Today in Judaism: Today is: Shabbat, 25 Tevet 5774 · 28 December
2013
Torah Reading
Va'eira (Exodus 6:2 God also spoke to Moses and said to him: “I
am the Lord. 3 I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as God Almighty,[a] but
by my name ‘The Lord’[b] I did not make myself known to them. 4 I also
established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land in
which they resided as aliens. 5 I have also heard the groaning of the
Israelites whom the Egyptians are holding as slaves, and I have remembered my
covenant. 6 Say therefore to the Israelites, ‘I am the Lord, and I will free
you from the burdens of the Egyptians and deliver you from slavery to them. I
will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. 7 I
will take you as my people, and I will be your God. You shall know that I am
the Lord your God, who has freed you from the burdens of the Egyptians. 8 I
will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob;
I will give it to you for a possession. I am the Lord.’” 9 Moses told this to
the Israelites; but they would not listen to Moses, because of their broken
spirit and their cruel slavery.
10 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, 11 “Go and tell Pharaoh king of
Egypt to let the Israelites go out of his land.” 12 But Moses spoke to the
Lord, “The Israelites have not listened to me; how then shall Pharaoh listen to
me, poor speaker that I am?”[c] 13 Thus the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, and
gave them orders regarding the Israelites and Pharaoh king of Egypt, charging
them to free the Israelites from the land of Egypt.
The Genealogy of Moses and Aaron
14 The following are the heads of their ancestral houses: the
sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi;
these are the families of Reuben. 15 The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad,
Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul,[d] the son of a Canaanite woman; these are the
families of Simeon. 16 The following are the names of the sons of Levi
according to their genealogies: Gershon,[e] Kohath, and Merari, and the length
of Levi’s life was one hundred thirty-seven years. 17 The sons of Gershon:[f]
Libni and Shimei, by their families. 18 The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar,
Hebron, and Uzziel, and the length of Kohath’s life was one hundred thirty-three
years. 19 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the
Levites according to their genealogies. 20 Amram married Jochebed his father’s
sister and she bore him Aaron and Moses, and the length of Amram’s life was one
hundred thirty-seven years. 21 The sons of Izhar: Korah, Nepheg, and Zichri. 22
The sons of Uzziel: Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri. 23 Aaron married Elisheba,
daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab, Abihu,
Eleazar, and Ithamar. 24 The sons of Korah: Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph; these
are the families of the Korahites. 25 Aaron’s son Eleazar married one of the
daughters of Putiel, and she bore him Phinehas. These are the heads of the
ancestral houses of the Levites by their families.
26 It was this same Aaron and Moses to whom the Lord said,
“Bring the Israelites out of the land of Egypt, company by company.” 27 It was
they who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt to bring the Israelites out of Egypt,
the same Moses and Aaron.
Moses and Aaron Obey God’s Commands
28 On the day when the Lord spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt,
29 he said to him, “I am the Lord; tell Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I am
speaking to you.” 30 But Moses said in the Lord’s presence, “Since I am a poor
speaker,[g] why would Pharaoh listen to me?”
7: The Lord said to Moses, “See, I have made you like God to
Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet. 2 You shall speak all
that I command you, and your brother Aaron shall tell Pharaoh to let the
Israelites go out of his land. 3 But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and I will
multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt. 4 When Pharaoh does not
listen to you, I will lay my hand upon Egypt and bring my people the
Israelites, company by company, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of
judgment. 5 The Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch out my
hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out from among them.” 6 Moses and
Aaron did so; they did just as the Lord commanded them. 7 Moses was eighty years
old and Aaron eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh.
Aaron’s Miraculous Rod
8 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 9 “When Pharaoh says to you,
‘Perform a wonder,’ then you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it
down before Pharaoh, and it will become a snake.’” 10 So Moses and Aaron went
to Pharaoh and did as the Lord had commanded; Aaron threw down his staff before
Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. 11 Then Pharaoh summoned the
wise men and the sorcerers; and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did the same
by their secret arts. 12 Each one threw down his staff, and they became snakes;
but Aaron’s staff swallowed up theirs. 13 Still Pharaoh’s heart was hardened,
and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.
The First Plague: Water Turned to Blood
14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is hardened; he
refuses to let the people go. 15 Go to Pharaoh in the morning, as he is going
out to the water; stand by at the river bank to meet him, and take in your hand
the staff that was turned into a snake. 16 Say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of
the Hebrews, sent me to you to say, “Let my people go, so that they may worship
me in the wilderness.” But until now you have not listened. 17 Thus says the
Lord, “By this you shall know that I am the Lord.” See, with the staff that is
in my hand I will strike the water that is in the Nile, and it shall be turned
to blood. 18 The fish in the river shall die, the river itself shall stink, and
the Egyptians shall be unable to drink water from the Nile.’” 19 The Lord said
to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the
waters of Egypt—over its rivers, its canals, and its ponds, and all its pools
of water—so that they may become blood; and there shall be blood throughout the
whole land of Egypt, even in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.’”
20 Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord commanded. In the sight
of Pharaoh and of his officials he lifted up the staff and struck the water in
the river, and all the water in the river was turned into blood, 21 and the
fish in the river died. The river stank so that the Egyptians could not drink
its water, and there was blood throughout the whole land of Egypt. 22 But the
magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts; so Pharaoh’s heart
remained hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said. 23
Pharaoh turned and went into his house, and he did not take even this to heart.
24 And all the Egyptians had to dig along the Nile for water to drink, for they
could not drink the water of the river.
25 Seven days passed after the Lord had struck the Nile.
The Second Plague: Frogs
8: [h] Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to
him, ‘Thus says the Lord: Let my people go, so that they may worship me. 2 If
you refuse to let them go, I will plague your whole country with frogs. 3 The
river shall swarm with frogs; they shall come up into your palace, into your
bedchamber and your bed, and into the houses of your officials and of your
people,[i] and into your ovens and your kneading bowls. 4 The frogs shall come
up on you and on your people and on all your officials.’” 5 [j] And the Lord
said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your staff over the
rivers, the canals, and the pools, and make frogs come up on the land of
Egypt.’” 6 So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the
frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt. 7 But the magicians did the same
by their secret arts, and brought frogs up on the land of Egypt.
8 Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron, and said, “Pray to the
Lord to take away the frogs from me and my people, and I will let the people go
to sacrifice to the Lord.” 9 Moses said to Pharaoh, “Kindly tell me when I am
to pray for you and for your officials and for your people, that the frogs may
be removed from you and your houses and be left only in the Nile.” 10 And he
said, “Tomorrow.” Moses said, “As you say! So that you may know that there is
no one like the Lord our God, 11 the frogs shall leave you and your houses and
your officials and your people; they shall be left only in the Nile.” 12 Then
Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh; and Moses cried out to the Lord
concerning the frogs that he had brought upon Pharaoh.[k] 13 And the Lord did
as Moses requested: the frogs died in the houses, the courtyards, and the
fields. 14 And they gathered them together in heaps, and the land stank. 15 But
when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart, and would not
listen to them, just as the Lord had said.
The Third Plague: Gnats
16 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your
staff and strike the dust of the earth, so that it may become gnats throughout
the whole land of Egypt.’” 17 And they did so; Aaron stretched out his hand with
his staff and struck the dust of the earth, and gnats came on humans and
animals alike; all the dust of the earth turned into gnats throughout the whole
land of Egypt. 18 The magicians tried to produce gnats by their secret arts,
but they could not. There were gnats on both humans and animals. 19 And the
magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God!” But Pharaoh’s heart was
hardened, and he would not listen to them, just as the Lord had said.
The Fourth Plague: Flies
20 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Rise early in the morning and
present yourself before Pharaoh, as he goes out to the water, and say to him,
‘Thus says the Lord: Let my people go, so that they may worship me. 21 For if
you will not let my people go, I will send swarms of flies on you, your
officials, and your people, and into your houses; and the houses of the
Egyptians shall be filled with swarms of flies; so also the land where they
live. 22 But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where my people
live, so that no swarms of flies shall be there, that you may know that I the
Lord am in this land. 23 Thus I will make a distinction[l] between my people
and your people. This sign shall appear tomorrow.’” 24 The Lord did so, and
great swarms of flies came into the house of Pharaoh and into his officials’
houses; in all of Egypt the land was ruined because of the flies.
25 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron, and said, “Go,
sacrifice to your God within the land.” 26 But Moses said, “It would not be
right to do so; for the sacrifices that we offer to the Lord our God are
offensive to the Egyptians. If we offer in the sight of the Egyptians
sacrifices that are offensive to them, will they not stone us? 27 We must go a
three days’ journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the Lord our God as he
commands us.” 28 So Pharaoh said, “I will let you go to sacrifice to the Lord
your God in the wilderness, provided you do not go very far away. Pray for me.”
29 Then Moses said, “As soon as I leave you, I will pray to the Lord that the swarms
of flies may depart tomorrow from Pharaoh, from his officials, and from his
people; only do not let Pharaoh again deal falsely by not letting the people go
to sacrifice to the Lord.”
30 So Moses went out from Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord. 31 And
the Lord did as Moses asked: he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from
his officials, and from his people; not one remained. 32 But Pharaoh hardened
his heart this time also, and would not let the people go.
The Fifth Plague: Livestock Diseased
9: Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh, and say to him,
‘Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews: Let my people go, so that they may
worship me. 2 For if you refuse to let them go and still hold them, 3 the hand
of the Lord will strike with a deadly pestilence your livestock in the field:
the horses, the donkeys, the camels, the herds, and the flocks. 4 But the Lord
will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of
Egypt, so that nothing shall die of all that belongs to the Israelites.’” 5 The
Lord set a time, saying, “Tomorrow the Lord will do this thing in the land.” 6
And on the next day the Lord did so; all the livestock of the Egyptians died,
but of the livestock of the Israelites not one died. 7 Pharaoh inquired and found
that not one of the livestock of the Israelites was dead. But the heart of
Pharaoh was hardened, and he would not let the people go.
The Sixth Plague: Boils
8 Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Take handfuls of soot
from the kiln, and let Moses throw it in the air in the sight of Pharaoh. 9 It
shall become fine dust all over the land of Egypt, and shall cause festering
boils on humans and animals throughout the whole land of Egypt.” 10 So they
took soot from the kiln, and stood before Pharaoh, and Moses threw it in the
air, and it caused festering boils on humans and animals. 11 The magicians
could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils afflicted the
magicians as well as all the Egyptians. 12 But the Lord hardened the heart of
Pharaoh, and he would not listen to them, just as the Lord had spoken to Moses.
