Today is: Friday, Iyar 23, 5777 · May 19, 2017
Omer: Day 38 - Tifferet sheb'Yesod
• Count "Thirty-Nine Days to the Omer" Tonight
Tomorrow is the thirty-ninth day of the Omer Count. Since, on the Jewish calendar, the day begins at nightfall of the previous evening, we count the omer for tomorrow's date tonight, after nightfall: "Today is thirty-nine days, which are five weeks and four days, to the Omer." (If you miss the count tonight, you can count the omer all day tomorrow, but without the preceding blessing).
The 49-day "Counting of the Omer" retraces our ancestors' seven-week spiritual journey from the Exodus to Sinai. Each evening we recite a special blessing and count the days and weeks that have passed since the Omer; the 50th day is Shavuot, the festival celebrating the Giving of the Torah at Sinai.
Tonight's Sefirah: Netzah sheb'Yesod -- "Ambition in Connection"
The teachings of Kabbalah explain that there are seven "Divine Attributes" -- Sefirot -- that G-d assumes through which to relate to our existence: Chessed, Gevurah, Tifferet, Netzach, Hod, Yesod and Malchut ("Love", "Strength", "Beauty", "Victory", "Splendor", "Foundation" and "Sovereignty"). In the human being, created in the "image of G-d," the seven sefirot are mirrored in the seven "emotional attributes" of the human soul: Kindness, Restraint, Harmony, Ambition, Humility, Connection and Receptiveness. Each of the seven attributes contain elements of all seven--i.e., "Kindness in Kindness", "Restraint in Kindness", "Harmony in Kindness", etc.--making for a total of forty-nine traits. The 49-day Omer Count is thus a 49-step process of self-refinement, with each day devoted to the "rectification" and perfection of one the forty-nine "sefirot."
Links:How to count the Omer The deeper significance of the Omer Count
• Water from a Rock at Rephidim (1313 BCE)
The Children of Israel arrived at Rephidim on the 23rd of Iyar, 1313 BCE -- 38 days after their exodus from Egypt.
Rephidim was desert land and waterless, the people grumbled that they and their flocks were in danger of dying of thirst. G-d commanded Moses to take the elders of the people to a rock which he was to hit with his staff. Moses hit the rock and from the dry stone, a well sprang forth.
Links: Food in the Desert
The tongue is secured behind the teeth and behind the lips, yet it does no end of damage. Imagine if it were outside![Yalkut Shimoni]
Leviticus Chapter 27
| 1And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, | | אוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר: |
| 2Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: When a man expresses a vow, [pledging the] value of lives to the Lord, | | בדַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם אִ֕ישׁ כִּ֥י יַפְלִ֖א נֶ֑דֶר בְּעֶרְכְּךָ֥ נְפָשֹׁ֖ת לַֽיהֹוָֽה: |
| When a man expresses: Expresses verbally. | | כי יפלא: יפריש בפיו: |
| [pledging the] value of lives: to give the valuation of his life, i.e., saying: “I take it upon myself [to donate to the Holy Temple] the value (בְּעֶרְכְּךָ) of a vital (נְפָשֹׁת) organ, [such as the head or the liver]” - [Torath Kohanim 26:57, Arachin 20a] | | בערכך נפשת: ליתן ערך נפשו לומר ערך דבר שנפשו תלויה בו עלי: |
| 3the [fixed] value of a male shall be as follows: From twenty years old until sixty years old, the value is fifty silver shekels, according to the holy shekel; | | גוְהָיָ֤ה עֶרְכְּךָ֙ הַזָּכָ֔ר מִבֶּן֙ עֶשְׂרִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה וְעַ֖ד בֶּן־שִׁשִּׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה וְהָיָ֣ה עֶרְכְּךָ֗ חֲמִשִּׁ֛ים שֶׁ֥קֶל כֶּ֖סֶף בְּשֶׁ֥קֶל הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ: |
| the [fixed] value… shall be: The value stated here is not an expression of monetary value [the usual market value of a person sold as a slave], but, whether he has a high market value or a low one, the value fixed for him in this passage is according to his age. | | והיה ערכך וגו': אין ערך זה לשון דמים, אלא בין שהוא יקר בין שהוא זול, כפי שניו הוא הערך הקצוב עליו בפרשה זו: |
| the value: Heb. הָעֶרְכְּ [The last letter of this word, ךָ, is not the second person pronominal suffix, “your,” but rather, a double of the preceding letter כ, and therefore, this word is] the same as עֵרֶךְ, “value.” And I do not know what the double כ denotes here. | | ערכך: כמו ערך. וכפל הכפי"ן לא ידעתי מאיזה לשון הוא: |
| 4And if she is a female, the value is thirty shekels; | | דוְאִם־נְקֵבָ֖ה הִ֑וא וְהָיָ֥ה עֶרְכְּךָ֖ שְׁלשִׁ֥ים שָֽׁקֶל: |
| 5And if [the person is] from five years old until twenty years old, the value of a male shall be twenty shekels, while that of a female shall be ten shekels; | | הוְאִ֨ם מִבֶּן־חָמֵ֜שׁ שָׁנִ֗ים וְעַד֙ בֶּן־עֶשְׂרִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה וְהָיָ֧ה עֶרְכְּךָ֛ הַזָּכָ֖ר עֶשְׂרִ֣ים שְׁקָלִ֑ים וְלַנְּקֵבָ֖ה עֲשֶׂ֥רֶת שְׁקָלִֽים: |
| And if… five years old: Not that the one who is vowing is a minor, because a minor’s words have no validity. Rather, [our verse is speaking of] an adult who says: “I take upon myself [to donate to the Holy Temple] the value of this five-year-old” [i.e., the subject of our verse is the person who is to be evaluated]. | | ואם מבן חמש שנים: לא שיהא הנודר קטן, שאין בדברי קטן כלום, אלא גדול שאמר ערך קטן זה, שהוא בן חמש שנים, עלי: |
| 6And if [the person is] from one month old until five years old, the value of a male shall be five silver shekels, while the value of a female shall be three silver shekels; | | ווְאִ֣ם מִבֶּן־חֹ֗דֶשׁ וְעַד֙ בֶּן־חָמֵ֣שׁ שָׁנִ֔ים וְהָיָ֤ה עֶרְכְּךָ֙ הַזָּכָ֔ר חֲמִשָּׁ֥ה שְׁקָלִ֖ים כָּ֑סֶף וְלַנְּקֵבָ֣ה עֶרְכְּךָ֔ שְׁל֥שֶׁת שְׁקָלִ֖ים כָּֽסֶף: |
| 7And if [the person is] sixty years old or over, if it is a male, the value shall be fifteen shekels, while for a female, it shall be ten shekels. | | זוְ֠אִ֠ם מִבֶּן־שִׁשִּׁ֨ים שָׁנָ֤ה וָמַ֨עְלָה֙ אִם־זָכָ֔ר וְהָיָ֣ה עֶרְכְּךָ֔ חֲמִשָּׁ֥ה עָשָׂ֖ר שָׁ֑קֶל וְלַנְּקֵבָ֖ה עֲשָׂרָ֥ה שְׁקָלִֽים: |
| And if [the person is] sixty years old [or over]: When people reach a venerable age, a woman’s value becomes closer to that of a man. This is why a man decreases [in value] in his old age [to] beyond a third of his value [as an adult, namely, from 50 shekels to 15], while a woman [in her old age] decreases [to] only one third of her value [namely, from 30 shekels to 10]. As people say: “An old man in the house is a breach in the house (Rashi) [or] a snare in the house (Rabbenu Gershom), while an old woman in the house is a hidden treasure in the house and a good sign for the house.”- [Arachin 19a] | | ואם מבן ששים שנה וגו': כשמגיע לימי הזקנה האשה קרובה להחשב כאיש, לפיכך האיש פוחת בהזדקנו יותר משליש בערכו, והאשה אינה פוחתת אלא שליש בערכה, דאמרי אינשי סבא בביתא פחא בביתא, סבתא בביתא סימא בביתא וסימנא טבא בביתא: |
| 8But if he is [too] poor to [pay] the valuation [amount], he shall stand him up before the kohen, and the kohen shall evaluate him according to how much the one who is vowing his value can afford._ | | חוְאִם־מָ֥ךְ הוּא֙ מֵֽעֶרְכֶּ֔ךָ וְהֶֽעֱמִידוֹ֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְהֶֽעֱרִ֥יךְ אֹת֖וֹ הַכֹּהֵ֑ן עַל־פִּ֗י אֲשֶׁ֤ר תַּשִּׂיג֙ יַ֣ד הַנֹּדֵ֔ר יַֽעֲרִיכֶ֖נּוּ הַכֹּהֵֽן: |
| But if he is [too] poor: that he cannot afford to pay this [fixed] valuation amount, | | ואם מך הוא: שאין ידו משגת ליתן הערך הזה: |
| he shall stand him up: [i.e., the one making the vow should stand up] the one whose value he pledged, before the kohen , [who] will then evaluate him in view of how much the one pledging the valuation, can afford. — [see next Rashi ; Torath Kohanim 27:62] | | והעמידו: לנערך לפני הכהן ויעריכנו לפי השגת ידו של מעריך: |
| according to how much [the one who is vowing his value] can afford: [The kohen] shall estimate the valuation, with reference to how much [the one who is vowing] owns, leaving him his basic life necessities, namely, a bed, a bolster, a pillow, and tools of trade-e.g., if he is a donkey-driver, the kohen must [make the valuation such that he] leaves him his donkey. — [Arachin 23b] | | על פי אשר תשיג: לפי מה שיש לו יסדרנו וישאיר לו כדי חייו מטה כר וכסת וכלי אומנות, אם היה חמר, משאיר לו חמורו: |
| 9Now, if an animal of whose type is [fit] to be brought as an offering to the Lord, whatever part of it the person donates to the Lord, shall become holy. | | טוְאִ֨ם־בְּהֵמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר יַקְרִ֧יבוּ מִמֶּ֛נָּה קָרְבָּ֖ן לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה כֹּל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִתֵּ֥ן מִמֶּ֛נּוּ לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה יִֽהְיֶה־קֹּֽדֶשׁ: |
| [If… an animal…] whatever part of it the person donates [… shall become holy]: If a person says, “The leg of this animal shall be a burnt-offering,” his words have validity. [And how is his vow expedited?] The [entire] animal [except for its leg] should be sold to one who needs a burnt-offering, and the money [received from this sale] which excludes the value of that limb [as stated above], becomes non-consecrated, [and then the entire animal can be brought by both parties as a burnt-offering]. — [Arachin 5a, Temurah 11b, Raavad on Torath Kohanim] | | כל אשר יתן ממנו: אמר רגלה של זו עולה, דבריו קיימין, ותמכר לצרכי עולה ודמיה חולין, חוץ מדמי אותו האבר: |
