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- ב"ה - Today in Judaism - Today is Friday, 13 Kislev, 5778 · December 1, 2017 - Candle LightingLight Candles before sunset ––:––
Today in Jewish History:
• Passing of Ravina II; Talmud completed (475 CE)In the first decades of the 5th century, Rav Ashi (d. 427) and Ravina I (d. 421) led a group of the Amoraim (Talmudic sages) in the massive undertaking of compiling the Babylonian Talmud -- collecting and editing the discussions, debates and rulings of hundreds of scholars and sages which had taken place in the more than 200 years since the compilation of the Mishnah by Rabbi Judah HaNassi in 189. The last of these editors and compilers was Ravina II, who passed away on the 13th of Kislev of the year 4235 from creation (475 CE); after Ravina II, no further additions were make to the Talmud, with the exception of the minimal editing undertaken by the Rabbanan Savura'i (476-560). This date thus marks the point at which the Talmud was "closed" and became the basis for all further exegesis of Torah law.
Daily Quote: Moses was afflicted with a speech impairment so that no one should think that his success in transmitting the Torah to the world was due to his oratory skills. (Derashot HaRan)
Daily Torah Study:
Chumash: Vayishlach, 6th Portion Genesis 35:12-36:19 with Rashi
• English / Hebrew Linear Translation
• Video Class
• Daily Wisdom (short insight)
Genesis Chapter 35
12And the land that I gave to Abraham and to Isaac, I will give to you and to your seed after you will I give the land." יבוְאֶת־הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֛תִּי לְאַבְרָהָ֥ם וּלְיִצְחָ֖ק לְךָ֣ אֶתְּנֶ֑נָּה וּלְזַרְעֲךָ֥ אַֽחֲרֶ֖יךָ אֶתֵּ֥ן אֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ:
13And God went up from him in the place where He had spoken with him. יגוַיַּ֥עַל מֵֽעָלָ֖יו אֱלֹהִ֑ים בַּמָּק֖וֹם אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר אִתּֽוֹ:
14Now Jacob had erected a monument in the place where He had spoken with him, a stone monument, and he poured a libation upon it, and [then] he poured oil upon it. ידוַיַּצֵּ֨ב יַֽעֲקֹ֜ב מַצֵּבָ֗ה בַּמָּק֛וֹם אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר אִתּ֖וֹ מַצֶּ֣בֶת אָ֑בֶן וַיַּסֵּ֤ךְ עָלֶ֨יהָ֙ נֶ֔סֶךְ וַיִּצֹ֥ק עָלֶ֖יהָ שָֽׁמֶן:
in the place where He had spoken with him: I do not know what this teaches us.
במקום אשר דבר אתו: איני יודע מה מלמדנו:
15Jacob named the place where God had spoken with him Beth el. טווַיִּקְרָ֨א יַֽעֲקֹ֜ב אֶת־שֵׁ֣ם הַמָּק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁר֩ דִּבֶּ֨ר אִתּ֥וֹ שָׁ֛ם אֱלֹהִ֖ים בֵּֽית־אֵֽל:
16And they journeyed from Beth el, and there was still some distance to come to Ephrath, and Rachel gave birth, and her labor was difficult. טזוַיִּסְעוּ֙ מִבֵּ֣ית אֵ֔ל וַֽיְהִי־ע֥וֹד כִּבְרַת־הָאָ֖רֶץ לָב֣וֹא אֶפְרָ֑תָה וַתֵּ֥לֶד רָחֵ֖ל וַתְּקַ֥שׁ בְּלִדְתָּֽהּ:
some distance: Heb. הָאָרֶץ כִּבְרַת. Menachem (Machbereth Menachem p. 102) explained [כִּבְרַת] as an expression of כַּבָּיר, meaning “much” -in this case, a long distance. The Aggadah (Gen. Rabbah 82:7) explains it as: during the time [when] the ground is riddled like a sieve, when plowed fields are common, when the winter has passed, and the heat has not yet come. This, however, is not the simple meaning of the verse, for we find concerning Na’aman,“and he went some distance (כִּבְרַת אָרֶץ) from him” (II Kings 5:19). I therefore believe that it is the name of a land measure, like the distance of a parasang or more. Just as you say [in measuring an area],“yokes of a vineyard (צִמְדֵי כֶּרֶם)” (Isa. 5:10),“ a plot of land (חֶלְקַת הַשָׂדֶה)” (above 33: 19), so with a man’s journey (land approximately the journey of a mil), one calls the measure כִּבְרַת אָרֶץ.
כברת הארץ: מנחם פירש לשון כביר, רבוי, מהלך רב. ואגדה בזמן שהארץ חלולה ומנוקבת ככברה שהניר מצוי, הסתיו עבר, והשרב עדיין לא בא. ואין זה פשוטו של מקרא, שהרי בנעמן מצינו (מ"ב ה יט) וילך מאתו כברת ארץ. ואומר אני שהוא שם מדת קרקע כמו מהלך פרסה או יותר, כמו שאתה אומר (ישעיה ה י) צמד כרם, (לעיל לג יט) חלקת שדה, כך במהלך אדם נותן שם מדה כברת ארץ:
17It came to pass when she had such difficulty giving birth, that the midwife said to her, "Do not be afraid, for this one, too, is a son for you." יזוַיְהִ֥י בְהַקְשֹׁתָ֖הּ בְּלִדְתָּ֑הּ וַתֹּ֨אמֶר לָ֤הּ הַֽמְיַלֶּ֨דֶת֙ אַל־תִּ֣ירְאִ֔י כִּֽי־גַם־זֶ֥ה לָ֖ךְ בֵּֽן:
for this one, too, is: Added to Joseph for you. Our Sages interpreted [גַם as intimating that] with each tribe a twin sister was born, and with Benjamin, an extra twin sister was born. — [from Gen. Rabbah 82:8]
כי גם זה: נוסף לך על יוסף. ורבותינו דרשו עם כל שבט נולדה תאומה, ועם בנימין נולדה תאומה יתירה:
18And it came to pass, when her soul departed for she died that she named him Ben oni, but his father called him Benjamin. יחוַיְהִ֞י בְּצֵ֤את נַפְשָׁהּ֙ כִּ֣י מֵ֔תָה וַתִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ בֶּן־אוֹנִ֑י וְאָבִ֖יו קָֽרָא־ל֥וֹ בִנְיָמִֽין:
Ben-oni: The son of my pain.
בן אוני: בן צערי:
Benjamin: It seems to me that since he was the only one who was born in the land of Canaan, which is in the South for a person [who is] coming from [the direction of] Aram-naharaim, as it is said: “in the South, in the land of Canaan” (Num. 33: 40); “continually traveling southward” (Gen. 12:9).
בנימין: נראה בעיני לפי שהוא לבדו נולד בארץ כנען, שהיא בנגב כשאדם בא מארם נהרים, כמו שנאמר (במדבר לג מ) בנגב בארץ כנען, (לעיל יב ט) הלוך ונסוע הנגבה:
Benjamin: The son of the South, an expression of“North and South (וְיָמִין) You created them” (Ps. 89:13). For this reason, it is [written here] plene, [with a “yud” after the “mem”]. (Another explanation: Benjamin means“the son of days” (בֶּן יָמִים) , because he was born in his (Jacob’s) old age, and it is spelled with a “nun” like“at the end of the days (הַיָמִין)” (Dan. 12:13).
בנימין: בן ימין, לשון (תהלים פט יג) צפון וימין אתה בראתם, לפיכך הוא מלא:
19So Rachel died, and she was buried on the road to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem. יטוַתָּ֖מָת רָחֵ֑ל וַתִּקָּבֵר֙ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ אֶפְרָ֔תָה הִ֖וא בֵּ֥ית לָֽחֶם:
20And Jacob erected a monument on her grave; that is the tombstone of Rachel until this day. כוַיַּצֵּ֧ב יַֽעֲקֹ֛ב מַצֵּבָ֖ה עַל־קְבֻֽרָתָ֑הּ הִ֛וא מַצֶּ֥בֶת קְבֻֽרַת־רָחֵ֖ל עַד־הַיּֽוֹם:
21Israel journeyed, and he pitched his tent at some distance past the Tower of Eder. כאוַיִּסַּ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיֵּ֣ט אָֽהֳלֹ֔ה מֵהָ֖לְאָה לְמִגְדַּל־עֵֽדֶר:
22And it came to pass when Israel sojourned in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father's concubine, and Israel heard [of it], and so, the sons of Jacob were twelve. כבוַיְהִ֗י בִּשְׁכֹּ֤ן יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בָּאָ֣רֶץ הַהִ֔וא וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ רְאוּבֵ֔ן וַיִּשְׁכַּ֕ב֙ אֶת־בִּלְהָ֖ה֙ פִּילֶ֣גֶשׁ אָבִ֑֔יו וַיִּשְׁמַ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵֽ֑ל פ וַיִּֽהְי֥וּ בְנֵי־יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב שְׁנֵ֥ים עָשָֽׂר:
when Israel sojourned in that land: Before he came to Hebron, to Isaac, all these [incidents] befell him.
בשכן ישראל בארץ ההוא: עד שלא בא לחברון אצל יצחק ארעוהו כל אלה:
and lay: Since he (Reuben) disarranged his (Jacob’s) bed, Scripture considers it as if he had lain with her. Now why did he disarrange and profane his bed? [It was] because when Rachel died, Jacob took his bed, which had been regularly placed in Rachel’s tent and not in the other tents, and moved it in to Bilhah’s tent. Reuben came and protested his mother’s humiliation. He said,“If my mother’s sister was a rival to my mother, should my mother’s sister’s handmaid [now also] be a rival to my mother?” For this reason, he disarranged it. — [from Shab. 55b]
וישכב: מתוך שבלבל משכבו מעלה עליו הכתוב כאלו שכבה. ולמה בלבל וחלל יצועיו, שכשמתה רחל נטל יעקב מטתו שהיתה נתונה תדיר באהל רחל ולא בשאר אהלים ונתנה באהל בלהה, בא ראובן ותבע עלבון אמו, אמר אם אחות אמי היתה צרה לאמי, שפחת אחות אמי תהא צרה לאמי, לכן בלבל:
and so, the sons of Jacob were twelve: [Scripture] commences with the previous topic (i.e. the birth of Benjamin). When Benjamin was born, the marriage bed (i.e. the destined number of sons) was completed, and from then on, it was proper that they be counted, and [so] it (Scripture) counted them. Our Sages, however, interpreted that these words are intended to teach us that all of them (Jacob’s sons) were equal, and all of them were righteous, for Reuben had not sinned. — [from Shab. 55b]
ויהיו בני יעקב שנים עשר: מתחיל לענין ראשון משנולד בנימין נשלמה המטה, ומעתה ראוים להמנות, ומנאן. ורבותינו דרשו ללמדנו בא שכולן שוין, וכולן צדיקים, שלא חטא ראובן:
23The sons of Leah [were] Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, and Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. כגבְּנֵ֣י לֵאָ֔ה בְּכ֥וֹר יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב רְאוּבֵ֑ן וְשִׁמְעוֹן֙ וְלֵוִ֣י וִֽיהוּדָ֔ה וְיִשָּׂשכָ֖ר וּזְבֻלֽוּן:
Jacob’s firstborn: Even at the time of [Reuben’s] error, [Scripture] calls him the firstborn [with all its honors]. — [from Gen. Rabbah 82:11]
בכור יעקב: אפילו בשעת הקלקלה קראו בכור:
Jacob’s firstborn: Firstborn in regard to inheritance, firstborn to perform the service, firstborn regarding the counting (when the names of the tribes were enumerated, he was always counted first.) The birthright was given to Joseph only in respect to the tribes, in that he founded two tribes (Ephraim and Manasseh).
בכור יעקב: בכור לנחלה, בכור לעבודה, בכור למנין, ולא נתנה בכורה ליוסף אלא לענין השבטים שנעשה לשני שבטים:
24The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. כדבְּנֵ֣י רָחֵ֔ל יוֹסֵ֖ף וּבִנְיָמִֽן:
25The sons of Bilhah, Rachel's maidservant: Dan and Naphtali. כהוּבְנֵ֤י בִלְהָה֙ שִׁפְחַ֣ת רָחֵ֔ל דָּ֖ן וְנַפְתָּלִֽי:
26The sons of Zilpah, Leah's maidservant: Gad and Asher. These are Jacob's sons who were born to him in Padan aram. כווּבְנֵ֥י זִלְפָּ֛ה שִׁפְחַ֥ת לֵאָ֖ה גָּ֣ד וְאָשֵׁ֑ר אֵ֚לֶּה בְּנֵ֣י יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב אֲשֶׁ֥ר יֻלַּד־ל֖וֹ בְּפַדַּ֥ן אֲרָֽם:
27And Jacob came to his father Isaac, to Mamre, Kiriath arba, which is Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac dwelt. כזוַיָּבֹ֤א יַֽעֲקֹב֙ אֶל־יִצְחָ֣ק אָבִ֔יו מַמְרֵ֖א קִרְיַ֣ת הָֽאַרְבַּ֑ע הִ֣וא חֶבְר֔וֹן אֲשֶׁר־גָּֽר־שָׁ֥ם אַבְרָהָ֖ם וְיִצְחָֽק:
Mamre: The name of the plain.
ממרא: שם המישור:
Kiriath-arba: The name of the city. [Therefore,] מַמְרֵא קִרְיַת הָאַרְבָּע means“the plain of Kiriath-arba.” If you say that it should have been written: מַמְרֵא הַקִרְיַת אַרְבָּע, [the answer is that] this is biblical style. In every case of a compound name such as this (קִרְיַת הָאַרְבָּע), and such as בֵּית-לֶחֶם, אִבִי עֶזֶר, בֵּית-אֵל, when a “hey” needs to be added, it is prefixed to the second word:“the Bethlehemite (בֵּיתהַלַחְמִי)” (I Sam. 16:1);“in Ophrah of the Abiezrites (אַבִי הָעֶזְרִי)” (Jud. 6:24);“Hiel the Bethelite (בֵּית-הָאֱלִי) built” (I Kings 16:34).
קרית הארבע: שם העיר ממרא קרית הארבע איל מישור של קרית ארבע. ואם תאמר היה לו לכתוב ממרא הקרית ארבע, כן דרך המקרא בכל דבר ששמו כפול, כגון זה, וכגון בית לחם, אבי עזר, בית אל, אם הוצרך להטיל בו ה"א נותנה בראש התיבה השניה (ש"א טז א) בית הלחמי, (שופטים ו כד) בעפרת אבי העזרי, (מ"א טז לד) בנה חיאל בית האלי:
28The days of Isaac were a hundred and eighty years. כחוַיִּֽהְי֖וּ יְמֵ֣י יִצְחָ֑ק מְאַ֥ת שָׁנָ֖ה וּשְׁמֹנִ֥ים שָׁנָֽה:
29And Isaac expired and died and was gathered in to his peoples, old and sated with days, and his sons, Esau and Jacob, buried him. כטוַיִּגְוַ֨ע יִצְחָ֤ק וַיָּ֨מָת֙ וַיֵּאָ֣סֶף אֶל־עַמָּ֔יו זָקֵ֖ן וּשְׂבַ֣ע יָמִ֑ים וַיִּקְבְּר֣וּ אֹת֔וֹ עֵשָׂ֥ו וְיַֽעֲקֹ֖ב בָּנָֽיו:
And Isaac expired: There is no order of earlier and later events (chronological order) in the [narrative of] Torah. The selling of Joseph [actually] preceded Isaac’s demise by 12 years, for when Jacob was born, Isaac was 60 years old, and Isaac died in Jacob’s 120th year, for it is stated: “and Isaac was sixty years old” (Gen. 25:26)-if you subtract 60 from 180 [Isaac’s age at his death], you have 120 left. Joseph was 17 years old when he was sold, and that year was Jacob’s 108th year. How so? He was blessed at the age of 63 [as Rashi explains Gen. 28: 9], for 14 years he hid in the academy of Eber, totaling 77. He worked 14 years for a wife, and at the end of the 14 years, Joseph was born, as it is said: “Now it came to pass when Rachel had borne Joseph, etc.” (Gen. 30:25). The total is 91. [Add to this] the 17 [years] until Joseph was sold, and it totals 108. (Moreover, it is explicit that from when Joseph was sold until Jacob came to Egypt, 22 years had passed, as it is said: “And Joseph was thirty years old, etc.” (Gen. 41:46), and the seven years of plenty and two years of [the] famine [had elapsed before Jacob’s arrival.] This totals 22. And it is written:“The days of the years of my sojournings are one hundred thirty years” (Gen. 47:9). [Since Jacob arrived in Egypt at age 130, 22 years after Joseph had been sold,] it follows that Jacob was 108 when he (Joseph) was sold.) [from Seder Olam, ch. 2]
ויגוע יצחק: אין מוקדם ומאוחר בתורה, מכירתו של יוסף קדמה למיתתו של יצחק שתים עשרה שנה, שהרי כשנולד יעקב היה יצחק בן ששים שנה, שנאמר (לעיל כה כו) ויצחק בן ששים שנה וגו', ויצחק מת בשנת מאה ועשרים ליעקב, אם תוציא ששים ממאה ושמונים שנה, נשארו מאה ועשרים, ויוסף נמכר בן שבע עשרה שנה, ואותה שנה שנת מאה ושמונה ליעקב. כיצד, בן ששים ושלש נתברך, וארבע עשרה שנה נטמן בבית עבר, הרי שבעים ושבע, וארבע עשרה עבד באשה, ובסוף ארבע עשרה נולד יוסף, שנאמר (לעיל ל כה) ויהי כאשר ילדה רחל את יוסף וגו', הרי תשעים ואחת, ושבע עשרה עד שלא נמכר יוסף הרי מאה ושמנה. (עוד מפורש מן המקרא משנמכר יוסף עד שבא יעקב מצרימה עשרים ושתים שנה, שנאמר (להלן מא מו) ויוסף בן שלשים שנה וגו', ושבע שנים שובע ושנתים רעב הרי עשרים ושתים, וכתיב ימי שני מגורי שלשים ומאת שנה נמצא יעקב במכירתו מאה ושמונה):
Genesis Chapter 36
1And these are the generations of Esau, that is, Edom. אוְאֵ֛לֶּה תֹּֽלְד֥וֹת עֵשָׂ֖ו ה֥וּא אֱדֽוֹם:
2Esau took his wives from the daughters of Canaan: Adah, daughter of Elon the Hittite; and Oholibamah, daughter of Anah, daughter of Zibeon the Hivvite; בעֵשָׂ֛ו לָקַ֥ח אֶת־נָשָׁ֖יו מִבְּנ֣וֹת כְּנָ֑עַן אֶת־עָדָ֗ה בַּת־אֵילוֹן֙ הַֽחִתִּ֔י וְאֶת־אָֽהֳלִֽיבָמָה֙ בַּת־עֲנָ֔ה בַּת־צִבְע֖וֹן הַֽחִוִּֽי:
Adah daughter of Elon: This is [actually] Basemath the daughter of Elon (mentioned above 26:34). She was called Basemath because she burnt incense (בְּשָׂמִים) to idols.
