Daily Quote:
Behold, a fiery chariot and fiery horses separated them both, and Elijah ascended to heaven in a whirlwind. And Elisha saw, and he was crying, "My father! My father! The chariots of Israel and their riders!" And he saw him no longer...[II Kings 2:11-12]
Daily Study:
Chitas and Rambam for today:
Chumash: Parshat Va'etchanan, 4th Portion (Deuteronomy 5:1-5:18) with Rashi
• Deuteronomy Chapter 5
1And Moses called all Israel and said to them, "Hear, O Israel, the statutes and ordinances which I speak in your ears this day, and learn them, and observe [them] to do them. אוַיִּקְרָ֣א משֶׁה֘ אֶל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֗ם שְׁמַ֤ע יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶת־הַֽחֻקִּ֣ים וְאֶת־הַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֧ר אָֽנֹכִ֛י דֹּבֵ֥ר בְּאָזְנֵיכֶ֖ם הַיּ֑וֹם וּלְמַדְתֶּ֣ם אֹתָ֔ם וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֖ם לַֽעֲשֹׂתָֽם:
2The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. ביְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֗ינוּ כָּרַ֥ת עִמָּ֛נוּ בְּרִ֖ית בְּחֹרֵֽב:
3Not with our forefathers did the Lord make this covenant, but with us, we, all of whom are here alive today. גלֹ֣א אֶת־אֲבֹתֵ֔ינוּ כָּרַ֥ת יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־הַבְּרִ֣ית הַזֹּ֑את כִּ֣י אִתָּ֔נוּ אֲנַ֨חְנוּ אֵ֥לֶּה פֹ֛ה הַיּ֖וֹם כֻּלָּ֥נוּ חַיִּֽים:
Not with our forefathers: Alone did the Lord make [this covenant], but with us. לא את אבתינו: בלבד כרת ה' וגו' כי אתנו:
4Face to face, the Lord spoke with you at the mountain out of the midst of the fire: דפָּנִ֣ים | בְּפָנִ֗ים דִּבֶּ֨ר יְהֹוָ֧ה עִמָּכֶ֛ם בָּהָ֖ר מִתּ֥וֹךְ הָאֵֽשׁ:
Face to face: Rabbi Berechiah said, “So said Moses: 'Do not say that I am misleading you about something that does not exist, as an agent does, acting between the seller and the buyer, [because] behold, the seller Himself is speaking with you.’” (Pesikta Rabbathi). פנים בפנים: אמר ר' ברכיה כך אמר משה אל תאמרו אני מטעה אתכם על לא דבר, כדרך שהסרסור עושה בין המוכר ללוקח, הרי המוכר עצמו מדבר עמכם:
5(and I stood between the Lord and you at that time, to tell you the word of the Lord, for you were afraid of the fire, and you did not go up on the mountain) saying, האָֽנֹכִ֠י עֹמֵ֨ד בֵּֽין־יְהֹוָ֤ה וּבֵֽינֵיכֶם֙ בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔וא לְהַגִּ֥יד לָכֶ֖ם אֶת־דְּבַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֑ה כִּ֤י יְרֵאתֶם֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י הָאֵ֔שׁ וְלֹֽא־עֲלִיתֶ֥ם בָּהָ֖ר לֵאמֹֽר:
saying: This refers back to (verse 4), “the Lord spoke with you at the mountain out of the midst of the fire… saying, ‘I am the Lord…,’ and I stood between the Lord and you”. לאמר: מוסב על (פסוק ד) דבר ה' עמכם בהר מתוך האש לאמר אנכי ה' וגו' ואנכי עומד בין ה' וביניכם:
6"I am the Lord your God, Who took you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. ואָֽנֹכִ֖י יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ אֲשֶׁ֧ר הֽוֹצֵאתִ֛יךָ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם מִבֵּ֥ית עֲבָדִֽים:
7You shall not have the gods of others in My presence. זלֹא־יִֽהְיֶ֥ה לְךָ֛ אֱלֹהִ֥ים אֲחֵרִ֖ים עַל־פָּנָֽי:
in My presence: Heb. עַל-פָּנָי, lit. before Me, i.e., wherever I am, and that is the entire world. Another explanation: As long as I exist [i.e., forever] (Mechilta). I have already explained the Ten Commandments (see Exodus 20:1-14). על פני: בכל מקום אשר אני שם וזהו כל העולם. דבר אחר כל זמן שאני קיים. עשרת הדברות כבר פירשתים:
8You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness which is in the heavens above, which is on the earth below, or which is in the water beneath the earth. חלֹא־תַֽעֲשֶׂ֨ה לְךָ֥ פֶ֨סֶל֙ כָּל־תְּמוּנָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר בַּשָּׁמַ֨יִם֙ מִמַּ֔עַל וַֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּאָ֖רֶץ מִתָּ֑חַת וַֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּמַּ֖יִם מִתַּ֥חַת לָאָֽרֶץ:
9You shall not prostrate yourself before them, nor worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a zealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the sons, upon the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me. טלֹֽא־תִשְׁתַּֽחֲוֶ֥ה לָהֶ֖ם וְלֹ֥א תָֽעָבְדֵ֑ם כִּ֣י אָֽנֹכִ֞י יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ אֵ֣ל קַנָּ֔א פֹּ֠קֵ֠ד עֲוֹ֨ן אָב֧וֹת עַל־בָּנִ֛ים וְעַל־שִׁלֵּשִׁ֥ים וְעַל־רִבֵּעִ֖ים לְשֽׂנְאָֽי:
10And [I] perform loving kindness to thousands [of generations] of those who love Me and to those who keep My commandments. יוְעֹ֥שֶׂה חֶ֖סֶד לַֽאֲלָפִ֑ים לְאֹֽהֲבַ֖י וּלְשֹֽׁמְרֵ֥י מִצְוֹתָֽי(כתיב מצותו) :
11You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain, for the Lord will not hold blameless anyone who takes His name in vain. יאלֹ֥א תִשָּׂ֛א אֶת־שֵֽׁם־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ לַשָּׁ֑וְא כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יְנַקֶּה֙ יְהֹוָ֔ה אֵ֛ת אֲשֶׁר־יִשָּׂ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ לַשָּֽׁוְא:
12Keep the Sabbath day to sanctify it, as the Lord your God commanded you. יבשָׁמ֛וֹר אֶת־י֥וֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֖ת לְקַדְּשׁ֑וֹ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוְּךָ֖ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ:
Keep [the Sabbath day]: But in the first set [of Ten Commandments] (in Exod. 20) it says: “Remember [the Sabbath day]!” The explanation is: Both of them (“Remember” and “Keep”) were spoken simultaneously as one word and were heard simultaneously. (Mechilta 20:8) שמור: ובראשונות הוא אומר (שמות כ, ז) זכור שניהם בדבור אחד ובתיבה אחת נאמרו ובשמיעה אחת נשמעו:
just as [the Lord your God] commanded you: Before the giving of the Torah, at Marah (Shab. 87b). כאשר צוך: קודם מתן תורה במרה:
13Six days may you work, and perform all your labor, יגשֵׁ֤שֶׁת יָמִים֙ תַּֽעֲבֹ֔ד וְעָשִׂ֖יתָ כָּל־מְלַאכְתֶּֽךָ:
14but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall perform no labor, neither you, your son, your daughter, your manservant, your maidservant, your ox, your donkey, any of your livestock, nor the stranger who is within your cities, in order that your manservant and your maidservant may rest like you. ידוְיוֹם֙ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י שַׁבָּ֖ת לַֽיהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ לֹא־תַֽעֲשֶׂ֨ה כָל־מְלָאכָ֜ה אַתָּ֣ה | וּבִנְךָֽ־וּבִתֶּ֣ךָ וְעַבְדְּךָֽ־וַֽאֲמָתֶ֗ךָ וְשֽׁוֹרְךָ֤ וַֽחֲמֹֽרְךָ֙ וְכָל־בְּהֶמְתֶּ֔ךָ וְגֵֽרְךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בִּשְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ לְמַ֗עַן יָנ֛וּחַ עַבְדְּךָ֥ וַֽאֲמָֽתְךָ֖ כָּמֽוֹךָ:
15And you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord your God took you out from there with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm; therefore, the Lord, your God, commanded you to observe the Sabbath day. טווְזָֽכַרְתָּ֗ כִּ֣י עֶ֤בֶד הָיִ֨יתָ֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם וַיֹּצִ֨אֲךָ֜ יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ מִשָּׁ֔ם בְּיָ֥ד חֲזָקָ֖ה וּבִזְרֹ֣עַ נְטוּיָ֑ה עַל־כֵּ֗ן צִוְּךָ֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לַֽעֲשׂ֖וֹת אֶת־י֥וֹם הַשַּׁבָּֽת:
And you shall remember that you were a slave…: God redeemed you on the condition that you will be His slave and keep His commandments. וזכרת כי עבד היית וגו': על מנת כן פדאך שתהיה לו עבד ותשמור מצותיו:
16Honor your father and your mother as the Lord your God commanded you, in order that your days be lengthened, and that it may go well with you on the land that the Lord, your God, is giving you. טזכַּבֵּ֤ד אֶת־אָבִ֨יךָ֙ וְאֶת־אִמֶּ֔ךָ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוְּךָ֖ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ לְמַ֣עַן | יַֽאֲרִיכֻ֣ן יָמֶ֗יךָ וּלְמַ֨עַן֙ יִ֣יטַב לָ֔ךְ עַ֚ל הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לָֽךְ:
as the Lord your God commanded you: Also regarding the honoring of father and mother they were commanded at Marah, as it is said: (Exod. 15:25),“There He gave them a statute and an ordinance.” (San. 56b) כאשר צוך: אף על כבוד אב ואם נצטוו במרה שנאמר (שמות טו כה) שם שם לו חוק ומשפט:
17You shall not murder. And you shall not commit adultery. And you shall not steal. And you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. יזלֹ֥א תִרְצַ֖ח ס וְלֹ֣א תִנְאָ֑ף ס וְלֹ֣א תִגְנֹ֔ב ס וְלֹא־תַֽעֲנֶ֥ה בְרֵֽעֲךָ֖ עֵ֥ד שָֽׁוְא:
And you shall not commit adultery: Adultery applies only [to relations] with a married woman. ולא תנאף: אין לשון ניאוף אלא באשת איש:
18And you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor shall you desire your neighbor's house, his field, his manservant, his maidservant, his ox, his donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. יחוְלֹ֥א תַחְמֹ֖ד אֵ֣שֶׁת רֵעֶ֑ךָ ס וְלֹ֨א תִתְאַוֶּ֜ה בֵּ֣ית רֵעֶ֗ךָ שָׂדֵ֜הוּ וְעַבְדּ֤וֹ וַֽאֲמָתוֹ֙ שׁוֹר֣וֹ וַֽחֲמֹר֔וֹ וְכֹ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר לְרֵעֶֽךָ:
nor shall you desire: Heb. וְלֹא תִתְאַוֶּה. [As the Targum [Onkelos] renders:] וְלֹא תֵרוֹג,“you shall not desire.” This too is an expression of coveting (חֶמְדָּה) , just as“pleasant (נֶחְמָד) to see” (Gen. 2:9), which the Targum [Onkelos] interprets as“desirable (דִּמִרַגֵּג) to see.” ולא תתאוה: לא תירוג אף הוא לשון חמדה, כמו (בראשית ב, ט) נחמד למראה, דמתרגמינן דמרגג למחזי:
Daily Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 69-71
• Chapter 69
1. For the Conductor, on the shoshanim,1 by David.
2. Deliver me, O God, for the waters have reached until my soul!
3. I have sunk in muddy depths without foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the current sweeps me away.