| 10He shall not exchange it or offer a substitute for it, whether it be a good one for a bad one, or a bad one for a good one. But if he does substitute one animal for another animal, [both] that one and its replacement shall be holy. | | ילֹ֣א יַֽחֲלִיפֶ֔נּוּ וְלֹֽא־יָמִ֥יר אֹת֛וֹ ט֥וֹב בְּרָ֖ע אוֹ־רַ֣ע בְּט֑וֹב וְאִם־הָמֵ֨ר יָמִ֤יר בְּהֵמָה֙ בִּבְהֵמָ֔ה וְהָֽיָה־ה֥וּא וּתְמֽוּרָת֖וֹ יִֽהְיֶה־קֹּֽדֶשׁ: |
| whether it be a good one for a bad one: i.e., an unblemished animal in place of a blemished one, | | טוב ברע: תם בבעל מום: |
| or a bad one in place of a good one: And how much more so [should he receive lashes if he replaced] a good [unblemished animal] for another good one, or if he replaced a bad [blemished animal] with another bad one [in which cases he did not raise the standard of the consecrated animal]. — [Torath Kohanim 27:71; Temurah 9a] | | או רע בטוב: וכל שכן טוב בטוב ורע ברע: |
| 11And if it is any unclean animal, of whose type shall not be brought as an offering to the Lord, then he shall stand up the animal before the kohen. | | יאוְאִם֙ כָּל־בְּהֵמָ֣ה טְמֵאָ֔ה אֲ֠שֶׁ֠ר לֹֽא־יַקְרִ֧יבוּ מִמֶּ֛נָּה קָרְבָּ֖ן לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה וְהֶֽעֱמִ֥יד אֶת־הַבְּהֵמָ֖ה לִפְנֵ֥י הַכֹּהֵֽן: |
| And if it is any unclean animal: [But the case of an unclean animal is stated later (verse 27); so what “unclean animal” is meant?] The text is speaking about a blemished animal, which is “unclean” [i.e., unfit] for sacrifice. And Scripture is teaching us that unblemished consecrated animals cannot leave [their holy status and enter] into a mundane status through redemption, unless they become blemished. — [Men. 101a, Temurah 32b, 33a] | | ואם כל בהמה טמאה: בבעלת מום הכתוב מדבר, שהיא טמאה להקרבה, ולמדך הכתוב שאין קדשים תמימים יוצאין לחולין בפדיון אלא אם כן הוממו: |
| 12The kohen shall then evaluate it whether it is good or bad; like the evaluation of the kohen, so shall it be. | | יבוְהֶֽעֱרִ֤יךְ הַכֹּהֵן֙ אֹתָ֔הּ בֵּ֥ין ט֖וֹב וּבֵ֣ין רָ֑ע כְּעֶרְכְּךָ֥ הַכֹּהֵ֖ן כֵּ֥ן יִֽהְיֶֽה: |
| like the evaluation of the kohen, so shall it be: for anyone else [but the owner], who wishes to purchase it from the possession of the Temple treasury, | | כערכך הכהן כן יהיה: לשאר כל אדם הבא לקנותה מיד הקדש: |
| 13But if he redeems it, he shall add its fifth to its value. | | יגוְאִם־גָּאֹ֖ל יִגְאָלֶ֑נָּה וְיָסַ֥ף חֲמִֽישִׁת֖וֹ עַל־עֶרְכֶּֽךָ: |
| But if he redeems it: [i.e., if the owner himself redeems the animal]. Scripture is more stringent with the owner, [obligating him] to add a fifth [to its value (see B.M . 54a, regarding the meaning of fifth)]. Likewise, in the case of one who consecrates his house, and likewise, in the case of one who consecrates his field, and likewise, in the case of the redemption of the Second Tithe- [in all these cases,] the owners must add a fifth [to the value], but no one else [who redeems these items must add a fifth]. [Torath Kohanim 27:83] | | ואם גאל יגאלנה: בבעלים החמיר הכתוב להוסיף חומש, וכן במקדיש בית וכן במקדיש את השדה וכן בפדיון מעשר שני הבעלים מוסיפין חומש, ולא שאר כל אדם: |
| 14And if a man consecrates his house [to be] holy to the Lord, the kohen shall evaluate it whether good or bad; as the kohen evaluates it, so shall it remain. | | ידוְאִ֗ישׁ כִּֽי־יַקְדִּ֨שׁ אֶת־בֵּית֥וֹ קֹ֨דֶשׁ֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה וְהֶֽעֱרִיכוֹ֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן בֵּ֥ין ט֖וֹב וּבֵ֥ין רָ֑ע כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֨ר יַֽעֲרִ֥יךְ אֹת֛וֹ הַכֹּהֵ֖ן כֵּ֥ן יָקֽוּם: |
| 15But if the one who consecrated it redeems his house, he shall add to it a fifth of its valuation money, and it shall be his. | | טווְאִם־הַ֙מַּקְדִּ֔ישׁ יִגְאַ֖ל אֶת־בֵּית֑וֹ וְ֠יָסַ֠ף חֲמִישִׁ֧ית כֶּֽסֶף־עֶרְכְּךָ֛ עָלָ֖יו וְהָ֥יָה לֽוֹ: |
Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 108 - 112• Hebrew text
• English text
Chapter 108
1. A song, a psalm by David.
2. My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing and chant praises even with my soul.
3. Awake, O lyre and harp; I shall awaken the dawn.
4. I will thank You among the nations, Lord; I will sing praises to You among the peoples.
5. Indeed, Your kindness reaches above the heavens; Your truth reaches to the skies.
6. Be exalted upon the heavens, O God, [show] Your glory upon all the earth.
7. That Your beloved ones may be delivered, help with Your right hand and answer me.
8. God spoke in His holiness that I would exult, I would divide portions [of the enemies' land], I would measure the Valley of Succot.
9. Mine is Gilead, mine is Manasseh, and Ephraim is the stronghold of my head, Judah is my prince.
10. Moab is my washbasin, I will cast my shoe upon Edom, I will shout over Philistia.
11. Who brings me to the fortified city? Who led me unto Edom?
12. Is it not God, Who has [until now] forsaken us, and did not go forth, O God, with our armies?
13. Give us help against the adversary; futile is the help of man.
14. Through God we will do valiantly, and He will trample our oppressors.
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.
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.
• Hebrew Text
• Audio Class: Listen | Download
• Video Class
Friday, Iyar 23, 5777 · May 19, 2017
Today's Tanya Lesson
Likutei Amarim, beginning of Chapter 51
The title-page of Tanya tells us that the entire work is based upon the verse (Devarim 30:14), “For this thing (the Torah) is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.” And the concluding phrase (“that you may do it”) implies that the ultimate purpose of the entire Torah is the fulfillment of the mitzvot in practice.
In order to clarify this, ch. 35 began to explain the purpose of the entire Seder Hishtalshelut (“chain of descent” of spiritual levels from the highest emanation of the Creator down to our physical world), and of man’s serving G‑d. The purpose of both is to bring a revelation of G‑d’s Presence into this lowly world, and to elevate the world spiritually so that it may become a fitting dwelling-place for His Presence.
To further explain this, ch. 35 quoted the words of the Yenuka in the Zohar that a Jew should not walk four cubits bareheaded because the Shechinah dwells above his head. This light of the Divine Presence, continues the Zohar, resembles the light of a lamp, where oil and wick are needed for the flame to keep burning. A Jew should therefore be aware, says the Zohar, of the Shechinah above him and keep it supplied with “oil” (good deeds), in order to ensure that the “flame” of the Shechinah keeps its hold on the “wick” (the physical body).
Basing himself upon this analogy of the Zohar, the Alter Rebbe asked (in the same chapter) why the “oil” — fuel — for the light of the Shechinah has to be good deeds. The divine soul is “truly a part of G‑d above” (ch. 2); why is it not sufficient to serve as this “fuel”? He answers that the divine soul, even of a perfect tzaddik, is a conscious entity. This conscious existence of the soul does not become utterly overwhelmed and nullified by G‑d’s Presence in the world to the extent that the soul can become one with G‑d’s Presence. Therefore the soul cannot serve as fuel for the light of the Shechinah, for the “oil” must become totally converted into light (just as physical fuel is consumed, as it burns, to become converted into light), whereas the soul remains in conscious existence. Only good deeds — mitzvot — can serve as fuel for the light of the Shechinah, for they are G‑d’s Will and His wisdom, which are expressions of His essence and thus utterly united with Him. For the soul to become united with G‑d, it must therefore perform mitzvot.
In this union of the soul with G‑d through mitzvot (ch. 35 continues) there are two levels. Through Torah study, the light of the Shechinah is revealed within the soul, together with the soul’s two inner “garments” — thought and speech — which become absorbed into G‑d’s light and united with it in utter oneness. But for the Shechinah to rest upon the physical body and upon the animal soul that animates it, mitzvot must be performed in actual deed, on the physical level — and this can take place only through the medium of the animating (or vital) soul, together with the body.
In further chapters, the Alter Rebbe explained how the ultimate purpose of the entire Seder Hishtalshelut is the practical performance of mitzvot, which alone can reveal G‑d’s presence in this physical world. From there, he went on to say that in order to observe the mitzvot properly, with enthusiasm and “soul”, one must have kavanah — devout concentration, animated by the awe and love of G‑d. And in chs. 41-50 the Alter Rebbe proceeded to elaborate on various means of arriving at the different forms and levels of awe and love of G‑d.
Ch. 51 now explains further the teaching of the Yenuka — that “this light (of the Shechinah) needs oil.” In the Zohar, “oil” usually refers to the Sefirah of Chochmah (lit., “wisdom”). Here, though, the Yenuka takes it to refer to good deeds. What is the connection between practical mitzvot — and “oil”, which refers to Chochmah? To clarify this, ch. 51 will explain the meaning of the concept that the Shechinah “dwells” (or “rests”) upon something, and how practical mitzvot do indeed derive from the Divine level of Chochmah, which is why they can serve as the “oil” which enables the light of the Shechinah to remain burning upon the “wick” — the human body.
