Torah Reading
Va'etchanan: Deuteronomy 3:23 “Then I pleaded with Adonai, 24 ‘Adonai Elohim, you have begun to reveal your greatness to your servant, and your strong hand — for what other god is there in heaven or on earth that can do the works and mighty deeds that you do? 25 Please! Let me go across and see the good land on the other side of the Yarden, that wonderful hill-country and the L’vanon!’ 26 But Adonai was angry with me on account of you, and he didn’t listen to me. Adonai said to me, ‘Enough from you! Don’t say another word to me about this matter! 27 Climb up to the top of Pisgah and look out to the west, north, south and east. Look with your eyes — but you will not go across this Yarden. 28 However, commission Y’hoshua, encourage him and strengthen him; for he will lead this people across and enable them to inherit the land that you will see.’ 29 So we stayed in the valley across from Beit-P‘or.
4:1 “Now, Isra’el, listen to the laws and rulings I am teaching you, in order to follow them, so that you will live; then you will go in and take possession of the land that Adonai, the God of your fathers, is giving you. 2 In order to obey the mitzvot of Adonai your God which I am giving you, do not add to what I am saying, and do not subtract from it. 3 You saw with your own eyes what Adonai did at Ba‘al-P‘or, that Adonai destroyed from among you all the men who followed Ba‘al-P‘or; 4 but you who stuck with Adonai your God are still alive today, every one of you. (ii) 5 Look, I have taught you laws and rulings, just as Adonai my God ordered me, so that you can behave accordingly in the land where you are going in order to take possession of it. 6 Therefore, observe them; and follow them; for then all peoples will see you as having wisdom and understanding. When they hear of all these laws, they will say, ‘This great nation is surely a wise and understanding people.’ 7 For what great nation is there that has God as close to them as Adonai our God is, whenever we call on him? 8 What great nation is there that has laws and rulings as just as this entire Torah which I am setting before you today? 9 Only be careful, and watch yourselves diligently as long as you live, so that you won’t forget what you saw with your own eyes, so that these things won’t vanish from your hearts. Rather, make them known to your children and grandchildren — 10 the day you stood before Adonai your God at Horev, when Adonai said to me, ‘Gather the people to me, and I will make them hear my very words, so that they will learn to hold me in awe as long as they live on earth, and so that they will teach their children.’ 11 You approached and stood at the foot of the mountain; and the mountain blazed with fire to the heart of heaven, with darkness, clouds and thick mist. 12 Then Adonai spoke to you out of the fire! You heard the sound of words but saw no shape, there was only a voice. 13 He proclaimed his covenant to you, which he ordered you to obey, the Ten Words; and he wrote them on two stone tablets. 14 At that time Adonai ordered me to teach you laws and rulings, so that you would live by them in the land you are entering in order to take possession of it.
15 “Therefore, watch out for yourselves! Since you did not see a shape of any kind on the day Adonai spoke to you in Horev from the fire, 16 do not become corrupt and make yourselves a carved image having the shape of any figure — not a representation of a human being, male or female, 17 or a representation of any animal on earth, or a representation of any bird that flies in the air, 18 or a representation of anything that creeps along on the ground, or a representation of any fish in the water below the shoreline. 19 For the same reason, do not look up at the sky, at the sun, moon, stars and everything in the sky, and be drawn away to worship and serve them; Adonai your God has allotted these to all the peoples under the entire sky. 20 No, you Adonai has taken and brought out of the smelting furnace, out of Egypt, to be a people of inheritance for him, as you are today.
21 “But Adonai was angry with me on account of you and swore that I would not cross the Yarden and go into that good land, which Adonai your God is giving you to inherit. 22 Rather, I must die in this land and not cross the Yarden; but you are to cross and take possession of that good land. 23 Watch out for yourselves, so that you won’t forget the covenant of Adonai your God, which he made with you, and make yourself a carved image, a representation of anything forbidden to you by Adonai your God. 24 For Adonai your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
25 “When you have had children and grandchildren, lived a long time in the land, become corrupt and made a carved image, a representation of something, and thus done what is evil in the sight of Adonai your God and provoked him; 26 I call on the sky and the earth to witness against you today that you will quickly disappear from the land that you are crossing the Yarden to possess. You will not prolong your days there but will be completely destroyed. 27 Adonai will scatter you among the peoples; and among the nations to which Adonai will lead you away, you will be left few in number. 28 There you will serve gods which are the product of human hands, made of wood and stone, which can’t see, hear, eat or smell. 29 However, from there you will seek Adonai your God; and you will find him if you search after him with all your heart and being. 30 In your distress, when all these things have come upon you, in the acharit-hayamim, you will return to Adonai your God and listen to what he says; 31 for Adonai your God is a merciful God. He will not fail you, destroy you, or forget the covenant with your ancestors which he swore to them.
32 “Indeed, inquire about the past, before you were born: since the day God created human beings on the earth, from one end of heaven to the other, has there ever been anything as wonderful as this? Has anyone heard anything like it? 33 Did any other people ever hear the voice of God speaking out of a fire, as you have heard, and stay alive? 34 Or has God ever tried to go and take for himself a nation from the very bowels of another nation, by means of ordeals, signs, wonders, war, a mighty hand, an outstretched arm and great terrors — like all that Adonai your God did for you in Egypt before your very eyes? 35 This was shown to you, so that you would know that Adonai is God, and there is no other beside him. 36 From heaven he caused you to hear his voice, in order to instruct you; and on earth he caused you to see his great fire; and you heard his very words coming out from the fire. 37 Because he loved your ancestors, chose their descendants after them and brought you out of Egypt with his presence and great power, 38 in order to drive out ahead of you nations greater and stronger than you, so that he could bring you in and give you their land as an inheritance, as is the case today; 39 know today, and establish it in your heart, that Adonai is God in heaven above and on earth below — there is no other. 40 Therefore, you are to keep his laws and mitzvot which I am giving you today, so that it will go well with you and with your children after you, and so that you will prolong your days in the land Adonai your God is giving you forever.”
(A: iii) 41 Then Moshe separated three cities on the east side of the Yarden, toward the sunrise, 42 to which a killer might flee, that is, someone who kills by mistake a person whom he did not previously hate, and upon fleeing to one of these cities might live there. 43 The cities were Betzer in the desert, in the flatland, for the Re’uveni; Ramot in Gil‘ad for the Gadi; and Golan in Bashan for the M’nashi.
44 This is the Torah which Moshe placed before the people of Isra’el — 45 these are the instructions, laws and rulings which Moshe presented to the people of Isra’el after they had come out of Egypt — 46 beyond the Yarden River, in the valley across from Beit-P‘or, in the land of Sichon king of the Emori, who lived at Heshbon, whom Moshe and the people of Isra’el defeated when they came out of Egypt; 47 and they took possession of his land and the land of ‘Og king of Bashan, the two kings of the Emori, who were beyond the Yarden toward the sunrise; 48 from ‘Aro‘er on the edge of the Arnon Valley to Mount Si’on,” that is, Mount Hermon, 49 “with all the ‘Aravah beyond the Yarden eastward, all the way to the Dead Sea at the foot of the slopes of Pisgah.
5:1 (A: iv, S: iii) Then Moshe called to all Isra’el and said to them, “Listen, Isra’el, to the laws and rulings which I am announcing in your hearing today, so that you will learn them and take care to obey them. 2 Adonai our God made a covenant with us at Horev. 3 Adonai did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with us — with us, who are all of us here alive today. 4 Adonai spoke with you face to face from the fire on the mountain. 5 At that time I stood between Adonai and you in order to tell you what Adonai was saying; because, on account of the fire, you were afraid and wouldn’t go up onto the mountain. He said,
א 6 “‘I am Adonai your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, where you lived as slaves.
ב 7 “‘You are to have no other gods before me. 8 You are not to make for yourselves a carved image or any kind of representation of anything in heaven above, on the earth beneath or in the water below the shoreline — 9 you are not to bow down to them or serve them; for I, Adonai your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sins of the parents, also the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 10 but displaying grace to the thousandth generation of those who love me and obey my mitzvot.
ג 11 “‘You are not to misuse the name of Adonai your God, because Adonai will not leave unpunished someone who misuses his name.
ד 12 “‘Observe the day of Shabbat, to set it apart as holy, as Adonai your God ordered you to do. 13 You have six days to labor and do all your work, 14 but the seventh day is a Shabbat for Adonai your God. On it you are not to do any kind of work — not you, your son or your daughter, not your male or female slave, not your ox, your donkey or any of your other livestock, and not the foreigner staying with you inside the gates to your property — so that your male and female servants can rest just as you do. 15 You are to remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and Adonai your God brought you out from there with a strong hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore Adonai your God has ordered you to keep the day of Shabbat.
ה 16 “‘Honor your father and mother, as Adonai your God ordered you to do, so that you will live long and have things go well with you in the land Adonai your God is giving you.
ו 17 “‘Do not murder.
ז (18) “‘Do not commit adultery.
ח (19) “‘Do not steal.
ט (20) “‘Do not give false evidence against your neighbor.
י 18 (21) “‘Do not covet your neighbor’s wife; do not covet your neighbor’s house, his field, his male or female slave, his ox, his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.’
(A: v, S: iv) 19 (22) “These words Adonai spoke to your entire gathering at the mountain from fire, cloud and thick mist, in a loud voice; then it ceased. But he wrote them on two stone tablets, which he gave to me. 20 (23) When you heard the voice coming out of the darkness, as the mountain blazed with fire, you came to me, all the heads of your tribes and your leaders, 21 (24) and said, ‘Here, Adonai our God has shown us his glory and his greatness! We have heard his voice coming from the fire, and we have seen today that God does speak with human beings, and they stay alive. 22 (25) But why should we keep risking death? This great fire will consume us! If we hear the voice of Adonai our God any more, we will die! 23 (26) For who is there of all humanity that has heard the voice of the living God speaking from the fire, as we have, and stayed alive? 24 (27) You, go near; and hear everything Adonai our God says. Then you will tell us everything Adonai our God says to you; and we will listen to it and do it.’
25 (28) “Adonai heard what you were saying when you spoke to me, and Adonai said to me, ‘I have heard what this people has said when speaking to you, and everything they have said is good. 26 (29) Oh, how I wish their hearts would stay like this always, that they would fear me and obey all my mitzvot; so that it would go well with them and their children forever. 27 (30) Go, tell them to return to their tents. 28 (31) But you, stand here by me; and I will tell you all the mitzvot, laws and rulings which you are to teach them, so that they can obey them in the land I am giving them as their possession.’
29 (32) “Therefore you are to be careful to do as Adonai your God has ordered you; you are not to deviate either to the right or the left. 30 (33) You are to follow the entire way which Adonai your God has ordered you; so that you will live, things will go well with you, and you will live long in the land you are about to possess.
6:1 “Now this is the mitzvah, the laws and rulings which Adonai your God ordered me to teach you for you to obey in the land you are crossing over to possess, 2 so that you will fear Adonai your God and observe all his regulations and mitzvot that I am giving you — you, your child and your grandchild — as long as you live, and so that you will have long life. 3 Therefore listen, Isra’el, and take care to obey, so that things will go well with you, and so that you will increase greatly, as Adonai, the God of your ancestors, promised you by giving you a land flowing with milk and honey.
(A:vi, S: v) 4 “Sh’ma, Yisra’el! Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai echad [Hear, Isra’el! Adonai our God, Adonai is one]; 5 and you are to love Adonai your God with all your heart, all your being and all your resources. 6 These words, which I am ordering you today, are to be on your heart; 7 and you are to teach them carefully to your children. You are to talk about them when you sit at home, when you are traveling on the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them on your hand as a sign, put them at the front of a headband around your forehead, 9 and write them on the door-frames of your house and on your gates.
(S: vi) 10 “When Adonai your God has brought you into the land he swore to your ancestors Avraham, Yitz’chak and Ya‘akov that he would give you — cities great and prosperous, which you didn’t build; 11 houses full of all sorts of good things, which you didn’t fill; water cisterns dug out, which you didn’t dig; vineyards and olive trees, which you didn’t plant — and you have eaten your fill; 12 then be careful not to forget Adonai, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, where you lived as slaves. 13 You are to fear Adonai your God, serve him and swear by his name. 14 You are not to follow other gods, chosen from the gods of the peoples around you; 15 because Adonai, your God, who is here with you, is a jealous God. If you do, the anger of Adonai your God will flare up against you and he will destroy you from the face of the earth. 16 Do not put Adonai your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah [testing]. 17 Observe diligently the mitzvot of Adonai your God, and his instructions and laws which he has given you. 18 You are to do what is right and good in the sight of Adonai, so that things will go well with you, and you will enter and possess the good land Adonai swore to your ancestors, 19 expelling all your enemies ahead of you, as Adonai said.
20 “Some day your child will ask you, ‘What is the meaning of the instructions, laws and rulings which Adonai our God has laid down for you?’ 21 Then you will tell your child, ‘We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, and Adonai brought us out of Egypt with a strong hand. 22 Adonai worked great and terrible signs and wonders against Egypt, Pharaoh and all his household, before our very eyes. 23 He brought us out from there in order to bring us to the land he had sworn to our ancestors that he would give us. 24 Adonai ordered us to observe all these laws, to fear Adonai our God, always for our own good, so that he might keep us alive, as we are today. 25 It will be righteousness for us if we are careful to obey all these mitzvot before Adonai our God, just as he ordered us to do.’”
