Torah Reading
Re'eh: Deuteronomy 11:26 “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse — 27 the blessing, if you listen to the mitzvot of Adonai your God that I am giving you today; 28 and the curse, if you don’t listen to the mitzvot of Adonai your God, but turn aside from the way I am ordering you today and follow other gods that you have not known.
29 “When Adonai your God brings you into the land you are entering in order to take possession of it, you are to put the blessing on Mount G’rizim and the curse on Mount ‘Eival. 30 Both are west of the Yarden, in the direction of the sunset, in the land of the Kena‘ani living in the ‘Aravah, across from Gilgal, near the pistachio trees of Moreh. 31 For you are to cross the Yarden to enter and take possession of the land Adonai your God is giving you; you are to own it and live in it. 32 And you are to take care to follow all the laws and rulings I am setting before you today.
12:1 Here are the laws and rulings you are to observe and obey in the land Adonai, the God of your ancestors, has given you to possess as long as you live on earth. 2 You must destroy all the places where the nations you are dispossessing served their gods, whether on high mountains, on hills, or under some leafy tree. 3 Break down their altars, smash their standing-stones to pieces, burn up their sacred poles completely and cut down the carved images of their gods. Exterminate their name from that place.
4 “But you are not to treat Adonai your God this way. 5 Rather, you are to come to the place where Adonai your God will put his name. He will choose it from all your tribes; and you will seek out that place, which is where he will live, and go there. 6 You will bring there your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tenths [that you set aside for Adonai], the offerings that you give, the offerings you have vowed, your voluntary offerings, and the firstborn of your cattle and sheep. 7 There you will eat in the presence of Adonai your God; and you will rejoice over everything you set out to do, you and your households, in which Adonai your God has blessed you. 8 You will not do things the way we do them here today, where everyone does whatever in his own opinion seems right; 9 because you haven’t yet arrived at the rest and inheritance which Adonai your God is giving you. 10 But when you cross the Yarden and live in the land Adonai your God is having you inherit, and he gives you rest from all your surrounding enemies, so that you are living in safety;
Daily Quote:
A chassid is a lamplighter[Rabbi Sholom DovBer Schneersohn (1860-1920)]
Daily Study:
Chitas and Rambam for today:
Chumash: Re'eh, 5th Portion Deuteronomy 14:22-14:29 with Rashi
• Deuteronomy Chapter 14
22You shall tithe all the seed crop that the field gives forth, year by year. כבעַשֵּׂ֣ר תְּעַשֵּׂ֔ר אֵ֖ת כָּל־תְּבוּאַ֣ת זַרְעֶ֑ךָ הַיֹּצֵ֥א הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה שָׁנָ֥ה שָׁנָֽה:
You shall tithe [all the seed crop]: What has one matter to do with the other [i.e., the prohibition of cooking a kid, and tithing]? The Holy One, blessed is He, said to Israel: Do not cause Me to destroy the [developing] kernels (גְּדָיִים) of grain, while they are yet in their “mother’s womb” [i.e., in the husks], for if you do not tithe your produce properly, when it is near ripening I will bring forth an easterly wind, which will blast them, as it is said, “and blast before becoming standing grain” (II Kings 19:26)(Tanchuma). [And just as cooking the kid in its mother’s milk and the tithes are juxtaposed,] so is the topic of the first fruits (בִּכּוּרִים) [juxtaposed to cooking the kid in its mother’s milk (see Exod. 23:19, 34:26), to teach us that, if you do not bring your first fruits to the Temple as commanded, your fruit produce will wither]. עשר תעשר: מה ענין זה אצל זה, אמר להם הקב"ה לישראל, לא תגרמו לי לבשל גדיים של תבואה עד שהן במעי אמותיהן, שאם אין אתם מעשרים מעשרות כראוי, כשהוא סמוך להתבשל אני מוציא רוח קדים והיא משדפתן. שנאמר (מלכים ב' יט, כא) ושדפה לפני קמה, וכן לענין בכורים:
[You shall tithe…] year by year: From here, we derive [the ruling] that one may not give tithes from the new [crop] for the old [i.e., from this year’s crop for last year’s]. — [Sifrei] שנה שנה: מכאן שאין מעשרין מן החדש על הישן:
23And you shall eat before the Lord, your God, in the place He chooses to establish His Name therein, the tithes of your grain, your wine, and your oil, and the firstborn of your cattle and of your sheep, so that you may learn to fear the Lord, your God, all the days. כגוְאָֽכַלְתָּ֞ לִפְנֵ֣י | יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ בַּמָּק֣וֹם אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַר֘ לְשַׁכֵּ֣ן שְׁמ֣וֹ שָׁם֒ מַעְשַׂ֤ר דְּגָֽנְךָ֙ תִּֽירשְׁךָ֣ וְיִצְהָרֶ֔ךָ וּבְכֹרֹ֥ת בְּקָֽרְךָ֖ וְצֹאנֶ֑ךָ לְמַ֣עַן תִּלְמַ֗ד לְיִרְאָ֛ה אֶת־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ כָּל־הַיָּמִֽים:
And you shall eat [before the Lord your God, in the place He chooses… the tithes of your grain…]: This refers to ma’aser sheini , “the second tithe,” for we have already learned to give ma’aser rishon , “the first tithe,” to the Levites, as it is said, “[Speak to the Levites…] when you take from the children of Israel [the tithe]… ” (Num. 18:26), and it gives them permission to eat it anywhere [not only in Jerusalem], as it is said,“and you may eat it in any place” (Num. 18:31). Thus you must conclude that this one [which may be eaten by its owners and must be eaten in Jerusalem,] is another tithe [namely, the second tithe]. ואכלת וגו': זה מעשר שני. שכבר למדנו ליתן מעשר ראשון ללוים, שנאמר (במדבר יח, כו) כי תקחו מאת בני ישראל וגו', ונתן להם רשות לאכלו בכל מקום, שנאמר (שם יח, לא) ואכלתם אותו בכל מקום, על כרחך זה מעשר אחר הוא:
24And if the way be too long for you, that you are unable to carry it, for the place which the Lord, your God, will choose to establish His Name therein, is too far from you, for the Lord, your God, will bless you כדוְכִֽי־יִרְבֶּ֨ה מִמְּךָ֜ הַדֶּ֗רֶךְ כִּ֣י לֹ֣א תוּכַל֘ שְׂאֵתוֹ֒ כִּֽי־יִרְחַ֤ק מִמְּךָ֙ הַמָּק֔וֹם אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִבְחַר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לָשׂ֥וּם שְׁמ֖וֹ שָׁ֑ם כִּ֥י יְבָֽרֶכְךָ֖ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ:
For [the Lord your God] will bless you: so that your produce will be too much to carry. כי יברכך: שתהא התבואה מרובה לשאת:
25Then you shall turn it into money, and bind up the money in your hand, and you shall go to the place the Lord, your God, will choose. כהוְנָֽתַתָּ֖ה בַּכָּ֑סֶף וְצַרְתָּ֤ הַכֶּ֨סֶף֙ בְּיָ֣דְךָ֔ וְהָֽלַכְתָּ֙ אֶל־הַמָּק֔וֹם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִבְחַ֛ר יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ בּֽוֹ:
26And you shall turn that money into whatever your soul desires; cattle, sheep, new wine or old wine, or whatever your soul desires, and you shall eat there before the Lord, your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household. כווְנָֽתַתָּ֣ה הַכֶּ֡סֶף בְּכֹל֩ אֲשֶׁר־תְּאַוֶּ֨ה נַפְשְׁךָ֜ בַּבָּקָ֣ר וּבַצֹּ֗אן וּבַיַּ֨יִן֙ וּבַשֵּׁכָ֔ר וּבְכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר תִּשְׁאָֽלְךָ֖ נַפְשֶׁ֑ךָ וְאָכַ֣לְתָּ שָּׁ֗ם לִפְנֵי֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ וְשָֽׂמַחְתָּ֖ אַתָּ֥ה וּבֵיתֶֽךָ:
[And you will turn that money] into whatever your soul desires: This is a כְּלָל, a general statement [not limited to anything in particular. Whereas the next expression,] בכל אשר תאוה נפשך: כלל:
cattle, or sheep, new wine or old wine: [represents a] פְּרָט, a“specification” [that is, it details particular things, limiting the matter to those things. After this, the verse continues,] בבקר ובצאן וביין ובשכר: פרט:
or whatever your soul desires: [The verse] again reverts to a כְּלָל, a“general statement.” [Now we have learned that when a verse expresses a כְּלָל, a פְּרָט, and then a כְּלָל again, as in this case, we apply the characteristics of the פְּרָט to the whole matter. That is,] just as the items listed in the פְּרָט 1) are products of things themselves produced by the earth [e.g., wine comes from grapes], and 2) are fitting to be food for man, [so must the money replacing them be used to purchase such products]. — [Eruvin 27a] ובכל אשר תשאלך נפשך: חזר וכלל. מה הפרט מפורש ולד ולדות הארץ וראוי למאכל אדם וכו':
27And [as for] the Levite who is in your cities you shall not forsake him, for he has neither portion nor inheritance with you. כזוְהַלֵּוִ֥י אֲשֶׁר־בִּשְׁעָרֶ֖יךָ לֹ֣א תַֽעַזְבֶ֑נּוּ כִּ֣י אֵ֥ין ל֛וֹ חֵ֥לֶק וְנַֽחֲלָ֖ה עִמָּֽךְ:
And [as for] the Levite… - you shall not forsake him: By not giving him the first tithe. והלוי וגו' לא תעזבנו: מליתן לו מעשר ראשון:
for he has neither portion nor inheritance with you: This excludes gleanings (Lev. 19:9), forgotten sheaves (Deut. 24:19), the end of the field (Lev. 19:9), [all of which are left for the poor,] and ownerless things, for the Levite does have a portion in these things, just as you do, and [consequently,] they are not subject to tithing. כי אין לו חלק ונחלה עמך: יצאו לקט שכחה ופאה והפקר, שאף הוא יש לו חלק עמך בהן כמוך, ואינן חייבין במעשר:
28At the end of three years, you shall take out all the tithe of your crop in that year and place it in your cities. כחמִקְצֵ֣ה | שָׁל֣שׁ שָׁנִ֗ים תּוֹצִיא֙ אֶת־כָּל־מַעְשַׂר֙ תְּבוּאָ֣תְךָ֔ בַּשָּׁנָ֖ה הַהִ֑וא וְהִנַּחְתָּ֖ בִּשְׁעָרֶֽיךָ:
At the end of three years [you shall take out all the tithe of your crop in that year]: This comes to teach us that if one kept his tithes from the first and the second year of the shemitah [cycle], he has to remove them from his house in the third [year]. מקצה שלש שנים: בא ולמד שאם השהה מעשרותיו של שנה ראשונה ושנייה לשמטה, שיבערם מן הבית בשלישית:
29And the Levite because he has no portion or inheritance with you and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are in your cities, will come and eat and be satisfied; so that the Lord, your God, will bless you in all the work of your hand that you will do. כטוּבָ֣א הַלֵּוִ֡י כִּ֣י אֵין־לוֹ֩ חֵ֨לֶק וְנַֽחֲלָ֜ה עִמָּ֗ךְ וְ֠הַגֵּ֠ר וְהַיָּת֤וֹם וְהָֽאַלְמָנָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בִּשְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ וְאָֽכְל֖וּ וְשָׂבֵ֑עוּ לְמַ֤עַן יְבָֽרֶכְךָ֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בְּכָל־מַֽעֲשֵׂ֥ה יָֽדְךָ֖ אֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּֽעֲשֶֽׂה:
And the Levite… will come: And take the first tithe. ובא הלוי: ויטול מעשר ראשון:
and the stranger, and the orphan… [will come]: And take the second tithe, which this year [the third in the seven year cycle], belongs to the poor, and you [yourself] may not eat it in Jerusalem, in the manner you were required to eat the second tithe in the [first] two years [of this cycle]. והגר והיתום: ויטלו מעשר שני, שהוא של עני של שנה זו, ולא תאכלנו אתה בירושלים כדרך שנזקקת לאכול מעשר שני של שתי שנים:
will come and eat and be satisfied: Give them enough to satisfy them. From here [our Rabbis] said: One must not give the poor from the threshing floor less [than half a kav of wheat, or a kav of barley] (Sifrei). And you go up to Jerusalem with the [second] tithe of the first and the second years which you have delayed [to bring], and you shall confess: “I have removed the sanctified things from the house” (see Deut. 26:13), as is stated in [the section beginning with]“When you have finished tithing…” (Deut. 26:12). ואכלו ושבעו: תן להם כדי שביעה. מכאן אמרו אין פוחתין לעני בגורן וכו'. ואתה הולך לירושלים למעשר של שנה ראשונה ושנייה שהשהית ומתודה (דברים כו, יג) בערתי הקדש מן הבית, כמו שמפורש (שם כו, יב) בכי תכלה לעשר:
Daily Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 135 - 139
• Chapter 135
1. Praise the Lord! Praise the Name of the Lord; offer praise, you servants of the Lord-
2. who stand in the House of the Lord, in the courtyards of the House of our God.
3. Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing to His Name, for He is pleasant.
4. For God has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel as His beloved treasure.
5. For I know that the Lord is great, our Master is greater than all supernal beings.
6. All that the Lord desired He has done, in the heavens and on earth, in the seas and the depths.
7. He causes mists to rise from the ends of the earth; He makes lightning for the rain; He brings forth the wind from His vaults.
8. It was He who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, of man and beast.
9. He sent signs and wonders into the midst of Egypt, on Pharaoh and on all his servants.
10. It was He who struck down many nations, and slew mighty kings:
11. Sichon, king of the Amorites; Og, king of Bashan; and all the kingdoms of Canaan.
12. And He gave their lands as a heritage, a heritage to His people Israel.
13. Lord, Your Name is forever; Lord, Your remembrance is throughout all generations.
14. Indeed, the Lord will judge on behalf of His people, and have compassion on His servants.
15. The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the product of human hands.
16. They have a mouth, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see;
17. they have ears, but cannot hear; nor is there breath in their mouth.
18. Like them will their makers become-all who trust in them.
19. House of Israel, bless the Lord; House of Aaron, bless the Lord;
20. House of Levi, bless the Lord; you who fear the Lord, bless the Lord.
21. Blessed is the Lord from Zion, who dwells in Jerusalem. Praise the Lord!
Chapter 136
This psalm contains twenty-six verses, corresponding to the twenty-six generations between the creation of the world and the giving of the Torah.
1. Praise the Lord for He is good, for His kindness is forever.
2. Praise the God of the supernal beings, for His kindness is forever.
3. Praise the Master of the heavenly hosts, for His kindness is forever.
4. Who alone performs great wonders, for His kindness is forever.
5. Who makes the heavens with understanding, for His kindness is forever.
6. Who spreads forth the earth above the waters, for His kindness is forever.
7. Who makes the great lights, for His kindness is forever.
8. The sun to rule by day, for His kindness is forever.
9. The moon and stars to rule by night, for His kindness is forever.
10. Who struck Egypt through its firstborn, for His kindness is forever.
11. And brought Israel out of their midst, for His kindness is forever.
12. With a strong hand and with an outstretched arm, for His kindness is forever.
13. Who split the Sea of Reeds into sections, for His kindness is forever.
14. And brought Israel across it, for His kindness is forever.
15. And cast Pharaoh and his army into the Sea of Reeds, for His kindness is forever.
16. Who led His people through the desert, for His kindness is forever;
17. Who struck down great kings, for His kindness is forever.
18. And slew mighty kings, for His kindness is forever.
19. Sichon, king of the Amorites, for His kindness is forever.
20. And Og, king of Bashan, for His kindness is forever.
21. And gave their land as a heritage, for His kindness is forever.
22. A heritage to Israel His servant, for His kindness is forever.
23. Who remembered us in our humiliation, for His kindness is forever.
24. And redeemed us from our oppressors, for His kindness is forever.
25. Who gives food to all flesh, for His kindness is forever.
26. Praise the God of heaven, for His kindness is forever.
Chapter 137
Referring to the time of the destruction of the Temple, this psalm tells of when Nebuchadnezzar would ask the Levites to sing in captivity as they had in the Temple, to which they would reply, "How can we sing the song of God upon alien soil?" They were then comforted by Divine inspiration.
1. By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and wept as we remembered Zion.
2. There, upon the willows, we hung our harps.
3. For there our captors demanded of us songs, and those who scorned us-rejoicing, [saying,] "Sing to us of the songs of Zion.”
4. How can we sing the song of the Lord on alien soil?
5. If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget [its dexterity].
6. Let my tongue cleave to my palate if I will not remember you, if I will not bring to mind Jerusalem during my greatest joy!
7. Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites the day of [the destruction of] Jerusalem, when they said, "Raze it, raze it to its very foundation!”
8. O Babylon, who is destined to be laid waste, happy is he who will repay you in retribution for what you have inflicted on us.
9. Happy is he who will seize and crush your infants against the rock!
Chapter 138
David offers awesome praises to God for His kindness to him, and for fulfilling His promise to grant him kingship.
1. By David. I will thank You with all my heart, in the presence of princes I shall praise You.
2. I will bow toward Your Holy Sanctuary, and praise Your Name for Your kindness and for Your truth; for You have exalted Your word above all Your Names.
3. On the day that I called out You answered me, You emboldened me, [You put] strength in my soul.
4. Lord, all the kings of the land will give thanks to You when they hear the words of Your mouth.
5. And they will sing of the Lord's ways, for the glory of the Lord is great.
6. For though the Lord is exalted, He sees the lowly; the High One castigates from afar.
7. If I walk in the midst of distress, keep me alive; against the wrath of my enemies stretch out Your hand, and let Your right hand deliver me.
8. Lord, complete [Your kindness] on my behalf. Lord, Your kindness is forever, do not forsake the work of Your hands.
Chapter 139
A most prominent psalm that guides man in the ways of God as no other in all of the five books of Tehillim. Fortunate is he who recites it daily.
1. For the Conductor, by David, a psalm. O Lord, You have probed me, and You know.
2. You know my sitting down and my standing up; You perceive my thought from afar.
3. You encircle my going about and my lying down; You are familiar with all my paths.
4. For there was not yet a word on my tongue-and behold, Lord, You knew it all.
5. You have besieged me front and back, You have laid Your hand upon me.
6. Knowledge [to escape You] is beyond me; it is exalted, I cannot know it.
7. Where can I go [to escape] Your spirit? And where can I flee from Your presence?
8. If I ascend to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the grave, behold, You are there.
9. Were I to take up wings as the dawn and dwell in the furthest part of the sea,
10. there, too, Your hand would guide me; Your right hand would hold me.
11. Were I to say, "Surely the darkness will shadow me," then the night would be as light around me.
12. Even the darkness obscures nothing from You; and the night shines like the day-the darkness is as light.
13. For You created my mind; You covered me in my mother's womb.
14. I will thank You, for I was formed in an awesome and wondrous way; unfathomable are Your works, though my soul perceives much.
15. My essence was not hidden from You even while I was born in concealment, formed in the depths of the earth.
16. Your eyes beheld my raw form; all [happenings] are inscribed in Your book, even those to be formed in future days-to Him they are the same.
17. How precious are Your thoughts to me, O God! How overwhelming, [even] their beginnings!
18. Were I to count them, they would outnumber the sand, even if I were to remain awake and always with You.
19. O that You would slay the wicked, O God, and men of blood [to whom I say], "Depart from me!”
20. They exalt You for wicked schemes, Your enemies raise [You] for falsehood.
21. Indeed, I hate those who hate You, Lord; I contend with those who rise up against You.
22. I hate them with the utmost hatred; I regard them as my own enemies.
23. Search me, Lord, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts.
24. See if there is a vexing way in me, then lead me in the way of the world.
Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, beginning of Epistle 9
• Lessons in Tanya
• Today's Tanya Lesson
• Thursday, 28 AV , 5776 · 1 September 2016
• Iggeret HaKodesh, beginning of Epistle 9
• Like the preceding Epistle, the present one too centers on the theme of tzedakah.
Re'eh: Deuteronomy 11:26 “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse — 27 the blessing, if you listen to the mitzvot of Adonai your God that I am giving you today; 28 and the curse, if you don’t listen to the mitzvot of Adonai your God, but turn aside from the way I am ordering you today and follow other gods that you have not known.
