ויקרא רבה ד׳Vayikra Rabbah 4

Section 1א׳

נֶפֶשׁ כִּי תֶחֱטָא בִּשְׁגָגָה מִכֹּל מִצְוֹת ה', זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (קהלת ג, טז): וְעוֹד רָאִיתִי תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ מְקוֹם הַמִּשְׁפָּט וגו', רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: מְקוֹם הַמִּשְׁפָּט שָׁמָּה הָרֶשַׁע, מָקוֹם שֶׁסַּנְהֶדְּרֵי גְדוֹלָה יוֹשֶׁבֶת וְחוֹתֶכֶת דִּינֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, שָׁמָּה הָרֶשַׁע, שָׁמָּה (ירמיה לט, ג): וַיָּבֹאוּ כֹּל שָׂרֵי מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל וַיֵּשְׁבוּ בְּשַׁעַר הַתָּוֶךְ, שֶׁשָּׁם חוֹתְכִין אֶת הַהֲלָכָה, בְּמַתְלָא אֲמַר הָן דִּי תָלְיָא מָרֵי זַיְינֵיהּ, כּוֹלְבָא רַעֲיָא תְּלָא קוּלְתֵיהּ. וְרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ צוֹוַחַת וְאוֹמֶרֶת: מְקוֹם הַצֶּדֶק שָׁמָּה הָרָשַׁע, בַּמָּקוֹם שֶׁכָּתוּב בָּהּ (ישעיה א, כא): צֶדֶק יָלִין בָּהּ, עַתָּה עֲבִידִין קָטוֹלִין, שָׁם הָרְגוּ אֶת זְכַרְיָה וְאֶת אוּרִיָה. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר: מְקוֹם הַמִּשְׁפָּט שָׁמָּה הָרֶשַׁע, מָקוֹם שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה מִדַּת הַדִּין בְּמַעֲשֵׂה הָעֵגֶל, דִּכְתִיב (שמות לב, כז): עִבְרוּ וָשׁוּבוּ מִשַּׁעַר לָשַׁעַר, שָׁמָּה הָרֶשַׁע, שָׁם (שמות לב, לה): וַיִּגֹּף ה' אֶת הָעָם, וְרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ צוֹוַחַת וְאוֹמֶרֶת: מְקוֹם הַצֶּדֶק שָׁמָּה הָרָשַׁע, מָקוֹם שֶׁהִצְדַּקְתִּים וּקְרָאתִים אֱלָהוּת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים פב, ו): אֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי אֱלֹהִים אַתֶּם, שָׁמָּה הָרֶשַׁע, שָׁמָּה הִרְשִׁיעוּ וְעָשׂוּ אֶת הָעֵגֶל וְהִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לוֹ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, מְקוֹם הַמִּשְׁפָּט שָׁמָּה הָרֶשַׁע, מְדַבֵּר בְּדוֹר הַמַּבּוּל, מְקוֹם הַמִּשְׁפָּט שָׁמָּה הָרֶשַׁע, מָקוֹם שֶׁנַּעֲשֵׂית בָּהֶם מִדַּת הַדִּין בְּדוֹר הַמַּבּוּל, כְּדִתְנַן (גמרא סנהדרין קז, ב): דּוֹר הַמַּבּוּל אֵין לָהֶם חֵלֶק לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא וְאֵינָן עוֹמְדִין בַּדִּין, שָׁמָּה הָרֶשַׁע, שָׁם (בראשית ז, כג): וַיִּמַּח אֶת כָּל הַיְקוּם, וְרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ צוֹוַחַת וְאוֹמֶרֶת: מְקוֹם הַצֶּדֶק שָׁמָּה הָרָשַׁע, מָקוֹם שֶׁהִצְדַּקְתִּים, דִּכְתִיב (איוב כא, ט): בָּתֵּיהֶם שָׁלוֹם מִפָּחַד. שָׁמָּה הָרָשַׁע (איוב כא, יד): וַיֹּאמְרוּ לָאֵל סוּר מִמֶּנּוּ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, מְקוֹם הַמִּשְׁפָּט שָׁמָּה הָרֶשַׁע, מְדַבֵּר