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- ב"ה - Today in Judaism - Today is Friday, Elul 17, 5777 · September 8, 2017 - Candle Lighting - Light Candles before sunset ––:––Today's Laws & Customs:
• Elul Observances
As the last month of the Jewish year, Elul is traditionaly a time of introspection and stocktaking -- a time to review one's deeds and spiritual progress over the past year and prepare for the upcoming "Days of Awe" of Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur.
As the month of Divine Mercy and Forgiveness (see "Today in Jewish History" for Elul 1) it is a most opportune time for teshuvah ("return" to G-d), prayer, charity, and increased Ahavat Yisrael (love for a fellow Jew) in the quest for self-improvement and coming closer to G-d. Chassidic master Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi likens the month of Elul to a time when "the king is in the field" and, in contrast to when he is in the royal palace, "everyone who so desires is permitted to meet him, and he receives them all with a cheerful countenance and shows a smiling face to them all."
Specific Elul customs include the daily sounding of the shofar (ram's horn) as a call to repentance. The Baal Shem Tov instituted the custom of reciting three additional chapters of Psalms each day, from the 1st of Elul until Yom Kippur (on Yom Kippur the remaining 36 chapters are recited, thereby completing the entire book of Psalms). Click below to view today's Psalms.
Chapter 49 Chapter 50 Chapter 51
Psalms Chapter 49:1. For the Conductor, by the sons of Korach, a psalm.
2. Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all you inhabitants of the world;
3. sons of common folk and sons of nobility, rich and poor alike.
4. My mouth speaks wisdom, and the thoughts of my heart are understanding.
5. I incline my ear to the parable; I will unravel my riddle upon the harp.
6. Why am I afraid in times of trouble? [Because] the sins I trod upon surround me.
7. There are those who rely on their wealth, who boast of their great riches.
8. Yet a man cannot redeem his brother, nor pay his ransom to God.
9. The redemption of their soul is too costly, and forever unattainable.
10. Can one live forever, never to see the grave?
11. Though he sees that wise men die, that the fool and the senseless both perish, leaving their wealth to others-
12. [nevertheless,] in their inner thoughts their houses will last forever, their dwellings for generation after generation; they have proclaimed their names throughout the lands.
13. But man will not repose in glory; he is likened to the silenced animals.
14. This is their way-their folly remains with them, and their descendants approve of their talk, Selah.
15. Like sheep, they are destined for the grave; death shall be their shepherd, and the upright will dominate them at morning; their form will rot in the grave, away from its abode.
16. But God will redeem my soul from the hands of the grave, for He will take me, Selah.
17. Do not fear when a man grows rich, when the glory of his house is increased;
18. for when he dies he will take nothing, his glory will not descend after him.
19. For he [alone] praises himself in his lifetime; but [all] will praise you if you better yourself.
20. He will come to the generation of his forefathers; they shall not see light for all eternity.
21. Man [can live] in glory but does not understand; he is likened to the silenced animals. Chapter 50:1. A psalm by Asaph. Almighty God, the Lord, spoke and called to the earth, from the rising of the sun to its setting.
2. Out of Zion, the place of perfect beauty, God appeared.
3. Our God will come and not be silent; a fire will consume before Him, His surroundings are furiously turbulent.
4. He will call to the heavens above, and to the earth, to avenge His people:
5. "Gather to Me My pious ones, those who made a covenant with me over a sacrifice.”
6. Then the heavens declared His righteousness, for God is Judge forever.
7. Listen, my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against you-I am God your God.
8. Not for [the lack of] your sacrifices will I rebuke you, nor for [the lack of] your burnt offerings which ought to be continually before Me.
9. I do not take oxen from your house, nor goats from your pens;
10. for every beast of the forest is Mine, the cattle of a thousand mountains.
11. I know every bird of the mountains, and the crawling creatures of the field are in My possession.
12. Were I hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and everything in it is mine.
13. Do I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?
14. Offer confession as a sacrifice to God, and fulfill your vows to the Most High,
15. and call to Me on the day of distress; I will free you, and you will honor Me.
16. But to the wicked, God said, "What does it help you to discuss My laws, and bear My covenant upon your lips?
17. For you hate discipline, and throw My words behind you.
18. When you see a thief you run with him, and your lot is with adulterers.
19. You sent forth your mouth for evil, and attach your tongue to deceit.
20. You sit down to talk against your brother; your mother's son you defame.
21. You have done these things and I kept silent, so you imagine that I am like you-[but] I will rebuke you and lay it clearly before your eyes.
22. Understand this now, you who forget God, lest I tear you apart and there be none to save you.
23. He who offers a sacrifice of confession honors Me; and to him who sets right his way, I will show the deliverance of God." Chapter 51:1. For the Conductor, a psalm by David,
2. when Nathan the prophet came to him after he had gone to Bathsheba.
3. Be gracious to me, O God, in keeping with Your kindness; in accordance with Your abounding compassion, erase my transgressions.
4. Cleanse me thoroughly of my wrongdoing, and purify me of my sin.
5. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
6. Against You alone have I sinned, and done that which is evil in Your eyes; [forgive me] so that You will be justified in Your verdict, vindicated in Your judgment.
7. Indeed, I was begotten in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
8. Indeed, You desire truth in the innermost parts; teach me the wisdom of concealed things.
9. Purge me with hyssop and I shall be pure; cleanse me and I shall be whiter than snow.
10. Let me hear [tidings of] joy and gladness; then the bones which You have shattered will rejoice.
11. Hide Your face from my sins, and erase all my trespasses.
12. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew within me an upright spirit.
13. Do not cast me out of Your presence, and do not take Your Spirit of Holiness away from me.
14. Restore to me the joy of Your deliverance, and uphold me with a spirit of magnanimity.
15. I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will return to You.
16. Save me from bloodguilt, O God, God of my deliverance; my tongue will sing Your righteousness.
17. My Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare Your praise.
18. For You do not desire that I bring sacrifices, nor do You wish burnt offerings.
19. The offering [desirable] to God is a contrite spirit; a contrite and broken heart, God, You do not disdain.
20. In Your goodwill, bestow goodness upon Zion; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
21. Then will You desire sacrifices [offered in] righteousness, olah and other burnt offerings; then they will offer bullocks upon Your altar.
Elul is also the time to have one's tefillin and mezuzot checked by an accredited scribe to ensure that they are in good condition and fit for use.
Links: More on Elul
Today in Jewish History:
• Noah Dispatches Dove (2105 BCE)
Following the failed attempt to dispatch a raven from the ark (see "Today in Jewish History" for Elul 10), Noah sent a dove from the window of the ark to see if the great Flood that covered the earth had abated. "But the dove found no resting place for the sole of its foot" and returned to the ark; Noah waited seven days before making another attempt.
• R. Schneur Zalman's parents marry (1743)Wedding day of Rabbi Baruch and Rebbetzin Rivkah, the parents of Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi (1745-1812 -- see entry for tomorrow, Elul 18), in 1743.
Daily Quote:
Love the L‑rd your G‑d... for He is your life [Deuteronomy 30:20]
Daily Torah Study:
Chumash: Ki Tavo, 6th Portion Deuteronomy 28:7-28:69 with Rashi
• English / Hebrew Linear Translation
• Video Class
• Daily Wisdom (short insight)
Deuteronomy Chapter 28
7The Lord will cause your enemies who rise up against you, to be beaten before you; they will come out against you in one direction, but they will flee from you in seven directions. זיִתֵּ֨ן יְהֹוָ֤ה אֶת־אֹֽיְבֶ֨יךָ֙ הַקָּמִ֣ים עָלֶ֔יךָ נִגָּפִ֖ים לְפָנֶ֑יךָ בְּדֶ֤רֶךְ אֶחָד֙ יֵֽצְא֣וּ אֵלֶ֔יךָ וּבְשִׁבְעָ֥ה דְרָכִ֖ים יָנ֥וּסוּ לְפָנֶֽיךָ:
but they will flee from you in seven directions: Such is the way of those who flee out of fear: they scatter in all directions.
ובשבעה דרכים ינוסו לפניך: כן דרך הנבהלים לברוח מתפזרין לכל צד:
8The Lord will order the blessing to be with you in your granaries, and in every one of your endeavors, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord, your God, is giving you. חיְצַ֨ו יְהֹוָ֤ה אִתְּךָ֙ אֶת־הַבְּרָכָ֔ה בַּֽאֲסָמֶ֕יךָ וּבְכֹ֖ל מִשְׁלַ֣ח יָדֶ֑ךָ וּבֵ֣רַכְךָ֔ בָּאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לָֽךְ:
9The Lord will establish you as His holy people as He swore to you, if you observe the commandments of the Lord, your God, and walk in His ways. טיְקִֽימְךָ֙ יְהֹוָ֥ה לוֹ֙ לְעַ֣ם קָד֔וֹשׁ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר נִשְׁבַּע־לָ֑ךְ כִּ֣י תִשְׁמֹ֗ר אֶת־מִצְוֹת֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ וְהָֽלַכְתָּ֖ בִּדְרָכָֽיו:
10Then all the peoples of the earth will see that the name of the Lord is called upon you, and they will fear you. יוְרָאוּ֙ כָּל־עַמֵּ֣י הָאָ֔רֶץ כִּ֛י שֵׁ֥ם יְהֹוָ֖ה נִקְרָ֣א עָלֶ֑יךָ וְיָֽרְא֖וּ מִמֶּֽךָּ:
11And the Lord will grant you good surplus in the fruit of your womb, in the fruit of your livestock, and in the fruit of your soil, on the land which the Lord swore to your forefathers, to give you. יאוְהוֹתִֽרְךָ֤ יְהֹוָה֙ לְטוֹבָ֔ה בִּפְרִ֧י בִטְנְךָ֛ וּבִפְרִ֥י בְהֶמְתְּךָ֖ וּבִפְרִ֣י אַדְמָתֶ֑ךָ עַ֚ל הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר נִשְׁבַּ֧ע יְהֹוָ֛ה לַֽאֲבֹתֶ֖יךָ לָ֥תֶת לָֽךְ:
12The Lord will open up for you His good treasury, the heaven, to give your land its rain in its [right] time, and to bless everything you do. And you will lend many nations, but you will not [need to] borrow. יביִפְתַּ֣ח יְהֹוָ֣ה | לְ֠ךָ֠ אֶת־אֽוֹצָר֨וֹ הַטּ֜וֹב אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם לָתֵ֤ת מְטַר־אַרְצְךָ֙ בְּעִתּ֔וֹ וּלְבָרֵ֕ךְ אֵ֖ת כָּל־מַֽעֲשֵׂ֣ה יָדֶ֑ךָ וְהִלְוִ֨יתָ֙ גּוֹיִ֣ם רַבִּ֔ים וְאַתָּ֖ה לֹ֥א תִלְוֶֽה:
13And the Lord will set you at the head, and not at the tail, and you will be only at the top, and you will not be at the bottom, if you obey the commandments of the Lord, your God, which I am commanding you this day, to observe to fulfill [them]. יגוּנְתָֽנְךָ֙ יְהֹוָ֤ה לְרֹאשׁ֙ וְלֹ֣א לְזָנָ֔ב וְהָיִ֨יתָ֙ רַ֣ק לְמַ֔עְלָה וְלֹ֥א תִֽהְיֶ֖ה לְמָ֑טָּה כִּֽי־תִשְׁמַ֞ע אֶל־מִצְוֹ֣ת | יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָֽנֹכִ֧י מְצַוְּךָ֛ הַיּ֖וֹם לִשְׁמֹ֥ר וְלַֽעֲשֽׂוֹת:
14And you shall not turn right or left from all of the words I am commanding you this day, to follow other deities to worship them. ידוְלֹ֣א תָס֗וּר מִכָּל־הַדְּבָרִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָֽנֹכִ֜י מְצַוֶּ֥ה אֶתְכֶ֛ם הַיּ֖וֹם יָמִ֣ין וּשְׂמֹ֑אול לָלֶ֗כֶת אַֽחֲרֵ֛י אֱלֹהִ֥ים אֲחֵרִ֖ים לְעָבְדָֽם:
15And it will be, if you do not obey the Lord, your God, to observe to fulfill all His commandments and statutes which I am commanding you this day, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you. טווְהָיָ֗ה אִם־לֹ֤א תִשְׁמַע֙ בְּקוֹל֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לִשְׁמֹ֤ר לַֽעֲשׂוֹת֙ אֶת־כָּל־מִצְוֹתָ֣יו וְחֻקֹּתָ֔יו אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָֽנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּ֑וֹם וּבָ֧אוּ עָלֶ֛יךָ כָּל־הַקְּלָל֥וֹת הָאֵ֖לֶּה וְהִשִּׂיגֽוּךָ:
16You shall be cursed in the city, and you shall be cursed in the field. טזאָר֥וּר אַתָּ֖ה בָּעִ֑יר וְאָר֥וּר אַתָּ֖ה בַּשָּׂדֶֽה:
17Cursed will be your [food] basket and your kneading bowl. יזאָר֥וּר טַנְאֲךָ֖ וּמִשְׁאַרְתֶּֽךָ:
18Cursed will be the fruit of your womb, the fruit of your soil, the fruit of your livestock, those born from your cattle and the flock of your sheep. יחאָר֥וּר פְּרִֽי־בִטְנְךָ֖ וּפְרִ֣י אַדְמָתֶ֑ךָ שְׁגַ֥ר אֲלָפֶ֖יךָ וְעַשְׁתְּרֹ֥ת צֹאנֶֽךָ:
19You shall be cursed when you come, and you shall be cursed when you depart. יטאָר֥וּר אַתָּ֖ה בְּבֹאֶ֑ךָ וְאָר֥וּר אַתָּ֖ה בְּצֵאתֶֽךָ:
20The Lord will send the curse of shortages, confusion, and turmoil upon you, in every one of your endeavors which you undertake, until it destroys you and until you quickly vanish, because of your evil deeds in forsaking Me. כיְשַׁלַּ֣ח יְהֹוָ֣ה | בְּ֠ךָ֠ אֶת־הַמְּאֵרָ֤ה אֶת־הַמְּהוּמָה֙ וְאֶת־הַמִּגְעֶ֔רֶת בְּכָל־מִשְׁלַ֥ח יָֽדְךָ֖ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֑ה עַ֣ד הִשָּֽׁמֶדְךָ֤ וְעַד־אֲבָדְךָ֙ מַהֵ֔ר מִפְּנֵ֛י רֹ֥עַ מַֽעֲלָלֶ֖יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר עֲזַבְתָּֽנִי:
the curse of shortages: Heb. הַמְּאֵרָה, “shortage,” similar to“ צָרַעַת מַמְאֶרֶת,”“a lesion which causes loss [to the person stricken with it]” (Lev.13:51).
המארה: חסרון כמו צרעת ממארת (ויקרא יג, נב):
confusion: Heb. הַמְּהוּמָה [Rendered by Onkelos as שִׁגוּשַׁיָא, meaning] confusion, the sound of panic.
המהומה: שגוש קול בהלות:
21The Lord will make pestilence cleave to you, until it has exterminated you from upon the land, to which you are coming, to possess it. כאיַדְבֵּ֧ק יְהֹוָ֛ה בְּךָ֖ אֶת־הַדָּ֑בֶר עַ֚ד כַּלֹּת֣וֹ אֹֽתְךָ֔ מֵעַל֙ הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֥ה בָא־שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ:
22The Lord will strike you with consumption, fever, illnesses with burning fevers, a disease which causes unquenchable thirst, with the sword, with blast, and with yellowing, and they will pursue you until you perish. כביַכְּכָ֣ה יְ֠הֹוָ֠ה בַּשַּׁחֶ֨פֶת וּבַקַּדַּ֜חַת וּבַדַּלֶּ֗קֶת וּבַֽחַרְחֻר֙ וּבַחֶ֔רֶב וּבַשִּׁדָּפ֖וֹן וּבַיֵּֽרָק֑וֹן וּרְדָפ֖וּךָ עַ֥ד אָבְדֶֽךָ:
consumption: Heb. בַּשַּׁחֶפֶת, [a disease] whereby one’s flesh wastes away and swells.
