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- ב"ה - Today in Judaism - Today is Thursday, 5 Kislev, 5778 · November 23, 2017Torah Reading:
Vayeitzei: Genesis 28:10-22
Vayeitzei: Genesis 28:10 Ya‘akov went out from Be’er-Sheva and traveled toward Haran. 11 He came to a certain place and stayed the night there, because the sun had set. He took a stone from the place, put it under his head and lay down there to sleep. 12 He dreamt that there before him was a ladder resting on the ground with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of Adonai were going up and down on it. 13 Then suddenly Adonai was standing there next to him; and he said, “I am Adonai, the God of Avraham your [grand]father and the God of Yitz’chak. The land on which you are lying I will give to you and to your descendants. 14 Your descendants will be as numerous as the grains of dust on the earth. You will expand to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. By you and your descendants all the families of the earth will be blessed. 15 Look, I am with you. I will guard you wherever you go, and I will bring you back into this land, because I won’t leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
16 Ya‘akov awoke from his sleep and said, “Truly, Adonai is in this place — and I didn’t know it!” 17 Then he became afraid and said, “This place is fearsome! This has to be the house of God! This is the gate of heaven!” 18 Ya‘akov got up early in the morning, took the stone he had put under his head, set it up as a standing-stone, poured olive oil on its top 19 and named the place Beit-El [house of God]; but the town had originally been called Luz.
20 Ya‘akov took this vow: “If God will be with me and will guard me on this road that I am traveling, giving me bread to eat and clothes to wear, 21 so that I return to my father’s house in peace, then Adonai will be my God; 22 and this stone, which I have set up as a standing-stone, will be God’s house; and of everything you give me, I will faithfully return one-tenth to you.”
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Today in Jewish History:
• Passing of Maharsha (1631)Kislev 5 is the yahrtzeit (date of the passing) of Rabbi Shemuel Eliezer Eidel's (1555-1631), known by the acronym "Maharsha". Rabbi Shmuel authored a highly regarded and widely used commentary on the Talmud and its primary commentaries, Rashi and Tosfot.
Daily Quote: Alien or evil thoughts are caused by "emptiness of the head." For when the mind is occupied, the thought has something to serve, and there is no room for stupid and vain thoughts devoid of substance... (Hayom Yom, Cheshvan 16)
Daily Torah Study:
Chumash: Vayeitzei, 5th Portion Genesis 30:28-31:16 with Rashi
• English / Hebrew Linear Translation
• Video Class
• Daily Wisdom (short insight)
Genesis Chapter 30
28Then he said, "Specify your wages for me, and I will give [them]." כחוַיֹּאמַ֑ר נָקְבָ֧ה שְׂכָֽרְךָ֛ עָלַ֖י וְאֶתֵּֽנָה:
Specify your wages: Heb. נָקְבָה, [to be interpreted] as the Targum renders: פָּרֵישׁ אַגְרָ, specify your wages.
נקבה שכרך: כתרגומו פריש אגרך:
29And he said to him, "You know how I have worked for you and how your livestock was with me. כטוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֔יו אַתָּ֣ה יָדַ֔עְתָּ אֵ֖ת אֲשֶׁ֣ר עֲבַדְתִּ֑יךָ וְאֵ֛ת אֲשֶׁר־הָיָ֥ה מִקְנְךָ֖ אִתִּֽי:
and how your livestock was with me: The small amount of your livestock that came into my hands-how many were they?
ואת אשר היה מקנך אתי: את חשבון מעוט מקנך שבא לידי מתחלה כמה היו:
30For the little that you had before me has increased in multitude, and the Lord blessed you upon my arrival; but now, when will I, too, provide [something] for my household? " לכִּ֡י מְעַט֩ אֲשֶׁר־הָיָ֨ה לְךָ֤ לְפָנַי֙ וַיִּפְרֹ֣ץ לָרֹ֔ב וַיְבָ֧רֶךְ יְהֹוָ֛ה אֹֽתְךָ֖ לְרַגְלִ֑י וְעַתָּ֗ה מָתַ֛י אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֥ה גַם־אָֽנֹכִ֖י לְבֵיתִֽי:
upon my arrival: lit., to my foot, with my foot; because of the arrival of my foot, the blessing came to you, like (Exod. 11:8):“the people that follow you (בְּרַגְלֶי)” ; (Jud. 8:5):“to the people that follow me (בְּרַגְלִי) ,” who come with me. — [from Gen. Rabbah 73:8]
לרגלי: עם רגלי, בשביל ביאת רגלי באת אצלך הברכה, כמו (שמות יא ח) העם אשר ברגלך, (שופטים ח ה) לעם אשר ברגלי, הבאים עמי:
when will I, too, provide [something] for my household: For the needs of my household. Now only my children work for my needs, and I too must work with them to assist them. This is the meaning of “too.”
גם אנכי לביתי: לצורך ביתי, עכשיו אין עושין לצרכי אלא בני וצריך אני להיות עושה גם אני עמהם לסמכן, וזהו גם:
31And he said, "What shall I give you?" And Jacob said, "You shall give me nothing; if you do this thing for me, I will return, I will pasture your flocks, [and] I will watch [them]. לאוַיֹּ֖אמֶר מָ֣ה אֶתֶּן־לָ֑ךְ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יַֽעֲקֹב֙ לֹֽא־תִתֶּן־לִ֣י מְא֔וּמָה אִם־תַּֽעֲשֶׂה־לִּי֙ הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה אָשׁ֛וּבָה אֶרְעֶ֥ה צֹֽאנְךָ֖ אֶשְׁמֹֽר:
32I will pass throughout all your flocks today, removing from there every speckled and spotted kid, and every brown lamb among the sheep, and [every] spotted and speckled [one from] among the goats, and this shall be my wages. לבאֶֽעֱבֹ֨ר בְּכָל־צֹֽאנְךָ֜ הַיּ֗וֹם הָסֵ֨ר מִשָּׁ֜ם כָּל־שֶׂ֣ה | נָקֹ֣ד וְטָל֗וּא וְכָל־שֶׂה־חוּם֙ בַּכְּשָׂבִ֔ים וְטָל֥וּא וְנָקֹ֖ד בָּֽעִזִּ֑ים וְהָיָ֖ה שְׂכָרִֽי:
speckled: Heb. נָקֹד, spotted with small patches like dots, poynture in Old French, speckled.
נקד: מנומר בחברבורות דקות, כמו נקודות, פוינטור"א בלעז [ניקוד]:
spotted: Heb. טָלוּא, an expression of patches, wide spots.
טלוא: לשון טלאים חברבורות רחבות:
brown: Heb. חוּם, [Onkelos renders] שְׁחוּם, somewhat reddish, rosso in Italian, reddish brown, russet. In the language of the Mishnah (B.B. 83b):“[If someone purchases] red (שְׁחַמְתִּית) [wheat] and it was found to be white,” regarding grain.
חום: שחום דומה לאדום, רוש בלעז [אדום] לשון משנה שחמתית ונמצאת לבנה, לענין התבואה:
and this shall be my wages: Those that will be born from now on speckled or spotted among the goats or brown among the sheep shall be mine. Those that are here now, separate from them and entrust them with your sons, so that you do not say to me concerning those born from now on, “These were there from the beginning,” and furthermore, so that you should not say to me,“Through the males that are speckled and spotted, the females will give birth to similar animals from now on.”
והיה שכרי: אותן שיולדו מכאן ולהבא נקודים וטלאים בעזים ושחומים בכשבים יהיו שלי ואותן שישנן עכשיו הפרש מהם והפקידם ביד בניך, שלא תאמר לי על הנולדים מעתה אלו היו שם מתחלה, ועוד שלא תאמר לי על ידי הזכרים שהן נקודים וטלואים תלדנה הנקבות דוגמתן מכאן ואילך:
33And my righteousness will testify for me at a future date for it will come upon my wages before you. Whatever is not speckled or spotted among the goats or brown among the sheep [shall be counted as] stolen with me." לגוְעָֽנְתָה־בִּ֤י צִדְקָתִי֙ בְּי֣וֹם מָחָ֔ר כִּֽי־תָב֥וֹא עַל־שְׂכָרִ֖י לְפָנֶ֑יךָ כֹּ֣ל אֲשֶׁר־אֵינֶ֩נּוּ֩ נָקֹ֨ד וְטָל֜וּא בָּֽעִזִּ֗ים וְחוּם֙ בַּכְּשָׂבִ֔ים גָּנ֥וּב ה֖וּא אִתִּֽי:
And my righteousness will testify for me, etc.: If you suspect me of taking anything of yours, my righteousness will testify for me. My righteousness will come and testify about my wages before you, that you will find in my flock only speckled and spotted ones, and whatever you find among them that is not speckled or spotted or brown, I have obviously stolen from you, and [only] through theft is it in my possession.
וענתה בי וגו': אם תחשדני שאני נוטל משלך כלום, תענה בי צדקתי, כי תבא צדקתי ותעיד על שכרי לפניך, שלא תמצא בעדרי כי אם נקודים וטלואים, וכל שתמצא בהן שאינו נקוד או טלוא או חום בידוע שגנבתיו לך, ובגניבה הוא שרוי אצלי:
34And Laban said, "Very well! If only it would be as you say!" לדוַיֹּ֥אמֶר לָבָ֖ן הֵ֑ן ל֖וּ יְהִ֥י כִדְבָרֶֽךָ:
Very well!: Heb. הֵן, an expression denoting the acceptance of terms.
הן: לשון הן, קבלת דברים:
If only it would be as you say: If only you would want this!
לו יהי כדברך: הלואי שתחפוץ בכך:
35And he removed on that day the ringed and the spotted male goats and all the speckled and spotted female goats, whichever had white on it, and all the brown [from] among the sheep, and he gave [them] into the hands of his sons. להוַיָּ֣סַר בַּיּוֹם֩ הַה֨וּא אֶת־הַתְּיָשִׁ֜ים הָֽעֲקֻדִּ֣ים וְהַטְּלֻאִ֗ים וְאֵ֤ת כָּל־הָֽעִזִּים֙ הַנְּקֻדּ֣וֹת וְהַטְּלֻאֹ֔ת כֹּ֤ל אֲשֶׁר־לָבָן֙ בּ֔וֹ וְכָל־ח֖וּם בַּכְּשָׂבִ֑ים וַיִּתֵּ֖ן בְּיַד־בָּנָֽיו:
And he removed: [I.e.,] Laban [removed] on that day, etc.
ויסר: לבן ביום ההוא וגו':
the male goats: Heb. הַתְּיָשִׁים, male goats.
התישים: עזים זכרים:
whichever had white on it: whichever had white patches on it.
כל אשר לבן בו: כל אשר היתה בו חברבורת לבנה:
and he gave [them]: [I.e.] Laban [gave them] into the hands of his sons.
ויתן: לבן ביד בניו:
36And he set three days' journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob tended Laban's remaining animals. לווַיָּ֗שֶׂם דֶּ֚רֶךְ שְׁל֣שֶׁת יָמִ֔ים בֵּינ֖וֹ וּבֵ֣ין יַֽעֲקֹ֑ב וְיַֽעֲקֹ֗ב רֹעֶ֛ה אֶת־צֹ֥אן לָבָ֖ן הַנּֽוֹתָרֹֽת:
Laban’s remaining animals: The weakest among them, the sick and the barren, which are only leftovers, he gave over to him.
הנותרת: הרעועות שבהן החולות והעקרות, שאינן אלא שירים, אותן מסר לו:
37And Jacob took himself moist rod[s] of trembling poplar and hazelnut, and chestnut, and he peeled white streaks upon them, baring the white that was on the rods. לזוַיִּקַּח־ל֣וֹ יַֽעֲקֹ֗ב מַקַּ֥ל לִבְנֶ֛ה לַ֖ח וְל֣וּז וְעַרְמ֑וֹן וַיְפַצֵּ֤ל בָּהֵן֙ פְּצָל֣וֹת לְבָנ֔וֹת מַחְשׂף֙ הַלָּבָ֔ן אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־הַמַּקְלֽוֹת:
rod[s] of trembling poplar: This is a tree named לִבְנֶה, as it is said (Hosea 4:13):“under oaks and trembling poplars (וְלִבְנֶה)” and I believe that לבנה is the one called trenble in Old French, trembling poplar and aspen, which is white (לָבָן).
מקל לבנה: עץ הוא ושמו לבנה, כמה דתימא (הושע ד יג) תחת אלון ולבנה, ואומר אני הוא שקורין טרינבל"א בלע"ז שהוא לבן [צפצפה עצנית]:
moist: When it was moist.
לח: כשהוא רטוב:
and hazelnut: And he took also a rod of לוּז, a tree upon which small nuts grow, coldre in Old French, hazelnut.
לוז: ועוד לקח מקל לוז, עץ שגדלין בו אגוזים דקים קולדר"א בלע"ז [אלסר]:
and chestnut: c(h)astanyer in Old French, chestnut.
וערמון: קשטיניי"ר בלע"ז [עץ ערמון]:
streaks: Many peelings, for it made it spotted.
פצלות: קלופים קלופים, שהיה עושהו מנומר:
baring the white: When he peeled it, its white appeared and was bared in the place where it was peeled.
מחשף הלבן: גלוי לובן של מקל. כשהיה קולפו היה נראה ונגלה לובן שלו במקום הקילוף:
38And he thrust the rods that he had peeled, into the gutters in the watering troughs where the animals would come to drink opposite the [other] animals, and they would come into heat when they came to drink. לחוַיַּצֵּ֗ג אֶת־הַמַּקְלוֹת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר פִּצֵּ֔ל בָּֽרְהָטִ֖ים בְּשִֽׁקֲת֣וֹת הַמָּ֑יִם אֲשֶׁר֩ תָּבֹ֨אןָ הַצֹּ֤אן לִשְׁתּוֹת֙ לְנֹ֣כַח הַצֹּ֔אן וַיֵּחַ֖מְנָה בְּבֹאָ֥ן לִשְׁתּֽוֹת:
And he thrust: Heb. וַּיַּצֵג. The Targum renders וְדָעִיץ, an Aramaic term denoting thrusting and sticking in, of which there are many [examples] in the Talmud, [e.g.] (Shab. 50b):“he inserted it (דָּצָהּ) and pulled it out” ; and (Chul. 93b):“If he thrust (דָץ) something into it.” [The word] דָּצָהּ is like דְּעָצָהּ, but it is a contracted form.
