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- ב"ה - Today in Judaism - Today is Tuesday, Elul 28, 5777 · September 19, 2017Today's Laws & Customs:
• Selichot
The Selichot ("supplication") are recited in the early morning hours, before the morning prayers, in preparation for the "Days of Awe" of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
Links: More on Selichot
• Elul ObservancesAs the last month of the Jewish year, Elul is traditionaly a time of introspection and stocktaking -- a time to review one's deeds and spiritual progress over the past year and prepare for the upcoming "Days of Awe" of Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur.
As the month of Divine Mercy and Forgiveness (see "Today in Jewish History" for Elul 1) it is a most opportune time for teshuvah ("return" to G-d), prayer, charity, and increased Ahavat Yisrael (love for a fellow Jew) in the quest for self-improvement and coming closer to G-d. Chassidic master Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi likens the month of Elul to a time when "the king is in the field" and, in contrast to when he is in the royal palace, "everyone who so desires is permitted to meet him, and he receives them all with a cheerful countenance and shows a smiling face to them all."
Specific Elul customs include the daily sounding of the shofar (ram's horn) as a call to repentance. The Baal Shem Tov instituted the custom of reciting three additional chapters of Psalms each day, from the 1st of Elul until Yom Kippur (on Yom Kippur the remaining 36 chapters are recited, thereby completing the entire book of Psalms). Click below to view today's Psalms.
Chapter 82 Chapter 83 Chapter 84
Psalms Chapter 82:1. A psalm by Asaph. God stands in the council of judges; among the judges He renders judgment:
2. How long will you judge wickedly, ever showing partiality toward the evildoers?
3. Render justice to the needy and the orphan; deal righteously with the poor and the destitute.
4. Rescue the needy and the pauper; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
5. But they do not know, nor do they understand; they go about in darkness, [therefore] all the foundations of the earth tremble.
6. I said that you are angels, supernal beings, all of you;
7. but you will die as mortals, you will fall like any prince.
8. Arise, O God, judge the earth, for You possess all the nations. Chapter 83:1. A song, a psalm by Asaph.
2. O God, do not be silent; do not be quiet and do not be still, O God.
3. For behold, Your enemies are in uproar, and those who hate You have raised their head.
4. They plot deviously against Your nation, and conspire against those sheltered by You.
5. They say, "Come, let us sever them from nationhood, and the name of Israel will be remembered no more.”
6. For they conspire with a unanimous heart, they made a covenant against You-
7. the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites,
8. Geval and Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre.
9. Assyria, too, joined with them, and became the strength of the sons of Lot, Selah.
10. Do to them as to Midian; as to Sisera and Yavin at the brook of Kishon,
11. who were destroyed at Ein Dor, and were as dung for the earth.
12. Make their nobles like Orev and Ze'ev, all their princes like Zevach and Tzalmuna,1
13. who said, "Let us inherit the dwellings of God for ourselves.”
14. My God, make them like whirling chaff, like straw before the wind.
15. As a fire consumes the forest, and a flame sets the mountains ablaze,
16. so pursue them with Your tempest and terrify them with Your storm.
17. Fill their faces with shame, and they will seek Your Name, O Lord.
18. Let them be shamed and terrified forever; let them be disgraced and perish.
19. And they will know that You, Whose Name is the Lord, are alone, Most High over all the earth. Chapter 84:1. For the Conductor, on the gittit,1 a psalm by the sons of Korach.
2. How beloved are Your dwellings, O Lord of Hosts!
3. My soul yearns, indeed it pines, for the courtyards of the Lord; my heart and my flesh [long to] sing to the living God.
4. Even the bird has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she lays her young on the [ruins of] Your altars, O Lord of Hosts, my King and my God.
5. Fortunate are those who dwell in Your House; they will yet praise You forever.
6. Fortunate is the man whose strength is in You; the paths [to the Temple] are in his heart.
7. For those who pass through the Valley of Thorns, He places wellsprings; their guide will be cloaked in blessings.2
8. They go from strength to strength; they will appear before God in Zion.
9. O Lord, God of Hosts, hear my prayer; listen, O God of Jacob, forever.
10. See our shield,3 O God, and look upon the face of Your anointed one.
11. For better one day in Your courtyards than a thousand [elsewhere]. I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God, than dwell [in comfort] in the tents of wickedness.
12. For the Lord, God, is a sun and a shield; the Lord bestows favor and glory; He does not withhold goodness from those who walk in innocence.
13. O Lord of Hosts! Fortunate is the man who trusts in You.
Elul is also the time to have one's tefillin and mezuzot checked by an accredited scribe to ensure that they are in good condition and fit for use.
Links: More on Elul
Daily Quote:
Seeing brings on memory, and memory brings action (Talmud, Menachot 43a)
Daily Torah Study:
Chumash: Ha'Azinu, 3rd Portion Deuteronomy 32:13-32:18 with Rashi
• English / Hebrew Linear Translation
• Video Class
• Daily Wisdom (short insight)
Deuteronomy Chapter 32
13He made them ride upon the high places of the earth, that they would eat the produce of the field. He let them suck honey from a rock, and oil from the mighty part of the crag. יגיַרְכִּבֵ֨הוּ֙ עַל־בָּ֣מֳתֵי (כתיב על־במותי) אָ֔רֶץ וַיֹּאכַ֖ל תְּנוּבֹ֣ת שָׂדָ֑י וַיֵּֽנִקֵ֤הוּ דְבַשׁ֙ מִסֶּ֔לַע וְשֶׁ֖מֶן מֵֽחַלְמִ֥ישׁ צֽוּר:
He made them ride upon the high places of the earth: This entire verse is to be understood as rendered by the Targum [i.e., referring to the Land of Israel].
ירכבהו על במותי ארץ: כל המקרא כתרגומו:
He made them ride [upon the high places]: [referring to] the Land of Israel, because it is higher than all other countries. — [Sifrei 32:13]
ירכבהו וגו': על שם שארץ ישראל גבוה מכל הארצות:
that they would eat the produce of the field: These are the fruits of the Land of Israel which are quicker to bud (נוּב) and to ripen than any of the fruits of [other] countries.
ויאכל תנובת שדי: אלה פירות ארץ ישראל שקלים לנוב ולהתבשל מכל פירות הארצות:
He let them suck honey from a rock: It once happened in [a place in Israel called] Sichni, that a man said to his son, “Bring me pressed figs from that barrel.” The son went [to the barrel, but instead of finding pressed figs,] he found honey flowing over its brim. The son retorted, “But this is [a barrel] of honey [not figs]!” His father responded, “Dig your hand deep into the barrel, and you will bring up pressed figs from it!” [Pressed figs are as hard as a rock. Thus, we have an illustration in the Land of Israel of “sucking honey from a rock.”]- [Sifrei 32:13]
וינקהו דבש מסלע: מעשה באחד שאמר לבנו בסיכני הבא לי קציעות מן החביות. הלך ומצא הדבש צף על פיה. אמר לו זו של דבש הוא. אמר לו השקע ידך לתוכה ואתה מעלה קציעות מתוכה:
and oil from the mighty part of the crag: This refers to the olives of [the place in Galilee called] Giscala. — [Sifrei 32:13]
ושמן מחלמיש צור: אלו זיתים של גוש חלב:
upon the high places of the earth: Heb. בָּמֳתֵי. [This is] an expression denoting height.
במותי ארץ: לשון גבוה:
of the field: Heb. שָׂדָי, like שָׂדֶה, field.
שדי: לשון שדה:
from the mighty part of the crag: meaning: The hard and strong part of a rock. [Rashi now proves that the word חַלְמִישׁ is in the construct state, thus rendered as “the mighty part of.”] When חַלְמִישׁ is not connected with the word that follows it [i.e., in the absolute state], it is vowelized: “חַלָמִישׁ.” However, when it is connected to the word that follows it [i.e., in the construct state, as here], it is vowelized: חַלְמִישׁ.
חלמיש צור: תקפו וחזקו של סלע. כשאינו דבוק לתיבה שלאחריו נקוד חלמיש, (תהלים קיד, ח) וכשהוא דבוק נקוד חלמיש:
14The cream of cattle and the milk of sheep, with the fat of lambs and rams of Bashan and he goats, with kidneys of wheat, and it [the congregation of Israel] would drink the blood of grapes [which was] as the finest wine. ידחֶמְאַ֨ת בָּקָ֜ר וַֽחֲלֵ֣ב צֹ֗אן עִם־חֵ֨לֶב כָּרִ֜ים וְאֵילִ֤ים בְּנֵֽי־בָשָׁן֙ וְעַתּוּדִ֔ים עִם־חֵ֖לֶב כִּלְי֣וֹת חִטָּ֑ה וְדַם־עֵנָ֖ב תִּשְׁתֶּה־חָֽמֶר:
The cream of cattle and the milk of sheep: This took place in the days of Solomon, as Scripture states:“[And Solomon’s provision for one day consisted of…] ten fat cattle (בָּקָר), and twenty cattle (בָּקָר) from the pasture, and one hundred sheep (צֹאן) ” (I Kings 5:2-3). - [Sifrei 32:14]
חמאת בקר וחלב צאן: זה היה בימי שלמה, שנאמר (מלכים א' ה, ג) עשרה בקר בריאים ועשרים בקר רעי ומאה צאן:
with the fat of lambs: This took place in the days of the Ten Tribes [i.e., the period of the Northern Kingdom in Israel], as Scripture states:“And who eat lambs (כָּרִים) from the flock” (Amos 6:4). - [Sifrei 32:14]
עם חלב כרים: זה היה בימי עשרת השבטים, שנאמר (עמוס ו, ד) ואוכלים כרים מצאן:
fat kidneys of wheat: This took place in the days of Solomon, as Scripture states: “And Solomon’s provision for one day consisted of [thirty kor of fine flour…]” (I Kings 5: 2). - [Sifrei 32:14]
חלב כליות חטה: זה היה בימי שלמה, שנאמר (מלכים א' ה, ב) ויהי לחם שלמה וגו':
and it […] would drink the blood of grapes […] as the finest wine: [This took place] in the days of the Ten Tribes [i.e., the period of the Northern Kingdom in Israel, as Scripture states]:“Who drink [wine] in wine-casks” (Amos 6:6). - [Sifrei 32:14]
ודם ענב תשתה חמר: בימי עשרת השבטים, (עמוס ו, ו) השותים במזרקי יין:
The cream of cattle: Heb. חֶמְאַת בָּקָר. This is the cream, which is scooped from the top of the milk.
חמאת בקר: הוא שומן הנקלט מעל גבי החלב:
and the milk of sheep: Heb. וַחִלֵב צֹאן, the milk of sheep . [The word for milk here is in the construct state. Accordingly,] when it is connected [to the word that follows it, as in our verse:“the milk of sheep,”] it is vowelized: חִלֵב, as in“in the milk of (בַּחֲלֵב) its mother” (Deut. 14:21).
וחלב צאן: חלב של צאן, וכשהוא דבוק נקוד חלב כמו (שמות כג, יט) בחלב אמו:
lambs: Heb. כָּרִים, lambs.
כרים: כבשים:
and rams: Heb. וְאֵילִים, [to be understood] according to its apparent meaning. [In certain contexts, the word אֵילִים refers to lambs, but since here the previous word (כָּרִים) means lambs, the word אֵילִים has its usual meaning, i.e., rams].
