K’neged Kulam

 

K’neged Kulam 

 

One often hears the phrase k’neged kulam which means literally adjacent to all (as in ezier k’negdo “a helpmate next to him”) and is interpreted often to mean equal to all or even by some greater than all (which is a stretch from the plain meaning) applied to Talmud Torah vis a vis other mitzvos. This is commonly said to be based on a Mishnah in tractate Peah which says that Talmud Torah is k’neged three mitzvos: honoring parents, bringing peace between a man and his neighbor, and acts of kindness. However, Chazal apply this phrase to numerous mitzvos including milah, Shabbos, tzitzis, yishuv ha’aretz, and tzedakah.  

 

Milah Babylonian Talmud, Nedarim 32a 

 

גְּדוֹלָה  מִילָה, שֶׁשְּׁקוּלָה כְּנֶגֶד כׇּל הַמִּצְוֹת שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כִּי עַל פִּי הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה וְגוֹ 

  

Great is the mitzva of circumcision that it is equal to all the mitzvot of the Torah, as it is stated at the giving of the Torah: “For according to these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel” (Exodus 34:27), and “covenant” refers to circumcision.  

 

Jerusalem Talmud, Nedarim 3:9 

 

  

 גְּדוֹלָה הַמִּילָה שֶׁהִיא שְׁקוּלָה כְּנֶגֶד כָּל־הַמִּצְוֹת שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר הִנֵּה דַּם הַבְּרִית אֲשֶׁר כָּרַת יי֨ עִמָּכֶם עַל כָּל־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה 

  

Circumcision is great, as it corresponds to all other commandments of the Torah, as it is said: “Behold the blood of the covenant which the Eternal concluded with you about all these words.”  

  

Shabbos  Jerusalem Talmud, Nedarim 3:9 

  

בַּתּוֹרָה וּבַנְּבִיאִים וּבַכְּתוּבִּים מָצִינוּ שֶׁהַשַּׁבָּת שְׁקוּלָה כְּנֶגֶד כָּל־הַמִּצְוֹת שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה. בַּתּוֹרָה. דִּכְתִיב עַד אָנָה מֵאַנְתֶּם לִשְׁמוֹר מִצְווֹתַי וְתוֹרוֹתָיי. וּכְתִיב רְאוּ כִּי יי֨ נָתַן לָכֶם אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת. בַּנְּבִיאִים. דִּכְתִיב וַיַּמְרוּ בִי הַבָּנִים בְּחוּקּוֹתַי לֹא הָלָכוּ וגו׳. וּכְתִיב וְאֶת שַׁבְּתוֹתַי חִילְּלוּ מְאוֹד. בַּכְּתוּבִּים. דִּכְתִיב וְעַל הַר סִינַי יָרַדְתָּ וּכְתִיב וְאֶת שַׁבָּת קָדְשְׁךָ הוֹדַעְתָּ לָהֶם וגו׳. 

  

In Torah, Prophets, and Hagiographs we find that the Sabbath is as weighty as all other commandments of the Torah [taken together]. In the Torah, “until when will you refuse to keep My Commandments and Teachings,” and it is written: “See that the Eternal gave you the Sabbath.” In Prophets, as is written: “But the sons rebelled against Me; My Laws they did not follow” etc., and it is written: “My Sabbaths they much desecrated.” In Hagiographs, as it is written: “On Mount Sinai You descended,” and it is written: “And about Your holy Sabbath You informed them,” etc. 

  

Jerusalem Talmud, Berakhot 1:5:3: 
 

רִבִּי אוֹמֵר זוּ מִצְוַת שַׁבָּת שֶׁהִיא שְׁקוּלָה כְּנֶגֶד כָּל־מִצְווֹתֶיהָ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה דִּכְתִיב וְאֶת שַׁבַּת קָדְשְׁךָ הוֹדַעְתָּ לָהֶם וּמִצְווֹת וְחוּקִּים וְתוֹרָה צִוִּיתָ וגו׳ לְהוֹדִיעֲךָ...שֶׁהִיא שְׁקוּלָה כְּנֶגֶד מִצְווֹתֶיהָ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה....וְאָסַפְתָּ דְגָנְךָ וְלֹא דְגָנוֹ שֶׁל חֲבֵרְךָ. לֹא תַעֲנֶה בְרֵעֲךָ עֵד שָׁקֶר. אֲנִי יי אֱלֹהֵיכֶם. וּכְתִיב וַיי אֱלֹהִים אֱמֶת. 

   
Rebbi said: that is the commandment of Sabbath which is as important as all other commandments of the Torah together, as it is written (Neh. 9:14): “You informed them about Your Sabbath, commandments, laws, and Torah you commanded them, …” to show that it is as important as the other commandments of the Torah. 
    

Tzitzis  Nedarim 25a 
 

וְלַשְׁבַּע יָתְהוֹן דִּמְקַיְּימִיתוּן כֹּל מִצְוֹת! מַשְׁמַע מִצְוַת צִיצִית, דְּאָמַר מָר: שְׁקוּלָה מִצְוַת צִיצִית כְּנֶגֶד כׇּל מִצְוֹת שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה. 
 
