R. Judah discoursed in connection with this theme on the words: “Cease ye from man, whose breath (neshamah) is in his nostrils, for wherein is he to be accounted of?” (Isa. 2, 22). ‘This verse,’ said he, ‘has already been explained; but what is the particular significance of the expression, “cease ye from man”? Must one, then, avoid any intercourse with men? If that were so, there would be no social life whatsoever, and assuredly it was not thus ordained! It has, however, been expounded as applying to the man who rises up early to pay court to his neighbour (instead of going to prayers),
which thought I have connected with another verse, namely: “He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him” (Prov. 27, 14). But although this explanation is satisfactory as far as it goes, the question still remains, What is the meaning of the expression, “Whose breath (neshamah) is in his nostrils”? It is this: the Holy One commands man to guard himself against those men who have turned from the good to the evil way, and have polluted their souls by the impurity of the “other side”.
For, when the Holy One created man, He made him on the supernal pattern and breathed into him a holy breath consisting of a triad, as has already been established, whose several names are nephesh, ruah, and neshamah, the highest being the neshamah, for it is the superior energy by means of which man can apprehend and keep the commandments of the Holy One. But when he lets his soul participate in the “strange worship”, he defiles that soul and departs from the worship and the ways of his Lord. For these three aspects of the soul, nephesh, ruah, and neshamah, are all one, being merged one in the other on the pattern of the supernal mystery.
And when we see a man who possesses all these three grades untarnished and firmly established therein, we may know that he is a complete man, a faithful servant of his Master; and with such a one we may safely associate in order to learn from him his way of life. And how is one to discern whether a person is one whose acquaintance is to be cultivated or shunned? By his temper; for by his demeanour when roused to anger can his character be discerned. If he guards the holy soul when he is wroth, in order that it may not be uprooted from its place, and supplanted by the “other side”, then he is indeed a man, a servant of his Lord, complete and holy.
But one who in his ire cares nothing for the welfare of his soul, uprooting it and letting it be replaced by the impure domination, such a man is a rebel against his Lord, one with whom we should shun contact of any kind, for he is one who, as it is written, “teareth his soul in his anger” (Job 18, 4)- he tears and uproots his soul in his heedless rage, and allows a “strange god” to usurp its place within him and to take possession of him in its stead. Thus the words, “Cease ye from a man whose soul is torn in his anger” (aph=anger as well as nostril), are obviously an injunction to refrain from intercourse with him who tears the holy soul and defiles it in his anger. “For wherein (ba-meh) is he to be accounted for?”-such a one is “accounted” an “idol” (bamah, lit. “high place”), and to associate oneself with such a person is like associating with idolatry.
And not only that: such a person has also uprooted holiness from its place and raised in its stead a “strange god” there; and as in regard to a “strange god” it is written: “Do not turn to idols” (Lev. 19, 4), so it is prohibited to look on the face of such a person in his anger.
As to the question, What about the anger of students of the Torah? that anger is good in all its aspects, since, as we have been taught, the Torah is fire, and it is she who kindles that holy anger in her devotees, as it is written, “Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord” (Jer. 23, 29). The anger of scholars is for offences against the Torah, it is in her honour, it is for the sake of the Holy One’s glory and majesty. Therefore it says: “For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, he is a zealous God” (Deut. 4, 24).
But if a person becomes angry over purely secular matters, this is no service of God, and no sin that man commits is so literally idolatry as this, since it actually sets up an idol in the very heart of him who is angered: unto such a man one is forbidden to speak or draw nigh. Should one say, But, after all, this anger is only a momentary impulse from which he may soon repent-why, then, such severity as this? the answer would be, that in reality it is not thus, because he has uprooted the holiness of his soul from its place and the “other god” has entrenched himself therein, and will never leave him until by a great effort the person so afflicted completely purifies himself and roots out from his inner self that evil, and thereafter endeavours to sanctify himself afresh, and to draw down holiness from above upon himself; then only can there be a possibility of renewal and sanctification for him.’ Said R. Jose to him: ‘Why only a possibility of renewal and sanctification?’
R. Judah replied: ‘Consider this: when a man uproots the holiness of his soul and is given admission to that “strange god” in its place-the “strange god” which is called “impure”-that man has become polluted and he pollutes everyone with whom he comes into contact, and holiness flees from him; and, holiness having once fled, whatever the person may do afterwards, it will not return to its place again.’
Said R. Jose: ‘And yet, how many who had defiled themselves are purified!’ R. Judah replied: ‘But anger, in contradistinction to sins which pollute only the body, pollutes also the soul and, in fact, the whole being. Therefore one must beware of such a man and must “keep the feast of unleavened bread”, that is, the side of holiness within, and not exchange it for the “other side” to pollute oneself and others.’
