Torah Reading
Vayeira (Genesis/Bereshis 18:1And Hashem appeared unto him in the terebinth trees of Mamre; and he sat in the entrance of the ohel (tent) in the heat of the day;
2 And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, hinei, Shloshah Anashim (Three Men, [Yeshayah 6:3]) stood by him; and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the entrance of the ohel, and prostrated himself on the ground,
3 And said, Adonoi [Hashem, see v.13], if now I have found chen (favor) in Thy sight, pass not on by, please, from Thy servant;
4 Let a little water, please, be brought, and wash Thy feet, and rest under haetz (the tree);
5 And I will bring a morsel of bread, and refresh Ye Your hearts; after that Ye shall pass on; because for this purpose are Ye come to Your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.
6 And Avraham hastened into the ohel unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly shlosh measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.
7 And Avraham ran unto the herd, and brought a calf tender and tov, and gave it unto a servant; and he hasted to prepare it.
8 And he took curds, and cholov (milk), and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under haetz, and they did eat.
9 And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Hinei, in the ohel.
10 And He said, I will certainly return unto thee at this time next year; and, hinei, Sarah thy wife shall have ben (son). And Sarah heard it in the entrance of the ohel, which was behind him.
11 Now Avraham and Sarah were zekenim (old ones) and well stricken in age; and [in childbearing] it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
12 Therefore Sarah laughed [titzchak, sounds like Yitzchak] within herself, saying, After I am grown old shall I have pleasure, adoni being old also?
13 And Hashem said unto Avraham, Why did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I which am old of a surety bear a child?
14 Is any thing too hard for Hashem? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, in due season, and Sarah shall have ben (son).
15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And He said, Oh yes but thou didst laugh.
16 And the Anashim rose up from thence, and peered toward S’dom; and Avraham went with them to send them on the way.
17 And Hashem said, Shall I hide from Avraham that thing which I do;
18 Seeing that Avraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and kol goyei ha’aretz (all the nations of the earth) shall be blessed in him?
19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall be shomer over the Derech Hashem, to do tzedakah and mishpat; that Hashem may bring upon Avraham that which He hath spoken [promised] of him.
20 And Hashem said, Because the outcry of S’dom and Amora is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the crying out [for punishment] of it, which is come unto Me; and if not, I will have da’as.
22 And the Men turned their faces from thence, and went toward S’dom; but Avraham stood yet before Hashem.
23 And Avraham drew near, and said, Wilt Thou also destroy the tzaddik with the rasha?
24 Suppose there be fifty tzaddikim within the city; wilt Thou also destroy and not nasa (spare [take away and bear the guilt of, Yeshayah 53:12]) the place lema’an (for the sake of) the fifty tzaddikim that are therein? [IK 3:18]
25 That be far from Thee to do after this manner, to slay the tzaddik with the rasha; and that the tzaddik should be as the rasha, that be far from Thee: Shall not HaShofet Kol Ha’Aretz (the Judge of All the Earth) do mishpat (right)?
26 And Hashem said, If I find in S’dom fifty tzaddikim within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.
27 And Avraham answered and said, Hinei now, I, which am but aphar and ashes, have taken upon me to speak unto Hashem;
28 Suppose there shall lack five of the fifty tzaddikim; wilt Thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And He said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.
29 And he spoke unto Him yet again, and said, Suppose there shall be forty found there. And He said, I will not do it for forty’s sake.
30 And he said unto Him, Oh let not Hashem be angry, and I will speak; suppose there shall thirty be found there. And He said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.
31 And he said, Hinei now, I have taken upon me to speak unto Hashem: suppose there shall be twenty found there. And He said, I will not destroy it for twenty’s sake.
32 And he said, Oh let not Hashem be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: suppose asarah (ten, i.e., a minyan) shall be found there. And He said, I will not destroy it for the sake of haasarah (the ten).
33 And Hashem went His way, as soon as He had left communing with Avraham; and Avraham returned unto his makom.
19:1 And there came two malachim to Sodom at erev; and Lot sat in the sha’ar Sodom; and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;
2 And he said, Hinei, adonai (my masters), turn in, now, into the bais avdechem, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Lo; but we will abide the night in the rekhov.
3 And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his bais; and he made them a mishteh (meal, feast), and did bake matzot, and they did eat.
4 But before they lay down, the men of the Ir, even the anshei Sodom, surrounded the bais, from na’ar to zeken, all the people from every quarter [of the city];
5 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the anashim which came in to thee halailah (this night)? Bring them out unto us, that we may know them [carnally].
6 And Lot went outside unto them, and shut the delet after him,
7 And said, Now, achai (my brethren), do not so wickedly.
8 Hinei now, I have two banot which have not known man; now let me bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes; only unto these anashim do nothing; for therefore came they under the tzel (shadow) of my korah (beam, roof).
9 And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn as a ger (alien), and he will now play the shofet; now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed strongly upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break down the delet.
10 But the anashim put forth their yad, and pulled Lot into the bais to them, and shut the delet.
11 And they struck the men that were at the petach of the bais with blindness, both katan and gadol; so that they wearied themselves to find the petach.
12 And the anashim said unto Lot, Hast thou here any one else? Choson (Son-in-law), and thy banim, and thy banot, and whatsoever thou hast in the Ir, bring them out of this makom (place);
13 For we are the mashchitim (ones destroying) this makom (place), because the cry of them is so gedolah before the face of Hashem; and Hashem hath sent us to destroy it.
14 And Lot went out, and spoke unto his chosonim, which were pledged to marry his banot, and said, Up, get you out of makom hazeh; for Hashem is mashchit (destroying) the Ir (City). But he seemed as one that metzachek (joked) unto his chosonim.
15 And when the shachar came, then the malachim urged Lot, saying, Arise, take thy isha, and thy two banot, which are here or thou be swept away in the avon haIr.
16 And while he lingered hesitating, the anashim laid hold upon his yad, and upon the yad of his isha, and upon the yad of his two banot; Hashem being merciful unto him; and they brought him out and set him outside the Ir.
17 And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth outside, that he said, Flee and escape for thy nefesh; look not back behind thee, neither stop thou anywhere in all the plain; flee and escape to the mountain, lest thou be swept away.
18 And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, Adonoi (My L-rd):
19 Hinei now, thy eved hath found chen in Thy sight, and Thou hast magnified Thy chesed, which Thou hast showed unto me in sparing my nefesh; and I cannot flee to escape to the mountain, lest some ra’ah overtake me, and I die;
20 Hinei now, this Ir is near to run unto, and it is a little one; Oh, let me flee to escape there, (is it not mitzar [small]?) and my nefesh shall live.
21 And He said unto him, Hinei, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow the Ir, for the which thou hast spoken.
22 Haste thee, flee to escape there; for I cannot do anything till thou arrive there. Therefore the shem of the Ir was called Tzoar [sounds like mitzar].
23 The shemesh rose over ha’aretz when Lot entered Tzoar.
24 Then Hashem rained upon Sodom and upon Amora gofrit and eish from Hashem out of Shomayim;
25 And He overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and tzemach (what grew) upon haadamah.
26 But his isha, from behind him, looked back, and she became a netziv melach (pillar of salt).
27 And Avraham got up early in the boker to the makom where he stood there before Hashem;
28 And he looked down toward Sodom and Amora, and toward all the eretz of the plain, and hinei, he saw kitor (smoke, steam) of the eretz go up like kitor of a furnace.
29 And it came to pass, when Elohim destroyed the cities of the plain, that zikron Avraham came to Elohim, and He sent Lot out of the midst of the hafekhah (upheaval, destruction, overthrow), when He overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.
30 And Lot left Tzoar, and dwelt in the har, and his two banot with him; for he feared to dwell in Tzoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two banot.
31 And the bechirah said unto the younger, Avinu is old, and there is not an ish in ha’aretz to come in unto us after the derech of kol ha’aretz:
32 Come, let us make avinu drink yayin, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve zera by avinu.
33 And they made their av drink yayin balailah: and the bechirah went in, and lay with her av; and he had da’as not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
34 And it came to pass on the next day, that the bechirah said unto the younger, Hinei, I lay yesternight with avi. Let us make him drink yayin halailah also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve zera by avinu.
35 And they made their av drink yayin balailah also; and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he had da’as not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
36 Thus were both the banot of Lot with child by their av.
37 And the bechirah bore ben, and called shmo Moav; the same is the Avi Moav unto this day.
38 And the younger, she also bore ben, and called shmo Ben-Ammi; the same is the Avi Bnei Ammon unto this day.
20:1 And Avraham journeyed from there toward the Negev region, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.
2 And Avraham said of Sarah his isha, She is my achot; and Avimelech Melech Gerar sent, and took Sarah.
3 But Elohim came to Avimelech in a chalom halailah, and said to him, See, thou art met (dead), for the isha which thou hast taken; for she is be’ulat ba’al (married of a husband).
4 But Avimelech had not come near her; and he said, Adonoi, wilt Thou slay also a goy tzaddik?
5 Said he not unto me, She is my achot? and she, even she herself said, He is achi: in the tohm (integrity, guilelessness) of my lev and with clean hands of my innocency have I done this.
6 And HaElohim said unto him in a chalom, Yea, I have da’as that thou didst this in the tohm (integrity, guilelessness) of thy lev; for I also withheld thee from sinning against Me; therefore allowed I thee not to touch her.
7 Now therefore restore the ish his isha; for he is a navi, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live; and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.
8 Therefore Avimelech rose early in the boker, and called all his avadim, and told all these things in their ears; and the anashim were very afraid.
9 Then Avimelech called Avraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and how have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my mamlechah (kingdom) a chata’ah gedolah (great sin)? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.
10 And Avimelech said unto Avraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?
11 And Avraham said, Because I thought, Surely the yirat Elohim is not in this place; and they will slay me on account of my isha.
12 And yet indeed she is my achot; she is the bat avi, but not the bat immi; and she became my isha.
13 And it came to pass, when Elohim caused me to wander from my bais avi, that I said unto her, This is thy chesed which thou shalt show unto me; at every place where we shall come, say of me, He is achi.
14 And Avimelech took tzon, and oxen, and avadim, and shfachot, and gave them unto Avraham, and restored to him Sarah his isha.
15 And Avimelech said, Hinei, my land is before thee; dwell where it pleaseth thee.
16 And unto Sarah he said, Hinei, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of kesef; hinei, it is to thee a kesut einayim (covering of the eyes, exoneration), unto all that are with thee, and with all other; thus she was vindicated.
17 So Avraham davened unto Elohim: and Elohim healed Avimelech, and his isha, and his maidservants so that they bore children.
18 For Hashem had fast closed up kol rechem (every womb) of the bais Avimelech, on account of Sarah Avraham’s isha.
21:1 And Hashem visited Sarah as He had said, and Hashem did unto Sarah just as He had spoken.
2 For Sarah conceived, and bore Avraham ben in his old age, at the mo’ed (set time) of which Elohim had given promise unto him.
3 And Avraham called the shem of bno that was born unto him, whom Sarah bore to him, Yitzchak.
4 And Avraham circumcised bno Yitzchak at age shemonat yamim, as Elohim had commanded him.
5 And Avraham was a hundred years old, when bno Yitzchak was born unto him.
6 And she said, Elohim hath brought me tzechok (laughter), so that all that hear yitzchak (will laugh) with me.
7 And she said, Who would have said unto Avraham, that Sarah should nurse banim? for I have borne him ben in his old age.
8 And the yeled grew, and was weaned; and Avraham made a mishteh gadol the same day that Yitzchak was weaned.
9 And Sarah saw the ben of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had borne unto Avraham, metzachek (mocking, scoffing).
10 Therefore she said unto Avraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her ben: for the ben of this bondwoman shall not be heir with beni (my son), even with Yitzchak.