עדה בת אילון: היא (לעיל כו לד) בשמת בת אילון, ונקראת בשמת על שם שהיתה מקטרת בשמים לעבודה זרה:
Oholibamah: She is [identical to] Judith (mentioned above 26:34). He (Esau) nicknamed her Judith (יְהוּדִית) to imply that she denied the validity of idolatry, so that he might deceive his father.
אהליבמה: היא יהודית, והוא כינה שמה יהודית לומר שהיא כופרת בעבודה זרה כדי להטעות את אביו:
daughter of Anah, daughter of Zibeon: If she was the daughter of Anah, she could not have been the daughter of Zibeon: Anah was the son of Zibeon, as it is said:“And these are the sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah” (below verse 24). [This] teaches [us] that Zibeon was intimate with his daughter-in-law, the wife of Anah, and Oholibamah emerged from between them both [i.e., from Zibeon and Anah]. Scripture teaches us that they were all mamzerim (illegitimate), products of adultery and incest. — [from Tanchuma Vayeshev 1]
בת ענה בת צבעון: אם בת ענה לא בת צבעון, ענה בנו של צבעון, שנאמר (פסוק כד) ואלה בני צבעון ואיה וענה, מלמד שבא צבעון על כלתו אשת ענה ויצאת אהליבמה מבין שניהם והודיעך הכתוב שכולן בני ממזרות היו:
3also Basemath, daughter of Ishmael, sister of Nebaioth. גוְאֶת־בָּשְׂמַ֥ת בַּת־יִשְׁמָעֵ֖אל אֲח֥וֹת נְבָיֽוֹת:
Basemath, daughter of Ishmael: Elsewhere [Scripture] calls her Mahalath (above 28:9). I found in the Aggadah of the midrash on the Book of Samuel (ch. 17): There are three people whose iniquities are forgiven (מוֹחֲלִים) : One who converts to Judaism, one who is promoted to a high position, and one who marries. The proof [of the last one] is derived from here (28:9). For this reason she was called Mahalath (מָחֲלַת), because his (Esau’s) sins were forgiven (נְמְחֲלוּ) .
בשמת בת ישמעאל: ולהלן קורא לה (כח ט) מחלת. מצינו באגדת מדרש ספר שמואל (פרק יז) שלשה מוחלין להן עונותיהם גר שנתגייר, והעולה לגדולה, והנושא אשה, ולמד הטעם מכאן, לכך נקראת מחלת שנמחלו עונותיה:
sister of Nebaioth: Since he (Nebaioth) gave her hand in marriage after Ishmael died, she was referred to by his name. — [from Meg. 17a]
אחות נביות: על שם שהוא השיאה לו משמת ישמעאל נקראת על שמו:
4Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau and Basemath bore Reuel. דוַתֵּ֧לֶד עָדָ֛ה לְעֵשָׂ֖ו אֶת־אֱלִיפָ֑ז וּבָ֣שְׂמַ֔ת יָלְדָ֖ה אֶת־רְעוּאֵֽל:
5Oholibamah bore Jeush and Jalam and Korah; these are the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan. הוְאָֽהֳלִֽיבָמָה֙ יָֽלְדָ֔ה אֶת־יְע֥וּשׁ (כתיב את־יעיש) וְאֶת־יַעְלָ֖ם וְאֶת־קֹ֑רַח אֵ֚לֶּה בְּנֵ֣י עֵשָׂ֔ו אֲשֶׁ֥ר יֻלְּדוּ־ל֖וֹ בְּאֶ֥רֶץ כְּנָֽעַן:
Oholibamah bore…and Korah: This Korah was illegitimate. He was the son of Eliphaz, who had been intimate with his father’s wife, Oholibamah, the wife of Esau. This is evidenced by the fact that he [Korah] is [also] listed among the chieftains of Eliphaz at the end of this chapter. — [from Gen. Rabbah 82:12]
ואהליבמה ילדה וגו': קרח זה ממזר היה ובן אליפז היה, שבא על אשת אביו אל אהליבמה אשת עשו שהרי הוא מנוי עם (פסוק טז) אלופי אליפז בסוף הענין:
6And Esau took his wives, his sons, and his daughters and all the people of his household, and his cattle and all his animals and all his property that he had acquired in the land of Canaan, and he went to a[nother] land, because of his brother Jacob. ווַיִּקַּ֣ח עֵשָׂ֡ו אֶת־נָ֠שָׁ֠יו וְאֶת־בָּנָ֣יו וְאֶת־בְּנֹתָיו֘ וְאֶת־כָּל־נַפְשׁ֣וֹת בֵּיתוֹ֒ וְאֶת־מִקְנֵ֣הוּ וְאֶת־כָּל־בְּהֶמְתּ֗וֹ וְאֵת֙ כָּל־קִנְיָנ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר רָכַ֖שׁ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ אֶל־אֶ֔רֶץ מִפְּנֵ֖י יַֽעֲקֹ֥ב אָחִֽיו:
and he went to a[nother] land: to dwell wherever he would find.
וילך אל ארץ: לגור באשר ימצא:
7For their possessions were too numerous for them to dwell together, and the land of their sojournings could not support them because of their livestock. זכִּֽי־הָיָ֧ה רְכוּשָׁ֛ם רָ֖ב מִשֶּׁ֣בֶת יַחְדָּ֑ו וְלֹ֨א יָֽכְלָ֜ה אֶ֤רֶץ מְגֽוּרֵיהֶם֙ לָשֵׂ֣את אֹתָ֔ם מִפְּנֵ֖י מִקְנֵיהֶֽם:
and the land of their sojournings could not: provide [sufficient] pasture for their animals. The Midrash Aggadah (Gen. Rabbah 82:13), however, explains “because of his brother Jacob,” [as follows:] Because of the note of obligation of the decree: “that your seed will be strangers” (Gen. 15: 13), which was put upon the descendants of Isaac. He (Esau) said, “I will get out of here. I have neither a share in the gift-for the land has been given to him-nor in the payment of the debt.” [He left] also on account of the shame that [he felt because] he had sold his birthright. — [from Gen. Rabbah 82:13]
ולא יכלה ארץ מגוריהם: להספיק מרעה לבהמות שלהם. ומדרש אגדה (פסוק ו) מפני יעקב אחיו, מפני שטר חוב של גזירת (טו יג) כי גר יהיה זרעך, המוטל על זרעו של יצחק, אמר אלך לי מכאן, אין לי חלק לא במתנה שנתנה לו הארץ הזאת, ולא בפרעון השטר. ומפני הבושה, שמכר בכורתו:
8So Esau dwelt on Mount Seir Esau, that is Edom. חוַיֵּ֤שֶׁב עֵשָׂו֙ בְּהַ֣ר שֵׂעִ֔יר עֵשָׂ֖ו ה֥וּא אֱדֽוֹם:
9And these are the generations of Esau the progenitor of Edom, on Mount Seir. טוְאֵ֛לֶּה תֹּֽלְד֥וֹת עֵשָׂ֖ו אֲבִ֣י אֱד֑וֹם בְּהַ֖ר שֵׂעִֽיר:
And these are: the generations that his sons begot after he went to Seir.
ואלה: התולדות שהולידו בניו עכשיו משהלך לשעיר:
10These are the names of Esau's sons: Eliphaz, son of Adah, the wife of Esau, Reuel, son of Basemath, the wife of Esau. יאֵ֖לֶּה שְׁמ֣וֹת בְּנֵֽי־עֵשָׂ֑ו אֱלִיפַ֗ז בֶּן־עָדָה֙ אֵ֣שֶׁת עֵשָׂ֔ו רְעוּאֵ֕ל בֶּן־בָּשְׂמַ֖ת אֵ֥שֶׁת עֵשָֽׂו:
11The sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gaatam, and Kenaz. יאוַיִּֽהְי֖וּ בְּנֵ֣י אֱלִיפָ֑ז תֵּימָ֣ן אוֹמָ֔ר צְפ֥וֹ וְגַעְתָּ֖ם וּקְנַֽז:
12And Timna was a concubine to Eliphaz, son of Esau, and she bore to Eliphaz, Amalek. These are the sons of Adah, the wife of Esau. יבוְתִמְנַ֣ע | הָֽיְתָ֣ה פִילֶ֗גֶשׁ לֶֽאֱלִיפַז֙ בֶּן־עֵשָׂ֔ו וַתֵּ֥לֶד לֶאֱלִיפַ֖ז אֶת־עֲמָלֵ֑ק אֵ֕לֶּה בְּנֵ֥י עָדָ֖ה אֵ֥שֶׁת עֵשָֽׂו:
And Timna was a concubine: [This passage is here] to proclaim the greatness of Abraham-how much [people] longed to attach themselves to his descendants. This Timna was a daughter of chieftains, as it is said: “and the sister of Lotan was Timna” (below verse 22). Lotan was one of the chieftains of the inhabitants of Seir, from the Horites, who had dwelt there before. She said, “I may not be worthy of marrying you, but if only I could be [your] concubine” (Gen. Rabbah 82:14). In (I) Chronicles (1:36) [the Chronicler] enumerates her among the children of Eliphaz [here she is counted as the daughter of Seir the Horite, and the concubine of Eliphaz]. This teaches [us] that he (Eliphaz) was intimate with the wife of Seir, and Timna emerged from between them (Seir’s wife and Eliphaz), and when she grew up, she became his (Eliphaz’s) concubine. That is the meaning of “and the sister of Lotan was Timna.” [Scripture] did not count her with the sons of Seir, because she was his (Lotan’s) sister through his mother but not through his father. — [from Tanchuma Vayeshev 1]
ותמנע היתה פילגש: להודיע גדולתו של אברהם כמה היו תאבים לידבק בזרעו. תמנע זו בת אלופים היתה, שנאמר (פסוק כב) ואחות לוטן תמנע, ולוטן מאלופי יושבי שעיר היה, מן החורים שישבו בה לפנים, אמרה איני זוכה להנשא לך, הלואי ואהיה פילגש. ובדברי הימים מונה אותה (דברי הימים א' א לו) בבניו של אליפז, מלמד שבא על אשתו של שעיר ויצאה תמנע מביניהם, וכשגדלה נעשית פילגשו, וזהו ואחות לוטן תמנע, ולא מנאה עם בני שעיר שהיתה אחותו מן האם ולא מן האב:
13And these are the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These are the sons of Basemath, the wife of Esau. יגוְאֵ֨לֶּה֙ בְּנֵ֣י רְעוּאֵ֔ל נַ֥חַת וָזֶ֖רַח שַׁמָּ֣ה וּמִזָּ֑ה אֵ֣לֶּה הָי֔וּ בְּנֵ֥י בָשְׂמַ֖ת אֵ֥שֶׁת עֵשָֽׂו:
14And these are the sons of Oholibamah, daughter of Anah, daughter of Zibeon, the wife of Esau; she bore to Esau: Jeush, Jaalam, and Korah. ידוְאֵ֣לֶּה הָי֗וּ בְּנֵ֨י אָֽהֳלִֽיבָמָ֧ה בַת־עֲנָ֛ה בַּת־צִבְע֖וֹן אֵ֣שֶׁת עֵשָׂ֑ו וַתֵּ֣לֶד לְעֵשָׂ֔ו אֶת־יְע֥וּשׁ (כתיב את־יעיש) וְאֶת־יַעְלָ֖ם וְאֶת־קֹֽרַח:
15These became the chieftains of the sons of Esau: the sons of Eliphaz, Esau's firstborn: Chief Teman, Chief Omar, Chief Zepho, Chief Kenaz, טואֵ֖לֶּה אַלּוּפֵ֣י בְנֵֽי־עֵשָׂ֑ו בְּנֵ֤י אֱלִיפַז֙ בְּכ֣וֹר עֵשָׂ֔ו אַלּ֤וּף תֵּימָן֙ אַלּ֣וּף אוֹמָ֔ר אַלּ֥וּף צְפ֖וֹ אַלּ֥וּף קְנַֽז:
These became the chieftains of the sons of Esau: The heads of the clans.
אלה אלופי בני עשו: ראשי משפחות:
16Chief Korah, Chief Gaatam, Chief Amalek. These are the chieftains of Eliphaz in the land of Edom; these are the sons of Adah. טזאַלּ֥וּף קֹ֛רַח אַלּ֥וּף גַּעְתָּ֖ם אַלּ֣וּף עֲמָלֵ֑ק אֵ֣לֶּה אַלּוּפֵ֤י אֱלִיפַז֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ אֱד֔וֹם אֵ֖לֶּה בְּנֵ֥י עָדָֽה:
17And these are the sons of Reuel the son of Esau: Chief Nahath, Chief Zerah, Chief Shammah, and Chief Mizzah. These are the chieftains of Reuel in the land of Edom; these are the sons of Basemath, the wife of Esau. יזוְאֵ֗לֶּה בְּנֵ֤י רְעוּאֵל֙ בֶּן־עֵשָׂ֔ו אַלּ֥וּף נַ֨חַת֙ אַלּ֣וּף זֶ֔רַח אַלּ֥וּף שַׁמָּ֖ה אַלּ֣וּף מִזָּ֑ה אֵ֣לֶּה אַלּוּפֵ֤י רְעוּאֵל֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ אֱד֔וֹם אֵ֕לֶּה בְּנֵ֥י בָֽשְׂמַ֖ת אֵ֥שֶׁת עֵשָֽׂו:
18And these are the sons of Oholibamah, the wife of Esau: Chief Jeush, Chief Jaalam, Chief Korah. These are the chieftains of Oholibamah, daughter of Anah, the wife of Esau. יחוְאֵ֗לֶּה בְּנֵ֤י אָֽהֳלִֽיבָמָה֙ אֵ֣שֶׁת עֵשָׂ֔ו אַלּ֥וּף יְע֛וּשׁ אַלּ֥וּף יַעְלָ֖ם אַלּ֣וּף קֹ֑רַח אֵ֣לֶּה אַלּוּפֵ֞י אָֽהֳלִֽיבָמָ֛ה בַּת־עֲנָ֖ה אֵ֥שֶׁת עֵשָֽׂו:
19These are the sons of Esau and these are their chieftains, he is Edom. יטאֵ֧לֶּה בְנֵֽי־עֵשָׂ֛ו וְאֵ֥לֶּה אַלּֽוּפֵיהֶ֖ם ה֥וּא אֱדֽוֹם:
Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 69 - 71
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Chapter 69
1. For the Conductor, on the shoshanim,1 by David.
2. Deliver me, O God, for the waters have reached until my soul!
3. I have sunk in muddy depths without foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the current sweeps me away.
4. I am wearied by my crying, my throat is parched; my eyes pined while waiting for my God.
5. More numerous than the hairs on my head are those who hate me without reason. Mighty are those who would cut me off, those who are my enemies without cause. What I have not stolen, I will then have to return.
6. O God, You know my folly, and my wrongs are not hidden from You.
7. Let not those who hope in You be shamed through me, O my Lord, God of Hosts; let not those who seek You be disgraced through me, O God of Israel,
8. because for Your sake I have borne humiliation, disgrace covers my face.
9. I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my mother's sons,
10. for the envy of Your House has consumed me, and the humiliations of those who scorn You have fallen upon me.
11. And I wept while my soul fasted, and it was a humiliation to me.
12. I made sackcloth my garment, and became a byword for them.
13. Those who sit by the gate speak of me, and [of me] are the songs of drunkards.
14. May my prayer to You, Lord, be at a gracious time; God, in Your abounding kindness, answer me with Your true deliverance.
15. Rescue me from the mire, so that I not sink; let me be saved from my enemies and from deep waters.
16. Let not the current of water sweep me away, nor the deep swallow me; and let not the pit close its mouth over me.
17. Answer me, Lord, for Your kindness is good; according to Your abundant mercies, turn to me.
18. Do not hide Your face from Your servant, for I am in distress-hurry to answer me.
19. Draw near to my soul and liberate it; redeem me, so that my enemies [not feel triumphant].
20. You know my humiliation, my shame, and my disgrace; all my tormentors are before You.
21. Humiliation has broken my heart, and I have become ill. I longed for comfort, but there was none; for consolers, but I did not find.
