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- ב"ה - Today in Judaism - Today is Shabbat, 21 Kislev, 5778 · December 9, 2017Torah Reading:
Vayeishev: Genesis 37:1 - 40:23
Amos 2:6 - 3:8
Vayeishev: Genesis 37:1 Ya‘akov continued living in the land where his father had lived as a foreigner, the land of Kena‘an.
2 Here is the history of Ya‘akov. When Yosef was seventeen years old he used to pasture the flock with his brothers, even though he was still a boy. Once when he was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives, he brought a bad report about them to their father. 3 Now Isra’el loved Yosef the most of all his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a long-sleeved robe. 4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they began to hate him and reached the point where they couldn’t even talk with him in a civil manner.
5 Yosef had a dream which he told his brothers, and that made them hate him all the more. 6 He said to them, “Listen while I tell you about this dream of mine. 7 We were tying up bundles of wheat in the field when suddenly my bundle got up by itself and stood upright; then your bundles came, gathered around mine and prostrated themselves before it.” 8 His brothers retorted, “Yes, you will certainly be our king. You’ll do a great job of bossing us around!” And they hated him still more for his dreams and for what he said.
9 He had another dream which he told his brothers: “Here, I had another dream, and there were the sun, the moon and eleven stars prostrating themselves before me.” 10 He told his father too, as well as his brothers, but his father rebuked him: “What is this dream you have had? Do you really expect me, your mother and your brothers to come and prostrate ourselves before you on the ground?” 11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.
(ii) 12 After this, when his brothers had gone to pasture their father’s sheep in Sh’khem, 13 Isra’el asked Yosef, “Aren’t your brothers pasturing the sheep in Sh’khem? Come, I will send you to them.” He answered, “Here I am.” 14 He said to him, “Go now, see whether things are going well with your brothers and with the sheep, and bring word back to me.” So he sent him away from the Hevron Valley, and he went to Sh’khem, 15 where a man found him wandering around in the countryside. The man asked him, “What are you looking for?” 16 “I’m looking for my brothers,” he answered. “Tell me, please, where are they pasturing the sheep?” 17 The man said, “They’ve left here; because I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dotan.’” Yosef went after his brothers and found them in Dotan.
18 They spotted him in the distance, and before he had arrived where they were, they had already plotted to kill him. 19 They said to each other, “Look, this dreamer is coming! 20 So come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these water cisterns here. Then we’ll say some wild animal devoured him. We’ll see then what becomes of his dreams!” 21 But when Re’uven heard this, he saved him from being destroyed by them. He said, “We shouldn’t take his life. 22 Don’t shed blood,” Re’uven added. “Throw him into this cistern here in the wilds, but don’t lay hands on him yourselves.” He intended to rescue him from them later and restore him to his father.
(iii) 23 So it was that when Yosef arrived to be with his brothers, they stripped off his robe, the long-sleeved robe he was wearing, 24 and took him and threw him into the cistern (the cistern was empty; without any water in it). 25 Then they sat down to eat their meal; but as they looked up, they saw in front of them a caravan of Yishma‘elim coming from Gil‘ad, their camels loaded with aromatic gum, healing resin and opium, on their way down to Egypt. 26 Y’hudah said to his brothers, “What advantage is it to us if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 27 Come, let’s sell him to the Yishma‘elim, instead of putting him to death with our own hands. After all, he is our brother, our own flesh.” His brothers paid attention to him. 28 So when the Midyanim, merchants, passed by, they drew and lifted Yosef up out of the cistern and sold him for half a pound of silver shekels to the Yishma‘elim, who took Yosef on to Egypt.
29 Re’uven returned to the cistern, and, upon seeing that Yosef wasn’t in it, tore his clothes in mourning. 30 He returned to his brothers and said, “The boy isn’t there! Where can I go now?”
31 They took Yosef’s robe, killed a male goat and dipped the robe in the blood. 32 Then they sent the long-sleeved robe and brought it to their father, saying, “We found this. Do you know if it’s your son’s robe or not?” 33 He recognized it and cried, “It’s my son’s robe! Some wild animal has torn Yosef in pieces and eaten him!” 34 Ya‘akov tore his clothes and, putting sackcloth around his waist, mourned his son for many days. 35 Though all his sons and daughters tried to comfort him, he refused all consolation, saying, “No, I will go down to the grave, to my son, mourning.” And his father wept for him.
36 In Egypt the Midyanim sold Yosef to Potifar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, a captain of the guard.
38:1 (iv) It was at this time that Y’hudah went off from his brothers and settled near a man named Hirah who was an ‘Adulami. 2 There Y’hudah saw one of the daughters of a certain Kena‘ani whose name was Shua, and he took her and slept with her. 3 She conceived and had a son, whom he named ‘Er. 4 She conceived again and had a son, and she called him Onan. 5 Then she conceived yet again and had a son whom she called Shelah; he was in K’ziv when she gave birth to him.
6 Y’hudah took a wife for ‘Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. 7 But ‘Er, Y’hudah’s firstborn, was evil from Adonai’s perspective, so Adonai killed him. 8 Y’hudah said to Onan, “Go and sleep with your brother’s wife — perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her, and preserve your brother’s line of descent.” 9 However, Onan knew that the child would not count as his; so whenever he had intercourse with his brother’s wife, he spilled the semen on the ground, so as not to give his brother offspring. 10 What he did was evil from Adonai’s perspective, so he killed him too.
11 Then Y’hudah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, “Stay a widow in your father’s house until my son Shelah grows up”; for he thought, “I don’t want him to die too, like his brothers.” So Tamar went and lived at home with her father. 12 In due time, Shua’s daughter, the wife of Y’hudah, died. After Y’hudah had been comforted, he went up to be with his sheep-shearers in Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the ‘Adulami. 13 Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law has gone up to Timnah to shear his sheep.” 14 So she took off her widow’s clothes, completely covered her face with her veil, and sat at the entrance to ‘Einayim, which is on the way to Timnah. For she saw that Shelah had grown up, but she still was not being given to him as his wife. 15 When Y’hudah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, because she had covered her face. 16 So he went over to her where she was sitting and said, not realizing that she was his daughter-in-law, “Come, let me sleep with you.” She answered, “What will you pay to sleep with me?” 17 He said, “I will send you a kid from the flock of goats.” She said, “Will you also give me something as a guarantee until you send it” 18 He answered, “What should I give you as a guarantee?” She said, “Your seal, with its cord, and the staff you’re carrying in your hand.” So he gave them to her, then went and slept with her; and she conceived by him. 19 She got up and went away, took off her veil and put on her widow’s clothes.
20 Y’hudah sent the kid with his friend the ‘Adulami to receive the guarantee items back from the woman, but he couldn’t find her. 21 He asked the people near where she had been, “Where is the prostitute who was on the road at ‘Einayim?” But they answered, “There hasn’t been any prostitute here.” 22 So he returned to Y’hudah and said, “I couldn’t find her; also the people there said, ‘There hasn’t been any prostitute here.’” 23 Y’hudah said, “All right, let her keep the things, so that we won’t be publicly shamed. I sent the kid, but you didn’t find her.”
24 About three months later Y’hudah was told, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has been acting like a whore; moreover, she is pregnant as a result of her prostitution.” Y’hudah said, “Bring her out, and let her be burned alive!” 25 When she was brought out, she sent this message to her father-in-law: “I am pregnant by the man to whom these things belong. Determine, I beg you, whose these are — the signet, the cords and the staff.” 26 Then Y’hudah acknowledged owning them. He said, “She is more righteous than I, because I didn’t let her become the wife of my son Shelah.” And he never slept with her again.
27 When she went into labor, it became evident that she was going to have twins. 28 As she was in labor, one of them put out his hand; and the midwife took his hand and tied a scarlet thread on it, saying, “This one came out first.” 29 But then he withdrew his hand, and his brother came out; so she said, “How did you manage to break out first?” Therefore he was named Peretz [breaking out]. 30 Then out came his brother, with the scarlet thread on his hand, and he was given the name Zerach [scarlet].
39:1 (v) Yosef was brought down to Egypt, and Potifar, an officer of Pharaoh’s and captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Yishma‘elim who had brought him there. 2 Adonai was with Yosef, and he became wealthy while he was in the household of his master the Egyptian. 3 His master saw how Adonai was with him, that Adonai prospered everything he did. 4 Yosef pleased him as he served him, and his master appointed him manager of his household; he entrusted all his possessions to Yosef. 5 From the time he appointed him manager of his household and all his possessions, Adonai blessed the Egyptian’s household for Yosef’s sake; Adonai’s blessing was on all he owned, whether in the house or in the field. 6 So he left all his possessions in Yosef’s care; and because he had him, he paid no attention to his affairs, except for the food he ate.
Now Yosef was well-built and handsome as well. (vi) 7 In time, the day came when his master’s wife took a look at Yosef and said, “Sleep with me!” 8 But he refused, saying to his master’s wife, “Look, because my master has me, he doesn’t know what’s going on in this house. He has put all his possessions in my charge. 9 In this house I am his equal; he hasn’t withheld anything from me except yourself, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” 10 But she kept pressing him, day after day. Nevertheless, he didn’t listen to her; he refused to sleep with her or even be with her.
11 However, one day, when he went into the house to do his work, and none of the men living in the house was there indoors, 12 she grabbed him by his robe and said, “Sleep with me!” But he fled, leaving his robe in her hand, and got himself outside. 13 When she saw that he had left his robe in her hand and had escaped, 14 she called the men of her house and said to them, “Look at this! My husband brought in a Hebrew to make fools of us. He came in and wanted to sleep with me, but I yelled out loudly. 15 When he heard me yelling like that, he left his robe with me and ran out.” 16 She put the robe aside until his master came home. 17 Then she said to him, “This Hebrew slave you brought us came in to make a fool of me. 18 But when I yelled out, he left his robe with me and fled outside.” 19 When his master heard what his wife said as she showed him, “Here’s what your slave did to me,” he became furious. 20 Yosef’s master took him and put him in prison, in the place where the king’s prisoners were kept; and there he was in the prison.
21 But Adonai was with Yosef, showing him grace and giving him favor in the sight of the prison warden. 22 The prison warden made Yosef supervisor of all the prisoners in the prison; so that whatever they did there, he was in charge of it. 23 The prison warden paid no attention to anything Yosef did, because Adonai was with him; and whatever he did, Adonai prospered.
40:1 (vii) Some time later it came about that the Egyptian king’s cupbearer and baker gave offense to their lord the king of Egypt. 2 Pharaoh became angry with his two officers the chief cupbearer and the chief baker. 3 So he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison, in the same place where Yosef was kept. 4 The captain of the guard charged Yosef to be with them, and he became their attendant while they remained in prison.
5 One night the two of them, the king of Egypt’s cupbearer and his baker, there in prison, both had dreams, each dream with its own meaning. 6 Yosef came in to them in the morning and saw that they looked sad. 7 He asked Pharaoh’s officers there with him in the prison of his master’s house, “Why are you looking so sad today?” 8 They said to him, “We each had a dream, and there’s no one around who can interpret it.” Yosef said to them, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell it to me, please.”
9 Then the chief cupbearer told Yosef his dream: “In my dream, there in front of me was a vine, 10 and the vine had three branches. The branches budded, then it suddenly began to blossom, and finally clusters of ripe grapes appeared. 11 Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, so I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and gave the cup to Pharaoh.” 12 Yosef said to him, “Here is its interpretation: the three branches are three days. 13 Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office: you will be giving Pharaoh his cup as you used to when you were his cupbearer. 14 But remember me when it goes well with you; and show me kindness, please; and mention me to Pharaoh, so that he will release me from this prison. 15 For the truth is that I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and here too I have done nothing wrong that would justify putting me in this dungeon.”
16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was favorable, he said to Yosef, “I too saw in my dream: there were three baskets of white bread on my head. 17 In the uppermost basket there were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds ate them out of the basket on my head.” 18 Yosef answered, “Here is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days. 19 Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head from off of you — he will hang you on a tree, and the birds will eat your flesh off you.”
(Maftir) 20 On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he gave a party for all his officials, and he lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his officials. 21 He restored the chief cupbearer back to his position, so that he again gave Pharaoh his cup. 22 But he hanged the chief baker, as Yosef had interpreted to them. 23 Nevertheless, the chief cupbearer didn’t remember Yosef, but forgot him.
Amos 2:6 Here is what Adonai says:
“For Isra’el’s three crimes,
no, four — I will not reverse it —
because they sell the upright for silver
and the poor for a pair of shoes,
7 grinding the heads of the poor in the dust
and pushing the lowly out of the way;
father and son sleep with the same girl,
profaning my holy name;
8 lying down beside any altar
on clothes taken in pledge;
drinking wine in the house of their God
bought with fines they imposed.
9 “I destroyed the Emori before them;
though tall as cedars and strong as oaks,
I destroyed their fruit above
and their root below.
10 More than that, I brought you up from Egypt,
led you forty years in the desert,
so that you could have the Emori’s land.
11 I raised up some of your sons to be prophets,
other young men of yours to be n’zirim.
People of Isra’el!
Isn’t that true?” asks Adonai.
12 But you gave the n’zirim wine to drink
and ordered the prophets, ‘Don’t prophesy!’
13 “Enough! I will make all this crush you,
just as a cart overloaded with grain
crushes what’s under it.
14 Even the swift won’t be able to flee;
the strong won’t be able to use their strength,
the warriors won’t save themselves.
15 Archers won’t be able to stand,
the fastest runners won’t save themselves,
those on horses won’t save themselves.
16 On that day even the bravest warriors
will throw off their weapons and flee,” says Adonai.
3:1 “Listen to this word which Adonai has spoken against you, people of Isra’el, against the entire family that I brought up from the land of Egypt:
2 “Of all the families on earth,
only you have I intimately known.
This is why I will punish you
for all your crimes.”
3 Do two people travel together
without having so agreed?
4 Does a lion roar in the forest
when it has no prey?
Does a young lion growl in his lair
if it has caught nothing?
5 Does a bird get caught in a trap on the ground
if it hasn’t been baited?
Does a trap spring up from the ground
when it has taken nothing?
6 When the shofar is blown in the city,
don’t the people tremble?
Can disaster befall a city
without Adonai’s having done it?
7 Adonai, God, does nothing without
revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.
8 The lion has roared. Who will not fear?
Adonai, God, has spoken. Who will not prophesy?
---
Today in Jewish History:
• Alexander in Jerusalem (313 BCE)On Kislev 21 of the year 3448 from creation (313 BCE), there occurred the historic meeting between Shimon HaTzaddik and Alexander ('the Great") of Macedonia.
The Samarians, bitter enemies of the Jews, had convinced Alexander that the Jews' refusal to place his image in their Temple was a sign of rebellion against his sovereignty, and that the Holy Temple should be destroyed. The Kohen Gadol ("High Priest") at the time was Shimon HaTzaddik, the last of the "Men of the Great Assembly" who rebuilt the Holy Temple and revitalized Judaism under Ezra. On the 21st of Kislev Alexander marched on Jerusalem at the head of his army; Shimon, garbed in the vestments of the High Priest and accompanied with a delegation of Jewish dignitaries, went forth to greet him. The two groups walked towards each other all night; at the crack of dawn they met. As Alexander beheld the visage of the High Priest, he dismounted his horse and bowed respectfully; to his men he explained that he often had visions of a similar-looking man leading him into battle. Shimon HaTzaddik brought the emperor to the Holy Temple and explained that Judaism prohibits the display of any graven image; he offered to name all the male children born to priests that year "Alexander" as a demonstration of loyalty to the emperor (which is how "Alexander" became a common Jewish name). The Samarians plot was rebuffed, and Kislev 21 was declared a holiday. (Talmud Yoma 69a)
According to an alternative version, this episode occurred on the 25th of Tevet.
• Satmar Rebbe Rescued (1944)The Satmar Rebbe, Rabbi Joel Teitelbaum (1887-1979), was rescued from the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, along with 1,368 other Jews, through the efforts of Rudulf Kastner, head of the Zionist rescue operation in Hungary (an earlier transport of 1,686 Jews had been rescued on Av 29). The Satmar community celebrates the 21st of Kislev as a day of thanksgiving.
Daily Torah Study:
Chumash: Vayeishev, 7th Portion Genesis 40:1-40:23 with Rashi
• English / Hebrew Linear Translation
• Video Class
• Daily Wisdom (short insight)
Genesis Chapter 40
1Now it came about after these events that the cupbearer of the king of Egypt and the baker sinned against their master, against the king of Egypt. אוַיְהִ֗י אַחַר֙ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה חָֽטְא֛וּ מַשְׁקֵ֥ה מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֖יִם וְהָֽאֹפֶ֑ה לַֽאֲדֹֽנֵיהֶ֖ם לְמֶ֥לֶךְ מִצְרָֽיִם:
Now it came about after these events: Because that cursed woman (Potiphar’s wife) had accustomed the people to talk [badly] about the righteous man (Joseph), therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, brought to them [the Egyptians] the sin of these [men], so that they would turn [their attention] to them [the two chamberlains] and not to him (Joseph), and also so that relief would come to the righteous man through them. [From Gen. Rabbah 88:1, 88:3]
אחר הדברים האלה: לפי שהרגילה אותה ארורה את הצדיק בפי כולם לדבר בו ולגנותו, הביא להם הקב"ה סורחנם של אלו שיפנו אליהם ולא אליו, ועוד שתבוא הרווחה לצדיק על ידיהם:
sinned: [Regarding] this one (the cupbearer) a fly was found in his goblet, and [concerning] that one (the baker) a pebble was found in his bread. [From Gen. Rabbah 88:2]
חטאו: זה נמצא זבוב בפיילי פוטירין שלו, וזה נמצא צרור בגלוסקין שלו:
and the baker: of the king’s bread. The expression of baking (אִפִיָה) applies only to bread, pesto(u)r or pistor in Old French, kneader, baker.
והאופה: את פת המלך ואין לשון אפייה אלא בפת, ובלע"ז פיסטו"ר [אופה]:
2And Pharaoh became incensed at his two chamberlains, at the chief cupbearer and at the chief baker. בוַיִּקְצֹ֣ף פַּרְעֹ֔ה עַ֖ל שְׁנֵ֣י סָֽרִיסָ֑יו עַ֚ל שַׂ֣ר הַמַּשְׁקִ֔ים וְעַ֖ל שַׂ֥ר הָֽאוֹפִֽים:
3And he placed them in the prison of the house of the chief of the slaughterers, into the prison, the place where Joseph was imprisoned. גוַיִּתֵּ֨ן אֹתָ֜ם בְּמִשְׁמַ֗ר בֵּ֛ית שַׂ֥ר הַטַּבָּחִ֖ים אֶל־בֵּ֣ית הַסֹּ֑הַר מְק֕וֹם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יוֹסֵ֖ף אָס֥וּר שָֽׁם:
4And the chief of the slaughterers appointed Joseph [to be] with them, and he served them, and they were a year in prison. דוַ֠יִּפְקֹ֠ד שַׂ֣ר הַטַּבָּחִ֧ים אֶת־יוֹסֵ֛ף אִתָּ֖ם וַיְשָׁ֣רֶת אֹתָ֑ם וַיִּֽהְי֥וּ יָמִ֖ים בְּמִשְׁמָֽר:
And the chief of the slaughterers appointed, etc.: to be with them.
ויפקד שר הטבחים את יוסף: להיות אתם:
and they were a year in prison: Heb. יָמִים, twelve months.
ויהיו ימים במשמר: שנים עשר חדש:
5Now both of them dreamed a dream, each one his dream on the same night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison. הוַיַּֽחַלְמוּ֩ חֲל֨וֹם שְׁנֵיהֶ֜ם אִ֤ישׁ חֲלֹמוֹ֙ בְּלַ֣יְלָה אֶחָ֔ד אִ֖ישׁ כְּפִתְר֣וֹן חֲלֹמ֑וֹ הַמַּשְׁקֶ֣ה וְהָֽאֹפֶ֗ה אֲשֶׁר֙ לְמֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲסוּרִ֖ים בְּבֵ֥ית הַסֹּֽהַר:
Now both of them dreamed a dream: Heb. וַיַחַלְמוּ חִלוֹם שְׁנֵיהֶם, and both of them dreamed a dream. This is its simple meaning, but its midrashic meaning is that each dreamed both dreams, meaning that each dreamed his own dream and the interpretation of his companion’s dream. That is the meaning of what is stated:“Now the chief baker saw that he had interpreted well” (verse 16). [From Gen. Rabbah 88:4, Ber. 55b]
ויחלמו חלום שניהם: ויחלמו שניהם חלום, זה פשוטו, ומדרשו כל אחד חלם חלום שניהם, שחלם את חלומו ופתרון חבירו, וזו שנאמר (פסוק טז) וירא שר האופים כי טוב פתר:
each man according to the interpretation of his dream: Each one dreamed a dream similar to the interpretation destined to befall them.
איש כפתרון חלומו: כל אחד חלם חלום הדומה לפתרון העתיד לבא עליהם:
6And Joseph came to them in the morning, and he saw them and behold, they were troubled. ווַיָּבֹ֧א אֲלֵיהֶ֛ם יוֹסֵ֖ף בַּבֹּ֑קֶר וַיַּ֣רְא אֹתָ֔ם וְהִנָּ֖ם זֹֽעֲפִֽים:
troubled: Heb. זֹעִפִים, sad, similar to“sad and upset (וְזָעֵף)” (I Kings 20:43);“I will bear the fury (זַעַף) of the Lord” (Micah 7:9). [From Targum Onkelos]
זעפים: עצבים כמו (מ"א כ מג) סר וזעף, (מיכה ז ט) זעף ה' אשא:
7And he asked Pharaoh's chamberlains who were with him in the prison of his master's house, saying, "Why are your faces sad today?" זוַיִּשְׁאַ֞ל אֶת־סְרִיסֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אִתּ֧וֹ בְמִשְׁמַ֛ר בֵּ֥ית אֲדֹנָ֖יו לֵאמֹ֑ר מַדּ֛וּעַ פְּנֵיכֶ֥ם רָעִ֖ים הַיּֽוֹם:
8And they said to him, "We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter for it." Joseph said to them, "Don't interpretations belong to God? Tell [them] to me now." חוַיֹּֽאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֔יו חֲל֣וֹם חָלַ֔מְנוּ וּפֹתֵ֖ר אֵ֣ין אֹת֑וֹ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֜ם יוֹסֵ֗ף הֲל֤וֹא לֵֽאלֹהִים֙ פִּתְרֹנִ֔ים סַפְּרוּ־נָ֖א לִֽי:
9So the chief cupbearer related his dream to Joseph, and he said to him, "In my dream, behold, a vine is before me. טוַיְסַפֵּ֧ר שַׂר־הַמַּשְׁקִ֛ים אֶת־חֲלֹמ֖וֹ לְיוֹסֵ֑ף וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ בַּֽחֲלוֹמִ֕י וְהִנֵּה־גֶ֖פֶן לְפָנָֽי:
10And on the vine are three tendrils, and it seemed to be blossoming, and its buds came out; [then] its clusters ripened into grapes. יוּבַגֶּ֖פֶן שְׁלשָׁ֣ה שָֽׂרִיגִ֑ם וְהִ֤וא כְפֹרַ֨חַת֙ עָֽלְתָ֣ה נִצָּ֔הּ הִבְשִׁ֥ילוּ אַשְׁכְּלֹתֶ֖יהָ עֲנָבִֽים:
tendrils: Heb. שָׂרִיגִם, long branches, known [in Old French] as vidiz, vine-shoots.
