TODAY IN JEWISH HISTORY:
• EZEKIEL'S VISION OF THE "CHARIOT" (429 BCE)
On the 5th of Tammuz of the year 3332 from creation (429 BCE), Ezekiel, the only one of the Prophets to prophesy outside of the Holy Land, beheld a vision of the Divine "Chariot" representing the spiritual infrastructure of creation.
Links:
Ezekiel's vision
About prophecy
DAILY QUOTE:
Light attracts. Where a lantern is placed, those who seek light gather around.(Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn of Lubavitch (1880-1950))
DAILY STUDY:
CHITAS AND RAMBAM FOR TODAY:
Chumash: with Rashi
• Chapter 23
13. Balak said to him, "Come with me to another place from where you will see them; however, you will see only a part of them, not all of them and curse them for me from there. יג. וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו בָּלָק לְךָ נָּא אִתִּי אֶל מָקוֹם אַחֵר אֲשֶׁר תִּרְאֶנּוּ מִשָּׁם אֶפֶס קָצֵהוּ תִרְאֶה וְכֻלּוֹ לֹא תִרְאֶה וְקָבְנוֹ לִי מִשָּׁם:
curse them for me: Heb. וְקָבְנו ֹלִי. This term is in the imperative: Curse them for me!
וקבנו לי: לשון צווי, קללהו לי:
14. He took him to the field of the lookouts, to the peak of the mountain, and he built seven altars and offered up a bull and a ram on [each] altar. יד. וַיִּקָּחֵהוּ שְׂדֵה צֹפִים אֶל רֹאשׁ הַפִּסְגָּה וַיִּבֶן שִׁבְעָה מִזְבְּחֹת וַיַּעַל פָּר וָאַיִל בַּמִּזְבֵּחַ:
the field of the lookouts: There was a high spot from where a lookout stands on guard in case an army approaches the city.
שדה צופים: מקום גבוה היה ששם הצופה עומד לשמור אם יבא חיל על העיר:
to the peak of the mountain: Balaam was not as great a diviner as Balak. Balak foresaw that a breach was destined to break into Israel from there, and indeed, Moses died there. He thought that the curse could take effect upon them there, and [he thought,]“This is the breach that I see.” - [Mid. Tanchuma Balak 13, Num. Rabbah 20:19]
ראש הפסגה: בלעם לא היה קוסם כבלק, ראה בלק שעתידה פרצה להפרץ בישראל משם ששם מת משה. כסבור ששם תחול עליהם הקללה, וזו היא הפרצה שאני רואה:
15. He said to Balak, "Stand here next to your burnt offering and I will be chanced on here. טו. וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל בָּלָק הִתְיַצֵּב כֹּה עַל עֹלָתֶךָ וְאָנֹכִי אִקָּרֶה כֹּה:
I will be chanced on here: By the Holy One, blessed is He.
אקרה כה: מאת הקב"ה:
I will be chanced on: Heb. אקָּרֶה in the passive form.
אקרה: לשון אתפעל:
16. The Lord chanced upon Balaam and placed something into his mouth. He said, "Return to Balak and so you shall speak." טז. וַיִּקָּר יְהֹוָה אֶל בִּלְעָם וַיָּשֶׂם דָּבָר בְּפִיו וַיֹּאמֶר שׁוּב אֶל בָּלָק וְכֹה תְדַבֵּר:
and placed something into his mouth: What is meant by this placing? What would Scripture had lacked had it [simply] said, “Return to Balak and so shall you speak”? However, when he [Balaam] heard that he was not permitted to curse, he said, “Why should I return to Balak to upset him?” So the Holy One, blessed is He, put a bridle and a bit into his mouth, [so to speak,] as a man goads his beast with a bit to lead it wherever he wants. He [God] said to him, You shall return to Balak against your will. — [Mid. Tanchuma Balak 13, Num. Rabbah 20:20]
וישם דבר בפיו: ומה היא השימה הזאת, ומה חסר המקרא באמרו שוב אל בלק וכה תדבר, אלא כשהיה שומע שאינו נרשה לקלל, אמר מה אני חוזר אצל בלק לצערו. ונתן לו הקב"ה רסן וחכה בפיו כאדם הפוקס בהמה בחכה להוליכה אל אשר ירצה. אמר לו על כרחך תשוב אל בלק:
17. When he came to him, he was standing next to his burnt offering, and the Moabite dignitaries were with him, and Balak said to him, "What did the Lord speak?" יז. וַיָּבֹא אֵלָיו וְהִנּוֹ נִצָּב עַל עֹלָתוֹ וְשָׂרֵי מוֹאָב אִתּוֹ וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ בָּלָק מַה דִּבֶּר יְהֹוָה:
and the Moabite dignitaries were with him: Above (verse 6) it says, “ all the Moabite dignitaries.” However, since they saw that there was no hope, some of them left, and only some of them remained. — [Mid. Tanchuma Balak 13, Num. Rabbah 20:20]
ושרי מואב אתו: ולמעלה הוא אומר וכל שרי מואב, כיון שראו שאין בו תקוה הלכו להם מקצתם, ולא נשארו אלא מקצתם:
What did the Lord speak?: This is an expression denoting derision, as if to say, You are not your own master. — [Mid. Tanchuma Balak 13, Num. Rabbah 20:20]
מה דבר ה': לשון צחוק הוא זה, כלומר אינך ברשותך:
18. He took up his parable and said, "Arise, Balak, and hear; listen closely to me, son of Zippor. יח. וַיִּשָּׂא מְשָׁלוֹ וַיֹּאמַר קוּם בָּלָק וּשֲׁמָע הַאֲזִינָה עָדַי בְּנוֹ צִפֹּר:
Arise, Balak: Since he saw that he was mocking him, he intended to taunt him,“Stand on your feet; you have no right to sit, for I have been sent to you as an emissary of the Omnipresent!” - [Mid. Tanchuma Balak 13, Num. Rabbah 20:20]
קום בלק: כיון שראהו מצחק בו, נתכוון לצערו עמוד על רגליך, אינך רשאי לישב ואני שלוח אליך בשליחותו של מקום:
son of Zippor: Heb. בְּנו ֹצִפֹּר. This [use of the ‘vav’ as a suffix to denote the construct form] is biblical style, as in,“beasts (חַיְתוֹ) of the forest” (Ps. 104:20);“beasts (וְחַיְתוֹ) of the earth” (Gen. 1:24);“to a spring (לְמַעְיְנוֹ) of water” (Ps. 114:8).
בנו צפר: לשון מקרא הוא זה, כמו (תהלים קד, כ) חיתו יער, (בראשית א, כד) וחיתו ארץ, (תהלים קיד, ח) למעינו מים:
19. God is not a man that He should lie, nor is He a mortal that He should relent. Would He say and not do, speak and not fulfill? יט. לֹא אִישׁ אֵל וִיכַזֵּב וּבֶן אָדָם וְיִתְנֶחָם הַהוּא אָמַר וְלֹא יַעֲשֶׂה וְדִבֶּר וְלֹא יְקִימֶנָּה:
God is not a man that He should lie: He has already promised them to bring them to and give them possession of the land of the seven nations, and you expect to kill them in the desert?- [See Mid. Tanchuma Mass’ei 7, Num. Rabbah 23:8]
לא איש אל וגו': כבר נשבע להם להביאם ולהורישם ארץ שבעה אומות, ואתה סבור להמיתם במדבר:
Would He say…: Heb. הַהוּא. This is in the form of a question. And the Targum [Onkelos] renders,“who later relent.” They reconsider and change their minds.
