Torah Reading
Shoftim: Deuteronomy 16:18 “You are to appoint judges and officers for all your gates [in the cities] Adonai your God is giving you, tribe by tribe; and they are to judge the people with righteous judgment. 19 You are not to distort justice or show favoritism, and you are not to accept a bribe, for a gift blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of even the upright. 20 Justice, only justice, you must pursue; so that you will live and inherit the land Adonai your God is giving you.
21 “You are not to plant any sort of tree as a sacred pole beside the altar of Adonai your God that you will make for yourselves. 22 Likewise, do not set up a standing-stone; Adonai your God hates such things.
17:1 “You are not to sacrifice to Adonai your God a cow or sheep that has a defect or anything wrong with it; that would be an abomination to Adonai your God.
2 “If there is found among you, within any of your gates [in any city] that Adonai your God gives you, a man or woman who does what Adonai your God sees as wicked, transgressing his covenant 3 by going and serving other gods and worshipping them, the sun, the moon, or anything in the sky — something I have forbidden — 4 and it is told to you, or you hear about it; then you are to investigate the matter diligently. If it is true, if it is confirmed that such detestable things are being done in Isra’el; 5 then you are to bring the man or woman who has done this wicked thing to your city gates, and stone that man or woman to death. 6 The death sentence is to be carried out only if there was testimony from two or three witnesses; he may not be sentenced to death on the testimony of only one witness. 7 The witnesses are to be the first to stone him to death; afterwards, all the people are to stone him. Thus you will put an end to this wickedness among you.
8 “If a case comes before you at your city gate which is too difficult for you to judge, concerning bloodshed, civil suit, personal injury or any other controversial issue; you are to get up, go to the place which Adonai your God will choose, 9 and appear before the cohanim, who are L’vi’im, and the judge in office at the time. Seek their opinion, and they will render a verdict for you. 10 You will then act according to what they have told you there in that place which Adonai will choose; you are to take care to act according to all their instructions. 11 In accordance with the Torah they teach you, you are to carry out the judgment they render, not turning aside to the right or the left from the verdict they declare to you. 12 Anyone presumptuous enough not to pay attention to the cohen appointed there to serve Adonai your God or to the judge — that person must die. Thus you will exterminate such wickedness from Isra’el — 13 all the people will hear about it and be afraid to continue acting presumptuously.
(ii) 14 “When you have entered the land Adonai your God is giving you, have taken possession of it and are living there, you may say, ‘I want to have a king over me, like all the other nations around me.’ 15 In that event, you must appoint as king the one whom Adonai your God will choose. He must be one of your kinsmen, this king you appoint over you — you are forbidden to appoint a foreigner over you who is not your kinsman. 16 However, he is not to acquire many horses for himself or have the people return to Egypt to obtain more horses, inasmuch as Adonai told you never to go back that way again. 17 Likewise, he is not to acquire many wives for himself, so that his heart will not turn away; and he is not to acquire excessive quantities of silver and gold.
18 “When he has come to occupy the throne of his kingdom, he is to write a copy of this Torah for himself in a scroll, from the one the cohanim and L’vi’im use. 19 It is to remain with him, and he is to read in it every day, as long as he lives; so that he will learn to fear Adonai his God and keep all the words of this Torah and these laws and obey them; 20 so that he will not think he is better than his kinsmen; and so that he will not turn aside either to the right or to the left from the mitzvah. In this way he will prolong his own reign and that of his children in Isra’el.
18:1 (iii) The cohanim, who are L’vi’im, and indeed the whole tribe of Levi, is not to have a share or an inheritance with Isra’el. Instead, their support will come from the food offered by fire to Adonai and from whatever else becomes his. 2 They will have no inheritance with their brothers, because Adonai is their inheritance — as he has said to them.
3 “The cohanim will have the right to receive from the people, from those offering a sacrifice, whether ox or sheep, the shoulder, the jowls and the stomach. 4 You will also give him the firstfruits of your grain, new wine and olive oil, and the first of the fleece of your sheep. 5 For Adonai your God has chosen him from all your tribes to stand and serve in the name of Adonai, him and his sons forever.
(iv) 6 “If a Levi from one of your towns anywhere in Isra’el where he is living comes, highly motivated, to the place which Adonai will choose, 7 then he will serve there in the name of Adonai his God, just like his kinsmen the L’vi’im who stand and serve in the presence of Adonai. 8 Such a Levi will receive the same share as they do, in addition to what he may receive from selling his inherited ancestral property.
9 “When you enter the land Adonai your God is giving you, you are not to learn how to follow the abominable practices of those nations. 10 There must not be found among you anyone who makes his son or daughter pass through fire, a diviner, a soothsayer, an enchanter, a sorcerer, 11 a spell-caster, a consulter of ghosts or spirits, or a necromancer. 12 For whoever does these things is detestable to Adonai, and because of these abominations Adonai your God is driving them out ahead of you. 13 You must be wholehearted with Adonai your God. (v) 14 For these nations, which you are about to dispossess, listen to soothsayers and diviners; but you, Adonai your God does not allow you to do this.
15 “Adonai will raise up for you a prophet like me from among yourselves, from your own kinsmen. You are to pay attention to him, 16 just as when you were assembled at Horev and requested Adonai your God, ‘Don’t let me hear the voice of Adonai my God any more, or let me see this great fire ever again; if I do, I will die!’ 17 On that occasion Adonai said to me, ‘They are right in what they are saying. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their kinsmen. I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I order him. 19 Whoever doesn’t listen to my words, which he will speak in my name, will have to account for himself to me.
20 “‘But if a prophet presumptuously speaks a word in my name which I didn’t order him to say, or if he speaks in the name of other gods, then that prophet must die.’ 21 You may be wondering, ‘How are we to know if a word has not been spoken by Adonai?’ 22 When a prophet speaks in the name of Adonai, and the prediction does not come true — that is, the word is not fulfilled — then Adonai did not speak that word. The prophet who said it spoke presumptuously; you have nothing to fear from him.
19:1 “When Adonai your God cuts off the nations whose land Adonai your God is giving you, and you take their place and settle in their cities and houses, 2 you are to set aside three cities for yourselves in your land that Adonai your God is giving you to possess. 3 Divide the territory of your land, which Adonai your God is having you inherit, into three parts; and prepare the roads, so that any killer can flee to these cities. 4 The killer who will live if he flees there is someone who has killed his fellow member of the community by mistake, who did not hate him in the past. 5 An example would be if a man goes into the forest with his neighbor to cut wood and takes a stroke with the axe to fell a tree, but the head of the axe flies off the handle, hits his neighbor and kills him. Then he is to flee to one of these cities and live there. 6 Otherwise the next-of-kin avenger, in the heat of his anger, may pursue the killer, overtake him because the distance [to the city of refuge] is long, and strike him dead — even though he didn’t deserve to die, inasmuch as he hadn’t hated him in the past. 7 This is why I am ordering you to set aside for yourselves three cities.
8 “If Adonai your God expands your territory, as he swore to your ancestors that he would, and gives you all the land he promised to give to your ancestors — 9 provided you keep and observe all these mitzvot I am giving you today, loving Adonai your God and always following his ways — then you are to add three more cities for yourselves, besides these three; 10 so that innocent blood will not be shed in the land Adonai your God is giving you as an inheritance, and thus blood guilt be on you.
11 “However, if someone hates his fellow member of the community, lies in wait for him, attacks him, strikes him a death blow, and then flees into one of these cities; 12 then the leaders of his own town are to send and bring him back from there and hand him over to the next-of-kin avenger, to be put to death. 13 You are not to pity him. Rather, you must put an end to the shedding of innocent blood in Isra’el. Then things will go well with you.
(vi) 14 “You are not to move your neighbor’s boundary marker from the place where people put it long ago, in the inheritance soon to be yours in the land Adonai your God is giving you to possess.
15 “One witness alone will not be sufficient to convict a person of any offense or sin of any kind; the matter will be established only if there are two or three witnesses testifying against him.
16 “If a malicious witness comes forward and gives false testimony against someone, 17 then both the men involved in the controversy are to stand before Adonai, before the cohanim and the judges in office at the time. 18 The judges are to investigate carefully. If they find that the witness is lying and has given false testimony against his brother, 19 you are to do to him what he intended to do to his brother. In this way, you will put an end to such wickedness among you. 20 Those who remain will hear about it, be afraid and no longer commit such wickedness among you. 21 Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
20:1 “When you go out to fight your enemies and see horses, chariots and a force larger than yours, you are not to be afraid of them; because Adonai your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt, is with you. 2 When you are about to go into battle, the cohen is to come forward and address the people. 3 He should tell them, ‘Listen, Isra’el! You are about to do battle against your enemies. Don’t be fainthearted or afraid; don’t be alarmed or frightened by them; 4 because Adonai your God is going with you to fight on your behalf against your enemies and give you victory.’
5 “Then the officials will speak to the soldiers. They are to say, ‘Is there a man here who has built a new house, but hasn’t dedicated it yet? He should go back home now; otherwise he may die fighting, and another man will dedicate it.
6 “‘Is there a man here who has planted a vineyard, but hasn’t yet made use of its fruit? He should go back home; otherwise he may die fighting, and another man will use it.
7 “‘Is there a man here who is engaged to a woman, but hasn’t married her yet? He should go back home; otherwise he may die fighting, and another man will marry her.’
8 “The officials will then add to what they have said to the soldiers: ‘Is there a man here who is afraid and fainthearted? He should go back home; otherwise his fear may demoralize his comrades as well.’ 9 When the officials have finished speaking with the soldiers, commanders are to be appointed to lead the army.
(vii) 10 “When you advance on a town to attack it, first offer it terms for peace. 11 If it accepts the terms for peace and opens its gates to you, then all the people there are to be put to forced labor and work for you. 12 However, if they refuse to make peace with you but prefer to make war against you, you are to put it under siege. 13 When Adonai your God hands it over to you, you are to put every male to the sword. 14 However, you are to take as booty for yourself the women, the little ones, the livestock, and everything in the city — all its spoil. Yes, you will feed on your enemies’ spoil, which Adonai your God has given you. 15 This is what you are to do to all the towns which are at a great distance from you, which are not the towns of these nations.
16 “As for the towns of these peoples, which Adonai your God is giving you as your inheritance, you are not to allow anything that breathes to live. 17 Rather you must destroy them completely — the Hitti, the Emori, the Kena‘ani, the P’rizi, the Hivi and the Y’vusi — as Adonai your God has ordered you; 18 so that they won’t teach you to follow their abominable practices, which they do for their gods, thus causing you to sin against Adonai your God.
19 “When, in making war against a town in order to capture it, you lay siege to it for a long time, you are not to destroy its trees, cutting them down with an axe. You can eat their fruit, so don’t cut them down. After all, are the trees in the field human beings, so that you have to besiege them too? 20 However, if you know that certain trees provide no food, you may destroy them and cut them down, in order to build siege-works against the town making war with you, until it falls.
21:1 “If, in the land Adonai your God is giving you to possess, a murder victim is found lying in the countryside; and the perpetrator of the murder is not known; 2 then your leaders and judges are to go out and measure the distance between it and the surrounding towns. 3 After it has been determined which town is the closest, the leaders of that town are to take a young female cow that has never been put to work or yoked for use as a draft animal. 4 The leaders of that town are to bring the heifer down to a vadi with a stream in it that never dries up, to a place that is neither plowed nor sown; and they are to break the cow’s neck there in the vadi. 5 Then the cohanim, who are L’vi’im, are to approach; for Adonai your God has chosen them to serve him and to pronounce blessings in the name of Adonai; they will decide the outcome of every dispute and matter involving violence. 6 All the leaders of the town nearest the murder victim are to wash their hands over the cow whose neck was broken in the vadi. (Maftir) 7 Then they are to speak up and say, ‘This blood was not shed by our hands, nor have we seen who did it. 8 Adonai, forgive your people Isra’el, whom you redeemed; do not allow innocent blood to be shed among your people Isra’el.’ And they will be forgiven this bloodshed. 9 Thus you will banish the shedding of innocent blood from among you, by doing what Adonai sees as right.
Isaiah 51:12 “I, yes I, am the one who comforts you!
Why are you afraid of a man, who must die;
of a human being, who will wither like grass?
13 You have forgotten Adonai, your maker,
who stretched out the heavens
and laid the foundations of the earth.
Instead, you are in constant fear all day
because of the oppressor’s rage,
as he prepares to destroy!
But where is the oppressor’s rage?
14 The captive will soon be set free;
he will not die and go down to Sh’ol;
on the contrary, his food supply will be secure.
15 For I am Adonai your God,
who stirs up the sea, who makes its waves roar —
Adonai-Tzva’ot is my name.
16 I have put my words in your mouth
and covered you with the shadow of my hand,
in order to plant the skies [anew],
lay the foundations of the earth [anew]
and say to Tziyon, ‘You are my people.’”
17 Awake! Awake! Stand up, Yerushalayim!
At Adonai’s hand you drank the cup of his fury;
you have drained to the dregs
the goblet of drunkenness.
18 There is no one to guide her
among all the sons she has borne.
Not one of all the children she raised
is taking her by the hand.
19 These two disasters have overcome you —
yet who will grieve with you? —
plunder and destruction, famine and sword;
by whom can I comfort you?
20 Your children lie helpless at every street corner,
like an antelope trapped in a net;
they are full of Adonai’s fury,
the rebuke of your God.
21 Therefore, please hear this in your affliction,
you who are drunk, but not with wine;
22 this is what your Lord Adonai says,
your God, who defends his people:
“Here, I have removed from your hand
the cup of drunkenness,
the goblet of my fury.
You will never drink it again.
23 I will put it in the hands of your tormentors,
who said to you, ‘Bend down, so we can trample you,’
and you flattened your back on the ground
like a street for them to walk on.”52:1 Awake! Awake, Tziyon!
Clothe yourself with your strength!
Dress in your splendid garments,
Yerushalayim, the holy city!
For the uncircumcised and the unclean
will enter you no more.
2 Shake off the dust! Arise!
Be enthroned, Yerushalayim!
Loosen the chains on your neck,
captive daughter of Tziyon!
3 For thus says Adonai:
“You were sold for nothing,
and you will be redeemed without money.”
4 For thus says Adonai Elohim:
“Long ago my people went down to Egypt
to live there as aliens,
and Ashur oppressed them for no reason.
