TODAY IN JUDAISM: Iyar 13, 5778 - Shabbat, April 28, 2018 Chabad.org ב"ה Today in Judaism

TODAY IN JUDAISM: Iyar 13, 5778 - Shabbat, April 28, 2018 Chabad.org ב"ה Today in Judaism

ב"ה

Today in Judaism

Today is Shabbat, Iyar 13, 5778 · April 28, 2018
Omer: Day 28 - Malchut sheb'Netzach
Today's Laws & Customs
• Ethics of the Fathers: Chapter 3
In preparation for the festival of Shavuot, we study one of the six chapters of the Talmud's Ethics of the Fathers ("Avot") on the afternoon of each of the six Shabbatot between Passover and Shavuot; this week we study Chapter Three. (In many communities -- and such is the Chabad custom -- the study cycle is repeated through the summer, until the Shabbat before Rosh Hashanah.)
Link: Ethics of the Fathers, Chapter 3
• Count "Twenty-Nine Days to the Omer" Tonight
Tomorrow is the twenty-ninth day of the Omer Count. Since, on the Jewish calendar, the day begins at nightfall of the previous evening, we count the omer for tomorrow'sdate tonight, after nightfall: "Today is twenty-nine days, which are four weeks and one day, to the Omer." (If you miss the count tonight, you can count the omer all day tomorrow, but without the preceding blessing).
The 49-day "Counting of the Omer" retraces our ancestors' seven-week spiritual journey from the Exodus to Sinai. Each evening we recite a special blessing and count the days and weeks that have passed since the Omer; the 50th day is Shavuot, the festival celebrating the Giving of the Torah at Sinai.
Tonight's Sefirah: Chessed sheb'Hod -- "Kindness in Humility"
The teachings of Kabbalah explain that there are seven "Divine Attributes" -- Sefirot -- that G-d assumes through which to relate to our existence: Chessed, Gevurah,Tifferet, Netzach, Hod, Yesod and Malchut ("Love", "Strength", "Beauty", "Victory", "Splendor", "Foundation" and "Sovereignty"). In the human being, created in the "image of G-d," the seven sefirot are mirrored in the seven "emotional attributes" of the human soul: Kindness, Restraint, Harmony, Ambition, Humility, Connection and Receptiveness. Each of the seven attributes contain elements of all seven--i.e., "Kindness in Kindness", "Restraint in Kindness", "Harmony in Kindness", etc.--making for a total of forty-nine traits. The 49-day Omer Count is thus a 49-step process of self-refinement, with each day devoted to the "rectification" and perfection of one the forty-nine "sefirot."
Links:
How to count the Omer
The deeper significance of the Omer Count
Today in Jewish History
• Jews Expelled from Berne (1427)
The Jews of Berne, Switzerland were expelled on this date in 1427. Berne had a long history of expulsions and anti-Jewish riots.
• Passing of Rabbi Yisrael Aryeh Leib (1952)
Rabbi Yisrael Aryeh Leib, brother of Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, was the youngest of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak and Chana Schneerson's three sons.
Born in Nikolayev in 1909, he quickly became renowned as a scholar of exceptional genius. At a young age, Yisrael Aryeh Leib was already teaching Tanya, the mystical foundational work of Chabad Chassidism, to an audience of eager adults.
He eventually immigrated to Israel, and in his later years he moved to Liverpool, England, to study in the local university. It was there that he passed away in 1952.
Rabbi Yisrael Aryeh Leib is interred in Safed, Israel.
Daily Torah Study

Chumash: Acharei-Kedoshim, 7th Portion Leviticus 20:8-20:27 with Rashi
• English / Hebrew Linear Translation
• Video Class
• Daily Wisdom (short insight)

Leviticus Chapter 20

8And you shall observe My statutes and fulfill them. I am the Lord, Who sanctifies you. ח וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם֙ אֶת־חֻקֹּתַ֔י וַֽעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֹ֖ה מְקַדִּשְׁכֶֽם:

9For any man who curses his father or his mother shall be put to death; he has cursed his father or his mother; his blood is upon himself. טכִּי־אִ֣ישׁ אִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְקַלֵּ֧ל אֶת־אָבִ֛יו וְאֶת־אִמּ֖וֹ מ֣וֹת יוּמָ֑ת אָבִ֧יו וְאִמּ֛וֹ קִלֵּ֖ל דָּמָ֥יו בּֽוֹ:

he has cursed his father or his mother: [This phrase] comes to include [in this prohibition and its penalty], cursing one’s father or mother even] after [their] death. — [Sanh. 85b]

אביו ואמו קלל: לרבות לאחר מיתה:

his blood is upon himself: This refers to [the death penalty by] stoning. And likewise, wherever it is stated, “his blood is upon himself,” or “their blood is upon themselves” (see verse 27 below) [it refers to death by stoning]. And we learn [this principle] from [those who practice the sorcery of] Ov or Yid’oni, for regarding them, Scripture says (verse 27), “they shall pelt them with stones; their blood is upon themselves.” - [Torath Kohanim 20:103; Sanh. 66a] [According to] the simple meaning of the verse, however, it is like “his blood is upon his [own] head” (Josh. 2:19), i.e., no one is punished for his death but he himself, because he brought it upon himself to be killed.

דמיו בו: זו סקילה, וכן כל מקום שנאמר דמיהם בם, ולמדנו מאוב וידעוני שנאמר בהם באבן ירגמו אותם דמיהם בם (פסוק כז). ופשוטו של מקרא, כמו דמו בראשו (יהושע ב יט), אין נענש על מיתתו אלא הוא, שהוא גרם לעצמו שיהרג:

10And a man who commits adultery with [another] man's wife, committing adultery with the wife of his fellow the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death. יוְאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִנְאַף֙ אֶת־אֵ֣שֶׁת אִ֔ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִנְאַ֖ף אֶת־אֵ֣שֶׁת רֵעֵ֑הוּ מֽוֹת־יוּמַ֥ת הַנֹּאֵ֖ף וְהַנֹּאָֽפֶת:

And a man [who commits adultery]: [The term “man”] comes to exclude a minor [from the death penalty]. — [Torath Kohanim 20:105; Sanh. 52b]

ואיש: פרט לקטן:

who commits adultery with [another] man’s wife: [The term “man’s wife” comes] to exclude the wife of a minor. [From here,] we learn that a minor cannot hold [the legal status of Jewish] marriage. And for which “man’s wife” have I held you liable ?

אשר ינאף את אשת איש: פרט לאשת קטן, למדנו שאין לקטן קידושין. ועל איזו אשת איש חייבתי לך:

committing adultery with the wife of his fellow: [Thus] excluding the wife of a non-Jew. [From here,] we learn that [the legal status of Jewish] marriage cannot be held by a non-Jew. — [Torath Kohanim 20:105; Sanh. 52b]

אשר ינאף את אשת רעהו: פרט לאשת גוי, למדנו שאין קידושין לגוי:

The adulterer and the adulteress shall be put to death: Wherever a death penalty is mentioned in the Torah without specification [as to the mode of death, it exclusively refers to strangulation. — [Torath Kohanim 20:106, Sanh. 52b]

מות יומת הנאף והנאפת: כל מיתה האמורה בתורה סתם אינה אלא חנק:

11And a man who lies with his father's wife has uncovered his father's nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon themselves. יאוְאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִשְׁכַּב֙ אֶת־אֵ֣שֶׁת אָבִ֔יו עֶרְוַ֥ת אָבִ֖יו גִּלָּ֑ה מֽוֹת־יֽוּמְת֥וּ שְׁנֵיהֶ֖ם דְּמֵיהֶ֥ם בָּֽם:

12And a man who lies with his daughter in law both of them shall surely be put to death; they have committed a depravity; their blood is upon themselves. יבוְאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִשְׁכַּב֙ אֶת־כַּלָּת֔וֹ מ֥וֹת יֽוּמְת֖וּ שְׁנֵיהֶ֑ם תֶּ֥בֶל עָשׂ֖וּ דְּמֵיהֶ֥ם בָּֽם:

they have committed a depravity: Heb. תֶּבֶל, a shameful act. Another meaning: They mingle (בּלל) the seed of the father with the seed of the son. — [see Torath Kohanim 20:108]

תבל עשו: גנאי. לשון אחר מבלבלין זרע האב בזרע הבן:

13And a man who lies with a male as one would with a woman both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon themselves. יגוְאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִשְׁכַּ֤ב אֶת־זָכָר֙ מִשְׁכְּבֵ֣י אִשָּׁ֔ה תּֽוֹעֵבָ֥ה עָשׂ֖וּ שְׁנֵיהֶ֑ם מ֥וֹת יוּמָ֖תוּ דְּמֵיהֶ֥ם בָּֽם:

as one would with a woman: [I.e.,] if he inserts [his membrum] as an applicator [is inserted] into a tube [of eye shadow]. — [B.M. 91a]

משכבי אשה: מכניס כמכחול בשפופרת:

14And a man who takes a woman and her mother it is evil counsel. They shall burn him and them in fire, and there shall be no evil counsel in your midst. ידוְאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִקַּ֧ח אֶת־אִשָּׁ֛ה וְאֶת־אִמָּ֖הּ זִמָּ֣ה הִ֑וא בָּאֵ֞שׁ יִשְׂרְפ֤וּ אֹתוֹ֙ וְאֶתְהֶ֔ן וְלֹא־תִֽהְיֶ֥ה זִמָּ֖ה בְּתֽוֹכְכֶֽם:

They must burn him and them: You cannot say that they should burn his first wife, because he married her permissibly, and she did not become forbidden to him. Rather, [the case of a man marrying] “a woman and her mother” written here, is [one, in which] both were forbidden to him, [namely,] that he married his mother-in-law and then her mother [in which case both women are burned along with him]. There are some of our Rabbis who say: [This case] means that only his mother-in-law [is to be burnt]. [If so,] what is the expression אֶתְהֶן, them ? It means “one of them,” being derived from the Greek term hen, meaning “one.” - [Sanh. 76b]

ישרפו אתו ואתהן: אי אתה יכול לומר אשתו הראשונה ישרפו, שהרי נשאה בהיתר ולא נאסרה עליו, אלא אשה ואמה הכתובין כאן, שתיהן לאיסור, שנשא את חמותו ואמה. ויש מרבותינו שאומרים, אין כאן אלא חמותו. ומהו אתהן, את אחת מהן, ולשון יוני הוא הן אחת:

15And a man who lies with an animal, shall surely be put to death, and you shall kill the animal. טווְאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִתֵּ֧ן שְׁכָבְתּ֛וֹ בִּבְהֵמָ֖ה מ֣וֹת יוּמָ֑ת וְאֶת־הַבְּהֵמָ֖ה תַּֽהֲרֹֽגוּ:

And you shall kill the animal: If the man sinned, in what way did the animal sin? However, since a failing came [upon a person] through [the animal], therefore, Scripture says: It must be stoned [to death]! How much more so [is this relevant] to a human being, who knows how to distinguish between good and evil, and yet brings evil upon his fellow [by causing him] to commit a transgression. Similar to this matter, it says, “You shall utterly destroy from all the places [where the nations…worshipped-their gods]” (Deut. 12:2). It is surely [possible here to draw] an inference from minor to major: If [in the case of] trees, which do not see and do not hear, when a failing comes [upon a man] through them, the Torah says, Destroy them! Burn them! Annihilate them!- how much more culpable is a human who leads his fellow astray from the path of life to the paths of death! - [Torath Kohanim 20:115]

ואת הבהמה תהרגו: אם אדם חטא בהמה מה חטאה, אלא מפני שבאה לאדם תקלה על ידה, לפיכך אמר הכתוב תסקל. קל וחומר לאדם שיודע להבחין בין טוב לרע וגורם רעה לחבירו לעבור עבירה. כיוצא בדבר אתה אומר (דברים יב ב) אבד תאבדון את כל המקומות, הרי דברים קל וחומר, מה אילנות שאינן רואין ואינן שומעין על שבאת תקלה על ידם אמרה תורה השחת שרוף וכלה, המטה את חבירו מדרך חיים לדרכי מיתה על אחת כמה וכמה:

16And a woman who comes close to any animal so that it will mate with her you shall kill the woman and the animal; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon themselves. טזוְאִשָּׁ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר תִּקְרַ֤ב אֶל־כָּל־בְּהֵמָה֙ לְרִבְעָ֣ה אֹתָ֔הּ וְהָֽרַגְתָּ֥ אֶת־הָֽאִשָּׁ֖ה וְאֶת־הַבְּהֵמָ֑ה מ֥וֹת יוּמָ֖תוּ דְּמֵיהֶ֥ם בָּֽם:

17And a man who takes his sister, whether his father's daughter or his mother's daughter, and he sees her nakedness, and she sees his nakedness it is a disgraceful act, and they shall be cut off before the eyes of the members of their people; he uncovered his sister's nakedness; he shall bear his sin. יזוְאִ֣ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־יִקַּ֣ח אֶת־אֲחֹת֡וֹ בַּת־אָבִ֣יו אֽוֹ־בַת־אִ֠מּ֠וֹ וְרָאָ֨ה אֶת־עֶרְוָתָ֜הּ וְהִֽיא־תִרְאֶ֤ה אֶת־עֶרְוָתוֹ֙ חֶ֣סֶד ה֔וּא וְנִ֨כְרְת֔וּ לְעֵינֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י עַמָּ֑ם עֶרְוַ֧ת אֲחֹת֛וֹ גִּלָּ֖ה עֲו‍ֹנ֥וֹ יִשָּֽׂא:

it is a disgraceful act: The Aramaic term for “disgrace” is חִסוּדָא. - [see Onkelos on Gen. 34:14] Its Midrashic interpretation, however, is: If you [object and] say, “But Cain married his sister!” [the answer is:] the Omnipresent [in permitting this marriage,] performed an act of kindness (חֶסֶד), to build His world through him, as it is said: “the world is built on kindness (חֶסֶד) ” (Ps. 89:3). - [Torath Kohanim 20:116]

חסד הוא: לשון ארמי חרפה (בראשית לד יד) חסודא. ומדרשו אם תאמר קין נשא אחותו, חסד עשה המקום לבנות עולמו ממנו, שנאמר (תהלים פט ג) עולם חסד יבנה:

18And a man who lies with a woman who has a flow, and he uncovers her nakedness he has bared her fountain, and she has uncovered the fountain of her blood. Both of them shall be cut off from the midst of their people. יחוְאִ֠ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־יִשְׁכַּ֨ב אֶת־אִשָּׁ֜ה דָּוָ֗ה וְגִלָּ֤ה אֶת־עֶרְוָתָהּ֙ אֶת־מְקֹרָ֣הּ הֶֽעֱרָ֔ה וְהִ֕וא גִּלְּתָ֖ה אֶת־מְק֣וֹר דָּמֶ֑יהָ וְנִכְרְת֥וּ שְׁנֵיהֶ֖ם מִקֶּ֥רֶב עַמָּֽם:

he has bared: Heb. הֶעֱרָה, he has uncovered. And likewise, every instance of the term עֶרְוָה [in Scripture], denotes “uncovering,” and the “vav” is inserted into the word [root ערה] for the noun form. Similarly, [the noun] זַעֲוָה, “trembling,” stems from the root [זָע, “tremble,” as in the verse], “and he did not rise, nor did he tremble (זָע) ” (Esther 5:9). Likewise, the noun אַחֲוָה, “brotherhood,” stems from the root אָח, “brother.” Now, regarding this הַעֲרָאָה, “uncovering” [in the context of illicit relations], our Rabbis differed [with respect to what constitutes “uncovering”]. Some say that it is the [mere] contact ofthe membrum, while others say that it is the insertion of the tip of the membrum. — [Yev. 55b]

הערה: גלה. וכן כל לשון ערוה גלוי הוא, והוי"ו יורדת בתיבה לשם דבר, כמו זעוה, מגזרת (אסתר ה ט) ולא קם ולא זע, וכן אחוה מגזרת אח. והעראה זו נחלקו בה רבותינו, יש אומרים זו נשיקת שמש, ויש אומרים זו הכנסת עטרה:

19And you shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother's sister or your father's sister, for he would be baring his close relative; they shall bear their sin. יטוְעֶרְוַ֨ת אֲח֧וֹת אִמְּךָ֛ וַֽאֲח֥וֹת אָבִ֖יךָ לֹ֣א תְגַלֵּ֑ה כִּ֧י אֶת־שְׁאֵר֛וֹ הֶֽעֱרָ֖ה עֲו‍ֹנָ֥ם יִשָּֽׂאוּ:

the nakedness of your mother’s sister [or your father’s sister]: Scripture repeats the warning [already given in 18:12,13], to tell us that one is warned against [cohabiting with] these [specific relatives], whether it is with one’s father’s or mother’s sister from one father or whether it is their sisters from one mother. However, [concerning] the nakedness of the wife of his father’s brother, he is warned only if she is the wife of his father’s brother from one father. — [Torath Kohanim 20:118]

וערות אחות אמך וגו': שנה הכתוב באזהרתן, לומר שהוזהר עליהן בין על אחות אביו ואמו מן האב בין על אחיותיהן מן האם, אבל ערות אשת אחי אביו לא הוזהר אלא על אשת אחי אביו מן האב:

20And a man who lies with his aunt he has uncovered his uncle's nakedness; they shall bear their transgression; they shall die childless. כוְאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִשְׁכַּב֙ אֶת־דֹּ֣דָת֔וֹ עֶרְוַ֥ת דֹּד֖וֹ גִּלָּ֑ה חֶטְאָ֥ם יִשָּׂ֖אוּ עֲרִירִ֥ים יָמֻֽתוּ:

who lies with his aunt […they shall die childless]: This verse comes to teach us concerning the punishment of excision stated above, [“anyone who does any of these abominations… shall be cut off” (Lev. 18:29)] that it constitutes the punishment of going childless.

אשר ישכב את דדתו: המקרא הזה בא ללמד על כרת האמור למעלה, שהוא בעונש הליכת ערירי:

childless: Heb. עֲרִירִי, as the Targum renders: בְּלָא וְלָד, without child. Similar to this [is the verse], “for I am going childless (עֲרִירִי) ” (Gen. 15:2). If he has children, he will bury them [i.e., they will die during his lifetime]. And if he has no children [when he commits this sin], he will die childless. This is why Scripture varied the expression in these two verses: (a) they shall die without children (our verse), and (b) they shall be childless (next verse)-“they shall die childless” [means that] if he has children at the time of the sin, he will not have any when he dies, because he will bury them in his lifetime; and “they will be childless” [means that] if he has no children at the time of the sin, he will remain all his life as he is now. — [See Torath Kohanim 20:120; Yev. 55a]

ערירים: כתרגומו בלא ולד, ודומה לו (בראשית טו ב) ואנכי הולך ערירי, יש לו בנים קוברן, אין לו בנים מת בלא בנים, לכך שנה בשני מקראות אלו ערירים ימותו ערירים יהיו. ערירים ימותו, אם יהיו לו בשעת עבירה, לא יהיו לו כשימות לפי שקוברן בחייו. ערירים יהיו, שאם אין לו בשעת עבירה, יהיה כל ימיו כמו שהוא עכשיו:

21And a man who takes his brother's wife it is a repulsive act; he has uncovered his brother's nakedness; they shall be childless. כאוְאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִקַּ֛ח אֶת־אֵ֥שֶׁת אָחִ֖יו נִדָּ֣ה הִ֑וא עֶרְוַ֥ת אָחִ֛יו גִּלָּ֖ה עֲרִירִ֥ים יִֽהְיֽוּ:

it is a repulsive act: Heb. נִדָּה הִוא. This cohabitation is [an act from which one should] separate himself (מְנוּדָה) and is disgusting. Our Rabbis, however, expounded [this verse, as follows] (Yev. 54b): Scripture comes to prohibit uncovering her [nakedness] just like [the prohibition of uncovering the nakedness of] a menstruant woman (נִדָּה), concerning whom “baring” is explicitly stated (verse 18 above),“he has bared (הֶערָה) her fountain.” [I.e., one is liable for sexual contact, as is defined in the commentary on verse 18.]

נדה הוא: השכיבה הזאת מנודה היא ומאוסה. ורבותינו דרשו לאסור העראה בה כנדה, שהעראה מפורשת בה (פסוק יח) את מקורה הערה (לעיל יח):

22And you shall observe all My statutes and all My ordinances, and fulfill them, then the Land, to which I am bringing you to dwell therein, will not vomit you out. כבוּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֤ם אֶת־כָּל־חֻקֹּתַי֙ וְאֶת־כָּל־מִשְׁפָּטַ֔י וַֽעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם וְלֹֽא־תָקִ֤יא אֶתְכֶם֙ הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֲנִ֜י מֵבִ֥יא אֶתְכֶ֛ם שָׁ֖מָּה לָשֶׁ֥בֶת בָּֽהּ:

23You shall not follow the practices of the nation that I am sending away from before you, for they committed all these [sins], and I was disgusted with them. כגוְלֹ֤א תֵֽלְכוּ֙ בְּחֻקֹּ֣ת הַגּ֔וֹי אֲשֶׁר־אֲנִ֥י מְשַׁלֵּ֖חַ מִפְּנֵיכֶ֑ם כִּ֤י אֶת־כָּל־אֵ֨לֶּה֙ עָשׂ֔וּ וָֽאָקֻ֖ץ בָּֽם:

and so I was disgusted with them: Denotes “disgust,” just as [in the verse], “I am disgusted (קַצְתִּי) with my life” (Gen. 27:46), like a man who loathes (קָץ) his food [so God loathed those nations]. — [Torath Kohanim 20:125]

ואקץ: לשון מיאוס, כמו (בראשית כז מו) קצתי בחיי, כאדם שהוא קץ במזונו:

24So I said to you, You shall possess their land, and I shall give it to you to possess it a land flowing with milk and honey. I am the Lord your God, Who has distinguished you from the peoples. כדוָֽאֹמַ֣ר לָכֶ֗ם אַתֶּם֘ תִּֽירְשׁ֣וּ אֶת־אַדְמָתָם֒ וַֽאֲנִ֞י אֶתְּנֶ֤נָּה לָכֶם֙ לָרֶ֣שֶׁת אֹתָ֔הּ אֶ֛רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָ֑שׁ אֲנִי֙ יְהוָֹ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־הִבְדַּ֥לְתִּי אֶתְכֶ֖ם מִן־הָֽעַמִּֽים:

25And you shall distinguish between clean animals and unclean ones, and between unclean birds and clean ones; thus you shall not make yourselves disgusting through [unclean] animals and birds and any [creature] which crawls on the earth, that I have distinguished for you to render unclean. כהוְהִבְדַּלְתֶּ֞ם בֵּֽין־הַבְּהֵמָ֤ה הַטְּהֹרָה֙ לַטְּמֵאָ֔ה וּבֵֽין־הָע֥וֹף הַטָּמֵ֖א לַטָּהֹ֑ר וְלֹֽא־תְשַׁקְּצ֨וּ אֶת־נַפְשֹֽׁתֵיכֶ֜ם בַּבְּהֵמָ֣ה וּבָע֗וֹף וּבְכֹל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּרְמֹ֣שׂ הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־הִבְדַּ֥לְתִּי לָכֶ֖ם לְטַמֵּֽא:

And you shall distinguish between clean animals and unclean ones: It is not necessary for Scripture to say [that we must distinguish] between a cow and a donkey, since they are easily distinguishable and identifiable. Rather, [the Torah means that we must distinguish] between [an animal that] is clean because of you [i.e., permissible for you to eat because of your slaughtering], and [one that is] unclean because of you [i.e., forbidden for you to eat because of your slaughtering. [When an animal is slaughtered, both “signs,” i.e., organs, must be severed, namely, the esophagus, (gullet) and the trachea (windpipe), or at least, the majority of each. Thus, our verse here is referring to the following: The distinction] between an animal of which [one organ was severed completely and] the majority of the [other] organ was severed, [thus rendering the animal kosher], and [an animal of which one organ was completely severed] whereas only half the [other] organ was severed [thus rendering that animal nonkosher]. And what is the difference between its majority and half of it [that would mean the difference between kosher and nonkosher]? A hairbreadth [and consequently, Scripture commands us to make a careful distinction]. — [Torath Kohanim 20:116]

והבדלתם בין הבהמה הטהרה לטמאה: אין צריך לומר בין פרה לחמור, שהרי מובדלין ונכרין הם, אלא בין טהורה לך לטמאה לך, בין שנשחט רובו של סימן לנשחט חציו. וכמה בין רובו לחציו, מלא שערה:

that I have distinguished for you to render unclean: [I.e.,] to render] forbidden [to eat, as above]. — [Torath Kohanim 20:116]

אשר הבדלתי לכם לטמא: לאסור:

26And you shall be holy to Me, for I, the Lord, am holy, and I have distinguished you from the peoples, to be Mine. כווִֽהְיִ֤יתֶם לִי֙ קְדשִׁ֔ים כִּ֥י קָד֖וֹשׁ אֲנִ֣י יְהוָֹ֑ה וָֽאַבְדִּ֥ל אֶתְכֶ֛ם מִן־הָֽעַמִּ֖ים לִֽהְי֥וֹת לִֽי:

And I have distinguished you from the peoples, to be Mine: If you are separated from them [through your observance of Torah], you will be Mine, but if not, you will belong to Nebuchadnezzar and his ilk. Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah says: How do we know that a person should not say, “I find pork disgusting,” or “It is impossible for me to wear a mixture [of wool and linen],” but rather, one should say, “I indeed wish to, but what can I do-my Father in heaven has imposed these decrees upon me?” Because Scripture says here, “And I have distinguished you from the peoples, to be Mine”-your very distinction from the other peoples must be for My Name, separating yourself from transgression and accepting upon yourself the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven. — [Torath Kohanim 20:128]

ואבדל אתכם מן העמים להיות לי: אם אתם מובדלים מהם הרי אתם שלי, ואם לאו הרי אתם של נבוכדנצר וחביריו. רבי אלעזר בן עזריה אומר מנין שלא יאמר אדם נפשי קצה בבשר חזיר, אי אפשי ללבוש כלאים, אבל יאמר אפשי, ומה אעשה ואבי שבשמים גזר עלי, תלמוד לומר ואבדיל אתכם מן העמים להיות לי, שתהא הבדלתכם מהם לשמי, פורש מן העבירה ומקבל עליו עול מלכות שמים:

27And a man or a woman who has [the sorcery of] Ov or Yid'oni, shall surely be put to death; they shall pelt them with stones; their blood is upon themselves. כזוְאִ֣ישׁ אֽוֹ־אִשָּׁ֗ה כִּי־יִֽהְיֶ֨ה בָהֶ֥ם א֛וֹב א֥וֹ יִדְּעֹנִ֖י מ֣וֹת יוּמָ֑תוּ בָּאֶ֛בֶן יִרְגְּמ֥וּ אֹתָ֖ם דְּמֵיהֶ֥ם בָּֽם:

[And a man or a woman] who has [the sorcery of] Ov or Yid’oni: Here, regarding those [who practice the sorcery of Ov or Yid’oni,] Scripture states death, while above (verse 6), Scripture states excision. [With] witnesses and warning [not to commit the sin], they incur [death by] stoning, but if [the perpetrators transgress] willfully but without warning, they incur excision; and if they transgress unintentionally, [they must bring] a sin-offering. And this [general principle regarding death, excision or sin-offering,] applies to all who are subject to the death penalty, about whom excision is also stated.

כי יהיה בהם אוב וגו': כאן נאמר בהם מיתה ולמעלה כרת. עדים והתראה בסקילה, מזיד בלא התראה בהכרת ושגגתם חטאת, וכן בכל חייבי מיתות שנאמר בהם כרת:

Tehillim: Chapters 69 - 71
• Hebrew text
• English text

Chapter 69

1. For the Conductor, on the shoshanim,1 by David.

2. Deliver me, O God, for the waters have reached until my soul!

3. I have sunk in muddy depths without foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the current sweeps me away.

4. I am wearied by my crying, my throat is parched; my eyes pined while waiting for my God.

5. More numerous than the hairs on my head are those who hate me without reason. Mighty are those who would cut me off, those who are my enemies without cause. What I have not stolen, I will then have to return.

6. O God, You know my folly, and my wrongs are not hidden from You.

7. Let not those who hope in You be shamed through me, O my Lord, God of Hosts; let not those who seek You be disgraced through me, O God of Israel,

8. because for Your sake I have borne humiliation, disgrace covers my face.

9. I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my mother's sons,

10. for the envy of Your House has consumed me, and the humiliations of those who scorn You have fallen upon me.

11. And I wept while my soul fasted, and it was a humiliation to me.

12. I made sackcloth my garment, and became a byword for them.

13. Those who sit by the gate speak of me, and [of me] are the songs of drunkards.

14. May my prayer to You, Lord, be at a gracious time; God, in Your abounding kindness, answer me with Your true deliverance.

15. Rescue me from the mire, so that I not sink; let me be saved from my enemies and from deep waters.

16. Let not the current of water sweep me away, nor the deep swallow me; and let not the pit close its mouth over me.

17. Answer me, Lord, for Your kindness is good; according to Your abundant mercies, turn to me.

18. Do not hide Your face from Your servant, for I am in distress-hurry to answer me.

19. Draw near to my soul and liberate it; redeem me, so that my enemies [not feel triumphant].

20. You know my humiliation, my shame, and my disgrace; all my tormentors are before You.

21. Humiliation has broken my heart, and I have become ill. I longed for comfort, but there was none; for consolers, but I did not find.

22. They put gall into my food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

23. Let their table become a trap before them, and [their] serenity, a snare.

24. Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and let their loins continually falter.

25. Pour Your wrath upon them, and let the fierceness of Your anger overtake them.

26. Let their palace be desolate, let there be no dweller in their tents,

27. for they persecute the one whom You struck, and tell of the pain of Your wounded ones.

28. Add iniquity to their iniquity, and let them not enter into Your righteousness.

29. May they be erased from the Book of Life, and let them not be inscribed with the righteous.

30. But I am poor and in pain; let Your deliverance, O God, streng-then me.

31. I will praise the Name of God with song, I will extol Him with thanksgiving!

32. And it will please the Lord more than [the sacrifice of] a mature bull with horns and hooves.

33. The humble will see it and rejoice; you seekers of God, [see] and your hearts will come alive.

34. For the Lord listens to the needy, and He does not despise His prisoners.

35. Let heaven and earth praise Him, the seas and all that moves within them,

36. for God will deliver Zion and build the cities of Judah, and they will settle there and possess it;

37. and the seed of His servants will inherit it, and those who love His Name will dwell in it.

FOOTNOTES

1.A musical instrument shaped like a shoshana, a rose (Metzudot).

Chapter 70

David prays that his enemies be shamed and humiliated for their shaming him and reveling in his troubles. Then the righteous will rejoice, and chant songs and praises always.

1. For the Conductor, by David, to remind.

2. O God, [come] to rescue me; O Lord, hurry to my aid.

3. Let those who seek my life be shamed and disgraced; let those who wish me harm retreat and be humiliated.

4. Let those who say, "Aha! Aha!" be turned back in return for their shaming [me].

5. Let all who seek You rejoice and delight in You, and let those who love Your deliverance say always, "May God be exalted!”

6. But I am poor and needy; hurry to me, O God! You are my help and deliverer; O God, do not delay!

Chapter 71

In this awe-inspiring prayer, David speaks of his enemies' desire to kill him, declaring him deserving of death.

1. I have taken refuge in You, O Lord; I will never be shamed.

2. Rescue me and deliver me in Your righteousness; incline Your ear to me and save me.

3. Be for me a sheltering rock, to enter always. You have ordered my salvation, for You are my rock and my fortress.

4. O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked, from the palm of the scheming and violent.

5. For You are my hope, O my Lord, God, my security since my youth.

6. I have relied on You from the womb; You drew me from my mother's innards; my praise is of You always.

7. I became an example to the masses, yet You were my mighty refuge.

8. Let my mouth be filled with Your praise, all day long with Your glory.

9. Do not cast me aside in old age; do not forsake me when my strength fails;

10. for my enemies say of me, and those who watch my soul conspire together,

11. saying, "God has forsaken him. Give chase and catch him, for there is no rescuer.”

12. O God, do not distance Yourself from me; my God, hurry to my aid.

13. Let the adversaries of my soul be shamed and consumed; let those who seek my harm be enwrapped in disgrace and humiliation.

14. But as for me, I will always hope; I will add to all Your praises.

15. My mouth will tell of Your righteousness, all day long of Your deliverance, for I do not know their number.

16. I come with the strength of my Lord, God; I mention Your righteousness, Yours alone.

17. O God, You have taught me since my youth, and to this day I tell of Your wonders.

18. Even into old age and hoariness, O God, do not abandon me, until I tell of Your might to the generations, and of Your strength to all who are to come.

19. Your righteousness, O God, reaches the high heavens, for You do great things; O God, who is like You!

20. You, Who has shown me many and grievous troubles, You will revive me again; You will lift me again from the depths of the earth.

21. You will increase my greatness; You will turn and console me.

22. I too1 will thank You on the lyre for Your faithfulness, My God; I will sing to You on the harp, O Holy One of Israel.

23. My lips will rejoice when I sing to you, as well as my soul which You have redeemed.

24. My tongue will also utter Your righteousness all day, for those who seek my harm are shamed and disgraced.

FOOTNOTES

1.As you increase my greatness, so will I increase your praise (Metzudot).

Tanya: Likutei Amarim, Chapter 47
• English Text (Lessons in Tanya)
• Hebrew Text
• Audio Class: Listen | Download
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Shabbat, Iyar 13, 5778 · April 28, 2018

Today's Tanya Lesson

Likutei Amarim, Chapter 47

AUDIO & VIDEO CLASSES

  • VIDEO CLASS: Rabbi Yehoshua B. Gordon   Watch • Listen

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Ch. 46 began with the Alter Rebbe explaining yet another simple and straightforward means by which every Jew can arrive at a great love of G‑d, thereby enhancing his performance of Torah and mitzvot. This is done by utilizing the love which comes into being “as water mirrors the face to the face.” For just as water reflects the image of a face peering into it, so too, is there reflected the “heart of man to man.” The Alter Rebbe went on to explain that all the particulars mentioned in the parable of the mighty king and the wretched commoner, as enumerated there, are infinitely more applicable with regard to the love showered by G‑d upon each and every Jew. He showed us His great love when He Himself descended to take us out of our nethermost level, in Egypt, and led us into His innermost chambers by giving us the Torah and mitzvot, whereby we are able to attach ourselves to Him with the ultimate level of unity. Accordingly, the Alter Rebbe then expounded the word kidshanu in the text of the benedictions as implying betrothal, the perfect union of man and wife. Kidshanu also implies Supernal Holiness, which alludes to the supreme state of exalted separation which Jews attain through the performance of mitzvot, recalling G‑d’s holiness — His total exalted separation from all worlds.

Ch. 47 will continue this theme, and answer the following question (as the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, of righteous memory, notes): How can the love reflected “as water mirrors the face to the face” be expected of us nowadays, when G‑d’s love was shown to us thousands of years ago, at the time of the Exodus? The answer given by the Alter Rebbe is: Not only is it reasonable to expect this love of a Jew when he recalls the initial Exodus (and the giving of the Torah) when G‑d himself descended (thus showing His great love for us), but also, in truth this is a present-day event as well — for the Exodus is a daily occurrence.

והנה בכל דור ודור, ובכל יום ויום, חייב אדם לראות עצמו כאילו הוא יצא היום ממצרים

“In every generation and every day a person is obliged to regard himself as if he had that day come out of Egypt.”

This text is cited from the Mishnah (Pesachim 10:5), except that the Alter Rebbe inserts the words, “and every day.” For the Exodus is not only an event which takes place in every generation: it is also a daily event in the spiritual life of the Jew.

והיא יציאת נפש האלקית ממאסר הגוף, משכא דחויא

This refers to the release of the divine soul from the confinement of the body, the “serpent’s skin,”

The body is a source of confinement for the divine soul, since it derives its life-force from kelipah. It is from this exile that the divine soul escapes,

ליכלל ביחוד אור אין סוף ברוך הוא, על ידי עסק התורה והמצות בכלל

in order to be absorbed into the unity of the light of the blessed Ein Sof, by engaging in the Torah and commandments in general,

ובפרט בקבלת מלכות שמים בקריאת שמע, שבה מקבל וממשיך עליו יחודו יתברך בפירוש, באמרו: ה׳ אלקינו ה׳ אחד

and in particular through accepting the Kingdom of Heaven during the recital of the Shema, wherein the person explicitly accepts and draws upon himself G‑d’s unity, when he says: “The Lord is our G‑d, the Lord is One.”

וכמו שנתבאר לעיל, כי אלקינו הוא כמו: אלקי אברהם וכו׳, לפי שהיה בטל ונכלל ביחוד אור אין סוף ברוך הוא

It has previously been explained — in ch. 46 — that “our G‑d” is understood in the same way as “the G‑d of Abraham,” and so forth, because he became nullified and absorbed into the unity of the light of the blessed Ein Sof,

Abraham’s self-nullification and consequent union with G‑d were so complete that G‑d is called “the G‑d of Abraham.” Through the performance of the mitzvot, the same may be said of every Jew, so that G‑d may rightfully be called “our G‑d,”

רק שאברהם זכה לזה במעשיו, והילוכו בקודש ממדרגה למדרגה

except that Abraham merited this union by reason of his works and his advancing in holiness from degree to degree, until he uplifted himself to this great level of nullity and unification of self with G‑d,

כמו שכתוב: ויסע אברם הלוך ונסוע וגו׳

as it is written:1 “And Abram journeyed, going on and on [to the South].”

Abraham progressed from level to level until he attained the esoteric level of “the South,” which alludes to the highest possible degree of love for G‑d. Abraham, then, achieved this state as a result of his own labors.

אבל אנחנו, ירושה ומתנה היא לנו, שנתן לנו את תורתו, והלביש בה רצונו וחכמתו יתברך, המיוחדים במהותו ועצמותו יתברך בתכלית היחוד

But as for us, the children of Abraham, for us it is a heritage and a gift, in that He has given us His Torah and has clothed in it His Will and wisdom, which are united with His Essence and Being in perfect unity;

והרי זה כאלו נתן לנו את עצמו, כביכול

and surely this is as if He gave us His very self, as it were. Since His wisdom and Will are one with Him, through Torah study and performance of mitzvot we are able to take Him, as it were, and be united with Him.

כמו שכתוב בזהר הקדוש על פסוק: ויקחו לי תרומה דלי, כלומר: אותי

This is as the Zohar2 comments on the verse:3 “that they bring to Me an offering.” (4The word “to Me,” says the Zohar, actually means “to take Me” — to “take” G‑d.

The Zohar5 interprets the word תרומה (“offering”) as referring to the Torah, inasmuch as it is a composite of the word “Torah” and the letter mem, alluding to the Torah that was given after Moses‘ forty-day sojourn on the mountain. (The numerical value of mem is 40.) The Zohar goes on to explain that through terumah, through Torah, Jews are enabled to “take Me” — to “take” G‑d.

והוה לי למימר: ותרומה

The text should hence have read “[Me] and an offering,”

Since “Me” refers to G‑d and “an offering” refers to Torah, it would seem more appropriate for the verse to state, “You shall take Me and an offering (Torah),” since it is by means of the Torah that the Jew takes “Me”.

אלא משום דכולא חד

except that both are one and the same. G‑d and Torah are truly one. Were the verse to state “Me and an offering” we might be led to believe that the two are separate entities, when in truth they are truly one and the same.

עיין שם היטב

Study it well there, and the matter will be clearly understood.

וזה שאומרים: ותתן לנו ה׳ אלקינו באהבה כו׳

This is the meaning of what we recite,6 “And You have given to us, O L‑rd, our G‑d, with love....”

Because of His great love for us He granted us the gift that He be our G‑d, so that we may be united with Him. It is also stated:

כי באור פניך נתת לנו ה׳ אלקינו כו׳

“For by the light of Your countenance have You given us, O L‑rd, our G‑d...,” once again stressing the gift He has given us, viz., that He is our G‑d.

ולזה

Therefore —

Since this unity with Him and the gift we have received — that He is our G‑d — is not dependent on our spiritual service, it is within the province of every Jew. Were this level achieved only through one’s spiritual service, it would be correct to say that not everyone has yet reached this lofty level of unity whereby G‑d becomes his G‑d. Since, however, we are granted this level as an inheritance and a gift, it applies to all Jews equally. For a bequest and a gift have nothing to do with the status of the recipient. Should a person be a rightful heir he inherits no matter what his standing; should a benefactor decide to shower his benevolence upon an individual, that individual is a valid recipient no matter how undeserving he may be. (Not so wages, which are commensurate with one’s toil.) At any rate, since this unity is equally attainable by all Jews, therefore —

אין מונע לנו מדביקות הנפש ביחודו ואורו יתברך אלא הרצון, שאם אין האדם רוצה כלל, חס ושלום, לדבקה בו כו׳

nothing stands in the way of the soul’s unity with G‑d and His light, except one’s will; for should the person not desire at all, G‑d forbid, to cleave to Him..., then this unity will not be achieved.

אבל מיד שרוצה, ומקבל וממשיך עליו אלוקותו יתברך, ואומר: ה׳ אלקינו ה׳ אחד, הרי ממילא נכללת נפשו ביחודו יתברך, דרוח אייתי רוח ואמשיך רוח

But immediately when he does so desire, and accepts and draws upon himself His blessed G‑dliness and declares:7 “The L‑rd is our G‑d, the L‑rd is One,” then surely is his soul spontaneously absorbed into G‑d’s unity, for the individual’s yearning8 “spirit evokes spirit and awakening from Above, and draws forth and bestows spirit” — an added measure of spirituality, so that the person is drawn to G‑d and cleaves to Him.

והיא בחינת יציאת מצרים

And this dynamic within the person’s soul is a form of “Exodus from Egypt.”

The spiritual counterpart of the Exodus is the acceptance of the Kingdom of Heaven during the recitation of the Shema, and one’s desire to cleave to G‑d and be united with Him, for by these means the soul frees itself from the exile and confines of the body and becomes one with G‑d.

ולכן תקנו פרשת יציאת מצרים בשעת קריאת שמע דווקא, אף שהיא מצוה בפני עצמה, ולא ממצות קריאת שמע, כדאיתא בגמרא ופוסקים

Therefore it was ordained that the paragraph concerning the Exodus from Egypt be read specifically during the recital of the Shema, as an adjunct to it, even though it (i.e., recalling and verbalizing the Exodus) is a commandment by itself, not pertaining to the commandment to recite the Shema, as stated in the Talmud and Codes,9

Recalling the Exodus and the formal recitation of the Shema were placed together:

אלא מפני שהן דבר אחד ממש

for they are actually the same thing.

Accepting the Kingdom of Heaven during the Shema and the Exodus from Egypt are truly one and the same, since this acceptance is one’s personal, spiritual Exodus, whereby the divine soul escapes the encumbrances of the body.

וכן, בסוף פרשת יציאת מצרים מסיים גם כן: אני ה׳ אלקיכם, והיינו גם כן כמו שנתבאר לעיל

Likewise, the paragraph referring to the Exodus from Egypt also concludes,10 “I am the L‑rd your G‑d.” This also accords with what has been explained earlier — that through the Exodus one ensures that G‑d becomes his G‑d, by achieving total unification with Him.

From the above we realize that the Exodus from Egypt is a daily event in the life of the Jew. Hence, just as during the first, historical Exodus (as explained earlier) G‑d showed us his boundless love, obligating us to respond in kind, loving him “as water mirrors the face to the face,” so too should the daily, individual, spiritual Exodus affect us, since G‑d constantly shows us his boundless love.

FOOTNOTES

1.Bereishit 12:9.

2.II, 101b.

3.Shmot 25:2.

4.Parentheses are in the original text.

5.III, 179a.

6.Liturgy.

7.Devarim 6:4.

8.Zohar II, 162b.

9.Berachot 21a; Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 67:1-2.

10.Bamidbar 15:41.

Rambam:
• Sefer Hamitzvot:
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Shabbat, Iyar 13, 5778 · April 28, 2018

Today's Mitzvah

A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"

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Positive Commandment 100

Postpartum Ritual Impurity

We are commanded regarding the ritual impurity that follows childbirth. [I.e., when contracted, one must follow all the laws associated with this impurity.]

Full text of this Mitzvah »

The 100th mitzvah is that we are commanded regarding the tumah of a yoledes. This mitzvah includes all the laws of a yoledes.1

Rabbi Berel Bell is a well-known educator, author and lecturer. He and his family reside in Montreal, Canada.

From "Sefer Hamitzvot in English," published by Sichos in English.

FOOTNOTES

1.Ibid.

Rambam:
• 1 Chapter A Day: Ishut Ishut - Chapter Eight
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Ishut - Chapter Eight

1

When [a man] tells a woman: "Behold, you are consecrated to me with this cup of wine," and the cup is discovered to contain honey [she is not consecrated]. [Similarly, if he tells her: "...Behold, you are consecrated to me with this cup] of honey," and the cup is discovered to contain wine;1 "...with this dinar of silver," and it is discovered to be gold; "...[with this dinar] of gold," and it is discovered to be silver; "...on condition that I am a priest," and he was discovered to be a Levite; "[on condition that I am] a Levite," and he was discovered to be a priest; "...[on condition that I am] a Givonite,"2 and he was discovered to be a bastard; "...[on condition that I am] a bastard," and he was discovered to be a Givonite; "...[on condition that I am] an inhabitant of a town," and he was discovered to be an inhabitant of a metropolis; "...[on condition that I am] an inhabitant of a metropolis," and he was discovered to be an inhabitant of a town; "...on condition that I am poor," and he was discovered to be rich; "...[on condition that I am] rich," and he was discovered to be poor; "...on condition that my house is close to the bathhouse," and it is discovered to be distant from it; "...[on condition that my house is] distant from the bathhouse," and it is discovered to be close to it; "...on condition that I have a maid," "...a daughter who knows how to braid hair," or "...who bakes," and [it is discovered that] he does not have one; "...on condition that he does not have [one of the above,] and [it is discovered that] he does; "...on condition that he has a wife and children," and [it is discovered that] he does not; "...on condition that he does not have [the above,] and [it is discovered that] he does - in all these and in any similar instance, the woman is not consecrated. The same rule applies if she [makes a condition based on] false information.

א

האומר לאשה הרי את מקודשת לי בכוס זה של יין ונמצא של דבש. של דבש ונמצא של יין. בדינר זה של כסף ונמצא של זהב. של זהב ונמצא של כסף. על מנת שאני כהן ונמצא לוי. לוי ונמצא כהן. נתין ונמצא ממזר. ממזר ונמצא נתין. בן עיר ונמצא בן כרך. בן כרך ונמצא בן עיר. על מנת שאני עני ונמצא עשיר. עשיר ונמצא עני. על מנת שביתי קרוב למרחץ ונמצא רחוק. רחוק ונמצא קרוב. על מנת שיש לי שפחה או בת גודלת או אופה ואין לו. על מנת שאין לו ויש לו. על מנת שיש לי אשה ובנים ואין לו. על מנת שאין לי ויש לו. בכל אלו וכל הדומה להן אינה מקודשת. וכן היא שהטעתו:

2

In all the above instances, she is not consecrated even though she says: "In my heart, I was willing to be consecrated to him even though he deceived me and gave me wrong information." Similarly, [if she gave him false information,] she is not consecrated even though he says: "In my heart, I was willing to consecrate her even though she deceived me." [The rationale is that] feelings in one's heart are not [the same as explicit] statements.

ב

ובכולם אף ע"פ שאמרה בלבי היה להתקדש לו אע"פ שהטעני ואין הדבר כמו שאמר. וכן אם אמר הוא בלבי היה לקדשה אע"פ שהטעתני אינה מקודשת לפי שהדברים שבלב אינם דברים:

3

[When a man tells a woman:] "Behold, you are consecrated to me on condition that I am a perfumer," and it is discovered that he is both a perfumer and a leather craftsman;3 "...on condition that I am an inhabitant of a town," and he was discovered to be an inhabitant of both a town and a metropolis;4 or "...on condition that my name is Yosef," and it was discovered that his name was Yosef and Shimon; she is consecrated.

If, however, he told her: "[Behold, you are consecrated to me] on condition that my name is only Yosef," and it was discovered that his name was Yosef and Shimon; "...on condition that I am solely a perfumer," and it is discovered that he is both a perfumer and a leather craftsman; or "...on condition that I am solely an inhabitant of a town," and he was discovered to be an inhabitant of both a town and a metropolis; she is not consecrated.

ג

הרי את מקודשת לי על מנת שאני בסם ונמצא בסם ובורסי. על מנת שאני בן עיר ונמצא בן עיר ובן כרך. על מנת ששמי יוסף ונמצא שמו יוסף ושמעון הרי זו מקודשת. אבל אם אמר לה על מנת שאין שמי אלא יוסף ונמצא שמו יוסף ושמעון. שאיני אלא בסם ונמצא בסם ובורסי. שאיני אלא בן עיר ונמצא בן כרך ובן עיר אינה מקודשת:

4

When [a man] tells a woman: "Behold, you are consecrated to me on condition that I know how to read," [for the stipulation to be fulfilled] it is necessary that he know how to read from the Torah and translate what he reads according to the translation of Onkelos the convert.

If he tells her: "...on condition that I am a reader," he must know how to read the Torah, the works of the Prophets and the Holy Writings with proper grammatical precision. [If he tells her:] "...on condition that I know how to study the Mishnah," he must know how to read the Mishnah. "...On condition that I am a sage of the Mishnah," he must know how to read the Mishnah, the Sifra,5 the Sifre,6 and the Tosefta of Rabbi Chiyya.7

ד

האומר לאשה הרי את מקודשת לי על מנת שאני ידוע לקרות. צריך שיקרא התורה ויתרגם אותה תרגום אונקלוס הגר. ואם אמר לה על מנת שאני קורא צריך להיות יודע לקרות תורה נביאים וכתובים בדקדוק יפה. על מנת שאני יודע לשנות צריך להיות יודע לקרות המשנה. ואם אמר על מנת שאני תנאה צריך להיות יודע לקרות המשנה וספרא וסיפרי ותוספתא של ר' חייא:

5

[When a man tells a woman: "Behold, you are consecrated to me] on condition that I am a student [of the Torah]," we do not say that [he must be a student] of the caliber of ben Azzai and ben Zoma.8 Instead, it is sufficient that when one asks him a question regarding his studies, he is able to answer. [This includes] even the laws of the festivals that are studied in public; these are easy matters that are studied close to the festival, so that people at large will be familiar with them.

[When a man tells a woman: "Behold, you are consecrated to me] on condition that I am a wise man," we do not say that [he must be] like Rabbi Akiva and his colleagues. Instead, it is sufficient that when one asks him a point of logic with regard to any subject, he is able to answer. "...On condition that I am mighty," we do not say that [he must be] like Avner ben Ner9 or Yoav.10 Rather, it is sufficient that his colleagues fear him because of his might. "...On condition that I am rich," we do not say that [he must be as wealthy] as Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah.11 Rather, it is sufficient that the inhabitants of his city honor him because of his wealth.

[When a man tells a woman: "Behold, you are consecrated to me] on condition that I am righteous," even if the person is known to be thoroughly wicked, there is doubt [regarding the status of the kiddushin, and] the woman is considered as consecrated. For it is possible that he had thoughts of repentance in his heart at that time.12

"...On condition that I am wicked," even if the person is known to be thoroughly righteous, there is doubt [regarding the status of the kiddushin, and] the woman is considered as consecrated, since it is possible that he had thoughts of idol worship in his heart at that time. For the sin of idol worship is so great that even when a person thinks of serving [idols] in his heart,13 he is considered wicked, as [implied by Deuteronomy 11:16, which] states: "lest your hearts be tempted [and you go astray and serve other gods]," and [Ezekiel 14:5, which] states: "that I may detect the House of Israel in their hearts [for they are all estranged from Me because of their idols]."

ה

על מנת שאני תלמיד אין אומרין כבן עזאי ובן זומא אלא כל ששואלין אותו דבר אחד בתלמודו ואומרו ואפילו בהלכות החג שמלמדין אותן ברבים מדברים הקלים סמוך לחג כדי שיהיו כל העם בקיאין בהן. על מנת שאני חכם אין אומרין כר"ע וחביריו אלא כל ששואלין אותו בכל מקום דבר חכמה ואומר. על מנת שאני גבור אין אומרין כאבנר בן נר וכיואב אלא כל שחביריו מתייראים ממנו מפני גבורתו. על מנת שאני עשיר אין אומרין [כר' אלעזר בן חרסום] וכרבי אלעזר בן עזריה אלא כל שבני עירו מכבדין אותו מפני עושרו. על מנת שאני צדיק אפילו רשע גמור הרי זו מקודשת מספק שמא הרהר תשובה בלבו. על מנת שאני רשע אפילו צדיק גמור הרי זו מקודשת מספק שמא הרהר בעכו"ם בלבו שעון עכו"ם גדול הוא ומשיהרהר לעבוד בלבו נעשה רשע שנאמר פן יפתה לבבכם. וכתוב למען תפוש את בית ישראל בלבם:

6

[When a man] consecrates a woman and says, "I thought she was from a priestly family, and instead she is from a family of Levites," "...from a family of Levites, and instead she is from a priestly family," "...poor, and instead she is rich," or "...rich, and instead she is poor," she is consecrated, for she did not cause him to err.14

Similarly, if she says, "I thought he was a priest, and instead he is a Levite," "...a Levite, and instead he is a priest," "...poor, and instead he is rich," or "...rich, and instead he is poor," she is consecrated, for he did not cause her to err.

ו

המקדש את האשה ואמר הייתי סבור שהיא כהנת והרי היא לוייה. לוייה והרי היא כהנת. ענייה והרי היא עשירה. עשירה והרי היא ענייה. הרי זו מקודשת מפני שלא הטעתו. וכן היא שאמרה סבורה הייתי שהוא כהן והרי הוא לוי. לוי והרי הוא כהן. עשיר והרי הוא עני. עני והרי הוא עשיר. הרי זו מקודשת מפני שלא הטעה אותה:

FOOTNOTES

1.Even though honey is more valuable than wine, the kiddushin are not binding, because the stipulation was not fulfilled, and it is possible that the woman indeed desired wine rather than honey. Similarly, with regard to the sets that follow, Kiddushin (48b ff) explains reasons why it is possible to say that the woman favored either of the alternatives, and she is therefore not consecrated unless the stipulation that is made is met.

2.Who, like bastards, are forbidden to marry into the Jewish people. (See the notes on Chapter 1, Halachah 7.)

3.Animal feces were used in the processing of leather, and thus leather craftsmen were known for their unpleasant odor.

4.I.e., he maintains two homes.

5.A compendium of halachic exegesis of the Book of Leviticus, composed by Rav, a student of Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi, who compiled the Mishnah. Rav was the leader of the first generation of Amoraim in Babylonia.

6.A compendium of the halachic exegesis of the Books of Numbers and Deuteronomy, composed by Rav.

7.A collection of teachings intended to "explain the Mishnah and expound upon concepts that would require much effort to be derived from the Mishnah." Rabbi Chiyya was one of Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi's primary disciples.

8.Students of Rabbi Akiva, renowned for their scholarship in their youth. Their promising futures were effaced after they entered a mystical experience together with their master. (See Chaggigah 14b.)

9.The commander of King Saul's armies.

10.Yoav ben Tz'ruyah, the commander of King David's armies.

11.Who was renowned for his wealth. Each year he would give 12,000 calves as the tithes of his herd (Shabbat 54b). Another version of the text also mentions Elazar ben Chersom whose wealth is described in Yoma 35b.

12.The doubt exists only because we cannot be aware of what is happening within the person's heart or mind. If we could be sure that he had repented within his heart, he is considered a righteous man, regardless of his previous conduct. This demonstrates the power of teshuvah, how one thought of repentance can transform one's spiritual level from one extreme to the other.

13.In general, a person is not punished for a sin unless he commits a deed. The worship of false gods is different. (See Hilchot Avodat Kochavim 2:6, which states: "Whoever accepts a false god as true, even when he does not actually worship it, disgraces and blasphemes [God's] glorious and awesome name." See also Hilchot Avodat Kochavim 2:1,3.)

14.Since he did not explicitly state the matter as a stipulation, his misconception does not cause the kiddushin to be nullified.

Rambam:
• 3 Chapters A Day: Metamme'ey Mishkav uMoshav Metamme'ey Mishkav uMoshav - Chapter 4, Metamme'ey Mishkav uMoshav Metamme'ey Mishkav uMoshav - Chapter 5, Metamme'ey Mishkav uMoshav Metamme'ey Mishkav uMoshav - Chapter 6
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Metamme'ey Mishkav uMoshav - Chapter 4

1

There are four women who are impure only from the time they discover uterine bleeding onward. They do not impart impurity retroactively. They are: a woman who is pregnant, one who is nursing, a maiden, or one who is elderly.

What is meant by a pregnant woman? A woman whose pregnancy has become obvious. If she was considered as pregnant and then experienced uterine bleeding and discharged a sack full of air or an entity that is not considered as a fetus, her status continues without and she is impure only from the time she discovers uterine bleeding onward. If she experienced uterine bleeding and directly afterwards, her pregnancy became obvious, she becomes impure retroactively like other women.

What is meant by a woman who is nursing? A woman within 24 months of childbirth, even if her child died within this time, she weaned him, or gave him to a nursemaid, she is impure only from the time bleeding is discovered. After 24 months, even if she continues to nurse, she becomes impure retroactively like other women.

What is meant by the term "a maiden"? A girl who has never menstruated, i.e., the intent is a maiden with regard to menstruation and not a maiden with regard to hymeneal bleeding. What is implied? Even if she was married and experienced uterine bleeding because of marriage or she gave birth and experienced uterine bleeding because of birth, she is still considered as a maiden with regard to the ruling that she is impure only from the time she discovers uterine bleeding onward.

What is meant by the term "elderly woman"? A woman who did not menstruate for three months as she approached advanced age. When is she considered elderly? When she is called an old woman by others in her presence and she does not protest. If three 30-day intervals pass and then she menstruates, another three 30-day intervals or more or less pass, and she menstruates, she is considered like other women and imparts impurity retroactively.

א

ארבע נשים דיין שעתן ואינן מטמאות למפרע ואלו הן מעוברת ומניקה ובתולה וזקנה אי זו היא מעוברת משיוכר עוברה היתה בחזקת מעוברת וראתה דם ואח"כ הפילה רוח או דבר שאינו ולד הרי זו בחזקתה ודיה שעתה ראתה דם ואחר כך הוכר עוברה הרי זו מטמאה למפרע ככל הנשים אי זו היא מניקה כל עשרים וארבעה חדש מיום הלידה אפילו מת בנה בתוך זמן זה או שגמלתהו או נתנתהו למניקה דיה שעתה אבל אחר כ"ד חדש אע"פ שהיא מניקה והולכת הרי זו טמאה למפרע ככל הנשים אי זו היא בתולה כל שלא ראתה דם מימיה בתולת דמים אמרו לא בתולת בתולים כיצד אפילו נשאת וראתה דם מחמת נישואין או ילדה וראתה דם מחמת לידה עדיין היא בתולה לעניין טומאה ודיה שעתה אי זו היא זקנה כל שעברו עליה שלשה חדשים סמוך לזקנותה ולא ראתה דם ואי זו היא סמוך לזקנותה כל שחברותיה קוראות לה זקנה בפניה ואינה מקפדת עברו עליה שלש עונות וראתה וחזרו ועברו עליה שלש עונות אחרות או פחות או יתר וראתה הרי היא ככל הנשים ומטמאה למפרע:

2

When a girl menstruates for the first time, even if her blood is flowing or dripping for all seven days, it is considered as if she experienced bleeding once. If she experienced bleeding, it stopped and then started again, it is considered as if she experienced bleeding twice.

ב

בתולה שראתה דם אפילו שופעת כל שבעה או דולפת הרי זה פעם אחת ראתה דם ופסקה וחזרה יראתה הרי זה שתי פעמים:

3

When a young girl who had not yet reached the age when she is expected to menstruate experiences uterine bleeding for the first and second times, she is impure only from the time she discovers uterine bleeding onward. If she experiences bleeding a third time, she imparts impurity retroactively. If three months then pass without her menstruating and then she menstruates, she is impure only from the time she discovers uterine bleeding onward. If three other months then pass without her menstruating and then she menstruates, she is impure only from the time she discovers uterine bleeding onward. If three other months then pass without her menstruating and then she menstruates, she is impure retroactively.

ג

תינוקת שלא הגיע זמנה לראות וראתה דם פעם ראשונה ושניה דיה שעתה ראתה פעם שלישית מטמאה למפרע [עברו עליה שלשה חדשים ואחר כך ראתה דיה שעתה] עברו עליה שלשה חדשים אחרים ואח"כ ראתה דיה שעתה עברו עליה ג' חדשים אחרים וראתה מטמאה למפרע:

4

When a young girl reaches the age when she can be expected to menstruate and experiences uterine bleeding for the first time, she is impure only from the time she discovers uterine bleeding onward. From the second occasion onward, she imparts impurity retroactively. If three months then pass without her menstruating and then she menstruates, she is impure only from the time she discovers uterine bleeding onward. If three other months then pass without her menstruating and then she menstruates, she is impure retroactively.

ד

תינוקת שהגיע זמנה לראות וראתה פעם ראשונה דיה שעתה שנייה מטמאה למפרע עברו עליה שלשה חדשים ואח"כ ראתה דיה שעתה עברו עליה שלשה חדשים אחרים ואחר כך ראתה מטמאה למפרע:

5

If a pregnant woman, one who is nursing or elderly, or a girl who has never menstruated, but has reached the age when that is likely experiences uterine bleeding once, she is impure only from the time she discovers uterine bleeding onward. If such a woman experiences bleeding a second time, she imparts impurity retroactively like all other women, as explained. If, however, the first time she experienced bleeding, it came because of external factors, she is impure only from the time she discovers uterine bleeding onward, even if she experiences bleeding a second time.

ה

מעוברת ומניקה וזקנה ובתולה שהגיע זמנם לראות שראו ראיה ראשונה דיין שעתן ראו פעם שניה מטמאו' למפרע ככל הנשים כמו שביארנו ואם ראו הראשונה באונס אף בשניה דיין שעתן:

6

When a pregnant or nursing woman experienced uterine bleeding and then a three month interval passed before she experienced bleeding again, she is impure only from the time she discovers uterine bleeding onward. If another three months pass without her menstruating and then she experiences uterine bleeding again, i.e., a third experience of bleeding when counting the first, she imparts impurity retroactively.

When a woman experiences uterine bleeding within 24 hours of experiencing "the bleeding of purity," she is impure only from the time she discovers uterine bleeding onward.

Any woman about whom it is said, "she is impure only from the time she discovers uterine bleeding onward," must continuously inspect herself even though she imparts impurity retroactively. All women who inspect themselves frequently are praiseworthy, with the exception of a woman in the nidah state and a woman who is granted "the bleeding of purity," for whom the inspections are of no consequence whatsoever.

ו

מעוברת או מניקה שראתה הדם ועברו עליה שלשה חדשים ואח"כ ראתה דיה שעתה עברו עליה שלשה חדשים אחרים וראתה פעם שניה שהיא שלישית לראייה ראשונה מטמאות למפרע הרואה דם אחר דם טוהר בתוך כ"ד שעות דיה שעתה וכל שדיה שעתה אף על פי שאינה מטמאה למפרע צריכה שתבדוק עצמה תמיד וכל אשה המרבת לבדוק משובחת חוץ מן הנדה ויושבת על דם טוהר שאין הבדיקה מועלת להן כלום:

7

The Sages ordained that Jewish women should inspect themselves every day in the morning because of the pure articles that they touched the previous evening and in the evening, because of the pure articles they touched in the morning. Whenever a woman partakes of terumah, she should inspect herself when she partakes of the terumah.

Every woman should inspect herself before she is intimate with her husband, because she also inspects herself for the sake of pure articles. If, however, she does not have to do with pure articles, she need not inspect herself for the sake of intimacy with her husband. For every woman who has a fixed time when she is expected to menstruate can operate on the presumption that at other times, she is pure with regard to relations with her husband, as we explained with regard to the laws of nidah.

ז

חכמים תקנו להן לבנות ישראל להיות בודקות עצמן בכל יום בשחרית מפני טהרות של ערבית ובערבית מפני טהרות של שחרית וכל אוכלת תרומה בודקת בשעה שאוכלת בתרומה וכל אשה בודקת בשעה שעוברת לשמש מטתה מפני הטהרות אבל אם לא היתה עוסקת בטהרות אינה צריכה בדיקה לבעלה שכל הנשים שיש להן וסת בחזקת טהרה לבעליהן כמו שביארנו בענין נדה:

8

Jewish young girls who have not reached puberty may operate under the assumption that they are pure. It is not necessary that women inspect them. Once they reach puberty, they must undergo an inspection and they should be inspected by mature women.

ח

חזקת בנות ישראל שלא הגיעו לפירקן בחזקת טהרה ואין הנשים בודקות אותן אבל משהגיעו לפירקן צריכות בדיקה ונשים בודקות אותן:

9

When a woman who is a deafmute, an intellectually or emotionally compromised woman, or one who lost control of her mental faculties due to sickness has an intellectually capable woman who cares for her, they may partake of terumah.

ט

החרשת והשוטה ומי שנטרפה דעתה בחולי אם יש להן פקחות מתקנות אותן הרי אלו אוכלות בתרומה:

10

Any garments stained with blood coming from Jewish homes are assumed to be impure. Those coming from gentile homes are considered to be pure. Those found in Jewish cities are considered to be pure. For Jews are not suspected of casting away their bloodstained garments. Instead, they are hidden away.

Accordingly, any bloodstained garments that are discovered are considered as pure with the exception of those in holes and around an impure room. In all instances, the impurity is only a decree, imposed because of doubt, as we explained.

י

כל הכתמים הבאים מבין ישראל בחזקת טומאה והבאים מבין העכו"ם בחזקת טהורין והנמצאים בערי ישראל טהורים שלא נחשדו ישראל להשליך כתמיהן אלא מצניעין אותם לפיכך כל הכתמין הנמצאים בכ"מ טהורין חוץ מן הנמצאים בחורים וסביבות בית הטומאה וכולן טומאתן בספק כמו שביארנו:

11

Whenever a bloodstained garment is found, it should be treated with seven detergent agents. Afterwards, whether or not the stain is purged, the garment is immersed in a mikveh and then is deemed pure.

The rationale is that if it is not purged at all, it was a tint. If it was purged or its color faded, it is assumed to be a bloodstain. Since it was treated with these seven detergents, the blood has already been nullified even though a trace of it is still apparent. Even when a stain definitely came from nidah bleeding, once it was treated with these seven detergent agents, the blood is considered as nullified. The garment may be immersed and then used in connection with ritually pure entities.

יא

כל הכתמים הטמאין מעבירין עליהן שבעה סממנין ואחר כך בין עבר הכתם בין לא עבר מטבילו וטהור שאם לא עבר כלל הרי הוא צבע ואם עבר או כהה ה"ז כתם ומאחר שעברו עליו הסממנין כבר בטל אע"פ שרישומו ניכר ואפילו כתם של דם נדות ודאי כיון שהעביר עליו ז' סממנים בטל ומטבילו ועושה טהרות על גביו:

12

When a bloodstain on a garment is no longer detectable, the entire garment should be treated with the seven detergent agents and then immersed.

The following laws apply when semen is no longer detectable on a garment: If it the garment was new, it should be checked with a needle. If the garment was worn, it should be inspected in the sun.

יב

בגד שאבד בו כתם מעבירין על כל הבגד שבעה סממנים ומטבילו אבדה בו שכבת זרע אם היה חדש בודקו במחט ואם היה שחוק בודקו בחמה:

13

The following laws apply when a garment that was stained was immersed in the mikveh and then brought into contact with ritually pure articles. If afterwards it was treated with the seven detergent agents and was not purged, it is a tint. The ritually pure articles with which it came into contact remain ritually pure and there is no need to immerse it again. If the stain was purged or faded, it is a bloodstain. The pure articles are impure, because the person was concerned with the stain as evidenced by his removal of it. The garment must be immersed a second time to purify it.

יג

בגד שהיה עליו כתם והטבילו ועשה על גביו טהרות ואחר כך העביר על הכתם שבעה הסממנים ולא עבר ה"ז צבע והטהרות שעשה טהורות וא"צ להטבילו פעם אחרת ואם עבר הכתם או כהה עינו ה"ז כתם והטהרות טמאות שהרי הקפיד על הכתם להסירו וצריך להטבילו פעם שניה לטהרו:

14

When a stain was treated with six of the seven detergent agents and it was not purged and then it was treated with soap and it was purged, the pure articles with which it came into contact contract impurity. Although soap removes tints as well, since the garment was not treated with all seven detergent agents, it is presumed that it was a bloodstain and that, had the seventh agent been used, it would have been purged.

If one treated a stained garment with all seven detergent agents and the stain was not purged and then treated it with them again and it was purged, but a trace remained, all of the pure articles with which it came into contact between the first washing and the second washing are pure. All of the pure articles with which it came into contact after the second washing are impure. The rationale is that since he showed his intent that he objects to any trace of the stain and desires to remove all remnants of it, the garment is impure until all remnants are nullified and it is immersed in a mikveh.

In Hilchot Issurei Bi'ah, we already explained the seven detergent agents with which a stain is treated and how it is treated with them.

יד

כתם שהעביר עליו ששה סממנים ולא עבר ואח"כ העביר עליו צפון ועבר הרי הטהרות שנעשו על גביו טמאות אף על פי שהצפון מעביר הצבע הואיל ולא העביר עליו שבעה הסממנין הרי זה בחזקת כתם ושמא אילו העביר השביעי היה עובר העביר עליו ז' הסממנים ולא עבר וחזר והעבירן עליו פעם שנייה ועבר כל הטהרות שנעשו על גביו בין תכבוסת ראשונה לשניה טהורות וכל הטהרות שנעשו על גביו אחר תכבוסת שניה טמאות הואיל וגילה דעתו שהוא מקפיד עליו ורוצה להוציא רשומו הרי זה טמא עד שיבטלו ויטבילו כבר ביארנו בהלכות איסורי ביאה שבעה הסממנין שמעבירין על הכתם מה הן והיאך מעבירין אותן:

15

When a woman dies and afterwards menstrual blood flows from her body, it imparts impurity to garments it stains. The rationale is that the uterus is an impure place. Hence, even though the blood flowed out after she died and the laws of nidah no longer apply, since it emerged from an impure place, it imparts nidah impurity to garments it stains. If it comprises a revi'it, it imparts impurity to everything under the same shelter and it imparts impurity to garments it stains.

טו

האשה שמתה ויצאה ממנה דם מטמא משום כתם שהמקור מקומו טמא אף ע"פ שיצא הדם אחר שמתה ואין כאן נדה הואיל וממקום טמא יצא מטמא טומאת כתמים ואם היה בו רביעית מטמא באהל ומטמא משום כתם:

Metamme'ey Mishkav uMoshav - Chapter 5

1

A zav, a zavah, a nidah, and a woman after childbirth remain impure and impart impurity to humans, articles, and articles on which one sits or lies until they immerse. Even if they remained several years without an impure emission, but did not immerse, they remain impure.

א

הזב והזבה והנדה והיולדת לעולם הם בטומאתן ומטמאין אדם וכלים ומשכב ומרכב עד שיטבילו אפילו נתאחרו כמה שנים בלא ראיית טומאה ולא טבלו הרי הן בטומאתן:

2

When a woman after childbirth does not immerse after the seven days of impurity obligated after the birth of a male child and the fourteen days obligated after the birth of a female child, any blood that will be discharged afterwards even though it is discharged during her days of purity, is like the blood of a nidah and imparts impurity whether it is moist or dry. Scripture did not make the matter dependent on days alone, but on days and immersion.

ב

יולדת שלא טבלה אחר שבעה לזכר וי"ד לנקבה כל דם שתראה אף ע"פ שהוא בתוך ימי טוהר הרי הוא כדם הנדות ומטמא לח ויבש לא תלה הכתוב בימים בלבד אלא בימים וטבילה:

3

When a woman who gave birth descended to immerse herself to make the transition from impurity to purity and she discharged blood as she was descending and emerged from the inner space of her uterus, it is impure. Immersion has no effect on this blood even though it is still within her body. If she discharges it as she ascends from immersion in the mikveh, it is pure. For it is "pure blood" and the immersion is effective with regard to all the blood that is within her body and causes it to be considered as "pure blood."

ג

יולדת שירדה לטבול מטומאה לטהרה ונעקר ממנה דם בירידתה ויצא חוץ לבין השינים הרי זו טמאה ואין הטבילה מועלת לדם זה ואע"פ שעדיין היא בבשרה ואם נעקר ממנה בעלייתה מן המקוה הרי זו טהורה מפני שהוא דם טוהר והטבילה מועלת לכל הדם המובלע באיברים ומשימה אותו דם טוהר:

4

When a woman after childbirth immersed after the seven impure days that follow the birth of a male, after the fourteen impure days that follow the birth of a female, or after counting seven spotless days if she gave birth in a state of zivah, throughout her days of purity, she is considered as an impure person who immersed but nightfall has not arrived. She is not required to undergo another immersion at the conclusion of her days of purity. Instead, when those days are completed, she is like a person who immersed in the mikveh and the day passed.

In which contexts is she considered as a person who has immersed that day? With regard to terumah and the second tithe. But with regard to sacrificial food, she is like a person who is a derivative of impurity who did not immerse. She is like a person who touched a nidah or a person who is impure due to contact with a corpse who has not yet immersed, or the like. Thus it can be concluded that a woman in the midst of her days of purity may partake of the second tithe and disqualifies terumah like a person who has immersed that day does, as will be explained.

If some of her saliva or her pure blood fell on a loaf of bread that was terumah, the loaf remains pure. For fluids coming from a person who immersed that day are pure, as will be explained. Such fluids do, however, impart impurity to sacrificial foods as a derivative of impurity would until her days of purity are completed and she is pure in all respects. It appears to me that since she imparts impurity to sacrificial foods during these days of purity, she must immerse herself at the end of her days of purity and only then may she touch sacrificial food. This applies even though she does not require another immersion to partake of terumah.

ד

יולדת שטבלה אחר שבעה של זכר וי"ד של נקבה או אחר ספירת שבעה ימים נקיים אם היתה יולדת בזוב הרי היא בכל ימי טוהר שלה כטמא שטבל ועדיין לא העריב שמשו והרי היא טבולת יום בכל אותן הימים ואינה צריכה טבילה אחרת בסוף ימי טוהר אלא במושלם הימים הרי היא כטבול יום שהעריב שמשו בד"א שהיא כטבול יום לענין תרומה ומעשר אבל לקדשים הרי היא כראשון לטומאה שעדיין לא טבל אלא כמי שנגע בנדה או בטמא מת שעדיין לא טבל וכיוצא בהן נמצאת אתה למד שהיולדת בתוך ימי טוהר אוכלת במעשר ופוסלת את התרומה כטבול יום כמו שיתבאר ואם נפל מרוקה ומדם טהרתה על ככר של תרומה הרי הוא בטהרתו שמשקה טבול יום טהור כמו שיתבאר ומטמאה את הקדשים כולד הטומאות עד שתשלים ימי טוהר ותהיה טהורה לכל ויראה לי שמאחר שהיא מטמאה את הקדש שהיא צריכה טבילה אחרת בסוף ואח"כ תגע בקדש אף ע"פ שאינה צריכה טבילה אחרת לאכילת התרומה:

5

When a woman who gave birth and who is afflicted by tzara'at immersed herself after the seven days of impurity required after giving birth to a male or the fourteen days required after a female, her "pure blood" is impure like her saliva and her urine. They are all considered as impure fluids, for all fluids that become impure that are discharged from impure people are like liquids that they touch with the exception of a zav and the like. For the three fluids they discharge are sources of ritual impurity, as we explained.

ה

יולדת שהיא מצורעת וטבלה אחר שבעה של זכר או י"ד של נקבה הרי דם טוהר שלה טמא כרוקה וכמימי רגליה וכולן כמשקין טמאין שכל המשקין הטמאין היוצאין מהן כמשקין שהן נוגעין בהן חוץ מזב וכיוצא בו שהרי שלשה משקין היוצאין ממנו אבות טומאות כמו שביארנו:

6

When a minor zavah immerses on the day she is watching after sunrise, the status of the articles she touches and a man with whom she is intimate is indefinite, as we explained with regard to the prohibitions of nidah. If she completes the day without experiencing further uterine bleeding, anything she touches is pure and one who is intimate with her is pure and he is exempt. If she experiences uterine bleeding after she immerses, any pure objects that she touched are impure, the laws concerning the impurity imparted by a zav to an article on which one lies or rides apply and a man who is intimate with her is liable for a sin-offering.

If she immersed herself before dawn during the night before the day on which she should be cautious, it is as if she never immersed and the laws concerning the impurity imparted by a zav to an article on which one lies or rides apply.

ו

זבה קטנה שטבלה ביום השמור שלה אחר הנץ כמו שביארנו בענין איסור נדה הרי מגעה ובעילתה תלויים אם נגמר היום ולא ראתה כל שנגעה בו טהור ובועלה טהור ופטור ואם ראתה דם אחר שטבלה כל טהרות שעשתה טמאות ועושת משכב ומרכב ובועלה חייב חטאת טבלה בליל השמור קודם שיעלה עמוד השחר הרי זו כמי שלא טבלה ועדיין עושת מרכב ומושב:

7

When a woman experiences uterine bleeding on the eleventh day of zivah. and immersed herself in the evening, on the night of the twelfth, the laws concerning the impurity imparted by a zav to an article on which one lies or rides apply even though she is not fit to become a major zavah, as we explained with regard to the prohibitions of nidah.

ז

הרואה דם ביום אחד עשר וטבלה לערב ליל שנים עשר הרי זו מטמאה משכב ומושב אף על פי שאינה ראויה להיות זבה גדולה כמו שביארנו בענין איסור נדה:

8

If she immersed on the twelfth day after sunrise, although she is forbidden to engage in intimacy until the evening, if she was intimate, the man with whom she was intimate is pure and articles on which one lies or rides that she touches are pure even if she experiences uterine bleeding on the twelfth day after immersion. The rationale is that this day is the beginning of the days of nidah, as we explained with regard to the prohibitions of nidah. The twelfth day is never joined to the eleventh day. Therefore even if she experiences bleeding on the eleventh day, she need not be cautious regarding the twelfth day. Instead, she may immerse herself and touch articles that are ritually pure.

If, by contrast, she experiences uterine bleeding on the tenth day, she should immerse herself on the eleventh day and be cautious with regard to it. For if she experiences uterine bleeding after immersing herself all the pure articles she touches become impure. Similarly, a man with whom she engages in relations becomes impure, even though she will never become a major zavah as a result of this bleeding, as we explained with regard to the prohibitions of nidah.

ח

טבלה ביום י"ב אחר הנץ החמה אע"פ שאסורה לשמש [עד] לערב אם שמשה בועלה טהור ומשכבה ומרכבה טהורין אף על פי שראתה דם ביום י"ב אחר הטבילה מפני שהוא תחלת נדה כמו שביארנו שם באיסור נדה ואינו מצטרף ליום אחד עשר לפיכך אינה צריכה לשמור יום שנים עשר אלא טובלת ועוסקת בטהרות אבל הרואה דם בעשירי טובלת ביום אחד עשר ומשמרת אותו שאם תראה בו דם אחר טבילה נטמאו כל טהרות שעשתה ונטמא בועלה אע"פ שאינה ראויה להיות זבה גדולה כמו שביארנו בענין נדה:

9

When a zav and a major zavah immerse on their seventh spotless day as we explained, they should not touch articles that are ritually pure until the evening, lest they experience an impure discharge that day. In such an instance, that would disqualify the seven days which were counted and retroactively, the pure articles would become impure. Although the laws concerning the impurity imparted by a zav to an article on which one lies or rides apply retroactively, they do not retroactively impart impurity to an earthenware utensil that they moved after they immersed even though they experienced an impure discharge after immersing and disqualified all the days that they had counted. Nevertheless, any earthenware utensil that they touched until they experienced the discharge is pure.

ט

זב וזבה גדולה שטבלו ביום ז' שלהן כמו שביארנו לא יתעסקו בטהרות עד לערב שמא יראו טומאה ויסתרו שבעת ימי הספירה ונמצא אותן הטהרות טמאות למפרע אע"פ שהן עושין משכב ומושב למפרע אין מטמאין כלי חרס בהיסט מאחר שטבלו אף על פי שחזרו וראו טומאה וסתרו הכל וכל כלי חרס שהסיטו עד שלא ראו טהור:

Metamme'ey Mishkav uMoshav - Chapter 6

1

We have already explained that a zav and the others in that category impart impurity to an article on which one lies, sits, or rides.

An article on which one lies and one on which he sits are essentially the same. Why then did the Torah mention them separately? To teach that although a seat is fit for sitting and a couch is fit for lying, whether one sits on a couch or lies on a seat, he causes it to become impure. Therefore I will mention a surface on which one lies alone and it should be understood that the same applies to a surface on which one sits.

What is meant by a surface on which one rides? The surface on which one sits when riding, e.g., a donkey's packsaddle or a horse's saddlecloth.

א

כבר ביארנו שהזב וחביריו מטמאין משכב ומושב ומרכב והמשכב והמושב אחד הוא ולמה נאמר בתורה משכב ומושב שהמשכב הראוי לשכיבה והמושב הראוי לישיבה ובין שישב על המשכב או ששכב על המושב טמאהו לפיכך אני אומר בכל מקום משכב לבד והוא הדין למושב ואי זהו מרכב זה הראוי לרכיבה כגון מרדעת החמור וטפיטן הסוס:

2

Any article on which one lies or rides to which a zav or the like imparted impurity becomes a primary source of impurity according to Scriptural Law. It imparts impurity to a person and keilim when touching them and to a person when being carried by them.

