Ki Tavo (Deuteronomy 26:1 “When you have come to the land Adonai your God is giving you as your inheritance, taken possession of it and settled there; 2 you are to take the firstfruits of all the crops the ground yields, which you will harvest from your land that Adonai your God is giving you, put them in a basket and go to the place where Adonai your God will choose to have his name live. 3 You will approach the cohen holding office at the time and say to him, ‘Today I declare to Adonai your God that I have come to the land Adonai swore to our ancestors that he would give us.’ 4 The cohen will take the basket from your hand and put it down in front of the altar of Adonai your God.5 “Then, in the presence of Adonai your God, you are to say, ‘My ancestor was a nomad from Aram. He went down into Egypt few in number and stayed. There he became a great, strong, populous nation. 6 But the Egyptians treated us badly; they oppressed us and imposed harsh slavery on us. 7 So we cried out to Adonai, the God of our ancestors. Adonai heard us and saw our misery, toil and oppression; 8 and Adonai brought us out of Egypt with a strong hand and a stretched-out arm, with great terror, and with signs and wonders. 9 Now he has brought us to this place and given us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. 10 Therefore, as you see, I have now brought the firstfruits of the land which you, Adonai, have given me.’ You are then to put the basket down before Adonai your God, prostrate yourself before Adonai your God, 11 and take joy in all the good that Adonai your God has given you, your household, the Levi and the foreigner living with you.
(ii) 12 “After you have separated a tenth of the crops yielded in the third year, the year of separating a tenth, and have given it to the Levi, the foreigner, the orphan and the widow, so that they can have enough food to satisfy them while staying with you; 13 you are to say, in the presence of Adonai your God, ‘I have rid my house of the things set aside for God and given them to the Levi, the foreigner, the orphan and the widow, in keeping with every one of the mitzvot you gave me. I haven’t disobeyed any of your mitzvot or forgotten them. 14 I haven’t eaten any of this food when mourning, I haven’t put any of it aside when unclean, nor have I given any of it for the dead. I have listened to what Adonai my God has said, and I have done everything you ordered me to do. 15 Look out from your holy dwelling-place, from heaven; and bless your people Isra’el and the land you gave us, as you swore to our ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey.’
(iii) 16 “Today Adonai your God orders you to obey these laws and rulings. Therefore, you are to observe and obey them with all your heart and all your being. 17 You are agreeing today that Adonai is your God and that you will follow his ways; observe his laws, mitzvot and rulings; and do what he says. 18 In turn Adonai is agreeing today that you are his own unique treasure, as he promised you; that you are to observe all his mitzvot; 19 and that he will raise you high above all the nations he has made, in praise, reputation and glory; and that, as he said, you will be a holy people for Adonai your God.”
(v) 11 That same day Moshe commissioned the people as follows: 12 “These are the ones who are to stand on Mount G’rizim and bless the people after you have crossed the Yarden: Shim‘on, Levi, Y’hudah, Yissakhar, Yosef and Binyamin; 13 while these are to stand on Mount ‘Eival for the curse: Re’uven, Gad, Asher, Z’vulun, Dan and Naftali. 14 The L’vi’im, speaking loudly, will proclaim to every man of Isra’el:
15 “‘A curse on anyone who makes a carved or metal image, something Adonai detests, the handiwork of a craftsman, and sets it up in secret!’ All the people are to respond by saying, ‘Amen!’
16 “‘A curse on anyone who dishonors his father or mother.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’
17 “‘A curse on anyone who moves his neighbor’s boundary marker.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’
18 “‘A curse on anyone who causes a blind person to lose his way on the road.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’
19 “‘A curse on anyone who interferes with justice for the foreigner, orphan or widow.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’
20 “‘A curse on anyone who has sexual relations with his father’s wife, because he has violated his father’s rights.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’
21 “‘A curse on anyone who has sexual relations with any kind of animal.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’
22 “‘A curse on anyone who has sexual relations with his sister, no matter whether she is the daughter of his father or of his mother.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’
23 “‘A curse on anyone who has sexual relations with his mother-in-law.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’
24 “‘A curse on anyone who secretly attacks a fellow member of the community.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’
25 “‘A curse on anyone who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’
26 “‘A curse on anyone who does not confirm the words of this Torah by putting them into practice.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’
4 “A blessing on the fruit of your body, the fruit of your land and the fruit of your livestock — the young of your cattle and flocks.
5 “A blessing on your grain-basket and kneading-bowl.
6 “A blessing on you when you go out, and a blessing on you when you come in.
(vi) 7 “Adonai will cause your enemies attacking you to be defeated before you; they will advance on you one way and flee before you seven ways.
8 “Adonai will order a blessing to be with you in your barns and in everything you undertake; he will bless you in the land Adonai your God is giving you.
9 “Adonai will establish you as a people separated out for himself, as he has sworn to you — if you will observe the mitzvot of Adonai your God and follow his ways. 10 Then all the peoples on earth will see that Adonai’s name, his presence, is with you; so that they will be afraid of you.
11 “Adonai will give you great abundance of good things — of the fruit of your body, the fruit of your livestock and the fruit of your land in the land Adonai swore to your ancestors to give you. 12 Adonai will open for you his good treasure, the sky, to give your land its rain at the right seasons and to bless everything you undertake. You will lend to many nations and not borrow; 13 Adonai will make you the head and not the tail; and you will be only above, never below — if you will listen to, observe and obey the mitzvot of Adonai your God 14 and not turn away from any of the words I am ordering you today, neither to the right nor to the left, to follow after other gods and serve them.
15 “But if you refuse to pay attention to what Adonai your God says, and do not observe and obey all his mitzvot and regulations which I am giving you today, then all the following curses will be yours in abundance:
16 “A curse on you in the city, and a curse on you in the countryside.
17 “A curse on your grain-basket and kneading-bowl.
18 “A curse on the fruit of your body, the fruit of your land and the young of your cattle and flocks.
19 “A curse on you when you come in, and a curse on you when you go out.
20 “Adonai will send on you curses, disasters and frustration in everything you set out to do, until you are destroyed and quickly perish, because of your evil actions in abandoning me.
21 “Adonai will bring on you a plague that will stay with you until he has exterminated you from the land you are entering in order to take possession of it. 22 Adonai will strike you down with wasting diseases, fever, inflammation, fiery heat, drought, blasting winds and mildew; and they will pursue you until you perish.
23 “The sky over your head will be brass and the earth under you iron. 24 Adonai will turn the rain your land needs into powder and dust that will fall on you from the sky until you are destroyed.
25 “Adonai your God will cause you to be defeated before your enemies; you will advance on them one way and flee before them seven. You will become an object of horror to every kingdom on earth. 26 Your carcasses will become food for all the birds in the air and the wild animals, and there will be no one to scare them away.
27 Adonai will strike you down with the boils that broke out on the Egyptians, tumors, skin lesions and itching, all incurable. 28 Adonai will strike you with insanity, blindness and utter confusion. 29 You will grope about at noon like a blind person groping in the dark, unable to find your way.
“You will be continually oppressed and robbed, and there will be no one to save you. 30 You will get engaged to a woman, but another man will marry her. You will build a house but not live in it. You will plant a vineyard but not use its fruit. 31 Your ox will be slaughtered before your eyes, but you won’t eat any of its meat. Your donkey will be taken away from you by force as you watch, and you won’t get it back. Your sheep will be given to your enemies, and there will be no one to help you. 32 Your sons and daughters will be handed over to another people; you will watch for them longingly all day but not see them; and there will be nothing you can do about it. 33 A nation unknown to you will eat the fruit of your land and labor. Yes, you will be continually oppressed and crushed, 34 till you go crazy from what your eyes have to see. 35 Adonai will strike you down in the knees and legs with painful and incurable boils; they will spread from the sole of your foot to the crown of your head. 36 Adonai will bring you and your king whom you have put over yourselves to a nation you have not known, neither you nor your ancestors; and there you will serve other gods made of wood and stone. 37 You will be so devastated as to become a proverb and a laughingstock among all the peoples to which Adonai will drive you.
38 “You will carry much seed out to the field but gather little in, because locusts will devour it. 39 You will plant vineyards and dress them but neither drink the wine nor gather the grapes, because worms will eat them. 40 You will have olive trees throughout your territory but not anoint yourself with the oil, because your olives will fall off unripe. 41 You will father sons and daughters, but they won’t belong to you, because they will go into captivity. 42 The bugs will inherit all your trees and the produce of your land.
43 “The foreigner living with you will rise higher and higher while you sink lower and lower. 44 He will lend to you, but you will not lend to him; he will be the head and you the tail.
45 “All these curses will come on you, pursuing you and overtaking you until you are destroyed, because you didn’t pay attention to what Adonai your God said, observing his mitzvot and regulations that he gave you. 46 These curses will be on you and your descendants as a sign and a wonder forever. 47 Because you didn’t serve Adonai your God with joy and gladness in your heart when you had such an abundance of everything; 48 Adonai will send your enemy against you; and you will serve him when you are hungry, thirsty, poorly clothed and lacking everything; he will put a yoke of iron on your neck until he destroys you. 49 Yes, Adonai will bring against you a nation from far away that will swoop down on you from the end of the earth like a vulture, a nation whose language you don’t understand, 50 a nation grim in appearance, whose people neither respect the old nor pity the young. 51 They will devour the offspring of your livestock and the produce of your soil, until you have been destroyed. They will leave you without grain, wine, olive oil, or your young cattle and sheep — until they have caused you to perish. 52 They will besiege all your towns until your high, fortified walls, in which you trusted, collapse everywhere in your land, which Adonai your God gave you. 53 Then, because of the severity of the siege and distress that your enemies are inflicting on you, you will eat the offspring of your own body, the flesh of your own sons and daughters, whom Adonai your God has given you. 54 Even the most gentle and sensitive man among you will be without pity for his brother, his beloved wife or his surviving children, 55 to the degree that he will refuse to share with any of them the flesh of his children whom he is eating; because if he did, he would have nothing left for himself — in the severity of the siege and distress your enemies are inflicting on you in all your towns. 56 The most delicate and sensitive woman among you, so sensitive and delicate that she wouldn’t think of touching the sole of her foot to the ground, will so begrudge her own beloved husband, son and daughter 57 that she will secretly eat the afterbirth that comes out of her and even her own children as she bears them — so desperately hungry will she be in the severity of the siege and distress your enemies are inflicting on you in your towns.