7:1 (vii) “Adonai your God is going to bring you into the land you will enter in order to take possession of it, and he will expel many nations ahead of you — the Hitti, Girgashi, Emori, Kena‘ani, P’rizi, Hivi and Y’vusi, seven nations bigger and stronger than you. 2 When he does this, when Adonai your God hands them over ahead of you, and you defeat them, you are to destroy them completely! Do not make any covenant with them. Show them no mercy. 3 Don’t intermarry with them — don’t give your daughter to his son, and don’t take his daughter for your son. 4 For he will turn your children away from following me in order to serve other gods. If this happens, the anger of Adonai will flare up against you, and he will quickly destroy you. 5 No, treat them this way: break down their altars, smash their standing-stones to pieces, cut down their sacred poles and burn up their carved images completely. 6 For you are a people set apart as holy for Adonai your God. Adonai your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his own unique treasure. 7 Adonai didn’t set his heart on you or choose you because you numbered more than any other people — on the contrary, you were the fewest of all peoples. 8 Rather, it was because Adonai loved you, and because he wanted to keep the oath which he had sworn to your ancestors, that Adonai brought you out with a strong hand and redeemed you from a life of slavery under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. (Maftir) 9 From this you can know that Adonai your God is indeed God, the faithful God, who keeps his covenant and extends grace to those who love him and observe his mitzvot, to a thousand generations. 10 But he repays those who hate him to their face and destroys them. He will not be slow to deal with someone who hates him; he will repay him to his face. 11 Therefore, you are to keep the mitzvot, laws and rulings which I am giving you today, and obey them.
Isaiah 40:1 “Comfort and keep comforting my people,” says your God.
2 “Tell Yerushalayim to take heart; proclaim to her
that she has completed her time of service,
that her guilt has been paid off,
that she has received at the hand of Adonai
double for all her sins.”
3 A voice cries out:
“Clear a road through the desert for Adonai!
Level a highway in the ‘Aravah for our God!
4 Let every valley be filled in,
every mountain and hill lowered,
the bumpy places made level
and the crags become a plain.
5 Then the glory of Adonai will be revealed;
all humankind together will see it,
for the mouth of Adonai has spoken.”
6 A voice says, “Proclaim!”
And I answer, “What should I proclaim?”
“All humanity is merely grass,
all its kindness like wildflowers:
7 the grass dries up, the flower fades,
when a wind from Adonai blows on it.
Surely the people are grass!
8 The grass dries up, the flower fades;
but the word of our God will stand forever.”
9 You who bring good news to Tziyon,
get yourself up on a high mountain;
you who bring good news to Yerushalayim,
cry out at the top of your voice!
Don’t be afraid to shout out loud!
Say to the cities of Y’hudah,
“Here is your God!
10 Here comes Adonai Elohim with power,
and his arm will rule for him.
Look! His reward is with him,
and his recompense is before him.
11 He is like a shepherd feeding his flock,
gathering his lambs with his arm,
carrying them against his chest,
gently leading the mother sheep.”
12 Who has counted the handfuls of water in the sea,
measured off the sky with a ruler,
gauged how much dust there is on the earth,
weighed the mountains on scales, or the hills in a balance?
13 Who has measured the Spirit of Adonai?
Who has been his counselor, instructing him?
14 Whom did he consult, to gain understanding?
Who taught him how to judge,
taught him what he needed to know,
showed him how to discern?
15 The nations are like a drop in a bucket,
they count like a grain of dust on the scales.
The islands weigh as little as specks of dust.
16 The L’vanon would not suffice for fuel
or its animals be enough for burnt offerings.
17 Before him all the nations are like nothing.
He regards them as less than nothing.
18 With whom, then, will you compare God?
By what standard will you evaluate him?
19 An image made by a craftsman,
which a goldsmith overlays with gold,
for which he then casts silver chains?
20 A man too poor to afford an offering
chooses a piece of wood that won’t rot,
then seeks out a skilled artisan
to prepare an image that won’t fall over.
21 Don’t you know? Don’t you hear?
Haven’t you been told from the start?
Don’t you understand how the earth is set up?
22 He who sits above the circle of the earth —
for whom its inhabitants appear like grasshoppers —
stretches out the heavens like a curtain,
spreads them out like a tent to live in.
23 He reduces princes to nothing,
the rulers of the earth to emptiness.
24 Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown,
scarcely their stem taken root in the ground,
when he blows on them, they dry up,
and the whirlwind carries them off like straw.
25 “With whom, then, will you compare me?
With whom am I equal?” asks the Holy One.
26 Turn your eyes to the heavens!
See who created these?
He brings out the army of them in sequence,
summoning each by name.
Through his great might and his massive strength,
not one of them is missing.
Today's Laws and Customs:Shabbat of Consolation
The Shabbat after the Ninth of Av is called Shabbat Nachamu ("Shabbat of Consolation") after the opening words of the day's reading from the prophets ("haftara"). This is the first of the series of readings known as "The Seven of Consolation" read in the seven weeks from the Ninth of Av to Rosh Hashanah.
Links:
Ethics: Chapter 3
During the summer months, from the Shabbat after Passover until the Shabbat before Rosh Hashahah, we study a weekly chapter of the Talmud's Ethics of the Fathers ("Avot") each Shabbat afternoon; this week we study Chapter Three.
Link: Ethics of the Fathers, Chapter 3
Today in Jewish History:
Sir Moses Montefiore (1885)
Av 16 is the day of the passing, at age 101, of the famed philanthropist and Jewish advocate, Sir Moses Montefiore (1784-1885).
Link: About Sir Moses
Sir Moses Montefiore (1885)
Av 16 is the day of the passing, at age 101, of the famed philanthropist and Jewish advocate, Sir Moses Montefiore (1784-1885).
Link: About Sir Moses
Daily Study:
Chitas and Rambam for today:
Chumash: Parshat Va'etchanan, 7th Portion (Deuteronomy 7:1-7:11) with Rashi
• Deuteronomy Chapter 7
1When the Lord, your God, brings you into the land to which you are coming to possess it, He will cast away many nations from before you: the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivvites, and the Jebusites, seven nations more numerous and powerful than you. אכִּ֤י יְבִֽיאֲךָ֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ אֶל־הָאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֥ה בָא־שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּ֑הּ וְנָשַׁ֣ל גּוֹיִֽם־רַבִּ֣ים | מִפָּנֶ֡יךָ הַֽחִתִּי֩ וְהַגִּרְגָּשִׁ֨י וְהָֽאֱמֹרִ֜י וְהַכְּנַֽעֲנִ֣י וְהַפְּרִזִּ֗י וְהַֽחִוִּי֙ וְהַיְבוּסִ֔י שִׁבְעָ֣ה גוֹיִ֔ם רַבִּ֥ים וַֽעֲצוּמִ֖ים מִמֶּֽךָּ:
He will cast away: Heb. וְנָשַׁל. This is an expression meaning casting away, and causing to fly. Similarly is (Deut. 19:5),“and the iron [axe blade] will cause to fly [from the tree].” ונשל: לשון השלכה והתזה, וכן (דברים יט, ה) ונשל הברזל:
2And the Lord, your God, will deliver them to you, and you shall smite them. You shall utterly destroy them; neither shall you make a covenant with them, nor be gracious to them. בוּנְתָנָ֞ם יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ לְפָנֶ֖יךָ וְהִכִּיתָ֑ם הַֽחֲרֵ֤ם תַּֽחֲרִים֙ אֹתָ֔ם לֹֽא־תִכְרֹ֥ת לָהֶ֛ם בְּרִ֖ית וְלֹ֥א תְחָנֵּֽם:
nor be gracious to them: Heb. וְלֹא תְחָנֵּם This means, you must not show them any grace (חֵן) . It is forbidden for a person to say,“How handsome is this heathen!” Another explanation: Do not grant them a settlement (חֲניָּה) in the land. (Avodah Zarah 20a) לא תחנם: לא תתן להם חן. אסור לו לאדם לומר כמה נאה גוי זה. דבר אחר אל תתן להם חנייה בארץ:
3You shall not intermarry with them; you shall not give your daughter to his son, and you shall not take his daughter for your son. גוְלֹ֥א תִתְחַתֵּ֖ן בָּ֑ם בִּתְּךָ֙ לֹֽא־תִתֵּ֣ן לִבְנ֔וֹ וּבִתּ֖וֹ לֹֽא־תִקַּ֥ח לִבְנֶֽךָ:
4For he will turn away your son from following Me, and they will worship the gods of others, and the wrath of the Lord will be kindled against you, and He will quickly destroy you. דכִּֽי־יָסִ֤יר אֶת־בִּנְךָ֙ מֵאַֽחֲרַ֔י וְעָֽבְד֖וּ אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֑ים וְחָרָ֤ה אַף־יְהֹוָה֙ בָּכֶ֔ם וְהִשְׁמִֽידְךָ֖ מַהֵֽר:
For he will turn away your son from following Me: i.e., the heathen’s son, if he marries your daughter, will turn away your [grand]son whom your daughter will bear to him, from following Me. This teaches us that your daughter’s son, born of a heathen man, is called “your son,” but your son’s son, born of a heathen woman, is not called “your son,” but “her son.” For Scripture [first says, “Do not give your daughter to his son, and do not take his daughter for your son.” Then it follows with “For he will turn away your son….” However], referring to “do not take his daughter,” it does not say“For she will turn away your son…” [because he is considered her son, not yours (Kid. 68b). כי יסיר את בנך מאחרי: בנו של גוי כשישא את בתך יסיר את בנך אשר תלד לו בתך מאחרי. למדנו שבן בתך הבא מן הגוי קרוי בנך, אבל בן בנך הבא מן הגויה אינו קרוי בנך אלא בנה, שהרי לא נאמר על בתו לא תקח כי תסיר את בנך מאחרי, אלא כי יסיר את בנך וגו':
5But so shall you do to them: You shall demolish their altars and smash their monuments, and cut down their asherim trees, and burn their graven images with fire. הכִּ֣י אִם־כֹּ֤ה תַֽעֲשׂוּ֙ לָהֶ֔ם מִזְבְּחֹֽתֵיהֶ֣ם תִּתֹּ֔צוּ וּמַצֵּֽבֹתָ֖ם תְּשַׁבֵּ֑רוּ וַֽאֲשֵֽׁירֵהֶם֙ תְּגַדֵּע֔וּן וּפְסִֽילֵיהֶ֖ם תִּשְׂרְפ֥וּן בָּאֵֽשׁ:
their altars: Heb. מִזְבְּחֹתֵיהֶם [A מִזְבֵּח is a structure] built up [of several stones]. מזבחתיהם: של בנין:
and… their monuments: Heb. וּמַצֵּבֹתָם [A מַצֵּבָה is a structure made] of one stone. \b their asherim trees Trees that are worshipped (\b0Avodah Zarah 48a). מצבותם: אבן אחת:
and… their graven images: [These are] images (i.e., idols). ואשירהם: אילנות שעובדין אותן:
6For you are a holy people to the Lord, your God: the Lord your God has chosen you to be His treasured people, out of all the peoples upon the face of the earth. וכִּ֣י עַ֤ם קָדוֹשׁ֙ אַתָּ֔ה לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ בְּךָ֞ בָּחַ֣ר | יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ לִֽהְי֥וֹת לוֹ֙ לְעַ֣ם סְגֻלָּ֔ה מִכֹּל֙ הָֽעַמִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָֽאֲדָמָֽה:
7Not because you are more numerous than any people did the Lord delight in you and choose you, for you are the least of all the peoples. זלֹ֣א מֵֽרֻבְּכֶ֞ם מִכָּל־הָֽעַמִּ֗ים חָשַׁ֧ק יְהֹוָ֛ה בָּכֶ֖ם וַיִּבְחַ֣ר בָּכֶ֑ם כִּֽי־אַתֶּ֥ם הַמְעַ֖ט מִכָּל־הָֽעַמִּֽים:
Not because you were [more] numerous: [This is to be understood] according to its simple meaning. But its midrashic explanation [understanding וְלֹא מֵרֻבְּכֶם as “not because you are great”] is: Because you do not boast about yourselves when I shower good upon you. This is why I delighted in you [says God]. לא מרבכם: כפשוטו. ומדרשו לפי שאין אתם מגדילים עצמכם כשאני משפיע לכם טובה לפיכך חשקתי בכם:
For you are the least [of all the peoples]: You humble yourselves as, e.g., Abraham, who said, “For I am dust and ashes” (Gen. 18:27), and Moses and Aaron, who said, “but of what [significance] are we?” (Exod. 16:7) Unlike Nebuchadnezzar, who said, “I will liken myself to the Most High,” (Isa. 14:14), and Sennacherib, who said, (Isa. 36:20), “Who are they among all the gods of thelands [who saved their land from my hand]?” and Hiram, who said,“I am a god, I have sat in a seat of God” (Ezek. 28:2). (Chul. 89a) כי אתם המעט: הממעטין עצמכם, כגון אברהם, שאמר (בראשית יח, כז) ואנכי עפר ואפר, וכגון משה ואהרן שאמרו (שמות טז, ח) ונחנו מה, לא כנבוכדנצר שאמר (ישעיה יד, יד) אדמה לעליון, וסנחריב שאמר (שם לו, כ) מי בכל אלהי הארצות, וחירם שאמר (יחזקאל כח, ב) אל אני מושב אלהים ישבתי:
for you are the least: Heb. כִּי-אַתֶּם הַמְעַט Here כִּי is an expression of“because.” כי אתם המעט: הרי כי משמש בלשון דהא:
8But because of the Lord's love for you, and because He keeps the oath He swore to your forefathers, the Lord took you out with a strong hand and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. חכִּי֩ מֵאַֽהֲבַ֨ת יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶתְכֶ֗ם וּמִשָּׁמְר֤וֹ אֶת־הַשְּׁבֻעָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר נִשְׁבַּע֙ לַֽאֲבֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם הוֹצִ֧יא יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם בְּיָ֣ד חֲזָקָ֑ה וַיִּפְדְּךָ֙ מִבֵּ֣ית עֲבָדִ֔ים מִיַּ֖ד פַּרְעֹ֥ה מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרָֽיִם:
But because of the Lord’s love: Heb. כִּי מֵאַהֲבַת ה׳ Here, [however,] כִּי is an expression of “but.” [Thus, the verses read] Not because you were more numerous… did the Lord delight in you, but because of the Lord’s love for you. כי מאהבת ה': הרי כי משמש בלשון אלא. לא מרובכם חשק ה' בכם, אלא מאהבת ה' אתכם:
and because He keeps the oath: Heb. וּמִשָּׁמְרוֹ means, “and because of His keeping the oath” [not “and from His keeping the oath”]. ומשמרו את השבועה: מחמת שמרו את השבועה:
9Know, therefore, that the Lord, your God He is God, the faithful God, Who keeps the covenant and loving kindness with those who love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations. טוְיָ֣דַעְתָּ֔ כִּֽי־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ ה֣וּא הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים הָאֵל֙ הַנֶּֽאֱמָ֔ן שֹׁמֵ֧ר הַבְּרִ֣ית וְהַחֶ֗סֶד לְאֹֽהֲבָ֛יו וּלְשֹֽׁמְרֵ֥י מִצְוֹתָ֖יו (כתיב מצותו) לְאֶ֥לֶף דּֽוֹר:
to a thousand generations: But earlier, (verse 5:10) it says: “To thousands [of generations].” [Why the difference?] Here, where it is adjacent to “those who keep His commandments,” it says: “to a thousand generations” [because it is referring to those who obey God out of fear] but previously, where it is adjacent to those who love Him, it says:“for thousands [of generations].” (Sotah 31a) לאלף דור: ולהלן הוא אומר (דברים ה, ט) לאלפים, כאן שהוא סמוך אצל לשומרי מצותיו, העושין מיראה, הוא אומר לאלף, ולהלן שהוא סמוך אצל לאוהביו, העושין מאהבה, ששכרם יותר גדול, הוא אומר לאלפים:
with those who love Him: Those who perform [the commandments] out of love. לאוהביו: אלו העושין מאהבה:
and keep His commandments: Those who perform [the commandments] out of fear. ולשומרי מצותיו: אלו העושין מיראה:
10And He repays those who hate Him, to their face, to cause them to perish; He will not delay the one who hates Him, but he will repay him to his face. יוּמְשַׁלֵּ֧ם לְשֽׂנְאָ֛יו אֶל־פָּנָ֖יו לְהַֽאֲבִיד֑וֹ לֹ֤א יְאַחֵר֙ לְשׂ֣נְא֔וֹ אֶל־פָּנָ֖יו יְשַׁלֶּם־לֽוֹ:
And He repays those who hate Him to their face: During his lifetime, He pays him his good reward, in order to cause him to be lost from the World to Come. ומשלם לשנאיו אל פניו: בחייו משלם לו גמולו הטוב כדי להאבידו מן העולם הבא:
11You shall therefore, observe the commandments, the statutes, and the ordinances, which I command you this day to do. יאוְשָֽׁמַרְתָּ֨ אֶת־הַמִּצְוָ֜ה וְאֶת־הַֽחֻקִּ֣ים וְאֶת־הַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָֽנֹכִ֧י מְצַוְּךָ֛ הַיּ֖וֹם לַֽעֲשׂתָֽם:
this day to do them: But in the future, in the World to Come, you will receive their reward (Eruvin 22a). היום לעשותם: ולמחר לעולם הבא ליטול שכרם:Daily Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 79-82
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• Lessons in Tanya
• Today's Tanya Lesson
• Shabbat, 16 AV , 5776 · 20 August 2016
• Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 5
• Until this point the Alter Rebbe has explained the Talmudic teaching that the World to Come was created by the letter yud:the Sefirah of Chochmah, which this letter represents, is the spiritual source of Gan Eden which is in the World to Come.
