Today in Judaism: Today is: Shabbat, 3 Shevat 5774 · 4 January 2014

Today in Judaism: Today is: Shabbat, 3 Shevat 5774 · 4 January 2014

Torah Reading

Bo (Exodus (Shemot) 10: And Hashem said unto Moshe, Go in unto Pharaoh; for I have hardened his lev, and the lev of his avadim, that I might show these My otot before him;

² And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy ben, and of thy ben’s ben, what things I have wrought in Mitzrayim, and My otot which I have done among them; that ye may have da’as that I am Hashem.

³ And Moshe and Aharon came in unto Pharaoh,and said unto him, Thus saith Hashem Elohei HaIvrim, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before Me? Let My people go, that they may serve Me.

⁴ Else, if thou refuse to let My people go, hineni, tomorrow will I bring the arbeh into thy border;

⁵ And they shall cover the face of ha’aretz, that one cannot be able to see ha’aretz; and they shall devour the remnant of that which is escaped, which remaineth unto you from the barad, and shall eat kol haetz which groweth for you out of the sadeh;

⁶ And they shall fill thy batim (houses), and the batim (houses) of all thy avadim, and the batim (houses) of kol Mitzrayim; which neither thy avot, nor the avot of thy avot have seen, since the day that they were upon ha’aretz unto this day. And he turned himself, and went out from Pharaoh.

⁷ And Pharaoh’s avadim said unto him, How long shall this man be a mokesh (snare) unto us? Let the anashim go, that they may serve Hashem Eloheihem; knowest thou not yet that Mitzrayim is destroyed?

⁸ And Moshe and Aharon were brought again unto Pharaoh; and he said unto them, Go, serve Hashem Eloheichem; but who are they that shall go?

⁹ And Moshe said, We will go with ne’areinu and with zekeinu, with baneinu and with benoteinu, with tzoneinu and with bekareinu (our herds) will we go; for Chag Hashem lanu.

¹⁰ And he said unto them, Hashem will indeed be with you, if ever I let you go, and your little ones; look to it, evil [intent] is before you.

¹¹ Not so; go now ye that are gevarim, and serve Hashem; for that ye did request. And they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence.

¹² And Hashem said unto Moshe, Stretch out thine yad over Eretz Mitzrayim for the arbeh, that they may come up upon Eretz Mitzrayim, and devour kol esev ha’aretz, even all that the barad hath left as remnant.

¹³ And Moshe stretched forth his matteh over Eretz Mitzrayim, and Hashem brought a ruach kadim upon the land all that yom, and all that lailah; and when it was boker, the ruach hakadim brought the arbeh.

¹⁴ And the arbeh went up over kol Eretz Mitzrayim, and rested on the entire border of Mitzrayim: very grievous were they; before them there were no such arbeh as they, neither after them shall be such.

¹⁵ For they covered the kol ha’aretz, so that the land was darkened; and they did eat kol esev ha’aretz, and kol p’ri haetz which the barad had left as remnant; and there remained not any yerek baetz, or in the esev hasadeh, through kol Eretz Mitzrayim.

¹⁶ Then Pharaoh called for Moshe and Aharon in haste; and he said, chatati (I have sinned) against Hashem Eloheichem, and against you.

¹⁷ Therefore forgive, now, my sin only this once, and entreat Hashem Eloheichem, that He would only take away from me this mavet.

¹⁸ And he went out from Pharaoh, and entreated Hashem.

¹⁹ And Hashem turned a west ruach chazak me’od, which took away the arbeh, and cast them into the Yam Suf; there remained not one arbeh in all the borders of Mitzrayim.

²⁰ But Hashem hardened lev Pharaoh, so that he would not let the Bnei Yisroel go.

²¹ And Hashem said unto Moshe, Stretch out thine yad toward Shomayim, that there may be choshech over Eretz Mitzrayim, even choshech which he can feel.

²² And Moshe stretched forth his yad toward Shomayim; and there was a thick choshech in kol Eretz Mitzrayim shloshet yamim;

²³ They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for shloshet yamim; but kol Bnei Yisroel had Ohr in their dwellings.

²⁴ And Pharaoh called unto Moshe, and said, Go ye, serve Hashem; only let your tzon and your herds remain behind; let your little ones also go with you.

²⁵ And Moshe said, Thou must give us also zevakhim and olot, that we may sacrifice unto Hashem Eloheinu.

²⁶ Also mikneinu shall go with us; there shall not a hoof be left behind; for thereof must we take to serve Hashem Eloheinu; and we know not with what we must serve Hashem, until we come to there.

²⁷ But Hashem hardened lev Pharaoh, and he would not let them go.

²⁸ And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die.

²⁹ And Moshe said, Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face again no more.

11: And Hashem said unto Moshe, Yet will I bring one nega (plague; see Isa 53:8regarding Moshiach) more upon Pharaoh, and upon Mitzrayim; afterwards he will let you go hence: when he shall let you go, he shall surely drive you out hence altogether.

² Speak now in the ears of HaAm, let every ish request of his neighbor, every isha of her neighbor, articles of kesef and articles of zahav.

³ And Hashem gave the people chen in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the ish Moshe was gadol me’od in Eretz Mitzrayim, in the sight of Pharaoh’s avadim, and in the sight of the people.

⁴ And Moshe said, Thus saith Hashem, About khatzot halailah (midnight) will I go out into the midst of Mitzrayim;

⁵ And all the bechor in Eretz Mitzrayim shall die, from the bechor Pharaoh that sitteth upon his kisse, even unto the bechor hashifchah that is behind the millstone; and all the bechor behemah.

⁶ And there shall be a great cry throughout kol Eretz Mitzrayim, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more.

⁷ But against any of the Bnei Yisroel shall not a kelev move his leshon, against ish or behemah; that ye may have da’as that Hashem doth differentiate between Mitzrayim and Yisroel.

⁸ And all these thy avadim shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, Get thee out, and kol HaAm that follow thee; and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger.

⁹ And Hashem said unto Moshe, Pharaoh shall not pay heed unto you; that My mofetim may be multiplied in Eretz Mitzrayim.

¹⁰ And Moshe and Aharon did all these mofetim before Pharaoh; and Hashem hardened lev Pharaoh, so that he would not let the Bnei Yisroel go out of his land.

12: And Hashem spoke unto Moshe and Aharon in Eretz Mitzrayim saying,

² Hachodesh hazeh (this month) shall be unto you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you.

³ Speak ye unto kol Adat Yisroel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a seh (lamb [see Yeshayah 53:7]), according to the bais avot, a seh for each bais;

⁴ And if the household be too small for the seh (lamb [see Yeshayah 53:7]), let him and his neighbor next unto his bais take according to the number of the nefashot; every ish according to what he eats shall make up your count for the seh.

⁵ Your seh (lamb [see Yeshayah 53:7]) shall be tamim (without blemish), a zachar (male) within its first year; ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats;

⁶ And it will be with you for mishmeret (examination, checking for blemishes) up until the fourteenth day of the same month; and kol Kehal Adat Yisroel shall slaughter (shachat) it in the afternoon [before dark].

⁷ And they shall take of the dahm, and strike it upon the two mezuzot (doorposts) and on the mashkof (lintel) of the batim (houses), wherein they shall eat it.

⁸ And they shall eat the basar in that night, roasted over eish, and matzot; and with maror they shall eat it. [See Yochanan 6:53-54 where Moshiach alludes to this verse and Isaiah 53:7.]

⁹ Eat not of it raw, nor soaked or boiled in mayim, but roasted over eish; this includes its rosh with its legs, and with the inner parts thereof.

¹⁰ And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the boker; and that which remaineth of it until the boker ye shall burn with eish.

¹¹ And thus shall ye eat it; with your robe girded up [i.e., pulled up and tucked in under the belt, for travel], your sandals on your feet, and your walking staff in your yad; and ye shall eat it with urgent haste; it is Hashem’s Pesach.

¹² For I will pass through Eretz Mitzrayim balailah hazeh, and will strike fatally kol bechor Eretz Mitzrayim, both adam and behemah; and against all the elohei Mitzrayim I will execute judgment; I am Hashem.

¹³ And the dahm shall be for you, an ot (sign) upon the batim (houses) where ye are; and when I see the dahm, oofasachti (then I will pass over, skip, spare) you [plural], and the negef (plague, blow, striking, i.e., death of firstborn) shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I strike fatally with a blow against Eretz Mitzrayim.

¹⁴ And hayom hazeh shall be unto you for zikaron (remembrance, remembering); and ye shall keep it a Chag (Feast) to Hashem throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a Chag (Feast) by a chukkat olam.

¹⁵ Shivat yamim shall ye eat matzot; but the first day ye shall put away se’or (yeast, leaven) out of your batim (houses); for whosoever eateth chametz from the first day until the seventh day, that nefesh shall be cut off from Yisroel.

¹⁶ And in the yom harishon there shall be a mikra kodesh, and in the yom hashevi’i there shall be a mikra kodesh to you; no manner of melachah shall be done in them, except that which every nefesh must eat [i.e., activity necessary for the preparation of food], that only may be done of you.

¹⁷ And ye shall be shomer to safeguard the matzot; for on this very day I brought your tzva’os out of Eretz Mitzrayim; therefore shall ye be shomer over this day in your generations by a chukkat olam.

¹⁸ In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at erev, ye shall eat matzot, until the one and twentieth day of the month at erev.

¹⁹ Shivat yamim shall there be no se’or (yeast, leaven) found in your batim (houses); whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that nefesh shall be cut off from Adat Yisroel, whether he be a ger, or native born in ha’aretz.

²⁰ Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwellingplaces shall ye eat matzot.

²¹ Then Moshe called for all the Ziknei Yisroel, and said unto them, Draw out as separate and take for yourselves a lamb according to your mishpokhot, and slaughter (shachat) the Pesach [offering, i.e., Pesach lamb (see Yeshayah 53:7)].

²² And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the dahm that is in the basin, and strike the mashkof (lintel) and the two mezuzot (door sideposts) with the dahm that is in the basin; and none of you shall go out the door of his bais until boker.

²³ For Hashem will pass through to strike the Mitzrayim; and when He seeth the dahm upon the mashkof, and on the two mezuzot, Hashem will pasach (pass over, spare, skip) the entrance, and will not permit the Mashkhit (Destroyer, i.e., Hashem’s emissary of judgment, [see Num 22:31 on the Malach Hashem]) to enter unto your batim to strike.

²⁴ And ye shall be shomer over this word as a chok (ordinance) to thee and your children ad olam (forever).

²⁵ And it shall come to pass, when ye come to ha’aretz which Hashem will give to you, according as He hath promised, that ye shall be shomer over this avodah.

²⁶ And it shall come to pass, when your banim shall say unto you, Mah haavodah hazot lachem (What is this avodah to you)?

²⁷ That ye shall say, It is the zevach of Hashem’s Pesach, who pasach (passed over, skipped, spared) the batim (households) of the Bnei Yisroel in Mitzrayim, when He struck down the Egyptians, and spared bateinu (our houses). And the people bowed down and worshiped.

²⁸ And the Bnei Yisroel went away, and did as Hashem had commanded Moshe and Aharon, so did they.

²⁹ And it came to pass, that at midnight Hashem struck down kol bechor in Eretz Mitzrayim, from the bechor of Pharaoh sitting on his throne unto the bechor of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the bechor behemah.

