Today is: Monday, Sivan 21, 5776 · June 27, 2016•
Torah Reading
Shlach: Numbers 13:1 Adonai said to Moshe, 2 “Send men on your behalf to reconnoiter the land of Kena‘an, which I am giving to the people of Isra’el. From each ancestral tribe send someone who is a leader in his tribe.” 3 Moshe dispatched them from the Pa’ran Desert as Adonai had ordered; all of them were leading men among the people of Isra’el. 4 Here are their names:
from the tribe of Re’uven, Shamua the son of Zakur;
5 from the tribe of Shim‘on, Shafat the son of Hori;
6 from the tribe of Y’hudah, Kalev the son of Y’funeh;
7 from the tribe of Yissakhar, Yig’al the son of Yosef;
8 from the tribe of Efrayim, Hoshea the son of Nun;
9 from the tribe of Binyamin, Palti the son of Rafu;
10 from the tribe of Z’vulun, Gadi’el the son of Sodi;
11 from the tribe of Yosef, that is, from the tribe of M’nasheh, Gadi the son of Susi;
12 from the tribe of Dan, ‘Ammi’el the son of G’malli;
13 from the tribe of Asher, S’tur the son of Mikha’el;
14 from the tribe of Naftali, Nachbi the son of Vofsi; and
15 from the tribe of Gad, Ge’u’el the son of Makhi.
16 These are the names of the men Moshe sent out to reconnoiter the land. Moshe gave to Hoshea the son of Nun the name Y’hoshua.
17 Moshe sent them to reconnoiter the land of Kena‘an, instructing them, “Go on up to the Negev and into the hills, 18 and see what the land is like. Notice the people living there, whether they are strong or weak, few or many; 19 and what kind of country they live in, whether it is good or bad; and what kind of cities they live in, open or fortified. 20 See whether the land is fertile or unproductive and whether there is wood in it or not. Finally, be bold enough to bring back some of the fruit of the land.”
When they left it was the season for the first grapes to ripen.
Daily Quote:One should cast himself into a fiery furnace rather than shame his fellow in public[Talmud, Sotah 10b]
Daily Study:Chitas and Rambam for today:
Chumash: Shlach, 2nd Portion Numbers 13:21-14:7 with Rashi
• English / Hebrew Linear Translation | Video Class• Numbers Chapter 13
21So they went up and explored the land, from the desert of Zin until Rehov, at the entrance to Hamath. כאוַיַּֽעֲל֖וּ וַיָּתֻ֣רוּ אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ מִמִּדְבַּר־צִ֥ן עַד־רְחֹ֖ב לְבֹ֥א חֲמָֽת:
from the desert of Zin until Rehov at the entrance to Hamath: They walked along the length and width of its borders, [so that their path looked] like a [Greek] gamma. They walked along the side which was the southern border, from the eastern corner to the western corner, as Moses had directed them: “Go up this way in the south”-by way of the southeastern border until the sea, for the sea was its western border. From there they turned and walked along the entire western border, which is the coast, until the entrance to Hamath, which is near Mount Hor, in the northwestern corner, as is described in the borders of the Land in the portion [beginning with the words,] “These are the travels” (34:6).
ממדבר צן עד רחב לבא חמת: הלכו בגבוליה באורך וברוחב כמין גאם, הלכו רוח גבול דרומית ממקצוע מזרח עד מקצוע מערב, כמו שצוה משה עלו זה בנגב, דרך גבול דרומית מזרחית עד הים, שהים הוא גבול מערבי. ומשם חזרו והלכו כל גבול מערבי על שפת הים עד לבא חמת, שהוא אצל הר ההר במקצוע מערבית צפונית, כמו שמפורש בגבולות הארץ בפרשת אלה מסעי:
22They went up in, the south, and he came to Hebron, and there were Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of the giant. Now Hebron had been built seven years before Zoan of Egypt. כבוַיַּֽעֲל֣וּ בַנֶּ֘גֶב֘ וַיָּבֹ֣א עַד־חֶבְרוֹן֒ וְשָׁ֤ם אֲחִימָן֙ שֵׁשַׁ֣י וְתַלְמַ֔י יְלִידֵ֖י הָֽעֲנָ֑ק וְחֶבְר֗וֹן שֶׁ֤בַע שָׁנִים֙ נִבְנְתָ֔ה לִפְנֵ֖י צֹ֥עַן מִצְרָֽיִם:
and he came to Hebron: Caleb went there alone [hence the singular “he came”] to prostrate himself on the graves of the patriarchs [in prayer] that he not be enticed by his colleagues to be part of their counsel. Thus, it says, “I will give him [Caleb] the land on which he has walked” (Deut. 1:36), and it is written, “They gave Hebron to Caleb” (Jud. 1:20). - [Sotah 34b]
ויבא עד חברון: כלב לבדו הלך שם ונשתטח על קברי אבות, שלא יהא ניסת לחבריו להיות בעצתם, וכן הוא אומר (דברים א, לו) ולו אתן את הארץ אשר דרך בה, וכתיב (שופטים א, כ) ויתנו לכלב את חברון:
had been built seven years: Is it possible that Ham built Hebron for Canaan, his youngest son, before he built Zoan for Mizraim, his eldest son? Rather, it was stocked with everything good, seven times more than Zoan. The intention is to inform you of the excellence of the Land of Israel, for there is no place in the Land of Israel rockier than Hebron, which was why it was designated for a burial ground. And there is no country in the world as excellent as Egypt, as it says, “it was like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt” (Gen. 13: 10). Zoan is the best part of Egypt, for the residence of the kings is situated there, as it says, “for his princes were in Zoan” (Isa. 30:4). Yet Hebron was superior to it seven times over. — [Sotah 34b]
שבע שנים נבנתה: אפשר שבנה חם את חברון לכנען בנו הקטן קודם שיבנה את צוען למצרים בנו הגדול, אלא שהיתה מבונה בכל טוב על אחד משבעה בצוען. ובא להודיעך שבחה של ארץ ישראל, שאין לך טרשין בארץ ישראל יותר מחברון, לפיכך הקצוה לקברות מתים, ואין לך מעולה בכל ארצות כמצרים, שנאמר (בראשית יג, י) כגן ה' כארץ מצרים, וצוען היא המעולה שבארץ מצרים ששם מושב המלכים, שנאמר (ישעיה ל, ד) כי היו בצוען שריו, והיתה חברון טובה ממנה שבעה חלקים:
23They came to the Valley of Eshkol and they cut a branch with a cluster of grapes. They carried it on a pole between two [people] and [they also took] some pomegranates and figs. כגוַיָּבֹ֜אוּ עַד־נַ֣חַל אֶשְׁכֹּ֗ל וַיִּכְרְת֨וּ מִשָּׁ֤ם זְמוֹרָה֙ וְאֶשְׁכּ֤וֹל עֲנָבִים֙ אֶחָ֔ד וַיִּשָּׂאֻ֥הוּ בַמּ֖וֹט בִּשְׁנָ֑יִם וּמִן־הָֽרִמֹּנִ֖ים וּמִן־הַתְּאֵנִֽים:
a branch: A vine branch with a cluster of grapes hanging on it.
זמורה: שוכת גפן ואשכול של ענבים תלוי בה:
They carried it on a pole between two [people]: From the implication of what it says “they carried [in the plural] it on a pole” do I not know that it was [carried] by two? So what does “[between] two” tell us? [The answer is:] With two poles. How was it done? Eight of them took a cluster [of grapes], one took a fig and one took a pomegranate. Joshua and Caleb did not take anything, for the intention of the others was to present a slanderous report, [namely,] just as its fruit is extraordinary, so its people are extraordinary. If you wish to know how much one of them carried, go forth and learn from the stones they set up at Gilgal: Each man carried on his shoulder one stone [from the Jordan] and set it up at Gilgal. The Sages weighed them [and determined that] each stone weighed forty seah, and it is a fact that the load a person can carry on his shoulders is only a third of the weight of the load he can carry when others help him lift it. — [Sotah 34b]
וישאהו במוט בשנים: ממשמע שנאמר וישאוהו במוט איני יודע שהוא בשנים, מה תלמוד לומר בשנים, בשני מוטות. הא כיצד, שמונה נטלו אשכול, אחד נטל תאנה ואחד רמון, יהושע וכלב לא נטלו כלום, לפי שכל עצמם להוציא דבה נתכוונו, כשם שפריה משונה כך עמה משונה. ואם חפץ אתה לידע כמה משאוי אחד מהם צא ולמד מאבנים שהקימו בגלגל, (יהושע ד ה) הרימו לכם איש אבן אחת על שכמו, והקימוה בגלגל. ושקלום רבותינו משקל כל אחת ארבעים סאה. וגמירי, טונא דמדלי אינש על כתפיה, אינו אלא שליש משאוי ממשאוי שמסייעין אותו להרים:
24They called that place the Valley of Eshkol because of the cluster [eshkol] the children of Israel cut from there. כדלַמָּק֣וֹם הַה֔וּא קָרָ֖א נַ֣חַל אֶשְׁכּ֑וֹל עַ֚ל אֹד֣וֹת הָאֶשְׁכּ֔וֹל אֲשֶׁר־כָּֽרְת֥וּ מִשָּׁ֖ם בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
25They returned from scouting the Land at the end of forty days. כהוַיָּשֻׁ֖בוּ מִתּ֣וּר הָאָ֑רֶץ מִקֵּ֖ץ אַרְבָּעִ֥ים יֽוֹם:
They returned from scouting the Land at the end of forty days: But does not the Land measure four hundred parasangs by four hundred parasangs [a parasang is equivalent to about three-and-a-half miles in length], and an average person’s daily traveling distance is ten parasangs? Thus, it takes forty days to walk from east to west, and they traversed its length and its breadth? However, since it was revealed before the Holy One, blessed is He, that He would sentence them with a year for every day, he shortened the way [so they covered ground more rapidly]. — [Mid. Tanchuma 8]
וישבו מתור הארץ מקץ ארבעים יום: והלא ארבע מאות פרסה על ארבע מאות פרסה היא, ומהלך אדם בינוני עשרה פרסאות ליום, הרי מהלך ארבעים יום מן המזרח למערב והם הלכו ארכה ורחבה, אלא שגלוי לפני הקב"ה שיגזור עליהם יום לשנה, קצר לפניהם את הדרך:
26They went, and they came to Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the children of Israel in the desert of Paran, to Kadesh. They brought them back a report, as well as to the entire congregation, and they showed them the fruit of the land. כווַיֵּֽלְכ֡וּ וַיָּבֹ֩אוּ֩ אֶל־משֶׁ֨ה וְאֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֜ן וְאֶל־כָּל־עֲדַ֧ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֶל־מִדְבַּ֥ר פָּארָ֖ן קָדֵ֑שָׁה וַיָּשִׁ֨יבוּ אֹתָ֤ם דָּבָר֙ וְאֶת־כָּל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה וַיַּרְא֖וּם אֶת־פְּרִ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ:
They went, and they came: What is meant by“They went”? [It says already that they returned.] To compare their going with their coming. Just as their return was with evil intent, so was their departure [on the journey] with evil intent. — [Sotah 35a]
וילכו ויבואו: מהו וילכו, להקיש הליכתן לביאתן, מה ביאתן בעצה רעה, אף הליכתן בעצה רעה:
They brought them back a report: To Moses and Aaron.