58 “If you will not observe and obey all the words of this Torah that are written in this book, so that you will fear this glorious and awesome name, Adonai your God; 59 then Adonai will strike down you and your descendants with extraordinary plagues and severe sicknesses that go on and on. 60 He will bring back upon you all the diseases the Egyptians had, which you were in dread of; and they will cling to you. 61 Not only that, but Adonai will bring upon you all the sicknesses and plagues that are not written in this book of the Torah — until you are destroyed. 62 You will be left few in number, whereas you were once as numerous as the stars in the sky — because you did not pay attention to the voice of Adonai your God.
63 “Thus it will come about that just as once Adonai took joy in seeking to do you good and increase your numbers, so now Adonai will take joy in causing you to perish and be destroyed, and you will be plucked off the land you are entering in order to take possession of it. 64 Adonai will scatter you among all peoples from one end of the earth to the other, and there you will serve other gods, made of wood and stone, which neither you nor your ancestors have known. 65 Among these nations you will not find repose, and there will be no rest for the sole of your foot; rather Adonai will give you there anguish of heart, dimness of eyes and apathy of spirit. 66 Your life will hang in doubt before you; you will be afraid night and day and have no assurance that you will stay alive. 67 In the morning you will say, ‘Oh, how I wish it were evening!’ and in the evening you will say, ‘Oh, how I wish it were morning!’ — because of the fear overwhelming your heart and the sights your eyes will see. 68 Finally, Adonai will bring you back in ships to Egypt, the place of which I said to you, ‘You will never ever see it again’; and there you will try to sell yourselves as slaves to your enemies, but no one will buy you.”
69 (29:1) These are the words of the covenant which Adonai ordered Moshe to make with the people of Isra’el in the land of Mo’av, in addition to the covenant which he made with them in Horev.
• Ethics of the Fathers: Chapters Three and Four (ii) 12 “After you have separated a tenth of the crops yielded in the third year, the year of separating a tenth, and have given it to the Levi, the foreigner, the orphan and the widow, so that they can have enough food to satisfy them while staying with you; 13 you are to say, in the presence of Adonai your God, ‘I have rid my house of the things set aside for God and given them to the Levi, the foreigner, the orphan and the widow, in keeping with every one of the mitzvot you gave me. I haven’t disobeyed any of your mitzvot or forgotten them. 14 I haven’t eaten any of this food when mourning, I haven’t put any of it aside when unclean, nor have I given any of it for the dead. I have listened to what Adonai my God has said, and I have done everything you ordered me to do. 15 Look out from your holy dwelling-place, from heaven; and bless your people Isra’el and the land you gave us, as you swore to our ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey.’
(iii) 16 “Today Adonai your God orders you to obey these laws and rulings. Therefore, you are to observe and obey them with all your heart and all your being. 17 You are agreeing today that Adonai is your God and that you will follow his ways; observe his laws, mitzvot and rulings; and do what he says. 18 In turn Adonai is agreeing today that you are his own unique treasure, as he promised you; that you are to observe all his mitzvot; 19 and that he will raise you high above all the nations he has made, in praise, reputation and glory; and that, as he said, you will be a holy people for Adonai your God.”
27:1(iv) Then Moshe and all the leaders of Isra’el gave orders to the people. They said, “Observe all the mitzvot I am giving you today. 2 When you cross the Yarden to the land Adonai your God is giving you, you are to set up large stones, put plaster on them, 3 and, after crossing over, write this Torah on them, every word — so that you can enter the land Adonai your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as Adonai, the God of your ancestors, promised you. 4 When you have crossed the Yarden, you are to set up these stones, as I am ordering you today, on Mount ‘Eival; and put plaster on them. 5 There you are to erect an altar to Adonai your God, an altar made of stones. You are not to use any iron tool on them, 6 but are to build the altar of Adonai your God of uncut stones; and you are to offer burnt offerings on it to Adonai your God. 7 Also you are to sacrifice peace offerings, eat there and be joyful in the presence of Adonai your God. 8 You are to write on the stones all the words of this Torah very clearly.”
9 Next Moshe and the cohanim, who are L’vi’im, spoke to all Isra’el. They said, “Be quiet; and listen, Isra’el! Today you have become the people of Adonai your God. 10 Therefore you are to listen to what Adonai your God says and obey his mitzvot and laws, which I am giving you today.”(v) 11 That same day Moshe commissioned the people as follows: 12 “These are the ones who are to stand on Mount G’rizim and bless the people after you have crossed the Yarden: Shim‘on, Levi, Y’hudah, Yissakhar, Yosef and Binyamin; 13 while these are to stand on Mount ‘Eival for the curse: Re’uven, Gad, Asher, Z’vulun, Dan and Naftali. 14 The L’vi’im, speaking loudly, will proclaim to every man of Isra’el:
15 “‘A curse on anyone who makes a carved or metal image, something Adonai detests, the handiwork of a craftsman, and sets it up in secret!’ All the people are to respond by saying, ‘Amen!’
16 “‘A curse on anyone who dishonors his father or mother.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’
17 “‘A curse on anyone who moves his neighbor’s boundary marker.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’
18 “‘A curse on anyone who causes a blind person to lose his way on the road.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’
19 “‘A curse on anyone who interferes with justice for the foreigner, orphan or widow.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’
20 “‘A curse on anyone who has sexual relations with his father’s wife, because he has violated his father’s rights.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’
21 “‘A curse on anyone who has sexual relations with any kind of animal.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’
22 “‘A curse on anyone who has sexual relations with his sister, no matter whether she is the daughter of his father or of his mother.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’
23 “‘A curse on anyone who has sexual relations with his mother-in-law.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’
24 “‘A curse on anyone who secretly attacks a fellow member of the community.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’
25 “‘A curse on anyone who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’
26 “‘A curse on anyone who does not confirm the words of this Torah by putting them into practice.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’
28:1“If you listen closely to what Adonai your God says, observing and obeying all his mitzvot which I am giving you today, Adonai your God will raise you high above all the nations on earth; 2 and all the following blessings will be yours in abundance — if you will do what Adonai your God says:
3 “A blessing on you in the city, and a blessing on you in the countryside.4 “A blessing on the fruit of your body, the fruit of your land and the fruit of your livestock — the young of your cattle and flocks.
5 “A blessing on your grain-basket and kneading-bowl.
6 “A blessing on you when you go out, and a blessing on you when you come in.
(vi) 7 “Adonai will cause your enemies attacking you to be defeated before you; they will advance on you one way and flee before you seven ways.
8 “Adonai will order a blessing to be with you in your barns and in everything you undertake; he will bless you in the land Adonai your God is giving you.
9 “Adonai will establish you as a people separated out for himself, as he has sworn to you — if you will observe the mitzvot of Adonai your God and follow his ways. 10 Then all the peoples on earth will see that Adonai’s name, his presence, is with you; so that they will be afraid of you.
11 “Adonai will give you great abundance of good things — of the fruit of your body, the fruit of your livestock and the fruit of your land in the land Adonai swore to your ancestors to give you. 12 Adonai will open for you his good treasure, the sky, to give your land its rain at the right seasons and to bless everything you undertake. You will lend to many nations and not borrow; 13 Adonai will make you the head and not the tail; and you will be only above, never below — if you will listen to, observe and obey the mitzvot of Adonai your God 14 and not turn away from any of the words I am ordering you today, neither to the right nor to the left, to follow after other gods and serve them.
15 “But if you refuse to pay attention to what Adonai your God says, and do not observe and obey all his mitzvot and regulations which I am giving you today, then all the following curses will be yours in abundance:
16 “A curse on you in the city, and a curse on you in the countryside.
17 “A curse on your grain-basket and kneading-bowl.
18 “A curse on the fruit of your body, the fruit of your land and the young of your cattle and flocks.
19 “A curse on you when you come in, and a curse on you when you go out.
20 “Adonai will send on you curses, disasters and frustration in everything you set out to do, until you are destroyed and quickly perish, because of your evil actions in abandoning me.
21 “Adonai will bring on you a plague that will stay with you until he has exterminated you from the land you are entering in order to take possession of it. 22 Adonai will strike you down with wasting diseases, fever, inflammation, fiery heat, drought, blasting winds and mildew; and they will pursue you until you perish.
23 “The sky over your head will be brass and the earth under you iron. 24 Adonai will turn the rain your land needs into powder and dust that will fall on you from the sky until you are destroyed.
25 “Adonai your God will cause you to be defeated before your enemies; you will advance on them one way and flee before them seven. You will become an object of horror to every kingdom on earth. 26 Your carcasses will become food for all the birds in the air and the wild animals, and there will be no one to scare them away.
27 Adonai will strike you down with the boils that broke out on the Egyptians, tumors, skin lesions and itching, all incurable. 28 Adonai will strike you with insanity, blindness and utter confusion. 29 You will grope about at noon like a blind person groping in the dark, unable to find your way.
“You will be continually oppressed and robbed, and there will be no one to save you. 30 You will get engaged to a woman, but another man will marry her. You will build a house but not live in it. You will plant a vineyard but not use its fruit. 31 Your ox will be slaughtered before your eyes, but you won’t eat any of its meat. Your donkey will be taken away from you by force as you watch, and you won’t get it back. Your sheep will be given to your enemies, and there will be no one to help you. 32 Your sons and daughters will be handed over to another people; you will watch for them longingly all day but not see them; and there will be nothing you can do about it. 33 A nation unknown to you will eat the fruit of your land and labor. Yes, you will be continually oppressed and crushed, 34 till you go crazy from what your eyes have to see. 35 Adonai will strike you down in the knees and legs with painful and incurable boils; they will spread from the sole of your foot to the crown of your head. 36 Adonai will bring you and your king whom you have put over yourselves to a nation you have not known, neither you nor your ancestors; and there you will serve other gods made of wood and stone. 37 You will be so devastated as to become a proverb and a laughingstock among all the peoples to which Adonai will drive you.
