Today in Jewish History:
Hasmonean Holiday (circa 100 BCE)
The Hasmoneans reinstated the rule of Jewish civil law, replacing Hellenist secular law, and declared this day a holiday.
Daily Quote:
Daily Study:
G-d plans the steps of man[Proverbs 20:24[
Chitas and Rambam for today:
Chumash: Parshat Re'eh, 1st Portion (Deuteronomy 11:26-12:10) with Rashi
• Deuteronomy Chapter 11
26Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse. כורְאֵ֗ה אָֽנֹכִ֛י נֹתֵ֥ן לִפְנֵיכֶ֖ם הַיּ֑וֹם בְּרָכָ֖ה וּקְלָלָֽה:
A blessing and a curse: [i.e.,] those that were stated, [respectively,] on Mount Gerizim and on Mount Ebal. ראה אנכי נותן לפניכם היום ברכה וקללה: האמורות בהר גריזים ובהר עיבל:
27The blessing, that you will heed the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today; כזאֶת־הַבְּרָכָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּשְׁמְע֗וּ אֶל־מִצְוֹת֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֧ר אָֽנֹכִ֛י מְצַוֶּ֥ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם הַיּֽוֹם:
The blessing: on the condition that you listen [and obey]. את הברכה: על מנת אשר תשמעו:
28and the curse, if you will not heed the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn away from the way I command you this day, to follow other gods, which you did not know. כחוְהַקְּלָלָ֗ה אִם־לֹ֤א תִשְׁמְעוּ֙ אֶל־מִצְוֹת֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם וְסַרְתֶּ֣ם מִן־הַדֶּ֔רֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֧ר אָֽנֹכִ֛י מְצַוֶּ֥ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם הַיּ֑וֹם לָלֶ֗כֶת אַֽחֲרֵ֛י אֱלֹהִ֥ים אֲחֵרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יְדַעְתֶּֽם:
[If you… depart] from the way that I command you this day, to follow [other gods]: This teaches that whoever worships idols departs from the entire path that Israel has been commanded. From here [our Rabbis] said: One who acknowledges [the divinity of] pagan deities is as though he denies the entire Torah. — [Sifrei] מן הדרך אשר אנכי מצוה אתכם היום ללכת וגו': הא למדת שכל העובד עבודה זרה הרי הוא סר מכל הדרך שנצטוו ישראל. מכאן אמרו כל המודה בעבודה זרה ככופר בכל התורה כולה:
29And it will be, when the Lord, your God, will bring you to the land to which you come, to possess it, that you shall place those blessing upon Mount Gerizim, and those cursing upon Mount Ebal. כטוְהָיָ֗ה כִּ֤י יְבִֽיאֲךָ֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ אֶל־הָאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֥ה בָא־שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּ֑הּ וְנָֽתַתָּ֤ה אֶת־הַבְּרָכָה֙ עַל־הַ֣ר גְּרִזִּ֔ים וְאֶת־הַקְּלָלָ֖ה עַל־הַ֥ר עֵיבָֽל:
you shall place those blessing: As the Targum [Onkelos] renders it: יָת מְבָרְכַיָא,“those who bless.” ונתתה את הברכה: כתרגומו ית מברכיא, את המברכים:
upon Mount Gerizim: [עַל, usually “upon,” here means] “facing Mount Gerizim.” [The Levites] turned their faces [toward the mountain] and began with the blessing:“Blessed is the man who does not make any graven or molten image….” Each of the curses in that section [beginningDeut. 27:15] were first stated in the expression of a blessing. Afterwards, they turned their faces towards Mount Ebal and began [to recite the corresponding] curse. — [Sotah 32a] על הר גרזים: כלפי הר גרזים הופכין פניהם ופתחו בברכה, ברוך האיש אשר לא יעשה פסל ומסכה וגו'. כל הארורים שבפרשה אמרו תחלה בלשון ברוך ואחר כך הפכו פניהם כלפי הר עיבל ופתחו בקללה:
30Are they not on the other side of the Jordan, way beyond, in the direction of the sunset, in the land of the Canaanites, who dwell in the plain, opposite Gilgal, near the plains of Moreh? להֲלֹא־הֵ֜מָּה בְּעֵ֣בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֗ן אַֽחֲרֵי֙ דֶּ֚רֶךְ מְב֣וֹא הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ בְּאֶ֨רֶץ֙ הַכְּנַֽעֲנִ֔י הַיּשֵׁ֖ב בָּֽעֲרָבָ֑ה מ֚וּל הַגִּלְגָּ֔ל אֵ֖צֶל אֵֽלוֹנֵ֥י מֹרֶֽה:
Are they not [on the other side of the Jordan]?- [: Moses] gave [geographical] landmarks [describing the mountains]. הלא המה: נתן בהם סימן:
beyond: Heb. אַחֲרֵי, [I.e.,] after crossing the Jordan, much further on in distance, for that is the meaning of the expression אַחֲרֵי, “beyond”; wherever [the term] אַחֲרֵי is used, [it signifies]“a great separation [in time or place].” אחרי: אחר העברת הירדן הרבה והלאה למרחוק. וזהו לשון אחרי. כל מקום שנאמר אחרי, מופלג הוא:
[on the other side of the Jordan, way beyond,] in the direction of the sunset: [i.e.,] beyond the Jordan, toward the west. And the cantillation marks of the verse prove that [אַחֲרֵי and דֶּרֶךְ] refer to two separate things, for they are marked with two [conjunctive] accents [thus demonstrating that these words are not connected]: אַחֲרֵי is punctuated with a pashta [which separates the word from the succeeding one], and דֶּרֶךְ is punctuated with a mashpel [which we call a yetib]. In addition, [the ד of the word דֶּרֶךְ has a dagesh inside it [which indicates that the word דֶּרֶךְ begins a new phrase or topic]. If, however, אַחֲרֵי דֶרֶךְ were one phrase [meaning “beyond the direction”], then אַחֲרֵי would have been punctuated by a conjunctive accent, namely a shofar hafuch [which we call a mahpach] and דֶּרֶךְ by a pashta [the combination of which indicates the connection between those words. Additionally, the ד of the word דֶּרֶךְ] would not have a dagesh inside it. [But this is not so, and thus אַחֲרֵי and דֶּרֶךְ are separate words in this verse.] דרך מבוא השמש: להלן מן הירדן לצד מערב. וטעם המקרא מוכיח שהם שני דברים, שננקדו בשני טעמים, אחרי נקוד בפשטא, ודרך נקוד במשפל והוא דגוש, ואם היה אחרי דרך דבור אחד, היה נקוד אחרי במשרת בשופר הפוך, ודרך בפשטא ורפה:
opposite: Far off from Gilgal. מול הגלגל: רחוק מן הגלגל:
[near] the plains of Moreh: This is Shechem, as is stated:“to the place of Shechem, to the plain of Moreh” (Gen. 12:6). אלוני מורה: שכם הוא, שנאמר (בראשית יב, ו) עד מקום שכם עד אלון מורה:
31For you are crossing the Jordan, to come to possess the land which the Lord, your God, is giving you, and you shall possess it and dwell in it. לאכִּ֤י אַתֶּם֙ עֹֽבְרִ֣ים אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן לָבֹא֙ לָרֶ֣שֶׁת אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֖ם נֹתֵ֣ן לָכֶ֑ם וִֽירִשְׁתֶּ֥ם אֹתָ֖הּ וִֽישַׁבְתֶּם־בָּֽהּ:
For you are crossing the Jordan: The miracles [that will occur for you during your crossing] of the Jordan will be a sign in your hands that you will come and inherit the land [as promised]. — [Sifrei] כי אתם עוברים את הירדן וגו': נסים של ירדן יהיו סימן בידכם שתבואו ותירשו את הארץ:
32And you shall keep to perform all the statutes and ordinances that I am setting before you today. לבוּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֣ם לַֽעֲשׂ֔וֹת אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַֽחֻקִּ֖ים וְאֶת־הַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֑ים אֲשֶׁ֧ר אָֽנֹכִ֛י נֹתֵ֥ן לִפְנֵיכֶ֖ם הַיּֽוֹם:
Deuteronomy Chapter 12
1These are the statutes and ordinances that you shall keep to perform in the land which the Lord God of your fathers gives you to possess all the days that you live on the earth. אאֵלֶּה הַֽחֻקִּ֣ים וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִים֘ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּשְׁמְר֣וּן לַֽעֲשׂוֹת֒ בָּאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר֩ נָתַ֨ן יְהֹוָ֜ה אֱלֹהֵ֧י אֲבֹתֶ֛יךָ לְךָ֖ לְרִשְׁתָּ֑הּ כָּ֨ל־הַיָּמִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּ֥ם חַיִּ֖ים עַל־הָֽאֲדָמָֽה:
2You shall utterly destroy from all the places where the nations, that you shall possess, worshipped their gods, upon the lofty mountains and upon the hills, and under every lush tree. באַבֵּ֣ד תְּאַבְּד֠וּן אֶת־כָּל־הַמְּקֹמ֞וֹת אֲשֶׁ֧ר עָֽבְדוּ־שָׁ֣ם הַגּוֹיִ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתֶּ֛ם יֹֽרְשִׁ֥ים אֹתָ֖ם אֶת־אֱלֹֽהֵיהֶ֑ם עַל־הֶֽהָרִ֤ים הָֽרָמִים֙ וְעַל־הַגְּבָע֔וֹת וְתַ֖חַת כָּל־עֵ֥ץ רַֽעֲנָֽן:
You shall utterly destroy: Destroy and then destroy them again. From here [we derive that] one who eradicates idolatry must thoroughly uproot it [i.e., remove every trace of it]. — [A.Z. 45b] אבד תאבדון: אבד ואחר כך תאבדון מכאן לעוקר עבודה זרה שצריך לשרש אחריה:
from all the places where the nations,… worshipped: And what shall you destroy from them? Their gods that are on the mountains, etc. את כל המקומות אשר עבדו שם וגו': ומה תאבדון מהם, את אלהיהם אשר על ההרים:
3And you shall tear down their altars, smash their monuments, burn their asherim with fire, cut down the graven images of their gods, and destroy their name from that place. גוְנִתַּצְתֶּ֣ם אֶת־מִזְבְּחֹתָ֗ם וְשִׁבַּרְתֶּם֙ אֶת־מַצֵּ֣בֹתָ֔ם וַֽאֲשֵֽׁרֵיהֶם֙ תִּשְׂרְפ֣וּן בָּאֵ֔שׁ וּפְסִילֵ֥י אֱלֹֽהֵיהֶ֖ם תְּגַדֵּע֑וּן וְאִבַּדְתֶּ֣ם אֶת־שְׁמָ֔ם מִן־הַמָּק֖וֹם הַהֽוּא:
altar: [constructed] of many stones. מזבח: של אבנים הרבה:
monument: [constructed] of one stone. This is the בִּימוּס [the pedestal for an idol] concerning which we learn in the Mishnah (A.Z. 3:7): A stone that was originally carved for an idol’s pedestal. מצבה: של אבן אחת, והוא בימוס ששנינו במשנה (ע"ז מז ב) אבן שחצבה מתחלתה לבימוס:
asherah: a tree that is worshipped. אשרה: אילן הנעבד:
and destroy their name: By giving them disgraceful nicknames. What they call בֵּית גליא,“exalted temple,” [you] should call בֵּית כְּלִיָא,“dug out house,” what they call עַיִן כָּל,“the all-seeing eye,” [you] should call עַיִן קוֹץ “the thorn eye.” - [A.Z. 46a] ואבדתם את שמם: לכנות להם שם לגנאי, בית גליא קורין לה בית כריא, עין כל עין קוץ:
4You shall not do so to the Lord, your God. דלֹא־תַֽעֲשׂ֣וּן כֵּ֔ן לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם:
You shall not do so [to the Lord your God]: to burn sacrifices to God in any place you choose, but rather at the place that He will choose. Another explanation is: “And you shall tear down their altars… and destroy their name… [but] do not do so [to the Lord your God]”; this is an admonition [addressed] to one who would erase the Name [of God from any writing] or remove a stone from the altar or from the courtyard (Mak. 22a). Rabbi Ishmael said: Would it enter your mind that the Israelites would tear down the altars [of God]? Rather, [the meaning of“You shall not do so” is that] you should not do like the deeds of the nations so that your sins would cause the sanctuary of [i.e., built by] your fathers to be destroyed. — [Sifrei] לא תעשון כן: להקטיר לשמים בכל מקום (פסוק ה), כי אם במקום אשר יבחר. דבר אחר ונתצתם את מזבחותם ואבדתם את שמם לא תעשון כן, אזהרה למוחק את השם ולנותץ אבן מן המזבח או מן העזרה. אמר רבי ישמעאל וכי תעלה על דעתך שישראל נותצין את המזבחות, אלא שלא תעשו כמעשיהם, ויגרמו עונותיכם למקדש אבותיכם שיחרב:
5But only to the place which the Lord your God shall choose from all your tribes, to set His Name there; you shall inquire after His dwelling and come there. הכִּי אִם־אֶל־הַמָּק֞וֹם אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַ֨ר יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם֙ מִכָּל־שִׁבְטֵיכֶ֔ם לָשׂ֥וּם אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ שָׁ֑ם לְשִׁכְנ֥וֹ תִדְרְשׁ֖וּ וּבָ֥אתָ שָּֽׁמָּה:
you shall inquire after His dwelling: Heb. לְשִׁכְנוֹ. This is the Mishkan in Shiloh. לשכנו תדרשו: זה משכן שילה:
6And there you shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and the separation by your hand, and your vows and your donations, and the firstborn of your cattle and of your sheep. ווַֽהֲבֵאתֶ֣ם שָׁ֗מָּה עֹלֹֽתֵיכֶם֙ וְזִבְחֵיכֶ֔ם וְאֵת֙ מַעְשְׂרֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וְאֵ֖ת תְּרוּמַ֣ת יֶדְכֶ֑ם וְנִדְרֵיכֶם֙ וְנִדְבֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וּבְכֹרֹ֥ת בְּקַרְכֶ֖ם וְצֹֽאנְכֶֽם:
and your sacrifices: Obligatory peace offerings. וזבחיכם: שלמים של חובה:
your tithes: [I.e.,] the tithe of the cattle and the second tithe, to eat them within the walls [of Jerusalem]. מעשרתיכם: מעשר בהמה ומעשר שני לאכול לפנים מן החומה:
the separation by your hand: These are the first fruits, of which it is stated: “And the kohen shall take the basket from your hand” (Deut. 26:4). תרומת ידכם: אלו הבכורים, שנאמר בהם (דברים כו, ד) ולקח הכהן הטנא מידך:
and the firstborn of your cattle: to give them to the kohen , and he shall offer them up there. ובכורות בקרכם: לתתם לכהן ויקריבם שם:
7And there you shall eat before the Lord, your God, and you shall rejoice in all your endeavors you and your households, as the Lord, your God, has blessed you. זוַֽאֲכַלְתֶּם־שָׁ֗ם לִפְנֵי֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם וּשְׂמַחְתֶּ֗ם בְּכֹל֙ מִשְׁלַ֣ח יֶדְכֶ֔ם אַתֶּ֖ם וּבָֽתֵּיכֶ֑ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר בֵּֽרַכְךָ֖ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ:
as the Lord, [your God,] has blessed you: Commensurate to to the blessing, bring [the offerings]. — [Sifrei] אשר ברכך ה': לפי הברכה הבא:
8You shall not do as all the things that we do here this day, every man [doing] what he deems fit. חלֹ֣א תַֽעֲשׂ֔וּן כְּ֠כֹ֠ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֲנַ֧חְנוּ עֹשִׂ֛ים פֹּ֖ה הַיּ֑וֹם אִ֖ישׁ כָּל־הַיָּשָׁ֥ר בְּעֵינָֽיו:
You shall not do as all [the things] that we do [here this day]: This refers back to [what is stated above], “For you are crossing the Jordan…” (Deut. 11:31), meaning: When you will cross the Jordan, you immediately are permitted to offer up [sacrifices] on a bamah [a temporary altar] during the entire fourteen years of conquering [the nations] and dividing [the land among the tribes], but on a bamah you may not sacrifice all that you sacrifice “here this day,” in the Mishkan , which is with you and has been anointed and is [thus] fit to sacrifice therein sin-offerings and guilt-offerings, vows and donations, whereas on a bamah , you may sacrifice only what is vowed or a donated. And that is the meaning of “every man [doing] what he deems fit” vows and donations that you donate because you deem fit to bring them, not because of any obligation [imposed upon you]; only these may you offer up on a bamah . — [Sifrei; Zev. 117b] לא תעשון ככל אשר אנחנו עשים וגו': מוסב למעלה (דברים יא, לא) על כי אתם עוברים את הירדן וגו' כשתעברו את הירדן מיד מותרים אתם להקריב בבמה, כל ארבע עשרה שנה של כבוש וחלוק, ובבמה לא תקריבו כל מה שאתם מקריבים פה היום במשכן, שהוא עמכם ונמשח והוא כשר להקריב בו חטאות ואשמות נדרים ונדבות, אבל בבמה אין קרב אלא הנידר והנידב. וזהו איש כל הישר בעיניו, נדרים ונדבות שאתם מתנדבים על ידי שישר בעיניכם להביאם ולא על ידי חובה, אותם תקריבו בבמה:
9For you have not yet come to the resting place or to the inheritance, which the Lord, your God, is giving you. טכִּ֥י לֹֽא־בָאתֶ֖ם עַד־עָ֑תָּה אֶל־הַמְּנוּחָה֙ וְאֶל־הַנַּֽחֲלָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לָֽךְ:
For you have not yet come [to the resting place]: All those fourteen years [of conquering and dividing the land]. כי לא באתם: כל אותן ארבע עשרה שנה:
not yet: Heb., עַד עַתָּה, the same as עִדַיִין, “not yet.” עד עתה: כמו עדיין:
to the resting place: This is Shiloh. אל המנוחה: זו שילה:
[or to] the inheritance: This is Jerusalem. — [Sifrei ; Zev. 119a] הנחלה: זו ירושלים:
10And you shall cross the Jordan and settle in the land the Lord, your God, is giving you as an inheritance, and He will give you rest from all your enemies surrounding you, and you will dwell securely. יוַֽעֲבַרְתֶּם֘ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּן֒ וִֽישַׁבְתֶּ֣ם בָּאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֖ם מַנְחִ֣יל אֶתְכֶ֑ם וְהֵנִ֨יחַ לָכֶ֧ם מִכָּל־אֹֽיְבֵיכֶ֛ם מִסָּבִ֖יב וִֽישַׁבְתֶּם־בֶּֽטַח:
And you shall cross the Jordan and settle in the land: You will have apportioned it [among yourselves] and every man will recognize his portion and [the territory of] his tribe. ועברתם את הירדן וישבתם בארץ: שתחלקוה ויהא כל אחד מכיר את חלקו ואת שבטו:
and He will give you rest: [I.e.,] after conquering and dividing [the land] and having obtained rest from the “nations which the Lord left over, through whom to test Israel” (Judg. 3:1). And that was only in the days of David. Then: והניח לכם: לאחר כבוש וחלוק ומנוחה (שופטים ג, א) מן הכנענים אשר הניח ה' לנסות בם את ישראל. ואין זאת אלא בימי דוד, אז:
Daily Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 113-118• Chapter 113
This psalm recounts some of the wonders of the exodus from Egypt.
1. Praise the Lord! Offer praise, you servants of the Lord; praise the Name of the Lord.
2. May the Name of the Lord be blessed from now and to all eternity.
3. From the rising of the sun to its setting, the Name of the Lord is praised.
4. The Lord is high above all nations; His glory transcends the heavens.
5. Who is like the Lord our God, Who dwells on high
6. [yet] looks down so low upon heaven and earth!
7. He raises the poor from the dust, lifts the destitute from the dunghill,
8. to seat them with nobles, with the nobles of His people.
9. He transforms the barren woman into a household, into a joyful mother of children. Praise the Lord!
Chapter 114
This psalm explains why the tribe of Judah merited kingship.
1. When Israel went out of Egypt, the House of Jacob from a people of a foreign tongue,
2. Judah became His holy [nation], Israel, His domain.
3. The sea saw and fled, the Jordan turned backward.
4. The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like young sheep.
5. What is the matter with you, O sea, that you flee; Jordan, that you turn backward;
6. mountains, that you skip like rams; hills, like young sheep?
7. [We do so] before the Master, the Creator of the earth, before the God of Jacob,
8. Who turns the rock into a pool of water, the flintstone into a water fountain.
Chapter 115
A prayer that God bring this long exile to an end, for the sake of His Name-that it not be desecrated.
1. Not for our sake, Lord, not for our sake, but for the sake of Your Name bestow glory, because of Your kindness and Your truth.
2. Why should the nations say, "Where, now, is their God?”
3. Indeed, our God is in heaven; whatever He desires, He does.
4. Their idols are of silver and gold, the product of human hands.
5. They have a mouth, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see;
6. they have ears, but cannot hear; they have a nose, but cannot smell;
7. their hands cannot touch; their feet cannot walk; they can make no sound in their throat.
8. Those who make them will become like them-all who put their trust in them.
9. Israel, trust in the Lord; He is their help and their shield.
10. House of Aaron, trust in the Lord; He is their help and their shield.
11. You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord; He is their help and their shield.
12. The Lord who is ever mindful of us, may He bless: May He bless the House of Israel; may He bless the House of Aaron;
13. may He bless those who fear the Lord, the small with the great.
14. May the Lord increase [blessing] upon you, upon you and upon your children.
15. You are blessed by the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
16. The heavens are the Lord's heavens, but the earth He gave to the children of man.
17. The dead cannot praise the Lord, nor any who descend into the silence [of the grave].
18. But we will bless the Lord from now to eternity. Praise the Lord!
Chapter 116
This psalm contains magnificent praises to God. It also describes David's love for God, in light of all the miracles He performed for him. David does not know how to repay God, declaring it impossible to pay back for all God has done for him.
1. I would love if the Lord would listen to my voice, to my supplications;
2. if He would turn His ear to me on the days when I call.
3. The pangs of death encompassed me and the misery of the grave came upon me; I encounter trouble and sorrow.
4. I invoke the Name of the Lord, "Lord, I implore you, deliver my soul!”
5. The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is compassionate.
6. The Lord watches over the simpletons; I was brought low, and He saved me.
7. Return, my soul, to your tranquility, for the Lord has bestowed goodness upon you.
8. For You have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.
9. I shall walk before the Lord in the lands of the living.
10. I had faith even when I declared, "I am greatly afflicted";
11. [even when] I said in my haste, "All men are deceitful.”
12. How can I repay the Lord for all His beneficences to me?
13. I will raise the cup of deliverance and proclaim the Name of the Lord.
14. I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all His people.
15. Grievous in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His pious ones.
16. I thank you, Lord, that since I am Your servant, I am Your servant the son of Your maidservant, You have loosened my bonds.
17. To You I will bring an offering of thanksgiving, and proclaim the Name of the Lord.
18. I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all His people,
19. in the courtyards of the House of the Lord, in the midst of Jerusalem. Praise the Lord!
Chapter 117
This psalm of two verses alludes to the Messianic era, when the Children of Israel will enjoy their former glory. All will praise God, in fulfillment of the verse, "All will then call in the Name of God."
1. Praise the Lord, all you nations; extol Him, all you peoples.
2. For His kindness was mighty over us, and the truth of the Lord is everlasting. Praise the Lord!
Chapter 118
This psalm describes David's immense trust in God. It also contains many praises to God, Who has fulfilled that which He has promised us.
1. Offer praise to the Lord for He is good, for His kindness is everlasting.
2. Let Israel declare that His kindness is everlasting.
3. Let the House of Aaron declare that His kindness is everlasting.
4. Let those who fear the Lord declare that His kindness is everlasting.
5. From out of distress I called to God; with abounding relief, God answered me.
6. The Lord is with me, I do not fear-what can man do to me?
7. The Lord is with me among my helpers, and I will see [the downfall of] my enemies.
8. It is better to rely on the Lord than to trust in man.
9. It is better to rely on the Lord than to trust in nobles.
10. All the nations surrounded me, but in the Name of the Lord I will cut them down.
11. They surrounded me, they encompassed me, but in the Name of the Lord I will cut them down.
12. They surrounded me like bees, yet they shall be extinguished like fiery thorns; in the Name of the Lord I will cut them down.
13. You [my foes] repeatedly pushed me to fall, but the Lord helped me.
14. God is my strength and song, and He has been a help to me.
15. The sound of rejoicing and deliverance reverberates in the tents of the righteous, "The right hand of the Lord performs deeds of valor.
16. The right hand of the Lord is exalted; the right hand of the Lord performs deeds of valor!”
17. I shall not die, but I shall live and recount the deeds of God.
18. God has indeed chastised me, but He did not give me up to death.
19. Open for me the gates of righteousness; I will enter them and praise God.
20. This is the gate of the Lord, the righteous will enter it.
21. I offer thanks to You, for You have answered me, and You have been my deliverance.
22. The stone which the builders scorned has become the chief cornerstone.
23. From the Lord has this come about; it is wondrous in our eyes.
24. This is the day which the Lord has made; let us be glad and rejoice on it.
25. We implore You, Lord, deliver us. We implore You, Lord, grant us success.
26. Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the Lord; we bless you from the House of the Lord.
27. The Lord is a benevolent God and He has given us light; bind the festival offering with cords until [you bring it to] the horns of the altar.
28. You are my God and I will praise You, my God-and I will exalt You.
29. Praise the Lord for He is good, for His kindness is everlasting.
Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 7
• Lessons in Tanya
• Today's Tanya Lesson
• Monday, 24 AV , 5776 · 29 August 2016
• Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 7
• והנה הארה זו, אף שלמעלה היא מאירה ומתפשטת בבחינת בלי גבול ותכלית
Hasmonean Holiday (circa 100 BCE)
The Hasmoneans reinstated the rule of Jewish civil law, replacing Hellenist secular law, and declared this day a holiday.
