Today in Judaism: Today is: Wednesday, 7 Shevat 5774 · 8 January 2014

Today in Judaism: Today is: Wednesday, 7 Shevat 5774 · 8 January 2014

Today's Laws & Customs:

• Sanctification of the Moon

Once a month, as the moon waxes in the sky, we recite a special blessing called Kiddush Levanah, "the sanctification of the moon," praising the Creator for His wondrous work we call astronomy.

Kiddush Levanah is recited after nightfall, usually on Saturday night. The blessing is concluded with songs and dancing, because our nation is likened to the moon—as it waxes and wanes, so have we throughout history. When we bless the moon, we renew our trust that very soon, the light of G‑d's presence will fill all the earth and our people will be redeemed from exile.

Though Kiddush Levanah can be recited as early as three days after the moon's rebirth, the kabbalah tells us it is best to wait a full week, till the seventh of the month. Once 15 days have passed, the moon begins to wane once more and the season for saying the blessing has passed.

Links:

Brief Guide to Kiddush Levanah: Thank G‑d for the Moon!

More articles on Kiddush Levanah from our knowledgebase.

Today in Jewish History:

• Passing of Rabbi Dovid of Lelov (1814)

Chassidic master Rabbi Dovid Biederman of Lelov (1746-1814) was a disciple of the "Seer of Lublin." Rabbi Dovid was known for his extraordinary ahavat yisrael; it was said of him that he was literally incapable of seeing faults in a fellow Jew. Two printed collections of stories about him are Migdal David and Kodesh Hillulim.

Rabbi Dovid's main disciple was Rabbi Yitzchak of Vorki, whose son, Yaakov David, founded the Amshinover dynasty of chassidic rebbes.

Daily Quote:

For two-and-a--half years, the House of Shammai and the House of Hillel debated. These said: It is better for man not to have been created than to have been created; and those said: It is better for man to have been created than to not have been created. In the end, they voted on it and concluded: It is better for man not to have been created than to have been created; but now that he was created, he should search his deeds.(Talmud, Eruvin 13b)

Daily Study:

Chitas and Rambam for today:

Chumash: Beshalach, 4th Portion Exodus 14:26-15:26 with Rashi

•  Chapter 14

26. Thereupon, the Lord said to Moses, Stretch out your hand over the sea, and let the water return upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen     כו. וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל משֶׁה נְטֵה אֶת יָדְךָ עַל הַיָּם וְיָשֻׁבוּ הַמַּיִם עַל מִצְרַיִם עַל רִכְבּוֹ וְעַל פָּרָשָׁיו:

and let the water return: [I.e., the water] that is standing upright like a wall [will] return to its place and cover up the Egyptians.

וישבו המים: שזקופים ועומדים כחומה, ישובו למקומם ויכסו על מצרים:

27. So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and toward morning the sea returned to its strength, as the Egyptians were fleeing toward it, and the Lord stirred the Egyptians into the sea.        כז. וַיֵּט משֶׁה אֶת יָדוֹ עַל הַיָּם וַיָּשָׁב הַיָּם לִפְנוֹת בֹּקֶר לְאֵיתָנוֹ וּמִצְרַיִם נָסִים לִקְרָאתוֹ וַיְנַעֵר יְהֹוָה אֶת מִצְרַיִם בְּתוֹךְ הַיָּם:

toward morning: Heb. לִפְנוֹתבֹּקֶר, at the time the morning approaches [lit., turns (פּוֹנֶה) to come].

פנות בקר: לעת שהבוקר פונה לבא:

to its strength: Heb. לְאֵיתָנוֹ. To its original strength. — [from Mechilta]

לאיתנו: לתקפו הראשון:

were fleeing toward it: Because they were confused and crazed and running toward the water.

נסים לקראתו: שהיו מהוממים ומטורפים ורצין לקראת המים:

and the Lord stirred: Heb. וַיְנַעֵר. As a person stirs (מְנַעֵר) a pot [of food] and turns what is on the top to the bottom and what is on the bottom to the top, so were they [the Egyptians] bobbing up and down and being smashed in the sea, and the Holy One, blessed be He, kept them alive to bear their tortures. — [from Mechilta]

וינער ה': כאדם שמנער את הקדירה והופך העליון למטה והתחתון למעלה, כך היו עולין ויורדין ומשתברין בים, ונתן הקב"ה בהם חיות לקבל היסורין:

stirred: Heb. וַיְנַעֵר. [Onkelos renders it] וְֹשַנִּיק, which means stirring in the Aramaic language, and there are many [examples of this word] in aggadic midrashim.

וינער: ושניק, והוא לשון טרוף בלשון ארמי והרבה יש במדרשי אגדה:

28. And the waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, the entire force of Pharaoh coming after them into the sea; not even one of them survived.     כח. וַיָּשֻׁבוּ הַמַּיִם וַיְכַסּוּ אֶת הָרֶכֶב וְאֶת הַפָּרָשִׁים לְכֹל חֵיל פַּרְעֹה הבָּאִים אַחֲרֵיהֶם בַּיָּם לֹא נִשְׁאַר בָּהֶם עַד אֶחָד:

and covered the chariots…the entire force of Pharaoh: Heb. לְכֹל חֵיל פַּרְעֹה So is the custom of Scriptural verses to write a superfluous “lammed,” such as in “all (לְכָל) its utensils you shall make copper” (Exod. 27:3); and similarly, “all (לְכֹל) the utensils of the Tabernacle for all its services” (Exod. 27:19); [and in the phrase] “their stakes and their ropes, along with all (לְכָל) their utensils” (Num. 4:32), and it [the “lammed”] is [used] merely to enhance the language.

ויכסו את הרכב וגו' לכל חיל פרעה: כך דרך המקראות לכתוב למ"ד יתירה, כמו (להלן כג) לכל כליו תעשה נחשת, וכן (שם יט) לכל כלי המשכן בכל עבודתו, (במדבר ד לב) ויתדותם ומיתריהם לכל כליהם, ואינה אלא תיקון לשון:

29. But the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea, and the water was to them like a wall from their right and from their left.         כט. וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הָלְכוּ בַיַּבָּשָׁה בְּתוֹךְ הַיָּם וְהַמַּיִם לָהֶם חֹמָה מִימִינָם וּמִשְּׂמֹאלָם:

30. On that day the Lord saved Israel from the hand[s] of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dying on the seashore.      ל. וַיּוֹשַׁע יְהֹוָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִיַּד מִצְרָיִם וַיַּרְא יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת מִצְרַיִם מֵת עַל שְׂפַת הַיָּם:

and Israel saw the Egyptians dying on the seashore: For the sea spewed them out on its shore, so that the Israelites would not say, "Just as we are coming up on this side [of the sea], so are they coming up on another side, far from us, and they will pursue us."-[from Mechilta and Pes. 118b]

וירא ישראל את מצרים מת: שפלטן הים על שפתו, כדי שלא יאמרו ישראל כשם שאנו עולים מצד זה כך הם עולין מצד אחר רחוק ממנו וירדפו אחרינו:

31. And Israel saw the great hand, which the Lord had used upon the Egyptians, and the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in Moses, His servant.       לא. וַיַּרְא יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַיָּד הַגְּדֹלָה אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה יְהֹוָה בְּמִצְרַיִם וַיִּירְאוּ הָעָם אֶת יְהֹוָה וַיַּאֲמִינוּ בַּיהֹוָה וּבְמשֶׁה עַבְדּוֹ:

the great hand: The great mighty deed that the hand of the Holy One, blessed be He, had performed. Many meanings fit the term יָד, and they are all expressions derived from an actual hand, and he who interprets it must adjust the wording according to the context.

את היד הגדלה: את הגבורה הגדולה שעשתה ידו של הקב"ה. והרבה לשונות נופלין על לשון יד, וכולן לשון יד ממש הן, והמפרשו יתקן הלשון אחר ענין הדבור:

Chapter 15

1. Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the Lord, and they spoke, saying, I will sing to the Lord, for very exalted is He; a horse and its rider He cast into the sea.      א. אָז יָשִׁיר משֶׁה וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת לַיהֹוָה וַיֹּאמְרוּ לֵאמֹר אָשִׁירָה לַּיהֹוָה כִּי גָאֹה גָּאָה סוּס וְרֹכְבוֹ רָמָה בַיָּם:

Then…sang: Heb. אָז יָשִׁיר. [The future tense presents a problem. Therefore, Rashi explains:] Then, when he [Moses] saw the miracle, it occurred to him to recite a song, and similarly, “Then Joshua spoke (אָז יְדַבֵּר יְהשֻׁעַ)” (Josh. 10:12); and similarly, “and the house [which] he would make (יַעִשֶׂה) for Pharaoh’s daughter” (I Kings 7: 8), [which means] he decided to make it for her. Here too, יָשִׁיר [in the future tense means that] his heart dictated to him that he should sing, and so he did, “and they spoke, saying, I will sing to the Lord.’ ” Likewise, with [the above reference to] Joshua, when he saw the miracle [of the defeat of the Amorite kings (Josh. 10:11)], his heart dictated to him that he speak [praises to God], and so he did, “and he said in the sight of Israel” (Josh. 10:12). Likewise, the song of the well, with which [Scripture] commences: “Then Israel sang (אָז יָשִׁיר)” (Num. 21:17), it explains after it, “Ascend, O well!, sing to it.” [I.e., in these three instances, the “yud” of the future tense denotes the thought, and after each one, Scripture continues that the thought was brought to fruition.] “Then did Solomon build (אָז יִבְנֶה) a high place” (I Kings 11:7); the Sages of Israel explain that he sought to build [it] but did not build [it] (Sanh. 91b). We [thus] learn that the “yud” may serve to indicate a thought. This is to explain its simple meaning, but the midrashic interpretation is [as follows]: Our Rabbis of blessed memory stated: From here is an allusion from the Torah to the resurrection of the dead (Sanh. 91b, Mechilta), and so it is [i.e., the future tense is used] with them all, except that of Solomon, which they explained as [implying] “he sought to build but did not build.” One cannot say and explain this form like other words written in the future, but which mean [that they occurred] immediately, such as “So would Job do (וָעִשֶׂה)” (Job 1:5); “by the command of the Lord would they encamp (יַחֲנוּ)” (Num. 9:23); “And sometimes the cloud would be (יִהְיֶה)” (Num. 9:21), because that is [an example of] something that occurs continually, and either the future or the past is appropriate for it, but that which occurred only once [i.e., the song that was sung], cannot be explained in this manner. —

אז ישיר משה: אז כשראה הנס עלה בלבו שישיר שירה, וכן (יהושע י יב) אז ידבר יהושע, וכן (מלכים א' ז ח) ובית יעשה לבת פרעה, חשב בלבו שיעשה לה, אף כאן ישיר, אמר לו לבו שישיר, וכן עשה, ויאמרו לאמר אשירה לה'. וכן ביהושע, כשראה הנס אמר לו לבו שידבר וכן עשה (יהושע י יב) ויאמר לעיני ישראל, וכן שירת הבאר שפתח בה (במדבר כא יז) אז ישיר ישראל, פירש אחריו עלי באר ענו לה. (מלכים יא ז) אז יבנה שלמה במה, פירשו בו חכמי ישראל שבקש לבנות ולא בנה. למדנו שהיו"ד על שם המחשבה נאמרה, זהו ליישב פשוטו. אבל מדרשו אמרו רבותינו זכרונם לברכה, מכאן רמז לתחיית המתים מן התורה, וכן בכולן חוץ משל שלמה, שפירשוהו, בקש לבנות ולא בנה. ואין לומר וליישב הלשון הזה כשאר דברים הנכתבים בלשון עתיד והן מיד, כגון (איוב א ה) ככה יעשה איוב, (במדבר ט כג) על פי ה' יחנו, (שם כ) ויש אשר יהיה הענן, לפי שהן דבר ההוה תמיד, ונופל בו בין לשון עתיד בין לשון עבר, אבל זה שלא היה אלא לשעה אינו יכול ליישבו בלשון הזה:

for very exalted is He: Heb. גָאֹה גָאָה, [to be interpreted] according to the Targum [He was exalted over the exalted, and the exaltation is His]. Another explanation: [The] doubling [of the verb] comes to say that He did something impossible for a flesh and blood [person] to do. When he fights with his fellow and overwhelms him, he throws him off the horse, but here, “a horse and its rider He cast into the sea,” [i.e., with the rider still on the horse]. Anything that cannot be done by anyone else is described as exaltation (גֵּאוּת), like “for He has performed an exalted act (גֵּאוּת)” (Isa. 12:5). Similarly, [throughout] the entire song you will find the repetitive pattern, such as: “My strength and my praise are the Eternal, and He was my salvation” (verse 2); “The Lord is a Master of war; the Lord is His Name,” (verse 3); and so on, all of them (in an old Rashi). Another explanation: גָאֹה גָאָה means for He is exalted beyond all songs, [i.e.,] for however I will praise Him, He still has more [praise]. [This is] unlike the manner of a human king, who is praised for something he does not possess. — [from Mechilta]

כי גאה גאה: שנתגאה על כל גאה כתרגומו. דבר אחר בא הכפל לומר שעשה דבר שאי אפשר לבשר ודם לעשות, כשהוא נלחם בחבירו ומתגבר עליו מפילו מן הסוס וכאן סוס ורוכבו רמה בים וכל שאי אפשר לעשות על ידי זולתו נופל בו לשון גאות, כמו (ישעיהו יב ה) כי גאות עשה, וכן כל השירה תמצא כפולה (פסוק ב) עזי וזמרת יה ויהי לי לישועה (פסוק ג) ה' איש מלחמה ה' שמו, וכן כולם. דבר אחר כי גאה גאה על כל השירות, וכל מה שאקלס בו עוד יש בו תוספת, ולא כמדת מלך בשר ודם שמקלסין אותו ואין בו:

a horse and its rider: Both bound to one another, and the water lifted them up high and brought them down into the depths, and [still] they did not separate. — [from Mechilta]

סוס ורכבו: שניהם קשורין זה בזה והמים מעלין אותם לרום ומורידין אותם לעומק ואינן נפרדין:

He cast: Heb. רָמָה, [meaning] He cast, and similarly, “and they were cast (וּרְמִיו) into the burning, fiery furnace” (Dan. 3:21). The aggadic midrash, however, [states as follows]: One verse (verse 1) says: רָמָה בַיָם, [derived from רוּם, meaning “to cast up,”] and one verse (verse 4) says: יָרָה בַיָם [meaning “to cast down”]. [This] teaches us that they [the horse and rider] went up and [then] descended into the deep, [i.e., they were thrown up and down]. [The meaning of יָרָה is here] similar to: “who laid (יָרָה) its cornerstone” (Job 38:6), [which signifies laying the stone] from above, downward. — [from Mechilta, Tanchuma, Beshallach 13]

רמה: השליך וכן (דניאל ג ו) יתרמא לגוא אתון נורא. ומדרש אגדה כתוב אחד אומר רמה, וכתוב אחד אומר (פסוק ד) ירה, מלמד שהיו עולין לרום ויורדין לתהום, כמו (איוב לח ו) מי ירה אבן פנתה, מלמעלה למטה:

2. The Eternal's strength and His vengeance were my salvation; this is my God, and I will make Him a habitation, the God of my father, and I will ascribe to Him exaltation.       ב. עָזִּי וְזִמְרָת יָהּ וַיְהִי לִי לִישׁוּעָה זֶה אֵלִי וְאַנְוֵהוּ אֱלֹהֵי אָבִי וַאֲרֹמְמֶנְהוּ:

The Eternal’s strength and His vengeance were my salvation: Heb. וְזִמְרָתיָ-ה עָזִי. Onkelos renders: My strength and my praise, [thus interpreting] עָזִי like עֻזִי [my strength] with a “shuruk,” and וְזִמְרָת like וְזִמְרָתִי [my song]. But I wonder about the language of the text, for there is nothing like it [the word עָזִי] in Scripture with its vowelization except in three places [i.e., here and in Isa. 12:2 and Ps. 118:14], where it is next to וְזִמְרָת, but [in] all other places,it is vowelized with a “shuruk" [now called a "kubutz"], [e.g., in the phrase] "O Lord, Who are my power (עֻזִי) and my strength” (Jer. 16:19); “[Because of] his strength (עֻזוֹ), I hope for You” (Ps. 59:10). Likewise, any word [noun] consisting of two letters, vowelized with a “melupum,” [i.e., a "cholam,"] when it is lengthened by [the addition of] a third letter, and the second letter is not punctuated with a “sheva” the first [letter] is vowelized with a “shuruk,” e.g., עֹז strength, becomes עֻזִי, my strength, spittle (Job 30:10), רֹק becomes רֹקִי, my spittle (Job 7:19). allotment (Gen. 47:22), חֹק becomes חֹקִי, my allotment (Prov. 30:8). עֹל, yoke (Deut. 28:48), becomes עֻלוֹ, his yoke, “shall be removed…his yoke עֻלוֹ” (Isa. 10:27). כֹּל, all (Gen. 21:12), becomes כֻּלוֹ, all of it, “with officers over them all כֻּלוֹ” (Exod. 14:7). But these three [examples of the phrase], עָזִי וְזִמְרָת, [namely] the one [written] here, the one [written in] Isaiah (12: 2), and the one [written in] Psalms (118:14) [all examples of the word עָזִי are vowelized with a short “kamatz.” Moreover, not one of them [i.e., of these examples] is written וְזִמְרָתִי but וְזִמְרָת, and next to each of them it says וַיְהִי-לִי לִיֹשוּעָה, were my salvation. Therefore, in order to reconcile the language of the text, I say that עָזִי is not like עֻזִי, nor is וְזִמְרָת like וְזִמְרָתִי, but עָזִי is a noun [and the final “yud” is only stylistic], like [the final “yud” in these examples:] “You Who dwell (הַישְׁבִי) in heaven” (Ps. 123:1); “who dwell (שֹׁכְנִי) in the clefts of the rock” (Obad. 1:3); “Who dwells (שֹׁכְנִי) in the thorn bush” (Deut. 33:16). And this is the praise [that Moses and the Israelites sing to God]: The strength and the vengeance of the Eternal--that was my salvation. [In brief, the “yud” at the end of the word is a stylistic suffix, which has no bearing on the meaning.] And the word וְזִמְרָת is connected to the word denoting the Divine Name, like “to the aid of (לְעֶזְרַת) the Lord” (Jud. 5:23); [and like the word בְּעֶבְרַת in] “By the wrath of (בְּעֶבְרַת) the Lord” (Isa. 9:18); [and the word דִבְרַת in:] “concerning the matter of (דִבְרַת)” (Eccl. 3:18). [In brief, the ַת or, ָת denotes the construct state of a feminine noun.] The expression וְזִמְרָת is an expression related to “and your vineyard you shall not prune (לֹא תִזְמֹר)” (Lev. 25:4); “the downfall of (זְמִיר) the tyrants” (Isa. 25:5), an expression denoting mowing down and cutting off. [Thus the phrase means:] The strength and the vengeance of our God was our salvation. Now [since this is the meaning of the phrase,] do not be puzzled about the expression וַיְהִי, [i.e.,] that it does not say הָיָה [without a “vav” since this is the verb following עָזִי וְזִמְרָת and does not begin a clause as the conversive “vav” usually does], for there are verses worded this way, and this is an example: “[against] the walls of the house around [both] the temple and the sanctuary, he made (וַיַּעַשׂ) chambers around [it]” (I Kings 6:5). It should have said עָשָׂה, “chambers around [it]” [instead of וַיַּעַשׂ]. Similarly, in (II) Chron. (10:17): “But the children of Israel who dwelt in the cities of Judah-Rehoboam reigned (וַיִמְלֹ) over them.” It should have said: “Rehoboam (מָלַ) over them.” [Similarly,] “Because the Lord was unable…He slaughtered them (וַיִשְׁחָטֵם) in the desert” (Num. 14:16). It should have said: שְׁחָטָם. [Similarly,] “But the men whom Moses sent…died (וַיָמוּתוּ)” (Num 14:36, 37). It should have said: מֵתוּ. [Similarly,] “But he who did not pay attention to the word of the Lord left (וַיַעִזֹב)” (Exod. 9:21). It should have said: עָזַב.

עזי וזמרת יה: אונקלום תרגם תוקפי ותושבחתי. עזי כמו עזי בשור"ק, וזמרת כמו וזמרתי. ואני תמה על לשון המקרא שאין לך כמוהו בנקודתו במקרא אלא בשלושה מקומות שהוא סמוך אצל וזמרת, וכל שאר מקומות נקוד שור"ק, (ירמיה טז יט) ה' עזי ומעזי, (תהלים נט י) עזו אליך אשמורה. וכן כל תיבה בת שתי אותיות הנקודה מלאפו"ם כשהיא מארכת באות שלישית ואין השניה בשו"א בחטף, הראשונה נקודה בשור"ק כגון עז עזי, רוק רוקי, חק חקי, עול עולו, יסור עולו (ישעיהו י כז), כל כלו ושלישים על כלו (לעיל יד ז). ואלו שלושה עזי וזמרת של כאן, ושל ישעיה (ישעיהו יב ב) ושל תהלים (תהלים קיח יד) נקודים בחטף קמ"ץ, ועוד אין באחד מהם כתוב וזמרתי אלא וזמרת, וכולם סמוך להם ויהי לי לישועה, לכך אני אומר ליישב לשון המקרא, שאין עזי כמו עזי, ולא וזמרת כמו וזמרתי, אלא עזי שם דבר הוא, כמו (שם קכג א) היושבי בשמים, (עובדיה א ג) שוכני בחגוי סלע, (דברים לג טז) שוכני סנה. וזהו השבח עזי וזמרת יה הוא היה לי לישועה, וזמרת דבוק הוא לתיבת ה', כמו (שופטים ה כג) לעזרת ה', (ישעיה ט יח) בעברת ה', (קהלת ג יח) על דברת בני האדם. ולשון וזמרת לשון (ויקרא כה ד) לא תזמור, (ישעיה כה ה) זמיר עריצים, לשון כסוח וכריתה. עוזו ונקמתו של אלהינו היה לנו לישועה. ואל תתמה על לשון ויהי שלא נאמר היה, שיש לנו כמה מקראות מדברים בלשון זה, וזה דוגמתו (מלכים א ו ה) את קירות הבית סביב להיכל ולדביר ויעש צלעות סביב, היה לו לומר עשה צלעות סביב, וכן בדברי הימים (דברי הימים ב' י יז) ובני ישראל היושבים בערי יהודה וימלוך עליהם רחבעם, היה לו לומר מלך עליהם רחבעם, (במדבר יד טז) מבלתי יכולת ה' וגו' וישחטם, היה לו לומר שחטם, (שם לו - לז) והאנשים אשר שלח משה וגו' וימותו, מתו היה לו לומר, (שמות ט כא) ואשר לא שם לבו אל דבר ה' ויעזוב, היה לו לומר עזב:

this is my God: He revealed Himself in His glory to them [the Israelites], and they pointed at Him with their finger [as denoted by זֶה, this]. By the sea, [even] a maidservant perceived what prophets did not perceive. — [from Mechilta]

זה אלי: בכבודו נגלה עליהם והיו מראין אותו באצבע, ראתה שפחה על הים מה שלא ראו נביאים:

and I will make Him a habitation: Heb. וְאַנְוֵה. Onkelos rendered it as an expression of habitation (נָוֶה) [as in the following phrases]: “a tranquil dwelling (נָוֶה)” (Isa. 33:20); “a sheepfold (נְוֵה)” (Isa. 65:10). Another explanation: וְאַנְוֵהוּ is an expression of beauty (נוּ). [Thus the phrase means] I will tell of His beauty and His praise to those who enter the world, such as: [When Israel is asked:] "How is your beloved more than another beloved…? [Israel will say] My beloved is white and ruddy…" and the entire section [of Song of Songs] (Song of Songs 5:9, 10). — [from Mechilta]

ואנוהו: אונקלוס תרגם לשון נוה, (ישעיה לג כ) נוה שאנן, (שם סה י) לנוה צאן. דבר אחר ואנוהו לשון נוי, אספר נויו ושבחו לבאי עולם, כגון (שיר השירים ה ט - י) מה דודך מדוד דודי צח ואדום, וכל הענין:

the God of my father: is this One, and I will exalt Him.

אלהי אבי: הוא זה וארוממנהו. אלהי אבי, לא אני תחלת הקדושה, אלא מוחזקת ועומדת לי הקדושה ואלהותו עלי מימי אבותי:

the God of my father: I am not the beginning of the sanctity [i.e., I am not the first to recognize His sanctity], but the sanctity has been established and has remained with me, and His Divinity has been upon me since the days of my forefathers. — [from Mechilta]

3. The Lord is a Master of war; the Lord is His Name.         ג. יְהֹוָה אִישׁ מִלְחָמָה יְהֹוָה שְׁמוֹ:

The Lord is a Master of war: Heb. אִישׁ מִלְחָמָה, lit., a man of war, [which is inappropriate in reference to the Deity. Therefore,] Rashi renders: Master of war, like “Naomi’s husband (אִישׁ נָעֳמִי)” (Ruth 1:3) and so, every [instance in the Torah of] אִישׁ, husband, and אִישֵׁ, your husband, is rendered: בַּעַל, master. Similarly, “You shall be strong and become a man (לְאִישׁ)” (I Kings 2:2), [meaning] a strong man. —

ה' איש מלחמה: בעל מלחמות, כמו (רות א ג) איש נעמי, וכל איש ואישך מתורגמין בעל, וכן (מלכים א' ב ב) וחזקת והיית לאיש - לגבור:

the Lord is His Name: His wars are not [waged] with weapons, but He wages battle with His Name, as David said [to Goliath before fighting him], “[You come to me with spear and javelin] and I come to you with the Name of the Lord of Hosts” (I Sam. 17:45). Another explanation: The Lord י-ה-ו-ה, denoting the Divine Standard of Clemency,] is His Name--Even when He wages war and takes vengeance upon His enemies, He sticks to His behavior of having mercy on His creatures and nourishing all those who enter the world, unlike the behavior of earthly kings. When he [an earthly king] is engaged in war, he turns away from all his [other] affairs and does not have the ability to do both this [i.e., wage war] and that [other things]. — [from Mechilta]

ה' שמו: מלחמותיו לא בכלי זיין, אלא בשמו הוא נלחם, כמו שאמר דוד (שמואל א' יז מה) ואנכי בא אליך בשם ה' צבאות. דבר אחר ה' שמו אף בשעה שהוא נלחם ונוקם מאויביו, אוחז הוא במדתו לרחם על ברואיו ולזון את כל באי עולם, ולא כמדת מלכי אדמה כשהוא עוסק במלחמה פונה עצמו מכל עסקים, ואין בו כח לעשות זו וזו:

4. Pharaoh's chariots and his army He cast into the sea, and the elite of his officers sank in the Red Sea.     ד. מַרְכְּבֹת פַּרְעֹה וְחֵילוֹ יָרָה בַיָּם וּמִבְחַר שָׁלִשָׁיו טֻבְּעוּ בְיַם סוּף:

He cast into the sea: Heb. יָרָה בַיָם. [Onkelos renders:] שְׁדִי שְׁדִי בְיַמָּא is an expression of casting down (יָרָה), as [Scripture] says: “or shall surely be cast down (יָרֹה יִיָָּרֶה)” (Exod. 19:13), which Onkelos renders: יִשְׁךְתְּדִי אִשְׁךְתְּדָאָה. The “tav” serves in these [forms] in the hithpa’el form.

ירה בים: שדי בימא. שדי לשון ירייה, וכן הוא אומר (שמות יט יג) או ירה יירה או אשתדאה אישתדי, והתי"ו משמשת באלו במקום התפעל:

and the elite of: Heb. וּמִבְחַר, a noun, like מֶרְכָּב, riding gear (Lev. 15:9); מִשְׁכָּב, bed (Lev. 15:23); מִקְרָא קֹדֶשׁ, holy convocation (Exod. 12:16, Lev. 23:3).

ומבחר: שם דבר, כמו (ויקרא טו ט) מרכב, (שם ד) משכב, (שמות יב טז) מקרא קדש:

sank: Heb. טֻבְּעוּ. The term טְבִיעָה [for sinking] is used [in the Tanach] only [when referring] to a place where there is mud, like “I have sunk (טָבַעְךְתִּי) in muddy depths” (Ps. 69:3); “and Jeremiah sank (וַיִּטְבַּע) into the mud” (Jer. 38: 6). This informs [us] that the sea became mud, to recompense them [the Egyptians] according to their behavior, [namely] that they enslaved the Israelites with [work that entailed] clay and bricks. — [from Mechilta]

טבעו: אין טביעה אלא במקום טיט, כמו (תהלים סט ג) טבעתי ביון מצולה, (ירמיה לח ו) ויטבע ירמיהו בטיט, מלמד שנעשה הים טיט לגמול להם כמדתם, ששיעבדו את ישראל בחומר ובלבנים:

5. The depths covered them; they descended into the depths like a stone.         ה. תְּהֹמֹת יְכַסְיֻמוּ יָרְדוּ בִמְצוֹלֹת כְּמוֹ אָבֶן:

covered them: Heb. יְכַסְיֻמוּ, like יְכַסוּם. The “yud” in the middle of it is superfluous. This is, however, a common biblical style [to add an additional “yud”], like “and your cattle and your flocks will increase (יִרְבְּיֻן)” (Deut. 8:13); “They will be sated (יִרְוְיֻן) from the fat of Your house” (Ps. 36:9). The first “yud,” which denotes the future tense, is to be explained as follows: They sank in the Red Sea, so that the water would return and cover them up. There is no word in Scripture similar to יְכַסְיֻמוּ in its vowelization. It would usually be vowelized יְכַסְיֻמוּ with a “melupum.” [Here too it is obvious that Rashi means a “cholam,” as I explained above (Exod. 14:12).]

