The punishments for transgressing the negative commandments
3
חלול השם קשה מכל העבירות, כמו שאמרו רבותינו ז"ל (יומא דף פ"ו ע"א) בענין ארבעה חלוקי כפרה, עבר על חלול השם אין התשובה ויום הכפורים ויסורים מכפרים אלא יום המיתה שנאמר (ישעיה פרק כ"ב) אם יכופר העון הזה לכם עד תמותון:
Causing a desecration of the Name of HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He, is worse than all sins.642Leviticus 22:32; Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah, Ch. 5 Our sages, of blessed memory, stated in regard to the matter of the four categories of atonement,643Talmud Bavli, Yoma 86a “One who has caused a desecration of the Name of HaShem-יהו״ה, his repentance has no power to suspend punishment, nor does Yom Kippur atone for his sin, nor does suffering have the power to absolve him. Rather, it is only by his death that he will be cleansed, as written,644Isaiah 22:14 ‘This sin will never be atoned for you until you die.’”
4
נדה, זולת היותה בעונש כרת, אמרו בספר הזוהר (שמות פרק ג' ע"א) תלתא אנון דדחיין שכינתא מעלמא ובני נשא צוחין ולא אשתמע קליהון ואלין אינון, נדה בגין דלית מסאבו בעלמא תקיף בר ממסאבו דנדה:
Relations with a menstruating woman, is punished with excision (Karet).645Leviticus 18:19; Leviticus 20:18; Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Issurei Biyah, Ch. 1, Ch. 4 Aside for that, it states in Zohar,646Zohar II 3a-b “There are three types of people who push the Indwelling Presence of HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He (the Shechinah) from the world. When such people cry out in prayer, their voices are not heard. These are them: One who has relations with a menstruating woman, for there is no greater impurity in the world than the impurity of relations with a menstruating woman.”
5
[תרגום - שלשה הם שדוחים את השכינה מהעולם, ובני אדם צועקים ולא נשמע קולם, ואלה הם. נדה בעבור שאין טומאה בעולם חזקה מטומאת הנדה]:
6
שבת, ידוע כי היא שקולה ככל המצות, וכל הרשעים יש להם מנוחה בשבת ואש של גהינם כבה בו ומחללי שבת אשם לא תכבה אפילו בשבת, ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל שבת (דף קי"א ע"ב) אלמלא שמרו ישראל שתי שבתות כהלכתם מיד היו נגאלים, ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (שם) כל השומר שבת אפילו עובד עבודה זרה כאנוש מוחלים לו שנאמר (ישעיה פרק נ"ו) אשרי אנוש יעשה זאת וגו' שומר שבת מחללו וכתיב (ישעיה נ"ח י"ג) אם תשיב משבת רגלך וגו' אז תתענג על ה' וכו':
Shabbat is known to be equal to all of the mitzvot.647Midrash Shemot Rabba 25:12 Even the wicked are granted respite on Shabbat and the fires of purgatory (Gehinnom) are dimmed for them. However, when it comes to those who transgress Shabbat, their fires are not dimmed even on Shabbat.648Tikkunei Zohar, Tikkun 24, 69b Our sages, of blessed memory, stated,649Talmud Bavli, Shabbat 118b; Also see Shemot Rabba 25:12 ibid. “If only the Jewish people would keep two [consecutive] Shabbats in accordance with the Halachah-Torah law, they would be immediately redeemed.” Our sages, of blessed memory, also stated,650Talmud Bavli, Shabbat 118b ibid.; Also see Tzava’at HaRivash translated as The Way of The Baal Shem Tov, Section 18. “Anyone who observes Shabbat in accordance with its laws, even if he is an idolater like the generation of Enosh, he is forgiven, as it states,651Isaiah 52:6 ‘Praiseworthy is the man (Enosh-אנוש) who does this and the person who grasps it tightly, who guards the Shabbat against desecration (Meichalelo-מחללו).’ Do not read it ‘against desecration (Meichalelo-מחללו),’ but rather, ‘he is forgiven (Machul Lo-מחול לו).’” It likewise is written,652Isaiah 58:13 “If you restrain your foot because it is the Shabbat, refrain from accomplishing your own desires on My holy day; If you proclaim the Shabbat ‘a delight,’ and the holy [day] of HaShem-יהו״ה ‘honored,’ and you honor it by not engaging in your own affairs, from seeking your own needs or discussing the forbidden – then you will delight in HaShem-יהו״ה, and I will mount you astride the heights of the world; I will provide you the heritage of your forefather Yaakov, for the mouth of HaShem-יהו״ה has spoken.”
