TODAY IN JUDAISM: Monday, May 29, 2017 - Chabad.org - Today is Monday, Sivan 4, 5777 · May 29, 2017 - Omer: Day 48 - Yesod sheb'Malchut
Torah Reading
• Count "Forty-Nine Days to the Omer" Tonight
Tomorrow is the forty-ninth -- and last -- 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 forty-nine days, which are seven weeks, 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 which commences tomorrow at nightfall.
Tonight's Sefirah: Malchut sheb'Malchut -- "Receptiveness in Receptiveness" (also: "Sovreignty in Sovereignty")
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."
Today in Jewish History:
• Moses Transcribes (first part of) Torah (1313 BCE)
On Sivan 4 of the year 2448 from creation (1313 BCE)--two days before the revelation at Mount Sinai--Moses wrote down the first 68 chapters of the Torah, from Genesis 1:1 ("In the Beginning G-d created the heavens and the earth") to the Giving of the Torah in Exodus 19 (Exodus 24:4; Rashi ibid.).
• Forced Conversion in Clermont (576)
A mob, accompanied by the bishop of Clermont-Ferrand, France, razed the local synagogue to the ground. The bishop then informed the Jews that he, as bishop, could have but one flock, and unless they were willing to embrace Christianity, they must leave the city. Five hundred Jews were forced to be baptized and the remainder fled to Marseilles.
• Jews Returned to Spain (1481)
Pope Sixtus IV instructed his local bishops that all Jews who had fled the Spanish Inquisition (see "Today in Jewish History" for Adar 7) should be sent back to Spain.
• Chmielnitzki Massacres (1648)
The Cossack rebellion against Polish rule in Ukraine, under the leadership of Bogdan Chmielnitzki (may his name be blotted out) began on the 4th of Sivan of the year 5408 from creation (1648 CE). In their bloody march through the Ukraine, Volhynia, Podolia, Poland proper and Lithuania, Chmielnitzki's peasant army massacred between 100,000 and 300,000 Jews. Three hundred Jewish communities were destroyed.
Daily Quote:
G-d's name is Peace [Talmud, Shabbat 10a]
Daily Torah Study:
Numbers Chapter 4
| 29[As for] the sons of Merari, you shall count them by their families, according to their fathers' houses. | | כטבְּנֵ֖י מְרָרִ֑י לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֥ם לְבֵית־אֲבֹתָ֖ם תִּפְקֹ֥ד אֹתָֽם: |
| 30From the age of thirty years and upward until the age of fifty years, you shall count them, all who come to the legion, to perform service in the Tent of Meeting. | | למִבֶּן֩ שְׁלשִׁ֨ים שָׁנָ֜ה וָמַ֗עְלָה וְעַ֛ד בֶּן־חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה תִּפְקְדֵ֑ם כָּל־הַבָּא֙ לַצָּבָ֔א לַֽעֲבֹ֕ד אֶת־עֲבֹדַ֖ת אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד: |
| 31This is the charge of their burden for all their service in the Tent of Meeting: the planks of the Mishkan, its bars, its pillars, and its sockets. | | לאוְזֹאת֙ מִשְׁמֶ֣רֶת מַשָּׂאָ֔ם לְכָל־עֲבֹֽדָתָ֖ם בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד קַרְשֵׁי֙ הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן וּבְרִיחָ֖יו וְעַמּוּדָ֥יו וַֽאֲדָנָֽיו: |
| 32The pillars of the surrounding courtyard, their sockets, their pegs, and their ropes, all their implements for all the work involved. You shall designate by name the implements charged to them for their burden. | | לבוְעַמּוּדֵי֩ הֶֽחָצֵ֨ר סָבִ֜יב וְאַדְנֵיהֶ֗ם וִיתֵֽדֹתָם֙ וּמֵ֣יתְרֵיהֶ֔ם לְכָ֨ל־כְּלֵיהֶ֔ם וּלְכֹ֖ל עֲבֹֽדָתָ֑ם וּבְשֵׁמֹ֣ת תִּפְקְד֔וּ אֶת־כְּלֵ֖י מִשְׁמֶ֥רֶת מַשָּׂאָֽם: |
| pegs and ropes: of the pillars, since the pegs and ropes of the hangings were included in the burden assigned to the sons of Gershon. There were pegs and ropes for the bottom of the curtains and the hangings so that the wind should not lift them up, and there were pegs and ropes for the pillars all around, from which to hang the hangings from their upper edge with poles and rods, as was taught in [the Baraitha] Melecheth HaMishkan. — [ch. 5] | | ויתדתם ומיתריהם: של עמודים, שהרי יתדות ומיתרי הקלעים במשא בני גרשון היו, ויתדות ומיתרים היו ליריעות ולקלעים מלמטה, שלא תגביהם הרוח, ויתדות ומיתרים היו לעמודים סביב לתלות בהם הקלעים בשפתם העליונה, וקלונסאות וקונטסין, כמו ששנויה במלאכת המשכן: |
| 33This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari for all their service in the Tent of Meeting, which was under the supervision of Ithamar the son of Aaron the kohen. | | לגזֹ֣את עֲבֹדַ֗ת מִשְׁפְּחֹת֙ בְּנֵ֣י מְרָרִ֔י לְכָל־עֲבֹֽדָתָ֖ם בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד בְּיַד֙ אִֽיתָמָ֔ר בֶּֽן־אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן הַכֹּהֵֽן: |
| 34Moses, Aaron, and the chieftains of the congregation counted the sons of the Kohathites, according to their families and their fathers' houses. | | לדוַיִּפְקֹ֨ד משֶׁ֧ה וְאַֽהֲרֹ֛ן וּנְשִׂיאֵ֥י הָֽעֵדָ֖ה אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י הַקְּהָתִ֑י לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם וּלְבֵ֥ית אֲבֹתָֽם: |
| 35From the age of thirty years and upward, until the age of fifty years, all who come to the legion, for service in the Tent of Meeting. | | להמִבֶּ֨ן שְׁלשִׁ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה וְעַ֖ד בֶּן־חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה כָּל־הַבָּא֙ לַצָּבָ֔א לַֽעֲבֹדָ֖ה בְּאֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד: |
| 36Their tally, according to their families: two thousand, seven hundred and fifty. | | לווַיִּֽהְי֥וּ פְקֻֽדֵיהֶ֖ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם אַלְפַּ֕יִם שְׁבַ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת וַֽחֲמִשִּֽׁים: |
| 37These are the numbers of the Kohathite families, all who served in the Tent of Meeting, who were counted by Moses and Aaron as directed by the Lord to Moses. | | לזאֵ֤לֶּה פְקוּדֵי֙ מִשְׁפְּחֹ֣ת הַקְּהָתִ֔י כָּל־הָֽעֹבֵ֖ד בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד אֲשֶׁ֨ר פָּקַ֤ד משֶׁה֙ וְאַֽהֲרֹ֔ן עַל־פִּ֥י יְהוָֹ֖ה בְּיַד־משֶֽׁה: |
| 38The tally of the sons of Gershon, according to their families and their fathers' houses. | | לחוּפְקוּדֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י גֵֽרְשׁ֑וֹן לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָ֖ם וּלְבֵ֥ית אֲבֹתָֽם: |
| 39From the age of thirty years and upward, until the age of fifty years, all who come to the legion, forservice in the Tent of Meeting. | | לטמִבֶּ֨ן שְׁלשִׁ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה וְעַ֖ד בֶּן־חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה כָּל־הַבָּא֙ לַצָּבָ֔א לַֽעֲבֹדָ֖ה בְּאֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד: |
| 40Their total, according to their families and their fathers' houses: two thousand, six hundred and thirty. | | מוַיִּֽהְיוּ֙ פְּקֻ֣דֵיהֶ֔ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם אַלְפַּ֕יִם וְשֵׁ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת וּשְׁלשִֽׁים: |
| 41These are the numbers of the families of the sons of Gershon, all who served in the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron counted as directed by the Lord. | | מאאֵ֣לֶּה פְקוּדֵ֗י מִשְׁפְּחֹת֙ בְּנֵ֣י גֵֽרְשׁ֔וֹן כָּל־הָֽעֹבֵ֖ד בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד אֲשֶׁ֨ר פָּקַ֥ד משֶׁ֛ה וְאַֽהֲרֹ֖ן עַל־פִּ֥י יְהוָֹֽה: |
| 42The tally of the families of the sons of Merari, according to their families and their fathers' houses. | | מבוּפְקוּדֵ֕י מִשְׁפְּחֹ֖ת בְּנֵ֣י מְרָרִ֑י לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֥ית אֲבֹתָֽם: |
| 43From the age of thirty years and upward, until the age of fifty years, all who come to the legion, for work in the Tent of Meeting. | | מגמִבֶּ֨ן שְׁלשִׁ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה וְעַ֖ד בֶּן־חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה כָּל־הַבָּא֙ לַצָּבָ֔א לַֽעֲבֹדָ֖ה בְּאֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד: |
| 44Their tally, according to their families: three thousand two hundred. | | מדוַיִּהְי֥וּ פְקֻֽדֵיהֶ֖ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם שְׁל֥שֶׁת אֲלָפִ֖ים וּמָאתָֽיִם: |
| 45These are the numbers of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron counted as directed by the Lord to Moses. | | מהאֵ֣לֶּה פְקוּדֵ֔י מִשְׁפְּחֹ֖ת בְּנֵ֣י מְרָרִ֑י אֲשֶׁ֨ר פָּקַ֤ד משֶׁה֙ וְאַֽהֲרֹ֔ן עַל־פִּ֥י יְהוָֹ֖ה בְּיַד־משֶֽׁה: |
| 46All the numbers whom by Moses, Aaron, and the chieftains of Israel counted the Levites according to their families and their fathers' houses, | | מוכָּל־הַפְּקֻדִ֡ים אֲשֶׁר֩ פָּקַ֨ד משֶׁ֧ה וְאַֽהֲרֹ֛ן וּנְשִׂיאֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֶת־הַֽלְוִיִּ֑ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם וּלְבֵ֥ית אֲבֹתָֽם: |
| 47from the age of thirty years and upward until the age of fifty years, who are fit to perform the service for the service and the work of carrying, in the Tent of Meeting. | | מזמִבֶּ֨ן שְׁלשִׁ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה וְעַ֖ד בֶּן־חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה כָּל־הַבָּ֗א לַֽעֲבֹ֨ד עֲבֹדַ֧ת עֲבֹדָ֛ה וַֽעֲבֹדַ֥ת מַשָּׂ֖א בְּאֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד: |
| to perform the service for the service: This refers to the music with cymbals and harps, which is a service for another service [the sacrifices]. | | עבדת עבדה: הוא השיר במצלתים וכנורות, שהיא עבודה לעבודה אחרת: |
| and the work of carrying: As it [the phrase] means literally. | | ועבודת משא: כמשמעו: |
| 48Their tally: eight thousand, five hundred and eighty. | | מחוַיִּֽהְי֖וּ פְּקֻֽדֵיהֶ֑ם שְׁמֹנַ֣ת אֲלָפִ֔ים וַֽחֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת וּשְׁמֹנִֽים: |
| 49As directed by the Lord, they were appointed by Moses, each man to his service and his burden; they were counted as the Lord had commanded Moses. | | מטעַל־פִּ֨י יְהוָֹ֜ה פָּקַ֤ד אוֹתָם֙ בְּיַד־משֶׁ֔ה אִ֥ישׁ אִ֛ישׁ עַל־עֲבֹֽדָת֖וֹ וְעַל־מַשָּׂא֑וֹ וּפְקֻדָ֕יו אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה יְהוָֹ֖ה אֶת־משֶֽׁה: |
| They were counted as the Lord had commanded Moses: Those that were counted were as commanded, from the age of thirty years until the age of fifty years. | | ופקדיו אשר צוה ה' את משה: ואותן הפקודים היו במצוה מבן שלשים שנה ועד בן חמשים שנה: |
Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 23 - 28
• Hebrew text
• English text
Chapter 23
When King David was in the forest of Cheret and nearly died of starvation, God provided nourishment for him with a taste of the World to Come. David then composed this psalm, describing the magnitude of his trust in God.
