.” A person such as this is not considered to be included amongst the Jewish people, about whom it is written,580Zephaniah 3:13 “The remnant of Israel will not commit corruption, they will not speak falsehood, and a deceitful tongue will not be found in their mouth,” and the lifespan of such a person will be shortened.
אך הדובר אמת מאריך ימים כמו שאמרו במסכת סנהדרין (דף צ"ז ע"א) על רב טביומי דאילו הוו יהבי ליה כל חללי דעלמא לא הוה משני בדבוריה. זמנא חדא איקלע לההוא אתר דקושטא שמיה דלא הוו משנו בדבורם ולא הוה מיית איניש בלא זמניה וכו' שכיבו ליה תרתין בנין, אמרו ליה, במטותא מינך פוק מהכא ולא תגרי בנא מותנא.
In contrast, one who speaks truthfully lengthens his lifespan, as stated in Tractate Sanhedrin581Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 97a about Rav Tavyomee that, “Even if they were to give him the entire world, his words would not deviate from the truth. Rava said: “Once, I happened to come to a certain place called Truth, the inhabitants of which never deviated from truth in their words, and no one ever died prematurely there. I married a woman there and she bore me two sons.” One day his wife was sitting and washing her hair and her neighbor came and knocked on the door. He thought, ‘It is improper to say that she is bathing,’ and he instead said, ‘She is not here.’ Because of this, his two sons died. The people of the place came and asked him, “What is the meaning of this?” He answered, explaining the nature of the incident. They said, “Please leave our place and do not provoke premature death upon these people.”
וכתיב (ירמיה ט' ד') למדו לשונם דבר שקר וגו' העל אלה לא אפקד בם נאם ה' אם בגוי אשר כזה לא תתנקם נפשי.
It is written,582Jeremiah 9:4-8 “Each man lies to his fellow and they do not speak truth; they train their tongue to speak falsehood, striving to be iniquitous. Your dwelling is amid deceit; because of their deceit they refuse to know Me – the word of HaShem-יהו״ה. Therefore, thus said HaShem Tzva’ot-יהו״ה צבאו״ת, I shall smelt them and I shall test them – for what [else] can I do for the daughter of My people? Their tongue is like a drawn arrow, speaking deceit; with his mouth a person speaks peace with his fellow, but within himself, he lays his ambush. Shall I not punish them for these things? – the word of HaShem-יהו״ה. From a nation such as this, shall My soul not exact vengeance?”
ולא נענשו המרגלים ודור המדבר אלא מפני עדות שקר, ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (סנהדרין צ"ב ע"א) כל המחליף בדבורו כאלו עובד עבודה זרה. וכתיב (משלי ו' ט"ז) שש הנה שנא ה' וגו' עינים רמות, לשון שקר ויפיח כזבים וגו', וכתיב (תהילים ל״ד:י״ג) מי האיש החפץ חיים וגו' נצור לשונך מרע.
The spies and the generation of the desert were only punished because of false testimony. Our sages, of blessed memory, stated,583Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 92a (See Rashi) “Whoever speaks deceitfully, it is as though he worships idolatry.” It is written,584Proverbs 6:16-19 “HaShem-יהו״ה hates these six, but the seventh is the abomination of His soul. Haughty eyes, a false tongue and hands that spill innocent blood. A heart that plots iniquitous thoughts, feet that run to do evil, a false witness who spouts lies, and one who stirs up strife among brothers.” The verse states,585Jeremiah 9:4-8 “They do not speak truth… Shall I not punish them for these things?” It also is written,586Psalms 34:13 “Who is the man who desires life, who loves days of seeing good? Guard your tongue from speaking evil, and your lips from speaking deceit.”