ויצג: תרגומו ודעיץ, לשון תחיבה ונעיצה הוא בלשון ארמית, והרבה יש בתלמוד (שבת נ ב) דצה ושלפה, (חולין צג ב) דץ ביה מידי. דצה כמו דעצה, אלא שמקצר את לשונו:
into the gutters: Where the water was running, in pools made in the ground in which to water the flocks. — [from Mishnath Rabbi Eliezer, ch. 7]
ברהטים: במרוצת המים, בבריכות העשויות בארץ, להשקות שם הצאן:
where…would come, etc.: In the gutters where the animals would come to drink, he thrust the rods opposite the animals. — [from Targumim]
אשר תבאן וגו': ברהטים, אשר תבאנה הצאן לשתות, שם הציג המקלות לנכח הצאן:
and they would come into heat, etc.: (Gen. Rabbah 73:10) The animal would see the rods, and she would be startled backwards. Then the male would mount her and she would give birth to offspring similar to him. Rabbi Hoshaya says: The water would become sperm in their innards, and they did not require a male, and that is the meaning of וַיֵחַמְנָה וגוֹ. (I.e, in this word, there is a combination of masculine and feminine forms, as mentioned by Rabbi Abraham Ibn Ezra.)
ויחמנה: הבהמה רואה את המקלות והיא נרתעת לאחוריה, והזכר רובעה ויולדת כיוצא בו. ר' הושעיא אומר המים נעשין זרע במעיהן ולא היו צריכות לזכר, וזהו ויחמנה וגו':
39And the flocks came into heat by the rods, and the animals bore ringed, spotted, and striped [young]. לטוַיֶּֽחֱמ֥וּ הַצֹּ֖אן אֶל־הַמַּקְל֑וֹת וַתֵּלַ֣דְןָ הַצֹּ֔אן עֲקֻדִּ֥ים נְקֻדִּ֖ים וּטְלֻאִֽים:
by the rods: At the sight of the rods.
אל המקלות: אל מראות המקלות:
ringed: Unusual in the place where they are bound. Those are the joints of their forelegs and hind legs.
עקדים: משונים במקום עקידתן, הם קרסולי ידיהן ורגליהן:
40And Jacob separated the sheep, and he turned the faces of the animals toward the ringed one[s] and every brown one among Laban's animals, and he made himself flocks by himself, and he did not place them with Laban's animals. מוְהַכְּשָׂבִים֘ הִפְרִ֣יד יַֽעֲקֹב֒ וַ֠יִּתֵּ֠ן פְּנֵ֨י הַצֹּ֧אן אֶל־עָקֹ֛ד וְכָל־ח֖וּם בְּצֹ֣אן לָבָ֑ן וַיָּ֨שֶׁת ל֤וֹ עֲדָרִים֙ לְבַדּ֔וֹ וְלֹ֥א שָׁתָ֖ם עַל־צֹ֥אן לָבָֽן:
And Jacob separated the sheep: Those born ringed or speckled he divided and separated for himself, and he made them [in a formation of] each flock separately, and he led the ringed flock ahead of the [ordinary] animals, and the faces of the animals following them gazed at them. This is what Scripture says [further]:“and he turned the faces of the animals toward the ringed one[s],” that the faces of the animals were directed toward the ringed ones and toward every brown one that he found in Laban’s flocks.
והכשבים הפריד יעקב: הנולדים עקודים נקודים הבדיל והפריד לעצמן ועשה אותן עדר עדר לבדו, והוליך אותו העדר העקוד לפני הצאן, ופני הצאן ההולכות אחריהם צופות אליהם, וזהו שנאמר ויתן פני הצאן אל עקוד, שהיו פני הצאן אל העקודים, ואל כל חום שמצא בצאן לבן:
and he made himself flocks: As I explained.
וישת לו עדרים: כמו שפרשתי:
41And it came to pass, that whenever the animals that were bearing their first would come into heat, Jacob would place the rods in the troughs, before the eyes of the animals, [in order] to bring them into heat by [means of] the rods. מאוְהָיָ֗ה בְּכָל־יַחֵם֘ הַצֹּ֣אן הַֽמְקֻשָּׁרוֹת֒ וְשָׂ֨ם יַֽעֲקֹ֧ב אֶת־הַמַּקְל֛וֹת לְעֵינֵ֥י הַצֹּ֖אן בָּֽרְהָטִ֑ים לְיַחֲמֵ֖נָּה בַּמַּקְלֽוֹת:
that were bearing their first: הַמְקֻשָּׁרוֹת. [To be interpreted] according to the TArgum : Those who were giving birth to their first, but [for this interpretation] there is no evidence in Scripture. (Machbereth Menachem p. 160), however, associated it with (II Sam. 15:31):“Ahithophel is among the conspirators (בַּקּוֹשְׁרִים)” ; (ibid. 12):“And the conspiracy (הַקֶּשֶׁר) was strong.” Those who bind themselves together to hasten their conception.
המקשרות: כתרגומו הבכירות ואין לו עד במקרא להוכיח עליו. ומנחם חברו עם (שמואל ב' טו לא) אחיתופל בקושרים, (שם טו י) ויהי הקשר אמיץ, אותן המתקשרות יחד למהר עיבורן:
42But if the animals would delay, he would not place them, so that the ones that delayed were Laban's, and the ones that bore their first became Jacob's. מבוּבְהַֽעֲטִ֥יף הַצֹּ֖אן לֹ֣א יָשִׂ֑ים וְהָיָ֤ה הָֽעֲטֻפִים֙ לְלָבָ֔ן וְהַקְּשֻׁרִ֖ים לְיַֽעֲקֹֽב:
But if…would delay: Heb. וּבְהַעִטִיף, a term denoting delay, as the Targum renders וּבְלַקְשׁוּת, but Menachem (Machbereth Menachem p. 132) associated it with (Isa. 3:22):“the tunics and the wraps (וְהַמַּעִטָפוֹת),” a term denoting a wrap, meaning that they enwrapped themselves in their skin and their wool, and they did not desire to come into heat through the males.
ובהעטיף: לשון איחור, כתרגומו ובלקישות. ומנחם חברו עם (ישעיה ג כג) המחלצות והמעטפות, לשון עטיפת כסות, כלומר מתעטפות בעורן וצמרן ואינן מתאוות להתיחם על ידי הזכרים:
43And the man became exceedingly wealthy, and he had prolific animals, and maidservants and manservants, and camels and donkeys. מגוַיִּפְרֹ֥ץ הָאִ֖ישׁ מְאֹ֣ד מְאֹ֑ד וַֽיְהִי־לוֹ֙ צֹ֣אן רַבּ֔וֹת וּשְׁפָחוֹת֙ וַֽעֲבָדִ֔ים וּגְמַלִּ֖ים וַֽחֲמֹרִֽים:
prolific animals: Heb רַבּוֹת. They were fruitful and multiplied more than other animals. — [from Tanchuma Buber, Vayetze 24]
צאן רבות: פרות ורבות יותר משאר צאן:
and maidservants and manservants: He would sell his animals at a high price and purchase all these for himself. — [from Gen. Rabbah 74:5]
ושפחות ועבדים: מוכר צאנו בדמים יקרים ולוקח לו כל אלה:
Genesis Chapter 31
1And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, "Jacob has taken all that belonged to our father, and from what belonged to our father, he has amassed this entire fortune." אוַיִּשְׁמַ֗ע אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֤י בְנֵֽי־לָבָן֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לָקַ֣ח יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב אֵ֖ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר לְאָבִ֑ינוּ וּמֵֽאֲשֶׁ֣ר לְאָבִ֔ינוּ עָשָׂ֕ה אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַכָּבֹ֖ד הַזֶּֽה:
he has amassed: Heb. עָשָׂה, lit., made, acquired, like (I Sam. 14:48) “And he gathered (וַיַעַשׂ) an army, and he smote Amalek.”
עשה: כנס, כמו (ש"א יד מח) ויעש חיל ויך את עמלק:
2And Jacob saw Laban's countenance, that he was not disposed toward him as [he had been] yesterday and the day before. בוַיַּ֥רְא יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י לָבָ֑ן וְהִנֵּ֥ה אֵינֶ֛נּוּ עִמּ֖וֹ כִּתְמ֥וֹל שִׁלְשֽׁוֹם:
3And the Lord said to Jacob, "Return to the land of your forefathers and to your birthplace, and I will be with you." גוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב שׁ֛וּב אֶל־אֶ֥רֶץ אֲבוֹתֶ֖יךָ וּלְמֽוֹלַדְתֶּ֑ךָ וְאֶֽהְיֶ֖ה עִמָּֽךְ:
Return to the land of your forefathers: And there I will be with you, but as long as you are still attached to the unclean one, it is impossible to cause My presence to rest upon you. — [from Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer , ch. 36]
שוב אל ארץ אבותיך: ושם אהיה עמך, אבל בעודך מחובר לטמא אי אפשר להשרות שכינתי עליך:
4So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field, to his flocks. דוַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב וַיִּקְרָ֖א לְרָחֵ֣ל וּלְלֵאָ֑ה הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה אֶל־צֹאנֽוֹ:
and called Rachel and Leah: First Rachel and then Leah, because she (Rachel) was the mainstay of the household, because, on her account, Jacob had joined Laban. Even Leah’s children acknowledged this matter, for Boaz and his tribunal of the tribe of Judah say,“like Rachel and like Leah, both of whom built, etc.” (Ruth 4:11). They place Rachel before Leah. — [from Tanchuma Buber, Vayetze 15]
ויקרא לרחל וללאה: לרחל תחלה ואחר כך ללאה שהיא היתה עיקר הבית, שבשבילה נזדווג יעקב עם לבן, ואף בניה של לאה מודים בדבר, שהרי בועז ובית דינו משבט יהודה אומרים (רות ד יא) כרחל וכלאה אשר בנו שתיהם וגו', הקדימו רחל ללאה:
5And he said to them, "I see your father's countenance, that he is not disposed toward me [as he was] yesterday and the day before, but the God of my father was with me. הוַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֗ן רֹאֶ֤ה אָֽנֹכִי֙ אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י אֲבִיכֶ֔ן כִּֽי־אֵינֶ֥נּוּ אֵלַ֖י כִּתְמֹ֣ל שִׁלְשֹׁ֑ם וֵֽאלֹהֵ֣י אָבִ֔י הָיָ֖ה עִמָּדִֽי:
6And you know that with all my might I served your father. ווְאַתֵּ֖נָה יְדַעְתֶּ֑ן כִּ֚י בְּכָל־כֹּחִ֔י עָבַ֖דְתִּי אֶת־אֲבִיכֶֽן:
7But your father mocked me and changed my wages ten times, but God did not permit him to harm me. זוַֽאֲבִיכֶן֙ הֵ֣תֶל בִּ֔י וְהֶֽחֱלִ֥ף אֶת־מַשְׂכֻּרְתִּ֖י עֲשֶׂ֣רֶת מֹנִ֑ים וְלֹֽא־נְתָנ֣וֹ אֱלֹהִ֔ים לְהָרַ֖ע עִמָּדִֽי:
ten times ten times: Heb. עִשֶׂרֶת מֹנִים. מֹנִים is not less than ten.
עשרת מנים: אין מונים פחות מעשרה:
ten times: Heb. מֹנִים, a term denoting the base number, which is ten. We learn that he (Laban) changed his stipulation a hundred times.
מנים: לשון סכום כלל החשבון, והן עשיריות, למדנו שהחליף תנאו מאה פעמים:
8If he would say thus, 'Speckled ones shall be your wages,' all the animals would bear speckled ones, and if he would say thus, 'Ringed ones shall be your wages,' all the animals would bear ringed ones. חאִם־כֹּ֣ה יֹאמַ֗ר נְקֻדִּים֙ יִֽהְיֶ֣ה שְׂכָרֶ֔ךָ וְיָֽלְד֥וּ כָל־הַצֹּ֖אן נְקֻדִּ֑ים וְאִם־כֹּ֣ה יֹאמַ֗ר עֲקֻדִּים֙ יִֽהְיֶ֣ה שְׂכָרֶ֔ךָ וְיָֽלְד֥וּ כָל־הַצֹּ֖אן עֲקֻדִּֽים:
9Thus, God separated your father's livestock and gave it to me. טוַיַּצֵּ֧ל אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶת־מִקְנֵ֥ה אֲבִיכֶ֖ם וַיִּתֶּן־לִֽי:
10And it came to pass at the time the animals came into heat, that I lifted my eyes and saw in a dream, and behold, the he goats that mounted the animals were ringed, speckled, and striped. יוַיְהִ֗י בְּעֵת֙ יַחֵ֣ם הַצֹּ֔אן וָֽאֶשָּׂ֥א עֵינַ֛י וָאֵ֖רֶא בַּֽחֲל֑וֹם וְהִנֵּ֤ה הָֽעֲתֻּדִים֙ הָֽעֹלִ֣ים עַל־הַצֹּ֔אן עֲקֻדִּ֥ים נְקֻדִּ֖ים וּבְרֻדִּֽים:
and behold, the he-goats: Although Laban had separated them all, so that the animals would not conceive their likeness, the angels were bringing them from the flock that had been given over into the hands of Laban’s sons to the flock that was in Jacob’s hands. — [from Gen. Rabbah 73:10]
והנה העתודים: אף על פי שהבדילם לבן כולם שלא יתעברו הצאן דוגמתן, היו המלאכים מביאין אותן מעדר המסור ביד בני לבן לעדר שביד יעקב:
and striped: Heb. וּבְרֻדָּים [To be explained] as the Targum renders: וּפְצִיחִין and open, faissie in Old French, striped. A white thread encircles his body all around, and its stripes are open and penetrating from one to the other, but I have no evidence from Scripture.
וברדים: כתרגומו ופציחין פיישי"ד בלע"ז [מנומש], חוט של לבן מקיף את גופו סביב, חברבורת שלו פתוחה ומפולשת מזן אל זן, ואין לי להביא עד מן המקרא:
11And an angel of God said to me in a dream, 'Jacob!' And I said, 'Here I am.' יאוַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֵלַ֜י מַלְאַ֧ךְ הָֽאֱלֹהִ֛ים בַּֽחֲל֖וֹם יַֽעֲקֹ֑ב וָֽאֹמַ֖ר הִנֵּֽנִי:
12And he said, 'Now lift your eyes and see [that] all the he goats mounting the animals are ringed, speckled, and striped, for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. יבוַיֹּ֗אמֶר שָׂא־נָ֨א עֵינֶ֤יךָ וּרְאֵה֙ כָּל־הָֽעֲתֻּדִים֙ הָֽעֹלִ֣ים עַל־הַצֹּ֔אן עֲקֻדִּ֥ים נְקֻדִּ֖ים וּבְרֻדִּ֑ים כִּ֣י רָאִ֔יתִי אֵ֛ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר לָבָ֖ן עֹ֥שֶׂה לָּֽךְ:
13I am the God of Beth el, where you anointed a monument, where you pronounced to Me a vow. Now, arise, go forth from this land and return to the land of your birth.'" יגאָֽנֹכִ֤י הָאֵל֙ בֵּֽית־אֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר מָשַׁ֤חְתָּ שָּׁם֙ מַצֵּבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר נָדַ֥רְתָּ לִּ֛י שָׁ֖ם נֶ֑דֶר עַתָּ֗ה ק֥וּם צֵא֙ מִן־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את וְשׁ֖וּב אֶל־אֶ֥רֶץ מֽוֹלַדְתֶּֽךָ:
I am the God of Beth-el: Heb. הָאֵל בֵּית-אֵל, like אֵל בֵּית-אֵל. The “hey” is superfluous, and it is the way of the Scriptures to speak this way, like “For you are coming to the land of (הָאָרֶץ) Canaan” (Num. 34:2).
