Torah Reading
Pinchas: Numbers 25:10 Adonai said to Moshe, 11 “Pinchas the son of El‘azar, the son of Aharon the cohen, has deflected my anger from the people of Isra’el by being as zealous as I am, so that I didn’t destroy them in my own zeal. 12 Therefore say, ‘I am giving him my covenant of shalom, 13 making a covenant with him and his descendants after him that the office of cohen will be theirs forever.’ This is because he was zealous on behalf of his God and made atonement for the people of Isra’el.”
14 The name of the man from Isra’el who was killed, put to death with the woman from Midyan, was Zimri the son of Salu, leader of one of the clans from the tribe of Shim‘on. 15 The name of the woman from Midyan who was killed was Kozbi the daughter of Tzur, and he was head of the people in one of the clans of Midyan.
16 Adonai said to Moshe, 17 “Treat the Midyanim as enemies and attack them; 18 because they are treating you as enemies by the trickery they used to deceive you in the P‘or incident and in the affair of their sister Kozbi, the daughter of the leader from Midyan, the woman who was killed on the day of the plague in the P‘or incident.” 19 (26:1) After the plague,
26 Adonai said to Moshe and El‘azar, the son of Aharon the cohen, 2 “Take a census of the entire assembly of the people of Isra’el twenty years old and over, by their ancestral clans, all who are subject to military service in Isra’el.” 3 Moshe and El‘azar the cohen spoke with them on the plains of Mo’av by the Yarden across from Yericho, explaining, 4 “Those twenty years old and over who came out of the land of Egypt, as Adonai ordered Moshe and the people of Isra’el.”
Today's Laws and Customs
"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:
- The Three Weeks
Passing of Rabbi Yitzchak Herzog (1959)
Rabbi Yitzchak HaLevi Herzog (1889-1959) was born in Łomża, Poland, and moved to the United Kingdom with his family in 1898. He served as rabbi of Belfast from 1916 to 1919 and was appointed rabbi of Dublin in 1919. He went on to serve as Chief Rabbi of Ireland between 1922 and 1936, after which he immigrated to Israel to succeed the late Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook as Chief Rabbi of Israel. He served as Chief Rabbi until his death in 1959. He authored numerous works including Divrei Yitzchak, an anthology of Talmudic discourses, and the halachic work Hechal Yitzchak.
Daily Quote:
Pride comes before destruction, and haughtiness of spirit before a fall[Proverbs 16:18]
Daily Study:
Chitas and Rambam for today:
Chumash with Rashi
Parshat Pinchas
In Israel: Matot
• Numbers Chapter 26
5Reuben, Israel's firstborn: The descendants of Reuben were: the family of the Hanochites from Hanoch; the family of the Paluites from Palu, הרְאוּבֵ֖ן בְּכ֣וֹר יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל בְּנֵ֣י רְאוּבֵ֗ן חֲנוֹךְ֙ מִשְׁפַּ֣חַת הַֽחֲנֹכִ֔י לְפַלּ֕וּא מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַפַּלֻּאִֽי:
the family of the Hanochites: Heb. מִשְׁפַּחַת הַחֲנֹכִי. Since the nations were denigrating them and saying, “How can they trace their lineage by their tribes? Do they think that the Egyptians did not exploit their mothers? If they mastered their bodies, all the more so [did they exercise authority over] their wives. Therefore, the Holy One, blessed is he, appended His Name to them, the [letter] ‘hey’ to one side and the ‘yud’ to the other side, as if to say, ”I bear witness for them, that these are the sons of their fathers.“ This is stated explicitly by David,”the tribes of God, (יָהּ) testimony to Israel" (Ps. 122:4)-this Name (יָהּ) testifies for them regarding their tribes. For this reason, in each of them Scripture writes, הַחִנֹכִי, הַפַּלֻּאֵי [the Hanochites, the Paluites in which each name begins with a ‘hey’ and ends with a 'yud’] (Song Rabbah 4:12; Pesikta d’Rav Kahana p.82b, 93a), but in the case of Jimnah יִמְנָה, it is unnecessary for it to say [for the family of the Jimnites,] מִשְׁפַּחַת הַיִּמְנִי [only הַיִּמְנָה מִשְׁפַּחַת], since the Divine Name is already affixed to it-the ‘yud’ at the beginning and the ‘hey’ at the end. — [Mid. Aggadah] משפחת החנכי: לפי שהיו האומות מבזין אותם ואומרים מה אלו מתיחסין על שבטיהם, סבורין הם שלא שלטו המצריים באמותיהם, אם בגופם היו מושלים קל וחומר בנשותיהם, לפיכך הטיל הקב"ה שמו עליהם, ה"א מצד זה ויו"ד מצד זה, לומר, מעיד אני עליהם שהם בני אבותיהם. וזהו הוא שמפורש ע"י דוד (תהלים קכב ד) שבטי יה עדות לישראל. השם הזה מעיד עליהם לשבטיהם, לפיכך בכולם כתיב החנכי הפלואי, אבל בימנה לא הוצרך לומר משפחת הימני, לפי שהשם קבוע בו יו"ד בראש וה"א בסוף:
6the family of the Hezronites from Hezron, and the family of the Carmites from Carmi. ולְחֶצְרֹ֕ן מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַֽחֶצְרוֹנִ֑י לְכַרְמִ֕י מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַכַּרְמִֽי:
7These were the families of the Reubenites, and they numbered forty three thousand, seven hundred and thirty. זאֵ֖לֶּה מִשְׁפְּחֹ֣ת הָרֽאוּבֵנִ֑י וַיִּֽהְי֣וּ פְקֻֽדֵיהֶ֗ם שְׁלשָׁ֤ה וְאַרְבָּעִים֙ אֶ֔לֶף וּשְׁבַ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת וּשְׁלשִֽׁים:
8The sons of Palu were Eliab. חוּבְנֵ֥י פַלּ֖וּא אֱלִיאָֽב:
9The sons of Eliab were Nemuel, Dathan and Abiram they are Dathan and Abiram, the chosen of the congregation who incited against Moses and Aaron in the assembly of Korah, when they incited against the Lord. טוּבְנֵ֣י אֱלִיאָ֔ב נְמוּאֵ֖ל וְדָתָ֣ן וַֽאֲבִירָ֑ם הֽוּא־דָתָ֨ן וַֽאֲבִירָ֜ם קְרִיאֵ֣י (כתיב קרואי) הָֽעֵדָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִצּ֜וּ עַל־משֶׁ֤ה וְעַל־אַֽהֲרֹן֙ בַּֽעֲדַת־קֹ֔רַח בְּהַצֹּתָ֖ם עַל־יְהֹוָֽה:
who incited: Israel against Moses and Aaron. אשר הצו: את ישראל על משה:
when they incited: The people against the Lord. בהצתם: את העם על ה':
incited: Heb. הִצּוּ. They enticed Israel to quarrel with Moses, a causative term. הצו: השיאו את ישראל לריב על משה, לשון הפעילו:
10And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and Korah, when that assembly died, and when fire destroyed two hundred and fifty men, and they became a sign. יוַתִּפְתַּ֨ח הָאָ֜רֶץ אֶת־פִּ֗יהָ וַתִּבְלַ֥ע אֹתָ֛ם וְאֶת־קֹ֖רַח בְּמ֣וֹת הָֽעֵדָ֑ה בַּֽאֲכֹ֣ל הָאֵ֗שׁ אֵ֣ת חֲמִשִּׁ֤ים וּמָאתַ֨יִם֙ אִ֔ישׁ וַיִּֽהְי֖וּ לְנֵֽס:
and they became a sign: A sign and a reminder,“so that no outsider, who is not of the seed of Aaron, shall approach” (above 17:5) to dispute the kehunah any more. ויהיו לנס: לאות ולזכרון (במדבר יז ה) למען אשר לא יקרב איש זר, לחלוק עוד על הכהונה:
11Korah's sons, however, did not die. יאוּבְנֵי־קֹ֖רַח לֹא־מֵֽתוּ:
Korah’s sons, however, did not die: They were originally involved in the conspiracy, but during the dispute they contemplated repentance; therefore, an elevated area was set apart for them in Gehinnom, and they stayed there. — [Sanh. 110b] ובני קרח לא מתו: הם היו בעצה תחלה, ובשעת המחלוקת הרהרו תשובה בלבם, לפיכך נתבצר להם מקום גבוה בגיהנם וישבו שם:
12The descendants of Simeon according to their families: the family of the Nemuelites from Nemuel, the family of the Jaminites from Jamin, the family of the Jachinites from Jachin, יבבְּנֵ֣י שִׁמְעוֹן֘ לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם֒ לִנְמוּאֵ֗ל מִשְׁפַּ֨חַת֙ הַנְּמ֣וּאֵלִ֔י לְיָמִ֕ין מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַיָּֽמִינִ֑י לְיָכִ֕ין מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַיָּֽכִינִֽי:
13the family of the Zerahites from Zerah, the family of the Shaulites from Shaul. יגלְזֶ֕רַח מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַזַּרְחִ֑י לְשָׁא֕וּל מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַשָּֽׁאוּלִֽי:
from Zerah: This was Zohar [see Exod. 6:15], a name derived from the word צֹהַר, which means shining [a synonym of זֶרַח, Zerah]. However, the family of Ohad [mentioned in Exodus] died out, as did five from the tribe of Benjamin. For he came to Egypt with ten sons, but only five are listed here. So it was with Ezbon of the tribe of Gad, so [altogether] seven families [no longer existed]. I found [the reason for this] in the Talmud Yerushlmi [Sotah 1:1]. When Aaron died, the clouds of glory withdrew, and the Canaanites came to fight against Israel. They [the Israelites] set their hearts on returning to Egypt, and they went back eight stages of their journey [compare 21:4], from Mount Hor to Moserah, as it says, “The children of Israel journeyed from the wells of Benei Yaakan to Moserah; there Aaron died” (Deut. 10:6). Now did he not die at Mount Hor? And [furthermore,] going back from Moserah to Mount Hor there are eight stages in the journey! However, they turned back, and the Levites pursued them to bring them back, killing seven of their families. The Levites lost four families [in the battle]: the families of the Shimeites and the Uzzielites, and of the three sons of Izhar, only the family of the Korahites is mentioned. I do not know [the identity of] the fourth one. R. Tanchuma expounds that they [the seven Israelite families] fell in the plague in connection with Balaam [see 25:9] (Mid. Tanchuma Pinchas 5), but [this cannot be, for] according to the number missing from the tribe of Simeon in this census compared with the first census [which took place] in the Sinai desert, it would appear that all twenty-four thousand who fell [in the plague] were from the tribe of Simeon. - [Mid. Tanchuma Vayechi 10] לזרח: הוא צוחר, לשון צוהר. אבל משפחת אהד בטלה, וכן חמשה משבט בנימין, שהרי בעשרה בנים ירד למצרים וכאן לא מנה אלא חמשה, וכן אצבון לגד, הרי שבע משפחות. ומצאתי בגמ' ירושלמית, שכשמת אהרן נסתלקו ענני כבוד ובאו הכנענים להלחם בישראל ונתנו לב לחזור למצרים וחזרו לאחוריהם ח' מסעות מהר ההר למוסרה, שנאמר (דברים י, ו) ובני ישראל נסעו מבארות בני יעקן מוסרה שם מת אהרן, והלא בהר ההר מת, וממוסרה עד הר ההר שמונה מסעות יש למפרע, אלא שחזרו לאחוריהם ורדפו בני לוי אחריהם להחזירם, והרגו מהם שבע משפחות, ומבני לוי נפלו ארבע משפחות משפחת שמעי ועזיאלי, ומבני יצהר לא נמנו כאן אלא משפחת הקרחי, והרביעית לא ידעתי מה היא. ורבי תנחומא דרש שמתו במגפה בדבר בלעם, אבל לפי החסרון שחסר משבט שמעון במנין זה ממנין הראשון שבמדבר סיני, נראה שכל כ"ד אלף נפלו משבטו של שמעון:
14These were the families of the Simeonites twenty two thousand and two hundred. ידאֵ֖לֶּה מִשְׁפְּחֹ֣ת הַשִּׁמְעֹנִ֑י שְׁנַ֧יִם וְעֶשְׂרִ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וּמָאתָֽיִם:
15The descendants of Gad according to their families: the family of the Zefonites from Zefon, the family of the Haggites from Haggi, the family of the Shunites from Shuni, טובְּנֵ֣י גָד֘ לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם֒ לִצְפ֗וֹן מִשְׁפַּ֨חַת֙ הַצְּפוֹנִ֔י לְחַגִּ֕י מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַֽחַגִּ֑י לְשׁוּנִ֕י מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַשּׁוּנִֽי:
16the family of the Oznites from Ozni, the family of the Erites from Eri, טזלְאָזְנִ֕י מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הָֽאָזְנִ֑י לְעֵרִ֕י מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הָֽעֵרִֽי:
from Ozni: I believe that this was the family of Ezbon (see Gen. 46:16), but I do not know why his family was not called after him. לאזני: אומר אני שזו משפחת אצבון, ואיני יודע למה לא נקראת משפחתו על שמו:
17the family of the Arodites from Arod, the family of the Arelites from Areli. יזלַֽאֲר֕וֹד מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הָֽאֲרוֹדִ֑י לְאַ֨רְאֵלִ֔י מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הָֽאַרְאֵלִֽי:
18These were families of Gad according to those of them counted, forty thousand and five hundred. יחאֵ֛לֶּה מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת בְּנֵי־גָ֖ד לִפְקֻֽדֵיהֶ֑ם אַרְבָּעִ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף וַֽחֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת:
19The sons of Judah were Er and Onan, but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. יטבְּנֵ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה עֵ֣ר וְאוֹנָ֑ן וַיָּ֥מָת עֵ֛ר וְאוֹנָ֖ן בְּאֶ֥רֶץ כְּנָֽעַן:
20The descendants of Judah according to their families: the family of the Shelanites from Shelah, the family of the Perezites from Perez, the family of the Zerahites from Zerah. כוַיִּֽהְי֣וּ בְנֵֽי־יְהוּדָה֘ לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם֒ לְשֵׁלָ֗ה מִשְׁפַּ֨חַת֙ הַשֵּׁ֣לָנִ֔י לְפֶ֕רֶץ מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַפַּרְצִ֑י לְזֶ֕רַח מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַזַּרְחִֽי:
21The descendants of Perez were: the family of the Hezronites from Hezron, the family of the Hamulites from Hamul. כאוַיִּֽהְי֣וּ בְנֵי־פֶ֔רֶץ לְחֶצְרֹ֕ן מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַֽחֶצְרֹנִ֑י לְחָמ֕וּל מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הֶחָֽמוּלִֽי:
22These were the families of Judah according to those of them counted, seventy six thousand and five hundred. כבאֵ֛לֶּה מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת יְהוּדָ֖ה לִפְקֻֽדֵיהֶ֑ם שִׁשָּׁ֧ה וְשִׁבְעִ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וַֽחֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת:
23The descendants of Issachar according to their families: the family of the Tolaites from Tola, the family of the Punites from Puvah, כגבְּנֵ֤י יִשָּׂשכָר֙ לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֔ם תּוֹלָ֕ע מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַתּֽוֹלָעִ֑י לְפֻוָּ֕ה מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַפּוּנִֽי:
24the family of the Jashubites from Jashub, the family of the Shimronites from Shimron. כדלְיָשׁ֕וּב מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַיָּֽשֻׁבִ֑י לְשִׁמְרֹ֕ן מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַשִּׁמְרֹנִֽי:
from Jashub: This is Iob listed among those who migrated to Egypt (Gen. 46:13), for all the families were named after those who migrated to Egypt, but as for those born from that time on, their families were not called after them except for the families of Ephraim and Manasseh-all of whom were born in Egypt-and Ard and Naaman, the sons of Bela the son of Benjamin. I found in the writings of R. Moshe Hadarshan [the preacher], that their [Ard and Naaman’s] mother migrated to Egypt while she was pregnant with them, and that is why they formed separate families just as did Hezron and Hamul-who were Judah’s grandsons-and Heber and Malchiel, who were Asher’s grandchildren. If this is an Aggadah, all well and good, [we must accept it,] but if not, I maintain that Bela had numerous grandchildren, and from two of them-Ard and Naaman-two large families issued, and the descendants of all the other children were called after Bela’s name, whereas the descendants of these two were called after them [i.e. Ard and Naaman]. Similarly, I maintain that the sons of Machir were divided into two families, one was called after him and one was called after his son Gilead. Five families are missing from the sons of Benjamin, and here the prophecy of his mother [Rachel] was partially fulfilled. She called him Ben Oni, the son of my mourning. As a result of the incident of the concubine at Gibeah (see Jud. 20: 35), it was completely fulfilled [as nearly the entire tribe was wiped out]. I found this in the writings of R. Moshe Hadarshan [the preacher]. לישוב: הוא יוב האמור ביורדי מצרים, כי כל המשפחות נקראו על שם יורדי מצרים. והנולדין משם והלאה לא נקראו המשפחות על שמם, חוץ ממשפחות אפרים ומנשה שנולדו כולם במצרים, וארד ונעמן בני בלע בן בנימין. ומצאתי ביסודו של רבי משה הדרשן שירדה אמן למצרים כשהיתה מעוברת מהם, לכך נחלקו למשפחות, כחצרון וחמול, שהיו בני בנים ליהודה, וחבר ומלכיאל שהיו בני בנים של אשר. ואם אגדה היא הרי טוב, ואם לאו, אומר אני, שהיו לבלע בני בנים הרבה, ומשנים הללו ארד ונעמן יצאה מכל אחד משפחה רבה ונקראו תולדות שאר הבנים על שם בלע, ותולדות השנים הללו נקראו על שמם. וכן אני אומר בבני מכיר, שנחלקו לשתי משפחות, אחת נקראת על שמו ואחת נקראת על שם גלעד בנו. חמש משפחות חסרו מבניו של בנימין, כאן נתקיימה מקצת נבואת אמו שקראתו בן אוני, בן אנינותי ובפלגש בגבעה נתקיימה כולה. זו מצאתי ביסודו של ר' משה הדרשן:
25These were the families of Issachar according to those of them counted: sixty four thousand and three hundred. כהאֵ֛לֶּה מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת יִשָּׂשכָ֖ר לִפְקֻֽדֵיהֶ֑ם אַרְבָּעָ֧ה וְשִׁשִּׁ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וּשְׁל֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת:
26The descendants of Zebulun according to their families: the family of the Sardites from Sered, the family of the Elonites from Elon, the family of the Jahleelites from Jahleel. כובְּנֵ֣י זְבוּלֻן֘ לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם֒ לְסֶ֗רֶד מִשְׁפַּ֨חַת֙ הַסַּרְדִּ֔י לְאֵל֕וֹן מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הָאֵֽלֹנִ֑י לְיַ֨חְלְאֵ֔ל מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַיַּחְלְאֵלִֽי:
27These were the families of Zebulun according to those of them counted, sixty thousand and five hundred. כזאֵ֛לֶּה מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הַזְּבֽוּלֹנִ֖י לִפְקֻֽדֵיהֶ֑ם שִׁשִּׁ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף וַֽחֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת:
28The descendants of Joseph according to their families: Manasseh and Ephraim. כחבְּנֵ֥י יוֹסֵ֖ף לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם מְנַשֶּׁ֖ה וְאֶפְרָֽיִם:
29The descendants of Manasseh: the family of the Machirites from Machir and Machir's son was Gilead; the family of the Gileadites from Gilead. כטבְּנֵ֣י מְנַשֶּׁ֗ה לְמָכִיר֙ מִשְׁפַּ֣חַת הַמָּֽכִירִ֔י וּמָכִ֖יר הוֹלִ֣יד אֶת־גִּלְעָ֑ד לְגִלְעָ֕ד מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַגִּלְעָדִֽי:
30These were the family of the descendants of Gilead: The family of the Iezerites from Iezer, the family of the Helekites from Helek, לאֵ֚לֶּה בְּנֵ֣י גִלְעָ֔ד אִיעֶ֕זֶר מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הָאִֽיעֶזְרִ֑י לְחֵ֕לֶק מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַֽחֶלְקִֽי:
31the family of the Asrielites from Asriel, the family of the Shechemites from Shechem, לאוְאַ֨שְׂרִיאֵ֔ל מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הָֽאַשְׂרִֽאֵלִ֑י וְשֶׁ֕כֶם מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַשִּׁכְמִֽי:
32the family of the Shemidaites from Shemida, the family of the Hepherites from Hepher. לבוּשְׁמִידָ֕ע מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַשְּׁמִֽידָעִ֑י וְחֵ֕פֶר מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַֽחֶפְרִֽי:
33Now Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, only daughters, and the names of Zelophehad's daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah. לגוּצְלָפְחָ֣ד בֶּן־חֵ֗פֶר לֹא־הָ֥יוּ ל֛וֹ בָּנִ֖ים כִּ֣י אִם־בָּנ֑וֹת וְשֵׁם֙ בְּנ֣וֹת צְלָפְחָ֔ד מַחְלָ֣ה וְנֹעָ֔ה חָגְלָ֥ה מִלְכָּ֖ה וְתִרְצָֽה:
34These were families of Manasseh, and those of them counted were fifty two thousand and seven hundred. לדאֵ֖לֶּה מִשְׁפְּחֹ֣ת מְנַשֶּׁ֑ה וּפְקֻ֣דֵיהֶ֔ם שְׁנַ֧יִם וַֽחֲמִשִּׁ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וּשְׁבַ֥ע מֵאֽוֹת:
35These were the descendants of Ephraim according to their families: the family of the Shuthalhites from Shuthelah, the family of the Bachrites from Becher, the family of the Tahanites from Tahan. להאֵ֣לֶּה בְנֵֽי־אֶפְרַ֘יִם֘ לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם֒ לְשׁוּתֶ֗לַח מִשְׁפַּ֨חַת֙ הַשֻּׁ֣תַלְחִ֔י לְבֶ֕כֶר מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַבַּכְרִ֑י לְתַ֕חַן מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַתַּֽחֲנִֽי:
36And these were the descendants of Shuthelah: the family of the Eranites from Eran. לווְאֵ֖לֶּה בְּנֵ֣י שׁוּתָ֑לַח לְעֵרָ֕ן מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הָעֵֽרָנִֽי:
And these were the descendants of Shuthelah…: The descendants of the other sons of Shuthelah were called after Shuthelah. A large family issued from Eran, so they were called after him. Thus, the descendants of Shuthelah were considered two families. Go and figure it out and you will find that fifty-seven families [are listed] in this chapter, together with eight from the sons of Levi, totaling sixty-five. This is the meaning of what is said,“For you are the least (הַמְעַט) of all the peoples” (Deut. 7:7). [The word הַמְעַט denotes ‘five’ (ה) ‘less’ (מְעַט).] You are five less than the families of all the nations, since they are seventy [and you are sixty-five]. This too I expounded from the writings of R. Moshe Hadarshan [the preacher], but I had to delete some of his words and add to them. - [Mid. Aggadah.] ואלה בני שותלח וגו': שאר בני שותלח נקראו תולדותיהם על שם שותלח. ומערן יצאה משפחה רבה ונקראת על שמו. ונחשבו בני שותלח לשתי משפחות. צא וחשוב ותמצא בפרשה זו חמשים ושבע משפחות, ומבני לוי שמונה, הרי ששים וחמש, וזהו שנאמר (דברים ז ז) כי אתם המעט וגו', ה"א מעט, חמשה אתם חסרים ממשפחות כל העמים, שהן שבעים, אף זה הבנתי מיסודו של ר' משה הדרשן. אך הוצרכתי לפחות ולהוסיף בדבריו:
37These were the families of the descendants of Ephraim according to those of them counted, thirty two thousand and five hundred; these were the descendants of Joseph according to their families. לזאֵ֣לֶּה מִשְׁפְּחֹ֤ת בְּנֵֽי־אֶפְרַ֨יִם֙ לִפְקֻ֣דֵיהֶ֔ם שְׁנַ֧יִם וּשְׁלשִׁ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וַֽחֲמֵ֣שׁ מֵא֑וֹת אֵ֥לֶּה בְנֵֽי־יוֹסֵ֖ף לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָֽם:
38The descendants of Benjamin according to their families: the family of the Belaites from Bela, the family of the Ashbelites from Ashbel, the family of the Ahiramites from Ahiram, לחבְּנֵ֣י בִנְיָמִן֘ לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם֒ לְבֶ֗לַע מִשְׁפַּ֨חַת֙ הַבַּלְעִ֔י לְאַשְׁבֵּ֕ל מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הָֽאַשְׁבֵּלִ֑י לַֽאֲחִירָ֕ם מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הָֽאֲחִֽירָמִֽי:
from Ahiram: This is Ehi, who migrated to Egypt. Since he was named after Joseph, who was his [Benjamin’s] brother (אֲחִי), and greater (רָם) than he, he was called Ahiram (אֲחִירָם). - [Mid. Aggadah.] לאחירם: היא אחי שירד למצרים, ולפי שנקרא על שם יוסף שהיה אחיו ורם ממנו נקרא אחירם:
39the family of the Shuphamites from Shupham, the family of the Huphamites from Hupham. לטלִשְׁפוּפָ֕ם מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַשּֽׁוּפָמִ֑י לְחוּפָ֕ם מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַחֽוּפָמִֽי:
from Shupham: This is Muppim, so named because Joseph was humbled (שָׁפוּף) among the nations. לשפופם: הוא מופים, על שהיה יוסף שפוף בין האומות:
40The sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman; the family of the Ardites [from Ard], the family of the Naamites from Naaman. מוַיִּֽהְי֥וּ בְנֵי־בֶ֖לַע אַ֣רְדְּ וְנַֽעֲמָ֑ן מִשְׁפַּ֨חַת֙ הָֽאַרְדִּ֔י לְנַ֣עֲמָ֔ן מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַנַּֽעֲמִֽי:
41These were the descendants of Benjamin according to their families, and those of them counted were forty five thousand and six hundred. מאאֵ֥לֶּה בְנֵֽי־בִנְיָמִ֖ן לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם וּפְקֻ֣דֵיהֶ֔ם חֲמִשָּׁ֧ה וְאַרְבָּעִ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וְשֵׁ֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת:
42The descendants of Dan according to their families: the family of the Shuhamites from Shuham. These were the families of Dan. מבאֵ֤לֶּה בְנֵי־דָן֙ לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֔ם לְשׁוּחָ֕ם מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַשּֽׁוּחָמִ֑י אֵ֛לֶּה מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת דָּ֖ן לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָֽם:
From Shuham: This is Hushim (see Gen. 46:23). לשוחם: הוא חושים:
43All the Shuhamite families according to those of them counted, were sixty four thousand and four hundred. מגכָּל־מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הַשּֽׁוּחָמִ֖י לִפְקֻֽדֵיהֶ֑ם אַרְבָּעָ֧ה וְשִׁשִּׁ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וְאַרְבַּ֥ע מֵאֽוֹת:
44The descendants of Asher according to their families: the family of Jimnah from Jimnah, the family of the Ishvites from Ishvi, the family of the Beriites from Beriah. מדבְּנֵ֣י אָשֵׁר֘ לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם֒ לְיִמְנָ֗ה מִשְׁפַּ֨חַת֙ הַיִּמְנָ֔ה לְיִשְׁוִ֕י מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַיִּשְׁוִ֑י לִבְרִיעָ֕ה מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַבְּרִיעִֽי:
45The descendants of Beriah: the family of the Heberites from Heber, the family of the Malchielites from Malchiel. מהלִבְנֵ֣י בְרִיעָ֔ה לְחֵ֕בֶר מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַֽחֶבְרִ֑י לְמַ֨לְכִּיאֵ֔ל מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַמַּלְכִּֽיאֵלִֽי:
46The name of Asher's daughter was Serah. מווְשֵׁ֥ם בַּת־אָשֵׁ֖ר שָֽׂרַח:
The name of Asher’s daughter was Serah: Because she was still alive, she is mentioned here. — [Sotah 13a, Mid. Aggadah] ושם בת אשר שרח: לפי שהיתה קיימת בחיים מנאה כאן:
47These were the families of the descendants of Asher according to those of them counted, fifty three thousand and four hundred. מזאֵ֛לֶּה מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת בְּנֵֽי־אָשֵׁ֖ר לִפְקֻֽדֵיהֶ֑ם שְׁלשָׁ֧ה וַֽחֲמִשִּׁ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וְאַרְבַּ֥ע מֵאֽוֹת:
48The descendants of Naphtali according to their families: the family of the Jahzeelites from Jahzeel, the family of the Gunites from Guni. מחבְּנֵ֤י נַפְתָּלִי֙ לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֔ם לְיַ֨חְצְאֵ֔ל מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַיַּחְצְאֵלִ֑י לְגוּנִ֕י מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַגּוּנִֽי:
49The family of the Jezerites from Jezer, the family of the Shillemites from Shillem. מטלְיֵ֕צֶר מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַיִּצְרִ֑י לְשִׁלֵּ֕ם מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַשִּׁלֵּמִֽי:
50These were the families of Naphtali according to their families, and those of them counted were forty five thousand and four hundred. נאֵ֛לֶּה מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת נַפְתָּלִ֖י לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם וּפְקֻ֣דֵיהֶ֔ם חֲמִשָּׁ֧ה וְאַרְבָּעִ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וְאַרְבַּ֥ע מֵאֽוֹת:
51These are those counted of the children of Israel: six hundred and one thousand and seven hundred and thirty. נאאֵ֗לֶּה פְּקוּדֵי֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל שֵֽׁשׁ־מֵא֥וֹת אֶ֖לֶף וָאָ֑לֶף שְׁבַ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת וּשְׁלשִֽׁים:
Daily Tehillim - Psalms
Chapters 90-96
• Chapter 90
David found this prayer in its present form-receiving a tradition attributing it to MosesThe Midrash attributes the next eleven psalms to Moses (Rashi).-and incorporated it into the Tehillim. It speaks of the brevity of human life, and inspires man to repent and avoid pride in this world.
1. A prayer by Moses, the man of God. My Lord, You have been a shelter for us in every generation.
2. Before the mountains came into being, before You created the earth and the world-for ever and ever You are Almighty God.
3. You diminish man until he is crushed, and You say, "Return, you children of man.”
4. Indeed, a thousand years are in Your eyes like yesterday that has passed, like a watch of the night.
5. The stream of their life is as but a slumber; in the morning they are like grass that sprouts anew.
6. In the morning it thrives and sprouts anew; in the evening it withers and dries.
7. For we are consumed by Your anger, and destroyed by Your wrath.
8. You have set our wrongdoings before You, our hidden sins before the light of Your countenance.
9. For all our days have vanished in Your wrath; we cause our years to pass like a fleeting sound.
10. The days of our lives number seventy years, and if in great vigor, eighty years; most of them are but travail and futility, passing quickly and flying away.
11. Who can know the intensity of Your anger? Your wrath is commensurate with one's fear of You.
12. Teach us, then, to reckon our days, that we may acquire a wise heart.
13. Relent, O Lord; how long [will Your anger last]? Have compassion upon Your servants.
14. Satiate us in the morning with Your kindness, then we shall sing and rejoice throughout our days.
15. Give us joy corresponding to the days You afflicted us, the years we have seen adversity.
16. Let Your work be revealed to Your servants, and Your splendor be upon their children.
17. May the pleasantness of the Lord our God be upon us; establish for us the work of our hands; establish the work of our hands.
Chapter 91
This psalm inspires the hearts of the people to seek shelter under the wings of the Divine Presence. It also speaks of the four seasons of the year, and their respective ministering powers, instructing those who safeguard their souls to avoid them.
1. You who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, who abides in the shadow of the Omnipotent:
2. I say of the Lord who is my refuge and my stronghold, my God in whom I trust,
3. that He will save you from the ensnaring trap, from the destructive pestilence.
4. He will cover you with His pinions and you will find refuge under His wings; His truth is a shield and an armor.
5. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day;
6. the pestilence that prowls in the darkness, nor the destruction that ravages at noon.
7. A thousand may fall at your [left] side, and ten thousand at your right, but it shall not reach you.
8. You need only look with your eyes, and you will see the retribution of the wicked.
9. Because you [have said,] "The Lord is my shelter," and you have made the Most High your haven,
10. no evil will befall you, no plague will come near your tent.
11. For He will instruct His angels in your behalf, to guard you in all your ways.
12. They will carry you in their hands, lest you injure your foot upon a rock.
13. You will tread upon the lion and the viper; you will trample upon the young lion and the serpent.
14. Because he desires Me, I will deliver him; I will fortify him, for he knows My Name.
15. When he calls on Me, I will answer him; I am with him in distress. I will deliver him and honor him.
16. I will satiate him with long life, and show him My deliverance.
Chapter 92
Sung every Shabbat by the Levites in the Holy Temple, this psalm speaks of the World to Come, and comforts the hearts of those crushed by suffering.
1. A psalm, a song for the Shabbat day.
2. It is good to praise the Lord, and to sing to Your Name, O Most High;
3. to proclaim Your kindness in the morning, and Your faithfulness in the nights,
4. with a ten-stringed instrument and lyre, to the melody of a harp.
5. For You, Lord, have gladdened me with Your deeds; I sing for joy at the works of Your hand.
6. How great are Your works, O Lord; how very profound Your thoughts!
7. A brutish man cannot know, a fool cannot comprehend this:
8. When the wicked thrive like grass, and all evildoers flourish-it is in order that they may be destroyed forever.
9. But You, Lord, are exalted forever.
10. Indeed, Your enemies, O Lord, indeed Your enemies shall perish; all evildoers shall be scattered.
11. But You have increased my might like that of a wild ox; I am anointed with fresh oil.
12. My eyes have seen [the downfall of] my watchful enemies; my ears have heard [the doom of] the wicked who rise against me.
13. The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, grow tall like a cedar in Lebanon.
14. Planted in the House of the Lord, they shall blossom in the courtyards of our God.
15. They shall be fruitful even in old age; they shall be full of sap and freshness-
16. to declare that the Lord is just; He is my Strength, and there is no injustice in Him.
Chapter 93
This psalm speaks of the Messianic era, when God will don grandeur-allowing no room for man to boast before Him as did Nebuchadnezzar, Pharaoh, and Sennacherib.
1. The Lord is King; He has garbed Himself with grandeur; the Lord has robed Himself, He has girded Himself with strength; He has also established the world firmly that it shall not falter.
2. Your throne stands firm from of old; You have existed forever.
3. The rivers have raised, O Lord, the rivers have raised their voice; the rivers raise their raging waves.
4. More than the sound of many waters, than the mighty breakers of the sea, is the Lord mighty on High.
5. Your testimonies are most trustworthy; Your House will be resplendent in holiness, O Lord, forever.
Chapter 94
An awe-inspiring and wondrous prayer with which every individual can pray for the redemption. It is also an important moral teaching.
1. The Lord is a God of retribution; O God of retribution, reveal Yourself!
2. Judge of the earth, arise; render to the arrogant their recompense.
3. How long shall the wicked, O Lord, how long shall the wicked exult?
4. They continuously speak insolently; all the evildoers act arrogantly.
5. They crush Your people, O Lord, and oppress Your heritage.
6. They kill the widow and the stranger, and murder the orphans.
7. And they say, "The Lord does not see, the God of Jacob does not perceive.”
8. Understand, you senseless among the people; you fools, when will you become wise?
9. Shall He who implants the ear not hear? Shall He who forms the eye not see?
10. Shall He who chastises nations not punish? Shall He who imparts knowledge to man [not know]?
11. The Lord knows the thoughts of man, that they are naught.
12. Fortunate is the man whom You chastise, O Lord, and instruct him in Your Torah,
13. bestowing upon him tranquillity in times of adversity, until the pit is dug for the wicked.
