הלכות תלמוד תורה ז׳Torah Study 7

Halacha 1א׳

חָכָם זָקֵן בְּחָכְמָה וְכֵן נָשִׂיא אוֹ אַב בֵּית דִּין שֶׁסָּרַח אֵין מְנַדִּין אוֹתוֹ בְּפַרְהֶסְיָא לְעוֹלָם. אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן עָשָׂה כְּיָרָבְעָם בֶּן נְבָט וַחֲבֵרָיו. אֲבָל כְּשֶׁחָטָא שְׁאָר חַטָּאוֹת מַלְקִין אוֹתוֹ בְּצִנְעָה. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (הושע ד ה) "וְכָשַׁלְתָּ הַיּוֹם וְכָשַׁל גַּם נָבִיא עִמְּךָ לָיְלָה" אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁכָּשַׁל כַּסֵּהוּ כְּלַיְלָה. וְאוֹמְרִים לוֹ הִכָּבֵד וְשֵׁב בְּבֵיתְךָ. וְכֵן כָּל תַּלְמִיד חָכָם שֶׁנִּתְחַיֵּב נִדּוּי אָסוּר לְבֵית דִּין לִקְפֹּץ וּלְנַדּוֹתוֹ בִּמְהֵרָה אֶלָּא בּוֹרְחִין מִדָּבָר זֶה וְנִשְׁמָטִין מִמֶּנּוּ. וַחֲסִידֵי הַחֲכָמִים הָיוּ מִשְׁתַּבְּחִים שֶׁלֹּא נִמְנוּ מֵעוֹלָם לְנַדּוֹת תַּלְמִיד חָכָם אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנִּמְנִין לְהַלְקוֹתוֹ אִם נִתְחַיֵּב מַלְקוֹת. וַאֲפִלּוּ מַכַּת מַרְדּוּת נִמְנִין עָלָיו לְהַכּוֹתוֹ:

If a sage grown old in wisdom, a Nasi, or Ab-beth-Din, committed a grave offence, he is, under no circumstances, to be publicly excommunicated, unless he acted like Jeroboam, the son of Nebat and his confederates. But if he committed other sins less heinous, he is punished with stripes privately, as it is said "Therefore shalt thou stumble in the day, and the prophet also shall stumble with thee in the night" (Hosea 4:5); this means that even if he stumbled, conceal it as in the darkness of the night. And we also say to him "Save your self-respect and stay at home" (II Kings 14:6). So too, if any scholar rendered himself liable to excommunication, the Court is forbidden to act precipitately and hastily put him under the ban. The members of the Court should flee from such a procedure, and take no part in it. The saints among the sages gloried in the fact that they never sat in a quorum of judges, to excommunicate a scholar, though they might sit as judges in a court that sentenced a scholar to be punished with stripes, if he had incurred that penalty, and even if the sentence was for contumacy.

Halacha 2ב׳

וְכֵיצַד הוּא הַנִּדּוּי, אוֹמֵר פְּלוֹנִי יְהֵא בְּשַׁמָּתָא. וְאִם נִדּוּהוּ בְּפָנָיו אוֹמֵר לוֹ פְּלוֹנִי זֶה בְּשַׁמָּתָא. וְהַחֵרֶם, אוֹמֵר לוֹ פְּלוֹנִי מֻחְרָם. וְאָרוּר בּוֹ אָלָה בּוֹ שְׁבוּעָה בּוֹ נִדּוּי:

What is the form used for Niddui (the lighter ban of excommunication)? (The authority who excommunicates) says "So-and-so (naming him) shall be under a ban". If the excommunication took place in the offender's presence, he says to him "This person, (naming him) is under a ban. For Cherem (the severer excommunication), he says to him "So-and-so (naming him) is under Cherem and accursed; he is under an imprecation with Oath and Ban".

Halacha 3ג׳

וְכֵיצַד מַתִּירִין הַנִּדּוּי אוֹ הַחֵרֶם. אוֹמֵר לוֹ שָׁרוּי לְךָ וּמָחוּל לְךָ. וְאִם הִתִּירוּהוּ שֶׁלֹּא בְּפָנָיו אוֹמֵר לוֹ פְּלוֹנִי שָׁרוּי לוֹ וּמָחוּל לוֹ:

How is the lighter or severer excommunication removed ? The authority says to the person excommunicated "Thou art released; thou art forgiven". If the person is released in his absence, the formula is "So-and-so (naming him) is released and forgiven".

