Torah Reading
Yom Kippur: Leviticus 16:1 Adonai spoke with Moshe after the death of Aharon’s two sons, when they tried to sacrifice before Adonai and died; 2 Adonai said to Moshe, “Tell your brother Aharon not to come at just any time into the Holy Place beyond the curtain, in front of the ark-cover which is on the ark, so that he will not die; because I appear in the cloud over the ark-cover.
3 “Here is how Aharon is to enter the Holy Place: with a young bull as a sin offering and a ram as a burnt offering. 4 He is to put on the holy linen tunic, have the linen shorts next to his bare flesh, have the linen sash wrapped around him, and be wearing the linen turban — they are the holy garments. He is to bathe his body in water and put them on.
5 “He is to take from the community of the people of Isra’el two male goats for a sin offering and one ram for a burnt offering. 6 Aharon is to present the bull for the sin offering which is for himself and make atonement for himself and his household. 7 He is to take the two goats and place them before Adonai at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 8 Then Aharon is to cast lots for the two goats, one lot for Adonai and the other for ‘Az’azel. 9 Aharon is to present the goat whose lot fell to Adonai and offer it as a sin offering. 10 But the goat whose lot fell to ‘Az’azel is to be presented alive to Adonai to be used for making atonement over it by sending it away into the desert for ‘Az’azel.
11 “Aharon is to present the bull of the sin offering for himself; he will make atonement for himself and his household; he is to slaughter the bull of the sin offering which is for himself. 12 He is to take a censer full of burning coals from the altar before Adonai and, with his hands full of ground, fragrant incense, bring it inside the curtain. 13 He is to put the incense on the fire before Adonai, so that the cloud from the incense will cover the ark-cover which is over the testimony, in order that he not die. 14 He is to take some of the bull’s blood and sprinkle it with his finger on the ark-cover toward the east; and in front of the ark-cover he is to sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times.
15 “Next, he is to slaughter the goat of the sin offering which is for the people, bring its blood inside the curtain and do with its blood as he did with the bull’s blood, sprinkling it on the ark-cover and in front of the ark-cover. 16 He will make atonement for the Holy Place because of the uncleannesses of the people of Isra’el and because of their transgressions — all their sins; and he is to do the same for the tent of meeting which is there with them right in the middle of their uncleannesses. 17 No one is to be present in the tent of meeting from the time he enters the Holy Place to make atonement until the time he comes out, having made atonement for himself, for his household and for the entire community of Isra’el. (LY: ii) 18 Then he is to go out to the altar that is before Adonai and make atonement for it; he is to take some of the bull’s blood and some of the goat’s blood and put it on all the horns of the altar. 19 He is to sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times, thus purifying it and setting it apart from the uncleannesses of the people of Isra’el.
20 “When he has finished atoning for the Holy Place, the tent of meeting and the altar, he is to present the live goat. 21 Aharon is to lay both his hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the transgressions, crimes and sins of the people of Isra’el; he is to put them on the head of the goat and then send it away into the desert with a man appointed for the purpose. 22 The goat will bear all their transgressions away to some isolated place, and he is to let the goat go in the desert.
23 “Aharon is to go back into the tent of meeting, where he is to remove the linen garments he put on when he entered the Holy Place, and he is to leave them there. 24 Then he is to bathe his body in water in a holy place, put on his other clothes, come out and offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people, thus making atonement for himself and for the people. (RY: ii, LY: iii) 25 He is to make the fat of the sin offering go up in smoke on the altar.
26 “The man who let go the goat for ‘Az’azel is to wash his clothes and bathe his body in water; afterwards, he may return to the camp.
27 “The bull for the sin offering and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the Holy Place, is to be carried outside the camp; there they are to burn up completely their hides, meat and dung. 28 The person burning them is to wash his clothes and bathe his body in water; afterwards, he may return to the camp.
29 “It is to be a permanent regulation for you that on the tenth day of the seventh month you are to deny yourselves and not do any kind of work, both the citizen and the foreigner living with you. 30 For on this day, atonement will be made for you to purify you; you will be clean before Adonai from all your sins. 31 It is a Shabbat of complete rest for you, and you are to deny yourselves.
“This is a permanent regulation. 32 The cohen anointed and consecrated to be cohen in his father’s place will make the atonement; he will put on the linen garments, the holy garments; 33 he will make atonement for the Especially Holy Place; he will make atonement for the tent of meeting and the altar; and he will make atonement for the cohanim and for all the people of the community. 34 This is a permanent regulation for you, to make atonement for the people of Isra’el because of all their sins once a year.” Moshe did as Adonai had ordered him.
Yom Kippur: Numbers 29:7 “‘On the tenth day of this seventh month you are to have a holy convocation. You are to deny yourselves, and you are not to do any kind of work; 8 but you are to present a burnt offering to Adonai to make a fragrant aroma: one young bull, one ram, and seven male lambs in their first year (they are to be without defect for you), 9 with their grain offering, fine flour mixed with olive oil, six quarts for the bull, four quarts for the one ram, 10 and two quarts for each of the seven lambs; 11 also one male goat as a sin offering; in addition to the sin offering for atonement and the regular burnt offering with its grain offering, and their drink offerings.
Yom Kippur Shacharit: Isaiah 57:14 Then he will say,
“Keep building! Keep building! Clear the way!
Remove everything blocking my people’s path!”
15 For thus says the High, Exalted One
who lives forever, whose name is Holy:
“I live in the high and holy place
but also with the broken and humble,
in order to revive the spirit of the humble
and revive the hearts of the broken ones.
16 For I will not fight them forever
or always nurse my anger;
otherwise their spirits would faint before me,
the creatures I myself have made.
17 It was because of their flagrant greed
that I was angry and struck them;
I hid myself and was angry,
but they continued on their own rebellious way.
18 I have seen their ways, and I will heal them;
I will lead them and give comfort
to them and to those who mourn for them —
19 I will create the right words:
‘Shalom shalom to those far off
and to those nearby!’ says Adonai;
‘I will heal them!’”
20 But the wicked are like the restless sea —
unable to be still,
its waters toss up mud and dirt.
21 There is no shalom, says my God,
for the wicked.
58:1 Shout out loud! Don’t hold back!
Raise your voice like a shofar!
Proclaim to my people what rebels they are,
to the house of Ya‘akov their sins.
2 “Oh yes, they seek me day after day
and [claim to] delight in knowing my ways.
As if they were an upright nation
that had not abandoned the rulings of their God,
they ask me for just rulings
and [claim] to take pleasure in closeness to God,
3 [asking,] ‘Why should we fast, if you don’t see?
Why mortify ourselves, if you don’t notice?’
“Here is my answer: when you fast,
you go about doing whatever you like,
while keeping your laborers hard at work.
4 Your fasts lead to quarreling and fighting,
to lashing out with violent blows.
On a day like today, fasting like yours
will not make your voice heard on high.
5 “Is this the sort of fast I want,
a day when a person mortifies himself?
Is the object to hang your head like a reed
and spread sackcloth and ashes under yourself?
Is this what you call a fast,
a day that pleases Adonai?
6 “Here is the sort of fast I want —
releasing those unjustly bound,
untying the thongs of the yoke,
letting the oppressed go free,
breaking every yoke,
7 sharing your food with the hungry,
taking the homeless poor into your house,
clothing the naked when you see them,
fulfilling your duty to your kinsmen!”
8 Then your light will burst forth like the morning,
your new skin will quickly grow over your wound;
your righteousness will precede you,
and Adonai’s glory will follow you.
9 Then you will call, and Adonai will answer;
you will cry, and he will say, “Here I am.”
If you will remove the yoke from among you,
stop false accusation and slander,
10 generously offer food to the hungry
and meet the needs of the person in trouble;
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your gloom become like noon.
11 Adonai will always guide you;
he will satisfy your needs in the desert,
he will renew the strength in your limbs;
so that you will be like a watered garden,
like a spring whose water never fails.
12 You will rebuild the ancient ruins,
raise foundations from ages past,
and be called “Repairer of broken walls,
Restorer of streets to live in.”
13 “If you hold back your foot on Shabbat
from pursuing your own interests on my holy day;
if you call Shabbat a delight,
Adonai’s holy day, worth honoring;
then honor it by not doing your usual things
or pursuing your interests or speaking about them.
14 If you do, you will find delight in Adonai —
I will make you ride on the heights of the land
and feed you with the heritage of your ancestor Ya‘akov,
for the mouth of Adonai has spoken.” Jonah 1:1 The word of Adonai came to Yonah the son of Amitai: 2 “Set out for the great city of Ninveh, and proclaim to it that their wickedness has come to my attention.”
3 But Yonah, in order to get away from Adonai, prepared to escape to Tarshish. He went down to Yafo, found a ship headed for Tarshish, paid the fare and went aboard, intending to travel with them to Tarshish and get away from Adonai. 4 However, Adonai let loose over the sea a violent wind, which created such stormy conditions that the ship threatened to break to pieces. 5 The sailors were frightened, and each cried out to his god. They threw the cargo overboard to make the ship easier for them to control.
Meanwhile, Yonah had gone down below into the hold, where he lay, fast asleep. 6 The ship’s captain found him and said to him, “What do you mean by sleeping? Get up! Call on your god! Maybe the god will remember us, and we won’t die.”
7 Then they said to each other, “Come, let’s draw lots to find out who is to blame for this calamity.” They drew lots, and Yonah was singled out. 8 They said to him, “Tell us now, why has this calamity come upon us? What work do you do? Where are you from? What is your country? Which is your people?” 9 He answered them, “I am a Hebrew; and I fear Adonai, the God of heaven, who made both the sea and the dry land.” 10 At this the men grew very afraid and said to him, “What is this that you have done?” For the men knew he was trying to get away from Adonai, since he had told them. 11 They asked him, “What should we do to you, so that the sea will be calm for us?” — for the sea was getting rougher all the time. 12 “Pick me up,” he told them, “and throw me into the sea. Then the sea will be calm for you; because I know it’s my fault that this terrible storm has come over you.”
13 Nevertheless, the men rowed hard, trying to reach the shore. But they couldn’t, because the sea kept growing wilder against them. 14 Finally they cried to Adonai, “Please, Adonai, please! Don’t let us perish for causing the death of this man, and don’t hold us to account for shedding innocent blood; because you, Adonai, have done what you saw fit.” 15 Then they picked up Yonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea stopped raging. 16 Seized with great fear of Adonai, they offered a sacrifice to Adonai and made vows.
2:1 (1:17) Adonai prepared a huge fish to swallow Yonah; and Yonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights. 2 (1) From the belly of the fish Yonah prayed to Adonai his God; 3 (2) he said,
“Out of my distress I called to Adonai,
and he answered me;
from the belly of Sh’ol I cried,
and you heard my voice.
4 (3) For you threw me into the deep,
into the heart of the seas;
and the flood enveloped me;
all your surging waves passed over me.
5 (4) I thought, ‘I have been banished from your sight.’
But I will again look at your holy temple.
6 (5) The water surrounded me, threatened my life;
the deep closed over me, seaweed twined around my head.
7 (6) I was going down to the bottoms of the mountains,
to a land whose bars would close me in forever;
but you brought me up alive from the pit,
Adonai, my God!
8 (7) As my life was ebbing away,
I remembered Adonai;
and my prayer came in to you,
into your holy temple.
9 (8) “Those who worship vain idols
give up their source of mercy;
10 (9) but I, speaking my thanks aloud,
will sacrifice to you;
what I have vowed, I will pay.
Salvation comes from Adonai!”
11 (10) Then Adonai spoke to the fish, and it vomited Yonah out onto dry land.
3:1 The word of Adonai came to Yonah a second time: 2 “Set out for the great city of Ninveh, and proclaim to it the message I will give you.” 3 So Yonah set out and went to Ninveh, as Adonai had said. Now Ninveh was such a large city that it took three days just to cross it. 4 Yonah began his entry into the city and had finished only his first day of proclaiming, ‘In forty days Ninveh will be overthrown,’ 5 when the people of Ninveh believed God. They proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least. 6 When the news reached the king of Ninveh, he got up from his throne, took off his robe, put on sackcloth and sat in ashes. 7 He then had this proclamation made throughout Ninveh: “By decree of the king and his nobles, no person or animal, herd or flock, is to put anything in his mouth; they are neither to eat nor drink water. 8 They must be covered with sackcloth, both people and animals; and they are to cry out to God with all their might — let each of them turn from his evil way and from the violence they practice. 9 Who knows? Maybe God will change his mind, relent and turn from his fierce anger; and then we won’t perish.”
10 When God saw by their deeds that they had turned from their evil way, he relented and did not bring on them the punishment he had threatened.
4:1 But this was very displeasing to Yonah, and he became angry. 2 He prayed to Adonai, “Now, Adonai, didn’t I say this would happen, when I was still in my own country? That’s why I tried to get away to Tarshish ahead of time! I knew you were a God who is merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in grace, and that you relent from inflicting punishment. 3 Therefore, Adonai, please, just take my life away from me; it’s better for me to be dead than alive!” 4 Adonai asked, “Is it right for you to be so angry?”
5 Yonah left the city and found a place east of the city, where he made himself a shelter and sat down under it, in its shade, to see what would happen to the city. 6 Adonai, God, prepared a castor-bean plant and made it grow up over Yonah to shade his head and relieve his discomfort. So Yonah was delighted with the castor-bean plant. 7 But at dawn the next day God prepared a worm, which attacked the castor-bean plant, so that it dried up. 8 Then, when the sun rose, God prepared a scorching east wind; and the sun beat down on Yonah’s head so hard that he grew faint and begged that he could die, saying, “I would be better off dead than alive.”
9 God asked Yonah, “Is it right for you to be so angry about the castor-bean plant?” He answered, “Yes, it’s right for me to be so angry that I could die!” 10 Adonai said, “You’re concerned over the castor-bean plant, which cost you no effort; you didn’t make it grow; it came up in a night and perished in a night. 11 So shouldn’t I be concerned about the great city of Ninveh, in which there are more than 120,000 people who don’t know their right hand from their left — not to mention all the animals?”
Micah 7:18 Who is a God like you,
pardoning the sin and overlooking the crimes
of the remnant of his heritage?
He does not retain his anger forever,
because he delights in grace.
19 He will again have compassion on us,
he will subdue our iniquities.
You will throw all their sins
into the depths of the sea.
20 You will show truth to Ya‘akov
and grace to Avraham,
as you have sworn to our ancestors
since days of long ago.
Today's Law and Customs:
• Yom Kippur Observances
Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year -- the day on which we are closest to G-d and to the quintessential core of our own souls. It is the "Day of Atonement" -- "For on this day He will forgive you, to purify you, that you be cleansed from all your sins before G-d" (Leviticus 16:30).
For twenty-six hours, from several minutes before sunset on Tishrei 9 to after nightfall on Tishrei 10, we "afflict our souls": we abstain from food and drink, do not wash or anoint our bodies, do not wear leather shoes, and abstain from marital relations.
When the Holy Temple stood in Jerusalem, the Yom Kippur service included the High Priest's entry into the "Holy of Holies" to offer the ketoret -- the only time that anyone entered the Temple's innermost chamber -- and the "casting of lots" over two goats, one to be offered to G-d and the other to carry off the sins of Israel to the wilderness. Today, we spend the day in the synagogue garbed in a white garment called a kittel to resemble the sin-free angels and to waken thoughts of repentance by reminding us of the day of our death. In the course of the day we hold five prayer services: Maariv, with its solemn Kol Nidrei service, on the eve of Yom Kippur; Shacharit; Musaf, which includes a detailed account of the Temple service; Minchah, which includes the reading of the Book of Jonah; and Ne'illah, the "closing of the gates" service at sunset. We say the Al Chet confession of sins ten times, and recite Psalms every available moment.
The day is the most solemn of the year, yet an undertone of joy suffuses it: a joy that revels in the spirituality of the day and expresses the confidence that G-d will accept our repentance, forgive our sins, and seal our verdict for a year of life, health and happiness. When the closing Ne'illah service climaxes in the resounding cries of "Hear O Israel... G-d is one" and a singleblast of the shofar, the joy erupts in song and dance (a Chabad custom is to sing the livelyniggun known as "Napoleon's March"), followed by the festive after-fast meal, making the evening following Yom Kippur a Yom Tov (festival) in its own right.
See also: More Yom Kippur laws & customs; an overview of the Yom Kippur services
• Links
A Yom Kippur anthology
About Yom Kippur (from JewishNewYear.com)
• Ten Days of Repentance
The 10-day period beginning on Rosh Hashanah and ending on Yom Kippur is known as the "Ten Days of Repentance"; this is the period, say the sages, of which the prophet speaks when he proclaims (Isaiah 55:6) "Seek G-d when He is to be found; call on Him when He is near." Psalm 130, Avinu Malkeinu and other special inserts and additions are included in our daily prayers during these days.
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 for the break-down of the Psalms.
Before Kol Nidrei chapters 115-123</ br> Before retiring for the night chapters 124-132 </ br>After the Musaf prayer chapters 133-141</ br> After the Neilah final prayer chapters 142-150
Links: About the Ten Days of teshuvah; Voicemail; more on teshuvah
• Sanctification of the Moon
Once a month, as the moon waxes in the sky, we recite a special blessing called Kiddush 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. When sanctifying the moon of the month of Tishrei, it is customary to wait till the night after Yom Kippur.
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:
• Rebecca Born (1677 BCE)
Birth of Rebecca (1677-1556 BCE), wife of Isaac, mother of Jacob and Esau, and one of the Four Matriarchs of Israel.
Links: Isaac & Rebecca (the biblical account); Whom to Marry; Faking It
• 2nd Tablets; Day of Forgiveness (1313 BCE)
On the 10th of Tishrei of the year 2449 from creation, 82 days after the people of Israel betrayed their newly entered covenant with G-d by worshipping a Golden Calf and after Moses twice spent 40 days atop Mount Sinai pleading on their behalf, "G-d restored His goodwill with the Jewish people gladly and wholeheartedly, saying to Moses 'I have forgiven, as you ask', and gave him the Second Tablets" -- thereby establishing the day as a time for atonement, forgiveness and teshuvah for all generations.
Link: The 120-Day Version of the Human StoryDaily Study:
Chitas and Rambam for today:
Chumash: Ha'Azinu, 4th Portion Deuteronomy 32:19-32:28 with Rashi
• Deuteronomy Chapter 32
19And the Lord saw this and became angry, provoked by His sons and daughters. יטוַיַּ֥רְא יְהֹוָ֖ה וַיִּנְאָ֑ץ מִכַּ֥עַס בָּנָ֖יו וּבְנֹתָֽיו:
20And He said, "I will hide My face from them. I will see what their end will be, for they are a generation of changes; they are not [recognizable] as My children whom I have reared. כוַיֹּ֗אמֶר אַסְתִּ֤ירָה פָנַי֙ מֵהֶ֔ם אֶרְאֶ֖ה מָ֣ה אַֽחֲרִיתָ֑ם כִּ֣י ד֤וֹר תַּהְפֻּכֹת֙ הֵ֔מָּה בָּנִ֖ים לֹֽא־אֵמֻ֥ן בָּֽם:
I will see what their end will be: [i.e., I will see] what will befall them in the end. מה אחריתם: מה תעלה בהם בסופם:
for they are a generation of changes: i.e., they change My good will into anger. כי דור תהפוכות המה: מהפכין רצוני לכעס:
they are not [recognizable]… whom I have reared: Heb. אֵמֻן. My rearing [them] is not recognizable in them, for I taught them a good way, but they deviated from it. לא אמון בם: אין גדולי נכרים בהם, כי הוריתים דרך טובה וסרו ממנה:
reared: אֵמֻן is an expression related to“And he reared (אֹמֵן) [Hadassah]” (Esther 2:7), nourriture in French. Another explanation of אֵמֻן : It is an expression of אֱמוּנָה, faithfulness , which is how the Targum renders it [literally, “children who have no faithfulness”]. At Sinai, they said, “We will do and we will hear,” and a short while later, they broke their promise and made the golden calf!"- [Sifrei 32:20] אמן: לשון (אסתר ב, ז) ויהי אומן נורריטור"ה בלע"ז [חינוך]. דבר אחר אמון לשון אמונה, כתרגומו. אמרו בסיני (שמות כד, ז) נעשה ונשמע, ובשעה קלה בטלו הבטחתם ועשו העגל:
21They have provoked My jealousy with a non god, provoked My anger with their vanities. Thus, I will provoke their jealousy with a non people, provoke their anger with a foolish nation. כאהֵ֚ם קִנְא֣וּנִי בְלֹא־אֵ֔ל כִּֽעֲס֖וּנִי בְּהַבְלֵיהֶ֑ם וַֽאֲנִי֙ אַקְנִיאֵ֣ם בְּלֹא־עָ֔ם בְּג֥וֹי נָבָ֖ל אַכְעִיסֵֽם:
have provoked my jealousy: They kindled My anger. קנאוני: הבעירו חמתי:
with a non-god: With something that is not a god. בלא אל: בדבר שאינו אלוה:
with a non-people: With a nation that has no name, as Scripture states, “This land of the Chaldeans-this people was not” (Isa. 23:13). And regarding Esau, Scripture states, “You are very despised” (Obad. 1:2). בלא עם: באומה שאין לה שם, שנאמר (ישעיה כג, יג) הן ארץ כשדים זה העם לא היה, ובעשו הוא אומר (עובדיה א, ב) בזוי אתה מאד:
I will… provoke their anger with a foolish nation: These are the heretics. So Scripture states,“The fool (נָבָל) said in his heart, There is no God!” (Ps. 14:1). - [Sifrei 32: 21] בגוי נבל אכעיסם: אלו המינים, וכן הוא אומר (תהלים יד, א) אמר נבל בלבו אין אלהים:
22For a fire blazed in My wrath, and burned to the lowest depths. It consumed the land and its produce, setting aflame the foundations of mountains. כבכִּֽי־אֵשׁ֙ קָֽדְחָ֣ה בְאַפִּ֔י וַתִּיקַ֖ד עַד־שְׁא֣וֹל תַּחְתִּ֑ית וַתֹּ֤אכַל אֶ֨רֶץ֙ וִֽיבֻלָ֔הּ וַתְּלַהֵ֖ט מֽוֹסְדֵ֥י הָרִֽים:
blazed: Heb. קָדְחָה, burned. קדחה: בערה:
and burned: within you, to the very foundation. ותיקד: בכם עד היסוד:
It consumed the land and its produce: i.e., your land and its produce. ותאכל ארץ ויבלה: ארצכם ויבולה:
setting aflame: Jerusalem, which has her foundations set upon the mountains, as Scripture states:“Jerusalem is surrounded by mountains” (Ps. 125:2). - [Sifrei 32: 22] ותלהט: ירושלים המיוסדת על ההרים, שנאמר (שם קכה, ב) ירושלים הרים סביב לה:
23I will link evils upon them. I will use up My arrows on them. כגאַסְפֶּ֥ה עָלֵ֖ימוֹ רָע֑וֹת חִצַּ֖י אֲכַלֶּה־בָּֽם:
will link evils upon them: Heb. אַסְפֶּה, I will link evil upon evil. [This expression is] similar to the verse,“join (סְפוּ) year upon year,” (Isa. 29:1)and,“add (סְפוֹת) the punishment of the unintentional sins,” (Deut. 29:18)and,“Add (סְפוּ) your burnt-offerings to your sacrifices.” (Jer. 7:21). Another explanation: אַסְפֶּה means, I will consume. This is similar to the verse,“lest you be consumed (תִּסָּפֶּה)” (Gen. 19:15) [thus, our verse here would mean: “I will use up all evils on them”]. אספה עלימו רעות: אחביר רעה על רעה לשון (ישעיה כט, א) ספו שנה על שנה, (לעיל כט, יח) ספות הרוה, (ירמיה ז, כא) עולותיכם ספו על זבחיכם. דבר אחר אספה אכלה, כמו (בראשית יט, טו) פן תספה:
I will use up my arrows on them: I will finish up all My arrows on them [i.e., until there are no arrows left, as it were]. This curse, according to [the usual way] retribution [is expressed], is really a[n implied] blessing, namely: [God says,]"My arrows may come to an end, but Israel will not come to an end [i.e., they will never be annihilated]. חצי אכלה בם: כל חצי אשלים בהם. וקללה זו לפי הפורענות לברכה היא, חצי כלים והם אינם כלים:
24They will sprout hair from famine, attacked by demons, excised by Meriri. I will incite the teeth of livestock upon them, with the venom of creatures that slither in the dust. כדמְזֵ֥י רָעָ֛ב וּלְחֻ֥מֵי רֶ֖שֶׁף וְקֶ֣טֶב מְרִירִ֑י וְשֶׁן־בְּהֵמֹת֙ אֲשַׁלַּח־בָּ֔ם עִם־חֲמַ֖ת זֹֽחֲלֵ֥י עָפָֽר:
They will sprout hair from famine: Heb. מְזֵי רָעָב. Onkelos renders this as: “swollen from famine,” but I have no evidence from Scripture for this [translation]. In the name of Rabbi Moses Hadarshan of Toulouse, however, I heard that the expression מְזֵי רָעָב is equivalent to שְׂעִירֵי רָעָב, “hairy from famine,” for an emaciated person grows hair on his skin. מזי רעב: אנקלוס תרגם, נפיחי כפן, ואין לי עד מוכיח עליו. ומשמו של רבי משה הדרשן מטולושא שמעתי שעירי רעב, אדם כחוש מגדל שער על בשרו:
hair: מְזֵי is Aramaic for hair, as the term מַזְיָא [in the clause]: דַּהֲוָה מְהַפֵּךְ בְּמַזְיָא, meaning “turning over his hair.” - [Meg. 18a] מזי: לשון ארמי שער מזיא, דהוה מהפך במזיא:
attacked by demons: Heb. וּלְחֻמֵי רֶשֶׁף. Demons fought (לחם) against them, as Scripture states: “and flying creatures (בְּנֵי רֶשֶׁף) fly upwards” (Job 5:7). These are demons. ולחמי רשף: השדים נלחמו בהם, שנאמר (איוב ה, ז) ובני רשף יגביהו עוף, והם שדים:
excised by Meriri: Heb. וְקֶטֶב מְרִירִי, and excision caused by a demon named מְרִירִי. Heb. קֶטֶב means excision, similar to, “I will decree the grave upon you (קָטָבְךָ)!” (Hos. 13:14) [In Hebrew, the word for decree is גְּזֵרָה, the root of which is גזר, to cut. Hence, its primary meaning is “to cut.” There are many such roots in Hebrew, in the Bible, the Mishnah, and the Targum. They all bear the first meaning of cutting, and the second meaning of a final, permanent decision or ruling. Among them are the following: פסק, חקק, גזר, צמת, חרץ, כרת, חלט.] וקטב מרירי: וכריתות שד ששמו מרירי. קטב כריתה, כמו (הושע יג, יד) אהי קטבך שאול:
the teeth of livestock: It indeed once happened that sheep were biting people to death. — [Sifrei 32:24] ושן בהמות: מעשה היה והיו הרחלים נושכין וממיתין:
with the venom of creatures that slither in the dust: Heb. זֹחִלֵי עָפָר, the venom of snakes, which crawl on their bellies on the dust. — [Sifrei 32:24] [They crawl] just as the water flows (זחל) upon the ground. The word זְחִילָה denotes the slithering action of water upon the dust [of the ground], and similarly, the way anything slithers and shuffles across the ground to move along [is described as זְחִילָה]. חמת זוחלי עפר: ארס נחשים המהלכים על גחונם על העפר, כמים הזוחלים על הארץ. זחילה לשון מרוצת המים על העפר, וכן כל מרוצת דבר המשפשף על העפר והולך:
25From outside, the sword will bereave, and terror from within; young men and maidens, suckling babes with venerable elders. כהמִחוּץ֙ תְּשַׁכֶּל־חֶ֔רֶב וּמֵֽחֲדָרִ֖ים אֵימָ֑ה גַּם־בָּחוּר֙ גַּם־בְּתוּלָ֔ה יוֹנֵ֖ק עִם־אִ֥ישׁ שֵׂיבָֽה:
From outside, the sword will bereave: Outside the city, the sword of hostile troops will bereave them. מחוץ תשכל חרב: מחוץ לעיר תשכלם חרב גייסות:
and terror from within: When you flee, escaping from the sword, the inner recesses (חֲדָרִים) of your heart will pound within you out of terror, and you will gradually die from this. — [Sifrei 32:25] Another explanation [וּמֵחֲדָרִים אֵימָה]: Within your house, there will be the terror of [impending] fear of plague, as Scripture states, “For death has come up into our windows” (Jer. 9:20). Onkelos renders this in this way. Another explanation of “Outside, the sword will bereave”- [They will be killed by the sword] on account of what they did in the streets (חוּצוֹת), as Scripture states, “Corresponding to the number of streets in Jerusalem, you set up altars to the shameful thing.” (Jer. 11:13) [And along the same lines,] וּמֵחֲדָרִים אֵימָה means: On account of that which they did in the innermost chambers of their houses, as Scripture states, “[Have you seen] what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the darkness, each one in his paved chambers?” (Ezek. 8:12) - [Sifrei 32:25] ומחדרים אימה: כשבורח ונמלט מן החרב חדרי לבבו נקופים עליו מחמת אימה והוא מת והולך בה. דבר אחר ומחדרים אימה שבבית תהיה אימת דבר, כמו שנאמר (ירמיה ט, כ) כי עלה מות בחלונינו, וכן תרגם אונקלוס. דבר אחר מחוץ תשכל חרב על מה שעשו בחוצות, שנאמר (ירמיה יא, יג) ומספר חוצות ירושלים שמתם מזבחות לבושת, ומחדרים אימה על מה שעשו בחדרי חדרים, שנאמר (יחזקאל ח, יב) אשר זקני בית ישראל עושים בחשך איש בחדרי משכיתו:
26I said that I would make an end of them, eradicate their remembrance from mankind. כואָמַ֖רְתִּי אַפְאֵיהֶ֑ם אַשְׁבִּ֥יתָה מֵֽאֱנ֖וֹשׁ זִכְרָֽם:
I said that I would make an end of them: Heb. אַפְאֵיהֶם. I said in My heart, “I will make an end (אַפְאֶה) of them.” One may also explain אַפְאֵיהֶם to mean: I would make them as פֵּאָה [the corners of one’s field which are left as ownerless for the poor to collect]; i.e., I will cast them away as ownerless. We find a similarity to this [expression] in Ezra (Neh. 9:22), “And You gave them kingdoms and peoples, and You separated them as ownerless things (לְפֵאָה).” Menachem [ben Saruk] (Machbereth pp. 29, 140) also classified it in this way. [Note that Nehemiah is officially part of the book of Ezra, as in San. 93b. Note also that Menachem’s interpretation is not identical with Rashi’s.] Others, however, explain the expression according to the rendition of the Targum: My wrath (אַף) will fall upon them [thereby assuming that the word אַפְאֵיהֶם stems from the root אף, anger]. But this is incorrect, for if this were so, our verse should have been written: אֲאַפְאֵיהֶם [with two alephs], one aleph to serve [as the pronominal prefix for “I will,”] and the other aleph as a root letter, like, “I will strengthen you (אֲאַזֶּרְךָ)” (Isa. 45:5); and, “I would encourage you (אֲאַמִּצְכֶם) with my mouth” (Job 16:5). Moreover, the aleph in the middle of the word אַפְאֵיהֶם is completely inappropriate there. [Thus, we can see that Onkelos, in rendering his translation here, could not have meant that the word is simply a form of the stem אף. So how does he justify this translation?] Onkelos rendered this expression in accordance with the explanation of the Baraitha [a talmudic source not included in the canon of the Mishnah], which is taught in Sifrei (32:26). This Baraitha divides the word אַפְאֵיהֶם into three separate words, to read: אַף אֵי הֶם, which has the meaning, “I said in My anger (אַף) that I would make them as if they were naught,” so that those who behold them would say about them, “Where are they אַיֵּה הֵם?” אמרתי אפאיהם: אמרתי בלבי אפאה אותם. ויש לפרש אפאיהם אשיתם פאה להשליכם מעלי הפקר. ודוגמתו מצינו בעזרא (נחמיה ט כב) ותתן להם ממלכות ועממים ותחלקם לפאה, להפקר. וכן חברו מנחם. ויש פותרים אותו כתרגומו יחול רוגזי עליהן, ולא יתכן, שאם כן היה לו לכתוב אאפאיהם אחת לשמוש ואחת ליסוד, כמו (ישעיה מה, ה) אאזרך, (איוב טז, ה) אאמיצכם במו פי, והא' התיכונה אינה ראויה בו כלל. ואונקלוס תרגם אחר לשון הברייתא השנויה בספרי החולקת תיבה זו לשלש תיבות אמרתי אף אי הם, אמרתי באפי אתנם כאילו אינם, שיאמרו רואיהם עליהם איה הם:
27Were it not that the enemy's wrath was heaped up, lest their adversaries distort; lest they claim, "Our hand was triumphant! The Lord did none of this!" כזלוּלֵ֗י כַּ֤עַס אוֹיֵב֙ אָג֔וּר פֶּן־יְנַכְּר֖וּ צָרֵ֑ימוֹ פֶּן־יֹֽאמְרוּ֙ יָדֵ֣נוּ רָ֔מָה וְלֹ֥א יְהֹוָ֖ה פָּעַ֥ל כָּל־זֹֽאת:
Were it not that the enemy’s wrath was heaped up: Heb. אָגוּר. Were it not that the enemy’s wrath was heaped up (אָגוּר) against them to destroy them, and if the enemy would succeed in overtaking them and destroying them, he would attribute the greatness to himself and to his deity, but he would not attribute the greatness to Me [says God]. This, then, is the meaning of “lest their adversaries distort” (Heb. פֶּן יְנַכְּרוּ צָרֵימוֹ): lest they misconstrue the matter by attributing their might to an alien (נָכְרִי), to whom the greatness does not belong. לולי כעס אויב אגור: אם לא שכעס האויב כנוס עליהם להשחית ואם יוכל להם וישחיתם יתלה הגדולה בו ובאלהיו ולא יתלה הגדולה בי, וזהו שנאמר פן ינכרו צרימו, ינכרו הדבר לתלות גבורתי בנכרי, שאין הגדולה שלו:
lest they claim, Our hand was triumphant…!: For that nation is one “devoid of counsel.” פן יאמרו ידנו רמה וגו': כי אותו גוי אובד עצות המה:
28For they are a nation devoid of counsel, and they have no understanding. כחכִּי־ג֛וֹי אֹבַ֥ד עֵצ֖וֹת הֵ֑מָּה וְאֵ֥ין בָּהֶ֖ם תְּבוּנָֽה:
and they have no understanding: For if they were wise people, they would understand this, namely: “How could one [person] pursue [a thousand…]?” (verse 30). ואין בהם תבונה: שאילו היו חכמים ישכילו זאת, איכה ירדוף וגו':
Daily Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 55 - 59
• 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).
Chapter 55
David composed this psalm upon escaping from Jerusalem in the face of the slanderers, Doeg and Achitofel, who had declared him deserving of death. David had considered Achitofel a friend and accorded him the utmost honor, but Achitofel betrayed him and breached their covenant. David curses all his enemies, so that all generations should "know, and sin no more."
1. For the Conductor, with instrumental music, a maskil by David.
2. Listen to my prayer, O God, do not hide from my pleas.
3. Pay heed to me and answer me, as I lament in my distress and moan -
4. because of the shout of the enemy and the oppression of the wicked; for they accuse me of evil and hate me passionately.
5. My heart shudders within me, and the terrors of death have descended upon me.
6. Fear and trembling penetrate me, and I am enveloped with horror.
7. And I said, "If only I had wings like the dove! I would fly off and find rest.
8. Behold, I would wander afar, and lodge in the wilderness forever.
9. I would hurry to find shelter for myself from the stormy wind, from the tempest.”
10. Consume, O Lord, confuse their tongue; for I have seen violence and strife in the city.1
11. Day and night they encircle her upon her walls, and iniquity and vice are in her midst.
12. Treachery is within her; fraud and deceit never depart from her square.
13. For it is not the enemy who taunts me-that I could bear; nor my foe who raises himself against me, that I could hide from him.
14. But it is you, a man of my equal, my guide and my intimate.
15. Together we took sweet counsel; we walked with the throng to the house of God.
16. May He incite death upon them, let them descend to the pit alive; for there is evil in their dwelling, within them.
17. As for me, I call to God, and the Lord will save me.
18. Evening, morning and noon, I lament and moan-and He hears my voice.
19. He redeemed my soul in peace from battles against me, because of the many who were with me.
20. May God-He who is enthroned from the days of old, Selah-hear and humble those in whom there is no change, and who do not fear God.
21. He extended his hands against his allies, he profaned his covenant.
22. Smoother than butter are the words of his mouth, but war is in his heart; his words are softer than oil, yet they are curses.
23. Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous man falter.
24. And You, O God, will bring them down to the nethermost pit; bloodthirsty and treacherous men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in You.
FOOTNOTES
1.Jerusalem.
Chapter 56
David composed this psalm while in mortal danger at the palace of Achish, brother of Goliath. In his distress David accepts vows upon himself.
1. For the Conductor, of the mute dove1 far away. By David, a michtam, 2 when the Philistines seized him in Gath.
2. Favor me, O God, for man longs to swallow me; the warrior oppresses me every day.
3. My watchful enemies long to swallow me every day, for many battle me, O Most High!
4. On the day I am afraid, I trust in You.
5. [I trust] in God and praise His word; in God I trust, I do not fear-what can [man of] flesh do to me?
6. Every day they make my words sorrowful; all their thoughts about me are for evil.
7. They gather and hide, they watch my steps, when they hope [to capture] my soul.
8. Should escape be theirs in reward for their iniquity? Cast down the nations in anger, O God!
9. You have counted my wanderings; place my tears in Your flask-are they not in Your record?
10. When my enemies will retreat on the day I cry out, with this I will know that God is with me.
11. When God deals strictly, I praise His word; when the Lord deals mercifully, I praise His word.
12. In God I trust, I do not fear-what can man do to me?
13. My vows to You are upon me, O God; I will repay with thanksgiving offerings to You.
14. For You saved my soul from death-even my feet from stumbling-to walk before God in the light of life.
FOOTNOTES
1.David having fled from Jerusalem, is silenced by fear (Rashi/Metzudot).
2.A psalm that was especially precious to David
Chapter 57
David composed this psalm while hiding from Saul in a cave, facing grave danger. Like Jacob did when confronted with Esau, David prayed that he neither be killed nor be forced to kill. In the merit of his trust in God, God wrought wonders to save him.
1. For the Conductor, a plea to be spared destruction. By David, a michtam, when he fled from Saul in the cave.
2. Favor me, O God, favor me, for in You my soul took refuge, and in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge until the disaster passes.
3. I will call to God the Most High; to the Almighty Who fulfills [His promise] to me.
4. He will send from heaven, and save me from the humiliation of those who long to swallow me, Selah; God will send forth His kindness and truth.
5. My soul is in the midst of lions, I lie among fiery men; their teeth are spears and arrows, their tongue a sharp sword.
6. Be exalted above the heavens, O God; let Your glory be upon all the earth.
7. They laid a trap for my steps, they bent down my soul; they dug a pit before me, [but] they themselves fell into it, Selah.
8. My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and chant praise.
9. Awake, my soul! Awake, O harp and lyre! I shall awaken the dawn.
10. I will thank You among the nations, my Lord; I will praise You among the peoples.
11. For Your kindness reaches till the heavens, Your truth till the skies.
12. Be exalted above the heavens, O God; let Your glory be over all the earth.
Chapter 58
David expresses the anguish caused him by Avner and his other enemies, who justified Saul's pursuit of him.
1. For the Conductor, a plea to be spared destruction; by David, a michtam.
2. Is it true that you are mute [instead of] speaking justice? [Instead of] judging men with fairness?
3. Even with your heart you wreak injustice upon the land; you justify the violence of your hands.
4. The wicked are estranged from the womb; from birth do the speakers of falsehood stray.
5. Their venom is like the venom of a snake; like the deaf viper that closes its ear
6. so as not to hear the voice of charmers, [even] the most skillful caster of spells.
7. O God, smash their teeth in their mouth; shatter the fangs of the young lions, O Lord.
8. Let them melt like water and disappear; when He aims His arrows, may they crumble.
9. Like the snail that melts as it goes along, like the stillbirth of a woman-they never see the sun.
10. Before your tender shoots know [to become] hardened thorns, He will blast them away, as one [uprooting] with vigor and wrath.
11. The righteous one will rejoice when he sees revenge; he will bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked.
12. And man will say, "There is indeed reward for the righteous; indeed there is a God Who judges in the land."
Chapter 59
This psalm speaks of the great miracle David experienced when he eluded danger by escaping through a window, unnoticed by the guards at the door. The prayers, supplications, and entreaties he offered then are recorded here.
1. For the Conductor, a plea to be spared destruction, By David, a michtam, when Saul dispatched [men], and they guarded the house in order to kill him.
2. Rescue me from my enemies, my God; raise me above those who rise against me.
3. Rescue me from evildoers, save me from men of bloodshed.
4. For behold they lie in ambush for my soul, mighty ones gather against me-not because of my sin nor my transgression, O Lord.
5. Without iniquity [on my part,] they run and prepare-awaken towards me and see!
6. And You, Lord, God of Hosts, God of Israel, wake up to remember all the nations; do not grant favor to any of the iniquitous traitors, Selah.
7. They return toward evening, they howl like the dog and circle the city.
8. Behold, they spew with their mouths, swords are in their lips, for [they say], "Who hears?”
9. But You, Lord, You laugh at them; You mock all nations.
10. [Because of] his might, I wait for You, for God is my stronghold.
11. The God of my kindness will anticipate my [need]; God will show me [the downfall] of my watchful foes.
12. Do not kill them, lest my nation forget; drive them about with Your might and impoverish them, O our Shield, my Master,
13. [for] the sin of their mouth, the word of their lips; let them be trapped by their arrogance. At the sight of their accursed state and deterioration, [people] will recount.
14. Consume them in wrath, consume them and they will be no more; and they will know that God rules in Jacob, to the ends of the earth, Selah.
15. And they will return toward evening, they will howl like the dog and circle the city.
16. They will wander about to eat; when they will not be sated they will groan.
17. As for me, I shall sing of Your might, and sing joyously of Your kindness toward morning, for You have been a stronghold to me, a refuge on the day of my distress.
18. [You are] my strength, to You I will sing, for God is my stronghold, the God of my kindness.
Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, end of Epistle 20
• Lessons in Tanya
• Today's Tanya Lesson
• Wednesday, 10 Tishrei, 5777 · 12 October 2016
• Iggeret HaKodesh, end of Epistle 20
• Deuteronomy Chapter 32
19And the Lord saw this and became angry, provoked by His sons and daughters. יטוַיַּ֥רְא יְהֹוָ֖ה וַיִּנְאָ֑ץ מִכַּ֥עַס בָּנָ֖יו וּבְנֹתָֽיו:
20And He said, "I will hide My face from them. I will see what their end will be, for they are a generation of changes; they are not [recognizable] as My children whom I have reared. כוַיֹּ֗אמֶר אַסְתִּ֤ירָה פָנַי֙ מֵהֶ֔ם אֶרְאֶ֖ה מָ֣ה אַֽחֲרִיתָ֑ם כִּ֣י ד֤וֹר תַּהְפֻּכֹת֙ הֵ֔מָּה בָּנִ֖ים לֹֽא־אֵמֻ֥ן בָּֽם:
I will see what their end will be: [i.e., I will see] what will befall them in the end. מה אחריתם: מה תעלה בהם בסופם:
for they are a generation of changes: i.e., they change My good will into anger. כי דור תהפוכות המה: מהפכין רצוני לכעס:
they are not [recognizable]… whom I have reared: Heb. אֵמֻן. My rearing [them] is not recognizable in them, for I taught them a good way, but they deviated from it. לא אמון בם: אין גדולי נכרים בהם, כי הוריתים דרך טובה וסרו ממנה:
reared: אֵמֻן is an expression related to“And he reared (אֹמֵן) [Hadassah]” (Esther 2:7), nourriture in French. Another explanation of אֵמֻן : It is an expression of אֱמוּנָה, faithfulness , which is how the Targum renders it [literally, “children who have no faithfulness”]. At Sinai, they said, “We will do and we will hear,” and a short while later, they broke their promise and made the golden calf!"- [Sifrei 32:20] אמן: לשון (אסתר ב, ז) ויהי אומן נורריטור"ה בלע"ז [חינוך]. דבר אחר אמון לשון אמונה, כתרגומו. אמרו בסיני (שמות כד, ז) נעשה ונשמע, ובשעה קלה בטלו הבטחתם ועשו העגל:
21They have provoked My jealousy with a non god, provoked My anger with their vanities. Thus, I will provoke their jealousy with a non people, provoke their anger with a foolish nation. כאהֵ֚ם קִנְא֣וּנִי בְלֹא־אֵ֔ל כִּֽעֲס֖וּנִי בְּהַבְלֵיהֶ֑ם וַֽאֲנִי֙ אַקְנִיאֵ֣ם בְּלֹא־עָ֔ם בְּג֥וֹי נָבָ֖ל אַכְעִיסֵֽם:
have provoked my jealousy: They kindled My anger. קנאוני: הבעירו חמתי:
with a non-god: With something that is not a god. בלא אל: בדבר שאינו אלוה:
with a non-people: With a nation that has no name, as Scripture states, “This land of the Chaldeans-this people was not” (Isa. 23:13). And regarding Esau, Scripture states, “You are very despised” (Obad. 1:2). בלא עם: באומה שאין לה שם, שנאמר (ישעיה כג, יג) הן ארץ כשדים זה העם לא היה, ובעשו הוא אומר (עובדיה א, ב) בזוי אתה מאד:
I will… provoke their anger with a foolish nation: These are the heretics. So Scripture states,“The fool (נָבָל) said in his heart, There is no God!” (Ps. 14:1). - [Sifrei 32: 21] בגוי נבל אכעיסם: אלו המינים, וכן הוא אומר (תהלים יד, א) אמר נבל בלבו אין אלהים:
22For a fire blazed in My wrath, and burned to the lowest depths. It consumed the land and its produce, setting aflame the foundations of mountains. כבכִּֽי־אֵשׁ֙ קָֽדְחָ֣ה בְאַפִּ֔י וַתִּיקַ֖ד עַד־שְׁא֣וֹל תַּחְתִּ֑ית וַתֹּ֤אכַל אֶ֨רֶץ֙ וִֽיבֻלָ֔הּ וַתְּלַהֵ֖ט מֽוֹסְדֵ֥י הָרִֽים:
blazed: Heb. קָדְחָה, burned. קדחה: בערה:
and burned: within you, to the very foundation. ותיקד: בכם עד היסוד:
It consumed the land and its produce: i.e., your land and its produce. ותאכל ארץ ויבלה: ארצכם ויבולה:
setting aflame: Jerusalem, which has her foundations set upon the mountains, as Scripture states:“Jerusalem is surrounded by mountains” (Ps. 125:2). - [Sifrei 32: 22] ותלהט: ירושלים המיוסדת על ההרים, שנאמר (שם קכה, ב) ירושלים הרים סביב לה:
23I will link evils upon them. I will use up My arrows on them. כגאַסְפֶּ֥ה עָלֵ֖ימוֹ רָע֑וֹת חִצַּ֖י אֲכַלֶּה־בָּֽם:
will link evils upon them: Heb. אַסְפֶּה, I will link evil upon evil. [This expression is] similar to the verse,“join (סְפוּ) year upon year,” (Isa. 29:1)and,“add (סְפוֹת) the punishment of the unintentional sins,” (Deut. 29:18)and,“Add (סְפוּ) your burnt-offerings to your sacrifices.” (Jer. 7:21). Another explanation: אַסְפֶּה means, I will consume. This is similar to the verse,“lest you be consumed (תִּסָּפֶּה)” (Gen. 19:15) [thus, our verse here would mean: “I will use up all evils on them”]. אספה עלימו רעות: אחביר רעה על רעה לשון (ישעיה כט, א) ספו שנה על שנה, (לעיל כט, יח) ספות הרוה, (ירמיה ז, כא) עולותיכם ספו על זבחיכם. דבר אחר אספה אכלה, כמו (בראשית יט, טו) פן תספה:
I will use up my arrows on them: I will finish up all My arrows on them [i.e., until there are no arrows left, as it were]. This curse, according to [the usual way] retribution [is expressed], is really a[n implied] blessing, namely: [God says,]"My arrows may come to an end, but Israel will not come to an end [i.e., they will never be annihilated]. חצי אכלה בם: כל חצי אשלים בהם. וקללה זו לפי הפורענות לברכה היא, חצי כלים והם אינם כלים:
24They will sprout hair from famine, attacked by demons, excised by Meriri. I will incite the teeth of livestock upon them, with the venom of creatures that slither in the dust. כדמְזֵ֥י רָעָ֛ב וּלְחֻ֥מֵי רֶ֖שֶׁף וְקֶ֣טֶב מְרִירִ֑י וְשֶׁן־בְּהֵמֹת֙ אֲשַׁלַּח־בָּ֔ם עִם־חֲמַ֖ת זֹֽחֲלֵ֥י עָפָֽר:
They will sprout hair from famine: Heb. מְזֵי רָעָב. Onkelos renders this as: “swollen from famine,” but I have no evidence from Scripture for this [translation]. In the name of Rabbi Moses Hadarshan of Toulouse, however, I heard that the expression מְזֵי רָעָב is equivalent to שְׂעִירֵי רָעָב, “hairy from famine,” for an emaciated person grows hair on his skin. מזי רעב: אנקלוס תרגם, נפיחי כפן, ואין לי עד מוכיח עליו. ומשמו של רבי משה הדרשן מטולושא שמעתי שעירי רעב, אדם כחוש מגדל שער על בשרו:
hair: מְזֵי is Aramaic for hair, as the term מַזְיָא [in the clause]: דַּהֲוָה מְהַפֵּךְ בְּמַזְיָא, meaning “turning over his hair.” - [Meg. 18a] מזי: לשון ארמי שער מזיא, דהוה מהפך במזיא:
attacked by demons: Heb. וּלְחֻמֵי רֶשֶׁף. Demons fought (לחם) against them, as Scripture states: “and flying creatures (בְּנֵי רֶשֶׁף) fly upwards” (Job 5:7). These are demons. ולחמי רשף: השדים נלחמו בהם, שנאמר (איוב ה, ז) ובני רשף יגביהו עוף, והם שדים:
excised by Meriri: Heb. וְקֶטֶב מְרִירִי, and excision caused by a demon named מְרִירִי. Heb. קֶטֶב means excision, similar to, “I will decree the grave upon you (קָטָבְךָ)!” (Hos. 13:14) [In Hebrew, the word for decree is גְּזֵרָה, the root of which is גזר, to cut. Hence, its primary meaning is “to cut.” There are many such roots in Hebrew, in the Bible, the Mishnah, and the Targum. They all bear the first meaning of cutting, and the second meaning of a final, permanent decision or ruling. Among them are the following: פסק, חקק, גזר, צמת, חרץ, כרת, חלט.] וקטב מרירי: וכריתות שד ששמו מרירי. קטב כריתה, כמו (הושע יג, יד) אהי קטבך שאול:
the teeth of livestock: It indeed once happened that sheep were biting people to death. — [Sifrei 32:24] ושן בהמות: מעשה היה והיו הרחלים נושכין וממיתין:
with the venom of creatures that slither in the dust: Heb. זֹחִלֵי עָפָר, the venom of snakes, which crawl on their bellies on the dust. — [Sifrei 32:24] [They crawl] just as the water flows (זחל) upon the ground. The word זְחִילָה denotes the slithering action of water upon the dust [of the ground], and similarly, the way anything slithers and shuffles across the ground to move along [is described as זְחִילָה]. חמת זוחלי עפר: ארס נחשים המהלכים על גחונם על העפר, כמים הזוחלים על הארץ. זחילה לשון מרוצת המים על העפר, וכן כל מרוצת דבר המשפשף על העפר והולך:
25From outside, the sword will bereave, and terror from within; young men and maidens, suckling babes with venerable elders. כהמִחוּץ֙ תְּשַׁכֶּל־חֶ֔רֶב וּמֵֽחֲדָרִ֖ים אֵימָ֑ה גַּם־בָּחוּר֙ גַּם־בְּתוּלָ֔ה יוֹנֵ֖ק עִם־אִ֥ישׁ שֵׂיבָֽה:
From outside, the sword will bereave: Outside the city, the sword of hostile troops will bereave them. מחוץ תשכל חרב: מחוץ לעיר תשכלם חרב גייסות:
and terror from within: When you flee, escaping from the sword, the inner recesses (חֲדָרִים) of your heart will pound within you out of terror, and you will gradually die from this. — [Sifrei 32:25] Another explanation [וּמֵחֲדָרִים אֵימָה]: Within your house, there will be the terror of [impending] fear of plague, as Scripture states, “For death has come up into our windows” (Jer. 9:20). Onkelos renders this in this way. Another explanation of “Outside, the sword will bereave”- [They will be killed by the sword] on account of what they did in the streets (חוּצוֹת), as Scripture states, “Corresponding to the number of streets in Jerusalem, you set up altars to the shameful thing.” (Jer. 11:13) [And along the same lines,] וּמֵחֲדָרִים אֵימָה means: On account of that which they did in the innermost chambers of their houses, as Scripture states, “[Have you seen] what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the darkness, each one in his paved chambers?” (Ezek. 8:12) - [Sifrei 32:25] ומחדרים אימה: כשבורח ונמלט מן החרב חדרי לבבו נקופים עליו מחמת אימה והוא מת והולך בה. דבר אחר ומחדרים אימה שבבית תהיה אימת דבר, כמו שנאמר (ירמיה ט, כ) כי עלה מות בחלונינו, וכן תרגם אונקלוס. דבר אחר מחוץ תשכל חרב על מה שעשו בחוצות, שנאמר (ירמיה יא, יג) ומספר חוצות ירושלים שמתם מזבחות לבושת, ומחדרים אימה על מה שעשו בחדרי חדרים, שנאמר (יחזקאל ח, יב) אשר זקני בית ישראל עושים בחשך איש בחדרי משכיתו:
26I said that I would make an end of them, eradicate their remembrance from mankind. כואָמַ֖רְתִּי אַפְאֵיהֶ֑ם אַשְׁבִּ֥יתָה מֵֽאֱנ֖וֹשׁ זִכְרָֽם:
I said that I would make an end of them: Heb. אַפְאֵיהֶם. I said in My heart, “I will make an end (אַפְאֶה) of them.” One may also explain אַפְאֵיהֶם to mean: I would make them as פֵּאָה [the corners of one’s field which are left as ownerless for the poor to collect]; i.e., I will cast them away as ownerless. We find a similarity to this [expression] in Ezra (Neh. 9:22), “And You gave them kingdoms and peoples, and You separated them as ownerless things (לְפֵאָה).” Menachem [ben Saruk] (Machbereth pp. 29, 140) also classified it in this way. [Note that Nehemiah is officially part of the book of Ezra, as in San. 93b. Note also that Menachem’s interpretation is not identical with Rashi’s.] Others, however, explain the expression according to the rendition of the Targum: My wrath (אַף) will fall upon them [thereby assuming that the word אַפְאֵיהֶם stems from the root אף, anger]. But this is incorrect, for if this were so, our verse should have been written: אֲאַפְאֵיהֶם [with two alephs], one aleph to serve [as the pronominal prefix for “I will,”] and the other aleph as a root letter, like, “I will strengthen you (אֲאַזֶּרְךָ)” (Isa. 45:5); and, “I would encourage you (אֲאַמִּצְכֶם) with my mouth” (Job 16:5). Moreover, the aleph in the middle of the word אַפְאֵיהֶם is completely inappropriate there. [Thus, we can see that Onkelos, in rendering his translation here, could not have meant that the word is simply a form of the stem אף. So how does he justify this translation?] Onkelos rendered this expression in accordance with the explanation of the Baraitha [a talmudic source not included in the canon of the Mishnah], which is taught in Sifrei (32:26). This Baraitha divides the word אַפְאֵיהֶם into three separate words, to read: אַף אֵי הֶם, which has the meaning, “I said in My anger (אַף) that I would make them as if they were naught,” so that those who behold them would say about them, “Where are they אַיֵּה הֵם?” אמרתי אפאיהם: אמרתי בלבי אפאה אותם. ויש לפרש אפאיהם אשיתם פאה להשליכם מעלי הפקר. ודוגמתו מצינו בעזרא (נחמיה ט כב) ותתן להם ממלכות ועממים ותחלקם לפאה, להפקר. וכן חברו מנחם. ויש פותרים אותו כתרגומו יחול רוגזי עליהן, ולא יתכן, שאם כן היה לו לכתוב אאפאיהם אחת לשמוש ואחת ליסוד, כמו (ישעיה מה, ה) אאזרך, (איוב טז, ה) אאמיצכם במו פי, והא' התיכונה אינה ראויה בו כלל. ואונקלוס תרגם אחר לשון הברייתא השנויה בספרי החולקת תיבה זו לשלש תיבות אמרתי אף אי הם, אמרתי באפי אתנם כאילו אינם, שיאמרו רואיהם עליהם איה הם:
27Were it not that the enemy's wrath was heaped up, lest their adversaries distort; lest they claim, "Our hand was triumphant! The Lord did none of this!" כזלוּלֵ֗י כַּ֤עַס אוֹיֵב֙ אָג֔וּר פֶּן־יְנַכְּר֖וּ צָרֵ֑ימוֹ פֶּן־יֹֽאמְרוּ֙ יָדֵ֣נוּ רָ֔מָה וְלֹ֥א יְהֹוָ֖ה פָּעַ֥ל כָּל־זֹֽאת:
Were it not that the enemy’s wrath was heaped up: Heb. אָגוּר. Were it not that the enemy’s wrath was heaped up (אָגוּר) against them to destroy them, and if the enemy would succeed in overtaking them and destroying them, he would attribute the greatness to himself and to his deity, but he would not attribute the greatness to Me [says God]. This, then, is the meaning of “lest their adversaries distort” (Heb. פֶּן יְנַכְּרוּ צָרֵימוֹ): lest they misconstrue the matter by attributing their might to an alien (נָכְרִי), to whom the greatness does not belong. לולי כעס אויב אגור: אם לא שכעס האויב כנוס עליהם להשחית ואם יוכל להם וישחיתם יתלה הגדולה בו ובאלהיו ולא יתלה הגדולה בי, וזהו שנאמר פן ינכרו צרימו, ינכרו הדבר לתלות גבורתי בנכרי, שאין הגדולה שלו:
lest they claim, Our hand was triumphant…!: For that nation is one “devoid of counsel.” פן יאמרו ידנו רמה וגו': כי אותו גוי אובד עצות המה:
28For they are a nation devoid of counsel, and they have no understanding. כחכִּי־ג֛וֹי אֹבַ֥ד עֵצ֖וֹת הֵ֑מָּה וְאֵ֥ין בָּהֶ֖ם תְּבוּנָֽה:
and they have no understanding: For if they were wise people, they would understand this, namely: “How could one [person] pursue [a thousand…]?” (verse 30). ואין בהם תבונה: שאילו היו חכמים ישכילו זאת, איכה ירדוף וגו':
Daily Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 55 - 59
• 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).
Chapter 55
David composed this psalm upon escaping from Jerusalem in the face of the slanderers, Doeg and Achitofel, who had declared him deserving of death. David had considered Achitofel a friend and accorded him the utmost honor, but Achitofel betrayed him and breached their covenant. David curses all his enemies, so that all generations should "know, and sin no more."
1. For the Conductor, with instrumental music, a maskil by David.
2. Listen to my prayer, O God, do not hide from my pleas.
3. Pay heed to me and answer me, as I lament in my distress and moan -
4. because of the shout of the enemy and the oppression of the wicked; for they accuse me of evil and hate me passionately.
5. My heart shudders within me, and the terrors of death have descended upon me.
6. Fear and trembling penetrate me, and I am enveloped with horror.
7. And I said, "If only I had wings like the dove! I would fly off and find rest.
8. Behold, I would wander afar, and lodge in the wilderness forever.
9. I would hurry to find shelter for myself from the stormy wind, from the tempest.”
10. Consume, O Lord, confuse their tongue; for I have seen violence and strife in the city.1
11. Day and night they encircle her upon her walls, and iniquity and vice are in her midst.
12. Treachery is within her; fraud and deceit never depart from her square.
13. For it is not the enemy who taunts me-that I could bear; nor my foe who raises himself against me, that I could hide from him.
14. But it is you, a man of my equal, my guide and my intimate.
15. Together we took sweet counsel; we walked with the throng to the house of God.
16. May He incite death upon them, let them descend to the pit alive; for there is evil in their dwelling, within them.
17. As for me, I call to God, and the Lord will save me.
18. Evening, morning and noon, I lament and moan-and He hears my voice.
19. He redeemed my soul in peace from battles against me, because of the many who were with me.
20. May God-He who is enthroned from the days of old, Selah-hear and humble those in whom there is no change, and who do not fear God.
21. He extended his hands against his allies, he profaned his covenant.
22. Smoother than butter are the words of his mouth, but war is in his heart; his words are softer than oil, yet they are curses.
23. Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous man falter.
24. And You, O God, will bring them down to the nethermost pit; bloodthirsty and treacherous men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in You.
FOOTNOTES
1.Jerusalem.
Chapter 56
David composed this psalm while in mortal danger at the palace of Achish, brother of Goliath. In his distress David accepts vows upon himself.
1. For the Conductor, of the mute dove1 far away. By David, a michtam, 2 when the Philistines seized him in Gath.
2. Favor me, O God, for man longs to swallow me; the warrior oppresses me every day.
3. My watchful enemies long to swallow me every day, for many battle me, O Most High!
4. On the day I am afraid, I trust in You.
5. [I trust] in God and praise His word; in God I trust, I do not fear-what can [man of] flesh do to me?
6. Every day they make my words sorrowful; all their thoughts about me are for evil.
7. They gather and hide, they watch my steps, when they hope [to capture] my soul.
8. Should escape be theirs in reward for their iniquity? Cast down the nations in anger, O God!
9. You have counted my wanderings; place my tears in Your flask-are they not in Your record?
10. When my enemies will retreat on the day I cry out, with this I will know that God is with me.
11. When God deals strictly, I praise His word; when the Lord deals mercifully, I praise His word.
12. In God I trust, I do not fear-what can man do to me?
13. My vows to You are upon me, O God; I will repay with thanksgiving offerings to You.
14. For You saved my soul from death-even my feet from stumbling-to walk before God in the light of life.
FOOTNOTES
1.David having fled from Jerusalem, is silenced by fear (Rashi/Metzudot).
2.A psalm that was especially precious to David
Chapter 57
David composed this psalm while hiding from Saul in a cave, facing grave danger. Like Jacob did when confronted with Esau, David prayed that he neither be killed nor be forced to kill. In the merit of his trust in God, God wrought wonders to save him.
1. For the Conductor, a plea to be spared destruction. By David, a michtam, when he fled from Saul in the cave.
2. Favor me, O God, favor me, for in You my soul took refuge, and in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge until the disaster passes.
3. I will call to God the Most High; to the Almighty Who fulfills [His promise] to me.
4. He will send from heaven, and save me from the humiliation of those who long to swallow me, Selah; God will send forth His kindness and truth.
5. My soul is in the midst of lions, I lie among fiery men; their teeth are spears and arrows, their tongue a sharp sword.
6. Be exalted above the heavens, O God; let Your glory be upon all the earth.
7. They laid a trap for my steps, they bent down my soul; they dug a pit before me, [but] they themselves fell into it, Selah.
8. My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and chant praise.
9. Awake, my soul! Awake, O harp and lyre! I shall awaken the dawn.
10. I will thank You among the nations, my Lord; I will praise You among the peoples.
11. For Your kindness reaches till the heavens, Your truth till the skies.
12. Be exalted above the heavens, O God; let Your glory be over all the earth.
Chapter 58
David expresses the anguish caused him by Avner and his other enemies, who justified Saul's pursuit of him.
1. For the Conductor, a plea to be spared destruction; by David, a michtam.
2. Is it true that you are mute [instead of] speaking justice? [Instead of] judging men with fairness?
3. Even with your heart you wreak injustice upon the land; you justify the violence of your hands.
4. The wicked are estranged from the womb; from birth do the speakers of falsehood stray.
5. Their venom is like the venom of a snake; like the deaf viper that closes its ear
6. so as not to hear the voice of charmers, [even] the most skillful caster of spells.
7. O God, smash their teeth in their mouth; shatter the fangs of the young lions, O Lord.
8. Let them melt like water and disappear; when He aims His arrows, may they crumble.
9. Like the snail that melts as it goes along, like the stillbirth of a woman-they never see the sun.
10. Before your tender shoots know [to become] hardened thorns, He will blast them away, as one [uprooting] with vigor and wrath.
11. The righteous one will rejoice when he sees revenge; he will bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked.
12. And man will say, "There is indeed reward for the righteous; indeed there is a God Who judges in the land."
Chapter 59
This psalm speaks of the great miracle David experienced when he eluded danger by escaping through a window, unnoticed by the guards at the door. The prayers, supplications, and entreaties he offered then are recorded here.
1. For the Conductor, a plea to be spared destruction, By David, a michtam, when Saul dispatched [men], and they guarded the house in order to kill him.
2. Rescue me from my enemies, my God; raise me above those who rise against me.
3. Rescue me from evildoers, save me from men of bloodshed.
4. For behold they lie in ambush for my soul, mighty ones gather against me-not because of my sin nor my transgression, O Lord.
5. Without iniquity [on my part,] they run and prepare-awaken towards me and see!
6. And You, Lord, God of Hosts, God of Israel, wake up to remember all the nations; do not grant favor to any of the iniquitous traitors, Selah.
7. They return toward evening, they howl like the dog and circle the city.
8. Behold, they spew with their mouths, swords are in their lips, for [they say], "Who hears?”
9. But You, Lord, You laugh at them; You mock all nations.
10. [Because of] his might, I wait for You, for God is my stronghold.
11. The God of my kindness will anticipate my [need]; God will show me [the downfall] of my watchful foes.
12. Do not kill them, lest my nation forget; drive them about with Your might and impoverish them, O our Shield, my Master,
13. [for] the sin of their mouth, the word of their lips; let them be trapped by their arrogance. At the sight of their accursed state and deterioration, [people] will recount.
14. Consume them in wrath, consume them and they will be no more; and they will know that God rules in Jacob, to the ends of the earth, Selah.
15. And they will return toward evening, they will howl like the dog and circle the city.
16. They will wander about to eat; when they will not be sated they will groan.
17. As for me, I shall sing of Your might, and sing joyously of Your kindness toward morning, for You have been a stronghold to me, a refuge on the day of my distress.
18. [You are] my strength, to You I will sing, for God is my stronghold, the God of my kindness.
Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, end of Epistle 20
• Lessons in Tanya
• Today's Tanya Lesson
• Wednesday, 10 Tishrei, 5777 · 12 October 2016
• Iggeret HaKodesh, end of Epistle 20
• ומזה
And from this, from the earlier explanation of the paradox of Or Chozer, whereby it is specifically in the lowest levels ofAsiyah that the light of Sovev Kol Almin and the light of the Kav rebound most intensely,
יובן היטב בענין סדר המדרגות: דומם, צומח, חי, מדבר
we can clearly understand the subject of the order of the levels [of created beings] — the inorganic, the vegetative, the animal, and the articulate being (i.e., man),
שהן בחינת עפר, מים, אש, רוח
which correspond to and are expressed within the composition of all created beings as the Elements of Earth, Water, Fire and Air.
שאף שהחי הוא למעלה מהצומח, והמדבר למעלה מהחי
For though the animal [level] is higher than the vegetative [level],1 and the articulate being is higher than the animal,
אף על פי כן, החי ניזון וחי מהצומח, והמדבר מקבל חיותו משניהם
nevertheless, the animal is nourished and lives by the vegetative, and the articulate being receives his vitality from them both,
וגם חכמה ודעת
and even wisdom and knowledge.
שאין התינוק יודע לקרות אבא ואמא, עד שיטעום טעם דגן כו׳
For, as the Gemara states,2 “A child does not know how to call ‘father’ and ‘mother’ until it has tasted grain.”
ועדיין לא אכילנא בישרא דתורא כו׳
[It is likewise written,]3 “I had not yet eaten the meat of oxen....”
This was the explanation which R. Nachman gave to Rava, as to why the previous evening he had been unable to give the better answer to his query that he had now given. Thus we see that the meat of a mere animal is able to stimulate the mind of man.
The key to this paradox, whereby the animal kingdom is nourished by the inferior vegetative kingdom, and man needs both of these inferior orders of creation, has been explained above:
כי הוא בחינת אור חוזר ממטה למעלה, מתחתית העשיה
For this is an instance of Or Chozer, the light that is reflected from the lower levels to the higher, from the lowest level of Asiyah,
שמתגלית שם ביתר עז, הארה דהארה כו׳
where there is an exceedingly strong manifestation of the radiation of the radiation, and so on, of the glimmer of a glimmer of a glimmer that is found within the physical earth,
מאור אין סוף, הסובב כל עלמין
from the [infinite] Ein Sof-light that encircles all worlds, i.e., from the degree of Sovev Kol Almin that transcends all worlds equally,
ומהקו אור אין סוף, שבסיום רגלי היושר דאדם קדמון
and from the Kav from the Ein Sof-light at the culmination of the “feet” of the Yosher of Adam Kadmon —the final level of the internalized illumination that is found in all worlds. This illumination shines there:
בבחינת אור חוזר, כנ״ל
in a mode of Or Chozer, as stated above.
***
ויובן היטב בזה, טוב טעם ודעת
This will enable one to gain a reasoned understanding
מה שהמלאכים עליונים שבמרכבה: פני שור ופני נשר
how it is that the Supernal angels of the Merkavah, the “Celestial Chariot,” namely, the “Face of the Oxen” and the “Face of the Eagle,”
נהנים מאד, וניזונים ומסתפקים
derive great enjoyment, and are nourished and content,
מרוח הבהמה והעוף, העולה אליהם מהקרבנות שעל גבי המזבח
from the spirit of the cattle and fowl that ascends to them from the sacrifices on the altar.
The phrase,4 את קרבני לחמי לאשי (“My sacrifice, the bread of My burnt offerings...”), may be understood on a non-literal level to mean that the sacrifices provide sustenance for G‑d’s “fires”, i.e., for the angels.
וכדקדוק לשון הזהר הקדוש: ואתהניין מיסודא ועיקרא דילהון
As the holy Zohar expresses it precisely,5 “They derive enjoyment from their element and essence”: the spiritual root (as opposed to the animal component) of the sacrifices is reflected back to its angelic source in a mode of Or Chozer.
***
ואחרי הדברים והאמת האלה, דעת לנבון נקל
Now, after these words and this truth, knowledge comes easily to the discerning,
להבין על ידי כל הנ״ל, גודל מעלת המצות מעשיות
to understand through all the above the sublime worth of the practical commandments, those performed with physical objects and with man’s physicality.
אשר הן תכלית ירידת הנשמות לעולם הזה הגשמי
For [these commandments] are the ultimate purpose for the descent of souls to this physical world,
כמו שכתוב: היום לעשותם
as it is written,6 “Today [is the time] to do them.”
I.e., specifically “today”, in this world of action, are we provided with the opportunity to perform mitzvot with physical objects whose creation came about from G‑d’s very essence, and which contain the concealed power of His very being. By performing mitzvot with these objects we release this concealed power.
ויפה שעה אחת בתשובה ומעשים טובים בעולם הזה, מכל חיי עולם הבא
[It is likewise written,]7 “Better one hour of repentance and good deeds in this world, than all the life of the World to Come.”
***
עד כאן מצאנו מכתב יד הקודש
At this point the first publishers of Iggeret HaKodesh wrote: Until here we found of his holy writing.
| FOOTNOTES | |
| 1. | Note of the Rebbe: “[It is superior] also with regard to its creation; ‘nevertheless [it] is nourished...[by the vegetative].’ (This enables us to understand why the Element of Earth is not mentioned here, for everything comes from the Earth. It may likewise be said that for this reason, even after having been created, [everything] depends on it and is nourished by it.)” |
| 2. | Berachot 40a. |
| 3. | Bava Kama 71a. |
| 4. | Bamidbar 28:2. |
| 5. | III, 341a. |
| 6. | Devarim 7:11; Eruvin 22a. |
| 7. | Avot 4:17. |
| Rambam: Sefer Hamitzvos: |
• Wednesday, 10 Tishrei, 5777 · 12 October 2016
• Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
Positive Commandment 174
Obeying the High Court
"According to the Torah which they shall teach you..."—Deuteronomy 17:11.
We are commanded to obey the High Court (Sanhedrin) and heed all their decisions with regards to what is permitted or prohibited. This is true whether their decision is based on oral tradition, they arrived at their decision via extrapolation from the words of the Torah, or if the rule was issued in order to address a contemporary concern, i.e., the court saw the need to impose a certain law in order to safeguard a Torah law.
Full text of this Mitzvah »• Obeying the High Court
Positive Commandment 174
Translated by Berel Bell
The 174th mitzvah is that we are commanded to obey the Beis Din HaGadol and act in accordance with all their instructions regarding what is prohibited and what is permitted. There is no difference whether it is something they received by Oral Tradition; derived using one of the principle of Torah extrapolation; decreed in order to correct some laxity or in response to some other situation where they found it appropriate and that it would strengthen Torah observance. We are required to obey all such directives and to act in accordance with their words, not to transgress them.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "You must keep the Torah as they interpret it for you [and follow the laws that they legislate for you]."
The Sifri says, "The verse, 'Follow the laws that they legislate for you' constitutes a positive commandment."
The details of this mitzvah are explained in the end of tractate Sanhedrin.2
FOOTNOTES
1.Deut. 17:11.
2.87a.
Negative Commandment 312
Disobeying Torah Authorities
"You shall not deviate from that which they shall tell you"—Deuteronomy 17:11.
We are forbidden to dispute the rulings of the sages who are the transmitters of the Oral Tradition and to deviate from their rulings with all that pertains to Torah law.
Full text of this Mitzvah »• Disobeying Torah Authorities
Negative Commandment 312
Translated by Berel Bell
The 312th prohibition is that we are forbidden from disagreeing with the Sages who pass down the Oral Tradition (may they rest in peace), or from deviating from any of their instructions in Torah matters.
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "Do not stray from the word that they declare to you."
The Sifri says, "The verse, 'Do not stray...' constitutes a prohibition."
One who violates this prohibition, i.e. a zaken mam're, is executed by strangulation if all the conditions described in the end of Sanhedrin2 are fulfilled. The details of this mitzvah are explained there.
FOOTNOTES
1.Deut. 17:11.
2.86b.
Negative Commandment 313
Adding to the Torah
"You shall not add to it"—Deuteronomy 13:1.
We are forbidden to add anything to the Torah—both the Written and Oral Laws.
Full text of this Mitzvah »• Adding to the Torah
Negative Commandment 313
Translated by Berel Bell
The 313th prohibition is that we are forbidden from adding on to either the Written or the Oral Torah.
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "Do not add to it."
Our Sages say in many places,2 "He transgresses the prohibition, 'Do not add to it,' " or "You transgressed the prohibition, 'Do not add to it.' "
FOOTNOTES
1.Ibid., 13:1.
2.Rosh HaShanah 28b, et. al. The Rambam apparently quotes these passages to prove that this verse serves as an actual prohibition.
Negative Commandment 314
Subtracting from the Torah
"You shall not subtract from it"—Deuteronomy 13:1.
We are forbidden to subtract anything from the Torah—both the Written and Oral Laws.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
• Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
Positive Commandment 174
Obeying the High Court
"According to the Torah which they shall teach you..."—Deuteronomy 17:11.
We are commanded to obey the High Court (Sanhedrin) and heed all their decisions with regards to what is permitted or prohibited. This is true whether their decision is based on oral tradition, they arrived at their decision via extrapolation from the words of the Torah, or if the rule was issued in order to address a contemporary concern, i.e., the court saw the need to impose a certain law in order to safeguard a Torah law.
Full text of this Mitzvah »• Obeying the High Court
Positive Commandment 174
Translated by Berel Bell
The 174th mitzvah is that we are commanded to obey the Beis Din HaGadol and act in accordance with all their instructions regarding what is prohibited and what is permitted. There is no difference whether it is something they received by Oral Tradition; derived using one of the principle of Torah extrapolation; decreed in order to correct some laxity or in response to some other situation where they found it appropriate and that it would strengthen Torah observance. We are required to obey all such directives and to act in accordance with their words, not to transgress them.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "You must keep the Torah as they interpret it for you [and follow the laws that they legislate for you]."
The Sifri says, "The verse, 'Follow the laws that they legislate for you' constitutes a positive commandment."
The details of this mitzvah are explained in the end of tractate Sanhedrin.2
FOOTNOTES
1.Deut. 17:11.
2.87a.
Negative Commandment 312
Disobeying Torah Authorities
"You shall not deviate from that which they shall tell you"—Deuteronomy 17:11.
We are forbidden to dispute the rulings of the sages who are the transmitters of the Oral Tradition and to deviate from their rulings with all that pertains to Torah law.
Full text of this Mitzvah »• Disobeying Torah Authorities
Negative Commandment 312
Translated by Berel Bell
The 312th prohibition is that we are forbidden from disagreeing with the Sages who pass down the Oral Tradition (may they rest in peace), or from deviating from any of their instructions in Torah matters.
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "Do not stray from the word that they declare to you."
The Sifri says, "The verse, 'Do not stray...' constitutes a prohibition."
One who violates this prohibition, i.e. a zaken mam're, is executed by strangulation if all the conditions described in the end of Sanhedrin2 are fulfilled. The details of this mitzvah are explained there.
FOOTNOTES
1.Deut. 17:11.
2.86b.
Negative Commandment 313
Adding to the Torah
"You shall not add to it"—Deuteronomy 13:1.
We are forbidden to add anything to the Torah—both the Written and Oral Laws.
Full text of this Mitzvah »• Adding to the Torah
Negative Commandment 313
Translated by Berel Bell
The 313th prohibition is that we are forbidden from adding on to either the Written or the Oral Torah.
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "Do not add to it."
Our Sages say in many places,2 "He transgresses the prohibition, 'Do not add to it,' " or "You transgressed the prohibition, 'Do not add to it.' "
FOOTNOTES
1.Ibid., 13:1.
2.Rosh HaShanah 28b, et. al. The Rambam apparently quotes these passages to prove that this verse serves as an actual prohibition.
Negative Commandment 314
Subtracting from the Torah
"You shall not subtract from it"—Deuteronomy 13:1.
We are forbidden to subtract anything from the Torah—both the Written and Oral Laws.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
• Subtracting from the Torah
Negative Commandment 314
Translated by Berel Bell
The 314th prohibition is that we are forbidden from subtracting from either the Written or the Oral Torah.
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement,1 "Do not subtract from it."
Our Sages say in many places,2 "He transgresses the prohibition, 'Do not subtract from it,' " or "You transgressed the prohibition, 'Do not subtract from it.' "
FOOTNOTES
1.Ibid.
2.See footnote to N313 above.
Negative Commandment 314
Translated by Berel Bell
The 314th prohibition is that we are forbidden from subtracting from either the Written or the Oral Torah.
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement,1 "Do not subtract from it."
Our Sages say in many places,2 "He transgresses the prohibition, 'Do not subtract from it,' " or "You transgressed the prohibition, 'Do not subtract from it.' "
FOOTNOTES
1.Ibid.
2.See footnote to N313 above.
• Rambam - 1 Chapter: She'ar Avot haTum'ah She'ar Avot haTum'ah - Chapter 19
• She'ar Avot haTum'ah - Chapter 19
• 3 Chapters: Mamrim Mamrim - Chapter 1, Mamrim Mamrim - Chapter 2, Mamrim Mamrim - Chapter 3
1
The following rules apply when there are two paths, one impure and one pure, and a person walked down one of them, but he did not know which one he walked down. Afterwards, he came in contact with pure foods and they were eaten. He then had the ashes of the red heifer sprinkled upon himself on the third and seventh days, and then, immersed to purify himself. He then walked down the other path and came in contact with pure foods. Those foods are considered as pure.
If the foods he touched first still exist, the status of both is held in abeyance. The rationale is that one of the sets of pure food is definitely impure. If the person did not purify himself in the interim, the status of the first set is held in abeyance, while the second set should be burnt. The rationale is that these foods are certainly impure, since the person is impure because he walked down both paths.
Similar laws apply if there was a carcass of both a creeping animal and a frog in the public domain and their form was no longer recognizable and it was impossible to determine which was the creeping animal. If one touched one of the carcasses and then came in contact with pure foods which were eaten, immersed himself, touched the other one and then came in contact with pure foods, they are pure. If the foods he touched first still exist, the status of both is held in abeyance. If he did not immerse himself, the status of the first set is held in abeyance, while the second set should be burnt.
א
שני שבילין אחד טמא ואחד טהור הלך באחד מהן ואין ידוע באי זה מהן הלך ועשה טהרות ונאכלו והזה שלישי ושביעי וטבל וטהר והלך בשני ועשה טהרות הרי אלו טהורות אם קיימות הראשונות אלו ואלו תלויות שבודאי שאחד מן הטהרות טמא ואם לא טהר בינתיים הראשונות תלויות והשניות ישרפו שהרי הן טמאות בודאי שזה טמא הוא מפני שהלך בשני השבילין וכן השרץ והצפרדע בר"ה ואין צורתן ניכרת ואין ידוע אי זהו השרץ ונגע באחד מהן ועשה טהרות ונאכלו וטבל ונגע בשני ועשה טהרות הרי אלו טהורות ואם קיימות הראשונות אלו ואלו תלויות ואם לא טבל בינתיים הראשונות תלויות והשניות ישרפו:
2
Different rules apply when there are two paths, one impure and one pure, a person walked down one of them and came in contact with pure foods and another person walked down the other and came in contact with pure foods. If they came and inquired about their status one after the other, a ruling is given to each one that he is pure. If they both came together or one came and asked about his status and that of his friend, saying: "We were two people. We walked down the two paths and we both came in contact with pure foods," they are both deemed impure and the pure foods with which they came in contact should be burnt.
Similar principles apply if they contracted impurity from a lesser source. What is implied? There were two loaves of bread, one pure and one impure. A person ate one of them and came in contact with pure foods. Another person came and ate the second and came in contact with pure foods. If they inquired about their status one after the other, they are both pure, because this is a doubt involving a question of Rabbinic Law which is one of the doubtful situations that our Sages ruled were pure, as we explained. If they both asked together or one asked about his status and that of his friend, they are both considered impure because of the doubt and the pure foods should be burnt, for certainly, one of them is impure. Even if there is one impure loaf mixed with 100 pure loaves, they are all impure and must be burnt.
ב
שני שבילין אחד טמא ואחד טהור הלך באחד מהן ועשה טהרות ובא חבירו והלך בשני ועשה טהרות אם באו ונשאלו זה אחר זה מורין לכל אחד מהן בפני עצמו שהוא טהור באו שניהן כאחד או שבא האחד ושאל עליו ועל חבירו ואמר שנים היינו ובשני השבילים הלכנו ושתי טהרות עשינו הרי שניהם טמאין וטהרות שעשו נשרפות וכן אם נטמאו בטומאה קלה כיצד שני ככרים אחד טמא ואחד טהור אכל את אחד מהם ועשה טהרות ובא חבירו ואכל את השני ועשה טהרות אם נשאלו זה אחר זה שניהן טהורין מפני שהן ספק דברי סופרים שהוא מכלל הספיקות שטהרו חכמים כמו שביארנו נשאלו שניהן כאחת או שנשאל עליו ועל חבירו שניהן טמאין מספק וטהרותם נשרפות שהרי ודאי אחת מהן טמאה ואפילו ככר אחד טמא שנתערב במאה ככרות טהורין כולן טמאין וישרפו:
3
When an impure loaf of bread became mixed with nine pure loaves and five people came and ate five loaves and five others came and ate the five remaining, the ones who came first are deemed impure, because they have no one else to hold accountable. The five last men are pure, because they can hold the first five accountable.
ג
ככר טמא שנתערב בתשעה ככרות טהורין ובאו חמשה בני אדם ואכלו חמשה ככרות מהן ובאו חמשה בני אדם אחרים ואכלו החמשה הנשארים הראשונים טמאים מפני שאין להן אנשים אחרים שיתלו בהן והחמשה האנשים האחרונים טהורין מפני שהן תולין בראשונים:
4
When there are two paths, one impure and one pure, and each of two people, one pure and one impure - or even one whose status was being held in abeyance - walked down one of these paths, the one who is pure can place the onus on the one who is impure or whose status is held in abeyance. We say: The person who was pure walked down the pure path and his status is still considered as pure and the one whose status was held in abeyance walked down the impure path. This applies even if they inquired about their status at the same time.
ד
שני שבילין אחד טמא ואחד טהור והלכו בהן שני אנשים איש אחד טהור ואיש אחד טמא אפילו היה האחד תלוי ה"ז הטהור תולה בתלוי ואומרין זה הטהור הלך בשביל הטהור והרי הוא בטהרתו וזה התלוי הלך בשביל הטמא ואף על פי שנשאלו שניהן כאחד:
• Mamrim - Chapter 1
• Hayom Yom: Today's Hayom Yom
They include nine mitzvot: three positive commandments and six negative commandments:
They are:
1. To follow the directives given by the Supreme Sanhedrin;
2. Not to deviate from their words;
3. Not to add to the Torah, neither to the mitzvot of the Written Law, nor to their explanation which was transmitted by the Oral Tradition;
4. Not to detract from the mitzvot;
5. Not to curse one's father or mother;
6. Not to strike one's father or mother;
7. To honor one's father and mother;
8. To fear one's father and mother;
9. For a son not to rebel against his father's and mother's instruction.
These mitzvot are explained in the coming chapters.
1
The Supreme Sanhedrin in Jerusalem are the essence of the Oral Law. They are the pillars of instruction from whom statutes and judgments issue forth for the entire Jewish people. Concerning them, the Torah promises Deuteronomy 17:11: "You shall do according to the laws which they shall instruct you...." This is a positive commandment.
Whoever believes in Moses and in his Torah is obligated to make all of his religious acts dependent on this court and to rely on them.
א
בית דין הגדול שבירושלים הם עיקר תורה שבעל פה והם עמודי ההוראה ומהם חק ומשפט יוצא לכל ישראל ועליהן הבטיחה תורה שנאמר על פי התורה אשר יורוך זו מצות עשה וכל המאמין במשה רבינו ובתורתו חייב לסמוך מעשה הדת עליהן ולישען עליהן:
2
Any person who does not carry out their directives transgresses a negative commandment, as Ibid. continues: "Do not deviate from any of the statements they relate to you, neither right nor left."