22. They put gall into my food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
23. Let their table become a trap before them, and [their] serenity, a snare.
24. Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and let their loins continually falter.
25. Pour Your wrath upon them, and let the fierceness of Your anger overtake them.
26. Let their palace be desolate, let there be no dweller in their tents,
27. for they persecute the one whom You struck, and tell of the pain of Your wounded ones.
28. Add iniquity to their iniquity, and let them not enter into Your righteousness.
29. May they be erased from the Book of Life, and let them not be inscribed with the righteous.
30. But I am poor and in pain; let Your deliverance, O God, streng-then me.
31. I will praise the Name of God with song, I will extol Him with thanksgiving!
32. And it will please the Lord more than [the sacrifice of] a mature bull with horns and hooves.
33. The humble will see it and rejoice; you seekers of God, [see] and your hearts will come alive.
34. For the Lord listens to the needy, and He does not despise His prisoners.
35. Let heaven and earth praise Him, the seas and all that moves within them,
36. for God will deliver Zion and build the cities of Judah, and they will settle there and possess it;
37. and the seed of His servants will inherit it, and those who love His Name will dwell in it.
FOOTNOTES
1.A musical instrument shaped like a shoshana, a rose (Metzudot).
Chapter 70
David prays that his enemies be shamed and humiliated for their shaming him and reveling in his troubles. Then the righteous will rejoice, and chant songs and praises always.
1. For the Conductor, by David, to remind.
2. O God, [come] to rescue me; O Lord, hurry to my aid.
3. Let those who seek my life be shamed and disgraced; let those who wish me harm retreat and be humiliated.
4. Let those who say, "Aha! Aha!" be turned back in return for their shaming [me].
5. Let all who seek You rejoice and delight in You, and let those who love Your deliverance say always, "May God be exalted!”
6. But I am poor and needy; hurry to me, O God! You are my help and deliverer; O God, do not delay!
Chapter 71
In this awe-inspiring prayer, David speaks of his enemies' desire to kill him, declaring him deserving of death.
1. I have taken refuge in You, O Lord; I will never be shamed.
2. Rescue me and deliver me in Your righteousness; incline Your ear to me and save me.
3. Be for me a sheltering rock, to enter always. You have ordered my salvation, for You are my rock and my fortress.
4. O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked, from the palm of the scheming and violent.
5. For You are my hope, O my Lord, God, my security since my youth.
6. I have relied on You from the womb; You drew me from my mother's innards; my praise is of You always.
7. I became an example to the masses, yet You were my mighty refuge.
8. Let my mouth be filled with Your praise, all day long with Your glory.
9. Do not cast me aside in old age; do not forsake me when my strength fails;
10. for my enemies say of me, and those who watch my soul conspire together,
11. saying, "God has forsaken him. Give chase and catch him, for there is no rescuer.”
12. O God, do not distance Yourself from me; my God, hurry to my aid.
13. Let the adversaries of my soul be shamed and consumed; let those who seek my harm be enwrapped in disgrace and humiliation.
14. But as for me, I will always hope; I will add to all Your praises.
15. My mouth will tell of Your righteousness, all day long of Your deliverance, for I do not know their number.
16. I come with the strength of my Lord, God; I mention Your righteousness, Yours alone.
17. O God, You have taught me since my youth, and to this day I tell of Your wonders.
18. Even into old age and hoariness, O God, do not abandon me, until I tell of Your might to the generations, and of Your strength to all who are to come.
19. Your righteousness, O God, reaches the high heavens, for You do great things; O God, who is like You!
20. You, Who has shown me many and grievous troubles, You will revive me again; You will lift me again from the depths of the earth.
21. You will increase my greatness; You will turn and console me.
22. I too1 will thank You on the lyre for Your faithfulness, My God; I will sing to You on the harp, O Holy One of Israel.
23. My lips will rejoice when I sing to you, as well as my soul which You have redeemed.
24. My tongue will also utter Your righteousness all day, for those who seek my harm are shamed and disgraced.
FOOTNOTES
1.As you increase my greatness, so will I increase your praise (Metzudot).
Tanya: Kuntres Acharon, Essay 5
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Friday, Kislev 13, 5778 · December 1, 2017
Today's Tanya Lesson
Kuntres Acharon, Essay 5
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The mitzvot requiring action were a major theme in Essay IV. There the Alter Rebbe explained how their observance extricates and elevates the sparks of holiness that originated in the World of Tohu and that are embedded in this material world, and thereby causes G‑dliness to descend there. The same, it was stated, is true regarding the study of the laws that govern the mitzvot.
The Alter Rebbe went on to say that this applies as well to the prohibitory mitzvot, where one cannot apply the dictum that “it is considered as if one performed the command.” Moreover, Torah study remains valuable even with regard to the laws concerning situations that will never occur, even though there too we cannot say that “if one remained passive and did not transgress, he is rewarded as if he had performed a mitzvah.” Nevertheless, even in such cases, a Torah law draws down Supernal Wisdom within the world.
In the Essay before us, the Alter Rebbe will state that although it would seem that purifications (beirurim)cannot be brought about when studying these types of laws (for one only draws down Supernal Wisdom), yet in point of fact, purifications do come about through this Torah study. Moreover, the reason for this is not that the Torah study leads one to observe a positive commandment or to refrain from transgressing a prohibition; nor is it that by virtue of his study he is regarded “as if” he performed the positive commandment or is rewarded for refraining from transgressing a prohibition.
ולהבין פרטי ההלכות דלא שכיחי כלל
Let us understand [how this applies to] the details of the laws that never occur at all,
ואפשר שלא היו מעולם במציאות
and possibly never actually existed,
מכל שכן שלא יהיו לעתיד לבא
and certainly will not come to pass in the Time to Come;
כמו פרטי דיני פיגול, וכהאי גוונא
for example, the detailed laws of pigul1 and the like.
How does the study of these laws extract, refine and elevate the sparks of Tohu?
הנה מודעת זאת שכל איסור שבעולם יש לו שרש ומקור חיים בקליפות
It is known that every prohibited thing in the world has a source and a root of life in the kelipot.
שאם לא כן, לא היה יכול להיות במציאות בעולם, בלתי השפעה עליונה
Otherwise, it could not exist in this world, without the flow from above, i.e., without receiving vitality from a spiritual source.
ואפילו המסלסל בשערו, וכהאי גוונא, מקבל חיותו ברגע זו מהיכלות הקליפות, כמו שכתוב בזהר
Even one who crinkles his hair, and the like, receives his life-force at that moment from the spiritual chambers of the kelipot, as is explained in the Zohar.2
והלכך גם פרטי האיסורים שלא באו לידי מעשה מעולם, בעולם הזה הגשמי
Therefore even the particular prohibitions that never became practical issues in this physical world,
מכל מקום שרשי חיותם הן במציאות בפועל ממש בהיכלות הקליפות
still the roots of their life-force do actually exist in the spiritual chambers of the kelipot.
וגם הפרטים שיוכל להיות שלא היו ולא יהיו לעולם במציאות
Even the particular instances that possibly never did and never will actually occur,
כגון טעות ושגגות, שטעה וקרא לתשיעי עשירי כו׳, וכהאי גוונא
for example errors and unwitting misdeeds, like (when tithing) erroneously calling the ninth [sheep] the tenth,3 and the like,
דלא שייך במזיד, להיות קליפה שורה על זה
the kind of eventuality that cannot be deliberate and thereby cause a kelipah to light upon it.
ויוכל להיות דכהאי גוונא אינו במציאות בהיכלות הקליפות
Possibly in these circumstances it does not exist in the chambers of the kelipot.
How, then, does it possess a source and root in the kelipot?
הגה״ה מאדמו״ר בעל צמח צדק, זכרונו לברכה, נשמתו עדן: נראה לי מה שכתב ויוכל להיות, אלמא דלא ברירא ליה, היינו משום שהשגגות באות מנוגה, אם כן יש לומר דיש להם שרש בהיכלות דנוגה
[4Note inserted by the Tzemach Tzedek, of blessed memory: It appears to me that the Alter Rebbe uses the word “possibly”, implying uncertainty, because unwitting errors derive from nogah. It may therefore be said that their origin is in the chambers of nogah.]
מכל מקום, על כל פנים ישנו במציאות, להבדיל, בחכמה עילאה שנתפשטה בפרט זה למשה רבנו, עליו השלום, בסיני
In any event, it does exist if not in kelipot, then at least — keeping in mind the distinction between the sacred and the profane — in the Supreme Wisdom that issued and descended in this detail to Moses at Sinai,
כמאמר: מה שכל תלמיד ותיק עתיד לחדש כו׳
[5as in the expression,6 “Whatever teaching] any seasoned student will one day innovate... [was taught to Moses at Sinai].”
וכל פרטי האבעיות דרבי ירמיה
Likewise, all the detailed queries of R. Yirmeyah, who posed so many hypothetical possibilities that he was escorted from the House of Study, as the Gemara relates,7
Obviously, his queries involved situations that were entirely unlikely to ever take place.8
וכרכתו כו׳, פרק ד׳ דחולין
and [detailed queries such as] “If she wrapped him...,” in ch. 4 of Chullin.9
The question discussed there is whether a firstborn animal can be considered to have directly “opened the womb” (and hence be sanctified) in either of two hypothetical cases. According to Rashi, it is a question of what happens if the person assisting in the birth entirely wraps up the animal as it is born. According to Rabbeinu Tam,the question involves a multiple birth, with a cow being born together with the firstborn bull, and wrapping itself completely around it — something extremely unlikely to ever occur.
Nevertheless, all these detailed queries were given to Moses at Sinai.
כי התפשטות חכמה עילאה היא בחינת אין סוף, המלובש בה בפועל ממש
For the extension of the Supreme Wisdom that is vested in the laws of Torah is infinite, since the Infinite is actually clothed in it.
וכל פרט הלכה הוא שער נמשך מחכמה עילאה
Every particular of the law is a gate drawn from the Supreme Wisdom
דיסד ברתא, ומלובש בה
which “founded the daughter,” and is clothed in it,
Chochmah (the “father”) founded Malchut (the “daughter”). “Malchut is the mouth, which we call the Oral Torah.”10 Chochmah, then, is clothed in the laws of the Oral Torah as they are to be found in their source in Malchut of Atzilut.
וממנה נמשך, ומתלבש בבריאה יצירה עשיה
and from [Malchut], [Chochmah] is drawn and invested in Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah.
The Alter Rebbe will now conclude by explaining how this brings about the refinement of the sparks.
ונודע כי יניקת הקליפות, מאחוריים דיו״ד ספירות דקדושה
It is known that the nurture of the kelipot derives from the hinderpart of the Ten Sefirot of holiness,
ובפרט, מלבושים דיו״ד ספירות דבריאה יצירה עשיה
and more precisely, from the garments of the Ten Sefirot of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah,
ובפרט, דיצירה ועשיה המעורבים בקליפות
and yet more precisely, [they derive their nurture from the garments] of Yetzirah and Asiyahthat are intermingled with kelipot,
The evil of the kelipot in the Worlds of Yetzirah and Asiyah is intermingled with the good.
כנודע שיניקתם מבחינת הלבושים
for, as is known, their nurture derives from the state of garments.
ועל ידי עסק ההלכות בדבור ומחשבה, מתפרשים ומתפרדים מהקדושה
Through the study of the laws, in speech and in thought, they become separated11 and distinct from the sacred.
כמו שכתוב בתיקונים ורעיא מהימנא: לאפרשא כו׳
Thus it is stated in Tikkunim and Raya Mehemna,12 “To separate [13etc.] [the kelipot from holiness through Torah study].”
How does Torah study accomplish the separation and refinement of the kelipot, when the issue of Supernal Wisdom originally in Torah was unable to effect this, and there came about the admixture of good and evil in the Worlds of Yetzirah and Asiyah?
והיינו כנודע ממה שאמרו: על שלא ברכו בתורה תחלה כו׳
This accords with what is known concerning the teaching of our Sages14 (in answer to the prophet’s query,15 “Why was the land destroyed?”): “For they did not recite the blessing before Torah study....”
The inner meaning of this is that the people of those times failed to draw down the infinite light into their study of the Torah (for ברך, the root of the word in the Holy Tongue that means “blessing”, signifies “drawing down”). Evil cannot be separated from good by the Torah alone: it must be studied in the proper manner.
שהוא על ידי המשכת אור אין סוף בחכמה עילאה המלובשת בהן
This [separation] is effected by drawing down the infinite light into the Supreme Wisdom clothed in them, in the laws of the Torah.
ובחכמה איתברירו, באור אין סוף שבה
Through Chochmah they are sorted out — through the infinite light that is within it, i.e., withinChochmah.
This is equally true regarding the study of the laws of prohibitory commands, even those that most probably will never occur. For the Torah study itself accomplishes this purification.
והמשכה זו נעשה על ידי דיוקן העליון של האדם, העוסק גם כן בהלכות אלו למעלה
This [light] is drawn into the Supreme Wisdom by the supernal “likeness” of man, who is also occupied with these laws above,
When a man studies Torah below, his source above engages in Torah study as well.
בשרשו בנוקבא דז״א דבריאה יצירה עשיה
in its source in nukva of Za of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah.
ובזה יובן חיוב כל נפש רוח נשמה להשלים כל התרי״ג, במחשבה דבור ומעשה
Thus we can understand the requirement16 that every Nefesh-Ruach-Neshamah fulfill all 613 commandments in thought, speech and deed,
שהן פרטי ההלכות
meaning the details of the laws, for thought and speech refer to the study of all these details.
וצריכות לבא בגלגול להשלים התורה בפשט, רמז, דרוש, סוד
They (any Nefesh-Ruach-Neshamah that failed to complete a previous mission in this world) must be reincarnated to fulfill the Torah — in its simple meaning, allusions, homiletics and secrets,17
כדי לברר כל הבירורין הנוגעים להם מכל הרפ״ח, שהיא קומת אדם שלמה
in order to sort out and refine all that pertains to them from among the 288 sparks that constitute the complete structure of man,
תרי״ג בחינות כלליות ופרטיות
with the 613 categories, general and particular, that relate to each soul.
אבל לעתיד לבא, כשיושלם הבירור, יהיה עסק התורה בבחינת עשה טוב לבד
But in the Time to Come, when the refinement is culminated, the study of Torah will be in the form of “do good” alone, and no longer in order to separate good from evil.
להעלות הנפש רוח נשמה מעלה מעלה עד אין סוף
[Its purpose will be] to elevate the Nefesh-Ruach-Neshamah ever and infinitely higher;
וגם בשס״ה לא תעשה, בשרשן למעלה, שהן גבורות קדושות
and also, with regard to [the study of] the 365 prohibitions, [to elevate them] to their source, the holy attributes of Severity,
ולהמתיקן בחסדים ברמ״ח מצות עשה, ולכללן יחד
and to “sweeten” them through the attributes of Kindness that are in the 248 positive commandments, and to fuse them — the attributes of Severity with the attributes of Kindness.
ועל כן התורה כולה נצחית בכללה ובפרטה
The entire Torah is thus eternal in general and in detail.
I.e., including even all the detailed laws that have no practical application at all in the Time to Come.
שגם פרטי ההלכות דשס״ה לא תעשה, הן הן ענפים מהכללות
For even the individual laws of the 365 prohibitions are branches of the Torah’s general statements.
ויש לכולם שרש למעלה, בה׳ גבורות דקדושה
All of them have a source above in the five holy attributes of Severity,
כמו השס״ה לא תעשה עצמן שהן למעלה, בחינת הדם המחיה האברים דכלים דז״א
just as the 365 prohibitions themselves as they are above, in the state of “blood” that animates the organs of the vessels of Za.
| FOOTNOTES | |
| 1. | Vayikra 7:18; Zevachim 29a. |
| 2. | See Zohar I, 166b. |
| 3. | Bechorot 59a. |
| 4. | The brackets are in the original text. |
| 5. | The brackets are in the original text. |
| 6. | Cf. Megillah 19b; Yerushalmi, Peah 2:4; et al. |
| 7. | Bava Batra 23b. |
| 8. | Note of the Rebbe: “But see also Tosafot [which gives a different reason for his being asked to leave]. See also p. 165b there [where the Gemara states that R. Yirmeyah was reinstated in the House of Study because of problems which he solved]. Moreover, the Acharonim note that most of his queries remained unresolved.” |
| 9. | P. 70a. |
| 10. | Tikkunei Zohar, in the Introduction which begins, Patach Eliyahu. |
| 11. | Emended according to Luach HaTikkun of the Rebbe. |
| 12. | See Zohar III, 11b; 27b. |
| 13. | The brackets are in the original text. |
| 14. | Nedarim 81a. |
| 15. | Yirmeyahu 9:11. |
| 16. | Note of the Rebbe: “See also above, Iggeret HaKodesh, Epistle XXIX; the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch, Hilchot Talmud Torah [1:4, and sources cited there].” |
| 17. | In the Heb. original, the last four words are abbreviated to בפרד״ס — “In the Pardess” (lit., “orchard” of the Torah). |
• Sefer Hamitzvot:
English Text | Hebrew Text
Audio: Listen | Download | Video ClassFriday, Kislev 13, 5778 · December 1, 2017
Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
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Important Message Regarding This Lesson
The Daily Mitzvah schedule runs parallel to the daily study of 3 chapters of Maimonides' 14-volume code. There are instances when the Mitzvah is repeated a few days consecutively while the exploration of the same Mitzvah continues in the in-depth track.