1. A psalm by David. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall lack nothing.
2. He lays me down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters.
3. He revives my soul; He directs me in paths of righteousness for the sake of His Name.
4. Though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff-they will comfort me.
5. You will prepare a table for me before my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; my cup is full.
6. Only goodness and kindness shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the House of the Lord for many long years.
Chapter 24
If the fulfillment of one's prayer would result in the sanctification of God's Name, he should pray that God act for the sake of the holiness of His Name. One should also invoke the merit of his ancestors, for we know that "the righteous are greater in death than in life"
1. By David, a psalm. The earth and all therein is the Lord's; the world and its inhabitants.
2. For He has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the rivers.
3. Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord, and who may stand in His holy place?
4. He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not used My Name in vain or sworn falsely.
5. He shall receive a blessing from the Lord, and kindness from God, his deliverer.
6. Such is the generation of those who search for Him, [the children of] Jacob who seek Your countenance forever.
7. Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, eternal doors, so the glorious King may enter.
8. Who is the glorious King? The Lord, strong and mighty; the Lord, mighty in battle.
9. Lift up your heads, O gates; lift them up, eternal doors, so the glorious King may enter.
10. Who is the glorious King? The Lord of Hosts, He is the glorious King for all eternity.
Chapter 25
The verses in this psalm are arranged according to the alphabet, excluding the letters Bet, Vav, and Kuf, which together equal the numerical value of Gehenom (purgatory). One who recites this psalm daily will not see the face of purgatory.
1. By David. To You, Lord, I lift my soul.
2. My God, I have put my trust in You. May I not be put to shame; may my enemies not gloat over me.
3. Indeed, may all who hope in You not be put to shame; let those who act treacherously without reason be shamed.
4. O Lord, make Your ways known to me; teach me Your paths.
5. Train me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; I yearn for You all day.
6. O Lord, remember Your mercies and Your kindnesses, for they have existed for all time.
7. Do not recall the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; remember me in accordance with Your kindness, because of Your goodness, O Lord.
8. Good and upright is the Lord, therefore He directs sinners along the way.
9. He guides the humble with justice, and teaches the humble His way.
10. All the paths of the Lord are kindness and truth for those who observe His covenant and testimonies.
11. For the sake of Your Name, O Lord, pardon my iniquity, for it is great.
12. Whoever is a God-fearing man, him will He teach the path that he should choose.
13. His soul will abide in well-being, and his descendants will inherit the earth.
14. The secret of the Lord is to those who fear Him; He makes His covenant known to them.
15. My eyes are always turned to the Lord, for He releases my feet from the snare.
16. Turn to me and be compassionate to me, for I am alone and afflicted.
17. The sufferings of my heart have increased; deliver me from my hardships.
18. Behold my affliction and suffering, and forgive all my sins.
19. See how numerous my enemies have become; they hate me with a violent hatred.
20. Guard my soul and deliver me; may I not be put to shame, for I place my trust in You.
21. Let integrity and uprightness guard me, for my hope is in You.
22. Redeem Israel, O God, from all its afflictions.
Chapter 26
In this psalm King David inundates God with prayers and acts of piety, because he envies those who are his spiritual superiors, saying, "If only I were on their level of piety and virtue!"
1. By David. Judge me, O Lord, for in my innocence I have walked, and in the Lord I have trusted-I shall not falter.
2. Try me, O Lord, and test me; refine my mind and heart.
3. For Your kindness is before my eyes, and I have walked constantly in Your truth.
4. I did not sit with men of falsehood, and with hypocrites I will not mingle.
5. I detested the company of evildoers, and with the wicked I will not sit.
6. I wash my hands in purity, and circle Your altar, O Lord,
7. to give voice to thanks, and to recount all Your wonders.
8. I love the shelter of Your House, O Lord, and the place where Your glory resides.
9. Gather not in my soul with sinners, nor my life with men of bloodshed,
10. In whose hands are schemes, and whose right hand is filled with bribes.
11. But I walk in my innocence; redeem me and show me favor.
12. My foot stands on level ground; in assemblies I will bless the Lord.
Chapter 27
King David acknowledges and praises God, placing his trust in Him because of his victories in war. "Nevertheless, it is not wars that I desire, for I cannot gain perfection with them. Only one thing do I ask: to abide day and night in the study hall studying Torah, to gain perfection so that my soul may merit the life of the World to Come."
1. By David. The Lord is my light and my salvation-whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life-whom shall I dread?
2. When evildoers approached me to devour my flesh, my oppressors and my foes, they stumbled and fell.
3. If an army were to beleaguer me, my heart would not fear; if war were to arise against me, in this I trust
4. One thing I have asked of the Lord, this I seek: that I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the pleasantness of the Lord, and to visit His Sanctuary.
5. For He will hide me in His tabernacle on a day of adversity; He will conceal me in the hidden places of His tent; He will lift me upon a rock.
6. And then my head will be raised above my enemies around me, and I will offer in His tabernacle sacrifices of jubilation; I will sing and chant to the Lord.
7. Lord, hear my voice as I call; be gracious to me and answer me.
8. In Your behalf my heart says, "Seek My countenance"; Your countenance, Lord, I seek.
9. Do not conceal Your countenance from me; do not cast aside Your servant in wrath. You have been my help; do not abandon me nor forsake me, God of my deliverance.
10. Though my father and mother have forsaken me, the Lord has taken me in.
11. Lord, teach me Your way and lead me in the path of righteousness, because of my watchful enemies.
12. Do not give me over to the will of my oppressors, for there have risen against me false witnesses, and they speak evil.
13. [They would have crushed me] had I not believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
14. Hope in the Lord, be strong and let your heart be valiant, and hope in the Lord.
Chapter 28
A prayer for every individual, entreating God to assist him in walking the good path, to prevent him from walking with the wicked doers of evil, and that He repay the wicked for their wickedness and the righteous for their righteousness.
1. By David. I call to You, O Lord; my Strength, do not be deaf to me; for should You be silent to me, I will be like those who descend to the pit.
2. Hear the sound of my pleas when I cry out to You, when I raise my hands toward Your holy Sanctuary.
3. Do not draw me along with the wicked, with evildoers who speak of peace with their companions, though evil is in their heart.
4. Give them according to their deeds, and the evil of their endeavors; give them according to their handiwork, render to them their just desserts.
5. For they pay no heed to the acts of the Lord, nor to the work of His hands; may He destroy them and not rebuild them.
6. Blessed is the Lord, for He has heard the voice of my pleas.
7. The Lord is my strength and my shield; in Him my heart trusted and I was helped; my heart exulted, and with my song I praised Him.
8. The Lord is a strength to them; He is a stronghold of deliverance to His anointed.
9. Grant salvation to Your people and bless Your heritage; tend them and exalt them forever.
Tanya: Shaar Hayichud Vehaemunah, beginning of Introduction
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Rambam:
• Sefer Hamitzvot:
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Sivan 4, 5777 · May 29, 2017
Today's Tanya Lesson
Shaar Hayichud Vehaemunah, beginning of Introduction
Chinuch Katan
(Introduction to Shaar HaYichud VehaEmunah)
The heading written by the Alter Rebbe reads as follows:
ליקוטי אמרים, חלק שני הנקרא בשם חינוך קטן מלוקט מפי ספרים ומפי סופרים קדושי עליון נ״ע מיוסד על פרשה ראשונה של קריאת שמע
Likutei Amarim (“A Compilation of Teachings”) Part Two [whose introduction hereunder is] entitled1 Chinuch Katan (“The Education of the Child”)
Compiled from sacred books and from teachers of heavenly saintliness, whose souls are in Eden;
This mention of his sources echoes the words of the Alter Rebbe in the title page to Part One of Tanya. The Previous Rebbe, the Rebbe Rayatz, of blessed memory, notes in one of his talks that “books” here traditionally refers to the works of the Maharal and the Shelah, and “teachers”, to the Baal Shem Tov and the Maggid of Mezritch.
based on the first paragraph2 of the Recitation of the Shema:3
This first paragraph contains both the verse beginning4 Shema Yisrael and the sentence beginning5 Baruch shem. As explained in the Zohar,6 these quotations refer respectively to yichuda ila‘ah (the higher level of perception of G‑d’s Unity) and yichuda tata’ah (the lower level of perception of G‑d’s Unity). It is around this theme that Part Two of Tanya revolves.