Lashes are not given for the violation of this prohibition, because it also serves as a warning for a transgression punishable by execution by the court. For when a sage rebels against the words of the court, he should be executed by strangulation, as the following verse states: "A person who will act deliberately...."
We are obligated to heed their words whether they:
a) learned them from the Oral Tradition, i.e., the Oral Law,
b) derived them on the basis of their own knowledge through one of the attributes of Biblical exegesis and it appeared to them that this is the correct interpretation of the matter,
c) instituted the matter as a safeguard for the Torah, as was necessary at a specific time. These are the decrees, edicts, and customs instituted by the Sages.
It is a positive commandment to heed the court with regard to each of these three matters. A person who transgresses any of these types of directives transgresses a negative commandment. This is derived from the continuation of the above verse in the following manner: "According to the laws which they shall instruct you" - this refers to the edicts, decrees, and customs which they instruct people at large to observe to strengthen the faith and perfect the world. "According to the judgment which they relate" - this refers to the matters which they derive through logical analysis employing one of the methods of Biblical exegesis. "From all things that they will tell you" - This refers to the tradition which they received one person from another.
ב
כל מי שאינו עושה כהוראתן עובר בלא תעשה שנאמר לא תסור מכל הדבר אשר יגידו לך ימין ושמאל ואין לוקין על לאו זה מפני שניתן לאזהרת מיתת בית דין שכל חכם שמורה על דבריהם מיתתו בחנק שנאמר והאיש אשר יעשה בזדון וגו' אחד דברים שלמדו אותן מפי השמועה והם תורה שבעל פה ואחד דברים שלמדום מפי דעתם באחת מן המדות שהתורה נדרשת בהן ונראה בעיניהם שדבר זה כך הוא ואחד דברים שעשאום סייג לתורה ולפי מה שהשעה צריכה והן הגזרות והתקנות והמנהגות כל אחד ואחד מאלו השלשה דברים מצות עשה לשמוע להן והעובר על כל אחד מהן עובר בלא תעשה הרי הוא אומר על פי התורה אשר יורוך אלו התקנות והגזירות והמנהגות שיורו בהם לרבים כדי לחזק הדת ולתקן העולם ועל המשפט אשר יאמרו אלו דברים שילמדו אותן מן הדין באחת מן המדות שהתורה נדרשת בהן מכל הדבר אשר יגידו לך זו הקבלה שקבלו איש מפי איש:
3
There can never be any difference of opinion with regard to matters received through the Oral Tradition. Whenever there arises a difference of opinion with regard to a matter that shows that it was not received in the tradition from Moses our teacher.
The following principles apply with regard to matters derived through logical analysis. If the entire body of the SupremeSanhedrin agrees with regard to them, their consent is binding. If there is a difference of opinion, we follow the majority and decide the matter according to the majority. Similarly, with regard to the decrees, edicts, and customs, if a portion of the judges perceived that it was necessary to issue a decree, institute an edict, or establish a custom for the people, and a portion perceived that it is not appropriate to issue this decree, institute this edict, or establish this custom, the judges should debate the matter back and forth. Afterwards, a vote is called, and we follow the majority and execute the matter according to the decision of the majority.
ג
דברי קבלה אין בהן מחלוקת לעולם וכל דבר שתמצא בו מחלוקת בידוע שאינו קבלה ממשה רבינו ודברים שלמדין מן הדין אם הסכימו עליהן בית דין הגדול כולן הרי הסכימו ואם נחלקו בהן הולכין אחר הרוב ומוציאין הדין אחר הרבים וכן הגזרות והתקנות והמנהגות אם ראו מקצתן שראוי לגזור גזירה או לתקן תקנה או שיניחו העם המנהג הזה וראו מקצתן שאין ראוי לגזור גזרה זו ולא לתקן תקנה זו ולא להניח מנהג זה נושאין ונותנין אלו כנגד אלו והולכין אחר רובן ומוציאין הדבר אחר הרבים:
4
When the Supreme Sanhedrin was in session, there was never any prolonged differences of opinion among the Jewish people. Instead, if a doubt arose in a Jew's mind over any law, he would inquire of the court in his city. If not, the questioner and that court - or its agents - ascend to Jerusalem and ask the court which holds sessions on the Temple Mount. If they know, they will reply to him, if they do not know, everyone comes to the court that holds sessions at the entrance to the Temple Courtyard. If they know, they will reply to him, if they do not know, everyone comes to the Chamber of Hewn Stone, to the Supreme Sanhedrin, and presents the question. If the matter that was unresolved by all the others was known to the Supreme Sanhedrin - either as part of the Oral Tradition or because of its derivation through the principles of exegesis - they relate the decision immediately. If, however, the decision was unclear to the Supreme Sanhedrin, they deliberate about the matter at that time and debate it back and forth until they reach a uniform decision, or until a vote is taken. In such a situation, they follow the majority and then tell all the questioners: "This is the halachah." The questioners then all depart.
After the Supreme Sanhedrin was nullified, differences of opinion multiplied among the Jewish people. One would rule an article is impure and support his ruling with a rationale and another would rule that it is pure and support his ruling with a rationale. This one would rule an article is forbidden and this would rule that it is permitted.
ד
כשהיה בית דין הגדול קיים לא היתה מחלוקת בישראל אלא כל דין שנולד בו ספק לאחד מישראל שואל לבית דין שבעירו אם ידעו אמרו לו אם לאו הרי השואל עם אותו בית דין או עם שלוחיו עולין לירושלים ושואלין לבית דין שבהר הבית אם ידעו אמרו לו אם לאו הכל באין לבית דין שעל פתח העזרה אם ידעו אמרו להן ואם לאו הכל באין ללשכת הגזית לבית דין הגדול ושואלין אם היה הדבר שנולד בו הספק לכל ידוע אצל בית דין הגדול בין מפי הקבלה בין מפי המדה שדנו בה אומרים מיד אם לא היה הדבר ברור אצל בית דין הגדול דנין בו בשעתן ונושאין ונותנין בדבר עד שיסכימו כולן או יעמדו למנין וילכו אחר הרוב ויאמרו לכל השואלים כך הלכה והולכין להן משבטל בית דין הגדול רבתה מחלוקת בישראל זה מטמא ונותן טעם לדבריו וזה מטהר ונותן טעם לדבריו זה אוסר וזה מתיר:
5
The following rules apply when there are two sages or two courts that have differing opinions in an age when there was no Supreme Sanhedrin or during the time when the SupremeSanhedrin was still undecided concerning the matter - whether in one age or in two different ages - one rules that an article is pure and one rules that it is impure, one forbids an article's use and one permits it. If one does not know in which direction the law tends, should the matter involve a question of Scriptural Law, follow the more severe opinion. If it involve a question of Rabbinic Law, follow the more lenient opinion.
ה
שני חכמים או שני בתי דינין שנחלקו שלא בזמן הסנהדרין או עד שלא היה הדבר ברור להן בין בזמן אחד בין בזה אחר זה אחד מטהר ואחד מטמא אחד אוסר ואחד מתיר אם אינך יודע להיכן הדין נוטה בשל תורה הלך אחר המחמיר בשל סופרים הלך אחר המיקל:
Mamrim - Chapter 2
1
When, using one of the principles of exegesis, the SupremeSanhedrin derived a law through their perception of the matter and adjudicated a case accordingly, and afterwards, another court arose and they perceived another rationale on which basis, they would revoke the previous ruling, they may revoke it and rule according to their perception. This is reflected by Deuteronomy 17:9: "To the judge who will be in that age." This indicates that a person is obligated to follow only the court in his own generation.
א
ב"ד גדול שדרשו באחת מן המדות כפי מה שנראה בעיניהם שהדין כך ודנו דין ועמד אחריהם ב"ד אחר ונראה לו טעם אחר לסתור אותו הרי זה סותר ודן כפי מה שנראה בעיניו שנאמר אל השופט אשר יהיה בימים ההם אינך חייב ללכת אלא אחר בית דין שבדורך:
2
The following rules apply when a court issued a decree, instituted an edict, or established a custom and this practice spread throughout the Jewish people and another court arose and sought to nullify the original order and eliminate the original edict, decree, or custom. The later court does not have this authority unless it surpasses the original court in wisdom and in its number of adherents. If it surpasses the original court in wisdom, but not in the number of adherents, or in the number of adherents, but not in wisdom, it cannot nullify its statements. Even if the rationale for which the original court instituted the decree or the edict is nullified, the later court does not have the authority to negate their statements unless they are greater.
How is it possible that the later court will surpass the original court in number? For every Supreme Sanhedrin consists of 71 judges. The intent is the number of sages in the generation who consent and accept the matter stated by the Supreme Sanhedrin without opposing it.
ב
בית דין שגזרו גזרה או תקנו תקנה והנהיגו מנהג ופשט הדבר בכל ישראל ועמד אחריהם בית דין אחר ובקש לבטל דברים הראשונים ולעקור אותה התקנה ואותה הגזרה ואותו המנהג אינו יכול עד שיהיה גדול מן הראשונים בחכמה ובמנין היה גדול בחכמה אבל לא במנין במנין אבל לא בחכמה אינו יכול לבטל את דבריו אפילו בטל הטעם שבגללו גזרו הראשונים או התקינו אין האחרונים יכולין לבטל עד שיהו גדולים מהם והיאך יהיו גדולים מהם במנין הואיל וכל בית דין ובית דין של שבעים ואחד הוא זה מנין חכמי הדור שהסכימו וקבלו הדבר שאמרו בית דין הגדול ולא חלקו בו:
3
When does the above apply? With regard to matters that were not forbidden to create a safeguard for the words of the Torah, but rather resemble other Torah laws. A different principle applies, by contrast, with regard to matters which the court sought necessary to issue a decree and create a prohibition as a safeguard. If the prohibition spread throughout the Jewish people, another Supreme Sanhedrin does not have the authority to uproot the decree and grant license even if it was of greater stature than the original court.
ג
בד"א בדברים שלא אסרו אותן כדי לעשות סייג לתורה אלא כשאר דיני תורה אבל דברים שראו בית דין לגזור ולאסרן לעשות סייג אם פשט איסורן בכל [ישראל] אין בית דין גדול אחר יכול לעקרן ולהתירן אפילו היה גדול מן הראשונים:
4
A court may, however, suspend the application of such decrees temporarily, even if it is of lesser stature than the original court. The rationale is that these decrees should not be considered as more severe than the words of the Torah itself, and any court has the authority to abrogate the words of the Torah as a temporary measure.
What is implied? If a court sees that it is necessary to strengthen the faith and create a safeguard so that the people will not violate Torah law, they may apply beatings and punishments that are not sanctioned by Torah. They may not, however, establish the matter for posterity and say that this is the halachah.
Similarly, if they saw that temporarily it was necessary to nullify a positive commandment or violate a negative commandment in order to bring people at large back to the Jewish faith or to prevent many Jews from transgressing in other matters, they may do what is necessary at that time. To explain by analogy: Just like a doctor may amputate a person's hand or foot so that the person as a whole will live; so, too, at times, the court may rule to temporarily violate some of the commandments so that they will later keep all of them. In this vein, the Sages of the previous generations said: "Desecrate one Sabbath for a person's sake so that he will keep many Sabbaths."
ד
ויש לבית דין לעקור אף דברים אלו לפי שעה אע"פשהוא קטן מן הראשונים שלא יהו גזרות אלו חמורין מדברי תורה עצמה שאפילו דברי תורה יש לכל בית דין לעקרו הוראת שעה כיצד בית דין שראו לחזק הדת ולעשות סייג כדי שלא יעברו העם על דברי תורה מכין ועונשין שלא כדין אבל אין קובעין הדבר לדורות ואומרים שהלכה כך הוא וכן אם ראו לפי שעה לבטל מצות עשה או לעבור על מצות לא תעשה כדי להחזיר רבים לדת או להציל רבים מישראל מלהכשל בדברים אחרים עושין לפי מה שצריכה השעה כשם שהרופא חותך ידו או רגלו של זה כדי שיחיה כולו כך בית דין מורים בזמן מן הזמנים לעבור על קצת מצות לפי שעה כדי שיתקיימו [כולם] כדרך שאמרו חכמים הראשונים חלל עליו שבת אחת כדי שישמור שבתות הרבה:
5
When a court sees it necessary to issue a decree, institute an edict, or establish a custom, they must first contemplate the matter and see whether or not the majority of the community can uphold the practice. We never issue a decree on the community unless the majority of the community can uphold the practice.
ה
בית דין שנראה להן לגזור גזירה או לתקן תקנה או להנהיג מנהג צריכין להתיישב בדבר ולידע תחלה אם רוב הצבור יכולין לעמוד בהן או אם אין יכולין לעמוד ולעולם אין גוזרין גזירה על הצבור אלא אם כן רוב הצבור יכולין לעמוד בה:
6
If a court issued a decree, thinking that the majority of the community could uphold it and after the decree was issued, the majority of the community raised contentions and the practice did not spread throughout the majority of the community, the decree is nullified. The court cannot compel the people to accept it.
ו
הרי שגזרו בית דין גזירה ודימו שרוב הקהל יכולין לעמוד בה ואחר שגזרוה פקפקו העם בה ולא פשטה ברוב הקהל הרי זו בטלה ואינן רשאין לכוף את העם ללכת בה:
7
Sages issued a decree and thought that it spread among the entire Jewish people and the situation remained unchanged for many years. After a long duration of time, another court arose and checked throughout the Jewish community and saw that the observance of this decree had not spread throughout the Jewish community, it has the authority to negate the decree even if it is of lesser stature than the original court in wisdom and in number of adherents.
ז
גזרו ודימו שפשטה בכל ישראל ועמד הדבר כן שנים רבות ולאחר זמן מרובה עמד בית דין אחר ובדק בכל ישראל וראה שאין אותה הגזרה פושטת בכל ישראל יש לו רשות לבטל ואפילו היה פחות מבית דין הראשון בחכמה ובמנין:
8
Whenever a court releases two decrees, it should not rush to release a third decree.
ח
וכל בית דין שהתיר שני דברים אל ימהר להתיר דבר שלישי:
9
A court has the authority to issue a decree and forbid something which is permitted and have its decree perpetuated for generations to come. Similarly, it has the authority - as a temporary measure - to release the Torah's prohibitions. What then is the meaning of the Scriptural prohibitions Deuteronomy 13:1: "Do not add to it and do not detract from it"?
The intent is that they do not have the authority to add to the words of the Torah or to detract from them, establishing a matter forever as part of Scriptural Law. This applies both to the Written Law and the Oral Law.
What is implied? The Torah states Exodus 23:19: "Do not cook a kid in its mother's milk." According to the Oral Tradition, we learned that the Torah forbade both the cooking and eating of milk and meat, whether the meat of a domesticated animal or the meat of a wild beast. The meat of fowl, by contrast, is permitted to be cooked in milk according to Scriptural Law. Now if a court will come and permit partaking of the meat of a wild animal cooked in milk, it is detracting from the Torah. And if it forbids the meat of fowl cooked in milk saying that this is included in "the kid" forbidden by the Scriptural Law, it is adding to the Torah.
If, however, the court says: "The meat of fowl cooked in milk is permitted according to Scriptural Law. We, however, are prohibiting it and publicizing the prohibition as a decree, lest the matter lead to a detriment and people say: 'Eating the meat of fowl cooked in meat is permitted, because it is not explicitly forbidden by the Torah. Similarly, the meat of a wild animal cooked in milk is permitted, because it is also not explicitly forbidden.' "And another may come and say: 'Even the meat of a domesticated animal cooked in milk is permitted with the exception of a goat.' And another will come and say: 'Even the meat of a goat is permitted when cooked in the milk of a cow or a sheep. For the verse mentions only "its mother," i.e., an animal from the same species.' And still another will come and say: 'Even the meat of a goat is permitted when cooked in goat's milk as long the milk is not from the kid's mother, for the verse says: "its mother."' For these reasons, we will forbid all meat cooked in milk, even meat from fowl."
Such an approach is not adding to the Torah. Instead, it is creating safeguards for the Torah. Similar concepts apply in all analogous situations.
ט
הואיל ויש לבית דין לגזור ולאסור דבר המותר ויעמוד איסורו לדורות וכן יש להן להתיר איסורי תורה לפי שעה מהו זה שהזהירה תורה לא תוסיף עליו ולא תגרע ממנו שלא להוסיף על דברי תורה ולא לגרוע מהן ולקבוע הדבר לעולם בדבר שהוא מן התורה בין בתורה שבכתב בין בתורה שבעל פה כיצד הרי כתוב בתורה לא תבשל גדי בחלב אמו מפי השמועה למדו שזה הכתוב אסר לבשל ולאכול בשר בחלב בין בשר בהמה בין בשר חיה אבל בשר העוף מותר בחלב מן התורה אם יבוא בית דין ויתיר בשר חיה בחלב הרי זה גורע ואם יאסור בשר העוף ויאמר שהוא בכלל הגדי והוא אסור מן התורה הרי זה מוסיף אבל אם אמר בשר העוף מותר מן התורה ואנו נאסור אותו ונודיע לעם שהוא גזרה שלא יבא מן הדבר חובה ויאמרו העוף מותר מפני שלא נתפרש כך החיה מותרת שהרי לא נתפרשה ויבא אחר לומר אף בשר בהמה מותרת חוץ מן העז ויבא אחר לומר אף בשר העז מותר בחלב פרה או הכבשה שלא נאמר אלא אמו שהיא מינו ויבא אחר לומר אף בחלב העז שאינה אמו מותר שלא נאמר אלא אמו לפיכך נאסור כל בשר בחלב אפילו בשר עוף אין זה מוסיף אלא עושה סייג לתורה וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
Mamrim - Chapter 3
1
A person who does not acknowledge validity of the Oral Law is not the rebellious elder mentioned in the Torah. Instead, he is one of the heretics and he should be put to death by any person.
א
מי שאינו מודה בתורה שבעל פה אינו זקן ממרא האמור בתורה אלא הרי זה בכלל האפיקורוסין [ומיתתו בכל אדם]:
2
Since it has become known that such a person denies the Oral Law, he may be pushed into a pit and may not be helped out. He is like all the rest of the heretics who say that the Torah is not Divine in origin, those who inform on their fellow Jews, and the apostates. All of these are not considered as members of the Jewish people. There is no need for witnesses, a warning, or judges for them to be executed. Instead, whoever kills them performs a great mitzvah and removes an obstacle from people at large.
ב
מאחר שנתפרסם שהוא כופר בתורה שבעל פה [מורידין אותו] ולא מעלין והרי הוא כשאר כל האפיקורוסין והאומרין אין תורה מן השמים והמוסרין והמומרין שכל אלו אינם בכלל ישראל ואין צריך לא לעדים ולא התראה ולא דיינים [אלא כל ההורג אחד מהן עשה מצוה גדולה והסיר המכשול]:
3
To whom does the above apply? To a person who denied the Oral Law consciously, according to his perception of things. He follows after his frivolous thoughts and his capricious heart and denies the Oral Law first, as did Tzadok and Beitus and those who erred in following them.
The children of these errant people and their grandchildren whose parents led them away and they were born among these Karaities and raised according to their conception, they are considered as a children captured and raised by them. Such a child may not be eager to follow the path of mitzvot, for it is as if he was compelled not to. Even if later, he hears that he is Jewish and saw Jews and their faith, he is still considered as one who was compelled against observance, for he was raised according to their mistaken path. This applies to those who we mentioned who follow the erroneous Karaite path of their ancestors. Therefore it is appropriate to motivate them to repent and draw them to the power of the Torah with words of peace.
ג
במה דברים אמורים באיש שכפר בתורה שבעל פה במחשבתו ובדברים שנראו לו והלך אחר דעתו הקלה ואחר שרירות לבו וכופר בתורה שבעל פה תחילה כצדוק ובייתוס וכן כל התועים אחריו אבל בני התועים האלה ובני בניהם שהדיחו אותם אבותם ונולדו בין הקראים וגדלו אותם על דעתם הרי הוא כתינוק שנשבה ביניהם וגדלוהו ואינו זריז לאחוז בדרכי המצות שהרי הוא כאנוס ואע"פ ששמע אח"כ [שהוא יהודי וראה היהודים ודתם הרי הוא כאנוס שהרי גדלוהו על טעותם] כך אלו שאמרנו האוחזים בדרכי אבותם הקראים שטעו לפיכך ראוי להחזירן בתשובה ולמשכם בדברי שלום עד שיחזרו לאיתן התורה:
4
The "rebellious elder" mentioned in the Torah, by contrast, is one of the sages of Israel who has received the tradition from previous sages and who analyzes and issues ruling with regard to the words of Torah as do all the sages of Israel. His rebellion involves an instance when he has a difference of opinion in one of the Torah's laws with the Supreme Sanhedrin and did not accept their views, but instead issued a ruling to act in a different manner. The Torah decreed that he should be executed. He should confess his sin before being executed so that he will be granted a portion in the world to come.
Even though he analyzes and they analyze; he received the tradition and they received the tradition, the Torah granted them deference. Even if the court desires to forgo their honor and allow him to live, they are not allowed so that differences of opinion will not arise within Israel.
ד
אבל זקן ממרא האמור בתורה הוא חכם אחד מחכמי ישראל שיש בידו קבלה ודן ומורה בדברי תורה כמו שידונו ויורו כל חכמי ישראל שבאת לו מחלוקת בדין מן הדינים עם בית דין הגדול ולא חזר לדבריהם אלא חלק עליהם והורה לעשות שלא כהוראתן גזרה עליו תורה מיתה ומתודה ויש לו חלק לעולם הבא אף על פי שהוא דן והן דנים הוא קבל והם קבלו הרי התורה חלקה להם כבוד ואם רצו בית דין למחול על כבודן ולהניחו אינן יכולין כדי שלא ירבו מחלוקת בישראל:
5
A "rebellious elder" is not liable for execution unless he is a sage, erudite enough to issue halachic judgments who has received semichah from the Sanhedrin and who differs with that court with regard to a matter whose willful violation is punishable bykerait and whose inadvertent violation requires a sin offering or with regard to tefillin. He must direct others to act according to his ruling or act according to his ruling himself, and differ with the Sanhedrinwhile they hold session in the Chamber of Hewn Stone.
When, by contrast, a student who has not attained a level of erudition that enables him to issue halachic rulings, but, nevertheless, issues a ruling, he is not liable. This is derived fromDeuteronomy 17:8 which states: "If a matter of judgment exceeds your grasp...." Implied is that the passage concerns only a scholar who is unable to grasp something which is exceedingly difficult to comprehend.
ה
אין זקן ממרא חייב מיתה עד שיהא חכם שהגיע להוראה סמוך בסנהדרין ויחלוק על בית דין בדבר שזדונו כרת ושגגתו חטאת או בתפילין ויורה לעשות כהוראתו או יעשה הוא על פי הוראתו ויחלוק עליהן והן יושבין בלשכת הגזית אבל אם היה תלמיד שלא הגיע להוראה והורה לעשות פטור שנאמר כי יפלא ממך דבר למשפט מי שלא יפלא ממנו אלא דבר מופלא:
6
If a sage was an exceedingly great scholar and a member of a court and differed with [the Supreme Sanhedrin] and he returned home and taught others according to his [original] conception, but did not direct them to act accordingly, he is not liable.1 [This is derived from ibid.:12 which] states: “And the person who acts obstinately”; [i.e., the punishment is warranted] not for speaking obstinately, but for issuing a directive for action or for acting oneself.
ו
היה חכם מופלא של בית דין וחלק ושנה ולמד לאחרים כדבריו אבל לא הורה לעשות פטור שנאמר והאיש אשר יעשה בזדון לא שיאמר בזדון אלא יורה לעשות או יעשה הוא בעצמו:
7
If he found the Supreme Sanhedrin outside their place and rebelled against their ruling, he is not liable. This is derived from ibid.:8 which states: "And you shall arise and ascend to that place," implied is that the place is the cause for capital punishment.
All of the individuals mentioned above who are not executed and anyone who acts in a similar manner, although they are not liable for execution, the Supreme Sanhedrin should place them under a ban of ostracism, separate them from the community, subject them to corporal punishment, and prevent them from teaching their interpretation of the matter.
ז
מצאן חוץ למקומן והמרה עליהן פטור שנאמר וקמת ועלית אל המקום מלמד שהמקום גורם לו מיתה וכל אלו וכיוצא בהן שהן פטורין מן המיתה יש לבית דין הגדול לנדותם ולהפרישן ולהכותן ולמנען מללמד כפי מה שיראה להן שהדבר צריך לכך:
8
How is the law applying to a rebellious elder adjudicated? When a matter is undecided because of its difficulty and a sage who is erudite enough to issue rulings whether with regard to a matter which he arrived at through his own reasoning or which he received from his teachers. He and the sages who differ with him ascend to Jerusalem and come to the court which holds sessions at the entrance to the Temple Mount.
The court tells them: "This is the law." If the elder listens and accepts the ruling, it is desirable. If not, they all go to the court which holds sessions at the entrance to the Temple Courtyard. They also say: "This is the law." If the elder listens and accepts the ruling, they go their ways. If not, they all go to the SupremeSanhedrin in the Chamber of Hewn Stone from which the Torah emanates to the entire Jewish people, as Deuteronomy 17:10states: "From that place which God has chosen." The SupremeSanhedrin tell them: "This is the law" and the all depart.
If the elder returns to his city and continues to interpret the law as he did previously and teaches this interpretation to others, he is not liable. If he gave a directive for action or acted according to his conception himself, he is liable for execution. There is no need for a warning. Even if he offers a rationale to explain his conduct, we do not heed him. Instead, once witnesses come and testify that he acted according to his own directive or that he directed others to perform a deed, we sentence him to death in his local court. We take hold of him and bring him from that place to Jerusalem. For we do not execute him in the presence of his local court, nor in the presence of the Supreme Sanhedrin who left Jerusalem, but instead, bring him to the Supreme Sanhedrin in Jerusalem. Until the next pilgrimage festival, he is kept under watch. During the pilgrimage festival, he is executed by strangulation, as implied byibid.:13: "And all Israel shall hear and become fearful." This indicates that his execution must be announced.
There are four transgressors whose execution must be announced publicly: a rebellious elder, lying witnesses, a person who entices others to worship idols, and a wayward and rebellious son. For with regard to all of them, the Torah states: "so that they will hear and become afraid."
ח
וכיצד דנין זקן ממרא בעת שיפלא דבר ויורה בו חכם המגיע להוראה בין בדבר שיראה בעיניו בין בדבר שקבל מרבותיו הרי הוא והחולקין עמו עולין לירושלים ובאין לבית דין שעל פתח הר הבית אומרים להן בית דין כך הוא הדין אם שמע וקבל מוטב ואם לאו באין כולן לבית דין שעל פתח העזרה ואומרים להם גם הם כך הוא הדין אם קבלו ילכו להן ואם לאו כולן באין לבית דין הגדול ללשכת הגזית שמשם תורה יוצאת לכל ישראל שנאמר מן המקום ההוא אשר יבחר ה' ובית דין אומר להם כך הוא הדין ויוצאין כולן חזר זה החכם לעירו ושנה ולמד כדרך שהוא למוד הרי זה פטור הורה לעשות או שעשה כהוראתו חייב מיתה ואינו צריך התראה אפילו נתן טעם לדבריו אין שומעין לו אלא כיון שבאו עדים שעשה כהוראתו או שהורה לאחרים לעשות גומרין דינו למיתה בבית דין שבעירו ותופסין אותו ומעלין אותו משם לירושלים ואין ממיתין אותו בבית דין שבעירו ולא בבית דין הגדול שיצא חוץ לירושלים אלא מעלין אותו לבית דין הגדול שבירושלים ועד הרגל משמרין אותו וחונקין אותו ברגל שנאמר וכל ישראל ישמעו וייראו מכלל שצריך הכרזה וארבעה צריכין הכרזה זקן ממרא ועדים זוממין והמסית ובן סורר ומורה שהרי בכולן נאמר ישמעו וייראו:
FOOTNOTES
1.
The classic example of this principle is Akkavya ben Mahallel who received four teachings from his teachers which - though they represented the majority views at that time - were not accepted by the majority of the Sages in the following generation. Akkavya refused to change his conception of these laws, and yet, in deference to the majority, did not issue rulings for action according to his conception. Moreover, before his passing, he advised his son to accept the ruling of the majority (Ediot 5:6-7; Sanhedrin 88a)
• Wednesday, 10 Tishrei, 5777 · 12 October 2016
• "Today's Day"
• Shabbat, Tishrei 10, Yom Hakippurim, 5704
Torah lessons: Chumash: B'racha, Shevi'i with Rashi.
Tehillim: 55-59. Before Kol Nidrei: 115-123. Before going to sleep: 124-132. After Musaf: 133-141. After Ne'ila: 142-150.
Tanya: And from this (p. 511) ...the world to come." (p. 513).
Yom Kippur eve begin Hashem malach tageil etc. The verse Or zarua is said once, aloud. (p. 296) Al daat hakahal...is said three times, softly. Ki hinei kachomer is not repeated. Bedtime sh'ma as every Shabbat and Festival. Avinu malkeinu z'chor rachamecha etc. is said in every tefilla. On Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy (p. 183) are recited when the Scrolls are removed from the Ark, even on Shabbat. The daily Tehillim is said after Musaf.
Haftora at Mincha: Va'yhi d'var until uv'heima raba, then Mi Keil kamocha etc. L'David ori said at Mincha too. Open the Ark for Ne'ila service at Ashrei, and it remains open until after the entire Ne'ila Service. Kaddish in Ne'ila - l'eila ul'eila. Ein k'Elokeinu, Aleinu, no blessing by the kohanim.
Hayom yifneh is said even after dark. She'assa li kol tzorki (p. 8) is not said until tomorrow.
On Yom Kippur it works out that we actually fast 26 hours.1
FOOTNOTES
1.Corresponding to the Divine Name Havayeh, numerically equivalent to 26. See Sefer Hasichot 5705 p. 21. See Likutei Sichot 16, p. 522.
• Daily Thought:• "Today's Day"
• Shabbat, Tishrei 10, Yom Hakippurim, 5704
Torah lessons: Chumash: B'racha, Shevi'i with Rashi.
Tehillim: 55-59. Before Kol Nidrei: 115-123. Before going to sleep: 124-132. After Musaf: 133-141. After Ne'ila: 142-150.
Tanya: And from this (p. 511) ...the world to come." (p. 513).
Yom Kippur eve begin Hashem malach tageil etc. The verse Or zarua is said once, aloud. (p. 296) Al daat hakahal...is said three times, softly. Ki hinei kachomer is not repeated. Bedtime sh'ma as every Shabbat and Festival. Avinu malkeinu z'chor rachamecha etc. is said in every tefilla. On Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy (p. 183) are recited when the Scrolls are removed from the Ark, even on Shabbat. The daily Tehillim is said after Musaf.
Haftora at Mincha: Va'yhi d'var until uv'heima raba, then Mi Keil kamocha etc. L'David ori said at Mincha too. Open the Ark for Ne'ila service at Ashrei, and it remains open until after the entire Ne'ila Service. Kaddish in Ne'ila - l'eila ul'eila. Ein k'Elokeinu, Aleinu, no blessing by the kohanim.
Hayom yifneh is said even after dark. She'assa li kol tzorki (p. 8) is not said until tomorrow.
On Yom Kippur it works out that we actually fast 26 hours.1
FOOTNOTES
1.Corresponding to the Divine Name Havayeh, numerically equivalent to 26. See Sefer Hasichot 5705 p. 21. See Likutei Sichot 16, p. 522.
Lifted By the Past
When do you know that you have truly returned and changed your past?
As long as that past keeps pulling you down, it remains what it always was.
When that past drives you higher and yet higher each day, then you know that past has been transformed.[Likkutei Sichot, volume 17, page 187.]
CHABAD - TODAY IN JUDAISM: Tuesday, 11 October 2016 - Today is: Tuesday, 9 Tishrei, 5777 · 11 October 2016 - Erev Yom Kippur.
Today's Law and Customs:
• Kaparot
In the early morning hours of the day preceding Yom Kippur, the Kaparot ("Atonement") ceremony is performed. We take a live chicken (a rooster for a male and a hen for a female) and, circling it three times above our heads, we declare: "This is my replacement, this is my exchange, this is my atonement; this fowl shall go to its death, and I shall go to a long, good and peaceful life." The fowl is then slaughtered in accordance with halachic procedure, at which time we contemplate that this is a fate we ourselves would deserve, G-d forbid, for our failings and iniquities. The value of the fowl is given to the poor, and its meat eaten in the Yom Kippur meal; some give the fowl itself to the poor. (A alternate custom is to perform the rite only with money, reciting the prescribed verses and giving the money to charity. Kaparot can also be performed in the preceding days, during the "Ten Days of Repentance").
Links: The Custom of Kaparot (from the Yom Kippur "How to" guide); a Chassidic story; What Give us the Right to Kill Animals?
• Omit Tachnun
Tachnun (confession of sins) and similar prayers are omitted.
• Festive Meals
The day before Yom Kippur is a Yom Tov, a festive day; for although we stand prepared to be judged in the supernal courtroom for our deeds of the passed year, we are confident that G-d is a merciful judge, and will decree a year of life, health and prosperity for us. Two festive meals are eaten -- one at midday and the other before the fast, which begins at sunset. The Talmud states that "Whoever eats and drinks on the 9th [of Tishrei], it is regarded as if he had fasted on both the 9th and the 10th."
In many communities it is customary to eat kreplach on the day before Yom Kippur. Kreplachare small squares of rolled pasta dough filled with ground meat and folded into triangles. They can be boiled and served in soup or fried and served as a side dish. The meat symbolizes severity, the dough is an allusion to kindness. In preparation for the Day of Judgment we "cover" the severity with kindness. (Click here for a recipe.)
Links: Eating Before Yom Kippur; Reverse Biology; Food: an Anthology
• Mikveh
Both men and women immerse in a mikveh (ritual pool) to attain an extra measure of sanctity before the holy day.
• Lekach (honey cake)
It is customary to ask for and receive lekach (sweet cake -- signifying a sweet year) from someone (usually one's mentor or parent) on this day. One of the reasons given for this custom is that if it had been decreed, G-d forbid, that during the year we should need to resort to a handout from others, the decree should be satisfied with this asking for food. The Lubavitcher Rebbe adds a deeper insight: "asking for lekach" on the eve of Yom Kippur instills in us the recognition that all the sustenance we receive throughout the year, including that which we supposedly "earn" by our own powers and endeavors, is in truth a gift from Above, granted in response to our daily requests from "He who nourishes the entire world with in His goodness, with grace, with benevolence and with compassion."
Link: Our Daily Bread
• Additional customs
Additional eve of Yom Kippur customs include receiving symbolic malkut ("lashings") as atonment for one's transgressions, reciting the "Al Chet" confession of sins after minchah and at sunset, and lighting a 26-hour candle that would burn for the duration of Yom Kippur.
• Yom Kippur fast begins before sunset
Yom Kippur ("Day of Atonement"), the holiest day of the year, begins this evening before sunset. Its most basic observance is the fast that begins this evening and ends tomorrow evening at nightfall (a total of approximately 26 hours), during which we abstain from food and drink in fulfillment of the biblical command (Leviticus 16:29; see also "Festive Meals" above).
For more on the Yom Kippur observances see Laws & Customs for tomorrow, Tishrei 10.
• Kol Nidrei
The first of the five Yom Kippur prayer services, which begins with the solemn Kol Nidrei prayer, is recited in the synogogue tonight at sunset, at the onset of the holy day.
For more on the Yom Kippur observances see Laws & Customs for tomorrow, Tishrei 10.
• Ten Days of Repentance
The 10-day period beginning on Rosh Hashanah and ending on Yom Kippur is known as the "Ten Days of Repentance"; this is the period, say the sages, of which the prophet speaks when he proclaims (Isaiah 55:6) "Seek G-d when He is to be found; call on Him when He is near." Psalm 130, Avinu Malkeinu and other special inserts and additions are included in our daily prayers during these days.
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 for today's three Psalms.
Chapter 112 Chapter 113 Chapter 114
Psalms 112:1 Halleluyah!
How happy is anyone who fears Adonai,
who greatly delights in his mitzvot.
2 His descendants will be powerful on earth,
a blessed generation of upright people.
3 Wealth and riches are in his house,
and his righteousness stands forever.
4 To the upright he shines like a light in the dark,
merciful, compassionate and righteous.
5 Things go well with the person who is merciful and lends,
who conducts his affairs with fairness;
6 for he will never be moved.
The righteous will be remembered forever.
7 He will not be frightened by bad news;
he remains steady, trusting in Adonai.
8 His heart is set firm, he will not be afraid,
till finally he looks in triumph at his enemies.
9 He distributes freely, he gives to the poor;
his righteousness stands forever.
His power will be increased honorably.
10 The wicked will be angry when they see this;
they will gnash their teeth and waste away,
the desires of the wicked will come to nothing.
113:1 Halleluyah!
Servants of Adonai, give praise!
Give praise to the name of Adonai!
2 Blessed be the name of Adonai
from this moment on and forever!
3 From sunrise until sunset
Adonai’s name is to be praised.
4 Adonai is high above all nations,
his glory above the heavens.
5 Who is like Adonai our God,
seated in the heights,
6 humbling himself to look
on heaven and on earth.
7 He raises the poor from the dust,
lifts the needy from the rubbish heap,
8 in order to give him a place among princes,
among the princes of his people.
9 He causes the childless woman
to live at home happily as a mother of children.
Halleluyah!
114:1 When Isra’el came out of Egypt,
the house of Ya‘akov from a people of foreign speech,
2 Y’hudah became [God’s] sanctuary,
Isra’el his domain.
3 The sea saw this and fled;
the Yarden turned back;
4 the mountains skipped like rams,
the hills like young sheep.
5 Why is it, sea, that you flee?
Why, Yarden, do you turn back?
6 Why, mountains, do you skip like rams;
and you hills like young sheep?
7 Tremble, earth, at the presence of the Lord,
at the presence of the God of Ya‘akov,
8 who turned the rock into a pool of water,
flint into flowing spring.
