Torah Reading
Eikev (Deuteronomy 7:12 “Because you are listening to these rulings, keeping and obeying them, Adonai your God will keep with you the covenant and mercy that he swore to your ancestors. 13 He will love you, bless you and increase your numbers; he will also bless the fruit of your body and the fruit of your ground — your grain, wine, olive oil and the young of your cattle and sheep — in the land he swore to your ancestors that he would give you. 14 You will be blessed more than all other peoples; there will not be a sterile male or female among you, and the same with your livestock. 15 Adonai will remove all illness from you — he will not afflict you with any of Egypt’s dreadful diseases, which you have known; instead, he will lay them on those who hate you. 16 You are to devour all the peoples that Adonai your God hands over to you — show them no pity, and do not serve their gods, because that will become a trap for you. 17 If you think to yourselves, ‘These nations outnumber us; how can we dispossess them?’ 18 nevertheless, you are not to be afraid of them; you are to remember well what Adonai your God did to Pharaoh and all of Egypt — 19 the great ordeals which you yourself saw, and the signs, wonders, strong hand and outstretched arm by which Adonai your God brought you out. Adonai will do the same to all the peoples of whom you are afraid. 20 Moreover, Adonai your God will send the hornet among them until those who are left and those who hide themselves perish ahead of you. 21 You are not to be frightened of them, because Adonai your God is there with you, a God great and fearsome. 22 Adonai your God will expel those nations ahead of you little by little; you can’t put an end to them all at once, or the wild animals will become too numerous for you. 23 Nevertheless, Adonai your God will give them over to you, sending one disaster after another upon them until they have been destroyed. 24 He will hand their kings over to you, and you will wipe out their name from under heaven; none of them will be able to stand against you until you have destroyed them. 25 You are to burn up completely the carved statues of their gods. Don’t be greedy for the silver or gold on them; don’t take it with you, or you will be trapped by it; for it is abhorrent to Adonai your God. 26 Don’t bring something abhorrent into your house, or you will share in the curse that is on it; instead, you are to detest it completely, loathe it utterly; for it is set apart for destruction.
Today's Laws & Customs:
8:1 “All the mitzvot I am giving you today you are to take care to obey, so that you will live, increase your numbers, enter and take possession of the land Adonai swore about to your ancestors. 2 You are to remember everything of the way in which Adonai led you these forty years in the desert, humbling and testing you in order to know what was in your heart — whether you would obey his mitzvot or not. 3 He humbled you, allowing you to become hungry, and then fed you with man, which neither you nor your ancestors had ever known, to make you understand that a person does not live on food alone but on everything that comes from the mouth of Adonai. 4 During these forty years the clothing you were wearing didn’t grow old, and your feet didn’t swell up. 5 Think deeply about it: Adonai was disciplining you, just as a man disciplines his child. 6 So obey the mitzvot of Adonai your God, living as he directs and fearing him. 7 For Adonai your God is bringing you into a good land, a land with streams, springs and water welling up from the depths in valleys and on hillsides. 8 It is a land of wheat and barley, grapevines, fig trees and pomegranates; a land of olive oil and honey; 9 a land where you will eat food in abundance and lack nothing in it; a land where the stones contain iron and the hills can be mined for copper. 10 So you will eat and be satisfied, and you will bless Adonai your God for the good land he has given you.
(ii) 11 “Be careful not to forget Adonai your God by not obeying his mitzvot, rulings and regulations that I am giving you today. 12 Otherwise, after you have eaten and are satisfied, built fine houses and lived in them, 13 and increased your herds, flocks, silver, gold and everything else you own, 14 you will become proud-hearted. Forgetting Adonai your God — who brought you out of the land of Egypt, where you lived as slaves; 15 who led you through the vast and fearsome desert, with its poisonous snakes, scorpions and waterless, thirsty ground; who brought water out of flint rock for you; 16 who fed you in the desert with man, unknown to your ancestors; all the while humbling and testing you in order to do you good in the end — 17 you will think to yourself, ‘My own power and the strength of my own hand have gotten me this wealth.’ 18 No, you are to remember Adonai your God, because it is he who is giving you the power to get wealth, in order to confirm his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as is happening even today. 19 If you forget Adonai your God, follow other gods and serve and worship them, I am warning you in advance today that you will certainly perish. 20 You will perish just like the nations that Adonai is causing to perish ahead of you, because you will not have heeded the voice of Adonai your God.”
9:1 “Listen, Isra’el! You are to cross the Yarden today, to go in and dispossess nations greater and stronger than you, great cities fortified up to the sky; 2 a people great and tall, the ‘Anakim, whom you know about and of whom you have heard it said, ‘Who can stand before the descendants of ‘Anak?’ 3 Therefore understand today that Adonai your God will himself cross ahead of you as a devouring fire; he will destroy them and bring them down before you. Thus will you drive them out and cause them to perish quickly, as Adonai has said to you.
(iii) 4 “Don’t think to yourself, after your God has pushed them out ahead of you, ‘It is to reward my righteousness that Adonai has brought me in to take possession of this land.’ No, it is because these nations have been so wicked that Adonai is driving them out ahead of you. 5 It is not because of your righteousness, or because your heart is so upright, that you go in to take possession of their land; but to punish the wickedness of these nations that Adonai your God is driving them out ahead of you, and also to confirm the word which Adonai swore to your ancestors, Avraham, Yitz’chak and Ya‘akov. 6 Therefore, understand that it is not for your righteousness that Adonai your God is giving you this good land to possess.
“For you are a stiffnecked people! 7 Remember, don’t forget, how you made Adonai your God angry in the desert. From the day you left the land of Egypt till you arrived at this place, you have been rebelling against Adonai. 8 Also in Horev you made Adonai angry — Adonai was angry enough with you to destroy you! 9 I had gone up the mountain to receive the stone tablets, the tablets on which was written the covenant Adonai had made with you. I stayed on the mountain forty days and nights without eating food or drinking water. 10 Then Adonai gave me the two stone tablets inscribed by the finger of God; and on them was written every word Adonai had said to you from the fire on the mountain the day of the assembly. 11 Yes, after forty days and nights Adonai gave me the two stone tablets, the tablets of the covenant. 12 Then Adonai said to me, ‘Get up, and hurry down from here, because your people, whom you led out of Egypt, have become corrupt. So quickly have they turned aside from the way I ordered them to follow! They have made themselves a metal image!’ 13 Moreover, Adonai said to me, ‘I have seen this people, and what a stiffnecked people they are! 14 Let me alone, so that I can put an end to them and blot out their name from under heaven! I will make out of you a nation bigger and stronger than they.’ 15 I came down from the mountain. The mountain was blazing fire, and the two tablets of the covenant were in my two hands. 16 I looked, and there, you had sinned against Adonai your God! You had made yourselves a metal calf, you had turned aside quickly from the way Adonai had ordered you to follow. 17 I seized the two tablets, threw them out of my two hands and broke them before your eyes. 18 Then I fell down before Adonai, as I had the first time, for forty days and nights, during which time I neither ate food nor drank water, all because of the sin you committed by doing what was evil in the sight of Adonai and thus provoking him. 19 I was terrified that because of how angry Adonai was at you, of how heatedly displeased he was, that he would destroy you. But Adonai listened to me that time too. 20 In addition, Adonai was very angry with Aharon and would have destroyed him; but I prayed for Aharon also at the same time. 21 I took your sin, the calf you had made, and burned it up in the fire, beat it to pieces, and ground it up still smaller, until it was as fine as dust; then I threw its dust into the stream coming down from the mountain.
22 “Again at Tav‘erah, Massah and Kivrot-HaTa’avah you made Adonai angry; 23 and when Adonai sent you off from Kadesh-Barnea by saying, ‘Go up and take possession of the land I have given you,’ you rebelled against the order of Adonai your God — you neither trusted him nor heeded what he said. 24 You have been rebelling against Adonai from the day I first knew you!
25 “So I fell down before Adonai for those forty days and nights; and I lay there; because Adonai had said he would destroy you. 26 I prayed to Adonai ; I said, ‘Adonai Elohim! Don’t destroy your people, your inheritance! You redeemed them through your greatness, you brought them out of Egypt with a strong hand! 27 Remember your servants Avraham, Yitz’chak and Ya‘akov! Don’t focus on the stubbornness of this people, or on their wickedness or on their sin. 28 Otherwise, the land you brought us out of will say, “It is because Adonai wasn’t able to bring them into the land he promised them and because he hated them that he has brought them out to kill them in the desert.” 29 But in fact they are your people, your inheritance, whom you brought out by your great power and your outstretched arm.’
10:1 (iv) “At that time Adonai said to me, ‘Cut yourself two stone tablets like the first ones, come up to me on the mountain, and make yourself an ark of wood. 2 I will inscribe on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke; and you are to put them in the ark.’ 3 So I made an ark of acacia-wood and cut two stone tablets like the first, then climbed the mountain with the two tablets in my hand. 4 He inscribed the tablets with the same inscription as before, the Ten Words which Adonai proclaimed to you from the fire on the mountain the day of the assembly; and Adonai gave them to me. 5 I turned, came down the mountain and put the tablets in the ark I had made; and there they remain; as Adonai ordered me.
6 “The people of Isra’el traveled from the wells of B’nei-Ya‘akan to Moserah, where Aharon died and was buried; and El‘azar his son took his place, serving in the office of cohen. 7 From there they traveled to Gudgod, and from Gudgod to Yotvatah, a region with running streams. 8 At that time Adonai set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark for the covenant of Adonai and to stand before Adonai to serve him and to bless in his name, as they still do today. 9 This is why Levi has no share or inheritance with his brothers; Adonai is his inheritance, as Adonai your God had said to him.
10 “I stayed on the mountain forty days and nights, as previously; and Adonai listened to me that time too — Adonai would not destroy you. 11 Then Adonai said to me, ‘Get up, and go on your way at the head of the people, so that they can enter and take possession of the land I swore to their ancestors that I would give them.’