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חנוך לנער על פי דרכו, גם כי יזקין לא יסור ממנה
7“Educate the child according to his way: even as he grows old he will not depart from it.”
הנה מדכתיב: על פי דרכו, משמע שאינה דרך האמת לאמיתו
Since the verse writes “according to his way,” this implies that it is not the path of perfect truth, but merely a path to be followed by the child;
ואם כן מאי מעליותא שגם כי יזקין לא יסור ממנה
hence of what merit is it that “even as he grows old he will not depart from it”?
Indeed, it would seem that the very opposite should be the case: when the child matures he should forsake his childish path in favor of the path of truth. What possible merit could there be in not departing from it?
אך הנה מודעת זאת כי שרשי עבודת ה׳ ויסודותיה הן דחילו ורחימו
Now it is well known that the awe (lit., “fear”) and the love of G‑d are the roots and foundations8 of divine service.
The performance of Torah and mitzvot in thought, speech and deed is rooted in and founded upon one’s love and fear of G‑d. The awe of G‑d enables the Jew to properly observe the prohibitive commandments, while the love of Him makes it possible for the Jew to perform the positive commandments with inner feeling,9 as the Alter Rebbe now goes on to explain.
היראה שרש ויסוד לסור מרע
Awe is the root and fundament of [what constrains one to]10 “refrain from evil,” ensuring that one will not transgress the prohibitive commandments,11
והאהבה לועשה טוב, וקיום כל מצוות עשה דאורייתא ודרבנן
and the love of G‑d [is the root and fundament] of [what motivates one to]12 “do good,” and to observe all the positive commandments of the Torah and the Sages,
כמו שיתבאר במקומן
as will be explained in their proper place.
“As will be explained in their proper place” refers to chs. 4 and 41 in the first part of Tanya. This reference, as the Rebbe points out, corroborates the tradition handed down by chassidim that the Alter Rebbe originally intended to reverse the current order, with this second part of Tanya appearing first, as Part I, and the fifty-three chapters of the first part becoming Part II.
ומצות החינוך היא גם כן במצוות עשה, כמו שכתוב באורח חיים, סימן שמ״ג
(13The commandment of educating [a child] includes also [training in the performance of] positive precepts, as is stated in Orach Chayim, Section 343.)
Since a child is to be educated to observe both prohibitive and positive commandments, it follows that his love of G‑d, as the root and fundament of all positive commands,14 must be such that it serves as the springboard for all the positive commandments that are performed as a result of education. We must therefore say that there exists an inferior and transient degree of love that serves as the root and foundation for those mitzvot that are performed as a result of education, a degree of love distinct from the superior level that motivates an adult. Nevertheless, as shall soon be explained, this lower level of love, too — a love which is “according to the child’s way” — possesses certain permanent qualities that make it desirable that “even as he grows old he will not (and indeed should not) depart from it.”
והנה באהבה כתיב, בסוף פרשת עקב: אשר אנכי מצוה אתכם לעשותה, לאהבה את ה׳ וגו׳
Concerning the love [of G‑d] it is written at the end of the portion Eikev,15 “...which I command you to do — to love G‑d...”
וצריך להבין איך שייך לשון עשיה גבי אהבה שבלב
It is necessary to understand how an expression of “doing” can be applied to love, which is [an emotion] in the heart.
The Alter Rebbe now proceeds to resolve this seeming anomaly. (First, however, he describes the superior degree of love that cannot be created: one can merely provide the conditions for its revelation.) As to the above anomaly, he now explains that there exists a manner of love that is indeed created — by meditating upon those concepts that arouse it. An active verb such as “doing” suits this manner of love, since it is experienced as a result of one’s own doing.
אך הענין הוא, דיש שני מיני אהבת ה׳
The explanation, however, is that there are two kinds of love of G‑d:
האחת היא כלות הנפש בטבעה אל בוראה
One is the natural, yearning love of the soul to its Creator.
Since this love is intrinsic to the soul, which is “truly a part of G‑d above,” this love need not — and indeed cannot — be created at all. It merely needs to be revealed. But how can such a passionate yearning become revealed in one’s corporeal, fleshly heart?
כאשר תתגבר נפש השכלית על החומר, ותשפילהו ותכניעהו תחתיה
When the rational soul prevails over the grossness [of the body] and subdues and subjugates it,
Here the Divinely-appointed task of the G‑dly soul comes to the fore: to rectify the animal soul and refine the body by means of the rational soul’s comprehension of G‑dliness. For the G‑dly soul’s own intellect and comprehension are too lofty to affect the body. The rational soul, however, embodies man’s natural quality of intellect and as such is close to the physical body. The rational soul comprehends G‑dliness in such a manner that it is able to cause Form to master Matter — to overmaster the body and harness its corporeality. When it actually does so:
אזי תתלהב ותתלהט בשלהבת העולה מאליה
then [the soul] will flare and blaze with a flame that ascends of its own accord,
It will be aflame not with a love created through contemplation, but with a natural love whose revelation was barred by the grossness of the body. Now, with the mastery and refinement of the body, the soul’s innate love for G‑d can at last be revealed.
ותגל ותשמח בה׳ עושה, ותתענג על ה׳ תענוג נפלא
and [the soul] will rejoice and exult both inwardly and outwardly in G‑d its Maker, and will delight in Him with wondrous bliss.
In this instance the delight is part of the love and the divine service itself, rather than a reward for the divine service, as is sometimes the case.
והזוכים למעלת אהבה רבה זו, הם הנקראים צדיקים
It is those who merit the [joyous] state of this great love who are called tzaddikim,
כדכתיב: שמחו צדיקים בה׳
as it is written,16 “Rejoice in G‑d, you tzaddikim.”
To serve G‑d with delight of this order is the privilege of tzaddikim alone. For though the above-described love emanates from the G‑dly soul which is possessed by every single Jew, for which reason one would expect everyone to be able to feel it, it is nevertheless not experienced by all. The reason for this — as the Alter Rebbe goes on to explain — is that one’s physical grossness impedes its revelation. And clearing this hurdle demands prodigious effort.
אך לא כל אדם זוכה לזה
Yet not everyone is privileged to attain this state of love which characterizes tzaddikim,
כי לזה צריך זיכוך החומר במאד מאד, וגם תורה ומעשים טובים הרבה
for it requires an intense refinement of one’s physical grossness, and in addition a great deal of Torah study and good deeds,
לזכות לנשמה עליונה
in order to merit a lofty [soul-level of] Neshamah,
This is the soul-level whose divine service is intellective; as the verse states,17 “The Divine Neshamah shall provide discernment.” Only this manner of divine service can subjugate and refine man’s gross corporeality so that he is able to delight in G‑d with wondrous bliss.
שלמעלה ממדרגת רוח ונפש
which is superior to the level of Ruach (the soul-level at which one’s divine service focusses on one’s emotional attributes) and Nefesh (the soul-level at which one fulfills the mitzvot out of an acceptance of the Heavenly Yoke),
כמו שכתוב בראשית חכמה, שער האהבה
as explained in Reishit Chochmah, Shaar HaAhavah.
There the author explains how the above level of love is specifically related to the soul-level of Neshamah.
In sum, it is clear that this love cannot be “created” by man. He can only enable it to be revealed within him by refining himself — but to such an extraordinary degree that it is not attainable by all.
והשנית היא אהבה שכל אדם יוכל להגיע אליה, כשיתבונן היטב בעומקא דלבא
The second [level] is a love which every man can attain when he meditates earnestly, so that its echo resounds in the depths of his heart,
בדברים המעוררים את האהבה לה׳ בלב כל ישראל
on matters that arouse the love of G‑d in the heart of every Jew,
הן דרך כלל: כי הוא חיינו ממש, וכאשר האדם אוהב את נפשו וחייו, כן יאהב את ה׳, כאשר יתבונן וישים אל לבו כי ה׳ הוא נפשו האמיתית וחייו ממש
whether [he meditates] in a general way — how He is our very life,18 and just as one loves his soul and his life, so will he love G‑d when he meditates and reflects in his heart that G‑d is his true soul and actual life,
כמו שכתוב בזהר על פסוק: נפשי אויתיך וגו׳
as the Zohar19 comments on the verse,20 “[You are] my soul: I desire you,”
The Zohar explains that since G‑d is the Jew’s soul and thus his true life, the Jew loves and desires Him.21
והן דרך פרט, כשיבין וישכיל בגדולתו של מלך מלכי המלכים, הקב״ה, דרך פרטית
or whether [he meditates] in a particular way,22 when he will understand and comprehend in detail the greatness of the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He,
For example, he may reflect on the manner in which G‑d fills all worlds and encompasses all worlds, and on how all creatures are as naught before Him.
כאשר יוכל שאת בשכלו, ומה שלמעלה משכלו
to the extent that his intellect can grasp, and even beyond.
These two phrases refer respectively to concepts that are within the reach of “positive knowledge,” and to truths that lie beyond it and are perceptible only through “negative knowledge”; i.e., though one may not understand such a thing itself, he may understand how it is not subject to the restrictions of a lesser order.
In terms of comprehending G‑dliness this means to say, that one will at least understand that those levels of G‑dliness that are beyond the range of his intellect are not subject to the limitations inherent within created and emanated worlds and beings. This “negative knowledge” — in the Alter Rebbe’s words, “even beyond” — is also considered to be a quasi state of comprehension.
