The Holy One Blessed is He created everything in the world only for His honor (Pirkei Avos 6:11). This is especially true of the human being, who is called a “minor universe” (Tanchuma Pekudei 3). Man was created only in order that he should serve the Holy One Blessed is He in fear, awe and love and when a person is clothed in the holy raiment of good deeds — that is when he is known as a “servant of Hashem.”
These are the practices that binds a person’s body and soul to Hashem’s service: love of Torah, concentration of the heart when fulfilling the commandments, concentration in prayer, guarding the sanctity of Shabbos and Yom Tov, guarding the sanctity of his limbs, guarding the sanctity of his thoughts, guarding the sanctity of the “camp,” guarding sanctity of rabbinical fences, guarding the sanctity of good character traits.
Let us begin with love of Torah. This means studying only for the sake of the Holy One Blessed is He and His Shechinah and not for personal gain such as to be considered a scholar or even to earn reward in the World to Come. Concerning the person who studies for his own benefit and honor it was stated (Yeshayahu 40:6), “And all of his lovingkindness is like the grass of the field” (Tikkunim 30, 73b; Tikkunei Zohar Chadash 117a).
One must attend the yeshivah of the community’s Rav. Rabbi Yaakov Bei Rav wrote concerning this that for every day that a man refrained from attending the yeshivah in this world, he will be denied entry into the Heavenly academy in the World to Come.
A person must study halachah every day with objective of reading carefully and resolving every difficulty to the best of his ability. By studying in this manner he extricates the Shechinah from the shells of impurity and adorns it. For the letters of the word halachah [הלכה] are the same as the letters of the word ha-kallah [הכלה] (“the bride”) (Pri Eitz Chayim, Sha’ar Hanhagas HaLimud). Let him not be ashamed to say regarding a matter that he has not heard, “I have not heard this.” Let him study until he sweats, for in this way he shatters the shells of impurity.
One must also be careful to avoid becoming angry while engaging in the give-and-take of the study hall, for this causes a person’s wisdom to abandon him. One must not become angry even towards students who fail to understand a matter correctly, as I have already discussed in earlier chapters.
One should set aside a special room for study, to be imbued with the sanctity of the study hall. If this is not possible, one should at least set aside a specific corner of the room for his fixed times of study.
One’s main purpose in studying should be to fashion a throne for the Shechinah. But if a person is sullied with iniquity and sin the Shechinah will not settle upon him because every transgression is like a thorn pricking at the Shechinah. For this reason he should confess his sins before studying so that he will be able to unify the Holy One Blessed is He with His Shechinah in fear and love.
If one finds a text with an error in it one must emend it, as it is written, “Do not allow injustice to dwell in your tent” (Iyov 11:14). Nevertheless, one must not make emendations based on judgment alone. The Ramban, z”l, writes (Baba Basra 134a), “The hand that erases texts without clear proofs should be cut off and the curse of the rabbis will be upon that hand so that it will be cut off.”
If one invests effort in his studies he will not soon forget them. If he studies in the synagogue, he will not forget his learning. If his tongue becomes parched while studying but he refrains from interrupting his studies to drink, it is considered atonement for the sin of speaking vanity.
Just as one is obligated to fulfill the commandment [to be fruitful and multiply] in the physical sense, so is one commanded to do so in the spiritual sense by revealing new Torah insights. Through this, one merits the Torah’s illumination. The Sages said, “Acquire for yourself a companion” (Pirkei Avos 1:6). This statement is to be taken literally, but it is also a hint that his pen should be one’s companion. That is, one should record his insights. There is even a suggestion of this in the Torah: “Write this as a remembrance in a book” (Shemos 17:14). The word “this” alludes to the Torah (Avodah Zarah 2b), as it states, “And this is the Torah” (Devarim 4:44).
It also states, “Write them upon the tablet of your heart” (Mishlei 7:3). A person must be well rounded in his learning. That is, he must be fluent in all four levels of interpretation: peshat [the plain meaning], remez [hints such as numerical values], derush [application of the various rules of interpretation] and sod [the esoteric meaning]. The acronym for these four levels is the word pardes [the “orchard”]. If one fails to study even one of these levels one must return in another incarnation to complete the task.
One must set aside fixed times for study every day. These times must be inviolable, so that even if he stands to make a large profit he must not forego his fixed times. [This is indeed the custom in the holy community of Frankfort-am-Main.] This should be done out of love for Hashem and His Torah.