• Rambam: Sefer Hamitzvos:
• Friday, 15 AV , 5776 · 19 August 2016
• Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work
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 245
Transactions
"And if you sell something to your neighbor..."—Leviticus 25:14.
We are commanded regarding the various methods that effect transactions, i.e., the ways to transfer property from one individual to another (or, in the case of a guardian of an object, the transfer of jurisdiction).
Full text of this Mitzvah »• Transactions
Chitas and Rambam for today:
Chumash: Parshat Va'etchanan, 7th Portion (Deuteronomy 7:1-7:11) with Rashi
• Deuteronomy Chapter 7
1When the Lord, your God, brings you into the land to which you are coming to possess it, He will cast away many nations from before you: the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivvites, and the Jebusites, seven nations more numerous and powerful than you. אכִּ֤י יְבִֽיאֲךָ֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ אֶל־הָאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֥ה בָא־שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּ֑הּ וְנָשַׁ֣ל גּוֹיִֽם־רַבִּ֣ים | מִפָּנֶ֡יךָ הַֽחִתִּי֩ וְהַגִּרְגָּשִׁ֨י וְהָֽאֱמֹרִ֜י וְהַכְּנַֽעֲנִ֣י וְהַפְּרִזִּ֗י וְהַֽחִוִּי֙ וְהַיְבוּסִ֔י שִׁבְעָ֣ה גוֹיִ֔ם רַבִּ֥ים וַֽעֲצוּמִ֖ים מִמֶּֽךָּ:
He will cast away: Heb. וְנָשַׁל. This is an expression meaning casting away, and causing to fly. Similarly is (Deut. 19:5),“and the iron [axe blade] will cause to fly [from the tree].” ונשל: לשון השלכה והתזה, וכן (דברים יט, ה) ונשל הברזל:
2And the Lord, your God, will deliver them to you, and you shall smite them. You shall utterly destroy them; neither shall you make a covenant with them, nor be gracious to them. בוּנְתָנָ֞ם יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ לְפָנֶ֖יךָ וְהִכִּיתָ֑ם הַֽחֲרֵ֤ם תַּֽחֲרִים֙ אֹתָ֔ם לֹֽא־תִכְרֹ֥ת לָהֶ֛ם בְּרִ֖ית וְלֹ֥א תְחָנֵּֽם:
nor be gracious to them: Heb. וְלֹא תְחָנֵּם This means, you must not show them any grace (חֵן) . It is forbidden for a person to say,“How handsome is this heathen!” Another explanation: Do not grant them a settlement (חֲניָּה) in the land. (Avodah Zarah 20a) לא תחנם: לא תתן להם חן. אסור לו לאדם לומר כמה נאה גוי זה. דבר אחר אל תתן להם חנייה בארץ:
3You shall not intermarry with them; you shall not give your daughter to his son, and you shall not take his daughter for your son. גוְלֹ֥א תִתְחַתֵּ֖ן בָּ֑ם בִּתְּךָ֙ לֹֽא־תִתֵּ֣ן לִבְנ֔וֹ וּבִתּ֖וֹ לֹֽא־תִקַּ֥ח לִבְנֶֽךָ:
4For he will turn away your son from following Me, and they will worship the gods of others, and the wrath of the Lord will be kindled against you, and He will quickly destroy you. דכִּֽי־יָסִ֤יר אֶת־בִּנְךָ֙ מֵאַֽחֲרַ֔י וְעָֽבְד֖וּ אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֑ים וְחָרָ֤ה אַף־יְהֹוָה֙ בָּכֶ֔ם וְהִשְׁמִֽידְךָ֖ מַהֵֽר:
For he will turn away your son from following Me: i.e., the heathen’s son, if he marries your daughter, will turn away your [grand]son whom your daughter will bear to him, from following Me. This teaches us that your daughter’s son, born of a heathen man, is called “your son,” but your son’s son, born of a heathen woman, is not called “your son,” but “her son.” For Scripture [first says, “Do not give your daughter to his son, and do not take his daughter for your son.” Then it follows with “For he will turn away your son….” However], referring to “do not take his daughter,” it does not say“For she will turn away your son…” [because he is considered her son, not yours (Kid. 68b). כי יסיר את בנך מאחרי: בנו של גוי כשישא את בתך יסיר את בנך אשר תלד לו בתך מאחרי. למדנו שבן בתך הבא מן הגוי קרוי בנך, אבל בן בנך הבא מן הגויה אינו קרוי בנך אלא בנה, שהרי לא נאמר על בתו לא תקח כי תסיר את בנך מאחרי, אלא כי יסיר את בנך וגו':
5But so shall you do to them: You shall demolish their altars and smash their monuments, and cut down their asherim trees, and burn their graven images with fire. הכִּ֣י אִם־כֹּ֤ה תַֽעֲשׂוּ֙ לָהֶ֔ם מִזְבְּחֹֽתֵיהֶ֣ם תִּתֹּ֔צוּ וּמַצֵּֽבֹתָ֖ם תְּשַׁבֵּ֑רוּ וַֽאֲשֵֽׁירֵהֶם֙ תְּגַדֵּע֔וּן וּפְסִֽילֵיהֶ֖ם תִּשְׂרְפ֥וּן בָּאֵֽשׁ:
their altars: Heb. מִזְבְּחֹתֵיהֶם [A מִזְבֵּח is a structure] built up [of several stones]. מזבחתיהם: של בנין:
and… their monuments: Heb. וּמַצֵּבֹתָם [A מַצֵּבָה is a structure made] of one stone. \b their asherim trees Trees that are worshipped (\b0Avodah Zarah 48a). מצבותם: אבן אחת:
and… their graven images: [These are] images (i.e., idols). ואשירהם: אילנות שעובדין אותן:
6For you are a holy people to the Lord, your God: the Lord your God has chosen you to be His treasured people, out of all the peoples upon the face of the earth. וכִּ֣י עַ֤ם קָדוֹשׁ֙ אַתָּ֔ה לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ בְּךָ֞ בָּחַ֣ר | יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ לִֽהְי֥וֹת לוֹ֙ לְעַ֣ם סְגֻלָּ֔ה מִכֹּל֙ הָֽעַמִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָֽאֲדָמָֽה:
7Not because you are more numerous than any people did the Lord delight in you and choose you, for you are the least of all the peoples. זלֹ֣א מֵֽרֻבְּכֶ֞ם מִכָּל־הָֽעַמִּ֗ים חָשַׁ֧ק יְהֹוָ֛ה בָּכֶ֖ם וַיִּבְחַ֣ר בָּכֶ֑ם כִּֽי־אַתֶּ֥ם הַמְעַ֖ט מִכָּל־הָֽעַמִּֽים:
Not because you were [more] numerous: [This is to be understood] according to its simple meaning. But its midrashic explanation [understanding וְלֹא מֵרֻבְּכֶם as “not because you are great”] is: Because you do not boast about yourselves when I shower good upon you. This is why I delighted in you [says God]. לא מרבכם: כפשוטו. ומדרשו לפי שאין אתם מגדילים עצמכם כשאני משפיע לכם טובה לפיכך חשקתי בכם:
For you are the least [of all the peoples]: You humble yourselves as, e.g., Abraham, who said, “For I am dust and ashes” (Gen. 18:27), and Moses and Aaron, who said, “but of what [significance] are we?” (Exod. 16:7) Unlike Nebuchadnezzar, who said, “I will liken myself to the Most High,” (Isa. 14:14), and Sennacherib, who said, (Isa. 36:20), “Who are they among all the gods of thelands [who saved their land from my hand]?” and Hiram, who said,“I am a god, I have sat in a seat of God” (Ezek. 28:2). (Chul. 89a) כי אתם המעט: הממעטין עצמכם, כגון אברהם, שאמר (בראשית יח, כז) ואנכי עפר ואפר, וכגון משה ואהרן שאמרו (שמות טז, ח) ונחנו מה, לא כנבוכדנצר שאמר (ישעיה יד, יד) אדמה לעליון, וסנחריב שאמר (שם לו, כ) מי בכל אלהי הארצות, וחירם שאמר (יחזקאל כח, ב) אל אני מושב אלהים ישבתי:
for you are the least: Heb. כִּי-אַתֶּם הַמְעַט Here כִּי is an expression of“because.” כי אתם המעט: הרי כי משמש בלשון דהא:
8But because of the Lord's love for you, and because He keeps the oath He swore to your forefathers, the Lord took you out with a strong hand and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. חכִּי֩ מֵאַֽהֲבַ֨ת יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶתְכֶ֗ם וּמִשָּׁמְר֤וֹ אֶת־הַשְּׁבֻעָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר נִשְׁבַּע֙ לַֽאֲבֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם הוֹצִ֧יא יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם בְּיָ֣ד חֲזָקָ֑ה וַיִּפְדְּךָ֙ מִבֵּ֣ית עֲבָדִ֔ים מִיַּ֖ד פַּרְעֹ֥ה מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרָֽיִם:
But because of the Lord’s love: Heb. כִּי מֵאַהֲבַת ה׳ Here, [however,] כִּי is an expression of “but.” [Thus, the verses read] Not because you were more numerous… did the Lord delight in you, but because of the Lord’s love for you. כי מאהבת ה': הרי כי משמש בלשון אלא. לא מרובכם חשק ה' בכם, אלא מאהבת ה' אתכם:
and because He keeps the oath: Heb. וּמִשָּׁמְרוֹ means, “and because of His keeping the oath” [not “and from His keeping the oath”]. ומשמרו את השבועה: מחמת שמרו את השבועה:
9Know, therefore, that the Lord, your God He is God, the faithful God, Who keeps the covenant and loving kindness with those who love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations. טוְיָ֣דַעְתָּ֔ כִּֽי־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ ה֣וּא הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים הָאֵל֙ הַנֶּֽאֱמָ֔ן שֹׁמֵ֧ר הַבְּרִ֣ית וְהַחֶ֗סֶד לְאֹֽהֲבָ֛יו וּלְשֹֽׁמְרֵ֥י מִצְוֹתָ֖יו (כתיב מצותו) לְאֶ֥לֶף דּֽוֹר:
to a thousand generations: But earlier, (verse 5:10) it says: “To thousands [of generations].” [Why the difference?] Here, where it is adjacent to “those who keep His commandments,” it says: “to a thousand generations” [because it is referring to those who obey God out of fear] but previously, where it is adjacent to those who love Him, it says:“for thousands [of generations].” (Sotah 31a) לאלף דור: ולהלן הוא אומר (דברים ה, ט) לאלפים, כאן שהוא סמוך אצל לשומרי מצותיו, העושין מיראה, הוא אומר לאלף, ולהלן שהוא סמוך אצל לאוהביו, העושין מאהבה, ששכרם יותר גדול, הוא אומר לאלפים:
with those who love Him: Those who perform [the commandments] out of love. לאוהביו: אלו העושין מאהבה:
and keep His commandments: Those who perform [the commandments] out of fear. ולשומרי מצותיו: אלו העושין מיראה:
10And He repays those who hate Him, to their face, to cause them to perish; He will not delay the one who hates Him, but he will repay him to his face. יוּמְשַׁלֵּ֧ם לְשֽׂנְאָ֛יו אֶל־פָּנָ֖יו לְהַֽאֲבִיד֑וֹ לֹ֤א יְאַחֵר֙ לְשׂ֣נְא֔וֹ אֶל־פָּנָ֖יו יְשַׁלֶּם־לֽוֹ:
And He repays those who hate Him to their face: During his lifetime, He pays him his good reward, in order to cause him to be lost from the World to Come. ומשלם לשנאיו אל פניו: בחייו משלם לו גמולו הטוב כדי להאבידו מן העולם הבא:
11You shall therefore, observe the commandments, the statutes, and the ordinances, which I command you this day to do. יאוְשָֽׁמַרְתָּ֨ אֶת־הַמִּצְוָ֜ה וְאֶת־הַֽחֻקִּ֣ים וְאֶת־הַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָֽנֹכִ֧י מְצַוְּךָ֛ הַיּ֖וֹם לַֽעֲשׂתָֽם:
this day to do them: But in the future, in the World to Come, you will receive their reward (Eruvin 22a). היום לעשותם: ולמחר לעולם הבא ליטול שכרם:Daily Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 79-82
•
Chapter 79
In this psalm, Asaph thanks God for sparing the people and directing His wrath upon the wood and stones (of the Temple). Still he cries bitterly, mourning the immense destruction: The place where the High Priest alone was allowed to enter-and only on Yom Kippur-is now so desolate that foxes stroll through it!
