Light Candles before sunset
Today in Jewish History:
• Golden Calf Made; Hur Killed (1313 BCE)
In the year 2448 from Creation (1313 BCE), Tammuz 16 was the 40th day following the Giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, and the people of Israel wrongly expected Moses' return from the mountain (he would actually return on the following day). When their leader failed to return, they demanded from Aaron: "Make us a god that shall go before us". Hur (Moses' nephew, the son of Miriam and Caleb) tried to stop them and was killed by the mob. Aaron fashioned a calf of molten gold.
Links:
The Making of the Golden Calf (text of Exodus 32 with Rashi's commentary)
An anthology of Midrashim and Commentaries on the making of the Calf
The Day Before (on the deeper significance of Tammuz 16, from the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe)
More on the Golden calf
See also "Today in Jewish History" for tomorrow, Tammuz 17.
Daily Quote:
May the L-rd, G-d of spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the community; who will go forth before them and come before them, who will lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of G-d will not be like sheep without a shepherd...[Numbers 27:16-17]Daily Study:
Chitas and Rambam for today:
Chumash with Rashi
Parshat Balak
In Israel: Pinchas
• Numbers Chapter 23
27Balak said to Balaam, "Come now, I will take you to a different place. Perhaps it will please God, and you will curse them for me from there. כז וַיֹּ֤אמֶר בָּלָק֙ אֶל־בִּלְעָ֔ם לְכָה־נָּא֙ אֶקָּ֣חֲךָ֔ אֶל־מָק֖וֹם אַחֵ֑ר אוּלַ֤י יִישַׁר֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣י הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים וְקַבֹּ֥תוֹ לִ֖י מִשָּֽׁם:
so that you will curse them for me: Heb. וְקַבֹּתוֹ. This is not in the imperative like“curse them” (וְקָבְנוֹ, in verse 13), but the future tense: it will please God and you will curse them for me from there, maldiras in old French, you will curse. וקבותו לי: אין זה לשון צווי, כמו וקבנו, אלא לשון עתיד, אולי יישר בעיניו ותקבנו לי משם, מלדי"רש מי"י בלע"ז (תקלל אותו):
28So Balak took Balaam to the peak of Peor, overlooking the wastelands. כחוַיִּקַּ֥ח בָּלָ֖ק אֶת־בִּלְעָ֑ם רֹ֣אשׁ הַפְּע֔וֹר הַנִּשְׁקָ֖ף עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַיְשִׁימֹֽן:
to the peak of Peor: Balak was a great soothsayer, and he foresaw that they were destined to be smitten through Peor, but he did not know in what way. He said,“Perhaps the curse will take effect on them from there.” It is much the same with all the stargazers; they see things, but they do not know what they are seeing. — [Mid. Aggadah] ראש הפעור: קוסם היה בלק וראה שהן עתידין ללקות על ידי פעור ולא היה יודע במה, אמר שמא הקללה תחול עליהם משם, וכן כל החוזים בכוכבים רואים ואינם יודעים מה רואים:
29Balaam said to Balak, "Build me seven altars here and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams. כטוַיֹּ֤אמֶר בִּלְעָם֙ אֶל־בָּלָ֔ק בְּנֵה־לִ֥י בָזֶ֖ה שִׁבְעָ֣ה מִזְבְּחֹ֑ת וְהָכֵ֥ן לִי֙ בָּזֶ֔ה שִׁבְעָ֥ה פָרִ֖ים וְשִׁבְעָ֥ה אֵילִֽם:
30Balak did as Balaam told him, and offered up a bull and a ram on [each] altar. לוַיַּ֣עַשׂ בָּלָ֔ק כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר אָמַ֣ר בִּלְעָ֑ם וַיַּ֛עַל פָּ֥ר וָאַ֖יִל בַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ:
Numbers Chapter 24
1Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel; so he did not go in search of omens as he had done time and time again, but turned his face toward the desert. אוַיַּ֣רְא בִּלְעָ֗ם כִּ֣י ט֞וֹב בְּעֵינֵ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ לְבָרֵ֣ךְ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְלֹֽא־הָלַ֥ךְ כְּפַֽעַם־בְּפַ֖עַם לִקְרַ֣את נְחָשִׁ֑ים וַיָּ֥שֶׁת אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר פָּנָֽיו:
Balaam saw that it pleased: He said, “I no longer have to test the Holy One, blessed is He, for He will not want to curse them.” וירא בלעם כי טוב וגו': אמר איני צריך לבדוק בהקב"ה כי לא יחפוץ לקללם:
so he did not go… as he had done time and time again: As he had done twice - [Mid. Aggadah] ולא הלך כפעם בפעם: כאשר עשה שתי פעמים:
in search of omens: To divine that perhaps God would chance to meet him as he wished. He said, “Whether He wishes to curse them or not, I will mention their sins so that on the mention of their sins the curse can take effect.” - [Mid. Aggadah] לקראת נחשים: לנחש אולי יקרה ה' לקראתו כרצונו, אמר רוצה ואינו רוצה לקללם, אזכיר עונותיהם והקללה על הזכרת העבירה תחול:
but turned his face toward the desert: As the Targum paraphrases [“He directed his face toward the desert, where the Israelites had made the golden calf,” or “He directed his face toward the golden calf, which the Israelites had made in the desert.” See Ramban , Midrash Aggadah , Mechokekei Yehudah (Minchath Yehudah , fn. 1)]. וישת אל המדבר פניו: כתרגומו:
2Balaam raised his eyes and saw Israel dwelling according to its tribes, and the spirit of God rested upon him. בוַיִּשָּׂ֨א בִלְעָ֜ם אֶת־עֵינָ֗יו וַיַּרְא֙ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל שֹׁכֵ֖ן לִשְׁבָטָ֑יו וַתְּהִ֥י עָלָ֖יו ר֥וּחַ אֱלֹהִֽים:
Balaam raised his eyes: He sought to cast an evil eye upon them, so here you have his three attributes: an evil eye, a haughty spirit, and greed mentioned above (22:13, 18). - [Avoth 5:19, Mid. Tanchuma Balak 6, Num. Rabbah 20:10] וישא בלעם את עיניו: בקש להכניס בהם עין רעה, והרי יש לך שלש מדותיו עין רעה ורוח גבוהה ונפש רחבה האמורים למעלה:
dwelling according to its tribes: He saw each tribe dwelling by itself, not intermingling [with other tribes], and he saw that the openings of their tents did not face each other, so that they should not peer into each other’s tents. — [B.B. 60a, Mid. Aggadah] שוכן לשבטיו: ראה כל שבט ושבט שוכן לעצמו ואינן מעורבין, ראה שאין פתחיהם מכוונין זה כנגד זה, שלא יציץ לתוך אהל חבירו:
and the spirit of God rested upon him: It entered his mind not to curse them. ותהי עליו רוח א-להים: עלה בלבו שלא יקללם:
3He took up his parable and said, "The word of Balaam the son of Beor and the word of the man with an open eye. גוַיִּשָּׂ֥א מְשָׁל֖וֹ וַיֹּאמַ֑ר נְאֻ֤ם בִּלְעָם֙ בְּנ֣וֹ בְעֹ֔ר וּנְאֻ֥ם הַגֶּ֖בֶר שְׁתֻ֥ם הָעָֽיִן:
the son of Beor: Heb. בְּנו ֹבְעֹר, lit., his son was Beor. [However, the word בְּנוֹ is used here] as in“to a spring לְמַעְיְנוֹ of water” (Ps. 114:8) [see Rashi 23:18]. The Midrash Aggadah expounds: Both were greater than their fathers; Balak, his son was Zippor, for his [Balak’s] father was his son, as it were, with regard to royalty. And Balaam was greater than his father in prophecy; he was a maneh [a coin equaling one hundred zuz] the son of a peras [a coin equaling fifty zuz, half the value of a maneh]. — [Mid. Tanchuma Balak 13, Sanh. 105a] בנו בעור: כמו למעינו מים (תהלים קיד ח). ומדרש אגדה שניהם היו גדולים מאבותיהם, בלק בנו צפור, אביו בנו הוא במלכות, ובלעם גדול מאביו בנביאות, מנה בן פרס היה:
with an open eye: Heb. שְׁתֻם הָעָיִן. His eye had been gouged out and its socket appeared open. This term שְׁתֻם is mishnaic;“enough time to bore a hole (יִשְׁתֹּם) [in a cask], seal it, and dry it” (A.Z. 69a). Our Rabbis said, Because he said, “the number of the seed of Israel” (23:10), implying that the Holy One, blessed is He, sits and counts the seed that issues from the Israelite sexual unions, waiting for the drop from which a righteous man will be born, he thought, “The One Who is holy, and Whose ministers are holy should direct His attention to matters such as these?” On account of this, Balaam’s eye was blinded (Mid. Aggadah). Some say that the phrase means “of the open eye,” [meaning of clear sight], as Onkelos renders. As for its saying, “with an open eye” rather than “with open eyes,” this teaches us that he was blind in one eye. — [Sanh. 105a] שתם העין: עינו נקורה ומוצאת לחוץ וחור שלה נראה פתוח, ולשון משנה הוא כדי שישתום ויסתום ויגוב (ע"ז סט א). ורבותינו אמרו לפי שאמר ומספר את רובע ישראל, שהקב"ה יושב ומונה רביעיותיהן של ישראל מתי תבא טפה שנולד הצדיק ממנה, אמר בלבו מי שהוא קדוש ומשרתיו קדושים יסתכל בדברים הללו, ועל דבר זה נסמת עינו של בלעם. ויש מפרשים שתום העין פתוח העין, כמו שתרגם אונקלוס, ועל שאמר שתום העין, ולא אמר שתום העינים, למדנו שסומא באחת מעיניו היה:
4The word of the one who hears God's sayings, who sees the vision of the Almighty, fallen yet with open eyes. דנְאֻ֕ם שֹׁמֵ֖עַ אִמְרֵי־אֵ֑ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר מַֽחֲזֵ֤ה שַׁדַּי֙ יֶֽחֱזֶ֔ה נֹפֵ֖ל וּגְל֥וּי עֵינָֽיִם:
fallen yet with open eyes: The plain meaning is as understood by the Targum [Onkelos], that He appeared to him only at night, while he was lying down. The Midrashic explanation is that when He appeared to him, he had no strength to stand on his feet, so he fell on his face, for since he was uncircumcised, it was a disgrace to appear before Him while he was standing upright in His presence. — [Mid. Aggadah] נופל וגלוי עינים: פשוטו כתרגומו, שאין נראה עליו אלא בלילה כשהוא שוכב. ומדרשו כשהיה נגלה עליו לא היה בו כח לעמוד על רגליו ונופל על פניו, לפי שהיה ערל ומאוס להיות נגלה עליו בקומה זקופה לפניו:
5How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel! המַה־טֹּ֥בוּ אֹֽהָלֶ֖יךָ יַֽעֲקֹ֑ב מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶ֖יךָ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
How goodly are your tents: For he saw that the entrances were not facing each other. — [B.B. 60a] מה טובו אהליך: על שראה פתחיהם שאינן מכוונין זה מול זה:
your dwelling places: Your encampments, as the Targum [Onkelos] renders. Another explanation:“How goodly are your tents”-How goodly are the tent of Shiloh and the eternal Temple when they are inhabited, for offerings are brought up in them to atone for you." משכנותיך: חניותיך, כתרגומו. דבר אחר מה טובו אהליך. מה טובו אהל שילה ובית עולמים בישובן שמקריבין בהן קרבנות לכפר עליהם:
your dwelling places: Heb. מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶי, even when they are desolate, for they are held as a pledge (מַשְׁכּוֹן) for you, and their desolate state atones for your souls, as it says, “The Lord has spent His fury” (Lam. 4:11). How did He spend it?“He has kindled a fire in Zion” (ibid.) - [See Mid. Tanchuma Pekudei 4] משכנותיך: אף כשהן חרבין, לפי שהן משכון עליכם, וחורבנן כפרה על הנפשות, שנאמר כלה ה' את חמתו (איכה ד יא), ובמה כלה, ויצת אש בציון:
6They extend like streams, like gardens by the river, like aloes which the Lord planted, like cedars by the water. וכִּנְחָלִ֣ים נִטָּ֔יוּ כְּגַנֹּ֖ת עֲלֵ֣י נָהָ֑ר כַּֽאֲהָלִים֙ נָטַ֣ע יְהֹוָ֔ה כַּֽאֲרָזִ֖ים עֲלֵי־מָֽיִם:
They extend like streams: They extend and are drawn out for a distance. Our Rabbis said: From this wicked man’s blessings we can determine how he intended to curse them when he decided to turn his face toward the desert. For when the Omnipresent reversed [the words of] his mouth, he blessed them in a way corresponding to the curses he intended to say…, as is stated in [the chapter of] Cheilek (Sanh. 105b). כנחלים נטיו: שנארכו ונמשכו לנטות למרחוק, אמרו רבותינו מברכותיו של אותו רשע אנו למדים מה היה בלבו לקללם כשאמר (פסוק א) וישת אל המדבר פניו, וכשהפך המקום את פיו ברכם מעין אותן קללות שבקש לומר כו', כדאיתא בחלק (סנהדרין קה א):
like aloes: Heb. כַּאִהָלִים, as the Targum [Onkelos] renders, [aromatic plants], as in the expression as,“myrrh and aloes (וַאֲהָלוּת)” (Song 4:14). כאהלים: כתרגומו, לשון מור ואהלות (תהלים מה ט):
which the Lord planted: in the Garden of Eden. Another interpretation: Like the firmament which is stretched out like a tent (אֹהֶל) as it says,“and he spread them out like a tent (כָּאֹהֶל) to dwell in” (Is. 40:22) (Targum Jonathan and Yerushalmi). (This interpretation is incorrect because, if so, it would have been vowelized כְּאֹהָלִים, with a cholam. - This is obviously a copyist’s comment, because Rashi proceeds to defend this interpretation. Editor’s note) נטע ה': בגן עדן. לשון אחר כאהלים נטע ה', כשמים המתוחין כאהל:
which the Lord planted: We find the expression ‘planting’ in relation to tents, as it says,“And he will pitch (וַיִטַּע) his palatial tents” (Dan. 11:45). נטע ה': לשון נטיעה מצינו באהלים, שנאמר ויטע אהלי אפדנו (דניאל יא מה):
7Water will flow from his wells, and his seed shall have abundant water; his king shall be raised over Agag, and his kingship exalted. זיִזַּל־מַ֨יִם֙ מִדָּ֣לְיָ֔ו וְזַרְע֖וֹ בְּמַ֣יִם רַבִּ֑ים וְיָרֹ֤ם מֵֽאֲגַג֙ מַלְכּ֔וֹ וְתִנַּשֵּׂ֖א מַלְכֻתֽוֹ:
from his wells: Heb. מִדָּלְיָו, from his wells; the meaning is as the Targum [Onkelos interprets it, namely,“the king anointed from his sons shall be great.”] מדליו: מבארותיו. ופירושו כתרגומו:
and his seed shall have abundant water: This expression denotes prosperity, like seed [which flourishes when] planted close to water. וזרעו במים רבים: לשון הצלחה הוא זה, כזרע הזרוע על פני המים:
His king shall be raised over Agag: Their first king [Saul] will capture Agag, king of Amalek. — [Mid. Aggadah] וירם מאגג מלכו: מלך ראשון שלהם יכבוש את אגג מלך עמלק:
and his kingship exalted: [The kingship of Jacob] will become greater and greater, for following him [Saul] will come David and Solomon. — [Mid. Aggadah] ותנשא מלכותו: של יעקב יותר ויותר, שיבא אחריו דוד ושלמה:
8God, Who has brought them out of Egypt with the strength of His loftiness He shall consume the nations which are his adversaries, bare their bones and dip His arrows [into their blood]. חאֵ֚ל מֽוֹצִיא֣וֹ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם כְּתֽוֹעֲפֹ֥ת רְאֵ֖ם ל֑וֹ יֹאכַ֞ל גּוֹיִ֣ם צָרָ֗יו וְעַצְמֹֽתֵיהֶ֛ם יְגָרֵ֖ם וְחִצָּ֥יו יִמְחָֽץ:
God, Who has brought them out of Egypt: Who caused them all this greatness? God, Who brought them out of Egypt with His power and loftiness. He will consume the nations who are his adversaries. אל מוציאו ממצרים: מי גורם להם הגדולה הזאת, אל המוציאם ממצרים, בתוקף ורום שלו יאכל את הגוים שהם צריו:
their bones: of these adversaries. ועצמותיהם: של צרים:
bare: Heb. יְגָרֵם. Menachem (Machbereth p. 59) interprets this word as ‘breaking up.’ Similarly,“They [the wolves] did not gnaw the (גָרְמוּ) [bones] in the morning” (Zeph. 3:3), and similarly,“its shards you shall break (תְּגָרֵמִי)” (Ezek. 23:34). I, however, maintain that it means ‘bone,’ [and the meaning is:] He strips the surrounding flesh with his teeth and the marrow from within, leaving the bone in its bare state. יגרם: מנחם פתר בו לשון שבירה, וכן לא גרמו לבקר (צפניה ג ג), וכן את חרשיה תגרמי (יחזקאל כג לד), ואני אומר לשון עצם הוא שמגרר הבשר בשניו מסביב והמוח שבפנים, ומעמיד העצם על ערמימותה:
and dip His arrows: חִצָּיו יִמְחָץ. Onkelos interprets it as referring to the half of the adversaries- [that is,] their part, as in, בַּעֲלֵי חִצִּים (Gen. 49:23) [which the Targum renders as]“those who should take half.” So [according to the Targum] the יִמְחָץ is [used here] as in the expression,“she split (וּמָחֲצָה) and struck through his temple” (Jud. 5:26), [hence, here it means,] they divided [among themselves] their [the adversaries’] land. It is also possible to interpret it in the literal sense, which is“arrows.” The arrows of the Holy One, blessed is He, will be dipped (יִמְחָץ) into the blood of the adversaries-He will dip and stain [the arrows] with blood, as in,“in order that your foot may wade (תִּמְחַץ) through blood” (Ps. 68: 24). This is not a departure from the general meaning of ‘wounding,’ as in,“I have wounded (מָחַצְתִּי)” (Deut. 32:39), for anything stained with blood appears as if it is wounded and stricken. וחציו ימחץ: אונקלוס תרגם חציו של צרים, חלוקה שלהם כמו (בראשית מט כג) בעלי חצים, מרי פלוגתא, וכן ימחץ, לשון ומחצה וחלפה רקתו (שופטים ה כו), שיחצו את ארצם. ויש לפתור לשון חצים ממש, חציו של הקב"ה ימחץ בדמם של צרים, יטבול ויצטבע בדמם, כמו למען תמחץ רגלך בדם (תהלים סח כד) ואינו זז מלשון מכה, כמו מחצתי, שהצבוע בדם נראה כאילו מחוץ ונגוע:
9He crouches and lies like a lion and like a lioness; who will dare rouse him? Those who bless you shall be blessed, and those who curse you shall be cursed. טכָּרַ֨ע שָׁכַ֧ב כַּֽאֲרִ֛י וּכְלָבִ֖יא מִ֣י יְקִימֶ֑נּוּ מְבָֽרֲכֶ֣יךָ בָר֔וּךְ וְאֹֽרֲרֶ֖יךָ אָרֽוּר:
He crouches and lies like a lion: As the Targum [Onkelos] renders, they will settle in their land with might and power. כרע שכב כארי: כתרגומו, יתישבו בארצם בכח וגבורה:
10Balak's anger flared against Balaam, and he clapped his hands. Balak said to Balaam, "I called you to curse my enemies, but you have blessed them these three times. יוַיִּֽחַר־אַ֤ף בָּלָק֙ אֶל־בִּלְעָ֔ם וַיִּסְפֹּ֖ק אֶת־כַּפָּ֑יו וַיֹּ֨אמֶר בָּלָ֜ק אֶל־בִּלְעָ֗ם לָקֹ֤ב אֹֽיְבַי֙ קְרָאתִ֔יךָ וְהִנֵּה֙ בֵּרַ֣כְתָּ בָרֵ֔ךְ זֶ֖ה שָׁל֥שׁ פְּעָמִֽים:
he clapped: He struck one [hand] against the other. — [Onkelos , Menachem, Mid. Aggadah] ויספוק: הכה זו על זו:
11Now, hurry back to your place. I said I would honor you greatly, but the Lord has deprived you of honor." יאוְעַתָּ֖ה בְּרַח־לְךָ֣ אֶל־מְקוֹמֶ֑ךָ אָמַ֨רְתִּי֙ כַּבֵּ֣ד אֲכַבֶּדְךָ֔ וְהִנֵּ֛ה מְנָֽעֲךָ֥ יְהֹוָ֖ה מִכָּבֽוֹד:
12Balaam said to Balak, "But I even told the messengers you sent to me, saying, יבוַיֹּ֥אמֶר בִּלְעָ֖ם אֶל־בָּלָ֑ק הֲלֹ֗א גַּ֧ם אֶל־מַלְאָכֶ֛יךָ אֲשֶׁר־שָׁלַ֥חְתָּ אֵלַ֖י דִּבַּ֥רְתִּי לֵאמֹֽר:
13'If Balak gives me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot transgress the word of the Lord to do either good or evil on my own; only what the Lord speaks can I speak.' יגאִם־יִתֶּן־לִ֨י בָלָ֜ק מְלֹ֣א בֵיתוֹ֘ כֶּ֣סֶף וְזָהָב֒ לֹ֣א אוּכַ֗ל לַֽעֲבֹר֙ אֶת־פִּ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה לַֽעֲשׂ֥וֹת טוֹבָ֛ה א֥וֹ רָעָ֖ה מִלִּבִּ֑י אֲשֶׁר־יְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֹת֥וֹ אֲדַבֵּֽר:
transgress the word of the Lord: Here it does not say, “my God,” as its says the first time [22:18], because he realized that he was loathsome to the Holy One, blessed is He, and had been banished [by Him]. — [Mid. Aggadah] לעבור את פי ה': כאן לא נאמר אלהי, כמו שנאמר בראשונה, לפי שידע שנבאש בהקב"ה ונטרד:
Daily Tehillim: Psalms Chapter 79 to 82
• Chapter 79
In this psalm, Asaph thanks God for sparing the people and directing His wrath upon the wood and stones (of the Temple). Still he cries bitterly, mourning the immense destruction: The place where the High Priest alone was allowed to enter-and only on Yom Kippur-is now so desolate that foxes stroll through it!