The Seventh Plague: Thunder and Hail
13 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning
and present yourself before Pharaoh, and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, the
God of the Hebrews: Let my people go, so that they may worship me. 14 For this
time I will send all my plagues upon you yourself, and upon your officials, and
upon your people, so that you may know that there is no one like me in all the
earth. 15 For by now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your
people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth. 16 But
this is why I have let you live: to show you my power, and to make my name
resound through all the earth. 17 You are still exalting yourself against my
people, and will not let them go. 18 Tomorrow at this time I will cause the
heaviest hail to fall that has ever fallen in Egypt from the day it was founded
until now. 19 Send, therefore, and have your livestock and everything that you
have in the open field brought to a secure place; every human or animal that is
in the open field and is not brought under shelter will die when the hail comes
down upon them.’” 20 Those officials of Pharaoh who feared the word of the Lord
hurried their slaves and livestock off to a secure place. 21 Those who did not
regard the word of the Lord left their slaves and livestock in the open field.
22 The Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven
so that hail may fall on the whole land of Egypt, on humans and animals and all
the plants of the field in the land of Egypt.” 23 Then Moses stretched out his
staff toward heaven, and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and fire came down on
the earth. And the Lord rained hail on the land of Egypt; 24 there was hail
with fire flashing continually in the midst of it, such heavy hail as had never
fallen in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. 25 The hail struck
down everything that was in the open field throughout all the land of Egypt, both
human and animal; the hail also struck down all the plants of the field, and
shattered every tree in the field. 26 Only in the land of Goshen, where the
Israelites were, there was no hail.
27 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “This
time I have sinned; the Lord is in the right, and I and my people are in the
wrong. 28 Pray to the Lord! Enough of God’s thunder and hail! I will let you
go; you need stay no longer.” 29 Moses said to him, “As soon as I have gone out
of the city, I will stretch out my hands to the Lord; the thunder will cease,
and there will be no more hail, so that you may know that the earth is the
Lord’s. 30 But as for you and your officials, I know that you do not yet fear
the Lord God.” 31 (Now the flax and the barley were ruined, for the barley was
in the ear and the flax was in bud. 32 But the wheat and the spelt were not
ruined, for they are late in coming up.) 33 So Moses left Pharaoh, went out of
the city, and stretched out his hands to the Lord; then the thunder and the
hail ceased, and the rain no longer poured down on the earth. 34 But when
Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunder had ceased, he sinned
once more and hardened his heart, he and his officials. 35 So the heart of
Pharaoh was hardened, and he would not let the Israelites go, just as the Lord
had spoken through Moses.
Footnotes:
a. Exodus 6:3 Traditional rendering of Heb El Shaddai
b. Exodus 6:3 Heb YHWH; see note at 3.15
c. Exodus 6:12 Heb me? I am uncircumcised of lips
d. Exodus 6:15 Or Saul
e. Exodus 6:16 Also spelled Gershom; see 2.22
f. Exodus 6:17 Also spelled Gershom; see 2.22
g. Exodus 6:30 Heb am uncircumcised of lips; see 6.12
h. Exodus 8:1 Ch 7.26 in Heb
i. Exodus 8:3 Gk: Heb upon your people
j. Exodus 8:5 Ch 8.1 in Heb
k. Exodus 8:12 Or frogs, as he had agreed with Pharaoh
l. Exodus 8:23 Gk Vg: Heb will set redemption)
Today's Laws & Customs:
• Blessing the New Month
This Shabbat is Shabbat Mevarchim ("the Shabbat that
blesses" the new month): a special prayer is recited blessing the Rosh
Chodesh ("Head of the Month") of upcoming month of Shevat, which
falls on Thursday of next week.
Prior to the blessing, we announce the precise time of the
molad, the "birth" of the new moon. Click here for molad times.
It is a Chabad custom to recite the entire book of Psalms before
morning prayers, and to conduct farbrengens (chassidic gatherings) in the
course of the Shabbat.
Links: On the Significance of Shabbat Mevarchim; Tehillim (the
Book of Psalms); The Farbrengen
Today in Jewish History:
• Chovat Halevavot published (1559)
Chovat Halvavot, the classical work on Jewish ethics, was
authored by Rabbi Bachya ben Yosef ibn Paquda (the first "Rabbeinu
Bechayei") on or before 1161, and translated into Hebrew from the original
Arabic by the famed translator R. Judah idn Tibbon in 1167. It was first
published on the 25th of Tevet of the year 5319 from creation (1559).
Daily Study:
Chitas and Rambam for today:
Chumash: Va'eira, 7th Portion Exodus 9:17-9:35 with Rashi
• Chapter 9
17. If you still tread upon My people, not letting them out, יז. עוֹדְךָ
מִסְתּוֹלֵל בְּעַמִּי לְבִלְתִּי שַׁלְּחָם:
If you still tread upon My people: Heb. מִסְךְתּוֹלֵל, as the
Targum [Onkelos] renders: כְּבִישַׁתבֵּיהּ בְּעַמִי. This is an expression of a
highway (מְסִלָה) (Num. 20:19), rendered by the Targum אֹרַח כְּבִישָׁא, a
trodden road, and in Old French, calcher, to trample underfoot. I already
explained at the end of [the section entitled] וַיְהִי מִקֵץ (Gen. 44:16) that
in every word of which the first root letter is “sammech,” when used in the
“hithpa’el” form, the “tav” of the prefix is placed in the middle of the root
letters, such as here, and such as “and the grasshopper will drag itself along
(וְיִסְךְתַּבֵל) ” (Eccl. 12:5) from the root סבל “that you rule (תִשְךְתָּרֵר)
over us” (Num. 16:13), an expression of a prince (שַֹר) and a ruler; “I looked
(מִסְךְתַּכַּל)” (Dan. 7:8). [Actually, the word is מִשְֹךְתַּכַּל, but the
same rule applies for a “sin” as for a “sammech.”]
עודך מסתולל בעמי: כתרגומו כבישת ביה בעמי, והוא מגזרת (ישעיהו יא טז)
מסלה, דמתרגמינן אורח כבישא, ובלעז קלקיי"ר [לכבוש]. וכבר פירשתי בסוף ויהי מקץ
כל תיבה שתחלת יסודה סמ"ך והיא באה לדבר בלשון מתפעל, נותן התי"ו של שמוש
באמצע אותיות של עיקר, כגון זו וכגון (קהלת יב ה) ויסתבל החגב, מגזרת סבל, (במדבר טז
יג) כי תשתרר עלינו, מגזרת שר ונגיד, (דניאל ז ח) משתכל הוית:
18. behold, I am going to rain down at this time tomorrow a very
heavy hail, the likes of which has never been in Egypt from the day of its
being founded until now. יח. הִנְנִי מַמְטִיר כָּעֵת מָחָר בָּרָד כָּבֵד
מְאֹד אֲשֶׁר לֹא הָיָה כָמֹהוּ בְּמִצְרַיִם לְמִן הַיּוֹם הִוָּסְדָה וְעַד עָתָּה:
at this time tomorrow: [Heb. כָּעֵתמָחָר lit., at the time
tomorrow, meaning] at this time tomorrow. He made a scratch on the wall [to
demonstrate that] “Tomorrow, when the sun reaches here, the hail will come
down.” -[from Tanchuma, Va’era 16]
כעת מחר: כעת הזאת למחר, שרט לו שריטה בכותל למחר כשתגיע חמה לכאן ירד
הברד:
its being founded: Heb. הִוָּסְדָה, when it was founded (נִסְיַסְּדָה).
Every word whose first root letter is “yud,” like יסד to found, ילד, to bear, ידע,
to know, [and] יסר, to chastise, when it is used in the passive voice, a “vav”
replaces the yud, like “its being founded הִוָסְדָה ” ; “she was born (הִוָלְדָה)
” (Hos. 2:5); “And… became known (וַיִוָדַע) ” (Esther 2: 22); “And to Joseph
were born (וַיִוָלֵד) ” (Gen. 46:20); “A slave cannot be chastised ((יִוָּסֶר
with words” (Prov. 29: 19).
הוסדה: שנתיסדה וכל תיבה שתחלת יסודה יו"ד כגון יסד, ילד, ידע,
יסר, כשהיא מתפעלת תבא הוי"ו במקום היו"ד, כמו הוסדה (הושע ב ה) הולדה (אסתר
ב כה) ויודע (בראשית מו כ) ויולד ליוסף, בדברים לא יוסר עבד (משלי כט יט):
19. And now, send, gather in your livestock and all that you
have in the field, any man or beast that is found in the field and not brought
into the house the hail shall fall on them, and they will die." ' " יט. וְעַתָּה
שְׁלַח הָעֵז אֶת מִקְנְךָ וְאֵת כָּל אֲשֶׁר לְךָ בַּשָּׂדֶה כָּל הָאָדָם וְהַבְּהֵמָה
אֲשֶׁר יִמָּצֵא בַשָּׂדֶה וְלֹא יֵאָסֵף הַבַּיְתָה וְיָרַד עֲלֵהֶם הַבָּרָד וָמֵתוּ:
send, gather in: Heb. הָעֵז, as the Targum [Onkelos] renders: שְׁלַח
כְּנוֹֹש send, gather in. Likewise, “the inhabitants gathered הֵעִיזוּ ” (Isa.
10:31); “Gather (הָעִזוּ) the sons of Benjamin” (Jer. 6:1).
שלח העז: כתרגומו שלח כנוש. וכן (ישעיהו י לא) יושבי הגבים העיזו,
(ירמיהו ו א) העיזו בני בנימן:
and not brought into the house: Heb. יֵאָסֵף, an expression of
bringing in.
ולא יאסף הביתה: לשון הכנסה הוא:
20. He who feared the word of the Lord of Pharaoh's servants
drove his servants and his livestock into the houses. כ. הַיָּרֵא אֶת דְּבַר יְהֹוָה
מֵעַבְדֵי פַּרְעֹה הֵנִיס אֶת עֲבָדָיו וְאֶת מִקְנֵהוּ אֶל הַבָּתִּים:
drove: Heb. הֵנִיס, caused to flee, an expression derived from
“and fled (וַיָנָס) ” (Exod. 4:3).
