English translation — אמור א

A.

Already spoken many times that every matter of Torah is a lesson — Torah from the word lesson¹

— to every Jew in all times and in all places in the service of G-d,

because the Torah

(also as a lesson)

is eternal²

So is this also regarding the name of the portion,

which were determined according to the custom of Israel

(—it is Torah),

that it contains a lesson for each one and each one.

So it is also in our parshah,

that the name by which it is called in Jewish custom is Parshas Emor³

— that although the word "Emor" refers

(as the continuation of the verse)

"to the kohanim,"

however, since the parshah is called

(not "Emor el haKohanim,"

but)

"Emor" simply⁴

— it is understood,

that the concept of "Emor" is a general instruction for every Jew.

And it requires explanation:

The word "emor" means,

not only a permission for speech,

but a command,

and even more — it does not have any limitation by it — it implies that it speaks about a desirable speech,

upon which one says amen,

One must understand: which speech is hinted and meant by it?

— One cannot say that this means an instruction about speech and talk in Torah — because regarding this one finds in the Torah an explicit command: "and you shall speak in them"⁵.

Also one must explain the difference and boundaries of the desirable and good speech regarding the instruction

(and also in general simply)

"say little"⁶

and "I have not⁷

found for the body good⁸

than silence"⁹?

And to note — regarding speech in Torah, one finds the ruling of the Rambam¹⁰

(Continuing to "I have not found for the body etc.")

"And so in words of Torah and words of wisdom, a person's words should be few and their contents many."

And even though in words of Torah one must be abundant in speech,

and as the Rambam is lengthy in the Commentary on the Mishnah¹¹

(in the aforementioned Mishnah "I have not found in it etc.")

regarding the five parts that "speech is divided according to the obligation of the Torah,"

that the first level — the speech which is "a commandment in it, and it is the reading of the Torah and its study and the reading of its Talmud"¹²

— is "if a person could speak in it all his days, it would be good"¹³

And although the main virtue in this is the content of the speech in words of Torah¹⁴.

And as the Rambam is there¹⁵

continues "that they strive¹⁶

to increase the subjects in few words, not that the matter be the opposite, and it is their saying¹⁷

A person should always teach his students in a concise way"¹⁸

It means not to say that speech in Torah can be undesirable and therefore they must be few,

Rather — that the clarity and comprehension of the Torah,

is when one conveys many subjects in few words¹⁹.

B.

The matters of the Written Torah are explained and detailed

(more openly)

in the Oral Torah.

And in our matter: It stands in the Midrash<sup>20</sup>

at the beginning of our portion<sup>21</sup>

on the verse "Speak to the priests": "The sayings of the Lord are pure sayings<sup>22</sup>

The sayings of flesh and blood are not pure sayings,

It is the way of the world: a king of flesh and blood enters a province, all the inhabitants of the province praise him, and their praise is pleasing to him. He said to them: Tomorrow I will build for you, etc. He slept and did not arise,

Where is he and where are his sayings?

But the Holy One, blessed be He, is not so; rather, "And the Lord God is truth"<sup>23</sup>

Why is He truth? Said Rabbi Avin: Because He is<sup>24</sup>

the living God and King of the world."

And since Jews are "living" because they are attached to the Lord<sup>25</sup>

— "And you who cling to the Lord your God are all alive today"<sup>26</sup>

— it is understood,

that also among Jews there is, as it were, a saying to another which is pure,

it is certainly fulfilled.

Furthermore: Since the righteous are similar to their Creator<sup>27</sup>,

then just as the saying of the Most High is not merely that the saying is certainly fulfilled in deed,

but the saying itself effects,

"By the word of the Lord the heavens were made"<sup>28</sup>,

"By ten utterances the world was created"<sup>29</sup>

— likewise, as it were, also among the righteous there is a saying such that the saying itself effects an action.

What kind of statement is meant here?

— It is understood from the continuation in the words of the Midrash

"We found children in the days of David who before they tasted the taste of sin knew how to expound the Torah with forty-nine aspects of impure and forty-nine aspects of pure, and David prayed for them: You

Hashem, guard them; You, Hashem, preserve their Torah in their hearts; protect them

from this generation, etc.

(And he continues,

that nevertheless:)

After all this praise they go out to war and fall,

but because there were informers among them they would fall"; and the Midrash elaborates on the severity of the matter of slander and states "And why is it called third? Because it kills three: the one who says it, the one who receives it, and the one about whom it is said."