Positive Commandment 153
Calculating Months and Years
"This month shall be to you the beginning of months"—Exodus 12:2.
We are commanded to establish a calendar and calculate its months and years. The months are lunar months, with a new month established when the new moon appears; the years follow the solar seasonal cycle, necessitating the periodic addition of an extra (thirteenth) month to a year – which then becomes a "leap year" – because twelve lunar months are several days short of a solar year. This mitzvah is known as Sanctifying the New Moon.
This mitzvah is entrusted to the Jewish Supreme Court that presides in Israel. Unlike the counting of six days and then observing the Shabbat, a mitzvah that is incumbent upon every individual, no individual can unilaterally decide that a new month has arrived simply because he espied the new moon, and no individual can decide to add a month to the calendar based on his personal (even Torah-based) calculations.
Only the Supreme Court can make these calculations, and only in the Land of Israel. We follow the rulings issued by the Supreme Court in Israel even if they inadvertently established the "wrong" day as the New Moon, even if they did so under duress.
In the event that there are no qualified rabbis remaining in Israel, these calculations can be made, and months and leap years established, by a court that was ordained in Israel—even if it finds itself in the Diaspora.
Today we no longer sanctify the months based on the testimony of witnesses who saw the new moon, because there is no longer a sitting rabbinical Supreme Court in Israel—much as we no longer offer sacrifices, because we lack a Holy Temple.
But under no circumstances can an individual or court outside of Israel establish a new month or a leap year. Our calculations today in the Diaspora are only to determine which days the Court in Israel established as the New Moon, and which years they established as leap years.
[Editor's Note: Nachmanides asks, if so, how do we have holidays and a calendar today, when there is no rabbinical Supreme Court in Israel? He answers that there is a tradition that Hillel the Prince, who resided in Israel, established a calendar until the arrival of Moshiach, and sanctified all the new months and leap years until that time. Therefore, we can use our calculations to determine exactly what he previously established.]
Some laws associated with this mitzvah:
- The extra month added to a leap year is the one contiguous to the month of Passover—i.e. Adar.
- The establishment of new months and leap years must be done during daylight hours.
- A year must be comprised of complete months; a month must be comprised of complete days.
Calculating Months and Years
Positive Commandment 153
Translated by Berel Bell
The 153rd mitzvah is that G‑d (exalted be He) commanded us to calculate the months and years.1 This is the mitzvah of Kiddush HaChodesh (Sanctifying the Moon).
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement2 (exalted be He), "[And G‑d said to Moshe and Aharon in the land of Egypt,] 'this month [Nissan] shall be the head month to you.' "
In their explanation of this mitzvah, the Sages said,3 "This testimony is given lochem ["you", plural]."4 The meaning of this statement: This mitzvah is not incumbent on every individual as is Shabbos, for example, where every single individual counts six days and rests on the seventh. In our case, it would mean that every individual who sees the appearance of the new moon would consider that day Rosh Chodesh [the first of the month]; Or that an individual could use the Torah-approved calculations to himself determine Rosh Chodesh; Or that he could himself estimate that the produce would not yet ripen [by Pesach]5, or consider any of the other factors6 which are used in determining [the calendar] — and then [himself declare a leap year and] add a month!
However, this mitzvah can only be performed by the Bais Din Hagadol, and only in Eretz Yisroel7. Therefore, since today there is no Bais Din HaGadol, we no longer determine the months on the basis of testimony, just as we no longer bring sacrifices because there is no Holy Temple.
The group of heretics known here in the East8 as Karaites have erred in this principle.9 Not even all of the Rabbis have grasped it, and as a result, grope around with them together in deep darkness.10
One must understand that the calculations which we use today to know11 when Rosh Chodesh and the holidays occur, may only be done in Eretz Yisroel. Only in cases of dire need, when there are no Sages in Eretz Yisroel, and when the Bais Din outside Eretz Yisroel was previously ordained in Eretz Yisroel, is it permissible to declare a leap year or determine Rosh Chodesh outside Eretz Yisroel — as Rabbi Akiva did, as explained in the Gemara.12 This is a very extreme measure, and it is well known that in the majority of cases, it was done only in Eretz Yisroel. They [i.e. the Sages in Eretz Yisroel] are the ones to establish the months and declare a leap year, when they gather together and use the accepted methods.
There is a very important principle upon which the Torah's perspective13 on this subject is based, which is only understood and fully realized by those who delve deeply into the Torah, as follows. This that we outside Eretz Yisroel use our system to make calculations and we declare that "this day is the first of the month," and "this day is a holiday," does not in any way mean that we are making this day based on our calculations. Rather, it is because the Bais Din in Eretz Yisroel has already established that the day is a holiday or Rosh Chodesh. The day becomes a holiday or Rosh Chodesh upon their declaration, "Today is Rosh Chodesh, or "Today is a holiday"; regardless of whether they based their actions on calculations or testimony.14
This [that the Bais Din HaGadol in Eretz Yisroel has absolute authority] is known to us through the verse15, "[Speak to the Israelites and tell them, 'These are the holidays] that you shall designate.' " Our Sages explain16, "These are the only holidays." The meaning of this statement, as passed down in the Oral Tradition: whatever they [i.e. the Bais Din] designate as holidays are considered holidays, even if they made an error, were forced [into making a declaration], or misled.
The calculations which we make today are only to know which day they established in Eretz Yisroel, since they use the exact same system to make calculations and to determine the day – not testimony. Therefore, we are really basing ourselves on their determination, rather than our own calculations, which are only used to reveal [what they already determined previously]. One must clearly understand this.
I will give some additional explanation: let us assume, for example, that there would be no Jewish inhabitants in Eretz Yisroel (G‑d forbid such a thing, since He has already promised that he will never completely wipe out or uproot the Jewish nation17); that there would be no Bais Din there, nor a Bais Din outside Eretz Yisroel which had been ordained in Eretz Yisroel. In such a case, our calculations would be totally futile,18 since we, who dwell outside Eretz Yisroel, may not make the calculations, nor declare leap years nor establish the months without the conditions mentioned above,19 since, "For from Zion shall go forth the Torah, and the word of the L‑rd from Jerusalem."20 A person who fully understands the words of the Talmud in this subject will, upon meditation, undoubtedly agree with the abovementioned.
The Torah contains brief references to the basic principles which are relied upon to know when Rosh Chodesh and the leap years occur. Among them: "This law must therefore be kept at its designated time (l'moadah)."21 Our Sages said,22 "This teaches you that one may add on to the leap year only close to the holiday" [moed, i.e. Pesach23].
They also said,24 "From which verse do we derive that only during the daytime may we officially add on to the month or officially declare Rosh Chodesh? From the verse,25 'miyamim yamimah.' "26
[So too,] G‑d's statement27 (exalted be He), "[This month shall be the head month to you; the first month] of the months of the year." On this our Sages said,28 "The year must be composed of months, not of [odd] days", meaning that when adding on to the year, a complete month must be added.29
There is also a verse,30 "a month of days." Our Sages commented,31 "the month must be composed of days, not of [odd] hours". [So too] the verse,32 "safeguard the month of Aviv,"33 which implies that in calculating the year we must take into account the seasons. Therefore, they shall be years [based not only on the moon but also] based on the sun.
All the details of this mitzvah have been completely explained in the first chapter of Sanhedrin,34 in tractate Rosh Hashanah,35 and in Berachos.
FOOTNOTES
1.The lunar month has approximately 29 1/2 days. Since, as mentioned later in this mitzvah, a month may only consist of complete days, one must determine whether a particular month has 29 or 30 days. This could be done either by witnesses, who testified that they saw the moon appear on the 30th day, or by making the astronomical calculations.
In addition, the holidays must fall out in the proper season: Pesach in the spring, etc. Since the lunar year is only 354 days and the solar year 365 days, each lunar year is 11 days short. Therefore, an additional lunar month must be periodically added in order to maintain the proper timing of the holidays.
2.Ex. 12:2.
3.Rosh Hashanah 22a.
4.I.e. to Moshe and Aharon. In later generations, it applies to the most important heads of the generation. See Rashi, ibid.
5.This would be a sign that Pesach is too early and therefore a month must be added.
6.Such as the spring solstice falling out later than the 16th of Nissan.
7.Unless there is no Sage in Eretz Yisroel of sufficient stature. See below.
8.I.e. Egypt. See Heller edition, note 10.
9.And therefore, even in the Rambam's times, they attempted to do this mitzvah by determining the calendar on the basis of testimony, each location individually. See Yad Halevi, note 8.
10.Trying to disprove the Karaites with faulty reasoning — saying, for example, that the primary mitzvah is to base everything on calculations, rather than testimony, even when the Bais Din HaGadol was in existence (unlike the Rambam's reasoning). See Kapach, 5731, note 40. The Rambam therefore proceeds to explain the function of the calculations.
11.See below for the preciseness of this wording — that today we use the calculations only to "know" what was previously established, not to ourselves establish Rosh Chodesh.
12.Berachos 63a.
13.This phrase can also be translated, "full understanding." See Kapach, 5731, note 44.
14.See note below regarding today's situation, where there is no Bais Din Hagadol in Eretz Yisroel.
15.Lev. 23:2.
16.Rosh Hashanah 25a.
17.For the source of this statement, see Tzafnas Paneach; Yermiyahu 31:35-36 and Guide to the Perplexed Part II, ch.28 (quoted in Kapach, 5731, note 51.)
18.The Ramban asks, if so, how can we have holidays and a calendar today?
However, there is a tradition (see Rashba, responsa, Vol.4, No.254) that Hillel HaNassi, in Eretz Yisroel, established a calendar until the arrival of Moshiach. Therefore, we can use our calculations to determine exactly what was previously established. According to many commentaries (see, for example, Megillas Esther; Chinuch) this is also the opinion of the Rambam. However, see Avnei Nezer, Orach Chaim, 310, 311; Maharam Shick, Mitzvah 4; Chasam Sofer, Yoreh Deah, 234.
19.I.e. in cases of dire need, when there are no Sages in Eretz Yisroel, and when the Bais Din outside Eretz Yisroel was previously ordained in Eretz Yisroel.
20.Yeshayahu 2:3.
21.Ex. 13:10.
22.Mechilta D'Rashbi.
23.The extra month of the leap must be an additional Adar, right before Nissan, the month of Pesach.
24.Mechilta D'Rashbi.
25.Ex. 13:10.
26.Literally, "from day to day." The standard translation of this verse, however, is "from year to year," or "every year."
27.Ex. 12:2.
28.Megilah 5a.
29.Unlike the solar leap year, where one day is added.
30.Num. 11:21.
31.Megillah 5a.
32.Deut. 16:1.
33.I.e. the spring solstice.
34.11a.
35.20a.
Positive Commandment 59
Blowing Trumpets
"On the day of your joy, on your holidays and on the heads of your months you shall blow with trumpets"—Numbers 10:10.
We are commanded to blow trumpets while the sacrifices offered on special dates were being offered in the Holy Temple.
We are also commanded to blow trumpets during times of distress, to accompany our prayer to G‑d.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
Blowing Trumpets
Positive Commandment 59
Translated by Berel Bell
The 59th mitzvah is that we are commanded to sound the trumpets in the Holy Temple when offering any of the periodic1 sacrifices.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement,2 "And on the day of your rejoicing, on your festivals and on your Rosh Chodesh days, you shall sound the trumpets over your burnt-offerings."
Our Sages have explicitly stated3 that [on a fast day, the sounds of the trumpet last longer than the sounds of the shofar4 because] "the main mitzvah of this day is that of the trumpets."5
The details of this mitzvah are explained in the Sifri,6 in Rosh Hashanah,7 and in Taanis.8
Since we are [also] commanded to sound the trumpets when we cry out to G‑d (exalted be He) during a time of trouble and distress, the verse9 says, "When you go to war against an enemy who attacks you in your land, [you shall sound the trumpets]."
FOOTNOTES
1.I.e. those brought on holidays and Rosh Chodesh. See Hilchos Klei Hamikdosh 3:5.
2.Num. 10:10.
3.Rosh Hashanah, Ch.3, Mishneh 4 (26b).
4.Unlike Rosh Hashanah, when the shofar lasts longer.
5.Perhaps the Rambam's goal in quoting this passage is to point out the expression, "main mitzvah" (mitzvas hayom), which shows that blowing the trumpet counts as one of the 613 mitzvos.
Although this statement refers to blowing the trumpets on a fast day, nevertheless it can be applied here, since the Rambam counts them as one and the same mitzvah.
6.Parshas B'haaloscha.
7.See note above.
8.15a.
9.Num. 10:9.
Rambam:
• 1 Chapter A Day: Tefilah and Birkat Kohanim Tefilah and Birkat Kohanim - Chapter Four
English Text | Hebrew Text
Audio: Listen | Download | Video ClassTefilah and Birkat Kohanim - Chapter Four
1
Five things prevent one from praying, even though the time [for prayer] has arrived:
1) the purification of one's hands;
2) the covering of nakedness;
3) the purity of the place of prayer;
4) things that might bother and distract one; and
5) the proper intention of one's heart.
א
חמשה דברים מעכבין את התפלה אף על פי שהגיע זמנה טהרת ידים וכיסוי הערוה וטהרת מקום תפלה ודברים החופזים אותו וכוונת הלב:
2
The purification of one's hands - What does this imply? One must wash his hands in water until the joint. [Only] afterwards may he pray.
[The following rules apply when] a person is travelling on the road when the time for prayer arrives: If he has no water, but is within four millin - i.e., 8000 cubits - of a source of water, he should proceed to it, wash his hands, and then pray. If the distance to the water is greater than this, he should clean his hands with pebbles, earth, or a beam, and pray.
ב
טהרת ידים כיצד רוחץ ידיו במים עד הפרק ואחר כך יתפלל היה מהלך בדרך והגיע זמן תפלה ולא היה לו מים אם היה בינו ובין המים ארבעה מילין שהם שמונת אלפים אמה הולך עד מקום המים ורוחץ ואח"כ יתפלל היה בינו ובין המים יותר על כן מקנח ידיו בצרור או בעפר או בקורה ומתפלל:
3
When does this apply? [When the water is] ahead of him. However, if the place with water is behind him, we do not obligate him to retrace his steps more than one mil. However, if he has passed further beyond the water, he is not obligated to return. Rather, he should clean his hands and pray.
When do the above statements requiring one to purify merely his hands alone for prayer apply? To the other services, but not for the Morning Prayer. For the Morning Prayer, one should wash his face, hands, and feet, and only afterwards, may he pray. If he is far from water, he may clean his hands only and then pray.
ג
בד"א לפניו אבל אם היה מקום המים לאחוריו אין מחייבין אותו לחזור לאחוריו אלא עד מיל אבל אם עבר מן המים יותר אינו חייב לחזור אלא מקנח ידיו ומתפלל במה דברים אמורים שאינו מטהר לתפלה אלא ידיו בלבד בשאר תפלות חוץ מתפלת שחרית אבל שחרית רוחץ פניו ידיו ורגליו ואחר כך יתפלל ואם היה רחוק מן המים מקנח ידיו בלבד ואח"כ יתפלל:
4
All the ritually impure need only wash their hands in order to pray, just like those not in such a state. Even if they are able to immerse themselves [in a mikveh] and ascend from their impure state, this immersion is not required [for prayer].
We have already explained that Ezra decreed that only one who has had a seminal emission is prohibited from Torah study until he has immersed himself. The Rabbinical Court [that existed afterwards] decreed that [this applies] even to prayer, i.e., such a person alone should not pray until he immerses himself.
These decrees were not put into effect because of questions of ritual purity and impurity, but rather to ensure that the Torah scholars would not overindulge in marital intimacy with their wives. Therefore, they instituted ritual immersion only for one who has a seminal emission, thereby excepting him from the other ritually impure.
ד
כל הטמאין רוחצין ידיהן בלבד כטהורין ומתפללים אע"פ שאפשר להם לטבול ולעלות מטומאתן אין הטבילה מעכבת וכבר בארנו שעזרא תיקן שלא יקרא בעל קרי בלבד בדברי תורה עד שיטבול ובית דין שעמדו אחר כן התקינו אף לתפלה שלא יתפלל בעל קרי בלבד עד שיטבול ולא מפני טומאה וטהרה נגעו בה אלא כדי שלא יהיו תלמידי חכמים מצויים אצל נשותיהן כתרנגולים ומפני זה תקנו טבילה לבעל קרי לבדו והוציאוהו מכלל הטמאין:
5
Therefore, at the time of this decree, it was said that even a זב who had a seminal emission, a menstruating woman who emitted semen, and a woman who saw traces of menstrual blood after relations, required immersion to recite the Shema and to pray because of the seminal emission, despite [the fact that they remained] ritually impure.
This is reasonable, since this immersion was not a matter of purity, but a result of the decree so that they would not constantly be with their wives.
This decree regarding prayer was also abolished, since it was not universally accepted by the Jewish people, and the community at large was unable to observe it.
