TODAY IN JUDAISM: Monday, 18 June 2017 - Chabad.org in New York, New York, United States - Today is Monday, 25 Sivah 5777 - 19 June 2017
Torah Reading Korach: Numbers 16:1-13
Numbers 16:1 Now Korach the son of Yitz’har, the son of K’hat, the son of Levi, along with Datan and Aviram, the sons of Eli’av, and On, the son of Pelet, descendants of Re’uven, took men and 2 rebelled against Moshe. Siding with them were 250 men of Isra’el, leaders of the community, key members of the council, men of reputation. 3 They assembled themselves against Moshe and Aharon and said to them, “You take too much on yourselves! After all, the entire community is holy, every one of them, and Adonai is among them. So why do you lift yourselves up above Adonai’s assembly?”
4 When Moshe heard this he fell on his face. 5 Then he said to Korach and his whole group, “In the morning, Adonai will show who are his and who is the holy person he will allow to approach him. Yes, he will bring whomever he chooses near to himself. 6 Do this: take censers, Korach and all your group; 7 put fire in them; and put incense in them before Adonai tomorrow. The one whom Adonai chooses will be the one who is holy! It is you, you sons of Levi, who are taking too much on yourselves!”
8 Then Moshe said to Korach, “Listen here, you sons of Levi! 9 Is it for you a mere trifle that the God of Isra’el has separated you from the community of Isra’el to bring you close to himself, so that you can do the work in the tabernacle of Adonai and stand before the community serving them? 10 He has brought you close and all your brothers the sons of Levi with you. Now you want the office of cohen too! 11 That’s why you and your group have gathered together against Adonai! After all, what is Aharon that you complain against him?”
12 Then Moshe sent to summon Datan and Aviram, the sons of Eli’av. But they replied, “We won’t come up! 13 Is it such a mere trifle, bringing us up from a land flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the desert, that now you arrogate to yourself the role of dictator over us?
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Today in Jewish History:
• Three of the "Ten Martyrs" Killed (2nd century CE)
Among the millions of Jews cruelly killed by the Romans were the "Ten Martyrs"--all great sages and leaders of Israel--memorialized in a special prayer recited on Yom Kippur. Three of them--Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel, Rabbi Yishmael ben Elisha and Rabbi Chanina S'gan Hakohanim--were killed on Sivan 25.
• Egyptians "Sue" For Gold & Silver (4th Century BCE)
Egyptian representatives appeared in the court of Alexander the Great, demanding that the Jews pay restitution for all the Egyptian gold and silver they took along with them during the Exodus. Geviha the son of Pesisa, a simple but wise Jew, requested the sages' permission to present a defense on behalf of the Jews.
Geviha asked the Egyptians for evidence that the Jews absconded with their wealth. "The crime is clearly recorded in your Torah," the Egyptians gleefully responded.
"In that case," Geviha said, "the Torah also says that 600,000 Jews were unjustly enslaved by the Egyptians for many, many years. So first let us calculate how much you owe us..."
The court granted the Egyptians three days in which to prepare a response. When they were unable to do so they fled on the following day and never returned.
In Talmudic times, the day when the Egyptian delegation fled was celebrated as a mini-holiday.
(According to some traditions, this event took place on Nissan 24.)
Daily Quote:
Fire is one sixtieth of purgatory, honey is one sixtieth of manna, Shabbat is one sixtieth of the World to Come, sleep is one sixtieth of death, a dream is one sixtieth of prophesy [Talmud, Berachot 57b]
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Daily Torah Study
Numbers Chapter 16
| 14You have not even brought us to a land flowing with milk and honey, nor have you given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Even if you gouge out the eyes of those men, we will not go up." | | ידאַ֡ף לֹ֣א אֶל־אֶ֩רֶץ֩ זָבַ֨ת חָלָ֤ב וּדְבַשׁ֙ הֲבִ֣יאֹתָ֔נוּ וַתִּ֨תֶּן־לָ֔נוּ נַֽחֲלַ֖ת שָׂדֶ֣ה וָכָ֑רֶם הַֽעֵינֵ֞י הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֥ים הָהֵ֛ם תְּנַקֵּ֖ר לֹ֥א נַֽעֲלֶֽה: |
| nor have you given us: This statement refers to the word “not” stated above; meaning, You have not brought us up, and You have not given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. You said to us, “I will bring you up from the affliction of Egypt to a good land…” (Exod. 3:10). You did bring us out of there, but you have not brought us to a land flowing with milk and honey. Instead, you have decreed upon us to kill us in the desert, as you said to us,“your corpses shall fall in this desert” (14:29). | | ותתן לנו: הדבר מוסב על לא האמור למעלה, כלומר לא הביאותנו ולא נתת לנו נחלת שדה וכרם, אמרת לנו (שמות ג, יז) אעלה אתכם מעני מצרים אל ארץ וגו', משם הוצאתנו ולא אל ארץ זבת חלב ודבש הביאותנו, אלא גזרת עלינו להמיתנו במדבר, שאמרת לנו (במדבר יד, כט) במדבר הזה יפלו פגריכם: |
| Even if you gouge out the eyes of those men…: Even if you send [messengers] to gouge out our eyes if we do not go up to you, we will not go up. | | העיני האנשים ההם תנקר וגו': אפילו אתה שולח לנקר את עינינו אם לא נעלה אליך, לא נעלה: |
| those men: Like a person who attributes his own curse to his fellow. | | האנשים ההם: כאדם התולה קללתו בחבירו: |
| 15Moses was exceedingly distressed, and he said to the Lord, "Do not accept their offering. I have not taken a donkey from a single one of them, and I have not harmed a single one of them." | | טווַיִּ֤חַר לְמשֶׁה֙ מְאֹ֔ד וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֔ה אַל־תֵּ֖פֶן אֶל־מִנְחָתָ֑ם לֹ֠א חֲמ֨וֹר אֶחָ֤ד מֵהֶם֙ נָשָׂ֔אתִי וְלֹ֥א הֲרֵעֹ֖תִי אֶת־אַחַ֥ד מֵהֶֽם: |
| Moses was exceedingly distressed: Heb. וַיִּחַר לְמשֶׁה מְאֹד, he was very grieved, [not that he was angry]. | | ויחר למשה מאד: נצטער עד למאוד: |
| Do not accept their offering: According to its simple meaning, [Moses said,] Do not accept the incense that they will sacrifice before You tomorrow. According to its Midrashic interpretation, he said: I know that they have a portion in the daily communal offerings. Let their portions not be accepted favorably before You. Let the fire leave it and not consume it. - [Midrash Tanchuma Korach 7, Num. Rabbah 10] | | אל תפן אל מנחתם: לפי פשוטו הקטרת שהם מקריבים לפניך מחר אל תפן אליהם. והמדרש אומר יודע אני שיש להם חלק בתמידי צבור, אף חלקם לא יקובל לפניך לרצון, תניחנו האש ולא תאכלנו: |
| I have not taken a donkey from a single one of them: I did not take a donkey from any one of them. Even when I went from Midian to Egypt, and I placed my wife and sons on a donkey to ride, and I should have taken that donkey from their property, I took only from my own property (Tanchuma Korach 7, Num. Rabbah 10). Onkelos renders it as שְׁחָרִית, ‘expropriated.’ In Aramaic, the king’s service is called שַׁחְוַור. | | לא חמור אחד מהם נשאתי: לא חמורו של אחד מהם נטלתי. אפילו כשהלכתי ממדין למצרים והרכבתי את אשתי ואת בני על החמור, והיה לי ליטול אותו החמור משלהם, לא נטלתי אלא משלי. ותרגום אנקלוס, שחרית, לשון ארמי, כך נקראת אנגריא של מלך שחוור: |
| 16Moses said to Korah, "You and your entire congregation should be before the Lord you, they, and Aaron tomorrow. | | טזוַיֹּ֤אמֶר משֶׁה֙ אֶל־קֹ֔רַח אַתָּה֙ וְכָל־עֲדָ֣תְךָ֔ הֱי֖וּ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה אַתָּ֥ה וָהֵ֛ם וְאַֽהֲרֹ֖ן מָחָֽר: |
| they: Your company. | | והם: עדתך: |
| 17Let each man take his censer and place incense upon it, and let each man present his censer before the Lord; [there will thus be] two hundred and fifty censers, and let you and Aaron each [take] his censer. | | יזוּקְח֣וּ | אִ֣ישׁ מַחְתָּת֗וֹ וּנְתַתֶּ֤ם עֲלֵיהֶם֙ קְטֹ֔רֶת וְהִקְרַבְתֶּ֞ם לִפְנֵ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ אִ֣ישׁ מַחְתָּת֔וֹ חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים וּמָאתַ֖יִם מַחְתֹּ֑ת וְאַתָּ֥ה וְאַֽהֲרֹ֖ן אִ֥ישׁ מַחְתָּתֽוֹ: |
| and let each man present his censer before the Lord…: The two hundred and fifty men among you. | | והקרבתם וגו' איש מחתתו: החמשים ומאתים איש שבכם: |
| 18So each man took his censer, and they put fire upon it and placed incense upon it, and they stood at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting with Moses and Aaron. | | יחוַיִּקְח֞וּ אִ֣ישׁ מַחְתָּת֗וֹ וַיִּתְּנ֤וּ עֲלֵיהֶם֙ אֵ֔שׁ וַיָּשִׂ֥ימוּ עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם קְטֹ֑רֶת וַיַּֽעַמְד֗וּ פֶּ֛תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵ֖ד וּמשֶׁ֥ה וְאַֽהֲרֹֽן: |
| 19Korah assembled all the congregation against them at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the Lord appeared before the entire congregation. | | יטוַיַּקְהֵ֨ל עֲלֵיהֶ֥ם קֹ֨רַח֙ אֶת־כָּל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה אֶל־פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וַיֵּרָ֥א כְבֽוֹד־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־כָּל־הָֽעֵדָֽה: |
| Korah assembled… against them: with words of mockery. All that night, he went to the tribes and enticed them [saying,] “Do you think I care only for myself? I care for all of you. These [people] come and take all the high positions: the kingship for himself and the kehunah for his brother,” until they were all enticed. - [Midrash Tanchuma Korach 7, Num. Rabbah 10] | | ויקהל עליהם קרח: בדברי ליצנות. כל הלילה ההוא הלך אצל השבטים ופתה אותם כסבורין אתם שעלי לבדי אני מקפיד, איני מקפיד אלא בשביל כלכם. אלו באין ונוטלין כל הגדולות, לו המלכות ולאחיו הכהונה, עד שנתפתו כלם: |
| and the glory of the Lord appeared: He came in a pillar of cloud. | | וירא כבוד ה': בא בעמוד ענן: |
• Hebrew text • English text
Verses 1-96
David composed this prominent psalm in alphabetical sequence-eight verses for each letter. Every verse contains one of the following words (referring to different aspects of Torah): Way; Torah; Testimony; Precept; Commandment; Statement (translated here as Word or Promise); Word; Judgement (or Laws); Righteousness; Statute. Replete with morals and prayers, this psalm should be recited daily, as a powerful preparation for the service of God. (In verses beginning with one of the letters of the mnemonic PeReTZ BeN DaMaH, the word "עדותיך" is pronounced "eidvotecha.")
1. Fortunate are those whose way is artless, who walk with the Torah of the Lord.
2. Fortunate are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with all their hearts.
3. Indeed, they have not done iniquity; they walk in His ways.
4. You have commanded Your precepts to be observed diligently.
5. My wish is that my ways be directed to keep Your statutes.
6. Then I will not be ashamed, when I behold all Your commandments.
7. I will give thanks to You with uprightness of heart, when I learn Your righteous judgments.
8. I will keep Your statutes; do not utterly forsake me
9. How can a young man keep his way pure? By observing Your word.
10. With all my heart I have sought You; do not let me stray from Your commandments.
11. I have harbored Your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You.
12. Blessed are You, O Lord; teach me Your statutes.
13. With my lips I have declared all the judgments of Your mouth.
14. I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, as I would with all riches.
15. I will speak of Your precepts, and gaze upon Your ways.
16. I will delight in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.
17. Deal kindly with Your servant, that I may live to keep Your word.
18. Unveil my eyes, that I may behold wonders from Your Torah.
19. I am a sojourner on earth; do not hide Your commandments from me.
20. My soul is crushed with a longing for Your judgments every moment.
21. You have rebuked the accursed scoffers, those who stray from Your commandments.
22. Remove insult and contempt from me, for I have kept Your testimonies.
23. Though princes sat and spoke against me, Your servant speaks of Your statutes.
24. Indeed, Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counsellors.
25. My soul cleaves to the dust; revive me in accordance with Your word.
26. I have spoken of my ways, and You answered me; teach me Your statutes.
27. Make me understand the way of Your precepts, and I will speak of Your wonders.
28. My soul drips away out of grief; sustain me according to Your word.
29. Remove from me the way of falsehood, and graciously endow me with Your Torah.
30. I have chosen the way of faith; Your judgments have I laid before me.
31. I held fast to Your testimonies, O Lord; put me not to shame.
32. I will run on the path of Your commandments, for You will broaden my heart.
33. Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, and I will keep it to the last.
34. Grant me understanding and I will keep Your Torah; I will observe it with all my heart.
35. Direct me in the path of Your commandments, for that is my desire.
36. Incline my heart to Your testimonies, and not to greed.
37. Avert my eyes from seeing vanity; by Your ways give me life.
38. Fulfill for Your servant Your promise, which brings to the fear of You.
39. Remove my shame which I fear, for Your judgments are good.
40. Behold, I have longed for Your precepts; give me life in Your righteousness.
41. And let Your kindness come to fruition for me, O Lord, Your salvation as You promised.
42. I will offer a retort to those who taunt me, for I trust in Your word.
43. Do not at all remove the word of truth from my mouth, for I hope [to fulfill] Your judgments.
44. I will keep Your Torah continually, for ever and ever.
45. And I will walk in spacious paths, for I seek Your precepts.
46. I will speak of Your testimonies before kings, and I will not be ashamed.
47. And I will delight in Your commandments, which I love.
48. I will lift up my hands to Your commandments, which I love, and I will speak of Your statutes.
49. Remember the word [promised] to Your servant, by which You gave me hope.
50. This is my comfort in my affliction, for Your word has given me life.
51. [Though] the wicked ridicule me severely, I have not strayed from Your Torah.
52. When I remember Your judgments of old, O Lord, I take comfort.
53. Trembling seized me because of the wicked, those who forsake Your Torah.
54. Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my wanderings.
55. At night I remembered Your Name, O Lord, and I kept Your Torah.
56. All this came to me because I kept Your precepts.
57. The Lord is my portion; I pledged to keep Your words.
58. I pleaded before You with all my heart: have compassion upon me according to Your word.
59. I contemplated my ways, and returned my feet to Your testimonies.
60. I hurried and did not delay to keep Your commandments.
61. Bands of wicked men plundered me, [but] I did not forget Your Torah.
62. At midnight, I rise to thank You for Your righteous judgments.
63. I am a friend to all who fear You, and to those who keep Your precepts.
64. Your kindness, O Lord, fills the earth; teach me Your statutes.
65. You have dealt goodness to Your servant, O Lord, in accord with Your promise.
66. Teach me the goodness and wisdom of the [Torah's] reasons, for I believe in Your commandments.
67. Before I afflicted myself, I would blunder; but now I observe Your word.
68. You are good and benevolent; teach me Your statutes.
69. The wicked have smeared me with lies, [when in truth] I keep Your precepts with all my heart.
70. Their hearts grew thick as fat; but as for me, Your Torah is my delight.
71. It is for my good that I was afflicted, so that I might learn Your statutes.
72. The Torah of Your mouth is better for me than thousands in gold and silver.
73. Your hands have made me and prepared me; grant me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.
74. Those who fear You will see me and rejoice, because I hoped in Your word.
75. I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are just; righteously have You afflicted me.
76. Let Your kindness be my comfort, as You promised to Your servant.
77. Let Your mercies come upon me, that I may live, for Your Torah is my delight.
78. Let the scoffers be shamed, for they have maligned me with falsehood; but I will meditate upon Your precepts.
79. May those who fear You return to me, and those who know Your testimonies.
80. May my heart be perfect in Your statutes, so that I not be shamed.
81. My soul longs for Your salvation; I hope for Your word.
82. My eyes long for Your promise, saying, "When will You comfort me?”
83. Though I became [dried out] like a wineskin in smoke, I did not forget Your statutes.
84. How many are the days of Your servant? When will You execute judgment upon my pursuers?
85. The wicked have dug pits for me, in violation of Your Torah.
86. All Your commandments teach truth, [yet] they pursue me with lies, help me!
87. They nearly consumed me upon the earth, but I did not forsake Your precepts.
88. As befits Your kindness, grant me life, and I will keep the testimony of Your mouth.
89. Forever, O Lord, Your word stands firm in the heavens.
90. Your faithfulness persists for all generations; You established the earth, and it stands.
91. They stand ready today [to execute] Your judgments, for all are Your servants.
92. Had Your Torah not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction.
93. Never will I forget Your precepts, for through them You have sustained me.
94. I am Yours; save me, for I have sought Your precepts.
95. The wicked hope to destroy me, but I meditate upon Your testimonies.
96. To every goal I have seen a limit, but Your commandment is immensely broad.
• English Text (Lessons in Tanya) • Hebrew Text • Audio Class: Listen | Download • Video ClassMonday, 25 Sivan 5777 - June 19, 2017
Shaar Hayichud Vehaemunah, end of Chapter 7
כי מקור החיות הוא רוח פיו של הקב״ה, המתלבש בעשרה מאמרות שבתורה
For the source of the life-force is the “breath of the mouth” of the Holy One, blessed be He; it becomes enclothed in the Ten Utterances of the Torah, from which all created beings come into existence.
ורוח פיו יתברך היה יכול להתפשט לאין קץ ותכלית, ולברוא עולמות אין קץ ותכלית לכמותם ואיכותם, ולהחיותם עדי עד
The “breath of His mouth” could have diffused without end and limit, and created worlds infinite in their quantity and quality, and given [them] life forever, unlike their present state, in which they are limited in all these respects,
ולא היה נברא עולם הזה כלל
and this corporeal world, all of whose beings are limited and finite, would not have been created at all.
It was the contraction of the life-force that made possible the creation of this physical, limited world with its finite creatures.
The reason why the “breath of His mouth” — were it not to have been contracted — would have created worlds without end, is now explained by the Alter Rebbe in the parenthesis.
שכמו שהקב״ה נקרא אין סוף, כך כל מדותיו ופעולותיו, דאיהו וגרמוהי חד
(For just as the Holy One, blessed be He, is called “Infinite”, so are all His attributes and actions [infinite], “for He and His attributes are one”;
דהיינו החיות הנמשך ממדותיו, שהן חסד ורחמים ושאר מדותיו הקדושות, על ידי התלבשותן שמתלבשות ברוח פיו
i.e., the life-force that emanates from His attributes, namely, Kindness and Mercy and His other holy attributes, [emanates from them] through their being enclothed in the “breath of His mouth,” which refers to the Sefirah of Malchut.
כי הוא אמר ויהי
For creation results from G‑d’s speech and the “breath of His mouth,” as Scripture states, “For He spoke — and it came into being.”
ועולם על ידי חסד יבנה
Moreover, creation came about through Chesed, as it is written, “The world is built through Chesed,”
But how is it that the world is created both through Chesed and Malchut (the “word of G‑d”)? This means: the attribute of Chesed vests itself within Malchut,
בדבר ה׳ ורוח פיו, הנעשה כלי ולבוש לחסד זה
so that creation takes place through “the word of G‑d and the breath of His mouth,” which becomes a vessel and “garment” for this creative attribute of Chesed,
כהדין קמצא דלבושיה מיניה וביה
“like the snail, whose garment is an integral component of his body.”)
The “word of His mouth” is thus a garment and vessel that unites with the attribute of Chesed, from which the world was created. The life-force emanating from the “breath of His mouth” is thus capable of creating worlds which are infinite both quantitatively and qualitatively.
אלא שצמצם הקב״ה האור והחיות שיוכל להתפשט מרוח פיו
The Holy One, blessed be He, however, contracted the light and life-force that could diffuse from the “breath of His mouth,”
והלבישו תוך צירופי אותיות של עשרה מאמרות וצירופי צירופיהן
and invested it in the combinations of the letters of the Ten Utterances, and the combinations of their combinations,
בחילופי ותמורות האותיות עצמן, ובחשבונן ומספרן
by substitutions and transpositions of the letters themselves and their numerical values and equivalents.
שכל חילוף ותמורה מורה על ירידת האור והחיות ממדרגה למדרגה
For each substitution and transposition indicates the descent of the light and life-force degree by degree,
דהיינו שיוכל לברוא ולהחיות ברואים, שמדרגת איכותם ומעלתם היא פחותה ממדרגת איכות ומעלת הברואים הנבראים מאותיות ותיבות עצמן שבעשרה מאמרות
so that it will be able to create and give life to creatures whose quality and significance is lower than the quality and significance of the creatures created from the very letters and words of the Ten Utterances
שבהן מתלבש הקב״ה בכבודו ובעצמו, שהן מדותיו
within which is enclothed the Holy One, blessed be He, in His Glory and Essence — which are His attributes, since they are one with G‑d Himself.
והחשבון מורה על מיעוט האור והחיות, מיעוט אחר מיעוט
The numerical value — even when it is not calculated through the substitution and transposition of letters — indicates the progressive diminution of the light and life-force,
עד שלא נשאר ממנו אלא בחינה אחרונה, שהוא בחינת החשבון ומספר כמה מיני כחות ומדרגות כלולות באור וחיות הזה, המלובש בצירוף זה של תיבה זו
until there remains from it only the final level, which is that of the sum and number of kinds of powers and grades contained in the light and life-force invested in a particular letter-combination of a particular word.
The extent of the remaining life-force is indicated by the sum, which reflects the progressive descent and the constant diminution of the life-force.
ואחר כל הצמצומים האלה וכיוצא בהן, כאשר גזרה חכמתו יתברך
(It is only after all these contractions and others like them, as [G‑d’s] Wisdom has ordained,
הוא שהיה יכול האור והחיות להתלבש גם בתחתונים, כמו אבנים ועפר הדומם
that the life-force could invest itself even in the lower created beings, such as inanimate stones and dust in which no life-force at all is revealed, inasmuch as they represent the lowest levels of the nether created beings.
כי אבן, דרך משל, שמה מורה כי שרשה משם העולה ב״ן במספרו
For example, the name אבן ("stone") indicates that its source is in the Divine Name ב"ן which numerically equals fifty-two (נ"ב) i.e., the numerical value of the Divine Name Havayah when spelled out phonetically in a particular way,
ועוד אלף נוספת משם אחר (לישעם) [נראה שצריך להיות: לטעם] הידוע ליוצרה
with an alef added to it from another Name, for a reason known to its Creator.
והנה שם ב״ן בעצמו הוא בעולמות עליונים מאד
Now, the Name ב"ן, itself relates to very high worlds, and in its pristine state it can in no way serve as the source of physical stone,
רק שעל ידי צמצומים רבים ועצומים ממדרגה למדרגה, ירד ממנו חיות מועטת במאד מאד, עד שתוכל להתלבש באבן
yet through numerous and powerful contractions, degree by degree, i.e., from higher to lower levels, there descended from it a life-force so exceedingly diminished that it could clothe itself in a stone.
וזו היא נפש הדומם, המחיה ומהוה אותו מאין ליש בכל רגע, וכמו שנתבאר לעיל
And this very greatly condensed life-force is the soul of the inanimate being, which gives it life and brings it into existence ex nihilo at every instant, as has been explained previously — in ch. 1, where it is stated that even inanimate creatures possess a soul that brings them into existence at every instant.
וזו היא בחינת ממלא כל עלמין, מה שאין כן בחינת סובב כל עלמין
This greatly condensed life-force is the level of “He fills all worlds,” as opposed to the level of “He encompasses all worlds”), wherein the life-force is not contracted in proportion to the spiritual capacity of created beings.
In summary: The Divine life-force is capable of creating worlds that are infinite both in quantity and in quality. Finite beings are created only when this life-force garbs itself in the letters and transpositions of the letters of the Ten Utterances and in their numerical values.
וכל כח ומדרגה יכול לברוא ברואים כפי בחינת מדרגה זו, גם כן לאין קץ ותכלית בכמותם ואיכותם, להחיות עדי עד
Each power and grade [of the life-force] — after it has descended and undergone contractions, so that there remains only the numerical equivalent of the letters of the Ten Utterances — would be able to create beings according to its own level, even unlimited in quantity and quality, giving [them] everlasting life,
מאחר שהוא כח ה׳ המתפשט ונאצל מרוח פיו, ואין מעצור כו׳
since it is the power of G‑d that diffuses and emanates from the “breath of His mouth,” and there is no restraint [to His ability to create unlimited worlds].
אך שלא יהיה איכותם במעלה גדולה כל כך, כאיכות ומעלת ברואים שיוכלו להבראות מבחינת כח ומדרגת האותיות עצמן
Their quality, however, would not be on a level as high as the quality and level of the creatures which could be created from the power and degree of the letters themselves.
I.e., the created beings resulting from the transposition of letters, and surely from the numerical value of the letters, would be inferior to the beings which could be created from the letters themselves
Commentary of the Rebbe On Chapter Seven
1. Among the explanations and innovative interpretations of the Alter Rebbe in Shaar HaYichud VehaEmunah, two major points stand out:
(a) The explanation of the “comment of the Baal Shem Tov” on the verse, “Forever, O G‑d, Your word stands firm in the heavens”; namely, that “‘Your word’ which You uttered, [viz.,] ‘Let there be a firmament...,’ these [very] words and letters stand firmly forever within the firmament of heaven…to give them life…. For if the letters were to depart [even] for an instant, G‑d forbid, and return to their source, all the heavens would become naught and absolute nothingness, and it would be as though they had never existed at all,…exactly as before the Six Days of Creation.”
From this it will be understood “that each creature and being is in reality considered to be naught and nothingness in relation to the activating force and the ‘breath of His mouth’ which is within it, continuously calling it into existence and bringing it from absolute non-being into being.”
(b) The tzimtzum is not to be understood “literally — that the Holy One, blessed be He, removed Himself and His Essence, G‑d forbid, from this world, and only guides from above, with individual Providence, all the created beings which are in the heavens above and on the earth below.”
It could be argued (see below) that this statement — that tzimtzum is not to be understood in its literal sense — proceeds from the explanation of the Baal Shem Tov’s comment by way of corollary.
2.What is novel about the comment of the Baal Shem Tov is not only that the word of G‑d must constantly create all beings, but that the words “Let there be a firmament” must be “forever clothed within all the heavens to give them life.”
The same is true of all other created beings: the words and letters of the Ten Utterances which create them and provide them with life must be continuously vested within them.
(Thus indeed the Alter Rebbe explains at length how within every creature there is “a soul and spiritual life-force.” For even those beings not specifically mentioned in the Ten Utterances in the Torah also receive a spiritual life-force which descends from them by stages “by means of substitutions and transpositions of the letters, and by gematriot…until [the life-force] can be condensed and enclothed, and a particular creature can be brought forth from it.”)
Hence, rather than the Divine Utterance constantly creating a creature, which then becomes sundered from it, the Divine Utterance is actually vested within the particular creature itself — within its “space”, so to speak — to the point that the life-force (and soul) of every individual created being is the Divine Utterance that is clothed within it.
It may thus be understood how “every creature and being is in reality considered to be naught and nothingness in relation to the activating force and the ‘breath of His mouth’ which is within it, continuously calling it into existence and bringing it from absolute non-being into being.”
Accordingly, it would seem that the nullification of the created being is not total, for the life-force that permeates and enclothes itself within the created being is attenuated and limited (to suit each individual creature). As such, it “allows for a being’s existence.” Consequently, the nullification resulting from this life-force is also not complete.
However, according to what the Alter Rebbe goes on to explain — that tzimtzum is not to be understood in its literal sense, G‑d forbid — this difficulty is resolved. For even in the “place” (i.e., level) in which the light and life-force contracts and enclothes itself within created beings, “There is no place devoid of Him,” and “His Essence and Being…completely fills the whole earth temporally and spatially.”
Thus the following two opposites coexist within each created being: Every created being possesses its own “soul and spiritual life-force” which it receives through the tzimtzum and vesting of the Divine Utterance within it; at the same time, every created being is bound up with the very Essence of G‑d, for in the same “place” in which it is found, G‑d’s “Essence and Being” is also to be found.
And the fact that G‑d’s Essence utterly transcends the world makes it possible for one to perceive that the existence of the world itself is G‑dliness (as in the classic phrase, “The created being is True Being”) — “There is none else apart from Him.”
From Likkutei Sichot, Vol. 25 (Kehot, N.Y., 1987), p. 193 (Parshat Vayeishev, Yud-Tet Kislev, 5744)
Monday, 25 Sivan 5777 - June 19, 2017
Important Message Regarding This Lesson
The Daily Mitzvah schedule runs parallel to the daily study of 3 chapters of Maimonides' 14-volume code. There are instances when the Mitzvah is repeated a few days consecutively while the exploration of the same Mitzvah continues in the in-depth track.
Positive Commandment 109 (Digest)
Immersing in a Mikvah (Ritual Pool)
"He shall bathe all his body in water"—Leviticus 15:16.
A person who chooses to become cleansed of any ritual impurity is commanded to immerse in a mikvah [a natural pool of water]. According to the tradition of the Oral Law, for a mikvah to be kosher it must contain enough water for [an average] person to submerge himself within them—unless it is a moving stream of water, in which case even the smallest amount of water suffices [for a smaller than average individual, or for immersing a ritually impure utensil].
Some details:
- Of all the types of ritually impure people, only the zav requires immersion in a moving stream of water.
- This mitzvah is not obligatory. As long as an individual has no intention of entering the Temple Mount, he may remain in his ritually impure state.
- An individual's purification process is not finalized until the sun sets on the day he immerses.
- There may not be anything separating between the person's body and the waters of the mikvah.
The 109th mitzvah is that we are commanded to immerse in the waters of a mikvah and thereby be purified from whichever form of tumah previously existed.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement (exalted be He), "He must immerse his entire body in water." The Oral Tradition explains that [the phrase "his entire body" also teaches that] there must be enough water to cover his entire body. This is the minimum size of a mikvah unless the water is from a spring, in which case there is no minimum amount, as explained in the laws which deal with this mitzvah.
Among the conditions [governing the mikvah] is that only in the case of a zav is spring water required, as the verse states, "mayim chaim."
When we say that immersion is a mitzvah, this does not mean that any person who is tameh is required to immerse himself — as one who wears a four-cornered garment must put tzitzis on it, or that anyone with a house must build a fence around the roof. [When I say, "it is a mitzvah,"] I refer to the laws of immersion — that we are commanded that anyone who wants purification from tumah can do so only through immersion in water, after which he becomes tahor.
The Sifra says, "One might think that the phrase 'He must immerse in water' is a Divine decree [and that it is an absolute requirement to immerse]. The verse therefore says, 'then he can return to the camp' [after being purified] from tumah." This hints to the principle I just explained, i.e. that the mitzvah is just the law, i.e. that one who wants to be purified should take certain steps. This law is itself the mitzvah. This does not mean however, that there is an independent requirement to immerse — should he want to remain tameh and not enter the machaneh Shechinah for any period of time, he may do so.
The Book of Truth (i.e. the Torah) explains that even though after the person immerses he becomes tahor, his purification is incomplete until sunset. The Oral Tradition also explains that during immersion he must be naked and that his entire body must come in contact with the water. As our Sages put it, "The phrase, 'his entire body' teaches that there can be nothing intervening between his body and the water."
We have therefore explained that this mitzvah of immersion includes the laws of mikvah, of intervening substances, and t'vul yom. This mitzvah is explained in tractates Mikva'os and T'vul Yom.
Rabbi Berel Bell is a well-known educator, author and lecturer. He and his family reside in Montreal, Canada.
From "Sefer Hamitzvot in English," published by Sichos in English.
Translation of (the unabridged text of) Sefer Hamitzvot by Rabbi Berel Bell, member of the Rabbinical Court of Montreal and director of Teacher Training for the Jewish Learning Institute.
• 1 Chapter A Day: To`en veNit`an To`en veNit`an - Chapter 9
To`en veNit`an - Chapter 9
1 We do not accept it as a presumption that the utensils in the possession of a craftsman belong to him. This applies both to articles that are made to lend and rent out, and to other articles.
What is implied? A person sees his utensils in the possession of a craftsman. He brings witnesses who testify that they know that the article belongs to him and claims that he gave it to the craftsman to repair. The craftsman, by contrast, maintains that he purchased it, or that it was given to him as a present. Or he claims: "After it was given to me to repair, you sold it to me or gave it to me as a present." Although the owner of the utensil did not give it to the craftsman in the presence of witnesses, his word is accepted and the article is expropriated from the craftsman. The owner must however, take an oath to support his claim.
There are Geonim who ruled that even though the owner did not bring witnesses to testify that the article was his, since he saw his article in the craftsman's possession and the craftsman admits that the article belonged to him, but claims that he sold it to him, the owner's word is accepted. If, however, the craftsman claimed: "This never happened; the article is mine," the craftsman's word is accepted, provided that he takes a sh'vu'at hesset. If, however, the owner brings witnesses who testify that the article was known to belong to him, the craftsman's word is not accepted. This decision is incredulous in my eyes.אהאומן אין לו חזקה בכלים שתחת ידו, אחד כלים העשויים להשאיל ולהשכיר ואחד שאר כלים, כיצד ראה כליו ביד האומן והביא עדים שהן יודעין שהכלי זה שלו והוא טוען ואומר לתקן נתתיו לך, והאומן אומר לא בא לידי אלא במכירה או מתנה, או שטען אתה נתתו לי אתה מכרתו לי אחר שבא לידי לתקנו, אף על פי שמסרו לו שלא בעדים בעל הכלי נאמן ומוציאין אותו מיד האומן וישבע בעל הבית היסת על טענתו, ויש גאונים שדנו אע"פ שלא הביא בעל הבית עדים שזה הכלי שלו הואיל וראה כליו ביד האומן והרי האומן מודה לו שהיה שלו ומכרו לו נאמן, אבל אם אמר לא היו דברים מעולם ושלי הוא הכלי נאמן האומן ונשבע היסת, ואם הביא בעל הבית עדים שהכלי הזה ידוע לו אין האומן נאמן, ודין זה פלא הוא בעיני.
2 Different rules apply if the owner 10 did not see his utensil in the possession of the craftsman, but instead claimed: "I gave you this-and-this utensil to repair." If the craftsman claims: "You came back and sold it to me" or "... gave it to me as a present," the craftsman is required to take a sh'vu'at hesset and is then released of responsibility. The rationale is that he could claim that the article was never given him."
Moreover, even if the owner gave the article to the craftsman to repair in the presence of witnesses, the craftsman's word is accepted, because he could claim: "I returned it." For although an article is entrusted to a person in the presence of witnesses, he is not required to return it to him in the presence of witnesses. Therefore, the craftsman is required to take only a sh'vu'at hesset; we do not require him to produce the article.
If, however, he does produce the article, since it becomes visible, the owner may bring witnesses who testify that it belongs to him. He may then expropriate it even though he did not entrust it to the craftsman in the presence of witnesses, as explained in the previous halachah.
Based on the above, the following rules apply if the craftsman claimed: "You agreed to pay me two dinarim as a wage," and the owner responded: "I agreed to pay you only one." If the utensil was visible before them, since the craftsman's possession does not bring about an accepted presumption of ownership, and we would not accept his claim that he purchased the article, the owner's claim regarding the promised wage is accepted, provided that he takes a sh'vu'at hesset, as we stated in Hilchot Sechirut. He must pay that amount.
If, however, the utensil is not visible, since the craftsman could claim that he purchased the article, he can also claim a wage equal to its value. He must take an oath holding a sacred article. Then he may collect his claim, as do all those who take an oath and collect, as we have explained.בלא ראה הכלי ביד האומן אלא טען ואמר כלי פלוני נתתיו לו לתקן והאומן אומר חזרת ומכרתו או נתתו לי האומן נשבע היסת ונפטר מתוך שיכול לומר לא היו דברים מעולם, ואפילו מסרו לתקן בעדים האומן נאמן מתוך שיכול לומר החזרתי שהמפקיד אצל חבירו בעדים אינו צריך להחזיר לו בעדים, לפיכך נשבע האומן היסת ונפטר ואין מחייבין אותו להוציא הכלי, ואם הוציאו הואיל ונראה הרי בעל הבית מביא עדים שהוא שלו ונוטלו אע"פ שמסרו לו בלא עדים כמו שבארנו, לפיכך אם טען האומן ואמר שתים קצצת לי בשכרי ובעל הבית אומר לא קצצתי לך אלא אחת אם היה הכלי נראה בפניהם הואיל והאומן אין לו בו חזקה ואינו יכול לטעון שהוא לקוח בידו הרי בעל הבית נשבע בנקיטת חפץ על הקציצה כמו שבארנו בשכירות ונותן, ואם אין הכלי נראה בפניהם הואיל והאומן נאמן לומר לקוח הוא בידי יכול לטעון עד כדי דמיו ונשבע בנקיטת חפץ ונוטל כדרך כל הנשבעין ונוטלין כמו שבארנו.
3 A craftsman who gave up his profession, and a craftsman's son are like any other person. When movable property is in their possession, we presume that it belongs to them, as we have explained.גאומן שירד מאומנותו ובן האומן הרי הן כשאר כל אדם ויש להן חזקה בכל המטלטלין כמו שבארנו.
4 The following rules apply when a person enters a colleague's house in the presence of the owner and leaves with utensils hidden under the corners of his garments, and witnesses see him. Afterwards, the owner lodges a claim against him, saying: "Return the utensils that I lent you; here are witnesses." Although the defendant claims: "I purchased them," his word is not accepted. Instead, the owner must take a sh'vu'at hesset to support his claim that he did not sell or give away the utensils. The court returns the utensils to the owner.
When does the above apply? With regard to an owner who is not accustomed to sell his property, when the person who removed the utensils under his cloak does not normally hide them, and when the utensils are not of the type that people would ordinarily hide. Therefore, the defendant is obligated to return the articles. We assume that he hid them only so that he could deny taking them.
If, however, an owner frequently sells his personal property, even though the person who took the utensils would not ordinarily hide them, and it is not ordinary practice for these utensils to be hidden under one's cloak, the defendant may take a sh'vu'at hesset that he purchased the articles.
Similarly, if he took the articles out so that they were visible for the witnesses to see, even when the owner does not frequently sell his personal property, the defendant's word is accepted when he says that he purchased the utensils, provided that the articles are not of the type that are made with the intent of being lent or rented out. For it is possible that the owner needed money, and hence sold his property.
If, however, the articles are of the type that are made with the intent of being lent or rented out, our presumption is always that they belong to their original owner, as we have explained. Even if the person took out such utensils in a visible manner and the owner was accustomed to selling his personal utensils, if he has witnesses that this utensil that was made with the intent of being lent or rented out was known to belong to him, he may expropriate the utensils from the defendant immediately, unless he brings proof that he sold it to him or gave it to him as a present, as is the law with regard to landed property.דמי שנכנס לביתו של חבירו בפני בעל הבית ויצא וכלים טמונין תחת כנפיו והעדים רואין אותו, ולאחר זמן תבעו בעל הבית ואמר לו החזר לי כלים שהשאלתיך והרי העדים והוא אומר לקוחין הן בידי אינו נאמן, ונשבע בעל הבית היסת על טענתו שלא מכרן ולא נתנן ויחזירו בית דין הכלים לבעל הבית, במה דברים אמורים בבעל הבית שאינו עשוי למכור את כליו, וזה שהוציא הכלים תחת כנפיו אין דרכו להצניע, ואותן הכלים אין דרך בני אדם להצניען, לפיכך חייב להחזיר לפי שלא הצניען אלא לכפור בהן, אבל בעל הבית העשוי למכור את כליו אע"פ שאין זה צנוע ואין דרך אותן הכלים להטמינן תחת הכנפים הרי זה נשבע היסת שהן לקוחין בידו, וכן אם יצא בהן מגולין בפני עדים אע"פ שאין בעל הבית עשוי למכור את כליו הרי זה נאמן לומר לקוחין הן בידי, שמא נצטרכו לו מעות ומכר ובלבד שלא יהיו מדברים העשויים להשאיל ולהשכיר, אבל דברים העשויין להשאיל ולהשכיר לעולם הן בחזקת בעליהן כמו שבארנו, ואע"פ שהוציאן מגולין ואע"פ שבעל הבית הזה עשוי למכור את כליו הואיל ויש לו עדים שזה הכלי עשוי להשאיל ולהשכיר בלבד ידוע הוא לו מוציאין אותן מיד זה על כל פנים עד שיביא ראיה שמכרו לו או נתנו לו במתנה כדין קרקעות.
5 In the above situation, if the person in whose possession the utensil was found died, we expropriate it from the heir. Moreover, the owner is not required to take an oath. An oath is not required because, since his father is not present to claim that that he purchased it or that it is security for a specific amount, the heir cannot require the owner to take an oath.
If the heir lodges a definite claim, saying: "He gave it to my father - or sold it to him - in my presence," the owner is required to take a sh'vu'at hesset, as required of all those who are obligated to take oaths. We explained that there are opinions that require the owner to take a sh'vu'at hesset in all instances before his utensil is returned by the heir, but I do not accept this approach.האפילו מת זה שהכלי תחת ידו מוציאין אותו מיד היורש בלא שבועה שכיון שאין לאביו לטעון שלקחו או שהוא משכון כך אין זה יכול להשביעו, ואם טען היורש טענת ודאי ואמר בפני נתנו לאבי או מכרו לו הרי בעל הבית נשבע היסת כשאר כל הנשבעין, וכבר בארנו שיש מי שהורה שישבע בעל הבית היסת ואחר כך יחזיר כליו מיד היורש ואין דעתי נוטה לזה.
6 When a person takes an ax and says: "I am going to chop down the palm tree belonging to so-and-so," if he in fact chops down the tree, we presume that it belonged to him. For a person would not be so bold as to cut down a tree that did not belong to him. If the owner claims that he did not sell it, the person who cut down the tree is required to take a sh'vu'at hesset that the tree belonged to him. He is then freed of responsibility. The rationale is that once the tree is cut down, it is like other movable property.
Similar laws apply when a person enters a colleague's field without permission and partakes of its produce for a year or two. If the owner claims that the person entered without permission, that he is a robber, and that he partook of the field's produce, and the owner brings witnesses who confirm that he partook of the produce, and the person claims that the owner gave him permission to partake of the produce, that person's word is accepted.
The rationale is that it is an accepted presumption that a person would not be so bold as to eat produce that does not belong to him. Although the land is presumed to belong to its original owner, the produce is not. For a person does not necessarily sell produce with a bill of sale, so that the purchaser could be told: "Present your bill of sale."
Needless to say, these laws apply if the squatter partook of a field's produce for many years. In such a situation, since he could claim that he had purchased the field, his word is accepted when he says that he has a right only to the produce. He must, however, take a sh'vu'at hesset.ומי שלקח קרדום ואמר הריני הולך לגזור דקלו של פלוני שמכרו לי וכרת הדקל הרי זה בחזקתו, שאין אדם מעיז פניו וכורת אילן שאינו שלו, ואם טענו הבעלים שלא מכרוהו נשבע זה הכורת היסת שהוא שלו ונפטר, וכיון שנכרת הרי הוא כשאר כל המטלטלין, וכן היורד לשדה חבירו ואכל פירותיה שנה או שנתים והבעלים טוענין שזה ירד שלא ברשות וגזלן הוא ואכל והרי העדים שאכל והיורד אומר ברשותך ירדתי לאכול פירותיה, הרי זה האוכל נאמן ונשבע היסת על כך חזקה היא שאין אדם מעיז פניו ואוכל פירות שאינן שלו, אע"פ שהקרקע בחזקת בעליהן אין הפירות בחזקת הבעלים, שאין אדם מוכר פירות שדהו בשטר כדי שנאמר לזה שאכל הבא שטרך, ואין צריך לומר שאם אכל פירותיה שנים רבות שמתוך שיכול לומר לקוחה היא בידי נאמן לומר לפירות ירדתי וישבע היסת.
7 The following laws apply when two people are holding one article, both are riding on one animal, one was riding the animal and one was leading it, or they were sitting next to an ownerless pile of wheat that was located in a lane or in a courtyard belonging to both of them. If each claims that the article belongs to him in its entirety, they should both take an oath holding a sacred article that they own no less than half the article. Afterwards, it should be divided between them.
This oath was ordained by the Sages so that everyone will not grab unto a garment belonging to a colleague and take it without having to take an oath.זשנים שהיו אוחזין בכלי אחד או שהיו רוכבין על גבי בהמה אחת, או שהיה אחד רוכב ואחד מנהיג או יושבין בצד ערמה של חטים ומונחות בסמטא או בחצר של שניהם זה אומר הכל שלי וזה אומר הכל שלי כל אחד משניהן נשבע בנקיטת חפץ שאין לו בזה הדבר פחות מחציו ויחלוקו, ושבועה זו תקנת חכמים היא כדי שלא יהיה כל אחד תופס בטליתו של חבירו ונוטל בלא שבועה.
8 If one says: "The entire article belongs to me," and the other says: "Half of it belongs to me," the one who claims the entire article must take an oath that he owns no less than three fourths of the article, and the one who claims half the article must take an oath that he owns no less than one fourth. They then divide the article accordingly.
From this, one can learn that all those who take an oath to expropriate property - whether a minor oath or a severe oath - should not take that oath concerning what they claim, but rather what they will receive even though they claim more.חזה אומר כולה שלי וזה אומר חציה שלי האומר כולה שלי ישבע שאין לו בה פחות משלשה חלקים, והאומר חציה שלי ישבע שאין לו בה פחות מרביע, וזה נוטל שלשה חלקים וזה נוטל רביע מכאן אתה למד לכל הנשבעין ליטול בין שבועה קלה בין שבועה חמורה שאינו נשבע על מה שטוען אלא על מה שנוטל אע"פ שטוען יותר.
9 When two people were both clinging to a garment, and each claims that the entire garment belongs to him, each is awarded the portion he is holding. The remainder is divided equally after they take the appropriate oaths. Based on the principle of gilgul sh'vu'ah, each of the litigants can require the other to take an oath that he is legally entitled to everything he collects.טהיו שנים אדוקין בטלית זה אומר כולה שלי וזה אומר כולה שלי, זה נוטל עד מקום שידו מגעת וזה נוטל עד מקום שידו מגעת והשאר חולקין בשוה אחר שנשבעין, ויש לכל אחד לגלגל על חבירו שכל מה שנטל כדין נטל.
10 If one was holding the strings on one side of the garment, and the other holding the strings on the other side, they should divide the entire garment equally, after they take the required oaths.
When the term "division" is used in this context, it refers to a division of the article's value, not that a utensil itself or a garment should be divided and ruined, or that an animal should be killed.יהיה זה אוחז בחוטין שבשפת הטלית וזה בחוטין שבשפת האחרת חולקין כלה בשוה אחר שנשבעין, וכל חלוקה האמורה כאן בדמים לא שיפסידו עצמו של כלי או של טלית או שימיתו הבהמה.
11 If one person was holding onto the article in its entirety, and the other was struggling with him and clasping it, the article is considered to belong to the person holding it in its entirety.יאהיה אוחז האחד את כולה וזה מתאבק עמו ונתלה בה הרי זו בחזקת האוחז את כולה.
12 The following rules apply when two people came to court holding onto the garment, and one pulled it away from the other in our presence. If at first the person from whom the garment was taken remained silent, even though afterwards he protested, we do not expropriate it from the possession of the one who seized it. The rationale is that since he remained silent at the outset, it is as if he acknowledged the other's ownership.
If the second person came and grabbed it from the one who seized it, even though that person protested continuously, the garment should be divided between the two of them.יבבאו שניהם אדוקין בה ושמטה האחד מיד חבירו בפנינו ושתק השני אף על פי שחזר וצוח אין מוציאין אותה מידו כיון ששתק בתחלה הרי זה כמודה לו, חזר השני ותקפה מראשון אע"פ שהראשון (לא) צוח מתחלה ועד סוף חולקין.
13 The following laws apply when two people come to court holding onto a garment, and the court instructs them to go out and divide its value. They depart and return, but the article is now in the possession of only one of them. The person in possession claims: "He acknowledged my claim and withdrew his claim from it," while the other person claims: "I sold it to him," or "He overcame me and seized it from me," we follow the principle: "A person who seeks to expropriate property from a colleague must prove his claim." If he cannot bring proof of his claim, the other litigant may take an oath that the article belongs to him and be released of liability. Similar principles apply in all analogous situations.יגבאו שניהם אדוקין בטלית ואמרנו להם צאו וחלקו את דמיה יצאו וחזרו והרי היא תחת יד אחד מהן זה טוען הודה ונסתלק ממנה וזה טוען שמכרתיו לו או נתגבר עלי וחטפה המוציא מחבירו עליו הראיה, ואם לא הביא ראיה ישבע זה שהיא שלו ויפטר וכן כל כיוצא בזה.
