Torah Reading
Noach (Bereshis/Genesis 6:9 These are the toldot of Noach; Noach was an ish tzaddik and tamim among those of his time, and Noach’s halachah was with HaElohim.
10 And Noach fathered three banim: Shem, Cham, and Yephet.
11 Ha’aretz also was corrupt before HaElohim, and ha’aretz was filled with chamas.
12 And Elohim looked upon ha’aretz, and, hinei, it was corrupt; for kol basar had corrupted his derech upon ha’aretz.
13 And Elohim said unto Noach, The ketz (end) of kol basar is come before Me; for ha’aretz is filled with chamas because of them; and, hineni, I will destroy them with ha’aretz.
14 Make thee a tevah (ark) of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the tevah (ark), and shalt coat it within and without with tar.
15 And this is how thou shalt build it: the length of the tevah (ark) shall be three hundred cubits, the width of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits.
16 A roof shalt thou make to the tevah (ark), and thou shalt finish it to a cubit from the top; and the door of the tevah (ark) shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third decks shalt thou make it.
17 And, hineni, I, even I, do bring a mabbul of waters upon ha’aretz, to destroy kol basar, wherein is the ruach chayyim, from under Shomayim; and everything that is in ha’aretz shall perish.
18 But with thee will I establish My brit (covenant); and thou shalt come into the tevah (ark), thou, and thy banim, and thy isha, and the nashim of thy banim with thee.
19 And of every living thing of kol basar, two of every kind shalt thou bring into the tevah (ark), to keep them alive with thee; they shall be zachar and nekevah.
20 Of birds after their kind, and of behemah after their kind, of every remes of ha’adamah after its kind, two of every kind shall come unto thee, to keep them alive.
21 And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for ochel for thee, and for them.
22 Thus did Noach; according to all that Elohim commanded him, so did he.
7:1 And Hashem said unto Noach, Come thou and all thy bais into the tevah (ark); for thee have I found tzaddik before Me in dor hazeh.
2 Of every behemah hatehorah thou shalt take to thee by sevens; the male and his mate; and of behemah that are not tehorah by two, the male and his mate.
3 Of also Oph HaShomayim by sevens, the zachar and the nekevah; to keep zera alive upon the face of kol ha’aretz.
4 For shivah yamim from now, and I will cause it to rain upon ha’aretz arba’im yom and arba’im lailah; and every living creature that I have made will I wipe out from off the p’nei ha’adamah.
5 And Noach did according unto all that Hashem commanded him.
6 And Noach was shesh me’ot shanah when the mabbul waters were upon ha’aretz.
7 And Noach entered in, and his banim, and his isha, and nashim of his banim with him, into the tevah (ark), because of the waters of the mabbul.
8 Of behemah hatehorah, and of behemah that are not tehorah, and of haoph, and of every thing that creepeth upon ha’adamah,
9 There went in shnayim shnayim unto Noach into the tevah (ark), the zachar and the nekevah, as Elohim had commanded Noach.
10 And it came to pass after shivat hayamim, that the waters of the mabbul were upon ha’aretz.
11 In the six hundredth year of Noach’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep burst open, and the floodgates of Shomayim were opened.
12 And the geshem was upon ha’aretz arba’im yom and arba’im lailah.
13 On that very yom entered Noach, and Shem, and Cham, and Yephet, the bnei Noach, and Noach’s isha, and the three nashim of his banim with them, into the tevah (ark);
14 They, and every beast after its kind, and kol habehemah after their kind, and every remes that crawls upon ha’aretz after its kind, and kol haoph after its kind, every bird of every sort.
15 And they went in unto Noach into the tevah (ark), shnayim shnayim of kol habasar, wherein is the ruach chayyim.
16 And they that went in, went in zachar and nekevah of kol basar, as Elohim had commanded him; then Hashem shut him in.
17 And the mabbul was arba’im yom upon ha’aretz; and the waters increased, and lifted up the tevah (ark), and it rose above ha’aretz.
18 And the waters rose, and were increased greatly upon ha’aretz; and the tevah (ark) floated upon the face of the waters.
19 And the waters rose exceedingly upon ha’aretz; and all the high hills, that were under kol HaShomayim, were covered.
20 Fifteen cubits upward did the waters rise; and the harim were covered.
21 And kol basar perished that moved upon ha’aretz, both of Oph, and of Behemah, and of Beast, and of every Swarming Thing that swarms upon ha’aretz, and kol haadam;
22 All in whose nostrils was the ruach chayyim, of all that was in the dry land, perished.
23 And every living creature was wiped out which was upon the p’nei haadamah, both Adam, and Behemah, and the Remes, and the Oph HaShomayim; and they were wiped out from ha’aretz: and Noach only remained alive, and they that were with him in the tevah (ark).
24 And the waters flooded upon ha’aretz a hundred and fifty days.
8 And Elohim remembered Noach, and every living thing, and all the behemah that was with him in the tevah (ark); and Elohim made a ruach to pass over ha’aretz, and the waters subsided;
2 The ma’ayanot (springs) also of the tehom and the floodgates of Shomayim were stopped, and the geshem from Shomayim was restrained;
3 And the waters receded from on ha’aretz continually; and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated.
4 And the tevah (ark) rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.
5 And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month; in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, were the rashei heharim seen.
6 And it came to pass at the end of arba’im yom, that Noach opened the chalon (window) of the tevah (ark) which he had made;
7 And he sent forth the orev (raven), which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off ha’aretz.
8 Also he sent forth a yonah (dove) from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the adamah;
9 But the yonah found no manoach (place of rest) for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the tevah, for the waters were on the p’nei kol ha’aretz; then he reached forth his yad, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the tevah (ark).
10 And he waited yet another shivat yamim; and again he sent forth the yonah out of the tevah (ark);
11 And the yonah returned to him in the erev; and, hinei, in her beak was a zayit (olive) leaf freshly plucked; so Noach had da’as that the mayim were abated from off ha’aretz.
12 And he waited yet another shivat yamim; and sent forth the yonah; which returned not unto him again.
13 And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the mayim were dried up from off ha’aretz; and Noach removed the mikhseh (covering) of the tevah (ark), and looked, and, hinei, the surface of the adamah was dry.
14 And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was ha’aretz dry.
15 And Elohim spoke unto Noach, saying,
16 Go forth of the tevah (ark), thou, and thy isha, and thy banim, and the nashim of thy banim with thee.
17 Bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee, of kol basar, both of bird, and of behemah, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon ha’aretz; that they may multiply abundantly on ha’aretz, and be fruitful, and increase upon ha’aretz.
18 And Noach went forth, and his banim, and his isha, and the nashim of his banim with him;
19 Every animal, every remes, and every bird, and whatsoever creepeth upon ha’aretz, after their kinds, went forth out of the tevah (ark).
20 And Noach built a Mizbe’ach unto Hashem; and took of every behemah hatehorah, and of kol haoph hatahor, and offered olot (burnt offerings) on the Mizbe’ach.
21 And Hashem smelled a re’ach hannichoach; and Hashem said in His lev, I will not again curse the adamah any more ba’avur (because of) haAdam; for the yetzer of the lev haAdam is rah from his ne’urim (youth, childhood); neither will I again strike any more every thing living, as I have done.
22 While ha’aretz remaineth, zera (seedtime) and katzir (harvest), and kor (cold) and chom (heat), and kayitz (summer) and choref (winter), and yom and lailah shall not cease.
9:1 Vayevarech Elohim et Noach and his banim, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish ha’aretz.
2 And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of ha’aretz, and upon every bird of the air, upon all that moveth upon ha’adamah, and upon all the dagim of the yam; into your yad are they delivered.
3 Every remes that liveth shall be food for you; even as the yarok esev (green plant) have I given you all.
4 But basar with the nefesh thereof, which is the dahm thereof, shall ye not eat.
5 And surely your dahm of your nefeshot will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the yad haAdam; at the hand of every man’s brother will I require the nefesh haAdam.
6 Shofech dahm (one who sheddeth man’s blood), by man shall his dahm be shed; for in the tzelem Elohim made He man.
7 And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly on ha’aretz, and multiply therein.
8 And Elohim spoke unto Noach, and to his banim with him, saying,
9 And I, hineni, I establish My brit (covenant) with you, and with your zera after you;
10 And with kol nefesh that is with you, of the bird, of the behemah, and of every animal of ha’aretz with you; from kol yotzei hatevah (all that go out of the ark), to every creature of ha’aretz.
11 And I will establish My brit (covenant) with you, neither shall kol basar yikaret (be cut off, violently killed) any more by the waters of the mabbul; neither shall there be any more mabbul l’shachat (to destroy) ha’aretz.
12 And Elohim said, This is the ot (sign) of the brit (covenant) which I make between Me and you and every nefesh chayyah (living creature) that is with you, for dorot olam (perpetual generations);
13 I do set My keshet (bow) in the anan (cloud), and it shall be for an ot brit between Me and ha’aretz.
14 And it shall come to pass, when I bring an anan over ha’aretz, that the keshet be’anan (rainbow) shall be seen;
15 And I will remember My brit, which is between Me and you and kol nefesh chayyah of kol basar; and the waters shall no more become a mabbul (flood) l’shachat (to destroy) kol basar.
16 And the keshet shall be in the anan; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the brit olam between Elohim and kol nefesh chayyah of kol basar that is upon ha’aretz.
17 And Elohim said unto Noach, This is the ot habrit, which I have established between Me and kol basar that is upon ha’aretz.