1. A psalm by Asaph. O God, nations have entered Your inheritance, they defiled Your Holy Sanctuary; they turned Jerusalem into heaps of rubble.
2. They have rendered the corpses of Your servants as food for the birds of heaven, the flesh of Your pious ones for the beasts of the earth.
3. They spilled their blood like water around Jerusalem, and there is no one to bury [them].
4. We became the object of disgrace to our neighbors, ridicule and scorn to those around us.
5. Until when, O Lord! Will You be angry forever? Will Your jealousy burn like fire?
6. Pour Your wrath upon the nations that do not know You, upon the kingdoms that do not call Your Name,
7. for they devoured Jacob and desolated His abode.
8. Do not recall our former sins; let Your mercies come swiftly towards us, for we have fallen very low.
9. Help us, God of our deliverance, for the sake of the glory of Your Name; save us and pardon our sins for the sake of Your Name.
10. Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?" Let there be known among the nations, before our eyes, the retribution of the spilled blood of Your servants.
11. Let the groan of the prisoner come before You; liberate those condemned to death, as befits the greatness of Your strength.
12. Repay our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom, for the disgrace with which they reviled You, O Lord.
13. And we, Your people, the flock of Your pasture, will thank You forever; for all generations we will recount Your praise.
Chapter 80
An awe-inspiring prayer imploring God to draw near to us as in days of old.
1. For the Conductor, on the shoshanim, 1 a testimony by Asaph, a psalm.
2. Listen, O Shepherd of Israel, Who leads Joseph like sheep. Appear, You Who is enthroned upon the cherubim.
3. Arouse Your might before Ephraim, Benjamin and Menashe, for it is upon You to save us.
4. Return us, O God; cause Your countenance to shine, that we may be saved.
5. O Lord, God of Hosts, until when will You fume at the prayer of Your people?
6. You fed them bread of tears, and gave them tears to drink in great measure.
7. You have made us an object of strife to our neighbors; our enemies mock to themselves.
8. Return us, O God of Hosts; cause Your countenance to shine, that we may be saved.
9. You brought a vine out of Egypt; You drove out nations and planted it.
10. You cleared space before it; it took root and filled the land.
11. Mountains were covered by its shade, and its branches became mighty cedars.
12. It sent forth its branches till the sea, and its tender shoots to the river.
13. Why did You breach its fences, so that every passerby plucked its fruit?
14. The boars of the forest ravage it, and the creepers of the field feed upon it.
15. O God of Hosts, please return! Look down from heaven and see, and be mindful of this vine,
16. and of the foundation which Your right hand has planted, and the son whom You strengthened for Yourself.
17. It is burned by fire, cut down; they perish at the rebuke of Your Presence.
18. Let Your hand be upon the man of Your right hand, upon the son of man whom You strengthened for Yourself.
19. Then we will not withdraw from You; revive us, and we will proclaim Your Name.
20. O Lord, God of Hosts, return us; cause Your countenance to shine that we may be saved.
FOOTNOTES
1.A musical instrument shaped like a shoshana, a rose (Metzudot).
Chapter 81
This psalm was chanted in the Holy Temple on Rosh Hashanah, a day on which many miracles were wrought for Israel.
1. For the Conductor, upon the gittit,1 by Asaph.
2. Sing joyously to God, our strength; sound the shofar to the God of Jacob.
3. Raise your voice in song, sound the drum, the pleasant harp, and the lyre.
4. Blow the shofar on the New Month, on the designated day of our Holy Day;
5. for it is a decree for Israel, a ruling of the God of Jacob.
6. He ordained it as a precept for Joseph when he went forth over the land of Egypt; I heard a language which I did not know.
7. I have taken his shoulder from the burden; his hands were removed from the pot.2
8. In distress you called and I delivered you; [you called] in secret, and I answered you with thunderous wonders; I tested you at the waters of Merivah, Selah.
9. Hear, My people, and I will admonish you; Israel, if you would only listen to Me!
10. You shall have no alien god within you, nor shall you bow down to a foreign deity.
11. I am the Lord your God who brought you up from the land of Egypt; open wide your mouth, [state all your desires,] and I shall grant them.
12. But My people did not heed My voice; Israel did not want [to listen to] Me.
13. So I sent them away for the willfulness of their heart, for following their [evil] design.
14. If only My people would listen to Me, if Israel would only walk in My ways,
15. then I would quickly subdue their enemies, and turn My hand against their oppressors.
16. Those who hate the Lord would shrivel before Him, and the time [of their retribution] shall be forever.
17. I would feed him [Israel] with the finest of wheat, and sate you with honey from the rock.
FOOTNOTES
1.A musical instrument crafted in Gath (Metzudot).
2.The cooking vessels used to prepare food for their captors (Rashi)
Chapter 82
This psalm admonishes those judges who feign ignorance of the law, dealing unjustly with the pauper or the orphan, while coddling the rich and pocketing their bribes.
1. A psalm by Asaph. God stands in the council of judges; among the judges He renders judgment:
2. How long will you judge wickedly, ever showing partiality toward the evildoers?
3. Render justice to the needy and the orphan; deal righteously with the poor and the destitute.
4. Rescue the needy and the pauper; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
5. But they do not know, nor do they understand; they go about in darkness, [therefore] all the foundations of the earth tremble.
6. I said that you are angels, supernal beings, all of you;
7. but you will die as mortals, you will fall like any prince.
8. Arise, O God, judge the earth, for You possess all the nations.
Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 5• Lessons in Tanya
• Today's Tanya Lesson
• Shabbat, 16 AV , 5776 · 20 August 2016
• Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 5
• Until this point the Alter Rebbe has explained the Talmudic teaching that the World to Come was created by the letter yud:the Sefirah of Chochmah, which this letter represents, is the spiritual source of Gan Eden which is in the World to Come.
However, according to the above, since the letters of the Supernal creative speech derive from Chochmah, it would seem that this world, which was also created by the letters of Divine speech, was likewise created from the letter yud that representsChochmah. Why, then, do our Sages teach that only the World to Come was created from the letter yud, while this world was created from the letter hei?
The Alter Rebbe therefore now goes on to explain that the letters of speech are composed of “matter” and “form” — the “body” and “soul” (or: the external and internal aspects) of the letters. While the “form” of the letters does indeed derive fromChochmah, the “matter” of the letters of speech merely derives from the heart.
So, too, Above: the internal aspect of the letters derives from Chochmah; from this aspect are created the higher spiritual beings which are able to apprehend G‑dliness. However, the external aspect of the Supernal letters of speech derives from the “breath” — the hei of the Divine Name. It is from this lesser level that this physical world was created.
In the words of the Alter Rebbe:
אך האותיות הן בבחינת חומר וצורה, הנקרא פנימית וחיצונית
However, the letters exist on planes of “matter” and “form”, which are also referred to as their “internal” aspect (i.e., the “form”, which is their “soul”) and their “external” aspect (i.e., the “matter”, which is their “body”).
כי הגם שמקורן הוא מקדמות השכל ורצון הנפש
Although their source is the primordial stage of the intellect and the will of the soul, for as soon as the soul desires to speak these letters are formed, as explained above,
זו היא בחינת צורת שינוי המבטא שבכ״ב אותיות
this is but the “form” of the differentiation in the pronunciation of the twenty-two letters.
אבל בחינת החומר וגוף התהוותן, והוא בחינת חיצוניותן, הוא ההבל היוצא מהלב
The “matter” and “body” of their formation, however, i.e., the aspect of their “externality”, is the breath issuing from the heart.
שממנו מתהוה קול פשוט היוצא מהגרון
From this breath is formed a simple sound which proceeds from the throat,
ואחר כך נחלק לכ״ב הברות וביטוי כ״ב אותיות
and which is then divided into the twenty-two kinds of enunciation and expression of the twenty-two letters,
בה׳ מוצאות הידועות: אחה״ע מהגרון
[these divisions taking place] through the five known organs of speech: alef, chet, hei and ayin1 through the throat;
גיכ״ק מהחיך כו׳
gimmel, yud, kaf and kuf through the palate, and so on; e.g., beit, vav, mem and pei from the lips, and so on;
ומבטא ההבל הוא אות ה׳, אתא קלילא כו׳
while the breath itself, which has its own sound independent of the letter being spoken, is uttered by the letter hei2 — “the light letter,” inasmuch as it lacks the substance of a complete letter,
והוא מקור החומר וגוף האותיות טרם התחלקותן לכ״ב
which is the source of the “matter” and “body” of the letters before their division into twenty-two.
The hei is thus the source of each letter’s “body”.
ולכן אמרו רז״ל שעולם הזה נברא בה׳
And that is why our Sages, of blessed memory, said that “this world was created by the hei”: it was created by the external aspect, or “body”, of the Supernal letters whose source is the hei of the Divine Name.
* * *
והנה הגם שהיא ה׳ תתאה, ה׳ אחרונה שבשם הוי׳
Now, though this is the “lower hei,” the latter hei of the Four-Letter Name of G‑d,
Supernal speech is of the level of Malchut, as alluded to in the verse, “The king’s utterance reigns.”3 The hei that is the source of speech is thus the lower hei of the Tetragrammaton, the letter which denotes the level of Malchut.
ורז״ל דרשו זה על פסוק: כי ביה
while our Sages, of blessed memory, expounded this — that the World to Come was created by the letter yud and this world by the letter hei — from their reading of the verse, “For by yud-hei [did G‑d create the worlds],”
Since these are the first two letters of the Divine Name, how are we taught here that the statement that “this world was created by the letter hei” refers to the lower letter hei, the source of the breath of the letters of speech?
היינו לפי שמקורה וראשיתה לבא לבחינת גילוי מהעלם היו״ד
this is because its source and the beginning of its progress into a state of manifestation from the obscurity of the yud
הוא מושפע ונמשך מבחינת ה׳ עילאה
is influenced and drawn forth from the level of the upper hei.
The obscurity of the yud of Chochmah is the source of every manner of revelation, both of the World to Come as well as of this world. As this relates to the letters: it serves as the source of revelation both for the “form” as well as the “matter” of the letters. It is only that in the resulting revelation of the letters, the “form” of the letters and the revelation of the World to Come emanate from the letter yud — from Chochmah — itself, while the revelation of the “matter” or external aspect of the letters emanates from the “breath of the heart,” from the latter hei of the Divine Name.
שיש לה התפשטות אורך ורוחב
[The form or shape of the letter hei] has dimensions of length and width
להורות על בחינת בינה
to indicate the faculty of Binah, for the upper hei of the Divine Name denotes the level of Binah,
שהיא התפשטות השכל הנעלם בבחינת גילוי והשגה, בהרחבת הדעת
which is the expansion of the “concealed intellect” into a state of manifestation and apprehension, extending into Daat,
והשפעתה מסתיימת בלב
and its diffusion — the diffusion of the flow of Binah — culminates in the heart.
וכמו שכתוב בתיקונים, דבינה לבא, ובה הלב מבין
Thus it is written in the Tikkunim4 that “Binah is the heart, and by means of it the heart understands.”
Thus, the diffusion of Binah takes place within the heart.
ומשם יוצא ההבל מקור גילוי גוף האותיות הדבור
From there issues the breath, the original manifestation of the “body” of the letters of speech
המתגלות בה׳ מוצאות מהעלם היו״ד
which become revealed from the concealment of the yud through the five organs of speech.
ותמונת ה׳ תתאה בכתיבתה גם כן בהתפשטות אורך ורוחב
The shape of the lower hei which, in its written form, also has dimensions of length and width,
מורה על התפשטות בחינת מלכותו יתברך, מלכות כל עולמים
indicates the extension of [G‑d’s] blessed Sovereignty, “the sovereignty of all worlds,”5
למעלה ולמטה ולד׳ סטרין
which extends upward and downward, and in the four directions,
המתפשטות ונמשכות מאותיות דבר ה׳, כמו שכתוב בקהלת: באשר דבר מלך שלטון, כמו שכתוב במקום אחר
[all these directions] extending and issuing from the letters of the “word of G‑d”; as it is written inKohelet, “The king’s utterance reigns,” as explained elsewhere.
