Halakhah sa Mga Bilang 11:7: Shev Shmateta & Kitzur Shulchan Arukh

(Lamed) According to our approach, this is the intention of the statement of [the Sages] may their memory be blessed, in Avot, “Do not be evil in front of yourself (bifnei atsmecha)” – the explanation of which is in your essence. As we are holy seed and we will not change in essence. And all of the sins of the Children of Israel are only their appearance, which will not be permanent, but only present from time to time. And that which they said, “But even if the whole world tells you that you are righteous, you should be like an evildoer in your eyes” – the explanation of [“in your eyes”] is in your appearance. [This is] like “and its appearance (literally, eye) was like the appearance of bdellium” (Num. 11:7) – the explanation of which is the appearance, and that is the description. And so you should increase courage, have much soap, whiten your clothes and fulfill the desire of your Creator who says, “Show me your appearance.”⁸⁵This literary allusion is also from Song of Songs (Shir HaShirim 2:14). And behold anything that is not in the essence is only in the appearance. And [that] which is in the appearance is only incidental, and that which is incidental will not be permanent. Therefore [with] the seed of Avraham, even if their hands are charred, the blackness will not be permanent; and they will necessarily be whitened and return to their beauty and their essence. Rather [it is] their good deeds [which] are their essence. And [so] behold, something impermanent is called deception (khazav), as in (Isaiah 58:11), “whose waters do not fail (yekhazvu).” And this is the intention of the midrash that said, “the deceptions and vanities that Israel does are worthwhile.” [It] means all of the sins – [both] light and severe – are only deception, since they are incidental. As their essence is pure and clean, like Avraham their bequeather, and as mentioned. And this is the intention of the statement of [the Sages], may their memory be blessed, in Chapter 1 of Tractate Rosh Hashanah⁸⁶Rosh Hashanah 17b., “Ilfa brought up [a contradiction]: It is written [about God], ‘and abundant in kindness’ (Exod. 34:6); and [yet in the same verse], it is written ‘and truth.’  He answered, ‘Initially [He judges in] truth, but in the end, abundant in kindness.’” And also there (Rosh Hashanah 17a), “Beit Hillel say, ‘[He who is] abundant in kindness inclines towards kindness.’” [This is] meaning [that] since the good deeds are essential, they are lasting and they are [therefore] true; but the sins are deception. And just like ‘a little bit of light pushes off much of the darkness,’ so does a little bit of truth push off much deception. And therefore He inclines towards kindness, because of the truth.

The curses contained in parshas Bechukosai,⁷Leviticus 26: 14–43. and in parshas Ki Savo⁸Deuteronomy 28: 15–68. should be read without interruption.⁹Maseches Megillah 31. Interrupting would make it appear as though we do not wish to accept Divine admonition. (Meleches Shelomoh—Midrash Rabbah.) [Also see Shoeil Umeishiv (5 Resp. 9) and Elef Lecha Shelomo Resp. 63—Sofrim (12).] Shulchan Aruch rules that not interrupting the curses contained in Ki Savo is a custom, but not interrupting in Bechukosai is a Halachah. The reading of these curses must be preceded by one verse of the preceding chapter.¹⁰See Kitzur Shulchan Aruch Chapter 23 for details. But in order not to begin the parshah with less than three verses, the reading must begin with the three verses preceding the curses. At the conclusion also, we must read at least one verse after the curses, but care should be taken not to end at less than three verses from the beginning of a parshah. In parshas Ki Sisa, we read for the Levi, the whole chapter of the golden calf until the words Umeshareso Yehoshua¹¹Exodus 33: 11. [and his servant Yehoshua]. And the reason is because the Levites did not participate in making the golden calf.¹²Maseches Yoma 66a. It is customary to read in a low voice [the portion beginning with] Vayittein el Moshe kechaloso [and He gave Moses as He had finished]¹³Exodus 31: 18. until Vayechal Moshe [and Moses beseeched].¹⁴See Exodus 32: 11 Rashi (Maseches Megillah 31b). The verse beginning with Vayechal is read in a loud voice until Vayifen vayeired Moshe, [And Moses turned and descended]. And the verse beginning with Vayifen is read in a low voice until uMoshe yikach es ha'ohel, [And Moses took the tent].¹⁵Exodus 33: 7. The reading is then resumed in a loud voice until the end of the parshah. And also the curses in parshas Bechukosai and parshas Ki Savo should be read in a low voice. However, the verse, Vezacharti es brisi Yaakov [And I will remember the covenant with Jacob]¹⁶Leviticus 26: 42. is read in a loud voice. The following verse, Veha'aretz tei'azeiv [And the land will be forsaken] is read in a low voice. From the verse: Ve'af gam zos [and with all this]¹⁷Leviticus 26: 44. [the reading is resumed] in a loud voice until the end. And in parshas Ki Savo, [the verse] Leyira es Hashem hanichbad [to fear the honored Name]¹⁸Deuteronomy 28: 59. until the end of the verse should be read in a loud voice and thereafter in a low voice until Ve'ein koneh [and there is no one to buy].¹⁹Deuteronomy 28: 68. Also in parshas Beha'alosecha it is customary to read in a low voice from Vayehi ha'am kemisonenim [and the people were as murmurers]²⁰Numbers 11: 1. until Vehaman kizra gad [and the manna was like the coriander seed]²¹Numbers 11: 7. and the reason is to show that they were regretful. Whatever is read in a low voice should be read at least [loud enough] for the congregation to hear the voice, otherwise they have not fulfilled their duty of reading [the Torah]. [In the reading of] the forty-two journeys in parshas Masei no interruption should be made,²²Magein Avraham 428: 8—Tzeror Hamor. We also do not interrupt during the last eight verses in the Torah [Maseches Menachos 30, Shulchan Aruch 428: 7], nor in the Ten Commandments in Yisro and in Va’eschanon, nor during Az Yashir [Avudraham]. for they represent the [Divine] Name of forty-two [Letters].²³One of the holy Names of Hashem.