וישיבו אתם דבר: את משה ואת אהרן:
27They told him and said, "We came to the land to which you sent us, and it is flowing with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. כזוַיְסַפְּרוּ־לוֹ֙ וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ בָּ֕אנוּ אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שְׁלַחְתָּ֑נוּ וְ֠גַ֠ם זָבַ֨ת חָלָ֥ב וּדְבַ֛שׁ הִ֖וא וְזֶה־פִּרְיָֽהּ:
flowing with milk and honey: Any lie in which a little truth is not stated in the beginning cannot be maintained in the end. — [Sotah 35a]
זבת חלב ודבש הוא: כל דבר שקר שאין אומרים בו קצת אמת בתחלתו, אין מתקיים בסופו:
28However, the people who inhabit the land are mighty, and the cities are extremely huge and fortified, and there we saw even the offspring of the giant. כחאֶ֚פֶס כִּי־עַ֣ז הָעָ֔ם הַיּשֵׁ֖ב בָּאָ֑רֶץ וְהֶֽעָרִ֗ים בְּצֻר֤וֹת גְּדֹלֹת֙ מְאֹ֔ד וְגַם־יְלִדֵ֥י הָֽעֲנָ֖ק רָאִ֥ינוּ שָֽׁם:
fortified: Heb. בְּצֻרוֹת, an expression denoting strength.The Targum [Onkelos], however, renders, כְּרִיכָן, a term meaning circular fortresses; in Aramaic כְּרִיךְ means “circular.” - [See Aruch, first definition of כרך]
בצרות: לשון חוזק, ותרגומו כריכן, לשון בירניות עגולות, ובלשון ארמי כריך עגול:
29The Amalekites dwell in the south land, while the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the mountainous region. The Canaanites dwell on the coast and alongside the Jordan." כטעֲמָלֵ֥ק יוֹשֵׁ֖ב בְּאֶ֣רֶץ הַנֶּ֑גֶב וְ֠הַֽחִתִּ֠י וְהַיְבוּסִ֤י וְהָֽאֱמֹרִי֙ יוֹשֵׁ֣ב בָּהָ֔ר וְהַכְּנַֽעֲנִי֙ יוֹשֵׁ֣ב עַל־הַיָּ֔ם וְעַ֖ל יַ֥ד הַיַּרְדֵּֽן:
The Amalekites dwell: Since they had already been“burnt” by Amalek [as it were,] the spies mentioned it in order to frighten them. — [Mid. Tanchuma 9]
עמלק יושב וגו': לפי שנכוו בעמלק כבר, הזכירוהו מרגלים כדי לייראם:
and alongside the Jordan: Heb. וְעַל יַד הַיַּרְדֵּן. [The word] יַד is [used] in its literal sense, next to the Jordan, so that you will be unable to cross.
על יד הירדן: יד כמשמעו, אצל הירדן, ולא תוכלו לעבור:
30Caleb silenced the people to [hear about] Moses, and he said, "We can surely go up and take possession of it, for we can indeed overcome it." לוַיַּ֧הַס כָּלֵ֛ב אֶת־הָעָ֖ם אֶל־משֶׁ֑ה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר עָלֹ֤ה נַֽעֲלֶה֙ וְיָרַ֣שְׁנוּ אֹתָ֔הּ כִּֽי־יָכ֥וֹל נוּכַ֖ל לָֽהּ:
Caleb silenced: Heb. וַיַּהַס, he silenced them all [the spies so that the people could what he was going to say].
ויהס כלב: השתיק את כולם:
to Moses: to hear what he would say about Moses. He cried out, “Is this the only thing the son of Amram has done to us?” Anyone listening might have thought that he intended to disparage him, and since there was [resentment] in their hearts against Moses because of the spies’ report, they all became silent so they could hear his defamation. But he said, “Didn’t he split the sea for us, bring down the manna for us and cause the quails to fly down to us?” - [Sotah 35a]
אל משה: לשמוע מה שידבר במשה. צווח ואמר וכי זו בלבד עשה לנו בן עמרם. השומע היה סבור שבא לספר בגנותו, מתוך שהיה בלבם על משה בשביל דברי המרגלים. שתקו כולם לשמוע גנותו, אמר והלא קרע לנו את הים והוריד לנו את המן והגיז לנו את השליו:
We can surely go up: even to heaven; if he tells us,“Make ladders and go up there,” we will succeed in whatever he says. — [Sotah 35a]
עלה נעלה: אפילו בשמים והוא אומר עשו סולמות ועלו שם נצליח בכל דבריו:
silenced: Heb. וַיַּהַס, a term denoting silence; similarly,“Silence (הַס) all flesh” (Zech. 2:17);“’Still (הַס) ! This is for not mentioning [the Lord’s Name]’” (Amos. 6:10). Similarly, it is the custom for someone who wants to silence a group to say,“Shhh!”
ויהס: לשון שתיקה, וכן (זכריה ב, יז) הס כל בשר, (עמוס ו, י) הס כי לא להזכיר. כן דרך בני אדם הרוצה לשתק אגודת אנשים אומר הס:
31But the men who went up with him said, "We are unable to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we. לאוְהָ֨אֲנָשִׁ֜ים אֲשֶׁר־עָל֤וּ עִמּוֹ֙ אָֽמְר֔וּ לֹ֥א נוּכַ֖ל לַֽעֲל֣וֹת אֶל־הָעָ֑ם כִּֽי־חָזָ֥ק ה֖וּא מִמֶּֽנּוּ:
for they are stronger than we: Heb. מִמֶּנּוּ, [which may also be interpreted as, they are stronger than he.] They said this in reference to the most High, as it were, [as if to say that the people are stronger than He. — [Sotah 35a]
חזק הוא ממנו: כביכול כלפי מעלה אמרו:
32They spread an [evil] report about the land which they had scouted, telling the children of Israel, "The land we passed through to explore is a land that consumes its inhabitants, and all the people we saw in it are men of stature. לבוַיֹּצִ֜יאוּ דִּבַּ֤ת הָאָ֨רֶץ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תָּר֣וּ אֹתָ֔הּ אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר הָאָ֡רֶץ אֲשֶׁר֩ עָבַ֨רְנוּ בָ֜הּ לָת֣וּר אֹתָ֗הּ אֶ֣רֶץ אֹכֶ֤לֶת יֽוֹשְׁבֶ֨יהָ֙ הִ֔וא וְכָל־הָעָ֛ם אֲשֶׁר־רָאִ֥ינוּ בְתוֹכָ֖הּ אַנְשֵׁ֥י מִדּֽוֹת:
consumes its inhabitants: Wherever we passed, we found them burying dead. The Holy One, blessed is He, intended this for good, to keep them occupied with their mourning so they should not notice them [the spies]. — [Sotah 35a]
אוכלת יושביה: בכל מקום שעברנו מצאנום קוברי מתים, והקב"ה עשה לטובה כדי לטרדם באבלם ולא יתנו לב לאלו:
men of stature: Big and tall, those to whom measurements are attributed [because of their unusual size], such as Goliath [about whom it says] “his height was six cubits and a span” (I Sam. 17:4); similarly,“a man of great stature (מָדוֹן) ” (II Sam. 21:20);“a man of stature (מִדָּה)” (I Chron. 11:23).
אנשי מדות: גדולים וגבוהים וצריך לתת להם מדה, כגון גלית (שמואל א' יז, ד) גבהו שש אמות וזרת, וכן (שמואל ב' כא, כ) איש מדון, (ד"ה א' יא, כג) איש מדה:
33There we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, descended from the giants. In our eyes, we seemed like grasshoppers, and so we were in their eyes. לגוְשָׁ֣ם רָאִ֗ינוּ אֶת־הַנְּפִילִ֛ים בְּנֵ֥י עֲנָ֖ק מִן־הַנְּפִלִ֑ים וַנְּהִ֤י בְעֵינֵ֨ינוּ֙ כַּֽחֲגָבִ֔ים וְכֵ֥ן הָיִ֖ינוּ בְּעֵֽינֵיהֶֽם:
the giants: Heb. נְפִילִים, giants, descended from Shamhazai (Nidah 61a) and Azael (Yoma 67b), who fell (שֶׁנָּפְלוּ)) from heaven in the generation of Enosh.
