Torah Reading
Vayishlach (Bereshis/Genesis 32:4 (5) And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto adoni Esav; Thy eved Ya’akov saith thus, I have sojourned with Lavan, and stayed there until now;
5 (6) And I have shor (oxen), and chamor, tzon, and eved, and shifchah; and I have sent to tell adoni, that I may find chen (grace) in thy sight.
6 (7) And the malachim returned to Ya’akov, saying, We came to Esav achicha, and also he cometh to meet thee, and arba me’ot ish with him.
7 (8) Then Ya’akov was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided HaAm that was with him, and the tzon, and bakar, and the gemalim, into two machanot;
8 (9) And said, If Esav come to the one machaneh, and attack it, then the other machaneh which is left shall escape.
9 (10) And Ya’akov said, O Elohei Avi Avraham, and Elohei Avi Yitzchak, Hashem which saidst unto me, Shuv l’aretzecha and to thy moledet (kindred), and I will deal well with thee;
10 (11) I am not worthy of the least of all the chasadim, and of all the emes, which Thou hast showed unto Thy eved; for with my makal (rod, staff) I passed over this Yarden; and now I am become two machanot.
11 (12) Save me, now, from the yad achi, from the yad Esav; for I fear him, lest he will come and attack me, em with banim.
12 (13) But Thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy zera as the chol of the yam, which cannot be numbered for multitude.
13 (14) And he spent there that same night; and took of that which came to his yad a minchah for Esav achiv;
14 (15) Two hundred female goats, and twenty male goats, two hundred rechelim (ewes), and twenty eilim (rams),
15 (16) Thirty nursing gemalim with their colts, forty parot (cows), and ten parim (bulls), twenty female donkeys, and ten male donkeys.
16 (17) And he delivered them into the yad of his avadim, every herd by itself; and said unto his avadim, Pass over before me, and keep a space between herd and herd.
17 (18) And he commanded the rishon, saying, When Esav achi meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose art thou? And to where goest thou? And whose are these [animals] before thee?
18 (19) Then thou shalt say, They are of thy eved Ya’akov; it is a minchah sent unto adoni Esav; and, hinei, also he is behind us.
19 (20) And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the adarim (herds), saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esav, when ye find him.
20 (21) And say ye moreover, Hinei, thy eved Ya’akov is behind us. For he said, Akhapperah (I will appease, pacify) his face with the minchah that goeth ahead of me, and afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me.
21 (22) So went the minchah (present) over ahead of him; but he himself stayed balailah in the machaneh.
22 (23) And he rose up that night, and took his two nashim and his two shifchot, and his eleven yeladim, and passed over the ma’avar (ford) Yabbok.
23 (24) And he took them, and sent them over the stream, and sent over [all] that he had.
24 (25) And Ya’akov was left by himself; and there wrestled an ish with him until the shachar (dawn, sunup).
25 (26) And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he struck his hip socket; so Ya’akov’s hip socket dislocated while he wrestled with him.
26 (27) And he said, Let me go, for shachar breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, unless thou make a berakah upon me.
27 (28) And he said unto him, What is shemecha? And he said, Ya’akov.
28 (29) And he said, Shimcha shall be called no more Ya’akov, but Yisroel: for sarita im Elohim ([yisrah=to prevail + El=G-d = Yisroel] ye have striven with Elohim) and with anashim, and hast overcome.
29 (30) And Ya’akov asked him, and said, Tell me, now, shemecha. And he said, Why is it that thou dost ask after shmi? And he made a brocha upon him there.
30 (31) And Ya’akov called the shem of the makom (place) Peniel [Face of G-d): for I have seen Elohim panim el panim, and my nefesh is saved.
31 (32) And as he passed over Penuel the shemesh rose upon him, and he limped upon his hip.
32 (33) Therefore the Bnei Yisroel eat not of the sinew of the thigh vein (sciatic nerve) which is upon the hip socket, unto this day; because he touched the hip socket of Ya’akov in the sinew of the thigh vein.
33 And Ya’akov lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, hinei, Esav came, and with him arba me’ot ish (four hundred men). And he divided the yeladim unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two shefachot.
2 And he put the shefachot and their yeladim rishonah, and Leah and her yeladim acharonim, and Rachel and Yosef acharonim.
3 And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground sheva pe’amim, until he came near to achiv (his brother).
4 And Esav ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his tzavar (neck), and kissed him; and they wept.
5 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the nashim and the yeladim; and said, Who are those with thee? And he said, The yeladim which Elohim hath graciously given thy eved.
6 Then the shefachot came near, they and their yeladim, and they bowed themselves.
7 And Leah also with her yeladim came near, and bowed themselves; and after came Yosef near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves.
8 And he said, What meanest thou by all this machaneh which I met? And he said, These are to find chen (grace) in the eyes of adoni.
9 And Esav said, I have enough, achi (my brother); keep that thou hast unto thyself.
10 And Ya’akov said, No, now, if I have found chen (grace) in thy sight, then receive my minchah at my yad inasmuch as I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the p’nei Elohim (the face of G-d) vatirtzeini (and thou wast pleased to accept me, thou wast appeased by me).
11 Accept, now, my brocha that is brought to thee; because Elohim hath dealt graciously with me, and because yesh li khol (there is to me all, my needs are met). And he urged him, and he accepted.
12 And he said, Nise’ah (let us take our journey), and let us go, I will go next to thee.
13 And he said unto him, Adoni knoweth that the yeladim are tender and the nursing tzon and bakar are upon me; and if men should overdrive them yom echad, all the tzon will die.
14 Let now adoni, pass over before his eved; and I will lead on slowly, according to the pace of the drove that goeth before me and the pace the yeladim are able to endure, until I come unto adoni at Seir.
15 And Esav said, Let me now leave with thee some of HaAm that are with me. And he said, What needeth it? Let me find chen in the sight of adoni.
16 So Esav returned that day on his derech unto Seir.
17 And Ya’akov journeyed to Sukkot, and built him a bais, and made sukkot for his mikneh; therefore the shem of the makom is called Sukkot.
18 And Ya’akov came shalem to Ir Shechem, which is in eretz Kena’an, when he came from Padan Aram; and encamped before the Ir.
19 And he bought a chelkat hasadeh (piece of land), where he had pitched there his ohel, from the yad Bnei Chamor Avi Shechem, for a hundred pieces of kesitah (money).
20 And he erected there a Mizbe’ach, and called it El Elohei Yisroel.
34:1 And Dinah Bat Leah, which she bore unto Ya’akov, went out to see the Banot HaAretz.
2 And when Shechem Ben Chamor the Chivvi (Hivite), Nasi HaAretz, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and violated her.
3 And his nefesh had deveykus unto Dinah Bat Ya’akov, and he loved the na’arah, and spoke to the lev hanaarah.
4 And Shechem spoke unto Chamor aviv, saying, Get me this yaldah as isha.
5 And Ya’akov heard that he had made his bat Dinah tameh; now his banim were with his mikneh in the sadeh; and Ya’akov held his peace until they were come.
6 And Chamor avi Shechem went out unto Ya’akov to speak with him.
7 And the Bnei Ya’akov came from the sadeh when they heard it; and the anashim were grieved, and they were in wrath greatly, because he had wrought nevalah (folly, disgrace, outrage) against Yisroel in lying with Bat Ya’akov; which thing ought not to be done.
8 And Chamor spoke with them, saying, The nefesh of beni (my son) Shechem longeth for your bat; now give her him as isha.
9 So intermarry with us, and give your banot unto us, and take benoteinu (our banot) unto you.
10 And ye shall dwell with us; and HaAretz shall be before you; dwell and trade therein, and get you possessions therein.
11 And Shechem said unto her av and unto her achim, Let me find chen (grace) in your eyes, and what ye shall say unto me I will give.
12 Ask me never so much mohar (bride price, dowry) and mattan (gift), and I will pay according as ye shall say unto me; but give me the na’arah as isha.
13 And the Bnei Ya’akov answered Shechem and Chamor aviv in mirmar (deceit) and spoke because he had made Dinah their achot tameh;
14 And they said unto them, We cannot do this thing, to give achoteinu (our sister) to ish that is arelah (uncircumcised); for that would be a cherpah (reproach, disgrace) unto us;
15 But in this will we consent unto you: If ye will become like us, that every zachar of you be circumcised;
16 Then will we give benoteinu unto you, and we will take your banot to us, and we will dwell among you, and we will become as Am Echad.
17 But if ye will not pay heed unto us, to become circumcised; then will we take biteinu (our daughter), and we will go.
18 And their words pleased Chamor, and Shechem Ben Chamor.
19 And the na’ar deferred not to do the thing, because he had delight in Bat Ya’akov; and he was more respected than kol Bais Aviv.
20 And Chamor and Shechem bno came unto the Sha’ar of their city, and they spoke with the anashim of their city, saying,
21 These anashim are shlemim (peaceable) with us; therefore let them settle in HaAretz, and let them trade therein for HaAretz, hinei, it is plenty of room for them; let us take their banot to us as nashim, and let us give them benoteinu.
22 Only herein will the anashim consent unto us for to dwell with us, to be Am Echad, if every zachar among us be circumcised, just as they are nimolim (ones being circumcised).
23 Shall not their mikneh and their property and every behemah of theirs be ours? Only let us consent unto them, and they will settle among us.
24 And unto Chamor and unto Shechem bno paid heed all that went out of the Sha’ar of his city; and every zachar was circumcised, all that went out of the Sha’ar of his city.
25 And it came to pass on the Yom HaShlishi, when they were in pain, that two of the Bnei Ya’akov, Shimon and Levi, achei Dinah, took each ish his cherev, and came upon the Ir betach (boldly, confidently), and they slaughtered kol zachar.
26 And they slaughtered Chamor and Shechem bno with the edge of the cherev, and took Dinah from the Bais Shechem and left.
27 The Bnei Ya’akov came upon the chalalim (dead ones, slain ones), and plundered the Ir, because they had made their achot tameh.
28 They seized their tzon, and their bakar, and their chamorim, and that which was in the Ir, and that which was in the sadeh,
29 And all their wealth, and all their little ones, and their nashim they carried off and plundered even all that was in the bais.
30 And Ya’akov said to Shimon and Levi, Ye have brought trouble on me to make me a stench among the inhabitants of HaAretz, among the Kena’ani and the Perizzi; and I being few in mispar, they shall gather themselves together against me, and attack me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my bais.
31 And they said, Should he deal with achoteinu like with zonah?
35:1 And Elohim said unto Ya’akov, Arise, go up to Beit-El, and settle there; and make there a Mizbe’ach unto El (G-d) that appeared unto thee when thou didst flee from the face of Esav achicha.
2 Then Ya’akov said unto his Bais, and to all that were with him, Put away the elohei hanekhar that are among you, and be tahor, and change your simlah (garments);
3 And let us arise, and go up to Beit-El; and I will build there a Mizbe’ach unto El (G-d) Who answered me in my yom tzoros, and was with me in the derech in which I went.
4 And they gave unto Ya’akov kol elohei hanekhar which were in their yad, and all their nezamim which were in their oznayim; and Ya’akov buried them under the elah (terebinth) which was at Shechem.
5 And they journeyed; and the chittat Elohim (terror of G-d) was upon the cities that were around them, and they did not pursue after the Bnei Ya’akov.
6 So Ya’akov came to Luz, which is in Eretz Kena’an, that is, Beit-El, he and kol haAm that were with him.
7 And he built there a Mizbe’ach, and called the makom (place) El Beit-El; because there HaElohim appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of achiv.
8 But Devorah meineket Rivkah died, and she was buried under an alon (oak) below Beit-El; and shmo was called Alon Bachut.
9 And Elohim appeared unto Ya’akov again, when he returned from Padan Aram, and made a brocha upon him.
10 And Elohim said unto him, Shimcha is Ya’akov; shimcha shall not be called any more Ya’akov, but Yisroel shall be shemecha; and He called shmo Yisroel.
