628. The Qualities of “Idol-Worshippers” and “Israel”

Ten Penitential Days, September 1963

“Rabbi Yochanan said, ‘An idol-worshipper who engages in Torah must die, as was said, ‘He commanded the Torah to us; we are permitted, and not they’’” (Sanhedrin 59a).

“Anyone who engages in Torah before an uneducated person, it is as though he had intercourse with his betrothed woman in front of him, as was said, ‘Moses commanded the Torah to us as inheritance; do not pronounce it ‘inheritance’ but ‘engaged’ [similar sound in Hebrew]’” (Pesachim 49b).

We should understand the meaning of an idol-worshipper learning Torah having to die. It means that if a person does not repent, he is regarded as an idol-worshipper. Then, when he learns Torah, and the Torah is called “life,” as it is written, “For it is your life and the length of your days,” he can obtain this only when he is Israel, meaning when he is a servant of the Creator.

But when a person serves himself, which is regarded as work that is foreign to us [idol-worship], at that time, he cannot enjoy the life in the Torah, since he is still doing idol-worship. It follows that he has incurred death on himself, which is called that he must die.

In other words, although he is learning, and according to the learning of Torah he should have been given life, meaning that he would be rewarded with life from the Torah, since he is doing idol-worship, he must die and not live, meaning that he does not feel the taste of life in the Torah.

This explains “An idol-worshipper who engages in Torah is as a High Priest.” That is, he knows that he is still idol-worshipping and regrets it. Then it was said that he will certainly repent and will be rewarded with being Israel, since the light in it reforms him. But when a person learns Torah and does not know he is an idol-worshipper, meaning he does not feel that he is idol-worshipping, he incurs death on himself.