Torah Reading
Fast: Exodus 32:11 Moshe pleaded with Adonai his God. He said, “Adonai, why must your anger blaze against your own people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and a strong hand? 12 Why let the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intentions that he led them out, to slaughter them in the hills and wipe them off the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce anger! Relent! Don’t bring such disaster on your people! 13 Remember Avraham, Yitz’chak and Isra’el, your servants, to whom you swore by your very self. You promised them, ‘I will make your descendants as many as the stars in the sky; and I will give all this land I have spoken about to your descendants; and they will possess it forever.’” 14 Adonai then changed his mind about the disaster he had planned for his people.
34:1 (v) Adonai said to Moshe, “Cut yourself two tablets of stone like the first ones; and I will inscribe on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. 2 Be ready by morning; in the morning you are to ascend Mount Sinai and present yourself to me on the top of the mountain. 3 No one is to come up with you, and no one is to be seen anywhere on the mountain; don’t even let the flocks or herds feed in front of this mountain.” 4 Moshe cut two stone tablets like the first. Then he got up early in the morning and, with the two stone tablets in his hands, ascended Mount Sinai, as Adonai had ordered him to do.
5 Adonai descended in the cloud, stood with him there and pronounced the name of Adonai. 6 Adonai passed before him and proclaimed: “YUD-HEH-VAV-HEH!!! Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh [Adonai] is God, merciful and compassionate, slow to anger, rich in grace and truth; 7 showing grace to the thousandth generation, forgiving offenses, crimes and sins; yet not exonerating the guilty, but causing the negative effects of the parents’ offenses to be experienced by their children and grandchildren, and even by the third and fourth generations.” 8 At once Moshe bowed his head to the ground, prostrated himself 9 and said, “If I have now found favor in your view, Adonai, then please let Adonai go with us, even though they are a stiffnecked people; and pardon our offenses and our sin; and take us as your possession.”
(vi) 10 He said, “Here, I am making a covenant; in front of all your people I will do wonders such as have not been created anywhere on earth or in any nation. All the people around you will see the work of Adonai. What I am going to do through you will be awesome!
Fast Day - Minchah: Isaiah 55:6 - 56:8
Today's Laws and Customs:
Fast Day
Because of the holiness of Shabbat, the fast of Tammuz 17 is this year postponed to today, Tammuz 18. We refrain from all food and drink from "daybreak" (about an hour before sunrise, depending on location) until nightfall. Special prayers and Torah readings are added to the day's services.
The fast day mourns the breaching of Jerusalem's walls and the other tragic events that occurred on Tammuz 17--see "Today in Jewish History" for that date--and repenting and rectifying their causes.
Link: Halachic times for today's fast
"The Three Weeks"
During the Three Weeks, from 17th of Tamuz to the 9th of Av, we commemorate the conquest of Jerusalem, the destruction of the Holy Temple and the dispersion of the Jewish people.
Weddings and other joyful events are not held during this period; like mourners, we do not cut our hair, and various pleasurable activities are limited or proscribed. (The particular mourning customs vary from community to community, so consult a competent halachic authority for details.)
Citing the verse (Isaiah 1:27) "Zion shall be redeemed with mishpat [Torah] and its returnees with tzedakah," the Rebbe urged that we increase in Torah study(particularly the study of the laws of the Holy Temple) and charity during this period.
Links:
Today in Jewish History:
Golden Calf Destroyed (1313 BCE)
Moses destroyed the Golden Calf, and re-ascended Mount Sinai to plead G-d's forgiveness for the Jewish people. (Exodus 32:20; Talmud Taanit 30b. See "Today in Jewish History" for Tammuz 16 and Tammuz 17)Daily Quote:
Wherever our feet tread, it is all in order to cleanse and purify the world with words of Torah and prayer. We, all of Israel, are emissaries of G-d, each of us as Divine Providence has decreed for us. None of us is free from this sacred task placed on our shoulders[Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak of Lubavitch (Hayom Yom, 5 Adar I)]
Daily Study:
Chitas and Rambam for today:
Chumash: with Rashi Parshat Pinchas, 1st Portion (Numbers 25:10-26:4) Parshat Pinchas
In Israel: Matot
• Numbers Chapter 25
10The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: יוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
11Phinehas the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the kohen has turned My anger away from the children of Israel by his zealously avenging Me among them, so that I did not destroy the children of Israel because of My zeal. יאפִּֽינְחָ֨ס בֶּן־אֶלְעָזָ֜ר בֶּן־אַֽהֲרֹ֣ן הַכֹּהֵ֗ן הֵשִׁ֤יב אֶת־חֲמָתִי֙ מֵעַ֣ל בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּקַנְא֥וֹ אֶת־קִנְאָתִ֖י בְּתוֹכָ֑ם וְלֹֽא־כִלִּ֥יתִי אֶת־בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּקִנְאָתִֽי:
Phinehas the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the kohen: Since the tribes were disparaging him, saying, Have you seen the son of Puti, whose mother’s father [Jethro] fattened (פִּטֵּם) calves for idols (See Rashi,Exod. 6:25), and who killed a chieftain of an Israelite tribe? For this reason, Scripture traces his pedigree to Aaron. — [Sanh. 82b, Num. Rabbah 21:3, Mid. Tanchuma Pinchas 2] פינחס בן אלעזר בן אהרן הכהן: לפי שהיו השבטים מבזים אותו, הראיתם בן פוטי זה שפיטם אבי אמו עגלים לעבודה זרה והרג נשיא שבט מישראל, לפיכך בא הכתוב ויחסו אחר אהרן:
by his zealously avenging Me: Heb. אֶתקִנְאָתִי בְּקַנְאוֹ, by his avenging My vengeance, by his releasing the wrath that I should have released. The term קִנְאָה always denotes someone motivated to take vengeance for some matter, in old French, enprenemant. בקנאו את קנאתי: בנקמו את נקמתי, בקצפו את הקצף שהיה לי לקצוף. כל לשון קנאה הוא המתחרה לנקום נקמת דבר, אנפרימנ"ט בלע"ז [חמה]:
12Therefore, say, "I hereby give him My covenant of peace. יבלָכֵ֖ן אֱמֹ֑ר הִֽנְנִ֨י נֹתֵ֥ן ל֛וֹ אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֖י שָׁלֽוֹם:
My covenant of peace: That it should be a covenant of peace for him. Just as a man owes gratitude and favor to someone who did him a favor, so here God expressed to him His feelings of peace. את בריתי שלום: שתהא לו לברית שלום, כאדם המחזיק טובה וחנות למי שעושה עמו טובה, אף כאן פירש לו הקב"ה שלומותיו:
13It shall be for him and for his descendants after him [as] an eternal covenant of kehunah, because he was zealous for his God and atoned for the children of Israel." יגוְהָ֤יְתָה לּוֹ֙ וּלְזַרְע֣וֹ אַֽחֲרָ֔יו בְּרִ֖ית כְּהֻנַּ֣ת עוֹלָ֑ם תַּ֗חַת אֲשֶׁ֤ר קִנֵּא֙ לֵֽאלֹהָ֔יו וַיְכַפֵּ֖ר עַל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
It shall be: This covenant of Mine [mentioned in the previous verse] shall be for him. והיתה לו: בריתי זאת:
an eternal covenant of kehunah: Although the kehunah had already been given to Aaron’s descendants, it had been given only to Aaron and his sons who were anointed with him, and to their children whom they would beget after their anointment. Phinehas, however, who was born before that and had never been anointed, had not been included in the kehunah until now. And so, we learn in [Tractate] Zevachim [101b],“Phinehas was not made a kohen until he killed Zimri.” ברית כהנת עולם: שאע"פ שכבר נתנה כהונה לזרעו של אהרן, לא נתנה אלא לאהרן ולבניו, שנמשחו עמו ולתולדותיהם שיולידו אחר המשחתן, אבל פינחס שנולד קודם לכן ולא נמשח, לא בא לכלל כהונה עד כאן. וכן שנינו בזבחים (קא ב) לא נתכהן פינחס עד שהרגו לזמרי:
for his God: Heb. לֵאלֹהָיו, for the sake of his God, as in (11:29),“Are you zealous for my sake (לִי) ?” and (Zech. 8:2),“I am zealous for Zion (לְצִיּוֹן) ”-for the sake of Zion. לאלהיו: בשביל אלהיו, כמו (במדבר יא, כט) המקנא אתה לי, (זכריה ח ב) וקנאתי לציון, בשביל ציון:
14The name of the Israelite man who was killed, who was slain with the Midianite woman was Zimri the son of Salu, the chieftain of the Simeonite paternal house. ידוְשֵׁם֩ אִ֨ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל הַמֻּכֶּ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר הֻכָּה֙ אֶת־הַמִּדְיָנִ֔ית זִמְרִ֖י בֶּן־סָל֑וּא נְשִׂ֥יא בֵֽית־אָ֖ב לַשִּׁמְעֹנִֽי:
The name of the Israelite man: In the place it [Scripture] traces the lineage of the righteous man for praise, it traces the lineage of the wicked man for shame. — [Mid. Tanchuma Pinchas 2, Num. Rabbah 21:3] ושם איש ישראל וגו': במקום שייחס את הצדיק לשבח ייחס את הרשע לגנאי:
the chieftain of the Simeonite paternal house: Of one of the five paternal houses belonging to the tribe of Simeon. Another interpretation: To proclaim the praise of Phinehas, for although he [Zimri] was a chieftain, he [Phinehas] did not refrain from acting zealously against a profanation of the Divine Name. This is why Scripture tells us the name of the one who was slain. — [Mid. Aggadah] נשיא בית אב לשמעני: לאחד מחמשת בתי אבות שהיו לשבט שמעון. דבר אחר להודיע שבחו של פינחס, שאע"פ שזה היה נשיא, לא מנע את עצמו מלקנא לחילול השם, לכך הודיעך הכתוב מי הוא המוכה:
15And the name of the Midianite woman who was slain was Cozbi the daughter of Zur, a national leader of a paternal house in Midian. טווְשֵׁ֨ם הָֽאִשָּׁ֧ה הַמֻּכָּ֛ה הַמִּדְיָנִ֖ית כָּזְבִּ֣י בַת־צ֑וּר רֹ֣אשׁ אֻמּ֥וֹת בֵּֽית־אָ֛ב בְּמִדְיָ֖ן הֽוּא:
The name of the slain… woman…: To inform you of the the hatred of the Midianites [toward Israel], for they submitted a princess to prostitution to entice Israel into sin. — [Mid. Tanchuma Pinchas 2, Num. Rabbah 21:3] ושם האשה המכה וגו': להודיעך שנאתם של מדינים שהפקירו בת מלך לזנות, כדי להחטיא את ישראל:
a national leader: One of the five Midianite kings: “Evi, Rekem, Zur…” (31:8). He was the most prominent of them all, as it says,“a national leader.” But because he degraded himself by abandoning his daughter, he is listed only as the third [king]. — [Mid. Tanchuma Pinchas 2] ראש אומות: אחד מחמשת (במדבר לא ח) מלכי מדין את אוי ואת רקם ואת צור וגו', והוא היה חשוב מכולם, שנאמר ראש אמות, ולפי שנהג בזיון בעצמו להפקיר בתו מנאו שלישי:
a paternal house: There were five paternal houses in Midian: Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Elda’ah (Gen. 25:4). This was the king of one of them. בית אב: חמשה בתי אבות היו למדין עיפה ועפר וחנוך ואבידע ואלדעה, וזה היה מלך לאחד מהם:
16The Lord spoke to Moses saying: טזוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
17Distress the Midianites, and you shall smite them. יזצָר֖וֹר אֶת־הַמִּדְיָנִ֑ים וְהִכִּיתֶ֖ם אוֹתָֽם:
Distress: Heb. צָרוֹר, like זָכוֹר, ‘remember,’ (Exod. 20:8), and שָׁמוֹר, ‘keep’ (Deut. 5:12); a term describing a continual action [as if to say,] You must [constantly] show hostility toward them. צרור: כמו זכור, שמור, לשון הווה. עליכם לאייב אותם:
18For they distress you with their plots which they contrived against you in the incident of Peor and in the incident of Cozbi their sister, the daughter of the Midianite chieftain, who was slain on the day of the plague [that had come] because of Peor. יחכִּ֣י צֹֽרְרִ֥ים הֵם֙ לָכֶ֔ם בְּנִכְלֵיהֶ֛ם אֲשֶׁר־נִכְּל֥וּ לָכֶ֖ם עַל־דְּבַ֣ר פְּע֑וֹר וְעַל־דְּבַ֞ר כָּזְבִּ֨י בַת־נְשִׂ֤יא מִדְיָן֙ אֲחֹתָ֔ם הַמֻּכָּ֛ה בְּיֽוֹם־הַמַּגֵּפָ֖ה עַל־דְּבַ֥ר פְּעֽוֹר:
For they distress you… in the incident of Cozbi: By submitting their daughters for prostitution so as to entice you to stray after Peor. He did not order the destruction of Moab for the sake of Ruth, who was destined to issue from them, as is stated in [Tractate] Bava Kamma [38b]. כי צוררים הם לכם וגו' על דבר פעור: שהפקירו בנותיהם לזנות, כדי להטעותכם אחר פעור. ואת מואב לא צוה להשמיד, מפני רות שהיתה עתידה לצאת מהם, כדאמרינן בבבא קמא (לח ב):
Numbers Chapter 26
1It was after the plague, that the Lord spoke to Moses and to Eleazar the son of Aaron the kohen, saying: אוַיְהִ֖י אַֽחֲרֵ֣י הַמַּגֵּפָ֑ה פ באמצע פסוק וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה וְאֶ֧ל אֶלְעָזָ֛ר בֶּן־אַֽהֲרֹ֥ן הַכֹּהֵ֖ן לֵאמֹֽר:
It was after the plague: This can be compared to a shepherd whose flock was intruded by wolves who killed some of them [his sheep]. He counted them to know how many were left. Another interpretation: When they left Egypt and were entrusted to Moses, they were delivered to him with a number. Now that he was close to death and would soon have to return his flock, he returns them with a number. — [Mid. Tanchuma Pinchas 4, Num. Rabbah 21:7] ויהי אחרי המגפה וגו': משל לרועה שנכנסו זאבים לתוך עדרו והרגו בהן והוא מונה אותן לידע מנין הנותרות. דבר אחר כשיצאו ממצרים ונמסרו למשה, נמסר לו במנין, עכשיו שקרב למות ולהחזיר צאנו, מחזירם במנין:
2Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel from twenty years old and upwards, following their fathers' houses, all that are fit to go out to war in Israel. בשְׂא֞וּ אֶת־רֹ֣אשׁ | כָּל־עֲדַ֣ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֥ים שָׁנָ֛ה וָמַ֖עְלָה לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם כָּל־יֹצֵ֥א צָבָ֖א בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
following their fathers’ houses: Their lineage followed their father’s tribe, not their mother’s. — [B.B. 109b] לבית אבתם: על שבט האב יתיחסו, ולא אחר האם:
3Moses and Eleazar the kohen spoke with them in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying: גוַיְדַבֵּ֨ר משֶׁ֜ה וְאֶלְעָזָ֧ר הַכֹּהֵ֛ן אֹתָ֖ם בְּעַרְבֹ֣ת מוֹאָ֑ב עַל־יַרְדֵּ֥ן יְרֵח֖וֹ לֵאמֹֽר:
Moses and Eleazar the kohen spoke with them: They spoke with them concerning this, namely that the Omnipresent had commanded to count them. וידבר משה ואלעזר הכהן אתם: דברו עמם על זאת שצוה המקום למנותם:
saying: They said to them, “You must be counted.” לאמר: אמרו להם צריכים אתם להמנות:
4"From the age of twenty and upward, as the Lord commanded Moses and the children of Israel who had come out of Egypt." דמִבֶּ֛ן עֶשְׂרִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וָמָ֑עְלָה כַּֽאֲשֶׁר֩ צִוָּ֨ה יְהֹוָ֤ה אֶת־משֶׁה֙ וּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הַיֹּֽצְאִ֖ים מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
From the age of twenty and upward, as the Lord commanded…: that they be counted from the age of twenty and upwards, as it says, “Everyone who goes through the counting, [from the age of twenty and upward]” (Exod. 30:14). מבן עשרים שנה ומעלה כאשר צוה וגו': שיהא מנינם מבן עשרים שנה ומעלה, שנאמר (שמות ל יג) כל העובר על הפקודים וגו':
Daily Tehillim: Igeret HaTeshuva , beginning of Chapter 4
• Chapter 88
The psalmist weeps and laments bitterly over the maladies and suffering Israel endures in exile, which he describes in detail.
1. A song, a psalm by the sons of Korach, for the Conductor, upon the machalat le'anot; 1 a maskil2 for Heiman the Ezrachite.
2. O Lord, God of my deliverance, by day I cried out [to You], by night I [offer my prayer] before You.
3. Let my prayer come before You; turn Your ear to my supplication.
4. For my soul is sated with affliction, and my life has reached the grave.
5. I was reckoned with those who go down to the pit, I was like a man without strength.
6. [I am regarded] among the dead who are free, like corpses lying in the grave, of whom You are not yet mindful, who are yet cut off by Your hand.
7. You have put me into the lowest pit, into the darkest places, into the depths.
8. Your wrath has weighed heavily upon me, and all the waves [of Your fury] have constantly afflicted me.
9. You have estranged my friends from me, You have made me abhorrent to them; I am imprisoned and unable to leave.
10. My eye is afflicted because of distress; I call to You, O Lord, every day; I have stretched out my hands [in prayer] to You.
11. Do You perform wonders for the deceased? Do the dead stand to offer You praise? Selah.
12. Is Your kindness recounted in the grave, your faithfulness in the place of perdition?
13. Are Your wondrous deeds known in the darkness [of the grave], or Your righteousness in the land of oblivion?
14. But, I, to You, O Lord, I cry; each morning my prayer comes before You.
15. Why, O Lord, do You forsake my soul? Why do You conceal Your countenance from Me?
16. From my youth I have been afflicted and approaching death, yet I have borne the fear of You which is firmly established within me.
17. Your furies have passed over me; Your terrors have cut me down.
18. They have engulfed me like water all day long, they all together surrounded me.
19. You have estranged from me beloved and friend; I have been rejected by my intimates.
FOOTNOTES
1.A musical instrument(Metzudot).
2.A psalm intended to enlighten and impart knowledge(Metzudot).
Chapter 89
This psalm speaks of the kingship of the House of David, the psalmist lamenting its fall from power for many years, and God's abandonment and spurning of us.
1. A maskil1 by Eitan the Ezrachite.
2. I will sing of the Lord's kindness forever; to all generations I will make known Your faithfulness with my mouth.
3. For I have said, "The world is built with kindness; there in the heavens You establish Your faithfulness.”
4. I have made a covenant with My chosen one; I have sworn to David, My servant:
5. "I will establish Your descendants forever; I will build your throne for all generations," Selah.
6. Then the heavens will extol Your wonders, O Lord; Your faithfulness, too, in the congregation of the holy ones.
7. Indeed, who in heaven can be compared to the Lord, who among the supernal beings can be likened to the Lord!
8. The Almighty is revered in the great assembly of the holy ones, awe-inspiring to all who surround Him.
9. O Lord, God of Hosts, who is mighty like You, O God! Your faithfulness surrounds You.
10. You rule the vastness of the sea; when its waves surge, You still them.
11. You crushed Rahav (Egypt) like a corpse; with Your powerful arm You scattered Your enemies.
12. Yours are the heavens, the earth is also Yours; the world and all therein-You established them.
13. The north and the south-You created them; Tabor and Hermon sing of [the greatness] of Your Name.
14. Yours is the arm which has the might; strengthen Your hand, raise high Your right hand.
15. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; kindness and truth go before Your countenance.
16. Fortunate is the people who know the sound of the shofar; Lord, they walk in the light of Your countenance.
17. They rejoice in Your Name all day, and they are exalted through Your righteousness.
18. Indeed, You are the splendor of their might, and in Your goodwill our glory is exalted.
19. For our protectors turn to the Lord, and our king to the Holy One of Israel.
20. Then You spoke in a vision to Your pious ones and said: "I have granted aid to [David] the mighty one; I have exalted the one chosen from among the people.
21. I have found David, My servant; I have anointed him with My holy oil.
22. It is he whom My hand shall be prepared [to assist]; My arm, too, shall strengthen him.
23. The enemy shall not prevail over him, nor shall the iniquitous person afflict him.
24. And I will crush his adversaries before him, and will strike down those who hate him.
25. Indeed, My faithfulness and My kindness shall be with him, and through My Name his glory shall be exalted.
26. I will set his hand upon the sea, his right hand upon the rivers.
27. He will call out to Me, 'You are my Father, my God, the strength of my deliverance.’
28. I will also make him [My] firstborn, supreme over the kings of the earth.
29. I will maintain My kindness for him forever; My covenant shall remain true to him.
30. And I will bestow [kingship] upon his seed forever, and his throne will endure as long as the heavens last.
31. If his children forsake My Torah and do not walk in My ordinances;
32. if they profane My statutes and do not observe My commandments,
33. then I will punish their transgression with the rod and their misdeeds with plagues.