Before Kol Nidrei chapters 115-123 Before retiring for the night chapters 124-132Links: About the Ten Days of teshuvah; Voicemail; more on teshuvah
Daily Quote:
The Israelites were delivered from Egypt in the merit of the righteous women of that generation[Talmud, Sotah 11b]Daily Study:
Chitas and Rambam for today:
Chumash: Ha'Azinu, 3rd Portion Deuteronomy 32:13-32:18 with Rashi
• Deuteronomy Chapter 32
13He made them ride upon the high places of the earth, that they would eat the produce of the field. He let them suck honey from a rock, and oil from the mighty part of the crag. יגיַרְכִּבֵ֨הוּ֙ עַל־בָּ֣מֳתֵי (כתיב על־במותי) אָ֔רֶץ וַיֹּאכַ֖ל תְּנוּבֹ֣ת שָׂדָ֑י וַיֵּֽנִקֵ֤הוּ דְבַשׁ֙ מִסֶּ֔לַע וְשֶׁ֖מֶן מֵֽחַלְמִ֥ישׁ צֽוּר:
He made them ride upon the high places of the earth: This entire verse is to be understood as rendered by the Targum [i.e., referring to the Land of Israel]. ירכבהו על במותי ארץ: כל המקרא כתרגומו:
He made them ride [upon the high places]: [referring to] the Land of Israel, because it is higher than all other countries. — [Sifrei 32:13] ירכבהו וגו': על שם שארץ ישראל גבוה מכל הארצות:
that they would eat the produce of the field: These are the fruits of the Land of Israel which are quicker to bud (נוּב) and to ripen than any of the fruits of [other] countries. ויאכל תנובת שדי: אלה פירות ארץ ישראל שקלים לנוב ולהתבשל מכל פירות הארצות:
He let them suck honey from a rock: It once happened in [a place in Israel called] Sichni, that a man said to his son, “Bring me pressed figs from that barrel.” The son went [to the barrel, but instead of finding pressed figs,] he found honey flowing over its brim. The son retorted, “But this is [a barrel] of honey [not figs]!” His father responded, “Dig your hand deep into the barrel, and you will bring up pressed figs from it!” [Pressed figs are as hard as a rock. Thus, we have an illustration in the Land of Israel of “sucking honey from a rock.”]- [Sifrei 32:13] וינקהו דבש מסלע: מעשה באחד שאמר לבנו בסיכני הבא לי קציעות מן החביות. הלך ומצא הדבש צף על פיה. אמר לו זו של דבש הוא. אמר לו השקע ידך לתוכה ואתה מעלה קציעות מתוכה:
and oil from the mighty part of the crag: This refers to the olives of [the place in Galilee called] Giscala. — [Sifrei 32:13] ושמן מחלמיש צור: אלו זיתים של גוש חלב:
upon the high places of the earth: Heb. בָּמֳתֵי. [This is] an expression denoting height. במותי ארץ: לשון גבוה:
of the field: Heb. שָׂדָי, like שָׂדֶה, field. שדי: לשון שדה:
from the mighty part of the crag: meaning: The hard and strong part of a rock. [Rashi now proves that the word חַלְמִישׁ is in the construct state, thus rendered as “the mighty part of.”] When חַלְמִישׁ is not connected with the word that follows it [i.e., in the absolute state], it is vowelized: “חַלָמִישׁ.” However, when it is connected to the word that follows it [i.e., in the construct state, as here], it is vowelized: חַלְמִישׁ. חלמיש צור: תקפו וחזקו של סלע. כשאינו דבוק לתיבה שלאחריו נקוד חלמיש, (תהלים קיד, ח) וכשהוא דבוק נקוד חלמיש:
14The cream of cattle and the milk of sheep, with the fat of lambs and rams of Bashan and he goats, with kidneys of wheat, and it [the congregation of Israel] would drink the blood of grapes [which was] as the finest wine. ידחֶמְאַ֨ת בָּקָ֜ר וַֽחֲלֵ֣ב צֹ֗אן עִם־חֵ֨לֶב כָּרִ֜ים וְאֵילִ֤ים בְּנֵֽי־בָשָׁן֙ וְעַתּוּדִ֔ים עִם־חֵ֖לֶב כִּלְי֣וֹת חִטָּ֑ה וְדַם־עֵנָ֖ב תִּשְׁתֶּה־חָֽמֶר:
The cream of cattle and the milk of sheep: This took place in the days of Solomon, as Scripture states:“[And Solomon’s provision for one day consisted of…] ten fat cattle (בָּקָר), and twenty cattle (בָּקָר) from the pasture, and one hundred sheep (צֹאן) ” (I Kings 5:2-3). - [Sifrei 32:14] חמאת בקר וחלב צאן: זה היה בימי שלמה, שנאמר (מלכים א' ה, ג) עשרה בקר בריאים ועשרים בקר רעי ומאה צאן:
with the fat of lambs: This took place in the days of the Ten Tribes [i.e., the period of the Northern Kingdom in Israel], as Scripture states:“And who eat lambs (כָּרִים) from the flock” (Amos 6:4). - [Sifrei 32:14] עם חלב כרים: זה היה בימי עשרת השבטים, שנאמר (עמוס ו, ד) ואוכלים כרים מצאן:
fat kidneys of wheat: This took place in the days of Solomon, as Scripture states: “And Solomon’s provision for one day consisted of [thirty kor of fine flour…]” (I Kings 5: 2). - [Sifrei 32:14] חלב כליות חטה: זה היה בימי שלמה, שנאמר (מלכים א' ה, ב) ויהי לחם שלמה וגו':
and it […] would drink the blood of grapes […] as the finest wine:[This took place] in the days of the Ten Tribes [i.e., the period of the Northern Kingdom in Israel, as Scripture states]:“Who drink [wine] in wine-casks” (Amos 6:6). - [Sifrei 32:14] ודם ענב תשתה חמר: בימי עשרת השבטים, (עמוס ו, ו) השותים במזרקי יין:
The cream of cattle: Heb. חֶמְאַת בָּקָר. This is the cream, which is scooped from the top of the milk. חמאת בקר: הוא שומן הנקלט מעל גבי החלב:
and the milk of sheep: Heb. וַחִלֵב צֹאן, the milk of sheep . [The word for milk here is in the construct state. Accordingly,] when it is connected [to the word that follows it, as in our verse:“the milk of sheep,”] it is vowelized: חִלֵב, as in“in the milk of (בַּחֲלֵב) its mother” (Deut. 14:21). וחלב צאן: חלב של צאן, וכשהוא דבוק נקוד חלב כמו (שמות כג, יט) בחלב אמו:
lambs: Heb. כָּרִים, lambs. כרים: כבשים:
and rams: Heb. וְאֵילִים, [to be understood] according to its apparent meaning. [In certain contexts, the word אֵילִים refers to lambs, but since here the previous word (כָּרִים) means lambs, the word אֵילִים has its usual meaning, i.e., rams]. ואילים: כמשמעו:
rams of Bashan: [The rams bred in Bashan] were fat. בני בשן: שמנים היו:
kidneys of wheat: Wheat as fat as the fat of kidneys (כְּלָיוֹת), and whose kernels are as large as kidneys. — [Sifrei 32:14] כליות חטה: חטים שמנים כחלב כליות וגסין ככוליא:
the blood of grapes: They would drink good wine, the flavor would be that of a wine of high esteem. ודם ענב: היה שותה יין טוב וטעם יין חשוב:
[which was] as the finest wine: Heb. חָמֶר, wine in Aramaic. This is not a noun, but rather [an adjective], meaning:“superlative in taste,” vinos in Old French, good, strong, foaming. [In addition to the explanation of these verses (13-14) above,] one may alternatively understand these two verses according to the Targum of Onkelos : אַשְׁרִנוּן עַל תּוּקְפֵי אַרְעָא וְגוֹ,“He made them dwell upon the strong places of the earth….” [See Onkelos for the full rendition.] חמר: יין בלשון ארמי. חמר אין זה שם דבר, אלא לשון משובח בטעם אינו"ש בלע"ז [יין טוב]. ועוד יש לפרש שני מקראות הללו אחר תרגום של אונקלוס אשרינון על תוקפי ארעא וגו':
15And Jeshurun became fat and rebelled; you grew fat, thick and rotund; [Israel] forsook the God Who made them, and spurned the [Mighty] Rock of their salvation. טווַיִּשְׁמַ֤ן יְשֻׁרוּן֙ וַיִּבְעָ֔ט שָׁמַ֖נְתָּ עָבִ֣יתָ כָּשִׂ֑יתָ וַיִּטּשׁ֙ אֱל֣וֹהַּ עָשָׂ֔הוּ וַיְנַבֵּ֖ל צ֥וּר יְשֻֽׁעָתֽוֹ:
you grew…thick: Heb. עָבִיתָ, an expression stemming from the word עוֹבִי,“thickness.” עבית: לשון עובי:
you grew…rotund: Heb. כָּשִׂיתָ, similar to the word כָּסִיתָ [“cover,” since ס and שׂ are interchangeable]. This has the same meaning as in the verse,“For he has covered (כִסָּה) his face with his fat” (Job 15:27), like a person who is full of fat inside and whose flanks therefore have folds [of fat] outside. This is like [the continuation of that verse],“and he made folds of fat upon his flanks.” (Job 15:27). - [Sifrei 32:15] כשית: כמו כסית, לשון (איוב טו, כז) כי כסה פניו בחלבו, כאדם ששמן מבפנים וכסליו נכפלים מבחוץ, וכן הוא אומר (שם) ויעש פימה עלי כסל:
you grew… rotund: [The root form כסה or כשׂה] can take on a simple conjugation meaning “to cover.” As [the verse],“But a prudent man covers (וְכֹסֶה) shame” (Prov. 12:16). However, if כָּשִׂיתָ had been written with a dagesh [in the “sin”], this would [represent the piel conjugation, i.e., making the verb transitive in form and thus] have the meaning: “You have covered someone [or something] else.” As in [the previously quoted verse], “For he has covered his face” (Job 15: 27) [where the word“covered” is written as כִסָּה, with a dagesh in the “samech.” Thus here, since there is no dagesh in the “sin,” the verb is intransitive, and literally means: “You are covered with fat folds.”] כשית: יש לשון קל בלשון כסוי, כמו (משלי יב, טז) וכוסה קלון ערום ואם כתב כשית דגוש היה נשמע כסית את אחרים, כמו (איוב טו, כז) כי כסה פניו:
and spurned the [Mighty] rock of their salvation: They disgraced and despised Him, as Scripture states,“[about twenty-five men] with their backs towards the Heichal of the Lord…” (Ezek.8:16). [The prophet Ezekiel was shown these treacherous men, who had their backs to the Temple in the west, and were bowing down to the sun in the east. He was shown other abominable acts as well. However,] there can be no more despicable act than this. — [Sifrei 32:16] וינבל צור ישעתו: גנהו וביזהו, כמו שנאמר (יחזקאל ח, טז) אחוריהם אל היכל ה' וגו', אין לך נבול גדול מזה:
16They provoked His zeal with alien worship; they made Him angry with abominations deeds. טזיַקְנִאֻ֖הוּ בְּזָרִ֑ים בְּתֽוֹעֵבֹ֖ת יַכְעִיסֻֽהוּ:
They provoked his zeal: Heb. יַקְנִאֻהוּ, they provoked His anger and His zeal (קִנְאָה). יקנאהו: הבעירו חמתו וקנאתו:
with abominations: With abominable deeds, such as homosexuality and sorcery, which are described [by Scripture] as תּוֹעֵבָה,“abominations.” - [Sifrei 32:16] בתועבות: במעשים תעובים, כגון (ויקרא יח, כב) משכב זכור וכשפים (ויקרא יח, כב), שנאמר בהם תועבה:
17They sacrificed to demons, which have no power, deities they did not know, new things that only recently came, which your forefathers did not fear. יזיִזְבְּח֗וּ לַשֵּׁדִים֙ לֹ֣א אֱלֹ֔הַּ אֱלֹהִ֖ים לֹ֣א יְדָע֑וּם חֲדָשִׁים֙ מִקָּרֹ֣ב בָּ֔אוּ לֹ֥א שְׂעָר֖וּם אֲבֹֽתֵיכֶֽם:
which have no power: Heb. לֹא אלֹהַּ. As the Targum renders it: “which have no power.” For if they had power, God’s jealousy would not have been doubled as it is now. — [see Sifrei 32:17] לא אלה: כתרגומו דלית בהון צרוך, אלו היה בהם צורך לא היתה קנאה כפולה כמו עכשיו:
new things that only recently came: [These deities were so recent, that] even the heathen nations were not familiar with them. Indeed, if a heathen saw them, he would say,“This is a Jewish idol!” - [Sifrei 32:17] חדשים מקרוב באו: אפילו האומות לא היו רגילים בהם. גוי שהיה רואה אותם, היה אומר זה צלם יהודי:
which your forefathers did not fear: Heb. לֹא שְׂעָרוּם. This means: Which your forefathers did not fear. [More literally, it means:]“Their hair (שֵׂעָר) did not stand up on end because of these deities.” It is the nature of a person’s hair to stand up out of of fear. Thus [the word שְׂעָרוּם] is explained in Sifrei (32:17). The word שְׂעָרוּם may also be explained as stemming from [the word שְׂעִירִים in the verse]:“And שְׂעִירִים will dance there” (Isa. 13:21), where שְׂעִירִים are demons. [Thus, our verse means:]“Your forefathers did not make such demons.” לא שערום אבתיכם: לא יראו מהם לא עמדה שערתם מפניהם. דרך שערות האדם לעמוד מחמת יראה, כך נדרש בספרי. ויש לפרש עוד שערום לשון (ישעיה יג, כא) ושעירים ירקדו שם, שעירים הם שדים. לא עשו אבותיכם שעירים הללו:
18You forgot the [Mighty] Rock Who bore you; you forgot the God Who delivered you. יחצ֥וּר יְלָֽדְךָ֖ תֶּ֑שִׁי וַתִּשְׁכַּ֖ח אֵ֥ל מְחֹֽלְלֶֽךָ:
You forgot: Heb. תֶּשִׁי, you have forgotten. However, our Rabbis explained this word homiletically to mean: When God comes to bestow good upon you, you provoke Him to anger, and weaken (מַתִּישִׁין) His power, as it were, to do you good."- [Sifrei 32:18] תשי: תשכח. ורבותינו דרשו, כשבא להיטיב לכם אתם מכעיסין לפניו ומתישים כחו מלהיטיב לכם:
the God Who delivered you: Heb. מְחֹלְלֶךָ, God who brought you out of the womb. It has the same meaning as the verse, “[The voice of the Lord] makes hinds bring forth young (יְחוֹלֵל)” (Ps.29:9), and “pangs (חִיל) like those of a woman in confinement” (Ps. 48:7). אל מחוללך: מוציאך מרחם, לשון (תהלים כט, ט) יחולל אילות, (שם מח, ז) חיל כיולדה:
Daily Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 49 - 54• 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 49
This psalm is a strong message and inspiration for all, rich and poor alike, rebuking man for transgressions which, owing to habit, he no longer considers sinful; yet, these sins incriminate man on the Day of Judgement. The psalm speaks specifically to the wealthy, who rely not on God but on their wealth.
1. For the Conductor, by the sons of Korach, a psalm.
2. Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all you inhabitants of the world;
3. sons of common folk and sons of nobility, rich and poor alike.
4. My mouth speaks wisdom, and the thoughts of my heart are understanding.
5. I incline my ear to the parable; I will unravel my riddle upon the harp.
6. Why am I afraid in times of trouble? [Because] the sins I trod upon surround me.
7. There are those who rely on their wealth, who boast of their great riches.
8. Yet a man cannot redeem his brother, nor pay his ransom to God.
9. The redemption of their soul is too costly, and forever unattainable.
10. Can one live forever, never to see the grave?
11. Though he sees that wise men die, that the fool and the senseless both perish, leaving their wealth to others-
12. [nevertheless,] in their inner thoughts their houses will last forever, their dwellings for generation after generation; they have proclaimed their names throughout the lands.
13. But man will not repose in glory; he is likened to the silenced animals.
14. This is their way-their folly remains with them, and their descendants approve of their talk, Selah.
15. Like sheep, they are destined for the grave; death shall be their shepherd, and the upright will dominate them at morning; their form will rot in the grave, away from its abode.
16. But God will redeem my soul from the hands of the grave, for He will take me, Selah.
17. Do not fear when a man grows rich, when the glory of his house is increased;
18. for when he dies he will take nothing, his glory will not descend after him.
19. For he [alone] praises himself in his lifetime; but [all] will praise you if you better yourself.
20. He will come to the generation of his forefathers; they shall not see light for all eternity.
21. Man [can live] in glory but does not understand; he is likened to the silenced animals.
Chapter 50
This psalm speaks of many ethics and morals. The psalmist rebukes those who fail to repent humbly and modestly. He also admonishes those who do not practice that which they study, and merely appear to be righteous; they sin and cause others to sin.
1. A psalm by Asaph. Almighty God, the Lord, spoke and called to the earth, from the rising of the sun to its setting.
2. Out of Zion, the place of perfect beauty, God appeared.
3. Our God will come and not be silent; a fire will consume before Him, His surroundings are furiously turbulent.
4. He will call to the heavens above, and to the earth, to avenge His people:
5. "Gather to Me My pious ones, those who made a covenant with me over a sacrifice.”
6. Then the heavens declared His righteousness, for God is Judge forever.
7. Listen, my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against you-I am God your God.
8. Not for [the lack of] your sacrifices will I rebuke you, nor for [the lack of] your burnt offerings which ought to be continually before Me.
9. I do not take oxen from your house, nor goats from your pens;
10. for every beast of the forest is Mine, the cattle of a thousand mountains.
11. I know every bird of the mountains, and the crawling creatures of the field are in My possession.
12. Were I hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and everything in it is mine.
13. Do I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?
14. Offer confession as a sacrifice to God, and fulfill your vows to the Most High,
15. and call to Me on the day of distress; I will free you, and you will honor Me.
16. But to the wicked, God said, "What does it help you to discuss My laws, and bear My covenant upon your lips?
17. For you hate discipline, and throw My words behind you.
18. When you see a thief you run with him, and your lot is with adulterers.
19. You sent forth your mouth for evil, and attach your tongue to deceit.
20. You sit down to talk against your brother; your mother's son you defame.
21. You have done these things and I kept silent, so you imagine that I am like you-[but] I will rebuke you and lay it clearly before your eyes.
22. Understand this now, you who forget God, lest I tear you apart and there be none to save you.
23. He who offers a sacrifice of confession honors Me; and to him who sets right his way, I will show the deliverance of God."
Chapter 51
This psalm speaks of when Nathan the prophet went to David's palace, and rebuked him for his sin with Bathsheba. David then secluded himself with God, offering awe-inspiring prayers and begging forgiveness. Every person should recite this psalm for his sins and transgressions.
1. For the Conductor, a psalm by David,
2. when Nathan the prophet came to him after he had gone to Bathsheba.
3. Be gracious to me, O God, in keeping with Your kindness; in accordance with Your abounding compassion, erase my transgressions.
4. Cleanse me thoroughly of my wrongdoing, and purify me of my sin.
5. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
6. Against You alone have I sinned, and done that which is evil in Your eyes; [forgive me] so that You will be justified in Your verdict, vindicated in Your judgment.
7. Indeed, I was begotten in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
8. Indeed, You desire truth in the innermost parts; teach me the wisdom of concealed things.
9. Purge me with hyssop and I shall be pure; cleanse me and I shall be whiter than snow.
10. Let me hear [tidings of] joy and gladness; then the bones which You have shattered will rejoice.
11. Hide Your face from my sins, and erase all my trespasses.
12. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew within me an upright spirit.
13. Do not cast me out of Your presence, and do not take Your Spirit of Holiness away from me.
14. Restore to me the joy of Your deliverance, and uphold me with a spirit of magnanimity.
15. I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will return to You.
16. Save me from bloodguilt, O God, God of my deliverance; my tongue will sing Your righteousness.
17. My Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare Your praise.
18. For You do not desire that I bring sacrifices, nor do You wish burnt offerings.
19. The offering [desirable] to God is a contrite spirit; a contrite and broken heart, God, You do not disdain.
20. In Your goodwill, bestow goodness upon Zion; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
21. Then will You desire sacrifices [offered in] righteousness, olah and other burnt offerings; then they will offer bullocks upon Your altar.
Chapter 52
David laments his suffering at the hands of Doeg, and speaks of Doeg's boasts about the evil he committed. David asks, "What does he think? Does he consider the doing of evil a mark of strength?" David also curses Doeg and those like him.
1. For the Conductor, a maskil by David,
2. when Doeg the Edomite came and informed Saul, saying to him, "David has come to the house of Achimelech.”
3. Why do you boast with evil, O mighty one? God's kindness is all day long.
4. Your tongue devises treachery; like a sharpened razor it works deceit.
5. You love evil more than good, falsehood more than speaking righteousness, Selah.
6. You love all devouring words, a deceitful tongue.
7. God will likewise shatter you forever; He will excise and pluck you from the tent, and uproot you from the land of the living forever.
8. The righteous will see it and be awed, and they will laugh at him:
9. "Here is the man who did not make God his stronghold, but trusted in his great wealth, and drew strength from his treachery.”
10. But I am like a fresh olive tree in the house of God; I trust in God's kindness forever and ever.
11. I will thank you forever for what You have done; I will hope in Your Name, for You are good to Your pious ones.
Chapter 53
This psalm speaks of when Titus pierced the curtain of the Holy of Holies with his sword, and thought he had killed "himself" (a euphemism for God).
1. For the Conductor, on the machalat,1 a mas-kil2 by David.
2. The fool says in his heart, "There is no God!" They have acted corruptly and committed abominable deeds; not one does good.
3. God looked down from heaven upon mankind, to see if there was any man of intelligence who searches for God.
4. But they all regressed together; they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.
5. Indeed, the evildoers who devour My people as they devour bread, who do not call upon God, will come to realize.
6. There they will be seized with fright, a fright such as never was; for God scatters the bones of those encamped against you. You shamed them, for God rejected them.
7. O that out of Zion would come Israel's deliverance! When God returns the captivity of His people, Jacob will exult, Israel will rejoice.
FOOTNOTES
1.A musical instrument (Rashi).
2.A psalm intended to enlighten and impart knowledge(Metzudot).
Chapter 54
A prayer to God asking that in His might He save all who hope for His kindness. Read, and you will discover an awe-inspiring and wondrous prayer that should be said by all in the appropriate time.
1. For the Conductor, with instrumental music, a maskil by David,
2. when the Ziphites came and said to Saul, "Behold, David is hiding among us!”
3. O God, deliver me by Your Name, and vindicate me by Your might.
4. God, hear my prayer, listen to the words of my mouth.
5. For strangers have risen against me, and ruthless men have sought my soul; they are not mindful of God, Selah.
6. Behold, God is my helper; my Lord is with those who support my soul.
7. He will repay the evil of my watchful enemies; destroy them by Your truth.
8. With a free-will offering I will sacrifice to You; I will offer thanks to Your Name, O Lord, for it is good.
9. For He has saved me from every trouble, and my eye has seen [the downfall of] my enemy.
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 112, 113 and 114.
Chapter 112
This psalm, too, follows alphabetical sequence, each verse containing two letters, save the last two which contain three letters each. It speaks of the good traits man should choose, and of how to give charity-the reward for which is never having to rely on others.
1. Praise the Lord! Fortunate is the man who fears the Lord, and desires His commandments intensely.
2. His descendants will be mighty on the earth; he will be blessed with an upright generation.
3. Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.
4. Even in darkness light shines for the upright, for [He is] Compassionate, Merciful, and Just.
5. Good is the man who is compassionate and lends, [but] provides for his own needs with discretion.
6. For he will never falter; the righteous man will be an eternal remembrance.
7. He will not be afraid of a bad tiding; his heart is steadfast, secure in the Lord.
8. His heart is steadfast, he does not fear, until he sees his oppressors [destroyed].
9. He has distributed [his wealth], giving to the needy. His righteousness will endure forever; his might will be uplifted in honor.
10. The wicked man will see and be angry; he will gnash his teeth and melt away; the wish of the wicked will be ruined.
Chapter 113
This psalm recounts some of the wonders of the exodus from Egypt.
1. Praise the Lord! Offer praise, you servants of the Lord; praise the Name of the Lord.
2. May the Name of the Lord be blessed from now and to all eternity.
3. From the rising of the sun to its setting, the Name of the Lord is praised.
4. The Lord is high above all nations; His glory transcends the heavens.
5. Who is like the Lord our God, Who dwells on high
6. [yet] looks down so low upon heaven and earth!
7. He raises the poor from the dust, lifts the destitute from the dunghill,
8. to seat them with nobles, with the nobles of His people.
9. He transforms the barren woman into a household, into a joyful mother of children. Praise the Lord!
Chapter 114
This psalm explains why the tribe of Judah merited kingship.
1. When Israel went out of Egypt, the House of Jacob from a people of a foreign tongue,
2. Judah became His holy [nation], Israel, His domain.
3. The sea saw and fled, the Jordan turned backward.
4. The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like young sheep.
5. What is the matter with you, O sea, that you flee; Jordan, that you turn backward;
6. mountains, that you skip like rams; hills, like young sheep?
7. [We do so] before the Master, the Creator of the earth, before the God of Jacob,
8. Who turns the rock into a pool of water, the flintstone into a water fountain.
Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 20
• Lessons in Tanya
• Today's Tanya Lesson
• Tuesday, 9 Tishrei, 5777 · 11 October 2016
• Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 20
• Deuteronomy Chapter 32
13He made them ride upon the high places of the earth, that they would eat the produce of the field. He let them suck honey from a rock, and oil from the mighty part of the crag. יגיַרְכִּבֵ֨הוּ֙ עַל־בָּ֣מֳתֵי (כתיב על־במותי) אָ֔רֶץ וַיֹּאכַ֖ל תְּנוּבֹ֣ת שָׂדָ֑י וַיֵּֽנִקֵ֤הוּ דְבַשׁ֙ מִסֶּ֔לַע וְשֶׁ֖מֶן מֵֽחַלְמִ֥ישׁ צֽוּר:
He made them ride upon the high places of the earth: This entire verse is to be understood as rendered by the Targum [i.e., referring to the Land of Israel]. ירכבהו על במותי ארץ: כל המקרא כתרגומו:
He made them ride [upon the high places]: [referring to] the Land of Israel, because it is higher than all other countries. — [Sifrei 32:13] ירכבהו וגו': על שם שארץ ישראל גבוה מכל הארצות:
that they would eat the produce of the field: These are the fruits of the Land of Israel which are quicker to bud (נוּב) and to ripen than any of the fruits of [other] countries. ויאכל תנובת שדי: אלה פירות ארץ ישראל שקלים לנוב ולהתבשל מכל פירות הארצות:
He let them suck honey from a rock: It once happened in [a place in Israel called] Sichni, that a man said to his son, “Bring me pressed figs from that barrel.” The son went [to the barrel, but instead of finding pressed figs,] he found honey flowing over its brim. The son retorted, “But this is [a barrel] of honey [not figs]!” His father responded, “Dig your hand deep into the barrel, and you will bring up pressed figs from it!” [Pressed figs are as hard as a rock. Thus, we have an illustration in the Land of Israel of “sucking honey from a rock.”]- [Sifrei 32:13] וינקהו דבש מסלע: מעשה באחד שאמר לבנו בסיכני הבא לי קציעות מן החביות. הלך ומצא הדבש צף על פיה. אמר לו זו של דבש הוא. אמר לו השקע ידך לתוכה ואתה מעלה קציעות מתוכה:
and oil from the mighty part of the crag: This refers to the olives of [the place in Galilee called] Giscala. — [Sifrei 32:13] ושמן מחלמיש צור: אלו זיתים של גוש חלב:
upon the high places of the earth: Heb. בָּמֳתֵי. [This is] an expression denoting height. במותי ארץ: לשון גבוה:
of the field: Heb. שָׂדָי, like שָׂדֶה, field. שדי: לשון שדה:
from the mighty part of the crag: meaning: The hard and strong part of a rock. [Rashi now proves that the word חַלְמִישׁ is in the construct state, thus rendered as “the mighty part of.”] When חַלְמִישׁ is not connected with the word that follows it [i.e., in the absolute state], it is vowelized: “חַלָמִישׁ.” However, when it is connected to the word that follows it [i.e., in the construct state, as here], it is vowelized: חַלְמִישׁ. חלמיש צור: תקפו וחזקו של סלע. כשאינו דבוק לתיבה שלאחריו נקוד חלמיש, (תהלים קיד, ח) וכשהוא דבוק נקוד חלמיש:
14The cream of cattle and the milk of sheep, with the fat of lambs and rams of Bashan and he goats, with kidneys of wheat, and it [the congregation of Israel] would drink the blood of grapes [which was] as the finest wine. ידחֶמְאַ֨ת בָּקָ֜ר וַֽחֲלֵ֣ב צֹ֗אן עִם־חֵ֨לֶב כָּרִ֜ים וְאֵילִ֤ים בְּנֵֽי־בָשָׁן֙ וְעַתּוּדִ֔ים עִם־חֵ֖לֶב כִּלְי֣וֹת חִטָּ֑ה וְדַם־עֵנָ֖ב תִּשְׁתֶּה־חָֽמֶר:
The cream of cattle and the milk of sheep: This took place in the days of Solomon, as Scripture states:“[And Solomon’s provision for one day consisted of…] ten fat cattle (בָּקָר), and twenty cattle (בָּקָר) from the pasture, and one hundred sheep (צֹאן) ” (I Kings 5:2-3). - [Sifrei 32:14] חמאת בקר וחלב צאן: זה היה בימי שלמה, שנאמר (מלכים א' ה, ג) עשרה בקר בריאים ועשרים בקר רעי ומאה צאן:
with the fat of lambs: This took place in the days of the Ten Tribes [i.e., the period of the Northern Kingdom in Israel], as Scripture states:“And who eat lambs (כָּרִים) from the flock” (Amos 6:4). - [Sifrei 32:14] עם חלב כרים: זה היה בימי עשרת השבטים, שנאמר (עמוס ו, ד) ואוכלים כרים מצאן:
fat kidneys of wheat: This took place in the days of Solomon, as Scripture states: “And Solomon’s provision for one day consisted of [thirty kor of fine flour…]” (I Kings 5: 2). - [Sifrei 32:14] חלב כליות חטה: זה היה בימי שלמה, שנאמר (מלכים א' ה, ב) ויהי לחם שלמה וגו':
and it […] would drink the blood of grapes […] as the finest wine:[This took place] in the days of the Ten Tribes [i.e., the period of the Northern Kingdom in Israel, as Scripture states]:“Who drink [wine] in wine-casks” (Amos 6:6). - [Sifrei 32:14] ודם ענב תשתה חמר: בימי עשרת השבטים, (עמוס ו, ו) השותים במזרקי יין:
The cream of cattle: Heb. חֶמְאַת בָּקָר. This is the cream, which is scooped from the top of the milk. חמאת בקר: הוא שומן הנקלט מעל גבי החלב:
and the milk of sheep: Heb. וַחִלֵב צֹאן, the milk of sheep . [The word for milk here is in the construct state. Accordingly,] when it is connected [to the word that follows it, as in our verse:“the milk of sheep,”] it is vowelized: חִלֵב, as in“in the milk of (בַּחֲלֵב) its mother” (Deut. 14:21). וחלב צאן: חלב של צאן, וכשהוא דבוק נקוד חלב כמו (שמות כג, יט) בחלב אמו:
lambs: Heb. כָּרִים, lambs. כרים: כבשים:
and rams: Heb. וְאֵילִים, [to be understood] according to its apparent meaning. [In certain contexts, the word אֵילִים refers to lambs, but since here the previous word (כָּרִים) means lambs, the word אֵילִים has its usual meaning, i.e., rams]. ואילים: כמשמעו:
rams of Bashan: [The rams bred in Bashan] were fat. בני בשן: שמנים היו:
kidneys of wheat: Wheat as fat as the fat of kidneys (כְּלָיוֹת), and whose kernels are as large as kidneys. — [Sifrei 32:14] כליות חטה: חטים שמנים כחלב כליות וגסין ככוליא:
the blood of grapes: They would drink good wine, the flavor would be that of a wine of high esteem. ודם ענב: היה שותה יין טוב וטעם יין חשוב:
[which was] as the finest wine: Heb. חָמֶר, wine in Aramaic. This is not a noun, but rather [an adjective], meaning:“superlative in taste,” vinos in Old French, good, strong, foaming. [In addition to the explanation of these verses (13-14) above,] one may alternatively understand these two verses according to the Targum of Onkelos : אַשְׁרִנוּן עַל תּוּקְפֵי אַרְעָא וְגוֹ,“He made them dwell upon the strong places of the earth….” [See Onkelos for the full rendition.] חמר: יין בלשון ארמי. חמר אין זה שם דבר, אלא לשון משובח בטעם אינו"ש בלע"ז [יין טוב]. ועוד יש לפרש שני מקראות הללו אחר תרגום של אונקלוס אשרינון על תוקפי ארעא וגו':
15And Jeshurun became fat and rebelled; you grew fat, thick and rotund; [Israel] forsook the God Who made them, and spurned the [Mighty] Rock of their salvation. טווַיִּשְׁמַ֤ן יְשֻׁרוּן֙ וַיִּבְעָ֔ט שָׁמַ֖נְתָּ עָבִ֣יתָ כָּשִׂ֑יתָ וַיִּטּשׁ֙ אֱל֣וֹהַּ עָשָׂ֔הוּ וַיְנַבֵּ֖ל צ֥וּר יְשֻֽׁעָתֽוֹ:
you grew…thick: Heb. עָבִיתָ, an expression stemming from the word עוֹבִי,“thickness.” עבית: לשון עובי:
you grew…rotund: Heb. כָּשִׂיתָ, similar to the word כָּסִיתָ [“cover,” since ס and שׂ are interchangeable]. This has the same meaning as in the verse,“For he has covered (כִסָּה) his face with his fat” (Job 15:27), like a person who is full of fat inside and whose flanks therefore have folds [of fat] outside. This is like [the continuation of that verse],“and he made folds of fat upon his flanks.” (Job 15:27). - [Sifrei 32:15] כשית: כמו כסית, לשון (איוב טו, כז) כי כסה פניו בחלבו, כאדם ששמן מבפנים וכסליו נכפלים מבחוץ, וכן הוא אומר (שם) ויעש פימה עלי כסל:
you grew… rotund: [The root form כסה or כשׂה] can take on a simple conjugation meaning “to cover.” As [the verse],“But a prudent man covers (וְכֹסֶה) shame” (Prov. 12:16). However, if כָּשִׂיתָ had been written with a dagesh [in the “sin”], this would [represent the piel conjugation, i.e., making the verb transitive in form and thus] have the meaning: “You have covered someone [or something] else.” As in [the previously quoted verse], “For he has covered his face” (Job 15: 27) [where the word“covered” is written as כִסָּה, with a dagesh in the “samech.” Thus here, since there is no dagesh in the “sin,” the verb is intransitive, and literally means: “You are covered with fat folds.”] כשית: יש לשון קל בלשון כסוי, כמו (משלי יב, טז) וכוסה קלון ערום ואם כתב כשית דגוש היה נשמע כסית את אחרים, כמו (איוב טו, כז) כי כסה פניו:
and spurned the [Mighty] rock of their salvation: They disgraced and despised Him, as Scripture states,“[about twenty-five men] with their backs towards the Heichal of the Lord…” (Ezek.8:16). [The prophet Ezekiel was shown these treacherous men, who had their backs to the Temple in the west, and were bowing down to the sun in the east. He was shown other abominable acts as well. However,] there can be no more despicable act than this. — [Sifrei 32:16] וינבל צור ישעתו: גנהו וביזהו, כמו שנאמר (יחזקאל ח, טז) אחוריהם אל היכל ה' וגו', אין לך נבול גדול מזה:
16They provoked His zeal with alien worship; they made Him angry with abominations deeds. טזיַקְנִאֻ֖הוּ בְּזָרִ֑ים בְּתֽוֹעֵבֹ֖ת יַכְעִיסֻֽהוּ:
They provoked his zeal: Heb. יַקְנִאֻהוּ, they provoked His anger and His zeal (קִנְאָה). יקנאהו: הבעירו חמתו וקנאתו:
with abominations: With abominable deeds, such as homosexuality and sorcery, which are described [by Scripture] as תּוֹעֵבָה,“abominations.” - [Sifrei 32:16] בתועבות: במעשים תעובים, כגון (ויקרא יח, כב) משכב זכור וכשפים (ויקרא יח, כב), שנאמר בהם תועבה:
17They sacrificed to demons, which have no power, deities they did not know, new things that only recently came, which your forefathers did not fear. יזיִזְבְּח֗וּ לַשֵּׁדִים֙ לֹ֣א אֱלֹ֔הַּ אֱלֹהִ֖ים לֹ֣א יְדָע֑וּם חֲדָשִׁים֙ מִקָּרֹ֣ב בָּ֔אוּ לֹ֥א שְׂעָר֖וּם אֲבֹֽתֵיכֶֽם:
which have no power: Heb. לֹא אלֹהַּ. As the Targum renders it: “which have no power.” For if they had power, God’s jealousy would not have been doubled as it is now. — [see Sifrei 32:17] לא אלה: כתרגומו דלית בהון צרוך, אלו היה בהם צורך לא היתה קנאה כפולה כמו עכשיו:
new things that only recently came: [These deities were so recent, that] even the heathen nations were not familiar with them. Indeed, if a heathen saw them, he would say,“This is a Jewish idol!” - [Sifrei 32:17] חדשים מקרוב באו: אפילו האומות לא היו רגילים בהם. גוי שהיה רואה אותם, היה אומר זה צלם יהודי:
which your forefathers did not fear: Heb. לֹא שְׂעָרוּם. This means: Which your forefathers did not fear. [More literally, it means:]“Their hair (שֵׂעָר) did not stand up on end because of these deities.” It is the nature of a person’s hair to stand up out of of fear. Thus [the word שְׂעָרוּם] is explained in Sifrei (32:17). The word שְׂעָרוּם may also be explained as stemming from [the word שְׂעִירִים in the verse]:“And שְׂעִירִים will dance there” (Isa. 13:21), where שְׂעִירִים are demons. [Thus, our verse means:]“Your forefathers did not make such demons.” לא שערום אבתיכם: לא יראו מהם לא עמדה שערתם מפניהם. דרך שערות האדם לעמוד מחמת יראה, כך נדרש בספרי. ויש לפרש עוד שערום לשון (ישעיה יג, כא) ושעירים ירקדו שם, שעירים הם שדים. לא עשו אבותיכם שעירים הללו:
18You forgot the [Mighty] Rock Who bore you; you forgot the God Who delivered you. יחצ֥וּר יְלָֽדְךָ֖ תֶּ֑שִׁי וַתִּשְׁכַּ֖ח אֵ֥ל מְחֹֽלְלֶֽךָ:
You forgot: Heb. תֶּשִׁי, you have forgotten. However, our Rabbis explained this word homiletically to mean: When God comes to bestow good upon you, you provoke Him to anger, and weaken (מַתִּישִׁין) His power, as it were, to do you good."- [Sifrei 32:18] תשי: תשכח. ורבותינו דרשו, כשבא להיטיב לכם אתם מכעיסין לפניו ומתישים כחו מלהיטיב לכם:
the God Who delivered you: Heb. מְחֹלְלֶךָ, God who brought you out of the womb. It has the same meaning as the verse, “[The voice of the Lord] makes hinds bring forth young (יְחוֹלֵל)” (Ps.29:9), and “pangs (חִיל) like those of a woman in confinement” (Ps. 48:7). אל מחוללך: מוציאך מרחם, לשון (תהלים כט, ט) יחולל אילות, (שם מח, ז) חיל כיולדה:
Daily Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 49 - 54• 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 49
This psalm is a strong message and inspiration for all, rich and poor alike, rebuking man for transgressions which, owing to habit, he no longer considers sinful; yet, these sins incriminate man on the Day of Judgement. The psalm speaks specifically to the wealthy, who rely not on God but on their wealth.
1. For the Conductor, by the sons of Korach, a psalm.
2. Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all you inhabitants of the world;
3. sons of common folk and sons of nobility, rich and poor alike.
4. My mouth speaks wisdom, and the thoughts of my heart are understanding.
5. I incline my ear to the parable; I will unravel my riddle upon the harp.
6. Why am I afraid in times of trouble? [Because] the sins I trod upon surround me.
7. There are those who rely on their wealth, who boast of their great riches.
8. Yet a man cannot redeem his brother, nor pay his ransom to God.
9. The redemption of their soul is too costly, and forever unattainable.
10. Can one live forever, never to see the grave?
11. Though he sees that wise men die, that the fool and the senseless both perish, leaving their wealth to others-
12. [nevertheless,] in their inner thoughts their houses will last forever, their dwellings for generation after generation; they have proclaimed their names throughout the lands.
13. But man will not repose in glory; he is likened to the silenced animals.
14. This is their way-their folly remains with them, and their descendants approve of their talk, Selah.
15. Like sheep, they are destined for the grave; death shall be their shepherd, and the upright will dominate them at morning; their form will rot in the grave, away from its abode.
16. But God will redeem my soul from the hands of the grave, for He will take me, Selah.
17. Do not fear when a man grows rich, when the glory of his house is increased;
18. for when he dies he will take nothing, his glory will not descend after him.
19. For he [alone] praises himself in his lifetime; but [all] will praise you if you better yourself.
20. He will come to the generation of his forefathers; they shall not see light for all eternity.
21. Man [can live] in glory but does not understand; he is likened to the silenced animals.
Chapter 50
This psalm speaks of many ethics and morals. The psalmist rebukes those who fail to repent humbly and modestly. He also admonishes those who do not practice that which they study, and merely appear to be righteous; they sin and cause others to sin.
1. A psalm by Asaph. Almighty God, the Lord, spoke and called to the earth, from the rising of the sun to its setting.
2. Out of Zion, the place of perfect beauty, God appeared.
3. Our God will come and not be silent; a fire will consume before Him, His surroundings are furiously turbulent.
4. He will call to the heavens above, and to the earth, to avenge His people:
5. "Gather to Me My pious ones, those who made a covenant with me over a sacrifice.”
6. Then the heavens declared His righteousness, for God is Judge forever.
7. Listen, my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against you-I am God your God.
8. Not for [the lack of] your sacrifices will I rebuke you, nor for [the lack of] your burnt offerings which ought to be continually before Me.
9. I do not take oxen from your house, nor goats from your pens;
10. for every beast of the forest is Mine, the cattle of a thousand mountains.
11. I know every bird of the mountains, and the crawling creatures of the field are in My possession.
12. Were I hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and everything in it is mine.
13. Do I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?
14. Offer confession as a sacrifice to God, and fulfill your vows to the Most High,
15. and call to Me on the day of distress; I will free you, and you will honor Me.
16. But to the wicked, God said, "What does it help you to discuss My laws, and bear My covenant upon your lips?
17. For you hate discipline, and throw My words behind you.
18. When you see a thief you run with him, and your lot is with adulterers.
19. You sent forth your mouth for evil, and attach your tongue to deceit.
20. You sit down to talk against your brother; your mother's son you defame.
21. You have done these things and I kept silent, so you imagine that I am like you-[but] I will rebuke you and lay it clearly before your eyes.
22. Understand this now, you who forget God, lest I tear you apart and there be none to save you.
23. He who offers a sacrifice of confession honors Me; and to him who sets right his way, I will show the deliverance of God."
Chapter 51
This psalm speaks of when Nathan the prophet went to David's palace, and rebuked him for his sin with Bathsheba. David then secluded himself with God, offering awe-inspiring prayers and begging forgiveness. Every person should recite this psalm for his sins and transgressions.
1. For the Conductor, a psalm by David,
2. when Nathan the prophet came to him after he had gone to Bathsheba.
3. Be gracious to me, O God, in keeping with Your kindness; in accordance with Your abounding compassion, erase my transgressions.
4. Cleanse me thoroughly of my wrongdoing, and purify me of my sin.
5. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
6. Against You alone have I sinned, and done that which is evil in Your eyes; [forgive me] so that You will be justified in Your verdict, vindicated in Your judgment.
7. Indeed, I was begotten in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
8. Indeed, You desire truth in the innermost parts; teach me the wisdom of concealed things.
9. Purge me with hyssop and I shall be pure; cleanse me and I shall be whiter than snow.
10. Let me hear [tidings of] joy and gladness; then the bones which You have shattered will rejoice.
11. Hide Your face from my sins, and erase all my trespasses.
12. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew within me an upright spirit.
13. Do not cast me out of Your presence, and do not take Your Spirit of Holiness away from me.
14. Restore to me the joy of Your deliverance, and uphold me with a spirit of magnanimity.
15. I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will return to You.
16. Save me from bloodguilt, O God, God of my deliverance; my tongue will sing Your righteousness.
17. My Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare Your praise.
18. For You do not desire that I bring sacrifices, nor do You wish burnt offerings.
19. The offering [desirable] to God is a contrite spirit; a contrite and broken heart, God, You do not disdain.
20. In Your goodwill, bestow goodness upon Zion; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
21. Then will You desire sacrifices [offered in] righteousness, olah and other burnt offerings; then they will offer bullocks upon Your altar.
Chapter 52
David laments his suffering at the hands of Doeg, and speaks of Doeg's boasts about the evil he committed. David asks, "What does he think? Does he consider the doing of evil a mark of strength?" David also curses Doeg and those like him.
1. For the Conductor, a maskil by David,
2. when Doeg the Edomite came and informed Saul, saying to him, "David has come to the house of Achimelech.”
3. Why do you boast with evil, O mighty one? God's kindness is all day long.
4. Your tongue devises treachery; like a sharpened razor it works deceit.
5. You love evil more than good, falsehood more than speaking righteousness, Selah.
6. You love all devouring words, a deceitful tongue.
7. God will likewise shatter you forever; He will excise and pluck you from the tent, and uproot you from the land of the living forever.
8. The righteous will see it and be awed, and they will laugh at him:
9. "Here is the man who did not make God his stronghold, but trusted in his great wealth, and drew strength from his treachery.”
10. But I am like a fresh olive tree in the house of God; I trust in God's kindness forever and ever.
11. I will thank you forever for what You have done; I will hope in Your Name, for You are good to Your pious ones.
Chapter 53
This psalm speaks of when Titus pierced the curtain of the Holy of Holies with his sword, and thought he had killed "himself" (a euphemism for God).
1. For the Conductor, on the machalat,1 a mas-kil2 by David.
2. The fool says in his heart, "There is no God!" They have acted corruptly and committed abominable deeds; not one does good.
3. God looked down from heaven upon mankind, to see if there was any man of intelligence who searches for God.
4. But they all regressed together; they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.
5. Indeed, the evildoers who devour My people as they devour bread, who do not call upon God, will come to realize.
6. There they will be seized with fright, a fright such as never was; for God scatters the bones of those encamped against you. You shamed them, for God rejected them.
7. O that out of Zion would come Israel's deliverance! When God returns the captivity of His people, Jacob will exult, Israel will rejoice.
FOOTNOTES
1.A musical instrument (Rashi).
2.A psalm intended to enlighten and impart knowledge(Metzudot).
Chapter 54
A prayer to God asking that in His might He save all who hope for His kindness. Read, and you will discover an awe-inspiring and wondrous prayer that should be said by all in the appropriate time.
1. For the Conductor, with instrumental music, a maskil by David,
2. when the Ziphites came and said to Saul, "Behold, David is hiding among us!”
3. O God, deliver me by Your Name, and vindicate me by Your might.
4. God, hear my prayer, listen to the words of my mouth.
5. For strangers have risen against me, and ruthless men have sought my soul; they are not mindful of God, Selah.
6. Behold, God is my helper; my Lord is with those who support my soul.
7. He will repay the evil of my watchful enemies; destroy them by Your truth.
8. With a free-will offering I will sacrifice to You; I will offer thanks to Your Name, O Lord, for it is good.
9. For He has saved me from every trouble, and my eye has seen [the downfall of] my enemy.
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 112, 113 and 114.
Chapter 112
This psalm, too, follows alphabetical sequence, each verse containing two letters, save the last two which contain three letters each. It speaks of the good traits man should choose, and of how to give charity-the reward for which is never having to rely on others.
1. Praise the Lord! Fortunate is the man who fears the Lord, and desires His commandments intensely.
2. His descendants will be mighty on the earth; he will be blessed with an upright generation.
3. Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.
4. Even in darkness light shines for the upright, for [He is] Compassionate, Merciful, and Just.
5. Good is the man who is compassionate and lends, [but] provides for his own needs with discretion.
6. For he will never falter; the righteous man will be an eternal remembrance.
7. He will not be afraid of a bad tiding; his heart is steadfast, secure in the Lord.
8. His heart is steadfast, he does not fear, until he sees his oppressors [destroyed].
9. He has distributed [his wealth], giving to the needy. His righteousness will endure forever; his might will be uplifted in honor.
10. The wicked man will see and be angry; he will gnash his teeth and melt away; the wish of the wicked will be ruined.
Chapter 113
This psalm recounts some of the wonders of the exodus from Egypt.