Daily Quote:
Daily Study:
G-d plans the steps of man[Proverbs 20:24[
Chitas and Rambam for today:
Chumash: Parshat Re'eh, 1st Portion (Deuteronomy 11:26-12:10) with Rashi
• Deuteronomy Chapter 11
26Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse. כורְאֵ֗ה אָֽנֹכִ֛י נֹתֵ֥ן לִפְנֵיכֶ֖ם הַיּ֑וֹם בְּרָכָ֖ה וּקְלָלָֽה:
A blessing and a curse: [i.e.,] those that were stated, [respectively,] on Mount Gerizim and on Mount Ebal. ראה אנכי נותן לפניכם היום ברכה וקללה: האמורות בהר גריזים ובהר עיבל:
27The blessing, that you will heed the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today; כזאֶת־הַבְּרָכָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּשְׁמְע֗וּ אֶל־מִצְוֹת֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֧ר אָֽנֹכִ֛י מְצַוֶּ֥ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם הַיּֽוֹם:
The blessing: on the condition that you listen [and obey]. את הברכה: על מנת אשר תשמעו:
28and the curse, if you will not heed the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn away from the way I command you this day, to follow other gods, which you did not know. כחוְהַקְּלָלָ֗ה אִם־לֹ֤א תִשְׁמְעוּ֙ אֶל־מִצְוֹת֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם וְסַרְתֶּ֣ם מִן־הַדֶּ֔רֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֧ר אָֽנֹכִ֛י מְצַוֶּ֥ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם הַיּ֑וֹם לָלֶ֗כֶת אַֽחֲרֵ֛י אֱלֹהִ֥ים אֲחֵרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יְדַעְתֶּֽם:
[If you… depart] from the way that I command you this day, to follow [other gods]: This teaches that whoever worships idols departs from the entire path that Israel has been commanded. From here [our Rabbis] said: One who acknowledges [the divinity of] pagan deities is as though he denies the entire Torah. — [Sifrei] מן הדרך אשר אנכי מצוה אתכם היום ללכת וגו': הא למדת שכל העובד עבודה זרה הרי הוא סר מכל הדרך שנצטוו ישראל. מכאן אמרו כל המודה בעבודה זרה ככופר בכל התורה כולה:
29And it will be, when the Lord, your God, will bring you to the land to which you come, to possess it, that you shall place those blessing upon Mount Gerizim, and those cursing upon Mount Ebal. כטוְהָיָ֗ה כִּ֤י יְבִֽיאֲךָ֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ אֶל־הָאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֥ה בָא־שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּ֑הּ וְנָֽתַתָּ֤ה אֶת־הַבְּרָכָה֙ עַל־הַ֣ר גְּרִזִּ֔ים וְאֶת־הַקְּלָלָ֖ה עַל־הַ֥ר עֵיבָֽל:
you shall place those blessing: As the Targum [Onkelos] renders it: יָת מְבָרְכַיָא,“those who bless.” ונתתה את הברכה: כתרגומו ית מברכיא, את המברכים:
upon Mount Gerizim: [עַל, usually “upon,” here means] “facing Mount Gerizim.” [The Levites] turned their faces [toward the mountain] and began with the blessing:“Blessed is the man who does not make any graven or molten image….” Each of the curses in that section [beginningDeut. 27:15] were first stated in the expression of a blessing. Afterwards, they turned their faces towards Mount Ebal and began [to recite the corresponding] curse. — [Sotah 32a] על הר גרזים: כלפי הר גרזים הופכין פניהם ופתחו בברכה, ברוך האיש אשר לא יעשה פסל ומסכה וגו'. כל הארורים שבפרשה אמרו תחלה בלשון ברוך ואחר כך הפכו פניהם כלפי הר עיבל ופתחו בקללה:
30Are they not on the other side of the Jordan, way beyond, in the direction of the sunset, in the land of the Canaanites, who dwell in the plain, opposite Gilgal, near the plains of Moreh? להֲלֹא־הֵ֜מָּה בְּעֵ֣בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֗ן אַֽחֲרֵי֙ דֶּ֚רֶךְ מְב֣וֹא הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ בְּאֶ֨רֶץ֙ הַכְּנַֽעֲנִ֔י הַיּשֵׁ֖ב בָּֽעֲרָבָ֑ה מ֚וּל הַגִּלְגָּ֔ל אֵ֖צֶל אֵֽלוֹנֵ֥י מֹרֶֽה:
Are they not [on the other side of the Jordan]?- [: Moses] gave [geographical] landmarks [describing the mountains]. הלא המה: נתן בהם סימן:
beyond: Heb. אַחֲרֵי, [I.e.,] after crossing the Jordan, much further on in distance, for that is the meaning of the expression אַחֲרֵי, “beyond”; wherever [the term] אַחֲרֵי is used, [it signifies]“a great separation [in time or place].” אחרי: אחר העברת הירדן הרבה והלאה למרחוק. וזהו לשון אחרי. כל מקום שנאמר אחרי, מופלג הוא:
[on the other side of the Jordan, way beyond,] in the direction of the sunset: [i.e.,] beyond the Jordan, toward the west. And the cantillation marks of the verse prove that [אַחֲרֵי and דֶּרֶךְ] refer to two separate things, for they are marked with two [conjunctive] accents [thus demonstrating that these words are not connected]: אַחֲרֵי is punctuated with a pashta [which separates the word from the succeeding one], and דֶּרֶךְ is punctuated with a mashpel [which we call a yetib]. In addition, [the ד of the word דֶּרֶךְ has a dagesh inside it [which indicates that the word דֶּרֶךְ begins a new phrase or topic]. If, however, אַחֲרֵי דֶרֶךְ were one phrase [meaning “beyond the direction”], then אַחֲרֵי would have been punctuated by a conjunctive accent, namely a shofar hafuch [which we call a mahpach] and דֶּרֶךְ by a pashta [the combination of which indicates the connection between those words. Additionally, the ד of the word דֶּרֶךְ] would not have a dagesh inside it. [But this is not so, and thus אַחֲרֵי and דֶּרֶךְ are separate words in this verse.] דרך מבוא השמש: להלן מן הירדן לצד מערב. וטעם המקרא מוכיח שהם שני דברים, שננקדו בשני טעמים, אחרי נקוד בפשטא, ודרך נקוד במשפל והוא דגוש, ואם היה אחרי דרך דבור אחד, היה נקוד אחרי במשרת בשופר הפוך, ודרך בפשטא ורפה:
opposite: Far off from Gilgal. מול הגלגל: רחוק מן הגלגל:
[near] the plains of Moreh: This is Shechem, as is stated:“to the place of Shechem, to the plain of Moreh” (Gen. 12:6). אלוני מורה: שכם הוא, שנאמר (בראשית יב, ו) עד מקום שכם עד אלון מורה:
31For you are crossing the Jordan, to come to possess the land which the Lord, your God, is giving you, and you shall possess it and dwell in it. לאכִּ֤י אַתֶּם֙ עֹֽבְרִ֣ים אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן לָבֹא֙ לָרֶ֣שֶׁת אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֖ם נֹתֵ֣ן לָכֶ֑ם וִֽירִשְׁתֶּ֥ם אֹתָ֖הּ וִֽישַׁבְתֶּם־בָּֽהּ:
For you are crossing the Jordan: The miracles [that will occur for you during your crossing] of the Jordan will be a sign in your hands that you will come and inherit the land [as promised]. — [Sifrei] כי אתם עוברים את הירדן וגו': נסים של ירדן יהיו סימן בידכם שתבואו ותירשו את הארץ:
32And you shall keep to perform all the statutes and ordinances that I am setting before you today. לבוּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֣ם לַֽעֲשׂ֔וֹת אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַֽחֻקִּ֖ים וְאֶת־הַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֑ים אֲשֶׁ֧ר אָֽנֹכִ֛י נֹתֵ֥ן לִפְנֵיכֶ֖ם הַיּֽוֹם:
Deuteronomy Chapter 12
1These are the statutes and ordinances that you shall keep to perform in the land which the Lord God of your fathers gives you to possess all the days that you live on the earth. אאֵלֶּה הַֽחֻקִּ֣ים וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִים֘ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּשְׁמְר֣וּן לַֽעֲשׂוֹת֒ בָּאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר֩ נָתַ֨ן יְהֹוָ֜ה אֱלֹהֵ֧י אֲבֹתֶ֛יךָ לְךָ֖ לְרִשְׁתָּ֑הּ כָּ֨ל־הַיָּמִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּ֥ם חַיִּ֖ים עַל־הָֽאֲדָמָֽה:
2You shall utterly destroy from all the places where the nations, that you shall possess, worshipped their gods, upon the lofty mountains and upon the hills, and under every lush tree. באַבֵּ֣ד תְּאַבְּד֠וּן אֶת־כָּל־הַמְּקֹמ֞וֹת אֲשֶׁ֧ר עָֽבְדוּ־שָׁ֣ם הַגּוֹיִ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתֶּ֛ם יֹֽרְשִׁ֥ים אֹתָ֖ם אֶת־אֱלֹֽהֵיהֶ֑ם עַל־הֶֽהָרִ֤ים הָֽרָמִים֙ וְעַל־הַגְּבָע֔וֹת וְתַ֖חַת כָּל־עֵ֥ץ רַֽעֲנָֽן:
You shall utterly destroy: Destroy and then destroy them again. From here [we derive that] one who eradicates idolatry must thoroughly uproot it [i.e., remove every trace of it]. — [A.Z. 45b] אבד תאבדון: אבד ואחר כך תאבדון מכאן לעוקר עבודה זרה שצריך לשרש אחריה:
from all the places where the nations,… worshipped: And what shall you destroy from them? Their gods that are on the mountains, etc. את כל המקומות אשר עבדו שם וגו': ומה תאבדון מהם, את אלהיהם אשר על ההרים:
3And you shall tear down their altars, smash their monuments, burn their asherim with fire, cut down the graven images of their gods, and destroy their name from that place. גוְנִתַּצְתֶּ֣ם אֶת־מִזְבְּחֹתָ֗ם וְשִׁבַּרְתֶּם֙ אֶת־מַצֵּ֣בֹתָ֔ם וַֽאֲשֵֽׁרֵיהֶם֙ תִּשְׂרְפ֣וּן בָּאֵ֔שׁ וּפְסִילֵ֥י אֱלֹֽהֵיהֶ֖ם תְּגַדֵּע֑וּן וְאִבַּדְתֶּ֣ם אֶת־שְׁמָ֔ם מִן־הַמָּק֖וֹם הַהֽוּא:
altar: [constructed] of many stones. מזבח: של אבנים הרבה:
monument: [constructed] of one stone. This is the בִּימוּס [the pedestal for an idol] concerning which we learn in the Mishnah (A.Z. 3:7): A stone that was originally carved for an idol’s pedestal. מצבה: של אבן אחת, והוא בימוס ששנינו במשנה (ע"ז מז ב) אבן שחצבה מתחלתה לבימוס:
asherah: a tree that is worshipped. אשרה: אילן הנעבד:
and destroy their name: By giving them disgraceful nicknames. What they call בֵּית גליא,“exalted temple,” [you] should call בֵּית כְּלִיָא,“dug out house,” what they call עַיִן כָּל,“the all-seeing eye,” [you] should call עַיִן קוֹץ “the thorn eye.” - [A.Z. 46a] ואבדתם את שמם: לכנות להם שם לגנאי, בית גליא קורין לה בית כריא, עין כל עין קוץ:
4You shall not do so to the Lord, your God. דלֹא־תַֽעֲשׂ֣וּן כֵּ֔ן לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם:
You shall not do so [to the Lord your God]: to burn sacrifices to God in any place you choose, but rather at the place that He will choose. Another explanation is: “And you shall tear down their altars… and destroy their name… [but] do not do so [to the Lord your God]”; this is an admonition [addressed] to one who would erase the Name [of God from any writing] or remove a stone from the altar or from the courtyard (Mak. 22a). Rabbi Ishmael said: Would it enter your mind that the Israelites would tear down the altars [of God]? Rather, [the meaning of“You shall not do so” is that] you should not do like the deeds of the nations so that your sins would cause the sanctuary of [i.e., built by] your fathers to be destroyed. — [Sifrei] לא תעשון כן: להקטיר לשמים בכל מקום (פסוק ה), כי אם במקום אשר יבחר. דבר אחר ונתצתם את מזבחותם ואבדתם את שמם לא תעשון כן, אזהרה למוחק את השם ולנותץ אבן מן המזבח או מן העזרה. אמר רבי ישמעאל וכי תעלה על דעתך שישראל נותצין את המזבחות, אלא שלא תעשו כמעשיהם, ויגרמו עונותיכם למקדש אבותיכם שיחרב:
5But only to the place which the Lord your God shall choose from all your tribes, to set His Name there; you shall inquire after His dwelling and come there. הכִּי אִם־אֶל־הַמָּק֞וֹם אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַ֨ר יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם֙ מִכָּל־שִׁבְטֵיכֶ֔ם לָשׂ֥וּם אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ שָׁ֑ם לְשִׁכְנ֥וֹ תִדְרְשׁ֖וּ וּבָ֥אתָ שָּֽׁמָּה:
you shall inquire after His dwelling: Heb. לְשִׁכְנוֹ. This is the Mishkan in Shiloh. לשכנו תדרשו: זה משכן שילה:
6And there you shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and the separation by your hand, and your vows and your donations, and the firstborn of your cattle and of your sheep. ווַֽהֲבֵאתֶ֣ם שָׁ֗מָּה עֹלֹֽתֵיכֶם֙ וְזִבְחֵיכֶ֔ם וְאֵת֙ מַעְשְׂרֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וְאֵ֖ת תְּרוּמַ֣ת יֶדְכֶ֑ם וְנִדְרֵיכֶם֙ וְנִדְבֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וּבְכֹרֹ֥ת בְּקַרְכֶ֖ם וְצֹֽאנְכֶֽם:
and your sacrifices: Obligatory peace offerings. וזבחיכם: שלמים של חובה:
your tithes: [I.e.,] the tithe of the cattle and the second tithe, to eat them within the walls [of Jerusalem]. מעשרתיכם: מעשר בהמה ומעשר שני לאכול לפנים מן החומה:
the separation by your hand: These are the first fruits, of which it is stated: “And the kohen shall take the basket from your hand” (Deut. 26:4). תרומת ידכם: אלו הבכורים, שנאמר בהם (דברים כו, ד) ולקח הכהן הטנא מידך:
and the firstborn of your cattle: to give them to the kohen , and he shall offer them up there. ובכורות בקרכם: לתתם לכהן ויקריבם שם:
7And there you shall eat before the Lord, your God, and you shall rejoice in all your endeavors you and your households, as the Lord, your God, has blessed you. זוַֽאֲכַלְתֶּם־שָׁ֗ם לִפְנֵי֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם וּשְׂמַחְתֶּ֗ם בְּכֹל֙ מִשְׁלַ֣ח יֶדְכֶ֔ם אַתֶּ֖ם וּבָֽתֵּיכֶ֑ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר בֵּֽרַכְךָ֖ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ:
as the Lord, [your God,] has blessed you: Commensurate to to the blessing, bring [the offerings]. — [Sifrei] אשר ברכך ה': לפי הברכה הבא:
8You shall not do as all the things that we do here this day, every man [doing] what he deems fit. חלֹ֣א תַֽעֲשׂ֔וּן כְּ֠כֹ֠ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֲנַ֧חְנוּ עֹשִׂ֛ים פֹּ֖ה הַיּ֑וֹם אִ֖ישׁ כָּל־הַיָּשָׁ֥ר בְּעֵינָֽיו:
You shall not do as all [the things] that we do [here this day]: This refers back to [what is stated above], “For you are crossing the Jordan…” (Deut. 11:31), meaning: When you will cross the Jordan, you immediately are permitted to offer up [sacrifices] on a bamah [a temporary altar] during the entire fourteen years of conquering [the nations] and dividing [the land among the tribes], but on a bamah you may not sacrifice all that you sacrifice “here this day,” in the Mishkan , which is with you and has been anointed and is [thus] fit to sacrifice therein sin-offerings and guilt-offerings, vows and donations, whereas on a bamah , you may sacrifice only what is vowed or a donated. And that is the meaning of “every man [doing] what he deems fit” vows and donations that you donate because you deem fit to bring them, not because of any obligation [imposed upon you]; only these may you offer up on a bamah . — [Sifrei; Zev. 117b] לא תעשון ככל אשר אנחנו עשים וגו': מוסב למעלה (דברים יא, לא) על כי אתם עוברים את הירדן וגו' כשתעברו את הירדן מיד מותרים אתם להקריב בבמה, כל ארבע עשרה שנה של כבוש וחלוק, ובבמה לא תקריבו כל מה שאתם מקריבים פה היום במשכן, שהוא עמכם ונמשח והוא כשר להקריב בו חטאות ואשמות נדרים ונדבות, אבל בבמה אין קרב אלא הנידר והנידב. וזהו איש כל הישר בעיניו, נדרים ונדבות שאתם מתנדבים על ידי שישר בעיניכם להביאם ולא על ידי חובה, אותם תקריבו בבמה:
9For you have not yet come to the resting place or to the inheritance, which the Lord, your God, is giving you. טכִּ֥י לֹֽא־בָאתֶ֖ם עַד־עָ֑תָּה אֶל־הַמְּנוּחָה֙ וְאֶל־הַנַּֽחֲלָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לָֽךְ:
For you have not yet come [to the resting place]: All those fourteen years [of conquering and dividing the land]. כי לא באתם: כל אותן ארבע עשרה שנה:
not yet: Heb., עַד עַתָּה, the same as עִדַיִין, “not yet.” עד עתה: כמו עדיין:
to the resting place: This is Shiloh. אל המנוחה: זו שילה:
[or to] the inheritance: This is Jerusalem. — [Sifrei ; Zev. 119a] הנחלה: זו ירושלים:
10And you shall cross the Jordan and settle in the land the Lord, your God, is giving you as an inheritance, and He will give you rest from all your enemies surrounding you, and you will dwell securely. יוַֽעֲבַרְתֶּם֘ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּן֒ וִֽישַׁבְתֶּ֣ם בָּאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֖ם מַנְחִ֣יל אֶתְכֶ֑ם וְהֵנִ֨יחַ לָכֶ֧ם מִכָּל־אֹֽיְבֵיכֶ֛ם מִסָּבִ֖יב וִֽישַׁבְתֶּם־בֶּֽטַח:
And you shall cross the Jordan and settle in the land: You will have apportioned it [among yourselves] and every man will recognize his portion and [the territory of] his tribe. ועברתם את הירדן וישבתם בארץ: שתחלקוה ויהא כל אחד מכיר את חלקו ואת שבטו:
and He will give you rest: [I.e.,] after conquering and dividing [the land] and having obtained rest from the “nations which the Lord left over, through whom to test Israel” (Judg. 3:1). And that was only in the days of David. Then: והניח לכם: לאחר כבוש וחלוק ומנוחה (שופטים ג, א) מן הכנענים אשר הניח ה' לנסות בם את ישראל. ואין זאת אלא בימי דוד, אז:
Daily Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 113-118• Chapter 113
This psalm recounts some of the wonders of the exodus from Egypt.
1. Praise the Lord! Offer praise, you servants of the Lord; praise the Name of the Lord.
2. May the Name of the Lord be blessed from now and to all eternity.
3. From the rising of the sun to its setting, the Name of the Lord is praised.
4. The Lord is high above all nations; His glory transcends the heavens.
5. Who is like the Lord our God, Who dwells on high
6. [yet] looks down so low upon heaven and earth!
7. He raises the poor from the dust, lifts the destitute from the dunghill,
8. to seat them with nobles, with the nobles of His people.
9. He transforms the barren woman into a household, into a joyful mother of children. Praise the Lord!
Chapter 114
This psalm explains why the tribe of Judah merited kingship.
1. When Israel went out of Egypt, the House of Jacob from a people of a foreign tongue,
2. Judah became His holy [nation], Israel, His domain.
3. The sea saw and fled, the Jordan turned backward.
4. The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like young sheep.
5. What is the matter with you, O sea, that you flee; Jordan, that you turn backward;
6. mountains, that you skip like rams; hills, like young sheep?
7. [We do so] before the Master, the Creator of the earth, before the God of Jacob,
8. Who turns the rock into a pool of water, the flintstone into a water fountain.
Chapter 115
A prayer that God bring this long exile to an end, for the sake of His Name-that it not be desecrated.
1. Not for our sake, Lord, not for our sake, but for the sake of Your Name bestow glory, because of Your kindness and Your truth.
2. Why should the nations say, "Where, now, is their God?”
3. Indeed, our God is in heaven; whatever He desires, He does.
4. Their idols are of silver and gold, the product of human hands.
5. They have a mouth, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see;
6. they have ears, but cannot hear; they have a nose, but cannot smell;
7. their hands cannot touch; their feet cannot walk; they can make no sound in their throat.
8. Those who make them will become like them-all who put their trust in them.
9. Israel, trust in the Lord; He is their help and their shield.
10. House of Aaron, trust in the Lord; He is their help and their shield.
11. You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord; He is their help and their shield.
12. The Lord who is ever mindful of us, may He bless: May He bless the House of Israel; may He bless the House of Aaron;
13. may He bless those who fear the Lord, the small with the great.
14. May the Lord increase [blessing] upon you, upon you and upon your children.
15. You are blessed by the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
16. The heavens are the Lord's heavens, but the earth He gave to the children of man.
17. The dead cannot praise the Lord, nor any who descend into the silence [of the grave].
18. But we will bless the Lord from now to eternity. Praise the Lord!
Chapter 116
This psalm contains magnificent praises to God. It also describes David's love for God, in light of all the miracles He performed for him. David does not know how to repay God, declaring it impossible to pay back for all God has done for him.
1. I would love if the Lord would listen to my voice, to my supplications;
2. if He would turn His ear to me on the days when I call.
3. The pangs of death encompassed me and the misery of the grave came upon me; I encounter trouble and sorrow.
4. I invoke the Name of the Lord, "Lord, I implore you, deliver my soul!”
5. The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is compassionate.
6. The Lord watches over the simpletons; I was brought low, and He saved me.
7. Return, my soul, to your tranquility, for the Lord has bestowed goodness upon you.
8. For You have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.
9. I shall walk before the Lord in the lands of the living.
10. I had faith even when I declared, "I am greatly afflicted";
11. [even when] I said in my haste, "All men are deceitful.”
12. How can I repay the Lord for all His beneficences to me?
13. I will raise the cup of deliverance and proclaim the Name of the Lord.
14. I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all His people.
15. Grievous in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His pious ones.
16. I thank you, Lord, that since I am Your servant, I am Your servant the son of Your maidservant, You have loosened my bonds.
17. To You I will bring an offering of thanksgiving, and proclaim the Name of the Lord.
18. I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all His people,
19. in the courtyards of the House of the Lord, in the midst of Jerusalem. Praise the Lord!
Chapter 117
This psalm of two verses alludes to the Messianic era, when the Children of Israel will enjoy their former glory. All will praise God, in fulfillment of the verse, "All will then call in the Name of God."
1. Praise the Lord, all you nations; extol Him, all you peoples.
2. For His kindness was mighty over us, and the truth of the Lord is everlasting. Praise the Lord!
Chapter 118
This psalm describes David's immense trust in God. It also contains many praises to God, Who has fulfilled that which He has promised us.
1. Offer praise to the Lord for He is good, for His kindness is everlasting.
2. Let Israel declare that His kindness is everlasting.
3. Let the House of Aaron declare that His kindness is everlasting.
4. Let those who fear the Lord declare that His kindness is everlasting.
5. From out of distress I called to God; with abounding relief, God answered me.
6. The Lord is with me, I do not fear-what can man do to me?
7. The Lord is with me among my helpers, and I will see [the downfall of] my enemies.
8. It is better to rely on the Lord than to trust in man.
9. It is better to rely on the Lord than to trust in nobles.
10. All the nations surrounded me, but in the Name of the Lord I will cut them down.
11. They surrounded me, they encompassed me, but in the Name of the Lord I will cut them down.
12. They surrounded me like bees, yet they shall be extinguished like fiery thorns; in the Name of the Lord I will cut them down.
13. You [my foes] repeatedly pushed me to fall, but the Lord helped me.
14. God is my strength and song, and He has been a help to me.
15. The sound of rejoicing and deliverance reverberates in the tents of the righteous, "The right hand of the Lord performs deeds of valor.
16. The right hand of the Lord is exalted; the right hand of the Lord performs deeds of valor!”
17. I shall not die, but I shall live and recount the deeds of God.
18. God has indeed chastised me, but He did not give me up to death.
19. Open for me the gates of righteousness; I will enter them and praise God.
20. This is the gate of the Lord, the righteous will enter it.
21. I offer thanks to You, for You have answered me, and You have been my deliverance.
22. The stone which the builders scorned has become the chief cornerstone.
23. From the Lord has this come about; it is wondrous in our eyes.
24. This is the day which the Lord has made; let us be glad and rejoice on it.
25. We implore You, Lord, deliver us. We implore You, Lord, grant us success.
26. Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the Lord; we bless you from the House of the Lord.
27. The Lord is a benevolent God and He has given us light; bind the festival offering with cords until [you bring it to] the horns of the altar.
28. You are my God and I will praise You, my God-and I will exalt You.
29. Praise the Lord for He is good, for His kindness is everlasting.
Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 7
• Lessons in Tanya
• Today's Tanya Lesson
• Monday, 24 AV , 5776 · 29 August 2016
• Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 7
• והנה הארה זו, אף שלמעלה היא מאירה ומתפשטת בבחינת בלי גבול ותכלית
Now although above, in the lofty worlds of infinitude, this illumination radiates and extends itself in unlimited and infinite fashion,
להחיות עולמות נעלמים לאין קץ ותכלית
to animate worlds that are infinitely concealed,
I.e., there are infinite kinds of worlds, each of which is of infinite degree,
כמו שכתוב באדרא רבא
אף על פי כן, ברדתה למטה על ידי צמצומים רבים
nevertheless, as [this radiation] descends by means of numerous contractions,
להחיות הנבראים והיצורים והנעשים
to animate the beings that have been created, formed and made,
In their Hebrew original, these three verbs allude respectively to the beings that inhabit the Worlds of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah. Accordingly, we understand that previously reference was being made to the World of Atzilut and to those infinite worlds that are “higher” than Atzilut.
היא נחלקת דרך כלל למספר תרי״ג, כנגד תרי״ג מצות התורה
it is divided primarily into 613 [rays], corresponding to the 613 commandments of the Torah.
שהן הן תרי״ג מיני המשכות הארה זו, מאור אין סוף ברוך הוא
These [commandments] are in fact 613 kinds of conduits which transmit this radiation from the [infinite] Ein Sof-light,
להאיר לנשמת האדם, הכלולה מרמ״ח אברים ושס״ה גידים
[whose function is] to illumine man’s soul, which comprises 248 “organs” and 365 “sinews”, totalling 613 elements.
אשר בעבורה עיקר תכלית ירידת והמשכת הארה זו למטה
For it was mainly for the sake of [man’s soul] that this radiation was caused to flow down below
לכל הנבראים והיצורים והנעשים
to all those beings which have been created, formed and made, their respective locations in the Worlds of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah being “below” the loftier worlds of infinite degree,
שתכלית כולן הוא האדם, כנודע
since the ultimate purpose of all these [beings], as is known, is man.
Thus, G‑d’s Being is indeed utterly uncompounded, so that there cannot possibly be any division into “parts”. Nevertheless, with regard to the radiation that descends below, (whose main purpose is that it permeate the Jewish soul,) the concept of “parts” does apply.
The above-mentioned rays are the 613 basic “parts” into which the radiance is diffused. More specifically, as the Alter Rebbe now goes on to say, each of these general “parts” subdivides into an infinite number of smaller “parts”.
והנה מספר זה הוא בדרך כלל
Now this number — i.e., the above division of the Divine radiance into 613 “parts”, corresponding to the 613 command-ments — is the primary, basic division.
אבל בדרך פרט, הנה כל מצוה ומצוה מתחלקת לפרטים רבים לאין קץ ותכלית
More specifically, however, every single commandment subdivides into infinite details.
והן הן גופי הלכות פרטיות שבכל מצוה, שאין להם מספר
These are the essentials of the detailed rulings of every commandment, which are without number,
כמו שכתוב: ששים המה מלכות, הן ס׳ מסכתות כו׳
as it is written,2 “Sixty are the queens,” which [as our Sages3 comment] alludes to the sixty tractates....
ועלמות אין מספר, הן ההלכות כו׳
[The same verse continues:] “...and maidens without number,” which [as our Sages comment] alludes to the innumerable rulings of the individual laws,
שהן המשכת רצון העליון כו׳
for they are a downward flow from the Supreme Will..., which is infinite.
The Alter Rebbe now goes on to say that just as the soul is made up of 248 “organs” and 365 “sinews” so that it may absorb the luminosity of the 613 general radiations, so, too, are souls further divisible, so that they may absorb the infinite degrees of the more differentiated radiations.
וכן הוא ממש בנשמת האדם
It is precisely so with man’s soul, which has the means to absorb the innumerable details of the downward flow of Divine radiance.
כי הנה כל הנשמות שבעולם היו כלולות באדם הראשון
For all the souls in the world were comprised in Adam.4
ודרך כלל היתה נשמתו נחלקת למספר תרי״ג: רמ״ח אברים ושס״ה גידים
Basically, his soul was divisible into 613 elements, con-sisting of 248 “organs” and 365 “sinews”.
אך דרך פרט נחלקת לניצוצות אין מספר
More specifically, however, his soul was divisible into innumerable sparks,
שהן נשמות כל ישראל מימות האבות והשבטים, עד ביאת המשיח ועד בכלל
which are the souls of all of Israel from the days of the Patriarchs and the [founders of the Twelve] Tribes, up to and including the time of the coming of Mashiach,
שיקוים אז מה שכתוב: והיה מספר בני ישראל כחול הים, אשר לא ימד ולא יספר מרוב
when [the promise of] Scripture will be fulfilled: “And the number of the Children of Israel will be like the sand of the sea, that cannot be measured nor counted,”5 “because of its great quantity.”6
We understand from the above that Adam’s soul (which comprised the innumerable sparks of individual souls) was capable of receiving the infinitely numerous detailed emanations from the radiance of the Supreme Will, which ultimately animates all of the individual Jewish souls.
* * *
• Rambam: Sefer Hamitzvos:
• Sunday, 24 AV , 5776 · 28 August 2016
• Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
Important Message Regarding This Lesson
The Daily Mitzvah schedule runs parallel to the daily study of 3 chapters of Maimonides' 14-volume code. There are instances when the Mitzvah is repeated a few days consecutively while the exploration of the same Mitzvah continues in the in-depth track.
Positive Commandment 245
Transactions
"And if you sell something to your neighbor..."—Leviticus 25:14.
We are commanded regarding the various methods that effect transactions, i.e., the ways to transfer property from one individual to another (or, in the case of a guardian of an object, the transfer of jurisdiction).
Full text of this Mitzvah »
• Transactions
Positive Commandment 245
Translated by Berel Bell
The 245th mitzvah is that we are commanded regarding the laws of buying and selling, i.e. the ways in which purchases and sales between the buyers and the sellers become legally binding.
The Torah taught about one method in G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "When you sell something to your neighbor, [or buy something from your neighbor's hand...]" Our Sages said,2 "[The word 'hand' teaches that the sale] refers to something which can pass from one hand to another," i.e. meshichah [physically moving the object].
It is explained that in Biblical law, transfer of money is sufficient to complete the transaction, and meshichah is necessary only by Rabbinic decree, as is mesirah [giving the vehicle of control, e.g. the reins of a horse, to the buyer] and hagba'ah [lifting the object].
The Gemara3 explicitly says, "Just as our Sages enacted a requirement of meshichah in order for a sale to be valid, so too they required meshichah in order for a watchman relationship to become valid." It is therefore clear that the requirement of meshichah in buying and selling is of Rabbinic origin, as explained in the relevant place.
However, other methods of acquiring land, etc., i.e. by means of a document or chazakah4 are traced5 to Biblical verses [and are therefore of Biblical, not Rabbinic, origin].
The details of this mitzvah — i.e. the manners of finalizing a sale in each category — are explained in the 1st chapter of tractate Kiddushin, the 4th and 8th chapters of Bava Metzia, and the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th chapters of Bava Basra.
FOOTNOTES
1.Lev. 25:14.
2.Bava Metzia 47b.
3.Ibid., 99a.
4.Such as building something on the land.
5.See Kiddushin 26a.
• Sunday, 24 AV , 5776 · 28 August 2016
• Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
Important Message Regarding This Lesson
The Daily Mitzvah schedule runs parallel to the daily study of 3 chapters of Maimonides' 14-volume code. There are instances when the Mitzvah is repeated a few days consecutively while the exploration of the same Mitzvah continues in the in-depth track.
Positive Commandment 245
Transactions
"And if you sell something to your neighbor..."—Leviticus 25:14.
We are commanded regarding the various methods that effect transactions, i.e., the ways to transfer property from one individual to another (or, in the case of a guardian of an object, the transfer of jurisdiction).
Full text of this Mitzvah »
• Transactions
Positive Commandment 245
Translated by Berel Bell
The 245th mitzvah is that we are commanded regarding the laws of buying and selling, i.e. the ways in which purchases and sales between the buyers and the sellers become legally binding.
The Torah taught about one method in G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "When you sell something to your neighbor, [or buy something from your neighbor's hand...]" Our Sages said,2 "[The word 'hand' teaches that the sale] refers to something which can pass from one hand to another," i.e. meshichah [physically moving the object].
It is explained that in Biblical law, transfer of money is sufficient to complete the transaction, and meshichah is necessary only by Rabbinic decree, as is mesirah [giving the vehicle of control, e.g. the reins of a horse, to the buyer] and hagba'ah [lifting the object].
The Gemara3 explicitly says, "Just as our Sages enacted a requirement of meshichah in order for a sale to be valid, so too they required meshichah in order for a watchman relationship to become valid." It is therefore clear that the requirement of meshichah in buying and selling is of Rabbinic origin, as explained in the relevant place.
However, other methods of acquiring land, etc., i.e. by means of a document or chazakah4 are traced5 to Biblical verses [and are therefore of Biblical, not Rabbinic, origin].
The details of this mitzvah — i.e. the manners of finalizing a sale in each category — are explained in the 1st chapter of tractate Kiddushin, the 4th and 8th chapters of Bava Metzia, and the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th chapters of Bava Basra.
FOOTNOTES
1.Lev. 25:14.
2.Bava Metzia 47b.
3.Ibid., 99a.
4.Such as building something on the land.
5.See Kiddushin 26a.
• Rambam - 1 Chapter: Tum'at Tsara`at - Chapter 3
• Tum'at Tsara`at - Chapter 3
• Tum'at Tsara`at - Chapter 3
1
Flesh that heals is not considered as a sign of impurity unless it is the size of a lentil when a square is imposed upon it or more. How large is that? Enough for four hairs to grow, two lengthwise and two widthwise. The flesh that heals must be in the center of the baheret and the baheret must surround it on all sides with there being a margin of the size of two hairs or more between the healthy flesh and the edge of the baheret. If, however, the healthy flesh is at the side of the baheret, it is not a sign of impurity.
If the healthy flesh was scattered in different places in the baheret, e.g., there was healthy flesh the size of a mustard seed in one place and healthy flesh the size of a mustard seed in another place, they are not combined to be considered as the size of a lentil even though they are both in the midst of the same baheret. Instead, there must be healthy flesh the size of a lentil when a square is imposed upon it or more in one place in the midst of thebaheret.
א
אין המחיה סימן טומאה עד שתהיה כעדשה מרובעת או יתר על זה וכמה שיעורה כדי צמיחת ארבע שערות שתים אורך ושתים רוחב והוא שתהיה המחיה באמצע הבהרת והבהרת מקפת אותה מכל צד והיא יתירה על המחיה רוחב שתי שערות או יתר אבל אם היתה המחיה בצד הבהרת אינה סימן טומאה היתה מפוזרת כגון שהיה בשר חי כחרדל במקום זה ובשר חי כחרדל במקום אחר אעפ"י שהכל באמצע הבהרת אינן מצטרפין לכעדשה עד שיהיה במקום אחד באמצע הבהרת כעדשה מרובע או יתר:
2
Healthy flesh imparts impurity regardless of its shade; it can be red, black, or white provided it is not one of the four shades of whiteness that we described.
ב
המחיה מטמאה בכל מראה בין שהיה מראה המחיה אדום או שחור או לבן והוא שלא יהיה הלובן מארבע המראות שביארנו:
3
Flesh that healed is not a sign of impurity unless it is in thebaheret itself.
What is implied? In the midst of a baheret, there was a boil, burnt flesh, or a healed boil or burnt flesh, or a bohak and there was totally healthy flesh in the midst of these abnormal skin features. Even though the healthy flesh is in the midst of the baheret, it is not a sign of impurity, because it is within the boil, the burnt flesh, thebohak, or their healed flesh. Similarly, if a boil or its healed flesh, burnt flesh or its healed flesh, or a bohak surrounds the healthy flesh, or one of these abnormal skin features is directly next to the healthy flesh at its side, or one of these abnormal skin features divides the healthy flesh and enters within it, it is not a sign of impurity. This is like a baheret that does not have any sign of impurity and the person should be isolated.
If the boil, the burnt flesh, or the bohak in which the healthy flesh was found, that was at its side, that surrounded it, or that entered it disappeared and thus the healthy flesh alone was found within thebaheret at the end of the first week or at the end of the second week, the person should be deemed definitively impure. If they did not depart, he should be released from the process of inspection.
ג
אין המחיה סימן טומאה עד שתהיה בגופה של בהרת כיצד בהרת שהיתה באמצע שחין או מכוה או מחיה או בוהק והמחיה בתוך השחין או בתוך המכוה או בתוך מחייתן או בתוך הבוהק אף ע"פ שהמחיה באמצע הבהרת אינה סימן טומאה מפני שהיא בתוך השחין או המכוה או בתוך הבוהק או מחייתן וכן אם הקיף השחין את מחייתו והמכוה את מחייתה והבוהק את המחיה או שנסמך אחד מהן למחיה מצדה או שחלק אחד מהן את המחיה ונכנס לתוכה אינה סימן טומאה והרי זו כבהרת שאין בה סימן ויסגיר הלכו להן השחין או המכוה או הבוהק שהיה תחת המחיה שהיו בצדה או שהיו מקיפין או שהיו נכנסין לתוכה ונמצאת המחיה לבדה בתוך הבהרת בסוף שבוע ראשון או בסוף שבוע שני הרי זה יחליט אם לא הלכו להן יפטור:
4
Healthy flesh is always a sign of impurity, whether the healthy flesh existed before the baheret or the baheret existed before the healthy flesh, because concerning it, the Torah does not state: "And it turned." Although the Torah does state Leviticus 13:10: "And it turned hair to white and there was healthy flesh in the si'ait," there is no need for a blemish to have both white hair and healthy flesh. Instead, each one independently is a sign of impurity. They were mentioned together only to identify the measure of healthy flesh that imparts impurity: enough to contain enough white hair to cause a person to be deemed impure, i.e., two hairs.
ד
המחיה סימן טומאה לעולם בין שקדמה מחיה את הבהרת בין שקדמה בהרת את המחיה לפי שלא נאמר בה והיא הפכה זה שנאמר בתורה והיא הפכה שיער לבן ומחית בשר חי בשאת אינו צריך לשניהן לשיער ולמחיה אלא כל אחד מהן סימן טומאה ולא נאמר שיער לבן עם המחיה אלא ליתן שיעור למחיה שתהיה כדי לקבל שיער לבן שהוא שתי שערות:
5
When a baheret is exactly the size of a gris and, in its midst, there is healthy flesh exactly the size of a lentil, the afflicted person should be deemed definitively impure. If the size of thebaheret or the size of the healthy flesh was diminished, he is pure. Similarly, if the size of the healthy flesh in this baheret increased, he is pure. The rationale is that a baheret does not impart impurity because of healthy flesh until it has a margin of afflicted flesh the width of two hairs on every side.
If the healthy flesh was less than a lentil and then it increased until it reached the size of a lentil, the afflicted person should be deemed definitively impure. If the size of the healthy flesh then diminished or disappeared, its status returns to its initial state and there is no sign of impurity.
ה
בהרת כגריס מצומצם ובאמצעה מחיה כעדשה מצומצמת הרי זה מוחלט נתמעטה הבהרת או שנתמעטה המחיה טהור וכן אם רבתה המחיה שבתוך בהרת זו טהור שאין הבהרת מטמא במחיה עד שתהיה יתירה על המחיה רוחב שתי שערות מכל צד היתה המחיה פחותה מכעדשה ורבתה המחיה עד שנעשית כעדשה ה"ז מוחלט נתמעטה המחיה ממה שהיתה או שהלכה לה הרי זו כמות שהיתה ואין כאן סימן טומאה:
6
If a baheret is larger than a gris and it contains healthy flesh that is larger than a lentil, the afflicted person is impure whether they increase or decrease in size, provided the size of thebaheret does not decrease to less than a gris, the size of the healthy flesh does not decrease to less than a lentil, and the healthy flesh does not come within two hairsbreadth of edge of thebaheret, as we explained.