29 “When Adonai your God brings you into the land you are entering in order to take possession of it, you are to put the blessing on Mount G’rizim and the curse on Mount ‘Eival. 30 Both are west of the Yarden, in the direction of the sunset, in the land of the Kena‘ani living in the ‘Aravah, across from Gilgal, near the pistachio trees of Moreh. 31 For you are to cross the Yarden to enter and take possession of the land Adonai your God is giving you; you are to own it and live in it. 32 And you are to take care to follow all the laws and rulings I am setting before you today.
12:1 Here are the laws and rulings you are to observe and obey in the land Adonai, the God of your ancestors, has given you to possess as long as you live on earth. 2 You must destroy all the places where the nations you are dispossessing served their gods, whether on high mountains, on hills, or under some leafy tree. 3 Break down their altars, smash their standing-stones to pieces, burn up their sacred poles completely and cut down the carved images of their gods. Exterminate their name from that place.
4 “But you are not to treat Adonai your God this way. 5 Rather, you are to come to the place where Adonai your God will put his name. He will choose it from all your tribes; and you will seek out that place, which is where he will live, and go there. 6 You will bring there your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tenths [that you set aside for Adonai], the offerings that you give, the offerings you have vowed, your voluntary offerings, and the firstborn of your cattle and sheep. 7 There you will eat in the presence of Adonai your God; and you will rejoice over everything you set out to do, you and your households, in which Adonai your God has blessed you. 8 You will not do things the way we do them here today, where everyone does whatever in his own opinion seems right; 9 because you haven’t yet arrived at the rest and inheritance which Adonai your God is giving you. 10 But when you cross the Yarden and live in the land Adonai your God is having you inherit, and he gives you rest from all your surrounding enemies, so that you are living in safety;
Daily Quote:
A chassid is a lamplighter[Rabbi Sholom DovBer Schneersohn (1860-1920)]
Daily Study:
Chitas and Rambam for today:
Chumash: Re'eh, 5th Portion Deuteronomy 14:22-14:29 with Rashi
• Deuteronomy Chapter 14
22You shall tithe all the seed crop that the field gives forth, year by year. כבעַשֵּׂ֣ר תְּעַשֵּׂ֔ר אֵ֖ת כָּל־תְּבוּאַ֣ת זַרְעֶ֑ךָ הַיֹּצֵ֥א הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה שָׁנָ֥ה שָׁנָֽה:
You shall tithe [all the seed crop]: What has one matter to do with the other [i.e., the prohibition of cooking a kid, and tithing]? The Holy One, blessed is He, said to Israel: Do not cause Me to destroy the [developing] kernels (גְּדָיִים) of grain, while they are yet in their “mother’s womb” [i.e., in the husks], for if you do not tithe your produce properly, when it is near ripening I will bring forth an easterly wind, which will blast them, as it is said, “and blast before becoming standing grain” (II Kings 19:26)(Tanchuma). [And just as cooking the kid in its mother’s milk and the tithes are juxtaposed,] so is the topic of the first fruits (בִּכּוּרִים) [juxtaposed to cooking the kid in its mother’s milk (see Exod. 23:19, 34:26), to teach us that, if you do not bring your first fruits to the Temple as commanded, your fruit produce will wither]. עשר תעשר: מה ענין זה אצל זה, אמר להם הקב"ה לישראל, לא תגרמו לי לבשל גדיים של תבואה עד שהן במעי אמותיהן, שאם אין אתם מעשרים מעשרות כראוי, כשהוא סמוך להתבשל אני מוציא רוח קדים והיא משדפתן. שנאמר (מלכים ב' יט, כא) ושדפה לפני קמה, וכן לענין בכורים:
[You shall tithe…] year by year: From here, we derive [the ruling] that one may not give tithes from the new [crop] for the old [i.e., from this year’s crop for last year’s]. — [Sifrei] שנה שנה: מכאן שאין מעשרין מן החדש על הישן:
23And you shall eat before the Lord, your God, in the place He chooses to establish His Name therein, the tithes of your grain, your wine, and your oil, and the firstborn of your cattle and of your sheep, so that you may learn to fear the Lord, your God, all the days. כגוְאָֽכַלְתָּ֞ לִפְנֵ֣י | יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ בַּמָּק֣וֹם אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַר֘ לְשַׁכֵּ֣ן שְׁמ֣וֹ שָׁם֒ מַעְשַׂ֤ר דְּגָֽנְךָ֙ תִּֽירשְׁךָ֣ וְיִצְהָרֶ֔ךָ וּבְכֹרֹ֥ת בְּקָֽרְךָ֖ וְצֹאנֶ֑ךָ לְמַ֣עַן תִּלְמַ֗ד לְיִרְאָ֛ה אֶת־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ כָּל־הַיָּמִֽים:
And you shall eat [before the Lord your God, in the place He chooses… the tithes of your grain…]: This refers to ma’aser sheini , “the second tithe,” for we have already learned to give ma’aser rishon , “the first tithe,” to the Levites, as it is said, “[Speak to the Levites…] when you take from the children of Israel [the tithe]… ” (Num. 18:26), and it gives them permission to eat it anywhere [not only in Jerusalem], as it is said,“and you may eat it in any place” (Num. 18:31). Thus you must conclude that this one [which may be eaten by its owners and must be eaten in Jerusalem,] is another tithe [namely, the second tithe]. ואכלת וגו': זה מעשר שני. שכבר למדנו ליתן מעשר ראשון ללוים, שנאמר (במדבר יח, כו) כי תקחו מאת בני ישראל וגו', ונתן להם רשות לאכלו בכל מקום, שנאמר (שם יח, לא) ואכלתם אותו בכל מקום, על כרחך זה מעשר אחר הוא:
24And if the way be too long for you, that you are unable to carry it, for the place which the Lord, your God, will choose to establish His Name therein, is too far from you, for the Lord, your God, will bless you כדוְכִֽי־יִרְבֶּ֨ה מִמְּךָ֜ הַדֶּ֗רֶךְ כִּ֣י לֹ֣א תוּכַל֘ שְׂאֵתוֹ֒ כִּֽי־יִרְחַ֤ק מִמְּךָ֙ הַמָּק֔וֹם אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִבְחַר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לָשׂ֥וּם שְׁמ֖וֹ שָׁ֑ם כִּ֥י יְבָֽרֶכְךָ֖ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ:
For [the Lord your God] will bless you: so that your produce will be too much to carry. כי יברכך: שתהא התבואה מרובה לשאת:
25Then you shall turn it into money, and bind up the money in your hand, and you shall go to the place the Lord, your God, will choose. כהוְנָֽתַתָּ֖ה בַּכָּ֑סֶף וְצַרְתָּ֤ הַכֶּ֨סֶף֙ בְּיָ֣דְךָ֔ וְהָֽלַכְתָּ֙ אֶל־הַמָּק֔וֹם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִבְחַ֛ר יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ בּֽוֹ:
26And you shall turn that money into whatever your soul desires; cattle, sheep, new wine or old wine, or whatever your soul desires, and you shall eat there before the Lord, your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household. כווְנָֽתַתָּ֣ה הַכֶּ֡סֶף בְּכֹל֩ אֲשֶׁר־תְּאַוֶּ֨ה נַפְשְׁךָ֜ בַּבָּקָ֣ר וּבַצֹּ֗אן וּבַיַּ֨יִן֙ וּבַשֵּׁכָ֔ר וּבְכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר תִּשְׁאָֽלְךָ֖ נַפְשֶׁ֑ךָ וְאָכַ֣לְתָּ שָּׁ֗ם לִפְנֵי֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ וְשָֽׂמַחְתָּ֖ אַתָּ֥ה וּבֵיתֶֽךָ:
[And you will turn that money] into whatever your soul desires: This is a כְּלָל, a general statement [not limited to anything in particular. Whereas the next expression,] בכל אשר תאוה נפשך: כלל:
cattle, or sheep, new wine or old wine: [represents a] פְּרָט, a“specification” [that is, it details particular things, limiting the matter to those things. After this, the verse continues,] בבקר ובצאן וביין ובשכר: פרט:
or whatever your soul desires: [The verse] again reverts to a כְּלָל, a“general statement.” [Now we have learned that when a verse expresses a כְּלָל, a פְּרָט, and then a כְּלָל again, as in this case, we apply the characteristics of the פְּרָט to the whole matter. That is,] just as the items listed in the פְּרָט 1) are products of things themselves produced by the earth [e.g., wine comes from grapes], and 2) are fitting to be food for man, [so must the money replacing them be used to purchase such products]. — [Eruvin 27a] ובכל אשר תשאלך נפשך: חזר וכלל. מה הפרט מפורש ולד ולדות הארץ וראוי למאכל אדם וכו':
27And [as for] the Levite who is in your cities you shall not forsake him, for he has neither portion nor inheritance with you. כזוְהַלֵּוִ֥י אֲשֶׁר־בִּשְׁעָרֶ֖יךָ לֹ֣א תַֽעַזְבֶ֑נּוּ כִּ֣י אֵ֥ין ל֛וֹ חֵ֥לֶק וְנַֽחֲלָ֖ה עִמָּֽךְ:
And [as for] the Levite… - you shall not forsake him: By not giving him the first tithe. והלוי וגו' לא תעזבנו: מליתן לו מעשר ראשון:
for he has neither portion nor inheritance with you: This excludes gleanings (Lev. 19:9), forgotten sheaves (Deut. 24:19), the end of the field (Lev. 19:9), [all of which are left for the poor,] and ownerless things, for the Levite does have a portion in these things, just as you do, and [consequently,] they are not subject to tithing. כי אין לו חלק ונחלה עמך: יצאו לקט שכחה ופאה והפקר, שאף הוא יש לו חלק עמך בהן כמוך, ואינן חייבין במעשר:
28At the end of three years, you shall take out all the tithe of your crop in that year and place it in your cities. כחמִקְצֵ֣ה | שָׁל֣שׁ שָׁנִ֗ים תּוֹצִיא֙ אֶת־כָּל־מַעְשַׂר֙ תְּבוּאָ֣תְךָ֔ בַּשָּׁנָ֖ה הַהִ֑וא וְהִנַּחְתָּ֖ בִּשְׁעָרֶֽיךָ:
At the end of three years [you shall take out all the tithe of your crop in that year]: This comes to teach us that if one kept his tithes from the first and the second year of the shemitah [cycle], he has to remove them from his house in the third [year]. מקצה שלש שנים: בא ולמד שאם השהה מעשרותיו של שנה ראשונה ושנייה לשמטה, שיבערם מן הבית בשלישית:
29And the Levite because he has no portion or inheritance with you and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are in your cities, will come and eat and be satisfied; so that the Lord, your God, will bless you in all the work of your hand that you will do. כטוּבָ֣א הַלֵּוִ֡י כִּ֣י אֵין־לוֹ֩ חֵ֨לֶק וְנַֽחֲלָ֜ה עִמָּ֗ךְ וְ֠הַגֵּ֠ר וְהַיָּת֤וֹם וְהָֽאַלְמָנָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בִּשְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ וְאָֽכְל֖וּ וְשָׂבֵ֑עוּ לְמַ֤עַן יְבָֽרֶכְךָ֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בְּכָל־מַֽעֲשֵׂ֥ה יָֽדְךָ֖ אֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּֽעֲשֶֽׂה:
And the Levite… will come: And take the first tithe. ובא הלוי: ויטול מעשר ראשון:
and the stranger, and the orphan… [will come]: And take the second tithe, which this year [the third in the seven year cycle], belongs to the poor, and you [yourself] may not eat it in Jerusalem, in the manner you were required to eat the second tithe in the [first] two years [of this cycle]. והגר והיתום: ויטלו מעשר שני, שהוא של עני של שנה זו, ולא תאכלנו אתה בירושלים כדרך שנזקקת לאכול מעשר שני של שתי שנים:
will come and eat and be satisfied: Give them enough to satisfy them. From here [our Rabbis] said: One must not give the poor from the threshing floor less [than half a kav of wheat, or a kav of barley] (Sifrei). And you go up to Jerusalem with the [second] tithe of the first and the second years which you have delayed [to bring], and you shall confess: “I have removed the sanctified things from the house” (see Deut. 26:13), as is stated in [the section beginning with]“When you have finished tithing…” (Deut. 26:12). ואכלו ושבעו: תן להם כדי שביעה. מכאן אמרו אין פוחתין לעני בגורן וכו'. ואתה הולך לירושלים למעשר של שנה ראשונה ושנייה שהשהית ומתודה (דברים כו, יג) בערתי הקדש מן הבית, כמו שמפורש (שם כו, יב) בכי תכלה לעשר:
Daily Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 135 - 139
• Chapter 135
1. Praise the Lord! Praise the Name of the Lord; offer praise, you servants of the Lord-
2. who stand in the House of the Lord, in the courtyards of the House of our God.
3. Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing to His Name, for He is pleasant.
4. For God has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel as His beloved treasure.
5. For I know that the Lord is great, our Master is greater than all supernal beings.
6. All that the Lord desired He has done, in the heavens and on earth, in the seas and the depths.
7. He causes mists to rise from the ends of the earth; He makes lightning for the rain; He brings forth the wind from His vaults.
8. It was He who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, of man and beast.
9. He sent signs and wonders into the midst of Egypt, on Pharaoh and on all his servants.
10. It was He who struck down many nations, and slew mighty kings:
11. Sichon, king of the Amorites; Og, king of Bashan; and all the kingdoms of Canaan.
12. And He gave their lands as a heritage, a heritage to His people Israel.
13. Lord, Your Name is forever; Lord, Your remembrance is throughout all generations.
14. Indeed, the Lord will judge on behalf of His people, and have compassion on His servants.
15. The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the product of human hands.
16. They have a mouth, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see;
17. they have ears, but cannot hear; nor is there breath in their mouth.
18. Like them will their makers become-all who trust in them.
19. House of Israel, bless the Lord; House of Aaron, bless the Lord;
20. House of Levi, bless the Lord; you who fear the Lord, bless the Lord.
21. Blessed is the Lord from Zion, who dwells in Jerusalem. Praise the Lord!
Chapter 136
This psalm contains twenty-six verses, corresponding to the twenty-six generations between the creation of the world and the giving of the Torah.
1. Praise the Lord for He is good, for His kindness is forever.
2. Praise the God of the supernal beings, for His kindness is forever.
3. Praise the Master of the heavenly hosts, for His kindness is forever.
4. Who alone performs great wonders, for His kindness is forever.
5. Who makes the heavens with understanding, for His kindness is forever.
6. Who spreads forth the earth above the waters, for His kindness is forever.
7. Who makes the great lights, for His kindness is forever.
8. The sun to rule by day, for His kindness is forever.
9. The moon and stars to rule by night, for His kindness is forever.
10. Who struck Egypt through its firstborn, for His kindness is forever.
11. And brought Israel out of their midst, for His kindness is forever.
12. With a strong hand and with an outstretched arm, for His kindness is forever.
13. Who split the Sea of Reeds into sections, for His kindness is forever.
14. And brought Israel across it, for His kindness is forever.
15. And cast Pharaoh and his army into the Sea of Reeds, for His kindness is forever.
16. Who led His people through the desert, for His kindness is forever;
17. Who struck down great kings, for His kindness is forever.
18. And slew mighty kings, for His kindness is forever.
19. Sichon, king of the Amorites, for His kindness is forever.
20. And Og, king of Bashan, for His kindness is forever.
21. And gave their land as a heritage, for His kindness is forever.
22. A heritage to Israel His servant, for His kindness is forever.
23. Who remembered us in our humiliation, for His kindness is forever.
24. And redeemed us from our oppressors, for His kindness is forever.
25. Who gives food to all flesh, for His kindness is forever.
26. Praise the God of heaven, for His kindness is forever.
Chapter 137
Referring to the time of the destruction of the Temple, this psalm tells of when Nebuchadnezzar would ask the Levites to sing in captivity as they had in the Temple, to which they would reply, "How can we sing the song of God upon alien soil?" They were then comforted by Divine inspiration.
1. By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and wept as we remembered Zion.
2. There, upon the willows, we hung our harps.
3. For there our captors demanded of us songs, and those who scorned us-rejoicing, [saying,] "Sing to us of the songs of Zion.”
4. How can we sing the song of the Lord on alien soil?
5. If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget [its dexterity].
6. Let my tongue cleave to my palate if I will not remember you, if I will not bring to mind Jerusalem during my greatest joy!
7. Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites the day of [the destruction of] Jerusalem, when they said, "Raze it, raze it to its very foundation!”
8. O Babylon, who is destined to be laid waste, happy is he who will repay you in retribution for what you have inflicted on us.
9. Happy is he who will seize and crush your infants against the rock!
Chapter 138
David offers awesome praises to God for His kindness to him, and for fulfilling His promise to grant him kingship.
1. By David. I will thank You with all my heart, in the presence of princes I shall praise You.
2. I will bow toward Your Holy Sanctuary, and praise Your Name for Your kindness and for Your truth; for You have exalted Your word above all Your Names.
3. On the day that I called out You answered me, You emboldened me, [You put] strength in my soul.
4. Lord, all the kings of the land will give thanks to You when they hear the words of Your mouth.
5. And they will sing of the Lord's ways, for the glory of the Lord is great.
6. For though the Lord is exalted, He sees the lowly; the High One castigates from afar.
7. If I walk in the midst of distress, keep me alive; against the wrath of my enemies stretch out Your hand, and let Your right hand deliver me.
8. Lord, complete [Your kindness] on my behalf. Lord, Your kindness is forever, do not forsake the work of Your hands.
Chapter 139
A most prominent psalm that guides man in the ways of God as no other in all of the five books of Tehillim. Fortunate is he who recites it daily.
1. For the Conductor, by David, a psalm. O Lord, You have probed me, and You know.
2. You know my sitting down and my standing up; You perceive my thought from afar.
3. You encircle my going about and my lying down; You are familiar with all my paths.
4. For there was not yet a word on my tongue-and behold, Lord, You knew it all.
5. You have besieged me front and back, You have laid Your hand upon me.
6. Knowledge [to escape You] is beyond me; it is exalted, I cannot know it.
7. Where can I go [to escape] Your spirit? And where can I flee from Your presence?
8. If I ascend to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the grave, behold, You are there.
9. Were I to take up wings as the dawn and dwell in the furthest part of the sea,
10. there, too, Your hand would guide me; Your right hand would hold me.
11. Were I to say, "Surely the darkness will shadow me," then the night would be as light around me.
12. Even the darkness obscures nothing from You; and the night shines like the day-the darkness is as light.
13. For You created my mind; You covered me in my mother's womb.
14. I will thank You, for I was formed in an awesome and wondrous way; unfathomable are Your works, though my soul perceives much.
15. My essence was not hidden from You even while I was born in concealment, formed in the depths of the earth.
16. Your eyes beheld my raw form; all [happenings] are inscribed in Your book, even those to be formed in future days-to Him they are the same.
17. How precious are Your thoughts to me, O God! How overwhelming, [even] their beginnings!
18. Were I to count them, they would outnumber the sand, even if I were to remain awake and always with You.
19. O that You would slay the wicked, O God, and men of blood [to whom I say], "Depart from me!”
20. They exalt You for wicked schemes, Your enemies raise [You] for falsehood.
21. Indeed, I hate those who hate You, Lord; I contend with those who rise up against You.
22. I hate them with the utmost hatred; I regard them as my own enemies.
23. Search me, Lord, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts.
24. See if there is a vexing way in me, then lead me in the way of the world.
Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, beginning of Epistle 9
• Lessons in Tanya
• Today's Tanya Lesson
• Thursday, 28 AV , 5776 · 1 September 2016
• Iggeret HaKodesh, beginning of Epistle 9
• Like the preceding Epistle, the present one too centers on the theme of tzedakah.
If it is to be performed properly, tzedakah ought to be given unstintingly, and not only after all one’s own needs and desires have been satisfied. Ideally, it should be given in the spirit of an aphorism that was current among the chassidim of the Alter Rebbe:1 “Inside my slice of bread there is your share too; G‑d is providing for you through me.”
A man should thus feel obligated to share with others and provide for their needs to the very same degree that he provides for his own wife and children. Performing tzedakah in this manner can only be achieved when one distributes one’s earnings in an utterly selfless manner, doing so entirely for G‑d’s sake. Then, even when one provides for his own family’s needs he will do so because they are Jewish souls who are part of G‑d Above,2 and as such he bears a responsibility towards them.
When one acts in this way, he will realize that all needy folk are also Jewish souls and part of G‑d Above; he must therefore concern himself with their needs as well. Though the Torah rules that providing for one’s own wife and children takes precedence over providing for the needs of others, the essential sense of obligation remains the same.
אהוביי אחיי ורעיי אשר כנפשי
My beloved ones,3 my brethren and friends, who are unto me like my soul:
The previous Lubavitcher Rebbe explains in one of his talks, that when the Alter Rebbe seeks to imbue his followers with the love of their fellow Jews he addresses them as “my beloved friends,” for by befriending a fellow Jew one becomes a “beloved friend” of the Alter Rebbe.
Accordingly, it may be said that by heeding the Alter Rebbe’s instructions with regard to tzedakah one becomes one of the Alter Rebbe’s “beloved brethren.”
באתי כמזכיר ומעורר ישנים בתרדמת הבלי הבלים
I come [herewith] as one who reminds and awakens those who sleep the slumber of “vanities of vanities,”
Physical things at any time are deemed hevel: being airy and insubstantial, they have no true existence. When they serve no loftier purpose than themselves, they may be given the double epithet used above — havlei havalim,4 airy and foolish trivialities.
ולפקוח עיני העורים
and to open the eyes of the blind.
When the soul finds itself within the body and allows itself to be led by it, it resembles a sighted person whose eyes are bound, and who, intelligent though he may be, is then led about like an imbecile. If the soul, a part of G‑d Above, descends within a body but cannot restrict it from fulfilling its desires, it is considered to be blinded by the body, as the Tzemach Tzedekwrites in Or HaTorah, at the conclusion of Parshat Behar.5 The “blindness” caused by the body must be healed, so that the soul may once again behold the truth.
יביטו לראות, להיות כל ישעם וחפצם ומגמתם, לכל בהם חיי רוחם
6Let them look and see to it that all their striving, longing and aiming, in7 everything on which the life of their spirit depends,8 should be bound up
במקור מים חיים, חיי החיים
כל ימי חייהם, מנפש ועד בשר
throughout all the days of their lives, with respect11 to the soul as well as to the flesh.
Not only during prayer or Torah study or while performing mitzvot is a Jew to be bound to G‑d, but even while going about his mundane affairs he should be attached to Him as well.
דהיינו, כל מילי דעלמא ועסקי פרנסה לא יהיה כאלו דעבדין לגרמייהו
I.e., in all mundane matters and in the means by which one earns one’s livelihood, one should not be like those who do everything for their own sake, acting only out of their desire to satisfy themselves and their families, rather than for G‑d’s sake.
ולא יהיה בית ישראל ככל הגוים
Let not the House of Israel be like all the gentiles,12
דזנין ומפרנסין ומוקרין לנשייהו ובנייהו מאהבה
who13 feed, provide for and esteem their wives and children out of [self-] love.
I.e., since one loves himself he also loves his wife and children, who are a part of him. Rather, his love should be holy in its selflessness.
כי מי כעמך ישראל גוי אחד בארץ, כתיב
For it is written:14 “Who is like Your people Israel, a unique nation on earth?”
דהיינו שגם בעניני ארץ לא יפרידו מאחד האמת, חס ושלום
This means that even in mundane (“earthly”) matters they will not, heaven forfend, separate15 [them] from G‑d’s true Unity,
The concept of the Unity of G‑d signifies that apart from Him nothing truly exists.
להעיד עדות שקר, חס ושלום, בקריאת שמע ערב ובוקר, בעינים סגורות
to bear false witness, heaven forfend, while reciting the Shema every evening and morning with closed eyes,
ה׳ אחד, בד׳ רוחות ובשמים ממעל ובארץ מתחת
[saying,]16 “G‑d is One” — in the four directions, and in the heavens above and on earth below,17 thus attesting to G‑d’s Unity even in the mundane realm,
ובפקוח עיני העורים
while as the eyes of the blind are opened, and here the Alter Rebbe addresses those whose eyes are blinded by corporeal matters:
התעיף עיניך בו ואיננו, חס ושלום
“Can you close your eyes upon Him, as if He is no more?”18 (heaven forfend).
This means to say that immediately upon opening his eyes after reciting the Shema, such a person can view the world as if it were a self-sufficient entity, separate and distinct from its Creator; accordingly, moreover, he conducts his affairs in a selfish manner rather than for the sake of heaven.
אך בזאת יאות לנו
Rather, this [approach] shall be befitting us —
להיות כל עסקינו במילי דעלמא לא לגרמייהו
that19 all our involvement with mundane affairs should be [conducted] not for its own sake,
כי אם להחיות נפשות, חלקי אלוה
but in order to animate souls, (i.e., to provide sustenance for fellow Jews, whose souls are veritably, so to speak,)portions of G‑d,
ולמלאות מחסוריהם בחסד חנם
and to supply what they lack, out of gratuitous kindness.
שבזה אנו מדמין הצורה ליוצרה, ה׳ אחד
In this way we make the form (the soul) resemble Him Who formed it, viz., “G‑d [Who] is One”;
אשר חסד אל כל היום, חסד של אמת
for20 “the Chesed of G‑d endures throughout the day,” i.e., at all times — a21 true Chesed, without thought of reward,
להחיות העולם ומלואו בכל רגע ורגע
that animates the universe and all that fills it, at every single moment.
In imitation of G‑d, Who thus dispenses kindness and ani-mates all created beings, man too should act kindly toward others and sustain those in need. Indeed, this should be his ultimate purpose when engaging in his work or in commerce: to be able to provide sustenance for the souls of his fellow Jews.
According to the above, however, one should provide for the needs of others to the very same degree that he provides for his own family. Why, then, should the needs of one’s own family take precedence over the needs of others? The Alter Rebbe answers this by saying:
רק שאשתו ובניו של אדם קודמין לכל, על פי התורה
It is only that according to the Torah22 a man’s wife and children take precedence over all others,
The Alter Rebbe wrote this Epistle in connection with the tzaddikim, R. Mendele Vitebsker and R. Avraham Kalisker, as well as their colleagues and disciples, who at the time of writing had already left the diaspora and were living in the Holy Land. The Alter Rebbe therefore goes on to say:
חוץ מצדיקים שבדור, שהן קודמין לבניו
except23 for the tzaddikim of the generation, who take precedence over one’s children;
וצדיקים שבארץ ישראל קודמין לצדיקים שבחוץ לארץ
moreover, the tzaddikim in the Land of Israel take precedence over the tzaddikim in the diaspora,
לבד מזאת שלא הניחו כמותם בחוץ לארץ
apart from the fact that they did not leave anyone in the diaspora comparable to themselves.
ודי למבין
This will suffice for the discerning.
| FOOTNOTES | |
| 1. | See Igrot Kodesh (Letters of the Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe), Vol. VIII, p. 606, and references cited there. |
| 2. | Likkutei Amarim, Part I, beginning of ch. 2. |
| 3. | Note of the Rebbe: “Cf. Iggeret HaKodesh, Epistles 16, 22 (Parts a & b), 24.” |
| 4. | Cf. Kohelet 1:2. |
| 5. | Or HaTorah, Vayikra, Vol. I, p. 191. |
| 6. | Cf. Yeshayahu 42:18. |
| 7. | This clause has been translated according to Rashi on Yeshayahu 38:16. |
| 8. | Note of the Rebbe: “See Part I, conclusion of ch. 31.” |
| 9. | Cf. Yirmeyahu 2:13. |
| 10. | Lit., “the Life of life.” |
| 11. | Cf. Yeshayahu 10:18. |
| 12. | The standard text of the Tanya has כעוע״ג (“like heathens”), which has been emended here according to its Luach HaTikkun(“Table of Corrections”). |
| 13. | The remainder of this sentence is paraphrased from the Ketubbah (the marriage contract), though the emphasis here, of course, is on a possibly selfish motivation. |
| 14. | I Divrei HaYamim 17:21. |
| 15. | V.L.: לא יפרדו (“they will not become separated”). |
| 16. | Devarim 6:4. |
| 17. | Cf. Beit Yosef, Orach Chayim, sec. 61, citing the Sefer Mitzvot Katan. |
| 18. | Cf. Mishlei 23:5. |
| 19. | V.L.: בהיות (“when all our involvement...is [conducted]”). |
| 20. | Tehillim 52:3. |
| 21. | Rashi on Bereishit 47:29. |
| 22. | See Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah, sec. 251, and references indicated there. |
| 23. | The passage beginning “Except for the tzadikkim...” and concluding “...for the discerning,” is added above to the standard printed text according to its Luach HaTikkun (“Table of Corrections”). |
• Rambam: Sefer Hamitzvos:
• Thursday, 28 AV , 5776 · 1 September 2016
• Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
Positive Commandment 243
The Paid Guardian and the Renter
"If a man gives his fellow a donkey, a bull, or a lamb..."—Exodus 22:9.
We are commanded to follow the rules outlined in the Torah regarding a paid watchman and a renter. Similar rules regulate the both of them [in the event that the item being watched or rented is lost or damaged].
Full text of this Mitzvah »
• The Paid Guardian and the Renter
Positive Commandment 243
Translated by Berel Bell
The 243rd mitzvah is that we are commanded regarding a paid watchman and a renter, since both are governed by the same law, as our Sages explained,1 regarding the three laws governing the four types of watchmen. 2
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement3 (exalted be He), "If one person gives another a donkey, an ox, a sheep [or any other animal to watch...]"
The details of this mitzvah are explained in the 6th and 9th chapters of tractate Bava Kama, the 3rd and 6th chapters of Bava Metzia, and the 8th chapter of Shavuos.
FOOTNOTES
1.Shavuos 49a.
2.The four "watchmen" are the paid watchman, the renter, the unpaid watchman and the borrower. Should the animal be stolen, the watchman and renter must pay the owner its value. An unpaid watchman is exempt after swearing that it was stolen. The borrower, unlike the others, must pay even if the animal died by itself. See P244, P242.
3.Ex. 22:9.
• Thursday, 28 AV , 5776 · 1 September 2016
• Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
Positive Commandment 243
The Paid Guardian and the Renter
"If a man gives his fellow a donkey, a bull, or a lamb..."—Exodus 22:9.
We are commanded to follow the rules outlined in the Torah regarding a paid watchman and a renter. Similar rules regulate the both of them [in the event that the item being watched or rented is lost or damaged].
Full text of this Mitzvah »
• The Paid Guardian and the Renter
Positive Commandment 243
Translated by Berel Bell
The 243rd mitzvah is that we are commanded regarding a paid watchman and a renter, since both are governed by the same law, as our Sages explained,1 regarding the three laws governing the four types of watchmen. 2
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement3 (exalted be He), "If one person gives another a donkey, an ox, a sheep [or any other animal to watch...]"
