Chabad - Today in Judaism - Today is: Shabbat, 21 Tammuz, 5774 - 19 July 2014
Torah Reading
MATTOS (Bamidbar-Numbers 30:2 (3) If an ish vow a neder unto Hashem, or swear a shevu’ah (oath) to bind his nefesh with an issar (negative vow, prohibition), he shall not break his dever, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.
3 (4) If an isha also vow a neder unto Hashem, and bind herself by an issar, being in her bais avi in her youth;
4 (5) And her av hear her neder, and her issar wherewith she hath bound her nefesh, and her av says nothing to her, then all her nedarim shall stand, and every issar wherewith she hath bound her nefesh shall stand.
5 (6) But if her av disallow her in the yom that he heareth, not any of her nedarim, or of her issurim (negative vows, prohibitions) wherewith she hath bound her nefesh, shall stand; and Hashem shall forgive her, because her av forbade her.
6 (7) And if she had at all an ish, when she made nedarim or utterance of her lips, wherewith she bound her nefesh;
7 (8) And her ish heard it, and said nothing to her in the yom that he heard it, then her nedarim shall stand, and her issurim wherewith she bound her nefesh shall stand.
8 (9) But if her ish forbade her on the yom that he heard it, then he shall nullify her neder which she vowed, and that which she uttered with her lips, wherewith she bound her nefesh; and Hashem shall forgive her.
9 (10) But every neder of an almanah, and of a gerushah (divorced woman), wherewith she have bound her nefesh, shall stand against her.
10 (11) And if she vowed in her bais ish, or bound her nefesh by an issar with a shevuah,
11 (12) And her ish heard it, and said nothing to her, and forbade her not, then all her nedarim shall stand, and every issar wherewith she bound her nefesh shall stand.
12 (13) But if her ish hath utterly nullified them on the yom he heard them, then whatsoever proceeded out of her lips concerning her nedarim, or concerning the issar of her nefesh, shall not stand; her ish hath nullified them; and Hashem shall forgive her.
13 (14) Every neder, and every shevuat issar to afflict the nefesh, her ish may let it stand, or her ish may let it have a hafarah.
14 (15) But if her ish say nothing to her from yom to yom, then he will have let stand all her nedarim or all her issurim, which are upon her; he will have let them stand, because he said nothing to her in the yom that he heard them.
15 (16) But if he shall revoke them after that he hath heard them, then nasa (he shall bear) her avon.
16 (17) These are the chukkim, which Hashem commanded Moshe, between an ish and his isha, between the av and his bat, being yet in her youth in her bais avi.
31:1 And Hashem spoke unto Moshe, saying,
2 Avenge the Bnei Yisroel of the Midyanim; afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people.
3 And Moshe spoke unto HaAm, saying, Arm some of your anashim unto war, let them go against Midyan, and avenge Hashem of Midyan.
4 Of every matteh a thousand, throughout kol mattot Yisroel, shall ye send to war.
5 So there were supplied out of the thousands of Yisroel, an elef (a thousand) of every matteh, sheneym asar elef armed for war.
6 And Moshe sent them to war, a thousand of every tribe, them and Pinchas Ben Eleazar HaKohen, to the war, with the kelei hakodesh, and the tzotzerot hateru’ah in his yad.
7 And they warred against Midyan, just, as Hashem commanded Moshe; and they slaughtered kol zachar.
8 And they slaughtered the Melachim of Midyan, besides the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Tzur, and Chur, and Reva, five melachim of Midyan; Balaam Ben Beor also they slaughtered with the cherev.
9 And the Bnei Yisroel took all the nashim of Midyan captive, and their little ones, and took the plunder of all their behemah, and all their mikneh, and all their goods.
10 And they burned with eish all their towns wherein were their moshavot, and all their camps.
11 And they took all the plunder, and all the spoil, both of adam and of behemah.
12 And they brought the captives, and the plunder, and the spoil, unto Moshe, and Eleazar HaKohen, and unto the Adat Bnei Yisroel, unto the machaneh at the plains of Moav, which are by Yarden near Yericho.
13 And Moshe, and Eleazar HaKohen, and all the nasiim of the Edah, went forth to meet them outside the machaneh.
14 And Moshe was in wrath with the pekudei hechayil (officers of the army), with the sarim over thousands, and sarim over hundreds, which were returning from the milchamah of the army.
15 And Moshe said unto them, Have ye saved all the nekevah alive?
16 Hinei, these caused the Bnei Yisroel, through the davar Balaam, to turn unfaithful against Hashem in the matter of Peor, and there was a magefah (plague) among the Adat Hashem.
17 Now therefore slaughter every zakhar among the little ones, and kill every isha that hath known ish by lying with zakhar.
18 But all the girl nashim, that have no da’as of lying with zakhar, save alive for yourselves.
19 And do ye abide outside the machaneh shivat yamim; whosoever hath killed nefesh, and whosoever hath touched any chalal, purify both yourselves and your captives on Yom HaShelishi and on Yom HaShevi’i.
20 And purify all your beged, and all keli ohr (all that is made of leather), ma’aseh izzim (all that is made of goat hair) and keli etz (all that is make of wood).
21 And Eleazar HaKohen said unto the anshei hatzavah which went into milchamah, This is the chukkat hatorah which Hashem commanded Moshe:
22 Only the zahav, and the kesef, the nechoshet, the barzel, the bedil, and the oferet,
23 Everything that can withstand eish, ye shall make it go through the eish, and it shall be tahor; nevertheless it shall be purified with the mayim of niddah; and all that can not withstand the eish ye shall make go through the mayim.
24 And ye shall wash your begadim on Yom HaShevi’i, and ye shall be tahor, and afterward ye shall come into the machaneh.
25 And Hashem spoke unto Moshe, saying,
26 Take inventory of the spoil that was taken, both of adam and of behemah, thou, and Eleazar HaKohen, and the Rashei Avot HaEdah:
27 And divide the spoil into two parts: between them that took the milchamah upon them, who went out to battle, and kol HaEdah;
28 And levy a mekhes (tribute) unto Hashem of the anshei hamilchamah which went out to battle: one nefesh from five hundred, both of adam, and of bakar, and of chamorim, and of tzon;
29 Take it of their half, and give it unto Eleazar HaKohen, for a terumat Hashem.
30 And of the Bnei Yisroel’s half, thou shalt take one portion of fifty, of adam, of bakar, of chamorim, and of tzon, of all behemah, and give them unto the Levi’im, who are shomrei mishmeret Mishkan Hashem (who are guardians of the Mishkan Hashem).
31 And Moshe and Eleazar HaKohen did just as Hashem commanded Moshe.
32 And the spoil, being the rest of the plunder which the am hatzava (personnel of the army) had taken, was 675,000 tzon,
33 And 72,000 bakar,
34 And 61,000 chamorim,
35 And 32,000 nefesh adam from the nashim who had no da’as of zachar by lying with him.
36 And the half, which was the chelek of them that went out to war, was in number 337,500 tzon;
37 And the mekhes (tribute) for Hashem of the tzon was 675.
38 And the bakar were 36,000; of which the mekhes for Hashem was 72.
39 And the chamorim were 30,500; of which the mekhes for Hashem was 61.
40 And the nefesh adam were 16,000; of which the mekhes for Hashem was 32 nefesh.
41 And Moshe gave the mekhes, which was the terumat Hashem, unto Eleazar HaKohen, as Hashem commanded Moshe.
42 And of the Bnei Yisroel’s half, which Moshe divided from the anashim hatzove’im,
43 (Now the half that pertained unto the Edah was 337,500 tzon,
44 And 36,000 bakar,
45 And thirty thousand chamorim and five hundred,
46 And sixteen thousand nefesh adam);
47 Even of the Bnei Yisroel’s half, Moshe took one portion of fifty, both of adam and of behemah, and gave them unto the Levi’im, who were shomrei mishmeret Mishkan Hashem; just as Hashem commanded Moshe.
48 And the pekudim (officers) which were over thousands of the tzava (army), the sarim of thousands, and sarim of hundreds, came near unto Moshe;
49 And they said unto Moshe, Thy avadim have taken the muster census of the anshei hamilchamah which are under our charge, and there was missing not one ish of us.
50 We have therefore brought a korban Hashem, what every ish hath gotten, of articles of zahav, armlets, and bracelets, rings, earrings, and necklaces, to make kapporah for our nefashot before Hashem.
51 And Moshe and Eleazar HaKohen took the zahav of them, even all wrought jewels.
52 And all the zahav of the terumah (offering) that they offered up to Hashem, of the sarim of thousands, and of the sarim of hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels.
53 (For the anshei hatzava had taken plunder, every ish for himself.)
54 And Moshe and Eleazar HaKohen accepted the zahav of the sarim of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the Ohel Mo’ed, for a zikaron (memorial) for the Bnei Yisroel before Hashem.
32:1 Now the Bnei Reuven and the Bnei Gad had a very great multitude of mikneh; and when they saw Eretz Yazer, and Eretz Gil`ad, that, hinei, the makom was a makom for mikneh;
2 The Bnei Gad and the Bnei Reuven came and spoke unto Moshe, and to Eleazar HaKohen, and unto the nasiim of the Edah, saying,
3 Atarot, and Divon, and Yazer, and Nimrah, and Chesbon, and Elealeh, and Sevam, and Nevo, and Beon,
4 Even HaAretz which Hashem struck to conquer before the Adat Yisroel, is an eretz for mikneh, and thy avadim have mikneh.
5 They said, If we have found chen in thy sight, let this land be given unto thy avadim for an achuzzah, and bring us not over Yarden.
6 And Moshe said unto the Bnei Gad and to the Bnei Reuven, Shall your achim go to milchamah while ye sit here?
7 And why discourage ye the lev Bnei Yisroel from going over into HaAretz which Hashem hath given them?
8 Thus did Avoteichem, when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to look over HaAretz.
9 For when they went up unto the Eshcol Valley, and saw HaAretz, they discouraged the lev Bnei Yisroel, that they should not go into HaAretz which Hashem had given them.
10 And the Af Hashem was kindled on that day, and He swore, saying,
11 Surely none of the anashim that came up out of Mitzrayim, from twenty years old and upward, shall see HaAdamah which I swore unto Avraham, unto Yitzchak, and unto Ya’akov; because they have not fully followed Me;
12 Except Kalev Ben Yephunneh the Kenezi, and Yehoshua Ben Nun; for they have fully followed after Hashem.
13 And the Af Hashem was kindled against Yisroel, and He made them wander in the midbar arba’im shanah, until kol hador that had done harah in the sight of Hashem, were consumed.
14 And, hinei, ye are risen up in the place of Avoteichem a brood of anashim chatta’im to add even more to charon af Hashem against Yisroel.