ואחר כך יתבונן באהבת ה׳ הגדולה ונפלאה אלינו
Then, following his meditation “in a particular way,” he will contemplate G‑d’s great and wondrous love to us, a love that led Him*—
לירד למצרים, ערות האר׳, להוציא נשמותינו מכור הברזל, שהוא הסטרא אחרא, רחמנא לצלן
to descend even to Egypt, the23 “obscenity of the earth,” to bring our souls out of the24 “iron crucible” into which the Jewish people had then descended, which is the sitra achra (may the All-Merciful spare us),
לקרבנו אליו ולדבקנו בשמו ממש, והוא ושמו אחד
to bring us close to Him and to bind us to His very Name — and He and His Name are One, so that by being bound to His Name we were bound to G‑d Himself;
דהיינו: שרוממנו מתכלית השפלות והטומאה לתכלית הקדושה, וגדולתו יתברך שאין לה ק׳ ותכלית
that is to say, He elevated us from the nadir of degradation and defilement to the acme of holiness and to His infinite and boundless greatness.25
When one has meditated in detail upon G‑d’s greatness and His tremendous love for the Jewish people:
אזי כמים הפנים לפנים
Then,26 “As in water, face reflects face, [so does the heart of man to man,]”
Just as one person’s love for another awakens a loving response in the other’s heart, so, too, our contemplation of the ways in which G‑d has manifested His love towards us will inspire within us a love for Him,
תתעורר האהבה בלב כל משכיל ומתבונן בענין זה בעומקא דלבא
and love will be aroused in the heart of everyone who contemplates and meditates upon this matter in the depths of his heart,
לאהוב את ה׳ אהבה עזה, ולדבקה בו בלב ונפש, כמו שיתבאר במקומה באריכות
to love G‑d with an intense love and to cleave unto Him, heart and soul, as will be explained at length in its place.27
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Sivan 4, 5777 · May 29, 2017
Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
We are commanded regarding the ritual impurity [contained in and emitted by] certain creeping animals, known as sheratzim, listed in the Torah. [I.e., when contracted, one must follow all the laws associated with this impurity.]
Ritual Impurity of Sheratzim
Ritual Impurity of Sheratzim
Positive Commandment 97
The 97th mitzvah is that we are commanded regarding the tumah of the eight types of sheratzim. This mitzvah includes tumas sheretz and all its laws.
Malveh veLoveh - Chapter 15
1 When a person lends money to a colleague in the presence of witnesses and tells the borrower: "Do not repay me outside the presence of witnesses," the borrower must repay him in the presence of witnesses because of this stipulation. This applies whether he made this stipulation at the time the loan was given or after the loan was given.
If the borrower claims: "I fulfilled the stipulation and repaid you in the presence of so-and-so and so-and-so, and they journeyed overseas or died," his word is accepted. He may take a sh'vuat hesset, and then he is freed of responsibility.
Similarly, if the lender states: "Repay me only in the presence of Torah scholars," or "... in the presence of doctors," and the borrower claims: "I repaid you in their presence, but those witnesses in whose presence I repaid you died or journeyed overseas," his word is accepted. He may take a sh'vuat hesset, and then he is freed of responsibility.
If, however, the lender stipulates: "Do not repay me except in the presence of so-and-so and so-and-so and so," and the borrower claims: "I repaid you in the presence of other witnesses, and they died or journeyed overseas," his word is not accepted. Indeed, the lender stipulated: "Do not pay me except in the presence of Reuven and Shimon," who are standing with him, so that the borrower will not rebuff him, saying: "I repaid you in the presence of other people, and they journeyed away."אהמלוה את חבירו בעדים ואמר אל תפרעני אלא בעדים בין שאמר לו בשעת הלואה בין שאמר לו אחר שהלוהו ה"ז צריך לפרעו בעדים מפני התנאי, טען הלוה ואמר לו וכן עשיתי ופרעתיך בפני פלוני ופלוני והלכו להם למדינת הים או מתו הרי זה נאמן ונשבע שבועת היסת ונפטר, וכן אם אמר אל תפרעני אלא בפני תלמידי חכמים או בפני רופאים ואמר לו בפניהם פרעתיך ואותן העדים שפרעתיך בפניהם מתו או הלכו להם למדינת הים הרי זה נאמן ונשבע היסת ונפטר, אבל אם אמר לו אל תפרעני אלא בפני פלוני ופלוני ואמר לו פרעתיך בפני אחרים ומתו או הלכו להם למדינת הים אינו נאמן שמפני טענה זו התנה עליו ואמר לו אל תפרעני אלא בפני ראובן ושמעון שהם עומדים עמו כדי שלא ידחה אותו ויאמר בפני אחרים פרעתי והלכו להם.
2 There are versions of the Talmud that state that when a person tells a colleague: "Do not repay outside the presence of witnesses," and the borrower claims: "I fulfilled the stipulation and repaid you in the presence of so-and-so and so-and-so, and they journeyed overseas or died," his word is not accepted. This is a scribal error. For this reason, the halachic authorities erred because of those texts. I have researched ancient versions of the text and I found that they state that the borrower's word is accepted. In Egypt, a portion of an ancient text of the Talmud written on parchment, as was the custom in the era approximately 500 years before the present era, came to my possession. I found two versions of this law among those parchments. Both state: "If he claims: 'I fulfilled the stipulation and repaid you in the presence of so-and-so and so-and-so, and they journeyed overseas or died,' his word is accepted."
Because of the error that occurred with regard to some texts, there are several Geonim who ruled that if the lender stipulates: "Do not repay me except in the presence of so-and-so and so-and-so," and the borrower repaid him in the presence of others, the borrower's word is not accepted even if he brought witnesses, and they testify that he paid him in their presence. This is also a great mistake. The true law is that if witnesses come and testify that he paid the lender in their presence, the borrower is freed from responsibility; there is no place for suspicion.
This ruling also stems from those texts that state with regard to a lender who tells his colleague: " 'Repay me in the presence of witnesses who study Torah law,' and the borrower repaid him in the presence of ordinary witnesses...." This is also a scribal error. In the above-mentioned parchments, I found it written: "And he went and paid him in private."
Although these texts have been carefully edited, this appears to be the ruling based on the judgment of the Talmud. Moreover, these concepts make sense: "What should the borrower do? The lender told him: "Do not repay me except in the presence of witnesses," and he repaid him in the presence of witnesses. Should he have locked the witnesses in prison for their entire lives so that they do not depart? Besides, what could he do if they died? Thus, the borrower will be forced to pay the lender time after time until he brings witnesses to court. This makes this testimony equivalent to testimony recorded in a legal document. Thus, by saying: "Do not repay except in the presence of witnesses," the lender endows the loan with the strength of a loan recorded in a promissory note. There is no one who would think that this is correct.
Instead, certainly, if the lender stipulated: "Do not repay me except in the presence of so-and-so and so-and-so," the borrower caused himself a loss if he repaid the loan in the presence of other witnesses who departed. If, however, these witnesses come and testify that he repaid the debt, there is no question that the borrower should not be held responsible. This is the manner in which judgment should be rendered and instruction should be given.ביש נוסחאות מן הגמרא שכתוב בהן שהאומר לחבירו אל תפרעני אלא בעדים ואמר לו פרעתיך בפני פלוני ופלוני והלכו למדינת הים אינו נאמן וטעות ספרים הוא ולפיכך טעו המורים על פי אותן הספרים וכבר חקרתי על הנוסחאות הישנות ומצאתי בהן שהוא נאמן והגיע לידי במצרים מקצת גמרא ישנה כתוב על הגוילים כמו שהיו כותבין קודם לזמן הזה בקרוב חמש מאות שנה ושתי נוסחאות מצאתי מן הגוילים בהלכה זו ובשתיהם כתוב ואם אמר פרעתי בפני פלוני ופלוני והלכו להן למדינת הים נאמן, ומפני טעות זו שאירע למקצת הספרים הורו מקצת גאונים שאם אמר לו אל תפרעני אלא בפני פלוני ופלוני ופרעו בפני אחרים שאינו נאמן אע"פ שהביא עדים שפרעו בפניהם וגם זו טעות גדולה והדין האמת שאם באו עדים שפרעו בפניהם נפטר ואין כאן מקום חשש. גם ההוראה הזאת על פי ספריהן שכתוב בהן באותו שאמר לחבירו פרעני בפני עדים ששנו הלכות והלך ופרעו בפני עדים וטעות ספרים הוא ומצאתי בגוילים כתוב אזל פרעיה ביניה לבין דיליה אע"פ שהספרים מוגהין כמו שביארנו כך יראה מדין הגמרא, ועוד דברים של דעת הן וכי מה היה לו לעשות אמר לו אל תפרעני אלא בעדים פרעו בעדים וכי יש לו לאסור את העדים בבית הסוהר כל ימיהם שלא ילכו ועוד אם מתו מה יעשה נמצא זה פורע פעם אחר פעם לעולם עד שיביא עדים א"כ נעשית עדות זו עדות בשטר ונמצא זה כיון שאמר אל תפרעני אלא בעדים נעשת מלוה בשטר ואין מי שעלה על לבו זה, אבל ודאי אם אמר בפני פלוני ופלוני הוא הפסיד על עצמו שפרע בפני אחרים והלכו להם, אבל אם באו והעידו שפרעו אין כאן בית מחוש וכזה ראוי לדון ולהורות.
3 If the lender had the borrower agree to the stipulation that the lender's word would be accepted whenever he claimed that the borrower did not pay him, he may collect the debt without taking an oath. This applies even though the borrower claims that he paid him. If, however, the borrower brings witnesses who testify that he paid him, the lender is not entitled to expropriate any funds.גהתנה המלוה על הלוה שיהיה נאמן בכל עת שיאמר שלא פרעו ה"ז נוטל בלא שבועה אע"פ שטען שפרעו, ואם הביא עדים שפרעו אינו נוטל כלום.
