דַּע, שֶׁיֵּשׁ חִלּוּקִים בֵּין הַתּוֹרוֹת, כִּי יֵשׁ
What May Be Written, and What May Not
Torah teachings differ: some may not even be expounded, some may be taught aloud but not written, and some may be written. One who can tell which teachings may be written can recognise a Jew even among many nations, because the essential difference of Israel is the Oral Torah, which the nations could not copy, and every Jew carries a share of it. Writing more than is fitting blurs that recognition, as Hoshea says: 'I write for him the many things of My Torah; they are counted as strange.'
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1-minute recap
Explainer
Full shiur
הַמָּקוֹר · Original text
דַּע, שֶׁיֵּשׁ חִלּוּקִים בֵּין הַתּוֹרוֹת, כִּי יֵשׁ תּוֹרָה שֶׁלֹּא נִתְּנָה אֲפִלּוּ לִדְרֹשׁ, וְיֵשׁ תּוֹרָה שֶׁנִּתְּנָה לִדְרֹשׁ וְלֹא נִתְּנָה לִכְתֹּב. וְיֵשׁ שֶׁנִּתְּנָה לִכְתֹּב, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁמָּצִינוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (גיטין ס:): דְּבָרִים שֶׁבְּעַל־פֶּה אִי אַתָּה רַשַּׁאי לְאָמְרָם בִּכְתָב וְכוּ'.
וּמִי שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ לְהַבְחִין וּלְהַכִּיר בֵּין הַתּוֹרוֹת, אֵיזֶהוּ נִתְּנָה לִכְתֹּב, וְאֵיזֶהוּ לֹא נִתְּנָה לִכְתֹּב – הוּא יָכוֹל לְהַכִּיר אֶת אִישׁ יִשְׂרְאֵלִי בֵּין הָאֻמּוֹת, וַאֲפִלּוּ אִם אֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל עוֹמֵד בֵּין כַּמָּה אֻמּוֹת, יָכוֹל לְהַכִּירוֹ.
וְסוֹד זֶה מְרֻמָּז בַּפָּסוּק (הושע ח׳:י״ב): אֶכְתָּב לוֹ רֻבֵּי תּוֹרָתִי כְּמוֹ זָר נֶחֱשָׁבוּ; הַיְנוּ כְּשֶׁכּוֹתְבִין רֻבֵּי תּוֹרָתִי, הַיְנוּ רַב יוֹתֵר מֵהָרָאוּי, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁכּוֹתְבִין מַה שֶּׁלֹּא נִתָּן לִכְתֹּב כַּנַּ"ל, אֲזַי כְּמוֹ זָר נֶחֱשָׁבוּ, הַיְנוּ שֶׁאֵין יוּכַל לְהַכִּיר אֶת הַיִּשְׂרָאֵל, וּכְמוֹ זָר נֶחֱשָׁב אֶצְלוֹ, שֶׁנִּדְמֶה לוֹ לְזָר וּלְנָכְרִי, וְכֵן לְהֵפֶךְ, שֶׁיּוּכַל לִטְעוֹת עַל הַנָּכְרִי שֶׁהוּא יִשְׂרָאֵל כַּנַּ"ל.
כִּי עִקָּר הַהֶבְדֵּל שֶׁבֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל לָאֻמּוֹת הוּא בִּבְחִינַת מַה שֶּׁלֹּא נִתָּן לִכְתֹּב, בְּחִינַת תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל־פֶּה. כְּמוֹ דְּאִיתָא, שֶׁבִּשְׁבִיל זֶה נִתְּנָה תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל־פֶּה, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁצָּפָה שֶׁיִּהְיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּגָּלוּת, וְיַעְתִּיקוּ הָאֻמּוֹת לְעַצְמָן תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב, עַל־כֵּן נָתַן לָנוּ תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל־פֶּה, שֶׁזֶּה אֵינָם יְכוֹלִים לְהַעְתִּיק, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁהוּא בְּעַל־פֶּה.
