Derasha 2 — Vayikra 1:1

Core Text — Yoma 4b

״לֵאמֹר״ — אָמַר רַבִּי (מוּסְיָא בַּר בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי מַסְיָא מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי מוּסְיָא) רַבָּה:
מִנַּיִין לָאוֹמֵר דָּבָר לַחֲבֵרוֹ שֶׁהוּא בְּבַל יֹאמַר עַד שֶׁיֹּאמַר לוֹ לֵךְ אֱמֹר?
שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיְדַבֵּר ה׳ אֵלָיו מֵאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד לֵאמֹר.

English: “Saying” (leimor) — Rabbi Musya grandson of Rabbi Masya said in the name of Rabbi Musya the Great: From where do we know that one who says something to his fellow is bound not to repeat it further until [the original speaker] says to him, “Go, say [it]”? As it is stated: “And Hashem spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying.”

In the sugya: Leimor is read not only as “as follows,” but as authorization to transmit. Until the speaker says the equivalent of “go say,” the listener remains under a restraint against further disclosure. The verse supplies the model: Hashem’s speech to Moshe is framed with leimor before Moshe may carry it to Israel.

What Is Learned

What is told to you in confidence is not yours to retell. The default is silence toward third parties until the original speaker authorizes transmission (“go, say”). The derasha is hung on the opening of Vayikra so that even sacred communication is modeled with controlled release, not automatic republication.

Derasha 2 on Vayikra 1:1

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Core Text of Chazal

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What Is Learned