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- ב"ה - Today in Judaism - Today is Monday, 5 Tishrei, 5778 · September 25, 2017
Vezot Hab'rachah: Deuteronomy 33:1-17
from Se‘ir he dawned on his people,
shone forth from Mount Pa’ran;
and with him were myriads of holy ones;
at his right hand
was a fiery law for them.
3 He truly loves the peoples —
all his holy ones are in your hand;
sitting at your feet,
they receive your instruction,
4 the Torah Moshe commanded us
as an inheritance for the community of Ya‘akov.
5 Then a king arose in Yeshurun
when the leaders of the people were gathered,
all the tribes of Isra’el together.
6 “Let Re’uven live and not die out,
even though his numbers grow few.”
7 Of Y’hudah he said:
“Hear, Adonai, the cry of Y’hudah!
Bring him in to his people,
let his own hands defend him;
but you, help him against his enemies.”
(ii) 8 Of Levi he said:
“Let your tumim and urim
be with your pious one,
whom you tested at Massah,
with whom you struggled at M’rivah Spring.
9 Of his father and mother he said, ‘I don’t know them’;
he didn’t acknowledge his brothers or children.
For he observed your word,
and he kept your covenant.
10 They will teach Ya‘akov your rulings,
Isra’el your Torah.
They will set incense before you
and whole burnt offerings on your altar.
11 Adonai, bless his possessions,
accept the work he does;
but crush his enemies hip and thigh;
may those who hate him rise no more.”
12 Of Binyamin he said:
“Adonai’s beloved lives securely.
He protects him day after day.
He lives between his shoulders.”
(iii) 13 Of Yosef he said:
“May Adonai bless his land
with the best from the sky, for the dew,
and for what comes from the deep beneath,
14 with the best of what the sun makes grow,
with the best of what comes up each month,
15 with the best from the mountains of old,
with the best from the eternal hills,
16 with the best from the earth and all that fills it,
and the favor of him who lived in the [burning] bush.
May blessing come on the head of Yosef,
on the brow of the prince among his brothers.
17 His firstborn bull — glory is his;
his horns are those of a wild ox;
With them he will gore the peoples,
all of them, to the ends of the earth.
These are the myriads of Efrayim;
these are the thousands of M’nasheh.”
Today's Laws & Customs:
• Ten Days of Repentance
The 10-day period beginning on Rosh Hashanah and ending on Yom Kippur is known as the "Ten Days of Repentance"; this is the period, say the sages, of which the prophet speaks when he proclaims (Isaiah 55:6) "Seek G-d when He is to be found; call on Him when He is near." Psalm 130, Avinu Malkeinu and other special inserts and additions are included in our daily prayers during these days.
The Baal Shem Tov instituted the custom of reciting three additional chapters ofPsalms each day, from the 1st of Elul until Yom Kippur (on Yom Kippur the remaining 36 chapters are recited, thereby completing the entire book of Psalms). Click below for today's three Psalms.
Chapter 100 Chapter 101 Chapter 102
Psalms Chapter 100:1. A psalm of thanksgiving. Let all the earth sing in jubilation to the Lord.
2. Serve the Lord with joy; come before Him with exultation.
3. Know that the Lord is God; He has made us and we are His, His people and the sheep of His pasture.
4. Enter His gates with gratitude, His courtyards with praise; give thanks to Him, bless His Name.
5. For the Lord is good; His kindness is everlasting, and His faithfulness is for all generations. Chapter 101:1. By David, a psalm. I will sing of [Your] kindness and justice; to You, O Lord, will I chant praise!
2. I will pay heed to the path of integrity-O when will it come to me? I shall walk with the innocence of my heart [even] within my house.
3. I shall not place an evil thing before my eyes; I despise the doing of wayward deeds, it does not cling to me.
4. A perverse heart shall depart from me; I shall not know evil.
5. He who slanders his fellow in secret, him will I cut down; one with haughty eyes and a lustful heart, him I cannot suffer.
6. My eyes are upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in the path of integrity, he shall minister to me.
7. He that practices deceit shall not dwell within my house; the speaker of lies shall have no place before my eyes.
8. Every morning I will cut down all the wicked of the land, to excise all evildoers from the city of the Lord. Chapter 102:1. A prayer of the poor man when he is faint [with affliction], and pours out his tale of woe before the Lord.
2. O Lord, hear my prayer, let my cry reach You!
3. Hide not Your face from me on the day of my distress; turn Your ear to me; on the day that I call, answer me quickly.
4. For my days have vanished with the smoke; my bones are dried up as a hearth.
5. Smitten like grass and withered is my heart, for I have forgotten to eat my bread.
6. From the voice of my sigh, my bone cleaves to my flesh.
7. I am like the bird of the wilderness; like the owl of the wasteland have I become.
8. In haste I fled; I was like a bird, alone on a roof.
9. All day my enemies disgrace me; those who ridicule me curse using my name.1
10. For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mixed my drink with tears,
11. because of Your anger and Your wrath-for You have raised me up, then cast me down.
12. My days are like the fleeting shadow; I wither away like the grass.
13. But You, Lord, will be enthroned forever, and Your remembrance is for all generations.
14. You will arise and have mercy on Zion, for it is time to be gracious to her; the appointed time has come.
15. For Your servants cherish her stones, and love her dust.
16. Then the nations will fear the Name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth Your glory,
17. when [they see that] the Lord has built Zion, He has appeared in His glory.
18. He turned to the entreaty of the prayerful, and did not despise their prayer.
19. Let this be written for the last generation, so that the newborn nation will praise the Lord.
20. For He looked down from His holy heights; from heaven, the Lord gazed upon the earth,
21. to hear the cry of the bound, to untie those who are doomed to die,
22. so that the Name of the Lord be declared in Zion, and His praise in Jerusalem,
23. when nations and kingdoms will gather together to serve the Lord.
24. He weakened my strength on the way; He shortened my days.
25. I would say: "My God, do not remove me in the midst of my days! You Whose years endure through all generations.”
26. In the beginning You laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands.
27. They will perish, but You will endure; all of them will wear out like a garment; You will exchange them like a robe, and they will vanish.
28. But You remain the same; Your years will not end.
29. The children of Your servants will abide; their seed shall be established before You.
Links: About the Ten Days of teshuvah; Voicemail; more on teshuvah
Today in Jewish History:
• Rabbi Akiva martyred (134)The great Talmudic sage, Rabbi Akiva, was taken captive by the Romans on Tishrei 5 of the year 3894 from creation (134 CE). His subsequent torture and execution is recalled in the stirring Eleh Ezkarah poem of the Yom Kippur service.
• Birth of NaftaliNaftali, the son of Jacob and Bilhah, sixth of the Twelve Tribes, was born on the 5th of Tishrei. He lived to be 133 years old.
Daily Quote:
As the will of the infinite and unknowable G-d, every mitzvah is essentially beyond understanding. Yet G-d clothed His commandments in "garments" of reason, so that not only our hands and feet but also our minds and heart should be involved in their fulfillment. This is true of every mitzvah, from the most esoteric "decree" to the most logical "law". The difference is only in the subtlety of the garment. (The Lubavitcher Rebbe)
Daily Torah Study:
Chumash: Vezot Hab'rachah, 2nd Portion Deuteronomy 33:8-33:12 with Rashi
• English / Hebrew Linear Translation
• Video Class
• Daily Wisdom (short insight)
Deuteronomy Chapter 33
8And of Levi he said: "Your Tummim and Urim belong to Your pious man, whom You tested at Massah and whom You tried at the waters of Meribah, חוּלְלֵוִ֣י אָמַ֔ר תֻּמֶּ֥יךָ וְאוּרֶ֖יךָ לְאִ֣ישׁ חֲסִידֶ֑ךָ אֲשֶׁ֤ר נִסִּיתוֹ֙ בְּמַסָּ֔ה תְּרִיבֵ֖הוּ עַל־מֵ֥י מְרִיבָֽה:
And of Levi he said: Heb. וּלְלֵוִי אָמַר, And of Levi, he said….
וללוי אמר: ועל לוי אמר:
Your Tummim and Urim: Here, Moses is addressing the Shechinah .
תמיך ואוריך: כלפי שכינה הוא מדבר:
whom You tested at Massah: [spoken in praise of the Levites,] for they did not complain with the others who complained.
אשר נסיתו במסה: שלא נתלוננו עם שאר המלינים:
and whom You tried…: [This is to be understood] as the Targum renders it [namely, “You tested him (Levi) at the Waters of Meribah, and he came out faithful”]. Another explanation: “whom you tried at the waters of Meribah” — You made false accusations against him [Levi], for if Moses [was punished with death and not permitted to enter the Land of Israel because he] said to Israel, “Listen now, you rebels!” (see Num. 20:10), then [how do we understand why] Aaron and Miriam [were also punished with death and were not permitted to enter the Land of Israel] — what did they do [to deserve this]?- [Sifrei 33:8]
תריבהו וגו': כתרגומו. דבר אחר תריבהו על מי מריבה נסתקפת לו לבוא בעלילה, אם משה אמר (במדבר כ, י) שמעו נא המורים, אהרן ומרים מה עשו:
9who said of his father and his mother, 'I do not see him'; neither did he recognize his brothers, nor did he know his children, for they observed Your word and kept Your covenant. טהָֽאֹמֵ֞ר לְאָבִ֤יו וּלְאִמּוֹ֙ לֹ֣א רְאִיתִ֔יו וְאֶת־אֶחָיו֙ לֹ֣א הִכִּ֔יר וְאֶת־בָּנָ֖ו לֹ֣א יָדָ֑ע כִּ֤י שָֽׁמְרוּ֙ אִמְרָתֶ֔ךָ וּבְרִֽיתְךָ֖ יִנְצֹֽרוּ:
who said of his father and his mother, 'I do not see him…’: [Moses says:] When they [Israel] sinned with the calf, and I said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me!” (Exod. 32:26), all the sons of Levi assembled to me, and I ordered them to kill [those guilty of worshipping the golden calf, even] one’s mother’s father, if he was an [ordinary] Israelite [and not a Levite], or his brother from his mother [if his brother’s father was not a Levite], or the son of his daughter [whose husband was not a Levite], and they did so. It is, however, impossible to explain [that it means literally his father and his brother from his father, and likewise, literally his sons, because all these were Levites, and not one of the tribe of Levi sinned, as it is said, “and all the sons of Levi [gathered to him]” (Exod. 32:26). - [Sifrei 33:9]
האומר לאביו ולאמו לא ראיתיו: כשחטאו בעגל ואמרתי (שמות לב, כו) מי לה' אלי, נאספו אלי כל בני לוי וצויתים להרוג את אבי אמו והוא מישראל, או את אחיו מאמו, או את בן בתו, וכן עשו. ואי אפשר לפרש אביו ממש ואחיו מאביו וכן בניו ממש, שהרי לוים הם ומשבט לוי לא חטא אחד מהם שנאמר כל בני לוי:
for they observed Your word: namely,“You shall have no other gods [before Me]” (Exod. 20:3). - [Sifrei 33:9]
כי שמרו אמרתך: (שמות כ, ב) לא יהיה לך אלהים אחרים:
and kept Your covenant: namely, the covenant of circumcision. — [Sifrei 33:9] For the [ordinary] Israelites who were born in the desert did not circumcise their sons, whereas the Levites were [not only] circumcised themselves, [but they] also circumcised their sons. — [Sifrei Bemidbar 9:18]
ובריתך ינצרו: ברית מילה, שאותם שנולדו במדבר של ישראל לא מלו את בניהם והם היו מולין ומלין את בניהם:
10They shall teach Your ordinances to Jacob, and Your Torah to Israel; they shall place incense before You, and burnt offerings upon Your altar. ייוֹר֤וּ מִשְׁפָּטֶ֨יךָ֙ לְיַֽעֲקֹ֔ב וְתוֹרָֽתְךָ֖ לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יָשִׂ֤ימוּ קְטוֹרָה֙ בְּאַפֶּ֔ךָ וְכָלִ֖יל עַל־מִזְבְּחֶֽךָ:
They shall teach Your ordinances: [because] they are worthy of doing this.
יורו משפטיך: ראויין אלו לכך:
and burnt-offerings: Heb. וְכָלִיל, a burnt-offering [which is completely (כָּלִיל) consumed on the altar]. — [Yoma 26a]
וכליל: עולה:
11May the Lord bless his army and favorably accept the work of his hands; strike the loins of those who rise up against him and his enemies, so that they will not recover." יאבָּרֵ֤ךְ יְהֹוָה֙ חֵיל֔וֹ וּפֹ֥עַל יָדָ֖יו תִּרְצֶ֑ה מְחַ֨ץ מָתְנַ֧יִם קָמָ֛יו וּמְשַׂנְאָ֖יו מִן־יְקוּמֽוּן:
strike the loins of those who rise up against him: Strike those who rise up against him, in the loins. This is similar to what is said, “Constantly cause their loins to slip” (Ps. 69:24). Here, Moses was referring to those who contested the priesthood. — [Sifrei 33:11] Another explanation: Moses saw [prophetically] that the Hasmonean and his sons were destined to wage war with the Greeks. He therefore prayed for them, because they were few in number, namely, the twelve sons of the Hasmonean and Eleazar, against many myriads [of the enemy]. Hence, Moses said here:“May the Lord bless his army (חֵילוֹ) and favorably accept the work of his hands.” - [See Tanchuma Vayechi 14; Gen. Rabbah 99:2; Otzar Midrashim, Ma’aseh Hanukkah second version, p. 191; Midrash LaHanukkah , p. 193]
מחץ מתנים קמיו: מחץ קמיו מכת מתנים, כענין שנאמר (תהלים סט, כד) ומתניהם תמיד המעד, ועל המעוררין על הכהונה אמר כן. דבר אחר ראה שעתידין חשמונאי ובניו להלחם עם היונים והתפלל עליהם לפי שהיו מועטים י"ב בני חשמונאי ואלעזר כנגד כמה רבבות, לכך נאמר ברך ה' חילו ופועל ידיו תרצה:
and his enemies so that they will not recover: Strike the loins of those who rise up against him and of his enemies, so that they will have no recovery.
ומשנאיו מן יקומון: מחץ קמיו ומשנאיו מהיות להם תקומה:
12And of Benjamin he said, "The Lord's beloved one shall dwell securely beside Him; He protects him all day long, and He dwells between his shoulders." יבלְבִנְיָמִ֣ן אָמַ֔ר יְדִ֣יד יְהֹוָ֔ה יִשְׁכֹּ֥ן לָבֶ֖טַח עָלָ֑יו חֹפֵ֤ף עָלָיו֙ כָּל־הַיּ֔וֹם וּבֵ֥ין כְּתֵפָ֖יו שָׁכֵֽן:
And of Benjamin he said: Since Levi’s blessing pertains to the sacrificial service, and Benjamin’s blessing pertains to building the Holy Temple within his territory, Moses juxtaposed one to the other. He then juxtaposes Joseph immediately after him [Benjamin] because Joseph too [had a sanctuary built within his territory, namely] the Mishkan of Shiloh was erected in his territory, as is said:“He rejected the tent of Joseph” (Ps. 78:67). And because the Holy Temple is dearer [to God] than [the Mishkan of] Shiloh, he mentioned [the blessing of] Benjamin before [that of] Joseph [even though Joseph was older.].
לבנימן אמר: לפי שברכת לוי בעבודת הקרבנות ושל בנימין בבנין בית המקדש בחלקו סמכן זה לזה וסמך יוסף אחריו, שאף הוא משכן שילה היה בנוי בחלקו, שנאמר (שם עח, סז) וימאס באהל יוסף וגו'. ולפי שבית עולמים חביב משילה לכך הקדים בנימין ליוסף:
He protects him: Heb. חֹפֵף, covers him and protects him.
חפף עליו: מכסה אותו ומגין עליו:
all day long: i.e., forever. Since [the time] Jerusalem was chosen [for the building of the Holy Temple], the Divine Presence has never dwelt elsewhere. — [Mechilta 12:4]
כל היום: לעולם משנבחרה ירושלים לא שרתה שכינה במקום אחר:
and dwells between his shoulders: The Holy Temple was built on the highest point of his [Benjamin’s] land, except that it was twenty-three cubits below the Eitam Well (see Yoma 31a). Now, it was David’s intention to build it there [at the level of the Eitam Well], as is taught in Shechitath Kodashim [Zev. 54b]: [However,] they said to David:“Let us build it a little lower, for Scripture states, ‘and He dwells between his shoulders’ [which are lower than the head]-and there is no part of an ox more beautiful than its shoulders.”
ובין כתפיו שכן: בגובה ארצו היה, בית המקדש בנוי אלא שנמוך עשרים ושלש אמה מעין עיטם ושם היה דעתו של דוד לבנותו, כדאיתא בשחיטת קדשים (זבחים נד ב) אמרי נחתי ביה פורתא משום דכתיב ובין כתפיו שכן אין לך נאה בשור יותר מכתפיו:
Tehillim: Psalm Chapters 29 - 34
• 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 29
The Name of God appears eighteen times in this psalm, corresponding to which our Sages established eighteen blessings-the Amidah. The entire psalm can be interpreted as referring to the giving of the Torah and the ingathering of the exiles.
1. A psalm by David. Render to the Lord, children of the mighty, render to the Lord honor and strength.
2. Render to the Lord the honor due to His Name; bow down to the Lord in resplendent holiness.
3. The voice of the Lord is over the waters, the God of glory thunders; the Lord is over mighty waters.
4. The voice of the Lord resounds with might; the voice of the Lord resounds with majesty.
5. The voice of the Lord breaks cedars; the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon.
6. He makes them leap like a calf, Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox.
7. The voice of the Lord strikes flames of fire.
8. The voice of the Lord makes the desert tremble; the Lord causes the desert of Kadesh to tremble.
9. The voice of the Lord causes the does to calve, and strips the forests bare; and in His Sanctuary all proclaim His glory.
10. The Lord sat [as King] at the Flood; the Lord will sit as King forever.
11. The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.
Chapter 30
This psalm teaches one not to be distressed if God visits suffering upon him in this world, for only through suffering can one enter the World to Come. Even one of great spiritual stature should realize that his stability is not guaranteed, but that all is in the hands of God.
1. A psalm, a song of dedication of the House, by David.
2. I exalt You, Lord, for You have uplifted me, and did not allow my enemies to rejoice over me.
3. Lord, my God, I cried out to You, and You healed me.
4. Lord, You have brought up my soul from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not descend to the pit.
5. Sing to the Lord, you His pious ones, and praise His holy Name.
6. For His wrath endures but for a moment, when He is conciliated there is [long] life; when one retires at night weeping, joy will come in the morning.
7. In my security I thought, "I shall never falter.”
8. Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong; when You concealed Your countenance I was alarmed.
9. I called to You, O Lord, and I made supplication to my Lord:
10. What profit is there in my death, in my going down to the grave? Can dust praise You? Can it proclaim Your truth
11. Lord, hear and be gracious to me; Lord, be a help to me.
12. You have turned my mourning into dancing; You have undone my sackcloth and girded me with joy.
13. Therefore my soul shall sing to You, and not be silent; Lord my God, I will praise You forever.
Chapter 31
Composed by a destitute and oppressed David, running from Saul while placing his trust in God, this psalm instructs man to put his trust in God alone.
1. For the Conductor, a psalm by David.
2. In You I have taken shelter, O Lord, I shall never be shamed; rescue me in Your righteousness.
3. Turn Your ear to me, save me quickly; be to me a rock of refuge, a fortress to deliver me.
4. For You are my rock and my fortress; for the sake of Your Name, direct me and lead me.
5. Remove me from the net they planted for me, for You are my stronghold.
6. I entrust my spirit into Your hand; You will redeem me, Lord, God of truth.
7. I despise those who anticipate worthless vanities; but I trust in the Lord.
8. I will rejoice and delight in Your kindness, for You have seen my affliction; You know the troubles of my soul.
9. You have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy; You have set my feet on spacious ground.
10. Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eye wastes away from vexation-my soul and my stomach.
11. For my life is spent in sorrow, my years in sighing; my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones are wasted away.
12. Because of my adversaries I have become a disgrace-exceedingly to my neighbors, and a dread to my friends; those who see me outside flee from me.
13. Like a dead man, I was forgotten from the heart; I became like a lost vessel.
14. For I have heard the slander of many, terror on every side, when they assembled together against me and plotted to take my life.
15. But I trusted in You, O Lord; I said, "You are my God.”
16. My times are in Your hand; save me from the hands of my enemies and pursuers.
17. Shine Your countenance upon Your servant; deliver me in Your kindness.
18. O Lord, let me not be ashamed, for I have called You; let the wicked be shamed, let them be silent to the grave.
19. Let the lips of falsehood-which speak insolently against the righteous, with arrogance and contempt-be struck dumb.
20. How abundant is Your good that You have hidden for those who fear You; in the presence of man, You have acted for those who take refuge in You.
21. Conceal them from the haughtiness of man, in the shelter of Your countenance; hide them in a shelter from the strife of tongues.
22. Blessed is the Lord, for He has been wondrous in His kindness to me in a besieged city.
23. I said in my panic, "I am cut off from before Your eyes!" But in truth, You heard the voice of my pleas when I cried to You.
24. Love the Lord, all His pious ones! The Lord preserves the faithful, and repays with exactness those who act haughtily.
25. Be strong and fortify your hearts, all who put their hope in the Lord!
Chapter 32
This psalm speaks of forgiveness of sin, and of the good fortune of one who repents and confesses to God wholeheartedly.
1. By David, a maskil.1Fortunate is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
2. Fortunate is the man to whom the Lord does not reckon his sin, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
3. When I was silent, my limbs wore away through my wailing all day long.
4. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my marrow became [dry] as the droughts of summer, Selah.
5. My sin I made known to You, my iniquity I did not cover. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord," and You have forgiven the iniquity of my transgression forever.
6. For this let every pious man pray to You, at a time when You may be found; indeed, the flood of many waters will not reach him.
7. You are a refuge to me; protect me from distress; surround me with songs of deliverance forever.
8. I will enlighten you and educate you in the path you should go; I will advise you with what I have seen.
9. Be not like a horse, like a mule, senseless, that must be muzzled with bit and bridle when being adorned, so that it not come near you.
10. Many are the agonies of the wicked, but he who trusts in the Lord is surrounded by kindness.
11. Rejoice in the Lord and exult, you righteous ones! Sing joyously, all you upright of heart!
FOOTNOTES
1.A psalm intended to enlighten and impart knowledge(Metzudot).
Chapter 33
This psalm teaches the righteous and upright to praise God. For the more one knows of the Torah's wisdom, the more should he praise God, for he knows and understands His greatness.
1. Sing joyously to the Lord, you righteous ones; it is fitting for the upright to offer praise.
2. Extol the Lord with a harp; sing to Him with a ten-stringed lyre.
3. Sing to Him a new song; play well with sounds of jubilation.
4. For the word of the Lord is just; all His deeds are done in faithfulness.
5. He loves righteousness and justice; the kindness of the Lord fills the earth.
6. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their hosts.
7. He gathers the waters of the sea like a mound; He places the deep waters in vaults.
8. Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world tremble before Him.
9. For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it endured.
10. The Lord has annulled the counsel of nations; He has foiled the schemes of peoples.
11. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the thoughts of His heart throughout all generations.