5 So now, what should I do here,” asks Adonai,
“since my people were carried off for nothing?
Their oppressors are howling,” says Adonai,
“and my name is always being insulted, daily.
6 Therefore my people will know my name;
therefore on that day they will know
that I, the one speaking — here I am!”
7 How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of him who brings good news,
proclaiming shalom, bringing good news
of good things, announcing salvation
and saying to Tziyon, “Your God is King!”
8 Listen! Your watchmen are raising their voices,
shouting for joy together.
For they will see, before their own eyes,
Adonai returning to Tziyon.
9 Break out into joy! Sing together,
you ruins of Yerushalayim!
For Adonai has comforted his people,
he has redeemed Yerushalayim!
10 Adonai has bared his holy arm
in the sight of every nation,
and all the ends of the earth will see
the salvation of our God.
11 Leave! Leave! Get out of there!
Don’t touch anything unclean!
Get out from inside it, and be clean,
you who carry Adonai’s temple equipment.
12 You need not leave in haste,
you do not have to flee;
for Adonai will go ahead of you,
and the God of Isra’el will also be behind you.
Today's Laws and Customs:
Elul Observances
As the last month of the Jewish year, Elul is traditionaly a time of introspection and stocktaking -- a time to review one's deeds and spiritual progress over the past year and prepare for the upcoming "Days of Awe" of Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur.
As the month of Divine Mercy and Forgiveness (see "Today in Jewish History" forElul 1) it is a most opportune time for teshuvah ("return" to G-d), prayer, charity, and increased Ahavat Yisrael (love for a fellow Jew) in the quest for self-improvement and coming closer to G-d. Chassidic master Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi likens the month of Elul to a time when "the king is in the field" and, in contrast to when he is in the royal palace, "everyone who so desires is permitted to meet him, and he receives them all with a cheerful countenance and shows a smiling face to them all."
Specific Elul customs include the daily sounding of the shofar (ram's horn) as a call to repentance. The Baal Shem Tov instituted the custom of reciting three additional chapters of Psalms each day, from the 1st of Elul until Yom Kippur (on Yom Kippur the remaining 36 chapters are recited, thereby completing the entire book of Psalms). Click below to view today's Psalms.
Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21
Psalms 19: (0) For the leader. A psalm of David:
2 (1) The heavens declare the glory of God,
the dome of the sky speaks the work of his hands.
3 (2) Every day it utters speech,
every night it reveals knowledge.
4 (3) Without speech, without a word,
without their voices being heard,
5 (4) their line goes out through all the earth
and their words to the end of the world.
In them he places a tent for the sun,
6 (5) which comes out like a bridegroom from the bridal chamber,
with delight like an athlete to run his race.
7 (6) It rises at one side of the sky,
circles around to the other side,
and nothing escapes its heat.
8 (7) The Torah of Adonai is perfect,
restoring the inner person.
The instruction of Adonai is sure,
making wise the thoughtless.
9 (8) The precepts of Adonai are right,
rejoicing the heart.
The mitzvah of Adonai is pure,
enlightening the eyes.
10 (9) The fear of Adonai is clean,
enduring forever.
The rulings of Adonai are true,
they are righteous altogether,
11 (10) more desirable than gold,
than much fine gold,
also sweeter than honey
or drippings from the honeycomb.
12 (11) Through them your servant is warned;
in obeying them there is great reward.
13 (12) Who can discern unintentional sins?
Cleanse me from hidden faults.
14 (13) Also keep your servant from presumptuous sins,
so that they won’t control me.
Then I will be blameless
and free of great offense.
15 (14) May the words of my mouth
and the thoughts of my heart
be acceptable in your presence,
Adonai, my Rock and Redeemer.
20:1 (0) For the leader. A psalm of David:
2 (1) May Adonai answer you in times of distress,
may the name of the God of Ya‘akov protect you.
3 (2) May he send you help from the sanctuary
and give you support from Tziyon.
4 (3) May he be reminded by all your grain offerings
and accept the fat of your burnt offerings. (Selah)
5 (4) May he grant you your heart’s desire
and bring all your plans to success.
6 (5) Then we will shout for joy at your victory
and fly our flags in the name of our God.
May Adonai fulfill all your requests.
7 (6) Now I know that Adonai
gives victory to his anointed one —
he will answer him from his holy heaven
with mighty victories by his right hand.
8 (7) Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we praise the name of Adonai our God.
9 (8) They will crumple and fall,
but we will arise and stand erect.
10 (9) Give victory, Adonai!
Let the King answer us the day we call.
21:1 (0) For the leader. A psalm of David:
2 (1) Adonai, the king finds joy in your strength;
what great joy he displays in your victory!
3 (2) You give him his heart’s desire;
you don’t refuse the prayer from his lips. (Selah)
4 (3) For you come to meet him with the best blessings,
you place a crown of fine gold on his head.
5 (4) He asks you for life; you give it to him,
years and years forever and ever.
6 (5) Your victory brings him great glory;
you confer on him splendor and honor.
7 (6) For you bestow on him everlasting blessings,
you make him glad with the joy of your presence.
8 (7) For the king puts his trust in Adonai,
in the grace of ‘Elyon; he will not be moved.
9 (8) Your hand will find all your enemies;
your right hand will overtake those who hate you.
10 (9) At your appearing,
you will make them like a fiery furnace.
Adonai will swallow them up in his anger;
fire will consume them.
11 (10) You will destroy from the earth their descendants,
rid humankind of their posterity;
12 (11) for they intended evil against you;
but despite their scheme, they won’t succeed.
13 (12) For you will make them turn their back
by aiming your bow at their faces.
14 (13) Arise, Adonai, in your strength;
and we will sing and praise your power.
Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
Elul is also the time to have one's tefillin and mezuzot checked by an accredited scribe to ensure that they are in good condition and fit for use.
Links: More on Elul
Ethics: Chapter 6
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 Six.
Link: Ethics of the Fathers, Chapter 6
Sanctification of the MoonOnce a month, as the moon waxes in the sky, we recite a special blessing calledKiddush Levanah, "the sanctification of the moon," praising the Creator for His wondrous work we call astronomy.
Kiddush Levanah is recited after nightfall, usually on Saturday night. The blessing is concluded with songs and dancing, because our nation is likened to the moon—as it waxes and wanes, so have we throughout history. When we bless the moon, we renew our trust that very soon, the light of G‑d's presence will fill all the earth and our people will be redeemed from exile.
Though Kiddush Levanah can be recited as early as three days after the moon's rebirth, the kabbalah tells us it is best to wait a full week, till the seventh of the month. Once 15 days have passed, the moon begins to wane once more and the season for saying the blessing has passed.
Links:
Brief Guide to Kiddush Levanah: Thank G‑d for the Moon!
More articles on Kiddush Levanah from our knowledgebase.
Today in Jewish History:
Moses' parents remarry (1394 BCE)
Amram and Jocheved had separated because of Pharaoh's decree that all male Jewish babies be killed. Prompted by their six-year-old daughter Miriam's rebuke ("Pharaoh decreed against the males; you decreed against the males and the females") they remarried on the 7th of Elul of the year 2367 from creation (1394 BCE). Moses was born six months and one day later on Adar 7, 2368 (Talmud, Sotah 12b).
Links: Midrashic account of Amram and Jocheved's remarriage
Spies die (1312 BCE)
The Spies who slandered the Land of Israel died in the desert (Talmud, Sotah 35a; see Numbers 13-14 and text and links for Av 9 and Av 15).
Daily Study:
Chitas and Rambam for today:
Chumash: Parshat Shoftim, 7th Portion (Deuteronomy 20:10-21:9)
• Deuteronomy Chapter 20
10When you approach a city to wage war against it, you shall propose peace to it. יכִּֽי־תִקְרַ֣ב אֶל־עִ֔יר לְהִלָּחֵ֖ם עָלֶ֑יהָ וְקָרָ֥אתָ אֵלֶ֖יהָ לְשָׁלֽוֹם:
When you approach a city [to wage war against it]: Scripture is speaking of an optional war, as is explicit in the context of this section (verse 15), “Thus you will do to all the cities which are very far away [from you]….” - [Sifrei] כי תקרב אל עיר: במלחמת הרשות הכתוב מדבר, כמו שמפורש בענין (פסוק טו) כן תעשה לכל הערים הרחוקות וגו':
11And it will be, if it responds to you with peace, and it opens up to you, then it will be, [that] all the people found therein shall become tributary to you, and they shall serve you. יאוְהָיָה֙ אִם־שָׁל֣וֹם תַּֽעַנְךָ֔ וּפָֽתְחָ֖ה לָ֑ךְ וְהָיָ֞ה כָּל־הָעָ֣ם הַנִּמְצָא־בָ֗הּ יִֽהְי֥וּ לְךָ֛ לָמַ֖ס וַֽעֲבָדֽוּךָ:
all the people found therein [shall become tributary]: Even if you find in it people of the seven nations, whom you have been commanded to exterminate, you are permitted to spare their lives. — [Sifrei] כל העם הנמצא בה: אפילו אתה מוצא בה משבעה אומות שנצטוית להחרימם, אתה רשאי לקיימם:
tributary [to you], and they shall serve you: [You shall fight them] until they accept upon themselves both tribute and bondage. — [Sifrei] למס ועבדוך: עד שיקבלו עליהם מסים ושעבוד:
12But if it does not make peace with you, and it wages war against you, you shall besiege it, יבוְאִם־לֹ֤א תַשְׁלִים֙ עִמָּ֔ךְ וְעָֽשְׂתָ֥ה עִמְּךָ֖ מִלְחָמָ֑ה וְצַרְתָּ֖ עָלֶֽיהָ:
But if it does make no peace with you, and it wages war against you:Scripture is informing you that if it does not make peace with you, then, if you let it be and go away, [this city] will ultimately wage war against you. ואם לא תשלים עמך ועשתה עמך מלחמה: הכתוב מבשרך שאם לא תשלים עמך סופה להלחם בך אם תניחנה ותלך:
you shall besiege it: Even to starve it out, and cause them to [die of] thirst and to kill [the inhabitants of the city] through diseases. — [Sifrei] וצרת עליה: אף להרעיבה ולהצמיאה ולהמיתה מיתת תחלואים:
13and the Lord, your God, will deliver it into your hands, and you shall strike all its males with the edge of the sword. יגוּנְתָנָ֛הּ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ וְהִכִּיתָ֥ אֶת־כָּל־זְכוּרָ֖הּ לְפִי־חָֽרֶב:
and the Lord your God will deliver it into your hands: If you have done all that is stated in this section, the Lord will ultimately deliver it into your hands. — [Sifrei] ונתנה ה' אלהיך בידך: אם עשית כל האמור בענין, סוף שה' נותנה בידך:
14However, the women, the children, and the livestock, and all that is in the city, all its spoils you shall take for yourself, and you shall eat the spoils of your enemies, which the Lord, your God, has given you. ידרַ֣ק הַ֠נָּשִׁ֠ים וְהַטַּ֨ף וְהַבְּהֵמָ֜ה וְכֹל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִֽהְיֶ֥ה בָעִ֛יר כָּל־שְׁלָלָ֖הּ תָּבֹ֣ז לָ֑ךְ וְאָֽכַלְתָּ֙ אֶת־שְׁלַ֣ל אֹֽיְבֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֛ן יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ לָֽךְ:
And the children [… you shall take for yourself]: Even the male children. But, how then, am I to explain “and you shall strike all its males”? (verse 13) It refers to adult males. — [Sifrei] והטף: אף טף של זכרים. ומה אני מקיים (פסוק יג) והכית את כל זכורה, בגדולים:
15Thus you shall do to all the cities that are very far from you, which are not of the cities of these nations. טוכֵּ֤ן תַּֽעֲשֶׂה֙ לְכָל־הֶ֣עָרִ֔ים הָֽרְחֹקֹ֥ת מִמְּךָ֖ מְאֹ֑ד אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־מֵֽעָרֵ֥י הַגּוֹיִֽם־הָאֵ֖לֶּה הֵֽנָּה:
16However, of these peoples' cities, which the Lord, your God, gives you as an inheritance, you shall not allow any soul to live. טזרַ֗ק מֵֽעָרֵ֤י הָֽעַמִּים֙ הָאֵ֔לֶּה אֲשֶׁר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְ֖ךָ נַֽחֲלָ֑ה לֹ֥א תְחַיֶּ֖ה כָּל־נְשָׁמָֽה:
17Rather, you shall utterly destroy them: The Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivvites, and the Jebusites, as the Lord, your God, has commanded you. יזכִּי־הַֽחֲרֵ֣ם תַּֽחֲרִימֵ֗ם הַֽחִתִּ֤י וְהָֽאֱמֹרִי֙ הַכְּנַֽעֲנִ֣י וְהַפְּרִזִּ֔י הַֽחִוִּ֖י וְהַיְבוּסִ֑י כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוְּךָ֖ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ:
as [the Lord your God] has commanded you: [This is] to include the Girgashites [the seventh nation, not mentioned here, but you were commanded to destroy them]. — [Sifrei] כאשר צוך: לרבות את הגרגשי:
18So that they should not teach you to act according to all their abominations that they have done for their gods, whereby you would sin against the Lord, your God. יחלְמַ֗עַן אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־יְלַמְּד֤וּ אֶתְכֶם֙ לַֽעֲשׂ֔וֹת כְּכֹל֙ תּֽוֹעֲבֹתָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשׂ֖וּ לֵאלֹֽהֵיהֶ֑ם וַֽחֲטָאתֶ֖ם לַֽיהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם:
so that they will not teach you to do [like all] their abominations]: But if they repent and wish to convert, you are allowed to accept them. — [Sifrei] למען אשר לא ילמדו: הא אם עשו תשובה ומתגיירים, אתה רשאי לקבלם:
19When you besiege a city for many days to wage war against it to capture it, you shall not destroy its trees by wielding an ax against them, for you may eat from them, but you shall not cut them down. Is the tree of the field a man, to go into the siege before you? יטכִּֽי־תָצ֣וּר אֶל־עִיר֩ יָמִ֨ים רַבִּ֜ים לְהִלָּחֵ֧ם עָלֶ֣יהָ לְתָפְשָׂ֗הּ לֹֽא־תַשְׁחִ֤ית אֶת־עֵצָהּ֙ לִנְדֹּ֤חַ עָלָיו֙ גַּרְזֶ֔ן כִּ֚י מִמֶּ֣נּוּ תֹאכֵ֔ל וְאֹת֖וֹ לֹ֣א תִכְרֹ֑ת כִּ֤י הָֽאָדָם֙ עֵ֣ץ הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה לָבֹ֥א מִפָּנֶ֖יךָ בַּמָּצֽוֹר:
[When you besiege a city for many] days: The word “days” implies two days. [But when it says ימים: שנים:
many: [this means] three [days]. From here our Rabbis derived [the ruling that] the siege of a heathen city may not be initiated less than three days before the Sabbath (Sifrei , Shab. 19a), and this verse teaches us that the offer of peace (verse 10) must be repeated for two or three days. Similarly, it says:“that David dwelt in Ziklag for two days” (II Sam. 1:1). Scripture is speaking here of an optional war. — [Sifrei] רבים: שלשה. מכאן אמרו אין צרין על עיירות של נכרים פחות משלשה ימים קודם לשבת. ולמד שפותח בשלום שנים או שלשה ימים. וכן הוא אומר (שמואל ב' א, א) וישב דוד בצקלג ימים שנים, ובמלחמת הרשות הכתוב מדבר:
Is the tree of the field a man, to go into the siege before you]?: The word כִּי here means“perhaps:” Is the tree of the field perhaps a man who is to go into the siege by you, that it should be punished by the suffering of hunger and thirst like the people of the city? Why should you destroy it? כי האדם עץ השדה: הרי כי משמש בלשון דלמא. שמא האדם עץ השדה להכנס בתוך המצור מפניך להתייסר ביסורי רעב וצמא כאנשי העיר למה תשחיתנו:
20However, a tree you know is not a food tree, you may destroy and cut down, and you shall build bulwarks against the city that makes war with you, until its submission. כרַ֞ק עֵ֣ץ אֲשֶׁר־תֵּדַ֗ע כִּ֣י לֹא־עֵ֤ץ מַֽאֲכָל֙ ה֔וּא אֹת֥וֹ תַשְׁחִ֖ית וְכָרָ֑תָּ וּבָנִ֣יתָ מָצ֗וֹר עַל־הָעִיר֙ אֲשֶׁר־הִוא֙ עֹשָׂ֧ה עִמְּךָ֛ מִלְחָמָ֖ה עַ֥ד רִדְתָּֽהּ:
until its submission: Heb. רִדְתָּהּ, an expression of רִדּוּי, subjugation, [meaning] that it becomes submissive to you. עד רדתה: לשון רדוי, שתהא כפופה לך:
Deuteronomy Chapter 21
1If a slain person be found in the land which the Lord, your God is giving you to possess, lying in the field, [and] it is not known who slew him, אכִּֽי־יִמָּצֵ֣א חָלָ֗ל בַּֽאֲדָמָה֙ אֲשֶׁר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ נֹתֵ֤ן לְךָ֙ לְרִשְׁתָּ֔הּ נֹפֵ֖ל בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה לֹ֥א נוֹדַ֖ע מִ֥י הִכָּֽהוּ:
2then your elders and judges shall go forth, and they shall measure to the cities around the corpse. בוְיָֽצְא֥וּ זְקֵנֶ֖יךָ וְשֹֽׁפְטֶ֑יךָ וּמָֽדְדוּ֙ אֶל־הֶ֣עָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר סְבִיבֹ֥ת הֶֽחָלָֽל:
then your elders… shall go out: the distinguished ones of your elders, [namely] the Great Sanhedrin. — [Sotah 44] ויצאו זקניך: מיוחדים שבזקניך, אלו סנהדרי גדולה:
and they shall measure: from the place where the corpse lies. ומדדו: ממקום שהחלל שוכב:
to the cities around the corpse: in every direction, in order to ascertain which is the nearest. אל הערים אשר סביבות החלל: לכל צד לידע איזו קרובה:
3And it will be, [that from] the city closer to the corpse, the elders of that city shall take a calf with which work has never been done, [and] that has never drawn a yoke, גוְהָיָ֣ה הָעִ֔יר הַקְּרֹבָ֖ה אֶל־הֶֽחָלָ֑ל וְלָֽקְח֡וּ זִקְנֵי֩ הָעִ֨יר הַהִ֜וא עֶגְלַ֣ת בָּקָ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־עֻבַּד֙ בָּ֔הּ אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־מָֽשְׁכָ֖ה בְּעֹֽל:
4and the elders of that city shall bring the calf down to a rugged valley, which was neither tilled nor sown, and there in the valley, they shall decapitate the calf. דוְהוֹרִ֡דוּ זִקְנֵי֩ הָעִ֨יר הַהִ֤וא אֶת־הָֽעֶגְלָה֙ אֶל־נַ֣חַל אֵיתָ֔ן אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־יֵֽעָבֵ֥ד בּ֖וֹ וְלֹ֥א יִזָּרֵ֑עַ וְעָֽרְפוּ־שָׁ֥ם אֶת־הָֽעֶגְלָ֖ה בַּנָּֽחַל:
to a rugged valley: Heb. אֵיתָן, hard, [a valley] that was never tilled. אל נחל איתן: קשה שלא נעבד:
shall decapitate: He breaks its neck with a hatchet [i.e., from the back]. The Holy One, blessed be He, says: Let the calf which is in its first year and has, therefore, produced no fruits, come and be decapitated at a place [the valley that was not tilled] which has not produced fruits, in order to atone for the murder of this man, whom they [the murderers] did not allow to produce fruit [i.e., to perform mitzvoth]. — [Sotah 46a] וערפו: קוצץ ערפה בקופיץ. אמר הקב"ה תבא עגלה בת שנתה שלא עשתה פירות ותערף במקום שאינו עושה פירות, לכפר על הריגתו של זה שלא הניחוהו לעשות פירות:
5And the kohanim, the sons of Levi, shall approach, for the Lord, your God, has chosen them to serve Him and to bless in the Name of the Lord, and by their mouth shall every controversy and every lesion be [judged]. הוְנִגְּשׁ֣וּ הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֘ בְּנֵ֣י לֵוִי֒ כִּ֣י בָ֗ם בָּחַ֞ר יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ לְשָׁ֣רְת֔וֹ וּלְבָרֵ֖ךְ בְּשֵׁ֣ם יְהֹוָ֑ה וְעַל־פִּיהֶ֥ם יִֽהְיֶ֖ה כָּל־רִ֥יב וְכָל־נָֽגַע:
6And all the elders of that city, who are the nearest to the corpse, shall wash their hands over the calf that was decapitated in the valley; ווְכֹ֗ל זִקְנֵי֙ הָעִ֣יר הַהִ֔וא הַקְּרֹבִ֖ים אֶל־הֶֽחָלָ֑ל יִרְחֲצוּ֙ אֶת־יְדֵיהֶ֔ם עַל־הָֽעֶגְלָ֖ה הָֽעֲרוּפָ֥ה בַנָּֽחַל:
7And they shall announce and say, "Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see [this crime]." זוְעָנ֖וּ וְאָֽמְר֑וּ יָדֵ֗ינוּ לֹ֤א שָֽׁפְכוּ֙ (כתיב שפכה֙)אֶת־הַדָּ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה וְעֵינֵ֖ינוּ לֹ֥א רָאֽוּ:
Our hands did not shed [this blood]: But would it enter one’s mind that the elders of the court are murderers? Rather, [they declare:] We [ourselves] did not see him and let him depart without food or escort [which would have indirectly caused his death, leaving this man to the elements and to robbers]. — [Sifrei ; Sotah 45a] The kohanim then say: ידינו לא שפכה: וכי עלתה על לב שזקני בית דין שופכי דמים הם, אלא לא ראינוהו ופטרנוהו בלא מזונות ובלא לויה. והכהנים אומרים כפר לעמך ישראל:
8"Atone for Your people Israel, whom You have redeemed, O Lord, and lay not [the guilt of] innocent blood among your people Israel." And [so] the blood shall be atoned for them. חכַּפֵּר֩ לְעַמְּךָ֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל אֲשֶׁר־פָּדִ֨יתָ֙ יְהֹוָ֔ה וְאַל־תִּתֵּן֙ דָּ֣ם נָקִ֔י בְּקֶ֖רֶב עַמְּךָ֣ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְנִכַּפֵּ֥ר לָהֶ֖ם הַדָּֽם:
Atone for Your people Israel,… And [so] the blood will be atoned for them: Scripture informs them that from the time they complete all this, their sin is atoned. — [Sifrei] ונכפר להם הדם: הכתוב מבשרם שמשעשו כן יכופר להם העון:
9And you shall abolish the [shedding of] innocent blood from among you, for you shall do what is proper in the eyes of the Lord. טוְאַתָּ֗ה תְּבַעֵ֛ר הַדָּ֥ם הַנָּקִ֖י מִקִּרְבֶּ֑ךָ כִּי־תַֽעֲשֶׂ֥ה הַיָּשָׁ֖ר בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה:
and you shall abolish: This tells [us] that if the murderer is found after the calf is decapitated, the murderer must be executed, and that is “what is proper in the eyes of the Lord.” - [Sotah 47b, Keth. 37b] ואתה תבער: מגיד שאם נמצא ההורג אחר שנתערפה העגלה הרי זה יהרג, והוא הישר בעיני ה':
Daily Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 39-43
• Special Custom for the Month of Elul and High Holidays
The Baal Shem Tov instituted a custom of reciting three additional chapters of Psalms each day, from the 1st of Elul until Yom Kippur (on Yom Kippur the remaining 36 chapters are recited, thereby completing the entire book of Psalms).
See below for today's additional chapters.Chapter 39
David's prayer bewailing his suffering. But it is not suffering itself that pains him, rather he is saddened by its disturbing his Torah study. For man's days are few, "and if not now, when (will he study)?" for he may die, today or tomorrow. He therefore requests that his suffering be removed, to enable him to study Torah and acquire a place in the World to Come.
1. For the Conductor, for yedutun,1 a psalm by David.
2. I said that I would guard my ways from sinning with my tongue; I would guard my mouth with a muzzle, [even] while the wicked one is before me.
3. I became mute with stillness, I was silent [even] from the good, though my pain was crippling.
4. My heart grew hot within me, a fire blazed in my utterance, as I spoke with my tongue.
5. O Lord, let me know my end and what is the measure of my days, that I may know when I will cease.
6. Behold, like handbreadths You set my days; my lifetime is as naught before You. But all is futility, all mankind's existence, Selah.
7. Only in darkness does man walk, seeking only futility; he amasses riches and knows not who will reap them.
8. And now, what is my hope, my Lord? My longing is to You.
9. Rescue me from all my transgressions; do not make me the scorn of the degenerate.
10. I am mute, I do not open my mouth, for You have caused [my suffering].
11. Remove Your affliction from me; I am devastated by the attack of Your hand.
12. In reproach for sin You chastened man; like a moth, You wore away that which is precious to him. All mankind is nothing but futility, forever.
13. Hear my prayer, O Lord, listen to my cry; do not be silent to my tears, for I am a stranger with You, a sojourner like all my forefathers.
14. Turn from me, that I may recover my strength, before I depart and I am no more.
FOOTNOTES
1.A musical instrument (Metzudot).
Chapter 40
The psalmist speaks of the numerous wonders that God wrought for the Jewish people, asking: "Who can articulate His might? I would relate and speak of them, but they are too numerous to recount!" He created the world and split the sea for the sake of Israel, [yet] He desires no sacrifices, only that we listen to His voice.
1. For the Conductor, a psalm by David.
2. I put my hope in the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry.
3. He raised me from the turbulent pit, from the slimy mud, and set my feet upon a rock, steadying my steps.
4. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn to our God; multitudes will see and fear, and will trust in the Lord.
5. Fortunate is the man who has made the Lord his trust, and did not turn to the haughty, nor to those who stray after falsehood.
6. You have done much, O You, Lord my God-Your wonders and thoughts are for us; none can compare to You; should I relate or speak of them, they are too numerous to recount!
7. You desired neither sacrifice nor meal-offering, but [obedient] ears You opened for me; You requested neither burnt-offering nor sin-offering.
8. Then I said, "Behold, I come with a Scroll of the Book written for me."1
9. I desire to fulfill Your will, my God; and Your Torah is in my innards.
10. I proclaimed [Your] righteousness in a vast congregation; behold I will not restrain my lips-O Lord, You know!
11. I did not conceal Your righteousness within my heart; I declared Your faithfulness and deliverance; I did not hide Your kindness and truth from the vast congregation.
12. May You, Lord, not withhold Your mercies from me; may Your kindness and truth constantly guard me.
13. For countless evils surround me; my sins have overtaken me and I cannot see; they outnumber the hairs of my head, and my heart has abandoned me.
14. May it please You, Lord, to save me; O Lord, hurry to my aid.
15. Let those who seek my life, to end it, be shamed and humiliated together; let those who desire my harm retreat and be disgraced.
16. Let those who say about me, "Aha! Aha!" be desolate, in return for their shaming [me].
17. Let all those who seek You exult and rejoice in You; let those who love Your deliverance always say, "Be exalted, O Lord!”
18. As for me, I am poor and needy; my Lord will think of me. You are my help and my rescuer; my God, do not delay!
FOOTNOTES
1.Upon recovery, David expresses thanks, not through sacrifices, by dedicating himself to Torah (Radak).
Chapter 41
This psalm teaches many good character traits, and inspires one to be thoughtful and conscientious in giving charity-knowing to whom to give first. Fortunate is he who is thoughtful of the sick one, providing him with his needs.
1. For the Conductor, a psalm by David.
2. Fortunate is he who is thoughtful of the poor, [for] the Lord will save him on the day of evil.
3. The Lord will guard him and keep him alive; he will be praised throughout the land; You will not deliver him to the desires of his enemies.
4. The Lord will support him on the bed of illness; You will turn him over in his bed all throughout his sickness.
5. I said, "Lord, be gracious to me! Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You!”
6. My foes say that evil [awaits] me: "When will he die, and his name perish?”
7. And if one comes to see [me], he speaks insincerely, for his heart gathers iniquity for himself, and when he goes out he speaks of it.
8. Together they whisper against me-all my enemies; against me they devise my harm, [saying]:
9. "Let his wickedness pour into him; now that he lies down, he shall rise no more.”