“The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou keep (tishmor). Seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread, as I have commanded thee” (Ex. 34, 18). This is the sphere called shamor (keep=Kingdom, the “Feminine” emanation), therefore it says in regard to this feast, “keep”.
אֶת חַג הַמַּצּוֹת תִּשְׁמֹר, רִבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַח, (ישעיהו ב׳:כ״ב) חִדְלוּ לָכֶם מִן הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר נְשָׁמָה בְּאַפּוֹ כִּי בַמֶּה נֶחְשָׁב הוּא. הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ. אֲבָל מַאי חִדְלוּ לָכֶם מִן הָאָדָם, וְכִי אַזְהַר לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְאִתְמָנְע מִשְּׁאָר בְּנֵי נָשָׁא. אוּף אִינּוּן נָמֵי לְגַבֵּיהּ, יִשְׁתַּכְחוּן בְּנֵי נָשָׁא דְּלָא יִקְרְבוּן אִלֵּין בְּאִלֵּין לְעָלְמִין. אֶלָּא הָא אוּקְמוּהָ בְּמַאן דְּאֲשְׁכִּים לְפִתְחָא דְּחַבְרֵיהּ לְמֵיהָב לֵיהּ שְׁלָם.
R. Judah discoursed in connection with this theme on the words: “Cease ye from man, whose breath (neshamah) is in his nostrils, for wherein is he to be accounted of?” (Isa. 2, 22). ‘This verse,’ said he, ‘has already been explained; but what is the particular significance of the expression, “cease ye from man”? Must one, then, avoid any intercourse with men? If that were so, there would be no social life whatsoever, and assuredly it was not thus ordained! It has, however, been expounded as applying to the man who rises up early to pay court to his neighbour (instead of going to prayers),
וַאֲנָא אוֹקִימְנָא לֵיהּ בִּקְרָא אַחֲרָא, דִּכְתִּיב, (משלי כ״ז:י״ד) מְבָרֵךְ רֵעֵהוּ בְּקוֹל (רכ"ו ע"ב) גָּדוֹל בַּבֹּקֶר הַשְׁכֵּם קְלָלָה תֵּחָשֶׁב לוֹ. וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּכֹלָּא שַׁפִּיר. אֲבָל מַאי חִדְלוּ לָכֶם מִן הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר נְשָׁמָה בְּאַפּוֹ. הָכָא פָּקִיד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְבַר נָשׁ, וְאַזְהִיר לֵיהּ לְאִסְתַּמְּרָא מֵאִינּוּן בְּנֵי נָשָׁא, דְּסָטוּ אָרְחַיְיהוּ מֵאֹרַח טָב לְאֹרַח בִּישׁ, וּמְסָאֲבֵי נַפְשַׁיְיהוּ בְּהַהוּא מְסָאֲבוּ אַחֲרָא.
which thought I have connected with another verse, namely: “He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him” (Prov. 27, 14). But although this explanation is satisfactory as far as it goes, the question still remains, What is the meaning of the expression, “Whose breath (neshamah) is in his nostrils”? It is this: the Holy One commands man to guard himself against those men who have turned from the good to the evil way, and have polluted their souls by the impurity of the “other side”.
דְּהָא כַּד בָּרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְבַר נָשׁ, עָבֵד לֵיהּ בְּדִיּוּקְנָא עִלָּאָה, וְנָפַח בֵּיהּ רוּחָא (נ"א נשמתא) קַדִּישָׁא, דְּכָלִיל בִּתְלַת כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא, דְּאִית בֵּיהּ נֶפֶשׁ רוּחַ וּנְשָׁמָה, וְעֵילָּא מִכֹּלָּא נְשָׁמָה, דְּאִיהִי חֵילָא עִלָּאָה לְמִנְדַּע, וּלְמֵטַר פִּקּוּדוֹי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. וְאִי הַהִיא נִשְׁמְתָא קַדִּישָׁא אָעִיל לָהּ בְּפוּלְחָנָא אַחֲרָא, הַאי אִיהוּ מַסְאִיב לָהּ, וְנָפִיק מִפּוּלְחָנָא דְּמָארֵיהּ. בְּגִין דִּתְלַת חֵילִין אִלֵּין, כֻּלְּהוּ חַד, נֶפֶשׁ רוּחַ וּנְשָׁמָה מִשְׁתַּתְּפֵי כַּחֲדָא, וַהֲווּ חַד, וְכֹלָּא כְּגַוְונָא דְּרָזָא עִלָּאָה. (על דא נאמר (שם י"ג) הולך את חכמים וגו')
For, when the Holy One created man, He made him on the supernal pattern and breathed into him a holy breath consisting of a triad, as has already been established, whose several names are nephesh, ruah, and neshamah, the highest being the neshamah, for it is the superior energy by means of which man can apprehend and keep the commandments of the Holy One. But when he lets his soul participate in the “strange worship”, he defiles that soul and departs from the worship and the ways of his Lord. For these three aspects of the soul, nephesh, ruah, and neshamah, are all one, being merged one in the other on the pattern of the supernal mystery.