שריגים: זמורות ארוכות שקורין וידי"ץ בלע"ז [ענף גפן]:
and it seemed to be blossoming: Heb. וְהִוא כְפֹרַחַת, meaning it resembled blossoming. וְהִוא כְפֹרַחַת It seemed to me in my dream as if it were blossoming, and after the blossom, its buds came up, and they became tiny grapes, aspanir in Old French, and afterwards they ripened. [Onkelos renders וְהִוא כְפֹרַחַת :] “and it was as if blossoming, it brought forth blossoms”; until here is the Targum for פֹּרַחַת. [The word] נֵץ [denotes a stage of grapes] larger than פֶּרַח, the blossom, as it is written:“and the buds (נִצָה) turn into ripening grapes” (Isa. 18:5), and it is also written:“had blossomed פֶרַח) (וַיֹצֵא,” and afterwards,“it had put forth a bud (וַיָצֵץ צִיץ)” (Num. 17:23).
והיא כפרחת: דומה לפורחת. והיא כפורחת נדמה לי בחלומי כאלו היא פורחת, ואחר הפרח עלתה נצה ונעשה סמדר, אישפני"ר בלע"ז [להנץ] ואחר כך הבשילו, והיא כד אפרחת אפיקת לבלבין, עד כאן תרגום של פורחת. נץ גדול מפרח, כדכתיב (ישעיה יח ה) ובוסר גומל יהיה נצה, וכתיב (במדבר יז כג) ויוצא פרח, והדר ויצץ ציץ:
11And Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and squeezed them into Pharaoh's cup, and I placed the cup on Pharaoh's palm." יאוְכ֥וֹס פַּרְעֹ֖ה בְּיָדִ֑י וָֽאֶקַּ֣ח אֶת־הָֽעֲנָבִ֗ים וָֽאֶשְׂחַ֤ט אֹתָם֙ אֶל־כּ֣וֹס פַּרְעֹ֔ה וָֽאֶתֵּ֥ן אֶת־הַכּ֖וֹס עַל־כַּ֥ף פַּרְעֹֽה:
and squeezed: Heb. וָאֶשְׂחַט, as the Targum renders וַעִצָרִית. There are many instances [of this word] in the language of the Mishnah.
ואשחט: כתרגומו ועצרית, והרבה יש בלשון משנה:
12And Joseph said to him, "This is its meaning: the three tendrils are three days. יבוַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ יוֹסֵ֔ף זֶ֖ה פִּתְרֹנ֑וֹ שְׁל֨שֶׁת֙ הַשָּׂ֣רִגִ֔ים שְׁל֥שֶׁת יָמִ֖ים הֵֽם:
are three days: For you they symbolize three days, and there are many midrashic interpretations (Chullin 92a, Gen. Rabbah 88:5, targumim).
שלשת ימים הם: סימן הם לך לשלשת ימים, ויש מדרשי אגדה הרבה:
13In another three days, Pharaoh will number you [with the other officers], and he will restore you to your position, and you will place Pharaoh's cup into his hand, according to [your] previous custom, when you were his cupbearer. יגבְּע֣וֹד | שְׁל֣שֶׁת יָמִ֗ים יִשָּׂ֤א פַרְעֹה֙ אֶת־רֹאשֶׁ֔ךָ וַֽהֲשִֽׁיבְךָ֖ עַל־כַּנֶּ֑ךָ וְנָֽתַתָּ֤ כוֹס־פַּרְעֹה֙ בְּיָד֔וֹ כַּמִּשְׁפָּט֙ הָֽרִאשׁ֔וֹן אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָיִ֖יתָ מַשְׁקֵֽהוּ:
Pharaoh will number you: Heb. יִשָׂא פַרְעֹה אֶת-רֹאשֶׁ, lit., will raise your head, an expression of numbering. When he counts the rest of his servants to serve him at the feast, he will count you along with them.
ישא פרעה את ראשך: לשון חשבון, כשיפקוד שאר עבדיו לשרת לפניו בסעודה ימנה אותך עמהם:
your position: Heb. כַּנֶּ, your base and your seat.
כנך: בסיס שלך ומושבך:
14But remember me when things go well with you, and please do me a favor and mention me to Pharaoh, and you will get me out of this house. ידכִּ֧י אִם־זְכַרְתַּ֣נִי אִתְּךָ֗ כַּֽאֲשֶׁר֙ יִ֣יטַב לָ֔ךְ וְעָשִֽׂיתָ־נָּ֥א עִמָּדִ֖י חָ֑סֶד וְהִזְכַּרְתַּ֨נִי֙ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֔ה וְהֽוֹצֵאתַ֖נִי מִן־הַבַּ֥יִת הַזֶּֽה:
But remember me: But keep me in mind, since it will go well with you as I have interpreted.
כי אם זכרתני אתך: [אשר אם זכרתני אתך] מאחר שייטב לך [כפתרוני]:
and please do me a favor: Heb. נָא. נָא is only an expression of pleading.
ועשית נא עמדי חסד: אין נא אלא לשון בקשה:
15For I was stolen from the land of the Hebrews, and here too, I have done nothing, for which they have put me into the dungeon." טוכִּֽי־גֻנֹּ֣ב גֻּנַּ֔בְתִּי מֵאֶ֖רֶץ הָֽעִבְרִ֑ים וְגַם־פֹּה֙ לֹֽא־עָשִׂ֣יתִי מְא֔וּמָה כִּֽי־שָׂמ֥וּ אֹתִ֖י בַּבּֽוֹר:
16Now the chief baker saw that he had interpreted well. So he said to Joseph, "Me too! In my dream, behold, there were three wicker baskets on my head. טזוַיַּ֥רְא שַׂר־הָֽאֹפִ֖ים כִּ֣י ט֣וֹב פָּתָ֑ר וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אֶל־יוֹסֵ֔ף אַף־אֲנִי֙ בַּֽחֲלוֹמִ֔י וְהִנֵּ֗ה שְׁלשָׁ֛ה סַלֵּ֥י חֹרִ֖י עַל־רֹאשִֽׁי:
wicker baskets: Heb. סַלֵי חֹרִי, baskets of peeled willows, made with many holes (חוֹרִין חוֹרִין). In our country (France) there are many [such baskets], and it is the custom of the venders of hollow wafers, known as o(u) blies, to put them into such baskets.
סלי חורי: סלים של נצרים קלופים עשוים חורין חורין, ובמקומנו יש הרבה, ודרך מוכרי פת כסנין שקורין אובלידי"ש [רקיקים] לתתם באותן סלים:
17And in the topmost basket were all kinds of Pharaoh's food, the work of a baker, and the birds were eating them from the basket atop my head." יזוּבַסַּ֣ל הָֽעֶלְי֗וֹן מִכֹּ֛ל מַֽאֲכַ֥ל פַּרְעֹ֖ה מַֽעֲשֵׂ֣ה אֹפֶ֑ה וְהָע֗וֹף אֹכֵ֥ל אֹתָ֛ם מִן־הַסַּ֖ל מֵעַ֥ל רֹאשִֽׁי:
18And Joseph replied and said, "This is its meaning: the three baskets represent three days. יחוַיַּ֤עַן יוֹסֵף֙ וַיֹּ֔אמֶר זֶ֖ה פִּתְרֹנ֑וֹ שְׁל֨שֶׁת֙ הַסַּלִּ֔ים שְׁל֥שֶׁת יָמִ֖ים הֵֽם:
19In another three days, Pharaoh will remove your head from you and hang you on a gallows, and the birds will eat your flesh off you." יטבְּע֣וֹד | שְׁל֣שֶׁת יָמִ֗ים יִשָּׂ֨א פַרְעֹ֤ה אֶת־רֹֽאשְׁךָ֙ מֵֽעָלֶ֔יךָ וְתָלָ֥ה אֽוֹתְךָ֖ עַל־עֵ֑ץ וְאָכַ֥ל הָע֛וֹף אֶת־בְּשָֽׂרְךָ֖ מֵֽעָלֶֽיךָ:
20Now it came about on the third day, Pharaoh's birthday, that Pharaoh made a feast for all his servants, and he counted the chief cupbearer and chief baker among his servants. כוַיְהִ֣י | בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֗י י֚וֹם הֻלֶּ֣דֶת אֶת־פַּרְעֹ֔ה וַיַּ֥עַשׂ מִשְׁתֶּ֖ה לְכָל־עֲבָדָ֑יו וַיִּשָּׂ֞א אֶת־רֹ֣אשׁ | שַׂ֣ר הַמַּשְׁקִ֗ים וְאֶת־רֹ֛אשׁ שַׂ֥ר הָֽאֹפִ֖ים בְּת֥וֹךְ עֲבָדָֽיו:
Pharaoh’s birthday: Heb. יוֹם הֻלֶדֶת, the day of his birth, and it is called“ginusia” day [in Greek]. The expression הֻלֶדֶת [the “hoph’al” which is the passive of the“hiph’il” the causative] is used because the fetus is born only through [the assistance of] others, for the midwife assists the woman in giving birth. It is for this reason that the midwife is called מְיַלֶדֶת, [one who causes to deliver], and likewise,“And as for your birth (מוֹלְדוֹתַיִ), on the day you were born (הוּלֶדֶת אוֹתָ)” (Ezek. 16:4), and similarly,“after the mark was washed (הֻכַּבֵּס)” (Lev. 13:55), for the washing is done by others. [From Gen. Rabbah 88:6]
יום הלדת את פרעה: יום לידתו, וקורין לו יום גינוסיא. ולשון הולדת, לפי שאין הולד נולד אלא על ידי אחרים שהחיה מילדת את האשה, ועל כן החיה נקראת מילדת, וכן (יחזקאל טז ד) ומולדותיך ביום הולדת אותך, וכן (ויקרא יג נה) אחרי הוכבס את הנגע, שכיבוסו על ידי אחרים:
he counted, etc.: Heb. וַיִשָׂא אֶת רֹאשׁ. He counted them with the rest of his servants, for he was counting the servants who would serve him in his feast, and he remembered these among them. [וַיִשָׂא אֶת-רֹאשׁ is] similar to“Take the count (שְׂאוּ אֶת-רֹאשׁ)” (Num. 1:2), an expression of counting.
וישא את ראש וגו': מנאם עם שאר עבדיו, שהיה מונה המשרתים שישרתו לו בסעודתו, וזכר את אלו בתוכם, כמו (במדבר א ב) שאו את ראש, לשון מנין:
21And he restored the chief cupbearer to his [position as] cupbearer, and he placed the cup on Pharaoh's palm. כאוַיָּ֛שֶׁב אֶת־שַׂ֥ר הַמַּשְׁקִ֖ים עַל־מַשְׁקֵ֑הוּ וַיִּתֵּ֥ן הַכּ֖וֹס עַל־כַּ֥ף פַּרְעֹֽה:
22And the chief baker he hanged, as Joseph had interpreted to them. כבוְאֵ֛ת שַׂ֥ר הָֽאֹפִ֖ים תָּלָ֑ה כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר פָּתַ֛ר לָהֶ֖ם יוֹסֵֽף:
23But the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, and he forgot him. כגוְלֹֽא־זָכַ֧ר שַׂר־הַמַּשְׁקִ֛ים אֶת־יוֹסֵ֖ף וַיִּשְׁכָּחֵֽהוּ:
But the chief cupbearer did not remember: on that day.
ולא זכר שר המשקים: בו ביום:
and he forgot him: afterwards. Because Joseph relied on him to remember him, he was compelled to be confined for two years, as it is said:“Praiseworthy is the man who made the Lord his trust and did not turn to the haughty (רְהָבִים)” (Ps. 40:5). He did not turn to the Egyptians, who are called רַהַב, haughty. [From Gen. Rabbah 89:3]
וישכחהו: לאחר מכן. מפני שתלה בו יוסף בטחונו לזכרו, הוזקק להיות אסור עוד שתי שנים, שנאמר (תהלים מ ה) אשרי הגבר אשר שם ה' מבטחו ולא פנה אל רהבים, ולא בטח על מצרים הקרוים (ישעיה ל ז) רהב:
Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 104 - 105
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Chapter 104
This psalm tells of the beauty of creation, describing that which was created on each of the six days of creation. It proclaims the awesomeness of God Who sustains it all-from the horns of the wild ox to the eggs of the louse.
1. My soul, bless the Lord! Lord my God, You are greatly exalted; You have garbed Yourself with majesty and splendor.
2. You enwrap [Yourself] with light as with a garment; You spread the heavens as a curtain.
3. He roofs His heavens with water; He makes the clouds His chariot, He moves [them] on the wings of the wind.
4. He makes the winds His messengers, the blazing fire His servants.
5. He established the earth on its foundations, that it shall never falter.
6. The depths covered it as a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.
7. At Your exhortation they fled; at the sound of Your thunder they rushed away.
8. They ascended mountains, they flowed down valleys, to the place which You have assigned for them.
9. You set a boundary which they may not cross, so that they should not return to engulf the earth.
10. He sends forth springs into streams; they flow between the mountains.
11. They give drink to all the beasts of the field; the wild animals quench their thirst.
12. The birds of the heavens dwell beside them; they raise their voice from among the foliage.
13. He irrigates the mountains from His clouds above; the earth is satiated from the fruit of Your works.
14. He makes grass grow for the cattle, and vegetation requiring the labor of man to bring forth food from the earth;
15. and wine that gladdens man's heart, oil that makes the face shine, and bread that sustains man's heart.
16. The trees of the Lord drink their fill, the cedars of Lebanon which He planted,
17. wherein birds build their nests; the stork has her home in the cypress.
18. The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the rabbits.
19. He made the moon to calculate the festivals; the sun knows its time of setting.
20. You bring on darkness and it is night, when all the beasts of the forest creep forth.
21. The young lions roar for prey, and seek their food from God.
22. When the sun rises, they return and lie down in their dens.
23. Then man goes out to his work, to his labor until evening.
24. How manifold are Your works, O Lord! You have made them all with wisdom; the earth is full of Your possessions.
25. This sea, vast and wide, where there are countless creeping creatures, living things small and great;
26. there ships travel, there is the Leviathan that You created to frolic therein.
27. They all look expectantly to You to give them their food at the proper time.
28. When You give it to them, they gather it; when You open Your hand, they are satiated with goodness.
29. When You conceal Your countenance, they are terrified; when You take back their spirit, they perish and return to their dust.
30. When You will send forth Your spirit they will be created anew, and You will renew the face of the earth.
31. May the glory of the Lord be forever; may the Lord find delight in His works.
32. He looks at the earth, and it trembles; He touches the mountains, and they smoke.
33. I will sing to the Lord with my soul; I will chant praise to my God with my [entire] being.
34. May my prayer be pleasant to Him; I will rejoice in the Lord.
35. May sinners cease from the earth, and the wicked be no more. Bless the Lord, O my soul! Praise the Lord!
Chapter 105
When David brought the Holy Ark up to the City of David, he composed this psalm and sang it before the Ark. He recounts all the miracles that God performed for the Jews in Egypt: sending before them Joseph, who was imprisoned, only to be liberated by God, eventually attaining the status of one who could imprison the princes of Egypt without consulting Pharaoh.
1. Offer praise to the Lord, proclaim His Name; make His deeds known among the nations.
2. Sing to Him, chant praises to Him, speak of all His wonders.
3. Glory in His holy Name; may the heart of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
4. Search for the Lord and His might; seek His countenance always.
5. Remember the wonders that He has wrought, His miracles, and the judgements of His mouth.
6. O descendants of Abraham His servant, children of Jacob, His chosen ones:
7. He is the Lord our God; His judgements extend over the entire earth.
8. He remembers His covenant forever, the word which He has commanded to a thousand generations;
9. the covenant which He made with Abraham, and His oath to Isaac.
10. He established it for Jacob as a statute, for Israel as an everlasting covenant,
11. stating, "To you I shall give the land of Canaan"-the portion of your inheritance,
12. when they were but few, very few, and strangers in it.
13. They wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people.
14. He permitted no one to wrong them, and admonished kings for their sake:
15. "Do not touch My anointed ones, and do not harm My prophets.”
16. He called for a famine upon the land; He broke every source of bread.
17. He sent a man before them; Joseph was sold as a slave.
18. They afflicted his foot with chains, his soul was put into iron;
19. until the time that His words came, the decree of the Lord purified him.
20. The king sent [word] and released him, the ruler of nations set him free.
21. He appointed him master of his house and ruler of all his possessions,
22. to imprison his princes at will, and to enlighten his elders.
23. Thus Israel came to Egypt, and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham (Egypt).
24. He multiplied His nation greatly, and made it mightier than its adversaries.
25. He turned their hearts to hate His nation, to conspire against His servants.
26. He sent Moses, His servant; Aaron, whom He had chosen.
27. They placed among them the words of His signs, miracles in the land of Ham.
28. He sent darkness and made it dark, and they did not defy His word.
29. He transformed their waters to blood, and killed their fish.
30. Their land swarmed with frogs in the chambers of their kings.
31. He spoke, and hordes of wild beasts came, and lice throughout their borders.
32. He turned their rains to hail, flaming fire in their land;
33. it struck their vine and fig tree, it broke the trees of their borders.
34. He spoke, and grasshoppers came, locusts without number;
35. and it consumed all grass in their land, it ate the fruit of their soil.
36. Then He smote every firstborn in their land, the first of all their potency.
37. And He took them out with silver and gold, and none among His tribes stumbled.
38. Egypt rejoiced at their leaving, for the fear [of Israel] had fallen upon them.
39. He spread out a cloud for shelter, and a fire to illuminate the night.
40. [Israel] asked, and He brought quail, and with the bread of heaven He satisfied them.
41. He opened a rock and waters flowed; they streamed through dry places like a river,
42. for He remembered His holy word to Abraham His servant.
43. And He brought out His nation with joy, His chosen ones with song.
44. He gave them the lands of nations, they inherited the toil of peoples,
45. so that they might keep His statutes and observe His laws. Praise the Lord!
Tanya: Likutei Amarim, end of Compiler's Foreword
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Shabbat, Kislev 21, 5778 · December 9, 2017
Today's Tanya Lesson
Likutei Amarim, end of Compiler's Foreword
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אך ביודעיי ומכיריי קאמינא, הם כל אחד ואחד מאנשי שלומנו שבמדינתינו וסמוכות שלה
I speak, however, of those who know me well, each and every one of Anash of our country and those countries nearby,
אשר היה הדיבור של חיבה מצוי בינינו
with whom affectionate words were often exchanged in private audience,
וגילו לפני כל תעלומות לבם ומוחם בעבודת ה׳ התלויה בלב
and who revealed to me all the hidden recesses of their heart and mind in matters related to the service of G‑d which is dependent on the heart.
אליהם תטוף מלתי, ולשוני עט סופר, בקונטרסים אלו הנקראים בשם לקוטי אמרים
To them shall my words seep through, and1 my tongue shall take the form of a scribe’s pen, in these pamphlets entitled Likutei Amarim (“A Compilation of Teachings”),
מלוקטים מפי ספרים ומפי סופרים קדושי עליון נשמתם עדן, המפורסמים אצלינו
being compiled from books and teachers, heavenly saints, who are well known to us.
The “books and teachers” alluded to have been explained above, in the comments on the title page.
וקצת מהן נרמזין לחכימין באגרות הקדש מרבותינו שבארצנו הקדושה, תובב״א
Some of these teachings, the wise (for whom “a hint is sufficient”) will find alluded to in the sacred letters of our teachers in the Holy Land.
As mentioned above, the Alter Rebbe considered certain senior disciples of the Maggid of Mezritch as his mentors, especially Rabbi Mendel of Vitebsk, who then resided in Eretz Yisrael.
וקצתם שמעתי מפיהם הקדוש בהיותם פה עמנו
Some of them I heard from their saintly mouth when they were here with us before they moved toEretz Yisrael.
וכולם הן תשובות על שאלות רבות אשר שואלין בעצה כל אנשי שלומינו דמדינתינו תמיד
All of them are answers to many questions posed continually by Anash of our country seeking advice,
כל אחד לפי ערכו
each according to his stature in the service of G‑d,
לשית עצות בנפשם בעבודת ה׳
so as to receive guidance for themselves in the service of G‑d,
להיות כי אין הזמן גרמא עוד להשיב לכל אחד ואחד על שאלתו בפרטות
because time no longer permits [me] to reply to everyone individually on his particular query,
וגם השכחה מצויה
and also because forgetfulness is common.
על כן רשמתי כל התשובות על כל השאלות
I have therefore recorded all the replies to all the questions,
למשמרת לאות, להיות לכל אחד ואחד לזכרון בין עיניו
to be preserved as a sign, and to serve as a reminder in everyone’s mind.2
ולא ידחוק עוד ליכנם לדבר עמי ביחידות
No longer will one need to press for a private audience,
כי בהן ימצא מרגוע לנפשו ועצה נכונה לכל דבר הקשה עליו בעבודת ה׳,
for in these Likutei Amarim one will find tranquillity for his soul, and true counsel on everything that he finds difficult in the service of G‑d.
ונכון יהיה לבו בטוח בה׳ גומר בעדינו
Thus his heart will be firmly secure in G‑d who completes and perfects everything for us.
ומי שדעתו קצרה להבין דבר עצה מתוך קונטריסים אלו
He whose mind is too limited to understand how to derive advice from these pamphlets,
יפרש שיחתו לפני הגדולים שבעירו, והם יבוננהו
let him discuss his problem with the foremost scholars of his town and they will enlighten him.
ואליהם בקשתי שלא לשום יד לפה
Of [these scholars] I request that they not lay their hand upon their mouth, i.e., not to keep silent when asked for advice, for fear of appearing to be proud in their knowledge,
להתנהג בענוה ושפלות של שקר, חס ושלום
to conduct themselves with false modesty and humility — for misplaced modesty is falsehood.
וכנודע עונש המר על מונע בר
It is well known how bitter is the punishment of him who3 “withholds food,“ i.e., who withholds Torah knowledge from him who seeks it,
וגודל השכר, ממאמר רז״ל על פסוק: מאיר עיני שניהם ה׳
and also how great is the reward granted to one who provides such knowledge. This is well known from the comment of our Sages4 on the verse,5 “G‑d enlightens the eyes of them both.“
The verse reads, “The pauper and the wealthy man meet; G‑d enlightens the eyes of them both.” The Gemaraapplies this to a pauper in Torah knowledge and to one who is wealthy in Torah. When they meet, and the wealthy one teaches the pauper, G‑d enlightens the eyes of both of them — with a light that transcends them both.
כי יאיר ה׳ פניו אליהם, אור פני מלך חיים
Thus G‑d will cause His face to shine upon them, with the light of the countenance of the King [which provides] life.
ומחיה חיים יזכנו ויחיינו לימים אשר לא ילמדו עוד איש את רעהו וגו׳ כי כולם ידעו אותי
May He who provides life to the living grant us the privilege of living to see the days when6“no longer will one man teach another... [to know Me], for they will all know Me, [... from the smallest to the greatest-,“
כי מלאה האר׳ דעה את ה׳ וגו׳
7“for the knowledge of G‑d will fill the earth as the waters fill the sea.”
אמן כן יהי רצון
Amen. May this be His Will.
* * *
והנה אחר שנתפשטו הקונטריסים הנ״ל בקרב כל אנ״ש הנ״ל בהעתקות רבות מידי סופרים שונים ומשונים
As the aforementioned pamphlets have been distributed among all the Anash mentioned above, by means of numerous transcriptions at the hands of sundry and diverse copyists,
הנה על ידי ריבוי ההעתקות שונות רבו כמו רבו הטעויות סופרים במאוד מאוד
the multitude of transcriptions has given rise to an exceedingly great number of textual errors.
As mentioned above, the words “sundry and diverse (copyists)” may well allude to two kinds of errors — the intentional as well as the innocent.
ולזאת נדבה רוחם של אנשים אפרתים הנקובים הנ״ל מעבר לדף לטרוח בגופם ומאודם
Therefore the spirit of the noble men mentioned on the previous page8 has generously moved them to make a personal and financial effort
להביא את קונטריסים הנ״ל לבית הדפוס, מנוקים מכל סיג וטעות סופר ומוגהים היטב
to have these pamphlets published, cleared of all dross and copyists‘ errors (— another possible allusion to the two types of errors mentioned above, with “dross” representing the forgeries), and thoroughly checked.
ואמינא לפעלא טבא יישר חילא
I congratulate them on this worthy deed.
ולהיות כי מקרא מלא דבר הכתוב: ארור מסיג גבול רעהו
Inasmuch as the verse states explicitly,9 “Cursed be he who encroaches on his fellow’s border,”
וארור בו קללה בו נידוי, חס ושלום וכו׳
and where the expression “cursed” is used, it implies both damnation and excommunication,10G‑d preserve us, it is actually superfluous to add any further prohibition on violating the copyright of the publishers.
על כן כיהודא ועוד לקרא קאתינא
I come therefore only to reinforce the words of Scripture as [the Talmud cites] a mere practice in Judah in order to reinforce an explicit Scriptural statement,11
למשדי גודא רבא על כל המדפיסים, שלא להדפיס קונטריסים הנ״ל לא על ידי עצמן ולא על ידי גירא דלהון
invoking a strict prohibition on all publishers against printing these pamphlets, either themselves or through their agents,
בלתי רשות הנקובים הנ״ל
without the permission of the above-named,
משך חמש שנים מיום כלות הדפוס
for a period of five years from the day that this printing is completed.12
ולשומעים יונעם ותבוא עליהם ברכת טוב
May it be pleasant for those who comply, and may they be blessed with good.
כה דברי המלקט לקוטי אמרים הנ״ל
These are the words of the compiler of the aforementioned Likutei Amarim.
——— ● ———
| FOOTNOTES | |
| 1. | Tehillim 45:2. |
| 2. | As in the expression concerning the tefillin (Shmot 13:9): “They shall be for you as a reminder between your eyes.” |
| 3. | See Sanhedrin 91b on Mishlei 11:26. |
| 4. | See Temurah 16a on Mishlei 29:13. |
| 5. | Mishlei 29:13. |
| 6. | Yirmeyahu 31:33. |
| 7. | Yeshayahu 11:9. |
| 8. | Referring to the partners R. Shalom Shachna and R. Mordechai; see approbation of Rabbi Zusya of Anipoli and footnote 11 there. |
| 9. | Devarim 27:17. |
| 10. | Shevuot 36a (in inverted order); and Rambam, Yad, Hilchot Sanhedrin 26:3. |
| 11. | Kiddushin 6a. |
| 12. | As above, in the approbations: Tuesday, Parshat Ki Tavo, 5556. |
• Sefer Hamitzvot:
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Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
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Negative Commandment 262
A Husband's Obligations towards His Wife
"He shall not diminish her food, her clothing, or conjugal rights"—Exodus 21:10.
The Torah tells us that if a man marries a Jewish slave-girl, he may not torment her by denying her appropriate food, clothing, or conjugal rights. Rather, he must accord her the rights due to all "the daughters [of Israel]." Thus it is clear that this precept applies to all wives.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
A Husband's Obligations towards His Wife
Negative Commandment 262
Translated by Berel Bell
Negative Commandment 263
The 262nd prohibition is that one who purchases a Jewish maidservant and then marries her is forbidden from afflicting her. When I say "from afflicting her," I mean that he may not diminish her food, clothing, or conjugal rights (sh'eirah, k'susah, onasah) with the intention of afflicting her and causing her anguish.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "He may not diminish her food, clothing, or conjugal rights."
This same prohibition also applies to one who has married any Jewish woman; he also is prohibited from afflicting her in any of these three areas, with the intention of causing her anguish and distress.
The source for this is G‑d's statement2 (exalted be He) regarding the Jewish maidservant [whose master marries her and] whose food, clothing, and conjugal rights may not be withheld, "She must be treated exactly as other [married] women." From here we learn that the [proper] treatment of all married women is that one may not diminish their food, clothing, and conjugal rights.
Our Sages explained this in the Mechilta: "What does the verse, '[She must be treated] exactly as other [married] women' teach us [about the treatment of the maidservant]? It appears to come here to teach us something; but rather it ends up being taught about."3
There it is also explained that sh'eirah refers to food; k'susah is meant literally [i.e. clothing], and onasah refers to conjugal rights.
FOOTNOTES
1.Ex. 21:10.
2.Ex. 21:9.
3.By saying that a maidservant must be treated like a regular married woman, it would seem that we know something about the regular woman that we don't know about the maidservant. In reality, however, the opposite is true: we learn from verse 10 that a maidservant's food, clothing, and conjugal relations may not be diminished. By saying in verse 9 that the maidservant is treated like a regular woman, we learn that the same applies to a regular woman.
Rambam:
• 1 Chapter A Day: Tefilah and Birkat Kohanim Tefilah and Birkat Kohanim - Chapter Twelve
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1
Moses, our teacher, ordained that the Jews should read the Torah publicly on the Sabbath and on Monday and Thursday mornings, so the [people] would never have three days pass without hearing the Torah.
Ezra ordained that [the Torah] should be read during the Minchah service on the Sabbath, because of the shopkeepers. He also ordained that on Mondays and Thursdays, three people should read [from the Torah], and that they should read no fewer than ten verses.
א
משה רבינו תיקן להם לישראל שיהו קורין בתורה ברבים בשבת ובשני ובחמישי בשחרית כדי שלא ישהו שלשה ימים בלא שמיעת תורה ועזרא תיקן שיהו קורין כן במנחה בכל שבת משום יושבי קרנות וגם הוא תיקן שיהו קורין בשני ובחמישי שלשה בני אדם ולא יקראו פחות מעשרה פסוקים:
Commentary on Halachah 1
2
These are the days when the Torah is read publicly: Sabbaths, festivals, Rashei Chadashim, fast days, Chanukah, Purim, and Mondays and Thursdays each week.
The haftarah is read only on Sabbaths, festivals, and Tish'ah B'Av.
ב
ואלו הן הימים שקורין בהם בתורה בציבור בשבתות ובמועדים ובראשי חדשים ובתעניות ובחנוכה ובפורים ובשני וחמישי שבכל שבוע ושבוע ואין מפטירין בנביאים אלא בשבתות וימים טובים ותשעה באב בלבד:
Commentary on Halachah 2
3
The Torah is never read in public in the presence of fewer than ten adult free men. No fewer than ten verses are read. Vayedaber is counted as one of them. No fewer than three men should read.
[When] beginning a passage from the Torah, [one should read] at least three verses, and one should not conclude less than three verses from the conclusion of a passage. Each reader should not read fewer than three verses.
ג
אין קורין בתורה בציבור בפחות מעשרה אנשים גדולים בני חורין ואין קורין פחות מעשרה פסוקים וידבר עולה מן המנין ולא יהיו הקורין פחות משלשה אנשים ואין מתחילין בפרשה פחות משלשה פסוקים ואין משיירין בפרשה פחות משלשה פסוקים ולא יקרא הקורא פחות משלשה פסוקים:
Commentary on Halachah 3
4
[When] three people read ten verses: Two read three [verses each] and one, four [verses]. It is praiseworthy regardless of whether the one who read four [verses] is first, last, or in the middle.
ד
שלשה שקראו עשרה פסוקים שנים קוראין שלשה שלשה ואחד ארבעה ובין שהיה הקורא ארבעה ראשון או אחרון או אמצעי הרי זה משובח:
Commentary on Halachah 4
5
Each one of the readers opens the Torah scroll and looks at the place from which he is to read. Afterwards, he declares, Barchu et Ado-nai hamevorach, and all the people answer: Baruch Ado-nai hamevorach le'olam va'ed. He then recites the blessing:
Blessed are You, God, our Lord, King of the universe, who has chosen us from among all the nations and given us His Torah. Blessed are You, God, the Giver of the Torah.
All the people respond: "Amen." Afterwards, he reads until he completes the reading, rolls the scroll [closed] and recites the blessing:
Blessed are You, God, our Lord, King of the universe, who has given us His Torah, the Torah of truth, and implanted eternal life in our midst. Blessed are You, God, the Giver of the Torah.
ה
כל אחד ואחד מן הקורין פותח ספר תורה ומביט למקום שהוא קורא בו ואח"כ אומר ברכו את יי' המבורך וכל העם עונין ברוך ה' המבורך לעולם ועד וחוזר ומברך ברוך אתה יי' אלהינו מלך העולם אשר בחר בנו מכל העמים ונתן לנו את תורתו ברוך אתה יי' נותן התורה וכל העם עונין אמן ואחר כך קורא עד שישלים לקרות וגולל הספר ומברך ברוך אתה יי' אלהינו מלך העולם אשר נתן לנו תורתו תורת אמת וחיי עולם נטע בתוכנו ברוך אתה יי' נותן התורה:
Commentary on Halachah 5
6
The person reading the Torah is not allowed to begin reading until the congregation ceases responding "Amen." If one erred while reading, even regarding the careful pronunciation of one letter, [the reader] is forced to repeat [the reading] until he reads it correctly.
Two people should not read at the same time. Rather, one should read alone. If one was reading and lost the ability to speak, another should replace him. He should begin from the place where the one who lost the ability to speak began, and recite the blessing after concluding.
ו
אין הקורא בתורה רשאי לקרות בתורה עד שיכלה אמן מפי הציבור קרא וטעה אפילו בדקדוק אות אחת מחזירין אותו עד שיקראנה בדקדוק ולא יקראו שנים בתורה אלא האחד לבדו קרא ונשתתק יעמוד אחר תחתיו ויתחיל ממקום שהתחיל הראשון שנשתתק ומברך בסוף:
Commentary on Halachah 6
7
The reader is not permitted to [begin] reading until the person of greatest stature within the community tells him to [begin] reading. Even the chazan or the gabbai should not begin reading on their own initiative until the community [as a whole] or the person of greatest stature begins to read.
[When the chazan reads from the Torah,] another person should stand with him while he reads, just as the chazan stands together with the other readers.
ז
אין הקורא רשאי לקרות עד שיאמר לו גדול שבציבור לקרות ואפילו חזן הכנסת או ראש הכנסת אינו קורא מעצמו עד שיאמרו לו הציבור או גדול שבהם לקרות וצריך אחד לעמוד עמו בשעת קריאה כדרך חזן העומד עם הקוראין:
Commentary on Halachah 7
8
The reader may skip from place to place in one subject - for example, from Acharei mot... to Ach be'asor, in the portion Emor el Hacohanim - provided he does not read by heart. It is forbidden [for a reader] to say even one word [without looking at the text]. [When] skipping [in this fashion, the reader] should not wait longer than it takes for the translator to translate one verse.
ח
הקורא יש לו לדלג ממקום למקום בענין אחד כגון אחרי מות ואך בעשור שבפרשת אמור אל הכהנים והוא שלא יקרא על פה שאסור לקרות שלא מן הכתב אפילו תיבה אחת ולא ישהה בדילוג אלא כדי שישלים התורגמן תרגום הפסוק:
Commentary on Halachah 8
9
Once the reader begins reading the Torah, it is forbidden [for the congregants] to talk, even regarding matters of Torah law. Rather, everyone should listen, remain silent, and pay attention to what is being read, as [Nechemiah 8:3] states: "The ears of all the people were [attentive] to the Torah scroll."
It is forbidden to leave the synagogue while the reader is reading from the Torah. However, one is permitted to leave between aliyot. A person who is constantly involved in Torah study, and Torah is his occupation, is permitted to involve himself in Torah study while the Torah is being read.
ט
כיון שהתחיל הקורא לקרות בתורה אסור לספר אפילו בדבר הלכה אלא הכל שומעין ושותקין ומשימין לבם למה שהוא קורא שנאמר ואזני כל העם אל ספר התורה ואסור לצאת מן הכנסת בשעה שהקורא קורא ומותר לצאת בין איש לאיש ומי שהוא עוסק בתורה תמיד ותורתו אומנותו מותר לו לעסוק בתלמוד תורה בשעה שהקורא קורא בתורה:
Commentary on Halachah 9
10
From the time of Ezra, it was customary that a translator would translate to the people the [passages] read by the reader from the Torah, so that they would understand the subject matter.
The reader should read one verse alone and remain silent while the translator translates it. Afterwards, he should read a second verse. The reader is not permitted to read to the translator more than one verse [at a time].
י
מימות עזרא נהגו שיהא שם תורגמן מתרגם לעם מה שהקורא קורא בתורה כדי שיבינו ענין הדברים והקורא קורא פסוק אחד בלבד ושותק עד שיתרגם אותו התורגמן וחוזר וקורא פסוק שני ואין הקורא רשאי לקרות למתורגמן יותר מפסוק אחד:
Commentary on Halachah 10
11
The reader is not permitted to raise his voice above that of the translator, nor should the translator raise his voice above that of the reader. The translator is not permitted to [begin] translating until the reader completes reading the verse, nor may the reader [begin] reading another verse until the translator has completed the translation.
The translator should not lean on a beam or on a pillar. Rather, he should stand with awe and fear. He should not translate from a written text, but rather should recite the translation by heart.
The reader is not permitted to assist the translator, lest people say: "The translation is written in the Torah scroll." A person of lesser stature may serve as a translator for a person of greater stature. However, it is not befitting the honor of a person of greater stature to serve as a translator for a person of lesser stature. Two people should not serve as translators simultaneously; rather, one person should read and one should translate.
יא
אין הקורא רשאי להגביה קולו יותר מן המתרגם והמתרגם לא יגביה קולו יותר מן הקורא ואין המתרגם רשאי לתרגם עד שיכלה הפסוק מפי הקורא ואין הקורא רשאי לקרות פסוק אחר עד שיכלה התרגום מפי התורגמן ואין התורגמן נשען לא לעמוד ולא לקורה אלא עומד באימה וביראה ולא יתרגם מתוך הכתב אלא על פה ואין הקורא רשאי לסייע לתורגמן שלא יאמרו תרגום כתוב בתורה והקטן מתרגם ע"י גדול ואין כבוד לגדול שיתרגם על ידי קטן ולא יהיו המתרגמין שנים כאחד אלא אחד קורא ואחד מתרגם:
12
Not all passages from the Torah are translated in public. All [of the following passages] should be read, but not translated: the incident involving Reuven, the priestly benediction, [the passage describing the sin] of the golden calf from "And Moses told Aharon" (Exodus 32:21) until "And Moses saw the people" (Exodus 32:25) and one other verse, "And God set a plague upon the people" (Exodus 32:35).
In the [description of] the incident concerning Amnon (II Samuel, Chapter 13), the verse which states, "Amnon, the son of David" (13:1) should be neither read nor translated.
יב
ולא כל המקראות מתרגמינן בצבור מעשה ראובן וברכת כהנים ומעשה העגל מן ויאמר משה אל אהרן עד וירא משה את העם וגו' ועוד פסוק אחד ויגף ה' את העם כולם נקראין ולא מתרגמין ובמעשה אמנון במקום שנאמר אמנון בן דוד נקרא ולא מתרגם:
13
The person who reads the haftarah must read from the Torah first. Even three verses [are sufficient]. He should read again the passage that had been read previously.
He should not [begin] reading the haftarah until the Torah scroll has been rolled closed. He should not read fewer than twenty-one verses [as the haftarah]. However, if a concept is completed in fewer [verses] than that, he need not add more. If he read only ten verses, but the haftarah is translated, it is sufficient even if the concept is not completed.
[When reading] from the prophets, one reads and even two may translate. One may skip from one concept to another. However, one should not skip from one prophet to another, except among the twelve prophets. Furthermore, [even within a book from a single prophet,] one should not skip from the conclusion of the book until its beginning. Whenever one skips, one should not wait longer than it takes the translator to complete his translation.
יג
המפטיר בנביא צריך לקרות בתורה תחלה אפילו שלשה פסוקים חוזר וקורא מה שקרא לפניו ולא יפטיר בנביא עד שיגלול ספר תורה ולא יפחות מעשרים ואחד פסוקים ואם שלם הענין בפחות מאלו אינו צריך להוסיף ואם קרא עשרה פסוקים ותרגמן המתרגם דיו ואפילו לא שלם הענין ובנביא אחד קורא ואפילו שנים מתרגמין ומדלג מענין לענין אחר ואינו מדלג מנביא לנביא אלא בנביאים של שנים עשר בלבד ובלבד שלא ידלג מסוף הספר לתחלתו וכל המדלג לא ישהה בדילוג אלא כדי שישלים המתרגם תרגומו:
Commentary on Halachah 13
14
A person reading from the prophets may read three verses to the translator at one time, and the translator translates them one after another. If the three verses are three separate passages, [the reader] should read them to the translator only one at a time.
יד
הקורא בנביא יש לו לקרות לתורגמן שלשה פסוקים והמתרגם מתרגם שלשתן זה אחר זה ואם היו שלשה הפסוקים שלש פרשיות לא יקרא לתורגמן אלא אחד אחד בלבד:
Commentary on Halachah 14
15
The person who reads the haftarah recites one blessing before [beginning his reading]: Blessed are You, God, our Lord, King of the universe, who chose prophets....
After [completing the reading], he recites four blessings. He concludes the first blessing: "the God who is faithful in all of His words." He concludes the second blessing: "who builds Jerusalem." He concludes the third blessing: "the Shield of David." He concludes the fourth blessing with the mention of the sacred aspect of the day, as he does in the Shemoneh Esreh. Similarly, if Rosh Chodesh falls on the Sabbath, the one who reads the haftarah mentions Rosh Chodesh in this blessing, as he does in the Shemoneh Esreh.
טו
המפטיר בנביא מברך לפניו ברכה אחת ברוך אתה ה' אלהינו מלך העולם אשר בחר בנביאים וכו' ומברך לאחריו ארבע ברכות ברכה ראשונה חותם בה האל הנאמן בכל דבריו שנייה חותם בה בונה ירושלים שלישית חותם בה מגן דוד רביעית חותם בה ענין קדושת היום כמו שחותם בתפלה וכן אם חל ראש חדש להיות בשבת המפטיר בנביא מזכיר ראש חדש בברכה זו כמו שמזכיר בתפלה:
Commentary on Halachah 15
16
How many readers [are called to the Torah]? On Sabbath morning, seven; on Yom Kippur, six; on festivals, five. This number may not be reduced. However, it may be increased.
On Rashei Chadashim and on Chol Hamo'ed, four people [are called to read [from the Torah]. On the Sabbath and Yom Kippur during the Minchah service, on Mondays and Thursdays throughout the entire year, on Chanukah and Purim in the morning service, and on fast days in the morning and Minchah services three people [are called to] read [from the Torah]. This number may not be reduced, nor may it may be increased.
טז
כמה הן הקוראין בשבת בשחרית קוראין שבעה וביום הכפורים ששה ובימים טובים חמשה אין פוחתין מהן אבל מוסיפין עליהם בראשי חדשים ובחולו של מועד קורין ארבעה בשבת וביוה"כ במנחה ובשני ובחמישי של כל השנה ובחנוכה ובפורים בשחרית ובימי התענית בשחרית ובמנחה קורין שלשה אין פוחתין ממנין זה ואין מוסיפין עליהן:
Commentary on Halachah 16
17
A woman should not read the Torah publicly, as a token of respect for the community. A minor who knows how to read and is aware of the One who is being blessed may be counted as one of the required number [of people called to the Torah].
Similarly, the one who recites the haftarah is counted as one of the required number [of people called to the Torah], because he also reads from the Torah. [However,] if the leader of the congregation interrupted [by reciting] Kaddish between the conclusion of the Torah reading and the reading of the person who recites the haftarah, [the latter] is not included as one of the required number [of people called to the Torah].
If there is only one person in the community who knows how to read [from the Torah], he should be called to the Torah, read, descend [from the platform], return and read again a second and a third time until he completes the number of aliyot designated for that day.
יז
אשה לא תקרא בציבור מפני כבוד הציבור קטן היודע לקרות ויודע למי מברכין עולה ממנין הקוראים וכן מפטיר עולה מהמנין שהרי הוא קורא בתורה ואם הפסיק שליח ציבור בקדיש בין משלים ובין המפטיר אינו עולה מן המנין ציבור שלא היה בהם יודע לקרות אלא אחד עולה וקורא ויורד וחוזר וקורא שנייה ושלישית עד שיגמור מנין הקוראים של אותו היום:
Commentary on Halachah 17
18
In all of these [Torah] readings, a priest reads first; after him, a Levite; and after him, an Israelite. It is common custom at present that even a priest who is a common person is given precedence and allowed to read before a wise man of great stature in Israel.
Whoever is greater than his colleague in wisdom is given precedence regarding the reading [of the Torah]. The last person who rolls the Torah scroll closed receives a reward equivalent to that of all the others. Therefore, even the person of the greatest stature in the community can receive the concluding aliyah.
יח
בכל קריאה וקריאה מאלו כהן קורא ראשון ואחריו לוי ואחריו ישראל ומנהג פשוט הוא היום שאפילו כהן עם הארץ קודם לקרות לפני חכם גדול ישראל וכל מי שהוא גדול מחברו בחכמה קודם לקרות והאחרון שגולל ספר תורה נוטל שכר כנגד הכל לפיכך עולה ומשלים אפילו גדול שבציבור:
Commentary on Halachah 18
19
When there are no priests present, an Israelite is called to the Torah and a Levite should not be called after him at all.
When there are no Levites present, the priest who received the first aliyah returns and reads [from the Torah] a second time in place of the Levite. Another priest should not read [from the Torah] after him, lest others say that there is a blemish in the first's lineage, and, therefore, another priest was given the aliyah.
Similarly, one Levite should not read [from the Torah] after another Levite, lest others say that there is a blemish in the lineage of one of them.
יט
אין שם כהן עולה ישראל ולא יעלה אחריו לוי כלל אין שם לוי כהן שקרא ראשון חוזר וקורא הוא עצמו פעם שנייה במקום לוי אבל לא יקרא אחריו כהן אחר שמא יאמרו הראשון פסול ולפיכך עולה כהן אחר וכן לא יקרא לוי אחר לוי שמא יאמרו אחד משניהם פסול:
Commentary on Halachah 19
20
What is the order [of the service] when the Torah is read after prayer? On a day when there is a Musaf service, after the leader of the congregation completes the morning service, he recites Kaddish and takes out the Torah scroll. He calls the members of the community, one by one, and they ascend and read from the Torah. When they have completed the reading, he returns the Torah scroll to its place, recites Kaddish, and then the [congregation] recites the Musaf service.
On days when the haftarah is read and there is a Musaf service, it is customary to recite Kaddish before the person who reads the haftarah ascends [for his aliyah]. There are places where it is customary to recite Kaddish after the person who reads the haftarah [completes his Torah reading].
