English translation — שמיני ג

Sicha 3*

[pg]66[/pg]

A.

The Rambam wrote at the end of Hilchos Ma'achalos Asuros1

— after he writes2

the things that the Sages prohibited3

because they are "in the category of "Do not4

make your souls abominable" — "And whoever is careful with these things brings holiness and extra purity to his soul and refines his soul for the sake of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said5

And you shall sanctify yourselves and you shall be holy, for I am holy."

Simply,

the source of the Rambam is from this same verse itself⁶,

for the verse "and you shall sanctify yourselves and you shall be holy" comes in continuation of the prohibition "do not make your souls abominable etc.",

and it is a giving of reason for it,

as the beginning of the verse "for I am the L-rd your G-d and you shall sanctify yourselves etc.".

And it needs to be understood: from the simple language of the Rambam "and whoever is careful about these things" it implies,

that his intention

(is not about all the things and prohibitions that are in the Laws of Forbidden Foods,

but only)

about these things that were enumerated in proximity before this,

namely that "holiness and extra purity" comes through being careful "about these things" that the Sages prohibited⁷

because of "do not make your souls abominable".

And it is perplexing,

why did the Rambam leave aside the prohibition "do not make abominable" that is explicit in the verse — "concerning every swarming thing that swarms"⁴

(the prohibition of eating creeping things⁸)

— and take the prohibitions from their words that

(also)

they are included in "do not make your souls abominable etc."?

Also the order of the matters is not understood

(and the levels)

that were enumerated in the Rambam — "brings holiness and extra purity to his soul and purges his soul for the sake of Hashem",

that is, first "holiness",

and afterwards "purity",

and only at the end "purges his soul" — for seemingly it should have said in the opposite order,

from the light to the heavy: first purging of the soul

(whose meaning is removal of filth),

and afterwards "extra purity"

(which means not only purity from impurity,

but an addition of purity,

like the five immersions of the Kohen Gadol on Yom Kippur),

and afterwards "holiness",

which is above purity<sup>9</sup>?

<pg>67</pg>

And even more perplexing: This verse of "And you shall sanctify yourselves and you shall be holy for I am holy" is brought in the Rambam also at the end of the Laws of Impurity of Foods<sup>10</sup>

regarding eating non-sacred food in purity<sup>11</sup>,

and this is its language: "And this matter

(eating non-sacred food in purity)

is an extra holiness and a way of piety that a person be separate and withdraw from the rest of the people etc. that withdrawal leads to purity of the body from evil deeds,

and purity of the body leads to holiness of the soul from evil opinions and holiness of the soul causes to resemble the Shechinah as it is said<sup>12</sup>

And you shall sanctify yourselves and you shall be holy for I am holy Hashem who sanctifies you" — behold that here indeed the Rambam enumerated the levels according to their order: first "withdrawal",

afterwards "purity",

and afterwards "holiness"

[which is in accordance with their order in the Baraita<sup>13</sup>

of Rebbi Pinchas ben Yair

(according to the version of the Yerushalmi<sup>14</sup>,

and so is the version of the Rif in the Bavli<sup>15</sup>)

"Withdrawal leads to purity,

purity leads to holiness"],

and at the end — "to resemble the Shechinah"; and what reason did the Rambam change here,

and enumerated the levels in the opposite order?

2.

And one must say the explanation in this:

The intention of the Rambam here is

(not only to conclude these laws with words of aggadah and ethics etc.,

but primarily)

to inform us a law in the manner of caution in matters of "do not make yourselves abominable."

Behold, the things that the Sages forbade regarding "Do not make yourselves abominable" are things "that the soul of most people is disgusted by them..

are disgusted by them"¹⁶,

and since this is so, one must understand,

why did the Sages see fit to warn in detail about refraining from these things,

when without this the nature of most people is to distance themselves from them¹⁷?

[And it is forced to say,

that this is only for the minority of people who do not feel to make themselves abominable,

contrary to the nature of the body — and especially that the Torah¹⁸

speaks about the majority¹⁹].

