Today in Judaism: Today is: Thursday, 1 Shevat 5774 · 2 January
2014
Today's Laws & Customs:
• Rosh Chodesh Observances
Today is Rosh Chodesh (“Head of the Month”) for the month of
Shevat.
Special portions are added to the daily prayers: Hallel (Psalms
113-118) is recited—in its “partial” form—following the Shacharit morning
prayer, and the Yaaleh Veyavo prayer is added to the Amidah and to Grace After
Meals; the additional Musaf prayer is said (when Rosh Chodesh is Shabbat,
special additions are made to the Shabbat Musaf). Tachanun (confession of sins)
and similar prayers are omitted.
Many have the custom to mark Rosh Chodesh with a festive meal
and reduced work activity. The latter custom is prevalent amongst women, who
have a special affinity with Rosh Chodesh—the month being the feminine aspect
of the Jewish calendar.
Links: The 29th Day; The Lunar Files
Today in Jewish History:
• Moses Repeats the Torah
On the first of Shevat of the year 2488 from creatio,n Moses
convened the Jewish people and began the 37-day "review of the Torah"
contained in the Book of Deuteronomy, which he concluded on the day of his
passing on Adar 7 of that year.
Link: Words
Daily Quote:
On the seventh day of Cheshvan, fifteen days after the
conclusion of the festival [of Sukkot], one begins to pray for rain. This is to
allow the very last Jew to reach the Euphrates River(Talmud, Taanit 10a)
Daily Study:
Chitas and Rambam for today:
Chumash: Bo, 5th Portion Exodus 12:21-12:28 with Rashi
• Chapter 12
21. Moses summoned all the elders of
Israel and said to them, "Draw forth or buy for yourselves sheep for your
families and slaughter the Passover sacrifice.
כא. וַיִּקְרָא משֶׁה לְכָל זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל
וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם מִשְׁכוּ וּקְחוּ לָכֶם צֹאן לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתֵיכֶם וְשַׁחֲטוּ הַפָּסַח:
Draw forth: Whoever has sheep shall
draw from his own.
משכו: מי שיש לו צאן ימשוך משלו:
or buy: Whoever has none shall buy
from the market. — [from Mechilta]
וקחו: מי שאין לו יקח מן השוק:
for your families: A lamb for a
parental house. — [from Mechilta 3]
למשפחתיכם: שה לבית אבות:
22. And you shall take a bunch of
hyssop and immerse [it] in the blood that is in the basin, and you shall extend
to the lintel and to the two doorposts the blood that is in the basin, and you
shall not go out, any man from the entrance of his house until morning. כב.
וּלְקַחְתֶּם אֲגֻדַּת אֵזוֹב וּטְבַלְתֶּם בַּדָּם אֲשֶׁר בַּסַּף וְהִגַּעְתֶּם אֶל
הַמַּשְׁקוֹף וְאֶל שְׁתֵּי הַמְּזוּזֹת מִן הַדָּם אֲשֶׁר בַּסָּף וְאַתֶּם לֹא תֵצְאוּ
אִישׁ מִפֶּתַח בֵּיתוֹ עַד בֹּקֶר:
hyssop: Heb. אֵזוֹב. A species of herb
that has thin stalks.
אזוב: מין ירק שיש לו גבעולין:
a bunch of hyssop: Three stalks are
called a bunch. — [Sukkah 13a]
אגדת אזוב: שלושה קלחין קרויין אגודה:
that is in the basin: Heb. בַּסַּף, in
the vessel, like “silver pitchers (סִפּוֹת) ” (II Kings 12:14). [from Mechilta]
אשר בסף: בכלי, כמו (מלכים ב' יב יד) ספות
כסף:
the blood that is in the basin: Why
does the text repeat this? So that you should not say that [Scripture means]
one immersion for [all] the three sprinklings. Therefore, it says again: “that
is in the basin,” [to indicate] that every sprinkling shall be from the blood
that is in the basin-for each touching an immersion [is necessary]. — [from
Mechilta]
מן הדם אשר בסף: למה חזר ושנאו, שלא תאמר
טבילה אחת לשלש המתנות, לכך נאמר עוד אשר בסף, ושתהא כל נתינה ונתינה מן הדם אשר בסף,
על כל הגעה טבילה:
and you shall not go out, etc.: This
tells [us] that once the destroyer is given permission to destroy, he does not
discriminate between righteous and wicked. And night is the time that
destroyers are given permission, as it is said: “in which every beast of the
forest moves about” (Ps. 104:20). — [from Mechilta]
ואתם לא תצאו וגו': מגיד שמאחר שנתנה רשות
למשחית לחבל אינו מבחין בין צדיק לרשע, ולילה רשות למחבלים הוא, שנאמר (תהלים קד כ)
בו תרמוש כל חיתו יער:
23. The Lord will pass to smite the
Egyptians, and He will see the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts,
and the Lord will pass over the entrance, and He will not permit the destroyer
to enter your houses to smite [you]. כג. וְעָבַר יְהֹוָה לִנְגֹּף אֶת מִצְרַיִם וְרָאָה
אֶת הַדָּם עַל הַמַּשְׁקוֹף וְעַל שְׁתֵּי הַמְּזוּזֹת וּפָסַח יְהֹוָה עַל הַפֶּתַח
וְלֹא יִתֵּן הַמַּשְׁחִית לָבֹא אֶל בָּתֵּיכֶם לִנְגֹּף:
will pass over: Heb. וּפָסַח, and He
will have pity. This may also be rendered: and He will skip over. See Rashi on
verses 11 and 13.
ופסח: וחמל, ויש לומר ודלג:
and He will not permit the destroyer:
Heb. וְלֹא יִךְתֵּן, lit., and will not give. [I.e.,] He will not grant him the
ability to enter, as in “but God did not permit him (נְתָנוֹ) to harm me” (Gen.
31:7).
ולא יתן המשחית: ולא יתן לו יכולת לבא, כמו
(בראשית לא ז) ולא נתנו א-להים להרע עמדי:
24. And you shall keep this matter as
a statute for you and for your children forever. כד. וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת הַדָּבָר
הַזֶּה לְחָק לְךָ וּלְבָנֶיךָ עַד עוֹלָם:
25. And it shall come to pass when you
enter the land that the Lord will give you, as He spoke, that you shall observe
this service. כה. וְהָיָה כִּי תָבֹאוּ אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר יִתֵּן יְהֹוָה לָכֶם כַּאֲשֶׁר
דִּבֵּר וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת הָעֲבֹדָה הַזֹּאת:
And it shall come to pass when you
enter: Scripture makes this commandment contingent upon their entry into the
land, but in the desert, they were obligated only to bring one Passover
sacrifice, the one they performed in the second year, [which they did] by
divine mandate. — [from Mechilta]
והיה כי תבאו אל הארץ: תלה הכתוב מצוה זו
בביאתם לארץ, ולא נתחייבו במדבר אלא בפסח אחד שעשו בשנה השנית ועל פי הדבור:
as He spoke: Now where did He speak?
