תּוֹרָה יב - תְּהִלָּה לְדָוִד

Torah 496

The reason why Torah scholars most often dispute Tzadikim is because they study the Oral Torah — namely Gemara and halachic decisors — with great pride. And through this, the Oral Torah becomes for them a mouth to speak arrogantly and with contempt about the Tzadikim. But the true Tzadikim elevate and rectify all their evil words — and return and make from them halachos — and thereby bring great delight [sha'ashu'im] to Hashem Yisborach through this very means.

Through studying Torah not for its own sake [shelo lishmah] — and primarily through the Oral Torah, Gemara and decisors, studied not for their own sake — through this a mouth is formed to speak arrogantly [atak] against true Tzadikim. And from this comes the opposition of the scholars who dispute the true Tzadikim.

Know that these scholars who dispute Tzadikim — in disputing and speaking evil of the Tzadik, they are also hating and pursuing the supernal Tzadik, meaning the Tzadik who originated the Torah that the lower Tzadik studies. And his primary strength comes from the fact that he is learned in Gemara and decisors — which is the Oral Torah — but he studies without knowledge [b'lo da'as], only to boast and provoke. And a Torah scholar like this — a carcass is more becoming than he is [n'velah tovah heimenu] [as brought in Vayikra Rabbah, end of Parasha 1]. And when the Oral Torah — which is the Shechinah — comes into his mouth, this is the exile of the Shechinah [galus ha-Shechinah]. And such a Torah scholar is a Jewish demon [shayd Y'hudi] who does not see the truth — and he becomes a hater and a disputer of the true Tzadik.

The reason why there are those who study much Torah yet do not return in repentance — and on the contrary, they dispute Tzadikim — [regarding dispute against Tzadikim, do not be troubled: how does the Torah allow the scholar to persist in his wickedness? The answer to this etc.] — this is because he studies not for its own sake but rather for honour and rabbinic position — to boast and provoke. And through this, through the Torah, additional cunning [armimiyas] enters him. For in the Torah there is the aspect of: ""The righteous shall walk in them, but transgressors shall stumble in them"" [Hoshea 14:10]. And through the Oral Torah a mouth is formed to speak against the Tzadikim — because he sees in the Torah only the negative implication [mashma'us she'ayno tov] — in the aspect of: ""transgressors shall stumble in them"" — the aspect of cunning.

When a person studies in holiness and purity some law, ruling, or Torah that some Tanna or other Tzadik originated — through this there is created the aspect of n'shikin [kisses] — that is, the aspect of the cleaving of spirit to spirit [hisdabkus rucha b'rucha] — where the spirit of the Tanna becomes attached to the spirit of the student. And it is as though he kisses the Tanna — and this causes great delight to the Tanna, as our Sages of blessed memory said: ""his lips move in the grave"" [Yevamos 97a].

Therefore one must know, before his study, that at the moment when he sits down to learn — the Tzadik in the Garden of Eden listens to his voice [tzayis l'kalayh], as it is written: ""she who dwells in the gardens — companions listen for your voice — let me hear it"" [Song of Songs 8:13] [as brought in the holy Zohar, Lech Lecha 92a]. And one must bind oneself to the Tanna or Tzadik who originated and revealed this Torah one is studying — and through this the aspect of n'shikin [kisses] is created, as above. And through this one merits repentance — to renew the days that have passed in darkness. And all of this comes about when one studies Torah for its own sake [lishmah] in order to fulfil the commandment of Torah study — which is equal in weight to all other commandments combined — and to merit through this to fulfil the Torah. Then one sees in the Torah only the good implication — for one knows that whatever appears in the Torah to have a contrary implication is intentionally so from Hashem Yisborach, as explained within. But when one studies only in order to be called a scholar [lamdun] and the like — a carcass is more becoming than he is. And he certainly cannot bind himself to the spirit of the Tanna — and of him it is written: ""the kisses of an enemy are numerous"" [Proverbs 27:6] — for the Tanna cannot bear the spirit of such a Jewish-demon Torah scholar.

For this reason it is good to study a halachic decisor [posek] together with the "Be'er HaGolah" [the commentary that cites Talmudic sources] — in order to mention the name of the Tanna or decisor who originated that ruling — so as to attach one's spirit to the spirit of the Tzadik who originated that Torah, as above.

Know that this scholar who speaks evil of the Tzadik is a great intentional act [m'chuvvan gadol] from Hashem Yisborach — for the Holy One, blessed be He, causes a great Tzadik to fall within the mouth of this scholar, so that through this the Tzadik extracts the Shechinah — that is, the Oral Torah — from the exile within the scholar's mouth. For the great, chosen Tzadikim know from which halachos those evil letter-combinations that he speaks against the Tzadikim were formed — and they elevate those combinations and make from those words halachos, and through this bring about great and wondrous unifications. See there [in the Torah itself for full explanation].

Through rejoicing in sufferings and acting from love [Shabbos 88a] — to accept the shame of enemies with love — through this the Shechinah is elevated to the aspect of embrace [b'chinas chibbuk].

The upright scholar — through studying the Torah of the Tanna — thereby returns the soul of the Tanna into his body.