4 If the lender had the borrower agree to the stipulation that the lender's word would be accepted as the testimony of two witnesses, even if the borrower brings witnesses who testify that he paid him, he may collect the debt without taking an oath. For he accepted his word as that of two witnesses. ) This law applies even if the borrower brought 100 witnesses that he paid the lender, for the legal power of two witnesses is the same as that of 100 witnesses.
If, however, the borrower told the lender: "I accept your word as that of three witnesses," since he mentioned a number, if the borrower pays the lender in the presence of four witnesses, we consider the debt to be paid. When a person accepted the lender's word as equivalent to that of two witnesses, how can he correct the matter? When he pays, he should have the promissory note ripped up, the lender testify that he nullifies every promissory note he has against so-and-so, the borrower, or the lender give testimony against himself outside the presence of the borrower that he received payment for all debts owed to him by so-and-so the borrower.דהתנה עליו שיהיה המלוה נאמן כשני עדים אע"פ שהביא עדים שפרעו ה"ז גובה ממנו בלא שבועה שהרי האמינו כשני עדים, ואפילו הביא מאה עדים (שפרעו הרי גובה ממנו בלא שבועה ואפילו הביא מאה עדים) שפרעו בפניהם שהשנים כמאה, אבל אם אמר לו הרי אתה נאמן עלי כשלשה הואיל וירד למנין אם פרעו בפני ארבעה ה"ז פרוע, זה שהאמין המלוה כשני עדים מה תהיה תקנתו כשיפרע יקרע השטר או יעיד זה המלוה על עצמו שבטל כל שטר שיש לו על פלוני, או יעיד על עצמו שלא בפני הלוה שקיבל כל חוב שיש לו אצל פלוני.
5 If the borrower pays the lender, the lender claims that he was not paid, and the borrower paid him a second time because of the stipulation, the borrower can lodge a suit against the lender claiming: "You owe me such and such, because I paid you twice." If the lender acknowledges the borrower's claim, he must repay him. If he denies the claim, he is required to take a sh'vuat hesset, stating that the borrower paid him only once. Similar principles apply in all analogous situations.ההרי שפרעו וטען המלוה שלא נפרע ופרעו פעם שניה מפני התנאי הרי הלוה חוזר ותובע את המלוה בדין ואומר לו כך וכך אתה חייב לי מפני שפרעתיך שתי פעמים אם הודה ישלם ואם כפר ישבע שבועת היסת על כך שלא פרעו אלא פעם אחת וכן כל כיוצא בזה.
6 When the borrower had the lender agree to the stipulation that the borrower's word would be accepted whenever he claimed that he paid the debt, the lender may not collect this debt on the basis of this promissory note - neither from the borrower's heir, nor from a person who purchased property from him. Moreover, even if the borrower said: "I did not pay this debt," the lender may not use this promissory note to expropriate property from a person who purchased property from the borrower. The rationale is that we suspect that the lender and the borrower perpetrated an act of deception to take the purchaser's property.
If the borrower claims to have paid a portion of the debt recorded in this promissory note, and the lender claims that he did not pay anything, the borrower is required to pay the portion that he admitted to owing. With regard to the remainder, he is required to take a sh 'vuat hesset. The rationale is that the lender accepted his word. If he originally stipulates that his word would be accepted without having to take a sh'vuat hesset, he is not required to take that oath.והתנה הלוה שיהיה נאמן בכל עת שיאמר פרעתי אינו גובה בשטר זה לא מן היורש ולא מן הלוקח, ואפילו אמר לוה לא פרעתי אין המלוה טורף בשטר זה מן הלקוחות שמא עשו קנוניא על נכסיו של זה, טען הלוה בשטר זה ואמר פרעתי מקצתו והמלוה אומר לא פרע כלום משלם המקצת שהודה בו ונשבע שבועת היסת שהרי האמינו, ואם התנה עליו שיהיה נאמן בלא שבועת היסת אינו נשבע.
7 If the lender stipulates that his word will be accepted without his having to take an oath, he may collect the debt without taking an oath. If, however, he must collect the debt from the borrower's heirs, he must take an oath; only afterwards may he collect the debt. If, however, he stipulated that he would also be able to collect from the heirs without taking an oath, he may collect the debt from them without an oath.
Similarly, if the lender stipulates that he will be able to expropriate the most valuable property owned by the borrower, he may expropriate that property, even from the heirs. The rationale is that any stipulation made with regard to financial matters is binding.
If the lender comes to collect from a person who purchased property from the borrower, he may expropriate the property only after taking an oath. The rationale is that the borrower may not accept a stipulation that will cause a colleague a loss.זהתנה המלוה שיהיה גובה בלא שבועה ה"ז גובה ממנו בלא שבועה, אבל אם בא לגבות מיורשיו ישבע ואחר כך יגבה, ואם התנה שיגבה אף מן היורש בלא שבועה גובה בלא שבועה, וכן אם התנה שיגבה מן העידית גובה מן העידית אף מן היורשין שכל תנאי שבממון קיים, בא לגבות מן הלוקח לא יטרוף אלא בשבועה שאין זה מתנה לאבד ממון חבירו.
• 3 Chapters A Day: She'ar Avot haTum'ah She'ar Avot haTum'ah - Chapter 6, She'ar Avot haTum'ah She'ar Avot haTum'ah - Chapter 7, She'ar Avot haTum'ah She'ar Avot haTum'ah - Chapter 8
She'ar Avot haTum'ah - Chapter 6
1 The impurity of false deities is of Rabbinic origin. There is an allusion to it in the Torah Genesis 35:2: "Remove the foreign gods that are in your midst. Purify yourselves and change your garments."
There are four primary categories of ritual impurity associated with the worship of false deities: the false deities themselves, their accessories, something offered to it, and a wine libation offered to it. The impurity associated with all of these is of Rabbinic origin.אטומאת ע"ז מדברי סופרים ויש לה רמז בתורה הסירו את אלהי הנכר אשר בתוככם והטהרו והחליפו שמלותיכם וארבעה אבות הטומאות יש בה: ע"ז עצמה ומשמשיה ותקרובת שלה ויין שנתנסך לה וטומאת כולן מדבריהן:
2 A false deity itself imparts impurity to persons and keilim when touched and to an earthenware container, when it enters its inner space. Like the carcass of a teeming animal, it does not impart impurity when carried, as implied by Deuteronomy 7:26: "You shall certainly regard it as disgusting." The minimum measure that imparts impurity is an olive-sized portion; it should not be more stringent than a portion of a corpse. If an image is less than an olive in size, it is pure.בע"ז עצמה מטמאה אדם וכלים במגע וכלי חרס באויר ואינה מטמאה במשא כשרץ שנאמר שקץ תשקצנו ושיעורה כזית לא תהיה זו חמורה מן המת אבל אם היתה הצורה פחותה מכזית טהורה:
3 If one cut off a limb from it, even if it is as large as the steering rod of a plow, it is pure. The rationale is that a false deity does not impart impurity when separated into limbs, only when the entire image is intact, as can be inferred from Isaiah 30:22: "Cast your idols away like someone impure." Just as the limbs of an impure person do not impart impurity, so too, the limbs of a false deity do not impart impurity.
Its impurity was established according to the leniencies applying to all the primary categories of impurity. Since its impurity is of Rabbinic origin, it was considered as the carcass of a teeming animal in that it does not impart impurity when carried, like a corpse in that an olive-sized portion is required, and like a nidah in that a limb of it does not impart impurity.גקצץ אבר ממנה אפילו היה כמרדע הרי זה טהור שע"ז אינה מטמאה לאיברים אלא הצורה כולה כשהיא שלימה שנאמר תזרם כמו דוה מה דוה אינה מטמאה לאיברים אף ע"ז אינה מטמאה לאיברים כקולי אבות הטומאות דנו בה מפני שטומאתה מדבריהם עשאוה כשרץ שאינו מטמא במשא וכמת שאינו מטמא אלא בכזית וכנדה שאינה מטמאה לאיברים:
4 When a false deity was separated into parts, even though it could be reassembled by an ordinary person and all of its parts are present, it does not impart impurity.דנתפרקה ע"ז אף על פי שההדיוט יכול להחזירה והרי כל איבריה קיימים אינה מטמאה:
5 All of the accessories of a false deity are like the carcass of a teeming animal. They impart impurity to persons and keilim when touched and to an earthenware container, when they enter its inner space. They do not impart impurity when carried. The minimum measure that imparts impurity is an olive-sized portion. Even if one cut off an olive-sized portion from an implement, it imparts impurity like the carcass of a teeming animal. In this context, the law applying to the accessories of a false deity is more stringent than that applying to the false deity itself.
With regard to a shrine in which a false deity is worshiped: Its stones, its beams, and its earth all impart impurity when an olive-sized portion of them is touched, as all of the other accessories of a false deity.הכל משמשי ע"ז כשרץ מטמאין אדם וכלים במגע וכלי חרס באויר ואינן מטמאין במשא ושיעור טומאתן בכזית ואפילו קצץ ממשמשיה כזית מן הכלי מטמא כשרץ זו חומר במשמשיה יותר מע"ז עצמה ובית ע"ז עצמו אבניו ועציו ועפרו מטמאין בכזית במגע ככל המשמשין:
6 When a person inserts his head and the majority of his body into a shrine of a false deity, he becomes impure, as if he touched it. Similarly, if the inner space of an earthenware vessel was brought inside a shrine of a false deity, it becomes impure. When the greater portion of a bench or a couch was brought into a shrine of a false deity, it contracts impurity. They are considered as primary derivatives of impurity.והמכניס ראשו ורובו לבית ע"ז נטמא כנוגע וכן כלי חרס שהכניס אוירו לבית ע"ז נטמא ספסלים וקתידראות שהכניס רובן לבית ע"ז טמאים וכולן ראשון לטומאה:
7 An offering brought to a false deity imparts impurity when touched and when carried like the carcass of a dead animal. The minimum measure that imparts impurity is an olive-sized portion.