“And I will bring you to the land, etc.” (Exod. 6:8). — [from Mechilta]
כאשר דבר: והיכן דבר, והבאתי אתכם אל הארץ
וגו' (שמות ו ח):
26. And it will come to pass if your
children say to you, What is this service to you? כו. וְהָיָה כִּי יֹאמְרוּ
אֲלֵיכֶם בְּנֵיכֶם מָה הָעֲבֹדָה הַזֹּאת לָכֶם:
27. you shall say, It is a Passover
sacrifice to the Lord, for He passed over the houses of the children of Israel
in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians, and He saved our houses. And the people
kneeled and prostrated themselves. כז. וַאֲמַרְתֶּם זֶבַח פֶּסַח הוּא לַיהֹוָה אֲשֶׁר
פָּסַח עַל בָּתֵּי בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמִצְרַיִם בְּנָגְפּוֹ אֶת מִצְרַיִם וְאֶת
בָּתֵּינוּ הִצִּיל וַיִּקֹּד הָעָם וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ:
And the people kneeled and prostrated
themselves: [in thanksgiving] for the tidings of the redemption, the entry into
the land [of Israel], and the tidings of the children that they would have. —
[from Mechilta]
ויקד העם: על בשורת הגאולה וביאת הארץ ובשורת
הבנים שיהיו להם:
28. So the children of Israel went and
did; as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did. כח. וַיֵּלְכוּ וַיַּעֲשׂוּ
בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהֹוָה אֶת משֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן כֵּן עָשׂוּ:
So the children of Israel went and
did: Now did they already do [it]? Wasn’t this said to them on Rosh Chodesh?
But since they accepted upon themselves [to do it], Scripture credits them for
it as if they had [already] done [it]. — [from Mechilta]
וילכו ויעשו בני ישראל: וכי כבר עשו, והלא
מראש חודש נאמר להם, אלא מכיון שקבלו עליהם, מעלה עליהם כאלו עשו:
went and did: Scripture counts also
the going, to give reward for the going and reward for the deed. — [from
Mechilta]
וילכו ויעשו: אף ההליכה מנה הכתוב, ליתן
שכר להליכה ושכר לעשיה:
as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron:
[This comes] to tell Israel’s praise, that they did not omit anything of all
the commandments of Moses and Aaron. And what is the meaning of “so they did” ?
Moses and Aaron also did so. — [from Mechilta]
כאשר צוה ה' את משה ואהרן: להגיד שבחן של
ישראל, שלא הפילו דבר מכל מצות משה ואהרן. ומהו כן עשו, אף משה ואהרן כן עשו:
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Tehillim Psalm Chapters 1 - 9
• Chapter 1
This psalm inspires man to study Torah and avoid sin. One who
follows this path is assured of success in all his deeds, whereas the plight of
the wicked is the reverse.
1. Fortunate is the man that has not walked in the counsel of
the wicked, nor stood in the path of sinners, nor sat in the company of
scoffers.
2. Rather, his desire is in the Torah of the Lord, and in His
Torah he meditates day and night.
3. He shall be like a tree planted by streams of water, that
yields its fruit in its season, and whose leaf does not wither; and all that he
does shall prosper.
4. Not so the wicked; rather, they are like the chaff that the
wind drives away.
5. Therefore the wicked will not endure in judgement, nor
sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6. For the Lord minds the way of the righteous, but the way of
the wicked will perish.
Chapter 2
This psalm warns against trying to outwit the ways of God. It
also instructs one who has reason to rejoice, to tremble—lest his sins cause
his joy to be overturned.
1. Why do nations gather, and peoples speak futility?
2. The kings of the earth rise up, and rulers conspire together,
against the Lord and against His anointed:
3. “Let us sever their cords, and cast their ropes from upon
us!”
4. He Who sits in heaven laughs, my Master mocks them.
5. Then He speaks to them in His anger, and terrifies them in His
wrath:
6. “It is I Who have anointed My king, upon Zion, My holy
mountain.”
7. I am obliged to declare: The Lord said to me, “You are my
son, I have this day begotten you.
8. Ask of Me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, and
the ends of the earth your possession.
9. Smash them with a rod of iron, shatter them like a potter’s
vessel.”
10. Now be wise, you kings; be disciplined, you rulers of the
earth.
11. Serve the Lord with awe, and rejoice with trembling.
12. Yearn for purity—lest He become angry and your path be
doomed, if his anger flares for even a moment. Fortunate are all who put their
trust in Him
Chapter 3
When punishment befalls man, let him not be upset by his
chastisement, for perhaps--considering his sins—he is deserving of worse, and
God is in fact dealing kindly with him.
1. A psalm by David, when he fled from Absalom his son.
2. Lord, how numerous are my oppressors; many rise up against
me!
3. Many say of my soul, “There is no salvation for him from
God—ever!”
4. But You, Lord, are a shield for me, my glory, the One Who
raises my head.
5. With my voice I call to the Lord, and He answers me from His
holy mountain, Selah.
6. I lie down and sleep; I awake, for the Lord sustains me.
7. I do not fear the myriads of people that have aligned
themselves all around me.
8. Arise, O Lord, deliver me, my God. For You struck all my
enemies on the cheek, You smashed the teeth of the wicked.
9. Deliverance is the Lord’s; may Your blessing be upon Your
people forever
Chapter 4
This psalm exhorts man not to shame his fellow, and to neither
speak nor listen to gossip and slander. Envy not the prosperity of the wicked
in this world, rather rejoice and say: “If it is so for those who anger Him . .
. [how much better it will be for those who serve Him!”]
1. For the Conductor, with instrumental music, a psalm by David.
2. Answer me when I call, O God [Who knows] my righteousness.
You have relieved me in my distress; be gracious to me and hear my prayer.
3. Sons of men, how long will you turn my honor to shame, will
you love vanity, and endlessly seek falsehood?
4. Know that the Lord has set apart His devout one; the Lord
will hear when I call to Him.
5. Tremble and do not sin; reflect in your hearts upon your
beds, and be silent forever.
6. Offer sacrifices in righteousness, and trust in the Lord.
7. Many say: “Who will show us good?” Raise the light of Your
countenance upon us, O Lord.
8. You put joy in my heart, greater than [their joy] when their
grain and wine abound.
9. In peace and harmony I will lie down and sleep, for You,
Lord, will make me dwell alone, in security.
Chapter 5
A prayer for every individual, requesting that the wicked perish
for their deeds, and the righteous rejoice for their good deeds.
1. For the Conductor, on the nechilot,1 a psalm by David.
2. Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my thoughts.
3. Listen to the voice of my cry, my King and my God, for to You
I pray.
4. Lord, hear my voice in the morning; in the morning I set [my prayers]
before you and hope.
5. For You are not a God Who desires wickedness; evil does not
abide with You.
6. The boastful cannot stand before Your eyes; You hate all
evildoers.
7. You destroy the speakers of falsehood; the Lord despises the
man of blood and deceit.
8. And I, through Your abundant kindness, come into Your house;
I bow toward Your holy Sanctuary, in awe of You.
9. Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness, because of my
watchful enemies; straighten Your path before me.
10. For there is no sincerity in their mouths, their heart is
treacherous; their throat is an open grave, [though] their tongue flatters.
11. Find them guilty, O God, let them fall by their schemes;
banish them for their many sins, for they have rebelled against You.