11 And the thing was very grievous in the eyes of Avraham because of bno.
12 And Elohim said unto Avraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the na’ar, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, shema (pay heed) unto her voice; for in Yitzchak shall thy zera be called.
13 And also of the ben haamah will I make a nation, because he is thy zera.
14 And Avraham rose up early in the boker, and took lechem, and a skin of mayim, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the yeled, and sent her away; and she departed, and wandered in the midbar of Beer-Sheva.
15 And the mayim in the skin was done, and she cast the yeled under one of the bushes.
16 And she went off, and sat down about a bowshot away: for she thought, Let me not see the mot hayeled. And she sat there nearby, and lifted up her voice, and wept.
17 And Elohim heard the voice of the na’ar; and the Malach Elohim called to Hagar out of Shomayim, and said unto her, Mah lach, Hagar? fear not; for Elohim hath heard the voice of the na’ar where he is.
18 Arise, lift up the na’ar, and hold him in thine yad; for I will make him a goy gadol.
19 And Elohim opened her eyes, and she saw a be’er of mayim; and she went, and filled the skin with mayim, and gave the na’ar drink.
20 And Elohim was with the na’ar; and he grew, and dwelt in the midbar, and became a roveh keshet (an archer).
21 And he dwelt in the midbar of Paran: and his em got him an isha out of Eretz Mitzrayim.
22 And it came to pass at that time, that Avimelech and Phichol the sar tz’va of his spoke unto Avraham, saying, Elohim is with thee in all that thou doest:
23 Now therefore swear unto me here before Elohim that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my child, nor with my descendant: but according to the chesed that I have showed thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the eretz wherein thou hast sojourned.
24 And Avraham said, I will swear.
25 And Avraham reproved Avimelech because of a be’er hamayim, which Avimelech’s avadim had violently seized.
26 And Avimelech said, I know not who hath done this thing; neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but today.
27 And Avraham took tzon and oxen, and gave them unto Avimelech; and both of them made a brit.
28 And Avraham set apart seven ewe lambs of the tzon by themselves.
29 And Avimelech said unto Avraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set apart by themselves?
30 And he said, For these sheva ewe lambs shalt thou accept of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that I have dug this well.
31 Therefore he called that place Beer-Sheva; because there they swore an oath both of them.
32 Thus they made a brit at Beer-Sheva: then Avimelech rose up, and Phichol the sar tzeva of his, and they returned into eretz Pelishtim.
33 And Avraham planted an eshel (tamarisk tree) in Beer-Sheva, and called there on the Shem of Hashem El Olam.
34 And Avraham sojourned in eretz Pelishtim yamim rabbim.
22:1 And it came to pass after these things, that G-d did test Avraham, and said unto him, Avraham: and he said, Hineini (Behold, here I am).
2 And He said, Take now thy son, thine ben yachid (only son) Yitzchak, whom thou lovest, and get thee into eretz Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
3 And Avraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and took two of his servants with him, and Yitzchak his son, and cut the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which G-d had told him.
4 Then on Yom HaShlishi Avraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. [1C 15:3]
5 And Avraham said unto his servants, Abide ye here with the donkey; and I and the young man will go over there and nishtachaveh (we will worship) and we will come back again to you.
6 And Avraham took atzei haolah (the wood of the burnt offering), and laid it upon Yitzchak his son; and he took the eish (fire) in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.
7 And Yitzchak spoke unto Avraham his father, and said, Avi (My father): and he said, Hineini, beni (Here am I, my son). And he said, Hinei, the eish (fire) and the wood: but where is the seh (lamb) for a burnt offering? [YESHAYAH 53:7]
8 And Avraham said, My son, G-d will provide Himself a seh (lamb) for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
9 And they came to the place which G-d had told him of; and Avraham built a mizbe’ach there, and laid the wood in order, and made the akedah (binding) of Yitzchak his son, and laid him on the mizbe’ach upon the wood.
10 And Avraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
11 And the Malach Hashem called unto him out of Shomayim, and said, Avraham, Avraham: and he said, Hineini.
12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the young man, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest G-d, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine ben yachid from Me.
13 And Avraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and hinei behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Avraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering TAKHAT (instead of ) his son. [YESHAYAH 53:8]
14 And Avraham called the name of that place Hashem Yireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of Hashem it shall be provided.
15 And the Malach Hashem called unto Avraham out of Shomayim the second time,
16 And said, By Myself have I sworn, saith Hashem, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine ben yachid:
17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy zera as the stars of the skies, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy zera shall possess the gate of his enemies;
18 And in thy zera shall kol goyei ha’aretz be blessed; because thou hast obeyed My voice.
19 So Avraham returned unto his servants, and they rose up and went together to Beer Sheva; and Avraham dwelt at Beer Sheva.
20 And it came to pass after these things, that it was told Avraham, saying, Hinei, Milcah, she hath also born children unto thy brother Nachor;
21 Utz his bechor (firstborn), and Buz his brother, and Kemuel the father of Aram,
22 And Kesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and Yidlaph, and Betuel.
23 And Betuel fathered Rivkah: these eight Milcah did bear to Nachor, Avraham’s brother.
24 And his pilegesh, whose name was Reumah, she bare also Tevach, and Gacham, and Tachash, and Maachah.)
Today's Laws & Customs:
Today in Jewish History:
Passing of Mattityahu (139 BCE)
In the 2nd century before the common era, the Holy Land was ruled by the Seleucids (Syrian-Greeks) who, with the collaboration of the Jewish Hellenists, introduced pagan idols into the Holy Temple and set about to forcefully Hellenize the people of Israel. Mattityahu, the son of the High Priest Yochanan, was already an old man when he picked up a sword and raised the flag of revolt in the village of Modiin in the Judean hills. Many rallied under his cry, "Who that is for G-d, come with me!" and resisted and battled the Greeks from their mountain hideouts.
After heading the revolt for one year, Mattityahu died on the 15th of Cheshvan of the year 3622 from creation (139 BCE). His five sons -- the "Macabees" Judah, Yochanan, Shimon, Elazar and Yonatan -- carried on the battle to their eventual victory, celebrated each year since by Jews the world over with the festival of Chanukah.
Links: VirtualChanukah.com; a Chanukah anthology
Kristallnacht (1938)
On this night in 1938 and continuing into the next day -- November 9 on the secular calendar -- the Nazis coordinated vicious pogroms against the Jewish community of Germany. Encouraged by their leaders, rioters attacked and beat Jewish residents, burned and destroyed 267 synagogues, vandalized 7,500 Jewish businesses, and ransacked countless Jewish cemeteries, hospitals, schools, and homes, while police and firefighters stood by. Ninety-one Jews were killed and 20,000 others were deported to concentration camps.
These pogroms, which collectively came to be known as Kristallnacht (“night of broken glass,” referring to the thousands of windows that were broken) were a turning point after which Nazi anti-Jewish policy intensified.
DAILY QUOTE:
DAILY STUDY:Passing of Mattityahu (139 BCE)
In the 2nd century before the common era, the Holy Land was ruled by the Seleucids (Syrian-Greeks) who, with the collaboration of the Jewish Hellenists, introduced pagan idols into the Holy Temple and set about to forcefully Hellenize the people of Israel. Mattityahu, the son of the High Priest Yochanan, was already an old man when he picked up a sword and raised the flag of revolt in the village of Modiin in the Judean hills. Many rallied under his cry, "Who that is for G-d, come with me!" and resisted and battled the Greeks from their mountain hideouts.
After heading the revolt for one year, Mattityahu died on the 15th of Cheshvan of the year 3622 from creation (139 BCE). His five sons -- the "Macabees" Judah, Yochanan, Shimon, Elazar and Yonatan -- carried on the battle to their eventual victory, celebrated each year since by Jews the world over with the festival of Chanukah.
Links: VirtualChanukah.com; a Chanukah anthology
Kristallnacht (1938)
On this night in 1938 and continuing into the next day -- November 9 on the secular calendar -- the Nazis coordinated vicious pogroms against the Jewish community of Germany. Encouraged by their leaders, rioters attacked and beat Jewish residents, burned and destroyed 267 synagogues, vandalized 7,500 Jewish businesses, and ransacked countless Jewish cemeteries, hospitals, schools, and homes, while police and firefighters stood by. Ninety-one Jews were killed and 20,000 others were deported to concentration camps.
These pogroms, which collectively came to be known as Kristallnacht (“night of broken glass,” referring to the thousands of windows that were broken) were a turning point after which Nazi anti-Jewish policy intensified.
DAILY QUOTE:
CHITAS AND RAMBAM FOR TODAY:
Chumash: Vayeira, 7th Portion Genesis 22:1-22:24 with Rashi
• Chapter 22
1. And it came to pass after these things, that God tested Abraham, and He said to him, "Abraham," and he said, "Here I am." א. וַיְהִי אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה וְהָאֱלֹהִים נִסָּה אֶת אַבְרָהָם וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אַבְרָהָם וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּנִי:
after these things: Some of our Sages say (Sanh. 89b) [that this happened]: after the words [translating “devarim” as “words”] of Satan, who was accusing and saying, “Of every feast that Abraham made, he did not sacrifice before You one bull or one ram!” He [God] said to him, “Does he do anything but for his son? Yet, if I were to say to him, ‘Sacrifice him before Me,’ he would not withhold [him].” And some say,“ after the words of Ishmael,” who was boasting to Isaac that he was circumcised at the age of thirteen, and he did not protest. Isaac said to him,“ With one organ you intimidate me? If the Holy One, blessed be He, said to me, ‘Sacrifice yourself before Me,’ I would not hold back.” - Cf. Gen. Rabbah 55:4.
אחר הדברים האלה: יש מרבותינו אומרים אחר דבריו של שטן, שהיה מקטרג ואומר מכל סעודה שעשה אברהם לא הקריב לפניך פר אחד או איל אחד, אמר לו כלום עשה אלא בשביל בנו, אילו הייתי אומר לו זבח אותו לפני לא היה מעכב. ויש אומרים אחר דבריו של ישמעאל שהיה מתפאר על יצחק שמל בן שלש עשרה שנה ולא מיחה, אמר לו יצחק באבר אחד אתה מיראני, אילו אמר לי הקב"ה זבח עצמך לפני לא הייתי מעכב:
Here I am: This is the reply of the pious. It is an expression of humility and an expression of readiness. — [from Tan. Vayera 22]
הנני: כך היא ענייתם של חסידים, לשון ענוה הוא ולשון זימון:
2. And He said, "Please take your son, your only one, whom you love, yea, Isaac, and go away to the land of Moriah and bring him up there for a burnt offering on one of the mountains, of which I will tell you." ב. וַיֹּאמֶר קַח נָא אֶת בִּנְךָ אֶת יְחִידְךָ אֲשֶׁר אָהַבְתָּ אֶת יִצְחָק וְלֶךְ לְךָ אֶל אֶרֶץ הַמֹּרִיָּה וְהַעֲלֵהוּ שָׁם לְעֹלָה עַל אַחַד הֶהָרִים אֲשֶׁר אֹמַר אֵלֶיךָ:
Please take: Heb. קַח נָא is only an expression of a request. He [God] said to him, “I beg of you, pass this test for Me, so that people will not say that the first ones [tests] had no substance.” - [from Sanh. ad loc.]