1. A psalm by Asaph. O God, nations have entered Your inheritance, they defiled Your Holy Sanctuary; they turned Jerusalem into heaps of rubble.
2. They have rendered the corpses of Your servants as food for the birds of heaven, the flesh of Your pious ones for the beasts of the earth.
3. They spilled their blood like water around Jerusalem, and there is no one to bury [them].
4. We became the object of disgrace to our neighbors, ridicule and scorn to those around us.
5. Until when, O Lord! Will You be angry forever? Will Your jealousy burn like fire?
6. Pour Your wrath upon the nations that do not know You, upon the kingdoms that do not call Your Name,
7. for they devoured Jacob and desolated His abode.
8. Do not recall our former sins; let Your mercies come swiftly towards us, for we have fallen very low.
9. Help us, God of our deliverance, for the sake of the glory of Your Name; save us and pardon our sins for the sake of Your Name.
10. Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?" Let there be known among the nations, before our eyes, the retribution of the spilled blood of Your servants.
11. Let the groan of the prisoner come before You; liberate those condemned to death, as befits the greatness of Your strength.
12. Repay our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom, for the disgrace with which they reviled You, O Lord.
13. And we, Your people, the flock of Your pasture, will thank You forever; for all generations we will recount Your praise.
Chapter 80
An awe-inspiring prayer imploring God to draw near to us as in days of old.
1. For the Conductor, on the shoshanim, 1 a testimony by Asaph, a psalm.
2. Listen, O Shepherd of Israel, Who leads Joseph like sheep. Appear, You Who is enthroned upon the cherubim.
3. Arouse Your might before Ephraim, Benjamin and Menashe, for it is upon You to save us.
4. Return us, O God; cause Your countenance to shine, that we may be saved.
5. O Lord, God of Hosts, until when will You fume at the prayer of Your people?
6. You fed them bread of tears, and gave them tears to drink in great measure.
7. You have made us an object of strife to our neighbors; our enemies mock to themselves.
8. Return us, O God of Hosts; cause Your countenance to shine, that we may be saved.
9. You brought a vine out of Egypt; You drove out nations and planted it.
10. You cleared space before it; it took root and filled the land.
11. Mountains were covered by its shade, and its branches became mighty cedars.
12. It sent forth its branches till the sea, and its tender shoots to the river.
13. Why did You breach its fences, so that every passerby plucked its fruit?
14. The boars of the forest ravage it, and the creepers of the field feed upon it.
15. O God of Hosts, please return! Look down from heaven and see, and be mindful of this vine,
16. and of the foundation which Your right hand has planted, and the son whom You strengthened for Yourself.
17. It is burned by fire, cut down; they perish at the rebuke of Your Presence.
18. Let Your hand be upon the man of Your right hand, upon the son of man whom You strengthened for Yourself.
19. Then we will not withdraw from You; revive us, and we will proclaim Your Name.
20. O Lord, God of Hosts, return us; cause Your countenance to shine that we may be saved.
FOOTNOTES
1.A musical instrument shaped like a shoshana, a rose (Metzudot).
Chapter 81
This psalm was chanted in the Holy Temple on Rosh Hashanah, a day on which many miracles were wrought for Israel.
1. For the Conductor, upon the gittit,1 by Asaph.
2. Sing joyously to God, our strength; sound the shofar to the God of Jacob.
3. Raise your voice in song, sound the drum, the pleasant harp, and the lyre.
4. Blow the shofar on the New Month, on the designated day of our Holy Day;
5. for it is a decree for Israel, a ruling of the God of Jacob.
6. He ordained it as a precept for Joseph when he went forth over the land of Egypt; I heard a language which I did not know.
7. I have taken his shoulder from the burden; his hands were removed from the pot.2
8. In distress you called and I delivered you; [you called] in secret, and I answered you with thunderous wonders; I tested you at the waters of Merivah, Selah.
9. Hear, My people, and I will admonish you; Israel, if you would only listen to Me!
10. You shall have no alien god within you, nor shall you bow down to a foreign deity.
11. I am the Lord your God who brought you up from the land of Egypt; open wide your mouth, [state all your desires,] and I shall grant them.
12. But My people did not heed My voice; Israel did not want [to listen to] Me.
13. So I sent them away for the willfulness of their heart, for following their [evil] design.
14. If only My people would listen to Me, if Israel would only walk in My ways,
15. then I would quickly subdue their enemies, and turn My hand against their oppressors.
16. Those who hate the Lord would shrivel before Him, and the time [of their retribution] shall be forever.
17. I would feed him [Israel] with the finest of wheat, and sate you with honey from the rock.
FOOTNOTES
1.A musical instrument crafted in Gath (Metzudot).
2.The cooking vessels used to prepare food for their captors (Rashi)
Chapter 82
This psalm admonishes those judges who feign ignorance of the law, dealing unjustly with the pauper or the orphan, while coddling the rich and pocketing their bribes.
1. A psalm by Asaph. God stands in the council of judges; among the judges He renders judgment:
2. How long will you judge wickedly, ever showing partiality toward the evildoers?
3. Render justice to the needy and the orphan; deal righteously with the poor and the destitute.
4. Rescue the needy and the pauper; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
5. But they do not know, nor do they understand; they go about in darkness, [therefore] all the foundations of the earth tremble.
6. I said that you are angels, supernal beings, all of you;
7. but you will die as mortals, you will fall like any prince.
8. Arise, O God, judge the earth, for You possess all the nations.
Tanya: Igeret HaTeshuva , middle of Chapter 3
• Lessons in Tanya
• Today's Tanya Lesson
• Today's Tanya Lesson
• Friday, 16 Tammuz, 5776 · 22 July 2016
• Igeret HaTeshuva , middle of Chapter 3
• ומכל מקום, כל בעל נפש החפץ קרבת ה׳, לתקן נפשו, להשיבה אל ה׳ בתשובה מעולה מן המובחר, יחמיר על עצמו
Nevertheless, though it has just been stated that in contemporary generations when excessive fasting causes illness and pain, the fasts of penance should be substituted by charity, every man of spirit who desires to be close to G‑d, to amend his nefesh1 (his soul), to restore it to G‑d with the finest and most preferred repentance, should be stringent with himself.
להשלים על כל פנים פעם אחת כל ימי חייו, מספר הצומות לכל עון ועון מעונות החמורים שחייבין עליהם מיתה על כל פנים, ואפילו בידי שמים בלבד
He should complete, at least once during his lifetime, the number of fasts for every grave sin incurring death at least, if only death by divine agency.
כגון להוצאות זרע לבטלה, פ״ד צומות פעם אחת בימי חייו
For example, for wasteful emission [he should undergo the series of] eight-four fasts once in his life.
ויכול לדחותן לימים הקצרים בחורף, ויתענה כעשר תעניות על דרך משל בחורף אחד או פחות
He may postpone the fasts until the short winter days and fast some ten days or less, for example, in one winter,
ויגמור מספר הפ״ד צומות בט׳ שנים או יותר, כפי כחו
and complete the series of eighty-four in nine or more years, according to his stamina.
וגם יכול לאכול מעט כג׳ שעות לפני נץ החמה, ואף על פי כן נחשב לתענית אם התנה כן
(2Besides, he may also eat a little about three hours before sunrise, and this would still be considered a fast, if he so stipulated.)
ולתשלום רנ״ב צומות כנ״ל, יתענה עוד ד׳ פעמים פ״ד עד אחר חצות היום בלבד
For the completion of the above-mentioned 252 fasts — three times eighty-four, this being the accepted arbitration in the above difference of opinion, so that one undertakes three times the number of fasts prescribed for this specific sin, even if it was committed many times — he may fast another four times eighty-four only until past noon;
דמיחשב גם כן תענית בירושלמי, וב׳ חצאי יום נחשבים לו ליום אחד לענין זה
this, too, the Talmud Yerushalmi3 considers a fast. In this context, moreover, two half-days are reckoned as one full day.
וכן לשאר עונות כיוצא בהן
This approach applies to other, similar sins as well,
Until now the Alter Rebbe addressed himself to those sins which at least incur death by divine agency. The Alter Rebbe now goes on to say that this approach also applies to sins which do not incur such a harsh penalty but are similarly grave — “similar sins” — such as those which are actually comparable to idolatry, murder, and so on, as mentioned in ch. 7 below. Concerning these sins as well, the Alter Rebbe is saying here, one should be stringent and undertake the required number of fasts at least once in his lifetime.
אשר כל לב יודע מרת נפשו וחפץ בהצדקה
for each heart knows its own anguish and desires its vindication.
And this vindication is enhanced by fasting.
* * *
| FOOTNOTES | |
| 1. | Note of the Rebbe: “In this and all similar contexts, the term specifically used is nefesh [as distinct from the other four terms for the various levels of the soul] — possibly in view of the statement in the Zohar III (24b) and Sefer HaGilgulim, et al., that ’it is specifically the level of nefesh that sins.‘” |
| 2. | Parentheses are in the original text. |
| 3. | Nedarim 8:1. |
Rambam:
• Sefer Hamitzvos:
• Friday, 16 Tammuz, 5776 · 22 July 2016
• Sefer Hamitzvos:
• Friday, 16 Tammuz, 5776 · 22 July 2016
• Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
Negative Commandment 244
Stealing
"Do not steal"—Leviticus 19:11.
It is forbidden to steal another's possessions.
Full text of this Mitzvah »• Stealing
Negative Commandment 244
Translated by Berel Bell
The 244th prohibition is that we are forbidden from stealing money.
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement,1 "Do not steal."
In the words of the Mechilta, "The verse 'Do not steal' constitutes the prohibition of financial theft."2
One who transgresses this prohibition must pay back according to the formula written in the Torah — either two, four, or five times the amount stolen, or only the actual value.3
The Sifra says, "The verse4 that says 'He must pay back double' [the value of the stolen object] teaches us the penalty. What teaches us that the act is prohibited?5 The verse 'Do not steal' — even if just to disturb." This phrase ["just to disturb"] means when the intention is to [not really steal, but only to temporarily] anger and confuse the victim, and afterwards return it to him. The Sifra continues,] "the verse, 'Do not steal,' teaches that you may not do so, even if you intend to pay him back four or five times the value."
The details of this mitzvah are explained in the 7th chapter of tractate Bava Kama.
FOOTNOTES
1.Lev. 19:11.
2.In contrast with a similar phrase used in the Ten Commandments, which refers to the prohibition against kidnapping. See N243.