38 “You will carry much seed out to the field but gather little in, because locusts will devour it. 39 You will plant vineyards and dress them but neither drink the wine nor gather the grapes, because worms will eat them. 40 You will have olive trees throughout your territory but not anoint yourself with the oil, because your olives will fall off unripe. 41 You will father sons and daughters, but they won’t belong to you, because they will go into captivity. 42 The bugs will inherit all your trees and the produce of your land.
43 “The foreigner living with you will rise higher and higher while you sink lower and lower. 44 He will lend to you, but you will not lend to him; he will be the head and you the tail.
45 “All these curses will come on you, pursuing you and overtaking you until you are destroyed, because you didn’t pay attention to what Adonai your God said, observing his mitzvot and regulations that he gave you. 46 These curses will be on you and your descendants as a sign and a wonder forever. 47 Because you didn’t serve Adonai your God with joy and gladness in your heart when you had such an abundance of everything; 48 Adonai will send your enemy against you; and you will serve him when you are hungry, thirsty, poorly clothed and lacking everything; he will put a yoke of iron on your neck until he destroys you. 49 Yes, Adonai will bring against you a nation from far away that will swoop down on you from the end of the earth like a vulture, a nation whose language you don’t understand, 50 a nation grim in appearance, whose people neither respect the old nor pity the young. 51 They will devour the offspring of your livestock and the produce of your soil, until you have been destroyed. They will leave you without grain, wine, olive oil, or your young cattle and sheep — until they have caused you to perish. 52 They will besiege all your towns until your high, fortified walls, in which you trusted, collapse everywhere in your land, which Adonai your God gave you. 53 Then, because of the severity of the siege and distress that your enemies are inflicting on you, you will eat the offspring of your own body, the flesh of your own sons and daughters, whom Adonai your God has given you. 54 Even the most gentle and sensitive man among you will be without pity for his brother, his beloved wife or his surviving children, 55 to the degree that he will refuse to share with any of them the flesh of his children whom he is eating; because if he did, he would have nothing left for himself — in the severity of the siege and distress your enemies are inflicting on you in all your towns. 56 The most delicate and sensitive woman among you, so sensitive and delicate that she wouldn’t think of touching the sole of her foot to the ground, will so begrudge her own beloved husband, son and daughter 57 that she will secretly eat the afterbirth that comes out of her and even her own children as she bears them — so desperately hungry will she be in the severity of the siege and distress your enemies are inflicting on you in your towns.
58 “If you will not observe and obey all the words of this Torah that are written in this book, so that you will fear this glorious and awesome name, Adonai your God; 59 then Adonai will strike down you and your descendants with extraordinary plagues and severe sicknesses that go on and on. 60 He will bring back upon you all the diseases the Egyptians had, which you were in dread of; and they will cling to you. 61 Not only that, but Adonai will bring upon you all the sicknesses and plagues that are not written in this book of the Torah — until you are destroyed. 62 You will be left few in number, whereas you were once as numerous as the stars in the sky — because you did not pay attention to the voice of Adonai your God.
63 “Thus it will come about that just as once Adonai took joy in seeking to do you good and increase your numbers, so now Adonai will take joy in causing you to perish and be destroyed, and you will be plucked off the land you are entering in order to take possession of it. 64 Adonai will scatter you among all peoples from one end of the earth to the other, and there you will serve other gods, made of wood and stone, which neither you nor your ancestors have known. 65 Among these nations you will not find repose, and there will be no rest for the sole of your foot; rather Adonai will give you there anguish of heart, dimness of eyes and apathy of spirit. 66 Your life will hang in doubt before you; you will be afraid night and day and have no assurance that you will stay alive. 67 In the morning you will say, ‘Oh, how I wish it were evening!’ and in the evening you will say, ‘Oh, how I wish it were morning!’ — because of the fear overwhelming your heart and the sights your eyes will see. 68 Finally, Adonai will bring you back in ships to Egypt, the place of which I said to you, ‘You will never ever see it again’; and there you will try to sell yourselves as slaves to your enemies, but no one will buy you.”
69 (29:1) These are the words of the covenant which Adonai ordered Moshe to make with the people of Isra’el in the land of Mo’av, in addition to the covenant which he made with them in Horev.
29:1(vii) (2) Then Moshe summoned all Isra’el and said to them, “You saw everything Adonai did before your eyes in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, to all his servants and to all his land; 2 (3) the great testings which you saw with your own eyes, and the signs and those great wonders. 3 (4) Nevertheless, to this day Adonai has not given you a heart to understand, eyes to see or ears to hear! 4 (5) I led you forty years in the desert. Neither the clothes on your body nor the shoes on your feet wore out. 5 (6) You didn’t eat bread, and you didn’t drink wine or other intoxicating liquor; this was so that you would know that ‘I am Adonai your God.’ (Maftir) 6 (7) When you arrived at this place, Sichon the king of Heshbon and ‘Og the king of Bashan advanced against us in battle, and we defeated them, 7 (8) took their land and gave it as an inheritance to the Re’uveni, the Gadi and the M’nashi. 8 (9) Therefore, observe the words of this covenant and obey them; so that you can make everything you do prosper.)
Today's Laws & Customs:
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 Chapters Three and Four.
Links: Ethics of the Fathers, Chapter 3 and Chapter 4
• Selichot
The series of Selichot ("supplication") prayers recited in preparation for the "Days of Awe" of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur begin this Saturday night, after midnight (after the Ashkenazic custom; the Sephardic community begins on the 1st of Elul). On subsequent days, the custom is to recite the Selichot in the early morning hours, before the morning prayers, each morning up to and including Elul 29, the eve of Rosh Hashanah.
Links: More on Selichot
• Elul Observances
As the last month of the Jewish year, Elul is traditionaly a time of introspection and stocktaking -- a time to review one's deeds and spiritual progress over the past year and prepare for the upcoming "Days of Awe" of Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur.
As the month of Divine Mercy and Forgiveness (see "Today in Jewish History" for Elul 1) it is a most opportune time for teshuvah ("return" to G-d), prayer, charity, and increased Ahavat Yisrael (love for a fellow Jew) in the quest for self-improvement and coming closer to G-d. Chassidic master Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi likens the month of Elul to a time when "the king is in the field" and, in contrast to when he is in the royal palace, "everyone who so desires is permitted to meet him, and he receives them all with a cheerful countenance and shows a smiling face to them all."
Specific Elul customs include the daily sounding of the shofar (ram's horn) as a call to repentance. The Baal Shem Tov instituted the custom of reciting three additional chapters of Psalms each day, from the 1st of Elul until Yom Kippur (on Yom Kippur the remaining 36 chapters are recited, thereby completing the entire book of Psalms). Click below to view today's Psalms.Chapter 61 Chapter 62 Chapter 63
Psalms 61:(0) For the leader. With stringed instruments. By David:
2 (1) Hear my cry, God;
listen to my prayer.
3 (2) From the end of the earth, with fainting heart,
I call out to you.
Set me down on a rock
far above where I am now.
listen to my prayer.
3 (2) From the end of the earth, with fainting heart,
I call out to you.
Set me down on a rock
far above where I am now.
4 (3) For you have been a refuge for me,
a tower of strength in the face of the foe.
5 (4) I will live in your tent forever
and find refuge in the shelter of your wings. (Selah)
6 (5) For you, God, have heard my vows;
you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.
a tower of strength in the face of the foe.
5 (4) I will live in your tent forever
and find refuge in the shelter of your wings. (Selah)
6 (5) For you, God, have heard my vows;
you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.
7 (6) Prolong the life of the king!
May his years go on for many generations.
8 (7) May he be enthroned in God’s presence forever!
Appoint grace and truth to preserve him!
9 (8) Then I will sing praise to your name forever,
as day after day I fulfill my vows.
May his years go on for many generations.
8 (7) May he be enthroned in God’s presence forever!
Appoint grace and truth to preserve him!
9 (8) Then I will sing praise to your name forever,
as day after day I fulfill my vows.
62:(0) For the leader. Set in the style of Y’dutun. A psalm of David:
2 (1) My soul waits in silence for God alone;
my salvation comes from him.
3 (2) He alone is my rock and salvation,
my stronghold; I won’t be greatly moved.
my salvation comes from him.
3 (2) He alone is my rock and salvation,
my stronghold; I won’t be greatly moved.
4 (3) How long will you assail a person
in order to murder him, all of you,
as if he were a sagging wall
or a shaky fence?
in order to murder him, all of you,
as if he were a sagging wall
or a shaky fence?
5 (4) They only want to shake him from his height,
they take delight in lying —
with their mouths they bless,
but inwardly they curse. (Selah)
they take delight in lying —
with their mouths they bless,
but inwardly they curse. (Selah)
6 (5) My soul, wait in silence for God alone,
because my hope comes from him.
7 (6) He alone is my rock and salvation,
my stronghold; I won’t be moved.
because my hope comes from him.
7 (6) He alone is my rock and salvation,
my stronghold; I won’t be moved.
8 (7) My safety and honor rest on God.
My strong rock and refuge are in God.
9 (8) Trust in him, people, at all times;
pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us. (Selah)
10 (9) Ordinary folks are merely a breath
and important people a sham;
if you lay them on a balance-scale, they go up —
both together are lighter than nothing.
11 (10) Don’t put your trust in extortion,
don’t put false hopes in robbery;
even if wealth increases,
don’t set your heart on it.
My strong rock and refuge are in God.
9 (8) Trust in him, people, at all times;
pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us. (Selah)
10 (9) Ordinary folks are merely a breath
and important people a sham;
if you lay them on a balance-scale, they go up —
both together are lighter than nothing.
11 (10) Don’t put your trust in extortion,
don’t put false hopes in robbery;
even if wealth increases,
don’t set your heart on it.
12 (11) God has spoken once, I have heard it twice:
strength belongs to God.
13 (12) Also to you, Adonai, belongs grace;
for you reward all as their deeds deserve.
strength belongs to God.
13 (12) Also to you, Adonai, belongs grace;
for you reward all as their deeds deserve.
63:(0) A psalm of David, when he was in the desert of Y’hudah:
2 (1) O God, you are my God;
I will seek you eagerly.
