Musar sobre Proverbios 7:26

“You shall not place a stumbling block before the blind” (Leviticus 19:14). And we were warned with this not to give a ruling to the Israelites which is not like the doctrine and not like the law (halakha). And our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said (Avot 1:1), “Be deliberate in judgement.” And the ones who are impatient to understand and give a ruling will not save their souls from putting a stumbling block before the blind; and their sin is very heavy, as it is written (Psalms 82:5), “They neither know nor understand, they go about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth totter.” And they also said (Avot 4:13), “Be careful in study, for an error in study counts as deliberate sin.” And our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said (Sotah 22a), “‘For she has cast down many wounded’ (Proverbs 7:26); this is [referring to] a Torah scholar who has not yet attained the ability to issue rulings, and yet issues rulings. ‘And a mighty host are all her slain’; this is referring to a Torah scholar who has attained the ability to issue rulings, but does not issue rulings.”

Included in the same category are those who put themselves forward as halachic authorities although they are not yet qualified to issue rulings. This also causes terrible decrees to befall the “enemies” of Yisroel (i.e., Yisroel themselves). Concerning this was it written, “For she has caused many to fall as corpses and tremendous are all those whom she has killed” (Mishlei 7:26). All this is brought about by one who issues rulings before he is qualified to do so or by one who reveals insights into the Torah based upon false premises and ideas that are not true. For this reason Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai said to his disciples (Zohar, ibid.):