ההוא אמר וגו': בלשון תימה, ותרגומו תייבין ומתמלכין, חוזרים ונמלכין לחזור בהם:
20. I have received [an instruction] to bless, and He has blessed, and I cannot retract it. כ. הִנֵּה בָרֵךְ לָקָחְתִּי וּבֵרֵךְ וְלֹא אֲשִׁיבֶנָּה:
I have received [instruction] to bless: You ask me, What did God speak? [My answer is] I received from Him [instruction] to bless them. (
הנה ברך לקחתי: אתה שואלני מה דבר ה', קבלתי ממנו לברך אותם:
to bless: Heb. בָרֵ, used in the sense of לְבָרֵ“to bless.”)
וברך ולא אשיבנה: הוא ברך אותם ואני לא אשיב את ברכתו:
and He has blessed, and I cannot retract it: He has blessed them, and I will not retract His blessing.
וברך: כמו וברך וכן הוא גזרת רי"ש, כמו (תהלים עד יח) אויב חרף, כמו חרף, וכן (שם י ג) ובוצע ברך, המהלל ומברך את הגוזל ואומר, אל תירא כי לא תענש, שלום יהיה לך, מרגיז הוא לקב"ה. ואין לומר ברך שם דבר, שאם כן היה נקוד בפתח קטן וטעמו למעלה, אבל לפי שהוא לשון פעל הוא נקוד קמץ, וטעמו למטה:
and He has blessed: Heb. וּבֵרֵ, like וּבִרֵ. This is the rule of the letter ‘reish’ as in אוֹיֵב חֵרֵף (Ps. 74:18), like חִרֵף and similarly, וּבֹצֵע בֵּרֵ (ibid. 10:3)-one who praises and blesses the thief, saying,“Do not be afraid because you will not be punished; you will be all right,” angers the Holy One, blessed is He. But one cannot say that וּבֵרֵ is a noun, for if so, it would be punctuated with a short ‘pathach’ [’segol’] and the accent would be on the first syllable וּבֵרֶ. However, since it is a verb in the active form, it is punctuated with a short ‘kamatz’ [’tzeireh’], and the accent is on the last syllable.
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21. He does not look at evil in Jacob, and has seen no perversity in Israel; the Lord, his God, is with him, and he has the King's friendship. כא. לֹא הִבִּיט אָוֶן בְּיַעֲקֹב וְלֹא רָאָה עָמָל בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהָיו עִמּוֹ וּתְרוּעַת מֶלֶךְ בּוֹ:
He does not look at evil in Jacob: According to the Targum [Onkelos it means: I have looked. There are no idol worshippers in Jacob]. Another interpretation: Its literal meaning can be expounded beautifully. The Holy One, blessed is He, does not look at evil in Jacob. When they transgress His word, He does not deal punctiliously with them to scrutinize their wicked deeds and their iniquity in violation of His law. — [Mid. Tanchuma Balak 14, Num. Rabbah 20:20]
לא הביט און ביעקב וגו': כתרגומו. דבר אחר אחרי פשוטו הוא נדרש מדרש נאה. לא הביט הקב"ה און שביעקב, כשהן עוברין על דבריו אינו מדקדק אחריהם להתבונן באוניות שלהם ובעמלן שהן עוברין על דתו:
perversity: Heb. עָמָל connotes transgression, as in“conceives mischief (עָמָל) ” (Ps. 7:15) [and as in]“For You look at mischief (עָמָל) and provocation” (ibid. 10:14), since a transgression is distressing for the Omnipresent [and עָמָל primarily means hardship and toil].
עמל: לשון עבירה, כמו והרה עמל (תהלים ז טו), כי אתה עמל וכעס תביט (שם י יד) לפי שהעבירה היא עמל לפני המקום:
the Lord, his God, is with him: Even if they anger Him and rebel against Him, He does not move from their midst.
ה' אלהיו עמו: אפילו מכעיסין וממרים לפניו אינו זז מתוכן:
and he has the king’s friendship: וּתְרוּעַת, an expression denoting love and friendship, as in,“the friend of (רֵעֶה) David” (II Sam. 15:37), and in“and has given her to his companion (לְמֵרֵעֵהוּ)” (Jud. 15:6). Similarly, Onkelos renders, “the Presence of their King is among them.”
ותרועת מלך בו: לשון חבה ורעות כמו רעה דוד (שמואל ב' טו לז) אוהב דוד, ויתנה למרעהו (שופטים טו, ו) וכן תרגם אונקלוס ושכינת מלכהון ביניהון:
22. God has brought them out of Egypt with the strength of His loftiness. כב. אֵל מוֹצִיאָם מִמִּצְרָיִם כְּתוֹעֲפֹת רְאֵם לוֹ:
God has brought them out of Egypt: You said,“Behold the people coming out of Egypt” (22:11). They did not come out by themselves, but God brought them out. — [Mid. Tanchuma Balak 14, Num. Rabbah 20:20]
אל מוציאם ממצרים: אתה אמרת הנה עם יצא ממצרים, לא יצא מעצמו אלא הא-להים הוציאם:
with the strength of His loftiness: Heb. כְּתוֹעֲפֹת רְאֵם, in accordance with the power of His loftiness (רוּם) and height. Similarly,“and… abundant silver (תּוֹעָפוֹת)” (Job 22:25); they are terms denoting strength. I maintain that it תּוֹעֲפוֹת is a term cognate with [a similar word in the phrase]“and let the birds fly (יְעוֹפֵף)” (Gen. 1:20) [which denotes] something flying to lofty heights, expressing great power. Thus, כְּתוֹעֲפֹת רְאֵם means flying high. Another interpretation: כְּתוֹעֲפֹת רְאֵם means the power of 're’emim’ and our Rabbis say (Git. 68b) that this refers to demons.
כתועפות ראם לו: כתוקף רום וגובה שלו, וכן וכסף תועפות (איוב כב כה), לשון מעוז המה, ואומר אני שהוא לשון ועוף יעופף (בראשית א כ), המעופף ברום וגובה ותוקף רב הוא זה ותועפות ראם עפיפות גובה. דבר אחר תועפות ראם תוקף ראמים, ואמרו רבותינו אלו השדים:
23. For there is no divination in Jacob and no soothsaying in Israel. In time it will be said to Jacob and Israel, 'What has God wrought?' כג. כִּי לֹא נַחַשׁ בְּיַעֲקֹב וְלֹא קֶסֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כָּעֵת יֵאָמֵר לְיַעֲקֹב וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל מַה פָּעַל אֵל:
For there is no divination in Jacob: They are worthy of blessing since there are no diviners or soothsayers among them.
כי לא נחש ביעקב: כי ראוים הם לברכה שאין בהם מנחשים וקוסמים:
In time it will be said to Jacob and Israel: There will come another time like this, when the love [God has] for them will be revealed to all, for they will be seated before Him and learn Torah from His mouth. Their place will be further in [closer to the Divine Presence] than the ministering angels. They will ask them, “What has God wrought?” This is the meaning of what is stated,“your eyes shall behold your Teacher” (Isa. 30:20). Another interpretation: [The phrase] יֵאָמֵר לְיַעֲקֹב is not in the future tense [“it shall be said to Jacob”] but in the present tense. [Thus, the meaning is:] They have no need for a diviner or sorcerer, for any time it is necessary to tell Jacob and Israel what God has wrought and what decrees He enacted on high, they do not need diviners or soothsayers, but the decrees of the Omnipresent are transmitted to them through their prophets, or the Urim and Tummim inform them [Mid. Tanchuma Balak 14, Num. Rabbah 20:20]. Onkelos , however, does not render [it in] this manner.[Onkelos renders: For the diviners do not wish that good should be bestowed upon Jacob, nor do soothsayers desire the greatness of Israel. At this time, it will be told to Jacob what God has wrought.]