And one could say,

that this is what the Rambam informs us in this halacha,

that the intention of the person in his caution in the <pg>68</pg>

These matters should be not

(only)

because it is proper for a person to conduct himself

(from the nature of his body),

but because "one who is cautious in these matters brings holiness and extra purity to his soul and refines his soul for the sake of the Holy One, blessed be He",

namely that this pertains to the holiness and purity of the soul.

Although physical cleanliness is a secondary matter,

at first glance

(and especially regarding spiritual cleanliness and purity)

— as is also explained in the Guide for the Perplexed²⁰

that "cleanliness of garments and washing of the body and removal of filth are also among the purposes of this Torah,

but after purity of deeds and purity of heart from defiling outlooks and defiling character traits..

the primary goal is the curbing of desires,

and external cleanliness after internal cleanliness" — nevertheless,

"external cleanliness" also affects "internal cleanliness",

for by being careful in these matters a person "brings additional holiness and purity to his soul"

(because physical cleanliness prepares a person and makes him a more suitable vessel for spirituality and the subtlety of his soul²¹).

And based on this, one can also explain the reason that the Rambam enumerated the levels in reverse order — holiness,

purity and "refined his soul":

With this the Rambam hints,

that not only does "external cleanliness" affect "internal cleanliness",

but furthermore,

that as a person ascends to a more elevated level in holiness,

greater cleanliness is required of him.

Like the matter of "a Torah scholar upon whom there is a stain on his garment etc."²²,

"of a builder

(Torah scholar)

on one side and of a boor on two sides"²³,

from this it is understood,

that when one ascends to a more elevated level in "Torah scholar"

("holiness")

cleanliness is required of him

("purity")

greater,

even regarding matters that previously were not considered by him as a "stain".

And this is the intent of the Rambam in his precise wording "brings additional holiness and purity to his soul and purges his soul etc." — that when it reaches a state of additional holiness,

the soul needs a matter of renewed "purity",

and moreover it must be "purges his soul".

3.

But still one must understand the precise wording of the Rambam "

(and purges his soul)

for the sake of the Holy One, blessed be He" — what is the intention in this addition?

Also needs explanation regarding several differences between the wording of the Rambam here and his wording in Hilchos Tumas Ochlin there:

a)

In the Laws of Uncleanness of Foods, the Rambam explains the meaning of "purity" and "holiness" — "purity of the body from evil deeds..

holiness of the soul from evil opinions",

whereas here

(in the Laws of Forbidden Foods that precede²⁴

the Laws of Uncleanness of Foods)

he simply says "brings holiness and purity etc.".

On the other hand — here he adds "

(holiness and purity)

additional".

b)

Here the Rambam is precise,

as above — "

(and refines his soul)

for the sake of the Holy One, blessed be He",

whereas at the end of the Laws of Uncleanness of Foods he writes "to resemble the Shechinah".

3)

In both places the Rambam was not satisfied with bringing the verse "And you shall sanctify yourselves and you shall be holy,"

but also brought the end of the verse,

"for I am holy"²⁵.

But with a change:<pg>69</pg>

Here he brings only "for I am holy,"

whereas in Hilchos Tumas Ochlin he adds

(and appends from another place²⁶)

the words "

(for I am holy)

Hashem who sanctifies you"?

And in particular, according to the content of the matter — at first glance,

the opposite is logical: here the Rambam is precise

(as above)

"brings additional holiness and purity to his soul",

and in Hilchos Tumas Ochlin the Rambam adds that "holiness of the soul causes one to resemble the Shechinah"

(and on this he concludes "as it is said, and you shall sanctify yourselves etc.").

And based on this: here where the emphasis is on "holiness..

additional" it should have brought "for..