4. I am wearied by my crying, my throat is parched; my eyes pined while waiting for my God.
5. More numerous than the hairs on my head are those who hate me without reason. Mighty are those who would cut me off, those who are my enemies without cause. What I have not stolen, I will then have to return.
6. O God, You know my folly, and my wrongs are not hidden from You.
7. Let not those who hope in You be shamed through me, O my Lord, God of Hosts; let not those who seek You be disgraced through me, O God of Israel,
8. because for Your sake I have borne humiliation, disgrace covers my face.
9. I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my mother's sons,
10. for the envy of Your House has consumed me, and the humiliations of those who scorn You have fallen upon me.
11. And I wept while my soul fasted, and it was a humiliation to me.
12. I made sackcloth my garment, and became a byword for them.
13. Those who sit by the gate speak of me, and [of me] are the songs of drunkards.
14. May my prayer to You, Lord, be at a gracious time; God, in Your abounding kindness, answer me with Your true deliverance.
15. Rescue me from the mire, so that I not sink; let me be saved from my enemies and from deep waters.
16. Let not the current of water sweep me away, nor the deep swallow me; and let not the pit close its mouth over me.
17. Answer me, Lord, for Your kindness is good; according to Your abundant mercies, turn to me.
18. Do not hide Your face from Your servant, for I am in distress-hurry to answer me.
19. Draw near to my soul and liberate it; redeem me, so that my enemies [not feel triumphant].
20. You know my humiliation, my shame, and my disgrace; all my tormentors are before You.
21. Humiliation has broken my heart, and I have become ill. I longed for comfort, but there was none; for consolers, but I did not find.
22. They put gall into my food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
23. Let their table become a trap before them, and [their] serenity, a snare.
24. Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and let their loins continually falter.
25. Pour Your wrath upon them, and let the fierceness of Your anger overtake them.
26. Let their palace be desolate, let there be no dweller in their tents,
27. for they persecute the one whom You struck, and tell of the pain of Your wounded ones.
28. Add iniquity to their iniquity, and let them not enter into Your righteousness.
29. May they be erased from the Book of Life, and let them not be inscribed with the righteous.
30. But I am poor and in pain; let Your deliverance, O God, streng-then me.
31. I will praise the Name of God with song, I will extol Him with thanksgiving!
32. And it will please the Lord more than [the sacrifice of] a mature bull with horns and hooves.
33. The humble will see it and rejoice; you seekers of God, [see] and your hearts will come alive.
34. For the Lord listens to the needy, and He does not despise His prisoners.
35. Let heaven and earth praise Him, the seas and all that moves within them,
36. for God will deliver Zion and build the cities of Judah, and they will settle there and possess it;
37. and the seed of His servants will inherit it, and those who love His Name will dwell in it.
FOOTNOTES
1.A musical instrument shaped like a shoshana, a rose (Metzudot).
Chapter 70
David prays that his enemies be shamed and humiliated for their shaming him and reveling in his troubles. Then the righteous will rejoice, and chant songs and praises always.
1. For the Conductor, by David, to remind.
2. O God, [come] to rescue me; O Lord, hurry to my aid.
3. Let those who seek my life be shamed and disgraced; let those who wish me harm retreat and be humiliated.
4. Let those who say, "Aha! Aha!" be turned back in return for their shaming [me].
5. Let all who seek You rejoice and delight in You, and let those who love Your deliverance say always, "May God be exalted!”
6. But I am poor and needy; hurry to me, O God! You are my help and deliverer; O God, do not delay!
Chapter 71
In this awe-inspiring prayer, David speaks of his enemies' desire to kill him, declaring him deserving of death.
1. I have taken refuge in You, O Lord; I will never be shamed.
2. Rescue me and deliver me in Your righteousness; incline Your ear to me and save me.
3. Be for me a sheltering rock, to enter always. You have ordered my salvation, for You are my rock and my fortress.
4. O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked, from the palm of the scheming and violent.
5. For You are my hope, O my Lord, God, my security since my youth.
6. I have relied on You from the womb; You drew me from my mother's innards; my praise is of You always.
7. I became an example to the masses, yet You were my mighty refuge.
8. Let my mouth be filled with Your praise, all day long with Your glory.
9. Do not cast me aside in old age; do not forsake me when my strength fails;
10. for my enemies say of me, and those who watch my soul conspire together,
11. saying, "God has forsaken him. Give chase and catch him, for there is no rescuer.”
12. O God, do not distance Yourself from me; my God, hurry to my aid.
13. Let the adversaries of my soul be shamed and consumed; let those who seek my harm be enwrapped in disgrace and humiliation.
14. But as for me, I will always hope; I will add to all Your praises.
15. My mouth will tell of Your righteousness, all day long of Your deliverance, for I do not know their number.
16. I come with the strength of my Lord, God; I mention Your righteousness, Yours alone.
17. O God, You have taught me since my youth, and to this day I tell of Your wonders.
18. Even into old age and hoariness, O God, do not abandon me, until I tell of Your might to the generations, and of Your strength to all who are to come.
19. Your righteousness, O God, reaches the high heavens, for You do great things; O God, who is like You!
20. You, Who has shown me many and grievous troubles, You will revive me again; You will lift me again from the depths of the earth.
21. You will increase my greatness; You will turn and console me.
22. I too1 will thank You on the lyre for Your faithfulness, My God; I will sing to You on the harp, O Holy One of Israel.
23. My lips will rejoice when I sing to you, as well as my soul which You have redeemed.
24. My tongue will also utter Your righteousness all day, for those who seek my harm are shamed and disgraced.
FOOTNOTES
1.As you increase my greatness, so will I increase your praise (Metzudot).
Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, beginning of Epistle 4
• Lessons in Tanya
• Today's Tanya Lesson
• Wednesday, 13 AV , 5776 · 17 August 2016
• Iggeret HaKodesh, beginning of Epistle 4
• אין ישראל נגאלין אלא בצדקה, שנאמר: ושביה בצדקה
“Israel shall be redeemed only by virtue of tzedakah,”1 as it is written,2 “And her repatriates [shall be redeemed] through tzedakah.”
Tzedakah, whose root connotes both “righteousness” and “charity”, thus brings about the redemption of the Jewish people from exile and their ultimate return to Zion. The same root appears in the next verse to be quoted:
כתיב: צדק לפניו יהלך
It is written:3 “Tzedek shall go (yehaleich) before Him.”
והוה ליה למימר: ילך
Now, one should have expected the verse to say yeileich.
Yehaleich, by contrast, is a causative form of the verb, seeming to imply that righteousness or charity causes some otherentity to “go before Him.”
אך הענין על פי מה שכתוב: לך אמר לבי, בקשו פני
This concept may be understood by considering the verse,4 “In Your behalf my heart says, ‘Seek My face.’”
As Rashi explains it, the simple meaning of the verse is that “On Your behalf and as Your messenger my heart tells me to seek out Your face” (i.e., G‑d’s inwardness, or innermost essence, for the word פנים is related to both meanings, “face” and “interior”). And in this spirit the verse concludes: “Your countenance, G‑d, do I seek”; i.e., “I am indeed doing so: I am seeking Your countenance.”
However, if panai does in fact refer to G‑d’s countenance and inwardness, why would it be necessary to conclude, “Your countenance, G‑d, do I seek”? Surely it would suffice to say, “Your countenance do I seek,” since we have already been informed that we are speaking of G‑d’s countenance.
The Alter Rebbe therefore explains that the word panai (“my face”) refers to the inwardness of the Jewish heart, whilepanecha (“Your countenance”) refers to the inwardness of G‑d.
פירוש: בקשו פנימית הלב
This means [that man is being urged to] “seek the inwardness of the heart,” that hidden element within his own heart that must be sought after if it is to be revealed.
כי הנה בלהב יסוד האש האלקית שבלב
For in the flame of the Element of the Divine Fire that is in the heart, i.e., within the soul’s ardent love of G‑d which derives from the Element of Fire within the soul, as mentioned in Tanya, Part I, ch. 3,
(נוסח אחר: הנה בהלב [יסוד האש האלקית שבלב])
(5A variant reading: “For in the heart, the Element of Divine Fire within the heart,”)
יש ב׳ בחינות: בחינת חיצוניות ובחינת פנימיות
there are two aspects: the aspect of chitzoniyut (“outwardness”, i.e., externality, as opposed to essence) and the aspect of pnimiyut (“inwardness”).
חיצוניות הלב היא התלהבות, המתלהבת מבחינת הבינה והדעת בגדולת ה׳ אין סוף ברוך הוא
The chitzoniyut of the heart is the ardent [love] that flares up on account of one’s understanding and knowledge of the greatness of G‑d, the blessed Ein Sof,
[להתבונן] בגדולתו, ולהוליד מתבונה זו אהבה עזה כרשפי אש וכו׳
by meditating6 on His greatness, and from this contemplation giving birth to a strong love resembling7“flashes of fire.”
This, then, is the chitzoniyut, the external level, of the G‑dly soul: a revealed love of G‑d in one’s heart which results from meditation on G‑d’s greatness.
ופנימיות הלב היא הנקודה שבפנימיות הלב ועומקא דליבא
And the pnimiyut of the heart is the innermost point in the heart — the depth of the heart,
שהיא למעלה מעלה מבחינת הדעת והתבונה, שיוכל האדם להתבונן בלבו בגדולת ה׳
which transcends by far the categories of knowledge and understanding with which man can meditate in his heart on G‑d’s greatness.
Unaided, man would never be able to achieve such a profound love through meditation alone; it is granted to the soul as a gift, as will soon be explained, and man’s task is to search and discover it within himself.
וכמו שכתוב: ממעמקים קראתיך ה׳, מעומקא דליבא
As it is written:8 “From out of the depths do I call unto You, O G‑d”; [i.e.,] from the depths of the heart.9
“Depths” appears in the plural, for the heart harbors depths, with yet profounder depths beyond.