יכסימו: כמו יכסום, והיו"ד האמצעית יתירה בו, ודרך המקראות בכך, כמו (דברים ח יג) ובקרך וצאנך ירביון, (תהלים לו ט) ירוין מדשן ביתך, והיו"ד ראשונה שמשמעה לשון עתיד כך פרשהו, טבעו בים סוף כדי שיחזרו המים ויכסו אותן. יכסימו אין דומה לו במקרא בנקודתו, ודרכו להיות נקוד יכסימו במלאפו"ם:

like a stone: Elsewhere (verse 10), it says, “they sank like lead.” Still elsewhere (verse 7), it says, “it devoured them like straw.” [The solution is that] the [most] wicked were [treated] like straw, constantly tossed, rising and falling; the average ones like stone; and the best like lead-[i.e.,] they sank immediately [and thus were spared suffering]. — [from Mechilta]

כמו אבן: ובמקום אחר (פסוק י) צללו כעופרת, ובמקום אחר (פסוק ז) יאכלמו כקש, הרשעים כקש הולכים ומטרפין עולין ויורדין, בינונים כאבן, והכשרים כעופרת, שנחו מיד:

6. Your right hand, O Lord, is most powerful; Your right hand, O Lord, crushes the foe.       ו. יְמִינְךָ יְהֹוָה נֶאְדָּרִי בַּכֹּחַ יְמִינְךָ יְהֹוָה תִּרְעַץ אוֹיֵב:

Your right hand…Your right hand: twice. When the Israelites perform the will of the Omnipresent, [even] the left hand becomes a right hand. — [Rashi from Mechilta]

ימינך ימינך: שתי פעמים, כשישראל עושין את רצונו של מקום השמאל נעשית ימין:

Your right hand, O Lord, is most powerful: to save Israel, and Your second right hand crushes the foe. It seems to me, however, that that very right hand [also] crushes the foe, unlike a human being, who cannot perform two kinds of work with the same hand. The simple meaning of the verse is: Your right hand, which is strengthened with might--what is its work? Your right hand, O Lord, crushes the foe. There are many verses resembling it [i.e., where parts of the verse are repeated]: “For behold Your enemies, O Lord, for behold Your enemies will perish” (Ps. 92:10); “How long will the wicked, O Lord, how long will the wicked rejoice?” (Ps. 94:3); “The rivers have raised, O Lord, the rivers have raised their voice” (Ps. 93:3); “Not for us, O Lord, not for us” (Ps. 115:1); “I will answer, says the Lord; I will answer the heavens” (Hos. 2:23); “I to the Lord, I shall sing” (Jud. 5:3); “Had it not been for the Lord, etc. Had it not been for the Lord Who was with us when men rose up against us” (Ps. 124:1, 2); “Praise! Praise! Deborah. Praise! Praise! Utter a song” (Jud. 5:12); “A foot shall trample it, the feet of a poor man” (Isa. 26:6); “And He gave their land as an inheritance, an inheritance to Israel His people” (Ps. 135:12).

ימינך ה' נאדרי בכח: להציל את ישראל וימינך השנית תרעץ אויב. ולי נראה אותה ימין עצמה תרעץ אויב, מה שאי אפשר לאדם לעשות שתי מלאכות ביד אחת. ופשוטו של מקרא ימינך הנאדרת בכח מה מלאכתה, ימינך היא תרעץ אויב, וכמה מקראות דוגמתו (תהלים צב י) כי הנה אויביך ה' כי הנה אויביך יאבדו, (תהלים צד ג) עד מתי רשעים ה' עד מתי רשעים יעלוזו, (תהלים צג ג) נשאו נהרות ה' נשאו נהרות קולם, (תהלים קטו א) לא לנו ה' לא לנו, (הושע ב כג) אענה נאום ה' אענה את השמים, (שופטים ה ג) אנכי לה' אנכי אשירה, (תהלים קכד א - ב) לולי ה' וכו' לולי ה' שהיה לנו בקום עלינו אדם, (שופטים ה יב) עורי עורי דבורה עורי עורי דברי שיר, (ישעי' כו ו) תרמסנה רגל רגלי עני, (תהלים קלו כא - כב) ונתן ארצם לנחלה וכו' נחלה לישראל:

is most powerful: Heb. נֶאְדָּרִי The “yud” is superfluous, like “populous (רַבָּתִי עָם) …princess (שָׂרָתִי) among the provinces” (Lam. 1:1); “what was stolen by day” (גְּנֻבְתִי) (Gen. 31:39).

נאדרי: היו"ד יתירה, כמו (איכה א א) רבתי עם שרתי במדינות, (בראשית לא לט) גנובתי יום:

crushes the foe: Heb. ךְתִּרְעַץ, [which means] it constantly crushes and breaks the foe. Similar to this, “And they crushed (וַיִרְעִצוּ) and broke the children of Israel,” in Jud. (10:8). (Another explanation: Your right hand, which is strengthened with might-it breaks and strikes the foe.)

תרעץ אויב: תמיד היא רועצת ומשברת האויב, ודומה לו וירעצו וירוצצו את בני ישראל בשופטים (שופטים י ח). דבר אחר ימינך הנאדרת בכח היא משברת ומלקה אויב:

7. And with Your great pride You tear down those who rise up against You; You send forth Your burning wrath; it devours them like straw.     ז. וּבְרֹב גְּאוֹנְךָ תַּהֲרֹס קָמֶיךָ תְּשַׁלַּח חֲרֹנְךָ יֹאכְלֵמוֹ כַּקַּשׁ:

And with Your great pride: (If the hand alone crushes the foe, then when it is raised with its great pride, it will [definitely] tear down those who rise up against Him. And if with His great pride alone His foes are torn down, how much more so, when He sends upon them His burning wrath, will it consume them.)

וברב גאונך: אם היד בלבד רועצת האויב, כשהוא מרומם ברוב גאונו, אז יהרס קמיו, ואם ברוב גאונו לבד אויביו נהרסים, קל וחומר כששלח בם חרון אף יאכלמו:

You tear down: You always tear down those who rise up against You. And who are those who rise up against Him? These are the ones who rise up against Israel, and so does he [the Psalmist] say, “For behold, Your enemies stir.” And what is that stirring? “Against Your people they plot cunningly” (Ps. 83:3, 4). For this reason, he calls them the enemies of the Omnipresent. — [from Mechilta]

תהרס: תמיד אתה הורס קמיך הקמים נגדך, ומי הם הקמים כנגדו, אלו הקמים על ישראל, וכן הוא אומר (תהלים פג ג) כי הנה אויביך יהמיון, ומה היא ההמיה, (שם ב) על עמך יערימו סוד, ועל זה קורא אותם אויביו של מקום:

8. And with the breath of Your nostrils the waters were heaped up; the running water stood erect like a wall; the depths congealed in the heart of the sea.       ח. וּבְרוּחַ אַפֶּיךָ נֶעֶרְמוּ מַיִם נִצְּבוּ כְמוֹ נֵד נֹזְלִים קָפְאוּ תְהֹמֹת בְּלֶב יָם:

And with the breath of Your nostrils: Breath which comes out of the two nostrils of the nose. Scripture speaks anthropomorphically about the Shechinah, on the model of a mortal king, in order to enable the ears of the people to hear it [to understand God’s anger] as it usually occurs [in humans], so that they should be able to understand the matter. [Namely that] when a person becomes angry, wind comes out of his nostrils. Likewise, “Smoke went up from His nostrils” (Ps. 18:9), and similarly, “and from the wind of His nostrils they will be destroyed” (Job 4:9). And this is what it [Scripture] says: “For the sake of My Name, I defer My anger” (Isa. 48:9) [lit., I lengthen the breath of My nose]. [This means that] when his [a person’s] anger subsides, his breath becomes longer, and when he becomes angry, his breath becomes shorter; [the verse continues:] “and for My praise I restrain My wrath (אֶחֱטָם) for you” (Isa. 48: 9). [I.e.,] I put a ring (חִטָם) into My nostrils in front of the anger and the wind, [so] that they should not come out. “For you” means “for your sake.” [The word] אֶחֱטָם is like [the expression in the Mishnah:] “a dromedary with a nose ring” (בַּחִטָם) in tractate Shabbath (51b). This is how it appears to me. And concerning every [expression of] אַף and חָרוֹן in the Bible [which are expressions of anger] I say this: [The expression] חָרָה אַף, anger was kindled, is like [the word חָרָה in:] “and my bones dried out (חָרָה) from the heat” (Job 30:30); חָרָה is an expression of fire and burning, for the nostrils heat up and burn at the time of anger. חָרוֹן (burning) is from the root חרה (to burn) just as רָצוֹן (will) is from the root רצה (to desire). And likewise, חֵמָה is an expression of heat (חֲמִימוּת). Therefore, it [Scripture] says: “and his anger (וַחִמָתוֹ) burnt within him” (Esther 1:12), and when the anger subsides, we say, “His mind has cooled off (נִתְקָרְרָה דַעְךְתּוֹ).”

וברוח אפיך: היוצא משני נחירים של אף. דבר הכתוב כביכול בשכינה דוגמת מלך בשר ודם, כדי להשמיע אוזן הבריות כפי ההוה שיוכלו להבין דבר. כשאדם כועס יוצא רוח מנחיריו, וכן (תהלים יח ט) עלה עשן באפו, וכן (איוב ד ט) ומרוח אפו יכלו, וזהו שאמר (ישעיהו מח ט) למען שמי אאריך אפי, כשזעפו נח נשימתו ארוכה, וכשהוא כועס, נשימתו קצרה, (שם) ותהלתי אחטם לך, ולמען תהלתי אשים חטם באפי לסתום נחירי בפני האף והרוח שלא יצאו, לך בשבילך. אחטם כמו נאקה בחטם במסכת שבת (דף נא ב) כך נראה בעיני. וכל אף וחרון שבמקרא אני אומר כן, (דברים ז ד) חרה אף, כמו (איוב ל ל) ועצמי חרה מני חורב, לשון שריפה ומוקד, שהנחירים מתחממים ונחרים בעת הקצף, וחרון מגזרת חרה, כמו רצון מגזרת רצה, וכן חמה לשון חמימות, על כן הוא אומר (אסתר א יב) וחמתו בערה בו, ובנוח החמה אומר נתקררה דעתו:

the waters were heaped up: Heb. נֶעֶרְמוּ. Onkelos rendered [this word] as an expression of cunning (עַרְמִימוּת). According to the clarity of Scripture, however, it is an expression related to “a stack (עִרֵמַת) of wheat” (Song of Songs 7:3), and [the phrase that follows:] “the running water stood erect like a wall” proves this.

נערמו מים: אונקלוס תרגם לשון ערמימות ולשון צחות המקרא, כמו (שיר השירים ז ג) ערמת חטים, ונצבו כמו נד יוכיח. ממוקד רוח שיצא מאפיך יבשו המים והם נעשו כמין גלים וכריות של ערימה שהם גבוהים:

the waters were heaped up: From the heat of the wind that came out of Your nose, the water dried up, and it became like piles and heaps of grain stacks, which are tall.

נערמו מים: ממוקד רוח שיצא מאפיך יבשו המים והם נעשו כמין גלים וכריות של ערימה שהם גבוהים

like a wall: Heb. כְמוֹ-נֵד, as the Targum [Onkelos] renders: כְּשׁוּר, like a wall. —

כמו נד: כתרגומו כשור, כחומה:

wall: Heb. נֵד, an expression of heaping and gathering, like “a heap (נֵד) of harvest on a day of sickness” (Isa. 17:11); “He gathers (כֹּנֵס) as a mound כַּנֵד” (Ps. 33:7). It does not say, “He brings in as a flask כַּנֹּאד,” but כַּנַּד. Now if כַּנַּד were the same as כַּנֹּאד, and כֹּנֵס were an expression of bringing in, it should have said, “He brings in as into a flask כִּבְנֹאד) (מַכְנִיס the waters of the sea.” Rather, כֹּנֵס is an expression of gathering and heaping, and so, “shall stand in one heap (נֵד)” ; “stood in one heap (נֵד).” (Josh. 3:13, 16); and the expression of rising and standing does not apply to flasks, but to walls and heaps. Moreover, we do not find נֹּאד, meaning a flask, vowelized [with any vowel] but with a “melupum,” (meaning a “cholam,” ) like [in the phrases:] “place my tears into Your flask (בְּנֹּאדֶ)” (Ps. 56:9); “the flask of נֹּאד milk” (Jud. 4:19).

נד: לשון צבור וכנוס, כמו (ישעיהו יז יא) נד קציר ביום נחלה, (תהלים לג ז) כונס כנד, לא כתיב כנאד אלא כנד, ואלו היה כנד כמו כנאד. וכונס לשון הכנסה, היה לו לכתוב מכניס כבנאד מי הים, אלא כונס לשון אוסף וצובר הוא, וכן (יהושע ג טז) קמו נד אחד, (שם יג) ויעמדו נד אחד, ואין לשון קימה ועמידה בנאדות אלא בחומות וצבורים, ולא מצינו נאד נקוד אלא במלאפו"ם, כמו (תהלים נו ט) שימה דמעתי בנאדך, (שופטים ד יט) את נאד החלב:

congealed: Heb. קָפְאוּ, like “and curdle me (ךְתַּקְפִּיאֵנִי) like cheese” (Job 10:10). [I.e.,] that they [the depths] hardened and became like stones, and the water hurled the Egyptians against the stone with [all its] might and fought with them [the Egyptians] with all kinds of harshness.

קפאו: כמו (איוב י י) וכגבינה תקפיאני, שהוקשו ונעשו כאבנים והמים זורקים את המצרים על האבן בכח ונלחמים בם בכל מיני קושי:

in the heart of the sea: Heb. בְּלֶב יָם, in the strongest part of the sea. It is customary for the Scriptures to speak in this manner, [for instance:] “until the heart of (לֵב) the heavens” (Deut. 4:11); in the heart of (בְּלֵב) the terebinth" (II Sam. 18:14). [The heart in these examples is] an expression denoting the root and the strength of anything. —

בלב ים: בחוזק הים, ודרך המקראות לדבר כן (דברים ד יא) עד לב השמים, (שמואל ב' יח יד) בלב האלה, לשון עקרו ותקפו של דבר:

9. [Because] the enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will share the booty; my desire will be filled from them; I will draw my sword, my hand will impoverish them.       ט. אָמַר אוֹיֵב אֶרְדֹּף אַשִּׂיג אֲחַלֵּק שָׁלָל תִּמְלָאֵמוֹ נַפְשִׁי אָרִיק חַרְבִּי תּוֹרִישֵׁמוֹ יָדִי:

[Because] the enemy said: to his people, when he enticed them with [his] words, "I will pursue, and I will overtake them, and I will share the plunder with my officers and my servants."

אמר אויב: לעמו כשפיתם בדברים, ארדוף ואשיגם ואחלק שלל עם שרי ועבדי:

will be filled from them: Heb. ךְתִּמְלָאֵמוֹ, equivalent to ךְתִּמְלָא מֵהֶם, will be filled from them.

תמלאמו: תתמלא מהם:

my desire: Heb. נַפְשִׁי, lit., my soul, my spirit, and my will. Do not be surprised at [one] word speaking for two [words]; i.e., ךְתִּמְלָאֵמוֹ, instead of ךְתִּמְלָא מֵהֶם, because there are many such words [in Tanach like this], e.g., “you have given me (נְתַךְתָּנִי) dry land” (Jud. 1:15), [which is] like נָתַךְתָּ לִי “and they could not speak with him (דַּבְּרוּ) peacefully” (Gen. 37:4), [which is] like דַּבֵּר עִמוֹ“my children have left me (יְצָאוּנִי) ” (Jer. 10:20), [which is] like יָצְאוּ מִמֶנִי “I will tell him (אַגִּידֶנּוּ) ” (Job 31:37), [which is] like אַגִיד לוֹ. Here too, ךְתִּמְלָאֵמוֹ is equivalent to ךְתִִִּמְלָאֵמוֹ נַפְשִׁי מֵהֶם.