קח נא: אין נא אלא לשון בקשה, אמר לו בבקשה ממך עמוד לי בזה הנסיון, שלא יאמרו הראשונות לא היה בהן ממש:
your son: He [Abraham] said to Him,“ I have two sons.” He [God] said to him,“ Your only one.” He said to Him,“ This one is the only son of his mother, and that one is the only son of his mother.” He said to him,“ Whom you love.” He said to Him,“ I love them both.” He said to him,“ Isaac.” Now why did He not disclose this to him at the beginning? In order not to confuse him suddenly, lest his mind become distracted and bewildered, and also to endear the commandment to him and to reward him for each and every expression. — [from Sanh. 89b, Gen. Rabbah 39:9, 55:7]
את בנך: אמר לו שני בנים יש לי, אמר לו את יחידך, אמר לו זה יחיד לאמו וזה יחיד לאמו, אמר לו אשר אהבת, אמר לו שניהם אני אוהב, אמר לו את יצחק. ולמה לא גילה לו מתחלה, שלא לערבבו פתאום, ותזוח דעתו עליו ותטרף, וכדי לחבב עליו את המצוה וליתן לו שכר על כל דבור ודבור:
the land of Moriah: Jerusalem, and so in (II) Chronicles (3:1):“to build the House of the Lord in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah.” And our Sages explained that [it is called Moriah] because from there [religious] instruction (הוֹרָאָה) goes forth to Israel. Onkelos rendered it [“the land of service”] as alluding to the service of the incense, which contained myrrh [“mor” is phonetically similar to Moriah], spikenard, and other spices.
ארץ המוריה: ירושלים, וכן בדברי הימים (ב' ג א) לבנות את בית ה' בירושלים בהר המוריה. ורבותינו פירשו על שם שמשם הוראה יוצאה לישראל. ואונקלוס תרגמו על שם עבודת הקטורת שיש בו מור נרד ושאר בשמים:
bring him up: He did not say to him, “Slaughter him,” because the Holy One, blessed be He, did not wish him to slaughter him but to bring him up to the mountain, to prepare him for a burnt offering, and as soon as he brought him up [to the mountain], He said to him, “Take him down.” - [from Gen. Rabbah 56:8]
והעלהו: לא אמר לו שחטהו, לפי שלא היה חפץ הקב"ה לשחטו אלא שיעלהו להר לעשותו עולה, ומשהעלהו אמר לו הורידהו:
one of the mountains: The Holy One, blessed be He, makes the righteous wonder (other editions: makes the righteous wait), and only afterwards discloses to them [His intentions], and all this is in order to increase their reward. Likewise, (above 12:1): “to the land that I will show you,” and likewise, concerning Jonah (3:2): “and proclaim upon it the proclamation.” - [from Gen. Rabbah 55:7]
אחד ההרים: הקב"ה מתהא הצדיקים ואחר כך מגלה להם, וכל זה כדי להרבות שכרן, וכן (לעיל יב א) אל הארץ אשר אראך, וכן ביונה (ג ב) וקרא אליה את הקריאה:
3. And Abraham arose early in the morning, and he saddled his donkey, and he took his two young men with him and Isaac his son; and he split wood for a burnt offering, and he arose and went to the place of which God had told him. ג. וַיַּשְׁכֵּם אַבְרָהָם בַּבֹּקֶר וַיַּחֲבשׁ אֶת חֲמֹרוֹ וַיִּקַּח אֶת שְׁנֵי נְעָרָיו אִתּוֹ וְאֵת יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ וַיְבַקַּע עֲצֵי עֹלָה וַיָּקָם וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אָמַר לוֹ הָאֱלֹהִים:
And…arose early: He hastened to [perform] the commandment (Pes. 4a).
וישכם: נזדרז למצוה:
and he saddled: He himself, and he did not command one of his servants, because love causes a disregard for the standard [of dignified conduct]. — [from Gen. Rabbah 55:8]
ויחבש: הוא בעצמו ולא צוה לאחד מעבדיו, שהאהבה מקלקלת השורה:
his two young men: Ishmael and Eliezer, for a person of esteem is not permitted to go out on the road without two men, so that if one must ease himself and move to a distance, the second one will remain with him. — [from Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer, ch. 31; Gen. Rabbah ad loc., Tan. Balak 8]
את שני נעריו: ישמעאל ואליעזר, שאין אדם חשוב רשאי לצאת לדרך בלא שני אנשים, שאם יצטרך האחד לנקביו ויתרחק יהיה השני עמו:
and he split: Heb. וַיְבַקַע. The Targum renders וְצַלַח, as in (II Sam. 19:18):“and they split (וְצָלְחוּ) the Jordan,” an expression of splitting, fendre in Old French.
ויבקע: תרגומו וצלח, כמו (ש"ב יט יח) וצלחו הירדן, לשון ביקוע פינדר"א בלעז [לחטוב]:
4. On the third day, Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. ד. בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי וַיִּשָּׂא אַבְרָהָם אֶת עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא אֶת הַמָּקוֹם מֵרָחֹק:
On the third day: Why did He delay from showing it to him immediately? So that people should not say that He confused him and confounded him suddenly and deranged his mind, and if he had had time to think it over, he would not have done it. — [from Gen. Rabbah 55:6]
ביום השלישי: למה איחר מלהראותו מיד, כדי שלא יאמרו הממו וערבבו פתאום וטרד דעתו, ואילו היה לו שהות להמלך אל לבו לא היה עושה:
and saw the place: He saw a cloud attached to the mountain. — [from Gen. Rabbah 56: 1, Tan. Vayera 23]
וירא את המקום: ראה ענן קשור על ההר:
5. And Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go yonder, and we will prostrate ourselves and return to you." ה. וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָהָם אֶל נְעָרָיו שְׁבוּ לָכֶם פֹּה עִם הַחֲמוֹר וַאֲנִי וְהַנַּעַר נֵלְכָה עַד כֹּה וְנִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה וְנָשׁוּבָה אֲלֵיכֶם:
yonder: Heb. עַד כֹּה, lit. until there, i.e., a short way to the place that is before us. And the Midrashic interpretation (Tan. ad loc.): I will see where is [the promise] that the Holy One, blessed be He, said to me (above 15:5):“So (כֹּה) will be your seed.”
עד כה: כלומר דרך מועט למקום אשר לפנינו. ומדרש אגדה אראה היכן הוא מה שאמר לי המקום (לעיל טו ה) כה יהיה זרעך:
and return: He prophesied that they would both return. — [from Avoth d’Rabbi Nathan, second version, ch. 43; Rabbah and Tan. ad loc.] i.e., Abraham prophesied without realizing it.
ונשובה: נתנבא שישובו שניהם:
6. And Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering, and he placed [it] upon his son Isaac, and he took into his hand the fire and the knife, and they both went together. ו. וַיִּקַּח אַבְרָהָם אֶת עֲצֵי הָעֹלָה וַיָּשֶׂם עַל יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ וַיִּקַּח בְּיָדוֹ אֶת הָאֵשׁ וְאֶת הַמַּאֲכֶלֶת וַיֵּלְכוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם יַחְדָּו:
the knife: Heb. הַמַאֲכֶלֶת, so called because it consumes (אוֹכֶלֶת) the flesh, as it is stated (Deut. 32:42):“and My sword will consume (תֹּאכַלוּ) flesh,” and because it renders meat fit for consumption (אַכִילָה). Another explanation: This [knife] was מַאִכֶלֶת because the people of Israel still eat (אוֹכְלִים) the reward given for it. — [from Gen. Rabbah 56:3]
המאכלת: סכין, על שם שאוכלת את הבשר, כמה דתימא (דברים לב מב) וחרבי תאכל בשר, ושמכשרת בשר לאכילה. דבר אחר זאת נקראת מאכלת, על שם שישראל אוכלים מתן שכרה:
and they both went together: Abraham, who knew that he was going to slaughter his son, was going as willingly and joyfully as Isaac, who was unaware of the matter. —
וילכו שניהם יחדיו: אברהם שהיה יודע שהולך לשחוט את בנו היה הולך ברצון ושמחה כיצחק שלא היה מרגיש בדבר:
7. And Isaac spoke to Abraham his father, and he said, "My father!" And he said, "Here I am, my son." And he said, "Here are the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" ז. וַיֹּאמֶר יִצְחָק אֶל אַבְרָהָם אָבִיו וַיֹּאמֶר אָבִי וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֶּנִּי בְנִי וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה הָאֵשׁ וְהָעֵצִים וְאַיֵּה הַשֶּׂה לְעֹלָה:
8. And Abraham said, "God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." And they both went together. ח. וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָהָם אֱלֹהִים יִרְאֶה לּוֹ הַשֶּׂה לְעֹלָה בְּנִי וַיֵּלְכוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם יַחְדָּו:
will provide for Himself the lamb: i.e., He will see and choose for Himself the lamb (Targum Jonathan), and if there will be no lamb, my son will be for a burnt offering. And although Isaac understood that he was going to be slaughtered,“ they both went together,” with one accord (lit. with the same heart). - [from Gen. Rabbah 56:4]
יראה לו השה: כלומר יראה ויבחר לו השה, ואם אין שה, לעולה בני. ואף על פי שהבין יצחק שהוא הולך לישחט, וילכו שניהם יחדו בלב שוה:
9. And they came to the place of which God had spoken to him, and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood, and he bound Isaac his son and placed him on the altar upon the wood. ט. וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אָמַר לוֹ הָאֱלֹהִים וַיִּבֶן שָׁם אַבְרָהָם אֶת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וַיַּעֲרֹךְ אֶת הָעֵצִים וַיַּעֲקֹד אֶת יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ וַיָּשֶׂם אֹתוֹ עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ מִמַּעַל לָעֵצִים:
and he bound: his hands and his feet behind him. The hands and the feet tied together is known as עִקֵידָה (Shab. 54a). And that is the meaning of עִקֻדִים (below 30:39), that their ankles were white; the place where they are bound was discernible (Bereishith Rabbathi).