והנה לתוספת ביאור לשון הינוקא דלעיל
For further explanation of the words of the Yenuka, mentioned earlier, in ch. 35, where the Yenuka was quoted as saying that the light of the Shechinah, which dwells upon a Jew, needs “oil”, meaning good deeds,
Now what connection do good deeds have with oil, which usually refers to Chochmah?
צריך לבאר תחלה, להבין קצת, ענין השראת השכינה, שהיתה שורה בבית קודש הקדשים
it is necessary first to explain (so that one may understand a little) the concept of the Shechinah “dwelling” — that it “dwelt” in the Holy of Holies,
Indeed, there are detailed laws defining the marks of respect due to the Holy of Holies because of the “dwelling” there of the Shechinah.
וכן כל מקום השראת השכינה, מה ענינו
and likewise any other place where the Shechinah dwells — what does this concept mean? What is meant when we say that a particular location is distinguished as being a place where the Shechinah dwells, rather than elsewhere?
הלא מלא כל הארץ כבודו, ולית אתר פנוי מיניה
Surely “the whole world is full of His glory,” and “no place is void of Him”!
The Alter Rebbe will now explain that the Shechinah’s “dwelling” upon something means the revelation of that aspect of G‑d’s Presence known as Shechinah. Although G‑d exists everywhere, His existence is concealed. But when the Shechinah “dwells” upon something, this denotes a revelation of G‑dliness.
-אך הענין כדכתיב: ומבשרי אחזה אלוה
However, the key to understanding the subject is to be found in the text, 1 “And from my flesh I see G‑d.” The Alter Rebbe understands these words literally: from what we see within ourselves, in our own soul and body, we can visualize the parallel on the spiritual level — in the Divine emanations and the world in general.
שכמו שנשמת האדם היא ממלאה כל רמ״ח אברי הגוף, מראשו ועד רגלו
By way of analogy: The human soul 2 pervades all 248 organs of the body, from head (the highest part of the body) to foot (the lowest part of the body);
The soul pervades the body to the extent that no organ or portion of it remains void of the soul.
ואף על פי כן עיקר משכנה והשראתה היא במוחו, ומהמוח מתפשטת לכל האברים
nevertheless, the soul’s principal abode (in a revealed form) and dwelling place (in an all-encompassing, non-revealed form) is in one’s brain, and from the brain the soul is diffused throughout all the organs;
This takes place in all the organs simultaneously, for (as the Rebbe explains) this “diffusion” of the soul refers to the life-force from which the organs derive their vitality — in which respect all organs are equal. This is one aspect of the soul’s emanation from the brain to the organs, and in chassidic terminology it can be termed “light” — a revelation which is equal throughout. A second aspect of the emanation that the organs derive from the soul which is in the brain is the following:
וכל אבר מקבל ממנה חיות וכח הראוי לו לפי מזגו ותכונתו
[moreover,] each organ receives from it (the soul) a different form of life force and functional power appropriate to it according to its (the organ’s) composition and character:
In other words, the difference between the functional ability of one organ and that of another does not derive from the organ itself (like water in a colored glass, for example, which takes on the color of its containing vessel). Rather does each organ draw from the soul its ability to see or hear, and so on, as the Alter Rebbe continues:
העין לראות
the eye receives from the soul a life-force and ability to see; the power of sight accords with the smooth and translucent nature of the tissue of the eye;
והאזן לשמוע, והפה לדבר, והרגלים להלוך
the ear receives from the soul a life-force and ability to hear, the mouth to speak, and the feet to walk 3 — each organ in the body, in accordance with its composition and character, receives its life-force and ability from the soul which “dwells” and becomes revealed initially in the brain —
כנראה בחוש, שבמוח מרגיש כל הנפעל ברמ״ח אברים וכל הקורות אותם
as we clearly sense how in the brain one is conscious of all that occurs within the 248 organs and of everything experienced by them, because the brain is the nerve-center and principal abode and source of the life-force of the entire body.
The Rebbe here adds a commentary which clarifies the subject.
By way of introduction: The life-force from the soul which animates the body comprises two aspects. One is its life-giving force — in that the whole body is alive and draws its vitality from the soul. In this aspect, there is no difference between one organ and the next. The head, for example, is no more alive than the foot, just as the foot is no less alive than the head. The entire body, with all its organs, is equally alive throughout. In chassidic terminology, this aspect of the life-giving force is called the ‘light“ of the soul (for light shines equally upon everything around the light-source, regardless of the quality or nature of the objects receiving the light).
The second aspect of the soul’s life-force is the specific functional power which each organ draws from the soul. This power is unique to each organ — the eye receives from the soul the power to see, the ear to hear, the mouth to speak, and the foot to walk.
The manner in which the organ receives the latter life-force and functional power can be explained in two ways.
One is that the life-force emanating from the soul to the organ is utterly “plain” and uncompounded, possessing none of the diverse qualities and powers of the various organs. According to this explanation, the various functional powers of the organs would be differentiated (with respect to the life-force emanating to them from the soul) only after that life-force actually becomes enclothed within the organs. For example, only after the life-force becomes enclothed within the eye would it become the power of sight, and only after it becomes enclothed within the ear would it become the power of hearing.
An analogy to this explanation would be water in a colored glass. Although it remains colorless, yet since it is seen through the walls of a white or red vessel, for example, it seems white or red to the viewer. Likewise each organ receives a plain, uncompounded life-force from the soul, and it is the organ that gives the life-force enclothed within it its specific functional ability: the eye enables the life-force to give the power to see, and the ear enables it to give the power to hear.
The second possible explanation — and that accepted by Tanya — is that the soul, despite its pristine, uncompounded essence, includes in potential form all the powers of the various organs, and it is these faculties which each individual organ receives. The eye receives, from the life-force of the soul, the power to see, and the ear receives from it the power to hear. These powers were originally included in potentia within the soul, and each becomes revealed as the life-force becomes enclothed within the respective organ. Thus the power to see or hear does not originate only when the life-force becomes enclothed within the eye or ear; it already exists in potentia within the comprehensive life-force emanating from the soul, although it is not yet revealed. Tanya proceeds to explain that this is the correct explanation.
The commentary of the Rebbe explains why we must accept this second explanation. If we were to say that the various functional powers are not differentiated (in potentia) within the life-force until after it becomes enclothed within the organs (like water or light which does not itself possess a color, but acquires it when viewed through colored glass), then the brain would be conscious of the same sensation from what is experienced in the eye as from what is experienced in the ear, because these sensations have already left their respective organs. (Thus too, water removed from a white vessel is no different from water removed from a red vessel: once removed from the vessel, it loses the vessel’s color. Likewise, “messages” conveying sensations from the eye would be no different from those coming from the ear — since they have already left their respective organs.)
One might argue (according to this explanation which Tanya does not accept) that when a particular organ calls into being a functional power in the life-force drawn into it from the soul, this differentiation becomes acquired in the life-force (like an ingot of silver which, once it has been molded into the shape of a vessel, remains in that shape later, too). According to this argument, the difference effected by each organ in the life-force drawn into it from the soul, remains also in the sensation transmitted from the organ back to the brain — even after it leaves the organ. This would account for the different messages received by the brain for the varying sensations and occurrences experienced by the eye and ear, for example.
If, however, we say that the soul, which is based in the brain, utterly transcends any kind of differentiation (even a differentiation in potentia, in which the various powers of the organs are included within the soul), then the soul within the brain would not distinguish between the sensation of what happens in the eye and the sensation of what happens in the ear or other organs, because the soul itself (according to this explanation) is utterly plain and uncompounded. Even, therefore, if the messages coming from the various organs to the brain are indeed different one from another, yet this difference would not be distinguished by the soul in the brain, which utterly transcends all differences between organic functions.
We must therefore say that a difference exists between the various functional powers later revealed in the organs even before the life-force is actually drawn from the soul to the organs. The Tanya will now explain at which level of the soul this differentiation takes place.
והנה אין שינוי קבלת הכוחות והחיות שבאברי הגוף מן הנשמה מצד עצמה ומהותה, שיהיה מהותה ועצמותה מתחלק לרמ״ח חלקים שונים, מתלבשים ברמ״ח מקומות, כפי ציור חלקי מקומות אברי הגוף
Now, the variation in receiving the functional powers and life-force by the organs of the body from the soul, each organ receiving from the soul a life-force and power in a different form, does not derive from the soul’s essence and being, that we should say that its being and essence is divided into 248 different parts, which are enclothed in 248 locations, according to the design of the various locations of the body’s organs,
Were this the case, we would say that within the soul itself there are already revealed and differentiated the various functional powers — of sight, hearing, and so on — and that these 248 powers which exist within the soul are enclothed within the body’s 248 organs, each in its appropriate location. We cannot, however, accept this approach:
שלפי זה נמצא עצמותה ומהותה מצוייר בציור גשמי, ודמות ותבנית כתבנית הגוף, חס ושלום
because, according to this, it would follow that the soul’s essence and being is designed in a physical design, and a likeness and structure similar to the structure of the body, G‑d forbid. Just as the organs of the body have various shapes and forms, so, according to this outlook, are the functional powers, while still within the soul, different from each other in form. But, again, we cannot accept this:
אלא כולה עצם אחד רוחני, פשוט ומופשט מכל ציור גשמי, ומבחינת וגדר מקום ומדה וגבול גשמי
Rather is the soul entirely a single spiritual entity — it is (1) a single entity, (2) a spiritual entity. As a “single” entity, its oneness is plain and uncompounded. As a “spiritual” entity, its spirituality is in a form which is divested of any physical design, and of any type of definition of physical space, measure, or limitation,
מצד מהותה ועצמותה
The soul is free of all such dimensions by virtue of its intrinsic being and essence. In fact, the soul is so “plain” and free of all these, that even when it is actually enclothed within the organs, they cannot effect any change in the soul. Therefore, the Alter Rebbe continues:
ולא שייך במהותה ועצמותה לומר שהוא במוחין שבראש יותר מברגלים, מאחר שמהותה ועצמותה אינו בגדר ובחינת מקום וגבול גשמי
And it is not valid to say, concerning the soul’s being and essence, that it is in the brain of the head more than in the feet, since its being and essence is not subject to the concept and dimension of physical space and limitation. It is therefore impossible to attribute to the soul this limitation of being more in the head than in the feet.
