Speech

(1) And the matter is, as is known in the Zohar, that He (blessed be He) and His utterance are one. And every utterance and statement from the Holy One (blessed be He) in the Creation Event, that He pronounced and it came into existence, He is the soul-Neffesh and source of vitality of that thing that was created therewith and all of the myriad species included in it, including:
• the guiding powers appointed over them,
• and the angels appointed over those guiding powers,
• and their sources and the source of their sources, higher and higher, that are in each world.

(2) And from that moment onward, for the duration of eternity, His utterance is positioned within them to radiate upon them and to sustain them in each instant, during all the details of their involvements and their individual interactions, and in structuring their situations.

(3) Therefore, for all of the ten utterances, no name is mentioned other than God-Elohi”m, because that statement is the “Master of Powers” for that object, and all the species within it that were created using it, that it is their soul-Neffesh that permeates the interior of the pieces of its components. It is only that in this moment “our eyes are weakened, prevented from perceiving” with physical eyes how and in what manner His utterance (blessed be He) extends/unfolds within them.

(4) And regarding the future it is written (Yeshayahu 40:5): “And all flesh together will see that the mouth of God-YHV”H has spoken”, namely that our perception will be refined to the point that we’ll merit to perceive and also see with physical eyes the matter of how His (blessed be He) utterance permeates everything in the universe, similar to how a perception of this kind already occurred at the time of the giving of the Torah. For it is written (Shemot 20:18): “and the entire nation sees the sounds”[*]. And this is also in the realm of their (OBM) statements at the end of the chapter Eiloo Ovrim: “The world-to-come is not like this world. In this world it is written as God-Y”H and pronounced as God-ADN”Y, but in the world-to-come, it’s written as God-Y”H and pronounced as Y”H”, and understand this.

(5) Annotation: And we could say, according to this statement of theirs (OBM) on this text (M’khilta on RaSh”Y’s interpretation in the Chumash), that they were hearing the visible and seeing the audible, intending to convey that the powers of the physical were nullified to such an extent, and their perceptions were refined so much, until the total experience of the matters associated with the physical senses that at first they experienced as a visual perception, at that moment no longer existed for them—not seeing with the visual sense nor contemplating it in any way—to the extent that, for example, if someone wanted to understand a matter that would normally be perceived with the physical senses, they would have had to have it explained to them verbally, to tell them about what in fact exists; and the spiritual matters that, at first, they would have had to be explained verbally, at that moment they would see them with their physical visual sense and their perception would be wondrous.

(6) This is the context of the text (Yeshayahu 30:20): “Your Teacher will no longer be hidden behind His garment, and your eyes will behold your Teacher”. And refer to Zohar Chaddash Yitro (34, end of first folio): “wings are coverings to hide their names…”, pay attention well to the whole context there.

(7) Therefore He (blessed be His name) began the ten utterances first with “I am God-YHV”H your God-Elohi”m”, for this is the entire essential foundation of the faith, that each person of Israel should fix in his heart/mind that only He (blessed be His name) is the true “Master of Power”, and its soul-Neshama, and its vitalizing force, and its essential source, and [so too] for all the created beings and powers and all the worlds. This is the context and definition of the name God-Elohi”m: Master of All Powers.

(8) But even so, according to the definition and the context of this name, it appears that there are, in absolute fact, also worlds and powers that are constantly renewed via His (blessed be He) simple will; that He constrained his glory and left a place (so to speak) for the existence of powers and worlds. But He (blessed be He), He is their soul-Neshama and the source of the root of their vitalizing power that they receive from His (blessed be He) presence, that permeates and is concealed within them (so to speak), like the matter of how the soul-Neshama permeates a person’s body, that even though it permeates every part and distinct point within it, even so we couldn’t say that the body becomes nullified in relation to it, as though it doesn’t exist at all. So it is with every supernal power and world that permeates the entire essence of the power and the world below it, that even so, the lower power and the world remain in existence. And this is based on our perspective, in the context of our perceptions, as we discussed previously.

(9) But the essential name God-YHV”H (blessed be He) informs us about the aspect and context as it is from His (blessed be He) perspective, that was explained above. (And this is so even though the name God-YHV”H is applied from the perspective of His (blessed be He) relationship per His Will to the worlds, for [relative to] the essence of the Sole Master, Ein Sofe (blessed be He), being bare of the worlds, there’s no hint to any name whatsoever. Even so, the worlds are [emphatic] actually completely null and nullified relative to Him (blessed be He). From the perspective of this honored name, this resembles the situation according to how it is from His (blessed be He) perspective.) And for that reason the essential name is called the “Unique Name” (blessed be He).