נִמְצָא שֶׁעִקָּר הַהֶבְדֵּל וְהַיִּתְרוֹן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל הָאֻמּוֹת הוּא בִּבְחִינַת תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל־פֶּה, שֶׁלֹּא נִתַּן לִכְתֹּב. וְיֵשׁ בְּכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל חֵלֶק מִבְּחִינַת תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל־פֶּה שֶׁלֹּא נִתַּן לִכְתֹּב. וְעַל־כֵּן מִי שֶׁמַּכִּיר בֵּין הַתּוֹרוֹת שֶׁנִּתְּנוּ לִכְתֹּב וְשֶׁלֹּא נִתְּנוּ לִכְתֹּב, הוּא יָכוֹל לְהַכִּיר בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל לָאֻמּוֹת, כִּי זֶה עִקָּר הֶבְדֵּלָם כַּנַּ"ל:
Hebrew text: Likutei Moharan Tinyana - rabenubook.com via Sefaria (Public Domain) · Sefaria. Names of Hashem are written in the customary form.
Transcripts
1-minute recap
Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah twenty eight: the differences between teachings.
Some Torah may be written. Some may be taught aloud, but not written. Some may not even be taught.
One who can tell them apart can recognise a Jew, even among many nations.
For what sets Israel apart is the Oral Torah, which the nations could never copy.
And every single Jew carries a share of it.
Our own reflection: some light lives only in a living voice, passed from heart to heart.
Explainer
Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah twenty eight. A short teaching about written and spoken Torah, and the hidden mark of every Jew.
Know, he says, that teachings differ. Some Torah was not given even to be expounded. Some was given to be taught aloud, but not to be written. And some was given to be written. As the Sages say: words said by mouth, you may not set down in writing.
One who knows how to tell which teachings may be written, and which may not, can recognise a Jew among the nations, even one Jew standing among many.
The prophet Hoshea hints at this: I write for him the many things of My Torah; they are counted as strange. When more is written than is fitting, the Jew is no longer recognised. He seems like a stranger, and a stranger may seem like a Jew.
Why? The real difference between Israel and the nations is the Oral Torah, what was not given to be written. The Sages say Hashem foresaw that in exile the nations would copy the Written Torah for themselves, so He gave us the Oral Torah, which cannot be copied.
And every Jew has a share in that unwritten Torah. So one who can sense which teachings belong to the written, and which to the unwritten, can sense the Jew, because that is the heart of the difference.
Some reflections of our own, not a quotation. Not everything holy can be put on a page. Some light lives in a living voice, in a teacher, a niggun, a family's ways, and every one of us carries some of it.
Full shiur
— Part 1: What May Be Written, and What May Not —
Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah twenty eight. A shiur in one part: written and unwritten Torah, and recognising a Jew.
Gold is Rebbe Nachman's own words, from Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah twenty eight. Grey is a verse or teaching he quotes. Green is our own explanation. The Hebrew is the public-domain text from Sefaria; the English is our own paraphrase.
Know that there are differences between teachings. There is Torah that was not given even to be expounded; there is Torah that was given to be expounded but not to be written; and there is Torah that was given to be written. As our Sages said: words that are by mouth, you may not say them in writing.
One who knows how to discern and recognise between teachings, which was given to be written and which was not, can recognise a Jew among the nations; even if one Jew stands among many nations, he can recognise him.
Our explanation. The Oral Torah was passed from mouth to ear, teacher to student, through the generations. Much of it was later written, out of necessity, but its depth was never meant to live only on a page.
This secret is hinted in the verse: 'I write for him the many things of My Torah; they are counted as strange.' When they write the many things of My Torah, more than is fitting, writing what was not given to be written, then 'they are counted as strange': he cannot recognise the Jew, who seems to him a stranger; and the reverse, he can mistake a stranger for a Jew.
For the main difference between Israel and the nations is in what was not given to be written, the Oral Torah. As it is brought: the Oral Torah was given because He foresaw that Israel would be in exile, and the nations would copy the Written Torah for themselves; so He gave us the Oral Torah, which they cannot copy, because it is by mouth.
So the main difference and advantage of Israel over the nations is the Oral Torah, which was not given to be written. And in every single Jew there is a share of that Oral Torah. So one who recognises between teachings given to be written and not, can recognise between Israel and the nations, for that is their main difference.
Our explanation, step by step. The Written Torah went out to the world, and the nations copied it. The Oral Torah could not be copied. And every Jew carries a share of it, so one who senses the unwritten Torah can sense the Jew.
Some reflections of our own, not a quotation. Not everything holy fits on a page. Some light lives in a living voice: a teacher, a niggun, a family's ways. And every one of us carries some of it.
This has been Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah twenty eight.
Sources for this Torah
Texts used
Hebrew: Likutei Moharan Tinyana (Part II), Torah 28, edition 'Likutei Moharan Tinyana – rabenubook.com', public domain, via Sefaria — https://www.sefaria.org/Likutei_Moharan%2C_Part_II.28
English: our own paraphrase of the Hebrew, written for these videos. It is not copied from any published translation.