רק שתרי״ג מיני כוחות וחיות כלולים בה, במהותה ועצמותה, לצאת אל הפועל והגילוי מההעלם
Rather, 613 kinds of functional powers and vital forces are included within the soul, within its being and essence, to become actualized and to emerge from this concealment and inclusion within the soul’s essence. Previously, while still included within the soul’s essence, they are only in potentia and therefore hidden within the soul — not even as functional powers which are revealed as such while still included within the soul. In other words, within the soul is concealed a potential for 613 functional powers “to become actualized and to emerge from concealment” (i.e., to become revealed):
להחיות רמ״ח אברין ושס״ה גידין שבגוף על ידי התלבשותם בנפש החיונית, שיש לה גם כן רמ״ח ושס״ה כוחות וחיות הללו
in order to animate the 248 organs and 365 blood-vessels of the body, through the functional powers of the divine soul becoming enclothed within the animating (or vital) soul, which also possesses the corresponding 248 and 365 functional powers and vital forces.
Concerning these functional powers, as they are drawn and revealed from the soul into the body, the Alter Rebbe will now explain that the principal location to which they are drawn and where they are revealed is the brain. It is from there that the potential powers spread to all other organs of the body. But the essence of the soul exists equally in the foot just as in the brain.
Till now, the Alter Rebbe has mentioned mainly the 248 organs of the body and the corresponding 248 functional powers of the soul enclothed within them. Now, however, he goes into more detail, referring to all 613 functional powers, both those of the 248 organs and those of the 365 blood-vessels, each of which has its own, unique life-force from the soul. This explains why he now refers to 613 rather than 248.
Rambam:
• 1 Chapter: Malveh veLoveh Malveh veLoveh - Chapter 5
Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
"And the person with tzaraat, in whom there is the lesion, his garments shall be torn, his head shall be unshorn, he shall cover himself down to his lips and call out, 'Unclean! Unclean!'"—Leviticus 13:45.
We are commanded to make a metzora recognizable so that people should stay away from him [and thus avoid contracting ritual impurity].
According to our tradition, this mitzvah somewhat applies to all carriers of ritual impurity; they too must make themselves recognizable in order that people keep away from them [though a person with an impurity other than tzaraat need not do all that is stated in the verse above].
Women who suffer from tzaraat are exempt from [most of] this mitzvah, though they do need to cover their face down to their lips and proclaim that they are impure—similar to all other people who are impure [with impurities other than tzaraat].
Proclaiming Ritual Impurity
Proclaiming Ritual Impurity
Positive Commandment 112
The 112th mitzvah is that we are commanded to make a metzora recognizable so that people should keep away from him.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement (exalted be He), "A metzora who has on himself a mark of tzora'as, must tear his clothing, go without a haircut, cover his face down to his lips; and he shall call out, 'Unclean! Unclean!' "
The proof that this counts as a positive commandment is from the Sifri, which says, "From the verse [regarding a kohen gadol], 'He shall not let his hair grow long nor tear his garments,' I would think that it is forbidden even if he has tzora'as. How would I explain the statement [that a metzora], 'must tear his clothing, go without a haircut'? — As referring to everyone except a kohen gadol. The Torah therefore writes [the extra phrase], 'who has on himself a mark of tzora'as,' — to tell you that even a kohen gadol 'must tear his clothing' and must 'go without a haircut' [if he has tzora'as]."
It is clear that it is a Biblical prohibition for a kohen gadol to tear his clothing or go without a haircut. And the general rule is, "When you have a positive commandment and a prohibition: if both can be kept, that is best; if not, the positive commandment overrides the prohibition." Since a kohen gadol who is stricken with tzora'as does tear his clothing and grow his hair long, it proves that it must be a positive commandment.
It has been passed down through the Oral Tradition that people who carry other forms of tumah must also make themselves recognizable in order that people keep away from them. The Sifra says, "Those who are tameh meis; who have had relations with a woman in a state of niddah [and are thereby tameh]; and all others who could make another person tameh — how do we know [that they too must make themselves recognizable]? From the phrase, 'he shall call out, 'Unclean! Unclean!' "
This means that any person who is tameh must proclaim that he is tameh, i.e. to make a sign to show that he is tameh and will convey tumah to anyone who touches him, in order that people should keep away from him.
We have already explained that not all the signs for recognizing a metzora are obligatory for women. This is derived from the statement of our Sages, "A man must grow his hair and tear his clothing, and a woman must not grow her hair and tear her clothing." She does, however, cover her face down to her lips and proclaim that she is tameh, like other people who are tameh.
Malveh veLoveh - Chapter 5
1 One may lend money to and borrow money from a gentile and a resident alien at interest, as implied by Deuteronomy 23:20: "Do not offer interest to your brother." We may infer: Offering - and taking - interest from "your brother" is prohibited; from people at large, by contrast, it is permitted.
It is a positive mitzvah to lend money to a gentile at interest, as Ibid:21 states: "You may offer interest to a gentile." The Oral Tradition teaches that this is a positive commandment. This is the Scriptural Law.אהעכו"ם וגר תושב לוין מהן ומלוין אותן ברבית שנאמר לא תשיך לאחיך לאחיך אסור ולשאר העולם מותר, ומצות עשה להשיך לעכו"ם שנאמר לנכרי תשיך מפי השמועה למדו שזו מצות עשה וזהו דין תורה.
2 Our Sages, however, forbade a Jew from lending money to a gentile at a fixed rate of interest beyond what is necessary for him to earn his livelihood. They enacted this decree lest, the lender learn from the gentile's deeds as a result of the large extent of his contact with him. Therefore even according to the Sages, it is permitted to borrow money from a gentile at interest, for the Jew will flee from him, and will not frequent his company.
Torah scholars will not learn from a gentile's conduct. . Hence, it is permitted for them to lend money to a gentile at interest, even to make a profit. Any transactions in the category of "the shade of interest" that involve gentiles are permitted for everyone.באסרו חכמים שיהיה ישראל מלוה את העכו"ם ברבית קצוצה אלא בכדי חייו גזרו שמא ילמוד ממעשיו ברוב ישיבתו עמו, לפיכך מותר ללוות מן העכו"ם ברבית שהרי הוא בורח מלפניו ואינו רגיל אצלו, ותלמיד חכם שאינו רגיל בו ללמוד ממעשיו מותר להלוות לעכו"ם ברבית אפילו להרויח, וכל אבק רבית עם העכו"ם מותרת לכל.
3 The following law applies when a Jew borrowed money from a gentile at interest, and when he seeks to return it to him another Jew meets him and tells him: "Give it to me and I will pay you the rate of interest that you pay the gentile." This is forbidden, even if the original borrower brings the other Jew to the gentile. Instead, the gentile must take back his money and then give it as a loan to the other Jew.גישראל שלוה מעות מן העכו"ם ברבית וביקש להחזירם לו מצאו ישראל אחר ואמר לו תנם לי ואני מעלה לך כדרך שאתה מעלה לעכו"ם הרי זו רבית קצוצה אפילו העמידו אצל העכו"ם עד שיטול העכו"ם מעותיו ויחזור ויתנם ביד ישראל האחר.
4 When, by contrast, a gentile borrows money from a Jew at interest and desires to return it to him, and another Jew meets the gentile and tells him: "Give it to me and I will pay you the rate of interest that you pay the other Jew," this is permitted. If, however, the gentile brought the Jewish borrower to the Jewish lender and informed him of the loan, this is considered fixed interest, for he gave the money with the knowledge of the Jewish lender. This applies even if the gentile gave the Jewish borrower the money.דעכו"ם שלוה מעות מישראל ברבית וביקש להחזירם לו מצאו ישראל אחר ואמר לו תנם לי ואני מעלה לך כדרך שאתה מעלה לישראל הרי זה מותר, ואם העמידו אצל ישראל אע"פ שנתן העכו"ם המעות בידו הואיל ומדעת ישראל נתן הרי זו רבית קצוצה.
5 It is forbidden for a Jew to entrust his money to a gentile so that he can lend them to a Jew at interest.
When a gentile loans money to a Jew at interest, it is forbidden for another Jew to serve as a guarantor. The rationale is that according to their laws, the lender may demand payment from the guarantor first. Thus, after paying the debt, the guarantor will demand payment for the interest that he is obligated to the gentile. Hence, if the gentile makes a commitment not to demand payment from the guarantor first, it is permitted.האסור לישראל לתלות מעותיו ביד עכו"ם כדי להלוותן ברבית לישראל, ועכו"ם שהלוה את ישראל ברבית אסור לישראל אחר להיות לו ערב שכיון שבדיניהם שתובע הערב תחלה נמצא הערב תובע את ישראל ברבית שהערב חייב בה לעכו"ם, לפיכך אם קבל עליו העכו"ם שלא יתבע את הערב תחלה הרי זה מותר.
6 The following laws apply when a Jew borrowed money from a gentile at interest and then the gentile converted. If a reckoning was made before he converted, the convert may collect the principal and the interest. If a reckoning was not made until after he converted, the convert may collect the principal, but not the interest.
Different rules apply when, by contrast, a gentile borrows money from a Jew at interest and then converts. After a reckoning is made, even if it was made after the conversion, the convert is required to pay the entire sum, the principal and the interest. This measure was instituted lest people say that the person converted for the sake of his money. Even after he converted, the Jew can collect the entire sum of interest for which he became liable while he was a gentile.וישראל שלוה מעות מן העכו"ם ברבית וזקפן עליו במלוה ונתגייר אם עד שלא נתגייר זקפן עליו במלוה גובה את הקרן והרבית ואם משנתגייר זקפן עליו במלוה גובה את הקרן ולא הרבית, אבל עכו"ם שלוה מישראל ברבית וזקף עליו את הרבית במלוה אע"פ שזקפן עליו אחר שנתגייר גובה את הקרן ואת הרבית שלא יאמרו בשביל מעותיו נתגייר זה, וגובה הישראל ממנו אחר שנתגייר כל מעות הרבית שנתחייב בהן כשהיה עכו"ם.
7 It is a mitzvah to lend money to a Jew without charge before lending money to a gentile at interest.זמצוה להקדים הלואת ישראל בחנם להלואת עכו"ם ברבית.
8 It is forbidden for a person to invest his money in a manner where his share in the profit is great and his share in the eventuality of loss is minimal. This is considered "the shade of interest." A person who makes such investments is considered "wicked."
