레위기 21:1의 Chasidut
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֱמֹ֥ר אֶל־הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים בְּנֵ֣י אַהֲרֹ֑ן וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם לְנֶ֥פֶשׁ לֹֽא־יִטַּמָּ֖א בְּעַמָּֽיו׃
여호와께서 모세에게 이르시되 아론의 자손 제사장들에게 고하여 이르라 백성 중의 죽은 자로 인하여 스스로 더럽히지 말려니와
Kedushat Levi
Leviticus 21,1. “speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron.” The subject here deals with four different (parts) universes named עולם האצילות, עולם הבריאה, עולם היצירה, עולם העשיה, respectively. In each of these “worlds” there is “life” and G’d forbid, it’s opposite. We in our world of עשיה, a domain representing the physical material world after it had been completed, experience both life and G’d forbid its opposite, death. Similarly, we can visualize “life” and “death” in the עולם היצירה, which for want of a better term we will call the world of speech, דבור, seeing that according to the Torah G’d had created it with verbal directives. When man abuses the power of speech, uttering vain things or lies, he is perceived of “killing” life in that domain. When man employs the power of speech constructively, he is considered as giving life to that domain. This condition is called חיים, “life,” and has been alluded to by Solomon in Proverbs 18,21 where he wrote: חיים ומות ביד לשון, “life and death are within the power of one’s tongue.” Abuse of the power of speech is the most important element to guard against when serving the Lord. The same rule applies to the world known as עולם הבריאה, “the world of creation,” i.e. a physically undeveloped world. This may be described best as the world of thought, a world in which the products of thought and mouth have not yet produced a finished product. When man is constantly preoccupied in his heart and mind how best to serve the Lord, he is considered alive, whereas if, G’d forbid he is preoccupied with the opposite he is considered as “dead.”
There is another world, on a higher plane than the three we have already defined, the world of יראה, awe, (referred to above as אצילות) this world is completely abstract when compared with the other three worlds. Even in that world, however, the concepts of “life” and “death” exist.
At any rate, the thing we have to concern ourselves with first and foremost is the use we make of the power of speech G’d has granted to us, the ability to communicate with our peers and to convey our most intimate thoughts. The influence of this gift cannot be overestimated, and that is why the Torah when speaking to the priests, begins with אמור אל הכהנים ואמרת להם לנפש לא יטמא, “speak to the priests and say to them that the priest must not defile himself on pain of death;” the meaning is that the priest, through misuse of the power of speech, must not commit a capital offence.
There is another world, on a higher plane than the three we have already defined, the world of יראה, awe, (referred to above as אצילות) this world is completely abstract when compared with the other three worlds. Even in that world, however, the concepts of “life” and “death” exist.
At any rate, the thing we have to concern ourselves with first and foremost is the use we make of the power of speech G’d has granted to us, the ability to communicate with our peers and to convey our most intimate thoughts. The influence of this gift cannot be overestimated, and that is why the Torah when speaking to the priests, begins with אמור אל הכהנים ואמרת להם לנפש לא יטמא, “speak to the priests and say to them that the priest must not defile himself on pain of death;” the meaning is that the priest, through misuse of the power of speech, must not commit a capital offence.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy