Torah Reading
Behar: Leviticus 25:1 Adonai spoke to Moshe on Mount Sinai; he said, 2 “Tell the people of Isra’el, ‘When you enter the land I am giving you, the land itself is to observe a Shabbat rest for Adonai. 3 Six years you will sow your field; six years you will prune your grapevines and gather their produce. 4 But in the seventh year is to be a Shabbat of complete rest for the land, a Shabbat for Adonai; you will neither sow your field nor prune your grapevines. 5 You are not to harvest what grows by itself from the seeds left by your previous harvest, and you are not to gather the grapes of your untended vine; it is to be a year of complete rest for the land. 6 But what the land produces during the year of Shabbat will be food for all of you — you, your servant, your maid, your employee, anyone living near you, 7 your livestock and the wild animals on your land; everything the land produces may be used for food.
8 “‘You are to count seven Shabbats of years, seven times seven years, that is, forty-nine years. 9 Then, on the tenth day of the seventh month, on Yom-Kippur, you are to sound a blast on the shofar; you are to sound the shofar all through your land; 10 and you are to consecrate the fiftieth year, proclaiming freedom throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It will be a yovel for you; you will return everyone to the land he owns, and everyone is to return to his family. 11 That fiftieth year will be a yovel for you; in that year you are not to sow, harvest what grows by itself or gather the grapes of untended vines; 12 because it is a yovel. It will be holy for you; whatever the fields produce will be food for all of you. 13 In this year of yovel, every one of you is to return to the land he owns.
(LY: ii) 14 “‘If you sell anything to your neighbor or buy anything from him, neither of you is to exploit the other. 15 Rather, you are to take into account the number of years after the yovel when you buy land from your neighbor, and he is to sell to you according to the number of years crops will be raised. 16 If the number of years remaining is large, you will raise the price; if few years remain, you will lower it; because what he is really selling you is the number of crops to be produced. 17 Thus you are not to take advantage of each other, but you are to fear your God; for I am Adonai your God.
18 “‘Rather, you are to keep my regulations and rulings and act accordingly. If you do, you will live securely in the land. (RY: ii, LY: iii) 19 The land will yield its produce, you will eat until you have enough, and you will live there securely.
20 “‘If you ask, “If we aren’t allowed to sow seed or harvest what our land produces, what are we going to eat the seventh year?” 21 then I will order my blessing on you during the sixth year, so that the land brings forth enough produce for all three years. 22 The eighth year you will sow seed but eat the the old, stored produce until the ninth year; that is, until the produce of the eighth year comes in, you will eat the old, stored food.
23 “‘The land is not to be sold in perpetuity, because the land belongs to me — you are only foreigners and temporary residents with me. 24 Therefore, when you sell your property, you must include the right of redemption. (LY: iv) 25 That is, if one of you becomes poor and sells some of his property, his next-of-kin can come and buy back what his relative sold. 26 If the seller has no one to redeem it but becomes rich enough to redeem it himself, 27 he will calculate the number of years the land was sold for, refund the excess to its buyer, and return to his property. 28 If he hasn’t sufficient means to get it back himself, then what he sold will remain in the hands of the buyer until the year of yovel; in the yovel the buyer will vacate it and the seller return to his property.
(RY: iii, LY: v) 29 “‘If someone sells a dwelling in a walled city, he has one year after the date of sale in which to redeem it. For a full year he will have the right of redemption; 30 but if he has not redeemed the dwelling in the walled city within the year, then title in perpetuity passes to the buyer through all his generations; it will not revert in the yovel. 31 However, houses in villages not surrounded by walls are to be dealt with like the fields in the countryside — they may be redeemed [before the yovel], and they revert in the yovel.
32 “‘Concerning the cities of the L’vi’im and the houses in the cities they possess, the L’vi’im are to have a permanent right of redemption. 33 If someone purchases a house from one of the L’vi’im, then the house he sold in the city where he owns property will still revert to him in the yovel; because the houses in the cities of the L’vi’im are their tribe’s possession among the people of Isra’el. 34 The fields in the open land around their cities may not be sold, because that is their permanent possession.
35 “‘If a member of your people has become poor, so that he can’t support himself among you, you are to assist him as you would a foreigner or a temporary resident, so that he can continue living with you. 36 Do not charge him interest or otherwise profit from him, but fear your God, so that your brother can continue living with you. 37 Do not take interest when you loan him money or take a profit when you sell him food. 38 I am Adonai your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt in order to give you the land of Kena‘an and be your God.
(RY: iv, LY: vi) 39 “‘If a member of your people has become poor among you and sells himself to you, do not make him do the work of a slave. 40 Rather, you are to treat him like an employee or a tenant; he will work for you until the year of yovel. 41 Then he will leave you, he and his children with him, and return to his own family and regain possession of his ancestral land. 42 For they are my slaves, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt; therefore they are not to be sold as slaves. 43 Do not treat him harshly, but fear your God.
44 “‘Concerning the men and women you may have as slaves: you are to buy men- and women-slaves from the nations surrounding you. 45 You may also buy the children of foreigners living with you and members of their families born in your land; you may own these. 46 You may also bequeath them to your children to own; from these groups you may take your slaves forever. But as far as your brothers the people of Isra’el are concerned, you are not to treat each other harshly.
(LY: vii) 47 “‘If a foreigner living with you has grown rich, and a member of your people has become poor and sells himself to this foreigner living with you or to a member of the foreigner’s family, 48 he may be redeemed after he has been sold. One of his brothers may redeem him; 49 or his uncle or his uncle’s son may redeem him; or any near relative of his may redeem him; or, if he becomes rich, he may redeem himself. 50 He will calculate with the person who bought him the time from the year he sold himself to him to the year of yovel; and the amount to be paid will be according to the number of years and his time at an employee’s wage. 51 If many years remain, according to them will he refund the amount for his redemption from the amount he was bought for. 52 If there remain only a few years until the year of yovel, then he will calculate with him; according to his years will he refund the amount for his redemption. 53 He will be like a worker hired year by year. You will see to it that he is not treated harshly.
54 “‘If he has not been redeemed by any of these procedures, nevertheless he will go free in the year of yovel — he and his children with him. (LY: Maftir) 55 For to me the people of Isra’el are slaves; they are my slaves whom I brought out of the land of Egypt; I am Adonai your God.
26:1 “‘You are not to make yourselves any idols, erect a carved statue or a standing-stone, or place any carved stone anywhere in your land in order to bow down to it. I am Adonai your God.
2 “‘Keep my Shabbats, and revere my sanctuary; I am Adonai.
Jeremiah 32:6 Yirmeyahu said, “This word of Adonai came to me: 7 ‘Hanam’el, the son of your uncle Shalum, will approach you and say, “Buy my field at ‘Anatot; you have next-of-kin’s right to redeem it; so buy it.”’” 8 As Adonai had said, my cousin Hanam’el came to me in the guards’ quarters and said, “Please buy my field at ‘Anatot, in the territory of Binyamin; because you will inherit it, and you have next-of-kin’s right to redeem it, so buy it for yourself.” Then I was certain that this was Adonai’s word.
9 So I bought the field at ‘Anatot which belonged to my cousin Hanam’el and weighed out the money for him, seven ounces of silver shekels. 10 I signed on the purchase contract, sealed it, called witnesses and weighed out the money for him on a balance scale. 11 I took the purchase contract, both the sealed copy with the terms and conditions, and the unsealed copy, 12 and gave the purchase contract to Barukh the son of Neriyah, the son of Machseyah, in the presence of my cousin Hanam’el, the witnesses who had signed the purchase contract and the people from Y’hudah sitting by the guards’ quarters. 13 In their presence I instructed Barukh as follows: 14 “Here is what Adonai-Tzva’ot, the God of Isra’el, says: ‘Take these contracts, both the sealed and unsealed copies, and place them in a clay jar, so that they can be preserved for a long time.’ 15 For Adonai-Tzva’ot, the God of Isra’el, says that one day homes, fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land.”