(ועל דרך משל: כמו במילי דעלמא, לפעמים יש ענין גדול מאד מאד, שכל חיות האדם תלוי בו, ונוגע עד נקודת פנימיות הלב, ועד בכלל
(By way of analogy, there is a parallel in worldly matters. Sometimes there is an extremely important matter upon which a man’s entire vitality hinges; it touches him as far as — and including — the innermost point of his heart,
וגורם לו לפעמים לעשות מעשים ולדבר דברים שלא בדעת כלל)
causing him to do things and say things without any reason whatever),10 for it touches the essence of his soul that transcends logic and reason.
וזה לעומת זה
And11 “the one corresponds to the other”:
The spiritual realm corresponds to the physical. Just as worldly affairs sometimes touch a person so strongly that he acts without reason:
ככה הוא ממש בעבודה שבלב
It is precisely so with the “service of the heart.” A Jew’s love for G‑d may be so great that it touches his soul’s essence which utterly transcends logic and reason.
והיינו לפי שבחינת נקודת פנימית הלב היא למעלה מבחינת הדעת המתפשט ומתלבש במדות שנולדו מחב״ד, כנודע
As is known, this is because the innermost point of the heart transcends the faculty of reason which extends and vests itself in the emotive attributes born of ChaBaD, i.e., born of the three intellectual stages — wisdom, understanding, knowledge — that together constitute the intellectual process called ChaBaD.
רק היא בחינת הארת חכמה עליונה, שלמעלה מהבינה והדעת
Rather, [the pnimiyut of the heart] is a radiation from the supreme Chochmah, which transcends Binahand Daat,
ובה מלובש וגנוז אור ה׳ ממש
and in this [supreme Chochmah] there is vested and concealed the actual light of G‑d;
כמו שכתוב: ה׳ בחכמה גו׳
as it is written,12 “By wisdom (Chochmah) G‑d [founded the earth].”
The two quoted Hebrew words literally mean, “G‑d [is] in Chochmah”; i.e., G‑d’s infinite light is clothed in Chochmah.
והיא היא בחינת ניצוץ אלקות שבכל נפש מישראל
And this is precisely the spark of Divinity in every soul of Israel.13
It is this Divine spark, utterly transcending reason, that gives birth to the love of G‑d in the pnimiyut of the heart, that likewise transcends all reason.14
A question arises: Since this love emanates from the Divine spark found within the soul of all Jews, why do they not allattain this level of Divine service?
ומה שאין כל אדם זוכה למדרגה זו, לעבודה שבלב מעומקא דליבא בבחינת פנימיות
The reason that not every person merits this rank in the service of the heart — service from the depth of the heart in a state of pnimiyut —
היינו לפי שבחינה זו היא אצלו בבחינת גלות ושביה
is that within him this faculty is in a state of exile and captivity.
והיא בחינת גלות השכינה ממש
And this is actually the state of the exile of the Shechinah,
כי היא היא בחינת ניצוץ האלקות שבנפשו האלקית
for it is precisely the [Shechinah] which is the spark of Divinity that is in one’s Divine soul.
Thus, when the “spark” is in exile, the Shechinah is in exile as well. Moreover, being in exile, the spark cannot rouse the soul to serve G‑d with the loftier manner of love that stems from the innermost depths of the heart.
וסבת הגלות הוא מאמר רז״ל: גלו לבבל, שכינה עמהם
The cause of the exile of the Divine spark of the soul is,15 as in the words of our Sages, of blessed memory:16“When [the Jewish people] were exiled to Babylon, the Shechinah went with them.”
In terms of the individual sparks of the soul this means that when a spark is in a state of “Babylon” — i.e., when an individual acts in a “Babylonian” manner — then the Shechinah is in exile together with him.
דהיינו, מפני שהלביש בחינת פנימית נקודת לבבו בזה לעומת זה
This is so because he has vested the innermost point of his heart in [that aspect of the universe which is] the opposing counterpart [to holiness],
דהיינו, בלבושים צואים דמילי דעלמא ותאות עולם הזה, הנקרא בשם בבל
namely, in the soiled garments — mundane matters and worldly desires — which are known as “Babylon”.
He has thereby banished the Divine spark within his soul — the personal Shechinah within himself, so to speak — to this all-pervasive “Babylon”.
והיא בחינת ערלה המכסה על הברית ונקודה הפנימית שבלב
This [exile] corresponds to the “foreskin” that covers the covenant and the innermost point of the heart.
ועל זה נאמר: ומלתם את ערלת לבבכם
Of this it is written,17 “And you shall excise the foreskin of your heart.”
In principle, the spiritual service of circumcision is that of repentance.18 With regard to exile our Sages teach that19 “if Israel repent they will be immediately redeemed.” Repentance thus leads to the redemption (on a personal scale) of the Divine spark within each individual soul, and (on a cosmic scale) of the Shechinah, from their respective exiles. In spiritual terms, the act of circumcision likewise removes a veil of concealment, and allows the innermost point of the heart to be revealed.
והנה במילה יש שני בחינות: מילה ופריעה
Now, in circumcision there are two stages: milah (“excision”) and periah (“uncovering”),
שהן ערלה גסה וקליפה דקה
[which remove respectively] the coarse foreskin and the thin membrane.
וכן בערלת הלב יש גם כן תאות גסות ודקות
With respect to the “foreskin” of the heart, which the Torah commands us similarly to circumcise, there are likewise coarse and subtle desires, corresponding to the two grades of skin.
מילה ופריעה
[These two grades of worldly desire respectively require] milah and periah,
ומל ולא פרע כאלו לא מל
and20 “if one performed milah (‘circumcision’) without periah (‘uncovering’), it is as if he had not circumcised,”
Just as this is the law with regard to actual circumcision, so too is it true when it comes to circumcising the desires of the heart: if a person removes only his coarse desires and does not proceed to remove the subtler ones as well, it is as if he had not circumcised his heart at all,
מפני שסוף סוף עדיין נקודת פנימית הלב היא מכוסה בלבוש שק דק
because, after all is said and done, the innermost point of the heart is still covered by a garment of thin sackcloth [of kelipah];
בבחינת גלות ושביה
it is in a state of exile and captivity.
And there it will remain — until the individual redeems it by performing a spiritual periah, and removing his subtler desires as well.
והנה על מילת הערלה ממש, כתיב: ומלתם את ערלת לבבכם, אתם בעצמכם
Now, concerning the excision of the foreskin itself it is written: “And you — yourselves — shall excise the foreskin of your heart.”
Each and every Jew is able to remove this himself, for repentance tears down the veil with which his desires obscure the innermost point of his heart.
אך להסיר הקליפה הדקה, זהו דבר הקשה על האדם
But the removal of the thin membrane is a difficult matter for man,
ועל זה נאמר בביאת המשיח: ומל ה׳ אלקיך את לבבך גו׳, לאהבה את ה׳ אלקיך בכל לבבך ובכל נפשך למען חייך
and of this it is written21 that with the coming of Mashiach, “The L‑rd your G‑d will circumcise your heart, to love the L‑rd your G‑d with all your heart and all your soul, for the sake of your life,”
כלומר, למען כי ה׳ לבדו הוא כל חייך ממש
because G‑d alone is literally your whole life.
In this state, the individual’s love of G‑d will not be a mere manifestation of his soul, but a love that constitutes his very life. And just as a person does not regard his life as being something apart from himself, so too will this love not be sensed as a distinct entity, but as an intrinsic component of himself.
שלכן אהבה זו היא מעומקא דליבא, מנקודה פנימית ממש כנ״ל, ולמעלה מבחינת הדעת
That is why this love, the love that follows the Divine excision of the heart’s thin membrane, stems from the depth of the heart, from the truly innermost point, as mentioned above, and transcends the faculty of Daat.
ולכן משיח בא בהיסח הדעת לכללות ישראל
Therefore, too, Mashiach will come when Israel in general are22 “caught unawares.”
והיא גילוי בחינת נקודה פנימית הכללית
[His coming] is the manifestation of the innermost point which is universal [to all Jews],
ויציאת השכינה הכללית מהגלות והשביה, לעד ולעולמי עולמים
and [likewise] the emergence of the universal Shechinah [of the entire community of Israel] from exile and captivity forever more.
Just as each individual’s Divine spark — his personal Shechinah, so to speak — is redeemed from captivity through means that transcend reason and Daat, in such a manner too will the universal Shechinah, and with it the entire House of Israel, be redeemed.
Thus, the ultimate circumcision of the heart, and in its wake the ultimate manifestation of the love of G‑d, will take place when Mashiach comes. Nevertheless, it is possible even now to liberate one’s personal Shechinah — one’s Divine spark — at least on a temporary basis, during the time of prayer. This the Alter Rebbe now goes on to say.
וכן כל ניצוץ פרטי מהשכינה שבנפש כל אחד מישראל
Similarly, every particular spark of the Shechinah, inherent in the soul of every individual Jew,
יוצאת מהגלות והשביה לפי שעה
emerges for the moment from exile and captivity
בחיי שעה, זו תפלה
during that23 “momentary life which is prayer” —
ועבודה שבלב מעומקא דלבא
during the service of his heart, from the depth of his heart,
מבחינת נקודה הפנימית הנגלית מהערלה
from the innermost point which becomes divested of the [concealing] “foreskin”—
ועולה למעלה לדבקה בו בתשוקה עזה
and soars upwards to cleave to Him with a fierce passion,
בבחינת למען חייך
in the spirit of the phrase, “for the sake of your life,” for the individual senses that G‑dliness is his entire life.
והוא גם כן בבחינת היסח דעת האדם
And [in] this, too — in this momentary deliverance of the innermost point of the heart during the service of prayer — a man may be considered to be in a state of hessech daat, “unaware” or “absentminded”, so to speak,
כי בחינה זו היא למעלה מדעת האדם והתבוננותו בגדולת ה׳
for this state, the state in which the Divine spark within man, his personal Shechinah, is momentarily revealed, transcends the Daat of man and his meditation on the greatness of G‑d.
רק היא בחינת מתנה נתונה מאת ה׳ מן השמים
Rather, it is a kind of gift granted by G‑d from heaven
מהארת בחינת פנים העליונים
from the radiation of the Supernal Countenance,
שכתוב: יאר ה׳ פניו אליך
as it is written,24 “May G‑d make His countenance shine upon you,”
וכמו שכתוב: ומל ה׳ אלקיך גו׳
and as it is written, “And the L‑rd, your G‑d, will circumcise i.e., remove the insensitivity of [your heart]” — and this is a state which exists even now on a temporary basis.
אך מודעת זאת כי אתערותא דלעילא היא באתערותא דלתתא דוקא
But it is well known that an arousal from above comes only in response to an arousal from below,
A man’s soul is stimulated from above only in response to the spiritual service that he initiates here below. Even an effusion of Divine benevolence that comes exclusively from above, and can neither be brought into being nor drawn down by man’s service alone, also awaits a previous arousal from below,
בבחינת העלאת מיין נוקבין
as an elevation of mayin nukvin; i.e., by an arousal of the “feminine waters” by which the recipient elicits the mayin dechurin — the downward flow (“masculine waters”) — emanating from the Giver.