Just as a king of flesh and blood rules through his faculty of speech, by issuing commands, so too does Supernal speech extend G‑d’s reign in all the dimensions of the created universe.
[ולהבין מעט מזעיר ענין ומהות אותיות הדבור באלקות, שאין לו דמות הגוף ולא הנפש, חס ושלום
6[As for understanding somewhat the concept and nature of “letters of speech” in relation to Divinity, inasmuch as [G‑d] has no form of a body, nor of a soul, heaven forfend,
כבר נתבאר בדרך ארוכה וקצרה (בלקוטי אמרים, חלק ב׳, פרק י״א וי״ב, עיין שם)]
this has already been explained comprehensively yet concisely 7(in Likkutei Amarim, Part II, chs. 11 and 12; see there).]
* * *
| FOOTNOTES | |
| 1. | “The reason for the change in order (אחה״ע instead of the alphabetical order of אהח״ע) may be understood by reference to the statement in Zohar II, 123a. (See also Etz Chayim, Shaar Derushei HaTzelem, p. 2.)” ( — Note of the Rebbe.) |
| 2. | Akdamut Millin, verse 6 (Siddur Tehillat HaShem, p. 400). |
| 3. | Kohelet 8:4. |
| 4. | Introduction to Tikkunei Zohar. |
| 5. | Tehillim 145:13. |
| 6. | Brackets are in the original text. |
| 7. | Parentheses are in the original text. |
• Friday, 15 AV , 5776 · 19 August 2016
• Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work
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 245
Transactions
"And if you sell something to your neighbor..."—Leviticus 25:14.
We are commanded regarding the various methods that effect transactions, i.e., the ways to transfer property from one individual to another (or, in the case of a guardian of an object, the transfer of jurisdiction).
Full text of this Mitzvah »• Transactions
Positive Commandment 245
Translated by Berel Bell
The 245th mitzvah is that we are commanded regarding the laws of buying and selling, i.e. the ways in which purchases and sales between the buyers and the sellers become legally binding.
The Torah taught about one method in G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "When you sell something to your neighbor, [or buy something from your neighbor's hand...]" Our Sages said,2 "[The word 'hand' teaches that the sale] refers to something which can pass from one hand to another," i.e. meshichah [physically moving the object].
It is explained that in Biblical law, transfer of money is sufficient to complete the transaction, and meshichah is necessary only by Rabbinic decree, as is mesirah [giving the vehicle of control, e.g. the reins of a horse, to the buyer] and hagba'ah [lifting the object].
The Gemara3 explicitly says, "Just as our Sages enacted a requirement of meshichah in order for a sale to be valid, so too they required meshichah in order for a watchman relationship to become valid." It is therefore clear that the requirement of meshichah in buying and selling is of Rabbinic origin, as explained in the relevant place.
However, other methods of acquiring land, etc., i.e. by means of a document or chazakah4 are traced5 to Biblical verses [and are therefore of Biblical, not Rabbinic, origin].
The details of this mitzvah — i.e. the manners of finalizing a sale in each category — are explained in the 1st chapter of tractate Kiddushin, the 4th and 8th chapters of Bava Metzia, and the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th chapters of Bava Basra.
FOOTNOTES
1.Lev. 25:14.
2.Bava Metzia 47b.
3.Ibid., 99a.
4.Such as building something on the land.
5.See Kiddushin 26a.
• Parah Adummah - Chapter 10
•
Hayom Yom: Today's Hayom Yom
• Shabbat, 16 AV , 5776 · 20 August 2016
• "Today's Day"
• Tuesday, Menachem Av 16, 5703
Rambam - 1 Chapter a Day
Parah Adummah - Chapter 10
•
1
When a person draws water to be sanctified, he does not have to be the person who sanctified and sprinkles the water on an impure person. Instead, another person may sanctify it and another may sprinkle it. Similarly, a person may draw water with one container and pour it from container to container. And he may sanctify it in a different container, pour the sanctified water from one container to another, and sprinkle it from a different container.
א
הממלא מים לקידוש אינו צריך שיהיה הוא עצמו המקדש והמזה אלא מקדש אחד ומזה אחד וכן ממלא אדם בכלי ומערה מכלי לכלי ומקדש בכלי אחר ומערה המים המקודשין מכלי לכלי ומזה מכלי אחר:
2
A person may draw water for the ashes of the red heifer and keep it in his possession without sanctifying it for as long as he desires. There is no difficulty in this. He may transport it from place to place and from city to city and then place ashes upon it and sanctify it whenever he desires.
Similarly, a person may keep sanctified water in his possession for many days or years and sprinkle from it on any day that he needs to until it is used up. He may transport it from place to place and from city to city. Similarly, a person may keep the ashes of the red heifer in his possession and transport it from place to place and from city to city. Once a container in which the ashes of the red heifer were held was transported in a ship on the Jordan River and an olive-sized portion of a corpse was discovered on the bottom of the ship, making the water impure. At that time, the High Court decreed that the water for the ashes of the red heifer and the ashes themselves should not be transported on a river, nor on a ship. Similarly, one should not float them on water, nor should a person stand on one side of a river and throw them to the other. A person may, however, pass through water until it reaches his neck while holding the ashes of the red heifer or sanctified water.
Similarly, a person and empty containers that were purified for the ashes of the red heifer and water that was drawn for the sake of the ashes of the red heifer that was not sanctified may be transported on a river and on a ship.
ב
ממלא אדם מים ומניחן אצלו בלא קידוש כל זמן שירצה ואין בכך כלום ומוליכן ממקום למקום ומעיר לעיר ונותן עליהן אפר ומקדשן בכל עת שירצה וכן המים המקודשין מניחן אדם אצלו ימים ושנים ומזה מהן בכל יום שהוא צריך עד שיתמו ומוליכן ממקום למקום ומעיר לעיר ומשמר אדם אפר פרה אצלו ומוליכה ממקום למקום ומעיר לעיר פעם אחת הוליכו כלי שהיה בו מי חטאת בספינה בירדן ונמצא כזית מן המת בקרקע הספינה ונטמאו המים באותה שעה גזרו ב"ד הגדול שאין מעבירין מי חטאת ולא אפר חטאת בנהר ובספינה ולא ישיטם על פני המים ולא יעמוד בצד הנהר מכאן ויזרקם לצד השני אבל עובר הוא אדם במים עד צוארו ובידו אפר פרה או מים מקודשין וכן אדם וכלים הריקנים שהן טהורין לחטאת ומים שנתמלאו לחטאת ועדיין לא נתקדשו מעבירין אותם בנהר בספינה:
3
Sanctified water may be transported on the Mediterranean Sea and it may be floated on such water. The decree encompassed only sanctified water and ashes on a river.
ג
מעבירין מים מקודשין בספינה בים הגדול ושטין [בהם] על פני המים שלא גזרו אלא על המים המקודשין ועל האפר בנהר:
4
When a person is transporting water to be sanctified - and, needless to say, water that has been sanctified - he should not sling the container over his back, but instead, should carry it in front of him, as implied by Numbers 19:9: "as safekeeping, as water for sprinkling." One can infer when it is watched, it may be used as water for sprinkling. If not, it is disqualified. If one filled two jugs, he should carry one in front of him and one behind him, because it is impossible to do otherwise.
ד
המוליך מים לקדשן ואין צריך לומר מים שנתקדשו לא יפשיל הכלי לאחוריו אלא לפניו שנאמר למשמרת למי נדה בזמן שהן שמורין הן מי נדה ואם לאו פסולין מילא שתי חביות נותן אחת לפניו ואחת לאחוריו מפני שאי אפשר:
5
When water for the ashes of the red heifer was weighed on a scale, it is disqualified if one diverted his attention from it. If not, it is acceptable. If, however, one weighed other entities with water for the ashes of the red heifer, it is disqualified. The rationale is that since one used it as a weight, it is not considered as having been "watched."
All of the pure individuals who draw water, sanctify it, and sprinkle it and, similarly, all of the utensils used for drawing water, sanctifying it, and sprinkling it are acceptable if they were immersed on that day even though night has not fallen upon them. For all of the activities involving the red heifer, drawing the water, and sprinkling it are acceptable when performed by individuals who had immersed that day, as we explained.
Because of the Sadducees, all of the utensils that can be purified are made impure, immersed, and then used for the water for the ashes of the red heifer.
ה
מי חטאת ששקלן במשקל אם הסיח דעתו פסולין ואם לאו כשרין אבל אם שקל דברים אחרים במי חטאת הואיל ועשאן משקולת פסלן שאין זו משמרת כל אלו הטהורים שממלאין או שמקדשין או שמזין וכן כל הכלים שממלאין ומקדשין מהם ושמזין מהן אם היו טבולי יום אע"פ שלא העריב שמשן הרי אלו כשרים שכל מעשה הפרה והמילוי והקידוש וההזייה כשר בטבול יום כמו שביארנו ומפני הצדוקין מטמאין את כל כלי שטף ומטבילין אותן ואחר כך משתמשין בהן במי חטאת:
6
Everyone is acceptable to sprinkle the water with the ashes of the red heifer with the exception of a woman, a tumtum, anandrogynus, a deafmute, an intellectually and/or emotionally compromised person, and a minor who is not intellectually mature. Similarly,] an uncircumcised person is acceptable, for an uncircumcised person is not impure.
When an intellectually mature minor sprinkles such water and a woman helps him, she holds the water in her hand, his sprinkling is acceptable provided she does not hold his hand while he is sprinkling. If she held his hand while he is sprinkling, the sprinkling is unacceptable.
ו
הכל כשירין להזות חוץ מאשה וטומטום ואנדרוגינוס [וח"ש] וקטן שאין בו דעת אבל קטן שיש בו דעת כשר להזות והערל כשר להזות שאין הערל טמא קטן שיש בו דעת שהזה והאשה מסעדתו כגון שאחזה לו המים בידו הזאתו כשירה ובלבד שלא תאחוז בידו בשעת הזאה ואם אחזה בידו בשעת הזייתו פסולה:
7
The person sprinkling the water must have the intent to sprinkle on the impure person to purify him. If he sprinkled without such an intent, the sprinkling is invalid. The person upon whom the water is sprinkled, by contrast, does not need to have any intent. Instead, water may be sprinkled on a person with his knowledge or without his knowledge.
When a person has the intent to sprinkle such water in front of himself and he sprinkles behind himself, or he had the intent of sprinkling water behind himself and he sprinkled in front of himself, his sprinkling is invalid. If he had the intent to sprinkle such water in front of himself and he sprinkled in front, but to the sides, his sprinkling is acceptable.
ז
המזה צריך לכוין ולהזות על הטמא לטהרו ואם הזה שלא בכוונה הזאתו פסולה אבל זה שמזין עליו אינו צריך כוונה אלא מזין על האדם לדעתו ושלא לדעתו המתכוין להזות לפניו והזה לאחוריו לאחוריו והזה לפניו הזייתו פסולה נתכוון להזות לפניו והזה לצדדין של פניו הזייתו כשירה:
8
The person sprinkling the water need not dip the hyssop in the water for every sprinkling. Instead, he may dip the hyssop and sprinkle once and again until the water was completed. He may sprinkle on many people or many utensils - even 100 - at a time. Anyone who was touched by even the slightest amount of the water is pure, provided the one sprinkling had the intent of sprinkling on him.
If one dipped the hyssop with the intent of sprinkling on an entity that is susceptible to ritual impurity or on a person and, instead, sprinkled the water on an entity that was not susceptible to ritually impurity or on an animal, he need not dip the hyssop again if water remained on it. Instead, he may sprinkle the remainder on an impure person or utensil. The rationale is that, at the outset, he dipped it in the water in an acceptable manner. If, by contrast, he dipped the hyssop in the water in order to sprinkle it on an entity that is not susceptible to ritual impurity or on an animal, and sprinkled it on an impure man or utensil, the sprinkling is invalid until he dips the hyssop in the water a second time, while having the intent to sprinkle on a person or on an entity that is susceptible to ritual impurity.
ח
המזה אינו צריך טבילה לכל הזייה אלא טובל את האזוב ומזה הזייה אחר הזייה עד שיגמרו המים ומזה הזייה אחת על כמה בני אדם או על כמה כלים כאחת אפילו מאה כל שנגע בו מן המים כל שהוא טהור והוא שיתכוין המזה להזות עליו טבל את האזוב ונתכוון להזות על דבר שמקבל טומאה או על האדם והזה מאותה טבילה על דבר שאינו מקבל טומאה או על הבהמה אם נשארו מים באזוב אינו צריך לחזור ולהטביל אלא מזה מן השאר על האדם או על הכלים הטמאים שהרי תחילת טבילתו כשירה היתה אבל אם טבל את האזוב להזות על דבר שאינו מקבל טומאה או על הבהמה והזה על האדם או על הכלי הטמא הזייתו פסולה עד שיחזור ויטבול פעם שנייה ויתכוין להזות על האדם או על דבר המקבל טומאה:
9
If he dipped the hyssop in the water with the intent of sprinkling on an entity that is not susceptible to ritual impurity, the water that drips from the hyssop are still acceptable. Therefore if it drips into a container and one dips the hyssop in it with the intent of sprinkling it on an entity that is susceptible to ritual impurity, the sprinkling is acceptable.
ט
הטביל את האזוב ונתכוון להזות על דבר שאינו מקבל טומאה המים המנטפים כשירין לפיכך אם נטפו בכלי וחזר והטביל בהן את האזוב בכוונה להזות על דבר המקבל טומאה הזייתו כשירה:
10
Although the volume of the water of the ashes of the red heifer has been reduced, one may dip even the tips of the hyssop stalks and sprinkle, provided one does not use it like a sponge. When a flask has a thin opening, he may dip and withdraw the hyssop in the ordinary manner and then sprinkle with it. He need not be careful that it does not touch the sides of the container a second time.