ואילים: כמשמעו:
rams of Bashan: [The rams bred in Bashan] were fat.
בני בשן: שמנים היו:
kidneys of wheat: Wheat as fat as the fat of kidneys (כְּלָיוֹת), and whose kernels are as large as kidneys. — [Sifrei 32:14]
כליות חטה: חטים שמנים כחלב כליות וגסין ככוליא:
the blood of grapes: They would drink good wine, the flavor would be that of a wine of high esteem.
ודם ענב: היה שותה יין טוב וטעם יין חשוב:
[which was] as the finest wine: Heb. חָמֶר, wine in Aramaic. This is not a noun, but rather [an adjective], meaning:“superlative in taste,” vinos in Old French, good, strong, foaming. [In addition to the explanation of these verses (13-14) above,] one may alternatively understand these two verses according to the Targum of Onkelos : אַשְׁרִנוּן עַל תּוּקְפֵי אַרְעָא וְגוֹ,“He made them dwell upon the strong places of the earth….” [See Onkelos for the full rendition.]
חמר: יין בלשון ארמי. חמר אין זה שם דבר, אלא לשון משובח בטעם אינו"ש בלע"ז [יין טוב]. ועוד יש לפרש שני מקראות הללו אחר תרגום של אונקלוס אשרינון על תוקפי ארעא וגו':
15And Jeshurun became fat and rebelled; you grew fat, thick and rotund; [Israel] forsook the God Who made them, and spurned the [Mighty] Rock of their salvation. טווַיִּשְׁמַ֤ן יְשֻׁרוּן֙ וַיִּבְעָ֔ט שָׁמַ֖נְתָּ עָבִ֣יתָ כָּשִׂ֑יתָ וַיִּטּשׁ֙ אֱל֣וֹהַּ עָשָׂ֔הוּ וַיְנַבֵּ֖ל צ֥וּר יְשֻֽׁעָתֽוֹ:
you grew…thick: Heb. עָבִיתָ, an expression stemming from the word עוֹבִי,“thickness.”
עבית: לשון עובי:
you grew…rotund: Heb. כָּשִׂיתָ, similar to the word כָּסִיתָ [“cover,” since ס and שׂ are interchangeable]. This has the same meaning as in the verse,“For he has covered (כִסָּה) his face with his fat” (Job 15:27), like a person who is full of fat inside and whose flanks therefore have folds [of fat] outside. This is like [the continuation of that verse],“and he made folds of fat upon his flanks.” (Job 15:27). - [Sifrei 32:15]
כשית: כמו כסית, לשון (איוב טו, כז) כי כסה פניו בחלבו, כאדם ששמן מבפנים וכסליו נכפלים מבחוץ, וכן הוא אומר (שם) ויעש פימה עלי כסל:
you grew… rotund: [The root form כסה or כשׂה] can take on a simple conjugation meaning “to cover.” As [the verse],“But a prudent man covers (וְכֹסֶה) shame” (Prov. 12:16). However, if כָּשִׂיתָ had been written with a dagesh [in the “sin”], this would [represent the piel conjugation, i.e., making the verb transitive in form and thus] have the meaning: “You have covered someone [or something] else.” As in [the previously quoted verse], “For he has covered his face” (Job 15: 27) [where the word“covered” is written as כִסָּה, with a dagesh in the “samech.” Thus here, since there is no dagesh in the “sin,” the verb is intransitive, and literally means: “You are covered with fat folds.”]
כשית: יש לשון קל בלשון כסוי, כמו (משלי יב, טז) וכוסה קלון ערום ואם כתב כשית דגוש היה נשמע כסית את אחרים, כמו (איוב טו, כז) כי כסה פניו:
and spurned the [Mighty] rock of their salvation: They disgraced and despised Him, as Scripture states,“[about twenty-five men] with their backs towards the Heichal of the Lord…” (Ezek.8:16). [The prophet Ezekiel was shown these treacherous men, who had their backs to the Temple in the west, and were bowing down to the sun in the east. He was shown other abominable acts as well. However,] there can be no more despicable act than this. — [Sifrei 32:16]
וינבל צור ישעתו: גנהו וביזהו, כמו שנאמר (יחזקאל ח, טז) אחוריהם אל היכל ה' וגו', אין לך נבול גדול מזה:
16They provoked His zeal with alien worship; they made Him angry with abominations deeds. טזיַקְנִאֻ֖הוּ בְּזָרִ֑ים בְּתֽוֹעֵבֹ֖ת יַכְעִיסֻֽהוּ:
They provoked his zeal: Heb. יַקְנִאֻהוּ, they provoked His anger and His zeal (קִנְאָה).
יקנאהו: הבעירו חמתו וקנאתו:
with abominations: With abominable deeds, such as homosexuality and sorcery, which are described [by Scripture] as תּוֹעֵבָה,“abominations.” - [Sifrei 32:16]
בתועבות: במעשים תעובים, כגון (ויקרא יח, כב) משכב זכור וכשפים (ויקרא יח, כב), שנאמר בהם תועבה:
17They sacrificed to demons, which have no power, deities they did not know, new things that only recently came, which your forefathers did not fear. יזיִזְבְּח֗וּ לַשֵּׁדִים֙ לֹ֣א אֱלֹ֔הַּ אֱלֹהִ֖ים לֹ֣א יְדָע֑וּם חֲדָשִׁים֙ מִקָּרֹ֣ב בָּ֔אוּ לֹ֥א שְׂעָר֖וּם אֲבֹֽתֵיכֶֽם:
which have no power: Heb. לֹא אלֹהַּ. As the Targum renders it: “which have no power.” For if they had power, God’s jealousy would not have been doubled as it is now. — [see Sifrei 32:17]
לא אלה: כתרגומו דלית בהון צרוך, אלו היה בהם צורך לא היתה קנאה כפולה כמו עכשיו:
new things that only recently came: [These deities were so recent, that] even the heathen nations were not familiar with them. Indeed, if a heathen saw them, he would say,“This is a Jewish idol!” - [Sifrei 32:17]
חדשים מקרוב באו: אפילו האומות לא היו רגילים בהם. גוי שהיה רואה אותם, היה אומר זה צלם יהודי:
which your forefathers did not fear: Heb. לֹא שְׂעָרוּם. This means: Which your forefathers did not fear. [More literally, it means:]“Their hair (שֵׂעָר) did not stand up on end because of these deities.” It is the nature of a person’s hair to stand up out of of fear. Thus [the word שְׂעָרוּם] is explained in Sifrei (32:17). The word שְׂעָרוּם may also be explained as stemming from [the word שְׂעִירִים in the verse]:“And שְׂעִירִים will dance there” (Isa. 13:21), where שְׂעִירִים are demons. [Thus, our verse means:]“Your forefathers did not make such demons.”
לא שערום אבתיכם: לא יראו מהם לא עמדה שערתם מפניהם. דרך שערות האדם לעמוד מחמת יראה, כך נדרש בספרי. ויש לפרש עוד שערום לשון (ישעיה יג, כא) ושעירים ירקדו שם, שעירים הם שדים. לא עשו אבותיכם שעירים הללו:
18You forgot the [Mighty] Rock Who bore you; you forgot the God Who delivered you. יחצ֥וּר יְלָֽדְךָ֖ תֶּ֑שִׁי וַתִּשְׁכַּ֖ח אֵ֥ל מְחֹֽלְלֶֽךָ:
You forgot: Heb. תֶּשִׁי, you have forgotten. However, our Rabbis explained this word homiletically to mean: When God comes to bestow good upon you, you provoke Him to anger, and weaken (מַתִּישִׁין) His power, as it were, to do you good."- [Sifrei 32:18]
תשי: תשכח. ורבותינו דרשו, כשבא להיטיב לכם אתם מכעיסין לפניו ומתישים כחו מלהיטיב לכם:
the God Who delivered you: Heb. מְחֹלְלֶךָ, God who brought you out of the womb. It has the same meaning as the verse, “[The voice of the Lord] makes hinds bring forth young (יְחוֹלֵל)” (Ps.29:9), and “pangs (חִיל) like those of a woman in confinement” (Ps. 48:7).
אל מחוללך: מוציאך מרחם, לשון (תהלים כט, ט) יחולל אילות, (שם מח, ז) חיל כיולדה:
Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 135 - 3739241
• Hebrew text
• English text
Special Custom for the Month of Elul and High Holidays
The Baal Shem Tov instituted a custom of reciting three additional chapters of Psalms each day, from the 1st of Elul until Yom Kippur (on Yom Kippur the remaining 36 chapters are recited, thereby completing the entire book of Psalms).
See below for today's additional chapters.
Chapter 135
1. Praise the Lord! Praise the Name of the Lord; offer praise, you servants of the Lord-
2. who stand in the House of the Lord, in the courtyards of the House of our God.
3. Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing to His Name, for He is pleasant.
4. For God has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel as His beloved treasure.
5. For I know that the Lord is great, our Master is greater than all supernal beings.
6. All that the Lord desired He has done, in the heavens and on earth, in the seas and the depths.
7. He causes mists to rise from the ends of the earth; He makes lightning for the rain; He brings forth the wind from His vaults.
8. It was He who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, of man and beast.
9. He sent signs and wonders into the midst of Egypt, on Pharaoh and on all his servants.
10. It was He who struck down many nations, and slew mighty kings:
11. Sichon, king of the Amorites; Og, king of Bashan; and all the kingdoms of Canaan.
12. And He gave their lands as a heritage, a heritage to His people Israel.
13. Lord, Your Name is forever; Lord, Your remembrance is throughout all generations.
14. Indeed, the Lord will judge on behalf of His people, and have compassion on His servants.
15. The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the product of human hands.
16. They have a mouth, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see;
17. they have ears, but cannot hear; nor is there breath in their mouth.
18. Like them will their makers become-all who trust in them.
19. House of Israel, bless the Lord; House of Aaron, bless the Lord;
20. House of Levi, bless the Lord; you who fear the Lord, bless the Lord.
21. Blessed is the Lord from Zion, who dwells in Jerusalem. Praise the Lord!
Chapter 136
This psalm contains twenty-six verses, corresponding to the twenty-six generations between the creation of the world and the giving of the Torah.
1. Praise the Lord for He is good, for His kindness is forever.
2. Praise the God of the supernal beings, for His kindness is forever.
3. Praise the Master of the heavenly hosts, for His kindness is forever.
4. Who alone performs great wonders, for His kindness is forever.
5. Who makes the heavens with understanding, for His kindness is forever.
6. Who spreads forth the earth above the waters, for His kindness is forever.
7. Who makes the great lights, for His kindness is forever.
8. The sun to rule by day, for His kindness is forever.
9. The moon and stars to rule by night, for His kindness is forever.
10. Who struck Egypt through its firstborn, for His kindness is forever.
11. And brought Israel out of their midst, for His kindness is forever.
12. With a strong hand and with an outstretched arm, for His kindness is forever.
13. Who split the Sea of Reeds into sections, for His kindness is forever.
14. And brought Israel across it, for His kindness is forever.
15. And cast Pharaoh and his army into the Sea of Reeds, for His kindness is forever.
16. Who led His people through the desert, for His kindness is forever;
17. Who struck down great kings, for His kindness is forever.
18. And slew mighty kings, for His kindness is forever.
19. Sichon, king of the Amorites, for His kindness is forever.
20. And Og, king of Bashan, for His kindness is forever.
21. And gave their land as a heritage, for His kindness is forever.
22. A heritage to Israel His servant, for His kindness is forever.
23. Who remembered us in our humiliation, for His kindness is forever.
24. And redeemed us from our oppressors, for His kindness is forever.
25. Who gives food to all flesh, for His kindness is forever.
26. Praise the God of heaven, for His kindness is forever.
Chapter 137
Referring to the time of the destruction of the Temple, this psalm tells of when Nebuchadnezzar would ask the Levites to sing in captivity as they had in the Temple, to which they would reply, "How can we sing the song of God upon alien soil?" They were then comforted by Divine inspiration.