One must be careful to study more on Mondays and Thursdays than on other days, having in mind to mitigate the strict judgment that reigns on those days more than on others.
One must stay far away from the study of philosophy, for it is an alien fire. Concerning this was it written, “Her house inclines towards death…None that go to her return” (Mishlei 2:18-19). One should even avoid natural science, as the illustrious Rabbi Moshe Landau, z”l, has already warned.
See what is written in this regard in the Zohar (Parashas Shelach 171a): The agents of judgment held onto a certain child, denying him entry into the Heavenly yeshiva. Then the child cried out, sending a shudder through all the members of the yeshiva. The Rosh Yeshivah inquired, “Who is preventing this son of the living God from entering?” Immediately they took hold of the child and brought him before Rosh Yeshivah and many members of the yeshivah gathered round. “Open your mouth and recite, O holy son,” the Rosh Yeshivah said. But the child replied, “I am afraid to do so because I really belong in a different yeshivah but I came here and the agents of judgment apprehended me.” “Do not be afraid, O holy son,” said the Rosh Yeshiva, “you may stay here for seven days and bathe every day in the holy dew. Afterwards they will elevate you to the yeshivah for children.” So the child began a discourse, giving seven interpretations to each of the verses that the Rosh Yeshivah had been discussing, disclosing amazing insights.
At that moment they took the boy’s father and crowned him with seventy crowns. The Zohar explains that the agents of judgment detained the boy and wished to afflict him because he had shown a lack of concern for his teacher’s honor. He used to ask him difficult questions that the teacher was unable to answer, causing him embarrassment and depression. For this reason the agents of judgment wished to subject him to harsh punishment. Even though the Rosh Yeshivah apparently saved him, allowing him to remain with him for seven days, this was actually a form of punishment. For throughout those seven days the boy’s true form was diminished and he was alienated from his proper place, which caused him much suffering. If even a child had to endure such suffering and the agents of judgment wished to subject him to further affliction, imagine how much greater the punishment must be for an adult who intentionally embarrasses his colleague or mentor. Thus the Sages have said (Pirkei Avos 3:11): One who embarrasses a colleague in public has no portion in the World to Come. Therefore, whoever values his soul will be careful not to embarrass anyone.
כָּל מַה שֶּׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָּעוֹלָם — הַכֹּל הוּא לִכְבוֹדוֹ בָּרָא. וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן הָאָדָם, שֶׁהוּא עוֹלָם קָטָן, לֹא נִבְרָא אֶלָּא לִכְבוֹדוֹ, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הָאָדָם עֶבֶד לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְעָבְדוֹ בְּאֵימָה וּבְיִרְאָה וּבְאַהֲבָה. וְהִנֵּה בִּהְיוֹת הָאָדָם מְלֻבָּשׁ לְבוּשִׁים קְדוֹשִׁים בְּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים — אָז נִקְרָא עֶבֶד ה'.
The Holy One Blessed is He created everything in the world only for His honor (Pirkei Avos 6:11). This is especially true of the human being, who is called a “minor universe” (Tanchuma Pekudei 3). Man was created only in order that he should serve the Holy One Blessed is He in fear, awe and love and when a person is clothed in the holy raiment of good deeds — that is when he is known as a “servant of Hashem.”
וְאֵלּוּ הֵן הַדְּבָרִים, שֶׁאָדָם מְשַׁעְבֵּד גּוּפוֹ וְנַפְשׁוֹ לַעֲבוֹדַת ה': אַהֲבַת הַתּוֹרָה, כַּוָּנַת הַמִּצְווֹת, כַּוָּנַת הַתְּפִלָּה, קְדֻשַּׁת שַׁבָּת וְיוֹם טוֹב, קְדֻשַּׁת הָאֵבָרִים, קְדֻשַּׁת הַמַּחְשָׁבָה, קְדֻשַּׁת הַמַּחֲנֶה, קְדֻשַּׁת הַגְּדָרִים, קְדֻשַּׁת הַמִּדּוֹת.
These are the practices that binds a person’s body and soul to Hashem’s service: love of Torah, concentration of the heart when fulfilling the commandments, concentration in prayer, guarding the sanctity of Shabbos and Yom Tov, guarding the sanctity of his limbs, guarding the sanctity of his thoughts, guarding the sanctity of the “camp,” guarding sanctity of rabbinical fences, guarding the sanctity of good character traits.
