Torah Reading
Emor: Leviticus 21:1 Adonai said to Moshe, 2 “Speak to the entire community of Isra’el; tell them, ‘You people are to be holy because I, Adonai your God, am holy.
3 “‘Every one of you is to revere his father and mother, and you are to keep my Shabbats; I am Adonai your God.
4 “‘Do not turn to idols, and do not cast metal gods for yourselves; I am Adonai your God.
5 “‘When you offer a sacrifice of peace offerings to Adonai, offer it in a way that will make you accepted. 6 It is to be eaten the same day you offer it and the following day; but if any of it remains until the third day, it is to be burned up completely. 7 If any of it is eaten on the third day, it will have become a disgusting thing and will not be accepted; 8 moreover, everyone who eats it will bear the consequences of profaning something holy meant for Adonai — that person will be cut off from his people.
9 “‘When you harvest the ripe crops produced in your land, don’t harvest all the way to corners of your field, and don’t gather the ears of grain left by the harvesters. 10 Likewise, don’t gather the grapes left on the vine or fallen on the ground after harvest; leave them for the poor and the foreigner; I am Adonai your God.
11 “‘Do not steal from, defraud or lie to each other. 12 Do not swear by my name falsely, which would be profaning the name of your God; I am Adonai. 13 Do not oppress or rob your neighbor; specifically, you are not to keep back the wages of a hired worker all night until morning.
14 “‘Do not speak a curse against a deaf person or place an obstacle in the way of a blind person; rather, fear your God; I am Adonai.
Today's Laws & Customs:• Count "Twenty Days to the Omer" Tonight
Tomorrow is the twentieth day of the Omer Count. Since, on the Jewish calendar, the day begins at nightfall of the previous evening, we count the omer for tomorrow's date tonight, after nightfall: "Today is twenty days, which are two weeks and six days, to the Omer." (If you miss the count tonight, you can count the omer all day tomorrow, but without the preceding blessing).
The 49-day "Counting of the Omer" retraces our ancestors' seven-week spiritual journey from the Exodus to Sinai. Each evening we recite a special blessing and count the days and weeks that have passed since the Omer; the 50th day is Shavuot, the festival celebrating the Giving of the Torah at Sinai.
Tonight's Sefirah: Yesod sheb'Tifferet -- "Connection in Harmony"
The teachings of Kabbalah explain that there are seven "Divine Attributes" -- Sefirot -- that G-d assumes through which to relate to our existence: Chessed, Gevurah, Tifferet, Netzach, Hod,Yesod and Malchut ("Love", "Strength", "Beauty", "Victory", "Splendor", "Foundation" and "Sovereignty"). In the human being, created in the "image of G-d," the seven sefirot are mirrored in the seven "emotional attributes" of the human soul: Kindness, Restraint, Harmony, Ambition, Humility, Connection and Receptiveness. Each of the seven attributes contain elements of all seven--i.e., "Kindness in Kindness", "Restraint in Kindness", "Harmony in Kindness", etc.--making for a total of forty-nine traits. The 49-day Omer Count is thus a 49-step process of self-refinement, with each day devoted to the "rectification" and perfection of one the forty-nine "sefirot."
Links:
How to count the Omer
The deeper significance of the Omer Count
Today in Jewish History:
• Maimonides Saved (1165)
The 4th of Iyar was observed by Maimonides (Rabbi Moses ben Maimon, 1135-1204) as a personal day of fasting and prayer. Maimonides recounts that when he and his family were fleeing Islamic persecution from Fez, Morocco to the Holy Land, their ship was caught in a fierce storm at sea. He cried out to G-d in prayer and vowed to fast each year on this date.
Daily Quote:
The Tablets were each six handbreadths long and three handbreadths wide. Moses held two handbreadths, G-d held two handbreadths, and in between were two handbreadths of space. Moses' hands prevailed, and he grabbed hold of the Tablets and broke them... as it is written (Deuteronomy 9:17): "And I grabbed hold of the two tablets"[Midrash Tanchuma]
Daily Study:
Chitas and Rambam for today:
Chumash: Kedoshim, 5th Portion Leviticus 20:1-20:7 with Rashi
• English / Hebrew Linear Translation | Video Class• Leviticus Chapter 20
1And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, אוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָֹ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
2And to the children of Israel, you shall say: Any man of the children of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn among Israel, who gives any of his offspring to Molech, shall surely be put to death; the people of the land shall pelt him with stones. בוְאֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֘ תֹּאמַר֒ אִ֣ישׁ אִישׁ֩ מִבְּנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל וּמִן־הַגֵּ֣ר | הַגָּ֣ר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִתֵּ֧ן מִזַּרְע֛וֹ לַמֹּ֖לֶךְ מ֣וֹת יוּמָ֑ת עַ֥ם הָאָ֖רֶץ יִרְגְּמֻ֥הוּ בָאָֽבֶן:
And to the children of Israel, you shall say: [i.e., enumerate the following] punishments for the warnings [that were given in chapter 18.].
ואל בני ישראל תאמר: עונשין על האזהרות:
shall surely be put to death: By the court. And if the court is not [physically] powerful [enough to kill him by themselves], “the people of the land” must assist them. — [Torath Kohanim 20:91]
מות יומת: בבית דין, ואם אין כח לבית דין עם הארץ מסייעין אותן:
the people of the land: עַם הָאָרֶץ. [This may be rendered either: “the people of the earth” or “ the people of the land,” as follows:] The people for whose sake the earth was created, the people who are destined to possess the Land [of Israel], through [the observance of] these commandments. — [Torath Kohanim 20:91]
עם הארץ: עם שבגינו נבראת הארץ. דבר אחר עם שעתידין לירש את הארץ ע"י מצות הללו:
3And I will set My attention upon that man, and I will cut him off from amidst his people, because he gave of his offspring to Molech in order to defile My holy ones and to profane My holy Name. גוַֽאֲנִ֞י אֶתֵּ֤ן אֶת־פָּנַי֙ בָּאִ֣ישׁ הַה֔וּא וְהִכְרַתִּ֥י אֹת֖וֹ מִקֶּ֣רֶב עַמּ֑וֹ כִּ֤י מִזַּרְעוֹ֙ נָתַ֣ן לַמֹּ֔לֶךְ לְמַ֗עַן טַמֵּא֙ אֶת־מִקְדָּשִׁ֔י וּלְחַלֵּ֖ל אֶת־שֵׁ֥ם קָדְשִֽׁי:
And I will set my attention: Heb., פָּנַי, i.e., My leisure (פְּנַאי). I will turn aside (פּוֹנֶה) from all My affairs and occupy Myself with him. — [Torath Kohanim 20:92]
אתן את פני: פנאי שלי, פונה אני מכל עסקי ועוסק בו:
[that] man: But not the [whole] community. — [Torath Kohanim 20:92] [I.e., if the entire community give their offspring over to Molech, they are not punished with excision,] because the entire community are not to be cut off.
באיש: ולא בצבור, שאין כל הצבור נכרתין:
because he gave of his offspring to Molech: [Are not this phrase here, and the phrase in the next verse, “when he gives of his offspring to Molech” superfluous? However,] since Scripture says, “[There shall not be found among you] anyone who passes his son or daughter through fire” (Deut. 18:10), how do we know [that the law applies as well to] his son’s son or his daughter’s son? Scripture, therefore, says, “because he gave of his offspring to Molech.” And how do we know that the law applies even to one’s illegitimate offspring [i.e., one produced from a halachically illegitimate union]? Scripture. therefore says (in the next verse),“when he gives of his offspring to Molech” [to include even his illegitimate offspring]. — [Torath Kohanim 20:93; Sanh. 64b]
כי מזרעו נתן למלך: לפי שנאמר מעביר בנו ובתו באש (דברים יח י), בן בנו ובן בתו מנין, תלמוד לומר כי מזרעו נתן למולך. זרע פסול מנין, תלמוד לומר בתתו מזרעו למולך:
In order to defile My holy ones: Heb. מִקְדָּשִׁי. [This is] the congregation of Israel, which is sanctified to Me. [This reference to Israel as מִקְדָּשִׁי, what is sanctified to Me, is] reminiscent of the expression [referring to the holy sacrifices], “he shall not desecrate My holy things (מִקְדָּשַׁי) ” (Lev. 21:23).