י
מי חטאת שנתמעטו טובל בהן אפילו ראשי גבעולין ומזה ובלבד שלא יספג צלוחית שפיה צר טובל ומעלה כדרכו ומזה ואינו צריך להזהר שמא יגע בצידי הכלי בפעם שנייה:
Rambam - 3 Chapters a Day
Zechiyah uMattanah - Chapter Ten, Zechiyah uMattanah - Chapter Eleven, Zechiyah uMattanah - Chapter Twelve
• Zechiyah uMattanah - Chapter Ten
1
When a sh'chiv me'ra says: "Give a maneh to so and so," themaneh should be given after the dying man's death. The rationale is that the words of a sh'chiv me'ra are considered as if they have been recorded in a legal document, and that the property concerned has already been transferred. We do not suspect that the sh'chiv me'ra was referring to a buried maneh.
א
שכיב מרע שאמר תנו מנה לפלוני ומת יתנו לאחר מיתה שדברי שכיב מרע ככתובין וכמסורין דמו ואין חוששין שמא על מנה קבור הוא אומר:
2
Similarly, if a sh'chiv me'ra states: "I have loaned money..." or "...entrusted an object to so and so; give it to this and this person," his words are binding, and a ma'amad sh'loshtam is not required.
Similarly, if a sh'chiv me'ra says: "Give so and so this particular promissory note," the recipients acquire the debt mentioned in the promissory note, as if the sh'chiv me'ra wrote the transfer on the promissory note and gave it to the intended recipient, even though the promissory note was not actually transferred. An heir does not have the right to waive payment of a promissory note that was given as a matnat sh'chiv me'ra.
Why is that when a person sells or gives a promissory note to a colleague, and an heir waives payment, the waiver is binding, while when a sh'chiv me'ra apportions a promissory note as a matnat sh'chiv me'ra, an heir cannot waive payment.
The rationale is that the transfer of a promissory note is a Rabbinical ordinance. Therefore, according to Scriptural Law, the promissory note still belongs to the heir. Thus, his waiver of it is of consequence. The transfer of a gift given by a sh'chiv me'ra is also a Rabbinic ordinance. Nevertheless in this instance, our Sages reinforced their decision and conveyed upon it the power of Scriptural Law. Thus, it is as if the recipient acquired the money mentioned in the promissory note according to Scriptural Law, and the money already reached his possession. Thus, the heir no longer possesses any right to it. Therefore, he cannot waive its payment.
ב
וכן שכיב מרע שאמר הלואה או פקדון שיש לי ביד פלוני תנו אותה לפלוני דבריו קיימין ואין צריך למעמד שלשתן וכן אם אמר תנו שטר פלוני לפלוני זכה במה שיש בשטר וכאילו כתב ומסר אף על פי שלא משך השטר ואין היורש יכול למחול שטר זה שנתן במתנת שכיב מרע ומפני מה המוכר או נותן שטר חוב לחבירו וחזר ומחלו היורש מחול ושכיב מרע שנתן שטר חוב אין היורש יכול למחול מפני שקנין הראיה בשטר מדבריהם לפיכך היורש עדיין זה השטר שלו הוא מן התורה ומוחלו ומתנת שכיב מרע אע"פ שהיא מדבריהם עשו אותה כשל תורה וכאילו קנה ממון שבשטר מן התורה והגיע לידו ולא נשאר ליורש בו קנין ולפיכך אינו מוחל:
3
The following rules apply when a sh'chiv me'ra states: "There is a maneh belonging to so and so in my possession." If he says: "Give it to him," it should be given to him. If he does not make such a statement, it should not be given to him. We suspect that perhaps he made his original statement only so that it would not be said that his heirs are wealthy.
ג
שכיב מרע שאמר מנה לפלוני בידי אם אמר תנו נותנין לא אמר תנו אין נותנין שמא לא אמר מנה יש לפלוני בידי אלא כדי שלא יאמרו על יורשיו שיש להן ממון:
4
Therefore, if the sh'chiv me'ra made the statement as a sincere acknowledgement, and there was no suspicion of subterfuge, the money should be given to the person mentioned, even though the sh'chiv me'ra did not explicitly say that it should be given to him.
ד
לפיכך אם אמר זה דרך הודאה ולא היה שם חשש הערמה נותנין אע"פ שלא אמר תנו:
5
Similarly, the following rules apply if witnesses observe a father hiding money in a drawer, a chest or a tower, and he says: "They belong to so and so," or "They are ma'aser sheni." If it appears that he is conveying his desires for the use of the money, his words are upheld. If it appears that he is being deceptive, his statements are of no consequence.
ה
כיוצא בו ראו את אביהם שהטמין מעות בשידה תיבה ומגדל ואמר של פלוני הן של מעשר שני הן אם כמוסר דבריו קיימין אם כמערים לא אמר כלום:
6
The Rabbis also discussed a similar situation. If a person came and told sons: "I saw your father hide money in a drawer, a chest or a tower, and he says: "It belongs to so and so," or "It is ma'aser." If the money is hidden in the sons' house, his statements are of no consequence. If it is in a field, his words should be upheld.
The general principle is that whenever the witness could have taken the money if he had wanted to, his words are upheld. If he could not have, his statements are of no consequence.
ו
וכן אם בא אחד ואמר להם אני ראיתי את אביכן שהטמין מעות בשידה תיבה ומגדל ואמר של פלוני הם של מעשר הן אם היו טמונין בבית לא אמר כלום בשדה דבריו קיימין כללו של דבר כל שאילו יכול ליטול דבריו קיימין ואם לאו לא אמר כלום:
7
An incident occurred when a person was upset because of money that he knew that his father had left him, but he did not know where his father had hid it. He was told in a dream: "There was so and so much money. They are in this and this place, but they belong to so and so," or "...but they are ma'aser sheni." He found the exact sum of money in the place that was told him. The question was brought before the Sages and they said: "Words from dreams neither avail nor impair."
ז
הרי שהיה מצטער על מעות שהניח לו אביו ולא ידע היכן החביאם ואמרו לו בחלום כך וכך הם במקום פלוני הן ושל פלוני הן ושל מעשר שני הן ומצאו במקום פלוני שנאמר לו ובמנין שנאמר לו זה היה מעשה ואמרו חכמים דברי חלומות לא מעלין ולא מורידין:
8
When a sh'chiv me'ra acknowledged that he owes so and so amaneh, and afterwards, the orphans state: "At a later date, our father told us that he paid the debt," their word is accepted. They must, however, take a sh'vuat hessefi to confirm their claim.
ח
שכיב מרע שהודה שיש לפלוני בידו מנה ואמרו יתומים חזר ואמר לנו אבינו פרעתיו נאמנין ונשבעין על זה שבועת היסת:
9
If, however, the sh'chiv me'ra said "Give the maneh to so and so" when making the acknowledgement his statements cannot be retracted. Even if the orphans state: "At a later date, our father told us that he paid the debt," their word is not accepted.
ט
אמר תנו ואמרו יתומים חזר ואמר לנו אבינו פרעתיו אין נאמנין:
10
If a sh'chiv me'ra says: "I owe so and so a maneh" and after his death the heirs say: "We gave it to him," their statements are not accepted. Since the sh'chiv me'ra did not say: "Give it," how would they know that they were obligated to give it?
י
אמר מנה לפלוני (בידי) ואמרו יתומין נתננו אין נאמנין שהרי לא אמר תנו ומנין ידעו שחייבין ליתן:
11
If the dying man said: "Give so and so the money owed him," and the heirs claim to have paid the debt, the heirs are believed. They must, however, take a sh'vuat hesset.
יא
אמר תנו ואמרו יתומים נתננו נאמנין ונשבעין שבועת היסת שנתנו:
12
The following rules apply when a sh'chiv me'ra gives amaneh to a third party and tells him: "Bring this maneh to so and so," and the third party goes to the designated recipient, but finds that he has died. If the recipient was alive at the time thesh'chiv me'ra gave the money to the third party, he should give it to the heirs of the intended recipient. The rationale is that the words of a sh'chiv me'ra are considered as if they have been recorded in a legal document, and the object concerned already transferred.
If the intended recipient was not alive at that time, the third party should return the money to the heirs of the principal, for a deceased person cannot acquire property.
יב
שכיב מרע שנתן מנה לאחד ואמר לו הולך מנה זו לפלוני והלך ומצאו שמת אם קיים היה בשעה שנתן לו השכיב מרע ינתנו ליורשי מי שנשתלחו לו שדברי שכיב מרע ככתובין וכמסורין הן ואם לא היה קיים יחזרו ליורשי משלח שאין קנין למת:
13
When a sh'chiv me'ra says: "Give 200 zuz to so and so, 300 zuz to so and so, and 400 zuz to so and so," we do not say that the first person mentioned in the legal record of his statements receives his portion first. Instead, if the estate does not contain 900 zuz, it is divided proportionately. And if a promissory note is issued against the estate, the creditor expropriates from all recipients proportionately.
What is implied? If the debt was for 450 zuz, the person granted 200 gives 100, the person granted 300 gives 150, and the person granted 400 gives 200.
יג
שכיב מרע שאמר תנו מאתים זוז לפלוני ושלש מאות זוז לפלוני וארבע מאות זוז לפלוני אין אומרין הקודם בשטר זכה לפיכך אם לא הניח תשע מאות חולקין הנמצא לפי מה שכתב להן ואם יצא עליו שטר חוב גובה מכולן מכל אחד ואחד כפי מה שכתוב להן כיצד היה החוב ארבע מאות וחמשים בעל המאתים נותן מאה ובעל השלש מאות מאה וחמשים ובעל הארבע מאות נותן מאתים:
14
If, however, the sh'chiv me'ra says: "Give 200 zuz to so and so. Afterwards, give 300 to so and so, and then 400 to so and so," whoever is mentioned first in the legal record is granted priority.
Therefore, if a promissory note against the estate is brought up, the creditor should expropriate the money from the last recipient. If his holdings are not sufficient to satisfy the debt, the creditor should expropriate the money from the one mentioned before him. If his holdings are also not sufficient, the creditor should expropriate the money from the one mentioned before the second to last recipient.
יד
אבל אם אמר תנו מאתים זו לפלוני ואחריו שלש מאות לפלוני ואחריו ארבע מאות לפלוני כל הקודם בשטר זכה לפיכך אם יצא עליו שטר חוב גובה מן האחרון אין לו גובה משלפניו אין לו גובה משלפני פניו:
15
If a sh'chiv me'ra says: "Let so and so live in this house," or "Let so and so partake of the fruits of this palm tree," his words are of no significance. The rationale is that he did not transfer an object of substance. For living and eating are like speech and sleep, which cannot be transferred.
If, however, the sh'chiv me'ra said: "Give this house to so and so, so that he may live in it," or "Give so and so this tree, so that he may partake of its fruits," his statements are effective. The rationale is that he transferred the entity itself mentioned in the gift with the intent that benefit be derived. This entity is an object of substance. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.
טו
שכיב מרע שאמר ידור פלוני בבית זה יאכל פלוני פירות דקל זה לא אמר כלום שלא הקנה להם דבר שיש בו ממש שהדירה והאכילה וכיוצא בהן הרי הן כדבור וכשינה שאין נקנין אבל אם אמר תנו בית זה לפלוני כדי שידור בו עד זמן פלוני או תנו דקל זה לפלוני כדי שיאכל פירותיו דבריו קיימין שהרי הקנה להם הגוף לפירות והגוף דבר שיש בו ממש וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
Zechiyah uMattanah - Chapter Eleven
1
When a sh'chiv me'ra says: "This property of mine should be given to banai," his daughters are not included among the recipients.
Even when the descendants of the sh'chiv me'ra include only one son and a daughter, or one son and the son of another son, and he used the expression banai - which is a plural term - the estate should be given to his son alone. For one son can be referred to as "my sons."
א
שכיב מרע שאמר נכסים אלו לבניי אין הבנות בכללם היה לו בן אחד ובת או בן ובן הבן אע"פ שהוא אמר לבניי שהוא לשון רבים אין נותנין אלא לבנו שהבן האחד נקרא בנים:
2
When a sh'chiv me'ra says: "My property should be given to Tovia," and then dies, and a person named Tovia comes and claims the estate, it should be given to him.
If, however, it is established that the claimant is referred to as "Rav Tovia,"
the estate should not be given to him. Nevertheless, should thesh'chiv me'ra be familiar with the claimant and be on first name basis with him, the estate should be given to him although he is generally referred to as Rav Tovia.
ב
שכיב מרע שאמר נכסי לטוביה ומת ובא אחד ששמו טוביה ואמר אני הוא נוטלן ואם הוחזק שמו רב טוביה אינו נוטלן ואם היה שכיב מרע גס בו וקורא אותו בשמו נוטלן:
3
The following principles apply when two claimants come, and it is established that they are both called Tovia. If one of them is a Torah scholar and the other is not, the Torah scholar receives precedence. If neither of them is a Torah scholar, but one is a neighbor or a relative, the neighbor or relative receives precedence. If one is a neighbor and the other is a relative, the neighbor is given precedence.
If both of the claimants are relatives, neighbors or Torah scholars, the judges should act on their own assessment of the circumstances; the estate should be given to the claimant whom they think the deceased intended.13
Similar principles apply if there are several intended recipients.
ג
באו שנים לתבוע וכל אחד מהן מוחזק שמו טוביה אם היה אחד מהם תלמיד חכם תלמיד חכם קודם אין בהן תלמיד חכם והיה אחד מהן שכן או קרוב הוא קודם היה אחד שכן ואחד קרוב שכן קודם שניהם קרובים או שניהם שכנים או שניהם תלמידי חכמים יעשו הדיינין כמו שיראה להם כל מי שדעתן נוטה שעל זה אמר נותנין לו וכן אם היו רבים:
4
If a sh'chiv me'ra says: "My property should be given to so and so, to so and so, and to so and so," the intended recipients should divide the estate equally. This applies even if 100 people are mentioned.
ד
שכיב מרע שאמר נכסי לפלוני ופלוני ופלוני חולקין בשוה אפילו הן מאה:
5
When a sh'chiv me'ra says: "My property should be given to so and so and to my sons," the estate should be divided between them. The person named receives half, and all his sons together receive the other half.