• 3 Chapters A Day: Mikvaot Mikvaot - Chapter 5, Mikvaot Mikvaot - Chapter 6, Mikvaot Mikvaot - Chapter 7
Mikvaot - Chapter 5
1 When three lugim of drawn water fall into a mikveh - whether from one k'li or from two or three keilim - they can be combined to reach a quantity that disqualifies the mikveh, provided the water begins descending from the second before it concludes descending from the first. If descends from four keilim, the water from them is not combined.
When does the above apply? When one did not intend to increase the amount of water in the mikveh. If, however, one intended to increase the amount of water in the mikveh, even if a dinar-size measure was added each year, they are all combined to reach the sum of three lugim, whether the drawn water was present there before the acceptable water, the acceptable water was present there before the drawn water, or they both fell into the mikveh at the same time. Since three lugim of water fell into 40 se'ah combining with the acceptable water to reach that amount or into less than 40 se'ah of water, the entire amount is invalidated and considered as drawn.אמקוה שנפלו אליו שלשה לוגין מים שאובין מכלי אחד או משנים ושלשה כלים מצטרפין והוא שיתחיל השני עד שלא פסק הראשון מד' כלים אין מצטרפין בד"א בזמן שלא נתכוון לרבות אבל אם נתכוון לרבות את מי המקוה אפילו נפל משקל דינר בכל שנה מצטרף לשלשה לוגין בין שקדמו השאובים את הכשרים בין שקדמו הכשרים את השאובים או שנפלו שתיהן כאחת כיון שנפלו שלשה לוגין שאובין לתוך מ' סאה [קודם שנפלו בו מ' סאה או לפחות ממ'] נפסל הכל ונעשה שאוב:
2 When two people each poured a log and a half into a mikveh, or one wrung out his garment and lifted it up, causing the water it contained to fall from several places, it invalidates a mikveh. A similar ruling applies when one pours from a distributor that causes water to pour from several places at the same time.בשנים שהטילו זה לוג ומחצה וזה לוג ומחצה והסוחט כסותו והגביהה והמים שבה נופלין ממקומות הרבה וכן המערה מן הצרצור שמטיל ממקומות הרבה הרי אלו פוסלין:
3 When one immerses a pillow or a cushion of leather into a mikveh that has exactly 40 se'ah, when he lifts their edges out of the water, the water inside of them is considered as drawn water.
What should he do? He should immerse them and lift them up by their ends. With regard to a basket and a sack, he should immerse them and lift them up in the ordinary manner without showing any concern.גהמטביל כר או כסת של עור במקוה שיש בו ארבעים סאה מכוונות כיון שהגביה שפתותיהן מן המים נמצאו המים שבתוכן שאובין כיצד יעשה מטבילן ומעלן דרך שוליהן אבל הקופה והשק מטבילן ומעלן כדרכן ואינו חושש:
4 The following law applies to a mikveh that had three pockets of drawn water with a log in each of the pockets and then acceptable water fell into it. If it is known that 40 se'ah of acceptable water fell into it before the water reached the third pocket, it is acceptable, If not, it is disqualified.דמקוה שיש בו שלש גומות ממים שאובין לוג בכל גומא ונפלו לתוכו מים כשרים אם ידוע שנפל לתוכו ארבעים סאה מים כשרים עד שלא יגיעו לגומא השלישית כשר ואם לאו פסול:
5 When there are two mikveot, neither containing 40 se'ah, a log and a half fell into each one of them, and then the mikveot became mixed together, they are acceptable. The rationale is that neither one of them had been designated as unacceptable.
If, by contrast, three lugim of drawn water fell into a mikveh that does not contain 40 se'ah [of acceptable water and afterwards, it was divided into two, even though enough acceptable water was added to each one to constitute an acceptable mikveh, they are invalid. The rationale is that whenever a mikveh is disqualified, all of its contents are considered as drawn water. It is as if all of the water had been drawn with a container.הב' מקואות אין בכל אחד מהן מ' סאה ונפל לזה לוג ומחצה ולזה לוג ומחצה ונתערבו ב' המקואות הרי אלו כשרין מפני שלא נקרא על אחד מהן שם פסול אבל מקוה שאין בו מ' סאה שנפל לתוכו שלשה לוגין מים שאובין ואחר כך נחלק לשנים וריבה מים כשרים על כל אחד מהן הרי אלו פסולין שכל המקוה כולו שנפסל כמים שאובין הוא חשוב וכאילו כל מימיו נשאבו בכלי:
6 When a cistern is filled with drawn water and a canal of rainwater flows into it and out of it, it is still considered as unacceptable until it can be calculated that not even three lugim of the drawn water that originally was in the cistern remain.
When three lugim of unacceptable water fall into a mikveh containing less than 40 se'ah of acceptable water, all of its contents are disqualified. Even if afterwards, he added enough acceptable water until the measure of 40 se'ah is reached, the mikveh remains invalid until all the water that was contained within it flows out and less than three lugim of the drawn water remain.
What is implied? A mikveh contains 20 se'ah of rainwater and a se'ah of drawn water fell into it. Afterwards, more acceptable water was added to it. It remains unacceptable until one knows that the 20 se'ah it originally contained and more than five and a quarter kabbin of the added water flowed out and less than three lugim of the entire quantity remain. Similarly, if one made a mikveh that contains 40 se'ah of acceptable water and joined it to this invalid mikveh, the acceptable water purifies the unacceptable water.ובור שהוא מלא מים שאובים והאמה נכנסת לו ויוצאת ממנו לעולם הוא בפיסולו עד שתחשב שלא נשארו מן השאובין שהיו בבור שלשה לוגין מקוה שנפל לתוכו מים שאובין ונפסל ואחר כך ריבה עליו מים כשרים עד שנמצאו הכשרים ארבעים סאה הרי הוא בפיסולו עד שיצאו כל המים שהיו בתוכו ויפחתו השאובין משלשה לוגין כיצד מקוה שיש בו כ' סאה מי גשמים ונפל לתוכו סאה מים שאובים ואח"כ הרבה עליו מים כשרים הרי זה בפיסולו עד שידע שיצאו ממנו כ' סאה שהיו בו וחמשה קבין ויותר מרביע הקב ולא נשאר מן הכל שנפסל חוץ מפחות משלשה לוגין וכן אם עשה מקוה שיש בו מ' סאה מים כשרים ועירבו עם המקוה הזה הפסול טהרו אלו את אלו:
7 If one was moving mud from the bottom of the mikveh to the sides and, as a result, three lugim of water flowed into the mikveh, it remains acceptable. If one was removing the mud and lifted it up by hand, separating it from the mikveh and placing it on the mikveh's sides and three lugim flowed into the mikveh from it, they disqualify it.זהמסלק את הטיט לצדדים ונמשכו ממנו שלשה לוגים למקוה ה"ז כשר היה תולש הטיט ומגביהו בידו והבדילו מן המקוה לצדה ונמשכו ממנו שלשה לוגין הרי אלו פוסלין:
8 When a legion is passing from one place to another - or similarly, an animal is passing from one place to another - and three lugim of water was splashed into a mikveh by their hands and feet, it is acceptable. Moreover, even if they made a mikveh in this manner initially, it is acceptable.חגייס העובר ממקום למקום וכן בהמה העוברת ממקום למקום וזלפו בידיהן וברגליהם שלשה לוגין למקוה ה"ז כשר ולא עוד אלא אפילו עשו מקוה בתחילה ה"ז כשר:
9 When a mikveh does not contain 40 se'ah and less than three lugim of impure, drawn water fell into it, the water is acceptable with regard to challah and terumah and one may use it for the ritual washing of hands. It is, however, invalid to be used as the base for the collection of water for an acceptable mikveh. If rainwater descended upon it to the extent that the rainwater constituted the majority of the mixture, the mixture is acceptable to be used as the base for the collection of water for an acceptable mikveh.
When three lugim of impure, drawn water fell into it, the water is unacceptable for challah and terumah. One may not use it for the ritual washing of hands, nor may it be used as the base for the collection of water for an acceptable mikveh. If rainwater descended upon it to the extent that the rainwater constituted the majority of the mixture, the mixture is acceptable with regard to challah and terumah and one may use it for the ritual washing of hands. It is, however, invalid to be used as the base for the collection of water for an acceptable mikveh until all of the original water that became considered as drawn flowed out and less than three lugim of it remained.
Similarly, if there was a mikveh that contained only a dinar-size measure less than 40 se'ah and three lugim of impure, drawn water fell into it, the water is unacceptable for challah and terumah. One may not use it for the ritual washing of hands, nor may it be used as the base for the collection of water for an acceptable mikveh. If less than three lugim of water fell into it - even if the water was all impure - and then a dinar-size measure of rainwater fell into it, causing it comprise a complete measure of 40 se'ah, it is acceptable. Just as it is considered as pure with regard to immersion, it is considered pure in every respect.טמקוה שאין בו מ' סאה ונפל לתוכו פחות משלשה לוגין מים טמאין שאובין ה"ז כשר לחלה ולתרומה וליטול מהן לידים ופסולין להקוות עליהן ירדו עליהן גשמים ורבו עליהן הרי אלו כשרים להקוות עליהם נפל לתוכו שלשה לוגין מים שאובין טמאים ה"ז פסול לחלה ולתרומה וליטול ממנו לידים ופסולין להקוות עליו ירדו גשמים ורבו עליהן הרי הן כשרין לחלה ולתרומה וליטול מהן לידים ופסולין להקוות עליהן עד שיצאו כל המים הראשונים שנעשו כולן כשאובין ולא ישאר מהן אלא פחות משלשה לוגין וכן מקוה שיש בו מ' סאה חסר דינר ונפלו לתוכו שלשה לוגין מים שאובין טמאין ה"ז פסול לחלה ולתרומה וליטול ממנו לידים ופסולין להקוות עליהן נפל לתוכו פחות משלשה לוגין מים אפילו כולן טמאין ואחר כך נפלו לתוכו משקל דינר מי גשמים שהשלימו כשר כשם שטהור לטבילה כך טהור לכל דבר:
Mikvaot - Chapter 6
1 Whenever water passes over keilim that contain a receptacle or water falls into them, it is considered as drawn water and disqualifies a mikveh, provided that the receptacle was made to serve that purpose. Even containers that are not susceptible to ritual impurity, e.g., stone containers and containers made from earth, disqualify water.אכל הכלים המקבלין שהלכו המים עליהן או שנפלו מתוכן הרי אלו שאובין ופוסלין את המקוה והוא שיעשו לקבלה אפילו היו כלים שאין מקבלין טומאה כגון כלי אבנים וכלי אדמה הרי אלו פוסלין:
2 Whenever a k'li was not made with the intent that it serve as a receptacle, even though it does serve as a receptacle, the water it contains does not disqualify a mikveh, for example, large pipes through which water flows. Even though they are wide in the middle and serve as receptacles, the water they contain does not disqualify a mikveh. This applies whether they were made of metal or of earthenware.בכל כלי שלא נעשה לקבלה אע"פ שהוא מקבל אינו פוסל את המקוה כגון הסלונות שהמים נמשכין מהן אף ע"פ שהן רחבים באמצע ומקבלין אין פוסלין את המקוה בין שהיו של מתכת או של חרס:
3 The water contained in a trough in a stone does not disqualify a mikveh, because the trough is not a k'li. If, however, one joins a k'li to a stone, water contained in it disqualifies a mikveh, even if it was joined with cement. If one made a hole from below or one as wide as the mouthpiece of a drinking pouch in the trough from the side, it is acceptable and water contained within it does not disqualify a mikveh.גהשוקת שבסלע אינו פוסל את המקוה לפי שאינה כלי אבל כלי שחיברו בסלע פוסל את המקוה אף ע"פ שחיברו בסיד ניקבה מלמטה או מן הצד כשפופרת הנוד כשירה ואינה פוסלת את המקוה:
4 When a person takes a large barrel or a large kneading trough and makes a hole large enough to purify it from susceptibility to impurity, and then permanently affixes it within the ground, making it into a mikveh, it is acceptable. Similarly, if one plugged the hole with lime and with building materials, this does not disqualify the barrel and the water collected within forms an acceptable mikveh. If one plugged it with lime or with gypsum, the water it contains makes a mikveh unacceptable, unless it was permanently affixed to the earth or made part of a building. If it was taken and placed on the surface of the earth or on lime and mud was smeared on its sides, it is acceptable to use as a mikveh.דהלוקח כלי גדול כגון חבית גדולה או עריבה גדולה ונקבו נקב המטהרו וקבעו בארץ ועשאהו מקוה ה"ז כשר וכן אם פקק את הנקב בסיד ובבנין אינו פוסל והמים הנקוין בתוכו מקוה כשר סתמו בסיד או בגפסיס עדיין הוא פוסל את המקוה עד שיקבענו בארץ או יבנה ואם הוליכו על גב הארץ ועל גב הסיד ומירח בטיט מן הצדדין הרי זה כשר:
5 The following laws apply when one places a tablet under a drainage pipe and water flows over it into a mikveh. If the tablet had borders on its sides, this water would disqualify the mikveh. If not, it does not disqualify it. If one stood the tablet upright on its point, at an angle under the drainage pipe to wash it, even though it has borders, it does not disqualify the water, because in this position, it was not intended to serve as a receptacle.ההמניח טבלא תחת הצינור והרי המים נמשכין על הטבלא ויורדין למקוה אם היה לטבלא דופן הרי זה פוסלת את המקוה ואם לאו אינה פוסלת זקפה תחת הצינור כדי להדיחה אע"פ שיש לה דופן אינה פוסלת שחרי לא עשאה לקבל:
6 The following laws apply when one carves a place in a pipe for pebbles that are carried with the water to collect so that they will not descend together with the water. If it was a wooden pipe and he carved out even the slightest hollow, it disqualifies the water, because all of the water passes through a utensil that was made to serve as a receptacle. This applies even if one permanently affixed the pipe to the earth after he carved out the hollow. The rationale is that the pipe had already been considered as a k'li when it was unattached. If, by contrast, it was permanently affixed to the earth and then he carved out the receptacle, it does not disqualify the water. If the pipe was made from earthenware, it does not disqualify the water unless the hollow is large enough to contain a revi'it.
Even though the hollow in the pipe becomes filled with the pebbles that dribble into it, it remains a disqualifying factor. It is not considered as having been stopped up. If earth or pebbles descended into the hollow and stopped it up, because they were compressed there, the water is acceptable.והחוטט בצינור מקום לקבל בו הצרורות המתגלגלין במים כדי שלא ירדו עם המים אם היה הצינור של עץ וחפר בו כל שהוא פוסל שהרי כל המים שיורדין באין מתוך כלי שנעשה לקבלה ואפילו שקבעו אחר שחקק בו הואיל והיה עליו תורת כלי שהיה תלוש אבל אם קבעו בקרקע ואח"כ חקק בו בית קיבול אינו פוסל ואם היה צינור של חרס אינו פוסל עד שיהיה בחקק כדי לקבל רביעית אף על פי שנתמלא המקום החקוק שבצינור צרורות המתחלחלין בתוכו הרי הוא בפיסולו ואינו כסתום ירד לתוך המקום שחקק עפר או צרורות וסתמו ונכבש הרי זה כשר:
7 When either a sponge or a bucket that contains three lugim of drawn water falls into a mikveh, it does not disqualify it. For it was said only that three lugim of water that fall into it disqualify it, not a container into which drawn water had fallen.זהספוג והדלי שהיו בהן שלשת לוגין מים ונפלו למקוה לא פסלוהו שלא אמרו אלא שלשת לוגין שנפלו לא כלי שנפלו בו מים שאובין:
8 When there is a closet or a chest in the sea, one may not immerse in them unless they have a hole the size of the mouthpiece of a drinking pouch. If there was a sack or a basket in the sea, one may immerse in them. Similarly, if one places a sack or a basket under a drainage pipe, the water that flows through them does not disqualify a mikveh.חהשידה והתיבה שבים אין מטבילין בהן אא"כ היו נקובים כשפופרת הנוד ואם היה שק או קופה מטבילין בהן וכן המניח שק או קופה תחת הצינור אין המים הנמשכין מהן פוסלין את המקוה:
9 When one immersed keilim over an impure base for a container that was placed inside a mikveh, even though the edge of the base extends above the water, the keilim are purified from their impurity. If, however, one lifts them up from the water into the inner space of the base, the water that is on the keilim contracts impurity because it is within the inner space of the base. The water in turn imparts impurity to the keilim.
Similarly, if a spring emerges from under an earthenware oven and a person descended and immersed in it, he is pure, but his hands contract impurity from the inner space of the oven unless the water extends above the oven for at least the height of his hands. Thus when he immersed, his hands will be above the oven. The difficulties arise, because earthenware keilim do not regain purity through immersion in a mikveh, as we explained.טגיסטרא טמאה שהיא בתוך המקוה ושפתה למעלה מן המים והטביל בה הכלים טהרו מטומאתן אבל כשיגביהם מן המים עד שהן באויר הגיסטרא מתטמא המים שעל גבן מאויר הגיסטרא וחוזר ומטמא אותן וכן מעיין היוצא מתחת התנור הטמא וירד וטבל בתוכו הוא טהור וידיו טמאות מאויר התנור אלא א"כ היו המים למעלה מן התנור כרום ידיו שנמצא כשטבל ידיו למעלה מן התנור שאין כלי חרס מתטהרין במקוה כמו שביארנו:
10 When a barrel full of water falls into a sea, even into the Mediterranean Sea, one who immerses there is not considered to have immersed. The rationale is that it is impossible that there will not be three lugim of water from the barrel in one place. If a loaf of terumah falls there, it becomes impure. It contracts impurity due to contact with drawn water, for the water is standing there. If such a situation would take place in a river or the like, one would be able to immerse there, since it flows.יחבית מלאה מים שנפלה לים אפילו לים הגדול הטובל שם לא עלתה לו טבילה אי אפשר לג' לוגין שלא יהיו במקום אחד וככר של תרומה שנפל לשם נטמא במים השאובין שהרי המים עומדין שם אבל הנהרות וכיוצא בהן הואיל והם נמשכין ה"ז טובל שם:
11 When there was a pool of drawn water next to a mikveh that contains less than 40 seah, even though it is touching the water of the mikveh, it does not disqualify it, because it is like a mikveh next to a mikveh. If the pool of the drawn water was in the middle of the mikveh, it disqualifies it.יאמים שאובין שהיו בצד המקוה אף ע"פ שהמים נוגעין במי המקוה לא פסלוהו מפני שהן כמקוה סמוך למקוה היו השאובין באמצע פוסלין את המקוה:
12 The following rule applies when there are two pools of water, one above the other, they are separated by a wall, and the upper one is filled with acceptable water, but the lower one is filled with drawn water, and there is a hole in the wall between the upper pool and the lower one. If there are three lugim of drawn water opposite the hole, the upper pool is disqualified. The rationale is that it is considered as if the hole was in the center of the upper pool, not at its side.יבשתי בריכות זו למעלה מזו וכותל ביניהן והעליונה מלאה מים כשירים והתחתונה מלאה מים שאובין ונקב בכותל שבין העליונה לתחתונה אם יש כנגד הנקב ג' לוגין מים שאובין נפסלה העליונה מפני שהנקב כאילו הוא באמצע העליונה לא בצדה:
13 How large must the hole be for there to be three lugim there? Everything depends on the quantity of water contained in the pool. If the lower pool contains 40 se'ah, the hole must be 1/320th of the pool. If the pool contains 20 se'ah, the hole must be 1/160th of the pool. Continue calculating according to this ratio for other amounts. A se'ah is six kabbin, a kab is four lugim, and a log is the size of six eggs.יגכמה יהיה בנקב ויהיה בו שלשה לוגין הכל לפי הבריכה אם היתה הבריכה התחתונה מ' סאה צריך שיהיה הנקב אחד מג' מאות וכ' לבריכה היתה כ' סאה צריך להיות הנקב אחד מק"ס לבריכה וצא וחשוב לפי חשבון זה שהסאה ו' קבין והקב ד' לוגין והלוג ו' ביצים:
14 The following laws apply when there are three mikveot, each containing exactly 20 se'ah, next to each other, and one [of those on the side contained drawn water. If three people descended and immersed themselves, causing all the water to rise and mix on the floor outside the mikveot, both the mikveot and the people who immersed themselves are pure. The rationale is that the entire amount totaled 60 se'ah, of which 40 se'ah of acceptable water came from two pools located next to each other. And drawn water does not disqualify a mikveh that contains 40 se'ah, as we explained.