כ
כיצד סדר הקריאה בתורה אחר התפלה כל יום שיש בו תפלת מוסף אחר שיגמור שליח צבור תפלת שחרית אומר קדיש ומוציא ספר תורה וקורא לאחד אחד מן הציבור ועולין וקורין בתורה וכשגומרין מחזיר ספר תורה למקומה ואומר קדיש ומתפללין תפלת מוסף וימים שיש בהן מפטיר ומוסף נהגו לומר קדיש קודם שיעלה המפטיר ויש מקומות שנהגו לומר קדיש אחר המפטיר:
Commentary on Halachah 20
21
During the Minchah service on the Sabbath and on Yom Kippur, after the leader of the congregation completes Tehillah l'David and the order of Kedushah, he recites the Kaddish, and takes out a Torah scroll. [Those called to the Torah] ascend and read and then, [the Torah scroll] is returned [to its place. The leader of the congregation] recites Kaddish, and the [congregation] recites the Minchah service.
Similarly, on a fast day, the Torah is read [before] the Minchah service. Afterwards, Kaddish is recited, and the Minchah service is recited. On festivals, it is not customary to read [the Torah] in the Minchah service.
כא
ובמנחה של שבת ושל יום הכפורים אחר שיגמור שליח ציבור תהלה לדוד וסדר היום אומר קדיש ומוציא ספר תורה ועולין וקורין בו ומחזירו ואומר קדיש ומתפללין מנחה וכן בתענית קוראין במנחה ואח"כ אומר קדיש ומתפללין תפלת מנחה אבל ביום טוב לא נהגו לקרות במנחה:
Commentary on Halachah 21
22
[When the Torah is read on] a day when Musaf is not recited, after the morning Shemoneh Esreh is completed, [the leader of the congregation] recites the Kaddish and takes out a Torah scroll. [After the portion is] read from it, [the Torah scroll] is returned [to its place. The leader of the congregation] recites Tehillah l'David and the order of Kedushah, as is the practice every day. [Afterwards,] he recites the Kaddish and the people depart.
כב
ויום שאין בו מוסף כשגומר תפלת שחרית אומר קדיש ומוציא ספר תורה וקוראין בו ומחזירו ואומר קדיש ואחר כך אומר תהלה לדוד וסדר היום כדרך שאומרים בכל יום ואומר קדיש וכל העם נפטרין:
Commentary on Halachah 22
23
It is not proper to read from chumashim in synagogues, as a token of respect for the community.
A Torah scroll should not be rolled [from one portion to another portion] in the presence of the community, because of the difficulty it would cause the people, forcing them to remain standing while the Torah scroll is being rolled. Therefore, if it is necessary to read two separate concepts, two Torah scrolls are taken out. [However,] one person should not read one concept from two Torah scrolls, lest people say that the first scroll was invalid and, therefore, they read from the second.
כג
אין קוראין בחומשין בבתי כנסיות משום כבוד ציבור ואין גוללין ספר תורה בציבור מפני טורח הציבור שלא יטריח עליהם להיותן עומדין עד שיגלול ספר תורה לפיכך אם יצטרכו לקרות שני ענינים מוציאין שני ספרי תורה ולא יקרא איש אחד ענין אחד בשתי תורות שמא יאמרו ספר ראשון פגום היה ולפיכך קורא בשני:
Commentary on Halachah 23
24
When a person rolls a Torah scroll [closed], he should roll it from the outside. When he ties it, he should tie it from the inside. He should leave the stitching [in the center], so that it will not rip.
In a place where a Torah scroll is taken [from the synagogue] to another room where it is kept, the congregation is not allowed to leave until the Torah scroll is taken. They should accompany it, following it to the place where it is kept.
כד
כל הגולל ספר תורה גוללו מבחוץ וכשהוא מהדקו מהדקו מבפנים וצריך להעמידו על התפר כדי שלא יקרע מקום שמוציאין ספר תורה אחר שקוראין בו ומוליכין אותו לבית אחר להצניעו אין הצבור רשאין לצאת עד שיצא ספר תורה וילוו אותו והם אחריו עד המקום שמצניעין אותו בו:
Commentary on Halachah 24
Rambam:
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1
The [obligation of] conjugal rights1 as prescribed by the Torah [is individual in nature], depending on the strength of each particular man and the [type of] work that he performs.
What is implied? Healthy men who are pampered and indulged, and who are not employed in labor that weakens their strength - but rather eat, drink and spend [the majority of their day] at home - should fulfill their conjugal duties every night.
[The following rules apply to] workers - e.g., tailors, weavers, construction workers and the like. If they work in the city [in which they live], they should fulfill their conjugal duties twice a week. If they work in another city, they should fulfill their conjugal duties once a week.
Donkey-drivers should fulfill their conjugal duties once a week. Camel-drivers should fulfill their conjugal duties once every thirty days. Seamen should fulfill their conjugal duties once every six months.
Students of the Torah should fulfill their conjugal duties once a week. [Their obligation is limited,] because the Torah weakens their strength. It is the practice of Torah scholars to engage in marital relations on Friday night.2
א
עונה האמורה בתורה. לכל איש ואיש כפי כחו וכפי מלאכתו. כיצד בני אדם הבריאים והרכים והענוגים שאין להם מלאכה שמכשלת כחן אלא אוכלין ושותין ויושבין בבתיהן עונתן בכל לילה. הפועלין כגון החייטין והאורגין והבונים וכיוצא בהן. אם היתה מלאכתן בעיר עונתן פעמים בשבת. ואם היתה מלאכתן בעיר אחרת עונתן פעם אחת בשבת. החמרים פעם אחת בשבת. והגמלים אחת לשלשים יום. והמלחין אחת לששה חדשים. תלמידי חכמים עונתן פעם אחת בשבת מפני שתלמוד תורה מתיש כחן ודרך תלמידי חכמים לשמש מטתן מלילי שבת ללילי שבת:
2
A wife has the right to prevent her husband from making business trips except to close places, so that he will not be prevented from fulfilling his conjugal duties. He may make such journeys only with her permission.
Similarly, she has the prerogative of preventing him from changing from a profession that grants her more frequent conjugal rights to one that grants her less frequent rights - e.g., a donkey-driver who wishes to become a camel-driver, or a camel-driver who wishes to become a seaman.3
Students of the Torah may, however, depart for Torah study for two or three years without their wives' permission. Similarly, a wife cannot prevent a husband who is pampered and indulged from becoming a student of the Torah.
ב
יש לאשה לעכב על בעלה שלא יצא לסחורה אלא למקום קרוב שלא ימנע מעונתה ולא יצא אלא ברשותה. וכן יש לה למונעו לצאת ממלאכה שעונתה קרובה למלאכה שעונתה רחוקה. כגון חמר שביקש להעשות גמל או גמל להעשות מלח. ותלמידי חכמים יוצאין לת"ת שלא ברשות נשותיהן שתים ושלש שנים. וכן רך וענוג שנעשה ת"ח אין אשתו יכולה לעכב:
3
A man [has the prerogative of] marrying several wives4 - even 100, whether at one time or one after the other. His wife may not object to this, provided he has the means to provide each [wife] with her subsistence, clothing and conjugal rights as befits her. He may not, however, compel his wives to live in the same courtyard. Instead, each one is entitled to her own household.5
ג
נושא אדם כמה נשים אפילו מאה בין בבת אחת בין בזו אחר זו ואין אשתו יכולה לעכב. והוא שיהיה יכול ליתן שאר כסות ועונה כראוי לכל אחת ואחת. ואינו יכול לכוף אותן לשכון בחצר אחת. אלא כל אחת ואחת לעצמה:
4
What are [his obligations with regard to his wives'] conjugal rights? [They are determined according to] the number [of wives he has.]
What is implied? If a worker has two wives, he is obligated to fulfill his duties towards each one once a week. If he has four wives, he is obligated to fulfill his duties towards each one once every two weeks. Similarly, a seaman who has four wives is obligated to fulfill his duties towards each one once every two years.
Therefore, our Sages6 commanded that a person should not marry more than four wives, although he has ample financial resources, so that he will be able to fulfill his conjugal obligations towards each one once a month.7
ד
וכמה היא עונתן לפי מנין. כיצד פועל שהיו לו שתי נשים יש לזו עונה אחת בשבת ויש לזו עונה אחת בשבת. היו לו ד' נשים נמצא עונת כל אחת מהן פעם אחת בשתי שבתות. וכן אם היה מלח ויש לו ארבע נשים תהיה עונת כל אחת מהן פעם אחת בשתי שנים. לפיכך צוו חכמים שלא ישא אדם יותר על ארבע נשים אף ע"פ שיש לו ממון הרבה כדי שתגיע להן עונה פעם אחת בחדש:
5
When a man makes a vow requiring his wife to tell other people what he told her - or what she told him - of the jests and frivolities that a man and his wife will [occasionally] speak [in preparation for] marital relations, he must divorce [his wife] and pay her [the money due her by virtue of her] ketubah. For a woman may not [be compelled] to speak brazenly and tell others lascivious things.
Similarly, if a man makes a vow requiring his wife to take actions during marital relations to prevent conception, or if he makes a vow requiring her to act foolishly, [performing] acts that have no meaning and are merely foolishness,8 he must divorce [his wife] and pay her [the money due her by virtue of her] ketubah.
ה
המדיר את אשתו שתאמר לאחרים מה שאמר לה או מה שאמרה לו מדברי שחוק וקלות ראש שמדבר אדם עם אשתו על עסקי תשמיש הרי זה יוציא ויתן כתובה שאין זו יכולה להעיז פניה ולומר לאחרים דברי קלון. וכן אם הדירה שתהיה פועלת בעת תשמיש שלא תתעבר. או שהדירה שתעשה מעשה שוטים ודברים שאין בהן ממש אלא כשטות הרי זה יוציא ויתן כתובה:
6
When a man makes a vow causing marital relations with his wife to be forbidden, he is given a respite of one week.9 After that time, he must divorce [his wife] and pay her [the money due her by virtue of her] ketubah, or absolve his vow. [This ruling applies even if the man] is a seaman whose obligation towards conjugal duties is once every six months. [The rationale is that] since he took a vow, he has caused his wife distress, and she despairs [of ever resuming intimacy].
How can such a vow be effective? If he tells her: "Marital relations with me are forbidden for you," or he takes an oath not to engage in marital relations, his vow is of no consequence, and by taking an oath he violates the prohibition against taking a false oath, for he is obligated [by the Torah to engage in relations with her].10 If, however, he tells her, "The satisfaction of engaging in relations with you is forbidden to me," it is a [binding] vow, and he is forbidden to engage in relations with her.11 For a person should not be fed food that is forbidden to him.
ו
המדיר את אשתו מתשמיש המטה שבת אחת ממתינין לו יתר על כן יוציא ויתן כתובה או יפר נדרו. אפילו היה מלח שעונתו לששה חדשים שכיון שנדר הרי צערה ונתיאשה. וכיצד מדירה אם אמר לה תשמישי אסור עליך או שנשבע שלא ישמש מטתו לא נדר כלום. ואם נשבע נשבע לשוא מפני שהוא משועבד לה. אמר לה הנאת תשמישך אסורה עלי הרי זה נדר ואסור לשמש שאין מאכילין לאדם דבר האסור לו:
7
It is forbidden for a man to deprive his wife of her conjugal rights. If he transgresses and deprives her of these rights in order to cause her distress, he violates one of the Torah's negative commandments, as [Exodus 21:10] states: "Do not deprive [her] of her sustenance, garments or conjugal rights."12
If he becomes sick or his virility is weakened, and he is unable to engage in sexual relations, he is given a period of six months13- for [a woman is never required to wait] longer for her conjugal rights than this - in the hope that he recovers. Afterwards, the prerogative is hers [whether to remain married] or whether he must divorce her and pay her [the money due her by virtue of her] ketubah.
ז
אסור לאדם למנוע אשתו מעונתה ואם עבר ומנע כדי לצערה עבר בלא תעשה שבתורה שנאמר שארה כסותה ועונתה לא יגרע. ואם חלה או תשש כחו ואינו יכול לבעול ימתין ששה חדשים שמא יבריא שאין לך עונה גדולה מזו. ואח"כ או יטול ממנה רשות או יוציא ויתן כתובה:
8
A woman who withholds marital intimacy from her husband is called a moredet ("a rebel"). She is asked why she has rebelled. If she answers: "Because I am repulsed by him and I cannot voluntarily engage in relations with him," her husband should be compelled to divorce her immediately. For she is not like a captive, [to be forced] to engage in relations with one she loathes.14
[In such an instance, as part of] the divorce [settlement], she does not receive any of the money promised her in her ketubah.15 She is entitled to whatever remains of the possessions she brought into the marriage arrangement, both those for which her husband assumed responsibility and those for which he did not assume responsibility - i.e., nichsei m'log.16
She is not entitled to anything that belongs to her husband. She should remove even the shoe on her foot and her head-covering that he gave her and return them to him. [Similarly,] she should return to him any presents that he gave her. For he did not give them to her with the intent that she take them and [leave his home].
ח
האשה שמנעה בעלה מתשמיש המטה היא הנקראת מורדת ושואלין אותה מפני מה מרדה. אם אמרה מאסתיהו ואיני יכולה להבעל לו מדעתי כופין אותו לשעתו לגרשה לפי שאינה כשבויה שתבעל לשנוא לה ותצא בלא כתובה כלל ותטול בלאותיה הקיימין בין מנכסים שהכניסה לבעלה ונתחייב באחריותן בין מנכסי מלוג שלא נתחייב באחריותן. ואינה נוטלת בשל בעל כלום ואפילו מנעל שברגליה ומטפחת שבראשה שלקחן לה פושטת ונותנת לו וכל מה שנתן לה מתנה מחזרת אותו שלא נתן לה על מנת שתטול ותצא:
9
[Different rules apply, however,] if she rebelled against her husband with the intent of causing him distress,17 saying: "I intend to cause him distress this way, because he did this or this to me," "...because he cursed me," "...because he has caused me strife," or the like, she is sent a messenger from the court, [who] tells her: "Take note. If you continue your rebellious conduct, you will forfeit your ketubah, even if it is worth one hundred maneh."18
Afterwards, announcements are made concerning her in the synagogues and the houses of study each day for four consecutive weeks,19 saying: "So and so has rebelled against her husband."20
ט
ואם מרדה מתחת בעלה כדי לצערו ואמרה הריני מצערת אותו בכך מפני שעשה לי כך וכך או מפני שקללני או מפני שעשה עמי מריבה וכיוצא בדברים אלו. שולחים לה מבית דין ואומרין לה הוי יודעת שאם את עומדת במרדך אפילו כתובתך מאה מנה הפסדת אותה. ואחר כך מכריזין עליה בבתי כנסיות ובבתי מדרשות בכל יום ארבע שבתות זו אחר זו ואומרים פלונית מרדה על בעלה:
10
After the announcement has been made, the court sends her a messenger a second time. He tells her: "If you continue your rebellious conduct, you have forfeited your ketubah." If, nevertheless, she continues this conduct and does not retract, she is consulted by the court. [If she does not change her mind,] she then forfeits her ketubah and has no rights to a ketubah at all.21
She is not given a divorce until twelve months pass.22 During these twelve months, [her husband is] not [required] to provide for her subsistence. If she dies before being divorced, her husband inherits her [property].
י
ואחר ההכרזה שולחין לה ב"ד פעם שנייה ואומרים לה אם את עומדת במרדך הפסדת כתובתיך. אם עמדה במרדה ולא חזרה נמלכין בה ותאבד כתובתה ולא יהיה לה כתובה כלל. ואין נותנין לה גט עד י"ב חדש ואין לה מזונות כל י"ב חדש. ואם מתה קודם הגט בעלה יורשה:
11
This is the sequence followed with regard to a woman who rebels [against her husband] in order to cause him distress. These laws apply even when the woman is in the niddah state or when she is ill and is not fit to engage in sexual relations. Similarly, they apply even when her husband is a seaman whose conjugal duties are only once in six months, and even when [her husband] has another wife.23
יא
כסדר הזה עושין לה אם מרדה כדי לצערו. ואפילו היתה נדה או חולה שאינה ראויה לתשמיש ואפילו היה בעלה מלח שעונתו לששה חדשים ואפילו יש לו אשה אחרת:
12
Similarly, when the time comes for an arusah to enter nisu'in,24 and she refuses to do so, rebelling in order to cause [her husband] distress, she is considered to be one who rebels [and refuses to engage] in marital relations. Similarly, the above sequence is followed when a yevamah refuses to undergo yibbum in order to cause [her yavam] distress.25
יב
וכן ארוסה שהגיע זמנה להנשא ומרדה כדי לצערו ולא נשאת הרי זו מורדת מתשמיש. וכן יבמה שלא רצתה להתיבם כדי לצערו כסדר הזה עושין לה:
13
When this woman who rebels is divorced after twelve months without receiving [any of the money due her because of] her ketubah, she must also return everything that belongs to her husband.
With regard to the property that she brought to [the marriage arrangement] and what remains [of her trousseau, different rules apply].26 If she takes physical possession of these articles, they are not taken from her, but if her husband takes physical possession of them,27 they are not taken from him. Similarly, her husband is not held liable for anything that has been lost from her possessions for which he accepted responsibility.28 This is the law prescribed by the Talmud with regard to a woman who rebels [against her husband].
יג
המורדת הזאת כשהיא יוצאת אחר י"ב חדש בלא כתובה תחזיר כל דבר שהוא של בעל. אבל נכסים שהכניסה לו ובלאותיהן קיימים אם תפסה אין מוציאים מידה ואם תפסן הבעל אין מוציאין מידו. וכן כל מה שאבד מנכסיה שקיבל הבעל אחריותן עליו אינו משלם לה כלום. זה הוא דין הגמרא במורדת:
14
There are geonim who say that in Babylonia different customs were followed with regard to a woman who rebels [against her husband].29These customs have not, however, spread throughout the majority of the Jewish community, and in most places within the Jewish community, there are many sages of stature who differ with them. [Therefore,] it is proper to follow the laws prescribed by the Talmud.
יד
ואמרו הגאונים שיש להם בבבל מנהגות אחרות במורדת. ולא פשטו אותן המנהגות ברוב ישראל ורבים וגדולים חולקין עליהם ברוב המקומות וכדין הגמרא ראוי לתפוס ולדון:
15
[The following ruling applies when] a man rebels against his wife and says, "I will support her and provide her with her subsistence, but I will not be intimate with her, because she has become loathsome to me." He must increase her ketubah by the equivalent of 36 barleycorns worth of [pure] silver30 each week. They may remain married without engaging in relations for as long as she desires.31
Although her ketubah continues to increase, [her husband] also transgresses a negative commandment, for [Exodus 21:10] states: "Do not deprive [her of her... conjugal rights]." If the husband hates her, let him divorce her; causing her anguish, however, is forbidden.
Why is he not punished by lashes for [violating] this negative commandment? Because its [violation] does not involve a deed.32
טו
המורד על אשתו ואמר הריני זן ומפרנס אותה אבל איני בא עליה מפני ששנאתיה מוסיפין לה על כתובתה משקל שש ושלשים שעורות של כסף בכל שבת ושבת. וישב ולא ישמש כל זמן שתרצה היא לישב. ואף על פי שכתובתה הולכת ונוספת הרי הוא עובר בלא תעשה שנאמר לא יגרע. שאם שנאה ישלחה אבל לענות אסור. ולמה לא ילקה על לאו זה מפני שאין בו מעשה:
16
[The following rules apply when] a man and his wife come to court and he claims that his wife refuses to engage in marital relations, and she replies: "I follow the way of the world with him," or if she claims that he deprives her of her conjugal rights, and he replies that he "follows the way of the world with her." At first, a ban of ostracism is issued against anyone who denies his or her spouse marital intimacy and refuses to acknowledge the matter before the court.33
Afterwards, if acknowledgement is [still] not made, the couple are asked to enter into privacy in the presence of witnesses. If they do this, and yet the claims continue as before, a request is made of the defendant, and a compromise is made [as just] as the judge can make. It is, however, forbidden to engage in relations in the presence of others. For it is forbidden to engage in relations in the presence of any living being.
טז
איש ואשתו שבאו לבית דין הוא אומר זו מורדת מתשמיש והיא אומרת לא כי אלא כדרך כל הארץ אני עמו. וכן אם טענה היא ואמרה שהוא מורד מתשמיש והוא אומר לא כי אלא כדרך כל הארץ אני עמה. מחרימין בתחלה על מי שהוא מורד ולא יודה בבית דין. ואחר כך אם לא הודו אומרין להם התיחדו בפני עדים. נתיחדו ועדיין הם טוענין מבקשין מן הנטען ועושין פשרה כפי כח הדיין. אבל לבעול בפני בני אדם א"א לפי שאסור לבעול בפני כל בריה:
17
When a woman becomes ill, [her husband] is obligated [to provide] medical treatment for her until she recovers. If the husband sees that her illness is prolonged, and he will be forced to spend much money treating her, he may tell her: "Here is the money due you by virtue of your ketubah. Either pay for your treatment from this money, or I will divorce you and pay you what is due you and abandon you." [Although] he is given this prerogative, it is not ethical to act in this manner.34
יז
האשה שחלתה חייב לרפאות אותה עד שתבריא. ראה שהחולי ארוך ויפסיד ממון הרבה לרפואה ואמר לה הרי כתובתיך מונחת או רפאי עצמך מכתובתיך או הריני מגרשך ונותן כתובה והולך שומעין לו. ואין ראוי לעשות כן מפני דרך ארץ:
18
[When a man's wife] is taken captive, he is obligated to redeem her. If he is a priest, [although] she has become forbidden to him,35 he must redeem her and have her returned to her father's home. If he was in another city, he must still provide for her until she is returned to her native locale. [Then] he must divorce her and pay her [the money due her by virtue of her] ketubah.
If her husband was an Israelite - who is permitted to remain married to a woman who was held captive36 - he must return her to her station as his wife, as she was previously.37 Afterwards, if he desires,38 he may divorce her, [provided] he pays her [the money due her by virtue of her] ketubah.
יח
נשבית חייב לפדותה. ואם היה כהן שכבר נאסרה עליו פודה אותה ומחזירה לבית אביה. אפילו היה בעיר אחרת מטפל לה עד שמחזירה למדינתה ומגרשה ונותן לה כל כתובתה. היה בעלה ישראל שהשבויה מותרת לו מחזירה לו לאשה כמו שהיתה ואם רצה אח"כ מגרשה ונותן לה כתובתה:
19
A husband is not obligated to redeem his wife for more than her worth. Instead, [the laws applying] to her [redemption] are the same as with regard to others held captive.39
When her ransom exceeds [the money due her by virtue of] her ketubah, her husband is not given the prerogative of saying: "I will divorce her. Here is [the money due her by virtue of] her ketubah. Let her redeem herself." Instead, [if necessary,] he should be compelled to redeem her, even if her ransom is ten times [the value of] her ketubah - even if it is equivalent to all of his assets.