Halacha 4ד׳

מַהוּ הַמִּנְהָג שֶׁיִּנְהֹג הַמְנֻדֶּה בְּעַצְמוֹ וְשֶׁנּוֹהֲגִין עִמּוֹ. מְנֻדֶּה אָסוּר לְסַפֵּר וּלְכַבֵּס כְּאָבֵל כָּל יְמֵי נִדּוּיוֹ. וְאֵין מְזַמְּנִין עָלָיו. וְלֹא כּוֹלְלִין אוֹתוֹ בַּעֲשָׂרָה לְכָל דָּבָר שֶׁצָּרִיךְ עֲשָׂרָה. וְלֹא יוֹשְׁבִין עִמּוֹ בְּאַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת. אֲבָל שׁוֹנֶה הוּא לַאֲחֵרִים וְשׁוֹנִין לוֹ וְנִשְׂכָּר וְשׂוֹכֵר. וְאִם מֵת בְּנִדּוּי בֵּית דִּין שׁוֹלְחִין וּמַנִּיחִין אֶבֶן עַל אֲרוֹנוֹ כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁהֵן רוֹגְמִין אוֹתוֹ לְפִי שֶׁהוּא מֻבְדָּל מִן הַצִּבּוּר. וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר שֶׁאֵין מַסְפִּידִין אוֹתוֹ וְאֵין מְלַוִּין אֶת מִטָּתוֹ:

How should a person under the milder ban conduct himself, and how should others conduct themselves towards him ? During the whole of the term for which he has been excommunicated, he is, like a mourner, forbidden to have his hair cut or to bathe. He is not counted in the quorum of three or ten, required for reciting the special introduction to the Grace after Meals. He is not included in the congregation of ten men for any function that requires that number. No one may sit down within four cubits of where he is. He may however teach and be taught. He may be hired and hire others. If he dies, while under the ban, the Court orders a stone to be put on his coffin, as much as to say that he is stoned because he is separated from the community. Needless to state that no funeral eulogy is delivered, and his bier is not followed.

Halacha 5ה׳

יוֹתֵר עָלָיו הַמֻּחְרָם שֶׁאֵינוֹ שׁוֹנֶה לַאֲחֵרִים וְאֵין שׁוֹנִין לוֹ אֲבָל שׁוֹנֶה הוּא לְעַצְמוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁכַּח תַּלְמוּדוֹ. וְאֵינוֹ נִשְׂכָּר וְאֵין נִשְׂכָּרִין לוֹ. וְאֵין נוֹשְׂאִין וְנוֹתְנִין עִמּוֹ. וְאֵין מִתְעַסְּקִין עִמּוֹ אֶלָּא מְעַט עֵסֶק כְּדֵי פַּרְנָסָתוֹ:

One who is in Cherem (under the severer ban of excommunication) suffers the additional severities that he may neither instruct nor receive instruction, but he studies privately, so as not to forget what he had learnt. He may neither be hired nor may he hire others. No one engages in commercial transactions with him, except to a slight extent, as much as is sufficient to provide him with a livelihood.

Halacha 6ו׳

מִי שֶׁיָּשַׁב בְּנִדּוּי שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם וְלֹא בִּקֵּשׁ לְהַתִּירוֹ מְנַדִּין אוֹתוֹ שְׁנִיָּה. יָשַׁב שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם אֲחֵרִים וְלֹא בִּקֵּשׁ לְהַתִּירוֹ מַחְרִימִין אוֹתוֹ:

If a person has been for thirty days under Niddui (the milder ban) and made no request to be released, the ban is imposed for a second term of thirty days. If this period also passed without his seeking to have the ban removed, he is placed under the severer ban.

Halacha 7ז׳

בְּכַמָּה מַתִּירִין הַנִּדּוּי אוֹ הַחֵרֶם. בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה אֲפִלּוּ הֶדְיוֹטוֹת. וְיָחִיד מֻמְחֶה מַתִּיר הַנִּדּוּי אוֹ הַחֵרֶם לְבַדּוֹ. וְיֵשׁ לְתַלְמִיד לְהַתִּיר הַנִּדּוּי אוֹ הַחֵרֶם וַאֲפִלּוּ בִּמְקוֹם הָרַב:

How many persons are needed to remove the milder or severer ban ? Three, even if they are private individuals. A qualified scholar can by himself remove the lighter or graver ban. A disciple has the right to do so, even in the locality where his teacher resides.