What is the difference between the laws pertaining to an article on which one lies and one on which one rides? With regard to touching an article on which one lies, if a person touches clothes and other keilim while he is still touching the impure article, he imparts impurity to them and makes them a primary derivative of impurity. One who touches an article on which one rides, by contrast, does not impart impurity to clothes and keilim even when he touches them while touching the impure article. Nevertheless, one who carries either an article on which one lies or rides imparts impurity to clothes and other keilim until he severs contact with the source of his impurity.

What is the source that teaches that a distinction is made between touching and carrying with regard to the impurity of an object on which one rides and no such distinction is made with regard to the impurity of an object on which one lies? With regard to an object on which one lies, Leviticus 15:5 states: "A man who touches his couch.... shall launder his clothes," while with regard to an object on which one rides, ibid.: 9-10 states: "Any object on which he will ride... anyone who touches anything that will be beneath him will be impure until the evening." In the latter instance, it is not said that he must launder his garments. This teaches that he does not impart impurity to his garments when touching the source of impurity. And it is written ibid.: "One who carries them shall launder his garments." This applies equally to one who carries an article on which one rides and an article on which one lies.

Thus it can be concluded that a zav, a zavah, a nidah, and a woman after childbirth, the articles on which they lie, their saliva, their urine, the blood of a nidah, a zavah, and a woman after childbirth, and the discharge of a zav are all primary sources of impurity. If a person touches any of these or carries them, he imparts impurity to his clothes and other keilim while he is touching them or carrying them. He does not, however, impart impurity to another person or to an earthenware container. For any entity that imparts impurity to a human imparts impurity to an earthenware container and any entity that does not impart impurity to a human does not impart impurity to an earthenware container.

Thus it can be concluded that whenever it is said about an impure person: "He shall launder his clothes," he imparts impurity to clothes that he touches as long as he does not separate from the entity imparting impurity to him. He makes those garments primary derivatives of impurity, like he is. He imparts impurity to other keilim like garments with the exception of earthenware containers. For he does not impart impurity to another person or to earthenware containers even though he has not separated from the entity imparting impurity to him.

Whenever, by contrast, Scripture does not say about an impure person: "He shall launder his clothes," his status is the same before he separates from the entity imparting impurity to him as it is afterwards. He does not impart impurity to garments, because he is merely a derivative of impurity. Needless to say, he does not impart impurity to another person or to earthenware containers. Therefore a person who touches an article on which a zav rode does not impart impurity to garments when touching it. One who carries such an article, by contrast, imparts impurity when carrying it, as we explained.

ב

המשכב והמרכב כל אחד מהן אב מאבות הטומאות של תורה מטמאין אדם וכלים במגע ומטמאין את האדם במשא ומה בין משכב למרכב שהנוגע במשכב אם היה אדם ונגע בבגדים ובשאר כלים עד שלא פירש ממטמאיו הרי זה טמאם ועשאן ראשון לטומאה והנוגע במרכב אינו מטמא בגדים ולא כלים אפילו בשעת מגעו אבל הנושא את המשכב או את המרכב הרי זה מטמא בגדים ושאר כלים בשעת נשיאתו עד שלא פירש ממטמאיו ומניין שבטומאת מרכב חלק מגעו ממשאו ובמשכב לא חלק שהרי הוא אומר במשכב ואיש אשר יגע במשכבו יכבס בגדיו ובמרכב הוא אומר וכל המרכב אשר ירכב עליו וכל הנוגע בכל אשר יהיה תחתיו יטמא עד הערב ולא נאמר בו יכבס בגדיו מלמד שאינו מטמא בגדים בשעת מגעו ונאמר והנושא אותם יכבס בגדיו אחד הנושא את המרכב או הנושא משכב מטמא בגרים בשעת נשיאתו:

נמצאת למד שהזב והזבה והנדה והיולדת ומשכבן ורוקן ומימי רגליהן ודם נדה וזבה ויולדת וזובו של זב כל אחד מאלו אב ואדם שנגע באחד מכל אלו או נשאן מטמא בגדים ושאר כלים בשעת נגיעתו או בשעת נשיאתו ואינו מטמא לא אדם ולא כלי חרש שכל המטמא אדם מטמא כלי חרש וכל שאינו מטמא אדם אינו מטמא כלי חרש הנה למדת שכל טמא שנאמר בו יכבס בגדיו הרי זה מטמא בגדים שיגע בהם כל זמן שלא פירש ממטמאיו ועושה אותן ראשון לטומאה כמוהו ומטמא שאר כלים כבגדים חוץ מכלי חרש שאינו מטמא לא אדם ולא כלי חרש אע"פ שעדיין לא פירש וכל טמא שלא נאמר בו יכבס בגדיו הרי הוא עד שלא פירש כאחר שפירש שאינו מטמא בגדים מפני שהוא ולד ואצ"ל שאינו מטמא אדם ולא כלי חרש ולפיכך הנוגע במרכב אינו מטמא בגדים בשעת מגעו והנושא את המרכב מטמא בגדים בשעת נשיאותו כמו שביארנו:

3

All keilim that rest above a zav or the like are called madaf. They are considered as articles that he touches and they do not impart impurity to another person or to an earthenware container. They do, however, impart impurity to food or liquids like other derivatives of impurity. The impurity of madaf is a Rabbinic decree.

ג

כל הכלים שינשאו למעלה מן הזב הם הנקראין מדף והם כולם ככלים שהוא נוגע בהם שהם ראשון לטומאה ואינן מטמאין לא אדם ולא כלים אבל מטמאין אוכלין ומשקין כשאר ולדות הטומאה וטומאת מדף מדבריהם:

4

When a zav, a zavah, a nidah, a woman after childbirth, or a person afflicted by tzara'at die, they impart impurity to an object on which they lied or rode after their death just as they would during their lifetime until their flesh decomposes. This is a Rabbinic safeguard, decreed lest one of these individuals lose consciousness and it appear that they died, but they did not actually die. Thus a surface on which one of these lie or ride after death is a primary source of impurity by Rabbinic decree. When, by contrast, a gentile dies, a surface on which he lies after death is not considered as a source of impurity, for even when he is alive, he imparts impurity only due to Rabbinic decree, as we explained.

ד

הזב והזבה והנדה והיולדת והמצורע שמתו הרי הן מטמאין משכב ומרכב אחר מיתתן כשהיו כשהן חיין עד שימוק הבשר וטומאה זו מדבריהם גזירה שמא יתעלף אחד מאלו וידמו שמת והוא עדיין לא מת נמצא משכבו ומרכבו של אחר מיתה אב טומאה של דברי סופרים אבל נכרי שמת אינו עושה משכב שהרי כשהוא חי אינו מטמא אלא מדבריהם כמו שביארנו:

5

Whenever you hear the terms "the impurity of an object upon which one lies or rides," the intent is not necessarily that the impure person touch the object on which one lies or rides while resting on them. Instead, even if there are large stones above the entity made to lie or ride on and the zav rested on the stones from above, the surface on which one lies or rides becomes a primary source of impurity. Even when there are 1000 surfaces on which a person lies or rides one on top of another and a stone is on the uppermost and a person who imparts impurity to an object on which he or she lies or sits on top of the stone, everything becomes impure. Both the article on which one lies that touches the earth and the uppermost one become primary sources of impurity when they are affected by the zav's lying down.

Similarly, if one of the individuals who impart impurity to an object on which he or she lies or sits was below, there was a stone on top of him, and food, liquids, keilim, and/or a person on the stone, one on top of the other, they are all impure and are considered as primary derivatives of impurity. Whether an k'li, food, a liquid, or a person touches a zav or the k'li, food, liquid, or person was on a stone that was above the zav, there is no difference. In both instances everything is considered as a derivative of impurity and does not impart impurity to a person or to keilim. The only exception is a person who is above a zav who is still in contact with the zav who imparted impurity to him. He imparts impurity to other keilim, as we explained.

ה

כל מקום שאתה שומע טומאת משכב ומרכב אינו שיגע הטמא במשכב או במרכב כשינשא עליהן אלא אפילו היו אבנים גדולות למעלה מן הכלי העשוי למשכב או למרכב ונישא הזב על האבנים מלמעלה נטמא המשכב או המרכב ונעשה אב טומאה אפילו אלף משכב או מרכב זה למעלה מזה ואבן על העליון וישב אחד ממטמאי משכב ומושב למעלה מן האבן נטמאו הכל ואחד המשכב הנוגע בארץ או המשכב של מעלה אם נגע בו בשעת שכיבתו כל אחד מהן אב הטומאה וכן אם היה אחד ממטמאי משכב ומושב למטה ואבן על גביו ואוכלין ומשקין וכלים ואדם על גבי האבן זה למעלה מזה כולן טמאין וראשון לטומאה ואחד כלי או אוכל ומשקה או אדם הנוגע בזב או כלי או אוכל ומשקה או אדם שהוא למעלה על האבן שעל גביו הכל ולד טומאה ואינו מטמא לא אדם ולא כלים חוץ מן האדם שעל גבי הזב שעד שלא פירש ממטמאיו מטמא שאר כלים כמו שביארנו:

6

When food, liquids, and keilim that are not made to lie, sit, or ride upon were below other articles and a zav or the like sat above them without touching them, they are all pure. If, however, a person was below and a zav was above, he is impure even if he does not touch him, because he is carrying the zav, like anyone who carries an article that imparts impurity when carried. The one carrying it becomes a primary derivative of impurity.

Thus one can conclude that anything that is above a zav is impure, whether a person, articles on which one lies, sits, or rides, all other keilim, food, and liquids. Everything is a primary derivative of impurity. Everything that is below a zav and does not touch him is pure except a person or an article made to lie, sit, or ride upon. There is a difference between them. The person is a derivative of impurity and the article made to lie, sit, or ride upon is a primary sources of impurity, as we explained.

ו

האוכלים והמשקין והכלים שאינן עשוים לא למשכב ולא למושב ולא למרכב שהיו למטה וישב הזב וכיוצא בו עליהם למעלה ולא נגעו בהן כולן טהורין אבל אם היה האדם למטה והזב למעלה אע"פ שאינו נוגע בו הרי זה טמא משום נושא זב ככל נושא דבר שמטמא במשא שהנושא ראשון לטומאה הא למדת שכל שיהיה למעלה מן הזב טמא בין אדם ובין כלים העשויין למשכב ולמושב ולמרכב בין שאר כל הכלים בין אוכלים בין משקין הכל ראשון לטומאה וכל שיהיה למטה מן הזב ולא יגע בו טהור חוץ מן האדם או כלי העשוי למשכב או למושב או למרכב אלא שהאדם ראשון והכלים העשויים למושב או למשכב או למרכב אב הטומאה כמו שביארנו:

Hayom Yom:
• English Text | Video Class

Shabbat, Iyar 13, 5778 · 28 April 2018

Iyar 13, 28th day of the omer

Tuesday Iyar 13,* 28th day of the omer 5703

Torah lessons: Chumash: B'har, Shlishi with Rashi.

Tehillim: 69-71.

Tanya: So, indeed, is (p. 251)...and the limited. (p. 253).

At Mincha, tachanun is said.

The Alter Rebbe once said (during those years that he would say short maamarim): "Know what is above you."1 Know that everything "above" in the supernal sefirot and partzufim (Divine emanations and configurations), all derives "from you"2; it all depends on man's service.3

FOOTNOTES

*.This day marks the yahrzeit, in 5712 (1952) of R. Yisrael Aryeh Leib of blessed memory, brother of the Rebbe of righteous memory.

1.Avot 2:1.

2.Manifestations of the Divine Emanations, whether Chessed (Kindness) or Gevura (Severity), are determined by Man. Man's actions are independent and real, and from Above, G-d reacts to Man, "reflects" Man's actions. Man may be insignificant from one perspective, but his importance is cosmic from another. "I am dust and ashes" expresses one view; "The universe was created on my account" expresses the second.

3.The quotation from Avot may therefore be translated, "Know, that what is Above is from you."

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