Torah Reading
Va'etchanan: Deuteronomy 3:23 “Then I pleaded with Adonai, 24 ‘Adonai Elohim, you have begun to reveal your greatness to your servant, and your strong hand — for what other god is there in heaven or on earth that can do the works and mighty deeds that you do? 25 Please! Let me go across and see the good land on the other side of the Yarden, that wonderful hill-country and the L’vanon!’ 26 But Adonai was angry with me on account of you, and he didn’t listen to me. Adonai said to me, ‘Enough from you! Don’t say another word to me about this matter! 27 Climb up to the top of Pisgah and look out to the west, north, south and east. Look with your eyes — but you will not go across this Yarden. 28 However, commission Y’hoshua, encourage him and strengthen him; for he will lead this people across and enable them to inherit the land that you will see.’ 29 So we stayed in the valley across from Beit-P‘or.
4:1 “Now, Isra’el, listen to the laws and rulings I am teaching you, in order to follow them, so that you will live; then you will go in and take possession of the land that Adonai, the God of your fathers, is giving you. 2 In order to obey the mitzvot of Adonai your God which I am giving you, do not add to what I am saying, and do not subtract from it. 3 You saw with your own eyes what Adonai did at Ba‘al-P‘or, that Adonai destroyed from among you all the men who followed Ba‘al-P‘or; 4 but you who stuck with Adonai your God are still alive today, every one of you. (ii) 5 Look, I have taught you laws and rulings, just as Adonai my God ordered me, so that you can behave accordingly in the land where you are going in order to take possession of it. 6 Therefore, observe them; and follow them; for then all peoples will see you as having wisdom and understanding. When they hear of all these laws, they will say, ‘This great nation is surely a wise and understanding people.’ 7 For what great nation is there that has God as close to them as Adonai our God is, whenever we call on him? 8 What great nation is there that has laws and rulings as just as this entire Torah which I am setting before you today?
Daily Study:
When you plow and you sow - things will grow[Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak of Lubavitch]
Chitas and Rambam for today:
Chumash: Parshat Va'etchanan, 2nd Portion Deuteronomy 4:5-4:40 with Rashi
• Deuteronomy Chapter 4
5Behold, I have taught you statutes and ordinances, as the Lord, my God, commanded me, to do so in the midst of the land to which you are coming to possess. הרְאֵ֣ה | לִמַּ֣דְתִּי אֶתְכֶ֗ם חֻקִּים֙ וּמִשְׁפָּטִ֔ים כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוַּ֖נִי יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֑י לַֽעֲשׂ֣וֹת כֵּ֔ן בְּקֶ֣רֶב הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתֶּ֛ם בָּאִ֥ים שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ:
6And you shall keep [them] and do [them], for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the eyes of the peoples, who will hear all these statutes and say, "Only this great nation is a wise and understanding people. " ווּשְׁמַרְתֶּם֘ וַֽעֲשִׂיתֶם֒ כִּ֣י הִ֤וא חָכְמַתְכֶם֙ וּבִ֣ינַתְכֶ֔ם לְעֵינֵ֖י הָֽעַמִּ֑ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִשְׁמְע֗וּן אֵ֚ת כָּל־הַֽחֻקִּ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה וְאָֽמְר֗וּ רַ֚ק עַם־חָכָ֣ם וְנָב֔וֹן הַגּ֥וֹי הַגָּד֖וֹל הַזֶּֽה:
And you shall keep [them]: This refers to study. ושמרתם: זו משנה:
and do [them]: [To be interpreted] according to its apparent meaning. ועשיתם: כמשמעו:
for that is your wisdom and your understanding [in the eyes of the peoples]: Through this you will be considered wise and understanding in the eyes of the peoples. כי הוא חכמתכם ובינתכם וגו': בזאת תחשבו חכמים ונבונים לעיני העמים:
7For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the Lord our God is at all times that we call upon Him? זכִּ֚י מִי־ג֣וֹי גָּד֔וֹל אֲשֶׁר־ל֥וֹ אֱלֹהִ֖ים קְרֹבִ֣ים אֵלָ֑יו כַּֽיהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ בְּכָל־קָרְאֵ֖נוּ אֵלָֽיו:
8And which great nation is it that has just statutes and ordinances, as this entire Torah, which I set before you this day? חוּמִי֙ גּ֣וֹי גָּד֔וֹל אֲשֶׁר־ל֛וֹ חֻקִּ֥ים וּמִשְׁפָּטִ֖ים צַדִּיקִ֑ם כְּכֹל֙ הַתּוֹרָ֣ה הַזֹּ֔את אֲשֶׁ֧ר אָֽנֹכִ֛י נֹתֵ֥ן לִפְנֵיכֶ֖ם הַיּֽוֹם:
just statutes and ordinances: צַדִּיקִם means worthy and acceptable ones. חקים ומשפטים צדיקם: הגונים ומקובלים:
9But beware and watch yourself very well, lest you forget the things that your eyes saw, and lest these things depart from your heart, all the days of your life, and you shall make them known to your children and to your children's children, טרַ֡ק הִשָּׁ֣מֶר לְךָ֩ וּשְׁמֹ֨ר נַפְשְׁךָ֜ מְאֹ֗ד פֶּן־תִּשְׁכַּ֨ח אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֜ים אֲשֶׁר־רָא֣וּ עֵינֶ֗יךָ וּפֶן־יָס֨וּרוּ֙ מִלְּבָ֣בְךָ֔ כֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֣י חַיֶּ֑יךָ וְהֽוֹדַעְתָּ֥ם לְבָנֶ֖יךָ וְלִבְנֵ֥י בָנֶֽיךָ:
But beware…lest you forget the things: Only then, when you do not forget them, and will [therefore] do them in their proper manner, will you be considered wise and understanding, but if you distort them because of forgetfulness, you will be considered fools. רק השמר לך וגו' פן תשכח את הדברים: אז כשלא תשכחו אותם ותעשום על אמתתם תחשבו חכמים ונבונים ואם תעוותו אותם מתוך שכחה תחשבו שוטים:
10the day you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, when the Lord said to me, "Assemble the people for Me, and I will let them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days that they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children. יי֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָמַ֜דְתָּ לִפְנֵ֨י יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֘יךָ֘ בְּחֹרֵב֒ בֶּֽאֱמֹ֨ר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֵלַ֗י הַקְהֶל־לִי֙ אֶת־הָעָ֔ם וְאַשְׁמִעֵ֖ם אֶת־דְּבָרָ֑י אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִלְמְד֜וּן לְיִרְאָ֣ה אֹתִ֗י כָּל־הַיָּמִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר הֵ֤ם חַיִּים֙ עַל־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה וְאֶת־בְּנֵיהֶ֖ם יְלַמֵּדֽוּן:
the day you stood: This refers back to the preceding verse:“which your eyes saw” [on] the day that you stood at Horeb, where you saw the thunder and the torches. יום אשר עמדת: מוסב על מקרא שלמעלה ממנו אשר ראו עיניך, יום אשר עמדת בחורב אשר ראיתם את הקולות ואת הלפידים:
that they may learn: Heb. יִלְמְדוּן The Targum [Onkelos] renders: יֵלְפוּן, they may learn for themselves. ילמדון: ילפון לעצמם:
that they may teach: Heb. יְלַמֵּדוּן the Targum [Onkelos] renders: יְאַלְפוּן, that they may teach others. ילמדון: יאלפון לאחרים:
11And you approached and stood at the foot of the mountain, and the mountain burned with fire up to the midst of the heavens, with darkness, a cloud, and opaque darkness. יאוַתִּקְרְב֥וּן וַתַּֽעַמְד֖וּן תַּ֣חַת הָהָ֑ר וְהָהָ֗ר בֹּעֵ֤ר בָּאֵשׁ֙ עַד־לֵ֣ב הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם ח֖שֶׁךְ עָנָ֥ן וַֽעֲרָפֶֽל:
12The Lord spoke to you out of the midst of the fire; you heard the sound of the words, but saw no image, just a voice. יבוַיְדַבֵּ֧ר יְהֹוָ֛ה אֲלֵיכֶ֖ם מִתּ֣וֹךְ הָאֵ֑שׁ ק֤וֹל דְּבָרִים֙ אַתֶּ֣ם שֹֽׁמְעִ֔ים וּתְמוּנָ֛ה אֵֽינְכֶ֥ם רֹאִ֖ים זֽוּלָתִ֥י קֽוֹל:
13And He told you His covenant, which He commanded you to do, the Ten Commandments, and He inscribed them on two stone tablets. יגוַיַּגֵּ֨ד לָכֶ֜ם אֶת־בְּרִית֗וֹ אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֤ה אֶתְכֶם֙ לַֽעֲשׂ֔וֹת עֲשֶׂ֖רֶת הַדְּבָרִ֑ים וַיִּכְתְּבֵ֔ם עַל־שְׁנֵ֖י לֻח֥וֹת אֲבָנִֽים:
14And the Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and ordinances, so that you should do them in the land to which you are crossing, to possess. ידוְאֹתִ֗י צִוָּ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔וא לְלַמֵּ֣ד אֶתְכֶ֔ם חֻקִּ֖ים וּמִשְׁפָּטִ֑ים לַֽעֲשֽׂתְכֶ֣ם אֹתָ֔ם בָּאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתֶּ֛ם עֹֽבְרִ֥ים שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ:
And the Lord commanded me at that time to teach you: the Oral Law. ואתי צוה ה' בעת ההוא ללמד אתכם: תורה שבעל פה:
15And you shall watch yourselves very well, for you did not see any image on the day that the Lord spoke to you at Horeb from the midst of the fire. טווְנִשְׁמַרְתֶּ֥ם מְאֹ֖ד לְנַפְשֹֽׁתֵיכֶ֑ם כִּ֣י לֹ֤א רְאִיתֶם֙ כָּל־תְּמוּנָ֔ה בְּי֗וֹם דִּבֶּ֨ר יְהֹוָ֧ה אֲלֵיכֶ֛ם בְּחֹרֵ֖ב מִתּ֥וֹךְ הָאֵֽשׁ:
16Lest you become corrupt and make for yourselves a graven image, the representation of any form, the likeness of male or female, טזפֶּ֨ן־תַּשְׁחִת֔וּן וַֽעֲשִׂיתֶ֥ם לָכֶ֛ם פֶּ֖סֶל תְּמוּנַ֣ת כָּל־סָ֑מֶל תַּבְנִ֥ית זָכָ֖ר א֥וֹ נְקֵבָֽה:
form: Heb. סָמֶל, meaning “form.” סמל: צורה:
17the likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the heaven, יזתַּבְנִ֕ית כָּל־בְּהֵמָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּאָ֑רֶץ תַּבְנִית֙ כָּל־צִפּ֣וֹר כָּנָ֔ף אֲשֶׁ֥ר תָּע֖וּף בַּשָּׁמָֽיִם:
18the likeness of anything that crawls on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters, beneath the earth. יחתַּבְנִ֕ית כָּל־רֹמֵ֖שׂ בַּֽאֲדָמָ֑ה תַּבְנִ֛ית כָּל־דָּגָ֥ה אֲשֶׁר־בַּמַּ֖יִם מִתַּ֥חַת לָאָֽרֶץ:
19And lest you lift up your eyes to heaven, and see the sun, and the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, which the Lord your God assigned to all peoples under the entire heaven, and be drawn away to prostrate yourselves before them and worship them. יטוּפֶן־תִּשָּׂ֨א עֵינֶ֜יךָ הַשָּׁמַ֗יְמָה וְ֠רָאִ֠יתָ אֶת־הַשֶּׁ֨מֶשׁ וְאֶת־הַיָּרֵ֜חַ וְאֶת־הַכּֽוֹכָבִ֗ים כֹּ֚ל צְבָ֣א הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְנִדַּחְתָּ֛ וְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲוִ֥יתָ לָהֶ֖ם וַֽעֲבַדְתָּ֑ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר חָלַ֜ק יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ אֹתָ֔ם לְכֹל֙ הָ֣עַמִּ֔ים תַּ֖חַת כָּל־הַשָּׁמָֽיִם:
And lest you lift up your eyes: to gaze at this thing and to set your heart to stray after them. ופן תשא עיניך: להסתכל בדבר ולתת לב לשוב לטעות אחריהם:
which the Lord… assigned: to illuminate for them [all peoples]. (Meg. 9b) Another explanation: Which God assigned to them as deities; He did not prevent them from erring after them; rather, He caused them to slip, [i.e., to err], with their futile speculations, in order to drive them out of the world. Similarly, it says:“He [God] smoothed the way for him in his eyes to find his iniquity to hate [him]” (Ps. 36:3) (Avodah Zarah 55a). אשר חלק וגו' לכל העמים: להאיר להם. דבר אחר לאלוהות. לא מנען מלטעות אחריהם, אלא החליקם בדברי הבליהם לטרדם מן העולם. וכן הוא אומר (תהלים לו ג) כי החליק אליו בעיניו למצוא עונו לשנוא:
20But the Lord took you and brought you out of the iron crucible, out of Egypt, to be a people of His possession, as of this day. כוְאֶתְכֶם֙ לָקַ֣ח יְהֹוָ֔ה וַיּוֹצִ֥א אֶתְכֶ֛ם מִכּ֥וּר הַבַּרְזֶ֖ל מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם לִֽהְי֥וֹת ל֛וֹ לְעַ֥ם נַֽחֲלָ֖ה כַּיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה:
out of the iron crucible: Heb. מִכּוּר. A כּוּר is a vessel in which gold is refined. מכור: הוא כלי שמזקקים בו את הזהב:
21And the Lord was angry with me because of you, and He swore that I would not cross the Jordan and that I would not come into the good land the Lord, your God, is giving you as an inheritance. כאוַֽיהֹוָ֥ה הִתְאַנַּף־בִּ֖י עַל־דִּבְרֵיכֶ֑ם וַיִּשָּׁבַ֗ע לְבִלְתִּ֤י עָבְרִי֙ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן וּלְבִלְתִּי־בֹא֙ אֶל־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַטּוֹבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ נַֽחֲלָֽה:
was angry: Heb. הִתְאַנַּף, [The hithpa’el conjugation denotes that] He became filled with wrath. התאנף: נתמלא רוגז:
because of you: Heb. עַל-דִּבְרֵיכֶם, because of you, on your account. על דבריכם: על אודותיכם על עסקיכם:
22For I will die in this land; I will not cross the Jordan. You, however, will cross, and you will possess this good land. כבכִּ֣י אָֽנֹכִ֥י מֵת֙ בָּאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את אֵינֶ֥נִּי עֹבֵ֖ר אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן וְאַתֶּם֙ עֹ֣בְרִ֔ים וִֽירִשְׁתֶּ֕ם אֶת־הָאָ֥רֶץ הַטּוֹבָ֖ה הַזֹּֽאת:
For I will die… I will not cross: Since he was to die, how could he cross? But rather he meant: even my bones will not cross (Sifrei onNumbers 27:12). כי אנכי מת וגו' אינני עובר: מאחר שמת מהיכן יעבור, אלא אף עצמותי אינם עוברין:
23Beware, lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which He made with you, and make for yourselves a graven image, the likeness of anything, which the Lord your God has forbidden you. כגהִשָּֽׁמְר֣וּ לָכֶ֗ם פֶּן־תִּשְׁכְּחוּ֙ אֶת־בְּרִ֤ית יְהֹוָה֙ אֱלֹ֣הֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר כָּרַ֖ת עִמָּכֶ֑ם וַֽעֲשִׂיתֶ֨ם לָכֶ֥ם פֶּ֨סֶל֙ תְּמ֣וּנַת כֹּ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוְּךָ֖ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ:
the likeness of anything: Heb. תְּמוּנַת כֹּל, the likeness of anything. תמונת כל: תמונת כל דבר:
which the Lord… commanded you: Which He commanded you not to make. אשר צוך ה': אשר צוך עליו שלא לעשות:
24For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a zealous God. כדכִּ֚י יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ אֵ֥שׁ אֹֽכְלָ֖ה ה֑וּא אֵ֖ל קַנָּֽא:
a zealous God: Zealous to wreak vengeance, in Old French, anprenemant, zealous anger. He burns in His anger to exact retribution from idol worshippers. אל קנא: מקנא לנקום אנפרנמנ"ט בלע"ז [חמה] מתחרה על רוגזו להפרע מעובדי עבודה זרה:
25When you beget children and children's children, and you will be long established in the land, and you become corrupt and make a graven image, the likeness of anything, and do evil in the eyes of the Lord your God, to provoke Him to anger, כהכִּֽי־תוֹלִ֤יד בָּנִים֙ וּבְנֵ֣י בָנִ֔ים וְנֽוֹשַׁנְתֶּ֖ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ וְהִשְׁחַתֶּ֗ם וַֽעֲשִׂ֤יתֶם פֶּ֨סֶל֙ תְּמ֣וּנַת כֹּ֔ל וַֽעֲשִׂיתֶ֥ם הָרַ֛ע בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה־אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ לְהַכְעִיסֽוֹ:
and you will be long established: Heb. וְנוֹשַׁנְתֶּם. He hinted to them that they would be exiled from it at the end of 852 years, the gematria, numerical value, of the word וְנוֹשַׁנְתֶּם, but He exiled them earlier, at the end of 850 years. He did this two years earlier than the numerical value of וְנוֹשַׁנְתֶּם in order that the prophecy about them should not be fulfilled “that you shall utterly perish.”(verse 26) This is the meaning of what is said:“And the Lord ‘hastened’ with the evil and brought it upon us, for the Lord our God is charitable (צַדִּיק)” (Dan. 9:14). He was charitable with us for He hastened to bring it [the exile] two years before its time (San. 38a; Gittin 88a). ונושנתם: רמז להם שיגלו ממנה לסוף שמונה מאות וחמשים ושתים שנה, כמנין ונושנתם. והוא הקדים והגלם לסוף שמונה מאות וחמשים והקדים שתי שנים לונושנתם, כדי שלא יתקיים בהם (פסוק כו) כי אבד תאבדון וזהו שנאמר (דניאל ט יד) וישקוד ה' על הרעה ויביאה עלינו כי צדיק ה' אלהינו, צדקה עשה עמנו שמהר להביאה שתי שנים לפני זמנה:
26I call as witness against you this very day the heaven and the earth, that you will speedily and utterly perish from the land to which you cross the Jordan, to possess; you will not prolong your days upon it, but will be utterly destroyed. כוהַֽעִידֹ֩תִי֩ בָכֶ֨ם הַיּ֜וֹם אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם וְאֶת־הָאָ֗רֶץ כִּֽי־אָבֹ֣ד תֹּאבֵדוּן֘ מַהֵר֒ מֵעַ֣ל הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אַתֶּ֜ם עֹֽבְרִ֧ים אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֛ן שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּ֑הּ לֹא־תַֽאֲרִיכֻ֤ן יָמִים֙ עָלֶ֔יהָ כִּ֥י הִשָּׁמֵ֖ד תִּשָּֽׁמֵדֽוּן:
I call as witness against you [… heaven and earth]: I hereby summon them to be witnesses that I have warned you. העידותי בכם: הנני מזמינם להיות עדים שהתריתי בכם:
27And the Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and you will remain few in number among the nations to where the Lord will lead you. כזוְהֵפִ֧יץ יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם בָּֽעַמִּ֑ים וְנִשְׁאַרְתֶּם֙ מְתֵ֣י מִסְפָּ֔ר בַּגּוֹיִ֕ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְנַהֵ֧ג יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם שָֽׁמָּה:
28And there you will worship gods, man's handiwork, wood and stone, which neither see, hear, eat, nor smell. כחוַֽעֲבַדְתֶּם־שָׁ֣ם אֱלֹהִ֔ים מַֽעֲשֵׂ֖ה יְדֵ֣י אָדָ֑ם עֵ֣ץ וָאֶ֔בֶן אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־יִרְאוּן֙ וְלֹ֣א יִשְׁמְע֔וּן וְלֹ֥א יֹֽאכְל֖וּן וְלֹ֥א יְרִיחֻֽן:
And there you will worship gods: As the Targum [Onkelos] explains: Since you serve those who worship them [idols], it is as though you [yourselves] serve them [i.e., the idols]. ועבדתם שם אלהים: כתרגומו. משאתם עובדים לעובדיהם כאלו אתם עובדים להם:
29And from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him, if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. כטוּבִקַּשְׁתֶּ֥ם מִשָּׁ֛ם אֶת־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ וּמָצָ֑אתָ כִּ֣י תִדְרְשֶׁ֔נּוּ בְּכָל־לְבָֽבְךָ֖ וּבְכָל־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ:
30When you are distressed, and all these things happen upon you in the end of days, then you will return to the Lord your God and obey Him. לבַּצַּ֣ר לְךָ֔ וּמְצָא֕וּךָ כֹּ֖ל הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה בְּאַֽחֲרִית֙ הַיָּמִ֔ים וְשַׁבְתָּ֙ עַד־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ וְשָֽׁמַעְתָּ֖ בְּקֹלֽוֹ:
31For the Lord your God is a merciful God; He will not let you loose or destroy you; neither will He forget the covenant of your fathers, which He swore to them. לאכִּ֣י אֵ֤ל רַחוּם֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לֹ֥א יַרְפְּךָ֖ וְלֹ֣א יַשְׁחִיתֶ֑ךָ וְלֹ֤א יִשְׁכַּח֙ אֶת־בְּרִ֣ית אֲבֹתֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּ֖ע לָהֶֽם:
He will not let you loose: He will not let go of you with His hands. The expression לֹא יַרְפְּךָ means that He will not cause something, i.e., He will not cause you looseness. He will not separate you from [being] near Him. Similarly,“I held him fast, and I would not let him loose (אַרְפֶּנּוּ)” (Song of Songs 3:4), which is not vocalized אֲרַפֶּנּוּ [which would mean to heal]. The term רִפְיוֹן “letting slack” always adopts the hif’il [causative conjugation, that is, causing someone else רִפְיוֹן] or the hithpa’el [reflexive conjugation, that is, causing oneself רִפְיוֹן]. For example: (II Kings 4:2), הַרְפֵּה לָהּ, let her be, means literally “give her looseness [i.e., an example of causing to others]”; (Deut. 9:14) הֶרֶף מִמֶּנִּי, let Me be, means literally “Make yourself loose from me [i.e., an example of causing looseness to oneself].” לא ירפך: מלהחזיק בך בידיו. ולשון לא ירפך לשון לא יפעיל הוא, לא יתן לך רפיון, לא יפריש אותך מאצלו. וכן אחזתיו ולא ארפנו (שה"ש ג ד), שלא ננקד ארפנו. כל לשון רפיון מוסב על לשון מפעיל ומתפעל, כמו (מלכים ב' ד כז) הרפה לה, תן לה רפיון (דברים ט, יד) הרף ממני, התרפה ממני:
32For ask now regarding the early days that were before you, since the day that God created man upon the earth, and from one end of the heavens to the other end of the heavens, whether there was anything like this great thing, or was the likes of it heard? לבכִּ֣י שְׁאַל־נָא֩ לְיָמִ֨ים רִֽאשֹׁנִ֜ים אֲשֶׁר־הָי֣וּ לְפָנֶ֗יךָ לְמִן־הַיּוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁר֩ בָּרָ֨א אֱלֹהִ֤ים | אָדָם֙ עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ וּלְמִקְצֵ֥ה הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְעַד־קְצֵ֣ה הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם הֲנִֽהְיָ֗ה כַּדָּבָ֤ר הַגָּדוֹל֙ הַזֶּ֔ה א֖וֹ הֲנִשְׁמַ֥ע כָּמֹֽהוּ:
regarding the early days: Heb. לְיָמִים רִאשׁוֹנִים [the“lammed” of לְיָמִים here means] regarding the early days. לימים ראשונים: על ימים ראשונים:
and from the one end of the heavens: And also ask of all the creatures from one end [of the heavens] to the other end. This is its simple meaning, but its midrashic explanation is: [This] teaches [us] about Adam’s height, that it was from the earth to the heavens, and that this is the very same measurement as from one end of the heavens to the other end (San. 38b). ולמקצה השמים: וגם שאל לכל הברואים אשר מקצה אל קצה זהו פשוטו. ומדרשו מלמד על קומתו של אדם שהיתה מן הארץ עד השמים והוא השיעור עצמו אשר מקצה אל קצה:
whether there was anything like this great thing: And what is this great thing? “Did ever a people hear,” etc. הנהיה כדבר הגדול הזה: ומהו הדבר הגדול, השמע עם וגו':
33Did ever a people hear God's voice speaking out of the midst of the fire as you have heard, and live? לגהֲשָׁ֣מַ֥ע עָם֩ ק֨וֹל אֱלֹהִ֜ים מְדַבֵּ֧ר מִתּֽוֹךְ־הָאֵ֛שׁ כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־שָׁמַ֥עְתָּ אַתָּ֖ה וַיֶּֽחִי:
34Or has any god performed miracles to come and take him a nation from the midst of a[nother] nation, with trials, with signs, and with wonders, and with war and with a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great awesome deeds, as all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? לדא֣וֹ | הֲנִסָּ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֗ים לָ֠ב֠וֹא לָקַ֨חַת ל֣וֹ גוֹי֘ מִקֶּ֣רֶב גּוֹי֒ בְּמַסֹּת֩ בְּאֹתֹ֨ת וּבְמֽוֹפְתִ֜ים וּבְמִלְחָמָ֗ה וּבְיָ֤ד חֲזָקָה֙ וּבִזְר֣וֹעַ נְטוּיָ֔ה וּבְמֽוֹרָאִ֖ים גְּדֹלִ֑ים כְּ֠כֹ֠ל אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֨ה לָכֶ֜ם יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֛ם בְּמִצְרַ֖יִם לְעֵינֶֽיךָ:
Or has any god performed miracles: Heb. הֲנִסָּה אלֹהִים. Has any god performed miracles (נִסִּים) ? הנסה אלהים: הכי עשה נסים שום אלוה:
to come and take him a nation…: All the letters “hey” are in the interrogative form. Therefore, they are vocalized with a chataf patach הִנִהְיָה has there been? הִנִשְׁמַע has it been heard? הִשָמַע did there hear? הֲנִסָּה did… perform miracles? לבא לקחת לו גוי וגו': כל ההי"ן הללו תמיהות הן לכך נקודות הן בחט"ף פת"ח הנהיה, הנשמע, הנסה, השמע:
with trials: Through tests, He let them know His might, for example:“[and Moses said to Pharaoh] 'Boast of your superiority over me [to fix a time]” (Exodus 8:5), whether I am able to do so. This is a test. במסות: על ידי נסיונות הודיעם גבורותיו, כגון (שמות ח, ה) התפאר עלי, אם אוכל לעשות כן, הרי זה נסיון:
with signs: Heb. בְּאֹתֹת. With signs, so that they should believe that he [Moses] was the messenger of the Omnipresent, as, e.g., “What is that in your hand?” (Exod. 4:2) באותות: בסימנין להאמין שהוא שלוחו של מקום, כגון (שמות ד ב) מה זה בידך:
and with wonders: Heb. וּבְמוֹפְתִים. These are wonders, [meaning] that God brought upon them [the Egyptians] wondrous plagues. ובמופתים: הם נפלאות שהביא עליהם מכות מופלאות:
and with war: At the Red Sea, as it is said: “because the Lord is fighting for them” (Exod. 14:25). ובמלחמה: בים, שנאמר (שם יד כה) כי ה' נלחם להם:
35You have been shown, in order to know that the Lord He is God; there is none else besides Him. להאַתָּה֙ הָרְאֵ֣תָ לָדַ֔עַת כִּ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה ה֣וּא הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים אֵ֥ין ע֖וֹד מִלְּבַדּֽוֹ:
You have been shown: Heb. הָרְאֵתָ As the Targum [Onkelos] renders it: אִתְחִזֵיתָא, you have been shown. When the Holy One, blessed is He, gave the Torah, He opened for Israel the seven heavens, and just as He tore open the upper regions, so did He tear open the lower regions, and they saw that He is One. Accordingly, it is stated, “You have been shown, in order to know [that the Lord He is God-there is none else besides Him].” הראת: כתרגומו אתחזיתא. כשנתן הקב"ה את התורה פתח להם שבעה רקיעים. וכשם שקרע את העליונים כך קרע את התחתונים. וראו שהוא יחידי, לכך נאמר אתה הראת לדעת:
36From the heavens, He let you hear His voice to instruct you, and upon the earth He showed you His great fire, and you heard His words out of the midst of the fire, לומִן־הַשָּׁמַ֛יִם הִשְׁמִֽיעֲךָ֥ אֶת־קֹל֖וֹ לְיַסְּרֶ֑ךָּ וְעַל־הָאָ֗רֶץ הֶרְאֲךָ֙ אֶת־אִשּׁ֣וֹ הַגְּדוֹלָ֔ה וּדְבָרָ֥יו שָׁמַ֖עְתָּ מִתּ֥וֹךְ הָאֵֽשׁ:
37and because He loved your forefathers and chose their seed after them, and He brought you out of Egypt before Him with His great strength, לזוְתַ֗חַת כִּ֤י אָהַב֙ אֶת־אֲבֹתֶ֔יךָ וַיִּבְחַ֥ר בְּזַרְע֖וֹ אַֽחֲרָ֑יו וַיּוֹצִֽאֲךָ֧ בְּפָנָ֛יו בְּכֹח֥וֹ הַגָּדֹ֖ל מִמִּצְרָֽיִם:
And because He loved: And all this was because He loved [your forefathers]. ותחת כי אהב: וכל זה תחת אשר אהב:
and He brought you out… before Him: like a man who leads his son before him, as it is stated (Exod. 14:19), “Then the angel of the Lord who had been going, who had been going [in front of the Israelite camp,] moved and went behind them.” Another explanation: And He brought you out before him-before his forefathers, as it is said:“Before their forefathers, He wrought wonders” (Ps. 78:12). And do not be astonished by the fact that [Scripture] refers to them in the singular [using בְּפָנָיו instead of בִּפְנֵיהֶם], for it has already written about them in the singular,“And he chose and chose their seed (בְּזַרְעוֹ) after them (אַחֲרָיו),” [lit. his. seed after him]. ויוצאך בפניו: כאדם המנהיג בנו לפניו שנאמר (שמות יד יט) ויסע מלאך האלהים ההולך וגו' וילך מאחריהם. דבר אחר ויוציאך בפניו בפני אבותיו, כמו שנאמר (תהלים עח יב) נגד אבותם עשה פלא. ואל תתמה על שהזכירם בלשון יחיד, שהרי כתבם בלשון יחיד ויבחר בזרעו אחריו:
38to drive out from before you nations greater and stronger than you, to bring you and give you their land for an inheritance, as this day. לחלְהוֹרִ֗ישׁ גּוֹיִ֛ם גְּדֹלִ֧ים וַֽעֲצֻמִ֛ים מִמְּךָ֖ מִפָּנֶ֑יךָ לַֽהֲבִֽיאֲךָ֗ לָֽתֶת־לְךָ֧ אֶת־אַרְצָ֛ם נַֽחֲלָ֖ה כַּיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה:
from before you [nations greater and stronger] than you: Heb. מִמְּךָ מִפָּנֶיךָ, lit. than you from before you. The verse can be explained by transposing it: to drive out from before you מִפָּנֶיךָ, nations greater and stronger than you מִמְּךָ. ממך מפניך: סרסהו ודרשהו להוריש מפניך גוים גדולים ועצומים ממך:
as this day: As you see today. כיום הזה: כאשר אתה רואה היום:
39And you shall know this day and consider it in your heart, that the Lord He is God in heaven above, and upon the earth below; there is none else. לטוְיָֽדַעְתָּ֣ הַיּ֗וֹם וַֽהֲשֵֽׁבֹתָ֘ אֶל־לְבָבֶ֒ךָ֒ כִּ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ ה֣וּא הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים בַּשָּׁמַ֣יִם מִמַּ֔עַל וְעַל־הָאָ֖רֶץ מִתָּ֑חַת אֵ֖ין עֽוֹד:
40And you shall observe His statutes and His commandments, which I command you this day, that it may be well with you and your children after you, and that you may prolong your days upon the earth which the Lord your God gives you forever. מוְשָֽׁמַרְתָּ֞ אֶת־חֻקָּ֣יו וְאֶת־מִצְוֹתָ֗יו אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָֽנֹכִ֤י מְצַוְּךָ֙ הַיּ֔וֹם אֲשֶׁר֙ יִיטַ֣ב לְךָ֔ וּלְבָנֶ֖יךָ אַֽחֲרֶ֑יךָ וּלְמַ֨עַן תַּֽאֲרִ֤יךְ יָמִים֙ עַל־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ כָּל־הַיָּמִֽים:
Daily Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 60 - 65
• Chapter 60
This psalm tells of when Joab, David's general, came to Aram Naharayim for war and was asked by the people: "Are you not from the children of Jacob? What of the pact he made with Laban?" Not knowing what to answer, Joab asked the Sanhedrin. The psalm includes David's prayer for success in this war.
1. For the Conductor, on the shushan eidut. A michtam by David, to instruct,
2. when he battled with Aram Naharayim and Aram Tzovah, and Joab returned and smote Edom in the Valley of Salt, twelve thousand [men].
3. O God, You forsook us, You have breached us! You grew furious-restore us!
4. You made the earth quake, You split it apart-heal its fragments, for it totters!
5. You showed Your nation harshness, You gave us benumbing wine to drink.
6. [Now] give those who fear You a banner to raise themselves, for the sake of truth, Selah.
7. That Your beloved ones may be delivered, help with Your right hand and answer me.
8. God said with His Holy [Spirit] that I would exult; I would divide Shechem, and measure out the Valley of Succot.
9. Mine is Gilead, mine is Menasseh, and Ephraim is the stronghold of my head; Judah is my prince.
10. Moab is my washbasin, and upon Edom I will cast my shoe; for me, Philistia will sound a blast [of coronation].
11. Who will bring me into the fortified city? Who will lead me unto Edom?
12. Is it not You, God, Who has [until now] forsaken us, and did not go forth with our legions?
13. Grant us relief from the oppressor; futile is the salvation of man.
14. With God we will do valiantly, and He will trample our oppressors.
Chapter 61
David composed this prayer while fleeing from Saul. The object of all his thoughts and his entreaty is that God grant him long life-not for the sake of pursuing the pleasures of the world, but rather to serve God in awe, all of his days.
1. For the Conductor, on the neginat, by David.
2. Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer.
3. From the end of the earth I call to You, when my heart is faint [with trouble]: Lead me upon the rock that surpasses me!
4. For You have been a refuge for me, a tower of strength in the face of the enemy.
5. I will dwell in Your tent forever; I will take refuge in the shelter of Your wings, Selah.
6. For You, God, heard my vows; You granted the inheritance of those who fear Your Name.
7. Add days to the days of the king; may his years equal those of every generation.
8. May he sit always before God; appoint kindness and truth to preserve him.
9. Thus will I sing the praise of Your Name forever, as I fulfill my vows each day.
Chapter 62
David prays for the downfall of his enemies. He also exhorts his generation that their faith should not rest in riches, telling them that the accumulation of wealth is utter futility.
1. For the Conductor, on the yedutun,1 a psalm by David.
2. To God alone does my soul hope; my salvation is from Him.
3. He alone is my rock and salvation, my stronghold; I shall not falter greatly.
4. Until when will you plot disaster for man? May you all be killed-like a leaning wall, a toppled fence.
5. Out of their arrogance alone they scheme to topple me, they favor falsehood; with their mouths they bless, and in their hearts they curse, Selah.
6. To God alone does my soul hope, for my hope is from Him.
7. He alone is my rock and salvation, my stronghold; I shall not falter.
8. My salvation and honor is upon God; the rock of my strength-my refuge is in God.
9. Trust in Him at all times, O nation, pour out your hearts before Him; God is a refuge for us forever.
10. Men are but vanity; people [but] transients. Were they to be raised upon the scale, they would be lighter than vanity.
11. Put not your trust in exploitation, nor place futile hope in robbery. If [corrupt] wealth flourishes, pay it no heed.
12. God spoke one thing, from which I perceived two: That strength belongs to God;
13. and that Yours, my Lord, is kindness. For You repay each man according to his deeds.
FOOTNOTES
1.A musical instrument (Metzudot).
Chapter 63
Hiding from Saul, and yearning to approach the place of the Holy Ark like one thirsting for water, David composed this prayer on his behalf and against his enemy.
1. A psalm by David, when he was in the Judean desert.
2. O God, You are my Almighty, I seek You! My soul thirsts for You, my flesh longs for You; [like one] in a desolate and dry land, without water,
3. so [I thirst] to see You in the Sanctuary, to behold Your might and glory.
4. For Your kindness is better than life; my lips shall praise You.
5. Thus will I bless you all my life, in Your Name I will raise my hands [in prayer].
6. As with fat and abundance my soul is sated, when my mouth offers praise with expressions of joy.
7. Indeed, I remember You upon my bed; during the watches of the night I meditate upon You.
8. For You were a help for me; I sing in the shadow of Your wings.
9. My soul cleaved to You; Your right hand supported me.
10. But they seek desolation for my soul; they will enter the depths of the earth.
11. They will drag them by the sword; they will be the portion of foxes.
12. And the king will rejoice in God, and all who swear by Him will take pride, when the mouths of liars are blocked up.
Chapter 64
The masters of homiletics interpret this psalm as alluding to Daniel, who was thrown into the lion's den. With divine inspiration, David foresaw the event and prayed for him. Daniel was a descendant of David, as can be inferred from God's statement to Hezekiah (himself of Davidic lineage), "And from your children, who will issue forth from you, they will take, and they (referring to, amongst others, Daniel) will be ministers in the palace of the king of Babylon."
1. For the Conductor, a psalm by David.
2. Hear my voice, O God, as I recount [my woes]; preserve my life from the terror of the enemy.
3. Shelter me from the schemes of the wicked, from the conspiracy of evildoers,
4. who have sharpened their tongue like the sword, aimed their arrow-a bitter word-
5. to shoot at the innocent from hidden places; suddenly they shoot at him, they are not afraid.
6. They encourage themselves in an evil thing, they speak of laying traps; they say: "Who will see them?”
7. They sought pretexts; [and when] they completed a diligent search, each man [kept the plot] inside, deep in the heart.
8. But God shot at them; [like] a sudden arrow were their blows.
9. Their own tongues caused them to stumble; all who see them shake their heads [derisively].
10. Then all men feared, and recounted the work of God; they perceived His deed.
11. Let the righteous one rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in Him, and let them take pride-all upright of heart.
Chapter 65
This psalm contains awe-inspiring and glorious praises to God, as well as entreaties and prayers concerning our sins. It declares it impossible to recount God's greatness, for who can recount His mighty acts? Hence, silence is His praise.
1. For the Conductor, a psalm by David, a song.
2. Silence is praise for You, O God [Who dwells in] Zion; and to You vows will be paid.
3. O Heeder of prayer, to You does all flesh come.
4. Matters of sin overwhelm me; You will pardon our transgressions.
5. Fortunate is [the nation] whom You choose and draw near, to dwell in Your courtyards; may we be sated with the goodness of Your House, with the holiness of Your Sanctuary.
6. Answer us with awesome deeds as befits Your righteousness, O God of our salvation, the security of all [who inhabit] the ends of the earth and distant seas.
7. With His strength He prepares [rain for] the mountains; He is girded with might.
8. He quiets the roar of the seas, the roar of their waves and the tumult of nations.
9. Those who inhabit the ends [of the earth] fear [You] because of Your signs; the emergences of morning and evening cause [man] to sing praise.
10. You remember the earth and water it, you enrich it abundantly [from] God's stream filled with water. You prepare their grain, for so do You prepare it.
11. You saturate its furrows, gratifying its legions; with showers You soften it and bless its growth.
12. You crown the year of Your goodness [with rain], and Your clouds drip abundance.
13. They drip on pastures of wilderness, and the hills gird themselves with joy.
14. The meadows don sheep, and the valleys cloak themselves with grain; they sound blasts, indeed they sing.
Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, beginning of Epistle 3
• Lessons in Tanya
• Today's Tanya Lesson
• Monday, 11 AV , 5776 · 15 August 2016
• Iggeret HaKodesh, beginning of Epistle 3
• וילבש צדקה כשריון, וכובע ישועה בראשו
“And1 He garbed himself with tzedakah2 as with a coat of mail, and a helmet of salvation upon his head.”
This verse in fact speaks of G‑d’s promised actions in defense of His people. Nevertheless, the deeds of Jews that mirror G‑d’s deeds serve as a vessel which can receive (or as a means which can bring about) G‑d’s reciprocal action.3 Hence when Jews act in a righteous and charitable manner, in the spirit of the term tzedakah, such conduct attracts and calls forth Divine activity on their behalf. In particular, a Jew’s Divine service that resembles G‑d’s own acts of tzedakah contains within it a protective “coat of mail” for his body and a “helmet of salvation” for his head.
ודרשו רז״ל: מה שריון זה, כל קליפה וקליפה מצטרפת לשריון גדול, אף צדקה, כל פרוטה ופרוטה מצטרפת לחשבון גדול
[On this verse] our Sages, of blessed memory, commented:4 “Just as with chain mail all the individual scales add up to form a large coat of mail, so it is with charity: all the individual coins [given to charity] add up to a great amount.”
The Alter Rebbe now anticipates a question: What is gained by this analogy? Surely it is just as obvious that “all the individual coins [given to charity] add up to a great amount” as it is that “all the individual scales add up to form a large coat of mail.”
פירוש: שהשריון עשוי קשקשים על נקבים, והם מגינים שלא יכנס חץ בנקבים, וככה הוא מעשה הצדקה
This means — and this is the additional point being made here — that just as the mail is made of scales covering gaps, and these shield one against any arrow entering through the gaps, so it is with the act of charity.
I.e., as will presently be explained, the spiritual dynamic of charity comprises (a) an element that corresponds to the chinks in a coat of mail, and (b) an element that corresponds to the protective scales (the coins) that cover those gaps.
* * *
וביאור הענין: כי גדולה צדקה מכל המצות
The meaning of this [is as follows]: Charity is greater than all the commandments,
שמהן נעשים לבושים להנשמה
for [their performance] produces “garments” for the soul.5
The performance of the commandments provides the “garments” that enable the soul to withstand the intense degree of Divine revelation to which it will be exposed in Gan Eden, instead of being nullified by it.
הנמשכים מאור אין סוף ברוך הוא
[These garments] are drawn forth from the [infinite] light of the blessed Ein Sof,
Deriving from a source which is infinite, they enable the soul to cope with the infinite degree of revelation which it will encounter in Gan Eden.
מבחינת סובב כל עלמין
from the level of sovev kol almin.
Unlike the mode of life-giving Divine illumination called memaleh kol almin (lit., “filling all worlds”), which becomes integrated and manifest within the creatures it animates, the mode of Divine illumination called sovev kol almin (lit., “encompassing all worlds”) is not limited to the finite spiritual capacity of created beings; it transcends and affects them from afar, so to speak.
(כמבואר הפירוש ממלא כל עלמין וסובב כל עלמין בלקוטי אמרים, עיין שם)
(6The meaning of memaleh kol almin and sovev kol almin has been explained in Likkutei Amarim;7 see there.)
באתערותא דלתתא, היא מצות ה׳ ורצון העליון ברוך הוא
[These garments are brought into being] by an “arousal from below,” i.e., the [fulfillment of the] commands of G‑d and the will of the Supreme Being.
Since the commandments emanate from G‑d’s Supreme Will, from the level of sovev kol almin, they serve as the source for the above-mentioned garments.
ועיקר המשכה זו מאור אין סוף ברוך הוא, הוא לבוש ואור מקיף לי׳ ספירות דאצילות, בריאה, יצירה, עשיה
The essence of this efflux from the [infinite] Ein Sof-light is a garment and encompassing light for the TenSefirot of [the Four Worlds:] Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah,
המשתלשלות מעילה לעילה וממדרגה למדרגה כו׳
which evolve from cause to cause and from rung to rung,
הנקראות בשם ממלא כל עלמין
[these Sefirot] being referred to as memaleh kol almin.
The Alter Rebbe now answers the following question: Since the Sefirot themselves are the Divinity of the Four Worlds, why do they need the infinite Ein Sof-light as a garment?
פירוש: כי אור אין סוף ברוך הוא מתלבש ומאיר בתוך כל השתלשלות העשר ספירות דאצילות, בריאה, יצירה, עשיה
This means that the Ein Sof-light vests itself and radiates in an indwelling manner within the entire evolving chain of the Ten Sefirot of [the Worlds of] Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah;
והוא המאציל העשר ספירות דאצילות המשתלשלות לבריאה, יצירה, עשיה
[moreover,] it gives rise to the Ten Sefirot of [the World of] Atzilut which evolve into [the Worlds of]Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah,
The Sefirot of Atzilut thus serve as the Divine illumination for the Worlds of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah. This is made possible —
על ידי צמצום עצום המבואר בעץ חיים
by means of an immense contraction (tzimtzum) which is explained in Etz Chayim.
This contraction involves not only a quantitative lessening of spiritual illumination, but more importantly a qualitative diminution; the hitherto infinite light is contracted to so great a degree that it can emanate and illuminate in a finite manner.
ונקרא אור פנימי
[The resultant light] is referred to as an indwelling light (or pnimi) — a light that vests itself in an inward manner within created beings, inasmuch as it is contracted to match the spiritual capacity of the particular created being in which it is clothed.
ועל ידי קיום המצות, נמשך אור מקיף הנ״ל, ומאיר תוך העשר ספירות דאצילות, בריאה, יצירה, עשיה, ומתייחד עם האור פנימי
Now, by the fulfillment of the commandments, the above-mentioned encompassing light is elicited and radiates within the Ten Sefirot of [the Worlds of] Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, thereby uniting with the indwelling light.
When this occurs, the infinite and transcendent light (or makkif) permeates the indwelling light (or pnimi) of Seder Hishtalshelut — the self-obscuring and chain-like descent of the Divine life-force through which increasingly material worlds come into being.
ונקרא יחוד קודשא בריך הוא
This is referred to as the unification of the Holy One, blessed be He, the epithet “holy” (kadosh) signifying His separateness from the world, hence the level of sovev kol almin,
ושכינתיה, כמו שכתוב במקום אחר
and His Shechinah, the indwelling light which is so called because the Divine Presence descends and dwells (שכן) within the created worlds, as is explained elsewhere.8
It is explained in another context that the performance of mitzvot results in this union of the Holy One, blessed be He, with His Shechinah. This is why we say לשם יחוד (“For the sake of the union of the Holy One, blessed be He, with His Shechinah”) before we perform certain mitzvot: for it is they that fuse the light of sovev kol almin, known as “the Holy One, blessed be He,” with the light of memaleh kol almin, known as the Shechinah. Thus, the main radiation of Divine light drawn down through the performance of commandments, is effected within the evolution of the Sefirot of the Four Worlds.
ומהארה דהארה מאור מקיף הנ״ל, על ידי צמצום רב
And from a reflection of a reflection of the above-mentioned encompassing light, by means of a powerful contraction,
נעשה לבוש לבחינת נפש, רוח, נשמה, של האדם בגן עדן התחתון והעליון
a garment is made in the Lower and Upper Garden of Eden for the [soul-levels called] Nefesh-Ruach-Neshamah of man,
שיוכלו ליהנות ולהשיג איזה השגה והארה מאור אין סוף ברוך הוא, כמו שמבואר במקום אחר
enabling them to derive pleasure and attain some apprehension and illumination from the [infinite] Ein Sof-light which is diffused in the Garden of Eden, as is explained elsewhere.9
For, unaided, the finite soul would never be able to apprehend this infinite radiance.