כעת יאמר ליעקב וגו': עוד עתיד להיות עת כעת הזאת אשר תגלה חבתן לעין כל שהן יושבין לפניו ולמדים תורה מפיו ומחיצתן לפנים ממלאכי השרת, והם ישאלו להם מה פעל אל, וזהו שנאמר והיו עיניך רואות את מוריך (ישעיה ל כ). דבר אחר יאמר ליעקב אינו לשון עתיד, אלא לשון הוה, אינן צריכין למנחש וקוסם כי בכל עת שצריך להאמר ליעקב ולישראל מה פעל הקב"ה ומה גזרותיו במרום, אינן מנחשים וקוסמים אלא נאמר להם על פי נביאיהם מה היא גזרת המקום, או אורים ותומים מגידים להם, ואונקלוס לא תרגם כן:
24. Behold, a people that rises like a lioness (See Malbim) and raises itself like a lion. It does not lie down until it eats its prey and drinks the blood of the slain." כד. הֶן עָם כְּלָבִיא יָקוּם וְכַאֲרִי יִתְנַשָּׂא לֹא יִשְׁכַּב עַד יֹאכַל טֶרֶף וְדַם חֲלָלִים יִשְׁתֶּה:
Behold, a people that rises like a lioness: When they awaken from their sleep in the morning they show the vigor of a lioness and a lion in grasping mitzvoth, to don a ‘tallith ’ [prayer shawl], recite the shema and put on ‘tefillin’ [phylacteries]. — [Mid. Tanchuma Balak 14, Num. Rabbah 20:20]
הן עם כלביא יקום וגו': כשהן עומדים משנתם שחרית, הן מתגברין כלביא וכארי לחטוף את המצות, ללבוש טלית לקרוא את שמע ולהניח תפילין:
It does not lie down: [I.e., a Jew does not lie down] on his bed at night until he consumes and destroys any harmful thing that comes to tear him. How so? He recites the shema on his bed and entrusts his spirit to the hand of the Omnipresent. Should an army or a troop come to harm them, the Holy One, blessed is He, protects them, fights their battles and strikes them [their attackers] down dead.[Mid. Tanchuma Balak 14, Num. Rabbah 20:20] Another interpretation: “Behold a people that rises like a lioness…” as the Targum [Onkelos] renders [it: namely, It will not settle in its land until it destroys (the enemy) and takes possession of the land of the nations].
לא ישכב: בלילה על מטתו עד שהוא אוכל ומחבל כל מזיק הבא לטרפו. כיצד, קורא את שמע על מטתו ומפקיד רוחו ביד המקום, בא מחנה וגייס להזיקם, הקב"ה שומרם ונלחם מלחמותם ומפילם חללים. דבר אחר הן עם כלביא יקום וגו'. כתרגומו:
and drinks the blood of the slain: He prophesied that Moses would not die until he would strike down the Midianite kings dead, and he [Balaam] would be slain with them, as it says,“Balaam the son of Beor the soothsayer did the children of Israel slay with the sword with those that were slain by them” (Josh. 13:22). - [Mid. Tanchuma Balak 14, Num. Rabbah 20:20]
ודם חללים ישתה: נתנבא שאין משה מת עד שיפיל מלכי מדין חללים ויהרג הוא עמהם, שנאמר ואת בלעם בן בעור הקוסם הרגו בני ישראל בחרב על חלליהם (יהושע יג כב):
25. Balak said to Balaam, "You shall neither curse them nor shall you not bless them." כה. וַיֹּאמֶר בָּלָק אֶל בִּלְעָם גַּם קֹב לֹא תִקֳּבֶנּוּ גַּם בָּרֵךְ לֹא תְבָרֲכֶנּוּ:
You shall neither curse them nor shall you not bless them: The first גַּם [literally, also, in the clause,“You shall neither…”] adds something to the second גַּם [in the clause“nor shall you curse”] and the second גַּם adds something to the first גַּם [as if he said, Neither bless them nor curse them; neither curse them nor bless them]. Similarly,“It shall be neither mine (גַּם לִי) nor yours (גַּם לְ) ” (I Kings 3:26) and similarly,“both the youth (גַּם בָּחוּר) and the maiden (גַּם בְּתוּלָה)” (Deut. 32:25).
גם קב לא תקבנו: גם ראשון מוסיף על גם השני, וגם השני על גם ראשון, וכן גם לי גם לך לא יהיה (מלכים א' ג כו), וכן גם בחור גם בתולה (דברים לב כה):
26. Balaam answered and said to Balak, "Have I not spoken to you, saying, 'Everything the Lord speaks that I shall do." כו. וַיַּעַן בִּלְעָם וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל בָּלָק הֲלֹא דִּבַּרְתִּי אֵלֶיךָ לֵאמֹר כֹּל אֲשֶׁר יְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֹתוֹ אֶעֱשֶׂה:
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Daily Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 29 - 34
• Chapter 29
The Name of God appears eighteen times in this psalm, corresponding to which our Sages established eighteen blessings-the Amidah. The entire psalm can be interpreted as referring to the giving of the Torah and the ingathering of the exiles.
1. A psalm by David. Render to the Lord, children of the mighty, render to the Lord honor and strength.
2. Render to the Lord the honor due to His Name; bow down to the Lord in resplendent holiness.
3. The voice of the Lord is over the waters, the God of glory thunders; the Lord is over mighty waters.
4. The voice of the Lord resounds with might; the voice of the Lord resounds with majesty.
5. The voice of the Lord breaks cedars; the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon.
6. He makes them leap like a calf, Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox.
7. The voice of the Lord strikes flames of fire.
8. The voice of the Lord makes the desert tremble; the Lord causes the desert of Kadesh to tremble.
9. The voice of the Lord causes the does to calve, and strips the forests bare; and in His Sanctuary all proclaim His glory.
10. The Lord sat [as King] at the Flood; the Lord will sit as King forever.
11. The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.
Chapter 30
This psalm teaches one not to be distressed if God visits suffering upon him in this world, for only through suffering can one enter the World to Come. Even one of great spiritual stature should realize that his stability is not guaranteed, but that all is in the hands of God.
1. A psalm, a song of dedication of the House, by David.
2. I exalt You, Lord, for You have uplifted me, and did not allow my enemies to rejoice over me.
3. Lord, my God, I cried out to You, and You healed me.
4. Lord, You have brought up my soul from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not descend to the pit.
5. Sing to the Lord, you His pious ones, and praise His holy Name.
6. For His wrath endures but for a moment, when He is conciliated there is [long] life; when one retires at night weeping, joy will come in the morning.
7. In my security I thought, "I shall never falter.”
8. Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong; when You concealed Your countenance I was alarmed.
9. I called to You, O Lord, and I made supplication to my Lord:
10. What profit is there in my death, in my going down to the grave? Can dust praise You? Can it proclaim Your truth
11. Lord, hear and be gracious to me; Lord, be a help to me.
12. You have turned my mourning into dancing; You have undone my sackcloth and girded me with joy.
13. Therefore my soul shall sing to You, and not be silent; Lord my God, I will praise You forever.
Chapter 31
Composed by a destitute and oppressed David, running from Saul while placing his trust in God, this psalm instructs man to put his trust in God alone.
1. For the Conductor, a psalm by David.
2. In You I have taken shelter, O Lord, I shall never be shamed; rescue me in Your righteousness.
3. Turn Your ear to me, save me quickly; be to me a rock of refuge, a fortress to deliver me.
4. For You are my rock and my fortress; for the sake of Your Name, direct me and lead me.
5. Remove me from the net they planted for me, for You are my stronghold.
6. I entrust my spirit into Your hand; You will redeem me, Lord, God of truth.
7. I despise those who anticipate worthless vanities; but I trust in the Lord.
8. I will rejoice and delight in Your kindness, for You have seen my affliction; You know the troubles of my soul.
9. You have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy; You have set my feet on spacious ground.
10. Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eye wastes away from vexation-my soul and my stomach.