האל בית אל: כמו אל בית אל, הה"א יתירה, ודרך מקראות לדבר כן, כמו (במדבר לד ב) כי אתם באים אל הארץ כנען:
where you anointed: This is an expression of grandeur and greatness, just as one is anointed king. So [is the meaning of] “and he poured oil on top of it” (above, 28:18), to be anointed as an altar. — [following Targum Jonathan ben Uzziel]
משחת שם: לשון רבוי וגדולה כשנמשח למלכות, כך (לעיל כח יח) ויצק שמן על ראשה, להיות משוחה למזבח:
where you pronounced to Me a vow: And you must pay it up, for you said, “it shall be the house of God” (Gen. 28:22), that you would offer up sacrifices there. — [from Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer, ch. 35]
אשר נדרת לי: וצריך אתה לשלמו, שאמרת (שם כב) יהיה בית א-להים, שתקריב שם קרבנות:
14And Rachel and Leah replied and said to him, "Do we still have a share or an inheritance in our father's house? ידוַתַּ֤עַן רָחֵל֨ וְלֵאָ֔ה וַתֹּאמַ֖רְנָה ל֑וֹ הַע֥וֹד לָ֛נוּ חֵ֥לֶק וְנַֽחֲלָ֖ה בְּבֵ֥ית אָבִֽינוּ:
Do we still have: Why should we stop you from returning? Do we still hope to inherit anything of our father’s property among the males?
העוד לנו חלק: למה נעכב על ידך מלשוב, כלום אנו מיחלות לירש בנכסי אבינו כלום בין הזכרים:
15Are we not considered by him as strangers, for he sold us and also consumed our money? טוהֲל֧וֹא נָכְרִיּ֛וֹת נֶחְשַׁ֥בְנוּ ל֖וֹ כִּ֣י מְכָרָ֑נוּ וַיֹּ֥אכַל גַּם־אָכ֖וֹל אֶת־כַּסְפֵּֽנוּ:
Are we not considered by him as strangers: Even at a time when people usually give a dowry to their daughters, viz. at the time of marriage, he behaved toward us as [one behaves toward] strangers, for he sold us to you (for you served him fourteen years for us, and he gave us to you only) as wages for labor.
הלא נכריות נחשבנו לו: אפילו בשעה שדרך בני אדם לתת נדוניא לבנותיו בשעת נשואין, נהג עמנו כנכריות, כי מכרנו לך בשכר הפעולה:
our money: For he kept the wages for your labor.
את כספנו: שעכב דמי שכר פעולתך:
16But all the wealth that God separated from our father is ours and our children's. So now, all that God said to you, do." טזכִּ֣י כָל־הָעֹ֗שֶׁר אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִצִּ֤יל אֱלֹהִים֙ מֵֽאָבִ֔ינוּ לָ֥נוּ ה֖וּא וּלְבָנֵ֑ינוּ וְעַתָּ֗ה כֹּל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָמַ֧ר אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֵלֶ֖יךָ עֲשֵֽׂה:
But all the wealth: Heb. כִּי. This כִּי here means“but.” That is, we have nothing of our father’s, but what the Holy One, blessed be He, separated from our father is ours.
כי כל העשר: כי זה משמש בלשון אלא, כלומר משל אבינו אין לנו כלום אלא מה שהציל הקדוש ברוך הוא מאבינו שלנו הוא:
separated: Heb. הִצִיל, a term meaning that he separated, and so every expression of הַצָלָה in Scripture means separation, that one separates another from harm or from the enemy.
הציל: לשון הפריש, וכן כל לשון הצלה שבמקרא לשון הפרשה, שמפרישו מן הרעה ומן האויב:
Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 29 - 34• Hebrew text
• English text
Chapter 29
The Name of God appears eighteen times in this psalm, corresponding to which our Sages established eighteen blessings-the Amidah. The entire psalm can be interpreted as referring to the giving of the Torah and the ingathering of the exiles.
1. A psalm by David. Render to the Lord, children of the mighty, render to the Lord honor and strength.
2. Render to the Lord the honor due to His Name; bow down to the Lord in resplendent holiness.
3. The voice of the Lord is over the waters, the God of glory thunders; the Lord is over mighty waters.
4. The voice of the Lord resounds with might; the voice of the Lord resounds with majesty.
5. The voice of the Lord breaks cedars; the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon.
6. He makes them leap like a calf, Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox.
7. The voice of the Lord strikes flames of fire.
8. The voice of the Lord makes the desert tremble; the Lord causes the desert of Kadesh to tremble.
9. The voice of the Lord causes the does to calve, and strips the forests bare; and in His Sanctuary all proclaim His glory.
10. The Lord sat [as King] at the Flood; the Lord will sit as King forever.
11. The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.
Chapter 30
This psalm teaches one not to be distressed if God visits suffering upon him in this world, for only through suffering can one enter the World to Come. Even one of great spiritual stature should realize that his stability is not guaranteed, but that all is in the hands of God.
1. A psalm, a song of dedication of the House, by David.
2. I exalt You, Lord, for You have uplifted me, and did not allow my enemies to rejoice over me.
3. Lord, my God, I cried out to You, and You healed me.
4. Lord, You have brought up my soul from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not descend to the pit.
5. Sing to the Lord, you His pious ones, and praise His holy Name.
6. For His wrath endures but for a moment, when He is conciliated there is [long] life; when one retires at night weeping, joy will come in the morning.
7. In my security I thought, "I shall never falter.”
8. Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong; when You concealed Your countenance I was alarmed.
9. I called to You, O Lord, and I made supplication to my Lord:
10. What profit is there in my death, in my going down to the grave? Can dust praise You? Can it proclaim Your truth
11. Lord, hear and be gracious to me; Lord, be a help to me.
12. You have turned my mourning into dancing; You have undone my sackcloth and girded me with joy.
13. Therefore my soul shall sing to You, and not be silent; Lord my God, I will praise You forever.
Chapter 31
Composed by a destitute and oppressed David, running from Saul while placing his trust in God, this psalm instructs man to put his trust in God alone.
1. For the Conductor, a psalm by David.
2. In You I have taken shelter, O Lord, I shall never be shamed; rescue me in Your righteousness.
3. Turn Your ear to me, save me quickly; be to me a rock of refuge, a fortress to deliver me.
4. For You are my rock and my fortress; for the sake of Your Name, direct me and lead me.
5. Remove me from the net they planted for me, for You are my stronghold.
6. I entrust my spirit into Your hand; You will redeem me, Lord, God of truth.
7. I despise those who anticipate worthless vanities; but I trust in the Lord.
8. I will rejoice and delight in Your kindness, for You have seen my affliction; You know the troubles of my soul.
9. You have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy; You have set my feet on spacious ground.
10. Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eye wastes away from vexation-my soul and my stomach.
11. For my life is spent in sorrow, my years in sighing; my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones are wasted away.
12. Because of my adversaries I have become a disgrace-exceedingly to my neighbors, and a dread to my friends; those who see me outside flee from me.
13. Like a dead man, I was forgotten from the heart; I became like a lost vessel.
14. For I have heard the slander of many, terror on every side, when they assembled together against me and plotted to take my life.
15. But I trusted in You, O Lord; I said, "You are my God.”
16. My times are in Your hand; save me from the hands of my enemies and pursuers.
17. Shine Your countenance upon Your servant; deliver me in Your kindness.
18. O Lord, let me not be ashamed, for I have called You; let the wicked be shamed, let them be silent to the grave.
19. Let the lips of falsehood-which speak insolently against the righteous, with arrogance and contempt-be struck dumb.
20. How abundant is Your good that You have hidden for those who fear You; in the presence of man, You have acted for those who take refuge in You.
21. Conceal them from the haughtiness of man, in the shelter of Your countenance; hide them in a shelter from the strife of tongues.
22. Blessed is the Lord, for He has been wondrous in His kindness to me in a besieged city.
23. I said in my panic, "I am cut off from before Your eyes!" But in truth, You heard the voice of my pleas when I cried to You.
24. Love the Lord, all His pious ones! The Lord preserves the faithful, and repays with exactness those who act haughtily.
25. Be strong and fortify your hearts, all who put their hope in the Lord!
Chapter 32
This psalm speaks of forgiveness of sin, and of the good fortune of one who repents and confesses to God wholeheartedly.
1. By David, a maskil.1Fortunate is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
2. Fortunate is the man to whom the Lord does not reckon his sin, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
3. When I was silent, my limbs wore away through my wailing all day long.
4. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my marrow became [dry] as the droughts of summer, Selah.
5. My sin I made known to You, my iniquity I did not cover. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord," and You have forgiven the iniquity of my transgression forever.
6. For this let every pious man pray to You, at a time when You may be found; indeed, the flood of many waters will not reach him.
7. You are a refuge to me; protect me from distress; surround me with songs of deliverance forever.
8. I will enlighten you and educate you in the path you should go; I will advise you with what I have seen.
9. Be not like a horse, like a mule, senseless, that must be muzzled with bit and bridle when being adorned, so that it not come near you.
10. Many are the agonies of the wicked, but he who trusts in the Lord is surrounded by kindness.
11. Rejoice in the Lord and exult, you righteous ones! Sing joyously, all you upright of heart!
FOOTNOTES
1.A psalm intended to enlighten and impart knowledge(Metzudot).
Chapter 33
This psalm teaches the righteous and upright to praise God. For the more one knows of the Torah's wisdom, the more should he praise God, for he knows and understands His greatness.
1. Sing joyously to the Lord, you righteous ones; it is fitting for the upright to offer praise.
2. Extol the Lord with a harp; sing to Him with a ten-stringed lyre.
3. Sing to Him a new song; play well with sounds of jubilation.
4. For the word of the Lord is just; all His deeds are done in faithfulness.
5. He loves righteousness and justice; the kindness of the Lord fills the earth.
6. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their hosts.
7. He gathers the waters of the sea like a mound; He places the deep waters in vaults.
8. Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world tremble before Him.
9. For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it endured.
10. The Lord has annulled the counsel of nations; He has foiled the schemes of peoples.
11. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the thoughts of His heart throughout all generations.
12. Fortunate is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose as a heritage for Himself.
13. The Lord looks down from heaven; He beholds all mankind.
14. From His dwelling-place He looks intently upon all the inhabitants of the earth.
15. It is He Who fashions the hearts of them all, Who perceives all their actions.
16. The king is not saved by a great army, nor a warrior rescued by great might.
17. The horse is a false guarantee for victory; with all its great strength it offers no escape.
18. But the eye of the Lord is directed toward those who fear Him, toward those who hope for His kindness,
19. to save their soul from death and to sustain them during famine.
20. Our soul yearns for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.
21. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, for we have put our trust in His Holy Name.
22. May Your kindness, Lord, be upon us, as we have placed our hope in You.
Chapter 34
This psalm tells of when David was in grave danger while at the palace of Achish, brother of Goliath. David acted like a madman, letting spittle run down his beard, and writing on the doors: "Achish, king of Gath, owes me one hundred thousand gold coins," leading Achish to eject him from the palace. In his joy, David composed this psalm in alphabetical sequence.
1. By David, when he feigned insanity before Avimelech,1 who then drove him away, and he left.
2. I bless the Lord at all times; His praise is always in my mouth.
3. My soul glories in the Lord; let the humble hear it and rejoice.
4. Exalt the Lord with me, and let us extol His Name together.
5. I sought the Lord and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.
6. Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never humiliated.
7. This poor man called, and the Lord heard; He delivered him from all his tribulations.
8. The angel of the Lord camps around those who fear Him, and rescues them.
9. Taste and see that the Lord is good; fortunate is the man who trusts in Him.
10. Fear the Lord, you His holy ones, for those who fear Him suffer no want.
11. Young lions may want and hunger, but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.
12. Come, children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
13. Who is the man who desires life, who loves long life wherein to see goodness?
14. Guard your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit.
15. Turn away from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it.
16. The eyes of the Lord are directed toward the righteous, and His ears toward their cry.
17. The wrath of the Lord is upon the evildoers, to excise their memory from the earth.
18. But when they [repent and] cry out, the Lord hears, and saves them from all their troubles.
19. The Lord is close to the broken-hearted, and saves those with a crushed spirit.
20. Many are the afflictions of a righteous person, but the Lord rescues him from them all.
21. He protects all his bones; not one of them is broken.
22. Evil brings death upon the wicked, and the enemies of the righteous are condemned.
23. The Lord redeems the soul of His servants; all who take shelter in Him are not condemned.
FOOTNOTES
1.All Philistine kings are referred to by the name Avimelech (Rashi).
Tanya: Kuntres Acharon, middle of Essay 4• English Text (Lessons in Tanya)
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Thursday, Kislev 5, 5778 · November 23, 2017
Today's Tanya Lesson
Kuntres Acharon, middle of Essay 4
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The performance of mitzvot, however, as the Alter Rebbe will now explain, connects a Jew with the essence of Divinity. When he holds an etrog together with the other three kinds of vegetation and fulfills the mitzvah of the “Four Species” on Sukkot, he is holding on to the essence of Divinity. And so too with regard to all the practical mitzvot.
מה שאין כן מעשה המצות, מעשה אלקים המה הנה
But as to the performance of mitzvot, these are the works of G‑d, unlike other worldly actions, from which Divinity is utterly concealed. The Alter Rebbe now explains how this comes about:
בדרך השתלשלות מכלים דאצילות לבריאה יצירה עשיה, ממהותן ועצמותן דחיצוניותן
In the process of the chain of descent from the vessels of Atzilut to Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, for the vessels of Atzilut that descend into these worlds are the Divinity of these worlds, from the very nature and essence of their external aspect —
כמו, על דרך משל, אתרוג ומיניו
as, for example, within the etrog and its “kinds” —
הלביש בהן הקב״ה ממהותן ועצמותן דחסדים [פנימית] [פנימים] דז״א
the Holy One, blessed be He, clothed something of the very nature and essence of the [1internal] attributes of Kindness of Za,
והיינו מבחינת חיצוניותן
meaning from their outward state, from the external aspect of these internal attributes,
כנודע בכל מצות מעשיות
as is known in the case of all mitzvot requiring action.