1. By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and wept as we remembered Zion.
2. There, upon the willows, we hung our harps.
3. For there our captors demanded of us songs, and those who scorned us-rejoicing, [saying,] "Sing to us of the songs of Zion.”
4. How can we sing the song of the Lord on alien soil?
5. If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget [its dexterity].
6. Let my tongue cleave to my palate if I will not remember you, if I will not bring to mind Jerusalem during my greatest joy!
7. Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites the day of [the destruction of] Jerusalem, when they said, "Raze it, raze it to its very foundation!”
8. O Babylon, who is destined to be laid waste, happy is he who will repay you in retribution for what you have inflicted on us.
9. Happy is he who will seize and crush your infants against the rock!
Chapter 138
David offers awesome praises to God for His kindness to him, and for fulfilling His promise to grant him kingship.
1. By David. I will thank You with all my heart, in the presence of princes I shall praise You.
2. I will bow toward Your Holy Sanctuary, and praise Your Name for Your kindness and for Your truth; for You have exalted Your word above all Your Names.
3. On the day that I called out You answered me, You emboldened me, [You put] strength in my soul.
4. Lord, all the kings of the land will give thanks to You when they hear the words of Your mouth.
5. And they will sing of the Lord's ways, for the glory of the Lord is great.
6. For though the Lord is exalted, He sees the lowly; the High One castigates from afar.
7. If I walk in the midst of distress, keep me alive; against the wrath of my enemies stretch out Your hand, and let Your right hand deliver me.
8. Lord, complete [Your kindness] on my behalf. Lord, Your kindness is forever, do not forsake the work of Your hands.
Chapter 139
A most prominent psalm that guides man in the ways of God as no other in all of the five books of Tehillim. Fortunate is he who recites it daily.
1. For the Conductor, by David, a psalm. O Lord, You have probed me, and You know.
2. You know my sitting down and my standing up; You perceive my thought from afar.
3. You encircle my going about and my lying down; You are familiar with all my paths.
4. For there was not yet a word on my tongue-and behold, Lord, You knew it all.
5. You have besieged me front and back, You have laid Your hand upon me.
6. Knowledge [to escape You] is beyond me; it is exalted, I cannot know it.
7. Where can I go [to escape] Your spirit? And where can I flee from Your presence?
8. If I ascend to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the grave, behold, You are there.
9. Were I to take up wings as the dawn and dwell in the furthest part of the sea,
10. there, too, Your hand would guide me; Your right hand would hold me.
11. Were I to say, "Surely the darkness will shadow me," then the night would be as light around me.
12. Even the darkness obscures nothing from You; and the night shines like the day-the darkness is as light.
13. For You created my mind; You covered me in my mother's womb.
14. I will thank You, for I was formed in an awesome and wondrous way; unfathomable are Your works, though my soul perceives much.
15. My essence was not hidden from You even while I was born in concealment, formed in the depths of the earth.
16. Your eyes beheld my raw form; all [happenings] are inscribed in Your book, even those to be formed in future days-to Him they are the same.
17. How precious are Your thoughts to me, O God! How overwhelming, [even] their beginnings!
18. Were I to count them, they would outnumber the sand, even if I were to remain awake and always with You.
19. O that You would slay the wicked, O God, and men of blood [to whom I say], "Depart from me!”
20. They exalt You for wicked schemes, Your enemies raise [You] for falsehood.
21. Indeed, I hate those who hate You, Lord; I contend with those who rise up against You.
22. I hate them with the utmost hatred; I regard them as my own enemies.
23. Search me, Lord, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts.
24. See if there is a vexing way in me, then lead me in the way of the world.
Additional Three Chapters
The Baal Shem Tov instituted a custom of reciting three additional chapters of Psalms each day, from the 1st of Elul until Yom Kippur (on Yom Kippur the remaining 36 chapters are recited, thereby completing the entire book of Psalms).
Today's Chapters are 82, 83 and 84.
Chapter 82
This psalm admonishes those judges who feign ignorance of the law, dealing unjustly with the pauper or the orphan, while coddling the rich and pocketing their bribes.
1. A psalm by Asaph. God stands in the council of judges; among the judges He renders judgment:
2. How long will you judge wickedly, ever showing partiality toward the evildoers?
3. Render justice to the needy and the orphan; deal righteously with the poor and the destitute.
4. Rescue the needy and the pauper; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
5. But they do not know, nor do they understand; they go about in darkness, [therefore] all the foundations of the earth tremble.
6. I said that you are angels, supernal beings, all of you;
7. but you will die as mortals, you will fall like any prince.
8. Arise, O God, judge the earth, for You possess all the nations.
Chapter 83
A prayer regarding the wars against Israel in the days of Jehoshaphat, when the nations plotted against Israel.
1. A song, a psalm by Asaph.
2. O God, do not be silent; do not be quiet and do not be still, O God.
3. For behold, Your enemies are in uproar, and those who hate You have raised their head.
4. They plot deviously against Your nation, and conspire against those sheltered by You.
5. They say, "Come, let us sever them from nationhood, and the name of Israel will be remembered no more.”
6. For they conspire with a unanimous heart, they made a covenant against You-
7. the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites,
8. Geval and Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre.
9. Assyria, too, joined with them, and became the strength of the sons of Lot, Selah.
10. Do to them as to Midian; as to Sisera and Yavin at the brook of Kishon,
11. who were destroyed at Ein Dor, and were as dung for the earth.
12. Make their nobles like Orev and Ze'ev, all their princes like Zevach and Tzalmuna,1
13. who said, "Let us inherit the dwellings of God for ourselves.”
14. My God, make them like whirling chaff, like straw before the wind.
15. As a fire consumes the forest, and a flame sets the mountains ablaze,
16. so pursue them with Your tempest and terrify them with Your storm.
17. Fill their faces with shame, and they will seek Your Name, O Lord.
18. Let them be shamed and terrified forever; let them be disgraced and perish.
19. And they will know that You, Whose Name is the Lord, are alone, Most High over all the earth.
Chapter 84
In this psalm of prayers and entreaties, the psalmist mourns bitterly over the destruction of Temple from the depths of his heart, and speaks of the many blessings that will be realized upon its restoration. Fortunate is the one who trusts it will be rebuilt, and does not despair in the face of this long exile.
1. For the Conductor, on the gittit,1 a psalm by the sons of Korach.
2. How beloved are Your dwellings, O Lord of Hosts!
3. My soul yearns, indeed it pines, for the courtyards of the Lord; my heart and my flesh [long to] sing to the living God.
4. Even the bird has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she lays her young on the [ruins of] Your altars, O Lord of Hosts, my King and my God.
5. Fortunate are those who dwell in Your House; they will yet praise You forever.
6. Fortunate is the man whose strength is in You; the paths [to the Temple] are in his heart.
7. For those who pass through the Valley of Thorns, He places wellsprings; their guide will be cloaked in blessings.2
8. They go from strength to strength; they will appear before God in Zion.
9. O Lord, God of Hosts, hear my prayer; listen, O God of Jacob, forever.
10. See our shield,3 O God, and look upon the face of Your anointed one.
11. For better one day in Your courtyards than a thousand [elsewhere]. I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God, than dwell [in comfort] in the tents of wickedness.
12. For the Lord, God, is a sun and a shield; the Lord bestows favor and glory; He does not withhold goodness from those who walk in innocence.
13. O Lord of Hosts! Fortunate is the man who trusts in You.
Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, end of Epistle 18
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Tuesday, Elul 28, 5777 · September 19, 2017
Today's Tanya Lesson
Iggeret HaKodesh, end of Epistle 18
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והשנית היא אהבה ותאוה, שהנפש מתאוה ואוהבת וחפיצה לדבקה בה׳
The second [category] is a love and desire in which the soul desires, loves and wishes to cleave to G‑d,
לצרור בצרור החיים
“to be bound up in the bond of life.”1
וקרבת אלקים טוב לה מאד, ובו תחפוץ
The proximity to G‑d is very dear to her, and that is what she desires.
ורע לה מאד להתרחק ממנו יתברך, חס ושלום
It is most grievous unto her to become, heaven forfend, distanced from Him, blessed be He,
להיות מחיצה של ברזל מהחיצונים מפסקת, חס ושלום
by having an iron partition of the chitzonim, the forces of kelipah and unholiness, separate her [from Him], heaven forfend.
Thus, inherent in the soul’s love for G‑d is its anxious fear of being alienated from Him by a partition resulting from those things that are opposite His will.
Likkutei Levi Yitzchak, authored by the father of the Rebbe, explains that the four terms used above — “desires”, “loves”, “wishes” and “cleaves” — refer respectively to the soul-levels within the Four Worlds: “desires” relates to the World of Asiyah, “loves” relates to the World of Yetzirah, and so on.
ואהבה זו היא מוסתרת בלב כלל ישראל, אפילו ברשעים
This love is latent in the heart of all Jews, even in the wicked, as explained at length in Part I, chs. 18 and 19,
וממנה באה להם החרטה
and from this [latent love] derives their remorse, as in the phrase,2 “The wicked are full of remorse.”
The Alter Rebbe now answers the following implied question: If they indeed possess this love, why then are they wicked?
אך מפני שהיא מוסתרת ונעלמה בבחינת גלות בגוף, הרי הקליפה יכולה לשלוט עליה
However, because it is latent and concealed, in a state of exile in the body, it is possible for the kelipah to dominate it;
וזהו רוח שטות המחטיא לאדם
and this is the “spirit of folly” which causes a man to sin.3
The “spirit of folly” cloaks this hidden love (ahavah mesuteret), so that one loses the sensitivity to realize that through sinning he is jeopardizing his attachment to G‑d.
ועל כן עבודת האדם לקונו היא להתחזק ולהתגבר על הקליפה, בכל מכל כל
Therefore a man’s service to his Maker consists of strengthening himself and prevailing over the kelipah in all its manifestations.
דהיינו: מתחלה, לגרשה מהגוף לגמרי
That is, first to expel it completely from the body, so that it has absolutely no dominion over him —
ממחשבה דבור ומעשה, שבמוח ולשון ורמ״ח אברים
[expelling it] from the [faculties of] thought, speech and action that are in the brain, the tongue, and the 248 organs.
Expelling the kelipah means ensuring that one’s brain will harbor no thoughts that are contrary to G‑d’s will; that one’s tongue will speak no evil words; that one’s 248 organs will commit no evil acts.