ויעקד: ידיו ורגליו מאחוריו, הידים והרגלים ביחד היא עקידה, והוא לשון (להלן ל לט) עקודים, שהיו קרסוליהם לבנים, מקום שעוקדין אותן בו היה ניכר:
10. And Abraham stretched forth his hand and took the knife, to slaughter his son. י. וַיִּשְׁלַח אַבְרָהָם אֶת יָדוֹ וַיִּקַּח אֶת הַמַּאֲכֶלֶת לִשְׁחֹט אֶת בְּנוֹ:
11. And an angel of God called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham! Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." יא. וַיִּקְרָא אֵלָיו מַלְאַךְ יְהֹוָה מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָהָם | אַבְרָהָם וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּנִי:
“Abraham! Abraham!”: This is an expression of affection, that He repeated his name. — [from Tos. Ber. ch. 1, Sifra Vayikra ch. 1]
אברהם אברהם: לשון חבה הוא שכופל את שמו:
12. And he said, "Do not stretch forth your hand to the lad, nor do the slightest thing to him, for now I know that you are a God fearing man, and you did not withhold your son, your only one, from Me." יב. וַיֹּאמֶר אַל תִּשְׁלַח יָדְךָ אֶל הַנַּעַר וְאַל תַּעַשׂ לוֹ מְאוּמָה כִּי | עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי כִּי יְרֵא אֱלֹהִים אַתָּה וְלֹא חָשַׂכְתָּ אֶת בִּנְךָ אֶת יְחִידְךָ מִמֶּנִּי:
Do not stretch forth: to slaughter [him]. He [Abraham] said to Him,“ If so, I have come here in vain. I will inflict a wound on him and extract a little blood.” He said to him,“ Do not do the slightest thing (מְאוּמָה) to him.” Do not cause him any blemish (מוּם) !- [from Gen. Rabbah 56:7]
אל תשלח: לשחוט, אמר לו אם כן לחנם באתי לכאן, אעשה בו חבלה ואוציא ממנו מעט דם, אמר לו אל תעש לו מאומה, אל תעש בו מום:
for now I know: Said Rabbi Abba: Abraham said to Him,“ I will explain my complaint before You. Yesterday, You said to me (above 21:12): ‘for in Isaac will be called your seed,’ and You retracted and said (above verse 2): ‘ Take now your son.’ Now You say to me, ‘ Do not stretch forth your hand to the lad.’” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him (Ps. 89:35): “I shall not profane My covenant, neither shall I alter the utterance of My lips.” When I said to you,“ Take,” I was not altering the utterance of My lips. I did not say to you,“ Slaughter him,” but,“ Bring him up.” You have brought him up; [now] take him down. — [from Gen. Rabbah 56:8]
כי עתה ידעתי: אמר רבי אבא אמר לו אברהם אפרש לפניך את שיחתי, אתמול אמרת לי (לעיל כא יב) כי ביצחק יקרא לך זרע, וחזרת ואמרת (שם כב ב) קח נא את בנך, עכשיו אתה אומר לי אל תשלח ידך אל הנער. אמר לו הקב"ה (תהלים פט לה) לא אחלל בריתי ומוצא שפתי לא אשנה, כשאמרתי לך קח מוצא שפתי לא אשנה, לא אמרתי לך שחטהו אלא העלהו, אסקתיה אחתיה:
for now I know: From now on, I have a response to Satan and the nations who wonder what is My love towards you. Now I have a reason (lit. an opening of the mouth), for they see “ that you fear God.” -
כי עתה ידעתי: מעתה יש לי מה להשיב לשטן ולאומות התמהים מה היא חבתי אצלך, יש לי פתחון פה עכשיו שרואים כי ירא א-להים אתה:
13. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and he saw, and lo! there was a ram, [and] after [that] it was caught in a tree by its horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. יג. וַיִּשָּׂא אַבְרָהָם אֶת עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה אַיִל אַחַר נֶאֱחַז בַּסְּבַךְ בְּקַרְנָיו וַיֵּלֶךְ אַבְרָהָם וַיִּקַּח אֶת הָאַיִל וַיַּעֲלֵהוּ לְעֹלָה תַּחַת בְּנוֹ:
and lo! there was a ram: It was prepared for this since the six days of Creation. — [from Tan. Shelach 14]
והנה איל: מוכן היה לכך מששת ימי בראשית:
after: After the angel said to him, “ Do not stretch forth your hand,” he saw it as it [the ram] was caught. And that is why the Targum translates it: “ And Abraham lifted his eyes after these [words], i.e., after the angel said, ” Do not stretch forth your hand.“ (Other editions: and according to the Aggadah,” after all the words of the angel and the Shechinah and after Abraham’s arguments").
אחר: אחרי שאמר לו המלאך (לעיל פסוק יב) אל תשלח ידך, ראהו כשהוא נאחז, והוא שמתרגמינן וזקף אברהם עינוהי בתר אלין:
in a tree: Heb. בַּסְבַ, a tree. — [from Targum Onkelos]
בסבך: אילן:
by its horns: For it was running toward Abraham, and Satan caused it to be caught and entangled among the trees. — [from Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer ch. 31]
בקרניו: שהיה רץ אצל אברהם והשטן סובכו ומערבבו באילנות כדי לעכבו:
instead of his son: Since it is written: “and offered it up for a burnt offering,” nothing is missing in the text. Why then [does it say]: “instead of his son” ? Over every sacrificial act that he performed, he prayed, “May it be [Your] will that this should be deemed as if it were being done to my son: as if my son were slaughtered, as if his blood were sprinkled, as if my son were flayed, as if he were burnt and reduced to ashes.” - [from Tan. Shelach 14]
תחת בנו: מאחר שכתוב ויעלהו לעולה, לא חסר המקרא כלום, מהו תחת בנו, על כל עבודה שעשה ממנו היה מתפלל ואומר יהי רצון שתהא זו כאלו היא עשויה בבני, כאלו בני שחוט, כאלו דמו זרוק, כאלו הוא מופשט, כאלו הוא נקטר ונעשה דשן:
14. And Abraham named that place, The Lord will see, as it is said to this day: On the mountain, the Lord will be seen. יד. וַיִּקְרָא אַבְרָהָם שֵׁם הַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא יְהֹוָה | יִרְאֶה אֲשֶׁר יֵאָמֵר הַיּוֹם בְּהַר יְהֹוָה יֵרָאֶה:
The Lord will see: Its simple meaning is as the Targum renders: The Lord will choose and see for Himself this place, to cause His Divine Presence to rest therein and for offering sacrifices here.
ה' יראה: פשוטו כתרגומו, ה' יבחר ויראה לו את המקום הזה להשרות בו שכינתו ולהקריב כאן קרבנות:
as it is said to this day: that [future] generations will say about it, “On this mountain, the Holy One, blessed be He, appears to His people.”
אשר יאמר היום: שיאמרו לימי הדורות עליו בהר זה יראה הקב"ה לעמו:
to this day: the future days, like [the words] “until this day,” that appear throughout Scripture, for all the future generations who read this verse, will refer “until this day,” to the day in which they are living. The Midrash Aggadah (see Gen. Rabbah 56:9) [explains]: The Lord will see this binding to forgive Israel every year and to save them from retribution, in order that it will be said “on this day” in all future generations:“On the mountain of the Lord, Isaac’s ashes shall be seen, heaped up and standing for atonement.”
היום: הימים העתידין, כמו עד היום הזה שבכל המקרא, שכל הדורות הבאים הקוראים את המקרא הזה אומרים עד היום הזה על היום שעומדים בו. ומדרש אגדה ה' יראה עקידה זו לסלוח לישראל בכל שנה ולהצילם מן הפורענות, כדי שיאמר היום הזה בכל הדורות הבאים בהר ה' יראה, אפרו של יצחק צבור ועומד לכפרה:
15. And an angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven. טו. וַיִּקְרָא מַלְאַךְ יְהֹוָה אֶל אַבְרָהָם שֵׁנִית מִן הַשָּׁמָיִם:
16. And he said, "By Myself have I sworn, says the Lord, that because you have done this thing and you did not withhold your son, your only one, טז. וַיֹּאמֶר בִּי נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי נְאֻם יְהֹוָה כִּי יַעַן אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתָ אֶת הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה וְלֹא חָשַׂכְתָּ אֶת בִּנְךָ אֶת יְחִידֶךָ:
17. That I will surely bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand that is on the seashore, and your descendants will inherit the cities of their enemies. יז. כִּי בָרֵךְ אֲבָרֶכְךָ וְהַרְבָּה אַרְבֶּה אֶת זַרְעֲךָ כְּכוֹכְבֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם וְכַחוֹל אֲשֶׁר עַל שְׂפַת הַיָּם וְיִרַשׁ זַרְעֲךָ אֵת שַׁעַר אֹיְבָיו:
I will surely bless you: Heb. בָּר ֵאִבָרֶכְ, one [blessing] for the father and one for the son. —
ברך אברכך: אחת לאב ואחת לבן:
and I will greatly multiply: Heb. וְהַרְבָּה אַרְבֶּה, one for the father and one for the son. — [from Gen. Rabbah 56:11]
והרבה ארבה: אחת לאב ואחת לבן:
18. And through your children shall be blessed all the nations of the world, because you hearkened to My voice." יח. וְהִתְבָּרֲכוּ בְזַרְעֲךָ כֹּל גּוֹיֵי הָאָרֶץ עֵקֶב אֲשֶׁר שָׁמַעְתָּ בְּקֹלִי:
19. And Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beer sheba; and Abraham remained in Beer sheba. יט. וַיָּשָׁב אַבְרָהָם אֶל נְעָרָיו וַיָּקֻמוּ וַיֵּלְכוּ יַחְדָּו אֶל בְּאֵר שָׁבַע וַיֵּשֶׁב אַבְרָהָם בִּבְאֵר שָׁבַע:
and Abraham remained in Beer-sheba: This does not mean permanently dwelling, for he was living in Hebron. Twelve years prior to the binding of Isaac, he left Beer-sheba and went to Hebron, as it is said (above 21:34): “And Abraham dwelt in the land of the Philistines for many days,” [meaning] more numerous than the first [years] in Hebron, which were twenty-six years, as we explained above. — [from Seder Olam ch. 1]
וישב אברהם בבאר שבע: לא ישיבה ממש, שהרי בחברון היה יושב שתים עשרה שנים לפני עקידתו של יצחק, יצא מבאר שבע והלך לו לחברון, כמו שנאמר (לעיל כא לד) ויגר אברהם בארץ פלשתים ימים רבים, מרובים משל חברון הראשונים, והם עשרים ושש שנה כמו שפירשנו למעלה (כא לד):
20. And it came to pass after these matters, that it was told to Abraham saying: "Behold Milcah, she also bore sons to Nahor your brother. כ. וַיְהִי אַחֲרֵי הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה וַיֻּגַּד לְאַבְרָהָם לֵאמֹר הִנֵּה יָלְדָה מִלְכָּה גַם הִוא בָּנִים לְנָחוֹר אָחִיךָ:
after these matters, that it was told, etc.: When he returned from Mount Moriah, Abraham was thinking and saying, “Had my son been slaughtered, he would have died without children. I should have married him to a woman of the daughters of Aner, Eshkol, or Mamre. The Holy One, blessed be He, announced to him that Rebeccah, his mate, had been born, and that is the meaning of aafter these matters,” i.e., after the thoughts of the mattethat came about as a result of the“akedah.” - [from Gen. Rabbah 57:3]
אחרי הדברים האלה ויגד וגו': בשובו מהר המוריה היה אברהם מהרהר ואומר אילו היה בני שחוט כבר היה הולך בלא בנים, היה לי להשיאו אשה מבנות ענר אשכול וממרא, בשרו הקב"ה שנולדה רבקה בת זוגו, וזהו אחרי הדברים האלה הרהורי דברים שהיו על ידי עקידה:
she also: She had [a number of] families equal to the [number of] the families of Abraham. Just as Abraham [engendered] the twelve tribes who emerged from Jacob-eight were the sons of the wives and four were the sons of maidservants-so were these also, eight sons of the wives and four sons of a concubine. — [from Gen. Rabbah 57:3]
גם היא: אף היא השוותה משפחותיה למשפחות אברהם שתים עשרה, מה אברהם שנים עשר שבטים שיצאו מיעקב, שמונה בני הגבירות וארבעה בני שפחות, אף אלו שמונה בני גבירות וארבעה בני פלגש:
21. Uz, his first born, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel, the father of Aram. כא. אֶת עוּץ בְּכֹרוֹ וְאֶת בּוּז אָחִיו וְאֶת קְמוּאֵל אֲבִי אֲרָם:
22. And Kesed and Hazo and Pildash and Jidlaph, and Bethuel. כב. וְאֶת כֶּשֶׂד וְאֶת חֲזוֹ וְאֶת פִּלְדָּשׁ וְאֶת יִדְלָף וְאֵת בְּתוּאֵל:
23. And Bethuel begot Rebecca." These eight did Milcah bear to Nahor, Abraham's brother. כג. וּבְתוּאֵל יָלַד אֶת רִבְקָה שְׁמֹנָה אֵלֶּה יָלְדָה מִלְכָּה לְנָחוֹר אֲחִי אַבְרָהָם:
And Bethuel begot Rebecca: All these genealogies were written only for the sake of this verse. — [based on Gen. Rabbah 57:1,3]
ובתואל ילד את רבקה: כל היחוסין הללו לא נכתבו אלא בשביל פסוק זה:
24. And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, had also given birth to Tebah and Gaham and Tahash and Maacah. כד. וּפִילַגְשׁוֹ וּשְׁמָהּ רְאוּמָה וַתֵּלֶד גַּם הִוא אֶת טֶבַח וְאֶת גַּחַם וְאֶת תַּחַשׁ וְאֶת מַעֲכָה:
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Daily Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 77 - 78
• Chapter 77
1. For the Conductor, on the yedutun,1 by Asaph, a psalm.
2. [I raise] my voice to God and cry out; [I raise] my voice to God and He will listen to me.