למען טמא את מקדשי: את כנסת ישראל, שהיא מקודשת לי, כלשון (ויקרא כא כג) ולא יחלל את מקדשי:
4But if the people of the land ignore that man when he gives of his offspring to Molech, not putting him to death דוְאִ֡ם הַעְלֵ֣ם יַעְלִ֩ימוּ֩ עַ֨ם הָאָ֜רֶץ אֶת־עֵֽינֵיהֶם֙ מִן־הָאִ֣ישׁ הַה֔וּא בְּתִתּ֥וֹ מִזַּרְע֖וֹ לַמֹּ֑לֶךְ לְבִלְתִּ֖י הָמִ֥ית אֹתֽוֹ:
But if [the people of the land] ignore [that man]: Heb. הַעְלֵם יַעְלִימוּ. [The double expression intimates that] if they ignore one matter [i.e., even one sin], they will eventually ignore many matters, and if the Small Sanhedrin [of twenty-three judges] ignores the matter, eventually the Great Sanhedrin [of seventy-one judges, in Jerusalem,] will ignore the matter. — [Torath Kohanim 20:94]
ואם העלם יעלימו: אם העלימו בדבר אחד, סוף שיעלימו בדברים הרבה. אם העלימו סנהדרי קטנה, סוף שיעלימו סנהדרי גדולה:
5I will set My attention upon that man, and upon his family, and I will cut him off, and all who stray after him to stray after Molech, from amidst their people. הוְשַׂמְתִּ֨י אֲנִ֧י אֶת־פָּנַ֛י בָּאִ֥ישׁ הַה֖וּא וּבְמִשְׁפַּחְתּ֑וֹ וְהִכְרַתִּ֨י אֹת֜וֹ וְאֵ֣ת | כָּל־הַזֹּנִ֣ים אַֽחֲרָ֗יו לִזְנ֛וֹת אַֽחֲרֵ֥י הַמֹּ֖לֶךְ מִקֶּ֥רֶב עַמָּֽם:
and upon his family: Rabbi Shimon says: [In] what [way] did the family sin [that they are punished]? However, this teaches you that there is no family in which there is an [unfair] tax collector which may not [be regarded as consisting] entirely of tax collectors, for they all cover up for him. — [Torath Kohanim 20:95; Shev. 39a]
ובמשפחתו: אמר ר' שמעון וכי משפחה מה חטאה, אלא ללמדך שאין לך משפחה שיש בה מוכס שאין כולם מוכסין, שכולם מחפין עליו:
and I will cut him off: Why is this stated? Because since Scripture says, “[I will set My attention upon that man] and upon his family,” one might think that his entire family is included in [the punishment of] excision. Scripture, therefore, says, “[I will cut] him [off]”-that man is to be excised [from the people of Israel], but the entire family is not included in excision, but with suffering. — [Torath Kohanim 20:96]
והכרתי אתו: למה נאמר, לפי שנאמר ובמשפחתו, יכול יהיו כל המשפחה בהכרת, תלמוד לומר אותו. אותו בהכרת ולא כל המשפחה בהכרת, אלא ביסורין:
to stray after Molech: [This phrase comes to] include [in this penalty] any other pagan deity that one worshipped in this manner, even though it is not its mode of worship. — [Sanh. 64b]
לזנות אחרי המלך: לרבות שאר עבודה זרה שעבדה בכך, ואפילו אין זו עבודתה:
6And the person who turns to Ov or Yid'oni, to stray after them I will set My attention upon that person, and I will cut him off from amidst his people. ווְהַנֶּ֗פֶשׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר תִּפְנֶ֤ה אֶל־הָֽאֹבֹת֙ וְאֶל־הַיִּדְּעֹנִ֔ים לִזְנֹ֖ת אַֽחֲרֵיהֶ֑ם וְנָֽתַתִּ֤י אֶת־פָּנַי֙ בַּנֶּ֣פֶשׁ הַהִ֔וא וְהִכְרַתִּ֥י אֹת֖וֹ מִקֶּ֥רֶב עַמּֽוֹ:
7You shall sanctify yourselves and be holy, for I am the Lord, your God. זוְהִ֨תְקַדִּשְׁתֶּ֔ם וִֽהְיִיתֶ֖ם קְדשִׁ֑ים כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֹ֖ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם:
You shall sanctify yourselves: This [refers to] separation from idolatry. — [Torath Kohanim 20:100]
והתקדשתם: זו פרישות עבודה זרה:
Daily Tehillim: Chapters 23 - 28• Hebrew text
• English text• Chapter 23
When King David was in the forest of Cheret and nearly died of starvation, God provided nourishment for him with a taste of the World to Come. David then composed this psalm, describing the magnitude of his trust in God.
1. A psalm by David. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall lack nothing.
2. He lays me down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters.
3. He revives my soul; He directs me in paths of righteousness for the sake of His Name.
4. Though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff-they will comfort me.
5. You will prepare a table for me before my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; my cup is full.
6. Only goodness and kindness shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the House of the Lord for many long years.
Chapter 24
If the fulfillment of one's prayer would result in the sanctification of God's Name, he should pray that God act for the sake of the holiness of His Name. One should also invoke the merit of his ancestors, for we know that "the righteous are greater in death than in life"
1. By David, a psalm. The earth and all therein is the Lord's; the world and its inhabitants.
2. For He has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the rivers.
3. Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord, and who may stand in His holy place?
4. He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not used My Name in vain or sworn falsely.
5. He shall receive a blessing from the Lord, and kindness from God, his deliverer.
6. Such is the generation of those who search for Him, [the children of] Jacob who seek Your countenance forever.
7. Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, eternal doors, so the glorious King may enter.
8. Who is the glorious King? The Lord, strong and mighty; the Lord, mighty in battle.
9. Lift up your heads, O gates; lift them up, eternal doors, so the glorious King may enter.
10. Who is the glorious King? The Lord of Hosts, He is the glorious King for all eternity.
Chapter 25
The verses in this psalm are arranged according to the alphabet, excluding the letters Bet, Vav, and Kuf, which together equal the numerical value of Gehenom (purgatory). One who recites this psalm daily will not see the face of purgatory.
1. By David. To You, Lord, I lift my soul.
2. My God, I have put my trust in You. May I not be put to shame; may my enemies not gloat over me.
3. Indeed, may all who hope in You not be put to shame; let those who act treacherously without reason be shamed.
4. O Lord, make Your ways known to me; teach me Your paths.
5. Train me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; I yearn for You all day.
6. O Lord, remember Your mercies and Your kindnesses, for they have existed for all time.
7. Do not recall the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; remember me in accordance with Your kindness, because of Your goodness, O Lord.
8. Good and upright is the Lord, therefore He directs sinners along the way.
9. He guides the humble with justice, and teaches the humble His way.
10. All the paths of the Lord are kindness and truth for those who observe His covenant and testimonies.
11. For the sake of Your Name, O Lord, pardon my iniquity, for it is great.
12. Whoever is a God-fearing man, him will He teach the path that he should choose.
13. His soul will abide in well-being, and his descendants will inherit the earth.
14. The secret of the Lord is to those who fear Him; He makes His covenant known to them.
15. My eyes are always turned to the Lord, for He releases my feet from the snare.
16. Turn to me and be compassionate to me, for I am alone and afflicted.
17. The sufferings of my heart have increased; deliver me from my hardships.
18. Behold my affliction and suffering, and forgive all my sins.
19. See how numerous my enemies have become; they hate me with a violent hatred.
20. Guard my soul and deliver me; may I not be put to shame, for I place my trust in You.
21. Let integrity and uprightness guard me, for my hope is in You.
22. Redeem Israel, O God, from all its afflictions.
Chapter 26
In this psalm King David inundates God with prayers and acts of piety, because he envies those who are his spiritual superiors, saying, "If only I were on their level of piety and virtue!"
1. By David. Judge me, O Lord, for in my innocence I have walked, and in the Lord I have trusted-I shall not falter.
2. Try me, O Lord, and test me; refine my mind and heart.
3. For Your kindness is before my eyes, and I have walked constantly in Your truth.
4. I did not sit with men of falsehood, and with hypocrites I will not mingle.
5. I detested the company of evildoers, and with the wicked I will not sit.
6. I wash my hands in purity, and circle Your altar, O Lord,
7. to give voice to thanks, and to recount all Your wonders.
8. I love the shelter of Your House, O Lord, and the place where Your glory resides.
9. Gather not in my soul with sinners, nor my life with men of bloodshed,
10. In whose hands are schemes, and whose right hand is filled with bribes.
11. But I walk in my innocence; redeem me and show me favor.
12. My foot stands on level ground; in assemblies I will bless the Lord.
Chapter 27
King David acknowledges and praises God, placing his trust in Him because of his victories in war. "Nevertheless, it is not wars that I desire, for I cannot gain perfection with them. Only one thing do I ask: to abide day and night in the study hall studying Torah, to gain perfection so that my soul may merit the life of the World to Come."
1. By David. The Lord is my light and my salvation-whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life-whom shall I dread?
2. When evildoers approached me to devour my flesh, my oppressors and my foes, they stumbled and fell.
3. If an army were to beleaguer me, my heart would not fear; if war were to arise against me, in this I trust
4. One thing I have asked of the Lord, this I seek: that I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the pleasantness of the Lord, and to visit His Sanctuary.
5. For He will hide me in His tabernacle on a day of adversity; He will conceal me in the hidden places of His tent; He will lift me upon a rock.
6. And then my head will be raised above my enemies around me, and I will offer in His tabernacle sacrifices of jubilation; I will sing and chant to the Lord.
7. Lord, hear my voice as I call; be gracious to me and answer me.
8. In Your behalf my heart says, "Seek My countenance"; Your countenance, Lord, I seek.
9. Do not conceal Your countenance from me; do not cast aside Your servant in wrath. You have been my help; do not abandon me nor forsake me, God of my deliverance.