ו
בהרת יתירה מכגריס ובה מחיה יתירה מכעדשה ורבו או שנתמעטו טמא ובלבד שלא יתמעט בהרת מכגריס ולא תתמעט המחיה מכעדשה ולא תקרב המחיה לסוף הבהרת בפחות מכדי צמיחת שתי שערות כמו שביארנו:
7
When the baheret is the size of gris and there is healthy flesh the size of a lentil or more surrounding it from the outside and a second baheret surrounding the healthy flesh, the inner baheretwould cause the afflicted person to be isolated, for it does not have a sign of impurity. The outer baheret causes him to be deemed definitively impure, because there is healthy flesh in its midst.
If the healthy flesh that was between the two blemishes was diminished or disappeared entirely - whether it was diminished or reduced from the inside or was diminished from the outside, the two are considered as one baheret that does not have a sign of impurity.
ז
בהרת כגריס ובשר חי כעדשה או יתר מקיפה מבחוץ ובהרת שנייה מקפת את הבשר החי הרי הבהרת הפנימית להסגיר שהרי אין בה סימן טומאה ובהרת החיצונה להחליט שהרי המחיה באמצעה נתמעט הבשר החי שביניהן או שהלך כולו בין שהיה מתמעט וכלה מבפנים בין שהיה מתמעט מבחוץ הרי שתיהן כבהרת אחת שאין בה סימן טומאה:
8
When a baheret is located at the tip of one of the limbs and there is healthy flesh in its midst at the tip, it is not considered as a sign of impurity, because the healthy flesh divides the blemish into two. Thus one portion streams down one side of the limb and another portion streams down the other. The person is thus not deemed impure, because Leviticus 13:5 states: "And the priest shall see it." Implied is that he shall see the entire blemish as a single entity.
These are the 24 tips of the limbs that do not impart impurity when healthy flesh is found upon them: the tips of the fingers and the toes, the tips of the ear and the nose, the tip of the corona of the male organ, and the tips of a woman's breasts. The tips of a man's breasts, warts, and blisters, by contrast, impart impurity if there is abaheret and healthy flesh upon them.
ח
בהרת שהיתה בראש אבר מן האיברים והמחיה באמצע הבהרת בראש האבר אינה סימן טומאה מפני שהמחיה חולקת את הנגע ונמצא מקצתו שופע ויורד מכאן ומקצתו שופע ויורד מכאן ונאמר בנגעים וראהו הכהן שיהיה רואה הנגע כולו כאחת ואלו הן ראשי איברים שאינם מטמאין במחיה: ראשי אצבעות ידים ורגלים וראשי אזנים וראש החוטם וראש העטרה וראשי דדין של אשה אבל ראשי דדין של איש והיבולת והדלדולין מטמאין במחיה:
9
When there was a flat surface the size of a gris at the tip of any of these limbs, a blemish imparts impurity. If they were round as is the case for most people, blemishes are pure.
What is implied? If there is a baheret the size of a gris at the tip of one's nose or the tip of one's finger, descending to either direction, he is pure, as implied by the phrase: "And the priest shall see it." Implied is that he shall see the entire blemish as a single entity.
ט
וכל ראשי איברים אלו שהיה מקומן יושב כגריס מטמאין בנגעים אבל אם היה עגולין כרוב בריית בני אדם טהורין כיצד בהרת כגריס בראש חוטמו או בראש אצבעו שופעת אילך ואילך טהור שנאמר וראהו הכהן עד שיראהו כולו כאחת:
• Rambam - 3 Chapters: Sheluchin veShuttafin - Chapter Eight, Sheluchin veShuttafin - Chapter Nine, Sheluchin veShuttafin - Chapter Ten
• Sheluchin veShuttafin - Chapter Eight
• Hayom Yom: Today's Hayom Yom
• Sunday, 24 AV , 5776 · 28 August 2016
• "Today's Day"
• Wednesday, Menachem Av 24, 5703
Torah lessons: Chumash: Re'ei, Revi'i with Rashi.
Tehillim: 113-118.
Tanya: Now, this radiation (p. 427) ...the great quantity." (p. 427).
A tradition handed down from Rebbe to Rebbe: During the well-known conflict (between chassidim and their opponents) the chassidim told the Alter Rebbe about the terrible abuse they suffered from the plain misnagdic1 folk. The Rebbe said: Grandfather (as he called the Baal Shem Tov)2 deeply loved simple folk. In my first days in Mezritch, the Rebbe, (the Maggid) said: "It was a frequent customary remark of the Rebbe (Baal Shem Tov) that love of Israel is love of G‑d. "You are children of Hashem your G‑d"3; when one loves the father one loves the children.
Compiled and arranged by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, of righteous memory, in 5703 (1943) from the talks and letters of the sixth Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, of righteous memory.
FOOTNOTES
1.The opponents to chassidim termed themselves misnagdim, lit. "opponents."
2.See Supplementary Footnotes.
3.Devarim 14:1.
• Daily Thought:
• Sheluchin veShuttafin - Chapter Eight
1
When a person gives eggs to a chicken farmer with the intent that the chicken farmer have chickens sit on the eggs until they hatch, and then for the chicken farmer to raise the chicks with the profits to be divided between them, the owner of the eggs must provide the chicken farmer with a wage for his work and sustenance.
Similarly, when a person evaluates calves and ponies and then entrusts them to a caretaker with the intent that he tend to them until they grow into large animals with the profits to be divided between them, the owner of the animals must provide the caretaker with a wage for his work and sustenance for every day, like an unemployed worker. He must raise calves until they are three years old, and a donkey until it is capable of bearing a burden. He cannot sell the animal without the consent of his partner until this time.
Similarly, if one evaluates animals and then entrusts them to a caretaker to fatten them, with the profits to be divided between them, the owner of the animals must provide the caretaker with a wage for his work, like an unemployed worker. If the owner tells the caretaker: "Take the head and the fat tail for yourself in exchange for your work, aside from your share of the profits," it is permitted.
If the caretaker has other animals that he was also working to fatten in addition to this one that was evaluated, and similarly, if one has other calves, ponies or eggs, since he is caring for his own at the same time as he is caring for his colleagues', even if the owner gives him only a small amount as a wage for the entire period of the partnership, it is acceptable, and they may divide the profits equally. If the caretaker was already employed as the owner's sharecropper and he is taking care of animals belonging to both himself and the owner of the field, the owner does not have to pay him anything as a wage.
א
הנותן ביצים לבעל התרנגולים להושיב התרנגולים עליהן עד שיצאו האפרוחים ויגדל אותן בעל התרנגולים ויהיה הריוח ביניהם צריך להעלות שכר עמלו ומזונו וכן השם עגלים וסייחים על הרועה להיות מתעסק בהן שיגדילו והשכר לאמצע חייב להעלות לו שכר עמלו ומזונו בכל יום כפועל בטל ומגדל אותן עד שיהיו העגלים בני שלש שנים והחמור עד שתהא טוענת ואינו יכול למכור שלא מדעת חבירו בתוך זמן זה וכן השם בהמה על המפטם להיות מפטם אותה והשכר לאמצע צריך ליתן עמלו כפועל בטל ואם אמר לו הרי הראש והאליה שלך בעמלך יתר על מחצית השכר מותר היו למפטם בהמות אחרות שמפטם אותם עם זו השומא אצלו וכן אם היו לו עגלים וסייחין אחרים או ביצים אחרות שלו הואיל והוא מתעסק בשלו ובשל חבירו אפילו לא העלה לו אלא דבר מועט בכל ימי השותפות הזאת דיו וחולק בשכר בשוה ואם היה אריסו הואיל והוא מטפל בשלו ובשל בעל השדות אין צריך להעלות לו כלום:
2
When a person has calves or ponies evaluated, he has chickens sit on eggs, or he has an animal evaluated to be fattened with the profits to be divided between them and he does not pay a wage to the caretaker, the laws that govern such a relationship are the same as those that govern an investment of money. We see how much the animals or the eggs were evaluated for and how much profit was made, and the caretaker is given two thirds of the profit. If there is a loss, he is required to bear one third of the loss.
ב
השם עגלים או סייחין או הושיב תרנגולים או שם בהמה על הפטם למחצית שכר ולא העלה לו שכר הרי דינו כדין העסק של מעות רואין בכמה שמין הבהמות או הביצים וכמה הרויחו ונוטל המתעסק שני שלישי השכר ואם הפסידו משלם שליש ההפסד:
3
We evaluate a cow, a donkey and any other animal that usually performs work and eats, and the profits are divided between the owner and the caretaker. For although care is required, the caretaker is able to derive other profit for himself because of the work of the animals. For he may hire them or work with them himself and benefit from the fee or their work.
One should not evaluate a calf together with its mother, or a pony with its mother. For the calf or the pony does not perform any work, and yet it requires care.
ג
שמין פרה וחמור וכל דבר שדרכו לעשות ולאכול ויהיה השכר לאמצע אף על פי שזה מתעסק הרי יש לו ריוח אחר לעצמו בעבודת הבהמות שהרי שוכר אותה או עובד בה ונהנה בשכרה ובעבודתה ואין שמין עגל עם אמו ולא סייח עם אמו שהעגל והסייח אינו עושה כלום ויש בו עסק:
4
When a person has an animal evaluated and entrusts it to a colleague, until when is the colleague obligated to care for it? For a female donkey, 18 months. For an animal that lives in a corral - e.g., sheep or cattle - 24 months. If the owner desires to divide the profits within this period, the caretaker can prevent him from doing so, because they entered into a partnership without making any stipulations.
We set these rules because the care and profit ratio for an animal for the first year cannot be compared to that of the second year. In the first year, it requires much care and brings little profit, because at the beginning it becomes heavier only with much difficulty. In the second year, by contrast, it requires little care and there is much profit, because it becomes much heavier, gaining every day. Therefore, the caretaker may prevent him from dissolving the partnership until the end of the second year.
If the animal that was evaluated gives birth while in the possession of the caretaker, the calf is considered part of the profit and is divided between them. In a place where the custom is that the caretaker raises the offspring, he should raise them and afterwards sell them. In a place where it is not customary that the caretaker raise the offspring, he is nevertheless required to care for the offspring for a limited period. For a lightweight animal, he is required to care for it for 30 days. For a large animal, he is required to care for it for 50 days. Afterwards, the offspring is sols and the profits are divided.
If the caretaker desires to care for them longer than this period, he should evaluate them before three men on the thirtieth or fiftieth day. Afterwards, any profit that is made should be divided between them as follows: The caretaker should receive three fourths of the profit, and his partner, one fourth. The rationale is that the caretaker owns half of the offspring and because he cares for the half belonging to his colleague, he is given half of that half - i.e., a total of three fourths. If the caretaker did not make such a stipulation in the presence of three witnesses, he is considered to have waived this extra profit, and the offspring are divided equally among them.
In a place where it is customary to figure in a porter's fee to the money invested, that fee should be added. The entire fee that the administrator receives for carrying the merchandise should be figured into the profit on the investment. Similarly, if it is the local custom to add an extra fee for handling an animal, it should be added. In a place where it is customary to add an extra fee to the caretaker's wages for handling offspring, it should be added. Whenever a person enters into an investment or partnership agreement, he should not deviate from the local business practices.
ד
השם בהמה לחבירו עד מתי חייב לטפל בה באתונות שמנה עשר חדש ובגודרות והן הצאן והבקר ארבעה ועשרים חדש ואם בא לחלוק בתוך זמן זה חבירו מעכב עליו מפני שנשתתפו סתם לפי שאינו דומה טפילה של שנה ראשונה שהיא מרובה והריוח מועט שאינה משתמנת בתחלה אלא בקושי לטפילה של שנה האחרת שהיא מועט והריוח מרובה שהרי היא משתמנת הרבה ומוספת בכל יום לפיכך מעכב עליו עד סוף שנה שנייה ילדה הבהמה השומה אצלו הרי הולד מכלל הריוח לאמצע מקום שנהגו לגדל ולדותם יגדלו ואחר כך ימכרו מקום שנהגו שלא לגדל חייב המתעסק להטפל בולדות בדקה שלשים יום ובגסה חמשים יום וחולקין רצה להטפל בהן יתר על זמן זה שם אותן בפני שלשה ביום שלשים וביום החמשים וכל שירויחו אחר כך יטול המתעסק שלשה חלקים וחבירו רביע הריוח שהרי יש לו חצי הולד ומפני שנתעסק בחצי של חבירו נוטל חצי אותו החצי הרי שלשה רבעים ואם לא התנה כן בפני שלשה הרי מחל והולדות ביניהן בשוה כמות שהן מקום שנהגו להעלות שכר כתף למעות העסק מעלין ויהיה כל השכר שנוטל המתעסק בשכר שנושא על כתפו בכלל שכר המעות וכן אם דרכן להעלות שכר בהמה מעלין לו מקום שנהגו להעלות שכר ולדות בשכר עמלו מעלין וכל המתעסק או המשתתף סתם לא ישנה ממנהג המדינה:
5
The following rules apply when Reuven owns a field and invites Shimon to till it, to sow it or to plant within it, to manage the expenses spent on its account, to sell the produce, and to divide between them the profit that exceeds the cost. Whether they agreed to divide the profits equally or they agreed that Reuven would receive a larger share, whether all the expenses were undertaken by Reuven or by Shimon, any such arrangement is permitted. Even "the shade of interest" is not involved.