וזה שאמרו רז״ל: שכר מצוה בהאי עלמא ליכא
This is the meaning of the teaching of our Sages, of blessed memory:10 “In this world there is no reward for [the fulfillment of] the commandments.”
They do not say that “in this world there is no reward granted”; rather, that “there exists no reward in this world.”
כי בעולם הזה הגשמי ובעל גבול וצמצום רב ועצום מאד מאד
For in this world, which is physical, and in a state of limitation, a state of great and most extreme contraction,
אי אפשר להתלבש שום הארה מאור אין סוף ברוך הוא
it is impossible that any reflection of the [infinite] Ein Sof-light should become invested,
כי אם על ידי י׳ ספירות, הנקראים גופא בזוהר הקדוש
except by means of the Ten Sefirot, which, in the sacred Zohar,11 are referred to as the “Body”:
The Alter Rebbe will soon explain that just as body and soul are incomparable, so too are the Sefirot infinitely distant from the [infinite] Ein Sof-light.
As a reward for performance of the commandments one is enabled to draw down the infinite degree of light, but this light cannot possibly descend within this world, which is bounded. Thus, “In this world there is no reward for [the fufillment of] the commandments.” No such revelation can possibly be clothed in this world, for whatever illuminates and clothes itself in this world derives merely from the level of the Ten Sefirot, which the Zohar terms the “Body”. Thus, for example:
חסד דרועא ימינא כו׳
“[The Sefirah of] Chesed (‘kindness’) is [called] the [Supernal] ‘right arm,’ [Gevurah (‘severity’) is [called] the ‘left arm,’]” and so on.
לפי שכמו שאין ערוך לו להגוף הגשמי, לגבי הנשמה
For just as there is no comparison between the physical body and the soul,
כך אין ערוך כלל לי׳ ספירות דאצילות, לגבי המאציל העליון, אין סוף ברוך הוא
so there is no comparison whatever between the Ten Sefirot of Atzilut and the Supreme Emanator, the [infinite] Ein Sof.
כי אפילו חכמה עילאה, שהיא ראשיתן, היא בבחינת עשיה גופנית לגבי אין סוף ברוך הוא
For in relation to the Ein Sof even the Supreme Chochmah (“wisdom”), which is the first of the Sefirot, is on the plane of material action,
כמו שמבואר בלקוטי אמרים
as is explained in Likkutei Amarim.12
ואי לזאת, במעשה הצדקה וגמילות חסדים, שאדם אוכל מפירותיהן בעולם הזה
Therefore, through the practice of charity and deeds of kindness, whose fruits man enjoys partially in this world,13
Since some minute quantity of the reward for the fulfillment of these commandments is enjoyed within this world, it follows that a microscopic ray of the infinite light of sovev kol almin does descend into this world. This is possible, because:
יש נקבים, על דרך משל, בלבוש העליון המקיף על גופא, הם הכלים די׳ ספירות
there appear, metaphorically speaking, gaps in the supernal garment that envelops the “Body”, [which is] the vessels of the Ten Sefirot.
להאיר מהם ולהשפיע אור ושפע
Through these [gaps] light and abundance are irradiated and diffused,
מחסד, דרועא ימינא, אורך ימים בעולם הזה הגשמי
so that from [the Sefirah of] “Chesed, [which is] the right arm,” [there results] longevity in this physical world;
ועושר וכבוד מדרועא שמאלא
and from “the left arm,” which is the Sefirah of Gevurah, [there result] wealth and honor,
וכן בתפארת
and likewise with beauty, that emanates from the Sefirah of Tiferet,
והוד והדר וחדוה וכו׳
and majesty (hod), splendor (hadar) and gladness (chedvah), etc., from the respective Sefirot of Hod, Yesod,etc.14
אך כדי שלא ינקו החיצונים למעלה מאור ושפע המשתלשל ויורד למטה מטה עד עולם הזה הגשמי
But in order to prevent the forces of evil from drawing, on high, from the light and abundance which evolves and descends netherwards, as far down as this physical world,
When this spiritual energy descends to such a lowly level, it is possible for the kelipot and sitra achra to derive nurture from it as well. In order to forestall this,
וכן, למטה, להגין על האדם ולשמרו ולהצילו מכל דבר רע בגשמיות וברוחניות
and likewise, here below, in order to shield man, and to guard him and save him from all physical and spiritual harm, which could conceivably result if the kelipot and sitra achra were to derive nurture from this source,
לזאת חוזר ומאיר אור המקיף, וסותם הנקב, על דרך משל
the encompassing light is reflected back, and, figuratively speaking, fills the breach,
Once the encompassing light has (so to speak) shone down into this world through the chink produced by man’s charitable deeds, it is then reflected back in order to fill the very same breach. This deprives the forces of evil of any possible nurture via the same avenue,
כי הוא מבחינת אין סוף וסובב כל עלמין, כנ״ל
for this [encompassing light] belongs to the category of Infinitude and sovev kol almin, as mentioned above — and this infinitely transcendent degree of light (called or makkif) is a source from which the forces of evil are unable to derive any sustenance.
We thus see why tzedakah, producing its own provident “gaps” and its own protective “scales”, is likened to a coat of mail. Moreover:
וזהו שאמרו רז״ל: מצטרפת לחשבון גדול דייקא
And this is [what underlies] the [above-quoted] teaching of our Sages, of blessed memory: “[Just as with chain mail all the individual scales add up to form a large coat of mail, so it is with charity: all the individual coins] add up to a great amount.” The word “great” is used advisedly,
(כי גדול הוי׳ ומהולל מאד, בלי סוף ותכלית וגבול (חס ושלום
in the spirit of the verse,15 “Great is Havayah and exceedingly glorified”— without end, limit or restriction (16heaven forfend).
Thus, by means of the coins given to charity one draws down spiritual light from the level denoted by the phrase, “Great isHavayah.” The Four-Letter Divine Name alludes to the Ten Sefirot — for the letter yud represents the level of Chochmah; the first letter hei represents the level of Binah; vav represents the six middot, the spiritual emotions; and the final hei representsMalchut.17 These Sefirot are sustained by the Ein Sof and partake of its infinite greatness.
| FOOTNOTES | |
| 1. | Yeshayahu 59:17. |
| 2. | The Hebrew word means both “charity” (its primary meaning in this work) and “righteousness”. |
| 3. | “This recalls the Alter Rebbe’s interpretation of the teaching, דע מה למעלה: ממך — ‘Know [that] that which is Above [comes about] from you’ (HaYom Yom, entry for 13 Iyar).” ( — Note of the Rebbe.) |
| 4. | Bava Batra 9b. |
| 5. | “As explained below, in Epistle 29.” ( — Note of the Rebbe.) |
| 6. | Parentheses appear in the original text. |
| 7. | Ch. 48. |
| 8. | “Cf. [Tanya] Part I, ch. 41. However, we cannot say that [the Alter Rebbe] intended to indicate this chapter, for if this were so he would have added ‘in Likkutei Amarim,’ as he had just done in this same epistle with regard to sovev kol almin.” ( — Note of the Rebbe.) |
| 9. | See below, Epistle 29. |
| 10. | Kiddushin 39b. |
| 11. | “[The level termed ‘Body’ is] infinitely lower than its soul — the Ein Sof-light.” ( — Note of the Rebbe.) |
| 12. | “The reference is evidently to Part II, chs. 8-9, which furnishes a more extensive explanation of this subject than is offered here. Even less explanation than here is offered in the Alter Rebbe’s Note to Part I, ch. 2; it is thus clear that the above reference cannot be to this source. It is true that in Iggeret HaTeshuvah, ch. 4 (and elsewhere), the Alter Rebbe when applicable specifies ‘Part II’ of Likkutei Amarim — but this is done only where he wishes to cite an exact location, as we see from his concluding words (‘ch. 11’). This is not the case here.” ( — Note of the Rebbe.) |
| 13. | Kiddushin 40a. |
| 14. | “It would seem that the Alter Rebbe omitted [the Sefirah of] Netzach. Furthermore, what does he mean by ‘etc.’?“ The above alignment evidently follows Zohar II (98a-b, cited in Tzemach Tzedek on Tehillim 104:1), in which majesty (hod),splendor (hadar) and gladness (chedvah) correspond respectively to [the three Sefirot of] Netzach, Hod and Yesod.(According to what is stated there we may also understand why the Alter Rebbe used these three appelations rather thanNetzach, Hod and Yesod.) As to the concluding ‘etc.’, this possibly refers to the Sefirah of Malchut, which is the end product — the ‘etc.’— of the foregoing Sefirot.” ( — Note of the Rebbe.) |
| 15. | Tehillim 48:2. |
| 16. | Parentheses appear in the original text. |
| 17. | See above, Iggeret HaTeshuvah, ch. 4. |
• Monday, 11 AV , 5776 · 15 August 2016
• Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
Negative Commandment 252
Hurtful Words to a Convert
"You shall not wrong a stranger"—Exodus 22:20.
It is forbidden to verbally distress or humiliate a convert. Such as by telling him, "Yesterday you were an idolater and now you have entered under the wings of the Divine Presence..."
Though it is forbidden to verbally humiliate anyone, one who does so to a convert transgresses this prohibition, too.
Full text of this Mitzvah »
• Hurtful Words to a Convert
Negative Commandment 252
Translated by Berel Bell
The 252nd prohibition is that we are further forbidden from verbally causing emotional distress to a convert, i.e. ona'as devarim.
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "Do not wrong a convert."
In the words of the Mechilta: "The verse 'Do not wrong a convert' means doing so with your words." This prohibition is repeated a second time, in the phrase "[When a convert comes to live in your land,] do not hurt his feelings.' "
In the words of the Sifra: "You should not tell him, 'Yesterday you were an idolater and now you have entered under the wings of the Divine Presence.' "
FOOTNOTES
1.Ex., ibid.
Negative Commandment 252
Translated by Berel Bell
The 252nd prohibition is that we are further forbidden from verbally causing emotional distress to a convert, i.e. ona'as devarim.
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "Do not wrong a convert."
In the words of the Mechilta: "The verse 'Do not wrong a convert' means doing so with your words." This prohibition is repeated a second time, in the phrase "[When a convert comes to live in your land,] do not hurt his feelings.' "
In the words of the Sifra: "You should not tell him, 'Yesterday you were an idolater and now you have entered under the wings of the Divine Presence.' "
FOOTNOTES
1.Ex., ibid.
• Rambam - 1 Chapter: Parah Adummah Parah Adummah - Chapter 5
• Parah Adummah - Chapter 5
1
All of those involved in offering the red heifer from the beginning to the end become impure and impart impurity to their garments as long as they are involved in its being offered. This concept is derived as follows: With regard to the one who slaughters the heifer and one who casts the cedar wood into its belly, Numbers 19:7 states: "The priest shall launder his clothes and wash his flesh." And with regard to the one who burns it, ibid.:8 states: "The one who burns it shall launder his clothes," andibid.:10 states: "The one who gathers the ashes of the heifer shall launder...."
These verses teach that all those involved in offering it from the beginning until the end impart impurity to their clothes, must immerse themselves, and wait for nightfall to regain purity according to Scriptural Law. One who guards the heifer at the time it is being offered imparts impurity to his garments according to Rabbinic Law. This is a decree lest he move one of its limbs.