11. For my life is spent in sorrow, my years in sighing; my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones are wasted away.
12. Because of my adversaries I have become a disgrace-exceedingly to my neighbors, and a dread to my friends; those who see me outside flee from me.
13. Like a dead man, I was forgotten from the heart; I became like a lost vessel.
14. For I have heard the slander of many, terror on every side, when they assembled together against me and plotted to take my life.
15. But I trusted in You, O Lord; I said, "You are my God.”
16. My times are in Your hand; save me from the hands of my enemies and pursuers.
17. Shine Your countenance upon Your servant; deliver me in Your kindness.
18. O Lord, let me not be ashamed, for I have called You; let the wicked be shamed, let them be silent to the grave.
19. Let the lips of falsehood-which speak insolently against the righteous, with arrogance and contempt-be struck dumb.
20. How abundant is Your good that You have hidden for those who fear You; in the presence of man, You have acted for those who take refuge in You.
21. Conceal them from the haughtiness of man, in the shelter of Your countenance; hide them in a shelter from the strife of tongues.
22. Blessed is the Lord, for He has been wondrous in His kindness to me in a besieged city.
23. I said in my panic, "I am cut off from before Your eyes!" But in truth, You heard the voice of my pleas when I cried to You.
24. Love the Lord, all His pious ones! The Lord preserves the faithful, and repays with exactness those who act haughtily.
25. Be strong and fortify your hearts, all who put their hope in the Lord!
Chapter 32
This psalm speaks of forgiveness of sin, and of the good fortune of one who repents and confesses to God wholeheartedly.
1. By David, a maskil.1Fortunate is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
2. Fortunate is the man to whom the Lord does not reckon his sin, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
3. When I was silent, my limbs wore away through my wailing all day long.
4. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my marrow became [dry] as the droughts of summer, Selah.
5. My sin I made known to You, my iniquity I did not cover. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord," and You have forgiven the iniquity of my transgression forever.
6. For this let every pious man pray to You, at a time when You may be found; indeed, the flood of many waters will not reach him.
7. You are a refuge to me; protect me from distress; surround me with songs of deliverance forever.
8. I will enlighten you and educate you in the path you should go; I will advise you with what I have seen.
9. Be not like a horse, like a mule, senseless, that must be muzzled with bit and bridle when being adorned, so that it not come near you.
10. Many are the agonies of the wicked, but he who trusts in the Lord is surrounded by kindness.
11. Rejoice in the Lord and exult, you righteous ones! Sing joyously, all you upright of heart!
Chapter 33
This psalm teaches the righteous and upright to praise God. For the more one knows of the Torah's wisdom, the more should he praise God, for he knows and understands His greatness.
1. Sing joyously to the Lord, you righteous ones; it is fitting for the upright to offer praise.
2. Extol the Lord with a harp; sing to Him with a ten-stringed lyre.
3. Sing to Him a new song; play well with sounds of jubilation.
4. For the word of the Lord is just; all His deeds are done in faithfulness.
5. He loves righteousness and justice; the kindness of the Lord fills the earth.
6. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their hosts.
7. He gathers the waters of the sea like a mound; He places the deep waters in vaults.
8. Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world tremble before Him.
9. For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it endured.
10. The Lord has annulled the counsel of nations; He has foiled the schemes of peoples.
11. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the thoughts of His heart throughout all generations.
12. Fortunate is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose as a heritage for Himself.
13. The Lord looks down from heaven; He beholds all mankind.
14. From His dwelling-place He looks intently upon all the inhabitants of the earth.
15. It is He Who fashions the hearts of them all, Who perceives all their actions.
16. The king is not saved by a great army, nor a warrior rescued by great might.
17. The horse is a false guarantee for victory; with all its great strength it offers no escape.
18. But the eye of the Lord is directed toward those who fear Him, toward those who hope for His kindness,
19. to save their soul from death and to sustain them during famine.
20. Our soul yearns for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.
21. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, for we have put our trust in His Holy Name.
22. May Your kindness, Lord, be upon us, as we have placed our hope in You.
Chapter 34
This psalm tells of when David was in grave danger while at the palace of Achish, brother of Goliath. David acted like a madman, letting spittle run down his beard, and writing on the doors: "Achish, king of Gath, owes me one hundred thousand gold coins," leading Achish to eject him from the palace. In his joy, David composed this psalm in alphabetical sequence.
1. By David, when he feigned insanity before Avimelech,1 who then drove him away, and he left.
2. I bless the Lord at all times; His praise is always in my mouth.
3. My soul glories in the Lord; let the humble hear it and rejoice.
4. Exalt the Lord with me, and let us extol His Name together.
5. I sought the Lord and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.
6. Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never humiliated.
7. This poor man called, and the Lord heard; He delivered him from all his tribulations.
8. The angel of the Lord camps around those who fear Him, and rescues them.
9. Taste and see that the Lord is good; fortunate is the man who trusts in Him.
10. Fear the Lord, you His holy ones, for those who fear Him suffer no want.
11. Young lions may want and hunger, but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.
12. Come, children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
13. Who is the man who desires life, who loves long life wherein to see goodness?
14. Guard your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit.
15. Turn away from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it.
16. The eyes of the Lord are directed toward the righteous, and His ears toward their cry.
17. The wrath of the Lord is upon the evildoers, to excise their memory from the earth.
18. But when they [repent and] cry out, the Lord hears, and saves them from all their troubles.
19. The Lord is close to the broken-hearted, and saves those with a crushed spirit.
20. Many are the afflictions of a righteous person, but the Lord rescues him from them all.
21. He protects all his bones; not one of them is broken.
22. Evil brings death upon the wicked, and the enemies of the righteous are condemned.
23. The Lord redeems the soul of His servants; all who take shelter in Him are not condemned.
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Tanya: Shaar Hayichud Vehaemunah, middle of Chapter 10
• Lessons in Tanya
• Today's Tanya
• Thursday, Tammuz 5, 5774 • July 3, 2014
• Shaar Hayichud Vehaemunah, middle of Chapter 10
ומכל מקום, לשכך האוזן
Nevertheless, despite its superior manner of unity, since one must “modulate for the ear [what it is able to hear],”
נשמע ונתבונן ממשל אור השמש המיוחד ובטל במקורו, ואינו עולה בשם בפני עצמו, רק שם המקור לבדו
we can perceive and comprehend that just as in the analogy, the light of the sun which is united with and nullified in its source has no name of its own, only the name of its source,
כך כל מדותיו של הקב״ה ורצונו וחכמתו אינן עולות ונקראות בשמות אלו כלל
so too, all the attributes of the Holy One, blessed be He, and His Will and wisdom, are not designated and called by these names at all, relative to Him,
אלא לגבי הנבראים, עליונים ותחתונים
but only in relation to the creatures which are (Note of the Rebbe:) “below the World of Atzilut, i.e., in Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, these [creatures] being” [both] higher and lower,
שהווייתם וחיותם והנהגתם, שהקב״ה מהוה ומחיה אותם ומנהיגם
which are brought into existence and given life and guided in their conduct by the Holy One, blessed be He,
הוא ברצונו וחכמתו ובינתו ודעתו, המתלבשות במדותיו הקדושות
through His Will and wisdom and understanding and knowledge, which garb themselves in His holy emotive attributes, such as Chesed, Gevurah and Tiferet.
Thus, the Sefirot are termed Chochmah, Binah, Daat, Chesed, and so forth, in relation to the beings which are created and vivified by G‑d through His Will and wisdom, and so forth, which clothe themselves in the emotive attributes.