Verses and teachings of the Sages appear only as Rebbe Nachman quotes them inside this Torah.
How the text is shown
The Divine Name is shown as ה' and voiced as Hashem. Other Names are written in the customary form (אֱלֹקִים, קֵ-ל, קָהּ, שַׁ-דַּ-י, אֲדֹ-נָ-י, אֶקְיֶ-ה, צְבָקוֹת). No full Name is written or voiced.
Parenthetical source references inside the printed Hebrew are left off the screen to save space; the citation line names the source instead.
Long paragraphs are shown in consecutive pieces. Every Hebrew word on screen is from the edition above; nothing is reworded.
Cards labelled EXPLANATION (green), and every line marked 'our own reflection — not a quote', are our own words, not quotations.
Every on-screen quotation in the full shiur, by part
Part 1 — What May Be Written, and What May Not
Scene 3 · LM II:28 §1, on Gittin 60b · paragraph §1.1
דַּע, שֶׁיֵּשׁ חִלּוּקִים בֵּין הַתּוֹרוֹת, כִּי יֵשׁ תּוֹרָה שֶׁלֹּא נִתְּנָה אֲפִלּוּ לִדְרֹשׁ, וְיֵשׁ תּוֹרָה שֶׁנִּתְּנָה לִדְרֹשׁ וְלֹא נִתְּנָה לִכְתֹּב. וְיֵשׁ שֶׁנִּתְּנָה לִכְתֹּב, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁמָּצִינוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה: דְּבָרִים שֶׁבְּעַל־פֶּה אִי אַתָּה רַשַּׁאי לְאָמְרָם בִּכְתָב וְכוּ'.
EN (our paraphrase): Know that there are differences between teachings. There is Torah that was not given even to be expounded; there is Torah that was given to be expounded but not to be written; and there is Torah that was given to be written. As our Sages said: words that are by mouth, you may not say them in writing.
Scene 4 · LM II:28 §1 · paragraph §1.2
וּמִי שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ לְהַבְחִין וּלְהַכִּיר בֵּין הַתּוֹרוֹת, אֵיזֶהוּ נִתְּנָה לִכְתֹּב, וְאֵיזֶהוּ לֹא נִתְּנָה לִכְתֹּב – הוּא יָכוֹל לְהַכִּיר אֶת אִישׁ יִשְׂרְאֵלִי בֵּין הָאֻמּוֹת, וַאֲפִלּוּ אִם אֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל עוֹמֵד בֵּין כַּמָּה אֻמּוֹת, יָכוֹל לְהַכִּירוֹ.
EN (our paraphrase): One who knows how to discern and recognise between teachings, which was given to be written and which was not, can recognise a Jew among the nations; even if one Jew stands among many nations, he can recognise him.
Scene 6 · LM II:28 §1, on Hoshea 8:12 · paragraph §1.3
וְסוֹד זֶה מְרֻמָּז בַּפָּסוּק: אֶכְתָּב לוֹ רֻבֵּי תּוֹרָתִי כְּמוֹ זָר נֶחֱשָׁבוּ; הַיְנוּ כְּשֶׁכּוֹתְבִין רֻבֵּי תּוֹרָתִי, הַיְנוּ רַב יוֹתֵר מֵהָרָאוּי, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁכּוֹתְבִין מַה שֶּׁלֹּא נִתָּן לִכְתֹּב כַּנַּ"ל, אֲזַי כְּמוֹ זָר נֶחֱשָׁבוּ, הַיְנוּ שֶׁאֵין יוּכַל לְהַכִּיר אֶת הַיִּשְׂרָאֵל, וּכְמוֹ זָר נֶחֱשָׁב אֶצְלוֹ, שֶׁנִּדְמֶה לוֹ לְזָר וּלְנָכְרִי, וְכֵן לְהֵפֶךְ, שֶׁיּוּכַל לִטְעוֹת עַל הַנָּכְרִי שֶׁהוּא יִשְׂרָאֵל כַּנַּ"ל.
EN (our paraphrase): This secret is hinted in the verse: 'I write for him the many things of My Torah; they are counted as strange.' When they write the many things of My Torah, more than is fitting, writing what was not given to be written, then 'they are counted as strange': he cannot recognise the Jew, who seems to him a stranger; and the reverse, he can mistake a stranger for a Jew.