I am the Lord who sanctifies you"

(i.e., holiness

(and purity)

additional that comes from above),

and at the end of Hilchos Tumas Ochlin where the emphasis is that the person reaches a state of "to resemble the Shechinah",

it would have sufficed to bring "for I am holy",

for this is the concept of "to resemble the Shechinah",

that a person sanctifies himself in order to resemble the Shechinah

("for I am holy"),

and as it is stated in Toras Kohanim here "and you shall be holy for I am holy — just as I am holy, so you

(shall be)

holy"²⁷.

4.

And one must say the explanation in all this:

In the addition of the words "

(and purges his soul)

to the name of the Holy One, blessed be He" the intention of the Rambam is to hint at a special elevation in the service of G-d that is effected by the person being "careful about these things."

And this is,

that when a person conducts himself in these things not because the nature of his body and soul obligates him, but because the Sages warned him²⁸,

this indicates that his entire service is only "for the name of the Holy One, blessed be He" alone,

the perfection in the service of G-d "for its own sake"²⁹.

<pg>70</pg>

Explanation of the matter:

That a person serves God in other matters of Torah and its commandments

(whether d’Oraita or d’Rabbanan)

And does them because thus the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded,

is still not a clear proof that his service is truly “for its own sake,”

that he does not think about himself but only “for the sake of the Holy One, blessed be He,”

because it is possible that the reason he fulfills a certain commandment only “for its own sake” is because he has not yet reached the point that he feels the necessity in the benefit of the commandment, and therefore he fulfills the matter because thus God decreed; not only in the fulfillment of the statutes,

whose fulfillment is only because “a statute I have enacted, a decree I have decreed,”

but even in commandments that have a reason and benefit,

behold, since they are not necessary things

(from the perspective of his body’s nature),

it is possible that he still does not feel the necessity and benefit in them,

and fulfills them only “for the sake of the Holy One, blessed be He.”

And only when also in these matters that caution in them is obligated from the side of his body's nature, he is cautious because thus the sages commanded,

this is because he is entirely given over and submitted to the will of God,

and all his service in all his affairs is only "for the sake of the Holy One, blessed be He" alone.

And it may be said,

that this is also the depth of the intent of the Rambam in what he said "and he purges his soul for the sake of the Holy One, blessed be He",

that his intent is not purging from bad things,

but rather that a person purifies himself from every feeling of "selfhood" and "existence",

until in his service it is felt — that he does everything "for the sake of the Holy One, blessed be He" alone.

5.

Based on this, one may add an explanation in the words of the Rambam in the aforementioned Moreh Nevuchim,

that “the cleansing of the external

(comes)

after the cleansing of the internal”

(“after the purity of deeds and the purity of the heart, etc.”).

And the meaning of the matter is,

that the difference between “cleansing of the internal” and “cleansing of the external” is not only a difference between primary and secondary,

but it also contains a matter of precedence and delay,

that “the purpose of the Torah” regarding the matter of “cleansing of the external” is fulfilled only when it comes after “cleansing of the internal.”

And at first glance,

behold, “cleansing of the external” qualifies a person to be a greater vessel for spirituality

(as above),

and as is explicit in the aforementioned Baraisa of Rebbi Pinchas ben Yair, “cleanliness leads to abstinence”³⁰.

And according to what was explained by us, it is to be explained,

that here the intention of the Rambam is to the "purpose of the Torah" in commanding about these matters,

that the perfection of the purpose is when caution in these matters is not only for the sake of cleanliness in actuality

(which is also obligated from the side of human nature),

and even not so that the person will be more of a vessel for spiritual perfection

("cleanliness of the inwardness"),

but rather that also "cleanliness of the outwardness" will be solely because of the command of G-d

(by means of the sages of the Torah)

; and this feeling comes only after "cleanliness of the inwardness",

for when can one feel about physical and natural matters that he does them only because of the command of G-d,

this is only after there is in him "cleanliness of the inwardness",

absolute purity from undesirable opinions and traits etc.,

for then it is relevant that he will arrive at the "purpose of the Torah" in "cleanliness of the outwardness".