10. Though my father and mother have forsaken me, the Lord has taken me in.
11. Lord, teach me Your way and lead me in the path of righteousness, because of my watchful enemies.
12. Do not give me over to the will of my oppressors, for there have risen against me false witnesses, and they speak evil.
13. [They would have crushed me] had I not believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
14. Hope in the Lord, be strong and let your heart be valiant, and hope in the Lord.
FOOTNOTES
1.I trust that “the lord is my light and salvation” etc. (Rashi)
Chapter 28
A prayer for every individual, entreating God to assist him in walking the good path, to prevent him from walking with the wicked doers of evil, and that He repay the wicked for their wickedness and the righteous for their righteousness.
1. By David. I call to You, O Lord; my Strength, do not be deaf to me; for should You be silent to me, I will be like those who descend to the pit.
2. Hear the sound of my pleas when I cry out to You, when I raise my hands toward Your holy Sanctuary.
3. Do not draw me along with the wicked, with evildoers who speak of peace with their companions, though evil is in their heart.
4. Give them according to their deeds, and the evil of their endeavors; give them according to their handiwork, render to them their just desserts.
5. For they pay no heed to the acts of the Lord, nor to the work of His hands; may He destroy them and not rebuild them.
6. Blessed is the Lord, for He has heard the voice of my pleas.
7. The Lord is my strength and my shield; in Him my heart trusted and I was helped; my heart exulted, and with my song I praised Him.
8. The Lord is a strength to them; He is a stronghold of deliverance to His anointed.
9. Grant salvation to Your people and bless Your heritage; tend them and exalt them forever.
Tanya: Likutei Amarim, beginning of Chapter 46• Lessons in Tanya• English Text
• Hebrew Text
• Audio Class: Listen | Download
• Video Class• Today's Tanya Lesson
• Audio Class: Listen | Download
• Video Class• Today's Tanya Lesson
• Thursday, Iyar 4, 5776 · May 12, 2016
• Likutei Amarim, beginning of Chapter 46
• In the previous chapter the Alter Rebbe described yet another manner in which a person can perform Torah and mitzvot“with his heart” — with the love and fear of G‑d — and that is, by utilizing the attribute of Jacob, which is the quality of mercy. In this case the individual arouses compassion within himself upon his exiled soul and upon its source, the Ein Sof,and in this frame of mind he studies Torah and performs mitzvot. This endeavor extricates his soul from its spiritual exile (whither it has been banished by his own inappropriate thoughts, words and deeds), and restores it to its source in the blessedEin Sof.
Rambam:
• Sefer Hamitzvos:• English Text | Hebrew Text |
Audio: Listen | Download | Video Class• Thursday, Iyar 4, 5776 · May 12, 2016
In this chapter the Alter Rebbe goes on to explain how very, very close it is for every Jew to reveal his hidden love of G‑d. The approach explained in this chapter is novel (as the Rebbe clarifies), inasmuch as it utilizes the Jew’s very nature, thereby obviating the need for a specific manner of contemplation; a relatively general and tangible manner of contemplation will do, as will soon be explained. Indeed, the lower the spiritual level of the individual, the easier it is for him to awaken this hidden love — a paradox that will also be explained presently.
This manner of contemplation enables a Jew to serve G‑d with fiery, passionate love, leading him to excel in his study of Torah and performance of mitzvot. It also enables him to overcome all obstacles, whether from within or from without, that seek to hinder his service of G‑d.
Let a man think along these lines: It is in the nature of a human being that when he feels a strong emanation of love from his fellow he will respond in kind. And if the manifestation of love is showered by an exalted personage upon a very lowly individual, the responsive chord of the lowly person’s love will be all the more vibrant.
In a like manner, but infinitely more so, should this obtain when a human being is enveloped by G‑d’s boundless love for him. Such is the case with the Jewish people. G‑d showed His boundless love for His people by choosing them from all created beings, from the highest level to the lowest. This love manifested itself by His taking them out of Egypt and bestowing the Torah and its mitzvot upon them alone. And so too does G‑d show this love to every individual Jew at all times and in all places.
Such boundless love should surely awaken within a Jew an ardent reciprocal love for G‑d. Moreover, just as G‑d, because of His love for the Jewish people, “overcame all obstacles” which stood in the way of creating this world (as will be explained in ch. 49), so too should each Jew strive to overcome all obstacles that hinder his service of G‑d.
ויש דרך ישר לפני איש, שוה לכל נפש, וקרוב הדבר מאד מאד
There is yet another straight way i.e., simple and straightforward, that is equally applicable and suitable to every man, and this matter is very, very nigh, inasmuch as the technique involved is uncomplicated,
לעורר ולהאיר אור האהבה התקועה ומסותרת בלבו
to arouse and kindle the light of the love that is implanted and concealed in his heart,
This love is already found in the heart of every Jew in a concealed state; utilizing the approach about to be described, makes it very simple for every Jew to reveal and actualize it.
להיות מאירה בתוקף אורה, כאש בוערה, בהתגלות לבו ומוחו
that it may shine forth with its intense light, like a flaming fire, in the consciousness of the heart and mind,
למסור נפשו לה׳ וגופו ומאודו
ultimately enabling the person to surrender his soul to G‑d together with his body and [material] possessions,
בכל לב ובכל נפש ומאד
this being done with all his heart, and all his soul and all his “might” — with the boundless devotion of his soul’s essence,
מעומקא דלבא באמת לאמיתו
from the depth of the heart, in absolute truth,
ובפרט בשעת קריאת שמע וברכותיה, כמו שיתבאר
and especially, i.e., a most propitious time for the person to kindle this love in such a manner is, at the time of the recital of the Shema and its blessings, as will be explained later, on the particular connection of the Shema and its blessings to the arousal of this love.
והוא
And this technique for revealing this love is,
כאשר ישים אל לבו מה שאומר הכתוב: כמים הפנים לפנים, כן לב האדם לאדם
to take to heart the meaning of the verse:1 “As water mirrors the face to the face, so does the heart of man to man.”
פירוש: כמו שכדמות וצורת הפנים שהאדם מראה במים, כן נראה לו שם במים אותה צורה עצמה
This means2 that as [in the case of] the likeness and features of the face which a man presents to the water, the identical face is reflected back to him from the water,
That image mirrors not only the person’s external features, but also the nuances of facial expression that signify joy, sorrow, and so on, thus revealing not only his physical state but his mental state as well.
ככה ממש לב האדם הנאמן באהבתו לאיש אחר
so indeed is also the heart of a man who is loyal in his affection for another person,
הרי האהבה זו מעוררת אהבה בלב חבירו אליו גם כן, להיות אוהבים נאמנים זה לזה
for this love which he has for the other awakens a loving response for him in the heart of his friend also, so that they come to love each other loyally,
Even the love harbored in one’s heart arouses a reflected love in another.
בפרט כשרואה אהבת חבירו אליו
especially when he sees his friend’s love for him, freely revealed.
| FOOTNOTES | |
| 1. | Mishlei 27:19. |
| 2. | The Rebbe explains that by going on to say “This means...” after having quoted from Mishlei, the Alter Rebbe is expounding the verse in a manner other than its supposed simple meaning. As stated at the opening of Mishlei, the purpose of the book is to teach “wisdom and ethics” — proper moral behavior. This verse, then, teaches us that “as water mirrors the face...,” so, too, should one person’s heart respond to the other; one should not repay kindness with evil, and so on. It goes without saying that some of the ethical exhortations of Proverbs are easier to fulfill than others. Accordingly, this verse cannot serve to buttress that which is being taught here in Tanya — that G‑d’s love of Jews should arouse a similar response within each and every Jew. The Alter Rebbe therefore does not interpret the verse to mean that “so should bethe heart of man to man,” but that “so is the heart of man to man.” King Solomon is not exhorting: he is merely stating an established fact; just as the nature of water is to reflect an image, so, too, is it in man’s nature to mirror the emotion of another. To accomplish this, one need not labor at all; one has but to recognize and consider the fact that his friend is showing him love. He will then immediately be filled with love in return. However, according to the interpretation of the Alter Rebbe, what is the verse teaching us? And teach us it must, for as mentioned above the purpose of Mishlei is to instruct the reader in proper conduct, and not merely to state truisms. The lesson may be, proposes the Rebbe, as follows: Since it is indeed a fact that “love reflects love,” one should make an effort to love his fellow abundantly, thereby ensuring that he, in turn, will reflect this love towards himself. Even if the other person may hate him for the moment, still, by being shown love, he will eventually become aware of it; his hatred will wither, and be replaced by love. In the episle to his chassidim upon his release from Peterburg (entitled Katonti, and appearing in Iggeret HaKodesh as Epistle 2), the Alter Rebbe exhorts them likewise "not to become haughty-minded in relation to their brethren nor to speak defiantly against them. Rather they are to subdue their spirit and heart before everyone.... And, perhaps, through all that, G-d will put it into the heart of their brethren that as water [reflects] the face...." |
• Sefer Hamitzvos:• English Text | Hebrew Text |
Audio: Listen | Download | Video Class• Thursday, Iyar 4, 5776 · May 12, 2016
• 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 49
The Yom Kippur Service
We are commanded to implement the entire Yom Kippur Holy Temple service, including the various sacrifices and confessions, as detailed in the Torah.