1. Praise the Lord! Offer praise, you servants of the Lord; praise the Name of the Lord.
2. May the Name of the Lord be blessed from now and to all eternity.
3. From the rising of the sun to its setting, the Name of the Lord is praised.
4. The Lord is high above all nations; His glory transcends the heavens.
5. Who is like the Lord our God, Who dwells on high
6. [yet] looks down so low upon heaven and earth!
7. He raises the poor from the dust, lifts the destitute from the dunghill,
8. to seat them with nobles, with the nobles of His people.
9. He transforms the barren woman into a household, into a joyful mother of children. Praise the Lord!
Chapter 114
This psalm explains why the tribe of Judah merited kingship.
1. When Israel went out of Egypt, the House of Jacob from a people of a foreign tongue,
2. Judah became His holy [nation], Israel, His domain.
3. The sea saw and fled, the Jordan turned backward.
4. The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like young sheep.
5. What is the matter with you, O sea, that you flee; Jordan, that you turn backward;
6. mountains, that you skip like rams; hills, like young sheep?
7. [We do so] before the Master, the Creator of the earth, before the God of Jacob,
8. Who turns the rock into a pool of water, the flintstone into a water fountain.
Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 20
• Lessons in Tanya
• Today's Tanya Lesson
• Tuesday, 9 Tishrei, 5777 · 11 October 2016
• Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 20
• ולפי מה שכתוב בספר הגלגולים, פרק כ׳, הובא בלקוטי אמרים
According to the statement in ch. 20 of Sefer HaGilgulim, cited in Likutei Amarim,1
מתלבשת תחלה הארה זו של הקו דאור אין סוף, באור האצילות שבעשיה
this radiation from the Kav of the [infinite] Ein Sof-light vests itself first in the light of Atzilut in Asiyah,
וממנה לבריאה ויצירה שבעשיה
and from there to the Beriah and Yetzirah in Asiyah,
ומהן לבחינת אור הנשמה, דמלכות דמלכות דעשיה
and from them to the category of the light of the Neshamah of the Malchut of the Malchut of Asiyah.
ועל ידי זה יש כח ועוז בסיום הכלי דמלכות דמלכות דעשיה, שביסוד העפר
From this derives the [creative] power and force in the culmination of the keli of the Malchut of Malchutof Asiyah, i.e., the lowest degree and Sefirah of Asiyah, within the Element of Earth.
והוא מאמר תדשא הארץ וגו׳, להיות פועל בקרב הארץ, תמיד לעולם ועד
This is the constant and everlasting effect, throughout the earth, of the creative utterance,2 “Let the earth bring forth herbs...,” this fiat being the source of the power of vegetative growth
בחינת אין סוף
(3in a mode of infinitude,
Not only is the capacity for growth an instance of yesh me’ayin and a result of G‑d’s infinitude: the same is true of its constant recurrence.
ולא בלבד בששת ימי בראשית, כמאמר: ישרצו המים, ומאמר: תוצא הארץ נפש חיה
and not only during the Six Days of Creation, as with the fiat,4 “Let the waters bring forth [an abundance of creeping creatures],” and the fiat,5 “Let the earth bring forth living beings.”
Ever since these one-time creative utterances, every living being derives from another, and not ex nihilo from the earth or water.
מחכמה דמלכות דמלכות דעשיה
[These fiats derive] from the Chochmah of the Malchut of the Malchut of Asiyah.
שבשבעת ימי בראשית האיר בעולם הזה הארה מאור אין סוף בחסד חנם
For during the Seven Days of the Beginning there shone in this world a radiation from the [infinite] Ein Sof-light in a mode of gratuitous kindness,
בלי העלאת מיין נוקבין כלל
without any [prior] elevation of mayin nukvin at all.)
During those days there was no spontaneous arousal initiated from the world below, in the form of divine service on the part of the “female” or recipient element, in order to elicit a reciprocal arousal from above. (After these seven days, however, G‑d ordained that henceforth there must first be an arousal initiated from below.) By virtue of the gratuitous and unearned Di-vine kindness of those first seven days, each of the above-quoted fiats (“Let the water bring forth...” and “Let the earth bring forth...”) effectively brought about an instance of creation ex nihilo, of yesh from ayin.
The fiat “Let the earth sprout forth...,” by contrast, operates constantly:
להצמיח עשבים ואילנות ופירות מאין ליש תמיד, מדי שנה בשנה
to make grasses and trees and fruits sprout ex nihilo into substantiality, constantly, year by year.6
שהוא מעין בחינת אין סוף
This [constancy] is a kind of infinity,
שאם יתקיים עולם הזה ריבוי רבבות שנים, יצמיחו מדי שנה בשנה
for if this world were to exist for myriads of myriads of years, they would still sprout forth from year to year.
אלא שיש מהן על ידי העלאת מיין נוקבין, והם הזרועים והנטועים
There are, though, some [plants, trees and fruit] that result from a [prior] “elevation of mayin nukvin,” i.e., whose seeds serve as the above-mentioned arousal from below which calls forth the power of vegetative growth within the earth, namely, those which are sown and planted.
ואף על פי כן, הם כמו יש מאין
Nevertheless, these [too] are like yesh me’ayin,
שהגרעין הנטוע, אין לו ערך כלל לגבי הפרי, וגם נגד כל האילן עם הענפים והעלין
for the planted seed is of no estimation whatever in relation to the fruit, nor in relation to the whole tree with the branches and leaves.
Whereas the difference between the fruit and its source in the kernel is mainly qualitative (as in the taste, for example), the difference between the kernel and the resultant tree is more quantitative. By both of these criteria, then, the growth of a tree from a seed possesses an element of yesh me’ayin.
וכן במיני זרעונים וירקות, וגם במיני תבואה, להתהוות מאות גרעינין מגרעין אחד, הוא כמו יש מאין
The same applies to the various species of seeds and vegetables, and to the various species of grain: that hundreds of kernels should come into being from a single kernel, resembles yesh me’ayin;
ומכל שכן, הקשין והשבלים
and how much more so, with respect to their straw and spikes, which are so much more different from the parent kernel, and thus even more conspicuously come into being as if “from nothing.”
והנה הפירות על ידי העלאת מיין נוקבין, היא הזריעה והנטיעה, הם משובחים מאד מאד מהעולים מאליהן, מכח הצומח לבדו שבארץ
Now,7 these fruits that [grow] by means of an “elevation of mayin nukvin,” i.e., by sowing and planting, are far, far superior to those that come up independently, only from the vegetative property in the soil.
ומזה נשכיל המשכות אורות עליונים באצילות, בריאה, יצירה, עשיה
And from this we will be able to understand [the concept of] the elicitation of the Supernal orot, the Divine illuminations, [that are drawn down] in the Worlds of Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah,
The lights that are drawn down to this world in response to man’s divine service surpass by far the lights that are granted through “an arousal from above” as an unearned gift.
שהוא תכלית בריאת האדם
(8which is the ultimate purpose for the creation of man),
כמו שכתוב במקום אחר
as is explained elsewhere.
***
| FOOTNOTES | |
| 1. | Note of the Rebbe: “See ch. 6 (in the Alter Rebbe’s Note); ch. 18; see also end of ch. 51 and end of ch. 52.” |
| 2. | Bereishit 1:11. |
| 3. | Parentheses are in the original text. |
| 4. | Bereishit 1:10. |
| 5. | Ibid. 1:24. |
| 6. | “Coming after ‘constantly’, the phrase ‘year by year’ suggests something of a contradiction. This is not the case in the text above (foot of Hebrew p. 132a), where תמיד לעולם means ‘constant and everlasting,’ as is evident from the continuation there (‘in a mode of infinitude’). Our text should therefore be understood in the spirit of the similar text at the end of Epistle 14, above: ‘And this is the meaning of Forever...; ...rather, every year....’” |
| 7. | Note of the Rebbe: “The relevance here of this passage (regarding the superiority of fruits that are planted) is not immediately apparent.“ It could be seen as being connected with the above discussion of the superior quality of those mitzvot that come at the ‘end’ (and likewise as being connected with the conclusion of this Epistle, on the sublime worth of practical mitzvot). For even with regard to all the things that now, too, are bestowed upon us by way of gratuitous kindness, if they are [earned] by means of the performance of a mitzvah or through mortal prayer, they too are ‘far, far superior’ משובחים מאד מאד.“ Compare the explanation in Likkutei Torah of how the Spies’ complaint was negated by the response that the Land was ‘very, very’ good טובה הארץ מאד מאד.” |
| 8. | Parentheses are in the original text. |
| Rambam: Sefer Hamitzvos: |
• Tuesday, 9 Tishrei, 5777 · 11 October 2016
• Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
Positive Commandment 180
Punishing False Witnesses
"You shall do to him as he thought to have done to his brother"—Deuteronomy 19:19.
We are commanded to punish false witnesses by sentencing them to the exact punishment they wished to impose upon their innocent fellow. If their testimony was intended to expropriate money, they must pay the amount they wished the other to lose. If their testimony was intended to impose upon the defendant corporeal or capital punishment, they are the ones flogged or put to death.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
• Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
Positive Commandment 180
Punishing False Witnesses
"You shall do to him as he thought to have done to his brother"—Deuteronomy 19:19.
We are commanded to punish false witnesses by sentencing them to the exact punishment they wished to impose upon their innocent fellow. If their testimony was intended to expropriate money, they must pay the amount they wished the other to lose. If their testimony was intended to impose upon the defendant corporeal or capital punishment, they are the ones flogged or put to death.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
• Punishing False Witnesses
Positive Commandment 180
Translated by Berel Bell
The 180th mitzvah is that we are commanded to punish witnesses who have testified falsely with the same consequence they tried to accomplish with their testimony.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "You must do the same to them as they plotted to do to their brother."
This is the law regarding eidim zom'mim: if their testimony would have resulted in someone losing money, we take that amount from them. If they testified in a case where the defendant would be executed, we kill them with that form of execution. If they testified in a case where the defendant would be lashed, we administer lashes to them.
The details of this mitzvah, the various questions which have been raised regarding it, and how it is proven that the witnesses are zom'mim to be punishable under this law are explained in tractate Makkos.
1.Deut. 19:19.
Positive Commandment 180
Translated by Berel Bell
The 180th mitzvah is that we are commanded to punish witnesses who have testified falsely with the same consequence they tried to accomplish with their testimony.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "You must do the same to them as they plotted to do to their brother."
This is the law regarding eidim zom'mim: if their testimony would have resulted in someone losing money, we take that amount from them. If they testified in a case where the defendant would be executed, we kill them with that form of execution. If they testified in a case where the defendant would be lashed, we administer lashes to them.
The details of this mitzvah, the various questions which have been raised regarding it, and how it is proven that the witnesses are zom'mim to be punishable under this law are explained in tractate Makkos.
1.Deut. 19:19.
• Rambam - 1 Chapter: She'ar Avot haTum'ah She'ar Avot haTum'ah - Chapter 18
• She'ar Avot haTum'ah - Chapter 18
• She'ar Avot haTum'ah - Chapter 18
1
No matter to what degree doubts and compounded doubts are multiplied in a public domain, the person or object involved is pure. In a private domain, by contrast, he is impure.
What is implied? If one entered an alley and there was impurity in the courtyard to which the alley led. If there was a question whether or not he entered the courtyard, he is impure because of the doubt, because an alley is considered a private domain. This same ruling applies if:
a) there is impurity in a house and there is a doubt whether one entered the house or not, or
b) even if one entered, but there was a doubt whether there was impurity there or not, or
c) even if one would say that impurity was present when one entered, there is a doubt whether it comprises the required measure or not, or
d) even if the substance certainly comprises the required measure, there is a doubt whether it is impure or not, or
e) even if it is certainly impure, there is a doubt whether or not one touched it.
א
כל שאתה יכול לרבות ספיקות וספקי ספיקות בר"ה טהור ברה"י טמא כיצד נכנס למבוי והטומאה בחצר ספק נכנס לחצר ספק לא נכנס טומאה בבית ספק נכנס לבית ספק לא נכנס ואפילו נכנס ספק שלא היתה שם ספק היתה שם וא"ת היתה שם בעת שנכנס ספק יש בה כשיעור ספק אין בה וא"ת יש בה ספק שהיא טומאה ספק אינה טומאה ואפילו היא טומאה ספק נגע ספק לא נגע ספיקו טמא שהמבוי רשות היחיד:
2
If there are nine carcasses of frogs and one carcass of a creeping animal in a private domain and a person touched one of the carcasses, but did not know which one, he is impure because of the doubt. If there are nine carcasses of creeping animals and one carcass of a frog in a public domain and a person touched one, he is pure despite the doubt.
This is the general principle: Any time there is a question concerning impurity in the public domain, the person is pure unless he says: "I certainly contracted impurity." Any time there is such a question in a private domain, he is impure unless he says: "It is certain that I did not contract impurity."
Accordingly, if there are bones from a human corpse and bones from an animal carcass in the public domain or clods of pure earth and clods of earth from a beit hapras or from the Diaspora and one touched or moved one of them, but does not know what he touched or moved, he is pure. This same ruling applies if there was an olive-sized portion from a human corpse and an olive-sized portion of an animal carcass and one held a portion of his body over one of them, but did not know over which one he held a portion of his body. And it applies if there are two paths, one pure and one impure, one walked down one of them, but did not know which one he walked down, he touched a person on the road, but did not know whether he was pure or impure, or there were two people, one impure and one pure, he touched one, but he did not know which one he touched.
ב
תשעה צפרדעים ושרץ אחד ביניהן ברשות היחיד ונגע באחד מהן ואינו יודע אי זהו ספיקו טמא ט' שרצים וצפרדע ביניהן ברשות הרבים ונגע באחד מהן ספיקו טהור זה הכלל כל ספק ברשות הרבים טהור עד שיאמר נטמאתי בודאי וכל ספק ברה"י טמא עד שיאמר ודאי שלא נטמאתי לפיכך עצמות המת ועצם נבלה בר"ה או גוש מארץ טהורה וגושים מבית הפרס או מארץ העמים ונגע באחד מהן או הסיטו ואין ידוע במה נגע מהן ובמה הסיט כזית מן המת וכזית מן הנבילה והאהיל על אחד מהן ואין ידוע על אי זה מהן האהיל ב' שבילין אחד טהור ואחד טמא הלך באחד מהן ואין ידוע באי זה הלך או שנגע באדם זה בדרך ואין ידוע אם הוא טמא או טהור או שהיו שני אנשים אחד טמא ואחד טהור ונגע באחד מהן ואין ידוע באי זה מהן נגע בכל אלו הספיקות טהור:
3
The following laws apply when a person journeyed on a road and found a corpse lying across the width of the road. If it was intact and it extended from one side of the road to the other, he is impure with regard to terumah, for it can be assumed that he touched it. If he had space on either side to pass by or the corpse was dismembered and torn into pieces so that he could have passed between his hips and the other portions of his body, he is pure.
If a grave extended over the entire width of the road, the entire corpse is considered as a single entity because of the grave, and one who passes over it is impure. This instance does not resemble other questionable situations. Instead, it is assumed that he touched the grave.
ג
המוצא מת מושכב לרוחבו של דרך אם היה שלם והוא מן הקצה אל הקצה ה"ז טמא לתרומה שחזקתו שנגע היה לו מקום לעבור או שהיה משובר ומפורק שאפשר שעבר בין שוקיו ופרקיו ה"ז טהור ואם היה קבר לכל רוחב הדרך הקבר מצרפו והעובר שם טמא שאין זה כשאר ספיקות אלא חזקתו שנגע:
4
When the carcass of a creeping animal is found in an alley, it imparts impurity retroactively to all those who passed through until the time that one said: "I checked this alley on this and this day and there was no carcass of a creeping animal there." Even if the alley was swept, if it was not checked, it imparts impurity to those who passed through from before the time it was swept and afterwards.
When does the above apply? When the carcass that was discovered was dry. If it was fresh, it does not impart impurity retroactively for that length of time, only for the length of time in which the animal could have died and remained as fresh as it was found.
ד
שרץ שנמצא במבוי מטמא למפרע עד העת שיאמר בדקתי את המבוי הזה ביום פלוני ולא היה בו שרץ אפילו כבדו ולא בדקו ה"ז מטמא למפרע מקודם הכיבוד במה דברים אמורים שמצאו יבש אבל אם מצאו לח אינו מטמא למפרע אלא עד שעה שאפשר שימות בה ויהיה עתה לח בעת שנמצא:
5
The following laws apply when there were two spots of saliva in a private domain. One was pure and one was of unknown origin when discovered and hence, was decreed to be impure, as explained previously. If one touched or moved one of them, but does not know which, the status of terumah which he touches is held in abeyance, because a compounded doubt is involved: Perhaps he touched the saliva that was known to be pure and perhaps he touched the one that was found whose status was unknown. Even if he touched the one that was found, perhaps it was impure, but perhaps it was pure.
Different laws apply if there were two spots of saliva in the public domain. If they were dry and deposited there and a person touched one of them, he is pure, despite the doubt. If he carried one of them, the status of articles he touches is held in abeyance. The rationale is that after he carried it up, it is no longer deposited in the public domain. Similarly, if one of them was moist and the moist saliva became attached to him, the status of articles he touches is held in abeyance, for since it is on his garment, we can no longer apply the principle: when something is deposited in the public domain, it is pure despite the doubt.
We already explained that, in all situations, if one touched, carried, or moved saliva of unknown origin that is discovered, terumahshould be burnt because of it, like a beit hapras, and the like, in which instances, terumah is burnt in all situations when one has definitely made contact.
ה
שני רוקין ברה"י אחד טהור ואחד מן הרוקין הנמצאים שגזרו עליהן טומאה כמו שביארנו ונגע באחד מהן או הסיטו ואין ידוע אי זהו תולין עליו את התרומה מפני שהן שני ספיקות ספק בטהור נגע ספק בנמצא וא"ת בנמצא ספק שהוא טמא ספק שהוא טהור היו שני הרוקין בר"ה אם היו נגובין ומונחין שם ונגע באחד מהן ספיקו טהור נשא אחד מהן תולין עליו שהרי משנשאו אינו מונח בר"ה וכן אם היה אחד מהן לח ונתלה בו הרוק הלח תולין עליו שהרי אינו מונח בר"ה כדי שיהיה ספיקו טהור אלא הרי הוא על בגדו כבר ביארנו שאם נגע ברוק הנמצא או נשאו או הסיטו בכל מקום שורפין עליו את התרומה כבית הפרס וכיוצא בה ששורפין על ודאי מגען בכ"מ:
6
The following laws apply when a person was sitting in the public domain and another person whose status is unknown came and trod on his garments or spat and the saliva touched the person who was sitting. Terumah which he touches is burnt because of the saliva. With regard to the status of his clothes, the determination is made based on the status of the majority of the town's inhabitants. If most are impure, his clothes are considered to have contracted midras impurity. If most are pure, he is pure.
ו
מי שישב ברשות הרבים, ובא אחד ודרס על בגדיו, או שרקק ונגע בו הרוק--על הרוק, שורפין את התרומה. ועל בגדיו, הולכין אחר הרוב: אם רוב העיר טמאים, בגדיו מדרס; ואם רוב העיר טהורים, הרי זה טהור.
7
When a person lost a k'li and discovered it in a private domain, it is considered to have contracted midras impurity and the impurity connected with a human corpse. If he found it in the public domain, it is pure, provided he lost it during the day and found it that day. If he lost it during the day and found it at night, lost it at night and found it during the day, or lost it during the day and found it on the following day, it is presumed to be impure.
This is the general principle: Whenever the night - or a portion of it - passed while an article was lost, it is impure.
ז
מי שאבד לו כלי, ומצאו ברשות היחיד--הרי זה טמא מדרס, וטמא טמא מת. אבד לו ברשות הרבים, ומצאו ברשות הרבים--אם אבד ביום, ומצאו בו ביום--טהור; אבד ביום ומצאו בלילה, או שאבד בלילה ומצאו ביום, או שאבד ביום ומצאו ביום של אחריו--הרי זה בחזקת טמא. זה הכלל--כל שעבר עליו הלילה או מקצתו, טמא
8
If a person deposited or forgot a k'li in the public domain, it is pure even when the night passed while it was there. If he deposited or forgot it in a private domain, it is considered to have contracted midras impurity, but not the impurity connected with a human corpse.
Why did the Sages not rule as stringently with regard to one who deposited or forgot an article as they did with regard to one who lost an article? Because depositing or forgetting an article in the public domain is not that common a circumstance. Hence, they did not institute a decree concerning it.
ח
הניח כלי או שכחו ברשות הרבים--אף על פי שעבר עליו הלילה, טהור; הניח או שכח ברשות היחיד--הרי זה טמא מדרס, וטהור מטמא מת. ומפני מה לא החמירו בשוכח ומניח כמאבד--מפני שאינו דבר מצוי תמיד, לא גזרו עליו
9
When a person loses an article and finds it at home, it is pure, because it can be assumed to be protected.
ט
המאבד ומצא בתוך הבית--הרי זה טהור, מפני שהוא בחזקת שימור
10
When a person spreads utensils out in the public domain, they are pure. In a private domain, they are impure, lest impure people have touched them. If he was watching them, they are pure. If they fell and he went to get them, they are impure, because they went out of his sight. Similarly, if one lost his utensils in a private domain and found them, even that day, they are considered to have contracted midras impurity and the impurity connected with a human corpse, as we explained.
י
השוטח כלים ברשות הרבים, הרי אלו טהורים. וברשות היחיד--טמאים, שמא נגעו בהן טמאים; ואם היה משמרן, טהורים. נפלו והלך להביאם--טמאים, שהרי נעלמו מעיניו. וכן מי שאבדו כליו ברשות היחיד, ומצאן אפילו בו ביום--הרי הן מדרס וטמא מת, כמו שביארנו
11
If there is one intellectually or emotionally compromised woman or gentile woman in a town, all of the saliva of unknown origin discovered in any place in the town is always considered as impure.
יא
שוטה אחת בעיר, או נוכרית--כל הרוקין שבעיר בחזקת טומאה לעולם, בכל מקום
12
The following laws apply when a woman trod on the clothes of a person or sat with him on a small boat: If she recognizes him and knows that he partakes of terumah, his clothes are pure. If not, he should ask her concerning her state.
יב
מי שדרסה אישה על בגדיו, או שישבה עימו בספינה--אם מכירתו שהוא אוכל בתרומה, כליו טהורין; ואם לאו, ישאלנה
13
When a person slept in the public domain and arose, his garments are pure.
יג
מי שישן ברשות הרבים, ועמד--כליו טהורים
14
When a person touched another person in the public domain at night and did not know if he was alive or dead, but when he arose in the morning, he found him dead, he is impure, for the status of all questions of ritual impurity depends on the situation at the time the matter is discovered. If he saw him alive in the evening and, in the morning, discovered that he died, this is considered to be a doubt in the public domain, and he is pure.
יד
נגע ברשות הרבים באחד בלילה, ואין ידוע אם חי אם מת, ובשחר עמד, ומצאו מת--הרי זה טמא: שכל הטומאות, כשעת מציאתן. ואם ראהו חי בערב, ובשחר מצאו מת--הרי זה ספק ברשות הרבים, וטהור
15
The following rules apply when a person in a private domain is dangerously ill, he fainted, and it was not known whether he died or was still living; he was taken to the public domain and then brought back into a private domain. When he is in a private domain, any questionable situations brought about by his condition are considered impure. When he is in a public domain, any questionable situations brought about by his condition are considered pure.
An incident occurred with a person who was sick and was carried from town to town in a bed. The people who carried him took turns. Ultimately, it was discovered that he had died, but the Sages ruled that only the last group of people who carried him was impure.
טו
המסוכן ברשות היחיד, ונתעלף ואין ידוע אם עדיין הוא חי, והוציאוהו לרשות הרבים, וחזרו והכניסוהו לרשות היחיד--כשהוא ברשות היחיד, ספקו טמא; וכשהוא ברשות הרבים, ספקו טהור. מעשה באחד שהיה מסוכן, והוליכוהו מעיר לעיר במיטה, והיו כיתות מתחלפות תחתיו, ובאחרונה נמצא מת; ולא טימאו חכמים אלא כת אחרונה בלבד
16
The following rules apply when an impure person was standing and speaking while at the edge of a cistern, a drop of saliva shot forth from his mouth, and there was a question whether or not it reached the cistern. If the cistern contained oil and was in a private domain, it is impure because of the doubt. If the cistern contained wine, it is pure in all places despite the doubt, because the border of the cistern will prevent it from entering.
טז
טמא שהיה עומד ומדבר על הבור, וניתזה צינורה מפיו, ספק הגיעה לבור, ספק לא הגיעה--אם היה בור של שמן, ספקו טמא ברשות היחיד; ואם היה בור של יין, ספקו טהור בכל מקום--מפני ששפת הבור קולטת
• Edut - Chapter 20
• Hayom Yom: Today's Hayom Yom
1
Lying witnesses are neither executed, given lashes, or required to make financial restitution unless both of them were fit to serve as witnesses and they were both disqualified throughhazamah after the judgment was rendered.
If, however, only one of them was disqualified through hazamah, they were both disqualified through hazamah before the judgment was rendered, or after the judgment was rendered, one of them was disqualified because of family connections or because he was unfit to serve as a witness, the witnesses are not punished, even though they are disqualified through hazamah and no longer acceptable to deliver testimony in all matters of Scriptural Law.
א
אין עדים זוממין נהרגין ולא לוקין ולא משלמין עד שיהיו שניהם ראויין לעדות ויזומו שניהם אחר שנגמר הדין אבל אם הוזם אחד מהן בלבד או שהוזמו שניהם קודם גמר דין או אחר גמר דין ונמצא אחד מהן קרוב או פסול אין נענשין אף על פי שהוזמו ונפסלו לכל עדות שבתורה:
2
Although according to Talmudic logic one might differ, if the person against whom they testified was executed and then they were disqualified through hazamah, they are not executed. This is derived from Deuteronomy 19:19: which speaks of: 'what they conspired to do.' Implied is that it was not already done. This rule is part of the Oral Tradition.
If, however, the person against whom they testified was lashed, they are lashed. Similarly, if money was expropriated from one person and given to another, it is returned to its owner and the witnesses are required to pay the penalty.
ב
נהרג זה שהעידו עליו ואחר כך הוזמו אינן נהרגין מן הדין שנאמר כאשר זמם לעשות ועדיין לא עשה ודבר זה מפי הקבלה אבל אם לקה זה שהעידו עליו לוקין וכן אם יצא הממון מיד זה ליד זה בעדותן חוזר לבעליו ומשלמין לו:
3
The following laws apply if there were three or even 100 witnesses. If the witnesses deliver testimony in court one after the other, each one testifying immediately after his colleague and several of them were disqualified through hazamah, they do not receive punishment until all of them are disqualified throughhazamah.
If, however, the interval between testimonies was greater than the time it takes a student to greet a teacher, the testimonies are divided and the two who were disqualified through hazamah are punished. The two who testified after there was such an interlude between their testimony and that of the first pair are not punished. This applies even though the entire testimony is disqualified because all of the witnesses are considered as one group and when the testimony of part of a group is disqualified, the entire testimony is disqualified.
ג
היו העדים שלשה אפילו מאה אם העידו בבית דין זה אחר זה והעיד כל אחד מהן אחר חבירו בתוך כדי דבור והוזמו מקצתן אין נענשין עד שיוזמו כולן אבל אם היה הפסק בין זה לזה יתר מכדי דבור שהוא כדי שאלת שלום תלמיד לרב הרי נחלקה העדות והשנים שהוזמו נענשין והשנים האחרים שהיה בין דבריהן ודברי הראשונים הפסק אין נענשין ואף על פי שבטלה העדות כולה מפני שהן כת אחת הואיל ונפסלה מקצתה נפסלה כולה:
4
When one witness delivers testimony, that testimony is investigated, and the second witness states: 'I also testify like him,' 'Yes, this is what happened,' or the like, they are both executed, lashed, or subjected to a financial penalty if they are both disqualified through hazamah. The rationale is that any witness who says 'Yes, this is what happened' after his colleague testified is considered as having testified and responded to cross-examination as his colleague did.
There is no concept of inadvertent transgression with regard to lying witnesses, because the transgression does not involve a deed. Therefore there is no need for a warning as we explained.
ד
העיד האחד ונחקרה עדותו ואמר השני אף אני כמוהו או שאמר הן כיוצא בזה והוזמו שניהן הרי שניהן נהרגין או לוקין או משלמין שכל עד שאמר אחר עדות חבירו הן הרי זה כמי שנחקר והעיד כמו שהעיד חבירו ואין לעדים זוממין שגגה לפי שאין בה מעשה לפיכך אין צריכים התראה כמו שבארנו:
5
Just as two witnesses can disqualify 100 witnesses throughhazamah if the 100 testify at one time; so, too, they can disqualify them through hazamah if they testify as 50 groups, coming two by two.
What is implied? A group of witnesses testified that Reuven killed Shimon in Jerusalem. Two witnesses came and disqualified that group through hazamah. Another group came and delivered that same testimony, that Reuven killed Shimon in Jerusalem and these same two witnesses arose and disqualified that group throughhazamah. This happened a third time and a fourth time. Even if it happens 100 times, all the other witnesses are executed on the basis of the testimony of these two.
ה
כשם שהשנים מזימין את המאה אם העידו המאה בבת אחת כך הן מזימין אותן אפילו היו חמשים כת ובאו שנים אחר שנים כיצד כת שהעידה על ראובן שהרג את שמעון בירושלים ובאו שני עדים והזימוה ובאת כת שניה והעידה אותה עדות עצמה שראובן הרג שמעון בירושלים ועמדו אותן השנים והזימוה גם זו הכת השניה וכן השלישית וכן הרביעית אפילו מאה כולן הן נהרגין על פי אלו השנים:
6
When one group of witnesses testify that Reuven killed Shimon in Jerusalem and a second group come and disqualify the first group through hazamah, the lying witnesses should be executed and Reuven's life saved. If a third group come and disqualify the second group through hazamah, the second group and Reuven should be executed and the lives of the first group saved.
If a fourth group come and disqualify the third group throughhazamah, the third and the first groups should be executed and the lives of Reuven and the second group saved. Similarly, even if there are 100 groups, each one disqualifying the testimony of the previous through hazamah, one group's testimony is accepted and the other group's testimony is disqualified.
ו
כת שהעידה על ראובן שהרג את שמעון בירושלים ובאה כת שניה והזימה את הכת ראשונה יהרגו העדים הזוממין וינצל ראובן באה כת שלישית והזימה את הכת השניה תהרג הכת השניה וראובן ותנצל הכת ראשונה באה כת רביעית והזימה את הכת שלישית תהרג הכת השלישית והראשונה וינצל ראובן והכת השניה וכן אפילו הן מאה כת זו מזימה את זו כת נכנסת וכת יוצאת:
7
When witnesses testify that a person who is trefe murdered a person and then the witnesses are disqualified throughhazamah, the witnesses are not executed. The rationale is that even if they had killed him with their hands, they would not be executed, because he is trefe.
Similarly, if witnesses who were trefe testified concerning a matter punishable by execution by the court and were disqualified throughhazamah, they are not executed. The rationale is that if their testimony was disqualified through hazamah, and the testimony of the witnesses who testified against them was disqualified throughhazamah, those witnesses would not be executed, for they disqualified only a person who was trefe.
ז
עדים שהעידו על איש טרפה שהרג והוזמו אין נהרגין שאפילו הרגוהו בידיהן אין נהרגין לפי שהוא טרפה וכן העדים שהיו טרפה והעידו בדבר שחייבין עליו מיתת בית דין והוזמו אין נהרגין שאם יוזמו זוממיהן אין זוממיהן נהרגין שלא הזימו אלא טרפה:
8
The following rule applies when witnesses testify against another person and have him convicted in a matter that does not involve lashes, capital punishment, or a financial obligation and then the witnesses are disqualified through hazamah. They are given lashes even though they did not conspire to have the defendant lashed or to obligate him financially.
What is implied? Witnesses testified that a priest was a challal, e.g., they testified that his mother was divorced or released throughchalitzah in their presence in this-and-this place on this-and-this date. If the witnesses are disqualified through hazamah, they are punished by lashing.
Similarly, if they testified that a person inadvertently killed a colleague and they are disqualified through hazamah, they are punished by lashing; they are not exiled. And if they testify that a person's ox killed another person and they were disqualified through hazamah, they receive lashes and are not required to pay an atonement fine. If they testify that a person was sold as a Hebrew servant and they were disqualified through hazamah, they receive lashes. These four rulings are part of the Oral Tradition.
ח
עדים שהעידו על אחד והרשיעוהו רשע שאין בו לא מלקות ולא מיתה ולא חיוב ממון ואח"כ הוזמו הרי אלו לוקין אע"פשלא זממו להלקות זה ולא לחייבו ממון כיצד העידו על כהן שהוא חלל כגון שהעידו בפנינו נתגרשה אמו או נחלצה במקום פלוני ביום פלוני והוזמו הרי הן לוקין וכן אם העידו על אדם שהרג בשגגה והוזמו לוקין ואינן גולין העידו על שורו של זה שהרג הנפש והוזמו הרי הן לוקין ואין משלמין את הכופר העידו עליו שנמכר בעבד עברי והוזמו לוקין וארבעה דברים אלו מפי הקבלה הן:
9
With regard to the above matters, our Sages received the following tradition: When two people cause a righteous person to be condemned and a wicked person to be vindicated through their testimony and two others come and disqualify their testimony through hazamah vindicating the righteous person and condemning the wicked, the first pair of witnesses receive lashes even though their condemnation of the righteous person would not have had him subjected to lashes.
If, however, witnesses testify that a person partook of milk and meat or wore shaatnez, they are punished by lashes, as implied byDeuteronomy 19:19: 'You shall requite him as he conspired.'
ט
כך קבלו חכמים ששנים שהרשיעו את הצדיק והצדיקו את הרשע בעדותן ובאו עדים אחרים והזימום והצדיקו את הצדיק והרשיעו את הרשע הרי עדים הראשונים לוקים אף על פי שלא הרשיעו הצדיק להלקותו אבל אם העידו עליו שאכל בשר בחלב או שלבש שעטנז הרי אלו לוקין משום שנאמר ועשיתם לו כאשר זמם:
10
When two witnesses testify that Reuven committed adultery with the daughter of a priest, Reuven was sentenced to death by strangulation and the daughter of the priest was sentenced to be burnt to death, and afterwards the witnesses were disqualified through hazamah, they should be executed by strangulation and not burnt to death. This is part of the Oral Tradition.
י
שנים שהעידו על ראובן שנאף עם בת כהן ונגמר דין ראובן ליחנק ודין הנואפת לשריפה ואחר כך נמצאו זוממין הרי אלו נחנקין ולא נשרפין ודבר זה מפי הקבלה:
Notes:
1. If one of them is unacceptable as a witness, their testimony is no loner effective. Hence they are not punished (Kessef Mishneh).
2. The second pair of witnesses states that one, but not the other of the first pair were with them in a different place at the time they claim that the event transpired.
3. For the punishment was prescribed only for a pair of witnesses (Rashi, Makkot 5b).
4. As described in Chapter 13.
5. As described in Chapters 10-12.
6. As stated in Chapter 10, Halachah 4. They are, however, acceptable in matters where leniency is granted with regard to the acceptance of testimony, e.g., testimony concerning the death of a woman's husband.
7. Our translation is based on the gloss of the Kessef Mishneh who states that the fundamental principle the Rambam is trying to convey with this phrase is that capital punishment is not given unless it is explicitly stated in the Torah. A logical proof is not sufficient.
What is the logic here? If a person who conspires to have a person executed should be executed, should not one who actually caused him to be executed.
8. From the Rambam's Commentary to the Mishnah and from the gloss of the Radbaz, it appears that although they are not executed, they should be punished by the court.
9. I.e., what they conspired.
10. I.e., the Torah prescribes punishment only in such a situation.
11. The Ra'avad and the Kessef Mishneh question the Rambam's source for this distinction. The Kessef Mishnehexplains that it is possible to say that since judgment is ultimately in God's hands, had the executed party not been guilty, God would not have allowed him to be executed. Hence the lying witnesses need not be punished. Alternatively, he can be explained that the punishments inflicted by the courts are not goals in their own right, but means to bring a person to atonement. It is not fitting to give lying witnesses who had a person executed the opportunity to achieve such atonement. Since lashes is not as severe a punishment, neither of these explanations apply.
12. I.e., the plaintiff is required to return it.
13. For financial penalties are established based on Talmudic logic (Kessef Mishneh).
14. As the Rambam continues to explain, the Hebrew term translated as 'immediately after,' toch kidei dibur, has a specific meaning: The time it takes a student to greet a teacher, saying: Shalom alecha rabbi (Hilchot Sh'vuot 2:17).
15. The Ra'avad questions: Since these witnesses were not disqualified through hazamah, why would one think that they should be punished? The Radbaz answers that the very fact that they appeared together with lying witnesses implicates them.
The Lechem Mishneh explains that the Rambam's intent is that even if the second pair of witnesses were also disqualified through hazamah, they are not punished. The rationale is that since their testimony was separated from that of the first pair and by the time they testified the defendant could have been executed because of the testimony of the first pair, their testimony is of no consequence. Hence they are not punished.
16. Thus even if there is no difficulty at all with the testimony of the last pair of witnesses, the defendant is not punished. 17. Because they saw the event together and appeared together in court.
18. The rationale for this distinction can be explained as follows: With regard to the disqualification of witnesses, everything is dependent on the testimony of the witnesses in court. Hence if their testimony is separated, they are not considered as a single group. Their classification as a single group, by contrast, depends on their coming to court together. Since they came together with the intent to testify, they are considered as a single group (Radbaz,Kessef Mishneh).
The Ra'avad (and Rashi, in his commentary to Makkot 6a) do not accept the Rambam's approach and maintain that even though the first pair of witnesses should be executed, if the testimony of the second pair is validated, the defendant should also be executed.
19. I.e., he is cross-examined by the court, as explained in Chapter 2.
20. I.e., despite the fact that he did not actually testify, it is considered as if he did as the Rambam proceeds to explain. See also Hilchot Avodat Kochavim 2:8 which states that making such statements is equivalent to actually testifying in court.
21. I.e., they receive punishment even if they committed the transgression without knowing that it was forbidden.
22. The Radbaz explains that Numbers 15:29, the source for the laws of inadvertent transgression mentions 'one who acts inadvertently' (see Hilchot Shegagot 1:2). In this context (in contrast to blasphemy), speaking is not considered as an act. Hence they are not held liable.
Nevertheless, the Radbaz and the Kessef Mishneh offer a different rationale why these witnesses are punished without a warning: They desired to have the defendant punished although he did not receive a warning. Therefore, they should be punished without a warning.
23. See Chapter 18, Halachah 4.
24. For the entire purpose of a warning is to distinguish between a transgression committed willfully and one committed inadvertently (Hilchot Sanhedrin 12:2).
25. See Chapter 18, Halachah 3.
26. We do not say that they are lying and have resolved to testify against anyone who delivers testimony in this matter (Rashi, Makkot 5a).
27. Because the testimony of the second group exonerates him from the onus of the testimony of the first group.
28. The second group should be executed as lying witnesses who sought to have the first group executed. Reuven should be executed, because once the testimony of the second group has been disqualified, the testimony of the first group is then reinstated.
29. Because the disqualification of the second group exonerates them.
30. I.e., he has a physical ailment that will cause him to die within 12 months.
31. Seemingly, through their testimony, they are trying to have the defendant executed. Nevertheless, despite the fact they testify that the person who is trefe committed a murder, he is not executed. The rationale is that testimony must be able to be disqualified through hazamah. Since it is impossible to punish the witnesses 'as they conspired to do to their brother,' for they conspired to have a sick person executed and they are healthy, the concept ofhazamah is not relevant, as stated in Hilchot Rotzeach 2:9.
32. And a person who kills a colleague who is trefe is not liable for execution. For it is as if he killed a dead person (Sanhedrin 78a; Hilchot Rotzeach 2:8).
33. Here also, it would appear that the intent is that since they are seeking to have the person executed, one might think that they should be executed. In fact, however, their testimony is not effective in having the defendant sentenced to death. Since they are trefe, there is no possibility of requiting them 'as they conspired to do to their brother.' For they conspired to have a healthy person executed and they are sick.
Accordingly, the Kessef Mishneh explains that we are speaking about a situation where the court did not recognize that the witnesses were trefe when it accepted their testimony.
34. Thus the punishment is not 'as they conspired to do to their brother.'
35. For the reasons mentioned by the Rambam in the following halachah.
36. I.e., the descendant of a priest who is not considered as a member of the priesthood, because he was conceived in relations forbidden to his father. See Hilchot Issurei Bi'ah 19:5.
37. Thus making his mother forbidden to his father.
Rabbi Akiva Eiger raises a question, noting that a woman who underwent chalitzah is only forbidden to a priest by Rabbinic decree. Hence the Ramban and others rule that lashes should not be given. Rabbi Akiva Eiger himself states that since the defendant is being disqualified according to Rabbinic decree through the testimony of the witnesses, and by giving that false testimony, they violate a Scriptural commandment, it is appropriate that they be punished by lashing.
38. We do not say that the witnesses should be considered as challalim themselves. This applies even if the witnesses are priests. Makkot 2b explains this based on Deuteronomy 19:19: 'And you shall requite him as he conspired to do to his brother.' The obligation is to requite him, not to requite his descendants and having him declared a challal would be a punishment against his descendants as well as him.
39. The lying witnesses are not exiled "as they conspired to do to" the defendant. The rationale is thatDeuteronomy 19:5 says with regard to a person convicted of inadvertent murder: 'He shall flee to one of these cities.' Makkot, loc. cit., states: ...He,' and not those who conspire against him.'
40. For an atonement fine is not a monetary assessment, but rather a fine designated to bring atonement for the death of the victim. These witnesses do not need that type of atonement, for their ox did not cause death (Rashi,Makkot, loc. cit.; see also Hilchot Nizkei Mammon 10:4-5).
See also the Ketzot HaChoshen 38:2 which explains that even though the witness also caused the ox to be sentenced to death and no benefit to be derived from it. Nevertheless, the witnesses are lashed and not subjected to these penalties. See also the Ramban who differs and maintains that the witnesses are required to make financial restitution and are not lashed.
41. The Nimukei Mahari (based on Makkot, loc. cit.), explains that the intent is that the witnesses testify that the person stole and did not have the money to make restitution for the theft.
42. Although Makkot, loc. cit., outlines how each of these concepts is derived from the exegesis of a verse, since the concepts are not derived through the Thirteen Principles of Biblical Exegesis, the exegesis is considered as only an asmachta. The binding obligation to fulfill these directives stems from the fact that they were transmitted through the Oral Tradition (Radbaz).
43. The Rambam is borrowing the wording of Deuteronomy 25:1-2: 'And they shall validate the righteous and condemn the wicked. If the wicked man is deserving of being beaten...' which continues to speak of the punishment of lashing.
'Condemning the righteous' refers to a situation where lying witnesses caused judgment to be rendered against a righteous person.
44. In this situation, we follow the instructions of the continuation of the verse and punish the person by lashes. Delivering false testimony violates the prohibition 'Do not deliver false testimony against your colleague.' Nevertheless, one might think that since that prohibition does not involve a deed, it is not punishable by lashes. Hence the exegesis of the above verse is necessary. See Makkot 4b (Radbaz, Kessef Mishneh).