7
חלב ודם, ידוע שהן מחייבי כריתות והן משקצים את הנפש:
The consumption of forbidden fats and blood are known to be amongst the transgressions that are punished with excision (Karet),653Leviticus 7:25-27; Mishneh Torah, Ma’achalot Asurot, Ch. 6-7. and cause the soul to become detestable.
8
המשתמש בשמות הקודש, אמרו רבותינו ז"ל (אבות פ"א ופ"ד) ודאשתמש בתגא חלף ונעקר מן העולם, וישתמד הוא או בניו, או ימות הוא או בניו, או יעני הוא או בניו:
With regard to one who makes use of the Holy Names, our sages, of blessed memory, stated,654Mishnah Avot 1:13; 4:5 “One who makes use of the Crown, shall perish,” in that either he or his offspring will become apostates, or he and his offspring will die, or he and his offspring shall become impoverished.655Also see Avot d’Rabbi Natan, Ch. 12; Sefer Mitzvot Gadol, Positive Commandment 12 and the citations there.
9
המבזה תלמיד חכם, והמסור. הם מכלל ואלו שאין להם חלק לעולם הבא ואין קמים בתחית המתים:
One who treats a Torah scholar with contempt, and one who is an informer, are amongst those that have no portion in the coming world, and who shall not rise in the resurrection of the dead.656Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 99b; Shulchan Aruch, Choshen Mishpat 388:10
10
קרי לבטלה קשה מן שפיכות דמים של אחרים, ועוד שדמן ודם זרעיותם שאין להם קץ נשפך דמן, ובספר הזוהר פרשת ויחי (דף רי"ט ע"ב) כלהו חיביא אית להו תשובה בר מהאי, וכל העבירות, הקטן פטור, חוץ מזה, שהרי ער ואונן קטנים מבן שבע שנים היו ומתו בידי שמים, ולא עוד אלא שעדיין לא נצטוו עליהם, וכן דור המבול כתיב כי השחית כל בשר את דרכו על הארץ, וכל הבריות נמוחו מאדם עד בהמה ועוף השמים וכל הרמש, ואפילו שלשה טפחים מן העפר נמוחו מה שלא היה כן מאז נברא העולם ואחריו לא יהיה כן, ולא עוד אלא שלא נצטוו זולת שבע מצות:
Wasteful seminal emissions are worse than spilling the blood of others,657Since in this case he is spilling the blood of his own offspring (Zohar I 219b). for in doing so, he is spilling not only their blood, but the blood of all their future generations without end.658Talmud Bavli, Niddah 13a; Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Issurei Biyah 21:18; Shulachan Aruch, Even HaEzer, Siman 23 In Zohar to Parshat Vayechi it states,659Zohar I 219b ibid. “One is able to repent for all transgressions except for this.” Moreover, when it comes to all other transgressions, a minor is exempt from punishment, except for this. For, Er and Onan were minors who were only about seven years old,660Seder HaDorot, Year 2217 and yet they died at the hands of Heaven on account of this sin,661Genesis 38:7-10; Yevamot 34b; Midrash Bereishit Rabba 85:5; Tractate Kallah 4:6 even though they were not yet commanded regarding the mitzvot. The same is likewise true of the generation of the flood, about which it states,662Genesis 6:12 – The words “For all flesh destroyed its ways upon the earth” refers to their wasteful seminal emissions (Zohar I 62a). “For all flesh destroyed its ways upon the earth.” Because of this sin, all creatures were blotted out, everything from man to beast, birds of the sky and insects,663Genesis 7:23 and even the first three handsbreadths of the earth were destroyed664Midrash Bereishit Rabba 31:7 – something that had not occurred from the beginning of creation until that point, and which shall not occur again.665Genesis 8:21 Moreover, this took place even though they were commanded only a mere seven mitzvot.666Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 56a; Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Melachim u’Milchamot 8:11
11
מאכלות אסורות, ידוע כי אפילו את הנפש הם משקצים כמו שכתוב (ויקרא פרק כ"א) ולא תשקצו את נפשותיכם, ולא עוד אלא שהפורש מהם נקרא קדוש כמו שכתוב ולא תשקצו את נפשותיכם וגו' והתקדשתם וגו' כי אני ה' המעלה וגו' והייתם קדושים כי קדוש אני, וידעת כי הקדושה מביאה לידי רוח הקודש:
The consumption of forbidden foods is known to cause the soul to become abominable, as is written,667Leviticus 11:43 “Do not make your souls abominable by means of any teeming thing; do not contaminate yourselves through them, lest you become contaminated through them.” One who stays away from the consumption of forbidden foods is called holy (Kadosh-קדוש), as written in the continuing verses,668Leviticus 11:44-45 “You are to sanctify yourselves and you shall be holy, for I am Holy; and you shall not contaminate yourselves through any teeming thing that creeps on the earth. For I am HaShem-יהו״ה Who elevates you from the land of Egypt to be a God unto you; you shall be holy, for I am Holy.” You have already been informed to know that it is holiness (Kedushah) that brings to the Holy spirit of Divine Inspiration (Ru’ach HaKodesh).