וְנַתְחִיל בְּאַהֲבַת הַתּוֹרָה — הוּא שֶׁיְּכַוֵּן בְּלִמּוּדוֹ לְשֵׁם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ, וְלֹא לְתוֹעֶלֶת עַצְמוֹ, כְּדֵי שֶׁיַּחֲזִיק עַצְמוֹ לְבַעַל תּוֹרָה אוֹ אֲפִלּוּ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ עוֹלָם הַבָּא, וְכָל הַמְכַוֵּן בְּלִמּוּדוֹ לַהֲנָאוֹת עַצְמוֹ וְלִכְבוֹדו, עָלָיו נֶאֱמַר (יְשַׁעְיָה מ, ו): "וְכָל חַסְדּוֹ כְּצִיץ הַשָּׂדֶה".
Let us begin with love of Torah. This means studying only for the sake of the Holy One Blessed is He and His Shechinah and not for personal gain such as to be considered a scholar or even to earn reward in the World to Come. Concerning the person who studies for his own benefit and honor it was stated (Yeshayahu 40:6), “And all of his lovingkindness is like the grass of the field” (Tikkunim 30, 73b; Tikkunei Zohar Chadash 117a).
וְהָאָדָם הָעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת בְּשִׂמְחָה, כִּי אֵין הַשְּׁכִינָה שׁוֹרָה אֶלָּא מִתּוֹךְ שִׂמְחָה, וְלֹא מִתּוֹךְ עַצְבוּת.
One must study with joy, for the Shechinah settles on a person only when he is in a state of joy, not sadness (Shabbos 30b).
צָרִיךְ הָאָדָם לִזָּהֵר לֵילֵךְ לִישִׁיבָה שֶׁל הָרַב מוֹרֶה צֶדֶק לַעֲדָתוֹ. וְכָתַב הָרַב רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב בֵּירַב זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה, כִּי כְּנֶגֶד כָּל פַּעַם שֶׁאָדָם מוֹנֵעַ עַצְמוֹ לָלֶכֶת לִישִׁיבָה בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה — כָּךְ דּוֹחִין אוֹתוֹ מִן יְשִׁיבָה שֶׁל מַעְלָה בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא בְּמִסְפַּר יָמִים.
One must attend the yeshivah of the community’s Rav. Rabbi Yaakov Bei Rav wrote concerning this that for every day that a man refrained from attending the yeshivah in this world, he will be denied entry into the Heavenly academy in the World to Come.
צָרִיךְ לִזָּהֵר בַּעַל הַתּוֹרָה מִגַּאֲוָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁהֶאֱרַכְתִּי לְעֵיל.
A Torah scholar must be particularly careful to avoid pride, as we have already discussed (Chapter 4).
צָרִיךְ הָאָדָם לִלְמֹד הֲלָכָה בְּכָל יוֹם, וִיכַוֵּן לְדַיֵּק הֵיטֵב וּלְהָסִיר לְפִי שִׂכְלוֹ כָּל הַקֻּשְׁיוֹת שֶׁבָּהּ, וּבָזֶה הוּא מֵסִיר מִן הַשְּׁכִינָה כָּל הַקְּלִפּוֹת וּמְקַשְּׁטָהּ בְּקִשּׁוּטִין, כִּי אוֹתִיּוֹת הֲלָכָה הֵן אוֹתִיּוֹת הַכַּלָּה, וְלֹא יֵבוֹשׁ לוֹמַר עַל דָּבָר שֶׁלֹּא שָׁמַע וְלֹא יָדַע 'לֹא שָׁמַעְתִּי', וְיִלְמַד בְּכֹחַ עַד שֶׁיָּזִיעַ, וּבָזֶה הוּא מְשַׁבֵּר הַקְּלִפּוֹת.
A person must study halachah every day with objective of reading carefully and resolving every difficulty to the best of his ability. By studying in this manner he extricates the Shechinah from the shells of impurity and adorns it. For the letters of the word halachah [הלכה] are the same as the letters of the word ha-kallah [הכלה] (“the bride”) (Pri Eitz Chayim, Sha’ar Hanhagas HaLimud). Let him not be ashamed to say regarding a matter that he has not heard, “I have not heard this.” Let him study until he sweats, for in this way he shatters the shells of impurity.
