זוהר ויקרא — דף מא ע”א
Summary
Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Yitzhak come to Rabbi Yeissa and kiss his head; from that day on, he no longer parts from Rabbi Yehuda's house, who rises before him out of respect. Later, Rabbi Yeissa rises in stature among the companions, and they call him "the head of the hammer that breaks rocks and sends out flames on every side," and Rabbi Elazar applies to him the verse "Before I formed you in the belly, I knew you."<br />
<br />
From here the discussion turns to the verse "The Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying to them: these are the living things you may eat" (Leviticus 11), and the question is asked why Aaron in particular is mentioned here: because he stands always ready "to separate between the impure and the pure."<br />
<br />
Rabbi Abba opens with the verse "Who is the man who desires life" (Psalms 34) and explains that "life" refers to the World to Come, and that "the tree of life is a tree from that very life." It is then explained that "one who loves days to see good" must, in order to cling to them, "guard his mouth and his tongue" from food and drink that defile the soul.<br />
<br />
Mouth and tongue are called an elevated place, and therefore a person must not blemish them, still less defile his own soul and body. The verse "these are the living things you may eat among all the beasts" is explained as reversed in order — "these are the living things" first, then "among all the beasts" after — because the Holy One, blessed be He, says: whenever Israel guards their souls from defilement, they will certainly be found clinging to supreme holiness and to His name, through the choice of the pure beast designated for them to eat.<br />
<br />
One who does not guard his soul from food and drink clings to another, impure place. "These are the living things you may eat" of all, certainly, for this is the secret of the holy Name to cling to, while the pure beast assures a share in that Name. This is then likened to Pharaoh — "by this you shall know that I am the Lord" — so too here: "this" stands opposite Israel, to take vengeance upon them if they defile their souls, for the souls come from it.<br />
<br />
Rabbi Elazar teaches that the beasts permitted for eating come "from this side," while those that are forbidden come "from the other, impure side"; and therefore whoever eats from the impure side becomes defiled by it and defiles his own soul, which comes from the pure side.<br />
<br />
From here the discussion turns to the verse "The Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying to them: these are the living things you may eat" (Leviticus 11), and the question is asked why Aaron in particular is mentioned here: because he stands always ready "to separate between the impure and the pure."<br />
<br />
Rabbi Abba opens with the verse "Who is the man who desires life" (Psalms 34) and explains that "life" refers to the World to Come, and that "the tree of life is a tree from that very life." It is then explained that "one who loves days to see good" must, in order to cling to them, "guard his mouth and his tongue" from food and drink that defile the soul.<br />
<br />
Mouth and tongue are called an elevated place, and therefore a person must not blemish them, still less defile his own soul and body. The verse "these are the living things you may eat among all the beasts" is explained as reversed in order — "these are the living things" first, then "among all the beasts" after — because the Holy One, blessed be He, says: whenever Israel guards their souls from defilement, they will certainly be found clinging to supreme holiness and to His name, through the choice of the pure beast designated for them to eat.<br />
<br />
One who does not guard his soul from food and drink clings to another, impure place. "These are the living things you may eat" of all, certainly, for this is the secret of the holy Name to cling to, while the pure beast assures a share in that Name. This is then likened to Pharaoh — "by this you shall know that I am the Lord" — so too here: "this" stands opposite Israel, to take vengeance upon them if they defile their souls, for the souls come from it.<br />
<br />
Rabbi Elazar teaches that the beasts permitted for eating come "from this side," while those that are forbidden come "from the other, impure side"; and therefore whoever eats from the impure side becomes defiled by it and defiles his own soul, which comes from the pure side.<br />
Torat Emet / Rav Pinhas Reuven — CC BY-NC-SA 2.5
in Hebrew