12. Fortunate is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose as a heritage for Himself.
13. The Lord looks down from heaven; He beholds all mankind.
14. From His dwelling-place He looks intently upon all the inhabitants of the earth.
15. It is He Who fashions the hearts of them all, Who perceives all their actions.
16. The king is not saved by a great army, nor a warrior rescued by great might.
17. The horse is a false guarantee for victory; with all its great strength it offers no escape.
18. But the eye of the Lord is directed toward those who fear Him, toward those who hope for His kindness,
19. to save their soul from death and to sustain them during famine.
20. Our soul yearns for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.
21. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, for we have put our trust in His Holy Name.
22. May Your kindness, Lord, be upon us, as we have placed our hope in You.
Chapter 34
This psalm tells of when David was in grave danger while at the palace of Achish, brother of Goliath. David acted like a madman, letting spittle run down his beard, and writing on the doors: "Achish, king of Gath, owes me one hundred thousand gold coins," leading Achish to eject him from the palace. In his joy, David composed this psalm in alphabetical sequence.
1. By David, when he feigned insanity before Avimelech,1 who then drove him away, and he left.
2. I bless the Lord at all times; His praise is always in my mouth.
3. My soul glories in the Lord; let the humble hear it and rejoice.
4. Exalt the Lord with me, and let us extol His Name together.
5. I sought the Lord and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.
6. Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never humiliated.
7. This poor man called, and the Lord heard; He delivered him from all his tribulations.
8. The angel of the Lord camps around those who fear Him, and rescues them.
9. Taste and see that the Lord is good; fortunate is the man who trusts in Him.
10. Fear the Lord, you His holy ones, for those who fear Him suffer no want.
11. Young lions may want and hunger, but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.
12. Come, children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
13. Who is the man who desires life, who loves long life wherein to see goodness?
14. Guard your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit.
15. Turn away from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it.
16. The eyes of the Lord are directed toward the righteous, and His ears toward their cry.
17. The wrath of the Lord is upon the evildoers, to excise their memory from the earth.
18. But when they [repent and] cry out, the Lord hears, and saves them from all their troubles.
19. The Lord is close to the broken-hearted, and saves those with a crushed spirit.
20. Many are the afflictions of a righteous person, but the Lord rescues him from them all.
21. He protects all his bones; not one of them is broken.
22. Evil brings death upon the wicked, and the enemies of the righteous are condemned.
23. The Lord redeems the soul of His servants; all who take shelter in Him are not condemned.
FOOTNOTES
1.All Philistine kings are referred to by the name Avimelech (Rashi).
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 100, 101 and 102.
Chapter 100
This psalm inspires the hearts of those who suffer in this world. Let them, nevertheless, serve God with joy, for all is for their good, as in the verse: "He whom God loves does He chastise." The psalm also refers to the thanksgiving sacrifice-the only sacrifice to be offered in the Messianic era.
1. A psalm of thanksgiving. Let all the earth sing in jubilation to the Lord.
2. Serve the Lord with joy; come before Him with exultation.
3. Know that the Lord is God; He has made us and we are His, His people and the sheep of His pasture.
4. Enter His gates with gratitude, His courtyards with praise; give thanks to Him, bless His Name.
5. For the Lord is good; His kindness is everlasting, and His faithfulness is for all generations.
Chapter 101
This psalm speaks of David's secluding himself from others, and of his virtuous conduct even in his own home.
1. By David, a psalm. I will sing of [Your] kindness and justice; to You, O Lord, will I chant praise!
2. I will pay heed to the path of integrity-O when will it come to me? I shall walk with the innocence of my heart [even] within my house.
3. I shall not place an evil thing before my eyes; I despise the doing of wayward deeds, it does not cling to me.
4. A perverse heart shall depart from me; I shall not know evil.
5. He who slanders his fellow in secret, him will I cut down; one with haughty eyes and a lustful heart, him I cannot suffer.
6. My eyes are upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in the path of integrity, he shall minister to me.
7. He that practices deceit shall not dwell within my house; the speaker of lies shall have no place before my eyes.
8. Every morning I will cut down all the wicked of the land, to excise all evildoers from the city of the Lord.
Chapter 102
An awe-inspiring prayer for the exiled, and an appropriate prayer for anyone in distress.
1. A prayer of the poor man when he is faint [with affliction], and pours out his tale of woe before the Lord.
2. O Lord, hear my prayer, let my cry reach You!
3. Hide not Your face from me on the day of my distress; turn Your ear to me; on the day that I call, answer me quickly.
4. For my days have vanished with the smoke; my bones are dried up as a hearth.
5. Smitten like grass and withered is my heart, for I have forgotten to eat my bread.
6. From the voice of my sigh, my bone cleaves to my flesh.
7. I am like the bird of the wilderness; like the owl of the wasteland have I become.
8. In haste I fled; I was like a bird, alone on a roof.
9. All day my enemies disgrace me; those who ridicule me curse using my name.1
10. For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mixed my drink with tears,
11. because of Your anger and Your wrath-for You have raised me up, then cast me down.
12. My days are like the fleeting shadow; I wither away like the grass.
13. But You, Lord, will be enthroned forever, and Your remembrance is for all generations.
14. You will arise and have mercy on Zion, for it is time to be gracious to her; the appointed time has come.
15. For Your servants cherish her stones, and love her dust.
16. Then the nations will fear the Name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth Your glory,
17. when [they see that] the Lord has built Zion, He has appeared in His glory.
18. He turned to the entreaty of the prayerful, and did not despise their prayer.
19. Let this be written for the last generation, so that the newborn nation will praise the Lord.
20. For He looked down from His holy heights; from heaven, the Lord gazed upon the earth,
21. to hear the cry of the bound, to untie those who are doomed to die,
22. so that the Name of the Lord be declared in Zion, and His praise in Jerusalem,
23. when nations and kingdoms will gather together to serve the Lord.
24. He weakened my strength on the way; He shortened my days.
25. I would say: "My God, do not remove me in the midst of my days! You Whose years endure through all generations.”
26. In the beginning You laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands.
27. They will perish, but You will endure; all of them will wear out like a garment; You will exchange them like a robe, and they will vanish.
28. But You remain the same; Your years will not end.
29. The children of Your servants will abide; their seed shall be established before You.
Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 20
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Monday, Tishrei 5, 5778 · September 25, 2017
Today's Tanya Lesson
Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 20
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Rambam:
• Sefer Hamitzvot:
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Today's Mitzvah
Monday, Tishrei 5, 5778 · September 25, 2017
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
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Negative Commandment 46
Settling in Egypt
"You shall never again return that way"—Deuteronomy 17:16.
We are forbidden from dwelling in the land of Egypt, so that we do not learn their heretical ways nor their depraved lifestyle that the Torah decries. Alexandria, too, is part of the boundaries of Egypt that we may not live in. From the Sea of Alexandria we measure 400 parsah [a parsah is approximately four kilometers] to the length and breadth—and that is the boundary of the Land of Egypt that we may not dwell in.
The prohibition only applies to settling in Egypt. It is, however, permitted to travel to Egypt for business purposes, or to annex [parts of it to Israel].
Full text of this Mitzvah »
Settling in Egypt
Negative Commandment 46
Translated by Berel Bell
The 46th prohibition is that we are forever forbidden from living in the land of Egypt. [The purpose of this prohibition is] so that we should not learn from their heresy and not come to imitate their behavior, which the Torah considers wicked.
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "[The king must not accumulate many horses, so as not to bring the people back to Egypt to get more horses, and G‑d told you] you must never again return on that path."
This prohibition is repeated three times in the Torah, as our Sages said,2 "The Torah repeats the prohibition against returning to Egypt three times; on three occasions they returned; and three times they were punished." Of the three times mentioned in the Torah, the first is the verse mentioned above. The second is G‑d's statement,3 "[G‑d will bring you back to Egypt in ships,] along the way that I told you not to ever see again." And the third is G‑d's statement,4 "You are seeing the Egyptians today, but you shall not see them again." Although the plain meaning of Scripture is that it is notification,5 the Oral Tradition tells us that it is actually a prohibition.
It is explained in the end of tractate Sukkah6 that Alexandria is included in the area in which it is forbidden to settle. From the Sea of Alexandria one measures 400 parsah in length and 400 parsah in width, and that area constitutes the "land of Egypt" in which it is forbidden to settle.
However, one may go there in order to do business or to pass through to another land. The Jerusalem Talmud7 says clearly, "You may not return there to live, but may return there to do business and trade or to conquer [another8] land."
FOOTNOTES
1.Deut. 17:16.
2.Yerushalmi, Sukkah, 4:1.
3.Deut. 28:68
4.Ex. 14:13.
5.I.e. not a command prohibiting return to Egypt, but rather a notification and prediction that in fact they will not return to Egypt. Therefore, the plain meaning of Scripture implies that this should not be counted as a mitzvah.
6.51b.
7.Sanhedrin, end of Ch. 10.
8.See Hilchos Melachim 5:8, where the Rambam adds that if a Jewish king, upon obtaining approval from the Sanhedrin, would conquer Egypt, this prohibition would not apply.
Positive Commandment 190
Proposing Peace before Waging War
"They shall be your subjects and shall serve you"—Deuteronomy 20:11.
When embarking upon an "optional war" [for the sake of expanding the borders of Israel, as opposed to the "mitzvah wars" waged against Amalek and the Seven Canaanite Nations], we are commanded to first offer the opponent a peace settlement. If the opponent accepts the terms of the peace proposal – i.e., the nation accepts upon itself Jewish sovereignty and agrees to pay an annual tax to the Jewish monarch – then we do not wage battle against them.
If they do not accept the terms of the peace proposal, then we go to battle and kill the male population, and the women and property are taken as spoils.
[With regards to "mitzvah wars," we also first offer a peace proposal, but in the event that the enemy doesn't accept the terms, then the entire population – male and female – are not allowed to live.]
Full text of this Mitzvah »
Proposing Peace before Waging War
Positive Commandment 190
Translated by Berel Bell
The 190th mitzvah is that we are commanded regarding the way1 to wage war against other nations [besides Amalek and the seven nations]. Such a war is called a milchemes reshus2 [optional war]. We are commanded that in the event of war, we should offer to make peace with them only as far as not killing them. If they surrender and give us the land, we then place upon them duty and servitude.3
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement4 (exalted be He), "[When you approach a city to wage war against it, you must propose a peaceful settlement. If the city responds peacefully and opens its gates to you,] all the people inside shall pay you duty and serve you."
The Sifri5 says, "If they [the enemy] say, 'We accept duty but not servitude,' or 'servitude but not duty,' we do not accept; only when they accept both." [The "duty"6 is] to pay a fixed amount every year, as set by the king of that time, and the "servitude" is to obey all commands and to be constantly in fear and humbled.
But if they do not surrender, we are commanded to kill all male inhabitants of the city, both high and low in status,7 and to capture all the booty and the women. This is commanded in G‑d's statement8 (exalted be He), "If they reject your peace offer [...you shall strike down its males by the sword. However, the women, children, animals and all the goods in the city, you shall take as your spoils]." All these laws are included under the commandment of milchemes reshus.
The details of this mitzvah are explained in the second chapter of tractate Sanhedrin9 and the eighth chapter of tractate Sotah.10
FOOTNOTES
1.See Kapach, 5731, footnote 65.
2.Such a war is waged in order to acquire additional land or to increase the fame and power of the king. This is in distinction to a milchemes mitzvah, which is obligatory, for protection.
3.The "duty" (mas) is to be prepared to work and give money for the needs of the king. The "servitude" is to always be humbled under Jewish control. See Hilchos Melachim 6:1.
4.Deut. 20:11.
5.Ibid.
6.See footnote above from Mishneh Torah.
7.See Kapach, 5731, footnote 68, who translates katan v'gadol (literally, "small and big") in this way (rather than "young and old") because in Hilchos Melachim 6:4, the Rambam rules that male children are not killed, but taken captive.
8.Deut. 20:12-14.
9.20b.
10.44b.
Negative Commandment 56
Offering Peace to Amon or Moab
"You must not seek their peace or prosperity"—Deuteronomy 23:7.
Normally, when embarking upon a battle, we are commanded to first offer the enemy terms for a peace proposal (see Positive Commandment 190). Not so with the nations of Amon and Moab, whom we may not offer a peace proposal. [Though if they, of their own volition, offer to make peace, we do accept their proposal—provided it meets the conditions outlined in the positive commandment referenced above.]
Full text of this Mitzvah »
Offering Peace to Amon or Moab
Negative Commandment 56
Translated by Berel Bell
The 56th prohibition is that we are forbidden from ever offering peace to the nations of Ammon or Moav. This ["offering peace"] refers to G‑d's command that before attacking any cities, we should first offer its inhabitants to give in and surrender to us. If they surrender the city, we are prohibited from attacking and killing them, as explained in Positive Commandment 190. The exceptions are Ammon and Moav, to who we may not make this offer. G‑d prohibited us from offering the option of surrender and asking them to give in.1
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement2 (exalted be He), "You must never seek peace with them nor their well-being [as long as you exist]."
The Sifri3 says, "From the verse,4 'When you approach a city to wage war against it, you must propose a peaceful settlement,' one could think the same applies here [to Ammon and Moav]. The Torah therefore says, 'You must never seek peace with them nor their well-being.' But from the phrase,5 '[He must be allowed to live alongside you wherever he chooses in your settlements,] be good to him,' one could think the same applies here.6 The Torah therefore says, '[nor their well-being] as long as you exist.' "7
FOOTNOTES
1.If they themselves surrender, however, we accept (Hilchos Melachim 6:6).
2.Deut. 23:7.
3.Ibid.
4.Ibid., 20:10.
5.Ibid. 23:17. The passage refers to a servant who has run away from his master and seeks refuge with you. However, the phrase, "be good to him," is superfluous in this context. Therefore, it could be construed as applying to Ammon and Moav, who were discussed a few verses beforehand.
6.I.e. that the choice of living peacefully should be offered even to Ammon and Moav.
7.I.e. the prohibition applies despite the phrase, "be good to him."
Negative Commandment 57
Wanton Destruction
"You shall not destroy its trees"—Deuteronomy 20:19.
In the course of battle, while besieging an enemy city, it is forbidden to cut down fruit-bearing trees in order to cause distress and pain to the city's inhabitants.
Included in this mitzvah is the prohibition against any wanton destruction; for example, cutting down a fruit-bearing tree [even not in time of battle], or needlessly burning a garment or breaking a utensil.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
Wanton Destruction
Negative Commandment 57
Translated by Berel Bell
The 57th prohibition is that when besieging a city, we are forbidden from cutting down fruit trees in order to cause distress and pain to its inhabitants.
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "[When you lay siege to a city...,] you must not wield an ax and destroy its trees, for they eat from them. Do not cut them down."
All forms of destruction are included in this prohibition. One who needlessly burns a garment or breaks an object, for example, transgresses this prohibition and is punished by lashing.2
It is explained in the end of tractate Makkos3 that one who cuts down useful4 trees is punished by lashes. Our Sages say, "The prohibition is from this verse: 'For they eat from them. Do not cut them down.' "
The details of this mitzvah are explained in the second chapter of tractate Bava Basra.5
FOOTNOTES
1.Deut. 20:19.
2.In Hilchos Melachim 6:10, however, the Rambam rules that such types of destruction are punished only by Rabbinic lashes.
3.22a.
4.I.e. food bearing.
5.26a.
Positive Commandment 192
Hygiene in the Army Camp
"You shall have a designated place outside the camp"—Deuteronomy 23:13.
When going out to war, we are commanded to designate a place outside the army encampment where the soldiers can relieve themselves; so that they do not relieve themselves wherever they wish or between the tents, as is the practice amongst the nations.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
Hygiene in the Army Camp
Positive Commandment 192
Translated by Berel Bell
The 192nd mitzvah is that we are commanded that when our camps go out to war, we must prepare a place outside the camp for people to relieve themselves. People should not relieve themselves just anywhere among the tents as other nations do.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "You must have a designated place outside the camp...."
The Sifra2 says, "The word yad means a designated place, as it is written,3 'He set up for him a designated place (yad).' "
FOOTNOTES
1.Deut. 23:13.
2.Ibid. This seemingly should read, "Sifri," as in the next Mitzvah.
3.Shmuel I, 15:12.
Positive Commandment 193
Hygiene Equipment for Soldiers
"And you shall have a spade among your weapons"—Deuteronomy 23:14.
Together with all the other weaponry each soldier carries around, he should also be equipped with a spade, so that when he needs to relieve himself he can dig a small hole, relieve himself there, and then cover up his defecation—so that there remains no exposed excrement on the grounds of the battle camp.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
Hygiene Equipment for Soldiers
Positive Commandment 193
Translated by Berel Bell
The 193rd mitzvah is that we are commanded that everyone in the camp must have a digging implement hanging with their weapons. It is used to dig a hole in the designated area,1 into which one excretes, and to cover the excrement afterwards so that it not be visible on the ground. This applies specifically in a war camp, as it is written at the beginning of the section,2 "When you go out as a camp against your enemies."
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement,3 "You must keep a spade with your weapons (azeinecha)."
The Sifri says, "The word azeinecha refers to the place of the weapons (ziyunecha)."
FOOTNOTES
1.See previous Mitzvah.
2.Deut. 23:10.
3.Ibid., 23:14.
Rambam:
• 1 Chapter A Day: Melachim uMilchamot Melachim uMilchamot - Chapter 11
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Melachim uMilchamot - Chapter 11
1
In the future, the Messianic king will arise and renew the Davidic dynasty, restoring it to its initial sovereignty. He will build the Temple and gather the dispersed of Israel.
Then, in his days, the observance of all the statutes will return to their previous state. We will offer sacrifices, observe the Sabbatical and Jubilee years according to all their particulars as described by the Torah.
Anyone who does not believe in him or does not await his coming, denies not only the statements of the other prophets, but those of the Torah and Moses, our teacher. The Torah testified to his coming, as Deuteronomy 30:3-5 states:
God will bring back your captivity and have mercy upon you. He will again gather you from among the nations... Even if your Diaspora is at the ends of the heavens, God will gather you up from there... and bring you to the land....
These explicit words of the Torah include all the statements made by all the prophets.
Reference to Mashiach is also made in the portion of Bilaam who prophesies about two anointed kings: the first anointed king, David, who saved Israel from her oppressors; and the final anointed king who will arise from his descendants and save Israel in the end of days. That passage Numbers 24:17-18 relates:
'I see it, but not now' - This refers to David;
'I perceive it, but not in the near future;" - This refers to the Messianic king;
'A star shall go forth from Jacob' - This refers to David;
'and a staff shall arise in Israel' - This refers to the Messianic king;
'crushing all of Moab's princes' - This refers to David as II Samuel 8:2 relates: 'He smote Moab and measured them with a line;'
'decimating all of Seth's descendants' - This refers to the Messianic king about whom Zechariah 9:10 prophesies: 'He will rule from sea to sea.'
'Edom will be demolished' - This refers to David as II Samuel 8:6 states 'Edom became the servants of David;'
'Seir will be destroyed' - this refers to the Messianic king as Ovadiah 1:21 prophesies: 'Saviors will ascend Mount Zion to judge the mountain of Esau....'
א
המלך המשיח עתיד לעמוד ולהחזיר מלכות דוד ליושנה לממשלה הראשונה ובונה המקדש ומקבץ נדחי ישראל וחוזרין כל המשפטים בימיו כשהיו מקודם מקריבין קרבנות ועושין שמטין ויובלות ככל מצותה האמורה בתורה וכל מי שאינו מאמין בו או מי שאינו מחכה לביאתו לא בשאר נביאים בלבד הוא כופר אלא בתורה ובמשה רבינו שהרי התורה העידה עליו שנאמר ושב ה' אלהיך את שבותך ורחמך ושב וקבצך וגו' אם יהיה נדחך בקצה השמים וגו' והביאך ה' ואלו הדברים המפורשים בתורה הם כוללים כל הדברים שנאמרו ע"י כל הנביאים אף בפרשת בלעם נאמר ושם נבא בשני המשיחים במשיח הראשון שהוא דוד שהושיע את ישראל מיד צריהם ובמשיח האחרון שעומד מבניו שמושיע את ישראל [באחרונה] ושם הוא אומר אראנו ולא עתה זה דוד אשורנו ולא קרוב זה מלך המשיח דרך כוכב מיעקב זה דוד וקם שבט מישראל זה מלך המשיח ומחץ פאתי מואב זה דוד וכן הוא אומר ויך את מואב וימדדם בחבל וקרקר כל בני שת זה המלך המשיח שנאמר בו ומשלו מים עד ים והיה אדום ירשה זה דוד שנאמר ותהי אדום לדוד לעבדים וגו' והיה ירשה וגו' זה המלך המשיח שנאמר ועלו מושיעים בהר ציון וגו':
2
Similarly, with regard to the cities of refuge, Deuteronomy 19:8-9 states: 'When God will expand your borders... you must add three more cities.' This command was never fulfilled. Surely, God did not give this command in vain.
There is no need to cite proofs from the works of the prophets for all their books are filled with mention of this matter.
ב
אף בערי מקלט הוא אומר אם ירחיב ה' אלהיך את גבולך ויספת לך עוד שלש ערים וגו' ומעולם לא היה דבר זה ולא צוה הקדוש ברוך הוא לתוהו אבל בדברי הנביאים אין הדבר צריך ראייה שכל הספרים מלאים בדבר זה:
3
One should not presume that the Messianic king must work miracles and wonders, bring about new phenomena in the world, resurrect the dead, or perform other similar deeds. This is definitely not true.
Proof can be brought from the fact that Rabbi Akiva, one of the greater Sages of the Mishnah, was one of the supporters of King Bar Kozibah and would describe him as the Messianic king. He and all the Sages of his generation considered him to be the Messianic king until he was killed because of sins. Once he was killed, they realized that he was not the Mashiach. The Sages did not ask him for any signs or wonders.
The main thrust of the matter is: This Torah, its statutes and its laws, are everlasting. We may not add to them or detract from them.
ג
ואל יעלה על דעתך שהמלך המשיח צריך לעשות אותות ומופתים ומחדש דברים בעולם או מחיה מתים וכיוצא בדברים אלו אין הדבר כך שהרי רבי עקיבא חכם גדול מחכמי משנה היה והוא היה נושא כליו של בן כוזיבא המלך והוא היה אומר עליו שהוא המלך המשיח ודימה הוא וכל חכמי דורו שהוא המלך המשיח עד שנהרג בעונות כיון שנהרג נודע להם שאינו ולא שאלו ממנו חכמים לא אות ולא מופת ועיקר הדברים ככה הן שהתורה הזאת חוקיה ומשפטיה לעולם ולעולמי עולמים ואין מוסיפין עליהן ולא גורעין מהן וכל המוסיף או גורע או שגילה פנים בתורה והוציא הדברים של מצוות מפשוטן הרי זה ודאי בדאי רשע ואפיקורוס:
4
If a king will arise from the House of David who diligently contemplates the Torah and observes its mitzvot as prescribed by the Written Law and the Oral Law as David, his ancestor, will compel all of Israel to walk in (the way of the Torah) and rectify the breaches in its observance, and fight the wars of God, we may, with assurance, consider him Mashiach.
If he succeeds in the above, builds the Temple in its place, and gathers the dispersed of Israel, he is definitely the Mashiach.
He will then improve the entire world, motivating all the nations to serve God together, as Tzephaniah 3:9 states: 'I will transform the peoples to a purer language that they all will call upon the name of God and serve Him with one purpose.'