10. Even my ally in whom I trusted, who ate of my bread, has raised his heel over me.
11. But you, Lord, be gracious to me and raise me up, and I will repay them.
12. With this I shall know that You desire me, when my enemies will not shout gleefully over me.
13. And I, because of my integrity, You upheld me; You set me before You forever.
14. Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel, to all eternity, Amen and Amen.
Chapter 42
This psalm awakens the hearts of the Children of Israel who do not feel the immense ruin, loss, and bad fortune in their being exiled from their Father's table. Were they wise, they would appreciate their past good fortune in coming thrice yearly, with joy and great awe, to behold God during the festivals, free of adversary and harm. May God place mercy before us from now to eternity, Amen Selah.
1. For the Conductor, a maskil1 by the sons of Korach.
2. As the deer cries longingly for brooks of water, so my soul cries longingly for You, O God!
3. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When will I come and behold the countenance of God?
4. My tears have been my bread day and night, when they say to me all day, "Where is your God?”
5. These do I recall, and pour out my soul from within me: how I traveled [to Jerusalem] in covered wagons; I would walk leisurely with them up to the House of God, amid the sound of rejoicing and thanksgiving, the celebrating multitude.
6. Why are you downcast, my soul, and why do you wail within me? Hope to God, for I will yet thank Him for the deliverances of His countenance.
7. My God! My soul is downcast upon me, because I remember You from the land of Jordan and Hermon's peaks, from Mount Mitzar.2
8. Deep calls to deep3 at the roar of Your channels; all Your breakers and waves have swept over me.
9. By day the Lord ordains His kindness, and at night His song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.
10. I say to God, my rock, "Why have You forgotten me? Why must I walk in gloom under the oppression of the enemy?”
11. Like a sword in my bones, my adversaries disgrace me, when they say to me all day, "Where is your God?”
12. Why are you downcast, my soul, and why do you wail within me? Hope to God, for I will yet thank Him; He is my deliverance, [the light of] my countenance, and my God.
FOOTNOTES
1.A psalm intended to enlighten and impart knowledge. (Metzudot)
2.My heart aches when I remember the pilgrims from lands east of Jordan, and those from distant Hermon and Mitzar, who would travel to Jerusalem for the festivals (Radak)
3.Before one misfortune has ended, another is already upon us; as if one calls the other to come (Metzudot).
Chapter 43
A significant prayer concerning the magnitude of the troubles we have suffered at the hands of the impious nations. May it be God's will to send Moshiach and Elijah the Prophet, who will lead us to the Holy Temple to offer sacrifices as in days of old.
1. Avenge me, O God, and champion my cause against an impious nation; rescue me from the man of deceit and iniquity.
2. For You are the God of my strength; why have You abandoned me? Why must I walk in gloom under the oppression of the enemy?
3. Send Your light and Your truth, they will guide me; they will bring me to Your holy mountain and to your sanctuaries.
4. Then I will come to the altar of God-to God, the joy of my delight-and praise You on the lyre, O God, my God.
5. Why are you downcast, my soul, and why do you wail within me? Hope to God, for I will yet thank Him; He is my deliverance, [the light of] my countenance, and my God.
Additional Three Chapters
The Baal Shem Tov instituted a custom of reciting three additional chapters of Psalms each day, from the 1st of Elul until Yom Kippur (on Yom Kippur the remaining 36 chapters are recited, thereby completing the entire book of Psalms).
Today's Chapters are 19, 20 and 21.Chapter 19
To behold God's might one should look to the heavens, to the sun, and to the Torah, from which awesome miracles and wonders can be perceived--wonders that lead the creations to tell of God's glory.
1. For the Conductor, a psalm by David.
2. The heavens recount the glory of the Almighty; the sky proclaims His handiwork.
3. Day to day speech streams forth; night to night expresses knowledge.
4. There is no utterance, there are no words; their voice is inaudible.
5. Their arc extends throughout the world; their message to the end of the earth. He set in them [the heavens] a tent for the sun,
6. which is like a groom coming forth from his bridal canopy, like a strong man rejoicing to run the course.
7. Its rising is at one end of the heavens, and its orbit encompasses the other ends; nothing is hidden from its heat.
8. The Torah of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy, making wise the simpleton.
9. The precepts of the Lord are just, rejoicing the heart; the command of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes.
10. The fear of the Lord is pure, abiding forever; the judgments of the Lord are true, they are all righteous together.
11. They are more desirable than gold, than much fine gold; sweeter than honey or the drippings of honeycomb.
12. Indeed, Your servant is scrupulous with them; in observing them there is abundant reward.
13. Yet who can discern inadvertent wrongs? Purge me of hidden sins.
14. Also hold back Your servant from willful sins; let them not prevail over me; then I will be unblemished and keep myself clean of gross transgression.
15. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable before You, Lord, my Strength and my Redeemer.
Chapter 20
If a loved one or relative is suffering-even in a distant place, where one is unable to help-offer this prayer on their behalf.
1. For the Conductor, a psalm by David.
2. May the Lord answer you on the day of distress; may the Name of the God of Jacob fortify you.
3. May He send your help from the Sanctuary, and support you from Zion.
4. May He remember all your offerings, and always accept favorably your sacrifices.
5. May He grant you your heart's desire, and fulfill your every counsel.
6. We will rejoice in your deliverance, and raise our banners in the name of our God; may the Lord fulfill all your wishes.
7. Now I know that the Lord has delivered His anointed one, answering him from His holy heavens with the mighty saving power of His right hand.
8. Some [rely] upon chariots and some upon horses, but we [rely upon and] invoke the Name of the Lord our God.
9. They bend and fall, but we rise and stand firm.
10. Lord, deliver us; may the King answer us on the day we call.
One who is endowed with prosperity, and whose every desire is granted, ought not be ungrateful. He should praise and thank God, recognize Him as the cause of his prosperity, and trust in Him. For everything comes from the kindness of the One Above.
1. For the Conductor, a psalm by David.
2. The king rejoices in Your strength, Lord; how greatly he exults in Your deliverance!
3. You have given him his heart's desire, and You have never withheld the utterance of his lips.
4. You preceded him with blessings of good; You placed a crown of pure gold on his head.
5. He asked of You life, You gave it to him-long life, forever and ever.
6. His glory is great in Your deliverance; You have placed majesty and splendor upon him.
7. For You make him a blessing forever; You gladden him with the joy of Your countenance.
8. For the king trusts in the Lord, and in the kindness of the Most High-that he will not falter.
9. Your hand will suffice for all Your enemies; Your right hand will find those who hate You.
10. You will make them as a fiery furnace at the time of Your anger. May the Lord consume them in His wrath; let a fire devour them.
11. Destroy their offspring from the earth, their descendants from mankind.
12. For they intended evil against You, they devised evil plans which they cannot execute.
13. For You will set them as a portion apart; with Your bowstring You will aim at their faces.
14. Be exalted, O Lord, in Your strength; we will sing and chant the praise of Your might.
Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 12
• Lessons in Tanya
• Today's Tanya Lesson
• Shabbat, 8 Elul, 5776 · 11 September 2016
• Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 12
• והנה אתערותא דלעילא, לעורר גילוי הארה רבה והשפעה עצומה הנ״ל מאור אין סוף ברוך הוא
Now, the arousal from above, that elicits a manifestation of this great illumination and immense diffusion from the [infinite] Ein Sof-light
לעשות שלום הנ״ל
in order to bring about the above-mentioned peace,
היא באתערותא דלתתא
is effected by an arousal from below —
במעשה הצדקה
by the act of charity,
והשפעת חיים חן וחסד ורחמים
and by the benevolent bestowal by one man to another of “life, graciousness, kindness and compassion”1
למאן דלית ליה מגרמיה כלום
to him who has nothing of his own,
ולהחיות רוח שפלים כו׳
thereby “to revive the spirit of the lowly, [and to revive the heart of the downcast].”2
When one gives tzedakah to a pauper3 “while raising his spirits” with a few warm and supportive words, so that he is given not only “life” but “graciousness, kindness and compassion” as well, then this arousal from below results in an arousal from above. This releases an intense illumination of the infinite Ein Sof-light into the Supernal Attributes, thereby making peace between them, and tempering and sweetening the Gevurot in the Chassadim.
The Alter Rebbe will now go on to explain the effect of the “act” of tzedakah upon the individual benefactor himself, in terms of his battle with the evil of his animal soul.
The animal soul may be refined, and the good within it separated and elevated from its evil, in one of two ways:
One possible direction of attack is “from below to above” (milmatah lemaalah), whereby each attribute of the divine soul does battle with its counterpart in the animal soul, seeking to refine and elevate it. For example: the divine soul’s love for G‑d seeks to purify the animal soul’s attribute of Chesed with its fleshly desires; the divine soul’s fear of G‑d seeks to refine the animal soul’s evil kinds of fear; and so on.
Then there is a manner of purification that proceeds “from above to below” (milmaalah lematah), whereby one draws down a Divine light upon oneself so that the attributes of the animal soul spontaneously become purified and elevated within this light.
This approach anticipates the Time to Come, when the world as a whole will become purified of all evil through the G‑dliness that will then be manifest, until ultimately,4 “I shall remove the spirit of impurity from the earth.”
A similar manner of refining the animal soul exists today. It is accomplished through studying Torah lishmah, “for its own sake.” By studying in this way — altruistically, without thought of even spiritual gain — the individual draws down a G‑dly illumination that enables him not only to overwhelm the evil within him, but also to sift out the good within his animal soul from the evil in which it had been encumbered.
In the same way, when a Jew practices the “act” of tzedakah he draws down upon himself a G‑dly enlightenment that becomes revealed within him during prayer, and this enables him to extract the good within his animal soul from the surrounding evil and to elevate it.
ומודעת זאת מה שאמרו רז״ל על העוסק בתורה לשמה
It is well-known that our Sages, of blessed memory, said5 of a person who engages in the study of Torah for its own sake,
משים שלום בפמליא של מעלה ובפמליא של מטה
that “he makes peace within the heavenly retinue and within the terrestial retinue.”
פמליא של מעלה, הם השרים והמדות הנ״ל
The “heavenly retinue” comprises the above-mentioned “princes” and attributes,
שהן ההיכלות עליונים בעולם הבריאה שבזהר הקדוש
for these are the supernal heichalot (lit., “chambers”) in the World of Beriah, as stated in the sacred Zohar.
Peace there consists of the harmonious relationship that is established when Gevurah merges into Chesed and becomes sweetened and tempered by it.
ופמליא של מטה, הן ההיכלות התחתונים
The “terrestial retinue” comprises the lower heichalot,
ובפרט עולם הזה השפל
and especially this lowly world
המעורב טוב ורע מחטא אדם הראשון
which, since the sin of Adam, is mingled of good and evil,
As a result of Adam’s sin, there is no good in this world without evil and no evil without good.
והרע שולט על הטוב
and the evil rules over the good,
כמו שכתוב: אשר שלט האדם באדם גו׳
as it is written,6 “While man rules over man....” I.e., the “man of wickedness,” representing the forces of kelipah, rules over the “man of holiness” — and harms him, too, as the verse concludes.
ולאום מלאום יאמץ
[It is also written],7 “And nation will overpower nation,” as the balance of power fluctuates between the forces of good and the forces of evil.
וכנראה בחוש באדם התחתון, הנקרא בשם עולם קטן
This is empirically evident with terrestrial man, who is called a microcosm,8
שלפעמים הטוב גובר, ולפעמים להיפך, חס ושלום
for sometimes the good [within him] prevails, and sometimes the reverse, heaven forfend.
ואין שלום בעולם עד עת קץ
Therefore there will be no peace in the world until the ultimate time (lit., “the time of the End”), when evil will cease to exist,
שיתברר הטוב מהרע
when the good shall be refined from the evil
לידבק בשרשו ומקורו, מקור החיים ברוך הוא
in order to cleave to its root and source, the Divine Source of Life.
ואזי יתפרדו כל פועלי און, ורוח הטומאה יעבור מן הארץ
At that time9 “all evildoers shall be scattered,” and10 the spirit of impurity shall pass from the earth,
כשיתברר מתוכו בחינת הטוב המחייהו
when the element of the good which sustains it will be extracted from its midst.
Evil will then cease to exist as a matter of course, for its entire existence is dependent on the good found within it.
| FOOTNOTES | |
| 1. | Note of the Rebbe: “Significantly, [these are the very blessings requested in the final benediction of Shemoneh Esreh,] the one beginning with the words, Sim Shalom” (Siddur Tehillat HaShem, p. 60). |
| 2. | Yeshayahu 57:15. |
| 3. | Bava Batra 9b. |
| 4. | Cf. Zechariah 13:2. |
| 5. | Note of the Rebbe: “Sanhedrin 99b. See Likkutei Torah, Mattot, s.v. Heichaltzu.” |
| 6. | Kohelet 8:9. See also Epistle 25 below, et al. |
| 7. | Bereishit 25:23. |
| 8. | Tanchuma, Pekudei 3; Tikkunei Zohar, Tikkun 69 (pp. 100b-101a). |
| 9. | Tehillim 92:10. |
| 10. | Cf. Zechariah 13:2. |
• Shabbat, 8 Elul, 5776 · 11 September 2016
• Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
Negative Commandment 239
Forcefully Taking Collateral
"You shall not go into his house to take his pledge"—Deuteronomy 24:10.
It is forbidden for a creditor to enter the borrower's home and forcibly take collateral for a debt that is due. Only the courts, via a court-appointed agent, have the right to do this.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
• Forcefully Taking Collateral
Negative Commandment 239
Translated by Berel Bell
The 239th prohibition is that we are forbidden from ourselves taking an object as security from someone who owes us money. It may be done only upon order from a judge and through his emissary; we may not barge into the debtor's house and take an object as security.
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "[When you make any kind of loan to your neighbor,] do not go into his house to take something as security."
In the words of the Mishneh:2 "When a person has lent money to another, he may only take something as security in court; he may not enter his house to take his security, as the verse3 says, 'You must stand outside.' "
This prohibition is a lav she'nitak l'aseh (a prohibition with a remedial positive commandment) — i.e. G‑d's statement4 (exalted be He), "Return the security to him." This is the way it is explained in the last chapter of tractate Makkos.5 You should be aware that if he does not return it, and thereby not fulfill the remedial positive commandment, he receives lashes and must repay the value of the secured object, as explained in the last chapter of Makkos.