כדאיתא במדרש: בעשרה דברים נברא העולם, בחכמה בתבונה ובדעת וכו׳
As it is stated in the Midrash,1 “By means of ten things was the world created: by wisdom, by understanding and by knowledge,...
דכתיב: ה׳ בחכמה יסד ארץ, כונן שמים בתבונה, בדעתו תהומות נבקעו וגו׳
as it is written,2 ‘G‑d founded the earth with wisdom; He established the heavens with understanding; with His knowledge the depths of the abyss were burst open,’...“;
We thus see from the Midrash3 that the world was created by means of “ten things”, i.e., the Ten Sefirot.
וכמאמר אליהו: דאפיקת עשר תיקונין, וקרינן להון עשר ספירן
and as expressed by Elijah, in the passage that opens with Patach Eliyahu, and forms part of the introduction to Tikkunei Zohar, “You have brought forth ten Tikkunim (‘garments’), and we call them ten Sefirot,
לאנהגא בהון עלמין סתימין דלא אתגליין, ועלמין דאתגליין
through which to direct hidden worlds unrevealed (i.e., worlds that transcend mortal comprehension) and worlds revealed (i.e., worlds that are accessible to mortal comprehension),
ובהון אתכסיאת כו׳
and through them You conceal Yourself...“ — from created beings, so that they will not be able to perceive the Divine life-force that creates and vivifies them.
FOOTNOTES
1.Chagigah 12a. The term “Midrash” also embraces the homiletical passages (i.e., the Aggadot) in the Talmud.
2.Mishlei 3:19-20.
3.Note of the Rebbe: “Seemingly the author ought to have quoted an explicit statement in the Mishnah [Avot 5:1], ‘The world was created through ten [Divine] utterances.’ But [the Alter Rebbe quotes the Talmud instead, for] the Mishnah speaks of this in relation to the level of Malchut and the revelation (i.e., utterance — as explained above) of every Sefirah, while the proof sought here must relate to Chochmah and Binah, etc., themselves.”
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Rambam:
• Daily Mitzvah - Sefer Hamitzvos:
Thursday, Tammuz 5, 5774 • July 3, 2014
Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
Positive Commandment 49
The Yom Kippur Service
We are commanded to implement the entire Yom Kippur Holy Temple service, including the various sacrifices and confessions, as detailed in the Torah.
The Yom Kippur service
Positive Commandment 49
Translated by Berel Bell
And the 49th mitzvah is that we are commanded to perform the service of the fast day Yom Kippur — i.e. all the obligatory offerings and confessions — thereby achieving atonement for all transgressions, as stated in Scripture, i.e. all the laws written in the Torah portion Acharei Mos.1
The proof that the entire service counts as one single commandment is from the end of the 5th chapter of tractate Kippurim,2 "The entire service of Yom Kippur must be performed in the order written;3 if one action was performed out of order, everything is invalid."
All the details of this mitzvah have been explained in the tractate dealing with it exclusively, tractate Yoma.
FOOTNOTES
1.Lev. 16.
2.Mishneh 7. When speaking of the Mishneh, the Rambam refers to the tractate as Kippurim; when referring to the Gemara, he writes Yoma, which is an Aramaic word.
3.In the Mishneh; see Rashi, ibid.
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Rambam:
• 1 Chapter: Avadim Avadim - Chapter One
Avadim - Chapter One
HILCHOT AVADIM
The Laws of Servants
They contain 13 mitzvot: five positive mitzvot and eight negative mitzvot. They are:
i) The laws governing the acquisition of a Hebrew servant;
ii) Not to sell him in the manner that servants are usually sold;
iii) Not to make him perform excruciating labor;
iv) Not to make him perform servile tasks;
v) Not to allow a resident alien to make him perform excruciating labor;
vi) To grant a Hebrew servant a severance gift when he attains his freedom;
vii) Not to let him go free empty-handed;
viii) To redeem a Hebrew maid-servant;
ix) To designate her as a wife;
x) Not to sell her a second time;
xi) To have a Canaanite servant work forever, unless his master causes one of his primary limbs to fall;
xii) Not to return to his master a servant who fled from the Diaspora to Eretz Yisrael;
xiii) Not to oppress this servant who has fled to us.
These mitzvot are explained in the chapters that follow.
Halacha 1
The term "Hebrew servant" used by the Torah refers to a Jew whom the court sells by compulsion, or a person who sells himself willingly.
What is implied? When a person steals and does not have the resources to repay the principal, the court sells him, as we have explained in Hilchot Geneivah.
No other Jewish person is sold by the court, except a thief. Concerning such a thief sold by the court Exodus 21:2 states: "When you acquire a Hebrew servant." And concerning this person, Deuteronomy 15:12 states: "When your Jewish brother will be sold to you."
To what does the term "a person who sells himself" refer? When a Jew becomes sorely impoverished, the Torah gives him permission to sell himself as a servant, as Leviticus 25:39 states: "When your brother will become impoverished and be sold to you."
A person is not allowed to sell himself as a servant and stash away the money, use it to buy merchandise or utensils, or give it to his creditor. He may sell himself only when he needs the money for his very livelihood. A person is not permitted to sell himself unless he has no property remaining at all - i.e., even his clothing no longer remains. Only in such a situation may he sell himself.
Halacha 2
We have already explained that a woman is never sold because of a theft. Similarly, she may not sell herself as a servant, nor may she purchase a Hebrew servant or a Canaanite slave, because of the suspicion of immoral behavior.
A convert may not sell himself as a servant. This is derived from Leviticus 25:41: "And he shall return to his family" - i.e., it is speaking about someone who has a family within the Jewish faith.
Halacha 3
A Hebrew servant who is sold by the court is sold only to a native-born Israelite or to a convert to Judaism. Similarly, a person who sells himself as a servant is not permitted to sell himself to a gentile, not even to a resident alien. If he transgresses and sells himself, even to a gentile, even to the service of a false divinity itself, the sale is binding, as indicated by Leviticus 25:47, which speaks of a person's selling himself: "to what must be uprooted from a sojourner's family." "What must be uprooted" refers to a false divinity.
Halacha 4
If a person says: "I am going to sell myself to a gentile," you are not obligated to do anything for him until he actually sells himself. Once he sells himself to a gentile, however, although he transgressed and acted improperly, it is a mitzvah to redeem him, so that he does not assimilate among them, as Leviticus 25:48 states: "After he is sold, redemption should be granted him."
Halacha 5
Neither a person who sells himself, nor one who is sold by the court, should be sold in public on an auction block, nor in an alley, as slaves are sold, as Leviticus 25:42 states: "He shall not be sold as a slave is sold." Instead, he should be sold in a private and honorable manner.
Halacha 6
It is forbidden to make any Hebrew servant perform excruciating labor. What is excruciating labor? Labor that has no limit, or labor that is unnecessary and is asked of the servant with the intent to give him work so that he will not remain idle.
Based on the above, our Sages said that a master should not tell a Hebrew servant: "Hoe under the vines until I come," for he has not placed a limit on the work asked of him. Instead, he should tell him: "Hoe until this and this time," or "until you reach this and this place."
Similarly, he should not tell him "Dig in this place," if he has no need for that activity. Even telling him to warm a drink for him, or to cool one off for him, if he does not need it, is forbidden, and reflects the violation of a negative commandment, as Leviticus 25:43 states: "Do not impose excruciating work on him." Thus, a Hebrew servant may be compelled to perform only a limited and necessary task.
Similarly, if a Hebrew servant is sold to a gentile, who imposes excruciating labor upon him, the Jews are commanded to prevent him from doing so. If they allow him to continue, they transgress a negative commandment, as Ibid.:53: "He should not impose excruciating work upon him before your eyes." We are not, however, required to enter the gentile's domain and check to see that he is not imposing excruciating labor upon him. This is implied by the term: "before your eyes" - i.e., when you see.