If he did not succeed to this degree or was killed, he surely is not the redeemer promised by the Torah. Rather, he should be considered as all the other proper and complete kings of the Davidic dynasty who died. God caused him to arise only to test the many, as Daniel 11:35 states: 'And some of the wise men will stumble, to try them, to refine, and to clarify until the appointed time, because the set time is in the future.'
Jesus of Nazareth who aspired to be the Mashiach and was executed by the court was also alluded to in Daniel's prophecies, as ibid. 11:14 states: 'The vulgar among your people shall exalt themselves in an attempt to fulfill the vision, but they shall stumble.'
Can there be a greater stumbling block than Christianity? All the prophets spoke of Mashiach as the redeemer of Israel and their savior who would gather their dispersed and strengthen their observance of the mitzvot. In contrast, Christianity caused the Jews to be slain by the sword, their remnants to be scattered and humbled, the Torah to be altered, and the majority of the world to err and serve a god other than the Lord.
Nevertheless, the intent of the Creator of the world is not within the power of man to comprehend, for His ways are not our ways, nor are His thoughts, our thoughts. Ultimately, all the deeds of Jesus of Nazareth and that Ishmaelite who arose after him will only serve to prepare the way for Mashiach's coming and the improvement of the entire world, motivating the nations to serve God together as Tzephaniah 3:9 states: 'I will transform the peoples to a purer language that they all will call upon the name of God and serve Him with one purpose.'
How will this come about? The entire world has already become filled with the mention of Mashiach, Torah, and mitzvot. These matters have been spread to the furthermost islands to many stubborn-hearted nations. They discuss these matters and the mitzvot of the Torah, saying: 'These mitzvot were true, but were already negated in the present age and are not applicable for all time.'
Others say: 'Implied in the mitzvot are hidden concepts that can not be understood simply. The Mashiach has already come and revealed those hidden truths.'
When the true Messianic king will arise and prove successful, his position becoming exalted and uplifted, they will all return and realize that their ancestors endowed them with a false heritage and their prophets and ancestors caused them to err.
ד
ואם יעמוד מלך מבית דויד הוגה בתורה ועוסק במצות כדויד אביו כפי תורה שבכתב ושבעל פה ויכוף כל ישראל לילך בה ולחזק בדקה וילחם מלחמות ה' הרי זה בחזקת שהוא משיח אם עשה והצליח ובנה מקדש במקומו וקבץ נדחי ישראל הרי זה משיח בודאי ויתקן את העולם כולו לעבוד את ה' ביחד שנאמר כי אז אהפוך אל עמים שפה ברורה לקרוא כולם בשם ה' ולעבדו שכם אחד. ואם לא הצליח עד כה או נהרג בידוע שאינו זה שהבטיחה עליו תורה והרי הוא ככל מלכי בית דויד השלמים והכשרים שמתו ולא העמידו הקדוש ברוך הוא אלא לנסות בו רבים שנאמר ומן המשכילים יכשלו לצרוף בהם ולברר וללבן עד עת קץ כי עוד למועד. אף ישוע הנצרי שדימה שיהיה משיח ונהרג בבית דין כבר נתנבא בו דניאל שנאמר ובני פריצי עמך ינשאו להעמיד חזון ונכשלו וכי יש מכשול גדול מזה שכל הנביאים דברו שמשיח גואל ישראל ומושיעם ומקבץ נדחיהם ומחזק מצוותן וזה גרם לאבד ישראל בחרב ולפזר שאריתם ולהשפילם ולהחליף התורה ולהטעות רוב העולם לעבוד אלוה מבלעדי ה'. אך מחשבות בורא עולם אין כוח באדם להשיגם כי לא דרכינו דרכיו ולא מחשבותינו מחשבותיו וכל הדברים האלו של ישוע הנצרי ושל זה הישמעאלי שעמד אחריו אינן אלא לישר דרך למלך המשיח ולתקן העולם כולו לעבוד את ה' ביחד שנאמר כי אז אהפוך אל אחד עמים שפה ברורה לקרוא כולם בשם ה' לעבדו שכם אחד. כיצד כבר נתמלא העולם מדברי המשיח ומדברי התורה ומדברי המצוות ופשטו דברים אלו באיים רחוקים ובעמים רבים ערלי לב והם נושאים ונותנים בדברים אלו ובמצוות התורה אלו אומרים מצוות אלו אמת היו וכבר בטלו בזמן הזה ולא היו נוהגות לדורות ואלו אומרים דברים נסתרים יש בהן ואינן כפשוטן וכבר בא משיח וגילה נסתריהם וכשיעמוד המלך המשיח באמת ויצליח וירום וינשא מיד הם כולם חוזרים ויודעים ששקר נחלו אבותיהם ושנביאיהם ואבותיהם הטעום:
Rambam:
• 3 Chapters A Day: Melachim uMilchamot Melachim uMilchamot - Chapter 7, Melachim uMilchamot Melachim uMilchamot - Chapter 8, Melachim uMilchamot Melachim uMilchamot - Chapter 9
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Melachim uMilchamot - Chapter 7
1
In both a milchemet mitzvah and a milchemet hareshut, a priest is appointed to address the nation before the battle. He is anointed with the oil of anointment and is called, the meshuach milchamah.
א
אחד מלחמת מצוה ואחד מלחמת הרשות ממנין כהן לדבר אל העם בשעת המלחמה ומושחין אותו בשמן המשחה וזהו הנקרא משוח מלחמה:
2
The meshuach milchamah speaks to the nation twice: Once, at the border, as the army is leaving before they assume battle positions. At that time, he tells the nation: 'Is there a man who has planted a vineyard and has not redeemed his first crop?...' (Deuteronomy 20:6). When these individuals hear his words, they should retreat from the battlefront.
He speaks a second time when the army has assumed battle positions: Then, he declares: 'Do not be afraid. Do not panic...' (ibid. 20:3).
ב
שתי פעמים מדבר משוח מלחמה אל העם אחת בספר בעת שיוצאין קודם שיערכו המלחמה אומר לעם מי האיש אשר נטע כרם ולא חללו וגו' כשישמע דבריו יחזור מעורכי המלחמה ואחת בעורכי המלחמה אומר אל תיראו ואל תחפזו:
3
When the armies assume battle positions and will shortly join in war, the meshuach milchamah stands in an elevated place before the array of the entire army. He addresses them in Hebrew:
Listen, Israel, today you are about to wage war against your enemies. Do not be faint-hearted. Do not be afraid. Do not panic and do not break ranks before them. God, your Lord, is the One accompanying you to do battle for you against your enemies to deliver you (ibid. 20:3-4).
These words are related by the meshuach milchamah. Afterwards, another priest of a lower rank, proclaims them to the people in a loud voice. Then, the meshuach milchamah announces:
Is there a man who has built a new house?... Let him go home...
Is there a man who has planted a vineyard?... Let him go home...
Is there a man who has consecrated a woman?... Let him go home... (ibid. 20:5-7).
These words are related by the meshuach milchamah. Afterwards, an officer proclaims these words to the nation in a loud voice. the officer announces on his own initiative: 'Is there a man who is afraid or faint-hearted? Let him go home...' (ibid. 20:8). Another officer proclaims these words to the people.
ג
עת שעורכין המערכות והם קרבים להלחם משוח מלחמה עומד במקום גבוה וכל המערכות לפניו ואומר להם בלשון הקדש שמע ישראל אתם קרבים היום למלחמה על אויביכם אל ירך לבבכם אל תיראו ואל תחפזו ואל תערצו מפניהם כי ה' אלהיכם ההולך עמכם להלחם לכם עם אויביכם להושיע אתכם עד כאן אומר משוח מלחמה וכהן אחר תחתיו משמיע אותו לכל העם בקול רם ואח"כ מדבר משוח מלחמה מי האיש אשר בנה בית חדש וגו' ומי האיש אשר נטע כרם וגו' ומי האיש אשר ארש וגו' עד כאן משוח מלחמה מדבר והשוטר משמיע לכל העם בקול רם ואחר כך מדבר השוטר מעצמו ואומר מי האיש הירא ורך הלבב ושוטר אחר משמיע לכל העם:
4
After these individuals depart from the battlefront, the army is arrayed again and commanding officers are appointed at the head of the nation.
Powerful officers with iron axes in their hands are placed in the rear of each array of troops. If a person wants to leave the battle, they have permission to chop off his legs, for flight is the beginning of defeat.
In which instances are the above-mentioned individuals sent away from the battlefront? In a milchemet hareshut. By contrast, in a milchemet mitzvah, the entire nation must go out to war, even a groom from his chamber, and a bride from her pavilion.
ד
ואחר שחוזרין כל החוזרין מעורכי המלחמה מתקנין את המערכות ופוקדים שרי צבאות בראש העם ומעמידין מאחור כל מערכה ומערכה שוטרים חזקים ועזים וכשילין של ברזל בידיהם הרוצה לחזור מן המלחמה הרשות בידן לחתוך את שוקו שתחלת נפילה ניסה בד"א שמחזירין אנשים אלו מעורכי המלחמה במלחמת הרשות אבל במלחמת מצוה הכל יוצאין ואפילו חתן מחדרו וכלה מחופתה:
5
Those who leave the battlefront include a person who builds:
a house to dwell in,
a barn for his cattle,
a woodshed, or
a storage house.
A person who builds one of the latter is deferred because those structures are also fit for dwelling.
Just as a person who builds a home is deferred from military service; so, too, one who buys a home, receives one as a present, or inherits one should also return from the front.
However, one who builds (a silo,) a gatehouse, an excedra, a porch, or a house that is less than four cubits by four cubits, and similarly, a person who steals a house does not return from the war.
ה
אחד הבונה בית לישיבתו ואחד הבונה בית הבקר בית העצים בית האוצרות הואיל וראוי לדירה ואחד הבונה ואחד הלוקח ואחד שניתן לו במתנה או היורש הרי זה חוזר אבל הבונה [בית התבן] ובית שער אכסדרה ומרפסת או בית שאין בו ארבע אמות על ארבע אמות או הגוזל בית הרי זה אינו חוזר:
6
Just as a person who plants a vineyard is deferred from military service; so, too, one who plants five fruit trees, even though they are of five different species recieves a similar deferment.
This applies to one who plants a vineyard, one who extends, one who grafts, the extensions and graftings must be significant enough to obligate the vine in orlah, one who buys, one who inherits, and one who received one as a present.
However, one who plants four fruit trees or five trees that do not bear fruit and similarly, one who steals a vineyard does not return from the battlefront because of it. Also, when a vineyard is planted by two partners, neither may return from the battlefront because of it.
ו
אחד הנוטע כרם ואחד הנוטע חמשה אילני מאכל ואפילו מחמשת מיני מאכל אחד הנוטע ואחד המבריך ואחד המרכיב הברכה והרכבה שהיא חייבת בערלה אחד הלוקח ואחד היורש ואחד שניתן לו במתנה אבל הנוטע ארבעה אילני מאכל או חמשה אילני סרק או שגזל כרם אינו חוזר עליו וכן כרם של שני שותפין אין חוזרין עליו:
7
Just as a man who consecrates a virgin is deferred from military service; so, too, a deferment is granted to one who consecrates a widow and similarly, to a man to whom a yevamah becomes obligated. Even if there are five brothers and one of them dies, all should return from the battlefont.
If a man consecrates a wife on the condition that the Kiddushin take effect retroactively from the day they were given after a year has passed and that time period is completed during a war, he should return from the battlefield.
ז
אחד המארס את הבתולה ואחד המארס את האלמנה וכן אם נפלה לו יבמה אפילו חמשה אחים ומת אחד מהן כולן חוזרין קדש אשה מעכשיו ולאחר שנים עשר חדש ושלם הזמן במלחמה חוזר ובא לו:
8
A person who remarries his divorcee and one who consecrates a woman whom he is forbidden to marry, for example, a widow for a High Priest, a divorcee or a woman who has undergone chalitzah for a common priest, or a mamzer or a natinah to an Israelite, or an Israelitess to a mamzer or natin, should not return from the battlefield.
ח
המחזיר את גרושתו והמארס אשה האסורה עליו כגון אלמנה לכהן גדול גרושה וחלוצה לכהן הדיוט ממזרת ונתינה לישראל בת ישראל לממזר ולנתין אינו חוזר:
9
All those who return from the army camp, return when they hear the proclamation of the priest. They must supply food and water to their brethren in the army and fix the roads for them.
ט
כל אלו שחוזרין מעורכי המלחמה כששומעין את דברי הכהן חוזרין ומספקין מים ומזון לאחיהם שבצבא ומתקנין את הדרכים:
10
The following should not go out to the army camp at all and should not be bothered for any obligation whatsoever:
one who builds a house and dedicates it;
one who marries the woman he consecrated or his yevamah;
one who redeems his vineyard.
They are not conscripted until the completion of one year as Deuteronomy 24:5 states: 'He must remain free for his home for one year and rejoice with the bride he took.' The Oral Tradition teaches that the one-year deferment applies whether he purchased a house, married a woman, or began to benefit from the fruit of his vineyard.
י
ואלו שאין יוצאין לעורכי המלחמה כל עיקר ואין מטריחין אותם לשום דבר בעולם הבונה בית וחנכו והנושא ארוסתו או שייבם ומי שחלל כרמו אין יוצאין עד תום שנה שנאמר נקי יהיה לביתו שנה אחת ושמח את אשתו אשר לקח מפי הקבלה למדו שיהיה נקי שנה בין לבית שקנה בין לאשה שנשא בין לכרם שהתחיל לאכול פריו:
11
During this entire year, he is not obligated to supply the troops with food or water. He should not fix the roads, guard the walls or pay the levy for beams for the gates of the city, as ibid. states: 'He shall not enter military service or be assigned any duties.'
The repetition of the prohibition teaches that the transgression of two prohibitions are involved. He is not obligated to his city, nor to the army.
יא
כל השנה אין מספק מים ומזון ולא מתקן דרך ולא שומר בחומה ולא נותן לפסי העיר ולא יעבור עליו שום דבר בעולם שנאמר לא יצא בצבא ולא יעבור עליו לכל דבר לעבור בשני לאוין לא לצרכי העיר ולא לצרכי הגדוד:
12
If a person builds a house and rents it to others, in the event the tenants pay the rent beforehand, it is considered as if he has already benefited from it. If they do not pay him rent until after twelve months have passed, it is considered as if he has not yet derived benefit.
יב
בנה בית והשכירו לאחרים והקדים לו שכרו הרי זה כמי שחנכו נתן לו שכרו לאחר שנים עשר חדש הרי הוא כמי שלא חנכו עד עתה:
13
The following rules apply when a man built a house, placed his belongings inside, and locked them within: If he has to spend time guarding them, it is considered as if he derived benefit from the home and began dwelling there. If he does not have to sit and guard them, he is considered as one who has derived no benefit from his home as of yet.
יג
בנה בית ונתן בו חפציו ינעל עליהם אם היה צריך לבטל על שמירתן הרי זה כמי שחנכו והתחיל לישב בו ואם אינן צריכין לישב ולשומרן הרי זה כמי שלא חנכו:
14
Anyone that builds a house or plants a vineyard outside of the land of Israel, is not sent back [from the battlefront].
יד
וכל הבונה בית או נוטע כרם בחוצה לארץ אינו חוזר עליהן:
15
To whom does the phrase 'Is there a man who is afraid or faint-hearted]?' refer? The phrase should be interpreted simply, as applying to a person whose heart is not brave enough to stand in the throes of battle.
Once a soldier enters the throes of battle, he should rely on the Hope of Israel and their Savior in times of need. He should realize that he is fighting for the sake of the oneness of God's Name. Therefore, he should place his soul in his hand and not show fright or fear.
He should not worry about his wife or children. On the contrary, he should wipe their memory from his heart, removing all thoughts from his mind except the war.
Anyone who begins to feel anxious and worry in the midst of battle to the point where he frightens himself violates a negative commandment, as it is written (Deuteronomy 20:3): 'Do not be faint-hearted. Do not be afraid. Do not panic and do not break ranks before them.'
Furthermore, he is responsible for the blood of the entire Jewish nation. If he is not valiant, if he does not wage war with all his heart and soul, it is considered as if he shed the blood of the entire people, as ibid. 20:8 states: 'Let him go home, lest he demoralize the hearts of his brethren like his own.' Similarly, the prophetic tradition explicitly states: 'Cursed be he who does God's work deceitfully. Cursed be he who withholds his sword from blood.' Jeremiah 48:10
In contrast, anyone who fights with his entire heart, without fear, with the intention of sanctifying God's name alone, can be assured that he will find no harm, nor will bad overtake him. He will be granted a proper family in Israel and gather merit for himself and his children forever. He will also merit eternal life in the world to come as I Samuel 25:28-29 states: 'God will certainly make my lord a faithful house, for my lord fights the wars of God and evil will not be found with you... and my lord's soul will be bound in a bond of life with God.'
טו
מי האיש הירא ורך הלבב כמשמעו שאין בלבו כח לעמוד בקשרי המלחמה ומאחר שיכנס בקשרי המלחמה ישען על מקוה ישראל ומושיעו בעת צרה וידע שעל יחוד השם הוא עושה מלחמה וישים נפשו בכפו ולא יירא ולא יפחד ולא יחשוב לא באשתו ולא בבניו אלא ימחה זכרונם מלבו ויפנה מכל דבר למלחמה וכל המתחיל לחשוב ולהרהר במלחמה ומבהיל עצמו עובר בלא תעשה שנאמר אל ירך לבבכם אל תיראו ואל תחפזו ואל תערצו מפניהם ולא עוד אלא שכל דמי ישראל תלויין בצוארו ואם לא נצח ולא עשה מלחמה בכל לבו ובכל נפשו הרי זה כמי ששפך דמי הכל שנאמר ולא ימס את לבב אחיו כלבבו והרי מפורש בקבלה ארור עושה מלאכת ה' רמיה וארור מונע חרבו מדם וכל הנלחם בכל לבו בלא פחד ותהיה כוונתו לקדש את השם בלבד מובטח לו שלא ימצא נזק ולא תגיעהו רעה ויבנה לו בית נכון בישראל ויזכה לו ולבניו עד עולם ויזכה לחיי העולם הבא שנאמר כי עשה יעשה ה' לאדוני בית נאמן כי מלחמות ה' אדוני נלחם ורעה לא תמצא בך וגו' והיתה נפש אדוני צרורה בצרור החיים את ה' אלהיך:
Melachim uMilchamot - Chapter 8
1
When the army's troops enter the territory of gentiles, conquering them and taking them captive, they are permitted to eat meat from animals that died without being ritually slaughtered or which were trefe, and the flesh of pigs and similar animals, if they become hungry and can only find these forbidden foods.
Similarly, they may drink wine used in the worship of idols. This license is derived by the Oral Tradition which interprets Deuteronomy 6:10-11: 'God... will give you... houses filled with all the good things' as 'pigs' necks and the like.'
א
חלוצי צבא כשיכנסו בגבול העכו"ם ויכבשום וישבו מהן מותר להן לאכול נבלות וטרפות ובשר חזיר וכיוצא בו אם ירעב ולא מצא מה יאכל אלא מאכלות אלו האסורים וכן שותה יין נסך מפי השמועה למדו ובתים מלאים כל טוב ערפי חזירים וכיוצא בהן:
2
Similarly, a soldier may engage in sexual relations with a woman while she is still a gentile if his natural inclination overcomes him. However, he may not engage in sexual relations with her and then, go on his way. Rather, he must bring her into his home as Deuteronomy 21:11 states 'If you see a beautiful woman among the prisoners...You shall bring her into the midst of your home...'
It is forbidden for him to engage in sexual relations with her a second time until he marries her.
ב
וכן בועל אשה בגיותה אם תקפו יצרו אבל לא יבעלנה וילך לו אלא מכניסה לתוך ביתו שנאמר וראית בשביה אשת יפת תואר ואסור לבעול אותה ביאה שניה עד שישאנה:
3
Relations with a yefat toar are only permitted while she is in captivity as the verse states ' If you see... among the prisoners.'
This license is permitted whether the woman is a virgin or not, even if she is married, for the gentiles' marriages are not recognized.
A number of laws are derived from the exegesis of the verse from Deuteronomy quoted above:
'And you desire' - even though she is not beautiful.
'Her' - and not another. He may not engage in sexual relations with two women. 'You may take her as a wife' - He may not take two women as captives with the intention of engaging in relations with one and saving the other for his father or brother.
What is the source which teaches that he may not pressure her in the midst of the war? Deuteronomy 21:12 states: 'You shall bring her into the midst of your home...' Thus, he must bring her into an (vacant) place and then, engage in relations with her.
ג
אין אשת יפת תואר מותרת אלא בשעת השביה שנאמר וראית בשביה בין בתולה בין בעולה בין אשת איש שאין אישות לעכו"ם והשקת אף על פי שאינה יפה בה ולא בחברתה שלא יבעול שתים ולקחת לך לאשה שלא יקח שתים ויבעול אחת ויניח אחת לאביו או לאחיו ומנין שלא ילחצנה במלחמה שנאמר והבאתה אל תוך ביתך יכניסה למקום ואחר כך יבעול:
4
A priest is also allowed relations with a yefat toar initially. For the Torah only permitted relations as a concession to man's natural inclination. However, he is not permitted to marry her afterwards, for she is a convert.
ד
הכהן מותר ביפת תואר בביאה ראשונה שלא דברה תורה אלא כנגד היצר אבל אינו יכול לישאנה אחר כך מפני שהיא גיורת:
5
What is the procedure which a Jew must follow regarding a yefat toar after he had relations with her once while she is still a gentile? If she desires to enter under the wings of the Shechinah, he may have her immersed in a mikveh for the purpose of conversion immediately.
If she does not accept the Jewish faith, she should dwell in his house for thirty days, as ibid. 21:13 states: 'She shall mourn her father and mother for thirty days.' Similarly, she should mourn the abandonment of her faith. Her captor should not prevent her from crying.
She must let her nails grow and shave her head so that she will not appear attractive to him. She must be together with him at home. Thus, when he enters, he sees her; when he leaves; he sees her, so that he becomes disgusted with her.
He must be patient with her so that she will accept the Jewish faith. If she accepts Judaism and he desires her, she may convert and immerse herself in the mikveh for that purpose, like other converts.
ה
וכיצד דין ישראל ביפת תואר אחרי שיבעלנה ביאה ראשונה והיא בגיותה אם קבלה עליה להכנס תחת כנפי השכינה מטבילה לשם גרות מיד ואם לא קבלה תשב בביתו שלשים יום שנאמר ובכתה את אביה ואת אמה ירח ימים וכן בוכה על דתה ואינו מונעה ומגדלת את צפרניה ומגלחת את ראשה כדי שתתגנה בעיניו ותהיה עמו בבית נכנס ורואה אותה יוצא ורואה אותה כדי שיקוץ בה ומגלגל עמה כדי שתקבל אם קבלה ורצה בה הרי זו מתגיירת וטובלת ככל הגרים:
6
A captor must wait three months before marrying his captive: the month of mourning and two months following it.
When he marries her, he must give her Kiddushin and a Ketubah. If he does not desire her, he must set her free. If he sells her, he violates a negative commandment, as Deuteronomy 21:14 states: 'You may not sell her for money.' Should a captor sell his captive, the sale is invalidated and he must return the money.