12. But all who trust in You will rejoice, they will sing
joyously forever; You will shelter them, and those who love Your Name will
exult in You.
13. For You, Lord, will bless the righteous one; You will
envelop him with favor as with a shield.
Chapter 6
This is an awe-inspiring prayer for one who is ill, to pray that
God heal him, body and soul. An ailing person who offers this prayer devoutly
and with a broken heart is assured that God will accept his prayer.
1. For the Conductor, with instrumental music for the eight-stringed
harp, a psalm by David.
2. Lord, do not punish me in Your anger, nor chastise me in Your
wrath.
3. Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I languish away; heal me, O
Lord, for my bones tremble in fear.
4. My soul is panic-stricken; and You, O Lord, how long [before
You help]?
5. Relent, O Lord, deliver my soul; save me for the sake of Your
kindness.
6. For there is no remembrance of You in death; who will praise
You in the grave?
7. I am weary from sighing; each night I drench my bed, I melt
my couch with my tears.
8. My eye has grown dim from vexation, worn out by all my
oppressors.
9. Depart from me, all you evildoers, for the Lord has heard the
sound of my weeping.
10. The Lord has heard my supplication; the Lord accepts my
prayer.
11. All my enemies will be shamed and utterly terrified; they
will then repent and be shamed for a moment.
Chapter 7
Do not rejoice if God causes your enemy to suffer—just as the
suffering of the righteous is not pleasant. David, therefore, defends himself
intensely before God, maintaining that he did not actively harm Saul. In fact,
Saul precipitated his own harm, while David’s intentions were only for the
good.
1. A shigayon 1 by David, which he sang to the Lord concerning
Kush the Benjaminite.
2. I put my trust in You, Lord, my God; deliver me from all my
pursuers and save me.
3. Lest he tear my soul like a lion, crushing me with none to
rescue.
4. Lord, my God, if I have done this, if there is wrongdoing in
my hands;
5. if I have rewarded my friends with evil or oppressed those
who hate me without reason—
6. then let the enemy pursue and overtake my soul, let him
trample my life to the ground, and lay my glory in the dust forever.
7. Arise, O Lord, in Your anger, lift Yourself up in fury
against my foes. Stir me [to mete out] the retribution which You commanded.
8. When the assembly of nations surrounds You, remove Yourself
from it and return to the heavens.
9. The Lord will mete out retribution upon the nations; judge
me, O Lord, according to my righteousness and my integrity.
10. Let the evil of the wicked come to an end, but establish the
righteous—O righteous God, Searcher of hearts and minds.
11. [I rely] on God to be my shield, He Who saves the upright of
heart.
12. God is the righteous judge, and the Almighty is angered
every day.
13. Because he does not repent, He sharpens His sword, bends His
bow and makes it ready.
14. He has prepared instruments of death for him; His arrows
will be used on the pursuers.
15. Indeed, he conceives iniquity, is pregnant with evil
schemes, and gives birth to falsehood.
16. He digs a pit, digs it deep, only to fall into the trap he
laid.
17. His mischief will return upon his own head, his violence
will come down upon his own skull.
18. I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness, and
sing to the Name of the Lord Most High
Chapter 8
This psalm is a glorious praise to God for His kindness to the
lowly and mortal human in giving the Torah to the inhabitants of the lower
worlds, arousing the envy of the celestial angels. This idea is expressed in
the Yom Kippur prayer, “Though Your mighty strength is in the angels above, You
desire praise from those formed of lowly matter.”
1. For the Conductor, on the gittit,1 a psalm by David.
2. Lord, our Master, how mighty is Your Name throughout the
earth, You Who has set Your majesty upon the heavens!
3. Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings You have established
might, to counter Your enemies, to silence foe and avenger.2
4. When I behold Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the
moon and the stars which You have set in place—
5. what is man that You should remember him, son of man that You
should be mindful of him?
6. Yet, You have made him but a little less than the angels, and
crowned him with honor and glory.
7. You made him ruler over Your handiwork, You placed everything
under his feet.
8. Sheep and cattle—all of them, also the beasts of the field;
9. the birds of the sky and the fish of the sea; all that
traverses the paths of the seas.
10. Lord, our Master, how mighty is Your Name throughout the
earth.
Chapter 9
One should praise God for saving him from the hand of the enemy
who stands over and agonizes him, and for His judging each person according to
his deeds: the righteous according to their righteousness, and the wicked
according to their wickedness.
1. For the Conductor, upon the death of Labben, a psalm by
David.
2. I will thank the Lord with all my heart; I will recount all
Your wonders.
3. I will rejoice and exult in You; I will sing to Your Name, O
Most High.
4. When my enemies retreat, they will stumble and perish from
before You.
5. You have rendered my judgement and [defended] my cause; You
sat on the throne, O righteous Judge.
6. You destroyed nations, doomed the wicked, erased their name
for all eternity.
7. O enemy, your ruins are gone forever, and the cities you have
uprooted—their very remembrance is lost.
8. But the Lord is enthroned forever, He established His throne
for judgement.
9. And He will judge the world with justice, He will render
judgement to the nations with righteousness.
10. The Lord will be a stronghold for the oppressed, a
stronghold in times of trouble.
11. Those who know Your Name put their trust in You, for You,
Lord, have not abandoned those who seek You.
12. Sing to the Lord Who dwells in Zion, recount His deeds among
the nations.
13. For the Avenger of bloodshed is mindful of them; He does not
forget the cry of the downtrodden.
14. Be gracious to me, O Lord; behold my affliction at the hands
of my enemies, You Who raises me from the gates of death,
15. so that I may relate all Your praises in the gates of the
daughter of Zion, that I may exult in Your deliverance.
16. The nations sank into the pit that they made; in the net
they concealed their foot was caught.
17. The Lord became known through the judgement He executed; the
wicked one is snared in the work of his own hands; reflect on this always.
18. The wicked will return to the grave, all the nations that
forget God.
19. For not for eternity will the needy be forgotten, nor will
the hope of the poor perish forever.
20. Arise, O Lord, let not man prevail; let the nations be
judged in Your presence.
21. Set Your mastery over them, O Lord; let the nations know
that they are but frail men, Selah.
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Today in Tanya: Likutei Amarim, middle of Chapter 15
• Thursday, 1 Shevat 5774 – 2 January 2014
• Lessons in Tanya
• Today's Tanya Lesson
Likutei Amarim, middle of Chapter 15
ובבינוני יש ג״כ שתי מדרגות, עובד אלקים ואשר לא עבדו
In the category of Beinoni there are also two levels: “He who
serves G‑d” and “he who
serves Him not.”
ואף על פי כן אינו רשע
Yet he who “serves Him not” is not wicked, although he does not
wage war with his evil nature,
כי לא עבר מימיו שום עבירה קלה
for never in his life has he committed even a minor
transgression in the realm of negative commandments.
וגם קיים כל המצות שאפשר לו לקיימן, ותלמוד תורה כנגד כולם
He has also fulfilled all the positive commandments which he was
able to fulfill, including the precept of Torah study — which is equal to all
the other commandments combined—
ולא פסיק פומיה מגירסא
to the extent that his mouth never ceased from study, despite
the difficulty involved in this.