14. For the Lord will not abandon His people, nor forsake His heritage.
15. For judgment shall again be consonant with justice, and all the upright in heart will pursue it.
16. Who would rise up for me against the wicked ones; who would stand up for me against the evildoers?
17. Had the Lord not been a help to me, my soul would have soon dwelt in the silence [of the grave].
18. When I thought that my foot was slipping, Your kindness, O Lord, supported me.
19. When my [worrisome] thoughts multiply within me, Your consolation delights my soul.
20. Can one in the seat of evil, one who makes iniquity into law, consort with You?
21. They band together against the life of the righteous, and condemn innocent blood.
22. The Lord has been my stronghold; my God, the strength of my refuge.
23. He will turn their violence against them and destroy them through their own wickedness; the Lord, our God, will destroy them.
Chapter 95
This psalm speaks of the future, when man will say to his fellow, "Come, let us sing and offer praise to God for the miracles He has performed for us!"
1. Come, let us sing to the Lord; let us raise our voices in jubilation to the Rock of our deliverance.
2. Let us approach Him with thanksgiving; let us raise our voices to Him in song.
3. For the Lord is a great God, and a great King over all supernal beings;
4. in His hands are the depths of the earth, and the heights of the mountains are His.
5. Indeed, the sea is His, for He made it; His hands formed the dry land.
6. Come, let us prostrate ourselves and bow down; let us bend the knee before the Lord, our Maker.
7. For He is our God, and we are the people that He tends, the flock under His [guiding] hand-even this very day, if you would but hearken to His voice!
8. Do not harden your heart as at Merivah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,
9. where your fathers tested Me; they tried Me, though they had seen My deeds.
10. For forty years I quarreled with that generation; and I said, "They are a people of erring hearts, they do not know My ways.”
11. So I vowed in My anger that they would not enter My resting place.
Chapter 96
The time will yet come when man will say to his fellow: "Come, let us sing to God!"
1. Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.
2. Sing to the Lord, bless His Name; proclaim His deliverance from day to day.
3. Recount His glory among the nations, His wonders among all the peoples.
4. For the Lord is great and highly praised; He is awesome above all gods.
5. For all the gods of the nations are naught, but the Lord made the heavens.
6. Majesty and splendor are before Him, might and beauty in His Sanctuary.
7. Render to the Lord, O families of nations, render to the Lord honor and might.
8. Render to the Lord honor due to His Name; bring an offering and come to His courtyards.
9. Bow down to the Lord in resplendent holiness; tremble before Him, all the earth.
10. Proclaim among the nations, "The Lord reigns"; indeed, the world is firmly established that it shall not falter; He will judge the peoples with righteousness.
11. The heavens will rejoice, the earth will exult; the sea and its fullness will roar.
12. The fields and everything therein will jubilate; then all the trees of the forest will sing.
13. Before the Lord [they shall rejoice], for He has come, for He has come to judge the earth; He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with His truth.
Tanya: Igeret HaTeshuva , middle of Chapter 4
• Lessons in Tanya
• Today's Tanya Lesson
• Today's Tanya Lesson
• Monday, 19 Tammuz, 5776 · 25 July 2016
• Igeret HaTeshuva , middle of Chapter 4
• אך הענין יובן על פי מה שכתוב: כי חלק ה׳ עמו וגו׳
The key to this will be found in the phrase,1 “For [G‑d’s] people are part of G‑d...”;
חלק משם הוי׳ ברוך הוא
[they are] part of the Four-Letter Name of G‑d.
כדכתיב: ויפח באפיו נשמת חיים
Thus, describing G‑d’s infusion of a soul into the body of Adam, it is written:2 “And He blew into his nostrils a soul of life,”
ומאן דנפח מתוכו נפח וכו׳
and, as the Zohar comments,3 “He who blows, does so from within him, etc.”4
The metaphor of blowing signifies that the soul of a Jew originates in the innermost aspect of G‑dliness — in the Tetragrammaton, as shall be soon explained.
ואף שאין לו דמות הגוף וכו׳ חס ושלום
Now [G‑d] has no bodily form, and so on,5 G‑d forbid.
How, then, is it possible to say that G‑d “blew”, and to speak of a “part” of Himself?
אך דברה תורה כלשון בני אדם
However, the Torah6 “speaks as in the language of men,” i.e., anthropomorphically.
כי כמו שיש הפרש והבדל גדול באדם התחתון, על דרך משל, בין ההבל שיוצא מפיו בדבורו להבל היוצא על ידי נפיחה
By way of analogy: There exists a vast difference in the case of mortal man between the breath issuing from his mouth while speaking and the breath of forceful blowing.
שביוצא בדיבורו מלובש בו כח וחיות מעט מזעיר
The breath that issues with his speech embodies the soul’s power and life-force only minimally,
והוא בבחינת חיצוניות מנפש החיה שבקרבו
and that is only from the superficial aspect of the soul that dwells within him.
אבל ביוצא בכח הנופח דמתוכו נפח
But the breath that issues when he blows forcefully, from deep within himself,
מלובש בו כח וחיות פנימית מבחינת נפש החיה וכו׳
embodies the internal power and life-force of the vivifying soul….
Just as there exists a vast difference between man’s speaking and forceful blowing:
FOOTNOTES
1.Devarim 32:9.
2.Bereishit 2:7.
3.See above, Part I, beg. of ch. 2, citing the Zohar.
4.The Rebbe suggests that “etc.” alludes to the continuation of this statement above, Part I, beg. of ch. 2: “...from his inwardness and his innermost being.”
5.Note of the Rebbe: “ ‘Etc.’ signifies ‘nor body’ — from the hymn entitled Yigdal. See also beg. of Likutei Torah leGimmel Parshiyot.”
6.Berachot 31b.
The key to this will be found in the phrase,1 “For [G‑d’s] people are part of G‑d...”;
חלק משם הוי׳ ברוך הוא
[they are] part of the Four-Letter Name of G‑d.
כדכתיב: ויפח באפיו נשמת חיים
Thus, describing G‑d’s infusion of a soul into the body of Adam, it is written:2 “And He blew into his nostrils a soul of life,”
ומאן דנפח מתוכו נפח וכו׳
and, as the Zohar comments,3 “He who blows, does so from within him, etc.”4
The metaphor of blowing signifies that the soul of a Jew originates in the innermost aspect of G‑dliness — in the Tetragrammaton, as shall be soon explained.
ואף שאין לו דמות הגוף וכו׳ חס ושלום
Now [G‑d] has no bodily form, and so on,5 G‑d forbid.
How, then, is it possible to say that G‑d “blew”, and to speak of a “part” of Himself?
אך דברה תורה כלשון בני אדם
However, the Torah6 “speaks as in the language of men,” i.e., anthropomorphically.
כי כמו שיש הפרש והבדל גדול באדם התחתון, על דרך משל, בין ההבל שיוצא מפיו בדבורו להבל היוצא על ידי נפיחה
By way of analogy: There exists a vast difference in the case of mortal man between the breath issuing from his mouth while speaking and the breath of forceful blowing.
שביוצא בדיבורו מלובש בו כח וחיות מעט מזעיר
The breath that issues with his speech embodies the soul’s power and life-force only minimally,
והוא בבחינת חיצוניות מנפש החיה שבקרבו
and that is only from the superficial aspect of the soul that dwells within him.
אבל ביוצא בכח הנופח דמתוכו נפח
But the breath that issues when he blows forcefully, from deep within himself,
מלובש בו כח וחיות פנימית מבחינת נפש החיה וכו׳
embodies the internal power and life-force of the vivifying soul….
Just as there exists a vast difference between man’s speaking and forceful blowing:
FOOTNOTES
1.Devarim 32:9.
2.Bereishit 2:7.
3.See above, Part I, beg. of ch. 2, citing the Zohar.
4.The Rebbe suggests that “etc.” alludes to the continuation of this statement above, Part I, beg. of ch. 2: “...from his inwardness and his innermost being.”
5.Note of the Rebbe: “ ‘Etc.’ signifies ‘nor body’ — from the hymn entitled Yigdal. See also beg. of Likutei Torah leGimmel Parshiyot.”
6.Berachot 31b.
Rambam:
• Sefer Hamitzvos:
•Monday, 19 Tammuz, 5776 · 25 July 2016
• Sefer Hamitzvos:
•Monday, 19 Tammuz, 5776 · 25 July 2016
• Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
• Negative Commandment 245 (Digest)
Robbery
"Do not commit robbery"—Leviticus 19:13.
It is forbidden to rob, i.e., to unlawfully appropriate another's possessions through use of brute force or coercion [as opposed to theft – a prohibition in its own right – that is accomplished stealthily].
The 245th prohibition is that we are forbidden from committing robbery, i.e. taking something which isn't ours by open force and violence.
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "Lo sigzol" ["You may not commit robbery"] — as explained in the Oral Tradition,2 "The phrase 'Lo sigzol' is similar to 'Vayigzol [and he forcibly grabbed] the spear from the Egyptian's hand.' "3
This prohibition is a lav she'nitak l'aseh (a prohibition with a remedial positive commandment), i.e. the verse,4 "He must return the article that he stole." However, even if he nullified the positive commandment,5 he still does not receive lashes [unlike the regular lav she'nitak l'aseh] because a person cannot be penalized both by repayment and lashes.
[He must anyway repay] because it is a lav shenitan l'tashlumin (a prohibition that can be repaid): if he burned the object or threw it into the sea, he must pay back the value. If he denied stealing the object and swore falsely to that effect, he must pay back an additional fifth6 and bring a guilt-offering, as explained in the proper place.7 This is also explained in the end of tractate Makkos.8
The details of this mitzvah are explained in the 9th and 10th chapters of tractate Bava Kama.
Rabbi Berel Bell is a well-known educator, author and lecturer. He and his family reside in Montreal, Canada.
From "Sefer Hamitzvot in English," published by Sichos in English.
FOOTNOTES
1.Lev. 19:13.
2.Bava Kama 79b.
3.Shmuel II, 23:21.
4.Lev. 5:23.
5.If he destroyed the stolen object, for example, and it therefore cannot be returned. See Hilchos Gezeilah V'Aveidah 1:1.
6.Of the total payment, i.e. 1/4th of the value.
7.P71.
8.16a.
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
• Negative Commandment 245 (Digest)
Robbery
"Do not commit robbery"—Leviticus 19:13.
It is forbidden to rob, i.e., to unlawfully appropriate another's possessions through use of brute force or coercion [as opposed to theft – a prohibition in its own right – that is accomplished stealthily].
The 245th prohibition is that we are forbidden from committing robbery, i.e. taking something which isn't ours by open force and violence.
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "Lo sigzol" ["You may not commit robbery"] — as explained in the Oral Tradition,2 "The phrase 'Lo sigzol' is similar to 'Vayigzol [and he forcibly grabbed] the spear from the Egyptian's hand.' "3
This prohibition is a lav she'nitak l'aseh (a prohibition with a remedial positive commandment), i.e. the verse,4 "He must return the article that he stole." However, even if he nullified the positive commandment,5 he still does not receive lashes [unlike the regular lav she'nitak l'aseh] because a person cannot be penalized both by repayment and lashes.
[He must anyway repay] because it is a lav shenitan l'tashlumin (a prohibition that can be repaid): if he burned the object or threw it into the sea, he must pay back the value. If he denied stealing the object and swore falsely to that effect, he must pay back an additional fifth6 and bring a guilt-offering, as explained in the proper place.7 This is also explained in the end of tractate Makkos.8
The details of this mitzvah are explained in the 9th and 10th chapters of tractate Bava Kama.
Rabbi Berel Bell is a well-known educator, author and lecturer. He and his family reside in Montreal, Canada.
From "Sefer Hamitzvot in English," published by Sichos in English.
FOOTNOTES
1.Lev. 19:13.
2.Bava Kama 79b.
3.Shmuel II, 23:21.
4.Lev. 5:23.
5.If he destroyed the stolen object, for example, and it therefore cannot be returned. See Hilchos Gezeilah V'Aveidah 1:1.
6.Of the total payment, i.e. 1/4th of the value.
7.P71.
8.16a.
• Rambam - 1 Chapter a Day
Tum'at Met - Chapter 9
• Tum'at Met - Chapter 9
Tum'at Met - Chapter 9
• Tum'at Met - Chapter 9
1
When a person was digging in a field and he found many corpses in a one pit, one on top of the other or one next to the other, or he found the bodies of people who were slain, or he found a corpse sitting or with its head between its knees, he need not be concerned that perhaps this was a cemetery. Instead he should take the corpses and all the soft earth beneath it and then dig down three fingerbreadths He should then take all of this away. The remainder of the field is considered as pure just as it was before the corpse was discovered. This earth and the three fingerbreadths of virgin soil is called the tevusah of the corpse.