11 And Elohim said unto him, I am El Shaddai; be fruitful and multiply; a Goy (nation) and a Kehal Goyim shall be from thee, and Melechim shall come out of thy loins;
12 And HaAretz which I gave Avraham and Yitzchak, to thee I will give it, and to thy zera after thee will I give HaAretz.
13 And Elohim went up from him in the makom where He talked with him.
14 And Ya’akov set up a matzevah (pillar, monument) in the makom where He talked with him, even a matzevat even (pillar of stone); and he poured a nesech (drink offering) thereon, and he poured shemen (oil) thereon.
15 And Ya’akov called the shem of the makom where Elohim spoke with him, Beit- El.
16 And they journeyed from Beit-El; and there was still a space of ha’aretz to get to Ephratah; and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labor.
17 And it came to pass, when she was in hard labor, that the meyaledet (midwife) said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this ben also.
18 And it came to pass, as her nefesh was in departing, (for she died) that she called shmo Ben-Oni (Son of Affliction); but aviv called him Binyamin.
19 And Rachel died, and was buried on the derech to Ephratah, which is Beit- Lechem.
20 And Ya’akov set up a matzevah upon her kever; that is matzevet kevurat Rachel to this day.
21 And Yisroel journeyed, and pitched his ohel beyond Migdal-Eder.
22 And it came to pass, when Yisroel dwelt in that land, that Reuven went and lay with Bilhah pilegesh aviv and Yisroel heard it. Now the Bnei Ya’akov were Sheneym Asar (Twelve);
23 The Bnei Leah: Reuven bechor Ya’akov, and Shimon, and Levi, and Yehudah, and Yissakhar, and Zevulun;
24 The Bnei Rachel: Yosef, and Binyamin;
25 And the Bnei Bilhah shifchat Rachel: Dan, and Naphtali;
26 And the Bnei Zilpah shifchat Leah: Gad, and Asher; these are the Bnei Ya’akov, which were born to him in Padan Aram.
27 And Ya’akov came unto Yitzchak Aviv unto Mamre, unto Kiriat HaArba, which is Chevron, where Avraham and Yitzchak sojourned.
28 And the days of Yitzchak were me’at shanah u’shemonim shanah.
29 And Yitzchak expired, and died, and was gathered unto his people, being zaken (old) and full of yamim; and his banim Esav and Ya’akov buried him.
36:1 Now these are the toldot Esav, who is Edom.
2 Esav took his nashim of the Banot Kena’an: Adah Bat Elon the Chitti, and Oholivamah Bat Anah Bat Tziveon the Chivvi;
3 And Basemat Bat Yishma’el, achot Nevayot.
4 And Adah bore to Esav Eliphaz; and Basemat bore Reuel;
5 And Oholivamah bore Yeush, and Ya’alam, and Korach; these are the Bnei Esav, which were born unto him in Eretz Kena’an.
6 And Esav took his nashim, and his banim, and his banot, and kol nafshot of his bais, and his mikneh, and all his behemah, and all his possessions, which he had acquired in Eretz Kena’an; and went into the eretz from the face of Ya’akov achiv.
7 For their wealth was more than that they might dwell together; and the eretz of their sojourns could not support them because of their mikneh.
8 Thus dwelt Esav in har Seir; Esav is Edom.
9 And these are the toldot Esav avi Edom in har Seir:
10 These are the shemot Bnei Esav; Eliphaz Ben Adah eshet Esav, Reuel Ben Basemat eshet Esav.
11 And the Bnei Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Tzepho, and Gatam, and Kenaz.
12 And Timna was pilegesh (concubine) to Eliphaz Ben Esav; and she bore to Eliphaz Amalek; these were the Bnei Adah eshet Esav.
13 And these are the Bnei Reuel: Nachat, and Zerach, Shammah, and Mizzah; these were the Bnei Basemat eshet Esav.
14 And these were the Bnei Oholivamah Bat Anah Bat Tziveon, eshet Esav: and she bore to Esav Yeush, and Yaalam, and Korach.
15 These were alufei (chiefs) of the Bnei Esav: the Bnei Eliphaz the bechor Esav; aluf (chief) Teman, aluf Omar, aluf Tzepho, aluf Kenaz,
16 Aluf (chief) Korach, aluf (chief) Gatam, and aluf (chief) Amalek; these are the alufei Eliphaz in Eretz Edom; these were the Bnei Adah.
17 And these are the Bnei Reuel Ben Esav: aluf (chief) Nachat, aluf Zerach, aluf Shammah, aluf Mizzah; these are the alufei Reuel in Eretz Edom; these are the Bnei Basemat eshet Esav.
18 And these are the Bnei Oholivamah eshet Esav: aluf (chief) Yeush, aluf Yaalam, aluf Korach; these were the alufei Oholivamah Bat Anah eshet Esav.
19 These are the Bnei Esav, who is Edom, and these are their alufim (chiefs).
20 These are the Bnei Seir the Chori, who inhabited HaAretz: Lotan, and Shoval, and Tziveon, and Anah,
21 And Dishon, and Etzer, and Dishan; these are the alufei HaChori, the Bnei Seir in Eretz Edom.
22 And the Bnei Lotan were Chori and Hemam; and achot Lotan was Timna.
23 And the Bnei Shoval were these: Alvan, and Manachat, and Eval, Shepho, and Onam.
24 And these are the Bnei Tziveon: both Ayyah, and Anah; this was that Anah that found the mules in the midbar, as he pastured the chamorim of Tziveon aviv.
25 And the Bnei Anah were these: Dishon, and Oholivamah Bat Anah.
26 And these are the Bnei Dishon: Chemdan, and Eshban, and Yitran, and Keran.
27 The Bnei Etzer are these: Bilhan, and Zaavan, and Akan.
28 The Bnei Dishan are these: Uz, and Aran.
29 These are the alufei (chiefs) haChori: aluf (chief) Lotan, aluf Shoval, aluf Tziveon, aluf Anah,
30 Aluf Dishon, aluf Etzer, aluf (chief) Dishan; these are the alufei haChori by their alufim (chiefs) in Eretz Seir.
31 And these are the melechim that reigned in Eretz Edom, before there reigned any melech over the Bnei Yisroel.
32 And Bela Ben Be’or reigned in Edom; and the shem of his city was Dinhavah.
33 And Bela died, and Yovav Ben Zerach of Botzrah reigned in his place.
34 And Yovav died, and Chusham of Eretz Temani reigned in his place.
35 And Chusham died, and Hadad Ben Bedad, who defeated Midyan in the sadeh of Moav, reigned in his place; and the shem of his city was Avit.
36 And Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his place.
37 And Samlah died, and Sha’ul of Rechovot-nahar reigned in his place.
38 And Sha’ul died, and Baal Chanan Ben Achbor reigned in his place.
39 And Baal Chanan Ben Achbor died, and Hadar reigned in his place; and the shem of his city was Pau; and the shem of his isha was Mehetavel Bat Matred Bat Mei Zahav.
40 And these are the shemot of the alufei Esav, according to their mishpechot, after their mekomot, by their shemot: aluf (chief) Timnah, aluf (chief) Alvah, aluf (chief) Yetet,
41 Aluf Oholivamah, aluf (chief) Elah, aluf (chief) Pinon,
42 Aluf (chief) Kenaz, aluf (chief) Teman, aluf (chief) Mivtzar,
43 Aluf (chief) Magdiel, aluf (chief) Iram; these are the alufei Edom, according to their moshavot in the eretz of their achuzzah; this is Esav Avi Edom.)
Today's Laws & Customs:
Today in Jewish History:
• Reuben Born (1568 BCE)
Reuben, the eldest son of Jacob and Leah, was born in Charan (Mesopotamia) on the 14th of Kislev of the year 2193 from creation (1568 BCE). As Jacob's firstborn, he was initially entitled to the leadership of Israel and to a double portion in the Holy Land, but these privileges were taken from him (and given respectively to Judah and Joseph) because he sinned by "violating the bed of his father." Reuben unsuccessfully tried to prevent the persecution of Joseph by his brothers in 2216 (1545 BCE) and subsequently berated them for selling him into slavery (Genesis 37:21; 42:22). In 2238 he relocated to Egypt together with his father, brothers and their children, where he died on his 125th birthday in 2318 (1443 BCE).
Link: Reuben and Judah
Link: More on Reuben
• Rebbe's Marriage (1928)
On the 14th of Kislev, 1928, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, married Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneersohn (1901-1988), the middle daughter of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn (1880-1950), the sixth Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch. The wedding was held in Warsaw, Poland, at the Lubavitcher Yeshivah, Tomchei Temimim.
Upon Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak's passing in 1950, Rabbi Menachem Mendel succeeded his father-in-law as the Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch. On the 14th of Kislev of 1953, at a farbrengen (Chassidic gathering) marking his 25th wedding anniversary, the Rebbe said to his Chassidim: "This is the day that bound me to you, and you to me."
Links: Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneersohn; The Rebbe's Marriage; Marriage: an Anthology
DAILY QUOTE:
DAILY STUDY:
CHITAS AND RAMBAM FOR TODAY:• Reuben Born (1568 BCE)
Reuben, the eldest son of Jacob and Leah, was born in Charan (Mesopotamia) on the 14th of Kislev of the year 2193 from creation (1568 BCE). As Jacob's firstborn, he was initially entitled to the leadership of Israel and to a double portion in the Holy Land, but these privileges were taken from him (and given respectively to Judah and Joseph) because he sinned by "violating the bed of his father." Reuben unsuccessfully tried to prevent the persecution of Joseph by his brothers in 2216 (1545 BCE) and subsequently berated them for selling him into slavery (Genesis 37:21; 42:22). In 2238 he relocated to Egypt together with his father, brothers and their children, where he died on his 125th birthday in 2318 (1443 BCE).
Link: Reuben and Judah
Link: More on Reuben
• Rebbe's Marriage (1928)
On the 14th of Kislev, 1928, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, married Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneersohn (1901-1988), the middle daughter of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn (1880-1950), the sixth Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch. The wedding was held in Warsaw, Poland, at the Lubavitcher Yeshivah, Tomchei Temimim.
Upon Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak's passing in 1950, Rabbi Menachem Mendel succeeded his father-in-law as the Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch. On the 14th of Kislev of 1953, at a farbrengen (Chassidic gathering) marking his 25th wedding anniversary, the Rebbe said to his Chassidim: "This is the day that bound me to you, and you to me."
Links: Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneersohn; The Rebbe's Marriage; Marriage: an Anthology
DAILY QUOTE:
DAILY STUDY:
Chumash: Vayishlach, 7th Portion Genesis 36:20-36:43 with Rashi
• Chapter 36
20. These are the sons of Seir the Horite, the inhabitants of the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, and Anah; כ. אֵלֶּה בְנֵי שֵׂעִיר הַחֹרִי ישְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ לוֹטָן וְשׁוֹבָל וְצִבְעוֹן וַעֲנָה:
the inhabitants of the land: They were its inhabitants before Esau came there. Our Rabbis explain [that they were called, “inhabitants of the land”] (Shab. 85a) because they were skilled in making the land habitable. [They would say,]“The length of this [measuring] stick is [good] for [planting] olives; the length of this [measuring] stick is [good] for [planting] grapevines,” for they would taste [the soil] and know what was suitable to plant in it.