16 After giving the purchase contract to Barukh son of Neriyah, I prayed to Adonai: 17 “Adonai, God! You made heaven and earth by your great power and outstretched arm; nothing is too hard for you. 18 You display your grace to thousands but also repay the guilt of the fathers into the lap of their children who follow them. Great, powerful God, whose name is Adonai-Tzva’ot, 19 great in counsel, mighty in deed! Your eyes are open to all the ways of human beings in order to repay each one according to his ways, according to the consequences of what he does. 20 You gave signs and performed miracles in the land of Egypt which continue to this day, also in Isra’el and among other people; thus you made yourself the reputation you have today. 21 You brought your people of Isra’el out of the land of Egypt with signs and miracles, with a strong hand and an outstretched arm and with great terror. 22 Then you gave them this land, which you had sworn to their ancestors that you would give them, a land flowing with milk and honey.
Today's Laws & Customs:• Ethics of the Fathers: Chapter 4
In preparation for the festival of Shavuot, we study one of the six chapters of the Talmud'sEthics of the Fathers ("Avot") on the afternoon of each of the six Shabbatot between Passover and Shavuot; this week we study Chapter Four. (In many communities -- and such is the Chabad custom -- the study cycle is repeated through the summer, until the Shabbat before Rosh Hashanah.)
Link: Ethics of the Fathers, Chapter 4
• Count "Thirty-Six Days to the Omer" Tonight
Tomorrow is the thirty-sixth day of the Omer Count. Since, on the Jewish calendar, the day begins at nightfall of the previous evening, we count the omer for tomorrow's date tonight, after nightfall: "Today is thirty-six days, which are five weeks and one day, to the Omer." (If you miss the count tonight, you can count the omer all day tomorrow, but without the preceding blessing).
The 49-day "Counting of the Omer" retraces our ancestors' seven-week spiritual journey from the Exodus to Sinai. Each evening we recite a special blessing and count the days and weeks that have passed since the Omer; the 50th day is Shavuot, the festival celebrating the Giving of the Torah at Sinai.
Tonight's Sefirah: Chessed sheb'Yesod -- "Kindness in Connection"
The teachings of Kabbalah explain that there are seven "Divine Attributes" -- Sefirot -- that G-d assumes through which to relate to our existence: Chessed, Gevurah, Tifferet, Netzach, Hod,Yesod and Malchut ("Love", "Strength", "Beauty", "Victory", "Splendor", "Foundation" and "Sovereignty"). In the human being, created in the "image of G-d," the seven sefirot are mirrored in the seven "emotional attributes" of the human soul: Kindness, Restraint, Harmony, Ambition, Humility, Connection and Receptiveness. Each of the seven attributes contain elements of all seven--i.e., "Kindness in Kindness", "Restraint in Kindness", "Harmony in Kindness", etc.--making for a total of forty-nine traits. The 49-day Omer Count is thus a 49-step process of self-refinement, with each day devoted to the "rectification" and perfection of one the forty-nine "sefirot."
Links:
How to count the Omer
The deeper significance of the Omer Count
Today in Jewish History:
• Journey From Mount Sinai (1312 BCE)
On the 20th of Iyar 2449 (1312 BCE)--nearly a year after the Giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai--the Children of Israel departed their encampment near the Mountain. They resumed their journey when the pillar of cloud rose for the first time from over the "Tabernacle--the divine sign that would signal the resumption of their travels throughout their encampments and journeys over the next 38 years, until they reached the eastern bank of the Jordan River on the eve of their entry into the Holy Land.
Links: The Israelites' Journey through the Desert
• Troyes Jews Burned at Stake (1288)
On the 20th of Iyar in 1288, thirteen Jews in Troyes, France, were burned at the stake by the Inquisition. They were accused, in a blood libel, of the supposed murder of a Christian child. The thirteen Jews were chosen from among the richer members of the community.
Jews were also killed in a blood libel in Neuchatel, Switzerland, on this date.
• Venice Jews Forbidden to Practice Law (1637)
The Jews of Venice, Italy, were forbidden to practice law or to act as advocates in the Courts of Venice on the 20th of Iyar of 1637.
• Mt. Scopus Hospital (1939)
The Hadassah University Hospital and Medical Center was opened on Mt. Scopus, Jerusalem. The hospital, designed by renowned Bauhaus architect Erich Mendelssohn, opened as a modern, 300-bed academic medical facility.
• Pregnant Women Sentenced to Death (1942)
In the ghetto of Kovno, the Nazis decreed the execution of all pregnant Jewish women.
Daily Study:
Chitas and Rambam for today:
Chumash: Behar, 7th Portion Leviticus 25:47-26:2 with Rashi
• English / Hebrew Linear Translation | Video Class• Leviticus Chapter 25
47If a resident non Jew gains wealth with you, and your brother becomes destitute with him and is sold to a resident non Jew among you or to an idol of the family of a non Jew. מזוְכִ֣י תַשִּׂ֗יג יַ֣ד גֵּ֤ר וְתוֹשָׁב֙ עִמָּ֔ךְ וּמָ֥ךְ אָחִ֖יךָ עִמּ֑וֹ וְנִמְכַּ֗ר לְגֵ֤ר תּוֹשָׁב֙ עִמָּ֔ךְ א֥וֹ לְעֵ֖קֶר מִשְׁפַּ֥חַת גֵּֽר:
a resident non-Jew: Heb. גֵּר וְתוֹשָׁב. A stranger (גֵּר) who is a resident (תּוֹשָׁב),“ [stranger here meaning non-Jew,] just as the Targum [Onkelos] renders: עֲרַל תּוֹתָב, an uncircumcised resident. And the end [of the verse] proves [that it is one person, when it continues:] וְנִמְכַּר לְגֵר תּוֹשָׁב [without a "vav"].
יד גר ותושב: גר והוא תושב, כתרגומו ערל תותב, וסופו מוכיח ונמכר לגר תושב:
If a resident non-Jew gains wealth with you: What caused him to become wealthy? His connection with you. [He gained wealth through the blessing of the Jewish people]. — [Torath Kohanim 25:93]
וכי תשיג יד גר ותושב עמך: מי גרם לו שיעשיר, דבוקו עמך:
and your brother becomes destitute with him: What caused his destitution? His connection with him, because he learned from his deeds. — [Torath Kohanim 25:93]
ומך אחיך עמו: מי גרם לו שימוך, דבוקו עמו, על ידי שלמד ממעשיו:
the family of a non-Jew: [Without the word לְעֵקֶר,] this [expression] means [the Jew is sold to] an idolater; but when Scripture says לְעֵקֶר [literally “to uproot,” making it לְעֵקֶר מִשְׁפַּחַת גֵּר], it refers to [a Jew] who is sold to the idol itself [לְעֵקֶר meaning “that which is to be uprooted”] - i.e., he becomes an attendant to it. He does not worship it as a deity, but to chop wood and draw water. — [Torath Kohanim 25:94]
משפחת גר: זהו הגוי. כשהוא אומר לעקר זה הנמכר לעבודה זרה עצמה להיות לה שמש, ולא לאלהות, אלא לחטוב עצים ולשאוב מים:
48After he is sold, he shall have redemption; one of his brothers shall redeem him. מחאַֽחֲרֵ֣י נִמְכַּ֔ר גְּאֻלָּ֖ה תִּֽהְיֶה־לּ֑וֹ אֶחָ֥ד מֵֽאֶחָ֖יו יִגְאָלֶֽנּוּ:
he shall have redemption: immediately. Do not allow him to become assimilated [Sifthei Chachamim ; Torath Kohanim 25:95] until the Jubilee year. For the purchaser’s sole purpose here was to acquire this man so that he would serve him until the Jubilee, for [the servant] goes free in the Jubilee, as is stated below, “[And if he has not been redeemed…] he shall go out in the Jubilee year” (verse 54). [Obviously], Scripture is speaking of a non-Jew who is under the jurisdiction of Israel [and therefore obeys the law to free his slave in the Jubilee year]. Nevertheless, you shall not cheat him, because [this may cause] a desecration of God’s Name, but, when [the servant] is to be redeemed, he must be meticulous in his calculation, according to what is due for each year, and the non-Jew should then deduct this amount from his price. If there were twenty years since he was sold, until the Jubilee, and he had purchased him for twenty manehs -it turns out that the non-Jew had purchased each year’s work for a maneh . Now, if this [Jewish servant] had already spent five years with him, and he comes to be redeemed, he [the non-Jew] must deduct five manehs, and the servant must give him fifteen manehs. This, then, is the meaning of: “then, the purchase price shall be divided by the number of years” [in order to determine the annual hiring rate, as above]. — [Torath Kohanim 25:103; B.K. 113b]
גאלה תהיה לו: מיד, אל תניחהו שיטמע עד שנת היובל, שהרי כל עצמו לא קנאו אלא לעובדו עד היובל, שהרי ביובל יצא, כמו שנאמר למטה (פסוק נד) ויצא בשנת היובל. ובגוי שתחת ידך הכתוב מדבר ואף על פי כן לא תבא עליו בעקיפין, מפני חלול השם, אלא כשבא ליגאל ידקדק בחשבון לפי המגיע בכל שנה ושנה ינכה לו הגוי מן דמיו, אם היו עשרים שנה משנמכר עד היובל וקנאו בעשרים מנה, נמצא שקנה הגוי עבודת שנה במנה, ואם שהה זה אצלו חמש שנים ובא ליגאל, ינכה לו חמשה מנים ויתן לו העבד ט"ו מנים, וזהו והיה כסף ממכרו במספר שנים:
49Or his uncle or his cousin shall redeem him, or the closest [other] relative from his family shall redeem him; or, if he becomes able to afford it, he can be redeemed [on his own]. מטאֽוֹ־דֹד֞וֹ א֤וֹ בֶן־דֹּדוֹ֙ יִגְאָלֶ֔נּוּ אֽוֹ־מִשְּׁאֵ֧ר בְּשָׂר֛וֹ מִמִּשְׁפַּחְתּ֖וֹ יִגְאָלֶ֑נּוּ אֽוֹ־הִשִּׂ֥יגָה יָד֖וֹ וְנִגְאָֽל:
50He shall calculate with his purchaser [the number of years] from the year of his being sold to him until the Jubilee year; then, the purchase price shall be [divided] by the number of years; as the days of a hired worker, he shall be with him. נוְחִשַּׁב֙ עִם־קֹנֵ֔הוּ מִשְּׁנַת֙ הִמָּ֣כְרוֹ ל֔וֹ עַ֖ד שְׁנַ֣ת הַיֹּבֵ֑ל וְהָיָ֞ה כֶּ֤סֶף מִמְכָּרוֹ֙ בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר שָׁנִ֔ים כִּימֵ֥י שָׂכִ֖יר יִֽהְיֶ֥ה עִמּֽוֹ:
as the days of a hired worker, he shall be with him: He shall calculate the amount [of money] resulting for each year, “as if he had been employed by him for a maneh annually,” and he [the non-Jew] should then deduct it for him, [as explained in the preceding Rashi].