א
מי שהיה חופר בשדה ומצא מתים רבים בגומא אחת זה על גב זה או זה בצד זה או שמצא הרוגים או שמצא מת יושב או ראשו בין ברכיו אינו חושש שמא מקום זה בית הקברות היה אלא נוטל המת שמצא ונוטל כל העפר התיחוח שתחתיו וחופר בבתולת קרקע שלש אצבעות ומוציא הכל ושאר השדה בחזקת טהרה כשהיתה קודם שימצא ועפר זה עם שלש אצבעות שחופר הוא הנקרא תבוסת המת:
2-3
When the bodies of slain corpses are found in a field, one should collect all the bones from the field and then, it is pure. Similarly, when one disinters a corpse from a grave in his field, he should gather all the bones one by one and then it is pure. one should gather all the bones one by one and then it is pure. Similarly, if he discovered two corpses buried in an ordinary manner, he should remove both of them and the earth of theirtevusah, and the entire field is pure. More stringent laws apply when one finds three corpses, each one lying in the manner in which corpses are usually buried. If there are between four and eight cubits between one grave and the other - i.e., the space for a bier and the buriers - it is necessary to check an additional twenty cubits - i.e., the space for two burial crypts and the open space between them from the last grave. If he does not find another corpse in this space, those twenty cubits that he checked are pure, even though they are in an area close to graves.
If he finds another corpse at the end of the 20 cubit area, it is necessary to check another twenty cubits from it, for there is a basis for the assumption that other graves will be found.
If one of the corpses that was found originally or ultimately had been slain, was sitting, or lying in an unordinary manner, e.g., its head was between its knees, it is not necessary to check another twenty cubits. Instead, one must merely remove the remains of the corpse and its tevusah, The rationale is that we operate on the presumption that the corpses are of gentiles.
ב
שדה שנהרגו בו הרוגים מלקט כל העצמות שבה והרי היא טהורה וכן המפנה קברו מתוך שדהו מלקט כל העצמות עצם עצם והרי היא טהורה וכן בור שמטילים בתוכו נפלים או הרוגים מלקט כל העצמות שבו עצם עצם והרי הוא טהור:
4
The laws governing the impurity of graves do not apply to those of gentiles since the impurity of ohel does not apply with regard to them. One who touches their graves is pure unless he touches the corpse itself or carries it.
ד
העכו"ם אין להם טומאת קברות הואיל ואינן מטמאין באהל הרי הנוגע בקברן טהור עד שיגע בעצמה של טומאה או ישאנה:
5
When a corpse is lacking a limb or an organ that, were it to be removed from a living person, he would die, there is no requirement to remove the tevusah, nor is there an obligation to check the area around the grave. When corpses are found lying openly on the surface of a field, there is no requirement to remove the tevusah, nor is there an obligation to check the area around the grave. Instead, one should merely gather bone after bone, and the area is pure.
When a corpse is buried without permission of the owner of the field, there is a requirement to remove the tevusah, but there is no obligation to check the area around the grave.
ה
מת שחסר אבר שאם ינטל מן החי ימות אין לו תבוסה ולא שכונת קברות ומתים הנמצאים גלויים על פני השדה אין להם שכונת קברות ולא תבוסה אלא מלקט עצם עצם והכל טהור והנקבר שלא ברשות יש לו תבוסה ואין לו שכונת קברות:
6
When one finds three corpses buried in an ordinary manner at the outset, three hollows in the wall of a cave, or a hollow, a grave, and a crypt, it is considered as a burial area.
If one finds two and the existence of one had been known previously, there is a requirement to remove the tevusah, but there is no obligation to check the area around the grave. The rationale is that a grave whose existence is known does not cause a place to be considered as a burial area. It was said only that when one finds three graves at the outset, then an inspection is required.
How should the inspection of the twenty cubits mentioned be carried out? One should dig until he reaches a rock or virgin earth, i.e., earth that appears that it has never been tilled. If one dug even 100 cubits deep and discovered earth that was plowed, the original requirement remains and one must dig deeper until he reaches virgin earth. If one reaches water, it is as if he reached virgin earth.
ו
אחד המוצא שלשה מתים כדרכן בתחלה או שמצא שלשה כוכין או כוך ונקיע ומערה הרי זו שכונת קברות מצא שנים ואחד היה ידוע יש להם תבוסה ואין להם שכונת קברות שהקבר הידוע אינו עושה שכונה ולא אמרו אלא המוצא שלשה בתחלה הוא שצריך בדיקה כיצד בודק העשרים אמה שאמרנו חופר עד שהוא מגיע לסלע או לבתולה והיא הקרקע שנראית שאינה עבודה העמיק אפילו מאה אמה ומצא חרש הרי זו כבתחילה וצריך להעמיק עד שיגיע לבתולה הגיע למים הרי זו כבתולה:
7
When making this inspection, a person does not have to dig a trench extending from the beginning of the twenty cubits until their end. Instead, it is sufficient for him to dig a trench one cubit by one cubit, leave a cubit as is, and dig another cubit by cubit trench, continuing this pattern until the end. The rationale is that there is never less than a cubit between one grave and another.
ז
אינו צריך לחפור תלם אחד מתחלת העשרים עד סופן אלא חופר אמה על אמה ומניח אמה וחופר אמה על אמה ומניח אמה וכן עד סופן שאין בין קבר לקבר פחות מאמה:
8
If while one was checking, within the twenty cubits, he reached a river, an irrigation channel, or a public thoroughfare, he should cease. There is no need to search further, because the burial area has been interrupted.
ח
היה בודק והגיע בתוך העשרים לנהר או לשלולית או לדרך הרבים יפסיק ואינו צריך לבדוק שהרי נפסקה שכונת הקברות:
9
The person who removes the earth which is searched is considered as pure unless impurity is discovered in the place which was dug up. Before it is discovered, he may partake ofterumah.
One who is digging up a landslide may not partake of terumah, for it is certain that there are corpses under the landslide. It is only that he is not aware of their location.
ט
המוצא עפר זה של בדיקה טהור אא"כ מצא טומאה במקום שחפר אבל קודם שימצא אוכל בתרומה והמפקח בגל אינו אוכל בתרומה שהרי יודע ודאי שהמתים שם תחת הגל אלא שאינו מכיר מקומן:
10
The following laws apply when an impure landslide becomes intermingled with two pure landslides. If one inspected one of them and found it to be pure, it is considered pure and the others impure. If he inspected two of them and found them to be pure, they are considered pure and the other impure. If he inspected all three and found them to be pure, they are all presumed to be impure until he inspects the three of them to the extent that he reaches a stone or virgin earth and discovers all three to be pure.
י
גל טמא שנתערב בשני גלין טהורין בדק אחד מהן ומצאו טהור הוא טהור והשנים טמאין בדק שנים ונמצאו טהורים הן טהורים והשלישי בחזקת טמא בדק שלשתן ומצא טהור כולן בחזקת טומאה עד שיבדוק שלשתן עד שיגיע לסלע או לבתולה ויהיו שלשתן טהורין:
11
When there is a pit into which miscarried fetuses are cast, one who stands over it is impure according to Scriptural Law. Although moles and hyenas are found there, a mere possibility does not change the definitive ruling based on prior conditions. If, however, a woman cast a miscarried fetus there and it was not determined whether she miscarried something which imparts impurity or not, since there are moles and hyenas there, the multiple doubts cause the place to be deemed pure.
יא
בור שמטילין לתוכו נפלים המאהיל עליו טמא דין תורה אף ע"פ שחולדה וברדלס מצויין שם אין ספק מוציא מידי ודאי אבל אם הפילה שם אשה נפל ואין ידוע אם הפילה דבר המטמא או לא הפילה הואיל וחולדה וברדלס מצויין שם הרי ספקו טהור:
12
It is well known that all these and other similar instances which are ruled impure although there is a doubt involved are Rabbinic safeguards. According to Scriptural Law, only one who has definitely contracted impurity is deemed impure. All stringencies stemming from doubt, whether with regard to ritual impurity, forbidden foods, forbidden intimate relations, or the observance of the Sabbath, are only Rabbinic in origin, as we explained in Hilchot Issurei Bi'ah and in other places. Nevertheless, when there is a situation where one would be liable for karet for an intentional violation, it is forbidden by Scriptural Law to act in a manner that allows for the possibility that one committed such a violation, as evidenced by the fact that one who performs such an act is obligated to bring a provisional guilt-offering, as stated inHilchot Shegagot.
יב
דבר ידוע שכל אלו הטומאות וכיוצא בהן שהן משום ספק הרי הן של דבריהן ואין טמא מן התורה אלא מי שנטמא טומאת ודאי אבל כל הספיקות בין בטומאות בין במאכלו' אסורות בין בעריות ושבתות אין להם אלא מדברי סופרים [ואע"פ כן דבר שחייבין על זדונו כרת ספיקו אסור מן התורה שהרי העושה אותו חייב אשם תלוי] כמו שביארנו בהלכות איסורי ביאה ובכמה מקומות:
• Rambam - 3 Chapters a Day
Gezelah va'Avedah - Chapter One, Gezelah va'Avedah - Chapter Two, Gezelah va'Avedah - Chapter Three
Gezelah va'Avedah - Chapter One, Gezelah va'Avedah - Chapter Two, Gezelah va'Avedah - Chapter Three
• Gezelah va'Avedah - Chapter One
[This text] contains seven mitzvot: two positive commandments and five negative commandments. They are:
1) Not to rob;
2) Not to withhold money due a colleague;
3) Not to covet [what belongs to a colleague];
4) Not to desire [what belongs to a colleague];
5) To return an article obtained by robbery;
6) Not to ignore a lost article;
7) To return a lost article.
These mitzvot are explained in the chapters [that follow].
1) Not to rob;
2) Not to withhold money due a colleague;
3) Not to covet [what belongs to a colleague];
4) Not to desire [what belongs to a colleague];
5) To return an article obtained by robbery;
6) Not to ignore a lost article;
7) To return a lost article.
These mitzvot are explained in the chapters [that follow].
1
Whoever robs an object worth a p'rutah from a colleague transgresses a negative commandment, as Leviticus 19:13states: "Do not rob."
Violation of this negative commandment is not punished by lashes, because it can be corrected by the fulfillment of a positive commandment. For if a person robs, he is obligated to return what he obtained by robbery, as ibid. 5:23 states: "And he shall return the article he obtained by robbery." This is a positive commandment.
Even if the robber burned the object that he obtained by robbery, he is not punished by lashing, because he remains obligated to pay its value. And whenever the transgression of a negative commandment results in a financial penalty, it is not punished by lashing.
א
כל הגוזל את חבירו שוה פרוטה עובר בלא תעשה שנאמר לא תגזול. אין לוקין על לאו זה שהרי הכתוב נתקו לעשה שאם גזל א חייב להחזיר שנאמר והשיב את הגזלה אשר גזל זו מצות עשה. ב ואפילו שרף הגזלה אינו לוקה שהרי הוא חייב לשלם דמיה וכל לאו שניתן לתשלומין אין לוקין עליו:
2
It is forbidden to rob even the slightest amount.
It is forbidden even to rob or to withhold money from a gentile who worships idols. If one robs or withholds money from such a person, one must return it.
ב
ואסור לגזול כל שהוא דין תורה אפילו עכו"ם [א] אסור לגזלו או לעשקו. ואם גזלו או עשקו יחזיר:
3
What is meant by a robber? A person who takes by force property belonging to a colleague. For example, a person who seizes movable property from a colleague's hand, who enters a colleague's domain and takes utensils against his colleague's will, who seizes a colleague's servants or livestock and makes use of them, or who enters a colleague's field and eats his produce. These and any similar acts are considered robbery, as reflected byII Samuel 23:21, which states: "And he robbed the spear from the Egyptian."