מה שאין כן האדם
Man, by contrast, who by means of his intellect or spiritual emotions can attain intellectually-generated love and fear,
אפילו יש לו נשמה דאצילות
even if he possesses a soul of Atzilut,
מאחר שמלובשת בגוף
yet since it is clothed in a body,
לא יוכל למצוא בנפשו ולהשיג מהותן ועצמותן של פנימית החסדים דז״א דאצילות
cannot detect and apprehend through2 his soul the nature and essence of the inward attributes of Kindness of Za of Atzilut.
(כי האצילות היא בחינת חיה בכללות העולמות, אצילות בריאה יצירה עשיה
(3For in general terms Atzilut represents the state of Chayah in the Four Worlds of Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah,
Specifically, each of the Four Worlds possesses all four soullevels of Nefesh, Ruach, Neshamah and Chayah. In a general sense, however, each of these Four Worlds corresponds to one of these levels. Asiyah corresponds to Nefesh; Yetzirah — to Ruach; Beriah — to Neshamah; and Atzilut corresponds to Chayah.
שהיא בחינת מקיף מלמעלה, ואינה מתלבשת בכלי כלל)
and [Chayah] denotes encompassing transcendence, not being vested within any vessel whatever.)
Unlike the soul-level in man called Neshamah, which reflects his power of comprehension, or Ruach, which reflects his spiritual emotions, and so on, each of these soul-levels having their specific “location” within the body, Chayah is a transcendent soul-level that encompasses the individual from above.
So, too, with regard to the worlds, Chayah (paralleled by the World of Atzilut) is the spiritual level that encompasses from above and does not vest itself at all within a vessel. Thus, a person living within a body cannot possibly apprehend the essence of an entity at the level of Atzilut.
כי אם מציאותן, על ידי דחילו ורחימו שכליים
[With regard to the internal attributes of Kindness of Za, man is able to apprehend] only their existence, through intellectually-generated awe and love.
ומה שכתוב: וראית את אחורי, הוא בדרך נבואה דוקא
As to the statement,4 “You shall see my hinderpart” — and seeing penetrates to the essence of a matter— this refers only to prophecy.
(שהוא התפשטות הגשמיות, כמו שכתוב ברעיא מהימנא, פרשת משפטים)
(5For prophecy entails divestment of the physical,6 as explained in Ra’aya Mehemna, Parshat Mishpatim.7)
Thus, Moses’ apprehension of the essence of Divinity resulted from a state of prophecy that entails divestment from the physical. Through other, non-prophetic means, it is impossible for the soul to apprehend the essence of any of the levels of Atzilut.
והטעם, היינו לפי שאי אפשר לנברא להשיג כלום במהות האלקות, שהוא הבורא
This, then, is the reason: No created being is capable of grasping anything whatsoever of the essence of Divinity, the Creator.
ובלי השגה, אין זו הלבשה ותפיסא ודביקות אמיתית
And without comprehension there is no real investiture, or grasping, or cleaving.
Man is thus incapable of truly cleaving to G‑d’s attributes, i.e., the attributes of Atzilut.
In light of the above it is clear that the love and fear of G‑d that a Jew generates through meditation during prayer, grasps and cleaves to no more than the external aspect of the existence of Divinity, and not His essence.
מה שאין כן האתרוג, על דרך משל, חיותו נמשכה ונשתלשלה ממהות חיצוניות דכלים דנוקבא דז״א דאצילות
However, as to the etrog by way of example, its life is drawn and descends from the very essence of the outer aspect of the vessels of nukva of Za of Atzilut,
שהוא בחינת אלקות
which is truly a state of Divinity,
כמו שכתוב בעץ חיים, שכל הפירות הן באצילות
as stated in Etz Chayim,8 that all the fruits are [rooted] in Atzilut.
כי למ״ד כלים דאצילות ירדו לבריאה יצירה עשיה
For the thirty vessels of Atzilut descended into Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah in order to become the Divinity of those Worlds
(והן יו״ד מאמרות שבהן נברא העולם
על ידי התלבשות בנוקבא דעשיה, מהות במהות)
through enclothement in nukva of Asiyah, essence in essence).11
The essence of the vessels of Malchut of Atzilut vests itself in the essence of Malchut of Asiyah, which is the source of all created beings of that world. Included among them are the fruits of that world, such as the etrog.
While the G‑dliness found in other physical matters is concealed, in an object used for a mitzvah it is manifest, as explained in Tanya, ch. 23.
כי הכלים דאצילות נעשו נשמה בעשיה, שהיא בחינת אלקות ממש
For the vessels of Atzilut became the soul of Asiyah, which is actually a state of Divinity.
לפי שבאצילות, איהו וגרמוהי חד, המאציל והנאצל
For in Atzilut12 “He and His vessels are one” — the Emanator (the infinite light) and the emanation (the vessels of Atzilut).
ועל ידי התלבשות מהות הנשמה במהות הכלים דנוקבא דעשיה, נתהוה האתרוג
And through the enclothement of the essence of the soul [of the vessels of Atzilut] in the essence of the vessels of nukva (i.e., Malchut) of Asiyah, the etrog came into being.
נמצא כשתופס האתרוג ומנענעו כהלכתו
The result is that in holding the etrog and waving it as the law requires,
הרי זה תופס ממש חיותו המלובש בו מנוקבא דאצילות
one is actually holding the life-force which is clothed within it and which derives from the nukva (i.e., Malchut) of Atzilut,
המיוחדת באור אין סוף, המאציל ברוך הוא
and [Malchut] is united with the [infinite] Ein Sof-light, the Emanator of Atzilut, blessed be He.
But is this not also the case when one holds any other fruit, where no mitzvah is involved?
The answer is, as previously explained, that in other physical objects the G‑dly life-force is concealed, whereas it is revealed in objects used for a mitzvah, for these are the “works of G‑d.”
מה שאין כן בכוונתו
This is not the case concerning one’s intention while performing the mitzvah of the etrog.
אינו משיג ותופס, אף היודע הסוד, אלא מציאותה ולא מהותה
Here, even if he is familiar with the mystical [Kabbalistic and chassidic] meanings involved, he does not grasp and hold on to the essence (of Malchut of Atzilut, the source of the etrog), but only to the external fact of its mere existence.
This is entirely unlike holding a physical etrog and performing the mitzvah with it, at which time one grasps the essence of the physical etrog together with its source in Divinity.
אך בלימוד הלכות אתרוג, משיג ותופס האתרוג ממש ומצותו כהלכה, בבחינת דבור ומחשבה
However, by studying the laws of the etrog one does attain and grasp the etrog proper and its mitzvah appropriately, by speech and thought.
For here he is articulating or understanding or thinking about the laws of the physical etrog, whose essence he can grasp, and not its spiritual intent in the heavenly realms.
וכל שכן, הלומד הסוד
Even more so, he who studies the esoteric dimension of the mitzvah of the etrog according to the teachings of the Kabbalah and Chassidut.
For here, too, we are speaking of the esoteric dimension of the physical etrog, whose essence he can comprehend, and not of the spiritual intentions of the mitzvah or, yet higher, the relevant configurations of Sefirotin the World of Atzilut.
* * *
אבל דוקא סודות המצוה
This, however, refers only to [the study of] the Kabbalistic mysteries of the mitzvah itself,
דלא גרע מלימוד הלכותיה, ואדרבה כו׳
for this is not inferior to the study of its laws; indeed, quite the contrary...,
אף שאינו משיג המהות
even though he does not apprehend the essence of the spiritual intent of the mitzvah as it applies to the visages of Atzilut.
Moreover, his understanding of the essence of the etrog, the object with which the mitzvah is observed, grants him some comprehension of the essence of the mystical reaches of the subject at large.
| FOOTNOTES | |
| 1. | The brackets are in the original text. |
| 2. | The Rebbe explains that here the prefix ב in בנפשו does not mean “in his soul,” but “through his soul” (as in the verse, ויקח בידו — “He took by means of his hand”). |
| 3. | The parentheses are in the original text. |
| 4. | Shmot 33:22. |
| 5. | The parentheses are in the original text. |
| 6. | Note of the Rebbe: “Cf. the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim, beginning of sec. 98; Hilchot Talmud Torah 4:9.” |
| 7. | Note of the Rebbe: “Possibly the intent is p. 116b ff.” |
| 8. | Note of the Rebbe: “At its conclusion. This requires some examination, for there the text makes a point of enumerating seven [species].” |
| 9. | The parentheses are in the original text. |
| 10. | Avot 5:1. |
| 11. | The closing parenthesis has been relocated according to the Table of Glosses and Emendations. |
| 12. | See Iggeret HaKodesh, beginning of Epistle 20 (above). |
• Sefer Hamitzvot:
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Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
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Positive Commandment 169
Taking the Four Species
"And you shall take for yourselves on the first day..."—Leviticus 23:40.
We are commanded to take a lulav (palm branch) [along with willows, myrtles and a citron] and rejoice before G‑d on the seven days of the holiday of Sukkot.
Only in the area of the Holy Temple is this mitzvah biblically mandatory for the seven days of the holiday. In all other locations, the biblical obligation extends only to the first day of the holiday.
Women are exempt from this mitzvah.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
Taking the Four Species
Positive Commandment 169
Translated by Berel Bell
Positive Commandment 170
The 169th mitzvah is that we are commanded to hold a lulav [palm branch, together with the other three species, esrog, myrtle, willow] and to rejoice1 before G‑d for seven days [i.e. the holiday of Sukkos].
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement,2 "And you shall take for yourselves."
The details of this mitzvah are explained in tractate Sukkah. There it is explained that only in the Holy Temple is this mitzvah obligatory for seven days. Elsewhere, the Biblical obligation is only on the first day.3
Women are not obligated in this mitzvah.
FOOTNOTES
1.This refers to rejoicing with the mitzvah of lulav, since the general mitzvah of rejoicing on holidays is counted separately (see P54). See sources quoted in Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 24, p.246, note 3. Kapach, 5731, note 34.
2.Lev. 23:40.
3.By Rabbinic law, however, the obligation applies all seven days of Sukkos.
• 1 Chapter A Day: Teshuvah Teshuvah - Chapter Ten
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Teshuvah - Chapter Ten
1
A person should not say: "I will fulfill the mitzvot of the Torah and occupy myself in its wisdom in order to receive all the blessings which are contained within it or in order to merit the life of the world to come."
"[Similarly,] I will separate myself from all the sins which the Torah warned against so that I will be saved from all the curses contained in the Torah or so that [my soul] will not be cut off from the life of the world to come."
It is not fitting to serve God in this manner. A person whose service is motivated by these factors is considered one who serves out of fear. He is not on the level of the prophets or of the wise.
The only ones who serve, God in this manner are common people, women, and minors. They are trained to serve God out of fear until their knowledge increases and they serve out of love.
א
אל יאמר אדם הריני עושה מצות התורה ועוסק בחכמתה כדי שאקבל כל הברכות הכתובות בה או כדי שאזכה לחיי העולם הבא ואפרוש מן העבירות שהזהירה תורה מהן כדי שאנצל מן הקללות הכתובות בתורה או כדי שלא אכרת מחיי העולם הבא אין ראוי לעבוד את ה' על הדרך הזה שהעובד על דרך זה הוא עובד מיראה ואינה מעלת הנביאים ולא מעלת החכמים ואין עובדים ה' על דרך זה אלא עמי הארץ והנשים והקטנים שמחנכין אותן לעבוד מיראה עד שתרבה דעתן ויעבדו מאהבה:
2
One who serves [God] out of love occupies himself in the Torah and the mitzvot and walks in the paths of wisdom for no ulterior motive: not because of fear that evil will occur, nor in order to acquire benefit. Rather, he does what is true because it is true, and ultimately, good will come because of it.
This is a very high level which is not merited by every wise man. It is the level of our Patriarch, Abraham, whom God described as, "he who loved Me," for his service was only motivated by love.
God commanded us [to seek] this rung [of service] as conveyed by Moses as [Deuteronomy 6:5] states: "Love God, your Lord.'' When a man will love God in the proper manner, he will immediately perform all of the mitzvot motivated by love.
ב
העובד מאהבה עוסק בתורה ובמצות והולך בנתיבות החכמה לא מפני דבר בעולם ולא מפני יראת הרעה ולא כדי לירש הטובה אלא עושה האמת מפני שהוא אמת וסוף הטובה לבא בגללה ומעלה זו היא מעלה גדולה מאד ואין כל חכם זוכה לה והיא מעלת אברהם אבינו שקראו הקב"ה אוהבו לפי שלא עבד אלא מאהבה והיא המעלה שצונו בה הקדוש ברוך הוא על ידי משה שנאמר ואהבת את ה' אלהיך ובזמן שיאהוב אדם את ה' אהבה הראויה מיד יעשה כל המצות מאהבה:
3
What is the proper [degree] of love? That a person should love God with a very great and exceeding love until his soul is bound up in the love of God. Thus, he will always be obsessed with this love as if he is lovesick.
[A lovesick person's] thoughts are never diverted from the love of that woman. He is always obsessed with her; when he sits down, when he gets up, when he eats and drinks. With an even greater [love], the love for God should be [implanted] in the hearts of those who love Him and are obsessed with Him at all times as we are commanded [Deuteronomy 6:5: "Love God...] with all your heart and with all soul."
This concept was implied by Solomon [Song of Songs 2:5] when he stated, as a metaphor: "I am lovesick." [Indeed,] the totality of the Song of Songs is a parable describing [this love].
ג
וכיצד היא האהבה הראויה הוא שיאהב את ה' אהבה גדולה יתירה עזה מאוד עד שתהא נפשו קשורה באהבת ה' ונמצא שוגה בה תמיד כאלו חולה חולי האהבה שאין דעתו פנויה מאהבת אותה אשה והוא שוגה בה תמיד בין בשבתו בין בקומו בין בשעה שהוא אוכל ושותה יתר מזה תהיה אהבת ה' בלב אוהביו שוגים בה תמיד כמו שצונו בכל לבבך ובכל נפשך והוא ששלמה אמר דרך משל כי חולת אהבה אני וכל שיר השירים משל הוא לענין זה:
4
The Sages of the previous generations declared: Should one say: "I will study Torah in order that I become wealthy, in order that I be called a Rabbi, or in' order that I receive reward in the world to come?" The Torah teaches [Deuteronomy 11:13]: "[If you are careful to observe My commandments...] to love God; [implying] that all that you do should only be done out of love.
The Sages also said: [Psalms 112:1 instructs:] "Desire His commandments greatly." [Desire His commandments] and not the reward [which comes from] His commandments.