נפשי: רוחי ורצוני. ואל תתמה על תיבה המדברת בשתים - תמלאמו תמלא מהם, יש הרבה כלשון הזה (שופטים א טו) כי ארץ הנגב נתתני, כמו נתת לי. (בראשית לז ד) ולא יכלו דברו לשלום, כמו דבר עמו. (ירמיה י כ) בני יצאוני, כמו יצאו ממני. (איוב לא לז) מספר צעדי אגידנו, כמו אגיד לו, אף כאן תמלאמו - תמלא נפשי מהם:

I will draw my sword: Heb. חַרְבִּי אָרִיק, lit., I will empty my sword. I will draw, and because one empties the sheath by drawing it [the sword], and it remains empty, an expression of emptying is appropriate, like “And it came to pass that they were emptying (מְרִיקִים) their sacks” (Gen. 42:35); “and they shall empty (יָרִיקוּ) his vessels” (Jer. 48:12). Do not say that the expression of emptiness [in these examples] does not apply to what comes out [of its container] but [instead applies] to the sheath, the sack, or the vessel from which it came out, but not to the sword or the wine, and [thus] to force an interpretation of אָרִיק חַרְבִּי like the language of “and he armed (וַיָרֶק) his trained men” (Gen. 14:14), [claiming that its] meaning [is] "I will arm myself with my sword.” [To this I answer that] we find the expression [of emptying] also applied to that which comes out, e.g., “oil poured forth (ךְתּוּרַק) ” (Song of Songs 1:3); “and he has not been poured (הוּרַק) from one vessel to another vessel” (Jer. 48:11). It is not written: “the vessel was not emptied (הוּרַק)” but “the wine was not poured (הוּרַק) from one vessel to another vessel.” Similarly, “and they will draw (וְהֵרִיקוּ) their swords on the beauty of your wisdom” (Ezek. 28:7), referring to Hiram [the king of Tyre]-[following Onkelos, Jonathan].

אריק חרבי: אשלוף, ועל שם שהוא מריק את התער בשליפתו ונשאר ריק נופל בו לשון הרקה, כמו (בראשית מב לה) מריקים שקיהם, (ירמיה מח יב) וכליו יריקו. ואם תאמר אין לשון ריקות נופל על היוצא, אלא על התיק ועל השק ועל הכלי שיצא ממנה, אבל לא על החרב ועל היין, ולדחוק ולפרש אריק חרבי, כלשון (בראשית יד יד) וירק את חניכיו - אזדיין בחרבי, מצינו הלשון מוסב אף על היוצא (שיר השירים א ג) שמן תורק, (ירמיהו מח יא) ולא הורק מכלי אל כלי, לא הורק הכלי אין כתיב כאן אלא לא הורק היין מכלי אל כלי, מצינו הלשון מוסב על היין. וכן (יחזקאל כח ז) והריקו חרבותם על יפי חכמתך, דחירם:

my hand will impoverish them: Heb. ךְתּוֹרִישֵׁמוֹ, an expression of poverty (רֵישׁוּת) and destitution, like “The Lord impoverishes (מוֹרִישׁ) and makes rich” (I Sam. 2:7).

תורישמו: לשון רישות ודלות, כמו (שמואל א' ב ז) מוריש ומעשיר:

10. You blew with Your wind, the sea covered them; they sank like lead in the powerful waters.        י. נָשַׁפְתָּ בְרוּחֲךָ כִּסָּמוֹ יָם צָלֲלוּ כַּעוֹפֶרֶת בְּמַיִם אַדִּירִים:

You blew: Heb. נָשַׁפְךְתָּ, an expression of blowing, and likewise: “and also He blew (נָשַׁף) on them” (Isa. 40:24).

נשפת: לשון הפחה, וכן (ישעיהו מ כד) וגם נשף בהם:

they sank: Heb. צָלִלוּ, [which means] they sank; they went down to the depths, an expression of מְצוּלָה, deep.

צללו: שקעו, עמקו, לשון (תהלים סט ג) מצולה:

like lead: Heb. כַּעוֹפֶרֶת, plomb in French, lead.

כעופרת: אבר פלו"ם [עופרת] בלעז:

11. Who is like You among the powerful, O Lord? Who is like You, powerful in the holy place? Too awesome for praises, performing wonders!         יא. מִי כָמֹכָה בָּאֵלִם יְהֹוָה מִי כָּמֹכָה נֶאְדָּר בַּקֹּדֶשׁ נוֹרָא תְהִלֹּת עֹשֵׂה פֶלֶא:

among the powerful: Heb. בָּאֵלִם, among the strong, like “and the powerful (אֵילֵי) of the land he took away” (Ezek. 17:13); “my strength איָלוּתִי, hasten to my assistance” (Ps. 22:20).

באלם: בחזקים, כמו (יחזקאל יז יג) ואת אילי הארץ לקח, (תהלים כב כ) אילותי לעזרתי חושה:

Too awesome for praises: [You are] too awesome for [one] to recite Your praises, lest they fall short, as it is written: “Silence is praise to You” (Ps. 65:2).

נורא תהלות: יראוי מלהגיד תהלותיו פן ימעטו, כמו שכתוב (שם סה ב) לך דומיה תהלה:

12. You inclined Your right hand; the earth swallowed them up.     יב. נָטִיתָ יְמִינְךָ תִּבְלָעֵמוֹ אָרֶץ:

You inclined Your right hand: When the Holy One, blessed be He, inclines His hand, the wicked perish and fall, because all are placed in His hand, and they fall when He inclines it. Similarly, it [Scripture] says: “and the Lord shall turn His hand, and the helper shall stumble, and the helped one shall fall” (Isa. 31:3). This can be compared to glass vessels placed in a person’s hand. If he inclines his hand a little, they fall and break. — [based on Mechilta]

נטית ימינך: כשהקב"ה נוטה ידו הרשעים כלים ונופלים, לפי שהכל נתון בידו ונופלים בהטייתה וכן הוא אומר (ישעיה לא ג) וה' יטה ידו וכשל עוזר ונפל עזור. משל לכלי זכוכית הנתונים בידי אדם, מטה ידו מעט והן נופלין ומשתברין:

the earth swallowed them up: From here [we deduce] that they merited to be buried as a reward for saying, “The Lord is the righteous One” (Exod. 9:27). — [from Mechilta]

תבלעמו ארץ: מכאן שזכו לקבורה בשכר שאמרו (לעיל ט כז) ה' הצדיק:

13. With Your loving kindness You led the people You redeemed; You led [them] with Your might to Your holy abode.     יג. נָחִיתָ בְחַסְדְּךָ עַם זוּ גּאָלְתָּ נֵהַלְתָּ בְעָזְּךָ אֶל נְוֵה קָדְשֶׁךָ:

You led: Heb. נֵהַלְךְתָּ, an expression of leading. Onkelos, however, rendered [it as] an expression of carrying and bearing, but he was not exact in explaining it in accordance with the Hebrew. [I.e., he explained the sense of the verse, but he did not translate the word literally.]

נהלת: לשון מנהל, ואונקלוס תרגם לשון נושא וסובל, ולא דקדק לפרש אחר לשון העברית:

14. People heard, they trembled; a shudder seized the inhabitants of Philistia.        יד. שָׁמְעוּ עַמִּים יִרְגָּזוּן חִיל אָחַז ישְׁבֵי פְּלָשֶׁת:

they trembled: Heb. יִרְגָזוּן, [which means] they tremble.

ירגזון: מתרגזין:

the inhabitants of Philistia: [They trembled] since they slew the children of Ephraim, who hastened the end [of their exile] and went out [of Egypt] forcibly, as is delineated in (I) Chronicles (7:21). And the people of [the town of] Gath slew them [the children of Ephraim]. — [from Mechilta]

ישבי פלשת: מפני שהרגו את בני אפרים שמיהרו את הקץ ויצאו בחזקה, כמפורש בדברי הימים (דברי הימים א' ז כא) והרגום אנשי גת:

15. Then the chieftains of Edom were startled; [as for] the powerful men of Moab, trembling seized them; all the inhabitants of Canaan melted.        טו. אָז נִבְהֲלוּ אַלּוּפֵי אֱדוֹם אֵילֵי מוֹאָב יֹאחֲזֵמוֹ רָעַד נָמֹגוּ כֹּל ישְׁבֵי כְנָעַן:

the chieftains of Edom…the powerful men of Moab: Now they had nothing to fear at all, because they [the Israelites] were not advancing upon them. Rather, [they trembled] because of grief, that they were grieving and suffering because of the glory of Israel.

אלופי אדום אילי מואב: והלא לא היה להם לירא כלום, שהרי לא עליהם הולכים, אלא מפני אנינות שהיו מתאוננים ומצטערים על כבודם של ישראל:

melted: Heb. נָמֹגוּ, [as in the phrase] “with raindrops You dissolve it (ךְתְּמֹגְגֶנָּה)” (Ps. 65:11). They [the inhabitants of Canaan] said, “They are coming upon us to annihilate us and possess our land.” -[from Mechilta]

נמגו: נמסו, כמו (תהלים סה יא) ברביבים תמוגגנה. אמרו עלינו הם באים לכלותינו ולירש את ארצנו:

16. May dread and fright fall upon them; with the arm of Your greatness may they become as still as a stone, until Your people cross over, O Lord, until this nation that You have acquired crosses over.        טז. תִּפֹּל עֲלֵיהֶם אֵימָתָה וָפַחַד בִּגְדֹל זְרוֹעֲךָ יִדְּמוּ כָּאָבֶן עַד יַעֲבֹר עַמְּךָ יְהֹוָה עַד יַעֲבֹר עַם זוּ קָנִיתָ:

May dread…fall upon them: Heb. אֵימָתָה, upon the distant ones. — [from Mechilta]

תפל עליהם אימתה: על הרחוקים:

and fright: Heb. וָפַחַד. Upon the nearby ones, as the matter that is stated: “For we have heard how the Lord dried up [the water of the Red Sea for you, etc.]” (Josh. 2:10).[from Mechilta]

ופחד: על הקרובים, כענין שנאמר (יהושע ב י) כי שמענו את אשר הוביש וגו':

until…cross over, until…crosses over: As the Targum [Onkelos] renders.

עד יעבר עד יעבר: כתרגומו:

You have acquired: Heb. קָנִיתָ. [I.e., whom] You loved more than other nations, similar to an article purchased for a high price, which is dear to the person [who purchased it].

קנית: חבבת משאר אומות, כחפץ הקנוי בדמים יקרים, שחביב על האדם:

17. You shall bring them and plant them on the mount of Your heritage, directed toward Your habitation, which You made, O Lord; the sanctuary, O Lord, [which] Your hands founded.     יז. תְּבִאֵמוֹ וְתִטָּעֵמוֹ בְּהַר נַחֲלָתְךָ מָכוֹן לְשִׁבְתְּךָ פָּעַלְתָּ יְהֹוָה מִקְּדָשׁ אֲדֹנָי כּוֹנְנוּ יָדֶיךָ:

You shall bring them: Moses prophesied that he would not enter the land [of Israel]. Therefore, it does not say: “You shall bring us.” (It appears that it should read “that they would not enter the land, etc.” Indeed, this is the way it is stated in Baba Bathra 119b and in Mechilta: The sons will enter but not the fathers. Although the decree of the spies had not yet been pronounced, he [Moses] prophesied, not knowing what he was prophesying. — [Maharshal])

תבאמו: נתנבא משה שלא יכנס לארץ לכך לא נאמר תביאנו:

directed toward Your habitation: The Temple below is directly opposite the Temple above, which You made. — [from Mechilta]

מכון לשבתך: מקדש של מטה מכוון כנגד כסא של מעלה אשר פעלת:

the sanctuary: Heb. מִקְּדָשׁ. The cantillation sign over it is a “zakef gadol,” to separate it from the word ה following it. [The verse thus means:] the sanctuary which Your hands founded, O Lord. The Temple is beloved, since, whereas the world was created with “one hand,” as it is said: “Even My hand laid the foundation of the earth” (Isa. 48:13), the sanctuary [will be built] with “two hands.” When will it be built with "two hands"? At the time when “the Lord will reign to all eternity” [verse 18]. In the future, when the entire ruling power is His. — [from Mechilta and Keth. 5a]

מקדש: הטעם עליו זקף גדול להפרידו מתיבת השם שלאחריו המקדש אשר כוננו ידיך ה'. חביב בית המקדש שהעולם נברא ביד אחת, שנאמר (ישעיהו מח יג) אף ידי יסדה ארץ, ומקדש בשתי ידים. ואימתי יבנה בשתי ידים, בזמן שה' ימלוך לעולם ועד, לעתיד לבא שכל המלוכה שלו:

18. The Lord will reign to all eternity        יח. יְהֹוָה | יִמְלֹךְ לְעֹלָם וָעֶד:

to all eternity: Heb. לְעֹלָם וָעֶד. [This is] an expression of eternity, and the “vav” in it is part of the root. Therefore, it is punctuated with a “pattach.” But in “and I am He Who knows, and [I am] a witness וָעֵד” (Jer. 29:23), in which the “vav” is a prefix, it is punctuated with a “kamatz.”

לעלם ועד: לשון עולמות הוא והוי"ו בו יסוד לפיכך היא פתוחה, אבל (ירמיהו כט כג) ואנכי היודע ועד, שהוי"ו בו שימוש, קמוצה היא:

19. When Pharaoh's horses came with his chariots and his horsemen into the sea, and the Lord brought the waters of the sea back upon them, and the children of Israel walked on dry land in the midst of the sea,     יט. כִּי בָא סוּס פַּרְעֹה בְּרִכְבּוֹ וּבְפָרָשָׁיו בַּיָּם וַיָּשֶׁב יְהֹוָה עֲלֵהֶם אֶת מֵי הַיָּם וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הָלְכוּ בַיַּבָּשָׁה בְּתוֹךְ הַיָּם:

When Pharaoh’s horses came: Heb. כִּי בָא When they came.

כי בא סוס פרעה: כאשר בא:

20. Miriam, the prophetess, Aaron's sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women came out after her with timbrels and with dances.     כ. וַתִּקַּח מִרְיָם הַנְּבִיאָה אֲחוֹת אַהֲרֹן אֶת הַתֹּף בְּיָדָהּ וַתֵּצֶאןָ כָל הַנָּשִׁים אַחֲרֶיהָ בְּתֻפִּים וּבִמְחֹלֹת:

Miriam, the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took: When did she prophesy? When she was [known only as] “Aaron’s sister,” before Moses was born, she said, “My mother is destined to bear a son” [who will save Israel], as is found in Sotah 12b, 13a). Another explanation: [It is written] Aaron’s sister since he [Aaron] risked his life for her when she was afflicted with zara’ath; [thus] she is called by his name (Mechilta).

ותקח מרים הנביאה: היכן נתנבאה כשהיתה אחות אהרן, קודם שנולד משה, אמרה עתידה אמי שתלד בן וכו', כדאיתא בסוטה (דף יג א). דבר אחר אחות אהרן לפי שמסר נפשו עליה כשנצטרעה, נקראת על שמו:

a timbrel: Heb. הַךְתֹּף, a type of musical instrument.