אלא
Yet he is still described as one who “does not serve G‑d,” for
שאינו עושה שום מלחמה עם היצר
he does not wage any battle against his evil inclination
לנצחו על ידי אור ה׳ המאיר על נפש האלקית שבמוח, השליט על הלב כנ״ל
to vanquish it through the aid of the Divine light that
illuminates the G‑dly soul
abiding in the brain, which rules over the heart — as explained above1 that the
G‑dly soul and the Divine light illuminating it are the Beinoni’s
answer to his evil inclination. He (“who serves Him not”) does not struggle
with it —
מפני שאין יצרו עומד לנגדו כלל לבטלו מתורתו ועבודתו, ואינו צריך ללחום
עמו כלל
for his evil inclination does not oppose him at all in an
attempt to deter him from his Torah study and divine service, and thus he need
not wage any war against it.
כגון שהוא מתמיד בלמודו בטבעו מתולדתו, על ידי תגבורת המרה שחורה
So it is, for example, with one who is by nature an assiduous
student due to his stolid temperament,
וכן אין לו מלחמה מתאות נשים מפני שהוא מצונן בטבעו
and who is also free of conflict with sexual desire due to his
frigid nature;
וכן בשאר תענוגי עולם הזה הוא מחוסר הרגש הנאה בטבעו
and similarly with other mundane pleasures he need not exert
himself to master a desire for them, for he naturally lacks any feeling for
enjoyment.
ולכן אין צריך להתבונן כל כך בגדולת ה׳, להוליד מבינתו רוח דעת ויראת
ה׳ במוחו
For this reason he does not need to contemplate so much on the
greatness of G‑d to
consciously create a spirit of knowledge and fear of G‑d in his mind
להשמר שלא לעבור על מצות לא תעשה
in order to guard himself from transgressing any prohibitive
commandments.
ואהבת ה׳ בלבו, לדבקה בו בקיום המצות, ותלמוד תורה כנגד כולן
He also need not create a love of G‑d in his heart, which would motivate him to bind himself to Him
through fulfilling the positive commandments and through Torah study which
equals all the other commandments together.
אלא די לו באהבה מסותרת אשר בלב כללות ישראל, שנקראו אוהבי שמו
The hidden love of G‑d found in the
heart of all Jews, who are called2 “the lovers of His name,” is sufficient for
him to motivate his fulfilling the commandments, since he is naturally so
inclined.
For a Jew who must engage in battle with his evil inclination,
the love hidden in his heart is not enough. He must arouse it to an active,
conscious state. For the person who is free of conflict with evil, however,
this hidden love (together with his naturally favorable character traits) is
sufficient.
ולכן אינו נקרא עובד כלל
For this reason, he is not considered “one who is serving G‑d” at all.
כי אהבה זו המסותרת אינה פעולתו ועבודתו כלל, אלא היא ירושתנו מאבותינו
לכלל ישראל, וכמ״ש לקמן
For this latent love is not of his making or achievement by any
means. It is our inheritance, bequeathed by our Patriarchs to the entire Jewish
nation, as will be explained further.3
With this the Alter Rebbe concluded the thought that within the
level of Beinoni there are two sub-categories — “he who serves G‑d,” and “he who serves Him not.”
He now goes on to say that even one who is not naturally endowed
with traits favorable to G‑d’s service,
may yet come under the category of “he who serves Him not.”
וכן אף מי שאינו מתמיד בלמודו בטבעו, רק שהרגיל עצמו ללמוד בהתמדה גדולה,
ונעשה ההרגל לו טבע שני
So, too, he who is not inherently studious, but has accustomed
himself to study diligently, so that this habit has become his second nature;
thus, diligence is now natural for him,—
די לו באהבה מסותרת זו, אלא אם כן רוצה ללמוד יותר מרגילותו
for him, too, the hidden love of G‑d is now
sufficient, unless he wishes to study more than he usually does.
To do so, he must arouse a conscious love of G‑d in his heart. Only such a love can supply the strength
necessary to free himself from the restraints of his acquired nature.
FOOTNOTES
1.See chs. 12 and 13.
2.Tehillim 69:37.
3.Chs. 18, 19, and 44.
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Rambam:
• Daily Mitzvah Sefer Hamitzvos:
N168
Negative Commandment 168
The High Priest Coming in Contact with a Corpse
"Nor may he defile himself for his father or
mother"—Leviticus 21:11.
A high priest may not become ritually impure through contact
with a corpse – whether through touching or carrying it – even if the deceased
is his next of kin.
The 168th prohibition is that a kohen gadol is forbidden from
becoming tameh by means of a dead body, regardless of the type of contact —
whether through touching or carrying.1
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement,2 "He shall not become tameh [even] for his
father or mother."
You might think that this mitzvah and the previous one3 are all
one idea, and the phrase, "He shall not become tameh [even] for his father
or mother," is merely explaining [the previous phrase4]. But this is not
the case; there are two prohibitions, "He shall not come," and
"He shall not become tameh." [We see this from] the words of the
Sifra:5 "He is punished for transgressing, 'He shall not come,' and he is
punished for transgressing, 'He shall not become tameh.' "
These prohibitions [regarding a kohen gadol] also apply to a
regular kohen, because of a gezeira shavah.6 Our Sages said, "Just as the
kohen gadol is forbidden from becoming tameh through a dead body by two
prohibitions — 'He shall not come' and 'He shall not become tameh' — so too the
regular kohen. Since he is prohibited from becoming tameh,7 he also has the
prohibition, 'He shall not come.' " This prohibition, however, is not counted
separately, for the reason given in the Second Introductory Principle.8
But we have counted these [of the kohen gadol] as two separate
mitzvos because there are two separate statements: "He shall not
come" and "He shall not become tameh." And the prohibition
"he shall not come" is independent of "he shall not become
tameh," as our Sages, guardians of the Oral Tradition, said, "He is
punished for transgressing, 'He shall not come,' and he is punished for
transgressing, 'He shall not become tameh.' "
FOOTNOTES
1.Tumah can be conveyed through touching the dead body [maga] or
by carrying it, even if it is not touched [masa]. There is a third way, ohel,
which is transmitted when the person is under the same roof (literally,
"tent") as the dead body. This third type of tumah is counted by the
Rambam as a separate prohibition (N167), as he now explains.
2.Lev. 21:11.
3.N167, regarding the tumah of ohel (see footnote above). As
listed in Mishneh Torah (and therefore listed in the Moreh Shiur for Sefer
HaMitzvos), this mitzvah comes after the present mitzvah, not before it as in
Sefer HaMitzvos itself.
4.The full verse reads, "He shall not come into [a tent
containing] any dead body; He shall not become tameh [even] for his father or
mother." If the second phrase (N168) was merely explaining the first
(N167), it would be as if the verse said, "He shall not come into [a tent
containing] any dead body in order that he not become tameh for his father or
mother." If read in this way, the verse would constitute one mitzvah
instead of two.
5.Parshas Emor, op. cit.
6.This is one of the 13 methods of Torah extrapolation. When two
laws or ideas contain the same word or phrase, other aspects of the laws or
ideas are sometimes applied to each other. In this case, the phrase, "He
shall not become tameh," is said both by the kohen gadol (Lev. 21:11) and
the regular kohen (ibid., 21:1) and the two are therefore compared.