So from this it is understood that the good and desirable statement,

to which the instruction "Say" applies,

is — the complete opposite of slander — speaking in praise of one's fellow; and that the statement itself effects.

3.

This will be understood by prefacing the words of the Rambam in Hilchos Deos³³

: in chapter 5³⁴

In the halacha where the Rambam explains how the speech of a Torah scholar should be,

he says "he speaks in praise of his fellow and not at all in his disparagement".

Further,

in chapter 6³⁵

the Rambam says "It is a commandment upon every person to love each and every one of Israel as himself, as it is said³⁶

You shall love your fellow as yourself; therefore one must speak in his praise etc."

And it requires explanation — what does the Rambam mean by "speaks in praise of his fellow etc." that he says

(also)

regarding a Torah scholar: what is added in this specifically regarding a Torah scholar,

since this is an obligation and commandment upon every Jew³⁷,

as the Rambam says

(as above)

in chapter 6 "It is a commandment upon every person to love each and every one of Israel as himself ..

therefore one must speak in his praise"?

In simple terms, one can answer:

The difference between the two halachos in the two chapters is: In chapter 5, the Rambam speaks about laws and obligations of a Torah scholar which pertain to the Torah scholar himself.

And as the Rambam begins the chapter: "Just as the scholar is distinguished by his wisdom and his opinions, and he is set apart by them from the rest of the people, so too must he be distinguished in his deeds, etc., and in his speech, etc."

Which discusses matters that are connected with the excellence of the Torah scholar himself, "who is set apart from the rest of the people," and as the Rambam elaborates in that chapter: "And a person who does all these deeds and the like, concerning him the verse says³⁸

And He said to me, 'You are My servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.'"

there must be by him "all these deeds

(all ten matters that the Rambam enumerates)

beautiful and proper"39,

because then "everyone praises him and loves him and desires his deeds" and he is "sanctifying the Name"⁴⁰].

<span>In chapter six, however,</span>

it deals

(mainly)

about the fulfillment of the commandment of "Love your fellow as yourself",

about the conduct of a Jew for the benefit of the other Jew

beginning from the start of the chapter: "The nature of a person's creation is to be drawn in his opinions and his deeds after his friends and companions etc. therefore one must etc.",

and likewise several matters in this chapter about commandments between man and his fellow,

which pertain to another Jew⁴¹]

And as the Rambam continues there "Therefore one must recount his praise and spare his property as he is sparing with his own property etc."⁴².

And this is the difference between the two halachos: regarding the obligation upon every person

(in ch. 6)

"to recount his praise" concerning another Jew by virtue of the mitzvah of "Love your fellow as yourself,"

the emphasis is on that which the other Jew has benefit from it,

the "honor of his fellow" is — just as he is sparing with his fellow's property,

because of the good and benefit of the fellow; in contrast, the "one who recounts the praise of his fellow"

(in the halacha in ch. 5)

concerning a Torah scholar — the obligation to recount the praise of his fellow is not because of his fellow,

but rather a part of his

(the Torah scholar's)

service and his virtue

(and he brings honor and sanctification of G-d's name,

as above)⁴³.

4.

But this is not a sufficient explanation,

because the Rambam adds regarding a Torah scholar "

(speaks in praise of his friend)

and not at all in his disfavor",

and seemingly: in this

(that one may not speak "in his disfavor at all")

there is no difference between the obligation of a Torah scholar and the obligation regarding "every person"; this is there — the prohibition of lashon hara,

as the Rambam says at length further on in a chapter by itself⁴⁴.

Even if one says that the Rambam thereby wishes to emphasize how much a Torah scholar is careful in his speech,

that he does not speak in disfavor of his friend "at all"^*44

— the Rambam should have first stated the most stringent law,

the constant one etc. "he does not speak in disfavor of his friend at all" and afterwards add that from time to time he speaks in his praise.

How is it fitting to say that he is telling the praise of his friend,

and also — he is not telling his disgrace!

And perforce one must say,

that the Rambam speaks here about a special boundary in "telling the praise of his friend",

regarding which there is required the clarification and addition "and not his disgrace at all"⁴⁵.

Then the explanation of this: "One who speaks of his friend's praise" regarding a Torah scholar, the Rambam says in continuation of

(the statement of the Mishnah in Avot⁴⁶

"And judges every person favorably."

And one could say,

That here it speaks about "his friend" regarding whom one must come to judge him favorably.