³⁰ And Pharaoh rose up in the lailah, he, and all his avadim, and kol Mitzrayim; and there was a tze’akah gedolah (great wail) in Mitzrayim; for there was not a bais where there was not one dead.

³¹ And he called for Moshe and Aharon by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth, leave from among my people, both ye and the Bnei Yisroel; and go, serve Hashem, as ye have said.

³² Also take your tzon and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also.

³³ And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of ha’aretz in haste; for they said, Kullanu mesim (We are all dead ones).

³⁴ And the people took their batzek (deaf dough, having no indication of fermentation [see1C 5:7 OJBC]) before it was leavened, their kneading pans being wrapped up in their clothes [and carried] upon their shoulders.

³⁵ And the Bnei Yisroel did according to the devar Moshe; they requested of the Egyptians k’lei kesef, and k’lei zahav, and garments;

³⁶ And Hashem gave the people favor in the sight of the Mitzrayim, so that they granted their request. So they plundered the Egyptians.

³⁷ And the Bnei Yisroel journeyed from Rameses towards Sukkot, about 600,000 gevarim on foot, not counting women and children.

³⁸ And an erev rav (mixed multitude, a mixed company that was large) went along also with them; and tzon, and herds, even very many domestic animals.

³⁹ And they baked the batzek (deaf dough) which they brought forth out of Mitzrayim, into round flat cakes of matzot; ki lo chametz, because they were thrust out of Mitzrayim, and could not tarry (linger), neither had they prepared for tzeidah (supply of food, provision).

⁴⁰ Now the moshav (time period of residence) of the Bnei Yisroel dwelling in Mitzrayim was four hundred and thirty shanah.

⁴¹ And it came to pass at the ketz (end) of the four hundred and thirty shanah, even the exact day it came to pass, that kol Tzivos Hashem went out from Eretz Mitzrayim.

⁴² It is a night of shimmurim (keepings, watchings, vigils) for Hashem to keep watch to bring them out from Eretz Mitzrayim; this is halailah hazeh unto Hashem; shimmurim (watchings, vigils) for kol Bnei Yisroel in their dorot.

⁴³ And Hashem said unto Moshe and Aharon, This is the Chukkat HaPesach: there shall no ben nekhar eat thereof;

⁴⁴ But every man’s eved that is bought for kesef, when thou hast given him bris milah, then shall he eat thereof.

⁴⁵ A toshav and a sachir shall not eat thereof.

⁴⁶ In bais echad shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth any of the basar outside the bais; neither shall ye break a bone thereof [see Yochanan 19:36 OJBC].

⁴⁷ Kol Adat Yisroel shall celebrate it.

⁴⁸ And when a ger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the Pesach unto Hashem, let all his zachar receive bris milah, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is native born in ha’aretz; for no arel (uncircumcised person) shall eat thereof.

⁴⁹ Torah echad shall be to him that is native-born, and unto the ger that sojourneth among you.

⁵⁰ Thus did kol Bnei Yisroel; as Hashem commanded Moshe and Aharon, so did they.

⁵¹ And it came to pass the very same day, that Hashem did bring the Bnei Yisroel out of Eretz Mitzrayim by their tzivos.

13: And Hashem spoke unto Moshe, saying,

² Set apart as kodesh unto Me kol bechor, whatsoever openeth the rechem (womb) among the Bnei Yisroel, both of adam and of behemah; it is Mine.

³ And Moshe said unto HaAm, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Mitzrayim, out of the bais avadim; for by chozek yad Hashem brought you out from this place; there shall no chametz be eaten.

⁴ This day came ye out in the month Aviv.

⁵ And it shall be when Hashem shall bring thee into the land of the Kena’ani, and the Chitti, and the Emori, and the Chivi, and the Yevusi, which He swore unto thy Avot to give thee, an eretz flowing with cholov and devash, that thou shalt observe this avodah (service) in this month.

⁶ Shivat yamim thou shalt eat matzot, and in the seventh day shall be a Chag (Feast) to Hashem.

⁷ Matzot shall be eaten shivat hayamim; and there shall no chametz be seen with thee, neither shall there be se’or seen with thee within all thy borders.

⁸ And thou shalt show thy ben in that day, saying, This is because of what Hashem did for me when I came forth out of Mitzrayim.

⁹ And it shall be for an ot (sign) unto thee upon thine yad, and for a zikaron (reminder) between thine eyes, in order that the torat Hashem may be in thy mouth; because with a yad chazakah hath Hashem brought thee out of Mitzrayim.

¹⁰ Thou shalt therefore be shomer over this chukkah in its mo’ed (season, fixed time) perpetually.

¹¹ And it shall be when Hashem shall bring thee into the land of the Kena’ani, as He swore unto thee and to thy avot, and shall give it thee,

¹² That thou shalt set apart unto Hashem all that openeth the rechem (womb), and every firstling that is born of a behemah which thou hast; hazecharim (the males) shall be Hashem’s.

¹³ And every firstling of a he-donkey thou shalt redeem with a seh; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break its neck; and kol bechor adam among thy banim shalt thou redeem.

¹⁴ And it shall be when thy ben asketh thee in time to come, saying, Mah zot? (What is this?) that thou shalt say unto him, By chozek yad Hashem brought us out from Mitzrayim, from the bais avadim;

¹⁵ And it came to pass, when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, that Hashem killed kol bechor of Eretz Mitzrayim, both the bechor adam, and the bechor behemah; therefore Ani zovei’ach laHashem (I sacrifice to Hashem) kol that openeth the rechem (womb), being hazecharim (the males); but kol bechor of my banim I redeem.

¹⁶ And it shall be for an ot (sign) upon thine hand, and for totafos (ornaments, frontlets, bands, phylactery) between thine eyes; for by chozek yad Hashem brought us forth out of Mitzrayim.)

Today in Jewish History:

Amshinover Rebbe (1935)

Shevat 3 is the yahrtzeit (anniversary of the passing) of Rabbi Yosef ben Rabbi Menachem Kalisch zt"l, the Amshinover Rebbe, in 1935.

Daily Study:

Chitas and Rambam for today:

Chumash: Parshat Bo, 7th Portion (Exodus 13:1-13:16) with Rashi

• Chapter 13

1. The Lord spoke to Moses, saying,       א. וַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֶל משֶׁה לֵּאמֹר:

2. "Sanctify to Me every firstborn, every one that opens the womb among the children of Israel among man and among animals; it is Mine."       ב. קַדֶּשׁ לִי כָל בְּכוֹר פֶּטֶר כָּל רֶחֶם בִּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּאָדָם וּבַבְּהֵמָה לִי הוּא:

every one that opens the womb: Heb. פֶּטֶר כָּל-רֶחֶם, which opened the womb first, [פֶּטֶר meaning to open] as “in The beginning of strife is like letting out (פּוֹטֵר) water” (Prov. 17:14); “ יַפְטִירוּ בְשָׂפָה, they will open their lips” (Ps. 22:8). — [from Mechilta, targumim]

פטר כל רחם: שפתח את הרחם תחלה, כמו (משלי יז יד) פוטר מים ראשית מדון, וכן (תהלים כב ח) יפטירו בשפה, יפתחו שפתים:

it is Mine: For Myself I have acquired them by smiting the firstborn of Egypt. — [from Mechilta]

לי הוא: לעצמי קניתים על ידי שהכיתי בכורי מצרים:

3. Moses said to the people, "Remember this day, when you went out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, for with a mighty hand, the Lord took you out of here, and [therefore] no leaven shall be eaten.        ג. וַיֹּאמֶר משֶׁה אֶל הָעָם זָכוֹר אֶת הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר יְצָאתֶם מִמִּצְרַיִם מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים כִּי בְּחֹזֶק יָד הוֹצִיא יְהֹוָה אֶתְכֶם מִזֶּה וְלֹא יֵאָכֵל חָמֵץ:

Remember this day: This teaches us that we are to mention the Exodus from Egypt daily. — [from Mechilta]

זכור את היום הזה: למד שמזכירין יציאת מצרים בכל יום:

4. Today you are going out, in the month of spring.      ד. הַיּוֹם אַתֶּם יֹצְאִים בְּחֹדֶשׁ הָאָבִיב:

in the month of spring: Now do we not know in what month they went out? [Early editions read: Now did they not know in what month they went out?] Rather, this is what he [Moses] said to them, “See the lovingkindness that He bestowed upon you, that He took you out in a month in which it is suitable to go out, when there is neither heat nor cold nor rain,” and so it says: “He takes the prisoners out at the most opportune time (בַּכּוֹשָׁרוֹת) ” (Ps. 68:7), in the month when it is best suited (כָּשֵׁר) to go out. — [from Mechilta]

בחדש האביב: וכי לא היו יודעין באיזה חדש, אלא כך אמר להם, ראו חסד שגמלכם שהוציא אתכם בחדש שהוא כשר לצאת, לא חמה ולא צנה ולא גשמים. וכן הוא אומר (תהלים סח ז) מוציא אסירים בכושרות, חדש שהוא כשר לצאת:

5. And it will come to pass that the Lord will bring you into the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Hivvites, and the Jebusites, which He swore to your forefathers to give you a land flowing with milk and honey and you shall perform this service in this month.        ה. וְהָיָה כִי יְבִיאֲךָ יְהֹוָה אֶל אֶרֶץ הַכְּנַעֲנִי וְהַחִתִּי וְהָאֱמֹרִי וְהַחִוִּי וְהַיְבוּסִי אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע לַאֲבֹתֶיךָ לָתֶת לָךְ אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ וְעָבַדְתָּ אֶת הָעֲבֹדָה הַזֹּאת בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה:

into the land of the Canaanites, etc.: Although [Scripture] enumerated [here] only five nations, it means all seven [of the nations], for they are all included in the [term] Canaanites, [even though] there was one of the families of Canaan that had only the name Canaanite. — [from Mechilta; Tanchuma, Bo 12]

אל ארץ הכנעני וגו': אף על פי שלא מנה אלא חמשה עממין, כל שבעה גוים במשמע, שכולן בכלל כנעני הם, ואחת ממשפחת כנען היתה שלא נקרא לה שם אלא כנעני:

swore to your forefathers, etc.: Concerning Abraham, it says: “On that day, the Lord formed a covenant with Abram, [saying, ‘To your seed I have given this land’]” (Gen. 15:18); and concerning Isaac it says: “Sojourn in this land […for to you and to your seed I will give all these lands, and I will set up the oath that I swore to Abraham your father]” (Gen. 26:3); concerning Jacob it says: “the land upon which you are lying [to you I will give it and to your seed]” (Gen. 28:13). — [from Mechilta]

נשבע לאבתיך וגו': באברהם הוא אומר (בראשית טו יח) ביום ההוא כרת ה' את אברם וגו', וביצחק הוא אומר (שם כו ג) גור בארץ הזאת וגו', וביעקב הוא אומר (שם כח יג) הארץ אשר אתה שוכב עליה וגו':

flowing with milk and honey: Milk flows from the goats’ [udders], and honey flows from the dates and the figs. — [from Kethuboth 111b]

