Daily Quote:
Courageous, G‑dfearing, truthful, and money-hating.[Torah’s requirements for a judge, Exodus 18:21]
Daily Study:
Chitas and Rambam for today:
Chumash: Va'etchanan, 2nd Portion Deuteronomy 4:5-4:40 with Rashi
• Chapter 4
5Behold, I have taught you statutes and ordinances, as the Lord, my God, commanded me, to do so in the midst of the land to which you are coming to possess. הרְאֵה | לִמַּדְתִּי אֶתְכֶם חֻקִּים וּמִשְׁפָּטִים כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוַּנִי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהָי לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן בְּקֶרֶב הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם בָּאִים שָׁמָּה לְרִשְׁתָּהּ:
6And you shall keep [them] and do [them], for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the eyes of the peoples, who will hear all these statutes and say, "Only this great nation is a wise and understanding people. " ווּשְׁמַרְתֶּם וַעֲשִׂיתֶם כִּי הִוא חָכְמַתְכֶם וּבִינַתְכֶם לְעֵינֵי הָעַמִּים אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁמְעוּן אֵת כָּל הַחֻקִּים הָאֵלֶּה וְאָמְרוּ רַק עַם חָכָם וְנָבוֹן הַגּוֹי הַגָּדוֹל הַזֶּה:
And you shall keep [them]: This refers to study. ושמרתם: זו משנה:
and do [them]: [To be interpreted] according to its apparent meaning. ועשיתם: כמשמעו:
for that is your wisdom and your understanding [in the eyes of the peoples]: Through this you will be considered wise and understanding in the eyes of the peoples. כי הוא חכמתכם ובינתכם וגו': בזאת תחשבו חכמים ונבונים לעיני העמים:
7For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the Lord our God is at all times that we call upon Him? זכִּי מִי גוֹי גָּדוֹל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ אֱלֹהִים קְרֹבִים אֵלָיו כַּיהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ בְּכָל קָרְאֵנוּ אֵלָיו:
8And which great nation is it that has just statutes and ordinances, as this entire Torah, which I set before you this day? חוּמִי גּוֹי גָּדוֹל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ חֻקִּים וּמִשְׁפָּטִים צַדִּיקִם כְּכֹל הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי נֹתֵן לִפְנֵיכֶם הַיּוֹם:
just statutes and ordinances: צַדִּיקִם means worthy and acceptable ones. חקים ומשפטים צדיקם: הגונים ומקובלים:
9But beware and watch yourself very well, lest you forget the things that your eyes saw, and lest these things depart from your heart, all the days of your life, and you shall make them known to your children and to your children's children, טרַק הִשָּׁמֶר לְךָ וּשְׁמֹר נַפְשְׁךָ מְאֹד פֶּן תִּשְׁכַּח אֶת הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר רָאוּ עֵינֶיךָ וּפֶן יָסוּרוּ מִלְּבָבְךָ כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ וְהוֹדַעְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ וְלִבְנֵי בָנֶיךָ:
But beware…lest you forget the things: Only then, when you do not forget them, and will [therefore] do them in their proper manner, will you be considered wise and understanding, but if you distort them because of forgetfulness, you will be considered fools. רק השמר לך וגו' פן תשכח את הדברים: אז כשלא תשכחו אותם ותעשום על אמתתם תחשבו חכמים ונבונים ואם תעוותו אותם מתוך שכחה תחשבו שוטים:
10the day you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, when the Lord said to me, "Assemble the people for Me, and I will let them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days that they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children. ייוֹם אֲשֶׁר עָמַדְתָּ לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּחֹרֵב בֶּאֱמֹר יְהֹוָה אֵלַי הַקְהֶל לִי אֶת הָעָם וְאַשְׁמִעֵם אֶת דְּבָרָי אֲשֶׁר יִלְמְדוּן לְיִרְאָה אֹתִי כָּל הַיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר הֵם חַיִּים עַל הָאֲדָמָה וְאֶת בְּנֵיהֶם יְלַמֵּדוּן:
the day you stood: This refers back to the preceding verse:“which your eyes saw” [on] the day that you stood at Horeb, where you saw the thunder and the torches. יום אשר עמדת: מוסב על מקרא שלמעלה ממנו אשר ראו עיניך, יום אשר עמדת בחורב אשר ראיתם את הקולות ואת הלפידים:
that they may learn: Heb. יִלְמְדוּן The Targum [Onkelos] renders: יֵלְפוּן, they may learn for themselves. ילמדון: ילפון לעצמם:
that they may teach: Heb. יְלַמֵּדוּן the Targum [Onkelos] renders: יְאַלְפוּן, that they may teach others. ילמדון: יאלפון לאחרים:
11And you approached and stood at the foot of the mountain, and the mountain burned with fire up to the midst of the heavens, with darkness, a cloud, and opaque darkness. יאוַתִּקְרְבוּן וַתַּעַמְדוּן תַּחַת הָהָר וְהָהָר בֹּעֵר בָּאֵשׁ עַד לֵב הַשָּׁמַיִם חשֶׁךְ עָנָן וַעֲרָפֶל:
12The Lord spoke to you out of the midst of the fire; you heard the sound of the words, but saw no image, just a voice. יבוַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֲלֵיכֶם מִתּוֹךְ הָאֵשׁ קוֹל דְּבָרִים אַתֶּם שֹׁמְעִים וּתְמוּנָה אֵינְכֶם רֹאִים זוּלָתִי קוֹל:
13And He told you His covenant, which He commanded you to do, the Ten Commandments, and He inscribed them on two stone tablets. יגוַיַּגֵּד לָכֶם אֶת בְּרִיתוֹ אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה אֶתְכֶם לַעֲשׂוֹת עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים וַיִּכְתְּבֵם עַל שְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת אֲבָנִים:
14And the Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and ordinances, so that you should do them in the land to which you are crossing, to possess. ידוְאֹתִי צִוָּה יְהֹוָה בָּעֵת הַהִוא לְלַמֵּד אֶתְכֶם חֻקִּים וּמִשְׁפָּטִים לַעֲשׂתְכֶם אֹתָם בָּאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם עֹבְרִים שָׁמָּה לְרִשְׁתָּהּ:
And the Lord commanded me at that time to teach you: the Oral Law. ואתי צוה ה' בעת ההוא ללמד אתכם: תורה שבעל פה:
15And you shall watch yourselves very well, for you did not see any image on the day that the Lord spoke to you at Horeb from the midst of the fire. טווְנִשְׁמַרְתֶּם מְאֹד לְנַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם כִּי לֹא רְאִיתֶם כָּל תְּמוּנָה בְּיוֹם דִּבֶּר יְהֹוָה אֲלֵיכֶם בְּחֹרֵב מִתּוֹךְ הָאֵשׁ:
16Lest you become corrupt and make for yourselves a graven image, the representation of any form, the likeness of male or female, טזפֶּן תַּשְׁחִתוּן וַעֲשִׂיתֶם לָכֶם פֶּסֶל תְּמוּנַת כָּל סָמֶל תַּבְנִית זָכָר אוֹ נְקֵבָה:
form: Heb. סָמֶל, meaning “form.” סמל: צורה:
17the likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the heaven, יזתַּבְנִית כָּל בְּהֵמָה אֲשֶׁר בָּאָרֶץ תַּבְנִית כָּל צִפּוֹר כָּנָף אֲשֶׁר תָּעוּף בַּשָּׁמָיִם:
18the likeness of anything that crawls on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters, beneath the earth. יחתַּבְנִית כָּל רֹמֵשׂ בַּאֲדָמָה תַּבְנִית כָּל דָּגָה אֲשֶׁר בַּמַּיִם מִתַּחַת לָאָרֶץ:
19And lest you lift up your eyes to heaven, and see the sun, and the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, which the Lord your God assigned to all peoples under the entire heaven, and be drawn away to prostrate yourselves before them and worship them. יטוּפֶן תִּשָּׂא עֵינֶיךָ הַשָּׁמַיְמָה וְרָאִיתָ אֶת הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְאֶת הַיָּרֵחַ וְאֶת הַכּוֹכָבִים כֹּל צְבָא הַשָּׁמַיִם וְנִדַּחְתָּ וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתָ לָהֶם וַעֲבַדְתָּם אֲשֶׁר חָלַק יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֹתָם לְכֹל הָעַמִּים תַּחַת כָּל הַשָּׁמָיִם:
And lest you lift up your eyes: to gaze at this thing and to set your heart to stray after them. ופן תשא עיניך: להסתכל בדבר ולתת לב לשוב לטעות אחריהם:
which the Lord… assigned: to illuminate for them [all peoples]. (Meg. 9b) Another explanation: Which God assigned to them as deities; He did not prevent them from erring after them; rather, He caused them to slip, [i.e., to err], with their futile speculations, in order to drive them out of the world. Similarly, it says:“He [God] smoothed the way for him in his eyes to find his iniquity to hate [him]” (Ps. 36:3) (Avodah Zarah 55a). אשר חלק וגו' לכל העמים: להאיר להם. דבר אחר לאלוהות. לא מנען מלטעות אחריהם, אלא החליקם בדברי הבליהם לטרדם מן העולם. וכן הוא אומר (תהלים לו ג) כי החליק אליו בעיניו למצוא עונו לשנוא:
20But the Lord took you and brought you out of the iron crucible, out of Egypt, to be a people of His possession, as of this day. כוְאֶתְכֶם לָקַח יְהֹוָה וַיּוֹצִא אֶתְכֶם מִכּוּר הַבַּרְזֶל מִמִּצְרָיִם לִהְיוֹת לוֹ לְעַם נַחֲלָה כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה:
out of the iron crucible: Heb. מִכּוּר. A כּוּר is a vessel in which gold is refined. מכור: הוא כלי שמזקקים בו את הזהב:
21And the Lord was angry with me because of you, and He swore that I would not cross the Jordan and that I would not come into the good land the Lord, your God, is giving you as an inheritance. כאוַיהֹוָה הִתְאַנַּף בִּי עַל דִּבְרֵיכֶם וַיִּשָּׁבַע לְבִלְתִּי עָבְרִי אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן וּלְבִלְתִּי בֹא אֶל הָאָרֶץ הַטּוֹבָה אֲשֶׁר יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לְךָ נַחֲלָה:
was angry: Heb. הִתְאַנַּף, [The hithpa’el conjugation denotes that] He became filled with wrath. התאנף: נתמלא רוגז:
because of you: Heb. עַל-דִּבְרֵיכֶם, because of you, on your account. על דבריכם: על אודותיכם על עסקיכם:
22For I will die in this land; I will not cross the Jordan. You, however, will cross, and you will possess this good land. כבכִּי אָנֹכִי מֵת בָּאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת אֵינֶנִּי עֹבֵר אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן וְאַתֶּם עֹבְרִים וִירִשְׁתֶּם אֶת הָאָרֶץ הַטּוֹבָה הַזֹּאת:
For I will die… I will not cross: Since he was to die, how could he cross? But rather he meant: even my bones will not cross (Sifrei on Numbers 27:12). כי אנכי מת וגו' אינני עובר: מאחר שמת מהיכן יעבור, אלא אף עצמותי אינם עוברין:
23Beware, lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which He made with you, and make for yourselves a graven image, the likeness of anything, which the Lord your God has forbidden you. כגהִשָּׁמְרוּ לָכֶם פֶּן תִּשְׁכְּחוּ אֶת בְּרִית יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר כָּרַת עִמָּכֶם וַעֲשִׂיתֶם לָכֶם פֶּסֶל תְּמוּנַת כֹּל אֲשֶׁר צִוְּךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ:
the likeness of anything: Heb. תְּמוּנַת כֹּל, the likeness of anything. תמונת כל: תמונת כל דבר:
which the Lord… commanded you: Which He commanded you not to make. אשר צוך ה': אשר צוך עליו שלא לעשות:
24For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a zealous God. כדכִּי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֵשׁ אֹכְלָה הוּא אֵל קַנָּא:
a zealous God: Zealous to wreak vengeance, in Old French, anprenemant, zealous anger. He burns in His anger to exact retribution from idol worshippers. אל קנא: מקנא לנקום אנפרנמנ"ט בלע"ז [חמה] מתחרה על רוגזו להפרע מעובדי עבודה זרה:
25When you beget children and children's children, and you will be long established in the land, and you become corrupt and make a graven image, the likeness of anything, and do evil in the eyes of the Lord your God, to provoke Him to anger, כהכִּי תוֹלִיד בָּנִים וּבְנֵי בָנִים וְנוֹשַׁנְתֶּם בָּאָרֶץ וְהִשְׁחַתֶּם וַעֲשִׂיתֶם פֶּסֶל תְּמוּנַת כֹּל וַעֲשִׂיתֶם הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לְהַכְעִיסוֹ:
and you will be long established: Heb. וְנוֹשַׁנְתֶּם. He hinted to them that they would be exiled from it at the end of 852 years, the gematria, numerical value, of the word וְנוֹשַׁנְתֶּם, but He exiled them earlier, at the end of 850 years. He did this two years earlier than the numerical value of וְנוֹשַׁנְתֶּם in order that the prophecy about them should not be fulfilled “that you shall utterly perish.”(verse 26) This is the meaning of what is said:“And the Lord ‘hastened’ with the evil and brought it upon us, for the Lord our God is charitable (צַדִּיק)” (Dan. 9:14). He was charitable with us for He hastened to bring it [the exile] two years before its time (San. 38a; Gittin 88a). ונושנתם: רמז להם שיגלו ממנה לסוף שמונה מאות וחמשים ושתים שנה, כמנין ונושנתם. והוא הקדים והגלם לסוף שמונה מאות וחמשים והקדים שתי שנים לונושנתם, כדי שלא יתקיים בהם (פסוק כו) כי אבד תאבדון וזהו שנאמר (דניאל ט יד) וישקוד ה' על הרעה ויביאה עלינו כי צדיק ה' אלהינו, צדקה עשה עמנו שמהר להביאה שתי שנים לפני זמנה:
26I call as witness against you this very day the heaven and the earth, that you will speedily and utterly perish from the land to which you cross the Jordan, to possess; you will not prolong your days upon it, but will be utterly destroyed. כוהַעִידֹתִי בָכֶם הַיּוֹם אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ כִּי אָבֹד תֹּאבֵדוּן מַהֵר מֵעַל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם עֹבְרִים אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן שָׁמָּה לְרִשְׁתָּהּ לֹא תַאֲרִיכֻן יָמִים עָלֶיהָ כִּי הִשָּׁמֵד תִּשָּׁמֵדוּן:
I call as witness against you [… heaven and earth]: I hereby summon them to be witnesses that I have warned you. העידותי בכם: הנני מזמינם להיות עדים שהתריתי בכם:
27And the Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and you will remain few in number among the nations to where the Lord will lead you. כזוְהֵפִיץ יְהֹוָה אֶתְכֶם בָּעַמִּים וְנִשְׁאַרְתֶּם מְתֵי מִסְפָּר בַּגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר יְנַהֵג יְהֹוָה אֶתְכֶם שָׁמָּה:
28And there you will worship gods, man's handiwork, wood and stone, which neither see, hear, eat, nor smell. כחוַעֲבַדְתֶּם שָׁם אֱלֹהִים מַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵי אָדָם עֵץ וָאֶבֶן אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִרְאוּן וְלֹא יִשְׁמְעוּן וְלֹא יֹאכְלוּן וְלֹא יְרִיחֻן:
And there you will worship gods: As the Targum [Onkelos] explains: Since you serve those who worship them [idols], it is as though you [yourselves] serve them [i.e., the idols]. ועבדתם שם אלהים: כתרגומו. משאתם עובדים לעובדיהם כאלו אתם עובדים להם:
29And from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him, if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. כטוּבִקַּשְׁתֶּם מִשָּׁם אֶת יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ וּמָצָאתָ כִּי תִדְרְשֶׁנּוּ בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל נַפְשֶׁךָ:
30When you are distressed, and all these things happen upon you in the end of days, then you will return to the Lord your God and obey Him. לבַּצַּר לְךָ וּמְצָאוּךָ כֹּל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים וְשַׁבְתָּ עַד יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ וְשָׁמַעְתָּ בְּקֹלוֹ:
31For the Lord your God is a merciful God; He will not let you loose or destroy you; neither will He forget the covenant of your fathers, which He swore to them. לאכִּי אֵל רַחוּם יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לֹא יַרְפְּךָ וְלֹא יַשְׁחִיתֶךָ וְלֹא יִשְׁכַּח אֶת בְּרִית אֲבֹתֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע לָהֶם:
He will not let you loose: He will not let go of you with His hands. The expression לֹא יַרְפְּךָ means that He will not cause something, i.e., He will not cause you looseness. He will not separate you from [being] near Him. Similarly,“I held him fast, and I would not let him loose (אַרְפֶּנּוּ)” (Song of Songs 3:4), which is not vocalized אֲרַפֶּנּוּ [which would mean to heal]. The term רִפְיוֹן “letting slack” always adopts the hif’il [causative conjugation, that is, causing someone else רִפְיוֹן] or the hithpa’el [reflexive conjugation, that is, causing oneself רִפְיוֹן]. For example: (II Kings 4:2), הַרְפֵּה לָהּ, let her be, means literally “give her looseness [i.e., an example of causing to others]”; (Deut. 9:14) הֶרֶף מִמֶּנִּי, let Me be, means literally “Make yourself loose from me [i.e., an example of causing looseness to oneself].” לא ירפך: מלהחזיק בך בידיו. ולשון לא ירפך לשון לא יפעיל הוא, לא יתן לך רפיון, לא יפריש אותך מאצלו. וכן אחזתיו ולא ארפנו (שה"ש ג ד), שלא ננקד ארפנו. כל לשון רפיון מוסב על לשון מפעיל ומתפעל, כמו (מלכים ב' ד כז) הרפה לה, תן לה רפיון (דברים ט, יד) הרף ממני, התרפה ממני:
32For ask now regarding the early days that were before you, since the day that God created man upon the earth, and from one end of the heavens to the other end of the heavens, whether there was anything like this great thing, or was the likes of it heard? לבכִּי שְׁאַל נָא לְיָמִים רִאשֹׁנִים אֲשֶׁר הָיוּ לְפָנֶיךָ לְמִן הַיּוֹם אֲשֶׁר בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים | אָדָם עַל הָאָרֶץ וּלְמִקְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם וְעַד קְצֵה הַשָּׁמָיִם הֲנִהְיָה כַּדָּבָר הַגָּדוֹל הַזֶּה אוֹ הֲנִשְׁמַע כָּמֹהוּ:
regarding the early days: Heb. לְיָמִים רִאשׁוֹנִים [the“lammed” of לְיָמִים here means] regarding the early days. לימים ראשונים: על ימים ראשונים:
and from the one end of the heavens: And also ask of all the creatures from one end [of the heavens] to the other end. This is its simple meaning, but its midrashic explanation is: [This] teaches [us] about Adam’s height, that it was from the earth to the heavens, and that this is the very same measurement as from one end of the heavens to the other end (San. 38b). ולמקצה השמים: וגם שאל לכל הברואים אשר מקצה אל קצה זהו פשוטו. ומדרשו מלמד על קומתו של אדם שהיתה מן הארץ עד השמים והוא השיעור עצמו אשר מקצה אל קצה:
whether there was anything like this great thing: And what is this great thing? “Did ever a people hear,” etc. הנהיה כדבר הגדול הזה: ומהו הדבר הגדול, השמע עם וגו':
33Did ever a people hear God's voice speaking out of the midst of the fire as you have heard, and live? לגהֲשָׁמַע עָם קוֹל אֱלֹהִים מְדַבֵּר מִתּוֹךְ הָאֵשׁ כַּאֲשֶׁר שָׁמַעְתָּ אַתָּה וַיֶּחִי:
34Or has any god performed miracles to come and take him a nation from the midst of a[nother] nation, with trials, with signs, and with wonders, and with war and with a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great awesome deeds, as all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? לדאוֹ | הֲנִסָּה אֱלֹהִים לָבוֹא לָקַחַת לוֹ גוֹי מִקֶּרֶב גּוֹי בְּמַסֹּת בְּאֹתֹת וּבְמוֹפְתִים וּבְמִלְחָמָה וּבְיָד חֲזָקָה וּבִזְרוֹעַ נְטוּיָה וּבְמוֹרָאִים גְּדֹלִים כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לָכֶם יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם בְּמִצְרַיִם לְעֵינֶיךָ:
Or has any god performed miracles: Heb. הֲנִסָּה אלֹהִים. Has any god performed miracles (נִסִּים) ? הנסה אלהים: הכי עשה נסים שום אלוה:
to come and take him a nation…: All the letters “hey” are in the interrogative form. Therefore, they are vocalized with a chataf patach הִנִהְיָה has there been? הִנִשְׁמַע has it been heard? הִשָמַע did there hear? הֲנִסָּה did… perform miracles? לבא לקחת לו גוי וגו': כל ההי"ן הללו תמיהות הן לכך נקודות הן בחט"ף פת"ח הנהיה, הנשמע, הנסה, השמע:
with trials: Through tests, He let them know His might, for example:“[and Moses said to Pharaoh] 'Boast of your superiority over me [to fix a time]” (Exodus 8:5), whether I am able to do so. This is a test. במסות: על ידי נסיונות הודיעם גבורותיו, כגון (שמות ח, ה) התפאר עלי, אם אוכל לעשות כן, הרי זה נסיון:
with signs: Heb. בְּאֹתֹת. With signs, so that they should believe that he [Moses] was the messenger of the Omnipresent, as, e.g., “What is that in your hand?” (Exod. 4:2) באותות: בסימנין להאמין שהוא שלוחו של מקום, כגון (שמות ד ב) מה זה בידך:
and with wonders: Heb. וּבְמוֹפְתִים. These are wonders, [meaning] that God brought upon them [the Egyptians] wondrous plagues. ובמופתים: הם נפלאות שהביא עליהם מכות מופלאות:
and with war: At the Red Sea, as it is said: “because the Lord is fighting for them” (Exod. 14:25). ובמלחמה: בים, שנאמר (שם יד כה) כי ה' נלחם להם:
35You have been shown, in order to know that the Lord He is God; there is none else besides Him. להאַתָּה הָרְאֵתָ לָדַעַת כִּי יְהֹוָה הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים אֵין עוֹד מִלְּבַדּוֹ:
You have been shown: Heb. הָרְאֵתָ As the Targum [Onkelos] renders it: אִתְחִזֵיתָא, you have been shown. When the Holy One, blessed is He, gave the Torah, He opened for Israel the seven heavens, and just as He tore open the upper regions, so did He tear open the lower regions, and they saw that He is One. Accordingly, it is stated, “You have been shown, in order to know [that the Lord He is God-there is none else besides Him].” הראת: כתרגומו אתחזיתא. כשנתן הקב"ה את התורה פתח להם שבעה רקיעים. וכשם שקרע את העליונים כך קרע את התחתונים. וראו שהוא יחידי, לכך נאמר אתה הראת לדעת:
36From the heavens, He let you hear His voice to instruct you, and upon the earth He showed you His great fire, and you heard His words out of the midst of the fire, לומִן הַשָּׁמַיִם הִשְׁמִיעֲךָ אֶת קֹלוֹ לְיַסְּרֶךָּ וְעַל הָאָרֶץ הֶרְאֲךָ אֶת אִשּׁוֹ הַגְּדוֹלָה וּדְבָרָיו שָׁמַעְתָּ מִתּוֹךְ הָאֵשׁ:
37and because He loved your forefathers and chose their seed after them, and He brought you out of Egypt before Him with His great strength, לזוְתַחַת כִּי אָהַב אֶת אֲבֹתֶיךָ וַיִּבְחַר בְּזַרְעוֹ אַחֲרָיו וַיּוֹצִאֲךָ בְּפָנָיו בְּכֹחוֹ הַגָּדֹל מִמִּצְרָיִם:
And because He loved: And all this was because He loved [your forefathers]. ותחת כי אהב: וכל זה תחת אשר אהב:
and He brought you out… before Him: like a man who leads his son before him, as it is stated (Exod. 14:19), “Then the angel of the Lord who had been going, who had been going [in front of the Israelite camp,] moved and went behind them.” Another explanation: And He brought you out before him-before his forefathers, as it is said:“Before their forefathers, He wrought wonders” (Ps. 78:12). And do not be astonished by the fact that [Scripture] refers to them in the singular [using בְּפָנָיו instead of בִּפְנֵיהֶם], for it has already written about them in the singular,“And he chose and chose their seed (בְּזַרְעוֹ) after them (אַחֲרָיו),” [lit. his. seed after him]. ויוצאך בפניו: כאדם המנהיג בנו לפניו שנאמר (שמות יד יט) ויסע מלאך האלהים ההולך וגו' וילך מאחריהם. דבר אחר ויוציאך בפניו בפני אבותיו, כמו שנאמר (תהלים עח יב) נגד אבותם עשה פלא. ואל תתמה על שהזכירם בלשון יחיד, שהרי כתבם בלשון יחיד ויבחר בזרעו אחריו:
38to drive out from before you nations greater and stronger than you, to bring you and give you their land for an inheritance, as this day. לחלְהוֹרִישׁ גּוֹיִם גְּדֹלִים וַעֲצֻמִים מִמְּךָ מִפָּנֶיךָ לַהֲבִיאֲךָ לָתֶת לְךָ אֶת אַרְצָם נַחֲלָה כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה:
from before you [nations greater and stronger] than you: Heb. מִמְּךָ מִפָּנֶיךָ, lit. than you from before you. The verse can be explained by transposing it: to drive out from before you מִפָּנֶיךָ, nations greater and stronger than you מִמְּךָ. ממך מפניך: סרסהו ודרשהו להוריש מפניך גוים גדולים ועצומים ממך:
as this day: As you see today. כיום הזה: כאשר אתה רואה היום:
39And you shall know this day and consider it in your heart, that the Lord He is God in heaven above, and upon the earth below; there is none else. לטוְיָדַעְתָּ הַיּוֹם וַהֲשֵׁבֹתָ אֶל לְבָבֶךָ כִּי יְהֹוָה הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים בַּשָּׁמַיִם מִמַּעַל וְעַל הָאָרֶץ מִתָּחַת אֵין עוֹד:
40And you shall observe His statutes and His commandments, which I command you this day, that it may be well with you and your children after you, and that you may prolong your days upon the earth which the Lord your God gives you forever. מוְשָׁמַרְתָּ אֶת חֻקָּיו וְאֶת מִצְוֹתָיו אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם אֲשֶׁר יִיטַב לְךָ וּלְבָנֶיךָ אַחֲרֶיךָ וּלְמַעַן תַּאֲרִיךְ יָמִים עַל הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לְךָ כָּל הַיָּמִים:Daily Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 60 - 65
• Chapter 60
This psalm tells of when Joab, David's general, came to Aram Naharayim for war and was asked by the people: "Are you not from the children of Jacob? What of the pact he made with Laban?" Not knowing what to answer, Joab asked the Sanhedrin. The psalm includes David's prayer for success in this war.
1. For the Conductor, on the shushan eidut. A michtam by David, to instruct,
2. when he battled with Aram Naharayim and Aram Tzovah, and Joab returned and smote Edom in the Valley of Salt, twelve thousand [men].
3. O God, You forsook us, You have breached us! You grew furious-restore us!
4. You made the earth quake, You split it apart-heal its fragments, for it totters!
5. You showed Your nation harshness, You gave us benumbing wine to drink.
6. [Now] give those who fear You a banner to raise themselves, for the sake of truth, Selah.
7. That Your beloved ones may be delivered, help with Your right hand and answer me.
8. God said with His Holy [Spirit] that I would exult; I would divide Shechem, and measure out the Valley of Succot.
9. Mine is Gilead, mine is Menasseh, and Ephraim is the stronghold of my head; Judah is my prince.
10. Moab is my washbasin, and upon Edom I will cast my shoe; for me, Philistia will sound a blast [of coronation].
11. Who will bring me into the fortified city? Who will lead me unto Edom?
12. Is it not You, God, Who has [until now] forsaken us, and did not go forth with our legions?
13. Grant us relief from the oppressor; futile is the salvation of man.
14. With God we will do valiantly, and He will trample our oppressors.
Chapter 61
David composed this prayer while fleeing from Saul. The object of all his thoughts and his entreaty is that God grant him long life-not for the sake of pursuing the pleasures of the world, but rather to serve God in awe, all of his days.
1. For the Conductor, on the neginat, by David.
2. Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer.
3. From the end of the earth I call to You, when my heart is faint [with trouble]: Lead me upon the rock that surpasses me!
4. For You have been a refuge for me, a tower of strength in the face of the enemy.
5. I will dwell in Your tent forever; I will take refuge in the shelter of Your wings, Selah.
6. For You, God, heard my vows; You granted the inheritance of those who fear Your Name.
7. Add days to the days of the king; may his years equal those of every generation.
8. May he sit always before God; appoint kindness and truth to preserve him.
9. Thus will I sing the praise of Your Name forever, as I fulfill my vows each day.
Chapter 62
David prays for the downfall of his enemies. He also exhorts his generation that their faith should not rest in riches, telling them that the accumulation of wealth is utter futility.
1. For the Conductor, on the yedutun,1 a psalm by David.
2. To God alone does my soul hope; my salvation is from Him.
3. He alone is my rock and salvation, my stronghold; I shall not falter greatly.
4. Until when will you plot disaster for man? May you all be killed-like a leaning wall, a toppled fence.
5. Out of their arrogance alone they scheme to topple me, they favor falsehood; with their mouths they bless, and in their hearts they curse, Selah.
6. To God alone does my soul hope, for my hope is from Him.
7. He alone is my rock and salvation, my stronghold; I shall not falter.
8. My salvation and honor is upon God; the rock of my strength-my refuge is in God.
9. Trust in Him at all times, O nation, pour out your hearts before Him; God is a refuge for us forever.
10. Men are but vanity; people [but] transients. Were they to be raised upon the scale, they would be lighter than vanity.
11. Put not your trust in exploitation, nor place futile hope in robbery. If [corrupt] wealth flourishes, pay it no heed.
12. God spoke one thing, from which I perceived two: That strength belongs to God;
13. and that Yours, my Lord, is kindness. For You repay each man according to his deeds.
Chapter 63
Hiding from Saul, and yearning to approach the place of the Holy Ark like one thirsting for water, David composed this prayer on his behalf and against his enemy.
1. A psalm by David, when he was in the Judean desert.
2. O God, You are my Almighty, I seek You! My soul thirsts for You, my flesh longs for You; [like one] in a desolate and dry land, without water,
3. so [I thirst] to see You in the Sanctuary, to behold Your might and glory.
4. For Your kindness is better than life; my lips shall praise You.
5. Thus will I bless you all my life, in Your Name I will raise my hands [in prayer].
6. As with fat and abundance my soul is sated, when my mouth offers praise with expressions of joy.
7. Indeed, I remember You upon my bed; during the watches of the night I meditate upon You.
8. For You were a help for me; I sing in the shadow of Your wings.
9. My soul cleaved to You; Your right hand supported me.
10. But they seek desolation for my soul; they will enter the depths of the earth.
11. They will drag them by the sword; they will be the portion of foxes.
12. And the king will rejoice in God, and all who swear by Him will take pride, when the mouths of liars are blocked up.
Chapter 64
The masters of homiletics interpret this psalm as alluding to Daniel, who was thrown into the lion's den. With divine inspiration, David foresaw the event and prayed for him. Daniel was a descendant of David, as can be inferred from God's statement to Hezekiah (himself of Davidic lineage), "And from your children, who will issue forth from you, they will take, and they (referring to, amongst others, Daniel) will be ministers in the palace of the king of Babylon."