ואחר כך יוכל גם כן להוציא ממסגר אסיר, בחוזק יד
After that he will also be able to4 “bring out the captive from prison” with a strong hand.
Once one has vanquished the kelipah by steadfastly5 “turning away from evil” — not thinking, speaking or doing those things that are contrary to G‑d’s will — he is then able to uncover the love that is latent within him, so that it will permeate his positive thoughts, words and deeds. His mind will thus ponder upon G‑d’s greatness, and his heart will then actively feel a love for G‑d. In turn, this love will result in his enhanced fulfillment of the Torah and its mitzvot.
דהיינו: להיות חזק ואמיץ לבו בגבורים
That is, he will be strong,6 “and his heart courageous among the valiant,”
להיות האהבה המסותרת נגלית בגילוי רב, בכל כחות חלקי הנפש שבגוף
so that the hidden love will become abundantly revealed in all the powers of the soul’s components in his body;
דהיינו: העיקר, בשכל ובמחשבה שבמוח
i.e., mainly in the mind and in the [faculty of] thought in the brain,
The mind serves to reveal this love, which then manifests throughout the rest of the person’s organs.
שהשכל יחשב ויתבונן תמיד, כפי שכלו והשכלתו, בבורא יתברך
so that corresponding to its intellect and understanding the mind will constantly think and contemplate on the blessed Creator —
איך שהוא חיי החיים בכלל, וחיי נשמתו בפרט
how He is the Fountainhead of life in general, and of the life of his own soul in particular.
ועל כן יכסוף ויתאוה להיות דבוק בו וקרוב אליו כוסף טבעי
Consequently, he will yearn and desire to be attached to Him, and near to Him, with an innate yearning,
כבן הכוסף להיות תמיד אצל אביו, וכמו אש העולה למעלה תמיד בטבעה, למקורה
like that of a child who yearns to be constantly near his father, and like fire which by its very nature always rises upwards to its source, as explained in Part I, ch. 19.
וכל מה שיתמיד לחשוב בשכלו כוסף זה, ככה יתגבר ויתפשט כוסף זה גם בפיו ובכל אבריו
And the more he continues to set his mind on this yearning, the more will this yearning become correspondingly stronger, and will also extend to his mouth and to all his organs,
לעסוק בתורה ומצות, לדבקה בהם בה׳ ממש
so that he will occupy himself with the Torah and the commandments in order to really cleave thereby to G‑d,
דאורייתא וקודשא בריך הוא כולא חד
for7 “The Torah and the Holy One, blessed be He, are entirely One.”
This love will thus affect his brain, mouth and other bodily organs, motivating them to study Torah and perform the commandments with a greater degree of love.
ועל כוסף זה, שבגילוי רב, כתיב: צמאה נפשי וגו׳
Of this greatly manifest yearning, i.e., of this love, it is written,8 “My soul thirsts [for G‑d],”
כאדם הצמא למים, ואין לו תענוג עדיין כלל
like a person who thirsts for water and does not yet have any pleasure [from it].
This level of love for G‑d is likened to a state of thirst. At this stage the individual seeking to cleave to G‑d does not experience any delight, for he has yet to cleave to Him: all he feels is the pangs of thirst. In the previously-described level of love, ahavah betaanugim, the individual has already quenched his thirst, so to speak: his love for G‑d has been realized and he is now actively cleaving to Him.
וגם על כוסף זה ואהבה זו המוסתרת בנו, אנו מעתירים לה׳ להיות בעזרנו, להוציאה ממסגר
Also9 concerning this yearning and this love concealed within us we pray to G‑d, to help us bring it out from imprisonment,
It is indeed true that this lesser degree of love is attainable by man and need not be granted as a gift from Above; it is already possessed by every Jew and he need but reveal it through his spiritual service. Nevertheless we beseech G‑d that He help us reveal this love and liberate it from its concealment.
ושיהיה הלב מלא ממנה לבדה
so that the heart be filled with it alone,
ולא תכנס צרתה בביתה, שהיא תאות עולם הזה
so that its “rival-wife,” i.e., mundane desires, will not enter its house, i.e., our hearts.
רק שתהיה היא עקרת הבית, למשול בצרתה ולגרשה החוצה, ממחשבה דיבור ומעשה, על כל פנים
Rather, this [yearning and love] should be the sole mistress of the house, to rule over her “rival-wife” and to expel her at least from one’s thought, speech and action.
הגם שלא יוכל לשלחה לגמרי מלבו
Though one cannot expel her altogether from one’s heart, so that it should harbor no foreign desires at all,
For we are speaking here of the love possessed by the Beinoni, an individual who is unable to banish foreign desires from his heart; he is only able to ensure that they find no expression in his thought, his speech or his actions, as explained in Tanya, Part I, ch. 12.
על כל פנים תהיה היא מוסתרת, בבחינת גלות ועבדות לעקרת הבית, גברתה
she should at least be hidden, in a state of exile and servitude to the mistress of the house, i.e., to the love for G‑d,
להשתמש בה לדברים הכרחים לה, לבד, כאכילה ושתיה
who will make use of her for her own essentials only, such as eating and drinking,
If the G‑dly soul is to remain within the body and thereby be able to fulfill the requirements of the Torah and its mitzvot, the individual must eat and drink. He should therefore use the animal soul’s natural desire for physical things expressly for the spiritual purposes of the G‑dly soul. Thus, for example, his food and drink are intended to provide him with strength so that he will be able to study the Torah, engage in divine service, and the like.
כדכתיב: בכל דרכיך דעהו
as it is written,10 “Know Him in all your ways.”
“Your ways” clearly speaks of man’s corporeal activities. Yet even in these we are commanded to “know Him” — to bind oneself to G‑d through these physical actions, by utilizing them for the purposes designated by Him, in order thereby to “know Him.”11
| FOOTNOTES | |
| 1. | I Shmuel 25:29. |
| 2. | Shevet Mussar, sec. 25. |
| 3. | Sotah 3a. |
| 4. | Yeshayahu 42:7. |
| 5. | Cf. Tehillim 34:15. |
| 6. | Amos 2:16. |
| 7. | See Zohar I, 24a; II, 60a. |
| 8. | Tehillim 42:3. |
| 9. | Note of the Rebbe: “This [passage on the need for prayer in arousing the second level of love] had to be added here, [to the above passage on the role of meditation], in view of the statement in Epistle 4 that this [level of love] is revealed not by meditation but [only] by prayer and tzedakah. [The fact that both prayer and metitation are mentioned here makes it clear that the two epistles are not divergent but complementary.] In addition, it is thus apparent that tzedakah also plays a role in this manner of service.” |
| 10. | Mishlei 3:6. Note of the Rebbe: “Cf. the ruling in Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim, sec. 231, at length.” |
| 11. | Note of the Rebbe: “It still remains to be understood what, exactly, is the connection [of the foregoing] with the opening verse, ‘How beautiful and how pleasant....’ This could be clarified in the light of the discussion in Torat Chayim, which explains why there is wonderment at [this kind of] beauty and pleasantness. (This wonderment is expressed in the exclamation, ‘How beautiful and how pleasant...!’) Accordingly it is understood that ahavah betaanugim is as defined in the above letter. (The same is true of the latent love, for which reason its beauty and pleasantness do not arouse wonderment.)” |
• Sefer Hamitzvot:
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Tuesday, Elul 28, 5777 · September 19, 2017
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
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Negative Commandment 168
The High Priest Coming in Contact with a Corpse
"Nor may he defile himself for his father or mother"—Leviticus 21:11.
A high priest may not become ritually impure through contact with a corpse – whether through touching or carrying it – even if the deceased is his next of kin.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
The High Priest Coming in Contact with a Corpse
Negative Commandment 168
Translated by Berel Bell
The 168th prohibition is that a kohen gadol is forbidden from becoming tameh by means of a dead body, regardless of the type of contact — whether through touching or carrying.1
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement,2 "He shall not become tameh [even] for his father or mother."
You might think that this mitzvah and the previous one3 are all one idea, and the phrase, "He shall not become tameh [even] for his father or mother," is merely explaining [the previous phrase4]. But this is not the case; there are two prohibitions, "He shall not come," and "He shall not become tameh." [We see this from] the words of the Sifra:5 "He is punished for transgressing, 'He shall not come,' and he is punished for transgressing, 'He shall not become tameh.' "
These prohibitions [regarding a kohen gadol] also apply to a regular kohen, because of a gezeira shavah.6 Our Sages said, "Just as the kohen gadol is forbidden from becoming tameh through a dead body by two prohibitions — 'He shall not come' and 'He shall not become tameh' — so too the regular kohen. Since he is prohibited from becoming tameh,7 he also has the prohibition, 'He shall not come.' " This prohibition, however, is not counted separately, for the reason given in the Second Introductory Principle.8
But we have counted these [of the kohen gadol] as two separate mitzvos because there are two separate statements: "He shall not come" and "He shall not become tameh." And the prohibition "he shall not come" is independent of "he shall not become tameh," as our Sages, guardians of the Oral Tradition, said, "He is punished for transgressing, 'He shall not come,' and he is punished for transgressing, 'He shall not become tameh.' "
FOOTNOTES
1.Tumah can be conveyed through touching the dead body [maga] or by carrying it, even if it is not touched [masa]. There is a third way, ohel, which is transmitted when the person is under the same roof (literally, "tent") as the dead body. This third type of tumah is counted by the Rambam as a separate prohibition (N167), as he now explains.
2.Lev. 21:11.
3.N167, regarding the tumah of ohel (see footnote above). As listed in Mishneh Torah (and therefore listed in the Moreh Shiur for Sefer HaMitzvos), this mitzvah comes after the present mitzvah, not before it as in Sefer HaMitzvos itself.
4.The full verse reads, "He shall not come into [a tent containing] any dead body; He shall not become tameh [even] for his father or mother." If the second phrase (N168) was merely explaining the first (N167), it would be as if the verse said, "He shall not come into [a tent containing] any dead body in order that he not become tameh for his father or mother." If read in this way, the verse would constitute one mitzvah instead of two.
5.Parshas Emor, op. cit.
6.This is one of the 13 methods of Torah extrapolation. When two laws or ideas contain the same word or phrase, other aspects of the laws or ideas are sometimes applied to each other. In this case, the phrase, "He shall not become tameh," is said both by the kohen gadol (Lev. 21:11) and the regular kohen (ibid., 21:1) and the two are therefore compared.
7.N166. See footnote there.
8.A mitzvah which is derived by means of one of the 13 methods of Torah extrapolation is not counted among the 613 mitzvos.
Rambam:
• 1 Chapter A Day: Melachim uMilchamot Melachim uMilchamot - Chapter 5
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1
A king should not wage other wars before a milchemet mitzvah. What is considered as milchemet mitzvah? The war against the seven nations who occupied Eretz Yisrael, the war against Amalek, and a war fought to assist Israel from an enemy which attacks them.
Afterwards, he may wage a milchemet hareshut, i.e. a war fought with other nations in order to expand the borders of Israel or magnify its greatness and reputation.