זבת חלב ודבש: החלב זב מן העזים והדבש זב מן התמרים ומן התאנים:

this service: [that] of the Passover sacrifice (Mechilta, Pes. 96a, Mechilta d’Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai). Now was it not already stated above (12:25): “And it shall come to pass when you enter the land [that you should keep this service], etc.” Now why did [Scripture] repeat it? Because of the thing that was newly introduced in it. In the former chapter (12:26), it says: “And it will come to pass if your children say to you, ‘What is this service to you?’” [There,] Scripture refers to a wicked son, who excludes himself from the community [by saying “to you”], and here (verse 8), “And you shall tell your son,” refers to a son who does not know to ask. Scripture teaches you that you yourself should initiate the discourse for him (Mechilta 14) with words of the Aggadah, which draw his interest [lit., draw the heart]. — [from Mechilta 18:14]

את העבדה הזאת: של פסח. והלא כבר נאמר למעלה (יב כה) והיה כי תבואו אל הארץ וגו', ולמה חזר ושנאה, בשביל דבר שנתחדש בה. בפרשה ראשונה נאמר (שם כו) והיה כי יאמרו אליכם בניכם מה העבודה הזאת לכם, בבן רשע הכתוב מדבר שהוציא את עצמו מן הכלל, וכאן (פסוק ח) והגדת לבנך, בבן שאינו יודע לשאול, והכתוב מלמדך שתפתח לו אתה בדברי אגדה המושכין את הלב:

6. For seven days you shall eat unleavened cakes, and on the seventh day, there is a festival for the Lord.     ו. שִׁבְעַת יָמִים תֹּאכַל מַצֹּת וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי חַג לַיהֹוָה:

7. Unleavened cakes shall be eaten during the seven days, and no leaven shall be seen of yours [in your possession], and no leavening shall be seen of yours throughout all of your borders.       ז. מַצּוֹת יֵאָכֵל אֵת שִׁבְעַת הַיָּמִים וְלֹא יֵרָאֶה לְךָ חָמֵץ וְלֹא יֵרָאֶה לְךָ שְׂאֹר בְּכָל גְּבֻלֶךָ:

8. And you shall tell your son on that day, saying, "Because of this, the Lord did [this] for me when I went out of Egypt."        ח. וְהִגַּדְתָּ לְבִנְךָ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא לֵאמֹר בַּעֲבוּר זֶה עָשָׂה יְהֹוָה לִי בְּצֵאתִי מִמִּצְרָיִם:

Because of this: In order that I fulfill His commandments, such as these [commandments of] the Passover sacrifice, matzah, and bitter herbs. — [from Jonathan, Passover Haggadah]

בעבור זה: בעבור שאקיים מצותיו, כגון פסח מצה ומרור הללו:

the Lord did [this] for me: [Scripture] alluded to a reply to the wicked son, to say, “the Lord did [this] for me,” but not for you. Had you been there, you would not have been worthy of being redeemed. — [from Mechilta]

עשה ה' לי: רמז תשובה לבן רשע לומר, עשה ה' לי ולא לך, שאלו היית שם לא היית כדאי ליגאל:

9. And it shall be to you as a sign upon your hand and as a remembrance between your eyes, in order that the law of the Lord shall be in your mouth, for with a mighty hand the Lord took you out of Egypt.     ט. וְהָיָה לְךָ לְאוֹת עַל יָדְךָ וּלְזִכָּרוֹן בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ לְמַעַן תִּהְיֶה תּוֹרַת יְהֹוָה בְּפִיךָ כִּי בְּיָד חֲזָקָה הוֹצִאֲךָ יְהֹוָה מִמִּצְרָיִם:

And it shall be to you as a sign: The Exodus from Egypt shall be to you as a sign. — [from Jonathan]

והיה לך לאות: יציאת מצרים תהיה לך לאות:

upon your hand and as a remembrance between your eyes: This means that you shall write these passages [verses 1:10 and 11:16] and bind them on the head and on the arm.

על ידך ולזכרון בין עיניך: שתכתוב פרשיות הללו ותקשרם בראש ובזרוע:

upon your hand: On the left hand. Therefore, in the second section, יָדְכָה is written with the full spelling, to explain thereby [that it means] the hand (יָד) that is weaker (כֵּהָה). — [from Men. 37b]

על ידך: יד שמאל, לפיכך ידכה מלא בפרשה שניה (פסוק טז) לדרוש בה, יד שהיא כהה:

10. And you shall keep this statute at its appointed time, from year to year.         י. וְשָׁמַרְתָּ אֶת הַחֻקָּה הַזֹּאת לְמוֹעֲדָהּ מִיָּמִים יָמִימָה:

from year to year: Heb. מִיָמִים יָמִימָה, from year to year. — [from Onkelos].

מימים ימימה: משנה לשנה:

11. And it will come to pass when the Lord will bring you into the land of the Canaanites, as He swore to you and to your forefathers, and He has given it to you,       יא. וְהָיָה כִּי יְבִאֲךָ יְהֹוָה אֶל אֶרֶץ הַכְּנַעֲנִי כַּאֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע לְךָ וְלַאֲבֹתֶיךָ וּנְתָנָהּ לָךְ:

And it will come to pass when… will bring you: Some of our Sages learned from here that the firstborn that were born in the desert were not sanctified. The one who rules that they were sanctified explains this “entry” as saying: If you fulfill it [this commandment] in the desert, you will merit to fulfill it there [in the Holy Land]. — [from Bechoroth 4b]

והיה כי יבאך: יש מרבותינו שלמדו מכאן שלא קדשו בכורות הנולדים במדבר, והאומר שקדשו מפרש ביאה זו לומר אם תקיימוהו במדבר תזכו ליכנם לארץ ותקיימוהו שם:

as He swore to you: Now where did He swear to you? “And I will bring you to the land, concerning which I raised, etc.” (Exod. 6:8). — [from Mechilta]

נשבע לך: והיכן נשבע לך, והבאתי אתכם אל הארץ אשר נשאתי וגו' (שמות ו ח):

and He has given it to you: It should seem to you as if He gave it to you today, and it should not seem to you as an inheritance from your forefathers. — [from Mechilta]

ונתנה לך: תהא בעיניך כאלו נתנה לך בו ביום, ואל תהי בעיניך כירושת אבות:

12. that you shall give over to the Lord whatever opens the womb, and every miscarriage that opens the womb of an animal which will be yours, the males belong to the Lord.         יב. וְהַעֲבַרְתָּ כָל פֶּטֶר רֶחֶם לַיהֹוָה וְכָל פֶּטֶר | שֶׁגֶר בְּהֵמָה אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה לְךָ הַזְּכָרִים לַיהֹוָה:

That you shall give over: Heb. וְהַעִבַרְךְתָּ is only an expression of separation, and so [Scripture] states: “and you shall give over (וְהַעִבַרְךְתֶּם) his inheritance to his daughter” (Num. 27:8). — [from Mechilta]

והעברת: אין והעברת אלא לשון הפרשה, וכן הוא אומר (במדבר כז ח) והעברתם את נחלתו לבתו:

and every miscarriage: Heb. שֶׁגֶר, an aborted fetus, which its mother ejected (ֹשֶֹשָגַּרְךְתּוֹ) and sent out before its time. The text teaches you that it is holy in regards to freeing the one that follows it. A fetus that is not aborted is also called שֶׁגֶר, like “the offspring (שְׁגַר) of your cattle” (Deut. 7:13), but this [verse] came only to teach [us] about the aborted fetus, because [Scripture] already stated: “whatever opens the womb.” If you say that the firstborn of an unclean animal is meant, [Scripture] came and explained elsewhere “of your cattle and of your flocks” (Deut. 15:19). In another way we can explain: “you shall give over to the Lord whatever opens the womb,” that the text speaks of the firstborn of man. — [from Mechilta]

שגר בהמה: נפל ששגרתו אמו ושלחתו בלא עתו, ולמדך הכתוב שהוא קדוש בבכורה לפטור את הבא אחריו. ואף שאינו נפל קרוי שגר, כמו (דברים ז יג) שגר אלפיך. אבל זה לא בא אלא ללמד על הנפל שהרי כבר כתיב כל פטר רחם. ואם תאמר אף בכור בהמה טמאה במשמע בא ופירש במקום אחר (דברים טו יט) בבקרך ובצאנך. לשון אחר יש לפרש והעברת כל פטר רחם, בבכור אדם הכתוב מדבר:

13. And every firstborn donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, and if you do not redeem [it], you shall decapitate it, and every firstborn of man among your sons, you shall redeem.     יג. וְכָל פֶּטֶר חֲמֹר תִּפְדֶּה בְשֶׂה וְאִם לֹא תִפְדֶּה וַעֲרַפְתּוֹ וְכֹל בְּכוֹר אָדָם בְּבָנֶיךָ תִּפְדֶּה:

firstborn donkey: But not the firstborn of other unclean animals (Mechilta). This is a biblical edict [decreed that the firstling donkey be redeemed] because the firstborn of the Egyptians were likened to donkeys. Moreover, because they [the donkeys] assisted the Israelites in their departure from Egypt, (for there was not a single Israelite who did not take donkeys from Egypt) laden with the silver and gold of the Egyptians. — [from Bech. 5b]

פטר חמר: ולא פטר שאר בהמה טמאה, וגזרת הכתוב היא לפי שנמשלו בכורי מצרים לחמורים. ועוד, שסייעו את ישראל ביציאתן ממצרים, שאין לך אחד מישראל שלא נטל הרבה חמורים טעונים מכספם ומזהבם של מצרים:

you shall redeem with a lamb: He must give the lamb to a kohen. The firstborn donkey is permitted to be used, and the lamb is the ordinary property [i.e., unconsecrated] of the kohen. — [from Bech. 9a, b] [I.e., the lamb has no sanctity and may be used by the kohen.]

תפדה בשה: נותן שה לכהן ופטר חמור מותר בהנאה והשה חולין ביד כהן:

you shall decapitate it: He decapitates it with a cleaver from behind and kills it (Bech. 13a). He caused the kohen to lose his money [by neglecting to give him the redemption lamb]. Therefore, he must lose his own money [by decapitating his donkey]. — [from Bech. 10b]

וערפתו: עורפו בקופיץ מאחוריו והורגו. הוא הפסיד ממונו של כהן, לפיכך יפסיד ממונו:

and every firstborn of man among your sons, you shall redeem: His redemption [price] is established elsewhere (Num. 18:16) as five selas.