Halacha 7
Whenever a Jew purchases a Hebrew servant, he may not make him perform debasing tasks that are relegated only for servants - e.g., to have him carry his clothes to the bathhouse or remove his shoes - as Leviticus 25:39 states: "Do not have him perform servile tasks." Instead, one should treat him as a hired laborer, as Ibid.:40 continues: "He shall be like a hired laborer or a resident among you."
It is, however, permitted to have the servant cut the master's hair, launder his clothes and bake his dough. He may not, however, make him the manager of a public bathhouse, a public barber or a public baker. If, however, this was his profession before he was sold, it is permitted. Indeed, at the outset, he should not teach him any profession at all. Instead, he should work at the profession at which he worked previously.
When does the above apply? To a Hebrew servant. For his self-image is depressed because of his being sold. When, however, a Jew has not been sold, he may be hired to perform servile tasks. For he is performing this work out of his own desire and his own consent.
Halacha 8
When people do not conduct themselves in an appropriate manner, it is permissible to impose one's authority over them by force and subjugate them.
When a king decrees that anyone who does not pay the fixed head tax should be enslaved to the person who pays the head tax for him, a person who pays the head tax for someone may use that person for labor beyond the ordinary measure. He may not, however, use him as a Canaanite slave. If, however, that person does not conduct himself properly, he may use him as a slave.
Halacha 9
A master is obligated to treat any Hebrew servant or maid servant as his equal with regard to food, drink, clothing and living quarters, as implied by Deuteronomy 15:16 "for it is good for him with you." The master should not eat bread made from fine flour while the servant eats bread from coarse flour. The master should not drink aged wine while the servant drinks fresh wine. The master should not sleep on cushions while the servant sleeps on straw. Nor should the master live in a walled city while the servant lives in a village, or the master live in a village while the servant lives in a walled city, as implied by Leviticus 25:41: "And he shall leave you."
On this basis, our Sages said: "Whoever purchases a Hebrew servant purchases a master for himself."
A master must treat his servant with brotherly love, as implied by Leviticus 25:46: "And with regard to your brothers, the children of Israel." Nevertheless, the servant himself must conduct himself as a servant with regard to those tasks he must perform.
Halacha 10
The institution of a Hebrew maid-servant and that of a Hebrew servant is not practiced except in the time when the Jubilee year is observed. This applies both to a Hebrew servant who sells himself, and to one who is sold by the court. We have already explained when the observance of the Jubilee year was nullified.
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Rambam:
• 3 Chapters: Avodat Yom haKippurim Avodat Yom haKippurim - Perek 1, Avodat Yom haKippurim Avodat Yom haKippurim - Perek 2, Avodat Yom haKippurim Avodat Yom haKippurim - Perek 3
Avodat Yom haKippurim - Perek 1
Halacha 1
On the fast day of Yom Kippur, we sacrifice a continuous offering in the morning and in the late afternoon according to the order followed every day. And the additional sacrifices of the day are offered: a bull, a ram, and seven sheep - all these are burnt-offerings - and a sin-offering of a goat whose service is performed outside and which is eaten in the evening.
Besides these additional offerings are sacrificed:
a) a young ox as a sin-offering; it is burnt;
b) a ram as a burnt-offering; both of these are brought by the High Priest;
c) the ram which is brought from communal funds that is mentioned in the passage Acharei Mot; it is the ram mentioned in the Book of Numbers as part of the additional offering; it is called the ram of the people.
In addition, two goats are brought from communal funds: one is offered as a sin-offering and it is burnt and the other is the goat sent to Azazel.
Thus there are a total of fifteen animals sacrificed on this day: two continuous offerings, a bull, two rams and seven sheep; these are all burnt-offerings, two goats as sin-offerings, one offered outside the Temple building which is eaten in the evening and one whose blood is offered in the Temple building and which is burnt, and the bull of the High Priest which is a sin-offering that is burnt.
Halacha 2
The sacrificial service for all these fifteen animals that are offered on this day may be performed only by the High Priest. This applies both to a High Priest anointed with the oil of anointment or initiated into office by wearing the garments of the High Priest.
If Yom Kippur fell on the Sabbath, even the additional offering of the Sabbath should be sacrificed only by the High Priest. Similarly, all of the other services performed on this day, the offering of the daily incense offering, the kindling of the Menorah's lamps, are all performed by a married High Priest, as Leviticus 16:7 states: "And he shall atone for himself and his household." "His household" refers to his wife.
Halacha 3
For seven days prior to Yom Kippur, the High Priest departs from his home and stays in his chamber in the Temple. This is a tradition received from Moses our teacher. He is separated from his wife for these seven days, lest his wife become a niddah in the midst of relations and he become impure for seven days and thus unable to perform the Temple service.
A substitute High Priest is prepared so that if this one becomes disqualified, the other may serve instead of him. Whether the disqualifying factor takes place when offering the continuous offering of the morning or the disqualifying factor occurred after he offered his sacrifice, the replacement need not be installed in his office by offering a special sacrifice. Instead, the performance of the sacrificial service of the day installs him. He should begin from the service where the other ceased.
After Yom Kippur, the first High Priest resumes his position and the second ceases to serve in this capacity. All of the mitzvot incumbent on a High Priest are incumbent on him, but he does not carry out the service of the High Priest. If he does perform that service, his service is acceptable. When the first dies, he is appointed in his place.
Halacha 4
During these seven days, he is sprinkled with the ashes of the Red Heifer on the third day after he was separated and on the seventh day which is the day before Yom Kippur, lest he have contracted impurity from a corpse unknowingly. If the third or the seventh day of the sprinkling falls on the Sabbath, the sprinkling is not performed.
Halacha 5
For all of these seven days, he is trained to perform the Temple service. He casts the blood on the altar, offers the incense, kindles the lamps, and offers the limbs of the continuous offering on the altar's pyre so that he will be familiar with the Temple service.
He is given sages from the elders of the court who read the relevant passages for him and teach him the service necessary to be performed on the holy day and its order. They tell him: "My sir, the High Priest, read by yourself, for perhaps you have forgotten or you never learned this point." On the day before Yom Kippur in the morning, they would have him stand in the eastern gates of the Temple Courtyard and cause bulls, rams, and sheep to pass before him so he would be familiar and accustomed with the Temple service.
Halacha 6
Throughout these seven days food and drink are not withheld from him. Nevertheless, on the day before Yom Kippur before nightfall, they would not let him eat amply, for indulgence in food leads to sleep. And they would not let him sleep, lest he would have a seminal emission. They would not feed him foods that increase semen, e.g., eggs, warm milk, and the like.
Halacha 7
In the era of the Second Temple, heresy erupted in Israel, and the Sadducees emerged, may they speedily perish, who did not believe in the Oral Law and who maintained that the incense offering of Yom Kippur would be placed on fire in the Sanctuary outside the Parochet and when its smoke rose up, they would bring it into the Holy of Holies. Their rationale was that they interpreted the Torah's phrase Leviticus 16:2: "For in a cloud I will appear on the Kaporet,"as referring to the cloud of the incense offering. In contrast, according to the Oral Tradition, our Sages learned that the High Priest should not place the incense on the coals only in the Holy of Holies, before the Ark, as ibid.:13 states: "And he shall place the incense on the fire before God." Since in the Second Temple era, the Sages suspected that the High Priests would tend towards such heresy, they would have him take an oath on the day preceding Yom Kippur. They would tell him: "My sir, the High Priest, we are agents of the court and you are our agent and an agent of the court, we administer an oath to you in the name of He Who causes His name to dwell in this house that you not deviate at all from what we told you."
The High Priest would turn away and cry because they suspected him of heresy and they would turn away and cry, because they placed suspicion on a person's whose conduct was unknown. Maybe he had no such thoughts in his heart.