בשחפת: שבשרו נשחף ונפוח:
fever: Heb. וּבַקַּדַּחַת, as in the expression “For a fire burns (קָדְחָה) in My nose” (Deut. 32:22). [In this context, the term refers to] the feverish “fire” of the sick, malevei in Old French, which means intense heat.
ובקדחת: לשון כי אש קדחה באפי (דברים לב, כב) והיא אש של חולים מלויי"ד בלע"ז (פיעבערהימצע) שהיא חמה מאד:
illnesses with burning fevers: Heb. וּבַדַּלֶּקֶת. A feverish heat, more intense than קַדַּחַת. [All] these [terms listed in these verses, refer to] various types of diseases.
ובדלקת: חמה יותר מקדחת ומיני חלאים הם:
a disease which causes unquenchable thirst: Heb. וּבַחַרְחֻר. This is a disease which heats up inside the body, causing him [the patient] to suffer continuous thirst for water, esardement in Old French, parching fever, as in the expressions: “and my bones dried out (חָרָה) from the heat” (Job. 30:30), and “The bellows is heated (נִחַר) from the fire” (Jer. 6:29).
ובחרחר: חולי המחממו תוך הגוף וצמא תמיד למים ובלע"ז אישרדימינ"ט (התיבשות) לשון ועצמי חרה מני חרב (איוב ל, ל) נחר מפוח מאש (ירמי' ו, כט):
and with the sword: He will bring [hostile] armies upon you.
ובחרב: יביא עליך גייסות:
with blast, and with yellowing: Diseases of the grain in the field.
שדפון וירקון: מכות תבואה שבשדות:
blast: Heb. שִׁדָּפוֹן, an easterly wind, hasled in Old French, [meaning that the east wind causes the grain to be blasted].
שדפון: רוח קדים אשלי"דה בלע"ז (זאננפערבראננט):
yellowing: Heb. יֵרָקוֹן, drought, whereby the surface of the grain pales and turns yellow, chaume (?) in Old French.
ירקון: יובש ופני התבואה מכסיפין ונהפכין לירקון קמ"א בלע"ז (געלב):
until you perish: Heb. עַד אָבְדֶךָ. [This phrase could be misconstrued to mean: “until you become lost” by God and found by others. Therefore, Rashi cites] the Targum [which] renders the phrase as: עַד דְתֵיבָד, “until you perish,” meaning, “you will perish, of your own accord.”
עד אבדך: תרגום עד דתיביד כלומר עד אבוד אותך שתכלה מאליך:
23And your skies above you will be [like] copper, and the earth below you [like] iron. כגוְהָי֥וּ שָׁמֶ֛יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־רֹֽאשְׁךָ֖ נְח֑שֶׁת וְהָאָ֥רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־תַּחְתֶּ֖יךָ בַּרְזֶֽל:
And your skies above you will be [like] copper: These curses [proclaimed here at Mount Ebal] were pronounced by Moses himself [albeit through divine inspiration], whereas those [curses] made at Mount Sinai (Lev. 26:14-39) Moses pronounced from the mouth of the Holy One, Blessed is He (Meg. 31b). This is demonstrated by the verses themselves: The verse there says, “But if you will not listen to Me ” (Lev. 26:14), and, “And if you regard Me as coincidence” (26:21), [all referring to God in the first person]. Here, however, the verse says, “obey the Lord, your God ” (verse 15),“ The Lord will make… ” (verse 21), and “ The Lord will strike you” (verse 22) [all referring to God in the third person, demonstrating that Moses is speaking]. Moses made his curses milder [than those at Mount Sinai], for he expressed them in the singular form [as if spoken to an individual]. Furthermore, in this curse [in our verse here], Moses made his milder [than the corresponding curse at Mount Sinai by God], for in the first curses [in Lev.], God said, “[And I shall make] your skies like iron, and your earth like copper” (Lev. 26:19), [meaning that] that the skies will not sweat [i.e., be moist], just as iron does not sweat; consequently, there will be drought in the world. But the earth will sweat, just as copper sweats, thereby causing its fruits to rot. Here, however, Scripture says, “Your skies…copper, and your earth…iron.” [This means] that the skies will sweat [i.e., be moist], and thus, even though they will not pour down rain, there will not be a consuming drought in the world. Also, [this means that] the earth will not sweat, just as iron does not sweat; thus, the fruits will not rot (Torath Kohanim 26:28). [Although the curse here contains these milder elements as explained,] it is, nevertheless, a curse, for whether it [the earth] is like copper or whether it is like iron, it will not produce fruit. And similarly, the skies [whether they become like copper or iron] will not pour down rain.
והיו שמיך אשר על ראשך נחשת: קללות הללו משה מפי עצמו אמרן ושבהר סיני מפי הקב"ה אמרן כמשמען ושם נאמר (ויקרא כו, יד) ואם לא תשמעו לי, ואם תלכו עמי קרי (ויקרא כו, כא) וכן הוא אומר (פסוק טו) בקול ה' אלהיך (פסוק כא) ידבק ה' בך, יככה ה' (פסוק כב) הקיל משה בקללותיו לאמרן בלשון יחיד וגם כן בקללה זו הקל שבראשונות הוא אומר את שמיכם כברזל את ארצכם כנחושה, (ויקרא כו, יט) שלא יהיו השמים מזיעין כדרך שאין הברזל מזיע, ומתוך כך יהא חורב בעולם והארץ תהא מזיעה כדרך שהנחשת מזיע, והיא מרקבת פירותיה, וכאן הוא אומר שמיך נחשת וארצך ברזל, שיהיו שמים מזיעין אף על פי שלא יריקו מטר מכל מקום לא יהיה חורב של אבדון בעולם, והארץ לא תהא מזיעה כדרך שאין הברזל מזיע, ואין הפירות מרקיבין. ומכל מקום קללה היא, בין שהיא כנחשת בין שהיא כברזל, לא תוציא פירות, וכן השמים לא יריקו מטר:
24The Lord will turn the rain of your land into powder and dust, raining down upon you from the heavens until you are destroyed. כדיִתֵּ֧ן יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶת־מְטַ֥ר אַרְצְךָ֖ אָבָ֣ק וְעָפָ֑ר מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֨יִם֙ יֵרֵ֣ד עָלֶ֔יךָ עַ֖ד הִשָּֽׁמְדָֽךְ:
[The Lord will turn] the rain of your land into powder and dust: [How do these two opposites coincide, rain and dust? The Talmud answers] (Ta’anith 3b): “[The text is referring to] a wind which follows the rain.” Rain will fall, but insufficiently; moreover, there will not even be enough rain to cause the dust to settle. Then, a wind will come and raise the dust and cover the vegetation [sprouting] from the seeds, which are still moist from the water. [The dust] will adhere to them, forming [a layer of] mud, [which] will dry up [on the vegetation], causing it to rot. [This, then, is the meaning of the curse:“The Lord will turn the rain of your land into powder and dust.”]
מטר ארצך אבק ועפר: זיקא דבתר מטרא, מטר יורד ולא כל צרכו ואין בו כדי להרביץ את העפר, והרוח באה ומעלה את האבק ומכסה את עשב הזרעים שהן לחים מן המים ונדבק בהם ונעשה טיט ומתיבש ומרקיבין:
25The Lord will cause you to be broken before your enemy: you will come out against them in one direction, but you will flee from them in seven directions. And you will become a terrifying [example] to all the kingdoms on earth. כהיִתֶּנְךָ֨ יְהֹוָ֣ה | נִגָּף֘ לִפְנֵ֣י אֹֽיְבֶ֒יךָ֒ בְּדֶ֤רֶךְ אֶחָד֙ תֵּצֵ֣א אֵלָ֔יו וּבְשִׁבְעָ֥ה דְרָכִ֖ים תָּנ֣וּס לְפָנָ֑יו וְהָיִ֣יתָ לְזַֽעֲוָ֔ה לְכֹ֖ל מַמְלְכ֥וֹת הָאָֽרֶץ:
a terrifying [example]: [an example of] fear (אֵימָה) and trembling (זִיעַ) . [This means that] anyone who hears about your plagues, will“tremble in fear (יָזוּעוּ) ,” saying:“Woe to us! Let this not befall us, in the way in which it has befallen these [people]!”
לזעוה: לאימה ולזיע, שיזועו כל שומעי מכותיך ממך ויאמרו אוי לנו שלא יבוא עלינו כדרך שבא על אלו:
26Your corpse will be food for all birds of the heaven and for the beasts of the earth, and no one will frighten them [away]. כווְהָֽיְתָ֤ה נִבְלָֽתְךָ֙ לְמַֽאֲכָ֔ל לְכָל־ע֥וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וּלְבֶֽהֱמַ֣ת הָאָ֑רֶץ וְאֵ֖ין מַֽחֲרִֽיד:
27The Lord will strike you with the boils of Egypt, with hemorrhoids, with oozing sores, and with dry lesions, from which you will be unable to be cured. כזיַכְּכָ֨ה יְהֹוָ֜ה בִּשְׁחִ֤ין מִצְרַ֨יִם֙ וּבַטְחֹרִ֔ים (כתיב ובעפלים) וּבַגָּרָ֖ב וּבֶחָ֑רֶס אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־תוּכַ֖ל לְהֵֽרָפֵֽא:
The boils of Egypt: This was a very severe [lesion]: it was moist on the inside and dry on the outside, as taught in tractate Bech. (41a).
בשחין מצרים: רע היה מאד, לח מבחוץ ויבש מבפנים, כדאיתא בבכורות (מא א):
oozing sores: [This means] wet boils.
גרב: שחין לח:
dry lesions: [This means] boils dry as shards.
חרס: שחין יבש כחרס:
28The Lord will strike you with insanity, with blindness, and with bewilderment. כחיַכְּכָ֣ה יְהֹוָ֔ה בְּשִׁגָּע֖וֹן וּבְעִוָּר֑וֹן וּבְתִמְה֖וֹן לֵבָֽב:
and with bewilderment: Heb. וּבְתִמְהוֹן לֵבָב, lit.“clogging of the heart,” estordison in Old French.
ובתמהון לבב: אוטם הלב אשטורדישו"ן בלע"ז [תדהמה]:
29You will grope at midday, as the blind man gropes in the dark, and you will be unsuccessful in your ways. You will be only oppressed and robbed all the days, and no one will save [you]. כטוְהָיִ֜יתָ מְמַשֵּׁ֣שׁ בַּצָּֽהֳרַ֗יִם כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֨ר יְמַשֵּׁ֤שׁ הָֽעִוֵּר֙ בָּֽאֲפֵלָ֔ה וְלֹ֥א תַצְלִ֖יחַ אֶת־דְּרָכֶ֑יךָ וְהָיִ֜יתָ אַ֣ךְ עָשׁ֧וּק וְגָז֛וּל כָּל־הַיָּמִ֖ים וְאֵ֥ין מוֹשִֽׁיעַ:
oppressed: Heb. עָשׁוּק, you will experience controversy regarding everything you do.
עשוק: בכל מעשיך יהיה ערעור:
30You will betroth a woman, but another man will lie with her. You will build a house, but you will not live in it. You will plant a vineyard, but you will not redeem it[s fruits]. לאִשָּׁ֣ה תְאָרֵ֗שׂ וְאִ֤ישׁ אַחֵר֙ יִשְׁכָּבֶ֔נָּה (כתיב ישגלנה) בַּ֥יִת תִּבְנֶ֖ה וְלֹֽא־תֵשֵׁ֣ב בּ֑וֹ כֶּ֥רֶם תִּטַּ֖ע וְלֹ֥א תְחַלְּלֶֽנּוּ:
will lie with her: Heb. יִשְׁגָּלֶנָּה. [This word stems] from the root שֵׁגָל, meaning a פִּלֶגֶשׁ [which refers to a wife without a Jewish marriage contract, i.e., a concubine. Nevertheless,] Scripture euphemizes the term [by having it read as יִשְׁכָּבֶנָּה instead], thus [giving it] a more delicate implication. This is [like] a modification made by scribes. — [see Meg.. 25b; and compare Rashi on Gen. 18:22]
ישגלנה: לשון שגל, פלגש, והכתוב כנהו לשבח ישכבנה ותקון סופרים הוא זה:
redeem it[s fruits]: Heb. תְחַלְלֶנּוּ [This is referring to the fruits of a tree, which must not be used for the first three years of the tree’s life. Then, the fruits of the fourth year take on holy status and are taken to Jerusalem to be eaten. If it is too difficult to take them to Jerusalem, they are redeemed with money, which is, in turn, taken to Jerusalem, where food is purchased for it. Here, then, the curse means that the person will plant his vineyard, but will not live to redeem it] in the fourth year to eat its fruits.
תחללנו: בשנה הרביעית לאכול פריו:
31Your ox will be slaughtered before your eyes, but you will not eat from it. Your donkey will be snatched right in front of you, and it will not return to you. Your flock will be given over to your enemies, and you will have no savior. לאשֽׁוֹרְךָ֞ טָב֣וּחַ לְעֵינֶ֗יךָ וְלֹ֣א תֹאכַל֘ מִמֶּ֒נּוּ֒ חֲמֹֽרְךָ֙ גָּז֣וּל מִלְּפָנֶ֔יךָ וְלֹ֥א יָשׁ֖וּב לָ֑ךְ צֹֽאנְךָ֙ נְתֻנ֣וֹת לְאֹֽיְבֶ֔יךָ וְאֵ֥ין לְךָ֖ מוֹשִֽׁיעַ:
32Your sons and daughters will be given over to another people, and your eyes will see [this] and long for them all day long, but you will be powerless. לבבָּנֶ֨יךָ וּבְנֹתֶ֜יךָ נְתֻנִ֨ים לְעַ֤ם אַחֵר֙ וְעֵינֶ֣יךָ רֹא֔וֹת וְכָל֥וֹת אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם כָּל־הַיּ֑וֹם וְאֵ֥ין לְאֵ֖ל יָדֶֽךָ:
and long for them: Heb. וְכָלוֹת אֲלֵיהֶם. [Meaning: Your eyes] will longingly look out for the return [of your children], but they will not return. The expression כִּלְיוֹן עֵינַיִם refers to a hope which never materializes.
וכלות אליהם: מצפות אליהם שישובו ואינם שבים. כל תוחלת שאינה באה קרויה כליון עינים:
33A people unknown to you will eat up the fruit of your soil and [the result of] all your toil. You will be only wronged and crushed all the days. לגפְּרִ֤י אַדְמָֽתְךָ֙ וְכָל־יְגִ֣יעֲךָ֔ יֹאכַ֥ל עַ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־יָדָ֑עְתָּ וְהָיִ֗יתָ רַ֛ק עָשׁ֥וּק וְרָצ֖וּץ כָּל־הַיָּמִֽים:
34You will go insane from the vision before your eyes that you will behold. לדוְהָיִ֖יתָ מְשֻׁגָּ֑ע מִמַּרְאֵ֥ה עֵינֶ֖יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר תִּרְאֶֽה:
35The Lord will strike you on the knees and on the legs with a terrible skin eruption from which you will be unable to be cured; [it will eventually cover you] from the sole of your foot to the top of your head. להיַכְּכָ֨ה יְהֹוָ֜ה בִּשְׁחִ֣ין רָ֗ע עַל־הַבִּרְכַּ֨יִם֙ וְעַל־הַשֹּׁקַ֔יִם אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־תוּכַ֖ל לְהֵֽרָפֵ֑א מִכַּ֥ף רַגְלְךָ֖ וְעַ֥ד קָדְקֳדֶֽךָ:
36The Lord will lead you and your king whom you will have established over you, to a nation unknown to you or your fathers; and there, you will serve other deities [made] of wood and stone. לויוֹלֵ֨ךְ יְהֹוָ֜ה אֹֽתְךָ֗ וְאֶת־מַלְכְּךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תָּקִ֣ים עָלֶ֔יךָ אֶל־גּ֕וֹי אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יָדַ֖עְתָּ אַתָּ֣ה וַֽאֲבֹתֶ֑יךָ וְעָבַ֥דְתָּ שָּׁ֛ם אֱלֹהִ֥ים אֲחֵרִ֖ים עֵ֥ץ וָאָֽבֶן:
37And you will become an [object of] astonishment, an example, and a topic of discussion, among all the peoples to whom the Lord will lead you. לזוְהָיִ֣יתָ לְשַׁמָּ֔ה לְמָשָׁ֖ל וְלִשְׁנִינָ֑ה בְּכֹל֙ הָֽעַמִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־יְנַֽהֶגְךָ֥ יְהֹוָ֖ה שָֽׁמָּה:
an object of astonishment: Heb. לְשַׁמָּה. [This word is] similar to תִּמָּהוֹן [meaning, astonishment], estordison in Old French. [Thus, the meaning here is:] whoever sees you will be astonished about you.