18 And the bnei Noach, that went forth of the tevah, were Shem, and Cham, and Yephet; and Cham is the av of Kena’an (Canaan).
19 Shloshah (Three) are the bnei Noach; and of them was the kol ha’aretz populated.
20 And Noach began to be an ish ha’adamah (a man of the soil), and he planted a kerem (vineyard);
21 And he drank of the yayin, and became shikker (intoxicated); and he lay uncovered inside his ohel.
22 And Cham, the av of Kena’an, saw the erom (nakedness) of his av, and told his two achim on the outside.
23 And Shem and Yephet took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and walked backward, and covered the erom of their av; and their faces were turned the other way, and they saw not the erom of their av.
24 And Noach awoke from his yayin, and had da’as of what his ben katan had done unto him.
25 And he said, Arur (cursed) be Kena’an; an eved of avadim shall he be unto his achim.
26 And he said, Baruch Hashem Elohei Shem; and Kena’an shall be his eved.
27 Elohim shall enlarge Yephet, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Kena’an shall be his eved.
28 And Noach lived after the mabbul three hundred and fifty years.
29 And all the days of Noach were nine hundred and fifty years; and he died.
10:1 Now these are the toldot of the Bnei Noach: Shem, Cham, and Yephet; and unto them were banim born after the mabbul (flood).
2 The Bnei Yephet: Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Yavan, and Tuval, and Meshech, and Tiras.
3 And the Bnei Gomer: Ashkenaz, and Riphat, and Togarmah.
4 And the Bnei Yavan: Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
5 By these were the coastlands of the Goyim divided in their lands; every one after his leshon, after their mishpechot, in their Goyim.
6 And the Bnei Cham: Cush, and Mitzrayim, and Phut, and Kena’an.
7 And the Bnei Cush: Seva, and Chavilah, and Savtah, and Raamah, and Savtecha; and the Bnei Raamah: Sheva, and Dedan.
8 And Cush fathered Nimrod; he began to be a gibbor in ha’aretz.
9 He was a gibbor, a hunter before Hashem; therefore it is said, like Nimrod the gibbor, the hunter before Hashem.
10 And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Akkad, and Calneh, in Eretz Shinar.
11 Out of that land he went forth to Asshur, and built Nineveh, and Rechovot-Ir, and Kelach,
12 And Resen between Nineveh and Kelach; the same is haIr Hagedolah.
13 And Mitzrayim fathered Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehavim, and Naphtuchim,
14 And Patrusim, and Casluchim, out of whom came Pelishtim (Philistines), and Caphtorim.
15 And Kena’an fathered Tzidon his bechor, and Chet,
16 And the Yevusi, and the Emori, and the Girgashi,
17 And the Chivvi, and the Arki, and the Sini,
18 And the Arvadi, and the Tzemari, and the Chamati; and afterward were the mishpechot haKena’ani spread abroad.
19 And the boundary of the Kena’ani was from Tzidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto Azah (Gaza); as thou goest, unto Sodom, and Amora (Gomorrah), and Admah, and Tzevoyim, even unto Lesha.
20 These are the Bnei Cham, after their mishpechot, after their leshonot, in their territories, and in their Goyim.
21 Also unto Shem avi kol Bnei Ever, and the older brother of Yephet, even to him were offspring born.
22 The Bnei Shem: Elam, and Asshur, and Arpachshad, and Lud, and Aram.
23 And Bnei Aram: Uz, and Chul, and Geter, and Mash.
24 And Arpachshad fathered Shelach; and Shelach fathered Ever.
25 And unto Ever were born two banim: the shem of one was Peleg; for in his days was ha’aretz divided; and his brother’s shem was Yoktan.
26 And Yoktan fathered Almodad, and Sheleph, and Chatzarmavet, and Yerach,
27 And Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah,
28 And Oval, and Avimael, and Sheva,
29 And Ophir, and Chavilah, and Yovav; all these were the Bnei Yoktan.
30 And their moshav (dwelling) was from Mesha, as thou goest unto Sephar har hakedem.
31 These are the Bnei Shem, after their mishpechot, according to their leshonot, in their territories, after their Goyim.
32 These are the mishpechot of the Bnei Noach, after their toldot, in their Goyim; and by these were the Goyim divided/separated in ha’aretz after the mabbul.
11:1 And the kol HaAretz was of one language and of devarim achadim (common words).
2 And it came to pass, as they migrated from the east, that they found a plain in Eretz Shinar; and they dwelt there.
3 And they said one to another, Come, let us make brick, and bake them thoroughly. And they had brick for even (stone), and bitumen had they for mortar.
4 And they said, Come, let us build us an Ir and a Migdal, whose rosh (top) may reach unto Shomayim; and let us make us a shem, otherwise we shall be scattered abroad upon the face of kol HaAretz.
5 And Hashem came down to see the Ir and the Migdal, which Bnei HaAdam built.
6 And Hashem said, See, the Am is echad and they have all one language; and this they begin to do; and now nothing will be impossible for them, which they have proposed to do.
7 Come, let Us go down, and there confuse their sefat, that they may not understand one another’s language.
8 So Hashem scattered them abroad from there upon the face of kol Ha’Aretz; and they left off building the Ir.
9 Therefore is the shem of it called Babel; because Hashem did there confuse the language of kol Ha’Aretz; and from there did Hashem scatter them abroad upon the face of kol Ha’Aretz.
10 These are the toldot of Shem: Shem was a hundred years old, and fathered Arpachshad two years after the mabbul;
11 And Shem lived after he fathered Arpachshad five hundred shanah, and fathered banim and banot.
12 And Arpachshad lived five and thirty shanah, and fathered Salah;
13 And Arpachshad lived after he fathered Shelach four hundred and three shanim, and fathered banim and banot.
14 And Shelach lived thirty shanah, and fathered Ever;
15 And Shelach lived after he fathered Ever four hundred and three shanah, and fathered banim and banot.
16 And Ever lived four and thirty shanah, and fathered Peleg;
17 And Ever lived after he fathered Peleg four hundred and thirty shanah, and fathered banim and banot.
18 And Peleg lived thirty shanah, and fathered Reu;
19 And Peleg lived after he fathered Reu two hundred and nine shanim, and fathered banim and banot.
20 And Reu lived two and thirty shanah, and fathered Serug;
21 And Reu lived after he fathered Serug two hundred and seven shanim, and fathered banim and banot.
22 And Serug lived thirty shanah, and fathered Nachor;
23 And Serug lived after he fathered Nachor two hundred shanah, and fathered banim and banot.
24 And Nachor lived nine and twenty shanah, and fathered Terach;
25 And Nachor lived after he fathered Terach a hundred and nineteen shanah, and fathered banim and banot.
26 And Terach lived seventy shanah, and fathered Avram, Nachor, and Haran.
27 Now these are the toldot Terach: Terach fathered Avram, Nachor, and Haran; and Haran fathered Lot.
28 And Haran died before his av Terach in the land of his birth, in Ur Kasdim.
29 And Avram and Nachor took them nashim: the shem eshet Avram was Sarai; and the shem eshet Nachor was Milcah, the bat Haran Avi Milcah, and Avi Yiskah.
30 But Sarai was barren; she had no child.
31 And Terach took Avram bno, and ben bno Lot ben Haran, and Sarai his kallah, eshet Avram bno; and they went forth with them from Ur Kasdim, to go into Eretz Kena’an; and they came unto Charan (Haran), and dwelt there.
32 And the days of Terach were two hundred and five shanim; and Terach died in Charan (Haran).)
Today's Laws & Customs:
Rosh Chodesh Observances
Today is the second of the two Rosh Chodesh ("Head of the Month") days for the month of Cheshvan (when a month has 30 days, both the last day of the month and the first day of the following month serve as the following month's Rosh Chodesh).
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 V'yavo 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). Tachnun (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
Month of Cheshvan Begins
The month of Cheshvan is also called "Mar-Cheshvan." Mar means "bitter" -- an allusion to the fact that the month contains no festive days. Mar also means "water", alluding to the month's special connection with rains (the 7th of Cheshvan is the day on which Jews begin praying for rain (in the Holy Land), and the Great Flood, which we read about in this week's Torah reading, began on Cheshvan 17th).