1. For the Conductor, a psalm by David.
2. Hear my voice, O God, as I recount [my woes]; preserve my life from the terror of the enemy.
3. Shelter me from the schemes of the wicked, from the conspiracy of evildoers,
4. who have sharpened their tongue like the sword, aimed their arrow-a bitter word-
5. to shoot at the innocent from hidden places; suddenly they shoot at him, they are not afraid.
6. They encourage themselves in an evil thing, they speak of laying traps; they say: "Who will see them?”
7. They sought pretexts; [and when] they completed a diligent search, each man [kept the plot] inside, deep in the heart.
8. But God shot at them; [like] a sudden arrow were their blows.
9. Their own tongues caused them to stumble; all who see them shake their heads [derisively].
10. Then all men feared, and recounted the work of God; they perceived His deed.
11. Let the righteous one rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in Him, and let them take pride-all upright of heart.
Chapter 65
This psalm contains awe-inspiring and glorious praises to God, as well as entreaties and prayers concerning our sins. It declares it impossible to recount God's greatness, for who can recount His mighty acts? Hence, silence is His praise.
1. For the Conductor, a psalm by David, a song.
2. Silence is praise for You, O God [Who dwells in] Zion; and to You vows will be paid.
3. O Heeder of prayer, to You does all flesh come.
4. Matters of sin overwhelm me; You will pardon our transgressions.
5. Fortunate is [the nation] whom You choose and draw near, to dwell in Your courtyards; may we be sated with the goodness of Your House, with the holiness of Your Sanctuary.
6. Answer us with awesome deeds as befits Your righteousness, O God of our salvation, the security of all [who inhabit] the ends of the earth and distant seas.
7. With His strength He prepares [rain for] the mountains; He is girded with might.
8. He quiets the roar of the seas, the roar of their waves and the tumult of nations.
9. Those who inhabit the ends [of the earth] fear [You] because of Your signs; the emergences of morning and evening cause [man] to sing praise.
10. You remember the earth and water it, you enrich it abundantly [from] God's stream filled with water. You prepare their grain, for so do You prepare it.
11. You saturate its furrows, gratifying its legions; with showers You soften it and bless its growth.
12. You crown the year of Your goodness [with rain], and Your clouds drip abundance.
13. They drip on pastures of wilderness, and the hills gird themselves with joy.
14. The meadows don sheep, and the valleys cloak themselves with grain; they sound blasts, indeed they sing.
Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 4• Lessons in Tanya
• Monday, Menachem Av 11, 5775 · July 27, 2015
Today's Tanya Lesson
Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 4
אך מודעת זאת כי אתערותא דלעילא היא באתערותא דלתתא דוקא
But it is well known that an arousal from above comes only in response to an arousal from below,
A man’s soul is stimulated from above only in response to the spiritual service that he initiates here below. Even an effusion of Divine benevolence that comes exclusively from above, and can neither be brought into being nor drawn down by man’s service alone, also awaits a previous arousal from below,
בבחינת העלאת מיין נוקבין
as an elevation of mayin nukvin; i.e., by an arousal of the “feminine waters” by which the recipient elicits the mayin dechurin — the downward flow (“masculine waters”) — emanating from the Giver.
כמו שאמרו רז״ל: אין טיפה יורדת מלמעלה כו׳
As our Sages, of blessed memory, said:1 “No drop [of rain] descends from above [without two corresponding drops first ascending from below].”
ולכן צריך האדם לעשות בעצמו תחלת מילה זו
A man must therefore perform the beginning of this milah by himself,
להסיר ערלת הלב וקליפה הגסה ודקה, המלבישות ומכסות על בחינת נקודת פנימית הלב
to remove the “foreskin” of the heart and the coarse and thin husks which clothe and cover its innermost point,
שהיא בחינת אהבת ה׳ בחינת למען חייך, שהיא בגלות בתאוות עולם הזה
this [innermost point being] a love of G‑d in the spirit of the phrase, “for the sake of your life” — i.e., a love that springs from an awareness that G‑dliness is the person’s entire life — [this love of G‑d being] in exile among the desires of this world.
שהם גם כן בבחינת למען חייך
These [physical desires] likewise exist in the spirit of the phrase, “for the sake of your life,”
בזה לעומת זה, כנ״ל
in [that aspect of the universe which is] the opposing counterpart [to holiness], as mentioned above.
It is thus possible for an individual to be so dedicated to his passions and desires that they are his entire life. For just as this state exists in holiness, it also has its counterpart in the opposite direction, whereby one is immersed in desires to the innermost core of his heart and being.
והיינו על ידי נתינת הצדקה לה׳ מממונו, שהוא חיותו
And this [removal of the spiritual foreskin] is achieved by giving charity to G‑d from one’s money, which is his vitality,
It has been noted earlier, in Part I, ch. 37, that since money enables a man to purchase life’s essentials, parting with it in favor of charitable ends is equated to giving his “very vitality” to G‑d,
ובפרט מי שמזונותיו מצומצמים, ודחיקא ליה שעתא טובא
especially with a person whose income is limited and who is very hard pressed at the time,
שנותן מחייו ממש
for — when he gives — he gives of his very life.
ובפרטות אם נהנה מיגיע כפיו
This is especially so if he supports himself by the toil of his hands.
שאי אפשר שלא עסק בהם פעמים רבות בבחינת נקודת פנימית הלב, מעומקא דלבא
For it is impossible that in his work he did not often involve “the innermost point of the heart,” the depth of his heart,
כמנהג העולם בעסקיהם במשא ומתן, וכהאי גוונא
as is the way of the world when people are occupied with business and the like.
והרי עתה הפעם כשמפזר מיגיעו
Thus, now that he disburses the fruits of his toil unstintingly, despite his circumstances,
ונותן לה׳ בשמחה ובטוב לבב
and gives unto G‑d with joy and with a gladsome heart,
הנה בזה פודה נפשו משחת
he thereby redeems his soul from the pit.2
דהיינו בחינת נקודת פנימית לבבו, שהיתה בבחינת גלות ושביה בתוך הקליפה גסה או דקה
That is, [he redeems] the innermost point of his heart which was in a state of exile and captivity within the coarse or thin kelipah.
כמו שכתוב: מכל משמר נצור לבך
For thus it is written:3 “Guard your heart with the greatest vigilance” (lit., “Guard your heart from every mishmar”),
משמר, פירוש: בית האסורים
“mishmar” meaning a prison.
The verse is thus exhorting us to “guard our hearts from being imprisoned and exiled inkelipot and desires.”
ועתה נפדה מהחיצונים בצדקה זו
Thus, through present charity, [the innermost point of the heart] is now redeemed from the forces of evil in which it had been imprisoned.
וזה גם כן לשון פריעה: ענין פריעת חוב, שנתחייב ונשתעבד לחיצונים שמשלו בו על נקודת פנימיות לבבו
This also explains the term periah, which suggests4 periat chov (“removing a debt”), for [the individual in question] had become indebted and subjected to the forces of evil that had ruled within him over the innermost point of his heart.
וזהו: ושביה בצדקה
Through this we can understand the meaning of [the above-quoted phrase], “and her (former spiritual) captives5 [shall be redeemed] through tzedakah.”
| FOOTNOTES | |
| 1. | Zohar III, 247b; cf. Taanit 25b. |
| 2. | Cf. Iyov 33:28. |
| 3. | Mishlei 4:23. |
| 4. | “See Tikkunei Zohar, Tikkun 37: ‘And the blood from the periah to provide nurture.’ Similarly at the conclusion of Tikkun 24. See also Sefer HaMitzvot by the Tzemach Tzedek, Mitzvat Eglah Arufah; Levush on Yoreh Deah 265:10.” ( — Note of the Rebbe.) |
| 5. | The Hebrew ושביה can mean either “her returning expatriates” or “her captives.” |
• Sefer Hamitzvos:Monday, Menachem Av 11, 5775 · July 27, 2015
Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
Important Message Regarding This Lesson
The Daily Mitzvah schedule runs parallel to the daily study of 3 chapters of Maimonides' 14-volume code. There are instances when the Mitzvah is repeated a few days consecutively while the exploration of the same Mitzvah continues in the in-depth track.
Positive Commandment 98
Ritual Impurity of Food and Drink
We are commanded regarding food and drink that have contracted ritual impurity. [I.e., one must follow all the laws associated with this impurity.]
Ritual Impurity of Food and Drink
Positive Commandment 98
Translated by Berel Bell
The 98th mitzvah is that we are commanded to rule according to the appropriate laws regarding the tumah of food and drink.1 This mitzvah includes all the laws of tumas ochlin u'mashkin.2
FOOTNOTES
1.Lev. 11:34.
2.See Hilchos Ochlin 1:1-4.
___________________________________________________________
• 1 Chapter: Ishut Ishut - Chapter Nineteen
Hayom Yom:
• Monday, Menachem Av 11, 5775 · 27 July /2015
"Today's Day"
Thursday Menachem Av 11 5703
Torah lessons: Chumash: Va'etchanan, Chamishi with Rashi.
Tehillim: 60-65.
Tanya: III. "And he garbed (p. 397) ...(Heaven Forfend). (p. 399).
The Alter Rebbe went to Mezritch with his brother, R. Yehuda Leib, in 5524 (1764). R. Yehuda Leib went without permission from his wife and therefore turned back. The Rebbe came to Mezritch and stayed there, that first time, until after Pesach 5525 (1765). For two weeks he was uncertain whether to remain there. The first maamarhe heard was Nachamu nachamu. It is not clear, though, whether this was the firstmaamar after his arrival, or the first after the two weeks when he had decided to remain and had become bound (to the Maggid).
Ishut - Chapter Nineteen
Halacha 1
Halacha 2
What is implied? A man married a woman whose ketubah and nedunyah were together valued at 1000 [zuz]. She bore a son, and then she died within [her husband's] lifetime. Afterwards, the man married another woman whoseketubah and nedunyah were together valued at 200 [zuz]. She bore a son, and then she died within [her husband's] lifetime. Afterwards, the man died, leaving an estate worth 2000 [zuz].