Halacha 8ח׳

Halacha 9ט׳

שְׁלֹשָׁה שֶׁנִּדּוּ וְהָלְכוּ לָהֶן וְחָזַר זֶה מִדָּבָר שֶׁנִּדּוּהוּ בִּגְלָלוֹ בָּאִין שְׁלֹשָׁה אֲחֵרִים וּמַתִּירִין לוֹ:

If three persons pronounced a ban of excommunication and left the place, and the offender renounced the practice for which he had been excommunicated, three others may proceed to release him.

Halacha 10י׳

מִי שֶׁלֹּא יָדַע מִי שֶׁנִּדָּהוּ יֵלֵךְ לוֹ אֵצֶל הַנָּשִׂיא וְיַתִּיר לוֹ נִדּוּיוֹ:

If one does not know who it was that imposed the ban upon him, he should go to the Nasi and he will release him from the ban.

Halacha 11י״א

נִדּוּי עַל תְּנַאי אֲפִלּוּ עַל פִּי עַצְמוֹ צָרִיךְ הֲפָרָה. תַּלְמִיד חָכָם שֶׁנִּדָּה עַצְמוֹ וַאֲפִלּוּ נִדָּה עַצְמוֹ עַל דַּעַת פְּלוֹנִי וַאֲפִלּוּ עַל דָּבָר שֶׁחַיָּב עָלָיו נִדּוּי הֲרֵי זֶה מֵפֵר לְעַצְמוֹ:

A ban that is conditional, even if self-imposed, requires annulment. A scholar who excommunicated himself, may himself annul the ban, even when he had added to it the clause, "According to the view of So-and-so", and even though the excommunication was for a transgression for which he had incurred that penalty.

Halacha 12י״ב

מִי שֶׁנִּדּוּהוּ בַּחֲלוֹם אֲפִלּוּ יָדַע מִי נִדָּהוּ צָרִיךְ עֲשָׂרָה בְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁשּׁוֹנִין הֲלָכוֹת לְהַתִּירוֹ מִנִּדּוּיוֹ. וְאִם לֹא מָצָא טוֹרֵחַ אַחֲרֵיהֶם עַד פַּרְסָא. לֹא מָצָא מַתִּירִים לוֹ אֲפִלּוּ עֲשָׂרָה שֶׁשּׁוֹנִים מִשְׁנָה. לֹא מָצָא מַתִּירִין לוֹ עֲשָׂרָה שֶׁיּוֹדְעִים לִקְרוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה. לֹא מָצָא מַתִּירִין לוֹ אֲפִלּוּ עֲשָׂרָה שֵׁאֵינָן יוֹדְעִין לִקְרוֹת. לֹא מָצָא בִּמְקוֹמוֹ עֲשָׂרָה מַתִּירִין לוֹ אֲפִלּוּ שְׁלֹשָׁה:

A man who dreamt that he had been excommunicated, even if he knows who it was that had (in his dream) excommunicated him, requires ten men who study Halachoth (legal rules) to release him from the ban. If he does not find them, he must go as far as a Parsah (four mils) to seek them. If he fails to find ten men with these qualifications, ten men who study Mishna may release him. Failing these, he may be released by ten who can read Scripture. If such are not accessible, he may be released by ten men even if they are unable to read Scripture. If he cannot find ten men in his locality, three individuals may release him.