If a person makes such an investment, the profits and the losses are divided according to the laws governing a hetter iska. A person who invests his money in a manner where his share in the profit is minimal and his share in the eventuality of loss is great is considered pious.חאסור לאדם שיתן מעותיו קרוב לשכר ורחוק להפסד שזה אבק רבית הוא והעושה כן נקרא רשע, ואם נתן חולקין בשכר ובהפסד כדין העסק, והנותן מעותיו קרוב להפסד ורחוק לשכר הרי זה נקרא חסיד.
9 We may not appoint a person as a storekeeper in return for half of the profits, nor may one entrust a person with money to buy produce in return for half of the profits, nor may one buy eggs to place under another person's chickens in return for half of the profits, nor may one evaluate calves and young donkeys and then have them fattened in return for half of the profits.
These arrangements are permitted only when the investor pays the manager a wage for his efforts and reimbursement for the upkeep of the animals, or grants the manager a greater share of the profits than his share in the event of a loss, as we explained with regard to partnerships.טאין מושיבין חנוני למחצית שכר ולא יתן מעות ליקח בהן פירות למחצית שכר ולא ביצים להושיב תחת התרנגולין שלו למחצית שכר ואין שמין עגלים וסייחין לפטמן למחצית שכר אלא א"כ נתן לו שכר עמלו ומזונו, או יהיה ריוח המתעסק יותר על הפסדו כמו שביארנו בענין השותפות.
10 When a person enters into a partnership arrangement with a colleague, entrusting him with money or with land, or making an iska agreement, he should not include the profit together with the principal as a single sum in the promissory note, lest there be no profit and this lead to interest.
Similarly, a person should not give a colleague money as an iska or in a partnership, but have a promissory note written as if it were a loan. This is prohibited lest he die and the promissory note be given to his heir, who will use it to collect interest.יהמשתתף עם חבירו במעות או בקרקע או הנותן לו עסק לא יצרף השכר עם הקרן שמא לא יהיה שם שכר ונמצאו באין לידי רבית, וכן לא יתן לו מעות בתורת עסק או שותפות ויכתוב אותן מלוה שמא ימות ונמצא השטר ביד היורש וגובה בו את הרבית.
11 It is forbidden to pay interest before taking a loan or to pay it afterwards. What is implied? If a person thought about receiving a loan from a
colleague and sent him presents so that he would grant him the loan, this is considered to be paying interest before giving a loan. If he took a loan from him and returned the debt, and then sent the lender a present for the fact that his money was in his possession without his receiving any benefit, this is considered as paying interest afterwards. If one transgresses and does this, this is "the shade of interest."יאאסור להקדים הרבית או לאחר אותו, כיצד נתן עיניו ללוות ממנו והיה משלח לו סבלונות בשביל שילוהו זו היא רבית מוקדמת, לוה ממנו והחזיר לו מעותיו והיה משלח לו סבלונות בשביל מעותיו שהיו בטילין אצלו זו היא רבית מאוחרת ואם עבר ועושה כן הרי זה אבק רבית.
12 When a person who borrowed money from a colleague would not ordinarily greet him first, it is forbidden for him to greet him first. Needless to say, it is forbidden for him to praise the lender in public or go to his home. These prohibitions are derived from the phrase Deuteronomy 23:20: "All types of neshech"; even words are forbidden.
Similarly, it is forbidden for the borrower to teach the lender Scripture or Talmud throughout the duration of the loan if the borrower was not accustomed to doing so previously,52 as implied by the phrase: "All types of interest."יבמי שלוה מחבירו ולא היה רגיל מקודם להקדים לו שלום אסור להקדים לו שלום, ואצ"ל שיקלסו בדברים או ישכים לפתחו שנאמר נשך כל דבר אפילו דברים אסורים, וכן אסור לו ללמד את המלוה מקרא או גמרא כל זמן שמעותיו בידו אם לא היה רגיל בזה מקודם שנא' נשך כל דבר.
13 When a person lends money to a colleague, he should not tell the borrower: "Take notice if so and so from this and this place comes." Implied is that the borrower should honor him and provide him with food and drink as is appropriate. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.יגהמלוה את חבירו לא יאמר לו דע אם בא איש פלוני ממקום פלוני (כלומר) שתכבדו ותאכילו ותשקהו כראוי וכן כל כיוצא בזה.
14 There are practices that resemble interest, but which are permitted. What is implied? A person may purchase a promissory note from a
colleague for less than its face value without any concern. A person may give a colleague a dinar so that he will lend a third party 100 dinarim. The rationale is that the Torah forbade only interest given by the borrower to the lender.
Similarly, a person may tell a colleague: "Here is a dinar. Tell so and so to give me a loan." This is permitted, because he gave him a wage only for making the suggestion.ידיש דברים שהן כמו רבית ומותרין כיצד לוקח אדם שטרותיו של חבירו בפחות ואינו חושש, ומותר לאדם ליתן לחבירו דינר כדי שילוה לפלוני מאה דינרין שלא אסרה תורה אלא רבית הבאה מן הלוה למלוה, וכן אומר אדם לחבירו הא לך דינר זה ואמור לפלוני שילוני שלא נתן אלא שכר אמירה.
15 There are certain matters that are permitted, and yet are forbidden because they are ha'aramat ribit (a circumvention of the prohibition against interest).
What is implied? The borrower tells the lender: "Lend me a maneh." The lender answers: "I do not have a maneh. I have wheat worth a maneh," and he gave him the wheat for a maneh and then purchased it from him for 90 zuz. This is permitted, but it was forbidden by the Sages as a circumvention of the prohibition against interest. For he gave him 90 and received a maneh.
If the lender transgressed and carried out these transactions, the lender may expropriate 100 zuz from the borrower through legal process, because even "the shade of interest" is not involved. Similarly, if a field was given as security for a loan, the lender may not rent it back to the owner of the field, because this is a circumvention of the prohibition against interest. For the borrower is receiving the field that he owned and paying the lender rent each month because he lent him money.טויש דברים שהן מותרין ואסור לעשותן מפני הערמת רבית, כיצד אמר לו הלוני מנה אמר לו מנה אין לי חטים יש לי במנה ונתן לו חטים במנה וחזר ולקחן ממנו בתשעים הרי זה מותר אבל אסרוהו מפני הערמת רבית שהרי נתן לו תשעים ולוקח מנה, ואם עבר ועשה כזה הרי הוא מוציא ממנו מאה בדין שאפילו אבק רבית אין כאן, וכן מי שהיתה שדה ממושכנת בידו לא יחזור וישכיר אותה לבעל השדה מפני הערמת רבית שהרי זה עומד בשדהו כשהיה ונותן לזה שכר בכל חדש בשביל מעותיו שהלוהו.
16 It is forbidden to hire out dinarim. This does not resemble hiring out other utensils. In the latter case, the same utensil that was hired out is returned, In this instance, however, the recipient spends the dinarim he receives and pays him back with others. Hence, "the shade of interest" is involved.טזאסור להשכיר הדינרין שאין זה דומה למשכיר את הכלי שהכלי חוזר בעצמו וזה מוציא אלו ומביא דינרין אחרות ונמצא זה אבק רבית.
17 The following rules apply when a king has established a law that whoever pays the head tax imposed on every person for a particular person has the right to take control of that person and treat him as a serf. If a person pays a dinar as the tax for a particular person and then has him work for more than a dinar, this is permitted. Similar principles apply in all analogous situations.יזמלך שהיו דיניו שכל מי שיתן המס הקצוב על כל איש ואיש ע"י זה שלא נתן יתשעבד בו ונתן על ידו דינר אע"פ שמשעבד בו יתר מדינר ה"ז מותר וכן כל כיוצא בזה.
Tum'at Tsara`at - Chapter 5
1 The following principles apply with regard to a person who had a wound on the flesh of his skin and the skin peeled away because of the wound. If the wound came about because of fire, e.g., he was burnt by a coal, embers, iron or stone that were heated in fire, or the like, it is called michveh, a burn. If the wound did not come about because of fire, e.g., he received a blister from stone, wood, or the like, or the wound came about because of an infirmity within the body, a wart or eczema that ruined the skin or swelling lesions, feverous swellings, or infections that ruin the skin, it is called sh'chin, a boil.אמי שהיתה לו מכה בעור בשרו ונפשט העור מחמת המכה אם היתה המכה מחמת האש כגון שנכוה בגחלת או ברמץ או בברזל או באבן שליבנו באש וכיוצא בהן הרי זו נקראת מכוה ואם היתה המכוה שלא מחמת האש בין שלקה באבן או בעץ וכיוצא בהן בין שהיתה המכוה מחמת חולי הגוף כגון גרב או חזזית שהפסיד העור או שחפת או קדחת ודלקת וכיוצא בהן שהשחיתו העור הרי זו נקרא שחין:
2 The following laws apply if one heated a spit and hit another person with it. If its end was rounded, the wound it produces is considered as a burn. If its end was pointed, there is an unresolved question if it is considered as a burn or a boil.
When a person suffers a burn because of the hot springs of Tiberias, olive dregs, or the like, the affliction is considered as a boil.בליבן שפוד והכה בו אם היה ראשו (מבורז) [כדור] הרי זו מכוה ואם היה ראשו חד הרי זו ספק אם היא מכוה או שחין לקה במי טבריא או בגפת וכיוצא בהן הרי זה שחין:
3 As long as boils and burns are fresh, festering wounds, they are called mordin and do not impart impurity because of tzara'at at all. If a boil or a burn heals and the afflicted person's flesh was entirely restored - even though there is a scar on the place and it is not entirely like other skin - it is considered like ordinary skin with regard to all matters. Such a person is deemed impure because of the three signs mentioned above and he is isolated for two weeks as part of the process of determination as explained.גהשחין והמכוה כל זמן שהן מכות טריות הן נקראין מורדין ואינן מטמאין בנגעים כלל חיו השחין והמכוה ונתרפאו ריפוי גמור אע"פ שהמקום צלקת ואינה דומה לשאר העור הרי הן כעור הבשר לכל דבר ומתטמאין בשלשה סימנין ויש בהן הסגר שני שבועות כמו שביארנו:
4 If the boil or the burn began to heal and be restored, with a scab like the thickness of a garlic peel forming over them, this is the "scarring of the boil" mentioned in the Torah and the "healing burn" mentioned there. They impart impurity because of two signs: white hair or an increase in the size of the blemish and such a blemish is isolated only for one week.