An incident occurred concerning a person who told his wife: "My property should be given to you and my sons." Our Sages said: She should receive half of the estate, and all the sons should divide the other half.
ה
אמר נכסי לפלוני ולבני חולקין פלוני נוטל מחצה וכל בניו מחצה ומעשה באחד שאמר לאשתו נכסי ליך ולבניך ואמרו חכמים תטול היא מחצה וכל הבנים מחצה:
6
If a sh'chiv me'ra says: "My property should be given to so and so, to so and so, and to the sons of so and so," the sons of so and so receive half of the estate, and the other two people mentioned receive the other half.
ו
אמר לפלוני ופלוני ולבני פלוני נוטלין בני פלוני מחצה והשנים הראשונים מחצה:
7
When a sh'chiv me'ra says: "So and so should receive a portion of my property," he should receive half. When he says: "Give a portion of my property to so and so," he should be given one sixteenth. There are, however, those who maintain that he should be given one fourth of the estate.
ז
שכיב מרע שאמר יחלוק פלוני בנכסי יטול מחצה תנו חלק לפלוני בנכסי יטול אחד מששה עשר ויש מי שהורה יטול רביע הנכסים:
8
If a sh'chiv me'ra says: "Give so and so a portion of the wine that I possess," the person named should be given one fourth of the wine. If he says: "Give him a portion of the wine to pour into jugs," he has diminished that person's share, and the person named should be given one eighth of the wine.
If he says: "Give him a portion of the wine for cooking, the person named should be given one twelfth of the wine. If he says: "Give him a portion of the wine for a small cup, the person named should be given one sixteenth of the wine. For he revealed that his intent was to give him merely a small portion.
ח
שכיב מרע שאמר תנו חלק לפלוני בבור היין שיש לי יטול רביע היין אמר תנו לו בו חלק לחבית הרי מעוט ויטול שמינית היין אמר תנו לו בו חלק לקדרה נוטל חלק משנים עשר מן היין אמר תנו לו בו חלק לטפיח נוטל חלק מששה עשר מן היין שבבור שהרי גילה דעתו שלחלק מועט נתכוון:
9
One should not extrapolate from the measures mentioned with regard to any other matters.
ט
ואין גומרין מן השיעורין האלו לדין אחר:
10
When a sh'chiv me'ra says: "Let my wife receive a portion like one of the sons," she should be given a portion the size of that given to each of the sons. If sons are born to the deceased after he has made this deposition of his property, they are added to the sons who existed at the time the will was made, and she receives a portion equal to that given to each of them.
What is implied? If the sh'chiv me'ra had three sons at the time he made his will, and two more sons were born to him afterwards, she should receive a portion equal to that given the five sons - i.e., one sixth of the estate.
י
שכיב מרע שאמר תטול אשתי כאחד מן הבנים נוטלת כאחד מבניו ואם נולדו לו בנים אחר הצוואה מצטרפין עם אלו שהיו בשעת הצוואה ונוטלת חלק עם כלן כיצד היו שלשה בנים בשעת הצוואה ולאחר זמן נולדו לו שנים נוטלת כאחד מן החמשה שהוא שתות כל הממון:
11
The widow receives a portion only from the property that the deceased owned at the time he made his will. She does not receive a portion of any property he acquires after the will was made. The rationale is that a person cannot transfer ownership of an entity that is not in his possession.
יא
ואינה נוטלת עמהם אלא בנכסים שהיו לו בשעת הצוואה אבל נכסים שבאו לו אחר זמן הצוואה אין לה בהן חלק שאין אדם מקנה דבר שלא בא ברשותו:
12
When a sh'chiv me'ra says: "So and so should receive movable property that I own," the person named should receive his personal utensils. He is not, however, given wheat, barley or other similar entities that the deceased owned. If, however, he says: "...all the movable property that I own," the person named receives everything.
יב
שכיב מרע שאמר מטלטלין שיש לי לפלוני נוטל כלי תשמישו אבל לא חטים ושעורים וכיוצא בהן אמר כל מטלטלין שלי נוטל הכל:
13
Servants are included in the category of movable property, but not a lower millstone or the like. For the lower millstone is attached to the earth.
יג
והעבדים בכלל המטלטלין אבל לא רחיים התחתונה וכיוצא בה שהרי היא מחוברת לארץ:
14
If the sh'chiv me'ra said: "...everything that can be carried," the intended recipient acquires even a lower millstone and similar objects.
יד
אמר כל המטלטל נוטל אף רחיים התחתונה וכיוצא בהן:
15
When a sh'chiv me'ra says: "Give my property to so and so," that person receives all his movable property, all his landed property, the garments, the servants, the livestock, the fowl, the tefillin and the other sacred texts; for these are all considered to be property.
There is, however, an unresolved question of whether or not a Torah scroll is considered to be "property." Therefore, if the recipient takes possession of it, it should not be expropriated from him.
טו
שכיב מרע שאמר נכסי לפלוני נוטל כל המטלטלין וכל הקרקעות והבגדים והעבדים והבהמה והעופות והתפילין עם שאר ספרים הכל בכלל הנכסים אבל ספר תורה יש בו ספק אם הוא בכלל נכסים או אינו לפיכך אם תפסו אין מוציאין מידו:
16
When a sh'chiv me'ra says: "Give 200 zuz to so and so, my firstborn, as is appropriate for him," he should be given that sum as well as his portion as a firstborn.
טז
שכיב מרע שאמר תנו מאתים זוז לפלוני בכורי כראוי לו נוטלן ונוטל בכורתו:
17
In the above situation, if the sh'chiv me'ra said: "Give him 200 zuz as his firstborn portion," the firstborn is given the option: He may take his firstborn portion, or he may take the 200zuz.
יז
אמר בבכורתו ידו על העליונה רצה חלק בכורה נוטל רצה מאתים זוז נוטל:
18
Similarly, if the sh'chiv me'ra said: "Give 200 zuz to my wife so and so, as is fitting for her, she receives that sum and the money due her by virtue of her ketubah. lf he said: "Give her 200 zuz for her ketubah" the option is hers.
יח
וכן אם אמר תנו מאתים זוז לפלונית אשתי כראוי לה נוטלתן ונוטלת כתובתה ואם אמר בכתובתה ידה על העליונה:
19
If the sh'chiv me'ra said: "Give 200 zuz to so and so, my creditor, as is fitting for him, he receives that sum and the money due him because of the debt. If he said: "Give him 200 zuzfor his debt, he may collect only his debt.38
יט
אמר תנו מאתים זוז לפלוני בעל חובי כראוי לו נוטלן ונוטל את חובו אמר בחובו אין לו אלא חובו:
20
If a sh'chiv me'ra said: "Give 400 zuz to so and so and let him marry my daughter," it is as if he gave him two gifts. Whichever he desires, he may take. Therefore, if he desires to take the money but not to marry the daughter, he may do so.
If, however, the sh'chiv me'ra said: "Let him take my daughter and give him 400zuz" he is making the gift conditional. Theperson mentioned does not acquire the gift unless he marries the daughter.
כ
שכיב מרע שאמר תנו ארבע מאות זוז לפלוני וישא בתי הרי זה כמי שנתן לו שתי מתנות כל איזה מהן שירצה יקח לפיכך אם רצה ליקח המעות ולא ישא הבת יקח אבל אם אמר יקח בתי ותנו לו ארבע מאות זוז הרי זה תנאי ולא יזכה במעות עד שיקח הבת:
21
The following principle applies if a sh'chiv me'ra said: "Give 400 zuz to my daughter as her ketubah" or "...for herketubah." If it is the custom of the people of that city to add to the appraisal of the dowry and to write a maneh's worth as 200 zuz,the daughter should be given only 200 zuz. For the sh'chiv me'radid not say "400 zuz" without any modifier, but rather "400 zuz as her ketubah." It is as if he said: "Give her what is necessary so that her ketubah will be appraised at 400 zuz."
כא
שכיב מרע שאמר תנו ארבע מאות זוז לבתי בכתובתה או לכתובתה אם דרך אנשי העיר להוסיף בשומת הנדוניא ולכתוב שוה מנה במאתים אינה נוטלת אלא מאתים זוז שהרי לא אמר ארבע מאות זוז סתם אלא בכתובתה כלומר תנו לה מה שתהיה שומתו בכתובתה ארבע מאות זוז:
22
If a sh'chiv me'ra said: "Give such and such clothing and such and such articles to my daughter for her dowry," and the price of the garments and the articles decreases afterwards, the heirs profit, and they are required to give her only what she was promised according to the lesser price.
Similarly, if a sh'chiv me'ra said: "Give my daughter the 400 zuz,the money from this wine," and the price of wine increases, the heirs profit, and the daughter is given only 400 zuz.
An incident occurred concerning a person who was being led off in fetters. He said: "Give so and so 400 zuz from the wine in this and this place." Our sages said: "He should receive 400 zuz from the price of that wine." The condemned man did not intend to give the person named an amount of wine equal in weight to 400 zuz. He intended to give him the monetary amount. He specified the place from which he could collect the money to strengthen the legal power of the recipient.
Another incident occurred concerning a man who said: "Give my daughter the date palm," but he left only two halves of a date palm. Our Sages said: "She should receive the two halves of the date palm, for that was his intent. He called them a date palm."
And another incident occurred concerning a person who said: "Give so and no a building that contains 100 korim" It was discovered that the building owned by the person who apportioned his property could contain 120 korim. Our Sages said: "He acquires that house, because it appears that this was his intent." For everyone who gives a gift gives generously. The same applies in all analogous situations.
כב
אמר תנו נדוניא לבתי כך וכך בגדים כך וכך כלים הוזלו הבגדים והכלים אחר כן הריוח ליתומים ונותנין לה כשער הזול וכן אם אמר תנו ארבע מאות זוז דמי היין לבתי והוקר היין הריוח ליתומים ונותנין לה ארבע מאות זוז מעשה באחד שהיה יוצא בקולר ואמר תנו לפלוני ארבע מאות זוז מהיין של מקום פלוני ואמרו חכמים יטול ארבע מאות זוז מדמי אותו היין שלא נתכוון זה ליתן לו מן היין משקל ארבע מאות זוז ולא נתכוון אלא לדמים וזה שייחדן כדי ליפות את כחו ושוב מעשה באחד שאמר הדקל לבתי והניח שני חצאי דקל אמרו חכמים תטול השני חצאים שלזה נתכוון והם שקרא דקל ושוב מעשה באחד שאמר תנו לפלוני בית המחזיק מאה כורין ונמצא הבית שיש לזה המצוה מחזיק מאה ועשרים ואמרו חכמים זכה בבית זה שהדברים מראין שכוונתו לזה היתה שכל הנותן בעין יפה נותן וכן כל כיוצא בדברים אלו:
23
When a sh'chiv me'ra says: "Give my sons a shekel each week," or even if he said: "Do not give them anything but a shekel each week," and it is discovered that a sela a week is necessary to meet their needs, they are given whatever they need. We assume that his intent was not to starve his children, but to encourage them not to live on a very lavish budget.
כג
שכיב מרע שאמר תנו לבני שקל בכל שבת או שאמר אל תתנו להם אלא שקל ונמצא שאינו מספיק להם אלא סלע בכל שבת נותנים להם כל צרכן שלא נתכוון זה להרעיב את בניו אלא לזרז אותם שמא ירויחו בהוצאה יותר מדאי:
24
When a sh'chiv me'ra orders: "Do not eulogize me," he should not be eulogized. If he says: "Do not use funds from my estate to bury me," his words are not heeded. We do not enable him to secure the funds of his children and make himself a burden on the community. For it is forbidden to leave him without a burial. Instead, we compel his heirs to bury him from the funds in his estate.
כד
שכיב מרע שצוה ואמר אל תספדוהו אין סופדין אותו אל תקברוהו מנכסיו אין שומעין לו שיחוס על ממון בניו ויפיל עצמו על הצבור שאסור להניחו בלא קבורה אלא כופין את היורשין לקוברו מנכסיו:
Zechiyah uMattanah - Chapter Twelve
1
When a sh'chiv me'ra says: "My son, so and so, should inherit my estate," that son alone should inherit the estate, and not the man's other sons. Similarly, if he makes such statements about one daughter with regard to his other daughters, one brother with regard to his other brothers, or similarly, with regard to other heirs, his words are binding.
א
שכיב מרע שאמר בני פלוני יירשני הרי זה יורש אותו לבדו ולא יירשוהו שאר הבנים וכן אם אמר על בת בין הבנות או אח בין האחין או שאר יורשין דבריו קיימין:
2
If a healthy person makes such statements, his words are of no consequence.
ב
אבל הבריא אין דבריו קיימין:
3
When a sh'chiv me'ra states: "My property should be given to so and so, and after him, to so and so," the second person receives only what the first person leaves over.
ג
שכיב מרע שאמר נכסי לפלוני ואחריו לפלוני אין לשני אלא מה ששייר ראשון:
4
If, however, the first person was fit to inherit the estate of thesh'chiv me'ra - e.g., he was one of his sons - the second person does not receive anything. For regardless of the expression used to give a gift to an heir, it is considered as if he were given an inheritance. And an inheritance never ends. This applies even though the giver said: "After him, it should be given to so and so."
ד
ואם היה הראשון ראוי ליורשו כגון שהיה בן מכלל הבנים אין לשני כלום שכל לשון מתנה ליורש הרי הוא כלשון ירושה וירושה אין לה הפסק ואף על פי שאמר ואחריו לפלוני:
5
If, however, a healthy person gave a gift in this manner and had a deed composed saying: "My property should be given to you, and after you to so and so," the second person receives only what the first person leaves over. This applies whether or not the first person was fit to inherit the estate of the giver.