Similarly, if after having relations with her, he forces her to become a servant, he violates a negative commandment from the time he makes use of her as ibid. states: lo titamar boh. That phrase means 'he should not make use of her.'
ו
וצריכה להמתין שלשה חדשים חדש של בכיה ושני חדשים אחריו ונושאה בכתובה וקידושין אם לא חפץ בה משלחה לנפשה ואם מכרה עובר בלא תעשה שנאמר ומכר לא תמכרנה בכסף [ואם מכרה] אינה מכורה ומחזיר הדמים וכן אם כבשה אחר שנבעלה לשם שפחה משישתמש בה עובר בלא תעשה שנאמר לא תתעמר בה שלא ישתמש בה:
7
Her captor must be patient with her for twelve months if she refuses to convert.
If she still refuses after this interval has passed, she must agree to accept the seven universal laws commanded to Noah's descendants and then, she is set free. Her status is the same as all other resident aliens.
Her captor may not marry her, for it is forbidden to marry a woman who has not converted.
ז
לא רצתה להתגייר מגלגלין עמה שנים עשר חדש לא רצתה מקבלת שבע מצות שנצטוו בני נח ומשלחה לנפשה והרי היא ככל הגרים התושבים ואינו נושאה שאסור לישא אשה שלא נתגיירה:
8
If she conceives after the initial relations with her captor, the child has the status of a convert. In no regard is he considered as the captor's son, for his mother is a gentile. Rather, the court immerses him in the mikveh and takes responsibility for him.
Tamar was conceived from King David's initial relations with a yefat toar, but Avshalom was conceived after marriage. Thus, Tamar was only Avshalom's maternal sister and thus, would have been permitted to Amnon. This can be inferred from the statement II Samuel 13:13: 'Speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.'
ח
נתעברה מביאה ראשונה הרי הולד גר ואינו בנו לדבר מן הדברים מפני שהוא מן העכו"ם אלא בית דין מטבילין אותו על דעתם ותמר מביאה ראשונה של יפת תואר היתה אבל אבשלום נולד מאחר הנישואין נמצאת תמר אחות אבשלום מאמו ומותרת להנשא לאמנון וכן הוא אומר דבר נא אל המלך כי לא ימנעני ממך:
9
A yefat toar who does not desire to abandon idol worship after twelve months should be executed. Similarly, a treaty cannot be made with a city which desires to accept a peaceful settlement until they deny idol worship, destroy their places of worship, and accept the seven universal laws commanded Noah's descendants. For every gentile who does not accept these commandments must be executed if he is under our undisputed authority.
ט
יפת תואר שלא רצתה להניח ע"ז אחר השנים עשר חדש הורגין אותה וכן עיר שהשלימה אין כורתין להן ברית עד שיכפרו בע"ז ויאבדו את כל מקומותיה ויקבלו שאר המצות שנצטוו בני נח שכל עכו"ם שלא קבל מצות שנצטוו בני נח הורגין אותו אם ישנו תחת ידינו:
10
Moses only gave the Torah and mitzvot as an inheritance to Israel, as Deuteronomy 33:4 states: 'The Torah... is the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob,' and to all those who desire to convert from among the other nations, as Numbers 15:15 states 'the convert shall be the same as you.' However, someone who does not desire to accept Torah and mitzvot, should not be forced to.
By the same regard, Moses was commanded by the Almighty to compel all the inhabitants of the world to accept the commandments given to Noah's descendants.
If one does not accept these commands, he should be executed. A person who formally accepts these commands is called a resident alien. This applies in any place. This acceptance must be made in the presence of three Torah scholars.
Anyone who agrees to circumcise himself and allows twelve months to pass without circumcising himself is considered as one of the nations.
י
משה רבינו לא הנחיל התורה והמצות אלא לישראל שנאמר מורשה קהלת יעקב ולכל הרוצה להתגייר משאר האומות שנאמר ככם כגר אבל מי שלא רצה אין כופין אותו לקבל תורה ומצות וכן צוה משה רבינו מפי הגבורה לכוף את כל באי העולם לקבל מצות שנצטוו בני נח וכל מי שלא יקבל יהרג והמקבל אותם הוא הנקרא גר תושב בכל מקום וצריך לקבל עליו בפני שלשה חברים וכל המקבל עליו למול ועברו עליו שנים עשר חדש ולא מל הרי זה כמן האומות:
11
Anyone who accepts upon himself the fulfillment of these seven mitzvot and is precise in their observance is considered one of 'the pious among the gentiles' and will merit a share in the world to come.
This applies only when he accepts them and fulfills them because the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded them in the Torah and informed us through Moses, our teacher, that Noah's descendants had been commanded to fulfill them previously.
However, if he fulfills them out of intellectual conviction, he is not a resident alien, nor of 'the pious among the gentiles,' nor of their wise men.
יא
כל המקבל שבע מצות ונזהר לעשותן הרי זה מחסידי אומות העולם ויש לו חלק לעולם הבא והוא שיקבל אותן ויעשה אותן מפני שצוה בהן הקב"ה בתורה והודיענו על ידי משה רבינו שבני נח מקודם נצטוו בהן אבל אם עשאן מפני הכרע הדעת אין זה גר תושב ואינו מחסידי אומות העולם ולא מחכמיהם:
Melachim uMilchamot - Chapter 9
1
Six precepts were commanded to Adam:
a) the prohibition against worship of false gods;
b) the prohibition against cursing God;
c) the prohibition against murder;
d) the prohibition against incest and adultery;
e) the prohibition against theft;
f) the command to establish laws and courts of justice.
Even though we have received all of these commands from Moses and, furthermore, they are concepts which intellect itself tends to accept, it appears from the Torah's words that Adam was commanded concerning them.
The prohibition against eating flesh from a living animal was added for Noah, as Genesis 9:4 states: 'Nevertheless, you may not eat flesh with its life, which is its blood.' Thus there are seven mitzvot.
These matters remained the same throughout the world until Abraham. When Abraham arose, in addition to these, he was commanded regarding circumcision. He also ordained the morning prayers.
Isaac separated tithes and ordained an additional prayer service before sunset. Jacob added the prohibition against eating the sciatic nerve. He also ordained the evening prayers. In Egypt, Amram was commanded regarding other mitzvot. Ultimately, Moses came and the Torah was completed by him.
א
על ששה דברים נצטווה אדם הראשון: על ע"ז ועל ברכת השם ועל שפיכות דמים ועל גילוי עריות ועל הגזל ועל הדינים אע"פ שכולן הן קבלה בידינו ממשה רבינו והדעת נוטה להן מכלל דברי תורה יראה שעל אלו נצטוה הוסיף לנח אבר מן החי שנאמר אך בשר בנפשו דמו לא תאכלו נמצאו שבע מצות וכן היה הדבר בכל העולם עד אברהם בא אברהם ונצטוה יתר על אלו במילה והוא התפלל שחרית ויצחק הפריש מעשר והוסיף תפלה אחרת לפנות היום ויעקב הוסיף גיד הנשה והתפלל ערבית ובמצרים נצטוה עמרם במצות יתירות עד שבא משה רבינו ונשלמה תורה על ידו:
2
A gentile who worships false gods is liable provided he worships them in an accepted manner.
A gentile is executed for every type of foreign worship which a Jewish court would consider worthy of capital punishment. However, a gentile is not executed for a type of foreign worship which a Jewish court would not deem worthy of capital punishment. Nevertheless, even though a gentile will not be executed for these forms of worship, he is forbidden to engage in all of them.
We should not allow them to erect a monument, or to plant an Asherah, or to make images and the like even though they are only for the sake of beauty.
ב
בן נח שעבד ע"ז הרי זה חייב והוא שיעבוד כדרכה וכל ע"ז שבית דין של ישראל ממיתין עליה בן נח נהרג עליה וכל שאין בית דין של ישראל ממיתין עליה אין בן נח נהרג עליה ואף על פי שאינו נהרג אסור בכל ואין מניחין אותו להקים מצבה ולא ליטע אשרה ולא לעשות צורות וכיוצא בהן לנוי:
3
A gentile who curses God's Name, whether he uses God's unique name or one of His other names, in any language, is liable. This law does not apply with regard to Jews.
ג
בן נח שבירך את השם בין שבירך בשם המיוחד בין שבירך בכינוי בכל לשון חייב מה שאין כן בישראל:
4
A gentile who slays any soul, even a fetus in its mother's womb, should be executed in retribution for its death. Similarly, if he slew a person who would have otherwise died in the near future, placed a person before a lion, or starved a person to death, he should be executed for through one manner or other, he killed.
Similarly, one should be executed if he killed a pursuer when he could have saved the latter's potential victim by maiming one of the pursuer's limbs. These laws do not apply with regard to Jews.
ד
בן נח שהרג נפש אפילו עובר במעי אמו נהרג עליו וכן אם הרג טריפה או שכפתו ונתנו לפי ארי או שהניחו ברעב עד שמת הואיל והמית מכל מקום נהרג וכן אם הרג רודף שיכול להצילו באחד מאיבריו נהרג עליו מה שאין כן בישראל:
5
There are six illicit sexual relations forbidden to a gentile:
a) his mother;
b) his father's wife;
c) a married woman;
d) his maternal sister;
e) a male;
f) an animal.
These prohibitions are derived from the verse Genesis 2:24: 'Therefore, a man shall leave his father and his mother and cling to his wife and they shall become one flesh.'
'His father' - alludes to his father's wife;
'his mother' - is to be understood simply;
'cling to his wife' - and not his colleague's wife;
'his wife' - and not a male;
'They shall become one flesh' - this excludes a domesticated animal, beast, or fowl for man can never become 'one flesh' with them.
The prohibition against relations with a maternal sister is derived from the verse Genesis 20:13: 'She is my sister, my father's daughter, but not my mother's. Thus, she became my wife.'
ה
שש עריות אסורות על בני נח: האם ואשת האב ואשת איש ואחותו מאמו וזכור ובהמה שנאמר על כן יעזוב איש את אביו זו אשת אביו ואת אמו כמשמעה ודבק באשתו ולא באשת חבירו באשתו ולא בזכור והיו לבשר אחד להוציא בהמה חיה ועוף שאין הוא והם בשר אחד ונאמר אחותי בת אבי היא אך לא בת אמי ותהי לי לאשה:
6
A gentile is liable for relations with his mother even though she was seduced or raped by his father and never married to him. She is, nevertheless, his mother.
He is liable for relations with his father's wife even after his father's death.
He is liable for relations with a male whether a minor or an adult and with an animal whether young or old. In the latter instance, the gentile alone is executed and not the animal. We are only commanded to kill an animal with which a Jew engaged in relations.
ו
בן נח חייב על מפותת אביו ואנוסת אביו הרי היא אמו מכל מקום וחייב על אשת אביו אפילו לאחר מיתת אביו וחייב על הזכור בין קטן בין גדול ועל הבהמה בין קטנה בין גדולה והוא נהרג לבדו ואין הורגין את הבהמה שלא נצטוו בהריגת בהמה אלא ישראל:
7
A gentile is not executed for adultery with his colleague's wife unless they engage in relations in the normal manner after she had engaged in relations with her husband at least once. However, if she was merely consecrated or had undergone a wedding ceremony, but had never engaged in relations with her husband, one is not liable for engaging in relations with her, as Genesis 20:3 states: 'For she has been possessed by her husband.'
When does the above apply? When a gentile engages in relations with a gentile woman. However, a gentile who engages in relations with a married Jewess is liable whether their relations were carried out in a normal or abnormal manner.
Similarly, a gentile who engages in relations with a Jewish maiden who has been consecrated is stoned to death because of her as is the law regarding Jews. If he engages in relations with her after she has undergone the wedding ceremony, but has not engaged in relations with her husband, he is strangled to death as is the Jewish law. However, if he engages in relations with a Jewish woman after she engaged in relations with her husband once, he is sentenced to be executed by decapitation as if he had engaged in relations with a gentile woman.
ז
אין בן נח חייב על אשת חבירו עד שיבא עליה כדרכה אחר שנבעלה לבעלה אבל מאורסה או שנכנסה לחופה ולא נבעלה אין חייבין עליה שנאמר והיא בעולת בעל במה דברים אמורים בבן נח שבא על בת נח אבל עכו"ם הבא על הישראלית בין כדרכה בין שלא כדרכה חייב ואם היתה נערה מאורסה נסקל עליה כדיני ישראל בא עליה אחר שנכנסה לחופה ולא נבעלה הרי זה בחנק כדיני ישראל אבל אם בא על אשת ישראל אחר שנבעלה הרי זה כמי שבא על אשת עכו"ם חבירו ויהרג בסייף:
8
A gentile who singles out one of his maid-servants for one of his slaves and, afterwards, engages in relations with her is executed because of her for violation of the prohibition against adultery. However, he is not liable for relations with her until the matter has become public knowledge and everyone refers to her as 'the wife of X, the slave.'
When do relations with her become permitted again? When he separates her from his slave and uncovers her hair in the market-place.
When is a gentile woman considered divorced? When her husband removes her from his home and sends her on her own or when she leaves his domain and goes her own way. They have no written divorce proceedings.
The matter is not dependant on the man's volition alone. Whenever he or she decide to separate, they may and then, are no longer considered as married.
ח
בן נח שייחד שפחה לעבדו ובא עליה הרי זה נהרג עליה משום אשת חבירו ואינו חייב עליה עד שיפשט הדבר ואמרו לה העם זו דבית עבד פלוני ומאימתי תחזור להתירה משיפרישנה מעבדו ויפרע ראשה בשוק ומאימתי תהיה אשת חבירו כגרושה שלנו משיוציאנה מביתו וישלחנה לעצמה או משתצא היא מתחת רשותו ותלך לה שאין להם גירושין בכתב ואין הדבר תלוי בו לבד אלא כל זמן שירצה הוא או היא לפרוש זה מזה פורשין:
9
A gentile is liable for violating the prohibition against theft whether he stole from another gentile or from a Jew.
This applies to one who forcefully robs an individual or steals money, a kidnapper, an employer who withholds his worker's wages and the like, even a worker who eats from his employer's produce when he is not working. In all such cases, he is liable and is considered as a robber. With regard to Jews, the law is different.
Similarly, a gentile is liable for stealing an object worth less than a p'rutah. Thus, if one gentile stole an object worth less than a p'rutah and another gentile stole it from him, they are both executed because of it.
ט
בן נח חייב על הגזל בין שגזל עכו"ם בין שגזל ישראל ואחד הגוזל או הגונב ממון או גונב נפש או הכובש שכר שכיר וכיוצא בו אפילו פועל שאכל שלא בשעת מלאכה על הכל הוא חייב והרי הוא בכלל גזלן מה שאין כן בישראל וכן חייב על פחות משוה פרוטה ובן נח שגזל פחות משוה פרוטה ובא אחר וגזלה ממנו שניהן נהרגין עליה:
10
Similarly, a gentile is liable for violating the prohibition against eating a limb or flesh from a living creature. This applies regardless of the amount involved, for the specification of minimum amounts only applies to Jews.
A gentile is permitted blood from a living creature.
י
וכן חייב על אבר מן החי ועל בשר מן החי בכל שהוא שלא ניתנו השיעורין אלא לישראל בלבד ומותר הוא בדם מן החי:
11
The prohibition applies to a limb or flesh that is separated from either a domesticated animal or a beast. However, it appears to me that a gentile is not executed for eating a limb taken from a living bird.
יא
אחד האבר או הבשר הפורש מן הבהמה או מן החיה אבל העוף יראה לי שאין בן נח נהרג על אבר מן החי ממנו:
12
Though one slaughters an animal, even if one severs the two signs that distinguish it as having been slaughtered in a kosher manner, as long as the animal moves convulsively, the limbs and meat which are separated from it are forbidden to a gentile because of the prohibition against a limb from a living creature.
יב
השוחט את הבהמה אפילו שחט בה שני הסימנין כל זמן שהיא מפרכסת אבר ובשר הפורשין ממנה אסורין לבני נח משום אבר מן החי:
13
All prohibitions that apply to a Jew regarding a limb from a living creature also apply to gentiles. Furthermore, there are instances where a gentile would be held liable and a Jew will not for a gentile is liable for a limb or flesh from a living creature whether from a domesticated animal or a beast, whether from a kosher or non-kosher species.
Similarly, a gentile is forbidden to partake of a limb from a living creature for a limb or flesh which is separated from an animal that is moving convulsively even though a Jew has already severed the two signs.
יג
כל שאסור על ישראל משום אבר מן החי אסור על בני נח ויש שבני נח חייבין ולא ישראל שבני נח אחד בהמה וחיה בין טמאה בין טהורה חייבין עליה משום אבר מן החי ומשום בשר מן החי ואבר ובשר הפורשין מן המפרכסת אע"פ ששחט בה ישראל שני סימנין הרי זה אסור לבני נח משום אבר מן החי:
14
How must the gentiles fulfill the commandment to establish laws and courts? They are obligated to set up judges and magistrates in every major city to render judgement concerning these six mitzvot and to admonish the people regarding their observance.
A gentile who transgresses these seven commands shall be executed by decapitation. For this reason, all the inhabitants of Shechem were obligated to die. Shechem kidnapped. They observed and were aware of his deeds, but did not judge him.
A gentile is executed on the basis of the testimony of one witness and the verdict of a single judge. No warning is required. Relatives may serve as witnesses. However, a woman may not serve as a witness or a judge for them.
יד
וכיצד מצווין הן על הדינין חייבין להושיב דיינין ושופטים בכל פלך ופלך לדון בשש מצות אלו ולהזהיר את העם ובן נח שעבר על אחת משבע מצות אלו יהרג בסייף ומפני זה נתחייבו כל בעלי שכם הריגה שהרי שכם גזל והם ראו וידעו ולא דנוהו ובן נח נהרג בעד אחד ובדיין אחד בלא התראה ועל פי קרובין אבל לא בעדות אשה ולא תדון אשה להם:
Hayom Yom:
• English Text | Video Class
Two rivers take you home: One flows with bitter tears of remorse,
the other with sweet tears of joy.
For most of time, the principal path of travel was the bitter one. Only once soaked in those bitter waters could you rise to embrace your G‑d with joy.
But now we have experienced more than our fill of pain. That which our people suffered in lands across the ocean has purged every stain, bleached every garment of our souls, refined us and lifted us high.
We have cried enough bitter tears. Now is time to return with joy. (Maamar Margalia B’Fuma D’Rabba 5746. Blessing on Erev Yom Kippur 5750.)
Vezot Hab'rachah: Deuteronomy 33:1 This is the blessing that Moshe, the man of God, spoke over the people of Isra’el before his death:
2 “Adonai came from Sinai;from Se‘ir he dawned on his people,
shone forth from Mount Pa’ran;
and with him were myriads of holy ones;
at his right hand
was a fiery law for them.
3 He truly loves the peoples —
all his holy ones are in your hand;
sitting at your feet,
they receive your instruction,
4 the Torah Moshe commanded us
as an inheritance for the community of Ya‘akov.
5 Then a king arose in Yeshurun
when the leaders of the people were gathered,
all the tribes of Isra’el together.
6 “Let Re’uven live and not die out,
even though his numbers grow few.”
7 Of Y’hudah he said:
“Hear, Adonai, the cry of Y’hudah!
Bring him in to his people,
let his own hands defend him;
but you, help him against his enemies.”
(ii) 8 Of Levi he said:
“Let your tumim and urim
be with your pious one,
whom you tested at Massah,
with whom you struggled at M’rivah Spring.
9 Of his father and mother he said, ‘I don’t know them’;
he didn’t acknowledge his brothers or children.
For he observed your word,
and he kept your covenant.
10 They will teach Ya‘akov your rulings,
Isra’el your Torah.
They will set incense before you
and whole burnt offerings on your altar.
11 Adonai, bless his possessions,
accept the work he does;
but crush his enemies hip and thigh;
may those who hate him rise no more.”
12 Of Binyamin he said:
“Adonai’s beloved lives securely.
He protects him day after day.
He lives between his shoulders.”
(iii) 13 Of Yosef he said:
“May Adonai bless his land
with the best from the sky, for the dew,
and for what comes from the deep beneath,
14 with the best of what the sun makes grow,
with the best of what comes up each month,
15 with the best from the mountains of old,
with the best from the eternal hills,
16 with the best from the earth and all that fills it,
and the favor of him who lived in the [burning] bush.
May blessing come on the head of Yosef,
on the brow of the prince among his brothers.
17 His firstborn bull — glory is his;
his horns are those of a wild ox;
With them he will gore the peoples,
all of them, to the ends of the earth.
These are the myriads of Efrayim;
these are the thousands of M’nasheh.”
Today's Laws & Customs:
• Ten Days of Repentance
The 10-day period beginning on Rosh Hashanah and ending on Yom Kippur is known as the "Ten Days of Repentance"; this is the period, say the sages, of which the prophet speaks when he proclaims (Isaiah 55:6) "Seek G-d when He is to be found; call on Him when He is near." Psalm 130, Avinu Malkeinu and other special inserts and additions are included in our daily prayers during these days.
The Baal Shem Tov instituted the custom of reciting three additional chapters ofPsalms each day, from the 1st of Elul until Yom Kippur (on Yom Kippur the remaining 36 chapters are recited, thereby completing the entire book of Psalms). Click below for today's three Psalms.
Chapter 100 Chapter 101 Chapter 102
Psalms Chapter 100:1. A psalm of thanksgiving. Let all the earth sing in jubilation to the Lord.
2. Serve the Lord with joy; come before Him with exultation.
3. Know that the Lord is God; He has made us and we are His, His people and the sheep of His pasture.
4. Enter His gates with gratitude, His courtyards with praise; give thanks to Him, bless His Name.
5. For the Lord is good; His kindness is everlasting, and His faithfulness is for all generations. Chapter 101:1. By David, a psalm. I will sing of [Your] kindness and justice; to You, O Lord, will I chant praise!
2. I will pay heed to the path of integrity-O when will it come to me? I shall walk with the innocence of my heart [even] within my house.
3. I shall not place an evil thing before my eyes; I despise the doing of wayward deeds, it does not cling to me.
4. A perverse heart shall depart from me; I shall not know evil.
5. He who slanders his fellow in secret, him will I cut down; one with haughty eyes and a lustful heart, him I cannot suffer.
6. My eyes are upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in the path of integrity, he shall minister to me.
7. He that practices deceit shall not dwell within my house; the speaker of lies shall have no place before my eyes.
8. Every morning I will cut down all the wicked of the land, to excise all evildoers from the city of the Lord. Chapter 102:1. A prayer of the poor man when he is faint [with affliction], and pours out his tale of woe before the Lord.
2. O Lord, hear my prayer, let my cry reach You!
3. Hide not Your face from me on the day of my distress; turn Your ear to me; on the day that I call, answer me quickly.
4. For my days have vanished with the smoke; my bones are dried up as a hearth.
5. Smitten like grass and withered is my heart, for I have forgotten to eat my bread.
6. From the voice of my sigh, my bone cleaves to my flesh.
7. I am like the bird of the wilderness; like the owl of the wasteland have I become.
8. In haste I fled; I was like a bird, alone on a roof.
9. All day my enemies disgrace me; those who ridicule me curse using my name.1
10. For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mixed my drink with tears,
11. because of Your anger and Your wrath-for You have raised me up, then cast me down.