3.For a regular theft, he must pay double. For stealing sheep he must pay four times the amount, and for oxen, five times (Ex. 21:37). If he admitted the theft before he was discovered, he pays only the principal.
4.Ex. 22:3.
5.As explained on other occasions, each prohibition must have one statement that the act is prohibited and another dictating the penalty.
Positive Commandment 239
A Thief's Restitution
We are commanded to pass judgment on a thief. Depending on the circumstances, the thief may be required to pay double the amount stolen, or four or five times the principal.
This mitzvah also includes the allowance for a property owner to kill a thief who is trespassing on his land [under certain circumstances, if there's reason to believe that the thief poses a potential threat to the landowner's life], and the obligation on the court to sell the thief into servitude [if he has not the means to make restitution].
Full text of this Mitzvah »
• A Thief's Restitution
Positive Commandment 239
Translated by Berel Bell
The 239th mitzvah is that we are commanded regarding [punishing] a thief — whether to collect two, four times, or five times the amount stolen1; to kill him should he break in [to the person's property];2 or to sell him.3 The general principle is that the mitzvah is to punish a thief according to the Torah's directions.
All the details of this mitzvah are explained in the 7th chapter of tractate Bava Kama, the 8th chapter of Sanhedrin, the 3rd chapter of Bava Metzia, and a few passages in Kesuvos,4 Kiddushin,5 and Shavuos.6
FOOTNOTES
1.See footnote to N244.
2.Ex. 21:37-22:2. Should it be clear that the thief would never kill the victim (such as if the victim is the thief's son), it is forbidden to kill the thief. See Hilchos Geneivah 9:7-10.
3.As a slave should he be unable to pay restitution (Ex. 22:2). The money is then used to pay back the victim.
4.30b.
5.58b.
6.42b.
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
Negative Commandment 244
Stealing
"Do not steal"—Leviticus 19:11.
It is forbidden to steal another's possessions.
Full text of this Mitzvah »• Stealing
Negative Commandment 244
Translated by Berel Bell
The 244th prohibition is that we are forbidden from stealing money.
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement,1 "Do not steal."
In the words of the Mechilta, "The verse 'Do not steal' constitutes the prohibition of financial theft."2
One who transgresses this prohibition must pay back according to the formula written in the Torah — either two, four, or five times the amount stolen, or only the actual value.3
The Sifra says, "The verse4 that says 'He must pay back double' [the value of the stolen object] teaches us the penalty. What teaches us that the act is prohibited?5 The verse 'Do not steal' — even if just to disturb." This phrase ["just to disturb"] means when the intention is to [not really steal, but only to temporarily] anger and confuse the victim, and afterwards return it to him. The Sifra continues,] "the verse, 'Do not steal,' teaches that you may not do so, even if you intend to pay him back four or five times the value."
The details of this mitzvah are explained in the 7th chapter of tractate Bava Kama.
FOOTNOTES
1.Lev. 19:11.
2.In contrast with a similar phrase used in the Ten Commandments, which refers to the prohibition against kidnapping. See N243.
3.For a regular theft, he must pay double. For stealing sheep he must pay four times the amount, and for oxen, five times (Ex. 21:37). If he admitted the theft before he was discovered, he pays only the principal.
4.Ex. 22:3.
5.As explained on other occasions, each prohibition must have one statement that the act is prohibited and another dictating the penalty.
Positive Commandment 239
A Thief's Restitution
We are commanded to pass judgment on a thief. Depending on the circumstances, the thief may be required to pay double the amount stolen, or four or five times the principal.
This mitzvah also includes the allowance for a property owner to kill a thief who is trespassing on his land [under certain circumstances, if there's reason to believe that the thief poses a potential threat to the landowner's life], and the obligation on the court to sell the thief into servitude [if he has not the means to make restitution].
Full text of this Mitzvah »
• A Thief's Restitution
Positive Commandment 239
Translated by Berel Bell
The 239th mitzvah is that we are commanded regarding [punishing] a thief — whether to collect two, four times, or five times the amount stolen1; to kill him should he break in [to the person's property];2 or to sell him.3 The general principle is that the mitzvah is to punish a thief according to the Torah's directions.
All the details of this mitzvah are explained in the 7th chapter of tractate Bava Kama, the 8th chapter of Sanhedrin, the 3rd chapter of Bava Metzia, and a few passages in Kesuvos,4 Kiddushin,5 and Shavuos.6
FOOTNOTES
1.See footnote to N244.
2.Ex. 21:37-22:2. Should it be clear that the thief would never kill the victim (such as if the victim is the thief's son), it is forbidden to kill the thief. See Hilchos Geneivah 9:7-10.
3.As a slave should he be unable to pay restitution (Ex. 22:2). The money is then used to pay back the victim.
4.30b.
5.58b.
6.42b.
• Rambam - 1 Chapter a Day
Tum'at Met - Chapter 6
• Tum'at Met - Chapter 6
Tum'at Met - Chapter 6
• Tum'at Met - Chapter 6
1
When one makes keilim out of the bones of a fish or its skin, they are not susceptible to ritual impurity, neither according to Scriptural Law, nor according to Rabbinic Law. Similar concepts apply with regard to the green moss that appears at the surface of the water and the like. For all entities that come from the sea are pure, as will be explained in Hilchot Keilim. Accordingly, when one makes a tent from the skin of a fish or from moss growing in the sea, the tent itself is not susceptible to impurity although it conveys impurity to everything under it like other tents.
א
עצמות הדג ועורו העושה מהן כלים אינן מקבלין טומאה כלל לא מדברי תורה ולא מדברי סופרים וכן ירוקה שעל פני המים וכיוצא בה שכל מה שבים טהור כמו שיתבאר בהלכות כלים לפיכך העושה אהל מעור הדג או מצמר שגדל בים אין עצמו של אהל זה מקבל טומאה אע"פ שמביא את הטומאה לכל אשר יהיה תחתיו כשאר אהלים:
2
Keilim made from animal turds, stone implements, or implements made from earth, are not susceptible to ritual impurity, neither according to Scriptural Law, nor according to Rabbinic Law. This applies to the impurity stemming from a human corpse and to other types of impurity.
Similarly, containers that are made to be left in place semi-permanently, e.g., a chest, a cabinet, a container shaped like a beehive which can contain 40 se'ah of a liquid and have a base are not susceptible to ritual impurity, neither according to Scriptural Law, nor according to Rabbinic Law. They are called: oversized wooden containers.
ב
כלי גללים וכלי אבנים וכלי אדמה אינן מקבלין טומאה לא מדברי תורה ולא מדברי סופרים בין טומאת מת בין שאר הטומאות וכן כלי עץ העשוי לנחת כגון התיבה והמגדל והכוורת שהן מחזיקין ארבעים סאה בלח ויהיה להם שולים אינן מקבלין טומאה כלל לא מדברי תורה ולא מד"ס ואלו הן הנקראין כלי עץ הבא במדה:
3
When implements are made from wood, those which are flat are pure, while those that can serve as a container are susceptible to impurity. Similarly, with regard to earthenware implements: those which are flat are pure, while those that can serve as a container are susceptible to impurity. The latter are susceptible to impurity only from their inner space or when moved by a zav. Even when a corpse touches the outer surface of an earthenware container, the container does not contract impurity. If any of the sources of impurity enter the inner space of such a container, they impart impurity even though they do not touch the container.
If an earthenware container was in the same tent as a corpse, it contracts impurity, because the impurity enters its inner space. If it had a cover fastened to it, it and everything in it is pure, as stated in the Torah, for impurity enters it only through its opening and when it is moved by a zav. In the latter instance, it is impure, because he is considered to have touched it in its entirety.
ג
כלי עץ פשוטיהם טהורים מקבליהם טמאים כלי חרש פשוטיהן טהורין ומקבליהן טמאין ואינן טמאין אלא מאוירן או בהיסט הזב אפילו נגע כלי חרש במת מגבו אינו מתטמא ואם נכנסה טומאה מן הטומאות באוירו ואף על פי שלא נגעה בו נטמא היה כלי חרש עם המת באהל נטמא שהרי הטומאה נכנסה באוירו ואם היה מוקף צמיד פתיל הוא ומה שבתוכו טהור כמו שנתפרש בתורה שאין טומאה נכנסה לו אלא מפתחו ובהיסט הזב שהרי הוא כמי שנגע בכולו:
4
When one makes a gollel from an object that is not susceptible to impurity, e.g., he placed a stone, a vessel made from earth, an oversized wooden container, an earthenware container that was fastened closed, or a fish skin or its bone, on a grave, one who touches these articles contracts the impurity that lasts seven days, because he has touched a gollel. If they ceased serving as a gollel, or the corpse was removed from beneath them, they are pure,
Similarly, when an animal is tied down and made a gollel, anyone who touches it contracts the impurity that lasts seven days as long as it serves as a gollel. If the animal is released, it is pure, like all other animals. Similarly, if a barrel filled with liquids that was fastened closed was made into a gollel for a corpse, one who touches it contracts the impurity that lasts seven days. The barrel and the liquids are pure.
ד
העושה גולל מדבר שאינו מקבל טומאה כגון שהניח על גבי הקבר אבן או כלי אדמה או כלי עץ הבא במדה או כלי חרש המוקף צמיד פתיל או עור הדג ועצמו וכיוצא באלו הנוגע בהן טמא טומאת שבעה משום נוגע בגולל ואם פרשו מלהיות גולל או שהסיר את המת מתחתיהן הרי הן טהורין וכן בהמה שכפתה ועשה אותה גולל הנוגע בה טמא טומאת שבעה כל זמן שהיא גולל התיר הבהמה הרי היא טהורה כשאר הבהמות וכן חבית שהיא מלאה משקין מוקפת צמיד פתיל ועשה אותה גולל למת הנוגע בה טמא טומאת שבעה והחבית והמשקין טהורין:
5
When a beam is used as a gollel for a grave, whether it is standing upright or lying on its side, only the portion that is above the opening of the grave becomes impure. One who touches the end of it which is lying outside the grave is pure.
If one made its head a gollel for a grave and it is standing over the grave like a tree, anyone who touches it within the four handbreadths that are immediately above the grave is impure because of the laws of gollel. If he touches it above four handbreadths, he is pure.
When does the above apply? When he will cut off the upper portions of the beam in the future. If he is not planning to cut them off, the beam is considered as a gollel in its entirety.
ה
קורה שעשאה גולל לקבר בין עומדת בין מוטה על צדה אין טמא אלא כנגד פתח הקבר בלבד והנוגע בקצה המונח חוץ לקבר טהור עשה ראשה גולל לקבר והרי היא עומדת על הקבר כמו אילן הנוגע ממנה בד' טפחים סמוך לקבר טמא משום גולל ומד' ולמעלה טהור במה דברים אמורים בזמן שהוא עתיד לקוץ אותה אבל אם אינו עתיד לקוץ אותה כולה גולל:
6
If two large stones, four handbreadths by four handbreadths, were used as a gollel, when one stands over either of them, he is impure. If one of them was removed, one who stands over the other is pure. The rationale is that the impurity has a path through which to depart.