The details of this mitzvah are explained in the 9th chapter of tractate Bava Metzia.6
FOOTNOTES
1.Ibid., 24:10.
2.Bava Metzia 9:13.
3.Deut. 24:11.
4.Ibid., 24:13.
5.16a.
6.113.
• Rambam - 1 Chapter a Day
Tum'at Tsara`at - Chapter 16
• Tum'at Tsara`at - Chapter 16
1
A blemished house is a primary source of impurity. Anyone who touches it contracts impurity. Similarly, the stones that are removed from it after it was isolated or the stones, the wood, and the mortar of the house when it is destroyed are all considered as primary sources of impurity. An olive-sized portion of them imparts impurity to a person and to implements when touched or carried or when such a substance is brought into a house.
What is implied? If an olive-sized portion of such a substance is brought into a house, everything in the house - people and implements - contract impurity. For all these substances impart impurity when brought into a house like a person afflicted withtzara'at and it is forbidden to benefit from all of them. If one burns them and makes lime, it is forbidden to benefit from it, as implied by Leviticus 14:44: "accursed tzara'at," which can be interpreted as a command: "Consider it a curse and do not benefit from it." All these materials should be discarded outside the city even if it is not surrounded by a wall.
א
בית המנוגע אב מאבות הטומאות כל הנוגע בו נטמא וכן אבנים שחולצין ממנו אחר הסגר או אבנים ועצים ועפר של בית כשנותצין אותו כולן אבות טומאות וכל כזית מהם מטמא אדם וכלים במגע ובמשא ובביאה כיצד אם נכנס כזית מהן לבית טהור נטמא כל אשר בבית מאדם וכלים שכולן מטמאין בביאה כאדם מצורע וכולן אסורין בהנאה ואם שרפן ועשה מהן סיד הרי זה אסור בהנאה שנאמר צרעת ממארת תן בו מארה ואל תהנה בו וכולן משלחין אותן חוץ לעיר אע"פ שאינה מוקפת חומה:
2
A house that is isolated imparts impurity only from the inside, as Leviticus 14:46 states: "One who enters the house throughout the days of its isolation shall become impure until the evening." A house that has been deemed definitively impure, by contrast, imparts impurity from its inside and from its outside, i.e., one who touches its back contracts impurity, as implied by ibid.:44: "It is accursed tzara'at in the house; it is impure." Now was it pure beforehand? Rather, the intent is to increase its impurity over and above that which existed previously and have it deemed impure in its entirety. Hence, it imparts impurity even from the outside. Similarly, the stones on which the blemish is found in an isolated house impart impurity from their outside as well.
ב
בית מוסגר אינו מטמא אלא מתוכו שנאמר והבא אל הבית כל ימי הסגיר אותו יטמא עד הערב אבל המוחלט מטמא מתוכו ומאחוריו שהנוגע בו מאחוריו טמא שנאמר צרעת ממארת בבית טמא הוא וכי טהור היה אלא להוסיף לו טומאה על טומאתו שיהיה כולו טמא ויטמא מאחוריו וכן אבנים שיש בהן הנגע במוסגר מטמאין מאחוריהן:
3
Both a house that is isolated and one that is deemed definitively impure impart impurity when they exist inside another structure.
What is implied? When there was a house built over a blemished house - whether one that was isolated or one that was deemed definitively impure - or there was a tree that stood over such a house, a person who stands under the tree or who enters the outer house is impure. The rationale is that he and the impure house are under one covering. Similarly, if a blemished stone was brought inside a structure and placed down there, everything in the house because impure. If such a stone was placed under a tree and pure person passed there, he becomes impure. If the pure person was standing under a tree and a person carrying a blemished stone passed by there, he does not contract impurity. If he placed it down there, he does contract impurity. The rationale is that the place of a blemished entity has the same status as he does. This applies to blemished persons, implements, stones, wood, and mortar.
ג
אחד המוסגר והמוחלט מטמא בביאה כיצד בית שהיה מיסך על גבי בית מנוגע בין מוחלט בין מוסגר או אילן שהוא מיסך עליו העומד תחת האילן או הנכנס לבית החיצון טמא שהרי הוא והבית הטמא תחת אהל אחד וכן אבן מנוגעת הנכנסת לאהל והונחה שם נטמא כל אשר באהל היתה מונחת תחת האילן והטהור עובר נטמא היה הטהור עומד תחת האילן ועבר אדם באבן מנוגעת לא טמאהו ואם הניחה שם טמאהו שמושב המנוגע כמוהו בין אדם בין כלים בין אבנים ועציו ועפרו:
4
When a person holds his hand over a blemished stone or a blemished stone is held over him, he is pure unless he touches it.
ד
המאהיל בידו על אבן מנוגעת או שהאהילה עליו טהור עד שיגע:
5
When a ritually pure person enters an impure house backwards, even if his entire body enters aside from his nose, he remains pure. This is derived from Leviticus 14:46 which mentions: "The one who comes into the house." Implied is that the Torah prescribed impurity only when one enters in an ordinary manner.
ה
טהור שנכנס לבית מנוגע דרך אחוריו אפילו נכנס כולו חוץ מחוטמו טהור שנאמר והבא אל הבית דרך ביאה טמאה תורה:
6
When a ritually pure person inserted his head and the majority of his body into an impure house, he contracts impurity. Similarly, when a portion of a ritually pure garment three fingerbreadths by three fingerbreadths is brought into an impure house, it becomes impure. And when any portion of the inner space of an earthenware container enters an impure house, it becomes impure. Other keilim, by contrast, do not contract impurity unless the majority of the k'li is brought in. Once the majority is brought in, it contracts impurity immediately.
When does the above apply? To garments that were taken into a house when no one was wearing them. If, however, a Jewish person entered a blemished house wearing his clothes, his shoes on his feet, and his rings on his hands, the person becomes impure immediately and his garments are pure until he remains there for the amount of time a person could sit there and eat three egg-sized portions of bread from wheat together with accompanying food, as implied by Leviticus 14:47: "One who lies in the house will launder his garments and one who eats in the house will launder his garments." Now would one think that a person's garments do not contract impurity until he eats in the blemished house? Instead, the intent of the verse mentioning eating is to establish an equation between eating and lying, to clarify that the measure of time necessary for one who lies there to contract impurity is the measure of time associated with eating. And the same laws apply to one who lies, one who sits, or one who stands. If he remains there for long enough to eat the above-mentioned measure of food, his garments contract impurity.
ו
טהור שהכניס ראשו ורובו לבית טמא נטמא וכן טלית טהורה שהכניס ממנה שלש על שלש לבית טמא נטמאת וכן כלי חרס שהכניס אוירו לבית טמא נטמא אבל שאר כלים עד שיכניס רוב הכלים משיכניס רובו נטמא מיד בד"א בכלים שנכנסו חלוצין אבל אדם מישראל שנכנס לבית מנוגע והוא לבוש בבגדיו וסנדליו ברגליו וטבעותיו בידיו הרי האדם טמא מיד ובגדיו טהורים עד שישהה שם כדי שיסב אדם ויאכל כשלש ביצים פת חטים בלפתן שנאמר והשוכב בבית יכבס את בגדיו והאוכל בבית יכבס את בגדיו וכי תעלה על דעתך שאין בגדיו מתטמאין עד שיאכל שם אלא ליתן שיעור לשוכב כאוכל ואחד השוכב או היושב או העומד אם שהה כדי לאכול שיעור אכילה האמורה נטמאו בגדיו:
7
When a person entered an afflicted house carrying his garments on his shoulder, his shoe and his rings in his hands, he and they are impure immediately, for the only garments that are saved from becoming impure immediately are the garments that he is wearing. Similarly, when a gentile or an animal entered an afflicted house while wearing garments, the garments contract impurity immediately. The gentile, like the animal, does not contract impurity.
ז
מי שנכנס לבית מנוגע וכליו על כתפיו וסנדלו וטבעתו בכפיו הוא והן טמאין מיד שאינו מציל מלטמא מיד אלא כלים שהוא לבוש בהן וכן העכו"ם והבהמה שהיו לבושין בכלים ונכנסו לבית המנוגע נטמאו הכלים מיד אבל העכו"ם אינו מקבל טומאה כבהמה:
8
When a person who was standing in a blemished house extended his hands outside the house while wearing his rings on his hands, the rings contract impurity even though they are outside the house if he remains there for the amount of time necessary to eat the measure of food mentioned.
Similarly, if a person is standing outside and he inserted his hands inside an afflicted house, his hands alone contract impurity. If he kept them there for the amount of time necessary to eat the measure of food mentioned, his rings contract impurity. If not, they are pure.
ח
מי שהיה עומד בבית מנוגע ופשט ידיו חוץ לבית וטבעותיו בידיו אם שהה כדי אכילת השיעור נטמאו הטבעות אף על פי שהם בחוץ וכן העומד בחוץ ופשט ידו לבית מנוגע נטמאו ידיו בלבד מיד ואם נשתהו שם כדי אכילת השיעור נטמאו טבעותיו ואם לאו טהורות:
9
Whenever the contents of a container are saved from contracting impurity because of a sealed covering under a shelter where a corpse is found, they are saved from contracting impurity in an afflicted house, when the container is covered. Whenever the contents of a container are saved from contracting impurity because they are covered in a shelter where a corpse is found, they remain pure even if they are uncovered in an afflicted house.
What is implied? When there are earthenware, stone, or earthen containers or the like containing food, beverages, and implements and they were covered in an afflicted house, the containers and everything they contain remain pure even though they are not sealed close. When there is either a storage pit or a cistern in an afflicted house, the implements in them are pure, even though they are open.
ט
כל המציל בצמיד פתיל באהל המת מציל מכוסה בבית מנוגע וכל המציל מכוסה באהל המת אפילו היה מגולה בבית המנוגע ה"ז טהור כיצד כלי חרס או כלי אבנים וכלי אדמה וכיוצא בהן שהיו אוכלין ומשקין וכלים בתוכן והיו מכוסין בבית המנוגע אע"פ שאינן מוקפין צמיד פתיל הן וכל מה שבתוכן טהור הבור והדות שבבית המנוגע אף על פי שהן מגולין כלים שבתוכן טהורין:
10
Tzara'at is a collective term including many afflictions that do not resemble each other. For the whitening of a person's skin is called tzara'at, as is the falling out of some of the hair of his head or beard, and the change of the color of clothes or houses.
This change that affects clothes and houses which the Torah described with the general term of tzara'at is not a natural occurrence. Instead it is a sign and a wonder prevalent among the Jewish people to warn them against lashon hora, "undesirable speech." When a person speaks lashon hora, the walls of his house change color. If he repents, the house will be purified. If, however, he persists in his wickedness until the house is destroyed, the leather implements in his house upon which he sits and lies change color. If he repents, they will be purified. If persists in his wickedness until they are burnt, the clothes he wears change color. If he repents, they will be purified. If he persists in his wickedness until they are burnt, his skin undergoes changes and he develops tzara'at. This causes him to be isolated and for it to be made known that he must remain alone so that he will not be involved in the talk of the wicked which is folly and lashon hora.
The Torah warns about this, stating Deuteronomy 24:8-9: "Take care with regard to a tzara'at blemish.... Remember what God your Lord did to Miriam." Now, this is what the Torah is implying: Contemplate what happened to the prophetess Miriam. She spoke against her brother. She was older than he was; she had raised him; and she had endangered herself to save him from the sea. She did not speak pejoratively of him; she merely erred in equating him with the other prophets. Moses did not object to any of this, asNumbers 12:3 relates: "And the man Moses was exceedingly humble." Nevertheless, she was immediately punished withtzara'at. Certainly, an inference can be made with regard to the wicked and foolish men who speak extensively about great and wondrous matters. Therefore a person who seeks to structure his course of conduct should distance himself from their gatherings and from speaking to them so that he will not become caught up in the web of their wickedness and foolishness.
This is the path followed by the gathering of wicked fools: In the beginning, they speak excessively about empty matters, asEcclesiastes 5:2 states: "The talk of a fool is characterized by a multitude of words." As a result of this, they come to speak negatively of the righteous, as reflected by the verse Psalms 31:19: "May the lying lips be silenced; those which speak falsehood about a righteous man." As a consequence, they will become accustomed to speaking against the prophets and casting aspersions on their words, as reflected by the verse II Chronicles 36:16: "They would abuse the messengers of God, scorn His words, and mock His prophets." And this would lead them to deny God's existence entirely, as reflected in the verse II Kings 17:9: "And the children of Israel spoke in secret things that were not true against God, their Lord."
In this vein, Psalms 73:9 states: "They set their mouths against Heaven and their tongues strut on earth." What caused them to "set their mouths against Heaven"? Their tongues which previously were given free reign on earth. This is the speech of the wicked that is caused by loitering on the streetcorners, frequenting the assemblies of commoners, and spending time at the parties of drunkards.
In contrast, the speech of proper Jewish people only concerns words of Torah and wisdom. Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, assists them and grants them merit because of it, as Malachi 3:16 states: "Then those who fear God conversed, each person with his fellow and God listened and paid heed. And a book of remembrance was composed before Him for those who fear God and contemplate His name."