The details of this mitzvah are explained in the 6th and 9th chapters of tractate Bava Kama, the 3rd and 6th chapters of Bava Metzia, and the 8th chapter of Shavuos.
FOOTNOTES
1.Shavuos 49a.
2.The four "watchmen" are the paid watchman, the renter, the unpaid watchman and the borrower. Should the animal be stolen, the watchman and renter must pay the owner its value. An unpaid watchman is exempt after swearing that it was stolen. The borrower, unlike the others, must pay even if the animal died by itself. See P244, P242.
3.Ex. 22:9.
• Rambam - 1 Chapter: Tum'at Tsara`at Tum'at Tsara`at - Chapter 7
• Tum'at Tsara`at - Chapter 7
• Tum'at Tsara`at - Chapter 7
1
When a person had a baheret and - whether at the outset or after isolation - he was definitively deemed as impure because of one of the signs of impurity or he was isolated and then thetzara'at spread over his entire body and his skin turned white, he is pure. This applies whether it turned while he was isolated or after he was deemed definitively as impure.
If, however, he was isolated and no sign of impurity emerged and as a result, he was released from the inspection process, but after being released, the tzara'at covered his entire body, he is deemed definitively impure.
א
מי שהיתה בו בהרת והוחלט באחד מסימני טומאה בין בתחלה בין אחר הסגר או שהוסגר ואחר כך פרחה הצרעת בכולו ונהפך לבן בין שנהפך מתוך הסגר בין מתוך החלט ה"ז טהור אבל אם הוסגר ולא נולד לו סימן טומאה ונפטר ולאחר הפיטור פרחה הצרעת בכולו ה"ז טמא מוחלט:
2
The following rules apply when a person comes initially while he is entirely white with tzara'at. If he has a patch of healthy skin or two white hairs, he is deemed definitively impure. If there is no sign of impurity, he is isolated for one week. If white hair or a patch of healthy skin emerges, he is deemed definitively impure. If no sign emerges, he is isolated for a second week. If no sign emerges, he is deemed pure, for the laws applying to this largebaheret are the same as those governing a small one.
If he was deemed impure because of two white hairs that emerged and either both or one of them turned black, either both or one of them became short, a boil grew next to either of them or one of them or encompassed both of them or one of them, a boil, a healed boil, a burn, a healed burn, or a bohak divided one hair from the other, he is pure. If white hair or healthy flesh emerges, he is impure, because he came initially while entirely white.
Whether the tzara'at spread over the person's entire skin all at once or whether it spread little by little until he became entirely white, if this occurred while the person was isolated or while he was deemed definitively impure, he is pure. If it occurred after he was released from the inspection process, he is impure. And if it occurred at the outset, he should be isolated. Similarly, it is irrelevant whether the blemish is entirely of one shade or that it is entirely white, but has the four shades of white and the four shades of petuch intermingled. All of these shades can be combined and considered as a single blemish, whether to cause the person to be declared pure or to be declared impure, as we explained.
ב
הבא בתחלה והוא כולו הפך לבן אם היתה בו מחיה או שתי שערות לבנות מחליטין אותו אם אין שם סימן טומאה מסגירין אותו שבוע ראשון נולד לו שיער לבן או מחיה מחליטו לא נולד בו כלום מסגירו שבוע שני לא נולד לו סימן טומאה ה"ז טהור שדין בהרת זו הגדולה כדין הקטנה החליטו בשיער לבן שנולד בו והשחירו שתיהן או אחת מהן הקצירו שתיהן או אחת מהן נסמך השחין לשתיהן או לאחת מהן הקיף השחין את שתיהן או אחת מהן או שחלקן השחין ומחית השחין והמכוה ומחית המכוה והבוהק הרי זה טהור נולד לו שיער לבן אחר או מחיה הרי זה טמא מפני שבא כולו לבן בתחלה אחר שפרחה הצרעת בכולו כאחת ואחר שפשתה ופרחה מעט מעט עד שהלבין כולו אם מתוך הסגר או מתוך החלט טהור ואם אחר הפיטור טמא ואם בתחלה יסגיר אחד שהיה כולו מראה אחד או שהיה כולו לבן בארבע המראות שבלובן ובארבע של פתוך הכל מצטרפין בין לטהרו בין לטמאו כמו שביארנו:
3
The following rules apply when a person had a baheret the size of a gris in which there was a patch of healthy flesh the size of a lentil and he was deemed definitively impure because of the healthy flesh. Afterwards, the tzara'at spread over his entire body and the healthy flesh disappeared. Alternatively, the healthy flesh disappeared and then the tzara'at spread over his entire body. He is considered as pure. This applies even if white hair emerges. If, however, healthy skin emerges, he is impure, as Leviticus 12:14states: "On the day he exhibits healthy flesh, he will be deemed impure," provided the healthy flesh is the size of a square superimposed on a lentil or larger.
Different rules apply if one had a baheret with white hair and he was deemed impure because of it and afterwards, the tzara'atspread over his entire body. Even though the white hair remains in place, he is pure, as can be derived from the verse: "On the day he exhibits healthy flesh, he will be deemed impure." Implied is that a person whose entire skin turned white after being deemed definitively impure or being isolated becomes impure because of healthy flesh, but not because of white hair. If he was deemed impure because his blemish spread and then it continued to spread and covered his entire body, he is pure. If he exhibits any healthy flesh, he is impure.
ג
היתה בו בהרת כגריס ובה מחיה כעדשה והוחלט במחיה ופרחה הצרעת בכולו ואח"כ הלכה המחיה או שהלכה המחיה תחלה ואחר כך פרחה בכולו ה"ז טהור ואפילו נולד לו שיער לבן נולדה בו מחיה טמא שנאמר וביום הראות בו בשר חי יטמא והוא שתהיה כעדשה מרובעת או יתר היתה בו בהרת ובה שיער לבן והוחלט בשיער לבן ואח"כ פרחה בכולו אע"פ ששיער לבן במקומו עומד טהור שנאמר וביום הראות בו בשר חי יטמא במחיה מתטמא זה שנהפך כולו לבן אחר החלט או אחר הסגר ואינו מיטמא בשיער לבן החליטו בפשיון ואחר כך פשתה ופרחה בכולו טהור ואם נראית בו מחיה טמא:
4
Even the tips of limbs that do not impart impurity as healthy flesh when they are located in the midst of a baheret, do impart impurity and prevent a person from being deemed pure if his entire flesh turns white.
What is implied? If a person who was definitively deemed impure or who was isolated whose entire flesh turned white because oftzara'at with the exception of a lentil's size of healthy flesh, even if the healthy flesh is located on his fingertip, the tip of his nose, or the like, he remains impure.
Similarly, if a person's entire flesh turned white and he was declared pure and then a lentil's size of healthy flesh returned, even at the tips of one of his limbs, he should be definitively deemed impure. If his flesh turned entirely to a shade of tzara'atexcept for a lentil's size portion - even on the tips of his limbs that turned to a bohak, he should be deemed definitively impure, as can be derived from Leviticus 13:12: "If... the tzara'at will cover the entire skin...." Implied is that it must be covered by tzara'at, not abohak. Even if part of the lentil's size portion was healthy flesh and part was a bohak, it is a sign of impurity.
If a person's entire flesh turned to one of the shades of tzara'at and he was declared pure and then a portion of his flesh turned to the color of a bohak, he remains pure until he exhibits a lentil's size of healthy flesh, as implied by the verse: "On the day he exhibits healthy flesh...." Implied is that he must exhibit healthy flesh, not abohak. If a lentil's size portion of flesh [changed appearance, part was healthy flesh and part was a bohak, it is not considered a sign of impurity and the person is still considered as pure.
ד
אף ראשי איברים שאינן מטמאין משום מחיה שבתוך הבהרת מטמאין ומעכבין את הנהפך כולו לבן כיצד מוחלט או מוסגר שהלבין כולו בצרעת חוץ מכעדשה בשר חי אפילו בראש אצבעו או בראש חוטמו וכיוצא בהן הרי הוא בטומאתו וכן זה שנהפך כולו לבן וטהר אם חזר בו כעדשה בשר חי אפילו בראש אחד מן האיברים הרי זה מוחלט נהפך כולו למראה צרעת חוץ מכעדשה אפילו בראש אחד מן האיברים שנהפך לבוהק הרי זה טמא מוחלט שנאמר והנה כסתה הצרעת לא הבוהק אפילו היתה מקצת העדשה בשר חי ומקצתה בוהק הרי זו סימן טומאה יהפך כולו למראה צרעת וטיהר ואח"כ חזר בו בשר כמראה הבוהק הרי זה טהור עד שיראה בו כעדשה בשר חי שנאמר וביום הראות בו בשר חי לא בוהק חזר בו כעדשה מקצתה בשר חי ומקצתה בוהק אינו סימן טומאה והרי הוא בטהרתו:
5
Whenever tzara'at spreads over the entire body of an impure person, he becomes pure. If a lentil's size portion of healthy flesh was revealed, he is impure. If his entire flesh was again covered with tzara'at, he is pure, If healthy flesh was again revealed, he is impure. These rulings are given even if the cycle repeats itself 100 times.
If healthy flesh began to be revealed and it continues to grow and the size of the tzara'at shrinks, the person remains impure until thebaheret becomes smaller than a gris.
ה
כל טמא שפרחה הצרעת בכולו טהור נתגלה ממנו כעדשה בשר חי נטמא חזר ונתכסה בצרעת טהור חזר ונתגלה נטמא אפילו מאה פעמים התחיל הבשר החי להתגלות והרי הוא מוסיף והולך והצרעת מתמעטת הרי זה בטומאתו עד שתתמעט הבהרת מכגריס:
6
Any portion of skin that is fit to contract impurity because ofbaheret but remains healthy prevents a person whose entire flesh is becoming white from being placed in that category. Any portion of skin that is not fit to contract impurity because ofbaheretdoes not prevent a person whose entire flesh is becoming white from being placed in that category although that portion of skin remains healthy.
What is implied? When tzara'at spreads over a person's entire skin, but not on his head or his chin, nor onto a festering boil or burn or there is less than a lentil's size portion of healthy flesh next to a festering boil or burn or to his head or chin, he is pure. If the hair fell from the head and the chin or if a scab formed over the boil or the burn, the person is impure until the tzara'at spreads to them, for they are fit to contract impurity because of a baheret.