ו
שתי אבנים גדולות של ד' ד' טפחים שעשאן גולל המאהיל על גבי שתיהן טמא נטלה אחת מהן המאהיל על גבי שנייה טהור מפני שיש לטומאה דרך שתצא בו:
7
When one uses a mound of small stones as a gollel for a grave, only the inner layer which covers the grave per se imparts impurity. One who touches the remainder of the stones is pure.
ז
גל של צרורות שעשאהו גולל לקבר אין טמא אלא סדר הפנימי שהוא צרכו של קבר אבל הנוגע בשאר האבנים טהור:
8
When a burial vault was hewed out of a large stone, the corpse was placed inside and then one covered it with a gollel, one who touches any portion of the stone is pure. One who touches the gollel is impure. To what can this be compared? To a large pit filled with corpses with a large stone covering its opening. Only the portion above the open space imparts impurity. If one builds a structure over it, it is considered as a closed grave which imparts impurity from all sides.
If a burial vault hewn into the stone was wide at its bottom and narrow at its top, and a corpse was placed within, one who touches it from below is pure, but one who touches it from above is impure. The rationale is that the side portions above are resting over the corpse and are considered like a gollel.
If a burial vault hewn into the stone was wide at its top and narrow at its bottom, one who touches any place on it is impure. If its sides are straight, one who touches it from the handbreadth next to the bottom of the grave and upwards, is impure. If he touches from that handbreadth and lower, he is pure. If one hollowed out a burial vault in a stone and inserted the corpse in it like a nail, one who touches anywhere on the stone's surface is pure, except for the opening through which the corpse was inserted.
ח
ארון שהוא חקוק בסלע והניחו בו המת וכסוהו בגולל הנוגע בסלע בכ"מ טהור והנוגע בגולל טמא למה זה דומה לבור גדול מלא מתים ואבן גדולה על פיה שאין טמא אלא כנגד חללה ואם בנה נפש על גבה הרי זו כקבר סתום ומטמא מכל סביביו היתה הארון החקוקה בסלע רחבה מלמטה וצרה מלמעלה והמת בתוכה הנוגע בה מלמטן טהור ומלמעלן טמא שהרי הצדדין מלמעלה סמכו על גבי המת ונעשו כגולל היתה הארון רחבה מלמעלה וצרה מלמטה הנוגע בה מ"מ טמא היתה שוה הנוגע בה מטפח הסמוך לקרקעיתה ולמעלה טמא מטפח ולמטה טהור ניקב ארון בסלע והכניס המת בתוכה כמו נגר הנוגע בה מ"מ טהור חוץ ממקום פתחה:
9
The following laws apply to a cave in which a grave is located and to the courtyard in front of the cave. When the courtyard is open, one standing in it is pure as long as he does not touch the lintel of the cave. Different laws apply when the courtyard is covered. If there is an area four handbreadths by four handbreadths or more that is open at the side of the cave, anyone who enters the courtyard is pure. If the open space was less than four handbreadths by four handbreadths, one who enters the courtyard is impure, even though he did not touch the entrance to the cave.
ט
מערה שהקבר בתוכה וחצר לפני המערה בזמן שהחצר לאויר העומד לתוכה טהור ובלבד שלא יגע במשקוף המערה ובזמן שהחצר מקורה אם היה בה [מגולה בצד המערה] ד' טפחים על ד' טפחים או יתר הנכנס לשם טהור היתה פחותה מד' על ד' הנכנס לשם טמא ואע"פ שלא נגע בפתח המערה:
• Rambam - 3 Chapters a Day
Genevah - Chapter One, Genevah - Chapter Two, Genevah - Chapter Three
Genevah - Chapter One, Genevah - Chapter Two, Genevah - Chapter Three
• Genevah - Chapter One
[This text] contains seven mitzvot: two positive commandments and five negative commandments. They are:
1) Not to steal property;
2) The laws governing a thief;
3) To insure the accuracy of scales and weights;
4) Not to deceive a person by using [inaccurate] measures and weights;
5) Not to possess two sets of weights or measures, even though one does not use them for business;
6) Not to move a colleague's property marker;
7) Not to kidnap.
These mitzvot are explained in the chapters [that follow].
1) Not to steal property;
2) The laws governing a thief;
3) To insure the accuracy of scales and weights;
4) Not to deceive a person by using [inaccurate] measures and weights;
5) Not to possess two sets of weights or measures, even though one does not use them for business;
6) Not to move a colleague's property marker;
7) Not to kidnap.
These mitzvot are explained in the chapters [that follow].
1
Whenever a person steals property that is worth a p'rutah or more, he transgresses a negative commandment, as Exodus 20:13 states: "Do not steal."
Lashes are not administered for the violation of this commandment, for one is obligated to give compensation. For the Torah requires a thief to compensate the party from whom he stole, whether he be a Jew or a gentile, an adult or a minor.
א
כל א הגונב ממון משוה פרוטה ולמעלה עובר על לא תעשה שנאמר לא תגנוב. ואין לוקין על לאו זה שהרי ניתן לתשלומין שהגנב חייבתו תורה לשלם. ואחד הגונב ממון ישראל או הגונב ממון עכו"ם ואחד הגונב את הגדול או את הקטן:
2
The Torah prohibits stealing even the slightest amount.It is forbidden to steal as a jest, to steal with the intent to return, or to steal with the intent to pay. All is forbidden, lest one habituate oneself to such conduct.
ב
אסור לגנוב כל שהוא דין תורה. ואסור לגנוב דרך שחוק או לגנוב על מנת להחזיר או על מנת לשלם הכל אסור שלא ירגיל עצמו בכך:
3
Who is a thief? A person who takes assets belonging to a colleague in stealth, without the owner's knowing - e.g., a pickpocket who is not detected by the owner or the like.
If, however, a person takes a colleague's assets in open view and with public knowledge by force, he is not considered a thief, but rather a robber.
For this reason, an armed bandit who steals is not considered a robber, but a thief. This applies even when the owner takes notice when he steals.
ג
אי זהו גנב זה הלוקח ממון אדם בסתר ואין הבעלים יודעים. כגון הפושט ידו לתוך כיס חבירו ולקח מעותיו ואין הבעלים רואים וכן כל כיוצא בזה. אבל אם לקח בגלוי ובפרהסיא בחוזק יד אין זה גנב אלא גזלן. לפיכך
4
When two acceptable witnesses testify that a person stole, he is required to pay twice the amount of the stolen property to its owner. If he stole a dinar, he must pay two. If he stole a donkey, a garment or a camel, he must pay twice its worth. He thus loses the amount that he desired that his colleague would lose.
ד
גנב שהעידו עליו עדים כשרים שגנב חייב לשלם א שנים לבעל הגניבה. אם גנב דינר משלם שנים. גנב חמור או כסות או גמל משלם שנים בדמיה נמצא מפסיד כשיעור שבקש לחסר את חבירו:
5
When a thief admits that he stole, he must repay the principal, but he is not liable for the payment of the double amount, as indicated by Exodus 22:8: "one who is deemed guilty by the court must pay double." This excludes a person who admits his own guilt; he need not pay double.
This principle applies with regard to all the fines required by the Torah. A person who admits his own guilt is not liable for the fine.
ה
ב גנב שהודה מעצמו שגנב משלם את הקרן ופטור מן הכפל שנאמר אשר ירשיעון אלהים ישלם שנים ולא המרשיע את עצמו משלם שנים. והוא הדין לכל הקנסות שהמודה בהן פטור:
6
The obligation to make double restitution applies with regard to all articles with the exception of a sheep or an ox. A person who steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it must pay four times the amount of the sheep and five times the amount of the ox.
ו
תשלומי כפל נוהגין בכל חוץ משה ושור שהגונב את השור או את השה וטבח או מכר משלם על השה תשלומי ארבעה ועל השור תשלומי חמשה:
7
The obligation to pay double - or four or five times the amount - of the value of the stolen article applies equally to a man and to a woman. If a woman is married and thus has no financial resources with which to pay, the double paymentremains a debt that she is obligated to pay when she is divorced or becomes a widow. At that time, the court exacts payment from her.
ז
ג אחד האיש ואחד האשה שגנבו חייבין לשלם תשלומי כפל ותשלומי ארבעה וחמשה. היתה אשת איש שאין לה לשלם הרי הכפל עליה חוב עד שתתגרש או ימות בעלה ובית דין נפרעים ממנה:
8
When a minor steals, he is not liable for the double payment. The stolen article must, however, be returned to its owner. If that article is lost, he is not obligated to pay the principal even after he attains majority.
ח
קטן שגנב פטור מן הכפל ומחזירין לו דבר הגנוב ממנו. ואם אבדו אינו חייב לשלם אף הקרן ואפילו לאחר שהגדיל:
9
When a servant steals, he is not liable for the double payment. Similarly, his owner is not liable. For a person is not liable for the damages caused by his servants although they are his property. The rationale is that the servants are mentally competent, and their owner is incapable of guarding them. Were the owner to be held liable for the damages his servants cause, if he angered a servant, the servant could desire to seek revenge and go and ignite a grain heap worth a thousand dinar or precipitate other similar damage to cause his owner to be liable.
If the servant is freed by his owner, he is obligated to pay the double payment.
ט
העבד שגנב פטור מן הכפל ובעליו פטורין שאין אדם חייב על נזקי עבדיו אע"פ שהן ממונו מפני שיש בהן דעת ואינו יכול לשמרן שאם יכעיסנו רבו ילך וידליק גדיש באלף דינר וכיוצא בזה משאר נזקין. נשתחרר העבד חייב לשלם את הכפל:
10
It is appropriate for the court to administer corporal punishment to a child who steals, according to the child's strength, so that he will not become accustomed to such conduct. The same principles apply if he causes other types of damage.
Similarly, servants who stole or caused damage should be administered severe corporal punishment, so that they will not become accustomed to causing damage.
י
ראוי לבית דין להכות את הקטנים כפי כח הקטן על הגנבה כדי שלא יהיו רגילין בה. וכן אם הזיקו שאר נזקין. וכן מכין את העבדים שגנבו או שהזיק מכה רבה כדי שלא יהיו רגילין להזיק:
11
When the stolen article increased in value while it was in the thief's possession - e.g., a sheep bore a lamb and it was shorn - the thief must restore the sheep, its shearings and its offspring.
If the owner already despaired of the sheep's return, and it gave birth or was shorn, the thief must pay only the value at the time of the theft. If the thief invested in the stolen property, causing its value to increase - e.g., he force fed livestock - the thief is entitled to the increase in value even when the owner does not despair of the article's return. When the thief restores the stolen article and the double payment, he should be repaid for the increase in value by the owner, or that amount should be deducted from the double payment.
יא
היתה הגניבה ביד הגנב
12
When the stolen article remains unchanged in the possession of the thief, it should be returned to its owner regardless of whether or not he despaired of its return. If, however, it increased in value after the owner despaired of its return, the thief is entitled to that increase, as we have explained above.