גחזי לא נטרד אלא מפני ששקר בשם אלישע. אמנון כזב לתמר ונהרג, רוחו של נבות נטרד ממחיצתו על שדיבר כזב שנאמר (מלכים א כ״ב:כ׳) מי יפתה את אחאב וגו' צא, צא ממחיצתך,
Gechazi was only punished because he lied in the name of Elisha.587Kings II 5:20-27; Midrash Tanchuma, Metzora 1:1 Amnon deceived Tamar, which led to him being killed.588Samuel II 13:1-29 The spirit of Navot was sent out from before the Presence of HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He, because he spoke deceitfully,589Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 102b; Zohar I 192b (Kings I 21:1-13) as it states,590Kings 1 22:20-22 “And HaShem-יהו״ה said, ‘Who will lure Achav to go up [to war] that he may fall in Ramoth-Gilead?’ This one said, ‘Like this’ and this one said, ‘Like this!’ Then a spirit came forward and stood before HaShem-יהו״ה and said, ‘I shall lure him!’ And HaShem-יהו״ה said, ‘How?’ [The spirit] replied, ‘I will go out and be a spirit of falsehood in the mouths of all his prophets.’ He said, ‘You will lure him and you will succeed. Go out (Tzei-צא) and do so!’” What is the meaning of the term “Go out-Tzei-צא?” It means, “Get out of My presence!”591Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 102b ibid.; Zohar I 192b ibid. – That is, he was a liar in the first instance, and was thus expelled from the presence of HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He.
ואמר רב הונא לא גלו ישראל מארצם אלא על שעברו על פסוק (שמות כ"ג ז') מדבר שקר תרחק. ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (שבת דף קי"ט ע"ב, חגיגה דף י"ד ע"ב) לא חרבה ירושלים אלא על שפסקו ממנה בעלי אמנה שנאמר (ירמיה ה' א') שוטטו בחוצות ירושלים.
Rav Huna said,592Reishit Chochmah, Shaar HaKedushah, Ch. 12 “The Jewish people were only exiled from their land because they transgressed the verse,593Exodus 23:7 ‘Distance yourself from a false word.’” Similarly, our sages, of blessed memory, stated,594Talmud Bavli, Chagigah 14a “Jerusalem was not destroyed until trustworthy men ceased to exist in it, as it states,595Jeremiah 5:1 ‘Walk about in the streets of Jerusalem, see now and know, and seek in its plazas; if you will find a man, if there is one who dispenses justice and seeks truth, then I will forgive her.’”
ובספר הזוהר בזמנא דשקר דאיהו סמא"ל שלטא כתיב (דניאל ח' י"ב) ותשלך אמת ארצה. ודא גרים חרבן בית ראשון ושני.
It states in Zohar,596Tikkunei Zohar, Tikkun 63, 95a “About a time in which the Jewish people speak falsely about the Torah of Truth, the verse states,597Daniel 8:12 ‘Truth was hurled to the ground.’ It is about such a time of exile that the verse states,598Isaiah 59:15 ‘Truth became lacking,’ and falsehood reigns in the world. What is falsehood? That is Sama’el. This is what caused the destruction of both the first and second Holy Temples.”
ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (אבות פ"א מי"ח) על שלשה דברים העולם עומד על הדין ועל האמת ועל השלום, וכתיב (תהלים ט"ו א') ה' מי יגור באהליך וגו'. ודובר אמת בלבבו, אף מה שחשב בלבבו צריך לאמת אותו במעשה, כמו שאמרו רבותינו ז"ל בעובדא דרב ספרא, וכתיב (מלאכי א') תורת אמת היתה בפיהו ועולה לא נמצא בשפתיו כי מלאך ה' צבאות הוא:
Our sages, of blessed memory, stated,599Mishnah Avot 1:18 “The world stands on three things: On Justice, Truth and Peace.” It is written,600Psalms 15:1-2 “Who may sojourn in Your tent? One who speaks the truth in his heart.” That is, even when it comes to matters that he only thought in his heart, he must bring forth into action and actualize them truthfully, in accordance what our sages,601Talmud Bavli, Bava Batra 88a; Makkot 24a, and Rashi there, citing She’eltot d’Rav Acha (She’ilta 36) – The incident with Rav Safra is that he had placed an object for sale. A man came before him to purchase it when he was in the middle of reciting the Shema. The man named his price, but Rav Safra did not respond because he was in the middle of the Shema. The man thought that Rav Safra was not interested in selling it at that price, so he raised his purchase price. When Rav Safra concluded the Shema, he told the man that he would accept the original price, for that is the price that he was originally satisfied with. It is about him that the verse states (Psalms 15:2), “One who speaks the truth in his heart” is applied. of blessed memory, taught regarding the incident with Rav Safra. It is written,602Malachi 2:6 “The Torah of Truth was in his mouth, and injustice was not found on his lips… for he is an angel of HaShem Tzva’ot-יהו״ה צבאו״ת.”