וְאִי חָזֵינָן לְהַאי בַּר נָשׁ, דַּהֲווֹ בֵּיהּ אִלֵּין דַּרְגִּין כֻּלְּהוּ. עַד לָא קַיְּימָא בְּקִיּוּמֵיהּ לְמִנְדַּע מַאן אִיהוּ, בְּמַאי אִתְיְדַע (דלא) לְקָרְבָא בַּר נָשׁ בַּהֲדֵיהּ, אוֹ לְאִתְמָנְעָא מִנֵּיה. (ס"א בר נש דאית ביה דרגין אלין כלהו וקיימא בקיומיה דא איהו גבר שלים עבדא מהימנא דמאריה ובעי לאשתתפא ביה ולאתחברא בהדיה למילף אורחוי מניה. ובמאי אתיידע בר נש למנדע מאן איהו לקרבא בהדיה או לאתמנעא מניה) בְּרוּגְזֵיהּ מַמָּשׁ, יְדַע לֵיהּ בַּר נָשׁ, וְיִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע מַאן אִיהוּ. אִי הַהִיא נִשְׁמְתָא קַדִּישָׁא נָטַר בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּרוּגְזוֹי, (אתיא עליה) דְּלָא יֶעְקַר לָהּ מֵאַתְרָהָא, בְּגִין לְמִשְׁרֵי תְּחוֹתָהּ הַהוּא אֵל זָר, דָּא אִיהוּ בַּר נָשׁ כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת. דָּא אִיהוּ עַבְדָּא דְּמָארִיהּ, דָּא אִיהוּ גְּבָר שְׁלִים.
And when we see a man who possesses all these three grades untarnished and firmly established therein, we may know that he is a complete man, a faithful servant of his Master; and with such a one we may safely associate in order to learn from him his way of life. And how is one to discern whether a person is one whose acquaintance is to be cultivated or shunned? By his temper; for by his demeanour when roused to anger can his character be discerned. If he guards the holy soul when he is wroth, in order that it may not be uprooted from its place, and supplanted by the “other side”, then he is indeed a man, a servant of his Lord, complete and holy.
וְאִי הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ לָא נָטִיר לָהּ, וְאִיהוּ עָקַר קְדוּשָּׁה דָּא עִלָּאָה מֵאַתְרֵיהּ, לְמִשְׁרֵי בְּאַתְרֵיהּ סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא. וַדַּאי דָּא אִיהוּ בַּר נָשׁ דְּמָרִיד בְּמָארֵיהּ, וְאָסִיר לְקָרְבָא בַּהֲדֵיהּ וּלְאִתְחַבְּרָא עִמֵּיהּ, וְדָא אִיהוּ (איוב י״ח:ד׳) טֹרֵף נַפְשׁוֹ בְּאַפּוֹ. אִיהוּ טָרִיף וְעָקַר נַפְשֵׁיהּ, בְּגִין רוּגְזֵיהּ, וְאַשְׁרֵי בְּגַוֵּיהּ אֵל זָר. וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב חִדְלוּ לָכֶם מִן הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר נְשָׁמָה בְּאַפּוֹ, דְּהַהִיא נִשְׁמְתָא קַדִּישָׁא טָרִיף לָהּ, וְסָאִיב לָהּ, בְּגִין אַפּוֹ. אֲשֶׁר נְשָׁמָה אַחְלַף בְּאַפּוֹ. כִּי בַמֶּה נֶחְשָׁב הוּא. כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת אִתְחֲשִׁיב הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ.
But one who in his ire cares nothing for the welfare of his soul, uprooting it and letting it be replaced by the impure domination, such a man is a rebel against his Lord, one with whom we should shun contact of any kind, for he is one who, as it is written, “teareth his soul in his anger” (Job 18, 4)- he tears and uproots his soul in his heedless rage, and allows a “strange god” to usurp its place within him and to take possession of him in its stead. Thus the words, “Cease ye from a man whose soul is torn in his anger” (aph=anger as well as nostril), are obviously an injunction to refrain from intercourse with him who tears the holy soul and defiles it in his anger. “For wherein (ba-meh) is he to be accounted for?”-such a one is “accounted” an “idol” (bamah, lit. “high place”), and to associate oneself with such a person is like associating with idolatry.