If, however, the stolen article underwent a fundamental change while in the thief's possession, the thief acquires it and any increase in its value, even before the owner despairs of the article's return. All that is required of him is to return the value of the stolen article at the time of the theft.
יב
הגניבה עצמה שהיא ביד הגנב ולא נשתנית חוזרת לבעליה בין לפני יאוש בין לאחר [א] יאוש אלא שאחר יאוש השבח לגנב כמו שבארנו. נשתנית הגניבה ביד הגנב קנאה וקנה שבחה אפילו לפני יאוש ואינו משלם אלא דמים:
13
If he stole a gaunt animal and he fattened it, or he stole a fat animal and he caused its weight to be reduced, he is liable to pay twice - or four or five times - the value of the animal at the time of the theft.
If he stole a kid and it grew into a ram, or a calf and it grew into an ox, he is liable to pay twice the value of the animal at the time of the theft. If he slaughtered it or sold it after it matured, it is considered to have undergone a change while in the thief's possession, and he acquires it. Thus, he is slaughtering or selling his own animal; he is not required to pay four or five times its worth.
יג
גנב כחושה והשמינה או שמינה והכחישה משלם תשלומי כפל או תשלומי ארבעה וחמשה [ב] כשעת הגניבה. גנב טלה ונעשה איל עגל ונעשה שור משלם תשלומי כפל כשעת הגניבה. טבחו או מכרו אחר שהגדיל נעשה שינוי בידו וקנהו ושלו הוא טובח ושלו הוא מוכר ואינו משלם תשלומי ארבעה וחמשה:
14
When a person steals an animal, a utensil or the like that was worth four zuz at the time of the theft, but at the time the case is brought to court, it depreciated and is worth only two, the thief must pay the worth of the principal at the time of the theft, and pay the double - or quadruple or quintuple - amount as evaluated at the time the case is brought to court.
The following rules apply if an animal or a utensil was worth twozuz at the time of the theft, but at the time the case is brought to court, it appreciated and is worth four. If the person slaughtered or sold the animal or destroyed or lost the utensil, he must pay double - or four or five times - the worth of the stolen article at the time the case is brought to court.
If the animal died or the utensil was lost as a matter of course, he must pay double the worth of the stolen article at the time of the theft.
יד
גנב בהמה או כלי וכיוצא בהן ובשעת הגניבה היה שוה ארבעה ועכשיו בשעת העמדה בדין שוה שנים משלם קרן [ג] כשעת הגניבה ותשלומי כפל או ארבעה וחמשה כשעת העמדה בדין. היה שוה בשעת הגניבה שנים [ד] ובשעת העמדה בדין ארבעה אם שחט או מכר או שבר הכלי או אבדו משלם תשלומי כפל או ארבעה וחמשה כשעת העמדה בדין. ואם מתה הבהמה או אבד הכלי מאליו משלם תשלומי כפל כשעת הגניבה:
15
When a person steals a utensil and destroys it or causes it to decrease in value - or it is destroyed or it decreases in value as a matter of course - the amount of the decrease is not evaluated. Instead, we evaluate the original worth of this utensil, and the thief is obligated to pay the owner twice this amount. The broken utensil becomes the property of the thief. The same laws apply in all similar instances.
If the owner desires to take the broken utensil and be compensated for the damage done to it and receive the double payment, his wishes are respected.
טו
16
When a thief slaughters or sells a sheep or an ox before the owner despairs of its return, he is required to pay four or five times its amount, despite the fact that the sale is nullified and the purchaser does not acquire the article, but instead must return it intact to its original owner.
Needless to say, the above applies if he slaughters or sells the animal after the owner despairs of its return. For his deed is effective, and the purchaser is considered to have acquired the article.
טז
הגנב שגנב וטבח או מכר לפני יאוש בעלים אע"פ שלא קנה לוקח והרי הגניבה חוזרת בעצמה מיד הלוקח הרי זה משלם תשלומי ארבעה וחמשה. ואין צריך לומר אם טבח או מכר לאחר יאוש שהוא משלם תשלומי ארבעה וחמשה שהרי הועיל במעשיו וקנה הלוקח:
17
When a thief steals from another thief, he is not required to pay twice its amount. This applies even if the original owner despaired of the stolen article's return. If the second thief slaughters or sells a stolen animal, he is not required to pay the first thief four or five times its worth.
The rationale is that the law is that this animal must be returned to its owner; it was never acquired by the thief. Nor must the second thief pay twice, four or five times the amount to the original owner, because he did not steal the property from the original owner's domain.
יז
הגונב מגנב אחר אע"פ שנתייאשו הבעלים אינו משלם תשלומי כפל ואם טבח ומכר אינו משלם תשלומי ארבעה וחמשה לגנב הראשון שהרי דין הבהמה הזאת לחזור בעיניה לבעלים ולא קנאה הגנב ולבעלים אינו משלם הכפל או ארבעה וחמשה מפני שלא גנבה מרשותן:
18
When a thief steals an animal and slaughters it, and then another person steals the meat, the second thief must make double restitution to the first thief, for the first thief acquired the animal because of the change his deed brought about. The first thief must, however, pay four or five times the animal's worth.
The following rules apply when a thief stole an animal and sold it, and another person stole it from the purchaser. If the original owner despaired of the animal's return, the first thief must pay four or five times the animal's worth, and the second thief must pay double its worth. If the original owner did not despair of the animal's return, the second thief is required to restore only the principal.
יח
גנב וטבח ובא גנב אחר וגנב. הגנב האחרון משלם תשלומי כפל לגנב הראשון שהרי קנה בשינוי מעשה וגנב הראשון משלם תשלומי ארבעה וחמשה. גנב ומכר ובא אחר וגנב מן הלוקח. אם נתייאשו הבעלים הרי הראשון משלם תשלומי ארבעה וחמשה והגנב השני משלם תשלומי כפל ואם לא נתייאשו הבעלים אין האחרון משלם אלא קרן בלבד:
Genevah - Chapter Two
1
When a person steals from a gentile or from consecrated property, he is required to pay only the principal, as implied byExodus 22:8: "He shall pay twice the amount to his colleague." "To his colleague" excludes the Temple treasury and a gentile.
Similarly, a person who steals animals that were consecrated to be offered as sacrifices - both sacrifices of the highest sanctity and sacrifices of lesser sanctity - is not liable to pay twice or four or five times the animals' worth. This applies whether or not the owner is liable to bring another animal as an offering instead of the stolen animal.
The rationale is that Exodus 22:6 describes the article as having been "stolen from a person's home" - i.e., not from the the Temple treasury.
א
הגונב את העכו"ם או שגנב
2
Similarly, a person who steals servants, promissory notes or landed property is not liable to make double payment. For the Torah obligated double payment only for the theft of chattel that is itself worth money.
The exclusion of landed property is derived from Exodus 22:8, which speaks about paying double for: "an ox, a donkey, a sheep or a garment." Servants are equated with landed property, asLeviticus 25:46 states: "You shall give them as an inheritanceto your sons." And promissory notes are not themselves worth money.
ב
וכן הגונב עבדים ושטרות וקרקעות אינו משלם תשלומי כפל. שלא חייבה התורה הכפל אלא במטלטלין שגופן ממון שנאמר על שור על חמור על שה על שלמה אבל העבדים הוקשו לקרקעות שנאמר והתנחלתם אותם לבניכם והשטרות אין גופן ממון:
3
When a person steals a firstling donkey belonging to a colleague before it was redeemed, he must make double restitution to the owner. Although the donkey is not yet his, it is fit to be his at a later date.
ג
הגונב פטר חמור של חבירו קודם שיפדה משלם תשלומי כפל לבעלים. שאע"פ שאינו עכשיו שלו ראוי להיותו לו אחר שיפדה:
4
A person who steals tevel belonging to a colleague and eats it must reimburse him for his tevel. A person who steals forbidden fats belonging to a colleague and eats it must reimburse him for his fats.
ד
גונב טבלו של חבירו ואכלו משלם לו דמי טבלו. וכן אם גנב חלבו ואכלו משלם לו דמי חלבו:
5
When a person steals terumah from an Israelite who owns it, he is not required to pay double. For the Israelite possesses merely the prerogative to give it to the priest of his choice,and that prerogative is not considered to be equivalent to money.
ה
גנב תרומה מבעליה הישראלים שהפרישוה אינו משלם תשלומי כפל. שאין להם בה אלא טובת הנאה וטובת הנאה אינו ממון:
6
When a person steals a sheep or a cow from his father and slaughters or sells the stolen animal and then his father dies, he is liable to pay four or five times the animal's worth to his father's estate. If his father dies, and then he slaughters or sells the stolen animal, he must make double payment; he does not, however, pay four or five times the animal's worth.
If a thief steals a sheep or a cow, slaughters or sells the stolen animal and then consecrates it as a sacrifice, he must pay four or five times the animal's worth.
If, by contrast, a thief consecrates an animal and then slaughters or sells it - even if he consecrates it as a sacrifice of a lesser degree of sanctity - he must make a double payment; he does not pay four or five times the amount.
When does the above apply? When he consecrated the animal after the owner despaired of the animal's return. If, however, he consecrates it before the owner despairs of the animal's return, the consecration is not effective. If the thief slaughters or sells it, he must pay four or five times the amount.
ו
הגונב משל אביו וטבח או מכר ואחר כך מת אביו משלם תשלומי ארבעה וחמשה. ואם מת אביו ואחר כך טבח או מכר משלם תשלומי כפל ואינו משלם תשלומי ארבעה וחמשה. גנב וטבח או מכר
7
If the owner consecrates the animal while it is in the thief's domain, the consecration is not effective. The rationale is that it is not in the owner's possession. If the thief slaughtered or sold it after the owner consecrated it, he must still pay four or five times its worth to the owner.
ז
הקדישו הבעלים והוא בבית הגנב אינו קדוש לפי שאינו ברשותן ואע"פ שלא נתייאשו ואם טבח או מכר אפילו אחר הקדשן משלם תשלומי ארבעה וחמשה:
8
When a thief slaughters a sheep or a cow, but the slaughter is not ritually acceptable, or he kills the animal or rips out the signs of ritual slaughter, he is liable to pay only double the animal's worth.
If, however, he slaughters an animal for medicinal purposes, to feed it to the dogs - and after it was slaughtered it was discovered to be taref - or he slaughtered it in the Temple courtyard although it was not consecrated, he must pay four or five times its worth.Although it is forbidden to benefit from a non-consecrated animal that is slaughtered in the Temple courtyard, since that prohibition is Rabbinic in origin, he is liable to pay four or five times the animal's worth.
ח
השוחט ונתנבלה בידו והנוחר והמעקר משלם תשלומי כפל בלבד. אבל אם שחט לרפואה או לכלבים או שנמצאת טריפה או ששחטו בעזרה משלם תשלומי ארבעה וחמשה. אע"פ שחולין שנשחטו בעזרה אסורין בהנאה הואיל ואיסורן מדבריהם הרי זה חייב לשלם תשלומי ארבעה וחמשה:
9
Similarly, if a person steals a half-breed that comes from a sheep and another animal, or he steals an animal that had been preyed upon, one whose leg had been cut off, one that limped or was blind, or that belonged to partners, and he slaughtered it or sold it, he is liable to pay four or five times its worth.