גַּם יִזָּהֵר, שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה בְּכַעַס בְּפִלְפּוּלוֹ בַּיְשִׁיבָה, כִּי חָכְמָתוֹ מִסְתַּלֶּקֶת מִמֶּנּוּ; וַאֲפִלּוּ עַל הַתַּלְמִידִים שֶׁלֹּא הֵבִינוּ לֹא יִהְיֶה בְּכַעַס; וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַבְתִּי לְעֵיל בַּפְּרָקִים הַקּוֹדְמִין.
One must also be careful to avoid becoming angry while engaging in the give-and-take of the study hall, for this causes a person’s wisdom to abandon him. One must not become angry even towards students who fail to understand a matter correctly, as I have already discussed in earlier chapters.
יִהְיֶה לוֹ חֶדֶר מְיֻחָד לִקְדֻשַּׁת בֵּית הַמִּדְרָשׁ מַמָּשׁ, וְאִם אִי אֶפְשָׁר לִהְיוֹת לוֹ חֶדֶר מְיֻחָד — יְיַחֵד בְּחַדְרוֹ זָוִית אֶחָד מְיֻחָד וְיִקְבַּע שָׁם עִתִּים לַתּוֹרָה.
One should set aside a special room for study, to be imbued with the sanctity of the study hall. If this is not possible, one should at least set aside a specific corner of the room for his fixed times of study.
עִקַּר לִמּוּד וְעֵסֶק הַתּוֹרָה הוּא, לַעֲשׂוֹת כִּסֵּא לַשְּׁכִינָה. וּבִהְיוֹת הָאָדָם מְלֻכְלָךְ בְּעָווֹן וָחֵטְא — אֲזַי אֵין הַשְּׁכִינָה שׁוֹרָה עָלָיו, כִּי כָּל עָווֹן וְעָווֹן הוּא קוֹץ מַכְאִיב נֶגֶד הַשְּׁכִינָה, וְלָכֵן יִתְוַדֶּה הָאָדָם קֹדֶם שֶׁיִּלְמַד, כְּדֵי לְיַחֵד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ בִּדְחִילוּ וּרְחִימוּ.
One’s main purpose in studying should be to fashion a throne for the Shechinah. But if a person is sullied with iniquity and sin the Shechinah will not settle upon him because every transgression is like a thorn pricking at the Shechinah. For this reason he should confess his sins before studying so that he will be able to unify the Holy One Blessed is He with His Shechinah in fear and love.
סֵפֶר שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ טָעוּת — יְתַקֵּן, וְאַל תַּשְׁכֵּן בְּאָהָלְךָ עַוְלָה. אֵין לְהַגִּיהַּ מִסְּבָרָה. וְכָתַב הָרַמְבַּ"ן, זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה: יָד הַמּוֹחֶקֶת בַּסְּפָרִים בִּלְתִּי רְאָיָה בְּרוּרָה — תִּקָּצֵץ. וְלַטָּאי דְּרַבָּנָן יַגִּיעַ לְהַאי יָדָא שֶׁתִּקָּצֵץ.
If one finds a text with an error in it one must emend it, as it is written, “Do not allow injustice to dwell in your tent” (Iyov 11:14). Nevertheless, one must not make emendations based on judgment alone. The Ramban, z”l, writes (Baba Basra 134a), “The hand that erases texts without clear proofs should be cut off and the curse of the rabbis will be upon that hand so that it will be cut off.”
הַיָּגֵעַ בְּלִמּוּדוֹ, לֹא בִּמְהֵרָה הוּא שׁוֹכֵחַ. הַלּוֹמֵד בְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת, אֵינוֹ שׁוֹכֵחַ. הַלּוֹמֵד, לְשׁוֹנוֹ יָבֵשׁ מֵחֲמַת צִמָּאוֹן, וְאֵינוֹ מַפְסִיק מִלִּמּוּדוֹ — נֶחְשָׁב לוֹ לְכַפָּרַת עָווֹן עַל עֲווֹן דְּבָרִים בְּטֵלִים.
If one invests effort in his studies he will not soon forget them. If he studies in the synagogue, he will not forget his learning. If his tongue becomes parched while studying but he refrains from interrupting his studies to drink, it is considered atonement for the sin of speaking vanity.