יושבי הארץ: שהיו יושביה קודם שבא עשו לשם. ורבותינו דרשו שהיו בקיאין בישובה של ארץ, מלא קנה זה לזיתים, מלא קנה זה לגפנים, שהיו טועמין העפר ויודעין אי זו נטיעה ראויה לה:
21. Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These are the chieftains of the Horites, the sons of Seir in the land of Edom. כא. וְדִשׁוֹן וְאֵצֶר וְדִישָׁן אֵלֶּה אַלּוּפֵי הַחֹרִי בְּנֵי שֵׂעִיר בְּאֶרֶץ אֱדוֹם:
22. The sons of Lotan were Hori and Hemam, and the sister of Lotan was Timna. כב. וַיִּהְיוּ בְנֵי לוֹטָן חֹרִי וְהֵימָם וַאֲחוֹת לוֹטָן תִּמְנָע:
23. And these are the sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, and Ebal, Shepho and Onam. כג. וְאֵלֶּה בְּנֵי שׁוֹבָל עַלְוָן וּמָנַחַת וְעֵיבָל שְׁפוֹ וְאוֹנָם:
24. And these are the sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah he is Anah who found the mules in the wilderness when he pastured the donkeys for his father Zibeon. כד. וְאֵלֶּה בְנֵי צִבְעוֹן וְאַיָּה וַעֲנָה הוּא עֲנָה אֲשֶׁר מָצָא אֶת הַיֵּמִם בַּמִּדְבָּר בִּרְעֹתוֹ אֶת הַחֲמֹרִים לְצִבְעוֹן אָבִיו:
Aiah and Anah: Heb. וִעִנָה וְאַיָה. The“vav” is superfluous. It is equivalent to וְאַיָה וִעִנָה. There are many [such instances] in the Scriptures, [e.g.]“permitting the Sanctuary (תֵּת וְקֹדֶשׁ) and the host to be trampled” (Dan. 8:13);“chariot and horse were stunned (נִרְדָּם וְרֶכֶב וָסוּס)” (Ps. 76:7).
ואיה וענה: וי"ו יתירה, והוא כמו איה וענה, והרבה יש במקרא (דניאל ח יג) תת וקדש וצבא מרמס, (תהלים עו ז) נרדם ורכב וסוס:
he is Anah: Who is mentioned above (verse 20) to be the brother of Zibeon, but here [Scripture] calls him his son. This teaches us that Zibeon was intimate with his mother, and fathered Anah. — [from Pes. 54a]
הוא ענה: האמור למעלה (פסוק כ) שהוא אחיו של צבעון וכאן הוא קורא אותו בנו, מלמד שבא צבעון על אמו והוליד את ענה:
who found the mules in the wilderness: Heb. הַיֵמִם, mules. He mated a donkey with a mare (female horse), and it gave birth to a mule. He (Anah) was illegitimate, and he brought illegitimate offspring into the world (Gen. Rabbah 82:15). Why were they called יֵמִם (signifying“dreaded beings”) ? Because their dread (אֵימָתָן) was cast upon people; Rabbi Hanina said, “In all my days no one has ever recovered from a wound from a white female mule.” (But we see that [those bitten by white female mules] do live. Do not read:“who has lived (וְהָיָה) ,” but“that was healed (וְחָיתָה) ,” because [such a] wound will never heal. — [from an old Rashi manuscript]) It was unnecessary to list the genealogy of the Horites except to mention Timna, and thereby inform us of the greatness of Abraham, as I explained above (verse 12). [from Chullin 7b]
את הימם: פרדים, הרביע חמור על סוס נקבה וילדה פרד, והוא היה ממזר והביא פסולין לעולם. ולמה נקרא שמם ימים, שאימתן מוטלת על הבריות, דאמר רבי חנינא מימי לא שאלני אדם על מכת פרדה לבנה וחיה (והלא קא חזינן דחיה, אל תקרי וחיה אלא וחיתה, כי המכה לא תרפא לעולם). ולא הוזקק לכתוב לנו משפחות החורי אלא מפני תמנע, ולהודיע גדולת זרע אברהם, כמו שפירשתי למעלה (פסוק יב):
25. And these are the sons of Anah: Dishon and Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah. כה. וְאֵלֶּה בְנֵי עֲנָה דִּשֹׁן וְאָהֳלִיבָמָה בַּת עֲנָה:
26. And these are the sons of Dishan: Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran. כו. וְאֵלֶּה בְּנֵי דִישָׁן חֶמְדָּן וְאֶשְׁבָּן וְיִתְרָן וּכְרָן:
27. These are the sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan. כז. אֵלֶּה בְּנֵי אֵצֶר בִּלְהָן וְזַעֲוָן וַעֲקָן:
28. These are the sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran. כח. אֵלֶּה בְנֵי דִישָׁן עוּץ וַאֲרָן:
29. These are the chieftains of the Horites: Chief Lotan, Chief Shobal, Chief Zibeon, Chief Anah, כט. אֵלֶּה אַלּוּפֵי הַחֹרִי אַלּוּף לוֹטָן אַלּוּף שׁוֹבָל אַלּוּף צִבְעוֹן אַלּוּף עֲנָה:
30. Chief Dishon, Chief Ezer, and Chief Dishan; these are the chieftains of the Horites according to their chieftains in the land of Edom. ל. אַלּוּף דִּשֹׁן אַלּוּף אֵצֶר אַלּוּף דִּישָׁן אֵלֶּה אַלּוּפֵי הַחֹרִי לְאַלֻּפֵיהֶם בְּאֶרֶץ שֵׂעִיר:
31. And these are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the children of Israel: לא. וְאֵלֶּה הַמְּלָכִים אֲשֶׁר מָלְכוּ בְּאֶרֶץ אֱדוֹם לִפְנֵי מְלָךְ מֶלֶךְ לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל:
And these are the kings, etc.: They were eight, and, corresponding to them, Jacob set up [eight kings] and nullified the kingdom of Esau during their time. They are the following (kings): Saul, Ish-bosheth, David, Solomon, Rehoboam, Abijah, Asa, and Jehoshaphat. During the days of his (Jehoshaphat’s) son Joram, however, it is written: “In his days, Edom revolted from under the power of Judah, and they appointed a king over themselves” (II Kings 8:20), [whereas] during Saul’s days it is written: “There was no king in Edom; a governor was king” (I Kings 22:48). [from Gen. Rabbah 83:2]
ואלה המלכים וגו': שמנה היו וכנגדן העמיד יעקב ובטל מלכות עשו בימיהם, ואלו הן שאול, ואיש בשת, דוד, ושלמה, רחבעם, אביה, אסא, יהושפט. ובימי יורם בנו כתיב (מ"ב ח כ) בימיו פשע אדום מתחת יד יהודה וימליכו עליהם מלך, ובימי שאול כתיב (מ"א כב מח) מלך אין באדום נצב מלך:
32. Bela, son of Beor reigned in Edom, and the name of his city was Dinhabah. לב. וַיִּמְלֹךְ בֶּאֱדוֹם בֶּלַע בֶּן בְּעוֹר וְשֵׁם עִירוֹ דִּנְהָבָה:
33. Bela died, and Jobab, son of Zerah of Bozrah, reigned in his stead. לג. וַיָּמָת בָּלַע וַיִּמְלֹךְ תַּחְתָּיו יוֹבָב בֶּן זֶרַח מִבָּצְרָה:
Jobab, son of Zerah of Bozrah: Bozrah was [one] of the Moabite cities, as it is said: “And to Kerioth and to Bozrah, etc.” (Jer. 48:24). Since it (Bozrah) appointed a king for Edom, it is destined to be punished with them (the Edomites), as it is said:“for the Lord has a slaughter in Bozrah” (Isa. 34:6). [from Gen. Rabbah 83:3]
יובב בן זרח מבצרה: בצרה מערי מואב היא, שנאמר (ירמיה מח כד) ועל קריות ועל בצרה וגו', ולפי שהעמידה מלך לאדום, עתידה ללקות עמהם, שנאמר (ישעיה לד ו) כי זבח לה' בבצרה:
34. And Jobab died, and Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his stead. לד. וַיָּמָת יוֹבָב וַיִּמְלֹךְ תַּחְתָּיו חֻשָׁם מֵאֶרֶץ הַתֵּימָנִי:
35. Husham died, and Hadad, son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his stead. The name of his city was Avith. לה. וַיָּמָת חֻשָׁם וַיִּמְלֹךְ תַּחְתָּיו הֲדַד בֶּן בְּדַד הַמַּכֶּה אֶת מִדְיָן בִּשְׂדֵה מוֹאָב וְשֵׁם עִירוֹ עֲוִית:
who defeated Moab in the field of Midian: For Midian came against Moab to wage war, and the king of Edom went to aid Moab. From here we learn that Midian and Moab were quarreling with one another, and in the days of Balaam they made peace, [in order] to band together against Israel. — [from Tanchuma Balak 3]
המכה את מדין בשדה מואב: שבא מדין על מואב למלחמה, והלך מלך אדום לעזור את מואב. ומכאן אנו למדים שהיו מדין ומואב מריבים זה עם זה, ובימי בלעם עשו שלום להתקשר על ישראל:
36. Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his stead. לו. וַיָּמָת הֲדָד וַיִּמְלֹךְ תַּחְתָּיו שַׂמְלָה מִמַּשְׂרֵקָה:
37. Samlah died, and Saul of Rehoboth by the river reigned in his stead. לז. וַיָּמָת שַׂמְלָה וַיִּמְלֹךְ תַּחְתָּיו שָׁאוּל מֵרְחֹבוֹת הַנָּהָר:
38. Saul died, and Baal Hanan, son of Achbor, reigned in his stead. לח. וַיָּמָת שָׁאוּל וַיִּמְלֹךְ תַּחְתָּיו בַּעַל חָנָן בֶּן עַכְבּוֹר:
39. Baal Hanan, son of Achbor died, and Hadar reigned in his stead. The name of his city was Pau; his wife's name was Mehetabel, daughter of Matred, the daughter of Me zahab. לט. וַיָּמָת בַּעַל חָנָן בֶּן עַכְבּוֹר וַיִּמְלֹךְ תַּחְתָּיו הֲדַר וְשֵׁם עִירוֹ פָּעוּ וְשֵׁם אִשְׁתּוֹ מְהֵיטַבְאֵל בַּת מַטְרֵד בַּת מֵי זָהָב:
the daughter of Me-zahab: [מִי זָהָב denotes:] What is gold? He was rich, and gold was of no importance to him. — [from Gen. Rabbah 83:4]
בת מי זהב: [שהיה אומר] מהו זהב, עשיר היה ואין זהב חשוב בעיניו לכלום:
40. And these are the names of the chieftains of Esau, according to their clans, according to their places, by their names: Chief Timna, Chief Alvah, Chief Jetheth; מ. וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת אַלּוּפֵי עֵשָׂו לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם לִמְקֹמֹתָם בִּשְׁמֹתָם אַלּוּף תִּמְנָע אַלּוּף עַלְוָה אַלּוּף יְתֵת:
And these are the names of the chieftains of Esau: who were called by the names of their provinces after Hadar died and their kingdom had ceased. The first ones mentioned above (verses 15-19) are the names of their generations, and so it is delineated in (I Chronicles 1: 51): And Hadar [sic] died, and the chiefs of Edom were Chief Timna, etc."
ואלה שמות אלופי עשו: שנקרא על שם מדינותיהם לאחר שמת הדד ופסקה מהם מלכות. והראשונים הנזכרים למעלה, הם שמות תולדותם, וכן מפורש בדברי הימים (דברי הימים א' א נא) וימת הדד ויהיו אלופי אדום אלוף תמנע וגו': 41. Chief Oholibamah, Chief Elah, Chief Pinon, מא. אַלּוּף אָהֳלִיבָמָה אַלּוּף אֵלָה אַלּוּף פִּינֹן:
42. Chief Kenaz, Chief Teman, Chief Mibzar, מב. אַלּוּף קְנַז אַלּוּף תֵּימָן אַלּוּף מִבְצָר:
43. Chief Magdiel, Chief Iram. These are the chieftains of Edom according to their dwelling places in the land of their possession. That is Esau, progenitor of the Edomites. מג. אַלּוּף מַגְדִּיאֵל אַלּוּף עִירָם אֵלֶּה | אַלּוּפֵי אֱדוֹם לְמשְׁבֹתָם בְּאֶרֶץ אֲחֻזָּתָם הוּא עֵשָׂו אֲבִי אֱדוֹם:
Magdiel: This is Rome. — [From Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer, ch. 38]
מגדיאל: היא רומי:
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Daily Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 72 - 76
• Chapter 72
David composed this psalm for Solomon, praying that he be granted the wisdom to provide justice for the poor.