My heart thirsts for you,
my body longs for you
in a land parched and exhausted,
where no water can be found.
3 (2) I used to contemplate you in the sanctuary,
seeing your power and glory;
4 (3) for your grace is better than life.
My lips will worship you.
5 (4) Yes, I will bless you as long as I live;
in your name I will lift up my hands.
6 (5) I am as satisfied as with rich food;
my mouth praises you with joy on my lips
7 (6) when I remember you on my bed
and meditate on you in the night watches.
I will seek you eagerly.
My heart thirsts for you,
my body longs for you
in a land parched and exhausted,
where no water can be found.
3 (2) I used to contemplate you in the sanctuary,
seeing your power and glory;
4 (3) for your grace is better than life.
My lips will worship you.
5 (4) Yes, I will bless you as long as I live;
in your name I will lift up my hands.
6 (5) I am as satisfied as with rich food;
my mouth praises you with joy on my lips
7 (6) when I remember you on my bed
and meditate on you in the night watches.
8 (7) For you have been my help;
in the shadow of your wings I rejoice;
9 (8) my heart clings to you;
your right hand supports me.
in the shadow of your wings I rejoice;
9 (8) my heart clings to you;
your right hand supports me.
10 (9) But those who seek to destroy my life —
may they go to the lowest parts of the earth.
11 (10) May they be given over to the power of the sword;
may they become prey for jackals.
may they go to the lowest parts of the earth.
11 (10) May they be given over to the power of the sword;
may they become prey for jackals.
12 (11) But the king will rejoice in God.
Everyone who swears by him will exult,
for the mouths of liars will be silenced.
Everyone who swears by him will exult,
for the mouths of liars will be silenced.
Links: More on Elul
Daily Study:
Chitas and Rambam for today:
Chumash: Ki Tavo, 7th Portion Deuteronomy 29:1-29:8 with Rashi
• Chapter 29
1And Moses called all of Israel and said to them, "You have seen all that the Lord did before your very eyes in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh, to all his servants, and to all his land; אוַיִּקְרָא משֶׁה אֶל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם אַתֶּם רְאִיתֶם אֵת כָּל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה יְהֹוָה לְעֵינֵיכֶם בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם לְפַרְעֹה וּלְכָל עֲבָדָיו וּלְכָל אַרְצוֹ:
2the great trials which your very eyes beheld and those great signs and wonders. בהַמַּסּוֹת הַגְּדֹלֹת אֲשֶׁר רָאוּ עֵינֶיךָ הָאֹתֹת וְהַמֹּפְתִים הַגְּדֹלִים הָהֵם:
3Yet until this day, the Lord has not given you a heart to know, eyes to see and ears to hear. גוְלֹא נָתַן יְהֹוָה לָכֶם לֵב לָדַעַת וְעֵינַיִם לִרְאוֹת וְאָזְנַיִם לִשְׁמֹעַ עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה:
Yet…the Lord did not give you a heart to know: [I.e.,] to recognize the kind acts of the Holy One, Blessed is He, and [therefore] to cleave to Him. ולא נתן ה' לכם לב לדעת: להכיר את חסדי הקב"ה ולידבק בו:
until this day: I heard that on the very day that Moses gave the Torah scroll to the sons of Levi-as the verse says, “And he gave it to the kohanim , the sons of Levi” (Deut. 31:19)-all Israel came before Moses and said to him: “Moses, our Teacher! We also stood at [Mount] Sinai and accepted the Torah, and it was [also] given to us! Why, then, are you giving the members of your tribe control over it, so that some day in the future they may claim, 'It was not given to you-it was given only to us!’” Moses rejoiced over this matter and it was on account of this, that he said to them, “This day, you have become a people [to the Lord your God]” (Deut. 27:9). [This meant:] “It is today that I understand that you cleave to the Omnipresent and desire Him.” עד היום הזה: שמעתי שאותו היום שנתן משה ספר התורה לבני לוי, כמו שכתוב (לקמן לא, ט) ויתנה אל הכהנים בני לוי באו כל ישראל לפני משה ואמרו לו משה רבינו אף אנו עמדנו בסיני וקבלנו את התורה ונתנה לנו, ומה אתה משליט את בני שבטך עליה, ויאמרו לנו יום מחר לא לכם נתנה, לנו נתנה. ושמח משה על הדבר, ועל זאת אמר להם היום הזה נהיית לעם וגו' (לעיל כז, ט), היום הזה הבנתי שאתם דבקים וחפצים במקום:
4I led you through the desert for forty years [during which time] your garments did not wear out from upon you, nor did your shoes wear out from upon your feet. דוָאוֹלֵךְ אֶתְכֶם אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה בַּמִּדְבָּר לֹא בָלוּ שַׂלְמֹתֵיכֶם מֵעֲלֵיכֶם וְנַעַלְךָ לֹא בָלְתָה מֵעַל רַגְלֶךָ:
5You neither ate bread, nor drank new wine or old wine, in order that you would know that I am the Lord, your God. הלֶחֶם לֹא אֲכַלְתֶּם וְיַיִן וְשֵׁכָר לֹא שְׁתִיתֶם לְמַעַן תֵּדְעוּ כִּי אֲנִי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם:
6And then you arrived at this place. And Sihon, the king of Heshbon, and Og, the king of Bashan, came out towards us in battle, and we smote them. ווַתָּבֹאוּ אֶל הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה וַיֵּצֵא סִיחֹן מֶלֶךְ חֶשְׁבּוֹן וְעוֹג מֶלֶךְ הַבָּשָׁן לִקְרָאתֵנוּ לַמִּלְחָמָה וַנַּכֵּם:
And then you arrived at this place: Now you see yourselves in greatness and in honor; [but] do not rebel against the Omnipresent nor let your hearts become haughty; rather, “Observe the words of this covenant” (verse 8). Another explanation of “Yet… the Lord did not give you a heart to know” (verse 3): No one can fathom neither the depths of his teacher’s mind nor the wisdom of his studies before forty years. Hence, the Omnipresent was not strict with you until this day; but from now on [since today marks forty years for the people of Israel], He will be strict with you; and therefore: “Observe the words of this covenant…” (verse 8). ותבאו אל המקום הזה: עתה אתם רואים עצמכם בגדולה וכבוד אל תבעטו במקום ואל ירום לבבכם, ושמרתם את דברי הברית הזאת. דבר אחר ולא נתן ה' לכם לב לדעת, שאין אדם עומד על סוף דעתו של רבו וחכמת משנתו עד ארבעים שנה ולפיכך לא הקפיד עליכם המקום עד היום הזה, אבל מכאן ואילך יקפיד ולפיכך (פסוק ח) ושמרתם את דברי הברית הזאת וגו':
7And we took their land, and we gave it as an inheritance to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and to the half tribe of Manasseh. זוַנִּקַּח אֶת אַרְצָם וַנִּתְּנָהּ לְנַחֲלָה לָראוּבֵנִי וְלַגָּדִי וְלַחֲצִי שֵׁבֶט הַמְנַשִּׁי:
8And you shall observe the words of this covenant and fulfill them, in order that you will succeed in all that you do. חוּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת דִּבְרֵי הַבְּרִית הַזֹּאת וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אֹתָם לְמַעַן תַּשְׂכִּילוּ אֵת כָּל אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשׂוּן:
Daily Tehillim: Psalms
Chapters 104 - 105
• Secial Custom for the Month of Elul and High Holidays
The Baal Shem Tov instituted a custom of reciting three additional chapters of Psalms each day, from the 1st of Elul until Yom Kippur (on Yom Kippur the remaining 36 chapters are recited, thereby completing the entire book of Psalms).
See below for today's additional chapters.
Chapter 104
This psalm tells of the beauty of creation, describing that which was created on each of the six days of creation. It proclaims the awesomeness of God Who sustains it all-from the horns of the wild ox to the eggs of the louse.
1. My soul, bless the Lord! Lord my God, You are greatly exalted; You have garbed Yourself with majesty and splendor. 2. You enwrap [Yourself] with light as with a garment; You spread the heavens as a curtain. 3. He roofs His heavens with water; He makes the clouds His chariot, He moves [them] on the wings of the wind. 4. He makes the winds His messengers, the blazing fire His servants. 5. He established the earth on its foundations, that it shall never falter. 6. The depths covered it as a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. 7. At Your exhortation they fled; at the sound of Your thunder they rushed away. 8. They ascended mountains, they flowed down valleys, to the place which You have assigned for them. 9. You set a boundary which they may not cross, so that they should not return to engulf the earth. 10. He sends forth springs into streams; they flow between the mountains. 11. They give drink to all the beasts of the field; the wild animals quench their thirst. 12. The birds of the heavens dwell beside them; they raise their voice from among the foliage. 13. He irrigates the mountains from His clouds above; the earth is satiated from the fruit of Your works. 14. He makes grass grow for the cattle, and vegetation requiring the labor of man to bring forth food from the earth; 15. and wine that gladdens man's heart, oil that makes the face shine, and bread that sustains man's heart. 16. The trees of the Lord drink their fill, the cedars of Lebanon which He planted, 17. wherein birds build their nests; the stork has her home in the cypress. 18. The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the rabbits. 19. He made the moon to calculate the festivals; the sun knows its time of setting. 20. You bring on darkness and it is night, when all the beasts of the forest creep forth. 21. The young lions roar for prey, and seek their food from God. 22. When the sun rises, they return and lie down in their dens. 23. Then man goes out to his work, to his labor until evening. 24. How manifold are Your works, O Lord! You have made them all with wisdom; the earth is full of Your possessions. 25. This sea, vast and wide, where there are countless creeping creatures, living things small and great; 26. there ships travel, there is the Leviathan that You created to frolic therein. 27. They all look expectantly to You to give them their food at the proper time. 28. When You give it to them, they gather it; when You open Your hand, they are satiated with goodness. 29. When You conceal Your countenance, they are terrified; when You take back their spirit, they perish and return to their dust. 30. When You will send forth Your spirit they will be created anew, and You will renew the face of the earth. 31. May the glory of the Lord be forever; may the Lord find delight in His works. 32. He looks at the earth, and it trembles; He touches the mountains, and they smoke. 33. I will sing to the Lord with my soul; I will chant praise to my God with my [entire] being. 34. May my prayer be pleasant to Him; I will rejoice in the Lord. 35. May sinners cease from the earth, and the wicked be no more. Bless the Lord, O my soul! Praise the Lord!