א
אין המלך נלחם תחלה אלא מלחמת מצוה ואי זו היא מלחמת מצוה זו מלחמת שבעה עממים ומלחמת עמלק ועזרת ישראל מיד צר שבא עליהם ואחר כך נלחם במלחמת הרשות והיא המלחמה שנלחם עם שאר העמים כדי להרחיב גבול ישראל ולהרבות בגדולתו ושמעו:
2
There is no need to seek the permission of the court to wage a milchemet mitzvah. Rather, he may go out on his own volition and force the nation to go out with him. In contrast, he may not lead the nation out to wage a milchemat hareshut unless the court of seventy one judges approves.
ב
מלחמת מצוה אינו צריך ליטול בה רשות בית דין אלא יוצא מעצמו בכל עת וכופה העם לצאת אבל מלחמת הרשות אינו מוציא העם בה אלא על פי בית דין של שבעים ואחד:
3
The king may burst through the fences surrounding fields or vineyards to make a road and no one can take issue with him.
There is no limit to the road the king may make. Rather, it may be as wide as necessary. He need not make his road crooked because of an individual's vineyard or field. Rather, he may proceed on a straight path and carry out his war.
ג
ופורץ לעשות לו דרך ואין ממחין בידו ודרך המלך אין לה שיעור אלא כפי מה שהוא צריך אינו מעקם הדרכים מפני כרמו של זה או מפני שדהו של זה אלא הולך בשוה ועושה מלחמתו:
4
It is a positive commandment to annihilate the seven nations who dwelled in Eretz Yisrael as Deuteronomy 20:17 states: 'You shall utterly destroy them.'
Anyone who chances upon one of them and does not kill him violates a negative commandment as ibid.:16 states: 'Do not allow a soul to live.' The memory of them has already been obliterated.
ד
מצות עשה להחרים שבעה עממין שנאמר החרם תחרימם וכל שבא לידו אחד מהן ולא הרגו עובר בלא תעשה שנאמר לא תחיה כל נשמה וכבר אבד זכרם:
5
Similarly, it is a positive commandment to destroy the memory of Amalek, as Deuteronomy 25:19 states: 'Obliterate the memory of Amalek.
It is also a positive commandment to constantly remember their evil deeds and their ambush of Israel to arouse our hatred of them, as ibid.:17 states: 'Remember what Amalek did to you.' The Oral Tradition teaches: ...Remember' - with your mouths; ...Do not forget' - in your hearts.' For it is forbidden to forget our hatred and enmity for them.
ה
וכן מצות עשה לאבד זכר עמלק שנאמר תמחה את זכר עמלק ומצות עשה לזכור תמיד מעשיו הרעים ואריבתו כדי לעורר איבתו שנאמר זכור את אשר עשה לך עמלק מפי השמועה למדו זכור בפה לא תשכח בלב שאסור לשכוח איבתו ושנאתו:
6
All the lands which Israel conquers in wars led by a king and approved by the court are considered as conquered by the people at large. Thus, they have the same status as Eretz Yisrael which was conquered by Joshua in every regard. This only applies if they were conquered after the conquest of Eretz Yisrael as described in the Torah.
ו
כל הארצות שכובשין ישראל במלך על פי בית דין הרי זה כבוש רבים והרי היא כארץ ישראל שכבש יהושע לכל דבר והוא שכבשו אחר כבוש כל ארץ ישראל האמורה בתורה:
7
It is permitted to dwell anywhere in the entire world with the exception of the land of Egypt. Its territory includes a square of 400 parsah by 400 parsah from the Mediterranean Sea proceeding westward, bordering on the land of Kush and the desert. It is forbidden to dwell in this entire territory.
In three places, the Torah warned against returning to Egypt:
a) 'God has told you, you must never again return on that path' (Deuteronomy 17:16);
b) 'You shall not see it again' (Deuteronomy 28:68);
c) 'You shall never see them again forever' (Exodus 14:13).
Alexandria is included in this prohibition.
ז
ומותר לשכון בכל העולם חוץ מארץ מצרים מן הים הגדול ועד המערב ארבע מאות פרסה על ארבע מאות פרסה כנגד ארץ כוש וכנגד המדבר הכל אסור להתישב בה בשלשה מקומות הזהירה תורה שלא לשוב למצרים שנאמר לא תוסיפין לשוב בדרך הזה עוד לא תוסיף עוד לראותה לא תוסיפו לראותם עוד עד עולם ואלכסנדריאה בכלל האיסור:
8
It is permitted to return to Egypt for the purpose of trade and commerce and to pass through while conquering other nations. The prohibition consists of settling there.
Lashes are not given as punishment for the violation of this prohibition because at the time one enters, there is no prohibition. Should he decide to settle there, there is no deed involved.
It appears to me that if a king of Israel would conquer the land of Egypt with the approval of the court, it would be permissible to settle there. The prohibition against returning was only given to individuals or to dwell there while it is under the rule of the gentiles for their behavior is more depraved than that of the peoples of other lands as can be inferred from Leviticus 18:3: 'Do not follow the ways of Egypt....'
ח
מותר לחזור לארץ מצרים לסחורה ולפרקמטיא ולכבוש ארצות אחרות ואין אסור אלא להשתקע שם ואין לוקין על לאו זה שבעת הכניסה מותר הוא ואם יחשב לישב ולהשתקע שם אין בו מעשה ויראה לי שאם כבש ארץ מצרים מלך ישראל על פי בית דין שהיא מותרת ולא הזהירה אלא לשוב לה יחידים או לשכון בה והיא ביד עכו"ם מפני שמעשיה מקולקלין יותר מכל הארצות שנאמר כמעשה ארץ מצרים:
9
It is forbidden to leave Eretz Yisrael for the Diaspora at all times except:
to study Torah;
to marry; or
to save one's property from the gentiles.
After accomplishing these objectives, one must return to Eretz Yisrael.
Similarly, one may leave Eretz Yisrael to conduct commercial enterprises. However, it is forbidden to leave with the intent of settling permanently in the Diaspora unless the famine in Eretz Yisrael is so severe that a dinar's worth of wheat is sold at two dinarim.
When do these conditions apply? When one possesses financial resources and food is expensive. However, if food is inexpensive, but a person cannot find financial resources or employment and has no money available, he may leave and go to any place where he can find relief.
Though it is permitted to leave Eretz Yisrael under these circumstances, it is not pious behavior. Behold, Machlon and Kilyon were two of the great men of the generation and they left Eretz Yisrael only out of great distress. Nevertheless, they were found worthy of death by God.
ט
אסור לצאת מארץ ישראל לחוצה לארץ לעולם אלא ללמוד תורה או לישא אשה או להציל מן העכו"ם ויחזור לארץ וכן יוצא הוא לסחורה אבל לשכון בחוצה לארץ אסור אא"כ חזק שם הרעב עד שנעשה שוה דינר חטין בשני דינרין במה דברים אמורים כשהיו המעות מצויות והפירות ביוקר אבל אם הפירות בזול ולא ימצא מעות ולא במה ישתכר ואבדה פרוטה מן הכיס יצא לכל מקום שימצא בו ריוח ואף על פי שמותר לצאת אינה מדת חסידות שהרי מחלון וכליון שני גדולי הדור היו ומפני צרה גדולה יצאו ונתחייבו כלייה למקום:
10
Great sages would kiss the borders of Eretz Yisrael, kiss its stones, and roll in its dust. Similarly, Psalms 102:15 declares: 'Behold, your servants hold her stones dear and cherish her dust.'
י
גדולי החכמים היו מנשקין על תחומי ארץ ישראל ומנשקין אבניה ומתגלגלין על עפרה וכן הוא אומר כי רצו עבדיך את אבניה ואת עפרה יחוננו:
11
The Sages commented: 'Whoever dwells in Eretz Yisrael will have his sins forgiven as Isaiah 33:24 states: 'The inhabitant shall not say 'I am sick.' The people who dwell there shall be forgiven their sins.'
Even one who walks four cubits there will merit the world to come and one who is buried there receives atonement as if the place in which he is buried is an altar of atonement as Deuteronomy 32:43 states: 'His land will atone for His people.' In contrast, the prophet, Amos [7:17, used the expression] 'You shall die in an impure land' as a prophecy of retribution.
There is no comparison between the merit of a person who lives in Eretz Yisrael and ultimately, is buried there and one whose body is brought there after his death. Nevertheless, great Sages would bring their dead there. Take an example, from our Patriarch, Jacob, and Joseph, the righteous.
יא
אמרו חכמים כל השוכן בארץ ישראל עונותיו מחולין שנאמר וכל יאמר שכן חליתי העם היושב בה נשוא עון אפילו הלך בה ארבע אמות זוכה לחיי העולם הבא וכן הקבור בה נתכפר לו וכאילו המקום שהוא בו מזבח כפרה שנאמר וכפר אדמתו עמו ובפורענות הוא אומר על אדמה טמאה תמות ואינו דומה קולטתו מחיים לקולטתו אחר מותו ואעפ"כ גדולי החכמים היו מוליכים מתיהם לשם צא ולמד מיעקב אבינו ויוסף הצדיק:
12
At all times, a person should dwell in Eretz Yisrael even in a city whose population is primarily gentile, rather than dwell in the Diaspora, even in a city whose population is primarily Jewish.
This applies because whoever leaves Eretz Yisrael for the Diaspora is considered as if he worships idols as I Samuel 26:19 states 'They have driven me out today from dwelling in the heritage of God, saying 'Go, serve other gods.' Similarly, Ezekiel's (13:9) prophecies of retribution state: 'They shall not come to the land of Israel.'
Just as it is forbidden to leave the chosen land for the Diaspora, it is also forbidden to leave Babylon for other lands as Jeremiah 27:22 states: 'They shall be brought to Babylon and there they shall be until I take heed of them... and restore them to this place.'
יב
לעולם ידור אדם בארץ ישראל אפילו בעיר שרובה עכו"ם ואל ידור בחוצה לארץ ואפילו בעיר שרובה ישראל שכל היוצא לחוצה לארץ כאילו עובד ע"ז שנאמר כי גרשוני היום מהסתפח בנחלת ה' לאמר לך עבוד אלהים אחרים ובפורעניות הוא אומר ואל אדמת ישראל לא יבאו כשם שאסור לצאת מהארץ לחוצה לארץ כך אסור לצאת מבבל לשאר הארצות שנאמר בבלה יובאו ושמה יהיו:
Rambam:
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1
With the exception of the six relatives mentioned in the Torah and his wife, whenever a priest becomes impure because of contact with a corpse, if there are witnesses and a warning is administered, he is punished by lashes, as Leviticus 21:1 states: "No one shall contract ritual impurity for the sake of a deceased person among his people."
This applies whether one touches the corpse, stands over it, or carries it. And it applies to a corpse and to all other forms of ritual impurity stemming from a corpse, as implied by "No one shall contract ritual impurity for the sake of a deceased person among his people." In Hilchot Tumat Meit, we already described all the factors associated with a corpse that convey ritual impurity according to Scriptural Law and according to Rabbinic Law.
א
כל כהן שנטמא למת חוץ מששה מתים המפורשים בתורה או אשתו בעדים והתראה הרי זה לוקה שנאמר לנפש לא יטמא בעמיו ואחד הנוגע במת או המאהיל או הנושא ואחד המת ואחד שאר הטומאות הפורשות מן המת שנאמר לנפש לא יטמא בעמיו וכבר פירשנו בהלכות טומאת מת כל דברים המטמאין מן המת מן התורה או מדבריהם:
2
Similarly, a priest receives lashes if he touches a grave. He may, however, touch clothes that touched a corpse, even though by doing so, he contracts ritual impurity that continues for seven days.