הנפילים: ענקים מבני שמחזאי ועזאל שנפלו מן השמים בימי דור אנוש:
and so we were in their eyes: We heard them telling each other,“There are ants in the vineyard who look like people.” - [Sotah 35a]
וכן היינו בעיניהם: שמענו אומרים זה לזה נמלים יש בכרמים כאנשים:
Anak: [The name עִנָק is given] because the sun was draped around the neck מַעֲנִיקִים because of their height. — [Sotah 34b]
ענק: שמעניקים חמה בקומתן:
Numbers Chapter 14
1The entire community raised their voices and shouted, and the people wept on that night. אוַתִּשָּׂא֙ כָּל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה וַיִּתְּנ֖וּ אֶת־קוֹלָ֑ם וַיִּבְכּ֥וּ הָעָ֖ם בַּלַּ֥יְלָה הַהֽוּא:
The entire community: The members of the Sanhedrin. - [Mid. Tanchuma Shelach 13]
כל העדה: סנהדראות:
2All the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the entire congregation said, "If only we had died in the land of Egypt, or if only we had died in this desert. בוַיִּלֹּ֨נוּ֙ עַל־משֶׁ֣ה וְעַל־אַֽהֲרֹ֔ן כֹּ֖ל בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיֹּֽאמְר֨וּ אֲלֵהֶ֜ם כָּל־הָֽעֵדָ֗ה לוּ־מַ֨תְנוּ֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם א֛וֹ בַּמִּדְבָּ֥ר הַזֶּ֖ה לוּ־מָֽתְנוּ:
If only we had died: Heb. לוּ מַתְנוּ. We wish that we would have died. - [Targum Onkelos]
לו מתנו: הלואי ומתנו:
3Why does the Lord bring us to this land to fall by the sword; our wives and children will be as spoils. Is it not better for us to return to Egypt?" גוְלָמָ֣ה יְ֠הֹוָ֠ה מֵבִ֨יא אֹתָ֜נוּ אֶל־הָאָ֤רֶץ הַזֹּאת֙ לִנְפֹּ֣ל בַּחֶ֔רֶב נָשֵׁ֥ינוּ וְטַפֵּ֖נוּ יִֽהְי֣וּ לָבַ֑ז הֲל֧וֹא ט֥֥וֹב לָ֖נוּ שׁ֥וּב מִצְרָֽיְמָה:
4They said to each other, "Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt!" דוַיֹּֽאמְר֖וּ אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־אָחִ֑יו נִתְּנָ֥ה רֹ֖אשׁ וְנָשׁ֥וּבָה מִצְרָֽיְמָה:
Let us appoint a leader: Heb. נִתְּנָה רֹאשׁ. As the Targum renders, “Let us appoint a head.” Let us appoint a king over us. Our Sages, however, explained this as a term referring to idolatry. - [Mechilta Beshallach (Vayassa 1:22), Othioth d’Rabbi Akiva p. 398, Midrash Tannaim p. 2, Midrash Lekach Tov]
נתנה ראש: כתרגומו נמני רישא, נשים עלינו מלך, ורבותינו פירשו לשון עבודה זרה:
5Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before the entire congregation of the children of Israel. הוַיִּפֹּ֥ל משֶׁ֛ה וְאַֽהֲרֹ֖ן עַל־פְּנֵיהֶ֑ם לִפְנֵ֕י כָּל־קְהַ֥ל עֲדַ֖ת בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
6Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had scouted the land, tore their clothes. ווִֽיהוֹשֻׁ֣עַ בִּן־נ֗וּן וְכָלֵב֙ בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּ֔ה מִן־הַתָּרִ֖ים אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ קָֽרְע֖וּ בִּגְדֵיהֶֽם:
7They spoke to the entire congregation of the children of Israel, saying, "The land we passed through to scout is an exceedingly good land. זוַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ אֶל־כָּל־עֲדַ֥ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָבַ֤רְנוּ בָהּ֙ לָת֣וּר אֹתָ֔הּ טוֹבָ֥ה הָאָ֖רֶץ מְאֹ֥ד מְאֹֽד:
Daily Tehillim: Chapters 104 - 105• Hebrew text
• English text• Chapter 104
• Lessons in Tanya• English Text
• English text• 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
Tanya: Shaar Hayichud Vehaemunah, middle of Chapter 7• Lessons in Tanya• English Text
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• Monday, Sivan 21, 5776 · June 27, 2016
• Shaar Hayichud Vehaemunah, middle of Chapter 7
• והנה גדר ובחינת שם עולם נופל על בחינת מקום ובחינת זמן דוקא
Rambam:
• Sefer Hamitzvos:• English Text | Hebrew Text |
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The term “world” can be applied solely to [that which possesses] the dimensions of space and time,
בחינת מקום הוא מזרח ומערב, צפון, דרום, מעלה ומטה
“space” referring to east, west, north and south, upward and downward,
ובחינת זמן: עבר, הוה ועתיד
and “time” referring to past, present and future.
Only with regard to entities that are subject to the limitations of space and time can the term “world” be applied.
והנה כל בחינות אלו אין להם שייכות במדות הקדושות העליונות
All these dimensions of space and time have no relation to the holy supernal attributes of the World of Atzilut,because those attributes are infinite.
As explained earlier, the attribute of Chesed is infinite; so, too, are the other attributes in the World of Atzilut. Hence, by definition, they are not at all subject to the limitations of space and time.
כי אם במדת מלכותו יתברך לבדה שייך לומר שהוא יתברך מלך למעלה עד אין קץ ולמטה עד אין תכלית, וכן לד׳ סטרין
Only concerning the attribute of [G‑d’s] Malchut is it possible to say that He is King “Above without end and below without limit,” and likewise in all four directions.
This means to say that G‑d is King of all creatures, from the very highest to the very lowest. Thus, when speaking ofMalchut, it is in order to use terminology that has some relationship to space, such as “higher” and “lower”. This indicates that Malchut itself has some relationship to the aspects of time and space.
וכן בבחינת זמן
The same is true concerning the dimension of time, i.e., that the attribute of Malchut is in some small measure related to time, as it is written:1
ה׳ מלך, ה׳ מלך, ה׳ ימלוך
“G‑d reigns, G‑d has reigned, G‑d will reign.”
I.e., G‑d’s reign is related to present, past, and future — the dimension of time.
ונמצא שחיות המקום וכן חיות הזמן, והתהוותם מאין ליש, וקיומם כל זמן קיומם, הוא ממדת מלכותו יתברך ושם אדנות ברוך הוא
Thus, the life-force of space, and likewise of time, and their coming into being from nothingness, and their existence as long as they shall exist, are from [G‑d’s] attribute of Malchut, and from the Name of Adnut.
ולפי שמדת מלכותו יתברך מיוחדת במהותו ועצמותו יתברך בתכלית היחוד, כמו שיתבאר
Now, since [G‑d’s] attribute of Malchut is united with His Essence and Being in an absolute union, as will be explained,
הלכך גם בחינת המקום והזמן בטילים במציאות ממש לגבי מהותו ועצמותו יתברך, כביטול אור השמש בשמש
space and time which are created from Malchut are therefore also completely nullified in relation to [G‑d’s] Essence and Being, just as sunlight whilst it is still within the orb of the sun is nullified in the sun.
This means to say: As long as Malchut still exists in a state of complete union with G‑d’s Essence and Being, space and time — the source of worlds — as found within the attribute of Malchut are utterly nullified relative to G‑d.
This state is called “higher-level Unity.” It exists only before the descent of Malchut through various tzimtzumim in order to vest itself in the lower worlds, thereby creating them and providing them with life. It is then that the worlds enjoy the state of “higher-level Unity,” because from the perspective of the pristine source of Malchut and Adnut which brings about their existence, their actual creation is as yet inconceivable, inasmuch as Malchut and Adnut are still in a state of inclusion within their source. Consequently, space and time “exist” there in the same manner as the light of the sun “exists” within the sun — in a state of complete nullity.
וזהו שילוב שם אדנות בשם הוי"ה
And this is the [meaning of the] alternation of the [letters of the] Name of Adnut with the [letters of the] Name Havayah.
When the letters of one Divine Name are alternated with the letters of another, the Name whose initial letter appears first is the dominant one, the second Name being intertwined and encompassed by it. If, for example, the first letter is the initial of the Divine Name that designates Chesed and the second letter is the initial of the Divine Name that designates Gevurah, the revelation of Chesed will predominate.
One speaks of “the alternation of the [letters of the] Name of Adnut with the [letters of the] Name Havayah” when referring to Malchut and Adnut while they are still united with G‑d’s Essence and Being, which are too lofty to serve as a source for created beings.
The eventual source of the existence of created beings is Malchut and Adnut. Nevertheless, since the Divine NameHavayah is dominant — i.e., since Adnut is submerged within Havayah — all “existence” is completely nullified in relation of G‑d’s Essence and Being, just as sunlight is devoid of all identity within the sun.
כי שם הוי"ה מורה שהוא למעלה מהזמן, שהוא היה, הוה ויהיה ברגע אחד
The Name Havayah indicates that He transcends time, that “He was, is, and will be — all at the same instant,”
Past, present and future meld into one within the Name Havayah, indicating that Havayah transcends time,
כמו שכתוב ברעיא מהימנא, פרשת פנחס
as is stated (2in Ra‘aya Mehemna on Parshat Pinchas);
וכן למעלה מבחינת מקום, כי הוא מהוה תמיד את כל בחינת המקום כולו, מלמעלה עד למטה ולד׳ סטרין
and likewise [the Name Havayah] transcends space, for [Havayah] continuously brings into existence the whole dimension of space, from the uppermost level [of space] to the lowermost level [of space], and in the four directions.