Chapter 105
When David brought the Holy Ark up to the City of David, he composed this psalm and sang it before the Ark. He recounts all the miracles that God performed for the Jews in Egypt: sending before them Joseph, who was imprisoned, only to be liberated by God, eventually attaining the status of one who could imprison the princes of Egypt without consulting Pharaoh.
1. Offer praise to the Lord, proclaim His Name; make His deeds known among the nations. 2. Sing to Him, chant praises to Him, speak of all His wonders. 3. Glory in His holy Name; may the heart of those who seek the Lord rejoice. 4. Search for the Lord and His might; seek His countenance always. 5. Remember the wonders that He has wrought, His miracles, and the judgements of His mouth. 6. O descendants of Abraham His servant, children of Jacob, His chosen ones: 7. He is the Lord our God; His judgements extend over the entire earth. 8. He remembers His covenant forever, the word which He has commanded to a thousand generations; 9. the covenant which He made with Abraham, and His oath to Isaac. 10. He established it for Jacob as a statute, for Israel as an everlasting covenant, 11. stating, "To you I shall give the land of Canaan"-the portion of your inheritance, 12. when they were but few, very few, and strangers in it. 13. They wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people. 14. He permitted no one to wrong them, and admonished kings for their sake: 15. "Do not touch my anointed ones, and do not harm my prophets.”16. He called for a famine upon the land; he broke every source of bread. 17. He sent a man before them; Joseph was sold as a slave. 18. They afflicted his foot with chains, his soul was put into iron; 19. until the time that His words came, the decree of the Lord purified him. 20. The king sent [word] and released him, the ruler of nations set him free. 21. He appointed him master of his house and ruler of all his possessions, 22. to imprison his princes at will, and to enlighten his elders. 23. Thus Israel came to Egypt, and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham (Egypt). 24. He multiplied His nation greatly, and made it mightier than its adversaries. 25. He turned their hearts to hate His nation, to conspire against His servants. 26. He sent Moses, His servant; Aaron, whom He had chosen. 27. They placed among them the words of His signs, miracles in the land of Ham. 28. He sent darkness and made it dark, and they did not defy His word. 29. He transformed their waters to blood, and killed their fish. 30. Their land swarmed with frogs in the chambers of their kings. 31. He spoke, and hordes of wild beasts came, and lice throughout their borders. 32. He turned their rains to hail, flaming fire in their land; 33. it struck their vine and fig tree, it broke the trees of their borders. 34. He spoke, and grasshoppers came, locusts without number; 35. and it consumed all grass in their land, it ate the fruit of their soil. 36. Then He smote every firstborn in their land, the first of all their potency. 37. And He took them out with silver and gold, and none among His tribes stumbled. 38. Egypt rejoiced at their leaving, for the fear [of Israel] had fallen upon them. 39. He spread out a cloud for shelter, and a fire to illuminate the night. 40. [Israel] asked, and He brought quail, and with the bread of heaven He satisfied them. 41. He opened a rock and waters flowed; they streamed through dry places like a river, 42. for He remembered His holy word to Abraham His servant. 43. And He brought out His nation with joy, His chosen ones with song. 44. He gave them the lands of nations, they inherited the toil of peoples, 45. so that they might keep His statutes and observe His laws. Praise the Lord!
Additional Three Chapters
The Baal Shem Tov instituted a custom of reciting three additional chapters of Psalms each day, from the 1st of Elul until Yom Kippur (on Yom Kippur the remaining 36 chapters are recited, thereby completing the entire book of Psalms).
Today's Chapters are 61, 62 and 63.
Chapter 61
David composed this prayer while fleeing from Saul. The object of all his thoughts and his entreaty is that God grant him long life-not for the sake of pursuing the pleasures of the world, but rather to serve God in awe, all of his days.
1. For the Conductor, on the neginat, by David. 2. Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer. 3. From the end of the earth I call to You, when my heart is faint [with trouble]: Lead me upon the rock that surpasses me! 4. For You have been a refuge for me, a tower of strength in the face of the enemy. 5. I will dwell in Your tent forever; I will take refuge in the shelter of Your wings, Selah. 6. For You, God, heard my vows; You granted the inheritance of those who fear Your Name. 7. Add days to the days of the king; may his years equal those of every generation. 8. May he sit always before God; appoint kindness and truth to preserve him. 9. Thus will I sing the praise of Your Name forever, as I fulfill my vows each day.
Chapter 62
David prays for the downfall of his enemies. He also exhorts his generation that their faith should not rest in riches, telling them that the accumulation of wealth is utter futility.
1. For the Conductor, on the yedutun,1 a psalm by David. 2. To God alone does my soul hope; my salvation is from Him. 3. He alone is my rock and salvation, my stronghold; I shall not falter greatly. 4. Until when will you plot disaster for man? May you all be killed-like a leaning wall, a toppled fence. 5. Out of their arrogance alone they scheme to topple me, they favor falsehood; with their mouths they bless, and in their hearts they curse, Selah. 6. To God alone does my soul hope, for my hope is from Him. 7. He alone is my rock and salvation, my stronghold; I shall not falter. 8. My salvation and honor is upon God; the rock of my strength-my refuge is in God. 9. Trust in Him at all times, O nation, pour out your hearts before Him; God is a refuge for us forever. 10. Men are but vanity; people [but] transients. Were they to be raised upon the scale, they would be lighter than vanity. 11. Put not your trust in exploitation, nor place futile hope in robbery. If [corrupt] wealth flourishes, pay it no heed. 12. God spoke one thing, from which I perceived two: That strength belongs to God; 13. and that Yours, my Lord, is kindness. For You repay each man according to his deeds.
Chapter 63
Hiding from Saul, and yearning to approach the place of the Holy Ark like one thirsting for water, David composed this prayer on his behalf and against his enemy.
1. A psalm by David, when he was in the Judean desert. 2. O God, You are my Almighty, I seek You! My soul thirsts for You, my flesh longs for You; [like one] in a desolate and dry land, without water, 3. so [I thirst] to see You in the Sanctuary, to behold Your might and glory. 4. For Your kindness is better than life; my lips shall praise You. 5. Thus will I bless you all my life, in Your Name I will raise my hands [in prayer]. 6. As with fat and abundance my soul is sated, when my mouth offers praise with expressions of joy. 7. Indeed, I remember You upon my bed; during the watches of the night I meditate upon You. 8. For You were a help for me; I sing in the shadow of Your wings. 9. My soul cleaved to You; Your right hand supported me. 10. But they seek desolation for my soul; they will enter the depths of the earth. 11. They will drag them by the sword; they will be the portion of foxes. 12. And the king will rejoice in God, and all who swear by Him will take pride, when the mouths of liars are blocked up.Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, end of Epistle 15
• Lessons in Tanya
• Shabbat, Elul 21, 5775 · September 5, 2015
Today's Tanya Lesson
Iggeret HaKodesh, end of Epistle 15 Up to this point the Alter Rebbe has explained how the seven middot exist within the Jew’s G‑dly soul. These emotive attributes are activated by the three intellective faculties — the Sefirot of ChaBaD (Chochmah, Binah and Daat), which are now to be explained.
ומקור ושורש כל המדות הן מחב״ד
Now, the source and root of all the attributes are in the ChaBaD.
דהיינו: החכמה היא מקור השכל המשיג את ה׳ וחכמתו וגדולתו ומדותיו הקדושות, שמנהיג ומחיה בהן כל העולמות עליונים ותחתונים
That is: Chochmah is the source of the intellect which apprehends G‑d and His wisdom, His greatness, and the holy attributes wherewith He conducts and animates all the higher and lower worlds;
ובינה היא ההתבוננות בהשגה זו
Binah is the contemplation of this apprehension of G‑d’s greatness and His holy attributes
באורך ורוחב ועומק בינתו
in the length, breadth, and depth of one’s understanding,
The “length” of a particular concept — in this case, the greatness of the Creator — entails drawing it down from its lofty abstraction (by way of a parable, for example) to a level of intelligibility. The “breadth” of the concept refers to the multitudinous components and ramifications that await one’s mastery. Its “depth” refers to the challenge of plumbing its seemingly limitless profundity.
להבין דבר מתוך דבר
in order1 “to understand (or deduce) one matter out of another,”2
ולהוליד מהשגה זו תולדותיה
and from this apprehension to beget its offspring,
שהן מדות אהבה ויראה
which are the attributes of love and awe,
The thinker’s understanding of the greatness of G‑d gives birth to emotions — a love and a fear of Him.
ושארי מדות הנולדות בנפש האלקית, המשכלת ומתבוננת בגדולת ה׳, כי לגדולתו אין חקר
and the other attributes born in the divine soul which contemplates and meditates upon G‑d’s greatness, as to how3 “His greatness is unfathomable.”
ויש בחינת גדולת ה׳, שעל ידי התבוננות הנפש האלקית בה, תפול עליה אימתה ופחד
One aspect of G‑d’s greatness is such that the divine soul, when contemplating it, is overwhelmed by a fear and dread.
שהיא יראה תתאה, שהיא בחינת מלכות
This is yirah tataah (“the lower level of fear”), which is an aspect of Malchut.
ויש בחינת גדולת ה׳, שממנה באה יראה עילאה, ירא בושת
There is another aspect of the greatness of G‑d from [the contemplation of] which derives yirah ilaah (“the superior level of fear”), in which one is awed out of bashfulness.
ויש בחינה שממנה באה אהבה רבה
There is also an aspect [of G‑d’s greatness] from [the contemplation of] which derives ahavah rabbah (“the great love”),
ויש בחינה שממנה באה אהבה זוטא
and still another aspect [of G‑d’s greatness], from [the contemplation of] which derives ahavah zutta (“the lesser love”).
All these levels of ahavah and yirah are internal emotive attributes that are fathered by ChaBaD.