(v) 12 “So now, Isra’el, all that Adonai your God asks from you is to fear Adonai your God, follow all his ways, love him and serve Adonai your God with all your heart and all your being; 13 to obey, for your own good, the mitzvot and regulations of Adonai which I am giving you today. 14 See, the sky, the heaven beyond the sky, the earth and everything on it all belong to Adonai your God. 15 Only Adonai took enough pleasure in your ancestors to love them and choose their descendants after them — yourselves — above all peoples, as he still does today. 16 Therefore, circumcise the foreskin of your heart; and don’t be stiffnecked any longer! 17 For Adonai your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty and awesome God, who has no favorites and accepts no bribes. 18 He secures justice for the orphan and the widow; he loves the foreigner, giving him food and clothing. 19 Therefore you are to love the foreigner, since you were foreigners in the land of Egypt. 20 You are to fear Adonai your God, serve him, cling to him and swear by his name. 21 He is your praise, and he is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome things, which you have seen with your own eyes. 22 Your ancestors went down into Egypt with only seventy people, but now Adonai your God has made your numbers as many as the stars in the sky!
11:1 “Therefore, you are to love Adonai your God and always obey his commission, regulations, rulings and mitzvot. 2 Today it is you I am addressing — not your children, who haven’t known or experienced the discipline of Adonai your God, his greatness, his strong hand, his outstretched arm, 3 his signs and his actions which he did in Egypt to Pharaoh the king of Egypt and to his entire country. 4 They didn’t experience what he did to Egypt’s army, horses and chariots — how Adonai overwhelmed them with the water of the Sea of Suf as they were pursuing you, so that they remain destroyed to this day. 5 They didn’t experience what he kept doing for you in the desert until you arrived at this place; 6 or what he did to Datan and Aviram, the sons of Eli’av the descendant of Re’uven — how the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, along with their households, tents and every living thing in their company, there in front of all Isra’el. 7 But you have seen with your own eyes all these great deeds of Adonai. 8 Therefore, you are to keep every mitzvah I am giving you today; so that you will be strong enough to go in and take possession of the land you are crossing over to conquer; 9 and so that you will live long in the land Adonai swore to give to your ancestors and their descendants, a land flowing with milk and honey.
(vi) 10 “For the land you are entering in order to take possession of it isn’t like the land of Egypt. There you would sow your seed and had to use your feet to operate its irrigation system, as in a vegetable garden. 11 But the land you are crossing over to take possession of is a land of hills and valleys, which soaks up water when rain falls from the sky. 12 It is a land Adonai your God cares for. The eyes of Adonai your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.
13 “So if you listen carefully to my mitzvot which I am giving you today, to love Adonai your God and serve him with all your heart and all your being; 14 then, [says Adonai,] ‘I will give your land its rain at the right seasons, including the early fall rains and the late spring rains; so that you can gather in your wheat, new wine and olive oil; 15 and I will give your fields grass for your livestock; with the result that you will eat and be satisfied.’ 16 But be careful not to let yourselves be seduced, so that you turn aside, serving other gods and worshipping them. 17 If you do, the anger of Adonai will blaze up against you. He will shut up the sky, so that there will be no rain. The ground will not yield its produce, and you will quickly pass away from the good land Adonai is giving you. 18 Therefore, you are to store up these words of mine in your heart and in all your being; tie them on your hand as a sign; put them at the front of a headband around your forehead; 19 teach them carefully to your children, talking about them when you sit at home, when you are traveling on the road, when you lie down and when you get up; 20 and write them on the door-frames of your house and on your gates — 21 so that you and your children will live long on the land Adonai swore to your ancestors that he would give them for as long as there is sky above the earth.
(vii & Maftir) 22 “For if you will take care to obey all these mitzvot I am giving you, to do them, to love Adonai your God, to follow all his ways and to cling to him, 23 then Adonai will expel all these nations ahead of you; and you will dispossess nations bigger and stronger than you are. 24 Wherever the sole of your foot steps will be yours; your territory will extend from the desert to the L’vanon and from the River, the Euphrates River, to the Western Sea. 25 No one will be able to withstand you; Adonai your God will place the fear and dread of you on all the land you step on, as he told you.)
• Blessing the New Month
This Shabbat is Shabbat Mevarchim ("the Shabbat that blesses" the new month): a special prayer is recited blessing the Rosh Chodesh ("Head of the Month") of upcoming month of Elulwhich falls on the Shabbat of next week and the following Sunday.
Prior to the blessing, we announce the precise time of the molad, the "birth" of the new moon.Click here for molad times.
It is a Chabad custom to recite the entire book of Psalms before morning prayers, and to conduct farbrengens (chassidic gatherings) in the course of the Shabbat.
Links:
On the Significance of Shabbat Mevarchim
Tehillim (the Book of Psalms)
The Farbrengen
• Ethics of the Fathers: Chapter 4
During the summer months, from the Shabbat after Passover until the Shabbat before Rosh Hashahah, we study a weekly chapter of the Talmud's Ethics of the Fathers ("Avot") each Shabbat afternoon; this week we study Chapter Four.
Link: Ethics of the Fathers, Chapter 4
Daily Study:
Chitas and Rambam for today:
Chumash: Eikev, 7th Portion Deuteronomy 11:22-11:25 with Rashi
• Chapter 11
22For if you keep all these commandments which I command you to do them, to love the Lord, your God, to walk in all His ways, and to cleave to Him, כבכִּי אִם שָׁמֹר תִּשְׁמְרוּן אֶת כָּל הַמִּצְוָה הַזֹּאת אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם לַעֲשׂתָהּ לְאַהֲבָה אֶת יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם לָלֶכֶת בְּכָל דְּרָכָיו וּלְדָבְקָה בוֹ:
For if you keep [all these commandments]: Heb. שָׁמֹר תִּשְׁמְרוּן [The repetition of שָׁמֹר is to] admonish us many times to be careful with one’s learning, lest it be forgotten. - [Sifrei] שמור תשמרון: אזהרת שמירות הרבה להזהר בתלמודו שלא ישתכח:
to walk in all His ways: God is merciful, so you, too, be merciful; He bestows loving-kindness, so you, too, bestow loving-kindness. — [Sifrei] ללכת בכל דרכיו: הוא רחום ואתה תהא רחום, הוא גומל חסדים ואתה גומל חסדים:
and to cleave to Him: Is it possible to say this? Is God not “a consuming fire” (Deut. 4:24)? Rather, it means: Cleave to the disciples and the Sages, and I will consider it as though you cleave to Me. — [Sifrei] ולדבקה בו: אפשר לומר כן, והלא אש אוכלה הוא, אלא הדבק בתלמידים ובחכמים ומעלה אני עליך כאלו נדבקת בו:
23then the Lord will drive out all these nations from before you, and you will possess nations greater and stronger than you. כגוְהוֹרִישׁ יְהֹוָה אֶת כָּל הַגּוֹיִם הָאֵלֶּה מִלִּפְנֵיכֶם וִירִשְׁתֶּם גּוֹיִם גְּדֹלִים וַעֲצֻמִים מִכֶּם:
Then the Lord will drive out [all these nations from before you]: Since you have fulfilled what is [incumbent] upon you, I will do what is [incumbent] upon Me. — [Sifrei] והוריש ה': עשיתם מה שעליכם אף אני אעשה מה שעלי:
stronger than you: You are strong, but they are stronger than you, for if it were not that the Israelites were strong, what is the praise that he [Moses] is praising the Amorites by saying of them that they are, “stronger than you”? But, [the answer is that] you are stronger than all other nations and they [the Amorites] are stronger than you. — [Sifrei] ועצמים מכם: אתם גבורים, והם גבורים מכם, שאם לא שישראל גבורים, מה השבח שמשבח את האמוריים לומר ועצומים מכם, אלא אתם גבורים משאר אומות והם גבורים מכם:
24Every place upon which the soles of your feet will tread, will be yours: from the desert and the Lebanon, from the river, the Euphrates River, and until the western sea, will be your boundary. כדכָּל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר תִּדְרֹךְ כַּף רַגְלְכֶם בּוֹ לָכֶם יִהְיֶה מִן הַמִּדְבָּר וְהַלְּבָנוֹן מִן הַנָּהָר נְהַר פְּרָת וְעַד הַיָּם הָאַחֲרוֹן יִהְיֶה גְּבֻלְכֶם:
25No man will stand up before you; the Lord your God will cast the fear of you and the dread of you on all the land upon which you tread, as He spoke to you. כהלֹא יִתְיַצֵּב אִישׁ בִּפְנֵיכֶם פַּחְדְּכֶם וּמוֹרַאֲכֶם יִתֵּן | יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם עַל פְּנֵי כָל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר תִּדְרְכוּ בָהּ כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לָכֶם:
No man will stand up [before you]: From this verse it is understood only [that]“a man” [will not be able to stand up before Israel]. How do we know that a nation, a family, or a woman with her witchcraft will also not be able to stand up before Israel? Therefore, it says: לֹא-יִתְיַצֵּב, “there will be no standing up [before you]”-at all. If so, why does it say:“man”? [It means any man], even as [mighty as] Og, king of Bashan. - [Sifrei] לא יתיצב איש וגו': אין לי אלא איש, אומה ומשפחה ואשה בכשפיה מנין, תלמוד לומר לא יתיצב מכל מקום. אם כן מה תלמוד לומר איש, אפילו כעוג מלך הבשן:
The Lord… will set] the fear of you and the dread of you [on all the land]: Heb. פַּחְדְּכֶם וּמוֹרַאֲכֶם. Is not פַּחַד the same as מוֹרָא [both meaning fear]? But [the answer is that] פַּחְדְּכֶם“the fear of you,” refers to those near by, and מוֹרַאֲכֶם,“the dread of you,” to those distant, for פַּחַד denotes“sudden fear,” and מוֹרָא denotes anxiety enduring many days. פחדכם ומוראכם: והלא פחד הוא מורא, אלא פחדכם על הקרובים ומוראכם על הרחוקים. פחד לשון בעיתת פתאום. מורא לשון דאגה מימים רבים:
as He spoke to you: And where did He speak [about this]?“I will cast My terror before you” (Exod. 23:27). - [Sifrei] כאשר דבר לכם: והיכן דבר (שמות כג, כז) את אימתי אשלח לפניך וגו':
Daily Tehillim:Psalms Chapters 108 - 112
• Chapter 108
1. A song, a psalm by David.
2. My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing and chant praises even with my soul.
3. Awake, O lyre and harp; I shall awaken the dawn.
4. I will thank You among the nations, Lord; I will sing praises to You among the peoples.
5. Indeed, Your kindness reaches above the heavens; Your truth reaches to the skies.
6. Be exalted upon the heavens, O God, [show] Your glory upon all the earth.
7. That Your beloved ones may be delivered, help with Your right hand and answer me.
8. God spoke in His holiness that I would exult, I would divide portions [of the enemies' land], I would measure the Valley of Succot.