כימי שכיר יהיה עמו: חשבון המגיע לכל שנה ושנה יחשב כאלו נשכר עמו כל שנה במנה וינכה לו:
51If there are still many years, according to them, he shall return his redemption [money] out of the money for which he was purchased. נאאִם־ע֥וֹד רַבּ֖וֹת בַּשָּׁנִ֑ים לְפִיהֶן֙ יָשִׁ֣יב גְּאֻלָּת֔וֹ מִכֶּ֖סֶף מִקְנָתֽוֹ:
If there are still many years: until the Jubilee.
אם עוד רבות בשנים: עד היובל:
according to them: Everything as I have explained.
לפיהן: הכל כמו שפירשתי:
52But if only a few years remain until the Jubilee year, he shall make the [same] calculation; according to his years [that remain until Jubilee], he shall return the redemption [money]._ נבוְאִם־מְעַ֞ט נִשְׁאַ֧ר בַּשָּׁנִ֛ים עַד־שְׁנַ֥ת הַיֹּבֵ֖ל וְחִשַּׁב־ל֑וֹ כְּפִ֣י שָׁנָ֔יו יָשִׁ֖יב אֶת־גְּאֻלָּתֽוֹ:
53He shall be with him as an employee hired year by year; he shall not enslave him with rigor in your sight. נגכִּשְׂכִ֥יר שָׁנָ֛ה בְּשָׁנָ֖ה יִֽהְיֶ֣ה עִמּ֑וֹ לֹֽא־יִרְדֶּ֥נּוּ בְּפֶ֖רֶךְ לְעֵינֶֽיךָ:
he shall not enslave him with rigor in your sight: That is to say, while you see this [i.e., a Jew must not see a non-Jew forcing this type of labor upon his Jewish servant without doing anything, but this is not a warning to the non-Jew (Gur Aryeh)]. — [Torath Kohanim 25:101]
לא ירדנו בפרך לעיניך: כלומר ואתה רואה:
54And if he is not redeemed through [any of] these [ways], he shall go out in the Jubilee year he and his children with him. נדוְאִם־לֹ֥א יִגָּאֵ֖ל בְּאֵ֑לֶּה וְיָצָא֙ בִּשְׁנַ֣ת הַיֹּבֵ֔ל ה֖וּא וּבָנָ֥יו עִמּֽוֹ:
And if he is not redeemed through [any of] these [ways]: This [Jewish servant of a non-Jew] may be redeemed [only] through “these ways” [described in the verses here], but he may not be redeemed [i.e., released] through six [years]. — [see Exod. 21:2; Kid. 15b]
ואם לא יגאל באלה: באלה הוא נגאל, ואינו נגאל בשש:
he, and his children with him: [But are his children also sold, that Scripture finds it necessary to state here that his children go free together with him? However, we learn from here that just like a Jewish master, so too], the non-Jewish [master] is obligated to provide food for the [servant’s] children, just as an Israelite is obligated [and in this sense, they are released, along with their father]. — [Kid. 22a; see Rashi verse 41 above]
הוא ובניו עמו: הנכרי חייב במזונות בניו כישראל:
55For the children of Israel are servants to Me; they are My servants, whom I took out of the land of Egypt. I am the Lord, your God. נהכִּי־לִ֤י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ עֲבָדִ֔ים עֲבָדַ֣י הֵ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־הוֹצֵ֥אתִי אוֹתָ֖ם מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם:
For the children of Israel are servants to Me: “My contract came before.” [And thus, when the Jubilee arrives, the servant must be released and revert to being God’s servant rather than man’s.]- [Torath Kohanim 25:85; see Rashi verse 42 above]
כי לי בני ישראל עבדים: שטרי קודם:
I am the Lord, your God: Whoever subjugates them below [on this earth,] is as if he subjugates [them] above [in heaven, for as long as a Jew is enslaved to another human being, he is not free to do the holy service of God Above (Be’er Basadeh)]. — [Torath Kohanim 25:104]
אני ה' אלהיכם: כל המשעבדן מלמטה כאלו משעבדן מלמעלה:
Leviticus Chapter 26
1You shall not make idols for yourselves, nor shall you set up a statue or a monument for yourselves. And in your land you shall not place a pavement stone on which to prostrate yourselves, for I am the Lord, your God. אלֹא־תַֽעֲשׂ֨וּ לָכֶ֜ם אֱלִילִ֗ם וּפֶ֤סֶל וּמַצֵּבָה֙ לֹֽא־תָקִ֣ימוּ לָכֶ֔ם וְאֶ֣בֶן מַשְׂכִּ֗ית לֹ֤א תִתְּנוּ֙ בְּאַרְצְכֶ֔ם לְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲוֹ֖ת עָלֶ֑יהָ כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם:
You shall not make idols for yourselves: [This] is addressed to the one who has been sold [as a servant] to a non-Jew, that he should not say, “Since my master has illicit relations, I will also be like him! Since my master worships idols, I will also be like him! Since my master desecrates the Sabbath, I will also be like him!” This is why these verses are stated here. - [Torath Kohanim 25:106]. Also, the passages [in this whole section (namely, from the beginning of Chapter 25 until the end of Behar),] are written in a meaningful order, [as follows]: At first, Scripture admonishes us to observe [the laws of] Shemittah [and Jubilee (25: 124)]; then, if one covets money and becomes suspect of [unlawfully doing business with produce of] Shemittah (Nachalath Ya’akov), he will eventually [become destitute and] have to sell his personal belongingstherefore, Scripture juxtaposes to it, “And when you make a sale [to your fellow-Jew]” (25:14) (What is written therein? “or make a purchase from the hand…,” something that is transferred from hand to hand). If he still does not repent, he will eventually have to sell his ineritance (25:25). If he even then does not repent, he will eventually have to sell his home, and if even then, he does not repent, he will eventually have to borrow money with interest (verses 25:35-38). Now, the later the scenario in this passage, the more severe it is [i.e., first he sells his belongings, then his property, then his home and then even borrowing with interest which is more severe than selling one’s property; (Nachalath Ya’akov) thus, the passage continues accordingly, for] if he still does not repent, he will eventually have to sell himself [to his fellow Jew as a servant] (verses 25:39-46); and [finally,] if he has still not repented, not enough that he had to be sold to his fellow Jew - but he will [be forced to sell himself] even to a non-Jew!- [25:47-55; Kidd. 20a]
לא תעשו לכם אלילם: כנגד זה הנמכר לגוי, שלא יאמר הואיל ורבי מגלה עריות אף אני כמותו, הואיל ורבי עובד עבודה זרה אף אני כמותו, הואיל ורבי מחלל שבת אף אני כמותו, לכך נאמרו מקראות הללו. ואף הפרשיות הללו נאמרו על הסדר בתחלה הזהיר על השביעית, ואם חמד ממון ונחשד על השביעית סופו למכור מטלטליו, לכך סמך לה וכי תמכרו ממכר (ויק' כה יד), מה כתיב ביה או קנה מיד עמיתך (שם), דבר הנקנה מיד ליד. לא חזר בו, סוף מוכר אחוזתו. לא חזר בו, סוף מוכר את ביתו. לא חזר בו, סוף לוה ברבית. כל אלו האחרונות קשות מן הראשונות. לא חזר בו, סוף מוכר את עצמו. לא חזר בו, לא דיו לישראל אלא אפילו לגוי:
a pavement stone: אֶבֶן מַשְׂכִּית, an expression denoting a covering, as in “And I shall cover (וְשַׂכֹּתִי) [you with] My hand.” (Exod. 33:22). [And the meaning of “covering” is relevant here,] as people use a stone floor to make a covering over the ground.