ב
וכן אם נגע הכהן בקבר לוקה אבל נוגע הוא בבגדים שנגעו במת אע"פ שמיטמא בהן טומאת שבעה:
3
Similarly, if a priest enters a covered structure into which ritual impurity enters, he is lashed. This applies even though the source of impurity itself is in another building. We have already explained all the types of "tents" into which ritual impurity can enter and depart, the laws involving foliage and projections, the entities which bring ritual impurity and those which interpose between ritual impurity, which involve Scriptural Law and which involve Rabbinic Law. All of this is discussed in Hilchot Tumat Meit.
There we explained that non-Jews do not convey ritual impurity through overhangs. Therefore their graves are pure and a priest may enter their cemetery and walk on their graves. He is forbidden only to touch impurity or carry it, as we explained there.
ג
וכן אם נכנס לאהל טמא שנכנסה לו הטומאה לוקה אע"פ שעצמה של טומאה בבית אחר וכבר ביארנו כל האהלים שתכנס להן הטומאה או שתצא מהן ודין הסככות והפרעות וכל הדברים המביאין את הטומאה והחוצצין בפני הטומאה ואין זה מהן דין תורה ואי זה מהן מדבריהן הכל בהלכות טומאת מת ושם ביארנו שאין עכו"ם מטמאין באהל ולפיכך קברותיהם טהורים ומותר לכהן ליכנס לשם ולדרוך על קברותיהם ואינו אסור אלא שיגע בטומאה או שישאנה כמו שביארנו שם:
4
The following laws apply when a priest enters a building where a corpse is located or a cemetery inadvertently and he is given a warning after he discovers the fact. If he jumps and leaves, he is not liable. If, however, he remains there for the time it takes to prostrate oneself which we explained with regard to impurity in the Temple, he is lashed.
If he entered and departed, entered and departed, if he was given a warning for each time, he is given lashes for every entrance. Similarly, if he touches a corpse, is giving a warning, and then disengages himself, and afterwards, touches it and is given a warning - even if this sequence is repeated one hundred times, he is given lashes for each touch.
If he was touching a corpse and did not disengage himself or was standing in the cemetery and touched other corpses, although he is given a warning several times, he receives lashes only once. For as long as he does not cease, he is continuing to desecrate his priestly state.
ד
כהן שנכנס לאהל המת או לבית הקברות בשגגה ואחר שידע התרו בו אם קפץ ויצא פטור ואם ישב שם כדי השתחויה כמו שביארנו בענין טומאת מקדש הרי זה לוקה נכנס ויצא וחזר ונכנס ויצא אם התרו בו על כל פעם ופעם לוקה על כל כניסה וכניסה וכן אם נגע במת והתרו בו ופירש וחזר ונגע והתרו בו אפילו מאה פעמים לוקה על כל אחת ואחת היה נוגע ולא פירש או שהיה עומד בבית הקברות ונגע במתים אחרים אף על פי שהתרו בו כמה פעמים אינו לוקה אלא אחת שהרי מחולל ועומד כל זמן שלא פירש:
5
The following rules apply when one causes a priest to contract ritual impurity. If they both acted intentionally, the priest receives lashes and the person who caused him to contract impurity violates the prohibition against placing a stumbling block in front of the blind. If the priest was not aware of the transgression and the person who caused him to contract impurity acted intentionally, that person receives lashes.
ה
המטמא את הכהן אם היו שניהם מזידין הרי הכהן לוקה וזה שטמאו עובר על ולפני עור לא תתן מכשול היה הכהן שוגג וזה שטמאו מזיד הרי זה שטמאו לוקה:
6
A High Priest may not become impure for the sake of his relatives, as Leviticus 21:11 states: "He shall not become impure for his father's or mother's sake." Similarly, he does not enter a shelter where there is a corpse, even the corpse of one of his relatives, as ibid.:30 states: "He shall not enter a place where there is any corpse." Thus we learn that he is liable both for not entering and for not becoming impure.
What is implied? If the High Priest touches or carries a corpse, he receives lashes for one transgression. If he enters a shelter and remains there until a person dies or he enters a chest, bureau, or drawer, and a colleague comes and opens the top of this container and thus his contact with impurity and his entrance into the shelter come at the same time, he receives two sets of lashes, for the prohibition against entering and for the prohibition against becoming impure.
ו
כהן גדול אינו מטמא לקרובים שנאמר לאביו ולאמו לא יטמא וכן אינו נכנס עם המת באהל אפילו קרוביו שנאמר ועל כל נפשות מת לא יבא הא למדת שהוא חייב בלא יבא וחייב בלא יטמא כיצד נגע או נשא לוקה אחת נכנס לאהל וישב שם עד שמת עליו המת או שנכנס לשידה תיבה ומגדל ובא חבירו ופרע עליו גג השידה שהרי טומאה וביאה באין כאחד הרי זה לוקה שתים משום לא יבא ומשום לא יטמא:
7
If the High Priest became impure beforehand, and then entered a shelter where a corpse was located, if he is warned, he should receive lashes even for this entry.
ז
נטמא מקודם ואחר כך נכנס לאהל אם התרו בו לוקה אף על הביאה:
8
When a priest - even a High Priest - encounters an unattended corpse on the road, he is obligated to become impure for its sake and bury it. What is meant by an unattended corpse? A Jewish corpse cast away on the road without anyone to bury it. This is a halachah conveyed by the received tradition.
When does the above apply? When the priest is alone and there is no one else with him; even when he calls out on the road, no one answers him. If, however, when he calls others answer, this is not considered an unattended corpse. Instead, he should call to the others and they should come and tend to the corpse.
ח
כהן שפגע במת מצוה בדרך הרי זה מטמא לו אפילו כהן גדול חייב להטמא לו ולקוברו ואיזהו מת מצוה אחד מישראל שהיה מושלך בדרך ואין לו קוברין דבר זה הלכה מפי הקבלה במה דברים אמורים כשהיה הכהן לבדו ואין עמו אחר ואפילו קרא שם בדרך ואין לו עונה אבל אם כשיקרא אחרים עונים אותו אין זה מת מצוה אלא יקרא לאחרים ויבואו ויעסקו בו:
9
If a priest and a nazirite are proceeding on a road and they encounter an unattended corpse, the nazirite should tend to it. The rationale is that his holiness is not of an eternal nature. The priest - even an ordinary priest - should not become impure.
If a High Priest was going together with an ordinary priest, the ordinary priest should become impure. The general principle is: Whoever is on a higher level of holiness should become impure last. When a s'gan and the priest anointed to lead the army at war encounter an unattended corpse, the priest anointed to lead the army at war should become impure, not the s'gan.
ט
היו כהן ונזיר מהלכין בדרך ופגעו במת מצוה יתעסק בו הנזיר לפי שאין קדושתו קדושת עולם ואל יטמא בו הכהן אע"פ שהוא כהן הדיוט היה כהן גדול וכהן הדיוט יטמא ההדיוט וכל הקודם את חבירו במעלה מתאחר בטומאה וסגן עם משוח מלחמה שפגעו במת מצוה יטמא משוח מלחמה ואל יטמא הסגן:
10
When a nasi dies, everyone - even priests - should become impure for his sake. Our Sages had him considered as an unattended corpse, because everyone is obligated in his honor. Similarly, all must observe the rites of aninut for his sake.
י
נשיא שמת הכל מטמאין לו אפילו כהנים עשאוהו כמת מצוה לכל מפני שהכל חייבין בכבודו וכן הכל אוננין עליו:
11
The daughters of Aaron were not warned to avoid the ritual impurity imparted by a corpse. This derived from Leviticus 21:1: "Say to the priests, the sons of Aaron...." Implied is "the sons of Aaron," and not "the daughters of Aaron."
Similarly, challalim are permitted to become impure. This is also derived from the words, "the priests, the sons of Aaron," i.e., to be included in the prohibition, their priesthood must be intact.
יא
בנות אהרן לא הוזהרו על טומאת מת שנאמר אמור אל הכהנים בני אהרן ולא בנות אהרן וכן החללים מותרין להטמא שנאמר בני אהרן עד שיהיו בכיהונם:
12
When a priest is a minor, the adults are warned that they should not have him contact ritual impurity. If he comes to contract impurity on his own initiative, the court is not obligated to separate him from the source of impurity. His father, however, must educate him in the holiness of the priesthood.
יב
כהן קטן הרי הגדולים מוזהרים שלא יטמאוהו ואם בא להטמא מעצמו אין בית דין מצווין עליו להפרישו אבל אביו צריך לחנכו בקדושה:
13
The four cubits circumscribed around a corpse are deemed impure. Any priest that enters into these four cubits is given stripes for rebellious conduct.
Similarly, if priests enter a beit hapras, go to the diaspora, become impure through contact with a mixture of blood, a gravestone, or the stones which support the gravestone, and the like, they are given stripes for rebellious conduct, because these entities are sources for ritual impurity by Rabbinic decree, as we explained in Hilchot Tumat Meit. If, however, a priest enters a cemetery, he receives lashes according to Scriptural Law.
יג
מת תופש ארבע אמות שלו לטומאה וכל כהן שנכנס לתוך ארבע אמות מכין אותו מכת מרדות וכן אם נכנסו לבית הפרס או יצא חוצה לארץ או שנטמא בדם תבוסה או בגולל ובדופק וכיוצא בהן מכין אותו מכת מרדות מפני שהן אבות של דבריהם כמו שביארנו בהלכות טומאת מת אבל אם נכנס לבית הקברות לוקה מן התורה:
14
It is permissible for a priest to become impure through walking through a beit hapras or the diaspora for the sake of a mitzvah, when there is no way other than that, e.g., he went to marry or to study Torah. Even though there is someone who could teach him in Eretz Yisrael, he is permitted to leave, because a person does not merit to learn from every colleague.
Similarly, a person may incur ritual impurity that is Rabbinic in origin to show respect to other people. What is implied? If a mourner walked through a beit hapras, everyone follows after him to comfort him. Similarly, we may walk over the coffins of the dead to greet Jewish kings. This is allowed even to greet gentile kings, so that a distinction will be able to be made between them and Jewish kings when their glory will return to its place. Similarly, leniency is granted in all analogous situations. Also, a priest may incur ritual impurity of Rabbinic origin to enter in judgment and disputation with gentiles concerning property, for he is saving it from their hands. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.
יד
מותר לכהן להטמא בבית הפרס או בחוצה לארץ לדבר מצוה בזמן שאין שם דרך אלא היא כגון שהלך לישא אשה או ללמוד תורה אף על פי שיש שם מי שילמדנו בארץ ישראל לא מן הכל אדם זוכה ללמוד וכן מיטמא בטומאה מדבריהם לכבוד הבריות כיצד אבל שהלך בבית הפרס הכל הולכין אחריו שם לנחמו וכן מדלגין על גבי ארונות של מתים לקראת מלכי ישראל ואפילו מלכי עכו"ם כדי להבחין בינם לבין מלכי ישראל כשיחזור כבודן למקומן וכן כל כיוצא בזה וכן מיטמא בטומאה של דבריהם לדון עם העכו"ם ולערער עמהן מפני שהוא מציל מידם וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
Avel - Chapter 4
1
These are the customs observed by the Jewish people with regard to corpses and burial. We close the eyes of the deceased. If one's mouth hangs open, we tie the jaw close. After washing the corpse, we stuff close the orifices, anoint it with different fragrances, cut its hair, and dress it in shrouds of white linen which are not expensive. Our Sages followed the custom of using a cloak worth a zuz, so as not to embarrass a person who lacks resources. We cover the faces of the deceased so as not to embarrass the poor whose faces turned black because of hunger.