12. My days are like the fleeting shadow; I wither away like the grass.
13. But You, Lord, will be enthroned forever, and Your remembrance is for all generations.
14. You will arise and have mercy on Zion, for it is time to be gracious to her; the appointed time has come.
15. For Your servants cherish her stones, and love her dust.
16. Then the nations will fear the Name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth Your glory,
17. when [they see that] the Lord has built Zion, He has appeared in His glory.
18. He turned to the entreaty of the prayerful, and did not despise their prayer.
19. Let this be written for the last generation, so that the newborn nation will praise the Lord.
20. For He looked down from His holy heights; from heaven, the Lord gazed upon the earth,
21. to hear the cry of the bound, to untie those who are doomed to die,
22. so that the Name of the Lord be declared in Zion, and His praise in Jerusalem,
23. when nations and kingdoms will gather together to serve the Lord.
24. He weakened my strength on the way; He shortened my days.
25. I would say: "My God, do not remove me in the midst of my days! You Whose years endure through all generations.”
26. In the beginning You laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands.
27. They will perish, but You will endure; all of them will wear out like a garment; You will exchange them like a robe, and they will vanish.
28. But You remain the same; Your years will not end.
29. The children of Your servants will abide; their seed shall be established before You.
Links: About the Ten Days of teshuvah; Voicemail; more on teshuvah
Today in Jewish History:
• Rabbi Akiva martyred (134)The great Talmudic sage, Rabbi Akiva, was taken captive by the Romans on Tishrei 5 of the year 3894 from creation (134 CE). His subsequent torture and execution is recalled in the stirring Eleh Ezkarah poem of the Yom Kippur service.
• Birth of NaftaliNaftali, the son of Jacob and Bilhah, sixth of the Twelve Tribes, was born on the 5th of Tishrei. He lived to be 133 years old.
Daily Quote:
As the will of the infinite and unknowable G-d, every mitzvah is essentially beyond understanding. Yet G-d clothed His commandments in "garments" of reason, so that not only our hands and feet but also our minds and heart should be involved in their fulfillment. This is true of every mitzvah, from the most esoteric "decree" to the most logical "law". The difference is only in the subtlety of the garment. (The Lubavitcher Rebbe)
Daily Torah Study:
Chumash: Vezot Hab'rachah, 2nd Portion Deuteronomy 33:8-33:12 with Rashi
• English / Hebrew Linear Translation
• Video Class
• Daily Wisdom (short insight)
Deuteronomy Chapter 33
8And of Levi he said: "Your Tummim and Urim belong to Your pious man, whom You tested at Massah and whom You tried at the waters of Meribah, חוּלְלֵוִ֣י אָמַ֔ר תֻּמֶּ֥יךָ וְאוּרֶ֖יךָ לְאִ֣ישׁ חֲסִידֶ֑ךָ אֲשֶׁ֤ר נִסִּיתוֹ֙ בְּמַסָּ֔ה תְּרִיבֵ֖הוּ עַל־מֵ֥י מְרִיבָֽה:
And of Levi he said: Heb. וּלְלֵוִי אָמַר, And of Levi, he said….
וללוי אמר: ועל לוי אמר:
Your Tummim and Urim: Here, Moses is addressing the Shechinah .
תמיך ואוריך: כלפי שכינה הוא מדבר:
whom You tested at Massah: [spoken in praise of the Levites,] for they did not complain with the others who complained.
אשר נסיתו במסה: שלא נתלוננו עם שאר המלינים:
and whom You tried…: [This is to be understood] as the Targum renders it [namely, “You tested him (Levi) at the Waters of Meribah, and he came out faithful”]. Another explanation: “whom you tried at the waters of Meribah” — You made false accusations against him [Levi], for if Moses [was punished with death and not permitted to enter the Land of Israel because he] said to Israel, “Listen now, you rebels!” (see Num. 20:10), then [how do we understand why] Aaron and Miriam [were also punished with death and were not permitted to enter the Land of Israel] — what did they do [to deserve this]?- [Sifrei 33:8]
תריבהו וגו': כתרגומו. דבר אחר תריבהו על מי מריבה נסתקפת לו לבוא בעלילה, אם משה אמר (במדבר כ, י) שמעו נא המורים, אהרן ומרים מה עשו:
9who said of his father and his mother, 'I do not see him'; neither did he recognize his brothers, nor did he know his children, for they observed Your word and kept Your covenant. טהָֽאֹמֵ֞ר לְאָבִ֤יו וּלְאִמּוֹ֙ לֹ֣א רְאִיתִ֔יו וְאֶת־אֶחָיו֙ לֹ֣א הִכִּ֔יר וְאֶת־בָּנָ֖ו לֹ֣א יָדָ֑ע כִּ֤י שָֽׁמְרוּ֙ אִמְרָתֶ֔ךָ וּבְרִֽיתְךָ֖ יִנְצֹֽרוּ:
who said of his father and his mother, 'I do not see him…’: [Moses says:] When they [Israel] sinned with the calf, and I said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me!” (Exod. 32:26), all the sons of Levi assembled to me, and I ordered them to kill [those guilty of worshipping the golden calf, even] one’s mother’s father, if he was an [ordinary] Israelite [and not a Levite], or his brother from his mother [if his brother’s father was not a Levite], or the son of his daughter [whose husband was not a Levite], and they did so. It is, however, impossible to explain [that it means literally his father and his brother from his father, and likewise, literally his sons, because all these were Levites, and not one of the tribe of Levi sinned, as it is said, “and all the sons of Levi [gathered to him]” (Exod. 32:26). - [Sifrei 33:9]
האומר לאביו ולאמו לא ראיתיו: כשחטאו בעגל ואמרתי (שמות לב, כו) מי לה' אלי, נאספו אלי כל בני לוי וצויתים להרוג את אבי אמו והוא מישראל, או את אחיו מאמו, או את בן בתו, וכן עשו. ואי אפשר לפרש אביו ממש ואחיו מאביו וכן בניו ממש, שהרי לוים הם ומשבט לוי לא חטא אחד מהם שנאמר כל בני לוי:
for they observed Your word: namely,“You shall have no other gods [before Me]” (Exod. 20:3). - [Sifrei 33:9]
כי שמרו אמרתך: (שמות כ, ב) לא יהיה לך אלהים אחרים:
and kept Your covenant: namely, the covenant of circumcision. — [Sifrei 33:9] For the [ordinary] Israelites who were born in the desert did not circumcise their sons, whereas the Levites were [not only] circumcised themselves, [but they] also circumcised their sons. — [Sifrei Bemidbar 9:18]
ובריתך ינצרו: ברית מילה, שאותם שנולדו במדבר של ישראל לא מלו את בניהם והם היו מולין ומלין את בניהם:
10They shall teach Your ordinances to Jacob, and Your Torah to Israel; they shall place incense before You, and burnt offerings upon Your altar. ייוֹר֤וּ מִשְׁפָּטֶ֨יךָ֙ לְיַֽעֲקֹ֔ב וְתוֹרָֽתְךָ֖ לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יָשִׂ֤ימוּ קְטוֹרָה֙ בְּאַפֶּ֔ךָ וְכָלִ֖יל עַל־מִזְבְּחֶֽךָ:
They shall teach Your ordinances: [because] they are worthy of doing this.
יורו משפטיך: ראויין אלו לכך:
and burnt-offerings: Heb. וְכָלִיל, a burnt-offering [which is completely (כָּלִיל) consumed on the altar]. — [Yoma 26a]
וכליל: עולה:
11May the Lord bless his army and favorably accept the work of his hands; strike the loins of those who rise up against him and his enemies, so that they will not recover." יאבָּרֵ֤ךְ יְהֹוָה֙ חֵיל֔וֹ וּפֹ֥עַל יָדָ֖יו תִּרְצֶ֑ה מְחַ֨ץ מָתְנַ֧יִם קָמָ֛יו וּמְשַׂנְאָ֖יו מִן־יְקוּמֽוּן:
strike the loins of those who rise up against him: Strike those who rise up against him, in the loins. This is similar to what is said, “Constantly cause their loins to slip” (Ps. 69:24). Here, Moses was referring to those who contested the priesthood. — [Sifrei 33:11] Another explanation: Moses saw [prophetically] that the Hasmonean and his sons were destined to wage war with the Greeks. He therefore prayed for them, because they were few in number, namely, the twelve sons of the Hasmonean and Eleazar, against many myriads [of the enemy]. Hence, Moses said here:“May the Lord bless his army (חֵילוֹ) and favorably accept the work of his hands.” - [See Tanchuma Vayechi 14; Gen. Rabbah 99:2; Otzar Midrashim, Ma’aseh Hanukkah second version, p. 191; Midrash LaHanukkah , p. 193]
מחץ מתנים קמיו: מחץ קמיו מכת מתנים, כענין שנאמר (תהלים סט, כד) ומתניהם תמיד המעד, ועל המעוררין על הכהונה אמר כן. דבר אחר ראה שעתידין חשמונאי ובניו להלחם עם היונים והתפלל עליהם לפי שהיו מועטים י"ב בני חשמונאי ואלעזר כנגד כמה רבבות, לכך נאמר ברך ה' חילו ופועל ידיו תרצה:
and his enemies so that they will not recover: Strike the loins of those who rise up against him and of his enemies, so that they will have no recovery.
ומשנאיו מן יקומון: מחץ קמיו ומשנאיו מהיות להם תקומה:
12And of Benjamin he said, "The Lord's beloved one shall dwell securely beside Him; He protects him all day long, and He dwells between his shoulders." יבלְבִנְיָמִ֣ן אָמַ֔ר יְדִ֣יד יְהֹוָ֔ה יִשְׁכֹּ֥ן לָבֶ֖טַח עָלָ֑יו חֹפֵ֤ף עָלָיו֙ כָּל־הַיּ֔וֹם וּבֵ֥ין כְּתֵפָ֖יו שָׁכֵֽן:
And of Benjamin he said: Since Levi’s blessing pertains to the sacrificial service, and Benjamin’s blessing pertains to building the Holy Temple within his territory, Moses juxtaposed one to the other. He then juxtaposes Joseph immediately after him [Benjamin] because Joseph too [had a sanctuary built within his territory, namely] the Mishkan of Shiloh was erected in his territory, as is said:“He rejected the tent of Joseph” (Ps. 78:67). And because the Holy Temple is dearer [to God] than [the Mishkan of] Shiloh, he mentioned [the blessing of] Benjamin before [that of] Joseph [even though Joseph was older.].
לבנימן אמר: לפי שברכת לוי בעבודת הקרבנות ושל בנימין בבנין בית המקדש בחלקו סמכן זה לזה וסמך יוסף אחריו, שאף הוא משכן שילה היה בנוי בחלקו, שנאמר (שם עח, סז) וימאס באהל יוסף וגו'. ולפי שבית עולמים חביב משילה לכך הקדים בנימין ליוסף:
He protects him: Heb. חֹפֵף, covers him and protects him.
חפף עליו: מכסה אותו ומגין עליו:
all day long: i.e., forever. Since [the time] Jerusalem was chosen [for the building of the Holy Temple], the Divine Presence has never dwelt elsewhere. — [Mechilta 12:4]
כל היום: לעולם משנבחרה ירושלים לא שרתה שכינה במקום אחר:
and dwells between his shoulders: The Holy Temple was built on the highest point of his [Benjamin’s] land, except that it was twenty-three cubits below the Eitam Well (see Yoma 31a). Now, it was David’s intention to build it there [at the level of the Eitam Well], as is taught in Shechitath Kodashim [Zev. 54b]: [However,] they said to David:“Let us build it a little lower, for Scripture states, ‘and He dwells between his shoulders’ [which are lower than the head]-and there is no part of an ox more beautiful than its shoulders.”
ובין כתפיו שכן: בגובה ארצו היה, בית המקדש בנוי אלא שנמוך עשרים ושלש אמה מעין עיטם ושם היה דעתו של דוד לבנותו, כדאיתא בשחיטת קדשים (זבחים נד ב) אמרי נחתי ביה פורתא משום דכתיב ובין כתפיו שכן אין לך נאה בשור יותר מכתפיו:
Tehillim: Psalm Chapters 29 - 34
• 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 29
The Name of God appears eighteen times in this psalm, corresponding to which our Sages established eighteen blessings-the Amidah. The entire psalm can be interpreted as referring to the giving of the Torah and the ingathering of the exiles.
1. A psalm by David. Render to the Lord, children of the mighty, render to the Lord honor and strength.
2. Render to the Lord the honor due to His Name; bow down to the Lord in resplendent holiness.
3. The voice of the Lord is over the waters, the God of glory thunders; the Lord is over mighty waters.
4. The voice of the Lord resounds with might; the voice of the Lord resounds with majesty.
5. The voice of the Lord breaks cedars; the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon.
6. He makes them leap like a calf, Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox.
7. The voice of the Lord strikes flames of fire.
8. The voice of the Lord makes the desert tremble; the Lord causes the desert of Kadesh to tremble.
9. The voice of the Lord causes the does to calve, and strips the forests bare; and in His Sanctuary all proclaim His glory.
10. The Lord sat [as King] at the Flood; the Lord will sit as King forever.
11. The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.
Chapter 30
This psalm teaches one not to be distressed if God visits suffering upon him in this world, for only through suffering can one enter the World to Come. Even one of great spiritual stature should realize that his stability is not guaranteed, but that all is in the hands of God.
1. A psalm, a song of dedication of the House, by David.
2. I exalt You, Lord, for You have uplifted me, and did not allow my enemies to rejoice over me.
3. Lord, my God, I cried out to You, and You healed me.
4. Lord, You have brought up my soul from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not descend to the pit.
5. Sing to the Lord, you His pious ones, and praise His holy Name.
6. For His wrath endures but for a moment, when He is conciliated there is [long] life; when one retires at night weeping, joy will come in the morning.
7. In my security I thought, "I shall never falter.”
8. Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong; when You concealed Your countenance I was alarmed.
9. I called to You, O Lord, and I made supplication to my Lord:
10. What profit is there in my death, in my going down to the grave? Can dust praise You? Can it proclaim Your truth
11. Lord, hear and be gracious to me; Lord, be a help to me.
12. You have turned my mourning into dancing; You have undone my sackcloth and girded me with joy.
13. Therefore my soul shall sing to You, and not be silent; Lord my God, I will praise You forever.
Chapter 31
Composed by a destitute and oppressed David, running from Saul while placing his trust in God, this psalm instructs man to put his trust in God alone.
1. For the Conductor, a psalm by David.
2. In You I have taken shelter, O Lord, I shall never be shamed; rescue me in Your righteousness.
3. Turn Your ear to me, save me quickly; be to me a rock of refuge, a fortress to deliver me.
4. For You are my rock and my fortress; for the sake of Your Name, direct me and lead me.
5. Remove me from the net they planted for me, for You are my stronghold.
6. I entrust my spirit into Your hand; You will redeem me, Lord, God of truth.
7. I despise those who anticipate worthless vanities; but I trust in the Lord.
8. I will rejoice and delight in Your kindness, for You have seen my affliction; You know the troubles of my soul.
9. You have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy; You have set my feet on spacious ground.
10. Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eye wastes away from vexation-my soul and my stomach.
11. For my life is spent in sorrow, my years in sighing; my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones are wasted away.
12. Because of my adversaries I have become a disgrace-exceedingly to my neighbors, and a dread to my friends; those who see me outside flee from me.
13. Like a dead man, I was forgotten from the heart; I became like a lost vessel.
14. For I have heard the slander of many, terror on every side, when they assembled together against me and plotted to take my life.
15. But I trusted in You, O Lord; I said, "You are my God.”
16. My times are in Your hand; save me from the hands of my enemies and pursuers.
17. Shine Your countenance upon Your servant; deliver me in Your kindness.
18. O Lord, let me not be ashamed, for I have called You; let the wicked be shamed, let them be silent to the grave.
19. Let the lips of falsehood-which speak insolently against the righteous, with arrogance and contempt-be struck dumb.
20. How abundant is Your good that You have hidden for those who fear You; in the presence of man, You have acted for those who take refuge in You.
21. Conceal them from the haughtiness of man, in the shelter of Your countenance; hide them in a shelter from the strife of tongues.
22. Blessed is the Lord, for He has been wondrous in His kindness to me in a besieged city.
23. I said in my panic, "I am cut off from before Your eyes!" But in truth, You heard the voice of my pleas when I cried to You.
24. Love the Lord, all His pious ones! The Lord preserves the faithful, and repays with exactness those who act haughtily.
25. Be strong and fortify your hearts, all who put their hope in the Lord!
Chapter 32
This psalm speaks of forgiveness of sin, and of the good fortune of one who repents and confesses to God wholeheartedly.
1. By David, a maskil.1Fortunate is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
2. Fortunate is the man to whom the Lord does not reckon his sin, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
3. When I was silent, my limbs wore away through my wailing all day long.
4. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my marrow became [dry] as the droughts of summer, Selah.
5. My sin I made known to You, my iniquity I did not cover. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord," and You have forgiven the iniquity of my transgression forever.
6. For this let every pious man pray to You, at a time when You may be found; indeed, the flood of many waters will not reach him.
7. You are a refuge to me; protect me from distress; surround me with songs of deliverance forever.
8. I will enlighten you and educate you in the path you should go; I will advise you with what I have seen.
9. Be not like a horse, like a mule, senseless, that must be muzzled with bit and bridle when being adorned, so that it not come near you.
10. Many are the agonies of the wicked, but he who trusts in the Lord is surrounded by kindness.
11. Rejoice in the Lord and exult, you righteous ones! Sing joyously, all you upright of heart!
FOOTNOTES
1.A psalm intended to enlighten and impart knowledge(Metzudot).
Chapter 33
This psalm teaches the righteous and upright to praise God. For the more one knows of the Torah's wisdom, the more should he praise God, for he knows and understands His greatness.
1. Sing joyously to the Lord, you righteous ones; it is fitting for the upright to offer praise.
2. Extol the Lord with a harp; sing to Him with a ten-stringed lyre.
3. Sing to Him a new song; play well with sounds of jubilation.
4. For the word of the Lord is just; all His deeds are done in faithfulness.
5. He loves righteousness and justice; the kindness of the Lord fills the earth.
6. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their hosts.
7. He gathers the waters of the sea like a mound; He places the deep waters in vaults.
8. Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world tremble before Him.
9. For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it endured.
10. The Lord has annulled the counsel of nations; He has foiled the schemes of peoples.
11. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the thoughts of His heart throughout all generations.
12. Fortunate is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose as a heritage for Himself.
13. The Lord looks down from heaven; He beholds all mankind.
14. From His dwelling-place He looks intently upon all the inhabitants of the earth.
15. It is He Who fashions the hearts of them all, Who perceives all their actions.
16. The king is not saved by a great army, nor a warrior rescued by great might.
17. The horse is a false guarantee for victory; with all its great strength it offers no escape.
18. But the eye of the Lord is directed toward those who fear Him, toward those who hope for His kindness,
19. to save their soul from death and to sustain them during famine.
20. Our soul yearns for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.
21. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, for we have put our trust in His Holy Name.
22. May Your kindness, Lord, be upon us, as we have placed our hope in You.
Chapter 34
This psalm tells of when David was in grave danger while at the palace of Achish, brother of Goliath. David acted like a madman, letting spittle run down his beard, and writing on the doors: "Achish, king of Gath, owes me one hundred thousand gold coins," leading Achish to eject him from the palace. In his joy, David composed this psalm in alphabetical sequence.
1. By David, when he feigned insanity before Avimelech,1 who then drove him away, and he left.
2. I bless the Lord at all times; His praise is always in my mouth.
3. My soul glories in the Lord; let the humble hear it and rejoice.
4. Exalt the Lord with me, and let us extol His Name together.
5. I sought the Lord and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.
6. Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never humiliated.
7. This poor man called, and the Lord heard; He delivered him from all his tribulations.
8. The angel of the Lord camps around those who fear Him, and rescues them.
9. Taste and see that the Lord is good; fortunate is the man who trusts in Him.
10. Fear the Lord, you His holy ones, for those who fear Him suffer no want.
11. Young lions may want and hunger, but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.
12. Come, children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
13. Who is the man who desires life, who loves long life wherein to see goodness?
14. Guard your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit.
15. Turn away from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it.
16. The eyes of the Lord are directed toward the righteous, and His ears toward their cry.
17. The wrath of the Lord is upon the evildoers, to excise their memory from the earth.
18. But when they [repent and] cry out, the Lord hears, and saves them from all their troubles.
19. The Lord is close to the broken-hearted, and saves those with a crushed spirit.
20. Many are the afflictions of a righteous person, but the Lord rescues him from them all.
21. He protects all his bones; not one of them is broken.
22. Evil brings death upon the wicked, and the enemies of the righteous are condemned.
23. The Lord redeems the soul of His servants; all who take shelter in Him are not condemned.
FOOTNOTES
1.All Philistine kings are referred to by the name Avimelech (Rashi).
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 100, 101 and 102.
Chapter 100
This psalm inspires the hearts of those who suffer in this world. Let them, nevertheless, serve God with joy, for all is for their good, as in the verse: "He whom God loves does He chastise." The psalm also refers to the thanksgiving sacrifice-the only sacrifice to be offered in the Messianic era.
1. A psalm of thanksgiving. Let all the earth sing in jubilation to the Lord.
2. Serve the Lord with joy; come before Him with exultation.
3. Know that the Lord is God; He has made us and we are His, His people and the sheep of His pasture.
4. Enter His gates with gratitude, His courtyards with praise; give thanks to Him, bless His Name.
5. For the Lord is good; His kindness is everlasting, and His faithfulness is for all generations.
Chapter 101
This psalm speaks of David's secluding himself from others, and of his virtuous conduct even in his own home.
1. By David, a psalm. I will sing of [Your] kindness and justice; to You, O Lord, will I chant praise!
2. I will pay heed to the path of integrity-O when will it come to me? I shall walk with the innocence of my heart [even] within my house.
3. I shall not place an evil thing before my eyes; I despise the doing of wayward deeds, it does not cling to me.
4. A perverse heart shall depart from me; I shall not know evil.
5. He who slanders his fellow in secret, him will I cut down; one with haughty eyes and a lustful heart, him I cannot suffer.
6. My eyes are upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in the path of integrity, he shall minister to me.
7. He that practices deceit shall not dwell within my house; the speaker of lies shall have no place before my eyes.
8. Every morning I will cut down all the wicked of the land, to excise all evildoers from the city of the Lord.
Chapter 102
An awe-inspiring prayer for the exiled, and an appropriate prayer for anyone in distress.
1. A prayer of the poor man when he is faint [with affliction], and pours out his tale of woe before the Lord.
2. O Lord, hear my prayer, let my cry reach You!
3. Hide not Your face from me on the day of my distress; turn Your ear to me; on the day that I call, answer me quickly.
4. For my days have vanished with the smoke; my bones are dried up as a hearth.
5. Smitten like grass and withered is my heart, for I have forgotten to eat my bread.
6. From the voice of my sigh, my bone cleaves to my flesh.
7. I am like the bird of the wilderness; like the owl of the wasteland have I become.
8. In haste I fled; I was like a bird, alone on a roof.
9. All day my enemies disgrace me; those who ridicule me curse using my name.1
10. For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mixed my drink with tears,
11. because of Your anger and Your wrath-for You have raised me up, then cast me down.