34. Yet I shall not take away My kindness from him, nor betray My faithfulness.
35. I will not abrogate My covenant, nor change that which has issued from My lips.
36. One thing I have sworn by My holiness-I will not cause disappointment to David.
37. His seed will endure forever and his throne will be [resplendent] as the sun before Me.
38. Like the moon, it shall be established forever; [the moon] is a faithful witness in the sky for all time.”
39. Yet You have forsaken and abhorred; You became enraged at Your anointed.
40. You annulled the covenant with Your servant; You have profaned his crown [by casting it] to the ground.
41. You shattered all his fences; You turned all his strongholds into ruin.
42. All wayfarers despoiled him; he has become a disgrace to his neighbors.
43. You have uplifted the right hand of his adversaries; You have made all his enemies rejoice.
44. You also turned back the blade of his sword, and did not sustain him in battle.
45. You put an end to his splendor, and toppled his throne to the ground.
46. You have cut short the days of his youth; You have enclothed him with long-lasting shame.
47. How long, O Lord, will You conceal Yourself-forever? [How long] will Your fury blaze like fire?
48. O remember how short is my life span! Why have You created all children of man for naught?
49. What man can live and not see death, can save his soul forever from the grave?
50. Where are Your former deeds of kindness, my Lord, which You swore to David in Your faithfulness?
51. Remember, my Lord, the disgrace of Your servants, that I bear in my bosom from all the many nations;
52. that Your enemies have disgraced, O Lord, that they have disgraced the footsteps of Your anointed.
53. Blessed is the Lord forever, Amen and Amen.
FOOTNOTES
1.A psalm intended to enlighten and impart knowledge(Metzudot).
Tanya: Igeret HaTeshuva , beginning of Chapter 4
• Lessons in Tanya
• Today's Tanya Lesson
• Sunday, 18 Tammuz, 5776 · 24 July 2016
• Igeret HaTeshuva , beginning of Chapter 4
• Certain penitential fasts, then, are to be actually undertaken, while others are to be redeemed through charity.
ואולם כל הנ״ל הוא לגמר הכפרה ומירוק הנפש לה׳ אחר התשובה
However, all we have said refers to the culmination of the atonement — to polishing the soul clean before G‑d, so that no vestige of former sin remains, after repentance,
כמו שהובא לעיל מהגמרא, פרק קמא דזבחים, דעולה דורון היא לאחר שריצה הפרקליט וכו׳
as cited above1 from the Talmud, ch. 1 of Zevachim, where the olah sacrifice brought for transgressing a positive command is described as the gift offered to the offended party after an intercessor’s successful plea.
The above-mentioned fasts (or their counterpart in charity) serve a similar function.
אמנם התחלת מצות התשובה ועיקרה
But the beginning of the mitzvah of teshuvah and its core
לשוב עד ה׳ באמת ובלב שלם
is a true and wholehearted return to G‑d.
As will soon become apparent, this “return (lit.:) until G‑d” means returning until the point that one has restored completeness to Havayah, the Four-Letter Name of G‑d, that is to be found within every Jewish soul.
The letters that comprise the Tetragrammaton are (in descending order) yud and hei, and vav and hei.
ההכרח לבאר היטב בהרחבת הביאור
This must now be explained thoroughly and comprehensively.
בהקדים מה שכתוב בזהר הקדוש בביאור מלת תשובה על דרך הסוד
Let us begin with the Zohar’s interpretation2 of teshuvah according to Sod, the mystical approach to the Torah:
תשוב ה׳
“[Teshuvah is] tashuv hei (‘the hei is to be returned’);
The function of teshuvah is to return the letter hei of the Divine Name Havayah — to reattach it to the level represented by the letter that precedes it, just as it was attached to it before the individual sinned.
ה׳ תתאה תשובה תתאה
[the reconnection of] the latter hei [to the preceding letter vav] is teshuvah tata‘ah (’lower-level teshuvah‘);
ה׳ עילאה תשובה עילאה
[the reconnection of] the former hei [to the preceding letter yud] is teshuvah ila‘ah (’higher-level teshuvah‘).“
וגם מה שכתוב בזהר הקדוש בקצת מקומות שאין תשובה מועלת לפוגם בריתו ומוציא זרע לבטלה
We must also note that the Zohar states several times3 that teshuvah is ineffective for violation of the covenant and for the wasteful emission of semen.
והוא דבר תמוה מאד, שאין לך דבר עומד בפני התשובה, ואפילו עבודה זרה וגילוי עריות וכו׳
This is most astonishing, for4 “nothing can stand in the way of teshuvah, even idolatry, incest, and so on.”
Jews are commanded to give up their lives rather than transgress these prohibitions, yet repentance atones even for them. How, then, can it be that there are other sins for which repentance is ineffective?
ופירש בראשית חכמה שכוונת הזוהר שאין מועלת תשובה תתאה, כי אם תשובה עילאה וכו׳
The Reishit Chochmah explains5 that the intention of the Zohar is that though teshuvah tata‘ah (the conventional level of repentance) is not effective, teshuvah ila’ah is.
הנה להבין זאת מעט מזעיר
To grasp even a minute glimmer6 of this,
צריך להקדים מה שמבואר מהכתוב ומדברי רז״ל, ענין הכרת ומיתה בידי שמים
we must preface what Scripture and our Sages say about [what is entailed by] excision and death by divine agency.
כשעבר עבירה שחייבים עליה כרת, הי׳ מת ממש קודם חמשים שנה
A violator of a sin punishable by excision would actually7 die before his fiftieth year.8
ובמיתה בידי שמים, מת ממש קודם ששים שנה
In the case of death by divine agency he would actually9 die before sixty,
כחנניה בן עזור הנביא, בירמיהו
like the prophet Chananiah ben Azur in Jeremiah.10
As a result of his false prophecy, G‑d told him, “I shall banish you from the face of the earth….” This resulted in his actual death.
ולפעמים גם במיתה בידי שמים נפרעין לאלתר, כמו שמצינו בער ואונן
(11Indeed, there have been instances in which the punishment of death by divine agency was also meted out instantly, as with Er and Onan.)
This involved a sin incurring death by divine agency.12
In any event, both Scripture and the Sages attest that those guilty of sins punishable by excision or death by divine agency would actually die before they reached the age of fifty or sixty. This leads to the following question:
והרי נמצאו בכל דור כמה וכמה חייבי כריתות ומיתות, והאריכו ימיהם ושנותיהם בנעימים
But in every generation there are so many individuals liable to excision and death who nevertheless enjoy extended and pleasant13 days and years!
FOOTNOTES
1.Beg. of ch. 2. See also Likutei Sichot, Vol. XIX, p. 401, note 12, and the marginal comment on this note.
2.III, 122a.
3.Zohar I, 60a, 219b; Zohar II, 214b.
4.Note of the Rebbe: “Rambam, conclusion of ch. 3 of Hilchot Teshuvah, following Yerushalmi, Peah 1:1; Zohar Chadash, conclusion of Parshat Bereishit.”
5.Shaar HaKedushah, ch. 17.
6.Note of the Rebbe: “Perhaps this expression is used (as opposed to, say, מעט מן המעט) because the former term (מעט) suggests that the extent of understanding is minute, while the latter term (מזעיר) suggests that qualitatively too this understanding is a mere glimmer.”
7.Note of the Rebbe: “Possibly the Alter Rebbe’s intention here is to negate the opinion of the Ramban at the end of Parshat Acharei.” The Ramban says there that it is sometimes possible that violators liable to excision “are not punished by physical excision; sometimes they may live to a ripe old age.” In specifying here that they would “actually” die, the Alter Rebbe evidently seeks to negate this opinion.
8.Note of the Rebbe: “As in Yerushalmi, Bikkurim, beg. of ch. 2, as explained in Tosafot, s.v. כרת, Shabbat 25a.”
9.Note of the Rebbe: “As above” — i.e., as in fn. 7.
10.Ch. 28.
11.Parentheses are in the original text.
12.Note of the Rebbe: “See above, end of ch. 1.”
13.Asked why the Alter Rebbe added the word “pleasant”, the Rebbe replied that this was done “in order to rule out the (labored) interpretation that this punishment was undergone by virtue of their having suffered poverty or the like, which is also called ‘death’ in Scripture (Shmot 4:19) and in Rabbinic terminology (quoted in Rashi, ad loc.).”
ואולם כל הנ״ל הוא לגמר הכפרה ומירוק הנפש לה׳ אחר התשובה
However, all we have said refers to the culmination of the atonement — to polishing the soul clean before G‑d, so that no vestige of former sin remains, after repentance,
כמו שהובא לעיל מהגמרא, פרק קמא דזבחים, דעולה דורון היא לאחר שריצה הפרקליט וכו׳
as cited above1 from the Talmud, ch. 1 of Zevachim, where the olah sacrifice brought for transgressing a positive command is described as the gift offered to the offended party after an intercessor’s successful plea.
The above-mentioned fasts (or their counterpart in charity) serve a similar function.
אמנם התחלת מצות התשובה ועיקרה
But the beginning of the mitzvah of teshuvah and its core
לשוב עד ה׳ באמת ובלב שלם
is a true and wholehearted return to G‑d.
As will soon become apparent, this “return (lit.:) until G‑d” means returning until the point that one has restored completeness to Havayah, the Four-Letter Name of G‑d, that is to be found within every Jewish soul.
The letters that comprise the Tetragrammaton are (in descending order) yud and hei, and vav and hei.
ההכרח לבאר היטב בהרחבת הביאור
This must now be explained thoroughly and comprehensively.
בהקדים מה שכתוב בזהר הקדוש בביאור מלת תשובה על דרך הסוד
Let us begin with the Zohar’s interpretation2 of teshuvah according to Sod, the mystical approach to the Torah:
תשוב ה׳
“[Teshuvah is] tashuv hei (‘the hei is to be returned’);
The function of teshuvah is to return the letter hei of the Divine Name Havayah — to reattach it to the level represented by the letter that precedes it, just as it was attached to it before the individual sinned.