כמו שאמרו רז״ל: אין טיפה יורדת מלמעלה כו׳
As our Sages, of blessed memory, said:25 “No drop [of rain] descends from above [without two corresponding drops first ascending from below].”
ולכן צריך האדם לעשות בעצמו תחלת מילה זו
A man must therefore perform the beginning of this milah by himself,
להסיר ערלת הלב וקליפה הגסה ודקה, המלבישות ומכסות על בחינת נקודת פנימית הלב
to remove the “foreskin” of the heart and the coarse and thin husks which clothe and cover its innermost point,
שהיא בחינת אהבת ה׳ בחינת למען חייך, שהיא בגלות בתאוות עולם הזה
this [innermost point being] a love of G‑d in the spirit of the phrase, “for the sake of your life” — i.e., a love that springs from an awareness that G‑dliness is the person’s entire life — [this love of G‑d being] in exile among the desires of this world.
שהם גם כן בבחינת למען חייך
These [physical desires] likewise exist in the spirit of the phrase, “for the sake of your life,”
בזה לעומת זה, כנ״ל
in [that aspect of the universe which is] the opposing counterpart [to holiness], as mentioned above.
It is thus possible for an individual to be so dedicated to his passions and desires that they are his entire life. For just as this state exists in holiness, it also has its counterpart in the opposite direction, whereby one is immersed in desires to the innermost core of his heart and being.
והיינו על ידי נתינת הצדקה לה׳ מממונו, שהוא חיותו
And this [removal of the spiritual foreskin] is achieved by giving charity to G‑d from one’s money, which is his vitality,
It has been noted earlier, in Part I, ch. 37, that since money enables a man to purchase life’s essentials, parting with it in favor of charitable ends is equated to giving his “very vitality” to G‑d,
ובפרט מי שמזונותיו מצומצמים, ודחיקא ליה שעתא טובא
especially with a person whose income is limited and who is very hard pressed at the time,
שנותן מחייו ממש
for — when he gives — he gives of his very life.
ובפרטות אם נהנה מיגיע כפיו
This is especially so if he supports himself by the toil of his hands.
שאי אפשר שלא עסק בהם פעמים רבות בבחינת נקודת פנימית הלב, מעומקא דלבא
For it is impossible that in his work he did not often involve “the innermost point of the heart,” the depth of his heart,
כמנהג העולם בעסקיהם במשא ומתן, וכהאי גוונא
as is the way of the world when people are occupied with business and the like.
והרי עתה הפעם כשמפזר מיגיעו
Thus, now that he disburses the fruits of his toil unstintingly, despite his circumstances,
ונותן לה׳ בשמחה ובטוב לבב
and gives unto G‑d with joy and with a gladsome heart,
הנה בזה פודה נפשו משחת
he thereby redeems his soul from the pit.26
דהיינו בחינת נקודת פנימית לבבו, שהיתה בבחינת גלות ושביה בתוך הקליפה גסה או דקה
That is, [he redeems] the innermost point of his heart which was in a state of exile and captivity within the coarse or thin kelipah.
כמו שכתוב: מכל משמר נצור לבך
For thus it is written:27 “Guard your heart with the greatest vigilance” (lit., “Guard your heart from everymishmar”),
משמר, פירוש: בית האסורים
“mishmar” meaning a prison.
The verse is thus exhorting us to “guard our hearts from being imprisoned and exiled in kelipot and desires.”
ועתה נפדה מהחיצונים בצדקה זו
Thus, through present charity, [the innermost point of the heart] is now redeemed from the forces of evil in which it had been imprisoned.
וזה גם כן לשון פריעה: ענין פריעת חוב, שנתחייב ונשתעבד לחיצונים שמשלו בו על נקודת פנימיות לבבו
This also explains the term periah, which suggests28 periat chov (“removing a debt”), for [the individual in question] had become indebted and subjected to the forces of evil that had ruled within him over the innermost point of his heart.
וזהו: ושביה בצדקה
Through this we can understand the meaning of [the above-quoted phrase], “and her (former spiritual)captives29 [shall be redeemed] through tzedakah.”
| FOOTNOTES | |
| 1. | Rambam, Hilchot Matnot Aniyim, beginning of ch. 10. On the source and wording of this teaching, see the note of the Rebbe at the conclusion of Epistle 9. |
| 2. | Yeshayahu 1:27. |
| 3. | Tehillim 85:14. |
| 4. | Ibid. 27:8. |
| 5. | Parentheses and brackets are in the original text. |
| 6. | According to a variant reading, להתבוננן would mean “by making them meditate.” |
| 7. | Cf. Shir HaShirim 8:6. |
| 8. | Tehillim 130:1. |
| 9. | Zohar II, 63b. |
| 10. | The parentheses close here in the original text. However, the Rebbe points out that they should in fact close further on, after the words, “in every soul of Israel.” |
| 11. | Kohelet 7:14. |
| 12. | Mishlei 3:19. |
| 13. | See note 10, above. |
| 14. | “Cf. Tanya, Part I, ch. 19.” ( — Note of the Rebbe.) |
| 15. | “It would seem that the text should read, כמאמר — ‘as our Sages.’ ” ( — Note of the Rebbe.) |
| 16. | Megillah 29a. |
| 17. | Devarim 10:16. The same Hebrew word means both “excision” and “circumcision”. |
| 18. | See Sefer HaLikkutim Dach: Tzemach Tzedek, s.v. Milah. |
| 19. | Sanhedrin 98a; Rambam, Hilchot Teshuvah 7:5. |
| 20. | Mishnah, Shabbat 137b. |
| 21. | Devarim 30:6. |
| 22. | Sanhedrin 97a. The phrase היסח הדעת commonly implies that Daat is absent because it has been forgotten; the Alter Rebbe’s interpretation makes Daat absent because it has been transcended. |
| 23. | See Shabbat 10a. |
| 24. | Bamidbar 6:25. |
| 25. | Zohar III, 247b; cf. Taanit 25b. |
| 26. | Cf. Iyov 33:28. |
| 27. | Mishlei 4:23. |
| 28. | “See Tikkunei Zohar, Tikkun 37: ‘And the blood from the periah to provide nurture.’ Similarly at the conclusion of Tikkun 24. See also Sefer HaMitzvot by the Tzemach Tzedek, Mitzvat Eglah Arufah; Levush on Yoreh Deah 265:10.” ( — Note of the Rebbe.) |
| 29. | The Hebrew ושביה can mean either “her returning expatriates” or “her captives.” |
• Wednesday, 13 AV , 5776 · 17 August 2016
• Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work
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.
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.
• Rambam - 1 Chapter a Day
Parah Adummah - Chapter 7
• Parah Adummah - Chapter 7Parah Adummah - Chapter 7
1
The performance of work disqualifies water that was drawn for the ashes of the red heifer before it is sanctified, but it does not disqualify the sprinkling of the ashes. These rulings are stated in the Oral Tradition.
What is implied? If one draws water for sanctification with the ashes and was involved with another activity while drawing it, carrying the water that was drawn, or pouring it from one container to another, he disqualifies it.
The performance of an activity disqualifies the water until the ashes are placed on it. If one placed the ashes on the water and sanctified it, causing it to be fit for sprinkling, the performance of another activity does not disqualify it. If one carries sanctified water from place to place or pours it from one container to another while being occupied with another activity, it is of no consequence. This also applies if one sprinkles it with one hand and performs an activity with the other hand.
א
המלאכה פוסלת במים קודם שיתקדשו ואינה פוסלת בהזאה ודברים אלו הן דברי קבלה כיצד הממלא מים לקידוש ונתעסק במלאכה אחרת בשעת המילוי או בשעת הולכת המים שממלא או בעת שמערה אותן מכלי אל כלי פסלן לעולם המלאכה פוסלת במים עד שיטיל להן את האפר הטיל את האפר ונתקדשו ונעשו מי נדה אין המלאכה פוסלת בהן אלא המוליך המים המוקדשין או מערה אותן מכלי לכלי והוא עוסק במלאכה אחרת אין בכך כלום וכן מזה מהן בידו אחת והוא עושה מלאכה בידו האחרת:
2
The payment of a wage disqualifies the sanctification of the water and the sprinkling of it, but it does not disqualify the drawing of it.
What is implied? When one takes a wage for sanctifying the water for the ashes of the red heifer or sprinkling it, the water is considered as the water of a cavern and the ashes, as ashes from a range, which are of no halachic significance. One may, however, take a wage for drawing the water or transporting it. One should sanctify it without charge and the one who sprinkles it, should sprinkle it without charge.
If the one sanctifying or sprinkling the water was old and unable to walk and an impure person came and asked him to go with him to a distant place to sanctify such water or sprinkle it, he may have him ride on a donkey and pay him a wage as befits an unemployed worker who had previously worked at that profession. Similarly, if he was a priest and because he would accompany him, he would contract an impurity that prevents him from partaking of terumah, he should feed him, give him beverages, and oil to anoint himself during the time he travels with him to sanctify or sprinkle the water. If he causes him to cease working, he should pay him a wage as befits an unemployed worker who had previously worked at that profession.
The rationale is that all of these considerations are not wages he is being paid for sanctifying or sprinkling the water, for he did not profit at all. He only took compensation for what he lost.
ב
השכר פסול בקידוש ובהזייה ואינו פוסל במילוי כיצד הנוטל שכרו לקדש מי חטאת או להזות מהן הרי אותן המים כמי המערה והאפר כאפר מקלה שאינו כלום אבל נוטל הוא שכר למלאות המים או להוליכן ומקדשין אותן בחנם ומזה מהן המזה בחנם היה המקדש או המזה זקן שאינו יכול להלך על רגליו ובא הטמא וביקש ממנו להלוך עמו במקום רחוק לקדש או להזות ה"ז מרכיבו על החמור ונותן שכרו כפועל בטל שבטל מאותה מלאכה שביטלו ממנה וכן אם היה כהן והיה טמא בטומאה המונעתו מלאכול תרומתו בעת שילך עמו להזות או לקדש ה"ז מאכילו ומשקהו וסכו ואם ביטלו ממלאכה נותן לו שכרו כפועל בטל של אותה מלאכה שכל אלו הדברים אינן שכר שנשתכר בקידוש או בהזאה שהרי לא הרויח כלום ולא נטל אלא כנגד מה שהפסיד:
3
When a person draws water with one hand and performs work with his other hand, the water is unacceptable. Similarly, if he drew water for himself and for another person or he drew water for two people at the same time, both are unacceptable. For drawing water is considered as work. Thus during each of the drawings of water, it is as if he performed another task at that time. And we have already stated that the performance of an activity disqualifies the drawing of water, whether one draws for himself or for others.
ג
הממלא באחת ידו ועושה מלאכה בידו האחרת או הממלא לו ולאחר או שמילא לשנים כאחת שניהן פסולין שהמילוי מלאכה ונמצא כל מילוי משניהם כאילו עשה עמו מלאכה אחרת וכבר הודענו שהמלאכה פוסלת במילוי בין שמילא לעצמו בין שמילא לאחרים:
4
When a person draws water for the ashes of the red heifer for others - even if he filled one thousand barrels one after the other for one thousand different people - they are all acceptable. Each person should take his water and sanctify it.
