English translation — אמור א

1.

At the beginning of the discourse,

where the verse says that kohanim may not become impure,

it says "Speak to the kohanim etc. and say to them".

The Gemara says¹,

and Rashi brings it in his commentary on the Torah: "Speak and say to warn the adults concerning the minors",

that the second saying is a warning that adults²

should not make minor kohanim impure³.

This law, that one may not give a prohibition to minors by hand,

the Torah says⁴

regarding two other prohibitions: regarding eating creeping things and regarding eating blood,

and from these three prohibitions — creeping things,

blood and impurity of kohanim — one derives regarding all prohibitions that adults are warned concerning minors.

Why must the law stand by all these three things?

The Gemara says⁵

that from creeping things alone one cannot learn because,

their prohibition is "in a minimum quantity"

(their prohibition is so much more severe than other prohibitions in that it has no measure and even a minimum quantity of a creeping thing has the full prohibition)

; from blood alone one cannot learn because it is a prohibition punishable by kares; and from both together — creeping things with blood — one cannot learn because "their prohibition is equal for all"

(they are forbidden to all Jews equally)

; from the impurity of priests alone one cannot learn because priests "additional commandments were added for them"

(they were commanded regarding many more commandments than all Jews).

From all three things together, however — one learns,

with a "common element",

that for <b>all</b> prohibitions, adults are warned regarding minors.

One must understand: Among the prohibitions regarding which all Jews are warned

("equal for all")

there are also prohibitions which have no special stringency,

like eating a neveilah for example,

which has no kares and its prohibition is also not in a minimum quantity

(but in the size of an olive,

like other forbidden foods).

Now why did the Torah choose to say "adults regarding minors" specifically by creeping things and blood which have a special stringency — what makes it necessary that the law should stand <b>three</b> times: once by priests and twice by prohibitions which are equal for all; when the law stands by eating neveilah and the like,

one would learn from it regarding all prohibitions which are equal for all⁶,

and then it would have been sufficient that the law should stand only <b>two</b> times⁷?

One must say *⁷,

that the Torah wrote the law regarding these three prohibitions because the stringencies which they possess — something,

karet,

equal for all and added to them additional commandments — <b>they</b> are the main reason for the law "to warn adults about minors" ⁸.

B.

The reason for that which the Torah warns adults about minors,

is it because of that which the adults have a connection to the minors.

For if they had between them no connection whatsoever,

the Torah would not have commanded the adults regarding those who have no connection to them.

Here arises the question: The "minor ones" regarding which the "major ones" are warned are indeed even such minor ones who are not capable of understanding &lt;b&gt;at all&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;sup&gt;9&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/b&gt;

So what connection do they have to the "major ones" that because of it the major ones are warned about the minor ones?

Is the connection that is found between them, and specifically an essential connection — the point of Judaism&lt;sup&gt;10&lt;/sup&gt;,

in which all Jews are equal.

3.

On many matters of holiness there is indeed a parable from worldly matters — one finds indeed likewise also regarding the vitality of the animal soul,

that in the <b>point</b> of vitality there is no difference between a great one and a small one.

The difference that there is indeed between a great one and a small one is in the spreading forth of the vitality,

in its revelation¹¹,

in the particular vitality,

which is measured and delineated according to the body which it animates.

7.

8.

In <b>them</b> it is possible to make a distinction between one body and another,

and likewise in one and the same body,

between one limb and another,

and in this — from birth and in the periods afterward.

In the point of vitality, however,

which is not depicted according to the body — it is just as it is not applicable to say that in one limb the point is found more than in another,

even in the heels

(which do not have in them the <b>revelation</b> of vitality¹²)

the point of vitality is found¹³

with all its strength exactly as in the brain and heart — so too is it not applicable to say that in one body it should be found more than in another.

And as is known¹⁴

that the same soul that animates the body of a one-day-old infant can animate the body of Og, king of Bashan.

And just as this is in the animal soul,

so too is it in the G-dly soul: the difference between one Jew and another is only in the revealed powers,

but in the point of Judaism all are equal¹³.

4.

According to the above, one will understand the connection of the aforementioned four stringencies — something,

kareis,

equal for all and increased in them additional commandments — to the law "to warn adults regarding minors":

In commandments

(and likewise in prohibitions)

there are three matters: the &lt;b&gt;commandment&lt;/b&gt;,

the person who fulfills the commandment,

and the connection of the person with the commandment.

And in the connection itself there are two matters:

(a)

that the person was &lt;b&gt;commanded&lt;/b&gt; regarding the commandment,

(b)

the effect that is created &lt;b&gt;in&lt;/b&gt; the person through fulfilling the commandment,

or through, heaven forbid, transgressing the prohibition.