וכל בכור אדם בבניך תפדה: חמש סלעים פדיונו קצוב במקום אחר:

14. And it will come to pass if your son asks you in the future, saying, "What is this?" you shall say to him, "With a mighty hand did the Lord take us out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.       יד. וְהָיָה כִּי יִשְׁאָלְךָ בִנְךָ מָחָר לֵאמֹר מַה זֹּאת וְאָמַרְתָּ אֵלָיו בְּחֹזֶק יָד הוֹצִיאָנוּ יְהֹוָה מִמִּצְרַיִם מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים:

if your son asks you in the future: Heb. מָחָר מָחָר sometimes means “now” and מָחָר sometimes means “at a later time,” such as it does here and such as “In time to come מָחָר, your children might say to our children” (Josh. 22:24), which refers to the children of Gad and the children of Reuben. — [from Mechilta]

כי ישאלך בנך מחר: יש מחר שהוא עכשיו, ויש מחר שהוא לאחר זמן, כגון זה וכגון (יהושע כב כד) מחר יאמרו בניכם לבנינו, דבני גד ובני ראובן:

“What is this?”: This is [the question of] the simple child, [referred to in the Haggadah,] who does not know how to pose his question in depth, and asks a general question: “What is this?” Elsewhere it [Scripture] says: “What are the testimonies, the statutes, and the judgments, etc.?” (Deut. 6: 20). This is the question of the wise son. The Torah spoke regarding four sons: the wicked one (Exod. 12:26), the one who does not understand to ask (Exod. 13:8), the one who asks [a] general [question], and the one who asks in a wise manner. — [from Yerushalmi, Pes. 10:4]

מה זאת: זה תינוק טפש שאינו יודע להעמיק שאלתו וסותם ושואל מה זאת, ובמקום אחר הוא אומר (דברים ו כ) מה העדות והחקים והמשפטים וגו', הרי זאת שאלת בן חכם. דברה תורה כנגד ארבעה בנים, רשע ושאינו יודע לשאול והשואל דרך סתומה והשואל דרך חכמה:

15. And it came to pass when Pharaoh was too stubborn to let us out, the Lord slew every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore, I slaughter [for a sacrifice] all males that open the womb, and every firstborn of my sons I will redeem.      טו. וַיְהִי כִּי הִקְשָׁה פַרְעֹה לְשַׁלְּחֵנוּ וַיַּהֲרֹג יְהֹוָה כָּל בְּכוֹר בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם מִבְּכֹר אָדָם וְעַד בְּכוֹר בְּהֵמָה עַל כֵּן אֲנִי זֹבֵחַ לַיהֹוָה כָּל פֶּטֶר רֶחֶם הַזְּכָרִים וְכָל בְּכוֹר בָּנַי אֶפְדֶּה:

16. And it shall be for a sign upon your hand and for ornaments between your eyes, for with a mighty hand did the Lord take us out of Egypt.         טז. וְהָיָה לְאוֹת עַל יָדְכָה וּלְטוֹטָפֹת בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ כִּי בְּחֹזֶק יָד הוֹצִיאָנוּ יְהֹוָה מִמִּצְרָיִם:

and for ornaments between your eyes: Heb. וּלְטוֹטָפֹת, tefillin. Since they are [composed of] four compartments, they are called טֹטָפֹת, ‎טט in Coptic meaning two, and פת in Afriki (Phrygian) meaning two (Men. 34b) [thus 2+2=4 boxes of tefillin]. Menachem (Machbereth Menachem p. 99), however, classified it [טוֹטָפֹת] with “Speak (הַטֵף) to the south” (Ezek. 21:2) and “Preach not (אַל-תּטִּיפוּ)” (Micah 2:6), an expression of speech, like “and as a remembrance” (Exod. 13:9), for whoever sees them [the tefillin] bound between the eyes will recall the miracle [of the Exodus] and speak about it.

ולטוטפת: תפילין, ועל שם שהם ארבעה בתים קרויין טטפת, טט בכתפי שתים, פת באפריקי שתים. ומנחם חברו עם (יחזקאל כא ב) והטף אל דרום, (מיכה ב ו) אל תטיפו, לשון דבור, כמו (לעיל פסוק ט) ולזכרון, שהרואה אותם קשורים בין העינים יזכור הנס וידבר בו:

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Tehillim Psalm Chapters 18-22

• Chapter 18

If one merits a public miracle, he should offer a song to God, including in his song all the miracles that have occurred since the day the world was created, as well as the good that God wrought for Israel at the giving of the Torah. And he should say: "He Who has performed these miracles, may He do with me likewise."

1. For the Conductor. By the servant of the Lord, by David, who chanted the words of this song to the Lord on the day the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul.

2. He said, "I love You, Lord, my strength.

3. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my rescuer. My God is my strength in Whom I take shelter, my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

4. With praises I call upon the Lord, and I am saved from my enemies.

5. For the pangs of death surrounded me, and torrents of evil people terrified me.

6. Pangs of the grave encompassed me; snares of death confronted me.

7. In my distress I called upon the Lord, I cried out to my God; and from His Sanctuary He heard my voice, and my supplication before Him reached His ears.

8. The earth trembled and quaked; the foundations of the mountains shook-they trembled when His wrath flared.

9. Smoke rose in His nostrils, devouring fire blazed from His mouth, and burning coals flamed forth from Him.

10. He inclined the heavens and descended, a thick cloud was beneath His feet.

11. He rode on a cherub and flew; He soared on the wings of the wind.

12. He made darkness His concealment, His surroundings His shelter-of the dense clouds with their dark waters.

13. Out of the brightness before Him, His clouds passed over, with hailstones and fiery coals.

14. The Lord thundered in heaven, the Most High gave forth His voice-hailstones and fiery coals.

15. He sent forth His arrows and scattered them; many lightnings, and confounded them.

16. The channels of water became visible, the foundations of the world were exposed-at Your rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of Your nostrils.

17. He sent from heaven and took me; He brought me out of surging waters.

18. He rescued me from my fierce enemy, and from my foes when they had become too strong for me.

19. They confronted me on the day of my misfortune, but the Lord was my support.

20. He brought me into spaciousness; He delivered me because He desires me.

21. The Lord rewar-ded me in accordance with my righteousness; He repaid me according to the cleanliness of my hands.

22. For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not transgressed against my God;

23. for all His laws are before me, I have not removed His statutes from me.

24. I was perfect with Him, and have guarded myself from sin.

25. The Lord repaid me in accordance with my righteousness, according to the cleanliness of my hands before His eyes.

26. With the kindhearted You act kindly, with the upright man You act uprightly.

27. With the pure You act purely, but with the crooked You act cun- ningly.

28. For the destitute nation You save, but haughty eyes You humble.

29. Indeed, You light my lamp; the Lord, my God, illuminates my darkness.

30. For with You I run against a troop; with my God I scale a wall.

31. The way of God is perfect; the word of the Lord is pure; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.

32. For who is God except the Lord, and who is a rock except our God!

33. The God Who girds me with strength, and makes my path perfect.

34. He makes my feet like deers', and stands me firmly on my high places.

35. He trains my hands for battle, my arms to bend a bow of bronze.

36. You have given me the shield of Your deliverance, Your right hand upheld me; Your humility made me great.

37. You have widened my steps beneath me, and my knees have not faltered.

38. I pursued my enemies and overtook them; I did not turn back until I destroyed them.

39. I crushed them so that they were unable to rise; they are fallen beneath my feet.

40. You have girded me with strength for battle; You have subdued my adversaries beneath me.

41. You have made my enemies turn their backs to me, and my foes I cut down.

42. They cried out, but there was none to deliver them; to the Lord, but He did not answer them.

43. I ground them as the dust before the wind, I poured them out like the mud in the streets.

44. You have rescued me from the quarrelsome ones of the people, You have made me the head of nations; a nation I did not know became subservient to me.

45. As soon as they hear of me they obey me; strangers deny to me [their disloyalty].

46. Strangers wither away, they are terrified in their strongholds.

47. The Lord lives; blessed is my Rock; exalted is the God of my deliverance.

48. You are the God Who executes retribution for me, and subjugates nations under me.

49. Who rescues me from my enemies, Who exalts me above my adversaries, Who delivers me from the man of violence.

50. Therefore I will laud You, Lord, among the nations, and sing to Your Name.

51. He grants His king great salvations, and bestows kindness upon His anointed, to David and his descendants forever."

Chapter 19

To behold God's might one should look to the heavens, to the sun, and to the Torah, from which awesome miracles and wonders can be perceived--wonders that lead the creations to tell of God's glory.

1. For the Conductor, a psalm by David.

2. The heavens recount the glory of the Almighty; the sky proclaims His handiwork.

3. Day to day speech streams forth; night to night expresses knowledge.

4. There is no utterance, there are no words; their voice is inaudible.

5. Their arc extends throughout the world; their message to the end of the earth. He set in them [the heavens] a tent for the sun,

6. which is like a groom coming forth from his bridal canopy, like a strong man rejoicing to run the course.

7. Its rising is at one end of the heavens, and its orbit encompasses the other ends; nothing is hidden from its heat.

8. The Torah of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy, making wise the simpleton.

9. The precepts of the Lord are just, rejoicing the heart; the command of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes.

10. The fear of the Lord is pure, abiding forever; the judgments of the Lord are true, they are all righteous together.

11. They are more desirable than gold, than much fine gold; sweeter than honey or the drippings of honeycomb.

12. Indeed, Your servant is scrupulous with them; in observing them there is abundant reward.

13. Yet who can discern inadvertent wrongs? Purge me of hidden sins.

14. Also hold back Your servant from willful sins; let them not prevail over me; then I will be unblemished and keep myself clean of gross transgression.

15. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable before You, Lord, my Strength and my Redeemer.

Chapter 20

If a loved one or relative is suffering-even in a distant place, where one is unable to help-offer this prayer on their behalf.

1. For the Conductor, a psalm by David.

2. May the Lord answer you on the day of distress; may the Name of the God of Jacob fortify you.

3. May He send your help from the Sanctuary, and support you from Zion.

4. May He remember all your offerings, and always accept favorably your sacrifices.

5. May He grant you your heart's desire, and fulfill your every counsel.

6. We will rejoice in your deliverance, and raise our banners in the name of our God; may the Lord fulfill all your wishes.

7. Now I know that the Lord has delivered His anointed one, answering him from His holy heavens with the mighty saving power of His right hand.

8. Some [rely] upon chariots and some upon horses, but we [rely upon and] invoke the Name of the Lord our God.

9. They bend and fall, but we rise and stand firm.

10. Lord, deliver us; may the King answer us on the day we call.

Chapter 21

One who is endowed with prosperity, and whose every desire is granted, ought not be ungrateful. He should praise and thank God, recognize Him as the cause of his prosperity, and trust in Him. For everything comes from the kindness of the One Above.

1. For the Conductor, a psalm by David.

2. The king rejoices in Your strength, Lord; how greatly he exults in Your deliverance!

3. You have given him his heart's desire, and You have never withheld the utterance of his lips.

4. You preceded him with blessings of good; You placed a crown of pure gold on his head.

5. He asked of You life, You gave it to him-long life, forever and ever.

6. His glory is great in Your deliverance; You have placed majesty and splendor upon him.

7. For You make him a blessing forever; You gladden him with the joy of Your countenance.

8. For the king trusts in the Lord, and in the kindness of the Most High-that he will not falter.

9. Your hand will suffice for all Your enemies; Your right hand will find those who hate You.

10. You will make them as a fiery furnace at the time of Your anger. May the Lord consume them in His wrath; let a fire devour them.

11. Destroy their offspring from the earth, their descendants from mankind.

12. For they intended evil against You, they devised evil plans which they cannot execute.

13. For You will set them as a portion apart; with Your bowstring You will aim at their faces.

14. Be exalted, O Lord, in Your strength; we will sing and chant the praise of Your might.

Chapter 22

Every person should pray in agony over the length of the exile, and our fall from prestige to lowliness. One should also take vows (for self-improvement) in his distress.