הניס: הבריח לשון (שמות ד ג) וינס משה:
21. But he who did not pay attention to the word of the Lord
left his servants and his livestock in the field. כא. וַאֲשֶׁר לֹא שָׂם לִבּוֹ
אֶל דְּבַר יְהֹוָה וַיַּעֲזֹב אֶת עֲבָדָיו וְאֶת מִקְנֵהוּ בַּשָּׂדֶה:
22. The Lord said to Moses, "Stretch forth your hand
heavenward, and hail will be upon the entire land of Egypt, upon man and upon
beast and upon all the vegetation of the field in the land of Egypt." כב.
וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל משֶׁה נְטֵה אֶת יָדְךָ עַל הַשָּׁמַיִם וִיהִי בָרָד בְּכָל
אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם עַל הָאָדָם וְעַל הַבְּהֵמָה וְעַל כָּל עֵשֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶה בְּאֶרֶץ
מִצְרָיִם:
heavenward: Heb. עַל-הַֹשָמַיִם, lit., over the heavens. Toward
the heavens. According to the Midrash Aggadah (Tanchuma, Va’era 15), however,
[it means that] the Holy One, blessed be He, raised Moses above the heavens.
על השמים: לצד השמים, ומדרש אגדה הגביהו הקב"ה למשה למעלה מן השמים:
23. So Moses stretched forth his staff heavenward, and the Lord
gave forth thunder and hail, and fire came down to the earth, and the Lord
rained down hail upon the land of Egypt. כג. וַיֵּט משֶׁה אֶת מַטֵּהוּ עַל הַשָּׁמַיִם
וַיהֹוָה נָתַן קֹלֹת וּבָרָד וַתִּהֲלַךְ אֵשׁ אָרְצָה וַיַּמְטֵר יְהֹוָה בָּרָד
עַל אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם:
24. And there was hail, and fire flaming within the hail, very
heavy, the likes of which had never been throughout the entire land of Egypt
since it had become a nation. כד. וַיְהִי בָרָד וְאֵשׁ מִתְלַקַּחַת בְּתוֹךְ
הַבָּרָד כָּבֵד מְאֹד אֲשֶׁר לֹא הָיָה כָמֹהוּ בְּכָל אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם מֵאָז הָיְתָה
לְגוֹי:
flaming within the hail: [This was] a miracle within a miracle.
The fire and hail intermingled. Although hail is water, to perform the will of
their Maker they made peace between themselves [that the hail did not
extinguish the fire nor did the fire melt the hail]. — [from Tanchuma, Va’era
14]
מתלקחת בתוך הברד: נס בתוך נס, האש והברד מעורבין, והברד מים הוא, ולעשות
רצון קונם עשו שלום ביניהם:
25. The hail struck throughout the entire land of Egypt, all
that was in the field, both man and beast, and the hail struck all the
vegetation of the field, and it broke all the trees of the field. כה. וַיַּךְ
הַבָּרָד בְּכָל אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם אֵת כָּל אֲשֶׁר בַּשָּׂדֶה מֵאָדָם וְעַד בְּהֵמָה
וְאֵת כָּל עֵשֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶה הִכָּה הַבָּרָד וְאֶת כָּל עֵץ הַשָּׂדֶה שִׁבֵּר:
26. Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel
were, there was no hail. כו. רַק בְּאֶרֶץ גּשֶׁן אֲשֶׁר שָׁם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל
לֹא הָיָה בָּרָד:
27. So Pharaoh sent and summoned Moses and Aaron and said to
them, "I have sinned this time. The Lord is the righteous One, and I and
my people are the guilty ones. כז. וַיִּשְׁלַח פַּרְעֹה וַיִּקְרָא לְמשֶׁה וּלְאַהֲרֹן
וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם חָטָאתִי הַפָּעַם יְהֹוָה הַצַּדִּיק וַאֲנִי וְעַמִּי הָרְשָׁעִים:
28. Entreat the Lord, and let it be enough of God's thunder and
hail, and I will let you go, and you shall not continue to stand." כח. הַעְתִּירוּ
אֶל יְהֹוָה וְרַב מִהְיֹת קֹלֹת אֱלֹהִים וּבָרָד וַאֲשַׁלְּחָה אֶתְכֶם וְלֹא תֹסִפוּן
לַעֲמֹד:
and let it be enough: It is enough for Him what He has already
brought down. — [after Jonathan ben Uzziel]
ורב: די לו במה שהוריד כבר:
29. And Moses said to him, "When I leave the city, I will
spread my hands to the Lord. The thunder will cease, and there will be no more
hail, in order that you know that the land is the Lord's. כט.
וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו משֶׁה כְּצֵאתִי אֶת הָעִיר אֶפְרֹשׂ אֶת כַּפַּי אֶל יְהֹוָה הַקֹּלוֹת
יֶחְדָּלוּן וְהַבָּרָד לֹא יִהְיֶה עוֹד לְמַעַן תֵּדַע כִּי לַיהֹוָה הָאָרֶץ:
When I leave the city: Heb. כְּצֵאתִי אֶת-הָעִיר, [equivalent
to] מִן-הָעִיר, [lit., when I go out] from the city, but within the city he did
not pray, because it was full of idols. — [from Exod. Rabbah 12:5]
כצאתי את העיר: מן העיר, אבל בתוך העיר לא התפלל, לפי שהיתה מלאה גלולים:
30. But you and your servants I know that you still do not fear
the Lord God, ל. וְאַתָּה וַעֲבָדֶיךָ יָדַעְתִּי כִּי טֶרֶם תִּירְאוּן מִפְּנֵי
יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהִים:
you still do not fear: Heb. טֶרֶם ךְתִּירְאוּן, you do not yet
fear, and so every [instance of] טֶרֶם in the Scriptures means “not yet,” and
it is not a term meaning “before.” [This is] like טֶרֶם יִֹשְכָּבוּ, [which
Onkelos renders:] עַד לֹא שְׁכִיבוּ, “They had not yet retired” (Gen. 19:4); טֶרֶם
יִצְמָח, [which Onkelos renders:] עַד לֹא צְמָח, “neither did…yet grow” (Gen.
2:5). This too means the same. [I.e.,] I know that you still do not fear [God],
and as soon as relief comes, you will continue in your corruption. — [from
Onkelos]
טרם תיראון: עדין לא תיראון. וכן כל טרם שבמקרא עדיין לא הוא, ואינו
לשון קודם, כמו (בראשית יט ד) טרם ישכבו, עד לא שכיבו (שם ב ה) טרם יצמח, עד לא צמח,
אף זה כן הוא ידעתי כי עדיין אינכם יראים ומשתהיה הרוחה תעמדו בקלקולכם:
31. though the flax and the barley have been broken, for the
barley is in the ear, and the flax is in the stalk. לא. וְהַפִּשְׁתָּה וְהַשְּׂעֹרָה
נֻכָּתָה כִּי הַשְּׂעֹרָה אָבִיב וְהַפִּשְׁתָּה גִּבְעֹל:
though the flax and the barley have been broken: Heb. נֻכָּתָה,
has been broken, an expression similar to “Pharaoh-Neco (פַּרְעֹה נְכֹה) ” [the
lame Pharaoh] (II Kings 23: 29); “broken-hearted (נְכָאִים) ” (Isa. 16:7); and
likewise, “have not been broken (נֵכּוּ)” (below, verse 32). It is incorrect to
interpret it as an expression of smiting (הַכָּאָה), because a “nun” does not
come in place of a “hey,” that נֻכָּתָה should be explained like הֻכָּתָה,
smitten, and נֻכּוּ like הֻכּוּ, smitten. The “nun” is, however, a root letter
in the word, and it is of the same form as “and his bones are dislocated (ֹשֻפּוּ)
” (Job 33:21).
והפשתה והשערה נכתה: נשברה לשון (מלכים ב כג כט) פרעה נכה, (ישעיהו
טז ז) נכאים, וכן (פסוק לב) לא נכו. ולא יתכן לפרשו לשון הכאה, שאין נו"ן במקום
ה"א לפרש נכתה כמו הוכתה, נכו כמו הכו, אלא הנו"ן שורש בתיבה והרי הוא מגזרת
(איוב לג כא) ושפו עצמותיו:
for the barley is in the ear: It has already ripened and is
standing in its stalks, and they have been broken and have fallen. Likewise,
the flax has already grown and has become hardened [enough] to stand in its
stalks.
כי השערה אביב: כבר ביכרה ועומדת בקשיה ונשתברו ונפלו. וכן הפשתה גדלה
כבר והוקשה לעמוד בגבעוליה:
the barley is in the ear: Heb. אָבִיב, it has stood in its
stalks, an expression like “the green plants of (בְּאִבֵּי) the valley ” (Song
of Songs 6:11).
השעורה אביב: עמדה באביה, לשון (שיר השירים ו יא) באבי הנחל:
32. The wheat and the spelt, however, have not been broken
because they ripen late." לב. וְהַחִטָּה וְהַכֻּסֶּמֶת לֹא נֻכּוּ כִּי
אֲפִילֹת הֵנָּה:
because they ripen late: Heb. אִפִילֹת, late, and they were
still tender and were able to withstand the hard [hail]. Although it says: “and
the hail struck all the vegetation of the field” (verse 25), the simple meaning
of the verse may be explained as referring to the herbs that were standing in
their stalks, which could be smitten by the hail. In the Midrash of Rabbi
Tanchuma (Va’era 16), some of our Rabbis differed with this and interpreted כִּי
אִפִילֹת to mean that “wonders of wonders (פִּלְאֵי פְלָאוֹת) ” were wrought
for them, that they were not smitten.
כי אפילת הנה: מאוחרות, ועדיין היו רכות ויכולות לעמוד בפני קשה. ואף
על פי שנאמר (פסוק כה) ואת כל עשב השדה הכה הברד יש לפרש פשוטו של מקרא בעשבים העומדים
בקלחם הראויים ללקות בברד. ובמדרש רבי תנחומא יש מרבותינו שנחלקו על זאת ודרשו כי אפילות
פלאי פלאות נעשו להם, שלא לקו:
33. Moses went away from Pharaoh, out of the city, and he spread
out his hands to the Lord, and the thunder and the hail ceased, and rain did
not come down to earth. לג. וַיֵּצֵא משֶׁה מֵעִם פַּרְעֹה אֶת הָעִיר
וַיִּפְרֹשׂ כַּפָּיו אֶל יְהֹוָה וַיַּחְדְּלוּ הַקֹּלוֹת וְהַבָּרָד וּמָטָר לֹא
נִתַּךְ אָרְצָה:
did not come down: Heb. לֹא נִךְתַּ, did not reach. Even those
[hailstones] that were in the air did not reach the ground. Similarly: וַךְתִּךְתַּ
עָלֵינוּ, “the curse and the oath” of Ezra (sic) (Dan. 9:11), [which means
they] have befallen us. Menachem (Machbereth Menachem, p. 184), however,
classified it (נִךְתַּ) in the group headed by “As silver is melted (כְּהִךְתּוּ)
” (Ezek. 22:22), an expression of pouring [molten] metal, and I approve of his
words, as the Targum renders וַיִצֹק (Exod. 38:5) as וְאַךְתִּי, “And he
cast,” [and], לָדֶקֶת (Exod. 38:27) as לְאַךְתָּכָא, “to cast.” This too, לֹא נִךְתַּ
אָרְצָה, means: was not poured to earth.