6.

And this is also the explanation of the difference between the words of the Rambam at the end of Hilchos Tumas Ochlin and his words here at the end of Hilchos Maachalos Asuros:

Eating non-sacred food in purity

(about which it speaks at the end of the laws of uncleanness of foods)

is the matter of abstinence,

which is the beginning of service,

and about this the Rambam writes that through this abstinence a person will ascend from strength to strength,

"Abstinence brings to purity of the body from evil deeds, and purity of the body brings to holiness of the soul from evil opinions,

and holiness of the soul causes<pg>71</pg>

to cleave to the Shechinah"

(and therefore the Rambam details the matter of the levels of purity and holiness)

;

But here at the end of the laws of forbidden foods,

which discusses the virtue of "cleanliness of the external" that comes after "cleanliness of the internal",

that is, after he has already purified his body from evil deeds and sanctified his soul from evil opinions

(and as the precise language of the Rambam here "brings holiness and extra purity to his soul"),

and furthermore,

that he has even reached "to resemble the Shechinah" — nevertheless,

after all these virtues it is possible,

that his service is not solely "for the sake of the Holy One, blessed be He",

but rather for the benefit of himself,

that he wants to reach perfection,

until he will be "similar to the Shechinah".

But the perfection of service is when he "refines his soul

(only)

for the sake of the Holy One, blessed be He",

without thinking about his own perfection²⁹

; that the complete proof of this is specifically when such is the manner of his caution regarding those things that the Sages prohibited because of "do not make yourselves abominable",

as above at length.

And with this is also understood the difference regarding the bringing of the end of the verse: the intention of the Rambam here in his bringing the end of the verse "for I am holy" is not

that a person sanctifies himself because he wants "to resemble the Shechinah"

(this matter is not mentioned at all in the Rambam here),

but rather that in his service only the concept of "for I am holy" should be felt

(the holiness of the Holy One, blessed be He,

which is above the holiness of man,

"and you shall sanctify yourselves and you shall be holy")

— "for the sake of the Holy One, blessed be He".

And therefore the Rambam did not bring here "

(for I am holy)

the Lord who sanctifies you"

(as he brought in the Laws of Foods of Uncleanness),

because "who sanctifies you" means that the Holy One, blessed be He, sanctifies man,

and the intention of the Rambam here

(in bringing the end of the verse)

is not the addition of holiness in man,

but rather that his service is in a manner of "refining his soul for the sake of the Holy One, blessed be He"

(and not for the sake of his own perfection).

[But not so in the laws of impurity of foods, where the verse brings proof that "the holiness of the soul causes one to resemble the Shechinah",

therefore it also brought the conclusion "for I am holy, Hashem who sanctifies you",

by means of which the Holy One, blessed be He, sanctifies the person with His holiness,

the person becomes "similar to the Shechinah"³¹].

7.

Based on all the above, one can explain more deeply the reason that the Rambam placed holiness before purity

(even though generally holiness is above purity)

:

As much as a person draws closer to the Holy One, blessed be He, he is more nullified from his existence.

And as when standing before the king,

that the very thing that a person feels himself as an "existence",

and is not in ultimate nullification before him,

is considered as rebellion against the king.

And as the statement³²

that even one who "motions to him with a gesture..

before the king" is liable to death.

And so it is in the service of God,

that specifically when a person elevates himself in his service,

and feels himself as standing before the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He,

then he feels the need to refine himself and purify himself more and more from any feeling of existence³³.

And this is hinted in the words of the Rambam,

that "whoever is careful in these matters brings holiness and additional purity to his soul and refines his soul for the sake of the Holy One, blessed be He",

that as much as he draws close to the Holy One, blessed be He

("holiness")

he feels the necessity to purify and refine his soul from his "existence",

until he reaches a state that all his matters are only "for the sake of the Holy One, blessed be He".

(From the talk of Shabbos Parshas Tazria-Metzora 5748)