The following rules apply if one drew water for himself, one barrel after another. If he intended to collect all the water in one container, cast the ashes upon it, and sanctify all at once, it is all acceptable, for it is all considered as one drawing of water. If, however, he intended to sanctify every barrel individually, they are all unacceptable except for the last one. The rationale is that the first becomes disqualified due to the work - i.e., the drawing of the second barrel - that was performed before it was sanctified. Similarly, the second is disqualified by the drawing of the third. Thus it is only the last which is acceptable.
ד
הממלא לאחרים אפילו מילא אלף חביות זו אחר זו לאלף בני אדם כולן כשרים וכל אחד מהן נוטל המים שלו ומקדשן מילא לעצמו חבית אחר חבית אם נתכוון לקבץ כל החביות לכלי אחד ולהשליך עליהן את האפר ומקדשן קידוש אחד כולן כשרים שהכל מילוי אחד הוא אבל אם נתכוון לקדש כל חבית וחבית בפני עצמה כולן פסולין חוץ מן האחרונה שהראשונה נפסלת במלאכה שעשה קודם שיקדש והוא מילוי השניה וכן השניה נפסלת במילוי השלישית ואין כשירה אלא אחרונה:
5
When five people fill five barrels with spring water to sanctify them for five different sanctifications, e.g., they intended to cast the ashes on each one individually and then changed their minds and decided to mix them all together and sanctify them at once; alternatively, they filled the barrels to sanctify them all in one container and then changed their minds and decided to sanctify each of the five independently, they are all acceptable, because the person drawing the water did not become involved in drawing other water afterwards. When, by contrast, an individual fills five barrels to sanctify each of the five independently, only the last one is acceptable,
If he filled the barrels to sanctify all the water in one container and he changed his mind and sanctified each of the five individually, only the one that he sanctified first is acceptable. Similarly, if a person told a colleague: "Sanctify these for yourself," only the bucket that is sanctified first is acceptable. If, however, he told him: "Sanctify these for me," they are all acceptable, because they were all filled to be sanctified in one container. Even though he changed his mind and decided to sanctify each of the five individually, he himself did not perform the sanctification, someone else did.
ה
חמשה שמלאו חמש חביות לקדשם חמשה קידושים כגון שישליך האפר על כל אחת ואחת בפני עצמו ונמלכו לערבן ולקדשן כולן קידוש אחד או שמלאום לקדשן קידוש אחד ונמלכו לקדשן חמשה קידושין כולן כשרין שהרי לא נתעסק הממלא במילוי אחר אבל היחיד שמילא חמש חביות לקדשם חמשה קידושין אף ע"פ שחזר ונמלך לקדשן קידוש אחד אין כשר אלא אחרון מלאן לקדשן קידוש אחד ונמלך לקדשן חמשה קידושין אין כשר אלא זה שקידש בתחלה וכן אם אמר לאחר קדש לך את אלו אין כשר אלא זו שנתקדשה מהן בתחלה אבל אם אמר לו קדש לי את אלו הרי כולן כשרין שהרי לקידוש אחד מלאן ואף על פי שנמלך עליה לקדשה חמשה קידושין הרי לא קידש הוא אלא אחר קידש לו:
6
When a person seeks to draw water to sanctify it and other water for his own purposes, he should draw the water he desires for his own purposes first and tie the barrels and load them behind him. Afterwards, he fills the buckets he intended to use for the water for the ashes of the red heifer so that he will not be involved in any work after drawing it. He places it in front of him, and proceeds.
ו
הרוצה למלאות מים לקדשן ומים אחרים לצרכיו ממלא את של צרכיו תחלה וקושרן וטוענן לאחוריו ואחר כך ממלא את של חטאת כדי שלא יתעסק במלאכה אחר המילוי ונותנם לפניו והולך:
7
The following laws apply when two people were drawing water individually and one helped the other lift his water to load it on his back or one removed a thorn from the other's hand or body when he was drawing the water. If they both drew the water to sanctify it in a single container, all of the water is acceptable. If each of them drew the water to sanctify it independently, the one who helped his colleague lift his water or removed the thorn, disqualified his own water.
ז
שנים שהיו ממלאין כל אחד ואחד לעצמו והגביהו זה על זה ונטל זה לזה קוץ מידו או מגופו בשעת מילואו אם מלאו שניהם לקידוש אחד המים כשרים ואם מלאו לקדש כל אחד לעצמו זה שהגביה או הוציא את הקוץ פסל מימיו:
8
When a person borrows a rope to draw water for the ashes of the red heifer, draws the water, takes the rope in his hand, and the water on his shoulders, and meets the owner of the rope while he is on his way, the water remains acceptable even though he give him the rope while he is walking. If he went out of his way to bring the rope to its owner, he disqualified the water.
ח
השואל חבל למלאות בו ומילא ונטל החבל בידיו ומימיו על כתפו ופגע בבעלים בדרכו ונתן להן את החבל כשהוא מהלך כשרין ואם יצא מן הדרך כדי להוליך החבל לבעלים פסל את המים:
9
If someone who was drawing water for the ashes of the red heifer cast the rope he used to draw the water on the ground and after he drew the water gathered the rope in his hand, he disqualified the water. If, while drawing the water, he gathered the rope, winding it around his hand, the water is acceptable.
ט
מי שהיה ממלא ומשליך החבל שמילא בו על הארץ ואחר שמילא חזר וקבץ על ידו פסלן ואם היה דולה ומקבץ לתוך ידו המים כשרים:
10
When one was drawing water with a small jug and pouring the water into a larger barrel and he put aside the larger barrel so that it would not break while he was drawing the water or he turned it upside down to dry it so he could fill it, the water is acceptable, for these activities were performed for the sake of drawing the water. If, however, before sanctifying the water he had drawn, he set the barrel aside or dried it to transport the water he would sanctify, he disqualified the water, because he performed a task that was not for the purpose of drawing the water. Similar laws apply when one who was drawing water and pouring the water into a trough within a stone removed shards from the trough while filling it. If his intent was so that the trough would hold more water, the water is acceptable, for this is considered as for the purpose of drawing water. If his intent is that the shards should prevent the water from flowing out when he seeks to draw off the water with which he filled the trough, the water is unacceptable.
י
הממלא ונותן לחבית עד שימלאנה מים והצניע את החבית שלא תשבר בשעה שהיה ממלא או שכפאה על פיה על מנת לנגבה למלאות בה כשר שזה מצורך המילוי הוא אבל אם הצניעה או נגבה כדי להוליך בה את הקידוש פסל שהרי עשה מלאכה שאינה לצורך המילוי וכן הממלא ונותן לשוקת ופינה חרסית מן השוקת בשעת מילוי אם בשביל שתחזיק מים רבים כשרים שהרי זו צורך המילוי ואם בשביל שלא יהיו החרסין מעכבין אותו בשעה שהוא זולף את המים שמילא בשוקת הרי אלו פסולין:
11
The following rules apply when a person thinks of filling a bucket of water to drink and changes his mind and decides to use the water for the ashes of the red heifer]. If he changed his mind before the bucket reached the water, he must pour the water out, but he does not have to dry out the bucket. If he changed his mind after the bucket reached the water, he must pour it out and he must dry it. Only afterwards, may he fill it with water for the ashes of the red heifer.
If he lowered the bucket towards the water with the intent of using the water to drink and the rope broke away from his hand, if he changed his mind before the bucket reached the water, he must pour the water out, but he does not have to dry out the bucket. If he changed his mind while the bucket was still in the water and intended to use the water for the ashes of the red heifer, he must pour it out, but does not have to dry the bucket.
When a person drew water to use for the ashes of the red heifer and, after drawing it, thought to drink it, the water is disqualified from the time he inclined the container to drink from it, even though he did not drink from it at all.
יא
הממלא דלי לשתות ונמלך וחישב עליו למי חטאת אם עד שלא הגיע הדלי למים חישב מערה וא"צ לנגב ואם משהגיע הדלי למים חישב מערה וצריך לנגב ואחר כך ימלא בו לחטאת שלשל הדלי ונפסק החבל מידו אם עד שלא הגיע הדלי למים חישב עליו מערה וא"צ לנגב נמלך והוא עודהו בתוך המים וחישב עליו למי חטאת מערה ואינו צריך לנגב מים שמלאן למי חטאת ואחר שנתמלא חישב עליהן לשתותן כשיטה את הכלי לשתות פסל המים אע"פ שלא שתה מהן כלום:
Zechiyah uMattanah - Chapter One, Zechiyah uMattanah - Chapter Two, Zechiyah uMattanah - Chapter Three
• Zechiyah uMattanah - Chapter One
The purpose of these laws is to determine how a person acquires an ownerless article and the processes that he employs. They also explain the rules governing one who gives a gift and one who receives, and which gift is retracted and which is not.
All these laws are explained in the chapters that follow.
1
Whoever takes hold of ownerless property acquires it. Any objects found naturally in deserts, rivers and streams - e.g., grass, trees, wild fruit and the like - are ownerless. Whoever first takes hold of such an object acquires it.
א
ההפקר כל המחזיק בו זכה וכן המדברות והנהרות והנחלים כל שבהן הפקר וכל הקודם בהן זכה כגון העשבים והעצים והפירות של אילנות של יער וכיוצא בהן:
2
When a person catches fish in a sea or in a river, and similarly, when he catches fowl, or various wild beasts, since they are ownerless, he acquires them. He may not, however, hunt in a field belonging to a colleague. Nevertheless, if he snares an animal there, he acquires it.
If fish - or wild beasts or fowl - are in vivariums belonging to another person, they belong to the owner of the vivarium. A person who snares an animal there is considered to be a robber. This applies even if the vivarium is large and effort is required to snare the animal.
ב
הצד דגים מן הימים ומן הנהרות או שצד עופות או מיני חיות הואיל ואין להם בעלים זכה ובלבד שלא יצוד בשדה חבירו ואם צד שם קנה ואם היו הדגים בביברים של בעלים וכן חיה ועוף שבביברים אע"פ שהוא ביבר גדול והוא מחוסר צידה הרי זה של בעל הביברים והצד משם הרי זה גזלן:
3
However, when a person takes a fish from the net of a colleague at sea, or takes a beast from a snare of a colleague set in the desert, this is prohibited by virtue of Rabbinic decree. If the snare could be considered to be a container, and the person took the fish or the animal from the container, he is considered to be a robber.
ג
אבל הלוקח דגים מתוך מצודתו של חבירו כשהוא בתוך הים או שלקח חיה ממצודתו כשהיא פרוסה במדבר הרי זו אסור מדברי סופרים ואם היה המצודה כלי ולקח מתוך המצודה הרי זה גזלן:
4
When a person spreads out a snare in a field belonging to a colleague, and traps a beast or a fowl, he acquires it, even though he does not have permission to do this. If the owner of the field was standing in the field at the time the animal was trapped, and said: "My field acquires this on my behalf," the owner of the field acquires it, and the owner of the snare does not acquire anything.