Full text of this Mitzvah »• The Yom Kippur service
Restitution for One who has Misappropriated Holy Property
"And what he has trespassed against the holy he shall pay, and he shall add one fifth of its value to it"—Leviticus 5:16.
One who inadvertently benefits from holy property or Terumah must make restitution, by repaying the principle plus 25% of the value of the misused item. [When the additional penalty is added to the principle, it constitutes one fifth of the total.]
Full text of this 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 49
The Yom Kippur Service
We are commanded to implement the entire Yom Kippur Holy Temple service, including the various sacrifices and confessions, as detailed in the Torah.
Full text of this Mitzvah »• The Yom Kippur service
Positive Commandment 49
Translated by Berel Bell
And the 49th mitzvah is that we are commanded to perform the service of the fast day Yom Kippur — i.e. all the obligatory offerings and confessions — thereby achieving atonement for all transgressions, as stated in Scripture, i.e. all the laws written in the Torah portion Acharei Mos.1
The proof that the entire service counts as one single commandment is from the end of the 5th chapter of tractate Kippurim,2 "The entire service of Yom Kippur must be performed in the order written;3 if one action was performed out of order, everything is invalid."
All the details of this mitzvah have been explained in the tractate dealing with it exclusively, tractate Yoma.
FOOTNOTES
1.Lev. 16.
2.Mishneh 7. When speaking of the Mishneh, the Rambam refers to the tractate as Kippurim; when referring to the Gemara, he writes Yoma, which is an Aramaic word.
3.In the Mishneh; see Rashi, ibid.
Positive Commandment 118Restitution for One who has Misappropriated Holy Property
"And what he has trespassed against the holy he shall pay, and he shall add one fifth of its value to it"—Leviticus 5:16.
One who inadvertently benefits from holy property or Terumah must make restitution, by repaying the principle plus 25% of the value of the misused item. [When the additional penalty is added to the principle, it constitutes one fifth of the total.]
Full text of this Mitzvah »
• Restitution for One who has Misappropriated Holy Property
Positive Commandment 118
Translated by Berel Bell
And the 118th mitzvah is that we are commanded that anyone who accidentally benefits from sanctified objects or eats holy food, i.e. terumah,1 must replace what he has eaten or the value of what he has benefited, and add an additional fifth.2
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement,3 "For misappropriating something that was sacred, he must make full restitution, and add one fifth to it." It also says,4 "If a person inadvertently eats something holy [he must add one fifth...]".
The details of this mitzvah have been explained in tractate Me'ilah5 and also in tractate Terumos.6
FOOTNOTES
1.Including terumah, terumas ma'aser , challah and bikkurim (first fruits). See Hilchos Terumos 10:4.
2.I.e. a fifth of the resulting total, or 25% of the original. See Kapach, 5731, note 65, where he points out that the 5718 version erroneously wrote im tosefos chomesh (translated by Chavel, 5727, "with the addition of one fifth"), which implies that one does not attain atonement until the extra fifth is paid. He writes instead, v'tosefos chomesh to make clear that it is something extra, unrelated to the actual atonement.
3.Lev. 5:16, regarding benefit from sacred objects.
4.Ibid., 22:14, regarding terumah.
5.15a.
6.Chapter 7.
• 1 Chapter: Pesulei Hamukdashim Pesulei Hamukdashim - Chapter 12 • English Text | Hebrew Text | Audio: Listen | Download | Video Class• Pesulei Hamukdashim - Chapter 12
Audio: Listen | Download | Video Class• Pesulei Hamukdashim - Chapter 12
Halacha 1
Halacha 2
Halacha 3
Similarly, with regard to the two loaves, if lacked [the required measure], before the blood from the sacrifice7 was cast on the altar, they are unacceptable. If the blood was already cast on the altar, they are acceptable.
Halacha 4
And with regard to the showbread, if lacked [the required measure], before the the bowls of frankincense were placed on the altar's pyre,8 it is unacceptable. If the bowls of frankincense were placed on the altar's pyre, it is acceptable.
Halacha 5
With regard to the accompanying offerings that lacked [the required measure]: whether the sacrifice was offered or not, they are acceptable, but other accompanying offerings must be brought to complete [the required measure].
Halacha 6
[The following rules apply when] accompanying offerings were sanctified in a sacred vessel and then the sacrifice was disqualified. If it was disqualified through ritual slaughter, the accompanying offerings have not been sanctified so that they must be offered.9 If it was disqualified from the reception of the blood and onward,10the accompanying offerings have become sanctified, because what sanctifies the accompanying offerings so that they should be offered is solely the slaughter of the sacrifice [in an acceptable manner].11
What should be done with [these accompanying offerings]?12If there was another sacrifice that had already been slaughtered at that time,13 they should be offered together with it. If there was not another sacrifice that had already been slaughtered at that time, they are considered as if they were disqualified because they were left overnight and they should be destroyed by fire.14
When does the above apply? With regard to communal sacrifices, because the heart of the court makes stipulations concerning them.15 [Different rules apply with regard to] individual sacrifices.16 Such [accompanying offerings] should not be offered together with another sacrifice even if it was sacrificed at that time. Instead, they should be left until they become disqualified because they remained overnight and then they should be destroyed by fire.
Halacha 7
Halacha 8
[The following laws apply with regard to] the offspring of a thanksgiving-offering, an animal onto which the holiness of a thanksgiving-offering was transferred, and [a situation in which] one separated his thanksgiving-offering, it was lost, and he separated another one instead of it.19 If [any of these animals] were to be offered after the owner's obligation was not satisfied with the original thanksgiving-offering, bread20need not be brought with it. If the owner's obligation was satisfied with the original offering and it and the one separated in place of it, it and its offspring, or it and the animal onto which its holiness was transferred are both present before us, bread is required to be brought with both of them.21
When does the above22 apply? When one vowed to bring a thanksgiving-offering.23 When, however, one designated an animal as a thanksgiving-offering, an animal set aside instead of it or one onto which its holiness was transferred require that bread [be offered with them].24 Its offspring does not require bread.25 [This applies] whether or not the owner's obligation was already satisfied with the original offering.26
Halacha 9
[The following laws apply if one] set aside an animal as a thanksgiving-offering27 and it was lost, he set aside a second one in its stead and it was also lost, he then set aside a third animal in its place and then the first two were found. Thus the three animals are standing before us. If he fulfills his obligation with the first one, the second one does not require that bread be brought with it.28 The third one, however, requires bread.29
Halacha 10
[The following laws apply when one] sets aside money for a thanksgiving-offering and it was lost, other money was set aside in its place, but [the owner] did not have the opportunity to buy a thanksgiving-offering until the first money was found. He should bring a thanksgiving offering and its bread from a combination of the two. From the remainder, he should bring a thanksgiving offering, but it does not require bread.33 It does, however, require accompanying offerings.34
Similarly, when one sets aside [an animal for] a thanksgiving-offering and it was lost, money was set aside in its place, and afterwards [the original animal] was found, he should bring a thanksgiving-offering without bread with that money.35 Similarly, if one sets aside money for a thanksgiving-offering and it was lost, a thanksgiving-offering was set aside in its place, and then the money was found, the money should be used to purchase a thanksgiving-offering and its bread.36 The second thanksgiving-offering should be offered without bread.
Halacha 11
[The following laws apply if a person] says: "This is a thanksgiving-offering and this is its bread."37 If the bread is lost, he should bring other bread, If the thanksgiving-offering is lost, he should not bring another thanksgiving-offering.38[The rationale is that] the bread is brought because of the thanksgiving-offering, but the thanksgiving-offering is not brought because of the bread.
Halacha 12
When a person set aside money for his thanksgiving-offering and some remained, he should use it to bring bread. If he set aside money to bring bread and some remained, he should not use it to bring a thanksgiving-offering.39
Halacha 13
[The following rules apply when] one says: "This is a thanksgiving-offering,"40 it becomes intermingled with an animal upon which its holiness was transferred, one died, but he does not know which is which. There is no way to correct the situation of the one which remains. Were one to bring bread with it, [it is possible that he will have erred,] for perhaps this is the animal upon which the holiness was transferred.41 [But] were he to bring it without bread, it is possible that it is the thanksgiving-offering.42 Therefore this animal should not be sacrificed at all. Instead, it should be allowed to pasture until it contracts a disqualifying blemish.43
Halacha 14
When one of the loaves of the bread brought with a thanksgiving-offering was broken in pieces, they are all disqualified.44 If a loaf was taken outside [the Temple Courtyard] or it became impure,45 the remainder of the breads are acceptable.