9. Mine is Gilead, mine is Manasseh, and Ephraim is the stronghold of my head, Judah is my prince.
10. Moab is my washbasin, I will cast my shoe upon Edom, I will shout over Philistia.
11. Who brings me to the fortified city? Who led me unto Edom?
12. Is it not God, Who has [until now] forsaken us, and did not go forth, O God, with our armies?
13. Give us help against the adversary; futile is the help of man.
14. Through God we will do valiantly, and He will trample our oppressors.
Chapter 109
David composed this psalm while fleeing from Saul. At that time he faced many enemies who, despite acting friendly in his presence, spoke only evil of him; he therefore curses them bitterly.
1. For the Conductor, by David, a psalm. O God of my praise, be not silent.
2. For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful have opened against me; they spoke to me with a false tongue.
3. They have surrounded me with words of hate, and attacked me without cause.
4. In return for my love they hate me; still, I am [a man of] prayer.
5. They placed harm upon me in return for my favor, and hatred in return for my love.
6. Appoint a wicked man over him; let an adversary stand at his right.
7. When he is judged may he go out condemned; may his prayer be considered a sin.
8. May his days be few; may another take his position.
9. May his children be orphans and his wife a widow.
10. May his children wander about and beg; may they seek charity from amid their ruins.
11. May the creditor seize all that he has, and may strangers plunder [the fruits of] his labor.
12. May he have none who extends him kindness, and may none be gracious to his orphans.
13. May his posterity be cut off; may their name be erased in a later generation.
14. May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered by the Lord, and the sin of his mother not be erased.
15. May they be before the Lord always, and may He cut off their memory from the earth.
16. Because he did not remember to do kindness, and he pursued the poor and destitute man and the broken-hearted, to kill [him].
17. He loved the curse and it has come upon him; he did not desire blessing, and it has remained far from him.
18. He donned the curse like his garment, and it came like water into his innards, like oil into his bones.
19. May it be to him like a cloak in which he wraps himself, as a belt with which he girds himself always.
20. This is from the Lord for the deeds of my enemies, and [for] those who speak evil against my soul.
21. And You, God, my Lord, do [kindness] with me for the sake of Your Name; for Your kindness is good, rescue me!
22. For I am poor and destitute, and my heart has died within me.
23. Like the fleeting shadow I am banished, I am tossed about like the locust.
24. My knees totter from fasting, and my flesh is lean without fat.
25. And I became a disgrace to them; they see me and shake their heads.
26. Help me, Lord, my God, deliver me according to Your kindness.
27. Let them know that this is Your hand, that You, Lord, have done it.
28. Let them curse, but You will bless; they arose, but they will be shamed, and Your servant will rejoice.
29. May my adversaries be clothed in humiliation; may they wrap themselves in their shame as in a cloak.
30. I will thank the Lord profusely with my mouth, and amid the multitude I will praise Him,
31. when He stands at the right of the destitute one to deliver him from the condemners of his soul.
Chapter 110
This psalm records the response of Eliezer, servant of Abraham (to those who asked how Abraham managed to defeat the four kings). He tells of Abraham killing the mighty kings and their armies. Read, and you will discover that the entire psalm refers to Abraham, who merited prominence for recognizing God in his youth.
1. By David, a psalm. The Lord said to my master, "Sit at My right, until I make your enemies a stool for your feet.”
2. The staff of your strength the Lord will send from Zion, to rule amid your enemies.
3. Your people [will come] willingly on the day of your campaign; because of your splendid sanctity from when you emerged from the womb, you still possess the dew of your youth.
4. The Lord has sworn and will not regret: "You shall be a priest forever, just as Melchizedek!”
5. My Lord is at your right; He has crushed kings on the day of His fury.
6. He will render judgement upon the nations, and they will be filled with corpses; He will crush heads over a vast land.
7. He will drink from the stream on the way, and so will hold his head high.
Chapter 111
This psalm is written in alphabetical sequence, each verse containing two letters, save the last two verses which contain three letters each. The psalm is short yet prominent, speaking of the works of God and their greatness.
1. Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart, in the counsel of the upright and the congregation.
2. Great are the works of the Lord, [yet] available to all who desire them.
3. Majesty and splendor are His work, and His righteousness endures forever.
4. He established a memorial for His wonders, for the Lord is gracious and compassionate.
5. He gave food to those who fear Him; He remembered His covenant always.
6. He has declared the power of His deeds to His people, to give them the inheritance of nations.
7. The works of His hands are true and just; all His mandates are faithful.
8. They are steadfast for ever and ever, for they are made with truth and uprightness.
9. He sent redemption to His people, [by] commanding His covenant forever; holy and awesome is His Name.
10. The beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord; sound wisdom for all who practice it-His praise endures forever.
Chapter 112
This psalm, too, follows alphabetical sequence, each verse containing two letters, save the last two which contain three letters each. It speaks of the good traits man should choose, and of how to give charity-the reward for which is never having to rely on others.
1. Praise the Lord! Fortunate is the man who fears the Lord, and desires His commandments intensely.
2. His descendants will be mighty on the earth; he will be blessed with an upright generation.
3. Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.
4. Even in darkness light shines for the upright, for [He is] Compassionate, Merciful, and Just.
5. Good is the man who is compassionate and lends, [but] provides for his own needs with discretion.
6. For he will never falter; the righteous man will be an eternal remembrance.
7. He will not be afraid of a bad tiding; his heart is steadfast, secure in the Lord.
8. His heart is steadfast, he does not fear, until he sees his oppressors [destroyed].
9. He has distributed [his wealth], giving to the needy. His righteousness will endure forever; his might will be uplifted in honor.
10. The wicked man will see and be angry; he will gnash his teeth and melt away; the wish of the wicked will be ruined.
Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 7• Lessons in Tanya
• Shabbat, Menachem Av 23, 5775 · August 8, 2015
Today's Tanya Lesson
Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 7
At this point the Alter Rebbe resumes the thought begun earlier, where it was pointed out that Jacob referred to G‑d as “E‑l, G‑d of Israel,” for the soul of Jacob (otherwise known as Israel) was illumined with all the aspects of the Divine radiance, just as was the soul of Adam.
והנה שופריה דיעקב מעין שופריה דאדם הראשון
Now “The consummate beauty of Jacob resembles the consummate beauty of Adam,”1
שתיקן חטא אדם הראשון
for he rectified the sin of Adam.2
והיתה נשמתו גם כן כלולה מכל הנשמות שבישראל, מעולם עד עולם
His soul, too, comprised all the souls of Israel, “from world to world,” i.e., both those of the “Revealed World” as well as the “Concealed World.”
והיה מרכבה לתורה שלמעלה, שנקראת בשם אדם
Moreover, he was a vehicle for the Torah in its heavenly state, which is referred to as Adam,
This phrase reflects the wording of a verse which begins with the words,3 זאת התורה אדם... — “This is the law: A man...” Interpreted on the level of derush, these words have been taken literally to mean: “This is the Torah — Adam.”
כמו שכתוב: ועל דמות הכסא דמות כמראה אדם וגו׳
as it is written,4 “And on the likeness of the throne there was a likeness as the appearance of Adam” [lit., “of a man”], and the latter term, as is explained in the Kabbalah,5 refers to the Torah.
וכמו שכתוב: וזאת לפנים בישראל גו׳
It is likewise written:6 “And this (זאת) was the custom in former time in Israel...,”
That, at least, is the plain meaning of the phrase quoted. On the interpretative level of derush, however, each of the three Hebrew words is here construed as follows: זאת (as taught in the Zohar) connotes “Torah”; לפנים — “within”; בישראל — “in Israel the Patriarch.” At this level, the quoted phrase thus means that “the Torah is [implanted] within, in Israel the Patriarch.”
אין זאת אלא תורה
and “זאת refers only to the Torah.”7
שהיתה כלולה ומלובשת בנשמת ישראל סבא, הכלולה מכל הנשמות
For the Torah was contained and vested within the soul of “Israel the Patriarch,” which compounded all the souls. (The quoted phrase refers both to Jacob in the mortal world and to his Supernal source, which is also known by this name.)
Now in addition, Jacob, or “Israel the Patriarch,” was a vessel capable of receiving the radiance of the Torah. Hence:
וזהו: ויקרא לו אל אלקי ישראל
This is the meaning [of the above-quoted phrase], “And he called Him E‑l, G‑d of Israel”:
אל: לשון המשכת הארה מאור אין סוף ברוך הוא מההעלם אל הגילוי
Since the Name E‑l denotes the Divine attribute of Chesed, which finds expression in G‑d’s desire to communicate His hidden light, [Jacob’s use of] the Name E‑l signifies [man’s] calling forth the radiation from the [infinite] EinSof-light, which is clothed in the Torah, from concealment to manifestation,
להאיר בבחינת גילוי בנשמתו
so that it should illumine manifestly in man’s soul.
וכמו שכתוב: אל הויה ויאר לנו
Thus, too, it is written:8 “E‑l is the L‑rd, and He has given us light,” indicating likewise that the Divine NameE‑l connotes illumination.