15 For if ye turn away from after Him, He will yet again leave them in the midbar; and ye shall destroy kol HaAm Hazeh.
16 And they came near unto him, and said, We will build gidrot tzon here for our mikneh, and towns for our little ones;
17 But we ourselves will go ready armed ahead of the Bnei Yisroel, until we have brought them unto their makom; and our little ones shall dwell in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of HaAretz.
18 We will not return unto bateinu, until the Bnei Yisroel have inherited every ish his nachalah.
19 For we will not inherit with them across the Yarden, or beyond; because our nachalah is fallen to us on this side of the Yarden eastward.
20 And Moshe said unto them, If ye will do this thing, if ye will go armed before Hashem to milchamah,
21 And will go all of you armed over Yarden before Hashem, until He hath driven out His oyevim from before Him,
22 And HaAretz be subdued before Hashem; then afterward ye shall return, and be nekiyim before Hashem, and before Yisroel; and HaAretz Hazot shall be your achuzzah before Hashem.
23 But if ye will not do so, hinei, ye have sinned against Hashem and be sure chattatechem (your sin) will find you out.
24 Build you towns for your little ones, and your gidrot tzon; and do that which hath proceeded out of your mouth.
25 And the Bnei Gad and the Bnei Reuven spoke unto Moshe saying, Thy avadim will do as adoni commandeth.
26 Our little ones, our nashim, our mikneh, and all behemeteinu, shall stay there in the cities of Gil‘ad;
27 But thy avadim will cross over, every man armed for war, before Hashem to battle, as adoni saith.
28 So concerning them Moshe commanded Eleazar HaKohen, and Yehoshua Ben Nun, and the Rashei Avot HaMattot of the Bnei Yisroel;
29 And Moshe said unto them, If the Bnei Gad and the Bnei Reuven will cross with you over Yarden, every man armed for battle, before Hashem, and HaAretz shall be subdued before you, then ye shall give them Eretz Gil‘ad for an achuzzah;
30 But if they will not cross over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in Eretz Kena’an.
31 And the Bnei Gad and the Bnei Reuven answered, saying, As Hashem hath said unto thy avadim, so will we do.
32 We will cross over armed before Hashem into Eretz Kena’an, that the achuzzat nachalatenu on that side of the Yarden may be our own.
33 And Moshe gave unto them, even to the Bnei Gad, and to the Bnei Reuven, and unto half the shevet of Menasheh Ben Yosef, the kingdom of Sichon Melech HaEmori, and the kingdom of Og Melech HaBashan, the land, with the cities thereof in the territories, even the cities of the surrounding land.
34 And the Bnei Gad built Divon, and Atarot, and Aroer,
35 And Atrot, Shophan, Ya’azer, and Yogbehah,
36 And Beit Nimrah and Beit Haran, fortified cities; and gidrot tzon.
37 And the Bnei Reuven built Cheshbon, and Elealeh, and Kiryatayim,
38 And Nevo, and Ba’al Me’on, (their shem being changed) and Sivmah; and gave other shmot unto the cities which they built.
39 And the Bnei Machir Ben Menasheh went to Gil‘ad, and captured it, and dispossessed the Emori (Amorite) which was in it.
40 And Moshe gave Gil‘ad unto Machir Ben Menasheh; and he dwelt therein.
41 And Ya’ir Ben Menasheh went and captured the settlements thereof, and called them Chavot Ya’ir.
42 And Novach went and captured Kenat, and the villages thereof, and called it Novach, after shmo.)
Today's Laws and Customs:
Ethics: Chapter 1
During the summer months, from the Shabbat after Passover until the Shabbat before Rosh Hashahah, we study a weekly chapter of the Talmud's Ethics of the Fathers ("Avot") each Shabbat afternoon; this week we study Chapter One.
Link: Ethics of the Fathers, Chapter 1
"The Three Weeks"
During the Three Weeks, from 17th of Tamuz to the 9th of Av, we commemorate the conquest of Jerusalem, the destruction of the Holy Temple and the dispersion of the Jewish people.
Weddings and other joyful events are not held during this period; like mourners, we do not cut our hair, and various pleasurable activities are limited or proscribed. (The particular mourning customs vary from community to community, so consult a competent halachic authority for details.)
Citing the verse (Isaiah 1:27) "Zion shall be redeemed with mishpat [Torah] and its returnees with tzedakah," the Rebbe urged that we increase in Torah study (particularly the study of the laws of the Holy Temple) and charity during this period.
Links:
The Three Weeks
Today in Jewish History:
Baal Shem of Worms (1636)
The noted Kabbalist Rabbi Eliyahu ben Moshe Loanz, known as "Rabbi Eliyahu Baal Shem" of Worms, Germany, passed away on the 21st of Tammuz of the year 5396 from creation (1636 CE). He was a grandson of the famed shtadlan (Jewish activist) R. Joselman of Rosheim, and the author of Michlal Yofi commentary on Ecclesiastes.
Daily Study:
Chumash with Rashi
Parshat Matot, 7th Portion (Numbers 32:20-32:42)
Chapter 32
20. Moses said to them, "If you do this thing, if you arm yourselves for battle before the Lord, כ. וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם משֶׁה אִם תַּעֲשׂוּן אֶת הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה אִם תֵּחָלְצוּ לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה לַמִּלְחָמָה:
21. and your armed force crosses the Jordan before the Lord until He has driven out His enemies before Him, כא. וְעָבַר לָכֶם כָּל חָלוּץ אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה עַד הוֹרִישׁוֹ אֶת אֹיְבָיו מִפָּנָיו:
22. and the Land will be conquered before the Lord, afterwards you may return, and you shall be freed [of your obligation] from the Lord and from Israel, and this land will become your heritage before the Lord. כב. וְנִכְבְּשָׁה הָאָרֶץ לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה וְאַחַר תָּשֻׁבוּ וִהְיִיתֶם נְקִיִּם מֵיהֹוָה וּמִיִּשְׂרָאֵל וְהָיְתָה הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת לָכֶם לַאֲחֻזָּה לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה:
23. But, if you do not do so, behold, you will have sinned against the Lord, and be aware of your sin which will find you. כג. וְאִם לֹא תַעֲשׂוּן כֵּן הִנֵּה חֲטָאתֶם לַיהֹוָה וּדְעוּ חַטַּאתְכֶם אֲשֶׁר תִּמְצָא אֶתְכֶם:
24. So build yourselves cities for your children and enclosures for your sheep, and what has proceeded from your mouth you shall do." כד. בְּנוּ לָכֶם עָרִים לְטַפְּכֶם וּגְדֵרֹת לְצֹנַאֲכֶם וְהַיֹּצֵא מִפִּיכֶם תַּעֲשׂוּ:
for your sheep: Heb. לְצֹנַאֲכֶם. This word is cognate with,“Flocks (צֹנֶה) and cattle, all of them” (Ps. 8:8), in which there is no א separating the נ from the צ. The א that appears here after the נ [in the word לְצֹנַאֲכֶם is in place of the ה in the word צֹנֶה. I learned this from the commentary of R. Moshe Hadarshan [the preacher].
לצנאכם: תיבה זו מגזרת (תהלים ח, ח) צנה ואלפים כלם, שאין בו אל"ף מפסיק בין נו"ן לצד"י, ואל"ף שבא כאן אחר הנו"ן במקום ה"א של צנה הוא. מיסודו של ר' משה הדרשן למדתי כן:
and what has proceeded from your mouth you shall do: for the sake of the Most High [God], for you have undertaken to cross over for battle until [the completion of] conquest and the apportionment [of the Land]. Moses had asked of them only “and… will be conquered before the Lord, afterwards you may return,” (verse 22), but they undertook,“until… has taken possession” (verse 18). Thus, they added that they would remain seven years while it was divided, and indeed they did so (see Josh. 22).
והיצא מפיכם תעשו: לגבוה שקבלתם עליכם לעבור למלחמה עד כבוש וחלוק. שמשה לא בקש מהם אלא ונכבשה ואחר תשובו, והם קבלו עליהם עד התנחל, הרי הוסיפו להתעכב שבע שחלקו, וכן עשו:
25. The descendants of Gad and the descendants of Reuben spoke to Moses, saying, "Your servants will do as my master commands. כה. וַיֹּאמֶר בְּנֵי גָד וּבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן אֶל משֶׁה לֵאמֹר עֲבָדֶיךָ יַּעֲשׂוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר אֲדֹנִי מְצַוֶּה:
The descendants of Gad spoke: Heb. וַיֹּאמֶר [in the singular form, indicating that] they all [spoke] as one person. — [Jonathan ben Uzziel]
ויאמר בני גד: כולם כאיש אחד:
26. Our children and our wives, our livestock and our cattle will remain there, in the cities of Gilead. כו. טַפֵּנוּ נָשֵׁינוּ מִקְנֵנוּ וְכָל בְּהֶמְתֵּנוּ יִהְיוּ שָׁם בְּעָרֵי הַגִּלְעָד:
27. But your servants will cross over all who are armed for combat before the Lord, for the battle, as my master has spoken." כז. וַעֲבָדֶיךָ יַעַבְרוּ כָּל חֲלוּץ צָבָא לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה לַמִּלְחָמָה כַּאֲשֶׁר אֲדֹנִי דֹּבֵר:
28. Moses commanded Eleazar the kohen and Joshua the son of Nun and all the paternal heads of the tribes of the children of Israel concerning them. כח. וַיְצַו לָהֶם משֶׁה אֵת אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן וְאֵת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן וְאֶת רָאשֵׁי אֲבוֹת הַמַּטּוֹת לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל:
commanded… concerning them: Heb. לָהֶם, like עִלֵיהֶם, concerning them, and concerning [the fulfillment of] their condition, he appointed Eleazar and Joshua, as in,“the Lord will fight for you (לָכֶם) ” (Exod. 14:14) [not “to you”].
ויצו להם: כמו עליהם, ועל תנאם מינה אלעזר ויהושע, כמו (שמות יד, יד) ה' ילחם לכם:
29. Moses said to them, "If the descendants of Gad and Reuben cross the Jordan with you before the Lord, and the Land is conquered before you, you shall give them the land of Gilead as a heritage. כט. וַיֹּאמֶר משֶׁה אֲלֵהֶם אִם יַעַבְרוּ בְנֵי גָד וּבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן | אִתְּכֶם אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן כָּל חָלוּץ לַמִּלְחָמָה לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה וְנִכְבְּשָׁה הָאָרֶץ לִפְנֵיכֶם וּנְתַתֶּם לָהֶם אֶת אֶרֶץ הַגִּלְעָד לַאֲחֻזָּה:
30. But if they do not cross over with you armed [for battle], they shall receive a possession among you in the land of Canaan." ל. וְאִם לֹא יַעַבְרוּ חֲלוּצִים אִתְּכֶם וְנֹאחֲזוּ בְתֹכְכֶם בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן:
31. The descendants of Gad and the descendants of Reuben answered, saying, "We shall do as the Lord has spoken to your servants. לא. וַיַּעֲנוּ בְנֵי גָד וּבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן לֵאמֹר אֵת אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְהֹוָה אֶל עֲבָדֶיךָ כֵּן נַעֲשֶׂה:
32. We shall cross over in an armed force before the Lord to the land of Canaan, and then we shall have the possession of our inheritance on this side of the Jordan." לב. נַחְנוּ נַעֲבֹר חֲלוּצִים לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה אֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן וְאִתָּנוּ אֲחֻזַּת נַחֲלָתֵנוּ מֵעֵבֶר לַיַּרְדֵּן:
and then we shall have the possession of our inheritance: That is to say, the possession of our inheritance on this side [of the Jordan] will be in our hands and under our ownership.