If the bread46 was broken in two, contracted impurity, or was taken outside [the Temple Courtyard] before the thanksgiving-offering was slaughtered, he should bring another bread and then slaughter [the sacrificial animal]. If the above occurred after [the animal] was slaughtered, the blood should be cast [upon the altar], the meat [of the sacrifice] should be eaten, but all of the bread is disqualified.47 The person [bringing the sacrifice] does not fulfill his vow.48
If the blood has been cast [upon the altar] and afterwards some of the breads were broken in two, became impure, or were taken outside, [the person bringing the sacrifice] should separate one of the whole loaves49 for [all the loaves of that type, including] the one which is broken, one of the pure for [all the others, including] the one which is impure, and one which is in [the Temple Courtyard] for [all the others, including] the one which was taken outside.
Halacha 15
When a thanksgiving-offering was slaughtered in connection with 80 loaves, 40 of the 80 are not consecrated.50 If [the person bringing the sacrifice] says: "May 40 of these 80 become consecrated," he should take 40 from the 80 and separate one from each [category brought as] an offering. The other 40 should be redeemed and then they are considered as ordinary bread.51
Halacha 16
Halacha 17
If he slaughtered [an animal designated as a thanksgiving-offering] before the surface of the bread in the oven becomes hard, even if all of [the breads] became hard except for one, the bread is not consecrated.54
Halacha 18
If he slaughtered [the animal designated as a thanksgiving-offering] and its slaughter was disqualified because of an improper intent concerning the time or the place [where the sacrifice will be offered or eaten]55 the bread is sanctified.56 If [the animal] is discovered to have a disqualifying physical blemish, it was tereifah,57or it was slaughtered with an improper intent,58 the bread is not consecrated. These laws also apply with regard to the ram brought by a nazirite.59
FOOTNOTES
1.
See Hilchot Temidim UMusafim8:1.
2.
Ibid. 5:1.
3.
And offered on the day following Pesach; ibid. 7:12; Hilchot Ma'aseh HaKorbanot 12:5.
4.
See ibid. 9:17-22.
5.
Ibid.:23.
6.
The animal offered with the loaves.
7.
The communal peace-offerings brought on Shavuot.
8.
Offering the frankincense is thus equivalent to offering the blood on the altar. See also Chapter 11, Halachah 17.
9.
In all instances, however, they are considered sanctified to the extent that they must be kept overnight and then destroyed by fire.
10.
According to the Kessef Mishneh, the intent is that even the reception of the blood was not performed in an acceptable manner. See the following note.
11.
Hence since the sacrifices were slaughtered in an acceptable manner, the accompanying offerings should be offered on the altar. The Ra'avad notes that this ruling is the subject of a difference opinion between our Sages in Menachot 79a. Rabbi Elazer ben Shimon maintains that for an accompany offering to be offered, the blood of the sacrifice must be received in an acceptable manner. Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi differs and maintains that as long as the slaughter is acceptable, even if the blood was not received in an acceptable manner, the accompanying offering should be offered.
The Ra'avad maintains that the Rambam follows Rabbi Elazer ben Shimon's ruling. The Kessef Mishneh and R. Yosef Corcus, by contrast, elaborate to show that he accepts the position of Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi. Moreover, they cite the Rambam's ruling in Chapter 17, Halachah 18, as proof that this is the Rambam's understanding here. The Kessef Mishneh does, however, explain a way to interpret the passage according to the Ra'avad's view.
12.
I.e., by definition an accompanying offering may not be sacrificed alone, only with a sacrifice, and in this instance, the sacrifice has been disqualified.
13.
And does not have an accompanying offering to be brought with it.
14.
The priests must wait until the next morning to burn them. For until a sacrifice is actually disqualified, it is forbidden to destroy it. See the Rambam's Commentary to the Mishnah (Menachot 7:4).
15.
I.e., the court takes into consideration all the possible eventualities that might crop up and has the accompanying offering brought with those possibilities in mind. Hence if the sacrifice is disqualified, the basis on which the accompanying offering was brought is not nullified.
16.
For the court does not make such stipulations about them.
17.
I.e., when one sacrificed it with the intent that it was another type of offering, e.g., one slaughtered an animal consecrated as a burnt-offering with the intent that it was a peace-offering.
18.
For with the exception of a sin-offering, sacrifices are acceptable if slaughtered with such a mistaken intent. And there are no accompanying offerings for a sin-offering.
19.
See the parallels to similar questions involving a sin-offering in Chapter 4, Halachah 4.
20.
I.e., the 40 breads offered together with a thanksgiving-offering.
21.
The apparent meaning of the Rambam's words here and in his Commentary to the Mishnah (Menachot, loc. cit.) is that bread should be brought when offering both of these sacrifices. Shoham VeYashpah, however, citesMenachot 79b which states that when both a thanksgiving-offering and an animal separated as a replacement for it are both present before us, the breads should be offered with either one and the other, offered without bread. Even such an interpretation, however, is not appropriate with regard to an animal onto which the holiness of a thanksgiving-offering was transferred. The Rambam's ruling here is also slightly problematic when compared to the following halachah.
22.
That bread is or is not required for both of the offerings in the above situations.
23.
I.e., he did not designate a specific animal as a thanksgiving-offering, but instead, undertook the responsibility to bring such a sacrifice.
24.
Rambam LeAm explains that when an animal is designated as a thanksgiving sacrifice and is lost, there is no need to bring another instead of it. Hence the second thanksgiving-offering is considered as an independent sacrifice and bread is required for it independently.
With regard to an animal upon which the holiness of the thanksgiving offering was transformed, Rambam LeAmquestions the Rambam's ruling, because seemingly, bread should not be required for such a sacrifice after the first animal was offered. Based on Halachah 13, Rav Yosef Corcus maintains that there is a printing error here and that in no instance is bread required when offering an animal on which the holiness of a thanksgiving-offering was transferred.
25.
I.e., in any situation; see Hilchot Temurah 4:1.
26.
Rambam LeAm maintains that this line refers only to the offspring of a thanksgiving-offering.
27.
This law applies when the person made a vow to bring a thanksgiving-offering, accepting responsibility for the sacrifice.
28.
The second animal was set aside in place of the first. Since the owner fulfilled his obligation with the first, there is no obligation to bring bread with the second.
29.
For it does not have a connection to the first. Therefore it is considered as a new thanksgiving-offering which requires bread.
30.
For the third animal takes the place of the second.
31.
For it is not associated with the third animal.
32.
Because the middle one is associated with both of the others. It was set aside instead of the first and the third was set aside instead of it.
33.
For if there are funds left over from the purchase of a sacrifice, the money should be used to purchase an offering of the same type, as stated in Chapter 5, Halachah 9. Nevertheless, the additional thanksgiving offering does not require bread as reflected by Halachah 8.
34.
For it must be offered according to the requirements appropriate for thanksgiving-offerings.
35.
I.e., the animal originally set aside as a thanksgiving-offering should be offered for that purpose together with the bread and the money should be used to purchase an additional thanksgiving-offering.
36.
Since the money was originally set aside for this purpose, it should be used for the primary offering.
37.
Setting aside a specific animal and bread.
38.
Since he did not accept an obligation to bring a sacrifice upon himself, but rather designated an animal as a sacrifice, if that animal is lost, he is under no obligation. The fact that there is bread remaining does not obligate him as the Rambam explains.
39.
Because the bread is referred to as a thanksgiving-offering, but the offering is not referred to as bread (Menachot 80a).
40.
Designating an animal to be offered for that purpose.
41.
And bread should not be brought with such an offering.
As mentioned above, there appears to be a contradiction between this halachah and Halachah 8, for Halachah 8 appears to imply that bread is required for an animal to which the holiness of a thanksgiving offering was transferred if the original animal had been designated for the sacrifice. For this reason, Rav Yosef Corcus maintains that there is a printing error in Halachah 8.
42.
Which requires bread.
43.
At which time, it should be sold and the proceeds used to purchase another thanksgiving-offering and its bread. The Ra'avad maintains that the person should bring another thanksgiving-offering and bread from his own resources and the proceeds from the sale of the blemished animal should be used to purchase a thanksgiving-offering without bread. TheKessef Mishneh justifies the Rambam's ruling, while theChacham Tzvi (Responsum 24) reinforces the Ra'avad's objection.
44.
The breads accompanying the thanksgiving offering must be whole. The Rambam is speaking about an instance when one of these breads became broken between the slaughter of the animal and the presentation of its blood on the altar.
45.
Menachot 12b states that the High Priest's forehead plate causes those impure to be considered acceptable and the acceptability of those taken out of the Temple Courtyard is derived through Talmudic logic.
46.
This is speaking about an instance when all of the loaves were disqualified in this manner. If only some of the loaves were disqualified, they should be replaced.
47.
Rav Yosef Corcus and others question the Rambam's ruling, noting that he is equating the loaves becoming impure or taken outside the Temple Courtyard with their being broken when at the beginning of the halachah, he himself mentioned the difference between these categories. Also, this ruling would apparently contradict the ruling in Chapter 17, Halachah 13. Rav Yosef Corcus suggests that the Rambam's statements are referring to a situation where all the loaves became impure or were taken out of the Courtyard.
48.