1. For Solomon. O God, impart Your justice to the king, and Your righteousness to the son of the king.
2. May he judge Your people with righteousness, Your poor with justice.
3. May the mountains bear peace to the nation, also the hills, in [reward for their] righteousness.
4. May he judge the nation's poor, save the children of the destitute, and crush the oppressor,
5. so that they will fear You as long as the sun [shines] and the moon endures, generation after generation.
6. May [his words] descend like rain upon cut grass, like raindrops that water the earth.
7. In his days may the righteous flourish, with much peace until the moon is no more.
8. And may he rule from sea to sea, and from the river until the ends of the earth.
9. May nobles kneel before him, and may his enemies lick the dust.
10. The kings of Tarshish and the islands will return tribute, the kings of Sheba and Seba will offer gifts.
11. All kings will bow to him, all nations will serve him;
12. for he rescues the needy one who cries out, the poor one who has no one to help him.
13. He pities the impoverished and needy, and saves the souls of the destitute.
14. He redeems their soul from deception and violence, and their blood is precious in his eyes.
15. He revives [the poor], and gives him of the gold of Sheba; and so [the poor] pray for him always, and bless him all day.
16. May there be abundant grain in the land, upon the mountaintops; may its fruit rustle like the [cedars of] Lebanon, and may [people] blossom from the city like the grass of the earth.
17. May his name endure forever; may his name be magnified as long as the sun [shines]. And all nations will bless themselves by him, they will praise him.
18. Blessed is the Lord God, the God of Israel, Who alone performs wonders.
19. Blessed is His glorious Name forever, and may the whole earth be filled with His glory, Amen and Amen.
20. The prayers of David, son of Jesse, are concluded
Chapter 73
This psalm addresses the question of why the righteous suffer while the wicked prosper, and prays for an end to our long exile. Read, and you will find repose for your soul.
1. A psalm by Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, to the pure of heart.
2. But as for me, my feet nearly strayed; in an instant my steps would have been swept aside.
3. For I envied the revelers when I saw the tranquility of the wicked.
4. For there are no bonds1 to their death, and their health is sound.
5. They have no part in the toil of men, nor are they afflicted like other mortals;
6. therefore they wear pride as a necklace; their bodies are enwrapped in violence.
7. Their eyes bulge from fat; they surpassed the fantasies of their heart.
8. They consume [others], and talk wickedly of oppression-from on high do they speak.
9. They set their mouths against Heaven, while their tongues walk upon the earth.
10. Therefore His people return here,2 and suck the full [cup of bitter] waters.
11. And they say, "How can it be that God knows? Is there knowledge in the Most High?”
12. Behold these are the wicked, and they are ever tranquil, they have gained much wealth.
13. Surely in vain have I purified my heart, and washed my hands in cleanliness;
14. for I was afflicted all day, and my rebuke came each morning.
15. Were I to say, "I shall tell it like it is," behold I would turn the generation of Your children to rebels.
16. And when I pondered to understand this, it was unjust in my eyes;
17. until I came to the sanctuaries of God, and perceived their end.
18. Only on slippery places do You set them, You cast them into darkness.
19. How they have become desolate in an instant! They came to an end, they were consumed by terrors,
20. like a dream upon awakening. O my Lord, disgrace their image in the city.
21. When my heart was in ferment, and my mind was sharpened,
22. I was a boor and did not understand, like an animal was I with You.
23. Yet I was always with You; You held my right hand.
24. Guide me with Your counsel, and afterward, receive me with honor.
25. Whom do I have in heaven [besides You]? And when I am with You I desire nothing on earth.
26. My flesh and my heart yearn; God is the rock of my heart and my portion forever.
27. For behold, all those who are far from You perish, You cut down all who stray from You.
28. But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have put my trust in my Lord, God, that I may recount all Your works.
Chapter 74
The psalmist mourns and weeps over all the synagogues and study halls that have been burned: the Philistines destroyed the Tabernacle of Shiloh; Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the first Temple. We have been in exile for so long, without seeing any signs of redemption! When will the redemption come? Read, and you will find lamentation and consolation.
1. A maskil1 by Asaph. Why, O God, have You abandoned us forever, does Your wrath fume against the sheep of Your pasture?
2. Remember Your congregation which You acquired long ago, the tribe of Your inheritance whom You redeemed [and brought to] Mount Zion, where You rested Your Presence.
3. Lift Your steps to inflict eternal ruin, because of all the evil done by the enemy in the Sanctuary.
4. Your foes roared in the midst of Your meeting place; they considered their omens to be [genuine] signs.
5. The axes in the thicket of trees2 were reckoned as bringing [an offering] to the Above.
6. And now, all her ornaments together are smashed by hammer and hatchet.
7. They set Your Sanctuary on fire; they desecrated the Abode of Your Name to the ground.
8. Their rulers thought together in their hearts; they burned all the meeting places of God in the land.
9. We have not seen our signs; there is no longer a prophet, and there is none among us who knows how long.
10. How long, O God, will the adversary disgrace, will the enemy blaspheme Your Name forever!
11. Why do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand? Cast it out from within Your bosom!
12. For God is my King from long ago, working salvations in the midst of the earth.
13. In Your might, You divided the sea; You shattered the heads of the sea-monsters on the waters.
14. You crushed the heads of the Leviathan,3 leaving him as food for the nation [wandering in] the wilderness.
15. You split [the rock, bringing forth] fountain and brook; You dried up mighty streams.
16. Yours is the day, the night is also Yours; You established the moon and the sun.
17. You set all the boundaries of the earth; summer and winter-You created them.
18. Remember this, how the enemy reviled the Lord, and the vile nation blasphemed Your Name.
19. Do not give the soul of Your turtledove to the wild beast; do not forget the life of Your poor forever.
20. Look to the covenant, for the dark places of the earth are filled with dens of violence.
21. Do not turn back the oppressed in disgrace; [then] the poor and needy will praise Your Name.
22. Arise, O God, champion Your cause; remember Your insults from the perverse all day long.
23. Forget not the voice of Your adversaries; the tumult of Your opponents ascends always.
Chapter 75
How great is Israel! During their holidays they do not engage in frivolity, but in song and praise, and the study of the holiday's laws. Also, when they proclaimed (at the giving of the Torah), "We will do and we will hear!" they allowed the world to remain in existence. This psalm also admonishes those who indulge in worldly pleasures and attribute their prosperity to their own efforts.
1. For the Conductor, a plea not to be destroyed. A psalm by Asaph, a song.
2. We gave thanks to You, O God, we gave thanks; and Your Name was near [when] they1 told of Your wonders.
3. When I choose the appointed time, I will judge with fairness.
4. When the earth and all its inhabitants were melting, I established its pillars forever.
5. I said to the perverse, "Do not pervert [Israel]," and to the wicked, "Do not raise your pride.”
6. Do not raise your pride heavenward, nor speak with an arrogant neck
7. For not from the east or the west, nor from the desert does greatness come.
8. For God is Judge; He humbles one, and elevates the other.
9. For there is a cup [of punishment] in the hand of the Lord, with strong wine of full mixture; He pours from this, and all the wicked of the earth will drink, draining even its dregs.
10. But as for me, I will tell of it forever; I will sing to the God of Jacob.
11. I will cut off all glory of the wicked, but the glory of the righteous will be raised up.
Chapter 76
This psalm contains the prophecy of when the vast army of Sennacherib was seized with a deep slumber that rendered the hands of the soldiers powerless to raise their weapons; thus did they all fall in battle.
1. For the Conductor, with instrumental music, a psalm by Asaph, a song.
2. God is known in Judah, His Name is great in Israel.
3. His Tabernacle was in Shalem,1 and His dwelling place in Zion.
4. There He broke the flying arrows of the bow, the shield, the sword and battle-forever.
5. You are illumination, mightier than the mountains of prey.
6. The stout-hearted were without sense, they slept their sleep, and all the warriors were unable to find their strength.
7. At Your rebuke, O God of Jacob, chariot and horse were stunned.
8. You, awesome are You! Who can stand before You once You are enraged.
9. From heaven You let the verdict be heard; the earth feared and was still,
10. when God rose to pass judgement, to save all the humble of the earth forever.
11. The anger of man will cause us to thank You;2 You will restrain the residue of wrath.
12. Make vows to the Lord your God and fulfill them; all who surround Him will bring tribute to the Awesome One.
13. He cuts down the spirit of nobles; He is awesome to the kings of the earth.
____________________________
Tanya: Kuntres Acharon, beginning of Essay 6
• Lessons in Tanya
• Today's Tanya Lesson
Shabbat, 14 Kislev, 5775 • 6 December 2014
Kuntres Acharon, beginning of Essay 6
The last two Essays explained how the observance of the commandments seeks out the exiled sparks hidden in this world and thereby suffuses it with G‑dliness. They also pointed out that the same is true of the study of their laws. The present Essay goes one step further, and explains that the laws of the Torah transcend the world beyond any possible comparison.
When David triumphantly brought back the Ark from its captivity in the hands of the Philistines,1 it was placed on a wagon. David had momentarily forgotten the stipulation of the Torah,2 “On the shoulder shall they carry it.” Commenting on this episode, our Sages3 teach that David’s forgetfulness came as a punishment for his having referred to the laws of the Torah as “songs”:4 “Your statutes were songs for me in my place of terror.”
Why should this expression be regarded as an offense? And in what way is it related to its punishment?
These are among the questions discussed in the Essay before us, and at greater length in Likkutei Torah and Or HaTorah, and in Derech Mitzvotecha, Mitzvat Masa HaAron BaKatef.
דוד, זמירות קרית להו כו׳
“David! You call them songs?!”5
Because he had referred to the laws of the Torah as “songs”, David was punished by being made to6 “stumble in a matter that even schoolchildren know” — that the Ark is to be carried on the shoulders.
הנה בזהר: שבחא דאורייתא ורננה כו׳
In the Zohar7 we find the expression, “the praise of Torah and its song” — the Torah is a hymn and a song to G‑d.
ולהבין מהו השבח להקב״ה, כשזה אסור או מותר
Let us understand, what is the praise of G‑d when a particular object is forbidden or permitted.8
הנה הוא על דרך: מה גדלו מעשיך ה׳, מאד עמקו מחשבותיך
A similar concept is implicit [in the verse],9 “How great are Your works, O G‑d, Your thoughts are very deep.”
Why does the verse make the deed precede the thought? The Alter Rebbe will soon explain that from an appreciation of G‑d’s great works one begins to understand the depth of His thoughts.
כי הנה נודע שכל העולמות, עליונים ותחתונים, תלוים בדקדוק מצוה אחת
As is known, all the worlds, the exalted and the lowly, are dependent on the meticulous performance of a single mitzvah.
דרך משל: אם הקרבן כשר, נעשה יחוד עליון, ועולים כל העולמות לקבל חיותם ושפעם
For example, if an altar offering is valid then a Supernal Union in the Sefirot is effected, and all the worlds are elevated to receive their life-force and spiritual sustenance.10
ואם שינה, שקיבל הדם בשמאלו, דרך משל, או שלא בכלי שרת כשר, או שהיתה חציצה
However, if [the celebrant] altered the precise requirements of the law — if, for example, he received the blood of the offering with his left hand, or in an invalid vessel, or11 if there was a separation12 —
אזי נתבטלה עליות העולמות, וחיותם ושפעם מחיי החיים, אין סוף ברוך הוא
then all the elevations of the worlds that would have been accomplished are nullified, as is the life-force and sustenance that they would have received from the Source of Life, the Ein Sof, blessed be He.
וכן בתפילין כשרות, מתגלים מוחין עליונים דזו״נ, שהם מקור החיים לכל העולמות
So, too, through the use of valid tefillin there is revealed the Supernal Intellect of Zu”n, Za and Malchut of Atzilut, the source of life for all the worlds.
ובדקדוק אחד נפסלין, ומסתלקין המוחין
Yet through [the omission of] one required detail they are invalidated, and the Intellect departs.
וכהאי גוונא בדקדוקי מצות לא תעשה
The same applies to the detailed requirements of the prohibitory commandments — a single detail affects all the worlds.
