In early Egyptian[8] and Mesopotamian thought, ‫ﭑ ﭒ ﭓ ﭔ ﭕ‬

SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
Watch lecture by Bayyinah
1:2
Play
Copy
‫ﭖ ﭗ ﭘ ﭙ ﭚ‬
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
[All] praise is [due] to Allah, Lord of the worlds -
Watch lecture by Bayyinahurely make evident those who are truthful, and He will
surely make evident the liars.
29:4
Play
Copy
‫ﯜ ﯝ ﯞ ﯟ ﯠ ﯡ ﯢ ﯣﯤ ﯥ ﯦ ﯧ‬

I guess i mistook the compliment...probably too self centered thinking this was
about me...oh well, i'll still keep the title.

The real kollel manchik in the long blog post, where he brings the 'talmid of the
rashbo' inside the shita mekubetzet, states that the shita also mentions the ritva
and ramban holding similar position. I haven't seen this inside yet...also
something to explore further (shita on ketubot 39a).

Reply

DovMarch 22, 2017 at 1:34 PM

I'm not sure if you're right that the BS hold it's not a deoraisa, because perhaps
he prefers a deoraisa without karais (although it apparently does have misa b'dei
shamayaim) to one that has does have karais. Although see Shabbos 3b-4a which deals
with weighing issurim against one another.

Yes, the teshuvah cites other Rishonim but I also haven't really examined them and
he indicated that he's disagreeing with R A Eiger's interpretation so that's
unlikely to convince anyone. (Although perhaps he didn't have the Tos. Rid and
would've agreed if he had.)

Reply

UnknownMarch 26, 2017 at 6:43 PM

Hi Rabbi Slifkin,
The Rambam in Halachot Issurei Biah Perek 21: Halacha 18 clearly states the
seriousness of wasting seed by hand,the Rambam says that person should put himself
in excommunication. How can you argue that the Zohar takes this to a new level?
Halacha ‫יח‬:
‫אסור להוציא שכבת זרע לבטלה לפיכך לא יהיה אדם דש מבפנים וזורה מבחוץ ולא ישא קטנה‬
‫שאינה ראויה לילד אבל או שמנאפין ביד ומוציאין שכבת זרע לא די להם שאיסור גדול הוא אא‬
‫שהעושה זה בנדוי הוא יושב ועליהם נאמר ידיכם דמים מלאו וכאילו הרג הנפש‬:

Reply
Replies

AnonymousMarch 27, 2017 at 8:25 AM

As Rabbi Slifkin mentioned (and as explained in the book): No one is denying that
the Talmud in Nidah 13ab already speaks in very harsh terms about masturbation. But
the Zohar (in Vayeshev and Vayechi) is the first source to call it the worst sin in
the Torah (in one place stating that there is no repentance for it, and such people
will never "rise" - presumably from gehinom or in techiyas hameisim). For more on
the Zohar's uniquely extreme statements, see Reishis Chochmah, Shaar Hakedushah,
Chapter 17.

In addition, also as noted in the post, the same sources that call the Talmud's
statements in this regard exaggerations -- such as Rabbi Yehoshua Heschel of Cracow
in his Shaalos uTeshuvos Pnei Yehoshua, vol. 2, Even Haezer 44 (page 2, middle of
column 2, in the Lvov edition) -- would be implying the same about the statement of
the Rambam (and any other Talmudic or post-Talmudic source). The same would go for
the statement of the Shaalos uteshuvos Rivash, Responsum 171, which makes the
general statement that the Sages exaggerated when comparing sins to the three
cardinal sins of idolatry, adultery and murder, as a matter of deterrence.