Halacha 13י״ג

מִי שֶׁנִּדּוּהוּ בְּפָנָיו אֵין מַתִּירִין לוֹ אֶלָּא בְּפָנָיו. נִדּוּהוּ שֶׁלֹּא בְּפָנָיו מַתִּירִין לוֹ בְּפָנָיו וְשֶׁלֹּא בְּפָנָיו. וְאֵין בֵּין נִדּוּי לַהֲפָרָה כְּלוּם אֶלָּא מְנַדִּין וּמַתִּירִין בְּרֶגַע אֶחָד כְּשֶׁיַּחֲזֹר הַמְנֻדֶּה לַמּוּטָב. וְאִם רָאוּ בֵּית דִּין לְהַנִּיחַ זֶה בְּנִדּוּי כַּמָּה שָׁנִים מַנִּיחִין כְּפִי רִשְׁעוֹ. וְכֵן אִם רָאוּ בֵּית דִּין לְהַחֲרִים לָזֶה לְכַתְּחִלָּה וּלְהַחֲרִים מִי שֶׁיֹּאכַל עִמּוֹ וְשׁוֹתֶה עִמּוֹ אוֹ מִי שֶׁיַּעֲמֹד עִמּוֹ בְּאַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת מַחְרִימִין כְּדֵי לְיַסְּרוֹ וּכְדֵי לַעֲשׂוֹת סְיָג לַתּוֹרָה עַד שֶׁלֹּא יִפְרְצוּ הַחוֹטְאִים. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיֵּשׁ רְשׁוּת לֶחָכָם לְנַדּוֹת לִכְבוֹדוֹ אֵינוֹ שֶׁבַח לְתַלְמִיד חָכָם לְהַנְהִיג עַצְמוֹ בְּדָבָר זֶה אֶלָּא מַעֲלִים אָזְנָיו מִדִּבְרֵי עַם הָאָרֶץ וְלֹא יָשִׁית לִבּוֹ לָהֶן כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁאָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה בְּחָכְמָתוֹ (קהלת ז כא) "גַּם לְכָל הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר יְדַבְּרוּ אַל תִּתֵּן לִבְּךָ". וְכֵן הָיָה דֶּרֶךְ חֲסִידִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים שׁוֹמְעִים חֶרְפָּתָם וְאֵינָן מְשִׁיבִין וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא שֶׁמּוֹחֲלִים לַמְחָרֵף וְסוֹלְחִים לוֹ. וַחֲכָמִים גְּדוֹלִים הָיוּ מִשְׁתַּבְּחִים בְּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם הַנָּאִים וְאוֹמְרִים שֶׁמֵּעוֹלָם לֹא נִדּוּ אָדָם וְלֹא הֶחְרִימוּהוּ לִכְבוֹדָן. וְזוֹ הִיא דַּרְכָּם שֶׁל תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים שֶׁרָאוּי לֵילֵךְ בָּהּ. בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים כְּשֶׁבִּזָּהוּ אוֹ חֵרְפָהוּ בַּסֵּתֶר. אֲבָל תַּלְמִיד חָכָם שֶׁבִּזָּהוּ אוֹ חֵרְפוֹ אָדָם בְּפַרְהֶסְיָא אָסוּר לוֹ לִמְחל עַל כְּבוֹדוֹ וְאִם מָחַל נֶעֱנָשׁ שֶׁזֶּה בִּזְיוֹן תּוֹרָה אֶלָּא נוֹקֵם וְנוֹטֵר הַדָּבָר כְּנָחָשׁ עַד שֶׁיְּבַקֵּשׁ מִמֶּנּוּ מְחִילָה וְיִסְלַח לוֹ:

If the ban was imposed on a person in his presence, it can only be removed in his presence. If it was imposed in his absence, it may be removed in his presence or absence. No interval of time need elapse between the imposition of a ban and its annulment, but the pronouncement of a ban may be immediately followed by its removal if the individual under the ban reforms. The Court may, at its discretion, leave a man under the ban for many years, according to the extent of his wickedness. If the Court see fit straightway to impose upon a person the Cherem (severer ban), and the same ban on any one who eats or drinks with him or stays near him within the distance of four cubits, they may do so in order to punish the offender and build a fence round the Torah, so that sinners shall not break bounds. Although a Chacham has the right to pronounce the ban to safeguard his honour, it is not creditable for a scholar to accustom himself to this procedure. He should rather close his ears to remarks of the illiterate and take no notice of them, as Solomon, in his wisdom, said "Also pay not heed to all the words that are spoken" (Eccles. 7:21). Such too, was the way of the ancient saints. They heard themselves reviled and made no reply. Yet more, they forgave the reviler and pardoned him. Great sages, glorying in their commendable practices, said that they never, for the sake of personal honour, imposed on any one the lighter or severer ban. This is the way of scholars, which it is right to follow. It however only applies to cases where one has been reviled in private. But a scholar, who has been treated with contumely or been reviled in public, may not forgive the wrong done to his honour. If he does so, he is punished, for this is contempt of the Torah. We should relentlessly pursue the matter, till the offender begs his pardon, after which he should be forgiven.