If a man has been guilty of wasting seed he must repent without delay and remedy the blemish he imparted to the covenant of circumcision, as I will explain later (in this chapter and in Chapter 68). Even if he transgressed numerous times he should know that the Holy One Blessed is He is a merciful King who accepts the penance of those who return to him wholeheartedly, as it is written, “But he who confesses and desists (from sinning) will receive mercy” (Mishlei 28:13). Moreover, he will be granted an increase in awe and holiness. Thus, by repenting a person accomplishes two things: First of all he receives atonement for his iniquity, and secondly he inherits the World to Come. This is only true, however, if he also clings to the Torah, immersing himself in its study with diligence. To this end he must set aside fixed times for study, on his own and with others. If he is incapable of studying on his own he must at least set aside fixed times to listen to words of Torah. For after a person dies, he is granted a position in the next world commensurate with his merit. In that world there is neither eating nor drinking nor commerce, but only Torah study. Whoever loved listening to words of Torah in this world will merit hearing them from the Ancient of Days in the World to Come. But if he reviled them in this world, he will be unable to relate to them in that world either. Moreover, he will undoubtedly be banished from his partition.
Come see what is written in the Zohar regarding this matter (Parashas Shemini 39a-41a): Rabbi Yehudah and Rabbi Yitzchak were walking through the town of Tzippori while a child followed after them leading a donkey laden with containers of honey. Rabbi Yitzchak said to Rabbi Yehudah, “Let us speak words of Torah as we walk.” So he began his discourse. Rabbi Yitzchak interpreted the verse, “And your palate is like fine wine going straight to my beloved, moving the lips of sleepers” (Shir HaShirim 7:10). He explained that the “palate” alludes to words of Torah, which are also likened to fine wine. In fact, they are better than actual wine because the latter is often injurious to body and soul. For example, excessive drink causes a person’s head to hurt and sometimes leads to transgression, Heaven forbid. By contrast, the more a person studies the holy Torah the more removed he is from sin. Moreover, he learns to fear Heaven and inherits both this world and the next. He even merits what is described in the end of the verse, “moving the lips of those who sleep.” That is, even when he lies in the grave his lips will continue uttering words of Torah.
The Zohar continues: The child asked, “If this is so, why does it say, ‘And your palate is like fine wine,’ implying that fine wine is comparable to Torah? Should it not have said, ‘And your palate is better than find wine’?” They looked at him [realizing from his question that he knew of a deeper interpretation of the verse]. Then Rabbi Yehudah said, “My son, tell us what you have to say, for you have spoken well.” The boy said, “Whoever engages in study and clings to Torah, uttering the words of Torah distinctly and out loud…will merit lifting up his voice even after he leaves this world. Thus it is written, ‘going straight to my beloved.’ That is, his soul will go straight to the Holy One Blessed is He, impeded by none of the agents of judgment. He will then be permitted to wander about the chambers of Gan Eden [listening to the Torah of the righteous who are resting there]. This is the meaning of the phrase, ‘moving the lips of those who sleep.’ ”
Rabbi Yehudah and Rabbi Yitzchak went over to the boy and kissed him on the head and rejoiced with him. Then he related to them the order of his studies and revealed other amazing insights. Finally they asked him, “What is your name?” “Yeisa,” he replied. They said, “From now on you shall be called Rabbi Yeisa.” “Hand the donkey over to your father and come with us,” they instructed him. So the boy went with them and when he arrived at the study hall Rabbi Yehudah rose before him, instructing all the students of the yeshivah to treat him with honor… Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai applied to him the verse, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you” (Yirmeyahu 1:5).