What is implied? There was a baheret on the scarring of a boil or the healing of a burn. If it contained two white hairs, the person should be deemed definitively impure. If it does not contain white hair, he should be isolated for a week and examined at the end of the week. If white hair grew or size of the blemish increased, he should be deemed definitively impure. If there was no new development, he should be released from the inspection process. If size of the blemish increased or white hair grew after he was released from the inspection process, he should be deemed definitively impure.דהתחילו השחין והמכוה לחיות ולהתרפאות ונעשית עליהן קליפה כקליפת השום זו היא צרבת השחין האמורה בתורה ומחית המכוה האמורה שם ומטמאות בשני סימנין בשיער לבן או בפשיון ואין בהן הסגר אלא שבוע אחד כיצד בהרת שהיתה בצרבת השחין או במחית המכוה אם היה בה שיער לבן יחליט לא היה בה שיער לבן יסגיר שבוע אחד ויראה בסוף השבוע אם נולד בה שיער או פשתה יחליט ואם לא נולד בה כלום יפטור פשתה לאחר הפיטור או נולד בה שיער לבן יחליט:
5 A healing boil and a healing burn cannot be combined with each other. For that reason, the Torah described them separately, to teach that they are not to be combined, nor can they expand into each other, They do not expand into ordinary flesh and a baheret that is on ordinary flesh does not expand into them.
What is implied? If there is a boil next to a burn and a baheret that comprises a gris extending over both of them, the person is pure. If a baheret was in either of them and it extended into the other or it extended into ordinary skin, he is pure. If there was a baheret on ordinary skin and it extended to one of these, it is not considered as an extension.
When a person had a healed boil that was the size of a gris with a baheret the size of a gris on the palm of his hand, he should nevertheless be isolated. Although it is not fit to grow white hair, nor to expand, there is the possibility that he will develop another boil next to it and the baheret will spread into it.ההשחין והמכוה אין מצטרפין זה עם זה לפיכך חלקן הכתוב לומר שאין מצטרפין זה עם זה ואין פושין זה לזה ואין פושין לעור הבשר ולא בהרת עור הבשר פושה לתוכן כיצד היה שחין בצד המכוה ובהרת כגריס בשתיהן הרי זה טהור היתה באחת מהן ופשתה לשניה או שפשתה לעור הבשר טהור היתה בהרת בעור הבשר ופשתה לאחת מהן אינו פשיון היה בתוך כפו צרבת שחין כגריס ובה בהרת כגריס יסגיר שאף על פי שאינה ראויה לשיער לבן ולא לפשיון שמא יולד לו שחין אחר בצדה ותפשה לתוכו:
6 When a boil became a burn, the burn nullifies the boil. When a burn became a boil, the boil nullifies the burn. If it is not known whether a blemish was a boil or a burn, it is not significant, for they both contract impurity due to the same signs and the impurity is the same. Scripture differentiates between them only to teach that they are not to be combined.ושחין שנעשה מכוה בטלה מכוה את השחין ומכוה שנעשית שחין בטל שחין המכוה אם אין ידוע אם שחין היה אם מכוה אין בכך כלום ששניהם סימן אחד וטומאה אחת ולא חלקן הכתוב אלא לומר שאין מצטרפין:
7 If a person was isolated because of a baheret in a boil and at the end of the week, the boil healed and became ordinary flesh or he was isolated because of a baheret on ordinary flesh and at the end of the week, it became a boil, he should be given an initial examination.זהסגירו בבהרת שבשחין ובסוף השבוע נעשה עור הבשר או שהסגירו בעור הבשר ובסוף השבוע נעשית שחין יראה בתחילה:
8 When all the hair on a person's head falls off, whether due to sickness, due to a wound that makes him unfit to grow hair, or due to eating foods that cause hair to fall off or applied lotions that cause hair to fall off, since he lost all of his hair at this particular moment, he is called a keireiach or a gibeiach, even though he is fit to grow hair at a later time.
If his hair from the top of his forehead and downward, descending backward until the first vertebra of his neck falls off, he is called a keireiach. If his hair from the top of his forehead and downward, descending frontward until it is level with his forehead falls off, he is called a gibeiach.חמי שנשר כל שיער ראשו בין מחמת חולי בין מחמת מכה שאינה ראויה לגדל שיער בין שאכל דברים המשירין את השיער או סך דברים שהשירו שערו אע"פ שראוי לגדל לאחר זמן הואיל ואבד כל שיער ראשו עתה הרי זה נקרא קרח או גבח אם נשר שערו מן הקדקד ולמטה שופע לאחור ועד פיקה של צואר נקרא קרח ואם נשר מן הקדקד ולמטה שופע לפניו עד כנגד פדחתו נקרא גבח:
9 With regard to both of these types of baldness, a person can contract impurity when a baheret appears on the skin through two signs: healthy skin and an increase in size. They should be isolated for two weeks, for Leviticus 13:43 states: "Like the appearance of tzara'at on the flesh of the skin." Since these portions of the body do not grow hair, the appearance of white hair is not a sign of impurity for them.
What is meant by incurring impurity through either of two signs and that a person may be isolated for two weeks. If there was a baheret in a bald spot whether at the back of a person's head or at its front and there was healthy flesh in it, he should be deemed definitively impure. If it does not have healthy flesh in it, he should be isolated and examined after the end of one week. If healthy flesh appeared or the blemish increased in size, he should be deemed definitively impure. If nothing changed, he should be isolated for a second week. If the blemish increased in size or healthy flesh appeared, he should be deemed definitively impure. If nothing changed, he should be released from the inspection process. If the blemish increased in size or healthy flesh appeared after he was released from the inspection process, he should be deemed definitively impure.טהקרחת והגבחת מטמאות בב' סימנין במחיה ובפשיון ויש בהן הסגר שני שבועות שנאמר בהן כמראה צרעת עור בשר ולפי שאין בהן שיער אין השיער הלבן סימן טומאה בהן וכיצד מטמאין בשני סימנין ובשתי שבועות שאם היתה בהרת בקרחתו או בגבחתו והיתה בה מחיה יחליט לא היתה בה מחיה יסגיר ויראה בסוף השבוע אם נולדה בה מחיה או פשיון יחליט לא נולד בה כלום יסגיר שבוע שני פשת או שנולד בה מחיה יחליט לא נולד בה כלום יפטור ואם פשת או נולד בה מחיה לאחר הפיטור יחליט:
10 These two forms of baldness are not combined with each other, as indicated by Leviticus 13:42, which makes a distinction, stating: "on his karachet or on his gabachet." This teaches that they are two types of conditions and blemishes do not spread from one to the other, from either of them to ordinary flesh, or from ordinary flesh to them.יהקרחת והגבחת אינן מצטרפות זו עם זו שנאמר בקרחתו או בגבחתו מלמד שהן ב' ואין פושות מזו לזו ולא לשאר עור הבשר ולא בהרת עור הבשר פושה לתוכן:
11 When there is a boil or a burn on a karachet, on a gabachet, or on a beard that has lost its hair, they are deemed impure in the same way as is a boil or a burn on ordinary flesh. For when one loses the hair of his head or of his beard, these parts of the body are considered as ordinary flesh with regard to all matters except that they do not contract impurity because of the emergence of white hair.
When hair has never grown on one's head or on one's chin or when there is a blister on one's head or chin, the surface is considered as ordinary flesh and they are deemed impure because of three signs and requires isolation for two weeks. Similar laws also apply to the chin of a woman and a sexually inadequate male. Until hair grows on these surfaces, they are considered as ordinary flesh. If they grew hair, they are considered as the chin of a male and incur impurity as a netek does, as will be explained. They do not incur impurity because of a baheret.יאהקרח או הגבחת או הזקן שנקרח ונעשה בהן שחין או מכוה מטמאין כשחין וכמכוה שבעור הבשר שהראש או הזקן שנקרחו כעור הבשר לכל דבר אלא שאין מטמאין בשיער לבן הראש והזקן קודם שיצמח בהן השיער ועדיין לא העלו שיער מעולם וכן הדלדולין שבראש ושבזקן הרי הן כעור הבשר ומתטמאין בג' סימנין וב' שבועות וכן זקן האשה והסריס עד שלא העלו שיער הרי הן כעור הבשר ואם העלו שיער הרי הן כזקן האיש שמתטמא בנתקין כמו שיתבאר ואינו מתטמא בבהרת:
Tum'at Tsara`at - Chapter 6
1 These are the places in the human body which do not incur impurity because of a baheret: the inside of the eye, the inside of the ear, the inside of the nose, the inside of the mouth, the folds of the stomach, the folds of the neck, under the breasts, the armpits, the underside of the foot, a nail, the head and the chin where hair grows, and open boils and burns.
All of these surfaces do not become impure because of blemishes, nor can they be combined with blemishes. A blemish cannot expand into them; they are not considered as healthy flesh in the midst of a blemish, nor does the absence of tzara'at on them prevent a person whose entire body is afflicted from being placed in that category. These concepts are derived from Leviticus 12:2 which speaks of a blemish being "on the skin of one's flesh." None of the above surfaces can be considered as revealed flesh. Some of them are not flesh and some are flesh, but they are covered and not revealed.
The red portions of the lips are considered as "hidden places" and cannot incur impurity from blemishes.אאלו מקומות באדם שאין מתטמאין בבהרת: תוך העין ותוך האוזן ותוך החוטם ותוך הפה והקמטים שבבטן והקמטים שבצואר ותחת הדד ובית השחי וכף הרגל והציפורן והראש והזקן שיש בהן שיער והשחין והמכוה והמורדין כל אלו המקומות אין מתטמאין בנגעים ואין מצטרפין בנגעים ולא הנגע פושה לתוכן ואין מתטמאין משום מחיה ואין מעכבין את ההופך כולו לבן שנאמר בעור בשרו וכל אלו אינו עור גלוי אלא מהן שאינו עור ומהן שהוא עור והוא מכוסה ואינו גלוי ואודם השפתים נידון כבית הסתרים ואינו מטמא בנגעים:
2 When all the hair of the head and the chin fell off or a boil or a burn developed a scab, they may incur impurity due to a baheret, as we explained. Blemishes on these surfaces are not combined with each other, nor can a blemish on ordinary skin expand into them, nor are they considered as healthy flesh in the midst of a blemish. The absence of tzara'at on them does, however, prevent a person whose entire body is afflicted from being placed in this category.בהראש והזקן שנשר כל שערן והשחין והמכוה שעלו צרבת מטמאין בבהרת כמו שביארנו ואינן מצטרפין זה עם זה ואין נגע עור הבשר פושה לתוכם ואינן מטמאים משום מחיה אבל מעכבין את ההופך כולו לבן:
3 When there is a baheret next to the head, the eye, the ear, or the like or next to a boil or a burn, it is pure. This is derived from Leviticus 13:3: "And the priest shall see the blemish in the flesh of the skin." Implied is that the entire area immediately outside the blemish must be ordinary flesh that is fit for the blemish to spread into.גבהרת הסמוכה לראש או לעין או לאוזן וכיוצא בהן או לשחין או למכוה טהורה שנאמר וראה הכהן את הנגע בעור הבשר שיהיה כל שחוצה לנגע בעור הבשר וראוי לפשיון:
4 The following are beharot that are pure:
a) A gentile who had a baheret and converted.
b) A baheret existed on a fetus and then the infant was born.
c) A baheret existed in a crease of a person's flesh and then it was revealed.
d) A baheret existed on the head and/or the chin where hair grew, and then all the hair fell off and the baheret was revealed.
e) There was a baheret on ordinary skin, either a boil or a burn formed on its place, and then they healed, and became like ordinary skin. Even though the initial and ultimate condition of the skin is susceptible to impurity, since it was pure in the interim, it remains pure.
