Thursday, June 28, 2018

Chabad Jewish Practice Jewish Calendar Shabbat, June 2, 2018 - 19 Sivan, 5778 TODAY Halachic Times (Zmanim)

Chabad
Shabbat, June 2, 2018 - 19 Sivan, 5778
Halachic Times (Zmanim)
Laws and Customs
Ethics: Chapter 2
During the summer months, from the Shabbat after Passover until the Shabbat before Rosh Hashahah, we study a weekly chapter of the Talmud's Ethics of the Fathers ("Avot") each Shabbat afternoon; this week we study Chapter Two.
Daily Study
Chumash with Rashi
Parshat Behaalotecha
Shabbat, 19 Sivan 5778 / June 2, 2018ChumashParshat Behaalotecha, 7th Portion (Numbers 11:30-12:16)

Numbers Chapter 11

30Then Moses entered the camp; he and the elders of Israel. לוַיֵּֽאָסֵ֥ף משֶׁ֖ה אֶל־הַמַּֽחֲנֶ֑ה ה֖וּא וְזִקְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
Moses entered: From the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. ויאסף משה: מפתח אהל מועד:
the camp: Each one to his tent. אל המחנה: נכנסו איש לאהלו:
entered: Heb. וַיֵאָסֵף, an expression denoting entering a house, as in,“You shall gather it (וַאֲסַפְתּוֹ) into your house” (Deut. 22:2). The origin for all these terms is,“he amasses, but knows not who will gather them in (אֹסְפָם)” (Ps. 39:7). This teaches that He [God] did not bring punishment upon them before the righteous men had retired to their tents. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:30] ויאסף: לשון כניסה אל הבית, כמו (דברים כב, ב) ואספתו אל תוך ביתך, ואב לכולם (תהלים לט, ז) יצבור ולא ידע מי אוספם, מלמד שלא הביא עליהם פורענות עד שנכנסו הצדיקים איש לאהלו:
31A wind went forth from the Lord and swept quails from the sea and spread them over the camp about one day's journey this way and one day's journey that way, around the camp, about two cubits above the ground. לאוְר֜וּחַ נָסַ֣ע | מֵאֵ֣ת יְהֹוָ֗ה וַיָּ֣גָז שַׂלְוִים֘ מִן־הַיָּם֒ וַיִּטּ֨שׁ עַל־הַמַּֽחֲנֶ֜ה כְּדֶ֧רֶךְ י֣וֹם כֹּ֗ה וּכְדֶ֤רֶךְ יוֹם֙ כֹּ֔ה סְבִיב֖וֹת הַמַּֽחֲנֶ֑ה וּכְאַמָּתַ֖יִם עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ:
and swept: Heb. וַיָּגָז, caused to fly; similarly, “for it passes (גָז) quickly” (Ps. 90:10), “and likewise, they have crossed (נָגוֹזוּ) and passed away” (Nah. 1:12). ויגז: ויפריח, וכן (תהלים צ, י) כי גז חיש, וכן (נחום א, יב) נגוזו ועבר:
and spread them: Heb. וַיִּטֹּשׁ, and strew them, as in, “Behold, they were spread out (נְטֻשִׁים) over the face of the land” (I Sam. 30:16); “I will spread you out (וּנְטַשְׁתִּיךָ‏) in the desert” (Ezek. 29:5). ויטש: ויפשוט, כמו (שמואל א' ל טז) והנם נטושים על פני כל הארץ, (יחזקאל כט, ה) ונטשתיך המדברה:
about two cubits: They flew at a height that they reached a person’s heart, so that it would not be difficult for them to gather them, so that they need neither rise up nor bend down. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:31] וכאמתים: פורחות בגובה עד שהן כנגד לבו של אדם, כדי שלא יהא טורח באסיפתן לא להגביה ולא לשחות:
32The people rose up all that day and all night and the next day and gathered the quails. [Even] the one who gathered the least collected ten heaps. They spread them around the camp in piles. לבוַיָּ֣קָם הָעָ֡ם כָּל־הַיּוֹם֩ הַה֨וּא וְכָל־הַלַּ֜יְלָה וְכֹ֣ל | י֣וֹם הַמָּֽחֳרָ֗ת וַיַּֽאַסְפוּ֙ אֶת־הַשְּׂלָ֔יו (כתיב השלו)הַמַּמְעִ֕יט אָסַ֖ף עֲשָׂרָ֣ה חֳמָרִ֑ים וַיִּשְׁטְח֤וּ לָהֶם֙ שָׁט֔וֹחַ סְבִיב֖וֹת הַמַּֽחֲנֶֽה:
[Even] the one who gathered the least: The one who gathered the least of all, the lazy and the disabled, gathered ten heaps. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:32] הממעיט: מי שאוסף פחות מכולם, העצלים והחגרים, אסף עשרה חמרים:
they spread them: They spread them out in numerous heaps. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:32] וישטחו: עשו אותן משטיחין משטיחין:
33The meat was still between their teeth; it was not yet finished, and the anger of the Lord flared against the people, and the Lord struck the people with a very mighty blow. לגהַבָּשָׂ֗ר עוֹדֶ֨נּוּ֙ בֵּ֣ין שִׁנֵּיהֶ֔ם טֶ֖רֶם יִכָּרֵ֑ת וְאַ֤ף יְהֹוָה֙ חָרָ֣ה בָעָ֔ם וַיַּ֤ךְ יְהֹוָה֙ בָּעָ֔ם מַכָּ֖ה רַבָּ֥ה מְאֹֽד:
it was not yet finished: טֶרֶם יִכָּרֵת. As the Targum renders: it was not yet finished. [I.e., the quails had not yet finished coming (Be’er Basadeh). They had not yet finished eating (Gur Aryeh). All the quails had not yet been removed from the field (Be’er Mayim Chayim).] Another interpretation: He did not have the chance to chew it [lit., cut it] with his teeth before his soul departed. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:33] טרם יכרת: כתרגומו עד לא פסק. דבר אחר אינו מספיק לפסקו בשניו עד שנשמתו יוצאה:
34He named that place Kivroth Hata'avah [Graves of Craving], for there they buried the people who craved. לדוַיִּקְרָ֛א אֶת־שֵֽׁם־הַמָּק֥וֹם הַה֖וּא קִבְר֣וֹת הַתַּֽאֲוָ֑ה כִּי־שָׁם֙ קָֽבְר֔וּ אֶת־הָעָ֖ם הַמִּתְאַוִּֽים:
35From Kivroth Hata'avah the people traveled to Hazeroth, and they stayed in Hazeroth. להמִקִּבְר֧וֹת הַתַּֽאֲוָ֛ה נָֽסְע֥וּ הָעָ֖ם חֲצֵר֑וֹת וַיִּֽהְי֖וּ בַּֽחֲצֵרֽוֹת:

Numbers Chapter 12

1Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses regarding the Cushite woman he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman. אוַתְּדַבֵּ֨ר מִרְיָ֤ם וְאַֽהֲרֹן֙ בְּמשֶׁ֔ה עַל־אֹד֛וֹת הָֽאִשָּׁ֥ה הַכֻּשִׁ֖ית אֲשֶׁ֣ר לָקָ֑ח כִּֽי־אִשָּׁ֥ה כֻשִׁ֖ית לָקָֽח:
[Miriam and Aaron] spoke: [The term] דִּבּוּר always connotes harsh talk, as it says,“The man, the lord of the land, spoke (דִּבֶּר) harshly with us” (Gen. 42:30). But wherever [the term] אֲמִירָה is found, it connotes supplication, as it says,“He said (וַיֹּאמֶר), 'my brethren, please do not do evil’” (Gen. 19:7);“He said (וַיֹּאמֶר), 'Please listen to My words’” (Num. 12:6). [The term] נָא always denotes a request. — [Tanchuma Tzav 13] ותדבר: אין דבור בכל מקום אלא לשון קשה, וכן הוא אומר (בראשית מב, ל) דבר האיש אדוני הארץ אתנו קשות, ואין אמירה בכל מקום אלא לשון תחנונים, וכן הוא אומר (בראשית יט, ז) ויאמר אל נא אחי תרעו, (במדבר יב, ו) ויאמר שמעו נא דברי, כל נא לשון בקשה:
Miriam and Aaron spoke: She spoke first. Therefore, Scripture mentions her first. How did she know that Moses had separated from his wife? [See below] R. Nathan says: Miriam was beside Zipporah when Moses was told that Eldad and Medad were prophesying in the camp. When Zipporah heard this, she said,“Woe to their wives if they are required to prophesy, for they will separate from their wives just my husband separated from me.” From this, Miriam knew [about it] and told Aaron. Now if Miriam, who did not intend to disparage him [Moses] was punished, all the more so someone who [intentionally] disparages his fellow. — [Tanchuma Tzav 13] ותדבר מרים ואהרן: היא פתחה בדבור תחילה, לפיכך הקדימה הכתוב תחלה, ומנין היתה יודעת מרים שפרש משה מן האשה, רבי נתן אומר, מרים היתה בצד צפורה בשעה שנאמר למשה אלדד ומידד מתנבאים במחנה, כיון ששמעה צפורה, אמרה אוי לנשותיהן של אלו אם הם נזקקים לנבואה שיהיו פורשין מנשותיהן כדרך שפרש בעלי ממני, ומשם ידעה מרים והגידה לאהרן. ומה מרים שלא נתכוונה לגנותו, כך נענשה, קל וחומר למספר בגנותו של חבירו:
the Cushite woman: [Moses’ wife was a Midianite, not a Cushite, but] Scripture teaches that everyone acknowledged her beauty just as everyone acknowledges a Cushite’s blackness. — [Tanchuma Tzav 13] האשה הכשית: מגיד שהכל מודים ביפיה, כשם שהכל מודים בשחרותו של כושי:
Cushite: כֻּשִׁית. Its numerical value is equal to יְפַת מַרְאֶה, beautiful in appearance. — [Tanchuma Tzav 13] כ = 20, ו = 6, ש = 300 , י = 10, ת = 400, total 736; י = 10, פ = 80, ת = 400, מ = 40, ר = 200, א = 1, ה = 5, total 736. כושית: בגימטריא יפת מראה:
regarding the… woman: Concerning her divorce. — [Tanchuma Tzav 13] על אדות האשה: על אודות גירושיה:
for he had married a Cushite woman: What does this [apparently superfluous clause] mean to say? You find a woman who is beautiful in appearance, but unpleasant in deed; [or a woman who is pleasant] in deed, but not of beautiful appearance. This one, however, was pleasant in every respect. [Therefore, she was called Cushite, as above.] - [Tanchuma Tzav 13] כי אשה כשית לקח: מה תלמוד לומר, אלא יש לך אשה נאה ביפיה ואינה נאה במעשיה, במעשיה ולא ביפיה, אבל זאת נאה בכל:
Cushite woman: She was called “the Cushite” [the Ethiopian] on account of her beauty, as a man would call his handsome son “Cushite” to negate the power of the evil eye. — [Tanchuma Tzav 13] האשה הכשית: על שם נויה נקראת כושית כאדם הקורא את בנו נאה כושי, כדי שלא תשלוט בו עין רעה:
for he had married a Cushite woman: And had now divorced her. - [Tanchuma Tzav 13] כי אשה כשית לקח: ועתה גרשה:
2They said, "Has the Lord spoken only to Moses? Hasn't He spoken to us too?" And the Lord heard. בוַיֹּֽאמְר֗וּ הֲרַ֤ק אַךְ־בְּמשֶׁה֙ דִּבֶּ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה הֲלֹ֖א גַּם־בָּ֣נוּ דִבֵּ֑ר וַיִּשְׁמַ֖ע יְהֹוָֽה:
Has… only: with Him alone?- [Tanchuma Tzav 13] הרק אך: עמו לבדו דבר ה':
Hasn’t He spoken to us too?: Yet we have not abstained from marital relations. — [Tanchuma Tzav 13] הלא גם בנו דבר: ולא פרשנו מדרך ארץ:
3Now this man Moses was exceedingly humble, more so than any person on the face of the earth. גוְהָאִ֥ישׁ משֶׁ֖ה עָנָ֣יו (כתיב ענו)מְאֹ֑ד מִכֹּל֙ הָאָדָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָֽאֲדָמָֽה:
humble: Modest and patient. — [Tanchuma Tzav 13] ענו: שפל וסבלן:
4The Lord suddenly said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, "Go out, all three of you, to the Tent of Meeting!" And all three went out. דוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה פִּתְאֹ֗ם אֶל־משֶׁ֤ה וְאֶל־אַֽהֲרֹן֙ וְאֶל־מִרְיָ֔ם צְא֥וּ שְׁלָשְׁתְּכֶ֖ם אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וַיֵּֽצְא֖וּ שְׁלָשְׁתָּֽם:
suddenly: He revealed Himself to them suddenly, when they were ritually unclean following marital relations, and they cried, “Water, water!” [They needed water to purify themselves.] He thus showed them that Moses had done right in separating from his wife, since the Divine Presence revealed itself to him frequently, and there was no set time for Divine Communication. — [Tanchuma Tzav 13] פתאום: נגלה עליהם פתאום, והם טמאים בדרך ארץ, והיו צועקים מים מים, להודיעם שיפה עשה משה שפרש מן האשה, מאחר שנגלית עליו שכינה תדיר ואין עת קבועה לדבור:
Go out, all three of you: This teaches us that all three were summoned with a single word, something impossible for the [human] mouth to utter and the ear to grasp. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:4] צאו שלשתכם: מגיד ששלשתן נקראו בדבור אחד, מה שאי אפשר לפה לומר ולאזן לשמוע:
5The Lord descended in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the Tent. He called to Aaron and Miriam, and they both went out. הוַיֵּ֤רֶד יְהֹוָה֙ בְּעַמּ֣וּד עָנָ֔ן וַיַּֽעֲמֹ֖ד פֶּ֣תַח הָאֹ֑הֶל וַיִּקְרָא֙ אַֽהֲרֹ֣ן וּמִרְיָ֔ם וַיֵּֽצְא֖וּ שְׁנֵיהֶֽם:
in a pillar of cloud: Unlike a mortal, He went alone. For when a mortal king goes out to war, he departs accompanied by a large retinue, but when he travels in times of peace, he leaves with a small escort. But the custom of the Holy One, blessed is He, is that He goes out to battle alone, as it says, “[The Lord is] a man of war” (Exod. 15:3), but He goes in peace with a large retinue, as it says, “The chariot of God is twice ten thousand times, thousands of angels” (Ps. 68:18). - [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:5] בעמוד ענן: יצא יחידי, שלא כמדת בשר ודם. מלך בשר ודם כשיוצא למלחמה יוצא באוכלוסין, וכשיוצא לשלום יוצא במועטים, ומדת הקב"ה יוצא למלחמה יחידי, שנאמר (שמות טו, ג) ה' איש מלחמה, ויוצא לשלום באוכלוסין, שנאמר (תהלים סח, יח) רכב א-להים רבותים אלפי שנאן:
He called to Aaron and Miriam: So that they should proceed to leave the courtyard, [drawn] towards the Divine word. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:5] ויקרא אהרן ומרים: שיהיו נמשכין ויוצאין מן החצר לקראת הדבור:
and they both went out: Why did He draw them away to isolate them from Moses? Because we relate only some of a person’s good qualities in his presence and all of them in his absence. Similarly, we find in the case of Noah, that in his absence, Scripture says [of him], “a righteous man, perfect” (Gen. 6:9). But in his presence it was said [by God],“for it is you that I have seen as a righteous man before Me” (Gen. 7:1) [but God makes no mention of his perfection]. Another interpretation: [God isolated them from Moses] so that he [Moses] should not hear the reprimanding of Aaron [by God]. - [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:5] ויצאו שניהם: ומפני מה משכן והפרידן ממשה, לפי שאומרים מקצת שבחו של אדם בפניו וכולו שלא בפניו, וכן מצינו בנח, שלא בפניו נאמר (בראשית ו, ט) איש צדיק תמים, ובפניו נאמר (בראשית ז, א) כי אותך ראיתי צדיק לפני. דבר אחר שלא ישמע בנזיפתו של אהרן:
6He said, "Please listen to My words. If there be prophets among you, [I] the Lord will make Myself known to him in a vision; I will speak to him in a dream. ווַיֹּ֖אמֶר שִׁמְעוּ־נָ֣א דְבָרָ֑י אִם־יִֽהְיֶה֙ נְבִ֣יאֲכֶ֔ם יְהֹוָ֗ה בַּמַּרְאָה֙ אֵלָ֣יו אֶתְוַדָּ֔ע בַּֽחֲל֖וֹם אֲדַבֶּר־בּֽוֹ:
Please listen to My words: [The term] נָא always denotes a request. - [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:6] שמעו נא דברי: אין נא אלא לשון בקשה:
If there be prophets among you: If you have prophets…. — [Targum Onkelos] אם יהיה נביאכם: אם יהיו לכם נביאים:
[I] the Lord will make Myself known to him in a vision: The Divine Presence of My Name is not revealed to him with distinct clarity, but in a dream or a vision. - [Tanchuma Tzav 13] ה' במראה אליו אתודע: שכינת שמי אין נגלית עליו באספקלריא המאירה אלא בחלום וחזיון:
7Not so is My servant Moses; he is faithful throughout My house. זלֹא־כֵ֖ן עַבְדִּ֣י משֶׁ֑ה בְּכָל־בֵּיתִ֖י נֶֽאֱמָ֥ן הֽוּא:
8With him I speak mouth to mouth; in a vision and not in riddles, and he beholds the image of the Lord. So why were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moses ? חפֶּ֣ה אֶל־פֶּ֞ה אֲדַבֶּר־בּ֗וֹ וּמַרְאֶה֙ וְלֹ֣א בְחִידֹ֔ת וּתְמֻנַ֥ת יְהֹוָ֖ה יַבִּ֑יט וּמַדּ֨וּעַ֙ לֹ֣א יְרֵאתֶ֔ם לְדַבֵּ֖ר בְּעַבְדִּ֥י בְמשֶֽׁה:
Mouth to mouth: I told him to separate from his wife (Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:8, Tanchuma Tzav 13). Where did I tell him this? At Sinai; “Go and tell them, ‘Return to your tents,’ but you, remain here with Me” (Deut. 5:27). - [See Shab. 87a] פה אל פה: אמרתי לו לפרוש מן האשה. והיכן אמרתי לו, בסיני (דברים ה, כז) לך אמור להם שובו לכם לאהליכם, ואתה פה עמוד עמדי:
in a vision but not in riddles: “A vision” refers to the vision of speech, for I express My communication to Him with absolute clarity, and I do not obscure it with riddles in the way it was said to Ezekiel, “Present a riddle” (Ezek. 17:2). I might think that it refers to the vision of the Divine Presence [itself]! Scripture therefore teaches, “You are not able to see My face” (Exod. 33:23). - [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:8, Tanchuma Tzav 13] ומראה ולא בחידות: מראה זה מראה דבור, שאני מפרש לו דבורי במראת פנים שבו ואיני סותמו לו בחידות, כענין שנאמר ליחזקאל (יחזקאל יז, ב) חוד חידה וגו', יכול מראה שכינה, תלמוד לומר (שמות לג, כ) לא תוכל לראות את פני:
and He beholds the image of the Lord: This refers to a vision of the “back,” as it says,“and you will see My back” (Exod. 33:23). - [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:8, Tanchuma Tzav 13] ותמנת ה' יביט: זה מראה אחורים, כענין שנאמר (שמות לג, כג) וראית את אחורי:
against my servant Moses: Heb. בְּעַבְדִי בְמשֶׁה, lit., against My servant, against Moses. Scripture does not say בְּעַבְדִי משֶׁה, against My servant Moses, but בְּעַבְדִי בְמשֶׁה, against My servant, against Moses . [The meaning is thus:] against My servant even if he were not Moses, and against Moses, even if he were not My servant, you should certainly have feared him, and all the more so since he is My servant, and the servant of the king is a king himself! You should have said, “The King does not love him for nothing.” If you claim that I am unaware of his actions, this [statement] is worse than your previous one. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:8, Tanchuma Tzav 13] בעבדי במשה: אינו אומר בעבדי משה, אלא בעבדי במשה, בעבדי אף על פי שאינו משה, במשה אפילו אינו עבדי, כדאי הייתם לירא מפניו, וכל שכן שהוא עבדי ועבד מלך מלך, היה לכם לומר אין המלך אוהבו חנם. ואם תאמרו איני מכיר במעשיו, זו קשה מן הראשונה:
9The wrath of the Lord flared against them and He left. טוַיִּֽחַר־אַ֧ף יְהֹוָ֛ה בָּ֖ם וַיֵּלַֽךְ:
The wrath of the Lord flared against them and He left: After He had informed them of their transgression, He issued a decree of excommunication against them. All the more so, should a mortal not become angry with his friend before he informs him of his offense. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:9, Tanchuma Tzav 13] ויחר אף ה' בם וילך: מאחר שהודיעם סרחונם גזר עליהם נדוי, קל וחומר לבשר ודם שלא יכעוס על חבירו עד שיודיענו סרחונו:
10The cloud departed from above the Tent, and behold, Miriam was afflicted with tzara'ath, [as white] as snow. Then Aaron turned to Miriam and behold, she was afflicted with tzara'ath. יוְהֶֽעָנָ֗ן סָ֚ר מֵעַ֣ל הָאֹ֔הֶל וְהִנֵּ֥ה מִרְיָ֖ם מְצֹרַ֣עַת כַּשָּׁ֑לֶג וַיִּ֧פֶן אַֽהֲרֹ֛ן אֶל־מִרְיָ֖ם וְהִנֵּ֥ה מְצֹרָֽעַת:
The cloud departed: and afterwards, “behold Miriam was afflicted with tzara’ath, [as white] as snow.” This is comparable to a king who said to a tutor,“Punish my son, but do not punish him until I leave you, for I feel pity for him.” - [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:10, Tanchuma Tzav 13] והענן סר: ואחר כך והנה מרים מצורעת כשלג, משל למלך שאמר לפדגוג, רדה את בני, אבל לא תרדנו עד שאלך מאצלך, שרחמי עליו:
11Aaron said to Moses, "Please, master, do not put sin upon us for acting foolishly and for sinning. יאוַיֹּ֥אמֶר אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן אֶל־משֶׁ֑ה בִּ֣י אֲדֹנִ֔י אַל־נָ֨א תָשֵׁ֤ת עָלֵ֨ינוּ֙ חַטָּ֔את אֲשֶׁ֥ר נוֹאַ֖לְנוּ וַֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר חָטָֽאנוּ:
for acting foolishly: Heb. נוֹאַלְנוּ, as the Targum [Onkelos] renders, [דִי אִטַפְּשְׁנָא, that we acted foolishly] from the term, אֱוִיל, “fool.” נואלנו: כתרגומו לשון אויל:
12Let her not be like the dead, which comes out of his mother's womb with half his flesh consumed!" יבאַל־נָ֥א תְהִ֖י כַּמֵּ֑ת אֲשֶׁ֤ר בְּצֵאתוֹ֙ מֵרֶ֣חֶם אִמּ֔וֹ וַיֵּֽאָכֵ֖ל חֲצִ֥י בְשָׂרֽוֹ:
Do not let her be: This sister of ours. אל נא תהי: אחותנו זו:
like the dead: For the one afflicted with tzara’ath is considered like dead. Just as a corpse defiles through entry [if one enters the room where it lies], so does one afflicted with tzara’ath defile through entry. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:12, Tanchuma Tzav 13] כמת: שהמצורע חשוב כמת, מה מת מטמא בביאה, אף מצורע מטמא בביאה:
which comes out of his mother’s womb: It should have said, “our mother”? But Scripture euphemizes. Similarly, [it says,] “half his flesh.” It should have said, “half our flesh”? But [here too,] Scripture euphemizes. [The meaning here is:] For since she came out of our mother’s womb, it is to us as if half our flesh has been eaten away. This is similar to saying, “for he is our brother, our very flesh” (Gen. 37:27). Even according to the literal meaning of the text, it appears so. It is not proper for a brother to allow his sister to remain as if dead. אשר בצאתו מרחם אמו: אמנו היה לו לומר, אלא שכינה הכתוב. וכן חצי בשרו, חצי בשרנו היה לו לומר, אלא שכינה הכתוב. מאחר שיצאה מרחם אמנו היא לנו כאילו נאכל חצי בשרנו, כענין שנאמר (בראשית לז, כז) כי אחינו בשרנו הוא. ולפי משמעו אף הוא נראה כן, אין ראוי לאח להניח את אחותו להיות כמת:
which comes out: Since he [the dead one] came out of the womb of the mother of the one who has the power to help him but does not, it is as if half his [the latter’s] flesh is eaten away, since his brother is his own flesh. Another interpretation: Let her not be like the dead-If You do not heal her through prayer, who will confine her? Who will cleanse her? I myself may not examine her, since I am related, and a relative many not examine plague marks [symptomatic of tzara’ath], and there is no other kohen in the world. This is the meaning of, “since he has come out of his mother’s womb.” [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:12, Tanchuma Tzav 13] אשר בצאתו: מאחר שיצא זה מרחם אמו של זה שיש כח בידו לעזור ואינו עוזרו, הרי נאכל חצי בשרו, שאחיו בשרו הוא. דבר אחר אל נא תהי כמת, אם אינך רופאה בתפלה, מי מסגירה ומי מטהרה, אני אי אפשר לראותה, שאני קרוב ואין קרוב רואה את הנגעים, וכהן אחר אין בעולם, וזהו אשר בצאתו מרחם אמו:
13Moses cried out to the Lord, saying, "I beseech you, God, please heal her." יגוַיִּצְעַ֣ק משֶׁ֔ה אֶל־יְהֹוָ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר אֵ֕ל נָ֛א רְפָ֥א נָ֖א לָֽהּ:
I beseech you, God, please heal her: Scripture teaches you proper conduct, that if one asks his friend for a favor, he should precede [his request] with two or three words of supplication, and only then should he make his requests. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:13, Tanchuma Tzav 13] אל נא רפא נא לה: בא הכתוב ללמדך דרך ארץ, שהשואל דבר מחבירו צריך לומר שנים או שלשה דברי תחנונים ואחר כן יבקש שאלותיו:
saying: What does this [word] teach us? He [Moses] said to Him, Answer me as to whether You will heal her or not. Eventually, He replied,“If her father were to spit….” R. Eleazar ben Azariah says: In four places Moses asked the Holy One, blessed is He, to answer him if He would accede to his requests or not [and in all four he used the word, לֵאמֹר, to say , i.e., to answer]. Similarly, “Moses spoke before the Lord saying…” (Exod. 6:12). What does the word “saying” teach? Answer me as to whether You will redeem them or not. Eventually, He replied, “Now you will see…” (Exod. 7:1). Similarly, “Moses spoke to the Lord, saying, Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh appoint…” (Num. 27:15-16). He answered, “Take for yourself…” (verse 18). Similarly, “I pleaded to the Lord, at that time, saying” (Deut. 3:23). He answered him, “It is enough for you!” (verse 26). - [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:13] לאמר: מה תלמוד לומר, אמר לו השיבני אם אתה מרפא אותה אם לאו, עד שהשיבו ואביה ירק ירק וגו'. רבי אלעזר בן עזריה אומר בארבעה מקומות בקש משה מלפני הקב"ה להשיבו אם יעשה שאלותיו אם לאו, כיוצא בו (שמות ו, יב) וידבר משה לפני ה' לאמר וגו', מה תלמוד לומר לאמר, השיבני אם גואלם אתה אם לאו, עד שהשיבו עתה תראה וגו'. כיוצא בו (במדבר כז טו - טז) וידבר משה אל ה' לאמר יפקד ה' אלהי הרוחות לכל בשר, השיבו קח לך (במד' כז יח). כיוצא בו (דברים ג, כג) ואתחנן אל ה' בעת ההיא לאמר, השיבו רב לך:
please heal her: Why did Moses not pray at length? So that the Israelites should not say, “His sister is in distress, yet he stands and prolongs his prayer.” [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:13, Tanchuma Tzav 13] (Another interpretation: So that Israel should not say, “ For his sister he prays at length, but for our sake he does not pray at length.”) - [Midrash Aggadah, Yalkut Shim’oni, Midrash Lekach Tov] רפא נא לה: מפני מה לא האריך משה בתפלה, שלא יהיו ישראל אומרים אחותו נתונה בצרה והוא עומד ומרבה בתפלה [דבר אחר שלא יאמרו ישראל בשביל אחותו הוא מאריך בתפלה, אבל בשבילנו אינו מאריך בתפלה]:
14The Lord replied to Moses, "If her father were to spit in her face, would she not be humiliated for seven days? She shall be confined for seven days outside the camp, and afterwards she may enter. ידוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־משֶׁ֗ה וְאָבִ֨יהָ֙ יָרֹ֤ק יָרַק֙ בְּפָנֶ֔יהָ הֲלֹ֥א תִכָּלֵ֖ם שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים תִּסָּגֵ֞ר שִׁבְעַ֤ת יָמִים֙ מִח֣וּץ לַמַּֽחֲנֶ֔ה וְאַחַ֖ר תֵּֽאָסֵֽף:
If her father were to spit in her face: If her father had turned to her with an angry face, would she not be humiliated for seven days? All the more so in the case of the Divine Presence [she should be humiliated for] fourteen days! But [there is a rule that] it is sufficient that a law derived from an ? fortiori conclusion to be only as stringent as the law from which it is derived. Thus, even as a consequence of My reprimand, she should be confined [only] seven days. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:14, B.K. 25a] ואביה ירק ירק בפניה: ואם אביה הראה לה פנים זועפות הלא תכלם שבעת ימים, קל וחומר לשכינה י"ד יום, אלא דיו לבא מן הדין להיות כנדון, לפיכך אף בנזיפתי תסגר שבעת ימים:
and afterwards she may enter: I believe that when a derivative of the word אסף is used in reference to one afflicted with tzara’ath, it is related to his being expelled from the camp, and when he is healed, he is brought back (נֶאֶסָף) to the camp. That is why the term אָסִיפָה is used; it connotes bringing back in. — [See Rashi above on 11:30.] ואחר תאסף: אומר אני כל האסיפות האמורות במצורעים על שם שהוא משולח מחוץ למחנה, וכשהוא נרפא נאסף אל המחנה לכך כתוב בו אסיפה לשון הכנסה:
15So Miriam was confined outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not travel until Miriam had entered. טווַתִּסָּגֵ֥ר מִרְיָ֛ם מִח֥וּץ לַמַּֽחֲנֶ֖ה שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים וְהָעָם֙ לֹ֣א נָסַ֔ע עַד־הֵֽאָסֵ֖ף מִרְיָֽם:
the people did not travel: This honor was accorded her by the Omnipresent because of the time she remained with Moses when he was cast into the river, as it says,“His sister stood by from afar to know what would be done to him” (Exod. 2:4). - [Sotah 9b] והעם לא נסע: זה הכבוד חלק לה המקום בשביל שעה אחת שנתעכבה למשה כשהושלך ליאור, שנאמר (שמות ב, ד) ותתצב אחותו מרחוק וגו':
16Then the people departed from Hazeroth, and they camped in the desert of Paran. טזוְאַחַ֛ר נָֽסְע֥וּ הָעָ֖ם מֵֽחֲצֵר֑וֹת וַיַּֽחֲנ֖וּ בְּמִדְבַּ֥ר פָּארָֽן:
Daily Tehillim - Psalms
Chapters 90-96
Shabbat, 19 Sivan 5778 / June 2, 2018
Psalms
Chapter 90
David found this prayer in its present form-receiving a tradition attributing it to MosesThe Midrash attributes the next eleven psalms to Moses (Rashi).-and incorporated it into the Tehillim. It speaks of the brevity of human life, and inspires man to repent and avoid pride in this world.
1. A prayer by Moses, the man of God. My Lord, You have been a shelter for us in every generation.
2. Before the mountains came into being, before You created the earth and the world-for ever and ever You are Almighty God.
3. You diminish man until he is crushed, and You say, "Return, you children of man.”
4. Indeed, a thousand years are in Your eyes like yesterday that has passed, like a watch of the night.
5. The stream of their life is as but a slumber; in the morning they are like grass that sprouts anew.
6. In the morning it thrives and sprouts anew; in the evening it withers and dries.
7. For we are consumed by Your anger, and destroyed by Your wrath.
8. You have set our wrongdoings before You, our hidden sins before the light of Your countenance.
9. For all our days have vanished in Your wrath; we cause our years to pass like a fleeting sound.
10. The days of our lives number seventy years, and if in great vigor, eighty years; most of them are but travail and futility, passing quickly and flying away.
11. Who can know the intensity of Your anger? Your wrath is commensurate with one's fear of You.
12. Teach us, then, to reckon our days, that we may acquire a wise heart.
13. Relent, O Lord; how long [will Your anger last]? Have compassion upon Your servants.
14. Satiate us in the morning with Your kindness, then we shall sing and rejoice throughout our days.
15. Give us joy corresponding to the days You afflicted us, the years we have seen adversity.
16. Let Your work be revealed to Your servants, and Your splendor be upon their children.
17. May the pleasantness of the Lord our God be upon us; establish for us the work of our hands; establish the work of our hands.
Chapter 91
This psalm inspires the hearts of the people to seek shelter under the wings of the Divine Presence. It also speaks of the four seasons of the year, and their respective ministering powers, instructing those who safeguard their souls to avoid them.
1. You who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, who abides in the shadow of the Omnipotent:
2. I say of the Lord who is my refuge and my stronghold, my God in whom I trust,
3. that He will save you from the ensnaring trap, from the destructive pestilence.
4. He will cover you with His pinions and you will find refuge under His wings; His truth is a shield and an armor.
5. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day;
6. the pestilence that prowls in the darkness, nor the destruction that ravages at noon.
7. A thousand may fall at your [left] side, and ten thousand at your right, but it shall not reach you.
8. You need only look with your eyes, and you will see the retribution of the wicked.
9. Because you [have said,] "The Lord is my shelter," and you have made the Most High your haven,
10. no evil will befall you, no plague will come near your tent.
11. For He will instruct His angels in your behalf, to guard you in all your ways.
12. They will carry you in their hands, lest you injure your foot upon a rock.
13. You will tread upon the lion and the viper; you will trample upon the young lion and the serpent.
14. Because he desires Me, I will deliver him; I will fortify him, for he knows My Name.
15. When he calls on Me, I will answer him; I am with him in distress. I will deliver him and honor him.
16. I will satiate him with long life, and show him My deliverance.
Chapter 92
Sung every Shabbat by the Levites in the Holy Temple, this psalm speaks of the World to Come, and comforts the hearts of those crushed by suffering.
1. A psalm, a song for the Shabbat day.
2. It is good to praise the Lord, and to sing to Your Name, O Most High;
3. to proclaim Your kindness in the morning, and Your faithfulness in the nights,
4. with a ten-stringed instrument and lyre, to the melody of a harp.
5. For You, Lord, have gladdened me with Your deeds; I sing for joy at the works of Your hand.
6. How great are Your works, O Lord; how very profound Your thoughts!
7. A brutish man cannot know, a fool cannot comprehend this:
8. When the wicked thrive like grass, and all evildoers flourish-it is in order that they may be destroyed forever.
9. But You, Lord, are exalted forever.
10. Indeed, Your enemies, O Lord, indeed Your enemies shall perish; all evildoers shall be scattered.
11. But You have increased my might like that of a wild ox; I am anointed with fresh oil.
12. My eyes have seen [the downfall of] my watchful enemies; my ears have heard [the doom of] the wicked who rise against me.
13. The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, grow tall like a cedar in Lebanon.
14. Planted in the House of the Lord, they shall blossom in the courtyards of our God.
15. They shall be fruitful even in old age; they shall be full of sap and freshness-
16. to declare that the Lord is just; He is my Strength, and there is no injustice in Him.
Chapter 93
This psalm speaks of the Messianic era, when God will don grandeur-allowing no room for man to boast before Him as did Nebuchadnezzar, Pharaoh, and Sennacherib.
1. The Lord is King; He has garbed Himself with grandeur; the Lord has robed Himself, He has girded Himself with strength; He has also established the world firmly that it shall not falter.
2. Your throne stands firm from of old; You have existed forever.
3. The rivers have raised, O Lord, the rivers have raised their voice; the rivers raise their raging waves.
4. More than the sound of many waters, than the mighty breakers of the sea, is the Lord mighty on High.
5. Your testimonies are most trustworthy; Your House will be resplendent in holiness, O Lord, forever.
Chapter 94
An awe-inspiring and wondrous prayer with which every individual can pray for the redemption. It is also an important moral teaching.
1. The Lord is a God of retribution; O God of retribution, reveal Yourself!
2. Judge of the earth, arise; render to the arrogant their recompense.
3. How long shall the wicked, O Lord, how long shall the wicked exult?
4. They continuously speak insolently; all the evildoers act arrogantly.
5. They crush Your people, O Lord, and oppress Your heritage.
6. They kill the widow and the stranger, and murder the orphans.
7. And they say, "The Lord does not see, the God of Jacob does not perceive.”
8. Understand, you senseless among the people; you fools, when will you become wise?
9. Shall He who implants the ear not hear? Shall He who forms the eye not see?
10. Shall He who chastises nations not punish? Shall He who imparts knowledge to man [not know]?
11. The Lord knows the thoughts of man, that they are naught.
12. Fortunate is the man whom You chastise, O Lord, and instruct him in Your Torah,
13. bestowing upon him tranquillity in times of adversity, until the pit is dug for the wicked.
14. For the Lord will not abandon His people, nor forsake His heritage.
15. For judgment shall again be consonant with justice, and all the upright in heart will pursue it.
16. Who would rise up for me against the wicked ones; who would stand up for me against the evildoers?
17. Had the Lord not been a help to me, my soul would have soon dwelt in the silence [of the grave].
18. When I thought that my foot was slipping, Your kindness, O Lord, supported me.
19. When my [worrisome] thoughts multiply within me, Your consolation delights my soul.
20. Can one in the seat of evil, one who makes iniquity into law, consort with You?
21. They band together against the life of the righteous, and condemn innocent blood.
22. The Lord has been my stronghold; my God, the strength of my refuge.
23. He will turn their violence against them and destroy them through their own wickedness; the Lord, our God, will destroy them.
Chapter 95
This psalm speaks of the future, when man will say to his fellow, "Come, let us sing and offer praise to God for the miracles He has performed for us!"
1. Come, let us sing to the Lord; let us raise our voices in jubilation to the Rock of our deliverance.
2. Let us approach Him with thanksgiving; let us raise our voices to Him in song.
3. For the Lord is a great God, and a great King over all supernal beings;
4. in His hands are the depths of the earth, and the heights of the mountains are His.
5. Indeed, the sea is His, for He made it; His hands formed the dry land.
6. Come, let us prostrate ourselves and bow down; let us bend the knee before the Lord, our Maker.
7. For He is our God, and we are the people that He tends, the flock under His [guiding] hand-even this very day, if you would but hearken to His voice!
8. Do not harden your heart as at Merivah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,
9. where your fathers tested Me; they tried Me, though they had seen My deeds.
10. For forty years I quarreled with that generation; and I said, "They are a people of erring hearts, they do not know My ways.”
11. So I vowed in My anger that they would not enter My resting place.
Chapter 96
The time will yet come when man will say to his fellow: "Come, let us sing to God!"
1. Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.
2. Sing to the Lord, bless His Name; proclaim His deliverance from day to day.
3. Recount His glory among the nations, His wonders among all the peoples.
4. For the Lord is great and highly praised; He is awesome above all gods.
5. For all the gods of the nations are naught, but the Lord made the heavens.
6. Majesty and splendor are before Him, might and beauty in His Sanctuary.
7. Render to the Lord, O families of nations, render to the Lord honor and might.
8. Render to the Lord honor due to His Name; bring an offering and come to His courtyards.
9. Bow down to the Lord in resplendent holiness; tremble before Him, all the earth.
10. Proclaim among the nations, "The Lord reigns"; indeed, the world is firmly established that it shall not falter; He will judge the peoples with righteousness.
11. The heavens will rejoice, the earth will exult; the sea and its fullness will roar.
12. The fields and everything therein will jubilate; then all the trees of the forest will sing.
13. Before the Lord [they shall rejoice], for He has come, for He has come to judge the earth; He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with His truth.
Daily TanyaShaar Hayichud Vehaemunah, beginning of Chapter 7
Shabbat, 19 Sivan 5778 / June 2, 2018
TanyaShaar Hayichud Vehaemunah, beginning of Chapter 7