Any entity offered to a false deity, whether meat or other foods or beverages, is considered like an animal carcass, for Scripture Psalms 106:28 refers to them as "sacrifices of the dead." Although foods that were sacrificed to false deities may never be nullified in a manner that enables one to benefit from them, if their connection with the false deity was nullified, it is questionable whether or not they impart impurity. When, by contrast, the connection between an implement offered to a false deity and that deity was nullified, it is pure. Similarly, a false deity and its accessories that were nullified are pure.זתקרובת ע"ז מטמאה במגע ובמשא כנבילה ושיעורה בכזית כל דבר שמקריבין לה בין בשר בין שאר אוכלים ומשקין הכל כנבילה שהכתוב קראן זבחי מתים ואע"פ שאין תקרובת ע"ז של אוכלין בטלין לעולם להתירה בהנאה אם בטלה הרי זו ספק לטומאה אבל כלי שהוא תקרובת ע"ז שביטלו טהור וכן ע"ז ומשמשיה שביטלו טהורין:
8 When wine was poured as a libation to a false deity, it imparts impurity to persons and keilim when touched and to an earthenware container, when it enters its inner space. It imparts impurity to a person when carried, as an animal carcass does. The minimum measure for its impurity is an olive-sized portion, as can be inferred from Deuteronomy 32:38: "Who eat the fat of its sacrifices, who drink the wine of its libations."
This impurity is imparted only by wine that was poured out by hand before a false deity. Ordinary wine belonging to a non-Jew imparts a lesser impurity like all other impure beverages.חיין שנתנסך לע"ז מטמא אדם וכלים במגע וכלי חרס באויר ומטמא אדם במשא כנבילה וטומאתו בכזית שנאמר אשר חלב זבחימו יאכלו ישתו יין נסיכם הרי יין נסיכם כחלב זבחימו ואין מטמא טומאה זו אלא יין שנתנסך ביד לפני ע"ז אבל סתם יינן של עכו"ם מטמא טומאה קלה כשאר כל משקין טמאין:
9 From everything that we have explained from the beginning of this book until here, one may conclude that there are primary categories of impurity, some of Scriptural origin and some of Rabbinic origin.טמכל הדברים שביארנו מתחילת הספר עד כאן אתה למד שאבות הטומאות מהן אבות של תורה ומהן אבות של דברי סופרים:
10 Any entity that contracts impurity from a primary source of impurity of Scriptural origin is considered as a derivative of impurity of Scriptural origin. Any entity that contracts impurity from a primary source of impurity of Rabbinic origin is considered as a derivative of impurity of Rabbinic origin.יכל המתטמא מחמת אב של תורה הרי הוא ולד טומאה של תורה וכל המתטמא מחמת אב של דבריהם הרי זה ולד של דבריהם:
11 Any primary source of impurity - whether of Scriptural or Rabbinic origin - that imparts impurity through touch, but does not impart impurity when carried, does not impart impurity to the clothes a person who touches it is wearing even while he is touching the source of impurity. Nor does he impart impurity to another person or to earthenware utensils even though he has not yet separated himself from the source of impurity. Both after and before he separates himself from the source of impurity, his status is that of a derivative of impurity who imparts impurity to foods and makes them a secondary derivative of impurity, for he is a primary derivative.יאכל אב טומאה שמטמא במגע ואינו מטמא במשא בין אב של תורה בין אב של דבריהם אדם הנוגע בו אינו מטמא בגדים בשעת מגעו ולא אדם ולא כלי חרס אף על פי שעדיין לא פירש ממטמאיו והנו אחר שפירש ממטמאיו או קודם שיפרוש ולד שהוא מטמא אוכלין ועושה אותן שני לטומאה מפני שהוא ראשון:
12 When a person touches or carries any primary source of impurity - whether of Scriptural or Rabbinic origin - that imparts impurity through touch or when carried, that person imparts impurity to his clothes at the time he is touching the source of impurity or carrying it. He causes the garments to be considered as a primary derivative of impurity. Similarly, if he touches foods, he makes them a primary derivative of impurity as long as he has not ceased contact with the source of his impurity. If he ceases contact with the source of his impurity, he is considered as a primary derivative of impurity in all contexts and he does not impart impurity to his garments. If he touches foods, they are deemed as secondary derivatives.
When does the above apply? With regard to all the primary sources of impurity with the exception of an animal carcass and a surface on which a zav rides. With regard to these two sources of impurity, even though they impart impurity when touched or when carried, a person who touches them does not impart impurity to his clothes when he is touching them. If he touches foods, they are secondary derivatives of impurity. One who carries such entities imparts impurity to his clothes when carrying them. If he touches foods before he separates from the source of his impurity, they are primary derivatives of impurity, as we explained.יבוכל אב טומאה שמטמא במגע ובמשא בין אב של תורה בין אב של דבריהם אדם הנוגע בו או הנושאו מטמא בגדים בשעת מגעו ובשעת נשיאתו ועושה אותן ראשון לטומאה וכן אם נגע באוכלין עשאן ראשון כל זמן שלא פירש ממטמאיו פירש ממטמאיו הרי הוא ראשון לטומאה לכל דבר ואינו מטמא בגדים ואם נגע באוכלין הרי הן שני בד"א בשאר כל האבות חוץ מן הנבילות והמרכב אבל הנבילה והמרכב אע"פ שמטמאין במגע ובמשא הנוגע בהן אינו מטמא בגדים בשעת מגעו ואם נגע באוכלין הרי הן שני לטומאה והנושא מטמא בגדים בשעת נשיאתו ואם נגע באוכלין עד שלא פירש הנם ראשון לטומאה כמו שביארנו:
13 When there is a sufficient amount of water upon which the ashes of the red heifer have been placed to sprinkle it, it is considered like an animal carcass and a surface on which a zav rides and only one who carries it imparts impurity to his garments. Nevertheless, one who touches such water imparts impurity to his garments while touching them, because it is as if he is carrying the water. For it is impossible to touch water without moving it and we have already explained that the laws that apply to carrying a source of impurity also apply when moving it.
Similarly, one who touches the wool of an animal carcass or who touches the strands protruding from a surface on which a zav rides imparts impurity to his clothes when he touches these entities because it is as if he is carrying them. For it is impossible to touch them without moving them. Therefore he imparts impurity to his garments until he separates himself from the source of impurity like one who carries.יגמי חטאת שיש בהן כדי הזאה אף על פי שהן כנבילה וכמרכב שאין מטמאין בגדים אלא הנושאן הרי הנוגע בהן מטמא בגדים בשעת מגעו משום נושא שאי אפשר שיגע במים שלא יסיט אותן וכבר ביארנו שאחד הנושא ואחד המסיט וכן הנוגע בצמר הנבילה או שנגע בנימי המרכב מטמא בגדים בשעת מגעו משום נושא שאי אפשר לנגוע בדברים אלו שלא יסיט אותן ולפיכך מטמא בגדים עד שלא פירש כדין הנושא:
14 When one swallows the carcass of a fowl from a kosher species, he imparts impurity to his garments at the time he swallows it as we explained. They are considered as primary derivatives of impurity. Similarly, if he touches foods at that time, they are primary derivatives of impurity. After he swallows it, he is considered to have separated from the entity that imparted impurity to him.ידהבולע נבלת עוף הטהור בשעת בליעתו מטמא בגדים כמו שביארנו והן ראשון לטומאה וכן אם נגע באוכלין הרי הן ראשון לטומאה ואחר שבלע הרי זה פירש ממטמאיו:
15 Although all of the following - one who burns the red heifer or the goats that are burnt and one who sends away the goat to Azazel - impart impurity to their garments while performing their tasks, as we explained, if they touched foods, even while performing their tasks, the foods are deemed a secondary derivative of impurity.טוהשורף פרה אדומה ושעירים הנשרפים והמשלח את השעיר אע"פ שבשעת מעשיהן מטמא בגדים כמו שביארנו אם נגעו באוכלין אפילו בשעת מעשיהן הרי הן שני לטומאה:
16 When a person touches a primary source of impurity that had been cast into a mikveh, e.g., an animal carcass, the carcass of a teeming animal, or a surface on which a zav rides was in a mikveh and a person touched it, he is impure, as can be inferred from Leviticus 11:36: "But a spring and a cistern in which water collects will be pure. One who touches their carcasses contracts impurity." Implied is that even when they are in a mikveh, they impart impurity. When the person who touched the source of impurity immerses and ascends from the mikveh, he is pure.
Similarly, if a zav treads on a surface on which one rides that was pure while it was found in a mikveh, the surface contracts impurity. When the surface is lifted up from the mikveh, it regains purity, for it is considered as if it was immersed.
When an individual who touches an impure surface on which one rides while he was in a mikveh sticks his hand outside the mikveh and touches objects, he imparts impurity to garments. Needless to say, he imparts impurity to foods and beverages.טזהנוגע באב מאבות הטומאות המושלך בתוך המקוה כגון נבילה או שרץ או משכב שהוא במקוה ונגע בו ה"ז טמא שנאמר אך מעין ובור מקוה מים יהיה טהור ונוגע בנבלתם יטמא אפילו כשהן בתוך המקוה מטמאין וכשיעלה מן המקוה זה הנוגע יטהר [והנושאן מטמא בגדים בשעת נשיאתן ואם נגע באוכלים עד שלא פירש הרי הן ראשון לטומאה כמו שביארנו] וכן זב שדרס על המשכב שהוא מונח במקוה הרי המשכב טמא וכשיעלה המשכב מן המקוה יטהר שהרי עלתה לו טבילה וזה הנוגע במשכב כשהוא במקוה אם פשט ידו ונוגע חוץ למקוה הרי זה מטמא בגדים וא"צ לומר שהוא מטמא אוכלין ומשקין:
She'ar Avot haTum'ah - Chapter 7
1 It is explicitly stated in the Torah that foods and liquids contract ritual impurity, as Leviticus 11:34 states: "Of all foods that will be eaten that were exposed to water will become impure and any beverage which one will drink in any vessel will become impure."