And instead must bring another thanksgiving-offering. The commentaries note that the Rambam's ruling is in direct contradiction to the standard printed text of Menachot 46b. They suggest that perhaps the Rambam had a different version of that Talmudic passage.
49.
A total of 40 loaves (10 of four different types) are offered with the thanksgiving offering. One loaf of each type is given to a priest (Hilchot Ma'aseh HaKorbanot 9:12, 17-18).
50.
Since only 40 are required, the additional 40 are not consecrated.
51.
The commentaries question why the loaves must be redeemed. Since the person stated that only 40 are being consecrated, why is it necessary to redeem the other 40? Among the answers given is that originally, when setting aside the loaves, he mentioned that all the loaves would be consecrated.
52.
This term refers to the wall that surrounds the Temple Mount. The term relates to the phrase (Daniel 1:5): patbag hamelech, "the food of the king" [the Rambam's Commentary to the Mishnah (Menachot 7:3)].
53.
In his Commentary to the Mishnah (ibid.), the Rambam explains that although the Torah states that the thanksgiving offering should be brought "on the bread," the intent is not they must be physically adjacent to each other. It is sufficient that they be close.
54.
For in order to be associated with the sacrifice, the bread must be baked at the time that the animal is slaughtered.
55.
See the following chapters which discuss these issues at length.
56.
Because the disqualification came at the time of the slaughter of the animal and not beforehand. Since the bread becomes sanctified, it is considered as piggul
57.
An animal that will die within a year. In these instances, since the animal was never acceptable for sacrifice - even if that was not discovered before its slaughter - the breads are not consecrated.
58.
I.e., it was slaughtered with the intent of it being offered as another type of sacrifice. In this instance, even though the disqualifying factor took place at the time the animal is slaughtered, the bread is disqualified. For based onLeviticus 7:12, the Sifra states that for the bread to be consecrated, the animal must be slaughtered for the sake of a thanksgiving-offering.
59.
I.e., for this offering is also accompanied by bread. The same concepts also apply with regard to the two loaves brought on Shavuos and the two lambs brought at that time. See Chapter 17, Halachah 18.
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• English Text | Video Class• Thursday, Iyar 4, 5776 · May 12, 2016• "Today's Day"
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Halacha 1
The order of all the practices carried out on this day is the following: At midnight, the lottery is held for the removal of the ashes of the altar. The wood for the altar is arranged and the ashes are removed from the altar as is done each day according to the order we explained until they reach the slaughter of the continuous offering.
When they reach the slaughter of the continuous offering, a linen sheet is spread out between the High Priest and the people. Why is linen used? So that all will realize that the special service of the day is performed in linen garments. The High Priest removes his ordinary garments, immerses himself in the mikveh, puts on his golden garments, and sanctifies his hands and feet. He slits the majority of the two signs for kosher slaughter on the animal sacrificed as the continuous offering, but allows another person to complete the slaughter. He receives the blood and casts it on the altar as is commanded.
Afterwards, he enters the Temple Sanctuary and offers the morning incense offering and lights the lamps of theMenorah. He offers the limbs of the continuous offering and the chavitin offering on the altar's pyre and pours the libations according to the order in which the continuous offering is brought every day as we explained. After the continuous offering, he offers the bull and the seven sheep of the additional offering of the day.
Afterwards, he sanctifies his hands and feet and removes his golden garments. He immerses himself, puts on his white garments, and sanctifies his hands and feet. He approaches his bull. The bull was standing between the Entrance Hall and the altar with its head to the south, but facing the west. The High Priest would stand to the east and face the west. He would place his two hands on the head of the bull and recite the confessional. He would say: "I beseech You, O God. I have sinned, transgressed, and committed iniquity, both I and my household. I beseech You, O God, atone for the sins, transgressions, and iniquities that I and my household have committed, as it is written in the Torah of Moses Your servant Leviticus 16:30: 'For on that day, he shall atone for you to purify yourselves for all their sins, before God you shall be purified.'
Afterwards, he performs the lottery for the two goats. He ties a crimson cord on the head of the goat to be sent to Azazel and positions it in the direction where it will be sent and ties such a cord on the goat to be slaughtered, hanging it over the place where it will be slaughtered. He approaches his bull a second time and places both his hands on its head and recites a second confessional. He would say: "I beseech You, O God. I have sinned, transgressed, and committed iniquity, I, my household, and the descendants of Aaron, Your holy nation. I beseech You, O God, atone for the sins, transgressions, and iniquities that I, my household, and the descendants of Aaron, Your holy nation, have committed, as it is written in the Torah of Moses Your servant Leviticus 16:30: 'For on that day.... '
Afterwards, he slaughters the bull and receives its blood. He gives it to another priest to stir so that it will not coagulate. He places it on the fourth projection outside the Temple Building. He takes the fire pan and uses it to remove burning coals from the altar from those close to the western side, foribid.:12 speaks of taking coals "from the altar before God." He places it on the projection in the Temple Courtyard. Thekaf is taken out for him and a container filled with incense that is extremely fine. He would take a full handful of incense. The handfuls of incense should not be pressed closely to his hand, nor piled up upon it, but rather overlapping it slightly. A High Priest with large hands should take large handfuls; one with small hands, smaller handfuls. He should place the incense in the kaf.
We already explained, that carrying a sacrificial substance in one's left hand disqualifies it with regard to the blood of the sacrificial animals and other services. Hence, it would be appropriate that he should carry the firepan in his left hand and the kaf with the incense in his right hand. Nevertheless, because of the weight of the firepan - and because it is hot - he would not be able to carry it with his left hand until he reached the Holy Ark. Therefore he should carry the firepan in his right hand and the kaf with the incense in his left.
He proceeds through the Sanctuary until he reaches the Holy of Holies. He finds the Parochet folded over. He proceeds into the Holy of Holies until he reaches the Holy Ark. When he reaches the ark, he places the firepan down between the two staves. In the Second Temple, when there was no ark, he would place it on the Foundation Stone. He would hold the edge of the kaf with his fingertips or with his teeth and push the incense with his thumb into his hand until he has a full handful as before. This was one of the difficult tasks in the Temple.
He would pile the incense over the coals with his hands on the inner portion of the firepan so that the incense would be close to the Ark and far from his face so that he would not be burnt. He waits there until the entire chamber fills up with smoke and then departs.
He walks backwards little by little with his face to the Holy of Holies and his back to the Sanctuary until he departs from within the parochet. He recites a short prayer in the Sanctuary so as not to scare the people, lest they say: "He died in the Sanctuary." He would pray in this manner: "May it be Your will, God, our Lord, that if this year was to be arid, it should be rainy. May the sovereignty not depart from the House of Judah. May Your nation Israel not be in need of sustenance. And may You not accept the prayers of wayfarers."
Halacha 2
When the incense offering was brought in the Holy of Holies, all of the people would withdraw from the Sanctuary alone. They would not withdraw from the area between the Entrance Hall and the altar, for it is not necessary to depart from between the Entrance Hall and the altar except when bringing the daily incense offering and when blood is being presented in the Sanctuary, as we explained in Hilchot Temidim.
Afterwards, he takes the blood of the bull from the priest who was stirring it and takes it into the Holy of Holies. He sprinkles it eight times between the staves of the Ark.He departs and places it down in the Sanctuary on a golden base located there. He then departs from the Sanctuary and slaughters the goat, receives its blood, and brings it into the Holy of Holies. He sprinkles it eight times between the staves of the Ark. He then departs and places it down on a second gold base in the Sanctuary. Afterwards, he lifts up the blood of the bull from the base and sprinkles it on theparochet opposite the ark eight times. He puts down the blood of the bull and picks up the blood of the goat and sprinkles it on the parochet opposite the ark eight times.
Afterwards, he pours the blood of the bull into the blood of the goat and pours the entire mixture into the container where the blood of the bull had been held so that they will be mixed thoroughly and stands before the golden altar, between the Menorah and the golden altar. He begins to apply the mixture of blood on the corners of the golden altar. He proceeds to circle it, sprinkling the blood on its corners from the outside as he proceeds.
He begins from the northeast corner, proceeds to the northwest, the southwest, and then to the southeast. In all instances, he applies the blood from below upward with the exception of the last application in which instance, the corner is directly before of him. Hence he applies the blood from above downward so that his garments will not become soiled. He then moves the coals and the ashes of the Golden Altar back and forth until its golden surface is revealed. He applies the blood of the mixture on the pure golden surface of the altar seven times on its southern side, the place where he completed applying the blood to the corners. He then departs from the Sanctuary and pours the remainder of the blood on the west base of the outer altar.
Afterwards, he approaches the goat to be sent to Azazel. He places his two hands on its head and recites the confessional, saying: "I beseech You, O God. Your nation, the House of Israel, have sinned, transgressed, and committed iniquity. I beseech You, O God, atone for the sins, transgressions, and iniquities that Your nation, the House of Israel, have committed, as it is written in the Torah of Moses Your servant Leviticus 16:30: 'For on that day, he will atone for you.... ' Afterwards, he sends the goat to the desert.