In a similar manner, the great Sages would command the more understanding and brilliant among their students in private: "‘Do not be like servants who serve their master [for the sake of receiving a reward].’ Rather, since He is the Master, it is fitting to serve Him;" i.e., serve [Him] out of love.
ד
אמרו חכמים הראשונים שמא תאמר הריני למד תורה בשביל שאהיה עשיר בשביל שאקרא רבי בשביל שאקבל שכר בעולם הבא תלמוד לומר לאהבה את ה' כל מה שאתם עושים לא תעשו אלא מאהבה ועוד אמרו חכמים במצותיו חפץ מאד ולא בשכר מצותיו וכן היו גדולי החכמים מצוים לנבוני תלמידיהם ומשכיליהם ביחוד אל תהיו כעבדים המשמשים את הרב וכו' אלא מפני שהוא הרב ראוי לשמשו כלומר עבדו מאהבה:
5
Anyone who occupies himself with the Torah in order to receive reward or in order to protect himself from retribution is considered as one who is not occupied for the God's sake.
[In contrast,] anyone who occupies himself with it, not because of fear, nor to receive a reward, but rather because of his love for the Lord of the entire earth who commanded it, is one who occupies himself for God's sake.
Nevertheless, our Sages declared: A person should always occupy himself with the Torah even when it is not for God's sake for out of [service which is not intended] for God's sake will come service that is intended for God's sake.
Therefore, when one teaches children, women, and most of the common people, one should teach them to serve out of fear and in order to receive a reward. As their knowledge grows and their wisdom increases, this secret should be revealed to them [slowly,] bit by bit. They should become accustomed to this concept gradually until they grasp it and know it and begin serving [God] out of love.
ה
כל העוסק בתורה כדי לקבל שכר או כדי שלא תגיע עליו פורענות הרי זה עוסק שלא לשמה וכל העוסק בה לא ליראה ולא לקבל שכר אלא מפני אהבת אדון כל הארץ שצוה בה הרי זה עוסק בה לשמה ואמרו חכמים לעולם יעסוק אדם בתורה ואפילו שלא לשמה שמתוך שלא לשמה בא לשמה לפיכך כשמלמדין את הקטנים ואת הנשים וכלל עמי הארץ אין מלמדין אותן אלא לעבוד מיראה וכדי לקבל שכר עד שתרבה דעתן ויתחכמו חכמה יתירה מגלים להם רז זה מעט מעט ומרגילין אותן לענין זה בנחת עד שישיגוהו וידעוהו ויעבדוהו מאהבה:
6
It is a well-known and clear matter that the love of God will not become attached within a person's heart until he becomes obsessed with it at all times as is fitting, leaving all things in the world except for this. This was implied by the command [Deuteronomy 6:5: "Love God, your Lord,] with all your heart and all your soul.
One can only love God [as an outgrowth] of the knowledge with which he knows Him. The nature of one's love depends on the nature of one's knowledge! A small [amount of knowledge arouses] a lesser love. A greater amount of knowledge arouses a greater love.
Therefore, it is necessary for a person to seclude himself in order to understand and conceive wisdom and concepts which make his creator known to him according to the potential which man possesses to understand and comprehend as we explained in Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah.
ו
דבר ידוע וברור שאין אהבת הקב"ה נקשרת בלבו של אדם עד שישגה בה תמיד כראוי ויעזוב כל מה שבעולם חוץ ממנה כמו שצוה ואמר בכל לבבך ובכל נפשך אינו אוהב הקדוש ברוך הוא אלא בדעת שידעהו ועל פי הדעה תהיה האהבה אם מעט מעט ואם הרבה הרבה לפיכך צריך האדם ליחד עצמו להבין ולהשכיל בחכמות ותבונות המודיעים לו את קונו כפי כח שיש באדם להבין ולהשיג כמו שבארנו בהלכות יסודי התורה:
Blessed be God who grants assistance. This concludes the first book, the Book of Knowledge, with the help of the Almighty. The amount of chapters in this book are 46:
Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah - 10 chapters.
Hilchot De'ot - 7 chapters.
Hilchot Talmud Torah - 7 chapters.
Hilchot Avodat Kochavim - 12 chapters.
Hilchot Teshuvah - 10 chapters.
נגמר ספר ראשון והוא ספר המדע:
Rambam:• 3 Chapters A Day: Shofar, Sukkah, vLulav Shofar, Sukkah, vLulav - Chapter Six, Shofar, Sukkah, vLulav Shofar, Sukkah, vLulav - Chapter Seven, Shofar, Sukkah, vLulav Shofar, Sukkah, vLulav - Chapter Eight
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Shofar, Sukkah, vLulav - Chapter Six
1
Women, slaves, and minors are freed from [fulfilling the mitzvah of] sukkah. A tumtum and an androgynous are obligated because of the doubt [concerning their status]. Similarly, a person who is half slave and half free is obligated.
A minor who does not require his mother's [presence] - i.e., a child of five or six - is obligated [to fulfill the mitzvah] of sukkah according to Rabbinic decree, to train him in [the performance of] mitzvot.
א
נשים ועבדים וקטנים פטורים מן הסוכה. טומטום ואנדרוגינוס חייבים מספק. וכן מי שחציו עבד וחציו בן חורין חייב. קטן שאינו צריך לאמו שהוא [כבן חמש] כבן שש חייב בסוכה מדברי סופרים כדי לחנכו במצות:
Commentary on Halachah 1
2
The sick and their attendants are freed from [fulfilling the mitzvah] of sukkah. This applies not only to a person who is dangerously ill, but also to one with a headache or a sore eye.
A person who is uncomfortable [when dwelling in the sukkah] is freed from the obligation [to fulfill the mitzvah] of sukkah. This applies to the person himself, but not to his attendants.
Who is "a person who is uncomfortable [when dwelling in the sukkah]"? A person who cannot sleep in the sukkah because of the wind or because of the flies, mites, or the like, or because of the smell.
ב
חולים ומשמשיהן פטורים מן הסוכה. ולא חולה שיש בו סכנה אלא אפילו חש בראשו ואפילו חש בעיניו. מצטער פטור מן הסוכה הוא ולא משמשיו. ואיזהו מצטער זה שאינו יכול לישן בסוכה מפני הרוח או מפני הזבובים והפרעושים וכיוצא בהן או מפני הריח:
Commentary on Halachah 2
3
A mourner is obligated [to fulfill the mitzvah] of sukkah.
A groom, his attendants, and all the members of the wedding party are freed from [fulfilling the mitzvah] of sukkah throughout the seven days of [the wedding] festivities.
ג
האבל חייב בסוכה. וחתן וכל השושבינין וכל בני חופה פטורים מן הסוכה כל שבעת ימי המשתה:
Commentary on Halachah 3
4
Emissaries charged with a mission involving a mitzvah are freed from [fulfilling the mitzvah] of sukkah both during the day and at night. People who journey during the day are freed from [fulfilling the mitzvah] of sukkah during the day and are obligated at night. People who journey during the night are freed from [fulfilling the mitzvah] of sukkah at night and are obligated during the day.
A city's day watchmen are freed from [fulfilling the mitzvah] of sukkah during the day and are obligated at night. Its night watchmen are freed from [fulfilling the mitzvah] of sukkah at night and are obligated during the day. The watchmen of gardens and orchards are freed from [fulfilling the mitzvah] during the day and the night, because if the watchman constructs a sukkah, a thief will realize that the watchman has a fixed place and will go to steal from another place.
ד
שלוחי מצוה פטורים מן הסוכה בין ביום ובין בלילה. הולכי דרכים ביום פטורים מן הסוכה ביום וחייבין בלילה. הולכי דרכים בלילה פטורים מן הסוכה בלילה וחייבים ביום. שומרי העיר ביום פטורים מן הסוכה ביום וחייבים בלילה. שומרי העיר בלילה פטורים מן הסוכה בלילה וחייבים ביום. שומרי גגות ופרדסין פטורין בין ביום ובין בלילה שאם יעשה השומר סוכה ידע הגנב שיש לשומר מקום קבוע ויבא ויגנוב מן מקום אחר:
Commentary on Halachah 4
5
How must the mitzvah of dwelling in the sukkah be fulfilled? A person must eat, drink, and live in the sukkah throughout all seven days [of the festival], both during the day and at night, in the same manner as he dwells in his home throughout the year.
During these seven days, he must consider his house as a temporary dwelling and the sukkah as his permanent home, as [Leviticus 23:42] states: "You shall dwell in sukkot for seven days."
What does this imply? His attractive utensils and attractive bedding [should be brought] to the sukkah. His drinking utensils - i.e., his cups and crystal pitchers - [should be brought] to the sukkah. However, utensils used for food - i.e., pans and plates - [may be left] outside the sukkah. A candelabra [should be brought] to the sukkah. However, if the sukkah is small, it should be left outside the sukkah.
ה
כיצד היא מצות הישיבה בסוכה. שיהיה אוכל ושותה ודר בסוכה כל שבעת הימים בין ביום ובין בלילה כדרך שהוא דר בביתו בשאר ימות השנה. וכל שבעת הימים עושה אדם את ביתו עראי ואת סוכתו קבע שנאמר בסוכות תשבו שבעת ימים. כיצד כלים הנאים ומצעות הנאות בסוכה. וכלי שתייה כגון אשישות וכוסות בסוכה. אבל כלי אכילה כגון קדרות וקערות חוץ לסוכה. המנורה בסוכה. ואם היתה סוכה קטנה מניחה חוץ לסוכה:
Commentary on Halachah 5
6
We should eat, drink, and sleep in the sukkah through the entire seven days [of the festival], both during the day and at night. It is forbidden to eat a meal outside the sukkah for the entire seven [day period]. However, [there is no prohibition] if one eats a snack the measure of a k'beitzah or less, or even slightly more.
One may not sleep outside the sukkah at all, even a brief nap. It is permissible to drink water and eat fruit outside the sukkah. However, a person who follows the stringency of not drinking even water outside the sukkah is worthy of praise.
ו
אוכלין ושותין וישנים בסוכה כל שבעה בין ביום ובין בלילה. ואסור לאכול סעודה חוץ לסוכה כל שבעה אלא אם אכל אכילת עראי כביצה או פחות או יתר מעט. ואין ישנים חוץ לסוכה אפילו שינת עראי. ומותר לשתות מים ולאכול פירות חוץ לסוכה. ומי שיחמיר על עצמו ולא ישתה חוץ לסוכה אפילו מים הרי זה משובח:
Commentary on Halachah 6
7
Eating in the sukkah on the first night of the festival is an obligation. If a person eats merely a k'zayit of bread, he fulfills his obligation. Afterwards, [the matter is left to one's] volition. If one desires to eat a meal, one must eat it in the sukkah. If one desires, throughout the seven [days of the festival], one may eat only fruit or roasted grain outside of the sukkah. The same laws apply as those regarding the eating of matzah on Pesach.
ז
אכילה בלילי יום טוב הראשון בסוכה חובה. אפילו אכל כזית פת יצא ידי חובתו. מכאן ואילך רשות. רצה לאכול סעודה סועד בסוכה. רצה אינו אוכל כל שבעה אלא פירות או קליות חוץ לסוכה אוכל כדין אכילת מצה בפסח:
Commentary on Halachah 7
8
It is forbidden for a person to sit and eat with his head and the majority of his body inside a sukkah while his table is in his home or outside the sukkah. It is considered as if he did not eat inside the sukkah. [Rather,] the table must also be inside the sukkah. This was decreed lest one be drawn after one's table. This law applies even in a large sukkah.
ח
מי שהיה ראשו ורובו בסוכה ושולחנו בתוך ביתו או חוץ לסוכה ואוכל הרי זה אסור וכאילו לא אכל בסוכה עד שיהיה שולחנו בתוך הסוכה. גזרה שמא ימשך אחר שולחנו. ואפילו בסוכה גדולה:
Commentary on Halachah 8
9
Throughout the seven days [of the festival], a person should read in the sukkah. However, when he attempts to comprehend what he reads in depth and appreciate its details, he should do so outside the sukkah, so that his mind will be settled.
When a person prays, he may pray inside the sukkah or outside the sukkah, as he desires.
ט
כל שבעת הימים קורא בתוך הסוכה. וכשמבין ומדקדק במה שיקרא יבין חוץ לסוכה כדי שתהיה דעתו מיושבת עליו. המתפלל רצה מתפלל בסוכה או חוץ לסוכה:
Commentary on Halachah 9
10
If rain descends, a person may enter his home. When is one permitted to leave [the sukkah]? When enough raindrops descend into the sukkah so that they would spoil a cooked dish - even a dish of beans - were they to fall into it.
If a person was eating in the sukkah and rain descended, and hence, he entered his home, if the rains stop we do not obligate him to return to his sukkah {that entire night} until he is finished eating.
If he was sleeping and rain descended, and hence, he entered his home, we do not obligate him to return to his sukkah that entire night should the rains cease. Rather, he may remain sleeping in his house that entire night until dawn.
י
ירדו גשמים הרי זה נכנס לתוך הבית. מאימתי מותר לפנות משירדו לתוך הסוכה טפות שאם יפלו לתוך התבשיל יפסל אפילו תבשיל של פול. היה אוכל בסוכה וירדו גשמים ונכנס לביתו ופסקו הגשמים אין מחייבים אותו לחזור לסוכה (כל אותו הלילה) עד שיגמור סעודתו. היה ישן וירדו גשמים בלילה ונכנס לתוך הבית ופסקו הגשמים אין מטריחין אותו לחזור לסוכה כל אותו הלילה אלא ישן בביתו עד שיעלה עמוד השחר:
Commentary on Halachah 10
11
A person should not take apart his sukkah after he finishes eating on the seventh day [of Sukkot]. However, from the afternoon on, he may take down his utensils and remove them.
If he has no place to put the utensils, he should reduce its space by at least four handbreadths by four handbreadths.
If he has to eat later that day, he must eat in the sukkah, because the mitzvah extends throughout the seven days.
יא
גמר מלאכול ביום השביעי בשחרית לא יתיר סוכתו. אבל מוריד הוא את כליו ומפנה אותן מן המנחה ולמעלה אין לו מקום לפנות פוחת בה ארבעה על ארבעה. ואם הוצרך לסעוד בשאר היום צריך לאכול בסוכה שמצותה כל שבעה:
Commentary on Halachah 11
12
Whenever a person enters a sukkah with the intention of sitting down throughout the seven [days of Sukkot], he should recite the following blessing before sitting:
[Blessed are You...] who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to dwell in the sukkah.
On the first night of the festival, one should first recite the blessing on the sukkah, and then the blessing for the occasion.
One should recite all the blessings over a cup of wine. Thus, one should recite kiddush while standing, recite the blessing leishev basukkah, sit, and then recite the blessing shehecheyanu.
