Levítico 19:14 Cabalá: Ohr Ne'erav & Sha'arei Orah

Do not place a stumbling block before the blind (Lev. 19:14).

This secret is hinted in Torah in various verses regarding the positive mitzvot and negative mitzvot, that conclude with the words, “I-Anee-אני am HaShem-יהו״ה,” such as the verse,³¹⁴Leviticus 19:10 “Leave them for the poor and for the proselytes - I-Anee-אני am HaShem-יהו״ה,” and,³¹⁵Leviticus 19:14 “You shall not curse the deaf, and you shall not place a stumbling block before the blind; you shall fear HaShem-יהו״ה your God – I-Anee-אני am HaShem-יהו״ה.” Sometimes, both qualities are found together as one, as in the verse,³¹⁶Leviticus 19:18 “You shall not take revenge and you shall not bear a grudge against the members of your people; you shall love your fellow as yourself – I-Anee-אני am HaShem-יהו״ה.” This matter has thus been clearly explained.

Now, because this Divine quality is the Court of the Jewish People, and is what exacts retribution from them, therefore, throughout Torah, it is called,I-Anee-אני.¹⁶⁰The term “I-Ani-אני” is an acrostic for the words of the verse (Psalms 94:1), “HaShem is a God of retribution-El Nekamot HaShem-א״ל נקמות יהו״ה.” (See Me’or Yosef to Shaarei Orah.) At times it admonishes and warns the Jewish people not to sin, that they should stand in fear of judgment before it, since it is not possible that justice will not to be executed by it. It is in this regard that throughout the Torah it states,¹⁶¹Leviticus 19:14; 19:32; 25:17 “You shall fear your God, I am HaShem-Anee HaShem-אני יהו״ה.” In other words, it is as if the verse is saying, “You must have fear and trepidation of My judgment, even though it is judgment (Din) mingled with mercy (Rachamim).” It is upon this foundation that the verse states,¹⁶²Leviticus 26:27-28 “If despite this you will not heed Me, and you behave with indifference toward Me, I will behave toward you with the fury of indifference; I will chastise you, even I-Anee-אני, seven ways for your sins.” The conclusion of the verse, “seven ways for your sins-Sheva Al Chatoteichem-שבע על חטאתיכם,” is because this quality is called “the well of seven-Be’er Sheva-באר שבע,” and has wells that are filled with fear, might, and judgment. These are the wells of Yitzchak, as is written,¹⁶³Genesis 26:23 “He went up from there to the well of seven-Be’er Sheva-באר שבע.”