45. As in the four cases mentioned in the previous halachah.
46. I.e., since the lying witnesses delivered testimony concerning a transgression punishable by lashes, there is no need for a special teaching to instruct us to give them that punishment. They are requited in this manner, because this is what they 'conspired to do to their brother' (Kessef Mishneh).
47. See Hilchot Issurei Bi'ah 3:3 which states that the two parties to this transgression are given different punishments.
48. Sanhedrin 90a derives this from Deuteronomy 19:19 which speaks of requiting a lying witness, 'as he conspired to do to his brother,' his brother and not his sister. This, however, is an asmachta.
Rabbi Akiva Eiger questions what the ruling would be in a situation where the witnesses claim to have given a warning to the woman, but not to the man. He supposes that even in such a situation, they should be executed by strangulation, not burning.
Edut - Chapter 21
1
The following rule applies when witnesses testify that so-and-so divorced his wife and did not pay her the money due her by virtue of her ketubah and, afterwards, these witnesses were disqualified through hazamah. Now either today or tomorrow, when the husband divorces his wife, he must pay her the money due her by virtue of her ketubah. Hence we calculate how much a person would pay for the right to collect the money due this woman by virtue of her ketubah in the event she would be widowed or divorced and the witnesses are required to pay this amount.
When calculating this amount, we take into consideration the state of the woman and the amount of her ketubah. If the woman is sick or old or there is peace between her and her husband, the value for which her ketubah will be sold will not be the same if she is young and healthy or there is strife between the couple. For such a woman is more likely to be divorced and less likely to die.
Similarly, the amount to be received for a large ketubah is not the same as for a small ketubah. For example, if her ketubah is for 1000 zuz, it might be sold for 100. If it is for 100, it will not be sold for 10 but for less. These matters are dependent on the estimates of the judges.
א
עדים שהעידו שפלוני גירש אשתו ולא נתן לה כתובה והוזמו והלא בין היום בין למחר אם גירש סופו ליתן כתובה אומדין כמה רוצה אדם ליתן בכתובתה של זו שתמכור אותה בטובת הנאה ומשלמין דמי טובת הנאה זו ומשערין באשה ובכתובתה שאם האשה היתה חולה או זקנה או שהיה שלום בינה לבין בעלה אין דמי הכתובה כשתמכר כמו דמיה אם היתה האשה בריאה וקטנה אם יש ביניהן קטטה שזו קרובה מן הגירושין ורחוקה מן המיתה וכן אין טובת הנאה של כתובה המרובה לפי טובת הנאה של כתובה המועטת שאם היתה כתובתה אלף זוז הרי היא נמכרת בטובת הנאה במאה ואם היתה מאה אינה נמכרת בעשרה אלא בפחות דברים אלו כפי מה שישערו הדיינים:
2
Similar principles apply in the following situation. Witnesses testify with regard to a person, saying that he is obligated to pay so-and-so 1000 zuz in 30 days. The borrower admits the debt, but says that it is not due until five years and 30 days. If the witnesses are disqualified through hazamah, we evaluate how much a person would pay to have 1000 zuz available to him for five years. This is the sum paid to the borrower. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.
ב
העידו על זה שחייב לפלוני אלף זוז על מנת ליתן מכאן ועד שלשים יום והלוה אומר עד חמש שנים אחר השלשים יום ונמצאו זוממין אומדין כמה רוצה אדם ליתן ויהיו בידו אלף זוז חמש שנים ומשלמין כן ללוה וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
3
When witnesses testify that a person's ox gored another ox and afterwards, the witnesses were disqualified throughhazamah, they are required to pay half the damages. If the ox is not worth half the damages, they are required to pay only the value of the ox. For the fine of half of the damages must be paid only from the body of the goring ox itself. Therefore if they testified that the ox consumed produce or broke utensils while walking, the witnesses are required to pay the full amount of the loss. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.
ג
העידו על שורו של זה שנגח ונמצאו זוממין משלמין חצי נזק ואם אין השור שוה חצי נזק משלמין דמי השור בלבד שאין משלם חצי נזק אלא מגופו לפיכך אם העידו עליו שאכל פירות או שבר כלים בדרך הילוכו משלמין נזק שלם וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
4
When witnesses testify that a person knocked out the tooth of his servant and then blinded the servant's eye, if afterwards, the witnesses were disqualified through hazamah, they are required to pay the master the value of the servant and the value of his eye.
A different rule applies if they testified that the master blinded the servant's eye and afterwards knocked out his tooth, the witnesses were disqualified through hazamah, and it was later discovered that the events occurred in the opposite order, the master knocked out his tooth and afterwards blinded him. The witnesses must pay the worth of the eye to the servant. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.
ד
העידו על פלוני שהפיל שן עבדו ואח"כ סימא את עינו והוזמו משלמין לאדון דמי העבד ודמי עינו העידו שסימא את עינו ואחר כך הפיל את שנו והוזמו (ואח"כ) ונמצא הדבר הפך שהאדון הפיל את שנו ואחר כך סימא את עינו משלמין דמי עין לעבד וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
5
When witnesses who testified that a woman was warned by her husband not to enter into privacy with another man or who testified that she disobeyed the warning and entered into privacy with him are disqualified through hazamah, they are punished by lashes. If one witness comes and testifies that she committed adultery after she was warned and entered into privacy, and that witness was disqualified through hazamah, that witness is required to pay the money due her by virtue of her ketubah.
If there were two witnesses and they served as the witnesses for the warning, that she entered into privacy, and that she committed adultery, should they be disqualified through hazamah, they are required to pay the money due her by virtue of her ketubah; they do not receive lashes. Why are they not executed - they gave testimony with regard to adultery? Because they did not warn the woman.
ה
עדי קנוי וסתירה שהוזמו לוקין בא עד אחד והעיד שזנתה אחר קנוי וסתירה [ונמצא אותו העד זומם משלם כתובתה היו שנים והן עדי הקינוי והסתירה והטומאה] ונמצאו זוממין משלמין כנגד הכתובה ואין לוקין ולמה לא יהרגו והרי העידו בטומאה לפי שלא התרו בה:
6
If the lying witnesses testified that a person stole and slaughtered or sold the stolen animal, should they be disqualified through hazamah, they are required to pay the entire amount. If two witnesses testify that the person stole and two others that he slaughtered or sold the animal, and both pairs of witnesses are disqualified through hazamah, the first witnesses are required to pay twice the animal's worth, and the second pair, two or three times its worth.
If the second pair alone were disqualified through hazamah, the thief is required to make a double payment to his victim. The later witnesses must pay the remainder of the four and five time payment. If one of the last witnesses is disqualified throughhazamah, the entire last testimony is negated. If one of the first witnesses is disqualified through hazamah, the entire testimony is negated. For if there is no theft, slaughtering it or selling the animal does not obligate the person to pay anything.
ו
שנים שהעידו על זה שגנב וטבח או מכר והוזמו משלמין את הכל העידו שנים שגנב והעידו שנים אחרים שטבח או מכר והוזמו אלו ואלו הרי הראשונים משלמין תשלומי כפל ואחרונים משלמין שנים ושלשה הוזמו האחרונים בלבד הרי הגנב משלם תשלומי כפל והעדים האחרונים משלמין לגנב תשלומי ארבעה וחמשה נמצא אחד מן האחרונים זומם בטלה עדות שניה נמצא אחד מן הראשונים זומם בטלה כל העדות שאם אין גניבה אין הטביחה או המכירה מחייבתו לשלם כלום:
7
When two witnesses testify that a person benefited from the produce of a field for three years and are disqualified throughhazamah, they must pay the worth of the field to its owner. If two witnesses testify that a person benefited from the produce of a field for one year, two others testified that he benefited from its produce for a second year, and two others testified that he benefited from its produce for a third year, should they all be disqualified throughhazamah, they divide the value of the field among themselves. For although the testimony concerning the establishment of the claimant's right to the field involves three separate testimonies, they are one testimony with regard to disqualification throughhazamah.
For this reason, when there are three brothers and one other person, that person may join together with all three of the brothers and testify with regard to one of the years. Although they are three testimonies, they are considered as one testimony with regard to disqualification through hazamah. If they are all disqualified through hazamah, the three brothers must together pay half the value of the field and the person who joined together with each of them must pay the other half of its value.
ז
שנים שהעידו שאכל שדה זו שלש שנים ונמצאו זוממין משלמין לבעל השדה דמי השדה העידו שנים שאכלה שנה ראשונה ושנים שאכלה שנה שניה ושנים שאכלה שנה שלישית והוזמו כולן משלשין ביניהן שאע"פשעדות החזקה שלש עדויות הן הרי הן כעדות אחת להזמה לפיכך שלשה אחים ואחד מצטרף עם כל אחד ואחד והעידו בשנה שנה הרי אלו שלש עדויות ותתקיים בהן החזקה והן כעדות אחת להזמה שאם הוזמו כולן הרי שלשה האחין משלמין חצי דמי השדה וזה שנצטרף עם כל אחד מהן משלם חצי דמיה:
8
Different rules apply when an ox is declared to have a tendency to gore on the basis of the testimony of three groups of witnesses. If the first and the second pair of witnesses are disqualified through hazamah, all of the witnesses are released from liability. If all three sets of witnesses are disqualified, they are all obligated to pay for the entire damages even though half-damages are paid for an ordinary ox.
When does the above apply? When the witnesses are all motioning to each other, or they appear directly after each other, or they know the identity of the owner of the ox, but do not recognize the ox itself. If none of these factors are present, the first and the second group of witnesses are not liable, for they will say: "We came only to obligate him to pay half-damages. We did not know that subsequently another group would come and cause the ox to be deemed as a goring ox."
ח
שלש כתי עדים שנתקיים בעדותן ששור זה מועד ונמצאת כת ראשונה ושניה זוממין כולן פטורין נמצאו שלשתן זוממין כולן חייבין לשלם הנזק שאע"פ שהוא תם משלם חצי נזק בד"א כשהיו כולן רומזין זה את זה או שבאו רצופין או שהיו מכירין בעל השור ולא הכירו השור אבל אם אין שם אחת מאלו הרי כת ראשונה ושנייה פטורין שהרי הן אומרין לא באנו אלא לחייבו חצי נזק ולא ידענו שתבא כת אחרת ויעשה מועד:
9
The following law applies when two people testified with regard to a "wayward and rebellious son" with regard to the first testimony and two others came afterwards and testified with regard to the second testimony which would cause him to be executed. If they are both disqualified through hazamah, the first group is lashed and not executed. The rationale is that they can say: "We came to have him lashed." The second group, however, is executed, because it is their testimony that causes him to be executed. If the second group consisted of four witnesses: Two said: "In our presence, he stole," and two said: "In our presence, he feasted," should they all be disqualified through hazamah, they are all executed.
If two witnesses testify that a person kidnapped a Jewish person and sold him, and they were disqualified through hazamah, they should be executed by strangulation. If two witnesses testified that a person kidnapped a fellow Jew and another two testified that he sold him, whether the witnesses who testified that he kidnapped or those who testified that he sold were disqualified through hazamah, either group which is disqualified through hazamah are executed. The rationale is that kidnapping is the beginning of the conviction and condemnation to death of the defendant.
If two witnesses testify that a person sold a fellow Jew and were disqualified through hazamah, but there were no witnesses that he kidnapped him, the witnesses are not liable. The rationale is that even if they were not disqualified through hazamah, the defendant would not have been executed, because he could have excused himself saying: "I sold my servant."
If witnesses who testify to the sale come after the disqualification of the witnesses who testified concerning the kidnapping, they are not executed. This applies even if we see that they are motioning to each other.
ט
וכן שנים שהעידו בבן סורר ומורה עדות הראשונה ובאו שנים אחריהם והעידו עליו עדות האחרונה שבה יהרג והוזמו שתיהן כת הראשונה לוקה ואינה נהרגת מפני שיכולים לומר להלקותו באנו אבל כת האחרונה נהרגת שעל פיהן בלבד הוא נהרג היתה הכת האחרונה ארבעה שנים אומרים בפנינו גנב ושנים אומרים בפנינו אכל והוזמו כולן נהרגין העידו שנים שזה גנב נפש מישראל ומכרו והוזמו הרי אלו נחנקין העידו שנים שגנבו והעידו שנים אחרים שמכרו בין שהוזמו עדי גניבה בין שהוזמו עדי מכירה כל כת מהן שהוזמה נהרגת שהגניבה היא תחילת חיובו של זה למיתה העידו שנים שמכרו לזה הישראל והוזמו ולא היו שם עדים שגנבו הרי אלו פטורין שאפילו לא הוזמו לא היה זה נהרג מפני שיכול לומר עבדי מכרתי באו עדי גניבה אחר שהוזמו עדי מכירה אפילו ראינו אותן רומזין זה את זה אין נהרגין:
10
The following laws apply if a person spreads a libelous report about his wife, bringing witnesses that she committed adultery after she had been consecrated. If her father brought witnesses who disqualified the witnesses brought by the husband through hazamah, those witnesses are executed. If the husband brought witnesses who disqualified the witnesses brought by the father through hazamah, those witnesses are executed and are required to make financial restitution to the husband. They are executed, because the witnesses brought by the husband were condemned to death on the basis of their testimony. They must pay a fine, because the husband was held liable to pay a fine because of their testimony. Thus they are obligated to be executed because of this person and obligated financially, because of another person.
Similarly, when two people testify that a person engaged in relations with a consecrated maiden and they are disqualified through hazamah, they are executed and are not required to make a financial payment. If they said: "He engaged in relations with the daughter of so-and-so," and they are disqualified throughhazamah, they are executed and are required to pay the fine to her father.
If witnesses testify: "So-and-so sodomized an ox," and they were disqualified by hazamah, they are executed, but not held liable financially. If they said: "the ox belonging to so-and-so," they are executed and required to pay the value of the ox to its owner. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.
י
מוציא שם רע על אשתו שהביא עדים שזנתה כשהיא ארוסה והביא אביה עדים והזימום הרי עדי הבעל נהרגין חזר הבעל והביא עדים והזימו עדי האב הרי עדי האב נהרגין ומשלמין ממון לבעל נהרגין מפני שעדי הבעל נגמר דינם להריגה בעדותן ומשלמין קנס מפני שנגמר דין הבעל לשלם קנס בעדותן ונמצאו חייבין נפשות לזה וממון לזה וכן שנים שהעידו על זה שבא על נערה המאורסה והוזמו נהרגין ואין משלמין בא על בתו של פלוני והוזמו נהרגין ומשלמין הקנס לאביה פלוני רבע השור והוזמו נסקלין ואין משלמין שורו של פלוני נסקלין ומשלמין דמי השור לבעל השור וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
Edut - Chapter 22
1
The following rules apply when two groups of witnesses contradict each other. If one witness from one group came together with one witness from the other group and they both delivered testimony concerning another matter, the testimony is of no consequence. For certainly one of them lied, but we do not know which one.
If one of these groups comes alone and gives testimony and the other group comes alone and gives testimony regarding another matter, we accept the testimony of both groups individually.
א
שתי כתי עדים המכחישות זו את זו שבא עד אחד מכת זו ועד אחד מכת זו והעידו בעדות אחרת אין כאן עדות שהרי בודאי אחד מהן שקר ואין ידוע מי הוא משניהן באה כת זו בפני עצמה והעידה עדות ובאה כת זו והעידה עדות אחרת בפני עצמה מקבלין כל אחת מהן בפני עצמה:
2
Reuven produced two promissory notes against Shimon: one for a maneh and one for 200 zuz. Shimon denied being obligated for either of the promissory notes. The witnesses to one of the promissory notes were one of the groups whose testimonies contradicted each other and the witnesses to the other were the second group. Shimon is required to pay only a maneh, for the bearer of the promissory note has the position of lesser strength. He must take an oath concerning the remainder.
It appears to me that he must take this oath concerning the remainder while holding a sacred article, as is required of a person who admits a portion of the claim lodged against him. For there are two acceptable witnesses who testify concerning a portion of the money which he denied owing entirely. And the statements of his own mouth should not have greater legal power than the testimony of witnesses as we explained.
ב
ראובן שהוציא על שמעון שני שטרות אחד במנה ואחד במאתים וכפר שמעון בשני השטרות ועדי שטר זה כת אחת מאותן השנים שהכחישו זו את זו ועדי השטר השני הכת השניה הרי שמעון משלם מנה שיד בעל השטר על התחתונה וישבע על השאר יראה לי ששבועה זו שישבע על השאר בנקיטת חפץ כדין מודה במקצת שהרי עליו שני עדים כשרים מעידין במקצת הממון שכפר בכולו ולא תהא הודאת פיו גדולה מהעדאת עדים כמו שבארנו:
3
Reuven sued Levi, producing a promissory note signed by one of these groups of witnesses. Shimon also sued Levi and produced a promissory note signed by the other group. Although Levi denies both debts, both Reuven and Shimon are given the option of taking an oath and collecting what they claim. The rationale is that certainly one of them has a viable claim against him. The oath required is a Rabbinic institution as is required of a storekeeper who takes an oath to collect a claim supported by his ledger.
ג
הוציא ראובן שטר על לוי ועדיו כת אחת משתיהן והוציא שמעון שטר שני על לוי ועדיו הכת השניה ולוי כופר בשניהן הרי ראובן נשבע ונוטל ושמעון נשבע ונוטל שבודאי אחד מהן יש לו אצלו ושבועה זו בתקנת חכמים כדין חנוני על פנקסו:
4
Reuven sued Shimon producing a promissory note signed by one of these groups of witnesses and sued Levi, producing a promissory note signed by the other group. If both defendants deny the debts, we follow the principle: 'A person who seeks to expropriate money from a colleague must prove his claim.' Since Reuven cannot validate either of these legal documents, both the promissory notes are like shards. Both of the defendants are required to take merely a sh'vuat heset and they are released of obligation.
When does the above apply? When the two groups of witnesses come to testify at the same time. Otherwise, whenever a person produces a legal document containing testimony of one of these two groups, he may expropriate property based upon it. Afterwards, if either he or another person produce a legal document with testimony from the other group, it can be used to expropriate property whether from the first borrower or from any other person. The rationale is that it is as if each of the two groups came alone and testified.
ד
הוציא ראובן שטר על שמעון ועדיו כת אחת מהן והוציא שטר שני על לוי ועדיו הכת השניה וכל אחד מהן כופר בו המוציא מחבירו עליו הראיה הואיל ואין ראובן יכול לקיים אחד משני שטרות הרי כל שטר מהן כחרס ושני הנטענין נשבעין היסת ונפטרין במה דברים אמורים כשבאו שתי הכתות להעיד כאחת אבל כל המוציא שטר שיש בו עדות כת אחת משתיהן הרי זה גובה בו ואם הוציא אח"כ בין הוא בין אחר שטר שיש בו עדות הכת השניה הרי זה גובה בו בין ממלוה הראשון בין מאחר שהרי כל כת משתיהן באה בפני עצמה והעידה:
5
The following rules apply when a person brings witnesses, their testimony is investigated, they were disqualified throughhazamah, and then he brought other witnesses concerning the same claim and they were also disqualified through hazamah. Even if he brings 100 groups who are disqualified, if afterwards, he brings other witnesses regarding that same claim and the testimony of these witnesses is found to be accurate, the case is adjudicated on this basis. Even though the plaintiff can be presumed to bring lying witnesses, we do not operate under the presumption that these witnesses are lying.
When, by contrast, there is a legal document concerning which a protest has been sustained, i.e., two witnesses came and said that the plaintiff told them to forge this legal document, we never use that legal document to expropriate property even if the authenticity of the signatures of the witnesses is validated.
It appears to me that if the witnesses to the legal document came and testified concerning their signature, the legal document may be used to expropriate money.
ה
מי שהביא עדים ונחקרה עדותן והוזמו וחזר והביא עדים אחרים באותה הטענה עצמה והוזמו אפילו מאה כת ואחר כך הביא עדים אחרים באותה הטענה עצמה ונמצאת עדות אלו האחרונים מכוונת דנין על פיהן שאף על פי שהוחזק זה שטען טענה זו להביא עדים שקרנים הרי לא הוחזקו אלו העדים האחרונים שהן משקרין אבל שטר שקרא עליו ערער והוא שיבאו שנים ויאמרו ממנו שאל לזייף לו שטר זה אף על פי שנתקיים השטר מחותמיו אין גובין בו לעולם ויראה לי שאם באו עדי השטר והעידו הן בעצמן על כתב ידן גובין בו:
• Tuesday, 9 Tishrei, 5777 · 11 October 2016
• "Today's Day"
• Friday, Tishrei 9, Erev Yom Kippur, 5704
Torah lessons: Chumash: B'racha, Shishi with Rashi.
Tehillim: 49-54. Also 112-114.
Tanya: According to that (p. 509) ...as explained elsewhere. (p. 511).
Kaparot: B'nei adam until ul'shalom (p. 296) is said three times, rotating (the fowl) three times around the head at each reading, a total of nine rotations.
Until the end of Tishrei no tachanun is said. Malkot: The one administering and the one receiving the "flogging" together recite v'hu rachum three times.
On Erev Yom Kippur the avoda is remorse for the past; on Yom Kippur - resolve for the future.
• Daily Thought:• "Today's Day"
• Friday, Tishrei 9, Erev Yom Kippur, 5704
Torah lessons: Chumash: B'racha, Shishi with Rashi.
Tehillim: 49-54. Also 112-114.
Tanya: According to that (p. 509) ...as explained elsewhere. (p. 511).
Kaparot: B'nei adam until ul'shalom (p. 296) is said three times, rotating (the fowl) three times around the head at each reading, a total of nine rotations.
Until the end of Tishrei no tachanun is said. Malkot: The one administering and the one receiving the "flogging" together recite v'hu rachum three times.
On Erev Yom Kippur the avoda is remorse for the past; on Yom Kippur - resolve for the future.
Lifted By the Past
When do you know that you have truly returned and changed your past?
As long as that past keeps pulling you down, it remains what it always was.
When that past drives you higher and yet higher each day, then you know that past has been transformed.[Likkutei Sichot, volume 17, page 187.]
-------
Torah Reading
Ha'Azinu: Deuteronomy 32:1 “Hear, oh heavens, as I speak!
Listen, earth, to the words from my mouth!
2 May my teaching fall like rain.
May my speech condense like dew,
like light rain on blades of grass,
or showers on growing plants.
3 “For I will proclaim the name of Adonai.
Come, declare the greatness of our God!
4 The Rock! His work is perfect,
for all his ways are just.
A trustworthy God who does no wrong,
he is righteous and straight.
5 “He is not corrupt; the defect is in his children,
a crooked and perverted generation.
6 You foolish people, so lacking in wisdom,
is this how you repay Adonai?
He is your father, who made you his!
It was he who formed and prepared you!
(ii) 7 “Remember how the old days were;
think of the years through all the ages.
Ask your father — he will tell you;
your leaders too — they will inform you.
8 “When ‘Elyon gave each nation its heritage,
when he divided the human race,
he assigned the boundaries of peoples
according to Isra’el’s population;
9 but Adonai’s share was his own people,
Ya‘akov his allotted heritage.
10 “He found his people in desert country,
in a howling, wasted wilderness.
He protected him and cared for him,
guarded him like the pupil of his eye,
11 like an eagle that stirs up her nest,
hovers over her young,
spreads out her wings, takes them
and carries them as she flies.
12 “Adonai alone led his people;
no alien god was with him.
Today's Law and Customs:
• Ten Days of Repentance
The 10-day period beginning on Rosh Hashanah and ending on Yom Kippur is known as the "Ten Days of Repentance"; this is the period, say the sages, of which the prophet speaks when he proclaims (Isaiah 55:6) "Seek G-d when He is to be found; call on Him when He is near." Psalm 130, Avinu Malkeinu and other special inserts and additions are included in our daily prayers during these days.
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 for today's three Psalms.
Chapter 109
Chapter 110
Chapter 111
Psalms 109:(0) For the leader. A psalm of David:
(1) God, whom I praise, don’t remain silent!
2 For wicked and deceitful men
have opened their mouths against me,
spoken against me with lying tongues,
3 surrounded me with hateful words,
and attacked me without cause.
4 In return for my love they became my accusers,
even though I prayed for them.
5 They repay me evil for good
and hatred for my love.
6 [They say,] “Appoint a wicked man over him,
may an accuser stand at his right.
7 When he is tried, let him be found guilty,
may even his plea be counted a sin.
8 May his days be few,
may someone else take his position.
9 May his children be fatherless
and his wife a widow.
10 May his children be wandering beggars,
foraging for food from their ruined homes.
11 May creditors seize all he owns
and strangers make off with his earnings.
12 May no one treat him kindly,
and may no one take pity on his orphaned children.
13 May his posterity be cut off;
may his name be erased within a generation.
14 May the wrongs of his ancestors be remembered by Adonai,
and may the sin of his mother not be erased;
15 may they always be before Adonai,
so he can cut off all memory of them from the earth.
16 For he did not remember to show kindness
but hounded the downtrodden, the poor
and the brokenhearted to death.
17 He loved cursing; may it recoil on him!
He didn’t like blessing; may it stay far from him!
18 He clothed himself with cursing
as routinely as with his coat;
May it enter inside him as easily as water,
as easily as oil into his bones.
19 May it cling to him like the coat he wears,
like the belt he wraps around himself.”
20 This is what my adversaries want Adonai to do,
those who speak evil against me.
21 But you, God, Adonai,
treat me as your name demands;
rescue me, because your grace is good.
22 For I am poor and needy,
and my heart within me is wounded.
23 Like a lengthening evening shadow, I am gone;
I am shaken off like a locust.
24 My knees are weak from lack of food,
my flesh wastes away for lack of nourishment.
25 I have become the object of their taunts;
when they see me, they shake their heads.
26 Help me, Adonai, my God!
Save me, in keeping with your grace;
27 so that they will know that this comes from your hand,
that you, Adonai, have done it.
28 Let them go on cursing;
but you, bless!
When they attack, let them be put to shame;
but let your servant rejoice.
29 Let my adversaries be clothed with confusion,
let them wear their own shame like a robe.
30 I will eagerly thank Adonai with my mouth,
I will praise him right there in the crowd,
31 because he stands alongside a needy person
to defend him from unjust accusers.
110:(0) A psalm of David:
(1) Adonai says to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies
your footstool.”
2 Adonai will send your powerful scepter
out from Tziyon,
so that you will rule over
your enemies around you.
3 On the day your forces mobilize,
your people willingly offer themselves
in holy splendors from the womb of the dawn;
the dew of your youth is yours.
4 Adonai has sworn it,
and he will never retract —
“You are a cohen forever,
to be compared with Malki-Tzedek.”
5 Adonai at your right hand
will shatter kings on the day of his anger.
6 He will pass judgment among the nations,
filling it with dead bodies;
he will shatter heads
throughout an extensive territory.
7 He will drink from a stream as he goes on his way;
therefore he will hold his head high.
111:1 Halleluyah!
I will wholeheartedly give thanks to Adonai
in the council of the upright and in the assembly.
2 The deeds of Adonai are great,
greatly desired by all who enjoy them.
3 His work is full of majesty and splendor,
and his righteousness continues forever.
4 He has gained renown for his wonders.
Adonai is merciful and compassionate.
5 He gives food to those who fear him.
He remembers his covenant forever.
6 He shows his people how powerfully he works
by giving them the nations as their heritage.
7 The works of his hands are truth and justice;
all his precepts can be trusted.
8 They have been established forever and ever,
to be carried out truly and honestly.
9 He sent redemption to his people
and decreed that his covenant should last forever.
His name is holy and fearsome —
10 the first and foremost point of wisdom is the fear of Adonai;
all those living by it gain good common sense.
His praise stands forever.
Links: About the Ten Days of teshuvah; Voicemail; more on teshuvah• Tashlich
In certain communities, it is customary to perform the Tashlich ceremony today (if the day doesn't fall on Shabbat.)
Today in Jewish History:
• Temple Dedicated (826 BCE)
The 14-day dedication festivities, celebrating the completion of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem built by King Solomon, commenced on the 8th of Tishrei of the year 2935 from creation (826 BCE). The First Temple served as the epicenter of Jewish national and spiritual life for 410 year, until its destruction by the Babylonians in 423 BCE.
Links: The Holy Temple: an Anthology
• Passing of R. Baruch (1791)
Yahrtzeit of Rabbi Baruch, father of the founder of Chabad, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi.
Daily Quote:
In a mature tree, a gash here or a torn branch there is of little or no consequence. But the smallest scratch in the seed, the slightest nick in the sapling, results in a flaw which the decades to come will deepen rather than erase...[The Lubavitcher Rebbe on education]Daily Study:
Chitas and Rambam for today:
Chumash: Ha'Azinu, 2nd Portion Deuteronomy 32:7-32:12 with Rashi
• Deuteronomy Chapter 32
7Remember the days of old; reflect upon the years of [other] generations. Ask your father, and he will tell you; your elders, and they will inform you. זזְכֹר֙ יְמ֣וֹת עוֹלָ֔ם בִּ֖ינוּ שְׁנ֣וֹת דֹּֽר וָדֹ֑ר שְׁאַ֤ל אָבִ֨יךָ֙ וְיַגֵּ֔דְךָ זְקֵנֶ֖יךָ וְיֹֽאמְרוּ־לָֽךְ:
Remember the days of old: what God did to past generations who provoked Him to anger. זכר ימות עולם: מה עשה בראשונים שהכעיסו לפניו:
reflect upon the years of [other] generations: [I.e.,] the generation of Enosh, whom [God] inundated with the waters of the ocean, and the generation of the Flood, whom [God] washed away. Another explanation is: [If] you have not set your attention to the past, then “reflect upon the years of generations,” i.e., to recognize the future, that He has the power to bestow good upon you and to give you as an inheritance the days of the Messiah and the world-to-come. — [Sifrei 32:6] בינו שנות דר ודר: דור אנוש שהציף עליהם מי אוקינוס ודור המבול ששטפם. דבר אחר לא נתתם לבבכם על שעבר. בינו שנות דור ודור להכיר להבא שיש בידו להיטיב לכם ולהנחיל לכם ימות המשיח והעולם הבא:
Ask your father: These are the prophets, who are called “fathers,” as Scripture states regarding [Elisha’s crying out to] Elijah, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel!” (II Kings 2:12). שאל אביך: אלו הנביאים שנקראים אבות, כמו שנאמר באליהו (מלכים ב' ב, יב) אבי אבי רכב ישראל:
your elders: These are the Sages. — [Sifrei 32:7] זקניך: אלו החכמים:
and they will inform you: the events of the former times. ויאמרו לך: הראשונות:
8When the Most High gave nations their lot, when He separated the sons of man, He set up the boundaries of peoples according to the number of the children of Israel. חבְּהַנְחֵ֤ל עֶלְיוֹן֙ גּוֹיִ֔ם בְּהַפְרִיד֖וֹ בְּנֵ֣י אָדָ֑ם יַצֵּב֙ גְּבֻלֹ֣ת עַמִּ֔ים לְמִסְפַּ֖ר בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
When the Most High gave nations their lot: When the Holy One, Blessed is He, gave those who provoked Him to anger their portion, He flooded them and drowned them [i.e., that was their lot]. בהנחל עליון גוים: כשהנחיל הקדוש ברוך הוא למכעיסיו את חלק נחלתן הציפן ושטפם:
when He separated the sons of man: When [God] scattered the Generation of the Dispersion [which built the tower of Babel], He had the power to remove them from the world [altogether], but He did not do so. Rather, “He set up the boundaries of peoples,” [i.e.,] He let them remain in existence and did not destroy them. בהפרידו בני אדם: כשהפיץ דור הפלגה היה בידו להעבירם מן העולם ולא עשה כן, אלא יצב גבולות עמים קיימם ולא אבדם:
according to the number of the children of Israel: [God let man remain in existence] for the sake of a [small] number of the children of Israel who were destined to descend from the children of Shem, and [the sake of] the number of the seventy souls of the children of Israel who went down to Egypt, He “set up the boundaries of peoples,” [i.e., He separated man into seventy nations with] seventy languages. למספר בני ישראל: בשביל מספר בני ישראל שעתידים לצאת מבני שם, ולמספר שבעים נפש של בני ישראל שירדו למצרים, הציב גבולות עמים שבעים לשון:
9Because the Lord's portion is His people Jacob, the lot of His inheritance. טכִּ֛י חֵ֥לֶק יְהֹוָ֖ה עַמּ֑וֹ יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב חֶ֥בֶל נַֽחֲלָתֽוֹ:
Because the Lord’s portion is His people: And why did God go to all this effort [to save mankind]? “Because the Lord’s portion” was hidden within them [i.e., mankind] and was destined to come forth. And who is God’s portion? “His people.” And who is His people? “Jacob, the lot of His inheritance” - and he is the third among the Patriarchs. He is endowed with a threefold [parcel] of merits: The merit of his grandfather, the merit of his father, and his own merit-thus, totaling three, like a rope (חֶבֶל) composed of three strands [twined together for added strength (Sifrei 32:9)]. Thus, it was [only] Jacob and his sons who became God’s inheritance, not Ishmael, the son of Abraham, and not Esau, the son of Isaac. כי חלק ה' עמו: למה כל זאת, לפי שהיה חלקו כבוש ביניהם ועתיד לצאת. ומי הוא חלקו, עמו. ומי הוא עמו יעקב חבל נחלתו - והוא השלישי באבות, המשולש בשלש זכיות, זכות אבי אביו וזכות אביו וזכותו, הרי שלשה, כחבל הזה שהוא עשוי בשלשה גדילים והוא ובניו היו לו לנחלה, ולא ישמעאל בן אברהם, ולא עשו בן של יצחק:
10He found them in a desert land, and in a desolate, howling wasteland. He encompassed them and bestowed understanding upon them; He protected them as the pupil of His eye. ייִמְצָאֵ֨הוּ֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִדְבָּ֔ר וּבְתֹ֖הוּ יְלֵ֣ל יְשִׁמֹ֑ן יְסֹֽבְבֶ֨נְהוּ֙ יְב֣וֹנְנֵ֔הוּ יִצְּרֶ֖נְהוּ כְּאִישׁ֥וֹן עֵינֽוֹ:
He found them in a desert land: God found them [i.e., Jacob’s sons] faithful to Him in a desert land, for they accepted His Torah, His sovereignty, and His yoke upon themselves-something that Ishmael and Esau did not do, as Scripture states,“The Lord… shone forth from Seir to them, and appeared from Mount Paran” (Deut. 33:2). [The Sages (SifreiDeut. 33:2, Tanchuma Beracha 4) explain this to mean: God first went to the children of Esau (Seir) and offered them the Torah, but they refused to accept it; then He went and offered it to the children of Ishmael (Paran), and they also refused. See Rashi on that verse.] ימצאהו בארץ מדבר: אותם מצא לו נאמנים בארץ המדבר, שקבלו עליהם תורתו ומלכותו ועולו מה שלא עשו ישמעאל ועשו, שנאמר (לקמן לג, ב) וזרח משעיר למו הופיע מהר פארן:
and in a desolate, howling wasteland: An arid, desolate land, a place of howling (יְלֵל) jackals and ostriches. Yet even there, Israel followed their faith. They did not say to Moses, “How can we go out into the deserts, a place of drought and desolation?” The verse attests to this:“When you went after Me in the desert” (Jer. 2: 2). ובתהו ילל ישימון: ארץ ציה ושממה מקום יללת תנינים ובנות יענה אף שם נמשכו אחר האמונה, ולא אמרו למשה האיך נצא למדברות מקום ציה ושממון, כענין שנאמר (ירמיה ב, ב) לכתך אחרי במדבר:
He encompassed them: There [in the desert], [God] encompassed [Israel], surrounding them by [protective] clouds; He surrounded them with divisions in four directions, and He surrounded them with the underside of the mountain [Sinai], which He overturned [i.e., suspending it] over them like a tub [see Rashi on Exod. 19:17]. — [Sifrei 32:10] יסבבנהו: שם סבבם והקיפם בעננים וסבבם בדגלים לארבע רוחות וסבבן בתחתית ההר, שכפהו עליהם כגיגית:
and bestowed understanding upon them: There [God bestowed upon them] Torah and understanding. יבוננהו: שם בתורה ובינה:
He protected them: from snakes, serpents, and scorpions, and from [hostile] nations. יצרנהו: מנחש שרף ועקרב ומן האומות:
as the pupil of his eye: This refers to the black part of the eye, from which the light is reflected outward. Now, Onkelos renders יִמְצָאֵהוּ as:“He provided their needs,” that is, God provided Israel with all their needs in the desert. [The use of the word מָצָא is] similar to [its use in the verses],“[Will flock and cattle be slaughtered for them] to provide (וּמָצָא) them?” (Num. 11:22), and“The mountain is not enough (יִמָּצֵא) for us” (Josh. 17:16). כאישון עינו: הוא השחור שבעין, שהמאור יוצא הימנו. ואונקלוס תרגם ימצאהו יספיקהו כל צרכו במדבר, כמו (במדבר יא, כב) ומצא להם, (יהושע יז, טז) לא ימצא לנו ההר:
He encompassed them: [Rendered by Onkelos :] “He made them encamp round about His Divine Presence”-the Tent of Meeting [where the Divine Presence rested] was in the middle [of the camp] and the four divisions [i.e., the tribal camps, surrounded it] from all four directions. יסבבנהו: אשרינון סחור סחור לשכינתיה, אוהל מועד באמצע וארבעה דגלים לארבע רוחות:
11As an eagle awakens its nest, hovering over its fledglings, it spreads its wings, taking them and carrying them on its pinions. יאכְּנֶ֨שֶׁר֙ יָעִ֣יר קִנּ֔וֹ עַל־גּֽוֹזָלָ֖יו יְרַחֵ֑ף יִפְרֹ֤שׂ כְּנָפָיו֙ יִקָּחֵ֔הוּ יִשָּׂאֵ֖הוּ עַל־אֶבְרָתֽוֹ:
As an eagle awakens its nest: He guided them [Israel] with mercy and compassion like an eagle, which is merciful towards its own fledglings and does not enter its nest suddenly. [Rather,] it beats and flaps its wings above its young between one tree and another, between one branch and another, in order that its young should awaken and have the strength to receive it. כנשר יעיר קנו: נהגם ברחמים ובחמלה כנשר הזה רחמני על בניו ואינו נכנס לקנו פתאום עד שהוא מקשקש ומטרף על בניו בכנפיו בין אילן לאילן בין שוכה לחברתה, כדי שיעורו בניו, ויהא בהם כח לקבלו:
awakens its nest: [I.e.,] it awakens its fledglings. יעיר קנו: יעורר בניו:
hovering over its fledglings: [The eagle] does not impose its [whole] body upon them. Rather, it hovers above them, touching them and yet not quite touching them. So too, is the Holy One, Blessed is He. [As in the verse:] “We did not find the Almighty great in power” (Job 37:23). When He came to give the Torah to Israel, He did not reveal Himself to them from one direction [thus concentrating His power at one point, as it were], but rather, from four directions, as Scripture states, “The Lord came from Sinai, and shone forth from Seir to them, and appeared from Mount Paran” (Deut. 33:2). [This accounts for three directions.] The fourth direction is referred to in [the verse], “God comes from Teman” (Hab. 3:3). - [Sifrei 32:11] על גוזליו ירחף: אינו מכביד עצמו עליהם אלא מחופף, נוגע ואינו נוגע, אף הקב"ה (איוב לז, כג) שדי לא מצאנוהו שגיא כח, כשבא ליתן תורה לא נגלה עליהם מרוח אחת אלא מארבע רוחות, שנאמר (לקמן לג, ב) ה' מסיני בא וזרח משעיר למו הופיע מהר פארן ואתה מרבבות קודש, (חבקוק ג, ג) אלוה מתימן יבא זו רוח רביעית:
spreading its wings, taking them: When it [the eagle] comes to move [its fledglings] from place to place, it does not pick them up with its feet, as do other birds. Other birds are afraid of the eagle, which soars very high and flies above them. For this reason, it [the other bird] carries them with its feet because of the eagle [above them]. The eagle, however, is afraid only of an arrow. Therefore, it carries its young on its wings, saying, “It is better that an arrow pierce me, rather than pierce my young.” So too, the Holy One, Blessed is He, [says]: “I carried you on eagles’ wings” (Exod. 19:4). [I.e.,] when the Egyptians pursued [the children of Israel] and overtook them at the [Red] Sea, they cast arrows and catapulted rocks [at Israel]. Immediately, “The angel of God moved… [behind them… and the pillar of cloud] came between the camp of Egypt [and the camp of Israel]” (Exod. 14:19-20) [for Israel’s protection]. — [Mechilta 19:4] יפרוש כנפיו יקחהו: כשבא ליטלן ממקום למקום אינו נוטלן ברגליו כשאר עופות, לפי ששאר עופות יראים מן הנשר, שהוא מגביה לעוף ופורח עליהם, לפיכך נושאן ברגליו מפני הנשר, אבל הנשר אינו ירא אלא מן החץ לפיכך נושאן על כנפיו. אומר מוטב שיכנס החץ בי ולא יכנס בבני, אף הקב"ה (שמות יט, ד) ואשא אתכם על כנפי נשרים, כשנסעו מצרים אחריהם והשיגום על הים היו זורקים בהם חצים ואבני בליסטראות, מיד (שמות יד, יט - כ) ויסע מלאך האלהים וגו' ויבא בין מחנה מצרים וגו':
12[So] the Lord guided them alone, and there was no alien deity with Him. יביְהֹוָ֖ה בָּדָ֣ד יַנְחֶ֑נּוּ וְאֵ֥ין עִמּ֖וֹ אֵ֥ל נֵכָֽר:
[So] the Lord guided them alone: God guided them safely and alone in the desert. ה' בדד ינחנו: נהגם במדבר בטח ובדד:
and there was no alien deity with him: Not one of the deities of the nations had the power to display its might and to wage war with them [i.e., with Israel]. Our Rabbis, however, explained [this whole verse] as referring to the future [i.e., “(So) the Lord will guide them….”] (Sifrei 32:12), and Onkelos renders [this verse] likewise. But I say that these are words of reproof. [Moses] called upon heaven and earth as witnesses, and this song [i.e., parashath Ha’azinu] would [also] be a witness, that eventually [Israel] would betray [God], and they would neither remember what God did for them in the past [generations], nor [would they bear in mind] what He was destined to do to them. Hence, this [verse] should be understood to refer to both [the past and the future]. And [therefore] this whole passage is apropos of [the phrase]:“Remember the days of old; reflect upon the years of [other] generations” (verse 7)-thus [God] did for them, and thus will He do for them in the future. [The passage is admonishing Israel:] They should have remembered all this. ואין עמו אל נכר: לא היה כח באחד מכל אלהי הגוים להראות כחו ולהלחם עמהם. ורבותינו דרשוהו על העתיד, וכן תרגם אונקלוס. ואני אומר דברי תוכחה הם, להעיד השמים והארץ ותהא השירה להם לעד שסופן לבגוד ולא יזכרו הראשונות שעשה להם ולא הנולדות שהוא עתיד לעשות להם, לפיכך צריך ליישב הדבר לכאן ולכאן. וכל הענין מוסב על (פסוק ז) זכור ימות עולם בינו שנות דור ודור, כן עשה להם וכן עתיד לעשות, כל זה היה להם לזכור:
Daily Tehillim: Chapters 44 - 48
• 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 44
The psalmist cries and laments painfully over this bitter exile, where we and our Torah are shamed daily, when the nations say that God has exchanged us for another nation, and where we are considered as sheep for the slaughter, as a byword and taunt. It is therefore fitting that God redeem us, for the sake of His great Name that abides with us in exile.