ואתנו אחזת נחלתנו: כלומר בידינו וברשותנו תהי אחוזת נחלתנו מעבר הזה:
33. Moses gave the descendants of Gad and the descendants of Reuben and half the tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon, king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og, king of Bashan the land together with its cities within borders, the cities of the surrounding territory. לג. וַיִּתֵּן לָהֶם | משֶׁה לִבְנֵי גָד וְלִבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן וְלַחֲצִי | שֵׁבֶט | מְנַשֶּׁה בֶן יוֹסֵף אֶת מַמְלֶכֶת סִיחֹן מֶלֶךְ הָאֱמֹרִי וְאֶת מַמְלֶכֶת עוֹג מֶלֶךְ הַבָּשָׁן הָאָרֶץ לְעָרֶיהָ בִּגְבֻלֹת עָרֵי הָאָרֶץ סָבִיב:
34. The descendants of Gad built Dibon, Ataroth, and Aroer. לד. וַיִּבְנוּ בְנֵי גָד אֶת דִּיבֹן וְאֶת עֲטָרֹת וְאֵת עֲרֹעֵר:
35. And Atroth Shophan, Jazer, and Jogbehah. לה. וְאֶת עַטְרֹת שׁוֹפָן וְאֶת יַעְזֵר וְיָגְבְּהָה:
36. And Beth Nimrah and Beth Haran, fortified cities and sheepfolds. לו. וְאֶת בֵּית נִמְרָה וְאֶת בֵּית הָרָן עָרֵי מִבְצָר וְגִדְרֹת צֹאן:
fortified cities and sheepfolds: This last part of the verse relates to the beginning of the passage, “The descendants of Gad built” these cities as fortified cities and sheepfolds.
ערי מבצר וגדרות צאן: זה סוף הפסוק מוסב על תחלת הענין, ויבנו בני גד את הערים הללו להיות ערי מבצר וגדרות צאן:
37. The descendants of Reuben built Heshbon, Elealeh, and Kirjathaim. לז. וּבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן בָּנוּ אֶת חֶשְׁבּוֹן וְאֶת אֶלְעָלֵא וְאֵת קִרְיָתָיִם:
38. And Nebo and Baal Meon, their names having been changed, and Sibmah. לח. וְאֶת נְבוֹ וְאֶת בַּעַל מְעוֹן מוּסַבֹּת שֵׁם וְאֶת שִׂבְמָה וַיִּקְרְאוּ בְשֵׁמֹת אֶת שְׁמוֹת הֶעָרִים אֲשֶׁר בָּנוּ:
Nebo and Baal-Meon, their names having been changed: Nebo and Baal Meon were names of pagan deities, and the Amorites named their towns after their deities, and the descendants of Reuben changed their names to other names. This is the meaning of“their names having been changed”-Nebo and Baal-Meon, changed to another name.
ואת נבו ואת בעל מעון מוסבת שם: נבו ובעל מעון שמות עבודה זרה הם, והיו האמוריים קורים עריהם על שם עבודה זרה שלהם, ובני ראובן הסבו את שמם לשמות אחרים, וזהו מוסבות שם, נבו ובעל מעון מוסבות לשם אחר:
and Sibmah: They built Sibmah, which is identical with Sebam mentioned earlier (verse 3).
ואת שבמה: בנו שבמה והיא שבם האמורה למעלה:
39. The children of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead and conquered it, driving out the Amorites who were there. לט. וַיֵּלְכוּ בְּנֵי מָכִיר בֶּן מְנַשֶּׁה גִּלְעָדָה וַיִּלְכְּדֻהָ וַיּוֹרֶשׁ אֶת הָאֱמֹרִי אֲשֶׁר בָּהּ:
driving out: As the Targum [Onkelos] renders, וְתָרִיךְ, and drove out, for the word רִישׁ can be used in two [different] ways, in the sense of יְרוּשָׁה, ‘inheritance,’ or in the sense of הוֹרָשָׁה ‘driving out,’ meaning to expel or oust. — [Machbereth Menachem p. 167]
ויורש: כתרגומו ותריך. שתיבת רי"ש משמשת שתי חלוקות לשון ירושה ולשון הורשה, שהוא טירוד ותירוך:
40. Moses gave Gilead to Machir the son of Manasseh, and he settled in it. מ. וַיִּתֵּן משֶׁה אֶת הַגִּלְעָד לְמָכִיר בֶּן מְנַשֶּׁה וַיֵּשֶׁב בָּהּ:
41. Jair the son of Manasseh went and conquered their hamlets, and called them the hamlets of Jair. מא. וְיָאִיר בֶּן מְנַשֶּׁה הָלַךְ וַיִּלְכֹּד אֶת חַוֹּתֵיהֶם וַיִּקְרָא אֶתְהֶן חַוֹּת יָאִיר:
their hamlets: Heb. חַוֹּתֵיהֶם, [Onkelos renders,] כַּפְרָנֵיהוֹן, their hamlets.
חותיהם: כפרניהון:
and called them the hamlets of Jair: Since he had no children, he named them after himself, as a memorial.
ויקרא אתהן חות יאיר: לפי שלא היו לו בנים קראם בשמו לזכרון:
42. Nobah went and conquered Kenath and its surrounding villages, and called it Nobah, after his name. מב. וְנֹבַח הָלַךְ וַיִּלְכֹּד אֶת קְנָת וְאֶת בְּנֹתֶיהָ וַיִּקְרָא לָה נֹבַח בִּשְׁמוֹ:
and called it Nobah: Heb. לָה. [The ‘hey’ in] לָה is not a ‘mappik’ [aspirate ‘hey’ since there is no dot in the] ה [thus indicating that it is silent, contrary to the general rule]. I saw in the commentary of R. Moshe Hadarshan [as follows]: Since this name did not remain permanently, it is [a] silent [letter], so that it [the word לָה] can be expounded as לֹא, ‘not.’ But I wonder how he would expound two words similar to this, namely,“Boaz said to her (לָה)” (Ruth 2:14);“to build her (לָה) a house” (Zech. 5:11).
ויקרא לה נבח: לה אינו מפיק ה"א. וראיתי ביסודו של רבי משה הדרשן לפי שלא נתקיים לה שם זה, לפיכך הוא רפה, שמשמע מדרשו כמו לא. ותמהני מה ידרוש בשתי תיבות הדומות לה (רות ב, יד) ויאמר לה בועז, (זכריה ה, יא) לבנות לה בית:
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Daily Tehillim - Psalms Chapters 104-105
Chapter 104
This psalm tells of the beauty of creation, describing that which was created on each of the six days of creation. It proclaims the awesomeness of God Who sustains it all-from the horns of the wild ox to the eggs of the louse.
1. My soul, bless the Lord! Lord my God, You are greatly exalted; You have garbed Yourself with majesty and splendor.
2. You enwrap [Yourself] with light as with a garment; You spread the heavens as a curtain.
3. He roofs His heavens with water; He makes the clouds His chariot, He moves [them] on the wings of the wind.
4. He makes the winds His messengers, the blazing fire His servants.
5. He established the earth on its foundations, that it shall never falter.
6. The depths covered it as a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.
7. At Your exhortation they fled; at the sound of Your thunder they rushed away.
8. They ascended mountains, they flowed down valleys, to the place which You have assigned for them.
9. You set a boundary which they may not cross, so that they should not return to engulf the earth.
10. He sends forth springs into streams; they flow between the mountains.
11. They give drink to all the beasts of the field; the wild animals quench their thirst.
12. The birds of the heavens dwell beside them; they raise their voice from among the foliage.
13. He irrigates the mountains from His clouds above; the earth is satiated from the fruit of Your works.
14. He makes grass grow for the cattle, and vegetation requiring the labor of man to bring forth food from the earth;
15. and wine that gladdens man's heart, oil that makes the face shine, and bread that sustains man's heart.
16. The trees of the Lord drink their fill, the cedars of Lebanon which He planted,
17. wherein birds build their nests; the stork has her home in the cypress.
18. The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the rabbits.
19. He made the moon to calculate the festivals; the sun knows its time of setting.
20. You bring on darkness and it is night, when all the beasts of the forest creep forth.
21. The young lions roar for prey, and seek their food from God.
22. When the sun rises, they return and lie down in their dens.
23. Then man goes out to his work, to his labor until evening.
24. How manifold are Your works, O Lord! You have made them all with wisdom; the earth is full of Your possessions.
25. This sea, vast and wide, where there are countless creeping creatures, living things small and great;
26. there ships travel, there is the Leviathan that You created to frolic therein.
27. They all look expectantly to You to give them their food at the proper time.
28. When You give it to them, they gather it; when You open Your hand, they are satiated with goodness.
29. When You conceal Your countenance, they are terrified; when You take back their spirit, they perish and return to their dust.
30. When You will send forth Your spirit they will be created anew, and You will renew the face of the earth.
31. May the glory of the Lord be forever; may the Lord find delight in His works.
32. He looks at the earth, and it trembles; He touches the mountains, and they smoke.
33. I will sing to the Lord with my soul; I will chant praise to my God with my [entire] being.
34. May my prayer be pleasant to Him; I will rejoice in the Lord.
35. May sinners cease from the earth, and the wicked be no more. Bless the Lord, O my soul! Praise the Lord!
Chapter 105
When David brought the Holy Ark up to the City of David, he composed this psalm and sang it before the Ark. He recounts all the miracles that God performed for the Jews in Egypt: sending before them Joseph, who was imprisoned, only to be liberated by God, eventually attaining the status of one who could imprison the princes of Egypt without consulting Pharaoh.
1. Offer praise to the Lord, proclaim His Name; make His deeds known among the nations.
2. Sing to Him, chant praises to Him, speak of all His wonders.
3. Glory in His holy Name; may the heart of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
4. Search for the Lord and His might; seek His countenance always.
5. Remember the wonders that He has wrought, His miracles, and the judgements of His mouth.
6. O descendants of Abraham His servant, children of Jacob, His chosen ones:
7. He is the Lord our God; His judgements extend over the entire earth.
8. He remembers His covenant forever, the word which He has commanded to a thousand generations;
9. the covenant which He made with Abraham, and His oath to Isaac.