Thus, when we say that Jacob called G‑d “E‑l,” we imply that he called forth and drew down into his soul an all-encom-passing revelation of the [infinite] Ein Sof-light that comprises all the particular details of the Torah and its mitzvot.
ואחריו כל ישרי לב, העוסקים בתורה ובמצות, מאיר אור ה׳ אין סוף ברוך הוא בבחינת גילוי בנשמתם
and after [Jacob], the [infinite] Ein Sof-light shines openly into the souls of all the upright of heart who engage in the Torah and the mitzvot.
“The upright of heart”9 alludes to those individuals within whom the G‑dly illumination found in the intellect descends to the heart, where it inspires them with a love and an awe of G‑d. These spiritual emotions in turn add vitality to their study of Torah and their performance of the mitzvot.
The Divine radiation felt by these individuals is termed “our portion” (חלקנו, as in the quotation with which this epistle opened). This is the particular G‑dly illumination which permeates a Jew’s soul through his performance of each and every commandment, and which is a portion and part of the all-encompassing illumination comprising 613 “parts”.
וזמן גילוי זה ביתר שאת ויתר עז, ההארה במוחם ולבם
The most elevating and most powerful10 manifestation of this [Divine] radiance in their mind and heart
הוא בשעת התפלה, כמו שכתוב במקום אחר
occurs at the time of prayer, as is explained else-where.11
It is by means of the ladder of prayer that all of a man’s mitzvot ascend; this same ladder also serves as the conduit through which the resultant Divine radiance and revelation descend to this world.
| FOOTNOTES | |
| 1. | Bava Metzia 84a, et al. |
| 2. | Zohar III, 111b, et al. |
| 3. | Bamidbar 19:14. |
| 4. | Yechezkel 1:26. |
| 5. | See Zohar I, 71b ff. |
| 6. | Ruth 4:7. |
| 7. | Zohar III, 81b. |
| 8. | Tehillim 118:27. |
| 9. | [In the Hebrew original, this phrase reads ישרי לב. On this the Rebbe comments:] “For the word ישראל comprises the words ישר אל.” [In this phrase, the first two letters of ישר are each vocalized with a kamatz. As explained in Likkutei Torah,Parshat Shlach, p. 40c, these two words imply that G‑d’s power finds direct expression in the souls of those described as ישרי לב.] |
| 10. | Cf. Bereishit 49:3. |
| 11. | Note of the Rebbe: “Cf. Epistle 24, below.” |
• Sefer Hamitzvos:Shabbat, Menachem Av 23, 5775 · August 8, 2015
Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
Positive Commandment 96
Ritual Impurity of an Animal Carcass
We are commanded regarding the ritual impurity [contained in and emitted by] an animal carcass. [I.e., when contracted, one must follow all the laws associated with this impurity.]
Ritual Impurity of an Animal Carcass
Positive Commandment 96
Translated by Berel Bell
The 96th mitzvah is that we are commanded regarding the tumah of neveilah. This mitzvah includes tumas neveilah and all of its laws.1
I will now give an introduction you should remember all through the following discussion of the various types of tumah. When we count each category as a separate positive commandment, this does not mean that one is commanded to become tameh with this form of tumah; nor that one is forbidden from becoming tameh with it, as if it is a prohibition. Rather, the Torah's statement that anyone who touches a certain category is tameh, or that a certain category conveys tumah in a certain way to one who comes in contact with it — this itself is the positive commandment. This means that the law we are commanded to follow — that if one touches a certain object in a certain way he becomes tameh, but in another way, he does not — is itself the mitzvah.
The actual decision to become tameh or not, however, is optional. If one wants, one is allowed to become tameh, and if one doesn't want, he doesn't have to. The Sifra says, "From the verse,2 'Do not touch their neveilah,' I might think that one who touches neveilah receives 40 lashes — the Torah therefore says,3 'To these you will become tameh.' I might think that if one sees neveilah he must go and become tameh from it — the Torah therefore says, 'Do not touch their neveilah.' How is this possible? It is optional."
Therefore the mitzvah is the actual ruling regarding these laws, that we are commanded that anyone who touches a certain object becomes tameh and is bound by all the obligations of those who are tameh — to go outside the machaneh Shechinah, not to eat or touch sacrificial food, etc. This itself — that he becomes tameh through touching or some other connection4 — is the mitzvah.
You should remember this principle throughout all the categories of tumah.
FOOTNOTES
1.See Hilchos Shaar Avos HaTuma'os, Chapters 1-3.
2.Lev. 11:8.
3.Ibid., 11:24.
4.Such as carrying it without touching, such as in the case of neveilah, or entering under the same roof, as with tumas meis.
Gerushin - Chapter Six
Halacha 1
An agent who is appointed by a woman to receive her get from her husband is called a receiving agent (sh'liach kabbalah). When the get reaches this agent's hand, the divorce is completed,1 as if it has reached the hands of the woman herself.
[The agent] must be appointed in the presence of two witnesses, and two witnesses must be present when the get is conveyed to the agent. Even if the second pair of witnesses is the same as the first pair, or one of them is from the first pair, they are acceptable as witnesses.
Halacha 2
When does the above2 apply? When the get is lost or torn. If, however, the getis in the possession of the sh'liach kabbalah, there is no need for witnesses. This applies whether the get was given by the husband in private, or it was given in the presence of witnesses. The presence of the get in the possession of the agent is equivalent to its presence in the possession of the woman.3Nevertheless, a priori, the get should be given only in the presence of witnesses who observe its transfer, as is the case with regard to [a get given to] the woman herself.4
Halacha 3
A husband may not appoint an agent to receive a get for his wife.5 He may, however, appoint an agent to deliver a get to his wife. Such an agent is referred to as a delivery agent (sh'liach holachah).
Halacha 4
Similarly, a woman may appoint an agent to fetch her get for her from her husband. Such an agent is referred to as an agent who fetches (sh'liach hava'ah). Neither a sh'liach holachah nor a sh'liach hava'ah need [be appointed in the presence of] witnesses.6
Halacha 5
A woman is not divorced through the medium of a get sent by her husband or brought by a sh'liach hava'ah [whom she appointed] until the get reaches her hand.
Whenever the term agent is used with regard to a get without any further explanation, the intent is a sh'liach holachah or a sh'liach hava'ah.
Halacha 6
Anyone is acceptable to act as an agent with regard to a divorce, whether as ash'liach kabbalah, a sh'liach holachah or a sh'liach hava'ah,7 with the exception of five individuals: a gentile, a servant, a deaf mute, a mentally incompetent individual and a minor.8 If one of these individuals brings or receives [a get], the divorce is not effective.
Halacha 7
Even women, relatives9 and individuals who are disqualified [from serving as witnesses] because of the violation of Rabbinic law are acceptable to serve as agents for a divorce.10 Individuals who are disqualified because of the violation of Scriptural law, by contrast, are not acceptable [to serve as agents] to deliver a get. If they bring it, the divorce is unacceptable.
Halacha 8
If the agent was a minor when he was given the get, and he attained majority when he brought it [to the woman], [or he was a] deaf mute and gained the ability to hear and speak, [or he was] mentally incompetent and gained competence, [or he was] a gentile and converted, or a servant and was freed, the divorce is void.14
If, however, the husband gives [an agent] a get while [the agent] is able to hear and speak, [or the agent then] becomes a deaf mute and afterwards regains his ability to hear and speak, or [the agent] was mentally competent, he lost his competence and then regained it when he brought it to the woman, the get is acceptable, for at the outset and at the conclusion, [the agent] was of sound mind.15
Halacha 9
When a woman appoints an agent in the presence of witnesses and tells him: "Take my get and keep it for me in your possession," the person is a sh'liach kabbalah. It is as if she told him: "Receive my get for me."
A woman may appoint a sh'liach kabbalah to receive her get for her from an agent appointed by her husband.16
A girl below the age of majority may not appoint a sh'liach kabbalah. Although she may acquire property by virtue of her courtyard in the same manner as an adult woman17 [she does not have the privilege of appointing an agent]. The rationale is that [the appointment of] a sh'liach kabbalah requires witnesses, and witnesses may not testify with regard to a minor, because she is not of complete mental competence.18
Halacha 10
[The following laws apply] when a woman has appointed a sh'liach kabbalahand her husband told him: "I do not want you to receive the get for her. Instead, here is her get. Bring it to her." The husband has this prerogative, and the person becomes a sh'liach holachah, rather than a sh'liach kabbalah.19
If, however, the husband tells [the woman's agent]: "Receive the get for her," "Here it is," or "Acquire it for her," he has not revoked the agency [with which] the sh'liach kabbalah [was charged]. But if [the husband] tells [the agent]: "Bring it to her," he has revoked the agency [with which] the sh'liach kabbalah [was charged] and has made him the agent of the husband.20 Similarly, if the husband said: "Bring it and give it to her," he has revoked the agency [with which] the sh'liach kabbalah [was charged].21
Halacha 11
[In the following situation, although the get reaches the woman's hand, the divorce is not effective because of the confusion in the delegation of agency.] An agent appointed by a woman came to receive her get from her husband. The agent told the husband: "I am a sh'liach kabbalah."
The husband responded: "Bring the get [in the capacity] in which she appointed you"22 - i.e., he did not revoke his agency. Instead, it is as if he had said: "Whether she appointed you to be a sh'liach kabbalah or a sh'liach hava'ah, you remain in that capacity."
The agent brought [the woman] the get, but she told him: "I did not appoint you to be a sh'liach kabbalah, but rather to be a sh'liach hava'ah." Even if the agent gives her the get, the divorce is not effective, for in speaking to the husband, the agent revoked the agency that he was granted. It is as if he had told him: "I was never appointed a sh'liach hava'ah on her behalf."
Halacha 12
[A different ruling applies in the following instance.] The agent told the husband, "I am a sh'liach hava'ah," and the husband told him, "Bring [the get in the capacity] in which she appointed you."