I addition to the previous post, I would like to add the following. The Rambam in
Peirush HaMishnayos explauins what Ni'uf B'yad is, and he clearly states that the
Gemara is not talking about masturbation by oneself, but rather it is discussing
someone who commits Ni'uf with another person by rubbing against their body or by
them using hands instead of having intercourse. Many other Rishonim can be
interpreted this was as well.
The words of the Rambam Pirush HaMishnayot Sanhedrin Reply

AnonymousNovember 5, 2018 at 1:19 AM

I'm a tad late, but it may be worth adding in regards to the "graveness" of the sin
of ‫זרע לבטלה‬, that more lenient - or perhaps I should say "less drastic" views of
the "graveness" of the sin among mekubalim can be found in in none other than the
Tanya in the 7th perek:

‫ הרי זו‬,‫ אף שירדה ונכללה בשלוש קליפות הטמאות‬,‫אך החיות שבטיפות זרע שיצאו ממנו לבטלה‬
‫ כנודע מהאר"י ז"ל ומרומז‬,‫עולה משם בתשובה נכונה ובכוונה עצומה בקריאת שמע שעל המטה‬
,"'‫ "כל הקורא קריאת שמע על מטתו כאו אוחז חרב של שתי פיות כו‬:(‫ )ברכות ה א‬,‫בגמרא‬
.‫ כידוע ליודעי ח"ן‬,‫ ועולה החיות מהם‬,‫להרוג גופות החיצונים שנעשו לבוש לחיות שבטיפות‬
‫ אף שחמור מהן וגדול עוונו‬,‫ולכן לא הוזכר עוון זרע לבטלה בתורה בכלל ביאות אסורות‬
‫ שמוליד ומרבה במאד מאד בהוצאת זרע לבטלה יותר‬,‫בבחינת הגדלות וריבוי הטומאה והקליפות‬
‫ עד שאינו יכול‬,‫ רק שבביאות אסורות מוסיף כוח וחיות בקליפה טמאה ביותר‬,‫מביאות אסורות‬
‫ מפני שנקלטה ביסוד דנוקבא דקליפה המקבלת וקולטת‬:‫ ]הגה"ה‬,‫להעלות משם החיות בתשובה‬
‫ רק שכוחותיה‬,‫ שאין שם בחינת נוקבא דקליפה‬,‫ מה שאין כן בזרע לבטלה‬.‫החיות מהקדושה‬
‫ אא אם כן יעשה תשובה מאהבה רבה‬,[‫ כידוע ליודעי ח"ן‬,‫וחיילותיה מלבישים לחיות שבטיפות‬
‫ "איזהו מעוות שלא‬:(‫ ובזה יובן מאמר רז"ל )חגיגה ט א‬.‫כל כך עד שזדונות נעשו לו כזכויות‬
‫ אי אפשר‬,‫ שאז גם אם יעשה תשובה גדולה כל כך‬."‫ זה שבא על הערוה והוליד ממזר‬,‫יוכל לתקון‬
‫ מאחר שכבר ירדה לעולם הזה ונתלבשה בגוף בשר ודם‬,‫לו להעלות החיות לקדושה‬.

It seems evident from here that, yes, al pi kabbalah, ‫ זרע לבטלה‬is definitely very
bad, but it's definitely not this thing that digs someone so deep into a hole that
they just can't get out unless they daven by some special shovavim minyan at neitz
every morning for a year, and then do three backflips, two summersaults, and only
eat tomatoes from the left side of the stalk to fix, but can be fixed even with
‫( תשובה נכונה‬which doesn't even have to be from ‫ אהבה‬as he says, but can be from
‫יראה‬, which would probably translate to simply resolving not to do it again - a
much lower and more easily attainable level of teshuvah), and with ‫ כוונה‬by ‫קשאה"מ‬.
I really wish someone would have told that to me as a teenager - I ended up getting
a lot of Yosef Mizrachi-dikke advice, which one doesn't even have to say al pi
kabbalah, and of all things, chassidus