ג
אי זהו גוזל זה הלוקח ממון האדם בחזקה כגון שחטף מידו מטלטלין או שנכנס לרשותו שלא ברצון הבעלים ונטל משם כלים. או שתקף בעבדו ובבהמתו ונשתמש בהן. או שירד לתוך שדהו ואכל פירותיה וכל כיוצא בזה הוא גוזל. כענין שנאמר ויגזול את החנית מיד המצרי:
4
What is meant by withholding a colleague's due? It refers to a person who was given money willingly by a colleague and then, when it was demanded of him, he forcefully maintained possession of it and refused to return it. For example, a person was given a loan or had hired a colleague, and when payment was demanded he forcefully refused to pay. Concerning this we were commanded, Leviticus 19:13: "Do not withhold money from your colleague."
ד
[ב] אי זהו עושק ד זה שבא ממון חבירו לתוך ידו ברצון הבעלים וכיון שתבעוהו כבש הממון אצלו בחזקה ולא החזירו. כגון שהיה לו ביד חבירו הלואה או שכירות והוא תובעו ואינו יכול להוציא ממנו מפני שהוא אלם וקשה. ועל זה נאמר לא תעשוק את רעך:
5
Whoever robs is obligated to return the article that he obtained by robbery itself, as it is written: "And he shall return the article he obtained by robbery." If this article was lost or underwent a change, the robber must pay its value. Whether he admits the robbery himself, or witnesses come and testify that he committed robbery, he is required to pay only the principal that he obtained by robbery.
Even if a person robbed a beam and used it in building a house, Scriptural Law requires that he tear down the entire building and return the beam to its owner, for the beam remained unchanged. Nevertheless, to encourage robbers to repent, our Sages ordained that the robber pay the worth of the beam and did not require him to destroy his building. The same applies in all similar situations.
Even if a person robbed a beam and used it in building a sukkahon Sukkot, and the owner came and demanded the return of the beam in the midst of the festival, the robber is required to pay only its value. After the conclusion of the festival, however, since the beam remains unchanged and it was not permanently affixed with mortar, the robber must return the beam itself.
ה
כל הגוזל חייב להחזיר הגזלה עצמה שנאמר והשיב את הגזלה אשר גזל. ואם אבדה או נשתנית משלם דמיה. בין שהודה מפי עצמו בין שבאו עליו עדים שגזל הרי זה חייב לשלם הקרן בלבד. אפילו גזל קורה ה ובנאה בבירה הואיל ולא נשתנית דין תורה הוא שיהרוס את כל הבנין ויחזיר קורה לבעליה. אבל תקנו חכמים מפני תקנת השבים שיהיה נותן את דמיה ולא יפסיד הבנין וכן כל כיוצא בזה. אפילו גזל קורה ועשאה בסוכת החג ובא בעל הקורה לתובעה בתוך החג נותן לו את דמיה. אבל אחר החג הואיל ולא נשתנית ולא בנאה בטיט מחזיר את הקורה עצמה:
6
When a person robs something worth less than a p'rutah, although he has committed a transgression, he is not required to return the article he obtained by robbery.
If a person robbed three bundles of vegetables or of branches that were originally worth three p'rutot, and their value decreased so that the three are now worth only two p'rutot, it is not sufficient for him to return two bundles. He is obligated to return the third, for it was originally worth a p'rutah.
If the person robbed two items together worth a p'rutah and returned one of them, he is not considered to possess an article that was robbed, nor has he an obligation to return the item that was robbed.
ו
הגוזל פחות משוה פרוטה [ג] אע"פ שעבר אינו בתורת השבת גזלה. גזל שלש אגודות שוות שלש פרוטות והוזלו והרי שלשתן שוות שתי פרוטות והחזיר לו שתים חייב להחזיר השלישית הואיל ובתחלה היתה שוה פרוטה. גזל שתים שוות פרוטה והחזיר אחת גזלה אין כאן מצות השבת גזלה אין כאן:
7
When a person robs from a colleague in a settled region, and in the desert offers to return the article that he obtained by robbery, the option is given to the person who was robbed. If he desires, he may take his article. If not, he may tell the robber: "I will accept the return of the article only in a settled region, lest it be taken from me here by powers beyond my control."
In such an instance, the article remains the responsibility of the robber until he returns it to the person in a settled region. The same principles apply with regard to payment for a robbed article.
ז
הגוזל את חבירו א בישוב והחזיר לו גזלתו במדבר [ד] הרשות ביד הנגזל אם רצה נוטל ואם לאו אומר לו איני נוטל אלא בישוב שמא תאנס ממני כאן והרי היא ברשות הגזלן ובאחריותו עד שיחזירנה לו בישוב וכן בדמי הגזלה:
8
When a person robs money from a colleague and returns it by including it in change he returns to the person whom he robbed, he fulfills the obligation of returning the article he obtained by robbery.
Moreover, even if the robber returned the money to a wallet belonging to the owner that contains money, he fulfills his obligation, because a person usually checks his wallet at all times, and the owner will count the money that was returned together with his money. The rationale is that an accounting that is made without the owner's having been informed of the money's return is sufficient.
If the robber returned the money that he obtained by robbery to a wallet that is empty, he does not fulfill his obligation. He remains responsible for the money he obtained by robbery] until he informs the owner that he returned the money to that particular wallet.
ח
הגוזל את חבירו והבליע לו בחשבון יצא. ואם החזיר לכיסו שיש בו מעות יצא שאדם עשוי למשמש בכיסו בכל שעה והרי מנה המעות שהחזיר לו בכלל מעותיו ומנין שלא מדעת פוטר. ואם החזיר לכיס שאין בו כלום לא יצא וחייב באחריות הגזלה עד שיודיעו שהחזיר לכיס פלוני:
9
Anyone who covets a servant, a maidservant, a house or utensils that belong to a colleague, or any other article that he can purchase from him and pressures him with friends and requests until he agrees to sell it to him, violates a negative commandment,even though he pays much money for it, as Exodus 20:14 states: "Do not covet."
The violation of this commandment is not punished by lashes, because it does not involve a deed. One does not violate this commandment until one actually takes the article he covets, as reflected by Deuteronomy 7:25: "Do not covet the gold and silver on these statues and take it for yourself." Implied is that the Hebrew tachmod refers to coveting accompanied by a deed.
ט
כל החומד עבדו או אמתו או ביתו וכליו של חבירו או דבר שאפשר לו שיקנהו ממנו והכביר עליו ברעים והפציר בו עד שלקחו ממנו אף על פי שנתן לו
10
Anyone who desires a home, a wife, utensils, or anything else belonging to a colleague that he can acquire from him, violates a negative commandment at the time he thinks in his heart, "How is it possible to acquire this from him?" and his heart is aroused by the matter, as Deuteronomy 5:18 states: "Do not desire...." Desire refers to feelings in the heart alone.
י
כל המתאוה ביתו או אשתו וכליו של חבירו וכן כל כיוצא בהן משאר דברים שאפשר לו לקנותן ממנו. כיון שחשב בלבו היאך יקנה דבר זה ונפתה בלבו בדבר עבר בלא תעשה שנאמר לא תתאוה ואין תאוה אלא בלב בלבד:
11
Desire leads to coveting and coveting leads to robbery.For if the owners do not desire to sell despite the offer of much money and many supplications by friends, the person motivated by desire will be moved to robbery, as Michah 2:2 states: "They coveted houses and stole."
And if the owner stands up against them to save his property, or in another way prevents the person motivated by desire from robbing, he will be moved to murder. Take, for example, the narrative of Ach'av and Navot.
יא
התאוה מביאה לידי חימוד והחימוד מביא לידי גזל. שאם לא רצו הבעלים למכור אע"פ שהרבה להם בדמים והפציר ברעים יבא לידי גזל שנאמר וחמדו בתים וגזלו. ואם עמדו הבעלים בפניו להציל ממונם או מנעוהו מלגזול יבא לידי שפיכות דמים. צא ולמד ממעשה אחאב ונבות:
12
Thus, we see see that a person who desires another person's property violates one negative commandment. One who purchases an object he desires after pressuring the owners and repeatedly asking them, violates two negative commandments. For that reason, the Torah prohibits both desiring and coveting. If he takes the article by robbery, he violates three negative commandments.
יב
הא למדת שהמתאוה עובר בלאו אחד והקונה דבר שהתאוה בהפצר שהפציר בבעלים או בבקשה מהן עובר בשני [ו] לאוין לכך נאמר לא תחמוד ולא תתאוה. ואם גזל עבר בשלשה לאוין:
13
Whenever a person robs a colleague of even a p'rutah'sworth, he is considered as if he took his very soul, asProverbs 1:19 states: "Such are the ways of those who are greedy. They take away the soul of the owner."
Notwithstanding the severity of this sin, if the article that was taken by robbery no longer exists, and a robber seeks to repent and comes of his own volition to return the value of the article he obtained by robbery, our Sages ordained that one should not accept it. Instead, the robber should be helped and forgiven, to make the path of repentance more accessible to those who wish to return. Our Sages did not look favorably on anyone who accepts payment for an article that was taken from him through robbery.
יג
כל הגוזל את חבירו שוה פרוטה כאילו נוטל נשמתו ממנו שנאמר כן ארחות כל בוצע בצע את נפש וגו'. ואעפ"כ אם לא היתה הגזלה קיימת ורצה הגזלן [ז] לעשות תשובה ובא מאליו והחזיר דמי הגזלה. תקנת חכמים היא שאין מקבלין ממנו אלא עוזרין אותו ומוחלין לו כדי לקרב הדרך הישרה על השבים. וכל המקבל ממנו דמי הגזלה אין רוח חכמים נוחה ממנו:
Gezelah va'Avedah - Chapter Two
1
When an object taken by robbery remains unchanged, it itself must be returned to its original owner. This applies even when the owner has despaired of its return, and even when the robber himself has died, and the article is in his children's possession.
If, however, the article underwent a change while in the robber's possession the robber acquires it because of the change and is required to pay its value at the time of the robbery. This applies even when the owners have not despaired of its recovery.
א
הגזלה שלא נשתנית אלא הרי היא כמו שהיתה אע"פ שנתייאשו ב הבעלים ממנה ואע"פ שמת הגזלן והרי היא ביד בניו הרי זו חוזרת לבעליה [א] בעצמה. ואם נשתנית ביד הגזלן אע"פ שעדיין לא נתייאשו הבעלים ממנה קנאה בשינוי ומשלם דמיה כשעת הגזלה:
2
This is the law as prescribed by the Torah, as Leviticus 5:23states: "And he shall return the object he obtained by robbery." The Oral Tradition interprets that verse to mean: If the object is still as it was at the time of the robbery, it should be returned. If it has undergone a change, he should pay its value.
If the owner despaired of its return, but it did not undergo a change, the robber acquires the right to its increase in value from the time the owner despaired. He is required to pay only the value of the article at the time of the robbery. This is also a Rabbinic ordinance to encourage repentance.
In such an instance, when he returns the object he obtained by robbery, the increase in value is evaluated, and the robber is paid for it by the person he robbed.
ב
ודין זה דין תורה הוא שנאמר והשיב את הגזלה אשר גזל. מפי השמועה למדו אם היא כשגזלה משלם אותה ואם נשתנית בידו משלם דמיה. נתייאשו הבעלים ממנה ולא נשתנית א קנה הגזלן כל השבח שהשביחה אחר יאוש ואינו משלם אלא כשעת הגזלה
3
If the robber sold the article obtained by robbery or gave it as a present and the owner despaired of its return, the purchaser is not required to return the article itself even though it did not undergo a change. Since the owner despaired of its return - regardless of whether that took place before the sale or afterwards - the purchaser acquires possession of it, because of the despair and because of the transfer from one domain to another.
ג
מכרה הגזלן או נתנה במתנה אע"פ שלא נשתנית הגזלה אינה חוזרת בעצמה מיד הלוקח הואיל ונתייאשו הבעלים בין לפני מכירה ונתינה בין לאחר מכירה ונתינה קנאה הלוקח ביאוש ושינוי רשות:
4
When a person obtains an article by robbery, causes it to increase in value, and then sells it or bequeaths it to another person, he bequeaths or sells the increase in value, and the purchaser or the heir acquires the right to this increase. Therefore, at the time of judgment, he should be reimbursed by the original owner for the increase in value, and then return to him the article obtained by robbery. The original owner may then collect the worth of the increase in value from the robber, for he did not despair of its return.
Similarly, if the purchaser or the heir caused the object to increase in value, the original owner should reimburse them for that increase.