ה
לפיכך היו אומרין בזמן תקנה זו שאפילו זב שראה קרי ונדה שפלטה שכבת זרע ומשמשת שראתה דם נדה צריכין טבילה לקריאת שמע וכן לתפלה מפני הקרי אף על פי שהם טמאין וכן הדין נותן שאין טבילה זו מפני טהרה אלא מפני הגזירה שלא יהיו מצויין אצל נשותיהן תמיד וכבר בטלה גם תקנה זו של תפלה לפי שלא פשטה בכל ישראל ולא היה כח בציבור לעמוד בה:
6
It is widespread custom in Shin'ar and Spain that one who has had a seminal emission does not pray until he has washed his whole body in water, [based on the command]: "Prepare to meet your God, Israel" (Amos 4:12).
To whom does this refer? To a healthy person or to a sick person who engaged in intimacy, but a sick person who has had an accidental emission is exempt from bathing and there is no such custom regarding this matter. Similarly, there is no such custom regarding a זב who has a seminal emission and a menstruating woman who emits semen. Rather, they should clean themselves, wash their hands, and pray.
ו
מנהג פשוט בשנער ובספרד שאין בעל קרי מתפלל עד שרוחץ כל בשרו במים משום הכון לקראת אלהיך ישראל בד"א בבריא או בחולה שבעל אבל חולה שראה קרי לאונסו פטור מן הרחיצה ואין בזה מנהג וכן זב שראה קרי ונדה שפלטה שכבת זרע אין בהן מנהג אלא מקנחין עצמן ורוחצין ידיהן ומתפללין:
7
The proper covering of one's nakedness: What is implied?
Even if one covers his genitalia in the fashion necessary for the recital of the Shema, he may not pray until he covers his heart. If one did not - or was unable to - cover his heart, as long as he covered his nakedness when he prayed, he has fulfilled his obligation. However, a priori, he should not do so.
ז
כיסוי הערוה כיצד אף על פי שכסה ערותו כדרך שמכסין לקריאת שמע לא יתפלל עד שיכסה את לבו ואם לא כסה לבו או שנאנס ואין לו במה יכסה הואיל וכסה ערותו והתפלל יצא ולכתחלה לא יעשה:
8
The purity of the place of prayer: What is implied?
One should not pray in a place of filth, a bathhouse, a latrine or garbage heap. [Similarly, one should not pray] in a place that is not presumed to be clean until he checks it.
The general rule is that one should not pray in any place in which one would not recite the Shema. [Thus,] just as one separates oneself from excreta, urine, a foul odor, a corpse and the sight of nakedness for Kri'at Shema, so too, he should separate himself for Shemoneh Esreh.
ח
טהרת מקום התפלה כיצד לא יתפלל במקום הטנופת ולא במרחץ ולא בבית הכסא ולא באשפה ולא במקום שאינו בחזקת טהרה עד שיבדקנו כללו של דבר כל מקום שאין קורין בו קריאת שמע אין מתפללין בו וכשם שמרחיקין מצואה וממי רגלים וריח רע ומן המת ומראיית הערוה לקריאת שמע כך מרחיקין לתפלה:
9
[The following rules apply] when one finds excreta in his place [of prayer.] Since he transgressed by not checking the place before he began to pray, he must pray again in a clean place.
[The following rules apply] when one finds excreta while he is in the midst of prayer: If he can walk forwards such that [the feces] will be left four cubits behind him, he should do so. If not, he should move to the side. If he is unable [to do the latter], he should stop praying.
The great Sages would refrain from praying in a house in which there was beer or brine at the time of its foaming because of the foul odor, even though it was a clean place.
ט
המתפלל ומצא צואה במקומו הואיל וחטא מפני שלא בדק עד שלא התפלל חוזר ומתפלל במקום טהור היה עומד בתפלה ומצא צואה כנגדו אם יכול להלך לפניו כדי שיזרקנה לאחריו ארבע אמות יהלך ואם לאו יסלקנה לצדדין ואם אינו יכול יפסיק גדולי החכמים לא היו מתפללים בבית שיש בו שכר ולא בבית שיש בו מורייס בעת עפושו מפני שריחו רע אע"פשהמקום טהור:
10
Things that might bother and distract him: What is implied?
One who must relieve himself should not pray. Whenever anyone who must relieve himself prays, his prayer is an abomination and he must pray again after he relieves himself.
If a person can restrain himself for the length of time that it takes to walk a parsah, his prayer is considered prayer.
Nevertheless, a priori, one should not pray until he has checked himself very well, checked his intestines, rid himself of phlegm and mucus and any [other] bothersome thing. [Only] afterwards should he pray.
י
דברים החופזים אותו כיצד אם היה צריך לנקביו לא יתפלל וכל הצריך לנקביו והתפלל תפלתו תועבה וחוזר ומתפלל אחר שיעשה צרכיו ואם יכול להעמיד עצמו כדי פרסה תפלתו תפלה ואף על פי כן לכתחלה לא יתפלל עד שיבדוק עצמו יפה יפה ויבדוק נקביו ויסיר כיחו וניעו וכל הדבר הטורדו ואחר כך יתפלל:
11
[The following rules apply to] one who burps, yawns, or sneezes during prayer: Should a person do so voluntarily, it is deprecating. [However,] if the person checked himself before he prayed and did so against his will, it is of no consequence.
If saliva comes up during prayer, one should cause it to be absorbed into his tallit or clothes. If he is bothered by this, he may throw it behind him with his hand in order that he not be bothered during his prayer and be distracted.
If one passes gas unwittingly during prayer, he should wait until the gas subsides and return to his prayer.
יא
מי שגיהק ופיהק ונתעטש בתפלתו אם לרצונו הרי זה מגונה ואם בדק גופו קודם שיתפלל ובא לאונסו אין בכך כלום נזדמן לו רוק בתפלתו מבליעו בטליתו או בבגדו ואם היה מצטער בכך זורקו בידו לאחוריו כדי שלא יצטער בתפלה ונמצא טרוד יצא ממנו רוח מלמטה כשהוא עומד בתפלה שלא לדעתו שוהה עד שתכלה הרוח וחוזר לתפלתו:
12
One who desires to pass gas from below and is bothered exceedingly, to the extent that he cannot restrain himself, should walk back four cubits, [expel the gas], and then wait until the gas subsides. He should say:
Master of all the world, You created us with many orifices and ducts. Our shame and disgrace is apparent and known before You. Shame and disgrace during our life, worm-eaten and decaying in our death.
He then returns to his place and prays.
יב
בקש להוציא רוח מלמטה ונצטער הרבה ואינו יכול להעמיד עצמו מהלך לאחריו ארבע אמות וממתין עד שתכלה הרוח ואומר רבון כל העולמים יצרתנו נקבים נקבים חלולים חלולים גלוי וידוע לפניך חרפתנו וכלמתנו חרפה וכלמה בחיינו תולעה ורמה במיתתנו וחוזר למקומו ומתפלל:
13
When urine flows on a person's legs during Shemoneh Esreh, he should wait until the flow ceases, and return to the place at which he stopped. If he waited the time necessary to complete his Shemoneh Esreh, he should return to the beginning.
יג
היה עומד בתפלה ונטפו מי רגליו על ברכיו ממתין עד שיכלו המים וחוזר למקום שפסק ואם שהה כדי לגמור את התפלה חוזר לראש:
14
Similarly, one who urinates should wait the length of time it takes to walk four cubits, and then pray. After one has prayed, he should wait this length of time before urinating, in order to make a distinction following the words of prayer.
יד
וכן המשתין מים שוהה כדי הילוך ד' אמות ואח"כ יתפלל ומשהתפלל שוהה אחר תפלתו כדי הילוך ארבע אמות ואחר כך משתין כדי שיפסוק דברי התפלה מפיו:
15
Proper intention: What is implied?
Any prayer that is not [recited] with proper intention is not prayer. If one prays without proper intention, he must repeat his prayers with proper intention.
One who is in a confused or troubled state may not pray until he composes himself. Therefore, one who comes in from a journey and is tired or irritated is forbidden to pray until he composes himself. Our Sages taught that one should wait three days until he is rested and his mind is settled, and then he may pray.
טו
כוונת הלב כיצד כל תפלה שאינה בכוונה אינה תפלה ואם התפלל בלא כוונה חוזר ומתפלל בכוונה מצא דעתו משובשת ולבו טרוד אסור לו להתפלל עד שתתיישב דעתו לפיכך הבא מן הדרך והוא עיף או מיצר אסור לו להתפלל עד שתתיישב דעתו אמרו חכמים ישהה שלשה ימים עד שינוח ותתקרר דעתו ואחר כך יתפלל:
16
What is meany by [proper] intention?
One should clear his mind from all thoughts and envision himself as standing before the Divine Presence. Therefore, one must sit a short while before praying in order to focus his attention and then pray in a pleasant and supplicatory fashion.
One should not pray as one carrying a burden who throws it off and walks away. Therefore, one must sit a short while after praying, and then withdraw.
The pious ones of the previous generations would wait an hour before praying and an hour after praying. They would [also] extend their prayers for an hour.
טז
כיצד היא הכוונה שיפנה את לבו מכל המחשבות ויראה עצמו כאלו הוא עומד לפני השכינה לפיכך צריך לישב מעט קודם התפלה כדי לכוין את לבו ואח"כ יתפלל בנחת ובתחנונים ולא יעשה תפלתו כמי שהיה נושא משאוי ומשליכו והולך לו לפיכך צריך לישב מעט אחר התפלה ואחר כך יפטר חסידים הראשונים היו שוהין שעה אחת קודם תפלה ושעה אחת לאחר תפלה ומאריכין בתפלה שעה:
17
A person who is drunk should not pray, because he cannot have proper intention. If he does pray, his prayer is an abomination. Therefore, he must pray again when he is clear of his drunkenness. One who is slightly inebriated should not pray, [but] if he prays, his prayer is prayer.
When is a person considered as drunk? When he is unable to speak before a king. [In contrast,] a person who is slightly inebriated is able to speak before a king without becoming confused. Nevertheless, since he drank a revi'it of wine, he should not pray until his wine has passed from him.
יז
שכור אל יתפלל מפני שאין לו כוונה ואם התפלל תפלתו תועבה לפיכך חוזר ומתפלל כשיתרוקן משכרותו שתוי אל יתפלל ואם התפלל תפלתו תפלה אי זה שכור זה שאינו יכול לדבר לפני המלך שתוי יכול לדבר בפני המלך ואינו משתבש אע"פ כן הואיל ושתה רביעית יין לא יתפלל עד שיסיר יינו מעליו:
18
Similarly, one should not stand to pray in the midst of laughter or irreverent behavior, nor in the midst of a conversation, argument or anger, but rather in the midst of words of Torah.
[However, one should not stand to pray] in the midst of a judgment or a [difficult] halachic issue, even though these are words of Torah, lest one's mind be distracted by the halachah in question. Rather, [one should pray] in the midst of words of Torah that do not require deep concentration, e.g., laws that have already been accepted.
יח
וכן אין עומדין להתפלל לא מתוך שחוק ולא מתוך קלות ראש ולא מתוך שיחה ולא מתוך מריבה ולא מתוך כעס אלא מתוך דברי תורה ולא מתוך דין והלכה אף על פי שהם דברי תורה כדי שלא יהא לבו טרוד בהלכה אלא מתוך דברי תורה שאין בה עיון כגון הלכות פסוקות:
19
Before reciting occasional prayers, e.g., the Musaf Prayer of Rosh Chodesh or the prayers of the festivals, one must review his prayers lest he make mistakes in them.
A person walking in a dangerous place, e.g., a place frequented by wild animals or bandits, when the time of the Amidah arrives, should recite [only] a single blessing:
The needs of Your people, Israel, are great and their knowledge is limited. May it be Your will, O God, our Lord, that You will provide each and every one with a sufficient livelihood, and give to each individual all that he lacks. And that which is good in Your eyes, You should do. Blessed are You, God, the One who hears prayer.
He may recite it as he walks on the road. [However,] if he is able to stop [to recite it], he should. When he arrives at a settlement and his mind is composed, he should recite a proper Amidah of 19 blessings.
יט
תפלות הפרקים כגון תפלת מוסף ראש חדש ותפלת מועדות צריך להסדיר תפלתו ואח"כ עומד ומתפלל כדי שלא יכשל בה היה מהלך במקום סכנה כגון מקום גדודי חיות ולסטים והגיע זמן תפלה מתפלל ברכה אחת וזו היא:
צרכי עמך ישראל מרובים ודעתם קצרה יהי רצון מלפניך ה' אלהינו שתתן לכל אחד ואחד כדי פרנסתו ולכל גויה וגויה די מחסורה והטוב בעיניך עשה ברוך אתה יי' שומע תפלה ומתפלל אותה בדרך כשהוא מהלך ואם יכול לעמוד עומד וכשהוא מגיע לישוב ותתקרר דעתו חוזר ומתפלל תפלה כתקנתה תשעה עשר ברכות:
Rambam:
• 3 Chapters A Day: Kiddush HaChodesh Kiddush HaChodesh - Chapter Eighteen, Kiddush HaChodesh Kiddush HaChodesh - Chapter Nineteen, Ta'aniyot Ta'aniyot - Chapter One
English Text | Hebrew Text
Audio: Listen | Download | Video ClassKiddush HaChodesh - Chapter Eighteen
1
It is well-known and obvious that although the calculations indicate that the moon should be sighted on [a particular] night, its sighting is [only] probable. It is, however, also possible that it will not be sighted, because it is covered by clouds, because the place [from where it could be sighted] is in a valley,1 or because there is a tall mountain in the west,2 blocking [view of] the people in the place [from where it could be sighted], and it will be as if they are in a valley.
For the moon will not be able to be sighted by a person in a low place, even when [its crescent] is large. Conversely, it will be possible for a person on a high and lofty mountain to sight [the moon], even though [its crescent] is very small. Similarly, sighting it will be possible for a person dwelling on the seashore, or a person travelling on a ship in the Mediterranean Sea, even though [its crescent] is very small.
א
דבר ידוע וברור שאם יוציא לך החשבון שהירח יראה בלילה. אפשר שיראה ואפשר שלא יראה מפני העבים שמכסין אותו או מפני המקום שהוא גיא או שיהיה הר גבוה כנגד רוח מערב לאנשי אותו המקום שנמצאו כאילו הן יושבין בגיא. שהירח לא יראה למי שהוא במקום נמוך אפילו היה גדול ויראה למי שהוא עומד בראש הר גבוה ותלול אע"פ שהירח קטן ביותר. וכן יראה למי ששוכן על שפת הים או למי שמהלך בספינה בים הגדול אע"פ שהוא קטן ביותר:
2
Similarly, in the rainy season, on a clear day, the visibility of the moon will be greater than it is in the summer. For on a clear day in the rainy season, the air is clear and the heavens appear more brilliant, because there is no dust clouding the air. In the summer, by contrast, the air is like smoke, because of the dust. Therefore, the moon will appear small.
ב
וכן בימות הגשמים אם יהיה יום צח יראה הירח יותר ממה שיראה בימות החמה. לפי שבימות הגשמים אם יהיה יום צח יהיה האויר זך הרבה ויראה הרקיע בטוהר יותר מפני שאין שם אבק שיתערב באויר. אבל בימות החמה יהיה האויר כאילו הוא מעושן מפני האבק ויראה הירח קטן:
3
When the two limits [mentioned] with regard to the arc of sighting and the first longitude are short, [the crescent of] the moon will be small, and sighting the moon will be possible only from a very high altitude. If the arc of sighting and the first longitude are long, and [several] degrees were added to their minimal limits, the moon will appear large. Its size and the extent of its visibility will increase according to the length of the arc [of sighting] and the first longitude.
ג
וכל זמן שתמצא קשת הראייה והאורך הראשון שתערוך לה עם שני הקצין שלהם בצמצום. יהיה הירח קטן ביותר ולא יראה אלא במקום גבוה ביותר. ואם תמצא קשת הראייה והאורך הראשון ארוכין הרבה והוסיפו עד סוף הקצים שלהן ממעלות. יראה הירח גדול לפי אורך הקשת והאורך הראשון יהיה גדול וגלייתו לכל:
4
Therefore, the court should always have its attention focused on the following two matters: a) the season when [the moon] was sighted, and b) the place [where the witnesses were located]. [The judges] should ask the witnesses, "Where were you when you saw the moon?" For if the arc of sighting was short, and according to the calculations there is only a limited opportunity to see the moon, [more care is taken regarding their testimony].
For example, the arc of sighting was nine degrees and five minutes, and the first longitude was exactly thirteen degrees, and witnesses came, [claiming] that they saw [the moon]: If this occurs in the summer, or if the [witnesses] were located in a low place, we suspect [the veracity of] their [testimony] and subject them to much cross-examination.
In the rainy season, or in a very high place, [under such circumstances, the moon] would surely be sighted unless clouds obscured it.
ד
לפיכך ראוי לבית דין לשום שני דברים אלו בלבם, שהן זמן הראייה ומקומה ושואלין את העדים באי זה מקום ראיתם. שאם היתה קשת הראיה קצרה ויתן החשבון שיראה בצמצום. כגון שהיתה קשת הראיה ט' מעלות וה' חלקים והיה האורך הראשון י"ג מעלות בשוה ובאו עדים שראוהו. אם היה בימות החמה או שהיו במקום נמוך חוששין להן ובודקין אותן הרבה ואם היה בימות הגשמים או במקום גבוה ביותר ודאי יראה אם לא יהיו שם עבים המבדילין:
5
[Let us examine a hypothetical situation:] Witnesses saw the new moon at the appropriate time.3 They came [to the court], and gave testimony. The court accepted their [testimony] and sanctified this first month.