Shimon, who takes care of working the land, managing the expenses and selling the produce, is called a sharecropper. If the sharecropper claims: "I agreed to till the field for half the profits," but the owner of the field claims that they agreed on a third, we follow the local custom. The one whose claim departs from the local custom must bring proof to support his position.
ה
ראובן שהיתה לו שדה והוריד שמעון לתוכה לזרעה או לנטעה ולהוציא עליה הוצאות ולמכור הפירות וכל היתר על ההוצאה יהיה ביניהם בין שהתנו שיחלקו בשוה בין שהתנו שיטול ראובן יתר בין שהיתה ההוצאה כולה משל ראובן בין שהיתה משל שמעון בכל זה מותר ואין כאן אבק ריבית ושמעון המטפל בעבודת הארץ ובהוצאה ובמכירת הפירות הוא הנקרא אריס אריס אומר למחצה ירדתי ובעל השדה אומר לשליש הורדתיו הולכין אחר מנהג המדינה וזה שטען שלא כמנהג עליו להביא ראיה:
6
The following laws apply when a husband hires sharecroppers to till property belonging to his wife, and then he divorces her. If the husband is himself a sharecropper, since the husband does not have any connection to the property any longer, the sharecroppers' connection also ceases. If the value of the field increases, they are granted only the share of their expenses equal to the field's increase in value. And they must support their claim with an oath.
If the husband is not a sharecropper, we assume that the sharecroppers were hired according to the custom of the land, and they are given the share granted to other sharecroppers.
ו
בעל שהוריד אריסין בנכסי אשתו וגרשה אם היה הבעל אריס הואיל ונסתלק בעל נסתלקו הם ואין להם מן ההוצאה אלא שיעור השבח ובשבועה ואם אין הבעל אריס על דעת [מנהג] הארץ ירדו ושמין להם כאריס:
7
When brothers or other heirs do not divide the estate of their benefactor, but instead, they all use it together, they are considered partners in all matters.
If one of a group of brothers or one of a group of partners was appointed to the service of the king, the profit he receives is divided among them. If one of them becomes ill and is cured, the expenses required for his cure should be shared. If, however, he became sick because of his own negligence, he went out in the snow, or in the sun during the summer until he became ill or the like, he is responsible for bearing the expenses for his cure by himself.
ז
האחין או שאר היורשין שלא חלקו ירושת מורישן אלא כולן משתמשין בה ביחד הרי הן כשותפין לכל דבר אחד מן האחין או מן השותפין שנפל לאומנות המלך הריוח לאמצע חלה אחד מהן ונתרפא נתרפא מן האמצע ואם חלה בפשיעה כגון שהלך בשלג או בחמה בימי החום עד שחלה וכיוצא בזה הרי זה מתרפא משל עצמו:
Sheluchin veShuttafin - Chapter Nine
1
The following - all types of partners, sharecroppers, guardians of orphans who were appointed by the court, a woman who does business in the family home or who was charged by her husband to serve as a storekeeper, and a member of the household - are all required by Rabbinic Law to take an oath, despite the fact that the claimant does not have a certain claim against them, lest they may have stolen something from their colleague while performing business on his behalf, or perhaps they were not exact when making a reckoning.
Why did the Sages ordain this oath? Because these people give themselves license, thinking that they are deserving of whatever they will take from the property of the owner, since they do business and work on his behalf. Therefore, the Sages ordained that they are required to take an oath despite the fact that the claimant does not have a certain claim against them, so that they will perform all their deeds justly and in good faith.
א
השותפין כולן והאריסין והאפוטרופין שמינו אותם ב"ד על היתומים והאשה שהיא נושאת ונותנת בתוך הבית או שהושיבה בעלה חנוונית ובן הבית כל אחד מאלו נשבע מדבריהם בטענת ספק שמא גזל חבירו במשא ומתן או שמא לא דקדק בחשבון שביניהם ולמה תקנו חכמים שבועה זו מפני שאלו מורין לעצמן שכל מה שיקחו מנכסי בעל המעות ראוי הוא להם מפני שנושאין ונותנין וטורחין לפיכך תקנו להם חכמים שחייבין שבועה בטענת ספק כדי שיעשו כל מעשיהן בצדק ואמונה:
2
None of the above are required to take an oath because of an indefinite claim until the plaintiff suspects them of taking two silver pieces - i.e., two silver me'ah, as will be explained. If, however, they are suspected of taking less than this amount, they are not required to take an oath.
ב
ואין כל אחד מאלו נשבע בטענת ספק עד שיחשוד המשביע אותן בשתי כסף שהן שתי מעין של כסף כמו שיתבאר אבל אם חושדין בפחות מזה אינם נשבעין:
3
Based on this, my teachers ruled that if one partner died, the heirs cannot compel their father's partners to take an oath concerning an indefinite claim. For they are not knowledgeable about their father's affairs and do not know for certain that their father suspected the partner of wrongdoing so that it can be said that the heirs suspect the partner of taking two silver me'ah.
There are, however, others who rule that the heir may require him to take an oath despite the fact that his claim is indefinite. It is proper to rule in this manner. For we see that the heirs may require a widow who became a guardian during the lifetime of her husband to take an oath.
ג
מכאן הורו רבותי שאם מת השותף האחד אין היורש יכול להשביע שותפו של אביו בטענת שמא שהרי אינו יודע הדבר שחשדו בו אביו בודאי כדי שיחשוד אותו זה היורש בשתי כסף ויש מי שהורה שמשביע אותו היורש בטענת שמא וכזה ראוי לדון שהרי היורשין משביעין את האשה שנעשת אפוטרופא בחיי בעלה:
4
Although there are no witnesses that a person was his colleague's sharecropper or partner, but rather he himself admits to this fact, saying: "I am his partner, sharecropper or member of his household - but I did not steal anything from him," he must take an oath while holding a sacred article. The rationale is that we do not employ the principle of migo to free a person from the responsibility of taking an oath, but only to free him from a financial commitment.
Which member of the household can be required to take an oath because of an indefinite claim? One who brings workers in and leads workers out, who brings produce in and takes produce out. When, however, a member of the household is not involved in the business affairs of the household, but merely enters and leaves, he cannot be required to take an oath because of an indefinite claim.
Similarly, a guardian appointed by the father of orphans before his death cannot be required by the orphans to take an oath because of an indefinite claim. Similarly, a woman who did not serve as a guardian in her husband's lifetime, and did not do business with the property of the estate after her husband's burial cannot be required to take an oath because of an indefinite claim.
Similarly, if she did business with the property of the estate between her husband's death and burial, she is not required to take an oath regarding the transactions conducted during this period. For if she were required to take an oath, she would not sell any property in order to make the burial possible, and the deceased would become loathsome.
ד
אע"פ שאין שם עדים שזה אריסו או שותפו אלא הוא מודה מפי עצמו ואמר שותפו או אריסו או בן ביתו אני אבל לא גזלתי כלום הרי זה נשבע בנקיטת חפץ שאין אומרים מיגו לפוטרו שבועה אלא לפוטרו ממון איזהו בן הבית שיש לו להשביע בטענת ספק זה שמכניס פועלים ומוציא פועלים ומכניס לו פירות ומוציא לו פירות אבל בן הבית שאינו נושא ונותן אלא נכנס ברגלו ויוצא בלבד אינו יכול להשביע מספק וכן אפוטרופוס שמינהו אבי יתומים אין היתומים משביעין אותו בטענת ספק וכן האשה שלא נעשת אפוטרופא בחיי בעלה ולא נשאה ולא נתנה לאחר קבורת בעלה אין משביעין אותה מספק וכן אם נשאה ונתנה בין מיתה וקבורה אין משביעין על זה שנשתמש בין מיתה לקבורה שאם אתה אומר שתשבע על זה לא תמכור לקבורה ונמצא המת מתנוול:
5
When a person sends an article with a colleague to sell, or sends money with him to purchase produce or merchandise for him, even though the principal did not pay the agent a wage, and the agent does not own any portion of the merchandise nor derive any benefit from it, since he did business with his colleague's money, he is considered a member of his household. Even though the principal has merely an indefinite claim, the agent can be required to take an oath that he did not steal anything from him when he brought him the merchandise that he purchased or a portion of it, or the money from the sale he conducted for him.
ה
המשלח ביד חבירו חפץ למכרו או ששלח מעות בידו לקנות לו פירות או סחורה אף על פי שלא נתן לו שכר על זה ואין לו חלק ולא הנאה בשליחות זו הואיל ונשא ונתן בממון חבירו הרי זה כבן בית ויש לו להשביע מספק שלא גזל לו כלום בעת שהביא לו הסחורה שקנה או מקצתה או המעות שמכר לו מהן:
6
When both partners are involved in the business of the partnership or the one who is involved in the business entrusts the merchandise - or a portion of the merchandise - or the funds belonging to the partnership without weighing, measuring or counting them, there is a doubt concerning both of them, and either one can require the other to take the oath required of a partner. If, however, only one of the partners does business and the other is not involved in the business dealings at all, only the former can be required to take this oath.
ו
השותפין שנושאין ונותנין ביחד או שהיה האחד נושא ונותן ומפקיד הסחורה או מקצתה או המעות עם השני בלא משקל ולא מדה ולא מניין הרי שניהם נכנסין לספק ויש לכל אחד מהן להשביע את חבירו שבועת השותפין אבל אם היה האחד הוא שנושא ונותן והשני לא נתעסק עמו כלל אין נשבע אלא זה שנשא ונתן:
7
The above oath can be administered when the initial relationship is still current. If, however, the partners or the sharecroppers dissolved their relationship, the woman was divorced, the member of the household went elsewhere, or the agent brought the principal the merchandise he purchased for him or the money from the merchandise he sold for him, the principal remained silent without making a claim against the other party, and the other party departed, the principal is not able to require that other party to take an oath because of an indefinite claim afterwards. If, however, the principal has a definite claim against him, he can require him to take an oath, and then require him to take additional oaths concerning anything he desires.
Similarly, if at a later time, the other person is required to take an oath to the principal - whether required by Scriptural Law or by Rabbinic Law - e.g., he became a partner or a member of the person's household again - the principal can require him to take an oath that he did not steal anything during their present partnership or while he was his partner, sharecropper, member of his household or guardian previously. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.
ז
חלקו השותפין והאריסין ונתגרשה האשה ונפרד מעליו בן הבית והביא לו השליח סחורה שקנה לו או מעות שמכר לו בהן ושתק והלכו להם ולא תבעם מיד אינו יכול לחזור ולהשביעו בטענת ספק אבל אם היתה לו טענת ודאי משביעו עליה ומגלגל בה כל מה שירצה וכן אם נתחייב לו שבועה אחר זמן בין של תורה בין של דבריהם כגון שנעשה לו שותף או בן בית פעם אחרת הרי זה יכול לגלגל עליו שלא גזלתני בשותפות זו שבינינו ולא כשהיית שותפי או אריסי או בן ביתי או אפוטרופי בראשונה וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
8
When partners have dissolved their partnership, but the partnership is still owed debts by others, the partners cannot require each other to take an oath because of an indefinite claim, for they have already divided the partnership's resources. The debts that remain are not significant in this context, for they are matters of public knowledge. When any portion of the debt is repaid, they will each take their appropriate portion of the debt.
Similar concepts apply if it has been made known that cash remains in the coffers of the partnership, but the partners have not taken their portion of that cash. Neither may require an oath of the other, because cash is considered as if it is already divided.
Similarly, if a reckoning was made of the assets of the partnership possessed by all the partners, and it was determined that one partner was holding a specific and known entity belonging to another, it is considered as if the assets were divided, even though he had not taken it as of that time.
If, however, any of the produce belonging to the partnership remained, and it had not been divided or weighed, or any dimension of the partnership remained concerning which an accounting had not been made and thus, neither of them knew the extent of the portion that is due him, the partnership is still considered viable, and either may require the other to take the oath mentioned above.
ח
השותפים שחלקו ונשאר להם חובות אצל אחרים אינן יכולין להשביע זה את זה מספק שהרי חלקו והחוב שנשאר דבר ידוע הוא בכל מה שיפרעו יקח זה חלקו מן החוב וזה חלקו מן החוב ובן אם נשאר להם מעות בכיס וכבר ידעו אותן ועדיין לא נטלו כל אחד חלקו אין משביעין זה את זה שהמעות כחלוקין הם וכן אם עשו חשבון כל השותפין ונשאר לאחד מהן אצל חבירו דבר קצוב וידוע אע"פ שעדיין לא נטלו הרי חלקו אבל אם נשאר ביניהם כל שהוא מן הפירות ועדיין לא חלקו אותן ולא ידעו משקלם או שנשאר ביניהם צד מן השותפות שלא עשו בו חשבון ולא ידע כל אחד מהן כמה חלקו המגיעו הרי השותפות קיימת עדיין ומשביעין זה את זה:
9
When a person issues a claim against a colleague after the dissolution of a partnership, he cannot compel him to take an oath except through the convention of gilgul sh'vuah, as explained above. He may, however, have a ban of ostracism issued against anyone who stole from his colleague while he was his partner, sharecropper or member of his household, and does not admit that he stole.