Clearly, the Divine Name Havayah transcends time and space. Malchut and Adnut, however, do bear some relation to time and space. Nevertheless, since the letters of the Name of Adnut are interspaced within the letters of the Name Havayah, the dimensions of time and space are completely nullified in relation to G‑d. This is the state called yichuda ila‘ah, or “higher-level Unity.”
| FOOTNOTES | |
| 1. | Liturgy, Morning Prayer. |
| 2. | Parentheses are in the original text. |
• Sefer Hamitzvos:• English Text | Hebrew Text |
Audio: Listen | Download | Video Class• Monday, Sivan 21, 5776 · June 27, 2016
• Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
Important Message Regarding This Lesson
The Daily Mitzvah schedule runs parallel to the daily study of 3 chapters of Maimonides' 14-volume code. There are instances when the Mitzvah is repeated a few days consecutively while the exploration of the same Mitzvah continues in the in-depth track.
Positive Commandment 105
Ritual Impurity of Semen Impurity caused by Discharge
We are commanded regarding the ritual impurity [contained in and emitted by] semen. [I.e., when contracted, one must follow all the laws associated with this impurity.]
Full text of this Mitzvah »
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
Important Message Regarding This Lesson
The Daily Mitzvah schedule runs parallel to the daily study of 3 chapters of Maimonides' 14-volume code. There are instances when the Mitzvah is repeated a few days consecutively while the exploration of the same Mitzvah continues in the in-depth track.
Positive Commandment 105
Ritual Impurity of Semen Impurity caused by Discharge
We are commanded regarding the ritual impurity [contained in and emitted by] semen. [I.e., when contracted, one must follow all the laws associated with this impurity.]
Full text of this Mitzvah »
• Ritual Impurity of Semen Impurity caused by Discharge
Positive Commandment 105
Translated by Berel Bell
The 105th mitzvah is that we are commanded regarding the tumah of semen.1 This mitzvah includes all the laws regarding shichvas zera.2
FOOTNOTES
1.Lev. 15:16.
2.See Hilchos Shaar Avos HaTuma'os, Chapter 5.
• 1 Chapter: Shegagot Shegagot - Perek 5 • English Text | Hebrew Text | Audio: Listen | Download | Video Class• Shegagot - Perek 5
Audio: Listen | Download | Video Class• Shegagot - Perek 5
1
When a man is intimate with a woman who is forbidden to him as an ervah many times in a single period of lapse of awareness, it is all considered as one inadvertent violation and he is liable only for one sin-offering. Even though there were many times between each experience of intimacy, since he did not become aware in the interim, and she is only one person, he is only liable once.
If, by contrast, one inadvertently engaged in relations with her, the transgression became known to him afterwards, and then he inadvertently engaged in relations with that same woman, the transgression became known to him afterwards, and then he inadvertently engaged in relations with that same woman again, he is liable for a sin-offering for every time he engaged in relations. For his awareness separates between the inadvertent transgressions.
א
הבא על ערוה ביאות הרבה בהעלם אחת אע"פ שהיה בין בעילה ובעילה ימים הרבה הואיל ולא נודע לו בינתיים והרי היא גוף אחד הרי הכל שגגה אחת ואינו חייב אלא חטאת אחת אבל אם שגג בה ואחר כך נודע לו וחזר ושגג בה עצמה ובעלה ואח"כ נודע לו וחזר ושגג בה עצמה ובעלה חייב על כל בעילה ובעילה שהידיעות מחלקות השגגות:
2
When a man engages in relation with a woman forbidden as anervah many times in one ongoing state of lapsed awareness, but the woman with whom he engaged in relations became aware of the transgression between each experience of intimacy, thus from her perspective, the relations involved several lapses of awareness, he brings one sin-offering and she brings a sin-offering for every time they engaged in relations.
If he had knowledge of the transgressions in the interim and she act in one ongoing state of lapsed awareness, he brings many sin-offerings and she brings one sin-offering.
ב
הבא על הערוה ביאות הרבה בהעלם אחת וזו הנבעלת היתה לה ידיעה בין כל ביאה וביאה שנמצאו הביאות אצלה בהעלמות הרבה הוא מביא חטאת אחת והיא מביאה חטאת על כל ביאה וביאה הוא היו לו ידיעות בינתיים והיא בהעלם אחת הוא מביא חטאות הרבה והיא מביאה חטאת אחת:
3
When a man engages in relations with many women forbidden to him as ariyos in one ongoing state of lapsed awareness, he is liable for a sin-offering for every one of them. This applies even if they are all forbidden because of the same prohibition, because they are separate persons.
What is implied? A man was intimate with five women in the niddahstate, he was intimate with five of his sisters or five of his daughters in one ongoing state of lapsed awareness, he is liable for a sin-offering for every person.
From this ruling, we learned the following interpretation of our Sages' statement that a person who sodomized a male and was sodomized by a male in one state of lapsed awareness is liable for only one sin-offering. When does this apply? When the same male was involved. If, however, there were two other males involved, whether he sodomized both or sodomized one and one sodomized him, he is liable for each person. The same laws also apply when one sodomizes an animal and has an animal sodomize him.
ג
הבא על עריות הרבה בהעלם אחת אע"פ שכולן משם אחד הואיל והן גופים מוחלקים חייב על כל אחת ואחת כיצד הרי שבעל חמש נשיו נדות או שבא על חמש אחיותיו או על חמש בנותיו בהעלם אחת חייב על כל גוף וגוף מכאן אתה למד שזה שאמרו חכמים הבא על הזכור והביא זכור עליו בהעלם אחת חייב חטאת אחת במה דברים אמורים כשהיה אותו הזכור עצמו אבל אם היה זכור אחר בין שבא על שנים בין שבא על זה והביא זה עליו חייב על כל גוף וגוף והוא הדין בבא על הבהמה והביא בהמה עליו:
4
When a women has many animals engage in relations with her in one period of lapsed awareness, she is liable for a sin-offering for every animal, for there are different bodies involved. It is like engaging in relations with many men in period of lapsed awareness in which instance, she is liable for a sin-offering for every man with whom she was intimate.
ד
האשה שהביאה עליה בהמות הרבה בהעלם אחת חייבת חטאת על כל בהמה ובהמה שהרי גופין מוחלקין והרי זו כמי שנבעלה לאנשים הרבה בהעלם אחד שהיא חייבת חטאת על כל איש ואיש:
5
When a woman's husband went overseas and she heard that he died or witnesses came and testified that he died and she married, whether on her own initiative or according to the counsel of the court, and then she discovered that her first husband is alive, she is liable only for one sin-offering. If she married many men or was promiscuous with many men, she is liable for a sin-offering for every man with whom she was intimate, for they are different persons even though she acted in one state of lapsed awareness.
The following rules applies when a man was intimate with a woman in the niddah state inadvertently, then she became purified from herniddah state, immersed herself, then became a niddah again and they were intimate a second time in the same period of lapsed awareness. He is liable for a sin-offering for every span of time in which she is in the niddah state, even though it is in one state of lapsed awareness and only one person is involved. The rationale is that one span of time in which she is in the niddah state is distinct from another span of time in which she is in the niddah state. It is as if he was intimate with two different women in the niddah state.
ה
האשה שהלך בעלה למדינת הים ושמעה שמת או שבאו עדים שמת ונישאת בין על פי עצמה בין על פי בית דין ונודע שבעלה קיים חייבת קרבן אחד ואם נישאת לאנשים הרבה או שזינתה עם אנשים הרבה חייבת חטאת על כל איש ואיש מפני שהן גופים מוחלקין ואף על פי שהכל בשגגה אחת הבא על הנדה בשגגה וטהרה מנדתה וטבלה וחזרה וראתה נדה ובא עליה פעם שניה באותה שגגה עצמה חייב על כל פעם ופעם אע"פ שהוא בהעלם אחת והוא גוף אחד שזמן נדות זה חוץ מזמן נדות השנית והרי הן כשתי נשים נדות:
6
When a man is intimate with his wife at a time when she is not expected to menstruate and she menstruates in the midst of relations, they are exempt from bringing a sin-offering. This is considered as a situation beyond their control and not an inadvertent transgression. For with regard to an inadvertent transgression, the transgressor carries a certain amount of culpability, for he should have checked and been careful. Had he examined the matter thoroughly and been careful in asking questions, he would not have transgressed. Since he did not take the trouble to examine and research the matter before acting, he requires atonement. In this situation, however, what should the person have done? She was pure and they were intimate at a time when menstruation was not expected. This is considered as a matter beyond their control. Therefore, whether the blood was found on her inspection cloth or his, they are exempt.
If, however, the man transgressed and was intimate with her close to the time when she could have been expected to menstruate, thinking that they could be intimate and separate before she would menstruate, and instead, she menstruated in the midst of relations, they are liable to bring a sin-offering, for this is an inadvertent transgression. Therefore, if blood is found on his inspection cloth, they are both impure and are obligated to bring a sacrifice. Slightly more lenient rules apply if blood was found on her examination cloth. If she cleaned herself immediately after separating from her husband, without waiting, they are both impure and are obligated to bring a sacrifice. If, however, she waited long enough so that she could have stretched her hand under the pillow or under the bolster and take an inspection cloth to examine herself and afterwards, she cleaned herself, they are both are considered to have contracted impurity of doubtful status and are exempt from bringing a sacrifice. If she waited long enough so that she could have descended from the bed and washedand afterwards, she cleaned herself and discovered blood, her husband is pure.