12
שבועה אם היא לשוא או לשקר, אמרו רבותינו ז"ל (שבועות ל"ט ע"א) בשעה שאמר הקדוש ברוך הוא לא תשא, נזדעזע כל העולם. ונאמר (איוב פרק ט') המרגיז ארץ ממקומה ועמודיה יתפלצון, והתהום מבקש לעלות לשטוף כל העולם וכו', ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל כל העבירות נפרעים ממנו וזה ממנו וממשפחתו ומכל העולם כלו, ואפילו אם הוא באמת, אמרו רבותינו ז"ל (גיטין דף נ"ז ע"א) ששים רבוא עיירות היו לינאי בהר המלך וכולם נחרבו על השבועה אפילו שהיו מקימים אותה,
Regarding oaths that are taken in vain or in falsehood, our sages, of blessed memory, stated,669Talmud Bavli, Shevuot 39a “When the Holy One, blessed is He, said at Sinai,670Exodus 20:7 ‘You shall not bear the Name of HaShem-יהו״ה your God, in vain,’ the entire world trembled.” This is as stated,671Job 9:6 “Who shakes the earth from its place, and its pillars tremble,” and the waters of the abyss wish to ascend and flood the entire world etc. Our sages,672Talmud Bavli, Shevuot 39a ibid. of blessed memory, stated about this sin, “In regard to all other transgressions in Torah, it states that it is possible to be cleansed (v’Nakeh-ונקה), whereas here, it is stated that he ‘will not be cleansed (Lo Yenakeh-לא ינקה).’ Moreover, for all other transgressions in Torah, punishment is exacted only from the transgressor, whereas here, punishment is exacted from him and from his family, and from the entire world,”673See also Rif to Shevuot 18a-b; Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 87:20 even if it is in truth. Our sages, of blessed memory, stated,674Talmud Bavli, Gittin 57a; Midrash Bamidbar Rabba 22:1 “King Yannai had six-hundred thousand towns on the King’s Mountain, and they were all destroyed because of oaths that were taken in truth, even though they fulfilled them.”
13
ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (כתובות דף ע"ז ע"ב) על רבי יהושע בן לוי, שאמר הקדוש ברוך הוא, ראו אם מימיו נשבע והתיר שבועתו על ידי חכם, הוציאוהו מגן עדן, ואם לאו הניחוהו, ובדקו ומצאוהו שמעולם לא נשאל על שבועתו ולא התירה ולא עוד אלא שלא נשבע מימיו:
Our sages, of blessed memory, stated about Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi,675Talmud Bavli, Ketubot 77b – When Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi was on the verge of dying, they said to the angel of death, “Go and do his bidding.” When the angel of death appeared to him, he said, “Show me my place in the Garden of Eden.” The angel of death responded, “Very well.” Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said to him, “Give me your knife, lest you frighten me on the way,” and he gave it to him. When he arrived there, he lifted Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi so he could see his place, and he jumped and fell into that place. The angel of death grabbed onto him by the corner of his cloak. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said to him, “I swear that I will not come with you.” The Holy One, blessed is He, said to the angel of death, “If he ever requested dissolution of an oath, then he must return with you, but if not, then he need not return.” The angel of death said to Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, “At least give me back my knife,” but he did not give it to him. A Supernal voice came forth and said to him, “Give it to him, as it is necessary to the created beings.” that “The Holy One, blessed is He, told the angel of death, see if in all his days he requested dissolution of an oath, and if he has, then you may take him out of the Garden of Eden, but if not, then leave him. They checked and found that not only did he never ask for dissolution of an oath, but in all his days, he never took an oath.”