3. On the day of my distress I sought my Lord. My wound oozes at night and does not abate; my soul refuses to be consoled.
4. I remember God and I moan; I speak and my spirit faints, Selah.
5. You grasped my eyelids; I am broken, I cannot speak.
6. I think of olden days, of ancient years.
7. During the night I recall my music, I meditate with my heart, and my spirit searches:
8. Is it for eternity that my Lord forsakes [me], nevermore to be appeased?
9. Has His kindness ceased forever? Has He sealed the decree for all generations?
10. Has God forgotten mercy? Has He in anger restrained His compassion forever?
11. I said, "It is to ter- rify me that the right hand of the Most High changes.”
12. I remember the deeds of Yah, when I remember Your wonders of long ago.
13. I meditate on all Your works, and speak of Your deeds.
14. O God, Your way is in sanctity; what god is as great as God?
15. You are the God Who works wonders; You make Your might known among the nations.
16. You redeemed Your people with a mighty arm, the children of Jacob and Joseph, Selah.
17. The waters2 saw You, O God, the waters saw You and trembled; even the deep shuddered.
18. The clouds streamed water, the heavens sounded forth, even Your arrows flew about.
19. The sound of Your thunder was in the rolling wind; lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked.
20. Your way was through the sea, Your path through the mighty waters; and Your footsteps were not known.3
21. You led Your people like a flock, by the hand of Moses and Aaron
Chapter 78
This psalm recounts all the miracles that God wrought for Israel, from the exodus of Egypt to David's becoming king over Israel.
1. A maskil1 by Asaph. Listen, my people, to my teaching; incline your ear to the words of my mouth.
2. I will open my mouth with a parable, I will utter riddles of long ago;
3. that which we have heard and know [to be true], and that our fathers have told us.
4. We will not withhold from their children, telling the final generation the praises of the Lord, and His might, and the wonders He has performed.
5. He established a testimony in Jacob, and set down the Torah in Israel, which He commanded our fathers to make known to their children,
6. so that the last generation shall know; children yet to be born will rise and tell their children,
7. and they shall put their hope in God, and not forget the works of the Almighty; and they shall guard His commandments.
8. And they shall not be like their fathers, a wayward and rebellious generation, a generation that did not set its heart straight, and whose spirit was not faithful to God.
9. The children of Ephraim, armed archers, retreated on the day of battle.2
10. They did not keep the covenant of God, and refused to follow His Torah.
11. They forgot His deeds and His wonders that He had shown them.
12. He performed wonders before their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.3
13. He split the sea and brought them across; He erected the waters like a wall.
14. He led them with a cloud by day, and all night long with the light of fire.
15. He split rocks in the wilderness, and gave them to drink as if from the abundant depths.
16. And He brought forth flowing waters from the rock, and caused waters to descend like rivers.
17. Yet they again continued to sin against Him, to provoke the Most High in the parched land.
18. And they tested God in their hearts, by requesting food for their craving.
19. They spoke against God; they said, "Can God set a table in the wilderness?
20. True, He hit the rock and waters flowed, streams gushed forth; but can He also give bread? Will He prepare meat for His people?”
21. And so the Lord heard and was enraged; a fire was kindled against Jacob; wrath, too, flared against Israel.
22. For they did not believe in God and did not trust in His salvation,
23. [though] He had commanded the skies above, and opened the doors of heaven.
24. He had rained upon them manna to eat, and given them grain of heaven.
25. Man ate the bread of angels; He sent them [enough] provisions to satiate.
26. He drove the east wind through the heaven, and led the south wind with His might.
27. He rained meat upon them like dust, winged birds like the sand of seas;
28. and He dropped them inside His camp, around His dwellings.
29. And they ate and were very satiated, for He brought them their desire.
30. They were not yet estranged from their craving, their food was still in their mouths,
31. when the wrath of God rose against them and slew their mighty ones, and brought down the chosen of Israel.
32. Despite this, they sinned again, and did not believe in His wonders;
33. so He ended their days in futility, and their years in terror.
34. When He slew them they would seek Him, they would return and pray to God.
35. They remembered that God is their rock, God the Most High, their redeemer.
36. But they beguiled Him with their mouth, and deceived Him with their tongue.
37. Their heart was not steadfast with Him; they were not faithful to His covenant.
38. Yet He is compassionate, pardons iniquity, and does not destroy; time and again He turns away His anger, and does not arouse all His wrath.
39. He remembered that they were but flesh, a spirit that leaves and does not return.
40. How often they provoked Him in the desert, and grieved Him in the wasteland!
41. Again and again they tested God, and sought a sign from the Holy One of Israel.
42. They did not remember His hand, the day He redeemed them from the oppressor;
43. that He set His signs in Egypt, and His wonders in the field of Zoan.
44. He turned their rivers to blood, and made their flowing waters undrinkable.
45. He sent against them a mixture of beasts which devoured them, and frogs that destroyed them.
46. He gave their produce to the grasshopper, and their toil to the locust.
47. He killed their vines with hail, and their sycamores with biting frost.
48. He delivered their animals to the hail, and their livestock to fiery bolts.
49. He sent against them His fierce anger, fury, rage, and affliction; a delegation of messengers of evil.
50. He leveled a path for His anger, and did not spare their soul from death; He delivered their animals to pestilence.
51. He struck every firstborn in Egypt, the first fruit of their strength in the tents of Ham.4
52. He drove His nation like sheep, and guided them like a flock in the desert.
53. He led them in security and they did not fear, for the sea covered their enemies.
54. And He brought them to the boundary of His holy place, this mountain which His right hand acquired.
55. He drove out nations before them, and allotted them an inheritance [measured] by the cord; He settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.
56. Yet they tested and defied God, the Most High, and did not keep His testimonies.
57. They regressed and rebelled like their fathers; they turned around like a deceptive bow.
58. They angered Him with their high altars, and provoked Him with their idols.
59. God heard and was enraged, and He was utterly disgusted with Israel;
60. And He abandoned the Tabernacle of Shilo, the Tent where He had dwelled among men.
61. He put His might into captivity, and His glory into the hand of the oppressor.
62. He delivered His nation to the sword, and was enraged with His inheritance.
63. Fire consumed His young men, and His maidens had no marriage song.
64. His priests fell by the sword, and their widows did not weep.5
65. And the Lord awoke like one who had been asleep, like a warrior shouting [to sober himself] from wine.
66. He beat His enemies into retreat, and dealt them eternal disgrace.
67. He was disgusted with the tent of Joseph, and did not choose the tribe of Ephraim.
68. He chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which He loves.
69. And He built His Sanctuary [permanent as] the heavens; like the earth, He established it forever.
70. And He chose David His servant, and took him from the sheep corrals.
71. From following the nursing ewes, He brought Him to shepherd His nation Jacob, Israel His inheritance.
72. And he tended them with the integrity of his heart, and led them with the skill of his hands.
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Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, end of Epistle 27
• Lessons in Tanya
• Today's Tanya Lesson
Shabbat, 15 Cheshvan 5775 • 8 November 2014
Iggeret HaKodesh, end of Epistle 27
והנה יש עוד בחינת הארה לתלמידיו
Now, there is another kind of illumination [from the tzaddik] to his disciples.
רק שאינה מתלבשת בתוך מוחם ממש, כראשונה
However, it does not vest itself truly in their minds1 — as is the case with the first [kind of illumination] that derives from the Ruach of the tzaddik, whereby his faith, fear and love are intellectually integrated and internalized within his disciples,
רק מאירה עליהם מלמעלה
but radiates over them from above, encompassing and transcending them, for its very loftiness inhibits it from descending and being integrated within them.
והיא מעליית רוחו ונשמתו למקור חוצבו
It stems from the ascent of [the tzaddik’s] Ruach and Neshamah to the source from which it was hewn,
דהיינו, לחקל תפוחין קדישין
that is, to Chakal Tapuchin Kaddishin (lit., “the orchard of the holy apples”), i.e., to the Sefirah of Malchut in the World of Atzilut, the Divine source of souls.
ועל ידי זה נעשה שם יחוד
This [ascent] effects a union there, between the spiritually feminine Sefirah of Malchut and the spiritually masculine levels of Divine efflux that transcend it,
על ידי העלאת מיין נוקבין, מכל מעשיו ותורתו ועבודתו אשר עבד כל ימי חייו
by means of the elevation of mayin nukvin (lit., “feminine waters”; i.e., by means of the mortally-initiated spiritual arousal) constituted by all of [the tzaddik’s] actions, his Torah, and the divine service in which he engaged all the days of his life.
For, as will be explained below in Epistle 28, all of man’s lifelong labors and attainments are revealed from their former state of concealment and shine forth at the time of his passing.
ונזרעו בחקל תפוחין קדישין, אורות עליונים מאד
And in the Chakal Tapuchin Kaddishin, the soul’s source, are implanted exceedingly sublime lights,
לעומת תחתונים, אשר הם תורתו ועבודתו
corresponding to and resulting from the nether [illuminations], which are [the tzaddik’s] Torah and worship.
His divine service thus implants lofty illuminations above, which are revealed and descend below at the time of his passing.
והארת אורות עליונים אלו מאירה על כל תלמידיו, שנעשו עובדי ה׳ על ידי תורתו
The illumination of these supernal lights radiates over all his disciples who became servants of G‑d through his Torah and worship.
והארה זו, שעליהם מלמעלה, מכנסת בלבם הרהורי תשובה ומעשים טובים
And this illumination, which [radiates] over them from above, despite this transcendence is so powerful that it instills in their hearts thoughts of repentance and good deeds.
וכל המעשים טובים הנולדים מהארה זו, שמאירה מאורות הזרועים בשדה הנ״ל, נקרא גידולי גידולין
All the good deeds born of this illumination which radiates from the lights implanted in the above-mentioned orchard, are called “successive generations of offshoots.”
Since the illuminations themselves grew directly out of the lights implanted by the tzaddik, the good deeds which these illuminations in turn inspire are its offshoots of the second generation.
והארה זו היא בהעלם והסתר גדול, כמו שמש המאיר לכוכבים מתחת לארץ
This radiation is greatly hidden and concealed, just like the sun radiating to the stars from below the earth.
כדאיתא בזהר על משה רבינו, עליו השלום
Thus it is stated in the Zohar2 in reference to Moses our Master, peace be unto him,
שאחר פטירתו מתפשטת הארתו, בכל דרא ודרא, לששים רבוא נשמות
that after his passing his radiation extends in every generation to the six hundred thousand souls, all other souls being sparks of these general souls, as explained in Tanya, ch. 37,
כמו שמש המאיר מתחת לארץ, לששים רבוא כוכבים
like the sun which radiates to the six hundred thousand stars from below the earth.
As with Moses, so too with the tzaddikim who are his successors: by means of his Torah and spiritual service, every tzaddik illumines successive generations of offshoots — his direct disciples and in turn their disciples, and so on — when they follow his teachings in matters of Torah and spiritual service.
Addendum
The Alter Rebbe spoke above of those who benefit from the gifts that a tzaddik continues to bequeath after his passing, from his Ruach that remained in the Lower Garden of Eden. There he does not say “all his disciples,” but only “among his disciples.” Moreover, he adds that the extent of the spiritual bequest received by each chassid varies “according to the level of his bond and closeness to [the tzaddik], during his lifetime and after his passing, out of an abounding love.”
