Daf 86a (דַּף פ״ו ע״א)

“You shall not hate your brother in your heart; you shall surely rebuke your fellow…” (לֹא תִשְׂנָא אֶת אָחִיךָ בִּלְבָבֶךָ הוֹכֵחַ תּוֹכִיחַ אֶת עֲמִיתֶךָ וְגוֹ') (Leviticus 19). This commandment is to rebuke the one who sins (פִּקּוּדָא דָּא, לְאוֹכָחָא לְהַהוּא דְּחָטֵי), to show him great love (לְמֵחֱזִי לֵיהּ רְחִימוּ סַגְיַא), that he is loved (דְּרָחִים לֵיהּ), so that he should not be punished (בְּגִין דְּלָא יִתְעֲנָשׁ אִיהוּ). For regarding Kudsha Berikh Hu it is written: “For whom Hashem loves He reproves” (דְּהָא בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּתִיב, כִּי אֶת אֲשֶׁר יֶאֱהַב יְיָ' יוֹכִיחַ) (Proverbs 3). And just as Kudsha Berikh Hu acts, reproving the one He loves (וּכְמָּה דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָבִיד וְאוֹכַח לְמַאן דְּרָחִים לֵיהּ), so too a man should learn from that way, and rebuke his fellow (הָכִי יוֹלִיף בַּר נָשׁ מֵהַהוּא אָרְחָא, וְיוֹכַח לְחַבְרֵיהּ). With what does Kudsha Berikh Hu reprove a man? (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּמַאי אוֹכַח לְבַּר נָשׁ). He reproves him in love, privately (אוֹכַח לֵיהּ בִּרְחִימוּ בְּסִתְרָא). If he accepts, good (אִי יְקַבֵּל לֵיהּ יָאוּת). If not, He reproves him among his loved ones (וְאִי לָא, אוֹכַח לֵיהּ בֵּין רְחִימוֹי). If he accepts, good (אִי יְקַבֵּל יָאוּת).

If not, He reproves him openly before the eyes of all (וְאִי לָא, אוֹכַח לֵיהּ בְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא לְעֵינֵיהוֹן דְּכֹלָּא). If he accepts, good (אִי יְקַבֵּל יָאוּת). If not, He leaves him and does not reprove him, but lets him go and do as he wishes (וְאִי לָאו, שָׁרִי לֵיהּ, וְלָא אוֹכַח לֵיהּ, וְשָׁבִיק לֵיהּ יֵיזִיל וְיַעְבִּיד רְעוּתֵיהּ). At first He informs him in private (בְּקַדְמִיתָא אוֹדַע לֵיהּ בְּסִתְרָא), in order to reprove him and to arouse him, so that no man will know of him (בְּגִין לְאוֹכָחָא לֵיהּ, וּלְאִתְעֲרָא לֵיהּ, דְּלָא יִנְּדַע בֵּיהּ בַּר נָשׁ). And this is between him and Him alone (וְדָא אִיהוּ בֵּינֵיהּ לְבֵינֵיהּ). If he accepts, good (אִי מְקַבֵּל יָאוּת). If not, He informs him among His loved ones (וְאִי לָאו, אוֹדַע לֵיהּ בֵּין רְחִימוֹי).

At the time when the High Priest was in the world (בְּזִמְנָא דְּכַהֲנָא רַבָּא הֲוָה בְּעָלְמָא), He would place afflictions upon his bed (יָהִיב לֵיהּ מַרְעִין בְּעַרְסֵיהּ), and the loved ones of Kudsha Berikh Hu would come and inform him (וְאָתוּ רְחִימוֹי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְאוֹדְעָן לֵיהּ), if there was guilt within him to turn from, and to examine his deeds (אִי אִית בֵּיהּ חוֹבָא דְּיֵיתוּב מִנֵּיהּ, וּלְעָיֵין בְּמִלֵיהּ). If he accepts, good (אִי מְקַבֵּל יָאוּת). If not, He reproves him openly through his wealth or through his children (וְאִי לָאו אוֹכַח לֵיהּ בְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא, בְּמָמוֹנֵיהּ, בִּבְנוֹי), so that all murmur against him and come to him (דְּכֹלָּא מְלַחֲשָׁן עָלֵיהּ, וְיִיתוּן לְגַבֵּיהּ). If he accepts, good (אִי מְקַבֵּל יָאוּת). If not, his Master leaves him to do as he wishes, and will not overpower him forever (וְאִי לָאו שָׁארֵי לֵיהּ מָארֵיהּ לְמֶעְבַּד רְעוּתֵיהּ, וְלָא יַתְקִיף בֵּיהּ לְעָלְמִין).