Food that contracted impurity does not impart impurity to other foods according to Scriptural Law. Nor do liquids that contracted impurity impart impurity to other entities according to Scriptural Law. Nevertheless, according to Rabbinic Law, it was decreed that impure food that touched other foods would impart impurity to them. Similarly, if impure foods touched liquids, the liquids are impure. Food does not, by contrast, ever impart impurity to a container that it touches even according to Rabbinic Law. Similarly, the Sages decreed that impure liquids should impart impurity to foods, liquids, and keilim that they touch.אדבר מפורש בתורה שהאוכלין והמשקין מתטמאין שנאמר מכל האוכל אשר יאכל אשר יבא עליו מים יטמא וכל משקה אשר ישתה בכל כלי יטמא ואין האוכל שנטמא מטמא אוכל אחר מן התורה ולא המשקין שנטמאו מטמאין דבר אחר מן התורה אבל מד"ס גזרו על האוכל הטמא שאם נגע באוכל אחר טימאהו וכן אם נגע אוכל הטמא במשקין טמאין ואין אוכל מטמא כלי שנגע בו לעולם ואפילו מדבריהם וכן גזרו על המשקין הטמאים שיטמאו אוכלין או משקין או כלים שנגעו בהן:
2 There are no derivatives of impurity that impart impurity to keilim other than impure liquids. This impurity is a Rabbinic decree. It applies provided the original source of the liquid's impurity is a primary category of impurity, whether of Scriptural or Rabbinic origin.
Why did they decree that impure liquids should impart impurity to keilim? Because of a similarity to the liquids that emanate from a zav, which are a primary source of impurity and impart impurity to keilim according to Scriptural Law, as ibid. 15:8 states: "When a zav shall spit on a person who is pure," as we explained.באין לך ולד טומאה שמטמא כלים אלא משקין טמאים בלבד וטומאה זו מדבריהם והוא שיהיו אותן המשקין טמאין מחמת אב מאבות הטומאות בין של תורה בין של דבריהם ומפני מה גזרו על המשקין טמאין שיטמאו כלים גזירה משום משקה הזב שהוא אב ומטמא כלים דין תורה שנאמר וכי ירוק הזב בטהור כמו שביארנו:
3 When the Sages decreed that impure liquids should impart impurity to containers, they decreed that they should impart impurity from their inner surfaces.
What is implied? If impure liquids fell into the inner space of an earthenware container, it becomes impure in its entirety. It is considered as a secondary derivative. If they touch other containers on their inner surface, they become impure in their entirety and are considered as secondary derivatives of impurity. If, however, impure liquids touch the outer surface of a container, whether it be an earthenware container, a k'li that can be purified by immersion, or a metal k'li, only the outer surface becomes impure. The outer surface is considered as a secondary derivative, but its inner surface does not become impure.
In what context does the above apply? To terumah. For sacrificial foods, by contrast, when the outside of a container becomes impure, it becomes impure in its entirety and it is considered a secondary derivative of impurity in its entirety.גכשגזרו על המשקין שיטמאו את הכלים גזרו שיהיו מטמאין את הכלים מתוכן כיצד אם נפלו לאויר כלי חרס נטמא כולו והרי הוא שני ואם נגעו בשאר כלים מתוכן מטמא כולן ונעשו שניים אבל אם נגעו משקין טמאים באחורי הכלי שיש לו תוך בין בכלי חרס בין בכלי שטף וכלי מתכות נטמאו אחוריו בלבד והרי אחוריו שני ולא נטמא תוכו במה דברים אמורים לתרומה אבל לקדש כלי שנטמאו אחוריו נטמא כולו והרי כולו שני לטומאה:
4 We already explained, that foods do not impart impurity to utensils, but that liquids do. Why did our Sages make the above distinction - that when the outer surface of a container was touched by impure liquids, its inner surface does not become impure for terumah? To make it known that the impurity of these keilim is a Rabbinic institution so that terumah and sacrificial foods will not be burnt as a result.דכבר ביארנו שהאוכלין אין מטמאין כלים והמשקין מטמאין ולמה עשו בטומאת משקין היכר זה ואמרו שהכלי שנגעו משקין טמאין באחוריו לא נטמא תוכו לתרומה להודיע שטומאת כלים אלו מדבריהם שלא ישרפו עליה תרומה וקדשים:
5 We already explained that foods and liquids that touch one of the primary sources of impurity become primary derivatives of impurity. Similarly, if food touched a person or a k'li that had contracted impurity from a source of impurity, that food becomes a second derivative of impurity. Food that touches this secondary derivative is considered a tertiary derivative of impurity and if the tertiary derivative touches a fourth food, it is considered a fourth degree derivative of impurity.
To what does the above apply? To foods. With regard to liquids, by contrast, whether a liquid touches a primary source of impurity, a primary derivative or a secondary derivative, that liquid is considered as a primary derivative. It imparts impurity to another liquid, which in turn can impart impurity to another liquid, even if there is a chain of a hundred. For there is no concept of degrees of impurity with regard to liquids.
What is implied? When wine touched a primary source of impurity or a primary or secondary derivative, the wine is considered as a primary derivative of impurity. Similarly, if this wine touched oil, that oil touched milk, that milk touched honey, that honey touched water, and that water touched wine, in an endless chain, all the liquids are considered as primary derivatives. It is as if each one of them contracted impurity from a primary source. They all impart impurity to keilim. Similarly, if the outer surface of a container contracted impurity from a liquid and other liquids touched that impure outer surface, even if the other liquids are not sacred, the other liquids are considered as a primary derivative of impurity and impart impurity to other containers, making them secondary derivatives of impurity. Needless to say, they impart impurity to other foods and liquids.הכבר ביארנו שהאוכלין והמשקין שנגעו באב מאבות הטומאות הרי הן ראשון לטומאה וכן אם נגע אוכל באדם או בכלי שנטמא באב הרי אותו האוכל שני לטומאה ואוכל שנגע בזה השני נקרא שלישי לטומאה ואם נגע השלישי באוכל (רביעי) ה"ז נקרא רביעי לטומאה בד"א באוכלין אבל המשקין אחד משקה שנגע באב הטומאה או שנגע בראשון או שנגע בשני הרי אותו המשקה תחלה לטומאה ומטמא את חבירו וחבירו את חבירו אפילו הן מאה שאין מונין במשקין כיצד יין שנגע באב הטומאה או בראשון או בשני הרי יין זה כראשון לטומאה וכן אם נגע יין זה בשמן ושמן בחלב וחלב בדבש ודבש במים ומים ביין אחר וכן עד לעולם כולן ראשון לטומאה וכאילו כל אחד מהן נטמא באב תחלה וכולן מטמאין את הכלים וכן כלי שנטמאו אחוריו במשקין ונגעו משקין אחרים באחורי הכלים הטמאין אפילו היו משקין חולין נעשו המשקין האחרים תחלה לטומאה ומטמאין כלים אחרים ועושין אותן שניים ואין צ"ל שהן מטמאין אוכלין ומשקין אחרים:
6 When the outer surface of a container contracted impurity and then foods - even food that are terumah - touched this impure outer surface, the foods are pure. For when only the outer surface of a container contracts impurity, it does not impart impurity to foods with the exception of sacrificial foods. For when the outer surface of a container contracts impurity, it is considered as entirely impure with regard to sacrificial foods, as we explained. Therefore, it imparts impurity to sacrificial foods.ואחורי הכלי שנטמאו במשקין ונגעו אוכלין באחורי הכלי הטמא אפילו אוכלי תרומה הרי הן טהורין שהכלי שנטמאו אחוריו בלבד אינו מטמא את האוכלין אלא לקדש בלבד שהכלי שנטמאו אחוריו ה"ז טמא כולו לקדש כמו שביארנו ולפיכך מטמא אוכל הקדש:
She'ar Avot haTum'ah - Chapter 8
1 Whenever one touches a primary derivative of impurity with his hands, whether that primary derivative was an impure person, k'li, food, or liquid, his hands - until his joints - alone become impure. Similarly, if a person inserts his hands into the inner space of an earthenware container that contracted impurity from a primary source of impurity or he inserted his hands into a house that is deemed impure due to tzara'at, his hands become impure. The impurity of hands is a Rabbinic decree.אכל הנוגע בידיו בראשון לטומאה בין שהיה אותו ראשון אדם או כלי או אוכל או משקין טמאין נטמאו ידיו בלבד עד הפרק וכן המכניס ידיו לאויר כלי חרס שנטמא באב הטומאה או שהכניס ידיו לבית מנוגע נטמאו ידיו וטומאת הידים מד"ס:
2 Hands that contracted impurity are always considered as a secondary derivative according to Rabbinic Law. For their impurity is a Rabbinic decree, and when it was decreed that they would be impure, it was decreed that their status would be that of a secondary derivative. Even when one inserts his hands into a house that is deemed impure due to tzara'at or touches with his hands a person who imparts impurity to his garments before that person has separated himself from the source of his impurity, the person's hands are secondary derivatives.בהידים שניות מד"ס לעולם שאין טומאתן אלא מדבריהם וכשגזרו טומאה עליהן גזרו שיהיו כשני לטומאה אפילו הכניס ידיו לבית המנוגע או שנגע בידיו באדם שמטמא בגדים עד שלא פירש ממטמאיו הרי ידיו שניות:
3 Piggul, notar, and remnants of flour from the meal offerings are considered as primary derivatives of impurity. Primary and secondary derivatives are counted if other entities come in contact with them. Therefore, an egg-sized portion of them imparts impurity to hands.