Links: The Last Jew
Today in Jewish History:
DAILY QUOTE:
DAILY STUDY:DAILY QUOTE:
CHITAS AND RAMBAM FOR TODAY:
Chumash: Parshat Noach, 7th Portion (Genesis 11:1-11:32) with Rashi
• Chapter 11
1. Now the entire earth was of one language and uniform words. א. וַיְהִי כָל הָאָרֶץ שָׂפָה אֶחָת וּדְבָרִים אֲחָדִים:
one language: the Holy Tongue. — [from Tan. Buber, Noach 28]
שפה אחת: לשון הקודש:
and uniform words: Heb. דְבָרִים אֲחָדִים. They came with one scheme and said, “He had no right to select for Himself the upper regions. Let us ascend to the sky and wage war with Him.” Another explanation: [they spoke] against the Sole One of the world. Another explanation of דְבָרִים אֲחָדִים (other editions read: דְבָרִים חַדִּים, sharp words): They said, “Once every 1,656 years, the sky totters, as it did in the time of the Flood. Come and let us make supports for it.” - [from Gen. Rabbah 28:6, Tan. Buber Noach 24]
ודברים אחדים: באו בעצה אחת ואמרו לא כל הימנו שיבור לו את העליונים, נעלה לרקיע ונעשה עמו מלחמה. דבר אחר על יחידו של עולם. דבר אחר ודברים אחדים, אמרו אחת לאלף ושש מאות חמשים ושש שנים הרקיע מתמוטט כשם שעשה בימי המבול, בואו ונעשה לו סמוכות:
2. And it came to pass when they traveled from the east, that they found a valley in the land of Shinar and settled there. ב. וַיְהִי בְּנָסְעָם מִקֶּדֶם וַיִּמְצְאוּ בִקְעָה בְּאֶרֶץ שִׁנְעָר וַיֵּשְׁבוּ שָׁם:
when they traveled from the east: where they had settled, as is written above (10:30):“And their dwelling place was, etc., the mountain of the east.” And they traveled from there to seek out a place that would accommodate them all, and they found only Shinar. — [from Gen. Rabbah 38:7]
ויהי בנסעם מקדם: שהיו יושבים שם, כדכתיב למעלה (י ל) ויהי מושבם וגו' הר הקדם, ונסעו משם לתור להם מקום להחזיק את כלם, ולא מצאו אלא שנער:
3. And they said to one another, "Come, let us make bricks and fire them thoroughly"; so the bricks were to them for stones, and the clay was to them for mortar. ג. וַיֹּאמְרוּ אִישׁ אֶל רֵעֵהוּ הָבָה נִלְבְּנָה לְבֵנִים וְנִשְׂרְפָה לִשְׂרֵפָה וַתְּהִי לָהֶם הַלְּבֵנָה לְאָבֶן וְהַחֵמָר הָיָה לָהֶם לַחֹמֶר:
And they said to one another: One nation to another nation, Mizraim to Cush; and Cush to Put; and Put to Canaan. - [from Gen. Rabbah 38:8]
איש אל רעהו: אומה לאומה, מצרים לכוש [וכוש לפוט] ופוט לכנען:
Come: Heb. הָבָה, prepare yourselves. Every הָבָה is an expression of preparation, meaning that they prepare themselves and join for work, or for counsel, or for [bearing] a load. הָבָה, prepare yourselves, aparicler in Old French, to get ready. — [from Zohar , vol. 1, 75a]
הבה: הזמינו עצמכם. כל הבה לשון הזמנה הוא, שמכינים עצמן ומתחברים למלאכה, או לעצה, או למשא. הבה, הזמינו אפרייליי"ר בלע"ז [להיכון]:
bricks: Because there are no stones in Babylon, which is a valley. — [from Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer ch. 24]
לבנים: שאין אבנים בבבל, שהיא בקעה:
and fire them thoroughly: This is how they make bricks, which are called tivles in Old French (tuilles in modern French): They fire them in a kiln.
ונשרפה לשרפה: כך עושין הלבנים שקורין טיולי"ש בלע"ז [רעפים], שורפים אותן בכבשן:
for mortar: to plaster the wall.
לחמר: לטוח הקיר:
4. And they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make ourselves a name, lest we be scattered upon the face of the entire earth." ד. וַיֹּאמְרוּ הָבָה | נִבְנֶה לָּנוּ עִיר וּמִגְדָּל וְרֹאשׁוֹ בַשָּׁמַיִם וְנַעֲשֶׂה לָּנוּ שֵׁם פֶּן נָפוּץ עַל פְּנֵי כָל הָאָרֶץ:
lest we be scattered: That He should not bring upon us any plague to scatter us from here. — [from Tan. Buber, Noach 28]
פן נפוץ: שלא יביא עלינו שום מכה להפיצנו מכאן:
5. And the Lord descended to see the city and the tower that the sons of man had built. ה. וַיֵּרֶד יְהֹוָה לִרְאֹת אֶת הָעִיר וְאֶת הַמִּגְדָּל אֲשֶׁר בָּנוּ בְּנֵי הָאָדָם:
And the Lord descended to see: He did not need to do this, except to teach judges not to condemn a defendant until they see [the case] and understand [it]. [This is] in the Midrash of Rabbi Tanchuma (Buber Noach 18).
וירד ה' לראות: לא הוצרך לכך, אלא בא ללמד לדיינים שלא ירשיעו הנדון עד שיראו ויבינו. במדרש רבי תנחומא (אות יח):
the sons of man: But the sons of whom else [could they have been]? The sons of donkeys and camels? Rather, [this refers to] the sons of the first man, who was ungrateful and said (above 3: 12):“The woman whom You gave [to be] with me.” These, too, were ungrateful in rebelling against the One Who lavished goodness upon them, and saved them from the Flood. — [from Gen. Rabbah 38:9]
בני האדם: אלא בני מי, שמא בני חמורים וגמלים, אלא בני אדם הראשון שכפר את הטובה ואמר (ג יב) האשה אשר נתתה עמדי, אף אלו כפרו בטובה למרוד במי שהשפיעם טובה ומלטם מן המבול:
6. And the Lord said, "Lo! [they are] one people, and they all have one language, and this is what they have commenced to do. Now, will it not be withheld from them, all that they have planned to do? ו. וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה הֵן עַם אֶחָד וְשָׂפָה אַחַת לְכֻלָּם וְזֶה הַחִלָּם לַעֲשׂוֹת וְעַתָּה לֹא יִבָּצֵר מֵהֶם כֹּל אֲשֶׁר יָזְמוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת:
Lo! [they are] one people: All this goodness they have: that they are one people, and that they all have one language, and they have commenced to do this!- [from Seder Eliyahu Rabbah, ch. 31]
הן עם אחד ושפה אחת: כל טובה זו יש עמהן, שעם אחד הם ושפה אחת לכולם, ודבר זה החלו לעשות:
they have commenced: Heb. הַחִלָּם, lit. their beginning, like אָמְרָם, their saying; עֲשׂוֹתָם, their doing; they have commenced to do.
החלם: כמו אמרם, עשותם, התחילו הם לעשות:
will it not be withheld: This is a question. The word יִבָּצֵר means withholding, as its Aramaic translation (יִתְמְנַע). And similar to it (Ps. 76:13): “He will withhold (יִבְצֹר) the spirit of princes.”
לא יבצר מהם וגו' לעשות: בתמיה. יבצר לשון מניעה, כתרגומו, ודומה לו (תהלים עו יג) יבצור רוח נגידים:
7. Come, let us descend and confuse their language, so that one will not understand the language of his companion." ז. הָבָה נֵרְדָה וְנָבְלָה שָׁם שְׂפָתָם אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִשְׁמְעוּ אִישׁ שְׂפַת רֵעֵהוּ:
Come, let us descend: He took counsel with His tribunal due to His extraordinary humility. — [from Sanh. 38b]
הבה נרדה: בבית דינו נמלך, מענותנותו היתירה:
Come: Measure for measure. They said, “Come, let us build,” and He meted corresponding [punishment] out to them by countering with,“Come, let us descend.” - [from Tan. Buber, Noach 25]
הבה: מדה כנגד מדה, הם אמרו הבה נבנה, והוא כנגדם מדד ואמר הבה נרדה:
and confuse: [The word וְנָבְלָה means] וּנְבַלְבֵּל, and let us confuse. The “nun” is used for the [prefix for the first person] plural, and the final “hey” is superfluous like the “hey” of נֵרְדָה, let us descend. — [from Targum Onkelos]
ונבלה: ונבלבל. נו"ן משמש בלשון רבים, וה"א אחרונה יתירה כה"א של נרדה:
will not understand: This one requests a brick, and that one brings mortar; this [first] one stands and cracks his skull. — [from Gen. Rabbah 38:10]
לא ישמעו: זה שואל לבנה וזה מביא טיט, וזה עומד עליו ופוצע את מוחו:
8. And the Lord scattered them from there upon the face of the entire earth, and they ceased building the city. ח. וַיָּפֶץ יְהֹוָה אֹתָם מִשָּׁם עַל פְּנֵי כָל הָאָרֶץ וַיַּחְדְּלוּ לִבְנֹת הָעִיר:
And the Lord scattered them from there: in this world. That which they said, “lest we be scattered” (verse 4) was fulfilled upon them. This is what Solomon said, (Prov. 10:24): “The dread of a wicked man-that will befall him.” - [from Tan. Buber, Noach 28]
ויפץ ה' אותם משם: בעולם הזה. מה שאמרו פן נפוץ, נתקיים עליהם, הוא שאמר שלמה (משלי י כד) מגורת רשע היא תבואנו:
9. Therefore, He named it Babel, for there the Lord confused the language of the entire earth, and from there the Lord scattered them upon the face of the entire earth. ט. עַל כֵּן קָרָא שְׁמָהּ בָּבֶל כִּי שָׁם בָּלַל יְהֹוָה שְׂפַת כָּל הָאָרֶץ וּמִשָּׁם הֱפִיצָם יְהֹוָה עַל פְּנֵי כָּל הָאָרֶץ:
and from there… scattered them: This teaches [us] that they have no share in the world to come (Mishnah Sanh. 107b). Now which [sins] were worse, those of the Generation of the Flood or those of the Generation of the Dispersion? The former did not stretch forth their hands against God, whereas the latter did stretch forth their hands against God, to wage war against Him. Nevertheless, the former were drowned, while the latter did not perish from the world. That is because the Generation of the Flood were robbers and there was strife between them, and therefore they were destroyed. But these behaved with love and friendship among themselves, as it is said (verse 1): “one language and uniform words.” Thus you learn that discord is hateful, and that peace is great. — [from Gen. Rabbah 38:6]
ומשם הפיצם: למד שאין להם חלק לעולם הבא. וכי אי זו קשה, של דור המבול או של דור הפלגה, אלו לא פשטו יד בעיקר, ואלו פשטו יד בעיקר כביכול להלחם בו, ואלו נשטפו, ואלו לא נאבדו מן העולם. אלא שדור המבול היו גזלנים והיתה מריבה ביניהם לכך נאבדו, ואלו היו נוהגים אהבה וריעות ביניהם, שנאמר שפה אחת ודברים אחדים. למדת ששנוי המחלוקת וגדול השלום:
10. These are the generations of Shem: Shem was one hundred years old, and he begot Arpachshad, two years after the Flood. י. אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת שֵׁם שֵׁם בֶּן מְאַת שָׁנָה וַיּוֹלֶד אֶת אַרְפַּכְשָׁד שְׁנָתַיִם אַחַר הַמַּבּוּל:
Shem was one hundred years old: when he begot Arpachshad two years after the Flood. — [from Targum Jonathan]
שם בן מאת שנה: כשהוליד את ארפכשד שנתים אחר המבול:
11. And Shem lived after he had begotten Arpachshad five hundred years, and he begot sons and daughters. יא. וַיְחִי שֵׁם אַחֲרֵי הוֹלִידוֹ אֶת אַרְפַּכְשָׁד חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה וַיּוֹלֶד בָּנִים וּבָנוֹת:
12. And Arpachshad lived thirty five years, and he begot Shelah. יב. וְאַרְפַּכְשַׁד חַי חָמֵשׁ וּשְׁלשִׁים שָׁנָה וַיּוֹלֶד אֶת שָׁלַח:
13. And Arpachshad lived after he had begotten Shelah four hundred and three years, and he begot sons and daughters. יג. וַיְחִי אַרְפַּכְשַׁד אַחֲרֵי הוֹלִידוֹ אֶת שֶׁלַח שָׁלשׁ שָׁנִים וְאַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה וַיּוֹלֶד בָּנִים וּבָנוֹת:
14. And Shelah lived thirty years, and he begot Eber. יד. וְשֶׁלַח חַי שְׁלשִׁים שָׁנָה וַיּוֹלֶד אֶת עֵבֶר:
15. And Shelah lived after he had begotten Eber, four hundred and three years, and he begot sons and daughters. טו. וַיְחִי שֶׁלַח אַחֲרֵי הוֹלִידוֹ אֶת עֵבֶר שָׁלשׁ שָׁנִים וְאַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה וַיּוֹלֶד בָּנִים וּבָנוֹת:
16. And Eber lived thirty four years, and he begot Peleg. טז. וַיְחִי עֵבֶר אַרְבַּע וּשְׁלשִׁים שָׁנָה וַיּוֹלֶד אֶת פָּלֶג:
17. And Eber lived after he had begotten Peleg, four hundred and thirty years, and he begot sons and daughters. יז. וַיְחִי עֵבֶר אַחֲרֵי הוֹלִידוֹ אֶת פֶּלֶג שְׁלשִׁים שָׁנָה וְאַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה וַיּוֹלֶד בָּנִים וּבָנוֹת:
18. And Peleg lived thirty years, and he begot Reu. יח. וַיְחִי פֶלֶג שְׁלשִׁים שָׁנָה וַיּוֹלֶד אֶת רְעוּ:
19. And Peleg lived after he had begotten Reu, two hundred and nine years, and he begot sons and daughters. יט. וַיְחִי פֶלֶג אַחֲרֵי הוֹלִידוֹ אֶת רְעוּ תֵּשַׁע שָׁנִים וּמָאתַיִם שָׁנָה וַיּוֹלֶד בָּנִים וּבָנוֹת:
20. And Reu lived thirty two years, and he begot Serug. כ. וַיְחִי רְעוּ שְׁתַּיִם וּשְׁלשִׁים שָׁנָה וַיּוֹלֶד אֶת שְׂרוּג:
21. And Reu lived after he had begotten Serug two hundred and seven years, and he begot sons and daughters. כא. וַיְחִי רְעוּ אַחֲרֵי הוֹלִידוֹ אֶת שְׂרוּג שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים וּמָאתַיִם שָׁנָה וַיּוֹלֶד בָּנִים וּבָנוֹת:
22. And Serug lived thirty years, and he begot Nahor. כב. וַיְחִי שְׂרוּג שְׁלשִׁים שָׁנָה וַיּוֹלֶד אֶת נָחוֹר:
23. And Serug lived after he had begotten Nahor, two hundred years, and he begot sons and daughters. כג. וַיְחִי שְׂרוּג אַחֲרֵי הוֹלִידוֹ אֶת נָחוֹר מָאתַיִם שָׁנָה וַיּוֹלֶד בָּנִים וּבָנוֹת:
24. And Nahor lived twenty nine years, and he begot Terah. כד. וַיְחִי נָחוֹר תֵּשַׁע וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וַיּוֹלֶד אֶת תָּרַח:
25. And Nahor lived after he had begotten Terah one hundred and nineteen years, and he begot sons and daughters. כה. וַיְחִי נָחוֹר אַחֲרֵי הוֹלִידוֹ אֶת תֶּרַח תְּשַׁע עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה וּמְאַת שָׁנָה וַיּוֹלֶד בָּנִים וּבָנוֹת:
26. And Terah lived seventy years, and he begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran. כו. וַיְחִי תֶרַח שִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה וַיּוֹלֶד אֶת אַבְרָם אֶת נָחוֹר וְאֶת הָרָן:
27. And these are the generations of Terah: Terah begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran, and Haran begot Lot. כז. וְאֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת תֶּרַח תֶּרַח הוֹלִיד אֶת אַבְרָם אֶת נָחוֹר וְאֶת הָרָן וְהָרָן הוֹלִיד אֶת לוֹט:
28. And Haran died during the lifetime of Terah his father in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Chaldees. כח. וַיָּמָת הָרָן עַל פְּנֵי תֶּרַח אָבִיו בְּאֶרֶץ מוֹלַדְתּוֹ בְּאוּר כַּשְׂדִּים:
during the lifetime of Terah his father: lit. on the face of Terah his father. During his father’s lifetime (Tan. Acharei 7). And the Midrash Aggadah (Gen. Rabbah 38:13) tells us that he died on account of his father. For Terah complained about Abram his son before Nimrod for crushing his idols; so he [Nimrod] cast him [Abram] into a fiery furnace, and Haran sat and thought, “If Abram is victorious, I am on his side, and if Nimrod is victorious, I am on his side.” When Abram was saved, they said to Haran, “Whose side are you on?” Haran said to them, “I am on Abram’s side!” They cast him into the fiery furnace and he was burned. This is the meaning of אוּר כַּשְׂדִּים, the fire of the Chaldees. Menachem (Machbereth, p. 32), however, explains אוּר as a valley, and so (Isa. 24:15): “in the crevices (בָּאוּרִים) honor the Lord,” and so, (ibid. 11:8): “over the hole of (מְאוּרַת) an old snake.” Any hole or deep crevice is called אוּר.
על פני תרח אביו: בחיי אביו. ומדרש אגדה יש אומרים שעל ידי אביו מת, שקבל תרח על אברם בנו לפני נמרוד על שכתת את צלמיו והשליכו לכבשן האש, והרן יושב ואומר בלבו אם אברם נוצח, אני משלו, ואם נמרוד נוצח, אני משלו. וכשניצל אברם אמרו לו להרן משל מי אתה, אמר להם הרן משל אברם אני. השליכוהו לכבשן האש ונשרף, וזהו אור כשדים. ומנחם בן סרוק פירש אור בקעה, וכן (ישעיה כד טו) באורים כבדו ה', וכן (שם יא ח) מאורת צפעוני. כל חור ובקע עמוק קרוי אור:
29. And Abram and Nahor took themselves wives; the name of Abram's wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor's wife was Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah and the father of Iscah. כט. וַיִּקַּח אַבְרָם וְנָחוֹר לָהֶם נָשִׁים שֵׁם אֵשֶׁת אַבְרָם שָׂרָי וְשֵׁם אֵשֶׁת נָחוֹר מִלְכָּה בַּת הָרָן אֲבִי מִלְכָּה וַאֲבִי יִסְכָּה:
Iscah: This is Sarah [called Iscah] because she would see (סוֹכָה) through Divine inspiration, and because all gazed (סוֹכִין) at her beauty. Alternatively, יִסְכָּה is an expression denoting princedom, (נְסִיכוּת), just as Sarah is an expression of dominion (שְׂרָרָה) . - [from Meg. 14a]
יסכה: זו שרה, על שם שסוכה ברוח הקודש, ושהכל סוכין ביפיה. ועוד יסכה לשון נסיכות, כמו שרה לשון שררה:
30. And Sarai was barren; she had no child. ל. וַתְּהִי שָׂרַי עֲקָרָה אֵין לָהּ וָלָד:
31. And Terah took Abram his son and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter in law, the wife of Abram his son, and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees to go to the land of Canaan, and they came as far as Haran and settled there. לא. וַיִּקַּח תֶּרַח אֶת אַבְרָם בְּנוֹ וְאֶת לוֹט בֶּן הָרָן בֶּן בְּנוֹ וְאֵת שָׂרַי כַּלָּתוֹ אֵשֶׁת אַבְרָם בְּנוֹ וַיֵּצְאוּ אִתָּם מֵאוּר כַּשְׂדִּים לָלֶכֶת אַרְצָה כְּנַעַן וַיָּבֹאוּ עַד חָרָן וַיֵּשְׁבוּ שָׁם:
and they went forth with them: And Terah and Abram went forth with Lot and Sarai.