12. My days are like the fleeting shadow; I wither away like the grass.
13. But You, Lord, will be enthroned forever, and Your remembrance is for all generations.
14. You will arise and have mercy on Zion, for it is time to be gracious to her; the appointed time has come.
15. For Your servants cherish her stones, and love her dust.
16. Then the nations will fear the Name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth Your glory,
17. when [they see that] the Lord has built Zion, He has appeared in His glory.
18. He turned to the entreaty of the prayerful, and did not despise their prayer.
19. Let this be written for the last generation, so that the newborn nation will praise the Lord.
20. For He looked down from His holy heights; from heaven, the Lord gazed upon the earth,
21. to hear the cry of the bound, to untie those who are doomed to die,
22. so that the Name of the Lord be declared in Zion, and His praise in Jerusalem,
23. when nations and kingdoms will gather together to serve the Lord.
24. He weakened my strength on the way; He shortened my days.
25. I would say: "My God, do not remove me in the midst of my days! You Whose years endure through all generations.”
26. In the beginning You laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands.
27. They will perish, but You will endure; all of them will wear out like a garment; You will exchange them like a robe, and they will vanish.
28. But You remain the same; Your years will not end.
29. The children of Your servants will abide; their seed shall be established before You.
Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 20
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Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 20
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ויש מאין נקרא בריאה בלשון הקדש
The coming about of substantiality ex nihilo (yesh me’ayin) is in the Holy Tongue called beriah(“creation”).
As the Ramban points out in his commentary to the Torah,1 beriah is the only term in the Holy Tongue for absolutely innovative creation, creation ex nihilo.
In any progression from ilah (“cause”) to alul (“effect”), the alul existed previously as well, albeit in a distinctly different state. The term “creation”, by contrast, describes the coming into existence of something that until now did not exist, for, as mentioned earlier, it is impossible for yesh (“created substantiality”) to be found within ayin (“nothingness”). Were it to be otherwise, the ayin itself would cease to be ayin and would itself become yesh.
The Alter Rebbe now goes on to anticipate a query. In point of fact, created substance is also truly nullified to the G‑dliness that creates it, for “All is before Him as naught.” Why, then, do we say that creation ex nihilo cannot result from ilah and alul because the effect — the created substance — would be nullified to its source, when in truth even as the substance exists as a yesh, created ex nihilo, it is in any event nullified to the Divine source that is responsible for its creation and that continuously vests itself within it to constantly create it anew?
The Alter Rebbe goes on to explain that while the above is indeed true, nevertheless, this is so only “before Him,” i.e., as it exists in G‑d’s knowledge (for G‑d, of course, views things as they truly are, so that created beings are “before Him as naught”: they are “like the non-existence of the sun’s rays while they are still found within the orb of the sun”).
A created being itself, however, regards its own existence in an entirely different light: it “knows” and “feels” beyond any shadow of doubt that it enjoys true and independent existence. This (entirely fallacious) view can only come about when it is created ex nihilo as a yesh. Were it instead to be created by a process of ilah and alul,it would be impossible for it not to be fully cognizant of its Creator; in its own view as well, it would exist in a state of bittul bimetziut, a state of utter self-nullification.
והגם שהיש הנברא הוא גם כן כלא חשיב קמיה
And although created substance is also as naught before Him, for everything, including the createdyesh, is as naught before Him —
דהיינו: שבטל במציאות לגבי הכח והאור השופע בו
that is, it is essentially non-existent (Insertion by the Rebbe: “not only in relation to G‑d’s Essence, which utterly transcends worlds and creation, but also within creation”) in relation to the energy and light that flow into it,
מהכלים דיו״ד ספירות דאבי״ע, שהקו אור אין סוף ברוך הוא מאיר בהם
this force and light deriving from the kelim of the Ten Sefirot of Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah,into which the Kav of the [infinite] Ein Sof-light radiates,
Though we are speaking only of the creative force — the kelim of the Ten Sefirot — that animates created beings, this too may be termed “before Him,” since within these kelim is found the radiance of the Ein Sof-light.
כזיו השמש בשמש
and thus the degree of nullification of created beings is like that of a sunray while still in its source, within the sun,
While they are still in the orb of the sun, sunrays are essentially non-existent: there they contribute no independently identifiable illumination. Nothing exists there but their source, the orb of the sun, the luminary from which they derive.
כמו שכתוב בליקוטי אמרים, חלק ב׳
as explained in Likkutei Amarim (Tanya), Part II2 — that all created beings are truly nullified in relation to their source to the same degree as the sun’s rays are nullified within their source.
In light of the above, how can we possibly say that if creation were to result from ilah and alul, created beings would not exist in a manner of yesh but would be nullified to their source, when in truth, even after they were created ex nihilo they are still truly nullified within their source, like the sun’s rays within the sun?
היינו קמיה דוקא, שהיא ידיעתו יתברך, מלמעלה למטה
[The Alter Rebbe answers:] however, this is only “before Him,” as seen from the heavenly perspective(daat elyon) from which G‑d knows creation, His knowledge [perceiving] from above netherwards.
אבל בידיעה שממטה למעלה
But as seen from the earthbound perspective (daat tachton) of created beings, with a knowledge [that perceives] from below upwards,
היש הנברא הוא דבר נפרד לגמרי, בידיעה והשגה זו שממטה
created yesh is an altogether separate thing, in this knowledge and apprehension from below.
A created being perceives itself to be altogether separate and apart from the Source that creates it, not recognizing its ongoing dependence on it. Though aware that it came into being by virtue of a G‑dly Source, it nevertheless considers its own existence to be yesh (“being”), and its G‑dly Source, ayin (lit., “nothingness”).
This does not mean to imply, explains the Alter Rebbe, that a created being regards its Source is non-existent. Rather, the term ayin has a twofold connotation:
(a) “incomprehensible”: A created being is incapable of comprehending its Source. When it calls Him ayin, it means that He does not exist within its range of comprehension.
(b) “existing differently”: The Source exists so differently, so far beyond the pattern of existence familiar to the created being, that the latter calls its Source “non-existent” — He in fact does not exist within that earthbound frame of reference.
This is what the Alter Rebbe now goes on to say:
כי הכח השופע בו אינו מושג כלל וכלל
For the force that creates it and continuously flows into it is not understood [by the created being] at all.
The created being therefore calls its Source ayin since He does not exist in its world of comprehension.
Another reason for its calling the Source ayin, as the Alter Rebbe now continues, lies in the fact that He exists in an entirely different manner, there being no similarity between created and Creator.
וגם אין ערוך זה לזה כלל וכלל, לא מיניה ולא מקצתיה מהערך שמהעלול אל העילה
Moreover, there is no approximation whatever from the one to the other, from the yesh to the ayin,neither does the relation between them partially or minimally resemble the approximation between an effect (alul) and its cause (ilah).
The ayin does not exist at all in the same manner as does the yesh which it creates.
If, for example, intellection were to create a rock, the rock’s manner of existence would be so distant and so different from that of its source, that from its perspective it would be immaterial whether it had been created by intellection or from nothing at all. Intellection simply does not exist in the rock’s mode of existence.
שהעלול יודע ומשיג איזה השגה בעילתו
For an alul knows and has some apprehension of its ilah,
Since the ilah (cause) does exist in the world of comprehension of the alul (effect), the latter is affected by the comprehension of its ilah:
ובטל אצלו על ידי ידיעה והשגה זו
and it becomes nullified in relation to it (to the ilah) through this knowledge and apprehension.
A yesh, by contrast, has absolutely no apprehension of the ayin that is responsible for its creation.
וגם במהותם ועצמותם, אין הפרש גדול כל כך, רק שזה עילה וזה עלול
Even with respect to their intrinsic nature and essence there is not such a great distinction [between an ilah and its alul], except that one is a cause and the other is an effect;
The ilah and alul of intellect and emotion serve as a perfect example: Essentially, emotion is already to be found in its source, as “emotion within intellect” (middot shebaseichel), even before it exists alone as a distinct entity. But though “emotion within intellect” exists in a different manner from pure emotion, they are in essence the same.
ולא מיניה ולא מקצתיה מההפרש שבין מהות היש הנברא, למהות הכח והאור השופע בו, להוותו מאין ליש
yet [this distinction] neither partially nor minimally resembles the distinction between the essence of a created substance and the essence of the energy and light that flow into it, to create it from ayin to yesh.
Ayin and yesh are inherently and entirely different; the ayin does not exist at all in the manner that the yeshdoes.
ולכן נקרא יש מאין דוקא
This is why [creation] is called3 precisely yesh me’ayin — ex nihilo, “something out of nothing.”
For although even the created yesh is aware that “Everything derives from You,” it nevertheless calls its Source ayin for the two above-mentioned reasons: the Source “does not exist” in the limited world of the creature’s comprehension, and it “does not exist” in the same manner as the yesh.
***
Having explained in general terms why the creation of a substantial yesh from spirituality can only come about in a manner of ex nihilo (and not in a manner of ilah and alul), the Alter Rebbe now goes on to explain that the first stage of the created yesh is the kelim of the Ten Sefirot of the Worlds of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah.
For though they are considered Sefirot, and as such they constitute the Divinity in these three worlds, the kelimof these Sefirot already comprise an element of yesh. This is true even within the World of Atzilut, except that there the kelim are emanated (as a yesh hane’etzal, implying connectedness to their Source), rather than created (as a yesh hanivra, implying separateness from their Source).
As the Alter Rebbe will soon state, the creation of yesh as a distinct entity derives primarily from the Sefirahof Malchut in the World of Atzilut: it is specifically through this Sefirah that G‑d’s infinite ability to create yesh me’ayin is revealed.
| FOOTNOTES | |
| 1. | On Bereishit 1:1. |
| 2. | Shaar HaYichud VehaEmunah, ch.3. |
| 3. | Note of the Rebbe: “[Not only from the perspective of the yesh, but] also according to the truth.” |
• Sefer Hamitzvot:
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Monday, Tishrei 5, 5778 · September 25, 2017
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
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Negative Commandment 46
Settling in Egypt
"You shall never again return that way"—Deuteronomy 17:16.
We are forbidden from dwelling in the land of Egypt, so that we do not learn their heretical ways nor their depraved lifestyle that the Torah decries. Alexandria, too, is part of the boundaries of Egypt that we may not live in. From the Sea of Alexandria we measure 400 parsah [a parsah is approximately four kilometers] to the length and breadth—and that is the boundary of the Land of Egypt that we may not dwell in.
The prohibition only applies to settling in Egypt. It is, however, permitted to travel to Egypt for business purposes, or to annex [parts of it to Israel].
Full text of this Mitzvah »
Settling in Egypt
Negative Commandment 46
Translated by Berel Bell
The 46th prohibition is that we are forever forbidden from living in the land of Egypt. [The purpose of this prohibition is] so that we should not learn from their heresy and not come to imitate their behavior, which the Torah considers wicked.
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "[The king must not accumulate many horses, so as not to bring the people back to Egypt to get more horses, and G‑d told you] you must never again return on that path."
This prohibition is repeated three times in the Torah, as our Sages said,2 "The Torah repeats the prohibition against returning to Egypt three times; on three occasions they returned; and three times they were punished." Of the three times mentioned in the Torah, the first is the verse mentioned above. The second is G‑d's statement,3 "[G‑d will bring you back to Egypt in ships,] along the way that I told you not to ever see again." And the third is G‑d's statement,4 "You are seeing the Egyptians today, but you shall not see them again." Although the plain meaning of Scripture is that it is notification,5 the Oral Tradition tells us that it is actually a prohibition.
It is explained in the end of tractate Sukkah6 that Alexandria is included in the area in which it is forbidden to settle. From the Sea of Alexandria one measures 400 parsah in length and 400 parsah in width, and that area constitutes the "land of Egypt" in which it is forbidden to settle.
However, one may go there in order to do business or to pass through to another land. The Jerusalem Talmud7 says clearly, "You may not return there to live, but may return there to do business and trade or to conquer [another8] land."
FOOTNOTES
1.Deut. 17:16.
2.Yerushalmi, Sukkah, 4:1.
3.Deut. 28:68
4.Ex. 14:13.
5.I.e. not a command prohibiting return to Egypt, but rather a notification and prediction that in fact they will not return to Egypt. Therefore, the plain meaning of Scripture implies that this should not be counted as a mitzvah.
6.51b.
7.Sanhedrin, end of Ch. 10.
8.See Hilchos Melachim 5:8, where the Rambam adds that if a Jewish king, upon obtaining approval from the Sanhedrin, would conquer Egypt, this prohibition would not apply.
Positive Commandment 190
Proposing Peace before Waging War
"They shall be your subjects and shall serve you"—Deuteronomy 20:11.
When embarking upon an "optional war" [for the sake of expanding the borders of Israel, as opposed to the "mitzvah wars" waged against Amalek and the Seven Canaanite Nations], we are commanded to first offer the opponent a peace settlement. If the opponent accepts the terms of the peace proposal – i.e., the nation accepts upon itself Jewish sovereignty and agrees to pay an annual tax to the Jewish monarch – then we do not wage battle against them.
If they do not accept the terms of the peace proposal, then we go to battle and kill the male population, and the women and property are taken as spoils.
[With regards to "mitzvah wars," we also first offer a peace proposal, but in the event that the enemy doesn't accept the terms, then the entire population – male and female – are not allowed to live.]
Full text of this Mitzvah »
Proposing Peace before Waging War
Positive Commandment 190
Translated by Berel Bell
The 190th mitzvah is that we are commanded regarding the way1 to wage war against other nations [besides Amalek and the seven nations]. Such a war is called a milchemes reshus2 [optional war]. We are commanded that in the event of war, we should offer to make peace with them only as far as not killing them. If they surrender and give us the land, we then place upon them duty and servitude.3
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement4 (exalted be He), "[When you approach a city to wage war against it, you must propose a peaceful settlement. If the city responds peacefully and opens its gates to you,] all the people inside shall pay you duty and serve you."
The Sifri5 says, "If they [the enemy] say, 'We accept duty but not servitude,' or 'servitude but not duty,' we do not accept; only when they accept both." [The "duty"6 is] to pay a fixed amount every year, as set by the king of that time, and the "servitude" is to obey all commands and to be constantly in fear and humbled.
But if they do not surrender, we are commanded to kill all male inhabitants of the city, both high and low in status,7 and to capture all the booty and the women. This is commanded in G‑d's statement8 (exalted be He), "If they reject your peace offer [...you shall strike down its males by the sword. However, the women, children, animals and all the goods in the city, you shall take as your spoils]." All these laws are included under the commandment of milchemes reshus.
The details of this mitzvah are explained in the second chapter of tractate Sanhedrin9 and the eighth chapter of tractate Sotah.10
FOOTNOTES
1.See Kapach, 5731, footnote 65.
2.Such a war is waged in order to acquire additional land or to increase the fame and power of the king. This is in distinction to a milchemes mitzvah, which is obligatory, for protection.
3.The "duty" (mas) is to be prepared to work and give money for the needs of the king. The "servitude" is to always be humbled under Jewish control. See Hilchos Melachim 6:1.
4.Deut. 20:11.
5.Ibid.
6.See footnote above from Mishneh Torah.
7.See Kapach, 5731, footnote 68, who translates katan v'gadol (literally, "small and big") in this way (rather than "young and old") because in Hilchos Melachim 6:4, the Rambam rules that male children are not killed, but taken captive.
8.Deut. 20:12-14.
9.20b.
10.44b.
Negative Commandment 56
Offering Peace to Amon or Moab
"You must not seek their peace or prosperity"—Deuteronomy 23:7.
Normally, when embarking upon a battle, we are commanded to first offer the enemy terms for a peace proposal (see Positive Commandment 190). Not so with the nations of Amon and Moab, whom we may not offer a peace proposal. [Though if they, of their own volition, offer to make peace, we do accept their proposal—provided it meets the conditions outlined in the positive commandment referenced above.]
Full text of this Mitzvah »
Offering Peace to Amon or Moab
Negative Commandment 56
Translated by Berel Bell
The 56th prohibition is that we are forbidden from ever offering peace to the nations of Ammon or Moav. This ["offering peace"] refers to G‑d's command that before attacking any cities, we should first offer its inhabitants to give in and surrender to us. If they surrender the city, we are prohibited from attacking and killing them, as explained in Positive Commandment 190. The exceptions are Ammon and Moav, to who we may not make this offer. G‑d prohibited us from offering the option of surrender and asking them to give in.1
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement2 (exalted be He), "You must never seek peace with them nor their well-being [as long as you exist]."
The Sifri3 says, "From the verse,4 'When you approach a city to wage war against it, you must propose a peaceful settlement,' one could think the same applies here [to Ammon and Moav]. The Torah therefore says, 'You must never seek peace with them nor their well-being.' But from the phrase,5 '[He must be allowed to live alongside you wherever he chooses in your settlements,] be good to him,' one could think the same applies here.6 The Torah therefore says, '[nor their well-being] as long as you exist.' "7
FOOTNOTES
1.If they themselves surrender, however, we accept (Hilchos Melachim 6:6).
2.Deut. 23:7.
3.Ibid.
4.Ibid., 20:10.
5.Ibid. 23:17. The passage refers to a servant who has run away from his master and seeks refuge with you. However, the phrase, "be good to him," is superfluous in this context. Therefore, it could be construed as applying to Ammon and Moav, who were discussed a few verses beforehand.
6.I.e. that the choice of living peacefully should be offered even to Ammon and Moav.
7.I.e. the prohibition applies despite the phrase, "be good to him."
Negative Commandment 57
Wanton Destruction
"You shall not destroy its trees"—Deuteronomy 20:19.
In the course of battle, while besieging an enemy city, it is forbidden to cut down fruit-bearing trees in order to cause distress and pain to the city's inhabitants.
Included in this mitzvah is the prohibition against any wanton destruction; for example, cutting down a fruit-bearing tree [even not in time of battle], or needlessly burning a garment or breaking a utensil.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
Wanton Destruction
Negative Commandment 57
Translated by Berel Bell
The 57th prohibition is that when besieging a city, we are forbidden from cutting down fruit trees in order to cause distress and pain to its inhabitants.
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "[When you lay siege to a city...,] you must not wield an ax and destroy its trees, for they eat from them. Do not cut them down."
All forms of destruction are included in this prohibition. One who needlessly burns a garment or breaks an object, for example, transgresses this prohibition and is punished by lashing.2
It is explained in the end of tractate Makkos3 that one who cuts down useful4 trees is punished by lashes. Our Sages say, "The prohibition is from this verse: 'For they eat from them. Do not cut them down.' "
The details of this mitzvah are explained in the second chapter of tractate Bava Basra.5
FOOTNOTES
1.Deut. 20:19.
2.In Hilchos Melachim 6:10, however, the Rambam rules that such types of destruction are punished only by Rabbinic lashes.
3.22a.
4.I.e. food bearing.
5.26a.
Positive Commandment 192
Hygiene in the Army Camp
"You shall have a designated place outside the camp"—Deuteronomy 23:13.
When going out to war, we are commanded to designate a place outside the army encampment where the soldiers can relieve themselves; so that they do not relieve themselves wherever they wish or between the tents, as is the practice amongst the nations.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
Hygiene in the Army Camp
Positive Commandment 192
Translated by Berel Bell
The 192nd mitzvah is that we are commanded that when our camps go out to war, we must prepare a place outside the camp for people to relieve themselves. People should not relieve themselves just anywhere among the tents as other nations do.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "You must have a designated place outside the camp...."
The Sifra2 says, "The word yad means a designated place, as it is written,3 'He set up for him a designated place (yad).' "
FOOTNOTES
1.Deut. 23:13.
2.Ibid. This seemingly should read, "Sifri," as in the next Mitzvah.
3.Shmuel I, 15:12.
Positive Commandment 193
Hygiene Equipment for Soldiers
"And you shall have a spade among your weapons"—Deuteronomy 23:14.
Together with all the other weaponry each soldier carries around, he should also be equipped with a spade, so that when he needs to relieve himself he can dig a small hole, relieve himself there, and then cover up his defecation—so that there remains no exposed excrement on the grounds of the battle camp.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
Hygiene Equipment for Soldiers
Positive Commandment 193
Translated by Berel Bell
The 193rd mitzvah is that we are commanded that everyone in the camp must have a digging implement hanging with their weapons. It is used to dig a hole in the designated area,1 into which one excretes, and to cover the excrement afterwards so that it not be visible on the ground. This applies specifically in a war camp, as it is written at the beginning of the section,2 "When you go out as a camp against your enemies."
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement,3 "You must keep a spade with your weapons (azeinecha)."
The Sifri says, "The word azeinecha refers to the place of the weapons (ziyunecha)."
FOOTNOTES
1.See previous Mitzvah.
2.Deut. 23:10.
3.Ibid., 23:14.
Rambam:
• 1 Chapter A Day: Melachim uMilchamot Melachim uMilchamot - Chapter 11
English Text | Hebrew Text
Audio: Listen | Download | Video ClassMelachim uMilchamot - Chapter 11
1
In the future, the Messianic king will arise and renew the Davidic dynasty, restoring it to its initial sovereignty. He will build the Temple and gather the dispersed of Israel.
Then, in his days, the observance of all the statutes will return to their previous state. We will offer sacrifices, observe the Sabbatical and Jubilee years according to all their particulars as described by the Torah.
Anyone who does not believe in him or does not await his coming, denies not only the statements of the other prophets, but those of the Torah and Moses, our teacher. The Torah testified to his coming, as Deuteronomy 30:3-5 states:
God will bring back your captivity and have mercy upon you. He will again gather you from among the nations... Even if your Diaspora is at the ends of the heavens, God will gather you up from there... and bring you to the land....
These explicit words of the Torah include all the statements made by all the prophets.
Reference to Mashiach is also made in the portion of Bilaam who prophesies about two anointed kings: the first anointed king, David, who saved Israel from her oppressors; and the final anointed king who will arise from his descendants and save Israel in the end of days. That passage Numbers 24:17-18 relates:
'I see it, but not now' - This refers to David;
'I perceive it, but not in the near future;" - This refers to the Messianic king;
'A star shall go forth from Jacob' - This refers to David;
'and a staff shall arise in Israel' - This refers to the Messianic king;
'crushing all of Moab's princes' - This refers to David as II Samuel 8:2 relates: 'He smote Moab and measured them with a line;'
'decimating all of Seth's descendants' - This refers to the Messianic king about whom Zechariah 9:10 prophesies: 'He will rule from sea to sea.'
'Edom will be demolished' - This refers to David as II Samuel 8:6 states 'Edom became the servants of David;'
'Seir will be destroyed' - this refers to the Messianic king as Ovadiah 1:21 prophesies: 'Saviors will ascend Mount Zion to judge the mountain of Esau....'