ו
הבא על אשתו שלא בשעת וסתה וראתה דם בשעת התשמיש הרי אלו פטורין מקרבן חטאת מפני שזה כאנוס הוא ולא שוגג שהשוגג היה לו לבדוק ולדקדק ואילו בדק יפה יפה ודקדק בשאלות לא היה בא לידי שגגה ולפי שלא טרח בדרישה ובחקירה ואחר כך יעשה צריך כפרה אבל זה מה לו לעשות הרי טהורה היתה ושלא בשעת וסתה בעל אין זה אלא אונס ולפיכך בין שנמצא דם על עד שלה בין שנמצא על עד שלו פטורין אבל אם עבר ובא עליה סמוך לוסת ודימה שיבעול ויפרוש קודם שתראה דם וראתה בשעת התשמיש חייבין בקרבן שזו היא שגגה לפיכך אם נמצא דם על עד שלו שניהם טמאים וחייבין בקרבן נמצא על עד שלה אם קנחה עצמה מיד כשפירש הבעל ולא שהתה שניהם טמאים וחייבין בקרבן ואם שהתה כדי שתושיט ידה לתחת הכר או לתחת הכסת ותטול עד לבדוק בו ואח"כ קנחה עצמה שניהן טמאים בספק ופטורין מקרבן ואם שהתה כדי שתרד מן המטה ותדיח את פניה ואחר כך קנחה עצמה ונמצא דם בעלה טהור:
7
When a man transgressed and was intimate with his wife close to the time when she could have been expected to menstruate with the intent that he would complete relations before she began to menstruate and the woman felt that she became impure in the midst of relations and informed her husband of this, he should not withdraw while erect, as we explained in Hilchot Issurei Bi'ah. If he did not know that it is forbidden for him to withdraw immediately and he withdrew while erect, he is liable for two sin-offerings: one for entering, for he was intimate with a niddah, and one, for withdrawing, since withdrawing also afforded him pleasure, as entering did.
When does the above apply? When he knew that it was forbidden to be intimate close to the time when she could have been expected to menstruate, but had the intent that he would complete relations before she began to menstruate and did not know that it is forbidden to withdraw while erect. Thus it is as if he has two lapses of awareness regarding two experiences of intimacy. If, however, he did not know that it was forbidden to be intimate close to the time when she could have been expected to menstruate and did not know that it is forbidden to withdraw from an impure woman immediately, he is liable for only one sin-offering even when he withdrew immediately, while erect. The rationale is that his entry and his withdrawal are considered as two experiences of intimacy performed during one lapse of awareness.
The same principle applies with regard to other forbidden sexual relations. If one inadvertently was intimate with a woman under the conception that she was permitted and, while in the midst of intimacy, he became aware that she was forbidden, he should not withdraw immediately, for withdrawing also affords him pleasure, as entering does. If he does not know that it is forbidden to separate immediately and separates while he is erect, he is only liable for one sin-offering, for the act is considered as one inadvertent transgression.
ז
מי שעבר ובעל סמוך לוסת על דעת שתקדום ביאתו לראיית הדם והרגישה האשה שנטמאת בשעת תשמיש ואמרה לו נטמאתי הרי זה לא יפרוש כשהוא מתקשה כמו שביארנו בהלכות איסורי ביאה ואם לא ידע שאסור לפרוש מיד ופירש כשהוא מתקשה חייב שתי חטאות אחת על כניסתו שהרי בעל נדה ואחת על יציאתו שיציאתו הנאה לו כביאתו בד"א כשידע שאסור לבעול בשעת הוסת ודימה שתקדום בעילתו לראייתה ולא ידע שאסור לפרוש מיד שנמצאו לו שתי העלמות בשתי הבעילות אבל אם לא ידע שאסור לבעול בשעת הוסת ולא ידע שאסור לפרוש מן הטומאה מיד אף על פי שפירש מיד והוא מתקשה אינו חייב אלא חטאת אחת מפני שכניסתו ויציאתו שהן כשתי בעילות בשגגה אחת הן ובהעלם אחת עשה הכל והוא הדין בשאר העריות שאם שגג ובא על הערוה על דעת שהיא מותרת ונודע לו שהיא ערוה והוא בתוך התשמיש לא יפרוש מיד שיציאתו הנאה לו כביאתו ואם לא ידע שאסור לפרוש מיד ופירש והוא מתקשה אינו חייב אלא חטאת אחת שהכל שגגה אחת היא:
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Audio: Listen | Download• She'ar Avot haTum'ah - Chapter 15
1
What is meant by a doubt concerning a point of Rabbinic Law? For example, if there is a doubt whether or not a person ate impure foods or drank impure liquids, or there is a doubt whether or not a person inserted his head and the majority of his body in drawn water or three lugim of drawn water fell upon him, he is pure. Similarly, if a person ate impure foods or drank impure liquids or inserted his head and the majority of his body in drawn water or had three lugim of drawn water fall upon him and then a question arose whether or not he touched particular pure entities, those pure entities remain pure. Similarly, if he ate foods that are questionably impure or drank liquids that are questionably impure, he is deemed pure. Similarly, one who partakes of terumah whose status is held in abeyance, is pure. Similarly, in all analogous situations where there is a question regarding the status of derivatives of impurity, the person or the object is deemed pure.
If, however, there is a question regarding a source of impurity, even one of Rabbinic origin, the person or the object is deemed impure unless the source of impurity was itself of doubtful status, e.g., a beit hapras or the earth of the Diaspora. Terumah is not burned because of a doubt whether it touched such substances, as was explained.
א
ספק ד"ס כיצד ספק אכל אוכלין טמאין ושתה משקין טמאין ספק שלא אכל ושלא שתה ספק שבא ראשו ורובו במים שאובין או שנפלו עליו שלשה לוגין מים שאובין ספק שלא בא ושלא נפלו ה"ז טהור וכן אם אכל אוכלין טמאין או שתה משקין טמאין או בא במים שאובין או נפלו עליו שלשה לוגין מים שאובין וספק נגע בטהרות אלו ספק לא נגע הרי טהרות אלו טהורות וכן האוכל ספק אוכלין טמאים והשותה משקין שהן טמאים בספק ה"ז טהור וכן האוכל תרומה תלויה טהור וכן כל כיוצא באלו מולדי טומאות שהן מד"ס ספיקן טהור אבל אב [הטומאה] שהוא מד"ס ספיקו טמא אלא אם כן היה האב עצמו טמא בספק כגון בית הפרס וארץ העמים שאין שורפין על ספק מגען כמו שביארנו:
2
What is meant by the principle: a doubt that arises regarding ordinary food, i.e., the purity of the food prepared by those who partake of ordinary foods in a state of purity, the people calledperushim?
When a question arises regarding the purity of the ordinary food that is treated as pure by people who partake of ordinary foods in a state of purity, the objects are deemed pure. This applies with regard to all questions that arise. Only when impurity is definite is it of consequence in such instances.
ב
ספק החולין היא טהרת אוכלי חוליהן בטהרה והן הנקראים פרושים כיצד אוכלי חוליהן בטהרה שנולד להן ספק טומאה בטהרותיהן הרי אלו טהורים ככל הספיקות כולן ואין להן טומאה אלא טומאה ודאית:
3
What is meant by the principle: a doubt that arises concerning sacrifices? If a person lacking atonement was in doubt regarding an obligation to bring five sacrifices, e.g., a woman who was in doubt regarding five situations that could have rendered her impure due to zivah or due to childbirth, she may bring only one sacrifice. Afterwards, she is pure with regard to partaking of sacrificial foods. The remainder of the offerings are not considered as obligations that must be fulfilled, as explained in Hilchot Mechusrei Kapparah.
ג
ספק הקרבנות כיצד מחוסר כיפורים שיש עליו ספק חמשה קרבנות כגון האשה שיש עליה ספק חמש זיבות או ספק חמש לידות מביאין קרבן אחד וטהור לאכול בקדשים ואין השאר עליו חובה כמו שביארנו בהלכות מחוסרי כפרה:
4
What is meant by a doubt concerning tzara'at blemishes? Until a person is categorized as impure, with regard to all questions concerning his status, he is considered as pure, as explained inHilchot Negayim, ch. 6.
ד
ספק נגעים כיצד עד שלא נזקק לטומאה ספיקו טהור כמו שביארנו בפ"ו מהלכות נגעים:
5
What is meant by a doubt when a person afflicted with tzara'atstood still or passed? When a person afflicted with tzara'at was sitting under a tree, a person who was ritually pure passed by, and there was a question whether or not he passed under the tree, he is pure. This ruling also applies if a person who was ritually pure was sitting under a tree, a person afflicted with tzara'at passed under the tree, and there was a question whether or not he stood still.
ה
ספק עומד ועובר כיצד מצורע שיושב תחת האילן והטהור עובר ספק האהיל עליו האילן וטמא ספק לא האהיל עליו וכן אם היה הטהור יושב תחת האילן והמצורע עובר תחתיו ספק עמד המצורע ונטמא הטהור ספק לא עמד ספיקו טהור:
6
What is meant by a doubt concerning the carcass of a creeping animal, i.e., a creeping animal that was thrown? One threw the carcass of a creeping animal or another impure entity among loaves of bread and, in both instances, when there is a question whether or not the pure loaf was touched by impurity, they are considered as pure. The rationale is that the status of all questions of ritual impurity depends on the situation at the time the matter is discovered. We do not say: Maybe it touched the pure or impure object and then fell to its side? Instead, the ruling is given according to its state when it was discovered.
ו
ספק שרצים זה ספק הנזרקין כיצד זרק שרץ או דבר טמא לבין הככרות או שזרק ככר לבין הטמאות וספק נגע ספק לא נגע הרי זה טהור הואיל ומצא הככר הטהור שאינו נוגע בטומאה שכל הטומאות כשעת מציאתן ואין אומרין שמא נגע בו ואח"כ נפל בצדו אלא הרי הן כשעת מציאתן:
7
When there was a carcass of a creeping animal in the mouth of a mole that was walking over loaves of bread that were terumahand there was a question whether or not the carcass touched the loaves, it is pure, because the impurity did not come to rest. If the mole was walking on the loaves and touching them with the teeming animal, but there was a question whether or not it was alive, the loaves are pure.
When does the above apply? When the mole seized the creeping animal when it was alive and then departed. If, however, the creeping animal was discovered dead in the mole's mouth, the loaves are impure. If, however, it was seen to be alive while it was in the mole's mouth even though it was discovered dead in front of it afterwards, the loaves are pure.
Similarly, when there is a carcass of a creeping animal in the mouth of a mole and the carcass of an animal in the mouth of a dog and they passed between pure substances or pure substances passed between them, the status of the pure substances does not change despite the question. This leniency is granted, because the impurity does not have a fixed place. If they were pecking with them on the ground, they are considered to have been placed in a fixed position and they impart impurity retroactively because of the doubt if they were located in a private domain, as will be explained.