ויצאו אתם: ויצאו תרח ואברם עם לוט ושרי:
32. And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years, and Terah died in Haran. לב. וַיִּהְיוּ יְמֵי תֶרַח חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים וּמָאתַיִם שָׁנָה וַיָּמָת תֶּרַח בְּחָרָן:
and Terah died in Haran: [This happened] after Abram had left Haran and had come to the land of Canaan, and had been there for over sixty years, for it is written (below 12:4): “And Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran,” and Terah was seventy years old when Abram was born, making Terah one hundred and forty-five years old when Abram left Haran. Accordingly, many of his [Terah’s] years were left. Why then did Scripture relate Terah’s death before Abram’s departure? So that the matter should not be publicized to all, whereby they would say: “Abram did not fulfill [the commandment of] honoring his father, for he left him in his old age and went away.” Therefore, Scripture calls him dead, for the wicked, even in their lifetime, are called dead, whereas the righteous, even in their death, are called living, as it is said (II Sam. 23:20): “And Benayahu the son of Jehoiada, the son of a living man.” - [from Gen. Rabbah 39:7, Ber. 18b. Note that the keri is בֶּן אִישׁ חַיִל, a valiant man. The Rabbis here expound on the kethib: בֶּן אִישׁ חַי].
וימת תרח בחרן: לאחר שיצא אברם מחרן ובא לארץ כנען והיה שם יותר מששים שנה, שהרי כתוב (יב ד) ואברם בן חמש שנים ושבעים שנה בצאתו מחרן, (פסוק כו) ותרח בן שבעים שנה היה כשנולד אברם, הרי מאה ארבעים וחמש לתרח כשיצא אברם מחרן, עדיין נשארו משנותיו הרבה. ולמה הקדים הכתוב מיתתו של תרח ליציאתו של אברם, שלא יהא הדבר מפורסם לכל ויאמרו לא קיים אברם את כבוד אביו שהניחו זקן והלך לו, לפיכך קראו הכתוב מת, שהרשעים אף בחייהם קרוים מתים, והצדיקים אף במיתתן קרוים חיים, שנאמר (שמואל ב' כג כ) ובניהו בן יהוידע בן איש חי:
in Haran: The “nun” of חָרָן is inverted, to tell you that until Abram [appeared], the wrath of the Omnipresent was kindled (חֲרוֹן). [The inverted “nun” symbolizes the change from Divine anger to Divine mercy.] — [based on Sifrei, Ha’azinu 311]
בחרן: הנו"ן הפוכה, לומר לך עד אברם היה חרון אף של מקום בעולם:
___________________________
Daily Tehillim: Psalms 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.
____________________________
Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 25
• Lessons in Tanya
• Today's Tanya Lesson
Shabbat, 1 Cheshvan 5775 • 25 October 2014
Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 25
והנה זה לעומת זה
Now,1 “[G‑d created] this opposite that”:
Since the entire dynamic of the holy “side” of the universe has its counterpart in the “other side,” the sitra achra, the above-mentioned Ten Sefirot of holiness (and likewise the ten corresponding faculties of the G‑dly soul) each have their unholy counterpart:
יש עשרה כתרי דמסאבותא
there are2 “ten crowns of impurity.”
ומהן נמשכות נפשות האומות, גם כן כלולות מעשר בחינות אלו ממש
From these issue the souls of the nations, which are also comprised of the very same ten levels.
ומודעת זאת בארץ מה שכתוב בספר הגלגולים על פסוק: אשר שלט האדם באדם, לרע לו
The exposition of Sefer HaGilgulim3 on the verse,4 “That man rules over man, to his detriment,” is common knowledge:
שהוא סוד גלות השכינה בתוך הקליפות, להחיותם ולהשליטם עתה בזמן הגלות
it refers to the mystery of the exile of the Shechinah in the midst of the kelipot, in order to animate them and to empower them to rule in the present time of exile.
“Man rules over man” thus means that the “evil man” (of kelipah) rules over the “sacred man” (i.e., the holy “side” of the universe).
אבל הוא לרע לו וכו׳
However, this [temporary dominion of evil] is “to his [ultimate] detriment...,” for its underlying intent is that the sparks of holiness that are found within evil, be extracted and elevated.
ולכן האומות שולטין עתה על ישראל
This is why the nations presently dominate the Jewish people.5
להיות נפשות האומות מהקליפות, אשר השכינה מתלבשת בבחינת גלות בתוכם
For the souls of the nations [derive] from the kelipot, in which the Shechinah is vested in a state of exile, empowering them to rule.
והנה, אף שזה צריך ביאור רחב, איך ומה, מכל מקום האמת כן הוא
Though extensive exposition is required, as to how and what is the manner in which the Shechinah is invested in the exile of the kelipot, nevertheless, it is truly so.
אלא שאף על פי כן, אין הקליפות והאומות יונקים ומקבלים חיות אלא מהארה הנמשכת להם מבחינת אחוריים דקדושה
Despite this, the kelipot and the nations receive their nurture and life-force only from a reflection extended to them from the hindmost dimension of holiness,
כמאן דשדי בתר כתפיה
“in the manner of one who [unwillingly] throws [something] over his shoulder [to his enemy],” as explained in Tanya, ch. 22.
ואף גם זאת, על ידי צמצומים ומסכים רבים ועצומים, עד שנתלבשה הארה זו בחומריות עולם הזה
And even that is by way of numerous and intense contractions and screens, until this radiation becomes vested in the materiality of this world,
ומשפעת לאומות עושר וכבוד וכל תענוגים גשמיים
dispensing wealth and honor and all physical pleasures unto the nations.
מה שאין כן ישראל יונקים מבחינת פנים העליונים, כמו שכתוב: יאר ה׳ פניו אליך
Jews, however, elicit [their sustenance] from the Supernal Countenance (the panim, or pnimiyus, i.e., the innermost aspect of Divinity); as it is written,6 “May G‑d make His Countenance shine upon you,”
כל אחד ואחד לפי שרש נשמתו, עד רום המעלות
each according to the source of his soul, up to the most elevated of levels.
* * *
FOOTNOTES
1. Kohelet 7:14.
2. Zohar III, 41b; et al.
3. Ch. 2.
4. Kohelet 8:9.
5. The text here (in Hebrew and English) reinstates the original version, which a czarist censor had tampered with so that it read, העובדי גילולים היו שולטין על ישראל — “the heathens used to dominate the Jewish people....” A few lines earlier, the word עתה (“in the present”) had likewise been deleted.
6. Bamidbar 6:25.
____________________________
Rambam:
Daily Mitzvah P200, N238 Sefer Hamitzvot
Today's Mitzvah
Shabbat, 1 Cheshvan 5775 • 25 October 2014
Daily Mitzvah P200, N238 Sefer Hamitzvot
Today's Mitzvah
Shabbat, 1 Cheshvan 5775 • 25 October 2014
Positive Commandment 200 (Digest)
Timely Remittance of Wages
"Give him his wage on the day it is due"—Deuteronomy 24:15.
We are commanded to pay a daily worker in a timely fashion, and not to delay payment. A day worker collects his wages on the night that follows, and a night worker collects his wages on the following day. This mitzvah applies to all workers—whether Jewish or gentile.
The 200th mitzvah is that we are commanded to pay a hired worker on the day that he works, and not to delay it to another day.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "You must give him his wage on the day it is due."
This mitzvah dictates that a day worker can collect his wages the following night and that a night worker can collect his wages the following day, as explained in the prohibitions.2
The details of this mitzvah are completely explained in the 9th chapter of tractate Bava Metzia.3 There it is explained that this obligation applies to all hired workers, whether Jewish or non-Jewish,4 and that it is a positive commandment to pay on time.
Rabbi Berel Bell is a well-known educator, author and lecturer. He and his family reside in Montreal, Canada.
From "Sefer Hamitzvot in English," published by Sichos in English.
FOOTNOTES
1.Deut. 24:15.
2.See N238 below.
3.110b.
4.I.e. a ger toshav, who has officially accepted upon himself to fulfill the Seven Noachide Commandments. See Kapach, 5731, note 28.
________________________________________
Negative Commandment 238 (Digest)
Postponing Payment for a Hired Worker
"The wages of a hired worker shall not be left with you overnight until the morning"—Leviticus 19:13.
It is forbidden to delay the timely payment of a hired worker. A day worker must be given his wages on the night that follows, and a night worker on the day that follows.
This prohibition applies only to a Jewish worker (as opposed to the positive commandment to pay in a timely fashion, which applies to both Jewish and non-Jewish workers).
The 238th prohibition is that we are forbidden from withholding and delaying payment of a hired worker's wages.
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "Do not let a worker's wages remain with you overnight until morning."
When does this verse apply? If he is a day worker he collects his wages the following night, as the verse says, "until morning." If he is a night worker he collects his wages during that night or the following day. He must receive his wages by the time the sun sets, as it is written,2 "You must give him his wage on the day it is due, and not let the sun set with him waiting for it."
In the words of the Mishneh3: "A day worker can collect his wages the following night and that a night worker can collect his wages the following day."
They4 do not count as two mitzvos, but are rather two prohibitive statements that complete one mitzvah, i.e. from these two prohibitive statements we know when he must be paid.