When does the above apply? On the first occasion [that she is held captive]. If, however, he redeems her and she is taken captive again, if he desires to divorce her he may divorce her, pay [her the money due her by virtue of] her ketubah, and [then] she must redeem herself.40
יט
אין מחייבין את הבעל לפדות את אשתו יותר על דמיה אלא כמה שהיא שוה כשאר השבויות. היו דמיה יותר על כדי כתובתה ואמר הריני מגרשה וזו כתובתה ותלך ותפדה את עצמה אין שומעין לו אלא כופין אותו ופודה אותה אפילו היו דמיה עד עשרה בכתובתה ואפילו אין לו אלא כדי פדיונה. בד"א בפעם ראשונה אבל אם פדאה ונשבית פעם שנייה ורצה לגרשה הרי זה מגרשה ונותן כתובה והיא תפדה את עצמה:
20
When a man's wife is taken captive and he is abroad, the court expropriates his assets and sells them after announcements have been made,41 and redeems his wife as he would be required to.
כ
מי שנשבית אשתו והוא במדינת הים בית דין יורדין לנכסיו ומוכרין בהכרזה ופודין אותה כדרך שהבעל פודה:
21
When a person causes his wife to be bound by a vow that requires him to divorce her42 and pay her [the money due her by virtue of] her ketubah, and she is taken captive after he causes her to be bound by this vow, he is not required to redeem her. For from the time he caused her to be bound by the vow, he was obligated to divorce her and pay her [the money due her by virtue of her] ketubah.43
כא
המדיר את אשתו נדר שהוא חייב בגללו לגרשה וליתן כתובה ונשבית אחר שהדירה אינו חייב לפדותה. שמשעה שהדירה נתחייב לגרשה וליתן לה כתובה:
22
When a woman who is forbidden to [engage in relations] with her husband because of one of the Torah's prohibitions is taken captive, he is not obligated to redeem her.44 Instead, he must provide her with [the money due her by virtue of] her ketubah, and she must redeem herself.
[One might ask: Why is this instance different from the wife of a priest who is taken captive?] A woman who has been taken captive is forbidden to a priest, and yet he is obligated to redeem [his wife in such an instance]. [There is, however, a difference between the two instances. The priest's wife] was not forbidden to him beforehand. It is the prohibition stemming from her being taken captive that causes [their relationship to be forbidden].45
כב
האשה שהיתה אסורה על בעלה מאיסורי לאוין ונשבית אינו חייב לפדותה אלא נותן לה כתובתה והיא תפדה את עצמה. והלא השבויה אסורה לכהן והרי הוא פודה אותה מפני שלא היתה אסורה מקודם ואיסור השביה הוא שגרם לה:
23
When a man's wife dies, he is obligated to bury her and to have eulogies and lamentations performed as is the local custom. Even a poor Jewish man should provide at least two flutes46 and one woman to lament. If [her husband] is rich, [the funeral should be carried out] in a manner appropriate to his wealth.
If the social standing of [a man's wife] exceeded his own, he must have her buried in a manner appropriate to her social standing. For [when she marries,] a woman ascends to her husband's social standing [if his is higher than hers], but does not descend [to his, if her social standing surpasses his].47 [This principle applies] even after death.
כג
מתה אשתו חייב בקבורתה ולעשות לה מספד וקינים כדרך כל המדינה. ואפילו עני שבישראל לא יפחתו לו משני חלילין ומקוננת. אם היה עשיר הכל לפי כבודו. ואם היה כבודה יותר מכבודו קוברין אותה לפי כבודה שהאשה עולה עם בעלה ואינה יורדת אפילו לאחר מיתה:
24
If a husband does not desire [to pay for] the burial of his wife, and another person voluntarily takes the initiative and has her buried, [the costs of the burial] should be expropriated from her husband against his will and given to the person [who arranged the burial].48 [The rationale is to prevent the body of a Jew] from being thrown to the dogs.
If a man is in another city when his wife dies, the court should expropriate his property and sell it without an announcement.49 The woman should be buried as appropriate to her husband's financial resources and his social standing or her social standing.
כד
לא רצה לקבור את אשתו ועמד אחד מדעת עצמו וקברה מוציאין מבעלה על כרחו ונותנין לזה כדי שלא תהיה זו מושלכת לכלבים. היה במדינה אחרת כשמתה אשתו ב"ד יורדין לנכסיו ומוכרין בלא הכרזה וקוברין אותה לפי ממון הבעל ולפי כבודו או לפי כבודה:
FOOTNOTES
1.The very word onah - and its translation as "conjugal rights" - conveys a fundamental conception with regard to the Torah's conception of marital intimacy. Marital intimacy is not for the husband's sake, but rather for his wife's. Onah also means "respond." A man should be responding to his wife's desires and satisfying her wishes for closeness.
2.See Hilchot Shabbat 30:14, where the Rambam states that marital relations are one of the expressions of oneg Shabbat, "Sabbath delight." (See also Hilchot De'ot 4:19, 5:4.)
3.Ketubot 62b states that even if the other profession is more profitable, the prerogative is granted to the woman, for a woman values intimacy with her husband more than financial advancement.
4.Yevamot 65a states that if it is the local custom for a man to have only one wife, a man may not deviate from that custom. In the Ashkenazic community, as ordained by the ban of Rabbenu Gershom, it is forbidden for a man to marry more than one wife. (See Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 1:9-10).)
5.The commentaries draw support for this law from the Biblical narrative (Genesis 31:33), which mentions that Jacob had separate tents for Leah, Rachel, Bilhah and Zilpah. (See also Chapter 13, Halachah 14.)
6.Yevamot 65a.
7.From this, it appears that the custom of engaging in sexual relations once a week was not the practice of Torah scholars alone.
8.To fill up pitchers of water and dump them down the drain (Ketubot 7:3; Even HaEzer 76:12).
9.In this time, it is hoped that he will change his mind and retract his vow.
10.As mentioned in Chapter 12, Halachah 2, a husband is obligated by the Torah to give his wife conjugal rights. Once an obligation is imposed on a person by the Torah, he may not free himself of it by taking a vow or an oath.
11.Since this vow does not forbid anything to the woman, but states instead, that her husband is prohibited from appreciating pleasure that results from relations with her, it can be effective.
12.Rav Kapach notes that although this prohibition involves three rights, the Rambam mentions its violation only with regard to the denial of conjugal rights. He explains that with regard to her sustenance and garments, a woman can take legal recourse and sue for the money due. This, however, is not possible with regard to conjugal rights.
13.The later authorities (Chelkat Mechokek 76:18; Beit Shmuel 76:17) quote the opinion in the Shiltei HaGiborim that states that if a man is afflicted with an ailment that will heal, his wife is required to remain married to him, despite the fact that the treatment will last longer than six months.
14.The Maggid Mishneh and many other authorities differ with the Rambam on this point and maintain that a man should not be forced to divorce his wife even in such a situation. This view is followed by the Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 77:2). Even those opinions that favor the Rambam's ruling emphasize that the court should seek to clarify that the woman is not making her statements because she fell in love with another man and seeks to end her previous marriage because of him.
15.For, as implied by the Rambam's statements below, this money was promised to her only on the condition that she maintain the marriage relationship.
16.Those authorities who differ with the Rambam regarding whether the husband is compelled to divorce his wife also differ with regard to this point. They maintain that even with regard to the possessions for which her husband accepted responsibility, the woman is granted only what she takes possession of. (See Maggid Mishneh; Ramah (Even HaEzer, loc. cit.).
17.I.e., she is not necessarily interested in terminating the marriage, but rather in withholding marital relations as a means to communicate her position to her husband.
18.A maneh is equivalent to 100 dinarim.
19.The Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 77:2) quotes the Rambam's wording. The Ramah, however, differs, stating that the announcement need be made only on four consecutive Sabbaths.
20.The purpose of these announcements is obviously to shame her and to cause her to reconsider her course of behavior.
21.I.e., she does not receive the fundamental requirement of the ketubah, nor any additional amount that her husband promised her (tos'fot ketubah).
22.The Maggid Mishneh explains that, as a favor, the court requests the husband not to divorce his wife until this time has passed, for it is disgraceful for a Jewish couple to part because of strife. It is hoped that during the twelve months they are required to wait, they will resolve their differences.
There are opinions that state that in the present age, the husband is not required to wait an entire year and may instead divorce his wife immediately. Nevertheless, the majority of authorities do not accept this view (Ramah, loc. cit.).
According to the Rambam, during these twelve months, the husband has no financial responsibilities to his wife whatsoever. If she is held captive, he is not required to redeem her, and if he dies, she does not inherit her ketubah from his estate. Rabbenu Asher (as interpreted by the Tur, Even HaEzer 77) differs and maintains that during these twelve months, the woman's ketubah is still in effect. The Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 77:2) cites the Rambam's view, while the Ramah follows that of Rabbenu Asher.
23.In all the instances mentioned in this halachah, the governing principle is that the fact that a woman makes a categorical statement refusing to engage in marital relations in the future is sufficient to warrant her being placed in this category, despite the fact that her conduct is of no immediate consequence.
24.One year, for a na'arah, one month for a bogeret, as stated in Chapter 10, Halachah 17.
25.Yibbum refers to the marriage of the widow (the yevamah) of a childless man by his brother (the yavam). The Rambam's ruling is dependent on his decision that even in the present age, the mitzvah of yibbum takes precedence over the mitzvah of chalitzah (Hilchot Yibbum 1:2). The latter decision is not accepted in the Ashkenazic community, and therefore, the ruling in our halachah is also a matter of dispute. (See Ramah, Even HaEzer 165:1.)
26.I.e., the laws governing a woman who rebels against her husband differ from those governing a woman who claims that she is repulsed by her husband, as described in Halachah 8.
27.In both the Kessef Mishneh and the Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 77:3), Rav Yosef Karo states that the husband does not have to take physical possession of this property. As long as the wife does not take possession of it, it is considered to be his.
28.This refers to nichsei tzon barzel, property whose full value must ordinarily be returned to the woman. In contrast, nichsei m'log - property for which the husband did not accept responsibility and is returned to the woman in whatever condition it is, regardless of its worth - must be returned to her, even if she rebels against him. (See Ramah, Even HaEzer 77:2.)
The rationale for this distinction is that since he takes responsibility for the nichsei tzon barzel, these articles are considered to be possessed by him unless she takes physical possession of them. With regard to the nichsei m'log, by contrast, since the husband does not take responsibility, they are not considered to be in his possession.
29.The customs of these geonim are quoted in the Halachot of Rav Yitzchak Alfasi. They are far more considerate of the woman's position and interests. The Ramah (Even HaEzer 77:3) states that if the woman gives a reasonable explanation for her conduct, these customs should be followed.
30.I.e., three dinarim of the currency employed during the Talmudic period.
31.If she does not desire to remain married, she may ask the court to compel him to grant her a divorce, as stated in Halachah 7.
32.And lashes are given only for a transgression that involves a deed (Hilchot Sanhedrin 18:2).
33.Although the Ra'avad differs with the Rambam's ruling, it is quoted by the Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 77:4).
34.As mentioned by the Maggid Mishneh and the Kessef Mishneh, there are authorities who maintain that there is an explicit prohibition preventing a husband from divorcing a wife who is too ill to care for herself. The later authorities, however, follow the Rambam's view.
In the Ashkenazic community, there is a question if the Rambam's ruling applies in the present age, after the ban of Rabbenu Gershom, which prevents divorcing a woman against her will. (See the Chelkat Mechokek 79:3, which quotes an opinion that states that as long as the husband is prepared to meet all the financial obligations of the divorce, he has the prerogative to divorce a woman against her will, even when she is ill.)
35.As mentioned in Chapter 24, Halachah 21, a priest is forbidden to have relations with a woman who engaged in sexual relations with a gentile, even when she was raped. Our Sages assumed that women taken captive by gentiles were raped by them, and therefore prohibited a priest from remaining married to such a woman. (See Hilchot Issurei Bi'ah 18:17-30.)
36.The Ramah (Even HaEzer 78:6) notes that even an Israelite is forbidden to remain married to a woman who is held captive by gentiles if she willingly engaged in relations with one of them. In such instances, he is not obligated to redeem her.
37.I.e., he may not merely redeem her and send her a divorce.
38.I.e., out of suspicion that she willingly engaged in relations with her captors, or because he does not want to live with a woman who had relations with others (Ma'aseh Rokeach).
39.As explained in Hilchot Matnot Ani'yim 8:12, our Sages decreed that captives should not be redeemed for more than their worth, so that the gentiles will not be overwhelmingly encouraged to seize Jews as captives.
The Rambam's wording has aroused the attention of the later authorities (Chelkat Mechokek 78:2; Beit Shmuel 78:2), for it implies that if the husband desires to redeem her for more than her worth, he may, while with regard to other captives it is forbidden to do so. They interpret the Rambam's words as applying this prohibition to the husband as well. The Beit Shmuel interprets the ruling of the Ramah (Even HaEzer 78:2) as meaning that a husband is required to redeem his wife even though her captors demand more than her worth.
40.In both the Kessef Mishneh and in the Beit Yosef (Even HaEzer 78), Rav Yosef Karo states that the husband is not obligated to redeem his wife a second time. If he desires, he may remain married to her without redeeming her. Many, however, differ with this as the interpretation of the Rambam's words. (See Chelkat Mechokek 78:4; Beit Shmuel 78:4.)
41.See Hilchot Malveh V'Loveh 12:8-11, which states that an announcement is made regarding the sale of the person's property so that he will receive the best price.
42.E.g., the vows mentioned in Chapter 13, Halachah 8ff.
43.The obligation for a husband to redeem his wife stems from her ketubah, which states: "If you are taken captive, I will redeem you and take you back as my wife." Since he is already obligated to divorce her, he is not bound by this clause.
44.The rationale for this ruling is that the obligation to redeem one's wife involves returning her to her status as a wife, and this is forbidden in this instance. Nevertheless, although this is the rationale, the same ruling applies with regard to a High Priest who married a widow, or an ordinary priest who married a divorcee.
In these instances, the obligation of the woman's ketubah - that she be redeemed and returned to her native land - could be fulfilled without transgressing a prohibition of the Torah. Nevertheless, since relations with her were forbidden previously, her husband is not obligated to redeem her (Ketubot 52a).
45.With regard to a woman forbidden to her husband by virtue of a Torah prohibition, by contrast, the prohibition existed before she was taken captive.
46.Flutes have a mournful tone that arouses tears (Rambam's Commentary on the Mishnah, Shabbat 23:4).
47.This principle applies to many aspects of the financial relationship of the marriage bond - e.g., the woman's subsistence, her garments and her lodging. It is curious that this instance is the first time the Rambam mentions it explicitly.
48.Although the Rambam makes a distinction between this instance and a similar situation mentioned in Chapter 12, Halachah 19, the Rashba and others do not. The Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 89:2) quotes the Rambam's view, but the Beit Shmuel 89:2 states that because of the other views, the husband's property may not be expropriated against his will.
49.Although usually announcements are made for 30 days prior to the sale of property by the court, an exception is made in this instance, so that the woman's burial will not be delayed (Ketubot 100b).
Ishut - Chapter Fifteen
1
It is permissible for a woman to authorize her husband to ignore her conjugal rights. When does this apply? When he has children already and has fulfilled the mitzvah to be fruitful and multiply. If, however, he has not fulfilled the mitzvah of being fruitful and multiplying, he is obligated to engage in sexual relations whenever his conjugal duties require, until he fathers children.1 For this is a positive commandment of the Torah, as [Genesis 1:28] states: "Be fruitful and multiply."2
א
האשה שהרשת את בעלה אחר הנישואין שימנע עונתה הרי זה מותר. בד"א בשהיו לו בנים שכבר קיים מצות פריה ורביה אבל לא קיים חייב לבעול בכל עונה עד שיהיו לו בנים. מפני שהיא מצות עשה של תורה שנאמר פרו ורבו:
2
The mitzvah of being fruitful and multiplying is incumbent on the husband and not on his wife. When does a man become obligated to fulfill this mitzvah? From the time he reaches seventeen. If he reaches twenty and has not married, he is considered to have transgressed and negated the observance of this positive commandment. If, however, he is occupied with the study of Torah and absorbed in this endeavor and is hesitant of marrying, lest he be forced to work to support his wife and thus be prevented from studying Torah, he is permitted to delay marriage. For a person who is occupied in the performance of one mitzvah is freed from the obligation to perform another. Surely this applies with regard to the study of Torah.
ב
האיש מצווה על פריה ורביה אבל לא האשה. ואימתי האיש נתחייב במצוה זו מבן שבע עשרה. וכיון שעברו עשרים שנה ולא נשא אשה הרי זה עובר ומבטל מצות עשה. ואם היה עוסק בתורה וטרוד בה והיה מתירא מלישא אשה כדי שלא יטרח במזונות בעבור אשתו ויבטל מן התורה הרי זה מותר להתאחר. שהעוסק במצוה פטור מן המצוה וכל שכן בתלמוד תורה:
3
When a person's soul desires [to study] Torah at all times and is obsessed with its [study] as was ben Azzai,3 and clings to it throughout his life, without marrying, he is not considered to have transgressed.4
[This applies] provided a man's natural inclination does not overcome him.5 If, however, his natural inclination overcomes him, he is obligated to marry, even if he has already fathered children, lest he be prompted to [sexual] thoughts.6
ג
מי שחשקה נפשו בתורה תמיד ושוגה בה כבן עזאי ודבק בה כל ימיו ולא נשא אשה אין בידו עון. והוא שלא יהיה יצרו מתגבר עליו אבל אם היה יצרו מתגבר עליו חייב לישא אשה ואפילו היו לו בנים שמא יבוא לידי הרהור:
4
How many children is it necessary for a man to have fathered to be considered to have fulfilled this mitzvah? One boy and one girl,7 as [implied by Genesis 5:2]: "He created them, a male and a female." If the son was a saris or the daughter an aylonit, he is not considered to have fulfilled this mitzvah.8
ד
כמה בנים יהיו לאיש ותתקיים מצוה זו בידו זכר ונקבה. שנאמר זכר ונקבה בראם. היה הבן סריס או שהיתה הבת אילונית לא קיים מצוה זו:
5
A man is considered to have fulfilled the mitzvah of being fruitful and multiplying [even when] he fathers [children] and they die, so long as [his children] have left behind children [of their own]. For grandchildren are considered to be children.
When does the above apply? When the person's grandchildren are both male and female, and they are descended from a male and a female, even though the male grandchild is the son of the man's daughter, and the female grandchild is the daughter of the man's son.9 Since they come from two of his children, he is considered to have fulfilled the mitzvah of being fruitful and multiplying. If, however, he had a son and a daughter who both died, and [one did not leave any children, while] one left a son and a daughter, the grandfather is not considered to have fulfilled this mitzvah.
ה
נולדו לו ומתו והניחו בנים הרי זה קיים מצות פריה ורביה. בני בנים הרי הם כבנים. בד"א בשהיו בני הבנים זכר ונקבה והיו באים מזכר ונקבה אעפ"י שהזכר בן בתו והנקבה בת בנו הואיל והם משני בניו הן באים הרי קיים מצות פריה ורביה. אבל אם היו לו בן ובת ומתו והניח אחד מהן זכר ונקבה עדיין לא קיים המצוה:
6
When [a convert] had fathered children as a gentile, and both he and they convert,10 he is considered to have fulfilled this mitzvah. By contrast, a freed slave who had fathered children as a slave is not considered to have fulfilled this mitzvah, although his children were also freed. Instead, he must father children after he has been freed. [The rationale is that] a slave is not considered to have any paternal lineage.
ו
היו לו בנים בגיותו ונתגייר הוא והם הרי זה קיים מצוה זו. היו לו בנים והוא עבד ונשתחרר הוא והם לא קיים מצות פריה ורביה עד שיוליד אחר שנשתחרר שהעבד אין לו יחוס:
7
A man should not marry a barren women, an elderly woman, an aylonit or a minor who is not fit to bear a child11 unless he has already fulfilled the mitzvah of being fruitful and multiplying,12 or he has another wife with whom he can father children.13
When a man has married a woman and remained married to her for ten years14 without her bearing children,15 he must divorce her and pay her [the money due her by virtue of her] ketubah, or marry a woman who is fit to bear children.
If he does not desire to divorce her, he should be compelled to do so; he should be beaten with a rod until he divorces her.16 Even when he says, "I will not engage in marital relations with her. Instead, we will dwell together with witnesses so that we will not ever be in private," regardless of whether it is he or she who offers this proposition,17 it is not accepted. Rather, he is required to divorce [his wife] or marry another woman who is fit to bear children.
ז
לא ישא אדם עקרה וזקנה ואילונית וקטנה שאינה ראויה לילד אלא אם כן קיים מצות פריה ורביה או שהיתה לו אשה אחרת לפרות ולרבות ממנה. נשא אשה ושהתה עמו עשר שנים ולא ילדה הרי זה יוציא ויתן כתובה או ישא אשה הראויה לילד. ואם לא רצה להוציא כופין אותו ומכין אותו בשוט עד שיוציא. ואם אמר איני בועלה והריני שוכן עמה בפני עדים כדי שלא אתיחד עמה בין שאמרה היא בין שאמר הוא אין שומעין אלא יוציא או ישא אשה הראויה לילד:
8
When a man has lived [together with his wife] for ten years without her bearing children, and he releases semen as one shoots an arrow,18 it can be assumed that the affliction comes from her.19 Therefore, he should divorce her without paying her [the essential requirement of] the ketubah. She is, however, entitled to the additional sum [by which the ketubah was increased]. [The rationale is that] such a woman should not be judged more severely than an aylonit whose husband did not recognize her condition, who is granted the additional amount, as will be explained.20
If [the husband] does not [release semen] as one shoots an arrow, it can be assumed that the affliction comes from him alone. When he divorces her, he must pay her [the entire sum due her by virtue of her] ketubah: the essential requirement and the additional sum.
ח
שהתה עשר שנים ולא ילדה והרי הוא יורה כחץ שכבת זרע. חזקת החולי ממנה ותצא שלא בכתובה ויש לה תוספת לא תהיה זו פחותה מאיילונית שלא הכיר בה שיש לה תוספת כמו שיתבאר. ואם אינו יורה כחץ חזקת החולי ממנו בלבד ויוציא ויתן הכתובה כולה עיקר ותוספת:
9
[The following rules apply when there is a dispute with regard to which of the couple it is whose affliction prevents the couple from having children. The husband] claims: "It is she who cannot bear children," and she claims "He cannot conceive children, for he does not [release semen] as one shoots an arrow." Her word is accepted. He may, however, have a ban of ostracism issued conditionally against anyone who makes a claim that she does not definitely know to be true. Afterwards, he must pay her [the money due her by virtue of her] ketubah.
If she says, "I do not know if the difficulty stems from me or from him," she is not entitled to the essential requirement of the ketubah, as explained. [The rationale is that] the money should stay in the possession of its owner until she makes a definite claim21 that he does not [release semen] as one shoots an arrow.
Why is the woman's word accepted when she makes such a claim? Because she can feel whether or not he [releases semen] as one shoots an arrow, and he cannot make such a distinction.
ט
הוא אומר ממנה נמנע הולדה והיא אומרת ממנו נמנע מפני שאינו יורה כחץ נאמנת. ויש לו להחרים סתם על מי שטוענת דבר שאינה יודעת בו בודאי ואחר כך יתן כתובה. ואם אמרה איני יודעת אם ממני אם ממנו אין לה עיקר כתובה כמו שאמרנו העמד ממון בחזקת בעליו עד שתטעון בודאי שאינו יורה כחץ. ולמה נאמנת היא בטענה זו מפני שהיא מרגשת אם יורה כחץ אם לא יורה כחץ והוא אינו מרגיש:
10
When a woman demands of her husband to divorce her after ten years [of marriage], because she has not given birth,22 and she claims that he does not [release semen] as one shoots an arrow, her request is accepted.23 Although she is not commanded to fulfill the mitzvah of being fruitful and multiplying, she needs sons [to assist] her in her old age.24 [Therefore,] he should be compelled to divorce her.