Reply

Ger TedOctober 7, 2019 at 9:25 AM

OK, I'm in the process of becoming a Ger Tzedek, so I'll be way behind you guys in
my understanding of Halacha, but here goes:
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
Or do those who do evil deeds think they can outrun Us? Evil is what they judge.
29:5
Play
Copy
‫ﯨ ﯩ ﯪ ﯫ ﯬ ﯭ ﯮ ﯯ ﯰ ﯱﯲ ﯳ ﯴ ﯵ‬
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
Whoever should hope for the meeting with Allah - indeed, the term decreed by Allah
is coming. And He is the Hearing, the Knowing.
29:6
Play
Copy
‫ﯶ ﯷ ﯸ ﯹ ﯺ ﯻﯼ ﯽ ﯾ ﯿ ﰀ ﰁ‬
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
And whoever strives only strives for [the benefit of] himself. Indeed, Allah is
free from need of the worlds.
29:7
Play
Copy
‫ﭑ ﭒ ﭓ ﭔ ﭕ ﭖ ﭗ ﭘ ﭙ ﭚ ﭛ ﭜ ﭝ‬
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
And those who believe and do righteous deeds - We will surely remove from them
their misdeeds and will surely reward them according to the best of what they used
to do.
29:8
Play
Copy
‫ﭞ ﭟ ﭠ ﭡ ﭢﭣ ﭤ ﭥ ﭦ ﭧ ﭨ ﭩ ﭪ ﭫ ﭬ ﭭ ﭮﭯ ﭰ ﭱ ﭲ ﭳ ﭴ ﭵ‬
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
And We have enjoined upon man goodness to parents. But if they endeavor to make you
associate with Me that of which you have no knowledge, do not obey them. To Me is
your return, and I will inform you about what you used to do.
29:9
Play
Copy
‫ﭶ ﭷ ﭸ ﭹ ﭺ ﭻ ﭼ ﭽ‬
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
And those who believe and do righteous deeds - We will surely admit them among the
righteous [into Paradise].
29:10
Play
Copy
‫ﭾ ﭿ ﮀ ﮁ ﮂ ﮃ ﮄ ﮅ ﮆ ﮇ ﮈ ﮉ ﮊ ﮋ ﮌ ﮍ ﮎ ﮏ ﮐ ﮑ ﮒ ﮓ ﮔ ﮕ ﮖﮗ ﮘ ﮙ ﮚ ﮛ ﮜ ﮝ ﮞ‬
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
And of the people are some who say, "We believe in Allah," but when one [of them]
is harmed for [the cause of] Allah, they consider the trial of the people as [if it
were] the punishment of Allah . But if victory comes from your Lord, they say,
"Indeed, We were with you." Is not Allah most knowing of what is within the breasts
of all creatures?
29:11
Play
Copy
‫ﮟ ﮠ ﮡ ﮢ ﮣ ﮤ ﮥ‬
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
And Allah will surely make evident those who believe, and He will surely make
evident the hypocrites.
29:12
Play
Copy
‫ﮦ ﮧ ﮨ ﮩ ﮪ ﮫ ﮬ ﮭ ﮮ ﮯ ﮰ ﮱ ﯓ ﯔ ﯕ ﯖ ﯗﯘ ﯙ ﯚ‬
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
And those who disbelieve say to those who believe, "Follow our way, and we will
carry your sins." But they will not carry anything of their sins. Indeed, they are
liars.
29:13
Play
Copy
‫ﯛ ﯜ ﯝ ﯞ ﯟ ﯠﯡ ﯢ ﯣ ﯤ ﯥ ﯦ ﯧ‬
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
But they will surely carry their [own] burdens and [other] burdens along with their
burdens, and they will surely be questioned on the Day of Resurrection about what
they used to invent.
29:14
Play
Copy
‫ﯨ ﯩ ﯪ ﯫ ﯬ ﯭ ﯮ ﯯ ﯰ ﯱ ﯲ ﯳ ﯴ ﯵ ﯶ ﯷ ﯸ‬
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