לא נתך: לא הגיע, ואף אותן שהיו באויר לא הגיעו לארץ, ודומה לו (דניאל
ט יא) ותתך עלינו האלה והשבועה, דעזרא, ותגיע עלינו. ומנחם בן סרוק חברו בחלק (יחזקאל
כב כב) כהתוך כסף, לשון יציקת מתכת, ורואה אני את דבריו, כתרגומו ויצק (שמות לח ה)
ואתיך, (שם כז) לצקת לאתכא, אף זה לא נתך לארץ לא הוצק לארץ:
34. And Pharaoh saw that the rain, the hail, and the thunder had
ceased; so he continued to sin, and he strengthened his heart, he and his
servants. לד. וַיַּרְא פַּרְעֹה כִּי חָדַל הַמָּטָר וְהַבָּרָד וְהַקֹּלֹת וַיֹּסֶף
לַחֲטֹא וַיַּכְבֵּד לִבּוֹ הוּא וַעֲבָדָיו:
35. And Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he did not let the
children of Israel go out, as the Lord had spoken through the hand of Moses. לה.
וַיֶּחֱזַק לֵב פַּרְעֹה וְלֹא שִׁלַּח אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְהֹוָה
בְּיַד משֶׁה:
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Daily Tehillim: Psalm Chapter 119, Verses 1-96
• Verses 1-96
David composed this prominent psalm in alphabetical
sequence-eight verses for each letter. Every verse contains one of the
following words (referring to different aspects of Torah): Way; Torah;
Testimony; Precept; Commandment; Statement (translated here as Word or
Promise); Word; Judgement (or Laws); Righteousness; Statute. Replete with
morals and prayers, this psalm should be recited daily, as a powerful
preparation for the service of God. (In verses beginning with one of the
letters of the mnemonic PeReTZ BeN DaMaH, the word "עדותיך" is
pronounced "eidvotecha.")
1. Fortunate are those whose way is artless, who walk with the
Torah of the Lord.
2. Fortunate are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him
with all their hearts.
3. Indeed, they have not done iniquity; they walk in His ways.
4. You have commanded Your precepts to be observed diligently.
5. My wish is that my ways be directed to keep Your statutes.
6. Then I will not be ashamed, when I behold all Your
commandments.
7. I will give thanks to You with uprightness of heart, when I
learn Your righteous judgments.
8. I will keep Your statutes; do not utterly forsake me
9. How can a young man keep his way pure? By observing Your
word.
10. With all my heart I have sought You; do not let me stray
from Your commandments.
11. I have harbored Your word in my heart, that I might not sin
against You.
12. Blessed are You, O Lord; teach me Your statutes.
13. With my lips I have declared all the judgments of Your
mouth.
14. I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, as I would
with all riches.
15. I will speak of Your precepts, and gaze upon Your ways.
16. I will delight in Your statutes; I will not forget Your
word.
17. Deal kindly with Your servant, that I may live to keep Your
word.
18. Unveil my eyes, that I may behold wonders from Your Torah.
19. I am a sojourner on earth; do not hide Your commandments
from me.
20. My soul is crushed with a longing for Your judgments every
moment.
21. You have rebuked the accursed scoffers, those who stray from
Your commandments.
22. Remove insult and contempt from me, for I have kept Your
testimonies.
23. Though princes sat and spoke against me, Your servant speaks
of Your statutes.
24. Indeed, Your testimonies are my delight; they are my
counsellors.
25. My soul cleaves to the dust; revive me in accordance with
Your word.
26. I have spoken of my ways, and You answered me; teach me Your
statutes.
27. Make me understand the way of Your precepts, and I will
speak of Your wonders.
28. My soul drips away out of grief; sustain me according to
Your word.
29. Remove from me the way of falsehood, and graciously endow me
with Your Torah.
30. I have chosen the way of faith; Your judgments have I laid
before me.
31. I held fast to Your testimonies, O Lord; put me not to
shame.
32. I will run on the path of Your commandments, for You will
broaden my heart.
33. Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, and I will keep
it to the last.
34. Grant me understanding and I will keep Your Torah; I will
observe it with all my heart.
35. Direct me in the path of Your commandments, for that is my
desire.
36. Incline my heart to Your testimonies, and not to greed.
37. Avert my eyes from seeing vanity; by Your ways give me life.
38. Fulfill for Your servant Your promise, which brings to the
fear of You.
39. Remove my shame which I fear, for Your judgments are good.
40. Behold, I have longed for Your precepts; give me life in
Your righteousness.
41. And let Your kindness come to fruition for me, O Lord, Your
salvation as You promised.
42. I will offer a retort to those who taunt me, for I trust in
Your word.
43. Do not at all remove the word of truth from my mouth, for I
hope [to fulfill] Your judgments.
44. I will keep Your Torah continually, for ever and ever.
45. And I will walk in spacious paths, for I seek Your precepts.
46. I will speak of Your testimonies before kings, and I will
not be ashamed.
47. And I will delight in Your commandments, which I love.
48. I will lift up my hands to Your commandments, which I love,
and I will speak of Your statutes.
49. Remember the word [promised] to Your servant, by which You
gave me hope.
50. This is my comfort in my affliction, for Your word has given
me life.
51. [Though] the wicked ridicule me severely, I have not strayed
from Your Torah.
52. When I remember Your judgments of old, O Lord, I take
comfort.
53. Trembling seized me because of the wicked, those who forsake
Your Torah.
54. Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my
wanderings.
55. At night I remembered Your Name, O Lord, and I kept Your
Torah.
56. All this came to me because I kept Your precepts.
57. The Lord is my portion; I pledged to keep Your words.
58. I pleaded before You with all my heart: have compassion upon
me according to Your word.
59. I contemplated my ways, and returned my feet to Your
testimonies.
60. I hurried and did not delay to keep Your commandments.
61. Bands of wicked men plundered me, [but] I did not forget
Your Torah.
62. At midnight, I rise to thank You for Your righteous
judgments.
63. I am a friend to all who fear You, and to those who keep
Your precepts.
64. Your kindness, O Lord, fills the earth; teach me Your
statutes.
65. You have dealt goodness to Your servant, O Lord, in accord
with Your promise.
66. Teach me the goodness and wisdom of the [Torah's] reasons,
for I believe in Your commandments.
67. Before I afflicted myself, I would blunder; but now I
observe Your word.
68. You are good and benevolent; teach me Your statutes.
69. The wicked have smeared me with lies, [when in truth] I keep
Your precepts with all my heart.
70. Their hearts grew thick as fat; but as for me, Your Torah is
my delight.
71. It is for my good that I was afflicted, so that I might
learn Your statutes.
72. The Torah of Your mouth is better for me than thousands in
gold and silver.
73. Your hands have made me and prepared me; grant me
understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.
74. Those who fear You will see me and rejoice, because I hoped
in Your word.
75. I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are just; righteously
have You afflicted me.
76. Let Your kindness be my comfort, as You promised to Your
servant.
77. Let Your mercies come upon me, that I may live, for Your
Torah is my delight.
78. Let the scoffers be shamed, for they have maligned me with
falsehood; but I will meditate upon Your precepts.
79. May those who fear You return to me, and those who know Your
testimonies.
80. May my heart be perfect in Your statutes, so that I not be
shamed.
81. My soul longs for Your salvation; I hope for Your word.
82. My eyes long for Your promise, saying, "When will You
comfort me?”
83. Though I became [dried out] like a wineskin in smoke, I did
not forget Your statutes.
84. How many are the days of Your servant? When will You execute
judgment upon my pursuers?
85. The wicked have dug pits for me, in violation of Your Torah.
86. All Your commandments teach truth, [yet] they pursue me with
lies, help me!
87. They nearly consumed me upon the earth, but I did not
forsake Your precepts.
88. As befits Your kindness, grant me life, and I will keep the
testimony of Your mouth.
89. Forever, O Lord, Your word stands firm in the heavens.
90. Your faithfulness persists for all generations; You
established the earth, and it stands.
91. They stand ready today [to execute] Your judgments, for all
are Your servants.
92. Had Your Torah not been my delight, I would have perished in
my affliction.
93. Never will I forget Your precepts, for through them You have
sustained me.
94. I am Yours; save me, for I have sought Your precepts.
95. The wicked hope to destroy me, but I meditate upon Your
testimonies.
96. To every goal I have seen a limit, but Your commandment is
immensely broad.
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Today in Tanya: Likutei Amarim, end of Chapter 13
• Shabbat, 25 Tevet 5774 – 28 December 2013
• Lessons in Tanya
• Today's Tanya Lesson
Likutei Amarim, end of Chapter 13
אך מאחר שהרע שבחלל השמאלי בבינוני הוא בתקפו כתולדתו, להתאות תאוה
לכל תענוגי עולם הזה
Yet, inasmuch as the evil in the left part of the Beinoni’s
heart is in its native strength, craving after all the pleasures of this world,
ולא נתבטל במיעוט לגבי הטוב ולא נדחה ממקומו כלל
and is neither so minute as to be nullified before the good of
the divine soul (as is the case with a tzaddik), nor has it been displaced from
its position to any degree,
רק שאין לו שליטה וממשלה להתפשט באברי הגוף
but merely lacks authority and power to become diffused
throughout the limbs of the body to cause them to do, speak or think evil; nor
is the evil’s lack of ability attributable to the Beinoni’s efforts, for his
evil, like that of the rasha, retains its native strength to pervade the entire
body; rather, the evil is powerless merely
מפני הקב״ה העומד לימין אביון, ועוזר ומאיר לנפש האלקית
because of the Holy One, blessed be He, who “stands at the right
hand of the poor man,” helping him and irradiating his divine soul so that it
may be able to prevail over the evil.
Thus it is only Divine intervention that prevents the evil from
pervading the body; essentially, however, the evil of the Beinoni’s animal soul
is as strong as it was at birth.