ואבן משכית: לשון כסוי, כמו (שמות לג כב) ושכותי כפי, שמכסין הקרקע ברצפת אבנים:
on which to prostrate yourselves: even to Heaven, for the expression הִשְׁתַּחֲוָאָה, prostration, denotes stretching one’s hands and feet out [on the ground], and the Torah prohibits one to do this outside the Holy Temple [where prostration on a stone floor is permitted]. — [Meg. 22b and see Rashi there]
להשתחות עליה: אפילו לשמים, לפי שהשתחואה בפשוט ידים ורגלים היא, ואסרה תורה לעשות כן חוץ מן המקדש:
Daily Tehillim: Chapters 97 - 103• Hebrew text
• English text• Chapter 97
1. When the Lord will reveal His kingship, the earth will exult; the multitudes of islands will rejoice.
2. Clouds and dense darkness will surround Him; justice and mercy will be the foundation of His throne.
3. Fire will go before Him and consume His foes all around.
4. His lightnings will illuminate the world; the earth will see and tremble.
5. The mountains will melt like wax before the Lord, before the Master of all the earth.
6. The heavens will declare His justice, and all the nations will behold His glory.
7. All who worship graven images, who take pride in idols, will be ashamed; all idol worshippers will prostrate themselves before Him.
8. Zion will hear and rejoice, the towns of Judah will exult, because of Your judgments, O Lord.
9. For You, Lord, transcend all the earth; You are exceedingly exalted above all the supernal beings.
10. You who love the Lord, hate evil; He watches over the souls of His pious ones, He saves them from the hand of the wicked.
11. Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.
12. Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous, and extol His holy Name.
Chapter 98
This psalm describes how Israel will praise God for the Redemption.
1. A psalm. Sing to the Lord a new song, for He has performed wonders; His right hand and holy arm have wrought deliverance for Him.
2. The Lord has made known His salvation; He has revealed His justice before the eyes of the nations.
3. He has remembered His kindness and faithfulness to the House of Israel; all, from the farthest corners of the earth, witnessed the deliverance by our God.
4. Raise your voices in jubilation to the Lord, all the earth; burst into joyous song and chanting.
5. Sing to the Lord with a harp, with a harp and the sound of song.
6. With trumpets and the sound of the shofar, jubilate before the King, the Lord.
7. The sea and its fullness will roar in joy, the earth and its inhabitants.
8. The rivers will clap their hands, the mountains will sing together.
9. [They will rejoice] before the Lord, for He has come to judge the earth; He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with righteousness.
Chapter 99
This psalm refers to the wars of Gog and Magog, which will precede the Redemption.
1. When the Lord will reveal His kingship, the nations will tremble; the earth will quake before Him Who is enthroned upon the cherubim,
2. [before] the Lord Who is in Zion, Who is great and exalted above all the peoples.
3. They will extol Your Name which is great, awesome and holy.
4. And [they will praise] the might of the King Who loves justice. You have established uprightness; You have made [the laws of] justice and righteousness in Jacob.
5. Exalt the Lord our God, and bow down at His footstool; He is holy.
6. Moses and Aaron among His priests, and Samuel among those who invoke His Name, would call upon the Lord and He would answer them.
7. He would speak to them from a pillar of cloud; they observed His testimonies and the decrees which He gave them.
8. Lord our God, You have answered them; You were a forgiving God for their sake, yet bringing retribution for their own misdeeds.
9. Exalt the Lord our God, and bow down at His holy mountain, for the Lord our God is holy.
Chapter 100
This psalm inspires the hearts of those who suffer in this world. Let them, nevertheless, serve God with joy, for all is for their good, as in the verse: "He whom God loves does He chastise." The psalm also refers to the thanksgiving sacrifice-the only sacrifice to be offered in the Messianic era.
1. A psalm of thanksgiving. Let all the earth sing in jubilation to the Lord.
2. Serve the Lord with joy; come before Him with exultation.
3. Know that the Lord is God; He has made us and we are His, His people and the sheep of His pasture.
4. Enter His gates with gratitude, His courtyards with praise; give thanks to Him, bless His Name.
5. For the Lord is good; His kindness is everlasting, and His faithfulness is for all generations.
Chapter 101
This psalm speaks of David's secluding himself from others, and of his virtuous conduct even in his own home.
1. By David, a psalm. I will sing of [Your] kindness and justice; to You, O Lord, will I chant praise!
2. I will pay heed to the path of integrity-O when will it come to me? I shall walk with the innocence of my heart [even] within my house.
3. I shall not place an evil thing before my eyes; I despise the doing of wayward deeds, it does not cling to me.
4. A perverse heart shall depart from me; I shall not know evil.
5. He who slanders his fellow in secret, him will I cut down; one with haughty eyes and a lustful heart, him I cannot suffer.
6. My eyes are upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in the path of integrity, he shall minister to me.
7. He that practices deceit shall not dwell within my house; the speaker of lies shall have no place before my eyes.
8. Every morning I will cut down all the wicked of the land, to excise all evildoers from the city of the Lord.
Chapter 102
An awe-inspiring prayer for the exiled, and an appropriate prayer for anyone in distress.
1. A prayer of the poor man when he is faint [with affliction], and pours out his tale of woe before the Lord.
2. O Lord, hear my prayer, let my cry reach You!
3. Hide not Your face from me on the day of my distress; turn Your ear to me; on the day that I call, answer me quickly.
4. For my days have vanished with the smoke; my bones are dried up as a hearth.
5. Smitten like grass and withered is my heart, for I have forgotten to eat my bread.
6. From the voice of my sigh, my bone cleaves to my flesh.
7. I am like the bird of the wilderness; like the owl of the wasteland have I become.
8. In haste I fled; I was like a bird, alone on a roof.
9. All day my enemies disgrace me; those who ridicule me curse using my name.1
10. For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mixed my drink with tears,
11. because of Your anger and Your wrath-for You have raised me up, then cast me down.
12. My days are like the fleeting shadow; I wither away like the grass.
13. But You, Lord, will be enthroned forever, and Your remembrance is for all generations.
14. You will arise and have mercy on Zion, for it is time to be gracious to her; the appointed time has come.
15. For Your servants cherish her stones, and love her dust.
16. Then the nations will fear the Name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth Your glory,
17. when [they see that] the Lord has built Zion, He has appeared in His glory.
18. He turned to the entreaty of the prayerful, and did not despise their prayer.
19. Let this be written for the last generation, so that the newborn nation will praise the Lord.
20. For He looked down from His holy heights; from heaven, the Lord gazed upon the earth,
21. to hear the cry of the bound, to untie those who are doomed to die,
22. so that the Name of the Lord be declared in Zion, and His praise in Jerusalem,
23. when nations and kingdoms will gather together to serve the Lord.