א
המלך המשיח עתיד לעמוד ולהחזיר מלכות דוד ליושנה לממשלה הראשונה ובונה המקדש ומקבץ נדחי ישראל וחוזרין כל המשפטים בימיו כשהיו מקודם מקריבין קרבנות ועושין שמטין ויובלות ככל מצותה האמורה בתורה וכל מי שאינו מאמין בו או מי שאינו מחכה לביאתו לא בשאר נביאים בלבד הוא כופר אלא בתורה ובמשה רבינו שהרי התורה העידה עליו שנאמר ושב ה' אלהיך את שבותך ורחמך ושב וקבצך וגו' אם יהיה נדחך בקצה השמים וגו' והביאך ה' ואלו הדברים המפורשים בתורה הם כוללים כל הדברים שנאמרו ע"י כל הנביאים אף בפרשת בלעם נאמר ושם נבא בשני המשיחים במשיח הראשון שהוא דוד שהושיע את ישראל מיד צריהם ובמשיח האחרון שעומד מבניו שמושיע את ישראל [באחרונה] ושם הוא אומר אראנו ולא עתה זה דוד אשורנו ולא קרוב זה מלך המשיח דרך כוכב מיעקב זה דוד וקם שבט מישראל זה מלך המשיח ומחץ פאתי מואב זה דוד וכן הוא אומר ויך את מואב וימדדם בחבל וקרקר כל בני שת זה המלך המשיח שנאמר בו ומשלו מים עד ים והיה אדום ירשה זה דוד שנאמר ותהי אדום לדוד לעבדים וגו' והיה ירשה וגו' זה המלך המשיח שנאמר ועלו מושיעים בהר ציון וגו':
2
Similarly, with regard to the cities of refuge, Deuteronomy 19:8-9 states: 'When God will expand your borders... you must add three more cities.' This command was never fulfilled. Surely, God did not give this command in vain.
There is no need to cite proofs from the works of the prophets for all their books are filled with mention of this matter.
ב
אף בערי מקלט הוא אומר אם ירחיב ה' אלהיך את גבולך ויספת לך עוד שלש ערים וגו' ומעולם לא היה דבר זה ולא צוה הקדוש ברוך הוא לתוהו אבל בדברי הנביאים אין הדבר צריך ראייה שכל הספרים מלאים בדבר זה:
3
One should not presume that the Messianic king must work miracles and wonders, bring about new phenomena in the world, resurrect the dead, or perform other similar deeds. This is definitely not true.
Proof can be brought from the fact that Rabbi Akiva, one of the greater Sages of the Mishnah, was one of the supporters of King Bar Kozibah and would describe him as the Messianic king. He and all the Sages of his generation considered him to be the Messianic king until he was killed because of sins. Once he was killed, they realized that he was not the Mashiach. The Sages did not ask him for any signs or wonders.
The main thrust of the matter is: This Torah, its statutes and its laws, are everlasting. We may not add to them or detract from them.
ג
ואל יעלה על דעתך שהמלך המשיח צריך לעשות אותות ומופתים ומחדש דברים בעולם או מחיה מתים וכיוצא בדברים אלו אין הדבר כך שהרי רבי עקיבא חכם גדול מחכמי משנה היה והוא היה נושא כליו של בן כוזיבא המלך והוא היה אומר עליו שהוא המלך המשיח ודימה הוא וכל חכמי דורו שהוא המלך המשיח עד שנהרג בעונות כיון שנהרג נודע להם שאינו ולא שאלו ממנו חכמים לא אות ולא מופת ועיקר הדברים ככה הן שהתורה הזאת חוקיה ומשפטיה לעולם ולעולמי עולמים ואין מוסיפין עליהן ולא גורעין מהן וכל המוסיף או גורע או שגילה פנים בתורה והוציא הדברים של מצוות מפשוטן הרי זה ודאי בדאי רשע ואפיקורוס:
4
If a king will arise from the House of David who diligently contemplates the Torah and observes its mitzvot as prescribed by the Written Law and the Oral Law as David, his ancestor, will compel all of Israel to walk in (the way of the Torah) and rectify the breaches in its observance, and fight the wars of God, we may, with assurance, consider him Mashiach.
If he succeeds in the above, builds the Temple in its place, and gathers the dispersed of Israel, he is definitely the Mashiach.
He will then improve the entire world, motivating all the nations to serve God together, as Tzephaniah 3:9 states: 'I will transform the peoples to a purer language that they all will call upon the name of God and serve Him with one purpose.'
If he did not succeed to this degree or was killed, he surely is not the redeemer promised by the Torah. Rather, he should be considered as all the other proper and complete kings of the Davidic dynasty who died. God caused him to arise only to test the many, as Daniel 11:35 states: 'And some of the wise men will stumble, to try them, to refine, and to clarify until the appointed time, because the set time is in the future.'
Jesus of Nazareth who aspired to be the Mashiach and was executed by the court was also alluded to in Daniel's prophecies, as ibid. 11:14 states: 'The vulgar among your people shall exalt themselves in an attempt to fulfill the vision, but they shall stumble.'
Can there be a greater stumbling block than Christianity? All the prophets spoke of Mashiach as the redeemer of Israel and their savior who would gather their dispersed and strengthen their observance of the mitzvot. In contrast, Christianity caused the Jews to be slain by the sword, their remnants to be scattered and humbled, the Torah to be altered, and the majority of the world to err and serve a god other than the Lord.
Nevertheless, the intent of the Creator of the world is not within the power of man to comprehend, for His ways are not our ways, nor are His thoughts, our thoughts. Ultimately, all the deeds of Jesus of Nazareth and that Ishmaelite who arose after him will only serve to prepare the way for Mashiach's coming and the improvement of the entire world, motivating the nations to serve God together as Tzephaniah 3:9 states: 'I will transform the peoples to a purer language that they all will call upon the name of God and serve Him with one purpose.'
How will this come about? The entire world has already become filled with the mention of Mashiach, Torah, and mitzvot. These matters have been spread to the furthermost islands to many stubborn-hearted nations. They discuss these matters and the mitzvot of the Torah, saying: 'These mitzvot were true, but were already negated in the present age and are not applicable for all time.'
Others say: 'Implied in the mitzvot are hidden concepts that can not be understood simply. The Mashiach has already come and revealed those hidden truths.'
When the true Messianic king will arise and prove successful, his position becoming exalted and uplifted, they will all return and realize that their ancestors endowed them with a false heritage and their prophets and ancestors caused them to err.
ד
ואם יעמוד מלך מבית דויד הוגה בתורה ועוסק במצות כדויד אביו כפי תורה שבכתב ושבעל פה ויכוף כל ישראל לילך בה ולחזק בדקה וילחם מלחמות ה' הרי זה בחזקת שהוא משיח אם עשה והצליח ובנה מקדש במקומו וקבץ נדחי ישראל הרי זה משיח בודאי ויתקן את העולם כולו לעבוד את ה' ביחד שנאמר כי אז אהפוך אל עמים שפה ברורה לקרוא כולם בשם ה' ולעבדו שכם אחד. ואם לא הצליח עד כה או נהרג בידוע שאינו זה שהבטיחה עליו תורה והרי הוא ככל מלכי בית דויד השלמים והכשרים שמתו ולא העמידו הקדוש ברוך הוא אלא לנסות בו רבים שנאמר ומן המשכילים יכשלו לצרוף בהם ולברר וללבן עד עת קץ כי עוד למועד. אף ישוע הנצרי שדימה שיהיה משיח ונהרג בבית דין כבר נתנבא בו דניאל שנאמר ובני פריצי עמך ינשאו להעמיד חזון ונכשלו וכי יש מכשול גדול מזה שכל הנביאים דברו שמשיח גואל ישראל ומושיעם ומקבץ נדחיהם ומחזק מצוותן וזה גרם לאבד ישראל בחרב ולפזר שאריתם ולהשפילם ולהחליף התורה ולהטעות רוב העולם לעבוד אלוה מבלעדי ה'. אך מחשבות בורא עולם אין כוח באדם להשיגם כי לא דרכינו דרכיו ולא מחשבותינו מחשבותיו וכל הדברים האלו של ישוע הנצרי ושל זה הישמעאלי שעמד אחריו אינן אלא לישר דרך למלך המשיח ולתקן העולם כולו לעבוד את ה' ביחד שנאמר כי אז אהפוך אל אחד עמים שפה ברורה לקרוא כולם בשם ה' לעבדו שכם אחד. כיצד כבר נתמלא העולם מדברי המשיח ומדברי התורה ומדברי המצוות ופשטו דברים אלו באיים רחוקים ובעמים רבים ערלי לב והם נושאים ונותנים בדברים אלו ובמצוות התורה אלו אומרים מצוות אלו אמת היו וכבר בטלו בזמן הזה ולא היו נוהגות לדורות ואלו אומרים דברים נסתרים יש בהן ואינן כפשוטן וכבר בא משיח וגילה נסתריהם וכשיעמוד המלך המשיח באמת ויצליח וירום וינשא מיד הם כולם חוזרים ויודעים ששקר נחלו אבותיהם ושנביאיהם ואבותיהם הטעום:
Rambam:
• 3 Chapters A Day: Melachim uMilchamot Melachim uMilchamot - Chapter 7, Melachim uMilchamot Melachim uMilchamot - Chapter 8, Melachim uMilchamot Melachim uMilchamot - Chapter 9
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1
In both a milchemet mitzvah and a milchemet hareshut, a priest is appointed to address the nation before the battle. He is anointed with the oil of anointment and is called, the meshuach milchamah.
א
אחד מלחמת מצוה ואחד מלחמת הרשות ממנין כהן לדבר אל העם בשעת המלחמה ומושחין אותו בשמן המשחה וזהו הנקרא משוח מלחמה:
2
The meshuach milchamah speaks to the nation twice: Once, at the border, as the army is leaving before they assume battle positions. At that time, he tells the nation: 'Is there a man who has planted a vineyard and has not redeemed his first crop?...' (Deuteronomy 20:6). When these individuals hear his words, they should retreat from the battlefront.
He speaks a second time when the army has assumed battle positions: Then, he declares: 'Do not be afraid. Do not panic...' (ibid. 20:3).
ב
שתי פעמים מדבר משוח מלחמה אל העם אחת בספר בעת שיוצאין קודם שיערכו המלחמה אומר לעם מי האיש אשר נטע כרם ולא חללו וגו' כשישמע דבריו יחזור מעורכי המלחמה ואחת בעורכי המלחמה אומר אל תיראו ואל תחפזו:
3
When the armies assume battle positions and will shortly join in war, the meshuach milchamah stands in an elevated place before the array of the entire army. He addresses them in Hebrew:
Listen, Israel, today you are about to wage war against your enemies. Do not be faint-hearted. Do not be afraid. Do not panic and do not break ranks before them. God, your Lord, is the One accompanying you to do battle for you against your enemies to deliver you (ibid. 20:3-4).
These words are related by the meshuach milchamah. Afterwards, another priest of a lower rank, proclaims them to the people in a loud voice. Then, the meshuach milchamah announces:
Is there a man who has built a new house?... Let him go home...
Is there a man who has planted a vineyard?... Let him go home...
Is there a man who has consecrated a woman?... Let him go home... (ibid. 20:5-7).
These words are related by the meshuach milchamah. Afterwards, an officer proclaims these words to the nation in a loud voice. the officer announces on his own initiative: 'Is there a man who is afraid or faint-hearted? Let him go home...' (ibid. 20:8). Another officer proclaims these words to the people.
ג
עת שעורכין המערכות והם קרבים להלחם משוח מלחמה עומד במקום גבוה וכל המערכות לפניו ואומר להם בלשון הקדש שמע ישראל אתם קרבים היום למלחמה על אויביכם אל ירך לבבכם אל תיראו ואל תחפזו ואל תערצו מפניהם כי ה' אלהיכם ההולך עמכם להלחם לכם עם אויביכם להושיע אתכם עד כאן אומר משוח מלחמה וכהן אחר תחתיו משמיע אותו לכל העם בקול רם ואח"כ מדבר משוח מלחמה מי האיש אשר בנה בית חדש וגו' ומי האיש אשר נטע כרם וגו' ומי האיש אשר ארש וגו' עד כאן משוח מלחמה מדבר והשוטר משמיע לכל העם בקול רם ואחר כך מדבר השוטר מעצמו ואומר מי האיש הירא ורך הלבב ושוטר אחר משמיע לכל העם:
4
After these individuals depart from the battlefront, the army is arrayed again and commanding officers are appointed at the head of the nation.
Powerful officers with iron axes in their hands are placed in the rear of each array of troops. If a person wants to leave the battle, they have permission to chop off his legs, for flight is the beginning of defeat.
In which instances are the above-mentioned individuals sent away from the battlefront? In a milchemet hareshut. By contrast, in a milchemet mitzvah, the entire nation must go out to war, even a groom from his chamber, and a bride from her pavilion.
ד
ואחר שחוזרין כל החוזרין מעורכי המלחמה מתקנין את המערכות ופוקדים שרי צבאות בראש העם ומעמידין מאחור כל מערכה ומערכה שוטרים חזקים ועזים וכשילין של ברזל בידיהם הרוצה לחזור מן המלחמה הרשות בידן לחתוך את שוקו שתחלת נפילה ניסה בד"א שמחזירין אנשים אלו מעורכי המלחמה במלחמת הרשות אבל במלחמת מצוה הכל יוצאין ואפילו חתן מחדרו וכלה מחופתה:
5
Those who leave the battlefront include a person who builds:
a house to dwell in,
a barn for his cattle,
a woodshed, or
a storage house.
A person who builds one of the latter is deferred because those structures are also fit for dwelling.
Just as a person who builds a home is deferred from military service; so, too, one who buys a home, receives one as a present, or inherits one should also return from the front.
However, one who builds (a silo,) a gatehouse, an excedra, a porch, or a house that is less than four cubits by four cubits, and similarly, a person who steals a house does not return from the war.
ה
אחד הבונה בית לישיבתו ואחד הבונה בית הבקר בית העצים בית האוצרות הואיל וראוי לדירה ואחד הבונה ואחד הלוקח ואחד שניתן לו במתנה או היורש הרי זה חוזר אבל הבונה [בית התבן] ובית שער אכסדרה ומרפסת או בית שאין בו ארבע אמות על ארבע אמות או הגוזל בית הרי זה אינו חוזר:
6
Just as a person who plants a vineyard is deferred from military service; so, too, one who plants five fruit trees, even though they are of five different species recieves a similar deferment.
This applies to one who plants a vineyard, one who extends, one who grafts, the extensions and graftings must be significant enough to obligate the vine in orlah, one who buys, one who inherits, and one who received one as a present.
However, one who plants four fruit trees or five trees that do not bear fruit and similarly, one who steals a vineyard does not return from the battlefront because of it. Also, when a vineyard is planted by two partners, neither may return from the battlefront because of it.
ו
אחד הנוטע כרם ואחד הנוטע חמשה אילני מאכל ואפילו מחמשת מיני מאכל אחד הנוטע ואחד המבריך ואחד המרכיב הברכה והרכבה שהיא חייבת בערלה אחד הלוקח ואחד היורש ואחד שניתן לו במתנה אבל הנוטע ארבעה אילני מאכל או חמשה אילני סרק או שגזל כרם אינו חוזר עליו וכן כרם של שני שותפין אין חוזרין עליו:
7
Just as a man who consecrates a virgin is deferred from military service; so, too, a deferment is granted to one who consecrates a widow and similarly, to a man to whom a yevamah becomes obligated. Even if there are five brothers and one of them dies, all should return from the battlefont.
If a man consecrates a wife on the condition that the Kiddushin take effect retroactively from the day they were given after a year has passed and that time period is completed during a war, he should return from the battlefield.
ז
אחד המארס את הבתולה ואחד המארס את האלמנה וכן אם נפלה לו יבמה אפילו חמשה אחים ומת אחד מהן כולן חוזרין קדש אשה מעכשיו ולאחר שנים עשר חדש ושלם הזמן במלחמה חוזר ובא לו:
8
A person who remarries his divorcee and one who consecrates a woman whom he is forbidden to marry, for example, a widow for a High Priest, a divorcee or a woman who has undergone chalitzah for a common priest, or a mamzer or a natinah to an Israelite, or an Israelitess to a mamzer or natin, should not return from the battlefield.
ח
המחזיר את גרושתו והמארס אשה האסורה עליו כגון אלמנה לכהן גדול גרושה וחלוצה לכהן הדיוט ממזרת ונתינה לישראל בת ישראל לממזר ולנתין אינו חוזר:
9
All those who return from the army camp, return when they hear the proclamation of the priest. They must supply food and water to their brethren in the army and fix the roads for them.
ט
כל אלו שחוזרין מעורכי המלחמה כששומעין את דברי הכהן חוזרין ומספקין מים ומזון לאחיהם שבצבא ומתקנין את הדרכים:
10
The following should not go out to the army camp at all and should not be bothered for any obligation whatsoever:
one who builds a house and dedicates it;
one who marries the woman he consecrated or his yevamah;
one who redeems his vineyard.
They are not conscripted until the completion of one year as Deuteronomy 24:5 states: 'He must remain free for his home for one year and rejoice with the bride he took.' The Oral Tradition teaches that the one-year deferment applies whether he purchased a house, married a woman, or began to benefit from the fruit of his vineyard.
י
ואלו שאין יוצאין לעורכי המלחמה כל עיקר ואין מטריחין אותם לשום דבר בעולם הבונה בית וחנכו והנושא ארוסתו או שייבם ומי שחלל כרמו אין יוצאין עד תום שנה שנאמר נקי יהיה לביתו שנה אחת ושמח את אשתו אשר לקח מפי הקבלה למדו שיהיה נקי שנה בין לבית שקנה בין לאשה שנשא בין לכרם שהתחיל לאכול פריו:
11
During this entire year, he is not obligated to supply the troops with food or water. He should not fix the roads, guard the walls or pay the levy for beams for the gates of the city, as ibid. states: 'He shall not enter military service or be assigned any duties.'
The repetition of the prohibition teaches that the transgression of two prohibitions are involved. He is not obligated to his city, nor to the army.
יא
כל השנה אין מספק מים ומזון ולא מתקן דרך ולא שומר בחומה ולא נותן לפסי העיר ולא יעבור עליו שום דבר בעולם שנאמר לא יצא בצבא ולא יעבור עליו לכל דבר לעבור בשני לאוין לא לצרכי העיר ולא לצרכי הגדוד:
12
If a person builds a house and rents it to others, in the event the tenants pay the rent beforehand, it is considered as if he has already benefited from it. If they do not pay him rent until after twelve months have passed, it is considered as if he has not yet derived benefit.
יב
בנה בית והשכירו לאחרים והקדים לו שכרו הרי זה כמי שחנכו נתן לו שכרו לאחר שנים עשר חדש הרי הוא כמי שלא חנכו עד עתה:
13
The following rules apply when a man built a house, placed his belongings inside, and locked them within: If he has to spend time guarding them, it is considered as if he derived benefit from the home and began dwelling there. If he does not have to sit and guard them, he is considered as one who has derived no benefit from his home as of yet.
יג
בנה בית ונתן בו חפציו ינעל עליהם אם היה צריך לבטל על שמירתן הרי זה כמי שחנכו והתחיל לישב בו ואם אינן צריכין לישב ולשומרן הרי זה כמי שלא חנכו:
14
Anyone that builds a house or plants a vineyard outside of the land of Israel, is not sent back [from the battlefront].
יד
וכל הבונה בית או נוטע כרם בחוצה לארץ אינו חוזר עליהן:
15
To whom does the phrase 'Is there a man who is afraid or faint-hearted]?' refer? The phrase should be interpreted simply, as applying to a person whose heart is not brave enough to stand in the throes of battle.
Once a soldier enters the throes of battle, he should rely on the Hope of Israel and their Savior in times of need. He should realize that he is fighting for the sake of the oneness of God's Name. Therefore, he should place his soul in his hand and not show fright or fear.
He should not worry about his wife or children. On the contrary, he should wipe their memory from his heart, removing all thoughts from his mind except the war.
Anyone who begins to feel anxious and worry in the midst of battle to the point where he frightens himself violates a negative commandment, as it is written (Deuteronomy 20:3): 'Do not be faint-hearted. Do not be afraid. Do not panic and do not break ranks before them.'
Furthermore, he is responsible for the blood of the entire Jewish nation. If he is not valiant, if he does not wage war with all his heart and soul, it is considered as if he shed the blood of the entire people, as ibid. 20:8 states: 'Let him go home, lest he demoralize the hearts of his brethren like his own.' Similarly, the prophetic tradition explicitly states: 'Cursed be he who does God's work deceitfully. Cursed be he who withholds his sword from blood.' Jeremiah 48:10
In contrast, anyone who fights with his entire heart, without fear, with the intention of sanctifying God's name alone, can be assured that he will find no harm, nor will bad overtake him. He will be granted a proper family in Israel and gather merit for himself and his children forever. He will also merit eternal life in the world to come as I Samuel 25:28-29 states: 'God will certainly make my lord a faithful house, for my lord fights the wars of God and evil will not be found with you... and my lord's soul will be bound in a bond of life with God.'
טו
מי האיש הירא ורך הלבב כמשמעו שאין בלבו כח לעמוד בקשרי המלחמה ומאחר שיכנס בקשרי המלחמה ישען על מקוה ישראל ומושיעו בעת צרה וידע שעל יחוד השם הוא עושה מלחמה וישים נפשו בכפו ולא יירא ולא יפחד ולא יחשוב לא באשתו ולא בבניו אלא ימחה זכרונם מלבו ויפנה מכל דבר למלחמה וכל המתחיל לחשוב ולהרהר במלחמה ומבהיל עצמו עובר בלא תעשה שנאמר אל ירך לבבכם אל תיראו ואל תחפזו ואל תערצו מפניהם ולא עוד אלא שכל דמי ישראל תלויין בצוארו ואם לא נצח ולא עשה מלחמה בכל לבו ובכל נפשו הרי זה כמי ששפך דמי הכל שנאמר ולא ימס את לבב אחיו כלבבו והרי מפורש בקבלה ארור עושה מלאכת ה' רמיה וארור מונע חרבו מדם וכל הנלחם בכל לבו בלא פחד ותהיה כוונתו לקדש את השם בלבד מובטח לו שלא ימצא נזק ולא תגיעהו רעה ויבנה לו בית נכון בישראל ויזכה לו ולבניו עד עולם ויזכה לחיי העולם הבא שנאמר כי עשה יעשה ה' לאדוני בית נאמן כי מלחמות ה' אדוני נלחם ורעה לא תמצא בך וגו' והיתה נפש אדוני צרורה בצרור החיים את ה' אלהיך:
Melachim uMilchamot - Chapter 8
1
When the army's troops enter the territory of gentiles, conquering them and taking them captive, they are permitted to eat meat from animals that died without being ritually slaughtered or which were trefe, and the flesh of pigs and similar animals, if they become hungry and can only find these forbidden foods.
Similarly, they may drink wine used in the worship of idols. This license is derived by the Oral Tradition which interprets Deuteronomy 6:10-11: 'God... will give you... houses filled with all the good things' as 'pigs' necks and the like.'
א
חלוצי צבא כשיכנסו בגבול העכו"ם ויכבשום וישבו מהן מותר להן לאכול נבלות וטרפות ובשר חזיר וכיוצא בו אם ירעב ולא מצא מה יאכל אלא מאכלות אלו האסורים וכן שותה יין נסך מפי השמועה למדו ובתים מלאים כל טוב ערפי חזירים וכיוצא בהן:
2
Similarly, a soldier may engage in sexual relations with a woman while she is still a gentile if his natural inclination overcomes him. However, he may not engage in sexual relations with her and then, go on his way. Rather, he must bring her into his home as Deuteronomy 21:11 states 'If you see a beautiful woman among the prisoners...You shall bring her into the midst of your home...'
It is forbidden for him to engage in sexual relations with her a second time until he marries her.
ב
וכן בועל אשה בגיותה אם תקפו יצרו אבל לא יבעלנה וילך לו אלא מכניסה לתוך ביתו שנאמר וראית בשביה אשת יפת תואר ואסור לבעול אותה ביאה שניה עד שישאנה:
3
Relations with a yefat toar are only permitted while she is in captivity as the verse states ' If you see... among the prisoners.'