לכן נקרא כרשע, כמאמר רז״ל: אפילו כל העולם כולו אומרים לך צדיק אתה,
היה בעיניך כרשע
Therefore [the Beinoni] is described as being “k‘rasha” (“like a
rasha”), but not actually a rasha, as in the statement of our Sages, “Even if
the whole world tells you that you are a tzaddik, be in your own eyes like a
rasha.”
ולא רשע ממש
He should not [regard himself as] an actual rasha, for the
Mishnah admonishes,1 “Be not wicked in your own estimation.”
Moreover, regarding oneself as a rasha hinders one from serving
G‑d joyfully.
אלא שיחזיק עצמו לבינוני
Rather, one should consider oneself a Beinoni,
ולא להאמין להעולם שאומרים שהרע שבו נתבטל לגבי הטוב, שזו מדרגת צדיק
and should not believe i.e., accept the world’s opinion which
would have him believe that the evil in him has been nullified by the good, for
this is the level of a tzaddik.
Only the tzaddik succeeds in nullifying and transforming the
evil within him. But the “world”, which judges the Beinoni by his actions and
sees that he never transgresses, assumes that he too has effectively banished
from within him the evil that is the cause of sin; consequently, people regard
him as a tzaddik.
He is therefore cautioned against accepting the opinion of “the
world.”
אלא יהיה בעיניו כאלו מהותו ועצמותו של הרע הוא בתקפו ובגבורתו בחלל
השמאלי כתולדתו
Instead, he should take the view that the essence and core of
the evil is in its full native strength and might, in the left part of his
heart,
ולא חלף והלך ממנו מאומה
not having vanished or departed from him at all.
ואדרבה נתחזק יותר בהמשך הזמן שנשתמש בו הרבה
On the contrary, with the passage of time [the evil] has gained
strength because he utilized it i.e., the animal soul considerably,
באכילה ושתיה ושאר עניני עולם הזה
in eating and drinking and in other mundane pursuits.
As with every faculty, constant use of the animal soul causes it
to become even stronger than it was at birth.
The Alter Rebbe thus concludes that the words “consider yourself
‘like a rasha’” mean that one must consider himself a Beinoni. The above
applies even to those who have reached a lofty spiritual level; they too should
consider themselves Beinonim. For should one consider himself a tzaddik and
maintain that the evil within him has already been nullified by the good, he
will cease to do battle with the evil. If he is mistaken and is not in fact a
tzaddik, such an unfounded attitude can cause him to slip drastically from his
level, descending even lower than the level of a Beinoni to that of a rasha.
* * *
Until now we have been speaking of a working man who does not
have the opportunity to spend all his time in Torah study and divine service.
Now the discussion turns to the individual who spends all his time immersed in
the study of Torah.
ואף מי שבתורת ה׳ חפצו, ויהגה בה יומם ולילה לשמה
Even if one’s entire aspiration is in G‑d’s Torah, which he studies day and night for its own sake,
אין זו הוכחה כלל שנדחה הרע ממקומו
this is still no proof whatever that the evil has been dislodged
from its place.
אלא יכול להיות שמהותו ועצמותו הוא בתקפו ובגבורתו במקומו בחלל השמאלי
Perhaps, rather, the essence and substance of the evil are in
their full strength and might in its abode in the left part of the heart,
רק שלבושיו שהם מחשבה דבור ומעשה של נפש הבהמית אינן מתלבשים במוח והפה
והידים ושאר אברי הגוף
except that its garments — namely, the thought, speech and
action of the animal soul — are not invested in the brain, mouth and hands and
other parts of the body, to think and do that which is forbidden,
מפני ה׳ שנתן שליטה וממשלה למוח על הלב
because G‑d has granted
the mind supremacy and dominion over the heart.
ולכן נפש האלקית שבמוח מושלת בעיר קטנה, אברי הגוף כולם
Therefore the divine soul in the mind rules over the “small
city,” i.e., [over] all the parts of the body,
שיהיו לבוש ומרכבה
making them,the body’s organs, serve as “garment and vehicle”
I.e., as a means of expression (“garment”) that is totally
subservient to its user (as is a “vehicle” to its rider); thus, because of its
G‑d-given supremacy, the divine soul is able to use the body’s
organs as a “garment and vehicle” —
לשלשת לבושיה שיתלבשו בהם, שהם מחשבה דבור ומעשה של תרי״ג מצות התורה
through which its three “garments” — namely, the thought, speech
and action of the Torah’s 613 commandments — are expressed (“clothed”).
It may be, then, that with regard to this individual’s thinking
and speaking words of Torah and performing the mitzvot, the divine soul rules
over the body; in this area the divine soul has the upper hand and the animal
soul is subservient.
אבל מהותה ועצמותה של נפש האלקית אין לה שליטה וממשלה על מהות ועצמותה
של נפש הבהמית בבינוני
However, in its essence and substance the divine soul has no
preponderance over the essence and substance of the animal soul, in the case of
a Beinoni,
כי אם בשעה שאהבת ה׳ הוא בהתגלות לבו
except at those times when his love for G‑d manifests itself in his heart
בעתים מזומנים כמו בשעת התפלה וכיוצא בה
on propitious occasions such as during prayer and the like.
Then, as mentioned in the previous chapter, the Beinoni is aroused
to a burning love of G‑d that causes
the evil of the animal soul to be nullified before the goodness of the divine
soul.
ואף גם זאת הפעם
Even then, during those times when the divine soul gains the
upper hand over the animal soul,
אינה רק שליטה וממשלה לבד
it is limited to preponderance and dominion alone, i.e., the
divine soul succeeds in dominating the animal soul, not in vanquishing it, in
the sense of nullifying its essence.
כדכתיב: ולאום מלאום יאמץ
As is written of the battle between Jacob and Esau,2
allegorically representing the war between the good and evil in man’s soul:
“And one nation shall prevail over the other.” Jacob, exemplifying the good,
merely prevails over Esau, the evil, but does not succeed in totally
vanquishing him.
כשזה קם זה נופל, וכשזה קם כו׳
This agrees with our Sages‘ comment on this verse: “When this
one rises and prevails that one falls, and when that one rises…[this one
falls].”
The animal soul, although it had “fallen” during prayer, is
afterwards able to “rise” and rally once again, indicating that the divine soul
had not succeeded in vanquishing it even during prayer, for which reason even
its dominance is only temporary.3
שנפש האלקית מתאמצת ומתגברת על נפש הבהמית במקור הגבורות, שהיא בינה
Thus, the divine soul gains strength and ascendancy over the
animal soul, in the source of strength [“Gevurot”], which is understanding
[“Binah”] —
In the Kabbalah’s description of the Sefirot, Binah is the
source of Gevurah. In terms of one’s divine soul, this means that the source of
its strength (“Gevurah”) to combat the animal soul is found in its faculty of
understanding (“Binah”), the faculty with which it understands the greatness of
G‑d.
להתבונן בגדולת ה׳ אין סוף ברוך הוא, ולהוליד אהבה עזה לה׳ כרשפי אש
בחלל הימני שבלבו
[Thus, when the divine soul gains strength…over the animal
soul…during prayer,] pondering on the greatness of G‑d, the blessed Ein Sof, and [thereby] giving birth to intense
and flaming love of G‑d in the right
part of his heart;
ואז אתכפיא סטרא אחרא שבחלל השמאלי
and then when the divine soul dominates the animal soul with its
intense and revealed love of G‑d, the sitra
achra (the evil of the animal soul) in the left part of the heart is
subjugated.
אבל לא נתבטל לגמרי בבינוני, אלא בצדיק, שנאמר בו: ולבי חלל בקרבי
But it is not entirely abolished, in the case of the Beinoni; it
is so only in a tzaddik, concerning whom it is said,4 “My heart is void5 within
me.” The abode in the heart usually occupied by the evil inclination is void in
the heart of a tzaddik.
והוא מואס ברע ושונאו בתכלית השנאה והמיאוס, או שלא בתכלית השנאה כנ״ל
He — the tzaddik —despises and loathes evil with a consummate
hatred if he is a “complete” tzaddik, or without quite such utter hatred if he
is an “incomplete” tzaddik, as explained above in ch. 10.
אבל בבינוני הוא דרך משל כאדם שישן, שיכול לחזור וליעור משנתו
All the above applies to the tzaddik. But in a Beinoni [the
evil] merely lies dormant, as with a sleeping man, for example, who can awaken
from his sleep at any time and reactivate his faculties.
כך הרע בבינוני הוא כישן בחלל השמאלי
So is the evil in the Beinoni dormant, as it were, in the left
part of the heart, not functioning at all, not even desiring physical pleasures
—
בשעת קריאת שמע ותפלה, שלבו בוער באהבת ה׳
during the recital of the Shema and Amidah, when his heart is
aglow with the love of G‑d, causing the
evil of the animal soul to be dormant.
ואחר כך יכול להיות חוזר וניעור
[Therefore,] after prayer it can reawaken.
The Alter Rebbe will now describe an even higher level of
Beinoni — one who is permeated throughout the day with the same degree of love
for G‑d that he feels during prayer. The animal soul of such a Beinoni
is permanently dormant. Accordingly, we will understand how it was possible for
Rabbah to classify himself mistakenly as a Beinoni.
In ch. 1 it was proved that the term Beinoni could not refer (as
a literal interpretation would lead us to believe) to a person half of whose
deeds are virtuous and half sinful. Were this so, how could such a sage like
Rabbah, who never neglected his Torah study for even a moment, make the mistake
of classifying himself as a Beinoni?
However, the Alter Rebbe’s definition of Beinoni as one who does
not sin in practice, does not seem to satisfy this difficulty. Indeed, as the
Alter Rebbe explained in ch. 12, a Beinoni never sins; yet he has sinful
desires. Rabbah, who was in fact a tzaddik, must have known full well that he
was free of such desire. How then could he even mistakenly classify himself as
a Beinoni?
According to the discussion which now follows concerning the
level of the Beinoni who never even desires evil, this matter is readily
understood:
ולכן היה רבה מחזיק עצמו כבינוני, אף דלא פסיק פומיה מגירסא
For this reason Rabbah considered himself a Beinoni, though his
mouth never ceased from Torah study,
ובתורת ה׳ חפצו יומם ולילה בחפיצה וחשיקה ותשוקה
and his desire was in [studying] G‑d’s Torah day
and night, with a craving, desire and longing,
ונפש שוקקה לה׳ באהבה רבה, כבשעת קריאת שמע ותפלה
his soul yearning for G‑d with
overwhelming love, such as that experienced during the recitation of the Shema
and the Amidah.