The details of this mitzvah are explained in the 9th chapter of tractate Bava Metzia. There it is explained that this prohibition applies only to a hired worker who is Jewish — that if one delays paying him, he transgresses the prohibition. However, if the worker is not Jewish,5 one violates only the positive commandment6 "You must give him his wage on the day it is due."
Rabbi Berel Bell is a well-known educator, author and lecturer. He and his family reside in Montreal, Canada.
From "Sefer Hamitzvot in English," published by Sichos in English.
FOOTNOTES
1.Lev. 19:13.
2.Deut. 24:15.
3.Bava Metzia 9:11.
4.I.e. Lev. 19:13 and Deut. 24:15.
5.I.e. a ger toshav. See note to P200 above.
6.P200.
Translation of (the unabridged text of) Sefer Hamitzvot by Rabbi Berel Bell, member of the Rabbinical Court of Montreal and director of Teacher Training for the Jewish Learning Institute.
________________________________________
Timely Remittance of Wages
"Give him his wage on the day it is due"—Deuteronomy 24:15.
We are commanded to pay a daily worker in a timely fashion, and not to delay payment. A day worker collects his wages on the night that follows, and a night worker collects his wages on the following day. This mitzvah applies to all workers—whether Jewish or gentile.
The 200th mitzvah is that we are commanded to pay a hired worker on the day that he works, and not to delay it to another day.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "You must give him his wage on the day it is due."
This mitzvah dictates that a day worker can collect his wages the following night and that a night worker can collect his wages the following day, as explained in the prohibitions.2
The details of this mitzvah are completely explained in the 9th chapter of tractate Bava Metzia.3 There it is explained that this obligation applies to all hired workers, whether Jewish or non-Jewish,4 and that it is a positive commandment to pay on time.
Rabbi Berel Bell is a well-known educator, author and lecturer. He and his family reside in Montreal, Canada.
From "Sefer Hamitzvot in English," published by Sichos in English.
FOOTNOTES
1.Deut. 24:15.
2.See N238 below.
3.110b.
4.I.e. a ger toshav, who has officially accepted upon himself to fulfill the Seven Noachide Commandments. See Kapach, 5731, note 28.
________________________________________
Negative Commandment 238 (Digest)
Postponing Payment for a Hired Worker
"The wages of a hired worker shall not be left with you overnight until the morning"—Leviticus 19:13.
It is forbidden to delay the timely payment of a hired worker. A day worker must be given his wages on the night that follows, and a night worker on the day that follows.
This prohibition applies only to a Jewish worker (as opposed to the positive commandment to pay in a timely fashion, which applies to both Jewish and non-Jewish workers).
The 238th prohibition is that we are forbidden from withholding and delaying payment of a hired worker's wages.
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "Do not let a worker's wages remain with you overnight until morning."
When does this verse apply? If he is a day worker he collects his wages the following night, as the verse says, "until morning." If he is a night worker he collects his wages during that night or the following day. He must receive his wages by the time the sun sets, as it is written,2 "You must give him his wage on the day it is due, and not let the sun set with him waiting for it."
In the words of the Mishneh3: "A day worker can collect his wages the following night and that a night worker can collect his wages the following day."
They4 do not count as two mitzvos, but are rather two prohibitive statements that complete one mitzvah, i.e. from these two prohibitive statements we know when he must be paid.
The details of this mitzvah are explained in the 9th chapter of tractate Bava Metzia. There it is explained that this prohibition applies only to a hired worker who is Jewish — that if one delays paying him, he transgresses the prohibition. However, if the worker is not Jewish,5 one violates only the positive commandment6 "You must give him his wage on the day it is due."
Rabbi Berel Bell is a well-known educator, author and lecturer. He and his family reside in Montreal, Canada.
From "Sefer Hamitzvot in English," published by Sichos in English.
FOOTNOTES
1.Lev. 19:13.
2.Deut. 24:15.
3.Bava Metzia 9:11.
4.I.e. Lev. 19:13 and Deut. 24:15.
5.I.e. a ger toshav. See note to P200 above.
6.P200.
Translation of (the unabridged text of) Sefer Hamitzvot by Rabbi Berel Bell, member of the Rabbinical Court of Montreal and director of Teacher Training for the Jewish Learning Institute.
________________________________________
Rambam:
• 1 Chapter a Day: Edut - Chapter 5Edut - Chapter 5
Halacha 1
A ruling is never delivered in any judgment on the basis of the testimony of one witness, not in cases involving financial law, nor in cases involving capital punishment, as Deuteronomy 19:15 states: "One witness should not stand up against any person with regard to any transgression or any sin." According to the Oral Tradition, we learned that his testimony is effective with regard to an oath, as stated in Hilchot Toein ViNitan.
Halacha 2
In two situations, the Torah accepted the testimony of one witness:
a) with regard to a sotah, so that she does not drink the bitter waters; and
b) with regard to a calf whose neck is broken, to prevent its neck from being broken, as we explained.
Similarly, according to Rabbinic Law, we accept the testimony of one witness with regard to testimony concerning a woman, if he testifies that her husband died.
Halacha 3
Whenever the testimony of one witness is effective, a woman and a person disqualified as a witness may also testify. There is, however, an exception: a witness who requires that an oath be taken. We do not require that an oath be taken except on the basis of testimony that is acceptable and fit to be joined with the testimony of another person to obligate the person taking the oath to make financial restitution.
Deuteronomy 19:15 states: "On the basis of the testimony of two witnesses or on the basis of the testimony of three witnesses...," establishing an equation between three witnesses and two witnesses. Just as when there are two witnesses, if one of them is discovered to be a relative or unfit to deliver testimony, the entire testimony is nullified; so, too, if there are three - or even 100 - witnesses and one of them is discovered to be a relative or unfit to deliver testimony, the entire testimony is nullified. This applies both in matters involving financial law and in cases involving capital punishment.
Halacha 4
When does the above apply? When all of the potential witnesses had the intent of delivering testimony. If, however, they did not all intend to deliver testimony, the testimony will not be nullified. What should two brothers do when they are together with other people and they and the others see a person murder a colleague, injure him, or grab an article from his hand?
Halacha 5
How do we investigate the matter? When many witnesses come to the court as a single group, we ask them: "When you saw this person kill or injure was your intent to serve as a witness or merely to observe?" All those who say that their intent was not to serve as a witness, but they came merely to observe the matter as part of people at large are set aside. And all those who say: "I stood and took notice solely for the purpose of serving as a witness and being precise in my testimony," are set aside. If a relative or an unacceptable witness is found among those who intended to deliver testimony, the entire testimony is nullified.
When does the above apply? When a relative or an unacceptable witness was present. If, however, they are all acceptable to serve as witnesses, their testimony is taken into account whether they intended to serve as witnesses or not. Since they observed the matter, related the particulars of the testimony, and a warning was given the transgressor, the matter is adjudicated on this basis. This applies both in matters involving financial law and in cases involving capital punishment.
Halacha 6
The following laws apply when there is a legal document with many witnesses and one of them is discovered to be a relative or unacceptable or two of them are related to each other and the witnesses are not alive so that they could be asked whether they intended to sign as witnesses or not. If there is definitive testimony that they all sat down with the intent of signing - i.e., they intended to give testimony - the document is unacceptable. If not, the testimony may be maintained on the basis of the other witnesses.
Why may the testimony be maintained on the basis of the other witnesses? Because it is possible that the acceptable witnesses signed and left a place for a person of stature to sign and the relative or the unacceptable witness signed without them knowing.
Halacha 7
Even though an unacceptable witness is the first whose signature appears on the legal document, the document is acceptable.
Halacha 8
Whenever a witness delivers testimony in a case involving capital punishment, he may not rule as a judge with regard to this murder. He may not offer an opinion in favor of the accused's acquittal or conviction. If he states: "I have a rationale that should lead to his acquittal, he is silenced, as implied by Numbers 35:30: "One witness shall not make a statement with regard to a case involving capital punishment," i.e., his words are not accepted neither for acquittal, nor for conviction.
What is the intent of the phrase "involving capital punishment"? That once a witness testifies with regard to capital punishment, he should make no further statements. He should deliver his testimony and be silent. With regard to cases involving financial matters, he may, however, offer an opinion leading to the defendant being released from financial liability or held liable. He may not, however, be counted among the judges or serve as a judge. For a witness may not serve as a judge. This applies even in cases involving financial matters.
Halacha 9
When does the above apply? With regard to matters that, according to Scriptural Law, require testimony and adjudication by judges. In matters of Rabbinic Law, by contrast, a witness may serve as a judge.
What is implied? A person brought a bill of divorce and stated: "It was written and signed in my presence." He and two other individuals may serve as a court and give the woman the bill of divorce. It is as if she received it in a court. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.
____________________________
Rambam:
• 3 Chapters a Day: Sechirut - Chapter 4, Sechirut - Chapter 5, Sechirut - Chapter 6
Sechirut - Chapter 4
Halacha 1
When a person rents a donkey to lead it through the mountains, and instead leads it through a valley, he is not liable if it slips, even though he went against the intentions of the owners. If it is harmed due to heat, the renter is liable. If he rented it to lead it through a valley, and instead leads it through a mountain, he is liable if it slips, because one is more likely to slip in a mountain than in a valley. If it is harmed due to heat, the renter is not liable, since valleys are warmer than mountains, because there is wind blowing in the mountains. If, however, it becomes overheated due to the effort in climbing to the heights, he is liable. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.