And We certainly sent Noah to his people, and he remained among them a thousand
years minus fifty years, and the flood seized them while they were wrongdoers.
29:15
Play
Copy
‫ﭑ ﭒ ﭓ ﭔ ﭕ ﭖ ﭗ‬
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
But We saved him and the companions of the ship, and We made it a sign for the
worlds.
29:16
Play
Copy
‫ﭘ ﭙ ﭚ ﭛ ﭜ ﭝ ﭞ ﭟﭠ ﭡ ﭢ ﭣ ﭤ ﭥ ﭦ‬
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
And [We sent] Abraham, when he said to his people, "Worship Allah and fear Him.
That is best for you, if you should know.
29:17
Play
Copy
‫ ﭧ ﭨ ﭩ ﭪ ﭫ ﭬ ﭭ ﭮ ﭯﭰ ﭱ ﭲ ﭳ ﭴ ﭵ ﭶ ﭷ ﭸ ﭹ ﭺ‬ography, astronomy, and natural science that
they really believe that
if they would travel far enough they could "touch the sky with one's fingers," that
migrating birds live "on the other side of the celestial vault,"
that an arrow or lance could "fasten in the sky," that the sky can have "a
hole in it," that at the horizon "the dome of the sky is too close to earth to
permit navigation," that where the sky touches the earth you can "lean a
pestle against it" or "climb up it," that the sky is "smooth and hard. . .
of solid rock, . . . as thick as a house," that the sky can "fall down" and
someday "will fall down crushing th ‫ﭻ ﭼ ﭽ ﭾ ﭿ ﮀ ﮁﮂ ﮃ ﮄ‬
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
You only worship, besides Allah, idols, and you produce a falsehood. Indeed, those
you worship besides Allah do not possess for you [the power of] provision. So seek
from Allah provision and worship Him and be grateful to Him. To Him you will be
returned."
29:18
Play
Copy
‫ﮅ ﮆ ﮇ ﮈ ﮉ ﮊ ﮋ ﮌﮍ ﮎ ﮏ ﮐ ﮑ ﮒ ﮓ‬
SAHIH INTER
‫ﮔ ﮕ ﮖ ﮗ ﮘ ﮙ ﮚ ﮛ ﮜﮝ ﮞ ﮟ ﮠ ﮡ ﮢ‬
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
Have they not considered how Allah begins creation and then repeats it? Indeed
that, for Allah, is easy.
29:20
Play
Copy
‫ﮣ ﮤ ﮥ ﮦ ﮧ ﮨ ﮩ ﮪ ﮫﮬ ﮭ ﮮ ﮯ ﮰ ﮱﯓ ﯔ ﯕ ﯖ ﯗ ﯘ ﯙ‬
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
Say, [O Muhammad], "Travel thro
Copy
‫ﭑ ﭒ ﭓ ﭔ ﭕ ﭖ ﭗ ﭘ ﭙ ﭚ ﭛ ﭜ ﭝ ﭞ ﭟﭠ ﭡ ﭢ ﭣ ﭤ ﭥ ﭦ‬
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
And the answer of Abraham's people was not but that they said, "Kill him or burn
him," but Allah saved him from the fire. Indeed in that are signs for a people who
believe.
29:25
Play
Copy
‫ﭧ ﭨ ﭩ ﭪ ﭫ ﭬ ﭭ ﭮ ﭯ ﭰ ﭱ ﭲ ﭳﭴ ﭵ ﭶ ﭷ ﭸ ﭹ ﭺ ﭻ ﭼ ﭽ ﭾ ﭿ ﮀ ﮁ ﮂ ﮃ‬
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
And [Abraham] said, "You have only taken, other than Allah, idols as [a bond of]
affection among you in worldly life. Then on the Day of Resurrection you will deny
one another and curse one another, and your refuge will be the Fire, and you will
not have any helpers."
29:26
Play
Copy
‫ﮄﮅ ﮆ ﮇ ﮈﮉ ﮊ ﮋ ﮌ ﮍ ﮎﮏ ﮐ ﮑ ﮒ ﮓ‬
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
And Lot believed him. [Abraham] said, "Indeed, I will emigrate to [the service of]