During prayer, as mentioned above, the Beinoni’s heart is
aroused to a love of G‑d so
passionate that he does not feel the evil of his animal soul at all. Rabbah,
however, experienced this arousal of love not only during prayer but throughout
the day. Therefore, his animal soul was always dormant and he never desired
mundane matters.
ונדמה בעיניו כבינוני המתפלל כל היום
It was therefore possible for him to consider himself a Beinoni,
for he appeared in his own eyes as a Beinoni who prays all day, i.e., a Beinoni
who throughout the day retains the level attained during prayer,
וכמאמר רז״ל: הלואי שיתפלל אדם כל היום כלו
as, indeed, our Sages have said,6 “Would that a man pray the
whole day long!”
Such a Beinoni is constantly ablaze with the love of G‑d, and consequently his desire for evil is always dormant, as
explained. Therefore, the absence of any evil desires did not conclusively
prove to Rabbah that he was a tzaddik; it was still possible for him to
maintain that he was a Beinoni — a Beinoni “who prays all day long.”
What emerges from all that has been said is that even during
prayer when the Beinoni succeeds in arousing his love of G‑d and rendering the evil dormant, his divine soul has merely
prevailed over his animal soul but has not vanquished it, for which reason it
is possible for this state to cease after prayer. Therefore, the Beinoni’s
level of divine service is not considered truthful when compared to the service
of the tzaddik. For “truth” implies continuity and consistency.
The Alter Rebbe goes on to explain that nevertheless, the
Beinoni’s love — relative to his standing — is considered a true form of
service.
והנה מדת אהבה זו האמורה בבינונים בשעת התפלה על ידי התגברות הנפש האלקית
כו׳
Now, this aformentioned love attained by Beinonim at the time of
prayer by virtue of the temporary preponderance of the divine soul over the
animal soul, etc.,
הנה לגבי מדרגת הצדיקים עובדי ה׳ באמת לאמיתו, אין בחינת אהבה זו נקראת
בשם עבודת אמת כלל
when compared to the standard of the tzaddikim who serve G‑d in perfect truth (“in the truest manner of truth”), [this
love] is not called “true service” at all,
מאחר שחולפת ועוברת אחר התפלה
since it passes and disappears after prayer;
וכתיב: שפת אמת תכון לעד, ועד ארגיעה לשון שקר
whereas it is written,7 “The language (lit., ‘the lip’) of truth
shall be established forever, but the tongue of falsehood is only momentary.”
Thus, the term “truth” refers to something immutable; the
temporary and passing are not considered “true”. The same applies here as well:
Since the Beinoni’s love of G‑d is felt only
during prayer and disappears afterwards, it does not measure up to the “truest”
sense of truth — the perfect truth attained by tzaddikim.
ואף על פי כן לגבי מדרגת הבינונים נקראת עבודה תמה באמת לאמיתו שלהם
Nevertheless, in relation to the rank of the Beinoni, [this
level of love] is regarded as a truly perfect service in terms of their level
of truth, i.e., the level of Beinonim,
איש איש כפי מדרגתו במדרגת הבינונים
in each man relative to his standing in the category of the
Beinonim (for, as mentioned earlier, the rank of Beinoni is subdivided into
many levels).
והריני קורא באהבתם שבתפלתם גם כן: שפת אמת תכון לעד
Their love, too, which they possess [only] during prayer, I term,
“The language of truth [,which] shall be established for ever,” i.e., their
love is true and permanent, though manifest only during prayer,
הואיל ובכח נפשם האלקית לחזור ולעורר בחינת אהבה זו לעולם, בהתגברותה
בשעת התפלה מדי יום ביום
since their divine soul has the power to reawaken this love
constantly, whenever it gathers strength during prayer, day after day,
על ידי הכנה הראויה לכל נפש כפי ערכה ומדרגתה
by means of the spiritual preparation appropriate to each soul’s
quality and rank. The higher the level of the soul, the less preparation it
requires to awaken its love of G‑d. Regardless,
every soul has the capacity to arouse its love of G‑d during prayer.
The Beinoni’s love of G‑d is thus
constant, since it is either in an active, revealed state, or is in potentia,
and can be revealed at any moment throughout the day (for, as mentioned
earlier, every Beinoni has the potential to attain the level of “praying the
whole day long.”
One difficulty yet remains: How is it possible for the same
level of service to be considered untrue by the standards of tzaddikim, and
true with regard to Beinonim? Is truth not absolute?
This matter is now explained as follows:
The quality of truth is to be found on every level. In each,
truth means the essence and core of that level; i.e., truth is defined as that
which agrees with the essence of that particular level where it is measured.
Since this is so in all the myriad levels of the spiritual
worlds, from the very highest to the very lowest, and since the lowest levels
are incomparable to the highest, how can it be said that the lower grades
possess truth? We must say, therefore, that the term “truth” is relative to the
level on which it is found, that each grade has its own core of truth. Things
are true if they agree with [the essence of] their own level and untrue if they
do not; they need not agree with a higher level to be considered “true”.
In the Alter Rebbe’s words:
כי הנה מדת אמת היא מדתו של יעקב, הנקרא בריח התיכון המבריח מן הקצה
אל הקצה
For truth is the attribute of Jacob, as the verse states:8 “You
give truth to Jacob,” who is called9 “the middle bolt which secures everything
from end to end,”10 just as the middle bolt in the Tabernacle secured and
bolted together all the boards by passing through them all.
מרום המעלות ומדרגות עד סוף כל דרגין
In spiritual terms, this means that the attribute of truth
passes from the highest gradations and levels to the end (i.e., lowest) of all
grades.
ובכל מעלה ומדרגה מבריח תוך נקודה האמצעית
in each gradation and level it passes through the central point
of that particular level,
שהיא נקודת ובחינת מדת אמת שלה
which is, i.e., which then becomes the point and quality (i.e.,
the standard) of [that level’s] attribute of truth.
Proof is now given that each grade has its own standard of truth,
as it were:
ומדת אמת היא נחלה בלי מצרים, ואין לה שיעור למעלה עד רום המעלות
The attribute of truth is an unbounded inheritance; it has no
upper limit [as it extends] to the highest levels,
וכל מעלות ומדרגות שלמטה הם כאין לגבי מעלות ומדרגות שלמעלה מהן
and all lower gradations and levels are as nothing compared with
those superior to them.
If, then, truth is found on all levels despite their disparity,
we must conclude that the standard of truth on each level is relative to the
core of that level.
In support for his statement that the lower levels and grades
are incomparable to the higher ones, the Alter Rebbe cites:
כידוע ליודעי ח״ן שבחינת ראש ומוחין של מדרגות תחתונות הן למטה מבחינת
עקביים ורגלי מדרגות עליונות מהן
As is known to those familiar with the Esoteric Discipline
(i.e., Kabbalah), the quality that is the “head and intellect” — the highest
level — within lower grades, is inferior to the “soles” and “feet” — the very
lowest level — within the higher grades;
וכמאמר רז״ל: רגלי החיות כנגד כולן
as our Sages say,11 “The feet of the chayyot surpass all those
levels lower than them, including the highest degree within those lower
levels.”)
The attribute of truth, then, is measured according to the
standards of each level. We may thus conclude that the divine service of the
Beinoni is considered “true” service relative to their level, although when
compared with the service of tzaddikim it is not considered “true”, since it
passes after prayer.
——— ● ———
FOOTNOTES
1.Avot 2:13.
2.Bereishit 25:23.
3.Based on a note by the Rebbe. The Rebbe explains thereby why
the Alter Rebbe quotes only half of the second phrase — “When this one
(referring to the divine soul) rises, that one (the animal soul) falls; and
when that one (the animal soul) rises...” — without concluding the part of the
quotation that deals with the divine soul. The Alter Rebbe’s purpose in quoting
the second phrase is to show that the animal soul could rise once again, though
it had “fallen” during prayer. The rest of the phrase is thus irrelevant here.
4.Tehillim 109:22.
5.The word חלל has two meanings: “void”, and “slain”. The Rebbe
points out that the Alter Rebbe understands the חלל of this verse to mean
“void”. This may be inferred from ch. 1, where he interprets the verse as
meaning that “he (David HaMelech) had no Yetzer Hara.” The Alter Rebbe
continues there: “for he had slain it through fasting,” only as added
explanation (not in order to interpret the word חלל) — to indicate that David
had not attained the level of Avraham Avinu, who had transformed his Yetzer
Hara (as stated in Talmud Yerushalmi, end of Berachot ch. 9; David had merely
slain it. In the case of Avraham Avinu, his heart was indeed not void, but in
fact this was his virtue: his heart still housed the Yetzer Hara, but that
Yetzer Hara had undergone such a metamorphosis that is was now a Yetzer Tov.
From Rashi’s commentary on Berachot, however, and also from the
plain sense of the Yerushalmi, it appears that the meaning of חלל is “slain”.
In his commentary on this verse in Tehillim, Rashi cites both interpretations.
6. Berachot 21a.
7. Mishlei 12:19.
8. Micah 7:20.
9. Zohar I, p. 1b; p.
224a.
10. Paraphrase of Shmot
26:28.
11. Chagigah 13a.
-------
Rambam:
• Daily Mitzvah Sefer Hamitzvos:
N285
Negative Commandment 285
False Testimony
"You shall not bear false witness against your
neighbor"—Exodus 20:13.
It is forbidden to testify falsely.
The 285th prohibition is that we are forbidden from giving false
testimony.
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement,1 "Do not testify as a false witness (eid
sheker) against your neighbor." This prohibition is repeated using a
different expression,2 "as a perjurous witness" (eid shav).
Scripture3 dictates the punishment for one who violates this
prohibition, "You must do the same to them as they plotted to do to their
brother." The Mechilta says,4 "The verse, 'Do not testify as a false
witness' is the prohibition regarding false witnesses (eidim zom'mim5)"
The punishment for violating this prohibition is lashes, as
explained in the last chapter6 of tractate Makkos, where the details of this
mitzvah are explained.
FOOTNOTES
1.Ex. 20:13
2.Deut. 5:17.
3.Ibid., 19:19.
4.Parshas Yisro. Evidently the Rambam quotes the Mechilta
because the phrase "the prohibition" proves that this verse
constitutes a Biblical prohibition and therefore included in the count of the
613 mitzvos.