י
הצרעת הוא שם האמור בשותפות כולל עניינים הרבה שאין דומין זה לזה שהרי לובן עור האדם קרוי צרעת ונפילת קצת שיער הראש או הזקן קרוי צרעת ושינוי עין הבגדים או הבתים קרוי צרעת וזה השינוי האמור בבגדים ובבתים שקראתו תורה צרעת בשותפות השם אינו ממנהגו של עולם אלא אות ופלא היה בישראל כדי להזהירן מלשון הרע שהמספר בלשון הרע משתנות קירות ביתו אם חזר בו יטהר הבית אם עמד ברשעו עד שהותץ הבית משתנין כלי העור שבביתו שהוא יושב ושוכב עליהן אם חזר בו יטהרו ואם עמד ברשעו עד שישרפו משתנין הבגדים שעליו אם חזר בו יטהרו ואם עמד ברשעו עד שישרפו משתנה עורו ויצטרע ויהיה מובדל ומפורסם לבדו עד שלא יתעסק בשיחת הרשעים שהוא הליצנות ולשון הרע ועל עניין זה מזהיר בתורה ואומר השמר בנגע הצרעת זכור את אשר עשה י"י אלהיך למרים בדרך הרי הוא אומר התבוננו מה אירע למרים הנביאה שדיברה באחיה שהיתה גדולה ממנו בשנים וגידלתו על ברכיה וסכנה בעצמה להצילו מן הים והיא לא דברה בגנותו אלא טעתה שהשותו לשאר נביאים והוא לא הקפיד על כל הדברים האלו שנאמר והאיש משה ענו מאד ואע"פ כן מיד נענשה בצרעת קל וחומר לבני אדם הרשעים הטפשים שמרבים לדבר גדולות ונפלאות:
לפיכך ראוי למי שרוצה לכוין אורחותיו להתרחק מישיבתן ומלדבר עמהן כדי שלא יתפס אדם ברשת רשעים וסכלותם וזה דרך ישיבת הלצים הרשעים בתחילה מרבין בדברי הבאי כענין שנאמר וקול כסיל ברוב דברים ומתוך כך באין לספר בגנות הצדיקים כענין שנאמר תאלמנה שפתי שקר הדוברות על צדיק עתק ומתוך כך יהיה להן הרגל לדבר בנביאים ולתת דופי בדבריהם כענין שנאמר ויהיו מלעיבים במלאכי האלהים ובוזים דברים ומתעתעים בנביאיו ומתוך כך באין לדבר באלהים וכופרין בעיקר כענין שנאמר ויחפאו בני ישראל דברים אשר לא כן על י"י אלהיהם והרי הוא אומר שתו בשמים פיהם ולשונם תהלך בארץ מי גרם להם לשית בשמים פיהם לשונם שהלכה תחילה בארץ זו היא שיחת הרשעים שגורמת להן ישיבת קרנות וישיבת כנסיות של עמי הארץ וישיבת בתי משתאות עם שותי שכר אבל שיחת כשרי ישראל אינה אלא בדברי תורה וחכמה לפיכך הקדוש ברוך הוא עוזר על ידן ומזכה אותן בה שנאמר אז נדברו יראי י"י איש אל רעהו ויקשב י"י וישמע ויכתב ספר זכרון לפניו ליראי י"י ולחושבי שמו:
Blessed be the Merciful One Who grants assistance.
סליקו להו הלכות טומאת צרעת:
Malveh veLoveh - Chapter 7, Malveh veLoveh - Chapter 8, Malveh veLoveh - Chapter 9
• Malveh veLoveh - Chapter 7
1
The following rules apply when a person lends money to a colleague, and the borrower gives the lender his field as security for a set time or until the borrower repays the lender, at which time, the lender will leave the field.
Although the lender benefits from all of the produce of the field, even if he consumes the entire value of the debt, he should not be removed from the field without any payment. The rationale is that if he were removed without payment, it would be as if one had expropriated money taken as "the shade of interest" through legal process. Needless to say, if the produce that the lender consumes i s worth more than the money he gave, the difference should not be expropriated by him.s Similarly, we do not calculate from one promissory note to another promissory note when property is given as security.
When the property given as security belongs to orphans, and the lender consumes an amount of produce equivalent to his debt, he is removed from the property without any payment. If, however, the lender's benefit exceeded the amount of the debt, we do not expropriate the additional amount from him. In the case of orphans, we may calculate from one promissory note to another promissory note.
What is meant by "calculating from one promissory note to another promissory note"? One field was given to a lender as security for a debt of 100 dinarim and another field was given to him as security for another debt for another 100 dinarim. If both fields belonged to the same person and the lender consumed produce worth 50 from one field and produce worth 150 from the other field, we tell him: "You already consumed 200 dinarim worth of produce; you are not owed anything more." For it is as if the two debts were one debt and security given for the entire sum as one.
א
המלוה את חבירו ומשכן לו את השדה עד זמן קצוב או עד שיביא לו מעות ויסתלק והיה המלוה אוכל כל פירותיה אפילו אכל כשיעור חובו אין מסלקין אותו בלא כלום שאם תסלק אותו בלא מעות הרי זה כמי שהוציא ממנו בדיינין, ואין צריך לומר שאם אכל יתר על מעותיו אין מוציאין ממנו, וכן אין מחשבין משטר לשטר במשכונא, היתה הקרקע הממושכנת בידו של יתומים ואכל שיעור חובו מסלקין אותו בלא כלום, אבל יתר על חובו אין מוציאין ממנו היתר, ומחשבין לו משטר לשטר, כיצד מחשבין משטר לשטר הרי שהיתה שדה זו ממושכנת לו במאה דינר ושדה אחרת ממושכנת לו בשטר אחר במאה דינר ושתי השדות לאדם אחד ואכל מפירות השדה האחת בחמשים ומפירות השניה במאה וחמשים אומרים לו הרי אכלת מן הפירות במאתים ואין לך כלום וכאילו השני שטרות שטר אחד ומשכונא אחת.
2
In a place where it is customary" to remove the lender from property given as security whenever the borrower pays the debt, it is as if this stipulation were explicitly stated. It is not necessary to make an explicit statement. Conversely, in a place where it is customary not to remove the lender from property until the conclusion of the term for which the property was given as security, it is as if this stipulation was explicitly stated.
Whenever a person gives property as security without specifying a term for the loan, he cannot remove the lender from the property until at least twelve months pass.
ב
מקום שנהגו לסלק המלוה כל זמן שיביא לו מעות ה"ז כמו שפירש ואין צריך לפרש דבר זה, וכן מקום שנהגו שלא יסתלק המלוה עד סוף זמן המשכונא ה"ז כמו שפירש, וכל הממשכן סתם אינו יכול לסלקו עד י"ב חדש.
3
Even in a place where it is customary to remove the lender from property given as security whenever the borrower desires to pay the debt, that custom can be superseded by an explicit condition. If a lender makes a stipulation that the borrower will not remove him from the property until after the full term for which the property was given as security, the borrower cannot pay the debt earlier and have him removed from the property.
In a place where it is customary not to remove the lender from property until after the full term for which the property was given as security, although the lender accepts a stipulation that he will leave the property whenever the borrower brings him his money, the stipulation is binding only when the lender affirms his commitment with a kinyan.
ג
מקום שדרכן לסלק המלוה כל זמן שירצה הלוה והתנה עמו המלוה שלא יסתלק עד סוף זמן המשכונא ה"ז אינו יכול לסלקו, היה המנהג שאין המלוה מסתלק עד סוף זמנו וקבל המלוה עליו שיסלק בכל עת שיביא לו מעותיו ה"ז צריך לקנות מידו על כך.
4
In a place where it is customary to remove the lender from property given as security whenever the borrower pays the debt, a creditor of the lender is not entitled to expropriate this property to collect his debt, as he can other properties belonging to his debtor. Similarly, a firstborn does not receive a double portion of it, and the Sabbatical year nullifies the debt. When the borrower pays the debt and causes the lender to leave the field, the lender may not take even produce that is ripe and that has fallen to the ground. If, however, he lifted the produce up before he was forced to leave the property, he acquires the produce.
In a place where it is customary that the borrower cannot remove the lender from property given as security until the end of the term of the loan, a creditor of the lender may expropriate this property, a firstborn receives a double portion of it, and the Sabbatical year cannot nullify the debt.
ד
המשכונה במקום שמנהגם לסלק המלוה בכל עת שיביא מעותיו אין בעל חוב של מלוה גובה ממנה כדרך שגובה מן הקרקע, ואין הבכור נוטל בה פי שנים, ושביעית משמטתה, וכשמסלק אותו אינו נוטל אפילו פירות שבשלו ונפלו לארץ, ואם הגביה אותן קודם שיסלקו קנה אותן, ומקום שאינו יכול לסלקו עד סוף זמנו בעל חוב גובה הימנו, והבכור נוטל פי שנים, ואין השביעית משמטתה.
5
Although giving a field as security is forbidden and involves "the shade of interest," as explained, it is possible that this custom was established in error, in relation to a gentile, or practiced by a person who sinned and took property as security in that city. Since "the shade of interest is involved," we follow the local custom. There is someone who ruled that this is what is meant by making a deduction when taking security.
ה
אע"פ שמשכונא זו אסורה היא ואבק רבית כמו שביארנו, אפשר שיהיה מנהג זה בטעות או לעכו"ם או דרך כל מי שחוטא ומשכן באותה מדינה הואיל ואבק רבית הולכין אחר המנהג, ויש מי שהורה שזאת המשכונא בנכוי.
6
When a gentile gives his courtyard as security to a Jew in return for a loan, and afterwards, the gentile sells it to another Jew, the person in possession of the security does not have to pay the Jewish owner rent from the time he purchased the courtyard. Instead, he may dwell in the courtyard without paying rent until the gentile repays the loan taken out against the courtyard. The rationale is that according to secular law, the property belongs to the person to whom it was given as security until the debt is repaid. Only then, he leaves the property.
ו
עכו"ם שמשכן חצרו לישראל וחזר העכו"ם ומכרה לישראל אחר אין הממשכן חייב להעלות שכר לישראל מעת שקנה הישראל אלא דר בחצר בלא שכר עד שיחזיר לו העכו"ם את המעות שיש לו על חצר זו שהרי הוא ברשות הממשכן בדיניהם עד שיתן לו מעותיו ויסתלק.
7
The following rules apply when a person designates a house or a field as security for a loan in his colleague's possession and the owner of the land derives the benefits from it. If the lender tells the borrower: "When you desire to sell this property, do not sell it to anyone but to me at this price," it is forbidden. If he told him: "Do not sell it to anyone else but to me at its fair value. It is on this condition that I am making the loan," it is permitted.
ז
הממשכן בית או שדה ביד חבירו והיה בעל הקרקע אוכל פירותיה ואמר לו המלוה לכשתמכור קרקע זו לא תמכרנה אלא לי בדמים אלו ה"ז אסור, ואם אמר לו אל תמכרנה אלא לי בשוויה ועל מנת כן אני מלוה אותך ה"ז מותר. 1
8
It is permitted to increase the rent offered for land in return for delayed payment. What is implied? A person rents a colleague a courtyard and tells him: "If you pay me now, it is yours at tenselaim a year. If you pay me month by month, the rent is a sela per month." This arrangement is permissible.
ח
מותר להרבות בשכר הקרקע, כיצד השכיר לו את החצר ואמר לו אם מעכשיו אתה נותן לי הרי היא לך בעשר סלעים בכל שנה, ואם תתן שכר חדש בחדש הרי היא בסלע בכל חדש ה"ז מותר.
9
When a person rents a field to a colleague at ten korim a year, it is permissible for the tenant to tell the owner: "Give me a loan of 200 zuz to improve the field and I will pay you twelve korima year." This is not considered interest, because if he uses this money to improve the field, it will be worth more to rent.
Similarly, if a person rents a colleague a store or a ship for tendinarim, it is permissible for the renter to tell the owner: "Give me a loan of 200 zuz to use to remodel the store, decorate it and plaster it, or to improve the ship and its facilities, and I will pay you twelvedinarim per year." If, however, he tells him: "Give me a loan of 200zuz so that I can do business with them in the store, purchase merchandise for the ship with them, or hire sailors, and I will increase the fee," that is forbidden.
ט
המשכיר שדה לחבירו בעשרה כורים לשנה, ואמר לו תן לי מאתים זוז שאפרנס בהן את השדה ואני אתן לך י"ב כור בכל שנה ה"ז מותר מפני שאם יפרנס את השדה בדינרין אלו יהיה שכרה יותר, וכן אם השכיר לו חנות או ספינה בעשרה דינרין בשנה ואמר לו תן לי מאתים זוז שאבנה בהן חנות ואציירנה ואכיירנה או אתקן בהן ספינה זו וכלי תשמישיה ואני אעלה לך י"ב דינר בכל שנה הרי זה מותר, אבל אם אמר לו תן לי מאתים זוז כדי להתעסק בהן בחנות או אוציאם בסחורה של ספינה או אשכור בהן מלחין ואני אעלה לך בשכר הרי זה אסור.
10
It is forbidden to increase the compensation paid a person in return for delayed payment. What is implied? A person should not tell a colleague: "Perform work for me today that is worth one silver piece and I will perform work for you in a later week that is worth two silver pieces.
י
אסור להרבות בשכר האדם, כיצד לא יאמר לו עשה עמי היום מלאכה זו שהיא שוה כסף ואני אעשה עמך בשבוע אחר מלאכה שהיא שוה שתים.
11
It is permissible for a person to tell a colleague: "Weed with me today in my field, and I will weed with you tomorrow in your field," or "Hoe with me today, and I will hoe with you tomorrow." He should not, however, tell him: "Weed for me and I will hoe for you later," or "Hoe for me and I will weed for you later." One law applies for the entire summer, and one law for the entire rainy season. A person should not, by contrast, say: "Plow for me in the summer and I will plow for you in the rainy season," for there is greater difficulty in plowing during the rainy season. Similar principles apply in all analogous situations.
יא
מותר לאדם לומר לחבירו נכש עמי היום ואנכש עמך למחר עדור עמי היום ואעדור עמך למחר, אבל לא יאמר לו נכש עמי ואעדור עמך עדור עמי ואנכש עמך, כל ימי גריד אחת וכל ימי רביעה אחת, ולא יאמר לו חרוש עמי בגריד ואני אחרוש עמך ברביעה, שהרי טורח החרישה בימות הגשמים יתר וכן כל כיוצא בזה.
12
It is forbidden to hire a worker in the early winter to perform tasks in the later winter at a dinar a day and give him the money in advance, when a worker's wage in the winter is ordinarily a sela. The rationale is that it appears that he is giving him a loan immediately so that he will later reduce his wages.
It is, however, permissible for an employer to tell a worker: "Work for me from today until this and this time at a dinar a day," even though his wages would ordinarily be a sela a day. The rationale is that since he already began working, the worker is not considered to be receiving benefit for money that was paid to him in advance.
יב
השוכר את הפועל בימי החורף לעשות עמו בימי הקור בדניר בכל יום ונתן לו השכר והרי שכרו שוה בימי החורף סלע בכל יום ה"ז אסור מפני שנראה כמלוה אותו היום כדי שיוזיל לו בשכרו, אבל אם אמר לו עשה עמי מהיום ועד זמן פלוני בדינר בכל יום אע"פ ששוה שכרו סלע בכל יום ה"ז מותר הואיל והוא מתחיל לעשות מעתה אינו נראה כנוטל שכר מעותיו שהקדים ונתנן לו בשכרו.