Halacha 8
Throughout the entire night of Yom Kippur, the High Priest would sit and expound Torah teachings if he was a sage. If he was a scholar, expositions were delivered in his presence. If he would frequently read the Bible, he would read aloud. If not, they would read for him so that he would not sleep.
What would they read for him? The Holy Scriptures? If he sought to doze off, the young Levites would snap their fingers before him and say: "My sir, the High Priest, stand up and cool your feet on the ground," so that he would not sleep. They would keep him busy until the time for the slaughter of the morning sacrifice arrived. They would not have the sacrificial animal slaughtered until they were certain that dawn had broken lest the animal be slaughtered at night.
Avodat Yom haKippurim - Perek 2
Halacha 1
All of the procedures involving the offering of the continuous offerings and the additional offerings of this day are performed by the High Priest while he is wearing his golden garments. The unique services of this day, by contrast, are performed while he is wearing his white garments.
The unique services of the day are: the offering of the bull brought by the High Priest, the offering of the two goats including the one sent to Azazel, and the offering of the incense in the Holy of Holies. All of these services are performed while wearing white garments.
Halacha 2
Whenever the High Priest must change his clothes, removing one set of garments and putting on the others, he must immerse himself in a mikveh, as Leviticus 16:23-24] states: "And he shall remove the linen garments... and wash his flesh with water in a holy place and put on his garments." The High Priest would immerse himself five times and sanctify his hands and feet ten times on that day.
What is implied? At the outset, he would remove the ordinary garments he was wearing and immerse himself. He would ascend, dry himself, put on his golden garments and, sanctify his hands and feet. He would slaughter the continuous offering, offer the daily morning incense, and kindle the lamps of the Menorah. He would then offer the limbs of the continuous offering on the pyre of the altar together with the chavitin offering and the wine libations. Then he would offer the bull and the seven sheep of the additional offering of the day.
Afterwards, he would sanctify his hands and feet and remove his golden garments. He would immerse himself, ascend, dry himself, put on his white garments, and sanctify his hands and feet. He would then perform the unique service of the day, reciting all the confessions, performing the lottery of the goats, sprinkling the blood in the Temple building and offering the incense offering in the Holy of Holies. He would entrust the goat to the one who would send it to Azazel, remove the fats and organs of the bull and the goat that will be burnt and entrust the remainder to the one who will burn them.
Afterwards, he would sanctify his hands and feet and remove his white garments. He would immerse himself, ascend, dry himself, put on his golden garments, and sanctify his hands and feet. He would then offer the sin-offering of a goat of the additional offerings of the day, his ram and the ram of the people. These are all burnt-offerings. He would offer the fats and organs of the bull and the goat that were burnt, and offer the continuous offering of the afternoon.
Afterwards, he would sanctify his hands and feet and remove his golden garments. He would immerse himself, ascend, dry himself, put on his white garments, and sanctify his hands and feet. He would then enter the Holy of Holies and remove the incense-ladle and the fire-pan. Afterwards, he would sanctify his hands and feet and remove his white garments. He would immerse himself, ascend, dry himself, put on his golden garments, and sanctify his hands and feet. He would then offer the daily, afternoon incense offering and kindle the lamps of the Menorah for the afternoon. He would then sanctify his hands and feet, remove his golden garments, put on his ordinary clothes and depart.
Halacha 3
All of these immersions and the sanctification of his hands and feet were performed in the Temple Courtyard, as the verse states: "And he shall wash his flesh with water in a holy place," with the exception of the first immersion which he is permitted to perform outside the Temple, for it is only to heighten his awareness so that he will remember any old situation that caused him to become impure and separate himself from this impurity by immersing himself with that intent.
If a High Priest did not immerse himself between a change of clothes or did not sanctify his hands and feet between a change of clothes and between one type of service and another and still performed the service, his service is acceptable.
Halacha 4
If the High Priest was elderly or sick, iron slabs should be made white-hot in fire from the previous day and on the next day, they would be cast into the water to remove their chill. This is permitted because prohibitions defined as shvut need not be observed in the Temple. Alternatively, hot water is mixed with the mikveh water to remove its chill.
Halacha 5
Every other day, the High Priest sanctifies his hands and feet from the basin like the other priests. On this day, he sanctifies them from a golden pitcher as expression of honor for him.
Every day, the priests ascend on the eastern side of the ramp and descend on the western side. On this day, they ascend in the center and descend in the center before the High Priest to glorify him.
Every day, the priest who merited to bring the incense offering would gather coals in a silver fire-pan and then shift the fire into a golden fire-pan. On this day, the High Priest gathers the coals with a golden fire pan and enters the Temple Building with it so as not to weary him with additional service. Similarly, the fire-pan used every day holds four kabbin of coals and the one used on this day, three. The one used every day was heavy and the one used this day, light. The one used every day had a short handle and the one used this day, a long one. All of these were measures to make it easier for the High Priest so that he would not weary.
Every day, there were three arrangements of fire on the altar. On this day, there were four. Another arrangement was added in order to glorify the altar and adorn it.
Halacha 6
The Torah's statements Leviticus 16:17: "And he shall atone for himself, for his household, and for the entire congregation of Israel" is interpreted by the Oral Tradition as referring to the recitation of the confessional. Thus he recites three confessions on this day:
one for himself first;
one for himself together with the other priests; both of these are recited over the bull which he brings as a sin-offering;
and the third is recited for the entire Jewish people on the goat sent to Azazel. In each of these confessions, he recites God's explicit name three times.
What is implied? He says: "I beseech you, HaShem, I have sinned, transgressed, and committed iniquity before You. I beseech you, HaShem, please atone for the sins, transgressions, and iniquities that I committed..., as ibid.:30 states: "For on that day, he shall atone for you to purify yourselves for all your sins, before God you shall be purified." Thus he mentions God's name three times in his confession. And he does this in each of these confessions.
When he places the lot on the goat of the sin-offering, he proclaims: "A sin-offering for HaShem." Thus he mentions God's explicit name ten times on this day. On all occasions, he recites the name as it is written, pronouncing His explicit name.
Originally, the High Priest would raise his voice when pronouncing God's name. When the number of wanton people increased, he would recite it in a low voice, swallowing it in a sweet chant until even his priestly brethren could not recognize it.
Halacha 7
When all the priests and the people standing in the Temple Courtyard would hear God's explicit name recited by the High Priest in holiness and purity, they would bow, prostrate themselves, and fall on their faces, saying: "Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom forever and ever." The rationale is that Deuteronomy 32:3 states: "When I call out the name of God, ascribe greatness to our Lord."
During the three confessions, he would intend to complete the recitation of God's name while the people were blessing, and then he would say: "You shall be purified." It is acceptable to recite the confessional of Yom Kippur and the confessional over the bulls that are burnt throughout the entire day.
Avodat Yom haKippurim - Perek 3
Halacha 1
There were two lots: upon one was written: "for God," and upon the other "for Azazel." It was acceptable to make them from any substance, whether from wood, from stone, or from metal. There should not, however, be one that is large and the other small, one that is silver and the other, gold. Instead, they should both be the same. Originally, they were made of wood and in the Second Temple era, they made them of gold.
The two lots would be placed in a container that could fit no more than the High Priest's two hands, so that he would insert both of his hands at the same time and remove the lots without having the intent to chose one. This container was not sacred. It was made out of wood and was called a kalpi.
Halacha 2
Where was the lottery conducted? In the eastern portion of the Temple Courtyard, to the north of the altar. They would place the kalpi there and position the two goats facing the west with their rears to the east. The High Priest approaches that place with the segen on his right and the head of the clan to his left. The two goats were in front of him, one to his left and one to his right.