This was the custom of my teachers and the Rabbis of Spain: to recite kiddush while standing on the first night of the Sukkot festival, as explained.
יב
כל זמן שיכנס לישב בסוכה כל שבעה מברך קודם שישב אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו לישב בסוכה. ובלילי יום טוב הראשון מברך על הסוכה ואחר כך על הזמן ומסדר כל הברכות על הכוס. נמצא מקדש מעומד ומברך לישב בסוכה ויושב ואחר כך מברך על הזמן. וכזה היה מנהג רבותי ורבני ספרד לקדש מעומד בלילי ראשון של חג הסוכות כמו שביארנו:
Commentary on Halachah 12
13
At present, when we celebrate holidays for two days, we dwell in the sukkah for eight days. On the eighth day, which is the first day of the holiday of Shemini Atzeret, we dwell in the sukkah, but do not recite the blessing leishev basukkah.
Similarly, a tumtum and an androgynous never recite the blessing leishev basukkah, because their obligation [to perform the mitzvah is based] on doubt, and a blessing is never recited when one is doubtful [of one's obligation].
יג
בזמן הזה שאנו עושין שני ימים יושבין בסוכה שמונה ימים. וביום השמיני שהוא יום טוב ראשון של שמיני עצרת יושבים בה ואין מברכים לישב בסוכה. וכן טומטום ואנדרוגינוס לעולם אין מברכין לישב בסוכה מפני שהן חייבים מספק ואין מברכין מספק:
Commentary on Halachah 13
14
After a person finishes eating on the eighth day [of Sukkot], he should take down his utensils and remove them.
When a person has no place to put the utensils, [the following rules apply]: If it is a small [sukkah], he should bring his candelabra into it; if it is a large sukkah, he should bring in his pots, plates, and the like, to bring to mind that it is no longer acceptable and that its mitzvah is completed. Since the day is a holiday, one may not reduce its space and nullify it.
יד
גמר מלאכול ביום השמיני מוריד כליו ומפנה אותה. אין לו מקום להוריד את כליו אם היתה קטנה מכניס בה מנורה. ואם היתה גדולה מכניס בה קדרות וקערות וכיוצא בהן כדי להזכיר שהיא פסולה ושכבר נגמרה מצותה ומפני שהוא יום טוב אינו יכול לפחות בה ולפסלה:
Commentary on Halachah 14
15
A person who did not construct a sukkah [before the holiday] - whether intentionally or unintentionally - should construct a sukkah on Chol Hamo'ed. One should even construct a sukkah on the final moments of the seventh day, because its mitzvah lasts throughout the seventh day.
The wood with which the sukkah was constructed is forbidden [to be used for other purposes] on all eight days of the festival. This applies to both the wood used for the walls and the wood used for the s'chach. Throughout [these] eight days, no benefit may be derived from it for other purposes.
[They are prohibited on the eighth day] because the sukkah is muktzeh the entire seventh day, including the period beyn hash'mashot. Since it was muktzeh during the period beyn hash'mashot, it is muktzeh on the entire day [that follows].
טו
מי שלא עשה סוכה בין בשוגג בין במזיד עושה סוכה בחולו של מועד. אפילו בסוף יום שביעי עושה סוכה שמצותה כל שבעה. עצי סוכה אסורין כל שמנת ימי החג בין עצי דפנות בין עצי סכך אין ניאותין מהן לדבר אחר כל שמנת הימים מפני שיום השביעי כולו הסוכה מוקצה עד בין השמשות והואיל והוקצת לבין השמשות של שמיני הוקצת לכל היום:
Commentary on Halachah 15
16
Similarly, it is forbidden to take from the food and beverages that were hung in the sukkah as decorations for all eight days [of the festival]. However, if at the time one hung [the decorations], he made the condition: "I will not refrain from using them during the entire period of beyn hash'mashot," he is entitled to use them whenever he desires, because he did not set them aside, nor did the sanctity of the sukkah encompass them, nor are they considered part of it.
טז
וכן אוכלין ומשקין שתולין בסוכה כדי לנאותה אסור להסתפק מהן כל שמונה. ואם התנה עליהן בשעה שתלאן ואמר איני בודל מהן כל בין השמשות הרי זה מסתפק מהן בכל עת שירצה. שהרי לא הקצה אותם ולא חלה עליהן קדושת הסוכה ולא נחשבו כמותה:
Commentary on Halachah 16
Shofar, Sukkah, vLulav - Chapter Seven
1
The term "the frond of the date palm" employed by the Torah refers to the branches of a date palm as they sprout, before their leaves separate and spread out in various directions. Rather, they should appear as a scepter. This is called a lulav.
א
כפות תמרים האמורות בתורה הן חריות של דקל כשיצמחו קודם שיתפרדו העלין שלהן לכאן ולכאן אלא כשיהיה כמו שרביט והוא הנקרא לולב:
Commentary on Halachah 1
2
The "fruit of the beautiful tree" mentioned in the Torah is the etrog.
The "boughs of covered trees" mentioned in the Torah refer to the [species of] myrtle whose leaves surround its branch; i.e., there will be three or more leaves in each ring. However, if there are two leaves on one level, with a third leaf slightly higher than them, that is not considered to be "covered." Rather, it is called a wild myrtle.
ב
פרי עץ הדר האמור בתורה הוא אתרוג. וענף עץ עבות האמור בתורה הוא ההדס שעליו חופין את עצו. כגון שיהיו שלשה עלין או יתר על כן בגבעול אחד. אבל אם היו שני העלין בשוה זה כנגד זה והעלה השלישי למעלה מהן אין זה עבות אבל נקרא הדס שוטה:
Commentary on Halachah 2
3
The term "willows of the brook" mentioned by the Torah does not include just any plant that grows by a brook, but rather a particular species, which is called the "willows of the brook."
Its leaf is extended as a brook, its edge is smooth, and its stem is red. It is called a willow. The majority of this species grow near brooks. Therefore, it is called the "willows of the brook." Even if this species grew in the desert or on a mountain, it would be kosher.
ג
ערבי נחל האמורות בתורה אינן כל דבר הגדל על הנחל אלא מין ידוע הוא הנקרא ערבי נחל. עלה שלו משוך כנחל ופיו חלק וקנה שלו אדום וזה הוא הנקרא ערבה. ורוב מין זה גדל על הנחלים לכך נאמר ערבי נחל. ואפילו היה גדל במדבר או בהרים כשר:
Commentary on Halachah 3
4
There is another species which resembles the willow. However, its leaf is rounded, its edge resembles a saw, and its stem is not red. This is called a tzaftzefah. It is unfit [to be used for the mitzvah].
There is another type of willow, whose leaf does not have a smooth edge, but it is not like a saw. Rather, it has tiny juttings, like the edge of a small sickle. It is kosher.
All the above definitions were explained according to the oral tradition transmitted by Moses, our teacher.
ד
ויש מין אחר דומה לערבה אלא שעלה שלו עגול ופיו דומה למסר וקנה שלו אינו אדום וזהו הנקרא צפצפה והיא פסולה. ויש שם מין ערבה שאין פי העלה שלה חלק ואינו כמסר אלא יש בו תלמים קטנים עד מאד כמו פי מגל קטן וזה כשר. וכל הדברים האלו מפי השמועה ממשה רבינו נתפרשו:
Commentary on Halachah 4
5
These four species are considered to be one mitzvah, and each one is required for its performance. All of them [together] are called the mitzvah of lulav. One may not diminish them or add to them. If one of the species cannot be found, a similar species may not be substituted for it.
ה
ארבעה מינין אלו מצוה אחת הן ומעכבין זה את זה וכולן נקראים מצות לולב. ואין פוחתין מהן ואין מוסיפין עליהן. ואם לא נמצא אחד מהן אין מביאים תחתיו מין אחר הדומה לו:
Commentary on Halachah 5
6
The most desirable way of performing the mitzvah is to bind the lulav, myrtle, and willow together, thus making a single, unified entity from the three of them.
Before one takes them to perform the mitzvah, he should recite the blessing on the mitzvah of taking the lulav, for all the others are dependent upon it.
Afterwards, he takes this bound entity in his right hand and the etrog in his left hand. He must take them as they grow - i.e., their roots below towards the earth, and their heads upward towards the sky.
If a person did not bind them together, but rather took them one by one, he has fulfilled his obligation, provided he possesses all four species. However, if he has only one species or he is lacking one species, he should not take them until he acquires the remaining species.
ו
מצוה מן המובחר לאגוד לולב והדס וערבה ולעשות שלשתן אגודה אחת. וכשהוא נוטלם לצאת בהן מברך תחלה על נטילת לולב הואיל וכולן סמוכין לו ואחר כך נוטל האגודה הזאת בימינו ואתרוג בשמאלו ונוטלן דרך גדילתן שיהיו עיקריהן למטה לארץ וראשיהן למעלה לאויר. ואם לא אגדן ונטלן אחד אחד יצא והוא שיהיו ארבעתן מצויין אצלו. אבל אם לא היה לו אלא מין אחד או שחסר מין אחד לא יטול עד שימצא השאר:
Commentary on Halachah 6
7
How many does one take of each of them? One lulav, one etrog, two willow branches, and three myrtle branches. If one would like to add more myrtle branches so that the bundle will be larger, he may. Indeed, it is considered to be an adornment of the mitzvah. However, it is forbidden to add to or reduce the numbers of the other species. If one adds to or reduces their number, it is not acceptable.
ז
כמה נוטל מהן. לולב אחד ואתרוג אחד ושני בדי ערבה ושלשה בדי הדס. ואם רצה להוסיף בהדס כדי שתהיה אגודה גדולה מוסיף ונויי מצוה הוא. אבל שאר המינין אין מוסיפין על מנינם ואין גורעין מהן ואם הוסיף או גרע (פסול):
Commentary on Halachah 7
8
What is the required length of each of these species? The lulav may not be less than four handbreadths. [Beyond that,] regardless of its length, it is kosher. Its length is measured only from its shidrah and not from the tips of the leaves.
The myrtle and the willow may not be less than three handbreadths. [Beyond that,] regardless of their length, they are kosher. Even if each branch has only three fresh leaves on it, they are kosher, provided the leaves are at the top of the branch.
If one has bound [the other species together with] the lulav, the shidrah of the lulav must extend beyond the myrtle and the willow a handbreadth or more.
The minimum size of an etrog is the size of an egg. [Beyond that,] regardless of its size, it is kosher.
ח
כמה שיעור אורך כל מין מהם. לולב אין פחות מארבעה טפחים ואם היה ארוך כל שהוא כשר. ומדידתו משדרתו בלבד לא מראש העלים והדס וערבה. אין פחות משלשה טפחים. ואם היו ארוכין כל שהן כשרים. ואפילו אין בכל בד ובד אלא שלשה עלין לחין כשרים והוא שיהיו בראש הבד. ואם אגד הלולב צריך שיהיה שדרו של לולב יוצא מן ההדס וערבה טפח או יותר. ושיעור אתרוג אין פחות מכביצה ואם היה גדול כל שהוא כשר:
Commentary on Halachah 8
9
Once a person lifts up these four species - whether he lifts them up together or one after the other - whether in his right hand or in his left hand - he has fulfilled his obligation. [This applies] only when he lifts them up as they grow. However, if he does not lift them up as they grow, he has not fulfilled his obligation.
The fulfillment of the mitzvah as the law [requires is as follows]: One should lift up the three species as they are bound together in one's right hand and the etrog in one's left hand. Then, one should pass them back and forth, up and down, and shake the lulav three times in each direction.
ט
משיגביה ארבעה מינין אלו בין שהגביהן כאחת בין בזה אחר זה בין בימין בין בשמאל יצא. והוא שיגביהן דרך גדילתן אבל שלא דרך גדילתן לא יצא. ומצוה כהלכתה שיגביה אגודה של שלשה מינין בימין ואתרוג בשמאל ויוליך ויביא ויעלה ויוריד וינענע הלולב שלש פעמים בכל רוח ורוח:
Commentary on Halachah 9
10
What does the above entail? One passes the lulav forward and shakes the top of the lulav three times, brings it back and shakes the top of the lulav three times. One follows this same pattern when lifting it up and down.
At what point [in prayer] does one pass the lulav back and forth? During the reading of the Hallel, at the first and final recitation of the verse [Psalms 118:1, 118:29]: Hodu Lado-nai ki tov... and at the verse [Psalms 118:25]: Ana Ado-nai hoshi'ah na.
It is acceptable to take the lulav throughout the entire day. However, it is not taken at night.
י
כיצד מוליך ומנענע ראש הלולב שלש פעמים ומביא ומנענע ראש הלולב שלש פעמים וכן בעליה וירידה. והיכן מוליך ומביא בשעת קריאת ההלל בהודו לה' כי טוב תחלה וסוף ובאנא ה' הושיעה נא וכל היום כשר לנטילת לולב ואינו נוטל בלילה:
Commentary on Halachah 10
11
If one wraps a cord of silver or gold around [the three species] as they are bound together, or wraps a [decorative] cloth around them and takes them, one fulfills his obligation. Taking the lulav through another medium is still considered to be taking it, provided [that medium] is one which gives honor and beauty [to the mitzvah, because]: "any entity which makes a substance more attractive is not considered to be a separation."
However, if one placed these species in a vase or a pot and took them, one has not fulfilled one's obligation.
יא
עשה לאגודה זו גימון של כסף ושל זהב או שכרך עליה סדין ונטלה יצא. לקיחה על ידי דבר אחר שמה לקיחה. והוא שיהיה דרך כבוד ודרך הדור שכל שהוא לנאותו אינו חוצץ. אבל אם נתן את המינין האלו בעציץ או בקדרה ונטלה לא יצא ידי חובתו:
Commentary on Halachah 11
12
If one binds the lulav together with the myrtle and the willow and separates between the lulav and the myrtle with a cloth or the like, it is considered to be a separation. If one separates between them with myrtle leaves, it is not considered to be a separation, because an entity does not separate between its own kind.
One may bind the together with a string, a cord, or with any substance one desires, since binding it together is not a required element of the mitzvah.
יב
אגד את הלולב עם ההדס והערבה והבדיל בין הלולב ובין ההדס במטלת וכיוצא בה הרי זה חוצץ. הבדיל ביניהן בעלי הדס אינו חוצץ שמין במינו אינו חוצץ. ויש לו לאגוד את הלולב בחוט או במשיחה ובכל מין שירצה הואיל ואין אגידתו מעכב:
Commentary on Halachah 12
13
The mitzvah of taking the lulav in every place, during every age - even on the Sabbath - applies only on the first day of the festival, as [Leviticus 23:40] states: "And on the first day, you shall take..."
In the holy place alone, it is to be taken on each of the seven days of the festival, as [the above verse] continues: "and you shall rejoice before God, your Lord, [seven days]."