ד
הפורס מצודה בשדה חבירו וצד בה חיה או עוף אף על פי שאין לו רשות לעשות דבר זה קנה ואם היה עומד בעל השדה בתוך שדהו ואמר זכתה לי שדי קנה בעל השדה ואין לבעל המצודה כלום:
5
When fish jump into a boat, they become acquired by the owner of the boat, for the boat is considered to be a protected courtyard. It is not considered to be a moving courtyard, because the boat does not move on its own. It is the water that moves it.
ה
דגים שקפצו לתוך הספינה קנה בעל הספינה שזו כחצר המשתמרת היא ואינה חצר המהלכת שהמים הן שמוליכין אותה ואינה הולכת מחמת עצמה:
6
When a convert dies without having fathered a Jew after his conversion, he has no heirs. Instead, the first person who takes hold of his property acquires it. A neighbor does not have the right to buy the property from the person who took hold of it, because this is considered to be a gift.
ו
גר שמת ולא הוליד ישראל אחר שנתגייר אין לו יורשין אלא כל הקודם והחזיק בנכסיו זכה ואין בעל המצר יכול לסלקו בדמים שזו כמתנה היא:
7
The following laws apply when there are two fields in an estate that belong to a convert, with one boundary marker between them. If a person manifests ownership over one of the fields with the intent of acquiring it, he acquires it. If he manifests ownership over it with the intent of acquiring both it and the other field, he acquires the field over which he manifested ownership, but he does not acquire the other field.
If he manifests ownership over one field with the intent of acquiring only the other field, he does not acquire either of them. He does not acquire the field over which he did not manifest ownership because he did not manifest ownership over it. He does not acquire the field over which he did manifest ownership because he did not manifest ownership with the intent of acquiring it.
If he manifests ownership over one field with the intent of acquiring it, the other field and the boundary marker between them, or if he manifests ownership over the boundary marker with the intent of acquiring both fields, there is an unresolved doubt with regard to the matter. If another person comes and manifests ownership over one of the fields itself with the intent of acquiring it, the latter person becomes the legal owner.
ז
שתי שדות בנכסי הגר ומצר אחד ביניהן החזיק באחת מהן לקנותה קנאה החזיק בה לקנות אותה ואת חברתה זו שהחזיק בה קנה אבל חברתה לא קנה החזיק בה כדי לקנות את חברתה לא קנה אחת מהן חברתה מפני שלא החזיק בה ואותה מפני שלא החזיק בה כדי לקנותה החזיק בה כדי לקנותה ולקנות את חברתה ואת המצר שביניהן או שהחזיק במצר לקנות שתיהן הרי זה ספק ואם בא אחד והחזיק בה כדי לקנותה זכה האחרון:
8
Similarly, when two houses are located one within the other, if a person manifests ownership over one of the houses with the intent of acquiring both it and the other house, he acquires only the house over which he manifested ownership. If he manifests ownership over one house with the intent of acquiring only the other one, he does not acquire even the house over which he did manifest ownership.
ח
וכן שני בתים זה לפנים מזה שהחזיק באחד מהן לקנותו ולקנות את השני לא קנה אלא זה שהחזיק בו בלבד החזיק באחד מהן כדי לקנות את השני אף זה שהחזיק בו לא קנה:
9
When a person takes hold over a deed of sale within the estate of a convert with the intent of acquiring the land mentioned in that deed, he acquires only the document itself. He may use it to wrap around the top of a bottle or the like.
ט
המחזיק בשטר מנכסי הגר כדי לקנות את הקרקע הכתובה באותו שטר לא קנה אלא השטר בלבד לצור על פי צלוחיתו וכיוצא בזה:
10
When the boundaries of a field belonging to a deceased convert are clearly marked, when a person plunges a spade into the field in one place, he acquires the entire field. If the boundaries of the field are not clearly marked, by plunging the spade into that one place, he acquires only a portion over which a team of oxen will pass when plowing, before the team returns.
A boundary marker and a chatzav used to designate boundaries serve as cut-off points with regard to the estate of a convert. Whoever manifests ownership over the field acquires only up to the boundary marker or the chatzav.
י
שדה המצויינת במצריה כיון שהכיש בה מכוש אחד קנה את כולה ואם אינה מצויינת במצריה קונה ממנה באותו מכוש כדי שילך הצמד בשעת חרישה ויחזור המצר והחצב שמתחמין בו תחומין מפסיקין בנכסי הגר וכל המחזיק בשדה לא קנה אלא עד המצר או עד החצב:
11
Whatever is considered significant to create a separation with regard to the distribution of pe'ah is also considered significant to create a separation with regard to the acquisition of the property of a deceased convert.
What is implied? If there was a stream, an irrigation ditch or the like, the person seeking to acquire the field acquires only up to the stream or up to the irrigation ditch.
Whatever creates a distinction with regard to the domains of the Sabbath, creates a distinction with regard to the acquisition of the property of a deceased convert - for example, a situation where a private domain or a carmelit is interposed between two fields. Indeed, a distinction is created, even if the two fields were separated by a domain that is considered a distinction with regard to the transfer of a bill of divorce.
יא
כל המפסיק לפאה מפסיק בנכסי הגר כיצד היה שם נחל או אמת המים וכיוצא בהן לא קנה אלא עד הנחל או עד האמה וכל המפסיק ברשות שבת מפסיק בנכסי הגר כגון שהיה בין שתי השדות רשות היחיד או כרמלית אפילו היה ביניהם רשות שחולקת לגיטין:
12
Whenever a distinction is created with regard to the laws of ritual impurity, it also applies with regard to the acquisition of the property of a deceased convert.
What is implied? A person enters a valley. There is an object that conveys ritual impurity on one side of the valley, and the person does not know whether or not he has reached the place that is ritually impure. Wherever the person would be considered to be ritually impure is considered to be a separate entity from the field as a whole.
יב
כל דבר המפסיק לטומאה מפסיק בנכסי הגר כיצד כגון שנכנס אדם לבקעה זו וטומאה בבקעה בצדה אחרת ואינו יודע אם הגיע למקום הטומאה אם לאו כל מקום שמחזיקין אותו לטומאה הרי הוא כמקום אחר מוחלק בפני עצמו:
13
The following law applies when there is a large valley containing many fields, all belonging to one convert, and there is no boundary marker, chatzav or any other entity that creates a distinction between them. If one person comes and manifests ownership over a portion of the valley with the intent of acquiring the entire valley, he acquires all the land that is known to be owned by that convert.
יג
בקעה גדולה שיש בה שדות רבות וכולן של גר אחד ולא היה ביניהן לא מצר ולא חצב ולא דבר מדברים המפסיקין ובא אחד והחזיק במקצת הבקעה לקנות את כולה כל הנקרא על שם אותו הגר קונה אותו:
14
When a gentile sells movable property to a Jew or buys movable property, he acquires and transfers the property through meshichah or through the transfer of funds.
Different rules apply with regard to landed property. A gentile does not acquire landed property from a Jew without a deed of sale, nor does he transfer property without a deed of sale. For he will not rely on anything but a deed of sale.
For this reason, if a Jew purchased a field from a gentile and paid the money for it, but before he could manifest his ownership over it, another Jew came and manifested ownership over it in a manner similar to that described above with regard to the acquisition of the property of a deceased convert, the latter person acquires the land. He must, however, repay the money to the purchaser.
The rationale for the decision is that the gentile abrogates his ownership over the property at the time he receives the money. And yet, the Jew [purchasing the land does not acquire it until the deed of sale reaches his hand. In the interim, the property is like property in the desert concerning which the rule is: Whoever manifests ownership over it acquires it.
יד
עכו"ם שמכר מטלטלין לישראל או קנה מטלטלין מישראל קונה במשיכה ומקנה במשיכה או בדמים אבל הקרקע אינו קונה אותו מישראל אלא בשטר ואינו מקנה אותו לישראל אלא בשטר שאין דעתו סומכת אלא על השטר לפיכך ישראל שלקח שדה מן העכו"ם ונתן הדמים וקודם שיחזיק בה בא ישראל אחר והחזיק בה כדרך שמחזיקין בנכסי הגר זכה אחרון ונותן לראשון את הדמים מפני שהעכו"ם מעת שלקח הדמים סלק רשותו וישראל לא קנה עד שיגיע השטר לידו ונמצאו נכסים אלו כנכסי מדבר שכל המחזיק בהן זכה:
15
When does the above apply? When there are no known laws enforced by the governing sovereign. If, however, the law of the governing sovereign and his judgment is that only a person whose name is mentioned in the deed of sale - who paid money for the property or the like - can acquire the land, we follow the law of the governing sovereign. For we rule according to all the financial laws of the governing sovereign.
טו
בד"א במקום שאין משפט ידוע למלך אבל אם דין אותו המלך ומשפטו שלא יזכה בקרקע אלא מי שכותב בשטר או הנותן דמים וכיוצא בדברים אלו עושין כפי משפט המלך שכל דיני המלך בממון על פיהן דנין:
Zechiyah uMattanah - Chapter Two
1
The property of a deceased convert who has no heirs, property that is ownerless, and a field that a gentile sold to a Jew who has not taken hold of it are all governed by the same laws. Whoever manifests ownership over them using a validchazakah - to be described in Hilchot Mechirah - acquires them, with one exception: eating produce.
א
נכסי גר שאין לו יורשים ונכסי ההפקר ושדה שמכרה העכו"ם לישראל ועדיין לא החזיק בה כולם דינם שוה כל המחזיק בהם בדרך מדרכי החזקה כמו שביארנו בהלכות מכירה קנה חוץ מאכילת הפירות:
2
What is implied? When a person buys landed property from a colleague and manifests his ownership over it by eating produce, he acquires it, as we have explained. But with regard to the acquisition of ownerless property or property of a deceased convert, even if a person eats produce of a tree for several years, he does not acquire the tree itself or the land itself until he performs a deed involving the land itself or performs a task involving the tree.
An incident occurred when a woman ate the produce of a date palm for thirteen years, and then another person manifested ownership over the tree by performing a task involving the tree itself. The incident was brought before the Sages and they ruled that the latter person acquired it.
ב
כיצד הלוקח קרקע מחבירו והחזיק בה באכילת פירותיה קנה כמו שביארנו אבל בנכסי הפקר או נכסי הגר אפילו אכל פירות האילן כמה שנים לא קנה גוף האילן ולא גוף הקרקע עד שיעשה מעשה בגוף הארץ או יעבוד עבודה באילן ומעשה באשה אחת שאכלה פירות דקל שלש עשרה שנה ובא אחד והחזיק באילן בעבודה שעבד בגוף האילן ובא מעשה לפני חכמים ואמרו זה האחרון קנה:
3
There are many acts that if performed by a purchaser to prove ownership of property are not effective , but when performed to manifest ownership over ownerless property, property belonging to a deceased convert or the like, are effective in acquiring it.