This is so because there the Alter Rebbe is speaking of their receiving from him the sublime spiritual attributes of faith, awe and love. Hence, since (as the Alter Rebbe concludes there) “anything spiritual is elicited only by means of an abounding love,” it follows that a bequest of such stature is drawn down only to those disciples whose bond to him was particularly close.
Here, however, at the close of the epistle, the Alter Rebbe speaks of the degree of illumination which radiates “over them from above,” encompassing and transcending them. This degree, which “instills in their hearts thoughts of repentance and good deeds,” radiates “over all his disciples,” upon all those who may be considered his disciples because they “became servants of G‑d through his Torah and worship.”
It could be argued that the former kind of benefaction, that which is dependent upon being bound with great love, refers specifically to those who were the tzaddik’s disciples during his lifetime; it is they who are close to him both “during his lifetime and after his passing.” By contrast, the kind of benefaction which is transcendent, as opposed to integrated within them, also applies to those who became the tzaddik’s disciples after his passing, in the sense that they drew closer to G‑d as a result of his teachings. These disciples are the successive generations of his offshoots in the same way that the radiation of Moshe Rabbeinu continues after his passing to illuminate generation after generation.
FOOTNOTES
1. Note of the Rebbe: “For what binds a student with his master is the intellect with which he meditates upon his master’s teachings, intellect and understanding.”
2. [Emended here from “in the Tikkunim.”] Note of the Rebbe in He’arot VeTikkunim: “To date I have found the entire subject in Zohar III, 273a; see also there, p. 216b. In the Tikkunim (in Tikkun 69, p. 112a and 104a, and in Tikkun 70, p. 138a), I have found only part of what is explained here. Possibly the copyist here in Iggeret HaKodesh confused this with the phrase ‘in the Tikkunim’ in Tanya, ch. 44.”
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Rambam:
Daily Mitzvah P198 Sefer Hamitzvot
Today's Mitzvah
Shabbat, 15 Cheshvan 5775 • 8 November 2014
Daily Mitzvah P198 Sefer Hamitzvot
Today's Mitzvah
Shabbat, 15 Cheshvan 5775 • 8 November 2014
Positive Commandment 198
Taking Interest from a Gentile
"Take interest from the gentile"—Deuteronomy 23:21.
When issuing a loan to a non-Jew, we are commanded to charge interest. [This commandment only applies to a non-Jew who has not accepted upon himself the Seven Noahide Laws.] The Sages enacted various restrictions to this mitzvah [such as forbidding the charging of outright interest].
Taking Interest from a Gentile
Positive Commandment 198
Translated by Berel Bell
The 198th mitzvah is that we are commanded1 to charge interest to a non-Jew and only then lend him money, in order that we not assist him nor give him rest. Rather we should cause him [financial] loss, even with the kind of interest that we are forbidden from taking from a Jew.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement2 (exalted be He), "You shall take interest from a non-Jew." The Oral Tradition explains that this does not only give permission, but is a command, as stated in the Sifri: "The phrase 'You shall take interest from a non-Jew' constitutes a positive commandment. The phrase 'You shall not take interest from your brother' constitutes a prohibition."
This commandment also has rabbinically ordained conditions, as explained in tractate Bava Metzia.3
FOOTNOTES
1.See Kapach, 5731, footnote 14 regarding all the authorities who say that this is not a commandment. See also Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 12, p. 115ff.
2.Deut. 23:21.
3.See 70b: "R. Chiya the son of R. Huna said, 'You are only allowed to take the minimum necessary to survive.' " See Kapach, 5731, footnote 16.
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Taking Interest from a Gentile
"Take interest from the gentile"—Deuteronomy 23:21.
When issuing a loan to a non-Jew, we are commanded to charge interest. [This commandment only applies to a non-Jew who has not accepted upon himself the Seven Noahide Laws.] The Sages enacted various restrictions to this mitzvah [such as forbidding the charging of outright interest].
Taking Interest from a Gentile
Positive Commandment 198
Translated by Berel Bell
The 198th mitzvah is that we are commanded1 to charge interest to a non-Jew and only then lend him money, in order that we not assist him nor give him rest. Rather we should cause him [financial] loss, even with the kind of interest that we are forbidden from taking from a Jew.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement2 (exalted be He), "You shall take interest from a non-Jew." The Oral Tradition explains that this does not only give permission, but is a command, as stated in the Sifri: "The phrase 'You shall take interest from a non-Jew' constitutes a positive commandment. The phrase 'You shall not take interest from your brother' constitutes a prohibition."
This commandment also has rabbinically ordained conditions, as explained in tractate Bava Metzia.3
FOOTNOTES
1.See Kapach, 5731, footnote 14 regarding all the authorities who say that this is not a commandment. See also Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 12, p. 115ff.
2.Deut. 23:21.
3.See 70b: "R. Chiya the son of R. Huna said, 'You are only allowed to take the minimum necessary to survive.' " See Kapach, 5731, footnote 16.
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Rambam:
• 1 Chapter a Day: Edut - Chapter 19Edut - Chapter 19
Halacha 1
The following rules apply when two witnesses testify, saying: "So-and-so murdered a person in the eastern portion of the hall at this-and-this time," two other witnesses came and said: "You were together with us in the western portion of the hall at that time." If a person standing in the western portion could see what transpires in the eastern portion, they are not disqualified through hazamah. If, however, it is impossible to see what transpires, they are disqualified through hazamah. We do not say perhaps the eyesight of the first pair is very powerful and they can see things which transpire at a greater distance than all other men.
Similar principles apply if two people testified saying: "In the morning, so-and-so committed murder in Jerusalem," and two others come and tell them: "On that day, in the evening, you were together with us in Lod." If it is possible for a person to travel, even on horseback, from Jerusalem to Lod from the morning to the evening, they are not disqualified through hazamah. If not, they are disqualified through hazamah. We do not say perhaps they found a speedy camel and were able to travel the route faster than usual. Instead, we always calculate the matter using according to the known standards and disqualify them through hazamah.
Halacha 2
The following rules apply when two witnesses state: "On Sunday, so-and-so murdered a person in this-and-this place," and two other witnesses came and said: "On that date, you were together with us in another far removed place, but so-and-so certainly murdered the victim on the following day," the murderer and the first pair of witnesses are executed. Even if the second pair of witnesses testify that he committed the murder several days previously,the above laws apply. The rationale is that at the time they delivered testimony, the murderer had not yet been sentenced to death.
If, however, two witnesses come on Tuesday, and say: "On Sunday, so-and-so was sentenced to death," and two others come on Tuesday and say: "On Sunday, you were together with us in this distant place, but so-and-so was sentenced to death on Friday or on Monday," these witnesses are not executed. The rationale is that at the time they testified, the person had already been sentenced to death.
Similar principles apply with regard to the payment of a fine. What is implied? Two people came on Tuesday and said: "On Sunday, so-and-so stole, slaughtered the animal he stole, and was sentenced to pay a fine of four or five times the animal's worth." Two other witnesses come and testify: "On Sunday, you were with us in a distant place, but he was sentenced on Friday" - or even if they said: "On Sunday, so-and-so stole, slaughtered the animal he stole, and was sentenced on Monday," the witnesses who were disqualified through hazamah are not required to make financial restitution. The rationale is that at the time they testified against him, the defendant was obligated to make financial restitution. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.
Halacha 3
The witnesses to a legal document may not be disqualified through hazamah unless they testify in court, saying: "We composed the legal document at the time stated. We did not delay the dating of it." If they did not say this, even though a document composed in Jerusalem is dated the first of Nisan and witnesses come and testify that the witnesses to the legal document were in Babylon on that date, the legal document is acceptable and the witnesses are acceptable. For it is possible that they composed the legal document and postdated it, i.e., they were in Jerusalem on the first of Adar and composed the legal document and postdated it, dating it the first of Nisan.
The following rules apply when, by contrast, they said: "We signed the document on the date stated," and they were disqualified through hazamah. If there are witnesses who know the day they signed the legal document or witnesses saw the legal document with their signatures on it on this-and-this date, once they are disqualified through hazamah, they are disqualified retroactively from the date on which it is known that they signed the legal document. The rationale is that witnesses who sign a legal document are considered as if their testimony was delivered in court from the time they signed.
If, however, there are no witnesses who saw them sign, giving testimony, nor did any see the signed document beforehand, the witnesses are disqualified only from the time they testified in court that the signature was theirs, saying: "We signed it on that date." The rationale is that it is possible that on the date that they testified in court, they signed a legal document that had existed for many years and they lied by saying: "We signed it on the day it was dated."
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Rambam:
• 3 Chapters a Day: Malveh veLoveh Malveh veLoveh - Chapter 25, Malveh veLoveh Malveh veLoveh - Chapter 26, Malveh veLoveh Malveh veLoveh - Chapter 27
Malveh veLoveh - Chapter 25
Halacha 1
The following law applies when a person gives a loan to a colleague and afterwards, a third party says: "I will act as a guarantor," the lender sues the borrower and a third party says: "Let him go. I will act as a guarantor, or the lender was strangling the borrower in the market place and a third party says: "Let him go. I will act as a guarantor." The guarantor is not obligated at all. Even if the prospective guarantor says in the presence of a court: "I will guarantee the money," he is not liable.
If, however, he formalizes his commitment to guarantee the money with a kinyan, he becomes obligated in all the above situations. This applies whether the kinyan was made in the presence of the court, or together with the lender alone.
Halacha 2
If, however, the guarantor told the lender when the money was being given: "Lend him, and I will be the guarantor," he becomes responsible. In such a situation, a kinyan is not necessary.
Similarly, if a court appointed him a guarantor, he becomes liable even though he did not affirm his commitment with a kinyan. For example, the court desired to expropriate property from the borrower, and this person told them: "Let him be. I will guarantee the debt for you." Since he receives satisfaction from being trusted by the court, he accepts a binding commitment upon himself.
Halacha 3
When a person lends money to a colleague because of the commitment of a guarantor, although though the guarantor becomes responsible to the lender, the lender should not demand payment from the guarantor first. Instead, he should demand payment from the borrower first. If he does not pay him, he should return to the guarantor and collect payment from him. When does the above apply? When the borrower does not own property. If, however, the borrower does own property. He should not collect the debt from the guarantor at all. Instead, he should collect from the borrower."
If, however, the borrower is a man of force, and the court cannot expropriate money from him, or he refuses to come to the court, the lender may collect payment from the guarantor first. Afterwards, the guarantor will make a reckoning with the borrower. If the guarantor can extract payment from him, he should. If that is not possible, the court should place the borrower under a ban of ostracism until he repays the guarantor.
Halacha 4
Although the lender makes a stipulation with the guarantor and tells him: "I am giving the loan on the condition that I can collect the debt from whomever I desire," if the borrower possesses property, he should not collect the debt from the guarantor.
If he stipulated, "I am giving the loan on the condition that I can collect the debt from whomever I desire first," or the guarantor was a kablan, the lender may demand payment from this guarantor or this kablan first. He may collect payment from them although the borrower possesses property.
Halacha 5
Who is considered to be an ordinary guarantor and who is considered to be a kablan] If a person says: "Give him the loan and I will give you," he is considered to be a kablan. The lender has the option of seeking repayment from him, even though he did not explicitly stipulate: "On the condition that I can collect the debt from whomever I desire first."
If, however, he tells him: "Lend him and I will act as a guarantor," "Lend him and I will pay," "Lend him and I am obligated," "Lend him and I will give," "Lend him and I will act as a kablan" "Give him and I will act as a kablan" "Give him and I will pay," "Give him and I am obligated," or "Give him and I will serve as a guarantor" - all of these are statements that cause him to be considered a guarantor. The lender may not demand payment from him first. Nor may he collect payment from him in a situation where the lender possesses property unless he stipulates: "On the condition that I can collect... from whomever I desire first"
Halacha 6
When a person guarantees a woman's ketubah he is not obligated to pay, even if he affirmed his commitment with a kinyan. The rationale is that he performed a mitzvah and did not cause her a financial loss. If a father guarantees his son's ketubah and affirms his commitment with a kinyan, the obligation is established. A person who becomes a kablan for a ketubah is liable.