כְּשֵׁם שֶׁמְּחֻיָּב הָאָדָם לְקַיֵּם מִצְוַת הַגַּשְׁמִית, כָּךְ הוּא מְצֻוֶּה עַל הָרוּחָנִית לְחַדֵּשׁ חִדּוּשִׁים בַּתּוֹרָה. וְעַל יְדֵי כָּךְ יִזְכֶּה לְאוֹר הַתּוֹרָה. קְנֵה לְךָ חָבֵר — כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ, וְגַם רֶמֶז עַל הַקּוּלְמוֹס יְהֵא לְךָ חָבֵר, שֶׁתִּכְתֹּב מַה שֶּׁתְּחַדֵּשׁ. וְזֶה סִימָן: כְּתֹב זֹאת זִכָּרוֹן — בַּסֵּפֶר, וְאֵין 'זֹאת' אֶלָּא תּוֹרָה, דִּכְתִיב: וְזֹאת הַתּוֹרָה.
Just as one is obligated to fulfill the commandment [to be fruitful and multiply] in the physical sense, so is one commanded to do so in the spiritual sense by revealing new Torah insights. Through this, one merits the Torah’s illumination. The Sages said, “Acquire for yourself a companion” (Pirkei Avos 1:6). This statement is to be taken literally, but it is also a hint that his pen should be one’s companion. That is, one should record his insights. There is even a suggestion of this in the Torah: “Write this as a remembrance in a book” (Shemos 17:14). The word “this” alludes to the Torah (Avodah Zarah 2b), as it states, “And this is the Torah” (Devarim 4:44).
וּכְתִיב: כָּתְבֵם עַל לוּחַ לִבֶּךָ — צָרִיךְ הָאָדָם שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מֻשְׁלָם בְּלִמּוּדוֹ — בְּלִמּוּד פְּשָׁט, רֶמֶז, דְּרוּשׁ, סוֹד. וְרָאשֵׁי תֵּבוֹת: פַּרְדֵּס; שֶׁאִם לֹא כֵן צָרִיךְ לְהִתְגַּלְגֵּל אֲפִלּוּ עַל אֶחָד מֵהֶן.
It also states, “Write them upon the tablet of your heart” (Mishlei 7:3). A person must be well rounded in his learning. That is, he must be fluent in all four levels of interpretation: peshat [the plain meaning], remez [hints such as numerical values], derush [application of the various rules of interpretation] and sod [the esoteric meaning]. The acronym for these four levels is the word pardes [the “orchard”]. If one fails to study even one of these levels one must return in another incarnation to complete the task.
הֱוֵי רָגִיל בְּלִמּוּד תַּרְיַ"ג מִצְווֹת.
One should study the 613 mitzvos regularly.
יִקְבַּע עִתִּים לַתּוֹרָה בְּכָל יוֹם, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ עֵת קָבוּעַ, שֶׁאַף אִם יַרְוִיחַ מָמוֹן רַב בְּאוֹתוֹ זְמַן — לֹא יַעֲבִירֶנּוּ קְבִיעוּת הַתּוֹרָה (וְכֵן הוּא הַמִּנְהָג זֶה בְּעִיר וָאֵם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, קְהִלַּת קֹדֶשׁ פְרַנְקְפוּרְט דְּמַיין). וְזֶה — מֵאַהֲבַת ה' וְתוֹרָתוֹ.
One must set aside fixed times for study every day. These times must be inviolable, so that even if he stands to make a large profit he must not forego his fixed times. [This is indeed the custom in the holy community of Frankfort-am-Main.] This should be done out of love for Hashem and His Torah.
יִזָּהֵר, שֶׁבְּיוֹם שֵׁנִי וְיוֹם חֲמִישִׁי יִלְמַד יוֹתֵר מִבִּשְׁאָר יָמִים, וִיכַוֵּן לְמַתֵּק הַדִּינִים הַשּׁוֹלְטִים בְּיוֹתֵר בְּאוֹתָן יָמִים.
One must be careful to study more on Mondays and Thursdays than on other days, having in mind to mitigate the strict judgment that reigns on those days more than on others.
יִרְחַק מִלִּמּוּד שֶׁל פִילוֹסוֹפְיָה מְאֹד, כִּי הִיא אִשָּׁה זָרָה, וְעָלֶיהָ נֶאֱמַר: שָׁחָה אֶל מָוֶת בֵּיתָהּ, כָּל בָּאֶיהָ לֹא יְשׁוּבוּן. וַאֲפִלּוּ לִמּוּד הַטִּבְעִיּוּת יִרְחַק מִמֶּנּוּ, וּכְבָר הִזְהִיר הַגָּאוֹן מוֹרֵנוּ הָרַב רַבִּי משֶׁה לַנְדָּאוֹ זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה עַל זֶה.