The agent brought [the woman] the get, but she told him: "I appointed you to be a sh'liach kabbalah." When the get is delivered to the woman, the divorce is effective, for he did not revoke the agency that he was granted. He merely reduced [her dependence on him]. For she appointed him [as an agent] to receive [the get], and he said: "I will merely bring it."23
Halacha 13
[The following rules apply when] a husband sends a get to his wife, and when the agent attempts to give it to her, she refuses to take it and tells him in the presence of witnesses, "Hold the get in safekeeping,"24 or "You are an agent to receive it for me." Until the get is given to the woman, the status of the divorce is in doubt.25 Once it reaches her possession, the divorce is definitely binding.
Halacha 14
When an agent brings a get, he must give it to the woman in the presence of two [witnesses].26 These two [witnesses] must read [the get] and then have it given in their presence.27 For the laws applying to the exchange between the agent and the woman are the same as those applying to her exchange with her husband, for the agent is taking his place.
Accordingly, if the agent gave [the get] to her without having it read by the witnesses who observed its transfer, and the woman took it and threw it into a fire, the status of the divorce is in doubt.28
Halacha 15
When an agent transgresses and gives [a woman her] get in private, he should take it back from her and give it to her in the presence of two [witnesses].29 If he dies [and thus this is no longer possible], and the signatures of the witnesses on the get that the woman possesses have been verified, the divorce is acceptable.
Halacha 16
Even when a get is delivered to the woman [for whom it is intended], it can be nullified [in the following instances]: The agent took the get, but the husband changed his mind before it reached the woman and told him or her: "The getthat I sent you is void," he sent another agent to nullify [the get], or he told others, "The get that I sent to my wife is void."30
When [a husband] nullifies the get in the presence of other people,31 there must be at least two people present.32 If the get has already been delivered to the woman or to a sh'liach kabbalah, the husband can no longer nullify it.33 [This applies] even if he nullifies the get within a very brief time34 [after appointing the agent];35 since [the get] was nullified after being delivered to the woman, to [her] sh'liach kabbalah or to her courtyard, it is not void, and the divorce is effective.
Halacha 17
Although [a husband] was seeking to appoint an agent to nullify [a get], or he was seeking two individuals so that he could nullify [the get] in their presence, and during the time he was searching for these individuals the get reached the woman's hand, and afterwards he nullified it, it is not void.36 Despite the fact that he was trying to nullify it before it reached her hand [the divorce is effective].
Halacha 18
If [the husband] told ten men: "Write a get and give it to my wife,"37 he may nullify [the get] in the presence of one of the ten, although the others are not present. And he may nullify it in the presence of two other people [who were not involved originally].
If he sent the get via two [agents], he may negate one of the agents although the other is not present. Even when there are ten agents, when he negates [the agency] in the presence of one of them, the get is void.38
Halacha 19
Similarly, when a person tells two [witnesses],39 "The get that I [am intending to] write for my wife is nullified," although he has a get written afterwards and gives it to her in the presence of two other [witnesses], the divorce is void. This is referred to as lodging an objection with regard to a get.40
Similarly, if [the husband] were to tell two [witnesses]: "Any get that so and so will write for me is nullified," "Any get that I will have written in the court of so and so is nullified," or "Any get that I will have written in the next twenty years is nullified," the get is nullified.
Similarly, if he told two [witnesses]: "Any get that I write for so and so, my wife, is nullified. And any statements that I make to nullify this objection are nullified," the get is void, although he had it written and given to her, despite the fact that he nullified his objection before having the get written.
Halacha 20
How can the latter situation be corrected?41 The witnesses should tell [the husband] before the composition of the get: "Affirm in our presence that any statements that you have made that when verified would cause [this] get to be nullified, are themselves nullified."42 [The husband] must answer "Yes."
Afterwards, he should instruct them to write the get, sign it and give it to his wife. We do not let [the husband] leave until the get is delivered [to his wife], lest he go out and nullify [the get].43
Neither a person who lodges an objection [to a get], nor one who seeks to nullify such an objection needs [to have his statements affirmed by] an act of contract.
Halacha 21
When a person has sent a get via an agent and [later] nullifies [the giving of] theget, he may divorce the woman with [this get] whenever he desires. He did not nullify the get as a get; he merely nullified the agency.
Therefore, if the get was in the possession of the husband and he nullified it - e.g., he said: "This get is nullified" - he may never use it for a divorce. It is like a broken shard, and if it is used for a divorce, the divorce is not effective.44
Similarly, if the get was entrusted to the agent, but the husband made an explicit statement, saying: "The get that I sent is nullified [and may not] serve as a get," he may never use it to effect a divorce.
Halacha 22
Which wording can be used to nullify a get? [The husband] says: "It is nullified," "I cannot abide by it," "May this get not be effective," "[May it] not permit [her]," "[May it] not release [her], "[May it] not send [her] forth," "[May it] not divorce [her]," "May it be a shard," "May it be like a shard," or "Behold it is like a shard" - If he used any of these expressions or a similar one, he has negated it.45
Halacha 23
If, however, [the husband] says: "This get is not a get," "It is unacceptable," "It is not effective," "It does not permit [her]," "It does not release [her], "It does not send [her] forth," "It does not divorce [her]," "It is a shard," his statements are not effective. This wording does not [indicate his desire to] nullify [the get]. Instead, they are statements of fact, and in this instance, statements of incorrect fact.46 It is as if someone said that a forbidden entity were permitted or that an impure object were pure.
Halacha 24
If he says, "This get is nullified," [it is possible that] the implication is the use of the past tense, as in the phrase [Song of Songs 5:6]: "He turned away and was gone." Thus, there is a question concerning the matter.47 Therefore, if [a woman] has been divorced with this get [after such statements were made], the status of the divorce is in doubt.
Halacha 25
[As reflected in the following instance, an explicit statement must be made to nullify the get: A man] sent a get to his wife [via an agent]. The agent returned to him and said: "I could not find her," or "She did not want to receive it." Although the husband answered: "Blessed be He who is good and does good," or made other statements that imply that he no longer wants to divorce her, and that he is happy that the get was not delivered, the get is not nullified. Instead, he may give it to her and the divorce will be effective. [For the get to be nullified,] he must explicitly say "Do not give it to her," or he should explicitly nullify it [using one of the above expressions].
Halacha 26
A person who sent a get to his wife [via an agent] and then nullified [the get] in the presence of two other people,48 and similarly, a person who issued an objection [nullifying] a get, should be given stripes for rebelliousness, because he makes it possible for illegitimate children to be conceived.
Since a get reached [the woman], [it is possible that] she will marry on this basis. [Only] afterwards, when the witnesses in whose presence the husband nullified the get or issued an objection before the get was written appear [will she realize the difficulty]. Thus, a child [conceived in her second marriage] will be illegitimate.
Halacha 27
When an agent brings a get and gives it to a woman, we do not suspect that the husband nullified it. Instead, he should give it to the woman under the presumption that it is acceptable, and the woman may marry on this basis. If it is discovered afterwards that [the husband] negated it, [the woman] must leave [her second husband], and any children conceived are illegitimate.
Similarly, when [a husband] has a get written and gives it to his wife, we do not suspect that perhaps he lodged an objection regarding this get. Instead, we operate under the conception that the get is acceptable, and the woman is allowed to marry on this basis.
Halacha 28
Similarly, when an agent brings a get [that was sent by] a man who was sick or elderly, he may give it to the woman under the presumption that the husband is still alive. If, however, the husband was in his death throes when [the agent left], even when he gives the get to the woman the status of the divorce is in doubt. For the majority of those in their death throes will die, and a get given after death is not effective.49
Similarly, when a city is surrounded by an army50 and held under siege, a ship is in distress at sea,51 or a person is taken out to be judged [with regard to a capital case],52 we presume that any person in such a situation is alive. If a person in such a situation has sent a get [to his wife] via an agent, he may give it to her, and the presumption will be that the divorce is effective.
Halacha 29
When, by contrast, a city has been conquered by an attacking army and [its wall] broken, a ship is lost at sea,53 a person is being taken out to be executed by a gentile court,54 or he is being dragged by a beast of prey, swept away by a river or an avalanche has fallen upon him, the stringencies applying to both the living and the dead, are followed.
Halacha 30
When a husband sends his wife a get, he is obligated to provide her with support and fulfill the other stipulations of the marriage contract, until the getreaches [his wife] or a sh'liach kabbalah she has appointed.57
| FOOTNOTES | |
| 1. |
And from that time onward, the husband cannot recant.
|
| 2. |
That is, when does the requirement for witnesses apply?
|
| 3. |
See Chapter 1, Halachah 16.
|
| 4. |
See Chapter 1, Halachah 15.
|
| 5. |
A divorce is considered to be undesirable and detrimental for a woman. Therefore, an agent cannot be appointed for her without her consent. For an activity that is detrimental to a person cannot be performed on his or her behalf without his will (Gittin 62b).
|
| 6. |
See Hilchot Ishut 3:15, where the Rambam states: "For the only purpose witnesses would serve with regard to the agency... is to make known the truth of the matter."
According to the Rambam, the distinction between these agents and a sh'liach kabbalah appointed by the woman is that through the acceptance of the get the marriage bonds are annulled, and "no matters involving forbidden sexual relations [are established if] fewer than two witnesses are present (Yevamot 88a)." Since the sh'liach kabbalah is concerned only with receiving the get, his agency involves nothing else but the actual divorce. Hence, witnesses must be present to acknowledge the appointment of this agent. In contrast, the agency of a sh'liach holachah and ash'liach hava'ah also involves transporting the get, an activity that is merely a preparatory step for the divorce. Hence, witnesses are not required for his appointment.
It must be emphasized that the Ra'avad and others offer a far more straightforward rationale clarifying the distinction between these agents. A sh'liach holachah and a sh'liach hava'ah each carry the get with them. Hence, they need no further proof of their agency. A sh'liach kabbalah, by contrast, does not have possession of the get before the divorce. Hence, his position must be strengthened by having his appointment observed by witnesses.