א
כל העוסקין בפרה מתחלה ועד סוף מטמאין בגדים כל זמן עשייתן שנאמר בשוחט ומשליך עץ ארז וכבס בגדיו ורחץ בשרו ונאמר בשורף והשורף אותה יכבס בגדיו ונאמר וכבס האוסף את אפר הפרה מלמד שכל העוסקין בה מתחלה ועד סוף מטמאים בגדים וטעונין טבילה והערב שמש דין תורה אבל המשמרה בשעת עשייתה מטמא בגדים מדבריהם גזירה שמא יזיז בה אבר:
2
Whenever the Torah states with regard to impurity: "One shall launder his clothes," it does not come merely to teach that the clothes on a person are impure. Instead, it teaches that every garment or implement that this impure person will touch while he is still in contact with the object that imparted impurity to him becomes impure. After he separates himself from the object that imparted impurity to him, he does not impart impurity to his garments or to other objects.
What is implied? A person who carries an animal carcass imparts impurity to the clothes he is wearing and to any implement he touches as long as he is carrying it. They are considered as a first degree derivative of impurity. Similarly, the one who carries the animal carcass is considered as impure to the first degree. If he ceased contact with the object that imparted ritual impurity, casting away the animal carcass, he remains impure to the first degree as before. If, however, he touches an implement or a garment, he does not impart impurity to it, for a derivative of ritual impurity does not impart impurity to implements, as we explained in the beginning of this text. Similar laws apply to all types of impurity analogous to that imparted by an animal carcass.
Similarly, with regard to all those involved in offering the red heifer: If they touch a garment or an implement at the time they are slaughtering or burning the heifer, it becomes impure. After such an individual ceased the tasks involved with it, however, even though he has not yet immersed, he does not impart impurity to an implement that he touches, because he is merely a derivative of impurity.
The red heifer itself does not impart impurity to a person or to implements that touch it. It is only those involved in its offering who become impure, must immerse themselves, and impart impurity to their garments, as long as they are involved in its offering.
ב
כ"מ שנאמר בתורה בטומאות יכבס בגדיו לא בא ללמדנו שהבגדים שעליו בלבד הם טמאים אלא ללמד שכל בגד או כלי שיגע בו הטמא הזה בשעת חיבורו במטמאיו הרי הן טמאים אבל אחר שיפרוש ממטמאיו אינו מטמא בגדים כיצד הנושא את הנבילה אחד בגד שעליו או כלי שיגע בו כל זמן שהוא נושאה הרי הן טמאין והרי הן ראשון לטומאה וכן זה הנושא הרי הוא ראשון פירש ממטמאיו והשליך את הנבילה הרי הוא ראשון כמות שהיה ואם יגע בכלי או בגד אינו מטמא אותו שאין ולד טומאה מטמא כלים כמו שביארנו בתחלת ספר זה וכן כל כיוצא בנבילה וכן כל העוסקין בפרה אם נגע בבגד או בכלי בשעת שחיטה או בשעת שריפה הרי הן טמאין אבל אחר שיפרוש ממעשיה אעפ"י שעדיין לא טבל אם נגע בכלי אינו מטמאו מפני שהוא ולד הטומאה והפרה עצמה אינה מטמאה לא אדם ולא כלים שנגעו בו אלא המתעסק בה בלבד הוא הטמא וטעון טבילה ומטמא בגדים כל זמן שעוסק בה:
3
When does the above apply? When the red heifer was burnt as prescribed. If, however, it was disqualified, those involved in offering it are pure. If a disqualifying factor occurred during its slaughter, it does not cause a person's garments to become impure. If a disqualifying factor occurs during the sprinkling of its blood, those who were involved with its offering before it was disqualified impart impurity to their garments. Those involved after its disqualification do not impart impurity to their garments.
ג
בד"א בזמן שנשרפת כמצוותה אבל אם נפסלה המתעסק בה טהור אירע פיסול בשחיטתה אינה מטמאה בגדים אירע פיסול בהזייתה כל העוסק בה לפני פיסולה מטמא בגדים לאחר פיסולה אינו מטמא בגדים:
4
When the collection of its ashes was completed, anyone who is involved with it - i.e., with the division of its ashes or with setting them aside for safekeeping - or who touches it, is pure.
These principles do not apply to the red heifer alone, but also to all the sin-offerings of bulls and goats that are burnt. One who burns them imparts impurity to his garments while he is burning them until they are reduced to ashes. For behold, with regard to the bull and the goat burned on Yom Kippur, Leviticus 16:25 states: "The one who burns them shall launder his garments." According to the Oral Tradition, it was taught that this is a general rule applying to all those who burn sacrificial offerings, teaching that they impart impurity to their garments until the offerings are reduced to ashes.
When does the above apply? When no disqualifying factor occurred and they were burned in the ashheap as prescribed. If, however, they were disqualified in the Temple Courtyard, they are burned there like disqualified offerings and the one who burns them is ritually pure. Similarly, one who is involved with these offerings after they have been reduced to ashes does not impart impurity to his garments.
Who is considered as "one who burns" it? Anyone who helps in burning it, for example, one who turns over the meat, one who places wood upon it, one who fans the fire, one who stirs the coals so that the fire will burn, and the like. In contrast, one who kindles the flame and one who builds the arrangement are pure.
According to the Oral Tradition, it was taught that one who carries the bulls and the goats that are burnt to transport them to the ashheap to burn them is ritually impure and imparts impurity to his garments according to Scriptural Law as long as he is involved in transporting them. To regain purity, he is required to immerse himself in a mikveh and wait until nightfall like the one who sends the goat to Azazel. The latter imparts impurity to all the garments and all the implements that he touches that are on him throughout the time he is involved in sending the goat to its destination, asibid.:26 states: "The one who sends the goat to Azazel shall launder his garments."
ד
השלים לכנוס את אפרה המתעסק בה אחר כן בחילוק העפר או בהצנעתו וכן הנוגע בו טהור ולא הפרה בלבד אלא כל החטאות הנשרפות מן הפרים ומן השעירים השורפם מטמא בגדים בשעת שריפתו עד שיעשו אפר שהרי הוא אומר בפר ושעיר של יום הכפורים והשורף אותם יכבס מפי השמועה למדו שזה בנין אב לכל הנשרפים שיהו מטמאין בגדים עד שיעשו אפר במה דברים אמורים בשלא אירע להן פיסול ונשרפו כמצוותן בבית הדשן אכל אם נפסלו בעזרה נשרפין שם כפסולי המוקדשין ושורפן טהור וכן המתעסק בהן משיעשו אפר אינו מטמא בגדים ואי זהו שורף זה המסייע בשריפה כגון המהפך בבשר והמשליך עצים והמהפך באש והחותה גחלים כדי שתבער האש וכיוצא בהן אבל המצית האור והמסדר את המערכה טהור כך למדו מפי השמועה שהנושא פרים ושעירים הנשרפין להוציאן לבית הדשן לשורפן טמא ומטמא בגדים דין תורה כל זמן שהוא עוסק בהולכתן וטעון טבילה והערב שמש כמו המשלח את השעיר לעזאזל שהוא מטמא כל בגד וכל כלי שיגע בו בכלים שעליו כל זמן שמתעסק בשלוחו שנאמר והמשלח את השעיר לעזאזל יכבס בגדיו:
5
From when do those who carry the bulls and goats that are burnt impart impurity to their garments? When they take them out of the Temple Courtyard. If they carried them with poles and some of those carrying them left the walls of the Temple Courtyard and others did not depart, those that departed impart impurity to their garments. Those who did not yet depart do not impart impurity to their garments until they depart.
If they depart and then return to the Temple Courtyard and transfer the carcasses to others, the others who carry them in the Temple Courtyard are pure until they take them out.
If a person was standing outside the Courtyard and was pulling the poles on which the carcasses were hanging from the Courtyard after they were returned there, he is considered as being impure of doubtful status, since the sacrificial animals had already been taken outside and the one pulling them was standing outside.
ה
מאימתי מטמאין בגדים הנושאין פרים ושעירים הנשרפים משיצאו בהן חוץ לחומת העזרה נשאום במוטות ויצאו מקצת הנושאים חוץ לחומת העזרה והאחרונים לא יצאו אלו שיצאו מטמאין בגדים ואלו שעדיין לא יצאו אינן מטמאין בגדים עד שיצאו יצאו וחזרו לעזרה הנושאין בעזרה טהור עד שיצא בהן היה עומד חוץ לעזרה ומושך אותם משם מאחר שחזרו הואיל וכבר יצאו לחוץ וה"ז המושכם בחוץ הרי הוא ספק טמא:
6
When does the person who sends the goat to Azazel impart impurity to his garments? From the time he departs Jerusalem until he pushes the goat off the cliff to Azazel. After he pushes it off the cliff, if he touches implements or garments, they are pure.
ו
ומאימתי מטמא בגדים המשלח את השעיר משיצא חוץ לחומת ירושלים עד שעת דחייתו לעזאזל אבל אחר שדחהו אם נגע בכלים ובבגדים טהורים:
7
When an entity - whether a person, an implement, food, or liquid - touches the bodies of the bulls and the goats that are burnt, even after they have been taken out of the Temple Courtyard, everything is pure. Similarly, if they would touch the goat sent to Azazel itself while it is being carried there, they would be pure. For these sacrificial animals impart impurity only to one who is involved with carrying them, as indicated by Leviticus 16:28: "The one who burns them shall launder his garments." One who touches, by contrast, is pure.
ז
הנוגע בפרים ובשעירין הנשרפין עצמן אפילו אחר שיצאו בין אדם בין כלים בין אוכלין בין משקין הכל טהור וכן אם נגעו בשעיר המשתלח עצמו בזמן הולכתו טהורין שאין אלו מטמאין אלא למתעסק בהן בלבד שנאמר והשורף אותה יכבס בגדיו אבל הנוגע טהור:
• Mechirah - Chapter Twenty Five
1
When a person sells an entity that has appurtenances, he is not including the appurtenances in the sale unless that is explicitly stated.
What is implied? If a person sold a house, he did not sell the patio around the house, even though it opens to the house. When does the above apply? When the patio is four cubits or more wide. If it is smaller than this, it is considered to be part of the house.
Similarly, a loft that is above a house and that opens up to it through an opening in the ceiling of the house is considered to be part of the house.
א
המוכר דבר שיש לו תשמישין לא מכר את התשמישין אא"כ פירש כיצד מכר את הבית לא מכר את היציע שסביבות הבית אף על פי שהוא פתוח לתוכו במה דברים אמורים כשהיה רחב היציע ארבע אמות או יתר אבל פחות מזה הרי הוא בכלל הבית וכן העלייה שעל גבי הבית הפתוחה לתוכו בארובה במעזיבת הבית הרי הוא בכלל הבית:
2
When a person sells a house, he is not including a room that is located behind the house in the sale. This applies even when it is included in the external borders of the property that the seller draws for the purchaser. Nor does the sale include the roof if it is four cubits wide and possesses a guardrail that is ten handbreadths high. Nor does it include a water receptacle hollowed out in the ground or a cistern that is built within a pit projecting above the ground. This applies even when he sold him the height and the depth of the property, as we have explained above.
ב
המוכר את הבית לא מכר את החדר שלפנים ממנו אע"פ שמצר לו מצרים החיצונים ולא את הגג בזמן שיש לו מעקה עשרה טפחים ויש בו רחב ארבע אמות ולא את הבור החפור בקרקע ולא את הדות הבנוי בבור אף על פי שמכר לו העומק והרום כמו שביארנו:
3
The seller must purchase a path from the purchaser in order to gain access to the water receptacle or the cistern that he retained. For when a person sells property, he sells generously.
If at the time of the original sale, the seller tells the purchaser: "I am selling you the house with the exception of the water receptacle or the cistern," he does not have to buy a path to the cistern. Similarly, when a person purchases a water receptacle or a cistern alone, the purchaser does not have to purchase a path. Instead, he may enter the seller's house and proceed as far as the cistern and fill his container.
ג
וצריך המוכר לקנות לו דרך מן הלוקח כדי להכנס בבור זה או לדות ששייר שכל המוכר בעין יפה מוכר ואם אמר לו מכרתי לך הבית חוץ מן הבור או הדות אין צריך לקנות לו דרך וכן המוכר בור או דות בלבד אין הלוקח צריך לקנות לו דרך אלא נכנס לתוך ביתו של מוכר עד הדות וממלא:
4
The following rules apply when there are two rooms, one inside the other: If one sold them to two separate people or gave them to two separate people, neither of the recipients has the right to make a path through the other's property. Needless to say, this applies if the original owner gave the external room away and sold the inner one.