24. He weakened my strength on the way; He shortened my days.
25. I would say: "My God, do not remove me in the midst of my days! You Whose years endure through all generations.”
26. In the beginning You laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands.
27. They will perish, but You will endure; all of them will wear out like a garment; You will exchange them like a robe, and they will vanish.
28. But You remain the same; Your years will not end.
29. The children of Your servants will abide; their seed shall be established before You.
FOOTNOTES
1.When swearing, they would say, “If I am lying, may I become like the miserable Jews” (Metzudot).
Chapter 103
David's prayer when he was ill, this psalm is an appropriate prayer on behalf of the sick, especially when offered by the sick person himself while his soul is yet in his body. He can then bless God from his depths, body and soul. Read, and find repose for your soul.
1. By David. Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all my being, His holy Name.
2. My soul, bless the Lord; forget not all His favors:
3. Who forgives all your sins, Who heals all your illnesses;
4. Who redeems your life from the grave, Who crowns you with kindness and mercy;
5. Who satisfies your mouth with goodness; like the eagle, your youth is renewed.
6. The Lord executes righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.
7. He made His ways known to Moses, His deeds to the Children of Israel.
8. The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and of great kindness.
9. He will not contend for eternity, nor harbor ill will forever.
10. He has not dealt with us according to our transgressions, nor requited us according to our sins.
11. For as high as heaven is above the earth, so has His kindness been mighty over those who fear Him.
12. As far as the east is from the west, so has He distanced our transgressions from us.
13. As a father has compassion on his children, so has the Lord had compassion on those who fear Him.
14. For He knows our nature; He is mindful that we are but dust.
15. As for man, his days are like grass; like a flower of the field, so he sprouts.
16. When a wind passes over him, he is gone; his place recognizes him no more.
17. But the kindness of the Lord is forever and ever upon those who fear Him, and His righteousness is [secured] for children's children,
18. to those who keep His covenant, and to those who remember His commands to do them.
19. The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His kingship has dominion over all.
20. Bless the Lord, you His angels who are mighty in strength, who do His bidding to obey the voice of His speech.
21. Bless the Lord, all His hosts, His servants who do His will.
22. Bless the Lord, all His works, in all the places of His dominion. My soul, bless the Lord!
Tanya: Likutei Amarim, middle of Chapter 49• Lessons in Tanya• English Text
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• Shabbat, Iyar 20, 5776 · May 28, 2016
• Likutei Amarim, middle of Chapter 49
• והנה כאשר ישים המשכיל אלה הדברים אל עומקא דלבא ומוחא, אזי ממילא כמים הפנים לפנים
Rambam:
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When the thinking person will reflect on these matters in the depths of his heart and brain, then as surely aswater mirrors the image of a face,
When the love likened to “water mirroring the image of a face” takes effect in a person, so that G‑d’s manifest love for His people arouses in him a corresponding love towards Him, then:
תתלהט נפשו ותתלבש ברוח נדיבה, להתנדב להניח ולעזוב כל אשר לו מנגד, ורק לדבקה בו יתברך, וליכלל באורו בדביקה חשיקה וכו׳, בבחינת נשיקין ואתדבקות רוחא ברוחא כנ״ל
his soul will spontaneously be kindled with love for G‑d, and it will clothe itself in a spirit of benevolence, willingly to lay down and resolutely to abandon all he possesses, for it will no longer be of major importance to him, in order only to cleave unto Him, and to be absorbed into His light with an attachment and longing, and so forth, in a manner of “kissing”, and with an attachment of spirit to Spirit, as has been explained earlier.
Just as kissing involves not only the cleaving of mouths but also a communion of breaths, so too does spiritual unity involve the union of man’s spirit with G‑d’s: man’s spirit becomes one with G‑d’s.
אך איך היא בחינת אתדבקות רוחא ברוחא
But how does the attachment of spirit to Spirit take place? I.e., what measures are to be taken if one seeks to desire to “only cleave to Him”?
לזה אמר: והיו הדברים האלה גו׳ על לבבך, ודברת בם גו׳
To this end it is stated, soon after the phrase, “with all your heart,” and so on:1 “And these words shall be... upon your heart.... And you shall speak of them....” As will soon be explained, this refers to immersing oneself in the study of Torah and speaking words of Torah.
וכמו שכתוב בעץ חיים, שיחוד הנשיקין עיקרו הוא יחוד חב״ד בחב״ד, והוא עיון התורה
As is explained in Etz Chayim, the union of “kissing” which incorporates the union of the “attachment of spirit to Spirit” is essentially the union of ChaBaD with ChaBaD — the union of man’s Chochmah, Binah and Daat with G‑d’s; that is, concentration in the Torah, which unites man’s ChaBaD with the intellect of above, i.e., Torah,
והפה הוא מוצא הרוח וגילויו בבחינת גילוי, והיינו בחינת הדבור בדברי תורה
while the mouth, as the outlet of the breath and its emergence into a revealed state, represents the category of speech engaged in words of the Torah,
By speaking words of Torah — as it is written, “And you shall speak of them” — the spirit emerges into a revealed state. Thus, the union of “spirit with Spirit” is mainly brought about by one’s immersion in Torah study. The reason for this follows:
| FOOTNOTES | |
| 1. | Devarim 6:6-7. |
• Sefer Hamitzvos:• English Text | Hebrew Text |
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• Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
Positive Commandment 74
Offering of the Zav
"And when the zav is cleansed from his discharge... And on the eighth day, he shall take for himself two turtledoves..."—Leviticus 15:13-14.
A man who is a zav [one who suffers an abnormal seminal discharge] must, after the disorder has been cured, bring an offering—two pigeons or two turtledoves, one as a Burnt Offering and one as a Sin Offering.
Until he brings this offering, his purification process is not complete and he may not partake of sacrificial flesh.
Full text of this Mitzvah »• Offering of the Zav
Offering of the Metzora
"On the eighth day, he shall take two unblemished male lambs and one female ewe"—Leviticus 14:10.
A metzora [one who suffers from the biblical disease known as tzara'at] must, after the disorder has been cured, bring an offering: Three animals – one as a Burnt Offering, one as a Sin Offering, and one as a Guilt Offering – and a log of oil. If his financial means do not allow for this, he can instead bring one lamb as a guilt offering and two pigeons or two turtledoves, one as a Burnt Offering and one as a Sin Offering.
Until he brings this offering, his purification process is not complete and he may not partake of sacrificial flesh.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
Positive Commandment 74
Offering of the Zav
"And when the zav is cleansed from his discharge... And on the eighth day, he shall take for himself two turtledoves..."—Leviticus 15:13-14.
A man who is a zav [one who suffers an abnormal seminal discharge] must, after the disorder has been cured, bring an offering—two pigeons or two turtledoves, one as a Burnt Offering and one as a Sin Offering.
Until he brings this offering, his purification process is not complete and he may not partake of sacrificial flesh.
Full text of this Mitzvah »• Offering of the Zav
Positive Commandment 74
Translated by Berel Bell
The 74th mitzvah is that we are commanded that a man who is a zav1 must bring an offering after being healed from his discharge.
This offering, known as a korban zav, consists of two doves or two young pigeons, one for a sin-offering and one as a burnt-offering. His atonement is incomplete2 until they are sacrificed.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement3 (exalted be He), "When the man is rid of his discharge...on the eighth day he shall take for himself two doves..."
1.A man who emits a thin sort of seed as a result of an illness. See P104. Hilchos Mechusarei Kapparah 2:1.
2.See note to P75, above.
3.Lev. 15:13-15.
Positive Commandment 77Offering of the Metzora
"On the eighth day, he shall take two unblemished male lambs and one female ewe"—Leviticus 14:10.
A metzora [one who suffers from the biblical disease known as tzara'at] must, after the disorder has been cured, bring an offering: Three animals – one as a Burnt Offering, one as a Sin Offering, and one as a Guilt Offering – and a log of oil. If his financial means do not allow for this, he can instead bring one lamb as a guilt offering and two pigeons or two turtledoves, one as a Burnt Offering and one as a Sin Offering.