Shaar Hayichud Vehaemunah, beginning of Chapter 7

The Alter Rebbe explained in the previous chapters that the Scriptural statement that “in the heavens above and upon the earth below there is none other,” is not intended to negate the existence of another god. Rather, it tells us that Divine Unity is such that there is no true existence other than G‑d, for all created beings are completely nullified in relation to Him and are united with Him. This is not perceived by them nor manifest in them, only because of the tzimtzum which conceals the Divine life-force that continuously brings about their existence ex nihilo.Being unable to perceive this life-force, they consider themselves to be independently existing entities.
This concealment, of course, applies only to created beings but not to their Creator. From the Divine perspective there is no concealment whatever, inasmuch as Havayah and Elokim are truly one: the concealment effected by Elokim thus does not act as a concealment for Havayah.
The Alter Rebbe will now explain how the above enables us to understand the teaching of the Zohar that Shema Yisrael is “higher-level Unity” and Baruch shem is “lower-level Unity.”
Were Divine Unity merely to signify the existence of one G‑d, it would be impossible to speak of higher and lower levels of Unity. According to the above explanation, however, that Divine Unity means the nullity of created beings and their unity with G‑d, it is indeed possible to speak of two diverse levels of Unity.
In this sense, “higher-level Unity” refers to the Divine faculty of creative speech (otherwise known as Malchut), considered at the stage in which it is still found within its source. By way of analogy, the seminal letters of a person’s speech are first encapsulated within his thought and emotions, which will ultimately be responsible for his subsequent speech. (The Rebbe notes that “this was explained in Part I, chs. 20-21.”)
The same is true Above: When Supernal creative speech is at the stage in which it is still included within the Supernal attributes — which, being infinite, are too lofty to serve as a source of creation, for creation is inherently limited to space and time — creation as it exists in its source is united with G‑d at the higher level of Unity. Its manner of nullification is then similar to the nullification of the sun’s rays as they are found within the sun-globe.
When, however, the Divine creative power of speech (orMalchut), after undergoing a process of tzimtzumim, descends to a level at which it is able to serve as a source for creation, then the term “lower-level Unity” applies. Created beings at this level cannot be said to be completely and utterly nullified. For inasmuch as this level becomes the actual source of created beings, they must perforce have some measure of identity in relation to it. Although this level, too, is pervaded by the Ein Sof-light which unites with the Divine faculty of creative speech, this unification is nevertheless one of “lower-level Unity,” wherein created beings are seen to have some measure of existence — albeit a nullified form of existence, but existence nonetheless.
ובזה יובן מה שכתוב בזהר הקדוש דפסוק שמע ישראל הוא יחודא עילאה, וברוך שם כבוד מלכותו לעולם ועד הוא יחודא תתאה
With the above in mind, we may now understand the statement in the holy Zohar, that the verse Shema Yisrael is yichuda ila‘ah(“higher-level Unity”), and that the verse Baruch shem kvod malchuto leolam vaed is yichuda tata’ah (“lower- level Unity”).
The connection between the last-mentioned verse and Divine Unity is now explained:
כי ועד הוא אחד בחילופי אתוון
For1 vaed is equivalent to echad through the substitution of letters.2
The alef of echad interchanges with the vav of vaed, since both letters belong to the same group of letters, viz., alef, hei, vav, yud(which, the Rebbe notes, are known as otiyot hahemshech, the “connective letters”). The chet of echad interchanges with theayin of vaed, since they share the same source (motza) in the organs of speech, and thus both belong to the category of “guttural letters,” viz., alef, hei, chet, ayin. Finally, the large daledof echad transposes into the small daled of vaed.
כי הנה סיבת וטעם הצמצום וההסתר הזה שהסתיר והעלים הקב״ה את החיות של העולם, כדי שיהיה העולם נראה דבר נפרד בפני עצמו
The cause and reason for this tzimtzum and concealment with which the Holy One, blessed be He, obscured and hid the life- force of the world, making it appear as an independently existing entity, [is as follows]:
I.e., the Alter Rebbe is asking why it is indeed necessary for the world to appear as an independently existing entity. What would be lacking if the world would be perceived in its true state — as an entity wholly nullified in relation to its source? The reason for this is as follows:
הנה הוא ידוע לכל, כי תכלית בריאת העולם הוא בשביל התגלות מלכותו יתברך
It is known to all that the purpose of the creation of the world is the revelation of [G‑d’s] sovereignty,
דאין מלך בלא עם
for3 “there is no king without a nation.”
פירוש עם: מלשון עוממות
The word עם (“nation”) is related etymologically to the word עוממות(“dimmed, extinguished”), as in the expression גחלים עוממות (Rashion Shoftim 5:14), describing coals in which the fire is not to be seen. In terms of the relationship of a king and his subjects, the word עם thus signifies those whose relationship with the king is not readily apparent,
שהם דברים נפרדים וזרים ורחוקים ממעלת המלך
for they — the subjects who comprise a nation — are separate entities, distinct and distant from the level of the king; only upon them does the king reign, as a result of their nullifying themselves to him.
כי אילו אפילו היו לו בנים רבים מאד, לא שייך שם מלוכה עליהם
For even if he had very many children, the term “kingship” would not apply to them, inasmuch as the king’s children are part of the king himself,
וכן אפילו על שרים לבדם
nor is it possible for a king to reign even over nobles alone.
Although they — unlike a king’s children — are not part of him, nevertheless, since their position puts them in constant and close contact with him, thereby lending them some of the aspects of kingship, the king cannot reign over nobles alone.
רק ברוב עם דווקא הדרת מלך
Only4 “in a numerous nation is the glory of the king.”
Only upon strangers can sovereignty apply. The same is true Above: The ultimate intent of the revelation of Divine Kingship finds expression in His reigning over lowly created beings, who perceive themselves as existing independently of Him — so that they, too, should humble and nullify themselves before Him.
ושם המורה על מדת מלכותו יתברך הוא שם אדנות, כי הוא אדון כל הארץ
The Name that indicates the attribute of G‑d’s Malchut(“Kingship”) is the Name of Adnut (“Lordship”), for His Kingship lies in the fact that He is L‑rd of the whole universe.
ונמצא כי מדה זו ושם זה הן המהוין ומקיימין העולם להיות עולם כמות שהוא עכשיו
Thus, it is this attribute (viz., Malchut) and this Name (viz., the Name of Adnut, signifying lordship) which bring the world into existence and sustain it so that it should be as it is now —
יש גמור, ודבר נפרד בפני עצמו, ואינו בטל במציאות ממש
a completely independent and separate entity, and not absolutely nullified,
כי בהסתלקות מדה זו ושם זה, חס ושלום, היה העולם חוזר למקורו בדבר ה׳ ורוח פיו יתברך, ובטל שם במציאות ממש, ולא היה שם עולם עליו כלל
for with the withdrawal of this attribute and this Name from the world, G‑d forbid, the world would revert to its source in the “word of G‑d” and the “breath of His mouth,” where it would be completely nullified, and the name “world” could not be applied to it at all.
Inherent in the name “world” is being and limitation. However, in the state in which the world finds itself within its source it would have no “being” and would not be limited.
FOOTNOTES
1.
“A letter of mine dealing with this substitution appears in Kovetz Lubavitch.” ( — Note of the Rebbe). This letter has since been reprinted in Teshuvot U‘Biurim (Kehot, N.Y., 1974; Heb.), Section 13, p. 62.
2.
“As stated in Zohar II, 135a.” ( — Note of the Rebbe).
3.
Emek HaMelech, Shaar HaMitzvot, beginning of ch. 1; Rabbeinu Bachaye,Parshat Vayeishev, 38:2. Cf. Pirkei deRabbi Eliezer, ch. 3.
4.
Mishlei 14:28.
Rambam
Daily Mitzvah
Negative Commandment 246, 243
Shabbat, 19 Sivan 5778 / June 2, 2018
Sefer Hamitzvot
Negative Commandment 246 (Digest)Stealing Land
"You shall not move back your neighbor's boundary marker"—Deuteronomy 19:14.
It is forbidden to tamper with a boundary marker separating two parcels of land, so as to claim part of a neighbor's property. One who does so has violated this Torah injunction—in addition to being guilty of theft.
This commandment only applies in the land of Israel. Outside of Israel, one who tampers with a land marker is only guilty of transgressing the generic prohibition against theft.
« Close
The 246th prohibition is that we are forbidden from stealing the boundaries of land, i.e. altering the line between our property and our neighbors', thereby enabling a person to claim that the other person's land is his own.
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement1(exalted be He), "Do not move your neighbor's boundary marker"
The Sifri says: "It is already written 'You may not steal.' Why was it necessary to write the verse 'Do not move your neighbor's boundary marker'? To teach that anyone who moves his neighbor's boundary marker transgresses two prohibitions. You might think that this applies even outside Israel. The verse therefore continues '...in your inheritance in the land [that G‑d your L‑rd is giving you to occupy]' — in Israel it counts as two transgressions, but elsewhere it counts just as one." This [one transgression] refers to the prohibition "You may not steal." It is therefore clear that the Biblical prohibition applies only in Israel.
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.
Deut. 19:14.
Negative Commandment 243 (Digest)Abduction
"Do not steal"—Exodus 20:13.
It is forbidden to abduct one's fellow.
« Close
The 243rd prohibition is that we are forbidden from kidnapping any Jewish person.
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement in the Ten Commandments,1 "You may not steal."
In the words of the Mechilta: "This verse refers to stealing a person." The Talmud says in tractate Sanhedrin,2 "What is the source for the prohibition of kidnapping? R. Yoshiya says it is the verse, 'You may not steal.' R. Yochanan says it is the verse,3 'They may not be sold as slaves.' In actuality, however, they both agree — one refers to the prohibition of kidnapping and the other refers to the prohibition of selling4 [the kidnapped person." The Talmud mentions these two prohibitions together] because the punishment is given only when the transgressor both kidnaps and sells — and if he does both transgressions, the penalty is strangulation. [The source for the punishment is] G‑d's statement5 (exalted be He), "If one person kidnaps and sells another, and [the victim] is seen in his hand, then [the kidnapper] shall be put to death."
The details of this mitzvah are explained in the 11th chapter of tractate Sanhedrin.6
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.
Ex. 20:15.
2.
86a.
3.
Lev. 25:42.
4.
N258.
5.
Ex. 21:16.
6.
In our versions, chapter 10, on 85b
Rambam
Rambam - 1 Chapter a Day
Yibbum vChalitzah - Chapter Five