Halacha 7
The following rules apply when Reuven sells Shimon a field and Levi accepts financial responsibility for it. Levi is not considered responsible, for this is an asmachta. If he affirmed with a kinyan his commitment to pay the money involved in this sale whenever demanded to do so by Shimon, he is obligated to do so. My masters ruled in this manner.
Halacha 8
Similarly, if a guarantor or a kablan make a conditional commitment, they do not become obligated even if the commitment is affirmed by a kinyan. The rationale is that this is an asmachta.
What is implied? For example, the guarantor told him: "Give him the loan and I will give you if this-and-this will take place," or "... if it will not take place." The rationale is that whenever a person undertakes an obligation for which he is personally not liable and makes it dependent on a condition: "if this takes place," or "if this does not take place," he never makes a wholehearted commitment or kinyan. Therefore, he does not become liable.
Halacha 9
When two people take out loans from the same person and record their debts in the same promissory note or together purchase a single article, they are considered as having guaranteed the other person's commitment even though they do not explicitly agree to do so. The same law applies when one of a group of partners undertakes a loan or makes a purchase for the partnership.
Halacha 10
When two people both commit themselves to guarantee a debt taken on by one person, when the lender comes to collect payment from the guarantor, he may collect from either one of them, as he desires. If, however, one of them does not possess the entire amount of the debt, the lender may demand payment of the remainder from the other guarantor.
Halacha 11
If one person guarantees the debts of two different individuals, when a lender comes to collect payment he should tell the guarantor which of the two debts he is paying so that the guarantor will be able to seek reimbursement from the debtor.
Halacha 12
When a person tells a colleague: "Guarantee a debt for so-and-so for this-and-this amount and I will guarantee the sum to you," it is as if he tells him: "Lendhim the money and I will guarantee the debt." Just as the guarantor becomes obligated to the lender, the second guarantor becomes obligated to the first guarantor. The same laws that govern the relationship between the guarantor and the lender govern the relationship between the first guarantor and the second guarantor.
Halacha 13
The following opinions were stated with regard to a person who did not limit the extent of the commitment he made to serve as a guarantor. For example, he told the lender: "Give him whatever you give him, I will guarantee it," "Sell to him, and I will guarantee it," or "Lend him, and I will guarantee it."
There are Geonim who rule that even if the other person sells 10,000 zuz worth of merchandise or lends 100,000 zuz to the person named, the guarantor becomes responsible for the entire amount. It appears to me, by contrast, that the guarantor is not liable at all. Since he does not know for what he undertook the liability, he did not make a serious commitment and did not obligate himself. These are words of reason that a person of understanding will appreciate.
Halacha 14
When a person tells a colleague: "Lend him. I will guarantee the borrower's physical person," he did not make a commitment with regard to the money itself. What he meant was: Whenever you want, I will bring him to you.
Similar principles apply when, after the lender makes the loan and demands payment, a person says: "Let him go. Whenever you lodge a claim against him, I will bring him to you." If he affirms his commitment with a kinyan, there are Geonim who rule that if the guarantor does not bring the borrower to the court, the guarantor is obligated to pay. There are, however, others who rule that even if he made a stipulation saying: "If I do not bring him, or if he dies or he flees, I will be obligated to pay," the guarantor does not become liable, for this is an asmachta. I favor this understanding.
Malveh veLoveh - Chapter 26
Halacha 1
The following law applies when a person gives a loan to a colleague that is supported by a promissory note. After the witnesses signed the promissory note, the guarantor came and made a guarantee for the borrower's debt. Although his commitment was affirmed with a kinyan and thus he become obligated to pay, as explained, when the lender comes to expropriate payment from the property of this guarantor, he may not expropriate property that has already been sold.
Different rules apply if the witness was mentioned in the promissory note itself before the signature of the witnesses. If they wrote: "So-and-so is the guarantor," the lender may not expropriate property that has already been sold, because the guarantor's name is not associated together with that of the borrower with regard to the loan. If, however, the promissory note states: "So-and-so borrowed such-and-such an amount from so-and-so and so-and-so guaranteed the loan, the guarantor affirmed his commitment with a kinyan, and then the witnesses signed the promissory note," the lender may expropriate property that has already been sold. The rationale is that the guarantor's name is associated together with that of the borrower in the promissory note.
Halacha 2
When a lender demands payment from the borrower and discovers that he does not have property, he may not expropriate payment from the guarantor until 30 days after the guarantor became obligated to pay. The legal power of the guarantor should not be less than that of the borrower himself. The halachic authorities ruled in this manner. If, however, the lender made a stipulation with the guarantor about this matter, that stipulation is followed."
Halacha 3
When a lender comes to demand payment from a borrower, the borrower cannot turn away the lender, telling him: "Go to the kablan, because you have the right to demand payment from him first." Instead, the lender may demand payment from anyone he desires first. If, however, the kablan took the money from the lender and gave it to the borrower, the lender has nothing to do with the borrower. If the borrower was in another country and the lender cannot notify him -or the borrower died and left heirs below the age of majority, whose property the court cannot attach - the lender may demand payment from the guarantor first, because the borrower is not at hand.
Halacha 4
When a lender demands payment from the borrower and discovers that he has become impoverished, he may not demand payment from the guarantor until the borrower takes an oath that he is bankrupt, as ordained by the later sages. The rationale is that we fear that the borrower and the lender might be trying to obtain the guarantor's property through deception.
Halacha 5
The following law applies when a person has guaranteed a colleague with regard to a loan supported by a verbal commitment alone, the lender comes to demand payment from the guarantor, and the borrower is overseas. The guarantor may tell the lender: "Bring proof that the borrower did not repay you and I will pay you."
Halacha 6
When a guarantor takes the initiative and pays the debt to the creditor, he may come back and collect from the borrower everything that he paid on his account, even though the loan was supported by a verbal commitment alone or was not observed by witnesses.
When does the above apply? When, at the time the guarantor made his commitment, the borrower told him: "Become my guarantor and pay." When, however, he acted independently and became a guarantor or a kablan, or the borrower told him: "Guarantee the debt for me," but did not give him the authority to pay the debt, if he pays the debt, the borrower is not obligated to pay him anything. Similarly, if a person pays a promissory note of a colleague without that colleague's knowledge, even if it is a debt for which security was taken, the borrower is not obligated to pay him anything. Instead, he may take his security without paying anything; the other person forfeits his money. The rationale is that perhaps the borrower would have been able to appease the lender and have him waive the debt.
The following rules apply when the borrower dies, and the guarantor takes the initiative and pays the debt before he notifies the heirs. If it is known to us that the borrower did not pay the promissory note before he died - e.g., he admitted the debt on his deathbed, he was placed under a band of ostracism for failing to pay, and he died under that ban, or the due date of the loan did not arrive - he may collect from the heirs everything that he paid.
When the lender was a gentile, the heirs are not obligated to pay the guarantor. The rationale is that their parent might have given the guarantor the entire debt for which he was responsible. For a gentile demands payment from the guarantor first; for this reason the guarantor paid the gentile voluntarily before he notified the orphans. If, however, he notifies them that the gentile is demanding payment from him and that he is paying, the heirs are obligated to pay.
Halacha 7
Whenever a guarantor comes to collect what he paid - whether he comes to collect from the borrower's heirs or from the borrower himself - he must bring proof that he paid the debt. The guarantor's possession of the promissory note is not considered proof. For perhaps the promissory note fell from the lender's hand, and the guarantor did not pay him at all.
Halacha 8
In all the claims to be mentioned, and in all similar situations, we follow the principle: When a person who seeks to expropriate property from a colleague, the burden of proof is upon him:
a) a person tells a colleague, "You agreed to serve as a guarantor for me," and the alleged guarantor denies accepting the obligation ;
b) the guarantor tells the borrower: "You gave me the license to act as a guarantor for you and to pay," and the borrower tells him: "You acted as a guarantor on your own initiative," or "You were not a guarantor at all";
c) the guarantor said: "I paid the debt in your presence," and the borrower said: "You did not"; or he told him: "I have already given you what you paid"; or
d) the lender told the guarantor: "You guaranteed 200," and the guarantor said: "I guaranteed only a maneh."
Alternatively, the defendant should take a sh'vuat hessefi or a Scriptural oath if he agreed to a portion of the claim, as is the law with regard to all financial claims.
Halacha 9
The following principles apply when a servant or a married woman borrows money or guarantees the debts of others and is obligated to pay: When the servant is freed and the woman is divorced or widowed, they must pay.
Halacha 10
If a minor borrows, he is obligated to pay when he attains majority. We do not, however, write a promissory note against him. Instead, even though it was affirmed with a kinyan, the loan has the status of a loan supported by a verbal commitment alone. The rationale is that a kinyan undertaken by a minor is of no substance.
Halacha 11
In a situation where a minor guaranteed others, the Geonim ruled that he is not liable to pay even after he attains majority. The person who lent his money because of a minor's word forfeits it. The rationale is that a minor does not have the intellectual responsibility to obligate himself in a matter in which he is not liable - not through becoming a guarantor, nor through other similar means. This is a ruling of truth and it is fitting to rule in this manner.
Halacha 12
When a woman takes a loan that is supported by a promissory note or undertakes a commitment as a guarantor of a promissory note and then marries, she is obligated to pay even after she marries. If, however, it is a loan supported by a verbal commitment alone, it should not be repaid until she becomes divorced or widowed. The rationale is that her husband's authority is that of a purchaser, as we have explained in several sources. If, however, the money that was given as a loan is in her possession, it should be returned to the borrower.
Malveh veLoveh - Chapter 27
Halacha 1
No matter which language and which characters a legal document is written in, if it is written according to the regulations for legal documents that prevail among the Jewish people, i.e., it cannot be forged, nor is it possible to add to or detract from the content of the document, and its witnesses are Jews and they know how to read it, it is acceptable and may be used to expropriate property that has been sold.
All documents that are signed by gentiles, by contrast, are not acceptable except for deeds of sale and promissory notes. For the latter to be acceptable, the principal must count the money in their presence and they must write on the legal document: "In our presence, so-and-so counted out for so-and-so the money for the sale," or "... the money for the debt." This applies provided that they were prepared by their legal authorities. If, however, the documents were prepared in their courts without being authorized by their judges, they are of no value. Similarly, Jewish witnesses must testify that the gentile witnesses who signed the document and the judge who authorized their signatures are not known to accept bribes. If legal documents composed by gentiles lack any of these qualifications, they are considered shards. Similarly, legal documents acknowledging an obligation, deeds recording presents, compromises, and waivers of obligations are considered shards even if they are composed with all the above qualifications.
My masters ruled that even promissory notes composed by them that state that the money was given in their presence are unacceptable. They accepted only deeds of sale when the money was given in their presence. 1 do not accept this ruling.
If the Jewish judges do not know how to read a legal document prepared by gentile authorities, they should give it to two gentiles, each one outside the presence of the other, and have them read. Thus, each one of them is reading as is his ordinary practice. The document may be used to expropriate property that has not been sold. It may not, however, be used to expropriate property that has been sold, because it does not become public knowledge. For the purchasers will not know of legal processes carried out by gentiles.