Piggul and notar may not be combined to reach an egg-sized measure even though they both share that same measure. The rationale is that the impurity of hands is a Rabbinic safeguard. Other impure foods, by contrast, are combined to reach that measure. For impure foods do not impart impurity unless there is an egg-sized portion present.גהפיגול והנותר וצריד של מנחות הרי הן כראשון לטומאה ומונין בהן ראשון ושני לפיכך מטמאין את הידים בכביצה ואין הפיגול והנותר מצטרפין אע"פ ששיעורן שוה בכביצה הואיל וטומאת הידים מדבריהן אבל שאר האוכלין מצטרפין שאין אוכלים טמאין מטמאין את הידים עד שיהיו כביצה:
4 Even though the thigh bone of a sacrificial animal that was either piggul or notar is intact, when a person touches it with his hands, his hands contract ritual impurity. For the bones of sacrificial animals that became either piggul or notar impart impurity to hands, because they serve as the base for a forbidden entity.דקולית הפיגול או הנותר אע"פשהיא סתומה הנוגע בה בידיו נטמאו ידיו שהעצמות של קדשים ששמשו נותר או פיגול מטמאין את הידים הואיל ונעשו בסיס לדבר האסור:
5 When sacrificial meat is taken outside its appropriate place, there is an unresolved question whether it imparts impurity to hands or not. Therefore, it does not impart impurity, for if there is a doubt with regard to the impurity of hands, they are considered pure, as will be explained. If meat from a Paschal sacrifice was taken outside the home where it is being eaten, it is pure. We assume that the members of the company are vigilant.הבשר קודש שיצא חוץ למחיצתו הרי הוא ספק אם מטמא את הידים או לא לפיכך אינו מטמא שספק טומאת הידים טהור כמו שיתבאר ואם בשר פסח שיצא חוץ לבית הוא הרי הוא טהור בני חבורה זריזין הן:
6 The concept of impurity of hands does not apply in the Temple. At the time that Sages established their decree regarding the impurity of hands, they did not apply it to the Temple. Instead, if a person touches impure foods or the like - whether he touched them in the Temple or outside the Temple - and then touched sacrificial foods in the Temple, he does not impart impurity to them. If he touches sacrificial foods outside the Temple, he imparts impurity to them. Similarly, he disqualifies terumah, as will be explained.ואין טומאת ידים במקדש שבשעה שגזרו טומאה על הידים לא גזרו במקדש אלא הנוגע באוכלין טמאים וכיוצא בהן בין שנגע במקדש בין שנגע חוץ למקדש ונגע בקדשים במקדש לא טמאן ואם נגע חוץ למקדש ה"ז מטמא את הקדש ופוסל את התרומה כמו שיתבאר:
7 When one of a person's hands become impure and he touches the other one, the other remains pure. It is sufficient for him to wash the impure hand.
When does the above apply? With regard to terumah. With regard to sacrificial foods, by contrast, if one of a person's hands become impure and he touches the other one, he imparts impurity to the other. Both of them must be immersed in a mikveh before touching sacrificial foods. For terumah, by contrast, it is sufficient to wash one's hands to purify them.זמי שנטמאת ידו אחת ונגעה באחרת האחרת טהורה ונוטל את הטמאה ודיו במה דברים אמורים לתרומה אבל לקדש אם נטמאת ידו אחת ונגע בשנייה טימאה ושתיהן צריכות טבילה לקדש אבל לתרומה בנטילת ידים בלבד יטהרו ידיו:
8 King Solomon and his court decreed that hands are always considered as secondary derivatives of impurity, even if one does not know with certainty that they contracted impurity, for "hands are busy."
Solomon decreed that hands were impure only with regard to sacrificial foods. Afterwards, the later Sages extended the decree also with regard to terumah. Therefore it is necessary to wash one's hands before partaking of terumah. If one touched terumah before he washed his hands, the terumah is disqualified. It is burnt because of this impurity.חשלמה המלך ובית דינו גזרו על כל הידים שיהיו שניות ואף על פי שלא ידע בודאי שנטמאו מפני שהידים עסקניות ולא גזר שלמה על הידים טומאה אלא לקדש ואחר כך גזרו חכמים שאחריו אף לתרומה ולפיכך צריך נטילת ידים לתרומה ואם נגע בתרומה קודם שיטול ידיו פסולה ונשרפת על טומאה זו:
9 A person may wrap his hands in a napkin and partake of terumah without washing his hands. We do not suspect that he will touch the terumah. He should not do this when partaking of ordinary food that is being eaten under the stringencies that apply to the purity of sacrificial food or terumah, lest he touch it, for he is not that careful with regard to it.טלט אדם ידיו במפה ואוכל תרומה בלא נטילת ידים ואין חוששין שמא יגע אבל לא יעשה כן בחולין שנעשו על טהרת הקדש או על טהרת תרומה גזירה שמא יגע לפי שאינו מקפיד עליהן:
10 Since a person's hands are considered second degree derivatives of impurity, if they touch liquids, they cause them to be considered as primary derivatives. If such liquids touch foods, they cause them to be considered as secondary derivatives. If such liquids touch other liquids, they cause them to be considered as primary derivatives, for liquids are always considered as primary derivatives, as we explained. Such liquids that contracted impurity due to contact with hands do not impart impurity to keilim, for the fundamental impurity of the hands is of Rabbinic origin.
Similarly, our Sages decreed that any person who partook of impure foods - whether the foods were primary or secondary derivatives of impurity - or who drank impure liquids should be considered as a secondary derivative of impurity until he immerses in a mikveh. If he touches foods, he causes them to be considered as a tertiary derivative. If he touches liquids, even ordinary liquids, he causes them to be considered as a primary derivative and they impart impurity to other foods and liquids. They do not impart impurity to keilim, because the impurity contracted by this person is fundamentally a Rabbinic decree.
Why was it decreed that a person who partakes of impure foods contracts impurity? For perhaps he will partake of food that is a primary or secondary derivative of impurity and, at the same time, drink a liquid that is terumah. The liquid that is terumah will contract impurity from the food in his mouth. Similarly, if a person is drinking impure liquids, there was concern that he might eat food that is terumah with them and impart impurity to it because of the liquids in his mouth. We have already explained in Hilchot Terumah that it is forbidden to partake of impure terumah.יהואיל והידים שניות אם נגעו במשקה עשאום תחילה ואם נגעו משקין אלו באוכלין עושין אותן שני ואם נגעו במשקין אחרים עושין אותן תחילה שהמשקין תחלה לעולם כמו שביארנו אבל אין משקין אלו שנטמאו מחמת הידים מטמאין כלים שעיקר טומאת הידים מדבריהם וכן גזרו חכמים על כל אדם שיאכל אוכלין טמאין בין שאכל אוכל ראשון או אוכל שני ועל כל השותה משקין טמאים שיהיה שני לטומאה עד שיטבול ואם נגע באוכלין עשאן שלישי ואם נגע במשקין אפילו משקה חולין עשאן תחלה לטמא אוכלין ומשקין אחרים אבל לא לטמא כלים הואיל ועיקר טומאת אדם זה מדבריהם ומפני מה גזרו טומאה על האוכל אוכלין טמאים שמא יאכל אוכל ראשון או שני וישתה עליו משקה תרומה ונמצא המשקה תרומה טמא באוכל שבפיו וכן השותה משקין טמאים שמא יאכל עמהן אוכל תרומה ונמצא טמא במשקין שבפיו וכבר ביארנו בתרומות שאסור לאכול תרומה טמאה:
11 A person who contracts impurity because he partook of impure foods does not contract impurity unless he partakes of a quarter of a loaf of bread which is the size of an egg and a half when judged generously. Similarly, one who contracts impurity from drinking does not contract impurity unless he drinks a revi'it of impure liquids. All types of foods can be combined to comprise the sum of a quarter of a loaf that disqualifies the body of a person who partakes of them. And all liquids can be combined to comprise the sum of a revi'it. If one eats or drinks less than these measures, he is pure.
The following rule applies if one ate a small amount, then waited, and then ate some more. If he ate the required measure within the time it usually takes to eat half a loaf, the quantities are combined. If not, they are not combined. Similarly, if he drank a small amount, then waited, and then drank some more, if he drank the required measure] within the time it usually takes to eat half a loaf, the quantities are combined. If not, they are not combined.
The following rule applies if one ate less than the minimum measure, immersed in a mikveh, ascended, and immediately ate more. If he did not wait between eating and there is less time than it usually takes to eat half a loaf between the eating that preceded the immersion and the eating that followed it, they can be combined.יאאינו מתטמא עד שיאכל מאכלים טמאים כחצי פרס שהוא כביצה ומחצה שוחקת וכן השותה אינו מתטמא עד שישתה ממשקין טמאין רביעית וכל האוכלין מצטרפין לכחצי פרס לספול את הגוויה וכל המשקין מצטרפין לרביעית ואם אכל או שתה פחות משיעור זה טהור אכל מעט ושהה ואכל מעט אם יש מתחלה ועד סוף כדי אכילת פרס מצטרפין ואם לאו אין מצטרפין וכן אם שתה מעט ושהה ושתה מעט אם יש מתחלה ועד סוף כדי אכילת פרס מצטרפין ואם לאו אין מצטרפין אכל פחות מכשיעור וטבל ועלה ואכל מעט מיד אם לא שהה ביניהן והרי בין אכילה שלפני טבילה ושלאחר טבילה בכדי אכילת פרס הרי אלו מצטרפין:
12 When a woman who is a primary derivative of impurity nurses her son, her son is pure. The Sages did not decree that he would be impure. Even if one would say that the infant nursed a revi'it of milk, it is possible that from the beginning to the end, doing so took more time than it usually takes to eat half a loaf, for he does not nurse all at once.יבאשה שהיא ראשון לטומאה ומניקה את בנה הרי הבן טהור ולא גזרו עליו טומאה שאפילו תאמר שינק רביעית אפשר שיש מתחילה ועד סוף יתר מכדי אכילת פרס שהרי אינו יונק בבת אחת:
13 Because of the danger, our Sages granted a pregnant woman license to partake of less than the minimum measure, even though ultimately, she will partake of a larger amount. She does not need to immerse herself. Instead, she is pure.יגהמעוברת התירו לה לאכול אוכלין טמאין פחות מכשיעור ואע"פ שהיא אוכלת הרבה מפני הסכנה ואינה צריכה
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