His first wife's son should inherit 1000 [zuz] by virtue of his mother's ketubah, and his second wife's son should inherit 200 [zuz] by virtue of his mother'sketubah, and the remainder they should [both] inherit and [divide] equally. Thus, the first wife's son will receive 1400 [zuz], and the second wife's son will receive 600 [zuz].
Halacha 3
When does the above apply? When [the estate] is worth at least one dinar more than the amount [due the children by virtue of their mothers'] ketubot. If, however, there is not a dinar or more remaining [in the estate],3 the entire estate should be divided equally [without applying the provision mentioned above].
[The rationale is that] if [the children of one of the mothers] will inherit [what is due them by virtue of] their mother's ketubah, [the other mother's children] will inherit [what is due them by virtue of] their mother's ketubah, and at least onedinar will not remain to be divided among the heirs, then this provision [which is of Rabbinic origin] will supersede [entirely] the equal division of the estate among the children that is required by Scriptural law.
Halacha 4
The same law applies to a man who married many wives, whether one after the other or several at one time. If they have all died in his lifetime, and they have all borne male children from this man, if his estate contains at least a dinarmore than the ketubot of all his wives, each of the [sets of] sons inherits the money due their mother by virtue of her ketubah. The remainder [of the estate] is divided equally.
Halacha 5
[Should the estate not be large enough to satisfy the obligations of both ketubotand the additional dinar,] and the heirs say: "We will increase the value of our father's estate so that there will be more than a dinar [in addition to the value of the ketubot]," so that they can collect [the money due their mother by virtue of] her ketubah, their request is not accepted. Instead, the estate should be evaluated in court according to its value at the time of their father's death [and the decision rendered on the basis of this figure].
Even if the value of the estate increases or decreases [in the time between] the death of their father and the actual division of the property, [the decision whether to grant the heirs their mothers' ketubot] depends only on the value of the estate at the time of their father's death.
Halacha 6
If the value of the estate was a dinar or more than the sum of the two ketubot, each of the sons inherits the money due his mother by virtue of her ketubah. Even if there is a promissory note due against the estate for the amount that exceeds the value of the ketubot, it is not considered to have reduced [the value of the estate].
Halacha 7
[The following rules apply when a man] was married to two wives. One died within his lifetime and one died afterwards, and he has sons from both wives. Although the value of the estate he left does not exceed the value of the twoketubot, the sons of the [wife who died after her husband's death] have the right to inherit the money due their mother by virtue of her ketubah first, [provided] she took the oath required of a widow before she died.
[The rationale is] that they do not inherit their mother's ketubah by virtue of this provision, but rather through the Torah's laws of inheritance.4 Afterwards, the sons of the wife [who died during her husband's lifetime] inherit [the money due their mother by virtue of her] ketubah on the basis of this provision. If anything remains in the estate afterwards, it should be divided equally.5
If [the woman who died after her husband] died before she was able to take the oath [required of her], only the sons of [the woman who died in her husband's lifetime] are entitled to inherit [the money due their mother by virtue of] herketubah.6 The remainder is divided equally.
Halacha 8
[The following rules apply when a man] was married to two wives, fathered sons with both of them and then died. If the wives died after the father did, but after taking the oath [required of widows], each of their sons is entitled to inherit [the money due his mother by virtue of] her ketubah according to the Torah's laws of inheritance, and not by virtue of this provision. Therefore, in this instance it is not significant whether the estate is more valuable than the sum of the twoketubot or not. [The claim of] the heirs of the wife married first takes precedence over the claim of the wife married afterwards.
If neither of the wives took [the required] oath, the sons [of both women] divide the entire estate equally. Neither has the right to inherit [his mother's] ketubah, for a widow is not entitled to her ketubah until she takes the [required] oath.7
Halacha 9
[In the above instance,] if one of the widows took the [required] oath and one did not, the sons of the one who took the oath inherit [the money due their mother by virtue of] her ketubah first, and then the remainder of the estate is divided equally [among all the heirs].8
Whenever [a son] inherits [the money due his mother by virtue of] her ketubahafter she died in his father's lifetime, he does not have the right to expropriate property that was sold to others; [he inherits] only property in the possession of the estate.
Halacha 10
Among the provisions of the ketubah is that after the death of their father, [his wife's] daughters have the right to receive support for their sustenance from their father's estate9 until they become consecrated10 or until they reach the age of bagrut.11
If a daughter reaches the age of bagrut but has not been consecrated, or if she is consecrated before she reaches the age of bagrut,12 she is not entitled to receive her sustenance.
When a daughter receives her sustenance from her father's estate after his death, her earnings and the ownerless objects she discovers belong to her, not to her brothers.13
Halacha 11
An allotment of support, garments and living quarters should be made for a man's daughters from his estate, just as it is made for his widow. His [landed property] may be sold to provide his daughters with their sustenance and garments without a public announcement, just as it is sold to provide for his widow's sustenance and garments.
[There is, however, one difference between the two.] The allotment to the widow is made according to her social standing and that of her husband, while his daughters are given only their necessities. The daughters are not, however, required to take an oath.14
Halacha 12
A man's sons are not entitled to inherit [the money due their mother by virtue of] her ketubah, nor are his daughters entitled to receive their sustenance according to the provisions mentioned above unless they manifest possession of the document [recording their mother's] ketubah.15 If, however, they do not manifest possession of the document, they are not entitled to anything, for it is possible that their mother waived her ketubah [in favor of her husband]. In a locale where it is not customary to record the ketubah in a document, however, the children are entitled to [the benefits stemming from] these provisions.
Halacha 13
When, shortly before his passing, a man orders that one of the provisions of [his wife's] ketubah be ignored - e.g., he said: "My daughters should not derive their sustenance from my estate," "My widow should not derive her sustenance from my estate," or "My sons should not inherit the money due their mother by virtue of her ketubah" - his words are of no consequence.16
[Although] person gives his entire estate to others through an oral will17 [all the provisions of his wife's ketubah must be met]. [The rationale is] that the transfer of property through an oral will does not take effect until after death, as will be explained.18Thus, the mandate of the will and the obligations of the estate due to the provisions [of the ketubah] take effect simultaneously. Therefore, the widow and [the deceased's] daughters receive support for their sustenance from the estate, and [the deceased's] sons inherit the money due their mother by virtue of her ketubah if she dies during her husband's lifetime.19
Halacha 14
A daughter of a girl who nullifies her marriage through mi'un is considered like any other daughter, and she is entitled to support for her sustenance [after her father's death].20 Nevertheless, the daughter of a yevamah,21 the daughter of ash'niyah,22 the daughter of one's arusah,23 and the daughter of a woman who has been raped24 are not entitled to support for their sustenance after their father's death by virtue of this provision. During their father's lifetime, however, he is obligated to support them like any of his other sons and daughters.
Halacha 15
A man who consecrates a girl who is receiving her sustenance from her brothers is obligated to provide her with support from the time of consecration onward. [Although a husband is ordinarily required to support his wife only afternisu'in, an exception is made in this instance, because] the girl is not entitled to support from her brothers after she becomes consecrated. Nor is she past the age of majority, when she is capable of providing for her own sustenance, but rather she is a minor, or a na'arah.25 [Hence, her husband is obligated to support her, because] a manwould not desire that the woman he consecrated be put to shame [by having to] wander and beg [for her support].26
Halacha 16
Should a daughter marry and then leave her husband through the rite of mi'un, or be divorced, or be widowed - even if she is obligated to marry a yavam - since she returns to her father's home and has not reached the age of bagrut, she is entitled to support from her father's estate until she reaches the age ofbagrut or until she becomes consecrated.27
Halacha 17
When a mandies leaving both sons and daughters, the sons inherit his estate,28and it is their responsibility to provide their sisters with support until they reach the age of bagrut, or until they become consecrated.
When does this apply? When the estate is large enough to provide both the sons and the daughters with their sustenance until the daughters reach the age of bagrut. This is called an ample estate.
If, however, the estate contains only a lesser amount, the funds necessary to support the daughters until they reach the age of bagrut are set aside,29 and the remainder is given to the sons. If the estate contains only enough to provide for the support of the daughters, the daughters are entitled to their sustenance until they reach bagrut or until they become consecrated, and the sons should beg for their support.30
Halacha 18
When does the above apply? When the estate contains landed property. If, however, the estate contains movable property, since it is only by virtue of the ordinance of the geonim that the daughters are entitled to derive their support from the movable property, the sons and the daughters should receive their support equally from this meager estate. For with regard to movable property, [the daughters] were given the right to be considered like the sons, but not superior to them. The geonim have ruled in this manner.31
Halacha 19
If [a man] left an ample estate of landed property, and afterwards [the value of the estate decreased until] it became meager, the heirs have already acquired [the property].32
If [the estate was deemed] meager [in value] at the time of the man's death, and [the value increased afterwards]33 to the point that it is considered ample, the heirs are given the right to inherit it. Even if the value did not increase, if the sons sold an estate that was considered meager, the sale is binding.34
Halacha 20
If the estate was ample but a debt was owed, or [the man] had made a provision with his wife, [promising] to support her daughter [from a previous marriage], the debt or [the obligation to] support the widow's daughter35 does not prevent the estate from being considered ample.36 Instead, the sons inherit the entire estate. [It is their responsibility] to pay the creditor his debt, to support the widow's daughter for the time stipulated and to support their sisters until they reach majority, or until they become consecrated and leave their domain.37
Halacha 21
[The following rules apply when a man] left a widow and a daughter, either from her or from another wife, and his estate is not large enough to provide support for both of them. The widow should derive her support from the estate, and the daughter should beg [for alms].38
Similarly, I maintain that support for [a man's] daughter takes precedence over [his] sons' inheritance of their mother's ketubah if she died in her husband's lifetime, although both [rights] are provisions of the ketubah. [This can be derived by making] an inference from a more serious responsibility to a less serious one: If the inheritance [of a man's estate to which the sons are entitled] by virtue of Scriptural law is superseded by [the obligation to provide] the daughter with her support, how much more so should [the sons'] inheritance of [their mother's] ketubah, which is only a Rabbinic ordinance, be superseded by [the obligation to provide] the daughter with her support.
Halacha 22
When a man dies and leaves older daughters and younger daughters, without leaving a son, we do not say that the younger daughters should be granted their sustenance until they reach the age of bagrut, and then the entire estate should be divided equally. Instead, the entire estate should be divided equally [immediately].
| FOOTNOTES | |
| 1. |
This and the laws that follow are relevant only in situations where a man has children from two different wives and he did not divorce the wives before their death. When a man's wives die before he does, he inherits their nedunyah and is not required to pay them the money due them by virtue of their ketubot. Nevertheless, our Sages ordained that a woman's children should benefit from her investment in the household and the commitment made to her. Hence, before the father's estate is divided among all the heirs, the children of each of his wives are entitled to receive the monies mentioned above.
