Levítico 1:1 Cabalá: Zohar, Sha'arei Kedusha & Sha'arei Orah

(Lev. 16:1) "And Hashem spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron... and Hashem said to Moses". Rabbi Yehuda comments: Since the verse says, "And Hashem spoke to Moses," what need is there to repeat "and Hashem said to Moses, Speak to your brother Aaron...?" The first statement should have sufficed. We learn that it is written, "And Hashem (lit. 'He') called to Moses and (lit. 'Hashem') spoke to him" (Lev. 1:1) and also, "And He said to Moses, Come up to Hashem" (Shemot 24:1). It has already been established that the discourse here represents one level (Malchut). Afterwards, the words, "AND HASHEM SPOKE TO HIM" OR "COME UP TO HASHEM" represent another level (Ze'er Anpin). Here too in our text, "And Hashem spoke to Moses" represents one level (the level of judgment referred to as "speaking") and afterwards the verse, "And Hashem said to Moses, Speak to your brother Aaron" represents another level, (the quality of Mercy, which is "Saying") which reveals that they carry one equal scale and all are joined from one source.

The category of apostates (Minim) also includes the following:⁷⁵⁹See Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Teshuvah, Ch. 3 ibid.; Mishnah Sanhedrin 10:1; Tamud Bavli, Sanhedrin 90a; Talmud Yerushalmi, Pe’ah 1:1; and elsewhere. This category includes even a person who is only an apostate in regard to a single commandment and transgresses only that one commandment as an act of rebellion; or even if he only does so to satisfy his lust; and similarly, one who casts off the yoke of Heaven, meaning that he denies the fundamental truth of HaShem’s-יהו"ה existence and states that there is no God; and likewise, one who says that the Torah is indeed from Heaven, but “I cannot stand it,” meaning “I do not fulfill it;” or alternatively, one who says that the Torah is not from Heaven, even if he only is referring to a single verse, or a single grammatical aspect, such as missing letters or additional letters, or denies even one exegetical matter, such as a single Kal VaChomer or a single Gzeira Shava transmitted by our sages; Some also include those who deny the Oral Torah or matters that are established by the Sages;⁷⁶⁰Like Chanukah and Purim This category also includes one who says that the resurrection of the dead is not from the Torah, meaning that it is not hinted at in the Torah, even though he believes both in the Torah and the resurrection of the dead; Also, one who interprets Torah falsely, such as Menasheh, who would expound the Torah scornfully and falsely, saying things like “There was no reason for Moshe to write the verse,⁷⁶¹Genesis 36:2 ‘And Lotan’s sister was Timna,’” and the like;⁷⁶²Mishnah Avot 3:11; Sanhedrin 99b; Yoma 85b, and Rashi there. Also, one who publicly violates the commandments of the Torah high-handedly, like Yehoyakim;⁷⁶³Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 103b; Mishneh Torah, Teshuvah, Ch. 3 ibid. One who abrogates the covenant of circumcision (Brit Milah), meaning that as an act of rebellion, he does not circumcise himself, or alternately, he stretches his foreskin to look uncircumcised; One who himself sins and also causes others to sin such as Yeravam, which even includes transgressing minor prohibitions;⁷⁶⁴Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 107b Also, infidels (Apikorsim), that is, those who treat a Torah scholar with contempt, to their faces;⁷⁶⁵Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 99b and also one who sits before his master and says, “this thing is forbidden,” or “this thing is permissible,” in the form of a statement, rather than in the form of a question; Also one who ridicules his master when he expounds something that seems to be an exaggeration, and he does not believe his words; Also one who treats Torah scholars with contempt, even not to their face, such as those who say “Those Rabbis…” in a degrading manner, or similarly, those who say, “With what have the Rabbis benefited us? They read the Torah for their own benefit, and study the Mishnah for their own benefit etc.,”⁷⁶⁶Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 99b ibid. or like those who say, “With what have the Rabbis benefited us? Never have they permitted a raven for us, nor have they prohibited a dove for us.”⁷⁶⁷Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 100a – That is, they say, “Of what benefit is their Torah study, if they merely tell us matters explicitly stated in Torah.” (Rashi) Also included is one who addresses his master by name, and does not respectfully address him as “my master and teacher;” Likewise, one who disgraces his fellow before a Torah scholar; and those who betray others to the Gentile authorities, whether they turned a Jew into the hands of the Gentile authorities to be beaten, or whether they only betrayed him monetarily to the Gentile authorities; Likewise, a communal leader who imposes excess fear upon the community out of pride, rather than for the sake of the Name of HaShem-יהו"ה;⁷⁶⁸See Talmud Bavli, Rosh HaShanah 17a One who disgraces the Festivals, in that he intentionally performs labor during Chol HaMo’ed as a show of disgrace and that he does not believe that it is forbidden, rather than for personal benefit;⁷⁶⁹Mishnah Avot 3:11 One who publicly embarrasses his fellow in his presence; One who derives honor from the shame of his friend, and it seems to me, that this too is if it is his presence; One who reads extraneous literature, such as the book of Ben Sira and the books of Ben La’anah, which are nonsensical books that draw a person’s heart and cause him to neglect his Torah study;⁷⁷⁰The indication by the commentaries is that these are books that were written by apostates in the style of Torah, and other books of that nature, which may lead the reader to think that they are Torah, yet they are not Torah, and are completely contrary to Torah. The same applies to books of apostacy, such as those of the priests and ministers of the nations; However, books such as that written by Homer⁷⁷¹The indication by the commentaries is that this refers to literature that is like that of the Greek writer and poet Homer, which are either clearly known fiction or the natural scientific wisdoms of the nations, and are considered mundane, like one who reads a letter, and are thus not in this same category of grave transgression as the false and misleading literature mentioned before. They therefore are not cause for loss of the coming world, as with the prior category. Even so, as the Talmud there concludes citing King Solomon (Eccl. 12:12), “Beyond these my son, be warned,” – “They are given to develop reason, but not for toiling in.” and other similar books, are considered to be mundane, and are as if he is merely reading a correspondence, as stated in the Jerusalem Talmud;⁷⁷²Talmud Yerushalmi, Sanhedrin 10:1 One who whispers incantations over an injury, or even if he recites a verse over it and spits,⁷⁷³Mishnah Sanhedrin 10:1; Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 90a irrespective of whether it is the verse,⁷⁷⁴Exodus 15:26 “I will not bring any of the diseases upon you,” or whether it has any other mention of illness, healing, or the Name of Heaven, but even if it is a verse such as,⁷⁷⁵Leviticus 1:1 “HaShem-יהו״ה called to Moshe etc.”;⁷⁷⁶Mishneh Torah, Avodah Zarah 11:12; Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De’ah 179:8 One who pronounces the Name HaShem-יהו״ה according to its letters outside the Temple,⁷⁷⁷Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 101b which the Jerusalem Talmud⁷⁷⁸Talmud Yerushalmi, Sanhedrin 10:1 – His title Lord-Adona”y-אדנ״י explains means that he does not mention Him by His title, in accordance to the verse,⁷⁷⁹Exodus 3:15 “This is My Name forever, and this is My remembrance from generation to generation.” However, in our Talmud⁷⁸⁰Talmud Bavli, Avodah Zarah 18a we learn that this is specifically if he does so publicly; One who disgraces the word of HaShem-יהו״ה, meaning that he recalls words of Torah in a filthy place;⁷⁸¹Talmud Yerushalmi, Sanhedrin 10:1 and elsewhere. Likewise, one who reads the written Torah, but pays no heed to the words of the Mishnah, which explain the written Torah; Similarly, one who studies Torah but does not teach it, the exception being the secrets of the Torah, about which it states,⁷⁸²Proverbs 27:26 “The lambs (Kvasim-כבשים) shall be for your clothing,” meaning,⁷⁸³Talmud Bavli, Chagigah 13a “Matters that are the secrets of the world (Kivshono shel Olam-כבשונו של עולם) should be hidden under your clothing.” It is only fitting to teach them to the pious (Chassidim) of the generation, who are worthy of being taught; Similarly, one who is capable of engaging in Torah study but does not engage in it, and instead engages in business and other worldly matters; One who gossips (Rechilut), meaning that he takes the words of one friend and brings them to another, and this applies even if they are not words that cause any shame or ill repute, and even if they are true, like what occurred with Doeg the Edomite and David;⁷⁸⁴Samuel I 22:9-10; Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 106b One who speaks evil speech (Lashon Hara), in that he speaks of his fellow’s shamefulness, even if it is true; The slanderer (Motzi Shem Ra) who relates false matters about his fellow to disgrace his name; Anyone who violates these three, that is, the gossiper, one who speaks evil speech and the slanderer, it is considered as if they have denied the primary foundation of HaShem’s-יהו״ה existence, and these are so severe that they are equal to the three cardinal sins of the Torah, these being idolatry, forbidden relations, and murder; One who lends to his fellow Jew with interest and did not return the interest to him will not rise upon the resurrection of the dead;⁷⁸⁵See Baal HaTurim to Leviticus 25:36 One who transgresses the Shabbat is judged in purgatory (Gehinom) for all generations;⁷⁸⁶Tikkunei Zohar, Tikkun 24, 69b One who intentionally does not bear children and dies childless is excised from this world and will not have life in the coming world.⁷⁸⁷Talmud Bavli, Brachot 10a