Afterwards, they counted twenty-nine days from the day that was sanctified. On the night of the thirtieth, the moon was not sighted, either because sighting it was impossible, or because it was covered by clouds. The court waited the entire thirtieth day, as we have explained,4 [but] witnesses did not arrive. [Therefore,] they added a day to the month, and thus, Rosh Chodesh of the second month was on the thirty-first day, as explained.5
ה
עדים שראו החדש בזמנו ובאו והעידו וקבלום בית דין וקדשו את החדש הזה הראשון ומנו כ"ט יום מן היום המקודש. וליל שלשים לא נראה הירח מפני שאי אפשר לו להראות או מפני שכיסוהו עבים. והרי בית דין מצפין לו כל יום שלשים כמו שביארנו. ולא באו עדים ועברו את החדש ונמצא יום ר"ח השני יום ל"א כמו שבארנו.
6
They began to count twenty-nine days from the day of Rosh Chodesh in the second [month], but the moon was not sighted. If you would say that [again] a day should be added to the month - i.e., the following day would be the thirtieth of the month, and the thirty-first day should be Rosh Chodesh of the third month [an undesirable situation would arise]. For it is possible that the moon would not be sighted on the night of the thirtieth of this month as well. Thus, [hypothetically, we could see an] ongoing [pattern, in which] a day is added and the new month begins after thirty days throughout the year. Thus, in the last month, it would be possible for the moon to be seen on the night of the twenty-fifth or the night of the twenty-sixth.6 There could be no more ludicrous and demeaning situation than this.
ו
והתחילו למנות כ"ט יום מן יום ראש החדש השני וליל שלשים לא נראה הירח. אם תאמר שכך מעברין את זה ועושין אותו שלשים וקובעין ראש החדש השלישי יום ל"א. כך אפשר שלא יראה הירח בליל שלשים גם מחדש זה ונמצאו מעברין והולכין ועושין חדשים אחר שלשים כל השנה כולה. ונמצא בחדש אחרון אפשר שיראה הירח בליל כ"ה בו או בליל כ"ו. ואין לך דבר שחוק והפסד יותר מזה.
7
Nor can one say that the [hypothetical situation described] - that the moon is never sighted throughout the year - is an infrequent occurrence [that need not be considered]. The contrary [is true]; it is very likely [to take place]. This often occurs in countries that have long rainy seasons and cloudy [skies]. For the intent is not that the moon will never be seen throughout the year, but that it will not be sighted at the beginning of the month, and will be sighted only afterwards.
[In certain months] it will not be sighted, because sighting it is impossible, and in the months when sighting it is possible, it possibly will not be sighted because of the clouds, or because its [crescent] was very small, and no one focused [his attention] on sighting it.
ז
ואל תאמר שהדבר הזה דבר שאינו מצוי הוא שלא יראה הירח בכל השנה. אלא דבר קרוב הוא הרבה. ופעמים רבות יארע זה וכיוצא בו במדינות שזמן הגשמים שם ארוך והעבים רבים שאין אנו אומרין שלא יראה הירח בכל השנה אלא שלא יראה בתחלת החדשים ויראה אחר כך. ופעמים לא יראה מפני שאי אפשר לו שיראה בהם וחדשים שאפשר שיראה בהם לא יראה מפני העבים או מפני שהיה קטן ביותר ולא נתכוון אדם לראותו:
8
[These difficulties were avoided due to the following] tradition which existed among our Sages, [having been] transmitted from one to another in a chain extending back to Moses our teacher: When the moon was not sighted at the beginning of the months, month after month, the court establishes [the following sequence], one full month with thirty days, one lacking month with twenty-nine days. In this manner, they would calculate and establish one full month and one lacking month - establishing these months, but not sanctifying them.7 For the sanctification of the months is dependent solely on the sighting [of the moon]. At times they would have a full month follow another full month, or a lacking month follow another lacking month, depending on the results of their calculations.
ח
אלא הקבלה שהיה ביד חכמים איש מפי איש מפי משה רבינו כך היא. שבזמן שלא יראה הירח בתחלת החדשים חדש אחר חדש. בית דין קובעין חדש מעובר משלשים יום וחדש חסר מכ"ט יום. וכן מחשבין וקובעין חדש מעובר וחדש חסר בקביעה לא בקידוש. שאין מקדשין אלא על הראייה. ופעמים עושין מלא אחר מלא או חסר אחר חסר כמו שיראה להם מן החשבון:
9
The intent of their calculations is always that it is possible to sight the moon in the following month at its proper time,8 or on the night following the added day, but not to sight it beforehand - e.g., on the night of the twenty-eighth.
Through the sighting calculations mentioned above, it is possible for you to determine when it will be possible [for the moon to be] sighted, and when it is possible that it will not be sighted. [The court] relies on [similar calculations] and [accordingly,] establishes two full months in succession, or two lacking months in succession.
Never should there be fewer than four full months in a year, nor should there ever be more than eight full months.9 When a full month is established according to calculations, a celebratory feast is also made in honor of the full month, as mentioned previously in Chapter 3.10
ט
ומתכוונין לעולם בחשבונם שאם יראה הירח בחדש הבא יראה בזמנו או בליל עיבורו. לא שיראה קודם זמנו שהוא ליל כ"ח. ובחשבונות הראיה האלו שבארנו יתבאר לך ותדע מתי אפשר שיראה ומתי אפשר שלא יראה. ועל זה סומכין ומעברין חדש אחר חדש או עושין חדש חסר אחר חדש חסר. ולעולם אין פוחתין מארבע חדשים המעוברין בשנה ולא מוסיפין על שמנה חדשים המעוברין. וגם לעיבור חדשים אלו שמעברין לפי חשבון עושין סעודת עיבור החדש כמו שאמרנו בפרק שלישי:
10
Whenever you find statements in the Talmud11 according to which it appears that the court relies on computations [rather than the testimony of witnesses], or that it there is [a chain of tradition extending] from Moses at Sinai that this matter has been entrusted to them, and it is their decision whether to make the month lacking or full, and similarly, the fact that, during one year, Rabbi [Yehudah HaNasi] declared nine months as lacking12 - these and all similar matters are dependent on this principle [and apply at] a time when the moon is not sighted at the appropriate time.
י
וכל שתמצא בגמרא מדברים שמראין שבית דין סומכין על החשבון ומפי משה מסיני שהדבר מסור להם והרשות בידם לחסר או לעבר. וכן זה שחסר תשעה חדשים בשנה וכל כיוצא בזה הכל על עיקר זה הוא בנוי בזמן שלא נראה החדש בזמנו:
11
Similarly, the statements of our Sages13 that a day is added to the month when necessary, applies in an instance when a full month [is declared] according to the calculations, [so that] one month is made lacking, and another month full.14 They have the authority to declare full months in succession one after the other, and lacking months in succession.
[Only] when the moon is not seen at the appropriate time does [the court] declare full months when necessary. When, however, the moon is seen at the appropriate time - its first shining after its conjunction with the sun - it is always sanctified.
יא
וכן זה שאמרו חכמים שמעברין את החדש לצורך הוא בחדשים אלו שמעברין אותן לפי חשבון ועושין אחד מלא ואחד חסר. ויש להם לעבר חדש אחר חדש או לחסר. בזה הוא שמעברין לצורך מפני שלא נראה הירח בזמנו. אלא בעת שיראה הירח בזמנו שהוא תחלת היותו נראה אחר שנתקבץ עם השמש מקדשין לעולם:
12
All the above concepts apply when there is a court that relies on the testimony of witnesses. In the present era, by contrast, we rely solely on the calculations based on the mean [motion of the sun and the moon] that are [simple and] widespread throughout Israel, as explained [previously] in these laws.15
יב
וכל הדברים האלו בזמן שיש שם בית דין וסומכין על הראייה. אבל בזמנים אלו אין סומכין אלא על הקביעה בזה החשבון האמצעי הפשוט בכל ישראל כמו שביארנו בהלכות אלו:
13
It is explained in the texts of astronomical and geometrical calculations that if the moon is sighted in Eretz Yisrael, it will be sighted in all the lands in the world that are located to the west of Eretz Yisrael and are at the same latitude.16 If the calculations indicate that the moon will not be sighted in Eretz Yisrael, sighting it is, nevertheless, possible in those lands that are west of Eretz Yisrael and at the same latitude. Therefore, the fact that the moon is sighted in a country that lies west of Eretz Yisrael is not an indication of whether [or not] the moon will be sighted in Eretz Yisrael.17
יג
יתבאר בספרי החשבון התקופות והגימטריאות שאם יראה הירח בארץ ישראל יראה בכל מדינות העולם שהן למערב ארץ ישראל ומכוונות כנגדה. ואם יתן החשבון שלא יראה בארץ ישראל אפשר שיראה במדינות אחרות שהן למערב ארץ ישראל ומכוונות כנגדה. לפיכך אם יראה הירח במדינה שהיא למערב ארץ ישראל אין בזה ראיה שלא יראה בארץ ישראל אלא אפשר שנראה הירח בארץ ישראל:
14
If, however, the moon is not sighted on the mountains of the countries located west of Eretz Yisrael that are at the same latitude, the moon surely was not sighted in Eretz Yisrael.
יד
אבל אם לא יראה הירח בראש ההרים במדינה המערבית המכוונת כנגד ארץ ישראל בידוע שלא נראה בארץ ישראל:
15
Similarly, if the moon was not sighted in Eretz Yisrael, it certainly was not sighted in those countries that are east of Eretz Yisrael, and at the same latitude. If [the moon] was sighted in Eretz Yisrael, however, [there is no certainty whether it will be sighted] in these easterly lands; it may be sighted, and it may not be sighted.
Accordingly, if the moon was sighted in a country located to the east of Eretz Yisrael at the same latitude, the moon was surely sighted in Eretz Yisrael. If, however, the moon was not sighted in a country that lies east [of Eretz Yisrael], that is not an indication that the moon will not be sighted in Eretz Yisrael. On the contrary, it is possible that it will be sighted in Eretz Yisrael.
טו
וכן אם לא יראה הירח בא"י בידוע שלא נראה בכל מדינות העולם שהן למזרח ארץ ישראל ומכוונות כנגדה. ואם יראה בארץ ישראל אפשר שיראה במדינות מזרחיות ואפשר שלא יראה. לפיכך אם יראה במדינה שהיא למזרח ארץ ישראל ומכוונת כנגדה בידוע שנראה בארץ ישראל. ואם לא נראה במדינה המזרחית אין בזה ראיה אלא אפשר שיראה בארץ ישראל:
16
All the above statements apply when the countries to the west and to the east [of Eretz Yisrael] are at the same latitude as Eretz Yisrael - i.e., they are 30 to 35 degrees north [of the equator]. If they are located in a more northerly position, or in a less northerly position, different principles apply, for they are not parallel to Eretz Yisrael.
In the cities that are located to the east and west [of Eretz Yisrael], the statements we made [concerning the sighting of the moon are of abstract interest only], to clarify all the laws regarding the sighting [of the moon] to make the Torah great and glorious. [The intent is not that] the people living in the east or the west should depend on [their] sighting of the moon, or that [their sighting] should be of any consequence whatsoever. Instead, we rely only on the sanctification of the moon [performed] by the court in Eretz Yisrael, as we have explained several times previously.18
טז
וכל אלו הדברים כשהיו המדינות שבמערב ושבמזרח מכוונות. כגון שהיו נוטות לצפון העולם משלשים מעלות עד ל"ה מעלות. אבל אם היו נוטות לצפון יותר מזה או פחות. משפטים אחרים יש להן שהרי אינן מכוונות כנגד א"י. ודברים אלו שביארנו בערי מזרח ומערב אינן אלא להגיד כל משפטי הראייה להגדיל תורה ולהאדירה. לא שיהיו בני מזרח או בני מערב סומכין על ראיית הירח או תועיל להם כלום. אלא לעולם אין סומכין אלא על קידוש בית דין שבארץ ישראל כמו שביארנו כמה פעמים
FOOTNOTES
1.Since the moon is always low on the horizon at the beginning of the month, it is possible that the individuals dwelling in a valley will not be able to see it. For the horizon that appears to them is always higher in the sky than the actual horizon.
2.At the beginning of the month, the moon will always be sighted in the west, for it will have completed most of its daily circuit before nightfall, and will set within a few hours of the setting of the sun.
3.I.e., on the night between the twenty-ninth and thirtieth days of the month, as mentioned in Chapter 1, Halachah 4.
4.Chapter 1, Halachah 6.
5.Ibid.
6.Since there are slightly more than twenty-nine and one half days in a lunar month, after an entire year the conjunction of the moon would fall approximately five and one sixth days earlier than the previous year.
7.I.e., although the court would declare the beginning of a new month, they would not follow the practice of sanctifying the new month described in Chapter 2, Halachah 8.
8.I.e., on the night between the twenty-ninth and thirtieth days of the month.
9.These figures apply in the era when the moon is sanctified according to the testimony of witnesses. According to the fixed calendar we follow at present, there are never more than seven, nor fewer than five, full months.
10.Halachah 7.
11.E.g., Rosh HaShanah 20a.
12.That year was a leap year, and Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi decided that it would be preferable for the additional month to be lacking rather than full (Arichin 9b).
13.Rosh HaShanah, loc. cit.
14.Note the gloss of the Lechem Mishneh on Chapter 3, Halachah 15, which offers a different interpretation of that passage.
15.See Chapters 6-10.
16.As one moves westward, the sun sets earlier, granting more time for the moon to be seen.
17.In this instance, our translation follows the version of the Mishneh Torah found in authoritative manuscripts and early printings. The standard printed text differs slightly.
18.See Chapter 1, Halachah 8; Chapter 5, Halachah 1.
Kiddush HaChodesh - Chapter Nineteen
1
Since our Sages1 said that among the questions posed to the witnesses [in order to verify their testimony] was "In which direction was [the crescent of] the moon inclined," I feel that it is appropriate to explain how this factor can be calculated. My statements will not be exact, because [this knowledge] is of no consequence regarding the actual sighting of the moon.
The starting point of these calculations is to know the degree of inclination of the constellations' [position].
א
לפי שאמרו חכמים שבכלל דברים שהיו בודקין בהן את העדים אומרין להן להיכן היה הירח נוטה. כשר בעיני להודיע דרך חשבון דבר זה. ואין אני מדקדק בו לפי שאינו מועיל בראייה כלל. ותחלת חשבון זה לדעת נטיית המזלות תחילה:
2
The orbit of the sun that passes through the center [of the sphere] of the constellations does not pass directly through the center of the earth from east to west. Instead, it is inclined above the equator which passes through the center of the earth, [slightly] to the north and to the south. Half of it is northerly in inclination and half is southerly in inclination.
ב
העגולה שהיא עוברת במחצית המזלות שבה מהלך השמש. אינה עוברת באמצע העולם מחצי המזרח לחצי המערב. אלא נוטה היא מעל הקו השוה המסבב באמצע העולם כנגד צפון ודרום. חציה נוטה לצפון וחציה נוטה לדרום:
3
There are two points at which the orbit of the sun intersects the equator, which passes through the center of the earth: The first point is the beginning of the constellation of Aries, and the second point, opposite to [the first], is the beginning of the constellation of Libra. Thus, there are six constellations [whose positions] are inclined to the north, those between the beginning of the constellation of Aries and the end of the constellation of Virgo. And there are six [whose positions] are inclined to the south, those between the beginning of the constellation of Libra and the end of the constellation of Pisces.2
ג
ושתי נקודות יש בה שפוגעת בהן בעגולת הקו השוה המסבב באמצע העולם. הנקודה האחת ראש מזל טלה. והנקודה השנייה שכנגדה ראש מזל מאזנים. ונמצאו ששה מזלות נוטות לצפון מתחלת טלה עד סוף בתולה. וששה נוטות לדרום מתחלת מזל מאזנים עד סוף מזל דגים:
4
From the beginning of the constellation of Aries, the constellations' [positions] begin to be inclined slightly and diverge from the equator in a northerly direction until the beginning [of the constellation] of Cancer.
The beginning [of the constellation] of Cancer is approximately twenty-three and one half degrees north of the equator. [Afterwards,] the constellations begin to proceed toward the equator slowly until the beginning [of the constellation] of Libra, which is positioned on the equator.
From the beginning of the constellation of Libra, the constellations' [positions] begin to be inclined slightly and diverge from the equator in a southerly direction until the beginning [of the constellation] of Sagittarius.
The beginning [of the constellation] of Capricorn is approximately twenty-three and one half degrees south of the equator. [Afterwards,] the constellations begin to proceed toward the equator slowly until the beginning [of the constellation] of Aries.
ד
ומראש מזל טלה יתחילו המזלות לנטות מעט מעט ולהתרחק מעל הקו השוה כנגד הצפון עד ראש סרטן. ויהיה ראש סרטן רחוק מעל הקו השוה לרוח הצפון שלש ועשרים מעלות וחצי מעלה בקירוב. ויחזרו המזלות להתקרב לקו השוה מעט מעט עד ראש מאזנים שהוא על הקו השוה. ומראש מאזנים יתחילו לנטות ולהתרחק כנגד רוח דרום עד ראש גדי. ויהיה ראש גדי רחוק מעל הקו השוה לרוח דרום שלש ועשרים מעלות וחצי מעלה. ויחזרו המזלות להתקרב מעט מעט כנגד הקו השוה עד ראש טלה:
5
Thus, [in their daily orbits,] the beginning [of the constellation] of Aries and the beginning [of the constellation] of Libra revolve on the equator. Therefore, when the sun is positioned in the beginning [of these constellations],3 it will not be inclined either to the north or to the south. It will rise due east and set due west, and the daytime and the nighttime [hours] will be equal throughout the world.