ה׳ תתאה תשובה תתאה
[the reconnection of] the latter hei [to the preceding letter vav] is teshuvah tata‘ah (’lower-level teshuvah‘);
ה׳ עילאה תשובה עילאה
[the reconnection of] the former hei [to the preceding letter yud] is teshuvah ila‘ah (’higher-level teshuvah‘).“
וגם מה שכתוב בזהר הקדוש בקצת מקומות שאין תשובה מועלת לפוגם בריתו ומוציא זרע לבטלה
We must also note that the Zohar states several times3 that teshuvah is ineffective for violation of the covenant and for the wasteful emission of semen.
והוא דבר תמוה מאד, שאין לך דבר עומד בפני התשובה, ואפילו עבודה זרה וגילוי עריות וכו׳
This is most astonishing, for4 “nothing can stand in the way of teshuvah, even idolatry, incest, and so on.”
Jews are commanded to give up their lives rather than transgress these prohibitions, yet repentance atones even for them. How, then, can it be that there are other sins for which repentance is ineffective?
ופירש בראשית חכמה שכוונת הזוהר שאין מועלת תשובה תתאה, כי אם תשובה עילאה וכו׳
The Reishit Chochmah explains5 that the intention of the Zohar is that though teshuvah tata‘ah (the conventional level of repentance) is not effective, teshuvah ila’ah is.
הנה להבין זאת מעט מזעיר
To grasp even a minute glimmer6 of this,
צריך להקדים מה שמבואר מהכתוב ומדברי רז״ל, ענין הכרת ומיתה בידי שמים
we must preface what Scripture and our Sages say about [what is entailed by] excision and death by divine agency.
כשעבר עבירה שחייבים עליה כרת, הי׳ מת ממש קודם חמשים שנה
A violator of a sin punishable by excision would actually7 die before his fiftieth year.8
ובמיתה בידי שמים, מת ממש קודם ששים שנה
In the case of death by divine agency he would actually9 die before sixty,
כחנניה בן עזור הנביא, בירמיהו
like the prophet Chananiah ben Azur in Jeremiah.10
As a result of his false prophecy, G‑d told him, “I shall banish you from the face of the earth….” This resulted in his actual death.
ולפעמים גם במיתה בידי שמים נפרעין לאלתר, כמו שמצינו בער ואונן
(11Indeed, there have been instances in which the punishment of death by divine agency was also meted out instantly, as with Er and Onan.)
This involved a sin incurring death by divine agency.12
In any event, both Scripture and the Sages attest that those guilty of sins punishable by excision or death by divine agency would actually die before they reached the age of fifty or sixty. This leads to the following question:
והרי נמצאו בכל דור כמה וכמה חייבי כריתות ומיתות, והאריכו ימיהם ושנותיהם בנעימים
But in every generation there are so many individuals liable to excision and death who nevertheless enjoy extended and pleasant13 days and years!
FOOTNOTES
1.Beg. of ch. 2. See also Likutei Sichot, Vol. XIX, p. 401, note 12, and the marginal comment on this note.
2.III, 122a.
3.Zohar I, 60a, 219b; Zohar II, 214b.
4.Note of the Rebbe: “Rambam, conclusion of ch. 3 of Hilchot Teshuvah, following Yerushalmi, Peah 1:1; Zohar Chadash, conclusion of Parshat Bereishit.”
5.Shaar HaKedushah, ch. 17.
6.Note of the Rebbe: “Perhaps this expression is used (as opposed to, say, מעט מן המעט) because the former term (מעט) suggests that the extent of understanding is minute, while the latter term (מזעיר) suggests that qualitatively too this understanding is a mere glimmer.”
7.Note of the Rebbe: “Possibly the Alter Rebbe’s intention here is to negate the opinion of the Ramban at the end of Parshat Acharei.” The Ramban says there that it is sometimes possible that violators liable to excision “are not punished by physical excision; sometimes they may live to a ripe old age.” In specifying here that they would “actually” die, the Alter Rebbe evidently seeks to negate this opinion.
8.Note of the Rebbe: “As in Yerushalmi, Bikkurim, beg. of ch. 2, as explained in Tosafot, s.v. כרת, Shabbat 25a.”
9.Note of the Rebbe: “As above” — i.e., as in fn. 7.
10.Ch. 28.
11.Parentheses are in the original text.
12.Note of the Rebbe: “See above, end of ch. 1.”
13.Asked why the Alter Rebbe added the word “pleasant”, the Rebbe replied that this was done “in order to rule out the (labored) interpretation that this punishment was undergone by virtue of their having suffered poverty or the like, which is also called ‘death’ in Scripture (Shmot 4:19) and in Rabbinic terminology (quoted in Rashi, ad loc.).”
Rambam:
• Sefer Hamitzvos:
•Sunday, 18 Tammuz, 5776 · 24 July 2016
• Sefer Hamitzvos:
•Sunday, 18 Tammuz, 5776 · 24 July 2016
• Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
Negative Commandment 246
Stealing Land
"You shall not move back your neighbor's boundary marker"—Deuteronomy 19:14.
It is forbidden to tamper with a boundary marker separating two parcels of land, so as to claim part of a neighbor's property. One who does so has violated this Torah injunction—in addition to being guilty of theft.
This commandment only applies in the land of Israel. Outside of Israel, one who tampers with a land marker is only guilty of transgressing the generic prohibition against theft.
Full text of this Mitzvah »• Stealing Land
Negative Commandment 246
Translated by Berel Bell
The 246th prohibition is that we are forbidden from stealing the boundaries of land, i.e. altering the line between our property and our neighbors', thereby enabling a person to claim that the other person's land is his own.
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "Do not move your neighbor's boundary marker"
The Sifri says: "It is already written 'You may not steal.' Why was it necessary to write the verse 'Do not move your neighbor's boundary marker'? To teach that anyone who moves his neighbor's boundary marker transgresses two prohibitions. You might think that this applies even outside Israel. The verse therefore continues '...in your inheritance in the land [that G‑d your L‑rd is giving you to occupy]' — in Israel it counts as two transgressions, but elsewhere it counts just as one." This [one transgression] refers to the prohibition "You may not steal." It is therefore clear that the Biblical prohibition applies only in Israel.
FOOTNOTES
1.Deut. 19:14.
Negative Commandment 243
Abduction
"Do not steal"—Exodus 20:13.
It is forbidden to abduct one's fellow.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
• Abduction
Negative Commandment 243
Translated by Berel Bell
The 243rd prohibition is that we are forbidden from kidnapping any Jewish person.
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement in the Ten Commandments,1 "You may not steal."
In the words of the Mechilta: "This verse refers to stealing a person." The Talmud says in tractate Sanhedrin,2 "What is the source for the prohibition of kidnapping? R. Yoshiya says it is the verse, 'You may not steal.' R. Yochanan says it is the verse,3 'They may not be sold as slaves.' In actuality, however, they both agree — one refers to the prohibition of kidnapping and the other refers to the prohibition of selling4 [the kidnapped person." The Talmud mentions these two prohibitions together] because the punishment is given only when the transgressor both kidnaps and sells — and if he does both transgressions, the penalty is strangulation. [The source for the punishment is] G‑d's statement5 (exalted be He), "If one person kidnaps and sells another, and [the victim] is seen in his hand, then [the kidnapper] shall be put to death."
The details of this mitzvah are explained in the 11th chapter of tractate Sanhedrin.6
FOOTNOTES
1.Ex. 20:15.
2.86a.
3.Lev. 25:42.
4.N258.
5.Ex. 21:16.
6.In our versions, chapter 10, on 85b.
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
Negative Commandment 246
Stealing Land
"You shall not move back your neighbor's boundary marker"—Deuteronomy 19:14.
It is forbidden to tamper with a boundary marker separating two parcels of land, so as to claim part of a neighbor's property. One who does so has violated this Torah injunction—in addition to being guilty of theft.
This commandment only applies in the land of Israel. Outside of Israel, one who tampers with a land marker is only guilty of transgressing the generic prohibition against theft.
Full text of this Mitzvah »• Stealing Land
Negative Commandment 246
Translated by Berel Bell
The 246th prohibition is that we are forbidden from stealing the boundaries of land, i.e. altering the line between our property and our neighbors', thereby enabling a person to claim that the other person's land is his own.
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "Do not move your neighbor's boundary marker"
The Sifri says: "It is already written 'You may not steal.' Why was it necessary to write the verse 'Do not move your neighbor's boundary marker'? To teach that anyone who moves his neighbor's boundary marker transgresses two prohibitions. You might think that this applies even outside Israel. The verse therefore continues '...in your inheritance in the land [that G‑d your L‑rd is giving you to occupy]' — in Israel it counts as two transgressions, but elsewhere it counts just as one." This [one transgression] refers to the prohibition "You may not steal." It is therefore clear that the Biblical prohibition applies only in Israel.
FOOTNOTES
1.Deut. 19:14.
Negative Commandment 243
Abduction
"Do not steal"—Exodus 20:13.
It is forbidden to abduct one's fellow.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
• Abduction
Negative Commandment 243
Translated by Berel Bell
The 243rd prohibition is that we are forbidden from kidnapping any Jewish person.
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement in the Ten Commandments,1 "You may not steal."
In the words of the Mechilta: "This verse refers to stealing a person." The Talmud says in tractate Sanhedrin,2 "What is the source for the prohibition of kidnapping? R. Yoshiya says it is the verse, 'You may not steal.' R. Yochanan says it is the verse,3 'They may not be sold as slaves.' In actuality, however, they both agree — one refers to the prohibition of kidnapping and the other refers to the prohibition of selling4 [the kidnapped person." The Talmud mentions these two prohibitions together] because the punishment is given only when the transgressor both kidnaps and sells — and if he does both transgressions, the penalty is strangulation. [The source for the punishment is] G‑d's statement5 (exalted be He), "If one person kidnaps and sells another, and [the victim] is seen in his hand, then [the kidnapper] shall be put to death."
The details of this mitzvah are explained in the 11th chapter of tractate Sanhedrin.6
FOOTNOTES
1.Ex. 20:15.
2.86a.
3.Lev. 25:42.
4.N258.
5.Ex. 21:16.
6.In our versions, chapter 10, on 85b.
• Rambam - 1 Chapter: Tum'at Met Tum'at Met - Chapter 8
• Tum'at Met - Chapter 8
• Tum'at Met - Chapter 8
1
When a grave became lost in a field, its earth imparts ritual impurity when one touches or carries it like the earth of a beit hap'ras, for perhaps the grave that was there was crushed and there are bones the size of a barley-corn in its earth. Similarly, one who stands over any portion of the field contracts ritual impurity. If one builds a structure there, everything inside the structure contracts impurity, for perhaps the structure he constructed in that field is constructed over the grave.
