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Preface to המדקה
Sefer Chafetz Chayim םייח ץפח רפסל

Throughout all of the generations of the first Beit HaMikdash He sent רהזנ וֹניאֶשׁ יִמ ,רֹבֲעל ליגרָ ןיִשֲׂעו ןיואל המּכּ ראֹבְמ
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us prophets in order to bring us back to do good. And even during
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the generations of the second Beit HaMikdash when the spiritual וּניִצמ אנוגּ יאהכוּ[ תוּליִכרְוּ ערָה ןוֹשׁל לֶשׁ רמּה רוּסִּאֵמ
levels of the Jews diminished (because of the many sins of society) ןיּע ).ד"מ ףדּ( תוֹחנְמִבוּ םָשׁ ןיּע ):ה"ס ףדּ( םירִדנ הנְשִׁמבּ
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compared to the spiritual holiness that existed during the first Beit ַ ַ
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HaMikdash and five phenomena present during the epoch of the תא וֹתוֹארְִבּ רציּה ףגנּי ךְכּ ידֵי לעֶשׁ ,'ה ןֵתּי ילוּא ]םָשׁ
first Beit HaMikdash were missing during the times of the second .וֹרוּבּדּ ידֵי לע הֶשׂוֹע אוּהֶשׁ הלֵשׁכמּהו המוּהְמּה לדֶֹגּ
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Beit HaMikdash (reference Gemara Yomah 1b), nevertheless we
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still lived in our land, we still had the Beit HaMikdash and we still תַשׁרָפּ הבּרַ שׁרַדְִמבּ אבוּהֶשּׁ המ אוּה עוּדי הז דבל םגּ
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had the ability to fulfill all of the mitzvot. With this we were able to
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reach the state of perfection for all the components of our soul that ,םהירֵבדִבּ הבּרְה ָתְּעגי םִא :וֹנוֹשׁל הזו ,)'ד ד"י( אשׂנ
were created within us because man’s Nefesh (soul) also contains לא יִתּרְמא ןכּ לע .ךְָמִּמ ערָה רצי ריִסֵמ אוּה ךְוּרבּ שׁוֹדקּה
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48 spiritual organs and 65 spiritual nerves and ligaments (Please
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see Shaare Kedushah, written by our master, Rabbi Chayim Vitale, טקּלְמ אוּהֶשׁ ,הזּה רפסּבּ וּניּעיֶּשׁ ידֵי לעֶשׁ רָשְׁפא ,יִבִּל
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in the first perek of that sefer).
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טלְֹשׁי אלֹ ,וֹבּ וּננוֹבְּתיו הז ןינִעבּ םינוֹשׁארִה ירֵבדּ לכִּמ
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But at the end of the epoch of the second Beit HaMikdash baseless
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hatred spread and became commonplace throughout society and הלִּחְתִּמ ךְֹשְׁמיֶּשׁכּ אליֵמִּמוּ .הז ןוֹעבּ ערָה רציּה ךְכּ לכּ
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with it came Lashon Hara (language that was hurtful and damaging וֹדי תא ךְֹשְׁמי ןמזּה ךְֵשְׁמהבּ ,תצקְִמבּ הז ןוֹעֵמ וֹמצע תא
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to one another). Because of that, we were no longer worthy and G‑d
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destroyed our Beit HaMikdash and exiled us from our Holy Land, אבּהו ,הֶשׂוֹע לגּרְהה וּנּמִּמ הבּרְה הז ןוֹעבּ יִכּ ,ירְֵמגל וּנּמִּמ
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as related in Gemara Yomah (9b) and the Yerushalmi (Yomah, 1 ןוֹיִּצל אבוּ הז תוּכזִבוּ ,)'ב ח"ל אמוֹי( וֹתוֹא ןיִעיּסְמ רהטִּל
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perek, 1 halacha) (Even though the gemara uses the expression
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“baseless hatred,” the intent encompasses Lashon Hara which is a .ןֵמא ,וּניֵמיב הרָהְמִבּ לאוֹגּ
consequence of baseless hatred because if that were not so, G‑d’s
punishment would not have been so severe). (The conclusion there
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(in those citations) is that the punishment for baseless hatred is as
severe as the combined punishments for worshipping other gods
and adultery (and other illicit relationships) and murder. We have
found this same concept in Gemara Arachin (15b) regarding Lashon
Hara. Also, a close analysis of the gemara in Masechet Yomah
(9b) would result in the same conclusion (because that gemara
discusses reasons for the destruction of the first Beit HaMikdash
[1] Aron – Kaporet and Cherubim, [2] fire descending from heaven, [3] the
Shechina, [4] the Divine Spirit, [5] Urim Ve’Tumim. (Rashi- the Divine Spirit
stopped during the fourth year of King Darius’ rule).
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