Until he brings this offering, his purification process is not complete and he may not partake of sacrificial flesh.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
• Offering of the Metzora
Positive Commandment 77
Translated by Berel Bell
The 77th mitzvah is that we are commanded that every leper1 must bring an offering after his condition heals.
It consists of three animals — a burnt-offering, a sin-offering, and a guilt-offering — and one log of oil. If he is poor, his offering consists of a sheep as the guilt-offering and two doves or two young pigeons — one for a burnt-offering and the other for a sin-offering. This is the fourth category of "those whose atonement is incomplete" [as long as the sacrifice has not yet been brought].2
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement3 (exalted be He), "On the eighth day, he shall take two unblemished male sheep and one unblemished yearling female sheep."
Perhaps someone will ask: why don't you count the sacrifices brought by all "those whose atonement is incomplete" as one mitzvah? This is because they all share the same idea — that they lack atonement, and would then be [one mitzvah] like one of the purification procedures. You would then say: "the following mitzvah is the commandment not to consider the purification of certain categories complete until the sacrifices have been brought — [those categories being] zav, zavah, a woman who has just given birth, and a leper. This seems to be similar to counting the purification of the mikvah as one mitzvah, that each person who is tameh must fulfill, regardless of the type of impurity. So too, you could count the sacrifices of "those who lack atonement" as one mitzvah, regardless of the type of impurity!
G‑d knows that this would be absolutely true if the identical sacrifice was brought for each of the four categories of "those whose atonement is incomplete." Then it would be similar to purification with water, which is a purification procedure which applies to [virtually] all who are tameh. But since, as you can see, the type of sacrifice varies, we are forced to count each one separately; because what completes the purification for this category does not work for another category. These categories are like the water of the red heifer, a mikvah, and the four species used to purify a leper — which, although they are all used for purification, nevertheless count as three mitzvos, as will be later explained.4
The laws regarding the four categories of "those whose atonement is incomplete" and the laws of their sacrifices are discussed — in general and in detail — in the first two chapters of tractate Kerisus, the second chapter of Erachin and Zevachim, the 8th chapter of Nazir, the end of Negaim, tractate Kinim, and sprinkled throughout various passages in the Talmud. The vast majority, though, are found in the places I've noted.
FOOTNOTES
1.Although the word metzora is commonly translated "leper," it is not an accurate translation. The metzora is afflicted by a condition that in some cases turns the skin white, in other cases affects the hair. The term "leprosy" is used because it is the contemporary condition that most closely resembles tzora'as, since the lesions are often lighter than the skin's natural color.
2.See P75.
3.Lev. 14:10.
4.P110.
• 1 Chapter: Me`ilah Me`ilah - Perek 4 • English Text | Hebrew Text | Audio: Listen | Download | Video Class• Me`ilah - Perek 4
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Halacha 1
When a person sets aside money for a sin-offering, a burnt-offering, a guilt-offering, turtle-doves, or young doves, the prohibition against me'ilah applies to them from the time he set them aside. If he set them aside for peace-offerings, the prohibition against me'ilah does not apply.
Halacha 2
When a person consecrated the value of one limb of an animal to the altar, there is an unresolved doubt whether the holiness spreads throughout the entire animal or not. Therefore it should be offered and not redeemed. If it is redeemed, the prohibition against me'ilah does not apply to the money used to redeem it.
Halacha 3
When a person sets aside money for the sacrifices to be offered at the conclusion of his nazirite vow, it is forbidden to benefit from it. If one benefits from it, he does not violate the prohibition against me'ilah, because all of the funds are fit to be used to purchase a peace-offering and the prohibition against me'ilah does not apply to a peace-offering, except to its fats and organs after the blood has been cast. If he dies, the money should be used for freewill offerings.
If the money was explicitly designated for the particular sacrifices, the money for the sin offering should be taken to the Mediterranean Sea. One should not benefit from them, nor does the prohibition against me'ilah apply. The money for the burnt-offering should be used for a burnt-offering and the prohibition against me'ilah applies.
When the person said: "This money is for my sin-offering and the remainder for my nazirite offering, if he benefited from all the remaining money, he violates the prohibition against me'ilah. If he benefited only from part of it, he does not violate that prohibition. Similarly, were he to say: "This money is for my burnt-offering and the remainder for my nazirite offering, if he benefited from all the remaining money, he violates the prohibition against me'ilah. If he benefited only from part of it, he does not violate that prohibition. The rationale is that the prohibition against me'ilah does not apply to a peace-offering.
If he set aside money and said: "This is for my burnt-offering; this is for my sin-offering; and this is for my peace-offering," and the money became intermingled, the prohibition against me'ilah applies both whether he benefited from the entire sum or only a portion of the money. What should he do to correct the situation? He should bring three animals and transfer the holiness of the money for the sin-offering wherever it is on one for a sin-offering, that of the money for the burnt-offering on one for a burnt-offering, and that of the money for the peace-offering on one for a peace-offering.
Halacha 4
When one of the individuals obligated to bring a pair of doves separated money and said: "This is for my obligation," the prohibition against me'ilah applies whether he benefited from the entire sum or only a portion of the money. If the person dies, the money should be used for freewill offering, as explained above with regard to a nazirite. The prohibition against me'ilah applies to it.
Halacha 5
When a person sets aside a sin-offering for partaking of forbidden fat and brings it for partaking of blood, he does not secure atonement. Therefore he is not considered to have violated the prohibition against me'ilah. If he set aside money for a sin-offering to atone for partaking of forbidden fat and instead purchased a sin-offering to atone for partaking of blood with it inadvertently, he can secure atonement with that offering. Therefore he has violated the prohibition against me'ilah applies. If he did so intentionally, he cannot secure atonement with that offering. Therefore he does not violate the prohibition against me'ilah.
Halacha 6
When a person sets aside two selaim for a guilt-offering and uses them to purchase two rams as ordinary animals, he has committed me'ilah, for he purchased ordinary animals with money designated for a guilt-offering. He is obligated to pay ten dinarim, i.e., the two selaim and an additional fifth. He should use this money to buy a ram for a guilt-offering and should bring another guilt-offering to atone for his me'ilah. Therefore if one of the two rams that he had purchased is worth two selaim and the other is worth ten dinarim, he should bring the one worth ten as a guilt offering for the money that he misappropriated and the additional fifth and he should bring the one worth two selaim as a guilt-offering for his violation of the prohibition of me'ilah.
Different rules apply if he purchased one of the rams as a guilt-offering and one as an ordinary animal. If the one purchased as a guilt-offering was worth two selaim, he should bring that for the first guilt-offering for which he was originally liable. Similarly, if the one purchased as an ordinary animal was worth two selaim, he should bring it as a guilt-offering for his misappropriation of consecrated funds, for he misappropriated one sela of the money originally set aside for a guilt-offering. He should pay five dinarim which should be used for a freewill offering.
Halacha 7
When one benefits from money set aside for a sin-offering before the sin-offering is offered, he should add a fifth to the amount he benefited and bring his sin-offering with this money. And he should bring a guilt-offering for his misappropriation of consecrated funds.
Similarly, when one benefits from money set aside for a guilt-offering before the guilt-offering is offered, he should add a fifth to the amount he benefited and bring his guilt-offering with this money. And he should bring a guilt-offering for his misappropriation of consecrated funds. The rationale is that the money paid for the misappropriation of animals consecrated to be offered on the altar should be used for such sacrifices. Money paid for the misappropriation of articles consecrated for the upkeep of the Temple should be used for that purpose.
In the instance mentioned above, if he discovered that he committed me'ilah with a portion of the money and afterwards, his sin-offering was sacrificed, but he did not set aside the money he misappropriated or he set it aside, but did not include it with the money for his sin-offering, the money he misappropriated and the additional fifth should be taken to the Mediterranean Sea. If he discovered that he committed me'ilah with a portion of the money and afterwards, his sin-offering was sacrificed, the money for the misappropriation and its additional fifth should be used for a freewill offering, for money is not set aside at the outset to be destroyed. In either instance, he must bring a guilt-offering for me'ilah.
Were the above situation to take place with regard to a guilt-offering, whether he discovered that he committed me'ilah before his guilt-offering was offered or afterwards, the money for the misappropriation and its additional fifth should be used for a freewill offering, because it is considered as money left over from a guilt-offering. And he must bring a guilt-offering for me'ilah.