Halacha 3
He would quickly grab the lots from the kalpi and lift up the two lots in his two hands for the two goats. He would open his hands. If the lot "for God" was lifted up in his right hand, the segen would say: "My sir, the High Priest, raise your right hand." If it was lifted up in his left, the head of the clan would say: "My sir, the High Priest, raise your left hand."
He would then place the two lots on the two goats, the lot in his right hand on the goat to his right and the lot in his left on the goat to his left. If he did not place the lots on the goats, the service was not disqualified, but the mitzvah was lacking. For placing the lots on the goats is a mitzvah that is not an absolute requirement. The selection of the lots, by contrast, is an absolute requirement, even though it is not an act of service. Therefore it is acceptable if a non-priest places the lots on the goats, but it is invalid if a non-priest lifts the lots from the kalpi.
Halacha 4
He ties a crimson cord weighing two selaim on the head of the goat to be sent to Azazel and positions it in the direction where it will be sent and ties such a cord on the goat to be slaughtered, hanging it over the place where it will be slaughtered. He then slaughters both his sin-offering of a bull and the goat for which the lot "for God" was lifted up.
Halacha 5
He brings their blood into the Temple Building, where he sprinkles each 43 times. The sprinklings are as follows: First he sprinkles the blood of the bull eight times in the Holy of Holies between the staves of the ark within a handbreadth of the kaporet, as Leviticus 16:14 states: "He shall sprinkle before the kaporet." He should sprinkle once upward and seven times downward. According to the Oral Tradition, we learned that when above verse mentions the seven sprinklings, the intent is seven in addition to the first sprinkling.
He would count: one, one plus one, one plus two, one plus three, one plus four, one plus five, one plus six, and one plus seven. Why would he count in this manner? So that he would not forget and include the first sprinkling among the seven.
Afterwards, he would sprinkle the blood of the goat between the staves of the ark seven times, once upward and seven downward. He counts the sprinklings as he did for the blood of the bull.
He then goes and sprinkles the blood of the bull eight times in the Sanctuary on the parochet: once upward and seven downward. For with regard to the blood of the bull, the above prooftext states: "on the kaporet and before the kaporet." He counts as he counted within the Holy of Holies. He then sprinkles the blood of the goat eight times on the parochet, once upward and seven downward. For ibid.:15 states with regard to the blood of the goat: "And you shall do with its blood what you did with the blood of the bull." He also counts the sprinklings as he counted them inside the Holy of Holies. While performing all of these sprinklings, he would not intend to sprinkle above or below, but instead would be like one who is lashing.
After the sprinklings, he mixes both bloods - the blood of the bull and the blood of the goat - together and performs four sprinklings - one on each of the corners of the golden altar in the Sanctuary - and seven sprinklings on the center of this altar.
Halacha 6
For all these 43 sprinklings, he dips his finger in the blood of the sacrificial animal, dipping once for each sprinkling. He should not sprinkle twice from one dipping. He would pour out the remainder of the blood on the western portion of the altar's base.
Halacha 7
Afterwards, he would send the living goat to be taken to the desert with a person prepared for this task. Anyone is acceptable to take the goat, but the High Priests ordained a fixed practice and they would not let an Israelite take it. Booths were built on the way from Jerusalem to the desert. One person or many people would spend the day in each booth so that they would accompany him from booth to booth. In each booth, they would say: "Here is food and here is water." If he became weak and it was necessary for him to eat, he would eat, but no one ever required this. The people in the last booth would stand at the end of the Sabbath limits and watch his actions from a distance.
What would he do? He would divide the crimson cord tied to the goat's horns.He would tie half to a rock and half between its two horns. He would then push it backward and it would roll over and descend. It would not reach half of the mountain before it was broken into separate limbs, He would then sit in the last booth until nightfall. Sentries would be positioned along the way who wave flags so that the people in the Temple would know that the goat reached the desert.
After sending the goat with the person who would take it to the desert, the High Priest would return to his bull and the goat whose blood he sprinkled inside the Temple Building. He rips open their bellies and removes their fats and organs, places them in a container to offer them on the altar's pyre. He cuts up the remainder of their meet into large pieces that are still connected like a net. He does not separate them and he sends them with other persons to take them out to the place where they are burnt. There they are cut up together with their hide, as we explained.
Halacha 8
After the goat reached the desert, the High Priest would go out to the Women's Courtyard to read from the Torah. While he would read, the bull and the goat were burnt in the ash-pile. Thus one who sees the High Priest reading does not see the bull and the goat being burnt. They may be burnt by a non-priest, as we explained.
Halacha 9
This reading is not part of the Temple service. Therefore if the High Priest desires to read in his own ordinary white garments he may. If he desires to read while wearing his priestly white garments, he may. For the priestly garments were made with the intent that benefit could be derived from them at a time when one is not involved in sacrificial service, as we explained.
Halacha 10
How would he read? He would sit in the Women's Courtyard while all the people stand in front of him. The attendant of the synagogue takes the Torah scroll and gives it to the head of the synagogue. The head of the synagogue gives it to the segen and the segen gives it to the High Priest.
The High Priest stands and accepts it and stands and reads the passage Acharei Mot and ach biesor which is in the passage of the festive offerings until the conclusion of the matter. He then roles close the Torah scroll and places it in his bosom and declares: "More than I have read for you is written here." He then reads the passage ubiesor in the Book of Numbers until its conclusion by heart.
Why does he read it by heart? Because we do not roll a Torah scroll from passage to passage in front of a congregation. Why does he not read it from another scroll? Because one person should not read from two Torah scrolls, because this will cast aspersions on the validity of the first.
Halacha 11
When he reads, he recites a blessing before the reading and afterwards as one recites the blessing for the Torah reading in a synagogue. Afterwards, he adds seven blessings, which are retzei, modim, selach lanu avinu ki chatanu, he concludes the latter blessing: "Blessed are You, God, Who forgives the sins of His people Israel with mercy." Thus three blessings are recited as ordained.
He then recites a separate blessing for the Temple. Its theme is that the Temple should continue standing with the Divine Presence in it. He concludes it: "Blessed are You, God, Who dwells in Zion."
He then recites a separate blessing for the Jewish people. Its theme is that God should deliver the Jewish people and sovereignty should not depart from them. He concludes it: "Blessed are You, God, Who chooses Israel."
He then recites a separate blessing for the priests. Its theme is that the Omnipresent should find favor in their deeds and service and bless them. He concludes it: "Blessed are You, God, Who sanctifies the priests."
He then recites prayers, supplication, praises, and requests according to his proficiency and concludes "God, deliver Your nation Israel, for Your nation Israel is in need of salvation. Blessed are You, God, Who heeds prayer."
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Hayom Yom:
• Thursday, Tammuz 5, 5774 • 03 July 2014
"Today's Day"
Thursday, Tamuz 5, 5703
Torah lessons: Chumash: Chukat, Chamishi with Rashi.
Tehillim: 29-34.
Tanya: Nevertheless, from the (p. 331) ...Yourself in them..." (p.311).
One of the Alter Rebbe's great and very close chassidim had yechidus, in the course of which the Rebbe inquired after his situation. The chassid complained bitterly that his financial situation had utterly deteriorated. The Rebbe responded: You are needed to illuminate your environment with Torah and avoda of the heart - (davening). Livelihood and what you need - that, G-d must provide for you. You do what you must, and G-d will do what He must.
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Daily Thought:Balaam
Our greatest blessings were uttered not by Moses, not by David, not even by G‑d Himself.
They were uttered by a wicked sorcerer, hired to curse.
The most brilliant diamonds hide in the deepest bowels of the earth; the most intense blessings in the darkest caverns of life.(12 Tammuz 5730, sec. 9; Balak 5730, sec. 4)
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