לשמה: אשטורדישו"ן [תדהמה] כל הרואה אותך ישום עליך:
an example: When some terrible trouble befalls a person, [people] will say:“This is like the trouble that happened to so-and-so.”
למשל: כשתבא מכה רעה על אדם, יאמרו זו דומה למכת פלוני:
and a topic of discussion: Heb. וְלִשְׁנִינָה. An expression similar to“And you will teach them (וְשִׁנַּנְתֶּם)” (Deut. 6:7) [… and speak of them. That is, people] will speak about you. The Targum [Onkelos] renders this [word] in the same way, [namely:] וּלְשׁוֹעִי, [which is similar to] וְאֶשְׁתָּעִי, [meaning to talk].
ולשנינה: לשון ושננתם (לעיל ו, ז) ידברו בך, וכן תרגומו ולשועי, לשון ספור, ואשתעי:
38You will take much seed out to the field, yet you will gather in little, for the locusts will finish it. לחזֶ֥רַע רַ֖ב תּוֹצִ֣יא הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה וּמְעַ֣ט תֶּֽאֱסֹ֔ף כִּ֥י יַחְסְלֶ֖נּוּ הָֽאַרְבֶּֽה:
will finish it: Heb. יַחְסְלֶנּוּ-means, the locusts will consume it. And because [the word חסל means to consume], the locust is also called חָסִיל (see e.g., Joel 1:4), for it consumes everything in its path. [Yerushalmi Taanit 3:6.]
יחסלנו: יכלנו, ועל שם כך נקרא חסיל, שמכלה את הכל:
39You will plant vineyards and work [them], but you will neither drink of [their] wine, or gather [the grapes], because the worms will devour them. לטכְּרָמִ֥ים תִּטַּ֖ע וְעָבָ֑דְתָּ וְיַ֤יִן לֹֽא־תִשְׁתֶּה֙ וְלֹ֣א תֶֽאֱגֹ֔ר כִּ֥י תֹֽאכְלֶ֖נּוּ הַתֹּלָֽעַת:
40You will have olive trees throughout all your boundaries, but you will not anoint with [their] oil, because your olive trees will drop off. מזֵיתִ֛ים יִֽהְי֥וּ לְךָ֖ בְּכָל־גְּבוּלֶ֑ךָ וְשֶׁ֨מֶן֙ לֹ֣א תָס֔וּךְ כִּ֥י יִשַּׁ֖ל זֵיתֶֽךָ:
will drop off: [Meaning, the olive tree] will shed its fruit. This is similar to the verb,“and the iron flew off [or slipped off] (וְנָשַׁל)” (Deut. 19:5).
כי ישל: ישיר פירותיו, לשון (לעיל יט, ה) ונשל הברזל:
41You will bear sons and daughters, but you will not have them, because they will go into captivity. מאבָּנִ֥ים וּבָנ֖וֹת תּוֹלִ֑יד וְלֹא־יִֽהְי֣וּ לָ֔ךְ כִּ֥י יֵֽלְכ֖וּ בַּשֶּֽׁבִי:
42All your trees and all the fruit of your soil the cicada will make destitute. מבכָּל־עֵֽצְךָ֖ וּפְרִ֣י אַדְמָתֶ֑ךָ יְיָרֵ֖שׁ הַצְּלָצַֽל:
the cicada will make destitute: [The word יְיָרֵשׁ stems from the word רָשׁ, which means destitute or devoid. Thus, the verse here means that] the locusts will cause the tree to be devoid of fruit. [Therefore,]
יירש הצלצל: יעשנו הארבה רש מן הפרי:
will make destitute: Heb. יְיָרֵשׁ [has the meaning of] יַעֲנִי, “making it destitute.”
יירש: יעני:
the cicada: Heb. הַצְּלָצַל, a [particular] species of locust [which makes a loud sound (צְלִיל)]. Now, [the word יְיָרֵשׁ] must not be understood as denoting יְרוּשָׁה, “inheritance,” for in that case, the Scripture would have written: יִירַשׁ [i.e., with a different vocalization. Similarly,] it should not be understood to mean הוֹרָשָׁה,“driving out” for in that case, Scripture would have written: יוֹרִישׁ. [Rather, the word means “to make destitute, devoid,” as explained above.]
צלצל: מין ארבה. ואי אפשר לפרש יירש לשון ירושה, שאם כן היה לו לכתוב ירש, ולא לשון הורשה וגירושין, שאם כן היה לכתוב יוריש:
43The stranger who is among you will arise above you, higher and higher, while you will descend lower and lower. מגהַגֵּר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּקִרְבְּךָ֔ יַֽעֲלֶ֥ה עָלֶ֖יךָ מַ֣עְלָה מָּ֑עְלָה וְאַתָּ֥ה תֵרֵ֖ד מַ֥טָּה מָּֽטָּה:
44He will lend to you, but you will not lend to him. He will be at the head, while you will be at the tail. מדה֣וּא יַלְוְךָ֔ וְאַתָּ֖ה לֹ֣א תַלְוֶ֑נּוּ ה֚וּא יִֽהְיֶ֣ה לְרֹ֔אשׁ וְאַתָּ֖ה תִּֽהְיֶ֥ה לְזָנָֽב:
45All these curses will befall you, pursuing you and overtaking you to destroy you because you did not obey the Lord, your God, to observe His commandments and statutes which He commanded you. מהוּבָ֨אוּ עָלֶ֜יךָ כָּל־הַקְּלָל֣וֹת הָאֵ֗לֶּה וּרְדָפ֨וּךָ֙ וְהִשִּׂיג֔וּךָ עַ֖ד הִשָּֽׁמְדָ֑ךְ כִּי־לֹ֣א שָׁמַ֗עְתָּ בְּקוֹל֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לִשְׁמֹ֛ר מִצְוֹתָ֥יו וְחֻקֹּתָ֖יו אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּֽךְ:
46And they will be as a sign and a wonder, upon you and your offspring, forever, מווְהָי֣וּ בְךָ֔ לְא֖וֹת וּלְמוֹפֵ֑ת וּבְזַרְעֲךָ֖ עַד־עוֹלָֽם:
47because you did not serve the Lord, your God, with happiness and with gladness of heart, when [you had an] abundance of everything. מזתַּ֗חַת אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־עָבַ֨דְתָּ֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בְּשִׂמְחָ֖ה וּבְט֣וּב לֵבָ֑ב מֵרֹ֖ב כֹּֽל:
when [you had an] abundance of everything: when you still had all good things.
מרב כל: בעוד שהיה לך כל טוב:
48Therefore, you will serve your enemies, whom the Lord will send against you, [when you are] in famine, thirst, destitution, and lacking everything, and he will place an iron yoke upon your neck, until he has destroyed you. מחוְעָֽבַדְתָּ֣ אֶת־אֹֽיְבֶ֗יךָ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְשַׁלְּחֶ֤נּוּ יְהֹוָה֙ בָּ֔ךְ בְּרָעָ֧ב וּבְצָמָ֛א וּבְעֵירֹ֖ם וּבְחֹ֣סֶר כֹּ֑ל וְנָתַ֞ן עֹ֤ל בַּרְזֶל֙ עַל־צַוָּארֶ֔ךָ עַ֥ד הִשְׁמִיד֖וֹ אֹתָֽךְ:
49The Lord will bring upon you a nation from afar, from the end of the earth, as the eagle swoops down, a nation whose language you will not understand, מטיִשָּׂ֣א יְהֹוָה֩ עָלֶ֨יךָ גּ֤וֹי מֵֽרָחֹק֙ מִקְצֵ֣ה הָאָ֔רֶץ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר יִדְאֶ֖ה הַנָּ֑שֶׁר גּ֕וֹי אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־תִשְׁמַ֖ע לְשֹׁנֽוֹ:
as the eagle swoops down: i.e., suddenly and successfully. The horses [of this enemy nation] will run swiftly.
כאשר ידאה הנשר: פתאום ודרך מצלחת ויקלו סוסיו:
whose language you will not understand: Heb. תִּשְׁמַע. [Literally, “You will not hear his language,” i.e.,] you will not recognize its language. [We find a similar expression in Scripture:]“you understand (תִּשְׁמַע) a dream, to interpret it” (Gen. 41:15). Also,“[but they did not know] that Joseph understood (שֹׁמֵע)” (Gen. 42:23), entendre in Old French, to understand.
לא תשמע לשונו: לא תכיר לשונו, וכן (בראשית מא, טו) תשמע חלום לפתור אותו. וכן (שם מב, כג) כי שומע יוסף אינטינדר"י בלע"ז [להבין]:
50a brazen nation, which will not respect the elderly, nor show favor to the young. נגּ֖וֹי עַ֣ז פָּנִ֑ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־יִשָּׂ֤א פָנִים֙ לְזָקֵ֔ן וְנַ֖עַר לֹ֥א יָחֹֽן:
51They will devour the fruit of your livestock and the fruit of your soil, to destroy you. They will not leave over anything for you of the grain, wine, oil, offspring of your cattle or flocks of your sheep, until they annihilate you. נאוְאָכַ֠ל פְּרִ֨י בְהֶמְתְּךָ֥ וּפְרִֽי־אַדְמָֽתְךָ֘ עַ֣ד הִשָּֽׁמְדָךְ֒ אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־יַשְׁאִ֜יר לְךָ֗ דָּגָן֙ תִּיר֣וֹשׁ וְיִצְהָ֔ר שְׁגַ֥ר אֲלָפֶ֖יךָ וְעַשְׁתְּרֹ֣ת צֹאנֶ֑ךָ עַ֥ד הַֽאֲבִיד֖וֹ אֹתָֽךְ:
52And they will besiege you in all your cities, until your high and fortified walls in which you trust come down, throughout all your land. And they will besiege you in all your cities throughout all your land, which the Lord, your God, has given you. נבוְהֵצַ֨ר לְךָ֜ בְּכָל־שְׁעָרֶ֗יךָ עַ֣ד רֶ֤דֶת חֹֽמֹתֶ֨יךָ֙ הַגְּבֹהֹ֣ת וְהַבְּצֻר֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתָּ֛ה בֹּטֵ֥חַ בָּהֵ֖ן בְּכָל־אַרְצֶ֑ךָ וְהֵצַ֤ר לְךָ֙ בְּכָל־שְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ בְּכָ֨ל־אַרְצְךָ֔ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֛ן יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ לָֽךְ:
until your… walls come down: [The רֶדֶת here is [an expression of רִדּוּי וְכִבּוּשׁ] subjugation and conquest.
עד רדת חמתיך: לשון רדוי וכבוש:
53And during the siege and the desperation which your enemies will bring upon you, you will eat the fruit of your womb, the flesh of your sons and daughters, whom the Lord, your God, gave you. נגוְאָֽכַלְתָּ֣ פְרִֽי־בִטְנְךָ֗ בְּשַׂ֤ר בָּנֶ֨יךָ֙ וּבְנֹתֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָֽתַן־לְךָ֖ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ בְּמָצוֹר֙ וּבְמָצ֔וֹק אֲשֶׁר־יָצִ֥יק לְךָ֖ אֹֽיְבֶֽךָ:
And during the siege and desperation… you will eat the fruit of your womb, the flesh of your sons: Because [the enemies] will besiege the city, and there will be caused desperation, the distress of famine.
ואכלת פרי בטנך בשר בניך וגו' במצור: מחמת שיהיו צרין על העיר ויהיה שם מצוק עקת רעבון:
54The most tender and delicate man among you, will begrudge his own brother and the wife of his embrace and the rest of his children, whom he will leave over, נדהָאִישׁ֙ הָרַ֣ךְ בְּךָ֔ וְהֶֽעָנֹ֖ג מְאֹ֑ד תֵּרַ֨ע עֵינ֤וֹ בְאָחִיו֙ וּבְאֵ֣שֶׁת חֵיק֔וֹ וּבְיֶ֥תֶר בָּנָ֖יו אֲשֶׁ֥ר יוֹתִֽיר:
The most tender and delicate man among you: This is referring to the same person, who is both tender and delicate. These terms denote a pampered existence. [The fact] that these two expressions refer to the same person is proved [by their use together], when it says, “מֵהִתְעַנֵּג וּמֵרֹךְ, because of delicateness and tenderness” (verse 56) [referring to the same person. And here, the verse tells us that] although he is so pampered and he [normally] cannot tolerate anything repugnant, the flesh of his sons and daughters will seem sweet to him as a result of his [intense] hunger. And it will reach a stage where he will begrudge his remaining children, by denying any of them the flesh of his sons, their brothers, which he is eating. Another explanation of הָרַךְ בְּךָ: The merciful and tenderhearted will become cruel because of the intense hunger, and they will not give the flesh of their slaughtered children to their remaining children.
הרך בך והענג: הוא הרך הוא הענוג, לשון פינוק. ומהתענג ומרך מוכיח עליהם ששניהם אחד, אף על פי שהוא מפונק ודעתו קצה בדבר מאוס, ימתק לו לרעבונו בשר בניו ובנותיו עד כי תרע עינו בבניו הנותרים מתת לאחד מהם מבשר בניו אחיהם אשר יאכל. דבר אחר הרך בך הרחמני ורך הלבב, מרוב רעבנותם, יתאכזרו ולא יתנו מבשר בניהם השחוטים לבניהם הנותרים:
55of giving any one of them of the flesh of his children that he is eating, because not a thing will remain for him in the siege and in the desperation which your enemies will bring upon you, in all your cities. נהמִתֵּ֣ת | לְאַחַ֣ד מֵהֶ֗ם מִבְּשַׂ֤ר בָּנָיו֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֹאכֵ֔ל מִבְּלִ֥י הִשְׁאִֽיר־ל֖וֹ כֹּ֑ל בְּמָצוֹר֙ וּבְמָצ֔וֹק אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָצִ֥יק לְךָ֛ אֹֽיִבְךָ֖ בְּכָל־שְׁעָרֶֽיךָ:
56The most tender and delicate woman among you, who would not venture to set her foot upon the ground, because of delicateness and tenderness, will begrudge the husband of her embrace and her own son and daughter, נוהָֽרַכָּ֨ה בְךָ֜ וְהָֽעֲנֻגָּ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־נִסְּתָ֤ה כַף־רַגְלָהּ֙ הַצֵּ֣ג עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ מֵֽהִתְעַנֵּ֖ג וּמֵרֹ֑ךְ תֵּרַ֤ע עֵינָהּ֙ בְּאִ֣ישׁ חֵיקָ֔הּ וּבִבְנָ֖הּ וּבְבִתָּֽהּ:
will begrudge the husband of her embrace and her own son and daughter: [referring to her] grown-up [children].
תרע עינה באיש חיקה ובבנה ובבתה: הגדולים:
57and the infants who emerge from between her legs, and her own children whom she will bear, for she will eat them in secret, in destitution, in the siege and the desperation which your enemies will inflict upon you, in your cities. נזוּבְשִׁלְיָתָ֞הּ הַיּוֹצֵ֣ת | מִבֵּ֣ין רַגְלֶ֗יהָ וּבְבָנֶ֨יהָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֵּלֵ֔ד כִּי־תֹֽאכְלֵ֥ם בְּחֹֽסֶר־כֹּ֖ל בַּסָּ֑תֶר בְּמָצוֹר֙ וּבְמָצ֔וֹק אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָצִ֥יק לְךָ֛ אֹֽיִבְךָ֖ בִּשְׁעָרֶֽיךָ:
and the infants who emerge from between her legs: i.e. the small children, she will begrudge all of them [the elder and the younger children] when she eats one by denying those beside her any of the flesh.