D.

H.

In the conduct of his friend there is an undesirable thing,

but being a Torah scholar

(who conducts himself according to the "matters of piety"⁴⁷

from tractate Avot)

he judges him favorably.

And regarding this,

the obligation to judge favorably,

the Rambam innovates that a Torah scholar is "one who speaks of his friend's praise and not at all of his fault" — he speaks of his praise even though at the time of the deed he sees "his fault",

and moreover — he is "one who speaks of his friend's praise" in a manner that the fault is entirely negated,

"at all".

5.

One must however understand: What is the special connection of this matter specifically to a Torah scholar?

And it will be explained: Right before the matter of "and judges every person to the side of merit" the Rambam says that a Torah scholar must conduct himself thusly that the spirit of the creatures be pleased with him,

which therefore must be "his speech gently with all the creatures" etc.

And from this emerges a difference between a Torah scholar and an ordinary person in their relationship to someone who has a "shame" — when one sees in the other an undesirable thing,

one must do everything that one can to nullify that undesirable thing,

This can however be done in two ways:

He who is not a Torah scholar

(and therefore the conduct of "the spirit of creatures is pleased with him" does not have to be with him in perfect completeness)

— he rebukes his fellow

(according to the ways of the Torah)

for his sin and iniquity⁴⁸.

But a Torah scholar,

whose "speech" must be "with gentleness with all creatures",

nullifies "the fault" of his fellow in a manner of "gentleness"⁴⁹

: <span>He is "one who speaks in praise of his fellow and not at all about his fault" — that the very speaking in praise of his fellow reveals his praise,</span>

his good qualities,

and this itself causes that the matter of "fault" becomes weakened — until it becomes nullified.

And along the lines of the well-known explanation of the Sages, may their memory be blessed,

(the above foundation at the end of the previous section)

regarding evil speech

("a threefold tongue kills three"⁵⁰)

"kills three: the one who says it, the one who receives it, and the one about whom it is said"⁵¹

— for at first glance: that which evil speech harms the one who speaks and the one who hears is understandable,

since they both participated in the transgression — and such a severe transgression that the Sages, may their memory be blessed,⁵²

compare it to the severity of idolatry, forbidden sexual relations, and murder together; but what is the one spoken about guilty of?

He did not take any part in the transgression,

so why should he also suffer?

So the explanation in this is: the property of speech is to bring out a matter from concealment

(thought)

to revelation.

And therefore,

when one speaks about another's evil⁵³

<span><span> and one brings it</span><span> to revelation through speech,</span></span>

this is liable to harm that other⁵⁴.

If one had not <span><span>spoken about it — that other's evil would perhaps have remained concealed and it would not have brought about the undesirable consequences.</span></span>

There is this principle,

that "the measure of good is greater than the measure of punishment"⁵⁵

so just as speaking about another's fault has a harmful effect on that one,

so too it is thus

(and even more so)

in the measure of good,

that when one speaks about another's good and virtues it certainly has a good effect on the one whom one praises,

and it gives him reinforcement and assistance in his service — one brings out in revelation and in actuality his good and his virtues⁵⁵.

6.

A deeper matter is in this: The language of the Rambam "and not in his disgrace at all" comes to teach,

that a Torah scholar who fulfills the matter of "and judges every person to the side of merit" properly,

ultimately he does not see disgrace in his fellow at all.

This will be understood through an additional explanation in the discourse "And judge every person to the side of merit":

The Alter Rebbe explains at length in Tanya⁵⁷

in the explanation of Chazal⁵⁸

"Do not judge your fellow until you reach his place" — because "his place causes him to sin,

as his livelihood requires him to go in the market etc. and his eyes see etc."

And accordingly it can be said that also this matter is included in the statement "and judge every person favorably",

that when one sees how that person does something not as it should be,

one must find a reason why he is not guilty in this, according to the aforementioned not-good thing⁵⁹.

And although the above explanation removes the punishment and guilt from one's fellow when committing a transgression,

one thereby nullifies the "obligation" — but there is in this no matter of merit

("judge..

to the side of merit")

from the word pure,

merits?

So the explanation in this: When one sees a Jew,

whom the Most High places before great trials

(as in the above example — that "his livelihood to go in the market etc. and his eyes&lt;sup&gt;60&lt;/sup&gt;

&lt;span&gt; see etc."),&lt;/span&gt;

this itself is a proof that the Most High who seeks only according to their power&lt;sup&gt;61&lt;/sup&gt;

previously gave him higher powers to be able to overcome harder trials.