One must stay far away from the study of philosophy, for it is an alien fire. Concerning this was it written, “Her house inclines towards death…None that go to her return” (Mishlei 2:18-19). One should even avoid natural science, as the illustrious Rabbi Moshe Landau, z”l, has already warned.
יִזָּהֵר שֶׁיִּלְמַד בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ חַלּוֹנוֹת, וּלְהִסְתַּכֵּל בְּכָל עֵת לַשָּׁמַיִם, כִּי מוֹעִיל לְהַשָּׁגָה.
One should be careful to study in a room with windows and gaze frequently at the sky, for this aids comprehension.
אָסוּר לוֹמַר דָּבָר בְּשֵׁם תַּלְמִיד חָכָם אֶחָד, שֶׁלֹּא נֶאֱמַר בִּשְׁמוֹ.
It is forbidden to say something in the name of a particular scholar if there is no tradition that he ever said it.
יִזָּהֵר שֶׁלֹּא לְהוֹצִיא דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה בִּמְקוֹמוֹת שֶׁאֵינָם נְקִיִּים, וְכֵן בְּבָתֵּי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה יִזָּהֵר שֶׁלֹּא לְהוֹצִיא שׁוּם דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה.
One must be careful not to speak words of Torah in unclean places. Similarly, one must not speak words of Torah in houses of idolatry.
אַל יֵבוֹשׁ לְקַבֵּל הָאֱמֶת, אֲפִלּוּ מִקָּטָן שֶׁבַּקְּטַנִּים.
One must not be ashamed to accept the truth even from the youngest of the young.
אִם יוֹדֵעַ בַּחֲבֵרוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יוֹדֵעַ לְהָשִׁיב לוֹ עַל קֻשְׁיָתוֹ — לֹא יִשְׁאֲלֵהוּ כְּלָל, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא לְבַיֵּשׁ אוֹתוֹ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם.
If one knows that a colleague will be unable to answer a question he must not ask him, so that he will not be embarrassed, Heaven forbid.
רְאֵה מַה שֶׁכָּתַב הַזֹּהַר פָּרָשַׁת שְׁלַח לְךָ: חַד יַנּוּקָא — הָיוּ אוֹחֲזִין בֵּיהּ בַּעֲלֵי דִּינִים, וְלֹא הִנִּיחוּ אוֹתוֹ לִישִׁיבָה שֶׁל מַעְלָה. צָוַח הַאי יַנּוּקָא. אִזְדַּעְזַעוּ מִקָּלֵיהּ כָּל בְּנֵי מְתִיבְתָּא עִלָּאִי. אָמַר רַב מְתִיבְתָּא: מַאן אִנּוּן דְּלָא שַׁבְקִין לְהַאי בְּרָא דֶּאֱלָהָא חַיָּא לְמֵיעַל לְקַמָּן? מִיָּד אָחְזוּ בּוֹ בְּהַהוּא יַנּוּקָא וְהִכְנִיסוּ אוֹתוֹ לִפְנֵי רַב מְתִיבְתָּא, וְאָז נֶאֶסְפוּ הַרְבֵּה בְּנֵי יְשִׁיבָה. אָמַר לֵיהּ רַב מְתִיבְתָּא: פְּתַח פּוּמָךְ וְאֵימָא בְּרָא קַדִּישָׁא. אָמַר הַאי יַנּוּקָא: דָּחִילְנָא, דַּאֲנָא מִמְּתִיבְתָּא אָחֳרִיתִי וְהָלַכְתִּי לִישִׁיבָה זוֹ, וְאָחֲזוּ בִּי בַּעֲלֵי דִּינִים. אָמַר לֵיהּ רַב מְתִיבְתָּא: לָא תִּדְחַל, בְּרָא קַדִּישָׁא. הִנֵּה תִּהְיֶה שֶׁבַע יוֹמִין וְתִסְתַּחֵי בְּכָל יוֹמָא מִטַּלָּא קַדִּישָׁא, וּלְבָתַר יְסַלְּקוּן לָךְ לְגוֹ מְתִיבְתָּא עִלָּאָה בֵּין יַנּוּקַיָּא. פָּתַח וְאָמַר בְּכָל הַנֵּי קְרָאֵי, דַּהֲוֵי רַב מְתִיבְתָּא דָרִישׁ, פֵּרֵשׁ הַאי יַנּוּקָא שִׁבְעָה פֵּרוּשִׁין וְגִלָּה לְהוֹן סוֹדוֹת נִפְלָאוֹת.