בִּסְדוֹמִיִּים, מָקוֹם שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה מִדַּת הַדִּין בִּסְדוֹמִיִּים, כְּדִתְנַן אַנְשֵׁי סְדוֹם אֵין לָהֶם חֵלֶק לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא אֲבָל עוֹמְדִים בְּדִין, שָׁמָּה הָרֶשַׁע, שָׁם (בראשית יט, כד): וַה' הִמְטִיר עַל סְדוֹם, וְרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ צוֹוַחַת וְאוֹמֶרֶת: מְקוֹם הַצֶּדֶק שָׁמָּה הָרָשַׁע, מָקוֹם שֶׁהִצְדַקְתִּים וְכָתַבְתִּי בְּאַרְצָם (איוב כח, ה ו): אֶרֶץ מִמֶּנָּה יֵצֵא לָחֶם, מְקוֹם סַפִּיר אֲבָנֶיהָ וְעַפְרֹת זָהָב לוֹ, אָמְרוּ כְּשֶׁהָיָה אֶחָד מֵהֶן הוֹלֵךְ אֵצֶל הַגַּנָּן וְאָמַר לוֹ תֵּן לִי בְּאִיסָר יָרָק, כְּשֶׁהוּא נוֹתֵן מְשַׁכְשְׁכוֹ וּמוֹצֵא בְּעַפְרוֹ זָהָב, לְקַיֵּם מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְעַפְרֹת זָהָב לוֹ. שָׁמָּה הָרָשַׁע, שָׁם אָמְרוּ נַעֲמֹד וּנְשַׁכַּח תּוֹרַת הָרֶגֶל מִבֵּינוֹתֵינוּ, (יחזקאל טז, מט): וְיַד עָנִי וְאֶבְיוֹן לֹא הֶחֱזִיקָה, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר סִימוֹן פָּתַר קְרָיָא בַּשִּׁטִּים, מְקוֹם הַמִּשְׁפָּט שָׁמָּה הָרֶשַׁע, מָקוֹם שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה מִדַּת הַדִּין בַּשִּׁטִּים, דִּכְתִיב (במדבר כה, ד): קַח אֶת כָּל רָאשֵׁי הָעָם, שָׁמָּה הָרֶשַׁע, שָׁם (במדבר כה, ט): וַיִּהְיוּ הַמֵּתִים בַּמַּגֵּפָה, וְרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ צוֹוַחַת וְאוֹמֶרֶת: מְקוֹם הַצֶּדֶק שָׁמָּה הָרָשַׁע, מָקוֹם שֶׁהָפַכְתִּי קִלְּלַת בִּלְעָם לִבְרָכָה, דִּכְתִיב (דברים כג, ו): וַיַּהֲפֹךְ ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ לְךָ אֶת הַקְּלָלָה לִבְרָכָה, שָׁמָּה הָרָשַׁע (במדבר כה, א): וַיֵּשֶׁב יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּשִּׁטִּים. רַבִּי לֵוִי וְרַבִּי יִצְחָק אָמְרוּ שְׁנֵי דְּבָרִים בַּיְּמִין וּשְׁנֵי דְבָרִים בַּיָּד, שְׁנֵי דְבָרִים בַּיְּמִין, תּוֹרָה וּצְדָקָה, תּוֹרָה מִנַּיִן (דברים לג, ב): מִימִינוֹ אֵשׁ דָּת לָמוֹ. צְדָקָה מִנַּיִן, דִּכְתִיב (תהלים מח, יא): צֶדֶק מָלְאָה יְמִינֶךָ. שְׁנֵי דְבָרִים בַּיָּד, נֶפֶשׁ וּמִשְׁפָּט, נֶפֶשׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (איוב יב, י): אֲשֶׁר בְּיָדוֹ נֶפֶשׁ כָּל חָי. מִשְׁפָּט, דִּכְתִיב (דברים לב, מא): וְתֹאחֵז בְּמִשְׁפָּט יָדִי, הַנֶּפֶשׁ נְתוּנָה בִּמְקוֹם מִשְׁפָּט, וְנֶפֶשׁ יוֹצְאָה מִמְּקוֹם מִשְׁפָּט וְחוֹטֵאת, אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר לָהּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לַנֶּפֶשׁ אֲנִי כָּתַבְתִּי עָלַיִךְ (דברים יב, כג): רַק חֲזַק לְבִלְתִּי אֲכֹל הַדָּם וגו', וְאַתְּ יוֹצֵאת וְחוֹטֵאת, נֶפֶשׁ כִּי תֶחֱטָא בִּשְׁגָּגָה.