את התף: כלי של מיני זמר:

with timbrels and with dances: The righteous women of that generation were [so] certain that the Holy One, blessed be He, would perform miracles for them, they took timbrels out of Egypt. — [from Mechilta]

בתפים ובמחלת: מובטחות היו צדקניות שבדור שהקדוש ברוך הוא עושה להם נסים והוציאו תופים ממצרים:

21. And Miriam called out to them, Sing to the Lord, for very exalted is He; a horse and its rider He cast into the sea      כא. וַתַּעַן לָהֶם מִרְיָם שִׁירוּ לַיהֹוָה כִּי גָאֹה גָּאָה סוּס וְרֹכְבוֹ רָמָה בַיָּם:

And Miriam called out to them: Moses said the Song to the men, and they answered after him, and Miriam said the song to the women [and they too repeated it]. — [from Mechilta]

ותען להם מרים: משה אמר שירה לאנשים, הוא אומר והם עונין אחריו, ומרים אמרה שירה לנשים:

22. Moses led Israel away from the Red Sea, and they went out into the desert of Shur; they walked for three days in the desert but did not find water.        כב. וַיַּסַּע משֶׁה אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִיַּם סוּף וַיֵּצְאוּ אֶל מִדְבַּר שׁוּר וַיֵּלְכוּ שְׁלשֶׁת יָמִים בַּמִּדְבָּר וְלֹא מָצְאוּ מָיִם:

Moses led Israel away: lit., made Israel journey. He led them away against their will, for the Egyptians had adorned their steeds with ornaments of gold, silver, and precious stones, and the Israelites were finding them in the sea. The plunder at the sea was greater than the plunder in Egypt, as it is said: “We will make you rows of gold with studs of silver” (Song of Songs 1:11). Therefore, he had to lead them against their will. — [from Tanchuma Buber, Beshallach 16, Mechilta, Exod. 12:35, Song Rabbah 1:11]

ויסע משה: הסיען בעל כרחם שעטרו מצרים סוסיהם בתכשיטי זהב וכסף ואבנים טובות, והיו ישראל מוצאין אותם בים, וגדולה היתה ביזת הים מביזת מצרים, שנאמר (שיר השירים א יא) תורי זהב נעשה לך עם נקודות הכסף, לפיכך הוצרך להסיען בעל כרחם:

23. They came to Marah, but they could not drink water from Marah because it was bitter; therefore, it was named Marah.       כג. וַיָּבֹאוּ מָרָתָה וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לִשְׁתֹּת מַיִם מִמָּרָה כִּי מָרִים הֵם עַל כֵּן קָרָא שְׁמָהּ מָרָה:

They came to Marah: Heb. מָרָתָה, like לְמָרָָה. The “hey” at the end מָרָתָה is instead of a “lammed” [prefix] at the beginning [of the word], and the “thav” is instead of the “hey” [that is part] of the root in the word מָרָָה. But when a suffix is added, when it is attached to a “hey” that replaces a “lammed,” the “hey” of the root is transformed into a “thav.” Similarly, every “hey” that is part of the root of the word is transformed into a “thav” when a suffix is added, like “I have no wrath (חֵמָה) ” (Isa. 27:4), [becomes] “and his wrath (וַחִמָתוֹ) burnt within him” (Esther 1:12). Note that the “hey” of the root is transformed into a “thav” when it is placed next to the added “vav.” Likewise,"bond servants and handmaids (וְאָמָה) “ (Lev. 25:44), [becomes] and "Here is my handmaid (אִמָתִי) Bilhah” (Gen. 30:3); “a living (חַיָה) soul” (Gen. 2:7), [becomes] “and his living spirit (חַיָתוֹ) causes him to abhor food” (Job 33:20); “between Ramah (הָרָמָה)” (Jud. 4:5), [becomes] “And his return was to Ramah (הָרָמָתָה)” (I Sam. 7:17).

ויבאו מרתה: כמו למרה, ה"א בסוף תיבה במקום למ"ד בתחילתה, והתי"ו היא במקום ה"א הנשרשת בתיבת מרה, ובסמיכתה כשהיא נדבקת לה"א, שהוא מוסיף במקום הלמ"ד, תהפך הה"א של שרש לתי"ו, וכן כל ה"א שהיא שרש בתיבה, תתהפך לתי"ו בסמיכתה, כמו (ישעיהו כז ד) חמה אין לי, (אסתר א יב) וחמתו בערה בו, הרי ה"א של שורש נהפכת לתי"ו, מפני שנסמכת אל הו"ו הנוספת, וכן (ויקרא כה מד) עבד ואמה, (בראשית ל ג) הנה אמתי בלהה, (שם ב ז) לנפש חיה, (איוב לג כ) וזהמתו חיתו לחם, (שופטים ד ה) בין הרמה, (שמואל א' ז יז) ותשובתו הרמתה:

24. The people complained against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?        כד. וַיִּלֹּנוּ הָעָם עַל משֶׁה לֵּאמֹר מַה נִּשְׁתֶּה:

complained: Heb. וַיִלֹנוּ. This is in the niph’al conjugation. [In this case, the niph’al denotes the reflexive, as we see further in Rashi.] Likewise, in the Targum [Onkelos], it is also a niph’al expression: וְאִתְרַעִמוּ. The nature of the term denoting complaint ךְתְּלוּנָה [is that it] reverts to the person [complaining], מִתְלוֹנֵן [complains] or מִתְרוֹעֵם [storms], but one does not say לוֹנֵן or רוֹעֵם [Hebrew]. The Frenchman also says, “Decomplenst sey.” He reverts the statement to himself when he says, “Sey.”

וילנו: לשון נפעל הוא וכן התרגום לשון נפעל הוא ואתרעמו. כן דרך לשון תלונה להסב הדבור אל האדם מתלונן מתרועם, ולא אמר, לונן, רועם, וכן יאמר הלועז דיקומפליינש"ט שי"י [התלונן], מוסב הדבור אליו באמרו שי"י [עצמו]:

25. So he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord instructed him concerning a piece of wood, which he cast into the water, and the water became sweet. There He gave them a statute and an ordinance, and there He tested them.         כה. וַיִּצְעַק אֶל יְהֹוָה וַיּוֹרֵהוּ יְהֹוָה עֵץ וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ אֶל הַמַּיִם וַיִּמְתְּקוּ הַמָּיִם שָׁם שָׂם לוֹ חֹק וּמִשְׁפָּט וְשָׁם נִסָּהוּ:

There He gave them: In Marah, He gave them some sections of the Torah so that they would busy themselves with them, namely [they were given the laws governing] the Sabbath, the red cow, and laws of jurisprudence. — [from Mechilta and Sanh. 56b]

שם שם לו: במרה נתן להם מקצת פרשיות של תורה שיתעסקו בהם, שבת ופרה אדומה ודינין:

and there He tested them: [He tested] the people and saw how stiff-necked they were, that they did not consult Moses with respectful language, “Entreat [God to have] mercy upon us that we should have water to drink,” but they complained. — [from Mechilta]

ושם נסהו: לעם, וראה קשי ערפן שלא נמלכו במשה בלשון יפה, בקש עלינו רחמים שיהיה לנו מים לשתות, אלא נתלוננו:

26. And He said, If you hearken to the voice of the Lord, your God, and you do what is proper in His eyes, and you listen closely to His commandments and observe all His statutes, all the sicknesses that I have visited upon Egypt I will not visit upon you, for I, the Lord, heal you      כו. וַיֹּאמֶר אִם שָׁמוֹעַ תִּשְׁמַע לְקוֹל | יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ וְהַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינָיו תַּעֲשֶׂה וְהַאֲזַנְתָּ לְמִצְו‍ֹתָיו וְשָׁמַרְתָּ כָּל חֻקָּיו כָּל הַמַּחֲלָה אֲשֶׁר שַׂמְתִּי בְמִצְרַיִם לֹא אָשִׂים עָלֶיךָ כִּי אֲנִי יְהֹוָה רֹפְאֶךָ:

If you hearken: This is the acceptance [of the law] that they should accept upon themselves.

אם שמוע תשמע: זו קבלה שיקבלו עליהם:

and you do: This means the performance [of the commandments].

תעשה: היא עשייה:

and you listen closely: [This means that] you [should] incline your ears to be meticulous in [fulfilling] them.

והאזנת: תטה אזנים לדקדק בהם:

all His statutes: Things that are only the decree of the King, without any [apparent] rationale, and with which the evil inclination finds fault, [saying,] “What is [the sense of] the prohibition of these [things]? Why were they prohibited?” For example, [the prohibitions of] wearing shatnes [a mixture of wool and linen] and eating pork, and [the ritual of] the red cow and their like. — [based on Yoma 67b]

כל חקיו: דברים שאינן אלא גזירת מלך בלא שום טעם, ויצר הרע מקנטר עליהם מה איסור באלו, למה נאסרו, כגון לבישת כלאים ואכילת חזיר ופרה אדומה וכיוצא בהם:

I will not visit upon you: And if I do bring [sickness upon you], it is as if it has not been brought, “for I, the Lord, heal you.” This is its midrashic interpretation (see Sanh. 101a, Mechilta). According to its simple meaning, [we explain:] “for I, the Lord, am your Physician” and [I] teach you the Torah and the mitzvoth in order that you be saved from them [illnesses], like this physician who says to a person, “Do not eat things that will cause you to relapse into the grip of illness.” This [warning] refers to listening closely to the commandments, and so [Scripture] says: “It shall be healing for your navel” (Prov. 3:8). — [from Mechilta]

לא אשים עליך: ואם אשים הרי היא כלא הושמה, כי אני ה' רופאך, זהו מדרשו. ולפי פשוטו כי אני ה' רופאך ומלמדך תורה ומצות למען תנצל מהם, כרופא הזה האומר לאדם אל תאכל [דבר זה פן יביאך לידי חולי זה] וכן הוא אומר (משלי ג ח) רפאות תהי לשרך:

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Tehillim Psalm Chapters 39 - 43

• Chapter 39

David's prayer bewailing his suffering. But it is not suffering itself that pains him, rather he is saddened by its disturbing his Torah study. For man's days are few, "and if not now, when (will he study)?" for he may die, today or tomorrow. He therefore requests that his suffering be removed, to enable him to study Torah and acquire a place in the World to Come.

1. For the Conductor, for yedutun,1 a psalm by David.

2. I said that I would guard my ways from sinning with my tongue; I would guard my mouth with a muzzle, [even] while the wicked one is before me.

3. I became mute with stillness, I was silent [even] from the good, though my pain was crippling.

4. My heart grew hot within me, a fire blazed in my utterance, as I spoke with my tongue.

5. O Lord, let me know my end and what is the measure of my days, that I may know when I will cease.

6. Behold, like handbreadths You set my days; my lifetime is as naught before You. But all is futility, all mankind's existence, Selah.

7. Only in darkness does man walk, seeking only futility; he amasses riches and knows not who will reap them.

8. And now, what is my hope, my Lord? My longing is to You.

9. Rescue me from all my transgressions; do not make me the scorn of the degenerate.

10. I am mute, I do not open my mouth, for You have caused [my suffering].

11. Remove Your affliction from me; I am devastated by the attack of Your hand.

12. In reproach for sin You chastened man; like a moth, You wore away that which is precious to him. All mankind is nothing but futility, forever.

13. Hear my prayer, O Lord, listen to my cry; do not be silent to my tears, for I am a stranger with You, a sojourner like all my forefathers.

14. Turn from me, that I may recover my strength, before I depart and I am no more.

Chapter 40

The psalmist speaks of the numerous wonders that God wrought for the Jewish people, asking: "Who can articulate His might? I would relate and speak of them, but they are too numerous to recount!" He created the world and split the sea for the sake of Israel, [yet] He desires no sacrifices, only that we listen to His voice.

1. For the Conductor, a psalm by David.

2. I put my hope in the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry.

3. He raised me from the turbulent pit, from the slimy mud, and set my feet upon a rock, steadying my steps.

4. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn to our God; multitudes will see and fear, and will trust in the Lord.

5. Fortunate is the man who has made the Lord his trust, and did not turn to the haughty, nor to those who stray after falsehood.

6. You have done much, O You, Lord my God-Your wonders and thoughts are for us; none can compare to You; should I relate or speak of them, they are too numerous to recount!

7. You desired neither sacrifice nor meal-offering, but [obedient] ears You opened for me; You requested neither burnt-offering nor sin-offering.

8. Then I said, "Behold, I come with a Scroll of the Book written for me."1

9. I desire to fulfill Your will, my God; and Your Torah is in my innards.

10. I proclaimed [Your] righteousness in a vast congregation; behold I will not restrain my lips-O Lord, You know!

11. I did not conceal Your righteousness within my heart; I declared Your faithfulness and deliverance; I did not hide Your kindness and truth from the vast congregation.

12. May You, Lord, not withhold Your mercies from me; may Your kindness and truth constantly guard me.

13. For countless evils surround me; my sins have overtaken me and I cannot see; they outnumber the hairs of my head, and my heart has abandoned me.

14. May it please You, Lord, to save me; O Lord, hurry to my aid.

15. Let those who seek my life, to end it, be shamed and humiliated together; let those who desire my harm retreat and be disgraced.

16. Let those who say about me, "Aha! Aha!" be desolate, in return for their shaming [me].

17. Let all those who seek You exult and rejoice in You; let those who love Your deliverance always say, "Be exalted, O Lord!”

18. As for me, I am poor and needy; my Lord will think of me. You are my help and my rescuer; my God, do not delay!

Chapter 41

This psalm teaches many good character traits, and inspires one to be thoughtful and conscientious in giving charity-knowing to whom to give first. Fortunate is he who is thoughtful of the sick one, providing him with his needs.

1. For the Conductor, a psalm by David.

2. Fortunate is he who is thoughtful of the poor, [for] the Lord will save him on the day of evil.

3. The Lord will guard him and keep him alive; he will be praised throughout the land; You will not deliver him to the desires of his enemies.

4. The Lord will support him on the bed of illness; You will turn him over in his bed all throughout his sickness.

5. I said, "Lord, be gracious to me! Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You!”

6. My foes say that evil [awaits] me: "When will he die, and his name perish?”

7. And if one comes to see [me], he speaks insincerely, for his heart gathers iniquity for himself, and when he goes out he speaks of it.

8. Together they whisper against me-all my enemies; against me they devise my harm, [saying]:

9. "Let his wickedness pour into him; now that he lies down, he shall rise no more.”

10. Even my ally in whom I trusted, who ate of my bread, has raised his heel over me.

11. But you, Lord, be gracious to me and raise me up, and I will repay them.

12. With this I shall know that You desire me, when my enemies will not shout gleefully over me.

13. And I, because of my integrity, You upheld me; You set me before You forever.

14. Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel, to all eternity, Amen and Amen.

Chapter 42

This psalm awakens the hearts of the Children of Israel who do not feel the immense ruin, loss, and bad fortune in their being exiled from their Father's table. Were they wise, they would appreciate their past good fortune in coming thrice yearly, with joy and great awe, to behold God during the festivals, free of adversary and harm. May God place mercy before us from now to eternity, Amen Selah.

1. For the Conductor, a maskil1 by the sons of Korach.

2. As the deer cries longingly for brooks of water, so my soul cries longingly for You, O God!

3. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When will I come and behold the countenance of God?

4. My tears have been my bread day and night, when they say to me all day, "Where is your God?”

5. These do I recall, and pour out my soul from within me: how I traveled [to Jerusalem] in covered wagons; I would walk leisurely with them up to the House of God, amid the sound of rejoicing and thanksgiving, the celebrating multitude.

6. Why are you downcast, my soul, and why do you wail within me? Hope to God, for I will yet thank Him for the deliverances of His countenance.