my Lord. Indeed, He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise."
29:27
Play
Copy
‫ﮔ ﮕ ﮖ ﮗ ﮘ ﮙ ﮚ ﮛ ﮜ ﮝ ﮞ ﮟ ﮠ ﮡﮢ ﮣ ﮤ ﮥ ﮦ ﮧ‬
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
And We gave to Him Isaac and Jacob and platle against it" or "climb up it," that
the sky is "smooth and hard. . .
of solid rock, . . . as thick as a house," that the sky can "fall down" and
someday "will fall down crushing th ‫ﭻ ﭼ ﭽ ﭾ ﭿ ﮀ ﮁﮂ ﮃ ﮄ‬
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
You only worship, besides Allah, idols, and you produce a falsehood. Indeed, those
you worship besides Allah do not possess for you [the power of] provision. So seek
from Allah provision and worship Him and be grateful to Him. To Him you will be
returned."
29:18
Play
Copy
‫ﮅ ﮆ ﮇ ﮈ ﮉ ﮊ ﮋ ﮌﮍ ﮎ ﮏ ﮐ ﮑ ﮒ ﮓ‬
SAHIH INTERugh the land and observe how He began creation. Then Allah will produce
the final creation. Indeed Allah, over all things, is competent."
29:21
Play
Copy
‫ﯚ ﯛ ﯜ ﯝ ﯞ ﯟ ﯠﯡ ﯢ ﯣ‬
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
He punishes whom He wills and has mercy upon whom He wills, and to Him you will be
returned.
29:22
Play
Copy
‫ﯤ ﯥ ﯦ ﯧ ﯨ ﯩ ﯪ ﯫ ﯬﯭ ﯮ ﯯ ﯰ ﯱ ﯲ ﯳ ﯴ ﯵ ﯶ‬
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
And you will not cause failure [to Allah ] upon the earth or in the heaven. And you
have not other than Allah any protector or any helper.
29:23
Play
Copy
‫ﯷ ﯸ ﯹ ﯺ ﯻ ﯼ ﯽ ﯾ ﯿ ﰀ ﰁ ﰂ ﰃ ﰄ‬
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
And the ones who disbelieve in the signs of Allah and the meeting with Him - those
have despaired of My mercy, and they will have a painful punishment.
29:24
Play
Copy
‫ﭑ ﭒ ﭓ ﭔ ﭕ ﭖ ﭗ ﭘ ﭙ ﭚ ﭛ ﭜ ﭝ ﭞ ﭟﭠ ﭡ ﭢ ﭣ ﭤ ﭥ ﭦ‬
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
And the answer of Abraham's people was not but that they said, "Kill him or burn
him," but Allah saved him from the fire. Indeed in that are signs for a people who
believe.
29:25
Play
Copy
‫ﭧ ﭨ ﭩ ﭪ ﭫ ﭬ ﭭ ﭮ ﭯ ﭰ ﭱ ﭲ ﭳﭴ ﭵ ﭶ ﭷ ﭸ ﭹ ﭺ ﭻ ﭼ ﭽ ﭾ ﭿ ﮀ ﮁ ﮂ ﮃ‬
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
And [Abraham] said, "You have only taken, other than Allah, idols as [a bond of]
affection among you in worldly life. Then on the Day of Resurrection you will deny
one another and curse one another, and your refuge will be the Fire, and you will
not have any helpers."
29:26
Play
Copy
‫ﮄﮅ ﮆ ﮇ ﮈﮉ ﮊ ﮋ ﮌ ﮍ ﮎﮏ ﮐ ﮑ ﮒ ﮓ‬
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
And Lot believed him. [Abraham] said, "Indeed, I will emigrate to [the service of]
my Lord. Indeed, He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise."
29:27
Play
Copy
‫ﮔ ﮕ ﮖ ﮗ ﮘ ﮙ ﮚ ﮛ ﮜ ﮝ ﮞ ﮟ ﮠ ﮡﮢ ﮣ ﮤ ﮥ ﮦ ﮧ‬
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
And We gave to Him Isaac and Jacob and platle against it" or "climb up it," that
the sky is "smooth and hard. . .
of solid rock, . . . as thick as a house," that the sky can "fall down" and