5.Eidim zom'mim are a particular type of false witnesses, who
have been proven false by virtue of testimony that they were not present at the
event they claim to have witnessed. If Reuven and Shimon testified, for
example, that they saw Levi kill Yehudah, they could be proven to be eidim
zom'mim if others testify that they saw Reuven and Shimon in another city on
that day. If this happens, Reuven and Shimon are put to death since this is
what they tried to have inflicted on Levi. See the next mitzvah, P180.
6.
4b. This should evidently read, "first chapter." See
Kapach, 5731, footnote 1.
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Rambam:
• 1 Chapter: She'ar Avot haTum'ah Chapter 17
Chapter 17
Halacha 1
When there is an olive-sized portion of a human corpse in the
mouth of a raven and there is a doubt whether or not it flew over a person or keilim in
a private domain, the person is impure because of the doubt, provided he has
the knowledge to respond to questions. The keilim are pure,
because they do not have the capacity to respond to questions.
Similarly, when a person was drawing water with one container
and pouring it into ten others and the carcass of a creeping animal was found
in one of the ten, that container is impure and the others are pure. Although
there is a question whether they are all impure, for perhaps the the carcass of
the creeping animal had been in the container used to draw water, we rule
leniently, because keilim are involved and they do not have
the capacity to respond to questions. If the container with which he drew the
water possessed a rim, since it is possible for the water to have been poured
out, but for the carcass of the creeping animal to have remained, they are all
impure.
Similarly, when one draws water with ten buckets, one after the
other, and pours the water into ten containers, each bucket into a separate
container, and it is not known which container was first and which was last, if
the carcass of a creeping animal was found in one of them, the other nine
containers and the ten buckets are pure, for one could say perhaps the carcass
of the creeping animal was in the container originally. If the buckets have
rims, all of the buckets and all of the containers are impure.
When one pours from one container to another and the carcass of
a creeping animal is found in the lower container, the upper container is pure.
We do not say that it fell from the upper container. Instead, it is possible
that it had been in the lower container. The rationale for this leniency is
that keilim are involved and they do not have the capacity of
responding to questions. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.
Halacha 2
The following laws apply when there was a container that was
used for pure substances and the carcass of a creeping animal was found in it.
If it has a base or it has a rim, even if it does not have a base, all of the
pure substances that were contained in it are impure. This applies even if it
was checked before the substances were placed in it and covered afterwards,
lest the the carcass of the creeping animal fell there when he lifted up his hand
after checking.
Even if one used it for pure substances in one corner and then
moved it to another corner and the carcass of the creeping animal was
discovered inside, all the pure substances are impure. For the assumption that
impurity was present in an article is not changed when that article is moved
from place to place. All the above applies with regard to holding the status of
the pure substances in abeyance, but not to burn them.
Halacha 3
The following laws apply when a person draws liquids from a
cistern and fills barrels from them. If he would immerse each and every barrel
in the cistern to fill them and a carcass of a creeping animal was found in the
first one, they are all impure. If it was found in the last one, it alone is
impure and all the others are pure. The rationale is that we surmise that the
creeping animal fell into the cistern after the first barrels were filled.
If he was drawing the liquids with one container and pouring
them into barrels until they were full and a carcass of a creeping animal was
found in one of them, it alone is impure and all the others and the cistern are
pure. The rationale is that it can be said that the carcass of the creeping
animal fell into this one alone or it was there before the liquid was poured into
it. Accordingly, if the person checked all the barrels, then poured wine into
them, and covered them afterwards and the carcass of a creeping animal was
found in one of them, they are all impure. Similarly, if the carcass of a
creeping animal was found in the cistern or the container used to draw from it,
everything is impure.
Halacha 4
When one would gather olives from the pit in which they were
stored and bring them up to a roof to dry, if the carcass of a creeping animal
was found on the roof, the olives in the pit are pure. If it was found in the
pit, the pit and the olives contained there are impure. If the carcass was
found in the pit between the wall and the olives, the olives are pure.
The following laws apply if the creeping animal was found in a mound
of olives and the mound was on the roof. If this occurred within three days of
the olives being placed there, the pit is also impure, for it can be said that
the mound was taken from the pit with the creeping animal in it. If the
creeping animal was found three days after the mound had been taken to the
roof, the pit is pure, because maybe the olives became compressed and formed a
mound within these three days.
Halacha 5
When a person breaks off a piece of dough from a larger quantity
and the carcass of a creeping animal was found on the smaller piece, that piece
alone is impure. If the carcass was found in the larger dough, only that dough
is impure. If it was found in the midst of the smaller portion of dough, even
the larger portion is impure.
Halacha 6
When the seed of impure food was found in a loaf of bread or on
hot food, the loaf or the food are impure, even if there is no liquid present.
For it can be said that the entire food fell there, but was dissolved - in the
loaf or because of the boiling - and only the seed remained. If the seed was
found on top of a loaf or in the midst of cold food, the loaf or the food are
pure, even if there is liquid present. For it can be said that the seed alone
fell into the loaf or the food after the impure was removed from it and the
seed does not impart impurity.
Halacha 7
If there was pure food and impure food in a home and a seed was
found inside a loaf of bread or in boiling food, the determination of its
status is made according to the majority. Similarly, if there was pure blood
and impure blood in a home and blood was found on food, the determination of
its status is made according to the majority. An incident occurred with a loaf
of bread that wasterumah upon which blood was found. The incident
was brought before the Sages and they ruled that the loaf was pure. For even if
it could be said that the blood was that of a creeping animal, it is possible
to say that it was the blood of a living creeping animal which is pure.
Halacha 8
When there are carcasses of both animals that died without
ritual slaughter and slaughtered animals in a city, if meat is found in the
streets of the city, the determination of its status is made according to the
majority.
Similarly, if the carcass of an animal was found and there is a
doubt whether it is a creeping animal or a frog, the determination of its
status is made according to the majority of animals in that town at that time.
This is the general principle: When a questionable entity is found, the
determination of its status is made according to the majority.
Halacha 9
When a woman was collecting fertilizer in a courtyard and the
carcass of a creeping animal is found in the fertilizer, she is pure, because
the carcass of a creeping animal does not impart impurity when carried. If it
was found on top of the fertilizer, she is impure, for perhaps she touched it.
If she was sifting kernels of grain with a sieve and the carcass
of a creeping animal was found in the kernels in the sieve, she is pure. If it
is found on top of the sieve, she is considered impure because of the doubt,
for perhaps she touched it. We follow the principle: whenever a question of
impurity arises in a private domain, the person or object in question is deemed
impure, as we explained.
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Rambam:
• 3 Chapters: Edut Chapter 17, Edut Chapter 18, Edut Chapter 19
Chapter 17
Halacha 1
When many men of great wisdom and fear
of God testify to a person and tell him that they saw so-and-so commit a
particular transgression or borrow money from a colleague, although the
listener believes the matter in his heart as if he saw it actually transpire,
he may not deliver testimony unless he actually sees the matter or the borrower
acknowledges the debt verbally to him, saying: "Be a witness for me that
so-and-so lent me a maneh."
These concepts are derived from Leviticus 5:1 which states: "And should he
witness, see, or know of the matter...." There is no testimony that can be
established through sight or knowledge alone except testimony involving
financial matters.
Whenever a person delivers testimony
on the basis of the statements of others, he is a false witness and
transgresses a negative commandment, as Exodus 20:16 states:
"Do not bear false witness against your neighbor."
Halacha 2
Therefore, we issue a warning also to
witnesses who testify regarding financial matters.
How do we warn them? We issue this
warning in the presence of all onlookers, telling them the severity of bearing
false testimony and the shame suffered by those who deliver such testimony in
this world and in the world to come.
Afterwards, we order all other people
to go outside and leave the witness of the greatest stature inside. We say to
him: "Tell us the basis on which you know that this person owes money to
that." If he says: "He told me that the borrower said that I owe him
the money," or he says: "So-and-so told me that he owed him
money," his statements are of no consequence. He must say: "In our
presence, the defendant admitted to the plaintiff that he owes him the money."
Afterwards, we bring in the second
witness and check his testimony in this manner. If their testimony corroborates
each other's, the judges deliberate over the matter and conclude the judgment.
Halacha 3
The following rules apply if a person
hid witnesses against his colleague and that colleague acknowledged his
obligation to him in private. The witnesses saw and heard him tell him:
"Certainly, I owe you this and this amount, but I am afraid you will call
me to judgment tomorrow." This is not valid testimony unless he makes the
acknowledgment in the presence of witnessess.
Halacha 4
Whether a person acknowledged a debt
to a colleague, making the admission in a sincere manner that he owes him
such-and-such an amount, he told the witnesses: "You are my witnesses,"
or he told them "Serve as witnesses for me," they are valid
witnesses. This applies whether the statement is made by the borrower or
whether it is made by the lender and the borrower remains silent as if he is
accepting his words. Needless to say, it applies if he affirmed the appointment
with an act of contract, telling them: "Compose a legal document stating
that I owe so-and-so this-and-this amount," or the like, his statement is
considered as an admission and the witnesses may testify on this basis.
Halacha 5
When a teacher tells a student:
"You know that if they would give me all the money in the world, I would
not lie. So-and-so owes me a maneh.
I have one witness against him. Please, join him." If he joins him, he is
a false witness.
Halacha 6
If he tells him: "Come and stand
together with the witness. You do not have to testify, but the borrower will
become frightened and panic, thinking that you are two witnesses and he will
admit the debt on his own volition," the student is forbidden to stand and
make it appear that he is a witness even though he does not deliver testimony.
With regard to this and similar matter, Exodus 23:7 states:
"Keep distant from words of falsehood."
Halacha 7
A person who hires false witnesses to
testify against a colleague is not liable according to mortal law, but does
have a moral and spiritual obligation. Similarly, one witness who refrains from
testifying is not liable according to mortal law, but does have a moral and
spiritual obligation.
Chapter 18
Halacha 1
When a person delivered false
testimony and witnesses testify to that fact, he is called an eid zomeim, "a conspiring
witness."
It is a positive mitzvah to requite
him in the manner in which he desired through his testimony to effect his
colleague. If witnesses testify with regard to a transgression for which one is
liable to be stoned to death and it is proved that they testified falsely, they
are all stoned. If the transgression was punishable by being burned to death,
they are burned to death. Similar laws apply with regard to other forms of
capital punishment.
If they testified falsely with regard
to a transgression punishable by lashes, each one of them is lashed as are all
those obligated to be lashed. We estimate their capacity to bear the lashes and
they are lashed. If they testified falsely to obligate the defendant to make a
financial payment, we divide that amount according to the number of lying
witnesses. Each witness must pay his share. The lying witnesses do not receive
lashes when they are required to make financial reimbursement.