In all the above instances, if the shade of the blemish changes, whether the whiteness becomes stronger or weaker, it should be given an initial examination. What is implied? A gentile had a baheret that was white like the membrane of an egg. After he converted, it became white as snow. Or originally, it was white as snow and after he converted, it became like the membrane of an egg, it should be given an initial examination. Similarly, when an infant is born, the creases of a person's skin straighten, a person's head or chin become bald, or a boil or a burn heal, if the shade of these blemishes change, they should be given an initial examination. If not, they are considered pure.דאלו בהרות טהורות: עכו"ם שהיתה בו בהרת ונתגייר היתה בעובר ונולד בקמט ונגלה בראש ובזקן כשהיה בהן שיער ונקרחו ונשר כל השיער ונתגלתה הבהרת היתה בשחין ובמכוה כשהן מורדין והעלו צרבת הרי אלו טהורות וכן אם היתה הבהרת בראש או בזקן קודם שיעלו שיער מעולם והעלו שיער והלך השיער או שהיתה הבהרת בעור ונעשה מקומה שחין או מכוה וחיו והרי הן כעור הבשר אף על פי שתחלתה וסופה טמאין הואיל והיתה טהורה בינתים הרי זו טהורה נשתנו מראיהן בין שהעזו או שכהו יראה בתחילה כיצד עכו"ם שהיתה בו בהרת כקרום ביצה ולאחר שנתגייר נעשית כשלג או שהיתה כשלג ולאחר שנתגייר נעשית כקרום ביצה תראה בתחלה וכן בקטן שנולד ובקמט שנגלה ובראש ובזקן שנקרחו ובשחין ובמכוה שחיו אם נשתנה מראה אותן הבהרות יראו בתחלה ואם לאו טהורות:
5 Until a person has been deemed impure, all questionable situations regarding blemishes are considered as pure except for the two questionable situations we mentioned already. When, however, a person has been deemed impure, a questionable situation is considered as impure.
What is implied? Two people came to a priest, one had a baheret the size of a gris and the other, one the size of a sela. He had both of them isolated. At the end of the week, they both had blemishes the size of a sela and it was not known which blemish increased in size, they are both considered pure. Not only does this apply with regard to two people, it also applies with regard to two blemishes on the body of one person. Even though a blemish on this person's flesh definitely increased, since it is not known which blemish increased, he is deemed pure until the identity of the blemish for which he will be deemed impure is known.הכל ספק נגעים חוץ משני ספיקות שמנינו כבר טהור עד שלא נזקק לטומאה אבל משנזקק לטומאה ספיקו טמא כיצד שנים שבאו אצל כהן בזה בהרת כגריס ובזה כסלע והסגירן ובסוף השבוע היה בזה כסלע ובזה כסלע ואין ידוע באיזה מהן פשתה בין בשני אנשים בין באיש אחד הרי זה טהור שאע"פ שודאי פשה הנגע בזה הואיל ואינו ידוע אי זו היא הבהרת שפשתה הרי זה טהור עד שידע באי זה נגע טמאו:
6 Once a person has been deemed impure, any questionable situation is also considered impure. What is implied? Two people came to a priest. One had a baheret the size of a gris and the other, one the size of a sela. He had both of them isolated. At the end of the week, they came to the priest and they both had blemishes that were larger than a sela. They are both deemed impure. If they both shrank to the size of a sela and thus the increase receded from one of them, since it is not known which one originally had the blemish of this size, they are both impure until both their blemishes recede to the size of a gris. This is what is meant by the statement when a person has been deemed impure, a questionable situation is considered as impure.
Similar concepts apply when a person had a baheret and there was white hair within it that had existed before the baheret and other hair that was turned white by the baheret and the priest does not know how to distinguish between the hair that existed before the baheret and that which was turned white. If the doubt arose while the person was in isolation, he is pure. If the doubt arose after he was definitively deemed impure, he remains impure even if one of the hairs fell off and he does not know which fell off, the hair that was sign of impurity or the other hair.ומשנזקק לטומאה ספיקו טמא כיצד שנים שבאו אצל כהן בזה בהרת כגריס ובזה כסלע והסגירם בסוף השבוע והרי בזה כסלע ועוד ובזה כסלע ועוד שניהן טמאין חזרו שניהן להיות כסלע שהרי הלך הפשיון מאחד מהן הואיל ואינו ידוע אי זהו שניהן טמאים עד שיחזרו שניהן להיות כגריס וזהו שאמרו משנזקק לטומאה ספיקו טמא וכן מי שהיתה בו בהרת ובה שיער לבן שקדם את הבהרת ושיער לבן שהפכתו הבהרת ואינו ידוע זה שקדם מזה שנהפך אם מתוך הסגר נסתפק לו ה"ז טהור ואם אחר החלט ה"ז טמא אף על פי שהלך שיער אחד מהן ואינו יודע אי זה הלך אם השיער שהיה סימן טומאה או השיער האחר:
7 When a person comes to a priest and he sees that he needs to be isolated or that he should be released from the inspection process and before he isolates him or releases him, signs of impurity erupt, he should be deemed definitively impure. Similarly, if he saw that he had signs of impurity and before he deemed him definitively impure and told him: "You are impure," those signs of impurity disappeared, the stringent ruling should not be delivered. Instead, if he is coming for his initial examination or at the end of the first week, he should be isolated. If he is coming after the conclusion of his second week or after he has been released from the inspection process, he should be released.זמי שבא אצל כהן וראהו שצריך הסגר או שהוא פטור ועד שלא הסגירו או פטרו נולדו לו סימני טומאה ה"ז יחליט וכן אם ראהו שיש בו סימני טומאה וקודם שיחליטו ויאמר לו טמא אתה הלכו להן סימני טומאה אם היה בתחלה או בסוף שבוע ראשון יסגירו ואם היה בסוף שבוע שני או לאחר הפיטור יפטור אותו:
Tum'at Tsara`at - Chapter 7
1 When a person had a baheret and - whether at the outset or after isolation - he was definitively deemed as impure because of one of the signs of impurity or he was isolated and then the tzara'at spread over his entire body and his skin turned white, he is pure. This applies whether it turned while he was isolated or after he was deemed definitively as impure.
If, however, he was isolated and no sign of impurity emerged and as a result, he was released from the inspection process, but after being released, the tzara'at covered his entire body, he is deemed definitively impure.אמי שהיתה בו בהרת והוחלט באחד מסימני טומאה בין בתחלה בין אחר הסגר או שהוסגר ואחר כך פרחה הצרעת בכולו ונהפך לבן בין שנהפך מתוך הסגר בין מתוך החלט ה"ז טהור אבל אם הוסגר ולא נולד לו סימן טומאה ונפטר ולאחר הפיטור פרחה הצרעת בכולו ה"ז טמא מוחלט:
2 The following rules apply when a person comes initially while he is entirely white with tzara'at. If he has a patch of healthy skin or two white hairs, he is deemed definitively impure. If there is no sign of impurity, he is isolated for one week. If white hair or a patch of healthy skin emerges, he is deemed definitively impure. If no sign emerges, he is isolated for a second week. If no sign emerges, he is deemed pure, for the laws applying to this large baheret are the same as those governing a small one.
If he was deemed impure because of two white hairs that emerged and either both or one of them turned black, either both or one of them became short, a boil grew next to either of them or one of them or encompassed both of them or one of them, a boil, a healed boil, a burn, a healed burn, or a bohak divided one hair from the other, he is pure. If white hair or healthy flesh emerges, he is impure, because he came initially while entirely white.
Whether the tzara'at spread over the person's entire skin all at once or whether it spread little by little until he became entirely white, if this occurred while the person was isolated or while he was deemed definitively impure, he is pure. If it occurred after he was released from the inspection process, he is impure. And if it occurred at the outset, he should be isolated. Similarly, it is irrelevant whether the blemish is entirely of one shade or that it is entirely white, but has the four shades of white and the four shades of petuch intermingled. All of these shades can be combined and considered as a single blemish, whether to cause the person to be declared pure or to be declared impure, as we explained.בהבא בתחלה והוא כולו הפך לבן אם היתה בו מחיה או שתי שערות לבנות מחליטין אותו אם אין שם סימן טומאה מסגירין אותו שבוע ראשון נולד לו שיער לבן או מחיה מחליטו לא נולד בו כלום מסגירו שבוע שני לא נולד לו סימן טומאה ה"ז טהור שדין בהרת זו הגדולה כדין הקטנה החליטו בשיער לבן שנולד בו והשחירו שתיהן או אחת מהן הקצירו שתיהן או אחת מהן נסמך השחין לשתיהן או לאחת מהן הקיף השחין את שתיהן או אחת מהן או שחלקן השחין ומחית השחין והמכוה ומחית המכוה והבוהק הרי זה טהור נולד לו שיער לבן אחר או מחיה הרי זה טמא מפני שבא כולו לבן בתחלה אחר שפרחה הצרעת בכולו כאחת ואחר שפשתה ופרחה מעט מעט עד שהלבין כולו אם מתוך הסגר או מתוך החלט טהור ואם אחר הפיטור טמא ואם בתחלה יסגיר אחד שהיה כולו מראה אחד או שהיה כולו לבן בארבע המראות שבלובן ובארבע של פתוך הכל מצטרפין בין לטהרו בין לטמאו כמו שביארנו:
3 The following rules apply when a person had a baheret the size of a gris in which there was a patch of healthy flesh the size of a lentil and he was deemed definitively impure because of the healthy flesh. Afterwards, the tzara'at spread over his entire body and the healthy flesh disappeared. Alternatively, the healthy flesh disappeared and then the tzara'at spread over his entire body. He is considered as pure. This applies even if white hair emerges. If, however, healthy skin emerges, he is impure, as Leviticus 12:14 states: "On the day he exhibits healthy flesh, he will be deemed impure," provided the healthy flesh is the size of a square superimposed on a lentil or larger.