Halacha 2
When a promissory note that was signed by gentile witnesses was given by the borrower to the lender or by the seller to the purchaser in the presence of two Jewish witnesses, it is acceptable and may be used to expropriate property that was not sold, even though it was not authenticated by the gentile legal authorities and was not prepared according to all the stipulations mentioned above. The above applies provided that the witnesses in whose presence the legal document was transferred were able to read it, they read it when it was transferred, and it was prepared according to the regulations for legal documents that prevail among the Jewish people, i.e., that it be composed in a manner that it cannot be forged, nor is it possible to add to or detract from the content of the document.
Why is it not acceptable to be used to expropriate property that has already been sold? Because it is not a matter of public knowledge.
Halacha 3
The following regulations prevail for legal documents among the Jewish people: All legal documents must repeat the content of the legal document in the last line, because we do not take into consideration what was written in that line. The rationale is that we suspect the witnesses signed a line away from the body of the document and this falsifier came and wrote in the empty space of this line.
Halacha 4
When the witnesses signed two lines or more from the conclusion of the writing, the document is not acceptable. If they leave less open space than this, it is acceptable.
The two lines mentioned refer to lines according to the handwriting of the witnesses and not according to the handwriting of the scribe. The rationale is that any person who forges will try to imitate the handwriting of the witnesses and not that of the scribe. The space of the two lines includes the lines and the space in between them, i.e., the space necessary to write a lamed above a final chaf.
If there was a space of more than two lines between the signature of the witnesses and the text of the documents, and they filled the space between the text and the signatures with the signatures of unacceptable witnesses and relatives, it is acceptable. For in this manner, it cannot be forged.
If the space was filled with lines of ink, it is unacceptable. For perhaps the witnesses signed for the lines of ink and not for the body of the document. If the document and the signatures of the witnesses were on one line, it is acceptable.
Halacha 5
If the legal document was written on one line, and the witnesses signed on another line, it is unacceptable. We fear that possibly the witnesses had signed one line away from an acceptable legal document, and afterwards the person cut away that entire legal document and wrote the present document on that line. Thus, these witnesses were signed upon it.
A similar suspicion can arise when the document and the signatures of two witnesses were written on one line, two other witnesses were signed on a second line, and the maker of the legal document says: "I intended to increase the number of witnesses."
We do not verify the authenticity of the document based on the signature of the witnesses below, in the second line, but rather on the signatures of those above. We fear that possibly there had been another document written originally, it was cut off, and the present document and the signatures of the two witnesses were written on the line between it and the witnesses who signed below.
Halacha 6
The validation of the authenticity of the signatures of the witnesses by the court should be positioned next to their signatures, next to one of the sides of the legal document, or on its back, opposite the text. If there was a space of more than one line between the statement of validation and the legal document, it is invalid. We fear that someone might cut off the document that was validated and forge a new document and the signature of two witnesses on that one line. Thus, the validation would be on a forged document.
Halacha 7
If the court wrote the validation more than two lines from the legal document and filled the entire empty space with lines of ink, the validation is acceptable, for there is no possibility of a forgery. ' And we do not suspect that the court would sign a validation of mere lines, but rather of the legal document itself.
Halacha 8
Whenever words are written on a surface where there have been erasures, the scribe must write a validation of each of the these portions at the end of the legal document, stating: "This-and-this letter...", "This-and-this word...", or "This-and-this line were written on a surface where there had been erasures," or "... are attached between the lines. Everything is valid."
If the erasure is in the place where the document states sharir v'kayam, and is the size that it takes to write these words, it is not acceptable even if the scribe validates that these words were written on an erased surface. We fear that a person might have erased the words sharir v'kayam, then written a false statement and then validated the document in the space between the document and the signature of the witnesses.
Halacha 9
When both a legal document and the signatures of the witnesses are written on a surface where there have been erasures, it is acceptable. If one might protest, saying: "The person in possession of the document might erase it again and write a text that benefits him," that argument can be answered, for it is possible to differentiate between a surface that has been erased once and one that has been erased twice.
If one might protest, saying: "Maybe the person erased only the surface where the witnesses would sign twice, and then after writing the legal document above the twice-erased surface and having the witnesses sign it, he erased the document and wrote whatever he desired." In such a situation, the document and the signatures of the witnesses appear the same, because everything was erased twice. This protest is untenable, because our Sages already ordained that witnesses should not sign a document written on a surface where there have been erasures, unless it was erased in their presence.
Halacha 10
When a legal document and the signatures of the witnesses are both written on a surface where there have been erasures, and the validation of the authenticity of the signatures was written on paper that had never been erased, we do not validate the document because of the signatures of the witnesses who validated it previously, but because of the signatures of the witnesses who signed it originally.
The rationale is that it is possible that the validation of the document was written very far from the document itself, and the space between them was filled with lines of ink. We suspect that the person in possession of the document cut off the document itself, erased the lines of ink, and forged the document and the signatures of the witnesses on the portion that had been erased.
Halacha 11
When a document is written on paper that had never been erased, and the witnesses signed on a surface where there were erasures, it is unacceptable. We suspect that the person might erase the document that the witnesses signed and replace it with a forgery. Thus, the document and the signatures of the witnesses will be on paper with erasures.
If the witnesses wrote: "We, the witnesses, signed on the portion of the paper where there were erasures, while the document was written on the portion of the paper that has never been erased," the document is acceptable. This statement should be written between the signature of one witness and the other, so that deception is not possible.
Halacha 12
When a legal document is written on a portion of a paper where there have been erasures and the witnesses sign on a portion of the paper that has never been erased, the document is not acceptable. This applies even if the witnesses write: "We, the witnesses, signed on the portion of the paper that has never been erased, while the document was written on the portion where there were erasures."
The rationale is that we fear the person in possession of the document will erase it a second time and write on it anything that he desires. Since the document as a whole has been erased twice, the forgery will not be obvious.
If, by contrast, one portion of the document was erased once and the other twice, a distinction could be made.
Among the prevailing regulations for legal documents is to carefully scrutinize the document, seeing if the vavin and the zayinin are not squeezed between the letters, lest the person have forged this letter, adding it to the document. Similarly, these letters must not be too far from the other letters of the word, lest the person have erased a portion of one letter - e.g., a hei or a chet - and left one of its legs in the place of a vav. Similarly, in all analogous situations, we scrutinize the text in any language and with any characters.
Halacha 13
The numbers from shalosh (three) to esser (ten) should not be written at the end of a line, for it is possible for the person in possession of the document to forge the text and make the shalosh, sheloshim (30), and the esser, essrim (20).
If it would happen that a scribe would have to write these numbers at the end of a line, he should repeat the text of the document several times until the numbers come out in the middle of the line.
Halacha 14
When the upper portion of a promissory note speaks of a maneh and the lower portion speaks of 200 zuz, or the upper portion of a promissory note speaks of 200 zuz and the lower portion speaks of a maneh, everything follows what is written in the lower portion.
Why do we not follow the lesser of the two numbers? Because in this instance, one is not dependent on the other. If the promissory note had said: "owes amaneh, which is 200 zuz" or "200 zuz, which is amaneh," the lender would be granted only a maneh. When, however, there are two matters stated in the document and the latter portion is not dependent on the former portion, we follow the latter portion.
When the upper portion of a legal document mentions one name and the lower portion mentions a name that resembles it, we follow the lower portion. If so, why do we write the upper portion? So that if one letter of the lower portion is rubbed out, one could learn from the upper portion. For example, if the upper portion stated Chanani or Anani and the lower portion stated Chanan or Anan, we can assume that it is referring to the person named in the upper portion. This applies regarding only one letter. We do not, however, resolve a doubt regarding two letters in the lower portion from the upper portion.
Halacha 15
If the upper portion of a promissory note speaks of a sefel and the lower portion speaks of a kefel, we follow the wording of the latter portion, for a kefel is less than a sefel.
If the upper portion of a promissory note speaks of a kefel and the lower portion speaks of a sefel, we suspect that perhaps a fly caused the left leg of the kuf to be rubbed out and made it appear like a samech. Hence, the bearer may expropriate only a kefel, the lesser measure. Similar principles apply in all analogous situations, for the bearer of the promissory note has the weaker position.
An incident occurred concerning a promissory note that stated: "600 and one zuz" This raised a doubt. Was the intent 601 zuz or was the intent 600 isteira and one zuz? The Sages said: "The bearer of the promissory note may collect only 600 isteira and a zuz, for the bearer of the promissory note has the weaker position."
If so, why did they not say that he should collect 600 p'rutot and a zuz? Because a scribe would count the p'rutot as zuzin before composing the promissory note. Similar principles apply in all analogous situations. In all times and in all places, we follow the accepted norms.
Halacha 16
When a promissory note states: "Isteira 100 m'ie," or "100 m'ie isteira" one should follow the lesser of the phrases. The person should receive only one isteira. The rationale is that the bearer of the promissory note has the weaker position, because he is trying to expropriate property from a colleague, and a person can expropriate property only when there is no doubt regarding his claim.
Similarly, whenever a promissory note could be interpreted in either of two ways, either this way or that way, the bearer receives the lesser of the amounts. If, however, he seizes possession of the greater amount, the borrower may not expropriate the money from him unless he can clearly prove the legitimacy of his own claim.
Halacha 17
When a promissory note states: "a gold coin," we assume that the intent is no less than a golden dinar. If it states "gold of dinarim," or "dinarim of gold," we assume that the intent is no less than the value of two dinarim of gold. If it states "gold in dinarim" we assume that the intent is no less than the value in gold of two silver dinarim. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.
Blessed be God, who grants assistance.
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Hayom Yom:
Shabat, 15 Cheshvan 5775 • 8 November 2014
"Today's Day"
Shabbat, Cheshvan 15, 5704
Haftora: Ve'isha...b'na vateitsei
Torah lessons: Chumash: Vayeira, Shevi'i with Rashi.
Tehillim: 77-78.
Tanya: Now there is (p. 569) ...below the earth. (p. 571).
The soul above awaits the time it will be privileged to descend into a body. For the soul senses how much it can accomplish here below;1 it can attain the level of "delighting with G-d." So what is everyone waiting for?2
FOOTNOTES
1. In this physical world.
2. Why the procrastination in betaking ourselves to our avoda - when our souls waited impatiently just for this very chance!
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Daily Thought:
Both Ways
One who loves must learn fear. One who fears must learn love.
The thinker must do. The doer must think. The pacifist must fight, the fighter must find peace.
If you flow as a river, burn as a fire. If you burn as a furnace, flow as a river. If you fly as a bird, sit firm as a rock. If you sit firmly, then fly as a bird.
Be a fire that flows; a rock that flies. Love with fear and fear with love.
For we are not fire, nor water, nor air, nor rocks, nor thoughts, nor deeds, nor fear, nor love. We are G‑dly beings.
____________________________
Shabbat, Cheshvan 15, 5704
Haftora: Ve'isha...b'na vateitsei
Torah lessons: Chumash: Vayeira, Shevi'i with Rashi.
Tehillim: 77-78.
Tanya: Now there is (p. 569) ...below the earth. (p. 571).
The soul above awaits the time it will be privileged to descend into a body. For the soul senses how much it can accomplish here below;1 it can attain the level of "delighting with G-d." So what is everyone waiting for?2
FOOTNOTES
1. In this physical world.
2. Why the procrastination in betaking ourselves to our avoda - when our souls waited impatiently just for this very chance!
____________________________
Daily Thought:
Both Ways
One who loves must learn fear. One who fears must learn love.
The thinker must do. The doer must think. The pacifist must fight, the fighter must find peace.
If you flow as a river, burn as a fire. If you burn as a furnace, flow as a river. If you fly as a bird, sit firm as a rock. If you sit firmly, then fly as a bird.
Be a fire that flows; a rock that flies. Love with fear and fear with love.
For we are not fire, nor water, nor air, nor rocks, nor thoughts, nor deeds, nor fear, nor love. We are G‑dly beings.
____________________________
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