7. My God! My soul is downcast upon me, because I remember You from the land of Jordan and Hermon's peaks, from Mount Mitzar.2

8. Deep calls to deep3 at the roar of Your channels; all Your breakers and waves have swept over me.

9. By day the Lord ordains His kindness, and at night His song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.

10. I say to God, my rock, "Why have You forgotten me? Why must I walk in gloom under the oppression of the enemy?”

11. Like a sword in my bones, my adversaries disgrace me, when they say to me all day, "Where is your God?”

12. Why are you downcast, my soul, and why do you wail within me? Hope to God, for I will yet thank Him; He is my deliverance, [the light of] my countenance, and my God.

Chapter 43

A significant prayer concerning the magnitude of the troubles we have suffered at the hands of the impious nations. May it be God's will to send Moshiach and Elijah the Prophet, who will lead us to the Holy Temple to offer sacrifices as in days of old.

1. Avenge me, O God, and champion my cause against an impious nation; rescue me from the man of deceit and iniquity.

2. For You are the God of my strength; why have You abandoned me? Why must I walk in gloom under the oppression of the enemy?

3. Send Your light and Your truth, they will guide me; they will bring me to Your holy mountain and to your sanctuaries.

4. Then I will come to the altar of God-to God, the joy of my delight-and praise You on the lyre, O God, my God.

5. Why are you downcast, my soul, and why do you wail within me? Hope to God, for I will yet thank Him; He is my deliverance, [the light of] my countenance, and my God.

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Today in Tanya: Likutei Amarim, beginning of Chapter 18

• Wednesday, 7 Shevat 5774 – 8 January 2014

• Lessons in Tanya

• Likutei Amarim, beginning of Chapter 18

In the previous chapter the Alter Rebbe discussed the verse,1 “For this thing is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it” (i.e., it is simple for you to fulfill the mitzvot with your heart, with love and awe of G‑d). He explained that through contemplating G‑d’s greatness every person can come to experience such love and awe. Not every man, to be sure, is a tzaddik, with his heart under his control. But everyone’s mind is under his control, and he can focus his mind in meditation on any subject he chooses. Even if the love and awe produced by such meditation do not make themselves felt in the heart in a revealed way, they will at least appear in his mind, and in the recesses of his heart, as an attitude of love and awe. Even this detached form of love and awe is sufficient to motivate one to observe the mitzvot, and will enable the mitzvot so motivated to soar heavenward as though he had observed them with a true love and awe of G‑d actually felt in the heart.

But it cannot truly be said of love and awe which must be created by way of meditation, that their attainment is “very near” to everyone. Meditation requires knowledge of the subject at hand, and intellectual predisposition. If one’s understanding of G‑d’s greatness is scant, or if he lacks the intellectual capacity for meditation, how is it “very near” to him to observe the mitzvot with love and awe of G‑d?

In the following chapters the Alter Rebbe will therefore explain an alternative method of attaining the love and awe of G‑d, a method that may be used even by one with the aforementioned shortcomings. It consists of arousing the natural love of G‑d that lies hidden in the heart of every Jew, a love that is his birthright, his inheritance from our Patriarchs. No meditation is needed to arouse it; all that is required of him is to recall and to make himself aware of this love — and he will be motivated by this recollection to observe the mitzvot. Since no meditation is required to create them, such love and awe of G‑d are indeed “very near.” They are accessible to all.

ולתוספת ביאור באר היטב מלת מאד שבפסוק: כי קרוב אליך הדבר מאד וגו׳

To explain more clearly and more precisely the word “very” in the verse,2 “For this thing is very near to you…,”

The word “very” indicates that it is an extremely simple matter to serve G‑d “with one’s heart” — with love and fear of G‑d. In the previous chapter the Alter Rebbe explained that a love of G‑d is readily attainable through meditation on G‑d’s greatness, whereby one can generate at least an “intellectual love” — tevunah. Yet it cannot be said of profound meditation that it is “very near to you.”

צריך לידע נאמנה כי אף מי שדעתו קצרה בידיעת ה׳, ואין לו לב להבין בגדולת אין סוף ברוך הוא

one should recognize with certainty that even the person who has only a limited understanding of G‑d’s greatness, so that he lacks the materials necessary for meditation, and he has no heart to comprehend the greatness of the blessed infinite G‑d — his mind and heart are not suited to meditation, so that he lacks the tools of meditation,

להוליד ממנה דחילו ורחימו, אפילו במוחו ותבונתו לבד

to produce, through meditation, a fear and love even in his mind and understanding alone — how much more so is he unable to produce a vibrant, fervent love and fear:

אף על פי כן קרוב אליו הדבר מאד לשמור ולעשות כל מצות התורה, ותלמוד תורה כנגד כולן

yet it is a “very near thing” for him to guard himself from transgressing the prohibitive commandments, through a fear of G‑d, and to practice the positive commandments, which require a love of G‑d — these together comprising all the commandments of the Torah, and in particular the study of Torah which counterbalances them all.

בפיו ובלבבו ממש, מעומקא דלבא באמת לאמיתו, בדחילו ורחימו

He can fulfill all this in his mouth and in his heart — in the true sense of “heart” — that is, not only in the superficial sense of the word “heart,” which means to say “in his thoughts”; but in the true sense of “with heart” — namely, “with feeling,” from the depths of his heart, in absolute sincerity, with love and fear, as opposed to the tevunah-emotions, which cannot properly be called love and fear; they are so designated only insofar as they motivate one’s actions.

The love and fear of which the Alter Rebbe will now speak are emotions in the fullest sense of the word. But how can one acquire a true love and fear of G‑d if he is incapable of meditation? In answer, the author continues:

שהיא אהבה מסותרת שבלב כללות ישראל שהיא ירושה לנו מאבותינו

This is the hidden love present in the heart of all Jews, which is an inheritance to us from our Patriarchs.

Since every Jew already possesses this love as an inheritance, he need not create it through meditation; all that is required of him is that he arouse it and implement it in his observance of the mitzvot. In order to explain how one goes about doing so, the author first discusses the characteristics of this love.

רק שצריך לבאר ולהקדים תחלה באר היטב שרש אהבה זו ועניינה

But we must first preface a clear and precise explanation of the origin of this love, i.e., which level of the soul it stems from, and its character, i.e., what sort of striving this love constitutes.

There is a love of G‑d which seeks a unity with G‑d while still remaining a separate entity — a soul clothed in a body; there is another kind of love which is a yearning for self-extinction; and so forth. What drive is contained in this love which is our inheritance?

ואיך היא ירושה לנו, ואיך נכלל בה גם דחילו

Also, how did this love become our inheritance? How does one inherit a love? And how is fear also incorporated in it?

For, as stated previously, observance of the prohibitive commandments requires a fear of G‑d. Therefore, the statement that the hidden love in every Jew will lead him to observe all the commandments, implies that this love also contains an element of awe.

FOOTNOTES

1.Devarim 30:14.

2.Devarim 30:14.

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Rambam:

• Daily Mitzvah Sefer Hamitzvos:

N46, P190, N56, N57, P192, P193

Negative Commandment 46

Settling in Egypt

"You shall never again return that way"—Deuteronomy 17:16.

We are forbidden from dwelling in the land of Egypt, so that we do not learn their heretical ways nor their depraved lifestyle that the Torah decries. Alexandria, too, is part of the boundaries of Egypt that we may not live in. From the Sea of Alexandria we measure 400 parsah [a parsah is approximately four kilometers] to the length and breadth—and that is the boundary of the Land of Egypt that we may not dwell in.

The prohibition only applies to settling in Egypt. It is, however, permitted to travel to Egypt for business purposes, or to annex [parts of it to Israel].

The 46th prohibition is that we are forever forbidden from living in the land of Egypt. [The purpose of this prohibition is] so that we should not learn from their heresy and not come to imitate their behavior, which the Torah considers wicked.

The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "[The king must not accumulate many horses, so as not to bring the people back to Egypt to get more horses, and G‑d told you] you must never again return on that path."

This prohibition is repeated three times in the Torah, as our Sages said,2 "The Torah repeats the prohibition against returning to Egypt three times; on three occasions they returned; and three times they were punished." Of the three times mentioned in the Torah, the first is the verse mentioned above. The second is G‑d's statement,3 "[G‑d will bring you back to Egypt in ships,] along the way that I told you not to ever see again." And the third is G‑d's statement,4 "You are seeing the Egyptians today, but you shall not see them again." Although the plain meaning of Scripture is that it is notification,5 the Oral Tradition tells us that it is actually a prohibition.

It is explained in the end of tractate Sukkah6 that Alexandria is included in the area in which it is forbidden to settle. From the Sea of Alexandria one measures 400 parsah in length and 400 parsah in width, and that area constitutes the "land of Egypt" in which it is forbidden to settle.

However, one may go there in order to do business or to pass through to another land. The Jerusalem Talmud7 says clearly, "You may not return there to live, but may return there to do business and trade or to conquer [another8] land."

FOOTNOTES

1.Deut. 17:16.

2.Yerushalmi, Sukkah, 4:1.

3.Deut. 28:68

4.Ex. 14:13.

5.I.e. not a command prohibiting return to Egypt, but rather a notification and prediction that in fact they will not return to Egypt. Therefore, the plain meaning of Scripture implies that this should not be counted as a mitzvah.

6.51b.

7.Sanhedrin, end of Ch. 10.

8.See Hilchos Melachim 5:8, where the Rambam adds that if a Jewish king, upon obtaining approval from the Sanhedrin, would conquer Egypt, this prohibition would not apply.

Positive Commandment 190

Proposing Peace before Waging War

"They shall be your subjects and shall serve you"—Deuteronomy 20:11.

When embarking upon an "optional war" [for the sake of expanding the borders of Israel, as opposed to the "mitzvah wars" waged against Amalek and the Seven Canaanite Nations], we are commanded to first offer the opponent a peace settlement. If the opponent accepts the terms of the peace proposal – i.e., the nation accepts upon itself Jewish sovereignty and agrees to pay an annual tax to the Jewish monarch – then we do not wage battle against them.

If they do not accept the terms of the peace proposal, then we go to battle and kill the male population, and the women and property are taken as spoils.

[With regards to "mitzvah wars," we also first offer a peace proposal, but in the event that the enemy doesn't accept the terms, then the entire population – male and female – are not allowed to live.]

The 190th mitzvah is that we are commanded regarding the way1 to wage war against other nations [besides Amalek and the seven nations]. Such a war is called a milchemes reshus2 [optional war]. We are commanded that in the event of war, we should offer to make peace with them only as far as not killing them. If they surrender and give us the land, we then place upon them duty and servitude.3

The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement4 (exalted be He), "[When you approach a city to wage war against it, you must propose a peaceful settlement. If the city responds peacefully and opens its gates to you,] all the people inside shall pay you duty and serve you."

The Sifri5 says, "If they [the enemy] say, 'We accept duty but not servitude,' or 'servitude but not duty,' we do not accept; only when they accept both." [The "duty"6 is] to pay a fixed amount every year, as set by the king of that time, and the "servitude" is to obey all commands and to be constantly in fear and humbled.

But if they do not surrender, we are commanded to kill all male inhabitants of the city, both high and low in status,7 and to capture all the booty and the women. This is commanded in G‑d's statement8 (exalted be He), "If they reject your peace offer [...you shall strike down its males by the sword. However, the women, children, animals and all the goods in the city, you shall take as your spoils]." All these laws are included under the commandment of milchemes reshus.

The details of this mitzvah are explained in the second chapter of tractate Sanhedrin9 and the eighth chapter of tractate Sotah.10

FOOTNOTES

1.See Kapach, 5731, footnote 65.

2.Such a war is waged in order to acquire additional land or to increase the fame and power of the king. This is in distinction to a milchemes mitzvah, which is obligatory, for protection.

3.The "duty" (mas) is to be prepared to work and give money for the needs of the king. The "servitude" is to always be humbled under Jewish control. See Hilchos Melachim 6:1.

4.Deut. 20:11.

5.Ibid.

6.See footnote above from Mishneh Torah.

7.See Kapach, 5731, footnote 68, who translates katan v'gadol (literally, "small and big") in this way (rather than "young and old") because in Hilchos Melachim 6:4, the Rambam rules that male children are not killed, but taken captive.

8.Deut. 20:12-14.

9.20b.

10.44b.

Negative Commandment 56

Offering Peace to Amon or Moab

"You must not seek their peace or prosperity"—Deuteronomy 23:7.

Normally, when embarking upon a battle, we are commanded to first offer the enemy terms for a peace proposal (see Positive Commandment 190). Not so with the nations of Amon and Moab, whom we may not offer a peace proposal. [Though if they, of their own volition, offer to make peace, we do accept their proposal—provided it meets the conditions outlined in the positive commandment referenced above.]

The 56th prohibition is that we are forbidden from ever offering peace to the nations of Ammon or Moav. This ["offering peace"] refers to G‑d's command that before attacking any cities, we should first offer its inhabitants to give in and surrender to us. If they surrender the city, we are prohibited from attacking and killing them, as explained in Positive Commandment 190. The exceptions are Ammon and Moav, to who we may not make this offer. G‑d prohibited us from offering the option of surrender and asking them to give in.1

The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement2 (exalted be He), "You must never seek peace with them nor their well-being [as long as you exist]."

The Sifri3 says, "From the verse,4 'When you approach a city to wage war against it, you must propose a peaceful settlement,' one could think the same applies here [to Ammon and Moav]. The Torah therefore says, 'You must never seek peace with them nor their well-being.' But from the phrase,5 '[He must be allowed to live alongside you wherever he chooses in your settlements,] be good to him,' one could think the same applies here.6 The Torah therefore says, '[nor their well-being] as long as you exist.' "7

FOOTNOTES

1.If they themselves surrender, however, we accept (Hilchos Melachim 6:6).

2.Deut. 23:7.

3.Ibid.

4.Ibid., 20:10.

5.Ibid. 23:17. The passage refers to a servant who has run away from his master and seeks refuge with you. However, the phrase, "be good to him," is superfluous in this context. Therefore, it could be construed as applying to Ammon and Moav, who were discussed a few verses beforehand.

6.I.e. that the choice of living peacefully should be offered even to Ammon and Moav.

7.I.e. the prohibition applies despite the phrase, "be good to him."

Negative Commandment 57

Wanton Destruction

"You shall not destroy its trees"—Deuteronomy 20:19.

In the course of battle, while besieging an enemy city, it is forbidden to cut down fruit-bearing trees in order to cause distress and pain to the city's inhabitants.

Included in this mitzvah is the prohibition against any wanton destruction; for example, cutting down a fruit-bearing tree [even not in time of battle], or needlessly burning a garment or breaking a utensil.

The 57th prohibition is that when besieging a city, we are forbidden from cutting down fruit trees in order to cause distress and pain to its inhabitants.

The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement¹ (exalted be He), "[When you lay siege to a city...,] you must not wield an ax and destroy its trees, for they eat from them. Do not cut them down."

All forms of destruction are included in this prohibition. One who needlessly burns a garment or breaks an object, for example, transgresses this prohibition and is punished by lashing.²

It is explained in the end of tractate Makkos³ that one who cuts down useful⁴trees is punished by lashes. Our Sages say, "The prohibition is from this verse: 'For they eat from them. Do not cut them down.' "

The details of this mitzvah are explained in the second chapter of tractate Bava Basra.⁵

FOOTNOTES
1.	Deut. 20:19.
2.	In Hilchos Melachim 6:10, however, the Rambam rules that such types of destruction are punished only by Rabbinic lashes.
3.	22a.
4.	I.e. food bearing.
5.	26a.