1. For the Conductor, on the ayelet hashachar, a psalm by David.

2. My God, my God, why have You forsaken me! So far from saving me, from the words of my outcry?

3. My God, I call out by day, and You do not answer; at night-but there is no respite for me.

4. Yet You, Holy One, are enthroned upon the praises of Israel.

5. In You our fathers trusted; they trusted and You saved them.

6. They cried to You and were rescued; they trusted in You and were not shamed.

7. And I am a worm and not a man; scorn of men, contempt of nations.

8. All who see me mock me; they open their lips, they shake their heads.

9. But one that casts [his burden] upon the Lord-He will save him; He will rescue him, for He desires him.

10. For You took me out of the womb, and made me secure on my mother's breasts.

11. I have been thrown upon You from birth; from my mother's womb You have been my God.

12. Be not distant from me, for trouble is near, for there is none to help.

13. Many bulls surround me, the mighty bulls of Bashan encircle me.

14. They open their mouths against me, like a lion that ravages and roars.

15. I am poured out like water, all my bones are disjointed; my heart has become like wax, melted within my innards.

16. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaves to my palate; You set me in the dust of death.

17. For dogs surround me, a pack of evildoers enclose me; my hands and feet are like a lion's prey.

18. I count all my limbs, while they watch and gloat over me.

19. They divide my garments amongst them; they cast lots upon my clothing.

20. But You, Lord, do not be distant; my Strength, hurry to my aid!

21. Save my life from the sword, my soul from the grip of dogs.

22. Save me from the lion's mouth, as You have answered me from the horns of wild beasts.

23. I will recount [the praises of] Your Name to my brothers; I will extol You amidst the congregation.

24. You that fear the Lord, praise Him! Glorify Him, all you progeny of Jacob! Stand in awe of Him, all you progeny of Israel!

25. For He has not despised nor abhorred the entreaty of the poor, nor has He concealed His face from him; rather He heard when he cried to Him.

26. My praise comes from You, in the great congregation; I will pay my vows before those that fear Him.

27. Let the humble eat and be satisfied; let those who seek the Lord praise Him-may your hearts live forever!

28. All the ends of the earth will remember and return to the Lord; all families of nations will bow down before You.

29. For sovereignty is the Lord's, and He rules over the nations.

30. All the fat ones of the earth will eat and bow down, all who descend to the dust shall kneel before Him, but He will not revive their soul.

31. The progeny of those who serve Him will tell of the Lord to the latter generations.

32. They will come and relate His righteousness-all that He has done-to a newborn nation.

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Today in Tanya: Likutei Amarim, Chapter 16

• Shabbat, 3 Shevat 5774 – 4 January 2014

• Lessons in Tanya

• Today's Tanya Lesson

Likutei Amarim, Chapter 16

וזה כלל גדול בעבודת ה׳ לבינונים

This, then, is the important principle regarding the divine service of the Beinoni:

העיקר הוא למשול ולשלוט על הטבע שבחלל השמאלי

The essential thing is to govern and rule the nature that is in the left part of the heart,

על ידי אור ה׳ המאיר לנפש האלקית שבמוח

by means of the Divine light that illuminates the divine soul abiding in the brain,

ולשלוט על הלב

and to rule the desires of the heart.

To enable him to master his desires the Beinoni requires (in addition to the natural ability of one’s mind to govern his heart) the help of the Divine light which illuminates his mind1 upon contemplating G‑d’s greatness.

כשמתבונן במוחו בגדולת אין סוף ברוך הוא, להוליד מבינתו רוח דעת ויראת ה׳ במוחו

This mastery of one’s nature and desires is achieved when he meditates in his mind on the greatness of the blessed Infinite G‑d, so as to create through his understanding a spirit of knowledge and fear of G‑d in his mind.

להיות סור מרע דאורייתא ודרבנן, ואפילו איסור קל של דבריהם חס ושלום

This knowledge and fear will cause him to turn away from the evil condemned by the Torah or by our Sages, even from a minor Rabbinic prohibition, heaven forbid.

ואהבת ה׳ בלבו בחלל הימני

Contemplation on G‑d’s greatness will bring about also a love of G‑d which will reveal itself in the right part of his heart — the seat of the G‑dly soul’s emotional faculties,

בחשיקה וחפיצה לדבקה בו בקיום המצות דאורייתא ודרבנן, ותלמוד תורה שכנגד כולן

with a longing and desire to cleave to Him by fulfilling the precepts of the Torah and of the Rabbis, and the study of Torah which is equivalent to them all.

As the Alter Rebbe has already pointed out,2 the commandments cannot be performed fully, that is, with the totality of one’s being, unless the performance is motivated by love of G‑d (for the fulfillment of the positive commandments) and fear of G‑d (for avoiding transgression of the negative commandments). When one’s observance is so motivated, his love and fear of G‑d permeate the performance of the commandments, and enhance them with their power.

Seemingly, however, this is true only of a love and fear that are openly felt in one’s heart. What if, despite one’s efforts in meditating on G‑d’s greatness, he cannot excite himself to an arousal of love or fear of G‑d? In answer, the Alter Rebbe now goes on to say that even if the love and fear born of one’s meditation remain hidden in one’s mind and heart (in a state which the Alter Rebbe refers to as tevunah — an “intellectual love”), they still permeate his performance of the commandments, as though these emotions were open and aroused.

ויתר על כן צריך לידע כלל גדול בעבודה לבינונים

Furthermore, one must know an additional important principle in the Beinoni’s service of G‑d:

שגם אם אין יד שכלו ורוח בינתו משגת להוליד אהבת ה׳ בהתגלות לבו

Even if one’s intellect and understanding are incapable of producing a revealed love of G‑d in his heart,

שיהיה לבו בוער כרשפי אש, וחפץ בחפיצה וחשיקה ותשוקה מורגשת בלב לדבקה בו

to make it burn as it ought with fiery flames, with a desire and a longing and a passion manifestly felt in the heart, to cleave to G‑d;

רק האהבה מסותרת במוחו ותעלומות לבו

instead, the love is hidden in his mind and in the recesses of his heart* —3

At this point the Alter Rebbe inserts a note, stating that one’s inability to reveal the love in his heart does not indicate a fault in his meditation; the cause may well be inherent in the spiritual root of his soul.

הגהה

והסיבה לזה הוא מפני היות המוחין שלו ונפש רוח נשמה שלו מבחינת עיבור והעלם תוך התבונה, ולא מבחינת לידה והתגלות, כידוע ליודעי ח״ן

*NOTE

The reason for this [inhibition] is that this person’s intellect and Nefesh, Ruach and Neshamah derive from the so-called ibbur (conception) and concealment within the [Supernal] understanding, and not from the quality of leidah (birth) and revelation — as is known to those familiar with the Kabbalah.

END OF NOTE

Briefly, this means:

In human emotions born of the intellect (e.g., a love of G‑d is “born” through meditation on G‑d’s greatness), there are two states: (1) where the emotion has already been born and revealed, and (2) an earlier stage, where the emotion is still part of the intellect. In this latter state, the “emotion” consists merely of an intellectual inclination toward the object of one’s understanding.

These two stages are similarly found in the Divine attributes, to which the human emotions are analogous. The Divine attributes — the middot of kindness (Chesed), severity (Gevurah), etc. — prior to their existence in a revealed state, are concealed within and encompassed by the Supernal Intellect (Binah) which is their source. The soul, in turn, stems from the Divine attributes, and hence reflects their characteristics. Thus, those souls which derive from the attributes as they are in their revealed state possess the quality of revelation, i.e., they are capable of bringing their love of G‑d into a revealed state; whereas the souls deriving from the concealed state of the attributes lack this capacity, and their emotions remain concealed within their intellect.

* * *

The Alter Rebbe now goes on to describe a love of G‑d as it is concealed within one’s intellect.

דהיינו שהלב מבין ברוח חכמה ובינה שבמוחו

This means that the heart comprehends, with the spirit of wisdom and understanding in the brain (i.e., instead of being excited with the love of G‑d, as it ought to be, the heart merely experiences an understanding of)

גדולת אין סוף ברוך הוא, דכולא קמיה כלא חשיב ממש

the greatness of the blessed Infinite G‑d, before Whom all else is as naught,

אשר על כן יאתה לו יתברך שתכלה אליו נפש כל חי לידבק ולהכלל באורו

for which reason it is fitting and due unto Him, blessed be He, that the soul of every living thing should pine for Him, to cleave to and become absorbed in His Divine light.

וגם נפשו ורוחו אשר בקרבו, כך יאתה להן, להיות כלות אליו בחשיקה וחפיצה לצאת מנרתקן הוא הגוף, לדבקה בו

It is likewise fitting for his own soul, the Nefesh and Ruach within him,4 to languish for Him with a fervent desire to leave their sheath, i.e., the body, which surrounds and conceals the soul like a sheath, in order to cleave to Him.

רק שבעל כרחן חיות הנה בתוך הגוף, וצרורות בו כאלמנות חיות

so intensely, his thoughts continue, should his Nefesh and Ruach long for G‑d, that only against their will do they dwell in the body; they are bound to it like deserted wives (literally, “living widows,” who are bound to their husbands and are forbidden to remarry as long as the husbands who left them are alive).

ולית מחשבה דילהון תפיסא ביה כלל, כי אם כאשר תפיסא ומתלבשת בתורה ובמצותיה

In their present state their thought cannot grasp G‑d at all, except when it grasps and vests itself in the Torah and its commandments. By studying Torah and observing its commandments, one grasps G‑d’s Will and His wisdom, which are one with G‑d Himself,

כמשל המחבק את המלך, הנזכר לעיל

as illustrated previously5 by the example of one who embraces the king.

Although the king is dressed in his robes, this does not detract from the royal embrace; similarly, although the Torah and its commandments are clothed in material matters, yet, since they express G‑d’s Will and wisdom, when one grasps them it is as though he grasped G‑d Himself.

ואי לזאת יאתה להן לחבקו בכל לב ונפש ומאד

All the above thoughts pass through his mind and heart, and lead him to resolve that: It is therefore fitting and proper for them — for his Nefesh and Ruach — to embrace G‑d with all their heart, soul and might.

דהיינו קיום התרי״ג מצות במעשה ובדבור ובמחשבה, שהיא השגת וידיעת התורה כנזכר לעיל

This means, in a practical sense, to fulfill the 613 commandments in act, speech and thought, the thought being the comprehension and knowledge of the Torah, as explained above in the previous chapters, that through Torah and the commandments one grasps G‑d Himself, so to speak.

Thus we see that what motivates this person’s actual observance of the commandments is meditation on G‑d’s greatness; this brings about the realization that one ought to strive to bind himself to G‑d — a bond which can be achieved only through the commandments.

הנה כשמעמיק בענין זה בתעלומת תבונות לבו ומוחו

Consequently, when the Beinoni ponders this subject in the recesses of his heart’s and mind’s understanding,

ופיו ולבו שוין

and his mouth and heart are in accord, i.e., what his heart feels, finds full expression in his speech,

שמקיים כן בפיו כפי אשר נגמר בתבונת לבו ומוחו

in that he fulfills with his mouth, in his speech, the resolve of his mind’s and heart’s understanding —

דהיינו להיות בתורת ה׳ חפצו, ויהגה בה יומם ולילה בפיו

namely, to direct his desire towards G‑d’s Torah, meditating on it day and night in oral study,

וכן הידים ושאר אברים מקיימים המצות כפי מה שנגמר בתבונת לבו ומוחו

and when his hands and other bodily organs, too, carry out the commandments, as was resolved in his mind’s and heart’s understanding;

הרי תבונה זו מתלבשת במעשה דבור ומחשבת התורה ומצותיה להיות להם בחינת מוחין וחיות וגדפין לפרחא לעילא

then when he implements his resolution this tevunah — the “intellectual emotion,” which cannot properly be called love or fear, but tevunah, literally, “understanding” — is clothed in the act, speech and thought of the Torah and its commandments, providing them with intellectual power, and vitality, and “wings” that enable them to soar on high,

for so it is written in the Zohar:6 “Torah without love and fear (of G‑d) does not soar aloft.”