10. He established it for Jacob as a statute, for Israel as an everlasting covenant,
11. stating, "To you I shall give the land of Canaan"-the portion of your inheritance,
12. when they were but few, very few, and strangers in it.
13. They wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people.
14. He permitted no one to wrong them, and admonished kings for their sake:
15. "Do not touch my anointed ones, and do not harm my prophets.”
16. He called for a famine upon the land; he broke every source of bread.
17. He sent a man before them; Joseph was sold as a slave.
18. They afflicted his foot with chains, his soul was put into iron;
19. until the time that His words came, the decree of the Lord purified him.
20. The king sent [word] and released him, the ruler of nations set him free.
21. He appointed him master of his house and ruler of all his possessions,
22. to imprison his princes at will, and to enlighten his elders.
23. Thus Israel came to Egypt, and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham (Egypt).
24. He multiplied His nation greatly, and made it mightier than its adversaries.
25. He turned their hearts to hate His nation, to conspire against His servants.
26. He sent Moses, His servant; Aaron, whom He had chosen.
27. They placed among them the words of His signs, miracles in the land of Ham.
28. He sent darkness and made it dark, and they did not defy His word.
29. He transformed their waters to blood, and killed their fish.
30. Their land swarmed with frogs in the chambers of their kings.
31. He spoke, and hordes of wild beasts came, and lice throughout their borders.
32. He turned their rains to hail, flaming fire in their land;
33. it struck their vine and fig tree, it broke the trees of their borders.
34. He spoke, and grasshoppers came, locusts without number;
35. and it consumed all grass in their land, it ate the fruit of their soil.
36. Then He smote every firstborn in their land, the first of all their potency.
37. And He took them out with silver and gold, and none among His tribes stumbled.
38. Egypt rejoiced at their leaving, for the fear [of Israel] had fallen upon them.
39. He spread out a cloud for shelter, and a fire to illuminate the night.
40. [Israel] asked, and He brought quail, and with the bread of heaven He satisfied them.
41. He opened a rock and waters flowed; they streamed through dry places like a river,
42. for He remembered His holy word to Abraham His servant.
43. And He brought out His nation with joy, His chosen ones with song.
44. He gave them the lands of nations, they inherited the toil of peoples,
45. so that they might keep His statutes and observe His laws. Praise the Lord!
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Tanya Igeret HaTeshuva , end of Chapter 4
Lessons in Tanya:
Shabbat, 21 Tammuz 5774 - July 19, 2014
Today's Tanya Lesson
Igeret HaTeshuva , end of Chapter 4
וביאור הענין
To explain:
What characteristics of the soul also characterize Havayah, the Four-Letter Name of G‑d, and thus indicate that the soul is indeed a part of that Name? In answer to this question, the Alter Rebbe now explains that just as the Ten Sefirot are included within the Tetragrammaton, so, too, there are ten corresponding faculties that are intrinsic to the soul.
כנודע ממאמר אליהו: אנת הוא דאפיקת עשר תיקונין, וקרינן להון עשר ספירן, לאנהגא בהון עלמין סתימין וכו׳
There is a well-known statement of Eliyahu, in the passage entitled Patach Eliyahu, in the introduction to Tikkunei Zohar: “You are He Who elicited the ten tikkunim (lit., ‘garments’) which we call the Ten Sefirot, by which to conduct the concealed worlds…[and the revealed worlds...].1
אנת הוא חכים, ולא בחכמה ידיעא
You are wise, but not with a knowable attribute of wisdom;
אנת הוא מבין, ולא בבינה ידיעא וכו׳
You understand, but not with a knowable attribute of understanding; and so on“ — with regard to the remaining Sefirot.
וכל הי׳ ספירות נכללות ונרמזות בשם הויה ברוך הוא
All the Ten Sefirot are included and represented in their source, the Tetragrammaton.
The Alter Rebbe now shows how the various Sefirot find expression in the four letters that comprise this Divine Name, Havayah.
כי היו״ד, שהיא בחינת נקודה לבד, מרמזת לחכמתו ית׳
The yud, which is a simple point, extending in neither length nor breadth, indicates G‑d’s Wisdom, the Sefirah of Chochmah,
שהיא בבחינת העלם והסתר קודם שבאה לבחינת התפשטות וגילוי ההשגה וההבנה
which is the state of concealment and obscurity, before it develops into a state of expansion and revelation in comprehension and understanding.
והקוץ שעל היו״ד רומז לבחינת רצון העליון ברוך הוא, שלמעלה מעלה ממדרגת בחינת חכמה עילאה כנודע
(2The “thorn” above3 the yud indicates the Supreme Will, this being the level of Keter, which transcends by far the level of Chochmah Ila‘ah, Supernal Wisdom, as is known.)
ואחר שבאה לבחינת התפשטות וגילוי ההשגה וההבנה לעלמין סתימין
When [the seminal “point” of Chochmah] is eventually amplified and revealed as something comprehensible to the concealed worlds, i.e., when it descends to the level and Sefirah of Binah,
נכללת ונרמזת באות ה׳, שיש לה בחינת התפשטות לרוחב, המורה ומרמז על הרחבת הביאור וההבנה
it is then contained and represented in the letter hei of the Tetragrammaton. This letter extends in breadth, implying a breadth of explanation and understanding, which is the function of Binah.
וגם לאורך, המורה על בחינת ההמשכה וההשפעה מלמעלה למטה לעלמין סתימין
[The letter hei] also extends in length, to indicate extension and flow downward into the concealed worlds.
The hidden worlds are nourished from the level of Binah, so that they may have an understanding of G‑dliness.
ואחר כך, כשנמשכת המשכה והשפעה זו יותר למטה לעלמין דאתגליין
In the next stage, when this extension and flow are drawn still lower into the revealed worlds,
וכמו האדם שרוצה לגלות חכמתו לאחרים על ידי דבורו, על דרך משל
which may be compared, by way of analogy, to one who wishes4 to reveal his thoughts to another through his speech,
נכללת ונרמזת המשכה זו באותיות ו״ה
this extension is contained and represented in the [final] letters vav and hei [of the Tetragrammaton].
כי הוי״ו מורה על ההמשכה מלמעלה למטה
For the letter vav, which is shaped like a vertical line, indicates downward extension.
There is another connection between this stage and the letter vav:
וגם המשכה זו היא על ידי מדת חסדו וטובו ושאר מדותיו הקדושות, הנכללת בדרך כלל במספר שש שבפסוק: לך ה׳ הגדולה וגו׳ עד לך ה׳ הממלכה, ולא עד בכלל
Also, this downward flow into the revealed worlds is effected through the Divine traits of benevolence and goodness and [G‑d’s] other holy traits, included in general terms in the six attributes, the numerical equivalent of vav, in the verse,5 “Yours, O G‑d, is greatness...,” — until “Yours, O G‑d, is sovereignty...,” but not including it.
כי מדת מלכותו ית׳ נקראת בשם דבר ה׳
For His attribute of sovereignty is called the “Word of G‑d” (and speech is not one of the middot, the spiritual emotive attributes),
כמו שכתוב: באשר דבר מלך שלטון
as in the verse,6 “Wherever the word of the king holds sway.”
Supernal speech, then, is related to Malchut, G‑d’s sovereignty.
ונכללת ונרמזת באות ה׳ אחרונה של שם ה׳
This [attribute of sovereignty] is contained and represented in the final hei of the Tetragrammaton, in the following manner:
כי פנימיות ומקור הדבור הוא ההבל העולה מן הלב, ומתחלק לה׳ מוצאות הפה: אחה״ע מהגרון וכו׳
The internal aspect and the source of speech is the breath that rises from the heart, then is particularized into the five oral articulations (five being the numerical equivalent of the letter hei). [One of these produces the bracket of letters] alef, chet, hei and ayin from the throat, another produces the bracket of letters beit, vav, mem and pei from the lips, and so on.
At any rate, the internal aspect of speech is breath.
וגם הברת הה״א היא בחינת הבל לבד
In particular, the enunciation of the letter hei is solely unvocalized breath,
כמו שכתוב: אתא קלילא דלית בה מששא
as in the phrase,7 “A light letter without substance.”
Emanating, as it does, solely from the breath, it alludes to the level of Malchut and speech whose internal aspect is “breath”.
ואף שאין לו דמות הגוף חס ושלום
Now “He has no corporeal form,” G‑d forbid.
How, then, can one differentiate Above between those letters that possess substance and those that do not?
אך דברה תורה כלשון בני אדם
Nevertheless, “the Torah speaks as in the language of men.”
Since on the mortal plane this differentiation exists, it is also applied to the Divine plane, for spiritually, too, there exists a corresponding difference between the letter hei and the other letters.
בשגם
Moreover (i.e., there is yet another reason why this analogy is apt, notwithstanding the fact that G‑d has no corporeal form):
שגם דבר ה׳ כ״ב אותיות המתחלקות לה׳ חלקי המוצאות, ובהן נברא כל היצור
for G‑d’s speech as well consists, as it were, of twenty-two letters that separate into the five articulations that produce the Divine speech from which all beings were created.
וכמו שכתוב בליקוטי אמרים חלק ב׳ פי״א ביאור ענין אותיות אלו
(8For a discussion of these letters and their significance, see Likutei Amarim, Part II, ch. 11.)
We thus see that all the Ten Sefirot are included and represented within the Tetragrammaton. The Alter Rebbe now goes on to explain that likewise within the soul, which is part of the Tetragrammaton, there exist ten corresponding levels or faculties.
וככה ממש, על דרך משל, המבדיל הבדלות לאין קץ, בנשמת האדם
Analogously, exactly the same applies to the soul of man, again keeping in mind the infinite separation between the Creator and the created soul,
שהיא בחינת נפש האלקית דמתוכיה נפח
which is the divine soul which “He blew from within Himself.”
Since the soul derives from the internal aspect of G‑dliness, the Tetragrammaton, which comprises the Ten Sefirot, the soul likewise comprises the following characteristics:
יש בה בחינת שכל הנעלם, המרומז באות יו״ד
There is [the initial state of Chochmah,] the hidden concept alluded to by the letter yud,
Just as the letter yud lacks length and breadth and is but a simple point, so, too, is Chochmah a faculty that lacks intellectual length and breadth, merely —
שבכחו לצאת אל הגילוי, להבין ולהשכיל באמתתו ית׳ ובגדולתו וכו'
possessing the potential of being revealed, and thereby understanding and conceiving G‑d’s true existence and greatness,
כל חד וחד לפום שיעורא דיליה, לפי רוחב שכלו ובינתו
in each person according to his measure, according to the breadth of his intellect and understanding.