ד
הגוזל והשביח ומכר או הוריש לפני יאוש מה שהשביח הוריש ומה שהשביח מכר וקנה לוקח או יורש את השבח ונוטל *דמי השבח מן הנגזל ומחזיר לו הגזלה וחוזר הנגזל ונוטל דמי השבח מן הגזלן שהרי לא נתייאש. וכן אם השביח הלוקח או היורש נוטל השבח ב מן הנגזל:
5
If the robber sold the object obtained by robbery to a gentile, and the gentile caused it to increase in value, at the time of judgment, the article and the increase must be returned to the original owner.
If the gentile sold it to a Jew after it increased in value, since the robber is a Jew and the person in possession of the article is a Jew, the purchaser is considered to have acquired the increase in value. If, however, the original owner seizes the increase in value without paying for it, it is not expropriated from his possession.
ה
מכר הגזלן לעכו"ם אע"פ שהשביח העכו"ם חוזרת לבעליה. מכרה העכו"ם לישראל אחר שהשביח הואיל והגזלן ישראל וזה שהיא בידו ישראל קנה השבח. ואם תפש הנגזל אין מוציאין מידו:
6
As explained, in order to encourage repentance our Sages ruled that when an article obtained by robbery increases in value after the owner despairs of its return or after it has undergone a change, the robber is entitled to the increase in value. This applies even when the change comes about as a matter of course.
What is implied? If a person obtained a cow by robbery and it became pregnant in his possession, whether or not it bore a calf before he was called to court because of the robbery - since the owner despaired of its return, he is required to pay only the value of the cow at the time of the robbery. Similarly, if he stole a sheep and it grew wool, whether he sheared it before he was called to court or it had not yet been shorn, he is required to pay only its value at the time of the robbery.
If it bore offspring or was shorn, the robber is entitled to the offspring or the shearings. If it had not borne offspring, nor was it shorn at that time, the animal's increase in value is evaluated and may be collected from the original owner. Then the animal itself is returned.
ו
כבר בארנו שהגזלה שהשביחה אחר יאוש או אחר שנשתנית השבח לגזלן מפני תקנת השבים אף על פי שהשביחה מאליה. כיצד גזל פרה ג ונתעברה אצלו בין שילדה קודם שתבעו בדין בין שעדיין לא ילדה [ב] גזל רחל ונטענה אצלו בין שגזזה קודם שתבעו בדין בין שעדיין לא גזזה הואיל ונתייאשו הבעלים משלם כשעת הגזלה. ואם ילדה וגזזה הגיזות והולדות של גזלן ואם עדיין לא ילדה ולא גזזה שמין לו ונוטל השבח מן הנגזל ומחזיר הבהמה עצמה:
7
If a person obtained a pregnant cow by robbery, the owner despaired of its return and then it bore offspring, or he obtained a sheep laden with wool by robbery, the owner despaired of its return and then it was shorn, the robber should pay the value of a cow ready to bear offspring and a sheep ready to be shorn.
If the animal bore offspring or was shorn before the owner despaired of its return, the shearings or the offspring belong to the original owner. This applies even if the animal became pregnant or grew wool while in the possession of the thief. Since the owner did not despair, and the animal did not undergo a change, the object obtained by robbery is still considered to belong to its original owner, although the robber is held responsible in cases of loss due to forces beyond his control.
ז
גזל פרה ד מעוברת ונתייאשו הבעלים ואחר כך ילדה. רחל טעונה ונתייאשו הבעלים ואחר כך גזזה. משלם דמי פרה העומדת לילד ודמי רחל העומדת ליגזז. ואם לפני יאוש או קודם שנשתנה ילדה או גזזה הרי הגיזות והולדות של בעלים. ואע"פ שנתעברה או נטענה ביד הגזלן הואיל ולא נתייאשו הבעלים ולא נשתנית הגזלה. ברשות בעליה היא עדיין אע"פ שהגזלן
8
If a person stole or obtained an animal by robbery and consecrated or slaughtered it after its owner despaired of its return, it is considered to be the thief's property only from the time he consecrated it. This was enacted so that the sinner will not profit. All its offspring and its shearings from the time that it was stolen until the time it was consecrated belong to its original owner.
ח
גנב או גזל והקדיש וטבח אחר שנתייאשו הבעלים הרי היא ברשות הגזלן משעה שהקדישה בלבד כדי שלא יהא חוטא נשכר וכל ולדותיה וגיזותיה משעת גניבה עד שעת
9
When does the above apply? To an increase in value that comes as a matter of course - e.g., an animal's shearing or its offspring. If, however, an animal was gaunt, and the robber fattened it, the robber may collect the increase in value due to the fattening from the original owner, even if it took place before the owner despaired. The same applies with regard to all instances where the increase in value comes about as a result of expense.
ט
במה דברים אמורים בשבח הבא מאליו כגון גיזות וולדות. אבל אם היתה כחושה ופטמה אפילו לפני יאוש נוטל מן הנגזל שבח הפטום. וכן כל כיוצא בזה משבח שיש בו הוצאה:
10
A change that can revert to its original state is not considered to be a change.
What is implied? When a person obtains boards by robbery and attaches them to each other with nails and makes a chest, this is not considered a change. For it is possible to separate them and make them simple boards, as they were previously.
י
שינוי החוזר לברייתו אינו שינוי. כיצד הגוזל עצים ודבקן במסמרים ועשה מהן תיבה אינו שינוי שהרי אפשר לפרקן וחוזרין לוחות כשהיו:
11
If a person obtained sand by robbery and made it into a brick, he does not acquire it, because one can crush the brick and return it to sand.
If he obtained a strip of metal by robbery and made it into a coin, he does not acquire it, because one can melt the coin and return it to a strip of metal, as it was beforehand. The same principles apply in other similar instances.
יא
גזל עפר ועשאהו לבינה לא קנה שאם ידוק הלבינה תחזור עפר כשהיתה. ג גזל לשון של מתכת ועשאהו מטבע לא קנה שאם יתיך המטבע יחזור לשון כשהיתה. וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
12
If, however, a person obtained boards by robbery and burned them, cut them or carved them, and in this way fashioned them into a utensil; he obtained wool by robbery and dyed it, spun it or whitened it; he obtained threads by robbery and made them into a garment; he obtained a brick by robbery and made it into dust; obtained stones by robbery and smoothed them; or he obtained coins by robbery and melted them - this is considered a change, for if he makes other coins - or similarly undoes the other changes mentioned above - they are considered to be new entities. The same principles apply in all similar situations.
יב
אבל הגוזל עצים ושרפן וקצצן או חקק בהן ועשאן כלים. או שגזל צמר וצבעו או נפצו ולבנו. או שגזל טווי ועשהו בגד. או שגזל לבינה ועשאה עפר או אבנים וסתתן או מעות והתיכן. הרי זה שינוי בידו שאם יעשם מעות אחרות פנים חדשות הן. וכן כל כיוצא בהן:
13
When a person robs old coins, polishes them and renews them, he is not considered to have acquired them, for they will age and return to their previous state. If, however, he obtains new coins by robbery and causes them to look old, he does acquire them. For if they were made to appear new again, that would be considered to be a new development.
A person who robs a date palm that is growing and cuts it down does not acquire it. This applies even if he cuts it into sections. If he makes it into boards, he does acquire it.
יג
הגוזל מעות ישנות ושפן וחדשן לא קנה שהרי מתיישנין וחוזרין כשהיו. גזל מעות חדשים וישנם קנה שאם יחדשם פנים חדשות הן. גזל דקל מחובר וקצצו לא קנה ואפילו כרתו חליות חליות. עשהו קורות קנה:
14
If a person obtains large beams by robbery and cuts them into small beams, he does not acquire them. If he cuts them into boards, causing them to be called by a different name, he does acquire them.
If one obtained a palm branch by robbery and separated its leaves, one acquires the leaves. If one obtained palm leaves by robbery and made them into a broom, one acquires the broom.
If one obtains a lamb by robbery and it becomes a ram, or one obtains a calf by robbery and it becomes an ox, it is considered to have undergone a change while in the robber's possession. Therefore, he is considered to have acquired it, and he is required to pay only the value of the article at the time of the robbery, despite the fact that the owner never despaired of the article's return.
יד
גזל קורות גדולות ועשאן קטנות לא קנה. עשאן לוחות עד שנשתנה שמם קנה. גזל לולב והפריד עליו קנה העלים. גזל עלים ועשאן חופייה קנה. גזל טלה ונעשה איל עגל ונעשה שור הרי זה שינוי בידו וקנהו ומשלם כשעת הגזלה. ואף על פי שלא נתייאשו הבעלים:
15
If a person obtains a utensil by robbery and breaks it, we do not evaluate its depreciation. Instead, the robber is obligated to pay its worth, and he is given the broken utensil.
If, however, the original owner desires to take the broken utensil, he is granted it, and the robber must pay for its depreciation. This ordinance was instituted for the sake of the owner, and if he does not desire it, he is granted that prerogative. Similar principles apply in other analogous situations.
טו
גזל כלי ושברו אין שמין לו הפחת [ג] אלא משלם דמיו והכלי השבור של גזלן. ואם רצו הבעלים ליטול הכלי השבור נוטלין ומשלם הפחת. שזו תקנה היא לבעלים ואם לא רצו הרשות בידן וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
16
When an object obtained by robbery does not undergo a change, but its value increases, it itself must be returned to its original owner, and the robber is not entitled to anything. This applies even if the owner has despaired of its return.
For the Sages granted the robber only the increase in value after the owner despaired of the object's return, in instances like the shearing of wool and the offspring. He is not, however, granted any increase in value that comes from the rise in article's worth when it is returned intact to its owner.
טז
גזלה שלא נשתנית והוקרה אף על פי שנתייאשו הבעלים ממנה הרי זו חוזרת לבעלים ואין לגזלן בה כלום. שלא תקנו לגזלן את השבח אחר יאוש אלא כגון גיזות וולדות אבל שבח היוקר אם היתה הגזלה חוזרת בעיניה אינו זוכה בה:
Gezelah va'Avedah - Chapter Three
1
The following rules apply when a person robs a jug of wine from a colleague that was worth a dinar at the time of the robbery and increased in value while in the robber's possession until it was worth four dinarim. If he broke the jug, drank its contents, sold it or gave it away as a present after it increased in value, he must pay four dinarim - its worth when it left his possession. The rationale is that if he had left it, he would have had to return it intact.
If it broke because of other causes or it was lost, the robber must pay only a dinar, its value at the time of the robbery.
א
הגוזל חבית של יין מחבירו והרי היא שוה דינר בשעת הגזלה והוקרה אצלו ועמדה [א] בארבעה. אם שבר החבית או שתה אותה או מכרה או נתנה במתנה אחר שהוקרה משלם ארבעה כשעת הוצאה מן העולם שאילו הניחה היתה חוזרת בעצמה. נשברה מאליה או אבדה משלם דינר כשעת הגזלה:
2
If it was worth four dinarim at the time of the robbery, but only one dinar when it left his possession, he must pay the fourdinarim it was worth at the time of the robbery. This applies whether he broke it or drank it, or whether it was broken or lost due to other causes. The same principles apply in other analogous situations.
ב
היתה שוה בשעת הגזלה ארבעה ובשעת הוצאה מן העולם דינר. משלם ארבעה כשעת הגזלה. בין ששברה או שתאה בין שנשברה או אבדה מאליה וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
3
The following rules apply when a person obtains by robbery a basket of five dates. If the entire basket were sold together it would cost nine coins, but if the dates were sold one by one they would be sold for ten. The robber is required to pay only nine. We do not heed the claim of the owner, who argues: "I would have sold them one by one."
Similar laws apply if a person damages a colleague's property or is required to reimburse him for a loss in a similar instance. This principle does not apply, however, with regard to property that is consecrated. In that instance, the robber must pay ten coins.