כאלו עסק בהם בדחילו ורחימו ממש אשר בהתגלות לבו

The love and fear referred to as tevunah, although not heartfelt emotions, nevertheless serve as “wings” for one’s Torah and mitzvot in the same way as if he practiced them with real fear and love as revealed in the heart,

בחפיצה וחשיקה ותשוקה מורגשת בלבו ונפשו הצמאה לה׳, מפני רשפי אש אהבתו שבלבו כנ״ל

(7in which case he would have performed them with a desire, fervor and passion that are felt in the heart and soul thirsting for G‑d, due to the flaming love of G‑d in his heart, as explained above — that a revealed love of G‑d elevates one’s Torah and mitzvot, by lending warmth and vitality to one’s actions).

However, the statement that the tevunah-love too possesses this power requires further elucidation. When does the tevunah-love add to the quality of one’s observance, that would enable it to elevate his actions? This the Alter Rebbe now goes on to explain.

הואיל ותבונה זו שבמוחו ותעלומות לבו היא המביאתו לעסוק בהם

For it is this tevunah in his mind and in the recesses of his heart that leads him to engage in the Torah and mitzvot, as explained above.

ולולי שהיה מתבונן בתבונה זו לא היה עוסק בהם כלל, אלא בצרכי גופו לבד

Had he not meditated on this tevunah, he would not have occupied himself with them at all, but with his physical needs alone.

וגם אם הוא מתמיד בלמודו בטבעו, אף על פי כן אוהב את גופו יותר בטבעו

(8Even if he is an assiduous student by nature, nevertheless he naturally loves his body more.)

What is it, then, that diverts one from his natural inclination to engage in his bodily wants, and that enables his diligence to overcome his physical self-love? It is the love of G‑d — in this case, the hidden tevunah-love. For this reason, the tevunah provides his Torah and mitzvot with “wings”, enabling them to rise heavenward, as though motivated by a revealed and conscious love of G‑d.

וזה רמזו רבותינו ז״ל

Our Sages, of blessed memory, hinted at this principle stated here, that the tevunah-love, too, has the power of elevating one’s Torah and mitzvot

באמרם: מחשבה טובה הקב״ה מצרפה למעשה

when they said:9 “The Holy One, blessed be He, joins a good thought to the deed.”

והוה ליה למימר: מעלה עליו הכתוב כאלו עשאה

The simple meaning of the phrase, that when one intends to do a mitzvah, but is prevented from doing so, G‑d ascribes it to him as though he had actually performed it, warrants the expression: “Torah considers him as though he had actually done it.”

Why the oblique expression, “G‑d joins the thought to the deed,” which seems to indicate that the thought was indeed implemented, but that the action is somehow detached from it, and requires that G‑d join the two together?

אלא הענין

The explanation, however, lies in the previously-mentioned principle:

כי דחילו ורחימו שבהתגלות לבו הם המתלבשים במעשה המצות, להחיותם לפרחא לעילא

It is the revealed fear and love of G‑d in the heart that vest themselves in one’s performance of the commandments, giving them vitality to soar on high.

כי הלב הוא גם כן חומרי, כשאר אברים שהם כלי המעשה

For the heart is also corporeal, like the other organs of the body which are the instruments of action.

Therefore, when one feels a palpable love in his heart — which indicates that the revelation in the soul has become “materialized” to the point where it can be experienced as a feeling of love in the corporeal heart — then this soul-revelation, this love, can also be received by and expressed in the other corporeal organs of the body. When it is so received, and when the organs act in accordance with the love in the heart, then this love lends vitality to these actions, for the heart is the source of vitality for all the organs, as the Alter Rebbe goes on to say.

אלא שהוא פנימי וחיות להם

The heart is, however, internal and is the organs‘ source of vitality.

ולכן יכול להתלבש בהם להיות להם גדפין להעלותם

Therefore, because the heart, in its corporeality, is close to the other organs, and also provides their vitality, it can clothe itself in their actions, to be their “wings”, elevating them.

As we see in practice: When one acts out of love, his hands suddenly become animated; for, as stated, when the soul’s revelation reaches the point where it is felt in a revealed love, it has become so materialized that it can be experienced in the other organs of the body, and can therefore animate their actions.

אך הדחילו ורחימו שבתבונות מוחו ותעלומות לבו הנ״ל

However, the above-mentioned fear and love that are in the intelligence of the brain and the recesses of the heart

גבהו דרכיהם למעלה מעלה מבחינת המעשה

are of a far higher order than the level of “action”.

ואי אפשר להם להתלבש בבחינת מעשה המצות, להיות להם בחינת מוחין וחיות, להעלותן לפרחא לעילא

Therefore, they cannot clothe themselves in the performance of the commandments, to become their intellectual power and vitality, to elevate them, so that they may soar on high;

The inability of the love to find expression beyond the mind — which is far more spiritual than the other organs — indicates that the revelation of soul present in the tevunah-love has not become materialized enough to affect the other, more corporeal organs. As we see, when one’s actions are motivated, not by the desire of his heart, but solely by his understanding that he ought to act in a particular manner, then his actions lack vitality. So it is too of the tevunah-love, and tevunah-fear; they are so far removed from the organs, that they are incapable of lending vitality to the actual performance of the mitzvot, and to elevate them thereby.

אם לא שהקב״ה מצרפן ומחברן לבחינת המעשה

if not for the fact that G‑d joins and unites them together with the action, so that they may serve as its “wings”.

והן נקראות בשם מחשבה טובה, כי אינן דחילו ורחימו ממש בהתגלות לבו

They — the tevunah-fear and love — are called “good thought,” for they are not actual fear and love in a revealed state in the heart,

כי אם בתבונת מוחו ותעלומות לבו כנ״ל

but only in the intelligence of the brain and the recesses of the heart, as mentioned above;* since they express themselves in the mind, they are called “good thought.”

This, then, is the allusion contained in the statement, “G‑d joins the good thought to the deed”: G‑d joins the “good thought” — the tevunah-love and fear — to the good deed (that one has actually performed), so that the deed is not separate from the thought, but instead is elevated by it.

In the following note, the Alter Rebbe states that this idea is expressed in the Kabbalah in terms of the Sefirot (the Divine attributes), and from this we may understand its parallel in the human faculties.

הגהה

וכמו שכתוב בזוהר ועץ חיים, דתבונה אותיות ב״ן וב״ת שהן דחילו ורחימו

*NOTE

Thus it is also written in the Zohar and Etz Chayim, that the Hebrew word תבונה (“understanding”) comprises the letters which form the words בן and בת (“son” and “daughter”), which, in terms of human emotions, represent love and fear.

ולפעמים התבונה יורדת להיות מוחין בנוקבא דזעיר אנפין, שהן אותיות התורה והמצות

Sometimes the tevunah descends to become the intelligence in the feminine aspect of the “small image” (i.e., the recipient of the Divine middot, or attributes, which are referred to collectively as the “small image”), which, in the human sphere, refers to the letters of Torah and mitzvot.

The normal order would be that the tevunah descend first to the “small image” (the middot) and thence to the “feminine aspect” (the attribute of Malchut). Sometimes, however, there is a direct flow from Binah to Malchut, bypassing the intervening middot. In terms of one’s service to G‑d this means: The normal procedure should be that the understanding derived from one’s meditation should affect his emotions, arousing a love and fear within him, and these emotions should, in turn, express themselves in one’s actual performance of the commandments. There is, however, an alternative method of affecting one’s actions — through the direct influence of the tevunah.

והמשכיל יבין

The initiated shall understand. I.e., the kabbalistic references contained in the note will be more fully elucidated in the course of further study.

END OF NOTE

The Alter Rebbe now goes on to say that the effect of G‑d’s joining the “good thought” of tevunah to one’s good deeds, is that in this way the mitzvot are able to ascend to the World of Beriah. This is a “world of comprehension,” and all the mitzvot motivated by emotions arising from an understanding of G‑d’s greatness ascend thereto. But even without this act of joining the good thought to the deed, one’s Torah and mitzvot ascend to the (lower) World of Yetzirah, a “world of feeling,” since one’s performance is motivated (at the very least) by the inherent love and fear of G‑d that is hidden in the heart of every Jew.

אך צירוף זה מצרף הקב״ה כדי להעלות מעשה המצות ועסק התורה, הנעשים על ידי מחשבה טובה הנ״ל, עד עולם הבריאה

But G‑d effects this joining of tevunah to action in order to elevate the performance of the commandments and the Torah study — which are carried out through the influence of the “good thought” (viz., the tevunah) mentioned above — into the World of Beriah;

מקום עליית התורה והמצות הנעשים על ידי דחילו ורחימו שכליים, אשר בהתגלות לבו ממש

the World of Beriah being the level to which ascends the performance of Torah and mitzvot when motivated by a fear and love deriving from one’s meditation, and which are truly revealed in one’s heart.

אבל בלאו הכי נמי עולים לעולם היצירה על ידי דחילו ורחימו טבעיים המסותרים בלב כל ישראל בתולדותם, כמו שכתוב לקמן באריכות

However, even without this joining they rise to the World of Yetzirah, by means of the natural fear and love which are latent in the heart of all Jews from birth, as will be later explained at length.10

In summary: Even he who cannot create a conscious, palpable love and fear of G‑d in his heart, can serve G‑d with a perfect service through the tevunah-emotions. Thereby, too, his performance of the Torah and mitzvot will ascend to the same level as that motivated by a revealed love and fear of G‑d.

——— ● ———

FOOTNOTES

1.See above, ch. 13.

2.In ch. 4.

3.Not to be confused with the “hidden love” mentioned in ch. 15. The love mentioned there is inherent, and cannot be said to constitute avodah — divine service — while in its latent (“hidden”) state. The love spoken of here is of man’s making and does, indeed, constitute avodah. It is “hidden” only in the sense that it is marked by the reserve characteristic of the intellect, and thus lacks the intensity and the force of expression of an emotionally-charged love.

4.Neshamah is omitted here, for it is already alluded to in the “hidden love in the brain and the recesses of the heart,” just mentioned.

5.Ch. 4.

6.Tikkunei Zohar, Tikkun 10.

7.Parentheses are in the original text.

8.Parentheses are in the original text.

9.Cf. Kiddushin 40a.

10.Chs. 38, 39, 40.

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Rambam:

• Daily Mitzvah Sefer Hamitzvos:

N166

Negative Commandment 166 (Digest)

A Priest's Ritual Purity

"He shall not become impure for the dead among his people"—Leviticus 21:1.

A kohen (priest) may not contract ritual impurity through contact with a human corpse. The exception to this rule are his next of kin [—his father, mother, brother, unmarried sister, son and daughter. The Sages added his wife to the list].

This prohibition only applies to male priests.

The 166th prohibition is that a regular kohen is forbidden from becoming tameh for any dead person other than the relatives listed in the Torah.1

The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement2 (exalted be He), "He shall not become tameh through the dead of his people."