He removes the fats and the organs from the bull and the goat that were slaughtered and whose blood was brought within the Temple Building and places them in a vessel. He sends the remainder to the ash pile to be burnt. He then goes out to the Women's Courtyard and reads the Torah there after the goat reaches the desert.
He then sanctifies his hands and feet, removes his white garments, immerses himself, puts on his golden garments, and sanctifies his hands and feet. He sacrifices the goat that is offered outside that is one of the additional offerings of the day and sacrifices his ram and the ram of the people, asibid.:24 states: "And he goes out and offers his burnt-offering and the burnt-offering of the people." He offers the fats and organs of the bull and the goat which are burnt and offers the afternoon continuous offering.
Afterwards, he sanctifies his hands and feet, removes his golden garments, immerses himself, puts on his white garments, and sanctifies his hands and feet. He enters the Holy of Holies and removes the kaf and the firepan.
Afterwards, he sanctifies his hands and feet, removes his white garments, immerses himself, puts on his golden garments, and sanctifies his hands and feet. He offers the afternoon incense offering and kindles the lamps of theMenorah for the evening as on other days. He then sanctifies his hands and feet, removes his golden garments, puts on his own clothes and goes home. All of the people accompany him to his home. He would make a festive celebration because he departed from the holy place in peace.
Avodat Yom haKippurim - Perek 5
Halacha 1
All of the services which the High Priest performs while wearing the white garments inside the Temple Building must be performed in the order in which we mentioned. If he performed one of them before another, his acts are of no consequence.
Halacha 2
If the High Priest took a handful of incense before he slaughtered the bull, his act is of no consequence. Although taking the handful of incense is performed in the Courtyard, it is necessary for service performed inside the Temple Building. Similarly, if the goat was slaughtered before the blood of the bull was presented inside the Holy of Holies, the act is of no consequence. Although the slaughter is performed in the Temple Courtyard, its blood is brought within the Temple Building.
Halacha 3
If the ram and the goat from the additional sacrifices of the day were offered before the service of the day in the Holy of Holies was performed, they are of no consequence.
Halacha 4
If the blood of the goat was presented in the Holy of Holies before the blood of the bull, i.e., before the High Priest completes its service, he should sprinkle the blood of the bull as commanded. Afterwards, he should bring another goat, slaughter it, and sprinkle its blood as commanded. The first goat is disqualified.
If, when sprinkling the blood on the parochet in the Sanctuary, he sprinkled the blood of the goat before the blood of the bull, he should sprinkle the blood of the goat a second time after the blood of the bull.
Halacha 5
If the blood of the goat spilled before he completed presenting it in the Holy of Holies, he should bring other blood and begin sprinkling it anew in the Holy of Holies.
Halacha 6
If he completed the presentation of the blood in the Holy of Holies and began presenting it in the Sanctuary and the blood was spilled before he completed them, he should bring other blood and begin from the first sprinklings in the Sanctuary.
Halacha 7
If he completed the first part of the presentation of the blood in the Sanctuary and began to apply the blood to the Golden Altar and the blood spilled before the applications were completed, he should bring other bloodand begin from the first applications to the altar. For each set of presentations of blood represents a separate phase of atonement.
Halacha 8
If he completed the application of the blood to the altar and then the blood spilled, he does not have to bring other blood, for pouring the remainder of the blood on the outer altar is not a binding requirement. If the blood of the bull was spilled before he completed all of the presentations, he should bring another bull and take a handful of incense before slaughtering the bull. He should offer the incense, then bring the blood of the second bull and sprinkle its blood.
Halacha 9
The only one which causes the priests and their clothes to become impure and which is burnt in the ashpile is the last bull with which the atonement was completed.
Halacha 10
If the blood of the bull became mixed with the blood of the goat before the High Priest completed the sprinklings, he should sprinkle from the mixture once upward and seven times downward for the sake of the bull and then sprinkle from the mixture once upward and seven times downward for the sake of the goat. If they became mixed together before the last sprinkling, he should sprinkle once downward for the sake of the bull and then sprinkle once upward and seven times downward for the sake of the goat.
Halacha 11
If the cups containing the blood of the bull and the blood of the goat become mixed together and the High Priest does not know which is the cup containing the blood of the bull and which is the cup containing the blood of the goat, he should sprinkle from one of them once upward and seven times downward and then sprinkle from the second one, once upward and seven times downward. And then he sprinkles again from the blood in the first cup, once upward and seven times downward. Thus regardless he will have sprinkled from the blood of the bull and afterwards, from the blood of the goat.
Halacha 12
The following rules apply when the High Priest received the blood of the bull in two cups and the blood of the goat in two cups and some of the cups became mixed together and it was not known which of the cups contained the blood of the bull and which, the blood of the goat. He should perform all the sprinklings as required by law from the cups that were not mixed together. He should then pour the remainder of the blood from the cups from which he sprinkled on the base of the altar, as required. The cups that were mixed together should be poured into the drainage channel.
Halacha 13
Even though the High Priest would purchase the bull sacrificed on Yom Kippur from his own resources, as implied by Leviticus 16:6: "The bull for the sin-offering that is his," the Omnipresent nullified his ownership of it in favor of all of his priestly brethren. For if they did not have a share of it, they could not derive atonement through its sacrifice.
Accordingly, if the High Priest died before the bull was slaughtered, the priest who assumes his position does not bring a different bull. Instead, he slaughters the first one, It is not considered a sin-offering whose owners have died which is itself consigned to death, for a sin-offering owned by many is never consigned to death,
If the High Priest slaughtered the bull, but died before sprinkling its blood to gain atonement, the second priest enters the Temple with this blood and performs the sprinkling that brings atonement.
Halacha 14
The desired manner of performing the mitzvah is that the two goats of Yom Kippur should be alike with regard to their appearance, their size, and their worth. They should be purchased at the same time. Nevertheless, even if they were not alike, they were acceptable. Similarly, if one was purchased on one day and the other on the following day, it is acceptable.
Halacha 15
The following rules apply if one of these goats die. If it dies before the lottery was held, he should take another one as a pair for the remaining one. If it died after the lottery, he should bring two new goats and conduct the lottery again as he did originally.
He sees which one died. If it was the one to be sacrificed to G‑d, he says: "This one for which the lot for God was chosen should replace it." If the dead goat was the one to be sent to Azazel, he says: "This one for which the lot for Azazel was chosen should replace it." The other one of the pair from which the second lottery was made should be left to pasture until it receives a disqualifying blemish. Then it should be sold and the proceeds used for freewill offerings. This course of action is taken, because a communal sin-offering is never consigned to death.
Halacha 16
When the bull and/or the goat to be offered on Yom Kippur became lost, others were separated in their stead and offered and then the first ones were found, those first ones should pasture until they contract a disqualifying blemish. Afterwards, they should be redeemed and the proceeds used for freewill offerings. Similarly, if the first ones were found before the second were offered, the first ones should be sacrificed. The second ones should be allowed to pasture until they contract a disqualifying blemish. Afterwards, they should be redeemed and the proceeds used for freewill offerings. The rationale for these rulings is that a communal sin-offering is never consigned to death.
Halacha 17
A disqualifying blemish - even a temporary blemish - renders the goat sent to Azazel unfit. Similarly, if it becomes unfit to be sacrificed because of a time factor, it is disqualified. For example, its mother was slaughtered to feed a sick person on Yom Kippur. Although the pertinent prohibition involves "slaughtering" an animal and its offspring on the same day, pushing the goat to Azazel is equivalent to slaughtering it.
Halacha 18
If the goat was treifah, it is unacceptable, for Leviticus 16:10states: "It shall stand alive."
Halacha 19
If the goat becomes sick and is unable to walk, the one taking it to Azazel should carry it on his shoulders, even on the Sabbath.
Halacha 20
If the one designated to take it becomes sick, it should be sent with another person.
Halacha 21
If the one designated to take it becomes impure, he should enter the Temple take it and depart, as Leviticus 16:21states: "to the desert in the hands of a designated person." Implied is that it should be sent in the hands of the one designated even if he became ritually impure.
Halacha 22
If that person pushed the goat off the cliff and it did not die, he should descend after it and kill it with any article that will serve that purpose. It is permitted to benefit from the limbs of this goat.
Halacha 23
If the roof of the Temple Building was opened, the High Priest should not sprinkle the blood of the bull and the blood of the goat, because ibid.:17 states: "in the Tent of Meeting."
Halacha 24
When the inner altar had not been dedicated by the offering of incense previously, the High Priest should not sprinkle the blood upon it, as ibid. 4:7 states: "the altar of the incense offering."
Halacha 25
If the incense offering was lacking one of its spices or the smoke-raising herb, the High Priest is liable for death, asLeviticus 16:2 states: "He shall not die, because in a cloud I will appear on the kaporet." Similarly, he is liable for death for entering the Holy of Holies while he is not performing a mitzvah. Therefore, if he transgressed inadvertently by entering, but purposely offered an unacceptable incense offering or offered a complete incense offering together with the one that was lacking, he is liable for death.