ז
השרץ בפי החולדה ומהלכת על גבי ככרות של תרומה ספק נגע ספק לא נגע ספיקו טהור מפני שלא נחה הטומאה היתה מהלכת בו ונוגעת בככרות ספק חי ספק מת הרי הן טהורות במה דברים אמורים בזמן שנטלתו והלכה לה אבל אם נמצא מת בפיה הרי אלו טמאות ראוהו חי בפיה אף על פי שמצאוהו מת בפיה הרי אלו טהורות וכן השרץ בפי החולדה והנבילה בפי הכלב ועברו בין הטהורים או שעברו טהורים ביניהן ספיקו טהור מפני שאין לטומאה מקום קבוע היו מנקרין בהן על הארץ הרי הן כמונחין ומטמאין למפרע מספק אם היו ברשות היחיד כמו שיתבאר:
8
What is meant by a doubt that arose in the public domain? When impurity was located in the public domain and there is a doubt whether a person or a substance touched it or not, it is considered to be pure. If such a situation arose in a private domain and there is a doubt whether a person or a substance touched it or not, it is considered to be impure.
All of these questionable situations which the Sages ruled as pure are given that status even if the situation occurs in a private domain, because the objects involved do not have the knowledge to inquire regarding their status, as will be explained.
ח
ספק ר"ה כיצד טומאה שמונחת בר"ה ספק נגע בה ספק לא נגע ספיקו טהור היתה ברה"י וספק נגע בה ספק לא נגע ספיקו טמא וכל אלו הספיקות שטהרו חכמים אפילו ברה"י מפני שאין בהן דעת להשאל כמו שיתבאר:
9
What is meant by a doubt involving two domains? An impure entity was located in a private domain and there was a pure entity in a public domain or vice versa and a person touched one of them, but did not know which one he touched, he is pure. The same ruling applies if he moved one of them and did not know which one he moved if the impure entity would impart impurity when carried or one of them would impart impurity when one holds a portion of his body over it and he held a portion of his body over one of them, but does not know which one. Even though this involves a doubt in the public domain, he is considered as pure.
When he inquires about his status, we tell him: "If you immerse, you have not lost anything." If he immerses, it is praiseworthy. If he does not immerse and touches entities that are pure, they remain pure, because when there is a doubt in the public domain, the entity is considered as pure.
ט
ספק שתי רשויות כיצד היה דבר טמא ברה"י ודבר טהור בר"ה או שהיה הדבר להפך ונגע באחד מהם ואין ידוע באי זה מהן נגע או שהסיט את אחד מהן ואין ידוע אי זה הסיט אם היה הדבר הטמא מטמא במשא או שהיה אחד מהן מטמא באהל והאהיל על אחד מהן ואין ידוע אי זה מהן האהיל ה"ז טהור אף על פי שספק ר"ה טהור כשיבוא לישאל אומרין לו אם טבלת אין בכך הפסד אם טבל ה"ז משובח ואם לא טבל ועשה טהרות הרי הן טהורות שספק רשות הרבים טהור:
10
When the carcass of a creeping animal that was burnt was found on food, or a garment that was worn out or a needle that was broken or rusty was found among keilim, the keilim are pure. This applies whether they are found in a public domain or a private domain. We do not say, perhaps the carcass was burnt only after it came into contact with the foods or after the keilim contracted ritual impurity because of contact with the garment or the needle, the needle broke or became rusty and the garment became worn out. For we follow the principle: the status of all questions of ritual impurity depends on the situation at the time the matter is discovered.
י
שרץ שנמצא שרוף ומונח ע"ג אוכלין וכן טלית שנמצאת בלויה ומחט שנמצאת שבורה או חלודה בין הכלים הרי אלו טהורין בין בר"ה בין ברה"י ואין אומרין שמא אחר שנגע באוכלין נשרף ואחר שנטמאו הכלים במגע הטלית והמחט נשברה או החלידה ובלתה הטלית עד שטהרה שכל הטומאות כשעת מציאתן:
11
The following rules apply when two witnesses tell a person: "You contracted impurity," and he says: "I am pure.' His word is accepted with regard to his own status. Nevertheless, we do not tell him to involve himself with pure articles, but if he did involve himself with pure articles, they are pure, but he should take his own precautions.
If one witness says: "He became impure," and two witnesses state: "He did not become impure," whether this occurred in a public domain or a private domain, he is pure. If two witnesses say: "He became impure," and one witness states: "He did not become impure," whether this occurred in a public domain or a private domain, he is impure. When one witness says: "He became impure," and one witness states: "He did not become impure," if this occurred in a private domain, he is impure. If this occurred in a public domain, he is pure.
יא
שני עדים אומרין לו נטמא והוא אומר טהור אני הוא נאמן על ידי עצמו ואעפ"כ אין אומרין לו עסוק בטהרות אלא אם עשה טהרות הרי הן טהורות ויחוש לעצמו עד אומר נטמא ושנים אומרים לא נטמא בין ברשות הרבים בין ברה"י טהור שנים אומרים נטמא ועד אחד אומר לא נטמא בין ברשות היחיד בין ברשות הרבים ה"ז נטמא עד אומר נטמא ועד אומר לא נטמא אשה אומרת נטמא ואשה אומרת לא נטמא ברה"י טמא ברשות הרבים טהור:
She'ar Avot haTum'ah - Chapter 16
1
Why did the Sages rule that when there is a question of impurity in the public domain, the person should be considered pure? Because the community offers the Paschal sacrifice in a state of impurity when the majority of the people are impure. Now, if ritual impurity that was definitely established is superseded by the presence of the community, certainly this would apply to a mere question of the presence of impurity. For all stringencies observed because of doubt were instituted by the Sages, as we explained inHilchot Bi'ot Assurot.
Why did they rule stringently concerning a doubt in a private domain? For in the instance of a sotah who entered into privacy with the person concerning whom she was warned, even though there is only a doubt that she committed adultery, she is considered as impure with regard to her husband until she drinks the sotah waters.
א
מפני מה טהרו חכמים ספק טומאה בר"ה שהרי הציבור עושין פסח בטומאה בזמן שהטמאים מרובין אם טומאה ודאית נדחית מפניהן קל וחומר לספק טומאה שאיסור כל הספקות מדבריהן כמו שביארנו בהלכות ביאות אסורות ומפני מה החמירו בספק רה"י שהרי סוטה שנסתרה אף ע"פ שהדבר ספק הרי היא טמאה לבעלה עד שתשתה:
2
Just as a sotah and the person suspected of relations with her are two, so too, when there are questions of impurity that involve two individuals, it is assumed that the person or the article is not pure. If, however, there are three people in a private domain, when there is a question concerning impurity that occurs there, it is assumed that the person or the article is pure, as if the question arose in the public domain.
When does the above apply? When the person who could have contracted impurity has the knowledge to be asked and be examined regarding the details that occurred, as is true with regard to a sotah. When, however, there is a deafmute, an emotionally or intellectually compromised person, or a minor who does not know the details and is unable to respond to questions that are asked involved in a private domain, if a doubtful situation arises, it is assumed that the person or the article is pure.
What is implied? When a deafmute, an emotionally or intellectually compromised person, or a minor who does not know how to respond to questions are found in a courtyard or an alley where there is impurity and there is a question whether or not they came in contact with it, they are considered as pure. Similarly, in all instances where no one has the knowledge to respond to questions, even though the question arises in a private domain, they are considered as pure.
ב
וכשם שהסוטה ובועלה שנים כך ספק טומאה בשנים אבל אם היו שלשה ברה"י הרי ספק טומאתן שם טהור כר"ה בד"א כשהיה זה שנטמא בספק יש בו דעת להשאל ולדרוש ממנו מה אירע לו כסוטה אבל אם היה חרש או שוטה או קטן שאינו יודע להשיב על הענין כששואלין אותו הרי ספיקו טהור כיצד חרש או שוטה או קטן שאין בו דעת להשאל שנמצאו בחצר או במבוי שיש שם טומאה וספק נגעו וספק לא נגעו הרי אלו טהורין וכן כל שאין בו דעת להשאל אע"פ שנולד לו הספק ברה"י ספיקו טהור:
3
When a person is blind, sleeping, or walking at night, if there is a question whether or not they contracted impurity in a private domain, they are impure, because they have the knowledge to respond to questions.
When do we apply the principle that whenever there is a question involving one who does not have the knowledge to respond to questions, it is assumed that the person or the article is pure? When the possibilities are equally balanced and there is no established presumption regarding its status. If, however, it is known that, in a given situation, one could be assumed to have contracted impurity, he is considered impure.
What is implied? An impure child was standing next to some dough and there was also dough on his hand, the dough is deemed impure, for a child's habit is to pat dough and it can be assumed that he did so. Nevertheless, terumah should not be burnt because of this assumption.
ג
הסומא והישן והמהלך בלילה ספיקן ברה"י טמא מפני שיש בו דעת להשאל במה דברים אמורים שכל שאין בו דעת לישאל ספיקו טהור בשהיה הדבר שקול ואין שם חזקה אבל אם היה הדבר ידוע שחזקתו שנטמא ה"ז טמא כיצד תינוק טמא שנמצא בצד העיסה והבצק בידו הרי העיסה טמאה שדרך התינוק לטפח ובכך היא חזקתו ואין שורפין על חזקה זו:
4
When impure liquids, a pure dough that is terumah, and domesticated animals, beasts, or fowl were all located in the same place, and teeth marks were found in the dough, it is presumed that the animals drank the liquids and then bit the dough and thus imparted impurity to it. If a cow was there and the distance between the liquids and the dough was sufficient for the cow to wipe its tongue on its lips, the dough is pure. The same principle applies with regard to other animals if there was enough place for the animals to dry their mouths with their tongues. If there is less space than this, the dough is impure. If a dog was there, the dough is pure even if it is located next to the liquids, for it is not the habit of a dog to leave food and go to water.