While the degree of one’s comprehension of G‑dliness depends on the breadth of one’s intellect, a Jew’s essential ability to find G‑d’s true being and greatness securely integrated in his mind, stems from the soul’s attribute of Chochmah, alluded to in the letter yud.
וכפי אשר מעמיק שכלו ומרחיב דעתו ובינתו להתבונן בגדולתו ית׳
As a man deepens his intelligence, as he broadens his mind and comprehension, to contemplate G‑d’s greatness,
אזי מרומזת בינתו באות ה״א, שיש לה רוחב
his now-developed understanding, the faculty of Binah, is alluded to by the letter hei, that has breadth, indicating the breadth of his understanding.
וגם אורך, המורה על ההמשכה מלמעלה למטה
[The hei] also has length, to indicate downward extension,
להוליד מבינתו והתבוננותו בגדולת ה׳ אהבה ויראה ותולדותיהן
so that from his understanding and contemplation of G‑d’s greatness, he arouses love and fear and their offspring, i.e., the other emotive attributes, which are termed the offspring or branches of love and fear,
במוחו ותעלומות לבו
in his mind and in the recesses of his heart,
At this early stage in the generation of the spiritual emotions of love and fear and so on, they are not yet manifest.
ואחר כך בבחינת התגלות לבו
until ultimately they find overt expression in his heart.
The downward progression of intellect into the realm of emotions is thus indicated by the vertical length of the letter hei.
ומזה נמשכה עבודה האמיתית בעסק התורה והמצות, בקול ודבור או מעשה
These [spiritual emotions] lead to the true service of G‑d, in Torah study and mitzvah observance, with voice and speech or with deed.
True divine service is that which is motivated by the love and awe of G‑d, as explained above in Part I, ch. 4.
הן אותיות וא״ו ה״א וכו׳
This is the import of the [final] letters vav and hei [of the Four-Letter Name, Havayah]..., for vav alludes to voice and speech, while hei alludes to action.
וגם ההתבוננות, להבין ולהשכיל באמתתו וגדולתו ית׳, נמשכה גם כן מן התורה
Furthermore, contemplation that endeavors to understand and conceive of G‑d’s true being, also derives from Torah,
I.e., such contemplation must necessarily be preceded by the study of Torah,
דאורייתא מחכמה נפקא, היא בחינת יו״ד של שם הויה וכו׳
for9 “Torah proceeds from Chochmah,” which is the yud of the Tetragrammaton.
FOOTNOTES
1. The Rebbe asks the following question: The statement that the purpose of the Ten Sefirot (which, as he shall soon say, are included within the Tetragrammaton) is “to conduct the concealed worlds,” seems to contradict the earlier statement that the Tetragrammaton transcends by far the state of “letters” (from which the various worlds and their creatures come into being).
The Alter Rebbe resolves this, explains the Rebbe, by now going on to quote, “You are wise, but not with a knowable attribute of wisdom; You understand, but not with a knowable attribute of understanding....” This cannot possibly refer to the state of “letters”, since their purpose is to make known and to reveal (as oft stated in Part II of Tanya). Rather, the above-mentioned conduct of the worlds first relates only to the “concealed worlds,” worlds that are “not known.”
2. Parentheses are in the original text.
3. Note of the Rebbe: “The Alter Rebbe stresses ‘above’, for the ‘thorn’ that projects beneath the yud has a different significance.”
4. Note of the Rebbe: “In the analogy the Alter Rebbe speaks of ‘one who wishes to reveal his thoughts to another,’ for this mirrors the ‘Divine traits of benevolence and goodness’ that are mentioned below.”
5. I Divrei HaYamim 29:11.
6. Kohelet 8:4.
7. From the hymn entitled Akdamut.
8. Parentheses are in the original text.
9. Zohar II, 85a, 121a.
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Rambam:
Daily Mitzvah P68, P75, P76 - Sefer Hamitzvot
Shabbat, 21 Tammuz 5774 - July 19, 2014
Positive Commandment 68 (Digest)
Sacrifice Brought by a Court that Erred
"And if the entire congregation of Israel commits an unintentional sin and [the truth] is hidden from the eyes of the assembly"—Leviticus 4:13.
A rabbinic court that erroneously issues an incorrect halachic verdict is required to bring a sacrifice.
The 68th mitzvah is that the High Court is commanded to bring an offering if they inadvertently erred in a legal ruling.1
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement2 (exalted be He), "If the entire community of Israel commits an inadvertent violation as a result of [the truth] being hidden from the eyes of the congregation3 [....the congregation must bring a young bull as a sin-offering]."
The details and all the conditions governing this mitzvah are fully explained in tractate Horayos and in a number of passages in tractate Zevachim.4
Rabbi Berel Bell is a well-known educator, author and lecturer. He and his family reside in Montreal, Canada.
From "Sefer Hamitzvot in English," published by Sichos in English.
FOOTNOTES
1.This applies only when their judgment dealt with a transgression for which an individual would have to bring a sin-offering, and they declared it permissible and people did the forbidden act based on their ruling.
2.Lev. 4:13-14.
3.I.e. the High Court.
4.90b. See Kapach, 5731, footnote 75.
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Positive Commandment 75 (Digest)
Offering of the Zavah
"But if she is cleansed from her discharge... on the eighth day, she shall take for herself two turtledoves..."—Leviticus 15:28-29.
A woman who is a zavah [one who experiences menses three consecutive days outside the normal menstrual period] must, after the disorder has been cured, bring an offering—two pigeons or two turtledoves.
Until she brings this offering, her purification process is not complete and she may not partake of sacrificial flesh.
The 75th mitzvah is that any zavah1 must bring an offering after she is healed from her discharge.
This offering, which consists of two doves or two young pigeons, is known as a korban zavah, and her atonement is incomplete2 until these sacrifices are brought.
Perhaps one will ask the following question: since the offering of the zav and that of the zavah are identical, we should count only the offering as the mitzvah, and everyone who is required to bring it would be included. [Therefore it would count just as one mitzvah rather than two3.] This is how we treated the sin-offering, the guilt-offering, the asham talui, and the offering of adjustable value4 — where we ignored the number of transgressions covered by each offering,5 and counted just the offering itself as one mitzvah. So too here, we should ignore the number of people who are required to bring this bird offering [and count only the offering itself]!
The explanation is that the offering of the zav and that of the zavah are not for transgressions, but are brought only because of specific physical conditions [and these differ by a man and by a woman]. If the physical condition of the man and that of the woman were identical — as their names, zav and zavah, are identical — then their sacrifices would be counted together [as one mitzvah]. However, this is not the case, for a man must bring an offering because he has emitted semen;6 but if something similar would be emitted by a woman, she would not become a zavah. [Conversely] in a woman, it is the flow of blood which makes her a zavah, and if a man would emit blood, he would be exempt from bringing a sacrifice. [The similarity is only their names, zav and zavah,] and the word zivus is associated with "flowing" — and not every flow is the same.
Our Sages7 said explicitly [that the flow of a zav differs from that of a zavah]: "A man becomes tameh through a white emission, and a woman becomes tameh through a red emission."
There is a clear proof that the law of a zav and zavah is unlike that of a leprous man and a leprous woman [whose offerings count as only one mitzvah8]. This is the statement of our Sages in tractate Kerisus,9 "There are four categories of "those whose atonement is incomplete": zav, zavah, a woman who has just given birth, and a leper." One sees clearly that the zav and zavah are counted separately, whereas the leper — whether male or female — is counted only once. This is because the zivus (flow) of a man is different from that of a woman [whereas the leprosy is the same].10
The verses11 which speak of her offering state, "When the woman is rid of her discharge...on the eighth day, she shall take for herself two doves."
Rabbi Berel Bell is a well-known educator, author and lecturer. He and his family reside in Montreal, Canada.
From "Sefer Hamitzvot in English," published by Sichos in English.
FOOTNOTES
1.A woman who experiences menstrual bleeding at an abnormal time. See P106.
2.Even though she has immersed and gone through the necessary waiting period, she still may not eat from any sacrifices before bringing her offering.
3.See P74.
4.P64, P65, P70, P72.
5.The offering of adjustable value, for example, is brought for any of four various transgressions.
6.A thin sort of seed as a result of an illness. See P104. Hilchos Mechusarei Kapparah 2:1.
7.Niddah 32b.
8.P77.
9.8b.
10.Therefore, since the condition of a zav and that of a zavah are different, their offerings cannot be counted together.
11.Lev. 15:28-29.
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Positive Commandment 76 (Digest)
Offering after Childbirth
"And when the days of her purification period are fulfilled, for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring a sheep within its first year of age..."—Leviticus 12:6.
A woman who gives birth is required to bring an offering—a sheep for a Burnt Offering and a pigeon or turtledove as a Sin Offering. If she is of limited financial means, she may instead bring two pigeons or two turtledoves, one as a Burnt Offering and one as a Sin Offering.
Until she brings this offering, her purification process is not complete and she may not partake of sacrificial flesh.
The 76th mitzvah is that every woman who gives birth is required to bring an offering; a yearling sheep as a burnt-offering and a dove or young pigeon as a sin-offering. If she is poor, she brings two doves or two pigeons — one as a burnt-offering and one as a sin-offering.
Her atonement is also1 considered to be incomplete until she brings her offerings, as it is written,2 "When her purification period for a son or a daughter is complete, she shall bring a yearling sheep...[the kohen shall then make atonement for her and she shall be pure]."
Rabbi Berel Bell is a well-known educator, author and lecturer. He and his family reside in Montreal, Canada.
From "Sefer Hamitzvot in English," published by Sichos in English.
FOOTNOTES
1.As with the zavah mentioned in the previous mitzvah.
2.Lev. 12:6,8.
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Rambam:
1 Chapter - Sechirut - Chapter 8
Sechirut - Chapter 8
Halacha 1
The same laws apply when a person rents a field from a colleague to sow, or a vineyard to benefit from its fruits and agrees to pay him money or agrees to pay him a fixed amount of produce - e.g., he rented a particular field for 20 kor of grain a year or a particular vineyard for 20 jugs of wine a year. A person who rents property and agrees to pay in produce is called a chocher.
Halacha 2
When a person takes a field or an orchard with the intent of working it, investing in it and giving the owner a third, a fourth or whatever other percentage of the harvest that they agree to, he is called a mekabel.
The following rules apply with regard to all the types of contracts mentioned above. Whenever an improvement is necessary for the sake of the land itself, it is the responsibility of the owner of the land to provide it. Whenever an improvement is an added measure of security, the renter is responsible for it.
The ax that is used to break up the land, the containers used to carry away earth, the bucket, the jug or the like that is used to draw water are the responsibility of the owner of the land. Digging the irrigation ditches, by contrast, is the responsibility of the renter.