וכן במדות החיצוניות, שהן חסד כו׳
The same applies to the external attributes, i.e., Chesed and so on; they, too, emanate from ChaBaD.
ובכולן צריך להיות מלובש בהן בחינת הדעת
Now, the faculty of Daat must be vested within all these [emotive attributes],
שהוא בחינת התקשרות הנפש, הקשורה ותקועה בהשגה זו
for it represents the bond with which the soul is bound and embedded in this apprehension
שמשגת איזה ענין מגדולת ה׳, שממנה נולדה בה איזה מדה מהמדות
as it apprehends some aspect of G‑d’s greatness, from which one of these attributes is born within it.
Once the soul has apprehended some aspect of G‑d’s greatness it must bind itself to this comprehension through the faculty of Daat.
כי בהיסח הדעת כרגע מהשגה זו
For by a momentary removal of Daat from this apprehension,
מסתלקת גם כן המדה הנולדה ממנה
the emotion born of it is also withdrawn
מהגילוי בנפש אל ההעלם
from its [prior] state of manifestation in the soul [back] into concealment [within the soul],
להיות בה בכח ולא בפועל
to exist there in potentia but not in actuality.
It is the faculty of Daat — a prolonged and constant involv-ement in the subject being contemplated — that reveals and actualizes the emotive experience of love or fear.
ולכן נקרא הזיווג בלשון דעת, מפני שהוא לשון התקשרות
That is why the term Daat is applied to coition,4 for it signifies a bond that results in issue, just as out of Daat are born the emotions.
וזהו בחינת דעת תחתון נוסח אחר: הדעת התחתון, המתפשט במדות ומתלבש בהן, להחיותן ולקיימן
This is the faculty of Daat Tachton, the lower level of Daat, which extends into the attributes and vests itself in them to animate and sustain them.
ויש בחינת דעת העליון, שהוא בחינת התקשרות וחיבור מקור השכל המשיג עומק המושג
There is also a faculty of Daat Elyon, a superior level of Daat, through which the source of the intellect that apprehends the profundity of a concept is bound and connected [to it] —
שהוא כנקודה וכברק המבריק על שכלו
like a point or a flash of lightning that flashes over one’s mind —
שיתפשט למטה
so that [the concept] will extend downward.
ויבא עומק המושג לידי הבנה
The profundity of the apprehended concept will thereby come to be understood
בהרחבת הביאור, באורך ורוחב
with extensive clarification, in length and breadth,
שהיא בחינת בינה, הנקראת, רחובות הנהר, כמו שיתבאר במקומו
this stage being the function of the faculty of Binah, which is known as rechovot hanahar (lit., “the expanses of the river”), as will be explained in its place.5
The faculty of Daat Elyon unifies Chochmah with Binah. For Chochmah is the intuitive flash of illumination that would vanish as quickly as it appeared, if it were not anchored by Daat in the comprehension of Binah, whereby this seminal point assumes length and breadth. Chochmah is thus likened to a wellspring whose waters issue forth drop by drop, while Binah is likened to a broad and deep river. It is the function of Daat Elyon to draw the wellsprings of Chochmah into the river of Binah.
The function of Daat Tachton, by contrast, is that of binding the intellective faculties of ChaBaD with their resultant emotions, so that one’s intellectual activity will illuminate them, and provide them with vitality and continuity.
* * *
In summary, this discourse demonstrates how all the ten faculties of the divine soul engage in an ongoing relationship with their G‑dly source. Indeed, to recall the Alter Rebbe’s opening lines, an understanding of this dynamic within oneself enables one to experience the truth of the verse, “From my flesh shall I behold G‑d,” and to gain some measure of understanding of the Supernal Sefirot.
FOOTNOTES1. Chagigah 14a.2. Note of the Rebbe: “Two explanations (Or HaTorah, Bereishit, p. 2048ff.).”3. Tehillim 145:3.4. Note of the Rebbe: “See [Tanya,] Part I, conclusion of ch. 3.”5. Note of the Rebbe: “The intent of ‘in its place’ is problematic. Possibly this refers to the relevant places in [Tanya,] Part I (see
its indexes), and likewise in Likkutei Torah, etc.”Rambam:
• Sefer Hamitzvos:
Today's Mitzvah
Shabbat, Elul 21, 5775 · September 5, 2015
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
Negative Commandment 250
Honesty in Commerce
"When you make a sale to your fellow or make a purchase from the hand of your fellow, you shall not defraud one another"—Leviticus 25:14.
It is forbidden for a seller or buyer to cheat one another in the course of commerce [by deceptively overcharging or underpaying for merchandise].
Honesty in Commerce
Negative Commandment 250Translated by Berel Bell
The 250th prohibition is that we are forbidden from cheating each other in business when buying and selling.
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "When you sell something to your neighbor, or buy something from your neighbor's hand, do not cheat one another."
The Sifra states, "The verse 'Do not cheat one another' refers to cheating someone monetarily."2
The details of this mitzvah are explained in the 4th chapter of tractate Bava Metzia.3
FOOTNOTES1. Lev. 25:14.2. This is known as ona'as mamon, as opposed to ona'as devarim, which is causing someone emotional distress by something you say. See N251.3. 49b ff.
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• 1 Chapter: Issurei Biah Issurei Biah - Chapter Six
Halacha 1
The bleeding of niddah, the bleeding of zivah, the bleeding before childbirth,1 the pure blood that follows childbirth,2 are all one type of bleeding. They [all] come from the uterus, from the same source. The laws applying [to this bleeding], however, change according to the time [and circumstance],3 causing the woman who discovers the bleeding to be considered as pure, a niddah, or a zavah.
Halacha 2
What is implied? When a woman menstruates for the first time or when she menstruates at the fixed time at which it has been established that she will menstruate,4 she is a niddah for seven full days. [This applies] whether she continues to bleed throughout the seven days or she only discovered one drop of blood. If she discovers blood on the eighth day, this is the blood of zivah, because it comes "outside the time for niddah" [Leviticus 15:25].5
Halacha 3
Any blood that is discovered between one fixed time that a woman can be expected to menstruate and the next fixed time that she can be expected to menstruate is the blood of zivah. It is a halachah transmitted to Moses on Sinai that there are no more than eleven days between one menstrual bleeding and an another.
Halacha 4
All of the seven days beginning with the day on which a fixed time that a woman can be expected to menstruate was established are called "the days of niddah." [This applies] whether the woman menstruates or not.6 Why are they called "the days of niddah"? Because they are fit [for a woman to be considered] a niddah? Any blood discovered during these days is considered as the blood of niddah.
Halacha 5
The eleven days that follow these seven are called "the days of zivah." [This applies] whether the woman discovers bleeding or not. Why are they called "the days of zivah"? Because they are fit [for a woman to be considered] a zivah? Any blood discovered during these days is considered as the blood of zivah. Take care with regard to these names: "the days of niddah" and "the days of zivah."
Halacha 6
Throughout her entire life, from the time she establishes a time when she can be expected to menstruate until she dies or until she transfers the time she can be expected to menstruate to another date,7 she should count seven days from the beginning of the day when she could be expected to menstruate and eleven days after them. Afterwards, [she counts] another seven days and another eleven days.8
Take care of this reckoning so that you will know [a woman's status] if she discovers blood. Was it in the days of niddah or the days of zivah? For throughout a woman's entire life, she [follows the same pattern]: seven days of niddah and eleven days of zivah unless the pattern was interrupted by a birth, as will be explained.9
Halacha 7
When a woman discovers uterine bleeding during the days of zivah for only one day or for two consecutive days, she is called a minor zavah,10and she is called one who watches a day for a day.11 If she discovered [uterine bleeding] for three consecutive days, she is a zavah in the complete sense of the term. She is called a major zavah or merely referred to as a zavah without any further description. [This is derived from Leviticus 15:25]: "When a woman will have a flow of blood for many days...." The minimum implied by the plural form, "days," is two. "Many" indicates [at least] three.
Halacha 8
There is no difference between a major zavah and a minor zavah except the counting of seven ["spotless" days] and the necessity to bring a sacrifice. For a major zavah must count seven "spotless" days [before immersing to regain ritual purity] and a minor zavah need only count one day. And a major zavah must bring a sacrifice when she purifies herself12 and a minor zavah need not. They are both impure and the prohibition against relations applies to both of them equally.
Halacha 9
What is implied? If she discovered blood in the days of zivah - whether she discovered it in the beginning of the night or she discovered it at the end of the day - that entire day, she is impure. It is as if the bleeding did not cease from the time she discovered it until the sun sets. She should watch herself throughout the night.13If there are no signs of bleeding at night, she should arise in the morning and immerse herself after sunrise.14 She should watch herself for the entire day. If there are no signs of bleeding,15 there is then a pure day to compensate for the impure day and she is permitted to her husband at night.
Halacha 10
If she discovered [uterine] bleeding also on the second day, whether at night or whether during the day, after she immersed herself, that second day is also impure and she must watch herself for the entire third night. If there are no signs of bleeding at night, she should arise in the morning and immerse herself after sunrise. She should watch herself for the entire day.16 If there are no signs of bleeding, there is then a pure day to compensate for the two impure days17 and she is permitted to her husband at night.
Halacha 11
If she discovered [uterine] bleeding on the third day, whether during the day or at night, she is a major zavah and she must count seven pure days when there is no uterine bleeding [at all], as [Leviticus 15:28] states: "She must count seven days for herself." She immerses herself on the seventh day after sunrise and is permitted to her husband at night. On the eighth day, she brings her sacrifice, two turtle doves or two doves.
Halacha 12
When a minor zavah immerses herself at night18 during the day she is watching or a major zavah immerses herself on the seventh night, it is as if she did not immerse herself.19 She is like a niddah who immerses herself within the seven days.
Halacha 13
When a person has relations with a major zavah after she immersed herself on the seventh day of her counting [of "spotless" days] or with a minor zavah after she immersed herself on the day on which she must watch herself, he is not liable for kerait, because she immersed herself at the time she was fit to immerse herself when regaining ritual purity.20 This woman, however, possessed improper culture, for relations with her and things she touches are tenative.21
Halacha 14
What is meant by their being "tentative"? If the day on which she immersed herself is completed without her discovering any uterine bleeding, everything which she touched after she immersed herself is ritually pure and there is no liability for relations with her. If, however, she discovers blood on this day after immersing herself, she is considered as a zavah retroactively. Anything which she touched is retroactively considered as impure and she and the man who engaged in relations with her are obligated to bring a sacrifice.22 Therefore she is forbidden to her husband until the evening, lest she bring herself to a situation involving doubt.