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| 2. |
Note the statements of the Ramah (Even HaEzer 111:16), who states that this practice is not followed in the present age. The rationale is that the practice was instituted in the Talmudic era to encourage a father to give his daughter a generous nedunyah. (For because of this practice, he can be assured that the money he gives will remain within his family.) In the present age, however, this encouragement is not necessary, for it has become customary for parents to endow their daughters generously before marriage.
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| 3. |
As the Rambam stated in Chapter 16, Halachah 7, the children's inheritance of the money due their mother by virtue of her ketubah applies only when there is enough landed property remaining in the estate to pay for both ketubot.
From the wording of the Rambam, it would, nevertheless, appear that it is sufficient that the additional dinar be movable property; it need not be landed property. This indeed is the ruling of the Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 111:14). If this is the intent, it would reflect a change in the Rambam's decision from his ruling in his Commentary on the Mishnah (Ketubot 10:3).
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| 4. |
I.e., once the woman took the oath required of her, the money due her by virtue of her ketubah is considered to be justly hers. Her children then inherit her property.
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| 5. |
In this instance, they are entitled to inherit the money due their mother by virtue of her ketubaheven if the estate is not large enough to allow for the division of the inheritance according to Scriptural law afterwards (Ketubot 91a; Shulchan Aruch, Even HaEzer 111:8).
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| 6. |
Since the woman did not take the oath required of a widow, there is room to suspect that her husband already gave her the money due her by virtue of her ketubah, or that she took possession of it herself. Therefore, her sons are not entitled to collect her ketubah.
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| 7. |
Nor are the sons entitled to inherit the money due their mothers by virtue of their ketubot based on the provision mentioned above, because this is applicable only when the woman dies in her husband's lifetime.
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| 8. |
The sons of the widow who did not take the oath are not entitled to inherit the money due their mother by virtue of her ketubah.
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| 9. |
See Chapter 21, Halachah 18, which states that the daughters are granted this right even when their father divorced their mother before his death, and they took up residence with their mother.
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| 10. |
Once the daughter is consecrated by a husband, her support is no longer the responsibility of her father's estate. (See also Halachah 15.)
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| 11. |
During a man's lifetime, he is required only to provide his daughters with their sustenance until the age of six (Chapter 12, Halachah 14). After his death, however, they are entitled to support until the age of twelve and a half.
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| 12. |
From the Rambam's wording, it would appear that he maintains that a girl forfeits her right to support if she becomes consecrated while she is a minor. This ruling is not universally accepted by the Rishonim. The Maggid Mishneh quotes Rabbenu Chananel and the Rashba as saying that she does not forfeit this right in such an instance. The Tur (Even HaEzer 112) mentions a third view: that if she consecrates herself, she forfeits her support, but if her brothers are involved in her consecration, she is still entitled to support. The Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 112:3) quotes the Rambam's view, while the Ramah mentions the other opinions.
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| 13. |
Although during his lifetime, her father is entitled to her earnings and the objects she discovers, this right is not given to his sons. The rationale is that the father would prefer for his daughter to receive her own earnings than to have them given to his sons.
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| 14. |
Although a widow is not required to take an oath when collecting her support, this is because she is required to take an oath when she collects the money due her by virtue of her ketubah. Therefore, one might think that a daughter would be required to take such an oath. Indeed, theBeit Shmuel 112:15, based on the statements of Tosafot, requires that such an oath be taken.
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| 15. |
The Ra'avad and the Maggid Mishneh question the Rambam's ruling with regard to the support the man's daughters receive for their sustenance. They maintain that this support is not dependent on whether the mother receives the money due her by virtue of her ketubah (and therefore, the waiver of that payment has no effect). The Rambam's opinion appears to be based on his statements in Chapter 17, Halachah 19, in which he states that a woman who waives payment of her ketubah forgoes all the provisions of her ketubah. The Shulchan Aruch does not mention this issue, and the Ramah (Even HaEzer 112:1) cites the opinion of the Ra'avad.
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| 16. |
The rationale is that the obligation took effect at the time of his marriage, and he is incapable of negating it at a later time.
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| 17. |
An oral will refers to a person's disposition of his property verbally before his death. As explained in Hilchot Zechiyah UMatanah, Chapter 8, our Sages ordain that such a disposition of property is acceptable.
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| 18. |
Hilchot Zechiyah UMatanah 8:8. (See also Hilchot Nachalot 8:9.)
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| 19. |
The Ra'avad differs with the Rambam with regard to the rights of a person's sons and daughters. Nevertheless, the Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 111:17) follows the Rambam's view.
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| 20. |
This ruling has been contested by other authorities on several grounds. First, the Ra'avad challenges the Rambam, asking: how is it possible for a girl who nullifies her marriage throughmi'un to have a child? By definition, mi'un is possible when a girl is a k'tanah, a minor (see Chapter 4, Halachah 7), and while she is a minor it is impossible for her to conceive a child. He explains that Ketubot 53b is speaking about a girl who leaves her husband through mi'un - she is entitled to return to her deceased father's home and receive support for her sustenance.
Second, the Maggid Mishneh accepts the fact that a girl can conceive a child while a minor, but asks: Since the mother nullifies the marriage through mi'un, it is as if her husband had never had any obligations to her at all. Her ketubah and all of its provisions are nullified entirely. Why then is his estate liable for the support of his daughter after his death? See the Beit Shmuel 112:11 for a possible explanation.
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| 21. |
When a man dies childless, his brother (the yavam) inherits his entire estate, and that estate is responsible for the ketubah of the yevamah (the widow who is married by the yavam). If ayevamah bears a girl, the deceased brother's estate is not liable for the girl's support after her father's (the yavam's) death, for she is not the daughter of the deceased brother. Nor is theyavam's estate responsible for her support, for he never gave a ketubah to the yevamah.
Note, however, the Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 112:5), which states that if the deceased brother did not leave an estate, the yavam must give the yevamah a ketubah from his own property. Hence, in this instance, his estate becomes liable for the support of his daughters.
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| 22. |
Since the mother's marriage is forbidden, our Sages did not grant her a ketubah. Ketubot 54a questions whether they also did not grant her the rights stemming from the ketubah's provisions, including her daughter's right to support in this instance. Since the question is left unresolved, her daughter is not granted this privilege.
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| 23. |
Who was born before the couple entered the phase of nisu'in (Shulchan Aruch, loc. cit.). Since theketubah takes effect only after nisu'in, this daughter is not entitled to support.
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| 24. |
The term anusah refers to a virgin who was raped. The rapist is required to marry her and is forbidden to divorce her (Deuteronomy 22:28). Since he is forbidden to divorce her, she is not granted a ketubah. Our Sages (ibid.) question whether or not she was not granted the provisions of a ketubah. This question is also left unresolved, and her daughter is not granted the privilege of deriving her livelihood from her father's estate. Similarly, the daughter of a woman who was raped and never married by the rapist is not entitled to support from her father's estate.
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| 25. |
The Beit Shmuel 112:6 interprets the Rambam's wording as implying that after the girl reaches the age of bagrut, she is required to support herself.
The Beit Shmuel also mentions that other Rishonim interpret Ketubot 53b, the source for this halachah, differently. According to their interpretation, the husband is not liable for the girl's support. If the husband desires, continues the Beit Shmuel, he may rely on this opinion.
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| 26. |
It is as if he had made a commitment to support her when he consecrated her.
|
| 27. |
The Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 112:4) cites the Rambam's view. The Ramah differs, however, citing the opinion of Rabbenu Asher, who maintains that from the time a girl becomes consecrated after her father's death, and onward, she is not entitled to support from his estate.
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| 28. |
The estate is given to them, and they may use it as they see fit. They are, however, forbidden to sell the property except in an extreme situation - e.g., to use the proceeds to redeem captives (Ramah, Even HaEzer 112:11). Moreover, if the court sees that the sons are spending lavishly and abusing the resources of the estate, they should set aside the daughters' portion.
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| 29. |
They are entrusted to a guardian appointed by the court.
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| 30. |
For it is more common for males to beg for alms than for females to do so (Ketubot 67a). This principle is also followed with regard to the distribution of charity. If there is a needy male and a needy female, and the communal fund cannot provide both of them with their needs, the female is given priority (Hilchot Matnot Aniyim 8:15).
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| 31. |
The Ramah (Even HaEzer 112:12) states that according to the custom to include within theketubah a clause stating that the obligations of the estate are binding on movable property as well, the estate is considered to be meager and the support for the daughters is set aside.
|
| 32. |
I.e., the property should remain in the possession of the sons, and they must continue to provide for their sisters' sustenance. It is not expropriated from the sons and given to a guardian.
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| 33. |
The Maggid Mishneh mentions a difference of opinion with regard to the interpretation of the word "afterwards." Rashi (Ketubot 91a) maintains that this means "after the man's death, but before the matter is brought to the court and a guardian appointed." Others (Rabbenu Yitzchak Alfasi and the Rashba) maintain that even after a guardian is appointed, the property can be given to the heirs if its value increases.
The Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 112:14) quotes the Rambam's wording without relating to this issue. The Ramah mentions the latter view.
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| 34. |
The opinion of Tosafot, et al. is that even if the property has been entrusted to a guardian, if it is sold by the heirs the sale is binding. The Ramah (loc. cit.), however, appears to follow the view that the sale is binding only before the property has been entrusted to a guardian.
According to Rabbenu Asher, the daughters have no lien on the money received from the sale. Although Rav Hai Gaon differs, it appears that Rabbenu Asher's view is favored (Chelkat Mechokek 112:30).
|
| 35. |
See Chapter 23, Halachah 17.
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| 36. |
The Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 112:15) states that the payment of the money due the widow by virtue of her ketubah is, however, considered in determining whether the estate is ample or not.
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| 37. |
This ruling entitles the sons to derive their sustenance from the estate together with the daughters until the funds are depleted.
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| 38. |
According to the Rambam, the property set aside for the widow's support should be given to a third party, and he should follow the guidelines set in Chapter 18, Halachah 21 (Maggid Mishneh).
There are opinions that maintain that property is set aside for the widow's support only when there is a son and a daughter, and the estate is too meager to support both of them. In that instance, since property is being set aside for the daughters' support, and the widow takes precedence over the daughters, property is also set aside for her. When property is not required to be set aside for the daughters, it is not set aside for the widow's support either. Instead, she, the daughters and the sons, all derive their sustenance from the estate together.
The Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 93:4) mentions both opinions, and the Beit Shmuel 93:9 states that the latter view is favored by most authorities. This difference of opinion also leads to another (Shulchan Aruch, Even HaEzer 112:15): Does the obligation to support the widow cause the estate to be considered meager or not? According to the Rambam it does, but according to the other authorities it does not.
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Tum'at Okhalin - Chapter 4
Halacha 1
What is the minimum measure for the impurity of foods? For them to contract impurity, even the slightest amount. Even a sesame or mustard seed contracts impurity, as Leviticus 11:34 states: "Any food that shall be eaten," including even the slightest amount.
Food does not impart impurity to other foods or liquids or a person's hands until it is the size of an egg without its shell. And a person who partakes of impure foods is not disqualified from partaking of terumah and sacrificial foods unless he partakes of a portion of impure food the size of an egg and a half. This is half a p'ras.
Halacha 2
Even the slightest amount of liquid can contract ritual impurity and impart ritual impurity. Even a drop of an impure liquid the size of a mustard seed that touched foods, keilim, or other liquids causes them to become impure. Nevertheless, a person who drinks impure liquids does not become disqualified unless he drinks a revi'it, as we explained.
Halacha 3
All liquids can be combined to comprise the minimum measure and disqualify a person's body if he drank a revi'it. All foods can be combined to comprise the minimum measure of an egg-sized portion that imparts the impurity associated with foods and to a half a pras to disqualify a person. Even wheat can be combined with flour, with dough, with figs, with meat and the like. Everything can be combined.
Halacha 4
When an animal's hide is connected to its meat, the juice it secretes, the spices, the meat connected to the hide - although one had the intent to eat part of it and did not have the intent to eat the remainder, even though part of it was separated by a beast of prey and part of it was separated by a knife - the bones that are connected to the meat, the giddim, the soft portions of the horns and the hoofs, the thin feathers and the wooly hairs of a fowl, the soft portion of its nails and the beak that are embedded in its flesh: all of these contract impurity, impart impurity, and are included in an egg-sized portion or half a pras.
Halacha 5
When an egg-sized portion of impure food was left in the sun and it shrank, it does not impart impurity. Similarly, an olive-sized portion from a human corpse or an animal carcass and a lentil-sized portion from a dead creeping animal that was left in the sun and shrank are pure.
Halacha 6
When an olive-sized portion of fat, blood, notar, or piggul was left in the sun and it shrank, one is not liable for karet for partaking of them. If he left them in the rain and they swelled, returning to the specified volume, they return to their original status, whether that involves severe impurity, a lesser impurity, or a prohibition against partaking of the substance.
Halacha 7
Onion leaves and onion shoots that are hollow which possess sap are measured according to their present size. If they are hollow and empty, their hollow should be compressed before their volume is measured.
Halacha 8
A puffy bread is measured as it is. If it has a cavity, the cavity should be compressed.
Halacha 9
When the meat of a calf expands or the meat of an older animal shrinks, its volume should be measured in its present state.
Halacha 10
The volume of nuts, dates, and almonds that have dried are measured in their present state.
Halacha 11
All entities whose type of impurity and minimum measures are similar can be combined with each other to reach that measure. If their impurity was similar, but not the minimum measures or the minimum measures, but not the impurity, they should not be combined, not even to impart the lesser type of impurity. What is meant by the type of its impurity, but not the minimum measure? E.g., the flesh of a corpse and the decomposed mass from it. What is meant by its minimum measure, but not its type? E.g., the flesh of a human corpse and the flesh of an animal carcass. Needless to say, impure entities that are not similar, neither in their measure and their type of impurity, e.g., the flesh of an animal carcass and the flesh of a dead crawling animal, are not combined.
Halacha 12
The measure of all impure food is the same. For all impure foods do not impart impurity unless there is an egg-sized portion present. And their impurity is of the same type, for all impure foods impart impurity only through touch and they do not impart impurity to humans or to keilim. Therefore, they can be combined to impart impurity according to the lesser level of impurity among them.
What is implied? When there was a half an egg-sized portion of food that was a primary derivative of impurity and a half of an egg-sized portion of food that was a secondary derivative that were mixed together, they are considered as an egg-sized portion that is a secondary derivative. If the mixture touches food that was terumah, it disqualifies it.
When there was a half an egg-sized portion of food that was a secondary derivative of impurity and a half of an egg-sized portion of food that was a tertiary derivative that were mixed together, they are considered as an egg-sized portion that is a tertiary derivative. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations. Even when there was a half an egg-sized portion of food that was a primary derivative and a half of an egg-sized portion of sacrificial food that was a fourth degree derivative that were mixed together, they are considered as an egg-sized portion that is a fourth degree derivative.
Halacha 13
When an egg-sized portion of food that was a primary derivative of impurity and an egg-sized portion of food that was a secondary derivative were mixed together, the entire mixture is considered as a primary derivative. If the mixture was divided, each portion is a secondary derivative.
If one of the portions of the mixture that was divided fell on a loaf of bread that was terumah and then the other fell upon it, they disqualify it. If the two fell at the same time, they cause it to be considered as a secondary derivative.
Halacha 14
When an egg-sized portion of food that was a secondary derivative of impurity and an egg-sized portion of food that was a tertiary derivative were mixed together, the entire mixture is considered as a secondary derivative. If the mixture was divided, each portion is a tertiary derivative. If one of the portions of the mixture that was divided fell on a loaf of bread that was terumah and then the other fell upon it, they do not disqualify it. If the two fell at the same time, they cause it to be considered as a tertiary derivative.
Halacha 15
When an egg-sized portion of food that was a primary derivative of impurity and an egg-sized portion of food that was a tertiary derivative were mixed together, the entire mixture is considered as a primary derivative. If the mixture was divided, each portion is a secondary derivative. The rationale is that when a tertiary derivative touches a primary derivative, it becomes a secondary derivative.
Halacha 16
When two egg-sized portions of food that were primary derivatives of impurity and two egg-sized portions of food that were secondary derivatives were mixed together, the entire mixture is considered as a primary derivative. If the mixture was divided in half, each portion is a primary derivative. If they were divided into three or four portions, each one of them is considered a secondary derivative.
Similarly, when two egg-sized portions of food that were secondary derivatives of impurity and two egg-sized portions of food that were tertiary derivatives were mixed together, the entire mixture is considered as a secondary derivative. If the mixture was divided in half, each portion is a secondary derivative. If they were divided into three or four portions, each one of them is considered a tertiary derivative.
Tum'at Okhalin - Chapter 5
Halacha 1
The term yad when used in connection with food refers to the thin stems that are close to fruit from which the fruit hangs from the tree, e.g. the stems of figs and pears and the edges of a grape cluster. In this category are also included seeds and other entities required by the foods and any shomrim for foods, i.e., the shell over the foods that protects it. Similar laws apply to all analogous substances.
Halacha 2
Any substance that is a yad, but not a shomer is susceptible to impurity, imparts impurity, but is not considered as part of the food. Any substance that is ashomer, even though it is not a yad is susceptible to impurity, imparts impurity, and is combined together with the food. Any entity that is not a shomer, nor ayad, is neither susceptible to impurity, nor does it impart impurity. Needless to say, it is not considered as part of the food.
What is meant by saying "it is susceptible to impurity, imparts impurity, but is not considered as part of the food"? If impurity touched the yad, the food suspended from it becomes impure. If impurity touched the food, the yadbecomes impure. The yad is not combined with the food to comprise an egg-sized portion or a half a pras. If, however, an entity is a shomer it is considered as part of an egg-sized portion or a half a pras.
Halacha 3
Just as there is a concept of a yad with regard to contracting impurity, so too, there is a concept of a yad with regard to making foods susceptible to impurity through exposure to liquids. If the yad was exposed to a liquid, all of the food hanging from it is susceptible to impurity.
The concept of a yad applies even though the fruit is smaller than an olive-sized portion and the concept of a shomer applies even though the fruit is smaller than a bean. When a shomer is divided, it no longer is combined with the food.
Halacha 4
What is the source that teaches that the shomerim of food contract impurity together with the food when they are connected to it? Leviticus 11:37 states: "On any type of kernels of seed that will be sown." Implied is that the kernels are considered in the form which people use to sow, e.g., wheat in its coating, barley in its shell, lentils in their coverings. Similar laws apply to othershomerim.
Halacha 5
What is the source that teaches that the yadot of food are susceptible to impurity and impart impurity when they are connected to foods? It is writtenibid.: 38: "They shall be impure for you," included is anything necessary for you so that the food can be eaten.
Halacha 6
When a person harvests grapes for a winepress, there is no concept of yadot, for he has no need of the yad, because it absorbs the liquid.
Halacha 7
When one harvests produce to use as a covering for his sukkah, there is no concept of yadot, for he has no need of the yad.
Halacha 8
Whenever the yadot of food were crushed in the granary, they are pure.
Halacha 9
When a sprig of a cluster is stripped of its grapes, it is pure. If one grape remained, it is considered as a yad for that grape and it is susceptible to impurity. Similarly, if a stalk from a date palm was stripped of its dates, it is pure. If one date remained, it is impure. Similarly, if a pod of legumes was emptied, it is pure. If one legume remained, it is susceptible to impurity.
Halacha 10
There can never be a concept of a shomer for a shomer. Only the protective covering that is closest to the food is considered as part of it.
Halacha 11
There are three peels to an onion: the inner peel, whether it is whole or cut, it is combined with the food. When the middle peel is whole, it is combined. If it is cut, it is not combined. The outer peel is pure in both instances.
Halacha 12
All shells become susceptible to impurity, impart impurity, and are combined together with the food because they are shomerim. When the pods of beans and vetch are discarded, they do not become susceptible to impurity. If they were saved to be served as food, they do become susceptible to impurity. If food remains inside them, they are susceptible to impurity regardless.
Cucumber peels are susceptible to the impurity of foods, even though they are not connected to the cucumber at all. When barley kernels are dry, their shell is included with them. If the kernels are fresh, the shells are not included with them. The shells of wheat kernels are included with them in all instances.
Halacha 13
All seeds become susceptible to impurity, impart impurity, but are not combined together with the food with the exception of a fresh date seed. The seed of a dried date, by contrast, is not combined with the food.
Halacha 14
The covering of a fresh date seed is not combined with the fruit. The covering of a dry date seed, by contrast, is combined with the fruit. Since it cleaves to the fruit, it is considered as part of the fruit.
Halacha 15
When a portion of a date seed projects outside the fruit, the portion that has food around it is combined with it. The portion that projects beyond it does not.