Halacha 3
When a person rents or makes a sharecropping agreement with regard to a colleague's field for only a few years, he should not sow flax. If he rents it or enters a sharecropping agreement for seven years, he may sow flax for the first year." The Sabbatical year is not included in this reckoning. If he rents it or enters a sharecropping agreement for a seven-year period, the Sabbatical year is included in this reckoning.
Halacha 4
The following laws apply when a person rents or makes a sharecropping agreement with regard to a colleague's field that is parched and requires irrigation, and the spring used to irrigate the field dries up, but the larger river has not ceased to flow, and it is possible to carry water from it in a bucket. The renter may not reduce his payments. If this is a problem that affects the entire region - e.g., the river itself dried up - he may reduce his payments. Similar laws apply if one rents an orchard and the trees of the orchard are cut down.
Different rules apply when the owner was standing in his field and told the renter: "I am renting you this parched field," or "I am renting you this orchard." If the spring dries up or the tree is chopped down, he may reduce his payments. Since he was standing in the property when he made that statement, we assume that by saying: "this field" or "this orchard," his intent was: "I am renting it to you in its present condition."
Therefore, when the owner is not standing in his field and told the renter: "I am renting you this parched field," or "I am renting you this orchard." If the spring dries up or the tree is chopped down, he may not reduce his payments.
Halacha 5
The following rules apply when a person rents or makes a sharecropping agreement with regard to a colleague's field, and the crops are eaten by locusts or destroyed by drought. If this condition prevailed among the majority of the fields of that city, he may reduce his payments according to the extent of the loss that he suffered. If this blight did not prevail among the majority of the fields, he may not reduce his payments. This law applies even though all the fields belonging to this land owner were ravaged.
If all the fields of the renter or the sharecropper were ravaged, even though the blight also affected most of the other fields, he may not reduce his payment. For the loss is dependent on the renter's bad fortune, as evidenced by the fact that all his fields were ravaged.
If the owner stipulated that the renter should sow the field with wheat, and he sowed it with barley, did not sow it at all or sowed it and nothing grew, the renter may not reduce his payments even though locusts or a drought came and the majority of the fields were ravaged. Until when must he till it and sow it a second time if the first crop does not grow? Until the time when it is fit to sow in that place.
Halacha 6
The following rules apply when a person rents or makes a sharecropping agreement with regard to a colleague's field. If it is customary in that locale to cut down the crops, the renter should cut them down. He is not permitted to uproot them. If it is customary to uproot the crops, the renter should uproot them. He is not permitted to cut them down. Either of them can prevent the custom from being changed.
In a locale where it is customary to plow after the harvesting, the renter should plow. In a locale where it is customary to rent trees together with land, they are considered to have been rented out. This applieseven though the owner rented the property for a price that is lower than usual. In a locale where it is not customary to rent trees together with land, they are not considered to have been rented out. This applieseven though the owner rented the property for a price that is higher than usual. Everything follows the local custom.
Halacha 7
When a person rents a field from a colleague for ten kor of wheat and it suffered blight, he may pay the owner from the wheat of that field. Conversely, if it produces extremely high quality wheat, he should not tell the owner: "I will purchase wheat for you from the marketplace." Instead, he must give him the wheat from the field.
If a person rents a vineyard for ten baskets of grapes and they become sour after they were harvested, the renter may give the owner the grapes from the vineyard. A similar ruling applies to sheaves of grain that became ruined after they were harvested. If, however, a person rents a vineyard for ten jugs of wine, and the wine becomes sour, he is obligated to provide the owner with good wine.
The following rules apply when a person rented a field for 100 sheaves of cattle fodder, sowed another crop and then plowed the field and sowed it with cattle fodder. If it suffered blight, the renter may not give the owner the cattle fodder growing in it. Instead, he must give him high quality fodder, for he deviated from the terms of the initial agreement. Similar rules apply even if he sowed it with fodder at the outset, plowed it and then sowed it again and it suffered blight or in any other situation where the damage to the crops comes after the renter deviates from the initial agreement.
Halacha 8
The following rules apply when a person rents a field from a colleague, but does not desire to weed it. Although the renter tells the owner: "What will you suffer? I will give you the amount stipulated regardless," his words are not heeded. For the owner may respond: "Ultimately, you will leave it, and it will grow weeds for me."
Even if the renter says: "At the end I will plow it," his words are not heeded.
Halacha 9
When a person rents a field with the stated intent of sowing barley, he should not sow wheat, because wheat saps the nutrients of the land more than barley. If he rented it with the intent of sowing wheat, he may sow barley.
If his original intent was to sow legumes, he may not sow grain. If his original intent was grain, he may sow legumes. In Babylon and lands of that nature, he should not sow legumes, for legumes sap the nutrients of the land.
Halacha 10
When a person rents a field from a colleague for a few years according to a sharecropping agreement, the sharecropper does not receive a share of the wood that grows from the wild fig trees and the like, nor in the appreciation in the value of the field due to the trees growing in the field. We do, however, consider the place of the trees as if it were filled with the type of crop that was planted in the field. This applies provided the trees grew in a place that is fit to sow. If, however, they grow in a place that is not fit to sow, the sharecropper is not given any consideration. If the sharecropper rents the field for seven years or more, he is entitled to a share of the wood that grows from the wild fig trees and the like.
If at the time the sharecropper's lease runs out, there are plants in the field that have not reached the stage at which they are fit to be sold, or they have reached that stage, but the market day has not come yet, they should be evaluated and the sharecropper given his share by the owner of the land.
In the same manner as the sharecropper and the owner divide the grain; so, too, they should divide the straw and the stubble. In the same manner as they divide the wine; so, too, they should divide the twigs. Different rules apply with regard to the rods that are placed beneath the vine for support. If they were purchased in partnership, they should be divided in the same manner. If they were purchased by one party, they belong to the one who purchased them. Similar principles apply in all analogous situations.
Halacha 11
When a person rents a field from a colleague according to a sharecropping agreement in order to plant vines, the owner accepts the possibility that there will be ten non-productive vines in an area sufficient to grow a se'ah of grain. If there are more non-productive vines, the sharecropper must pay for the entire area as if all the vines were productive.
Halacha 12
The following rules apply when a person rents a field from a colleague under a sharecropping agreement and the field does not produce a significant yield. If its yield appears sufficient to produce at least two se'ah more than the investment made in it, the sharecropper is obligated to take care of it. For in the sharecropping agreement, he promises the owner of the land: "I will rise, plow the land, sow it, reap it, tie it in sheaves, thresh it and make a grain heap before you, and you will receive half - or whatever other portion they agreed upon - and I will receive the remainder as payment for my work and the expenses that I undertook."
Halacha 13
The following rule applies when a person rents a field from a colleague under a sharecropping agreement, and after taking possession of the field decides to leave it fallow. We evaluate the amount the field could be expected to produce and require the sharecropper to give the owner the portion agreed upon. For in the sharecropping agreement, he promises the owner of the land: "If I leave it fallow and do not till it, I will pay according to its best yield." The same rule applies if he left only a portion of it fallow.
Why is the renter obligated to pay? Because he did not stipulate that he would pay a fixed amount, in which instance we would say that it is an asmachta, but instead promised to pay the field's best yield."o Therefore, he made a binding commitment.
If, however, he stipulated: "If I leave it fallow, I will pay you 100 dinarim" this is considered an asmachta and he is not obligated to pay that amount. Instead, he should give the owner only his share of what the field would be expected to produce.
Halacha 14
The following rule applies when a person rents a field from a colleague under a sharecropping agreement with the intent of sowing sesame seeds, but instead, sows wheat. If the field produces a crop of wheat that is worth the same as the yield of sesame seeds could have been expected to be worth, the owner may have no more than complaints against him.
If the field produces a crop of wheat that is worth less than the yield of sesame seeds could have been expected to be worth, the sharecropper must pay the amount the crop of sesame seeds could have expected to yield. If the field produces a crop of wheat that is worth more than the yield of sesame seeds could have been expected to be worth, they should divided the crop according to their original stipulation although the owner of the land profits.
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Rambam 3:
Chapters a Day - Shegagot - Perek 15, Mechussarey Kapparah - Perek 1, Mechussarey Kapparah - Perek 2
Shegagot - Perek 15
Halacha 1
We have already explained that for every transgression for which an ordinary person must bring a ewe or a she-goat as a fixed sin-offering, a nasiwho violates it inadvertently must bring a he-goat. And if an anointed priest violates it inadvertently, he must bring a bull.
When does the statement that an anointed priest brings a bull because of his inadvertent transgression apply? When he errs in issuing a ruling and acts according to his ruling alone. And to be liable he must be a sage of distinction, as implied by Leviticus 4:3: "If the anointed priest will sin, bringing guilt to the nation," i.e., an equivalence is established between the anointed priest and the people as a whole. Just as the community, i.e., the court, are not obligated to bring a sacrifice unless the judges are sages fit to deliver rulings, they deliver an erroneous ruling, the transgressors err because of this ruling, and they ruled to nullify certain aspects of a prohibition and maintain others, so too, an anointed priest is not liable unless all these stipulations are met.
Halacha 2
What is implied? If the anointed priest ruled erroneously for himself and thought that it was permitted to throw an article from one domain to another on the Sabbath and acted in this manner, relying on his judgment, when he becomes aware of his transgression, he should bring a bull as a sin-offering. If, however, he did not rely on his ruling, but instead, acted inadvertently and threw an article, or he relied on his ruling, but was not a distinguished sage, or he nullified a prohibition in its entirety when ruling for himself, or he ruled erroneously to negate only a portion of the prohibition, but did not act while relying on his ruling, but instead, performed the transgression inadvertently for another reason, or he purposely delivered an erroneous ruling, but performed the transgression inadvertently, he is exempt from bringing a sacrifice entirely. For the laws that apply to an anointed priest's ruling for himself are identical to those applying to the congregation with regard to the ruling of the court in all regards.
If he delivered a ruling for himself and then forgot the rationale motivating the ruling and at the time he acted said: "I am acting on the basis of my previous ruling," he must bring a bull as a sin-offering.
Halacha 3
If he delivered a ruling for himself to nullify certain aspects of the prohibition against the worship of false deities and maintain others and he acted according to his ruling, he brings a she-goat, as does an ordinary person, provided he erred in his ruling, as we explained. For the anointed priest is not obligated to bring a sacrifice unless he has a lapse of awareness while delivering a ruling and then acts inadvertently as is the law with regard to the community as a whole. If, however, he merely acted inadvertently without delivering a ruling, whether he violated the prohibition against the worship of false deities or other commandments, he does not bring a sacrifice at all.