Yibbum vChalitzah - Chapter Five

1
When a yavam gives a yevamah a bill of divorce (a get),1 he disqualifies her and all of [his deceased brother's] other wives [from performing yibbum] with him or with any of the other brothers. It is considered as if he has performed chalitzah with her.
The power of a get to affect a yevamah is Rabbinic in origin. [They instituted this decree based on the following rationale:] Since a get has the power to bring about the divorce of a married woman, and every get causes a woman to be disqualified from the priesthood, [they decreed] that it should also disqualify a yevamah from performing yibbum. [The yevamah] is not permitted to marry another man, however, until she performs chalitzah.
א
היבמה שנתן לה היבם גט כריתות פסלה ופסל את צרותיה עליו ועל שאר האחין שהרי נעשה כמי שחלץ לה. ואין הגט מועיל ביבמה אלא מדבריהן הואיל והגט מגרש אשת איש. וכל גט שפוסל אשתו מן הכהונה פוסל את יבמתו מן היבום ואינה מותרת לזר עד שיחלוץ לה:
2
A statement of intent to marry (ma'amar)2 does not fully effect the establishment of a marriage bond for a yevamah, and it does not cause her to become a married woman in the full sense. Nevertheless, [if the yavam desires to nullify the ma'amar,] he must give [the yevamah] a get. For her to marry another man, however, chalitzah must be performed.
ב
המאמר אע"פ שאינו קונה ביבמה קנין גמור ואינה נעשית בו אשת איש גמורה צריכה ממנו גט ואינה ניתרת לזר אלא בחליצה:
3
What is implied? When [a yavam] gives a ma'amar to his yevamah, but does not desire to engage in sexual relations with her, he must write a get for her, since she was consecrated unto him, and he must perform chalitzah with her to cause her to be permitted to others.3
For a yevamah is not permitted to marry another man unless she enters into sexual relations with her yavam [and then is divorced or widowed], or if she performs chalitzah. A get disqualifies her for yibbum, but does not permit her to marry another man. A ma'amar does not effect a marriage bond in a complete sense, as sexual relations do.
ג
כיצד העושה מאמר ביבמתו ואינו רוצה לבעול צריך לכתוב לה גט שהרי נתקדשה לו. וצריך לחלוץ לה כדי להתירה לזר. שאין היבמה נתרת לזר אלא אחר בעילת היבם או אחר חליצה אבל הגט פוסלה לייבום ואינו מתירה לזר. והמאמר אינו קונה בה קנין גמור כמו הבעילה:
4
When [a yavam] gives a ma'amar to his yevamah and then gives her a get [to nullify his ma'amar], he has negated what he brought about,4 and [the yevamah] is free [to perform yibbum]. It appears to me that she is free only [to perform yibbum] with his brothers, but she is forbidden to him.5
ד
נתן מאמר ליבמתו וחזר ונתן גט למאמרו מה שעשה הרי בטלו והותרה. ויראה לי שלא הותרה אלא לאחיו אבל זה שנתן הגט אסורה היא לו:
5
When [a yavam] gives a get [to his yevamah] [to nullify] his connection to her and not {to nullify his ma'amar}, he disqualifies her [from performing yibbum] with him and his other brothers, as stated above.6
He must give her [another] get [to negate] his ma'amar and perform chalitzah with her to permit her to marry another man.
ה
נתן גט לזיקתו [ולא למאמרו] פסלה עליו ועל שאר האחין כמו שבארנו וצריכה גט למאמרו וחליצה להתירה לזר:
6
When a ma'amar is given to a yevamahat the outset, without its having been preceded by any other activity and without its having been followed by any activity other than the sexual relations between [the yavam] who gave the ma'amar and the yevamah, the ma'amar is referred to as "an acceptable ma'amar."
By contrast, a ma'amar is referred to as "an unacceptable ma'amar" when:
a) before the ma'amar either this yavam or one of his brothers gave a get to this yevamah or one of the deceased brother's other wives or performed chalitzah with her,7
b) either he or one of his brothers engaged in sexual relations with one of the deceased brother's other wives beforehand,8
c) after the ma'amar, either this yavam or one of his brothers gave a get to this yevamah or one of the deceased brother's other wives or performed chalitzah with her,9
d) he or one of his brothers engaged in sexual relations with one of the deceased brother's other wives or gave a ma'amar to one of them, or
e) one of his brothers gave a ma'amar or engaged in sexual relations [with the yevamah to whom he gave the ma'amar].
[This term applies to] both a ma'amar that preceded these deeds as well as to a ma'amar that was given afterwards.
ו
המאמר שניתן ליבמה תחלה ולא קדמו דבר אחר ולא נעשה אחריו ד"א אלא שבעל אותה זה שנתן לה המאמר הוא הנקרא מאמר כשר. ואם קדמו גט או חליצה בין מיבם זה בין מיבם אחר בין בה בין בצרתה. וכן אם קדמתו בעילה בצרתה בין ממנו בין מאחיו. או שנעשה אחריו גט או חליצה בין בה בין בצרתה בין ממנו בין מאחיו. או שבעל או נתן מאמר אחר לצרתה בין הוא בין אחיו. או שנתן לה אחיו מאמר אחר או בעלה ה"ז נקרא מאמר פסול. בין המאמר שקדמוהו המעשים האלו בין המאמר שנתאחרו אחריו:
7
What is implied? If [a yavam] a) gave a get or performed chalitzah with his yevamah and afterwards he or one of his brothers gave her or another of his deceased brother's wives a ma'amar, or b) he entered into relations with his yevamah10 or gave her a ma'amar, and then he or one of his brothers gave another of his deceased brother's wives a ma'amar or entered into relations with her, the ma'amaris unacceptable. This applies both to the first ma'amar11 and the second ma'amar.12
ז
כיצד נתן גט או חלץ ליבמתו וחזר ונתן מאמר לה או לצרתה בין הוא בין אחיו. או שבא על יבמתו או נתן לה מאמר וחזר ונתן לה מאמר אחר לצרתה בין הוא בין אחיו. או שנתן מאמר ליבמתו וחזר אחיו ונתן לה מאמר אחר או בעלה ה"ז מאמר פסול בין המאמר הראשון בין המאמר האחרון:
8
Thus, we may conclude that whether a ma'amar was preceded by another ma'amar, a get, a chalitzah, or sexual relations, or whether any of these acts preceded a ma'amar, the ma'amar is unacceptable.13 The only exception is when [a yavam] gives a ma'amar and enters into sexual relations [with the yevamah] after the ma'amar; this follows the dictates of the law.
ח
נמצאת למד שהמאמר בין שקדמו מאמר אחר או גט או חליצה או בעילה. בין שקדם המאמר לאחד מאלו ה"ז מאמר פסול חוץ מן הנותן מאמר ובעל בעילה אחר המאמר שזו היא כהלכתה:
9
When a yavam enters into sexual relations with his yevamah at the outset14 or after giving her a ma'amar, and nothing else preceded [their relations], [their] relations are referred to as "acceptable."
If a) a ma'amar from one of his brothers [was given to this yevamah],
b) a get was given [to this yevamah] or to one of [the deceased brother's] other wives,or
c) a ma'amar [was given by this yavam] or one of his brothers to one of [the deceased brother's] other wives, before [the yavamand the yevamah entered into relations], the relations are referred to as unacceptable.15
ט
הבעילה שבועל היבם את יבמתו תחלה או אחר מאמרו בה ולא קדמה ד"א נקראת בעילה כשרה. ואם קדמה מאמר מאחיו או גט בין ממנו בין מאחיו בין בה בין בצרתה. או שקדמה מאמר בצרתה בין ממנו בין מאחיו הרי זו נקראת בעילה פסולה:
10
When a yavam performs chalitzahwith his yevamah at the outset without any other activity preceding it, the act is referred to as "a superior chalitzah."
If [the chalitzah] was preceded by a get or a ma'amar, whether from this yavam or from his brothers, [which was given] either to this yevamah or to one of [the deceased brother's] other wives, the act is referred to as an "inferior chalitzah."16
י
החליצה שחולץ היבם ליבמתו תחלה אם לא קדמה ד"א נקראת חליצה מעולה. ואם קדמה גט או מאמר בין מיבם זה בין מאחיו בין בה בין בצרתה ה"ז נקראת חליצה פחותה:
11
When there are many yevamotcoming from one household,17after one of them has entered into "acceptable relations" or performed a "superior chalitzah," all are permitted [to marry other men], and their obligation to the yavam is removed.
If one of them entered into "unacceptable relations" or was given an "unacceptable ma'amar," all the wives are forbidden to perform yibbum.18 The woman who entered into relations or who received the ma'amarmust be divorced with a get. [In addition,] {each} one19 of them is required to perform chalitzah to be permitted to marry another man. For "unacceptable relations" do not remove [a yevamah's] obligation to her yavam.
יא
יבמות רבות הבאות מבית אחד כיון שנבעלה אחת מהן בעילה כשרה או נחלצה חליצה מעולה הותרו הכל ונסתלקה זיקת היבם מעליהן. ואם נבעלה אחת מהן בעילה פסולה או נתן לה מאמר פסול נאסרו כולן ליבום וצריכה גט זו שנבעלה או שנתן לה מאמר. וצריכה חליצה [כל] אחת מהן להתירן לזר שאין זיקת הייבום מסתלקת בבעילה פחותה:
12
If one of [a deceased man's wives] performs an "inferior chalitzah," she is permitted to marry another man, but [the deceased's] other wives remain forbidden [to marry] unless they perform chalitzah or unless all the brothers perform chalitzahwith [the yevamah] who performed the "inferior chalitzah." For an "inferior chalitzah" does not remove the obligation of yibbum from this household until [the yevamah who performed the "inferior chalitzah" performs chalitzah] with all the brothers, or all [the deceased's wives] perform chalitzah.
יב
נחלצה אחת מהן חליצה פחותה הותרה להנשא לזר זו שנחלצה אבל צרתה אסורה עד שתחלוץ גם היא או עד שיחלצו כל האחין לראשונה שנחלצה החליצה הפחותה. שאין חליצה פחותה מסלקת זיקת יבום מבית זה עד שתחזור על כל האחין או עד שתחלוץ כל אחת מהן:
13
Whenever a yevamah engages in sexual relations with her yavam, [a get is required to terminate the relationship], regardless of whether or not the relations are acceptable. [This applies] even if [the yavam] engaged in relations with [the yevamah] after performing chalitzah with her.20
[Similarly, this ruling applies] regardless of whether [a yavam] or his brothers engaged in the relations for the sake of establishing a marriage bond21 or for the sake of yibbum. Even if [a yavam] or his brother engages in relations with another [one of the deceased's] wives after [the yavam] engages in "acceptable relations" with [his yevamah],22 he must divorce the woman with a get, for these relations effect the establishment of a marriage bond.23
Similarly, whenever a yevamah is given a ma'amar - whether an "acceptable ma'amar" or an "unacceptable ma'amar" - a get is required because of the ma'amar, as explained.24 Only then is the prohibition brought about by the ma'amar removed.
יג
כל יבמה שנבעלה ליבמה בין בעילה כשרה בין בעילה פסולה ואפילו בעלה אחר שחלץ לה בין הוא בין אחיו בין לשם אישות בין לשם יבמות. ואפילו בעל צרתה אחר שבעל בעילה כשרה בין הוא בין אחיו הרי זו צריכה גט שהרי נעשת אשת איש בבעילה. וכן כל יבמה שניתן לה מאמר בין מאמר כשר בין מאמר פסול הרי זו צריכה גט מפני המאמר כמו שבארנו ואח"כ יסור איסור המאמר:
14
As mentioned, a get does not dissolve [a yavam's connection with] his yevamah entirely.25 Similarly, a ma'amar does not acquire her [as a wife for the yavam] in a complete way. It is [only] sexual relations that establish the marriage bond in a complete manner, and it is [only] chalitzah that dissolves the connection entirely.
Therefore, when a yevamah is given one getafter another, or one ma'amar after another, there is an effect.26When, however, [another brother] engages in relations with [a yevamah with whom a yavam] engaged in relations, or performs chalitzah with [a yevamah with whom a yavam] performed chalitzah, the second relations or the second chalitzah are of no consequence.27Similarly, a get or chalitzah that follows relations is of no consequence.
יד
כבר אמרנו שאין הגט דוחה היבמה דחייה גמורה וכן המאמר אינו קונה בה קנין גמור. אבל הבעילה קונה קנין גמור. והחליצה דוחה אותה דחייה גמורה. לפיכך גט אחר גט ביבמה או מאמר אחר מאמר מועיל [א]. אבל בעילה אחר בעילה וחליצה אחר חליצה אין האחרונה מועלת כלום. וכן גט או חליצה אחר הבעילה אינה כלום:
15
What is implied? When a yavamgives a get to a yevamah, and afterwards gives a get to another one of [the deceased's] wives, he is forbidden to marry the relatives of both women.28
Similarly, when two yevamim give two gittinto one yevamah, one after the other, she is considered to have been divorced by both of them. They are both forbidden to marry her relatives; one of them should perform chalitzah [with her].29
Similarly, if [a yavam] gives a get to his yevamah, and then his brother gives a getto another one of [the deceased's] wives, each brother is forbidden to marry the relatives of the woman to whom he gave the get. Similarly, if [two brothers each] give a ma'amar, one after the other, [each must give a get], as explained.30
When, however, a yavam performs chalitzahwith his yevamah, and afterwards either he or his brother perform chalitzah with another of [the deceased's] wives, or two yevamim perform chalitzah with the same yevamah, the second chalitzah is of no consequence, and the brother who performed it is not forbidden to marry the woman's relatives.31 It is just as if he performed chalitzah with another woman who is not under obligation to him.
טו
כיצד יבם שנתן גט ליבמתו וחזר ונתן גט לצרתה ה"ז אסור בקרובות שתיהן. וכן ב' יבמין שנתנו ב' גיטין ליבמה אחת זה אחר זה הרי זו כגרושה לשניהן ושניהן אסורין בקרובותיה ואחד מהן חולץ. וכן אם נתן גט ליבמתו וחזר ונתן אחיו גט לצרתה כל אחד אסור בקרובות זו שנתן לה הגט. וכן אם נתנו מאמר אחר מאמר כמו שבארנו. אבל היבם שחלץ ליבמתו וחזר וחלץ לצרתה בין הוא בין אחיו. וכן שתי יבמין שחלצו זה אחר זה ליבמה אחת אין חליצה אחרונה כלום ואין החולץ אותה באחרונה אסור בקרובותיה שזה כחולץ לשאר הנשים שאין לו עליהן זיקה:
16
Similarly, when a man engages in relations with his yevamah,32 and then he or one of his brothers performs chalitzah with her or with one of the other wives [of his deceased brother], this chalitzah is of no consequence.
Similarly, if his brother gave a get to [this yevamah or] any of the other wives [of his deceased brother], it is of no consequence. Nor is it of consequence if one of his brothers gives the woman a ma'amar or engages in relations with her.33 Once the brother engaged in relations with her, he acquired her [as his wife] in a complete manner, and a married woman cannot be consecrated by another man. If, however, one of the brothers gave a ma'amar to one of the other wives [of his deceased brother], or engaged in relations with her, he must release her with a get, as we have explained.34
טז
וכן הבועל יבמתו וחזר בין הוא בין אחיו וחלץ לה או לצרתה אין חליצה זו כלום. וכן אם חזר אחיו ונתן גט לה או לצרתה אינו כלום. חזר אחיו ונתן לה מאמר או בעל לא עשה כלום מאחר שבעל אחיו תחלה קנה קנין גמור ואין הקידושין תופסין באשת איש. אבל אם נתן מאמר לצרתה או בעל צרתה צריכה גט ממנו כמו שבארנו:
17
[The following rules apply when] two yevamim perform yibbum with two yevamot coming from the same household, and it is not known who performed yibbum first.35 Both should divorce [the women] with gittin.36 The women are then permitted to marry other men, but are forbidden to the yevamim.
Consequently, when Reuven lived in Jerusalem and he had two wives, one living in Akko and one living in Tyre, [and two brothers:] Shimon who lived in Akko and Levi who lived in Tyre, if there is a report that Reuven died, according to law it would be proper for neither brother to perform yibbum until he knows what his other brother did. For perhaps he performed yibbum first.
If one of the brothers does perform yibbum, he is not forced to divorce his wife until it is determined that his other brother performed yibbum first.37 If one brother desired to perform chalitzah without waiting to see what his other brother did, he is not prevented from doing so.38
יז
שני יבמין שיבמו שתי יבמות הבאות מבית אחד ולא נודע מי יבם תחלה שניהן יוציאו בגט ויותרו לזרים ואסורות ליבמין. לפיכך ראובן שהיה בירושלים ולו שתי נשים אחת בעכו ואחת בצור ושמעון אחיו בעכו ולוי אחיו בצור ושמעו שמת ראובן הדין נותן שלא ייבם אחד מהן עד שיודע מה עשה אחיו שמא קדם ויבם. קדם אחד מהן ויבם אין מוציאין מידו עד שיודע שאחיו יבם תחלה. רצה האחד לחלוץ קודם שידע מה עשה אחיו אין מונעין אותו:
18
When a yavam who is below the age of majority, [but more than] nine years and one day old, enters into relations [with a yevamah], [the consequence] is equivalent to [that of] a ma'amar given by an adult;39 [the yevamah] is not acquired as a wife in a complete manner.40
When [a yavam who is below the age of majority, but more than] nine years and one day old, gives a ma'amar at the outset, it is effective and causes [the yevamah] to be forbidden to [his brothers] who are past majority. If, however, he gives [the ma'amarafter a ma'amar has been given by his brothers who are past majority, his ma'amar] is of no consequence.
[Similarly,] a get that he gives or chalitzahthat he performs is always of no consequence, whether it precedes [his brothers' actions] or follows them.41
יח
יבם קטן בן תשע שנים ויום אחד ביאתו כמאמר מן הגדול שאינו קונה קנין גמור. ומאמר בן תשע שנים ויום אחד אם נתנו בתחלה מועיל והרי הוא פוסל בו על הגדול אבל אם נתנו בסוף אינו כלום. וגיטו וחליצתו אינם כלום בין בתחלה בין בסוף:
19
What is implied? When a [yavamwho is below the age of majority, but more than] nine years and one day old, engages in relations with his yevamah, or gives her a ma'amar at the outset, he disqualifies her [from performing yibbum] with his other brothers. If, however, [one of the brothers] past majority gave his yevamah a ma'amar, and then [the brother who is below the age of majority, but more than] nine years and one day old, gives her or another one of the wives [of the deceased brother] a ma'amar, his actions are of no consequence, and he does not cause [the yevamah] to be forbidden to his elder brother.42
If, however, [the brother who is below the age of majority, but more than] nine years and one day old engages in relations with her or with another one of the wives of [the deceased brother], he causes [the yevamah] to be forbidden to his elder brother, as would be the case when two [brothers] past majority each gave a ma'amar one after the other, as we have explained.43
יט
כיצד בן תשע שנים ויום אחד שבא על יבמתו או שנתן לה מאמר תחלה פסלה על שאר אחין. אבל אם עשה הגדול מאמר ביבמתו וחזר בן תשע שנים ויום אחד ונתן לה או לצרתה מאמר לא עשה כלום ולא פסלה על אחיו הגדול. חזר בן תשע שנים ויום אחד ובא עליה או על צרתה אחר מאמר אחיו הגדול פסלה על הגדול כשני גדולים שעשו מאמר אחר מאמר כמו שבארנו:
20
When a [yavam who is below the age of majority, but more than] nine years and one day old, has engaged in relations with his yevamah, and then one of his brothers past majority entered into relations with her, performed chalitzah with her, gave her a get, or performed one of these activities with another [one of the deceased brother's] wives, he disqualified the minor [from marrying his yevamah].44
Similarly, if the minor has engaged in relations with another [one of the deceased brother's] wives, or another brother who is also [below the age of majority, but more than] nine years and one day old, has engaged in relations with this woman, or with another [one of the deceased brother's] wives, [the woman with whom the first brother originally engaged in relations] is disqualified [from marrying him], as is the ruling whenever two ma'amarim are given one after the other.
כ
בן תשע שנים ויום אחד שבא על יבמתו וחזר אחיו הגדול ובא עליה או חלץ או נתן גט לה או לצרתה הרי זה פסלה על הקטן. וכן אם חזר הקטן ובא על צרתה או בא אחיו האחר שהוא בן תשע שנים ויום אחד עליה או על צרתה נפסלה עליו כדין כל מאמר ומאמר:
21
When a [yavam who is below the age of majority, but more than] nine years and one day old, engages in relations with his yevamah and then does not engage in relations with her again after he attains majority, [he is] required [to give her] a get and perform chalitzah. The get [is necessary] because the relations in which he engaged are considered equivalent to a ma'amar. The chalitzah [is necessary] in order to permit the woman to marry another man, for she did not engage in relations that established a complete marriage bond.
If [her yavam] engaged in relations with her after he attained majority, all that is required [to enable her to marry another man] is a get.45
כא
בן תשע שנים ויום אחד שבא על יבמתו והגדיל ולא בא עליה משהגדיל צריכה גט וחליצה. גט מפני ביאתו שהיא כמאמר וחליצה להתירה לזר שהרי לא נבעלה בעילה שקונה קנין גמור. ואם בא עליה משהגדיל הרי זו צריכה גט בלבד:
22
[The same laws that apply to a yavam who is below the age of majority, but more than] nine years and one day old [apply to a yavam who] is twenty years old and has not manifested signs of physical maturity, but has also not manifested physical signs of impotency, as explained in the beginning of this book.46
כב
אחד בן תשע שנים ויום אחד. ואחד בן עשרים שנה שלא הביא שתי שערות ולא נולדו בו סימני סריס כמו שבארנו בתחלת הספר:
23
As explained,47 both the consecration of a girl below the age of majority who is fit to leave her husband through the rite of mi'un,48 and [the consecration of a girl who is] a deaf-mute are Rabbinic institutions. Nevertheless, they are two different types of ordinances. [For] the consecration of a minor was ordained so that [men] will not relate to her in an unrestrained manner.49Her consecration is thus tentative until she comes of age. Consecration was ordained for a deaf-mute [for a different reason,] so that she will not remain unmarried forever.
Accordingly, if all the yevamot coming from one household are below majority or all are deaf mutes,50 entering into relations with one of them frees them all from their obligation.51
כג
קטנה שראויה למאן. והחרשת. אף ע"פ שקידושי שתיהן מדברי סופרים כמו שבארנו שני מיני קידושין הן. קטנה יש לה קידושין כדי שלא ינהגו בה מנהג הפקר. וקידושיה תלויין עד שתגדיל. וחרשת תקנו לה נישואין כדי שלא תשאר פנויה לעולם. לפיכך אם היו כל היבמות הבאות מבית אחד קטנות או חרשות ביאתה של אחת מהן פוטרת את כולן:
24
If [by contrast, the deceased was married to] a deaf-mute and a minor, engaging in relations with one does not free the other of her obligation.52
What is the alternative? The minor should be instructed to [nullify her marriage through] mi'un,53 and [a yavam] should marry the deaf-mute.54 If he desires to divorce her, he may write a get for her after they engage in relations.55 She is then permitted [to marry] another man.
כד
היתה אחת חרשת ואחת קטנה אין ביאת אחת מהן פוטרת את צרתה וכיצד תקנתן מלמדין הקטנה שתמאן וכונס את החרשת ואם רצה לגרשה כותב לה גט אחר שיבא עליה ותותר לזר:
25
If one [of the deceased's wives] was mentally competent, and one was a deaf-mute, engaging in relations with the mentally competent woman, or performing chalitzah with her frees the deaf-mute of her obligation. Engaging in relations with the deaf-mute, by contrast, does not free the mentally competent woman [from her obligation]. For the consecration of the deaf-mute is merely a Rabbinic institution.56