Similarly, when there is a bone with meat on it, any portion of the bone that has meat around it is combined with the meat. If it has meat on it only from one side, only the portion of bone under the meat is combined with it and only the upper portion of the bone until its cavity. If a bone does not have a cavity, we consider it as the thickness of a hyssop stem. Only that portion is combined with the meat; the remainder is not combined. The rationale is that the bones are considered like shomerim for the meat.
Halacha 16
A thigh bone that has meat - even a mere bean-size portion - upon it causes the entire bone to be included in the reckoning for impurity.
Halacha 17
Olive and date seeds that were cooked to be eaten are not susceptible to impurity.
Halacha 18
Even though one collected carob seeds with the intent of eating them, they are not susceptible to impurity. If one cooked them with the intent of eating them, they are susceptible to impurity.
Halacha 19
The following are susceptible to impurity, impart impurity, and are combined together with the food: the roots of garlic, onions, and leek, when they are fresh, their protuberance, whether fresh or dry, their stalk which is opposite the food, the roots of lettuce and Israeli radishes, and the main root of large radishes are combined with the food. The thin roots of large radishes, by contrast, are not combined. The roots of mint and rue and the roots of wild vegetables that were uprooted with the intent of replanting them, the center stalk of grain and the husks of its kernels, the stems of figs, dried figs, thin figs, and carobs are susceptible to impurity, impart impurity, and are combined together with the food.
Halacha 20
The following are susceptible to impurity, impart impurity, but are not combined together with the food: the roots of garlic, onions, and leek, when they are dry, stalks growing from them that are not opposite their central portion, the mila'inof grain stalks, i.e., the dark hairs on top of a grain stalk that resemble the teeth of a saw, the stems of pears, small pears, quince, and crabapples, the handbreadth of the stem of squash that is closest to the vegetable itself, a handbreadth of the stem of an artichoke, and similarly, a handbreadth from either side of a branch from which a twig of a grape vine grows. From the twig of a grape vine grow many clusters. This same ruling is applied to the stem of a cluster regardless of its size. The yad of the tail end of the shoot of the cluster from which the grapes were removed and that of a branch of a date palm is four handbreadths long. The term branch refers to the red branch that the stalks hang from; the dates hang from the stalks. Three handbreadths of the stem of the grainstalk are considered as a yad. Similarly, three handbreadths of the stem of all plants that are reaped are considered as a yad. If plants are not reaped, their stems and roots are considered as yadot regardless of their length.
All of the aforementioned are susceptible to impurity, impart impurity, but are not combined together with the food, because they are yadot.
Halacha 21
The following are not susceptible to impurity, do not impart impurity, and are not combined together with the food: other stems, the roots of cabbage heads, the roots of beets, the roots of turnips - this refers to the deep roots that remain when the cabbage and turnips are harvested from which the plants grow a second time - and all the roots that are cut off when they are uprooted together with the food.
The button of a pomegranate is combined together with the fruit. The buds that grow from it are not combined.
Halacha 22
When part of a pomegranate or a watermelon decomposed, the remainder is not considered as joined to the part that decomposed. The remainder of the peel is not combined with the fruit, for its protection of the fruit is of no benefit. Similarly, if such fruit was intact on either side, but rotten in the center, the portions of fruit on the sides are not considered as joined to each other, nor is the peel combined with the food.
The green leaves of vegetables are combined with the foods. The white leaves are not, because they are of no benefit.
Tum'at Okhalin - Chapter 6
Halacha 1
When the shells of nuts and almonds are cracked, they are still considered as attached to the food until the shell is shattered.
Halacha 2
Once a perforation has been made through which to suck out the contents of a soft-roasted egg, the remainder of the shell is not considered as connected to it. When an egg has been cooked, its shell is considered as connected to it until it is shattered. If the shell has been spiced, even if it is shattered entirely, it is still considered as connected.
Halacha 3
When a bone contains marrow, the bone is considered as connected to the marrow until it is shattered. The wool on the heads of sheep and the hair on a goat's beard even when charred with fire are still considered as connected to the food until one begins removing them.
Halacha 4
Even though one already passed a knife over the wings of locusts or the scales of fish, they are considered as connected until one begins actually peeling them off. When the seeds of a pomegranate have separated, they are still considered as connected until one strikes it with a reed.
Halacha 5
The stalks of a date palm are not considered as connected to each other.
Halacha 6
When one cut a cucumber and placed it on the table, the portions are considered as connected until one begins to separate one from the other. If one begins to separate, a piece and anything that ascends with it is considered as connected. The remainder is not considered as connected. The lower tip is considered as connected to itself and not to the other pieces.
When there were two or three cucumbers, one cut each one of them and placed them on the table and began eating one of them, the one he began eating is considered as connected and the others are not considered as connected. Even if he said: "I am eating half in the morning and half in the evening," the half with which he began is considered as connected and the remainder is not considered as connected.
Halacha 7
When a person cuts vegetables and the like to cook them, even though he did not finish cutting them to the extent that they were separated, they are no longer considered as connected. Instead, if one piece contracts impurity, the other does not contract impurity even though they remain attached.
If one cuts a vegetable to pickle, to cook lightly, or to serve on the table, the pieces are considered as connected, even if he begins to separate what he cut.
Halacha 8
Any food that was still not separated is considered as connected. If part of it contracts impurity, it is impure in its entirety.
Halacha 9
The following rules apply when food was divided, but the pieces were still partially attached and an impure person touched one piece. Were he to hold the piece that he touched, the other piece would ascend with it, they are considered as connected. If when one holds the impure piece and lifts it up, the other one would break off and fall, they are not considered as connected. Instead, the second piece is considered as touching the piece that contracted impurity.
Halacha 10
The following laws apply whenever leaves or stems are connected to foods. Those that are usually held by their leaves, should be held by their leaves. If they are held by their stalks, they should be held by their stalks. If the food remains hanging from the leaves or the stems, it is considered as connected when touched by a person who immersed in a mikveh that day. Needless to say, this applies to other impurities.
Similarly, if a fruit has a part that could be considered as a handle, it should be held by the handle. If it has both leaves and a handle, it should be held by whichever one desires. If it has neither leaves nor a handle, concerning such a situation, our Sages said: If when one holds the impure piece and lifts it up, the other one ascends with it, they are considered connected. If not, they are not considered connected.
Halacha 11
When one cut off nuts with their stems when they are soft and joined them together like a rope or joined onions together in a like manner, they are considered as joined. If he begins separating the nuts or cutting off the onions, the remainder are not considered as joined. Even if there were 100 kor left, they are all not considered as connected, because he has indicated that his intent is to undo all of them.
Halacha 12
When there is a braided chain of garlic heads and liquids fell on one of them, it is impure, but those joined to it are pure. For articles joined together by humans are not considered as joined together for all matters. Similarly, when an esrogwas separated into pieces and skewered by a weaving needle or a sliver of wood, the pieces are not considered as joined.
Halacha 13
When a dough was kneaded with fruit juice, the portions of the dough are not considered as joined, for the only entities that join food are the seven liquids.
Halacha 14
When one crushes foods together and amasses them, e.g., dried figs, dates, or raisins that were amassed and made into a single block, they are not considered as joined. Therefore, when impure liquids fell on a portion of a ring of dried figs, one may remove the portion on which the liquids fell and the remainder is pure.
Halacha 15
If one cooked dates and dried figs together and made them a single mass, they are considered as joined.
Halacha 16
When olives were stored and combined together in a single mass, they are considered as joined, since at the outset, they were placed in the pit with the intent that their fluids flow from one to another.
Therefore if the carcass of a creeping animal was found on a mound of olives, i.e., olives that have become a single mass, even if it touched only a barley-sized portion of the mass, the entire amount is impure, because it is all a single entity.
If a person had a mass of olives and he was planning to turn it over, once he inserts the spade into the mass, they are no longer considered as connected even though there are many lumps. If a mass is formed after they were turned over, they are not considered as joined.
Halacha 17
When separate foods are all collected in the same place and are clinging to each other, even though they are not considered as joined with regard to the contraction of impurity, and they are not considered as a single mass, as explained, they are still combined to produce the measure of an egg-sized portion to impart impurity to other foods. If the foods were not collected as one mass, but instead were separate like cooked food and legumes, they are not considered as a combined entity even in that context until they are collected and formed into a single mass.
When there were many lumps of food, one next to another and a primary source of impurity touched one of them, that lump is considered as a primary derivative of impurity. The lump next to it is considered as a secondary derivative, the one next to the second, a tertiary derivative, and the one next to the third, a derivative of the fourth degree.
Halacha 18
If a loaf that was terumah was a primary derivative of impurity became attached to others, they are all considered as primary derivatives. If it was separated, it is considered as a primary derivative and the others, as secondary derivatives. If it was a secondary derivative and it became attached to others, they are all considered as secondary derivatives. If it was separated, it is considered as a secondary derivative and the others, as tertiary derivatives. If it was a tertiary derivative and it became attached to others, it remains a tertiary derivative and they are all considered as pure, whether they were separated or not.
Halacha 19
When loaves that are terumah are attached to each other and one of them contracted impurity from the carcass of a crawling animal, they are all considered as primary derivatives even if they are separated afterwards. If one of them contracted impurity from impure liquids, they are all considered as secondary derivatives even if they are separated afterwards. If one contracted impurity from impure hands, they are all considered as primary derivatives even if they are separated afterwards. The rationale for this law is that the loaves were a single entity at the impurity was contracted.
• Monday, Menachem Av 11, 5775 · 27 July /2015
"Today's Day"
Thursday Menachem Av 11 5703
Torah lessons: Chumash: Va'etchanan, Chamishi with Rashi.
Tehillim: 60-65.
Tanya: III. "And he garbed (p. 397) ...(Heaven Forfend). (p. 399).
The Alter Rebbe went to Mezritch with his brother, R. Yehuda Leib, in 5524 (1764). R. Yehuda Leib went without permission from his wife and therefore turned back. The Rebbe came to Mezritch and stayed there, that first time, until after Pesach 5525 (1765). For two weeks he was uncertain whether to remain there. The first maamarhe heard was Nachamu nachamu. It is not clear, though, whether this was the firstmaamar after his arrival, or the first after the two weeks when he had decided to remain and had become bound (to the Maggid).
Daily Thought:
Song and Silence
Each thing sings and each is silent.
Each thing sings, pulsating with the life G‑d gives it.
And each is silent, and the silence says,
“I am just a thing that is. I simply am.”
The silence is also G‑d.
For He is the only one that can truly say, “I am.”
____________________________
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