ט
וכן הגונב כלאים הבא מן השה וממין אחר או שגנב טריפה או קטעת או חגרת או סומא או בהמת השותפין וטבח ומכר משלם תשלומי ארבעה וחמשה:
10
When a person steals a cow or a sheep and gives it to another person as a present, or he charges another person with slaughtering it, and the other person slaughters it, or he charges another person with selling it, and the other person sells it, the thief must pay four or fives times its worth.
He is also liable for this penalty if he stole it and sold it on credit, exchanged it for another article, paid a debt that he owed, or sent it as an engagement gift to his fiancee in his father-in-law's home.
י
גנב ונתן לאחר במתנה או שנתן לאחר לטבוח וטבח או שנתן לאחר למכור ומכרה לאחר. גנב והקיף גנב והחליף גנב ופרע בהקיפו או ששלחו סבלונות לבית חמיו משלם תשלומי ארבעה וחמשה:
11
A thief stole a sheep or a cow and sold it, but posited that the sale not take effect until thirty days have passed - and within those thirty days the thief was apprehended - he is required to pay only double its worth.
The following rule applies if the thief sold the stolen animal to another person except for one hundredth of its bulk, or except for its foreleg or its hindleg. If the thief retained ownership of a portion of the animal that is permitted to be used only through ritual slaughter, he is not liable to pay four or five times its worth. If he sold it with the exception of its shearings or its horns, he is liable to pay four or five times its worth, for these portions of the animal are permitted to be used even without ritual slaughter.
יא
גנב ומכר והקנה למוכר לאחר שלשים יום ובתוך שלשים יום הוכר הגנב אינו משלם אלא כפל. מכרו חוץ מאחד ממאה שבו או חוץ מידו או רגלו כללו של דבר ששייר בו דבר הניתר עמו בשחיטה פטור מתשלומי ארבעה וחמשה. ואם מכרו חוץ מגיזתו או חוץ מקרניו חייב בשתלומי ארבעה וחמשה שאלו אינם ניתרים עמו בשחיטה:
12
If a thief stole a sheep or a cow, cut off a limb and then sold it, or he sold it with the exception of the right to work with it, or he sold it except for a 30-day period, the payment for four or five times its amount should not be expropriated from the thief. If the person whose animal was stolen seizes this amount from the thief's assets, the property that he seized should not be expropriated from him.
יב
גנב וקטע ממנה אבר ואחר כך מכרה או שמכרה חוץ ממלאכתה או שמכרה חוץ משלשים יום
13
If the thief was a partner in the animal he stole and then he sold it, he is not liable to pay four or five times its worth.
יג
מכרה והיתה לו בה שותפות פטור מתשלומי ארבעה וחמשה:
14
The following rules apply when partners steal a sheep or a cow. If one of them slaughtered or sold the stolen animal with his partner's consent, they must both join in the payment of four or five times its worth. If he acted without the consent of his partner, they are not liable for the payment of four or five times the animal's worth. They must, however, make double restitution.
יד
שותפין שגנבו. אם טבח אחד מהן או מכר מדעת חבירו משלמין תשלומי ארבעה וחמשה. ואם עשה שלא מדעת חבירו פטורים מתשלומי ארבעה וחמשה וחייבין בכפל:
15
When a thief stole a sheep or a cow, was brought to court and was told by the judges: "Go and give him what you stole," and instead of making restitution he sold or slaughtered the animal, he is not liable for the payment of four or five times the animal's worth. If the judges told him: "You are obligated to return it to him," and then he slaughtered or sold the stolen animal, he is liable for the payment of four or five times the animal's worth. The rationale is that the judgment was not rendered in a definitive manner, and he is persevering in his theft.
טו
גנב ועמד בדין ואמרו לו הדיינין צא תן לו מה שגנבת ויצא ואחר כך טבח או מכר פטור מתשלומי ארבעה וחמשה. אמרו לו חייב אתה ליתן לו וטבח או מכר אחר כך הרי זה חייב בתשלומי ארבעה וחמשה הואיל ולא חתכו הדין עליו ועדיין עומד הוא בגניבתו:
16
When a person steals an object without removing it from the domain of its owner, he is not liable for a double payment.Similarly, if he slaughtered or sold a stolen sheep or cow in the owner's domain, he is not liable for the added penalty. If, however, he lifted the stolen object above the ground, he is liable as a thief, even though he did not take it out of the owner's domain.
What is implied? If he stole a lamb from the corral and was pulling it, and it died while in the owner's domain, he is not liable for the added penalty. If he lifted it up or removed it from the owner's domain, and then it died, he is liable.
If while in the owner's domain, the thief gave it to a priest in redemption of his first-born son, to his creditor, to an unpaid watchman, to a borrower, to a renter or to a paid watchman, and the recipient was pulling the animal and it died, the recipient is not liable. If the recipient lifted it up or removed it from the domain of its owner and it died, the recipient is liable, because the thief did not remove it from the owner's domain and the recipient did.
טז
הגונב ברשות הבעלים הואיל והגניבה עדיין היא ברשותם פטור *מן הכפל. וכן אם טבח ומכר שם ברשותן פטור. ואם הגביה הגניבה נתחייב משום גונב אע"פ שעדיין
17
When a herd of sheep or cows are in a forest, and a thief prods an animal to move and then hides it among the trees and woods, he is obligated to pay twice its worth. If he slaughters or sells it there, he is obligated to pay four or five times its worth.
יז
היה העדר ביער כיון שהכיש א תהבהמה וטמנה בתוך האילנות והעצים חייב בתשלומי כפל ואם טבחה או מכרה שם משלם תשלומי ארבעה וחמשה:
18
When a thief steals a sheep or a cow in the owner's domain, and after the owner discovered the theft, the thief removed it and slaughtered it or sold it outside their domain, or if a thief stole and removed the animal from the owner's domain and then slaughtered or sold it in the owner's domain, he is obligated to pay four or five times its worth.
יח
גנב ברשות הבעלים ואחר שידעו שנגנבה הוציאה וטבחה או מכרה חוץ מרשותן. או שגנב והוציא חוץ מרשון וטבח או מכר ברשותן משלם תשלומי ארבעה וחמשה:
Genevah - Chapter Three
1
We have already explained in Hilchot Na'arah Betulah, that whenever a person violates a transgression that is punishable by both capital punishment and a financial penalty, he is not obligated to pay the financial penalty, even though he performed the act unintentionally.
When a person performs a transgression that is punishable by lashing and a financial penalty, he shall be lashed and is not required to pay the financial penalty. For a person should not receive both punishments: lashing and a financial penalty for the same deed. Therefore, if he performed the act unintentionally or he was not given a warning, he is required to pay and is not lashed.
When does the above apply? When the financial obligation and the transgression obligating capital punishment - or the financial obligation and the transgression punishable by lashing - came about at the same time. If, however, he became liable for a financial penalty and then became liable for capital punishment or lashing, or became liable for capital punishment or lashing and then became liable for a financial penalty, he shall be lashed and pay, or pay and be executed.
א
כבר בארנו בהלכות נערה שכל העושה עבירה שיש בה עון מיתת בית דין ותשלומין אינו משלם אע"פ שהיה שוגג. והעושה עבירה שנתחייב בה מלקות ותשלומין לוקה ואינו משלם שאין אדם לוקה ומשלם. לפיכך אם היה שוגג או לא התרו בו משלם ואינו לוקה. במה דברים אמורים שנתחייב בתשלומין עם עון מיתת בית דין כאחת או שנתחייב תשלומין ומלקות בבת אחת אבל אם נתחייב בתשלומין ואחר כך נתחייב במיתת בית דין או במלקות או שנתחייב מלקות או מיתת בית דין ואחר כך נתחייב בתשלומין הרי זה לוקה ומשלם ומת:
2
What is implied? If he propelled an arrow on the Sabbath, from the beginning of a four-cubit space until the end of the four-cubit space, and it tore a garment belonging to a colleague as it proceeded, he set fire to a grain heap belonging to a colleague on the Sabbath, or he stole a wallet on the Sabbath and was dragging it along the ground until he removed it from the owner's domain - which was a private domain - to the public domain, and caused it to be destroyed there, he is not liable for the damages. The prohibition against labor on the Sabbath, and the prohibition against theft or damages take effect at the same time. Therefore, he is not liable.
If, however, he stole a wallet on the Sabbath and lifted it up in the private domain, and then took it out to the public domain and threw it into a river, he is liable to make a double payment. For he became liable for the theft before he violated the prohibition punishable by execution by stoning. The same laws apply in all similar situations.
Similarly, if a person cut down a tree belonging to a colleague on a festival, and a warning was issued, or he set fire to a grain heap belonging to a colleague on Yom Kippur and a warning was issued, or he stole and slaughtered an animal on Yom Kippur, he is not under any financial obligation. If, however, a warning was not issued to him, he is liable for payment, and with regard to the slaughter of a stolen animal must pay four or five times its worth.
ב
כיצד זרק חץ בשבת מתחלת ארבע לסוף ארבעה וקרע בגד חבירו בהליכתו או שהדליק גדיש חבירו בשבת או שגנב כיס בשבת והיה מגררו עד שהוציאו מרשות הבעלים שהיא רשות היחיד לרשות הרבים ואבדו שם הרי זה פטור מן התשלומין שאיסור שבת ואיסור גניבה והיזק באין כאחד. אבל אם גנב כיס בשבת והגביהו שם ברשות היחיד ואחר כך הוציאו לרשות הרבים והשליכו לנהר חייב לשלם תשלומי כפל שהרי נתחייב באיסור גניבה קודם שיתחייב באיסור גניבה קודם שיתחייב באיסור סקילה וכן כל כיוצא בזה. וכן אם קצץ אילן חבירו ביום טוב והתרו בו או שהדליק את הגדיש ביום הכפורים והתרו בו או גנב וטבח ג ביום הכפורים והתרו בו פטור מן התשלומין אבל אם לא התרו בו חייב בתשלומין ומשלם תשלומי ארבעה וחמשה:
3
If a thief stole a sheep or a cow and slaughtered it on the Sabbath or as a sacrifice to a false deity, he is not liable to pay four or five times its worth, as explained above. This applies even when he performs the transgression unintentionally.
ג
גנב וטבח בשבת או לע"ז אפילו בשגגה פטור מתשלומי ארבעה וחמשה כמו שביארנו:
4
If the cow had been lent to him and he slaughtered it on the Sabbath with the intent to steal it, he is not liable even for the double payment, for the violation of the prohibition against the laws of the Sabbath and the prohibition against theft came about simultaneously. For if there is no obligation for theft, there is no obligation for slaughter or for sale.