When the Sabbath falls during the [later] days, [the lulav] is not taken on the Sabbath. This is a decree lest one carry it four cubits in the public domain, as decreed regarding the shofar.
יג
מצות לולב להנטל ביום ראשון של חג בלבד בכל מקום ובכל זמן ואפילו בשבת שנאמר ולקחתם לכם ביום הראשון. ובמקדש לבדו נוטלין אותו בכל יום ויום משבעת ימי החג שנאמר ושמחתם לפני ה' אלהיכם גו'. חל יום השבת להיות בתוך ימי החג אינו ניטל בשבת גזרה שמא יוליכנו בידו ארבע אמות ברשות הרבים כמו שגזרו בשופר:
Commentary on Halachah 13
14
Why was this decree not put in effect on the first day of the festival? Because [taking the lulav on that day] is a mitzvah from the Torah even outside of Jerusalem. Thus, the laws applying to it are not the same as those applying to the remaining days, because on the subsequent days of the festival a person is obligated to take the lulav only in the holy place.
יד
ולמה לא גזרו גזרה זו ביום טוב הראשון מפני שהוא מצוה מן התורה ואפילו בגבולין. נמצא שאין דינו ודין שאר הימים שוה שבשאר ימי החג אין אדם חייב ליטול לולב אלא במקדש:
Commentary on Halachah 14
15
When the Temple was destroyed, [the Sages] ordained that the lulav be taken everywhere for the entire seven days of the festival, as a remembrance of the Temple.
On each day, one recites the blessing on it:
[Baruch Attah Ado-nai...] asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu al netilat lulav.
because it a mitzvah ordained by the Rabbis.
This enactment, like the other enactments instituted by Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai when the Temple was destroyed [is only temporary]. When the Temple is rebuilt, these matters will return to their original status.
טו
משחרב בית המקדש התקינו שיהיה לולב ניטל בכל מקום כל שבעת ימי החג זכר למקדש. וכל יום ויום מברך עליו אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו על נטילת לולב מפני שהיא מצוה מדברי סופרים. ותקנה זו עם כל התקנות שהתקין רבן יוחנן בן זכאי משחרב בית המקדש כשיבנה בית המקדש יחזרו הדברים לישנן:
Commentary on Halachah 15
16
While the Temple was standing, the lulav would be taken [in the holy place even] when the first day of Sukkot fell on the Sabbath. The same applies in other places where they were certain that this day was celebrated as a holiday in Eretz Yisrael. However, the places which were distantly removed from Jerusalem would not take the lulav on this day because of the doubt involved.
טז
בזמן שבית המקדש קיים היה לולב ניטל ביום הראשון שחל להיות בשבת. וכן בשאר המקומות שידעו בודאי שיום זה הוא יום החג בארץ ישראל. אבל המקומות הרחוקים שלא היו יודעים בקביעות ראש חדש לא היו נוטלין הלולב מספק:
Commentary on Halachah 16
17
When the Temple was destroyed, the Sages forbade even the inhabitants of Eretz Yisrael who had sanctified the new month to take the lulav on the Sabbath on the first day of Sukkot.
[This was instituted] because of the inhabitants of the distant settlements, who were not aware of when the new month had been declared. Thus, a uniform guideline was established, rather than having some take the lulav on the Sabbath and some not. [The guiding principle was] that the obligation [of taking the lulav] on the first day applies in all places, and there is no longer a Temple to use as a point of distinction.
יז
ומשחרב בית המקדש אסרו חכמים ליטול את הלולב בשבת ביום הראשון ואפילו בני ארץ ישראל שקדשו את החדש. מפני בני הגבולין הרחוקים שאינן יודעין בקביעת החדש כדי שיהיו הכל שוין בדבר זה ולא יהיו אלו נוטלין בשבת ואלו אין נוטלין. הואיל וחיוב יום ראשון בכל מקום אחד הוא ואין שם מקדש להתלות בו:
Commentary on Halachah 17
18
At present, when everyone follows a fixed calendar, the matter remains as it was, and the lulav is not taken on the Sabbath in the outlying territories or in Eretz Yisrael even on the first day [of the festival]. [This applies] even though everyone knows the actual day of the month.
As explained, the reason for the prohibition of taking the lulav on the Sabbath is a decree lest one carry it four cubits in the public domain.
יח
ובזמן הזה שהכל עושין על פי החשבון נשאר הדבר כמות שהיה שלא ינטל לולב בשבת כלל לא בגבולין ולא בארץ ישראל ואפילו ביום ראשון. ואף על פי שהכל יודעים בקביעת החדש. וכבר בארנו שעיקר האיסור בנטילת הלולב בשבת גזרה שמא יעבירנו ארבע אמות ברשות הרבים:
Commentary on Halachah 18
19
Whoever is obligated to fulfill [the mitzvot of] shofar and sukkah is obligated to take the lulav. Whoever is not obligated regarding shofar and sukkah is not obligated to take the lulav.
A child who knows how to shake [the lulav] is obligated regarding the lulav by Rabbinic law, in order to train him in the performance of mitzvot.
יט
כל שחייב בשופר ובסוכה חייב בנטילת הלולב. וכל הפטור משופר וסוכה פטור מנטילת לולב. קטן היודע לנענע חייב בלולב מדברי סופרים כדי לחנכו במצות:
Commentary on Halachah 19
20
It is a halachah conveyed by Moses from Mount Sinai that - in addition to the willow of the lulav - another willow branch was taken in the Temple. A person does not fulfill his obligation with the willow branch in the lulav.
The minimum requirement [to fulfill this mitzvah] is one branch with one leaf.
כ
הלכה למשה מסיני שמביאין במקדש ערבה אחרת חוץ מערבה שבלולב. ואין אדם יוצא ידי חובתו בערבה שבלולב. ושיעורה אפילו עלה אחד בבד אחד:
Commentary on Halachah 20
21
How was this mitzvah performed?
On each of the seven days [of the festival], branches of willows were brought and stood upright near the altar with their tops bent over the altar. When they would bring them and arrange them [near the altar,] a series of [shofar blasts] - teki'ah, teru'ah, and teki'ah - were sounded.
When the Sabbath fell in the midst of the festival, the willows would not be arranged [near the altar] unless the seventh day fell on the Sabbath. [On such an occasion,] the willows were arranged [near the altar], to publicize the fact that [taking] them is a mitzvah.
כא
כיצד היתה מצותה. בכל יום ויום משבעת הימים היו מביאין מורביות של ערבה וזוקפין אותן על צדדי המזבח וראשיהן כפופין על גבי המזבח. ובעת שהיו מביאין אותה וסודרין אותה תוקעין ומריעין ותוקעין. חל יום שבת להיות בתוך החג אין זוקפין ערבה אלא אם כן חל יום שביעי להיות בשבת זוקפין אותה בשבת כדי לפרסמה שהיא מצוה:
Commentary on Halachah 21
22
How would they fulfill [this mitzvah on the Sabbath]?
They would bring [the branches] to the Temple on the Sabbath eve and place them in golden containers, so their leaves would not dry out. On the following morning, they would be placed next to the altar and the people would take them in the same manner as they did each day.
Since the willow is not explicitly mentioned in the Torah, it is not taken on each of the seven days of the festival as a remembrance of the Temple. Rather, at present it is taken only on the seventh day.
What is done? One takes one branch or many branches in addition to the willow of the lulav, and hits the ground or a utensil with them two or three times. No blessing is recited, because this practice is a custom instituted by the prophets.
כב
כיצד היו עושין מביאין אותה מערב שבת למקדש ומניחין אותה בגיגיות של זהב כדי שלא יכמשו העלין. ולמחר זוקפין אותה על גבי המזבח ובאין העם ולוקחין ממנה ונוטלין אותה כדרך שעושין בכל יום. וערבה זו הואיל ואינה בפירוש בתורה אין נוטלין אותה כל שבעת ימי החג זכר למקדש אלא ביום השביעי בלבד הוא שנוטלין אותה בזמן הזה. כיצד עושה לוקח בד אחד או בדין הרבה חוץ מערבה שבלולב וחובט בה על הקרקע או על הכלי פעמים או שלש בלא ברכה שדבר זה מנהג נביאים הוא:
Commentary on Halachah 22
23
On each day of the festival, they would walk around the altar once, carrying their lulavim in their hands, reciting: "Please, God, save us. Please, God, grant us success" [Psalms 118:25]. On the seventh day, they would walk around the altar seven times.
It has become universally accepted Jewish custom to place the ark in the center of the synagogue and walk around it each day, as they walked around the altar in remembrance of the Temple [service].
כג
בכל יום ויום היו מקיפין את המזבח בלולביהן בידיהן פעם אחת ואומרין אנא ה' הושיעה נא. אנא ה' הצליחה נא. וביום השביעי מקיפין את המזבח שבע פעמים. וכבר נהגו ישראל בכל המקומות להניח תיבה באמצע בית הכנסת ומקיפין אותה בכל יום כדרך שהיו מקיפין את המזבח זכר למקדש:
Commentary on Halachah 23
24
The following custom was observed in Jerusalem: A person would leave his house in the morning [carrying] his lulav in his hand. He would enter the synagogue with it in his hand; pray while it was in his hand; go to visit the sick and comfort the mourners with it in his hand. When he entered the House of Study, he would send it home with his son or servant.
כד
כך היה המנהג בירושלים. יוצא אדם מביתו שחרית ולולבו בידו. ונכנס לבית הכנסת והוא בידו. מתפלל והוא בידו. ויוצא לבקר חולים ולנחם אבלים והוא בידו. וכשיכנס למדרש משלחו לביתו ביד בנו או ביד עבדו:
Commentary on Halachah 24
25
During the time the lulav was taken on the Sabbath, a woman was allowed to receive the lulav from her son or her husband and return it to the water on the Sabbath. On the festival, a person might add to the water. On Chol Hamo'ed, one might change the water.
כה
מקבלת אשה הלולב מיד בנה או מיד בעלה ומחזירתו למים בשבת בזמן שהיו נוטלין לולב בשבת. וביום טוב מוסיפין על המים ובמועד מחליפין המים:
Commentary on Halachah 25
26
It is forbidden to smell the myrtle in the lulav. Since it is useful only for smelling and it has been set aside for the performance of the mitzvah, it is forbidden to smell it. However, it is permitted to smell an etrog, because setting it aside for the mitzvah [prohibits it from being] eaten.
כו
הדס שבלולב אסור להריח בו מפני שאינו ראוי אלא לריח והואיל והוקצה למצוה אסור להריח בו. אבל אתרוג מותר להריח בו שהרי הוקצה למצוה מאכילה:
Commentary on Halachah 26
27
It is forbidden to eat the etrog throughout the seventh day [of the festival]; since it was set aside for a portion of the day, it is set aside for the entire day. However, on the eighth day it is permitted to be eaten.
At present, when we celebrate [the festivals for] two days - even though the etrog is not taken on the eighth day - the etrog is forbidden on the eighth day, since it was forbidden on the eighth day during the time [the festivals] were celebrated for two days because of the doubt whether [the eighth day] was, in fact, the seventh.
When a person sets aside seven etrogim, [one for each] of the seven days [of the festival], each one of them can be used for the mitzvah on its day and eaten on the morrow.
כז
ואסור לאכול אתרוג כל יום השביעי מפני שהוקצה למקצת היום הוקצה לכולו. ובשמיני מותר באכילה. ובזמן הזה שאנו עושין שני ימים אף על פי שאין נוטלין לולב בשמיני האתרוג אסור בשמיני כדרך שהיה אסור בשמיני בזמן שהיו עושין שני ימים מפני הספק שהוא ספק שביעי. הפריש שבעה אתרוגין לשבעת הימים כל אחת ואחת יוצא בה ליומה ואוכלה למחר
Commentary on Halachah 27
Shofar, Sukkah, vLulav - Chapter Eight
1
[These are the rules governing] the four species: the lulav, the myrtle, the willow, and the etrog. If one of them was:
a) dried out,
b) taken by force or stolen, even after [the owner had] despaired of its recovery,
c) came from an ashera that has been worshiped, even though the worship of the ashera has already been nullified,
d) or it came from an apostate city
it is not acceptable.
If one of them belonged to an idolater: at the outset, it should not be taken. If it was taken, the person has fulfilled his obligation.
If [one of the species] was wilting, but had not dried out entirely, it is kosher. In extreme situations or in a time of danger, a dried out lulav is kosher. However, [this does not apply] to the other species.
א
ארבעת מינין האלו שהן לולב והדס וערבה ואתרוג שהיה אחד מהן יבש או גזול או גנוב אפילו לאחר יאוש או שיהיה מאשרה הנעבדת אף על פי שבטלו האשרה מלעבדה. או שהיה של עיר הנדחת הרי זה פסול. היה אחד מהן של עבודת כוכבים לא יטול לכתחלה ואם נטל יצא. היה כמוש ולא גמר ליבש כשר. ובשעת הדחק או בשעת הסכנה לולב היבש כשר אבל לא שאר המינין:
Commentary on Halachah 1
2
An etrog of orlah, of impure terumah, and of tevel is unacceptable. [An etrog] of d'mai is permitted, for it is possible for a person to declare all of his property as ownerless. Thus, he will be a poor man who is permitted to eat d'mai.
An etrog of pure terumah and of ma'aser sheni in Jerusalem should not be taken, lest one cause it to become susceptible to contracting ritual impurity. However, if it was taken, it is kosher.
ב
אתרוג של ערלה ושל תרומה טמאה ושל טבל פסול. של דמאי כשר שאפשר שיפקיר נכסיו ויהיה עני שמותר לו לאכול דמאי. אתרוג של תרומה טהורה ושל מעשר שני בירושלים לא יטול שמא יכשירו לטומאה. ואם נטל כשר:
Commentary on Halachah 2
3
A lulav whose tip becomes cut off is unacceptable. Should it become split to the extent that the two sides of the split become severed and appear to be two, it is unacceptable.
If it is bent forward so that its shidrah appears like a hunchback, it is unacceptable. If it is bent backwards, it is kosher, since that is its natural pattern of growth. If it is bent toward either side, it is unacceptable.
If its leaves have separated one from the other, but they have not begun to hang downward like the top of a date palm, it is kosher. However, if its leaves have burst open and they hang down from the shidrah as does the top of the date palm, it is unacceptable.
ג
לולב שנקטם ראשו פסול. נסדק אם נתרחקו שני סדקיו זה מזה עד שיראו כשנים פסול. היה עקום לפניו שהרי שדרו כגב בעל חטוטרת פסול. היה עקום לאחוריו כשר שזו היא ברייתו. נעקם לאחד מצדדיו פסול. נפרדו עליו זה מעל זה ולא נדלדלו כעלי החריות כשר. נפרצו עליו והוא שידלדלו משדרו של לולב כעלי החריות פסול:
Commentary on Halachah 3
4
The natural pattern of growth of the leaves of the lulav is that two grow in pairs, connected at their back. The back of each pair of connected leaves is called the tiyomet. If the tiyomet is split, it unacceptable. Should a lulav's leaves grow individually from the beginning of its formation without having a tiyomet, it is unacceptable.