השער הששי:
Gate Six
בעונש מצות לא תעשה:
The punishments for transgressing the negative commandments
חלול השם קשה מכל העבירות, כמו שאמרו רבותינו ז"ל (יומא דף פ"ו ע"א) בענין ארבעה חלוקי כפרה, עבר על חלול השם אין התשובה ויום הכפורים ויסורים מכפרים אלא יום המיתה שנאמר (ישעיה פרק כ"ב) אם יכופר העון הזה לכם עד תמותון:
Causing a desecration of the Name of HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He, is worse than all sins.642Leviticus 22:32; Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah, Ch. 5 Our sages, of blessed memory, stated in regard to the matter of the four categories of atonement,643Talmud Bavli, Yoma 86a “One who has caused a desecration of the Name of HaShem-יהו״ה, his repentance has no power to suspend punishment, nor does Yom Kippur atone for his sin, nor does suffering have the power to absolve him. Rather, it is only by his death that he will be cleansed, as written,644Isaiah 22:14 ‘This sin will never be atoned for you until you die.’”
נדה, זולת היותה בעונש כרת, אמרו בספר הזוהר (שמות פרק ג' ע"א) תלתא אנון דדחיין שכינתא מעלמא ובני נשא צוחין ולא אשתמע קליהון ואלין אינון, נדה בגין דלית מסאבו בעלמא תקיף בר ממסאבו דנדה:
Relations with a menstruating woman, is punished with excision (Karet).645Leviticus 18:19; Leviticus 20:18; Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Issurei Biyah, Ch. 1, Ch. 4 Aside for that, it states in Zohar,646Zohar II 3a-b “There are three types of people who push the Indwelling Presence of HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He (the Shechinah) from the world. When such people cry out in prayer, their voices are not heard. These are them: One who has relations with a menstruating woman, for there is no greater impurity in the world than the impurity of relations with a menstruating woman.”
[תרגום - שלשה הם שדוחים את השכינה מהעולם, ובני אדם צועקים ולא נשמע קולם, ואלה הם. נדה בעבור שאין טומאה בעולם חזקה מטומאת הנדה]:
שבת, ידוע כי היא שקולה ככל המצות, וכל הרשעים יש להם מנוחה בשבת ואש של גהינם כבה בו ומחללי שבת אשם לא תכבה אפילו בשבת, ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל שבת (דף קי"א ע"ב) אלמלא שמרו ישראל שתי שבתות כהלכתם מיד היו נגאלים, ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (שם) כל השומר שבת אפילו עובד עבודה זרה כאנוש מוחלים לו שנאמר (ישעיה פרק נ"ו) אשרי אנוש יעשה זאת וגו' שומר שבת מחללו וכתיב (ישעיה נ"ח י"ג) אם תשיב משבת רגלך וגו' אז תתענג על ה' וכו':
Shabbat is known to be equal to all of the mitzvot.647Midrash Shemot Rabba 25:12 Even the wicked are granted respite on Shabbat and the fires of purgatory (Gehinnom) are dimmed for them. However, when it comes to those who transgress Shabbat, their fires are not dimmed even on Shabbat.648Tikkunei Zohar, Tikkun 24, 69b Our sages, of blessed memory, stated,649Talmud Bavli, Shabbat 118b; Also see Shemot Rabba 25:12 ibid. “If only the Jewish people would keep two [consecutive] Shabbats in accordance with the Halachah-Torah law, they would be immediately redeemed.” Our sages, of blessed memory, also stated,650Talmud Bavli, Shabbat 118b ibid.; Also see Tzava’at HaRivash translated as The Way of The Baal Shem Tov, Section 18. “Anyone who observes Shabbat in accordance with its laws, even if he is an idolater like the generation of Enosh, he is forgiven, as it states,651Isaiah 52:6 ‘Praiseworthy is the man (Enosh-אנוש) who does this and the person who grasps it tightly, who guards the Shabbat against desecration (Meichalelo-מחללו).’ Do not read it ‘against desecration (Meichalelo-מחללו),’ but rather, ‘he is forgiven (Machul Lo-מחול לו).’” It likewise is written,652Isaiah 58:13 “If you restrain your foot because it is the Shabbat, refrain from accomplishing your own desires on My holy day; If you proclaim the Shabbat ‘a delight,’ and the holy [day] of HaShem-יהו״ה ‘honored,’ and you honor it by not engaging in your own affairs, from seeking your own needs or discussing the forbidden – then you will delight in HaShem-יהו״ה, and I will mount you astride the heights of the world; I will provide you the heritage of your forefather Yaakov, for the mouth of HaShem-יהו״ה has spoken.”