If, however, he sold the outer room and gave away the inner room, the recipient of the inner room has the right to make a path for himself through the outer room. The rationale is that a person is more generous when he gives than when he sells.
ד
שני בתים זה לפנים מזה מכר שניהם לשנים או נתן שניהם לשנים אין להם דרך זה על זה ואין צריך לומר אם נתן החיצון ומכר הפנימי אבל אם מכר החיצון ונתן הפנימי יש לו דרך שכל הנותן בעין יפה נותן יותר מן המוכר:
5
When a person sells a house, he also sells the oven, the range, the door frames that are attached with mortar, the door, the beam, the lock, but not the key. He also sells a mill that is permanently affixed in the ground, but not one that is movable. He sells the wooden base on which a mill is positioned, but not the container into which the flour descends. Nor does he sell the blocks for the feet of a bed, nor the window frames, even though they are affixed with mortar, for they are intended for decoration.
When the seller says that he is selling the house and all its contents, all of the above are also sold.
ה
המוכר את הבית מכר את התנור ואת הכיריים ואת מלבנות הפתחים המחוברין בטיט ואת הדלת ואת הנגר ואת המנעול אבל לא המפתח ומכר את המכתשת הקבועה אבל לא את המטלטלת ומכר את האיצטרוביל אבל לא את הכלי שהקמח יורד לתוכו שהוא כמו כפיפה של עץ ולא מכר את מלבנות כרעי המטה ולא את מלבנות החלונות אע"פ שהן מחוברין בטיט מפני שהן לנוי ובזמן שאמר הוא וכל מה שבתוכו הרי כולן מכורין:
6
When a person sells a courtyard, he includes in the sale any water reservoirs, vaults or cellars that are located in it, all the outer and inner buildings, the buildings that contain sand and the stores that open to it. The stores that do not open to it, by contrast, are not included in the sale.
If stores open both inside and outside the courtyard the following rules apply. If the majority of the activity performed within them is performed within the courtyard, they are included in its sale. If not, they are not included in the sale. Movable property located in the courtyard is not included in the sale.
When the seller says that he is selling the courtyard and all its contents, all of the above are also sold. Regardless of what he said, a bathhouse or an olive press located within are not sold.
ו
המוכר את החצר מכר בורות שיחין ומערות שבתוכה וכל הבתים החיצונים והפנימים ובתים שיש בהן החול והחנויות הפתוחים לתוכה אבל שאינן פתוחות לתוכה אינם נמכרים עמה היו פתוחות לכאן ולכאן אם רוב תשמישן לתוכה נמכרות עמה ואם לאו אינן נמכרות עמה ולא מכר את המטלטלין שבתוכה ובזמן שאמר היא וכל מה שבתוכה הרי כולם מכורין בין כך ובין כך לא מכר את המרחץ ולא בית הבד שבתוכה:
7
When a person sells an olive press, he includes in the sale the large stone that is affixed in the ground, upon which the olives are ground, the cedar beams that are used for support when the olives are being ground, the storage reservoirs and the storage containers in which the crushed olives are placed. These are calledmafrechot. Not included in the sale is the upper millstone.
When the seller says that he is selling the olive press and all its contents, all of the above are also sold. Regardless of what he said, the blocks that are used to press the olives, the apparatus that rotates the stone, the beam, the sacks and the leather sacks used in the press are not sold.
ז
המוכר את בית הבד מכר את האבן הגדולה הבנויה בארץ שטוחנים עלה זיתים ואת הכלונסאות של ארז שסומכין בהן בעת טחינת הזיתים ואת היקבים ואת הכלים שנותנין בהן את הזיתים הכתושין והם המפרכות אבל לא מכר את הריחיים העליונה ובזמן שאמר הוא וכל מה שבתוכו הרי כולן מכורין בין כך ובין כך לא מכר את הכובשין שמכבשין בהן הזיתים ולא את הגלגל ולא את הקורה ולא את השקין ולא את המרצופין:
8
When the seller says: "I am selling you an olive press and all its accessories," all of the above are sold.
The following rules apply if there are stores outside the olive press where olives or sesame seeds are spread out. If when the seller drew the external boundaries, he included these, they are all included in the sale. If not, the purchaser acquires only what is inside the building of the press itself.
ח
אמר לו בית הבד וכל תשמישיו אני מוכר לך כולן מכורין היו חוצה לה חנויות ששוטחים בהן הזיתים או השומשמין אם מצר לו מצרים החיצונים שלהן קנה הכל ואם לאו לא קנה אלא מה שבתוכה:
9
When a person sells a bathhouse, included in the sale is the plank room where people sit while they are naked, the storehouse for the containers in which water is placed, the room where there are benches in the courtyard of the bathhouse where people sit when they are clothed, and the towel room in which they dry themselves. Not included in the sale are the planks, the water containers, the benches or the towels themselves.
When the seller says that he is selling the bathhouse] and all its contents, all of the above are also sold. Regardless of what he said, he did not include in the sale the pools that provide water for the bathhouse in the summer and in the winter, nor the lumber shed where wood is stored.
When the seller says: "I am selling you a bathhouse and all its accessories," all of the above are sold, even though they are located outside [the bathhouse itself.)"
ט
המוכר את המרחץ מכר את בית הנסרים שיושבין עליהן כשהן ערומים ואת בית היקמים שנוטלין בהן המים ואת בית הספסלין שיושבין עליהן בחצר המרחץ כשהן לבושים ואת בית הוילאות שמסתפגין בהן אבל לא מכר את הנסרים עצמן ואת היקמים עצמן ולא את הספסלין עצמן ולא את הוילאות עצמן ובזמן שאמר לו הוא וכל מה שבתוכו הרי כולן מכורין בין כך ובין כך לא מכר הבריכות המספקות לו מים בין בימות החמה בין בימות הגשמים ולא בית כנוס העצים ואם אמר לו מרחץ וכל תשמישיו אני מוכר לך הרי הן כולן מכורין אף על פי שהן חוצה לו:
Mechirah - Chapter Twenty Six
1
When a person sells a town, included in the sale are the homes, the water reservoirs, vaults, cellars, bathhouses, dovecotes, olive presses, aqueducts in the town and near the town, the woods that surround the town, the fields that are known to be part of the town, the pens for wild animals, fowl and fish that face the town, even though they are distant from it. Not included in the sale is the movable property the town contains.
When the seller says that he is selling the town and all its contents, the movable propertyis also sold. Regardless of what he said, he did not include in the sale fields that are not known to be part of the town, the villages that surround it, the woods that are distant from it, its portion of a sea, its portion of dry land, or the pens for wild animals, fowl and fish that do not face the town.
א
המוכר את העיר מכר בתים ובורות שיחין ומערות ומרחצאות ושובכות ובית הבדים ובית השלחין שבה והסמוכין לה ואת החרשין המוקפין לה ואת השדות הידועות לה ואת הביברין של חיה ועופות ודגים שפניהם כנגדה אע"פ שהן רחוקים ממנה אבל לא מכר המטלטלין שבתוכה ובזמן שאמר לו היא וכל מה שבתוכה אני מוכר לך הרי כולן מכורין ובין כך ובין כך לא מכר לא את שיריה ולא את בנותיה ולא החורשין המוקצין ממנה ולא את החלק שיש לה בים ולא את החלק שיש לה ביבשה ולא את ביברי חיה ועופות ודגים שאין פניהם כנגדה:
2
When a person sells a field, included in the sale are the stones that support the fence and the stones that are placed on the sheaves, for they are necessary elements of the field. Also included in the sale are the planed reeds that are placed under the vines to support them, the grain that is attached to the ground even though the time for its harvest has come, a place where reeds grow that is less than the area necessary to sow a fourth of a se'ah of grain, even though the reeds that grow there are thick and strong, the hut for the watchman which is made with mortar, even though it is not a permanent structure, a carob tree even though other trees have not been grafted upon it, wild fig trees that have not been cut down yet, even though their trunks are thick, and all the date palms it contains.
The following articles, by contrast, are not included in the sale: the stones that are not structured to support the fence, and the stones that are not placed on the sheaves, even though they are prepared for these purposes, the reeds in the vineyard that are not placed under the vines even though they have been planed, made flat and prepared for this purpose, and the grain that has been uprooted from the ground even though it still requires the field. When the seller says that he is selling the field and all its contents, these are also sold.
ב
המוכר את השדה מכר את האבנים הסדורות לגדר ואת האבנים שמונחות על העומדים מפני שהן לצרכה ומכר את הקנים החלקים המונחין תחת הגפנים כדי להעמיד את הכרם מפני שהן לצרכה ומכר את התבואה המחוברת לקרקע אף על פי שהגיע להקצר ומכר את מחיצת הקנים שהיא פחותה מבית רובע אע"פ שהקנים שלה עבים וחזקים ומכר את השומרה העשויה בטיט אף על פי שאינה קבועה ומכר את החרוב שאינו מורכב ואת בתולת השקמה אע"פ שהן עבים ומכר כל הדקלים שבה אבל לא מכר את האבנים שאינן סדורות לגדר ולא את האבנים שאינן מונחות על גבי העומדין אף על פי שהן מוכנות לכך ולא את הקנים שבכרם שאינן מונחין תחת הגפנים אע"פ שהן משופין וחלקים ומוכנים לכך ולא את התבואה העקורה מן הקרקע אף על פי שהיא צריכה לשדה ובזמן שאמר לו היא וכל מה שבתוכה הרי כולן מכורין:
3
Regardless of what the seller said, he did not include in the sale a place where reeds grow that is the size of an area necessary to sow a fourth of a se'ah of grain- even though the reeds growing in it are thin and small - a small block of spices that has a name of its own - e.g., it is called so and so's rose garden - the hut for the watchman, which is not made with mortar even though it is affixed to the ground, a carob tree upon which other trees have been grafted, and stumps of wild fig trees that have been cut down even though they are thin.
Nor is a water reservoir, a grape press or a dovecote - whether complete or destroyed - included in the sale.
ג
בין כך ובין כך לא מכר מחיצת הקנים שהיא בית רובע אע"פ שהקנים שבה דקים וקטנים ולא מכר ערוגה קטנה של בשמים שיש לה שם בפני עצמו כגון שקורין לה בי ורדא של פלוני ולא את השומרה בזמן שאינה עשויה בטיט אף על פי שהיא קבועה בארץ ולא מכר את החרוב המורכב ולא סדן של שקמה ואפילו הן דקים ולא מכר את הבור שבה ולא את הגת ולא את השובך בין חרבים בין שלמים:
4
The seller must purchase from the purchaser a path in order to proceed to the water reservoir, grape press or dovecote that he retained in the field. If the seller explicitly said: "The field is sold with the exception of these items," he does not have to purchase a path.
ד
וצריך המוכר לקנות לו דרך מן הלוקח כדי שילך בה עד אותו הבור או אותו הדות או אותו הגת או אותו השובך שנשארו לו בתוך השדה ואם פירש ואמר חוץ מאלו אינו צריך ליקח לו [דרך]:
5
When do the above restrictions with regard to what is included in a sale apply? With regard to a seller, for the purchaser should have explicitly stated that these entities are being included in the sale. Since he did not make such a statement, he does not receive them.
When, however, a person gives a present, the recipient acquires all the entities mentioned above - whether a field, a house, a courtyard or an olive press - that are being transferred. The general principle is that when a person gives landed property as a present, the recipient acquires everything that is attached to it unless the giver specifies otherwise.
ה
בד"א במוכר מפני שהיה לו ללוקח לפרש ולא פירש אין לו את אלו אבל הנותן מתנה קנה את כולן בין בשדה בין בבית בין בחצר בין בבית הבד כללו של דבר הנותן קרקע במתנה קנה המקבל כל המחובר לה עד שיפרש:
6
Similarly, when brothers divide an inheritance, and one acquires a field, he acquires all the articles associated with the field. When a person takes possession of the property of a convert who dies, if he takes possession of a field, he acquires all of the above. And when a person consecrates a field, he consecrates all of the above.