“Speak to the children of Israel, saying: When a person will sin unwittingly regarding any of the matters that the Lord commanded not to perform, and he will perform one of them” (Leviticus 4:2). “When a person will sin unwittingly regarding any of the matters that the Lord commanded [not to perform]” – this is what the verse says: “Moreover, I saw under the sun, in the place of judgment [there is wickedness, and in the place of justice there is wickedness]” (Ecclesiastes 3:16). Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua, Rabbi Eliezer says: “In the place of judgment there is wickedness” – the place where the Great Sanhedrin convenes and decides the rulings of Israel. “There is wickedness,” – there “all the princes of the king of Babylon came and sat in the Middle Gate” (Jeremiah 39:3), which is where they decide the halakha. In the parable it is said: In the place where the master hung his sword, the insolent shepherd hangs his jug. The Divine Spirit cries out and says: “In the place of justice, there is wickedness.” In the place in whose regard it is written: “Justice lodged in it” (Isaiah 1:21), now they commit murders. There they killed Zekharia and Uriya. Rabbi Yehoshua says: “In the place of judgment there is wickedness” – in the place where the attribute of justice was implemented is the act of the calf, as it is written: “Pass to and fro from gate to gate, [let each man kill his brother…]” (Exodus 32:27). “There is wickedness,” there, “the Lord afflicted the people [because they had crafted the calf] (Exodus 32:35). The Divine Spirit cries out and says: “In the place of justice there is wickedness.” In the place where I declared them righteous and called them divine, as it is stated: “I had said: You are divine” (Psalms 82:6), there they were wicked, crafted the calf, and prostrated themselves to it. Another matter, “In the place of judgment there is wickedness” – this is speaking of the generation of the Flood. “In the place of judgment there is wickedness,” in the place where the attribute of justice was implemented against the generation of the Flood, as we learned in a mishna: “The generation of the Flood has no share in the World to Come and will not stand in judgment,” “there is wickedness,”; there, “He obliterated all existence” (Genesis 7:23). The Divine Spirit cries out and says: “In the place of justice there is wickedness.” In the place where I declared them righteous, as it is written: “Their houses are peaceful without fear” (Job 21:9), “there is wickedness,” “They say to God: Turn away from us” (Job 21:14). Another matter, “In the place of judgment, there is wickedness” – this is speaking of the people of Sodom. In the place where the attribute of justice was implemented against the people of Sodom, as we learned in a mishna: “The people of Sodom have no share in the World to Come, but will stand in judgment,” “there is wickedness,”; there, “He rained upon Sodom…[brimstone and fire]” (Genesis 19:24). The Divine Spirit cries out and says: “In the place of justice, there is wickedness.” In the place where I declared them righteous, and wrote regarding their land: “Earth, from which bread emerges…. Its stones are a source of sapphires, and its dust has gold” (Job 28:5–6), they say that when one of them would go to the gardener and say to him: Give me a vegetable worth an isar; when he would give it to him, he would shake it and find gold in its dust, to realize what is stated: “and its dust has gold”; “there is wickedness” there, they said: Let us arise and cause the very idea of travelers in our midst to be forgotten: “It did not support the hand of the poor and the indigent” (Ezekiel 16:49). Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon interpreted the verse regarding Shitim. “In the place of judgment, there is wickedness” – in the place where the attribute of justice was implemented in Shitim, as it is written: “The Lord said to Moses: Take all the leaders of the people, [and hang them for the Lord]” (Numbers 25:4), “there is wickedness,” there, “Those who died in the plague [were twenty-four thousand]” (Numbers 25:9). The Divine Spirit cries out and says: “In the place of justice, there is wickedness.” In the place where I transformed Bilam’s curse into a blessing, as it is written: “The Lord your God transformed for you the curse into a blessing” (Deuteronomy 23:6), “there is wickedness,” “Israel was residing in Shitim, [and the people began to engage in licentiousness]” (Numbers 25:1). Rabbi Levi and Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Two matters are in [God’s] right hand and two matters are in [His left] hand. Two matters are in [God’s] right hand: Torah and righteousness. Torah, from where is it derived? “From His right hand, a fiery law to them” (Deuteronomy 33:2). Righteousness, from where is it derived? As it is written: “Your right hand is filled with righteousness” (Psalms 48:11). Two matters are in [His left] hand: the soul and judgment. The soul, as it is written: “In whose hand is the soul of every living being” (Job 12:10). Judgment, as it is written: “My hand grasps judgment” (Deuteronomy 32:41). The soul is situated in the place of judgment, and the soul emerges from the place of judgment and sins? Rabbi Yitzḥak said: The Holy One blessed be He said to the soul [nefesh]: I wrote in your regard: “Only be strong not to eat the blood…” (Deuteronomy 12:23), and you emerge and sin? “When a person [nefesh] will sin unwittingly” (Leviticus 4:2).

Section 2ב׳

דָּבָר אַחֵר, נֶפֶשׁ כִּי תֶחֱטָא וגו', זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (קהלת ו, ז): כָּל עֲמַל אָדָם לְפִיהוּ. אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר אַמֵּי מַה שֶּׁסִּגֵּל אָדָם מִצְווֹת וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים, אֵינוֹ מַסְפִּיק לַהֶבֶל הַיּוֹצֵא מִפִּיו. (קהלת ו, ז): וְגַם הַנֶּפֶשׁ לֹא תִמָּלֵא, רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה וְרַבִּי קַרְצִיפָא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמְרִין כְּפִיטוֹרִין הַיּוֹצְאִין מִן הַוֵּשֶׁט, וְרַבִּי חֲנִינָא אָמַר כְּצִפּוֹרִין הַיּוֹצֵא מִן הַוֵּשֶׁט, שְׁמוּאֵל אָמַר כְּסִילָן רָטֹב וְהָפוּךְ הַיּוֹצֵא מִן הַוֵּשֶׁט. אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר יִצְחָק כָּל מַה שֶּׁסִּגֵּל אָדָם מִצְווֹת וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים, לְפִיו, וְלֹא לְפִי בְּנוֹ וְלֹא לְפִי בִּתוֹ. וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי לְפִיהוּ וְלֹא לְרֵיחַ רָע, לְפִי שֶׁהַנֶּפֶשׁ הַזּוֹ יוֹדַעַת כָּל שֶׁיְגֵעָה לְעַצְמָהּ יְגֵעָה, לְפִיכָךְ אֵינָהּ שְׂבֵעָה לְמִצְווֹת וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים. אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי מָשָׁל לְעִירוֹנִי שֶׁהָיָה נָשׂוּי בַּת מְלָכִים, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמַּאֲכִילָהּ כָּל מַעֲדַנֵּי עוֹלָם אֵינוֹ יוֹצֵא יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ, לָמָּה לְפִי שֶׁהִיא בַּת מְלָכִים, כָּךְ כָּל מַה שֶּׁיִּפְעַל אָדָם עִם נַפְשׁוֹ אֵינוֹ יוֹצֵא יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ, לָמָּה שֶׁהִיא מִלְּמַעְלָה. שְׁלשָׁה כְּפוּיֵי טוֹבָה הֵן: הָאָרֶץ, וְהָאִשָּׁה, וְהַנֶּפֶשׁ. הָאָרֶץ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי ל, טז): אֶרֶץ לֹא שָׂבְעָה מַיִם. הָאִשָּׁה מִנַּיִן (משלי ל, כ): אָכְלָה וּמָחֲתָה פִיהָ וְאָמְרָה לֹא פָעַלְתִּי אָוֶן. הַנֶּפֶשׁ מִנַּיִן (קהלת ו, ז): גַּם הַנֶּפֶשׁ לֹא תִמָּלֵא. שְׁלשָׁה נוֹטְלִין בְּשׁוֹפַע וְנוֹתְנִין בְּשׁוֹפַע: הָאָרֶץ, וְהַיָּם, וְהַמַּלְכוּת. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דְּסִכְנִין בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי, שִׁשָּׁה פְּעָמִים כְּתִיב כָּאן נֶפֶשׁ, כְּנֶגֶד שֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי בְרֵאשִׁית, אָמַר לָהּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לַנֶּפֶשׁ, כָּל מַה שֶּׁבָּרָאתִי בְּשֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי בְרֵאשִׁית לֹא בָרָאתִי אֶלָּא בִּזְכוּתֵךְ וְאַתְּ יוֹצֵאת וְחוֹטֵאת, נֶפֶשׁ כִּי תֶחֱטָא.

Another matter, “when a person [nefesh] will sin…” – that is what the verse said: “All the toil of man is for his mouth” (Ecclesiastes 6:7). Rabbi Shmuel bar Ami said: As much as a person amasses mitzvot and good deeds, it is insufficient to counterbalance the hot air that emerges from his mouth. “But his soul is also not filled” (Ecclesiastes 6:7). Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Kartzifa in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan say: Like ropes though a round hole. Rabbi Ḥanina said: Like a nail that comes through the round hole. Shmuel said: Like a damp, inverted thorn that emerges from the trachea. Rabbi Shmuel bar Yitzḥak said: All the mitzvot and good deeds that a person amasses are for his mouth, but not for the mouth of his son and not for the mouth of his daughter. The Rabbis say: For his mouth and not for a foul odor. Because the soul knows that all the exertion that it expends, it expends for itself; therefore, it is never satiated of mitzvot and good deeds. Rabbi Levi said: This is analogous to a villager who was married to the daughter of kings; even if he feeds her all the delicacies in the world, he does not fulfill his obligation. Why? It is because she is exalted. Three are ingrates: The earth, the woman, and the soul. The earth, as it is stated: “The earth is not sated with water” (Proverbs 30:16). The woman, from where is it derived? “[So is the way of an adulterous woman:] She eats, and wipes her mouth, and says: I did not do wrong” (Proverbs 30:20). The soul, from where is it derived? “But his soul is also not filled” (Ecclesiastes 6:7). Three take abundantly and give abundantly: the earth, the sea, and the government. Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: “Soul” is written here six times corresponding to the six days of Creation. The Holy One blessed be He said to the soul: ‘Everything that I created during the six days of Creation, I created only for your sake, and you emerge and sin? “When a person will sin.”’