והלכך המתבונן מה גדלו מעשי ה׳ שבריבוי העולמות וכל צבאם
Let one therefore ponder how great are the works of G‑d in the multiplicity of worlds and all their hosts,
ואיך כולם בטלים במציאות, לגבי דקדוק אחד מדקדוקי התורה
and how all of these are literally null, relative to any one of the specific requirements of the Torah,
שהוא עומק מחשבה העליונה וחכמתו יתברך
for it is the profundity of the Supreme thought and the Divine wisdom.
אשר בדקדוק קל, עולים כל העולמות ומקבלים חיותם ושפעם, או להיפך, חס ושלום
For through [the observance of] one minor specification, all the worlds ascend and receive their life-force and spiritual sustenance — or the reverse, G‑d forbid.
In the case of a detailed requirement of a prohibitory commandment, transgression brings about (G‑d forbid) a descent in all the worlds.
ומזה נתבונן גדולת עומק מחשבתו יתברך, שהוא בבחינת בלי גבול ותכלית
From this we may ponder the prodigious profundity of G‑d’s thought, which is boundless and endless,
ומעלתה לאין קץ ותכלית על מעלות חיות כל העולמות
and which infinitely transcends the vitality of all the worlds.
שכל חיותם שופע מדקדוק אחד ממנה
For their entire vivifying power issues from a minor requirement of [G‑d’s thought],
שהוא נמשך ממקורו, הוא עומק מחשבתו יתברך
[this requirement being] drawn from its source, namely the depth of G‑d’s thought that specified it.
כמו שער האדם הנמשך ממוחו, על דרך משל
Analogously, man’s hair issues from his brain,
וכנודע מהתיקונים והאידרא רבה
as is known from Tikkunei Zohar and Idra Rabbah.
וזאת היתה שמחת דוד המלך, עליו השלום, שהיה מזמר ומרנן לשמח לבו בעסק התורה בעת צרתו
This was the delight of King David, may he rest in peace, as he sang to gladden his heart in his Torah study during his time of anguish.
He was overjoyed when he contemplated how the entire world is of no account, relative to one minor specific detail of the Torah.
FOOTNOTES
1. II Shmuel 6; I Divrei HaYamim 13.
2. Bamidbar 7:9.
3. Sotah 35a.
4. Tehillim 119:54.
5. Sotah 35a.
6. Sotah 35a.
7. II, 8b.
8. Note of the Rebbe: “As is explicit in many sources, including Tanya, there are in fact six specific categories — mutar [‘permitted’], kasher [‘fit for use’], tahor [‘pure’], (and also, as in Tanya, end of ch. 52, patur [‘exempt’]?), and their respective opposites. It seems to me that the Alter Rebbe chose just these two categories [‘forbidden’ and ‘permitted’] because they embody a principle common to them all: assur [lit., ‘bound’] implies that something is held in the clutches of the sitra achra [and hence cannot be elevated to G‑d], while mutar [lit., ‘unbound’] is so called (as in Tanya [ch. 7; see also ch. 8]) because a permitted thing is free to be elevated.”
9. Tehillim 92:10.
10. Note of the Rebbe: “Cf. the end of Iggeret HaTeshuvah.”
11. The Rebbe notes that the first example is a change that relates to the person; the second is a change that relates to the vessel; while with regard to “there was a separation” the Rebbe notes that “both of the preceding stages were done without any change.”
12. “Separation” (chatzitzah) can denote (e.g.) the intervention of a foreign body between the Kohen and (i) the vessel (Zevachim 24a, in the mishnah) or (ii) the floor (the Gemara there, 15b) or (iii) his vestments (ibid., 19a).
____________________________
Rambam:
Daily Mitzvah N195, P37 Sefer Hamitzvot
Today's Mitzvah
Shabbat, 14 Kislev, 5775 • 6 December 2014
Daily Mitzvah N195, P37 Sefer Hamitzvot
Today's Mitzvah
Shabbat, 14 Kislev, 5775 • 6 December 2014
Negative Commandment 195
Gluttonous Eating and Drinking
"You shall not eat over the blood"—Leviticus 19:26.
A youth is forbidden to eat and drink in a gluttonous fashion, according to the specific [extreme] conditions that define a "rebellious son." (A rebellious son is put to death. As such, the Sages interpret the afore-cited verse to mean: "Do not eat [in such a manner that will cause] blood [i.e., death].")
Gluttonous Eating and Drinking
Negative Commandment 195
Translated by Berel Bell
The 195th prohibition is that we are forbidden from being a glutton and a drunkard in our youth, according to the specific conditions1 which define a ben sorer u'moreh [rebellious son].
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement2 (exalted be He), "Do not eat on the blood."3
The explanation [of why this is counted as a prohibition instead of a positive commandment to punish the ben sorer u'moreh] is that the ben sorer u'moreh is included among those who are executed by the High Court. The Torah states clearly4 that the method of execution is stoning. We already explained in the Introduction to this work5 that whenever the Torah indicates a punishment of kares or execution, the mitzvah is a prohibition, except for the Pesach sacrifice and circumcision. We therefore know that the present mitzvah is a prohibition, since this glutton and drunkard is punished by stoning if all the conditions are present.
We have mentioned the source for the punishment, but according to our principle that the Torah gives a punishment only if there is another verse which states the actual prohibition, we still need to find the actual prohibition. The Gemara says in Sanhedrin,6 "Which verse serves as the prohibition of ben sorer u'moreh? The verse, 'Do not eat on the blood.' " It is as if the verse says, "Do not eat in a way that will cause bloodshed," i.e. the eating of this glutton and drunkard which is punishable by execution. If a person would eat this wicked meal with all the negative conditions, he would transgress this prohibition.
It doesn't matter that this is a lav she'b'klalus,7 as explained in the Ninth Introductory Principle, because since there is a separate verse stating the punishment, we are not concerned whether the actual prohibition comes from a separate law or a lav she'b'klalus. We have already explained this many times and given many examples.8
The details of this mitzvah are explained in the eighth chapter of tractate Sanhedrin.
FOOTNOTES
1.For example, he must buy and consume 50 dinars worth of meat with money stolen from his father. It must be cooked rare, and eaten outside his father's property in bad company. It must be done in the three month period after he reaches bar mitzvah. See Hilchos Mamrim, Ch. 7.
2.Lev. 19:26.
3.See below, where the Rambam explains the connection of this verse to this prohibition.
4.Deut. 21:21.
5.End of Introductory Principle 14.
6.63a.
7.An "inclusive prohibition," i.e. one which includes several distinct prohibitions. The general rule regarding a lav she'b'klalus is that it counts as just one commandment even though it includes several distinct prohibitions. (See Introductory Principle Nine and N299.)
This verse, "Do not eat on the blood," is explained in Sanhedrin to include other prohibitions, such as eating sacrificial meat before the blood is spilt on the altar (N182). Although usually the separate aspects of a lav she'b'klalus are included in one single prohibition, N195 does not have this problem, as the Rambam explains further.
8.See, for example, N26; N60.
________________________________________
Positive Commandment 37
A Priest's Attendance at a Next of Kin's Funeral
"For [his sister], he must become impure"—Leviticus 21:3.
Priests are commanded to become ritually impure [by attending the funerals of] their next of kin. Since the Torah normally forbids priests from becoming impure through contact with a corpse, one might think that the allowance for them to attend the funeral of a relative is simply to provide them with that option, but is not compulsory. Therefore the Torah clarifies that it is mandatory. As the Talmud related that Yosef the Priest's wife died on the eve of Passover and he didn't want to become impure by attending her funeral [so that he should be able to sacrifice and eat from the Paschal Offering], so the Sages "pushed" him and forced him become impure.
Included in this mitzvah is the general obligation that everyone – priests and Israelites alike – mourn the deaths of their next of kin. (And it is because of the priest's obligation to mourn that the Torah obligates him to attend the funeral and show his respects.) According to Torah law, the mourning period is one day [following the burial]; the Sages extended this to a seven-day period of mourning.
A Priest's Attendance at a Next of Kin's Funeral
Positive Commandment 37
Translated by Berel Bell
The 37th mitzvah is that we are commanded that Kohanim shall make themselves tameh1 for those relatives mentioned in the Torah.2 Since the Torah honored them by prohibiting them from being tameh from a dead body alone,3 and allowed them to become tameh for relatives, one could possibly think that it is optional and depends on their wishes: if they wish, they may become tameh, and if not, they will not become tameh. The Torah therefore explicitly decreed that it is a requirement.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement4 (exalted be He), [regarding the kohen's sister], "You shall become tameh for her."
The Sifra5 says, "The phrase, 'You shall become tameh for her,' is a positive commandment. Even should he not want to become tameh, he is made tameh against his will. The wife of Yosef HaKohen passed away on Erev Pesach, and he did not want to become tameh,6 and the Sages forced him to become tameh against his will."
This mitzvah is actually the commandment to mourn, i.e. that every Jew is required to mourn upon the passing of one of the six7 for who it is commanded to mourn. The commandment is said regarding a kohen to emphasize its seriousness: Even a kohen, who is normally forbidden from becoming tameh, is commanded in this case to act like any other Jew and become tameh. [It is stressed in this way] in order to prevent people from being lenient in the laws of mourning.
It has been explained8 that the first day of mourning is mandated by Torah law. Our Sages said in tractate Moed Katan,9 "The commandment of mourning does not apply during Yom Tov. If the person was already mourning [when Yom Tov began], the positive commandment which applies to everyone [i.e. rejoicing during Yom Tov] pushes away the positive commandment which applies only to the individual" [i.e. mourning]. This [phrase "positive commandment"] indicates clearly that mourning is a Torah obligation and counts as a positive commandment. However, this is only for the first day, when even a kohen becomes tameh upon the passing of a close relative. The seven days of mourning are by Rabbinic law. Be sure to understand this.
The details of this mitzvah are explained in tractate "Mashkin,"10 passages in Berachos,11 Kesuvos,12 Yevamos,13 and Avodah Zorah,14 and in Sifra, Parshas Emor el HaKohanim.
The requirement of Kohanim to become tameh for a close relative is not binding upon female Kohanim. Only one who is prohibited from becoming tameh for non-relatives is commanded to become tameh for relatives. A female kohen, since she is not prohibited from tumas meis, as explained there,15 she is also not commanded or required to become tameh [upon death of a relative]. She is required to mourn, but becoming tameh is her choice. Be sure to understand this.
FOOTNOTES
1.I.e. ritually impure by attending the funeral of a close relative.
2.Lev. 21:2-3. I.e. father, mother, son, daughter, brother and sister. By Rabbinic law, this also applies to a husband and wife. See Hilchos Avel, 2:1.
3.And not other types of tumah
4.Lev. 21:3.
5.Ibid.
6.For her burial. Even though he was allowed to become tameh, he would then be unable to fulfill the mitzvah of partaking in the Pesach sacrifice.
7.See Kapach, 5731, footnote 26.
8.Zevachim 100a.
9.14b.
10.Moed Katan 19ff.
11.18a.
12.4b.
13.22b et al.
14.13a.
15.N166.
________________________________________
Gluttonous Eating and Drinking
"You shall not eat over the blood"—Leviticus 19:26.
A youth is forbidden to eat and drink in a gluttonous fashion, according to the specific [extreme] conditions that define a "rebellious son." (A rebellious son is put to death. As such, the Sages interpret the afore-cited verse to mean: "Do not eat [in such a manner that will cause] blood [i.e., death].")
Gluttonous Eating and Drinking
Negative Commandment 195
Translated by Berel Bell
The 195th prohibition is that we are forbidden from being a glutton and a drunkard in our youth, according to the specific conditions1 which define a ben sorer u'moreh [rebellious son].