א
שדה שאבד קבר בתוכה עפרה מטמא במגע ובמשא כבית הפרס שמא נדוש הקבר בה ויהיו עצמות כשעורה בתוך עפרה וכל השדה כולה המאהיל עליה נטמא ואם העמיד בתוכה אהל נטמא כל מה שיש באהל שמא האהל שהעמיד באותה שדה על הקבר הוא מאהיל:
2
The following laws apply when a person built a house and a loft on top of it in such a field. If the entrance to the loft was directly above the entrance to the house, the loft is pure. Even if the grave was under the lintel of the house, the loft is pure, for there is one structure on top of another structure, as will be explained. If they were not directly above each other, the loft is also impure, for perhaps the entrance to the loft is above the grave and thus the loft is projecting over the grave.
ב
בנה בית ועליה על גביו אם היה פתחה של עליה כנגד פתחה של בית העליה טהורה שאפי' [היה] הקבר תחת משקוף הבית העליה טהורה שהרי הוא אהל ע"ג אהל כמי שיתבאר ואם לא היה מכוון אף העליה טמאה שמא אסקופת עליה על הקבר והרי העליה מאהילה על הקבר:
3
It is permitted to sow any type of seeds in this field, because the roots of the plants growing from the seeds do not reach the grave. One should not, however, plant any fruit trees inside of it, because their roots will reach the corpse.
We operate under the presumption that low hills that are close to a town and near to a cemetery or to the road leading to the cemetery, whether ancient or new, are impure, because women bury fetuses that they miscarry there and lepers bury their limbs there. Different rules apply to those hills which are distant from a town. The new ones are pure, but the ancient ones are impure. The rationale is that perhaps they were close to a town that was destroyed or a road that was lost.
What is meant by a hill close to a town? Any hill that does not have another one closer than it. What is meant by an ancient one? One that no one remembers whether there was a cemetery there or not.
ג
ושדה זו מותר לזרוע בתוכה כל זרע לפי שאין שרשי זרעים מגיעים עד לקבר אבל אין נוטעין בתוכה אילני מאכל מפני שהשרשים מגיעין עד למת התלוליות הקרובות לעיר הסמוכה לבית הקברות או לדרך בית הקברות אחד חדשות ואחד ישנות הרי אלו בחזקת טומאה מפני שהנשים קוברות שם את הנפלים ומוכי שחין קוברין שם איבריהן אבל הרחוקות החדשות טהורות והישנות טמאות שמא היו קרובות מעיר שחרבה או מדרך שאבדה ואי זהו תל קרוב כל שאין שם תל אחר קרוב יותר ממנו וישן שאין אדם זוכרו:
4
The following laws apply to a field for weeping, i.e., a place near a cemetery where women sit and weep over the departed: Even though its earth is pure, because it has not been established that a corpse is buried there, trees should not be planted there, nor should crops be sown there, so as not to have people frequent it, for perhaps a corpse was buried there. Our Sages had this suspicion, because its owner will have despaired of its use, because it is close to the cemetery. Therefore it is possible that a person will come and bury a corpse there.
One may use the earth of such a place to make ovens to cook sacrificial meat, because it has not been established that impurity was there.
ד
שדה בוכים והוא המקום הקרוב לבית הקברות שהנשים יושבות שם ובוכות אעפ"י שעפרה טהור שהרי לא הוחזקה שם טומאה אין נוטעין אותו ואין זורעין אותו שלא להרגיל רגל אדם לשם שמא יש שם טומאה מפני שהוא קרוב לבית הקברות כבר נתייאשו בעליו ממנו לפיכך אפשר שיבא אדם ויקבור בו מפני זה חששו לו ועושין מעפר מקום זה תנורים לקדש שהרי לא הוחזקה שם טומאה:
5
When a grave is discovered on one's property, it is permitted to disinter the corpse and rebury it elsewhere. If it was reburied, the place around the first grave is impure and it is forbidden to benefit from it until it is checked, as will be explained. When it is known that a grave is located in a field, it is forbidden to disinter the corpse and rebury it elsewhere. If it was reburied, the place around the first grave is pure and it is permitted to benefit from it.
ה
קבר הנמצא מותר לפנותו ואם פנהו מקומו טמא ואסור בהנייה עד שיבדק כמו שיתבאר וקבר הידוע אסור לפנותו ואם פנהו מקומו טהור ומותר בהנייה:
6
When a grave causes harm to people at large, the corpse should be disinterred. Its place is impure and it is forbidden to benefit from it.
ו
קבר שהוא מזיק את הרבים מפנין אותו ומקומו טמא ואסור בהנייה:
7
The following laws apply when a person encounter a meit mitzvah. If he finds it within the city's Sabbath limits, he should bring it to the cemetery. If he found it outside the Sabbath limits, even in a field of saffron, it acquires its place and should be buried where it is found.
If he found it in the public thoroughfare, he should move it to the side. If an uncultivated field was on one side and a plowed field was on the other side, he should bury it in the uncultivated field. If there was a plowed field on one side and a field that had been sown on the other side, he should bury it in the plowed field. If a field that had been sown was on one side and a vineyard on the other side, it should be buried in the field that had been sown. If there was an orchard on one side and a vineyard on the other, he should bury it in the vineyard, because of the impurity of ohel. If both fields were of equal value, he may bury it wherever he chooses.
ז
הפוגע במת מצוה אם מצאו בתוך התחום מביאו לבית הקברות מצאו חוץ לתחום אפילו בתוך שדה כרכום קנה מקומו ויקבר במקום שנמצא מצאו על המצר מסלקו לצדדין שדה בור מצד זה ושדה ניר מצד זה קוברו בשדה בור שדה ניר ושדה זרע קוברו בשדה ניר שדה זרע ושדה כרם קוברו בשדה זרע שדה אילן ושדה כרם קוברו בשדה כרם מפני אהל הטומאה היו שניהן שוין קוברו לאי זה צד שירצה:
8
When a grave is discovered, it imparts impurity retroactively. If someone comes and says: "it is definitely clear to me that there was not a grave here," even if he is speaking about a period twenty years earlier, the grave does not impart impurity except from the time of its discovery onward.
ח
קבר הנמצא מטמא למפרע ואם בא אחר ואמר ברי לי שלא היה כאן קבר אפילו קודם לעשרים שנה אינו מטמא אלא משעת מציאה ואילך:
9
Whenever a person discovers a grave, a corpse, or a portion of a corpse that would impart impurity through ohel, he should designate it, so that it will not create an obstacle for others.
During Chol HaMoed, agents of the court go out to designate the graves. A designation is not made over a portion of a corpse that is exactly the size of an olive, because ultimately, its size will be reduced in the earth.
With what is the designation made? With lime. It should be mixed and poured over the place of the impurity. The designation should not be placed on the exact perimeters of the impurity, but instead, should extend somewhat on either side so as not to ruin pure articles. The designation should not be extended much beyond the place of the impurity so as not to spoil Eretz Yisrael. A designation is not made on places that are definitely known to be used for burial, for their identity is universally known, only on the places that are doubtful, e.g., a field in which a grave was lost, the low-hanging branches of trees, or rocks jutting out from a wall.
ט
כל המוצא קבר או מת או דבר שמטמא באהל מן המת חייב לציין עליו כדי שלא יהיה תקלה לאחרים ובחולו של מועד היו יוצאין מב"ד לציין על הקברות אין מציינין על כזית מצומצם מן המת לפי שסופו יחסר בארץ ובמה מציינין בסיד ממחה ושופך על מקום הטומאה אין מעמידין את הציון על גבי הטומאה אלא יהי עודף מכאן ומכאן בצידי הטומאה שלא להפסיד את הטהרות ואין מרחיקין את הציון ממקום הטומאה שלא להפסיד את ארץ ישראל ואין מציינין על הוודאות שהרי הן ידועין לכל אלא על הספיקות כגון שדה שאבד בה קבר והסככות והפרעות:
10
When a person discovers a field that has been designated and does not know what the nature of the problem is, he should follow these guidelines. If it does not have trees, he should assume that a grave was lost in it. If it has trees in it, he should assume that a grave was plowed over in it, as will be explained.
י
מצא שדה מצויינת ואין ידוע מה טיבה אם אין בה אילנות בידוע שאבד בה קבר יש בה אילנות בידוע שנחרש בה קבר כמו שיתבאר:
11
When a person finds a stone that is designated, the area under it is impure. Should there be two such stones, if there is lime between them, the area between them is impure. If there is no lime between them, only on top of them, the following laws apply: If there is a shard between them, they are pure, because they are the remnants of a building. If there is no shard between them, and a light layer of lime was smoothed out over their heads on either side, we assume that this is a designation and they are impure.
If one boundary line of a field is designated, it is impure and the remainder of the field is pure. This applies also if a second or a third boundary line is designated. If all four boundary lines are designated, they are pure and the entire field is impure, for the sign should not be placed far from the place of the impurity.
יא
מצא אבן מצויינת תחתיה טמא היו שתים אם יש סיד ביניהם ביניהם טמא ואם אין סיד ביניהן אלא על ראשיהן אם יש חרש ביניהן טהור שאין זה אלא בניין ואם אין חרש ביניהן והיה הסיד מרודד על ראשיהן מכאן ומכאן ה"ז ציון וטמא מצא מצר אחד מצויין הוא טמא וכל השדה טהורה וכן שניה וכן שלישי' מצא ד' מצריה מצויינין הן טהורין וכל השדה כולה טמאה שאין מרחיקין הציון ממקום הטומאה:
• Rambam - 3 Chapters: Genevah Genevah - Chapter Seven, Genevah Genevah - Chapter Eight, Genevah Genevah - Chapter Nine
• Genevah - Chapter Seven
1
When a person weighs for a colleague using weights that are less than the weights accepted by the people in that country, or he measures using a measure that contains less than the measure used by people in that country, he violates a negative commandment,, as Leviticus 19:35 states: "Do not act deceitfully with regard to a judgment concerning measures, weights and liquid measures."
א
השוקל א לחבירו ממשקלות חסרות מן המשקל שהסכימו עליו בני אותה המדינה. או המודד במדה חסרה מהמדה שהסכימו עליה הרי זה עובר בלא תעשה שנאמר לא תעשו עול במשפט במדה במשקל ובמשורה:
2
Although a person who measures with an inaccurate measure or weight is a thief, he is not required to make a double payment of the stolen amount. All that is necessary is to give the proper measure of the article that was sold. Lashes are not given for the violation of this transgression, because the thief is obligated to make financial restitution.