ה
נמצא ראש טלה וראש מאזנים מסבב על הקו השוה. ולפיכך כשתהיה השמש בשני ראשים אלו לא תהיה נוטה לא לצפון ולא לדרום. ותזרח בחצי מזרח ותשקע בחצי מערב. ויהיה היום והלילה שוין בכל הישוב:
6
Thus, it should be clear to you that each of the degrees [in the sphere] of the constellations is inclined to the north or to the south, and that there is a specific measure to their inclination. The greatest inclination will be no more than approximately twenty-three and half degrees.
ו
הרי נתברר לך שכל מעלה ומעלה ממעלות המזלות נוטה לצפון או לדרום ויש לנטייתה שיעור. ורוב הנטייה לא תהיה יותר על שלש ועשרים מעלות וחצי בקירוב:
7
The following represent the extent of inclination from the equator vis-a-vis the number of degrees [in the sphere of the constellations]. Beginning with the constellation of Aries: [A point located at] 10 degrees [in the celestial sphere] will be inclined 4 degrees [from the equator]. [A point located at] 20 degrees will be inclined 8 degrees. [A point located at] 30 degrees will be inclined 11 1/2 degrees.
[A point located at] 40 degrees will be inclined 15 degrees. [A point located at] 50 degrees will be inclined 18 degrees. [A point located at] 60 degrees will be inclined 20 degrees. [A point located at] 70 degrees will be inclined 22 degrees. [A point located at] 80 degrees will be inclined 23 degrees. [A point located at] 90 degrees4 will be inclined 23 1/2 degrees.
ז
ואלו הם השעורים של נטיות לפי מניין המעלות של מזלות. והתחלה מתחלת מזל טלה. י' מעלות נטייתם ד' מעלות. כ' מעלות נטייתם ח' מעלות. ל' מעלות נטייתם י"א מעלות ומחצה. ומ' מעלות נטייתם ט"ו מעלות. נ' מעלות נטייתם י"ח מעלות. ס' מעלות נטייתם כ' מעלות. ע' מעלות נטייתם כ"ב מעלות. פ' מעלות נטייתם כ"ג מעלות. צ' מעלות נטייתם כ"ג מעלות וחצי מעלה:
8
If the number [of degrees] also includes units, you should calculate [their degree of inclination] by taking an average between the two figures, as was explained with regard to [the determination of the position of] the sun and the moon.5
What is implied? Five degrees will be inclined 2 degrees. If the number of degrees [in the celestial sphere] is twenty-three, the inclination [from the equator] will be nine degrees. This same pattern should be followed whenever calculating a number that has both units and tens.
ח
ואם יהיו אחדים במנין תקח להם מנתם מבין שתי הנטיות כמו שביארנו בשמש ובירח. כיצד חמש מעלות נטייתם שתי מעלות. ואם היה מניין המעלות כ"ג נטייתם ט' מעלות. ועל דרך זו בכל האחדים שהן עם העשרות:
9
Since you know the extent of the inclination of all the degrees from one until ninety, you will be able to calculate the degree of inclination [of the entire celestial sphere] according to the method of calculation explained with regard to the moon's latitude.6 For if the number is between 90 and 180, the number should be subtracted from 180.7
If the number is between 180 and 270, 180 should be subtracted from the number.8 If the number is between 270 and 360, the number should be subtracted from 360.9 [After these subtractions have been made], you will know the degree of inclination of the remainder, for it is the degree of inclination of the numbers mentioned previously without any addition or subtraction.
ט
ומאחר שתדע הנטייה של מעלות מאחד עד צ'. תדע נטייתם כולן כדרך שהודענום ברוחב הירח. שאם היה המניין יותר על צ' עד ק"פ תגרע אותו מק"פ. ואם היה יותר על ק"פ עד ר"ע תגרע ממנו ק"פ. ואם היה יותר על ר"ע עד ש"ס תגרע אותו מש"ס. והנשאר תדע נטייתו והוא נטיית אותו המניין שבידך בלא גרעון ולא תוספת:
10
If you desire to know the number of degrees by which the moon's position deviates from the equator to the north or to the south, [you should follow this procedure]: Calculate the inclination of the degree [in the celestial sphere] that will be the true position, and see if its inclination is northerly or southerly. Afterwards, calculate the moon's first latitude and see whether it is northerly or southerly.
If the moon's latitude and the inclination of the degree [in the celestial sphere where it is located] have the same direction, then they should be added together.10 If they are in different directions - i.e., one is southerly and one is northerly - the smaller figure should be subtracted from the larger one.11 The remainder is the [angular] distance of the moon from the equator to the direction in which the larger figure was inclined.
י
אם תרצה לידע כמה מעלות הוא הירח נוטה מעל הקו השוה כנגד צפון העולם או כנגד דרום העולם. תדע תחלה כמה נטיית המעלה שהיא מקום הירח האמיתי ולאי זה רוח היא נוטה לצפון או לדרום. ותחזור ותחשוב ותוציא רוחב הירח הראשון ותראה אם הוא צפוני או דרומי. אם נמצאו רוחב הירח ונטיית מעלתו ברוח אחת כגון שהיו שניהם צפונים או דרומיים תקבץ שניהם. ואם נמצאו בשתי רוחות כגון שהיה האחד דרומי והאחד צפוני. תגרע המעט משניהם מן הרב והנשאר הוא מרחק הירח מעל קו השוה באותה הרוח שהיה בה הרב בשניהם:
11
What is implied? Let us say that we are trying to calculate the degree of inclination of the moon from the equator on the night of sighting, the second day of the month of Iyar of this year. You have already established that the angle [in the celestial sphere] at which the moon was located is the nineteenth degree of the constellation of Taurus. Thus, its inclination to the north will be approximately 18 degrees.12
The latitude of the moon is approximately four degrees to the south.13 After you subtract the lesser figure from the larger one, the position of the moon will be fourteen degrees to the north of the equator, for the largest figure is the eighteen degrees north [at which the moon's true position was located]. All [of the phases] of this calculation are approximations and are not exact, because they are of no consequence regarding the sighting.
יא
כיצד באנו לידע כמה הירח נוטה מעל הקו השוה בליל הראייה שהוא שני לחדש אייר משנה זו. וכבר ידעת שמעלת הירח היה י"ט ממזל שור. נטייתה בצפון כמו י"ח מעלות. ורוחב הירח היה בדרום כמו ד' מעלות. תגרע המעט מן הרב ישאר י"ד מעלות. נמצא הירח רחוק מעל הקו השוה י"ד מעלות לרוח צפון. שהרי המניין הרב שהוא שמנה עשרה מעלות היה צפוני. וכל חשבון זה בקירוב בלא דקדוק לפי שאינו מועיל בראייה:
12
If you desire to know the direction to which the moon will appear to be inclined [when sighted, it is governed by the following principles]: Calculate [the moon's angular] distance from the equator. If it is located on the equator or within two or three degrees to the north or to the south,14 it will appear due west and its crescent will appear to be pointed due east.
יב
אם תרצה לידע לאי זו רוח מרוחות העולם יראה הירח נוטה. תחשוב ותדע מרחקו מעל הקו השוה. אם יהיה על הקו השוה או קרוב ממנו בשתים או שלש מעלות בצפון או בדרום. יראה מכוון כנגד אמצע מערב ותראה פגימתו מכוונת כנגד מזרח העולם בשוה:
13
If [the moon] is inclined to the north of the equator, it will appear in the northwest, and its crescent will appear to be pointed southeast.
יג
ואם יהיה רחוק מעל הקו השוה לצפון העולם. יראה בין מערב העולם ובין צפונו. ותראה פגימתו נוטה מכנגד מזרח העולם כנגד דרום העולם:
14
If [the moon] is inclined to the south of the equator, it will appear in the southwest, and its crescent will appear to be pointed northeast. To the extent of [the moon's] distance [from the equator], its inclination will increase.
יד
ואם היה רחוק מעל הקו השוה לדרום העולם. יראה בין מערב העולם ובין דרומו. ותראה פגימתו נוטה מכנגד מזרח העולם כנגד צפון העולם. ולפי רוב המרחק ולפי רוב הנטייה:
15
Among the other dimensions of the examination of the witnesses is the question: "How high [in the sky did the moon] appear?" This factor can be determined by the arc of sighting. If the arc is short, the moon will appear close to the earth, and when it is long, it will appear high above the earth. The length of the arc of sighting [will determine] the height at which [the moon] will appear above the earth to the witnesses.
טו
ומחקירת העדים שאומרין להם כמה היה גבוה. ודבר זה יודע מקשת הראייה. שבזמן שתהיה קשת הראייה קצרה יראה הירח כאילו הוא קרוב מן הארץ. ובזמן שתהיה ארוכה יראה גבוה מעל הארץ. ולפי אורך קשת הראייה לפי גובהו מעל הארץ בראיית העינים:
16
Thus, we have explained all the calculations necessary for the sighting [of the moon] and the examination of the witnesses, so that everything will be comprehensible to men of understanding, and they will not lack awareness of any of the Torah's paths. [Therefore,] they will not venture forth in search of it in other texts. "Seek out of the book of God, read it. None of these will be lacking" [Isaiah 34:16].15
טז
הרי ביארנו חשבונות כל הדרכים שצריכין להם בידיעת הראייה ובחקירת העדים. כדי שיהיה הכל ידוע למבינים ולא יחסרו דרך מדרכי התורה ולא ישוטטו לבקש אחריה בספרים אחרים. דרשו מעל ספר ה' וקראו אחת מהנה לא נעדרה: סליק הלכות קדוש החדש
FOOTNOTES
1.Rosh HaShanah 23b, cited in Chapter 2, Halachah 4.
2.In our previous notes, we explained that the constellations from Capricorn to Gemini were northerly inclined. There is no contradiction between those statements and the statements above; the difference is in the definition of the word "inclined." In the present context, the Rambam is using the word "inclined" to refer to the position of the ecliptic as it passes through these constellations: Is it located above or below the equator, and what is the extent of its variance from the equator?
Previously, we had used the word "inclined" to refer to the direction of the path of movement of the stars in the sky. In the constellations from Capricorn to Gemini, as the constellations move in their orbit, they will be moving northward. Conversely, in the constellations from Cancer to Sagittarius, as the constellations move in their orbit, they will be moving southward.
The inclination of the constellations can be observed by a careful observer with a field compass. In the spring and in the fall, the sun rises due east and sets due west. In the summer (i.e., when the sun is located in the constellations from Taurus to Virgo), it rises in the northeast and sets in the northwest. In the winter (i.e., when the sun is located in the constellations from Scorpio to Pisces), it rises in the southeast and sets in the southwest. Throughout the year, these constellations rise and set in the place where the sun rises and sets when it is in these constellations.
3.I.e., at the vernal [spring] and autumnal equinoxes.
4.I.e., the beginning of the constellation of Cancer. In these ninety degrees, we will have passed through three constellations, Aries, Taurus, and Gemini.
5.See Chapter 13, Halachah 7, and Chapter 15, Halachah 7.
6.See Chapter 16, Halachah 13.
7.I.e., 110° has the same degree of inclination as 70°. For the angle of inclination proceeds in an even-balanced arc with 90 degrees as its center.
8.I.e., the southerly inclination beginning from the constellation of Libra parallels exactly the northerly inclination beginning from Aries.
9.Producing the inverse of the figures mentioned in the previous quadrant.
10.E.g., if they are both northerly, the moon's latitude will cause it to appear further north than the constellation in which its true position is located.
11.I.e., if the moon's true position is located in a northerly position and its latitude is southerly, the latitude should be subtracted from the angular distance of its true position.
12.Actually, the true figure is a few minutes larger.
13.Actually, the true figure is a few minutes less.
14.The variance of two or three degrees will not produce a difference that is of consequence.
15.With this halachah, the Rambam explains one of his motives for the inclusion of this section in the Mishneh Torah: so that a serious student would not have to resort to other texts, particularly those of the gentile scientific community, to obtain this knowledge. In this manner, he affirms one of the purposes for the Mishneh Torah stated in its introduction, to provide a text that includes every dimension of Jewish law.
Ta'aniyot - Chapter One
Introduction to Hilchos Ta'aniyot
[This text contains] one positive commandment: To cry out to God in the event of great distress that affects the community as a whole. This mitzvah is explained in the following chapters.
הלכות תעניות - הקדמה
מצות עשה אחת והיא לצעוק לפני ה' בכל עת צרה גדולה שלא תבא על הצבור: וביאור מצוה זו בפרקים אלו:
1
It is a positive Torah commandment to cry out and to sound trumpets in the event of any difficulty that arises which affects the community, as [Numbers 10:9] states: "[When you go out to war... against] an enemy who attacks you and you sound the trumpets...."
[This commandment is not restricted to such a limited scope; rather] the intent is: Whenever you are distressed by difficulties - e.g., famine, plague, locusts, or the like - cry out [to God] because of them and sound the trumpets.
א
מצות עשה מן התורה לזעוק ולהריע בחצוצרות על כל צרה שתבא על הצבור. שנאמר על הצר הצורר אתכם והרעותם בחצוצרות. כלומר כל דבר שייצר לכם כגון בצורת ודבר וארבה וכיוצא בהן זעקו עליהן והריעו:
Commentary on Halachah 1
2
This practice is one of the paths of repentance, for when a difficulty arises, and the people cry out [to God] and sound the trumpets, everyone will realize that [the difficulty] occurred because of their evil conduct, as [Jeremiah 5:25] states: "Your sins have turned away [the rains and the harvest climate]." This [realization] will cause the removal of this difficulty.
ב
ודבר זה מדרכי התשובה הוא. שבזמן שתבוא צרה ויזעקו עליה ויריעו ידעו הכל שבגלל מעשיהם הרעים הורע להן ככתוב עונותיכם הטו וגו'. וזה הוא שיגרום להסיר הצרה מעליהם:
Commentary on Halachah 2
3
Conversely, should the people fail to cry out [to God] and sound the trumpets, and instead say, "What has happened to us is merely a natural phenomenon and this difficulty is merely a chance occurrence," this is a cruel conception of things, which causes them to remain attached to their wicked deeds. Thus, this time of distress will lead to further distresses.
This is implied by the Torah's statement [Leviticus 26:27-28]: "If you remain indifferent to Me, I will be indifferent to you with a vengeance." The implication of the verse is: When I bring difficulties upon you so that you shall repent and you say it is a chance occurrence, I will add to your [punishment] an expression of vengeance for that indifference [to Divine Providence].
ג
אבל אם לא יזעקו ולא יריעו אלא יאמרו דבר זה ממנהג העולם אירע לנו וצרה זו נקרה נקרית. הרי זו דרך אכזריות וגורמת להם להדבק במעשיהם הרעים. ותוסיף הצרה צרות אחרות. הוא שכתוב בתורה והלכתם עמי בקרי והלכתי גם אני עמכם בחמת קרי. כלומר כשאביא עליכם צרה כדי שתשובו אם תאמרו שהיא קרי אוסיף לכם חמת אותו קרי:
Commentary on Halachah 3
4
In addition, it is a Rabbinic ordinance to fast whenever there is a difficulty that affects the community until there is a manifestation of Divine mercy.
On these fast days, we cry out in prayer, offer supplications, and sound the trumpets only. In the Temple, we sound both the trumpets and the shofar. The shofar blasts should be shortened and the trumpet blasts extended, for the mitzvah of the day is with the trumpets. The trumpets are sounded together with the shofar only in the Temple, as [can be inferred from Psalms 98:6]: "Sound trumpets and shofar blasts before God, the King."
ד
ומדברי סופרים להתענות על כל צרה שתבוא על הצבור עד שירוחמו מן השמים. ובימי התעניות האלו זועקין בתפלות ומתחננים ומריעין בחצוצרות בלבד. ואם היו במקדש מריעין בחצוצרות ובשופר. השופר מקצר והחצוצרות מאריכות. שמצות היום בחצוצרות. ואין תוקעין בחצוצרות ושופר כאחד אלא במקדש שנאמר בחצוצרות וקול שופר הריעו לפני המלך ה':
Commentary on Halachah 4
5
These fasts ordained for the community because of difficulties should not be consecutive, for the community would not be able to observe such a practice.
A communal fast should be ordained only on a Monday, on the subsequent Thursday, and on the subsequent Monday. This pattern - Monday, Thursday, Monday - should be followed until [God manifests His] mercies.
ה
תעניות אלו שגוזרין על הצבור מפני הצרות אינן יום אחר יום. שאין רוב הצבור יכולים לעמוד בדבר זה. ואין גוזרין בתחלה תענית אלא בשני בשבת ובה' שלאחריו ובשני שלאחריו וכן על הסדר הזה שני וחמישי ושני עד שירוחמו:
Commentary on Halachah 5
6
A communal fast should not be decreed on a Sabbath, nor on a festival. On these days, neither a shofar nor a trumpet should be sounded, nor do we cry out [to God] or offer supplications in prayer.
The [only] exceptions are a city surrounded by gentiles or a [flooding] river and a ship that is sinking at sea. [In these instances, and indeed,] even when a single individual is being pursued by gentiles, by thieves, or by an evil spirit (we may fast because of them on the Sabbath), cry out [to God], and offer supplications on their behalf in prayer. [The trumpets] should not be sounded for them, however, unless they are being sounded to gather together the people to help them and [try to] save them.