Now, you might object and say that we indeed find prophecies transmitted through an angel. For example, about Avraham it states,¹⁴²Genesis 22:11 “An angel of HaShem-יהו״ה called to him from the heavens.” We likewise find in the prophecy of Zachariah,¹⁴³Zachariah 4:5 “The angel who spoke to me answered etc.,” seeming to indicate that the prophecy was through the medium of an angel. However, let not your spirit be perturbed by these verses and others like them, for you have yet to hear the words of the Living God about these matters. Nonetheless, in all the many other verses about the prophets [in which an angel is not mentioned], let not your mind deceive you, for in truth, all prophecy is solely from the Name HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He. To clarify, our sages, of blessed memory, stated in Vayikra Rabbah,¹⁴⁴Midrash Vayikra Rabba 1:9 “The verse [about Moshe] states,¹⁴⁵Leviticus 1:1 ‘He called to Moshe,’ unlike Avraham, about whom it states,¹⁴⁶Genesis 22:15 ‘The angel of HaShem-יהו״ה called to Avraham a second time from the heavens.’ That is, [with Avraham], it was the angel who called him, but it was HaShem-יהו"ה who spoke to him, whereas here, [with Moshe], it was the Holy One, blessed is He, Himself who called, as if saying, ‘I am the One who calls, and I am the One who speaks.’”