In practice, it has already become customary for the appointment of a sh'liach holachah to be certified by a written document. There are opinions that differ and require that the appointment of ash'liach holachah also be observed by witnesses. (See Shulchan Aruch, Even HaEzer 141:11, 30, 40.)
|
| 7. |
The Rambam's statements are intended to negate the opinion of his teacher, Rabbi Yosef Migash, who maintains that a servant may serve as a sh'liach holachah. The Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 141:31) quotes both views, but appears to favor the Rambam's view.
|
| 8. |
See Chapter 3, Halachah 15, and Hilchot Ishut 3:17.
|
| 9. |
The Ramah (Even HaEzer 141:33) states that a priori, it is proper that the agent not share any family ties with the husband, his wife, or the judges executing the divorce.
|
| 10. |
It would appear that even if the signatures of the witnesses have not been verified, and the acceptability of a get depends on the agents' statements, these individuals may serve as agents.
|
| 11. |
That the divorce is unacceptable, but not void.
|
| 12. |
As can be seen in the various manuscript copies of the Rambam's Commentary on the Mishnah (Gittin 2:6), the Rambam changed his opinion regarding the acceptance of these individuals as agents when the veracity of the signature on a get has been established. The standard text of the Commentary on the Mishnah states that if the witnesses' signatures have been verified, the get is acceptable unless the person worships false gods or violates the Sabbath in public. This is also the view of other authorities and is the ruling favored by the Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer141:33).
|
| 13. |
See also Chapter 12, Halachah 17. Based on the objections of the Ra'avad, the Kessef Mishnehmodifies the Rambam's ruling slightly, explaining that the intent is that the woman may not remarry, and not that the get is void. If, however, she does remarry, her second husband is also required to divorce her.
The get she received from her first husband is not void, because it is possible that witnesses will come and verify the signatures on the get. In such an event, the divorce will be effective retroactively. Nevertheless, since those signatures have not been verified as of yet, her second husband must divorce her.
Rav David Arameah explains that the Rambam's intent is that the get is still viable, but it should be given to another agent to effect the divorce. Note the Maggid Mishneh and others, who question the source for the Rambam's ruling.
|
| 14. |
In all these instances, since the agent was not fit to serve in that capacity at the time the agency was delegated to him, it is as if the agency had never been conveyed upon him.
|
| 15. |
The fact that, in the interim, he was unfit to serve as an agent is of no significance. Note the Or Sameach, who on this basis questions what the law would be if the husband negates the agency and then desires to reestablish it. Must he reappoint the agent or not?
|
| 16. |
Gittin 63b states that our Sages entertained a hypothesis that this involves a disregard for the honor of the husband, and therefore the divorce should be void, but they did not accept this theory.
|
| 17. |
And thus, if a get were placed in her courtyard, the divorce would be acceptable. Moreover, the effectiveness of a courtyard in the acceptance of a get is associated with the concept of agency. (See Bava Metzia 10b and the gloss of the Maggid Mishneh on Chapter 5, Halachah 2.)
|
| 18. |
The Ra'avad disagrees with the Rambam and maintains that the rationale is that a minor is never empowered to appoint an agent. And thus, a woman below majority may not appoint a sh'liach hava'ah either. It must be noted that in Hilchot Sh'luchin V'Shutafin 2:2, the Rambam indeed states that in no instance may a minor appoint an agent. See the Lechem Mishneh and Rav Kapach, who emphasize that a special law applies with regard to an agent to receive a get, for he is considered to be the extension of the woman's hand. Note the Rambam's wording in Chapter 1, Halachah 1.
|
| 19. |
Hence, the divorce does not become final when the agent receives the get. It is only when the getreaches the woman's hand that the divorce takes effect.
|
| 20. |
I.e., the husband's statements imply that he is unwilling to give the agent the get in his original capacity, but that he is willing to charge him with a different agency - bringing the woman the getas agent of the husband.
This ruling is not accepted by all authorities. The Rashba and Rabbenu Nissim differ, maintaining that in such an instance, the status of the divorce is in doubt. The Rambam's opinion is quoted by the Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 140:6), while the other views are cited by the Ramah.
|
| 21. |
Although with regard to the transfer of a present the Rambam maintains that the expression "Give it to him" is equivalent to saying "Acquire it on his behalf" (Hilchot Zechiyah UMatanah 4:4), because the husband said "Bring it to her" it is clear that he desired the agent to serve in the capacity of a sh'liach holachah.
|
| 22. |
The Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 140:8) explains that the phrase "in the capacity in which she appointed you" is of primary significance here. If the husband does not add that phrase and says merely: "Bring the get to her," he is appointing the agent to be a sh'liach holachah, and by taking the get the agent is accepting this appointment. Therefore, if the agent delivers the get to the woman, the divorce is effective.
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| 23. |
By serving as a sh'liach hava'ah, the agent accepts far more responsibility and difficulty than by serving as a sh'liach kabbalah. If he served as a sh'liach kabbalah, the divorce would be completed after he received the get. As a sh'liach hava'ah, the agent must trouble himself to bring the get to the woman. As such, we assume that since the woman was willing to accept the agent as a sh'liach kabbalah, she is certainly willing to accept him as a sh'liach hava'ah.
Note the Lechem Mishneh and Rabbenu Nissim, who explain that it is possible that the husband relied on the words of the agent, or it is possible that he was concerned with the words of his wife. Indeed, with regard to questions of commercial law, there is an unresolved question in Bava Metzia 76a regarding this matter. Following this rationale, even if the get never reached the woman, as long as it reached the agent the status of the divorce is in doubt. This ruling is also cited by the Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 140:9).
|
| 24. |
With this expression, the woman's intent is that the agent should begin acting as her agent and hold the get for her. For keeping the get as an entrusted article violates the instructions that her husband gave him (Rabbenu Nissim).
|
| 25. |
The doubt is whether an agent can begin acting in the capacity of the woman's agent before he has completed executing the agency with which he was charged by the husband (Gittin 63b).
|
| 26. |
See Chapter 1, Halachah 16.
|
| 27. |
See Chapter 1, Halachah 19.
|
| 28. |
See Chapter 1, Halachah 21.
|
| 29. |
The Rambam rules that after the fact, a get given in private is acceptable. There are, however,geonim who hold that such a get is unacceptable (Chapter 1, Halachah 16). Since the status of an agent is weaker than that of the husband himself, a second transfer of the get is required in this instance a priori (Maggid Mishneh).
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| 30. |
See Halachah 26. The Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 141:59) rules that at the outset, a husband should not nullify a get unless either the agent he appointed or his wife is present. Otherwise, it is possible that the woman may receive the get - and marry another man - before receiving notice that her get was nullified.
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| 31. |
I.e., people other than the agent. If he nullifies the get in the presence of the agent, no one else need be present.
|
| 32. |
Note the Ramah (Even HaEzer 141:59), who cites an opinion that allows the husband to nullify theget by speaking to two people, one outside the presence of the other.
|
| 33. |
For the divorce has already taken effect.
|
| 34. |
In this context, the words "a very brief time" are a loose translation. The Hebrew term toch k'dei dibbur has a very specific meaning: the amount of time necessary to say "Shalom alecha, rabbi umori."
|
| 35. |
The rationale is that divorcing a wife is a very serious matter, and a man would not make such a decision unless he were resolute. Therefore, his change of mind is not considered to be a clarification of his original position (as in certain other instances - e.g., a retraction of a business commitment), but rather an entirely new decision. (Note the parallels to Hilchot Ishut 7:22, Hilchot Avodah Zarah 2:9 and Hilchot Sh'vuot 2:17.)
|
| 36. |
The fundamental principle involved is that Torah law depends on a person's acts and statements, not his feelings. Although it is obvious that the husband desired to nullify the get, since he was not able to take binding action the divorce is valid. (See also Halachah 25.)
|
| 37. |
See Chapter 9, Halachah 27.
|
| 38. |
The Ra'avad differs with Rambam and maintains that although a person may nullify the agency of one of the two (or ten), doing so does not nullify the agency of the other(s), and if they give the woman the get, the divorce is effective. Although the Rambam's opinion is also mentioned, it is that of the Ra'avad that is favored by the Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 149:61).
|
| 39. |
The Ramah (Even HaEzer 134:1) states that even when the husband makes statements to two witnesses individually, the objection is binding.
|
| 40. |
In Hilchot Mechirah, Chapter 6, the Rambam explains the details of lodging an objection with regard to a sale. There he explains that when a person is compelled to make a sale against his will, he can nullify the transaction by issuing an objection stating that he was compelled to make this sale. With regard to an objection to a get, other authorities (see Tur and Shulchan Aruch,Even HaEzer, Chapter 134) also mention the concept of compulsion. The Rambam, however, omits mention of the subject entirely.
As reflected in Halachah 27, our Sages considered lodging an objection to a get in a very negative light.
|
| 41. |
The situation mentioned by the Rambam in the previous halachah is not merely a theoretical question. In many instances, a husband who was compelled to divorce his wife would seek to have the get nullified so that their marriage could continue. Similarly, apostates and men whose feelings toward their wives have soured have sought to nullify their divorces in order to cause their wives difficulties.
|
| 42. |
Many of the other commentaries differ with the Rambam concerning this point. Some - e.g., the Rashba - are more stringent, for they maintain that the husband can word his objection to nullify even such a statement. They explain that to insure that the get is not nullified, the husband must also disqualify the testimony of any witness who heard his objections.
Others - e.g., Rabbenu Asher - are more lenient and maintain that all that is necessary is for the husband to say that all objections to the get are nullified. The Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer134:3) rules according to the Rashba. The Ramah maintains that Rabbenu Asher's ruling is halachically acceptable; however, he counsels following the Rashba's ruling to eliminate all doubts.
|
| 43. |
Despite the statements that he had made previously, if the husband nullified the get afterwards, his statements would be effective and the divorce void (Maggid Mishneh).
|
| 44. |
There are authorities who differ with the Rambam on this point, based on their version of Gittin32b. According to these authorities, since the get was written according to law, it is always able to be used for a divorce and can never be nullified by the husband. In consideration of the opinion of these authorities, the Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 141:66), when quoting this law, rules that the status of the divorce is in doubt.
|
| 45. |
The point is that these expressions all indicate that the husband no longer desires to use this getto divorce his wife.
|
| 46. |
For all the statements quoted above are false. The get is effective; it is the husband who no longer desires to use it.
|
| 47. |
The Rambam implies that the question is whether the word לטב implies a future tense - i.e., that his intent is to nullify the get - in which instance the divorce would not be effective. Or whether it implies the past tense, in which case, as in the previous halachah, the husband would be giving us incorrect information.