He is required to give her only the essential requirement of the ketubah. [He is not required to give her the additional amount,] because he did not promise her this additional amount with the intent that she leave him at her will and take this money.
י
האשה שבאה לתבוע מבעלה לגרשה אחר עשר שנים מפני שלא ילדה והיא אומרת שאינו יורה כחץ שומעין לה. אע"פ שאינה מצווה על פריה ורביה צריכה היא לבנים לזקנותה. וכופין אותו להוציא ויתן עיקר כתובה בלבד שלא כתב לה התוספת ע"מ שתצא לרצונה ותטול:
11
If [a husband] travels on an [extended] business trip during these ten years, or either the husband or the wife were ill or confined in prison, [the time that the couple did not share together] is not included in the calculation [of the ten years].25
יא
הלך בסחורה בתוך עשר שנים או שהיה הבעל חולה או שהיתה היא חולה או שהיו חבושין בבית האסורין אין עולה להן אותו זמן מן המנין:
12
If a woman miscarries, [the ten years are] recalculated from the day of the miscarriage.
If a woman has three successive miscarriages,26 we can presume that she will continue to miscarry, and there is the possibility that [her husband] will not merit to have children from her. Therefore, he should divorce her,27 and pay her [the money due her by virtue of her] ketubah.
יב
הפילה מונה מיום שהפילה. אם הפילה וחזרה והפילה שלש פעמים הוחזקה לנפלים ושמא לא זכה להבנות ממנה ויוציא ויתן כתובה:
13
[The following rules apply when there is a difference between the information stemming from the claims of a husband and his wife.] He claims that she has miscarried within the ten years so that they can continue [their marriage], and she denies the miscarriage. [Her claim] is believed; [if it were not true,] she would not cause herself to be considered barren.28
If he claims that she has miscarried twice, and she claims to have miscarried three times, [her claim] is believed. [If it were not true,] she would not cause herself to be considered a woman who [continually] miscarries.
[Therefore, in both instances,] he should divorce her and pay her [the money due her by virtue of her] ketubah. With regard to the above situations, he may require her to take a Rabbinic oath that she did not miscarry or that she miscarried three times. For this claim obligates him to pay her [the money due her by virtue of her] ketubah.29
יג
הוא אומר הפילה בתוך עשר כדי שישהה עמה והיא אומרת לא הפלתי נאמנת שאינה מחזקת עצמה בעקרות. הוא אומר הפילה שנים והיא אומרת הפלתי שלשה נאמנת שאינה מחזקת עצמה במפלת ויוציא ויתן כתובה. ובכל זה משביעה שבועת היסת שלא הפילה או שהפילה שלשה שבטענה זו יתחייב ליתן כתובה:
14
[When a woman] marries one man, remains married to him for ten years without bearing a child and is divorced [for that reason], she is permitted to marry a second husband.30 If she remained married to the second husband for ten years without bearing a child, she should not marry a third husband.31
If she marries a third husband, she should be divorced; [he is] not [required to pay her the money due her by virtue of] her ketubah.32 [This applies] unless he has another wife, or he has already fulfilled the mitzvah of being fruitful and multiplying.
יד
נשאת לראשון ושהתה עמו עשר שנים ולא ילדה והוציאה מותרת להנשא לשני. שהתה עם השני עשר שנים ולא ילדה לא תנשא לשלישי. ואם נשאת לשלישי תצא שלא בכתובה אלא אם כן יש לו אשה אחרת או שקיים מצות פריה ורביה:
15
[The following laws apply when] a woman comes to court and claims that her husband cannot perform sexually in an ordinary way that will lead to the conception of children, or that he does not [release semen] as one shoots an arrow.33 The judges should try to arrange a compromise,34 telling the woman: "It is proper for you to conduct yourself with your husband [as follows]: Remain [married] for ten years. [If] you do not give birth, come to him with a claim at that time."
We protract the negotiations of this matter with her; we do not require her to continue living with him, nor do we judge her as a woman who rebels against her husband. Instead, the dealings are prolonged until the two parties reach a compromise.
טו
האשה שבאה לבית דין ואמרה בעלי אינו יכול לשמש כדרך כל הארץ שמוש שמוליד או שאינו יורה כחץ יעשו הדיינין פשרה ואומרים לה ראוי ליך שתנהגי עם בעליך עד שתשהי עשר שנים ולא תולידי ואח"כ תתבעי. ומגלגלין עמה בדבר זה ואין כופין אותה לישב ולא דנין אותה כדין המורדת אלא מאריכין בדבר זה עד שיעשו פשרה:
16
Although a man has fulfilled the mitzvah of being fruitful and multiplying, he is bound by a Rabbinic commandment not to refrain from being fruitful and multiplying as long as he is physically potent.35 For anyone who adds a soul to the Jewish people is considered as if he built an entire world.36
Similarly, it is a mitzvah of our Sages that a man should not live without a wife,37 so that he will not be prompted to [sexual] thoughts.38 Similarly, a woman should not live without a man,39 so that she will not be suspected [of immoral conduct].
טז
אף ע"פ שקיים אדם מצות פריה ורביה הרי הוא מצווה מדברי סופרים שלא יבטל מלפרות ולרבות כל זמן שיש בו כח. שכל המוסיף נפש אחת בישראל כאילו בנה עולם. וכן מצות חכמים היא שלא ישב אדם בלא אשה שלא יבא לידי הרהור. ולא תשב אשה בלא איש שלא תחשד:
17
It is an obligation for a man to admonish40 his wife. Our Sages declared:41 "A man will not admonish his wife unless a spirit of purity enters his being." [Nevertheless,] he should not admonish her more than necessary.42
[A man] should never compel [his wife] to engage in sexual relations against her will. Instead, [relations] should be with her agreement, [preceded by] conversation and a spirit of joy.43
יז
וחובה על כל איש לקנאות לאשתו. אמרו חכמים אין אדם מקנא לאשתו אלא אם כן נכנסה בו רוח טהרה. ולא יקנא לה ביותר מדאי ולא יאנוס אותה ויבעול בעל כרחה אלא בדעתה ומתוך שיחה ושמחה:
18
Similarly, our Sages commanded a woman to conduct herself modestly at home, not to proliferate levity or frivolity before her husband, not to request intimacy verbally,44 nor to speak about this matter.
She should not deny her husband [intimacy] to cause him anguish, so that he should increase his love for her. Instead, she should oblige him whenever he desires. She should keep her distance from his relatives and the members of his household so that he will not be provoked by jealousy and should avoid scandalous situations - indeed, any trace of scandal.45
יח
וכן צוו חכמים על האשה שתהיה צנועה בתוך ביתה. ולא תרבה שחוק וקלות ראש בפני בעלה. ולא תתבע תשמיש המטה בפיה. ולא תהיה מדברת בעסק זה. ולא תמנע מבעלה כדי לצערו עד שיוסיף באהבתה אלא נשמעת לו בכל עת שירצה. ותזהר מקרוביו ובני ביתו כדי שלא יעבור עליו רוח קנאה ותתרחק מן הכיעור ומן הדומה לכיעור:
19
Similarly, our Sages commanded that a man honor his wife more than his own person, and love her as he loves his own person. If he has financial resources, he should offer her benefits in accordance with his resources. He should not cast a superfluous measure of fear over her. He should talk with her gently, being neither sad nor angry.
יט
וכן צוו חכמים שיהא אדם מכבד את אשתו יותר מגופו ואוהבה כגופו. ואם יש לו ממון מרבה בטובתה כפי ממונו. ולא יטיל עליה אימה יתירה ויהיה דבורו עמה בנחת ולא יהיה עצב ולא רגזן:
20
And similarly, they commanded a woman to honor her husband exceedingly and to be in awe of him. She should carry out all her deeds according to his directives, considering him to be an officer or a king. She should follow the desires of his heart and shun everything that he disdains.
This is the custom of holy and pure Jewish women and men in their marriages. And these ways will make their marriage pleasant and praiseworthy.
כ
וכן צוו על האשה שתהיה מכבדת את בעלה ביותר מדאי ויהיה עליה מורא ממנו ותעשה כל מעשיה על פיו. ויהיה בעיניה כמו שר או מלך מהלכת בתאות לבו ומרחקת כל מה שישנא. וזה דרך בנות ישראל ובני ישראל הקדושים והטהורים בזיווגן. ובדרכים אלו יהיה ישובן נאה ומשובח:
FOOTNOTES
1.Conjugal rights are a privilege granted to a wife, and she has the right to forego them if she and her husband consent. Fathering children, by contrast, is one of the Torah's commandments, and a woman may not prevent her husband from fulfilling his obligation. See Yevamot 65b.
The Turei Zahav (Even HaEzer 1:1) and the Beit Shmuel 1:1 question the Rambam's decision. For, as stated in Halachah 16, even after the person has fulfilled the mitzvah of being fruitful and multiplying, he is obligated by rabbinic law to continue to father children. Seemingly, just as a man's wife may not prevent him from fulfilling the obligations imposed on him by the Torah, so too, she may not prevent him from fulfilling the obligations imposed on him by our Sages.
The Pitchei Teshuvah 1:1 resolves this difficulty by quoting the Chidah, who explains that our Sages did not equate the obligation to continue to father children with the Torah's obligation to be fruitful and multiply. As long as a man endeavors to continue to father children from time to time, it is acceptable. There is no need to persist with the same perseverance as one who has not yet fulfilled this mitzvah. (See also the notes on Halachah 7.)
2.Sefer HaMitzvot (Positive Commandment 212) and Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 1) include this as one of the Torah's 613 mitzvot.
3.See Yevamot 63b.
4.The Turei Zahav 1:6 interprets this expression as meaning that, at the outset, this is not a desirable course of action to follow.
5.This condition applies also to the license to delay marriage mentioned in the previous halachah.
6.In connection with this law, the commentaries cite Yoma 29a, which states: "Thoughts of sin are more damaging than sin itself." Instead of pointing his life to spiritual refinement, the individual is directing himself to sinful thoughts.
7.But if a man has only several sons or only several daughters, he is not considered to have fulfilled the mitzvah.
8.See Chapter 2 for a definition of these terms. Since this child is incapable of conceiving children, the child's father is not considered to have fulfilled the mitzvah.
9.Tosafot (Yevamot 62b) states that even if the grandchildren are two males or two females, one is considered to have fulfilled this mitzvah. The Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 1:6), however, quotes the Rambam's view.
10.Tosafot states that even if the convert's children did not themselves convert, the convert is considered to have fulfilled this mitzvah. (See Beit Shmuel 1:12.)
11.From the Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 23:1), one can infer that sexual relations with a minor are considered as emitting wasted seed, one of the more severe prohibitions of the Torah. The Ramah (loc. cit.:5) and other authorities, however, differ and explain that as long as relations are carried out in an ordinary manner, having relations with a minor or an aylonit does not violate this prohibition.
12.Rav Moshe Cohen states that since, as mentioned in Halachah 16, a person is obligated to continue fathering children, a man is obligated to marry a woman who can bear children even after fulfilling the mitzvah. The Maggid Mishneh states that in principle the Rambam also accepts this ruling, as indicated by his wording in Hilchot Issurei Bi'ah 21:26. In this instance, he was merely stating the law required by the Torah.
The Ramah (Even HaEzer 1:3) states although it would be proper to rebuke a person for marrying such a woman, this is not done in the present age.
13.As mentioned previously, in the Ashkenazic community it is customary not to marry more than one wife. All the laws mentioned in this halachah must be viewed with that principle in mind.
14.In his Commentary on the Mishnah (Yevamot 6:7), the Rambam writes that the source for this practice is Sarah's giving Hagar to Abraham: "After ten years in which Abram had lived in the Land of Canaan" (Genesis 16:3). Since this period passed without her bearing children, she provided him with another wife who could.
15.The Rivash (Responsum 15, quoted by the Ramah 154:10) explains that if after having one child together, a couple do not have children for ten years, they are not forced to divorce.
16.The Ramah (Even HaEzer 1:3) states that in his time, it was no longer customary to compel a man to divorce a woman who has not borne children to her husband. (See also the Hagahot Maimoniot, which quote opinions that state that in this age, and particularly in the diaspora, there is no obligation to divorce a woman even though she has not borne children in this amount of time. At present, there are many Rabbis who have divorced their wives in such a situation, but at least an equal number who have not. Every person has the prerogative of making his own decision regarding this matter.)
17.I.e., rather than bear the expense of paying her ketubah immediately, the man desires to remain married; or from the woman's perspective, rather than have to earn her own subsistence, she desires to remain married.
18.Chaggigah 15a states that unless a man releases semen as one shoots an arrow, he will not be able to father children.
19.As reflected in the following halachah, the Rambam maintains that unless the man's wife explicitly claims that he does not release semen as one shoots an arrow, it is assumed that the affliction is the woman's. Therefore, she is not entitled to the essential requirement of the ketubah.
The Ra'avad differs and maintains that for the responsibility to be placed on the woman, she must have been married to two other men previously, and in both instances, divorced after ten years for not bearing children. The Ramah (Even HaEzer 154:6) accepts this opinion.
20.See Chapter 23, Halachot 2 and 3.
21.The husband keeps possession of the money he is required to pay his wife by virtue of her ketubah. Although our Sages accepted her word when she issues a claim against her husband, they did so only when that claim was definite. If she is in doubt, the money should remain in the possession of its immediate owner.
22.The Beit Yosef (Even HaEzer 154) states that as long as a woman has given birth to one child, whether a son or a daughter, she is not given the prerogative of making such a claim.
The Ma'aseh Rokeach explains that this refers to an instance in which the man fathered children before marrying this woman, but then his physical condition deteriorated, and, according to the woman's claim, he is no longer able to release semen in an ordinary way. Were this not the case, he would be compelled to divorce her in order to fulfill the mitzvah of having children. Since he has, however, fulfilled that mitzvah, he is not compelled to divorce his wife. Therefore, it is the woman who must take the initiative.
23.As reflected in the ruling of the Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 154:6), other authorities emphasize that the woman's request must be made solely for this reason. If the court feels that she desires [the money due her by virtue of] her ketubah or to marry another man (Be'urei HaGra 154:25), her request is not accepted.
24.Yevamot 65b states "she needs a staff for support and a spade for burial" - i.e., sons to support her in her old age and to take care of her funeral arrangements.
25.The Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 154:11) follows the understanding of Rabbenu Asher, who interprets this ruling as applying even when it was possible for the couple to engage in marital relations during the situations mentioned. It is possible that just as their conduct aroused negative spiritual influences resulting in illness or imprisonment, those negative influences - and not the physical condition of the man or woman - prevented them from having children. From the Rambam's Commentary on the Mishnah (Yevamot 6:7), it does not appear that he shares this understanding.
26.Even within a period shorter than ten years (Rabbenu Asher).
27.She is, however, permitted to marry another man (Shulchan Aruch, Even HaEzer 154:12).
28.The Beit Shmuel 154:29 emphasizes that this law and the following law apply only when the court does not suspect that the woman desires to marry another man. This is also reflected in the Rambam's wording, which indicates that her claim comes as a response to the court's initiative.
29.Although the Ra'avad differs and does not require an oath in this situation, the Maggid Mishneh and the Kessef Mishneh support the Rambam's position. It is the Rambam's position that is accepted by the Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 154:15).
30.It is possible that the woman is not barren. It was merely that the two did not merit to conceive children together (Yevamot 64a).
31.Although a factor must normally repeat itself three times for a chazakah (a presumption that can be relied on) to be established, an exception is made with regard to the laws of marriage. In this context, the opinion that considers a twofold occurrence to be a chazakah is followed.
32.This ruling applies only if the husband had been unaware of the woman's condition previously. If he knew of her condition, he is obligated to pay her [the money due her by virtue of her] ketubah, as is the law with regard to an aylonit (Chapter 24:1-2).
33.As reflected in the Rambam's Commentary on the Mishnah (the conclusion of Nedarim), the Rambam does not interpret this as referring to an instance where the husband is sexually impotent entirely. Instead, it refers to a situation in which he can function, but it is the woman's belief that he will never conceive children. See the Lechem Mishneh and the interpretation of the Ralbach (Responsum 32). If, however, the woman were to claim that her husband is impotent, her word would be accepted.
Note, however, the Rashba (Vol. I, Responsum 628) and K'nesset HaGedolah (Even HaEzer 154:60), which interpret this halachah as speaking about an instance where the husband is sexually impotent.
34.In his Commentary on the Mishnah (loc. cit.), the Rambam states that, in theory, it would be proper to compel the husband to grant his wife a divorce immediately. This is not done, however, out of fear that her claim is untrue and she merely desires to marry another man.
He continues, stating that the court should try to develop communication between the couple. If those efforts fail, a compromise should be negotiated - e.g., in return for not compelling the woman to wait ten years for the divorce, the amount of money the husband is required to pay because of the ketubah should be reduced.
35.Yevamot 62a states: "[Although a man] fathers children in his youth, he should continue to do so at an advanced age, as implied by [Ecclesiastes 11:6]: 'In the morning, sow your seed; and in the evening, do not withhold your hand.'"
As mentioned above, the Chidah explains that as long as a man endeavors to continue fathering children from time to time, it is acceptable. One need not attempt to conceive children at every opportunity. Based on this decision, there are authorities who permit the limited use of certain birth control devices. The matter is not, however, entirely clear cut and should be discussed with a competent Rabbinic authority with regard to one's actual conduct.
36.Similarly, having children leads to the coming of the Redemption. Yevamot 63b states that the Mashiach will not come until all the souls destined to be conceived are born.
37.The Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 1:8) explains that this commandment applies when the husband cannot support a wife who can bear children and increase the size of his family.
38.See Yevamot 62b, which states: "Any man who is unmarried is left without happiness, without good and without blessing."
Rav David Cohen quotes Rav Yitzchak Alfasi as maintaining that the requirement to marry stems from the Torah and not from our Sages, as the Rambam maintains.
39.See Hilchot Issurei Bi'ah 21:26, which states that it is permissible for a woman never to marry.
40.Here the term לקנאת, translated as "admonish," has a specific meaning: to warn one's wife not to enter into privacy with another man. If this warning is disobeyed, the woman must undergo the rites of a sotah to continue her marriage.
41.Sotah 3a. Although this is the subject of a difference of opinion among our Sages, the Rambam follows the opinion of Rabbi Akiva.
42.See the conclusion of Hilchot Sotah for a more detailed treatment of this subject.
43.See Hilchot De'ot 5:4-5.
44.Eruvin 100b states that a woman requests intimacy with her heart.
45.See Chapter 24, Halachah 15ff.
Ishut - Chapter Sixteen
1
The property that a woman brings to her husband's [resources] - be it landed property, movable property or servants - is not referred to with the term ketubah, but rather with the term nedunyah.
[More particularly, there are two subdivisions within this category.] When the husband accepts responsibility for the nedunyah and it is considered to be his property1 - i.e., if it decreases in value he suffers the loss, and if it increases in value the gain is his - the property is referred to as nichsei tzon barzel.2
If the husband did not accept responsibility for the nedunyah,3 and it instead remained the property of the woman4 - if it decreases in value she suffers the loss, and if it increases in value the gain is hers - the property is referred to as nichsei m'log.5
א
הנכסים שמכנסת האשה לבעלה בין קרקע בין מטלטלין בין עבדים אע"פ שהן נכתבין בשטר הכתובה אין נקראין כתובה אלא נדוניא שמם. ואם קיבל הבעל אחריות הנדוניא עליו ונעשית ברשותו אם פחתה פחתה לו ואם הותירה הותירה לו הרי זו נקראת נכסי צאן ברזל. ואם לא קיבל אחריות הנדוניא עליו אלא הרי היא ברשות האשה אם פחתה פחתה לה ואם הותירה הותירה לה הרי זו נקראת נכסי מלוג:
2
Similarly, all the property that a woman owns that she did not bring to her husband's household, nor had written in her ketubah, but rather left as her own, or property that came to her as an inheritance, or that was given to her as a present - all of this is referred to as nichsei m'log, for it is all in her possession.
The term ketubah, by contrast, refers only to the fundamental requirement of the marriage contract - i.e., 100 [zuz for a non-virgin] or 200 [zuz for a virgin] and the additional amount that [the husband promised].6
ב
וכן כל נכסים שיש לאשה שלא הכניסה אותן לבעלה ולא כתבו אותן בכתובה אלא נשארו לעצמה. או נפלו לה בירושה אחר שנתארסה או נתנו לה במתנה הכל נקראין נכסי מלוג שכולן ברשותה הן. ואין נקראין כתובה אלא עיקר כתובה שהוא מאה או מאתים עם התוספת בלבד:
3
We have already explained that our Sages established the fundamental requirement of the marriage contract, and that the laws governing the additional amount [promised by the husband] are the same as those governing the fundamental requirement.7
[Our Sages] did not grant a woman the option of collecting [the money due her by virtue of] her ketubah whenever she desired. Instead, it is like a debt, which is not payable until a given date. For a ketubah, the time when payment is due is not until after the woman's husband dies or divorces her.
Similarly, our Sages ordained that if a husband has fields [of varying quality] - good, bad and intermediate - when the woman comes to collect [the money due her by virtue of] her ketubah from this property, she is entitled to collect only from the inferior fields.8 They are referred to as ziboorit.9
ג
כבר הודענו שחכמים תקנו כתובה לאשה ודין התוספת כדין העיקר. ולא תקנו לגבותה כל זמן שתרצה אלא הרי היא כחוב שיש לו זמן ואין הכתובה נגבית אלא לאחר מיתת הבעל או אם גירשה. וכן התקינו שאם היו לבעל שדות טובות ורעות ובינוניות ובאה האשה לגבות כתובתה ממנו שלא תגבה אלא מן הרעה שבנכסיו והיא הנקראת זיבורית:
4
Similarly, our Sages ordained that when a woman comes to collect [the money due her by virtue of] her ketubah after her husband's death, she may not collect [this sum] until she takes an oath while holding a sacred article,10 that her husband did not leave any property in her possession,11 that she had not sold her ketubah to him, nor waived payment of it.12 [Her wardrobe, even] the garments she is wearing should be evaluated and the sum deducted from [the money due her by virtue of] her ketubah.13
If, however, he voluntarily divorces her, she may collect [the money due her] without taking an oath,14 nor should [her wardrobe] be evaluated.15 [The rationale is that] he bought them for her, she acquired them, and it is he who desires to divorce her, and not the reverse.16
ד
וכן התקינו שכשתבוא לגבות כתובתה אחר מותו לא תגבה עד שתשבע בנקיטת חפץ שלא הניח אצלה כלום ולא מכרה לו כתובתה ולא מחלה אותה. ושמין לה כל מה שעליה ופוחתין אותו מכתובתה. אבל אם גירשה לרצונו גובה בלא שבועה ואין שמין כסות שעליה שהרי לקחן לה וזכתה בהן והוא רוצה להוציאה לא היא:
5
Similarly, [our Sages] ordained that a widow17 should collect [the money due her by virtue of] her ketubah from landed property only.18 [Moreover,] she may not collect [her due] from the increment in the value of that property after the husband died.19 Similarly, after their father's death, [the woman's] daughters do not receive their subsistence20 from the increment in the value of that property after his death.