(10) And this is what is stated in the text (D’varim 4:39): “For God-YHV”H is the God-Elohi”m…”, wishing to convey that even if from the perspective of our perception He is called by the name God-Elohi”m”, and from His (blessed be He) perspective He is called by the aspect of God-YHV”H (blessed be He), in truth all is one, and God-YHV”H is God-Elohi”m…, as we learned previously in chapter 7, in the context of the Constraint and the Channel, that they are all one.

(11) And this is also included in the matter of the unification of the first verse of the Sh’ma: “…God-YHV”H is our God-Elohi”m God-YHV”H is one”, [*] desiring to convey that we should intend that He (blessed be He) is our God-Elohi”m, Master of the Powers, and the source of the root of our souls-Neshama and our vitalizing force, and for all the creations and worlds. And though He created and brought into reality the existence of powers and worlds and creations, even so from His (blessed be He) perspective:
1. He is in the aspect of God-YHV”H and is one,
2. All of the creations are not a barrier (heaven forefend) relative to His (blessed be He) simple oneness that permeates everything, and
3. He is called, now too, God-YHV”H and One.

(12) Annotation: And based on this will be understood their (OBM) statements (P’sakhim 56a) in the context of the praise “Blessed be the glorious name of His sovereignty forever and ever” in the unification of Sh’ma, in that they decreed that it be said in a covert manner, likening it to a king’s daughter who smelled the aroma of spicy stew..., her servants began bringing it to her covertly.” On the face of it we are surprised about their (OBM) metaphor, for isn’t it great praise?

(13) And according to a plain explanation we can say that, in truth it is not praise at all. It’s similar to this: would we consider it praise of a human king to say that he rules over a myriad of ants and gnats, and that they willingly accept the yoke of his sovereignty? All the more so, it’s a simple deduction that this is not a worthy comparison for He (blessed be He) who has no limit to His holiness and the awesomeness of His simple unity, and for whom the entire universe taken together is insignificant in comparison. It’s certain that truthfully it is not praise in any way that we praise Him (blessed be He) that He is blessed and magnificent in the glory of His sovereignty over the created worlds, for all of them are lowly and are not considered as anything significant in comparison. But it’s only that He (blessed be He), “Where you find His greatness, you find His humility”, that His Will decreed that He should accept our praise. For this reason they (OBM) likened it to a spicy stew, and regulated that even so, we should only say it covertly.

(14) And according to that opinion, we can explain the inner aspect of their (OBM) intentions, namely, that after we have designated Him one, with the verse Sh’ma—that He is unequivocally One, a simple unity and there is absolutely none other than Him—how, after that, could we praise Him that he is blessed via the glory of His sovereignty over worlds, that the worlds too exist and that He (blessed be He) is sovereign over them? It can’t be considered praise relative to the awesome unification of the Sh’ma verse. Rather, His (blessed be He) will decreed that even so we should praise Him with this praise, for the reason that it is correct from the perspective of our perception and behavior, according to the foundations and precepts of our holy Torah, all of which were based on this aspect, as I wrote previously. For that reason we say it covertly.

(15) (And on the face of it, we may find it difficult to understand what Rabbee Yirmiya said to Rabbee Cheeya bar Abba (Berakhot 13b): “that he would greatly stretch out the pronunciation of the word ‘one’. And he said to him, ‘once you’ve acknowledged Him as King above and below and towards the four directions of the heavens, you needn’t do that again’.” And according to our opinion it’s a little difficult to learn that we acknowledge Him as King with the word “one”. However this too is explained, as is known to those who are knowledgeable in the Ariza”l’s (OBM) writings, that the entirety of the initiation of the start of His (OBM) conception in the matter of creation was according to the secret of the Malkhoot of the Ein Sofe, and understand.)

(1) And not just to this phrase “blessed are You”, whose definition is “increase and expansion”, is this intention relevant, but rather for each and every word from the entire body of the prayer service is this holy intention also relevant. For each word from the prayer, or from any blessing, ascends upward and still further upward by those winged masters of lightness who transport it to perform its task in the supernal root unique to it. And he thereby becomes a partner (so to speak) of the Former of the Beginning, to construct and found a number of (and still more) worlds.

(2) And as is written in the Tikkoonim (Tikkoon 18, 35b): “And when a person sends out vaporous breaths and words during his prayer, a number of winged creatures spread their wings and mouths to receive them; this is what is written: ‘For a bird of the heavens will carry the sound and one who has wings…’ (Kohelet 10:20). And the Holy One (blessed be He) accepts those words, and with them builds worlds, as is written in relation to them (Yeshayahu 66:22): ‘For just as the new heavens and the new earth…’, and [in relation to] the secret of the word: ‘and I have placed My words in your mouth… to plant the heavens…’” (Yeshayahu 51:16). [And regarding the verse] “and to say unto Zion ‘you are My people’”, don’t read it as “my people” but rather as “with me”, my partner, and it’s the same there in Tikkoon 69, 106b.