The "merit-finding" is not only a reason not to blame one's fellow,

but with it is also brought out the side of the "merit" and the virtue of one's fellow,

that he has elevated powers — sufficient even to overcome such difficult trials.

And this is the inner content in "and be⁶¹

judging every person to the side of merit" — that when a Jew is melamed zechus (finds merit) on him,

he reveals and brings out in him the hidden powers that are within him,

so that he can actually withstand the trials and it becomes ultimately the nullification of the accusations

(as above section 5)⁶².

And this is what the Rambam says that a Torah scholar is "judges every person favorably, speaks of his friend's praise and not at all of his fault": a true Torah scholar who is "judges every person favorably" transforms eventually his friend's "fault" into "merit": looking at a friend's harsh tendencies he sees

(in this itself)

the great soul powers that he possesses

(which is included in "speaks of his friend's praise"),

and consequently — he is "speaks of his friend's praise and not at all of his fault".

7.

And this is the instruction from the name of the section "Emor" — that one must always be,

and in abundance⁶³,

the speaking of praising one's friend of every Jew,

also in that which one must judge him favorably.

That this speaking is such that the very speaking effects; in the manner of, as it were, like the speech of the Holy One, blessed be He, which effects an action as above,

so too does the speaking of one Jew about another Jew in his praise effect,

that one reveals and brings out his hidden good⁶⁴.

And this also corresponds with the explanation of our Rabbis, of blessed memory&lt;sup&gt;65&lt;/sup&gt;

(and brought in Rashi)

on the beginning of the portion "Emor ..

and you shall say" — "to warn the adults concerning the minors": "to warn" is

(also)

from the language of radiance and light&lt;sup&gt;66&lt;/sup&gt;.

— This comes to teach,

that the manner in which adults must occupy themselves and effect upon minors&lt;sup&gt;67&lt;/sup&gt;

— which also includes "adults" and "minors" in level,

in the service of G-d — to separate them from undesirable things,

is

(mainly)

not so by occupying oneself with the evil

(as the command that only — left — weak hand — pushes away&lt;sup&gt;68&lt;/sup&gt;),

rather it must be in a manner of "to warn" — radiance and light

(right — draws near&lt;sup&gt;68&lt;/sup&gt;),

by revealing the inner good that is found in the "minors",

until it becomes "to warn",

that the inner good that is in them should shine and radiate for them.

And based on this it will be sweetened why the verse uses here specifically the language "Emor" — and not "Daber": the difference between the languages "dibur" and "amirah" is: dibur is a harsh language&lt;sup&gt;69&lt;/sup&gt;

which means the manner of occupying oneself and effecting through breaking the evil; but "amirah" is a soft language&lt;sup&gt;70&lt;/sup&gt;

and its subject is — effecting by revealing the good that exists in the other so that the evil becomes nullified by itself and automatically.

8.

Based on all the above, one will also understand the connection of the above instruction from "Emor" to the Rebbe Maharash — whose birthday,

2 Iyar,

falls out

(in this year

(5744)

etc.)⁷¹

in the week of Parshat Emor:

It is known the saying of the Rebbe Maharash⁷²

: The world says that if one cannot go under, one must go over⁷³,

and I hold that one must go over from the outset:

One of the differences between “arunter” and “lechatchila ariber” in avodas Hashem is: “arunter” means — that one occupies oneself with the lower,

“matah” — to overcome the undesirable matters until one reaches them with toil and effort; “lechatchila ariber” means,

that from the outset one begins with the “higher”,

and one adds in good to such an extent,

that the evil becomes weakened and nullified.

Which this is the manner of “emor”,

as above,

through which one nullifies the undesirable matters of a Jew in a manner of “lechatchila ariber”.

And when the conduct is in such a manner,

that it is good for heaven and good for creatures,

then this is "beauty for those who do it and beauty for him from man"⁷⁴

and moreover — beauty within beauty

(the sefirah of the birthday of the Rebbe Maharash),

then it is

(in the language of the Rambam regarding a Torah scholar — that ultimately every Jew reaches the level of a Torah scholar,

and as the promise — and all your children shall be students of the L-rd⁷⁵)

— "about him the verse says ..

Israel, in whom I will be glorified".

(From the sichah of Shabbos Parshas Emor 5742)