See what is written in this regard in the Zohar (Parashas Shelach 171a): The agents of judgment held onto a certain child, denying him entry into the Heavenly yeshiva. Then the child cried out, sending a shudder through all the members of the yeshiva. The Rosh Yeshivah inquired, “Who is preventing this son of the living God from entering?” Immediately they took hold of the child and brought him before Rosh Yeshivah and many members of the yeshivah gathered round. “Open your mouth and recite, O holy son,” the Rosh Yeshivah said. But the child replied, “I am afraid to do so because I really belong in a different yeshivah but I came here and the agents of judgment apprehended me.” “Do not be afraid, O holy son,” said the Rosh Yeshiva, “you may stay here for seven days and bathe every day in the holy dew. Afterwards they will elevate you to the yeshivah for children.” So the child began a discourse, giving seven interpretations to each of the verses that the Rosh Yeshivah had been discussing, disclosing amazing insights.
בְּהַאי שַׁעְתָּא נָטְלוּ לַאֲבוּהַ דְּיַנּוּקָא וְהִכְתִּירוּ אוֹתוֹ בְּשִׁבְעִים כְּתָרִים וְכוּ', וְאָמְרוּ שָׁם עִנְיָנוֹ דְּהַאי יַנּוּקָא, שֶׁאָחֲזוּ בּוֹ בַּעֲלֵי דִּינִים, וְרָצוּ לָדוּן אוֹתוֹ בְּיִסּוּרִים בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁהָיָה מַקְשֶׁה לְרַבּוֹ הַרְבֵּה קֻשְׁיוֹת, וַהֲוֵי מַכְסִיף לְרַבֵּיהּ, שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ לְהָשִׁיב לֵיהּ, וְלֹא הָיָה חָס עַל כְּבוֹד רַבּוֹ, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה חַלָּשׁ דַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּרַבֵּיהּ, עַל כֵּן בָּאוּ לְדוּנוֹ בְּדִינָא תַּקִּיפָא. וְאַף דִּשְׁזִיב רַב מְתִיבְתָּא יַתֵּיהּ וְהוֹשִׁיבוֹ אֶצְלוֹ שֶׁבַע יוֹמִין — אַף עַל פִּי כֵן סָבִיל דִּינָא כָּל הַנֵּי שֶׁבַע יוֹמִין, כִּי כָּל שֶׁבַע יוֹמִין הָיָה צוּרָתוֹ חָסֵר, וְהָיָה סוֹבֵל יִסּוּרִים, בַּאֲשֶׁר שֶׁהָיָה נִטְרָד מִמְּקוֹמוֹ. וְאִם הַתִּינוֹק הָיָה לוֹ צַעַר, וְהָיוּ רוֹצִין בַּעֲלֵי דִּינִים לְיַסֵּר אוֹתוֹ, מִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָאָדָם עֹנֶשׁ גָּדוֹל בְּמִתְכַּוֵּן לְבַיֵּשׁ אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ אוֹ רַבּוֹ. וְכֵן אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה: הַמַּלְבִּין פְּנֵי חֲבֵרוֹ בָּרַבִּים — אֵין לוֹ חֵלֶק לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. עַל כֵּן שׁוֹמֵר נַפְשׁוֹ יִרְחַק מֵהֶן שֶׁלֹּא לְבַיֵּשׁ שׁוּם אָדָם.
At that moment they took the boy’s father and crowned him with seventy crowns. The Zohar explains that the agents of judgment detained the boy and wished to afflict him because he had shown a lack of concern for his teacher’s honor. He used to ask him difficult questions that the teacher was unable to answer, causing him embarrassment and depression. For this reason the agents of judgment wished to subject him to harsh punishment. Even though the Rosh Yeshivah apparently saved him, allowing him to remain with him for seven days, this was actually a form of punishment. For throughout those seven days the boy’s true form was diminished and he was alienated from his proper place, which caused him much suffering. If even a child had to endure such suffering and the agents of judgment wished to subject him to further affliction, imagine how much greater the punishment must be for an adult who intentionally embarrasses his colleague or mentor. Thus the Sages have said (Pirkei Avos 3:11): One who embarrasses a colleague in public has no portion in the World to Come. Therefore, whoever values his soul will be careful not to embarrass anyone.