The perceptive individual will note how earlier generations turned to listen to words of Torah even from the mouths of children. This was because in their great love of Torah they were eager to hear novel insights. For they knew that the Torah is our “length of days” (Devarim 30:20) and that it is a “beloved hind” (Mishlei 5:19), finding grace in the eyes of all who study it. Every Jew must love the Torah and cause it to be loved by his children and household. He must admonish them continually concerning the fulfillment of the Torah and its commandments. In particular he must admonish the women not to allow their hair to be seen, for through this sin they bring poverty upon their children, causing them to be lowly and despised. Moreover, a house in which immodesty is found is frequented by the evil Lilis, who kills the small children of the household, as has already been explained in earlier chapters (24, 56). Therefore let whoever has stumbled in the sin of wasting seed devote himself with diligence to Torah study and let him engage in four fasts of three days each. That is, he should fast for three days straight in each of the four seasons. Meanwhile let him engage in study. Then, “He will go back and heal him” (Yeshayahu 6:10), and blessings will descend upon his head and all his limbs will be clean and pure forever.
צָרִיךְ הָאָדָם לְתַקֵּן הַפְּגָם, שֶׁחָטָא בִּבְרִיתוֹ בְּחֵטְא הוֹצָאַת שְׁפִיכוּת זֶרַע לְבַטָּלָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאֶכְתֹּב לְקַמָּן הַתִּקּוּן הָאֲמִתִּי. עַל כֵּן צָרִיךְ לְמַהֵר בִּתְשׁוּבָה. וְאַף אִם חָטָא הַרְבֵּה פְּעָמִים — הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מֶלֶךְ רַחֲמָן, וְהוּא מְקַבֵּל תְּשׁוּבַת הַשָּׁבִים בְּכָל לֵב, וּמוֹדֶה וְעוֹזֵב יְרֻחָם. וּמוֹסִיפִין לוֹ יִרְאָה וּקְדֻשָּׁה. נִמְצָא עוֹשֶׂה שְׁתֵּי פְּעֻלּוֹת: אַחַת — שֶׁעֲווֹנוֹתָיו מְכֻפָּרִים, וְשֵׁנִית — שֶׁיּוֹרֵשׁ עוֹלָם הַבָּא, בְּאֹפֶן וּבִתְנַאי כְּשֶׁאוֹחֵז בַּתּוֹרָה וְלוֹמֵד בְּהַתְמָדָה וְיִקְבַּע עִתִּים לַתּוֹרָה, הֵן לִלְמֹד בְּעַצְמוֹ וְהֵן לִלְמֹד עִם אֲחֵרִים. וְאִם אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל בְּעַצְמוֹ, אֲזַי עַל כָּל פָּנִים יִקְבַּע עִתִּים לִשְׁמֹעַ דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה, כִּי לְאַחַר מִיתַת הָאָדָם, אִם יֵשׁ לוֹ זְכוּת — יָבוֹא לְמַדְרֵגָה לְמַעְלָה, וְשָׁם לֹא יַעֲסֹק בַּאֲכִילָה וְלֹא בִּשְׁתִיָּה וְלֹא בְּמַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן, כִּי אִם בְּעֵסֶק הַתּוֹרָה. וּמִי שֶׁהוּא אוֹהֵב לִשְׁמֹעַ דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, יִזְכֶּה לִשְׁמֹעַ דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה מִפִּי עַתִּיק יוֹמִין לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן אִם הָאָדָם מְמָאֵס לִשְׁמֹעַ דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, אֵין לוֹ שַׁיָּכוּת גַּם בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא. וּבְוַדַּאי יִהְיֶה נִדְחֶה מִפַּרְגּוֹדָא דִּילֵיהּ.
If a man has been guilty of wasting seed he must repent without delay and remedy the blemish he imparted to the covenant of circumcision, as I will explain later (in this chapter and in Chapter 68). Even if he transgressed numerous times he should know that the Holy One Blessed is He is a merciful King who accepts the penance of those who return to him wholeheartedly, as it is written, “But he who confesses and desists (from sinning) will receive mercy” (Mishlei 28:13). Moreover, he will be granted an increase in awe and holiness. Thus, by repenting a person accomplishes two things: First of all he receives atonement for his iniquity, and secondly he inherits the World to Come. This is only true, however, if he also clings to the Torah, immersing himself in its study with diligence. To this end he must set aside fixed times for study, on his own and with others. If he is incapable of studying on his own he must at least set aside fixed times to listen to words of Torah. For after a person dies, he is granted a position in the next world commensurate with his merit. In that world there is neither eating nor drinking nor commerce, but only Torah study. Whoever loved listening to words of Torah in this world will merit hearing them from the Ancient of Days in the World to Come. But if he reviled them in this world, he will be unable to relate to them in that world either. Moreover, he will undoubtedly be banished from his partition.