ט
מי שתבע את חבירו אחר חלוקה אינו יכול להשביעו אלא ע"י גלגול כמו שביארנו אבל יש לו להחרים סתם על מי שגזלו כלום כשהיה שותפו או אריסו או בן ביתו ולא יודה במה שגזל:
Sheluchin veShuttafin - Chapter Ten
1
The following law applies when a partner claims that the partnership relationship with his colleague involved a certain stipulation, and the colleague denies that such a stipulation ever existed or admits the existence of a stipulation, but claims it was for a lesser amount than the plaintiff claims. The plaintiff may determine the oath the defendant takes.
The same ruling applies if the plaintiff asks that property belonging to the partnership be returned to him, and the defendant claims to have given it to him, but the plaintiff claims that he never received it, or the defendant claims that merchandise was his, while the plaintiff claims that it belongs to the partnership, or with regard to any other claims of this type.
What is implied? If the plaintiff desires not to require the partner to take the oath required of partners, but instead to require him to take merely a sh'vuat hesset on the claim he denies and does not admit to have taken place, he may require him to take only the lesser oath. If he desires, he can include all the claims in the oath required of a partner. Although he has an indefinite claim, he will require the partner to take an oath that he did not steal anything throughout the duration of the partnership, that these and these stipulations existed between the partners, that the merchandise was his, or that he paid this and this amount. The same principles apply in all analogous situations.
א
שותף שטען על חבירו שכך היה תנאי ביניהם והלה אומר לא היה תנאי זה מעולם או שטען שהקרן שלי היה כך וכך והלה אומר אינו אלא פחות מזה או שטען שכבר נתתי לך השותפות והלה אומר לא לקחתי או שסחורה זו משלי היה והלה אומר משל אמצע וכל כיוצא בטענות אלו הרשות ביד התובע בשבועה כיצד אם רצה התובע שלא ישבע השותף שבועת השותפין וישבעו היסת על הטענה שכופר בה ואומר לא היו דברים מעולם הרי זה משביעו ואם רצה מגלגל עליו כל אלו הדברים בשבועת השותפין ומשביעו בטענת ספק שלא גזלת כלום כל ימי השותפות ושהיה בינינו תנאי כך ושזו הסחורה שלך ושנתת לי כך וכך וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
2
The following rule applies when a person lodges a claim against a partner with the intent of obligating him to take the oath required of partners, the defendant claims: "We have already divided the assets of the partnership, and nothing that belongs to you remains in my possession," and the plaintiff differs, maintaining that the assets were not divided, nor was a reckoning made. The defendant cannot be required to take an oath because of an indefinite claim. [This ruling also applies when the plaintiff admits dividing the assets, but claims that the division was made with the stipulation that the defendant take the oath required of partners whenever the plaintiff demanded, and the defendant has constantly been procrastinating.
This ruling applies even when the defendant admits that after the division of the assets, he owed the plaintiff something, but claims that the plaintiff agreed to consider that as a debt, or considered it as an object entrusted to the defendant for safekeeping.
Even if there are witnesses that the two were once partners, the plaintiff cannot require an oath with an indefinite claim. Nor may the plaintiff require the defendant to take a sh'vuat hesset that they divided the assets or that they were never partners. The rationale is that a sh'vuat hesset is never required, nor even is a claim included in an oath using the convention of gilgul sh'vuah, unless the claim is such that if the defendant admitted it, he would be liable to pay money. If, however, the claim is one that if the defendant admitted it, he would be required only to take an oath, he may not be required to take an oath on the indefinite claim, even because of the convention of gilgul sh'vuah. Geonim, who are masters of instruction, ruled in this manner.
ב
התובע שותפו להשביעו שבועת השותפין הנתבע אומר כבר חלקנו ולא נשאר לך אצלי כלום והתובע אומר עדיין לא חלקנו ולא עשינו חשבון או שאמר התובע חלקנו על מנת שאשביע אותך שבועת השותפין בכל עת שארצה ועדיין לא נשבעת ואתה מדחה אותי מיום ליום אינו יכול להשביעו בטענת ספק אפילו אמר הנתבע כן חלקנו ונשאר לך אצלי וזה הנשאר אינו אלא חוב שזקפתו עלי או פקדון הנחת אצלי אף על פי שיש עדים שהיה שותפו אינו יכול להשביעו בטענת ספק ואינו יכול להשביע היסת שכבר חלקו או שלא נשתתפו מעולם ואפילו על ידי גלגול לפי שאין משביעין היסת ואין מגלגלין אלא אם טענו דבר שאם יודה בה יהיה חייב לשלם ממון אבל דבר שאפילו הודה בו אינו חייב אלא שבועה אינו נשבע עליו ואפילו ע"י גלגול וכזה הורו הגאונים בעלי הוראה:
3
The following rule applies if the plaintiff claims: "You are still my partner, and property belonging to me worth such and such remains in your possession,"and the defendant counters, by claiming: "We already divided the assets of the partnership, and I no longer have anything belonging to you in my possession," or "I was never your partner." The defendant must take a sh'vuat hessetthat he does not possess anything belonging to the plaintiff, and because of the convention of gilgul sh'vuah, he must include in the oath that he did not steal anything from him. The defendant need not include in the oath that he was not his partner or that they already divided the assets of the partnership, for the reason explained above.
ג
טען שעדיין שותפי אתה ונשאר לי אצלך כך וכך וזה אומר כבר חלקנו ולא נשאר לך אצלי כלום או לא היית שותפי מעולם הרי הנתבע נשבע היסת שאין לו בידו כלום ומגלגל עליו שלא גזלתני כלום מעולם ואינו מגלגל עליו שלא היו שותפו או שכבר חלקנו מן הטעם שביארנו:
4
The following rule applies when the plaintiff claims that he and the defendant are still partners, and that he therefore has the right to require him to take an oath because of an indefinite claim, while the defendant denies ever becoming the plaintiff's partner. If the plaintiff brings witnesses who testify that the defendant was his partner, and the defendant then claims: "We divided the assets of the partnership," his claim is not accepted. The rationale is that he was proven to be a liar with regard to this oath. Therefore, he is required to take the oath required of a partner. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.
ד
טען שעדיין שותפין אנחנו ויש לי להשביעך בטענת ספק והלה אומר לא נשתתפנו מעולם והביא התובע עדים שהיה שותפו וחזר הנתבע אח"כ ואמר חלקנו אין שומעין לו שהרי הוחזק כפרן לשבועה זו וישבע שבועת השותפין וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
5
The convention of gilgul sh'vuah is also relevant in the following situation. Reuven placed 400 dinarim in the coffers of the partnership, while Shimon invested 200 dinarim. They worked as partners and did business together, but all the money was held by Reuven. If Reuven claimed that there was a loss of 500 dinarim, Reuven may not take the oath required of partners that he suffered such a loss to require Shimon to pay 50 dinarim from his own funds. Instead, Reuven should take the oath required of partners that there was a loss. He should take the maneh that is in his possession, but Shimon is not required to pay anything.
If Reuven claims that Shimon has definite knowledge of the loss, he may require Shimon to take the oath required of partners, and based on the convention of gilgul sh'vuah, he may compel him to include that he does not have definite knowledge of this loss.
Different rules apply if Shimon was not at all involved in the work of the partnership. Shimon should take a sh'vuat hesset that he does not have definite knowledge of the loss, and he is then freed of liability. Moreover, if the maneh that remains was in Shimon's possession, it should be divided equally between them. The rationale is that a partner is not one of those who is required to take an oath and then collect money from the defendant. Instead, the oath he takes enables him merely to be freed of responsibility or to assume ownership of property in his possession. Be careful with regard to this law, for even masters of instruction have erred with regard to it.
ה
ראובן שהטיל לכיס ארבע מאות דינרים והטיל שמעון מאתים ונשתתפו ונשאו ונתנו ביחד והרי הממון כולו ביד ראובן וטען ראובן שפחת מן הקרן חמש מאות דינרין אין אומרים ישבע ראובן שבועת השותפין שפחתו כך וישלם שמעון חמשים מביתו אלא ישבע ראובן שבועת השותפין שפחתו וילך במנה שבידו בלבד ולא ישלם שמעון כלום טען ראובן ששמעון יודע בודאי בפחת זו שפחתו יגלגל על שמעון שאינו יודע בודאי סכום הפחת הזה ואם לא נתעסק שמעון בשותפות זו כלל ישבע שמעון היסת שאינו יודע בודאי בזה ההפסד ויפטר ולא עוד אלא אם היה זה המנה הנשאר ביד שמעון חולקים אותו בשוה שאין השותף מן הנשבעין ונוטלין כדי שישבע ויטול מה שביד חבירו אלא נשבע ונפטר או נוטל מדבר שהוא תחת ידו והזהר בדין זה שכבר טעו בו בעלי הוראה:
6
The following law also involves the division of the assets of a partnership. Shimon claims that he owes Levi a manehbecause of this partnership. If he has resources of the partnership in his possession that are sufficient to pay the debt, and he can give them to Levi, his word is accepted. He should repay the debt, and afterwards he and Reuven should calculate how the assets should be divided.
If Shimon does not have funds from the partnership in his possession, we do not rely upon his word to expropriate money from Reuven or merchandise known to belong to the partnership, lest Shimon and Levi are perpetrating deception, seeking to obtain Reuven's property. Even if the loan is recorded in a promissory note, Reuven is not required to pay any portion of it.
If Shimon claims that Reuven has definite knowledge that the debt Shimon incurred came as a result of the partnership, and should be borne by both of them, Reuven is required to take a sh'vuat hessetthat he does not know that the partnership has incurred this debt - or because of the convention of gilgul sh'vuah, he should include this statement in the oath he takes as required of partners. Afterwards, Shimon should pay the debt from his own funds.
Similarly, if there is a promissory note stating that, due to Shimon, Levi owes the partnership 100 dinarim, and Shimon claims: "I received payment and returned the money to the coffers of the partnership," or "I extended credit to him for a two- or three-year period," his word is not accepted, lest he be perpetrating deception, seeking to obtain Reuven's property.
How should this case be adjudicated? Levi was already freed from obligation through Shimon's admission. If Shimon does not bring proof of his claim, Shimon must pay Reuven's share from his own funds. He should then demand payment from Levi at the end of the time span he mentioned. Similar principles apply in all analogous situations.
ו
טען שמעון שיש ללוי עליו חוב בזו השותפות מנה אם היה בידו כדי החוב והיה יכול ליתנו ללוי נאמן ונותנין החוב ואחר כך מחשבין ואם אין בידו ליתן אינו נאמן להוציא מיד ראובן או מן הסחורה הידועה לשותפות שמא קנוניא הם עושין שמעון ולוי על נכסי ראובן אפילו היתה המלוה בשטר אין ראובן חייב לשלם ממנה כלום אבל אם טען שמעון שראובן יודע בודאי שזה החוב שעלי מחמת השותפות הוא והחוב אצלנו הוא ישבע ראובן היסת או על ידי גלגול שאינו יודע שחוב זה אצלנו וישלם שמעון החוב משלו וכן אם יצא שטר חוב על לוי בשם שמעון במאה דינרין מממון השותפות ואמר שמעון נפרעתי והחזרתי לכיס או שאמר שמעון קבעתי לו זמן לשנה או לשתים אינו נאמן שמא קנוניא הוא עושה על נכסי ראובן וכיצד דנין בדין זה לוי כבר נפטר בהודאת שמעון ואם לא הביא שמעון ראיה ישלם מביתו ויתבע את לוי בסוף זמן שאמר וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
• Sunday, 24 AV , 5776 · 28 August 2016
• "Today's Day"
• Wednesday, Menachem Av 24, 5703
Torah lessons: Chumash: Re'ei, Revi'i with Rashi.
Tehillim: 113-118.
Tanya: Now, this radiation (p. 427) ...the great quantity." (p. 427).
A tradition handed down from Rebbe to Rebbe: During the well-known conflict (between chassidim and their opponents) the chassidim told the Alter Rebbe about the terrible abuse they suffered from the plain misnagdic1 folk. The Rebbe said: Grandfather (as he called the Baal Shem Tov)2 deeply loved simple folk. In my first days in Mezritch, the Rebbe, (the Maggid) said: "It was a frequent customary remark of the Rebbe (Baal Shem Tov) that love of Israel is love of G‑d. "You are children of Hashem your G‑d"3; when one loves the father one loves the children.
Compiled and arranged by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, of righteous memory, in 5703 (1943) from the talks and letters of the sixth Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, of righteous memory.
FOOTNOTES
1.The opponents to chassidim termed themselves misnagdim, lit. "opponents."
2.See Supplementary Footnotes.
3.Devarim 14:1.
• Daily Thought:
Forgiveness by the Book
When his people broke the deal and incurred divine wrath, Moses told G‑d, “Forgive them. And if You do not, erase me from Your book that You have written.”
Meaning: “I know You want to forgive them. You love them no matter what. You loved them before, when they had all but abandoned You in Egypt, and You love them now as well. It’s only this book that stands in the way. And if so, I want no part of such a book.”
It was then that G‑d wrote forgiveness into His book.
And so must we.[Likkutei Sichot, vol. 21, pp. 173–180; ibid., vol. 9, pp. 237–242.]
When his people broke the deal and incurred divine wrath, Moses told G‑d, “Forgive them. And if You do not, erase me from Your book that You have written.”
Meaning: “I know You want to forgive them. You love them no matter what. You loved them before, when they had all but abandoned You in Egypt, and You love them now as well. It’s only this book that stands in the way. And if so, I want no part of such a book.”
It was then that G‑d wrote forgiveness into His book.
And so must we.[Likkutei Sichot, vol. 21, pp. 173–180; ibid., vol. 9, pp. 237–242.]
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