And the four stringencies mentioned above express the stringencies of each of the four matters:

"Its prohibition is in a minute amount" — the stringency in the <b>prohibition</b>.

That the prohibition — the kelipah¹⁶

— which is found in the things that are prohibited in a minute amount is the essential point of the kelipah¹⁷,

Therefore it does not need any measure of a specific quantity, and it is found in its full strength also in a minute amount

(similar to the point of vitality which is found in its full strength also in a minute amount of the body of a one-day-old infant).

"He increased in them additional commandments" — the stringency is in the <b>person</b>.

That the point of Judaism within him is illuminated in him in a revealed way,

And therefore he has an increase of additional commandments.

And beyond this: The true nature of "multitude" — indicates without limit.

Because a limited number can be called a multitude only relative to a number that is smaller than it; relative to a number greater than it, it is actually a minority.

And since <b>Torah</b>,

which is present in all levels,

says "He increased in them additional commandments",

it is therefore understood that no matter which level one speaks of,

it is a <b>multitude</b><b>¹⁸</b>

of additional commandments,

because the sanctity of a kohen over an Israelite

(which <b>the</b> commandments express this)

is in the manner of <b>and he separated</b> him to sanctify him¹⁹

— not a matter of the value of multitude and minority.

Because the point of Judaism has no measurement.

"Equal for all" — the point of the command,

that in the command shines the essential point of the Almighty's commanding,

therefore the command comes equally to all Jews,

because it does not require any special vessels

(like the point of vitality that is found also in ekev).

Kares — the point of the action of the prohibition,

that it cuts off,

meaning,

the entire vitality,

the totality of the soul from its root,

not like other prohibitions which are damaging and tear over only particular cords²⁰.

5.

Although the law "to warn adults regarding minors" is from the aspect of the point of the <b>human</b>

(in which adults and minors are equal),

and the point of the human expresses itself in the stringency "He added additional commandments to them",

it is however understood that also the stringencies "equal for all" and "kares" which express the point of the connection between the human and the commandment or prohibition,

and even the stringency of "mashehu" which expresses the point of the prohibition itself,

are connected also with the point of the <b>human</b>:

A prohibition that requires a specific measure,

due to the fact that in it there is only the expansion of the husk,

affects

(openly)

only in the expansion of the soul.

A prohibition that is, however, in a minimal amount,

due to the fact that in it is found the point of the husk,

it affects the point of the soul²¹.

And since each one of the four stringencies expresses the point of the soul,

it restores the law of "to warn adults regarding minors" specifically by such prohibitions which have in them one of the four stringencies,

in order to explain thereby the reason of this law,

that that which adults are warned regarding minors is it due to the point of the soul which is equal in adults and in minors ²².

6.

According to the above, one will also understand the wording "&lt;b&gt;to warn&lt;/b&gt; the adults about the minors" &lt;sup&gt;23&lt;/sup&gt;

Through the fact that the "adults" are not separated for themselves, but they occupy themselves with the "minors"&lt;sup&gt;24&lt;/sup&gt;,

there comes an &lt;b&gt;elevation&lt;/b&gt; in the adults: as long as they remain in their form, it is not looking

What Torah calls them with the title "great ones",

is their greatness measured,

a greatness of revealed powers,

But when they go out of their form and they occupy themselves with the small ones,

there shines in them the <b>essential point</b> which is above revealed powers,

and then they receive a true greatness *²⁴,

a greatness without limit.

And therefore the expression stands "<b>to warn</b> great ones about the small ones",

because "to warn" is also from the language of radiance²⁵

and light.

Through their connection with the small ones, there is drawn into them an addition of light²⁶.

7.

Based on this, one will also understand what the law "to warn the adults regarding the minors" the verse indicates by saying a language of <b>double</b> "say and you shall say" ²⁷

Double is — in many places — its meaning²⁸

not twice as much — rather beyond comparison,

in the manner of "double for wisdom"²⁹.

It indicates a light that is above measure and limitation

(which is why one finds regarding repentance,

that it requires

Its double ³⁰,

because the essence of teshuvah is above limitation).

And therefore the verse interprets the law "to warn the adults regarding the minors" through the doubling of the language,

because through the self-giving of the adults with the minors,

the point of the soul which is above measure and limitation becomes revealed.

Another matter in this: it says in Tanya³¹

that the redemption

(the particular of every Jew,

which brings to the general redemption)

is the revelation of the point of the innerness of the heart,

and since the self-giving of the adults with the minors brings to the revelation of the point as above,

it is therefore understood that it also brings to the redemption.

And also from this aspect, the concept of "to warn the adults regarding the minors" is applicable doubly,

as it is stated in the Midrash³²

that double letters are applicable and allude also to the redemption.

(From the sicha of Shabbos Parshas Emor 5724)