וּבוֹא וּרְאֵה מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר בַּזֹּהַר פָּרָשַׁת שְׁמִינִי: רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי יִצְחָק הֲוֵי אָזְלֵי לְצִפּוֹרִי, וַהֲוֵי רַבְיָא חַד אָזִיל אֲבַתְרַיְהוּ עִם הַחֲמוֹר, שֶׁהָיָה נוֹשֵׂא מַשָּׂא כֵּלִים עִם דְּבַשׁ. אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק לְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה: נֵימָא מִלֵּי דְּאוֹרַיְתָא וְנֵיזוּל. פָּתַח רַבִּי יִצְחָק וְאָמַר (שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים ז, י): "וְחִכֵּךְ כְּיֵין הַטּוֹב הוֹלֵךְ לְדוֹדִי לְמֵישָׁרִים, דּוֹבֵב שִׂפְתֵי יְשֵׁנִים". וְחִכֵּךְ כְּיֵין הַטּוֹב — זוֹ הִיא תּוֹרָה, שֶׁנִּקְרֵאת יַיִן טוֹב מַמָּשׁ, כִּי לִפְעָמִים יַיִן לֹא טוֹב לַגּוּף וְלֹא טוֹב לַנְּשָׁמָה, כֵּיוָן כְּשֶׁאָדָם שׁוֹתֶה הַרְבֵּה יַיִן, אֲזַי רֹאשׁוֹ כּוֹאֵב לוֹ, וְלִפְעָמִים נִכְשָׁל גַּם כֵּן בַּעֲבֵרָה, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם. וְהַהֵפֶךְ הִיא הַתּוֹרָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה: כָּל מַה שֶּׁלּוֹמֵד יוֹתֵר — הִיא מַרְחִיקָה מִמֶּנּוּ פְּשָׁעָיו, וְלוֹמֵד דַּרְכֵי יִרְאָה, וְנוֹחֵל עוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְעוֹלָם הַבָּא, וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא שֶׁיִּזְכֶּה לְמַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב אַחֲרֵי זֶה: דּוֹבֵב שִׂפְתֵי יְשֵׁנִים — שֶׁאַף שֶׁהָיָה יָשֵׁן בַּקֶּבֶר — שִׂפְתוֹתָיו מְרַחֲשִׁין דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה.
Come see what is written in the Zohar regarding this matter (Parashas Shemini 39a-41a): Rabbi Yehudah and Rabbi Yitzchak were walking through the town of Tzippori while a child followed after them leading a donkey laden with containers of honey. Rabbi Yitzchak said to Rabbi Yehudah, “Let us speak words of Torah as we walk.” So he began his discourse. Rabbi Yitzchak interpreted the verse, “And your palate is like fine wine going straight to my beloved, moving the lips of sleepers” (Shir HaShirim 7:10). He explained that the “palate” alludes to words of Torah, which are also likened to fine wine. In fact, they are better than actual wine because the latter is often injurious to body and soul. For example, excessive drink causes a person’s head to hurt and sometimes leads to transgression, Heaven forbid. By contrast, the more a person studies the holy Torah the more removed he is from sin. Moreover, he learns to fear Heaven and inherits both this world and the next. He even merits what is described in the end of the verse, “moving the lips of those who sleep.” That is, even when he lies in the grave his lips will continue uttering words of Torah.