Halacha 15
When a zavah counts six "spotless" days and discovers uterine bleeding on the seventh day, even if it is close to sunset,23 all of the days counted previously are invalidated24 and she begins a new reckoning of seven "spotless" days after the impure day.
Halacha 16
If [a woman] discharges semen25 during the days she is counting, she invalidates one day. She is like a zav who has a seminal emission who invalidates one day [in his counting].26
If she discovered uterine bleeding on the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth days of her "days of zivah," she is not considered a major zavah. Instead, from the state of a minor zavah, she becomes a niddah. For the twelfth day is the beginning of her days of niddah27 and a woman who discovers bleeding in her days of niddah does not become a zavah, as we explained.28
Halacha 17What is the intent of the Torah's wording [Leviticus 15:25]: "After the time for niddah"? That if she discovered bleeding on the three days that follow her niddah [bleeding], she is a zavah,29 i.e., she discovered bleeding on the eighth day after the onset of the days of niddah, the ninth day, and the tenth day, i.e., the first three of the eleven days of zivah
[The following laws apply if a woman] discovers bleeding on the eleventh day of zivah and she immersed herself in the evening on the night of the twelfth day and engaged in relations.30 Although she is impure and the man who engaged in relations with her becomes impure and the laws regarding the impurity of the places where they both sit and lie apply, the couple are not liable for kerait. [The rationale is that] the twelfth day is not joined with the eleventh day for her to be considered a zavah. Her immersion that night is effective in saving her from [being liable to bring] a sacrifice.31
Halacha 18
If she immerses herself on the twelfth day after sunrise, she is forbidden to her husband until the evening as is the law with regard to any minor zavah.32 If [her husband] transgresses and engages in relations with her, neither of them are liable at all.33 Even if she discovers blood on the twelfth day after they engaged in relations it is of no significance. For this is the blood of niddah and it is not associated with [the bleeding of] the previous day.
Halacha 19
If she discovers bleeding at the conclusion of her seventh day of niddah during bein hashamashot,34 and then discovers bleeding on the ninth day and the tenth day, there is an unresolved doubt if she is considered a [major]35 zavah.36 For perhaps the [blood] discovered at first was on the eighth night and thus it is as if she discovered blood on three consecutive days at the beginning of her days of zivah.
Similarly, if she discovered bleeding on the ninth and tenth days of her days of zivah and discovered bleeding again at the conclusion of the eleventh day during bein hashamashot, there is an unresolved doubt if she is considered a [major] zavah. For perhaps the final discovery [of bleeding] was on the eleventh day and she will have discovered [bleeding] on three consecutive days during her days of zivah.
Halacha 20
When a niddah inspects herself in the midst of her days of niddah and discovers that her bleeding has ceased, even if it ceased on the second37 day of her menstrual period, and either, inadvertently or intentionally, did not inspect herself again until many days after her [days of] niddah and discovers impurity,38 we do not say that she was impure for all those days and [hence,] she is a zavah.39 Instead, throughout the entire time that she did not inspect herself, we operate under the presumption that she is pure.40
If she inspected herself and found impurity, even if she checked herself on the seventh of her days of niddah, if she did not inspect herself again [before] bein hashamashot to separate herself from the impurity of niddah, but instead waited [several] days and afterwards inspected herself and found that she was pure, there is an unresolved doubt if she is considered a [major] zavah.41
If she discovered impurity, she is definitely a zavah. [The rationale is that since] at the beginning she discovered impurity and at the end, she discovered impurity, we operate under the presumption that she did not stop bleeding.42
On the first day of menstruation, even though a woman [conducted an inspection and] found that she was pure, it is as if she discovered impurity. For on the first day of menstruation, we operate under the presumption that a woman's flow will continue.43
Halacha 21
When a zavah inspects herself on the first day of [the seven days]44 she must count and finds herself pure and then did not inspect herself until the seventh day and found that she was pure, she can be assumed to be pure.45 It is as if she inspected herself for all of the seven days and discovered herself to be pure.
Halacha 22
Similarly, if she inspects herself on the first day of [the seven days] she must count and finds herself pure and [inspects herself] on the eighth day and found that she was pure, she can be assumed to be pure.46
If she checked herself on the third day of zivah and discovered that the bleeding had ceased, but did not check herself on the first day of counting and then checked herself on the seventh day, she can be assumed to be pure.47
The same laws apply to a zav48 with regard to all these inspections if he finds himself pure and it is considered as if he counted these days.
Halacha 23
Whenever there is a doubt whether a woman is niddah or a zavah, she must count seven "spotless" days49 because of the doubt. She immerses herself on the night preceding the eighth day50 Afterwards, she is permitted to her husband. She must bring the sacrifice of a zavah, but it is not eaten as will be explained in the appropriate place.51
FOOTNOTES1. See Chapter 7, Halachah 1.2. See Chapter 4, Halachah 2,5.3. Niddah 96b states: "It [comes from] one source. [Here,] the Torah ruled it impure, and [here,] the Torah ruled it pure."4. I.e., this is speaking about a woman who has a regular day of the month or interval at which she menstruates.5. I.e., in addition to the impurity associated with niddah, ordinary menstrual bleeding, the Torah establishes a category of impurity when a woman suffers uterine bleeding at times other than the days she is a niddah. This category is referred to as zivah. A woman enters this category when she suffers uterine bleeding between the day following the seven days associated with her ordinary menstrual bleeding and the eighteenth day following those days. As will be explained in the commentary to the following halachot, there is a difference of opinion between the Rambam and the other Rishonim with regard to the definition of these seven days.6. As will be explained, according to the Rambam, the definition of days as "the days of niddah" is not dependent on whether a woman actually menstruates or not, but on the day when, according to the schedule established previously, she could be expected to menstruate.7. As occurs after birth, as stated in Chapter 7, Halachah 2.8. The simple meaning of the Rambam's words is that the same 18 day pattern - 7 days niddah, 11 days zivah - continues throughout a woman's life whether or not she menstruates on those days or not. When she menstruates she must see whether she is in the midst of the days of niddah or the days zivah and follow the appropriate laws.
Rashi and Ramban offer a different interpretation. According to their view, the day's of niddah and zivah depend on a woman's circumstances each month. When she menstruates, she begins the days of niddah. If she continues bleeding beyond seven days or if she discovers uterine bleeding after these seven days (but within the next eleven days), she becomes a zavah. She remains in that category until seven "spotless" days pass. After those seven days, when she discovers uterine bleeding again, she becomes a niddah. Similarly, if she does not discover uterine bleeding within the eleven days, the next time she discovers uterine bleeding, she is considered as a niddah.
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• 3 Chapters: Mechirah Mechirah - Chapter Seven, Mechirah Mechirah - Chapter Eight, Mechirah Mechirah - Chapter Nine
Mechirah - Chapter Seven
Halacha 1
Whenever a person pays money, but does not perform meshichah on the produce, although the purchaser does not acquire the movable property, as we have explained, the person who retracts - whether the purchaser or the seller - is considered not to have conducted himself in a Jewish manner. He is liable to receive the adjuration referred to as mi shepara. Even if the purchaser only made a deposit, if either of the parties involved retracts, that party is eligible to receive the adjuration referred to as mi shepara.
Halacha 2
What does receiving the adjuration referred to as mi shepara involve? He is cursed in court and told: "May He who exacted retribution from the generation of the flood, the generation who were dispersed, the inhabitants of Sodom and Amorah, and the Egyptians who drowned in the sea, exact retribution from a person who does not keep his word."
After this curse is administered, the seller should return the money.
Halacha 3
The following laws apply when a purchaser pays - either completely or partially - for movable property that he desires to purchase and then retracts and the seller tells him, "Come and collect your money." The money is considered to be an entrusted object. If it is stolen or lost, the seller is not responsible for it.
If, however, the seller retracts, the money is considered to be within his domain, and he is responsible for it even though he tells the purchaser, "Come and collect your money." This applies until he receives the adjuration mi shepara and tells the purchaser afterwards: "Come and collect your money."
Halacha 4
When a person is owed a debt by a colleague and tells him: "Sell me this jug of wine for the debt that you owe me," and the seller agrees, it is considered as if the purchaser paid the money at that time. If either party retracts, he is liable to receive the adjuration mi shepara.
Moreover, if he sold him landed property in exchange for the debt, neither party is allowed to retract. This applies even if the money given as a loan is no longer in the seller's possession at the time of the sale.
Halacha 5
When a person purchases landed property, servants or other movable property from a colleague, a price is agreed upon, and the purchaser leaves collateral in place of the money, the transaction is not completed. Either of the two can retract; he is not even liable to receive the adjuration mi shepara.
Halacha 6
The following rules apply when a verbal agreement alone was concluded with regard to the sale, a price was established, and the purchaser made a mark on the article so that he will have a sign that it is his. Even though the purchaser did not pay any money at all, if either of the parties retracts after the purchaser made the mark, he is liable to receive the adjuration mi shepara.
Moreover, if it is the accepted local business custom that making a mark constitutes a binding act of contract, by making that mark, the purchaser completes the transaction. Neither can retract, and the purchaser is liable to pay the price agreed to.
Halacha 7
It is a clear fact that this law applies only when the mark is made in the presence of the seller, or if the seller says: "Mark your purchase." For this indicates that he has agreed to transfer ownership, as explained with regard to chazakah and meshichah.
Halacha 8
When a person agrees to a transaction with a verbal commitment alone, it is appropriate for him to keep his word even though he did not take any money at all, did not make a mark on the article he desired to purchase, nor leave security. If either the seller or the purchaser retracts, although they are not liable to receive the adjuration mi shepara, they are considered to be faithless, and the spirit of the Sages does not derive satisfaction from them.
Halacha 9
Similarly, if a person promised to give a colleague a gift and failed to do so, he is considered to be faithless.