1. For the Conductor, by the sons of Korach, a maskil.1
2. God, with our ears we have heard, our fathers have told us, of the deeds You wrought in their days, in the days of old.
3. You drove out nations with Your hand, and planted [Israel in their place]; You afflicted peoples and banished them.
4. For not by their sword did they inherit the land, and their own arm did not save them, but by Your right hand, Your arm and the light of Your countenance-for You favored them.
5. You are my king, O God; decree the salvation of Jacob.
6. Through You will we gore our adversaries; with Your Name we will trample our opponents.
7. For I do not trust in my bow, and my sword cannot save me.
8. For You have delivered us from our foes, and You shamed those who hate us.
9. In God we glory all day, and forever thank Your Name, Selah.
10. Though You abandon and disgrace us, and do not go forth with our armies;
11. You cause us to retreat from the oppressor, and those who hate us plunder for themselves;
12. You deliver us like sheep to be devoured, and scatter us among the nations;
13. You sell Your nation without gain, and do not set a high price upon them;
14. You make us a disgrace to our neighbors, the scorn and derision of those around us;
15. You make us a byword among the nations, [a cause for] nodding the head among the peoples;
16. all day long my humiliation is before me, and the shame of my face covers me
17. at the voice of the reviler and blasphemer, because of the foe and avenger-
18. all this has come upon us, yet we have not forgotten You, nor have we been false to Your covenant.
19. Our hearts have not retracted, nor have our steps strayed from Your path.
20. Even when You crushed us in the place of serpents, and shrouded us in the shadow of death-
21. did we forget the Name of our God, and extend our hands to a foreign god?
22. Is it not so that God can examine this, for He knows the secrets of the heart.
23. For it is for Your sake that we are killed all the time; we are regarded as sheep for the slaughter.
24. Arise! Why do You sleep, my Lord? Wake up! Do not abandon [us] forever!
25. Why do You conceal Your countenance and forget our affliction and distress?
26. For our souls are bowed to the dust, our bellies cleave to the earth.
27. Arise! Be our help, and redeem us for the sake of Your kindness.
FOOTNOTES
1.A psalm intended to enlighten and impart knowledge(Metzudot).
Chapter 45
The psalmist composed this psalm referring to Moshiach. He describes his greatness, his attributes, his glory, his wealth, and his reign; and states that Israel anticipates him, remembering and saying in every generation, "When will King Moshiach come?"
1. For the Conductor, upon the shoshanim,1 By the sons of Korach; a maskil,2 a song of love.
2. My heart is astir with a noble theme; I say, "My composition is for the king;3 my tongue is the pen of a skillful scribe.”
3. You are the most handsome of men, charm is poured upon your lips; therefore has God blessed you forever.
4. Gird your sword upon your thigh, O mighty one-it is your majesty and splendor.
5. And with your splendor, succeed and ride on for the sake of truth and righteous humility; and your right hand will guide you to awesome deeds.
6. Your arrows are sharpened-nations fall beneath you-[the arrows fall] into the hearts of the king's enemies.
7. Your throne, O ruler, is forever and ever, [for] the scepter of justice is the scepter of your kingdom.
8. You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore has God, your God, anointed you with oil of joy above your peers.
9. Myrrh, aloes and cassia are [the fragrance] of all your garments, which are from ivory palaces that bring you joy.
10. Daughters of kings visit you, and the queen stands erect at your right hand, adorned in the fine gold of Ophir.
11. Hear, O daughter, and observe, incline your ear; forget your people and your father's house.
12. Then the king will desire your beauty. He is your master-bow to him.
13. The daughter of Tyre, the wealthiest of nations, will seek your favor with a gift.
14. All the glory of the princess is within; her clothing surpasses settings of gold.
15. In embroidered garments she will be brought to the king; the maidens in her train, her companions, will be led to you.
16. They will be brought with gladness and joy, they will enter the palace of the king.
17. Your sons will succeed your fathers; you will appoint them ministers throughout the land.
18. I will cause Your Name to be remembered throughout the generations; therefore will the nations praise You forever and ever.
FOOTNOTES
1.A musical instrument shaped like a shoshana, a rose (Metzudot).
2.A psalm intended to enlighten and impart knowledge(Metzudot).
3.Reffering to the Messiah. (Metzudot).
Chapter 46
This psalm tells of the Gog and Magog era (the Messianic age), when man will cast aside his weapons, and warfare will be no more.
1. For the Conductor, by the sons of Korach, on the alamot,1 a song.
2. God is our refuge and strength, a help in distress, He is most accessible.
3. Therefore, we will not be afraid when the earth is transformed, when mountains collapse in the heart of the seas;
4. when its waters roar and are muddied, and mountains quake before His grandeur, Selah.
5. The river2-its streams will bring joy to the city of God, the sacred dwelling of the Most High.
6. God is in her midst, she will not falter; God will help her at the approach of morning.
7. Nations clamor, kingdoms stumble; He raises His voice and the earth dissolves.
8. The Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold forever.
9. Go and see the works of the Lord, Who has wrought devastation in the land.
10. To the end of the earth He causes wars to cease; He breaks the bow, snaps the spear, and burns the wagons in fire.
11. Stop [waging war]! And know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, exalted upon the earth.
12. The Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold forever.
FOOTNOTES
1.A musical instrument (Rashi)
2.Flowing from Eden (Rashi)
Chapter 47
Following the battle of Gog and Magog (in the Messianic era), war will be no more. God will grant us salvation, and we will merit to go up to the Holy Temple for the festivals, Amen.
1. For the Conductor, a psalm by the sons of Korach.
2. All you nations, clap hands; sound [the shofar] to God with a sound of jubilation.
3. For the Lord is most high, awesome; a great King over all the earth.
4. He subdues peoples under us, nations beneath our feet.
5. He chooses our heritage for us, the glory of Jacob whom He loves eternally.
6. God ascends through teruah, the Lord-through the sound of the shofar.
7. Sing, O sing to God; sing, O sing to our King.
8. For God is King over all the earth; sing, O man of understanding.
9. God reigns over the nations; God is seated on His holy throne.
10. The most noble of the nations are gathered, the nation of the God of Abraham; for the protectors of the earth belong to God; He is greatly exalted.
Chapter 48
The psalmist prophesies about the Messianic era, singing the praises of a rebuilt Jerusalem and the sacrifices brought there. At that time Israel will say, "As we heard from the mouths of the prophets, so have we merited to see!"
1. A song, a psalm by the sons of Korach.
2. The Lord is great and exceedingly acclaimed in the city of God, His holy mountain.
3. Beautiful in landscape, the joy of the whole earth is Mount Zion, on the northern slopes, the city of the great King.
4. In her citadels, God became known as a tower of strength.
5. For behold, the kings assembled, they advanced in concert [to invade her].
6. They saw [the wonders of the Almighty] and were astounded; they were terror-stricken, they hastened to flee.
7. Trembling seized them there, pangs as of a woman in the throes of labor;
8. [they were crushed as] by an east wind that shatters the ships of Tarshish.
9. As we have heard, so have we seen, in the city of the Lord of Hosts, in the city of our God; may God establish it for all eternity.
10. God, we have been hoping for Your kindness [to be revealed] within Your Sanctuary.
11. As Your Name, O God, [is great,] so is Your praise to the ends of the earth; Your right hand is filled with righteousness.
12. Let Mount Zion rejoice, let the towns of Judah exult, because of Your judgments.
13. Walk around Zion, encircle her, count her towers.
14. Consider well her ramparts, behold her lofty citadels, that you may recount it to a later generation.
15. For this God is our God forever and ever; He will lead us eternally.
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 109, 110 and 111.
Chapter 109
David composed this psalm while fleeing from Saul. At that time he faced many enemies who, despite acting friendly in his presence, spoke only evil of him; he therefore curses them bitterly.
1. For the Conductor, by David, a psalm. O God of my praise, be not silent.
2. For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful have opened against me; they spoke to me with a false tongue.
3. They have surrounded me with words of hate, and attacked me without cause.
4. In return for my love they hate me; still, I am [a man of] prayer.
5. They placed harm upon me in return for my favor, and hatred in return for my love.
6. Appoint a wicked man over him; let an adversary stand at his right.
7. When he is judged may he go out condemned; may his prayer be considered a sin.
8. May his days be few; may another take his position.
9. May his children be orphans and his wife a widow.
10. May his children wander about and beg; may they seek charity from amid their ruins.
11. May the creditor seize all that he has, and may strangers plunder [the fruits of] his labor.
12. May he have none who extends him kindness, and may none be gracious to his orphans.
13. May his posterity be cut off; may their name be erased in a later generation.
14. May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered by the Lord, and the sin of his mother not be erased.
15. May they be before the Lord always, and may He cut off their memory from the earth.
16. Because he did not remember to do kindness, and he pursued the poor and destitute man and the broken-hearted, to kill [him].
17. He loved the curse and it has come upon him; he did not desire blessing, and it has remained far from him.
18. He donned the curse like his garment, and it came like water into his innards, like oil into his bones.
19. May it be to him like a cloak in which he wraps himself, as a belt with which he girds himself always.
20. This is from the Lord for the deeds of my enemies, and [for] those who speak evil against my soul.
21. And You, God, my Lord, do [kindness] with me for the sake of Your Name; for Your kindness is good, rescue me!
22. For I am poor and destitute, and my heart has died within me.
23. Like the fleeting shadow I am banished, I am tossed about like the locust.
24. My knees totter from fasting, and my flesh is lean without fat.
25. And I became a disgrace to them; they see me and shake their heads.
26. Help me, Lord, my God, deliver me according to Your kindness.
27. Let them know that this is Your hand, that You, Lord, have done it.
28. Let them curse, but You will bless; they arose, but they will be shamed, and Your servant will rejoice.
29. May my adversaries be clothed in humiliation; may they wrap themselves in their shame as in a cloak.
30. I will thank the Lord profusely with my mouth, and amid the multitude I will praise Him,
31. when He stands at the right of the destitute one to deliver him from the condemners of his soul.
Chapter 110
This psalm records the response of Eliezer, servant of Abraham (to those who asked how Abraham managed to defeat the four kings). He tells of Abraham killing the mighty kings and their armies. Read, and you will discover that the entire psalm refers to Abraham, who merited prominence for recognizing God in his youth.
1. By David, a psalm. The Lord said to my master, "Sit at My right, until I make your enemies a stool for your feet.”
2. The staff of your strength the Lord will send from Zion, to rule amid your enemies.
3. Your people [will come] willingly on the day of your campaign; because of your splendid sanctity from when you emerged from the womb, you still possess the dew of your youth.
4. The Lord has sworn and will not regret: "You shall be a priest forever, just as Melchizedek!”
5. My Lord is at your right; He has crushed kings on the day of His fury.
6. He will render judgement upon the nations, and they will be filled with corpses; He will crush heads over a vast land.
7. He will drink from the stream on the way, and so will hold his head high.
Chapter 111
This psalm is written in alphabetical sequence, each verse containing two letters, save the last two verses which contain three letters each. The psalm is short yet prominent, speaking of the works of God and their greatness.
1. Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart, in the counsel of the upright and the congregation.
2. Great are the works of the Lord, [yet] available to all who desire them.
3. Majesty and splendor are His work, and His righteousness endures forever.
4. He established a memorial for His wonders, for the Lord is gracious and compassionate.
5. He gave food to those who fear Him; He remembered His covenant always.
6. He has declared the power of His deeds to His people, to give them the inheritance of nations.
7. The works of His hands are true and just; all His mandates are faithful.
8. They are steadfast for ever and ever, for they are made with truth and uprightness.
9. He sent redemption to His people, [by] commanding His covenant forever; holy and awesome is His Name.
10. The beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord; sound wisdom for all who practice it-His praise endures forever.
Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 20
• Lessons in Tanya
• Today's Tanya Lesson
• Monday, 8 Tishrei, 5777 · 10 October 2016
• Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 20
• The Alter Rebbe now goes on to say that when the radiation descends in the third manner, it is manifest only in creatures of the lowest order, those deriving from the Element of Earth, this Element being lower than the other Elements of Fire, Air and Water. And it is mainly within the physical earth that the Divine power of creating yesh from ayin is revealed. This power derives from the essence of the Ein Sof-light; it is primarily found in the encompassing light, and is revealed through the Kav,the inner light.
Rambam: Sefer Hamitzvos:
• Monday, 8 Tishrei, 5777 · 10 October 2016
• Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
Negative Commandment 285
False Testimony
"You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor"—Exodus 20:13.
It is forbidden to testify falsely.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
Chumash: Ha'Azinu, 2nd Portion Deuteronomy 32:7-32:12 with Rashi
• Deuteronomy Chapter 32
7Remember the days of old; reflect upon the years of [other] generations. Ask your father, and he will tell you; your elders, and they will inform you. זזְכֹר֙ יְמ֣וֹת עוֹלָ֔ם בִּ֖ינוּ שְׁנ֣וֹת דֹּֽר וָדֹ֑ר שְׁאַ֤ל אָבִ֨יךָ֙ וְיַגֵּ֔דְךָ זְקֵנֶ֖יךָ וְיֹֽאמְרוּ־לָֽךְ:
Remember the days of old: what God did to past generations who provoked Him to anger. זכר ימות עולם: מה עשה בראשונים שהכעיסו לפניו:
reflect upon the years of [other] generations: [I.e.,] the generation of Enosh, whom [God] inundated with the waters of the ocean, and the generation of the Flood, whom [God] washed away. Another explanation is: [If] you have not set your attention to the past, then “reflect upon the years of generations,” i.e., to recognize the future, that He has the power to bestow good upon you and to give you as an inheritance the days of the Messiah and the world-to-come. — [Sifrei 32:6] בינו שנות דר ודר: דור אנוש שהציף עליהם מי אוקינוס ודור המבול ששטפם. דבר אחר לא נתתם לבבכם על שעבר. בינו שנות דור ודור להכיר להבא שיש בידו להיטיב לכם ולהנחיל לכם ימות המשיח והעולם הבא:
Ask your father: These are the prophets, who are called “fathers,” as Scripture states regarding [Elisha’s crying out to] Elijah, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel!” (II Kings 2:12). שאל אביך: אלו הנביאים שנקראים אבות, כמו שנאמר באליהו (מלכים ב' ב, יב) אבי אבי רכב ישראל:
your elders: These are the Sages. — [Sifrei 32:7] זקניך: אלו החכמים:
and they will inform you: the events of the former times. ויאמרו לך: הראשונות:
8When the Most High gave nations their lot, when He separated the sons of man, He set up the boundaries of peoples according to the number of the children of Israel. חבְּהַנְחֵ֤ל עֶלְיוֹן֙ גּוֹיִ֔ם בְּהַפְרִיד֖וֹ בְּנֵ֣י אָדָ֑ם יַצֵּב֙ גְּבֻלֹ֣ת עַמִּ֔ים לְמִסְפַּ֖ר בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
When the Most High gave nations their lot: When the Holy One, Blessed is He, gave those who provoked Him to anger their portion, He flooded them and drowned them [i.e., that was their lot]. בהנחל עליון גוים: כשהנחיל הקדוש ברוך הוא למכעיסיו את חלק נחלתן הציפן ושטפם:
when He separated the sons of man: When [God] scattered the Generation of the Dispersion [which built the tower of Babel], He had the power to remove them from the world [altogether], but He did not do so. Rather, “He set up the boundaries of peoples,” [i.e.,] He let them remain in existence and did not destroy them. בהפרידו בני אדם: כשהפיץ דור הפלגה היה בידו להעבירם מן העולם ולא עשה כן, אלא יצב גבולות עמים קיימם ולא אבדם:
according to the number of the children of Israel: [God let man remain in existence] for the sake of a [small] number of the children of Israel who were destined to descend from the children of Shem, and [the sake of] the number of the seventy souls of the children of Israel who went down to Egypt, He “set up the boundaries of peoples,” [i.e., He separated man into seventy nations with] seventy languages. למספר בני ישראל: בשביל מספר בני ישראל שעתידים לצאת מבני שם, ולמספר שבעים נפש של בני ישראל שירדו למצרים, הציב גבולות עמים שבעים לשון:
9Because the Lord's portion is His people Jacob, the lot of His inheritance. טכִּ֛י חֵ֥לֶק יְהֹוָ֖ה עַמּ֑וֹ יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב חֶ֥בֶל נַֽחֲלָתֽוֹ:
Because the Lord’s portion is His people: And why did God go to all this effort [to save mankind]? “Because the Lord’s portion” was hidden within them [i.e., mankind] and was destined to come forth. And who is God’s portion? “His people.” And who is His people? “Jacob, the lot of His inheritance” - and he is the third among the Patriarchs. He is endowed with a threefold [parcel] of merits: The merit of his grandfather, the merit of his father, and his own merit-thus, totaling three, like a rope (חֶבֶל) composed of three strands [twined together for added strength (Sifrei 32:9)]. Thus, it was [only] Jacob and his sons who became God’s inheritance, not Ishmael, the son of Abraham, and not Esau, the son of Isaac. כי חלק ה' עמו: למה כל זאת, לפי שהיה חלקו כבוש ביניהם ועתיד לצאת. ומי הוא חלקו, עמו. ומי הוא עמו יעקב חבל נחלתו - והוא השלישי באבות, המשולש בשלש זכיות, זכות אבי אביו וזכות אביו וזכותו, הרי שלשה, כחבל הזה שהוא עשוי בשלשה גדילים והוא ובניו היו לו לנחלה, ולא ישמעאל בן אברהם, ולא עשו בן של יצחק:
10He found them in a desert land, and in a desolate, howling wasteland. He encompassed them and bestowed understanding upon them; He protected them as the pupil of His eye. ייִמְצָאֵ֨הוּ֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִדְבָּ֔ר וּבְתֹ֖הוּ יְלֵ֣ל יְשִׁמֹ֑ן יְסֹֽבְבֶ֨נְהוּ֙ יְב֣וֹנְנֵ֔הוּ יִצְּרֶ֖נְהוּ כְּאִישׁ֥וֹן עֵינֽוֹ:
He found them in a desert land: God found them [i.e., Jacob’s sons] faithful to Him in a desert land, for they accepted His Torah, His sovereignty, and His yoke upon themselves-something that Ishmael and Esau did not do, as Scripture states,“The Lord… shone forth from Seir to them, and appeared from Mount Paran” (Deut. 33:2). [The Sages (SifreiDeut. 33:2, Tanchuma Beracha 4) explain this to mean: God first went to the children of Esau (Seir) and offered them the Torah, but they refused to accept it; then He went and offered it to the children of Ishmael (Paran), and they also refused. See Rashi on that verse.] ימצאהו בארץ מדבר: אותם מצא לו נאמנים בארץ המדבר, שקבלו עליהם תורתו ומלכותו ועולו מה שלא עשו ישמעאל ועשו, שנאמר (לקמן לג, ב) וזרח משעיר למו הופיע מהר פארן:
and in a desolate, howling wasteland: An arid, desolate land, a place of howling (יְלֵל) jackals and ostriches. Yet even there, Israel followed their faith. They did not say to Moses, “How can we go out into the deserts, a place of drought and desolation?” The verse attests to this:“When you went after Me in the desert” (Jer. 2: 2). ובתהו ילל ישימון: ארץ ציה ושממה מקום יללת תנינים ובנות יענה אף שם נמשכו אחר האמונה, ולא אמרו למשה האיך נצא למדברות מקום ציה ושממון, כענין שנאמר (ירמיה ב, ב) לכתך אחרי במדבר:
He encompassed them: There [in the desert], [God] encompassed [Israel], surrounding them by [protective] clouds; He surrounded them with divisions in four directions, and He surrounded them with the underside of the mountain [Sinai], which He overturned [i.e., suspending it] over them like a tub [see Rashi on Exod. 19:17]. — [Sifrei 32:10] יסבבנהו: שם סבבם והקיפם בעננים וסבבם בדגלים לארבע רוחות וסבבן בתחתית ההר, שכפהו עליהם כגיגית:
and bestowed understanding upon them: There [God bestowed upon them] Torah and understanding. יבוננהו: שם בתורה ובינה:
He protected them: from snakes, serpents, and scorpions, and from [hostile] nations. יצרנהו: מנחש שרף ועקרב ומן האומות:
as the pupil of his eye: This refers to the black part of the eye, from which the light is reflected outward. Now, Onkelos renders יִמְצָאֵהוּ as:“He provided their needs,” that is, God provided Israel with all their needs in the desert. [The use of the word מָצָא is] similar to [its use in the verses],“[Will flock and cattle be slaughtered for them] to provide (וּמָצָא) them?” (Num. 11:22), and“The mountain is not enough (יִמָּצֵא) for us” (Josh. 17:16). כאישון עינו: הוא השחור שבעין, שהמאור יוצא הימנו. ואונקלוס תרגם ימצאהו יספיקהו כל צרכו במדבר, כמו (במדבר יא, כב) ומצא להם, (יהושע יז, טז) לא ימצא לנו ההר:
He encompassed them: [Rendered by Onkelos :] “He made them encamp round about His Divine Presence”-the Tent of Meeting [where the Divine Presence rested] was in the middle [of the camp] and the four divisions [i.e., the tribal camps, surrounded it] from all four directions. יסבבנהו: אשרינון סחור סחור לשכינתיה, אוהל מועד באמצע וארבעה דגלים לארבע רוחות:
11As an eagle awakens its nest, hovering over its fledglings, it spreads its wings, taking them and carrying them on its pinions. יאכְּנֶ֨שֶׁר֙ יָעִ֣יר קִנּ֔וֹ עַל־גּֽוֹזָלָ֖יו יְרַחֵ֑ף יִפְרֹ֤שׂ כְּנָפָיו֙ יִקָּחֵ֔הוּ יִשָּׂאֵ֖הוּ עַל־אֶבְרָתֽוֹ:
As an eagle awakens its nest: He guided them [Israel] with mercy and compassion like an eagle, which is merciful towards its own fledglings and does not enter its nest suddenly. [Rather,] it beats and flaps its wings above its young between one tree and another, between one branch and another, in order that its young should awaken and have the strength to receive it. כנשר יעיר קנו: נהגם ברחמים ובחמלה כנשר הזה רחמני על בניו ואינו נכנס לקנו פתאום עד שהוא מקשקש ומטרף על בניו בכנפיו בין אילן לאילן בין שוכה לחברתה, כדי שיעורו בניו, ויהא בהם כח לקבלו:
awakens its nest: [I.e.,] it awakens its fledglings. יעיר קנו: יעורר בניו:
hovering over its fledglings: [The eagle] does not impose its [whole] body upon them. Rather, it hovers above them, touching them and yet not quite touching them. So too, is the Holy One, Blessed is He. [As in the verse:] “We did not find the Almighty great in power” (Job 37:23). When He came to give the Torah to Israel, He did not reveal Himself to them from one direction [thus concentrating His power at one point, as it were], but rather, from four directions, as Scripture states, “The Lord came from Sinai, and shone forth from Seir to them, and appeared from Mount Paran” (Deut. 33:2). [This accounts for three directions.] The fourth direction is referred to in [the verse], “God comes from Teman” (Hab. 3:3). - [Sifrei 32:11] על גוזליו ירחף: אינו מכביד עצמו עליהם אלא מחופף, נוגע ואינו נוגע, אף הקב"ה (איוב לז, כג) שדי לא מצאנוהו שגיא כח, כשבא ליתן תורה לא נגלה עליהם מרוח אחת אלא מארבע רוחות, שנאמר (לקמן לג, ב) ה' מסיני בא וזרח משעיר למו הופיע מהר פארן ואתה מרבבות קודש, (חבקוק ג, ג) אלוה מתימן יבא זו רוח רביעית:
spreading its wings, taking them: When it [the eagle] comes to move [its fledglings] from place to place, it does not pick them up with its feet, as do other birds. Other birds are afraid of the eagle, which soars very high and flies above them. For this reason, it [the other bird] carries them with its feet because of the eagle [above them]. The eagle, however, is afraid only of an arrow. Therefore, it carries its young on its wings, saying, “It is better that an arrow pierce me, rather than pierce my young.” So too, the Holy One, Blessed is He, [says]: “I carried you on eagles’ wings” (Exod. 19:4). [I.e.,] when the Egyptians pursued [the children of Israel] and overtook them at the [Red] Sea, they cast arrows and catapulted rocks [at Israel]. Immediately, “The angel of God moved… [behind them… and the pillar of cloud] came between the camp of Egypt [and the camp of Israel]” (Exod. 14:19-20) [for Israel’s protection]. — [Mechilta 19:4] יפרוש כנפיו יקחהו: כשבא ליטלן ממקום למקום אינו נוטלן ברגליו כשאר עופות, לפי ששאר עופות יראים מן הנשר, שהוא מגביה לעוף ופורח עליהם, לפיכך נושאן ברגליו מפני הנשר, אבל הנשר אינו ירא אלא מן החץ לפיכך נושאן על כנפיו. אומר מוטב שיכנס החץ בי ולא יכנס בבני, אף הקב"ה (שמות יט, ד) ואשא אתכם על כנפי נשרים, כשנסעו מצרים אחריהם והשיגום על הים היו זורקים בהם חצים ואבני בליסטראות, מיד (שמות יד, יט - כ) ויסע מלאך האלהים וגו' ויבא בין מחנה מצרים וגו':
12[So] the Lord guided them alone, and there was no alien deity with Him. יביְהֹוָ֖ה בָּדָ֣ד יַנְחֶ֑נּוּ וְאֵ֥ין עִמּ֖וֹ אֵ֥ל נֵכָֽר:
[So] the Lord guided them alone: God guided them safely and alone in the desert. ה' בדד ינחנו: נהגם במדבר בטח ובדד:
and there was no alien deity with him: Not one of the deities of the nations had the power to display its might and to wage war with them [i.e., with Israel]. Our Rabbis, however, explained [this whole verse] as referring to the future [i.e., “(So) the Lord will guide them….”] (Sifrei 32:12), and Onkelos renders [this verse] likewise. But I say that these are words of reproof. [Moses] called upon heaven and earth as witnesses, and this song [i.e., parashath Ha’azinu] would [also] be a witness, that eventually [Israel] would betray [God], and they would neither remember what God did for them in the past [generations], nor [would they bear in mind] what He was destined to do to them. Hence, this [verse] should be understood to refer to both [the past and the future]. And [therefore] this whole passage is apropos of [the phrase]:“Remember the days of old; reflect upon the years of [other] generations” (verse 7)-thus [God] did for them, and thus will He do for them in the future. [The passage is admonishing Israel:] They should have remembered all this. ואין עמו אל נכר: לא היה כח באחד מכל אלהי הגוים להראות כחו ולהלחם עמהם. ורבותינו דרשוהו על העתיד, וכן תרגם אונקלוס. ואני אומר דברי תוכחה הם, להעיד השמים והארץ ותהא השירה להם לעד שסופן לבגוד ולא יזכרו הראשונות שעשה להם ולא הנולדות שהוא עתיד לעשות להם, לפיכך צריך ליישב הדבר לכאן ולכאן. וכל הענין מוסב על (פסוק ז) זכור ימות עולם בינו שנות דור ודור, כן עשה להם וכן עתיד לעשות, כל זה היה להם לזכור:
Daily Tehillim: Chapters 44 - 48
• 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 44
The psalmist cries and laments painfully over this bitter exile, where we and our Torah are shamed daily, when the nations say that God has exchanged us for another nation, and where we are considered as sheep for the slaughter, as a byword and taunt. It is therefore fitting that God redeem us, for the sake of His great Name that abides with us in exile.
1. For the Conductor, by the sons of Korach, a maskil.1
2. God, with our ears we have heard, our fathers have told us, of the deeds You wrought in their days, in the days of old.
3. You drove out nations with Your hand, and planted [Israel in their place]; You afflicted peoples and banished them.
4. For not by their sword did they inherit the land, and their own arm did not save them, but by Your right hand, Your arm and the light of Your countenance-for You favored them.
5. You are my king, O God; decree the salvation of Jacob.
6. Through You will we gore our adversaries; with Your Name we will trample our opponents.
7. For I do not trust in my bow, and my sword cannot save me.
8. For You have delivered us from our foes, and You shamed those who hate us.
9. In God we glory all day, and forever thank Your Name, Selah.
10. Though You abandon and disgrace us, and do not go forth with our armies;
11. You cause us to retreat from the oppressor, and those who hate us plunder for themselves;
12. You deliver us like sheep to be devoured, and scatter us among the nations;
13. You sell Your nation without gain, and do not set a high price upon them;
14. You make us a disgrace to our neighbors, the scorn and derision of those around us;
15. You make us a byword among the nations, [a cause for] nodding the head among the peoples;
16. all day long my humiliation is before me, and the shame of my face covers me
17. at the voice of the reviler and blasphemer, because of the foe and avenger-
18. all this has come upon us, yet we have not forgotten You, nor have we been false to Your covenant.
19. Our hearts have not retracted, nor have our steps strayed from Your path.
20. Even when You crushed us in the place of serpents, and shrouded us in the shadow of death-
21. did we forget the Name of our God, and extend our hands to a foreign god?
22. Is it not so that God can examine this, for He knows the secrets of the heart.
23. For it is for Your sake that we are killed all the time; we are regarded as sheep for the slaughter.
24. Arise! Why do You sleep, my Lord? Wake up! Do not abandon [us] forever!
25. Why do You conceal Your countenance and forget our affliction and distress?
26. For our souls are bowed to the dust, our bellies cleave to the earth.
27. Arise! Be our help, and redeem us for the sake of Your kindness.
FOOTNOTES
1.A psalm intended to enlighten and impart knowledge(Metzudot).
Chapter 45
The psalmist composed this psalm referring to Moshiach. He describes his greatness, his attributes, his glory, his wealth, and his reign; and states that Israel anticipates him, remembering and saying in every generation, "When will King Moshiach come?"
1. For the Conductor, upon the shoshanim,1 By the sons of Korach; a maskil,2 a song of love.
2. My heart is astir with a noble theme; I say, "My composition is for the king;3 my tongue is the pen of a skillful scribe.”
3. You are the most handsome of men, charm is poured upon your lips; therefore has God blessed you forever.
4. Gird your sword upon your thigh, O mighty one-it is your majesty and splendor.
5. And with your splendor, succeed and ride on for the sake of truth and righteous humility; and your right hand will guide you to awesome deeds.
6. Your arrows are sharpened-nations fall beneath you-[the arrows fall] into the hearts of the king's enemies.
7. Your throne, O ruler, is forever and ever, [for] the scepter of justice is the scepter of your kingdom.
8. You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore has God, your God, anointed you with oil of joy above your peers.
9. Myrrh, aloes and cassia are [the fragrance] of all your garments, which are from ivory palaces that bring you joy.
10. Daughters of kings visit you, and the queen stands erect at your right hand, adorned in the fine gold of Ophir.
11. Hear, O daughter, and observe, incline your ear; forget your people and your father's house.
12. Then the king will desire your beauty. He is your master-bow to him.
13. The daughter of Tyre, the wealthiest of nations, will seek your favor with a gift.
14. All the glory of the princess is within; her clothing surpasses settings of gold.
15. In embroidered garments she will be brought to the king; the maidens in her train, her companions, will be led to you.
16. They will be brought with gladness and joy, they will enter the palace of the king.
17. Your sons will succeed your fathers; you will appoint them ministers throughout the land.
18. I will cause Your Name to be remembered throughout the generations; therefore will the nations praise You forever and ever.
FOOTNOTES
1.A musical instrument shaped like a shoshana, a rose (Metzudot).
2.A psalm intended to enlighten and impart knowledge(Metzudot).
3.Reffering to the Messiah. (Metzudot).
Chapter 46
This psalm tells of the Gog and Magog era (the Messianic age), when man will cast aside his weapons, and warfare will be no more.
1. For the Conductor, by the sons of Korach, on the alamot,1 a song.
2. God is our refuge and strength, a help in distress, He is most accessible.
3. Therefore, we will not be afraid when the earth is transformed, when mountains collapse in the heart of the seas;
4. when its waters roar and are muddied, and mountains quake before His grandeur, Selah.
5. The river2-its streams will bring joy to the city of God, the sacred dwelling of the Most High.
6. God is in her midst, she will not falter; God will help her at the approach of morning.
7. Nations clamor, kingdoms stumble; He raises His voice and the earth dissolves.
8. The Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold forever.
9. Go and see the works of the Lord, Who has wrought devastation in the land.
10. To the end of the earth He causes wars to cease; He breaks the bow, snaps the spear, and burns the wagons in fire.
11. Stop [waging war]! And know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, exalted upon the earth.
12. The Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold forever.
FOOTNOTES
1.A musical instrument (Rashi)
2.Flowing from Eden (Rashi)
Chapter 47
Following the battle of Gog and Magog (in the Messianic era), war will be no more. God will grant us salvation, and we will merit to go up to the Holy Temple for the festivals, Amen.
1. For the Conductor, a psalm by the sons of Korach.
2. All you nations, clap hands; sound [the shofar] to God with a sound of jubilation.
3. For the Lord is most high, awesome; a great King over all the earth.
4. He subdues peoples under us, nations beneath our feet.
5. He chooses our heritage for us, the glory of Jacob whom He loves eternally.
6. God ascends through teruah, the Lord-through the sound of the shofar.
7. Sing, O sing to God; sing, O sing to our King.
8. For God is King over all the earth; sing, O man of understanding.
9. God reigns over the nations; God is seated on His holy throne.
10. The most noble of the nations are gathered, the nation of the God of Abraham; for the protectors of the earth belong to God; He is greatly exalted.
Chapter 48
The psalmist prophesies about the Messianic era, singing the praises of a rebuilt Jerusalem and the sacrifices brought there. At that time Israel will say, "As we heard from the mouths of the prophets, so have we merited to see!"
1. A song, a psalm by the sons of Korach.
2. The Lord is great and exceedingly acclaimed in the city of God, His holy mountain.
3. Beautiful in landscape, the joy of the whole earth is Mount Zion, on the northern slopes, the city of the great King.
4. In her citadels, God became known as a tower of strength.
5. For behold, the kings assembled, they advanced in concert [to invade her].
6. They saw [the wonders of the Almighty] and were astounded; they were terror-stricken, they hastened to flee.
7. Trembling seized them there, pangs as of a woman in the throes of labor;
8. [they were crushed as] by an east wind that shatters the ships of Tarshish.
9. As we have heard, so have we seen, in the city of the Lord of Hosts, in the city of our God; may God establish it for all eternity.
10. God, we have been hoping for Your kindness [to be revealed] within Your Sanctuary.
11. As Your Name, O God, [is great,] so is Your praise to the ends of the earth; Your right hand is filled with righteousness.
12. Let Mount Zion rejoice, let the towns of Judah exult, because of Your judgments.
13. Walk around Zion, encircle her, count her towers.
14. Consider well her ramparts, behold her lofty citadels, that you may recount it to a later generation.
15. For this God is our God forever and ever; He will lead us eternally.
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 109, 110 and 111.
Chapter 109
David composed this psalm while fleeing from Saul. At that time he faced many enemies who, despite acting friendly in his presence, spoke only evil of him; he therefore curses them bitterly.
1. For the Conductor, by David, a psalm. O God of my praise, be not silent.
2. For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful have opened against me; they spoke to me with a false tongue.
3. They have surrounded me with words of hate, and attacked me without cause.
4. In return for my love they hate me; still, I am [a man of] prayer.
5. They placed harm upon me in return for my favor, and hatred in return for my love.
6. Appoint a wicked man over him; let an adversary stand at his right.
7. When he is judged may he go out condemned; may his prayer be considered a sin.
8. May his days be few; may another take his position.
9. May his children be orphans and his wife a widow.
10. May his children wander about and beg; may they seek charity from amid their ruins.
11. May the creditor seize all that he has, and may strangers plunder [the fruits of] his labor.
12. May he have none who extends him kindness, and may none be gracious to his orphans.
13. May his posterity be cut off; may their name be erased in a later generation.
14. May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered by the Lord, and the sin of his mother not be erased.
15. May they be before the Lord always, and may He cut off their memory from the earth.
16. Because he did not remember to do kindness, and he pursued the poor and destitute man and the broken-hearted, to kill [him].
17. He loved the curse and it has come upon him; he did not desire blessing, and it has remained far from him.
18. He donned the curse like his garment, and it came like water into his innards, like oil into his bones.
19. May it be to him like a cloak in which he wraps himself, as a belt with which he girds himself always.
20. This is from the Lord for the deeds of my enemies, and [for] those who speak evil against my soul.
21. And You, God, my Lord, do [kindness] with me for the sake of Your Name; for Your kindness is good, rescue me!
22. For I am poor and destitute, and my heart has died within me.
23. Like the fleeting shadow I am banished, I am tossed about like the locust.
24. My knees totter from fasting, and my flesh is lean without fat.
25. And I became a disgrace to them; they see me and shake their heads.
26. Help me, Lord, my God, deliver me according to Your kindness.
27. Let them know that this is Your hand, that You, Lord, have done it.
28. Let them curse, but You will bless; they arose, but they will be shamed, and Your servant will rejoice.
29. May my adversaries be clothed in humiliation; may they wrap themselves in their shame as in a cloak.
30. I will thank the Lord profusely with my mouth, and amid the multitude I will praise Him,
31. when He stands at the right of the destitute one to deliver him from the condemners of his soul.
Chapter 110
This psalm records the response of Eliezer, servant of Abraham (to those who asked how Abraham managed to defeat the four kings). He tells of Abraham killing the mighty kings and their armies. Read, and you will discover that the entire psalm refers to Abraham, who merited prominence for recognizing God in his youth.
1. By David, a psalm. The Lord said to my master, "Sit at My right, until I make your enemies a stool for your feet.”
2. The staff of your strength the Lord will send from Zion, to rule amid your enemies.
3. Your people [will come] willingly on the day of your campaign; because of your splendid sanctity from when you emerged from the womb, you still possess the dew of your youth.
4. The Lord has sworn and will not regret: "You shall be a priest forever, just as Melchizedek!”
5. My Lord is at your right; He has crushed kings on the day of His fury.
6. He will render judgement upon the nations, and they will be filled with corpses; He will crush heads over a vast land.
7. He will drink from the stream on the way, and so will hold his head high.
Chapter 111
This psalm is written in alphabetical sequence, each verse containing two letters, save the last two verses which contain three letters each. The psalm is short yet prominent, speaking of the works of God and their greatness.
1. Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart, in the counsel of the upright and the congregation.
2. Great are the works of the Lord, [yet] available to all who desire them.
3. Majesty and splendor are His work, and His righteousness endures forever.
4. He established a memorial for His wonders, for the Lord is gracious and compassionate.
5. He gave food to those who fear Him; He remembered His covenant always.
6. He has declared the power of His deeds to His people, to give them the inheritance of nations.
7. The works of His hands are true and just; all His mandates are faithful.
8. They are steadfast for ever and ever, for they are made with truth and uprightness.
9. He sent redemption to His people, [by] commanding His covenant forever; holy and awesome is His Name.
10. The beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord; sound wisdom for all who practice it-His praise endures forever.
Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 20
• Lessons in Tanya
• Today's Tanya Lesson
• Monday, 8 Tishrei, 5777 · 10 October 2016
• Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 20
• The Alter Rebbe now goes on to say that when the radiation descends in the third manner, it is manifest only in creatures of the lowest order, those deriving from the Element of Earth, this Element being lower than the other Elements of Fire, Air and Water. And it is mainly within the physical earth that the Divine power of creating yesh from ayin is revealed. This power derives from the essence of the Ein Sof-light; it is primarily found in the encompassing light, and is revealed through the Kav,the inner light.
This becomes apparent in the ability of the earth to make things grow: the physical growth of vegetative matter from thespiritual power of growth found in the earth is a clear demonstration of yesh resulting from ayin. Furthermore, the earth reveals this power constantly: it constantly produces vegetation as yesh from ayin. In this it differs from all living things that were created during the Six Days of Creation. Unlike all living things which, once created, simply reproduce, the earth consistently continues to reveal its creative power of yesh from ayin.
Thus, though the radiation within the earth is merely a “radiation of a radiation of a radiation,” it nevertheless demonstrates G‑d’s creative power — because it comprises both the encompassing light, and the light of the Kav which activates the power of the encompassing light to create and animate created beings.
The Alter Rebbe also explains that the distinctive power described above was revealed specifically within the earth, because Earth is the lowest Element of all. For, as explained above, it is specifically at the lowliest level of creation that the “rebounding light” manifests the essence of the original illumination with superior intensity.
ועוד זאת, יתר על כן, על כל הנ״ל
Furthermore, in addition to all that was mentioned above,1
הארה דהארה דהארה
the radiation of the radiation of the radiation, which descends into a created being utterly concealed, being then neither the mahut nor the metziut of Divinity, and nevertheless containing both the inner illumination of the Kav and the encompassing light,
וכל הנ״ל
and all the above, i.e., the manner in which both these levels of illumination ultimately radiate within created beings,
היא מראה כחה ויכלתה ביסוד העפר הגשמי, בגילוי עצום
demonstrates its power and ability, inasmuch as it is a G‑d-ly radiation descending from Malchut of Atzilut, in the Element of the physical Earth in an immense manifestation
ביתר עז מיסודות העליונים ממנו, וגם מצבא השמים
surpassing [that of] the elements (viz., Fire, Air and Water) that transcend it, and even the heavenly hosts.
שאין בכחם ויכלתם להוציא יש מאין תמיד
For they do not have it in their power and ability to constantly bring forth something from nothing (yesh me’ayin),
כיסוד העפר, המצמיח תמיד יש מאין, הם עשבים ואילנות
like the Element of Earth that constantly makes something (yesh) sprout from nothing (ayin), namely the herbs and trees that constantly grow from the earth’s vegetative power.
Even those plants that result from sowing and planting are produced in a manner that resembles yesh me’ayin, for the seed or seedling disintegrates, and serves merely to arouse the vegetative power.
(והמזל המכה ואומר: גדל
(2As for the mazal, the individual angel of destiny, “that strikes [each herb] and says, ‘Grow!’” —
Our Sages teach that3“There is no blade of grass below that does not have a mazal above that strikes it and says to it, ‘Grow!’” Would it not seem, then, that in addition to the earth’s vegetative power there is another factor in growth?
היינו, לאחר שכבר צמח העשב
this takes place [only] after the plant has already sprouted.
Once the plant exists as a created entity, it merely has to grow taller, the tree has to produce fruit with a certain taste, and so on — and these stages relate to the mazal.
ואינו אומר לו לצמוח מאין ליש, אלא מקוטן לגודל, ולשאת פרי, כל מין ומין בפרטי פרטיות
The mazal does not tell it to sprout ex nihilo into substantiality, but only to grow from being small to being large, or to bear fruit of its own particular species.
In Or HaTorah,4 the Tzemach Tzedek explains that the mazal sends forth an arousal to the power of growth that is found within the grass or tree, causing it to grow. The basic cause of growth, however, lies in the above-mentioned vegetative power.
Elsewhere,5 the Tzemach Tzedek explains that the above-quoted “smiting” means that the mazal illumines the particular tree or grass with which it is connected, causing it to be drawn to its source and hence to grow ever larger.
אבל בטרם יצמח, למי יאמר כל מזל ומזל לכל עשב ועשב בפרטי פרטיות
For before it sprouts, to whom would the individual mazal of each particular herb ordain all its details?)
מהכח הצומח שבו, שהוא אין ורוחני, והם גשמיים
[The above-mentioned plants of the earth grow, then,] from the vegetative property within it, which is insubstantial and spiritual, while they are physical.
What we have here, then, is yesh from ayin, which, as explained above, derives from the essence of the Ein Sof and finds expression in the Element of Earth. Why specifically there?