When a lulav's leaves do not grow on top of the other like all lulavim, but rather one below the other, [the following rules apply:] If the top [of the lower leaf] reaches the base of the one above it so that the entire shidrah of the lulav is covered with leaves, it is kosher. If the top [of the lower leaf] does not reach the base of the one above it, it is unacceptable.
ד
בריית עלין של לולב כך היא. כשהם גדלין גדלין שנים שנים ודבוקין מגבן וגב כל שני עלין הדבוקין הוא הנקרא תיומת נחלקה התיומת פסול. היו עליו אחת אחת מתחלת ברייתו ולא היה להם תיומת פסול. לא היו עליו זה על גב זה כדרך כל הלולבין אלא זה תחת זה אם ראש זה מגיע לעיקר שלמעלה ממנו עד שנמצא כל שדרו של לולב מכוסה בעלין כשר. ואם אין ראשו של זה מגיע לצד עיקרו של זה פסול:
Commentary on Halachah 4
5
A myrtle branch whose top is cut off is acceptable. Even though most of its leaves have fallen off, it is kosher, provided three leaves remain in one row.
When there are more berries than leaves, [the following rules apply:] If they are green, it is kosher. If they are red or black, it is not acceptable. If one reduced their number, it is acceptable.
We may not reduce their number on the holiday itself, because [by doing so, one] makes [the myrtle] fit for use. If one transgressed and removed them or removed them one by one to eat them, it is kosher.
ה
הדס שנקטם ראשו כשר. נשרו רוב עליו אם נשתיירו שלשה עלין בקן אחד כשר. היו ענביו מרובות מעליו אם ירוקות כשר ואם אדומות או שחורות פסול ואם מעטן כשר. ואין ממעטין אותן ביום טוב לפי שהוא כמתקן. עבר וליקטן או שליקטן אחד אחד לאכילה הרי זה כשר:
Commentary on Halachah 5
6
A willow branch whose top is cut off is kosher. If its leaves have burst open, it is not acceptable.
ו
ערבה שנקטם ראשה כשרה. נפרצו עליה פסולה:
Commentary on Halachah 6
7
If an etrog is perforated from side to side - no matter how small the hole is - it is not acceptable. When [the hole] does not go from side to side, if it is the size of an isar or more, [the etrog] is not acceptable. If [a hole was made in an etrog which caused] even the slightest amount [of the etrog] to be missing, [the etrog] is not acceptable.
If its pitam - i.e., the small protrusion from which its flower grows - was removed, it is not acceptable. [Similarly,] if the stem from which it hangs from the tree is removed from the etrog itself and a hole is left, it is not acceptable.
If it becomes covered with bumps in two or three places, it is not acceptable. Even if it is covered with bumps in only one place, if that place covers the majority of the etrog's surface area, it is not acceptable. [Similarly,] if a bump grows on even the slightest portion of the pitam, it is not acceptable.
If its peel is removed without causing [the etrog] to lose any substance and it remains greenish yellow as in its natural state, [the following rules apply:] If the peel was entirely removed, it is not acceptable. If even the slightest portion of the original peel remains, it is kosher.
ז
אתרוג שניקב נקב מפולש כל שהוא פסול. ושאינו מפולש אם היה כאיסר או יתר פסול. חסר כל שהוא פסול. ניטל דדו והוא הראש הקטן ששושנתו בו פסול. ניטל העץ שהוא תלוי בו באילן מעיקר האתרוג ונשאר מקומו גומא פסול. עלתה חזזית עליו אם בשנים ושלשה מקומות פסול. ואם במקום אחד אם עלתה על רובו פסול. ואם על דדו ואפילו כל שהוא פסול. נקלף הקרום החיצונה שלו שאינו מחסרו אלא נשאר ירוק כמות שהיא ברייתו אם נקלף כולו פסול ואם נשאר ממנו כל שהוא כשר:
Commentary on Halachah 7
8
An etrog which is inflated, decaying, pickled, cooked, black, white, spotted, or green like a leek is unacceptable.
If it was grown in a mold and shaped into the form of another creation, it is unacceptable. If its natural form was preserved, even though it was shaped in different layers, it is kosher. Two etrogim that grow joined together, and an unripe etrog are kosher.
In places where the etrogim grow naturally with a slight black tinge, it is kosher. However, if [the etrogim] are very black - i.e., like a Kushite - they are unacceptable everywhere.
ח
אתרוג שהוא תפוח סרוח כבוש שלוק שחור לבן מנומר ירוק ככרתי פסול. גדלו בדפוס ועשהו כמין בריה אחרת פסול. עשהו כמין ברייתו אף על פי שעשהו דפין דפין כשר. התיום והבוסר כשר. מקום שהאתרוגין שלהם כעין שחרות מעוטה כשרין. ואם היו שחורים ביותר כאדם כושי הרי זה פסול בכל מקום:
Commentary on Halachah 8
9
All the species which we categorized as unacceptable because of the blemishes we described or because they were stolen or taken by force are [disqualified for use] only on the first day of the festival. On the second day of the festival and on the other days, they are all kosher.
Those which are disqualified because of the association with idol worship or because the etrog is forbidden to be eaten are unacceptable both on the first day and on the later days.
ט
כל אלו שאמרנו שהם פסולין מפני מומין שבארנו או מפני גזל וגניבה ביום טוב ראשון בלבד אבל ביום טוב שני עם שאר הימים הכל כשר. והפסלנות שהוא משום עבודת כוכבים או מפני שאותו אתרוג אסור באכילה בין ביום טוב ראשון בין בשאר ימים פסול:
Commentary on Halachah 9
10
On the first day of the festival, a person cannot fulfill his obligation by using a lulav that belongs to a colleague and was borrowed from him, unless the latter gives it to him as a present.
If [the owner of the lulav] gives it to him as a present on the condition that he return it, he may fulfill his obligation with it and return it, because a present given on condition that it be returned is considered a present. If he does not return it, he does not fulfill his obligation, because it is as though it were stolen.
[On the first day,] a lulav should not be given to a minor, since, according to Torah law, a minor can acquire articles but cannot transfer them to others. Thus, [the minor's] return of the article is not considered to be a return [from a legal perspective].
The above applies to the lulav and to each of the other species of the four taken with it. If one of them was borrowed, the person does not fulfill his obligation on the first day of the festival.
י
אין אדם יוצא ביום טוב ראשון של חג בלולבו של חבירו שישאלנו ממנו עד שיתננו לו במתנה. נתנו לו על מנת להחזירו הרי זה יוצא בו ידי חובתו ומחזירו. שמתנה על מנת להחזיר שמה מתנה. ואם לא החזירו לא יצא שנמצא כגזול. ואין נותנין אותו לקטן שהקטן קונה ואינו מקנה לאחרים מן התורה ונמצא שאם החזירו לו אינו חוזר. ואחד הלולב ואחד כל מין ומין מארבע מינין שבו אם היה אחד מהן שאול אין יוצאין בו ביום טוב ראשון:
Commentary on Halachah 10
11
When partners purchase a lulav or etrog together, neither is able to fulfill his obligation with it on the first [day of the festival] unless his colleague gives him his portion as a present.
Should brothers purchase etrogim from the funds [of their father's] estate, which they have not divided yet: If one of them takes an etrog with the intent of fulfilling his obligation, [the following rules apply:] If he could eat it without the other brothers objecting, he has fulfilled his obligation. If they would object, he does not fulfill his obligation until they give him their share [in the etrog] as a present.
If one brother bought an etrog and another a quince, or together they bought an etrog, a pomegranate, and a quince from the funds [of their father's] estate, which they have not divided yet, one cannot fulfill one's obligation with the etrog until the others give him their share [in it] as a present, even though they would not object to his [use of it].
יא
שותפין שקנו לולב או אתרוג בשותפות אין אחד מהן יוצא בו ידי חובתו בראשון עד שיתן לו חלקו במתנה. האחין שקנו אתרוגין מתפיסת הבית ונטל אחד מהן אתרוג ויצא בו. אם יכול לאכלו ואין האחין מקפידין בכך יצא. ואם היו מקפידין לא יצא עד שיתנו לו חלקם במתנה. ואם קנה זה אתרוג וזה פריש או שקנו כאחד אתרוג ורמון ופריש מתפיסת הבית אינו יוצא באתרוג עד שיתן לו חלקו במתנה ואף על פי שאם אכלו אין מקפידין עליו:
Commentary on Halachah 11
12
Even though it is a mitzvah to rejoice on all the festivals, there was an additional celebration in the Temple on the festival of Sukkot, as [Leviticus 23:40] commands: "And you shall rejoice before God, your Lord, for seven days."
What was done? On the eve of the first day of the festival, they would set up a place in the Temple where women [could watch] from above, and men from below, so they would not intermingle with each other.
The celebration would begin on the night after the first day of the festival. Similarly, on each day of Chol Hamo'ed, after offering the daily afternoon sacrifice, they would begin to celebrate for the rest of the day and throughout the night.
יב
אף על פי שכל המועדות מצוה לשמוח בהן. בחג הסוכות היתה במקדש יום שמחה יתירה שנאמר ושמחתם לפני ה' אלהיכם שבעת ימים. וכיצד היו עושין ערב יום טוב הראשון היו מתקנין במקדש מקום לנשים מלמעלה ולאנשים מלמטה כדי שלא יתערבו אלו עם אלו. ומתחילין לשמוח ממוצאי יום טוב הראשון וכן בכל יום ויום מימי חולו של מועד מתחילין מאחר שיקריבו תמיד של בין הערבים לשמוח לשאר היום עם כל הלילה:
Commentary on Halachah 12
13
What was the nature of this celebration? The flute would be sounded and songs played on the harp, lute, and cymbals. [In addition,] each person would play on the instrument which he knew. Those who could sing, would sing. They would dance and clap their hands, letting loose and whistling, each individual in the manner which he knew. Words of song and praise were recited.
This celebration does not supersede either the Sabbath or the festival [prohibitions].
יג
והיאך היתה שמחה זו. החליל מכה ומנגנין בכנור ובנבלים ובמצלתים וכל אחד ואחד בכלי שיר שהוא יודע לנגן בו. ומי שיודע בפה בפה. ורוקדין ומספקין ומטפחין ומפזזין ומכרכרין כל אחד ואחד כמו שיודע ואומרים דברי שירות ותושבחות. ושמחה זו אינה דוחה לא את השבת ולא את יום טוב:
Commentary on Halachah 13
14
It is a great mitzvah to maximize this celebration. The common people and anyone who desired would not perform [in these celebrations]; only the greatest of Israel's wise men: the Rashei Yeshivot, the members of the high court, the pious, the elders, and the men of stature. They were those who would dance, clap their hands, sing, and rejoice in the Temple on the days of the festival of Sukkot. However, the entire people - the men and the women - would come to see and hear.
יד
מצוה להרבות בשמחה זו. ולא היו עושין אותה עמי הארץ וכל מי שירצה. אלא גדולי חכמי ישראל וראשי הישיבות והסנהדרין והחסידים והזקנים ואנשי מעשה הם שהיו מרקדין ומספקין ומנגנין ומשמחין במקדש בימי חג הסוכות. אבל כל העם האנשים והנשים כולן באין לראות ולשמוע:
Commentary on Halachah 14
15
The happiness with which a person should rejoice in the fulfillment of the mitzvot and the love of God who commanded them is a great service. Whoever holds himself back from this rejoicing is worthy of retribution, as [Deuteronomy 28:47] states: "...because you did not serve God, your Lord, with happiness and a glad heart."
Whoever holds himself proud, giving himself honor, and acts haughtily in such situations is a sinner and a fool. Concerning this, Solomon warned [Proverbs 28:10]: "Do not seek glory before the King."
[In contrast,] anyone who lowers himself and thinks lightly of his person in these situations is [truly] a great person, worthy of honor, who serves God out of love. Thus, David, King of Israel, declared [II Samuel 6:22]: "I will hold myself even more lightly esteemed than this and be humble in my eyes," because there is no greatness or honor other than celebrating before God, as [II Samuel 6:16] states: "King David was dancing wildly and whistling before God."
טו
השמחה שישמח אדם בעשיית המצוה ובאהבת האל שצוה בהן. עבודה גדולה היא. וכל המונע עצמו משמחה זו ראוי להפרע ממנו שנאמר תחת אשר לא עבדת את ה' אלהיך בשמחה ובטוב לבב. וכל המגיס דעתו וחולק כבוד לעצמו ומתכבד בעיניו במקומות אלו חוטא ושוטה. ועל זה הזהיר שלמה ואמר אל תתהדר לפני מלך. וכל המשפיל עצמו ומקל גופו במקומות אלו הוא הגדול המכובד העובד מאהבה. וכן דוד מלך ישראל אמר ונקלותי עוד מזאת והייתי שפל בעיני. ואין הגדולה והכבוד אלא לשמוח לפני ה' שנאמר והמלך דוד מפזז ומכרכר לפני ה' וגו': סליקו להו הלכות לולב, שבח לבוחן כליות ולב
Commentary on Halachah 15
Hayom Yom:• English Text | Video ClassThursday, Kislev 5, 5778 · 23 November 2017
"Today's Day"
Thursday, Kislev 5, 5704
Torah lessons: Chumash: Vayeitsei, Chamishi with Rashi.
Tehillim: 29-34.
Tanya: Here we speak (p. 607)...within those worlds. (p. 607).
"A ladder was standing on the ground.1" Prayer is the ladder that connects souls and G-dhood. And although it stands "...on the ground," the start of davening being no more than acknowledgement, yet "its top2 reaches the Heavens"3 - a state of total bitul, self-nullification. But one reaches this level through the prior attainment of comprehension and understanding4 inherent in p'sukei d'zimra,5 in the b'rachot of sh'ma and in sh'ma proper.
FOOTNOTES
1.Bereishit 28:12, Yaakov's dream.
2.I.e. the "peak" of davening, which is the silent devotional amida (or shemona essrei).
3.This is the concluding phrase of the verse "A ladder etc...".
4.Of G-dliness.
5."Verses of praise," second section of Shacharit. Siddur pp. 30-42.
Daily Thought:
Simple Thought
All of Jewish philosophy is but an attempt to fit inside the human mind that which is contained within the heart of a simple Jew.
It will never fit.
But perhaps the mind, once aware of its inadequacy, will awaken the heart from its slumber. (Hayom Yom, 19 Shvat.)
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