וּמַאן דְּאִתְחַבָּר עִמֵּיהּ, וּמַאן דְּאִשְׁתָּעֵי (ס"א משתתף) בַּהֲדֵיהּ, כְּמַאן דְּאִתְחַבָּר בְּכּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת מַמָּשׁ. מַאי טַעְמָא. בְּגִין דְכּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת מַמָּשׁ שָׁארֵי בְּגַוֵּיהּ. וְלָא עוֹד, אֶלָּא דְּעָקַר קְדוּשָּׁה עִלָּאָה מֵאַתְרֵיהּ, וְשָׁארִי בְּאַתְרֵיהּ כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת אֵל זָר. מַה אֵל זָר כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ (ויקרא י״ט:ד׳) אַל תִּפְנוּ אֶל הָאֱלִילִים, כְּגַוְונָא דָּא, אָסִיר לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בְּאַנְפּוֹי.
And not only that: such a person has also uprooted holiness from its place and raised in its stead a “strange god” there; and as in regard to a “strange god” it is written: “Do not turn to idols” (Lev. 19, 4), so it is prohibited to look on the face of such a person in his anger.
וְאִי תֵּימָא הָא רוּגְזָא דְּרַבָּנָן. רוּגְזָא דְּרַבָּנָן טָב אִיהוּ לְכָל סִטְרִין, דְּהָא תָּנֵינָן דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא אֶשָּׁא אִיהִי, וְאוֹרַיְיתָא קָא מַרְתְּחָא לֵיהּ, דִּכְתִּיב, (ירמיהו כ״ג:כ״ט) הֲלֹא כֹה דְּבָרִי כָּאֵשׁ נְאֻם יְיָ'. רוּגְזָא דְּרַבָּנָן בְּמִלֵּי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא. רוּגְזָא דְּרַבָּנָן לְמֵיהַב יְקָרָא לְאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְכֹלָּא לְפוּלְחָנָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הֲוִי, לְכַךְ נֶאֱמַר (דברים ד׳:כ״ד) כִּי יְיָ' אֱלהֶיךָ אֵשׁ אוֹכְלָה הוּא אֵל קַנָּא.
As to the question, What about the anger of students of the Torah? that anger is good in all its aspects, since, as we have been taught, the Torah is fire, and it is she who kindles that holy anger in her devotees, as it is written, “Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord” (Jer. 23, 29). The anger of scholars is for offences against the Torah, it is in her honour, it is for the sake of the Holy One’s glory and majesty. Therefore it says: “For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, he is a zealous God” (Deut. 4, 24).
אֲבָל אִי בְּמִלִּין אַחֲרָנִין, לָאו פּוּלְחָנָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הַאי, בְּגִין דִּבְכָל חַטָּאִים דְּקָא עָבִיד בַּר נָשׁ, לָאו אִיהוּ כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת מַמָּשׁ כְּהַאי, וְאָסִיר לְקָרְבָא בַּהֲדֵיהּ דְּהַאי. וְאִי תֵּימָא הָא לְשַׁעֲתָא הֲוָה, דְּעָבַר וְהָדַר אַהְדָּר. לָאו הָכִי, דְּכֵיוָן דְּאִעֲקָר קְדוּשָּׁא דְּנַפְשֵׁיהּ מִנֵּיהּ וּמֵאַתְרֵיהּ, וְהַהוּא אֵל זָר, מַקְפַּח הַהוּא אֲתָר, אִתְתָּקַּף בֵּיהּ, וְלָא שָׁבִיק לֵיהּ. בַּר כַּד אִתְדָּכֵי בַּר נָשׁ מִכֹּל וָכֹל, וְעָקַר לֵיהּ לְעָלְמִין, וּלְבָתַר אִשְׁתָּדַּל לְאִתְקַדְּשָׁא וּלְאַמְשָׁכָא קְדוּשָּׁה עָלֵיהּ. כְּדֵין וּלְוָאי דְּאִתְקַדֵשׁ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, אִתְקָדָּשׁ מַמָּשׁ. (ס"א אמאי והא אתדחי ואתקדש)
But if a person becomes angry over purely secular matters, this is no service of God, and no sin that man commits is so literally idolatry as this, since it actually sets up an idol in the very heart of him who is angered: unto such a man one is forbidden to speak or draw nigh. Should one say, But, after all, this anger is only a momentary impulse from which he may soon repent-why, then, such severity as this? the answer would be, that in reality it is not thus, because he has uprooted the holiness of his soul from its place and the “other god” has entrenched himself therein, and will never leave him until by a great effort the person so afflicted completely purifies himself and roots out from his inner self that evil, and thereafter endeavours to sanctify himself afresh, and to draw down holiness from above upon himself; then only can there be a possibility of renewal and sanctification for him.’ Said R. Jose to him: ‘Why only a possibility of renewal and sanctification?’