Section 3ג׳

דָּבָר אַחֵר, נֶפֶשׁ כִּי תֶחֱטָא (משלי יט, ב): גַּם בְּלֹא דַעַת נֶפֶשׁ לֹא טוֹב, אָמַר רַבִינָא בַּר אֲבִינָא מָשָׁל לְאוֹרֵחַ שֶׁהָיָה רָגִיל לָבוֹא עִם הָנֵץ הַחַמָּה, וְשָׁכַח וְשִׁמֵּשׁ מִטָּתוֹ קֹדֶם הָנֵץ הַחַמָּה בְּלֹא יָדַע בְּלֹא טוֹב, וְאִלּוּ יָדַע וְשִׁמֵּשׁ עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה, וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא (משלי יט, ב): וְאָץ בְּרַגְלַיִם חוֹטֵא, רַבִּי יִצְחָק בַּר שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר מַרְתָא בְּשֵׁם רַב, מָשָׁל לְאֶחָד שֶׁהָיוּ לְפָנָיו שְׁתֵּי חֲנֻיּוֹת אַחַת מוֹכֶרֶת בְּשַׂר שְׁחוּטָה וְאַחַת מוֹכֶרֶת בְּשַׂר נְבֵלָה, וְשָׁכַח וְלָקַח מִזּוֹ שֶׁמּוֹכֶרֶת בְּשַׂר נְבֵלָה בְּלֹא יָדַע בְּלֹא טוֹב, אִלּוּ יָדַע וְלָקַח עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה, וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא וְאָץ בְּרַגְלַיִם חוֹטֵא. רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן פָּתַר קְרָא לְעִנְיַן שַׁבָּת, הָיוּ לְפָנָיו שְׁנֵי שְׁבִילִין אֶחָד שָׁפוּי וְאֶחָד מָלֵא קוֹצִין וּצְרוֹרוֹת, וְשָׁכַח וְהָלַךְ בָּזֶה שֶׁהָיָה מָלֵא קוֹצִים וּצְרוֹרוֹת, בְּלֹא יָדַע בְּלֹא טוֹב, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה אִם יָדַע וְהָלַךְ, וְאָץ בְּרַגְלַיִם חוֹטֵא. דָּבָר אַחֵר, גַּם בְּלֹא דַעַת נֶפֶשׁ, רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ, רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר בַּחֲטָאוֹת וּבַאֲשָׁמוֹת אֲסוּרוֹת, בִּנְדָרִים וּבִנְדָבוֹת מֻתָּר. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ אָמַר אַף בִּנְדָרִים וּנְדָבוֹת אָסוּר. דָּבָר אַחֵר, גַּם בְּלֹא דַעַת, אֵלּוּ שְׁגָגוֹת. וְאָץ בְּרַגְלַיִם חוֹטֵא, אֵלּוּ הַזְּדוֹנוֹת, תֵּדַע לְךָ שֶׁהִיא שְׁגָגָה וְהוּא עוֹשֶׂה אוֹתָהּ חַטָּאת, נֶפֶשׁ כִּי תֶחֱטָא בִּשְׁגָגָה.

Another matter, “when a person [nefesh] will sin” – “Also for the soul to be without knowledge is not good” (Proverbs 19:2). Ravina bar Avina said: This is analogous to a [woman’s] menstrual period that would consistently arrive as the sun was rising, and one forgot and engaged in marital relations before sunrise; without knowledge, it is not good. Had one known and engaged in marital relations, all the more so. Moreover, “and one who hastens with his feet sins” (Proverbs 19:2). Rabbi Yitzḥak bar Shmuel bar Marta in the name of Rav: This is analogous to one who had two stores before him, one selling ritually slaughtered meat and one selling the meat of animals that were not ritually slaughtered. He forgot and purchased from the one selling meat of animals that were not ritually slaughtered. “Without knowledge” it is “not good”; had he known and purchased, all the more so. Moreover, “and one who hastens with his feet sins.” Rabbi Yoḥanan interpreted the verse regarding Shabbat; if one had before him two paths, one smooth and the other full of thorns and pebbles, and he forgot and went on the path that was full of thorns and pebbles, “without knowledge” it is “not good,” had he known and [still] gone, all the more so. Moreover, “and one who hastens with his feet sins.” Another matter, “also for the soul to be without knowledge [is not good, and one who hastens with his feet sins].” Rabbi Yoḥanan and Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish, Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Sin offerings and guilt offerings are prohibited; vow offerings and gift offerings are permitted. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: Even vow offerings and gift offerings are prohibited. Another matter, “also [for the soul] to be without knowledge” – these are unwitting sins. “And one who hastens with his feet sins” – these are intentional transgressions. Know that when [one’s act] is unwitting it is [still] considered a sin: “When a person will sin unwittingly.”