Positive Commandment 192

Hygiene in the Army Camp

"You shall have a designated place outside the camp"—Deuteronomy 23:13.

When going out to war, we are commanded to designate a place outside the army encampment where the soldiers can relieve themselves; so that they do not relieve themselves wherever they wish or between the tents, as is the practice amongst the nations.

The 192nd mitzvah is that we are commanded that when our camps go out to war, we must prepare a place outside the camp for people to relieve themselves. People should not relieve themselves just anywhere among the tents as other nations do.

The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "You must have a designated place outside the camp...."

The Sifra2 says, "The word yad means a designated place, as it is written,3 'He set up for him a designated place (yad).' "

FOOTNOTES

1.Deut. 23:13.

2.Ibid. This seemingly should read, "Sifri," as in the next Mitzvah.

3.Shmuel I, 15:12.

Positive Commandment 193

Hygiene Equipment for Soldiers

"And you shall have a spade among your weapons"—Deuteronomy 23:14.

Together with all the other weaponry each soldier carries around, he should also be equipped with a spade, so that when he needs to relieve himself he can dig a small hole, relieve himself there, and then cover up his defecation—so that there remains no exposed excrement on the grounds of the battle camp.

The 193rd mitzvah is that we are commanded that everyone in the camp must have a digging implement hanging with their weapons. It is used to dig a hole in the designated area,1 into which one excretes, and to cover the excrement afterwards so that it not be visible on the ground. This applies specifically in a war camp, as it is written at the beginning of the section,2 "When you go out as a camp against your enemies."

The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement,3 "You must keep a spade with your weapons (azeinecha)."

The Sifri says, "The word azeinecha refers to the place of the weapons (ziyunecha)."

FOOTNOTES

1.See previous Mitzvah.

2.Deut. 23:10.

3.Ibid., 23:14.

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Rambam:

• 1 Chapter: Tum'at Okhalin Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Halacha 1

The following rule applies when loaves or breads were inserted into an oven and were attached to each other - although one had the intent to separate them - or one baked one loaf over another in an oven and its surface did not yet harden. If a person who immersed that day touched one of them, he only disqualifies the loaf that he touched.

Similarly, in the following instances, water was boiled and made large bubbles, groats were boiled for the first time, fresh wine began to ferment, or rice was boiled, if a person who immersed that day touched the bubbles, he disqualifies only the bubbles. With regard to other impurity, by contrast, whether lenient or stringent, everything is considered as joined.

If, however, loaves were attached to each other and the person did not intend to separate them; he baked one loaf over another and they became attached after the surfaces hardened in the oven; water bubbled and the bubbles were not empty as large bubbles are; groats boiled for a second time; aged wine fermented and produced bubbles; oil - whether fresh or aged - bubbled; lentils bubbled - all these situations are considered as joined even when touched by a person who immersed that day. Needless to say, this applies with regard to other impurities.

Halacha 2

The following rules apply if dough is taken out at the time of baking and left to harden, so there is a projection like a nail in the midst of a loaf or the end of the dough is extended and becomes burnt while the loaf is baking; it is called achirchor. If they were smaller than a fingerbreadth in size and a person who immersed that day touched them, he disqualified the entire loaf. Similarly, if such a person touched a small granule of salt in the loaf, he disqualified the entire loaf. Needless to say, these laws apply with regard to other impurities.

If, however, there is a pebble in a loaf, a vetch bean, a large granule of salt, achichor that is larger than a fingerbreadth, even if a primary source of impurity touches them, the loaf is pure. Needless to say, this applies with regard to a person who immersed that day.

Halacha 3

When half of a roll is burnt and half remains edible, the two are not considered as joined. If the center of a roll became burnt, but the sides remain edible, they are not considered as joined to each other. This applies even with regard to a primary source of impurity. Needless to say, this applies with regard to a person who immersed that day.

If the sauce in which sacrificial meat was being cooked congealed around it and a person who immersed that day touched this gel, the meat is permitted. If he touched a piece of the meat, that piece and anything that ascends with it are considered joined. Similar laws apply if cooked legumes congeal on pieces of bread.

When oil is floating on wine and a person who immersed that day touches the oil, he disqualifies only the oil.

Halacha 4

When there is an egg that is stirred placed on a vegetable that is terumah and a person who immersed that day touches the egg, he disqualifies only the stalk of the vegetable below the place he touched. If the egg bubbled like a helmet, it is not considered as joined to the vegetable.

Halacha 5

The following laws apply when a strand from an egg congealed on the wall of a frying pan and a person who immersed that day touched it. If he touched a portion of the egg that was on the rim or further inward, it is considered as joined to the food. If the portion he touched was beyond the rim and to the outside, the egg is not considered as joined. The same laws apply with regard to cooked legumes whose broth congeals on the rim of a pot.

Halacha 6

If there was a barrel that was perforated, whether from its base or from its side, and a person who immersed that day closed the hole with his hand, the contents of the entire barrel are disqualified.

Halacha 7

When a person was pouring liquids from one container to another and a person who immersed that day touched the column of liquids, we estimate whether the liquids that he touched were less than a 101th portion of the entire amount. The rationale is that impure terumah that is mixed with 101 times its volume is considered insignificant because of its minimal size, as we explained in Hilchot Terumot.

Halacha 8

The following laws apply when a person who had immersed that day was separating terumah from a cistern of wine. An open jug of wine that was terumahfell from his hand and became submerged in the cistern of wine. He sought to retrieve the jug and touched the jug of wine in the cistern. If his hand touched only from the rim of the jug and outward, the wine he touched is not considered as joined to the wine in the jug. If his hand extended beyond the rim of the jug inward, it is considered as joined.

If the cistern was a giant container, even an immense tank that holds 100 kor, all of the wine is considered as joined. If a person who immersed that day touched some of the wine, he disqualifies even the terumah in a jug in the bottom of the large container.

Halacha 9

When a person who immersed that day touches some of the flour for the meal offerings, frankincense, the incense offering, or coals, he disqualifies the entire amount that are held together in a container.

To what does the above apply? To the coals that one collects in the firepan used on Yom Kippur, for the coals in that firepan are taken into the Sanctuary. It does not apply to the coals that are taken every day, for they do not posses holiness. This is evidenced by the fact that if some of the coals are scattered when he pours from the silver firepan to the golden firepan, they do not possess holiness and are swept into the drainage canal.

Halacha 10

When oil that is terumah resting upon a thick stew or an unbaked cake of ordinary food and a person who immersed that day touched the oil, he disqualifies only the oil. If he mixed the oil with the stew or the dough, any place the oil reached is disqualified.

Halacha 11

If one cooked a vegetable that was ordinary food with terumah oil and a person who immersed that day touched it, he disqualifies only the place he touches.

Halacha 12

When there is a thick stew that is terumah and garlic and oil that are ordinary food and a person who immersed that day touched part of the stew, the oil, or the garlic, he disqualifies everything.

Halacha 13

If the stew was ordinary food and the garlic and oil were terumah and a person who immersed that day touched a portion, he disqualifies only the place he touched. If there was a majority of garlic, the ruling depends on the majority.

When does the above apply? When the garlic is a mass in a bowl. If, however, it was spread out in a pestle and one touched a portion of it, he disqualifies only the portion that he touched. It is not considered as joined, because he desires that it be dispersed.

With regard to other condiments that are crushed into liquids like garlic is crushed into oil, if they were crushed without liquids and collected, even though they are like a single entity in a bowl, he disqualifies only the place where he touches. For the condiments are considered like a roll of dried figs, in which instance, the ruling is that if a portion of it contracted impurity, the entire roll does not contract impurity.

Halacha 14

When a portion in the northern or southern part of a dough is designated aschallah and similarly, when a portion in the northern or southern part of a zucchini was designated as terumah, the terumah or the challah are considered as joined to the entire dough or zucchini. Thus if a person who immersed that day touched part of the dough, the challah is disqualified. If the challah was removed from the remainder of the dough and then returned to it, it is not considered as joined.

Halacha 15

When a dough that was ordinary food became mixed with terumah or became leavened with yeast that is terumah, it is not disqualified when touched by a person who immersed that day.

Halacha 16

If the grains from which the flour used to make a dough had been exposed to liquids and thus made susceptible to ritual impurity and then the flour was kneaded with fruit juice, should a person who immersed that day touch the dough, he disqualifies only the place he touches.

Halacha 17

When food that is the first tithe was exposed to liquids and thus made susceptible to ritual impurity and a person who immersed that day or one with impure hands touched that food, terumat ma'aser should be separated from it in a state of purity. The rationale is that the first tithe is considered as ordinary food and neither a person who immersed that day nor one whose hands are impure disqualifies ordinary food, for ordinary food that is a tertiary derivative of impurity is pure, as we explained.

Similarly, a woman who immersed that day may knead dough, cut off a portion as challah, set it aside, place it in a container, put it together with the other dough in one container so that they are considered as one entity, so that it can be separated while the two are one entity. Afterwards, she designates it aschallah, saying "This is challah." Once she designates it, she should not touch it, lest she disqualify it. She should follow a similar pattern if she was kneading in a kneading trough that had been immersed that day.

Halacha 18

When a person fills bottles that were immersed that day from a jug of wine that is from the tithes from which terumat ma'aser had not been separated and says: "May this be terumat ma'aser for the wine in the jug at nightfall," it is pureterumah. The rationale is that the separated wine does not become terumat ma'aser until nightfall, as he stipulated. And at night, the day in which they were in an intermediate state will have ended for the bottles and they will become pure.

If the jug from which the wine was taken breaks before nightfall, the wine in the bottles is considered as tevel. If the bottles break, the wine in the jug is considered as tevel.

Halacha 19

A person who immersed after purifying himself from the impurity associated with a human corpse or the impurity that results from relations with a nidah may work in an olive press.

Similarly, other impure people who immersed themselves to regain purity may work with ordinary food that is pure with the exception of a zav and a zavah on their seventh day. Even though these individuals immersed themselves, they should not work in an olive press or become involved with pure foods lest they experience a discharge. In such an instance, they are considered impure retroactively, for the discharge disqualifies all the seven pure days, as we explained.

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Rambam:

• 3 Chapters: Melachim uMilchamot Chapter 7, Melachim uMilchamot Chapter 8, Melachim uMilchamot Chapter 9

Chapter 7

Halacha 1

In both a milchemet mitzvah and a milchemet hareshut, a priest is appointed to address the nation before the battle. He is anointed with the oil of anointment and is called, the meshuach milchamah.

Halacha 2

The meshuach milchamah speaks to the nation twice: Once, at the border, as the army is leaving before they assume battle positions. At that time, he tells the nation: 'Is there a man who has planted a vineyard and has not redeemed his first crop?...' (Deuteronomy 20:6). When these individuals hear his words, they should retreat from the battlefront.

He speaks a second time when the army has assumed battle positions: Then, he declares: 'Do not be afraid. Do not panic...' (ibid. 20:3).

Halacha 3

When the armies assume battle positions and will shortly join in war, themeshuach milchamah stands in an elevated place before the array of the entire army. He addresses them in Hebrew:

Listen, Israel, today you are about to wage war against your enemies. Do not be faint-hearted. Do not be afraid. Do not panic and do not break ranks before them. God, you Lord, is the One accompanying you to do battle for you against your enemies to deliver you (ibid. 20:3-4).

These words are related by the meshuach milchamah. Afterwards, another priest of a lower rank, proclaims them to the people in a loud voice. Then, themeshuach milchamah announces:

Is there a man who has built a new house?... Let him go home...

Is there a man who has planted a vineyard?... Let him go home...

Is there a man who has consecrated a woman?... Let him go home... (ibid. 20:5-7).

These words are related by the meshuach milchamah. Afterwards, an officer proclaims these words to the nation in a loud voice. the officer announces on his own initiative: 'Is there a man who is afraid or faint-hearted? Let him go home...' (ibid. 20:8). Another officer proclaims these words to the people.

Halacha 4

After these individuals depart from the battlefront, the army is arrayed again and commanding officers are appointed at the head of the nation.

Powerful officers with iron axes in their hands are placed in the rear of each array of troops. If a person wants to leave the battle, they have permission to chop off his legs, for flight is the beginning of defeat.

In which instances are the above-mentioned individuals sent away from the battlefront? In a milchemet hareshut. By contrast, in a milchemet mitzvah, the entire nation must go out to war, even a groom from his chamber, and a bride from her pavilion.

Halacha 5

Those who leave the battlefront include a person who builds:

a house to dwell in,

a barn for his cattle,

a woodshed, or

a storage house.

A person who builds one of the latter is deferred because those structures are also fit for dwelling.

Just as a person who builds a home is deferred from military service; so, too, one who buys a home, receives one as a present, or inherits one should also return from the front.

However, one who builds (a silo,) a gatehouse, an excedra, a porch, or a house that is less than four cubits by four cubits, and similarly, a person who steals a house does not return from the war.

Halacha 6

Just as a person who plants a vineyard is deferred from military service; so, too, one who plants five fruit trees, even though they are of five different species recieves a similar deferment.

This applies to one who plants a vineyard, one who extends, one who grafts, the extensions and graftings must be significant enough to obligate the vine inorlah, one who buys, one who inherits, and one who received one as a present.

However, one who plants four fruit trees or five trees that do not bear fruit and similarly, one who steals a vineyard does not return from the battlefront because of it. Also, when a vineyard is planted by two partners, neither may return from the battlefront because of it.

Halacha 7

Just as a man who consecrates a virgin is deferred from military service; so, too, a deferment is granted to one who consecrates a widow and similarly, to a man to whom a yevamah becomes obligated. Even if there are five brothers and one of them dies, all should return from the battlefont.

If a man consecrates a wife on the condition that the Kiddushin take effect retroactively from the day they were given after a year has passed and that time period is completed during a war, he should return from the battlefield.

Halacha 8

A person who remarries his divorcee and one who consecrates a woman whom he is forbidden to marry, for example, a widow for a High Priest, a divorcee or a woman who has undergone chalitzah for a common priest, or a mamzer or anatinah to an Israelite, or an Israelitess to a mamzer or natin, should not return from the battlefield.

Halacha 9

All those who return from the army camp, return when they hear the proclamation of the priest. They must supply food and water to their brethren in the army and fix the roads for them.

Halacha 10

The following should not go out to the army camp at all and should not be bothered for any obligation whatsoever:

one who builds a house and dedicates it;

one who marries the woman he consecrated or his yevamah;

one who redeems his vineyard.

They are not conscripted until the completion of one year as Deuteronomy 24:5states: 'He must remain free for his home for one year and rejoice with the bride he took.' The Oral Tradition teaches that the one-year deferment applies whether he purchased a house, married a woman, or began to benefit from the fruit of his vineyard.

Halacha 11

During this entire year, he is not obligated to supply the troops with food or water. He should not fix the roads, guard the walls or pay the levy for beams for the gates of the city, as ibid. states: 'He shall not enter military service or be assigned any duties.'

The repetition of the prohibition teaches that the transgression of two prohibitions are involved. He is not obligated to his city, nor to the army.

Halacha 12

If a person builds a house and rents it to others, in the event the tenants pay the rent beforehand, it is considered as if he has already benefited from it. If they do not pay him rent until after twelve months have passed, it is considered as if he has not yet derived benefit.

Halacha 13

The following rules apply when a man built a house, placed his belongings inside, and locked them within: If he has to spend time guarding them, it is considered as if he derived benefit from the home and began dwelling there. If he does not have to sit and guard them, he is considered as one who has derived no benefit from his home as of yet.