(3) And the wise one will understand on his own that it wasn’t for no reason that the one-hundred-and-twenty elders (and among them a few prophets) set the requirement for such a brief supplication and a short prayer such as this. Rather, that they [emphatic] discerned with their Holy Spirit and with the discernment of their supernal prophecy, and all the paths of the designs of the Creation and the parts of the Vehicle shone brightly for them, and because of this they set the foundation of and fixed the form of the blessings and the prayer service using these specific words, because of how they saw and discerned on which path the light of each specific word would rest, how [that word] is extremely necessary to rectify the multitude of worlds and the supernal powers and the assembly of the Vehicle. And as they (OBM) stated (refer to Shabbat 116b, M’nakhote 64a): “The service is a lofty necessity”.

(4) And this is the context of what they (OBM) stated (Yevamot 64a): “The Holy One (blessed be He) has a desirous passion for the prayers of the righteous”. And in Tahn-khooma, parshat Tole-dote they stated: “And why were the Matriarchs childless? Rabbee Leivee stated: ‘The Holy One (blessed be He) had a desirous passion for their [masc.] prayers’.” And in Zohar Tole-dote 137a: “Come and observe: twenty years Yitzkhak waited with his wife and she didn’t give birth until he prayed his prayer, because the Holy One (blessed be He) desires the prayers of the righteous… . For what reason? So that the extra holiness will multiply and increase for anyone who required the prayers of the righteous.” And it’s stated explicitly (Mishlei 15:8): “but the upright’s prayer is His desire”.

(5) And for that reason the sages (OBM) called the matter of prayer (Berakhot 6b): “words that stand at the pinnacle of the world”—it is [emphatic] the words themselves, they being the words of prayer, stand at the pinnacle of the worlds.

(6) And in Zohar Va-yahk-heil (201a): “A man’s prayer are the service of the soul-Ruakh, manifesting in the supernal secrets, and men don’t know that a man’s prayers splits the skies and splits the heavens, opens doors and ascends [fem.] upwards. And refer to the second folio there, and on page 202a, and the beginning of the second folio. Awesome and wonderful is the matter of how each and every word of the prayer ascends. And at the beginning of parshat Va-et-kha-nahn 260b: “and during the time of prayer, all of those words that come out of a man’s mouth during that prayer, all of them ascend upward and split the heavens, until they arrive… and are crowned”.

(7) And with his voice of this lower world he arouses the supernal voice, the great voice mentioned in the Zohar. (And as is written in a few places in the Zohar, that prayer goes up in order to draw blessings from the depths of all, and that is the great voice.) And what is written (B’reishit 27:22): “the voice is Jacob’s voice”, that the voice of a man’s prayer arouses the corresponding great voice. And therefore the sages (OBM) expounded (Ta-ah-neet 16b) on the verse (Yirmiyahu 12:8): “she raised her voice against Me; therefore I hated her”—and they stated: “this is an improper leader of communal prayer”, as if to say that only his voice is present, but his voice doesn’t also cause the supernal voice to be aroused to join him. And when it says “she raised her voice against Me”, it means just that voice alone, and it continues “therefore…”. And this is what the text states (Yoel 2:11): “and God-YHV”H has emitted His voice before His army”.

(8) And for this reason, even though our sages (OBM) called the matter of prayer “service using the heart/ mind”, even so, we learn from the text of Channah that one is required to enunciate with one’s lips.

To not curse an Israelite, whether a man or a woman; and even though he does not hear the curse, as it is stated (Leviticus 19:14), "You shall not curse the deaf" - and the explanation is one who does not hear your curse. Even thought we do not have the power to know in which way a curse impacts upon the one cursed, and with what power within speech there is to bring [that impact] upon him, it is from the roots of the commandment that God prevented us from injuring others with our mouths, [just] like he prevented us from injuring them with action. And similar to this did they, may their memory be blessed, say (Moed Katan 18a), "A covenant is made with the lips" - meaning to say that there is power in the words of a person's mouth.