א
מנהג ישראל במתים ובקבורה כך הוא מאמצין עיניו של מת ואם נפתח פיו קושרין את לחייו ופוקקין את נקביו אחר שמדיחין אותו וסכין אותו במיני בשמים וגוזזין שערו ומלבישין אותו תכריכין תפורין בחוט של פשתן לבנים ולא יהיו דמיהן יקרים ונהגו חכמים בסודר שוה זוז שלא לבייש את מי שאין לו ומכסין פני המת שלא לבייש את העניים שפניהם מושחרין ברעב:
2
It is forbidden to bury the dead, even a nasi among the Jewish people, in silk shrouds or clothes embroidered with gold, for this is an expression of haughtiness, the destruction of useful property, and the emulation of gentile practices.
We carry the dead on our shoulders to the cemetery.
ב
ואסור לקבור בתכריכין של משי ובגדים המוזהבין הרקומין אפילו לנשיא שבישראל שזהו גסות הרוח והשחתה ומעשה עכו"ם וסובלין את המת על הכתף עד בית הקברות:
3
The pallbearers are forbidden to wear sandals, lest the strap of one of them snap and he hold back the performance of the mitzvah.
ג
ונושאי המטה אסורין בנעילת הסנדל שמא תפסק רצועה מסנדלו של אחד מהן ונמצא מתעכב מן המצוה:
4
We dig burial caves in the earth and make hollows at the side of the caves. There we bury the corpse with its face upward; we then place the earth and the stones back in place above it. They may bury it in a wooden coffin.
Those who accompany the corpse tell him: "Go in peace," as Genesis 15:15 states: "You will go to your ancestors in peace."
Markings are made on the graves. A tombstone is placed on the grave. For the righteous, by contrast, a tombstone is not placed, because their words will cause them to be remembered; a person will not need to visit in the cemeteries.
ד
וחופרין בעפר מערות ועושין כוך בצד המערה וקוברין אותו בו ופניו למעלה ומחזירין העפר והאבנים עליו ויש להן לקבור בארון של עץ והמלוין אותו אומרין לו לך בשלום שנאמר ואתה תבוא אל אבותיך בשלום ומציינין את כל בית הקברות ובונין נפש על הקבר והצדיקים אין בונים להם נפש על קברותיהם שדבריהם הם זכרונם ולא יפנה אדם לבקר הקברות:
5
A person in his deathroes is considered as a living person with regard to all matters. We do not tie his cheek, stuff his orifices, nor to we place a metal utensil or a utensil that cools on his navel so that his body will not bloat. We do not anoint it or wash it or place it on sand or on salt until the person dies.
One who touches him is considered as shedding blood. To what can the matter be compared? To a candle that is flickering, were a person to touch it, it will be extinguished. Similarly, anyone who closes a dying person's eyes as his soul expires is considered as shedding blood. Instead, they should wait some lest he have fainted. Similarly, we do not rend our clothes because of him, uncover our shoulders, recite eulogies, or bring a coffin or shrouds into the house until the person dies.
ה
הגוסס הרי הוא כחי לכל דבר אין קושרין לחייו ואין פוקקין נקביו ואין מניחין כלי מתכות וכלי מיקר על טבורו שלא יתפח ולא סכין אותו ולא מדיחין אותו ולא מטילין אותו על החול ולא על המלח עד שעה שימות והנוגע בו הרי זה שופך דמים למה זה דומה לנר שמטפטף כיון שיגע בו אדם יכבה וכל המאמץ עיניו עם יציאת נפש הרי זה שופך דמים אלא ישהא מעט שמא נתעלף וכן אין קורעין עליו ולא חולצין כתף ולא מספידין ולא מכניסין עמו ארון ותכריכין בבית עד שימות:
6
When a person's dead is lying before him, he should eat in another house. If he does not have another house, he should construct a partition and eat. If he does not have the materials to make a partition, he should turn away his face and eat. Under no circumstances should he recline and eat or eat meat or drink wine.
He does not recite the blessing before eating, nor the grace after meals. Others do not recite the blessings for him, nor is he included in a quorum of three for the recitation of grace. He is free from the obligation to recite the Shema, pray, put on tefillin, or observe any of the mitzvot stated in the Torah.
On the Sabbath, he should recline, eat meat, and drink wine, recite the blessing before eating, and recite grace. Others may recite blessings for him. He is included in a quorum for grace and is obligated in all the mitzvot of the Torah with the exception of sexual relations.
Once the dead is buried, he is permitted to eat meat and drink a small amount of wine to help digest the food that he has eaten, but not in an unrestrained manner.
ו
מי שמתו מוטל לפניו אוכל בבית אחר אין לו בית אחר עושה מחיצה ואוכל אין לו דבר לעשות מחיצה מחזיר פניו ואוכל ובין כך ובין כך אינו מיסב ואוכל ולא אוכל בשר ולא שותה יין ואינו מברך ואינו מזמן ואין מברכין עליו ואין מזמנין עליו ופטור מקריאת שמע ומן התפלה ומתפילין ומכל מצות האמורות בתורה בשבת מיסב ואוכל בשר ושותה יין ומברך ומזמן ומברכין עליו ומזמנין עליו וחייב בכל מצות האמורות בתורה חוץ מתשמיש המטה נקבר המת הרי זה מותר לאכול בשר ולשתות יין מעט כדי לשרות אכילה שבמיעיו אבל לא לרוות:
7
We do not delay the burial of the dead. Instead, we hurry to bury him immediately. Hastening the burial is praiseworthy. For one's father and mother, by contrast, it is demeaning.
ז
אין משהין את המת אלא מדחין מטתו מיד וכל המדחה מטתו הרי זה משובח ועל אביו ועל אמו הרי זה מגונה:
8
On Friday or the day before a festival, or when rain was drenching the coffin, it is permitted to hurry even the funeral of one's parents. For the person hurried the funeral only as an expression of honor for his father and mother.
Whoever delays the burial of his dead overnight violates a negative commandment, unless he delays the burial for the honor of the dead and to complete providing for his needs.
ח
היה ערב שבת או ערב יום טוב או שהיו גשמים מזלפין על המטה מותר שלא מיהר אלא לכבוד אביו ואמו וכל המלין את מתו עובר בלא תעשה אא"כ הלינו לכבודו ולהשלים צרכיו:
9
On the first day alone, it is forbidden for a mourner to put on tefillin or to eat food of his own. He must sit on a overturned bed. During the remainder of the days of mourning, he may eat his own food, sit on a mat or on the ground, and put on tefillin.
What is the source which teaches that a mourner may not put on tefillin on the first day? Instructions were given Ezekiel (Ezekiel 24:17): "Your glory should be bound upon you." Implied is other people are forbidden. He was instructed: "Do not eat the bread of men." Implied is that other people should eat from others on the first day and are forbidden to eat their own food.
ט
האבל ביום ראשון בלבד אסור להניח תפילין ולאכול משלו וחייב לישב על מטה כפויה ובשאר ימי האבל מותר לו לאכול משלו ולישב על גבי מפץ או קרקע ומניח תפילין ומנין שהוא אסור ביום ראשון להניח תפילין שהרי נאמר ליחזקאל פארך חבוש עליך מכלל שכל העם אסורין ונאמר לו ולחם אנשים לא תאכל מכלל שכל העם אוכלין משל אחרים ביום ראשון ואסורין לאכול משל עצמן:
Avel - Chapter 5
1
These are the matters forbidden to a mourner on the first day according to Scriptural Law and on the remaining seven days according to Rabbinic Law. He is forbidden to cut his hair, launder his clothes, wash, anoint himself, engage in sexual relations, wear shoes, perform work, study the Torah, stand his bed upright, leave his head uncovered, and greet others, eleven matters in total.
א
אלו דברים שהאבל אסור בהן ביום ראשון מן התורה ובשאר ימים מדבריהם: אסור לספר ולכבס ולרחוץ ולסוך ולשמש מטתו ולנעול את הסנדל ולעשות מלאכה ולקרות בדברי תורה ולזקוף את המטה ולפרוע את ראשו ולשאול שלום הכל אחד עשר דבר:
2
Which source teaches that a mourner is forbidden to have his hair cut? Leviticus 10:6 warns the sons of Aaron: "Do not let the hair of your heads grow untended." Implied is that every mourner is forbidden to cut his hair. Instead, he lets his hair grow untended. Just as he is forbidden to cut off his hair; so, too, he is forbidden to trim his beard and any other hair on his body. This applies to cutting hair and having one's own hair cut. If he was in the midst of a haircut and he heard that his father died, he may complete the haircut. This applies to cutting hair and having one's own hair cut.
Similarly, it is forbidden to cut off one's mustache or to cut one's nails with a utensil. One may, however, bite off one's nails or trim them with one's other nails.
ב
ומנין שהאבל אסור בתספורת שהרי הזהיר בני אהרן ראשיכם אל תפרעו מכלל שכל המתאבל אסור לספר שערו אלא מגדל פרע וכשם שאסור לגלח שער ראשו כך אסור לגלח שער זקנו וכל שער שיש בו אחד המגלח ואחד המתגלח היה מגלח ושמע שמת אביו משלים תגלחת שערו אחד המגלח ואחד המתגלח וכן אסור לגלח שפה וליטול צפרניו בכלי אבל בשיניו או שנוטל צפורן בצפורן מותר:
3
Which source teaches that a mourner is forbidden to launder his clothes and to wash and anoint his body: II Samuel 14:2 states: "Please conduct yourself as a mourner; please wear mourner's clothes and do not anoint yourself with oil." Washing is including in anointing oneself, for it is a preliminary step before anointing oneself as Ruth 3:3 states: "Wash and anoint yourself."
Just as a mourner is forbidden to launder clothes; so, too, he is forbidden to wear new and freshly pressed white clothes.
ג
ומנין שהאבל אסור לכבס בגדיו ולרחוץ גופו ולסוך שנאמר התאבלי נא ולבשי בגדי אבל ואל תסוכי שמן ורחיצה בכלל סיכה שהרחיצה קודמת לסיכה שנאמר ורחת וסכת וכשם שאבל אסור בכיבוס בגדים כך אסור ללבוש כלים לבנים חדשים ומגוהצין:
4
As it is forbidden to anoint one's entire body; so, too, it is forbidden to anoint a portion of one's body. To remove filth, however, it is permitted. Similarly, it is forbidden to wash a portion of one's body in hot water. One may, however, wash one's face, one's hands, and one's feet - but not one's entire body - in cold water.