Halacha 8
A person who sells an animal designated as a burnt-offering or a peace-offering has done nothing of consequence. According to Scriptural Law, the money should be returned to its original state. Nevertheless, our Sages penalized the purchaser and required that the money be used for a freewill offering. Even if the animal was worth four zuzim and it was sold for five, all of the five should be used for a freewill offering. The prohibition against me'ilah, however, does not apply, neither according to Scriptural Law, nor according to Rabbinic Law.
Halacha 9
The prohibition against me'ilah applies to articles set aside through vows. What is implied? A person said: "This loaf is considered like a sacrifice" or "...consecrated property for me." If he partakes of it, he violates the prohibition against me'ilah, even though the loaf is permitted to others. Therefore such an article cannot be redeemed, for it is only considered as consecrated for this person.
If he said: "This loaf is consecrated" or "...a sacrifice," whether he or someone else partakes of it, the prohibition against me'ilah is violated. Therefore it can be redeemed. If a ownerless loaf was before a person and he said: "This loaf is consecrated," should he take it to partake of it, he is considered to have misappropriated its entire value. If he took it to endow it to others, he is considered to have misappropriated the value of giving such a gift.
Halacha 10
When a person tells a colleague: "My loaf is considered as consecrated property for you," and then gives it to that colleague, the recipient violates the prohibition against me'ilah when he uses it. The giver does not violate this prohibition, because the article is not forbidden to him. Similar laws apply to all analogous situations applying to other types of vows; the prohibition against me'ilah applies to those forbidden to benefit from them.
All entities forbidden to a person because of a vow can be combined. If he derived a p'rutah's worth of benefit from the combination, he violates the prohibition against me'ilah.
Halacha 11
When a person says: "These plantings are a sacrifice if they are not cut down today" or "This garment is a sacrifice if it is not burnt today," and the day passed without the plantings being cut down or the garment being burnt, they are consecrated and they should be redeemed like other consecrated property. Only afterwards may one benefit from them.
If, however, he says: "These plantings are a sacrifice until they are cut down," he cannot redeem them. For whenever they will be redeemed, they will become consecrated again until they are cut down and once they are cut down, they need not be redeemed, but one may benefit from them immediately.
When does the above apply? When the person who consecrated them redeemed them. If, however, another person redeemed them, they do become ordinary property even though they have not been cut down and they are permitted even to the person who consecrated them.
• 3 Chapters: Mechussarey Kapparah Mechussarey Kapparah - Perek 3, Mechussarey Kapparah Mechussarey Kapparah - Perek 4, Mechussarey Kapparah Mechussarey Kapparah - Perek 5 • English Text | Hebrew Text | Audio: Listen | Download• Mechussarey Kapparah - Perek 3
Hayom Yom:
• English Text | Video Class• Shabbat, Iyar 20, 5776 · May 28, 2016• Iyar 20, 35th day of the omer
Audio: Listen | Download• Mechussarey Kapparah - Perek 3
Halacha 1
During all the days when a zav experiences zav discharges, he is ritually impure. When the zav discharges cease, he counts seven clean days, like azavah must, immerses himself on the seventh day, and waits until nightfall. On the eighth day, he brings his sacrifice if he had experienced three discharges.
If he experienced a zav discharge even at the end of the seventh day after he immersed himself, he negates his entire counting and must begin to count seven clean days from the day of his last discharge.
Halacha 2
When a zav has a seminal emission during the seven clean days he counts, he only nullifies that day. From the following day onward, he completes the seven days and then brings his sacrifice.
What is implied? He had a seminal emission on the fifth day, He counts another three clean days afterwards, immerses himself on the third day and brings his sacrifice on the fourth day.
Halacha 3
When a zav checks himself on the first day of his counting and finds himself pure and does not check himself for the remainder of the seven days until the seventh day when he checks himself and finds himself pure, he may rely on the presumption that he is pure. Even if he checked on the day when he had an impure discharge and saw that he was pure and that the discharge had ended and he did not check himself throughout the seven days, but did check himself on the seventh dayor the eighth day, should he find himself pure, the days of counting are significant and he may rely on the presumption that he is pure.
Halacha 4
Any discharge that causes the counting of the days to be nullified does not bring about an obligation for a sacrifice.
What is implied? A man experienced two discharges and than had an interruption for a day or two and thus he began counting his seven clean days. Although he experienced a zav discharge in the midst of the seven days, it is not combined with the previous two. Instead, it nullifies the counting and he must begin to count over again, as we explained.
Moreover, even if he experienced three consecutive discharges in the midst of the counting - even if he experienced them on one day, and even if that was on the conclusion of the seventh day of the seven clean days - he should not bring a sacrifice. For these discharges are considered as nullifying the clean days that were being counted. If he experienced three discharges on the night of the eighth day, he must bring a sacrifice, because these discharges do not nullify the previous counting.
To whom does the above apply? To a zav who has experienced two discharges. A zav who experienced three discharges previously, by contrast, who experiences three discharges on the eighth night after the seven clean days does not bring a second sacrifice because of these three discharges, only one sacrifice for the first three discharges. Although these three discharges do not nullify the clean days that were counted, the man has not entered a time when it is fit for him to bring a sacrifice, since the preceding night is considered as "lacking in time," with regard to all Torah laws, with the exception of a woman after childbirth who miscarried on the night of the eighty-first day. She brings a second sacrifice, as we explained. This concept was communicated by the Oral Tradition.
Halacha 5
If a man experienced one discharge on the eighth night and two discharges on the eighth day, they are linked together and he is required to bring a sacrifice because of the two latter discharges. The rationale is that a zav's first discharge is considered as a seminal emission. If he experiences two others afterwards, it is combined together with them to obligate him for a sacrifice. If, however, he experienced two discharges on the eighth night and one on the eighth day, they are not linked together and he is not required to bring a second sacrifice because of the latter zav discharges.
Halacha 6
Every male can contract zav impurity, even an infant on the day of his birth, a convert, a servant, a deafmute, and an intellectually and/or emotionally unstable person. It appears to me that atonement is brought for them so that it is possible for them to partake of sacrificial food. Their sin-offering should be eaten, for they are like a child who is not intellectually capable.
A person who was castrated or one who is born sexually impotent may contract impurity because of a zav discharge like other men.
Halacha 7
The stringencies that apply both to males and females are placed upon atumtum and an androgynus They contract ritual impurity because of uterine bleeding like a woman or because of clear discharges like a man. Their impurity is of questionable status. Therefore if one such person had three zavdischarges or discovered zavah bleeding for three consecutive days, he must bring a sacrifice, but it is not eaten. If he was counting seven clean days to purify himself from a zav discharge and he experienced uterine bleeding or he was counting to purify himself from uterine bleeding and experienced a zavdischarge, the counting is not disrupted.
Mechussarey Kapparah - Perek 4
Halacha 1
When a person afflicted by tzara'at is healed of his affliction, and he has been purified with a cedar branch, a hyssop, a crimson thread, and two birds, all of his flesh is shaved and he is immersed in a mikveh. After this entire process, he may enter Jerusalem. He then counts seven days and on the seventh day, he shaves a second time like the first shaving. He then immerses himself. His status is then that of a t'vul yom. He waits until the evening. On the morrow, on the eighth day, he immerses a second time and then he brings his sacrifices.
Why must he immerse himself on the eighth day if he immersed himself previously? Because he had become habituated to contracting lesser types of impurity during the days that he was identified as one afflicted by tzara'at and he would not show care not to contract impurity and perhaps he contracted impurity after he immersed. Therefore, he would immerse himself on the eighth day in the Women's Courtyard, in the Chamber for those Afflicted byTzara'at,even though he did not divert his attention after his immersion.
Halacha 2
If he delayed and did not shave on the seventh day, but instead, shaved on the eighth day or after several days, on the day that he shaves, he should immerse and wait until the evening. On the following day, he brings his sacrifices after immersing himself a second time, as we explained.
What are the rites performed for him? The person who had been afflicted withtzara'at stands outside the Courtyard of the Israelites, in front of the eastern entrance, at the lintel of the Gate of Nicanor, facing west. There all those who require atonement stand at the time they are being purified and a sotah is forced to drink the bitter waters there.
The priest takes the sheep to be offered as the guilt-offering of the afflicted person while it is alive and performs tenufah with it together with the log of oil in the eastern portion of the Temple Courtyard where all tenufot are performed. If tenufah was performed with the sheep and the oil each separately, the person fulfills his obligation.