Similarly, a woman may not collect [the money due her by virtue of] her ketubah from the increment in the value of [landed] property accomplished through the efforts of a purchaser, although other creditors are entitled to collect their due from that increment.21These rulings are among the leniencies [granted with regard to the the payment of the money due a woman by virtue] of her ketubah.
ה
וכן התקינו שלא תגבה האלמנה כתובתה אלא מן הקרקע. ואינה גובה משבח ששבחו נכסים לאחר מיתת הבעל. ואין הבנות ניזונות לאחר מיתת אביהן משבח ששבחו נכסים לאחר מיתתו. ואינה טורפת בכתובתה בשבח שהשביח הלוקח אע"פ שבעל חוב גובה את השבח. ודברים אלו מקולי כתובה הם:
6
Similarly, among the leniencies [granted with regard to the payment of the money due a woman by virtue] of her ketubah is that a woman will collect the money due her from the coinage that is of least value.
What is implied? A man married a woman in one country and divorced her in another. If the coinage of the country in which the couple married is more valuable than the coinage of the country in which they divorced, he may pay her with the coinage of the country in which they divorced. If, by contrast, the coinage of the country in which the couple divorced is more valuable than the coinage of the country in which they married, he may pay her with the coinage of the country in which they married.22
When does the above apply? When her ketubah states a sum of coins without specification. If, however, a specific type of coin is explicitly mentioned, whether with regard to the fundamental requirement of the ketubah, or with regard to the extra amount added by the husband, the law is the same as when a person lends a colleague a specific type of coin - he must return the loan in the coinage that he took, as will be explained in Hilchot Halva'ah.23
ו
וכן מקולי כתובה שתטול האשה בכתובתה מן הפחות שבמטבעות. כיצד נשא אשה במקום אחד וגירשה במקום אחר. אם היו מעות מקום הנישואין טובים ממעות מקום הגירושין נותן לה ממעות מקום הגירושין. ואם היו מעות מקום הגירושין טובים ממעות מקום הנישואין נותן לה ממעות מקום הנישואין. בד"א בשהיה בכתובתה מעות סתם. אבל אם פירש בה מטבע ידוע בין בעיקר בין בתוספת הרי היא כדין המלוה את חבירו מטבע ידוע שנותן לו כמה שהלוהו כמו שיתבאר בהלכות הלואה:
7
The geonim of all the yeshivot ordained that after the death of a man, a woman should be able to collect her [money due her by virtue of her] ketubah from movable property,24 just as they ordained that a creditor can collect the debt owed him from movable property.25 This mandate spread throughout the majority of the Jewish people.26
Similarly, the other conditions of a woman's ketubah are governed by the same rules as [the fundamental requirement of] the ketubah, and they are binding on the movable property of the deceased's estate, as well as on the landed property. There is, however, one exception - the right of the sons to inherit their mother's ketubah. Since the custom of granting them this inheritance was not universally accepted by all the yeshivot,27 I maintain that the law of the Talmud should be applied in this instance, and they should inherit the money due their mother by virtue of her ketubah only from the landed property [within the estate].28
ז
תקנו הגאונים בכל הישיבות שתהיה האשה גובה כתובתה אחרי מות בעלה אף מן המטלטלין כדרך שהתקינו לבעל חוב לגבות מן המטלטלין. ופשטה תקנה זו ברוב ישראל. וכן שאר תנאי כתובה כולן ככתובה הן וישנן במטלטלין כבקרקע. חוץ מכתובת בנין דכרין שלא מצאנו מנהג ירושתן פשוט בכל הישיבות. לפיכך אני אומר מעמידין אותה על דין הגמרא שאין יורשין כתובת אמן אלא מן הקרקע:
8
In all the [Jewish] communities of which I know and have heard reports from, it has already become the custom to write the ketubah so that [its obligations are binding] on both the landed property and the movable property [in the estate].29
[Making] this addition is a great asset; it was ordained by learned men of great stature. For it is a monetary stipulation, and thus a widow is entitled to collect [the money due her] from the movable property [in her husband's] estate by virtue of this stipulation, and not by virtue of the mandate of the later sages.30
ח
כבר נהגו בכל המקומות שידענו וששמענו שמען שיכתבו בכתובה בין ממקרקעי בין ממטלטלי. ודבר זה תיקון גדול הוא ואנשים גדולים ונבונים הנהיגו דבר זה שהרי זה תנאי שבממון ונמצא האלמנה גובה מן המטלטלין בתנאי זה לא בתקנת אחרונים:
9
[The following rules apply when] this stipulation was not included in the text of the ketubah, but instead [the couple] married without making an explicit statement [in this regard]. If the husband knew of this ordinance established by the geonim, the woman may collect [the money due her from the movable property in his estate].
If, however, he was not [aware of this ordinance], or we are unsure whether he knew of it, we deliberate at length concerning this matter. For an ordinance of the geonim does not have the power to be applied and to have money expropriated from the heirs because of it, when it was not explicitly stated, as is the law regarding the conditions of the ketubah.31 [The distinction between the two is that the conditions of the ketubah] are ordinances instituted by the Great Sanhedrin.
ט
הרי שלא כתב כך בשטר הכתובה אלא נשא סתם. אם היה יודע בתקנה זו של גאונים גובה. ואם לאו או שנסתפק לנו הדבר מתישבין בדבר הרבה שאין כח בתקנת הגאונים לדון בה אף ע"פ שלא נתפרשה כדין תנאי כתובה שהם תקנת הסנהדרין הגדולה עד שנוציא בה ממון מן היורשים:
10
Our Sages also ordained that all of a husband's property should be on lien for the woman's ketubah. Even if the woman's ketubah is [only 100 zuz] and [her husband] owns property worth several thousand gold pieces, it is all under lien to her ketubah.
[Her husband] is entitled to sell all his property if he desires, and his sale is binding. Nevertheless, all the property that he sells after his marriage can be expropriated [from the purchaser] by his widow [in lieu of payment for] her ketubah when he divorces her or when he dies, if he does not possess property that has not been sold.32
When a woman expropriates property [from a purchaser], she must take an oath holding a sacred article, as is taken by any of [a person's] creditors [who seek to expropriate property from its purchasers]. This provision was instituted so that he should not view [the obligation of] the ketubah lightly.
י
ועוד תקנו חכמים שיהיו כל נכסי הבעל אחראין וערבאין לכתובה אפילו כתובתה מנה ויש לו קרקע באלפים זהובים הכל תחת שיעבוד הכתובה. וכל שימכור אחר הנישואין מנכסיו אע"פ שממכרו קיים ויש לו למכור כל נכסיו אם ירצה יש לה לטרוף אותן בכתובתה כשיגרשנה או כשימות אם לא תמצא נכסים בני חורין. וכשתטרוף לא תטרוף אלא בשבועה בנקיטת חפץ כדין כל בעלי חובות. ותקנה זו כדי שלא תהיה כתובה קלה בעיניו:
11
When the court or the heirs require a widow to take an oath when she comes to collect [the money due her by virtue of] her ketubah, the oath should be taken only outside the court.33 For the court would refrain from administering the oath, lest she not be precise with herself when making it.34
If the heirs desired that she make a vow [instead of an oath], she may make a vow linked to any object they desire.35 This vow may be administered in a court. Afterwards, she should collect [the money due her by virtue of] her ketubah.
יא
כשמשביעין ב"ד או היורשין את האלמנה כשתבוא לגבות כתובתה אין משביעין אותה אלא חוץ לב"ד. מפני שבתי דינין היו נמנעין מלהשביעה שחוששין לה שמא לא תדקדק על עצמה בשבועה. ואם רצו היתומים להדירה נודרת להן כל מה שירצו ומדירין אותה בב"ד ואחר כך נוטלת כתובתה:
12
If a widow dies before taking this oath, her heirs should not inherit her ketubah at all, for she does not have any rights to her ketubah until she takes an oath.36
If the woman marries [a second time] before taking an oath [with regard to [the money due her by virtue of] her ketubah from her previous husband's estate], she may take an oath after her remarriage and collect her due whenever she desires. She does not, however, have the option of making a vow, lest her [second] husband annul it.37
יב
מתה האלמנה קודם שתשבע אין יורשיה יורשין מכתובתה כלום שאין לה כתובה עד שתשבע. ואם נשאת קודם שתשבע הרי זו נשבעת אחר הנישואין ונוטלת כל זמן שתרצה. אבל אינה נודרת ונוטלת שמא יפר לה הבעל:
13
If [a woman's husband] designated a plot of land for her in her ketubah, whether he specified [only] one of its borders or all four of its borders, she may collect her ketubah from this plot of land without taking an oath.
Similarly, if he specified movable property [in the ketubah] and this movable property exists, she may take it without taking an oath. [Moreover,] if the [movable property that was specified] was sold and other movable property purchased with the proceeds, it being known that these goods were purchased with the proceeds of [the movable property specified in the ketubah], she may take them without taking an oath.
יג
ייחד לה קרקע בכתובתה בין שייחד לה בארבעת המצרים בין במצר אחד גובה את כתובתה ממנה בלא שבועה. וכן אם כתב לה מטלטלין והן עצמן קיימין נוטלת אותן בלא שבועה. וכן אם נמכרו ונלקח בהן מטלטלין אחרים ונודע שאלו השניים מדמי המטלטלין הראשונים נוטלתן בלא שבועה:
14
A woman who diminishes [the amount of money due her by virtue of] her ketubah may collect her due only after taking an oath.38
What is implied? A woman produces a ketubah that states [that she is due] 1000 zuz. Her husband claims that she received the entire amount, while she claims to have received only a portion of the amount. Even if there are witnesses who testify that she received the amount that she admits to having received,39 and even if she is extremely precise in accounting what she took, mentioning even [the last] half-p'rutah, she may collect the remainder only after taking an oath.40
יד
הפוגמת כתובתה לא תפרע אלא בשבועה. כיצד הוציאה שטר כתובה שיש בו אלף זוז הבעל אומר נתקבלת הכל והיא אומרת לא נתקבלתי אלא כך וכך. ואפילו יש עליה עדים במקצת שנטלה ואפילו דקדקה עצמה בחשבון מה שנטלה בחצי פרוטה לא תטול השאר אלא בשבועה:
15
[An oath is also required in the following instance.] The husband claims that [his wife] received all [the money due her by virtue of] her ketubah], while the woman claims not to have received the money, and one witness testifies that she received either the entire sum or a portion of it. [The woman] may collect the entire [sum mentioned in] the ketubah, but only after taking an oath.41
טו
אמר הבעל נתקבלת הכל והיא אומרת לא נתקבלתי כלום ועד אחד מעיד עליה שנתקבלה הכל או מקצת לא תפרע כל הכתובה אלא בשבועה:
16
[When a divorcee collects [the money due her by virtue of] her ketubah] outside the presence of her husband, she must take an oath before doing so.
What is implied? A man divorced his wife and departed. After his wife takes an oath, the court should expropriate his property and give [the woman the money due her by virtue of] her ketubah.
The above applies when the husband is in a distant place, where there is difficulty in notifying him. If, however, he is in a nearby place [where it is possible] to notify him, a message should be sent to notify him [of the court's impending action]. If he does not come, the woman should take the oath and collect [her due].
טז
הנפרעת שלא בפניו לא תפרע אלא בשבועה. כיצד הרי שגירש את אשתו והלך לו. ב"ד יורדין לנכסיו אחר שתשבע ומגבין אותה כתובתה והוא שיהיה במקום רחוק שיש להן טורח להודיעו. אבל אם היה במקום קרוב להודיעו שולחין לו ומודיעין אותו. ואם לא יבוא תשבע ותטול:
17
A woman who reduces the value of her ketubah is not required to take an oath before collecting [her due].42
What is implied? A woman produces a ketubah that states [that she is due] 1000 zuz. Her husband claims that she received the entire amount, while she claims not to have received anything at all, but she admits: "I am owed only 500 zuz. Although he wrote 1000 for me [in the ketubah], there was an understanding between me and him [concerning this]." In this instance, she is not required to take an oath before collecting [her due].
If, however, [in the above situation,] the woman says: "My ketubah states only 500 zuz," she may not collect with this document that says [she is due] 1000 zuz, for she has negated it. It is as if she has admitted that it is false. Therefore, [the husband] may take a rabbinic oath [to support his claim]; he is then freed [of all obligations].
יז
הפוחתת כתובתה נפרעת שלא בשבועה. כיצד הוציאה שטר כתובה באלף זוז הוא אומר נתקבלת הכל והיא אומרת לא נתקבלתי כלום ואין לי אלא ה' מאות זוז וזה שכתב לי אלף אמנה היתה ביני לבינו הרי זו נפרעת שלא בשבועה. אבל אם אמרה אין בשטר כתובתי אלא חמש מאות אינה נפרעת בשטר זה שיש בו אלף זוז כלום שהרי בטלה אותו וכאילו הודית שהוא שקר לפיכך נשבע שבועת היסת ונפטר:
18
Whenever we have stated that a woman may not collect [her due] unless she takes an oath, the court tells her: "Take the oath and collect [your due]." Whenever we said that she may collect her due without an oath, [the court] tells the husband: "Give her [what is due her]. Your claim is not acceptable until you bring proof to support it."
יח
כל מקום שאמרנו לא תפרע אלא בשבועה אומרים לה ב"ד השבעי וטלי. ומקום שאמרנו תפרע שלא בשבועה אומרים לבעל עמוד ותן לה ואין אתה נאמן בטענה זו עד שתביא ראיה לדבריך:
19
If [in the latter instances], on his own initiative, the husband asks that [the woman] take an oath [denying] his claim, [the court] tells her: "Take the oath and collect [your due]." She must take this oath holding a sacred article.
If, [originally,] she made a stipulation with [her husband] enabling her to collect [the money due her by virtue of] her ketubah without taking an oath, or that her word would be accepted regardless of what she claims, she may collect [her due] from him [in the event of a divorce] without taking any oath at all. [In the event of his death,] however, she must take an oath before collecting [her due] from his heirs.43
יט
אמר הבעל מעצמו תשבע לי על טענתי אומרין לה השבעי וטלי ותשבע בנקיטת חפץ. התנית עמו שתגבה כתובתה שלא בשבועה או שתהא נאמנת בכל מה שתטעון גובה ממנו בלא שבועה כלל. אבל אם באה לגבות מיורשיו תשבע ואחר כך תטול:
20
If, [originally,] she made a stipulation with [her husband] enabling her to collect [the money due her by virtue of] her ketubah from his heirs without taking an oath, or that her word would be accepted by his heirs regardless of what she claims, she may collect [her due] from the heirs without taking any oath at all.44
If, however, she comes to collect [her due] from property that has been sold, she must take an oath before collecting. Although her husband was willing to accept her word, the stipulation he made is binding only on himself and [the estate he left to] his heirs. It does not have the power to cause others to incur a financial loss.45
כ
התנית עמו שתגבה כתובתה מיורשיו בלא שבועה או שתהיה נאמנת בכל מה שתטעון על יורשיו הרי זו נוטלת מהן בלא שבועה. אבל אם באה לטרוף מנכסים משועבדים לא תטרוף אלא בשבועה. ואע"פ שהאמינה הבעל שאין תנאי הבעל מועיל אלא עליו ועל יורשיו אבל להפסיד ממון אחרים אינו מועיל:
21
A widow who is in possession of her [the document recording her] ketubah may collect her due, after taking an oath, even though 100 years have passed since her husband's death.46 This applies regardless of whether she resides in her [deceased] husband's home or in her father's home.47
If, however, she does not have possession of her ketubah, she is not entitled to anything, even if she makes her claim on the day her husband dies.48 Similarly, a divorcee is not entitled even to the fundamental requirement of the ketubah until she produces her ketubah.
כא
אלמנה שהיה שטר כתובה יוצא מתחת ידה נשבעת וגובה כתובתה לעולם אפילו אחר מאה שנה. בין שהיתה בבית בעלה בין שהיתה בבית אביה. ואם אין שטר כתובה יוצא מתחת ידה אין לה כלום ואפילו עיקר כתובה ואפי' תבעה ביום מיתת בעלה. וכן הגרושה אפילו עיקר כתובה אין לה עד שתוציא שטר כתובה:
22
When does the above apply? In a place where it is customary to compose a document [recording] the ketubah. [Different rules apply,] however, in a place where it is not customary to compose a document [recording] the ketubah, and instead, [the couple] rely on the conditions established by the Jewish court.49
[In such a situation, the woman is entitled to] collect the essential requirement of the ketubah50 even when she is not in possession of a document recording the ketubah, regardless of whether she was widowed or divorced, or whether she [continues to] reside in her husband's home or [has returned to] her father's home. She is not, however, given [anything she claims her husband promised her] in addition unless she has definite proof [of such an obligation].51
כב
במה דברים אמורים במקום שדרכן לכתוב כתובה. אבל במקום שאין דרכן לכתוב כתובה אלא סומכין על תנאי בית דין הרי זו גובה עיקר כתובה אע"פ שאין בידה שטר כתובה בין נתגרשה בין נתאלמנה בין שהיתה בבית בעלה בין שהיתה בבית אביה. אבל תוספת אין לה בכ"מ אלא בראיה ברורה:
23
Until when is a widow entitled to collect the essential requirement of the ketubah52 in a place where it is not customary to compose a ketubah? If she [continues to reside] in her husband's home, there is no limit on the time she is granted.53 If she [resides] in her father's home,54 [she has this prerogative] for twenty-five years.
If, [however,] she comes to collect [the money due her because of her ketubah] after twenty-five years, she is not entitled to anything. [The rationale is that] had she not foregone [the money due her], she would not have remained silent for this long. Nor is she living together with the heirs, so that she could [excuse her silence,] explaining that she was embarrassed to sue them while she was living together with them in [one] home.
כג
ועד כמה תגבה האלמנה העיקר במקום שאין כותבין כתובה. אם היתה בבית בעלה גובה לעולם. ואם היתה בבית אביה עד עשרים וחמש שנה. ואם באה לתבוע אחר עשרים וחמש שנה אין לה כלום שאילו לא מחלה לא שתקה כל זמן זה. והרי אינה עם היורשים כדי שתאמר נכלמתי מלתבען והן עמי בבית:
24
For this reason, if [one of] the heirs was in the habit of bringing her subsistence while she was residing in her father's home and caring for her needs, she has the prerogative of demanding [her due] even after twenty-five years have passed. The reason why she remained silent and did not present her claim is that she was ashamed [to sue] the heir.
כד
לפיכך אם היה היורש עצמו מוליך מזונותיה לבית אביה ומטפל בה יש לה לתבוע כתובתה ואפילו אחר כ"ה שנה מפני שזו ששתקה ולא תבעה מפני שהיא בושה מן היורש:
25
[The following rules apply when there is a difference between the claims of a husband - or his heirs - and his wife regarding the size of the essential requirement of her ketubah.] She says, "I was a virgin when I married, and the essential requirement of my ketubah is 200 [zuz]." Her husband or his heirs claim, "She was not a virgin, and she is due only 100."
If there are witnesses who saw that the customs that people in that locale carry out when virgins are wed were carried out on her behalf - e.g., there were different types of celebrations, [she wore a] crown or a particular garment [designated for this purpose], or other rites that are performed only for the sake of virgins were performed [for her] - she is entitled to 200 [zuz]. If there are no witnesses to this, she is entitled to only 100 [zuz].
[In the latter instance,] if her husband is alive, she can require him to take an oath required by the Torah,55 for he has acknowledged a portion of a claim.
[In cases of this nature,] testimony is accepted [from a person]56 once he became an adult, who says: "I remember that when I was a child, the rites performed for virgin brides were performed on behalf of such and such."57
As mentioned, all the above applies [only] in places where it is customary not to compose a document recording the ketubah.58
כה
היא אומרת בתולה נישאתי ועיקר כתובתי מאתים והבעל או יורשיו אומרים בעולה נשאת ואין לה אלא מאה. אם יש עדים שראו שעשו לה המנהגות שנהגו אנשי אותה העיר לעשותן לבתולה כגון מיני שמחה או כתרים או מלבוש ידוע או שאר דברים שאין עושין כך אלא לבתולה הרי זו נוטלת מאתים. ואם אין לה עדים בזה הרי זו נוטלת מנה. ואם היה הבעל קיים יש לה להשביעו שבועת התורה שהרי הודה במקצת הטענה. ונאמן הקטן להעיד בגדלו ולומר זוכר אני כשהייתי קטן שנעשה לפלונית מנהג הבתולות. וכל הדברים האלו במקום שאין כותבין כתובה כמו שאמרנו:
26
When a woman tells her husband, "You divorced me," her word is accepted. [The rationale is that if this were not the truth,] she would not speak so boldly to her husband.59
Accordingly, when a woman produces her ketubah, [even] without having a bill of divorce, and tells her husband: "You divorced me. I lost my bill of divorce. Give me [the money due me by virtue of] my ketubah," [her claim is accepted, and her husband] is obligated to pay her the essential requirement of the marriage contract, even though he claims that he never divorced her.60 He is not, however, [obligated to] give her the additional amount he promised,61 unless she brings proof that she has been divorced, or she manifests possession of both the bill of divorce and her ketubah.
כו
האשה שאמרה לבעלה גירשתני נאמנת שאינה מעיזה פניה בפני בעלה. לפיכך האשה שהוציאה שטר כתובה ואין עמה גט ואמרה לבעלה גירשתני ואבד גיטי תן לי כתובתי והוא אומר לא גירשתיך חייב ליתן לה עיקר כתובה. אבל אינו נותן לה התוספת עד שתביא ראיה שגירשה או שיצא גט עם הכתובה מתחת ידה:
27
[In the above situation,] if [the woman's] husband said: "This is what happened. I divorced her and paid her all [the money due her by virtue of] her ketubah, both the essential requirement and the additional amount. She wrote me a receipt, but I lost it" [the following rules apply]. He requires her to take an oath while holding a sacred article [that he is liable to pay her] the essential requirement [of the ketubah], and then he must give her [that sum].62
With regard to the additional amount, his word is accepted. [The rationale is that] he could have claimed that he never divorced her, and in such an instance he would not be held liable for the additional amount. [We assume that had he desired to lie, he would have used that alternative.] He is, however, required to take a rabbinic oath with regard to the additional amount.
כז
אמר לה הבעל כך היה גירשתי ונתתי לה כל הכתובה עיקר ותוספת וכתבה לי שובר ואבד שוברי. מתוך שיכול לומר לא גירשתי ולא יתחייב בתוספת נאמן ומשביעה בנקיטת חפץ ונותן לה את העיקר ונשבע הוא שבועת היסת על התוספת:
28
[The following rules apply when] a woman produces a bill of divorce, but does not have her ketubah in her possession. If the local custom is not to compose a ketubah, she is entitled to collect the essential requirement of her ketubah by [virtue of] the bill of divorce she is holding. If, however, it is the local custom to compose a ketubah, she is not entitled even to the fundamental requirement of the ketubah until she produces her ketubah, as was explained.63 Her husband must take a rabbinic oath denying her claim, and he is freed of liability.