In this manner (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא) one must reprove his fellow: at first in private (אִצְּטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ לְאוֹכָחָא לְחַבְרֵיהּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא בְּסִתְרָא), afterward among his loved ones (לְבָתַר בֵּין רְחִימוֹי), afterward openly (לְבָתַר בְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא). From then on, let him be, and let him do as he desires (מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה יִשְׁבּוֹק לֵיהּ וְיַעְבִּיד רְעוּתֵיהּ). And concerning this it is written: “You shall surely rebuke” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב הוֹכֵחַ תּוֹכִיחַ) (Leviticus 19). “You shall rebuke” - in private, so that no man should know of him (הוֹכֵחַ: בְּסִתְרָא, דְּלָא יִנְּדַע בֵּיהּ בַּר נָשׁ). “You shall rebuke” - among his friends and loved ones (תּוֹכִיחַ: בֵּין חַבְרוֹי וּרְחִימוֹי). “Your fellow” - in public (אֶת עֲמִיתֶךָ: בְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא). And concerning this it is not written at first “rebuke,” but rather “you shall rebuke” (וְעַל דָּא לָא כְּתִיב בְּקַדְמִיתָא תּוֹכִיחַ, אֶלָּא הוֹכֵחַ). Furthermore: “You shall rebuke” - if he is a man who is ashamed (תּוּ הוֹכֵחַ, אִי אִיהוּ בַּר נָשׁ דְּיִכְסוּף), do not say it to him and do not rebuke him even in private (לָא יִימָּא לֵיהּ וְלָא יוֹכִיחַ לֵיהּ אֲפִילּוּ בְּסִתְרָא). Rather, say it before him as though speaking in other matters (אֶלָּא יִימָּא קַמֵּיהּ, כְּמָאן דְּמִשְׁתָּעֵי בְּמִלִּין אָחֳרָנִין). And within those words, mention: such-and-such a person committed such a sin (וּבְגוֹ אִינּוּן מִלִּין, יִדְכַּר מַאן דְּעָבַד הַהוּא חוֹבָא הוּא כַּךְ וְכַךְ), so that he will recognize it within himself, and abandon that sin (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ יְדַע בְּגַרְמֵיהּ, וְיִשְׁתְּבִיק מֵהַהוּא חוֹבָא). And concerning this it is written: “You shall rebuke” (וְעַל דָּא הוֹכֵחַ). And if not, then “you shall rebuke” (וְאִם לָאו, תּוֹכִיחַ). And afterward: “Your fellow” - in public (וּלְבָתַר אֶת עֲמִיתֶךָ בְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא). From then on: “And you shall not bear sin because of him” (מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה וְלֹא תִשָּׂא עָלָיו חֵטְא).

Another matter: “And you shall not bear sin because of him” (דָּבָר אַחֵר וְלֹא תִשָּׂא עָלָיו חֵטְא). For since a man rebukes his fellow, and it is decreed for him to rebuke him in public (דְּהָא כֵּיוָן דְּבַּר נָשׁ אוֹכַח לְחַבְרֵיהּ, וְאִזְדְּמַן לְאוֹכָחָא לֵיהּ בְּאִתְגַּלְיָא), he must not remove before him the actual sin that he committed (לָא יְסַלֵּק קַמֵּיהּ הַהוּא חוֹבָה דַּעֲבֵיד), for this is certainly forbidden (דְּאָסִיר לֵיהּ וַדַאי). Rather, he should speak in general terms (אֶלָּא יֵימָּא סְתָם), and not remove upon him that sin in public (וְלָא יְסַלֵּק עֲלוֹי הַהוּא חוֹבָא בְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא), and not mark him with guilt (וְלָא יַרְשִׁים עֲלוֹי חוֹבָא). For Kudsha Berikh Hu is concerned with the dignity of man, even of the guilty (דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא חָס עַל יְקָרָא דְּבַר נָשׁ, אֲפִילּוּ בְּחַיָּיבַיָא). (End of Ra‘ya Mehemna) (ע״כ רעיא מהימנא) (Commandment eighteen to bless Kudsha Berikh Hu… etc., R’’a 72b) (פקודא ח״י לברכא ליה לקודשא בריך הוא וכו' ר״ע ע״ב).