אָמַר הַאי רַבְיָא: אִם כֵּן, לָמָּה כְּתִיב 'וְחִכֵּךְ', דְּהַיְנוּ לִמּוּד הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁלּוֹמֵד וְהוֹגֶה בִּגְרוֹנוֹ 'כְּיֵין הַטּוֹב', מַשְׁמָע, דְּיֵין הַטּוֹב נִמְשָׁל גַּם כֵּן לַתּוֹרָה — הֲוָה לֵיהּ לְמֵימַר: 'וְחִכֵּךְ מִיֵּין הַטּוֹב'? אַשְׁגִּיחוּ בֵּיהּ. אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק: בְּרִי, אֵימָא מִלָּךְ, דְּשַׁפִּיר קָאָמַרְתְּ. אָמַר: דְּמַאן דְּאִשְׁתַּדֵּל בְּאוֹרַיְתָא וְדָבִיק בֵּיהּ, וּכְשֶׁלּוֹמֵד תּוֹרָה, מוֹצִיא מִפִּיו וְאוֹמֵר דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה בְּשָׂפָה בְּרוּרָה וּמֵרִים קוֹלוֹ כְּשֶׁלּוֹמֵד תּוֹרָה וְכוּ' — יִזְכֶּה לְהָרִים קוֹלוֹ כַּד יִפּוּק מֵהַאי עָלְמָא. הוֹלֵךְ לְדוֹדִי לְמֵישָׁרִים — נִשְׁמָתוֹ תֵּלֵךְ לְדוֹדִי, לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, מֵישָׁרִים — שֶׁלֹּא יִפְגְּעוּ בּוֹ שׁוּם בַּעֲלֵי דִּינִים, וּרְשׁוּת יִהְיֶה לָאָדָם הַהוּא לֵילֵךְ בְּחַדְרֵי גַּן עֵדֶן. וְזֶהוּ: דּוֹבֵב שִׂפְתֵי יְשֵׁנִים.
The Zohar continues: The child asked, “If this is so, why does it say, ‘And your palate is like fine wine,’ implying that fine wine is comparable to Torah? Should it not have said, ‘And your palate is better than find wine’?” They looked at him [realizing from his question that he knew of a deeper interpretation of the verse]. Then Rabbi Yehudah said, “My son, tell us what you have to say, for you have spoken well.” The boy said, “Whoever engages in study and clings to Torah, uttering the words of Torah distinctly and out loud…will merit lifting up his voice even after he leaves this world. Thus it is written, ‘going straight to my beloved.’ That is, his soul will go straight to the Holy One Blessed is He, impeded by none of the agents of judgment. He will then be permitted to wander about the chambers of Gan Eden [listening to the Torah of the righteous who are resting there]. This is the meaning of the phrase, ‘moving the lips of those who sleep.’ ”
אָתוּ רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי יִצְחָק וְנָשְׁקוּ לֵיהּ עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ וַחֲדוּ עִמֵּיהּ. וְסִפֵּר הַתִּינוֹק הַהוּא סֵדֶר הַלִּמּוּד שֶׁלּוֹ, וְגִלָּה לָהֶן סוֹדוֹת נִפְלָאוֹת וְסִתְרֵי תּוֹרָה. אָמַר לֵיהּ: מַה שְּׁמָךְ? אָמַר לֵיהּ: יֵיסָא. אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ: רַבִּי יֵיסָא יִהְיֶה שְׁמָךְ. וְאַחַר כָּךְ אַמְרִי לֵיהּ: הַשְׁלֵךְ אֶת הַחֲמוֹר אֵצֶל אָבִיךָ וְזִיל עִמָּנוּ! אָזַל עִמָּהֶם. וְכַד מָטֵי הַאי יַנּוּקָא לְבֵי מִדְרָשָׁא וְעָיֵל לְבֵי מִדְרָשָׁא — הֲוָה קָם רַבִּי יְהוּדָה מִקַּמֵּיהּ וְצִוָּה לְכָל בְּנֵי מְתִיבְתָּא לְאַנְהָגָא עִמֵּיהּ יְקָר וְכוּ', וַהֲוָה רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַאי קָרָא עָלָיו: בְּטֶרֶם אֶצָּרְךָ בַּבֶּטֶן יְדַעְתִּיךָ.