ובשליתה: בניה הקטנים בכולן תהא עינה צרה כשתאכל את האחד מליתן לאשר אצלה מן הבשר:
58If you do not observe to fulfill all the words of this Torah, which are written in this scroll, to fear this glorious and awesome name, the Lord, your God, נחאִם־לֹ֨א תִשְׁמֹ֜ר לַֽעֲשׂ֗וֹת אֶת־כָּל־דִּבְרֵי֙ הַתּוֹרָ֣ה הַזֹּ֔את הַכְּתֻבִ֖ים בַּסֵּ֣פֶר הַזֶּ֑ה לְ֠יִרְאָ֠ה אֶת־הַשֵּׁ֞ם הַנִּכְבַּ֤ד וְהַנּוֹרָא֙ הַזֶּ֔ה אֵ֖ת יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ:
59Then the Lord [will bring upon] you and your offspring uniquely [horrible] plagues, terrible and unyielding plagues, and evil and unyielding sicknesses. נטוְהִפְלָ֤א יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־מַכֹּ֣תְךָ֔ וְאֵ֖ת מַכּ֣וֹת זַרְעֶ֑ךָ מַכּ֤וֹת גְּדֹלֹת֙ וְנֶ֣אֱמָנ֔וֹת וָֽחֳלָיִ֥ם רָעִ֖ים וְנֶֽאֱמָנִֽים:
Then the Lord will bring upon you… plagues: [The Lord will bring upon you plagues which are more] remarkable and different from any other plagues.
והפלא ה' את מכתך: מופלאות ומובדלות משאר מכות:
unyielding: [Literally, “faithful.” I.e., these plagues will “faithfully”] chastise you in order to fulfill their mission.
ונאמנות: ליסרך לקיים שליחותן:
60And He will bring back upon you all the diseases of Egypt which you dreaded, and they will cling to you. סוְהֵשִׁ֣יב בְּךָ֗ אֵ֚ת כָּל־מַדְוֵ֣ה מִצְרַ֔יִם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָגֹ֖רְתָּ מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑ם וְדָֽבְק֖וּ בָּֽךְ:
which you dreaded: [You dreaded] those diseases [not that you dreaded Egypt]. When Israel saw the extraordinary plagues that befell Egypt, they were afraid of them, i.e., they were afraid that these plagues would befall them too. You should know, [that the Israelites dreaded the plagues of Egypt,] because it is written,“If you hearken…, all the sickness that I have visited upon Egypt, I will not visit upon you” (Exod. 15:26) [implying that if you do not hearken, I will place them upon you! Since Israel feared those plagues, God used them as a threat, because] one can instill fear into a person only through something he fears.
אשר יגרת מפניהם: מפני המכות כשהיו ישראל רואים מכות משונות הבאות על מצרים היו יראים מהם שלא יבואו גם עליהם, תדע שכן כתיב (שמות טו כו) אם שמוע וגו' כל המחלה אשר שמתי במצרים לא אשים עליך, אין מיראין את האדם אלא בדבר שהוא יגור ממנו:
61Also, the Lord will bring upon you every disease and plague which is not written in this Torah scroll, to destroy you. סאגַּ֤ם כָּל־חֳלִי֙ וְכָל־מַכָּ֔ה אֲשֶׁר֙ לֹ֣א כָת֔וּב בְּסֵ֖פֶר הַתּוֹרָ֣ה הַזֹּ֑את יַעְלֵ֤ם יְהֹוָה֙ עָלֶ֔יךָ עַ֖ד הִשָּֽׁמְדָֽךְ:
will bring upon you: Heb. יַעְלֵם. [This term is] an expression of עִלִיּה, going up.
יעלם: לשון עלייה:
62And you will remain few in number, whereas you were once as numerous as the stars of the heavens because you did not obey the Lord, your God. סבוְנִשְׁאַרְתֶּם֙ בִּמְתֵ֣י מְעָ֔ט תַּ֚חַת אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֱיִיתֶ֔ם כְּכֽוֹכְבֵ֥י הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם לָרֹ֑ב כִּי־לֹ֣א שָׁמַ֔עְתָּ בְּק֖וֹל יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ:
And you will remain few in number: Instead of being numerous [“as the stars of the stars of the heaven”], you will be few [in number].
ונשארתם במתי מעט תחת וגו': מועטין חלף מרובין:
63And it will be, just as the Lord rejoiced over you to do good for you and to increase you, so will the Lord cause to rejoice over you to annihilate you and to destroy you. And you will be uprooted from the land which you enter therein, to possess it. סגוְהָיָ֠ה כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֨שׂ יְהֹוָ֜ה עֲלֵיכֶ֗ם לְהֵיטִ֣יב אֶתְכֶם֘ וּלְהַרְבּ֣וֹת אֶתְכֶם֒ כֵּ֣ן יָשִׂ֤ישׂ יְהֹוָה֙ עֲלֵיכֶ֔ם לְהַֽאֲבִ֥יד אֶתְכֶ֖ם וּלְהַשְׁמִ֣יד אֶתְכֶ֑ם וְנִסַּחְתֶּם֙ מֵעַ֣ל הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֥ה בָא־שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ:
So will the Lord cause to rejoice: [I.e., “so will He make] your enemies [rejoice] over you, to annihilate you.” [But the Holy One, Blessed is He, Himself, does not rejoice. From here, we learn that the Holy One, Blessed is He, does not rejoice over the downfall of the wicked, for in our verse it does not say יָשׂוּשׂ [in the simple conjugation], “rejoice,” but rather יָשִׂישׂ in the causative conjugation, “cause to rejoice.” I.e., God will make others rejoice over your downfall, because you acted wickedly, while He Himself will not personally rejoice over your downfall. Nevertheless, when it comes to bestowing good upon the righteous, God Himself rejoices, as it is said: “just as the Lord rejoiced (שָׂשׂ) over you [to do good for you,” where the verb שָׂשׂ is in the simple conjugation, for God Himself rejoices here]]. — [Meg. 10b]
כן ישיש ה': את אויביכם עליכם להאביד וגו':
and you will be uprooted: Heb. וְנִסַּחְתֶּם, an expression of uprooting. Similar to this is the verse,“The Lord will uproot (יִסַּח) the house of the arrogant” (Prov. 15:25).
ונסחתם: לשון עקירה וכן (משלי טו, כה) בית גאים יסח ה':
64And the Lord will scatter you among all the nations, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you will serve other deities unknown to you or your forefathers, [deities of] wood and stone. סדוֶֽהֱפִֽיצְךָ֤ יְהֹוָה֙ בְּכָל־הָ֣עַמִּ֔ים מִקְצֵ֥ה הָאָ֖רֶץ וְעַד־קְצֵ֣ה הָאָ֑רֶץ וְעָבַ֨דְתָּ שָּׁ֜ם אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹֽא־יָדַ֛עְתָּ אַתָּ֥ה וַֽאֲבֹתֶ֖יךָ עֵ֥ץ וָאָֽבֶן:
and there you will serve other deities: As the Targum [Onkelos] renders: [and there you will serve nations that worship idols. Thus, the verse is] not referring to actual idolatry, but rather paying customs and head taxes to idolatrous priests.
ועבדת שם אלהים אחרים: כתרגומו, לא עבודת אלהות ממש, אלא מעלים מס וגולגליות לכומרי עבודה זרה:
65And among those nations, you will not be calm, nor will your foot find rest. There, the Lord will give you a trembling heart, dashed hopes, and a depressed soul. סהוּבַגּוֹיִ֤ם הָהֵם֙ לֹ֣א תַרְגִּ֔יעַ וְלֹא־יִֽהְיֶ֥ה מָנ֖וֹחַ לְכַף־רַגְלֶ֑ךָ וְנָתַן֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה לְךָ֥ שָׁם֙ לֵ֣ב רַגָּ֔ז וְכִלְי֥וֹן עֵינַ֖יִם וְדַֽאֲב֥וֹן נָֽפֶשׁ:
you will not be calm: Heb. לֹא תַרְגִּיעַ, [meaning, as Onkelos renders:] “You will not rest.” Similar to this is the verse,“and this is the rest (הַמַּרְגֵּעָה)” (Isa. 28:12).
לא תרגיע: לא תנוח, כמו (ישעיה כח, יב) וזאת המרגעה:
a trembling heart: Heb. לֵב רַגָּז, a trembling heart, as the Targum [Onkelos] renders: דָחֵיל, “fearful, trembling,” similar to“Gehinnom from beneath quaked (רָגְזָה) for you” (Isa. 14:9),“Peoples heard; they trembled (יִרְגָּזוּן) ” (Exod. 15:14), and“The foundations of heaven trembled (יִרְגָּזוּ)” (II Sam. 22:8).
לב רגז: לב חרד, כתרגומו דחל, כמו (שם יד ט) שאול מתחת רגזה לך, (שמות טו, יד) שמעו עמים ירגזון, (שמואל ב' כב, ח) מוסדות השמים ירגזו:
dashed hopes: [I.e.,] hoping for a salvation, but it never comes.
וכליון עינים: מצפה לישועה ולא תבא:
66And your life will hang in suspense before you. You will be in fear night and day, and you will not believe in your life. סווְהָי֣וּ חַיֶּ֔יךָ תְּלֻאִ֥ים לְךָ֖ מִנֶּ֑גֶד וּפָֽחַדְתָּ֙ לַ֣יְלָה וְיוֹמָ֔ם וְלֹ֥א תַֽאֲמִ֖ין בְּחַיֶּֽיךָ:
Your life will hang in suspense: Heb. תְּלֻאִים, [meaning that they hang in suspense] because of uncertainty. Any doubt is denoted by the term תָּלוּי, “suspended.” [Here, the doubt is that you will constantly think:] “Perhaps I will die today by the sword that is befalling us.” Our Rabbis explain this verse as referring to one who purchases produce from the marketplace. [I.e., he relies directly on the marketplace for his sustenance, with the risk that if one time there is no produce in the market, he will not have provisions. Thus, his life “hangs in suspense.”]
חייך תלואים לך: על הספק, כל ספק קרוי תלוי, שמא אמות היום בחרב הבאה עלינו. ורבותינו דרשו זה הלוקח תבואה מן השוק:
and you will not believe in your life: This refers to one who relies on the shopkeeper [for his sustenance. This curse, therefore, represents a level of trust far worse than the one who relies upon the marketplace. A person can take provisions from the marketplace to last a long time, but one who relies upon the middleman is at further risk of not receiving sustenance]. — [see Men. 103b]
ולא תאמין בחייך: זה הסומך על הפלטר:
67In the morning, you will say, "If only it were evening! " and in the evening, you will say, "If only it were morning!" because of the fear in your heart which you will experience and because of the sights that you will behold. סזבַּבֹּ֤קֶר תֹּאמַר֙ מִֽי־יִתֵּ֣ן עֶ֔רֶב וּבָעֶ֥רֶב תֹּאמַ֖ר מִֽי־יִתֵּ֣ן בֹּ֑קֶר מִפַּ֤חַד לְבָֽבְךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּפְחָ֔ד וּמִמַּרְאֵ֥ה עֵינֶ֖יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר תִּרְאֶֽה:
In the morning, you will say, “If only it were evening!”: [I.e.,] if it were only yesterday evening! [The trouble will be worse in the morning, so that you will yearn for the previous evening]. — [Sotah 49a]
בבקר תאמר מי יתן ערב: ויהיה הערב של אמש:
and in the evening, you will say,“If only it were morning!”: [I.e.,] if it were only morning of that day! Thus, the troubles will always progressively intensify; each hour, the curse will be more severe than the preceding one. — [ibid.]
ובערב תאמר מי יתן בקר: של שחרית, שהצרות מתחזקות תמיד וכל שעה מרובה קללתה משלפניה:
68And the Lord will bring you back to Egypt in ships, through the way about which I had said to you, You will never see it again. And there, you will seek to be sold to your enemies for slaves and handmaids, but there will be no buyer. סחוֶֽהֱשִֽׁיבְךָ֙ יְהֹוָ֥ה | מִצְרַ֘יִם֘ בָּֽאֳנִיּוֹת֒ בַּדֶּ֨רֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָמַ֣רְתִּי לְךָ֔ לֹֽא־תֹסִ֥יף ע֖וֹד לִרְאֹתָ֑הּ וְהִתְמַכַּרְתֶּ֨ם שָׁ֧ם לְאֹֽיְבֶ֛יךָ לַֽעֲבָדִ֥ים וְלִשְׁפָח֖וֹת וְאֵ֥ין קֹנֶֽה:
in ships: In ships of captivity.
באניות: בספינות בשביה:
And there, you will seek to be sold to your enemies: You will wish to be sold to them as slaves and handmaids.
והתמכרתם שם לאיביך: אתם מבקשים להיות נמכרים להם לעבדים ולשפחות:
but there will be no buyer: Because they will decree death and destruction upon you.
ואין קנה: כי יגזרו עליך הרג וכליון:
and you will seek to be sold: Heb. וְהִתְמַכַּרְתֶּם, in Old French epor vandrez vos. [That is, the verb is in the reflexive conjugation. Accordingly,] it is incorrect to explain וְהִתְמַכַּרְתֶּם [as if in the passive conjugation, i.e.,] as וְנִמְכַּרְתֶּם, “and you will be sold”-sold by others-because the verse continues: “but there will be no buyer.” [Thus how could they be “sold by others” if there is“no buyer”?]
והתמכרתם: בלע"ז איפורוונדרי"ץ וו"ש [ותמכרו עצמכם] ולא יתכן לפרש והתמכרתם לשון ונמכרתם על ידי מוכרים אחרים, מפני שנאמר אחריו ואין קונה:
69These are the words of the covenant, which the Lord commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, besides the covenant which he made with them in Horeb. סטאֵ֩לֶּה֩ דִבְרֵ֨י הַבְּרִ֜ית אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֧ה יְהֹוָ֣ה אֶת־משֶׁ֗ה לִכְרֹ֛ת אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מוֹאָ֑ב מִלְּבַ֣ד הַבְּרִ֔ית אֲשֶׁר־כָּרַ֥ת אִתָּ֖ם בְּחֹרֵֽב:
to make with the Children of Israel: that they should accept the Torah upon themselves with a curse and an oath.
לכרת את בני ישראל: שיקבלו עליהם את התורה באלה ובשבועה:
besides the covenant: [Namely,] the curses [which appear] in Lev. (26: 14-39), which were proclaimed at [Mount] Sinai.
מלבד הברית: קללות שבתורת כהנים שנאמרו בסיני:
Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 83 - 87
• 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 83
A prayer regarding the wars against Israel in the days of Jehoshaphat, when the nations plotted against Israel.
1. A song, a psalm by Asaph.
2. O God, do not be silent; do not be quiet and do not be still, O God.
3. For behold, Your enemies are in uproar, and those who hate You have raised their head.
4. They plot deviously against Your nation, and conspire against those sheltered by You.
5. They say, "Come, let us sever them from nationhood, and the name of Israel will be remembered no more.”
6. For they conspire with a unanimous heart, they made a covenant against You-
7. the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites,
8. Geval and Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre.
9. Assyria, too, joined with them, and became the strength of the sons of Lot, Selah.
10. Do to them as to Midian; as to Sisera and Yavin at the brook of Kishon,
11. who were destroyed at Ein Dor, and were as dung for the earth.
12. Make their nobles like Orev and Ze'ev, all their princes like Zevach and Tzalmuna,1
13. who said, "Let us inherit the dwellings of God for ourselves.”
14. My God, make them like whirling chaff, like straw before the wind.
15. As a fire consumes the forest, and a flame sets the mountains ablaze,
16. so pursue them with Your tempest and terrify them with Your storm.
17. Fill their faces with shame, and they will seek Your Name, O Lord.
18. Let them be shamed and terrified forever; let them be disgraced and perish.
19. And they will know that You, Whose Name is the Lord, are alone, Most High over all the earth.
FOOTNOTES
1.These were the Midianite leaders who were captured (see Judges 7:25)
Chapter 84
In this psalm of prayers and entreaties, the psalmist mourns bitterly over the destruction of Temple from the depths of his heart, and speaks of the many blessings that will be realized upon its restoration. Fortunate is the one who trusts it will be rebuilt, and does not despair in the face of this long exile.
1. For the Conductor, on the gittit,1 a psalm by the sons of Korach.
2. How beloved are Your dwellings, O Lord of Hosts!
3. My soul yearns, indeed it pines, for the courtyards of the Lord; my heart and my flesh [long to] sing to the living God.