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement2 (exalted be He), "Do not eat on the blood."3
The explanation [of why this is counted as a prohibition instead of a positive commandment to punish the ben sorer u'moreh] is that the ben sorer u'moreh is included among those who are executed by the High Court. The Torah states clearly4 that the method of execution is stoning. We already explained in the Introduction to this work5 that whenever the Torah indicates a punishment of kares or execution, the mitzvah is a prohibition, except for the Pesach sacrifice and circumcision. We therefore know that the present mitzvah is a prohibition, since this glutton and drunkard is punished by stoning if all the conditions are present.
We have mentioned the source for the punishment, but according to our principle that the Torah gives a punishment only if there is another verse which states the actual prohibition, we still need to find the actual prohibition. The Gemara says in Sanhedrin,6 "Which verse serves as the prohibition of ben sorer u'moreh? The verse, 'Do not eat on the blood.' " It is as if the verse says, "Do not eat in a way that will cause bloodshed," i.e. the eating of this glutton and drunkard which is punishable by execution. If a person would eat this wicked meal with all the negative conditions, he would transgress this prohibition.
It doesn't matter that this is a lav she'b'klalus,7 as explained in the Ninth Introductory Principle, because since there is a separate verse stating the punishment, we are not concerned whether the actual prohibition comes from a separate law or a lav she'b'klalus. We have already explained this many times and given many examples.8
The details of this mitzvah are explained in the eighth chapter of tractate Sanhedrin.
FOOTNOTES
1.For example, he must buy and consume 50 dinars worth of meat with money stolen from his father. It must be cooked rare, and eaten outside his father's property in bad company. It must be done in the three month period after he reaches bar mitzvah. See Hilchos Mamrim, Ch. 7.
2.Lev. 19:26.
3.See below, where the Rambam explains the connection of this verse to this prohibition.
4.Deut. 21:21.
5.End of Introductory Principle 14.
6.63a.
7.An "inclusive prohibition," i.e. one which includes several distinct prohibitions. The general rule regarding a lav she'b'klalus is that it counts as just one commandment even though it includes several distinct prohibitions. (See Introductory Principle Nine and N299.)
This verse, "Do not eat on the blood," is explained in Sanhedrin to include other prohibitions, such as eating sacrificial meat before the blood is spilt on the altar (N182). Although usually the separate aspects of a lav she'b'klalus are included in one single prohibition, N195 does not have this problem, as the Rambam explains further.
8.See, for example, N26; N60.
________________________________________
Positive Commandment 37
A Priest's Attendance at a Next of Kin's Funeral
"For [his sister], he must become impure"—Leviticus 21:3.
Priests are commanded to become ritually impure [by attending the funerals of] their next of kin. Since the Torah normally forbids priests from becoming impure through contact with a corpse, one might think that the allowance for them to attend the funeral of a relative is simply to provide them with that option, but is not compulsory. Therefore the Torah clarifies that it is mandatory. As the Talmud related that Yosef the Priest's wife died on the eve of Passover and he didn't want to become impure by attending her funeral [so that he should be able to sacrifice and eat from the Paschal Offering], so the Sages "pushed" him and forced him become impure.
Included in this mitzvah is the general obligation that everyone – priests and Israelites alike – mourn the deaths of their next of kin. (And it is because of the priest's obligation to mourn that the Torah obligates him to attend the funeral and show his respects.) According to Torah law, the mourning period is one day [following the burial]; the Sages extended this to a seven-day period of mourning.
A Priest's Attendance at a Next of Kin's Funeral
Positive Commandment 37
Translated by Berel Bell
The 37th mitzvah is that we are commanded that Kohanim shall make themselves tameh1 for those relatives mentioned in the Torah.2 Since the Torah honored them by prohibiting them from being tameh from a dead body alone,3 and allowed them to become tameh for relatives, one could possibly think that it is optional and depends on their wishes: if they wish, they may become tameh, and if not, they will not become tameh. The Torah therefore explicitly decreed that it is a requirement.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement4 (exalted be He), [regarding the kohen's sister], "You shall become tameh for her."
The Sifra5 says, "The phrase, 'You shall become tameh for her,' is a positive commandment. Even should he not want to become tameh, he is made tameh against his will. The wife of Yosef HaKohen passed away on Erev Pesach, and he did not want to become tameh,6 and the Sages forced him to become tameh against his will."
This mitzvah is actually the commandment to mourn, i.e. that every Jew is required to mourn upon the passing of one of the six7 for who it is commanded to mourn. The commandment is said regarding a kohen to emphasize its seriousness: Even a kohen, who is normally forbidden from becoming tameh, is commanded in this case to act like any other Jew and become tameh. [It is stressed in this way] in order to prevent people from being lenient in the laws of mourning.
It has been explained8 that the first day of mourning is mandated by Torah law. Our Sages said in tractate Moed Katan,9 "The commandment of mourning does not apply during Yom Tov. If the person was already mourning [when Yom Tov began], the positive commandment which applies to everyone [i.e. rejoicing during Yom Tov] pushes away the positive commandment which applies only to the individual" [i.e. mourning]. This [phrase "positive commandment"] indicates clearly that mourning is a Torah obligation and counts as a positive commandment. However, this is only for the first day, when even a kohen becomes tameh upon the passing of a close relative. The seven days of mourning are by Rabbinic law. Be sure to understand this.
The details of this mitzvah are explained in tractate "Mashkin,"10 passages in Berachos,11 Kesuvos,12 Yevamos,13 and Avodah Zorah,14 and in Sifra, Parshas Emor el HaKohanim.
The requirement of Kohanim to become tameh for a close relative is not binding upon female Kohanim. Only one who is prohibited from becoming tameh for non-relatives is commanded to become tameh for relatives. A female kohen, since she is not prohibited from tumas meis, as explained there,15 she is also not commanded or required to become tameh [upon death of a relative]. She is required to mourn, but becoming tameh is her choice. Be sure to understand this.
FOOTNOTES
1.I.e. ritually impure by attending the funeral of a close relative.
2.Lev. 21:2-3. I.e. father, mother, son, daughter, brother and sister. By Rabbinic law, this also applies to a husband and wife. See Hilchos Avel, 2:1.
3.And not other types of tumah
4.Lev. 21:3.
5.Ibid.
6.For her burial. Even though he was allowed to become tameh, he would then be unable to fulfill the mitzvah of partaking in the Pesach sacrifice.
7.See Kapach, 5731, footnote 26.
8.Zevachim 100a.
9.14b.
10.Moed Katan 19ff.
11.18a.
12.4b.
13.22b et al.
14.13a.
15.N166.
________________________________________
Rambam:
• 1 Chapter a Day: Melachim uMilchamot Melachim uMilchamot - Chapter 4Melachim uMilchamot - Chapter 4
Halacha 1
The king is granted license to levy taxes upon the nation for his needs or for the purpose of war. He may also fix a duty on merchandise. It is forbidden to avoid paying this duty. The king has the right to decree that if someone does not pay these duties, his property will be seized or he will be killed.
These laws are derived as follows: I Samuel 8:17 states: 'You will be servants to him, the king.' Previously, Deuteronomy 20:11 states: 'They shall be subject to your levy and they shall serve you.' From this association, it is derived that the king may levy taxes and fix duties.
The statutes that he establishes in these and related matters are accepted as law for all the matters mentioned in the Biblical passage concerning the king are rights to which the king is entitled.
Halacha 2
He may also send throughout the territory of Eretz Yisrael and take from the nation valiant men and men of war and employ them as soldiers for his chariot and cavalry. Similarly, he may appoint them as his body guard and as footmen to run before him as I Samuel 8:11 states: 'He shall place them among his charioteers and his horsemen and they shall run before his chariot.' He may also take the choicest of them to be his servants and attendants as ibid.:16 states: 'He shall take... your finest young men... to do his work.'
Halacha 3
Similarly, he may take all those that are necessary for him from the nation's craftsmen and employ them to do his work. He must pay their wages. He may also take all the beasts, servants, and maids that are necessary for his tasks. He must pay their hire or their value as ibid.:12-16 states: 'He will set them to plough his ground and to reap his harvest, to make instruments of war, and gear for his chariots.... He will take your servants, your maids, your finest young men, and your donkeys to do his work.'
Halacha 4
Similarly, he may take wives and concubines from the entire territory of Eretz Yisrael. The term 'wives' implies women who were married with A ketubah and kiddushin; concubines, women who were not given A ketubah and kiddushin. With the act of yichud alone, the king acquires her and relations with her are permitted him.
A commoner is forbidden to have a concubine. The only similar relationship is the union with a Hebrew maid servant after she has been designated by her master.
The king may make the concubines which he takes to his palace cooks, bakers, and perfumers as ibid.:13 states: 'He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers.
Halacha 5
He may force those who are fit to serve as officers, appointing them as leaders of thousands and leaders of fifties as ibid.:12 states: 'He shall appoint them as leaders of thousands and leaders of fifties for himself.'
Halacha 6
He may take fields, olive groves, and vineyards for his servants when they go to war and allow them to commandeer these places if they have no source of nurture other than them. He must pay for what is taken. This is stated in ibid.:14: 'He shall take your good fields, vineyards, and olive groves and give them to his servants.
Halacha 7
He is entitled to a tenth of the produce of the seed and the orchards and the newborn beasts as ibid.:16-17 states: 'He will take a tenth of your seed and your vineyards...He shall take a tenth of your sheep.'
Halacha 8
The Messianic king may take a thirteenth portion of all the lands conquered by Israel as his own. This will be an allotment for him and his descendants forever.
Halacha 9
The property of all those executed by the king, belongs to the king. Similarly, all the treasures belonging to the kings of the kingdoms which he conquers become the property of the king.
In regard to the other spoil which is taken. The soldiers may take spoil. Afterwards, they must bring it to the king. He is entitled to one half of the spoil. He takes this portion first.
The second half of the spoil is divided between the combat soldiers and the people who remained in camp to guard the baggage. An equal division is made between them as I Samuel 30:24 relates: 'The portion of those who go down to the battle will be as the portion of those who stay with the baggage. They shall divide equally.'
Halacha 10
All the lands that he conquers belong to him. He may apportion them to his servants and soldiers as he desires and keep the remainder for himself. In all these matters, the judgement he makes is binding.
In all matters, his deeds shall be for the sake of heaven. His purpose and intent shall be to elevate the true faith and fill the world with justice, destroying the power of the wicked and waging the wars of God. For the entire purpose of appointing a king is to execute justice and wage wars as I Samuel 8:20 states: 'Our king shall judge us, go out before us, and wage our wars.'
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Rambam:
• 3 Chapters a Day: Mamrim Mamrim - Chapter 7, Avel Avel - Chapter 1, Avel Avel - Chapter 2
Mamrim - Chapter 7
INTRODUCTION
Deuteronomy 21:18-21 states:
If a person will have a wayward and rebellious son who does not heed the voice of his father or the voice of his mother and they chastise him, but he does not heed them. His father and mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city and to the gate of his place. They say to the elders of his city: "This son of ours is wayward and rebellious. He does not heed our voice; he is gluttonous and a lush." All of the men of his city will clout him with stones, killing him, and you shall remove evil from your midst. All Israel shall hear and fear.
Our Sages (primarily in Sanhedrin 68b ff) interpret this passage precisely, explaining how each term used in the passage teaches us a different concept. In the chapter that follows, the Rambam summarizes and organizes their teachings, giving us a clear-cut picture of the requirements of the mitzvah. It is important to emphasize that there is a difference of opinion among our Sages if the judgment of "a wayward and rebellious son" ever took place (Sanhedrin 71a). Some maintain that such a judgment was never issued. Indeed, from all the particulars mentioned by the Rambam, one can understand that it could be impossible for such a judgment to have been issued. Others maintain that they know of an instance where an individual was executed because of this transgression.
Sanhedrin 72a asks: Is eating the gluttonous meal (to be described by the Rambam) a sufficient cause for a person to be executed? In resolution, our Sages explain that the Torah considered the ultimate fate of such a person. He will be drawn after his natural tendencies and continue to steal and eat gluttonously. Ultimately, he will become a robber and slay people in order to support his habit. It is preferable, the Torah maintains, for him to be executed early in life, before he commits such severe sins.