Similarly, if a person rents a cow to plow on a mountain and plows with it in a valley, the renter is not liable should the cylinder of the plow break. The owner of the cow may sue the workers who did the plowing. Similarly, if the renter did not go against the owner's instructions and the cylinder of the plow broke, the owner of the cow may sue the workers. If he rented it to plow in a valley, and instead plowed on a mountain, and the cylinder of the plow breaks, the renter is liable. The renter may sue the workers.
Halacha 2
What is the ruling regarding the workers who break a plow while plowing? They must pay.
Who must pay? The one who holds the utensil while plowing." If, however, the field has several plateaus, they share the liability for the cost of the cylinder - both the person holding the guiding pole and the person holding the utensil.
Halacha 3
If a person rented a cow to thresh beans and he used it to thresh grain, he is not liable if it slips. If he rented it for grain and used it to thresh beans, he is liable, for beans cause slippage.
An incident occurred with regard to a person who rented his donkey to a colleague and told him: "Do not go with it on the way of the Pikud Ravine, where there is water, but rather on the way of the Neresh Ravine, where there is no water." The person who hired the donkey went on the way of the Pikud Ravine and the donkey died. There were no witnesses who were able to testify to which way he went, but the person himself admitted: "I went on the way of the Pikud Ravine, but there was no water, and the donkey died due to natural causes."
Our Sages ruled: "Since there are witnesses that there is always water in the Pikud Ravine, he is obligated to pay, for he deviated from the instructions of the owner. And we do not say: "Of what value would it be for him to lie," in a situation where witnesses were present.
Halacha 4
When a person rents an animal to bring 200 litra of wheat, and instead, brings 200 litra of barley, he is liable if the animal dies. For the additional volume] is more difficult to carry, and barley takes more space than wheat. The same laws apply if he hired an animal to carry grain, and instead used it to carry straw. If, by contrast, he rented an animal to carry barley and instead, brought the same weight of wheat, he is not liable if the animal dies. Similar principles apply in all analogous situations.
Halacha 5
If a person rented an animal for a man to ride upon, he should not have a woman ride upon it. If he rented it for a woman to ride upon, he may have a man ride upon it. And he may have any woman ride upon it, whether she is small or large, even if she is both nursing and pregnant.
Halacha 6
The following rules apply when a person rents an animal with the intent that it carry a burden of a specific weight, and the renter added to that weight. If he added a thirtieth to the weight that he specified, and the animal died, he is liable. If it was a lesser measure, he is not liable. He must, however, pay the fee appropriate for the extra measure.
If the renter rented the animal without specifying a measure, he may load upon it the burden that is the local standard for that animal. If he added more than a thirtieth to that weight - e.g., it usually carried 30 measures and he loads it with 31 - and it dies or becomes injured, he is liable. Similarly, if a person loaded a ship with one thirtieth more than its ordinary cargo and it sank, he is liable to make restitution for its worth.
Halacha 7
When a person added one kav to the burden of a porter, and the porter was injured because of this burden, the other person is liable for his injury. For although the porter is a conscious being and feels the weight of the extra burden, he might think that it feels heavy because he is ill.
Halacha 8
When a person rents a donkey with the intent of riding upon it, he may place his garments, his flask, and his food for this journey upon it, for it is not customary for a renter to stop at each inn to purchase food. The owner of the donkey may prevent the renter from carrying with him anything more.
Similarly, the owner of the donkey may place barley and straw for the donkey's food on it for that day. The renter may prevent him from loading anything more, for it is possible for him to purchase these supplies at every inn. Therefore, if there is no place for him to purchase, he may load his food and food for his animal for the entire journey.
All of these guidelines apply when a person hires an animal without making any specifications in a place that has no known custom. If, however, there is an accepted local custom, everything follows that custom.
Sechirut - Chapter 5
Halacha 1
The following rules apply when a person rents an animal and it becomes sick, goes mad, or is conscripted for the king's service, even when it will not be returned. If it was taken or became sick or mad as the renter was journeying to his destination, the owner may tell the renter: "Behold the animal you hired is before you," and the renter is required to pay the full fee. When does the above apply? When he rented it to carry a burden that can be thrown to the ground without worry. If, however, he rented the donkey with the intent of riding on it or carrying glass utensils or the like, the owner of the donkey is required to provide another donkey for him if he hired a donkey without making any further specifications. If he does not provide another donkey, he must return the fee, and then a calculation should be made with regard to how much he should be paid for the portion of the journey that he traveled.
Halacha 2
The following rules apply in the above situation if the animal died or was injured, regardless of whether it was rented to carry a burden or to ride. If the owner said: "I am renting you a donkey," without specifying the beast, he is required to provide another donkey for the renter. If he does not, the renter may sell the animal and purchase another animal with [the proceeds, or rent another animal until he arrives at the destination agreed upon if the proceeds are not sufficient to purchase another animal.
Different rules apply if the owner told the renter: "I am renting you this donkey." When he rented it to ride upon it or to carry glass utensils and it died in the middle of the way, he should purchase another animal with the proceeds from the sale of the carcass if that is possible. If the proceeds are not sufficient for that, he should rent an animal, even if this demands all the proceeds of the sale to transport him to the destination specified. If the proceeds are not sufficient - neither to purchase nor to rent an animal - the renter must pay the owner the fee for the portion of the journey. With regard to the remainder, all he has against him is complaints.
If he hired it to carry a burden that was not fragile, since the owner said "this donkey," and it died in the middle of the journey, he is not required to provide another donkey for him. Instead, the renter must pay him the fee for the portion of the journey and leave him the carcass.
Halacha 3
The following rules apply when a person hires a ship and it sinks in the midst of the journey. If the owner told the renter, "I am renting you this ship," and the renter hired it to carry wine without specifying which wine he would be carrying, even if the renter already paid the owner his fee, the owner must return it in its entirety. For the renter can tell him: "Bring the actual ship that I rented from you, for I was very specific in wanting this ship. When you do, I will bring wine and transport it on it."
If the owner does not specify a ship and the renter hires one to transport a specific shipment of wine, even though he did not pay the owner any portion of the fee, he is required to pay him the entire amount. For the owner can tell him: "Bring me the wine that you specified and I will transport it for you." He must, however, deduct compensation for the difficulty for half the journey, for a person who works to sail a ship cannot be compared to someone who is idle.
The following rules apply if the owner told the renter: "I am renting you this ship," and the renter mentioned a specific shipment of wine. If the renter already paid the owner his fee, he cannot require him to return it. If the renter did not pay it, he need not. The rationale is that the owner cannot bring that ship, nor can the renter bring that wine. If the rental agreement did not specify the ship or the wine, the fee should be divided between them.
Halacha 4
When a person rents a ship and unloads in the midst of the journey, he must pay the fee for the entire journey. If, however, the renter finds another person who will rent the ship in his place until the location he originally agreed, he may rent it out to him. The owner of the ship has, however, a complaint against him.
Similarly, if the renter sold all the merchandise on the ship to another person in the middle of the way and descended, and the purchaser ascended in his place, the owner of the ship takes half the rent from the first one and half from the second. The owner has a complaint against the renter, because he required him to accommodate the opinion of another person with whom he is not familiar. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.
Halacha 5
From this, I conclude that when a person rents a house from a colleague for a specific period and the renter desires to sublet the house to another person until the end of the lease, he may, provided there are the same number of people in the subletter's household as in his own. If, however, there are four in his own household, he should not sublet it to a household of five. The rationale is that our Sages' statement that a renter may not sublet the object that he rents applies only with regard to movable property.
The motivating principle for that restriction is that the owner may tell the renter: "I do not desire that my object be entrusted to the hands of another person." With regard to landed property or a ship, by contrast, its owner is with it at all times, and this objection is not relevant.
Similarly, I conclude that if the owner of the home tells the renter: "Why should you trouble yourself to rent my house to others? If you do not desire to continue dwelling within it, leave and leave it alone; I am freeing you from the rent," the renter may not sublet it to anyone else. For in such an instance, the charge: "Do not withhold good from its owner" applies. For instead of renting it out to someone else, the tenant should leave this person his own home.
There are those who rule that the renter may not sublet the dwelling at all and must pay the rent until the appointed time. To me, this does not appear a true ruling.
Halacha 6
When a person tells a colleague: "I am renting you this house," and after he rented it to him, it fell, he is not required to rebuild it for him. Instead, he should calculate the amount of rent due for the time during which he used it and return the remainder of the rent. If, however, the owner tears down the house, he is obligated to provide another home for the renter or rent a similar dwelling for him.
Similarly, if after renting the house to this person, he rented it or sold it to a gentile or to a person who does not abide by the law who supplanted the rental of the first person, the owner is obligated to rent a similar house for him. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.
Halacha 7
If a person rented a house to a colleague without specifying the house, and afterwards the house fell, the owner is required to build it for him or provide him with another housed Even if the new house he gives him is smaller than the house that fell, the renter cannot prevent him from giving him this one, provided it is called a house. If, however, he told him: "I am renting you a house like this," the owner is obligated to provide him with a house that it is the same length and width as the house that he originally showed him. He cannot tell him: "My intent was only that the house should be close to the river," "... to the marketplace," or "... to the bathhouse, as this one is." Instead, he is obligated to provide him with a house of that size and shape."
Therefore, if it was large, he should not make it small. If it was small, he should not make it large. If it was a one-room apartment, he should not make it two. If it was a two-room apartment he should not make it one. He should not reduce the number of windows that it possessed, nor should he add to them unless they both agree.