4. Even the bird has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she lays her young on the [ruins of] Your altars, O Lord of Hosts, my King and my God.
5. Fortunate are those who dwell in Your House; they will yet praise You forever.
6. Fortunate is the man whose strength is in You; the paths [to the Temple] are in his heart.
7. For those who pass through the Valley of Thorns, He places wellsprings; their guide will be cloaked in blessings.2
8. They go from strength to strength; they will appear before God in Zion.
9. O Lord, God of Hosts, hear my prayer; listen, O God of Jacob, forever.
10. See our shield,3 O God, and look upon the face of Your anointed one.
11. For better one day in Your courtyards than a thousand [elsewhere]. I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God, than dwell [in comfort] in the tents of wickedness.
12. For the Lord, God, is a sun and a shield; the Lord bestows favor and glory; He does not withhold goodness from those who walk in innocence.
13. O Lord of Hosts! Fortunate is the man who trusts in You.
FOOTNOTES
1.A musical instrument crafted in Gath (Metzudot).
2.God provides water for the pilgrims to Jerusalem, leading them to bless their guides for choosing a water-laden route (Metzudot)
3.Remember the Temple [and rebuild it](Metzudot).
Chapter 85
In this prayer, lamenting the long and bitter exile, the psalmist asks why this exile is longer than the previous ones, and implores God to quickly fulfill His promise to redeem us. Every individual should offer this psalm when in distress.
1. For the Conductor, a psalm by the sons of Korach.
2. O Lord, You favored Your land; You returned the captives of Jacob.
3. You forgave the iniquity of Your people, and covered all their sin forever.
4. You withdrew all Your fury, and retreated from Your fierce anger.
5. Return us, O God of our salvation, and annul Your anger toward us.
6. Will You forever be angry with us? Will You draw out Your anger over all generations?
7. Is it not true that You will revive us again, and Your people will rejoice in You?
8. Show us Your kindness, O Lord, and grant us Your deliverance.
9. I hear what the Almighty Lord will say; for He speaks peace to His nation and to His pious ones, and they will not return to folly.
10. Indeed, His deliverance is near those who fear Him, that [His] glory may dwell in the land.
11. Kindness and truth have met; righteousness and peace have kissed.
12. Truth will sprout from the earth, and righteousness will peer from heaven.
13. The Lord, too, will bestow goodness, and our land will yield its produce.
14. Righteousness shall walk before him, and he shall set his footsteps in [its] path.
Chapter 86
This psalm contains many prayers regarding David's troubles, and his enemies Doeg and Achitophel. It also includes many descriptions of God's praise. Every individual can offer this psalm when in distress.
1. A prayer by David. Lord, turn Your ear, answer me, for I am poor and needy.
2. Guard my soul, for I am pious; You, my God, deliver Your servant who trusts in You.
3. Be gracious to me, my Lord, for to You I call all day.
4. Bring joy to the soul of Your servant, for to You, my Lord, I lift my soul.
5. For You, my Lord, are good and forgiving, and exceedingly kind to all who call upon You.
6. Lord, hear my prayer and listen to the voice of my supplications.
7. On the day of my distress I call upon You, for You will answer me.
8. There is none like You among the supernal beings, my Lord, and there are no deeds like Yours.
9. All the nations that You have made will come and bow down before You, my Lord, and give honor to Your Name,
10. for You are great and perform wonders, You alone, O God.
11. Lord, teach me Your way that I may walk in Your truth; unify my heart to fear Your Name.
12. I will praise You, my Lord, my God, with all my heart, and give honor to Your Name forever.
13. For Your kindness to me has been great; You have saved my soul from the depth of the grave.
14. O God, malicious men have risen against me; a band of ruthless men has sought my soul; they are not mindful of You.
15. But You, my Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in kindness and truth.
16. Turn to me and be gracious to me; grant Your strength to Your servant, and deliver the son of Your maidservant.
17. Show me a sign of favor, that my foes may see and be shamed, because You, Lord, have given me aid and consoled me.
Chapter 87
Composed to be sung in the Holy Temple, this psalm praises the glory of Jerusalem, a city that produces many great scholars, eminent personalities, and persons of good deeds. It also speaks of the good that will occur in the Messianic era.
1. By the sons of Korach, a psalm, a song devoted to the holy mountains [of Zion and Jerusalem].
2. The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.
3. Glorious things are spoken of you, eternal city of God.
4. I will remind Rahav Egypt and Babylon concerning My beloved; Philistia and Tyre as well as Ethiopia, "This one was born there.”
5. And to Zion will be said, "This person and that was born there"; and He, the Most High, will establish it.
6. The Lord will count in the register of people, "This one was born there," Selah.
7. Singers as well as dancers [will sing your praise and say], "All my inner thoughts are of you."
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 49, 50 and 51.
Chapter 49
This psalm is a strong message and inspiration for all, rich and poor alike, rebuking man for transgressions which, owing to habit, he no longer considers sinful; yet, these sins incriminate man on the Day of Judgement. The psalm speaks specifically to the wealthy, who rely not on God but on their wealth.
1. For the Conductor, by the sons of Korach, a psalm.
2. Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all you inhabitants of the world;
3. sons of common folk and sons of nobility, rich and poor alike.
4. My mouth speaks wisdom, and the thoughts of my heart are understanding.
5. I incline my ear to the parable; I will unravel my riddle upon the harp.
6. Why am I afraid in times of trouble? [Because] the sins I trod upon surround me.
7. There are those who rely on their wealth, who boast of their great riches.
8. Yet a man cannot redeem his brother, nor pay his ransom to God.
9. The redemption of their soul is too costly, and forever unattainable.
10. Can one live forever, never to see the grave?
11. Though he sees that wise men die, that the fool and the senseless both perish, leaving their wealth to others-
12. [nevertheless,] in their inner thoughts their houses will last forever, their dwellings for generation after generation; they have proclaimed their names throughout the lands.
13. But man will not repose in glory; he is likened to the silenced animals.
14. This is their way-their folly remains with them, and their descendants approve of their talk, Selah.
15. Like sheep, they are destined for the grave; death shall be their shepherd, and the upright will dominate them at morning; their form will rot in the grave, away from its abode.
16. But God will redeem my soul from the hands of the grave, for He will take me, Selah.
17. Do not fear when a man grows rich, when the glory of his house is increased;
18. for when he dies he will take nothing, his glory will not descend after him.
19. For he [alone] praises himself in his lifetime; but [all] will praise you if you better yourself.
20. He will come to the generation of his forefathers; they shall not see light for all eternity.
21. Man [can live] in glory but does not understand; he is likened to the silenced animals.
Chapter 50
This psalm speaks of many ethics and morals. The psalmist rebukes those who fail to repent humbly and modestly. He also admonishes those who do not practice that which they study, and merely appear to be righteous; they sin and cause others to sin.
1. A psalm by Asaph. Almighty God, the Lord, spoke and called to the earth, from the rising of the sun to its setting.
2. Out of Zion, the place of perfect beauty, God appeared.
3. Our God will come and not be silent; a fire will consume before Him, His surroundings are furiously turbulent.
4. He will call to the heavens above, and to the earth, to avenge His people:
5. "Gather to Me My pious ones, those who made a covenant with me over a sacrifice.”
6. Then the heavens declared His righteousness, for God is Judge forever.
7. Listen, my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against you-I am God your God.
8. Not for [the lack of] your sacrifices will I rebuke you, nor for [the lack of] your burnt offerings which ought to be continually before Me.
9. I do not take oxen from your house, nor goats from your pens;
10. for every beast of the forest is Mine, the cattle of a thousand mountains.
11. I know every bird of the mountains, and the crawling creatures of the field are in My possession.
12. Were I hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and everything in it is mine.
13. Do I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?
14. Offer confession as a sacrifice to God, and fulfill your vows to the Most High,
15. and call to Me on the day of distress; I will free you, and you will honor Me.
16. But to the wicked, God said, "What does it help you to discuss My laws, and bear My covenant upon your lips?
17. For you hate discipline, and throw My words behind you.
18. When you see a thief you run with him, and your lot is with adulterers.
19. You sent forth your mouth for evil, and attach your tongue to deceit.
20. You sit down to talk against your brother; your mother's son you defame.
21. You have done these things and I kept silent, so you imagine that I am like you-[but] I will rebuke you and lay it clearly before your eyes.
22. Understand this now, you who forget God, lest I tear you apart and there be none to save you.
23. He who offers a sacrifice of confession honors Me; and to him who sets right his way, I will show the deliverance of God."
Chapter 51
This psalm speaks of when Nathan the prophet went to David's palace, and rebuked him for his sin with Bathsheba. David then secluded himself with God, offering awe-inspiring prayers and begging forgiveness. Every person should recite this psalm for his sins and transgressions.
1. For the Conductor, a psalm by David,
2. when Nathan the prophet came to him after he had gone to Bathsheba.
3. Be gracious to me, O God, in keeping with Your kindness; in accordance with Your abounding compassion, erase my transgressions.
4. Cleanse me thoroughly of my wrongdoing, and purify me of my sin.
5. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
6. Against You alone have I sinned, and done that which is evil in Your eyes; [forgive me] so that You will be justified in Your verdict, vindicated in Your judgment.
7. Indeed, I was begotten in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
8. Indeed, You desire truth in the innermost parts; teach me the wisdom of concealed things.
9. Purge me with hyssop and I shall be pure; cleanse me and I shall be whiter than snow.
10. Let me hear [tidings of] joy and gladness; then the bones which You have shattered will rejoice.
11. Hide Your face from my sins, and erase all my trespasses.
12. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew within me an upright spirit.
13. Do not cast me out of Your presence, and do not take Your Spirit of Holiness away from me.
14. Restore to me the joy of Your deliverance, and uphold me with a spirit of magnanimity.
15. I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will return to You.
16. Save me from bloodguilt, O God, God of my deliverance; my tongue will sing Your righteousness.
17. My Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare Your praise.
18. For You do not desire that I bring sacrifices, nor do You wish burnt offerings.
19. The offering [desirable] to God is a contrite spirit; a contrite and broken heart, God, You do not disdain.
20. In Your goodwill, bestow goodness upon Zion; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
21. Then will You desire sacrifices [offered in] righteousness, olah and other burnt offerings; then they will offer bullocks upon Your altar.
Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, beginning of Epistle 15
• English Text (Lessons in Tanya)
• Hebrew Text
• Audio Class: Listen | Download
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Friday, Elul 17, 5777 · September 8, 2017
Today's Tanya Lesson
Iggeret HaKodesh, beginning of Epistle 15
AUDIO & VIDEO CLASSES
• VIDEO CLASS: Rabbi Yehoshua B. Gordon Watch • Listen
• AUDIO CLASS: Rabbi Manis Freidman Listen • Download MP3
The subject of this letter, the Ten Sefirot of the World of Atzilut and of the other worlds, is a fundament of both Kabbalah and Chassidut.
All the worlds are both created and conducted by means of the Sefirot, the emanations by which the various attributes of Divinity become manifest. Thus we find in the discourse beginning Patach Eliyahu,1 “You are He Who has brought forth ten ‘garments’, and we call them ten Sefirot, through which to direct hidden worlds which are not revealed, and revealed worlds.”
The Ten Sefirot demonstrate both G‑d’s infinite power (Ko’ach HaBli-Gvul) and His finite power (Ko’ach HaGvul). For, as is pointed out by the author of Avodat HaKodesh,2 “The Or Ein Sof (‘the [infinite] Ein Sof-light’) is שלימותא דכולא (‘the completeness of everything,’ or: ‘the most complete entity of all’): hence, just as He has infinite power, so too does He have finite power. For if you were to say that He possesses infinite power but lacks finite power then you minimize His completeness — and He is the most complete entity of all.”
It is within the Sefirot that infinity and the finite first coalesce, as it were, in order for worlds to be created and directed. For the Sefirot are composed of both orot (“lights”) and kelim (“vessels”). The orot of the Sefirotare simple and formless. Since they are not limited by specific characteristics (such as Chochmah or Chesed), they reflect G‑d’s infinite power as revealed within the Sefirot. The kelim, by contrast, do have specific characteristics, and thereby reveal G‑d’s power of limitation and finitude. It is thus through the Sefirot that the Ein Sof-light, which is by definition infinite, creates and conducts the finite worlds.
Since both the orot and the kelim which together comprise the Sefirot are utterly united with the Ein Sof-light, for3 “He and His orot are One; He and His kelim are One,” it is possible for the worlds to be created and animated by the Ein Sof and still be finite — for, as explained above, the Sefirot are infused with a capability for finitude.
The garbing of the Ein Sof-light within the Sefirot is known as “man”, as in the verse,4 “And upon the likeness of the throne there was a likeness of man,” for “man” denotes a visage comprising ten Sefirot.
The Kabbalah deals mainly with the Sefirot as they exist in the Supernal worlds, as in the World of Atzilut. In addition to the above, Chassidut gives closer attention to the Sefirot insofar as they appear as the ten corresponding faculties of a Jew’s soul, which derive and evolve from them.5 Thus, on the one hand, the middah(the mortal attribute or spiritual emotion) of Chesed, for example, derives from the Supernal Sefirah of Chesed, and so on. But conversely, too, when a Jew utilizes the ten soul-powers within him in his divine service here below, he is able to affect their source, the Sefirot of the higher worlds.
The knowledge and understanding of the Ten Sefirot Above as well as the knowledge of the evolvement of the worlds, is in itself “a great and lofty mitzvah,” as the Alter Rebbe writes below in Kuntres Acharon.6 This understanding leads to a love and fear of G‑d, which are the source and root that motivate the performance of all mitzvot, as explained in Likkutei Torah.7 Moreover, a comprehension of the Sefirot and their corresponding soul-powers inspires a Jew’s spiritual service with vitality, and elevates it.
להבין משל ומליצה, דברי חכמים וחידותם, בענין הספירות
“To understand the allegory and metaphor, the words of the wise and their riddles,”8 with respect to the Sefirot:
The commentaries note that “allegory and metaphor” refers to the Written Torah, which includes allegorical passages which are true at both the allusive and the literal levels. An example would be,9 “Seek life with the woman whom you love.” Although in this context “woman” is a metaphor for the wisdom of the Torah, the verse retains its simple meaning as well.
The commentaries note further that “the words of the wise and their riddles” refers to the Oral Torah: “the words of the wise” refers to those things that are revealed to all, while “their riddles” refers to those things which need to be revealed and solved.
By applying this phrase to the Sefirot, the Alter Rebbe is indicating that the Sefirot contain all four levels — allegory, metaphor, words of the wise, and riddles, for the Sefirot are found both Above in the spiritual worlds, as well as within a Jew’s soul.
מודעת זאת בארץ, מפי קדושי עליון, נשמותיהם עדן
It is known10 “throughout the land” from the mouth of heavenly saints, may their souls rest in Eden,
לקרב קצת אל השכל מאי דכתיב: ומבשרי אחזה אלוה
enabling us to somewhat comprehend the verse,11 “And from my flesh shall I behold G‑d,”
שהכוונה היא להבין קצת אלקותו יתברך, מנפש המלובשת בבשר האדם
that [this verse] speaks of a partial understanding of G‑d’s blessed Divinity from [a consideration of] the soul which is vested in the flesh of man.
This refers only to the dimension of the soul that animates the body, for, as the Rebbe notes, the essence of the soul, like the spirituality that transcends this world at large, remains incomprehensible to man.
ועל פי מאמר רז״ל על פסוק: ברכי נפשי וגו׳
This [correspondence between the soul and its Creator] accords with the teaching of our Sages,12 of blessed memory, on the verse,13 “Give praise, my soul, [to G‑d]”:
מה הקב״ה כו׳, אף הנשמה כו׳
“Just as the Holy One, blessed be He, [permeates the world,] so does the soul [permeate the body].”
Since the Sages go on to enumerate other similarities between the soul and G‑d, it is clear that from the soul we are able to catch a glimpse of things as they exist Above.
But how, indeed, can we possibly compare the soul to G‑d?
The Alter Rebbe therefore goes on to quote the Zohar: The soul derives from the innermost aspect of G‑dliness, thus sharing characteristics with the Supernal Sefirot and with Divinity itself. We are therefore able to understand G‑dliness through the analogy of the soul.
ועל פי מאמר הזהר על פסוק: ויפח באפיו נשמת חיים
[This correspondence likewise] accords with the teaching of the Zohar14 on the verse,15 “And He blew into his nostrils a soul of life”:
מאן דנפח, מתוכיה נפח
“He who blows, blows from within him,” i.e., from his inwardness and his innermost being.
Unlike speech, which utilizes only the external aspect of the speaker’s breath, blowing emits the innermost breath. Thus, when Scripture states that “He blew into his nostrils a soul of life,” it means to indicate that the soul derives from the innermost aspects of G‑dliness, as explained in Iggeret HaTeshuvah, ch. 4.
ואפילו נפש דעשיה, היא באה מזיווג ז״א ונוקבא דעשיה
For even a Nefesh (i.e., a soul of the lowest grade) of Asiyah (i.e., the lowest world) derives from the union of Za (ז״א: the initials of זעיר אנפין, i.e., the bracket of six masculine middot, or emotive attributes) with nukva (i.e., the feminine attribute called Malchut) of Asiyah,
I.e., a Nefesh in the World of Asiyah is born of the union of the above masculine and feminine middot (this union being called the yichud (or zivug) of זו״נ, which is an acronym for ז״א ונוקבא),
והמוחין שלהם, שהם בחינת חיה ונשמה דזו״נ
and of [the union of] their Mochin (i.e., ChaBaD, an acronym for the intellective soul-faculties ofChochmah, Binah and Daat, together constituting the Mochin of Za-and-nukva in the World of Asiyah), which are the Chayah and Neshamah of Za-and-nukva.
Foreshadowing the above-mentioned union at the level of the lower (emotive) Sefirot, the union which first brings a Nefesh to the stage of potential creation is that which takes place at the level of the higher (intellective) Sefirot. The two partners to this union are the soul-level called Chayah, representing the level of Chochmah16(the masculine element), and the soul-level called Neshamah, representing the level of Binah17 (the feminine element).
Thus, even a soul that is merely of the level called Nefesh comprises all the Sefirot of the World of Asiyah — Chochmah, Binah, Za (the six emotive attributes), and nukva (Malchut).
שהן הן אחוריים דכלים דזו״נ דאצילות
These, in turn, are the external aspect of the kelim of Za-and-nukva of Atzilut.
For the kelim of Za-and-nukva of Atzilut illuminate and are infused within the Sefirot of the World of Asiyah.18 The Sefirot of Asiyah are thus the external aspect of the kelim of Za-and-nukva of Atzilut.
שהם אלקות ממש
And they (the kelim of Atzilut) are truly Divine,
שבתוכם מאיר אור אין סוף ברוך הוא, המלובש וגנוז בחכמה דאצילות
for in them radiates the [infinite] Ein Sof-light, which is vested and concealed in the Chochmah of Atzilut, for reasons explained in the Alter Rebbe’s Note to ch. 35; indeed, the infinite light vested in Chochmah illuminates all the kelim of the Sefirot of Atzilut:19 “The Supernal Father ‘nests’ in Atzilut,”
דאיהו וגרמוהי חד באצילות
and “He (the [infinite] Ein Sof-light) and His kelim are one in Atzilut.”
Since the Sefirot of Atzilut are the internal aspect of the Sefirot of Asiyah, the [infinite] Ein Sof-light is thus vested within the Sefirot of Asiyah.
ועל כן גם בנשמת האדם מאיר אור אין סוף ברוך הוא, מלובש וגנוז באור החכמה שבה, להחיות את האדם
Hence, since the soul derives from these Sefirot, it follows that the [infinite] Ein Sof-light radiates in the soul of man as well, vested and concealed in the light of its Chochmah, in order to animate man.
וממנה יוכל האדם להבין קצת בספירות העליונות
And from it (the soul), man is enabled to understand something of the Supernal Sefirot,
שכולן מאירות בנשמתו, הכלולה מהן
for they all radiate in his soul, which comprises them.
Since the soul derives from the Ten Sefirot and hence comprises ten corresponding faculties, man can arrive at an understanding of the Supernal Sefirot through contemplating the dynamics within his own soul.
The Alter Rebbe now goes on to make it perfectly clear that the Sefirot are, however, infinitely higher than the corresponding faculties within the soul. Indeed, even Abraham’s attribute of Chesed could in no way compare to the Chesed of the Sefirot, notwithstanding the fact that Abraham was considered a “chariot” to G‑d,20i.e., a self-effacing vehicle with no direction or desire other than that of his Rider.
| FOOTNOTES | |
| 1. | Introduction II to Tikkunei Zohar, reproduced in Siddur Tehillat HaShem, pp. 125-6. |
| 2. | Part I, beginning of ch. 8. |
| 3. | Introduction to Tikkunei Zohar, p. 3b; Etz Chayim, Shaar 47, ch. 2 et al.; and see Epistle 20, below. |
| 4. | Yechezkel 1:26. |
| 5. | See Tanya, Part I, ch. 3. |
| 6. | P. 156b. |
| 7. | Discourse entitled Lo Tashbit. |
| 8. | Mishlei 1:6. |
| 9. | Kohelet 9:9. |
| 10. | Cf. Yeshayahu 12:5. |
| 11. | Iyov 19:26. |
| 12. | Berachot 10a. |
| 13. | Tehillim 103:1. |
| 14. | Quoted above — in Part I, beginning of ch. 2, and in Part III (Iggeret HaTeshuvah), ch. 4 — in the name of the Zohar. |
| 15. | Bereishit 2:7. |
| 16. | This connection is hinted at in the phrase, החכמה תחיה (Kohelet 7:12). |
| 17. | For this connection, cf. the phrase, נשמת שדי תבינם (Iyov 32:8). |
| 18. | See Etz Chayim, Shaar 47, ch. 2. |
| 19. | Tikkunei Zohar, Tikkun 6. |
| 20. | Note of the Rebbe: “Bereishit Rabbah 47:8, et al.; explained in Tanya, Part I, chs. 18, 23, et al.” |
• Sefer Hamitzvot:
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Friday, Elul 17, 5777 · September 8, 2017
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
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Negative Commandment 317
Cursing One's Fellow
"You shall not curse the deaf"—Leviticus 19:14.
It is forbidden to curse any Jewish person.
Why then does the Torah specifically prohibit cursing the deaf?
When a person is angered, the measures the person will take to quiet his anger depends on the severity of the (perceived) offense. Sometimes, he will suffice with cursing and shaming the offender. For a greater offense, the person will not be satisfied until he destroys all the offender's property, or actually hurts or injures the individual. For the greatest of offenses, the victim's fury will not be placated until he kills the one who hurt him.
Then there's the smallest of angers. One that can be assuaged merely by cursing the offender—even while not in his presence, even if the offender will never become aware of the cursing.
By commanding us not to curse (even) the deaf, the Torah is telling us that it is forbidden to curse another even not in his presence, and even if he will never find out about the slight.
The reason for this mitzvah is that the Torah is concerned not only with the state of the one being cursed, but also with the state of the one who curses, and wants to ensure that he not become accustomed to harboring angry and vengeful thoughts.
Also included in this prohibition is that one may not even curse oneself.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
Cursing One's Fellow
Negative Commandment 317
Translated by Berel Bell
The 317th prohibition is that we are forbidden from cursing any Jew.
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement,1 "You shall not curse the deaf."
I will now explain why only "the deaf" are mentioned.
When a person, in accordance with his impression of the damage he has suffered, is aroused to take revenge against the person who harmed him, he will not rest until he takes revenge to match the damage he feels. Only then will his desire be put to rest and the impression erased from his mind.
Some people will calm down after just cursing and shaming the other person, keeping in mind the extent of damage and shame that they feel is "due" the other person. Sometimes it is more serious, and he won't be calmed until he destroys all the person's possessions, realizing the pain he will cause him through this destruction. At times it is even more serious, and he won't be calmed until he takes physical revenge through beating the person, or causing him loss of limb. Sometimes it could reach the most serious level, when he won't be calmed until he kills the person and nullifies his very existence.
And sometimes the transgression is so small that he doesn't even want to punish the other person. He will be calmed merely by yelling, getting angry at him or cursing him — even [so quietly] that if the person was present he wouldn't hear. It is well known that hot-tempered people will calm down even with this reaction when the offense was very minute, although the other person will not know of his anger nor hear his curse.
We might think that the Torah prohibits cursing a Jew only when he will hear it, because of the shame and pain he feels, but there is nothing wrong with cursing a deaf person, since he doesn't hear it and doesn't feel any pain as a result. The Torah therefore told us that this too is forbidden, because it is concerned not only with the one who is being cursed, but with the one who is uttering the curse. A person is prohibited from gearing himself for revenge and becoming accustomed to getting angry.
We indeed find that our Sages used this verse, "Do not curse the deaf," to prove that it is prohibited to curse any Jew. The Sifra2 says, "This verse speaks only of a deaf person. How do we know that all Jews are included? From the phrase,3 '[A Nasi] of your people do not curse.'4 If so, why does this verse mention specifically the deaf? To teach you that [cursing] the dead is excluded: Just as the deaf are alive, the prohibition likewise includes anyone who is alive." And the Mechilta5 says, "The phrase, 'Do not curse the deaf,' refers to even the most downtrodden human beings."
When we say that this transgression is punishable by lashes, it is only when the curse was uttered using G‑d's Name.6 Even if a person curses himself, he is punished by lashes.
In summary, one who curses a person using G‑d's Name transgresses the prohibition, "Do not curse the deaf." One who curses a judge transgresses two prohibitions and receives two sets of lashes.7 One who curses a Nasi receives three sets of lashes.8 The Mechilta9 says, "The phrase, 'A Nasi of your people [do not curse],' includes both a Nasi and a judge. Why does the Torah also say, 'Do not curse a judge'? To punish the person for each prohibition separately."
From here our Sages said10 that a person could transgress four prohibitions with a single statement: the son of a Nasi who cursed his father. He transgresses the following four prohibitions: cursing his father,11 a judge,12 a Nasi,13 and a Jew.14
We have therefore explained what we set out to do.
The details of this mitzvah are explained in the 4th chapter of tractate Shavuos.15
FOOTNOTES
1.Lev. 19:14.
2.Kedoshim 2:13.
3.Ex. 22:27.
4.The verse could have simply said, "A Nasi do not curse." The extra words, "of your people," comes to include everyone.
5.Ex. 21:17.
6.Any of the 7 Divine names or even a descriptive name, such as "Merciful One" (Chanun). See Hilchos Sanhedrin 26:3.
7.One for cursing a Jew, and one for cursing a judge.
8.The two above (since a Nasi is also a judge) and for cursing a Nasi.
9.Parshas Mishpatim.
10.Mechilta, ibid.
11.N318.
12.N315.
13.N316.
14.N317.
15.35a.
Positive Commandment 178
Giving Evidence
"And he is witness, whether he has seen or known of it"—Leviticus 5:1.
We are commanded to testify before the judges regarding matters we are aware of, whether we actually saw an event or heard about it. This is true regardless whether the testimony will cause financial loss for the person regarding whom we testify, or whether the testimony can save a person or his possessions.
One who refrains from giving evidence, is guilty of a grave sin.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
Giving Evidence
Positive Commandment 178
Translated by Berel Bell
The 178th mitzvah is that we are commanded to testify before judges regarding any information we might have. Regardless of whether it will cause damage to the subject of the testimony or save him monetarily or physically, we are required to testify and notify the judges of whatever we have seen or heard.
Our Sages proved that it is required to give testimony from G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "If he was a witness who saw or knew [something, if he does not testify, he must bear his guilt]."
One who transgresses this mitzvah by withholding testimony is guilty of a grave sin, as G‑d said2 (exalted be He), "If he does not testify, he must bear his guilt." This is in general. But if he withheld testimony in a financial dispute, and swore falsely that he knew no testimony, he must bring a korban oleh v'yored, as described in Scripture3 in accordance with the conditions given in tractate Shavuos.4
The details of this mitzvah are explained in tractates Sanhedrin5 and Shavuos.6
FOOTNOTES
1.Lev. 5:1.
2.Ibid.
3.Ibid. 5:5-10. See P72.
4.4:1.
5.37b.
6.30a.
Rambam:
• 1 Chapter A Day: Avel Avel - Chapter 8
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1
A mourner is obligated to rend his garments for his dead, as can be derived from Leviticus 10:6: "Do not rend your garments lest you die." Implied is that others must rend their garments.
One must rend one's garments only while standing, as II Samuel 13:31 states: "And the king stood and rent his garments."
Where does one rend his garment? In front. If one rends his garment from the back or from the sides or from the bottom, he does not fulfill the obligation to rend his garments, with the exception of a High Priest who must rend his garment from the bottom.
א
אבל חייב לקרוע על מתו שנאמר ובגדיכם לא תפרומו ולא תמותו הא אחר חייב לפרום ואין קריעה אלא מעומד שנאמר ויקם המלך ויקרע את בגדיו ומהיכן קורע מלפניו והקורע מאחריו או מן הצדדין או מלמטה לא יצא ידי חובת קריעה אלא כהן גדול שהוא פורם מלמטה:
2
What is the required measure for the tear? A handbreadth. It is not necessary to rip apart the border of the garment. One may rend his garments with a utensil.
One may rend one's garments inside, not in the presence of others. Therefore he may place his hand inside his garment and tear it modestly. He is only obligated to tear his upper garment.
ב
כמה שיעור הקרע טפח ואין צריך להבדיל שפת הבגד ומותר לו לקרוע בכלי ויש לו לקרוע בפנים שלא בפני אדם לפיכך יש לו להכניס ידו בפנים וקורע בצנעה ואינו חייב לקרוע אלא בגד העליון בלבד:
3
For the entire seven days of mourning, he keeps the tear in front of him. If he desires to change his garments, he may. He is not required to rend the second garment, for any tear that is not made at the time of emotional excitement, is not a tear.
When does the above apply? With regard to other deceased persons aside from his father and mother. For his father and mother, by contrast, he must rend his garment until he reveals his heart. He must rip apart the border of the garment; he may not tear it with a utensil, and must tear it outside, in the presence of people at large.
He must tear all the garments he is wearing. His underwear - i.e., the garments worn next to his flesh - need not be ripped. If he changes his clothes, he is required to rend them for all seven days. Similarly, for his father and mother, he uncovers his shoulder and takes his forearm out from his garment, revealing his shoulder and his forearm. He passes before the bier in this manner. After his father and his mother are buried, however, he is not required to uncover his shoulder.
ג
כל שבעת ימי אבלות הקרע לפנים ואם בא להחליף מחליף ואינו קורע קרע אחר שכל קרע שאינו בשעת חימום אינו קרע בד"א בשאר המתים חוץ מאביו ואמו אבל על אביו ועל אמו קורע עד שמגלה את לבו ומבדיל שפת הבגד ואינו קורע בכלי אלא בידו מבחוץ בפני כל העם וקורע כל הבגדים שעליו ובגד הזיעה הדבוק לבשרו אינו מעכב ואם החליף בגד אחר חייב לקרוע כל שבעה וכן על אביו ועל אמו חולץ כתיפו ומוציא זרועו מן החלוק עד שיתגלה כתיפו וזרועו והולך כך לפני המטה ואחר שיקבר אביו ואמו אינו חייב לחלוץ:
4
A child's garments should be torn to create sorrow.
When a dangerously ill person loses a close relative, we do not rend his garments, nor do we notify him lest he lose control of his emotions. We silence the women in his presence.
ד
קורעין לקטן מפני עגמת נפש וחולה שמת לו מת אין מקרעין לו ולא מודיעין לו שלא תטרף עליו דעתו ומשתקין את הנשים מפניו:
5
A person should rend his garments when his father-in-law and mother-in-law dies as an expression of honor for his wife. Similarly, a woman should rend her garments for her father-in-law and mother-in-law as an expression of honor for her husband.
ה
וקורע אדם על חמיו ועל חמותו מפני כבוד אשתו וכן האשה קורעת על חמיה ועל חמותה מפני כבוד בעלה:
6
When a person does not have an outer garment to tear at the time of a person's passing and he obtains a garment within the seven days of mourning, he is obligated to tear it. After seven days, he is not obligated to tear it. For his father and mother, he is obligated to tear it even if he obtains it after the seven days, but within the 30 days.
Whenever a person goes out wearing a torn garment before the dead implying that he tore the garment because of them, he is deceiving people and degrading the honor of the dead and the living.