אֲמַר לֵיהּ תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִיהוּ עָקַר קְדוּשָּׁה דְּנַפְשֵׁיהּ, וְשַׁרְיָא בְּאַתְרֵיהּ הַהוּא אֵל זָר דְּאִקְרֵי טָמֵא, אִסְתְּאָב בַּר נָשׁ, וְסָאִיב לְמַאן דְּקָרִיב בַּהֲדֵיהּ, וְהַהִיא קְדוּשָּׁה עָקְרַת מִנֵּיהּ, וְכֵיוָן דְּעָקְרַת מִנֵּיהּ זִמְנָא חֲדָא, כַּמָּה דְּיַעֲבִיד בַּר נָשׁ עוֹד, לָא תִּיתוּב לְאַתְרָהָא.
R. Judah replied: ‘Consider this: when a man uproots the holiness of his soul and is given admission to that “strange god” in its place-the “strange god” which is called “impure”-that man has become polluted and he pollutes everyone with whom he comes into contact, and holiness flees from him; and, holiness having once fled, whatever the person may do afterwards, it will not return to its place again.’
אֲמַר לֵיהּ אִי הָכִי, כַּמָה מִסְאֲבִין אִינּוּן דְּמִּתְדָכָּאן. אֲמַר לֵיהּ שָׁאנִי מִסְאֲבוּ אַחֲרָא, דְּלָא יָכִיל לְמֶעְבַּד יַתִּיר. אֲבָל דָּא שַׁנְיָא מִכֹּלָּא, דְּכָל גּוּפָא סָאִיב מִגּוֹ וּמִבַּר, וְנַפְשָׁא, וְכֹלָּא מַסְאִיב. וּשְׁאַר מִסְאֲבוּ דְּעָלְמָא, לָאו אִיהוּ אֶלָּא גּוּפָא לְבַר בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, וּבְּגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב חִדְלוּ לָכֶם מִן הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר נְשָׁמָה בְּאַפּוֹ, דְּאַחְלָף קְדוּשָּׁה דְּמָארֵיהּ בְּגִין אַפּוֹ, דְּדָא אִיהוּ מִסְאֲבוּ דְּמַסְאִיב כֹּלָּא. כִּי בַמֶּה נֶחְשָׁב הוּא. בָּמָה כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת וַדַּאי נֶחְשָׁב אִיהוּ.
Said R. Jose: ‘And yet, how many who had defiled themselves are purified!’ R. Judah replied: ‘But anger, in contradistinction to sins which pollute only the body, pollutes also the soul and, in fact, the whole being. Therefore one must beware of such a man and must “keep the feast of unleavened bread”, that is, the side of holiness within, and not exchange it for the “other side” to pollute oneself and others.’
תָּא חֲזֵי, הַאי אִיהוּ רוּגְזָא דְּאִיהוּ כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת, סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא, כְּמָה דְּאַמָרָן, דְּבָעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְאִסְתַּמְּרָא מִנֵּיהּ וּלְאִתְפָּרָשָׁא מֵעֲלוֹי, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב (שמות לה) אֱלהֵי מַסֵּכָה לא תַעֲשֶׂה לָּךְ. לָּךְ: בְּגִין לְאַבְאָשָׁא גַּרְמָךְ. וּכְתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ אֶת חַג הַמַּצּוֹת תִּשְׁמֹר. תִּשְׁמֹר: דָּא סִטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה, דְּבָעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְנַטְרָא לֵיהּ, וְלָא יָחְלָף לֵיהּ בְּגִין סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא. וְאִי יֶחְלָף לֵיהּ הָא אִיהוּ מַסְאִיב, וְסָאִיב לְכָל מַאן דְּקָרִיב בַּהֲדֵיהּ.
“The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou keep (tishmor). Seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread, as I have commanded thee” (Ex. 34, 18). This is the sphere called shamor (keep=Kingdom, the “Feminine” emanation), therefore it says in regard to this feast, “keep”.