ב
אע"פ שהמודד ב או השוקל חסר גונב אינו משלם לו תשלומי כפל אלא משלם לו המדה או המשקל. ואין לוקין על לא וזה מפני שהוא חייב בתשלומין:
3
Whoever possesses an imperfect measure or weight in his home or store violates a negative commandment, asDeuteronomy 25:13 states: "You shall not have in your pocket two sets of weights...." One may not even use the imperfect measure as a chamber pot. For even if one does not use the imperfect measure oneself to buy and to sell, another person who does not know that it is imperfect may come and use it as a measure.
Lashes are not administered for the violation of this transgression, because it does not involve a deed.
ג
כל מי שמשהה בביתו או בחנותו מדה חסרה או משקל חסר עובר בלא תעשה שנאמר לא יהיה לך בכיסך וגו'. ואפילו לעשות המדה עביט של מימי רגלים אסור. שאע"פ שאין זה לוקח ומוכר בה שמא יבא מי שאינו יודע שהיא חסרה וימדוד בה. ואין לוקין על לאו זה שהרי אין בו מעשה:
4
If a standard seal was affixed to all the measures and weights in a city, and the imperfect measure did not have such a seal, it is permitted to leave it for other household purposes.
Similarly, when a sela became blemished at its side, a person should not use it as a weight, nor should he cast it among his pieces of scrap metal, nor should he drill a hole in it and hang it around his son's neck, lest another person come and make it appear as a weight. Instead, one should grind it into powder, cut it into small pieces, pulverize it, or throw it into the Dead Sea.
ד
היו המדות והמשקלות של בני העיר חתומות בחותם ידוע וזו המדה או המשקל החסרים בלא חותם. הרי זה מותר לשהותם לשאר תשמישי הבית. כיוצא בזה סלע שנפגמה מן הצד לא יעשנה משקל בין משקלותיו ולא יזרקנה בין גרוטותיו ולא יקבנה ויתלנה בצואר בנו שמא יבא אחר ויעשנה משקל. אלא או ישחוק או יחתוך או יקוץ או ישליך לים המלח:
5
If the size of a sela was reduced to the extent that it was halved, it may be used. If it was reduced to less than half or more than half, it should be cut until it becomes a half.
If it was reduced by less than one sixth of its worth, it may be used for buying and selling, but not as a weight. The reason it may be used is that most people will forgo any loss that is less than a sixth.
ה
חסרה ועמדה על מחצה יקיים. עמדה על פחות ממחצה או על יתר ממחצה יקוץ עד שיעמידנה על מחצה. ואם לא חסרה אלא פחות משתות יקיים לשאת ולתת בה
6
When a sela is damaged in its center, it may not be sold to a killer or a thief, for they may use it to deceive others. One may, however, place a hole in its center and hang it around a child's neck.
ו
סלע שנפגמה באמצע אסור למכרה להרג או לחרם מפני שמרמין בה את אחרים. אבל נוקבה ותולה אותה בצואר הקטן.
7
A person should make his measures the size of a se'ah, half ase'ah and a quarter of a se'ah, a kav, half a kav, a quarter of akav, an eighth of a kav and a twenty-fourth of a kav. He should not, however, make a measure of two kabbim], lest it be mistaken for a quarter of a se'ah, which is a kav and a half.
Similarly, with regard to liquid measure, one should make a hin, half a hin, a third of a hin, a quarter of a hin, a log, half a log, a quarter of a log, an eighth of a log and a sixty-fourth of a log.
The Sages did not forbid one from making a third of a hin and a quarter of a hin, although they could be confused with each other, because there were such measures in the Sanctuary from the time of Moses our teacher onward.
ז
עושה אדם מדותיו סאה וחצי סאה ורובע סאה. וקב וחצי קב ורובע הקב וחצי הרובע ושמינית הרובע. אבל לא יעשה קבים שלא תתחלף ברובע הסאה שהוא קב ומחצה. וכן במדות הלח עושה הין וחצי הין ושלישית ההין ורביעית ההין. ולוג וחצי [א] לוג ורביעית ושמינית ואחד בשמונה בשמינית. ולא אסרו לעשות שלישית הין ורביעית הין אף על פי שמתחלפין זה בזה הואיל והיו במקדש מימות משה רבינו:
8
Whether a person deals with a Jew or a gentile, if he measures or weighs with a measure that is lacking, he transgresses a negative commandment and is obligated to return the difference.
Similarly, it is forbidden to deceive a gentile with regard to an account; instead, one must reckon carefully with him, as Leviticus 25:50 states: "You should reckon with his purchaser."
This applies with regard to a gentile who is under your control; surely it applies to one who is not under your control. A person who performs such deceit is included among those about whomDeuteronomy 25:16 says: "They are an abomination unto God, all who do these things, all who act crookedly."
ח
אחד הנושא ג והנותן עם ישראל או עם עכו"ם אם מדד או שקל בחסר עובר על לא תעשה וחייב להחזיר. וכן אסור להטעות את [ב] העכו"ם בחשבון אלא ידקדק עמו שנאמר וחשב עם קונהו אע"פ שהוא כבוש תחת ידיך. קל וחומר לעכו"ם שאינו כבוש תחת ידיך. והרי הוא בכלל כי תועבת ה' אלהיך כל עושה אלה כל עושה עול מכל מקום:
9
Similar principles apply regarding the measurement of land. If a person deceives a colleague with regard to the measurement of land, he transgresses a negative commandment, as implied by Leviticus 19:35: "Do not act deceitfully with regard to a judgment concerning measures...."
"Measures" refers to the measurement of land. The verse is saying that one should not act deceitfully with regard to any judgment, be it a judgment concerning measures, one of weights or one involving a tiny liquid measure, the size of a mesurah.
ט
וכן במדת הקרקע אם הטעה את חבירו במשיחת הקרקע עובר בלא תעשה שנאמר לא תעשו עול במשפט במדה. במדה זו מדת הקרקע. וכן הוא ענין פסוק זה לא תעשו עול במשפט. לא במשפט המשקל ולא במשפט המדה אפילו מדה קטנה כמשורה:
10
When the members of a company are exact in their dealings with each other, and they exchange one portion of a sacrificial offering for another, or they borrow food and then return its equivalent, they transgress the prohibition against false measures, false weights and false amounts if they do not return the exact amount. If the exchange takes place on a festival, it is also a transgression of the prohibition against borrowing and repaying on a festival.
י
בני חבורה המקפידים זה על זה שהחליפו חלק בחלק או לוה ממנו מאכל והחזיר לו. עוברין משום מדה ומשום משקל ומשום מנין ומשום לוין ופורעין ביום טוב:
11
A person who usurps the property boundaries of a colleague and includes even a fingerbreadth of a colleague's landed property in his own property transgresses. If he acts openly, by the power of force, he is a robber. If he acts with stealth, he is a thief.
If he usurps a colleague's property in Eretz Yisrael, he transgresses two negative commandments: the prohibition against either theft or robbery, and the prohibition against moving a property boundary. One is liable for the transgression of this negative commandment only in Eretz Yisrael, for Deuteronomy 19:14 states: "Do not usurp the property boundaries of a colleague... in the heritage that you will acquire...."
יא
המסיג גבול רעהו והכניס מתחום חבירו בתוך תחומו אפילו מלוא אצבע. אם בחזקה עשה הרי זה גזלן. ואם הסיג בסתר הרי זה גנב. ואם בארץ ישראל הסיג הגבול הרי זה עובר בשני לאוין בלאו גניבה או בלאו גזילה ובלאו לא תסיג ואין חייב בלאו זה אלא בארץ שנאמר בנחלתך אשר תנחל:
12
The punishment for the person who uses false measures is greater than the punishment for licentious sexual behavior, for this is a sin between a person and his colleague, and this is a sin between a person and God.
Whoever denies the mitzvah of just measures is considered as if he denied the exodus from Egypt, which is the first of God's commandments. Conversely, one who accepts the mitzvah of just measures is considered as if he acknowledges the exodus from Egypt, which brought about all of God's commandments.
יב
קשה עונשן של מדות יתר מעונשן של עריות שזה בינו לבין המקום וזה בינו לבין חבירו. וכל הכופר במצות מדות ככופר ביציאת מצרים שהיא תחילת הצווי. וכל המקבל עליו מצות מדות הרי זה מודה ביציאת מצרים שהיא גרמה לכל הצוויין:
Genevah - Chapter Eight
1
It is a positive commandment to correct the scales, weights and measures carefully and to be exact in their measure when making them, as Leviticus 19:36 states: "You shall have correct scales...."
Similarly, with regard to the measurement of land, one must be exact according to the principles of geometry. Even a fingerbreadth of land is considered to be a great loss, as if it were filled with saffron.
א
מצות עשה לצדק המאזנים והמשקלות והמדות יפה יפה ולדקדק בחשבונן בשת עשייתן שנאמר מאזני צדק וגו'. וכן במדת הקרקע צריך לדקדק בחשבון משיחת הקרקע על פי העיקרים המתבארים בכתבי הגימטריא. שאפילו מלוא אצבע מן הקרקע רואין אותה כאילו היא מליאה כרכום:
2
The four cubits that are next to an irrigation ditch need not be measured carefully, and those that are next to a river bank are not measured at all, for they belong to the public domain.
ב
ארבע אמות הסמוכין לחריץ מזלזלין במשיחתן והסמוכים לשפת הנהר אין מושחין אותן כלל מפני שהן של בני רשות הרבים:
3
A person who measures land should not measure the portion of one partner in the summer and of the other in the winter, because a rope will contract in the summer. Therefore, if the measurement was made with a rod, with iron chains or with the like, the differences in season are of no consequence.
ג
והמודד את הקרקע ב לא ימוד לאחד בימות החמה ולאחד בימות הגשמים מפני שהחבל מתקצר בימות החמה. לפיכך אם מדד בקנה או בשלשלת של ברזל וכיוצא בהם אין בכך כלום:
4
Weights should not be made of iron, lead or other metals of that nature, for they rust and become reduced in weight. One should make them from marble, glass, diamond and the like.
ד
אין עושים ג משקלות לא של ברזל ולא של עופרת ולא של שאר מיני מתכות כאלו מפני שמעלין [א] חלודה ומתחסרין. אבל עושין של צחיח סלע ושל זכוכית ושל אבן שוהם וכיוצא בהן:
5
The stick used to level the top of a dry measure should not be made of a gourd, because it is too light, nor of metal, because it is too heavy. Instead, it should be made of olive wood, walnut, box wood, sycamore wood or the like.