One who transgresses this prohibition and becomes tameh for anyone other than the six3 specified relatives is punished by lashes.

This prohibition does not apply to women. The Oral Tradition4 explains the phrase,5 "Sons of Aaron," to mean, "Only the 'sons of Aaron,' not the daughters of Aaron."

Rabbi Berel Bell is a well-known educator, author and lecturer. He and his family reside in Montreal, Canada.

From "Sefer Hamitzvot in English," published by Sichos in English.

FOOTNOTES

1.See P37.

2.Lev. 21:1.

3.See Kapach, 5731, footnote 26.

4.Sifra, Parshas Emor.

5.Lev. 21:1.

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Rambam:

• 1 Chapter: Tum'at Okhalin Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Halacha 1

What is the minimum measure for the impurity of foods? For them to contract impurity, even the slightest amount. Even a sesame or mustard seed contracts impurity, as Leviticus 11:34 states: "Any food that shall be eaten," including even the slightest amount.

Food does not impart impurity to other foods or liquids or a person's hands until it is the size of an egg without its shell. And a person who partakes of impure foods is not disqualified from partaking of terumah and sacrificial foods unless he partakes of a portion of impure food the size of an egg and a half. This is half a p'ras.

Halacha 2

Even the slightest amount of liquid can contract ritual impurity and impart ritual impurity. Even a drop of an impure liquid the size of a mustard seed that touched foods, keilim, or other liquids causes them to become impure. Nevertheless, a person who drinks impure liquids does not become disqualified unless he drinks a revi'it, as we explained.

Halacha 3

All liquids can be combined to comprise the minimum measure and disqualify a person's body if he drank a revi'it. All foods can be combined to comprise the minimum measure of an egg-sized portion that imparts the impurity associated with foods and to a half a pras to disqualify a person. Even wheat can be combined with flour, with dough, with figs, with meat and the like. Everything can be combined.

Halacha 4

When an animal's hide is connected to its meat, the juice it secretes, the spices, the meat connected to the hide - although one had the intent to eat part of it and did not have the intent to eat the remainder, even though part of it was separated by a beast of prey and part of it was separated by a knife - the bones that are connected to the meat, the giddim, the soft portions of the horns and the hoofs, the thin feathers and the wooly hairs of a fowl, the soft portion of its nails and the beak that are embedded in its flesh: all of these contract impurity, impart impurity, and are included in an egg-sized portion or half a pras.

Halacha 5

When an egg-sized portion of impure food was left in the sun and it shrank, it does not impart impurity. Similarly, an olive-sized portion from a human corpse or an animal carcass and a lentil-sized portion from a dead creeping animal that was left in the sun and shrank are pure.

Halacha 6

When an olive-sized portion of fat, blood, notar, or piggul was left in the sun and it shrank, one is not liable for karet for partaking of them. If he left them in the rain and they swelled, returning to the specified volume, they return to their original status, whether that involves severe impurity, a lesser impurity, or a prohibition against partaking of the substance.

Halacha 7

Onion leaves and onion shoots that are hollow which possess sap are measured according to their present size. If they are hollow and empty, their hollow should be compressed before their volume is measured.

Halacha 8

A puffy bread is measured as it is. If it has a cavity, the cavity should be compressed.

Halacha 9

When the meat of a calf expands or the meat of an older animal shrinks, its volume should be measured in its present state.

Halacha 10

The volume of nuts, dates, and almonds that have dried are measured in their present state.

Halacha 11

All entities whose type of impurity and minimum measures are similar can be combined with each other to reach that measure. If their impurity was similar, but not the minimum measures or the minimum measures, but not the impurity, they should not be combined, not even to impart the lesser type of impurity. What is meant by the type of its impurity, but not the minimum measure? E.g., the flesh of a corpse and the decomposed mass from it. What is meant by its minimum measure, but not its type? E.g., the flesh of a human corpse and the flesh of an animal carcass. Needless to say, impure entities that are not similar, neither in their measure and their type of impurity, e.g., the flesh of an animal carcass and the flesh of a dead crawling animal, are not combined.

Halacha 12

The measure of all impure food is the same. For all impure foods do not impart impurity unless there is an egg-sized portion present. And their impurity is of the same type, for all impure foods impart impurity only through touch and they do not impart impurity to humans or to keilim. Therefore, they can be combined to impart impurity according to the lesser level of impurity among them.

What is implied? When there was a half an egg-sized portion of food that was a primary derivative of impurity and a half of an egg-sized portion of food that was a secondary derivative that were mixed together, they are considered as an egg-sized portion that is a secondary derivative. If the mixture touches food that was terumah, it disqualifies it.

When there was a half an egg-sized portion of food that was a secondary derivative of impurity and a half of an egg-sized portion of food that was a tertiary derivative that were mixed together, they are considered as an egg-sized portion that is a tertiary derivative. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations. Even when there was a half an egg-sized portion of food that was a primary derivative and a half of an egg-sized portion of sacrificial food that was a fourth degree derivative that were mixed together, they are considered as an egg-sized portion that is a fourth degree derivative.

Halacha 13

When an egg-sized portion of food that was a primary derivative of impurity and an egg-sized portion of food that was a secondary derivative were mixed together, the entire mixture is considered as a primary derivative. If the mixture was divided, each portion is a secondary derivative.

If one of the portions of the mixture that was divided fell on a loaf of bread that was terumah and then the other fell upon it, they disqualify it. If the two fell at the same time, they cause it to be considered as a secondary derivative.

Halacha 14

When an egg-sized portion of food that was a secondary derivative of impurity and an egg-sized portion of food that was a tertiary derivative were mixed together, the entire mixture is considered as a secondary derivative. If the mixture was divided, each portion is a tertiary derivative. If one of the portions of the mixture that was divided fell on a loaf of bread that was terumah and then the other fell upon it, they do not disqualify it. If the two fell at the same time, they cause it to be considered as a tertiary derivative.

Halacha 15

When an egg-sized portion of food that was a primary derivative of impurity and an egg-sized portion of food that was a tertiary derivative were mixed together, the entire mixture is considered as a primary derivative. If the mixture was divided, each portion is a secondary derivative. The rationale is that when a tertiary derivative touches a primary derivative, it becomes a secondary derivative.

Halacha 16

When two egg-sized portions of food that were primary derivatives of impurity and two egg-sized portions of food that were secondary derivatives were mixed together, the entire mixture is considered as a primary derivative. If the mixture was divided in half, each portion is a primary derivative. If they were divided into three or four portions, each one of them is considered a secondary derivative.

Similarly, when two egg-sized portions of food that were secondary derivatives of impurity and two egg-sized portions of food that were tertiary derivatives were mixed together, the entire mixture is considered as a secondary derivative. If the mixture was divided in half, each portion is a secondary derivative. If they were divided into three or four portions, each one of them is considered a tertiary derivative.

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Rambam:

• 3 Chapters: Avel Avel Chapter 9, Avel Chapter 10, Avel Chapter 11

Chapter 9

Halacha 1

Whenever a person rends his garments after the loss of a relative other than a parent, he may sew the tear after the seven days of mourning and mend it after thirty days. For one's father and mother, he may sew the tear after thirty days, but may never mend it. A woman should rend her garments and sew them immediately, even when she lost a father or mother, as an expression of modesty.

Halacha 2

Just as a person must rend his garments for the loss of his father and mother; so, too, he is obligated to rend his garments for the loss of a teacher who instructed him in the Torah, a nasi, the av beit din, the majority of the community who were slain, the cursing of God's name, the burning of a Torah scroll, when seeing the cities of Judah, Jerusalem, and the Temple in their destruction.

Halacha 3

All of these tears should be rent to the extent that one reveals his heart and they should never be mended. Although they should never be mended, they may be sewed irregularly, sewn after the sides are wound or twisted together, or sewn like ladders. All that was forbidden was Alexandrian mending.

Whenever a person tears a garment in a place where it was sewn irregularly or sewn after the sides were wound and twisted together, his act is of no consequence. If, however, he rips a garment where it has been mended in an Alexandrian manner, it is of consequence.

Even one turns a rent garment upside down and makes its collar its hem, he should not mend it.

Halacha 4

Just as the seller may not mend it; so, too, the purchaser may not. Therefore the seller must notify the purchaser that this tear may not be mended.

Halacha 5

What is the source that teaches that one is obligated to rend his garments at his teacher's death just as he rends his garments for his father? II Kings 2:12states: "He was calling out: 'My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen.' And then he no longer saw him. And he took hold of his garments and tore them into two halves." This teaches that one must rip apart the collar.

Halacha 6

What is the source that teaches that one is obligated to rend his garments at the death of the nasi, the av beit din, and a report that the majority of the community have been slain? II Samuel 1:11-12 relates: "David took hold of his garments and rent them as did all the people who were with him. They mourned, they cried, and they fasted until the evening for Saul - the nasi - for his son Jonathan - the av beit din - and for the people of God and the House of Israel for they fell by the sword" - this is an unfavorable report.

Halacha 7

What is the source which teaches that one is obligated to rend his garments when hearing the blasphemy of God's name? II Kings 18:37 states: "And Elyakim ben Chilkiyah who oversaw the palace, Shevna the scribe, and Yoach ben Asaf the secretary, came to Chizkiyahu with rent garments." Just as one who hears the blasphemy itself must rend his garments; so, too, one who hears the report of the blasphemy from the listeners must rend his garments.

Halacha 8

The witnesses are not obligated to rend their garments when they testify in court, for they already tore them when they heard the blasphemy.

Halacha 9

What is the source which teaches that one is obligated to rend his garments for a Torah scroll that is burnt? Jeremiah 36:23-24 states: "And it came to pass that when Yehudi would read three or four columns... until the entire scroll was consumed by the fire in the hearth. And neither the king nor his servants became fearful, nor did they rend their garments." Implied is that one is obligated to rend one's garments.

One is obligated to rend one's garments only because of a Torah scroll that was burnt arrogantly as in the incident cited. One is obligated to rend one's garments twice: once for the parchment and once for the writing, as ibid.:27 states: "After the king burnt the scroll and the words."

Halacha 10

What is the source which teaches that one is obligated to rend his garments when seeing the cities of Judah, Jerusalem, and the Temple in their destruction?Jeremiah 41:5 relates: "Men came from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, eighty men with their beards shaven and their garments rent."

Halacha 11

Whoever is present with a dying person at the time his soul expires is obligated to rend his garments even if he is not his relative. Similarly, when a virtuous person dies, everyone is obligated to rend his garments because of him, even though he is not a sage. They tear them a handbreadth as other mourners do. When, however, a sage dies, everyone is considered as his relative. They rend their garments for him until they reveal their hearts and uncover their right arms. The house of study of that sage should be discontinued for all seven days of mourning.

Torah scholars have universally accepted the custom of rending their garments for a handbreadth in respect for each other even though they are equal in stature and neither of them teaches the other.

Halacha 12

Whenever a person rends his garments because of a sage who dies, as soon as he turns away from the bier, he may sew it irregularly. It appears to me that when a person rends his garments for a sage, he may mend them on the following day. For even when his teacher dies, one should mourn for him for only one day, either the day of his death or the day he hears the report of his death.

Similarly, it appears to me that a person who rends his garments because of the death of the nasi or the like may sew them irregularly on the following day even though he may never mend them.