ג
הגוזל חותל שיש בו חמשים תמרים וכשימכר החותל כולו כאחת ימכר בתשעה וכשימכר אחת אחת ימכר בעשרה. אינו משלם אלא תשעה ואין הנגזל יכול לומר לו אני אחת אחת הייתי מוכר. וכן הדין במזיק וכן כל כיוצא בזה בנכסי הדיוט. אבל בהקדש אינו כן אלא משלם עשרה:
4
When a person obtains an animal by robbery and it becomes old, or it becomes weak and will never regain its strength - e.g., because of an illness for which there is no cure - a coin and it cracked or was disqualified by the ruling authorities, produce and the entire amount rotted, or wine and it became vinegar, he is considered to be a person who obtained a utensil by robbery and destroyed it, and he must pay the worth of the article obtained by robbery at the time of the robbery.
If, however, a person obtained animals by robbery and they became weaker, but their strength could be restored; servants and they became old; a coin and it was disqualified as currency by one country, but still accepted by another; produce of which a portion became rotten; terumah that became impure;leaven, and the festival of Passover was celebrated; or an animal that was used for the purposes of sin, became disqualified for sacrifice on the altar, or was condemned to be stoned to death; the robber may tell the original owner: "Here is your article," and return to him the article obtained by robbery.
ד
גזל בהמה והזקינה או כחשה כחש שאינו יכול לחזור כגון חלאים שאין להם רפואת תעלה. או שגזל מטבע ונסדק או פסלו המלך. או שגזל פירות והרקיבו כולן. או שגזל יין והחמיץ. הרי זה כמי שגזל כלי ושברו ומשלם כשעת הגזלה. אבל אם גזל בהמות וכחשו כחש שאפשר לחזור. או שגזל עבדים והזקינו. או שגזל מטבע ונפסל במדינה זו והרי היא יוצא במדינה אחרת. או שגזל פירות והרקיבו מקצתם. או תרומה ונטמאת. או שגזל חמץ ועבר עליו הפסח. או בהמה ונעברה בה עבירה. או נפסלה מליקרב. או שהיתה יוצאה להסקל. אומר לו הרי שלך לפניך ומחזיר אותה בעצמה:
5
When does the above apply? When the article obtained by robbery is itself returned. If, however, the article obtained by robbery was burned or lost after benefiting from it became forbidden, the robber must pay its value at the time of the robbery.
Based on this rationale, if the robber denied possession of the article after deriving benefit from it became forbidden, and affirmed his denial with an oath, he is liable to pay the principal and an additional fifth of its value, and bring a guilt offering.
ה
במה דברים אמורים כשהחזיר הגזלה. אבל אם נשרפה הגזלה או אבדה אחר שנאסרה בהנאה חייב להחזיר לו דמיה כשעת הגזלה. לפיכך אם כפר בו אחר שנאסרה בהנאה ונשבע חייב לשלם א קרן
6
When a person obtains an animal by robbery and uses it to transport a burden, rides on it, plows or threshes with it or the like, and then returns it to its owner, he violates the commandment against robbery. Nevertheless, he is not liable for any payment, for he did not cause the animal any injury or weakness.
If, however, this person becomes habituated to robbing, withholding property or performing such acts time after time, he should be penalized. This applies even in the diaspora. The court should evaluate the wage or the increase in value that he earned with the animal, and that amount should be paid to the person whose property was taken.
ו
הגוזל בהמה ונשא עליה משא או רכב עליה או חרש או דש בה וכיוצא בזה והחזיר לבעליה אע"פ שעבר בלא תעשה אינו חייב לשלם כלום שהרי לא הפסידה ולא הכחישה. ואם הוחזק אדם זה לגזול או לעשוק או לעשות מעשים אלו פעם אחר פעם קונסין אותו ואפילו [ב] בחוצה לארץ. ושמין השכר או השבח שהשביח בבהמה ומשלם לנגזל:
7
When a person seizes a servant belonging to a colleague and causes him to perform labor, but does not prevent him from performing work for his master, he is not liable. The rationale is that a person is happy that his servants do not go idle. If, however, this prevents him from performing work for his master, the person who seized the servant must pay the master the wages of the servant, as if he were a hired worker.
ז
התוקף עבדו של חבירו ועשה בו מלאכה ולא בטלו ממלאכה אחרת פטור שנוח לו לאדם שלא יבטל עבדו. ואם ביטלו ממלאכה אחרת משלם לו ב כפועל:
8
The following laws apply when a person seizes a boat belonging to a colleague and performs work with it. If the boat is not generally hired out, the damage to the boat should be evaluated and must be paid.
If the boat is generally hired out there are two guidelines that apply. If the person took the boat with the intent of renting it, since the owner did not grant his permission, the owner has the option. He may collect the wage usually paid or he may collect payment for the damage to the boat.
If the person took the boat as robbery, he must pay for the damages. Similar principles apply in all like situations.
ח
התוקף ספינתו של חבירו ועשה בה מלאכה אם אינה עשויה לשכר שמין כמה פחתה ומשלם. ואם היא עשויה לשכר אם ירד לה בתורת שכירות הואיל וירד שלא ברשות אם רצה הבעל ליטול שכרה נוטל רצה ליטול פחתה נוטל. ואם ירד לה בתורת גזל נותן הפחת וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
9
The following rules apply when a person dwells in a courtyard belonging to a colleague without notifying him. If the courtyard is not usually rented out, he is not required to pay him rent. This applies even if the person who dwells within generally rents a dwelling, for one person is benefiting and the other is not suffering a loss.
If the courtyard is generally rented out, the person who dwells within must pay rent even though he does not usually rent a dwelling, because he is causing the owner a loss of income.
ט
הדר בחצר חבירו שלא מדעתו. אם אותה חצר אינה עשויה לשכר אינו צריך [ג] להעלות לו שכר. אע"פ שדרך זה הדר לשכור מקום לעצמו. שזה נהנה וזה [ד] אינו חסר. ואם החצר עשויה לשכר אע"פ שאין דרך זה לשכור [ה] צריך להעלות לו שכר שהרי חסרו ממון:
10
When a person owned wool that he was dyeing in a vat, and another person came and added other dyes without the consent of the owner, the latter must pay the owner of the wool for the decline in the value of the wool he caused. This payment does not include the value of the dye the owner used for the wool.If the person whose property was damaged seizes the value of dye that he lost, that money should not be expropriated from him.
י
מי שהיה לו
11
A person who without the owner's consent takes an object entrusted to him for safekeeping to use for his private purposes in a way that will diminish it, or to take as his own is judged as a robber. This applies whether he takes the article himself, or it is taken for him by his son, his servant or his agent.
The person who takes the article is liable for it if it is destroyed by forces beyond his control, and the object that he took is considered to be within his domain according to the laws that govern all robbers.
A watchman who decides to take an entrusted article for his private purposes is not held responsible for it until he actually takes it. When, however, he takes the article from one place to another in his domain in order to take it for his private purposes, he is liable although he did not take any portion of the entrusted article. For the watchman becomes responsible in such an instance even when the entrusted article remains intact.
יא
השולח יד בפקדון בין ששלח יד בעצמו או על יד בנו ועבדו ושלוחו הרי זה גזלן ונתחייב באונסיו. ונעשית הגזלה ברשותו כדין כל הגזלנים. חשב [ו] לשלוח יד בפקדון אינו חייב באחריותו [ז] עד שישלח יד. ומששלח יד נתחייב בו אע"פ שלא חסר ממנו כלום. אלא נטל הפקדון ממקום למקום ברשותו כדי לשלוח בו יד הרי זה חייב ששליחות יד [ח] אינה צריכה חסרון:
12
As soon as the watchman lifts up the jug to take a revi'it of wine, he is liable for it in the event of its destruction by forces beyond his control, even though he has not taken it.
If, however, he lifts up a wallet containing many coins to take onedinar, there is a doubt whether he is liable for the entire wallet if it is destroyed by forces beyond his control, or he is liable only for the one dinar. Similar laws apply with regard to other instances where a container holds several discrete entities.
יב
הגביה את ג החבית ליטול ממנה רביעית נתחייב באונסיה אע"פ שלא נטל. אבל אם
13
When produce was entrusted to a person for safekeeping and he took a portion of it as his own, he is responsible only for the produce that he actually took. The produce remaining in its place remains the property of the original owner. If, however, the entire produce becomes spoiled because of the amount that he took, he is liable for the entire amount.
What is implied? If the watchman tilted a jug while it remained in its place and removed a revi'it or more, and then the jug was broken afterwards, the watchman is liable only for the amount that he took, for he did not lift up the jug. If the wine turned into vinegar, he must pay the value of the entire jug at the time he took it. Similar principles apply in all like situations.
יג
היו פירות מופקדין אצלו ונטל מקצתן אינו חייב אלא באחריות הפירות שנטל ושאר הפקדון המונח במקומו ברשות בעליו הוא ואם נפסד השאר מחמת זה שנטל חייב בכל. כיצד הטה את החבית במקומה ונטל ממנה רביעית או יתר אם נשברה אחר שנטל והיא במקומה אינו חייב אלא כמה שנטל שהרי לא הגביה החבית. ואם החמיצה משלם את דמי כולה כשעת הגזלה. וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
14
When a person denies in court having been given an object entrusted to him for safekeeping, he is considered to be a robber if the object was in his possession at the time of his denial. He is liable for the article if it is destroyed by factors beyond his control.
יד
הכופר בפקדון בבית דין. אם היה [ט] ברשותו בשעת שכפר נעשה עליו גזלן וחייב באונסו:
15
A person who borrows an object without the consent of its owner is considered to be a robber.
If a utensil was in the hands of a person's son or servant and another person took it from him and used it, he is considered to have borrowed the object without the consent of its owner. The article is considered to have entered his domain, and he is responsible for it in the event of its destruction by forces beyond his control until he returns it to the owner.
Therefore, if he returns it to the minor or to the servant who was holding it beforehand, and then it is lost or stolen, the borrower is liable. Similar principles apply in all like situations.
טו
השואל שלא מדעת הבעלים הרי זה גזלן. היה כלי ביד בנו של בעל הבית או ביד עבדו ולקחו אחד מהן ונשתמש בו הרי זה שואל שלא מדעת ונעשה ברשותו ונתחייב באונסיו עד שיחזירנו לבעלים. לפיכך אם החזירו לקטן שהיה בידו או לעבד ואבד מהן או נשבר חייב [י] לשלם. וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
16
When a person seizes collateral from a debtor without receiving license from the court, he is considered to be a robber, despite the debt that he is owed. Needless to say, if he enters the debtor's home and seizes collateral, he is considered to be a robber, for Deuteronomy 24:11 explicitly states: "Stand outside and the man who owes the debt to you will bring the security out to you."
טז
החוטף משכון מיד הלוה שלא ברשות [כ] בית דין הרי זה גזלן אע"פ שהוא חייב לו. ואין צריך לומר אם נכנס לתוך בית חבירו ומשכנו שהוא גזלן שנאמר בחוץ תעמוד:
Hayom Yom: Today's Hayom Yom
• Monday, 19 Tammuz, 5776 · 25 July 2016
• "Today's Day"
• Thursday Tamuz 19 5703
Torah lessons: Chumash: Pinchas, Chamishi with Rashi.
Tehillim: 90-96.
Tanya: The key will (p. 355) ...vivifying soul... (p. 357).
A practice of my father's: When travelling, even when spending months in one place, he would recite t'filat haderech, the prayer for travellers (p. 86) daily after davening, omitting G‑d's name in the conclusion.
• Daily Thought:
Unconditional Love
From a letter:
Even if all your complaints about your spouse are well-founded and valid
—show her your love, nevertheless. Show her unconditional love.
It is said that all our exile is due to the sin of senseless, unwarranted hatred.
When each one of us will start with unwarranted, unconditional love in our own domain, from there it will spread to all else that we do, and from there to the entire world, speedily in our days, Amen.
Torah lessons: Chumash: Pinchas, Chamishi with Rashi.
Tehillim: 90-96.
Tanya: The key will (p. 355) ...vivifying soul... (p. 357).
A practice of my father's: When travelling, even when spending months in one place, he would recite t'filat haderech, the prayer for travellers (p. 86) daily after davening, omitting G‑d's name in the conclusion.
• Daily Thought:
Unconditional Love
From a letter:
Even if all your complaints about your spouse are well-founded and valid
—show her your love, nevertheless. Show her unconditional love.
It is said that all our exile is due to the sin of senseless, unwarranted hatred.
When each one of us will start with unwarranted, unconditional love in our own domain, from there it will spread to all else that we do, and from there to the entire world, speedily in our days, Amen.
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