ה
אין עושין את המחק לא של דלעת מפני שהוא מיקל ולא של מתכת מפני שהוא מכביד. אבל עושהו של זית ושל אגוזים ושל שקמה ושל אשכרוע וכיוצא בהן:
6
The stick used to level the top of a dry measure should not be made with one side narrow and one side thick. One should not level a measure slowly, bit by bit, for in doing so the seller is cheated, nor should it be leveled in one fell swoop, for by doing so the purchaser is cheated.
ו
אין עושין את המחק צדו אחד קצר וצדו אחד עבה. ולא ימחוק מעט מעט מפני שמפחיתו למוכר. ולא ימחוק בבת אחת מפני שמפחיתו ללוקח:
7
One may not bury weights in salt so that their weight will be reduced, nor may one heat while measuring a liquid.
This applies even if the measure is very small, for the Torah was concerned with even the slightest deviation from an honest measure, as implied by the mention of a mesurah in Leviticus 19:35. A mesurah is a very tiny measure, merely a thirty-third of alog.
ז
אין טומנין את המשקלות במלח כדי [ב] שיפחתו. ולא ירתיח במדת הלח בעת שמודד. ואפילו היתה המדה קטנה ביותר. שהרי התורה הקפידה על המדות בכל שהוא שנאמר ובמשורה והיא מדה אחת קנה משלשים ושלשה בלוג:
8
Sellers of scrap iron and the like should construct the scale they use in the following manner. The balance that the person who is weighing holds in his hands should hang freely in the air for at least three handbreadths, and should be three handbreadths above the ground. The length of the center pole and the length of the cables should be twelve handbreadths.
ח
מוכרי עששיות של ברזל וכיוצא בהן צריך להיות חוטי המאזנים שאוחז השוקל בידו תלוי באויר שלשה טפחים וגבוהין מן הארץ שלשה טפחים ואורך קני המאזנים ואורך החוטים שנים עשר טפח:
9
A scale used by wool merchants and glass merchants should be constructed in the following manner. The balance should hang freely in the air for at least two handbreadths and should be two handbreadths above the ground. The length of the center pole and the length of the cables should be nine handbreadths.
ט
מאזנים של מוכרי צמר ושל מוכרי זכוכית יהיה אורך החוטים שהן תלויין בו שני טפחים וגבוהין מן הארץ שני טפחים והקנה והחוטין ארכן תשעה טפחים:
10
A scale used by an ordinary storekeeper and a house-owner should be constructed in the following manner. The balance should hang freely in the air for at least one handbreadth, and should be one handbreadth above the ground. The length of the center pole and the length of the cables should be six handbreadths.
י
מאזנים של חנוני ושל בעל הבית יהיה אורך החוט שהן תלויים בו טפח וגבוהין מן הארץ טפח והקנה והחוטין ארכן ששה טפחים:
11
The cables on which the balance is hung, and similarly the cables of the scales used to weigh gold and used by merchants of purple fabric should be three fingerbreadths long and should be three fingerbreadths above the ground. No standard measure was given for the length of the balance and the length of its chains; it depends on the desire of the person doing the weighing.
יא
החוט שתולין בו הפלס וכן חוט מאזנים של זהב ושל מוכרי ארגמן טוב ארכו שלש אצבעות וגבוהין מן הארץ שלש אצבעות ואורך הפלס ואורך השלשלאות שלו כפי מה שהוא רוצה:
12
What is the source that teaches us that one must tip the balance in favor of the purchaser when his purchase is being weighed for him? Deuteronomy 25:15 states: "You shall have a perfect and just weight." The Torah's statements can be interpreted to mean: "Justify your balance from what you have and give it to him."
יב
מנין שחייב המוכר להכריע ללוקח בעת ששוקל לו שנאמר אבן שלמה וצדק יהיה לך אמרה תורה צדק משלך ותן לו:
13
How much should the seller tip in the purchaser's favor? With regard to liquid measure, one hundredth of the amount purchased. With regard to dry measure, one four-hundredth of the amount purchased.
What is implied? If he sold him ten pounds of a liquid measure, he should give him one tenth of a pound as an extra amount. If he sold him twenty pounds of a dry measure, he should give him an extra twentieth of a pound. This ratio should be followed regardless of whether the amounts involved are great or small.
יג
וכמה בלח אחד למאה וביבש אחד לארבע מאות. כיצד מכר לו [ג] עשר ליטרא לח נותן לו *גירומין אחד מעשרה בליטרא. ואם מכר לו עשרים ליטרין יבש נותן לו גירומיו אחד מעשרים בליטרא. וכן לפי חשבון זה בין רב בין מעט:
14
When does the above apply? In a place where it is customary to sell by looking at the scale. In a place where it is customary actually to tip the balance, one must tip it at least a handbreadth in favor of the purchaser.
יד
במה דברים אמורים ב במקום שנהגו למכור עין בעין. אבל במקום שנהגו להכריע חייב להכריע לו טפח:
15
If the seller had to weigh ten pounds for the purchaser, the purchaser should not say: "Weigh them out one at a time and tip the balance each time." Instead, the seller may weigh out all ten at once and tip the balance only once for the entire amount.
טו
היה שוקל לו עשר ליטרים לא יאמר לו שקול אחת אחת והכרע אלא שוקל לו עשרה בבת אחת והכרע אחד לכולן:
16
In a place where it is customary to measure with a small measure, one should not measure with a large one. In a place where it is customary to measure with a large measure, one should not measure with a small one.
Where it is customary to even off the measure, one should not sell a heaping measure and raise the price, nor where it is customary to give a heaping measure should one sell a level measure and reduce the price. Instead, one should measure according to the local custom.
טז
מקום שנהגו למוד בדקה לא ימוד בגסה. בגסה לא ימוד בדקה. למחוק לא יגדוש ויוסיף בדמים. וכן אם נהגו לגדוש לא ימחוק ויפחות מן הדמים אלא מודד כמנהג המדינה:
17
When the inhabitants of a locale desire to increase the size of the measures or weights, they should not increase them more than a sixth. For example, if a kav held five measures, they may establish it as holding six. They should not, however, establish it as holding more than six.
יז
בני מדינה שרצו להוסיף על המדות או על המשקלות לא יוסיפו יתר על שתות. שאם היה הקב מכיל חמשה ועשאוהו מכיל ששה הרשות בידן. יתר על ששה לא יעשו:
18
A wholesale merchant must clean his measures once every 30 days. A house-owner must do this every twelve months, and a storekeeper twice a week. Once a week, he must wash his weights, and he should clean the balance after every time that he weighs, so that it will not rust.
יח
הסיטון מקנח תמדותיו אחת לשלשים יום. [ד] ובעל הבית אחת לשנים עשר חדש. והחנוני מקנחן פעמים בשבת. וממחה משקלותיו פעם אחת בשבת ומקנח מאזנים על כל משקל ומשקל כדי שלא יחלידו:
19
A person who desires to weigh three-fourths of a pound of meat should place a pound weight on one side of the balance and place the meat and a quarter-pound weight in the other side of the balance. If one said that he should place a half-pound weight and a quarter-pound weight on one side and the meat on the other side, it is possible that the quarter-pound weight will fall without being seen by the purchaser.
יט
המבקש לשקול שלשה רביעי ליטרא נותן ליטרא בכף מאזנים והבשר ורביע ליטרא בכף שניה שאם אתה אומר נותן חצי ליטרא ורביע ליטרא בכף אחת שמא יפול רביע הליטרא ואין הלוקח רואהו:
20
The court is obligated to appoint police in every city and town to inspect the stores periodically, correct the scales and measures, and set the prices. They are permitted to beat any person who possesses an unjust measure or weight or an improper balance according to his capacity, and to fine him as the court sees fit to enforce the matter.
Whenever a person raises prices and sells at a higher price, he may be beaten and compelled to sell at the ordinary market price.
כ
חייבין בית דין [ה] להעמיד שוטרים ד בכל מדינה ומדינה ובכל פלך ופלך שיהיו מחזרין על החנויות ומצדקין את המאזנים ואת המדות ופוסקין השערים. וכל מי שנמצא עמו משקל חסר או מדה חסרה או מאזנים מקולקלין יש להם רשות להכותו כפי כחו ולקנסו כפי ראות בית דין לחזק הדבר. וכל מי שמפקיע את השער ומוכר ביוקר מכין אותו וכופין אותו ומוכר כשער השוק:
Genevah - Chapter Nine
1
Whoever kidnaps another person transgresses a negative commandment, as Exodus 20:13 states: "Do not steal." This verse is stated in the Ten Commandments and serves as a warning against kidnapping.
Similarly, a person who sells a kidnapped person violates a negative commandment, for this is included in the adjuration,Leviticus 25:42: "Do not sell him in the manner a servant is sold."
These two transgressions are not punished by lashing, because they involve capital punishment, as Deuteronomy 24:7 states: "When a person is found stealing one of his brethren... that thief shall die." He is to be executed by strangulation.
א
כל הגונב נפש אדם עובר בלא תעשה שנאמר לא תגנוב. פסוק זה האמור בעשרת הדברים היא אזהרה לגונב נפשות. וכן המוכרו עובר בלא תעשה שזה בכלל לא ימכרו ממכרת עבד. ו ואין לוקין על שני לאוין אלו מפני שהוא לאו שניתן לאזהרת מיתת בית דין שנאמר כי ימצא איש גונב נפש מאחיו וגו' ומיתתו בחנק:
2
A kidnapper is not liable for capital punishment unless he kidnaps a Jewish person, brings him into the kidnapper's own domain, makes use of him, and then sells him to others, as Deuteronomy, ibid. states: "And he makes use of him, and sells him."
Even if he makes use of his services for a minor matter, not worth ap'rutah - e.g., he leaned on him or used him as a shield, even if the abducted person was asleep at that time - the kidnapper is considered to have made use of him.
ב
אין הגנב חייב מיתת חנק עד שיגנוב את הישראל ויכניסנו לרשותו וישתמש בו וימכרנו לאחרים שנאמר והתעמר בו ומכרו ואפילו לא נשתמש בו אלא בפחות משוה פרוטה כגון שנשען עליו או נסמך בו אע"פ שהנגנב ישן הרי זה נשתמש בו:
3
If the kidnapper kidnapped a person, made use of him, and sold him without taking the abducted person from his own domain and bringing him into the kidnapper's domain, he is not liable for capital punishment. Similarly, he is not liable for capital punishment if he kidnapped him, brought him into the kidnapper's domain, made use of him, and did not sell him, or sold him before he made use of him.