 

The Gemara asks: And let him administer an oath to them with the words: That you will fulfill all the mitzvot. The Gemara answers: This too does not suffice, because this phrase could indicate specifically the mitzva of ritual fringes, as the Master said: The mitzva of ritual fringes is equivalent to all the mitzvot in the Torah. Consequently, if they would accept upon themselves: All the mitzvot, they may have intended to refer only to the mitzva of ritual fringes.  

 
 

Yishuv Ha’aretz  Tosefta, Avodah Zara, Chapter 5:2 

  

ישרה אדם בארץ ישראל אפילו בעיר שרובה עובדי כוכבים ולא בחו"ל אפי' בעיר שכולה ישראל מלמד שישיבת ארץ ישראל שקולה כנגד כל מצות שבתורה. 
   

It is proper for a person to live in Eretz Yisrael even in a city where most [of the inhabitants] are idolators and not outside Eretz Yisrael even in a city where everyone is Jewish. This teaches that living in Eretz Yisrael is equal to all the mitzvot in the Torah. 

  

Tzedukah   Babylonian Talmud, Baba Basra 9a 

  

וְאָמַר רַב אַסִּי: שְׁקוּלָה צְדָקָה כְּנֶגֶד כׇּל הַמִּצְוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְהֶעֱמַדְנוּ עָלֵינוּ מִצְוֹת וְגוֹ׳״ – ״מִצְוָה״ אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן, אֶלָּא ״מִצְוֹת״. 

  

  

And Rav Asi says: Charity is equivalent to all the other mitzvot combined, as it is stated in that verse: “We also established mitzvot upon ourselves.” A mitzva is not written here, but rather mitzvot, in the plural, thereby teaching that this mitzva is equivalent to all the other mitzvot.  

  

Jerusalem Talmud, Peah 1:1 

  

צְדָקָה וּגְמִילוּת חֲסָדִים שׁוֹקֶלֶת כְּנֶגֶד כָּל־מִצְוֹתֶיהָ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה. שֶׁהַצְּדָקָה נוֹהֶגֶת בַּחַיִּים וּגְמִילוּת חֲסָדִים נוֹהֶגֶת בַּחַיִּים וּבַמֵּתִים. 

  

Charity and works of kindness are as important as all commandments of the Torah. Charity applies to the living, works of kindness apply to the living and the dead. 

  

Talmud Torah  Mishnah Peah 1:1 

  

אֵלּוּ דְבָרִים שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם שִׁעוּר. הַפֵּאָה, וְהַבִּכּוּרִים, וְהָרֵאָיוֹן, וּגְמִילוּת חֲסָדִים, וְתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה. אֵלּוּ דְבָרִים שֶׁאָדָם אוֹכֵל פֵּרוֹתֵיהֶן בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְהַקֶּרֶן קַיֶּמֶת לוֹ לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. כִּבּוּד אָב וָאֵם, וּגְמִילוּת חֲסָדִים, וַהֲבָאַת שָׁלוֹם בֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ, וְתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה כְּנֶגֶד כֻּלָּם  

  

These are the things that have no definite quantity: The corners [of the field]. First-fruits; [The offerings brought] on appearing [at the Temple on the three pilgrimage festivals]. The performance of righteous deeds; And the study of the torah. The following are the things for which a man enjoys the fruits in this world while the principal remains for him in the world to come: Honoring one’s father and mother; The performance of righteous deeds; And the making of peace between a person and his friend; And the study of the torah is equal to them all. 

 

Lashon Hara  Jerusalem Talmud, Peah 4a, Tosefta, Pe’ah 1:2 

 

ארבעה דברים שהן נפרעין מן האדם בעולם הזה והקרן קיימת לו לעולם הבא ואלו הן ע"ז גילוי עריות ש"ד ולשון הרע כנגד כולן  

 

There are four things for which a person is punished in this world, while the principal remains for him in the World to Come: Idolatry, forbidden relationships and murder. And lashon hara (evil speech) is k'neged them all. 

 

 

It would seem illogical to take each one of these literally as each is included in the other equations. I won’t attempt to explain them all here. However, I will offer Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik’s explanation of Talmud Torah k’neged kulam. He was asked by a student, “What is the meaning of the phrase Talmud Torah k’neged kulam?” He answered, “It is not that this mitzvah is equal to all the mitzvos, but rather that it brings the person to do all the other mitzvos. The whole purpose of the limud is that it comes to asiah and asiah is the ikur.”²²¹ Perhaps, the other highlighted mitzvahs work similarity, that the mitzvah that is equal to the others is connected to the them, leads to them, or possesses a meaning or symbolism that is fundamental to the others.  

 

Note that by the mitzvahs other than Talmud Torah the words שְׁקוּלָה, which means equal to, and כׇּל מִצְוֹת שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה,, which means all the mitzvos of the Torah, are used. By Talmud Torah, we see only the words k’neged, which literally means adjacent to, and the vague term kulam, which means all and by the plain meaning points to the three mitzvos mentioned in the passage.