Halacha 4
When the anointed priest ruled together with the High Court and he and they both erred in their ruling, the anointed priest is exempt even though he acted according to the mistaken ruling that he issued. The rationale is that he did not rely only on his ruling alone, but his ruling together with that of the court. Hence it is not necessary for him to bring a sacrifice for atonement individually. Instead, if the court bring a sacrifice, he receives atonement together with the community at large. And if the transgressors bring a sacrifice, he does not bring a sacrifice, because he does not bring a sacrifice individually.
Halacha 5
If he together with the court ruled erroneously, they ruled concerning forbidden blood and he ruled concerning forbidden fats, he does not receive atonement together with the community. Instead, he brings a bull on his own accord.
Halacha 6
When an anointed priest is in doubt of whether or not he committed this type of advertent transgression - i.e., he ruled in error and acted accordingly - he does not bring a provisional guilt offering, for he is comparable to the community at large who do not bring a provisional guilt-offering. When, by contrast, a nasi is in doubt whether he transgressed or did not transgress, he should bring a provisional guilt-offering like other ordinary people, because his obligation for an inadvertent transgression is not dependent on his ruling.
What is the connotation of the term nasi used in the Torah? A king who is not under the jurisdiction of any other man in Israel. There is no one superior to him in his sovereignty except, God, his Lord. This applies whether he is of the Davidic dynasty or of other tribes. If there were several kings and one is not subject to the other, each one should bring a goat for his inadvertent transgression.
What is meant by the term "anointed priest"? This refers to a High Priest who was anointed with the oil of anointment, not one who was installed in his office through wearing the priestly garments.
Halacha 7
When a High Priest who had been anointed with the anointing oil, but was removed from his office, because of a physical blemish, old age, or the like and inadvertently violated a transgression in this manner, he must bring a bull for his inadvertent transgression. For there is no difference between an anointed priest who serves and one who was removed from his office except the bull offered on Yom Kippur and the tenth of an ephah offered each day. These are brought only by a High Priest who is serving in his office, but with regard to the bull brought for the inadvertent violation of all the mitzvot, the two are governed by the same laws.
Halacha 8
When a nasi performs a transgression together with the community, because of a ruling of the court, he receives atonement together with the people at large. If the court were offering a sacrifice due to their error, the entire nation and the king are exempt from a sacrifice, as we explained. If those who transgressed due to the court's ruling were obligated to bring a sacrifice and the king was one of them who transgressed, he should bring a goat. For the goat brought by the nasi takes the place of a ewe or a she-goat that an ordinary person brings.
Halacha 9
When a nasi becomes afflicted by tzara'at and is removed from his office or he is removed from his office for other reasons, he is considered as an ordinary person. If a nasi transgressed while in office and then was removed, he must still bring a goat, as can be inferred from Leviticus 4:22: "because of his transgression that he violated," i.e., the sacrifice that he brings depends on his status at the time he transgresses.
Halacha 10
When an anointed priest or a king violate a transgression requiring a sacrifice before they are appointed to their office, they must bring a sacrifice like an ordinary person even if they become aware of it after they become appointed. This is derived from Leviticus 4:22: "When a nasi transgresses," and ibid.:3: "If the anointed priest will transgress...," i.e., these sacrifices are required only when he transgresses while a nasi or while anointed.
Accordingly, if a priest ate a piece of fat concerning which there was a question whether it was forbidden and he became aware of this question after he was appointed as a High Priest, he must bring a provisional guilt-offering.
If one ate half an olive-sized portion of forbidden fat while he was an ordinary person and another half after becoming a nasi in one lapse of awareness or he ate half an olive-sized portion while he was a nasi and half after leaving his office, they are not combined and he is exempt.
If one ate half an olive-sized portion when he was an ordinary person, he was appointed as a nasi and then was removed from his office, there is an unresolved doubt if the two times he ate are combined to make him liable or his service as a nasi creates a distinction between the two.
Blessed be the Merciful One Who offers assistance.
Mechussarey Kapparah - Perek 1
Halacha 1
There are four individuals who are referred to as "requiring atonement": a zavah, a woman after childbirth, a zav, and a person afflicted by tzara'at.
Why are they referred to as "requiring atonement"? Because even after each one of them has become pure from the condition that caused his impurity, he has immersed in a mikveh, and the day of the immersion has passed, the person's status is still lacking. His attainment of purity is not complete to the extent that he may partake of sacrificial foods until he brings the sacrifice required of him. Before he brings this sacrifice, he is forbidden to partake of sacrificial food as explained in Hilchot Pesulei HaMukdashim.
Halacha 2
When a convert becomes circumcised, but has not brought his sacrifice, although he is forbidden to partake of sacrificial food until he brings his sacrifice, he is not considered as one requiring in atonement. It is merely that failing to bring his sacrifice prevents him from being a complete convert and being from the full-fledged members of the Jewish people. Accordingly, he may not partake of sacrificial foods, because he has not become a full-fledged member of the Jewish people. Once he brings his sacrifice and becomes a full-fledged member of the Jewish people, he may partake of sacrificial foods in the evening.
If he brings one dove as a sacrifice in the morning, he may partake of sacrificial foods and bring the second dove at a later time. For the sacrifice of a convert is an animal brought as a burnt-offering or two young doves or two turtle doves both brought as burnt-offerings, as explained in Hilchot Ma'aseh HaKorbanot.
Halacha 3
The sacrifice brought by either a zav or a zavah is two turtle doves or two young doves, one brought as a burnt-offering and one brought as a sin-offering. The sacrifice of a woman after childbirth is a sheep as a burnt-offering and a young dove or turtle dove as a sin-offering. If she lacks the means for that offering, she must bring two turtle doves or two young doves, one as a burnt-offering and one as a sin-offering. The sacrifice of a person afflicted by tzara'at is three sheep, one as a burnt-offering, one as a guilt offering, and a ewe as a sin-offering. If he does not have the means, he may bring two doves, one as a burnt-offering and one as a sin-offering, and a sheep as a guilt-offering.
Halacha 4
Each of the three, a zav, a zavah, and a person afflicted by tzara'at, bring the sacrifices for their atonement on the eighth day after they become purified from their condition. For each one of them must count seven days of purity, immerse on the seventh day, wait until the conclusion of that day, and offer his sacrifices on the eighth day.
Halacha 5
A woman does not bring her sacrifices on the fortieth day after the birth of a male or the eightieth day after the birth of a female. Instead, she waits until that day is completed and on the following day, the forty-first day after the birth of a male and the eighty-first day after the birth of a female. This is the day concerning which Leviticus 12:6 states: "And upon completion of her days of purity for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring...." If she brings the sacrifices in the midst of these days, she does not fulfill her obligation. Even if she brings these sacrifices for a previous birth in the midst of the days of purity for her present offspring, she does not fulfill her obligation.
If these days passed and the individuals mentioned above did not bring the sacrifices for their atonement, they should offer them afterwards. As long as they have not brought the sin-offering for which they are liable, they are forbidden to partake of sacrificial foods. Failure to bring their burnt-offering and guilt-offering does not hold them back.
We already explained in Hilchot Ma'aseh HaKorbanot that a sacrifice may not be brought on behalf of anyone obligated to bring it without their consent with the exception of the sacrifices of those requiring atonement. In this instance, the consent of the principals is not required, as evident from the fact that a person may bring sacrifices on behalf of his sons and daughters who are below majority if they require atonement and allow them to partake of sacrifices.
Halacha 6
What is meant by a zavah? A woman who experienced uterine bleeding for three consecutive days at a time other than the days when she usually menstruates. She is considered a greater zavah and is required to count seven spotless days and bring a sacrifice. We have already explained with regard to the laws of nidah, when a woman will be considered as a zavah because of uterine bleeding that she discovers and when she will not be a zavah, but rather a nidah or ritually pure, and when there will be a question whether she is a zavah. In all situations that we said that she was a zavah and should count seven "spotless" days, she is obligated to bring a sacrifice and her sin-offering should be eaten. Whenever we said that there is a question of whether she was a zavah, she should bring a sacrifice, but her sacrifice is not eaten. We have already explained that a sin-offering of fowl brought because of a questionable situation should be burnt.
We have already explained what type of birth or miscarriage will cause a woman to contract impurity because of birth and which will not cause her to contract impurity. Whenever we stated that she contracts impurity because of birth, she must bring a sacrifice and her sacrifice is eaten. Whenever we stated that she is not impure because of birth, she is exempt from bringing a sacrifice.
Halacha 7
When a woman was uncertain whether or not she was pregnant and then miscarried and she did not know the nature of the fetus that she miscarried, whether she was required to bring a sacrifice for it or not, she is considered as a woman in childbirth of doubtful status. She must bring a sacrifice, but her sin-offering is not eaten. Similarly, if two women both miscarried, the fetus that one had carried was mature enough to warrant a sacrifice, but the other fetus was not, and the women did not know which of them had carried which fetus, they should each bring a sacrifice because of the doubt, but neither of their sin-offerings are eaten. For a sin-offering of fowl that is brought because of an unresolved question is burnt, lest the woman bringing it not be liable. In such a situation, this sin-offering would be a non-consecrated animal slaughtered in the Temple Courtyard, from which it is forbidden to benefit, as explained in Hilchot Shechitah.
Halacha 8
Whether a woman who gives birth or miscarries gives birth or miscarries to one offspring or many offspring, she may bring one sacrifice that includes all of them. This applies provided the births or the miscarriages take place within the days associated with the prior birth or miscarriage. If, however, they take place afterwards, a separate sacrifice must be brought for the second birth or miscarriage.
What is implied? When a woman gives birth to a girl, any miscarriages that occur from the day of that child's birth until the conclusion of the eightieth day are grouped together with the first child. It is as if she gave birth to twins, one after the other, and she is only required to bring one sacrifice. If she miscarried on the eighty-first day or from that date onward, should it be mature enough to require a sacrifice, she must bring a sacrifice for it independently.
Should she have given birth to a girl and after sixty or seventy days, miscarry a female fetus, she is exempt from bringing a sacrifice for any fetus she miscarries within the eighty days associated with this second female. Similarly, if she miscarries a third female after sixty or seventy days since the miscarriage of the second female, she is exempt from bringing a sacrifice for any fetus she miscarries within the eighty days associated with this third female. The rationale is that it is taken into account with the third miscarriage and the third birth is taken account with the second birth, because it is within the days associated with it. The second birth is taken into account with the first birth. Thus the woman is required to bring only one sacrifice for everything.
Halacha 9
When a woman gives birth to a tumtum or an androgynus, and then miscarries after forty days from the birth of the first child, she should bring a sacrifice for this miscarriage, for perhaps the first one was a male and thus the miscarriage took place after the days associated with its birth. Nevertheless, her sin-offering is not eaten, lest the first birth have been a female and thus the miscarriage took place in the days associated with its birth, in which instance, she is exempt from a second sacrifice.