Similarly, if the kidnapper made use of the abducted person, but sold him to one of the abducted person's relatives - e.g., he sold him to his father or his brother - he is not liable for capital punishment. For the above verse mentions "stealing... of his brethren." Implied is that the abducted person must be separated from his brothers and relatives through this sale.
Similarly, if the kidnapper kidnapped the abducted person, made use of him, and sold him - all of this while the abducted person was sleeping, the kidnapper is not liable for capital punishment.
ג
גנבו ונשתמש בו ומכרו ועדיין הגנוב ברשות עצמו ולא הכניסו הגנב לרשותו פטור. גנבו והוציאו לרשותו ונשתמש בו ולא מכרו או מכרו קודם שנשתמש בו א ונשתמש בו ומכרו לאחד מקרוביו של גנוב כגון שמכרו לאביו או לאחיו הרי זה פטור שנאמר גונב נפש מאחיו עד שיבדילנו מאחיו ומקרוביו במכירה. וכן אם גנבו והוא ישן ונשתמש בו כשהוא ישן ומכרו ועדיין הוא ישן הרי זה פטור:
4
Similarly, if he kidnapped a pregnant woman and sold only her offspring - i.e., he made an agreement with the purchaser that he retained possession of the woman, and the purchaser is entitled only to her offspring, he is not liable.
ד
וכן אם גנב אשה ומכרה לעובריה בלבד כגון שהתנה על הלוקח שזו השפחה לי ואין לך אלא הולדות הרי זה פטור:
5
The following individuals are not liable for capital punishment: a person who kidnaps his son or a brother who is below majority, a guardian who kidnaps the orphans who are in his trust, a house-owner who kidnaps one of the members of his household, and a teacher who kidnaps one of the students studying under him.
This applies even if the kidnapper makes use of and sells the abducted person. This is derived from the exegesis of Exodus 21:16: "And he is found in his hand." This excludes those who are constantly found in their hand.
ה
הגונב את בנו או את אחיו הקטן. וכן האפוטרופין שגנבו את היתומים שהן סמוכין אצלם ובעל הבית שגנב אחד מבני ביתו הסמוכין על שלחנו ומלמד תינוקות שגנב אחד מן הקטנים הלומדים אצלו. אע"פ שנשתמש בו ומכרו פטור שנאמר ונמצא בידו פרט לאלו שהן מצויין בידם:
6
A kidnapper - either a male or a female - is liable for capital punishment regardless of whether he kidnaps an adult or a one-day-old infant - provided the pregnancy was full-term - and regardless of whether the abducted person was male or female. This is implied by the above verse, which mentions "kidnapping a soul."
It makes no difference if one kidnaps a native-born Israelite, a convert or a freed Canaanite servant, for the above verse states: "one of his brethren." And the above are "our brothers," related by the bond of the Torah and its mitzvot. One is not, however, liable for capital punishment for kidnapping a Canaanite servant or a servant who has been freed only partially.
ו
אחד הגונב את הגדול או הגונב את הקטן בן יומו שכלו לו חדשיו בין זכר בין נקבה בין שהיה הגנב איש או אשה הרי אלו נהרגין שנאמר גונב נפש מכל מקום. ואחד הגונב את ישראל או שגנב גר או עבד משוחרר שנאמר נפש מאחיו ואלו בכלל אחינו הן בתורה ובמצוות. אבל הגונב את העבד או מי שחציו עבד וחציו בן חורין פטור:
7
When a person breaks into a home - whether at night or during the day - license is granted to kill him. If either the homeowner or another person kills him, they are not liable.
The license to kill him applies both on the Sabbath and during the week; one may kill in any possible manner. This is all implied byExodus 22:1, which literally reads: "He has no blood."
ז
הבא במחתרת בין ביום בין בלילה אין לו דמים אלא אם הרגו בעל הבית או שאר האדם פטורין. ורשות יש לכל להרג ובין בחול בין בשבת בכל מיתה שיכולין להמיתו שנאמר אין לו דמים:
8
The license mentioned above applies to a thief caught breaking in or one caught on a person's roof, courtyard or enclosed area, whether during the day or during the night. Why does the Torah mention "breaking in," because it is the general practice for thieves to break in at night.
ח
ואחד הבא במחתרת או גנב שנמצא בתוך גגו של אדם או בתוך חצרו או בתוך קרפיפו בין ביום בין בלילה. ולמה נאמר מחתרת לפי שדרך רוב הגנבים
9
Why did the Torah permit the blood of such a thief to be shed, although he is only attempting to steal money? Because it is an accepted presumption that if the house-owner arises and attempts to prevent the thief from stealing, the thief will slay him. And thus the thief entering his colleague's house to steal is in effect a pursuer seeking to kill his colleague. Therefore, he should be killed, whether he is an adult or a minor, or a man or a woman.
ט
ומפני ב מה התירה תורה דמו של גנב אף על פי שבא על עסקי ממון לפי שחזקתו שאם עמד בעל הבית לפניו ומנעו יהרגנו ונמצא זה הנכנס לבית חבירו לגנוב כרודף אחר חבירו להרגו ולפיכך יהרג בין שהיה גדול בין שהיה קטן בין זכר בין נקבה:
10
If it is clear to the house-owner that the thief who breaks in will not kill him and instead is only seeking financial gain, it is forbidden to kill the thief. If the house-owner kills him, the house-owner is consi- dered to be a murderer.
This is alluded to by Exodus 22:2, which states: "If the sun shines upon him..." - i.e., if it is as clear to you as the sun that he is at peace with you, do not kill him. Therefore, a father who breaks into his son's home should not be killed. But a son who breaks into his father's home may be killed.
י
היה הדבר ברור לבעל הבית שזה הגנב הבא עליו אינו הורגו ואינו בא אלא על עסקי ממון אסור להרגו ואם הרג והרי זה הורג נפש שנאמר אם זרחה השמש עליו אם ברור לך הדבר כשמש שיש לו שלום עמך אל תהרגהו. לפיכך אב הבא במחתרת על בנו אינו נהרג שודאי שאינו הורגו. אבל הבן הבא על אביו נהרג:
11
Different rules apply with regard to a thief who stole and departed, or one who did not steal, but was caught leaving the tunnel through which he entered the home. Since he turned his back on the house and is no longer intent on killing its owner, he may not be slain.
Similarly, if he is surrounded by other people, or by witnesses, he may not be killed, even if he is still located within the domain which he broke into. Needless to say, if he is brought to the court he may not be killed.
יא
וכן הגנב שגנב ויצא. או שלא גנב ומצאו יוצא מן המחתרת הואיל ופנה עורף ואינו רודף
12
Similarly, a person who breaks into a garden, a field, a pen or a corral may not be killed, for the prevailing presumption is that he came merely to steal money, for generally the owners are not found in such places.
יב
וכן הבא במחתרת לתוך גינתו או לתוך שדהו או לתוך הדיר והסהר יש לו דמים. שחזקתו שבא על הממון בלבד לפי שאין רוב הבעלים מצויים במקומות אלו:
13
Whenever license is not granted to kill a thief, we should remove stones from an avalanche that fell upon him on the Sabbath. If he destroyed utensils while inside the house, he is liable for the damages. When, however, license is granted to kill a person, and he broke utensils while in the home, he is not liable for the damages, as explained above.
This concludes "The Laws of Theft" with God's help.
יג
כל גנב שיש לו דמים אם נפל עליו גל בשבת מפקחים עליו. ואם שבר כלים בביאתו חייב בתשלומין. אבל מי שאין לו דמים ששבר כלים בביאתו פטור כמו שביארנו:
Hayom Yom: Today's Hayom Yom
• Sunday, 18 Tammuz, 5776 · 24 July 2016
• "Today's Day"
• Wednesday Tamuz 18 5703
Torah lessons: Chumash: Pinchas, Revi'i with Rashi.
Tehillim: 88-89.
Tanya: Ch. 4. However, (p. 355) ...days and years! (p. 355).
The Alter Rebbe said of R. Moshe Vilenker:1 "Moshe has mochin d'gadlut, magnitude of intellect2 and in his ten years of toil3, he has attained through his labors a powerful, capacious, wide-ranging intellectuality - (mochin rechavim)."4
For three years R. Moshe Vilenker prepared himself for yechidus with the Alter Rebbe. Afterwards he remained in Lyozna for seven years to translate the yechidus into actual avoda.
FOOTNOTES
1.A giant among the early chassidim.
2.A mind capable of integrating even opposing concepts.
3."Toil" and "labor," refer to enormous efforts in inner spiritual self-improvement.
4.The term mochin rechavim, lit. "broad intellect," defies translation. It does not refer to Reb Moshe's broad spectrum of knowledge or to "broadmindedness"; rather, it describes the nature (intense, powerful), absorptive ability (capacious), and breadth (wide-ranging) of his intellectuality - his faculty of intelligence.
One who is full of himself fills all the space around him. There is no room left for anyone else. Therefore, he despises another person by virtue of the space that other person consumes. He may give reasons for his disdain, but the reasons are secondary.
This is called wanton hatred. It is the reason given for our exile. It is the core of all evil.
Its only cure is wanton acts of kindness and caring for the other guy beyond reason.
Torah lessons: Chumash: Pinchas, Revi'i with Rashi.
Tehillim: 88-89.
Tanya: Ch. 4. However, (p. 355) ...days and years! (p. 355).
The Alter Rebbe said of R. Moshe Vilenker:1 "Moshe has mochin d'gadlut, magnitude of intellect2 and in his ten years of toil3, he has attained through his labors a powerful, capacious, wide-ranging intellectuality - (mochin rechavim)."4
For three years R. Moshe Vilenker prepared himself for yechidus with the Alter Rebbe. Afterwards he remained in Lyozna for seven years to translate the yechidus into actual avoda.
FOOTNOTES
1.A giant among the early chassidim.
2.A mind capable of integrating even opposing concepts.
3."Toil" and "labor," refer to enormous efforts in inner spiritual self-improvement.
4.The term mochin rechavim, lit. "broad intellect," defies translation. It does not refer to Reb Moshe's broad spectrum of knowledge or to "broadmindedness"; rather, it describes the nature (intense, powerful), absorptive ability (capacious), and breadth (wide-ranging) of his intellectuality - his faculty of intelligence.
• Daily Thought:
Wanton LoveOne who is full of himself fills all the space around him. There is no room left for anyone else. Therefore, he despises another person by virtue of the space that other person consumes. He may give reasons for his disdain, but the reasons are secondary.
This is called wanton hatred. It is the reason given for our exile. It is the core of all evil.
Its only cure is wanton acts of kindness and caring for the other guy beyond reason.
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