חלב ודם, ידוע שהן מחייבי כריתות והן משקצים את הנפש:
The consumption of forbidden fats and blood are known to be amongst the transgressions that are punished with excision (Karet),653Leviticus 7:25-27; Mishneh Torah, Ma’achalot Asurot, Ch. 6-7. and cause the soul to become detestable.
המשתמש בשמות הקודש, אמרו רבותינו ז"ל (אבות פ"א ופ"ד) ודאשתמש בתגא חלף ונעקר מן העולם, וישתמד הוא או בניו, או ימות הוא או בניו, או יעני הוא או בניו:
With regard to one who makes use of the Holy Names, our sages, of blessed memory, stated,654Mishnah Avot 1:13; 4:5 “One who makes use of the Crown, shall perish,” in that either he or his offspring will become apostates, or he and his offspring will die, or he and his offspring shall become impoverished.655Also see Avot d’Rabbi Natan, Ch. 12; Sefer Mitzvot Gadol, Positive Commandment 12 and the citations there.
המבזה תלמיד חכם, והמסור. הם מכלל ואלו שאין להם חלק לעולם הבא ואין קמים בתחית המתים:
One who treats a Torah scholar with contempt, and one who is an informer, are amongst those that have no portion in the coming world, and who shall not rise in the resurrection of the dead.656Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 99b; Shulchan Aruch, Choshen Mishpat 388:10
קרי לבטלה קשה מן שפיכות דמים של אחרים, ועוד שדמן ודם זרעיותם שאין להם קץ נשפך דמן, ובספר הזוהר פרשת ויחי (דף רי"ט ע"ב) כלהו חיביא אית להו תשובה בר מהאי, וכל העבירות, הקטן פטור, חוץ מזה, שהרי ער ואונן קטנים מבן שבע שנים היו ומתו בידי שמים, ולא עוד אלא שעדיין לא נצטוו עליהם, וכן דור המבול כתיב כי השחית כל בשר את דרכו על הארץ, וכל הבריות נמוחו מאדם עד בהמה ועוף השמים וכל הרמש, ואפילו שלשה טפחים מן העפר נמוחו מה שלא היה כן מאז נברא העולם ואחריו לא יהיה כן, ולא עוד אלא שלא נצטוו זולת שבע מצות:
Wasteful seminal emissions are worse than spilling the blood of others,657Since in this case he is spilling the blood of his own offspring (Zohar I 219b). for in doing so, he is spilling not only their blood, but the blood of all their future generations without end.658Talmud Bavli, Niddah 13a; Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Issurei Biyah 21:18; Shulachan Aruch, Even HaEzer, Siman 23 In Zohar to Parshat Vayechi it states,659Zohar I 219b ibid. “One is able to repent for all transgressions except for this.” Moreover, when it comes to all other transgressions, a minor is exempt from punishment, except for this. For, Er and Onan were minors who were only about seven years old,660Seder HaDorot, Year 2217 and yet they died at the hands of Heaven on account of this sin,661Genesis 38:7-10; Yevamot 34b; Midrash Bereishit Rabba 85:5; Tractate Kallah 4:6 even though they were not yet commanded regarding the mitzvot. The same is likewise true of the generation of the flood, about which it states,662Genesis 6:12 – The words “For all flesh destroyed its ways upon the earth” refers to their wasteful seminal emissions (Zohar I 62a). “For all flesh destroyed its ways upon the earth.” Because of this sin, all creatures were blotted out, everything from man to beast, birds of the sky and insects,663Genesis 7:23 and even the first three handsbreadths of the earth were destroyed664Midrash Bereishit Rabba 31:7 – something that had not occurred from the beginning of creation until that point, and which shall not occur again.665Genesis 8:21 Moreover, this took place even though they were commanded only a mere seven mitzvot.666Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 56a; Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Melachim u’Milchamot 8:11
מאכלות אסורות, ידוע כי אפילו את הנפש הם משקצים כמו שכתוב (ויקרא פרק כ"א) ולא תשקצו את נפשותיכם, ולא עוד אלא שהפורש מהם נקרא קדוש כמו שכתוב ולא תשקצו את נפשותיכם וגו' והתקדשתם וגו' כי אני ה' המעלה וגו' והייתם קדושים כי קדוש אני, וידעת כי הקדושה מביאה לידי רוח הקודש:
The consumption of forbidden foods is known to cause the soul to become abominable, as is written,667Leviticus 11:43 “Do not make your souls abominable by means of any teeming thing; do not contaminate yourselves through them, lest you become contaminated through them.” One who stays away from the consumption of forbidden foods is called holy (Kadosh-קדוש), as written in the continuing verses,668Leviticus 11:44-45 “You are to sanctify yourselves and you shall be holy, for I am Holy; and you shall not contaminate yourselves through any teeming thing that creeps on the earth. For I am HaShem-יהו״ה Who elevates you from the land of Egypt to be a God unto you; you shall be holy, for I am Holy.” You have already been informed to know that it is holiness (Kedushah) that brings to the Holy spirit of Divine Inspiration (Ru’ach HaKodesh).