החנף הוא מן ארבע כתות שאינן מקבלות פני שכינה, לפי שמזלזל בכבוד המקום בהחניפו את הרשע, וכמו שכתוב (משלי כ"ד כ"ד) אומר לרשע צדיק אתה יקבוהו עמים יזעמוהו לאומים, ואפילו שמחניף למי שאינו רשע הרי הוא כמתירא ובוטח באדם, וכתיב (ירמיהו י״ז:ה׳) ארור הגבר אשר יבטח באדם, וכתיב (איוב י״ג:ט״ז) לא לפניו חנף יבוא,
The flatterer is amongst the four classes of people who shall not greet the countenance of the Indwelling Presence of HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He (the Shechinah).603Talmud Bavli, Sotah 42a This is because he denigrates the honor of the Ever Present One, HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He, when he cajoles and flatters the wicked. This is as written,604Proverbs 24:24 “One who tells a wicked person, ‘You are righteous,’ – the peoples shall curse him, the nations shall despise him.” Even if he flatters and cajoles a person who is not wicked, it nevertheless is as if he fears man and places his trust in man, as it is written,605Jeremiah 17:5 “Accursed is the man who puts his trust in people.” Regarding such a person the verse states,606Job 13:16; See Talmud Bavli, Sotah 42a ibid. “The flatterer shall not come before Him.”
וכמו שאמרו רבותינו ז"ל (סנהדרין דף י"ט ע"א) בעובדא דינאי המלך שהחניפו לו הסנהדרין בדבר מועט שלא העמידוהו בשעת הדין ובא גבריאל וחבטן בקרקע ומתו, גם כשהחניפו לאגריפס המלך שהיה צדיק נתחייבו שונאיהם של ישראל כליה,
This accords with what our sages, of blessed memory, stated607Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 19a-19b about the incident with King Yanai, that because the sages of the court of the Sanhedrin flattered and yielded to him in a minor way by not forcing him to stand during judgment, the angel Gavriel came and struck them to the ground and they died.608A slave of King Yanai killed someone. The court sent word to him and he sent them the slave. They sent word back to him that he himself must come in person, as per the verse (Exodus 21:29), “He should be testified against, with his owner.” Yannai came and sat down. Shimon ben Shetach said to him: Yannai the King, stand on your feet and witnesses will testify against you. It is not before us that you will be standing, but it is before He who spoke and the world was, as it states (Deuteronomy 19:17), “Then both people, between whom the controversy is, shall stand.” Yannai answered: “I will not stand if you alone say this, but only according to what your colleagues say.” Shimon ben Shetach turned to his right, but the other judges lowered their faces to the ground and said nothing out of fear. He turned to his left, and they too forced their faces to the ground and said nothing out of fear. Shimon ben Shetach said to them: You are masters of thought! May the Master of thoughts come and punish you. Immediately, Gavriel came and struck those judges to the ground and they died. (Sanhedrin 19a-19b ibid.) Similarly, when they flattered King Agrippa, who was righteous, the enemies of the Jewish people609This is a euphemism for the Jewish people. were sentenced to destruction.610Talmud Bavli, Sotah 41a-b – King Agrippa rose and read from the Torah while standing, and the sages praised him for it (though a king can read while sitting). When he came to the verse (Deuteronomy 17:15), “You may not appoint a foreigner over you,” tears flowed from his eyes (since it excluded him from Kingship, being that he was a descendent of Herod). The assembled said to him: Fear not, Agrippa, for you are our brother. It was taught in the name of Rabbi Natan that in that moment, they were sentenced to destruction for having flattered Agrippa.
ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (פסחים דף קי"ג ע"ב) שלשה הקדוש ברוך הוא שונאן המדבר אחד בפה ואחד בלב. ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (סוטה דף מ"א ע"ב) כל אדם שיש בו חנופה נופל בגיהנם שנאמר (ישעיהו ה׳:כ״ד) הוי האומרים לטוב רע וכו' לכן כאכול קש לשון אש וגו'. ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (סוטה דף מ"ב ע"א) כל עדה שיש בה חנופה מאוסה כנדה שנאמר (איוב פרק ה') כי עדת חנף גלמוד, ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (יומא דף ע"ב ע"ב) כל תלמיד חכם שאין תוכו כברו נקרא תועבה,
Our sages, of blessed memory, stated,611Talmud Bavli, Pesachim 113b “The Holy One, blessed is He, hates three types of people: One who says one thing with his mouth but thinks another in his heart etc.” Similarly, our sages, of blessed memory, stated,612Talmud Bavli, Sotah 41b “Any person who has flattery in him falls into purgatory (Gehinnom), as written,613Isaiah 5:20 ‘Woe to those who call evil good and good evil,’ the continuation of which states,614Isaiah 5:24 ‘Therefore, as the tongue of fire devours straw, and as chaff is consumed by the flame, so will their root become rot and their flower will be blown away like dust etc.’”
ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (סוטה דף מ"א ע"ב) כל בזמנא דשקר דאיהו (ס"מ) שולט כתוב ותשלך אמת ארצה, וזה גרם חורבן בית ראשון ושני: אדם שיש בו חנופה מביא אף לעולם שנאמר (שם ל"ו) וחנפי לב ישימו אף, ולא עוד אלא שתפלתו נמאסת, ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (שם) כל מי שיש בו חנופה אפילו עוברים שבמעי אמם מקללים אותו, ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל בעון חנופה, בני אדם נופלים ביד אויביהם שנאמר (ישעיה פרק י'), בגוי חנף אשלחנו.
Our sages, of blessed memory, stated,615Talmud Bavli, Sotah 42a “Any congregation in which there is flattery is as repulsive as a menstruating woman, as is stated,616Job 15:34 ‘A flattering congregation will be forlorn.’” Our sages, of blessed memory, stated,617Talmud Bavli, Yoma 72b “Any Torah scholar whose inside is not like his outside is not a Torah scholar and is called a loathsome abomination.” Our sages, of blessed memory, stated,618Talmud Bavli, Sotah 41b “Any person who has flattery in him brings wrath to the world, as stated,619Job 36:13 ‘Those with flattery in their hearts bring about wrath.’ Moreover, his prayers are despised and are not heard.” Our sages, of blessed memory, stated,620Sotah 41b ibid. “Any person who has flattery in him, even fetuses in their mothers’ wombs curse him.” Our sages, of blessed memory, stated about the sin of flattery, that it will cause a person to fall into the hands of his enemies,621Sotah 41b ibid.; Reishit Chochmah, Shaar HaKedushah 12:32 as it states,622Isaiah 10:6 “I shall send them against a flattering people.”
קשה חנופה כעבודה זרה גלוי עריות ושפיכות דמים, עבודה זרה מנין שנאמר (ישעיה פרק ל"ב) לעשות חנף ולדבר אל ה' תועה. גלוי עריות מנין שנאמר (ירמיה פרק ג') הן ישלח איש את אשתו וגו' הלא חנוף תחנף הארץ וגו'. שפיכות דמים מנין שנאמר (תהלים פרק ק"ו) ותחנף הארץ בדמים.
Flattery and hypocrisy are just as bad as idolatry, forbidden relations, adultery and murder. From where do we learn that it is equal to idolatry? From the verse,623Isaiah 32:6 “For the vile person speaks villainy and his heart plans iniquity, to act with hypocrisy and to speak falsehood about HaShem-יהו״ה.” From where do we learn that it is equal to forbidden relations and adultery? From the verse,624Jeremiah 3:1 “If a man divorces his wife and she goes from him and is with another man, can he return to her again? Would that not surely bring the profound guilt of hypocrisy upon the land?” From where do we know that it is equal to murder? From the verse,625Psalms 106:38 “They spilled innocent blood… and the land was polluted by the blood of hypocrisy.”
ובעון החנופה הגשמים נעצרים. ובעון החנופה נדון בגיהנם לעולמי עולמים שנאמר (ישעיה פרק ל"ג) פחדו בציון חטאים אחזה רעדה חנפים מי יגור לנו אש אכלה וגו' ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (סנהדרין דף ק"א ע"ב) לא זכה ירבעם למלכות אלא על שלא החניף לשלמה:
It is on account of the sin of flattery and hypocrisy that the rains are withheld.626See Talmud Bavli, Taanit 7b On account of the sin of flattery and hypocrisy, one is judged in purgatory (Gehinnom) eternally, as it states,627Isaiah 33:14 “Sinners were afraid in Zion; trembling seized hypocrites, [saying], ‘Which of us can live with the consuming fire? Which of us can live with the never-dying blaze?’” Our sages, of blessed memory, stated628Talmud Bavli, Sanedrin 101b that the only reason Yeravam merited kingship was because he did not flatteringly yield to Solomon.