Halacha 13

When a report comes that a sage has died, we rend our garments only at the time he is eulogized. This is the honor granted to him. One may sew the garment that day and mend it on the following day.

Halacha 14

When the Av Beit Din dies, everyone rends their garments because of him and uncovers their left arm. All of the houses of study in the city are discontinued. The members of the synagogue enter the synagogue and change their places. Those who sit at the south should sit at the north and those who sit at the north should sit at the south.

Halacha 15

When a nasi dies, everyone rends their garments because of him and uncovers both arms. All of the houses of study are discontinued. The members of the synagogue enter the synagogue on the Sabbath, call seven men to the Torah reading and depart. They should not stroll in the market place, but instead should sit together in families mourning the entire day.

Chapter 10

Halacha 1

The Sabbath is counted as one of the days of mourning. Nevertheless, the laws of mourning are not observed on the Sabbath with the exception of private matters, e.g., veiling one's head, marital relations, and washing with hot water. With regard to matters which are obvious, however, the mourning laws are not observed. Instead, one may wear shoes, position his bed upright, and greet everyone.

If the mourner has another garment, he should change it. He should not wear a torn garment on the Sabbath even because of his father and mother. If he does not have a garment to change, he should turn the tear to the other side.

Halacha 2

When may one position his bed upright on Friday? From the afternoon onward. Nevertheless, one should not sit on the upright bed until nightfall. Even when there remains only one day for the seven days of mourning, one should overturn the beds again on Saturday night.

Halacha 3

On the festivals and similarly, Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, we do not observe any of the mourning rites at all. Moreover, whenever anyone buries his dead even a small amount of time before a festival or before Rosh HaShanah or Yom Kippur, the decree requiring him to observe seven days of mourning is nullified.

Thus after Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, a mourner counts 23 days. After Pesach, he counts16 days - for the seven days of mourning are nullified and the seven days of the festival are equal to 14. Similarly, if the deceased was buried before Shavuos, the mourner counts 16 days afterwards. For even though the holiday is only one day, since it is a festival, it is counted as seven days.

Halacha 4

When a person buries his dead before Sukkos, he should count only nine days after the festival. For Shemini Atzeret is a holiday in its own right. Thus the first day concludes the seven days, then come the seven days of the holiday, and the eighth day is considered as a festival. Thus there are 21 days.

Halacha 5

When a person buries his dead seven days before any one of the festivals or seven days before Rosh HaShanah or Yom Kippur, the decree requiring him to observe the 30 days of mourning is nullified. He is permitted to cut his hair and launder his garments on the day preceding the festival or Yom Kippur. The rationale is that a portion of the day is considered as the entire day. After the holiday, he does not count any other days of mourning.

If, however, he is mourning for his father or mother - even if they died more than 30 days before the festival - he may not cut his hair until it grows uncontrolled or until his friends rebuke him. The festivals do not nullify this measure.

Halacha 6

When the sixth day of mourning falls on the day before the festival - needless to say, this law applies if the fifth or the third day falls on that day - he may not cut his hair. The festival nullifies only the decree requiring him to mourn for seven days. He is not permitted to wash, anoint himself, or perform any other practice forbidden during the days of mourning until the onset of the festival. The festival concludes the seven days of mourning. After the festival, he concludes all 30 days from the day of the death. During them, he is forbidden to perform any of the five practices mentioned in Chapter 6.

Halacha 7

The following rules apply when the seventh day of mourning falls on the day before a festival and that day is the Sabbath. The decree requiring him to observe the 30 days of mourning is nullified and he may cut his hair in the midst of the holiday. For he was held back by forces beyond his control since he cannot cut his hair on the Sabbath. Similarly, one may cut one's hair after Shavuot or after Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, for the decree requiring him to observe the 30 days of mourning has been nullified and he may cut his hair whenever he desires.

Halacha 8

When a person buries his dead in the midst of a festival, the laws of mourning do not apply to him. He does not observe the mourning rites in the midst of the festival. Instead, after the festival he begins to count the seven days of mourning and observes all of the mourning rites at that time. He counts the 30 days of Sheloshim from the day of the burial. In the days that remain from these 30 days, he observes all the restrictions required.

Halacha 9

In the above situation, in places where the holidays are observed for two days, one should count seven days from the second day of the final days of the festival. Since its observance is a Rabbinic institution, it is included in the reckoning and he need count only six days afterwards. He counts the 30 days ofSheloshim from the day of the burial as stated above.

Halacha 10

When a person buries his dead on the second day of a holiday which is the final day of a festival or on the second day of Shavuot, he should observe mourning rites, for the observance of the second day of a festival is a Rabbinic institution and the observance of mourning rites on the first day is a Scriptural obligation. Hence the observance of a positive Rabbinic commandment is superseded by the observance of a positive Scriptural commandment.

If, however, one buries his dead on the second day of Rosh HaShanah, he should not observe the mourning rites. For the two days of Rosh HaShanah are considered as one long day, because of the rationale explained in Hilchot Kiddush HaChodesh.

Chapter 11

Halacha 1

Although the mourning rites are not observed at all during the festival, one should rend his garments because of his dead on a festival and uncover his shoulder. Similarly, we bring the mourners bread of comfort during a festival. All of the above applies during Chol HaMoed. On a festival, even the second day of a festival, one should not rend his garments, uncover a shoulder, or bring bread of comfort.

Halacha 2

We rend our garments and uncover our shoulders during a festival only for the relatives for whom we are obligated to mourn, for a sage, an upright person, or for a person when one was present at the time his soul expired.

Everyone brings the meal of comfort to his colleague for a sage during a festival in the main street of the city in the way the meal of comfort is brought for mourners. For everyone is a mourner because of him.

Halacha 3

When we bring mourners the meal of comfort during a festival, we serve them while they are sitting on upright couches. We do not recite the mourning blessing during a festival. We do however stand in a line, comfort the mourners, and take leave of them.

We do not leave the bier in the public thoroughfare lest that encourage the delivery of a eulogy. For it is forbidden to deliver eulogies and to fast during a festival. Similarly, one should not gather the bones of one's father and mother during a festival for this evokes mourning for the person. Needless to say, this applies with regard to one's other relatives.

Similarly, we do not eulogize the dead on Chanukah, Purim, or Rosh Chodesh. We do, however, observe all the rites of mourning on those days. It is permitted to deliver eulogies on the days which precede and which follow Chanukah and Purim.

Halacha 4

During a festival, the woman may lament, but they do not pound their hands together in grief. On Rosh Chodesh, Chanukah, and Purim, they may both lament and pound their hands together in grief; they may not, however, recite dirges on any of these days. Once the dead has been buried, they should neither lament, nor pound their hands together.

Halacha 5

What is meant by lamenting? That all raise their voices in mourning together. By reciting dirges? That one recites a dirge and all respond in lament, as implied byJeremiah 9:19: "to teach your daughters mourning and a woman, her friends, a dirge."

When do all the above restrictions apply? When ordinary people die. When, however, a Torah scholar dies, he is eulogized during a festival. Needless to say, this applies on Chanukah, Purim, and Rosh Chodesh. This does not apply on the second day of a holiday.

On the days when a eulogy is permitted, it is permitted only in the deceased's presence. Once he is buried, a eulogy is forbidden. On the day when one hears a report of his death, it is as if one is in his presence and he may be eulogized even if it is a distant report.

Halacha 6

A woman should not have a eulogy recited for a deceased person within 30 days so that the festival will not arrive when they are grieving. For a deceased person will not be forgotten in less than 30 days. When does the above apply? With regard to a person who died previously. If, however, a person died within 30 days of a festival, a eulogy may be recited.

Halacha 7

The seven days of the wedding celebrations are comparable to a festival. Thus if a close relative of a person - even his father or mother - dies in the middle of these days of celebration, he should complete the seven days of celebration and then observe the seven days of mourning. He also counts the 30 days of mourning from the conclusion of the days of celebration.

Halacha 8

The following rules apply when one prepared all the necessities for the wedding feast, baked his bread, slaughtered his animals to enter the celebration, and then one of his close relatives died before he began the celebration. If he did not place the meat in water, he should sell the meat and the bread, observe the seven days of mourning, and then observe the seven days of the wedding celebrations.

If he already placed the meat in water - in which instance, it cannot be resold - the corpse is placed inside a room and the groom and the bride are taken to the wedding canopy. Afterwards, he should engage in the marital relations which are a mitzvah, and then separate from his wife. He should observe the seven days of celebration and then the seven days of mourning.

Throughout the seven days of celebration, he must observe the private aspects of the laws of mourning as is required on the Sabbath. Therefore he should sleep together with other men and his wife should sleep with other women so that they do not engage in relations. For these 30 days, the bride should not be prevented from wearing jewelry.

In a pace where it is possible to sell the meat even though it was placed in water, it should be sold and the mourning period observed first. In a place where it is impossible to sell the meat even though it was not placed in water, the wedding celebrations should be observed first.

When does the above apply? When the father of the groom or the mother of the bride die. For if this feast is spoiled, they have no one to work to prepare another for them. If, however, the father of the bride, the mother of the groom, or other relatives die, one should observe the mourning period first. Only afterwards, should he enter the marriage canopy and observe the seven days of wedding celebrations.

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Hayom Yom:

• Shabbat, 3 Shevat 5774 – 4 January 2014

"Today's Day"

Shabbat, Sh'vat 3, 5703

Torah lessons: Chumash: Va'eira, Shevi'i with Rashi.

Tehillim: 18-22.

Tanya: Ch. 16. This then (p. 67)...explained at length. (p. 71).

Torah Or was first printed in 5597 (1837) in Kopust (without supplements). The Tzemach Tzedek, in his letter of Sh'vat 3 that year, wrote:

The book Torah Or now printed...contains maamarim, most of them from 5556 (1796) until the end of 5572 (1812). Our Master,1 of blessed memory, carefully examined and edited many of these and agreed to have them published. The book is comprised of two parts: The first is on two2 of the Five Books of the Chumash, Chanuka and Purim, with several discourses on Shavuot (time of Giving of the Torah) in parshat Yitro and a few for Pesach included in parshat Vayakheil. The second part (with G-d's help, will be) on the last three Chumashim, Shir Hashirim, the Festivals, Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur...The name of the author is fitting: Schneur, (literally, "two lights"), just as v'ahavta ("you shall love") in numerical value is twice that of the word or,3 "light."

Before the second part could be printed, informers had the government close a number of Hebrew printshops in Russia, including the one in Kopust where the Torah Or was printed. In 5608 (1848) the second part was printed in Zitomir with a different title, Likutei Torah.

Compiled and arranged by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, of righteous memory, in 5703 (1943) from the talks and letters of the sixth Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, of righteous memory.

FOOTNOTES

1.The Alter Rebbe, his grandfather.

2.Bereishit and Sh'mot.

3.Or is 207 numerically, and v'ahavta is 414.

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Daily Thought:

Insufficient Understanding

Let’s say you saw a magnificent machine, with hundreds of thousands of parts, all working in spectacular unison and harmony, far beyond anything the human mind could contrive.

Let’s say you examined the details of this machine and found that some aspects of its workings puzzle you. Would you complain to the inventor? Or would you pray in awe for understanding?

The universe’s wondrous design is obvious. In specific aspects, we must admit insufficient understanding.

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