7.N166. See footnote there.
8.A mitzvah which is derived by means of one of the 13 methods
of Torah extrapolation is not counted among the 613 mitzvos.
-------
Rambam:
• 1 Chapter: Tum'at Okhalin Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Halacha 1
All foods that grow from the earth are
not susceptible to ritual impurity until they are uprooted from the ground. As
long as they are connected to the earth - even by a small root, as long as they
can sustain themselves from it - they are not susceptible to impurity.
Halacha 2
When a branch of a fig tree was broken
off, yet it is still connected by its bark, but it cannot sustain itself from
it, all the fruit on it are susceptible to ritual impurity. There is an
unresolved doubt with regard to this matter: Is the remainder of the tree
considered as a handle to this broken branch or not?
Halacha 3
When vegetables become dried out while
budding, e.g., cabbage or squash that becomes dried out while budding, they are
not susceptible to the impurity associated with foods. If produce was harvested
with the intent of it being dried, it is considered as food until it becomes
totally dry and hard like wood.
Halacha 4
When the branches of a tree that
contained fruit were broken off, the fruit is considered as having been
harvested. Similarly, if a tree containing fruit dried out, the fruit is
considered as having been harvested.
Halacha 5
When figs dry out when budding, they
contract impurity in their place.
Halacha 6
All foods that come from living
animals are not susceptible to ritual impurity until the animals die. If one
slaughtered a domesticated animal, wild animal, or fowl, even though it is
still in its death throes, it is susceptible to ritual impurity.
When do fish contract impurity? When
they die. If a factor arose that caused a fish to be considered as tereifah and it contracted impurity when it is
in its their death throes, there is an unresolved question: Is it considered as
if it had died, because it already became tereifah?
Or is it not susceptible to ritual impurity until it becomes inanimate like
stone and does not move?
If a limb or meat that was loosely
hanging from a domesticated or wild animal and could not rejuvenate itself was
made fit to contract impurity, it is susceptible to impurity even when in its
place attached to the animal, because it is already considered as food that has
been separated. If the animal was slaughtered, the slaughter makes it fit to
contract impurity, because the entire animal is considered as a
"handle," to this limb. And when a "handle" is made
susceptible to ritual impurity, the entire organ becomes susceptible, as will
be explained. There is an unresolved question if an animal can become a
"handle" to a loosely hanging limb or flesh in the animal's lifetime.
Halacha 7
When one slaughters a domesticated
animal, wild animal, or fowl, all of its meat becomes susceptible to ritual
impurity because of the blood that emerges at the time of ritual slaughter.
Therefore, if no blood emerges at the time of ritual slaughter, all of the meat
must be made susceptible to ritual impurity like all other foods that were not
yet made susceptible to impurity.
Halacha 8
When foods are made susceptible to
impurity while they are attached to the earth or they were made susceptible
with water that was attached to the ground, they are not susceptible to
impurity. They receive this status only after coming in contact with water that
is not in contact with the earth or with other liquids after the produce has
been detached from the earth, as implied by Leviticus 11:34: "in any container."
It can be inferred that a liquid does not make food susceptible to impurity
unless it was lifted from the ground, like water in a container. If one drew
water with a container and then poured it on the ground, it does not make food
susceptible to impurity.
Halacha 9
When a zucchini was planted in a
flowerpot and it grew, even though portions of it emerged outside the
flowerpot, it is not susceptible to ritual impurity. The rationale is that when
a flowerpot has a hole through which a small root can protrude, produce growing
in it is considered as attached to the earth and anything planted in it is not
susceptible to ritual impurity. Similarly, if there was water in it, the water
does not make produce susceptible to impurity.
Halacha 10
When a flowerpot does not have a hole,
anything growing in it is susceptible to ritual impurity. If there is water in
it, that water makes produce susceptible to impurity.
Halacha 11
Vessels made from animal turds or
earth from which roots can break through and protrude do not cause plants to
become susceptible to impurity. Even though they do not have a hole, they are
considered as if they have a hole.
Halacha 12
When a flowerpot was filled with earth
until its edge, it is no longer considered as a container. Instead, it is
considered as a flat surface that does not have an edge, for it is no longer a
receptacle.
Halacha 13
When impure liquids fall on foods, the
foods become impure even though they fell contrary to the desire of the owner.
The rationale is that the food's contraction of impurity occurs at the same
time as it became susceptible to impurity. This applies provided the liquids
are not on the earth.
Halacha 14
Whenever food has spoiled and rotted
to the point that it is no longer fit for human consumption, it is not
susceptible to ritual impurity. Similarly, a liquid that has spoiled and become
foul to the point that it is no longer fit for human consumption is not
susceptible to ritual impurity, just as it does not make foods susceptible to
ritual impurity, as implied by Leviticus 11:34: "which he shall
drink."
Halacha 15
When one cooked an animal's hide or
thought of partaking of a placenta, they contract ritual impurity as an
independent entityy.
Halacha 16
When one cooks the hide of a donkey,
there is an unresolved question whether it contracts ritual impurity as an
independent entity, because it was cooked or it does not contract impurity,
because it is very disgusting.
Halacha 17
Kernels of wheat that are found in
cattle turds or barley that is found in animal turds that were collected are
not susceptible to ritual impurity. If one thought of partaking of them, they
contract the ritual impurity associated with foods.
Halacha 18
When food became impure and after it
became impure, it spoiled and rotted, if it became unfit for a dog to eat or it
became dry like a shard, it is pure. If it became unfit for human consumption,
but it is still fit for a dog, it remains impure as it was beforehand.
Whenever food becomes impure, it
cannot regain purity by being immersed in amikveh.
Halacha 19
When one sows impure seeds, the plant
that grows from them is pure, even if it is an entity whose seed does not
decompose. The above applies provided the seeds sprout roots. If, however, they
do not sprout roots, they remain impure even if the seed decomposes.
Halacha 20
When food is attached to a utensil, it
is no longer considered as food. If the utensil becomes impure, it contracts
the impurity of the utensil. Since the food serves as wood, it is considered as
wood.
Halacha 21
Whenever a liquid contracts impurity
and afterwards spoils and becomes foul, it remains impure forever. For the
impurity of a liquid never departs, even if it becomes unfit for a dog to
drink. Liquid that becomes impure can never regain purity. The only exception
is water, i.e., if one immersed impure water in amikveh, when the water
of the mikveh covers the impure water, it regains
purity.
Hot impure water can be immersed in a
cold mikveh. Similarly,
cold water can be immersed in hot water, foul water can be immersed in pleasant
water, and pleasant water in foul water.
Halacha 22
When a staff was thoroughly wet with
impure liquids, if a portion of it was immersed, the water on the other portion
is not purified until it is immersed in its entirety.
Halacha 23
When snow becomes impure and a portion
of it is joined to the waters of amikveh, since a portion became pure,
it becomes pure in its entirety.
Halacha 24
Temed that became impure - whether it became impure
after the water was mixed with the grape dregs or whether the grape dregs were
mixed with impure water - until it becomes vinegary, it can be brought into
contact with a mikvehand
purified, for it is like water. Once it becomes vinegary, it's like wine and it
cannot be purified in a mikveh.