Rashi offers a slightly different interpretation of the passage in Gittin 32b that serves as the source for this halachah. The Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 141:63) quotes both opinions.
|
| 48. |
If, however, the man nullifies the get in the presence of the agent or in the presence of his wife, there is no difficulty.
|
| 49. |
The primary reason for giving such a get - for the marriage is terminated with the husband's death regardless - is to free a childless woman from the obligations of yibbum and chalitzah. If the getwas given before the husband's death, these rites are not necessary. Otherwise, they are. With the current advances in record keeping and communication, it is usually possible to eliminate the doubt mentioned in this halachah.
|
| 50. |
The Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 141:69) states that this law applies only when a city is surrounded by the army of the ruling authority. If it is surrounded by an army from another country, we no longer operate under the presumption that the husband is alive.
|
| 51. |
In his Commentary on the Mishnah (Gittin 3:4), the Rambam defines a ship in distress as follows: "One that faces a tempest-torn sea that threatens to sink it. The sailors are unable to control its path as they desire.... Nevertheless, all the oars and the other instruments remain intact."
|
| 52. |
This applies regardless of whether the person is being tried by a Jewish court or a gentile court.
|
| 53. |
In his Commentary on the Mishnah (loc. cit.), the Rambam defines this as referring to a ship whose oars, steering mechanism and other navigational tools have been broken, and it is totally at the mercy of the waters.
The laws that apply when a ship has sunk are described in Chapter 13, Halachah 16.
|
| 54. |
The implication is that if the person was sentenced to death by a Jewish court, we presume that the sentence was carried out. (See Hilchot Terumot 9:2.) In contrast, there is a possibility that a gentile court will accept a bribe.
|
| 55. |
Lest the husband have died already.
|
| 56. |
For we do not know which came first, the husband's death or the giving of the get.
|
| 57. |
Although the husband desires to divorce her, she remains his wife until the get reaches her. Therefore, the husband remains obligated by the marriage contract.
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Kelim - Chapter 24
Halacha 1
These are the hides that can contract the impurity associated with the support of a zav (midras): a hide that one intended to use as a carpet, a hide placed on top of beds to sleep upon, a hide placed on a donkey under the burden it carries, a hide placed in a basinet under a baby, a hide used for a pillow, a hide used for a cushion, a hide placed beneath the table while eating so that crumbs will fall upon it; it is susceptible to impurity, because one leans his feet upon it, a hide worn by a potter, a hide worn by a flax-carder when he cards flax, a hide a porter places on his shoulders when he is carrying burdens, and a hide which a doctor places on his knees when he is puncturing boils. These hides are susceptible to impurity, because a person will sit upon them.
The hide placed over a child's heart upon which spittle descends so that his clothes will not be spoiled, a hide meant to place over a person's heart during the harvest, because of the heat, a hide wrapped around a garment, and a hide sewed into a chest in which clothes are placed are all susceptible to impurity. The rationale is that they are all turned upside down and used as supports.
Halacha 2
All of the hides that are susceptible to midras impurity are not susceptible to that impurity unless they are of the minimum size: five handbreadths by five handbreadths.
The following hides are not susceptible to midras impurity: a hide a person who combs wool wears while combing, a hide wrapped around combed wool, a hide wrapped around fine purple cloth, and a carrying case for fine purple cloth sewn from leather. All of these hides are susceptible to other types of impurity.
Halacha 3
When leather was made into a cover for a k'li, it is pure with regard to all types of impurity. If it was made as a cover for weights, it is susceptible to other types of impurity, because it was made to serve as a receptacle. It is not susceptible to midras impurity.
Halacha 4
If a hide made to protect one's heel and the sole of one's foot covers the greater portion of the foot, it is susceptible to impurity. If not, it is pure.
Halacha 5
A shoe that is on the mold, even though it has not been worn by a person yet,is still susceptible to midras impurity, because the tasks associated with it have been completed.
Halacha 6
All hides that are fit to become susceptible to midras impurity and are not lacking the performance of any tasks to make them functional become susceptible to impurity through thought alone, i.e., if one intended to use it as a mat for a table or the like, it becomes susceptible to midras impurity. If the performance of a task is necessary to make them functional, one's intent does not change their status until that task is completed. There is an exception: a hide used to cover a saddle to guard it against dust. In this instance, the person's intent has an effect even though the deed necessary to make it functional has not been completed.
With regard to what does the above apply? To hides owned by a private person. Hides owned by a leather maker, by contrast, can be assumed to be set aside for sale. Hence, one's intent does not have an effect on their status unless one performs a deed with them preparing them to serve as a support.
Halacha 7
A person does not impart midras impurity to a surface on which one lies or sits unless it belongs to him, as indicated by Leviticus 15:5: "One who touches his couch...." If one obtained a surface on which one lies through robbery and used it as a support without touching it, it is pure. If the owner despaired of its recovery, it contracts impurity. If one stole a surface on which one lies and sat on it, it contracts impurity, for it can be presumed that the owner despaired of its recovery, because he does not know who stole it. If it is known that the owner has not despaired, the surface is pure. Therefore, if a thief stole a hide and intended to use it to lie on, his intent alone is sufficient to change its status and it can contract midras impurity from him. The intent of a robber, by contrast, does not change the status of an article unless the owner despairs of its return.
Halacha 8
When a hide contracted midras impurity and the owner began tearing straps from it, it remains impure until its size was reduced to less than five handbreadths by five handbreadths.
Halacha 9
The following rules apply to all leather keilim that had contracted midrasimpurity from a zav and, afterwards, were fashioned into another type of k'li. If a leather article was changed from one flat implement to another such implement, it remains impure. If it was changed from a simple implement to a receptacle or from a receptacle to a simple implement, it is pure. And with regard to articles from cloth, everything is impure.
What is implied? If one made a leather drinking pouch into a rug or a rug into a leather drinking pouch, it is pure. If, however, a leather drinking pouch was made into a satchel or a satchel into a drinking pouch, they are considered as impure due to midras as they were before.
Halacha 10
When a cloth pillow that had contracted midras impurity was made into a cloak, a cloak was made into a pillow, a cushion or a garment was made into a cover, or a cover was made into a cushion, they remain impure due to midras as they were before.
Halacha 11
The following laws apply to articles that are fundamentally made to function both as receptacles and surfaces on which one can sit or lie, for example, pillows, cushions, sacks, carrying bags. If they were damaged and unable to hold substances, even though they are pure with regard to susceptibility to the impurity associated with a human corpse and other impurities, because they are no longer fit to serve as receptacles, they are still susceptible to midrasimpurity, for they are still fit to serve as supports.
Different rules apply when, by contrast, keilim that are made primarily to serve as a receptacle, e.g., a drinking pouch or a satchel. If they are large enough that they are fit to sit upon, since they are sat upon due to their size, they are susceptible to midras impurity as long as they are intact. If they are damaged and unable to hold substances, even though it is still possible to sit upon them, they are not susceptible to midras impurity. The rationale is that they are made primarily to serve as receptacles. Since they become unfit to serve as receptacles, they became pure and are not susceptible to any type of impurity, neither midras, nor any other type.
What is the measure that makes these keilim subject to midras impurity? A drinking pouch, seven kabbin; a carrying case, five kabbin; a feeding bag in which barley is hung from the head of an animal, four; a leather sack with which water is poured, a se'ah. Anything less than these sizes is not fit to be used as a support and it is not common to be used for people to sit upon.
If they were damaged and one bound up the damaged portion, they are pure; it is as if the damaged portion was not tied closed. All of the drinking pouches that were damaged and bound closed are pure except those of Arabs, because it is always their practice to bind them closed. A bag pipe is not susceptible tomidras impurity, because it is not common to use it as a support.
Kelim - Chapter 25
Halacha 1
All flat wooden implements made to sit, lie, or ride upon are susceptible tomidras impurity, e.g., a bed, a chair, or the like.
Halacha 2
The bier, the pillow, and the cushion of a corpse, the chair of a bride, the birthing chair of a woman in childbirth, the chair of a launderer on which he washes clothes, and the chair of a child that has legs, even though it is not a handbreadth high, are all susceptible to midras impurity.
Halacha 3
An iron seat covered with leather that is used in a lavatory is susceptible tomidras impurity and to other types of impurity. If the leather covering was removed, that leather is susceptible to midras impurity. The metal seat is susceptible to other types of impurity, but not to midras impurity.
Halacha 4
A small basket made from reeds or the like that is covered with leather is susceptible to midras impurity and to other types of impurity. If the leather covering was removed, that leather is susceptible to midras impurity, but the basket is entirely pure, for it is considered like other broken keilim.
Halacha 5
When the two legs of benches in a bathhouse are made of wood, they are susceptible to midras impurity. If one was made of wood and the other of marble, it is not susceptible to impurity.
Halacha 6
When boards of a bathhouse were covered with cork, they are not susceptible to impurity, for they are not made to be sat upon, but so that the water will flow under them.
Halacha 7
When a large basket or wicker holder was filled with straw or fragments of cloth, even though they were adapted to be sat upon, they are not susceptible tomidras impurity, because they are not fit to be sat upon. If they were laced with reeds or string over their opening, they are susceptible to midras impurity.
Halacha 8
When one made a seat on one of the ends of a beam of an olive press, it is not susceptible to midras impurity, for if a person were to sit there, he would be told: "Stand up and let us do our work." If, however, a chair was affixed to the beam of an olive press, the chair is susceptible to midras impurity. Nevertheless, if a zav trod on the beam, the chair does not contract impurity.