(2) And it is possible for us to stay that since the speaking soul in man is the elevated part, and as it is written (Genesis 2:7), "He blew into his nostrils the breath of life," and it is translated (by Onkelos) as "a speaking spirit"; He gave it great power to impact even on that which is external to it. And hence we have known and it is always seen that to the extent of the importance of a man's soul and its clinging to the elevated things - like [is the case with] the souls of the righteous and the pious - will their words be quick to impact upon all that they speak about. Rambam, may his memory be blessed, said (Sefer HaMitzvot LaRambam, Mitzvot Lo Taase 317) as the reason of the commandment [that is is] in order that the soul of the one that curses not be moved to vengeance and that he not become used to anger. And it appears to me from his words that, in his opinion, he does not see any injury to the one cursed from the curse, but rather that the Torah is distancing the matter from the perspective of the one that curses - that he not accustom himself to vengeance and anger and to lowly traits. And we shall accept all the words of our rabbis, though our hearts hold more of what we have written.

(2) "and I did not find anything better for the body than silence": Rambam, may his memory be blessed, already explained about the matter of silence that if it was about speech that brings damage to a person in every way or that brings gain from one side but damage from the other, Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel would not have needed to warn us about it - as every person who guards himself from anguish would be careful about it. But rather, even with speech that brings no damage to a person at all and is all gain, like one who speaks about his business affairs and the needs of his body and the needs of his livelihood - one must minimize speech and not be long-winded in it, but rather [just speak] according to his need. And it is not necessary to say about a vain matter that does not [change a thing] that one should not mention it at all. And so [too] did they say in Talmud Yerushalmi Berakhot 1:2, "Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said, 'If I had been at Mount Sinai, I would have needed two mouths.' Afterwards he said, 'Now that we only have one, I am not able to save our souls from evil speech, all the more so if we had two.'" He means to say [he wanted two mouths] so that he should not speak from his [one] mouth words of Torah and words that are completely vain things of the world; in the same [way] that our holy sages would make themselves like vessels of [the sacrificial] service, which are not to be used for profane matters. And this is that which we say in the Talmud of the Westerners (Talmud Yerushalmi Berakhot 9:5), "All chatter (patatia) is bad except for Torah chatter which is good." And some have the version, "All karavia is bad except for Torah karavia which is good." And the meaning of karavia is plowing. [This is] to say that all of the words and thoughts with which a person makes efforts in this world, 'it is all vain and bad spirit, besides thoughts about Torah and 'the acts of God, as [they are] awesome.'

(2) The reason for Scripture's singling out just these things seems to be this: It is known that every man has 248 physical organs and 365 physical sinews, as it is written (Iyyov 10:11): "With skin and flesh did You clothe me and with bones and sinews did You cover me." Now Scripture mentions skin and flesh and sinews and bones, and calls them only "clothing" and "covering" — "You clothed me"; "You covered me." Whom did He clothe if not the soul that is in his midst — "the essential man." And every organ of the soul is clothed from above with a bodily organ which corresponds to that organ as a garment to the body. And corresponding to this, the Holy One Blessed be He gave us 248 positive commandments and 365 negative commandments. And they are also distributed among the organs. For there is a mitzvah depending on the hand and a mitzvah depending on the foot. And so with all the other organs, as stated in the book of Charedim. And when a man fulfills a mitzvah in this world with a certain organ, in the world to come the light of the L-rd reposes on that organ, and it is that light which vivifies that organ. And so, with each and every mitzvah. It emerges, then, that when a man fulfills the 248 positive commandments, then he is the "complete man," who is sanctified to the L-rd with all of his organs. And this is the intent of what is stated in the section of tzitzith [fringes] (Bamidbar 15:40): "And you will do all My mitzvoth and you will be holy to your G-d." But if, G-d forbid, he be lacking one of the 248 positive commandments, which he has "cast behind his back," and which he did not repent of, there will be a defect in his soul in the world to come in the organ corresponding to that mitzvah. And when a man is careful not to transgress the negative commandments of the Torah, he draws down the light of sanctity upon the sinews of his soul. And if he is not careful, they will be — G-d forbid — defective, as is explained at length in the book, Sha'arei Kedushah, Chapter I.

(3) And from this one can reflect how he must be heedful of all the 613 mitzvoth with all his strength in the days of his life. For it is they [the mitzvoth] that extend his life eternally in the organs and sinews of his soul. As it is written (Vayikra 18:5): "And you shall keep My statutes and My judgments that a man shall do and live in them." It is not written "And he shall live because of them" [but "in them,"] to teach that the light of the mitzvah itself is his life in the world to come — just as one wishes to be perfect in all of his limbs in this world, so that he not be blemished in his very smallest organ.