שבועה אם היא לשוא או לשקר, אמרו רבותינו ז"ל (שבועות ל"ט ע"א) בשעה שאמר הקדוש ברוך הוא לא תשא, נזדעזע כל העולם. ונאמר (איוב פרק ט') המרגיז ארץ ממקומה ועמודיה יתפלצון, והתהום מבקש לעלות לשטוף כל העולם וכו', ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל כל העבירות נפרעים ממנו וזה ממנו וממשפחתו ומכל העולם כלו, ואפילו אם הוא באמת, אמרו רבותינו ז"ל (גיטין דף נ"ז ע"א) ששים רבוא עיירות היו לינאי בהר המלך וכולם נחרבו על השבועה אפילו שהיו מקימים אותה,
Regarding oaths that are taken in vain or in falsehood, our sages, of blessed memory, stated,669Talmud Bavli, Shevuot 39a “When the Holy One, blessed is He, said at Sinai,670Exodus 20:7 ‘You shall not bear the Name of HaShem-יהו״ה your God, in vain,’ the entire world trembled.” This is as stated,671Job 9:6 “Who shakes the earth from its place, and its pillars tremble,” and the waters of the abyss wish to ascend and flood the entire world etc. Our sages,672Talmud Bavli, Shevuot 39a ibid. of blessed memory, stated about this sin, “In regard to all other transgressions in Torah, it states that it is possible to be cleansed (v’Nakeh-ונקה), whereas here, it is stated that he ‘will not be cleansed (Lo Yenakeh-לא ינקה).’ Moreover, for all other transgressions in Torah, punishment is exacted only from the transgressor, whereas here, punishment is exacted from him and from his family, and from the entire world,”673See also Rif to Shevuot 18a-b; Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 87:20 even if it is in truth. Our sages, of blessed memory, stated,674Talmud Bavli, Gittin 57a; Midrash Bamidbar Rabba 22:1 “King Yannai had six-hundred thousand towns on the King’s Mountain, and they were all destroyed because of oaths that were taken in truth, even though they fulfilled them.”
ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל (כתובות דף ע"ז ע"ב) על רבי יהושע בן לוי, שאמר הקדוש ברוך הוא, ראו אם מימיו נשבע והתיר שבועתו על ידי חכם, הוציאוהו מגן עדן, ואם לאו הניחוהו, ובדקו ומצאוהו שמעולם לא נשאל על שבועתו ולא התירה ולא עוד אלא שלא נשבע מימיו:
Our sages, of blessed memory, stated about Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi,675Talmud Bavli, Ketubot 77b – When Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi was on the verge of dying, they said to the angel of death, “Go and do his bidding.” When the angel of death appeared to him, he said, “Show me my place in the Garden of Eden.” The angel of death responded, “Very well.” Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said to him, “Give me your knife, lest you frighten me on the way,” and he gave it to him. When he arrived there, he lifted Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi so he could see his place, and he jumped and fell into that place. The angel of death grabbed onto him by the corner of his cloak. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said to him, “I swear that I will not come with you.” The Holy One, blessed is He, said to the angel of death, “If he ever requested dissolution of an oath, then he must return with you, but if not, then he need not return.” The angel of death said to Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, “At least give me back my knife,” but he did not give it to him. A Supernal voice came forth and said to him, “Give it to him, as it is necessary to the created beings.” that “The Holy One, blessed is He, told the angel of death, see if in all his days he requested dissolution of an oath, and if he has, then you may take him out of the Garden of Eden, but if not, then leave him. They checked and found that not only did he never ask for dissolution of an oath, but in all his days, he never took an oath.”