Similarly, if one affixed a chair to a large beam or made a chair at the end of a large beam, only the place of the chair itself is susceptible to impurity. The remainder of the beam is pure. The same law applies to a chair that is affixed to a kneading trough; it is pure.
Halacha 9
When a stonecutter prepares the edge of a beam to sit upon, the place where he sits is susceptible to midras impurity. The place where a person sits in the back of a carriage is not susceptible to impurity, because it is uncomfortable to sit there.
Halacha 10
The tops of beams on which craftsmen sit and smooth stones or the like are pure. Similarly, a piece hewn from a date palm upon which one sits is pure even if it is a handbreadth high. The rationale is that this is not a k'li. Similarly, a lump of wood, even if it was colored red or saffron and made part of the façade of a gateway or the like, is not considered a k'li, nor is it susceptible to impurity unless one engraves decorative designs in the wood.
Halacha 11
The following laws apply to heads of beams that have been hewn out. If they were hewn out with the intent that one sit upon them, they are susceptible tomidras impurity. If one intended to sit upon them, they are susceptible to impurity from this time onward. If a deaf-mute, an intellectually or emotionally challenged person, a minor or a person to whom they did not belong intended to sit upon them, they are pure. For the only intent that is effective in changing the status of an entity vis-à-vis ritual impurity is the intent of the owner who is sound of mind.
Halacha 12
When a person makes a mound from dried yeast and designates it as a seat, it is nullified as a food and susceptible to midras impurity, for it serves the purpose of a wooden article.
Halacha 13
A straw mat is susceptible to midras impurity. One made of reeds or grass is pure, because they are not fit to serve as supports. With regard to other types of mats, if they were made to lie on, they are susceptible to impurity, if they were made to give shade, they are pure. If they were made without any specific intent, the ruling is dependent on its size. If they are large, it can be assumed that they were made for shade. If they are small, it can be assumed that they were made to lie upon.
Halacha 14
If reeds were attached to a mat lengthwise for reinforcement, it is susceptible tomidras impurity, because it is still fit to lie upon. If they were attached in the form of the Greek letter chi, it is pure. If the reeds were attached widthwise and there were less than four handbreadths between them, it is pure.
A mat that was divided across its width is still susceptible to impurity. If it was divided across its length, different rules apply. If three bonds of six handbreadths remain, it is still fit to use as a support and is susceptible to impurity. If a smaller portion remains, it is pure. Similarly, if one released the bonds, the mat is pure.
A mat will not become susceptible even to midras impurity until the work involved with its fashioning is completed and its edges are trimmed, as we explained.
Halacha 15
A chest that opens from above is pure with regard to midras impurity, because it is not fit to sit upon. It is, however, susceptible to other types of impurity. If it opens from its side, it is susceptible to midras impurity and other types of impurity.
Halacha 16
The carriage of a child is susceptible to midras impurity, because he will lean upon it.
Halacha 17
A walking stick used by an old man is absolutely pure, because it is only an aid.
Halacha 18
A sandal used by limeworkers - which is made of wood - is susceptible tomidras impurity, because, at times, a limeworker will wear it while walking until he reaches his home.
Halacha 19
A prosthetic leg of a person whose leg was amputated that has a receptacle for the remnants of his flesh is susceptible to other types of impurity, because of the receptacle and is susceptible to midras impurity, because he leans upon it.
Halacha 20
These items are susceptible to impurity, because they are surfaces upon which one rides: the saddle-blanket of a donkey, the saddle of a horse, the cushion for a camel, the saddle of a female camel, and the like.
The boards that are placed on a donkey, after which, a burden is placed upon them, are pure. If it is fit to be used as a saddle, it is susceptible to impurity.
Kelim - Chapter 26
Halacha 1
The following rules apply to wooden keilim that are fit to serve as supports that were permanently affixed to a wall in a building. If they were fixed in a wall, but nothing was built upon them or something was built upon them, but they were not permanently attached to the wall, they are still susceptible to midrasimpurity, as before. If they were affixed to the wall with nails and then one built over them, they are pure.
Similarly, when a mat was placed over beams, if it was affixed there, but a ceiling was not built over it or a ceiling was built over it, but it was not affixed, it is still susceptible to midras impurity. If it was affixed and a ceiling was built over it, it is pure.
Halacha 2
When one of the legs of a bench was removed, it is still susceptible to midrasimpurity. If the other leg is also removed, it is pure. If, however, it is a handbreadth high, it is susceptible to midras impurity.
Halacha 3
When the ornamental coating of a bride's chair was removed, it is pure. If the coating of a chair did not project outward and was removed, the chair is still susceptible to midras impurity, because it is the ordinary practice to turn it on its side and sit on it.
Halacha 4
When the coating of a chair was removed and it is still fit to be sat upon, it is susceptible to impurity. If two of its coatings, one next to the other, were removed, it is pure.
Halacha 5
When the upper portion of a closet is removed, it is still impure because of the lower portion, because that portion is fit to use as a support. If the bottom portion was removed, it is impure because of the upper portion. If they were both removed, the side frames are pure.
Halacha 6
When a chest is broken open at its side, it is susceptible to midras impurity and other types of impurity, because it is still fit to sit on, and indeed everyone sits on it. If it was broken open from above, it is pure with regard to midras impurity, for it is no longer fit to sit on. It is, however, susceptible to other impurities, because it is still a receptacle. If it is broken open from below, it is pure from all types of impurity. The rationale is that even though it is still possible to sit on it like a chair, since its fundamental purpose was to serve as a receptacle and that fundamental purpose has been nullified, its secondary purpose is not considered significant. Its drawers are subject to impurity and are not considered as joined to it.
Similarly, a basket that serves as a dispenser which is broken open to the extent that it cannot hold pomegranates is entirely pure even though it is still fit to serve as a support. The rationale is that its fundamental purpose was to serve as a receptacle and since that fundamental purpose has been nullified, the secondary purpose is also nullified.
Halacha 7
A mixing trough made from wood in which building materials and gypsum are mixed is not susceptible to midras impurity even though it is susceptible to other forms of impurity.
When a kneading trough used to knead dough that holds between two lugginand nine kabbin has been cracked to the extent that one cannot wash even one foot in it because of the crack, it is susceptible to midras impurity. The rationale is that mostly likely it will be turned upside down and sat upon, because of its size and because of its crack.
If the cracked kneading trough was left in the rain until its wood swelled and the crack closed, it is no longer susceptible to midras impurity, for in its present state, it is fit to knead dough and, initially, that was its purpose. It is susceptible to other types of impurity. If, afterwards, one left it exposed to the east wind, and the crack opened, it becomes susceptible to midras impurity again and is pure with regard to other types of impurity.
Halacha 8
When a large kneading trough that can hold more than nine kabbin that was damaged and cannot hold pomegranates was prepared to be sat upon, it is pure even from midras impurity until the corners were trimmed. The rationale is that one's intent does not have an effect on the status of a large kneading trough that was damaged unless one performs a deed to make it fit for that purpose. If he made it a feeding trough for animals, it is susceptible to all types of impurity even if it was affixed to a wall.
Halacha 9
When the two long sideboards of a bed were removed after it contracted impurity and new sideboards were made for it, but the holes used to attach the sideboards to the headboards were not changed, the bed, including the new sideboards remains impure. Even if the new sideboards are broken, the bed is still impure. If the old sideboards are broken, it is pure, because the status of the entire bed depends on the old sideboards.
Halacha 10
When a bed had contracted midras impurity and a short board and its two legs were removed, it is still impure, because it still has the form of a bed. If one of the sideboards and its two legs were removed, it is pure.
Halacha 11
If one cut off two of the cornerposts of a bed on a diagonal, cut off two of the bedposts by a handbreadth by a handbreadth on a diagonal, or reduced their size to less than a handbreadth, the bed is considered as broken and it is pure.
If one of the sideboards were broken and fixed, the bed is still considered as a primary source of impurity, as it was before. If also the second sideboard was broken and fixed, it is free of midras impurity. It is, however, impure because it touched a support to which a zav imparted impurity. If one was not able to fix the first before the second was broken, the bed is pure.
Halacha 12
When a bed had contracted midras impurity or other types of impurity and then half of it was stolen or lost, or brothers or partners divided it, it is pure. It is like a broken k'li. If it was put back together, it is susceptible to impurity in the future. It is like someone who made a k'li from the broken pieces of impure keilim. The new k'li is pure and is susceptible to impurity in the future.
Halacha 13
The following laws apply when the components of a bed were taken apart. If one sideboard and two bedposts or one headboard or footboard and two bedposts were broken, it is still impure, because it can be propped against a wall and slept upon.
Halacha 14
Even when an entire bed contracted impurity, if it was immersed component by component, it is pure.
Halacha 15
When one takes a bed apart to immerse it, a person who touches its cords, is pure.
• Shabbat, Menachem Av 23, 5775 · 08 August 2015
"Today's Day"
Tuesday Menachem Av 23 5703
Torah lessons: Chumash: Re'ei, Shlishi with Rashi.
Tehillim: 108-112.
Tanya: VII. "Happy are we (p. 425) ...cause and effect... (p. 427).
In the winter of 5652 (1891-2), when my father taught me in Tanya, "The second soul in Israel is actually part of G-d above,"1he explained that the connotations of the words "above" and "actually" are contradictory. "Above" indicates the most spiritual of spiritual levels, while "actually"2 describes the most material of material things. He explained that this is the unique quality of the "second soul," that though it is the epitome of the spiritual it has an effect upon the most material of materiality.
FOOTNOTES
1. Tanya Ch. 2.
2. In Hebrew, mamash, associated with "tangible," "palpable," the lowly level of the material experienced by tactile sensation
Daily Thought:
Completion
At a certain point, each of us, through all our many journeys through life, will have found and redeemed all the divine sparks in our share of the world.
Then the darkness that holds such mastery, such cruelty, such irrational evil that it contains no redeeming value—all this will simply vanish like a puff of steam in the midday air.
All that we salvaged and used for good, on the other hand, will shine with a tremendous light beyond even the light of the G‑dly realm.
The world will have arrived.[Tanya, chapter 37.]
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