Halacha 26
If he offered an olive-sized portion of the incense offering to be offered in the Holy of Holies in the Sanctuary, he is liable for death.
Halacha 27
Taking a handful of incense is considered as an element of the Temple service and improper thoughts can disqualify it. Similarly, the scooping of the coals for the incense offering can be disqualified by improper thoughts, for performance of the preparatory acts necessary to bring a sacrifice is considered as bringing the sacrifice itself.
Halacha 28
There is doubt regarding the proper ruling in all of the following incidents:
a) he collected the incense with his fingertips, with the sides of his hands, or scooped from below upward;
b) he gathered the incense with both hands and then brought them together;
c) the incense was scattered on the earth from his hand and he collected it;
d) a colleague gathered the incense and put it in his hands; or
e) a High Priest collected the incense and died and his replacement entered the Holy of Holies with the incense collected by the first.
In all these instances, as an initial preference, he should not offer such incense. If he did, it is acceptable.
Blessed be the Merciful One Who grants assistance.
Me`ilah - Perek 1
Halacha 1
It is forbidden for an ordinary person to benefit from articles sanctified unto God, whether they are entities that are offered on the altar or articles consecrated for the improvement of the Temple. Anyone who derives a perutah'worth of benefit from an article sanctified unto God, is considered as having misappropriated a consecrated article.
Halacha 2
The concept of me'ilah, misappropriating consecrated articles, does not apply to sacrificial entities from the sacrifices that are permitted to be eaten, e.g., the meat of sin-offerings and guilt-offerings after their blood was cast on the altar, the two breads after the blood of the two sheep was cast on the altar. This applies even if these or the like are eaten by a non-priest. Since it is permitted for some people to benefit from them, anyone who benefits from them is not considered to have misappropriated consecrated articles. Even if they were disqualified and prohibited to be eaten, since there is a time when they are permitted to be eaten, one is not liable me'ilah.
Halacha 3
Anyone who purposely misappropriates consecrated articles is liable for lashes and must pay the value he decreased the value of the sacred articles. The warning against me'ilah is derived from Deuteronomy 12:17: "You may not partake of the tithes of your grain... your pledges... in your outlying cities." According to the Oral Tradition, we learned that this is a warning against one who partakes of the meat of a burnt-offering for it must be offered entirely to God. The same applies to all other consecrated articles that are dedicated to God alone, whether something consecrated for the altar or for the improvement of the Temple. If one derives a perutah's worth of benefit, he is liable for lashes. If he misappropriated a consecrated article unknowingly, he must make restitution for the benefit he received and add a fifth. Also, he must bring a ram worth two selaim and have it sacrificed as a guilt offering. This brings atonement for him and it is called: "the guilt offering for misappropriation,] asLeviticus 5:15-16 states "And he sinned inadvertently, misappropriating what was consecrated unto God and he shall bring his guilt-offering... and he should make restitution for what he misappropriated from the consecrated articles, adding a fifth." Paying the principal with the additional fifth and bringing the sacrifice is a positive commandment.
Halacha 4
Payment of the principal and bringing the guilt-offering are essential for the atonement; payment of the additional fifth is not essential. This is derived from the prooftext that speaks of: "the ram of the asham." Our Sages interpreted the termasham as referring to the principal and stated: The ramand the payment of the principal are fundamental requirements. The additional fifth is not a fundamental requirement.
Halacha 5
If the person brought the guilt-offering before he made restitution for the principal, he did not fulfill his obligation. If one is in doubt whether he derived benefit from a consecrated article or not, he is exempt from making restitution and bringing a sacrifice.
The additional fifth is considered as a consecrated article itself. If one benefits from it, he should add a fifth to the fifth. We have already explained several times that the fifth is one fourth of the principal so that the principal and the fifth will be five units.
Halacha 6
There are articles for which one is not liable for me'ilahaccording to Scriptural Law, but from which it is forbidden to benefit according to Rabbinic decree.A person who derives benefit from them must only make restitution for the principal. He need not add a fifth, nor must he bring a guilt-offering.
Halacha 7
All of the sacrifices offered on the altar - whether sacrifices of the highest degree of sanctity or sacrifices of a lesser degree of sanctity - are forbidden to be shorn and it is forbidden to perform work with them, as Deuteronomy 15:19states: "Do not perform work with the firstborn of your oxen and do not shear the firstborn of your sheep." The same applies to all other sacrificial animals. One who shears an ox or works with a sheep is liable for lashes according to Scriptural Law.
One who pulls out hair is not considered as if he shears it. It appears to me that one is not liable unless he shears double the width of a sit. This prohibition should not be more severe than the prohibition against shearing on the Sabbath.
Halacha 8
When there is a doubt whether an animal is consecrated, e.g., an animal concerning which there is a question whether it is a firstborn or the like, it is forbidden to shear it or work with it, but one who shears it or works with it, is not liable for lashes.
Halacha 9
When a sacrificial animal contracted a physical blemish and it was redeemed as we explained, it is not permitted to shear it or to work with it. The prohibitions are still in effect until it is slaughtered. If it was slaughtered after it was redeemed, it is permitted to partake of it.
When does the above apply? When the animal was consecrated before it contracted a permanent blemish or it contracted a temporary blemish before it was consecrated. If, however, one consecrated an animal with a permanent physical blemish as a sacrifice for the altar, it is only forbidden to be shorn and for work to be performed with it according to Rabbinic Law. If it is redeemed, it is like an ordinary animal in all regards and like an ordinary animal, it may be shorn and work may be performed with it. The only exceptions to this principle are a firstborn animal and one separated as the tithes. In these instances, the holiness falls on their physical bodies even if at the outset they have permanent physical blemishes. They are never considered as ordinary animals entirely and it is always forbidden to shear them or perform work with them.
It is forbidden to mate an animal that is a firstborn or a sacrificial animal that was disqualified.
Halacha 10
It is permitted, even as an initial preference, to pull off hair from a sacrificial animal in order to show a physical blemish to an expert. It is forbidden to benefit from the hair that was pulled off or which fell from a consecrated animal, a firstborn animal, or one designated as the tithes, even after it was redeemed and slaughtered because of its blemish. This is a decree lest the sacrifice of such an animal be delayed, because it does not come to bring about atonement.
It is, by contrast, permitted to benefit from wool which fell from an animal designated as a sin-offering or a guilt-offering after it has been redeemed and slaughtered because of a physical blemish. The rationale is that since these offerings come to bring about atonement, the owners will not delay their sacrifice. There is an unresolved doubt if it is permitted to benefit from wool that was pulled off from a burnt-offering.
It is permitted to benefit from any wool that becomes pulled off from sacrificial animals after they have contracted a blemish, for it was not pulled off intentionally.The only exception is the wool of a firstborn animal and one designated as a tithe. In those instances, it is forbidden to benefit from wool even if it was pulled off from such an animal after it contracted a blemish.
Halacha 11
When a person slaughters a firstborn or another consecrated animal, he may pull off the wool from either side to make a place for the knife, provided he does not remove the wool from its place.
Halacha 12
It is forbidden to shear and perform work with animals consecrated for the improvement of the Temple according to Rabbinic decree. According to Scriptural Law, they are not forbidden. Therefore one who shears such animals or performs work with them is not liable for lashes. He does, however, receive stripes for rebellious conduct.
Halacha 13
When one consecrates a fetus for the altar, it is forbidden to perform work with its mother according to Rabbinic decree. The rationale for this decree is that work weakens the fetus. It is, however, permitted to shear the mother, because this does not harm the fetus.
When one consecrates one limb of an animal - whether for the improvement of the Temple or for the altar - there is an unresolved doubt whether or not the entire animal is forbidden to be sheared or for work to be performed with it. Therefore, if one performs such an activity, he is not liable for lashes.
• English Text | Video Class• Thursday, Iyar 4, 5776 · May 12, 2016• "Today's Day"
Sunday Iyar 4, 19th day of the omer 5703
Torah lessons: Chumash: Emor, first parsha with Rashi.
Tehillim: 23-28.
Tanya: Ch. 46. There is yet (p. 241)...love for him. (p. 241).
It is a Jewish custom not to shave or cut a baby boy's hair until his third birthday.
The first haircutting or opsherenish of a baby boy is a Jewish custom of great importance. The essence of the custom is the educational act of leaving (uncut) the peyot (sidelocks). From the day of the haircutting and leaving the peyot it is the custom to take particular care in accustoming the little boy to wear a tallit katan, to recite the early-morning b'rachot, the grace after meals (birkat hamazon p. 89) and the bedtime sh'ma (p. 118).
• Daily Thought:
Bouncing Up
Night comes before day, pain before pleasure, confusion before wisdom. So too, the way this world was made, there is no journey forward without first a step backward.
So it is with all creatures. But we human beings, we strive not only to move forward, but to leap beyond our own nature, beyond any nature at all.
We, too, must first step back before we can leap upward. But since our leap is beyond nature, we fall, too, beneath our nature.
That is sin—a fall beneath your own nature, as one who crouches before he leaps.
And that is the power of return
—to leap beyond any bounds at all.
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