ד
אסור לסוך מקצת גופו ככל גופו ואם להעביר את הזוהמא מותר וכן אסור ברחיצת מקצת גופו בחמין אבל בצונן רוחץ פניו ידיו ורגליו אבל לא כל גופו:
5
Which source teaches that a mourner is forbidden to engage in sexual relations. II Samuel 12:24 states: "And David comforted his wife, Batsheva, and he came to her and lay with her." This indicates that this was forbidden beforehand.
Similarly, a mourner should not marry a woman, nor should a woman marry while mourning even though they do not engage in relations. It is permitted for a mourner to remain in solitude with his wife even though he is forbidden to engage in sexual relations.
ה
מנין לאבל שאסור בתשמיש המטה שנאמר וינחם דוד את בת שבע אשתו ויבא אליה וישכב עמה מכלל שהיה אסור מקודם וכן לא ישא האבל אשה ולא תנשא אשה אע"פ שאין משמשין מטתן ומותר להתיחד עם אשתו ואף על פי שהוא אסור בתשמיש המטה:
6
Which source teaches that a mourner is forbidden to wear shoes? Ezekiel was instructed Ezekiel 24:17: "And place your shoes on your feet." Implied is that all others are forbidden. If a person is traveling on a journey, he may wear shoes and proceed on his way. When he enters a city, he should remove his shoes.
ו
מנין שהאבל אסור בנעילת הסנדל שהרי נאמר ליחזקאל ונעליך תשים ברגליך מכלל שכל העם אסורין היה בא בדרך נועל והולך וכשיכנס במדינה חולץ מנעליו:
7
An allusion to the prohibition against a mourner performing labor can be derived from Amos 8:10: "I shall transform your festivals into mourning." Just as it is forbidden to perform work on a festival; so, too, a mourner is forbidden to perform work. And just as a mourner is forbidden to perform work; so, too, is he forbidden to engage in commercial transactions and to travel from city to city on a business trip.
ז
רמז לאבל שאסור בעשיית מלאכה זה שנאמר והפכתי חגיכם לאבל מה חג אסור בעשיית מלאכה אף אבל אסור בעשיית מלאכה וכשם שהוא אסור בעשיית מלאכה כך הוא אסור לישא וליתן בסחורה ולילך ממדינה למדינה בסחורה:
8
For the first three days, all mourners, even a poor person who derives his livelihood from charity, are forbidden to perform work. After that period, if the mourner is indigent, he may perform this work privately in his home. A woman may spin fabric on a spindle in her home.
ח
כל שלשה ימים הראשונים אסור בעשיית מלאכה אפילו היה עני המתפרנס מן הצדקה מכאן ואילך אם היה עני עושה בצנעה בתוך ביתו והאשה טוה בפלך בתוך ביתה:
9
When two brothers or two partners operate one store together and one of them is forced to mourn, the store should be closed for all seven days of mourning.
ט
שני אחים או שני שותפין שהיו בחנות אחת ואירע אבל לאחד מהן נועלין את החנות כל שבעה:
10
Even activities which are permitted to be performed during chol hamo'ed may not be performed by a mourner during the days of mourning. Others may, however, perform these tasks on his behalf.
What is implied? If it is necessary to turn over a person's olives, put pitch on his barrels, or bring his flax up from the vat where it is soaking or his wool from the kettle where it is being dyed, he may hire someone else to perform this task on his behalf so that he will not suffer a loss. And he may have his field irrigated in the irrigation season.
י
אפילו דברים שמותר לעשותן בחולו של מועד אסור לאבל לעשותן בידו בימי אבלו אבל אחרים עושים לו כיצד היו זיתיו להפוך וכדיו לגוף ופשתנו לעלות מן המשרה וצמרו מן היורה שוכר אחרים לעשות לו כדי שלא יאבדו ומרבצין לו שדהו משתגיע עונת המים:
11
His sharecroppers or those who hire his fields may perform work in their ordinary way. But donkey-drivers and camel-drivers who rent his animals and sailors who rent his ships should not perform work. If the animals or ships were hired out or rented out previously for a specific time, the renters may perform work.
יא
האריסין והחכירין שלו והקבלנין הרי אלו יעשו כדרכן אבל החמרים והגמלים בבהמות שלו והספנים בספינה שלו הרי אלו לא יעשו ואם היו מוחכרים או מושכרים מקודם לזמן קצוב הרי אלו יעשו:
12
A worker hired by the day - even if he is located in another city - should not perform work on behalf of the mourner.
יב
שכיר יום אפילו בעיר אחרת לא יעשה לו:
13
When a mourner was charged with doing tasks on behalf of others, whether as a contractor or not as a contractor, he should not do it. If his tasks were entrusted to others, they should not work on it in his home, but may work on it elsewhere.
יג
האבל שהיתה מלאכת אחרים בידו בין בקבלנות בין שאינה בקבלנות לא יעשה היתה מלאכתו ביד אחרים בביתו לא יעשו בבית אחר עושין:
14
If a mourner has litigation with a colleague, he should not prosecute the matter throughout the seven days of mourning. If it concerned a matter that could lead to a loss, he should appoint an agent. The Geonim ruled in this manner.
יד
היה לו דין עם אדם אינו תובעו כל שבעת ימי האבילות ואם היה דבר אבד עושה שליח כזה הורו הגאונים:
15
Which source teaches that a mourner is forbidden to speak words of Torah? Ezekiel was instructed Ezekiel 24:17: "Be silent from groaning."
טו
מנין שהאבל אסור בדברי תורה שהרי נאמר ליחזקאל האנק דום:
16
He is forbidden to read from the Torah, the Prophets, and the Holy Scriptures and to study the Mishnah, the Midrash, and the Halachot. If many require his instruction, he is permitted, provided he does not appoint a spokesman. Instead, he should whisper to the person sitting next to him. That person should relate the teachings to the spokesman and the spokesman should communicate them to the people at large.
טז
אסור לקרות בתורה בנביאים ובכתובים ולשנות במשנה ובמדרש ובהלכות ואם היו רבים צריכין לו מותר ובלבד שלא יעמיד תורגמן אלא ילחוש לאחר בצדו וזה שבצדו אומר לתורגמן והתורגמן משמיע לרבים:
17
Which source teaches that a mourner should not sit on a bed? II Samuel 13:31 states: "And the king arose, rent his garments, and lay on the ground."
יז
ומנין שאין האבל יושב על המטה שנאמר ויקם המלך ויקרע את בגדיו וישכב ארצה:
18
A mourner is obligated to overturn his bed for all seven days of mourning. This applies not only to his own bed. Instead, he must overturn all the beds he has in his house. Moreover, even if he has ten beds in ten homes in ten cities, he is obligated to overturn all of them. Even if there are five brothers and one of them dies, all the remainder must overturn their beds.
When a bed is set aside to be used for money or for utensils, it need not be overturned. Similarly, a dargesh need not be overturned. Instead, the straps should be released and the bed allowed to fall.
When bed posts emerge from a bed and so it is impossible to turn it over, he should turn it on its side while upright; this is sufficient.
If a person turned all his own beds over, but slept on beds belonging to others, on a chair, on a chest, or on the ground, he does not fulfill his obligation. Instead, he must sleep on the overturned bed.
יח
וחייב לכפות המטה כל שבעה ולא מטתו בלבד הוא כופה אלא כל המטות שיש לו בתוך ביתו הוא כופה אפילו עשר מטות בעשרה בתים ובעשר עיירות חייב לכפות את כולן ואפילו חמשה אחים ומת אחד מהן כולן כופין את מטותיהן המטה המיוחדת לכלים או למעות אינו צריך לכפותה דרגש אינו צריך לכפותו אלא מתיר את קרביטיו והוא נופל מאליו מטה שנקליטיה יוצאין ממנה שהרי אי אפשר להפכה זוקפה ודיו הפך כל מטותיו והיה הוא ישן על גבי מטות אחרים או על גבי כסא או על גבי ארון או על גבי קרקע לא יצא ידי חובתו אלא ישן על גבי המטה הכפויה:
19
Which source teaches that a mourner is forbidden to uncover his head? Ezekiel was instructed Ezekiel 24:17: "Do not veil your face until the lips." Implied is that others are obligated to cover their heads. He should use the sash with which he covers his head and wind a portion of it over his mouth slightly. In this vein, Onkelos renders Leviticus 13:45: "He should veil his face until his lips," as "He should cover himself like a mourner."
יט
מנין לאבל שאסור בפריעת הראש שהרי נאמר ליחזקאל לא תעטה על שפם מכלל ששאר האבלים חייבין בעטיפת הראש והסודר שמכסה בו ראשו עוטה ממקצתו מעט על פיו שנאמר ועל שפם יעטה ואונקלוס תרגם כאבלא יתעטף:
20
Which source teaches that a mourner is forbidden to exchange greetings with colleagues? Ezekiel was instructed: "Be silent from groaning."
For the entire first three days, if someone greets him, he does not respond with greetings. Instead, he notifies him that he is a mourner. From the third day until the seventh, when a person greets him, he should respond with greetings. From the seventh until the thirtieth day, he may greet others, but others should not greet him until after thirty days have passed. And when he is in mourning for his father or mother, he should not be greeted until after twelve months.
If he is forbidden to greet a colleague during the mourning period, one can certainly infer that he is forbidden to engage in lengthy talk and frivolity, as implied by the instruction: "Be silent." He should not hold an infant in his arms so that he will not lead him to laughter. And he should not enter a place of celebration, e.g., a feasting hall or the like.
כ
ומנין שהאבל אסור בשאלת שלום שנאמר האנק דום כל שלשה ימים הראשונים מי שנתן לו שלום אין מחזיר לו אלא מודיעו שהוא אבל ומשלשה ועד שבעה מי ששאל בשלומו מחזיר לו שלום ומשבעה ועד שלשים שואל בשלום אחרים אבל אחרים אין שואלין בשלומו עד לאחר שלשים ועל אביו ועל אמו אין שואלין בשלומו עד לאחר שנים עשר חדש אם בשאלת שלום נאסר באבל קל וחומר שהוא אסור להרבות דברים ולשחוק שנאמר דום ולא יאחוז תינוק בידו שלא יביאנו לידי שחוק ולא יכנס למקום שמחה כגון בתי המשתאות וכיוצא בהן:
Hayom Yom:
• English Text | Video Class
Tuesday, Elul 28, 5777 · 19 September 2017
"Today's Day"
Tuesday, Elul 28, 5703
Torah lessons: Chumash: Ha'azinu, Shlishi with Rashi.
Tehillim: 135-139. Also 82-84.
Tanya: In a precisely (p. 495) ...of blessed memory. (p. 495).
"G-d's blessing brings wealth."1 This is so in general, but especially to whoever gives of his time to occupy himself with the community's needs in matters of charity and strengthening Judaism; as the saying goes, "G-d does not remain in debt". For every good thing a person does, he is recompensed grandly by G-d, with children, health and livelihood, in abundance.
FOOTNOTES
1.Mishlei, 10:22.
Daily Thought:
Shofar
There are things that are important to us, so we speak about them.
There are things so important to us that the words flow out in a burst of emotion, rich words, expressive and vibrant.
And then there are things that shake us to the core. Things that do not care for the mind’s permission or for the right words—for the mind cannot fathom them, the most poignant words could not contain them. Things that can only break out in a cry, in a scream, and then in silence.
This is the sound of the shofar: The very core of our souls crying, “Father! Father!”
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