ואין זאת אלא משום דרגלי דאדם קדמון מסתיימים בתחתית עשיה
This is so only because the “feet” of Adam Kadmon culminate at the lowest level of Asiyah,
The “feet” (i.e., the last and lowliest levels) of Adam Kadmon, the Primordial Thought that encompasses all the levels of creation, concludes in the lowest degrees of the nethermost world, the World of Asiyah, and specifically, in the lowly Element of Earth within it.
ותחת רגליו מאיר אור אין סוף ברוך הוא, הסובב כל עלמין
And “below His feet,” i.e., below the lowest levels of Adam Kadmon, radiates the [infinite] Ein Sof-light which encircles (i.e., transcends) all worlds,
At the very “place” at which there ceases the indwelling Divine illumination that permeates all the worlds, there begins the “encompassing” degree of Divine light that transcends all the worlds.
בלי הפסק רב ביניהם, רק עיגולי א״ק לבדו
without any great interruption between them, except for the Iggulim of Adam Kadmon alone.
The Primordial Thought of Adam Kadmon consists of two modes of illumination — Yosher (lit., “straightness”, i.e., a permeating mode) and Iggulim (lit., “circles”, i.e., a transcendent mode). Where the former mode ceases and there remains only the latter (which is not absolute infinity like the Ein-Sof light that transcends all worlds), there is found the absolutely infinite illumination of the Ein-Sof light that transcends all worlds equally.
וגם הקו מאור אין סוף, המסתיים בסיום רגלי א״ק, מאיר ממטה למעלה, בבחינת אור חוזר
Also, the Kav of the Ein Sof-light, culminating at the end of the “feet” of Adam Kadmon, radiates from below upwards, in a mode of Or Chozer, a reflected light.
As mentioned above, this is a light that rebounds upward with increased intensity from a surface which blocks its further downward progress. Hence, for example, the atmosphere closest to the earth’s surface is warmer than the atmosphere in altitudes which are nearer to the sun. In the same way, when the beam of the Kav, whose function is to infuse the inner reaches of all created beings with Divine light, reaches the furthest stages of the Divine thought that encompasses all worlds and created beings, it bounces back with sharper impetus: it is now an Or Chozer.
כמו שהמלובש באריך אנפין, ואבא ואמא, וז״א ונוקבא דאצילות, מאיר באור חוזר ממלכות דאצילות
This is like the investment [of the Kav] in Arich Anpin, Abba and Imma, and Za and Nukva of Atzilut,which radiates as an Or Chozer from Malchut of Atzilut,
ומלכות דאצילות, היא בחינת כתר ממטה למעלה
and Malchut of Atzilut, [if the Sefirot are considered] from below upwards, is [thus] a category of Keter,as mentioned earlier in this Epistle,
ונעוץ תחלתן בסופן
and “their beginning is wedged in their end.”
With regard to Malchut this means that the “beginning” of Keter which is loftier than Chochmah is to be found withinMalchut. With regard to the Kav it means that the “beginning” of the Kav is wedged in the culmination of the “feet of Adam Kadmon” which ends in the nethermost levels of the World of Asiyah, in the Element of Earth.
Since the purpose of the Kav is to reveal Divinity, the Element of Earth best reveals that aspect of G‑d’s infinity which expresses itself in creating yesh from ayin, as the Alter Rebbe now concludes.
וככה הוא בסיום הקו דאור אין סוף, המסתיים בסיום היושר דרגלי אדם קדמון
It is likewise at the culmination of the Kav of the Ein Sof-light, culminating at the ending of the Yosher of the “feet” of Adam Kadmon:
I.e., when the “feet” of the lowest levels of Adam Kadmon descend into the interior of the various levels all the way down to the very lowest level, the Element of Earth at the lowest level of Asiyah, —
מאיר ממטה למעלה לבחינת אור הנשמה דמלכות דמלכות דעשיה
it (i.e., the Kav) [then] radiates from below upwards, from the glimmer of a glimmer of a glimmer that is found within the physical earth, to the category of the light of the Neshamah of the Malchut of the Malchut of Asiyah,
This light, the Or HaNeshamah, is in fact the lowest level of spirituality within Asiyah. For Asiyah is the lowest of the worlds; Malchut is the final Sefirah within Asiyah; and of the ten component Sefirot that comprise Malchut, “Malchut ofMalchut” is the lowest.
Nevertheless, since it is, after all, the “light of the Neshamah,” it is actual Divinity, as the Alter Rebbe now goes on to say.
שהוא אלקות ממש, מחיצוניות הכלים דמלכות דאצילות
which is actual Divinity, originating in the chitzoniyut (the exterior aspect) of the kelim of Malchut of Atzilut,which, as said above, becomes the “light of the Neshamah of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah.”
In this lowest level of “light of the Neshamah,” that which is in Asiyah, there is found the illumination of the final degrees of Asiyah (i.e., that which in created beings is the final level), and this “enables” the Ein Sof to reveal its capacity for creatingyesh from ayin as demonstrated in the above-described constant power of growth.
| FOOTNOTES | |
| 1. | Note of the Rebbe in his Glosses and Emendations: "Both the language and the intent [of the seemingly repetitious Hebrew introductory phrases] invite attention." |
| 2. | Parenthese are in the original text. |
| 3. | Bereishit Rabbah 10:6. |
| 4. | On Bamidbar, p. 196. |
| 5. | Op. cit., p. 786. |
• Monday, 8 Tishrei, 5777 · 10 October 2016
• Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
Negative Commandment 285
False Testimony
"You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor"—Exodus 20:13.
It is forbidden to testify falsely.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
• False Testimony
Negative Commandment 285
Translated by Berel Bell
The 285th prohibition is that we are forbidden from giving false testimony.
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement,1 "Do not testify as a false witness (eid sheker) against your neighbor." This prohibition is repeated using a different expression,2 "as a perjurous witness" (eid shav).
Scripture3 dictates the punishment for one who violates this prohibition, "You must do the same to them as they plotted to do to their brother." The Mechilta says,4 "The verse, 'Do not testify as a false witness' is the prohibition regarding false witnesses (eidim zom'mim5)"
The punishment for violating this prohibition is lashes, as explained in the last chapter6 of tractate Makkos, where the details of this mitzvah are explained.
FOOTNOTES
1.Ex. 20:13
2.Deut. 5:17.
3.Ibid., 19:19.
4.Parshas Yisro. Evidently the Rambam quotes the Mechilta because the phrase "the prohibition" proves that this verse constitutes a Biblical prohibition and therefore included in the count of the 613 mitzvos.
5.Eidim zom'mim are a particular type of false witnesses, who have been proven false by virtue of testimony that they were not present at the event they claim to have witnessed. If Reuven and Shimon testified, for example, that they saw Levi kill Yehudah, they could be proven to be eidim zom'mim if others testify that they saw Reuven and Shimon in another city on that day. If this happens, Reuven and Shimon are put to death since this is what they tried to have inflicted on Levi. See the next mitzvah, P180.
6.4b. This should evidently read, "first chapter." See Kapach, 5731, footnote 1.
Negative Commandment 285
Translated by Berel Bell
The 285th prohibition is that we are forbidden from giving false testimony.
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement,1 "Do not testify as a false witness (eid sheker) against your neighbor." This prohibition is repeated using a different expression,2 "as a perjurous witness" (eid shav).
Scripture3 dictates the punishment for one who violates this prohibition, "You must do the same to them as they plotted to do to their brother." The Mechilta says,4 "The verse, 'Do not testify as a false witness' is the prohibition regarding false witnesses (eidim zom'mim5)"
The punishment for violating this prohibition is lashes, as explained in the last chapter6 of tractate Makkos, where the details of this mitzvah are explained.
FOOTNOTES
1.Ex. 20:13
2.Deut. 5:17.
3.Ibid., 19:19.
4.Parshas Yisro. Evidently the Rambam quotes the Mechilta because the phrase "the prohibition" proves that this verse constitutes a Biblical prohibition and therefore included in the count of the 613 mitzvos.
5.Eidim zom'mim are a particular type of false witnesses, who have been proven false by virtue of testimony that they were not present at the event they claim to have witnessed. If Reuven and Shimon testified, for example, that they saw Levi kill Yehudah, they could be proven to be eidim zom'mim if others testify that they saw Reuven and Shimon in another city on that day. If this happens, Reuven and Shimon are put to death since this is what they tried to have inflicted on Levi. See the next mitzvah, P180.
6.4b. This should evidently read, "first chapter." See Kapach, 5731, footnote 1.
• Rambam - 1 Chapter: She'ar Avot haTum'ah She'ar Avot haTum'ah - Chapter 17
• She'ar Avot haTum'ah - Chapter 17
• Rambam - 3 Chapters: Edut Edut - Chapter 17, Edut Edut - Chapter 18, Edut Edut - Chapter 19
1
When there is an olive-sized portion of a human corpse in the mouth of a raven and there is a doubt whether or not it flew over a person or keilim in a private domain, the person is impure because of the doubt, provided he has the knowledge to respond to questions. The keilim are pure, because they do not have the capacity to respond to questions.
Similarly, when a person was drawing water with one container and pouring it into ten others and the carcass of a creeping animal was found in one of the ten, that container is impure and the others are pure. Although there is a question whether they are all impure, for perhaps the the carcass of the creeping animal had been in the container used to draw water, we rule leniently, because keilim are involved and they do not have the capacity to respond to questions. If the container with which he drew the water possessed a rim, since it is possible for the water to have been poured out, but for the carcass of the creeping animal to have remained, they are all impure.
Similarly, when one draws water with ten buckets, one after the other, and pours the water into ten containers, each bucket into a separate container, and it is not known which container was first and which was last, if the carcass of a creeping animal was found in one of them, the other nine containers and the ten buckets are pure, for one could say perhaps the carcass of the creeping animal was in the container originally. If the buckets have rims, all of the buckets and all of the containers are impure.
When one pours from one container to another and the carcass of a creeping animal is found in the lower container, the upper container is pure. We do not say that it fell from the upper container. Instead, it is possible that it had been in the lower container. The rationale for this leniency is that keilim are involved and they do not have the capacity of responding to questions. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.
א
כזית מן המת בפי העורב ספק האהיל על האדם ועל הכלים ברה"י ספק שלא האהיל הרי האדם טמא מספק והוא שיהיה בו דעת לישאל והכלים טהורים מפני שאין להן דעת לישאל וכן הממלא בכלי ונתן בעשרה כלים ונמצא השרץ באחד מהן הוא טמא והכלים טהורין אף על פי שכולן ספק שמא השרץ בכלי שמילא בו היה תחלה מפני שהן כלים ואין בהן דעת לישאל ואם היה לכלי שמילא בו אזנים הואיל ואפשר שיצאו המים ויתאחר בו השרץ כולן טמאים וכן הממלא בעשרה דליים זה אחר זה ונתן בעשרה כלים מדלי אחד לכלי אחר ואין ידוע הראשון מן האחרון ונמצא השרץ בכלי אחד מהן הרי התשעה כלים עם עשרת הדליים טהורין שאני אומר שמא בכלי זה היה השרץ מתחלתו ואם יש לדליים אזנים הרי כל הדליים עם כל הכלים טמאין המערה מכלי לכלי ונמצא השרץ בתחתון העליון טהור ואין אומרין מהעליון נפל אלא שמא בתחתון היה מפני שהן כלים ואין להן דעת לישאל וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
2
The following laws apply when there was a container that was used for pure substances and the carcass of a creeping animal was found in it. If it has a base or it has a rim, even if it does not have a base, all of the pure substances that were contained in it are impure. This applies even if it was checked before the substances were placed in it and covered afterwards, lest the the carcass of the creeping animal fell there when he lifted up his hand after checking.
Even if one used it for pure substances in one corner and then moved it to another corner and the carcass of the creeping animal was discovered inside, all the pure substances are impure. For the assumption that impurity was present in an article is not changed when that article is moved from place to place. All the above applies with regard to holding the status of the pure substances in abeyance, but not to burn them.
ב
קופה שנשתמש בה בטהרות ונמצא בה שרץ אם יש לה שוליים או אזנים אע"פ שאין לה שוליים הרי כל הטהרות שנשתמשו בה טמאות אפילו היה בדוקה ומכוסה שמא עם הגבהת ידו מן הבדיקה נפל השרץ ואפילו נשתמש בה בטהרות בזוית זו וטלטלה לזוית אחרת ונמצא בה השרץ כולן טמאות לפי שמחזיקין טומאה ממקום למקום לתלות אבל לא לשרוף:
3
The following laws apply when a person draws liquids from a cistern and fills barrels from them. If he would immerse each and every barrel in the cistern to fill them and a carcass of a creeping animal was found in the first one, they are all impure. If it was found in the last one, it alone is impure and all the others are pure. The rationale is that we surmise that the creeping animal fell into the cistern after the first barrels were filled.
If he was drawing the liquids with one container and pouring them into barrels until they were full and a carcass of a creeping animal was found in one of them, it alone is impure and all the others and the cistern are pure. The rationale is that it can be said that the carcass of the creeping animal fell into this one alone or it was there before the liquid was poured into it. Accordingly, if the person checked all the barrels, then poured wine into them, and covered them afterwards and the carcass of a creeping animal was found in one of them, they are all impure. Similarly, if the carcass of a creeping animal was found in the cistern or the container used to draw from it, everything is impure.
ג
הזולף את הבור וממלא ממנו חביות אם היה משקיע כל חבית וחבית בבור וממלא אותן ונמצא השרץ בראשונה כולן טמאות נמצא באחרונה היא טמאה וכולן טהורות שאני אומר אחר שמילא את הראשונות נפל שרץ לבור היה זולף בכלי ונותן לתוך החביות עד שמלאן ונמצא השרץ באחת מהן היא בלבד טמאה וכולן טהורות שאני אומר בזו בלבד נפל השרץ או היה בה עד שלא זלף לתוכה לפיכך אם היה בודק כל חבית מהן ואחר כך נותן בה היין ומכסה אותה אחר שזולף לתוכה ונמצא השרץ באחת מהן כולן טמאות וכן אם נמצא השרץ בבור או בכלי שזולף בו הכל טמא:
4
When one would gather olives from the pit in which they were stored and bring them up to a roof to dry, if the carcass of a creeping animal was found on the roof, the olives in the pit are pure. If it was found in the pit, the pit and the olives contained there are impure. If the carcass was found in the pit between the wall and the olives, the olives are pure.
The following laws apply if the creeping animal was found in a mound of olives and the mound was on the roof. If this occurred within three days of the olives being placed there, the pit is also impure, for it can be said that the mound was taken from the pit with the creeping animal in it. If the creeping animal was found three days after the mound had been taken to the roof, the pit is pure, because maybe the olives became compressed and formed a mound within these three days.
ד
היה קוצה זיתים מן המעטן ומעלה אותן לגג ונמצא השרץ בגג זיתים שבמעטן טהורים נמצא במעטן המעטן טמא נמצא בין כותל לזיתים הזיתים טהורים נמצא השרץ בתוך גוש של זיתים והגוש בגג אם בתוך שלשת ימים אף המעטן טמא שאני אומר גוש זה מן המעטן עלה והשרץ בתוכו ואם נמצא אחר שלשה ימים משהעלה זיתים לגג הרי המעטן טהור שמא בגג נתקבצו ונעשו גוש בתוך השלשה ימים:
5
When a person breaks off a piece of dough from a larger quantity and the carcass of a creeping animal was found on the smaller piece, that piece alone is impure. If the carcass was found in the larger dough, only that dough is impure. If it was found in the midst of the smaller portion of dough, even the larger portion is impure.
ה
הקורץ מקרצת מן העיסה ונמצא שרץ במקרצת המקרצת לבדה טמאה נמצא בעיסה העיסה לבדה טמאה נמצא בתוך המקרצת אף העיסה טמאה:
6
When the seed of impure food was found in a loaf of bread or on hot food, the loaf or the food are impure, even if there is no liquid present. For it can be said that the entire food fell there, but was dissolved - in the loaf or because of the boiling - and only the seed remained. If the seed was found on top of a loaf or in the midst of cold food, the loaf or the food are pure, even if there is liquid present. For it can be said that the seed alone fell into the loaf or the food after the impure was removed from it and the seed does not impart impurity.
ו
אוכל טמא שנמצא גרעינה שלו בתוך הככר או על גבי תבשיל רותח אף על פי שאין עליה משקה טופח הרי הן טמאים שאני אומר האוכל כולו נפל שם ונימוח בתוך הככר או מחמת הרתיחה ונשארה גרעינתו נמצאת הגרעינה על גבי הככר או בתוך תבשיל צונן הרי אלו טהורין אף ע"פ שיש עליה משקה שאני אומר גרעינה זו לבדה נפלה אחר שאבד האוכל מעליה שהרי אינה מטמאה:
7
If there was pure food and impure food in a home and a seed was found inside a loaf of bread or in boiling food, the determination of its status is made according to the majority. Similarly, if there was pure blood and impure blood in a home and blood was found on food, the determination of its status is made according to the majority. An incident occurred with a loaf of bread that was terumah upon which blood was found. The incident was brought before the Sages and they ruled that the loaf was pure. For even if it could be said that the blood was that of a creeping animal, it is possible to say that it was the blood of a living creeping animal which is pure.
ז
היו בבית אוכלין טמאין ואוכלין טהורים ונמצאת גרעינה בבית הולכין אחר הרוב וכן אם היו דמים טהורים ודמים טמאים בתוך הבית ונמצא דם על האוכל הולכים אחר הרוב מעשה היה בככר של תרומה שנמצא עליו דם ובא מעשה לפני חכמים וטהרוהו שאפילו נאמר דם שרץ הוא הריני אומר דם שרץ חי הוא שהוא טהור:
8
When there are carcasses of both animals that died without ritual slaughter and slaughtered animals in a city, if meat is found in the streets of the city, the determination of its status is made according to the majority.
Similarly, if the carcass of an animal was found and there is a doubt whether it is a creeping animal or a frog, the determination of its status is made according to the majority of animals in that town at that time. This is the general principle: When a questionable entity is found, the determination of its status is made according to the majority.
ח
עיר שיש בה נבלות ושחוטות בשר הנמצא בה הולכים אחר הרוב וכן אם היה הנמצא בה ספק שרץ ספק צפרדע הולכין אחר הרוב שיש באותה העיר באותו הזמן זה הכלל בנמצא הלך אחר הרוב:
9
When a woman was collecting fertilizer in a courtyard and the carcass of a creeping animal is found in the fertilizer, she is pure, because the carcass of a creeping animal does not impart impurity when carried. If it was found on top of the fertilizer, she is impure, for perhaps she touched it.
If she was sifting kernels of grain with a sieve and the carcass of a creeping animal was found in the kernels in the sieve, she is pure. If it is found on top of the sieve, she is considered impure because of the doubt, for perhaps she touched it. We follow the principle: whenever a question of impurity arises in a private domain, the person or object in question is deemed impure, as we explained.
ט
האשה שמגבבת גבבא בחצר ונמצא שרץ בתוך גבבה הרי זו טהורה שאין השרץ מטמא במשא נמצא על גבי גבבא הרי זו טמאה שמא נגעה בו היתה כוברת בכברה ונמצא שרץ בתוך הפירות שבכברה הרי זו טהורה נמצא על גבי הכברה הרי זו ספק טמאה שמא נגעה בו וכל ספק ברשות היחיד טמא כמו שביארנו:
• Edut - Chapter 17
• Hayom Yom: Today's Hayom Yom
1
When many men of great wisdom and fear of God testify to a person and tell him that they saw so-and-so commit a particular transgression or borrow money from a colleague, although the listener believes the matter in his heart as if he saw it actually transpire, he may not deliver testimony unless he actually sees the matter or the borrower acknowledges the debt verbally to him, saying: "Be a witness for me that so-and-so lent me a maneh." These concepts are derived from Leviticus 5:1 which states: "And should he witness, see, or know of the matter...." There is no testimony that can be established through sight or knowledge alone except testimony involving financial matters.
Whenever a person delivers testimony on the basis of the statements of others, he is a false witness and transgresses a negative commandment, as Exodus 20:16 states: "Do not bear false witness against your neighbor."
א
מי שהעידו לו אנשים רבים וגדולים בחכמה וביראה שהם אומרים שראו פלוני שעבר עבירה פלונית או שלוה מפלוני אף על פי שהוא מאמין הדבר בלבו כאילו ראהו לא יעיד עד שיראה הדבר בעיניו או יודה לו הלוה מפיו ויאמר לו היה עלי עד שפלוני הלוה לי מנה שנאמר והוא עד או ראה או ידע ואין לך עדות שמתקיימת בראייה או בידיעה אלא עדות ממון וכל המעיד מפי אחרים הרי זה עד שקר ועובר בלא תעשה שנאמר לא תענה ברעך עד שקר:
2
Therefore, we issue a warning also to witnesses who testify regarding financial matters.
How do we warn them? We issue this warning in the presence of all onlookers, telling them the severity of bearing false testimony and the shame suffered by those who deliver such testimony in this world and in the world to come.
Afterwards, we order all other people to go outside and leave the witness of the greatest stature inside. We say to him: "Tell us the basis on which you know that this person owes money to that." If he says: "He told me that the borrower said that I owe him the money," or he says: "So-and-so told me that he owed him money," his statements are of no consequence. He must say: "In our presence, the defendant admitted to the plaintiff that he owes him the money."
Afterwards, we bring in the second witness and check his testimony in this manner. If their testimony corroborates each other's, the judges deliberate over the matter and conclude the judgment.
ב
לפיכך מאיימין אף על עדי הממון וכיצד מאיימין עליהן [מאיימין עליהם] בפני הכל ומודיעין אותן כח עדות שקר ובושת המעיד בה בעולם הזה ובעולם הבא ואחר כך מוציאין את כל האדם לחוץ ומשיירין את הגדול שבעדים ואומר לו אמור היאך אתה יודע שזה חייב לזה אם אמר שהוא אמר לי חייב אני לו או איש פלוני אמר לי שהוא חייב לו לא אמר כלום עד שיאמר בפנינו הודה לו שהוא חייב לו והיו מכניסין את העד השני ובודקין אותו כך נמצאו דבריהן מכוונין נושאין ונותנין בדבר וגומרין הדין:
3
The following rules apply if a person hid witnesses against his colleague and that colleague acknowledged his obligation to him in private. The witnesses saw and heard him tell him: "Certainly, I owe you this and this amount, but I am afraid you will call me to judgment tomorrow." This is not valid testimony unless he makes the acknowledgment in the presence of witnessess.
ג
המטמין עדים לחבירו והודה לו בינו לבין עצמו והעדים רואין ושומעין שהוא אומר לו ודאי יש לך אצלי כך וכך אבל מתיירא אני שמא תכופני בדין למחר הרי זו אינה עדות עד שיודה בפני עדים:
4
Whether a person acknowledged a debt to a colleague, making the admission in a sincere manner that he owes him such-and-such an amount, he told the witnesses: "You are my witnesses," or he told them "Serve as witnesses for me," they are valid witnesses. This applies whether the statement is made by the borrower or whether it is made by the lender and the borrower remains silent as if he is accepting his words. Needless to say, it applies if he affirmed the appointment with an act of contract, telling them: "Compose a legal document stating that I owe so-and-so this-and-this amount," or the like, his statement is considered as an admission and the witnesses may testify on this basis.
ד
אחד המודה בפני עדים ואמר דרך הודאה זה יש לו אצלי כך וכך או שאמר אתם עדי או שאמר היו עלי עדים בין שאמר הלוה בין שאמר המלוה ושתק הלוה דרך מאמין לדבריו הרי אלו עדים ואין צריך לומר אם קנו מידו או שאמר להם כתבו עלי שטר שיש לזה אצלי כך וכך וכל כיוצא בדברים אלו הרי הם הודאה ומעידין על פיו:
5
When a teacher tells a student: "You know that if they would give me all the money in the world, I would not lie. So-and-so owes me a maneh. I have one witness against him. Please, join him." If he joins him, he is a false witness.
ה
תלמיד שאמר לו רבו יודע אתה שאם נותנין לי כל ממון העולם איני משקר מנה יש לי אצל פלוני ויש לי עליו עד אחד לך והצטרף עמו אם נצטרף הרי זה עד שקר:
6
If he tells him: "Come and stand together with the witness. You do not have to testify, but the borrower will become frightened and panic, thinking that you are two witnesses and he will admit the debt on his own volition," the student is forbidden to stand and make it appear that he is a witness even though he does not deliver testimony. With regard to this and similar matter, Exodus 23:7 states: "Keep distant from words of falsehood."
ו
אמר לו בוא ועמוד עם העד ולא תעיד כדי שיראה הלוה ויפחד ויעלה על דעתו שאתם שני עדים ויודה מעצמו הרי זה אסור לעמוד ולהראות שהוא עד אע"פ שאינו מעיד ועל זה וכיוצא בו נאמר מדבר שקר תרחק:
7
A person who hires false witnesses to testify against a colleague is not liable according to mortal law, but does have a moral and spiritual obligation. Similarly, one witness who refrains from testifying is not liable according to mortal law, but does have a moral and spiritual obligation.
ז
השוכר עדי שקר להעיד לחבירו פטור מדיני אדם וחייב בדיני שמים וכן עד אחד שכבש עדותו ולא העיד פטור מדיני אדם וחייב בדיני שמים:
Edut - Chapter 18
1
When a person delivered false testimony and witnesses testify to that fact, he is called an eid zomeim, "a conspiring witness."
It is a positive mitzvah to requite him in the manner in which he desired through his testimony to effect his colleague. If witnesses testify with regard to a transgression for which one is liable to be stoned to death and it is proved that they testified falsely, they are all stoned. If the transgression was punishable by being burned to death, they are burned to death. Similar laws apply with regard to other forms of capital punishment.
If they testified falsely with regard to a transgression punishable by lashes, each one of them is lashed as are all those obligated to be lashed. We estimate their capacity to bear the lashes and they are lashed. If they testified falsely to obligate the defendant to make a financial payment, we divide that amount according to the number of lying witnesses. Each witness must pay his share. The lying witnesses do not receive lashes when they are required to make financial reimbursement.
א
מי שהעיד בשקר ונודע בעדים שהעיד בשקר זהו שנקרא עד זומם ומצות עשה לעשות לו כמה שרצה לעשות בעדותו לחבירו אם בעבירה שחייבין עליה סקילה העידו והוזמו נסקלין כולן ואם בשרפה נשרפין וכן שאר המיתות ואם העידו במלקות לוקה כל אחד מהן כשאר מחוייבי מלקות ואומדין כחו ומלקין אותו ואם העידו לחייבו ממון משלשין הממון ביניהן לפי מנין העדים כל אחד ואחד יתן חלק המגיע לו ואין לוקין במקום תשלומין:
2
When does the above apply? When the witnesses were disqualified through hazamah? When, however, the testimony of two pairs of witnesses contradict each other, both testimonies are of no consequence, but neither of them receives punishment, because we do not know which pair is lying.
What is the difference between testimony which is contradicted and testimony which is disqualified through hazamah? A contradiction concerns the testimony itself. One pair states: "This is what took place," and the other pair states: "It never took place," or that conclusion was obvious from his statements. Hazamah, by contrast, focuses on the witnesses themselves. The witnesses who disqualify them do not know whether the event happened or not.
What is implied? Witnesses come and say: "We saw so-and-so kill a person..." or "...lend money to so-and-so on this-and-this date in this-and-this place." After they testified and the testimony was investigated, two other witnesses came and said: "On that day, we were with you and with those people the entire day and those things never happened. He never killed him," or "...He never lent him." This is considered a contradiction.
Similarly, if witnesses say: "How can you testify in this manner. Either the murderer - or the victim or the borrower or the lender - were with us on that day in another city," the testimony is considered to be contradicted. This is as if they said: "So-and-so did not kill him..." or "So-and-so did not lend him, for they were together with us and this thing did not happen." Similar principles apply in all analogous situations.
If, however, the second pair of witnesses say: "We do not know if so-and-so killed so-and-so on this day in Jerusalem as you say or not. We are, however, testifying that you yourselves were with us in Babylon on that date," the first pair of witnesses are considered aszomeimim and they are executed or required to make financial restitution. The rationale is that the witnesses who disqualified them did not concern themselves with the testimony itself whether it was true or false, but with the presence of the witnesses in the place mentioned.
ב
במה דברים אמורים בעדים שהוזמו אבל שתי כתות המכחישות זו את זו ואין כאן עדות אין עונשין את אחת מהן לפי שאין אנו יודעים מי היא הכת השקרנית ומה בין הכחשה להזמה ההכחשה בעדות עצמה זאת אומרת היה הדבר הזה וזאת אומרת לא היה הדבר הזה או יבא מכלל דבריה שלא היה וההזמה בעדים עצמן ואלו העדים שהזימום אינן יודעים אם נהיה הדבר או לא היה כיצד עדים שבאו ואמרו ראינו זה שהרג את הנפש או לוה מנה לפלוני ביום פלוני במקום פלוני ואחר שהעידו ונבדקו באו שנים אחרים ואמרו ביום זה ובמקום זה היינו עמכם ועם אלו כל היום ולא היו דברים מעולם לא זה הרג את זה ולא זה הלוה את זה הרי זו הכחשה וכן אם אמרו להם היאך אתם מעידים כך וזה ההורג או הנהרג או הלוה או המלוה היה עמנו ביום זה במדינה אחרת הרי זו עדות מוכחשת שזה כמי שאמר לא הרג זה את זה ולא זה הלוה את זה שהרי עמנו היו ולא נהיה דבר זה וכן כל כיוצא בדברים אלו אבל אם אמרו להם אנו אין אנו יודעים אם זה הרג זה ביום זה בירושלים כמו שאתם אומרין או לא הרגו ואנו מעידים שאתם עצמכם הייתם עמנו ביום זה בבבל הרי אלו זוממים ונהרגין או משלמין הואיל והעדים שהזימום לא השגיחו על עצמה של עדות כלל אם אמת היה או שקר:
3
The fact that the Torah accepted the word of the latter pair of witnesses instead of that of the first pair of witnesses is a Scriptural decree. Even if there were 100 in the first group of witnesses and two witnesses came and disqualified them all through hazamah, saying: "We testify that all 100 of you were together with us on this date in this place," the 100 witnesses are punished on the basis of their testimony. For two witnesses are equivalent to 100 and 100 are equivalent to two. Similarly, when two groups of witnesses contradict each other, we do not follow the majority instead, we nullify the testimony of both.
ג
וזו שהאמינה תורה עדות האחרונים על העדים הראשונים גזירת הכתוב הוא אפילו היו העדים הראשונים מאה ובאו שנים והזימום ואמרו להם אנו מעידים שאתם המאה כולכם עמנו הייתם ביום פלוני במקום פלוני הרי אלו נענשין על פיהם שהשנים כמאה ומאה כשנים וכן בשתי כיתי עדים המכחישות זו את זו אין הולכין אחר הרוב אלא דוחין את שתיהן:
4
There is no need for lying witnesses to be given a warning.
When the testimony of witnesses was first contradicted and ultimately, disqualified through hazamah, the lying witnesses are executed, lashed, or forced to make financial restitution. The rationale is that a contradiction is the first stage of hazamah. It is not, however, completed.
ד
עדים זוממין אינן צריכין התראה ועדים שהוכחשו ולבסוף הוזמו הרי אלו נהרגין או לוקין או משלמין מפני שהכחשה תחלת הזמה היא אלא שעדיין לא נגמרה:
5
The testimony of witnesses can be disqualified throughhazamah only in their presence. It can, however, be contradicted outside their presence.
When the testimony of witnesses has been disqualified throughhazamah outside the presence of the witnesses, it is considered to have been contradicted. Therefore if the witnesses who have been disqualified through hazamah die before the testimony disqualifying them is delivered in their presence, their testimony is nullified, for the two testimonies contradicted each other.
ה
אין מזימין את העדים אלא בפניהם ומכחישין את העדים שלא בפניהם ועדים שהוזמו שלא בפניהן הרי הוכחשו לפיכך אם מתו העדים שהזימום קודם שיזימו אותם בפניהם אין כאן עדות שהרי הכחישו זה את זה:
6
When the testimony of witnesses in cases of capital punishment was contradicted, but was not disqualified throughhazamah, they do not receive lashes. This is true, even if the person they testified was killed comes himself to court to prove the suspected murderer's innocence. The rationale is that the prohibition is punishable by execution. Hence, lashes are not given because of it. Nevertheless, the court has the witnesses beaten with stripes for rebellious conduct according to their perception of the severity of the matter.
ו
עדי נפשות שהוכחשו ולא הוזמו אפילו בא הנהרג ברגליו אינם לוקין מפני שהוא לאו שניתן לאזהרת מיתת בית דין ואין לוקין עליו אבל בית דין מכין אותן מכת מרדות כפי מה שיראו:
7
A public announcement must be made with regard to lying witnesses. What type of announcement is made? A proclamation is written and sent throughout every city: "So-and-so and so-and-so testified in this manner. They were disqualified through hazamah and executed," "...lashed in our presence," or "fined so-and-so many dinarim." The necessity for this is derived from Deuteronomy 19:20: "Those who remain shall hear and become fearful."
ז
עדים זוממים צריכין הכרזה והיאך היא ההכרזה שלהן כותבין ושולחין בכל עיר ועיר פלוני ופלוני העידו בכך וכך והוזמו והרגנום או לקו בפנינו או ענשנו אותן כך וכך דינרין שנאמר והנשארים ישמעו וייראו:
8
The obligation of lying witnesses to make financial restitution when required is considered as a fine. Therefore, they are not required to pay when they admit their own guilt.
What is implied? The witnesses delivered testimony and their testimony was investigated by the court. Afterwards, they both admitted: "We delivered false testimony. This person does not owe the other person anything." Or they said: "We gave testimony concerning so-and-so with regard to this-and-this amount and we were disqualified through hazamah." They are not required to make restitution because of their own statements.
If, however, they said: "We gave testimony concerning so-and-so, we were disqualified through hazamah in the court of so-and-so and we were obligated to give him this-and-this amount," they are required to make financial restitution. For this is an admission of debt with regard to money that they were already sentenced to pay.
If one witness makes such statements, he is obligated to pay his portion.
ח
חיוב העדים זוממים לשלם במקום שחייבין לשלם קנס הוא ולפיכך אין משלמין על פי עצמן כיצד הרי שהעידו ונחקרה עדותן בבית דין ואח"כ אמרו שניהם עדות שקר העדנו ואין לזה אצל זה כלום או שאמרנו העדנו על זה בכך וכך והוזמנו אין משלמין על פיהן אבל אם אמרו העדנו על זה והוזמנו בבית דינו של פלוני ונתחייבנו ליתן לו כך וכך הרי אלו משלמין שזו הודאה בממון שנגמר דינו ליתנו ואם אמר האחד כך משלם חלקו:
Edut - Chapter 19
1
The following rules apply when two witnesses testify, saying: "So-and-so murdered a person in the eastern portion of the hall at this-and-this time," two other witnesses came and said: "You were together with us in the western portion of the hall at that time." If a person standing in the western portion could see what transpires in the eastern portion, they are not disqualified throughhazamah. If, however, it is impossible to see what transpires, they are disqualified through hazamah. We do not say perhaps the eyesight of the first pair is very powerful and they can see things which transpire at a greater distance than all other men.
Similar principles apply if two people testified saying: "In the morning, so-and-so committed murder in Jerusalem," and two others come and tell them: "On that day, in the evening, you were together with us in Lod." If it is possible for a person to travel, even on horseback, from Jerusalem to Lod from the morning to the evening, they are not disqualified through hazamah. If not, they are disqualified through hazamah. We do not say perhaps they found a speedy camel and were able to travel the route faster than usual. Instead, we always calculate the matter using according to the known standards and disqualify them through hazamah.
א
שנים שהעידו ואמרו במזרח הבירה הרג זה את הנפש בשעה פלונית ובאו שנים ואמרו להן במערב הבירה הזאת הייתם עמנו בעת הזאת אם יכול העומד במערב לראות מה שבמזרח אינן זוממין ואם אינו יכול לראות הרי אלו זוממין ואין אומרין שמא מאור עיניהם של ראשונים רב ורואין מרחוק יתר מכל אדם וכן אם העידו שנים ואמרו בבקר הרג זה את הנפש בירושלים ובאו שנים ואמרו להן ביום זה בערב הייתם עמנו בלוד אם יכול אדם להלך אפילו על הסוס מירושלים ללוד מבקר עד ערב אינן זוממין ואם לאו הרי אלו זוממין ואין אומרין שמא כר קל ביותר נזדמן להן וקפלו את הדרך אלא בדבר המצוי הידוע לכל משערין לעולם ומזימין אותן:
2
The following rules apply when two witnesses state: "On Sunday, so-and-so murdered a person in this-and-this place," and two other witnesses came and said: "On that date, you were together with us in another far removed place, but so-and-so certainly murdered the victim on the following day," the murderer and the first pair of witnesses are executed. Even if the second pair of witnesses testify that he committed the murder several days previously,the above laws apply. The rationale is that at the time they delivered testimony, the murderer had not yet been sentenced to death.
If, however, two witnesses come on Tuesday, and say: "On Sunday, so-and-so was sentenced to death," and two others come on Tuesday and say: "On Sunday, you were together with us in this distant place, but so-and-so was sentenced to death on Friday or on Monday," these witnesses are not executed. The rationale is that at the time they testified, the person had already been sentenced to death.
Similar principles apply with regard to the payment of a fine. What is implied? Two people came on Tuesday and said: "On Sunday, so-and-so stole, slaughtered the animal he stole, and was sentenced to pay a fine of four or five times the animal's worth." Two other witnesses come and testify: "On Sunday, you were with us in a distant place, but he was sentenced on Friday" - or even if they said: "On Sunday, so-and-so stole, slaughtered the animal he stole, and was sentenced on Monday," the witnesses who were disqualified through hazamah are not required to make financial restitution. The rationale is that at the time they testified against him, the defendant was obligated to make financial restitution. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.
ב
שנים שאמרו באחד בשבת הרג זה את הנפש במקום פלוני ובאו שנים ואמרו ביום זה עמנו הייתם במקום אחר רחוק אבל ביום שלאחר יום זה הרגו בודאי אפילו העידו האחרונים שקודם כמה ימים הרגו הרי זה ההורג עם עדיו הראשונים נהרגין שהרי הוזמו שבעת שהעידו שהרג עדיין לא נגמר דינו ליהרג אבל באו שני עדים בשלישי בשבת ואמרו באחד בשבת נגמר דינו של פלוני להריגה ובאו שנים ואמרו באחד בשבת עמנו הייתם במקום פלוני הרחוק אלא מערב שבת או בשני בשבת נגמר דינו אין עדים אלו שהוזמו נהרגין שהרי מכל מקום בעת שהעידו עליו כבר נגמר דינו להריגה וכן לענין תשלומי קנס כיצד באו שנים בשלישי בשבת ואמרו באחד בשבת גנב וטבח ונגמר דינו ובאו שנים ואמרו באחד בשבת עמנו הייתם במקום רחוק אבל בערב שבת נגמר דינו אפילו אמרו [באחד] בשבת גנב וטבח ומכר ובשני בשבת נגמר דינו אין עדים אלו שהוזמו משלמין שהרי מכל מקום בעת שהעידו עליו חייב היה לשלם וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
3
The witnesses to a legal document may not be disqualified through hazamah unless they testify in court, saying: "We composed the legal document at the time stated. We did not delay the dating of it." If they did not say this, even though a document composed in Jerusalem is dated the first of Nisan and witnesses come and testify that the witnesses to the legal document were in Babylon on that date, the legal document is acceptable and the witnesses are acceptable. For it is possible that they composed the legal document and postdated it, i.e., they were in Jerusalem on the first of Adar and composed the legal document and postdated it, dating it the first of Nisan.
The following rules apply when, by contrast, they said: "We signed the document on the date stated," and they were disqualified through hazamah. If there are witnesses who know the day they signed the legal document or witnesses saw the legal document with their signatures on it on this-and-this date, once they are disqualified through hazamah, they are disqualified retroactively from the date on which it is known that they signed the legal document. The rationale is that witnesses who sign a legal document are considered as if their testimony was delivered in court from the time they signed.
If, however, there are no witnesses who saw them sign, giving testimony, nor did any see the signed document beforehand, the witnesses are disqualified only from the time they testified in court that the signature was theirs, saying: "We signed it on that date." The rationale is that it is possible that on the date that they testified in court, they signed a legal document that had existed for many years and they lied by saying: "We signed it on the day it was dated."
ג
אין עדי השטר נעשין זוממין עד שיאמרו בבית דין שטר זה בזמנו כתבנוהו ולא אחרנוהו אבל אם לא אמרו כן אע"פ שזמנו של שטר באחד בניסן בירושלים ובאו עדים והעידו שעדי השטר היו עמהם בבבל ביום זה השטר כשר והעדים כשרים שאפשר שכתבוהו ואחרוהו וכשהיו בירושלים באחד באדר כתבו שטר זה שם ואחרו זמנו וכתבו זמנו בניסן אמרו בזמנו כתבנוהו והוזמו אם יש שם עדים שיודעים היום שחתמו על השטר או עדים שראו זה השטר וחתימת ידם בו ביום פלוני כיון שהוזמו הרי נפסלו למפרע מיום שנודע שחתמו על השטר שהעדים החתומים על השטר הרי הן כמי שנחקרה עדותן בבית דין בעת החתימה אבל אם אין עדים שראו עדותן ולא ראו השטר מקודם אין נפסלין אלא מעת שהעידו בבית דין שזה כתב ידן ואמרו בזמנו כתבנוהו ואפשר שביום זה שהעידו בבית דין בו ביום חתמו על השטר שיש לו כמה שנים והם שקרו ואמרו בזמנו כתבנו:
• Monday, 8 Tishrei, 5777 · 10 October 2016
• "Today's Day"
• Thursday, Tishrei 8, 5704
Torah lessons: Chumash: B'racha, Chamishi with Rashi.
Tehillim: 44-48. Also 109-111.
Tanya: Furthermore, (in addition (p. 507)..malchut of Atzilut) (p. 509).
A resume of the fifth method:
H - Hatznei'a..., "Walk discreetly with your G-d,"1. One must take care not to be conspicuous or ostentatious in the slightest. It is said "Man should always be artful in piety."2 The artfulness lies in seeing that his piety not be noticed at all. We know that a number of the early chassidim concealed their true selves, and when discovered were sincerely distressed. This is the avoda of teshuva that comes from hatznei'a lechet, being discreet.
FOOTNOTES
1.Micha 6:8.
2.Brachot 17a.
• Daily Thought:• "Today's Day"
• Thursday, Tishrei 8, 5704
Torah lessons: Chumash: B'racha, Chamishi with Rashi.
Tehillim: 44-48. Also 109-111.
Tanya: Furthermore, (in addition (p. 507)..malchut of Atzilut) (p. 509).
A resume of the fifth method:
H - Hatznei'a..., "Walk discreetly with your G-d,"1. One must take care not to be conspicuous or ostentatious in the slightest. It is said "Man should always be artful in piety."2 The artfulness lies in seeing that his piety not be noticed at all. We know that a number of the early chassidim concealed their true selves, and when discovered were sincerely distressed. This is the avoda of teshuva that comes from hatznei'a lechet, being discreet.
FOOTNOTES
1.Micha 6:8.
2.Brachot 17a.
Lifted By the Past
When do you know that you have truly returned and changed your past?
As long as that past keeps pulling you down, it remains what it always was.
When that past drives you higher and yet higher each day, then you know that past has been transformed.[Likkutei Sichot, volume 17, page 187.]
-------
No comments:
Post a Comment