ו
מי שאין לו חלוק לקרוע ונזדמן לו חלוק בתוך שבעה קורע לאחר שבעה אינו קורע ועל אביו ועל אמו אפילו לאחר שבעה קורע כל שלשים יום וכל היוצא בבגד קרוע לפני מתים כלומר שהוא קרע עתה עליהן הרי זה גונב דעת הבריות וזלזל בכבוד החיים והמתים:
7
When one tells a colleague: "Lend me your cloak so that I can visit my father who is dangerously ill," if, when he visits him, he finds that he died, he should rend the garment, mend it, and return it, reimbursing the owner for the tear. If he does not notify him that he is going to visit a person who is dangerously ill, he should not touch the garment.
ז
האומר לחבירו השאילני חלוקך ואבקר את אבי שהוא חולה והלך ומצאו שמת קורע ומאחה ומחזיר לו את חלוקו ונותן לו דמי קרעו ואם לא הודיעו שהוא מבקר לו חולה הרי זה לא יגע בו:
8
The following rules apply when one has a dangerously ill person in his home, that person faints and he thinks that he has died and hence, he rends his garments, the sick person regains consciousness and then dies. If he dies immediately after the garments are torn, he need not rend his garments again. If he dies after even a short time has past, he must rend his garments again.
Similar concepts apply if someone tells a person that his father died and he therefore rent his garments and then it was discovered that his son died or if someone told him that a person close to him died, he thought it was his father and rent his garments and then he discovered that it was his son. If he realized the true situation immediately afterwards, he fulfilled the obligation to rend his garments. If he did not realize this until afterwards, he did not fulfill his obligation and is obligated to rend his garments again.
ח
מי שהיה לו חולה בתוך ביתו ונתעלף וסבור שמת וקרא ואח"כ מת אם בתוך כדי דבור אינו חוזר וקורע ואם לאחר כדי דבור מת חוזר וקורע קרע אחר וכן מי שאמרו לו מת אביו וקרע ואחר כך נמצא שמת בנו אמרו לו מת לו מת וכסבור שאביו וקרע ואח"כ נמצא בנו אם תוך כדי דבור נודע לו אמיתת הדבר יצא ידי קריעה ואם לאחר כדי דבור לא יצא וחייב לקרוע קרע אחר:
9
When many close relatives die at once, a person should rend his garments once for all of them. If his father or mother are among them, he should rend his garments once for all the others, and once for his father or mother.
ט
מי שמתו לו מתים הרבה כאחד קורע קרע אחד לכולם היה בכללן אביו או אמו קורע על כולן קרע אחד ועל אביו ועל אמו קרע אחר:
10
The following rules apply when a person's close relative dies, he rends his garments because of him and then another close relative dies. If the second relative dies within the seven days of mourning, he should tear his garments again. If it is after the seven days, he need only add the slightest amount to the original tear.
If a third close relative dies after the seven days of mourning for the second, again, he need only add the slightest amount to the original tear. And he can continue in this manner until he reaches his navel. Once he reaches his navel, he should distance himself at least three thumbbreadths and rend the garment again.
When the garment is entirely torn in front, he may turn it around. When its upper portion is entirely torn, he may make the bottom the top.
If he was told: "Your father died," and he rent his garments and after the seven days of mourning, his son died and he extended the tear, he may mend the lower tear, but not the upper tear as will be explained. If he was told: "Your son died," and he rent his garments and after the seven days of mourning, his father died, he may not merely extend the tear. Instead, he must make a new tear. For extending a tear is not sufficient for his father and mother.
י
מי שמת לו מת וקרע עליו ואחר כך מת לו מת אחר אם בתוך שבעה קורע קרע אחר ואם לאחר שבעה מוסיף על הקרע הראשון כל שהוא מת לו מת שלישי אחר שבעה של שני מוסיף כל שהוא וכן מוסיף והולך עד טבורו הגיע לטבורו מרחיק שלש אצבעות וקורע נתמלא מלפניו מחזירו לאחוריו נתמלא מלמעלה הופכו למטה אמרו לו מת אביו וקרע ואחר שבעה מת בנו והוסיף מתאחה התחתון ולא העליון כמו שיתבאר אמרו לו מת בנו וקרע ואחר שבעה מת אביו אינו מוסיף אלא קורע קרע אחר שאין אביו ואמו בתוספת:
Rambam:• 3 Chapters A Day: Sanhedrin veha`Onashin haMesurin lahem Sanhedrin veha`Onashin haMesurin lahem - Chapter 25, Sanhedrin veha`Onashin haMesurin lahem Sanhedrin veha`Onashin haMesurin lahem - Chapter 26, Edut Edut - Chapter 1
English Text | Hebrew Text
Audio: Listen | Download | Video ClassSanhedrin veha`Onashin haMesurin lahem - Chapter 25
1
It is forbidden for a judge to assert himself in a lordly and haughty manner over his community. Instead, he should conduct himself with humility and awe. Any leader who casts unnecessary fear upon the community not for the sake of heaven will be punished. And he will not see a son who is a Torah scholar, as implied by a non-literal reading of Job 37:24: "Therefore people fear him - he will never see anyone with a wise heart."
א
אסור לאדם לנהוג בשררה על הצבור ובגסות הרוח אלא בענוה ויראה וכל פרנס המטיל אימה יתירה על הצבור שלא לשם שמים נענש ואינו רואה לו בן תלמיד חכם שנאמר לכן יראוהו אנשים לא יראה כל חכמי לב:
2
Similarly, a judge may not treat them with capriciousness even though they are common people. He should not step over the heads of the holy people. Even though they are simple people and lowly, they are the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and the hosts of God whom He led out of Egypt with great power and a strong hand. He should patiently bear the difficulty of the community and their burden like Moses our teacher, as Numbers 11:12 states concerning him: "As a nursemaid will carry an infant." And Deuteronomy 1:16 states: "And I commanded your judges." This is a admonition to the judges to bear the community like a nursemaid carries an infant.
Take an example from Moses, the master of all prophets whom the Holy One, blessed be He, sent to Egypt, about whom Exodus 6:12 states: "And I commanded them concerning the children of Israel." The Oral Tradition relates that God told Moses and Aaron to accept this mission even though the people would curse them and stone them.
ב
וכן אסור לו לנהוג בהן קלות ראש אף על פי שהן עמי הארץ ולא יפסיע על ראשי עם הקדש אע"פ שהן הדיוטות ושפלים בני אברהם יצחק ויעקב הם וצבאות השם שהוציא מארץ מצרים בכח גדול וביד חזקה וסובל טורח הצבור ומשאן כמשה רבינו שנאמר בו כאשר ישא האומן את היונק והרי הוא אומר ואצוה את שופטיכם זו אזהרה לדיין שיסבול את הצבור כאשר ישא האומן את היונק צא ולמד ממשה רבן של כל הנביאים כיון ששלחו הקב"ה במצרים ונאמר ויצום אל בני ישראל אמרו מפי הקבלה שאמר להם למשה ולאהרן על מנת שיהיו מקללים אתכם וסוקלין אתכם באבנים:
3
Just as a judge is commanded to fulfill this mitzvah; so, too, the community is commanded to show honor to a judge, as Deuteronomy 1:18 states: "And I commanded you...." This is a command to the community that they should treat a judge with awe. He should not act in a demeaning manner in their presence, nor should he conduct himself in a frivolous manner.
ג
כדרך שנצטוה הדיין לנהוג במצוה זו כך נצטוו הצבור לנהוג כבוד בדיין שנאמר ואצוה אתכם זו אזהרה לצבור שתהיה אימת הדיין עליהן ולא יתבזה בפניהם ולא ינהוג קלות ראש בעצמו:
4
When a person is given a position of leadership over the community, he is forbidden to perform work in the presence of three people, lest he be demeaned in their eyes. Now if performing work in public is forbidden to him, certainly, it is forbidden for him to eat and drink or to become intoxicated in the presence of people at large and in the gatherings of the common people and in friendly get-togethers. Woe to those judges who conduct themselves in this manner, disgracing the Torah of Moses. They debase its judgments and lower them to the earth, casting them in the dust, bringing about harm to them and their descendants in this world and in the world to come.
ד
כיון שנתמנה אדם פרנס על הצבור אסור בעשיית מלאכה בפני שלשה כדי שלא יתבזה בפניהם אם המלאכה ברבים אסורה עליו קל וחומר לאכול ולשתות ולהשתכר בפני רבים ובכניסת עמי הארץ ובסעודת מרעות אוי להם לאותן הדיינים שנהגו בכך מעלבון תורת משה שבזו דיניה והשפילוה עד ארץ והגיעוה עד עפר וגרמו רעה להן ולבני בניהם בעולם הזה ולעולם הבא:
5
It is forbidden to conduct oneself capriciously in relation to the agent sent by the court. For the word of the court's agent is accepted as that of two witnesses with regard to the question of ostracism. Were he to say: "So-and-so disgraced me," "...disgraced the judge," or "...refused to appear in court," that person is ostracized on the basis of his statements. We do not, however, have a document recording the ban of ostracism composed until two witness come and testify that he refused to appear in the court.
ה
אסור לנהוג קלות ראש בשליח בית דין והרי השליח נאמן כשנים לענין הנידוי שאם אמר פלוני הקלני או הקלה הדיין או לא רצה לבא לדין משמתין אותו על פיו אבל אין כותבין פיתחא עליו עד שיבאו שנים ויעידו עליו שנמנע לבא לבית דין:
6
An agent of the court is not liable for relating unfavorable gossip for telling the court about these matters. Whenever anyone causes aggravation to the agent of the court, the court has the license to have "stripes for rebellious conduct" administered to him.
ו
אין שליח בית דין חייב באמירת דברים משום לשון הרע וכל המצער שליח בית דין יש לבית דין רשות להכותו מכת מרדות:
7
When the agent of the court orders a person to appear in court, saying: "So-and-so sent me," and mentioning the name of only one of the judges, a document declaring his ostracism cannot be composed against the litigant unless the agent summons him in the name of all three judges.
When does the above apply? When the agent went and conveyed this message on a day on which it was not known that the court to hold session. On a day on which it is known to hold session, by contrast, everyone knows that all of the judges gather together. Even though the agent came and conveyed the message in the name of only one judge, it is as if he came in the name of all three.
ז
שליח שאמר פלוני שלחני בשם אחד מן הדיינים ולא רצה בעל דין לבא אין כותבין עליו פיתחא של שמתא עד שיאמר משם שלשתן בד"א שהלך השליח ביום שאינו ידוע לישיבת הדיינים אבל ביום הידוע שהדיינים יושבים בו לדין הכל יודעים שכל הדיינים מקובצין ואף על פי שבא השליח בשם אחד כאילו בא בשם שלשתן:
8
When a person is summoned by the court and does not appear in court, a ban of ostracism is pronounced against him. This ban is recorded in a legal document; he is liable to pay the fee of the scribe who composes the document. When he comes to court, this document is torn.
If such a document was composed because a litigant did not accept a judgment, it may be torn up when he states that he is willing to accept it. When a court summons a litigant to appear on a certain day and he does not appear at all that day, a document recording the ban of ostracism is composed that evening.
When does the above apply? When he lived in the city and stubbornly refused to come. If, however, he lived in the outlying villages and would go in and go out from the city at times, we summon him to appear in court on Monday, Thursday, and the following Monday. If the second Monday passes without him appearing, we do not compose a ban of ostracism until the following day.
ח
מי ששלחו לו בית דין לבוא ולא בא לדין מנדין אותו וכותבין עליו פיתחא ונותן שכר הסופר ובעת שיבא קורעין הפיתחא כתבו לו פיתחא מפני שלא קבל הדין כיון שאמר הריני מקבל הדין קורעין נידויו קבעו לו בית דין זמן שיבא היום ולא בא כל אותו היום כותבין עליו פיתחא לערב במה דברים אמורים כשהיה במדינה ומרד ולא בא אבל אם היה בכפרים ויוצא ונכנס קובעים לו זמן שני וחמישי ושני ואם שלם יום שני ולא בא אין כותבין עליו פיתחא עד למחר:
9
We do not summon a person to court during the month of Nissan, nor during the month of Tishrei, because the people are occupied with the preparations for the festivals. Nor is a summons issued for Friday, or for the day preceding a festival. We do, however, issue a summons in Nissan, for him to appear after Nissan, and a summons in Tishrei, for him to appear after Tishrei. We do not, however, issue a summons on Friday for a litigant to appear after the Sabbath. The rationale is that everyone is busy on Friday.
ט
אין קובעין זמן לא בימי ניסן ולא בימי תשרי מפני שהעם טרודין במועדות ולא בערב שבת ולא בערב יום טוב אבל קובעין בניסן שיבוא אחר ניסן ובתשרי שיבוא אחר תשרי אבל לא קובעין בערב שבת שיבוא אחר שבת מפני שהכל טרודין בערב שבת:
10
When a person was located in a city and the agent of the court went to summon him, but could not find him, a court date is not set until the agent finds him and conveys this information.
Different rules apply if he lives in a village outside the city. If he is accustomed to coming on that day, the agent may tell one of his neighbors, even a woman: "If so-and-so comes, inform him that the court summoned him to appear at this time." If he does not come that day, he is placed under a ban of ostracism that evening.
When does the above apply? When the way which he is wont to follow does not pass the place of the court. If, however, his path passes the court, he is not placed under a ban of ostracism until the agent notifies him himself. For perhaps the neighbors will not notify him. For they will rationalize: "His path passes past the entrance to the court. Certainly, he visited them and was released." Similarly, if he will not come into the city until the following day, we do not rely on the neighbors, for perhaps they will forget and fail to notify him.
י
מי שהוא במדינה והלך שליח בית דין ולא מצאו אין קובעין לו זמן עד שימצא אותו השליח ויאמר לו היה בכפר חוץ למדינה אם דרכו לבוא באותו היום אומר השליח אפילו לאחד מן השכנים אפילו לאשה אם יבא פלוני הודיעוהו שבית דין קבעו לו זמן שיבוא לבית דין ואם לא בא מנדין אותו לערב בד"א כשאין הדרך שדרכו לילך בה על מקום בית דין אבל אם דרכו עליהן אין מנדין אותו עד שיודיעו השליח בעצמו שמא לא אמרו לו השכנים שהרי הם אומרין דרכו על פתח בית דין וכבר הלך אליהם ונפטר וכן אם לא בא במדינה עד למחר אין סומכין על השכנים שמא שכחו ולא אמרו לו:
11
The following laws apply when a person comes to the court and accepts the judgment issued against him, he is told to make financial restitution, but does not do so. He is not placed under a ban of ostracism until he is given a warning on Monday, Thursday, and the following Monday. If he does not pay by that time, he is placed under a ban of ostracism until he pays what he is liable. If he waits 30 days and does not seek to have the ban of ostracism lifted, he is excommunicated.
יא
מי שבא לבית דין וקבל הדין ואמרו לו לשלם והלך ולא שלם אין מנדין אותו עד שיתרו בו שני וחמישי ושני ואח"כ מנדין אותו עד שיתן מה שהוא חייב ואם עמד שלשים יום ולא תבע להתיר נדויו מחרימין אותו:
Sanhedrin veha`Onashin haMesurin lahem - Chapter 26
1
Anyone who curses one of the judges of Israel transgresses a negative commandment, as Exodus 22:27 states: "Do not curse a judge." Similarly, if a person curses a nasi, whether the head of the Supreme Sanhedrin or a king, he transgresses a negative commandment, as the verse continues: "Do not curse a prince among your nation."
This prohibition does not apply only to a judge or a nasi. Instead, anyone who curses any other Jew receives lashes, as Leviticus 19:14 states: "Do not curse a deaf-mute." Why does the verse mention a deaf-mute? To teach you that even when a person who cannot hear and thus will not be bothered by being cursed, the person pronouncing the curse is lashed. It appears to me that a person who curses a child who is embarrassed receives lashes; the child resembles a deaf-mute.