Halacha 1
It is explicitly stated that the wayward and rebellious son described in the Torah should be stoned to death. Now the Torah does not administer a punishment unless a warning was issued first. Where was the warning issued? In Leviticus 19:26: "Do not eat upon the blood," which can be interpreted to mean: "Do not partake of food that will lead to the shedding of blood." This refers to the meal eaten by the wayward and rebellious son who is executed only because of the hateful feast of which he partook as Deuteronomy 21:20 states: "He is gluttonous and a lush." According to the Oral Tradition, we learned that this was interpreted to mean that he ate meat and drank wine in a ravenous manner.
Halacha 2
There are many particulars involved in the meal for which he is liable for eating. All of these are conveyed by the Oral Tradition. He is not liable for stoning until he steals from his father and buys meat and wine at a cheap price. He must then eat it outside his father's domain, together with a group that are all empty and base. He must eat meat that is raw, but not entirely raw, cooked but not entirely cooked, as is the practice of thieves. He must drink the wine as it is thinned as the alcoholics drink. He must eat a quantity of meat weighing 50 dinarim in one sitting, and drink half a log of this wine at one time.
If he stole from his father and partook of such a meal inside his father's domain, or stole from others and partook of this hateful meal in his father's domain or in another's domain, he is not liable. If the meal involves a mitzvah, even a mitzvah of Rabbinic origin, or the meal involves a transgression, even a transgression of Rabbinic origin, he is not liable. This may be inferred from the phrase (Ibid.): "He does not heed our voice"; i.e., through eating this meal, he violates only his parents' command. This excludes one who through this meal violates the words of the Torah or who partakes of it for the sake of a mitzvah.
What is implied? If he partook of such a hateful meal together with a wicked company for the sake of a mitzvah, or he partook of the second tithe in Jerusalem, even if they eat a meal comforting the bereaved which is a mitzvah of Rabbinic origin, he is not liable. Similarly, if he ate meat from animals that were not ritually slaughtered or which were trefe, teeming animals or crawling animals, and even if he ate on a communal fast day, a transgression of Rabbinic origin, he is not liable for execution.
Halacha 3
If he partook of any type of food, but did not partake of meat, even if he partook of fowl, he is not liable. If he partook of this meal from meat, but reached the sum of 50 dinarim by including fowl, he is liable. If he drank other beverages, but did not drink wine, he is not liable.
Halacha 4
When he ate raw meat and undiluted wine, he is not liable. The rationale is that this is an occasional occurrence and not something that a person will be drawn after. Similarly, if he ate this meal of salted meat on the third day after it was salted, or drank fresh grape juice, he is not liable. For a person will not be drawn after such matters.
Halacha 5
For this transgression, the Torah does not punish a child who has not come to the age where he is responsible for the observance of mitzvot. Similarly, a man who has matured and is independent is not stoned to death, because he ate and drank such a hateful meal.
What is implied? According to the Oral Tradition, we learned that this law concerns a youth of thirteen between the time he grew two pubic hairs and the time at which his entire male organ is surrounded by pubic hair. After the entire male organ is surrounded by pubic hair, he is considered as independent and is not executed by stoning.
Halacha 6
The entire period for which a "wayward and rebellious son" is liable is only three months from the time he manifests signs of physical maturity. For it is possible that his wife will conceive and her fetus will be recognizable within three months. This is derived from Deuteronomy 21:18: "If a person will have a wayward and rebellious son..."; a son, and not a "wayward and rebellious father."
Thus one may conclude that if one's pubic hair surrounds the entire organ before the three months are completed, he is not liable.
Halacha 7
How is the judgment of a "wayward and rebellious son" adjudicated? First, his father and mother bring him to a court of three judges and tell them: "Our son is wayward and rebellious." They bring two witnesses who testify that he stole from his father and bought meat and wine with what he stole and partook of the meal described above after being warned. This is the first testimony.
He receives lashes as are administered to all of those who are obligated to be lashed, as Deuteronomy 21:20 states: "they chastise him, but he does not heed them." Should he steal from his father a second time and partake of such a meal, his father and mother bring him to a court of 23 judges. They bring two witnesses who testify that he stole and partook of this meal after being warned. This is the second testimony. It is acceptable if the first two witnesses also deliver the latter testimony.
After their testimony is heard, the youth is examined to see if his pubic hair surrounded his entire male organ. If that is not the case and it is not three months after he became thirteen, he complete the judgment against him as is done with all those executed by the court and he is stoned to death. He is not stoned to death unless the three judges who originally sentenced him to be lashed are present. This is implied by the phrase: "This son of ours," i.e., the one that was lashed in your presence."
Halacha 8
If his father and his mother forgave him before he was sentenced, he is not liable.
Halacha 9
If he fled before he was sentenced to death and afterwards, his pubic hair surrounded his organ, he is not liable. If he fled after he was sentenced, even if he grows old, whenever he is discovered, he should be stoned to death. For whenever a person has been sentenced to death, it is as if he has already been slain and he has no blood.
Halacha 10
If his father desires to convict him and his mother does not desire, or his mother desires and his father does not desire, he is not judged as a "wayward and rebellious son," as implied by Deuteronomy 21:19: "His father and mother shall take hold of him."
If one of the parents has had his arm amputated, was lame, dumb, blind, or deaf, the son is not judged as a "wayward and rebellious son." These concepts are derived as follows: "His father and mother shall take hold of him" - This excludes parents with amputated arms" "And bring him out" - this excludes the lame. "They say" - this excludes the dumb. "This son of ours" - This excludes the blind. "He does not heed our voice" - This excludes the dumb.
Halacha 11
There is a Scriptural decree that a "wayward and rebellious son" should be stoned to death. A daughter, by contrast, is not judged in this manner. The rationale is that she does not have the tendency to become habituated to eating and drinking. For this reason, the Torah states: "A son," i.e., and not a daughter. A tumtum and an adrogynus are also excluded.
Halacha 12
When an operation is performed on a tumtum and it is discovered that he is a male, he is not judged as a "wayward and rebellious son." The rationale is Deuteronomy 21:18 states: "If a person will have a wayward and rebellious son...." Implied is that he must be a son at the time he receives the warning.
Halacha 13
An announcement must be made concerning the execution of a "wayward and rebellious son." What type of announcement is made? A declaration is written and sent to the entire Jewish people: "In this-and-this court, we stoned so-and-so because he was a "wayward and rebellious son.'
Halacha 14
A "wayward and rebellious son" is like all others executed by the court; their estate is inherited by their heirs. Even though the person's father caused him to be stoned to death, the father inherits all of his possessions.
Blessed be God who grants assistance.
Avel - Chapter 1
HILCHOT EVEL
They include four mitzvot: one positive commandment and three negative commandments:
They are:
1. To mourn for one's close relatives; even a priest must become impure and mourns for his close relatives. A person should not mourn for individuals executed by the court. For this reason, I have included these laws in this book,2 for they relate to the mitzvah of burying the dead on the day of their passing which is a positive commandment.3 2. For a High Priest not to become impure because of his close relatives;
3. For him not to enter under the same shelter as a corpse;
4. For an ordinary priest not to become impure because of a corpse except for that of his close relatives. These mitzvot are explained in the coming chapters.
Halacha 1
It is a positive commandment to mourn for one's close relatives,1 as implied by Leviticus 10:20: "Were I to partake of a sin offering today, would it find favor in God's eyes?" According to Scriptural Law, the obligation to mourn is only on the first day which is the day of the person's death and burial. The remainder of the seven days of mourning are not required by Scriptural Law. Although the Torah states Genesis 50:10: "And he instituted mourning for his father for seven days," when the Torah was given, the laws were renewed.
Moses our teacher ordained for the Jewish people the seven days of mourning and the seven days of wedding celebrations.
Halacha 2
From when is a person obligated to mourn? When the grave is covered. But until the corpse has been buried, a mourner is not bound by any of the prohibitions incumbent on a mourner. For this reason, King David washed and anointed himself when his son died, before he was buried.
Halacha 3
When does the obligation to mourn and count the seven and the thirty days of mourning for people executed by the gentile authorities who they do not allow to be buried? When their relatives despair of asking permission from the king to bury them, even though they did not despair of stealing their corpses to bury them.
Halacha 4
When a person drowned in a river or was consumed by a wild beast, we begin mourning for him when we despair of finding his corpse. If his corpse was found limb by limb, we do not begin counting the days of mourning until his head and the majority of his body is found or they despair of finding the remainder of his corpse.
Halacha 5
When it is customary for people to send a corpse to another city to be buried and they do not know when the burial will take place, from the time they turn back from accompanying the corpse, they are obligated to count the seven and thirty days of mourning and begin mourning rites.
Halacha 6
We do not mourn for stillborn infants. Whenever a human offspring does not live for 30 days, he is considered as stillborn. Even if he died on the thirtieth day, we do not mourn for him.
Halacha 7
If we know for certain that he was born after a full nine months of pregnancy, we mourn for him even if he died on the day of his birth.
Halacha 8
A fetus from a full term pregnancy that was stillborn, a child born in the eighth month of pregnancy who died even after living 30 days, or a fetus that emerged cut or crushed even though it endured a full term pregnancy is considered stillborn. We do not observe mourning rites for them and we do not engage in activity on their behalf.
Halacha 9
We observe mourning rites for all of those executed by the government, even when they were executed by the government's laws and the Torah granted it license to execute them. We don't withhold anything from them. Their estate is given to the government, but they are buried in their ancestral plots.
We do not, by contrast, observe mourning rites for those executed by the court. We do, however, observe the rites of bitter regret (aninut), for aninut is an expression of the feelings in one's heart. They are not buried with their ancestors until their corpses have decomposed. Their estate, however, is granted to their heirs.
Halacha 10
We do not conduct mourning rites for all those who deviate from the path of the community, i.e., people who throw off the yoke of the mitzvot from their necks and do not join together with the Jewish people in the observance of the mitzvot, the honoring of the festivals, or the attendance of synagogues and houses of study. Instead, they are like free and independent people like the other nations. Similarly, we do not mourn for heretics, apostates, and people who inform on Jews to the gentiles. Instead, their brothers and their other relatives wear white clothes, robe themselves in white, eat, drink, and celebrate for the enemies of the Holy One, blessed be He, have perished. Concerning them, Psalms139:21 states: "Those who hate You, O God, will I hate."
Halacha 11
When a person commits suicide, we do not engage in activity on their behalf at all. We do not mourn for him or eulogize him. We do, however, stand in a line to comfort the relatives, recite the blessing for the mourners and perform any act that shows respect for the living.
What is meant by a person who commits suicide? Not necessarily one who climbs up on a roof, falls, and dies, but rather, one who says: "I am going up to the top of the roof." If we see him climb up immediately in anger or know that he was distressed and see him fall and die, we presume such a person is one who committed suicide. If, however, we see him strangled and hanging from a tree or slain and lying on the back of his sword, we presume that he is like all other corpses. We engage in activity on his behalf and do not withhold anything from him.
Avel - Chapter 2
Halacha 1
These are the relatives for whom a person is obligated to mourn according to Scriptural Law: His mother, his father, his son, his daughter, his paternal brother and paternal sister. According to Rabbinic Law, a man should also mourn for his wife if she dies while they are married. And a woman should mourn for her husband. Similarly, a person should mourn for a maternal brother and sister.
Halacha 2
Even a priest who does not become impure for his maternal brother and sister or for his paternal sister who is married, mourns for them. For his married paternal sister who is married, he is required to mourn by Scriptural Law.
Halacha 3
A person who has a son or a brother born by a maid-servant or a gentile woman should not mourn for them at all. Similarly, when a person and his sons convert or a person and his mother are freed from slavery, they do not mourn for each other.
Similarly, a person does not observe either the rites of aninut or the mourning rites for a wife whom he has consecrated, but not married. Similarly, she does not observe either of these rites for him.
Halacha 4
Whenever a person is obligated to mourn for a relative, he also mourns with that relative in his presence according to Rabbinical Law.