FOOTNOTES
1.
הממשכן ביתו כו' עד ה"ז מותר. א"א קשיא לי והא אסמכתא היא דהא לא ידע אי מזבין לה או לא ואימת קני לה ומסתברא בדאמר ליה מעכשיו ואפילו הכי בדמים הללו אסור הואיל ולא פסיקא מילתא דזביני עכ"ל.
Malveh veLoveh - Chapter 8
1
It is forbidden to increase the price offered for merchandise in return for delayed payment. What is implied? A person sold landed property or movable property to his colleague and told him: "If you pay me now, the price is 100 zuzim. If you delay payment until this and this time, the price is 120." This is considered "the shade of interest," for it is as if he takes 20 zuz in return for giving him 100 to use until the time specified.
If the seller calls the purchaser to court, he is liable to pay only the 100 that it was worth at the time of the sale. Alternatively, if the article he purchased is intact, he may return it. Similarly, it is forbidden to sell movable property for 100 zuz with the stipulation that payment need not be made until a certain time, when it is worth 90 zuz in the marketplace, if payment is to be given immediately.
א
אסור להרבות על המכר, כיצד המוכר לחבירו קרקע או מטלטלין ואמר לו אם מעכשיו תתן לי הדמים הרי הן שלך במאה ואם עד זמן פלוני הרי הם שלך בעשרים ומאה, הרי זה אבק רבית שזה דומה כמי שנוטל עשרים בשביל שנתן לו מאה להשתמש בה עד זמן פלוני וכשיתבענו בדין אינו חייב ליתן אלא מה שהיה שוה בשעת המכר או יחזיר ממכרו מידו אם היה קיים, וכן אם מכר לו מטלטלין עד זמן פלוני במאה והיו שוין בשוק למי שקונה במעותיו מיד תשעים ה"ז אסור, ואינו נותן לו אלא תשעים או מחזיר מידו סחורתו אם היתה קיימת.
2
When, however, a person purchased an article for its fair market value on the condition that he may delay payment for twelve months, the seller may tell him: "Pay me a lesser amount now." There is no question of interest involved.
ב
הלוקח מחבירו חפץ בשוהו על מנת שיתן לו מכאן ועד י"ב חדש, ה"ז רשאי לומר לו תן [לי] מיד בפחות ואינו חושש משום רבית.
3
It is permissible to sell a colleague a jug of wine that is worth adinar for two dinarim on the condition that he does not pay until the summer," provided that he accepts the stipulation that if an accident occurs to it, the jug is the seller's responsibility until the purchaser sells it - i.e., if it is lost or broken, the purchaser does not have to pay anything. Moreover, if he cannot find anyone to purchase it at a profit, he may return it to the owner.
Similarly, it is permissible for a person to sell a colleague wine for two dinarim and tell him: "Anything more than two dinarim can be your profit, since you are involving yourself in its sale. And if you do not succeed in selling it at the price you desire, you can return it to me." In this situation, even if it is lost, stolen or becomes vinegar, it is the purchaser's responsibility.
ג
חבית של יין שהיא שוה עתה דינר ומכרה לו בשנים עד הקיץ על מנת שאם תארע בה תקלה הרי היא ברשות המוכר עד שימכרנה הלוקח ה"ז מותר, שאם אבדה או נשברה אינו משלם כלום, ואם לא מצא למכרה ולהרויח בה היה לו להחזירה לבעלים, וכן אם מכרה לו בשנים ואמר לו היתר על שנים יהיה שכרך בשביל שאתה מטפל למכרה ואם לא תמצא למכרה כמו שתרצה החזירה לי ה"ז מותר, אע"פ שאם אבדה או נגנבה או החמיצה תהיה ברשות הלוקח.
4
The following rules apply when a person possesses produce that has a selling price of ten dinarim in the marketplace, but if the purchaser sought to purchase it, he would have to purchase it for twelve. It is permissible to sell the produce for twelve dinarim to be paid after a twelve-month period. The rationale is that even if the purchaser brought his money immediately, he would pay twelvedinarim for it. Similar principles apply in all analogous situations.
ד
היו לו פירות שאם ירצה למכרן בשוק וליקח דמיהן מיד מוכרן בעשרה, ואם תבע אותן הלוקח לקנותן ויתן המעות מיד יקנה אותן בי"ב, ה"ז מותר למכרן בי"ב עד י"ב חדש, שאפי' הביא זה מעותיו עתה בי"ב היה קונה אותן וכן כל כיוצא בזה.
5
It is forbidden to purchase fruit from an orchard before its growth is completed and it becomes ripe. The rationale is that the seller will sell it for less - e.g., he will sell produce for ten now, even though it will be worth twenty when its growth is completed. Thus, the increase is being given for the delayed delivery.
It is permissible, however, if he purchases a calf for a low price on the condition that it remain in the previous owner's possession until it grows older. For if the calf dies or becomes weakened, it is in the owner's possession. And it is common and frequent that an animal will become weak or die.
ה
אסור לקנות פרי הפרדס קודם שיגמר ויתבשל, מפני שזה שמוכר בזול עתה בעשר הוא פרי ששוה עשרים כשיגמר נמצאת התוספת בשביל ההקפה, אבל אם קנה עגל בזול והיה אצל הבעלים עד שיגדיל ה"ז מותר שהרי אם מת או כחש ברשות הלוקח הוא והכחש והמיתה דבר מצוי תמיד. 1
6
The following rules apply when a person gives money to the owner of a vineyard for the twigs and branches that will eventually be cut off. When they are cut off, they will be expensive. At present, however, he purchases them at a low price because he must wait until they dry out and are cut off. He must till the land under the vines while they are still attached to the ground. Thus, he is buying a tree for its offshoots. If he does not till the land, the money he pays is like a loan. Since the branches are being purchased for a lower price because of the delayed delivery, it is forbidden.
ו
הנותן מעות לבעל הכרם על השריגים ועל הזמורות לכשיכרתו שהם ביוקר והוא קונה אותן בזול עד שיבשו ויכרתו ה"ז צריך להפך בהן כשהם מחוברים שנמצא כקונה אילן לזמורותיו, ואם לא הפך נמצאו המעות הלואה והן לוקחין בזול מפני ההקפה ואסור.
7
The following rules apply when watchmen in a field are given wheat from the grain heap as their wages at a price lower than its market value. When they go to the grain heap to collect their wages, they must perform work at the grainheap, so that they will be receiving the wheat at the conclusion of the time for which they were hired. If they do not do so, their wages will be considered as a loan extended to the employers, and the fact that they were given the wheat at a low price will be considered to be interest paid to them in return for the delay in paying their wages until the harvest reached the grain heap.
ז
שומרי השדות שנותנין להם חטים בשכרן בזול מן הגורן, כשיבאו לגורן צריכין להתעסק עמהן במלאכה בגורן כדי שיהיו החטים האלו שנטלו בסוף זמן השכירות, ואם לא עשו כך נמצאת השכירות אצל הבעלים כמלוה וזה שלקחן בזול מפני שאחרו שכרן עד הגורן.
8
Generally, the owners of fields would require sharecroppers to leave a field in Nissan. The sharecroppers would give the owners four se'ah for every portion of the field large enough to sow a kor as rent. It is permissible for an owner to allow his sharecroppers to remain in his field until lyyar, but to take from them six se'ah. This does not involve interest.
ח
אריסין שהיו בעלי השדות מסלקין אותן מן השדה בניסן ונותנין להם האריסין בכל זרע חומר ארבע סאין והניח זה אריסין בתוך שדהו עד אייר ונטל מהן שש סאין הרי זה מותר ואין שם רבית.
9
It is permissible for the seller to give a purchaser more than the measure originally stipulated when the purchaser does not collect payment until afterwards. For example, a person purchased four se'ah of wheat at a sela; this was the market price. He paid the money at that time, but did not come to collect the wheat until later. When he came, the seller increased the measure and gave him more. This is permitted, because he willingly gave him more. Had he not desired, he would not have given him more, because there was no stipulation to that effect.
ט
הלוקח חטים ארבע סאין בסלע וכן השער ונתן לו את המעות וכשבא לגבות את החטים לאחר זמן הוסיף לו במדה ונתן לו יתר, ה"ז מותר שהרי ברצונו הוסיף לו ואילו רצה לא הוסיף שהרי לא היה שם תנאי.
10
When a person purchases a barrel of wine, it is permissible for him to pay the money to the seller and stipulate: "If it becomes vinegar from now until such and such a date, you are responsible. If, however, it increases or decreases in value, the barrel is mine." Since the purchaser also accepted the possibility of a depreciation in value, the transaction is considered as having the possibility of both gain and loss. Similar principles apply in all analogous situations.
Similarly, it is permissible for a person to buy 100 jugs of wine in Tishrei for a dinar each, but not to collect them until Tevet. And when he collects them, he may check each one, returning those that have become vinegar and taking those that are good wine. For he purchased only good wine from him. Those jugs whose contents became vinegar were fit to sour at the outset; it is just that the matter did not become known until later.
י
מותר לאדם ליתן דמי חבית של יין לחבירו ולומר לו אם החמיצה מכאן עד יום פלוני ברשותך אבל אם הוזילה או הוקירה הרי היא שלי, שכיון שקיבל עליו הזול הרי זה קרוב לשכר ולהפסד וכן כל כיוצא בזה, וכן מותר לאדם לקנות מחבירו בתשרי מאה כדין של יין בדינר ואינו נוטלן עד טבת, וכשנוטלן בודק ומחזיר החומץ ולוקח היין הטוב שלא קנה ממנו אלא יין טוב ואלו שהחמיצו מתחלה היו ראויין להחמיץ אבל לא נודע הדבר עד אחר הזמן.
11
In a place where it is customary to rent out ships and receive payment for them, it is permissible to include a stipulation that if the ship is damaged, those damages will be assessed and reimbursement made over and above the fee charged. Similarly, it is permissible to hire out a pot of brass and the like and receive payment for it, and also to receive compensation if its weight decreased. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.
יא
מקום שנהגו לשכור הספינה וליטול שכרה ואם נשברה שמין לו מה שפחתה ומשלם יתר על שכרה הרי זה מותר, וכן מותר להשכיר סיר של נחשת וכיוצא בו ונוטל השכר ודמי מה שפחת ממשקלו וכן כל כיוצא בזה.
12
It is forbidden to accept tzon barzel from another Jew, because this is considered "the shade of interest"?
What is meant by the term tzon barzel? A person owned 100 sheep. A shepherd accepted the responsibility of caring for them on the condition that the shearing, the offspring and the milk would be split, either evenly, or one getting a third or a fourth for a year or two, as they stipulated. Included in the agreement is the condition that if the sheep die, the shepherd must make restitution for them.
This is forbidden, because the owner of the sheep is very likely to realize a profit, and highly unlikely to suffer a loss. Therefore, such an arrangement is permissible if the owner of the sheep accepts the condition that should the value of the sheep increase or decrease or should they be seized by predators, they are considered within his domain. Similar principles apply in all analogous situations.
יב
אין מקבלין צאן ברזל מישראל מפני שהוא אבק רבית, וכיצד הן צאן ברזל הרי שהיה לו מאה צאן וקבלם ממנו להטפל בהן ויהיו הגזות והולדות והחלב לאמצע לשליש או לרביע עד שנה או עד שנתים כמו שהתנו ביניהם ואם מתו הצאן הרי המקבל משלם דמיהם ה"ז אסור שהרי בעל הצאן קרוב לשכר ורחוק להפסד, לפיכך אם קיבל עליו בעל הצאן שאם הוקרו או הוזלו או אם נטרפו הרי הן ברשותו ה"ז מותר וכן כל כיוצא בזה.
13
The following laws apply when a person appraises an animal he receives from a colleague and tells him: "If it dies, I accept responsibility for 30 dinarim, and I will pay you a selaa month as a fee." This is permitted, because he did not establish this as the animal's value when alive, but only after its death.
יג
השם פרה מחבירו ואמר לו אם מתה הרי היא עתה עלי בשלשים דינרים ואני אעלה לך סלע בכל חדש מותר לפי שלא עשאה מחיים דמים אלא לאחר מיתה.
14
A woman may rent out a chicken to a friend so that it can sit on eggs until they hatch for two chicks. There is no question of interest involved.
יד
משכרת אשה לחברתה תרנגולת לישב על הביצים בשני אפרוחים ואין חוששין משום רבית.
15
When a person owed a colleague four dinarim as interest and gave him an article worth five dinarim instead, when the interest is expropriated from him, five dinarim are taken. The rationale is that he received it as interest. Similarly, if the borrower gave the lender a garment or a utensil, that garment or that utensil itself should be returned to him. If, in lieu of the four dinarim he owed him, he rented him a property that was normally rented for three dinarim, four dinarim are expropriated from him, because he accepted the rental as being worth that price.
טו
מי שהיה נושה בחבירו ד' דינרים של רבית ונתן לו בהן חפץ ששוה חמשה כשמוציאין ממנו מוציאין ממנו חמשה הואיל ובתורת רבית בא לידו, וכן אם נתן לו בהן כסות או כלי מוציאין ממנו את הכלי עצמו ואותו הכסות עצמו, השכיר לו בהן מקום ששוה שכרו ג' דינרין כשמוציאין ממנו מוציאין ממנו ארבעה שהרי בארבעה שכר ממנו מקום זה שקיבל עליו.
FOOTNOTES
1.
אסור לקנות פרי הפרדס כו' אבל אם קנה עגל עד דבר מצוי. א"א זה פירוש בתורי דנפיש פסידייהו ואיננו נכון עכ"ל.
Malveh veLoveh - Chapter 9
1
An order for produce cannot be placed until a market price has been established. Once a market price has been established, an order can be placed. Even though the person receiving the order does not have the desired produce, his colleague does.
What is implied? If the market price for wheat was fixed at fourse'ah per sela, a purchaser may place an order of 100 se'ah and pay 25 sela. Even if the seller gives the purchaser the 100 se'ah of wheat later, at a time when a se'ah of wheat is selling for a sela,there is no interest involved at all. This applies even when the seller did not own any wheat at the time the order was placed.