Halacha 14

Anyone that builds a house or plants a vineyard outside of the land of Israel, is not sent back [from the battlefront].

Halacha 15

To whom does the phrase 'Is there a man who is afraid or faint-hearted]?' refer? The phrase should be interpreted simply, as applying to a person whose heart is not brave enough to stand in the throes of battle.

Once a soldier enters the throes of battle, he should rely on the Hope of Israel and their Savior in times of need. He should realize that he is fighting for the sake of the oneness of God's Name. Therefore, he should place his soul in his hand and not show fright or fear.

He should not worry about his wife or children. On the contrary, he should wipe their memory from his heart, removing all thoughts from his mind except the war.

Anyone who begins to feel anxious and worry in the midst of battle to the point where he frightens himself violates a negative commandment, as it is written (Deuteronomy 20:3): 'Do not be faint-hearted. Do not be afraid. Do not panic and do not break ranks before them.'

Furthermore, he is responsible for the blood of the entire Jewish nation. If he is not valiant, if he does not wage war with all his heart and soul, it is considered as if he shed the blood of the entire people, as ibid. 20:8 states: 'Let him go home, lest he demoralize the hearts of his brethren like his own.' Similarly, the prophetic tradition explicitly states: 'Cursed be he who does God's work deceitfully. Cursed be he who withholds his sword from blood.' Jeremiah 48:10

In contrast, anyone who fights with his entire heart, without fear, with the intention of sanctifying God's name alone, can be assured that he will find no harm, nor will bad overtake him. He will be granted a proper family in Israel and gather merit for himself and his children forever. He will also merit eternal life in the world to come as I Samuel 25:28-29 states: 'God will certainly make my lord a faithful house, for my lord fights the wars of God and evil will not be found with you... and my lord's soul will be bound in a bond of life with God.'

Chapter 8

Halacha 1

When the army's troops enter the territory of gentiles, conquering them and taking them captive, they are permitted to eat meat from animals that died without being ritually slaughtered or which were trefe, and the flesh of pigs and similar animals, if they become hungry and can only find these forbidden foods.

Similarly, they may drink wine used in the worship of idols. This license is derived by the Oral Tradition which interprets Deuteronomy 6:10-11: 'God... will give you... houses filled with all the good things' as 'pigs' necks and the like.'

Halacha 2

Similarly, a soldier may engage in sexual relations with a woman while she is still a gentile if his natural inclination overcomes him. However, he may not engage in sexual relations with her and then, go on his way. Rather, he must bring her into his home as Deuteronomy 21:11 states 'If you see a beautiful woman among the prisoners...You shall bring her into the midst of your home...'

It is forbidden for him to engage in sexual relations with her a second time until he marries her.

Halacha 3

Relations with a yefat toar are only permitted while she is in captivity as the verse states ' If you see... among the prisoners.'

This license is permitted whether the woman is a virgin or not, even if she is married, for the gentiles' marriages are not recognized.

A number of laws are derived from the exegesis of the verse from Deuteronomy quoted above:

'And you desire' - even though she is not beautiful.

'Her' - and not another. He may not engage in sexual relations with two women. 'You may take her as a wife' - He may not take two women as captives with the intention of engaging in relations with one and saving the other for his father or brother.

What is the source which teaches that he may not pressure her in the midst of the war? Deuteronomy 21:12 states: 'You shall bring her into the midst of your home...' Thus, he must bring her into an (vacant) place and then, engage in relations with her.

Halacha 4

A priest is also allowed relations with a yefat toar initially. For the Torah only permitted relations as a concession to man's natural inclination. However, he is not permitted to marry her afterwards, for she is a convert.

Halacha 5

What is the procedure which a Jew must follow regarding a yefat toar after he had relations with her once while she is still a gentile? If she desires to enter under the wings of the Shechinah, he may have her immersed in a mikveh for the purpose of conversion immediately.

If she does not accept the Jewish faith, she should dwell in his house for thirty days, as ibid. 21:13 states: 'She shall mourn her father and mother for thirty days.' Similarly, she should mourn the abandonment of her faith. Her captor should not prevent her from crying.

She must let her nails grow and shave her head so that she will not appear attractive to him. She must be together with him at home. Thus, when he enters, he sees her; when he leaves; he sees her, so that he becomes disgusted with her.

He must be patient with her so that she will accept the Jewish faith. If she accepts Judaism and he desires her, she may convert and immerse herself in the mikveh for that purpose, like other converts.

Halacha 6

A captor must wait three months before marrying his captive: the month of mourning and two months following it.

When he marries her, he must give her Kiddushin and a Ketubah. If he does not desire her, he must set her free. If he sells her, he violates a negative commandment, as Deuteronomy 21:14 states: 'You may not sell her for money.' Should a captor sell his captive, the sale is invalidated and he must return the money.

Similarly, if after having relations with her, he forces her to become a servant, he violates a negative commandment from the time he makes use of her as ibid.states: lo titamar boh. That phrase means 'he should not make use of her.'

Halacha 7

Her captor must be patient with her for twelve months if she refuses to convert.

If she still refuses after this interval has passed, she must agree to accept the seven universal laws commanded to Noah's descendants and then, she is set free. Her status is the same as all other resident aliens.

Her captor may not marry her, for it is forbidden to marry a woman who has not converted.

Halacha 8

If she conceives after the initial relations with her captor, the child has the status of a convert. In no regard is he considered as the captor's son, for his mother is a gentile. Rather, the court immerses him in the mikveh and takes responsibility for him.

Tamar was conceived from King David's initial relations with a yefat toar, but Avshalom was conceived after marriage. Thus, Tamar was only Avshalom's maternal sister and thus, would have been permitted to Amnon. This can be inferred from the statement II Samuel 13:13: 'Speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.'

Halacha 9

A yefat toar who does not desire to abandon idol worship after twelve months should be executed. Similarly, a treaty cannot be made with a city which desires to accept a peaceful settlement until they deny idol worship, destroy their places of worship, and accept the seven universal laws commanded Noah's descendants. For every gentile who does not accept these commandments must be executed if he is under our undisputed authority.

Halacha 10

Moses only gave the Torah and mitzvot as an inheritance to Israel, asDeuteronomy 33:4 states: 'The Torah... is the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob,' and to all those who desire to convert from among the other nations, asNumbers 15:15 states 'the convert shall be the same as you.' However, someone who does not desire to accept Torah and mitzvot, should not be forced to.

By the same regard, Moses was commanded by the Almighty to compel all the inhabitants of the world to accept the commandments given to Noah's descendants.

If one does not accept these commands, he should be executed. A person who formally accepts these commands is called a resident alien. This applies in any place. This acceptance must be made in the presence of three Torah scholars.

Anyone who agrees to circumcise himself and allows twelve months to pass without circumcising himself is considered as one of the nations.

Halacha 11

Anyone who accepts upon himself the fulfillment of these seven mitzvot and is precise in their observance is considered one of 'the pious among the gentiles' and will merit a share in the world to come.

This applies only when he accepts them and fulfills them because the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded them in the Torah and informed us through Moses, our teacher, that Noah's descendants had been commanded to fulfill them previously.

However, if he fulfills them out of intellectual conviction, he is not a resident alien, nor of 'the pious among the gentiles,' nor of their wise men.

Chapter 9

Halacha 1

Six precepts were commanded to Adam:

a) the prohibition against worship of false gods;

b) the prohibition against cursing God;

c) the prohibition against murder;

d) the prohibition against incest and adultery;

e) the prohibition against theft;

f) the command to establish laws and courts of justice.

Even though we have received all of these commands from Moses and, furthermore, they are concepts which intellect itself tends to accept, it appears from the Torah's words that Adam was commanded concerning them.

The prohibition against eating flesh from a living animal was added for Noah, asGenesis 9:4 states: 'Nevertheless, you may not eat flesh with its life, which is its blood.' Thus there are seven mitzvot.

These matters remained the same throughout the world until Abraham. When Abraham arose, in addition to these, he was commanded regarding circumcision. He also ordained the morning prayers.

Isaac separated tithes and ordained an additional prayer service before sunset. Jacob added the prohibition against eating the sciatic nerve. He also ordained the evening prayers. In Egypt, Amram was commanded regarding other mitzvot. Ultimately, Moses came and the Torah was completed by him.

Halacha 2

A gentile who worships false gods is liable provided he worships them in an accepted manner.

A gentile is executed for every type of foreign worship which a Jewish court would consider worthy of capital punishment. However, a gentile is not executed for a type of foreign worship which a Jewish court would not deem worthy of capital punishment. Nevertheless, even though a gentile will not be executed for these forms of worship, he is forbidden to engage in all of them.

We should not allow them to erect a monument, or to plant an Asherah, or to make images and the like even though they are only for the sake of beauty.

Halacha 3

A gentile who curses God's Name, whether he uses God's unique name or one of His other names, in any language, is liable. This law does not apply with regard to Jews.

Halacha 4

A gentile who slays any soul, even a fetus in its mother's womb, should be executed in retribution for its death. Similarly, if he slew a person who would have otherwise died in the near future, placed a person before a lion, or starved a person to death, he should be executed for through one manner or other, he killed.

Similarly, one should be executed if he killed a pursuer when he could have saved the latter's potential victim by maiming one of the pursuer's limbs. These laws do not apply with regard to Jews.

Halacha 5

There are six illicit sexual relations forbidden to a gentile:

a) his mother;

b) his father's wife;

c) a married woman;

d) his maternal sister;

e) a male;

f) an animal.

These prohibitions are derived from the verse Genesis 2:24: 'Therefore, a man shall leave his father and his mother and cling to his wife and they shall become one flesh.'

'His father' - alludes to his father's wife;

'his mother' - is to be understood simply;

'cling to his wife' - and not his colleague's wife;

'his wife' - and not a male;

'They shall become one flesh' - this excludes a domesticated animal, beast, or fowl for man can never become 'one flesh' with them.

The prohibition against relations with a maternal sister is derived from the verseGenesis 20:13: 'She is my sister, my father's daughter, but not my mother's. Thus, she became my wife.'

Halacha 6

A gentile is liable for relations with his mother even though she was seduced or raped by his father and never married to him. She is, nevertheless, his mother.

He is liable for relations with his father's wife even after his father's death.

He is liable for relations with a male whether a minor or an adult and with an animal whether young or old. In the latter instance, the gentile alone is executed and not the animal. We are only commanded to kill an animal with which a Jew engaged in relations.

Halacha 7

A gentile is not executed for adultery with his colleague's wife unless they engage in relations in the normal manner after she had engaged in relations with her husband at least once. However, if she was merely consecrated or had undergone a wedding ceremony, but had never engaged in relations with her husband, one is not liable for engaging in relations with her, as Genesis 20:3states: 'For she has been possessed by her husband.'

When does the above apply? When a gentile engages in relations with a gentile woman. However, a gentile who engages in relations with a married Jewess is liable whether their relations were carried out in a normal or abnormal manner.

Similarly, a gentile who engages in relations with a Jewish maiden who has been consecrated is stoned to death because of her as is the law regarding Jews. If he engages in relations with her after she has undergone the wedding ceremony, but has not engaged in relations with her husband, he is strangled to death as is the Jewish law. However, if he engages in relations with a Jewish woman after she engaged in relations with her husband once, he is sentenced to be executed by decapitation as if he had engaged in relations with a gentile woman.

Halacha 8

A gentile who singles out one of his maid-servants for one of his slaves and, afterwards, engages in relations with her is executed because of her for violation of the prohibition against adultery. However, he is not liable for relations with her until the matter has become public knowledge and everyone refers to her as 'the wife of X, the slave.'

When do relations with her become permitted again? When he separates her from his slave and uncovers her hair in the market-place.

When is a gentile woman considered divorced? When her husband removes her from his home and sends her on her own or when she leaves his domain and goes her own way. They have no written divorce proceedings.

The matter is not dependant on the man's volition alone. Whenever he or she decide to separate, they may and then, are no longer considered as married.

Halacha 9

A gentile is liable for violating the prohibition against theft whether he stole from another gentile or from a Jew.

This applies to one who forcefully robs an individual or steals money, a kidnapper, an employer who withholds his worker's wages and the like, even a worker who eats from his employer's produce when he is not working. In all such cases, he is liable and is considered as a robber. With regard to Jews, the law is different.

Similarly, a gentile is liable for stealing an object worth less than a p'rutah. Thus, if one gentile stole an object worth less than a p'rutah and another gentile stole it from him, they are both executed because of it.

Halacha 10

Similarly, a gentile is liable for violating the prohibition against eating a limb or flesh from a living creature. This applies regardless of the amount involved, for the specification of minimum amounts only applies to Jews.

A gentile is permitted blood from a living creature.

Halacha 11

The prohibition applies to a limb or flesh that is separated from either a domesticated animal or a beast. However, it appears to me that a gentile is not executed for eating a limb taken from a living bird.

Halacha 12

Though one slaughters an animal, even if one severs the two signs that distinguish it as having been slaughtered in a kosher manner, as long as the animal moves convulsively, the limbs and meat which are separated from it are forbidden to a gentile because of the prohibition against a limb from a living creature.

Halacha 13

All prohibitions that apply to a Jew regarding a limb from a living creature also apply to gentiles. Furthermore, there are instances where a gentile would be held liable and a Jew will not for a gentile is liable for a limb or flesh from a living creature whether from a domesticated animal or a beast, whether from a kosher or non-kosher species.

Similarly, a gentile is forbidden to partake of a limb from a living creature for a limb or flesh which is separated from an animal that is moving convulsively even though a Jew has already severed the two signs.

Halacha 14

How must the gentiles fulfill the commandment to establish laws and courts? They are obligated to set up judges and magistrates in every major city to render judgement concerning these six mitzvot and to admonish the people regarding their observance.

A gentile who transgresses these seven commands shall be executed by decapitation. For this reason, all the inhabitants of Shechem were obligated to die. Shechem kidnapped. They observed and were aware of his deeds, but did not judge him.

A gentile is executed on the basis of the testimony of one witness and the verdict of a single judge. No warning is required. Relatives may serve as witnesses. However, a woman may not serve as a witness or a judge for them.

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Hayom Yom:

• Wednesday, 7 Shevat 5774 – 8 January 2014

"Today's Day"

Wednesday, 7 Sh'vat 5703

Torah lessons: Chumash: Bo, Revi'i with Rashi.

Tehillim: 39-43.

Tanya: Ch. 18. To explain (p. 75)...incorporated in it. (p. 75).

When the Alter Rebbe was nine he studied geometry and astronomy. At ten he composed a calendar for fifteen years. When he was twelve years old, it happened that he lectured publicly on Rambam's laws of kidush hachodesh.1 The preeminent Torah-scholars who were present at that time in the study-hall were utterly overwhelmed.

FOOTNOTES

1.Much of this treatise is devoted to complex astronomical calculations relative to projected appearance of the new moon, etc.

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Daily Thought:

Objective Faith

If your belief is based upon what makes sense to you, what you find most gratifying and what best accommodates your own self-concept—then you will undoubtedly fear intellectual inquiry.

At best, your approach will be subjective and bribed.

However, if your faith is based not upon your subjective self, but because this is the reality of your inner soul, a truth to which it is intrinsically bound—then you are not afraid to inquire.

There is no apprehension of being proven wrong, only certitude that you shall understand more.

Therefore, only true faith can be truly objective.

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