Rabbi Yehudah and Rabbi Yitzchak went over to the boy and kissed him on the head and rejoiced with him. Then he related to them the order of his studies and revealed other amazing insights. Finally they asked him, “What is your name?” “Yeisa,” he replied. They said, “From now on you shall be called Rabbi Yeisa.” “Hand the donkey over to your father and come with us,” they instructed him. So the boy went with them and when he arrived at the study hall Rabbi Yehudah rose before him, instructing all the students of the yeshivah to treat him with honor… Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai applied to him the verse, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you” (Yirmeyahu 1:5).
וְהִנֵּה יַשְׂכִּיל הַנָּבוֹן, אֵיךְ הַקַּדְמוֹנִים הָיוּ פְּנוּיִם לִשְׁמֹעַ דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה אֲפִלּוּ מִן הַתִּינוֹק מֵאַהֲבַת הַתּוֹרָה כְּדֵי לְקַבֵּל חִדּוּשֵׁי הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁהוּא אֹרֶךְ יָמֵינוּ, וְהִיא אַיֶּלֶת אַהָבִים וְיַעֲלַת חֵן עַל לוֹמְדֶיהָ; וְעַל כָּל אָדָם מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל מֻטָּל לֶאֱהֹב הַתּוֹרָה וּלְחַבֵּב הַתּוֹרָה בִּפְנֵי בְּנֵי בֵּיתוֹ בָּנָיו, וּלְהַזְהִירָם תָּמִיד עַל קִיּוּם הַתּוֹרָה וּמִצְווֹתֶיהָ, וּבִפְרָט יַזְהִיר בְּנָשִׁים, דְּלָא יִתְחַזֵּי מִנְּהוֹן שַׂעֲרוֹת רֹאשָׁן, כִּי בְּעָווֹן זֶה גּוֹרֶמֶת שֶׁיִּהְיוּ בָּנֶיהָ עֲנִיִּים, וְיִהְיוּ בְּזוּיִים וְנִבְזִים בֵּין הַבְּרִיּוֹת. וְכָל בַּיִת, שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ צְנִיעוּת — שָׁם לִילִית מְצוּיָה וְהוֹרֶגֶת לִילָדִים קְטַנִּים, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, כַּמְבֹאָר בַּפְּרָקִים הַקּוֹדְמִים. עַל כֵּן מִי שֶׁנִּכְשַׁל בַּעֲווֹן קֶרִי, יִהְיֶה זָרִיז בְּדִבְרֵי תּוֹרָה וְיִתְעַנֶּה אַרְבַּע פְּעָמִים שְׁלשָׁה יָמִים רְצוּפִים, דְּהַיְנוּ, בְּכָל תְּקוּפוֹת הַשָּׁנָה שְׁלשָׁה יָמִים, וְיִתְעַסֵּק בַּתּוֹרָה, וְאָז: וְשָׁב וְרָפָא לוֹ. וּבְרָכוֹת יָנוּחוּ עַל רֹאשׁוֹ, וְכָל אֵבָרָיו יִהְיוּ נְקִיִּם וּטְהוֹרִים לָעַד.
The perceptive individual will note how earlier generations turned to listen to words of Torah even from the mouths of children. This was because in their great love of Torah they were eager to hear novel insights. For they knew that the Torah is our “length of days” (Devarim 30:20) and that it is a “beloved hind” (Mishlei 5:19), finding grace in the eyes of all who study it. Every Jew must love the Torah and cause it to be loved by his children and household. He must admonish them continually concerning the fulfillment of the Torah and its commandments. In particular he must admonish the women not to allow their hair to be seen, for through this sin they bring poverty upon their children, causing them to be lowly and despised. Moreover, a house in which immodesty is found is frequented by the evil Lilis, who kills the small children of the household, as has already been explained in earlier chapters (24, 56). Therefore let whoever has stumbled in the sin of wasting seed devote himself with diligence to Torah study and let him engage in four fasts of three days each. That is, he should fast for three days straight in each of the four seasons. Meanwhile let him engage in study. Then, “He will go back and heal him” (Yeshayahu 6:10), and blessings will descend upon his head and all his limbs will be clean and pure forever.