What is implied? When a person finds large palaces constructed on property belonging to a deceased convert or on ownerless property, if he paints them slightly or plasters them slightly - e.g., for a cubit or more opposite the entrance - he acquires them.
ג
יש דברים רבים שאם החזיק בהן הלוקח לא קנה עדיין ואם החזיק באחד מהן בנכסי הגר או בנכסי הפקר קנה כיצד המוצא פלטרים גדולים בנויין בנכסי הגר או בנכסי הפקר וסייד בהן סיוד אחד או כייר בהן כיור אחד כגון אמה או יותר כנגד הפתח קנה:
4
When a person makes a design in the property of a deceased convert, he acquires it. If he sets out mattresses in the property of a deceased convert, he acquires it. If he plows a field with the intent of leaving it fallow in the property of a deceased convert, he acquires it.
When a person cuts branches of a vine or of a tree, or fronds from a date palm in the property of a deceased convert, if his intent is to improve the tree, he acquires the property. If his intent is to feed the branches to his animal, he does not acquire the property.
ד
הצר צורה בנכסי הגר קנה והמציע מצעות בנכסי הגר קנה הנר את השדה בנכסי הגר קנה המפצל זמורות הגפן או שריגי אילנות וכפות תמרים בנכסי הגר אם דעתו לעבוד האילן קנה ואם דעתו להאכיל העצים לבהמה לא קנה:
5
What is implied? If the person prunes the branches of the tree from both sides, we can assume that he intends to improve the tree. If he cuts from only one side, it appears that his intent is only for the branches.
Similarly, when a person collects wood, grass and stones from a field, if his intent is to improve the land, he acquires the field. If his intent is to collect the wood, he does not acquire the field.
ה
כיצד היה כורת מכאן ומכאן הרי חזקתו שנתכוין לעבודת האילן היה כורת מרוח אחת אינו מתכוין אלא לעצים וכן המלקט עצים ועשבים ואבנים מן השדה אם דעתו לתקן הארץ קנה ואם לעצים לא קנה:
6
What is implied? If the person collected both large and small branches, we can assume that his intent was to improve the land. If, by contrast, he collected only large branches and not small ones, we can assume that his intent was to collect wood.
Similarly, when a person levels the surface of the land, if his intent is to improve the land, he acquires the field. If his intent is to level a place to use as a grain heap, he does not acquire the field.
ו
כיצד לקט הגס והדק הרי זו בחזקת שנתכוין לתקן את הארץ לקט הגס ולא הדק הרי זה בחזקת שנתכוין לעצים וכן המשוה פני הארץ אם דעתו לתקן הארץ קנה ואם דעתו להשוות מקום שיעמיד בו גורן לא קנה:
7
What is implied? If the person takes earth from a high place and brings it to a lower place, it appears that his intent is to improve the land. If we see that he is not concerned with this and instead throws earth and stones anywhere without concern, we can assume that his intent is merely to level one limited area to use as a grain heap.
Similarly, when a person opens a flow of water into a field, if his intent is to improve the land, he acquires the field. If his intent is to catch fish, he does not acquire the field.
ז
כיצד היה לוקח עפר ממקום גבוה ונותנו למקום הנמוך הרי זה מתקן הארץ ראינוהו שאינו מקפיד על זה אלא משליך העפר והצרורות בכל מקום בלא הקפדה הרי זה בחזקת שאינו מתכוין אלא להשוות מקום לדייש וכן הפותח מים לתוך הארץ אם לתקן הארץ קנה ואם לצוד הדגים לא קנה:
8
What is implied? If the person made only a place for water to enter, it appears that his intent is to improve the land. If he made two openings -one for the water to enter and one for the water to leave - it appears that his intent is to catch fish.
ח
כיצד עשה מקום שיכנסו בו המים בלבד הרי זה מתכוין לתקן הארץ עשה שני פתחים אחד להכניס ואחד להוציא הרי זה מתכוין לצוד דגים:
9
When a person builds large palaces on property belonging to a deceased convert, and another person comes and sets up the doors, the second person acquires the property.
The rationale is that the first person did not do anything with the land itself, is It is as if he piled up stones on the land, an act that does not bring about his acquisition of the property.
Nor is his acquisition effective because by constructing the building he made a fence around the land since this fence is not useful, because the entrance to the building is wide enough and one can pass through it. Setting up the structure of this building is not at all useful until one sets up the doors.
ט
הבונה פלטרין גדולים בנכסי הגר ובא אחר והעמיד להם דלתות קנה האחרון שהראשון לא עשה בגוף הארץ כלום והרי הוא כמי שעשה גל אבנים על הארץ שאינו קונה שהרי לא הועיל בגדר זה מפני שהוא רחב ביותר ומפולש ואין צורת אותו הבנין מועלת לו עד שיעמיד דלתות:
10
When a person spreads seeds in rows in a field, he does not acquire the field. The rationale is that at the time he sowed the seeds, he did not improve the field at all. And at the time the produce grew, the benefit came as a result of a natural course of events. This is not sufficient for an acquisition to be made.
י
המפיץ הזרע לתוך התלמים לא קנה שבעת שהשליך הזרע לא השביח כלום ובעת שצמח והשביח שבח הבא מאליו הוא ואינו קונה:
11
If a partition existed within the property of a deceased convert, and another person came and built another partition on top of the existing one, he does not acquire the field. This applies even when the first partition sinks into the ground, and the higher partition is still functional. The rationale is that at the time the partition was built, it was not beneficial. And when it became beneficial, the benefit came as a result of a natural course of events.
יא
היתה מחיצה בנכסי הגר ובא זה ועשה מחיצה אחרת על גבה לא קנה ואפילו נבלעה מחיצה התחתונה והרי העליונה קיימת שבעת שבנה לא הועיל ובעת שהועיל מאליו בה המעשה:
12
When a person manifests ownership over property belonging to a deceased convert or ownerless property, without the intent of acquiring it, he does not acquire it despite the fact that he built or erected a fence.
יב
המחזיק בנכסי הגר ובהפקר והוא אין דעתו לקנות אע"פ שבנה וגדר לא קנה:
13
When a person plows on property belonging to a deceased convert under the mistaken conception that it is his own property, he does not acquire it.
If he plows on property belonging to one deceased convert, while he thinks that it belongs to another, he does acquire it. For he intended that his deeds acquire ownerless property.
יג
העודר בנכסי הגר וכסבור שהן שלו לא קנה עדר בנכסי גר זה וכסבור של גר אחר הואיל ונתכוון במעשיו אלו לזכות מן ההפקר הרי זה קנה:
14
If a convert was holding security belonging to a Jew, and when the convert died another Jew came and took possession of this security, it should be expropriated from him and returned to its owner. The rationale is that when the convert died, his lien on the article was nullified.
יד
היה משכון ישראל ביד הגר וכשמת הגר בא ישראל אחר והחזיק במשכון זה מוציאין אותו מידו שכיון שמת הגר בטל שעבודו:
15
When a Jew was holding security belonging to a convert, the convert dies, and another Jew takes hold of the security, the creditor should receive payment for the money owed him from the security. If it is worth more, the second person acquires the remainder.
טו
היה משכון הגר ביד ישראל ובא ישראל אחר והחזיק בו לוקח ממנו הראשון כנגד מעותיו והאחרון קנה את השאר:
16
When does the above apply? When the security was not kept in a courtyard belonging to the first person. If it was kept in such a courtyard, his courtyard acquires it on his behalf, even without his knowledge, as we have explained with regard to an article that is discovered, and the person who takes hold of it afterwards does not acquire anything.
טז
במה דברים אמורים בשלא היה המשכון בחצר הראשון אבל אם היה בחצירו חצירו קונה לו שלא מדעתו כמו שביארנו בענין מציאה ואין לזה האחרון כלום:
17
The following rules apply when a convert dies and Jews take possession of his property. If the estate contains Canaanite servants above the age of majority, they acquire their freedom. Servants below the age of majority, by contrast, are regarded as are livestock. Whoever manifests ownership over them acquires them. We have already explained the manner in which a person manifests ownership over servants and acquires them.
יז
גר שמת ובזבזו ישראל את נכסיו והיו בהן עבדים גדולים קנו עצמן בני חורין אבל העבדים הקטנים הרי הן כבהמה וכל המחזיק בהן זכה בהם וכבר ביארנו דרכי החזקה שיקנו בהם את העבדים:
18
The following rules apply when it is rumored that a convert died and Jews take possession of his property, and then it is discovered that he did not die, that he has a child or that his wife is pregnant. They must all return the property.
If they all returned the property and then discovered that the first rumor had in fact been true and the convert had died at that time, that his son died before him, or that his wife miscarried, whoever takes possession at this time acquires the property. Those who originally took possession do not acquire it.
יח
גר שמת ובזבזו ישראל את נכסיו ושמעו שעדיין לא מת או שיש לו בן או שאשתו מעוברת כולן חייבין להחזיר החזירו כולן ואח"כ שמעו שמת ששמועה ראשונה אמת היתה ובראשונה מת או מת בנו מקודם או הפילה אשתו כל המחזיק בשניה קנה ובראשונה לא קנה:
Zechiyah uMattanah - Chapter Three
1
When a person gives a gift to a colleague, the recipient does not acquire it until he takes possession through one of the legal processes by which a purchaser takes possession of a purchase.
If the giver desires to give him movable property, the recipient must lift up the article, perform meshichah on an article that one would not ordinarily lift up, or acquire that article through one of the other means through which movable property is acquired.
If he is giving him landed property or servants, the recipient does not acquire them until he manifests ownership over them as a purchaser would, or until a legal document recording the gift reaches his hand.
A verbal statement is not sufficient. The recipient does not acquire the gift, and either one of them still has the option of retracting.
א
הנותן מתנה לחבירו אין המקבל זוכה בה אלא באחד מן הדרכים שהקונה זוכה בהן במקחו אם מטלטלין רוצה ליתן לו עד שיגביה או שימשוך דבר שאין דרכו להגביה או יקנה באחד משאר הדברים שהמטלטלין נקנין בהן ואם קרקע או עבדים נתן לו עד שיחזיק כדרך שמחזיק הלוקח או עד שיגיע שטר מתנה לידו אבל בדברים לא זכה המקבל אלא כל אחד מהן עדיין יכול לחזור בו:
2
When, by contrast, a creditor forgoes a debt to a colleague or gives him an object that previously had been entrusted to the recipient for safekeeping, such a gift is made final by a verbal statement alone. Nothing further is necessary, as we have explained.