Halacha 25
When a pot was filled with liquids,
e.g., honey, wine, or the like, and placed in amikveh and then a person who was a primary
derivative of impurity extended his hand outward and touched the liquids, the
liquids become impure even though they are in the mikveh. And the pot contracts
impurity from the liquids in it, even though it is in the mikveh.
If, by contrast, the pot contained
water, the pot is pure, because a derivative of impurity never imparts impurity
to an earthenware container. Nor does the water it contains contract impurity,
for it is mixed with the water of the mikveh.
If, however, a person who is considered a source of impurity extended his hand
and touched it, the pot becomes impure, for a mikveh does not impart purity to an
earthenware container.
Halacha 26
Drainage water can be assumed to be
impure. If rain water descended upon it to the extent that it became the
majority, the mixture is pure. If they are of equal quantities, everything is
impure, whether the water is found in a container or on the earth.
When does this apply? When the
drainage water came first. If, however, the rain water came first and then even
the slightest amount of drainage water fell upon them, everything is impure,
for when impure liquids descend into pure liquids, even the slightest amount
imparts impurity.
Halacha 27
When a person spreads mud on the roof
of his house or if he washes his clothes and water is dripping from them and
then it rained and the dripping increased, we conclude that the majority is
rain water and the water that drips is pure.
Halacha 28
The following rules apply when a
person applied ritually pure oil to his body and afterwards contracted
impurity. If he immersed himself while the oil is still on his body, if merely
the amount of oil to rub on a small finger was applied, the oil is pure as it
was originally.
If a person applies impure oil to his
body and immerses himself, the oil on his body does not regain purity. Instead,
if there is moist oil on his body, the oil remains impure. If there is not
enough that feels moist, it is nullified because of the small amount that is
there.
-------
Rambam:
• 3 Chapters: Avel Chapter 3, Avel Chapter 4, Avel Chapter 5
Chapter 3
Halacha 1
With the exception of the six
relatives mentioned in the Torah and his wife, whenever a priest becomes impure
because of contact with a corpse, if there are witnesses and a warning is
administered, he is punished by lashes, asLeviticus 21:1 states:
"No one shall contract ritual impurity for the sake of a deceased person
among his people."
This applies whether one touches the
corpse, stands over it, or carries it. And it applies to a corpse and to all
other forms of ritual impurity stemming from a corpse, as implied by "No
one shall contract ritual impurity for the sake of a deceased person among his
people." In Hilchot Tumat
Meit, we already described all the factors associated with a corpse that
convey ritual impurity according to Scriptural Law and according to Rabbinic
Law.
Halacha 2
Similarly, a priest receives lashes if
he touches a grave. He may, however, touch clothes that touched a corpse, even
though by doing so, he contracts ritual impurity that continues for seven days.
Halacha 3
Similarly, if a priest enters a
covered structure into which ritual impurity enters, he is lashed. This applies
even though the source of impurity itself is in another building. We have
already explained all the types of "tents" into which ritual impurity
can enter and depart, the laws involving foliage and projections, the entities
which bring ritual impurity and those which interpose between ritual impurity,
which involve Scriptural Law and which involve Rabbinic Law. All of this is
discussed in Hilchot Tumat
Meit.
There we explained that non-Jews do not
convey ritual impurity through overhangs. Therefore their graves are pure and a
priest may enter their cemetery and walk on their graves. He is forbidden only
to touch impurity or carry it, as we explained there.
Halacha 4
The following laws apply when a priest
enters a building where a corpse is located or a cemetery inadvertently and he
is given a warning after he discovers the fact. If he jumps and leaves, he is
not liable. If, however, he remains there for the time it takes to prostrate
oneself which we explained with regard to impurity in the Temple, he is lashed.
If he entered and departed, entered
and departed, if he was given a warning for each time, he is given lashes for
every entrance. Similarly, if he touches a corpse, is giving a warning, and
then disengages himself, and afterwards, touches it and is given a warning -
even if this sequence is repeated one hundred times, he is given lashes for
each touch.
If he was touching a corpse and did
not disengage himself or was standing in the cemetery and touched other
corpses, although he is given a warning several times, he receives lashes only
once. For as long as he does not cease, he is continuing to desecrate his
priestly state.
Halacha 5
The following rules apply when one
causes a priest to contract ritual impurity. If they both acted intentionally,
the priest receives lashes and the person who caused him to contract impurity
violates the prohibition against placing a stumbling block in front of the
blind. If the priest was not aware of the transgression and the person who
caused him to contract impurity acted intentionally, that person receives
lashes.
Halacha 6
A High Priest may not become impure
for the sake of his relatives, as Leviticus 21:11 states:
"He shall not become impure for his father's or mother's sake."
Similarly, he does not enter a shelter where there is a corpse, even the corpse
of one of his relatives, as ibid.:30
states: "He shall not enter a place where there is any corpse." Thus
we learn that he is liable both for not entering and for not becoming impure.
What is implied? If the High Priest
touches or carries a corpse, he receives lashes for one transgression. If he
enters a shelter and remains there until a person dies or he enters a chest,
bureau, or drawer, and a colleague comes and opens the top of this container
and thus his contact with impurity and his entrance into the shelter come at
the same time, he receives two sets of lashes, for the prohibition against
entering and for the prohibition against becoming impure.
Halacha 7
If the High Priest became impure
beforehand, and then entered a shelter where a corpse was located, if he is
warned, he should receive lashes even for this entry.
Halacha 8
When a priest - even a High Priest -
encounters an unattended corpse on the road, he is obligated to become impure
for its sake and bury it. What is meant by an unattended corpse? A Jewish
corpse cast away on the road without anyone to bury it. This is a halachah
conveyed by the received tradition.
When does the above apply? When the
priest is alone and there is no one else with him; even when he calls out on
the road, no one answers him. If, however, when he calls others answer, this is
not considered an unattended corpse. Instead, he should call to the others and
they should come and tend to the corpse.
Halacha 9
If a priest and a nazirite are
proceeding on a road and they encounter an unattended corpse, the nazirite
should tend to it. The rationale is that his holiness is not of an eternal
nature. The priest - even an ordinary priest - should not become impure.
If a High Priest was going together
with an ordinary priest, the ordinary priest should become impure. The general
principle is: Whoever is on a higher level of holiness should become impure
last. When a s'gan and the priest anointed to lead the
army at war encounter an unattended corpse, the priest anointed to lead the
army at war should become impure, not the s'gan.
Halacha 10
When a nasi dies, everyone - even priests - should
become impure for his sake. Our Sages had him considered as an unattended
corpse, because everyone is obligated in his honor. Similarly, all must observe
the rites of aninut for his sake.
Halacha 11
The daughters of Aaron were not warned
to avoid the ritual impurity imparted by a corpse. This derived from Leviticus 21:1:
"Say to the priests, the sons of Aaron...." Implied is "the sons
of Aaron," and not "the daughters of Aaron."
Similarly, challalim are permitted to become impure. This
is also derived from the words, "the priests, the sons of Aaron,"
i.e., to be included in the prohibition, their priesthood must be intact.