What is implied? If a person's grandson, his son's maternal brother, or son's mother dies, he is obligated to rend his garments in the presence of his son and follow the mourning rites while in his presence. Outside his presence, he is not obligated. Similar laws apply with regard to other relatives.
Halacha 5
With regard to a wife with whom one is married: Although one must mourn for her, he does not mourn together with her for her other relatives with the exception of her father and her mother. He observes the rites of mourning for them in her presence.
When a man's father-in-law or mother-in-law dies, he overturns his bed and observes the mourning rites together with his wife within her presence, but not outside her presence. Similarly, when a woman's father-in-law or mother-in-law dies, she observes the rites of mourning in her husband's presence. With regard to other relatives, by contrast, e.g., the brother of one's wife or her son dies or when the brother of one's husband or his son dies, they do not observe the mourning rites in respect for each other.
Similarly, it appears to me that if the wife of a person's relative dies or the husband of one of his relatives, e.g., the wife of one's son or the husband of one's daughter, one need not observe mourning rites for them. Similar concepts apply in all analogous situations.
Halacha 6
See how severe the mitzvah of mourning is! For the prohibition against ritual impurity is superseded so that a priest can tend to his relatives' burial and mourn for them, as Leviticus 21:2-3 states: "Except to one's flesh, to whom he is close, to his mother... to her shall he become impure." This is a positive commandment; if he does not desire to become impure, we force him to become impure against his will.
To whom does the above apply? To males who are commanded against contracting ritual impurity. Different rules apply to female members of the priestly family. Since they are not commanded against contracting ritual impurity, they are also not commanded to become impure when tending to their relatives' burial. If they desire, they may become impure and if not, they do not become impure.
Halacha 7
A priest is forced to contact ritual impurity to tend to his deceased wife. This obligation is Rabbinic in origin. Our Sages had her considered as an unattended corpse. Since she has no other heir aside from him, there will be no one else to tend to her. He becomes impure only for a wife he has married. If he has merely consecrated her, he does not become impure for her.
Halacha 8
Similarly, a priest does not become impure for any of those individuals for whom we do not mourn as stated above: e.g., those executed by the court, those who deviate from the ways of the community, stillborn infants, and those who commit suicide.
Until when does the mitzvah to become impure apply? Until the grave is covered. Once the grave is covered, however, the graves of one's close relatives are like those of any other corpse. If a priest becomes impure for their sake, he should be punished by lashes.
Halacha 9
A priest should not become impure for the sake of a wife whom he is forbidden to marry. Therefore if a woman heard a report that her husband died and hence remarried, and then her first husband came, neither husband should become impure for her sake, for she is forbidden to remain married to either of them.
A priest may, however, become impure for the sake of his mother, even though she is a challalah and he may become impure for the sake of his son, his daughter, his brother and his sister even though they are of tarnished lineage. Even if they are illegitimate, he should become impure for their sake.
Halacha 10
When a priest's sister is married - even to another priest, he does not become impure for her sake, "as Leviticus 21:3 states: "his virgin sister who is close to him who has not been with a man." "Virgin" excludes a girl who has been raped or seduced. Should we also exclude a woman who attain majority or a woman who lost her signs of virginity because of reasons other than relations? The Torah teaches: "who has not been with a man," i.e., excluded is only one who lost her virginity because of a man. "Who has not been with a man" - this also excludes a sister who has been consecrated. He does not become impure, for her sake even if she is consecrated to a priest.
Halacha 11
If, however, a priest's sister is divorced after consecration, before marriage, he must become impure for her sake. The phrase "who is close to him" includes a sister divorced after consecration.
Halacha 12
A priest does not become impure for the sake of his maternal brother and sister, as implied by Leviticus 21:2-3: "To his son and to his daughter, to his brother and to his sister." Just as we are speaking of a son who is fit to inherit his father's estate; so, too, he must be fit to inherit the estates of his brother and sister.
Halacha 13
A priest does not become impure for the sake of relatives whose family connection is doubtful, as implied by Leviticus 21:3: "to her shall he become impure." He becomes impure for those whose connection is definite and not for those whose connection is doubtful. Accordingly, in an instance where children become intermingled, there is a son concerning whom there is a question whether he was born after seven months from conception to his mother's later husband or after nine months to her first husband, and all the like, he does not become impure for their sake due to the doubt.
Similarly, in all cases concerning divorce that involve a question concerning the validity of the divorce or an invalid bill of divorce, , the priest does not become impure for the sake of his wife.
Halacha 14
A priest may not become impure for the sake of a limb severed from his father while alive, nor for the sake of one of his father's bones. Similarly, when one's father's bones are being collected - even if his entire backbone is intact - a priest may not become impure for their sake.
Halacha 15
If his father's head is decapitated, he may not become impure for his sake. This is implied by Leviticus 21:2: "To his father," i.e., at a time when his corpse is intact and not when it is impaired. Similar laws apply with regard to other relatives.
The prohibition against contact with ritual impurity is bypassed with regard to one's relatives; it is not released entirely. For this reason, a priest is forbidden to become impure for the sake of another corpse at the time he has become impure for the sake of his relatives. This is implied by Leviticus 21:3: "to her shall he become impure," i.e., to her alone. He does not become impure for the sake of others together with her. He should not say: "Since I became impure for the sake of my father, I will go gather so-and-so's bones" or "...touch so-and-so's grave."
Therefore when the relative of a priest dies, care must be taken to bury him at the edge of the cemetery, so that he will not have to enter the cemetery and become impure because of other graves when he buries his dead.
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Hayom Yom:
Shabbat, 14 Kislev, 5775 • 6 December 2014
"Today's Day"
Shabbat, Kislev 14*, 5704
Torah lessons: Chumash: Vayishlach, Shevi'i with Rashi.
Tehillim: 72-76.
Tanya: "David! Do you call (p. 621)...his time of trouble. (p. 623).
Birkat hamazon (pp. 88-94) is said over a cup of wine even without ten (people having dined together). The cup is held in the palm of the hand, the fingers extending upward. Hold the cup from Rabossai mir velen benchen1 until after the third b'racha,2 when it is placed on the table.
In one of my father's sichot, he explained a subject, of which this is the core:
There are tzadik, yashar, tamim and chassid. Tzadik3 is so called regarding his fulfillment of the positive mitzvot, thereby eliciting revelations inherent in the creative order.4
Yashar5 is so called regarding his fulfillment of the negative mitzvot - which draws forth revelations beyond the creative order. Tamim, (man of) earnestness6 elicits revelations (from a level of G-dliness at which) "the taste of the tree and its fruit is the same" - the co-joining of the Encompassing (soveiv)7 and Permeating (memalei)8 modes of Divine influence.
Highest of all is Chassid, and here there are three levels: (a) Worldly affairs do not disturb or distract him. Every individual can, and every individual must, attain this level. (b) All his affairs "are G-dliness."9 Though this level "is not distant from you etc.,"10 it is still not within everyone's reach. (c) The level described in Tikunei Zohar, "Who is a chassid? He who conducts himself with benevolence towards his Creator - towards His nest"11 - which means that he seeks to unite the Holy One blessed be He, and His Shechina12 within those who dwell in the lower worlds - not merely to quench the thirst of his own soul; as explained in Tanya.13
Compiled and arranged by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, of righteous memory, in 5703 (1943) from the talks and letters of the sixth Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, of righteous memory.
FOOTNOTES
*. This day marks the marriage, in 5689 (1928) of the Rebbe of righteous memory with the Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka of blessed memory, daughter of the Previous Rebbe of blessed memory.
1. "Gentlemen, let us say the Blessings."
2. I.e. after the words "...who in His mercy rebuilds Jerusalem. Amen." (p. 91).
3. Lit. "saintly person."
4. Seder hishtalsh'lut, "The Order of Downward Progression."
5. Lit. "upright person."
6. Cf. Tishrei 4, p. 93.
7. A mode of G-d's creative force transcending the creative order.
8. Divine Immanence, enclothing itself within the creative order. See Translator's Notes (p. 120 in the printed version).
9. See Supplementary Footnotes, (p. 130 in the printed version).
10. Devarim 30:11.
11. Introduction to Tikunei Zohar 1b.
12. See Supplementary Footnotes, p. 130.
13. See Supplementary Footnotes, p. 130.
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Daily Thought:
Plumbing
Making a living is all about plumbing. You’ve got a reservoir up there, a water tank down here, and you need some way to connect the two.
The reservoir of life up there can’t be changed or moved. As for the water tank down here, that is your career, and it only receives what is decided from Above.
But you also have a second career—your principal career—and that is to bring more good into this world.
In that career, you are a plumber. You can open faucets, widen pipelines, drain all you can from an Infinite Source. It will overflow into the water tanks of your material career. It might even increase their volume.
The flow of life is in your hands.[Likutei Sichot, vol. 6, pg. 193.]
____________________________
Shabbat, Kislev 14*, 5704
Torah lessons: Chumash: Vayishlach, Shevi'i with Rashi.
Tehillim: 72-76.
Tanya: "David! Do you call (p. 621)...his time of trouble. (p. 623).
Birkat hamazon (pp. 88-94) is said over a cup of wine even without ten (people having dined together). The cup is held in the palm of the hand, the fingers extending upward. Hold the cup from Rabossai mir velen benchen1 until after the third b'racha,2 when it is placed on the table.
In one of my father's sichot, he explained a subject, of which this is the core:
There are tzadik, yashar, tamim and chassid. Tzadik3 is so called regarding his fulfillment of the positive mitzvot, thereby eliciting revelations inherent in the creative order.4
Yashar5 is so called regarding his fulfillment of the negative mitzvot - which draws forth revelations beyond the creative order. Tamim, (man of) earnestness6 elicits revelations (from a level of G-dliness at which) "the taste of the tree and its fruit is the same" - the co-joining of the Encompassing (soveiv)7 and Permeating (memalei)8 modes of Divine influence.
Highest of all is Chassid, and here there are three levels: (a) Worldly affairs do not disturb or distract him. Every individual can, and every individual must, attain this level. (b) All his affairs "are G-dliness."9 Though this level "is not distant from you etc.,"10 it is still not within everyone's reach. (c) The level described in Tikunei Zohar, "Who is a chassid? He who conducts himself with benevolence towards his Creator - towards His nest"11 - which means that he seeks to unite the Holy One blessed be He, and His Shechina12 within those who dwell in the lower worlds - not merely to quench the thirst of his own soul; as explained in Tanya.13
Compiled and arranged by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, of righteous memory, in 5703 (1943) from the talks and letters of the sixth Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, of righteous memory.
FOOTNOTES
*. This day marks the marriage, in 5689 (1928) of the Rebbe of righteous memory with the Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka of blessed memory, daughter of the Previous Rebbe of blessed memory.
1. "Gentlemen, let us say the Blessings."
2. I.e. after the words "...who in His mercy rebuilds Jerusalem. Amen." (p. 91).
3. Lit. "saintly person."
4. Seder hishtalsh'lut, "The Order of Downward Progression."
5. Lit. "upright person."
6. Cf. Tishrei 4, p. 93.
7. A mode of G-d's creative force transcending the creative order.
8. Divine Immanence, enclothing itself within the creative order. See Translator's Notes (p. 120 in the printed version).
9. See Supplementary Footnotes, (p. 130 in the printed version).
10. Devarim 30:11.
11. Introduction to Tikunei Zohar 1b.
12. See Supplementary Footnotes, p. 130.
13. See Supplementary Footnotes, p. 130.
____________________________
Daily Thought:
Plumbing
Making a living is all about plumbing. You’ve got a reservoir up there, a water tank down here, and you need some way to connect the two.
The reservoir of life up there can’t be changed or moved. As for the water tank down here, that is your career, and it only receives what is decided from Above.
But you also have a second career—your principal career—and that is to bring more good into this world.
In that career, you are a plumber. You can open faucets, widen pipelines, drain all you can from an Infinite Source. It will overflow into the water tanks of your material career. It might even increase their volume.
The flow of life is in your hands.[Likutei Sichot, vol. 6, pg. 193.]
____________________________
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