Afterwards, the guilt-offering of the afflicted person is brought to the entrance to the Temple Courtyard. The afflicted person inserts his two hands into the Courtyard and places them on his sheep. It is then slaughtered immediately. Two priests receive its blood. One receives it in a receptacle and casts it on the altar and one receives it in his right hand. He pours it into his left hand and sprinkles it with the index finger of his right hand. If he deviated and received it in his left hand first, it is disqualified.
The priest who received a portion of the blood in a receptacle should carry it and cast it on the altar first. Afterwards, the priest who received the blood in his palm should approach the afflicted person at the entrance. The priest stands inside and the afflicted person outside. The afflicted person inserts his head and the priests applies some of the blood in his hand on the middle lobe of his right ear. Afterwards, the afflicted person inserts his right hand and the priest applies the blood to his thumb. Afterwards, he inserts his right foot and the priest applies the blood to his large toe. If he applies it the left organs, the afflicted person does not fulfill his obligation. Afterwards, his sin-offerings and burnt-offering are sacrificed.
After he applied the blood to his thumb and toe, the priest takes the log of oil and pours it into the left palm of a colleague. If he pours it into his own palm, the person fulfills his obligation. He dips his right index finger in the oil in his palm and sprinkles seven times toward the Holy of Holies. Each time he sprinkles the oil, he dips his finger into it. If he sprinkled it, but did not direct it toward the Holy of Holies, it is acceptable.
Afterwards, he approaches the afflicted person and applies the oil to the place where he applied the blood on the middle lobe of his ear, his thumb, and his large toe. He then applies the remainder of the oil to the head of the person seeking purification. If he did not apply it, he does not achieve atonement. The remainder of the log is divided among the priests.
Halacha 3
The remainder of the log of oil may be eaten only in the Temple Courtyard by males of the priestly family like other sacrifices of the most holy order,for an association was established between it and the guilt-offering. It is forbidden to partake of the log of oil until after the seven sprinklings and the application of blood to the thumbs and toes were performed. If one partakes of it, he is liable for lashes, like one who partook of the meat of sacrifices of the most holy order before their blood was cast upon the altar.
Mechussarey Kapparah - Perek 5
Halacha 1
What is meant by the term "the tinuch of the ear"? The middle lobe.
If the priest applied the oil to the sides of the thumb and the large toe, it is acceptable. If he applied it to their lower surface, it is invalid. Whether the priest applies the oil to the blood of the guilt-offering directly above it or he applied it at the side of the blood, even if the blood was cleaned off before he placed the oil on the thumb and the toe, he fulfills his obligation, as implied byLeviticus 14:28 which states that the oil must be applied "on the place of the blood of the guilt-offering."
If an afflicted person does not have a right hand, a right foot, or a right ear, he can never regain ritual purity.
Halacha 2
When a guilt offering of an afflicted person was slaughtered without the proper intent or its blood was not applied to the person's thumb and toe, it should be brought to the altar and it requires additional offerings like those offered for a guilt-offering of one afflicted with tzara'at. The afflicted person must bring another guilt-offering for his purificiation.
Halacha 3
If the afflicted person's sin-offering was offered before his guilt-offering, we do not say that one should stir the blood of the sin-offering until the guilt-offering was offered. Instead, it should be left overnight and then taken to the place where sacrifices are burnt.
Halacha 4
A person may bring his guilt-offering one day and his log of oil even after ten days. If he desires to alter the designation of the log and designate it for the guilt-offering of another afflicted person, he may although he has already had it consecrated in a sacred utensil. If the amount of oil decreased before it was poured into the priest's hand and was less than a log, the measure should be refilled. If it decreased after it was poured, another log should be brought instead.
Halacha 5
The following laws apply if the oil was poured into the priest's hand, his colleague began to sprinkle it and then the log spilled. If it spilled before he completed the seven sprinklings, he should bring another log of oil and begin the seven sprinklings. If he completed the seven sprinklings and then the logof oil spilled, he should bring another log and begin applying the oil to the thumb and toe. If he already began applying the oil to the thumb and toe and the log spilled before he could complete it, he should bring another log and begin applying the oil to the thumb and toe. If he completed applying the oil to the thumb and toe and the log spilled before he placed the remainder of the oil on the head of the person being purified, he does not have to bring anotherlog, for the application of the oil to his head is not an indispensable requirement, as implied by Leviticus 14:17, 18 which mentions "the remainder of the oil," and "the additional oil."
Halacha 6
If the priest applied the oil before he applied the blood, he should fill the logcontainer with additional oil and apply the oil after the blood. If the oil was applied to the thumb and toe before the seven sprinklings were made, the logcontainer should be filled with additional oil which should be applied to the thumb and toe after the seven sprinklings. These laws are derived fromLeviticus 14:2 which states: "This is the law applying to one afflicted withtzara'at." Implied is that the entire law should be carried out according to the prescribed sequence.
Halacha 7
If the seven sprinklings were made without the proper intent, the offering does not find favor Above, but the afflicted person regains his status of purity.
Halacha 8
When a person who had been afflicted with tzara'at becomes afflicted again after bringing his guilt-offering, he must bring another set of sacrifices for the second affliction. Similarly, if he brings his guilt-offering for the second affliction and becomes afflicted again, he must bring a sacrifice for every time he became afflicted. If, however, he became afflicted and was healed and brought the birds and then became afflicted again, when he was healed a second time and brings his birds, it is sufficient to bring one set of sacrifices for all the times he was afflicted.
Halacha 9
The following laws apply when an afflicted person brings the sacrifices required of a poor person and then he becomes rich, or he brought the sacrifices required of a rich person and he became poor. Everything depends on his status at the time he brings his guilt-offering. If he was wealthy at the time the guilt-offering was slaughtered, he should complete the offering of a wealthy person. If he was poor at that time, he should complete the offering of a poor person.
Halacha 10
There were two afflicted persons whose sacrifices became intermingled and the blood of one of the sin-offerings was sprinkled on the altar and then one of the afflicted persons died. What should the afflicted person who is alive do? He may not bring an animal as a sin-offering, for perhaps the sin-offering whose blood was cast on the altar was his and we follow the principle: an animal is not brought as a sin-offering when there is a doubt whether one is liable. He may not bring a sin-offering of fowl, because a rich man who brings a poor man's offering does not fulfill his obligation.
What then should he do? He should sign all his property over to another person. Thus he will be poor. Hence he may bring a sin-offering of fowl, because of the doubt. It is not eaten, as we explained. He may then partake of sacrificial foods.
Halacha 11
When a rich man says: "I take responsibility for the sacrifices of this afflicted person," and the afflicted person was poor, he must bring the sacrifices of a wealthy man, for the person who took the vow has the financial capacity. If a poor person said: "I take responsibility for the sacrifices of this afflicted person," and the afflicted person was wealthy, he must bring the sacrifices of a wealthy man, for the person who took the vow obligated himself to bring the sacrifices of a wealthy man.
Blessed be the Merciful One Who grants assistance.
• English Text | Video Class• Shabbat, Iyar 20, 5776 · May 28, 2016• Iyar 20, 35th day of the omer
Tuesday Iyar 20, 35th day of the omer 5703
Torah lessons: Chumash: B'chukotai, Shlishi with Rashi.
Tehillim: 97-103.
Tanya: When the intelligent (p. 261)...words of the Torah, (p. 261).
There is no one for whom to pride oneself. We must toil strenuously. With patience and friendliness we can prevail in all things, with G-d's help. With a denigrating attitude toward others and inflating our own importance we lose everything, G-d forbid.
• Daily Thought:
Conviction
All the elaborate proofs, all the philosophical machinations, none of that will ever stand you firmly on your feet. There’s only one thing that can provide you that strength, and that is your own inherent conviction.
Because even as your own mind flounders, you yourself know the truth, and you believe in that truth. It is a conviction all the winds of the earth cannot uproot, that has carried us to this point in time, that has rendered us indestructible and timeless.
For it comes from within and from the heritage of your ancestors who believed as well, back to the invincible conviction of our father, Abraham, a man who took on the entire world.
The doubts, the hesitations, the vacillations, all these come to you from the outside. Your challenge is but to allow your inner knowledge to shine through and be your guide.
Inside is boundless power.
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