He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר), “And it was the sound of the shofar going on” (וַיְהִי קוֹל הַשּׁוֹפָר הוֹלֵךְ וְגוֹ') (Exodus 19). “And it was the sound of the shofar” (וַיְהִי קוֹל הַשּׁוֹפָר), here the early books disputed (הָכָא אִתְפְּלִיגוּ סִפְרֵי קַדְמָאֵי), until Rabbi Abba and Rabbi Yehudah came (עַד דְּאָתוּ רִבִּי אַבָּא וְרִבִּי יְהוּדָה), and they conceded to Rabbi Aḥa (וְאוֹדוּ לֵיהּ לְרִבִּי אֲחָא). They rose, and as they were going (קָמוּ, עַד דַּהֲווּ אַזְלֵי), Rabbi El'azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): “You shall not go as a talebearer among your people” (לֹא תֵלֵךְ רָכִיל בְּעַמֶּךָ), “You shall not hate your brother” (לֹא תִשְׂנָא אֶת אָחִיךָ), “You shall not take vengeance” (לֹא תִקּוֹם), “and you shall not bear a grudge” (וְלֹא תִטּוֹר) (Leviticus 19). These we have established (הָא אוֹקִימְנָא לוֹן), and my friends were aroused against me (וְכֻלְּהוּ אַתְעֲרוּ עָלַיְיהוּ חַבְרַיָּיא). But let us say a word here (אֲבָל נֵימָא מִלָּה בְּפָרְשָׁתָא דָּא): “You shall guard My statutes” (אֶת חֻקּוֹתַי תִּשְׁמוֹרוּ), “your animal you shall not breed with diverse kinds” (בְּהֶמְתְּךָ לֹא תַרְבִּיעַ כִּלְאַיִם), “your field you shall not sow with mixed seed” (שָׂדְךָ לֹא תִּזְרַע כִּלְאָיִם), “and a garment of sha‘atnez shall not come upon you” (וּבֶגֶד כִּלְאַיִם שַׁעֲטְנֵז לֹא יַעֲלֶה עָלֶיךָ) (Leviticus 19).

Rabbi El'azar opened and said (פָּתַח רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְאָמַר), “You are My witnesses, says Hashem, and My servant whom I have chosen, in order that you may know and believe…” (אַתֶּם עֵדַי נְאֻם יְיָ' וְעַבְדִּי אֲשֶׁר בָּחַרְתִּי לְמַעַן תֵּדְעוּ וְתַאֲמִינוּ וְגוֹ') (Isaiah 43). “You are My witnesses” - these are Yisrael (אַתֶּם עֵדַי, אִלֵּין אִינּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל). And we have learned: these are the heavens and the earth (וְתָנֵינָן, אִלֵּין אִינּוּן שְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְעָא), as it is written: “I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day” (דִּכְתִיב הֲעִידוֹתִי בָכֶם הַיּוֹם אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ) (Deuteronomy 30). But Yisrael are witnesses for these, and heaven and earth and all bear witness for them (אֲבָל יִשְׂרָאֵל אִינּוּן סָהֲדִין אִלֵּין עַל אִלֵּין, וּשְׁמַיָא וְאַרְעָא וְכֹלָּא, סָהֲדִין עָלַיְיהוּ). “And My servant whom I have chosen” - this is Ya’akov (וְעַבְדִּי אֲשֶׁר בָּחַרְתִּי, דָּא יַעֲקֹב), as it is written: “And He said to me, You are My servant, Yisrael, in whom I will be glorified” (דִּכְתִיב וַיֹּאמֶר לִי עַבְדִי אָתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר בְּךָ אֶתְפָּאָר) (Isaiah 49), and it is written: “And you, do not fear, My servant Ya’akov” (וּכְתִיב, וְאַתָּה אַל תִּירָא עַבְדִּי יַעֲקֹב) (Jeremiah 30). And some say this refers to David (וְאִית דְּאַמְרֵי דָּא דָּוִד). And David is called “My servant,” as it is written: “For My sake and for the sake of David My servant” (וְדָוִד עַבְדִּי אִקְרֵי, דִּכְתִיב, לְמַעֲנִי וּלְמַעַן דָּוִד עַבְדִּי) (Isaiah 37). “Whom I have chosen” - this is the supernal David (אֲשֶׁר בָּחַרְתִּי, דָּא דָּוִד עִלָּאָה). “In order that you may know and believe Me and understand that I am He” (לְמַעַן תֵּדְעוּ וְתַאֲמִינוּ לִי וְתָבִינוּ כִּי אֲנִי הוּא). What is “I am He”? (מַאי כִּי אֲנִי הוּא). That I am revealed in that David and in that Ya'akov (דְּאִתְרָעִיתִי בְּהַהוּא דָּוִד, וּבְהַהוּא יַעֲקֹב). I - I am truly He (אֲנָא, הוּא מַמָּשׁ). “Before Me no god was formed” (לְפָנַי לֹא נוֹצַר אֵל). For we have learned, Kudsha Berikh Hu called Ya'akov “El” (דְּתָנֵינָן, קְרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְיַעֲקֹב אֵל), as it is written: “And he called him El, the God of Yisrael” (דִּכְתִיב, וַיִּקְרָא לוֹ אֵל אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל) (Bereshit 33). Kudsha Berikh Hu called Ya'akov “El” (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קָרָא לְיַעֲקֹב אֵל). This is what is written: “Before Me no god was formed, and after Me none shall be” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, לְפָנַי לֹא נוֹצַר אֵל וְאַחֲרַי לֹא יִהְיֶה) (Isaiah 43). And for this reason: “I am He” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ, אֲנִי הוּא). All as has been said (כֹּלָּא כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר). “And after Me none shall be” (וְאַחֲרַי לֹא יִהְיֶה) - for this David is so called, and there is none after him (דְּהָא דָּוִד הָכִי אִקְרֵי, וְלָאו אִית בַּתְרֵיהּ אָחֳרָא).