This license is permitted whether the woman is a virgin or not, even if she is married, for the gentiles' marriages are not recognized.
A number of laws are derived from the exegesis of the verse from Deuteronomy quoted above:
'And you desire' - even though she is not beautiful.
'Her' - and not another. He may not engage in sexual relations with two women. 'You may take her as a wife' - He may not take two women as captives with the intention of engaging in relations with one and saving the other for his father or brother.
What is the source which teaches that he may not pressure her in the midst of the war? Deuteronomy 21:12 states: 'You shall bring her into the midst of your home...' Thus, he must bring her into an (vacant) place and then, engage in relations with her.
ג
אין אשת יפת תואר מותרת אלא בשעת השביה שנאמר וראית בשביה בין בתולה בין בעולה בין אשת איש שאין אישות לעכו"ם והשקת אף על פי שאינה יפה בה ולא בחברתה שלא יבעול שתים ולקחת לך לאשה שלא יקח שתים ויבעול אחת ויניח אחת לאביו או לאחיו ומנין שלא ילחצנה במלחמה שנאמר והבאתה אל תוך ביתך יכניסה למקום ואחר כך יבעול:
4
A priest is also allowed relations with a yefat toar initially. For the Torah only permitted relations as a concession to man's natural inclination. However, he is not permitted to marry her afterwards, for she is a convert.
ד
הכהן מותר ביפת תואר בביאה ראשונה שלא דברה תורה אלא כנגד היצר אבל אינו יכול לישאנה אחר כך מפני שהיא גיורת:
5
What is the procedure which a Jew must follow regarding a yefat toar after he had relations with her once while she is still a gentile? If she desires to enter under the wings of the Shechinah, he may have her immersed in a mikveh for the purpose of conversion immediately.
If she does not accept the Jewish faith, she should dwell in his house for thirty days, as ibid. 21:13 states: 'She shall mourn her father and mother for thirty days.' Similarly, she should mourn the abandonment of her faith. Her captor should not prevent her from crying.
She must let her nails grow and shave her head so that she will not appear attractive to him. She must be together with him at home. Thus, when he enters, he sees her; when he leaves; he sees her, so that he becomes disgusted with her.
He must be patient with her so that she will accept the Jewish faith. If she accepts Judaism and he desires her, she may convert and immerse herself in the mikveh for that purpose, like other converts.
ה
וכיצד דין ישראל ביפת תואר אחרי שיבעלנה ביאה ראשונה והיא בגיותה אם קבלה עליה להכנס תחת כנפי השכינה מטבילה לשם גרות מיד ואם לא קבלה תשב בביתו שלשים יום שנאמר ובכתה את אביה ואת אמה ירח ימים וכן בוכה על דתה ואינו מונעה ומגדלת את צפרניה ומגלחת את ראשה כדי שתתגנה בעיניו ותהיה עמו בבית נכנס ורואה אותה יוצא ורואה אותה כדי שיקוץ בה ומגלגל עמה כדי שתקבל אם קבלה ורצה בה הרי זו מתגיירת וטובלת ככל הגרים:
6
A captor must wait three months before marrying his captive: the month of mourning and two months following it.
When he marries her, he must give her Kiddushin and a Ketubah. If he does not desire her, he must set her free. If he sells her, he violates a negative commandment, as Deuteronomy 21:14 states: 'You may not sell her for money.' Should a captor sell his captive, the sale is invalidated and he must return the money.
Similarly, if after having relations with her, he forces her to become a servant, he violates a negative commandment from the time he makes use of her as ibid. states: lo titamar boh. That phrase means 'he should not make use of her.'
ו
וצריכה להמתין שלשה חדשים חדש של בכיה ושני חדשים אחריו ונושאה בכתובה וקידושין אם לא חפץ בה משלחה לנפשה ואם מכרה עובר בלא תעשה שנאמר ומכר לא תמכרנה בכסף [ואם מכרה] אינה מכורה ומחזיר הדמים וכן אם כבשה אחר שנבעלה לשם שפחה משישתמש בה עובר בלא תעשה שנאמר לא תתעמר בה שלא ישתמש בה:
7
Her captor must be patient with her for twelve months if she refuses to convert.
If she still refuses after this interval has passed, she must agree to accept the seven universal laws commanded to Noah's descendants and then, she is set free. Her status is the same as all other resident aliens.
Her captor may not marry her, for it is forbidden to marry a woman who has not converted.
ז
לא רצתה להתגייר מגלגלין עמה שנים עשר חדש לא רצתה מקבלת שבע מצות שנצטוו בני נח ומשלחה לנפשה והרי היא ככל הגרים התושבים ואינו נושאה שאסור לישא אשה שלא נתגיירה:
8
If she conceives after the initial relations with her captor, the child has the status of a convert. In no regard is he considered as the captor's son, for his mother is a gentile. Rather, the court immerses him in the mikveh and takes responsibility for him.
Tamar was conceived from King David's initial relations with a yefat toar, but Avshalom was conceived after marriage. Thus, Tamar was only Avshalom's maternal sister and thus, would have been permitted to Amnon. This can be inferred from the statement II Samuel 13:13: 'Speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.'
ח
נתעברה מביאה ראשונה הרי הולד גר ואינו בנו לדבר מן הדברים מפני שהוא מן העכו"ם אלא בית דין מטבילין אותו על דעתם ותמר מביאה ראשונה של יפת תואר היתה אבל אבשלום נולד מאחר הנישואין נמצאת תמר אחות אבשלום מאמו ומותרת להנשא לאמנון וכן הוא אומר דבר נא אל המלך כי לא ימנעני ממך:
9
A yefat toar who does not desire to abandon idol worship after twelve months should be executed. Similarly, a treaty cannot be made with a city which desires to accept a peaceful settlement until they deny idol worship, destroy their places of worship, and accept the seven universal laws commanded Noah's descendants. For every gentile who does not accept these commandments must be executed if he is under our undisputed authority.
ט
יפת תואר שלא רצתה להניח ע"ז אחר השנים עשר חדש הורגין אותה וכן עיר שהשלימה אין כורתין להן ברית עד שיכפרו בע"ז ויאבדו את כל מקומותיה ויקבלו שאר המצות שנצטוו בני נח שכל עכו"ם שלא קבל מצות שנצטוו בני נח הורגין אותו אם ישנו תחת ידינו:
10
Moses only gave the Torah and mitzvot as an inheritance to Israel, as Deuteronomy 33:4 states: 'The Torah... is the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob,' and to all those who desire to convert from among the other nations, as Numbers 15:15 states 'the convert shall be the same as you.' However, someone who does not desire to accept Torah and mitzvot, should not be forced to.
By the same regard, Moses was commanded by the Almighty to compel all the inhabitants of the world to accept the commandments given to Noah's descendants.
If one does not accept these commands, he should be executed. A person who formally accepts these commands is called a resident alien. This applies in any place. This acceptance must be made in the presence of three Torah scholars.
Anyone who agrees to circumcise himself and allows twelve months to pass without circumcising himself is considered as one of the nations.
י
משה רבינו לא הנחיל התורה והמצות אלא לישראל שנאמר מורשה קהלת יעקב ולכל הרוצה להתגייר משאר האומות שנאמר ככם כגר אבל מי שלא רצה אין כופין אותו לקבל תורה ומצות וכן צוה משה רבינו מפי הגבורה לכוף את כל באי העולם לקבל מצות שנצטוו בני נח וכל מי שלא יקבל יהרג והמקבל אותם הוא הנקרא גר תושב בכל מקום וצריך לקבל עליו בפני שלשה חברים וכל המקבל עליו למול ועברו עליו שנים עשר חדש ולא מל הרי זה כמן האומות:
11
Anyone who accepts upon himself the fulfillment of these seven mitzvot and is precise in their observance is considered one of 'the pious among the gentiles' and will merit a share in the world to come.
This applies only when he accepts them and fulfills them because the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded them in the Torah and informed us through Moses, our teacher, that Noah's descendants had been commanded to fulfill them previously.
However, if he fulfills them out of intellectual conviction, he is not a resident alien, nor of 'the pious among the gentiles,' nor of their wise men.
יא
כל המקבל שבע מצות ונזהר לעשותן הרי זה מחסידי אומות העולם ויש לו חלק לעולם הבא והוא שיקבל אותן ויעשה אותן מפני שצוה בהן הקב"ה בתורה והודיענו על ידי משה רבינו שבני נח מקודם נצטוו בהן אבל אם עשאן מפני הכרע הדעת אין זה גר תושב ואינו מחסידי אומות העולם ולא מחכמיהם:
Melachim uMilchamot - Chapter 9
1
Six precepts were commanded to Adam:
a) the prohibition against worship of false gods;
b) the prohibition against cursing God;
c) the prohibition against murder;
d) the prohibition against incest and adultery;
e) the prohibition against theft;
f) the command to establish laws and courts of justice.
Even though we have received all of these commands from Moses and, furthermore, they are concepts which intellect itself tends to accept, it appears from the Torah's words that Adam was commanded concerning them.
The prohibition against eating flesh from a living animal was added for Noah, as Genesis 9:4 states: 'Nevertheless, you may not eat flesh with its life, which is its blood.' Thus there are seven mitzvot.
These matters remained the same throughout the world until Abraham. When Abraham arose, in addition to these, he was commanded regarding circumcision. He also ordained the morning prayers.
Isaac separated tithes and ordained an additional prayer service before sunset. Jacob added the prohibition against eating the sciatic nerve. He also ordained the evening prayers. In Egypt, Amram was commanded regarding other mitzvot. Ultimately, Moses came and the Torah was completed by him.
א
על ששה דברים נצטווה אדם הראשון: על ע"ז ועל ברכת השם ועל שפיכות דמים ועל גילוי עריות ועל הגזל ועל הדינים אע"פ שכולן הן קבלה בידינו ממשה רבינו והדעת נוטה להן מכלל דברי תורה יראה שעל אלו נצטוה הוסיף לנח אבר מן החי שנאמר אך בשר בנפשו דמו לא תאכלו נמצאו שבע מצות וכן היה הדבר בכל העולם עד אברהם בא אברהם ונצטוה יתר על אלו במילה והוא התפלל שחרית ויצחק הפריש מעשר והוסיף תפלה אחרת לפנות היום ויעקב הוסיף גיד הנשה והתפלל ערבית ובמצרים נצטוה עמרם במצות יתירות עד שבא משה רבינו ונשלמה תורה על ידו:
2
A gentile who worships false gods is liable provided he worships them in an accepted manner.
A gentile is executed for every type of foreign worship which a Jewish court would consider worthy of capital punishment. However, a gentile is not executed for a type of foreign worship which a Jewish court would not deem worthy of capital punishment. Nevertheless, even though a gentile will not be executed for these forms of worship, he is forbidden to engage in all of them.
We should not allow them to erect a monument, or to plant an Asherah, or to make images and the like even though they are only for the sake of beauty.
ב
בן נח שעבד ע"ז הרי זה חייב והוא שיעבוד כדרכה וכל ע"ז שבית דין של ישראל ממיתין עליה בן נח נהרג עליה וכל שאין בית דין של ישראל ממיתין עליה אין בן נח נהרג עליה ואף על פי שאינו נהרג אסור בכל ואין מניחין אותו להקים מצבה ולא ליטע אשרה ולא לעשות צורות וכיוצא בהן לנוי:
3
A gentile who curses God's Name, whether he uses God's unique name or one of His other names, in any language, is liable. This law does not apply with regard to Jews.
ג
בן נח שבירך את השם בין שבירך בשם המיוחד בין שבירך בכינוי בכל לשון חייב מה שאין כן בישראל:
4
A gentile who slays any soul, even a fetus in its mother's womb, should be executed in retribution for its death. Similarly, if he slew a person who would have otherwise died in the near future, placed a person before a lion, or starved a person to death, he should be executed for through one manner or other, he killed.
Similarly, one should be executed if he killed a pursuer when he could have saved the latter's potential victim by maiming one of the pursuer's limbs. These laws do not apply with regard to Jews.
ד
בן נח שהרג נפש אפילו עובר במעי אמו נהרג עליו וכן אם הרג טריפה או שכפתו ונתנו לפי ארי או שהניחו ברעב עד שמת הואיל והמית מכל מקום נהרג וכן אם הרג רודף שיכול להצילו באחד מאיבריו נהרג עליו מה שאין כן בישראל:
5
There are six illicit sexual relations forbidden to a gentile:
a) his mother;
b) his father's wife;
c) a married woman;
d) his maternal sister;
e) a male;
f) an animal.
These prohibitions are derived from the verse Genesis 2:24: 'Therefore, a man shall leave his father and his mother and cling to his wife and they shall become one flesh.'
'His father' - alludes to his father's wife;
'his mother' - is to be understood simply;
'cling to his wife' - and not his colleague's wife;
'his wife' - and not a male;
'They shall become one flesh' - this excludes a domesticated animal, beast, or fowl for man can never become 'one flesh' with them.
The prohibition against relations with a maternal sister is derived from the verse Genesis 20:13: 'She is my sister, my father's daughter, but not my mother's. Thus, she became my wife.'
ה
שש עריות אסורות על בני נח: האם ואשת האב ואשת איש ואחותו מאמו וזכור ובהמה שנאמר על כן יעזוב איש את אביו זו אשת אביו ואת אמו כמשמעה ודבק באשתו ולא באשת חבירו באשתו ולא בזכור והיו לבשר אחד להוציא בהמה חיה ועוף שאין הוא והם בשר אחד ונאמר אחותי בת אבי היא אך לא בת אמי ותהי לי לאשה:
6
A gentile is liable for relations with his mother even though she was seduced or raped by his father and never married to him. She is, nevertheless, his mother.
He is liable for relations with his father's wife even after his father's death.
He is liable for relations with a male whether a minor or an adult and with an animal whether young or old. In the latter instance, the gentile alone is executed and not the animal. We are only commanded to kill an animal with which a Jew engaged in relations.
ו
בן נח חייב על מפותת אביו ואנוסת אביו הרי היא אמו מכל מקום וחייב על אשת אביו אפילו לאחר מיתת אביו וחייב על הזכור בין קטן בין גדול ועל הבהמה בין קטנה בין גדולה והוא נהרג לבדו ואין הורגין את הבהמה שלא נצטוו בהריגת בהמה אלא ישראל:
7
A gentile is not executed for adultery with his colleague's wife unless they engage in relations in the normal manner after she had engaged in relations with her husband at least once. However, if she was merely consecrated or had undergone a wedding ceremony, but had never engaged in relations with her husband, one is not liable for engaging in relations with her, as Genesis 20:3 states: 'For she has been possessed by her husband.'
When does the above apply? When a gentile engages in relations with a gentile woman. However, a gentile who engages in relations with a married Jewess is liable whether their relations were carried out in a normal or abnormal manner.
Similarly, a gentile who engages in relations with a Jewish maiden who has been consecrated is stoned to death because of her as is the law regarding Jews. If he engages in relations with her after she has undergone the wedding ceremony, but has not engaged in relations with her husband, he is strangled to death as is the Jewish law. However, if he engages in relations with a Jewish woman after she engaged in relations with her husband once, he is sentenced to be executed by decapitation as if he had engaged in relations with a gentile woman.
ז
אין בן נח חייב על אשת חבירו עד שיבא עליה כדרכה אחר שנבעלה לבעלה אבל מאורסה או שנכנסה לחופה ולא נבעלה אין חייבין עליה שנאמר והיא בעולת בעל במה דברים אמורים בבן נח שבא על בת נח אבל עכו"ם הבא על הישראלית בין כדרכה בין שלא כדרכה חייב ואם היתה נערה מאורסה נסקל עליה כדיני ישראל בא עליה אחר שנכנסה לחופה ולא נבעלה הרי זה בחנק כדיני ישראל אבל אם בא על אשת ישראל אחר שנבעלה הרי זה כמי שבא על אשת עכו"ם חבירו ויהרג בסייף:
8
A gentile who singles out one of his maid-servants for one of his slaves and, afterwards, engages in relations with her is executed because of her for violation of the prohibition against adultery. However, he is not liable for relations with her until the matter has become public knowledge and everyone refers to her as 'the wife of X, the slave.'
When do relations with her become permitted again? When he separates her from his slave and uncovers her hair in the market-place.
When is a gentile woman considered divorced? When her husband removes her from his home and sends her on her own or when she leaves his domain and goes her own way. They have no written divorce proceedings.
The matter is not dependant on the man's volition alone. Whenever he or she decide to separate, they may and then, are no longer considered as married.
ח
בן נח שייחד שפחה לעבדו ובא עליה הרי זה נהרג עליה משום אשת חבירו ואינו חייב עליה עד שיפשט הדבר ואמרו לה העם זו דבית עבד פלוני ומאימתי תחזור להתירה משיפרישנה מעבדו ויפרע ראשה בשוק ומאימתי תהיה אשת חבירו כגרושה שלנו משיוציאנה מביתו וישלחנה לעצמה או משתצא היא מתחת רשותו ותלך לה שאין להם גירושין בכתב ואין הדבר תלוי בו לבד אלא כל זמן שירצה הוא או היא לפרוש זה מזה פורשין:
9
A gentile is liable for violating the prohibition against theft whether he stole from another gentile or from a Jew.
This applies to one who forcefully robs an individual or steals money, a kidnapper, an employer who withholds his worker's wages and the like, even a worker who eats from his employer's produce when he is not working. In all such cases, he is liable and is considered as a robber. With regard to Jews, the law is different.
Similarly, a gentile is liable for stealing an object worth less than a p'rutah. Thus, if one gentile stole an object worth less than a p'rutah and another gentile stole it from him, they are both executed because of it.
ט
בן נח חייב על הגזל בין שגזל עכו"ם בין שגזל ישראל ואחד הגוזל או הגונב ממון או גונב נפש או הכובש שכר שכיר וכיוצא בו אפילו פועל שאכל שלא בשעת מלאכה על הכל הוא חייב והרי הוא בכלל גזלן מה שאין כן בישראל וכן חייב על פחות משוה פרוטה ובן נח שגזל פחות משוה פרוטה ובא אחר וגזלה ממנו שניהן נהרגין עליה:
10
Similarly, a gentile is liable for violating the prohibition against eating a limb or flesh from a living creature. This applies regardless of the amount involved, for the specification of minimum amounts only applies to Jews.
A gentile is permitted blood from a living creature.
י
וכן חייב על אבר מן החי ועל בשר מן החי בכל שהוא שלא ניתנו השיעורין אלא לישראל בלבד ומותר הוא בדם מן החי:
11
The prohibition applies to a limb or flesh that is separated from either a domesticated animal or a beast. However, it appears to me that a gentile is not executed for eating a limb taken from a living bird.
יא
אחד האבר או הבשר הפורש מן הבהמה או מן החיה אבל העוף יראה לי שאין בן נח נהרג על אבר מן החי ממנו:
12
Though one slaughters an animal, even if one severs the two signs that distinguish it as having been slaughtered in a kosher manner, as long as the animal moves convulsively, the limbs and meat which are separated from it are forbidden to a gentile because of the prohibition against a limb from a living creature.
יב
השוחט את הבהמה אפילו שחט בה שני הסימנין כל זמן שהיא מפרכסת אבר ובשר הפורשין ממנה אסורין לבני נח משום אבר מן החי:
13
All prohibitions that apply to a Jew regarding a limb from a living creature also apply to gentiles. Furthermore, there are instances where a gentile would be held liable and a Jew will not for a gentile is liable for a limb or flesh from a living creature whether from a domesticated animal or a beast, whether from a kosher or non-kosher species.
Similarly, a gentile is forbidden to partake of a limb from a living creature for a limb or flesh which is separated from an animal that is moving convulsively even though a Jew has already severed the two signs.
יג
כל שאסור על ישראל משום אבר מן החי אסור על בני נח ויש שבני נח חייבין ולא ישראל שבני נח אחד בהמה וחיה בין טמאה בין טהורה חייבין עליה משום אבר מן החי ומשום בשר מן החי ואבר ובשר הפורשין מן המפרכסת אע"פ ששחט בה ישראל שני סימנין הרי זה אסור לבני נח משום אבר מן החי:
14
How must the gentiles fulfill the commandment to establish laws and courts? They are obligated to set up judges and magistrates in every major city to render judgement concerning these six mitzvot and to admonish the people regarding their observance.
A gentile who transgresses these seven commands shall be executed by decapitation. For this reason, all the inhabitants of Shechem were obligated to die. Shechem kidnapped. They observed and were aware of his deeds, but did not judge him.
A gentile is executed on the basis of the testimony of one witness and the verdict of a single judge. No warning is required. Relatives may serve as witnesses. However, a woman may not serve as a witness or a judge for them.
יד
וכיצד מצווין הן על הדינין חייבין להושיב דיינין ושופטים בכל פלך ופלך לדון בשש מצות אלו ולהזהיר את העם ובן נח שעבר על אחת משבע מצות אלו יהרג בסייף ומפני זה נתחייבו כל בעלי שכם הריגה שהרי שכם גזל והם ראו וידעו ולא דנוהו ובן נח נהרג בעד אחד ובדיין אחד בלא התראה ועל פי קרובין אבל לא בעדות אשה ולא תדון אשה להם:
Hayom Yom:
• English Text | Video Class
Monday, Tishrei 5, 5778 · 25 September 2017
"Today's Day"
Monday, Tishrei 5, 5704
Torah lessons: Chumash: B'racha, Sheini with Rashi.
Tehillim: 29-34. Also 100-102.
Tanya: Now it will (p. 505) ...further on. (p. 505).
A resume of the second method:
Sh: - Shiviti..., "I have set G-d (Havayeh) before me always."1 Havayeh indicates the creation of the universe and creatures. Bringing all of Creation into being and sustaining it is accomplished by bridging an infinite gap - from ayin (non-being, nihilo) to yesh (being). This form of the avoda (service) of teshuva results from one's constant awareness2 of the way in which the universe and all that is in it, is (constantly) brought into being.
FOOTNOTES
1.Tehillim 16:8.
2."I have set...before me always etc..."
"Today's Day"
Monday, Tishrei 5, 5704
Torah lessons: Chumash: B'racha, Sheini with Rashi.
Tehillim: 29-34. Also 100-102.
Tanya: Now it will (p. 505) ...further on. (p. 505).
A resume of the second method:
Sh: - Shiviti..., "I have set G-d (Havayeh) before me always."1 Havayeh indicates the creation of the universe and creatures. Bringing all of Creation into being and sustaining it is accomplished by bridging an infinite gap - from ayin (non-being, nihilo) to yesh (being). This form of the avoda (service) of teshuva results from one's constant awareness2 of the way in which the universe and all that is in it, is (constantly) brought into being.
FOOTNOTES
1.Tehillim 16:8.
2."I have set...before me always etc..."
Daily Thought:
Take the High RoadTwo rivers take you home: One flows with bitter tears of remorse,
the other with sweet tears of joy.
For most of time, the principal path of travel was the bitter one. Only once soaked in those bitter waters could you rise to embrace your G‑d with joy.
But now we have experienced more than our fill of pain. That which our people suffered in lands across the ocean has purged every stain, bleached every garment of our souls, refined us and lifted us high.
We have cried enough bitter tears. Now is time to return with joy. (Maamar Margalia B’Fuma D’Rabba 5746. Blessing on Erev Yom Kippur 5750.)
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