א
כל המקלל דיין מדייני ישראל עובר בלא תעשה שנאמר אלהים לא תקלל וכן אם קלל הנשיא אחד ראש סנהדרי גדולה או המלך הרי זה עובר בלא תעשה שנאמר ונשיא בעמך לא תאור ולא דיין ונשיא בלבד אלא כל המקלל אחד מישראל לוקה שנאמר לא תקלל חרש ולמה נאמר חרש שאפילו זה שהוא אינו שומע ולא נצטער בקללה זו לוקה על קללתו ויראה לי שהמקלל את הקטן הנכלם לוקה (הרי הוא כחרש):
2
A person who curses a deceased person is not liable.
Since a person who curses any Jewish person is liable, why did the Torah set aside a special prohibition for a judge and for a nasi? For the person to be liable for two transgressions. Thus we learn that a person who curses any Jew, whether a man, woman, or child receives one set of lashes. If he curses a judge, he receives two sets of lashes. If he curses a nasi, he receives three sets of lashes. And if the son of a nasi curses his father, he is liable for four transgression, the three for which all others are liable and one for cursing his father.
ב
המקלל את המת פטור הואיל ומקלל כל אדם מישראל חייב למה ייחד לאו על דיין ולאו על נשיא לחייבו שתים נמצאת למד שהמקלל אחד מישראל בין איש בין אשה בין גדול בין קטן לוקה אחת ואם קלל דיין לוקה שתים ואם קלל נשיא לוקה שלש וכן נשיא שקלל אביו חייב משום ארבעה שמות שלשה של כל אדם ואחד משום האב:
3
A person who curses himself receives lashes just as one who curses others, as Deuteronomy 4:9 states: "Take heed and guard your soul."
Whether a person curses himself, a colleague, a nasi, or a judge, he does not receive lashes unless he curses using one of God's names: Yaw, Elohim, Shaddai, or the like, or with one of the descriptive terms used to characterize God, e.g., the Merciful One, the Vengeful One, or the like. Since a person is liable if he cursed a colleague with any of these descriptive terms, he is also liable if he cursed him in any other language. For the names with which the gentiles refer to the Holy One, blessed be He, are comparable to all of these descriptive terms.
The term arur ("cursed") can imply an oath, a curse, and a ban of ostracism.
ג
המקלל עצמו לוקה כמו שקלל אחרים שנאמר השמר לך ושמור נפשך ואחד המקלל עצמו או חבירו או נשיא או דיין אינו לוקה עד שיקלל בשם מן השמות כגון יה ואלהים ושדי וכיוצא בהן או בכנוי מן הכנויים כגון חנון וקנא וכיוצא בהן הואיל והוא חייב אם קלל בכל הכנויים כך אם קלל בכל לשון חייב שהשמות שקוראין בהן הגוים להקדוש ברוך הוא הרי הן ככל הכנויים וארור בו שבועה בו קללה בו נדוי:
4
A person is not punished by lashing unless he is given a warning in the presence of two witnesses as applies with regard to the transgression of any other negative commandment. If, however, a warning was not issued, a curse was uttered without mentioned God's name or a descriptive term, e.g., he said merely: "Cursed be so-and-so," the curse was uttered indirectly, e.g., he said: "May so-and-so not be blessed unto God," or "May God not bless so-and-so," or the like, he is not lashed.
ד
אינו לוקה עד שיתרו בו בפני עדים כשאר כל חייבי לאוין אבל אם לא היתה שם התראה או שקלל בלא שם ובלא כינוי כגון שאמר ארור פלוני או שהיתה הקללה באה מכלל הדברים כגון שאמר אל יהי פלוני ברוך לה' או אל יברכהו אל וכיוצא בדברים אלו אינו לוקה:
5
Even though he is not lashed, a person who curses a Torah scholar is placed under a ban of ostracism. And if the judges desire to have "stripes for rebellious conduct" administered to him, they can have him beaten and punished as they see fit, for he disgraced a learned elder.
If he denounces a common person, the judges may punish him as they see necessary according to the needs of the situation, depending on the person who gave the verbal abuse and the one who receives it.
ה
אע"פ שאינו לוקה אם חרף תלמיד חכם מנדין אותו ואם רצו הדיינים להכותו מכת מרדות מכין ועונשין אותו כפי מה שיראו שהרי בזה את הזקן ואם חרף עם הארץ עונשין הדיינים בדבר כפי מה שהשעה צריכה לו לפי המחרף ולפי זה שנתחרף:
6
Although a judge or a nasi has the right to look past affronts to his honor, he cannot look past being cursed. Similarly, with regard to other people, even though the person who was cursed is prepared to look past the matter, the person who uttered the curse is lashed, for he committed a transgression and incurred liability.
If, however, a person is obligated to be placed under a ban of ostracism, because he conducted himself in an unbridled manner in court, and the judges desire to look past the affront to their honor and not impose a ban of ostracism, they have that license, provided it will not lead to a decline in the honor of the Creator. For example, people at large were repudiating the words of the Torah and the judges. Since the people overstepped the bounds, the court must act firmly and punish as they see necessary.
ו
אף על פי שיש לו לדיין או לנשיא למחול על כבודו אינו יכול למחול על קללתו וכן שאר העם אע"פ שמחל המקולל מלקין את המקלל שכבר חטא ונתחייב אבל מי שנתחייב נידוי מפני שהפקיר בבית דין ורצו בית דין למחול על כבודן ולא נדוהו הרשות בידן והוא שלא יהיה בדבר הפסד בכבוד הבורא כגון שהיו העם מבעטין בדברי תורה ובדיינים הואיל ופקרו העם בדבר צריכין לחזק ולענוש כפי מה שיראה להם:
7
When any person has a judgment adjudicated by gentile judges and their courts, he is considered a wicked person. It is as if he disgraced, blasphemed, and lifted up his hand against the Torah of Moses our teacher. This applies even if their laws are the same as the laws of the Jewish people. This is indicated by Exodus 21:1: "These are the judgments that you shall place before them." "Before them" and not before gentiles; "before them" and not before ordinary people.
The following procedure should be carried out if the gentiles have a powerful law enforcement system and the opposing litigant is a stubborn and powerful person from whom one cannot expropriate property through the judicial system of the Jewish people. One should summon him before the Jewish judges first. If he did not desire to come, one may receive license from the court and salvage one's property from the litigant by having the case tried in a gentile court.
ז
כל הדן בדייני עכו"ם ובערכאות שלהן אף על פי שהיו דיניהם כדיני ישראל הרי זה רשע וכאילו חרף וגדף והרים יד בתורת משה רבינו שנאמר ואלה המשפטים אשר תשים לפניהם לפניהם ולא לפני עכו"ם לפניהם ולא לפני הדיוטות היתה יד העכו"ם תקיפה ובעל דינו אלם ואינו יכול להוציא ממנו בדייני ישראל יתבענו לדייני ישראל תחלה אם לא רצה לבא נוטל רשות מבית דין ומציל בדיני עכו"ם מיד בעל דינו:
Edut - Chapter 1
Introduction to Hilchos Edut
These laws contain 8 mitzvot: Three positive commandments and five negative commandments. They are:
1. For a person who knows testimony to testify in court,
2. To question and interrogate the witnesses,
3. For a witness who testified in a case involving capital punishment not to serve as a judge,
4. Not to carry out a judgment based on the testimony of one witness,
5. Not to accept a person who is a transgressor as a witness,
6. Not to accept a relative as a witness,
7. Not to testify falsely,
8. To punish an ed zomaim in the manner he wished to have the defendant punished,
The explanation of these mitzvot is found in the coming chapters.
הלכות עדות פרק ראשון - הקדמה
הלכות עדות יש בכללן שמונה מצות שלש מצות עשה וחמש מצות לא תעשה וזה הוא פרטן:
(א) להעיד לבית דין למי שיש לו עדות
(ב) לדרוש ולחקור העדים
(ג) שלא יורה העד בדין זה שהעיד עליו בדיני נפשות
(ד) שלא יקום דבר בעד אחד
(ה) שלא יעיד בעל עבירה
(ו) שלא יעיד קרוב
(ז) שלא להעיד בשקר
(ח) לעשות לעד זומם כאשר זמם
וביאור מצות אלו בפרקים אלו:
1
A witness is commanded to testify in court with regard to all pertinent testimony that he knows. This applies both to testimony that will cause his colleague to be held liable or testimony that will vindicate him. With regard to financial cases, this applies only when he is summoned to testify. The source for this commandment is Leviticus 5:1: "And should he witness, see, or know of the matter, if he does not testify, he will bear his sin."
א
העד מצווה להעיד בבית דין בכל עדות שיודע בין בעדות שיחייב בה את חבירו בין בעדות שיזכהו בו והוא שיתבענו להעיד בדיני ממונות שנאמר והוא עד או ראה או ידע אם לא יגיד ונשא עונו:
2
If the witness was a wise man of great stature and the judges of the court did not possess the same degree of wisdom, he may refrain from testifying. The rationale is that it is not becoming to his dignity for him to go to testify before them. Hence, the positive commandment of honoring the Torah takes precedence.
When does the above apply? With regard to testimony concerning financial matters. With regard to testimony that safeguards a person from a prohibition, by contrast, or testimony in cases involving capital punishment or lashes, he must go and testify. This is derived from Proverbs 21:30: "There is no wisdom or understanding... before God." Implied is that whenever the desecration of God's name is involved, honor is not granted to a master.
ב
היה העד חכם גדול והיה בבית דין פחות ממנו בחכמה הואיל ואין כבודו שילך לפניהם עשה של כבוד תורה עדיף ויש לו להמנע במה דברים אמורים בעדות ממון אבל בעדות שמפריש בה מן האיסור וכן בעדות נפשות או מכות הולך ומעיד שנאמר אין חכמה ואין תבונה לנגד ה' כל מקום שיש חילול השם אין חולקין כבוד לרב:
3
A High Priest is not obligated to testify. An exception is made only with regard to matters involving a king. In such an instance, he should go to the High Court and testify. With regard to other testimony, he is not obligated.
ג
כהן גדול אינו חייב להעיד אלא עדות שהיא למלך ישראל בלבד הולך לבית דין הגדול ומעיד בה אבל בשאר העדויות פטור:
4
It is a positive commandment to question the witness and to interrogate them, asking many questions and weighing their replies exactingly. They should divert their attention from one matter to another while questioning them, so that they will refrain from speaking or retract their testimony if there appear to be flaws in it, as Deuteronomy 13:15 states: "And you shall inquire and research thoroughly."
The judges must show extreme care when questioning the witnesses, lest from their questions the witnesses learn to lie. They ask them seven questions:
a) In which seven year cycle the event occurred?
b) In which year?
c) In which month?
d) On which day of the month?
e) On which day of the week?
f) At what time?
g) In which place?
Even if a witness says: "He killed him today," or "He killed him yesterday," we ask him all the above questions. In addition to these seven questions which are asked universally, the judges inquire into the fundamental issues involved. For example, if the witnesses testify that a person worshipped false deities, the judges ask them: "Which deity did he worship?" "What service did he perform?" If they testified that he desecrated the Sabbath, the judges ask them: "Which forbidden labor did he perform?" "How did he perform it?" If they testify that he ate on Yom Kippur, the judges ask them: "Which food did he eat?" "How much did he eat?" If they testified that he killed someone, the judges ask them: "With what did he kill him?" Inquiries of this type are considered as fundamental questions (chakirot).
ד
מצות עשה לדרוש את העדים ולחקרן ולהרבות בשאלתן ומדקדקין עליהן ומסיעין אותן מענין לענין בעת השאלה כדי שישתקו או יחזרו בהן אם יש בעדותן דופי שנאמר ודרשת וחקרת ושאלת היטב וצריכין הדיינים להזהר בעת חקירת העדים [שמא מתוכה ילמדו לשקר ובשבע חקירות בודקין אותם] באי זו שבוע באי זו שנה באי זו חדש בכמה בחדש באי זה יום מימי השבת ובכמה שעות ביום ובאי זה מקום אפילו אמר היום הרגו או אמש הרגו שואלין להן באי זה שבוע באי זו שנה באי זה חדש בכמה בחדש באי זה יום באי זו שעה ומכלל החקירות יתר על השבע השוות בכל שאם העידו עליו שעבד ע"ז שואלין להן את מה עבד ובאי זו עבודה עבד העידו שחילל את השבת שואלין אותן אי זו מלאכה עשה והיאך עשה העידו שאכל ביום הכפורים שואלין אותן אי זה מאכל אכל וכמה אכל העידו שהרג את הנפש שואלין אותן במה הרגו וכן כל כיוצא בזה הרי הוא מכלל החקירות:
5
The derishot and the chakirot involve the matters that constitute the essence of the testimony. On their basis, the person will either be held liable or released. They include defining the deed that was performed, the time when it was performed, and the place where it was performed. On these basis, the testify of the witnesses will or will not be refuted through hazamah. For we cannot refute the testimony of the witnesses unless they define the time and place of the deed involved.
ה
החקירות והדרישות הן הדברים שהן עיקר העדות ובהן יתחייב או יפטר והן כוונת המעשה שעשה וכיוון הזמן וכיוון המקום שבהן יזומו העדים או לא יזומו שאין אנו יכולים להזים העדים עד שיכוונו הזמן והמקום:
6
In addition, the judges question the witnesses exceedingly with regard to matters that do not involve the fundamental aspects of the testimony and their testimony is not dependent on them. These questions are called bedikot. The more a judge questions the witnesses with bedikot, the more praiseworthy it is.
What are examples of bedikot? Witnesses testified that a person killed a colleague. The witnesses were questioned with the seven chakirot which we mentioned which define the time and the place of the act. Similarly, they were interrogated with regard to the deed and they defined the deed and the murder weapon. The judges continue to interrogate them. They ask: What were the murderer and the victim wearing, white clothes or black clothes? Was the earth where he was killed white or red? These and similar questions are called bedikot.
An incident once occurred when witnesses stated that a murder took place under a fig tree. The judges questioned the witnesses: "Were the figs black or white?", "Were their stems long or short?" The more a judge questions the witnesses with bedikot like these, the more praiseworthy it is.
ו
ועוד מרבין לבדוק העדים בדברים שאינן עיקר בעדות ואינה תלויה בהם והם הנקראים בדיקות וכל המרבה בבדיקות הרי זה משובח כיצד הן הבדיקות הרי שהעידו עליו שהרג ונחקרו בשבע חקירות שמנינו שהן בכוונת הזמן וכוונת המקום ונדרשו בכוונת המעשה וכוונו המעשה וכוונו הכלי שהרגו בו בודקין אותן עוד ואומרים להן מה היה לבוש הנהרג או ההורג בגדים לבנים או שחורים עפר הארץ שנהרג עליה לבן או אדום אלו וכיוצא בהן הם הבדיקות מעשה שאמרו העדים הרגו במקום פלוני תחת התאנה ובדקו העדים ואמרו להם תאנים שלה שחורות היו או לבנות עוקצין של אותם התאנים ארוכות היו או קצרות וכל המרבה בבדיקות וכיוצא בהן הרי זה משובח:
Hayom Yom:
• English Text | Video Class
Friday, Elul 17, 5777 · 08 September 2017
"Today's Day"
Friday, Elul 17, 5703
Torah lessons: Chumash: Tavo, Shishi with Rashi.
Tehillim: 83-87. Also 49-51.
Tanya: Now, these attributes. (p. 473) ...in their traits. (p. 473).
The Alter Rebbe himself was the regular Torah-reader. Once he was away from Lyozna on the Shabbat of parsha Tavo, and the Mitteler Rebbe, then not yet Bar Mitzva, heard the Torah-reading from another. His anguish at the curses in the tochacha (section of admonition) caused him so much heartache, that on Yom Kippur1 the Alter Rebbe doubted whether his son would be able to fast.
When they asked the Mitteler Rebbe - "Don't you hear this parsha every year?"2 - he replied, "When father reads, one hears no curses."
FOOTNOTES
1.A few weeks later.
2.Lit. "Isn't this parsha read every year?"
Daily Thought:
Waking Up G-d
A spark of G‑d slumbers within, as a flame hushed within the embers.
Will she awaken from ideas? They are only more dreams to sleep by.
Will she awaken from deep thoughts? She is smothered yet deeper within the ashes.
She will awaken when she sees her Beloved, the One Above with Whom she is one.
And where will she see Him? Not in ideas, not in deep thoughts, but in a G‑dly deed that she will do, in an act of infinite beauty.
Then her flame will burn bright. [Maamar VeIshah Achas.]
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