The following laws apply if there are signs of chickens pecking at the dough. If there is enough space between the liquids and the dough for them to dry their mouths on the ground, the dough is pure. If not, it is not, for it can be assumed that they drank and pecked at the dough while the liquids were still in their mouths.
When does the above apply? When the water is clear enough for a child's shadow to be recognized in them. If, however, the water was murky, the dough is pure, because if the chickens pecked with the liquids, the marks of the liquid would be observable in the dough. If the liquid was clear, although the dough is assumed to be impure, it should not be burnt due to this assumption. Instead, the determination of its status is held in abeyance.
ד
היו משקין טמאין ובצק טהור ובהמה או חיה או עופות בבית ונמצא בבצק מקום נשיכתן חזקה ששתו משקין ונשכו בבצק וטמאוהו היתה שם פרה ובין המשקין והבצק כדי שתלחך את לשונה הרי הבצק טהור ובשאר כל הבהמה כדי שתנגב את פיה פחות מזה הבצק טמא ואם היה כלב אפילו היו משקין בצד הבצק ה"ז טהור שאין דרכו של כלב להניח המזון ולילך לו אל המים נמצא בבצק נקירת התרנגולין אם יש בין המשקין והבצק כדי שינגבו את פיהן בארץ הבצק טהור ואם לאו טמא שחזקתן ששתו וניקרו בבצק במשקין שבפיהם בד"א בשהיו המשקין צלולין שבבואה של תינוק ניכרת בהן אבל עכורים הבצק טהור שאילו נקרו במשקין היה מקום המשקין ניכר בבצק אם היו צלולין אף על פי שהבצק בחזקת טומאה אין שורפין על חזקה זו אלא תולין:
5
What is an example of a presumption due to which terumah is burnt when a question of impurity arises in a private domain? There is a dough in a house, both creeping animals and frogs are becoming stuck in it, and pieces of their flesh was found in the dough. If most of those becoming stuck in the dough are creeping animals, the dough is deemed impure and should be burnt. If the majority are frogs, it is deemed as pure.
ה
איזו היא חזקה ששורפין עליה ברשות היחיד עיסה בבית ושרצים וצפרדעים מטפלין שם ונמצאו חתיכות מבשרן בעיסה אם רוב המטפלים שרצים העיסה טמאה ותשרף ואם הרוב צפרדעים טהורה:
6
The following rules apply when there were pure substances next to or above sources of impurity and when a person clothed himself in his garment, a question arose whether it touched the impurity and the pure substances or not. If this took place in a private domain, it is deemed impure because of the doubt, because when there is a question of impurity that arises due to human activity, they can be questioned concerning it. Even if there is an k'li placed on the ground, it is considered as if there is someone to be questioned about it. If the pure substances and the source of impurity were in a public domain and a question arises, the substances are deemed pure. If it is impossible that the garment did not touch both of them, even though there is some doubt, the substances are deemed impure.
ו
היו טמאות וטהרות בצדו או למעלה ממנו ונתעטף בטליתו וספק נגעו ספק לא נגעו בעת שנתעטף אם היו ברשות היחיד ספיקו טמא שספק טומאה הבאה בידי אדם נשאלין עליה אפילו בכלי המונח על גבי קרקע הרי הוא כמי שיש בו דעת לישאל ואם היו ברשות הרבים ספיקו טהור ואם אי אפשר שלא יגע ספיקו טמא:
7
When a loaf of bread that is terumah is positioned on a board and a support that contracted impurity from a zav is positioned below it in a manner in which it is impossible for the loaf to fall without touching the support, even though the support is inclined, should one find the loaf in another place, its status of purity remains unchanged, for it is possible to say that another person came, took it, and put it in that place. If one can say: "I am certain that no person came here," it is impure, because it certainly fell and touched the support when it fell.
ז
ככר של תרומה שנתון על גבי הדף ומדרס נתון תחתיו ואי אפשר לו כשיפול שלא יגע במדרס אע"פ שהוא במקום מדרון ובא ומצא הככר במקום אחר הרי הוא בטהרתו שאני אומר אדם בא ונטלו ונתנו במקום זה ואם אמר ברי לי שלא בא אדם לכאן טמא שודאי נפל ונגע במדרס כשנפל:
8
When a child is found standing next to a cemetery holding roses, even when there are roses only in the place of impurity, he is pure because there is a doubt; it is possible that another person gathered them and gave them to him.
Similarly, when a donkey is standing in a cemetery, the keilim on him are pure. We do not say that he pressed himself against them when lying on the ground and touched a grave while doing so. The rationale for both instances is that the child and the donkey do not have the knowledge to respond to questions. Hence, we follow the principle that all questions of impurity are judged according to the circumstances at the time that they were discovered.
ח
תינוק שנמצא בצד בית הקברות והשושנים בידו אף על פי שאין שם שושנים אלא במקום הטומאה ספיקו טהור שמא אחר ליקטן ונתנם לו וכן חמור העומד בבית הקברות כליו טהורין ואין אומרין שמא נתמעך בהן ונגעו בקבר מפני שאין בו דעת לישאל וכשנמצאו לא נמצאו נוגעין וכל הטומאות כשעת מציאתן:
9
When a child was holding his father's hand or was riding on his father's shoulders, he is deemed impure with regard to any question concerning ritual impurity that arises in a private domain, for his father could be asked with regard to his status.
ט
תינוק שהיה תופש בידו של אביו או שהיה רוכב על גבי כתיפו של אביו ספיקו ברה"י טמא מפני שאביו נשאל עליו:
10
There are four questionable situations that our Sages discussed with regard to a child:
a) When a child cannot walk and his mother placed him down in one place and found him as he was in that place, he is pure. We do not say that perhaps an impure woman came and kissed him and hugged him.
b) When the child matured to the extent that he began to leave one domain and enter others on his own, his clothes are pure. They are not considered as a midras as are the clothes of unlearned people. Nevertheless, as an initial preference, they should not be brought into contact with pure entities.
c) If he matured to the extent that he has the knowledge to answer questions, in a private domain, whenever there is a doubt whether he contracted impurity, he is considered as impure.
d) If he matured to the extent that he has the knowledge to guard his body from contracting impurity, one may partake of pure foods that touched his body. If he has the knowledge to guard his hands, pure foods that touched them may be eaten.
How do we check him? He is immersed and given ordinary food which he is told to treat as terumah. If he has the knowledge to guard his body, one may partake of pure foods that touched his body. If he has the knowledge to guard his hands, pure foods that touched them may be eaten.
י
וארבעה ספיקות אמרו חכמים בתינוק תינוק שאינו יכול להלך שהניחתו אמו ובאה ומצאתו כמו שהוא במקומו טהור ואין אומרין שמא טומאה באה ונשקתו וגפפתו התחיל התינוק לצאת ולהכניס בגדיו טהורין ואין מדרס כשאר בגדי עם הארץ ואע"פ שהן טהורין אין עושין על גביהן טהרות הגדיל עד שיהיה בו דעת לישאל ספיקו טמא ברה"י הגדיל עד שיהיה בו דעת לשמור את גופו אוכלין על גופו טהרות יודע לשמור את ידיו אוכלין על גבן טהרות כיצד בודקין אותו מטבילין אותו ונותנין לו חולין לשם תרומה אם יודע לשמור את גופו אוכלין אגב גופו טהרות ואם יודע לשמור את ידיו אוכלים אגב ידו טהרות:
She'ar Avot haTum'ah - Chapter 17
1
When there is an olive-sized portion of a human corpse in the mouth of a raven and there is a doubt whether or not it flew over a person or keilim in a private domain, the person is impure because of the doubt, provided he has the knowledge to respond to questions. The keilim are pure, because they do not have the capacity to respond to questions.
Similarly, when a person was drawing water with one container and pouring it into ten others and the carcass of a creeping animal was found in one of the ten, that container is impure and the others are pure. Although there is a question whether they are all impure, for perhaps the the carcass of the creeping animal had been in the container used to draw water, we rule leniently, because keilim are involved and they do not have the capacity to respond to questions. If the container with which he drew the water possessed a rim, since it is possible for the water to have been poured out, but for the carcass of the creeping animal to have remained, they are all impure.
Similarly, when one draws water with ten buckets, one after the other, and pours the water into ten containers, each bucket into a separate container, and it is not known which container was first and which was last, if the carcass of a creeping animal was found in one of them, the other nine containers and the ten buckets are pure, for one could say perhaps the carcass of the creeping animal was in the container originally. If the buckets have rims, all of the buckets and all of the containers are impure.
When one pours from one container to another and the carcass of a creeping animal is found in the lower container, the upper container is pure. We do not say that it fell from the upper container. Instead, it is possible that it had been in the lower container. The rationale for this leniency is that keilim are involved and they do not have the capacity of responding to questions. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.
א
כזית מן המת בפי העורב ספק האהיל על האדם ועל הכלים ברה"י ספק שלא האהיל הרי האדם טמא מספק והוא שיהיה בו דעת לישאל והכלים טהורים מפני שאין להן דעת לישאל וכן הממלא בכלי ונתן בעשרה כלים ונמצא השרץ באחד מהן הוא טמא והכלים טהורין אף על פי שכולן ספק שמא השרץ בכלי שמילא בו היה תחלה מפני שהן כלים ואין בהן דעת לישאל ואם היה לכלי שמילא בו אזנים הואיל ואפשר שיצאו המים ויתאחר בו השרץ כולן טמאים וכן הממלא בעשרה דליים זה אחר זה ונתן בעשרה כלים מדלי אחד לכלי אחר ואין ידוע הראשון מן האחרון ונמצא השרץ בכלי אחד מהן הרי התשעה כלים עם עשרת הדליים טהורין שאני אומר שמא בכלי זה היה השרץ מתחלתו ואם יש לדליים אזנים הרי כל הדליים עם כל הכלים טמאין המערה מכלי לכלי ונמצא השרץ בתחתון העליון טהור ואין אומרין מהעליון נפל אלא שמא בתחתון היה מפני שהן כלים ואין להן דעת לישאל וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
2
The following laws apply when there was a container that was used for pure substances and the carcass of a creeping animal was found in it. If it has a base or it has a rim, even if it does not have a base, all of the pure substances that were contained in it are impure. This applies even if it was checked before the substances were placed in it and covered afterwards, lest the the carcass of the creeping animal fell there when he lifted up his hand after checking.