Halacha 12
When a priest is a minor, the adults
are warned that they should not have him contact ritual impurity. If he comes
to contract impurity on his own initiative, the court is not obligated to
separate him from the source of impurity. His father, however, must educate him
in the holiness of the priesthood.
Halacha 13
The four cubits circumscribed around a
corpse are deemed impure. Any priest that enters into these four cubits is
given stripes for rebellious conduct.
Similarly, if priests enter a beit hapras, go to the
diaspora, become impure through contact with a mixture of blood, a gravestone,
or the stones which support the gravestone, and the like, they are given
stripes for rebellious conduct, because these entities are sources for ritual
impurity by Rabbinic decree, as we explained in Hilchot Tumat Meit. If,
however, a priest enters a cemetery, he receives lashes according to Scriptural
Law.
Halacha 14
It is permissible for a priest to
become impure through walking through a beit
hapras or the diaspora for the
sake of a mitzvah, when there is no way other than that, e.g., he went to marry
or to study Torah. Even though there is someone who could teach him in Eretz Yisrael, he is permitted
to leave, because a person does not merit to learn from every colleague.
Similarly, a person may incur ritual
impurity that is Rabbinic in origin to show respect to other people. What is
implied? If a mourner walked through a beit
hapras, everyone follows after him to comfort him. Similarly, we may walk
over the coffins of the dead to greet Jewish kings. This is allowed even to
greet gentile kings, so that a distinction will be able to be made between them
and Jewish kings when their glory will return to its place. Similarly, leniency
is granted in all analogous situations. Also, a priest may incur ritual
impurity of Rabbinic origin to enter in judgment and disputation with gentiles
concerning property, for he is saving it from their hands. Similar laws apply
in all analogous situations.
Chapter 4
Halacha 1
These are the customs observed by the
Jewish people with regard to corpses and burial. We close the eyes of the
deceased. If one's mouth hangs open, we tie the jaw close. After washing the
corpse, we stuff close the orifices, anoint it with different fragrances, cut
its hair, and dress it in shrouds of white linen which are not expensive. Our
Sages followed the custom of using a cloak worth a zuz, so as not to embarrass a
person who lacks resources. We cover the faces of the deceased so as not to
embarrass the poor whose faces turned black because of hunger.
Halacha 2
It is forbidden to bury the dead, even
a nasi among the Jewish people, in silk shrouds
or clothes embroidered with gold, for this is an expression of haughtiness, the
destruction of useful property, and the emulation of gentile practices.
We carry the dead on our shoulders to
the cemetery.
Halacha 3
The pallbearers are forbidden to wear
sandals, lest the strap of one of them snap and he hold back the performance of
the mitzvah.
Halacha 4
We dig burial caves in the earth and
make hollows at the side of the caves. There we bury the corpse with its face
upward; we then place the earth and the stones back in place above it. They may
bury it in a wooden coffin.
Those who accompany the corpse tell
him: "Go in peace," as Genesis 15:15states: "You will go to your
ancestors in peace."
Markings are made on the graves. A
tombstone is placed on the grave. For the righteous, by contrast, a tombstone
is not placed, because their words will cause them to be remembered; a person
will not need to visit in the cemeteries.
Halacha 5
A person in his deathroes is
considered as a living person with regard to all matters. We do not tie his
cheek, stuff his orifices, nor to we place a metal utensil or a utensil that
cools on his navel so that his body will not bloat. We do not anoint it or wash
it or place it on sand or on salt until the person dies.
One who touches him is considered as
shedding blood. To what can the matter be compared? To a candle that is
flickering, were a person to touch it, it will be extinguished. Similarly,
anyone who closes a dying person's eyes as his soul expires is considered as
shedding blood. Instead, they should wait some lest he have fainted. Similarly,
we do not rend our clothes because of him, uncover our shoulders, recite
eulogies, or bring a coffin or shrouds into the house until the person dies.
Halacha 6
When a person's dead is lying before
him, he should eat in another house. If he does not have another house, he
should construct a partition and eat. If he does not have the materials to make
a partition, he should turn away his face and eat. Under no circumstances
should he recline and eat or eat meat or drink wine.
He does not recite the blessing before
eating, nor the grace after meals. Others do not recite the blessings for him,
nor is he included in a quorum of three for the recitation of grace. He is free
from the obligation to recite the Shema,
pray, put on tefillin, or observe any of the mitzvot stated
in the Torah.
On the Sabbath, he should recline, eat
meat, and drink wine, recite the blessing before eating, and recite grace.
Others may recite blessings for him. He is included in a quorum for grace and
is obligated in all the mitzvot of the Torah with the exception of sexual
relations.
Once the dead is buried, he is
permitted to eat meat and drink a small amount of wine to help digest the food
that he has eaten, but not in an unrestrained manner.
Halacha 7
We do not delay the burial of the
dead. Instead, we hurry to bury him immediately. Hastening the burial is
praiseworthy. For one's father and mother, by contrast, it is demeaning.
Halacha 8
On Friday or the day before a
festival, or when rain was drenching the coffin, it is permitted to hurry even
the funeral of one's parents. For the person hurried the funeral only as an
expression of honor for his father and mother.
Whoever delays the burial of his dead
overnight violates a negative commandment, unless he delays the burial for the
honor of the dead and to complete providing for his needs.
Halacha 9
On the first day alone, it is
forbidden for a mourner to put on tefillin or to eat food of his own. He must sit
on a overturned bed. During the remainder of the days of mourning, he may eat
his own food, sit on a mat or on the ground, and put on tefillin.
What is the source which teaches that
a mourner may not put on tefillin on the first day? Instructions were
given Ezekiel (Ezekiel 24:17): "Your glory should be bound upon
you." Implied is other people are forbidden. He was instructed: "Do
not eat the bread of men." Implied is that other people should eat from
others on the first day and are forbidden to eat their own food.
Chapter 5
Halacha 1
These are the matters forbidden to a
mourner on the first day according to Scriptural Law and on the remaining seven
days according to Rabbinic Law. He is forbidden to cut his hair, launder his
clothes, wash, anoint himself, engage in sexual relations, wear shoes, perform
work, study the Torah, stand his bed upright, leave his head uncovered, and
greet others, eleven matters in total.
Halacha 2
Which source teaches that a mourner is
forbidden to have his hair cut?Leviticus 10:6 warns the sons of Aaron: "Do not
let the hair of your heads grow untended." Implied is that every mourner
is forbidden to cut his hair. Instead, he lets his hair grow untended. Just as
he is forbidden to cut off his hair; so, too, he is forbidden to trim his beard
and any other hair on his body. This applies to cutting hair and having one's
own hair cut. If he was in the midst of a haircut and he heard that his father
died, he may complete the haircut. This applies to cutting hair and having
one's own hair cut.
Similarly, it is forbidden to cut off
one's mustache or to cut one's nails with a utensil. One may, however, bite off
one's nails or trim them with one's other nails.
Halacha 3
Which source teaches that a mourner is
forbidden to launder his clothes and to wash and anoint his body: II Samuel 14:2 states:
"Please conduct yourself as a mourner; please wear mourner's clothes and
do not anoint yourself with oil." Washing is including in anointing
oneself, for it is a preliminary step before anointing oneself as Ruth 3:3 states:
"Wash and anoint yourself."