Similar [laws apply when one of the deceased wives was] above majority, and one was a minor. Engaging in relations with the woman past majority, or performing chalitzah with her frees the minor of her obligation. Engaging in relations with the minor, by contrast, does not free the woman past majority [from her obligation].
כה
היתה אחת פקחת ואחת חרשת ביאת הפקחת או חליצתה פוטרת החרשת. ואין ביאת החרשת פוטרת הפקחת שאין קידושיה אלא מדבריהן. וכן גדולה וקטנה ביאת הגדולה או חליצתה פוטרת הקטנה ואין ביאת הקטנה פוטרת את הגדולה:
26
[The following rules apply if] both [the deceased's wives] were minors who are entitled to absolve their marriages through mi'un. If the yavam engages in relations with one of them, and then he or one of his brothers engages in relations with the other, this does not disqualify the marriage to the first.57 Nevertheless, we should instruct [the second one] to dissolve her marriage through] mi'un.58 He should then maintain [his marriage] with the minor yevamah with whom he engaged in relations first.
כו
היו שתיהן קטנות הראויות למאן ובא היבם על אחת מהן וחזר ובא או הוא או אחיו על השנייה לא פסל את הראשונה אבל מלמדין את השנייה שתמאן ויקיים זה יבמתו הקטנה שנבעלה תחלה:
27
Similar laws apply if [the deceased was married to] a minor and a deaf-mute. If the yavam first enters into relations with the minor, and then he or one of his brothers engages in relations with the deaf-mute, this does not disqualify the marriage to the minor. The deaf-mute, however, must be divorced via a get.59
[The rationale is that] the relations with the minor are considered superior to relations with the deaf-mute, for ultimately the minor will be fit [to enter into a marriage bond that is binding according to Scriptural law]. Therefore, he should maintain his relationship with the minor with whom he engaged in relations first.60
כז
וכן הדין בקטנה וחרשת שבא היבם תחלה על הקטנה וחזר ובא הוא או אחיו על החרשת לא פסל את הקטנה והחרשת צריכה גט. שביאת הקטנה מעולה מביאת החרשת. שהקטנה ראויה לאחר זמן לפיכך יקיים הקטנה שנבעלה תחלה:
28
[In the above situation,] if the yavam first enters into relations with the deaf-mute, and then he or one of his brothers engages in relations with the minor, this disqualifies the marriage to the deaf-mute.61 We should instruct the minor to dissolve her marriage through] mi'un;62the deaf-mute must be divorced with a get.63
כח
בא היבם תחלה על החרשת וחזר ובא הוא או אחיו על הקטנה פסל את החרשת. ומלמדין הקטנה שתמאן והחרשת יוצאת בגט:
29
[The following rules apply if the deceased was married to] a mentally competent woman and a deaf-mute. If the yavam engaged in relations with the mentally competent woman, and then he or one of his brothers engages in relations with the deaf-mute, this does not disqualify the marriage to the mentally competent woman.64 The deaf-mute, however, must be divorced via a get.65
If the yavam first enters into relations with the deaf-mute, and then he or one of his brothers engages in relations with the mentally competent woman, this disqualifies the marriage to the deaf-mute.66 The deaf-mute must be divorced with a get, and the mentally competent woman should receive both a get and chalitzah.67
כט
היו אחת פקחת ואחת חרשת. בא היבם על הפקחת וחזר ובא הוא או אחיו על החרשת לא פסל את הפקחת והחרשת צריכה גט. בא היבם על החרשת וחזר הוא או אחיו ובא על הפקחת פסל את החרשת והחרשת יוצאה בגט. והפקחת בגט ובחליצה:
30
[The following rules apply if the deceased was married to] a woman past the age of majority and one below the age of majority. [If the yavam] first enters into relations with the woman past majority, and then he or one of his brothers engages in relations with the minor, this does not disqualify the marriage to the woman past majority.68 We should, however, instruct the minor to dissolve her marriage through mi'un.69
If he first enters into relations with the minor, and then he or one of his brothers engages in relations with the woman past majority, we should instruct the minor to dissolve her marriage through mi'un,70 and he should remain married to the woman past majority. [The rationale is that] relations with her establish a fully binding marriage bond.
ל
היו גדולה וקטנה ובא על הגדולה וחזר הוא או אחיו ובא על הקטנה לא פסל הגדולה ומלמדין את הקטנה שתמאן. בא על הקטנה וחזר ובא הוא או אחיו על הגדולה. מלמדין את הקטנה שתמאן ויקיים הגדולה שבעילתה קונה קנין גמור:
FOOTNOTES
1.
This refers to a get given before the brother made a statement of intent to marry the yevamah (ma'amar). See Halachot 4 and 5.
2.
See Chapter 2, Halachah 1.
3.
In his Commentary on the Mishnah (Yevamot 3:5), the Rambam writes that at the outset, the get should precede the chalitzah.
4.
I.e., the get nullifies the kiddushin brought about by the ma'amar.
5.
Whenever the Rambam uses the expression "It appears to me," he is referring to a ruling that is not specifically mentioned in the Talmud. In this instance, Rashi (Yevamot 32a, 52a) agrees with the Rambam, but the Ra'avad and Tosafot differ and maintain that if the yavam who gave her the ma'amar and the get desires, he may still perform yibbum with her. The Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 170:15) quotes both opinions, but appears to favor that of the Rambam.
6.
In Halachah 1. The Rambam is adding that even if the yavam had already given the yevamah a ma'amar, this ruling still applies.
If the yavam gives a get without specifying the reason, we assume that his intent is to sever his connection with the yevamah and not merely to nullify his ma'amar (Rashi, Yevamot 32a; Ramah, Even HaEzer 170:15).
7.
Once a yavam has performed chalitzah, neither he nor his brothers may perform yibbum afterwards. Similarly, once a get has been given, the yavamis obligated to perform chalitzah and may not perform yibbum. Since yibbum is not relevant, the ma'amar is not acceptable.
8.
For only one of the wives of the deceased brother may be married by a yavam, as stated in Chapter 1, Halachah 9.
9.
Since a ma'amar does not complete the bond between the yavam and the yevamah, the connection between them can be disqualified because of undesirable actions, such as those mentioned by the Rambam.
10.
Although the ma'amar that follows the relations is nullified, the marriage bond established by the relations remains in effect (Rav David Arameah).
11.
This ma'amar is disqualified by the actions that follow it.
12.
This ma'amar is disqualified by the actions that preceded it.
13.
Although the ma'amar is unacceptable and yibbum is not allowed, a get is necessary (from both brothers, when two ma'amarim are involved), nevertheless, to nullify the kiddushin. Afterwards, one of the brothers should perform chalitzah to enable the woman to marry another man.
14.
According to Rabbinic law, the yavam should give the yevamah a ma'amarbefore entering into relations with her. Nevertheless, after the fact, if he failed to give her such a ma'amar, their relations still establish a marriage bond between them that the Sages allowed to continue.
15.
In all these instances, the yavam must divorce the yevamah with a get, because of their relations in which they engaged, and also perform chalitzah because of his original obligation to her. Similarly, he and/or his brothers must give a get to any of his deceased brother's other wives if she was given a ma'amar in such an instance (Maggid Mishneh, based on Yevamot 50b).
16.
See Halachah 12. See also Chapter 7, Halachah 9, from which it is apparent that whenever a yavam cannot perform yibbum with his yevamah, the chalitzah he performs with her is deemed "inferior."
17.
I.e., the deceased was married to many wives.
18.
I.e., as mentioned above, unacceptable relations and/or an unacceptable ma'amar have an effect and nullify the possibility of performing yibbum with any of the deceased's other wives.
19.
There is a question among the commentaries if the word "each" is included in the text of the Mishneh Torah or not. The Maggid Mishneh maintains that this word should be included in the text. According to his interpretation, even if the yavam performs chalitzah with one of the deceased's wives who did not receive a ma'amar or engage in relations with the yavam, this chalitzah does not remove the obligation from the deceased's other wives, and each of them must perform chalitzah.
The Lechem Mishneh differs and maintains that the word "each" is a later addition. (And indeed most authoritative manuscripts and early printings of the Mishneh Torah substantiate this contention.) According to this view, if the yavam performs chalitzah with one of the deceased's wives who did not receive a ma'amar or engage in relations with the yavam, this chalitzahremoves the obligation from the deceased's other wives, and none of them is required to perform chalitzah.
Even according to this view, if the yavam performs chalitzah with the yevamah who received an unacceptable ma'amar or engaged in unacceptable relations, this chalitzah does not remove the obligation from the deceased's other wives, and each of them must perform chalitzah.
The Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 170:19) quotes the Maggid Mishneh'sinterpretation of the Rambam's ruling, but mentions that other authorities differ.
20.
In which instance she is forbidden to him by Rabbinic decree, as stated in Chapter 1, Halachah 12.
21.
I.e., consecrating the woman by engaging in sexual relations with her, as stated in Hilchot Ishut 1:2.
22.
In which case the relations with the second yevamah violate a positive commandment of the Torah, as stated in Chapter 1, Halachah 12.
23.
For even when the relations violate a Rabbinic prohibition or a positive commandment, a marriage bond is effected, as stated in Hilchot Ishut 4:14.
24.
Halachah 2.
25.
As mentioned in Halachah 1, it is only through chalitzah that the connection is completely dissolved.
26.
As explained in the following halachah.
27.
The intent is that the relations are of no consequence with regard to the laws of yibbum. They are, however, adulterous relations, and if the yevamahengages in them willingly, she is not permitted to remain married to her husband.
28.
A person is forbidden to marry the women who are closely related to his divorcee. In this instance, although neither of these gittin is necessary, the prohibition is still applied in both cases.
In this instance, both women are required to perform chalitzah in order to marry another man. See Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 170:5).
29.
Both brothers are not required to perform chalitzah in order for her to be permitted to marry others. Performing chalitzah with her does not, however, cause the deceased's other wives to become permitted, as explained in Halachot 11 and 12.
30.
See Halachah 13.
31.
As mentioned in Chapter 1, Halachah 14, the same relatives who are forbidden to a man who divorces his wife are forbidden to a man who performs chalitzah.
32.
This refers to "acceptable relations," as stated in Halachah 11. If the relations are "unacceptable," different laws apply (Maggid Mishneh).
33.
If, however, the yevamah engages in these relations willingly, she must be divorced by her husband for committing adultery.
34.
See Halachah 13.
35.
I.e., the deceased left two or more wives and was survived by two or more brothers. One brother decided to perform yibbum with one of the widows. Unknowingly, another brother decided to perform yibbum with another widow, and it is not known who performed yibbum first.
36.
For the marriage of one of them is sinful, transgressing a positive commandment. Since it cannot be determined whose marriage is sinful, both are required to divorce.
See also the Beit Yosef (Even HaEzer 170), who quotes a responsum of the geonim that also requires that one of the brothers perform chalitzah. The rationale is that perhaps one of the brothers gave his yevamah a ma'amar, and then the other one performed yibbum. Since these are "unacceptable relations," chalitzah is also necessary, as explained above.
37.
For it is not known that his brother performed yibbum, and even if he did perform yibbum, perhaps he did so after this brother performed yibbum. Since there are several doubts involved (םפק םפקא), the yavam is not forced to divorce until he has determined that his brother has also performed yibbum.
38.
The commentaries have questioned this ruling, based on Chapter 3, Halachah 16, which requires a woman to wait until she discovers what has taken place overseas, lest the chalitzah be unnecessary, she discover that fact and marry a priest and an onlooker not know all the details of the situation. Such a scenario could also happen in the present situation.
There are commentaries that try to reconcile the Rambam's ruling. For example, Mishneh LaMelech explains that in the present instance, the doubt could be protracted indefinitely, while in the previous case, everything is dependent on a woman's giving birth, and the matter can be clarified after nine months. Nevertheless, because of these objections, the Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 170:20) does not mention this element of the Rambam's ruling.
39.
As mentioned in Chapter 1, Halachah 15 (and Hilchot Ishut 11:3), when a boy over nine years old enters into sexual relations with a woman, his actions are considered of consequence in certain contexts.
The Maggid Mishneh and Rashi (Kiddushin 19a) explain that when a minor above nine years old enters into relations with a woman, he acquires her as his wife according to Scriptural law. (Nevertheless, if another man enters into relations with her, the other man is not executed for committing adultery.) Our Sages, however, reduced the level of connection established and caused their marriage bond to have only the effectiveness of a ma'amar.
[The rationale why yibbum performed by a minor is effective although a minor does not possess the intellectual maturity to take responsibility for his conduct is that we find that yibbum does not require intent at all; what is significant is the act of sexual relations. (See Chapter 2, Halachah 3.)]
Tosafot differ and maintain that, in this context, the relations of a nine-year old are of no consequence according to Scriptural law. Nevertheless, the Rabbis enforced a stringency and considered these relations to be equivalent to a ma'amar.
40.
This concept is illustrated in the halachah that follows, as is another consequence of the principle that the sexual relations that this youth engages in are considered equivalent to a ma'amar given by an adult.
41.
As mentioned in Chapter 4, Halachah 16, chalitzah performed by a minor is of no consequence, because the passage concerning chalitzah explicitly mentions an איש - i.e., a male past majority. Since chalitzah performed by a minor is of no consequence, a get given by him is of no consequence, because the disqualification caused by a get is an extension by the Rabbis of the Scriptural prohibition caused by chalitzah.
Significantly, the Rambam's statements here represent a reversal of his ruling in his Commentary on the Mishnah (Yevamot 10:6), in which he rules that a get given by a minor does disqualify a yevamah from performing yibbum with the minor's brothers.
42.
Had the younger brother been past the age of majority, he would have disqualified the yevamah from performing yibbum with his older brother, as stated in Halachot 7 and 14.
43.
See Halachot 7 and 14.
44.
Since the minor's relations possess only the strength of a ma'amar, their effectiveness can be nullified by the actions of an older brother.
45.
For the relations in which they engaged after the yavam attained majority complete the marriage bond.
46.
As explained in Hilchot Ishut 2:11, a male who does not manifest signs of impotency is considered a minor until he attains the age of 35.
47.
See Hilchot Ishut 4:7-9.
48.
As explained in Hilchot Ishut 4:7 and Hilchot Gerushin 11:1, when a girl's father died and she is below the age of majority, our Sages ordained that her mother and/or brothers can arrange a marriage for her. This marriage is not binding according to Scriptural law. Accordingly, when creating this option, our Sages gave the girl the possibility of nullifying the marriage before she reaches majority merely by making a verbal statement.
49.
If, however, she marries, they would respect the limits of modesty and her husband would protect her (Yevamot 112b).
50.
If, however, one is a mentally capable woman past the age of majority, yibbum or chalitzah should be performed with her - for her marriage is binding according to Scriptural law - and not with those whose marriage is binding only by virtue of a Rabbinic ordinance.
51.
For their marriage bonds all share the same status.
52.
The marriage relationship of each one possesses an advantage over the other. The marriage with the minor, had it not been interrupted, could have blossomed into a marriage bond binding according to Scriptural law. On the other hand, there is an advantage to the marriage to the deaf-mute, because the minor had the option of ending her marriage at will, while that of the deaf-mute was binding. As evident from Halachot 27 and 28, the marriage to the minor is preferable.
53.
For just as she can dissolve her relationship with her husband while he is alive, she can nullify it afterwards, freeing herself from any obligation to the yavam (Hilchot Gerushin 11:3).
The Ra'avad differs and maintains that a minor is permitted to free herself from an obligation to the yavam through mi'un only when this facilitates the establishment of a marriage bond that is binding according to Scriptural law. (See Halachah 30 and Chapter 7, Halachah 15.) In this instance, however, she is not given the privilege. Instead, she must wait until she attains majority and then perform chalitzah. The Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 171:1) quotes the Rambam's view.
54.
Since the deaf-mute is not considered responsible for her actions, she cannot perform chalitzah. She must either perform yibbum or remain unmarried for the remainder of her life.
If the yavam performs yibbum with the minor, he may not perform yibbumwith the deaf-mute, for he is permitted to perform yibbum only with one of his deceased brother's wives.
55.
The deaf-mute is not considered responsible for her actions. Nevertheless, since according to Scriptural and Talmudic law a get may be given without the woman's consent, the divorce is binding (Hilchot Gerushin 10:23).
56.
And performing yibbum with a woman who is consecrated only according to Rabbinic law does not free a woman who is consecrated according to Scriptural law from her obligation.
57.
For, as mentioned in Halachah 14, after a yavam engages in relations with his yevamah, their relationship cannot be disqualified.
58.
If the second wife does not perform mi'un, her consecration is also binding. Nevertheless, it involves the violation of a positive commandment. Moreover, a get is required for nullifying this marriage, and she becomes forbidden to the priesthood. If, however, she dissolves her marriage through mi'un, a get is not required.
59.
For relations with her are forbidden, and yet her consecration is binding.
60.
Although the Ra'avad differs with the Rambam and maintains that it is forbidden to remain married to the minor, the Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer171:7) follows the Rambam's ruling.
61.
For the marriage to the minor is preferable to that of the deaf-mute.
62.
Since the yavam entered into relations with the deaf-mute first, he is not able to remain married to the minor. She should therefore dissolve her obligation to him through mi'un. The Sages preferred this option rather than having her wait until she attains majority and receives a get and chalitzah, because of the impression that the latter process might create (Or Sameach). Moreover, far fewer legal details are involved (Kin'at Eliyahu).
Note the Tur (Even HaEzer 171), which interprets the Ra'avad's comments on this halachah as implying that the yavam should remain married to the minor. The Tur does not accept this view.
63.
Once the minor has performed mi'un, it appears that there is no obligation for the deaf-mute to be divorced, for the minor has uprooted her connection to her deceased husband, and as such, the relations with her seemingly should not affect the status of the deaf-mute. Nevertheless, our Sages ruled that the deaf-mute must be divorced, as a penalty, because the yavamshould have waited to engage in relations with her until the minor performed mi'un (Or Sameach).
The Tur (loc. cit) differs and maintains that the yavam may remain married to the deaf-mute. The Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 171:8) quotes the Rambam's view, while the Ramah mentions that of the Tur.
64.
For her marriage was established through "acceptable relations." Even if the other wife of the deceased was mentally competent, relations with her would not disqualify the yavam's marriage to the first yevamah.
65.
Because the relations with her consecrated her. Nevertheless, continuing this marriage involves a prohibition.
66.
Since the marriage to the mentally competent woman is binding according to Scriptural law, it supersedes the marriage to the deaf-mute.
67.
She must be divorced, because the relations with the deaf-mute cause relations with her to be considered as "unacceptable relations." Therefore, she must receive a get to nullify the consecration brought about by the relations, and chalitzah to nullify her obligation to her yavam.
68.
For these are "acceptable relations."
69.
Since the yavam entered into relations with the woman past majority first, he is not able to remain married to the minor. She should therefore dissolve her obligation to him through mi'un, rather than having her receive a get, because in this manner she is not disqualified from the priesthood.
70.
In this way, the minor dissolves all connection to the yavam, and there is no prohibition against his remaining married to the woman past majority. This option is preferred so that the yavam will have performed an act of yibbumthat is binding according to Scriptural law.
Rambam
Rambam - 3 Chapters a Day
Genevah - Chapter Seven, Genevah - Chapter Eight, Genevah - Chapter Nine
Shabbat, 19 Sivan 5778 / June 2, 2018