When does the above apply? When the seller did not have in his possession any of the type of produce he sold. If, however, the seller had that type of produce in his possession, even if the work necessary to bring it to the market has not been completed, he may sell a produce order even though a market price has not been established. What is implied? If a farmer was one of the first to harvest, he may sell an order of grain even though the grain is still in the grainheap.
A person can sell an order for wine once the grapes have been reaped and placed in the vat. He can sell an order for oil, when it has been placed in the vat. An order for lime can be placed when it is lowered into the oven. And an order for earthenware vessels can be placed when the balls of clay" are made.
When is that necessary? When using white clay. But if dark clay is used, an order for utensils to be made from it can be placed even if the balls have not been made, for that clay is readily available. Even if one person does not possess, it another does. Similarly, a order for fertilizer may be placed throughout the year, even though the seller does not possess fertilizer himself, because it is continuously available.
א
אין פוסקין על הפירות עד שיצא השער יצא השער פוסקין אע"פ שאין לזה יש לזה, כיצד היה השער לחטים קבוע לשוק ד' סאין בסלע הרי זה פוסק עמו על מאה סאין ונותן לו חמש ועשרים סלעים, ואם יתן לו מאה סאה של חטים אחר זמן בעת שיהיו החטים סאה בסלע אין בזה רבית כלל אע"פ שלא היה למוכר חטים כלל בעת שפסק, בד"א בשלא היה לו כלום מאותו המין בעת שפסק עליו, אבל אם היה למוכר מאותו המין כלום אע"פ שעדיין לא נגמרה מלאכתו הרי זה מותר לפסוק עליו אע"פ שעדיין לא יצא השער, כיצד היה הוא תחלה לקוצרים הרי זה פוסק על החטים אע"פ שעדיין הן גדיש, ופוסק על היין משיבצור הענבים ויתנם בעביט ועל השמן משנתן זיתים במעטן ועל הסיד משישקענה בכבשן, וכן פוסק על כלי חרש משיעשה היוצר ביצים שלהן, בד"א בשהיה עפרן לבן אבל עפרן שחור פוסק על הכלים הנעשין ממנו אע"פ שלא נעשו מפני שהוא מצוי לכל ואע"פ שאין לזה יש לזה, וכן פוסק עמו על הזבל כל ימות השנה אע"פ שאין לו זבל מפני שהוא מצוי תמיד.
2
Whenever all that is necessary to complete a product is one or two tasks, an order can be placed with a seller. When three or more tasks are necessary, an order cannot be placed unless the market price has been issued. For since more than three tasks are necessary to complete the product, it is as if the person does not possess that type of substance at all, and as if it has not come into existence as of yet.
What is implied? When a grain heap must be a) placed in the sun to dry, b) threshed, and c) winnowed, the owner may not accept an order unless a market price has already been issued. If it was dry, and all that was necessary that it be threshed and winnowed, he may accept an order.
If balls of clay lack shaping, drying, being placed in the kiln, being fired and being removed, the owner may not accept an order. If they are dry, and all that was necessary that they be placed in the kiln and fired, he may accept an order. This applies when it is the custom of the seller to remove the utensils from the kiln. If the seller is the one who removes them, they are considered to require the performance of three tasks. The owner may not accept an order unless a market price has already been issued. Similar principles apply in all analogous situations.
ב
כל דבר שהוא מחוסר מלאכה אחת או שתים פוסק עמו עליו, היה מחוסר שלש מלאכות אינו פוסק אלא א"כ יצא השער שכיון שהוא מחוסר שלש מלאכות הרי זה כמי שאין לו מאותו המין כלום וכמו לא בא לעולם עדיין, כיצד גדיש שהיה מחוסר הנחה בשמש שיבש ודישה וזרייה אינו פוסק עליו אלא א"כ יצא השער, היה יבש ואינו מחוסר אלא דישה וזרייה פוסק עליו, ביצים של יוצר שהיו מחוסרין לפיפה ויבוש והולכה לכבשן ושריפה והוצאה אינו פוסק עליהן היו יבשין ואינן מחוסרין אלא הולכה לכבשן ושריפה פוסק עליהן, והוא שיהיה דרך הלוקח להוציא אותו מן הכבשן, אבל אם היה המוכר הוא שמוציא הרי אלו מחוסרין ג' ואינו פוסק עליהן עד שיצא השער, וכן כל כיוצא בזה.
3
When a person who is going to milk his goats, shear his sheep or remove honey from his beehive meets a colleague, it is permissible for one to tell the other: "What I will milk from my goats is sold to you," "What I will shear from my sheep is sold to you," or "What I will remove from my beehive is sold to you." It is, however, forbidden for one to tell the other: "This and this amount of milk which I will milk from my goats is sold to you at this and this price," "This and this amount of wool that I will shear from my sheep is sold to you at this and this price," or "This and this amount of honey that I will remove from my beehive is sold to you at this and this price" unless he takes an order at the market price. Similar principles apply in all analogous situations.
ג
ההולך לחלוב את עזיו ולגזוז את רחליו ולרדות את כוורתו ומצאו חבירו ואמר לו מה שעזי חולבות מכור לך מה שרחלי גוזזות מכור לך מה שכוורתי רודה מכור לך הרי זה מותר, אבל אמר לו מה שעזי חולבות כך וכך מכור לך בכך וכך, מה שרחלי גוזזות כך וכך מכור לך בכך וכך, מה שכוורתי רודה כך וכך מכור לך בכך וכך אסור אא"כ פסק עמו כשער שבשוק וכן כל כיוצא בזה.
4
Orders cannot be placed based on the market price of towns, because it is not firmly established, only on a market price established in a large city. If new wheat was being sold in a city at four se'ah for a sela and older wheat at three se'ah for a sela, an order may not be placed until an equal price is established for both the new and the old grain.
If wheat sold by gatherers was selling at four se'ah for a sela and wheat sold by a householder at three, one may place an order from a gatherer at the price of the gatherers. An order from a householder at the price of the gatherers may not be placed unless the price for householders is established at the same rate.
ד
אין פוסקין על שער של עיירות מפני שאין השער קבוע אלא על שער שבמדינה, היו החטים החדשות במדינה ארבע סאין בסלע וישנות שלש בסלע אין פוסקין עד שיצא השער לחדש ולישן, היו חטין של לקוטות ארבע סאין בסלע ושל בעל הבית שלש פוסק ללקוטות כשער לקוטות ולא יפסוק לבעל הבית עד שיקבע השער לבעל הבית.
5
Once a market price has been established, it is permissible to place an order even for a high rate of exchange.
What is implied? Wheat was being sold at four se'ah for a sela and a purchaser placed an order that a seller would later give him wheat at a low rate of exchange. If the price of wheat was later established at ten se'ah for a sela, the seller must give him tense'ah as is the market price, for he placed an order at the high rate of exchange.
If the purchaser gave the seller money without making a stipulation and without placing an order for the high rate of exchange, and the price of the produce fell, the seller may give the purchaser the produce at the price that the produce was worth when the money was paid. If a person reneges on his commitment, he receives the adjuration mi shepara.
When does the above apply? When a person is placing an order for himself. When, however, a person is acting as an agent, either for the buyer or the seller, either the purchaser receives at the lower price or the seller must return the funds. When an agent was involved, the purchaser is not required to receive the adjuration mi shepara if he retracts because of the agent's error. For he will say: "I charged you with improving my position, not with undermining it," as explained above.
ה
כיון שנקבע השער מותר לפסוק על השער הגבוה, כיצד היו החטים נמכרות ד' סאין בסלע ופסק עמו שיתן לו החטים כשער הזול אם עמדו אחר כן י' סאין בסלע נותן לו י' סאין כשער שהיה בשוק שהרי פסק עמו בשער גבוה, נתן לו המעות סתם ולא פסק עמו בשער הגבוה והוזלו נותן כשער שהיו שוין כשנתן לו המעות ומי שחזר מקבל מי שפרע, בד"א בפוסק על דעת עצמו אבל אם היה שליח לאחרים בין המוכר בין הלוקח אינו נוטל אלא כשער הזול או מחזיר את הדמים ואינו מקבל מי שפרע בשליח שהרי המשלח אומר לתקן שלחתיך ולא לעוות כמו שביארנו.
6
The following laws apply when wheat was being sold at fourse'ah per sela, the seller took the money and promised to give the purchaser five se'ah for a sela. If the seller possesses wheat at that time, it is permitted. If the seller does not possess wheat, or even if he is owed a debt of wheat by others and he takes the money on condition that he collects what he is owed and gives it to the purchaser, it is forbidden. The rationale is that at the time of the transaction, the wheat has not yet been collected, and it is as if it does not exist. Hence, it is as if he fixed a time for a later delivery and reduced the price because of the postponement.
ו
היו החטים נמכרות ד' סאין בסלע ונטל את הדמים ונתן לו ה' בסלע אם יש לו חטים מותר, היו לו חטים חוב אצל אחרים ונטל המעות עד שיגבה חטיו ויתן לו אסור שהרי הן מחוסרין גבייה וכאילו אינם והרי זה כקובע לו זמן והוזיל לו מפני שמקיפו.
7
When wheat is selling at four se'ah for a sela in the large cities and six se'ah per sela in the villages, it is permitted to give a merchant a sela so that he will bring six se'ah from a village by a particular date. The wheat must, however, be considered to be in the possession of the purchaser. Thus, if is lost or stolen on the way, the purchaser suffers the loss.
It is forbidden for a distinguished person to carry out such a transaction. And if the transaction involves several types of merchandise, it is forbidden for all people to carry out such transactions. The rationale is that such types of merchandise are not continuously found in villages, in contrast to produce that is.
ז
היו החטים במדינה ארבע סאין בסלע ובכפרים שש בסלע ה"ז מותר ליתן סלע לתגר כדי שיביא שש סאין מן הכפר, והוא שיהיו ברשות הלוקח אם אבדו בדרך או נגנבו אבדו לו, ואדם חשוב אסור לעשות זה, ובמיני סחורה אסור לכל אדם לפי שאין מיני סחורה מצויין כפירות.
8
When donkey-drivers enter a city where the market-price is four se'ah for a sela, it is permitted for them to lower the price and sell wheat to their acquaintances or their brokers at five se'aha sela in return for money given them at the outset, as soon as they enter the city, before they open their sacks and sell to others. The rationale is that they are not selling to them at the lower price because they gave them the money immediately and will not collect the produce until later, but because they inform them concerning the market price and offer them assistance.
ח
החמרין שנכנסו לעיר והרי החטים ד' סאין בסלע הוזילו ומכרו למכיריהן או לספסריהן חמש בסלע במעות שנתנו להן תחלה כשיכנסו לעיר עד שיפתחו שקיהן וימכרו לכל אדם הרי זה מותר שאין אלו מוכרין להם בזול מפני שנתנו מעות עתה ולא יקחו אלא לאחר זמן אלא מפני שמודיעין להם את השער ומסעדין אותם. 1
9
The following rules apply when a person who is transporting his produce from one place to another place meets a colleague who tells him: "Give me your produce and I will give you produce that I possess in return at your destination." If the purchaser possesses such produce at that place, the transaction is permitted. If not, it is forbidden.
Slightly different laws apply when a person was transporting merchandise from place to place and a colleague ttild him: "Give me the merchandise and I will pay you the price it would be worth at your destination." If the seller is responsible for the merchandise until it reaches that destination, the transaction is permitted. If the purchaser is responsible, it is forbidden.
ט
המוליך פירותיו ממקום למקום מצאו חבירו ואמר לו תנם לי ואני אעלה לך פירות שיש לי במקום פלוני באותו מקום אם יש לו שם מותר ואם לאו אסור, היה מוליך סחורה ממקום למקום אמר לו תנם לי ואני אעלה לך דמיה כמו ששוה באותו מקום אם היתה ברשות המוכר עד שהגיע לשם מותר ואם היתה ברשות לוקח אסור.
10
It is permissible for a person to give the owner of a garden payment for ten specific cucumbers or for ten specific watermelons, even though they are small and he stipulated that he would give them to him when they grow to full size. The rationale is that the seller leaves them and they grow by themselves. If he cut them off now, others would not grow in their place. Similar laws apply in all analogous cases where the seller will not suffer any loss or detriment by selling in advance.
י
הנותן לבעל הגנה דמי עשרה קשואין אלו דמי עשרה אבטיחים אלו והרי הן קטנים והתנה עמו שיתנם לו לכשיגדילו ה"ז מותר שהרי הוא מניחן והם גדלים מאליהן ואילו קצצן עתה כשהן קטנים לא היו באים אחרים תחתיהן וכן כל כיוצא בזה מדבר שאין בו הפסד ולא חסרון על המוכר.
FOOTNOTES
1.
החמרין שנכנסו לעיר וכו' עד ומסעדין אותו. א"א לא נהיר ולא צהיר עכ"ל.
• Shabbat, 8 Elul, 5776 · 11 September 2016
• "Today's Day"
• Tuesday, Elul 7, 5703
Torah lessons: Chumash: Teitsei, Shlishi with Rashi.
Tehillim: 39-43. Also 19-21.
Tanya: Now, the arousal (p. 451) ...from its midst. (p. 453).
The Alter Rebbe instructed that in the phrase p'tzua daka,1 the word daka be written (in the Torah scroll) with an alef at the end, not with a hay.
In Prague there is a Torah scroll which - according to local tradition - had been examined and emended by Ezra the Scribe. It is read only on Simchat Torah and is always rolled to the portion of sh'ma. When I was in Prague in 5668 (1908) I saw that scroll, and in it daka is spelled with an alef. So too when I was in Worms in 5667 (1907), I saw a sefer-Torah written - according to their tradition - by Rabbi Meir of Rotenberg, and there too the word daka was written with an alef. See also Sh'eirit Yehuda, (Yoreh De'a, 16) and Divrei Nechemya (Yoreh De'a, 22) Mishnat Avraham (Sect. 32) cites a number of works that deal with this subject.
FOOTNOTES
1.Devarim 23:2.
• Daily Thought:
Learning the Child
There are no one-way streets in our world. There is no one who gives without receiving, and there is no one who receives without providing something back in return.
So it is with the child. Just as the adult gives the child the knowledge and wisdom of life, so the child provides the adult the keys to living it fully.[Beshalach 5714, sicha 8.]
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