רמיה יש בה שתי רעות גדולות, האחת, שהוא כענין השקר והחנופה. והשניה, שהוא כענין הגניבה והאונאה, ומזלזל בשם יתברך שנראה ח"ו כי אין הקדוש ברוך הוא מכיר ברמאותו. וכתיב (ויקראכ"ה י"ז) ולא תונו איש את עמיתו ויראת מאלהיך, וכתיב (שם י"ט) לא תעשו עול וגו' אני ה' אלהיכם. ותחלת דינו של אדם אחר הפטירה, נשאת ונתת באמונה.
Fraud has two great evils. The first is that it is similar to the matter of falsehood and hypocrisy, and the second is that it is like theft and deception. In doing so, he denigrates the Name of HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He, and thinks to himself that the Holy One, blessed is He, does not see his deception, God forbid. It is written,629Leviticus 25:17 “Each of you shall not defraud his fellow, and you shall fear your God, for I am HaShem-יהו״ה your God,” and it is written,630Leviticus 19:35 “You shall not commit a perversion of justice, in measures of length, weight, or volume. You shall have correct scales, correct weights, correct dry measures, and correct liquid measures – I am HaShem-יהו״ה your God.” At the beginning of one’s judgement after passing from this world, he is asked, “Did you conduct your business faithfully?”631Talmud Bavli, Shabbat 31a – That is, with honesty and integrity.
והוא מארבע כתות שאינן מקבלות פני שכינה, שנאמר (תהלים פרק ק"א) לא ישב בקרב ביתי עושה רמיה, ולא חרבה ירושלים אלא על שפסקו ממנה בעלי אמנה כנזכר לעיל במדת השקר. וכתיב (תהלים פרק ט"ו) ה' מי יגור באהליך וגו' ודובר אמת בלבבו.
One who defrauds is amongst the four classes of people who do not receive the countenance of the Indwelling Presence of HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He (the Shechinah).632Talmud Bavli, Sotah 42a; Sanhedrin 103a This is as stated,633Psalms 101:7 “In the midst of My house shall not dwell a practitioner of deceit; one who tells lies shall not be established before My eyes.” As stated before, in the section on falsehood,634Talmud Bavli, Chagigah 14a “Jerusalem was not destroyed until trustworthy men ceased to exist in it.” In contrast, regarding one who conducts himself faithfully, with honesty and integrity, it is written,635Psalms 15:1 “HaShem-יהו״ה, who may sojourn in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy mountain? One who walks in perfect innocence, who does what is right and speaks the truth from his heart.”
ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (מדרש משלי פכ"ח) איש אמונות רב ברכות, זה הנושא ונותן באמונה שנכסיו מתרבים והקדוש ברוך הוא מזמין לו פרנסתו, ולא עוד אלא שנקרא צדיק שנאמר (חבקוק פרק ב') וצדיק באמונתו יחיה. ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (מכות כ"ד ע"ב) תרי"ג מצות הן וכו' ובא חבקוק והעמידן על אחת שנאמר וצדיק באמונתו יחיה:
Similarly, our sages, of blessed memory, stated,636See Rashi and the other commentators to Proverbs 28:20; Shemot Rabba 51:1; Zohar I 199b; Reishit Chochmah, Masa uMatan b’Emunah Ch. 2; Also see Mechilta d’Rabbi Yishmael 15:26; Ramban to Exodus 15:26; Sefer Chassidim 1062, and elsewhere. “The verse,637Proverbs 28:20 ‘A man of integrity will increase blessings,’ refers to one who conducts his business in good faith. Such a person’s possessions will be increased, and the Holy One, blessed is He, will arrange his financial sustenance.” Moreover, such a person is called a righteous Tzaddik,638Reishit Chochmah, Masa uMatan b’Emunah, Ch. 2 ibid. as it states,639Habakkuk 2:4 “The righteous (Tzaddik) shall live by his faith.” Our sages, of blessed memory, stated,640Talmud Bavli, Makkot 24a “There are six-hundred and thirteen commandments, but Chabakkuk came and established them upon one, as it states,641Habakkuk 2:4 ibid. ‘The righteous (Tzaddik) shall live by his faith.’”