ד
היתה פרה שאולה אצלו וטבחה בשבת דרך גניבה פטור אף מן הכפל שהרי איסור שבת ואיסור גניבה באין כאחת ואם אין גניבה אין טביחה ואין מכירה:
5
When a person steals a sheep or a cow and sells it on the Sabbath or sells it to a pagan deity, he is obligated to pay four or five times its amount, for the sale itself does not cause one to incur the death penalty. If a forbidden labor was performed on the Sabbath at the time of the sale, the thief is not liable to pay four or five times its amount.
What is implied? For example, he agreed that the sale would not take effect until the animal comes to rest in the courtyard of the purchaser. Thus, when he took the animal from one domain to another domain, the prohibition against labor on the Sabbath and the sale take effect at the same time.
ה
גנב ומכר בשבת או שמכר לע"ז חייב לשלם תשלומי ארבעה וחמשה שאין במכירה מיתה. ואם נעשית מלאכה בשבת בעת המכירה פטור מתשלומי ארבעה וחמשה. כיצד כגון שלא הקנה לו עד שתנוח בחצר הלוקח שנמצא כשהוציא מרשות לרשות איסור שבת ומכירה באין כאחת:
6
When a thief appointed an agent to slaughter a stolen animal for him, and the agent slaughtered it for him on the Sabbath, the thief must pay four or five times the animal's worth. For the thief did not perform a transgression punishable by death, and as we have explained, a person who has an agent slaughter for him is liable for the additional payment.
ו
עשה שליח לשחוט לו ושחט לו השליח בשבת הרי הגנב חייב בתשלומי ארבעה וחמשה. שהרי זה הגנב לא עשה עון מיתת בית דין. וכבר ביארנו שהשוחט על ידי שליח חייב בתשלומין:
7
When two witnesses testify that a person stole a cow or a sheep, and then they themselves or two other witnesses testify that he slaughtered or sold the animal, the thief is liable to pay four or five times the animal's worth.
If two witnesses testify that the person stole a cow or a sheep and one witness testifies that he slaughtered or sold the stolen animal, or the thief admitted that he slaughtered or sold the stolen animal on his own initiative, the thief must pay double. He is not, however, liable to pay four or five times the animal's worth. The rationale is that a person who admits his liability for a fine is not liable for that penalty, as we have explained.
ז
היו שנים מעידים שגנב בין שהעידו הן עצמן שטבח או מכר בין שהעדיו אחרים שטבח או מכר משלם תשלומי ארבעה וחמשה. היו שנים מעידים שגנב ועד אחד מעיד שטבח או מכר או שהודה מעצמו שטבח או מכר משלם ג תשלומי כפל ואינו משלם תשלומי ארבעה וחמשה שהמודה בקנס פטור כמו שביארנו:
8
The following rules apply when a person admits liability for a fine, and then afterwards witnesses come and testify to his liability. If he made his admission before a court while they were in session, he is not liable. If he made the admission when the court was not in session, or before two judges, and afterwards witnesses came and testified to his liability, he is liable to pay the fine because of their testimony.
ח
מי שהודה בקנס ואחר כך באו עדים. אם הודה בתחילה בפני ב"ד ובבית דין פטור. אבל אם הודה חוץ לבית דין או שהודה בפני שנים בלבד ואחר כך באו עדים הרי זה משלם קנס על פיהם:
9
What is implied? A thief admitted that he stole to a court while it was in session, and afterwards witnesses came and testified that he stole. He is not liable for a double payment, because he obligated himself for the principal before the witnesses came.
If, however, he denied stealing in the presence of a court in this way, freeing himself of liability, and then witnesses came and testified that he stole a sheep or a cow, at which point he admitted in the presence of the court that he slaughtered or sold the stolen animal, and then witnesses came and testified that he slaughtered or sold the animal, he is liable to pay four or five times the animal's worth. The rationale is that first he denied the obligation entirely before witnesses came.
ט
כיצד הודה בבית דין שגנב ואחר כך באו עדים שגנב פטור מן הכפל שהר יחייב עצמו בקרן קודם שיבואו עדים. אבל אם אמר לא גנבתי שפטר עצמו מן הכל ובאו עדים שגנב וחזר ואמר בבית דין טבחתי או מכרתי אם באו עדים אחר כך שטבח או מכר משלם תשלומי ארבעה וחמשה. לפי שפטר עצמו תחילה [א] מכלום עד שבאו העדים:
10
The following rules apply when a thief steals an ox belonging to two partners and slaughters it or sells it, and makes an admission to one in the presence of a court, but denies his liability to the other. If witnesses come afterwards and testify that he stole or sold, he must pay the partner whose claim he denied five times half the value of the ox. If the same situation takes place with regard to the theft of a sheep, he must pay four times half the value of the sheep.
י
הגונב שור של שני שותפין וטבחו או מכרו והודה בבית דין לאחד מהן וכפר באחר ואחר כך באו עדים שגנב וטבח או מכר משלם לזה שכפר לו חמשה חצאי בקר וארבעה חצאי צאן:
11
The law requires a thief to pay the principal and to make the payment of double - or four or fives times - the value of the theft from his movable property. If he does not own movable property, the court assesses his possessions and expropriates the entire debt from the finest of his landed properties, as is the practice with regard to other damages, regarding which Exodus 22:4 states: "He shall pay from the best of his field."
If he owns neither landed property nor movable property, the court sells him as a servant and gives the money from his sale to the person from whom he stole, as ibid.:2 states: "If he has no resources, he shall be sold for his theft."
יא
דין הגנב לשלם הקרן והכפל או תשלומי ארבעה וחמשה מן המטלטלין שלו. אם לא נמצאו לו מטלטלין בית דין יורדין לנכסיו וגובין הכל מן היפה שבנכסיו כשאר הנזקין שנאמר בהן מיטב שדהו. ואם אין לו לא קרקע ולא מטלטלין בית דין מוכרין אותו ונותין דמיו לניזק שנאמר אם אין לו ונמכר בגניבתו:
12
A man, but not a woman, may be sold because of a theft. This law is part of the Oral Tradition.
A thief is sold only because of the principal, but not for the payment of twice or four or five times the amount of the theft. If he can repay the principal, the additional amount remains a debt incumbent on him until he acquires the resources.
יב
האיש נמכר בגניבתו ג אבל לא האשה ודבר זה מפי הקבלה. ואין הגנב נמכר אלא בקרן אבל בכפל או בתשלומי ארבעה וחמשה אינו נמכר אלא הרי זה עליו חוב עד שיעשיר:
13
When a person steals from a gentile or steals consecrated property, he is not sold for the principal. Instead, it remains a debt incumbent on him until he acquires the resources.
יג
גנב את העכו"ם או הקדש אינו נמכר על הקרן אלא הרי זה עליו חוב עד שיעשיר:
14
When the principal of a theft was worth 100 zuz and the thief could be sold for only 50 zuz, he shall be sold, and the remainder of the principal and the double payment is considered a debt incumbent on him until he attains his freedom in the seventh year, acquires the resources and pays.
If the thief was worth 101 zuz, he shall not be sold. This is derived from the above verse, which states: "He shall be sold for his theft." Implied is that his entire worth must be included in the money received for his theft.
יד
היה קרן הגניבה שוה מאה ואין הגנב שוה אלא חמשים הרי זה נמכר ושאר הקרן עם הכפל עליו חוב עד שיצא בשביעית ויעשיר וישלם. היה הגנב שוה מאה ואחד אינו נמכר שנאמר ונמכר בגניבתו עד שיהיו דמיו כולן מובלעין בגניבתו:
15
The following rules apply if a person stole and was sold for his theft, and then stole again. If he stole from another person, he shall be sold as a servant a second time. Even if he stole from a hundred people, he shall be sold a hundred times. If, however, he stole from the first person a second time, he shall not be sold a second time. Instead, the entire amount remains a debt incumbent on him.
טו
גנב ונמכר וחזר וגנב. אם לשני גנב הרי זה נמכר פעם שנייה ואפילו גנב למאה אנשים נמכר מאה פעמים. ואם לראשון גנב פעם שנייה אינו נמכר שנייה אלא ישאר עליו הכל חוב:
16
If a thief stole from three different people, they are all considered to be partners for his servitude. If the value of his work is equivalent to or less than the principal he owes the three, he is sold and they divide the proceeds of the sale. The double payments remain a debt incumbent on him until he acquires the resources. If his value exceeds the principal, he should not be sold. Instead, the entire amount remains a debt incumbent on him until he attains the resources.
טז
גנב לזה וחזר וגנב לזה וחזר וגנב לזה כולם שותפין בו. אם היו דמיו כנגד הקרן של שלשתן או פחות מן הקרן נמכר ומחלקין ביניהן ושאר הכפלות חוב עליו. ואם היו דמיו יתר אינו נמכר והכל חוב עליו עד שיעשיר:
17
When partners commit a theft together, the liability is divided among them. Each of them can be sold for his portion of the principal. If the value of one of them is more than his share of the principal for which he is liable, he is not sold.
יז
שותפין שגנבו כאחד משלשין ביניהן וכ לאחד מהן נמכר בחלקו מן הקרן. וכל מי שדמיו יתר על חלק הקרן שנתחייב בו אינו נמכר:
Hayom Yom: Today's Hayom Yom
• Friday, 16 Tammuz, 5776 · 22 July 2016
• "Today's Day"
• Monday Tamuz 16 5703
Torah lessons: Chumash: Pinchas, Sheini with Rashi.
Tehillim: 79-82.
Tanya: Nonetheless, every man (p. 351) ...its vindication. (p. 353)
The Baal Shem Tov's ahavat yisrael (love of fellow Jew) was beyond imagination. The Maggid said: If only we could kiss a sefer-Torah with the same love that my Master kissed the children when he took them to cheder as a teacher's assistant!
• Daily Thought:
Rehearsing Confidence
Yes, we believe. We believe that everything is in the hands of heaven. And so there is nothing to fret over, whether we fail or succeed.
But when we walk out the door into the cold, harsh world, why does that confidence lack the guts to come out with us?
It is because it hasn’t first walked from our soul into our minds.
If we would take the time to ponder, to mentally rehearse our part, to let that deep faith of our soul sink into our minds and our hearts, then it would be more than faith—it would be a vision, an attitude.
Don’t just believe it is so. Come to know that it is so.
Torah lessons: Chumash: Pinchas, Sheini with Rashi.
Tehillim: 79-82.
Tanya: Nonetheless, every man (p. 351) ...its vindication. (p. 353)
The Baal Shem Tov's ahavat yisrael (love of fellow Jew) was beyond imagination. The Maggid said: If only we could kiss a sefer-Torah with the same love that my Master kissed the children when he took them to cheder as a teacher's assistant!
• Daily Thought:
Rehearsing Confidence
Yes, we believe. We believe that everything is in the hands of heaven. And so there is nothing to fret over, whether we fail or succeed.
But when we walk out the door into the cold, harsh world, why does that confidence lack the guts to come out with us?
It is because it hasn’t first walked from our soul into our minds.
If we would take the time to ponder, to mentally rehearse our part, to let that deep faith of our soul sink into our minds and our hearts, then it would be more than faith—it would be a vision, an attitude.
Don’t just believe it is so. Come to know that it is so.
---------------------
No comments:
Post a Comment