Just as a mourner is forbidden to
launder clothes; so, too, he is forbidden to wear new and freshly pressed white
clothes.
Halacha 4
As it is forbidden to anoint one's
entire body; so, too, it is forbidden to anoint a portion of one's body. To
remove filth, however, it is permitted. Similarly, it is forbidden to wash a
portion of one's body in hot water. One may, however, wash one's face, one's
hands, and one's feet - but not one's entire body - in cold water.
Halacha 5
Which source teaches that a mourner is
forbidden to engage in sexual relations.II Samuel 12:24 states:
"And David comforted his wife, Batsheva, and he came to her and lay with
her." This indicates that this was forbidden beforehand.
Similarly, a mourner should not marry
a woman, nor should a woman marry while mourning even though they do not engage
in relations. It is permitted for a mourner to remain in solitude with his wife
even though he is forbidden to engage in sexual relations.
Halacha 6
Which source teaches that a mourner is
forbidden to wear shoes? Ezekiel was instructed Ezekiel 24:17: "And place your shoes on your
feet." Implied is that all others are forbidden. If a person is traveling
on a journey, he may wear shoes and proceed on his way. When he enters a city,
he should remove his shoes.
Halacha 7
An allusion to the prohibition against
a mourner performing labor can be derived from Amos 8:10: "I shall transform your festivals
into mourning." Just as it is forbidden to perform work on a festival; so,
too, a mourner is forbidden to perform work. And just as a mourner is forbidden
to perform work; so, too, is he forbidden to engage in commercial transactions
and to travel from city to city on a business trip.
Halacha 8
For the first three days, all mourners,
even a poor person who derives his livelihood from charity, are forbidden to
perform work. After that period, if the mourner is indigent, he may perform
this work privately in his home. A woman may spin fabric on a spindle in her
home.
Halacha 9
When two brothers or two partners
operate one store together and one of them is forced to mourn, the store should
be closed for all seven days of mourning.
Halacha 10
Even activities which are permitted to
be performed during chol
hamo'ed may not be performed
by a mourner during the days of mourning. Others may, however, perform these
tasks on his behalf.
What is implied? If it is necessary to
turn over a person's olives, put pitch on his barrels, or bring his flax up
from the vat where it is soaking or his wool from the kettle where it is being
dyed, he may hire someone else to perform this task on his behalf so that he
will not suffer a loss. And he may have his field irrigated in the irrigation
season.
Halacha 11
His sharecroppers or those who hire
his fields may perform work in their ordinary way. But donkey-drivers and
camel-drivers who rent his animals and sailors who rent his ships should not
perform work. If the animals or ships were hired out or rented out previously
for a specific time, the renters may perform work.
Halacha 12
A worker hired by the day - even if he
is located in another city - should not perform work on behalf of the mourner.
Halacha 13
When a mourner was charged with doing
tasks on behalf of others, whether as a contractor or not as a contractor, he
should not do it. If his tasks were entrusted to others, they should not work
on it in his home, but may work on it elsewhere.
Halacha 14
If a mourner has litigation with a
colleague, he should not prosecute the matter throughout the seven days of
mourning. If it concerned a matter that could lead to a loss, he should appoint
an agent. The Geonim ruled in this manner.
Halacha 15
Which source teaches that a mourner is
forbidden to speak words of Torah? Ezekiel was instructed Ezekiel 24:17: "Be silent from groaning."
Halacha 16
He is forbidden to read from the
Torah, the Prophets, and the Holy Scriptures and to study the Mishnah, the Midrash, and the Halachot. If many require his
instruction, he is permitted, provided he does not appoint a spokesman.
Instead, he should whisper to the person sitting next to him. That person
should relate the teachings to the spokesman and the spokesman should
communicate them to the people at large.
Halacha 17
Which source teaches that a mourner
should not sit on a bed? II Samuel 13:31states: "And the king arose, rent
his garments, and lay on the ground."
Halacha 18
A mourner is obligated to overturn his
bed for all seven days of mourning. This applies not only to his own bed.
Instead, he must overturn all the beds he has in his house. Moreover, even if
he has ten beds in ten homes in ten cities, he is obligated to overturn all of
them. Even if there are five brothers and one of them dies, all the remainder
must overturn their beds.
When a bed is set aside to be used for
money or for utensils, it need not be overturned. Similarly, a dargesh need not be overturned. Instead, the straps
should be released and the bed allowed to fall.
When bed posts emerge from a bed and
so it is impossible to turn it over, he should turn it on its side while
upright; this is sufficient.
If a person turned all his own beds
over, but slept on beds belonging to others, on a chair, on a chest, or on the
ground, he does not fulfill his obligation. Instead, he must sleep on the
overturned bed.
Halacha 19
Which source teaches that a mourner is
forbidden to uncover his head? Ezekiel was instructed Ezekiel 24:17: "Do not veil your face until the
lips." Implied is that others are obligated to cover their heads. He
should use the sash with which he covers his head and wind a portion of it over
his mouth slightly. In this vein, Onkelos renders Leviticus 13:45: "He should veil his face until
his lips," as "He should cover himself like a mourner."
Halacha 20
Which source teaches that a mourner is
forbidden to exchange greetings with colleagues? Ezekiel was instructed:
"Be silent from groaning."
For the entire first three days, if
someone greets him, he does not respond with greetings. Instead, he notifies
him that he is a mourner. From the third day until the seventh, when a person
greets him, he should respond with greetings. From the seventh until the
thirtieth day, he may greet others, but others should not greet him until after
thirty days have passed. And when he is in mourning for his father or mother,
he should not be greeted until after twelve months.
If he is forbidden to greet a
colleague during the mourning period, one can certainly infer that he is
forbidden to engage in lengthy talk and frivolity, as implied by the
instruction: "Be silent." He should not hold an infant in his arms so
that he will not lead him to laughter. And he should not enter a place of
celebration, e.g., a feasting hall or the like.
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Hayom Yom:
• Thursday, 1 Shevat 5774 – 2 January 2014
"Today's Day"
Thursday, Sh'vat 1, Rosh
Chodesh 5703
Torah lessons: Chumash:
Va'eira, Chamishi with Rashi.
Tehillim: 1-9.
Tanya: In the category of (p. 63)...more than his wont. (p. 63).
The daily recital of Tehillim after davening1 applies equally to
Chabad chassidic shuls and to those who follow the Ashkenazic or Polish nusach2
- may G-d be with them.3 On account of ahavat Yisrael, love of our fellow...and
especially in view of the importance and inner purpose of saying Tehillim with
a minyan, which literally affects all of Israel, materially in "children,
life and sustenance," and spiritually ...we must endeavor with every means
possible that it become an established practice in every shul of every nusach.
FOOTNOTES
1. See "Saying
Tehillim," Kehot.
2. See Introduction to
the Siddur, Kehot.
3. Yeshayahu 38:16.
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Daily Thought:
Complacent
The Rebbe spoke about the suffering in the world, and when he
came to these words, began to choke and sob:
If He is truly capable of anything,
then why can’t He provide good without the bad?
And if His Torah contains the answers for all questions, why
does it not answer this one?
There could be only one answer:
He does not wish us to know,
because if we knew
we might consent.
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