Halacha 2
When does the above apply? When the
witnesses were disqualified throughhazamah? When, however, the testimony
of two pairs of witnesses contradict each other, both testimonies are of no
consequence, but neither of them receives punishment, because we do not know
which pair is lying.
What is the difference between
testimony which is contradicted and testimony which is disqualified through hazamah? A contradiction
concerns the testimony itself. One pair states: "This is what took
place," and the other pair states: "It never took place," or
that conclusion was obvious from his statements.Hazamah, by contrast,
focuses on the witnesses themselves. The witnesses who disqualify them do not
know whether the event happened or not.
What is implied? Witnesses come and
say: "We saw so-and-so kill a person..." or "...lend money to
so-and-so on this-and-this date in this-and-this place." After they
testified and the testimony was investigated, two other witnesses came and
said: "On that day, we were with you and with those people the entire day
and those things never happened. He never killed him," or "...He
never lent him." This is considered a contradiction.
Similarly, if witnesses say: "How
can you testify in this manner. Either the murderer - or the victim or the
borrower or the lender - were with us on that day in another city," the
testimony is considered to be contradicted. This is as if they said:
"So-and-so did not kill him..." or "So-and-so did not lend him,
for they were together with us and this thing did not happen." Similar
principles apply in all analogous situations.
If, however, the second pair of
witnesses say: "We do not know if so-and-so killed so-and-so on this day
in Jerusalem as you say or not. We are, however, testifying that you yourselves
were with us in Babylon on that date," the first pair of witnesses are
considered as zomeimim and they are executed or required to
make financial restitution. The rationale is that the witnesses who
disqualified them did not concern themselves with the testimony itself whether it
was true or false, but with the presence of the witnesses in the place
mentioned.
Halacha 3
The fact that the Torah accepted the
word of the latter pair of witnesses instead of that of the first pair of
witnesses is a Scriptural decree. Even if there were 100 in the first group of
witnesses and two witnesses came and disqualified them all through hazamah, saying: "We
testify that all 100 of you were together with us on this date in this
place," the 100 witnesses are punished on the basis of their testimony.
For two witnesses are equivalent to 100 and 100 are equivalent to two.
Similarly, when two groups of witnesses contradict each other, we do not follow
the majority instead, we nullify the testimony of both.
Halacha 4
There is no need for lying witnesses
to be given a warning.
When the testimony of witnesses was
first contradicted and ultimately, disqualified through hazamah, the lying witnesses
are executed, lashed, or forced to make financial restitution. The rationale is
that a contradiction is the first stage of hazamah.
It is not, however, completed.
Halacha 5
The testimony of witnesses can be
disqualified through hazamah only in their presence. It can,
however, be contradicted outside their presence.
When the testimony of witnesses has
been disqualified through hazamahoutside
the presence of the witnesses, it is considered to have been contradicted.
Therefore if the witnesses who have been disqualified throughhazamah die before the testimony disqualifying
them is delivered in their presence, their testimony is nullified, for the two
testimonies contradicted each other.
Halacha 6
When the testimony of witnesses in
cases of capital punishment was contradicted, but was not disqualified through hazamah, they do not receive
lashes. This is true, even if the person they testified was killed comes
himself to court to prove the suspected murderer's innocence. The rationale is
that the prohibition is punishable by execution. Hence, lashes are not given
because of it. Nevertheless, the court has the witnesses beaten with stripes
for rebellious conduct according to their perception of the severity of the
matter.
Halacha 7
A public announcement must be made
with regard to lying witnesses. What type of announcement is made? A
proclamation is written and sent throughout every city: "So-and-so and
so-and-so testified in this manner. They were disqualified through hazamah and executed," "...lashed in
our presence," or "fined so-and-so many dinarim." The necessity
for this is derived from Deuteronomy 19:20: "Those who remain
shall hear and become fearful."
Halacha 8
The obligation of lying witnesses to
make financial restitution when required is considered as a fine. Therefore,
they are not required to pay when they admit their own guilt.
What is implied? The witnesses
delivered testimony and their testimony was investigated by the court.
Afterwards, they both admitted: "We delivered false testimony. This person
does not owe the other person anything." Or they said: "We gave
testimony concerning so-and-so with regard to this-and-this amount and we were
disqualified through hazamah."
They are not required to make restitution because of their own statements.
If, however, they said: "We gave
testimony concerning so-and-so, we were disqualified through hazamah in the court of so-and-so and we were
obligated to give him this-and-this amount," they are required to make
financial restitution. For this is an admission of debt with regard to money
that they were already sentenced to pay.
If one witness makes such statements,
he is obligated to pay his portion.
Chapter 19
Halacha 1
The following rules apply when two
witnesses testify, saying: "So-and-so murdered a person in the eastern
portion of the hall at this-and-this time," two other witnesses came and
said: "You were together with us in the western portion of the hall at
that time." If a person standing in the western portion could see what
transpires in the eastern portion, they are not disqualified throughhazamah.
If, however, it is impossible to see what transpires, they are disqualified
through hazamah. We do not
say perhaps the eyesight of the first pair is very powerful and they can see
things which transpire at a greater distance than all other men.
Similar principles apply if two people
testified saying: "In the morning, so-and-so committed murder in
Jerusalem," and two others come and tell them: "On that day, in the
evening, you were together with us in Lod." If it is possible for a person
to travel, even on horseback, from Jerusalem to Lod from the morning to the
evening, they are not disqualified through hazamah.
If not, they are disqualified through hazamah.
We do not say perhaps they found a speedy camel and were able to travel the
route faster than usual. Instead, we always calculate the matter using
according to the known standards and disqualify them through hazamah.
Halacha 2
The following rules apply when two
witnesses state: "On Sunday, so-and-so murdered a person in this-and-this
place," and two other witnesses came and said: "On that date, you
were together with us in another far removed place, but so-and-so certainly
murdered the victim on the following day," the murderer and the first pair
of witnesses are executed. Even if the second pair of witnesses testify that he
committed the murder several days previously,the above laws apply. The
rationale is that at the time they delivered testimony, the murderer had not
yet been sentenced to death.
If, however, two witnesses come on
Tuesday, and say: "On Sunday, so-and-so was sentenced to death," and
two others come on Tuesday and say: "On Sunday, you were together with us
in this distant place, but so-and-so was sentenced to death on Friday or on
Monday," these witnesses are not executed. The rationale is that at the
time they testified, the person had already been sentenced to death.
Similar principles apply with regard
to the payment of a fine. What is implied? Two people came on Tuesday and said:
"On Sunday, so-and-so stole, slaughtered the animal he stole, and was
sentenced to pay a fine of four or five times the animal's worth." Two
other witnesses come and testify: "On Sunday, you were with us in a
distant place, but he was sentenced on Friday" - or even if they said:
"On Sunday, so-and-so stole, slaughtered the animal he stole, and was
sentenced on Monday," the witnesses who were disqualified throughhazamah are not required to make financial
restitution. The rationale is that at the time they testified against him, the
defendant was obligated to make financial restitution. Similar laws apply in
all analogous situations.
Halacha 3
The witnesses to a legal document may
not be disqualified through hazamahunless
they testify in court, saying: "We composed the legal document at the time
stated. We did not delay the dating of it." If they did not say this, even
though a document composed in Jerusalem is dated the first of Nisan and
witnesses come and testify that the witnesses to the legal document were in
Babylon on that date, the legal document is acceptable and the witnesses are
acceptable. For it is possible that they composed the legal document and
postdated it, i.e., they were in Jerusalem on the first of Adar and composed
the legal document and postdated it, dating it the first of Nisan.
The following rules apply when, by
contrast, they said: "We signed the document on the date stated," and
they were disqualified through hazamah.
If there are witnesses who know the day they signed the legal document or
witnesses saw the legal document with their signatures on it on this-and-this
date, once they are disqualified through hazamah,
they are disqualified retroactively from the date on which it is known that
they signed the legal document. The rationale is that witnesses who sign a
legal document are considered as if their testimony was delivered in court from
the time they signed.
If, however, there are no witnesses
who saw them sign, giving testimony, nor did any see the signed document
beforehand, the witnesses are disqualified only from the time they testified in
court that the signature was theirs, saying: "We signed it on that
date." The rationale is that it is possible that on the date that they
testified in court, they signed a legal document that had existed for many
years and they lied by saying: "We signed it on the day it was
dated."
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Hayom Yom:
• Shabbat, 25 Tevet 5774 – 28 December 2013
"Today's Day"
Shabbat Tevet 25 5703
Bless Rosh Chodesh Sh'vat. Say the entire Tehillim in the early
morning. Day of farbrengen.
Haftora: Haba'im yashreish.
Torah lessons: Chumash:
Sh'mot, Shevi'i with Rashi.
Tehillim: 119, 1-96.
Tanya: Inasmuch as (p. 53)...measure up to all." (p. 59).
From my father's sichot: Exodus from Egypt means leaving
limitations and bounds, and Chassidus is to enable man to leave the
restrictions of the material world.
There is a difference: The Egyptian Exodus means shattering and
then departure, which is why they went away from Egypt. The Chassidic exodus
means purification and correction, stepping out of worldly limitations and
bounds while remaining in the world. This means, while functioning within the
world we must transcend its limitations. We are to remove the limitations and
bounds, and perceive the truth - that the world per se is truly good, since,
after all, the natural world is what G-d intended. This is attained through the
avoda of Chassidus.1
FOOTNOTES
1. When society and
environment ("world" in chassidic usage) conflict with Torah, there
may be a reaction of withdrawal from "world" and its affairs. Extreme
monastic withdrawal is rejected by Torah. Chassidus advocates being "within
world," involvement in the normal routines of family and occupation for
example, but refusing subservience to the values and principles of
"world." The Jew's values are to be Torah's while he functions in the
marketplace or laboratory. He utilizes the opportunities and challenges of
"world" to subordinate and use worldly affairs for Torah ideals,
values and goals. He will do this intellectually when confronting concepts that
appear not to be consonant with Torah, and also by observing mitzvot in inhospitable
circumstances. While functioning in this environment he is apart from it,
refusing to be dominated or intimidated by it.
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Daily Thought:
Ultimate Knowledge
Any reason we may suppose for G‑d’s will could
not be the ultimate reason. The finite mind cannot begin to fathom an infinite
wisdom—never mind that which brought forth wisdom from the void.
As a wise man once said, the ultimate knowledge is that we do
not know.
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