ו
אין גוזרין תעניות על הצבור לא בשבתות ולא בימים טובים. וכן אין תוקעין בהן לא בשופר ולא בחצוצרות ולא זועקים ומתחננים בהם בתפלה. אלא אם כן היתה עיר שהקיפוה עכו"ם או נהר או ספינה המטרפת בים. אפילו יחיד הנרדף מפני עכו"ם מפני ליסטים ומפני רוח רעה (מתענין עליהם בשבת ו) זועקין ומתחננים עליהם בתפלה. אבל אין תוקעין אלא אם כן תקעו לקבץ את העם לעזור אותם ולהצילן:
Commentary on Halachah 6
7
Similarly, at the outset, a fast should not be ordained on Rosh Chodesh, Chanukah, Purim, or Chol HaMo'ed. If, however, the community has begun to fast because of a distressing situation for even a single day, and the schedule of fasts requires that a fast be held on one of the days mentioned above, we should fast, and [indeed,] fast for the entire day.
ז
וכן אין גוזרין תענית בתחלה בראשי חדשים. או בחנוכה ופורים או בחולו של מועד. ואם התחילו להתענות על הצרה אפילו יום אחד ופגע בהן יום מאלו מתענין ומשלימין היום בתענית:
Commentary on Halachah 7
8
Pregnant women, nursing women, and children need not fast on communal fasts that are instituted because of difficulties of this nature.
[With regard to these fasts,] even though we are required to fast during the day, we are allowed to eat on [the preceding] night, with the exception of the fasts instituted for [a lack of] rain, as will be explained. Whenever we are allowed to eat on the night of a fast, whether a communal fast or an individual fast, a person is allowed to eat until dawn, provided he does not sleep. If he goes to sleep, he may not eat after arising.
ח
תעניות אלו שמתענין על הצרות אין מתענין בהן לא עוברות ולא מניקות ולא קטנים. ומותרין לאכול בלילה אע"פ שמתענין למחר חוץ מתעניות המטר כמו שיתבאר. וכל תענית שאוכלין בה בלילה בין צבור בין יחיד הרי זה אוכל ושותה עד שיעלה עמוד השחר. והוא שלא ישן אבל אם ישן אינו חוזר ואוכל:
Commentary on Halachah 8
9
Just as the community should fast because of distress, so too, each individual should fast [when confronted by] distress. What is implied? When an individual to whom a person [feels close] is sick, lost in the desert, or imprisoned, one should fast for his sake, ask for mercy for him in prayer, and say [the passage] Anenu in all the Shemoneh Esreh prayers recited [that day]. One should not fast on the Sabbath, on festivals, on Rosh Chodesh, on Chanukah, or on Purim.
ט
כשם שהצבור מתענים על צרתן כך היחיד מתענה על צרתו. כיצד הרי שהיה לו חולה או תועה במדבר או אסור בבית האסורין. יש לו להתענות עליו ולבקש רחמים בתפלתו. ואומר עננו וכו' בכל תפלה שמתפלל. ולא יתענה בשבתות ולא במועדות ולא בראשי חדשים ולא בחנוכה ופורים:
Commentary on Halachah 9
10
Whenever an individual did not accept a fast [on the previous day] before sunset, it is not considered to be a fast.
How does one accept a fast? After reciting the afternoon prayers, one states, "Tomorrow I will fast," and resolves to do so. Although one eats at night, this does not detract from one's commitment to fast.
Similarly, if one resolved to fast for three or four days consecutively and accepts such a fast upon oneself, the fact that one eats each night does not detract from his fast. It is unnecessary for him to state his intent on the afternoon before each succeeding day.
י
כל תענית שלא קיבלה עליו היחיד מבעוד יום אינו תענית. כיצד מקבלה כשיתפלל תפלת מנחה אומר אחר התפלה מחר אהא בתענית וגומר בלבו להתענות למחר. ואף על פי שהוא אוכל בלילה לא הפסיד כלום. וכן אם גמר בלבו וקבל עליו להתענות שלשה או ארבעה ימים זה אחר זה אע"פ שהוא אוכל כל לילה ולילה לא הפסיד תעניתו. ואינו צריך כוונה לכל יום ויום מבעודו:
Commentary on Halachah 10
11
When a person accepted a resolution to fast on the following day, and indeed, did fast, and on the night [following his fast], changed his mind and decided to [continue his] fast on the following day, it is not considered a fast,1 because he did not accept [this commitment] while it was still day.2 [This applies] even if he continued his fast overnight. Needless to say, if he ate and drank at night and woke up in the morning and desired to fast, it is not considered a fast at all.
יא
קבל עליו מבעוד יום להתענות למחר בלבד והתענה. ובלילה נמלך להתענות ביום שני. אף על פי שלן בתעניתו אינה תענית מפני שלא קבלה עליו מבעוד יום. ואין צריך לומר שהיה אוכל ושותה בלילה והשכים בבקר ונמלך להתענות שאין זו תענית כלל:
12
A person who has a disturbing dream must fast on the following day, so that he will be motivated to improve his conduct, inspect his deeds, and turn [to God] in repentance.
He should undertake such a fast even on the Sabbath, reciting the passage Anenu in each of the prayer services. [This applies] even though he did not resolve on the previous day to fast.
When a person fasts on the Sabbath, he must fast on another day as well, [to atone for] nullifying [the mitzvah of indulging in] pleasurable activities on the Sabbath.
יב
הרואה חלום רע צריך להתענות למחר. כדי שישוב ויעור במעשיו ויחפש בהן ויחזור בתשובה. ומתענה ואפילו בשבת. ומתפלל עננו בכל תפלה אף על פי שלא קיבלה מבעוד יום. והמתענה בשבת מתענה יום אחר מפני שביטל עונג שבת:
Commentary on Halachah 12
13
A person may fast for several hours - i.e., that he not eat anything for the remainder of a day. What is implied? A person was involved with his affairs and tended to his concerns without eating until noon or until three in the afternoon. Should he make a decision to fast for the remaining hours of the day, he should fast for that time and recite [the passage] Anenu, because he accepted the fast before the hours of the fast. Similarly, if a person ate or drank and then began to fast for the entire day, it is considered to be a fast for several hours.
יג
מתענה אדם שעות והוא שלא יאכל כלום שאר היום. כיצד הרי שהיה טרוד בחפציו ומתעסק בצרכיו ולא אכל עד חצות או עד תשע שעות ונמלך להתענות בשעות שנשארו מן היום. הרי זה מתענה אותן שעות ומתפלל בהן עננו. שהרי קבל עליו התענית קודם שעות התענית. וכן אם אכל ושתה ואחר כך התחיל להתענות שאר היום הרי זה תענית שעות:
Commentary on Halachah 13
14
Whenever a person is fasting, whether he is fasting because of an individual distress, a disturbing dream, or distress of a communal nature, he should not indulge in pleasures, act frivolously, or be happy and of good spirits. Instead, [his conduct] should be characterized by serious concern, [as if he were] in mourning, as [implied by Eichah 3:39]: "Over what should a living man be concerned? [Each] man over his sins."3
It is permitted for [a person who is fasting] to taste even a revi'it4 of food, provided he spits it out without swallowing it.5 If [a person who is fasting] forgets and eats,6 he should complete his fast.7
יד
כל השרוי בתענית. בין שהיה מתענה על צרתו או על חלומו בין שהיה מתענה עם הצבור על צרתם. הרי זה לא ינהוג עידונין בעצמו ולא יקל ראשו ולא יהיה שמח וטוב לב אלא דואג ואונן כענין שנאמר מה יתאונן אדם חי גבר על חטאיו. ומותר לו לטעום את התבשיל ואפילו בכדי רביעית והוא שלא יבלע אלא טועם ופולט. שכח ואכל משלים תעניתו:
15
When an individual was fasting for a sick person, and the latter recovered, or because of a distressing situation, and the difficulty passed - he should complete his fast.8
A person who travels from a place where [the community] is fasting to a place where [the community] is not fasting should complete his fast.9 One who travels from a place where [the community] is not fasting to a place where [the community] is fasting should fast together with them.10 If he forgets and eats and drinks, he should not let himself be seen, nor should he indulge in pleasures.11
טו
יחיד שהיה מתענה על החולה ונתרפא. על צרה ועברה. הרי זה משלים תעניתו. ההולך ממקום שמתענין למקום שאין מתענין הרי זה מתענה ומשלים תעניתו. הלך ממקום שאין מתענין למקום שמתענין הרי זה מתענה עמהן. שכח ואכל ושתה אל יתראה בפניהם ואל ינהוג עידונין בעצמו:
16
When a community is fasting for the sake of rain, and it begins to rain before noon, the people should not complete their fast. Instead, they should eat, drink, and gather together to read the Great Hallel, for the Great Hallel is recited only when one's spirit is satisfied and one's belly is full.
If [the rains descended] after noon, since the majority of the day had passed in holiness, they should complete their fast. Similar [rules apply] if [a community] was fasting because of a distressing situation and the distress passed, or because of a harsh decree and the decree was nullified: [If this occurred] before noon, they need not complete their fast; after noon, they should complete their fast.
טז
צבור שהיו מתענין על הגשמים וירדו להן גשמים. אם קודם חצות ירדו לא ישלימו אלא אוכלין ושותין ומתכנסין וקוראין הלל הגדול. שאין אומרין הלל הגדול אלא בנפש שבעה וכרס מלאה. ואם אחר חצות הואיל ועבר רוב היום בקדושה ישלימו תעניתן. וכן אם היו מתענין על צרה ועברה או על גזרה ובטלה. אם קודם חצות לא ישלימו ואם אחר חצות ישלימו:
Commentary on Halachah 16
17
Whenever there is a communal fast that was instituted for a distressing circumstance, the [community's] court and [its] elders sit in the synagogue and review the conduct of the city's [inhabitants] from the time the morning prayers were concluded until noon. They remove the stumbling blocks that lead to sin. They give warnings, enquire, and investigate all those who pursue violence and sin, and [encourage them] to depart [from these ways]. Similarly, [they investigate] people who coerce others and humble them. They also occupy themselves with other similar matters.12
[This is what would happen] from noon until the evening: During the [third] quarter of the day, they would read the blessings and the curses in the Torah13 [as implied by Proverbs 3:11]: "My son, do not despise the instruction of the Lord, and do not reject His rebuke."14 As the haftarah,15 they would read a portion from the prophets appropriate to the distress [for which they are fasting].
During the [fourth] quarter of the day, the afternoon service is recited, supplications are made, [the people] cry out [to God] and confess according to their capability.
יז
בכל יום תענית שגוזרין על הצבור מפני הצרות. בית דין והזקנים יושבין בבית הכנסת ובודקים על מעשי אנשי העיר מאחר תפלת שחרית עד חצות היום. ומסירין המכשולות של עבירות. ומזהירין ודורשין וחוקרין על בעלי חמס ועבירות ומפרישין אותן. ועל בעלי זרוע ומשפילין אותן. וכיוצא בדברים אלו. ומחצי היום ולערב רביע היום קוראין בברכות וקללות שבתורה שנאמר מוסר ה' בני אל תמאס ואל תקוץ בתוכחתו ומפטירין בנביא בתוכחות מענין הצרה. ורביע היום האחרון מתפללים מנחה ומתחננים וזועקים ומתוודים כפי כחם
FOOTNOTES
1.Note the comments of the Lechem Mishneh cited in the commentary on the previous halachah with regard to whether the person receives the rewards of an hourly fast.
2.This halachah, quoted from Ta'anit 11b, illustrates clearly the principles stated in the previous halachah.
3.Here again, the Rambam reemphasizes the theme stated at the beginning of the text, that the purpose of fasting is to motivate a person to sincere repentance. (See also Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 568:12.) The Chesed L'Avraham states that on such days a person should make a special effort to refrain from becoming angry and should try to carry out all his dealings with his colleagues in a pleasant manner.
4.But no more. (See Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 567:1-2.) A revi'it is 66.4 cc according to Shiurei Torah and 150 cc according to the Chazon Ish. The Ramah writes that it is customary not to take this leniency on a communal fast day.
5.Note the contrast to Hilchot Berachot 1:2 (D'var Torah).
6.This discussion applies when he eats a k'zayit of food (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 568:1). Other authorities mention slightly larger amounts.
7.The Ra'avad states that this applies only when the person made a commitment to fast on that specific day. If he made a commitment to fast for one day without specifying the day, he is required to fast another full day afterwards. The Maggid Mishneh notes that this interpretation is borne out by the Rambam's own statements, Hilchot Nedarim 4:16. This is the ruling quoted in the Shulchan Aruch (loc. cit.).
The Ramah adds that even when a person ate despite making a commitment to fast on a specific day, he is required to fast on another day as well. (See Mishnah Berurah 568:8.)
See also the Mishnah Berurah 568:3, which states that on a communal fast, such a person may recite Anenu in the afternoon service. On an individual fast, however, he may not add this passage.
8.Note the contrast to a communal fast mentioned in the following halachah.
The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chayim 569:1) states that if the person had accepted several fasts upon himself, he is obligated to complete them all, even when the distressing situation passes after he completes the first fast. If, however, the distressing situation passes before he has begun to fast, he need not fast (loc. cit.:2).
9.Rashi (Ta'anit 10b) explains that in this instance, we follow the principle that the person is obligated to observe the stringencies applicable to the city which he left and those of the city to which he goes.
The Lechem Mishneh questions whether the Rambam obligates the person to complete all the fast days accepted by the town he left, or if it is sufficient for him to complete the one fast alone.
The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chayim 574:1) states that he is obligated to complete these fasts only when he intends to return to his original city. The Mishnah Berurah 574:1 states that this applies only when he did not explicitly accept these fasts. If he accepted the fasts himself, he is obligated to observe his commitment.
10.Since he did not accept the fast previously himself, he has no obligation to fast. Nevertheless, while he is in the city, he must join together with them. The Tur (Orach Chayim 574) quotes an opinion which states that even within the city he is not obligated to fast, if he can find a private place to eat. Nevertheless, neither the Rambam nor the Shulchan Aruch accept this leniency.
11.The intent is that one should not show that one is enjoying comfort while others are in distress. Ta'anit 10b derives this principle from Jacob's instructions to his children (Genesis 42:1) to avoid contact with Esau's and Ishmael's descendants. At that time, Jacob and his family had grain, but the others did not, and Jacob did not want to arouse ill-feeling.
The Talmud (ibid. 11a) concludes its discussion of this issue with the following principle: Whoever separates himself from the community will not witness their being comforted. In contrast, one who joins in their distress will merit to join in their being comforted.
12.This continues the theme developed by the Rambam at the beginning of the text, that the difficulties God brings upon a community should motivate them to repentance.
Significantly, the Rambam does not mention reading the Torah in the morning service. The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chayim 566:2) mentions that the Torah should be read in the morning, as on other communal fasts, and mentions that the reading Vay'chal, which is usually read on a communal fast day, should be read on such an occasion as well.
13.This refers to the portion of Bechukotai (Leviticus, Chapter 26), and not the blessings and curses in the book of Deuteronomy (Rashi, Megillah 31a). (See also Hilchot Tefillah 13:18.)
The Shulchan Aruch (ibid.) states that at present, the custom is to read the portion Vay'chal as on other public fast days. (See also the Maggid Mishneh.)
14.Significantly, Ta'anit 12b, the source for the division of the day in this manner, quotes a different proof-text, "And they read from the Torah scroll of their Lord" (Nechemiah 9:3). The verse cited by the Rambam is mentioned by Megillah 31b in another context.
This reflects a pattern common within the Mishneh Torah. Frequently, the Rambam cites verses independently of the manner in which they appear in the previous works of our Sages.
15.At present, the custom is to recite the haftarah, Dirshu, as is done on other public fasts. It must be noted that Rav Kapach maintains that the Rambam's intent is not that these passages from the Torah and the Prophets should be read communally with blessings recited beforehand and afterwards, as is our present custom. Instead, the intent is that they should be read merely to motivate repentance in a manner similar to the recitation of Eichah on Tish'ah B'Av. These statements are based on Hilchot Tefillah 13:18.
Hayom Yom:
• English Text | Video Class
Friday, Kislev 13, 5778 · 01 December 2017
"Today's Day"
Friday, Kislev 13, 5704
Torah lessons: Chumash: Vayishlach, Shishi with Rashi.
Tehillim: 69-71.
Tanya: To understand the (p. 619)...of the Minor Visage. (p. 621).
My father said: Chassidus changes what exists, and uncovers the essence-character. The essence-character of the Jewish person is beyond estimation and assessment, for he is a part of (G-d's) Essence, and whoever lays hold of a part of The Essence is as though he lays hold of it all. Just as The Essence is unlimited, so is the part unlimited. This is similar to tzitzit being "on the corner"1 - i.e. "of the same material as the corner"2 of the garment. (The existence of the soul as an entity discrete from G-d's Essence) is only because G-d3 created the soul to be a created being; and Chassidus reveals the essence-character (of the soul).
FOOTNOTES
1.Bamidbar 15:38.
2.Menachot 39a.
3.The actual word used in the text is Atzmut, "The Ultimate Essential G-dhead."
Daily Thought:
Head and Feet
With toil and persistence, asceticism and great sacrifice, a human being can enlighten his mind. He can reach so high as to perceive the world of the angels—or even to be granted the gift of prophecy.
But, as hard as any of us may try, as long as our brains are made of gray matter, we can never attain the enlightenment of the least of those fiery beings.
What amazes the angels, however, is this uncanny ability of a human being: To stick his head in the clouds and yet keep both feet on the ground. To traverse worlds. (Likutei Sichot vol. 15, pg. 15.)
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