Halacha 10
When there are five births or miscarriages of questionable status for which a woman might be liable or five states of zivah of questionable status for which she might be liable, she may bring one set of sacrifices and partake of sacrificial food. The remainder are not considered as an obligation that she must requite. If she was obligated to bring sacrifices for five definite births or five definite zavah bleedings, she may bring one set of sacrifices and partake of sacrificial food. The remainder are considered as an obligation that she must requite. Similar concepts apply to a zav.
If a woman is liable for five definite births or miscarriages and five births or miscarriages of questionable status or five definite births or miscarriages and five zivah bleedings of questionable status, she must bring two sets of sacrifices. One is for the definite obligations. That sin-offering is eaten; the sacrifices for the other definite births remain an obligation for her. And she brings one set of sacrifices for the questionable situations. That sin-offering is not eaten; the sacrifices for the other questionable situations do not remain an obligation for her. She may then partake of sacrificial food.
Halacha 11
When a woman converted and it was not known whether she gave birth before she converted or afterwards, because of the doubt, she must bring a sacrifice for the birth, but the sin-offering is not eaten.
In Hilchot Shegagot, we already explained that whenever there is an unresolved question whether or not a person requires atonement and Yom Kippur passes, they must bring the sacrifices after Yom Kippur, because it is these sacrifices which make them fit to partake of sacrificial food.
Halacha 12
When a woman is obligated to bring a sacrifice for a birth or a zivah, she should bring money for the set of doves and place it in the appropriate chest. She may then partake of sacrificial food in the evening, relying on the assumption that the court of priests will not depart from the Temple until all of the money in the chest is used and sets of doves are offered for it, as we explained in Hilchot Shekalim and in Hilchot K'lei HaMikdash VeHaOvdim Bo.
Halacha 13
When a woman brought her sin-offering and then died, her heirs should bring her burnt-offering even if she did not separate it during her lifetime. The rationale is that a lien for the sacrifice was already established on her property and this lien has the power of Scriptural Law.
Mechussarey Kapparah - Perek 2
Halacha 1
The term zav used by the Torah refers to a discharge of sperm that is released because of an internal sickness that effects the organs of the body in which it collects. When a zav emission is discharged, it is not released with an erection like semen and its release does not involve any desire or satisfaction. Instead, it is drawn out like a barley dough and is dark like the white of an unfertilized egg. In contrast, viable sperm is white and adhesive like the white of a fertilized egg.
Halacha 2
If a person releases a discharge which would have caused him to be deemed a zav because of another sickness or because of factors beyond his control, he is not deemed a zav, as implied by Leviticus 15:2: "A man who will release discharges from his flesh." That phrase can be interpreted to mean: He will become impure "because of his flesh," and not due to any other factor.
On this basis, our Sages said: we check a zav with regard to seven factors: food, drink, burdens, jumping, infirmity, provocative sights, and thoughts.
What is implied? If a person overate or overdrank or he ate or drank foods or beverages that lead to the discharge of seed, he carried a heavy burden, he jumped from place to place, included in this category is also his being beaten on his back, he was sick, he saw a woman and desired intimacy with her, or he thought about sexual relations even if he did not think specifically about a particular woman whom he knew - if any of these factors preceded his discovery of a zav discharge, we account the discharge to it and it does not render him impure.
Halacha 3
When a person has a seminal emission, he is not rendered impure as a zav for an entire 24-hour period, for the zav comes as a result of the seminal emission. Similarly, we attribute a discharge to provocative sights and lustful thoughts for 24 hours afterwards. By contrast, with regard to food, drink, jumping, and a burden, we attribute a discharge to them only for as long as this factor causes discomfort.
Halacha 4
When a man, whether a gentile or a Jew, becomes circumcised and then sees a discharge, we attribute it to the circumcision as long as he is suffering. When a gentile has a seminal discharge and converts afterwards, he can become impure because of zivah immediately. We do not attribute any discharges in a 24-hour period to the seminal emission.
When a minor has a discharge, we do not attribute it to provocative sights and lustful thoughts, for there are no provocative sights and lustful thoughts that will cause a minor to have a discharge. Therefore we check him only with regard to five factors.
Halacha 5
Just as we attribute the discharges of a minor to his sickness, so too, we attribute his discharges to the sickness of his mother if he is nursing or in need of her care.
When does the statement that we check a zav with regard to these matters apply? With regard to his second discharge of zivah, for that characterizes him as a zav, as will be explained. If, however, he has one discharge due to factors beyond his control and one "because of his flesh," he is impure with the impurity of zivah. Nevertheless, he should also be checked initially, in order to count three discharges so that he will be liable for a sacrifice.
He is not checked for the third discharge. Instead, even if he experiences it due to factors beyond his control, since he was already categorized as impure - because the first two discharges that caused him to be characterized as a zav were "because of his flesh" - he is therefore obligated to bring a sacrifice.
Halacha 6
When a person experiences one zav discharge, his status is equivalent to that of one who had a seminal emission. If he experiences two discharges, this is a zav condition. He must count seven clean days and immerse in "living water." He is not, however, obligated to bring a sacrifice.
If he experiences three discharges, he is a zav in the full sense of the term and is obligated to bring a sacrifice. There is no difference between a zav who experienced two discharges and one who experienced three except the obligation to bring a sacrifice. All of these matters are part of the Oral Tradition conveyed from Moses from Sinai.
Halacha 7
Whether a person experiences two discharges or three in one hour one after the other or experienced one discharge a day for three consecutive days, he is categorized as a zav. For the Torah made the categorization of a zavah dependent on days, as Leviticus 15:25 states: "If she will experience a flow of blood for many days," It did not make the categorization of a zav dependent on days.
Halacha 8
If the zav experienced an interruption of an entire day between one discharge and another, they are not linked together.
What is implied? A man experienced a discharge on the Sabbath and a second discharge on Monday, they are not linked together and he is not categorized as a zav. Similarly, if he experienced a second discharge on Sunday ands experienced a third discharge on Tuesday, he is not obligated to bring a sacrifice, for it is not linked to the first two, for there was an interruption of a day between them. If, however, he experienced a discharge during the day and another, on the following night, they are linked together. Needless to say, if he experienced one discharge at night and the second, on the following day, that they are linked together. Similarly, if he experienced three discharges, one on each of three consecutive nights, they are linked together.
Halacha 9
There is no minimum measure for the discharge of a zav. Instead, even a discharge of the slightest size renders him impure, as Leviticus 15:3 states: "or whether it seals his flesh." Implied is any discharge that is apparent on his flesh renders him as ritually impure.
Halacha 10
The following rules apply when a zav discharge flowed without interruption for an extended time. If the time that elapsed from the beginning of the discharge until its end was as long as it takes to immerse oneself and dry or longer, it is considered as two discharges, because it takes as long a time as two would. If it did not take that long, even if it ceased in the middle, and he had a second discharge within that time period, it is considered as one discharge.
Similarly, if one discharge lasted the amount of time that three discharges would take - i.e., from its beginning to its end, there was enough time for a man to immerse himself and dry himself twice - it is considered as three discharges and he must bring a sacrifice.
Halacha 11
If a person experienced a discharge during the day, it ceased for the amount of time it takes to immerse and dry oneself and afterwards, he experienced another two discharges or one discharge that lasts as long as two or if he experienced two discharges or one discharge that lasts as long as two, and then it ceased for the amount of time it takes to immerse and dry oneself and afterwards, he experienced another discharge, he is a zav in a full sense.
Halacha 12
A discharge is considered as two discharges even though it did not last for the time two discharges last, if part of it was experienced at the end of the day and part at the beginning of the night. The rationale is that the change of dates divides the discharge as it were, and causes it to be considered as two.
Therefore if a man experiences a discharge bein hashamashamot concerning which there is an unresolved doubt whether it is considered as day or as night, there is an unresolved doubt whether he is impure.
Halacha 13
If a man experiences one discharge during the day and another bein hashamashot, he has definitely contracted the impurity of a zav, but there is an unresolved doubt whether he must bring a sacrifice. He must bring a set of doves as sacrifices, but the sin-offering is not eaten.
Halacha 14
If a person experienced a discharge during bein hashamashot on the night of the Sabbath and another discharge on the night following the Sabbaththere is an unresolved doubt whether he contracted zav impurity and there is an unresolved doubt whether he is obligated for a sacrifice.
There is an unresolved doubt whether he has contracted zav impurity, for perhaps the first discharged took place on Friday and the second on Saturday night. Thus the Sabbath intervened between them and there is no concept of zav impurity at all. And there is an unresolved doubt whether he is obligated to bring a sacrifice, for perhaps one of them took place, partially during the day and partially during the night, in which instance, it is considered as two. Thus he would have experienced three discharges and would be liable for a sacrifice. Therefore he brings a sacrifice, but it is not eaten.
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Hayom Yom
Shabbat, 21 Tammuz 5774 - July 19, 2014
Today's Hayom Yom
Shabbat, Tamuz 21, 5703
Torah lessons: Chumash: Pinchas, Shevi'i with Rashi.
Tehillim: 104-105.
Tanya: To explain: (p. 357) ...the Tetragrammaton... (p. 361).
We do not say she'he'cheyanu during the Three Weeks1 even on Shabbat.
It is written: They shall make Me a sanctuary and I shall dwell within them.2 "Within them" means within every one of Israel. For within every Jew, the core-point of the heart's inner essence is a sanctuary for His dwelling (may He be blessed).
The site of the sanctuary remains sacred, even in times of exile and desolation. In Midrash Sh'mot Raba Chapter 2, R. Acha says: "The Shechina (Divine Presence) never departs from the Western Wall." All the desolation is limited to the buildings. So too, is the case with the personal sanctuary within each of Israel; the foundation is whole, clear and pure, as it is written, I am asleep but my heart is alert.3 Midrash Raba comments: "I am asleep for mitzvot, but my heart is alert for acts of kindness; I am asleep for charities, but my heart is alert to perform them." Every form of (spiritual) desolation (may G-d rescue us from such) found in the people Israel is only in those aspects of the people analagous to buildings above the foundation. The foundation of the individual sanctuary, however, remains in its holy state.
Compiled and arranged by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, of righteous memory, in 5703 (1943) from the talks and letters of the sixth Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, of righteous memory.
FOOTNOTES
1. Between Tamuz 17 and Tisha B'Av (Av 9).
2. Sh'mot 25:8.
3. Shir HaShirim 5:2.
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Daily Thought:
Soul Repair
How will you fix a soul?
A soul doesn’t need fixing. It needs to be uncovered.
Blind yourself to its muddy crust. Dig deeply and deeper yet, sift through the darkened embers, search for a spark that still shines. Fan that spark until a flame appears, find the mitzvah that will serve as its oil and wick. Until all is consumed in the warmth of that flame.
For empathy is the redeemer of love, and love is the mother of all good deeds.(Hayom Yom, Sivan 1; Tanya, chapter 32.)
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