(4) And [this holds true] especially in the area of guarding one's tongue. For if he permits, G-d forbid, his soul to be in the category of speakers of lashon hara in this world, and, as a mater of course, does not prevent his ears, too, from always hearing lashon hara and rechiluth and accepting it, (also, so that he will have later what to talk about; for this is the trait of the talebearer, to go and hear in one place and sell this "merchandise" in another place, as a merchant with his wares), then he will have damaged his faculties of speech and hearing, and will certainly be punished in his soul, correspondingly, in the world to come, in these two faculties themselves, speech and hearing. [This is the language of the GRA (R. Eliyahu of Vilna) on the verse (Mishlei 13:13): "He who neglects a thing will be hurt by it, and the fearer of a mitzvah — he will be complete." "For there are 248 organs in a man, and, corresponding to them, 248 positive commandments. And likewise, every thing derives its vital strength from the mitzvoth. And, therefore, anyone who neglects any matter of mitzvah hurts himself. For he is thereby deprived of the vital strength of that matter. But one who fears forsaking any mitzvah and seeks to fulfill every thing [(of mitzvah)] will be complete in all of his organs."] For in the issur of speaking lashon hara and rechiluth that he speaks with his mouth he transgresses "You shall not go talebearing among your people," most of which [sin] inheres in the mouth. And in hearing lashon hara and accepting it, he infringes on the transgression of (Shemoth 23:1): "You shall not bear a false report." And it is known that these [(speaking and hearing)] are the major faculties of the "form" of man and of his perfection, even in this world. How much more so is he (i.e., "the counterpart of mouth and ear") rendered defective (for sins by those organs)] in the world to come. And even if we say that he will not be lacking entirely in these faculties, (for did he not also employ them in his lifetime in words of Torah and holiness?) in any event, they will certainly be defective, for he damaged them while yet living and did not repent. And this is known to all who have understanding — that even in this world, if, G-d forbid, a man's faculty of speech and hearing is impaired, even if — with great effort — he can still speak and hear, this greatly grieves him in his lifetime, and he will be more greatly shamed by this lack than if he were affected, in his other organs; for these are man's prime faculties and he will also not be able to conceal their loss. How much more so, in the higher world — how much will his soul grieve there before the eyes of all! Even if no punishment were inflicted upon the man of lashon hara at all, but only his speech and hearing were impaired, how much shame would he suffer because of this! For there it is known and recognized by all that his speech and hearing impairment there is due to his being a man of lashon hara and strife in this world.

(7) Yom Kippur is the time of Teshuvah for all, both individuals and the community at large. It is the apex of forgiveness and pardon for Israel. Accordingly, everyone is obligated to repent and confess on Yom Kippur.
The mitzvah of the confession of Yom Kippur begins on the day's eve, before one eats [the final meal], lest one choke to death in the meal before confessing.
Although a person confessed before eating, he should confess again in the evening service, Yom Kippur night, and similarly, repeat the confession in the morning, Musaf, afternoon, and Ne'ilah services.
At which point [in the service] should one confess? An individual confesses after the Amidah and the Chazan confesses in the midst of the Amidah, in the fourth blessing.

(7) After the witnesses have been examined and their testimony accepted, the head of the court says: It is sanctified. And all the people respond after him: It is sanctified; it is sanctified. Whether the moon was seen at its anticipated time, on the thirtieth day of the previous month, or whether it was not seen at its anticipated time, in which case witnesses are not necessary to establish the following day as the New Moon, the court sanctifies it and formally proclaims the day as the New Moon. Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Tzadok, says: If the new moon was not seen at its anticipated time, the court does not sanctify the New Moon on the following day, as the celestial court in Heaven has already sanctified it, precluding the need for the additional sanctification by the earthly court.

(2) As taught earlier (10a), one of the primary methods of taking a vow is by invoking an offering. The mishna provides several examples where invoking the term korban is not effective. If one says: An offering [korban] that I will not eat of yours, or: This offering [ha korban] that I will eat of yours, or: That which I will not eat of yours is not an offering [la korban], the food is permitted. If one says: An oath that I will not eat of yours, or: This is an oath that I will eat of yours [she’okhal lekha], or: Not an oath that I will not eat of yours, the food is forbidden. This rule, that oaths can render actions, which do not have actual substance, either prohibited or obligatory, is a stringency of oaths vis-à-vis vows, which do not take effect with regard to matters that do not have actual substance. And there is also a stringency of vows vis-à-vis oaths. How so? With regard to one who said: Making a sukka is konam for me, or: Taking a lulav is konam for me, or: Donning phylacteries is konam for me, in the case of vows, the items are rendered forbidden, and he may not perform the mitzva until the vow is dissolved. However, in the case of similar oaths, these items are permitted, as one cannot take an oath to transgress the mitzvot.