Halacha 8
When a person rents out a loft without any specifications, he is required to provide any such structure for the renter. If the owner tells him: "I am renting you the loft on top of this house," he made the house subservient to the loft. Therefore, if four handbreadths or more of the loft become ruined, the owner is obligated to fix it. If he does not fix it, the renter may descend and dwell in the house together with the owner until he fixes it.
The following rules apply when there are two lofts, one on top of the other: if the upper loft becomes ruined, he may dwell in the lower one. If the lower one becomes ruined, there is a doubt whether he has the right to dwell in the upper loft or the house. Therefore, he should not dwell in either of them. If, however, he dwells in one of them, he cannot be forced to leave.
An incident occurred when a person told a colleague: "I am renting you this vine that is draped over this peach tree," and then the peach tree became uprooted from its place. The question was brought to the Sages and they told the owner: "You are obligated to provide the peach tree for him for as long as the vine exists." Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.
Sechirut - Chapter 6
Halacha 1
When a person rents an apartment to a colleague in a large building, the renter may use the protrusions and the walls of the larger structure for four cubits. He may also use the garden in the courtyard and the yard behind the building. In a place where it is customary to use the thickness of the walls, the renter may use the thickness of walls.
In all these matters, we follow the prevailing local custom and the terminology that is in common usage, as we have stated with regard to purchases and sales.
Halacha 2
When a person rents out his courtyard without making any specific statements, we assume that he did not rent out the barn located within it.
Halacha 3
When a person rents a house to a colleague, he is obligated to provide doors for him, to open any windows that have been damaged, to strengthen the roof, to support a beam that is broken, to make a bolt and a lock, and to provide any other necessity that requires a craftsman's work and that is a fundamental necessity when dwelling in a home and courtyard.
The renter is required to make a guardrail, affix a mezuzah and prepare the place for the mezuzah from his own resources. Similarly, if he desires to build a ladder, fix a slanted roof, or plaster the roof, he should do this from his own resources.
Halacha 4
When a person rents out a loft to a colleague and its floor becomes opened for four square handbreadths or more, the owner is obligated to fix the ceiling of the lower apartment and the plaster upon it, for the plaster is support for the ceiling.
Halacha 5
The dung in the courtyard belongs to the renter. Therefore, he is responsible to make the effort of clearing it out. If, however, there is a prevailing local custom, it takes precedence.
When does the above apply? When the animals that made the dung belong to the renter. If, however, the animals belong to other people, the dung belongs to the owner of the courtyard. For a courtyard that belongs to a person acquires property on his behalf without his knowledge, even when it is rented out to another person.
Halacha 6
When a person rents out a house, a courtyard, a store or another property for a fixed time, the owner has the right to compel the renter to leave at the end of the prescribed period. He is not required to wait even one hour for him.
When a person rents a house to sleep in without making any specifications, the minimum is one night. If he rents it for the Sabbath, the minimum is two days. If he rents it for a marriage, the minimum is 30 days.
Halacha 7
When a person rents a house to a colleague without specifying the termination of the contract, he may not force him to leave the home unless he notifies him 30 days in advance, so that he can look for another place and will not be homeless. After 30 days, however, he must leave.
When does the above apply? In the summer. In the winter, by contrast, he may not force him to leave from Sukkot until Pesach.
When the owner gives the renter 30 days notice before Sukkot, if even one day from the 30 is after Sukkot, the owner may not compel him to leave until after Pesach. And he must notify him 30 days previously.
When does the above apply? In small towns. In large cities, by contrast, whether in the summer or the winter, the owner must notify the renter twelve months in advance.
Similarly, with regard to a store, whether in a large city or in a small town, the owner must notify the renter twelve months in advance.
Halacha 8
Just as the owner is obligated to notify the renter, the renter is obligated to notify the owner 30 days before leaving in a small town and twelve months before leaving in a large city, in order for the owner to be able to look for a tenant so that his house will not be empty. If he does not notify him, he may not leave unless he pays rent regardless.
Halacha 9
Although the owner may not send away the renter, nor may the renter leave the dwelling until one notifies the other a proper time beforehand, if the price of renting homes increases, the owner can raise the rent and tell the renter: "Either rent it at its present value or depart."
Similarly, if the price of renting homes decreases, the renter may decrease the rent, telling the owner: "Either rent me your home at its present value, or I am leaving it for you."
If the house in which the owner is living falls, he may compel the renter to leave his house, telling him: "It is not appropriate that you dwell in my home until you find a dwelling while I am homeless. You have no greater right to this home than I do."
Halacha 10
The following rules apply when the owner gives the house to his son to hold a wedding with his wife. If he knew that his son was getting married at this and this time and he could have notified the tenant earlier, but failed to do so, the owner may not force the tenant to leave.
If, however, the marriage came about suddenly and the son is wedding the woman in the immediate future, the owner may compel the renter to leave the home. For it is not appropriate that the renter dwell in the owner's home while the owner's son must rent a home in which to make the wedding.
Halacha 11
If the owner sold the dwelling, gave it as a present or died and it was transferred as part of his inheritance, the new owner may not compel the renter to leave unless he notifies him 30 days or twelve months beforehand. For the renter may tell the new owner: "You have no greater privileges than the person from whom you acquired the home."
____________________________
Hayom Yom:
Friday, 1 Cheshvan 5775 • 25 October 2014
"Today's Day"
Shabbat, Cheshvan 1, Shabbat Rosh Chodesh, 5704
Torah lessons: Chumash: Noach, Shevi'i with Rashi.
Tehillim: 1-9.
Tanya: Now, with one (p. 543) ...the peak of levels. (p. 543).
At Mincha, and on Monday and Thursday of the approaching week (Lech L'cha), the third aliya ("Yisrael") begins with Vayeira Hashem el Avram etc.
The Rebbe my father told someone at yechidus: Ever since G-d told our father Avraham, "Go from your land etc."1 and it is then written "Avram kept travelling southward,"2 we have the beginning of the mystery of birurim. By decree of Divine Providence man goes about his travels to the place where the "sparks" that he must purify await their redemption.
Tzadikim, who have vision, see where their birurim await them and go there deliberately. As for ordinary folk, The Cause of all causes and the Prime Mover3 brings about various reasons and circumstances that bring these people to that place where lies their obligation to perform the avoda of birurim.
Compiled and arranged by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, of righteous memory, in 5703 (1943) from the talks and letters of the sixth Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, of righteous memory.
FOOTNOTES
1. Bereishit 12:1.
2. Ibid 12:9.
3. "Cause of all causes," ilat kol ha'ilot. "Prime Mover," sibat kol hasibot. For the difference between the two terms, see Likutei Sichot, Vol. 16, p. 349, footnote 68.
____________________________
Daily Thought:
Better Than the Sun
There are three approaches to dealing with this world:
Some remain aloof as the sun. The world benefits from their light, but they stay far beyond it all. They invest little in this world and so have little to lose.
Others wane and wax as the moon. They suffer the scars and bruises of life, delight in its offerings, thirst for its rewards and tremble at its horrors. They invest everything and risk losing it all.
True tzadikim emulate their Creator. To them, every episode of life, no matter how minor, has meaning and purpose. And yet, they remain above it all. They are the sun and the moon at once.
What is their secret? It is memory.
Even as they invest themselves within the mundane, they remember they are not the body, but the soul.(Yitro 5733:1.)
____________________________
Shabbat, Cheshvan 1, Shabbat Rosh Chodesh, 5704
Torah lessons: Chumash: Noach, Shevi'i with Rashi.
Tehillim: 1-9.
Tanya: Now, with one (p. 543) ...the peak of levels. (p. 543).
At Mincha, and on Monday and Thursday of the approaching week (Lech L'cha), the third aliya ("Yisrael") begins with Vayeira Hashem el Avram etc.
The Rebbe my father told someone at yechidus: Ever since G-d told our father Avraham, "Go from your land etc."1 and it is then written "Avram kept travelling southward,"2 we have the beginning of the mystery of birurim. By decree of Divine Providence man goes about his travels to the place where the "sparks" that he must purify await their redemption.
Tzadikim, who have vision, see where their birurim await them and go there deliberately. As for ordinary folk, The Cause of all causes and the Prime Mover3 brings about various reasons and circumstances that bring these people to that place where lies their obligation to perform the avoda of birurim.
Compiled and arranged by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, of righteous memory, in 5703 (1943) from the talks and letters of the sixth Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, of righteous memory.
FOOTNOTES
1. Bereishit 12:1.
2. Ibid 12:9.
3. "Cause of all causes," ilat kol ha'ilot. "Prime Mover," sibat kol hasibot. For the difference between the two terms, see Likutei Sichot, Vol. 16, p. 349, footnote 68.
____________________________
Daily Thought:
Better Than the Sun
There are three approaches to dealing with this world:
Some remain aloof as the sun. The world benefits from their light, but they stay far beyond it all. They invest little in this world and so have little to lose.
Others wane and wax as the moon. They suffer the scars and bruises of life, delight in its offerings, thirst for its rewards and tremble at its horrors. They invest everything and risk losing it all.
True tzadikim emulate their Creator. To them, every episode of life, no matter how minor, has meaning and purpose. And yet, they remain above it all. They are the sun and the moon at once.
What is their secret? It is memory.
Even as they invest themselves within the mundane, they remember they are not the body, but the soul.(Yitro 5733:1.)
____________________________
No comments:
Post a Comment