someday "will fall down crushing th ‫ﭻ ﭼ ﭽ ﭾ ﭿ ﮀ ﮁﮂ ﮃ ﮄ‬
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
You only worship, besides Allah, idols, and you produce a falsehood. Indeed, those
you worship besides Allah do not possess for you [the power of] provision. So seek
from Allah provision and worship Him and be grateful to Him. To Him you will be
returned."
29:18
Play
Copy
‫ﮅ ﮆ ﮇ ﮈ ﮉ ﮊ ﮋ ﮌﮍ ﮎ ﮏ ﮐ ﮑ ﮒ ﮓ‬
SAHIH INTER
‫ﮔ ﮕ ﮖ ﮗ ﮘ ﮙ ﮚ ﮛ ﮜﮝ ﮞ ﮟ ﮠ ﮡ ﮢ‬
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
Have they not considered how Allah begins creation and then repeats it? Indeed
that, for Allah, is easy.
29:20
 Play
Copy
‫ﮣ ﮤ ﮥ ﮦ ﮧ ﮨ ﮩ ﮪ ﮫﮬ ﮭ ﮮ ﮯ ﮰ ﮱﯓ ﯔ ﯕ ﯖ ﯗ ﯘ ﯙ‬
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
Say, [O Muhammad], "Travel through the land and observe how He began creation. Then
Allah will produce the final creation. Indeed Allah, over all things, is
competent."
29:21
Play
Copy
‫ﯚ ﯛ ﯜ ﯝ ﯞ ﯟ ﯠﯡ ﯢ ﯣ‬
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
He punishes whom He wills and has mercy upon whom He wills, and to Him you will be
returned.
29:22
Play
Copy
‫ﯤ ﯥ ﯦ ﯧ ﯨ ﯩ ﯪ ﯫ ﯬﯭ ﯮ ﯯ ﯰ ﯱ ﯲ ﯳ ﯴ ﯵ ﯶ‬
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
And you will not cause failure [to Allah ] upon the earth or in the heaven. And you
have not other than Allah any protector or any helper.
29:23
Playced in his descendants prophethood and scripture. And We gave him his reward
in this world, and indeed, he is in the Hereafter among the righteous.
29:28
Play
Copy
‫ﮨ ﮩ ﮪ ﮫ ﮬ ﮭ ﮮ ﮯ ﮰ ﮱ ﯓ ﯔ ﯕ ﯖ ﯗ‬
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
And [mention] Lot, when he said to his people, "Indeed, you commit such immorality
as no one has preceded you with from among the worlds.
29:29
Play
Copy
‫ﯘ ﯙ ﯚ ﯛ ﯜ ﯝ ﯞ ﯟ ﯠ ﯡﯢ ﯣ ﯤ ﯥ ﯦ ﯧ ﯨ ﯩ ﯪ ﯫ ﯬ ﯭ ﯮ ﯯ ﯰ‬
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
Indeed, you approach men and obstruct the road and commit in your meetings [every]
evil." And the answer of his people was not but they said, "Bring us the punishment
of Allah, if you should be of the truthful."
29:30
Play
Copy
‫ﯱ ﯲ ﯳ ﯴ ﯵ ﯶ ﯷ‬
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
He said, "My Lord, support me against the corrupting people."
29:31
Play
Copy
‫ﭑ ﭒ ﭓ ﭔ ﭕ ﭖ ﭗ ﭘ ﭙ ﭚ ﭛ ﭜﭝ ﭞ ﭟ ﭠ ﭡ‬
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
1:3

Guide us to the straight path -

Watch lecture by Bayyinah
1:7
Play
Copy
‫ﭲ ﭳ ﭴ‬ ‫ﭫ ﭬ ﭭ ﭮ ﭯ ﭰ ﭱ‬
SAHIH INTERNATIONAL
The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked
[Your] anger or of those who are astray.
Watch lecture by Bayyinahthe world was portrayed as a disk floating in the ocean. A
similar model is found in the Homeric account from the 8th century BC in which
"Okeanos, the personified body of water surrounding the circular surface of the
Earth, is the begetter of all life and possibly of all gods."[9]