When does the above apply? With regard to a small gift, because the recipient will depend on the promise that he was given. With regard to a large gift, by contrast, the giver is not considered to be faithless if he retracts, because the recipient does not believe that he will give him these articlesuntil he transfers ownership through a formal kinyan.
Halacha 10
The following rule applies when a person gave money to a colleague to purchase landed property or movable property, and the agent left his colleague's money in his domain and went and purchased the object for himself with his own money. The purchase he performed is concluded; he is, however, considered to be a man of deceit.
Halacha 11
If the agent knows that the seller has affection for him and honors him and would sell the article to him, but not to the person who charged him with purchasing it, the agent is permitted to buy it for himself. He must, however, return and notify the one who sent him. If he is afraid that another person will come and purchase the article before him, he may purchase the article for himself and then notify the one who sent him.
Halacha 12
Several Rabbinic authorities have ruled that if the agent purchased the article for himself using the money entrusted to him by his colleague after considering it to be a loan, he is considered to have purchased the article for himself. We accept his claim: "I considered the money that I was given to be a loan."
I differ and maintain that this ruling is not true. Instead, the purchase belongs to the principal, as will be explained with regard to the laws of an investment partnership.
Halacha 13
The following rules apply when three people give money to one agent to purchase an article for them: If the monies were mixed together, and the agent used only a portion of the money to purchase the article, the article is considered the property of all the purchasers, and they divide ownership of it according to their share of the money. This applies even if the intent of the agent was that the article be purchased by only one of them.
Halacha 14
If the money of one of the partners was bound up and sealed, and that money was used to complete the purchase, the partner whose funds were used alone acquires ownership. This applies even if the agent intended that the article be acquired by all the partnership as a joint enterprise.
Mechirah - Chapter Eight
Halacha 1
The following rules apply when a person sold his field to a colleague for 1000 zuz, the purchaser paid a portion of the funds, and the seller was repeatedly demanding payment of the remainder. Even if there was only one zuz remaining unpaid, the purchaser does not acquire the entire field. This applies even if the seller had a deed of sale composed or the purchaser manifested ownership.
Halacha 2
In the above situation, if the purchaser retracts, the seller is given the upper hand. If he desires, he can tell the purchaser: "Here is your money," or he can tell him: "Acquire a portion of the land equivalent to the money that you paid me." In this instance, he gives the purchaser the land of least value.
If the seller retracts, the purchaser is given the upper hand. If he desires, he can tell the seller: "Give me my money," or he can tell him: "Give me a portion of the land equivalent to the money that I paid." In this instance, he takes the choicest portion of the land.
If the seller was not repeatedly demanding payment of the remainder, the purchaser acquires the entire property. Neither can retract. The remainder of the money unpaid at the time of sale is considered as any other debt.
Halacha 3
If a person sold his field because it was of inferior quality, even when the seller repeatedly demands payment of the remainder of the money, the purchaser acquires the entire property, and he is not entitled to retract. For the reason the seller is pursuing the purchaser and demanding payment is not that he has not agreed to transfer ownership, but to prevent the purchaser from retracting.
Halacha 4
The same law applies with regard to the sale of movable property. Although the purchaser draws produce after him and brings it into his domain, if the seller repeatedly demands payment of the remainder of the money, the purchaser does not acquire the goods. The person who retracts has the lower hand, as has been explained above,unless the seller sold the goods because of their inferior quality. In such an instance, the purchaser acquires all the goods.
Halacha 5
When a person buys a field worth 100 zuz for 200, and the seller repeatedly demands payment of the remainder of the money, the status of the transaction remains an unresolved question: Is the person considered to be one who sold his field because of its inferior quality, and he is demanding payment only because he sold it for more than its worth? Or he is not considered to be one who sold his field because of its inferior quality, and he is demanding payment because he did not decide to complete its sale until he received all the money?
Because the matter is unresolved, neither party is allowed to retract. If the seller seizes possession of a portion of the property that was sold equivalent to the worth of the money left unpaid, it should not be expropriated from his possession.
Halacha 6
When a person acquires something from a colleague and pays him money, but errs in the amount of money he gave him the transaction is valid. If afterwards the seller lodges a claim against the purchaser, saying: "You were supposed to pay me 100 zuz, and you paid me only ninety," the transaction is still viable. The purchaser must, however, pay the additional ten zuz.
The above applies even though several years have passed since the transaction and applies with regard to the sale of both landed property and movable property.
Halacha 7
The following rules apply when a person tells a colleague: "If I sell this field, it will be sold to you retroactively from the present time for 100 zuz" and confirms this with a kinyan. If the seller later sells it to another person for 100 zuz, it is acquired by the first person.
If he sells it for more than that amount, the second person acquires it. The rationale is that by saying: "If I sell," he meant "If I sell it with the same approach that I have now." And this person did not want to sell it; he sold it only because of the additional amount that the other person added on. It is as if he were forced to sell.
Halacha 8
If the seller told the first purchaser: "If I sell this field, it will be sold to you retroactively from the present time for the price to be evaluated by a court of three," the price need be agreed on by only two of the three.
If he said: "As dictated by three," all three must agree. If he said: "As evaluated by a court of four," all four must agree. For the sale to the first purchaser to take effect, the judges must agree on the price, and he must sell it to another person as they agreed. Afterwards, the first purchaser acquires the property.
If three or four people evaluate it and the seller says: "I will not sell it until three or four others evaluate it," we do not heed him. For he confirmed his commitment to sell retroactively with a kinyan.
Mechirah - Chapter Nine
Halacha 1
The following rules apply when a person sells an article to the Temple treasury. If the representative of the treasury asks him: "How much are you selling it for?" and the person says: "Ten zuz" even if it is worth 100, once he said ten he cannot retract. For making a promise to the Most High is considered equivalent to transferring the article in question to the possession of a colleague.
Halacha 2
Whether a representative of the treasury buys or sells an article, he is always given the upper hand if there is a fluctuation in the article's value.
What is implied? If the representative paid with money from the Temple treasury, but did not perform meshichah on the produce, although the value of the produce increases, the Temple treasury nevertheless acquires the produce, as prescribed by Scriptural Law. If the value of the produce decreases, the Temple treasurer may retract, for he did not perform meshichah, and the legal power of an ordinary person should not be greater than that of the Temple treasury.
Similarly, if the Temple treasurer sold an article that had been consecrated, the purchaser performed meshichah, but did not pay for it, and then the value of the article decreases, the transaction is finalized. For the legal power of an ordinary person should not be greater than that of the Temple treasury. If the value of the article increases, the representative of the treasury may retract, for he did not accept payment, and consecrated articles may be acquired only through the payment of money, as implied by the verse: "And he shall give the money and it will be established as his." The representative of the treasury is not liable to receive the adjuration mi shepara. 3. Property belonging to orphans is governed by the same rules as those governing the Temple treasury.
What is implied? When orphans sell produce, and meshichah is performed on the produce, but they have not yet received the money for it, they may retract from the agreement if the value of the produce increases. For like consecrated property, property belonging to orphans can be acquired only through the transfer of money.
If the value of the produce decreases the transaction should be allowed to stand. For the legal power of an ordinary person should not be greater than the legal power of orphans.
Halacha 4
Similarly, if orphans received payment, but meshichah was not performed on their produce before it increased in value, they may retract as may ordinary individuals. If, however, the value of the produce decreased and the purchasers desire to retract, they may do so, but they must receive the adjuration mi shepara, as would be the law with regard to others.
They are allowed to retract because if we required them to keep the produce, as would be required by Scriptural Law, this would be a disservice to the orphans. For if this were the law, when the orphans desire to sell an object, they would never find anyone who would be willing to pay them money unless the object were handed over first.
Halacha 5
Similar principles apply if orphans purchase produce and perform meshichah on the produce, but have not yet paid for it. If the value of the produce increases, the legal power of an ordinary person should not be greater than their legal power. Therefore, the transaction should be allowed to stand."
If the value of the produce decreases, they are not allowed to retract. For this would be a disservice to them. If they were given this privilege, should they desire to purchase produce, they would not find anyone who would sell it to them before they made payment.
Halacha 6
If the orphans paid for produce but did not perform meshichah, and then the value of the produce decreases, they may retract, for the legal power of an ordinary person should not be greater than their legal power. If the value of the produce increases, the sellers may retract if they desire and receive the adjuration mi shepara. For if the law were that the orphans acquire the produce by the payment of money, the seller would tell themthat the produce was destroyed by fire or another factor beyond human control after the produce entered their property, at the time payment was made.
Halacha 7
On four occasions during the year, our Sages restricted their enactments and applied Scriptural Law with regard to the purchase of meat, for on these days, all people need meat. The times are the day before Shemini Atzeret, the day before the first day of Pesach, the day before Shavuot and the day before Rosh HaShanah.
What is implied? If a butcher had a steer that was worth even 100 dinarim, and he took one dinar from the purchaser in exchange for meat that he would slaughter, he cannot retract, even if enough money is not collected to pay for the entire value of the steer. Instead, the butcher is compelled to slaughter against his will. He is forcibly made to slaughter the steer and provide the purchaser with meat.
For this reason, if the steer dies before being ritually slaughtered, the purchaser suffers the loss.
Hayom Yom:
• SHABBAT, Elul 21, 5775 · 05 sEPTEMBER 2015
"Today's Day"
Tuesday Elul 21 5703
Torah lessons: Chumash: Nitzavim-Vayeilech, Shlishi with Rashi.
Tehillim: 104-105. Also 61-63.
Tanya: XVII. It is known (p. 481) ...note there carefully]. (p. 483).
Our first father, Avraham, as a result of his avoda with self-sacrifice to make G-d - the one G-d - widely known among all mankind, merited to bequeath to his descendants (to the end of all generations) pure faith in G-d and His Torah. Hence, every Jewish man and woman has the power and fortitude to offer his life for the holy Torah.1
FOOTNOTES1. See Tanya Ch. 18, Ch. 25
Daily Thought:
Essential Good
At the core of all our thoughts and beliefs lies the conviction that the underlying reality is wholly good. That evil lies only at the surface, a thin film of distortion soon to be washed away by the waves.
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