ו
וכן האחין שחלקו וזכה אחד מהן בשדה זכה בכולן והמחזיק בנכסי הגר החזיק בשדה זכה בכולן והמקדיש את השדה הקדיש כולן:
7
Even with regard to a seller and a purchaser, all the above concepts apply with regard to these matters only when there is not a fixed custom or known terms commonly used with regard to every individual article. In a place where it is customary that a person who sells a particular entity includes in the sale other particular entities, those entities are included in the sale even if they are not mentioned explicitly, for we rely on the custom.
Similarly, in a place where the term "house" refers to the house alone, or the term "house" refers not only to the house but to all of its surroundings and everything that is upon it, we follow the meaning common in that locale.
Similarly, when a person sells a courtyard, a field, a town or movable property, with regard to everything we follow the meaning of the terms that are used by all the local people.
ז
אף במוכר ולוקח אין כל אלו הדברים וכיוצא בהן מענינים אמורים אלא במקום שאין שם מנהג ולא שמות ידועים לכל דבר ודבר בפני עצמו אבל במקום שנהגו שהמוכר כך מכר כך הרי זה מכור וסומכין על המנהג וכן מקום שאין קורין אלא בית לבית לבדו או שקורין בית לבית וכל סביבותיו ולכל שעל גביו הולכין אחר לשון אנשי המקום וכן הדין במוכר חצר או שדה או עיר או מטלטלין בכל הולכין אחר השמות הערוכות בפי הכל:
8
This is a fundamental principle: With regard to all matters of commerce and trade, we follow the commonly accepted meanings of the terms used by people of that place, and the local business customs. When, however, there are no local business customs or commonly accepted meanings of terms, and instead, one person will have this intent and another, another intent, we follow the guidelines explained by the Sages in these chapters.
ח
וזה עיקר גדול בכל דברי משא ומתן הולכין אחר לשון בני אדם באותו המקום ואחר המנהג אבל מקום שאין ידוע בו מנהג ולא שמות מיוחדין אלא יש קורין כך ויש שקורין כך עושים כמו שפירשו חכמים בפרקים אלו:
Mechirah - Chapter Twenty Seven
1
When a person sells a ship, included in the sale are the mast, the sail, its anchors, the ropes used to steer it, the ramp and the ladder with which one ascends to the ship and descends to its lower deck, and the reservoir of drinking water it contains.
Not included in the sail is the beitzit - the small boat in which one sails to land, the dugit - the small boat with which the sailors fish - the servants who work on the ship, or the sacks and the merchandise that it contains. When the seller tells the purchaser: "I am selling you a ship and everything it contains, they are all included in the sale.
א
המוכר את הספינה מכר את התורן ואת הנס ואת העוגנים שלה ואת כל המשוטין המנהיגין אותה ואת הכבש והאסכלה שעולין בהן לספינה ויורדין עליה ואת בית המים שבתוכה אבל לא מכר את הביצית והיא הספינה הקטנה שהולכים בה על המים הקרובים ליבשה ולא מכר הדוגית והיא הספינה הקטנה שצדין בה המלחים את הדגים ולא מכר את העבדים העושין בהן ולא את המרצופין ולא את הסחורה שבתוכה ובזמן שאמר לו היא וכל מה שבתוכה אני מוכר הרי כולן מכורין:
2
When a person sells a carriage, he has not sold the mules if they are not attached to it. If he sells the mules, he has not sold the carriage.
If a person sells a yoke, he does not sell the oxen. If he sells the oxen, he does not sell the yoke. This applies even in a place where, when some people say "oxen," they are referring to a yoked team.
ב
המוכר את הקרון לא מכר את הפרדות בזמן שאינן קשורות עמו מכר את הפרדות לא מכר את הקרון מכר את הצמד לא מכר את הבקר מכר את הבקר לא מכר את הצמד ואפילו במקום שקורין מקצתן לצמד בקר:
3
When a person sells a single yoke, he also sells the cow. When he sells a cow, he does not sell its yoke. When he sells a wagon, he sells the oxen. When he sells oxen, he has not sold the wagon.
In all these matters and the like, the price of the article is no proof of the seller's intent.'
ג
המוכר את העול מכר את הפרה מכר את הפרה לא מכר את העול מכר את העגלה מכר את הבקר מכר את הבקר לא מכר את העגלה ואין הדמים ראיה בכל אלו הדברים וכיוצא בהן:
4
When a person sells a donkey, included in the sale are the saddlecloth and the saddle, even though they are not on the donkey. The saddle-bags and a riding seat for women are not included in the sale, even if they are on the donkey at the time of the sale.
ד
וכן המוכר את החמור מכר את המרדעת ואת האוכף אף על פי שאינן עליו אבל לא מכר את השק ולא מרכבת הנשים ואפילו היו עליו בשעת המכר:
5
The price paid for an article is not considered to be proof of the seller's intent. If the purchaser erred with regard to a sum that one might ordinarily err, the laws of ona'ah are applied, or the transaction is nullified, as is the law with regard to any seller and purchaser. If, however, the error is inordinately greater than one would make, the transaction is not nullified. We assume that the extra money is a present that the purchaser gave the seller, and the purchaser receives merely a donkey without its saddlebags.
The same applies in all analogous situations: We do not bring proof of the seller's intent from the price.
ה
ואין הדמים ראיה שאם טעה בכדי שהדעת טועה יש לו אונאה או ביטול מקח כדין כל המוכר ולוקח ואם טעה בכדי שאין הדעת טועה לא בטל המקח שזה מתנה נתן לו ואין לו אלא החמור בלא שקים וכן כל כיוצא בזה אין מביאין בו ראיה מן הדמים:
6
When a person sells a maid-servant, included in the sale are all the garments she is wearing, even if there are one hundred. Nevertheless, jewelry
- e.g., a bracelet, a nose ring, a finger ring or a choker worn around the neck
- are not included in the sale.
If the seller says: "I am selling you a maid-servant and everything that is upon her," even if she is wearing articles that are worth 100maneh, they are all included in the sale.
ו
המוכר את השפחה מכר כלים שעליה אפילו הם מאה אבל לא מכר השירים ולא הנזמים ולא הטבעות ולא את הקטלאות שבצוארה ואם אמר לו שפחה וכל מה שעליה הרי הן כולן מכורין אע"פ שיש עליה כלים של מאה מנה:
7
If a person tells a colleague, "I am selling you a pregnant maid-servant," or "I am selling you a pregnant cow," the fetus is sold together with the mother.
If a person tells a colleague, "I am selling you a nursing maid-servant," or "I am selling you a nursing cow," the infant or the calf is not included in the sale.
If a person tells a colleague, "I am selling you a nursing donkey, the donkey colt is included in the sale, because no one ever sells a donkey for its milk.
ז
האומר לחבירו שפחה מעוברת אני מוכר לך פרה מעוברת אני מוכר לך מכר לו את הולד שפחה מניקה אני מוכר לך פרה מניקה אני מוכר לך לא מכר לו את הולד חמורה מניקה אני מוכר לך מכר לו את הסיח שאין אדם קונה חמורה לחלבה:
8
If a person tells a colleague, "I am selling you the head of this servant," or "... of this donkey," half of the animal is included in the sale. Similar laws apply with regard to any organ on which the life of the animal depends.
If the seller tells the purchaser: "The hand of this servant..." or "the forearm of this donkey is sold to you," an evaluation is made between them. Similar laws apply with regard to any organ on which the life of the animal does not depend.
If he tells him: "I am selling you the head of this cow," only the head is included in the sale, for the head of a cow is always being sold in butcher shops.
ח
האומר לחבירו ראש עבד זה או ראש חמור זה אני מוכר לך הרי זה מכר חציו וכן הדין בכל אבר שהנשמה תלויה בו אמר לו יד עבד זה או יד חמור זה אני מוכר לך משמנין ביניהם וכן הדין בכל אבר שאין הנשמה תלויה בו אמר לו ראש פרה זו אני מוכר לך לא מכר אלא הראש בלבד שהרי ראשה נמכרת תמיד במטבחיים:
9
When a person sells the head of a large animal, the feet are not included in the sale. If he sells the feet, the head is not sold. If he sells the windpipe, the liver is not sold. If he sells the liver, the windpipe is not sold.
With regard to a small animal, however, different laws apply. When a person sells the head, the feet are included in the sale. If he sells the feet, the head is not sold. If he sells the windpipe, the liver is sold. If he sells the liver, the windpipe is not sold.
ט
מכר את הראש בבהמה גסה לא מכר את הרגלים מכר את הרגלים לא מכר את הראש מכר את הקנה לא מכר את הכבד מכר את הכבד לא מכר את הקנה אבל בבהמה דקה מכר את הראש מכר את הרגלים מכר את הרגלים לא מכר את הראש מכר את הקנה מכר את הכבד מכר את הכבד לא מכר את הקנה:
10
When a person sells a water reservoir, the water is not included in the sale. When he sells a garbage dump, the garbage is included in the sale. When he sells a beehive, the bees are included in the sale. When he sells a dovecote, the doves are included in the sale.
י
המוכר את הבור לא מכר את מימיו מכר את האשפה מכר את זבלה מכר כוורת מכר דבורים מכר שובך מכר את היונים:
11
Do not let the fundamental principles governing these matters escape your eyes. These are the accepted local customs, and the commonly accepted meaning of terms for every particular entity. In a place where there is no local custom defined, and a term does not have a specific meaning that excludes a more encompassing conception, we follow these principles that were explained by our Sages, as stated previously.
יא
אל ילוז מעיניך העיקר הגדול בדברים אלו שהוא מנהג המדינה והשמות הידועים ביחוד לכל דבר ודבר ובמקום שאין מנהג ולא שם שהכל אומרים לו ביחוד ולא שיתוף הולכין אחר אלו הכללות שביארו חכמים כמו שביארנו:
• Monday, 11 AV , 5776 · 15 August 2016
• "Today's Day"
• Thursday, Menachem Av 11, 5703
Torah lessons: Chumash: Va'etchanan, Chamishi with Rashi.
Tehillim: 60-65.
Tanya: III. "And he garbed (p. 397) ...(Heaven Forfend). (p. 399).
The Alter Rebbe went to Mezritch with his brother, R. Yehuda Leib, in 5524 (1764). R. Yehuda Leib went without permission from his wife and therefore turned back. The Rebbe came to Mezritch and stayed there, that first time, until after Pesach 5525 (1765). For two weeks he was uncertain whether to remain there. The first maamar he heard was Nachamu nachamu. It is not clear, though, whether this was the first maamar after his arrival, or the first after the two weeks when he had decided to remain and had become bound (to the Maggid).
• Daily Thought:
Mandate Unmasked
As impossible as it sounds, as absurd as it may seem: The mandate of darkness is to become light; the mandate of a busy, messy world is to find oneness.
We have proof: for the greater the darkness becomes and the greater the confusion of life, the deeper our souls reach inward to discover their own essence-core.
How could it be that darkness leads us to find a deeper light? That confusion leads us to find a deeper truth?
Only because the very act of existence was set from its beginning to know its own Author.
As it says, “In the beginning . . . G‑d said, ‘It shall become light!’”[Maamar V’nachah Alav 5725; Likkutei Sichot, vol. 10, pp. 7ff.]
-------
As impossible as it sounds, as absurd as it may seem: The mandate of darkness is to become light; the mandate of a busy, messy world is to find oneness.
We have proof: for the greater the darkness becomes and the greater the confusion of life, the deeper our souls reach inward to discover their own essence-core.
How could it be that darkness leads us to find a deeper light? That confusion leads us to find a deeper truth?
Only because the very act of existence was set from its beginning to know its own Author.
As it says, “In the beginning . . . G‑d said, ‘It shall become light!’”[Maamar V’nachah Alav 5725; Likkutei Sichot, vol. 10, pp. 7ff.]
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