If there were two beharot, one had a sign of impurity and one was pure, the pure one spread to the impure and then covered the person's skin entirely, he is deemed pure. The rationale is that he was previously deemed definitively impure, even though it was the pure one that spread. Furthermore, this ruling applies even if one of the beharot was on his upper lip and the other on his lower lip or on two of his fingers or on his two eyelids, and thus when they are closed together, the two beharot appear as one. Nevertheless, since tzara'at spread over the person's entire skin, he is pure.
ו
כל הראוי ליטמא בנגע הבהרת מעכב ההופך כולו לבן וכל שאינו ראוי ליטמא בנגע הבהרת אינו מעכב כיצד פרחה בכולו אבל לא בראש ובזקן בשחין ובמכוה המורדין או שנשאר פחות מכעדשה בשר חי סמוך לשחין ולמכוה המורדין ולראש ולזקן ה"ז טהור חזר הראש והזקן ונקרחו וכן אם חיו השחין והמכוה והעלו צרבת הרי זה טמא עד שתפרח הצרעת בהן שהרי הן ראויין לבהרת היו בה שתי בהרות אחת יש בה סימן טומאה ואחת טהורה ופרחה הטהורה לטמאה ואחר כך פרחה בכולו הרי זה טהור מפני שהיה מוחלט בטומאה אף ע"פ שהטהורה היא שפרחה ולא עוד אלא אפילו היו אחת בשפתו העליונה ואחת בשפתו התחתונה או בשתי אצבעותיו או בשני ריסי עיניו וכשהן נדבקין זה לזה נראין שתי הבהרות כבהרת אחת הואיל ופרחה בכולו טהור:
7
There are those who show their blemishes to a priest and benefit from doing so, because they showed it to him early and did not delay, and others who suffer from doing so.
What is implied? A person was definitively deemed impure. His signs of impurity disappeared, but he did not have the opportunity to show this development to a priest before the tzara'at spread over his entire body. He is pure. If, however, he had acted earlier and showed it to the priest previously, he would have been released from the inspection process before it spread over his entire body. Thus it would have spread after he was released, in which instance, he would be deemed definitively impure, as we explained.
If he had a baheret without any signs of impurity and he did not have the opportunity to show it to a priest before it spread over his entire body, he is impure and must be isolated. If, however, he had acted earlier and had shown it to the priest, he would have been isolated before it spread. Thus it would have spread after he was isolated, in which instance, he would be pure, as we explained.
ז
יש מראה נגעו לכהן ונשכר מפני שהקדים להראיתו ולא נתאחר ויש מראה ומפסיד כיצד מי שהיה מוחלט והלכו להן סימני טומאה ולא הספיק להראותו לכהן עד שפרחה בכולו טהור ואילו קדם והראה לכהן ופטרו קודם שיהפך ונהפך אחר הפיטור היה מוחלט כמו שביארנו היתה בו בהרת ואין בה כלום ולא הספיק להראותו לכהן עד שפרחה בכולו הרי זה טמא וצריך הסגר ואילו קדם והראה לכהן והסגירו קודם שיהפך ונהפך מתוך הסגר היה טהור כמו שביארנו:
• Rambam - 3 Chapters: Sechirut Sechirut - Chapter 1, Sechirut Sechirut - Chapter 2, Sechirut Sechirut - Chapter 3
• Sechirut - Chapter 1
• Hayom Yom: Today's Hayom Yom
• Thursday, 28 AV , 5776 · 1 September 2016
• "Today's Day"
• Sunday, Menachem Av 28, 5703
Torah lessons: Chumash: Shoftim, first parsha with Rashi.
Tehillim: 135-139.
Tanya: IX. My beloved, (p. 435) ...for the initiated. (p. 437).
There are two general approaches in healing a bodily illness: a) To heal the particular organ or faculty that is defective, sick or weak; b) to strengthen the healthy organs and faculties so that they may overcome and heal the sick organ or faculty.
The parallel in illnesses of the soul are the two approaches in service of G-d - teshuva and good deeds.
• Daily Thought:
• Sechirut - Chapter 1
"I will thankfully acknowledge You with an upright heart, as I study Your righteous judgments" (Psalms 119:7).
The Thirteenth Book
SEFER MISHPATIM
The Book of Judgments
It consists of five halachot. They are, in order:
Hilchot Sechirut - The Laws of Rentals and Employer-Employee Relations; Hilchot She'ilah UFikadon - The Laws Governing Borrowing and Governing Entrusted Objects;
Hilchot Malveh V'Loveh - The Laws Pertaining to Lenders and Borrowers; Hilchot To'en VNit'an - The Laws Governing Disputes between Plaintiffs and Defendants; and Hilchot Nachalot - The Laws Pertaining to Inheritances
1
The Torah mentions four types of watchmen, who are governed by three different rules. The four types of watchmen are an unpaid watchman, a borrower, a paid watchman and a renter.
א
ארבעה שומרים נאמרו בתורה ושלשה דינין יש להם ואלו הן הארבעה שומרין שומר חנם והשואל ונושא שכר והשוכר:
2
These are the three rules that govern cases involving these watchmen: When an entrusted article is stolen from or lost by an unpaid watchman and - needless to say, when the entrusted article is destroyed by forces beyond the watchman's control - e.g., it was an animal and it died or was taken captive -the watchman must take an oath that he guarded the article in a manner appropriate for a watchman, and then he is freed of liability, asExodus 22:6-7 states: "And it was stolen from the man's home... and the homeowner shall approach the judges."
A borrower must make restitution in all instances, whether the borrowed object was lost, stolen, or destroyed by factors beyond his control - e.g., a borrowed animal died, was injured or taken captive. For with regard to a borrower, ibid.:13 states: "If it becomes injured or dies - when its owner is not with it - he must certainly make restitution."
A paid watchman and a renter are governed by the same laws. If the article that was rented or was entrusted for a fee was lost or stolen, they must make restitution. If the article is lost by forces beyond the watchman's control - e.g., an animal died, was injured, was taken captive or was attacked by a wild animal - the watchman is required to take an oath, and then he is freed of liability, asibid.:9-10 states: "If it died, was injured or taken captive, and there are no witnesses, an oath of God shall be between them." Andibid.:11 states: "If it is stolen from him, he shall make restitution to its owner."
Thus, an unpaid watchman takes an oath in all instances. A borrower makes restitution in all instances except when an animal dies performing the labor for which it was borrowed, as will be explained. And a paid watchman and a renter make restitution when the article is lost or stolen, and take an oath when it is destroyed by forces beyond their control - e.g., it was injured, taken captive, died, attacked by beasts, lost in a ship that sank at sea, seized by armed thieves - or lost in any other major matter over which the watchman has no control.
ב
ואלו הן שלשה דינין שלהן: ש"ח שנגנב הפקדון ממנו או אבד ואין צריך לומר אם נאנס הפקדון אונס גדול כגון שהיתה בהמה ומתה או נשבית ה"ז נשבע ששמר כדרך השומרין ופטור שנאמר וגונב מבית האיש וגו' ונקרב בעל הבית אל האלהים השואל משלם הכל בין שאבד דבר השאול או נגנב בין שארעו אונס גדול מזה כגון שמתה הבהמה השאולה או נשברה או נשבית שכך כתוב בשואל ונשבר או מת בעליו אין עמו שלם ישלם נושא שכר או השוכר שניהם דין אחד יש להן אם נגנב או אבד הדבר השכור או שנטל שכר על שמירתו הרי אלו משלמים ואם ארעו אונס גדול מזה כגון שהיתה בהמה ומתה או נשברה או נשבית או נטרפה הרי אלו נשבעין שנאנסה ופטורין שנאמר ומת או נשבר או נשבה אין רואה שבועת ה' וגו' וכתיב אם גנוב יגנב מעמו ישלם לבעליו וגו' נמצאת אומר שומר חנם נשבע על הכל והשואל משלם את הכל חוץ מן המתה בשעת מלאכה כמו שיתבאר נושא שכר והשוכר משלמין את האבידה ואת הגניבה ונשבעין על האונסין הגדולים כגון שבורה ושבויה ומתה וטריפה או שאבד הדבר בספינה שטבעה בים או נלקח בלסטים מזויין וכל כיוצא באלו משאר אונסין הגדולים:
3
The following rules apply when a person entrusts an article to a colleague for safekeeping, whether he offers payment or not or lends an article or hires it out. If the watchman also asks the owner of the article to work for him or hires him together with the article, the watchman is never held liable at all. Even if the watchman is negligent in his care of the article he was watching, and it was lost because of his negligence, he is not liable, asExodus 22:14 states: "If his owner is with him, he need not make restitution. If he is a hired worker, it comes with his wages."
When does the above apply? When the watchman asked or hired the owner to work at the time he took the article, even if the owner was not with him at the time the article was stolen, lost or destroyed by forces beyond his control. If, by contrast, he took the article and became responsible as a watchman at the outset, and afterwards asked or hired the owner to work, he is not absolved of responsibility. Even if the owner was standing nearby at the time the entrusted article was destroyed by forces beyond the watchman's control, the watchman is liable to pay, as implied byibid.: 13: "If the owner is not with him, he must certainly make restitution."
According to the Oral Tradition, these verses were interpreted to mean: If the owner was with the borrower at the time the article or animal was borrowed, he is not liable, even if he was not with him at the time it was stolen or died. If, however, he was not with the borrower at the time the article or animal was borrowed, he is liable, even if he was with him at the time it was stolen or died. The same laws apply to other watchmen. If the owners are "with them", they are all free of liability. Even if they are negligent, if the owners are "with them", they are all free of liability.
ג
המפקיד אצל חבירו בין בחנם בין בשכר או השאילו או השכירו אם שאל השומר את הבעלים עם הדבר שלהן או שכרן הרי השומר פטור מכלום אפילו פשע בדבר ששמר ואבד מחמת הפשיעה ה"ז פטור שנאמר אם בעליו עמו לא ישלם אם שכיר הוא בא בשכרו בד"א כששאל הבעלים או שכרן בעת שנטל החפץ אף על פי שאין הבעלים שם עמו בעת הגניבה והאבידה או בעת שנאנס אבל נטל החפץ ונעשה עליו שומר תחלה ואחר כך שכר הבעלים או שאלן אע"פ שהיו הבעלים עומדין שם בעת שנאנס הדבר השמור ה"ז משלם שנאמר בעליו אין עמו שלם ישלם מפי השמועה למדו היה עמו בשעת השאלה אף על פי שאינו בעת הגניבה והמיתה פטור לא היה עמו בשעת השאלה אע"פ שהיה עמו בעת המיתה או השבייה חייב והוא הדין לשאר השומרים שכולן בבעלים פטורין אפילו פשיעה בבעלים פטור:
4
Whenever a watchman is negligent when he begins caring for the article, even though the article is ultimately destroyed by forces beyond his control, he is liable, as will be explained.