ב
מחל לחבירו חוב שיש לו עליו או נתן לו הפקדון שהיה מופקד אצלו הרי זו מתנה הנקנית בדברים בלבד ואין צריך דבר אחר כמו שביארנו:
3
Similarly, if a person tells a colleague: "You owe me a maneh.Give it to this person," the intended recipient acquires it. Neither has the option of retracting. This applies whether he gave the recipient the maneh in payment for a debt he owed him, or whether he gave it to him as a gift. And it applies whether themaneh had been given to the person to whom the giver charged with making the gift as a loan or it had been entrusted to him for safekeeping, as we have explained.
ג
וכן האומר לחבירו מנה שיש לי בידך תנהו לזה קנה ואין אחד מהן יכול לחזור בו בין שנתן המנה בחוב שיש לו אצלו בין שנתנו לו מתנה בין שהיה חוב אצלו בין שהיה פקדון אצלו כמו שביארנו:
4
Just as with regard to buying and selling, witnesses are necessary only to reveal the truth of the situation when there are claims and denials, so too, with regard to the waiver of obligations and gifts, witnesses are necessary only because of liars.
ד
כשם שאין צריכים עדים לענין מקח וממכר אלא לגלות הדבר בלבד אם היתה שם טענה וכפירה כך במחילות ומתנות אין צריכין עדים אלא מפני המשקרים:
5
Just as a seller must define the property that he sells, as we have explained, so too, a person who gives a gift must define what he is giving.
What is implied? If a person writes a deed to a colleague which states: "Land from my property is given to you," or he writes: "All of my property is acquired by you with some exceptions," since he did not identify the property he was giving, and the recipient did not know what he was receiving, the recipient does not acquire anything. The recipient may not demand of the giver: "Give me the least valuable of your properties." Instead, he acquires nothing unless the giver defines the place that he is giving him.
Different rules apply, however, if the giver tells the recipient: "I am giving you a portion worth such and such in this and this field." Since he defined the field, even though he did not define the portion of the field, the recipient may collect a portion of that value from the least valuable portion of the field.
ה
כשם שמוכר צריך לסיים הממכר כמו שביארנו כך הנותן כיצד הכותב לחבירו קרקע מנכסי נתונה לך או שכתב לו כל נכסי קנויין לך חוץ ממקצתן הואיל ולא סיים הדבר שנתן לו ואינו ידוע לא קנה כלום ואינו יכול לומר לו תן לי פחות שבנכסיך עד שסיים לו המקום שנתן לו אבל אם אמר לו חלק כך וכך בשדה פלונית הואיל וסיים השדה אף על פי שלא סיים החלק נוטל אותו חלק מן הפחות שבאותה שדה:
6
The following rules apply whenever a person gives a gift within the context of a conditional agreement. Whether the condition was stipulated by the giver or by the recipient, should the recipient take possession of and acquire the gift, the gift becomes binding when the condition is fulfilled. If the condition is not fulfilled, the gift is nullified and the recipient must return the benefit that he derived. This applies provided that the condition was stated in the proper manner.
ו
כל הנותן מתנה על תנאי בין שהתנה נותן בין שהתנה המקבל והחזיק המקבל וזכה בה אם נתקיים התנאי נתקיים המתנה ואם לא נתקיים התנאי בטלה המתנה ויחזיר פירות שאכל והוא שיהיה התנאי כראוי:
7
We have already explained that with regard to all conditional agreements concerning gifts, purchases and sales, it is necessary that the condition be restated, that the positive dimension of the condition be stated before the negative, that the condition precede the deed, and that the condition is one that is possible to fulfill. If any one of these factors is lacking, the condition is nullified, and it is as if it had never been stated.
ז
כבר ביארנו שכל תנאין שיש במתנות או במקח וממכר צריך שיהיה תנאי כפול והן קודם ללאו ותנאי קודם למעשה ויהיה תנאי שאפשר לקיימו ואם חסר אחד מאלו התנאין בטל וכאילו אין שם תנאי:
8
Whenever a person uses the expression: "conditional on the following," it is as if he said that the transaction will take effect retroactive to the present time"; he does not have to restate the condition. Some of the geonim have ruled in this manner. And this is also my opinion.
My teachers ruled that there is no need to restate the condition or state the positive dimension of the condition first, except in cases of divorce and consecration. There is no proof to substantiate this approach.
ח
וכל האומר על מנת כאומר מעכשיו דמי ואינו צריך לכפול התנאי כך הורו מקצת הגאונים ולזה דעתי נוטה ורבותי הורו שאין צריך לכפול התנאי ולהקדים הן ללאו אלא בגיטין ובקידושין בלבד ואין לדבר זה ראיה:
9
Whenever a person gives a gift on the condition that it be returned, the gift is valid. The gift is valid whether the condition was made to return the article immediately, that it be returned after a specific time passes, that it remain as a gift for the entire lifetime of either the giver or the recipient, or that it remain as a gift for the entire lifetime of another person.
The above applies both with regard to movable property and landed property. The recipient may derive benefit from the gift for the entire time that it is his.
ט
הנותן מתנה על מנת להחזיר הרי זו מתנה בין שהתנה להחזיר מיד בין שהתנה להחזירה לזמן קצוב או כל ימי חייו של אחד מהם או כל ימי חייו של פלוני הרי זו מתנה בין במטלטלין בין בקרקע ואוכל פירות כל זמן המתנה:
10
When a person tells a colleague: "I am giving you this ox as a gift on the condition that you return it," if the recipient consecrates the ox and then returns it, it is consecrated, and he has fulfilled his obligation to return it.
If, however, the giver tells the recipient: "I am giving it to you on the condition that you return it to me," the ox is not consecrated. For implied in the condition stated by the owner is that he return to him an article that will be fitting for him to use. The same applies in all analogous situations.
י
האומר לחבירו שור זה אני נותן לך במתנה על מנת שתחזירהו הקדישו והחזירו הרי זה מוקדש ומוחזר אמר לו על מנת שתחזירהו לי אינו קדוש שלא התנה עליו אלא שיחזיר דבר הראוי לו וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
11
It is forbidden for a Jew to give a gentile a gift without charge. He may, however, give such a gift to a resident alien, as implied by Deuteronomy 14:21: "Give it to the stranger in your gates to eat or sell it to a gentile."
To a gentile, it must be sold; it may not be given. To a resident alien, by contrast, it may be sold or given. The reason for the distinction is that we are obligated to sustain a resident alien, as implied by Leviticus 25:35: "A stranger or a resident, he shall live among you."
יא
אסור לישראל ליתן לעכו"ם מתנת חנם אבל נותן הוא לגר תושב שנאמר לגר אשר בשעריך תתננה ואכלה או מכור לנכרי במכירה ולא במתנה אבל לגר תושב בין במכירה בין בנתינה מפני שאתה מצווה להחיותו שנאמר גר ותושב וחי עמך:
12
When a person gives a gift to a Canaanite servant or a married woman, it is acquired by the husband or the owner. There is, however, a distinction between their powers of acquisition. The servant's master acquires the article itself, while the husband acquires merely the right to the benefit from the article.
יב
הנותן מתנה לעבד או לאשה קנה הבעל והאדון אלא שהאדון קונה לגוף והבעל קונה אותה לפירות:
13
Even if a person gives a gift to a married woman on the condition that her husband have no authority over it, or to a servant on the condition that his master have no authority over it, the master or the husband acquires it.
If, however, one gives a gift to a married woman or to a servant and the giver stipulates that the gift itself may be used for only this or this purpose, the master or the husband does not acquire it.
יג
נתן מתנה לאשה על מנת שאין לבעלה רשות בה ולעבד על מנת שאין לרבו רשות בו קנה האדון וקנה הבעל אבל הנותן מתנה לאשה או לעבד והתנה עמהן הנותן בגופה של מתנה שתהיה לכך וכך לא קנה האדון ולא קנה הבעל:
14
What is implied? When a person gives a gift to a married woman and tells her: "This money is given to you as a gift on the condition that you use it for clothing, that you use it for beverages or that you do with it what you desire without the permission of your husband," the husband has no authority over it.
Similarly, if a person told a servant: "This money is given to you as a gift on the condition that you use it for food and drink, that you use it to obtain your freedom/1 or that you do with it what you desire without the permission of your master," the master has no authority over it. The same principles apply in all analogous situations.
יד
כיצד הנותן מתנה לאשה ואמר לה הרי המעות האלו נתונים לך במתנה על מנת שתלבשי בהן או על מנת שתשתי בהם ותעשי מה שתרצי בלא רשות הבעל לא קנה הבעל וכן אם אמר לעבד על מנת שתאכל בהן ותשתה בהן על מנת שתצא בהם לחירות או על מנת שתעשה בהם כל מה שתרצה בלא רשות אדון שלך לא קנה האדון וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
15
When a person gives all his possessions to a servant as a gift, the servant acquires himself, and he becomes a free man. He then acquires all the other property.
If, however, the master retains for himself even the slightest amount of property - even movable property, the servant does not acquire anything.
The rationale is that the deed is not a complete bill of freedom, for the master retains some connection to the bill of transfer. Therefore, the servant is not freed, and since he is not freed, he does not acquire anything.
טו
הנותן כל נכסיו לעבדו קנה עצמו ויצא בן חורין וקנה שאר הנכסים ואם שייר כל שהוא אפילו מטלטלין לא קנה כלום שאין זה גט חירות גמור שהרי שייר בו בגט ומתוך שלא נשתחרר לא קנה כלום:
• Wednesday, 13 AV , 5776 · 17 August 2016
• "Today's Day"
• Shabbat, Menachem Av 13, 5703
During the reading of the Ten Commandments, stand facing the sefer-Torah.
Torah lessons: Chumash: Va'etchanan, Shevi'i with Rashi.
Tehillim: 69-71.
Tanya: IV. Israel shall (p. 401) ...through tzedakah." (p. 405).
"Speak of them when you sit..."1 Our sages2 explain that "speak of them" refers to words of Torah. However, in Torah-study itself there are many gradations, and all these gradations are here explained:
"When you sit at home," refers to the soul's occupation with Torah when it is in the trove of souls, before its descent to this lowly world.
"When you go on the way," refers to the time during which the soul descends from world to world, from plane to plane, until it comes below to this lowest world to be invested in a physical body. There the soul "goes in the way" of this world until the time of old age, until -
"When you lie down," when man's appointed time arrives. Then, too, the Torah will protect him, as explained in Chapter Six of Avot,3 until -
"When you rise up," as it is said, "When you awaken (it shall be your discourse)."4
FOOTNOTES
1.Devarim 6:7.
2.Yoma 196. Cf. Sifri on this verse.
3.Mishna 9.
4.Mishlei 6:22. The reference is to the time when the dead will come to life ("when you rise up...etc.").
• Daily Thought:
Constant Bonding
Matter and energy are two opposites. To energize a piece of matter requires a constant flow.
Existence and nothingness are two opposites. To keep the world in existence demands a constant renewal.
Heaven and earth are two opposites. To infuse the earthly with spirituality requires a constant effort.
Woman and man are two opposites. And so courtship never ends.[Likkutei Sichot, vol. 5, page 174.]
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