Introduction to Negative Mitzvot 315-318:

Prohibitions against Cursing

There may be times when we become so upset with a person that we lose our temper.

The Torah teaches us to control ourselves and always guard what comes out of our mouths. We are especially cautioned not to curse anyone.

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Negative Mitzvah 315: It is forbidden to curse judges
Exodus 22:27 "You shall not curse the judges"

This Negative Mitzvah forbids us from cursing judges.

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Negative Mitzvah 281: It is forbidden to listen to only one side while sitting in judgment
Exodus 23:1 "You shall not raise a false report"

When two people have an argument, it is only fair to hear them both.

If a judge only listens to one side of the story, and the other person is not given a chance to give his point of view, will not have a full account of what happened.

This Negative Mitzvah includes another law.

Each side must be able to hear what the other person says, so he will be able to explain and prove his story.

The Torah instructs a judge not to accept a report given in court when the other side is not there to hear it.

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Negative Mitzvah 316: It is forbidden to curse a ruler
Exodus 22:27 "Nor shall you curse the ruler of your people"

We are forbidden to curse a Jewish king, our Torah leaders, or government officials.

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The intellect is the ultimate frontier of G-dliness, for the Zohar says, "No thought can grasp Him at all." Ultimately, G-dliness must come to dwell even in that place which by definition cannot contain Him. The mind must struggle to understand all that it can, and then even harder to know that which it cannot know.

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1951: We are the last generation of the exile and the first of a new age.

1967: A mighty wind of return is blowing. I hear the sound of a great ram's horn. The souls of the young people are preparing for Moshiach.

1991: The time line of Mankind, according to tradition, is divided into six millennium corresponding to the six days of Creation.

The seventh millennium is beyond time. According to this paradigm, the year 5751 (October 1990-September 1991) equates with high noon on the sixth day.

The year 5751 begins an entirely new era. Just as on Friday afternoon we begin the mad rush to prepare for the seventh day, so too all the wonders you will see in this year are nature's frenzy to prepare for a time beyond time. We are about to enter what the ancient sages referred to as the Era of Moshiach.

From: Bringing Heaven Down to Earth by Tzvi Freeman - tzvif@aol.com