Scene 7 · LM II:28 §1 · paragraph §1.4
כִּי עִקָּר הַהֶבְדֵּל שֶׁבֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל לָאֻמּוֹת הוּא בִּבְחִינַת מַה שֶּׁלֹּא נִתָּן לִכְתֹּב, בְּחִינַת תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל־פֶּה. כְּמוֹ דְּאִיתָא, שֶׁבִּשְׁבִיל זֶה נִתְּנָה תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל־פֶּה, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁצָּפָה שֶׁיִּהְיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּגָּלוּת, וְיַעְתִּיקוּ הָאֻמּוֹת לְעַצְמָן תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב, עַל־כֵּן נָתַן לָנוּ תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל־פֶּה, שֶׁזֶּה אֵינָם יְכוֹלִים לְהַעְתִּיק, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁהוּא בְּעַל־פֶּה.
EN (our paraphrase): For the main difference between Israel and the nations is in what was not given to be written, the Oral Torah. As it is brought: the Oral Torah was given because He foresaw that Israel would be in exile, and the nations would copy the Written Torah for themselves; so He gave us the Oral Torah, which they cannot copy, because it is by mouth.
Scene 8 · LM II:28 §1 · paragraph §1.5
נִמְצָא שֶׁעִקָּר הַהֶבְדֵּל וְהַיִּתְרוֹן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל הָאֻמּוֹת הוּא בִּבְחִינַת תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל־פֶּה, שֶׁלֹּא נִתַּן לִכְתֹּב. וְיֵשׁ בְּכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל חֵלֶק מִבְּחִינַת תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל־פֶּה שֶׁלֹּא נִתַּן לִכְתֹּב. וְעַל־כֵּן מִי שֶׁמַּכִּיר בֵּין הַתּוֹרוֹת שֶׁנִּתְּנוּ לִכְתֹּב וְשֶׁלֹּא נִתְּנוּ לִכְתֹּב, הוּא יָכוֹל לְהַכִּיר בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל לָאֻמּוֹת, כִּי זֶה עִקָּר הֶבְדֵּלָם כַּנַּ"ל:
EN (our paraphrase): So the main difference and advantage of Israel over the nations is the Oral Torah, which was not given to be written. And in every single Jew there is a share of that Oral Torah. So one who recognises between teachings given to be written and not, can recognise between Israel and the nations, for that is their main difference.
Hebrew phrases in the Explainer
Scene 2 · §1.1: דַּע, שֶׁיֵּשׁ חִלּוּקִים בֵּין הַתּוֹרוֹת,
Scene 3 · §1.2: הוּא יָכוֹל לְהַכִּיר אֶת אִישׁ יִשְׂרְאֵלִי בֵּין הָאֻמּוֹת,
Scene 4 · §1.3: אֶכְתָּב לוֹ רֻבֵּי תּוֹרָתִי כְּמוֹ זָר נֶחֱשָׁבוּ;
Scene 5 · §1.4: כִּי עִקָּר הַהֶבְדֵּל שֶׁבֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל לָאֻמּוֹת הוּא בִּבְחִינַת מַה שֶּׁלֹּא נִתָּן לִכְתֹּב, בְּחִינַת תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל־פֶּה.
Scene 6 · §1.5: וְיֵשׁ בְּכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל חֵלֶק מִבְּחִינַת תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל־פֶּה שֶׁלֹּא נִתַּן לִכְתֹּב.
Hebrew phrases in the 1-minute recap
Scene 2 · §1.1: יֵשׁ תּוֹרָה שֶׁלֹּא נִתְּנָה אֲפִלּוּ לִדְרֹשׁ, וְיֵשׁ תּוֹרָה שֶׁנִּתְּנָה לִדְרֹשׁ וְלֹא נִתְּנָה לִכְתֹּב.
Scene 3 · §1.2: הוּא יָכוֹל לְהַכִּיר אֶת אִישׁ יִשְׂרְאֵלִי בֵּין הָאֻמּוֹת,
Scene 4 · §1.4: כִּי עִקָּר הַהֶבְדֵּל שֶׁבֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל לָאֻמּוֹת הוּא בִּבְחִינַת מַה שֶּׁלֹּא נִתָּן לִכְתֹּב, בְּחִינַת תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל־פֶּה.
Scene 5 · §1.5: וְיֵשׁ בְּכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל חֵלֶק מִבְּחִינַת תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל־פֶּה שֶׁלֹּא נִתַּן לִכְתֹּב.