כח
הוציאה גט ואין בידה שטר כתובה. אם דרך אותו מקום שלא יכתבו כתובה גובה עיקר כתובתה בגט שבידה. ואם דרכן לכתוב כתובה אפילו עיקר אין לה עד שתוציא שטר כתובה כמו שביארנו. ונשבע הבעל שבועת היסת על טענתה ונפטר:
29
[When] a woman produces two bills of divorce and two ketubot, she is entitled to collect the amount due her by virtue of both ketubot.64 If she produces two ketubot and one bill of divorce, she is entitled to collect only [the money due her for] one ketubah.65
Which ketubah should she collect? If they are both for the same amount, the later ketubah negates the earlier one, and she is entitled to collect [property that was sold to others] from the date of the later [ketubah].66 If one of them is for a greater sum than the other, she may collect whichever she desires, and the other one is voided.67
כט
הוציאה שתי גיטין ושתי כתובות גובה שתי כתובות. הוציאה שתי כתובות וגט אחד אינה גובה אלא כתובה אחת. ואי זו מהן גובה אם שתיהן שוות בטלה האחרונה את הראשונה ואינה טורפת אלא מזמן האחרונה. ואם היה באחת משתיהן תוספת על חבירתה גובה באיזה מהן שתרצה ותבטל השניה:
30
[When] a woman produces two bills of divorce and one ketubah, she has [the right to collect] only [the amount due her by virtue of] one ketubah.68 For when a man divorces his wife and remarries her without specifying any conditions, [it can be assumed] that he remarried her with the intent that her original ketubah [become binding again].
[The following rules apply when] a woman produces a bill of divorce and a ketubah after the death of her husband: If the bill of divorce is dated prior to the ketubah,69 [in a place where] it is not customary to compose a ketubah, she is entitled to collect the essential requirement of her ketubah by [virtue of this] bill of divorce,70 and she is entitled to collect the entire sum [mentioned] in the second ketubah, for she acquires this sum by virtue of [her husband's] death.
If her ketubah is dated prior to the bill of divorce, she is entitled to collect [the money due her by virtue of] the ketubah only once. [We assume] that when he remarried her, his intent was that her original ketubah [become binding again].
ל
הוציאה שתי גיטין וכתובה אחת אין לה אלא כתובה אחת. שהמגרש את אשתו והחזירה סתם על כתובתה הראשונה החזירה. הוציאה גט וכתובה אחר מיתת הבעל אם גט קודם לכתובה גובה בגט זה עיקר כתובה אם אין דרכן לכתוב כתובה וגובה כל מה שיש בכתובתה זו שהרי זכתה בה במיתתו. ואם כתובה קדמה את הגט אין לה אלא כתובה אחת שעל כתובתה הראשונה החזירה:
31
A woman's word is accepted if she says: "My husband died," so that she [be granted permission to] remarry, as will be explained in Hilchot Gerushin.71 One of the conditions of the ketubah is that if a woman remarries after the death of her husband, she is entitled to collect the entire sum written in her ketubah.
Therefore, if she came to the court and said: "My husband died. Grant me permission to remarry," without mentioning [the collection of the money due her by virtue of] her ketubah at all, she is granted permission to remarry. [Afterwards,] she is required to take an oath,72 and then she is given [the money due her by virtue of] her ketubah.
If she says, "My husband died. Give me the money due me by virtue of my ketubah," [not only is she not granted this money,] she is not even permitted to remarry. [We assume that] she came [only] because of the matter of the ketubah. Our presumption is that her husband has not died. Her intent is not to remarry, but merely to collect [the money due her by virtue of] the ketubah during [her husband's] lifetime.
If she came and said: "My husband died. Grant me permission to remarry and give me [the money due me by virtue of] my ketubah," she is permitted to remarry and is granted [the money due her by virtue of] her ketubah. The rationale is that her primary intent is remarriage. If, however, she comes and says: "My husband died. Give me [the money due me by virtue of] my ketubah, and grant me permission to remarry," she is permitted to remarry, but she is not granted [the money due her by virtue of] her ketubah.73 If, however, she seizes possession [of this sum], the court should not expropriate it from her possession.
לא
האשה נאמנת לומר מת בעלי כדי שתנשא כמו שיתבאר בהלכות גירושין. ומתנאי הכתובה שאם תנשא לאחר אחר מותו תטול כל מה שכתב לה בכתובתה. לפיכך אם באה לבית דין ואמרה מת בעלי התירוני להנשא ולא הזכירה שם כתובה בעולם מתירין אותה להנשא ומשביעין אותה ונותנין לה כתובתה. באה ואמרה מת בעלי תנו לי את כתובתי אף להנשא אין מתירין אותה שעל עסקי הכתובה באה והרי זה בחזקת שלא מת. ואין דעתה להנשא אלא ליטול כתובה מחיים בלבד. באה ואמרה מת בעלי התירוני להנשא ותנו לי את כתובתי מתירין אותה להנשא ונותנין לה כתובתה מפני שעיקר דבריה על עסקי הנישואין באה. אבל אם באה ואמרה תנו לי את כתובתי והתירוני להנשא מתירין אותה ואין נותנין לה כתובה ואם תפשה אין מוציאין מידה:
FOOTNOTES
1.I.e., the article or land that the woman brings to the household is evaluated, and the husband takes responsibility for the value of the article. From this time onward, it is as if the article were his, and he is obligated to pay his wife a fixed amount if he divorces her or she is widowed.
2.This term literally means "property [that is like] iron sheep." The term iron is used to indicate that the husband's obligation is unchanging, like iron. The reference to sheep stems from the fact that during the Talmudic period in Eretz Yisrael, a similar agreement was frequently made with a shepherd with regard to the sheep entrusted to him. He was given a herd that was evaluated at a given price, and he was obligated to return either sheep of that value, or payment for them to their owner. (See the commentary of Rav Ovadiah of Bertinoro, Yevamot 7:1.)
3.With this statement, the Rambam indicates that - in contrast to the opinion of certain authorities - the property belonging to a woman does not automatically become nichsei tzon barzel. For it to be placed in that category, the husband must explicitly accept responsibility for it (Maggid Mishneh). (See Shulchan Aruch, Even HaEzer 85:3.)
4.With regard to this type of property as well, the husband has the privilege to manage the use of the property and reap its benefits during the time he remains married to the woman, but the property itself belongs to her.
5.The term m'log means "to pull out hairs" (Jerusalem Talmud, Yevamot 7:1). Just as a person pulls out the hairs from a head, leaving it uncovered, so too, the husband continues to use his wife's property even though its value depreciates.
6.By making a distinction between the money due a woman by virtue of her ketubah and her nedunyah, the Rambam is emphasizing that they are governed by different laws. With regard to the money of the ketubah, the husband or his estate is granted certain leniencies. But with regard to the nedunyah, by contrast, the woman is considered the same as any other of her husband's creditors (Maggid Mishneh). The Beit Yosef and the Ramah (Even HaEzer 100:2) quote this explanation.
7.See Chapter 10, Halachah 7.
8.Although a creditor has the right to collect his due from the properties of intermediate value, the woman is given this disadvantage. The rationale is that a woman desires to marry and therefore is willing to accept this stipulation (Gittin 50a).
9.The Aruch HaShalem interprets this term as being derived from an Arab word meaning "a rocky field." The Ramah (Choshen Mishpat 101:5) states that it refers to a bee that stings and is therefore considered one of the lower forms of life.
10.I.e., a Torah scroll, as mentioned in Hilchot Sh'vuot 11:8. An oath is required because the woman is seeking to collect money from an estate bequeathed to heirs, and whenever payment is to be collected from an estate, an oath is necessary (Ketubot 87a; Hilchot Malveh V'Loveh 14:1).
11.The Tur (Even HaEzer 96) states that the woman must also take an oath that she did not seize any of her husband's property. The Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 96:2) quotes this view.
12.In contrast to the opinion of the Tur (loc. cit.) and the Hagahot Maimoniot, the Rambam maintains that even if a woman is in possession of her ketubah, she is required to take these oaths. (See Halachah 21.) The Shulchan Aruch (loc. cit.) mentions the Rambam's view, but appears to favor that of the Tur.
13.This refers to a trousseau given to the woman by her husband. Although the husband gave his wife these clothes as a gift, he did not give them to her with the intent that she take them and leave his household (Ketubot 54a).
14.In the first half of this halachah, the oath is instituted by the court to protect the interests of the heirs. In this instance, however, unless the husband himself issues a claim requiring an oath (see Halachah 19), no oath is required.
15.From Hilchot Malveh V'Loveh 1:5, it appears that this does not apply to a woman's Sabbath and festival clothing, or to her jewelry. Similarly, the Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 99:1) states that those articles should be evaluated and deducted from the sum due her by virtue of her ketubah.
16.If, however, the husband is compelled to divorce his wife, her wardrobe should be evaluated and deducted from the money due her by virtue of her ketubah (Maggid Mishneh; see Ketubot 77a).
17.This restriction applies to a widow, but not to a divorcee. The Rashba and other authorities differ and maintain that the same ruling applies to a divorcee. It appears that it is their opinion that is accepted by the Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 100:1).
18.I.e., and not from movable property. This ruling also applies to other creditors, as stated in Hilchot Nizkei Mammon 8:11. (See, however, Halachah 7 below.)
19.E.g., a woman was owed 200 zuz by virtue of her ketubah. Her husband's property was worth 150 zuz at the time of his death. Although its value rose afterwards to 200, the woman is entitled to only 150, because that was its value at the time of her husband's death.
20.This is one of the conditions of a woman's ketubah.
21.Landed property that was owned by a man at the time of his marriage or acceptance of a financial obligation is considered to be on lien to his wife or to his creditor. Even if it is sold to another person, the debt can be collected from it, if the person or his estate has no other property, as stated in Halachah 10. (See also Hilchot Malveh V'Loveh, Chapter 19.)
As mentioned in Hilchot Malveh V'Loveh 21:1, a creditor is entitled to collect not only the property itself, but also any increment in its value, whether an increment that comes naturally, or even one that results because of effort on the part of the purchaser. A woman is not, however, given this privilege with regard to the money due her by virtue of her ketubah.
22.I.e., the woman's ketubah mentioned 200 silver coins without specifying the type of coin, and there was a difference between the value of the silver coins used in the country where the ketubah was written and those used in the country where the divorce takes place. If this were a loan contract, we would say that the intent is the coins of the country in which the loan was given. As a leniency to the husband, however, the law is different with regard to a ketubah, and he is obligated to pay only the lesser of the two values.
The Maggid Mishneh and the Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 100:5) state that this law applies only when the value of the money the woman receives is not less than 100 zuz of the Talmudic period for a non-virgin, and 200 zuz for a virgin.
23.Hilchot Malveh V'Loveh 4:11.
24.The Maggid Mishneh explains that this ruling reflects a difference in the socio-economic status of the Jewish people. Land was commonly owned in the Talmudic period, and hence a woman would not feel secure unless the obligation of her ketubah were supported by land. In contrast, the ownership of land was less common in the era of the geonim. Movable property, thus, rose in importance, and a woman would feel secure even when an obligation was supported only by movable property.
25.See Hilchot Nizkei Mammon 8:12.
26.Since it was accepted by the majority of the Jewish people, it should be adhered to. See, however, the following halachot.
27.I.e., in certain places this practice was not followed. Although the Rambam maintains that the sons should be granted that privilege, their rights should not be extended beyond their original scope.
28.The Rambam's opinion is accepted by many authorities. Nevertheless, there are dissenting views. The Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 111:14) mentions both views without appearing to favor either one.
29.See the Rambam's text of the ketubah, Hilchot Yibbum 4:33.
30.A person has the license to bind his estate to a particular obligation, although he would not be required to pay it by law. Once he makes such a commitment, his estate is bound by it.
31.The Kessef Mishneh explains that in the Rambam's era, the observance of this ordinance had not spread throughout the entire Jewish world. Note the introduction to the Mishneh Torah which states that, in contrast to the ordinances of the Sages of the Talmud, an ordinance instituted by the geonim is not binding unless its observance has spread throughout the entire Jewish people.
The Chelkat Mechokek 100:2 and the Beit Shmuel 100:2 emphasize that the observance of this ordinance spread in the subsequent generations, and it is now universal Jewish practice. Therefore, it is binding even when it was not explicitly stated in the ketubah, and the husband's heirs claim that he was unaware of it.
32.If, however, the husband or his estate possesses property that has not been sold, neither the woman nor another creditor may expropriate property that has already been sold (Gittin 5:2).
33.Rashi, the Ramban and the Rashba state that when an oath is made outside the court, God's name is not mentioned, and a Torah scroll is not held. The Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 96:19) quotes this view. The Maggid Mishneh states, however, that the fact that the Rambam does not mention such a distinction indicates that he does not accept this concept.
34.Gittin 35a explains that since a widow carries out certain activities on behalf of the heirs of her deceased husband's estate (who are, in most instances, her children), she feels free to take certain articles belonging to the estate, without taking this into consideration. Hence, she might be ready to take an oath that she did not benefit from the estate, when in fact she did.
Since the sin of - and the punishment for - taking a false oath is very harsh, our Sages wished to reduce this severity by having the oath administered outside the court.
35.I.e., the woman will vow never to eat bread on the condition that she benefited from property belonging to the estate. Breaking a vow is considered a less severe transgression than taking a false oath.
36.This principle applies universally: Whenever a person is entitled to property only after taking an oath, that property is not transferred to the person's heirs if the oath had not been taken (Shulchan Aruch, Even HaEzer 96:1).
37.Since the woman's second husband has the option of annulling any vows made by his wife, it is possible that she will take a false vow, relying on her husband to nullify it (Gittin 35b).
38.Our Sages required the woman to take an oath because they were not sure that she made a complete account of the money she received. Requiring her to take an oath insures that she will, in fact, be careful regarding this account (Ketubot 87b).
39.The fact that witnesses were made to observe payment of one portion of the ketubah is no proof that a second payment was not made without being observed by witnesses.
40.The fact that she appears precise in reporting what she admits to having received is not proof that she has made a totally precise accounting (Ketubot, loc. cit.).
Similar laws apply to a creditor who states that he is actually owed a lesser amount than is stated in the contract of loan (Hilchot Malveh V'Loveh 14:1).
41.Since the husband has only one witness to support his claim, and the woman's claim is supported by her ketubah, she is entitled to collect her full claim. Nevertheless, because of the witness, an oath is required.
42.In contrast to a woman who diminishes the amount of money due her by virtue of her ketubah (Halachah 14), this woman does not admit receiving any funds. Hence, there is no need to require an oath so that she will make a careful account (Bayit Chadash, Even HaEzer 96).
43.Unless a specific statement was made to that effect, the stipulation that her husband accepted at the time of the composition of the ketubah applies only to himself and not to his heirs.
44.The Rambam's opinion is accepted by the Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 98:6). The Ramah, however, cites the opinion of Rabbenu Asher and other Ashkenazic authorities, who maintain that the husband's stipulation is not binding upon his heirs.
45.The Ra'avad maintains that the woman's claim should be accepted without an oath. Since the husband made such a stipulation, it would have become public knowledge. Any person who purchased the property knew about the matter and accepted the risk. It is, however, the Rambam's ruling that is accepted by the Shulchan Aruch (loc. cit.).
46.The fact that she maintained possession of her ketubah indicates that her delay in presenting her claim does not indicate a willingness to forego it.
47.This distinction is, however, relevant in Halachah 23.
48.For perhaps she has already received the money due her by virtue of her ketubah, or she has waived payment of this debt.
The Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 100:6) quotes the Rambam's rulings. The Ramah quotes rulings that allow the woman to collect the money due her even in such an instance. Nevertheless, he states that the prevailing custom is not to allow a woman to collect her claim unless she is in possession of her ketubah.
49.In the Talmudic period, there were places where it was not customary to compose a written document spelling out the marriage contract. Nevertheless, it was understood by both the husband and the wife that the financial dimensions of their marriage would be governed by the rules expressed in our Sages' requirements for the ketubah.
50.When the husband claims to have paid the woman her due, he must prove his assertion. Otherwise, the woman's claim is accepted (Maggid Mishneh).
51.This amount is granted the woman voluntarily by her husband and is not required by Jewish law. Therefore, unless the woman has proof that the commitment was made, she is not entitled to collect anything from her husband (Maggid Mishneh).
The Tur (Even HaEzer 100) states that even if a woman can prove that her husband made a commitment for an additional amount to her at the time of the marriage, she must also prove that this commitment was not met.
52.The Tur (Even HaEzer 101) maintains that the Rambam's wording indicates that even if she remains silent, she foregoes only the essential requirement of the ketubah, but not the additional commitment that her husband made. However, Rav Yosef Karo dismisses this interpretation in the Kessef Mishneh and does not mention it in the Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 101).
53.As reflected in the conclusion of this halachah, although a widow has the right to continue dwelling in her deceased husband's home, the heirs also have the right to dwell there. Since she is deriving her subsistence from them, she is ashamed to demand payment of her due from them.
54.Or she remarries (Ramah, Even HaEzer 101:1).
55.Objections to this statement are raised by the Ra'avad, Rav Moshe HaCohen and others. The claim for which the husband is required to take an oath involves a liability for which landed property is under lien. In such instances, a Torah oath is never administered. The Tur (Even HaEzer 96) and others, therefore, maintain that a rabbinic oath (sh'vuat hesset) is administered.
The Maggid Mishneh explains that the Rambam is referring to an instance in his time, when, as stated in Halachot 8-9, the lien of the ketubah applies to movable as well as landed property. Nevertheless, the Maggid Mishneh's explanation is challenged by other authorities, and even the Maggid Mishneh himself raises questions. The Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 96:16) mentions both opinions.
56.As in all cases of Torah law, the testimony of two witnesses is required in this instance. The Maggid Mishneh states that according to the Rambam, both of these witnesses may have witnessed the events under consideration when they were minors. In both the Kessef Mishneh and in the Shulchan Aruch (loc. cit.), Rav Yosef Karo differs and states that it is acceptable if one of these witnesses observed the events as a minor, but the other must have been past majority at that time.
57.Generally, a witness's testimony is not accepted unless he is past majority - not only at the time he testifies in court, but also at the time he sees the event under discussion. In this instance, however, leniency is granted, because we rely on the fact that, by and large, most women are virgins when they marry. Moreover, the obligation of the ketubah is a point of Rabbinic law (Ketubot 28a; Hilchot Edut 14:3).
58.For if a ketubah was composed, the text of the ketubah will clarify the matter. There is, however, an instance where this ruling would be applicable in a place where it is customary to compose a ketubah: an instance where the woman brings witnesses who testify that her ketubah was lost (Maggid Mishneh).
59.The simple meaning of the Rambam's words is that if a woman makes such a statement, she is free to marry another person. As in Chapter 4, Halachah 13, the Ra'avad differs, explaining that the woman's statements are accepted only after the fact - i.e., after she has already married another person - and only insomuch as to require that other person to divorce her.
The Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 17:2) quotes the Rambam's view, while the Ra'avad's position is quoted by the Ramah. The Ramah also mentions that in the present age, since brash conduct has become more widespread, this claim is no longer accepted when presented by a woman. The Beit Shmuel 17:4 mentions that, at present, since it is customary for a record of divorces to be kept by the rabbinical court that issues them, this claim is no longer accepted. This is particularly true in the present age, when record-keeping and communication have advanced.
60.The Ra'avad and the Ramah differ, as above.
61.The essential requirement of the ketubah is an obligation imposed by our Sages, granted so that she would have the means to marry another person in the case of divorce or widowhood. Hence, since she is granted the opportunity of remarrying in this instance, she is also entitled to the money due her by virtue of the ketubah. The additional amount, by contrast, is not an obligation, but rather a present promised by her husband. It is self-understood that he did not make this promise to enable her to marry another man, when he does not admit that a divorce took place (Maggid Mishneh).
62.The authorities who free the husband of obligation in the previous halachah also free him of all liability in this instance (Chelkat Mechokek 100:40; Beit Shmuel 100:40).
63.Halachot 21-22.
64.We assume that the man divorced his wife and did not pay her the money due her by virtue of her ketubah. Afterwards, the couple remarried, and the husband subsequently divorced her a second time, without paying her the money due her by virtue of her ketubah.
65.The laws that follow apply when the dates of both the ketubot precede the date of the bill of divorce, and thus it is apparent that the woman was divorced only once.
66.As mentioned previously, all of a husband's property is under lien to the ketubah. Therefore, if he sells his landed property to others and he does not possess sufficient property after the divorce to give his wife her due, she may collect that money by expropriating property that was sold. In this instance, we say that the woman waived payment of her ketubah originally to free from the lien property that was sold. Afterwards, her husband wrote her a second ketubah for the same amount.
67.In this instance, we assume that the husband wrote the woman a second ketubah that would preempt the first one. In this instance, the woman has the choice of selecting which ketubah she desires - the one with the greater sum, or the one that is dated first and thus gives her greater power with regard to the expropriation of property that has been sold.
68.As reflected in the continuation of the Rambam's statements, this refers to a situation in which the man divorced his wife and did not pay her the money due her by virtue of her ketubah. Afterwards, he remarried her without composing a second ketubah.
69.We assume that her husband divorced her and did not pay her the money due her by virtue of her ketubah. Afterwards, he remarried her and composed a ketubah.
70.As explained in Halachah 28.
71.Chapter 12, Halachah 15. (See also Hilchot Nachalot 7:2.)
72.I.e., the oath made by all widows before collecting the money due them by virtue of their ketubah (Maggid Mishneh; Kessef Mishneh), in contrast to the opinion of the Tur (Even HaEzer 100), who requires the woman to take an oath that her husband died. (See Chelkat Mechokek 17:83.)
73.This is a question that is left unresolved by the Talmud (Yevamot 117a). The Rambam rules that since the matter is very severe - if the woman remarries, and it is discovered that she lied, she will be prohibited to remain married to both her first or second husbands, and her children from her second husband will be considered illegitimate - and if her first husband is alive, it is likely that the fact will be discovered - in theory, the woman should be allowed to remarry. Because she mentions her ketubah, however, there is a doubt, and because of the doubt, the money in question is allowed to remain in the hands of the party in whose possession it is at the time the question is raised - i.e., the heirs. That doubt, however, applies only to the financial dimension of the relationship, and not to the permission to remarry (Kessef Mishneh).
Rabbenu Asher differs and maintains that the doubt raised by the Talmud also applies with regard to the woman's permission to remarry. Both opinions are mentioned by the Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 17:44), although it appears that the Rambam's approach is favored.
Hayom Yom:
• English Text | Video Class
Shabbat, Kislev 21, 5778 · 09 December 2017
"Today's Day"
Monday, Kislev 21, 5703
Torah lessons: Chumash: Vayeishev, Sheini with Rashi.
Tehillim: 104-105.
Tanya: Compiler's foreword (p.xii)...in the gates (she'arim) (p.xiv).
Learn Mishna by heart, each person according to his capacity, and then while walking in the street, review Mishna from memory; you will thereby merit welcoming Mashiach.
Chassidim must study Chassidus; all chassidim on Mondays, Thursdays, and Shabbat; T'mimim1 an hour every day.
FOOTNOTES
1.Former (in this context) students of Yeshivat Tomchei Tmimim, the Lubavitcher yeshiva; see Elul 15, (p. 87 in the published version).
Daily Thought:
True Lies
In prayer, we are taught, we must stand in perfect stillness, as though overwhelmed and absorbed in the Infinite Light.
But isn’t that a lie? Aren’t we pretending to be something far beyond who we really are?
No—it is the truth. That is the true state of our soul, and the body reflects the soul. Everything that stands between—our minds, our hearts and our egos—all may be oblivious to the state of our souls, but the physical body can still reflect it.
How could that be? How could the physical body reflect that which the mind and heart cannot?
Don’t be so surprised. Very often the most lofty and spiritual can find no other place to be manifest but in the most simple and physical.
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