ה
אבל הבריא שנתן מתנת בריא על דרך זה וכתב לזה נכסי לך ואחריך לפלוני אין לשני אלא מה ששייר ראשון בין שהיה הראשון ראוי ליורשו בין שלא היה ראוי ליורשו:
6
There is an exception to the principle stated above with regard to a sh'chiv me'ra who says: "My property should be given to you, and after you to so and so," and the first recipient is fit to inherit the giver's estate. If the giver explicitly states: "I am not giving you this property as an inheritance that never ceases, but as a gift, and I have set a limit to it," the second person acquires what the first leaves over.
For this reason, if the giver entrusted the money to a third party, or he said: "Give my sons a shekel every week. I am not giving them this money as an inheritance. Afterwards, what remains of the estate after their death should be given to so and so," they should be given only a shekel a week, even though it does not suffice for them.
ו
שכיב מרע שאמר נכסי לך ואחריך לפלוני והיה ראשון ראוי ליורשו ופירש ואמר לא משום ירושה אני נותן לך שאין לה הפסק אלא במתנה והרי הפסקתיה השני קונה מה שמשייר הראשון לפיכך אם נתן המעות על יד שליש או שאמר תנו לבניי שקל בכל שבת ולא משום ירושה אני נותנם להם והנשאר מן הנכסים אחר מותם יהיה לפלוני אין נותנין להם אלא שקל אע"פ שאינו מספיק להם:
7
If a sh'chiv me'ra states: "My property should be given to so and so, and after him to so and so," and the first person named dies, the property is acquired by the second. If the second person named also dies, the property is given to the heirs of the second person.
If, however, the second person dies during the lifetime of the first, and the first dies before the sh'chiv me'ra, the property should be given to the heirs of the first person.
ז
נכסי לפלוני ואחריו לפלוני מת ראשון קנה שני מת שני הרי אלו של יורשי השני מת שני בחיי ראשון יהיו הנכסים של יורשי ראשון:
8
Although the second person named receives only what the first person leaves over, it is forbidden for the first person to sell or give as a gift the body of the property that he has been given. Instead, he is entitled to reap the benefits from the property until he dies, at which time the second person acquires the property.
ח
ואף על פי שאין לשני אלא מה ששייר ראשון אסור לראשון למכור וליתן גופו אלא אוכל הפירות עד שימות ויזכה השני:
9
If, however, the first person transgresses and sells or gives as a gift the property, the second person cannot expropriate the property from the recipient. For the second person does not have any right to the body of the property or the benefits from it, but only what remains after the first person dies.
Any person who advises the first person named to sell the property is called "wicked."
Even if the estate contained servants and the first person granted them their freedom or garments and he made them shrouds for a corpse, his deeds are binding.
ט
ואם עבר הראשון ומכר ונתן במתנה אין השני מוציא מיד הלקוחות שאין לשני לא מן הגוף ולא מן הפירות אלא הנשאר וכל המשיא עצה לראשון למכור נקרא רשע ואפילו היה בהן עבדים והוציאן הראשון לחירות או כלים ועשאן תכריכין למת מעשיו קיימין:
10
When does the above apply? When the first person sold or gave as a gift the property to an outside party. If, however, the first person sold or gave them as a gift to his son or to another heir, his deeds are of no consequence.
Similarly, if he gave the property as a gift of a sh'chiv me'ra to an outside party, his deeds are of no consequence. The rationale is that the recipient of a gift given by a sh'chiv me'ra does not acquire it until after the sh'chiv me'ra dies, and when the first recipient dies, the property has already been acquired by the second person named by the original giver.
י
במה דברים אמורים בשמכר הראשון או נתן מתנה לאחרים אבך אם מכרן הראשון או נתנן לבנו מתנה או לאחד מיורשיו לא עשה כלום וכן אם נתנו מתנת שכיב מרע אפילו לאחרים לא עשה כלום שאין מתנת שכיב מרע קונה אלא לאחר מיתה וכשימות יקנה השני:
11
In the above situation, if the first recipient owes a debt or must pay his wife the money due her by virtue of herketubah, and the court seeks to collect the debt from this property, even if the first recipient is still alive, the court does not collect the debt from the body of the property itself. Instead, only the proceeds from it are indentured.
If the first person dies and his creditor or his wife seeks to expropriate this property, nothing at all is expropriated for them. This applies even when he made them an ipotikfi or designated them for his wife so that she could collect the money due her by virtue of her ketubah from them. Nothing is expropriated from this property, because it belongs to the second person.
יא
היה חוב על הראשון או כתובת אשה ובאו לבית דין להפרע מנכסים אלו אע"פ שהראשון קיים אין בית דין מגבין אותם מגוף הנכסים אלא מן הפירות בלבד שמין להם מת הראשון ובא בעל חובו ואשתו לגבות מנכסים אלו אין מגבין להם כלום אפילו עשאן אפותיקי או שייחדן לאשתו בכתובתה אינן גובין מנכסים אלו כלום אלא הרי הן של שני:
12
When a sh'chiv me'ra says to an unmarried woman: "My property should be given to you, and after you to so and so," and then the woman marries, her husband is considered to be a purchaser, and the second person may not expropriate the property from him.
If the woman was already married when the sh'chiv me'ra said: "...and after you to so and so," the second person may expropriate the property from the husband. The rationale is that since she acquired the property on this condition when she was married, it is as though the sh'chiv me'ra told her explicitly: "After your death, so and so will acquire the property, and not your husband."
Therefore, if she sold this property while she was married to her husband, and then died while married to her husband, the property should remain in the possession of the purchaser. For if the husband expropriated the property from the purchaser because his wife sold it while she was married, the second person mentioned by the original giver may expropriate the property from the husband, and then the man who purchased it from the woman may expropriate it from the second person, for she sold the property to him, and the second person is entitled only to property that the woman left over. And the cycle could continue endlessly. Nevertheless, since the only one who spent money for the property is the purchaser, the property is allowed to remain in his possession.
An incident occurred with regard to a person who said: "Let my property be given to my mother, and after her to my heirs." He had a married daughter. That daughter died during her husband's lifetime, and also in the lifetime of her father's mother. After she died, the elder woman also died.
Our Sages said: The daughter's husband does not inherit that property, for it was only fitting for his wife to inherit, and she did not actually have a right to acquire the property until she had died.
If the daughter had left a son or a daughter, they would have inherited the estate, for the expression "heirs" used by the deceased includes even the heirs' heirs. And if the dying man had said: "When the elder woman dies, the estate becomes my daughter's retroactive to the present time," the daughter's husband would inherit it after his wife's death.
יב
שכיב מרע שאמר לאשה פנויה נכסי לך ואחריך לפלוני ועמדה ונשאת בעל לוקח הוא ואין השני מוציא מיד הבעל ואם אמר לה כשהיא נשואה נכסי ליך ואחריך לפלוני ומתה השני מוציא מיד הבעל שכיון שזכתה בנכסים על תנאי זה כשהיא נשואה נמצא כאילו אמר לה בפירוש אחריך יקנה פלוני לא הבעל לפיכך אם מכרה נכסים אלו כשהיא תחת בעלה ומתה תחת בעלה יעמדו נכסים ביד הלוקח שאם יוציא הבעל מיד הלוקח מפני שמכרה כשהיא נשואה הרי השני מוציא מיד הבעל והלוקח חוזר ומוציא מיד השני שהרי מכרה לו ואין לו אלא מה ששייר ראשון ואין בשלשתן מי שהוציא ממון אלא הלוקח ולפיכך תעמוד בידו מעשה באחד שאמר נכסי לאמי ואחריה ליורשי והיתה לו בת נשואה ומתה הבת בחיי בעלה ובחיי אם אביה ואח"כ מתה הזקנה ואמרו חכמים אין הבעל יורש אותן נכסים מפני שהן ראויין לאשתו ולא זכתה בהן האשה אלא אחר שמתה אבל אם הניח הבת בן או בת היו יורשין הנכסים שמשמע יורשין ואפילו יורשי יורשין ואילו אמר וכשתמות הזקנה הרי הן לבתי מעכשיו היה הבעל יורש אותן אחר מיתת אשתו:
13
When a person has a legal record composed giving property to his son after his death, the body of the property becomes the son's from the time this legal record is composed. The benefit from the property is retained by the father until he dies.
Accordingly, the father cannot sell this property, because it has already been given to his son. Nor can the son sell the property, because it is under the father's control.
If the father dies and there is produce attached to the ground on this property, it belongs to the son. The rationale is that a person feels a closeness to his son. If the produce has already become detached or it is ready to be harvested, it belongs to the other heirs.
If the father transgresses and sells the property, the sale is binding until he dies. When he dies, the son expropriates the property from the purchaser. If there was produce attached to the property, its worth should be evaluated and credited to the purchaser, and the son must pay him for it. If the produce was detached or ready to be harvested, it belongs to the purchaser.
If the son transgresses and sells the property, the purchaser does not receive anything until the father dies. If the son sold the property during the father's lifetime, the son died, and then the father dies, the purchaser takes possession of the property when the father dies. The sale of the property by the son is not nullified, because the father possesses only the right to benefit from the property, and possession of the right to benefit from a property is not the same as possession of the property itself.
יג
הכותב נכסיו לבנו ולאחר מותו הרי הגוף של בן מזמן השטר והפירות לאב עד שימות לפיכך האב אינו יכול למכור מפני שהן נתונין לבן והבן אינו יכול למכור מפני שהן ברשות האב מת האב והניח פירות מחוברין לקרקע הרי הן של בן מפני שדעתו של אדם קרובה אצל בנו היו תלושין או שהגיעו להבצר הרי הן של יורשין עבר האב ומכר מכורין עד שימות וכשימות האב מוציא הבן מיד הלקוחות ואם היו שם פירות מחוברין שמין אותם ללוקח ונותן הבן דמיהם היו תלושין או שהגיעו להבצר הרי הן של לוקח עבר הבן ומכר אין ללוקח כלום עד שימות האב מכר הבן בחיי האב ומת הבן ואחר כך מת האב כשימות האב קנה הלוקח שאין לאב אלא פירות וקניין פירות אינו כקניין הגוף:
14
When the deed recording a gift given by a healthy person states that the gift takes effect "from today and after the person's death," it is considered to be a gift given by a sh'chiv me'ra. The implication is that although he acquires the body of the property from the day of the gift, he may not take possession of it and partake of its fruits until after the giver's death.
יד
מתנת בריא שכתוב בה מהיום ולאחר מיתה הרי היא כמתנת שכיב מרע שאינו קונה אלא לאחר מיתה שמשמע דברים אלו שאף על פי שקנה הגוף מהיום אינו זוכה בו ואוכל פירות אלא לאחר מיתה:
15
The following laws apply with regard to a deed recording a gift , which states that so and so should acquire a particular field after the death of the giver.
Whether or not the legal document records a kinyan since it mentions a date and the giver was alive on that date, the date indicates that he transferred ownership of the property during his lifetime. The recipient may not take possession of it until after the giver's death.
This is certainly the intent. For if the giver's intent had been to transfer the property with this document after his death, he would not have dated it.
Therefore, even though the document does not state that the gift takes effect "from today and after the person's death," the recipient acquires the property after the giver's death.
The reason we write "from the present time" in a legal document although it is dated, is to clarify the matter, even though it is unnecessary.
טו
שטר מתנה שכתוב בה שיקנה פלוני שדה פלונית לאחר מיתה בין שהיה בשטר קניין בין שלא היה בו קניין כיון שכתוב בו זמן ובזמן זה חי היה הזמן מוכיח שמחיים הקנה לו ואינו זוכה אלא לאחר מיתה שאילו היה בדעתו להקנות לו בשטר זה לאחר מיתה לא היה כותב בו זמן לפיכך אע"פ שאין כתוב בו מהיום ולאחר מיתה קונה לאחר מיתה וזה שכותבין בכל המתנות והממכרות מעכשיו ואף על פי שיש בשטר הזמן להרויח הדבר כותבין בו אע"פ שאינו צריך:
16
When a healthy person gives a gift and composes the deed recording it saying: "During my lifetime and in my death," it is a completely binding gift, taking effect during the person's lifetime, for it states: "During my lifetime." The fact that it also states: "And in my death," is if it states: "from now until eternity." It is an embellishment of the document.
טז
בריא שנתן מתנה וכתב בשטר מחיים ובמות הרי זו מתנה גמורה מחיים שהרי כתוב בו מחיים וזה שכתוב בו ובמות כמי שאומר מעתה ועד עולם וכמו נויי השטר הוא זה:
17
Perfectly righteous men and men of spiritual stature would not receive gifts from other men. Instead, they would trust in God, blessed be His name, and not in generous men. AndProverbs 15:27 states: "One who hates gifts will live."
יז
הצדיקים הגמורים ואנשי מעשה לא יקבלו מתנה מאדם אלא בוטחים בה' ברוך שמו לא בנדיבים והרי נאמר ושונא מתנות יחיה:
• Shabbat, 16 AV , 5776 · 20 August 2016
• "Today's Day"
• Tuesday, Menachem Av 16, 5703
Torah lessons: Chumash: Eikev, Shlishi with Rashi.
Tehillim: 79-82.
Tanya: However, the letters (p. 411) ...see there). (p. 413).
The travels of the Baal Shem Tov when he first revealed himself were for three purposes: Redemption of captives, buttressing Torah and piety, and revealing the Inner Torah (Chassidus).
The Mitteler Rebbe would explain: The Revealed Torah1 is called water; one goes to water. The Inner Torah is called fire; one fears fire. Therefore, the mashpiya (the one who gives to another)2 must go to the recipient and say to him, "Do not fear, for Hashem your G-d is a consuming fire."3
FOOTNOTES
1.Talmud, halacha etc.
2.Such as a teacher, rabbi, instructor of Chassidus etc.
3.A possible explanation: The mashpiya says, in effect, "do not fear the fire that you see in Inner Torah; it is the fire of G-dliness."
• Daily Thought:
Learn Together
Every couple must have a set time to study Torah together.
What should they study? Something that interests both of them—such as the Torah portion of that week, or something about the Torah seasons approaching.
[From a letter, published in Hitkashrut, no. 70.]
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