Different rules apply if one had a baheret with white hair and he was deemed impure because of it and afterwards, the tzara'at spread over his entire body. Even though the white hair remains in place, he is pure, as can be derived from the verse: "On the day he exhibits healthy flesh, he will be deemed impure." Implied is that a person whose entire skin turned white after being deemed definitively impure or being isolated becomes impure because of healthy flesh, but not because of white hair. If he was deemed impure because his blemish spread and then it continued to spread and covered his entire body, he is pure. If he exhibits any healthy flesh, he is impure.גהיתה בו בהרת כגריס ובה מחיה כעדשה והוחלט במחיה ופרחה הצרעת בכולו ואח"כ הלכה המחיה או שהלכה המחיה תחלה ואחר כך פרחה בכולו ה"ז טהור ואפילו נולד לו שיער לבן נולדה בו מחיה טמא שנאמר וביום הראות בו בשר חי יטמא והוא שתהיה כעדשה מרובעת או יתר היתה בו בהרת ובה שיער לבן והוחלט בשיער לבן ואח"כ פרחה בכולו אע"פ ששיער לבן במקומו עומד טהור שנאמר וביום הראות בו בשר חי יטמא במחיה מתטמא זה שנהפך כולו לבן אחר החלט או אחר הסגר ואינו מיטמא בשיער לבן החליטו בפשיון ואחר כך פשתה ופרחה בכולו טהור ואם נראית בו מחיה טמא:
4 Even the tips of limbs that do not impart impurity as healthy flesh when they are located in the midst of a baheret, do impart impurity and prevent a person from being deemed pure if his entire flesh turns white.
What is implied? If a person who was definitively deemed impure or who was isolated whose entire flesh turned white because of tzara'at with the exception of a lentil's size of healthy flesh, even if the healthy flesh is located on his fingertip, the tip of his nose, or the like, he remains impure.
Similarly, if a person's entire flesh turned white and he was declared pure and then a lentil's size of healthy flesh returned, even at the tips of one of his limbs, he should be definitively deemed impure. If his flesh turned entirely to a shade of tzara'at except for a lentil's size portion - even on the tips of his limbs that turned to a bohak, he should be deemed definitively impure, as can be derived from Leviticus 13:12: "If... the tzara'at will cover the entire skin...." Implied is that it must be covered by tzara'at, not a bohak. Even if part of the lentil's size portion was healthy flesh and part was a bohak, it is a sign of impurity.
If a person's entire flesh turned to one of the shades of tzara'at and he was declared pure and then a portion of his flesh turned to the color of a bohak, he remains pure until he exhibits a lentil's size of healthy flesh, as implied by the verse: "On the day he exhibits healthy flesh...." Implied is that he must exhibit healthy flesh, not a bohak. If a lentil's size portion of flesh [changed appearance, part was healthy flesh and part was a bohak, it is not considered a sign of impurity and the person is still considered as pure.דאף ראשי איברים שאינן מטמאין משום מחיה שבתוך הבהרת מטמאין ומעכבין את הנהפך כולו לבן כיצד מוחלט או מוסגר שהלבין כולו בצרעת חוץ מכעדשה בשר חי אפילו בראש אצבעו או בראש חוטמו וכיוצא בהן הרי הוא בטומאתו וכן זה שנהפך כולו לבן וטהר אם חזר בו כעדשה בשר חי אפילו בראש אחד מן האיברים הרי זה מוחלט נהפך כולו למראה צרעת חוץ מכעדשה אפילו בראש אחד מן האיברים שנהפך לבוהק הרי זה טמא מוחלט שנאמר והנה כסתה הצרעת לא הבוהק אפילו היתה מקצת העדשה בשר חי ומקצתה בוהק הרי זו סימן טומאה יהפך כולו למראה צרעת וטיהר ואח"כ חזר בו בשר כמראה הבוהק הרי זה טהור עד שיראה בו כעדשה בשר חי שנאמר וביום הראות בו בשר חי לא בוהק חזר בו כעדשה מקצתה בשר חי ומקצתה בוהק אינו סימן טומאה והרי הוא בטהרתו:
5 Whenever tzara'at spreads over the entire body of an impure person, he becomes pure. If a lentil's size portion of healthy flesh was revealed, he is impure. If his entire flesh was again covered with tzara'at, he is pure, If healthy flesh was again revealed, he is impure. These rulings are given even if the cycle repeats itself 100 times.
If healthy flesh began to be revealed and it continues to grow and the size of the tzara'at shrinks, the person remains impure until the baheret becomes smaller than a gris.הכל טמא שפרחה הצרעת בכולו טהור נתגלה ממנו כעדשה בשר חי נטמא חזר ונתכסה בצרעת טהור חזר ונתגלה נטמא אפילו מאה פעמים התחיל הבשר החי להתגלות והרי הוא מוסיף והולך והצרעת מתמעטת הרי זה בטומאתו עד שתתמעט הבהרת מכגריס:
6 Any portion of skin that is fit to contract impurity because of baheret but remains healthy prevents a person whose entire flesh is becoming white from being placed in that category. Any portion of skin that is not fit to contract impurity because of baheret does not prevent a person whose entire flesh is becoming white from being placed in that category although that portion of skin remains healthy.
What is implied? When tzara'at spreads over a person's entire skin, but not on his head or his chin, nor onto a festering boil or burn or there is less than a lentil's size portion of healthy flesh next to a festering boil or burn or to his head or chin, he is pure. If the hair fell from the head and the chin or if a scab formed over the boil or the burn, the person is impure until the tzara'at spreads to them, for they are fit to contract impurity because of a baheret.
If there were two beharot, one had a sign of impurity and one was pure, the pure one spread to the impure and then covered the person's skin entirely, he is deemed pure. The rationale is that he was previously deemed definitively impure, even though it was the pure one that spread. Furthermore, this ruling applies even if one of the beharot was on his upper lip and the other on his lower lip or on two of his fingers or on his two eyelids, and thus when they are closed together, the two beharot appear as one. Nevertheless, since tzara'at spread over the person's entire skin, he is pure.וכל הראוי ליטמא בנגע הבהרת מעכב ההופך כולו לבן וכל שאינו ראוי ליטמא בנגע הבהרת אינו מעכב כיצד פרחה בכולו אבל לא בראש ובזקן בשחין ובמכוה המורדין או שנשאר פחות מכעדשה בשר חי סמוך לשחין ולמכוה המורדין ולראש ולזקן ה"ז טהור חזר הראש והזקן ונקרחו וכן אם חיו השחין והמכוה והעלו צרבת הרי זה טמא עד שתפרח הצרעת בהן שהרי הן ראויין לבהרת היו בה שתי בהרות אחת יש בה סימן טומאה ואחת טהורה ופרחה הטהורה לטמאה ואחר כך פרחה בכולו הרי זה טהור מפני שהיה מוחלט בטומאה אף ע"פ שהטהורה היא שפרחה ולא עוד אלא אפילו היו אחת בשפתו העליונה ואחת בשפתו התחתונה או בשתי אצבעותיו או בשני ריסי עיניו וכשהן נדבקין זה לזה נראין שתי הבהרות כבהרת אחת הואיל ופרחה בכולו טהור:
7 There are those who show their blemishes to a priest and benefit from doing so, because they showed it to him early and did not delay, and others who suffer from doing so.
What is implied? A person was definitively deemed impure. His signs of impurity disappeared, but he did not have the opportunity to show this development to a priest before the tzara'at spread over his entire body. He is pure. If, however, he had acted earlier and showed it to the priest previously, he would have been released from the inspection process before it spread over his entire body. Thus it would have spread after he was released, in which instance, he would be deemed definitively impure, as we explained.
If he had a baheret without any signs of impurity and he did not have the opportunity to show it to a priest before it spread over his entire body, he is impure and must be isolated. If, however, he had acted earlier and had shown it to the priest, he would have been isolated before it spread. Thus it would have spread after he was isolated, in which instance, he would be pure, as we explained.זיש מראה נגעו לכהן ונשכר מפני שהקדים להראיתו ולא נתאחר ויש מראה ומפסיד כיצד מי שהיה מוחלט והלכו להן סימני טומאה ולא הספיק להראותו לכהן עד שפרחה בכולו טהור ואילו קדם והראה לכהן ופטרו קודם שיהפך ונהפך אחר הפיטור היה מוחלט כמו שביארנו היתה בו בהרת ואין בה כלום ולא הספיק להראותו לכהן עד שפרחה בכולו הרי זה טמא וצריך הסגר ואילו קדם והראה לכהן והסגירו קודם שיהפך ונהפך מתוך הסגר היה טהור כמו שביארנו:
Friday, Iyar 23, 5777 · 19 May 2017
Iyar 23, 38th day of the omer
| Friday | Iyar 23, 38th day of the omer | 5703 |
| Torah lessons: | Chumash: B'chukotai, Shishi with Rashi. |
| Tehillim: 108-112. |
| Tanya: The order of (p. 263)...Life of life. (p. 265). |
|
The beginning of one's decline, G-d save us, is the lack of avoda in davening. Everything becomes dry and cold. Even a mitzva performed by habit* becomes burdensome. Everything is rushed. One loses the sense of pleasure in Torah-study. The atmosphere itself become crass. Needless to say, one is totally incapable of influencing others.
|
|
Daily Thought
As much as the human soul yearns to rise up and merge within the light of its Creator, so much more so does the Infinite Creator yearn to be found within the human soul.
If so, what force could stand between them? What could hold back the Creator’s infinite light?
Only His desire that this union occur with our consent, that we be the ones to crack open the door.
Even when the soul’s yearning has faded, forsaking its Beloved, wrestling itself from His love and even openly rebelling…even then, He cries out to us and knocks on our door.
“Open for me just an infinitesimal pinhole,” G‑d pleads, “and I will open for you a vast, infinite portal to all My love, from My very core of being.”
|
Audio: 
No comments:
Post a Comment