If the pool containing drawn water was in the middle and they descended and immersed themselves, causing the water to rise and the mikveot thus to become joined, the status of the mikveot is the same as it was previously and those who immersed themselves are impure as they were previously. The rationale is that 40 se'ah of acceptable water did not mix together, because their pools were not located next to each other, for the pool of drawn water separates between them.ידג' מקואות זה בצד זה בכל אחד מהן כ' סאה מכוונות ואחד מהן שאוב מן הצד וירדו ג' וטבלו שלשתן ונערמו המים מכולן ונתערבו מלמעלה המקואות כשרים והטובלים טהורים שהרי נעשה הכל ס' סאה מהן מ' כשרים זה בצד זה ואין המים השאובים פוסלין מקוה שיש בו ארבעים סאה כמו שביארנו היה השאוב באמצע וירדו וטבלו בהן ונערמו המים ונתערבו המקואות הרי המקואות כשהיו והטובלין טמאין כשהיו שהרי לא נתערבו מ' סאה הכשרין לפי שאינן זה בצד זה שהשאוב מבדיל ביניהן:
Mikvaot - Chapter 7
1 A mikveh is not disqualified, neither because of a change of its water's taste, nor a change of its smell, only because its color changes. Any substance that may not be used to constitute a mikveh initially disqualifies one, if it causes its color to change.
What is implied? Wine, milk, blood, or other liquids that are classified as fruit juices do not disqualify a mikveh if three lugim of them fall into it, because it was only said that three lugim of drawn water disqualify a mikveh. They do, however, disqualify it if they change the color of its water.
Even when a mikveh contains 100 se'ah and a log of wine or fruit juice falls into it and changes its color, it is unacceptable. Similarly, if a mikveh contains 20 se'ah or less of acceptable water and a se'ah of wine or fruit juice fell into it without changing its color, the water is acceptable as it was beforehand. The se'ah of wine or fruit juice, however, is not counted in the measure of the mikveh. If another 20 se'ah of acceptable water were added to the original 20, it is an acceptable mikveh.אאין המקוה נפסל לא בשינוי הטעם ולא בשינוי הריח אלא בשינוי מראה בלבד וכל דבר שאין עושין בו מקוה לכתחילה פוסל את המקוה בשינוי מראה כיצד היין או החלב והדם וכיוצא בהן ממי כל הפירות אינן פוסלין את המקוה בג' לוגין שלא אמרו אלא מים שאובין ופוסלין בשינוי מראה אפילו מקוה שיש בו מאה סאה ונפל לו לוג יין או מי פירות ושינה את מראיו פסול וכן מקוה שיש בו כ' סאה מים כשרים או פחות מזה ונפל לתוכו סאה יין או מי פירות ולא שינו את מראיו הרי אלו כשירים כשהיו ואין הסאה שנפלה עולה למדת המקוה ואם נוסף על הכ' כ' אחרים מים כשירים הרי זה מקוה כשר:
2 There are substances that cause a mikveh to be considered acceptable and do not disqualify it; others that disqualify it and do not cause it to be considered acceptable, and others that neither cause it to be acceptable nor disqualify it.ביש מעלין את המקוה ולא פוסלין פוסלין ולא מעלין לא מעלין ולא פוסלין:
3 These are the substances that cause a mikveh to be considered acceptable and do not disqualify it: snow, hail, sleet, ice, salt, and flowing mud. What is implied? When a mikveh contains 39 se'ah of water and a se'ah of one of these substances falls into it, the mikveh is acceptable and complete. Thus they cause a mikveh to be considered acceptable and do not disqualify it.
Even if one brought 40 se'ah of snow initially and placed them in a cavity and crushed it there, the mikveh is complete and acceptable.גואלו מעלין ולא פוסלין: השלג והברד והכפור והגליד והמלח וטיט הנרוק כיצד מקוה שיש בו מ' סאה חסר אחת ונפל לתוכו סאה מא' מאלו ה"ז עולה למדתו והרי המקוה כשר ושלם נמצאו מעלין ולא פוסלין אפילו הביא מ' סאה שלג בתחילה והניחן בעוקה וריסקו שם ה"ז מקוה שלם וכשר:
4 These are the substances that disqualify a mikveh and never cause it to be considered acceptable: drawn water, whether pure or impure, water that was used for pickling, water that was used for cooking, a mixture of water and grape dregs before they become vinegar, and beer.
What is implied? When a mikveh contains 40 se'ah minus the weight of a dinar and the weight of a dinar of one of these liquids falls into it, it is not included in the measure of a mikveh and does not complete it. If three lugim of one of these liquids falls into a mikveh, it disqualifies it.דואלו פוסלין ולא מעלין: מים שאובין בין טהורין בין טמאים ומי כבשים ומי שלקות והתמד עד שלא החמיץ והשכר כיצד מקוה שיש בו מ' סאה חסר משקל דינר ונפל מאחד מאלו משקל דינר לתוכן אינו עולה למדת המקוה ולא השלימו ואם נפל מאחד מהן שלשה לוגין מהן פוסלין את המקוה:
5 These are the substances that neither disqualify a mikveh, nor cause it to be considered acceptable: other liquids, fruit juice, fish brine, fish oil, and a mixture of water and grape dregs that became vinegar.
What is implied? If there was a mikveh that contained 39 se'ah and a se'ah of these liquids fell into it, it does not cause it to be acceptable. Nevertheless, the water the mikveh contains is acceptable as it was beforehand, for these liquids disqualify a mikveh only if they change its color, as explained.הואלו לא פוסלין ולא מעלין: שאר המשקין ומי פירות והציר והמורייס והתמד משהחמיץ כיצד מקוה שיש בו מ' סאה חסר אחד ונפל מאחד מאלו סאה לתוכן לא העלהו והרי המים כשרים כשהיו שאין אלו פוסלין אלא בשינוי מראה כמו שביארנו:
6 There are times when the latter liquids cause a mikveh to be considered as acceptable. What is implied? A mikveh contained 40 se'ah, a se'ah of these liquids fell in, and then a se'ah was removed from the mikveh's waters. The 40 se'ah that remain still constitute an acceptable mikveh.וופעמים שאלו מעלין את המקוה כיצד מקוה שיש בו מ' סאה ונפל לתוכו סאה מאחד מאלו וחזר ולקח סאה ממנה הרי המ' שנשארו מקוה כשר:
7 When one washed baskets used to collect olives or grapes in a mikveh, causing the water's color to change, it is acceptable.זמקוה שהדיח בו סלי זיתים וענבים ושינו את מראיו כשר:
8 Water of dyes disqualify a mikveh if three lugim fall in, but do not disqualify it because they changed its color.חמי הצבע פוסלין את המקוה בשלשה לוגין ואין פוסלין אותו בשינוי מראיו:
9 When wine, black fluid from olives, or other fruit juices fall into a mikveh and change the color of its water, disqualifying it, how can it be rectified? If the mikveh contains less than 40 se'ah, one should wait until rain descends and changes its color back to water's natural color. If the mikveh contains 40 se'ah of acceptable water, one may fill buckets and pour water into it until its color reverts to water's natural color.
If wine, the black fluid from olives, or the like falls into a mikveh and changes the color of some of its water, if it does not have 40 se'ah of water whose color has not changed, one should not immerse in it. Even if it contains 40 se'ah, if one immerses in a place whose color has changed, his immersion is invalid. Even if a barrel of wine was broken and fell into the Mediterranean Sea and the color of the water in that place is the color of wine, one who immerses in that place is not considered to have immersed.טמקוה שנפל יין או מוהל או שאר מי פירות ושינו את מראיו ונפסל כיצד תקנתו ימתין עד שירדו גשמים ויחזרו מראיו למראה מים ואם היה במקוה מ' סאה מים כשרים ממלא ושואב לתוכן עד שיחזרו מראיו למראה מים נפל לתוכו יין או מוהל וכיוצא בה ונשתנה מראה מקצתו אם אין בה מראה מים שלא נשתנה כדי מ' סאה ה"ז לא יטבול בו והטובל במקום שנשתנה לא עלתה לו טבילה אפילו חבית של יין שנשברה בים הגדול ומראה אותו מקום כמראה של יין הטובל באותו מקום לא עלתה לו טבילה:
10 When even a dinar-sized portion of wine fell into three lugim of drawn water and change their color, so that they are all the color of wine and then they fell into a mikveh they do not disqualify it, unless they change its color.ישלשה לוגין מים שאובין שנפל לתוכן אפילו משקל דינר יין ושינה מראיהן והרי מראה הכל מראה יין ונפלו למקוה לא פסלוהו אלא אם שינו את מראיו:
11 When there are three lugim minus a dinar-sized portion of water and milk or fruit juice falls into the water, but its color remains that of water, it does not disqualify a mikveh if it falls into it. A mikveh is not disqualified unless three lugim of drawn water fall into it that were not mixed with any other liquid or with fruit juice.יאשלשה לוגין חסר דינר מים שאובין שנפל לתוכן דינר חלב או מי פירות והרי מראה הכל מים ונפלו למקוה לא פסלוהו עד שיפלו שלשה לוגין מים שאובין שאין בהן תערובת משקה אחר ולא מי פירות:
12 When the color of a mikveh changes on its own accord without anything falling into it, it is acceptable. It is only disqualified if its color changed due to another liquid.יבמקוה שנשתנה מראה מימיו מחמת עצמו ולא נפל לו דבר ה"ז כשר לא אמרו אלא שנשתנה מחמת משקה אחר:
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