Even if one used it for pure substances in one corner and then moved it to another corner and the carcass of the creeping animal was discovered inside, all the pure substances are impure. For the assumption that impurity was present in an article is not changed when that article is moved from place to place. All the above applies with regard to holding the status of the pure substances in abeyance, but not to burn them.
ב
קופה שנשתמש בה בטהרות ונמצא בה שרץ אם יש לה שוליים או אזנים אע"פ שאין לה שוליים הרי כל הטהרות שנשתמשו בה טמאות אפילו היה בדוקה ומכוסה שמא עם הגבהת ידו מן הבדיקה נפל השרץ ואפילו נשתמש בה בטהרות בזוית זו וטלטלה לזוית אחרת ונמצא בה השרץ כולן טמאות לפי שמחזיקין טומאה ממקום למקום לתלות אבל לא לשרוף:
3
The following laws apply when a person draws liquids from a cistern and fills barrels from them. If he would immerse each and every barrel in the cistern to fill them and a carcass of a creeping animal was found in the first one, they are all impure. If it was found in the last one, it alone is impure and all the others are pure. The rationale is that we surmise that the creeping animal fell into the cistern after the first barrels were filled.
If he was drawing the liquids with one container and pouring them into barrels until they were full and a carcass of a creeping animal was found in one of them, it alone is impure and all the others and the cistern are pure. The rationale is that it can be said that the carcass of the creeping animal fell into this one alone or it was there before the liquid was poured into it. Accordingly, if the person checked all the barrels, then poured wine into them, and covered them afterwards and the carcass of a creeping animal was found in one of them, they are all impure. Similarly, if the carcass of a creeping animal was found in the cistern or the container used to draw from it, everything is impure.
ג
הזולף את הבור וממלא ממנו חביות אם היה משקיע כל חבית וחבית בבור וממלא אותן ונמצא השרץ בראשונה כולן טמאות נמצא באחרונה היא טמאה וכולן טהורות שאני אומר אחר שמילא את הראשונות נפל שרץ לבור היה זולף בכלי ונותן לתוך החביות עד שמלאן ונמצא השרץ באחת מהן היא בלבד טמאה וכולן טהורות שאני אומר בזו בלבד נפל השרץ או היה בה עד שלא זלף לתוכה לפיכך אם היה בודק כל חבית מהן ואחר כך נותן בה היין ומכסה אותה אחר שזולף לתוכה ונמצא השרץ באחת מהן כולן טמאות וכן אם נמצא השרץ בבור או בכלי שזולף בו הכל טמא:
4
When one would gather olives from the pit in which they were stored and bring them up to a roof to dry, if the carcass of a creeping animal was found on the roof, the olives in the pit are pure. If it was found in the pit, the pit and the olives contained there are impure. If the carcass was found in the pit between the wall and the olives, the olives are pure.
The following laws apply if the creeping animal was found in a mound of olives and the mound was on the roof. If this occurred within three days of the olives being placed there, the pit is also impure, for it can be said that the mound was taken from the pit with the creeping animal in it. If the creeping animal was found three days after the mound had been taken to the roof, the pit is pure, because maybe the olives became compressed and formed a mound within these three days.
ד
היה קוצה זיתים מן המעטן ומעלה אותן לגג ונמצא השרץ בגג זיתים שבמעטן טהורים נמצא במעטן המעטן טמא נמצא בין כותל לזיתים הזיתים טהורים נמצא השרץ בתוך גוש של זיתים והגוש בגג אם בתוך שלשת ימים אף המעטן טמא שאני אומר גוש זה מן המעטן עלה והשרץ בתוכו ואם נמצא אחר שלשה ימים משהעלה זיתים לגג הרי המעטן טהור שמא בגג נתקבצו ונעשו גוש בתוך השלשה ימים:
5
When a person breaks off a piece of dough from a larger quantity and the carcass of a creeping animal was found on the smaller piece, that piece alone is impure. If the carcass was found in the larger dough, only that dough is impure. If it was found in the midst of the smaller portion of dough, even the larger portion is impure.
ה
הקורץ מקרצת מן העיסה ונמצא שרץ במקרצת המקרצת לבדה טמאה נמצא בעיסה העיסה לבדה טמאה נמצא בתוך המקרצת אף העיסה טמאה:
6
When the seed of impure food was found in a loaf of bread or on hot food, the loaf or the food are impure, even if there is no liquid present. For it can be said that the entire food fell there, but was dissolved - in the loaf or because of the boiling - and only the seed remained. If the seed was found on top of a loaf or in the midst of cold food, the loaf or the food are pure, even if there is liquid present. For it can be said that the seed alone fell into the loaf or the food after the impure was removed from it and the seed does not impart impurity.
ו
אוכל טמא שנמצא גרעינה שלו בתוך הככר או על גבי תבשיל רותח אף על פי שאין עליה משקה טופח הרי הן טמאים שאני אומר האוכל כולו נפל שם ונימוח בתוך הככר או מחמת הרתיחה ונשארה גרעינתו נמצאת הגרעינה על גבי הככר או בתוך תבשיל צונן הרי אלו טהורין אף ע"פ שיש עליה משקה שאני אומר גרעינה זו לבדה נפלה אחר שאבד האוכל מעליה שהרי אינה מטמאה:
7
If there was pure food and impure food in a home and a seed was found inside a loaf of bread or in boiling food, the determination of its status is made according to the majority. Similarly, if there was pure blood and impure blood in a home and blood was found on food, the determination of its status is made according to the majority. An incident occurred with a loaf of bread that was terumah upon which blood was found. The incident was brought before the Sages and they ruled that the loaf was pure. For even if it could be said that the blood was that of a creeping animal, it is possible to say that it was the blood of a living creeping animal which is pure.
ז
היו בבית אוכלין טמאין ואוכלין טהורים ונמצאת גרעינה בבית הולכין אחר הרוב וכן אם היו דמים טהורים ודמים טמאים בתוך הבית ונמצא דם על האוכל הולכים אחר הרוב מעשה היה בככר של תרומה שנמצא עליו דם ובא מעשה לפני חכמים וטהרוהו שאפילו נאמר דם שרץ הוא הריני אומר דם שרץ חי הוא שהוא טהור:
8
When there are carcasses of both animals that died without ritual slaughter and slaughtered animals in a city, if meat is found in the streets of the city, the determination of its status is made according to the majority.
Similarly, if the carcass of an animal was found and there is a doubt whether it is a creeping animal or a frog, the determination of its status is made according to the majority of animals in that town at that time. This is the general principle: When a questionable entity is found, the determination of its status is made according to the majority.
ח
עיר שיש בה נבלות ושחוטות בשר הנמצא בה הולכים אחר הרוב וכן אם היה הנמצא בה ספק שרץ ספק צפרדע הולכין אחר הרוב שיש באותה העיר באותו הזמן זה הכלל בנמצא הלך אחר הרוב:
9
When a woman was collecting fertilizer in a courtyard and the carcass of a creeping animal is found in the fertilizer, she is pure, because the carcass of a creeping animal does not impart impurity when carried. If it was found on top of the fertilizer, she is impure, for perhaps she touched it.
If she was sifting kernels of grain with a sieve and the carcass of a creeping animal was found in the kernels in the sieve, she is pure. If it is found on top of the sieve, she is considered impure because of the doubt, for perhaps she touched it. We follow the principle: whenever a question of impurity arises in a private domain, the person or object in question is deemed impure, as we explained.
ט
האשה שמגבבת גבבא בחצר ונמצא שרץ בתוך גבבה הרי זו טהורה שאין השרץ מטמא במשא נמצא על גבי גבבא הרי זו טמאה שמא נגעה בו היתה כוברת בכברה ונמצא שרץ בתוך הפירות שבכברה הרי זו טהורה נמצא על גבי הכברה הרי זו ספק טמאה שמא נגעה בו וכל ספק ברשות היחיד טמא כמו שביארנו:
Thursday Sivan 21 5703
Torah lessons: Chumash: Sh'lach, Chamishi with Rashi.
Tehillim: 104-105.
Tanya: The term "world" (p. 309)...in the four directions. (p. 309).
The Alter Rebbe explains (in Tanya chapter 3) that the three faculties of intellect, chochma-bina-da'at, and the seven emotive powers, evolve from the ten supernal Sefirot. All this applies to nefesh, ruach, and neshama (three aspects of the soul) which are enclothed within the body of man. However, mesirat nefesh, the readiness for self-sacrifice for G-d (that a Jew neither desires nor is capable of being - G-d forbid - separated from G-dhood1 comes from the Essence of the En Sof (the Infinite One, may He be blessed) which transcends the Sefirot, the first of which is the Sefira of chochma.2
FOOTNOTES
1.See Tamuz 25.
2.See Supplementary Footnotes, p. 127.
• Daily Thought:
The Quiet Hero
The Holy Ari, Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, taught that each created being, no matter how lowly, is sustained by a divine spark within it. The spark yearns to be reconnected to its source, and that can only be through a human being who will use it for a heavenly purpose.
It is not the sparks that resist, neither is it the world that is enlivened by those sparks. It is only the ego of the one who says, "I will do this mitzvah. I will redeem the Divine."
"How can you redeem us," the sparks respond, "if you, too, are imprisoned within the 'I'?"
And so, the solution to all resistance: Be a quiet hero, one who leaves that ego behind.
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