Genevah - Chapter Seven

1
When a person weighs for a colleague using weights that are less than the weights accepted by the people in that country, or he measures using a measure that contains less than the measure used by people in that country, he violates a negative commandment,, as Leviticus 19:35 states: "Do not act deceitfully with regard to a judgment concerning measures, weights and liquid measures."
א
השוקל א לחבירו ממשקלות חסרות מן המשקל שהסכימו עליו בני אותה המדינה. או המודד במדה חסרה מהמדה שהסכימו עליה הרי זה עובר בלא תעשה שנאמר לא תעשו עול במשפט במדה במשקל ובמשורה:
2
Although a person who measures with an inaccurate measure or weight is a thief, he is not required to make a double payment of the stolen amount. All that is necessary is to give the proper measure of the article that was sold. Lashes are not given for the violation of this transgression, because the thief is obligated to make financial restitution.
ב
אע"פ שהמודד ב או השוקל חסר גונב אינו משלם לו תשלומי כפל אלא משלם לו המדה או המשקל. ואין לוקין על לא וזה מפני שהוא חייב בתשלומין:
3
Whoever possesses an imperfect measure or weight in his home or store violates a negative commandment, as Deuteronomy 25:13 states: "You shall not have in your pocket two sets of weights...." One may not even use the imperfect measure as a chamber pot. For even if one does not use the imperfect measure oneself to buy and to sell, another person who does not know that it is imperfect may come and use it as a measure.
Lashes are not administered for the violation of this transgression, because it does not involve a deed.
ג
כל מי שמשהה בביתו או בחנותו מדה חסרה או משקל חסר עובר בלא תעשה שנאמר לא יהיה לך בכיסך וגו'. ואפילו לעשות המדה עביט של מימי רגלים אסור. שאע"פ שאין זה לוקח ומוכר בה שמא יבא מי שאינו יודע שהיא חסרה וימדוד בה. ואין לוקין על לאו זה שהרי אין בו מעשה:
4
If a standard seal was affixed to all the measures and weights in a city, and the imperfect measure did not have such a seal, it is permitted to leave it for other household purposes.
Similarly, when a sela became blemished at its side, a person should not use it as a weight, nor should he cast it among his pieces of scrap metal, nor should he drill a hole in it and hang it around his son's neck, lest another person come and make it appear as a weight. Instead, one should grind it into powder, cut it into small pieces, pulverize it, or throw it into the Dead Sea.
ד
היו המדות והמשקלות של בני העיר חתומות בחותם ידוע וזו המדה או המשקל החסרים בלא חותם. הרי זה מותר לשהותם לשאר תשמישי הבית. כיוצא בזה סלע שנפגמה מן הצד לא יעשנה משקל בין משקלותיו ולא יזרקנה בין גרוטותיו ולא יקבנה ויתלנה בצואר בנו שמא יבא אחר ויעשנה משקל. אלא או ישחוק או יחתוך או יקוץ או ישליך לים המלח:
5
If the size of a sela was reduced to the extent that it was halved, it may be used. If it was reduced to less than half or more than half, it should be cut until it becomes a half.
If it was reduced by less than one sixth of its worth, it may be used for buying and selling, but not as a weight. The reason it may be used is that most people will forgo any loss that is less than a sixth.
ה
חסרה ועמדה על מחצה יקיים. עמדה על פחות ממחצה או על יתר ממחצה יקוץ עד שיעמידנה על מחצה. ואם לא חסרה אלא פחות משתות יקיים לשאת ולתת בה אבל לא למשקל.של פחות משתות רוב בני אדם מוחלין בו במשא ומתן:
6
When a sela is damaged in its center, it may not be sold to a killer or a thief, for they may use it to deceive others. One may, however, place a hole in its center and hang it around a child's neck.
ו
סלע שנפגמה באמצע אסור למכרה להרג או לחרם מפני שמרמין בה את אחרים. אבל נוקבה ותולה אותה בצואר הקטן.
7
A person should make his measures the size of a se'ah, half a se'ah and a quarter of a se'ah, a kav, half a kav, a quarter of a kav, an eighth of a kav and a twenty-fourth of a kav. He should not, however, make a measure of two kabbim], lest it be mistaken for a quarter of a se'ah, which is a kav and a half.
Similarly, with regard to liquid measure, one should make a hin, half a hin, a third of a hin, a quarter of a hin, a log, half a log, a quarter of a log, an eighth of a log and a sixty-fourth of a log.
The Sages did not forbid one from making a third of a hin and a quarter of a hin, although they could be confused with each other, because there were such measures in the Sanctuary from the time of Moses our teacher onward.
ז
עושה אדם מדותיו סאה וחצי סאה ורובע סאה. וקב וחצי קב ורובע הקב וחצי הרובע ושמינית הרובע. אבל לא יעשה קבים שלא תתחלף ברובע הסאה שהוא קב ומחצה. וכן במדות הלח עושה הין וחצי הין ושלישית ההין ורביעית ההין. ולוג וחצי [א] לוג ורביעית ושמינית ואחד בשמונה בשמינית. ולא אסרו לעשות שלישית הין ורביעית הין אף על פי שמתחלפין זה בזה הואיל והיו במקדש מימות משה רבינו:
8
Whether a person deals with a Jew or a gentile, if he measures or weighs with a measure that is lacking, he transgresses a negative commandment and is obligated to return the difference.
Similarly, it is forbidden to deceive a gentile with regard to an account; instead, one must reckon carefully with him, as Leviticus 25:50 states: "You should reckon with his purchaser."
This applies with regard to a gentile who is under your control; surely it applies to one who is not under your control. A person who performs such deceit is included among those about whom Deuteronomy 25:16 says: "They are an abomination unto God, all who do these things, all who act crookedly."
ח
אחד הנושא ג והנותן עם ישראל או עם עכו"ם אם מדד או שקל בחסר עובר על לא תעשה וחייב להחזיר. וכן אסור להטעות את [ב] העכו"ם בחשבון אלא ידקדק עמו שנאמר וחשב עם קונהו אע"פ שהוא כבוש תחת ידיך. קל וחומר לעכו"ם שאינו כבוש תחת ידיך. והרי הוא בכלל כי תועבת ה' אלהיך כל עושה אלה כל עושה עול מכל מקום:
9
Similar principles apply regarding the measurement of land. If a person deceives a colleague with regard to the measurement of land, he transgresses a negative commandment, as implied by Leviticus 19:35: "Do not act deceitfully with regard to a judgment concerning measures...."
"Measures" refers to the measurement of land. The verse is saying that one should not act deceitfully with regard to any judgment, be it a judgment concerning measures, one of weights or one involving a tiny liquid measure, the size of a mesurah.
ט
וכן במדת הקרקע אם הטעה את חבירו במשיחת הקרקע עובר בלא תעשה שנאמר לא תעשו עול במשפט במדה. במדה זו מדת הקרקע. וכן הוא ענין פסוק זה לא תעשו עול במשפט. לא במשפט המשקל ולא במשפט המדה אפילו מדה קטנה כמשורה:
10
When the members of a company are exact in their dealings with each other, and they exchange one portion of a sacrificial offering for another, or they borrow food and then return its equivalent, they transgress the prohibition against false measures, false weights and false amounts if they do not return the exact amount. If the exchange takes place on a festival, it is also a transgression of the prohibition against borrowing and repaying on a festival.
י
בני חבורה המקפידים זה על זה שהחליפו חלק בחלק או לוה ממנו מאכל והחזיר לו. עוברין משום מדה ומשום משקל ומשום מנין ומשום לוין ופורעין ביום טוב:
11
A person who usurps the property boundaries of a colleague and includes even a fingerbreadth of a colleague's landed property in his own property transgresses. If he acts openly, by the power of force, he is a robber. If he acts with stealth, he is a thief.
If he usurps a colleague's property in Eretz Yisrael, he transgresses two negative commandments: the prohibition against either theft or robbery, and the prohibition against moving a property boundary. One is liable for the transgression of this negative commandment only in Eretz Yisrael, for Deuteronomy 19:14 states: "Do not usurp the property boundaries of a colleague... in the heritage that you will acquire...."
יא
המסיג גבול רעהו והכניס מתחום חבירו בתוך תחומו אפילו מלוא אצבע. אם בחזקה עשה הרי זה גזלן. ואם הסיג בסתר הרי זה גנב. ואם בארץ ישראל הסיג הגבול הרי זה עובר בשני לאוין בלאו גניבה או בלאו גזילה ובלאו לא תסיג ואין חייב בלאו זה אלא בארץ שנאמר בנחלתך אשר תנחל:
12
The punishment for the person who uses false measures is greater than the punishment for licentious sexual behavior, for this is a sin between a person and his colleague, and this is a sin between a person and God.
Whoever denies the mitzvah of just measures is considered as if he denied the exodus from Egypt, which is the first of God's commandments. Conversely, one who accepts the mitzvah of just measures is considered as if he acknowledges the exodus from Egypt, which brought about all of God's commandments.
יב
קשה עונשן של מדות יתר מעונשן של עריות שזה בינו לבין המקום וזה בינו לבין חבירו. וכל הכופר במצות מדות ככופר ביציאת מצרים שהיא תחילת הצווי. וכל המקבל עליו מצות מדות הרי זה מודה ביציאת מצרים שהיא גרמה לכל הצוויין:

Genevah - Chapter Eight

1
It is a positive commandment to correct the scales, weights and measures carefully and to be exact in their measure when making them, as Leviticus 19:36 states: "You shall have correct scales...."
Similarly, with regard to the measurement of land, one must be exact according to the principles of geometry. Even a fingerbreadth of land is considered to be a great loss, as if it were filled with saffron.
א
מצות עשה לצדק המאזנים והמשקלות והמדות יפה יפה ולדקדק בחשבונן בשת עשייתן שנאמר מאזני צדק וגו'. וכן במדת הקרקע צריך לדקדק בחשבון משיחת הקרקע על פי העיקרים המתבארים בכתבי הגימטריא. שאפילו מלוא אצבע מן הקרקע רואין אותה כאילו היא מליאה כרכום:
2
The four cubits that are next to an irrigation ditch need not be measured carefully, and those that are next to a river bank are not measured at all, for they belong to the public domain.
ב
ארבע אמות הסמוכין לחריץ מזלזלין במשיחתן והסמוכים לשפת הנהר אין מושחין אותן כלל מפני שהן של בני רשות הרבים:
3
A person who measures land should not measure the portion of one partner in the summer and of the other in the winter, because a rope will contract in the summer. Therefore, if the measurement was made with a rod, with iron chains or with the like, the differences in season are of no consequence.
ג
והמודד את הקרקע ב לא ימוד לאחד בימות החמה ולאחד בימות הגשמים מפני שהחבל מתקצר בימות החמה. לפיכך אם מדד בקנה או בשלשלת של ברזל וכיוצא בהם אין בכך כלום:
4
Weights should not be made of iron, lead or other metals of that nature, for they rust and become reduced in weight. One should make them from marble, glass, diamond and the like.
ד
אין עושים ג משקלות לא של ברזל ולא של עופרת ולא של שאר מיני מתכות כאלו מפני שמעלין [א] חלודה ומתחסרין. אבל עושין של צחיח סלע ושל זכוכית ושל אבן שוהם וכיוצא בהן:
5
The stick used to level the top of a dry measure should not be made of a gourd, because it is too light, nor of metal, because it is too heavy. Instead, it should be made of olive wood, walnut, box wood, sycamore wood or the like.
ה
אין עושין את המחק לא של דלעת מפני שהוא מיקל ולא של מתכת מפני שהוא מכביד. אבל עושהו של זית ושל אגוזים ושל שקמה ושל אשכרוע וכיוצא בהן:
6
The stick used to level the top of a dry measure should not be made with one side narrow and one side thick. One should not level a measure slowly, bit by bit, for in doing so the seller is cheated, nor should it be leveled in one fell swoop, for by doing so the purchaser is cheated.
ו
אין עושין את המחק צדו אחד קצר וצדו אחד עבה. ולא ימחוק מעט מעט מפני שמפחיתו למוכר. ולא ימחוק בבת אחת מפני שמפחיתו ללוקח:
7
One may not bury weights in salt so that their weight will be reduced, nor may one heat while measuring a liquid.
This applies even if the measure is very small, for the Torah was concerned with even the slightest deviation from an honest measure, as implied by the mention of a mesurah in Leviticus 19:35. A mesurah is a very tiny measure, merely a thirty-third of a log.
ז
אין טומנין את המשקלות במלח כדי [ב] שיפחתו. ולא ירתיח במדת הלח בעת שמודד. ואפילו היתה המדה קטנה ביותר. שהרי התורה הקפידה על המדות בכל שהוא שנאמר ובמשורה והיא מדה אחת קנה משלשים ושלשה בלוג:
8
Sellers of scrap iron and the like should construct the scale they use in the following manner. The balance that the person who is weighing holds in his hands should hang freely in the air for at least three handbreadths, and should be three handbreadths above the ground. The length of the center pole and the length of the cables should be twelve handbreadths.
ח
מוכרי עששיות של ברזל וכיוצא בהן צריך להיות חוטי המאזנים שאוחז השוקל בידו תלוי באויר שלשה טפחים וגבוהין מן הארץ שלשה טפחים ואורך קני המאזנים ואורך החוטים שנים עשר טפח:
9
A scale used by wool merchants and glass merchants should be constructed in the following manner. The balance should hang freely in the air for at least two handbreadths and should be two handbreadths above the ground. The length of the center pole and the length of the cables should be nine handbreadths.
ט
מאזנים של מוכרי צמר ושל מוכרי זכוכית יהיה אורך החוטים שהן תלויין בו שני טפחים וגבוהין מן הארץ שני טפחים והקנה והחוטין ארכן תשעה טפחים:
10
A scale used by an ordinary storekeeper and a house-owner should be constructed in the following manner. The balance should hang freely in the air for at least one handbreadth, and should be one handbreadth above the ground. The length of the center pole and the length of the cables should be six handbreadths.
י
מאזנים של חנוני ושל בעל הבית יהיה אורך החוט שהן תלויים בו טפח וגבוהין מן הארץ טפח והקנה והחוטין ארכן ששה טפחים:
11
The cables on which the balance is hung, and similarly the cables of the scales used to weigh gold and used by merchants of purple fabric should be three fingerbreadths long and should be three fingerbreadths above the ground. No standard measure was given for the length of the balance and the length of its chains; it depends on the desire of the person doing the weighing.
יא
החוט שתולין בו הפלס וכן חוט מאזנים של זהב ושל מוכרי ארגמן טוב ארכו שלש אצבעות וגבוהין מן הארץ שלש אצבעות ואורך הפלס ואורך השלשלאות שלו כפי מה שהוא רוצה:
12
What is the source that teaches us that one must tip the balance in favor of the purchaser when his purchase is being weighed for him? Deuteronomy 25:15 states: "You shall have a perfect and just weight." The Torah's statements can be interpreted to mean: "Justify your balance from what you have and give it to him."
יב
מנין שחייב המוכר להכריע ללוקח בעת ששוקל לו שנאמר אבן שלמה וצדק יהיה לך אמרה תורה צדק משלך ותן לו:
13
How much should the seller tip in the purchaser's favor? With regard to liquid measure, one hundredth of the amount purchased. With regard to dry measure, one four-hundredth of the amount purchased.
What is implied? If he sold him ten pounds of a liquid measure, he should give him one tenth of a pound as an extra amount. If he sold him twenty pounds of a dry measure, he should give him an extra twentieth of a pound. This ratio should be followed regardless of whether the amounts involved are great or small.
יג
וכמה בלח אחד למאה וביבש אחד לארבע מאות. כיצד מכר לו [ג] עשר ליטרא לח נותן לו *גירומין אחד מעשרה בליטרא. ואם מכר לו עשרים ליטרין יבש נותן לו גירומיו אחד מעשרים בליטרא. וכן לפי חשבון זה בין רב בין מעט:
14
When does the above apply? In a place where it is customary to sell by looking at the scale. In a place where it is customary actually to tip the balance, one must tip it at least a handbreadth in favor of the purchaser.
יד
במה דברים אמורים ב במקום שנהגו למכור עין בעין. אבל במקום שנהגו להכריע חייב להכריע לו טפח:
15
If the seller had to weigh ten pounds for the purchaser, the purchaser should not say: "Weigh them out one at a time and tip the balance each time." Instead, the seller may weigh out all ten at once and tip the balance only once for the entire amount.
טו
היה שוקל לו עשר ליטרים לא יאמר לו שקול אחת אחת והכרע אלא שוקל לו עשרה בבת אחת והכרע אחד לכולן:
16
In a place where it is customary to measure with a small measure, one should not measure with a large one. In a place where it is customary to measure with a large measure, one should not measure with a small one.
Where it is customary to even off the measure, one should not sell a heaping measure and raise the price, nor where it is customary to give a heaping measure should one sell a level measure and reduce the price. Instead, one should measure according to the local custom.
טז
מקום שנהגו למוד בדקה לא ימוד בגסה. בגסה לא ימוד בדקה. למחוק לא יגדוש ויוסיף בדמים. וכן אם נהגו לגדוש לא ימחוק ויפחות מן הדמים אלא מודד כמנהג המדינה:
17
When the inhabitants of a locale desire to increase the size of the measures or weights, they should not increase them more than a sixth. For example, if a kav held five measures, they may establish it as holding six. They should not, however, establish it as holding more than six.
יז
בני מדינה שרצו להוסיף על המדות או על המשקלות לא יוסיפו יתר על שתות. שאם היה הקב מכיל חמשה ועשאוהו מכיל ששה הרשות בידן. יתר על ששה לא יעשו:
18
A wholesale merchant must clean his measures once every 30 days. A house-owner must do this every twelve months, and a storekeeper twice a week. Once a week, he must wash his weights, and he should clean the balance after every time that he weighs, so that it will not rust.
יח
הסיטון מקנח תמדותיו אחת לשלשים יום. [ד] ובעל הבית אחת לשנים עשר חדש. והחנוני מקנחן פעמים בשבת. וממחה משקלותיו פעם אחת בשבת ומקנח מאזנים על כל משקל ומשקל כדי שלא יחלידו:
19
A person who desires to weigh three-fourths of a pound of meat should place a pound weight on one side of the balance and place the meat and a quarter-pound weight in the other side of the balance. If one said that he should place a half-pound weight and a quarter-pound weight on one side and the meat on the other side, it is possible that the quarter-pound weight will fall without being seen by the purchaser.
יט
המבקש לשקול שלשה רביעי ליטרא נותן ליטרא בכף מאזנים והבשר ורביע ליטרא בכף שניה שאם אתה אומר נותן חצי ליטרא ורביע ליטרא בכף אחת שמא יפול רביע הליטרא ואין הלוקח רואהו:
20
The court is obligated to appoint police in every city and town to inspect the stores periodically, correct the scales and measures, and set the prices. They are permitted to beat any person who possesses an unjust measure or weight or an improper balance according to his capacity, and to fine him as the court sees fit to enforce the matter.
Whenever a person raises prices and sells at a higher price, he may be beaten and compelled to sell at the ordinary market price.
כ
חייבין בית דין [ה] להעמיד שוטרים ד בכל מדינה ומדינה ובכל פלך ופלך שיהיו מחזרין על החנויות ומצדקין את המאזנים ואת המדות ופוסקין השערים. וכל מי שנמצא עמו משקל חסר או מדה חסרה או מאזנים מקולקלין יש להם רשות להכותו כפי כחו ולקנסו כפי ראות בית דין לחזק הדבר. וכל מי שמפקיע את השער ומוכר ביוקר מכין אותו וכופין אותו ומוכר כשער השוק:

Genevah - Chapter Nine

1
Whoever kidnaps another person transgresses a negative commandment, as Exodus 20:13 states: "Do not steal." This verse is stated in the Ten Commandments and serves as a warning against kidnapping.
Similarly, a person who sells a kidnapped person violates a negative commandment, for this is included in the adjuration, Leviticus 25:42: "Do not sell him in the manner a servant is sold."
These two transgressions are not punished by lashing, because they involve capital punishment, as Deuteronomy 24:7 states: "When a person is found stealing one of his brethren... that thief shall die." He is to be executed by strangulation.
א
כל הגונב נפש אדם עובר בלא תעשה שנאמר לא תגנוב. פסוק זה האמור בעשרת הדברים היא אזהרה לגונב נפשות. וכן המוכרו עובר בלא תעשה שזה בכלל לא ימכרו ממכרת עבד. ו ואין לוקין על שני לאוין אלו מפני שהוא לאו שניתן לאזהרת מיתת בית דין שנאמר כי ימצא איש גונב נפש מאחיו וגו' ומיתתו בחנק:
2
A kidnapper is not liable for capital punishment unless he kidnaps a Jewish person, brings him into the kidnapper's own domain, makes use of him, and then sells him to others, as Deuteronomy, ibid. states: "And he makes use of him, and sells him."
Even if he makes use of his services for a minor matter, not worth a p'rutah - e.g., he leaned on him or used him as a shield, even if the abducted person was asleep at that time - the kidnapper is considered to have made use of him.
ב
אין הגנב חייב מיתת חנק עד שיגנוב את הישראל ויכניסנו לרשותו וישתמש בו וימכרנו לאחרים שנאמר והתעמר בו ומכרו ואפילו לא נשתמש בו אלא בפחות משוה פרוטה כגון שנשען עליו או נסמך בו אע"פ שהנגנב ישן הרי זה נשתמש בו:
3
If the kidnapper kidnapped a person, made use of him, and sold him without taking the abducted person from his own domain and bringing him into the kidnapper's domain, he is not liable for capital punishment. Similarly, he is not liable for capital punishment if he kidnapped him, brought him into the kidnapper's domain, made use of him, and did not sell him, or sold him before he made use of him.
Similarly, if the kidnapper made use of the abducted person, but sold him to one of the abducted person's relatives - e.g., he sold him to his father or his brother - he is not liable for capital punishment. For the above verse mentions "stealing... of his brethren." Implied is that the abducted person must be separated from his brothers and relatives through this sale.
Similarly, if the kidnapper kidnapped the abducted person, made use of him, and sold him - all of this while the abducted person was sleeping, the kidnapper is not liable for capital punishment.
ג
גנבו ונשתמש בו ומכרו ועדיין הגנוב ברשות עצמו ולא הכניסו הגנב לרשותו פטור. גנבו והוציאו לרשותו ונשתמש בו ולא מכרו או מכרו קודם שנשתמש בו א ונשתמש בו ומכרו לאחד מקרוביו של גנוב כגון שמכרו לאביו או לאחיו הרי זה פטור שנאמר גונב נפש מאחיו עד שיבדילנו מאחיו ומקרוביו במכירה. וכן אם גנבו והוא ישן ונשתמש בו כשהוא ישן ומכרו ועדיין הוא ישן הרי זה פטור:
4
Similarly, if he kidnapped a pregnant woman and sold only her offspring - i.e., he made an agreement with the purchaser that he retained possession of the woman, and the purchaser is entitled only to her offspring, he is not liable.
ד
וכן אם גנב אשה ומכרה לעובריה בלבד כגון שהתנה על הלוקח שזו השפחה לי ואין לך אלא הולדות הרי זה פטור:
5
The following individuals are not liable for capital punishment: a person who kidnaps his son or a brother who is below majority, a guardian who kidnaps the orphans who are in his trust, a house-owner who kidnaps one of the members of his household, and a teacher who kidnaps one of the students studying under him.
This applies even if the kidnapper makes use of and sells the abducted person. This is derived from the exegesis of Exodus 21:16: "And he is found in his hand." This excludes those who are constantly found in their hand.
ה
הגונב את בנו או את אחיו הקטן. וכן האפוטרופין שגנבו את היתומים שהן סמוכין אצלם ובעל הבית שגנב אחד מבני ביתו הסמוכין על שלחנו ומלמד תינוקות שגנב אחד מן הקטנים הלומדים אצלו. אע"פ שנשתמש בו ומכרו פטור שנאמר ונמצא בידו פרט לאלו שהן מצויין בידם:
6
A kidnapper - either a male or a female - is liable for capital punishment regardless of whether he kidnaps an adult or a one-day-old infant - provided the pregnancy was full-term - and regardless of whether the abducted person was male or female. This is implied by the above verse, which mentions "kidnapping a soul."
It makes no difference if one kidnaps a native-born Israelite, a convert or a freed Canaanite servant, for the above verse states: "one of his brethren." And the above are "our brothers," related by the bond of the Torah and its mitzvot. One is not, however, liable for capital punishment for kidnapping a Canaanite servant or a servant who has been freed only partially.
ו
אחד הגונב את הגדול או הגונב את הקטן בן יומו שכלו לו חדשיו בין זכר בין נקבה בין שהיה הגנב איש או אשה הרי אלו נהרגין שנאמר גונב נפש מכל מקום. ואחד הגונב את ישראל או שגנב גר או עבד משוחרר שנאמר נפש מאחיו ואלו בכלל אחינו הן בתורה ובמצוות. אבל הגונב את העבד או מי שחציו עבד וחציו בן חורין פטור:
7
When a person breaks into a home - whether at night or during the day - license is granted to kill him. If either the homeowner or another person kills him, they are not liable.
The license to kill him applies both on the Sabbath and during the week; one may kill in any possible manner. This is all implied by Exodus 22:1, which literally reads: "He has no blood."
ז
הבא במחתרת בין ביום בין בלילה אין לו דמים אלא אם הרגו בעל הבית או שאר האדם פטורין. ורשות יש לכל להרג ובין בחול בין בשבת בכל מיתה שיכולין להמיתו שנאמר אין לו דמים:
8
The license mentioned above applies to a thief caught breaking in or one caught on a person's roof, courtyard or enclosed area, whether during the day or during the night. Why does the Torah mention "breaking in," because it is the general practice for thieves to break in at night.
ח
ואחד הבא במחתרת או גנב שנמצא בתוך גגו של אדם או בתוך חצרו או בתוך קרפיפו בין ביום בין בלילה. ולמה נאמר מחתרת לפי שדרך רוב הגנבים לבוא במחתרת בלילה:
9
Why did the Torah permit the blood of such a thief to be shed, although he is only attempting to steal money? Because it is an accepted presumption that if the house-owner arises and attempts to prevent the thief from stealing, the thief will slay him. And thus the thief entering his colleague's house to steal is in effect a pursuer seeking to kill his colleague. Therefore, he should be killed, whether he is an adult or a minor, or a man or a woman.
ט
ומפני ב מה התירה תורה דמו של גנב אף על פי שבא על עסקי ממון לפי שחזקתו שאם עמד בעל הבית לפניו ומנעו יהרגנו ונמצא זה הנכנס לבית חבירו לגנוב כרודף אחר חבירו להרגו ולפיכך יהרג בין שהיה גדול בין שהיה קטן בין זכר בין נקבה:
10
If it is clear to the house-owner that the thief who breaks in will not kill him and instead is only seeking financial gain, it is forbidden to kill the thief. If the house-owner kills him, the house-owner is consi- dered to be a murderer.
This is alluded to by Exodus 22:2, which states: "If the sun shines upon him..." - i.e., if it is as clear to you as the sun that he is at peace with you, do not kill him. Therefore, a father who breaks into his son's home should not be killed. But a son who breaks into his father's home may be killed.
י
היה הדבר ברור לבעל הבית שזה הגנב הבא עליו אינו הורגו ואינו בא אלא על עסקי ממון אסור להרגו ואם הרג והרי זה הורג נפש שנאמר אם זרחה השמש עליו אם ברור לך הדבר כשמש שיש לו שלום עמך אל תהרגהו. לפיכך אב הבא במחתרת על בנו אינו נהרג שודאי שאינו הורגו. אבל הבן הבא על אביו נהרג:
11
Different rules apply with regard to a thief who stole and departed, or one who did not steal, but was caught leaving the tunnel through which he entered the home. Since he turned his back on the house and is no longer intent on killing its owner, he may not be slain.
Similarly, if he is surrounded by other people, or by witnesses, he may not be killed, even if he is still located within the domain which he broke into. Needless to say, if he is brought to the court he may not be killed.
יא
וכן הגנב שגנב ויצא. או שלא גנב ומצאו יוצא מן המחתרת הואיל ופנה עורף ואינו רודף יש לו דמים. וכן אם הקיפוהו בני אדם או עדים אע"פ שעדיין הוא ברשות זה שבא עליו אינו נהרג. ואין צריך לומר אם בא לבית דין שאינו נהרג:
12
Similarly, a person who breaks into a garden, a field, a pen or a corral may not be killed, for the prevailing presumption is that he came merely to steal money, for generally the owners are not found in such places.
יב
וכן הבא במחתרת לתוך גינתו או לתוך שדהו או לתוך הדיר והסהר יש לו דמים. שחזקתו שבא על הממון בלבד לפי שאין רוב הבעלים מצויים במקומות אלו:
13
Whenever license is not granted to kill a thief, we should remove stones from an avalanche that fell upon him on the Sabbath. If he destroyed utensils while inside the house, he is liable for the damages. When, however, license is granted to kill a person, and he broke utensils while in the home, he is not liable for the damages, as explained above.
This concludes "The Laws of Theft" with God's .
יג
כל גנב שיש לו דמים אם נפל עליו גל בשבת מפקחים עליו. ואם שבר כלים בביאתו חייב בתשלומין. אבל מי שאין לו דמים ששבר כלים בביאתו פטור כמו שביארנו:
Hayom Yom
Daily Study: Hayom Yom
Shabbat, 19 Sivan 5778 / June 2, 2018
Today's Hayom Yom
TuesdaySivan 195703
Torah lessons:Chumash: Sh'lach, Shlishi with Rashi.
Tehillim: 90-96.
Tanya: Therefore, it was (p. 305)...Hava'ye is Elokim. (p. 307).
In the month of Marcheshvan 5613 (1852) the Tzemach Tzedek started an additional program of study with my grandfather,1besides the Tzemach Tzedek's regular studies. This was for two and a half hours daily, starting at 10:00 p.m. winters, and at 4:00 a.m. summers. For two years they studied Kabala with chassidic interpretation. Thereafter, until Elul 5616 (1856), when this special program ceased, they studied the following philosophical works: Those of R. Saadya Gaon, and Moreh Nevuchim, Ikarim, Kuzari, etc. - according to Chassidic teachings.
Compiled and arranged by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, of righteous memory, in 5703 (1943) from the talks and letters of the sixth Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, of righteous memory.
FOOTNOTES
1.
R. Shmuel, the Tzemach Tzedek's son; later, the Rebbe Maharash.

Daily Thought: Morning Meditation
When you get up in the morning, let the world wait. Defy it a little. First learn something to inspire you. Take a few moments to meditate upon it.
And then you may plunge ahead into the darkness, full of light with which to illuminate it.
***
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