A borrower is not allowed to lend the entrusted article to another person. Even if he borrows a Torah scroll - in which instance, anyone who reads it performs a mitzvah - he may not lend it to someone else. Similarly, a renter is not permitted to rent the entrusted article to another person. Even if a Torah scroll was rented to him, he may not rent it to someone else. The rationale is that the owner will tell the watchman: "I do not want my article to be in someone else's hands."
The following rules apply if the watchman transgressed and entrusted the article to another watchman. If there are witnesses who testify that the second watchman guarded the article in an appropriate manner, and the article was destroyed by forces beyond his control, the first watchman is not liable. For there are witnesses that the article was destroyed by forces beyond his control.
If there are no witnesses to give such testimony, the first watchman is liable to pay the owners, for he entrusted the article to another watchman. Afterwards, he should enter into litigation with the second watchman. Even if the first watchman was not paid for his services and he entrusted the article to a paid watchman, he is liable. For the owner of the article will tell him: "Although you are an unpaid watchman, you are trustworthy in my eyes, and I am willing to believe your oath. I don't consider the other person trustworthy."
For this reason, if the owner of the article would frequently entrust articles of this nature to the second watchman, the first watchman is not required to make restitution. For he could tell the owner: "Yesterday, you were willing to entrust the article that you entrusted to me to this person."
In the above instance, the watchman is freed of liability only when he does not reduce the level of responsibility for watching the article. What is meant by reducing the level of responsibility for watching the article? For example, the article was entrusted to the first watchman for a fee, and he entrusted it to the second watchman without charge, or the first watchman was a borrower, and he entrusted it to a paid watchman. In such instances, since the watchman reduced the level of responsibility for watching the article, he is considered to be negligent and is required to pay.
[The above applies even if when the article was originally entrusted, the owner was working for or hired by the first watchman. For that watchman removed the entrusted article from his domain and entrusted it to another watchman.
ד
כל שומר שפשע בתחלתו אף על פי שנאנס בסופו חייב כמו שיתבאר ואין השואל רשאי להשאיל אפילו שאל ספר תורה שכל שקורא בו עושה מצוה לא ישאילנו לאחר וכן אין השוכר רשאי להשכיר אפילו השכירו ס"ת לא ישכירנו לאחר שהרי זה אומר לו אין רצוני שיהיה פקדוני ביד אחר עבר השומר ומסר לשומר השני אם יש עדים ששמרה השומר השני כדרך השומרין ונאנס פטור השומר הראשון שהרי יש עדים שנאנס ואם אין שם עדים חייב השומר הראשון לשלם לבעלים מפני שמסר לשומר אחר ויעשה הוא דין עם השומר השני אפילו היה הראשון ש"ח ומסר לשומר שכר חייב שהרי יש לבעל החפץ לומר לו אתה נאמן אצלי להשבע וזה אינו נאמן לפיכך אם היה דרך הבעלים להפקיד תמיד דבר זה אצל השומר השני ה"ז השומר הראשון פטור מלשלם שהרי הוא אומר לבעלים זה הדבר שהפקדתם אצלי או השאלתם אמש הייתם מפקידין אותו אצל זה שהפקדתי אני אצלו והוא שלא ימעט שמירתו כיצד ימעט שמירתו כגון שהיה מופקד אצלו בשכר והפקידו אצל אותו השני בחנם או שהיה שאול אצלו והפקידו אצל אותו השני בשכר הואיל ומיעט שמירתו פושע הוא ומשלם אע"פ ששאל או ששכר בבעלים הרי הוא הוציא הדבר השמור מידו ליד שומר אחר:
5
If the second watchman was able to bring proof that would free the first watchman from responsibility for guarding the article, he is not liable.
What is implied? A paid watchman entrusted an animal that was entrusted to him to an unpaid watchman. If the second watchman brought witnesses who testify that the animal died in a natural manner, the first watchman is not liable. The same principles apply in all analogous situations.
ה
ואם הביא השומר השני הראייה שיפטר בה שומר ראשון כדין שמירתו הרי זה פטור כיצד שומר שכר שנתן הבהמה השמורה אצלו לש"ח אם הביא השומר השני עדים שמתה הבהמה כדרכה הרי השומר הראשון פטור וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
6
When a watchman entrusted an animal entrusted to him to another watchman and increased the responsibility of the watchman and the animal died, the owner receives the benefit.
What is implied? A person rents a cow from a colleague and then lends it to another person. Afterwards, the cow dies in an ordinary manner in the possession of the borrower. Since the borrower is required to make full restitution, he should return the worth of the cow to its owners. For the renter is not carrying out business with his colleague's cow. Similar principles apply in all analogous situations.
The following rules apply when a person was in possession of an entrusted object belonging to a colleague and gave it to another person to bring to its owner. Since the first watchman is responsible for the article until it reaches its owner's domain, if he desires to retrieve the article from the second watchman, he may. If it is established that the first watchman has denied that property was entrusted to him, he cannot retrieve the article from the second watchman although he remains responsible for the entrusted article.
ו
שומר שמסר לשומר אחר והוסיף בשמירתו ומתה ההנאה לבעלים כיצד השוכר פרה מחבירו והשאילה לאחר ומתה כדרכה ביד השואל הואיל והשואל חייב בכל יחזירו דמי הפרה לבעלים שאין זה השוכר עושה סחורה בפרתו של חבירו וכן כל כיוצא בזה היה בידו פקדון ושלחו ביד אחר לבעליו הואיל והשומר הראשון חייב באחריותו עד שיגיע ליד הבעלים אם בא לחזור ולהחזיר הפקדון מיד השומר השני מחזיר ואם הוחזק השומר הראשון כפרן אינו יכול להחזיר הפקדון מיד השומר השני אף על פי שעדיין הפקדון באחריותו של ראשון:
Sechirut - Chapter 2
1
The three laws that the Torah states with regard to the four watchmen apply only with regard to movable property that is not consecrated and which belongs to a Jew.
This is derived from Exodus 22:6,9, which mentions: "money or articles and any animal." This excludes landed property and slaves, for they are equated with landed property. And it excludes promissory notes, for they themselves are not money.
And consecrated property is excluded, for ibid.:6 states: "When a person will give to his colleague." And this also excludes property owned by gentiles. Accordingly, our Sages stated: An unpaid watchman need not take an oath with regard to claims involving slaves, promissory notes, landed property and consecrated property. Similarly, a paid watchman or a renter need not pay if they are destroyed. If the watchman performed a kinyan confirming his responsibility for such articles, he is responsible for them.
א
שלשה דינין האמורין בתורה בארבעה השומרין אינן אלא במטלטלין של ישראל ושל הדיוט שנאמר כסף או כלים וכל בהמה יצאו קרקעות ויצאו העבדים שהוקשו לקרקעות ויצאו השטרות שאין גופן ממון ויצאו הקדשות שנא' כי יתן איש אל רעהו ויצאו נכסי עכו"ם מכאן אמרו חכמים העבדים והשטרות והקרקעות וההקדשות ש"ח שלהן אינו נשבע ונושא שכר או שוכר אינו משלם ואם קנו מידו חייב באחריותן:
2
Our Sages ordained that the oaths required of watchmen should be taken with regard to consecrated property in the same manner as required by the Torah with regard to other property so that people should not deal lightly with consecrated property.
ב
ותקנו חכמים שנשבעין על ההקדשות שבועת השומרין כעין של תורה כדי שלא יזלזלו בהקדשות:
3
It appears to me that a watchman who was negligent with regard to the care of slaves and the like is obligated to make restitution. For he is freed of responsibility with regard to slaves, landed property and promissory notes -only for the obligations stemming from theft, loss, death and the like. For if he was an unpaid watchman for movable property, and it was stolen or lost, he would be required to take an oath; but for slaves, landed property and promissory notes, he is not required to take an oath. Similarly, if he was a paid watchman, he would be required to make restitution for movable property that was stolen or lost, but for these he is freed of liability. If, however, he was negligent, he is required to make restitution. For everyone who is negligent is considered to be one who damages property, and there is no difference between the laws applying to a person who damages landed property and one who damages movable property.
This is a true judgment, as those who understand will see, and this is the appropriate way to rule. Similarly, my teachers issued the following rulings with regard to a person who entrusts his vine to a sharecropper or to a watchman and stipulates that he dig, prune or dust it from his own resources. If the watchman is negligent and does not perform the required task, he is liable as if he destroyed it with his hands. Similarly, he is liable in all instances where he causes a loss through his actions.
ג
יראה לי שאם פשע השומר בעבדים וכיוצא בהן חייב לשלם שאינו פטור בעבדים וקרקעות ושטרות אלא מדין גניבה ואבידה ומתה וכיוצא בהן שאם היה ש"ח על מטלטלין ונגנבו או אבדו ישבע ובעבדים וקרקעות ושטרות פטור משבועה וכן אם היה שומר שכר שמשלם גניבה ואבידה במטלטלין פטור מלשלם באלו אבל אם פשע בה חייב לשלם שכל הפושע מזיק הוא ואין הפרש בין דין המזיק קרקע לדין המזיק מטלטלין ודין אמת הוא זה למבינים וכן ראוי לדון וכן הורו רבותי שהמוסר כרמו לשומר בין באריסות בין בשמירות חנם והתנה עמו שיחפור או יזמור או יאבק משלו ופשע ולא עשה חייב כמי שהפסיד בידים וכן כל כיוצא בזה שהפסיד בידים חייב על כל פנים:
4
When a person entrusts produce that is growing on land - even grapes that are ready to be harvested - to a colleague to watch, they are considered to be landed property with regard to the laws of watchman.
ד
המוסר לחבירו דבר המחובר לקרקע לשמור אפילו היו ענבים העומדות להבצר הרי הן כקרקע בדין השומרין:
5
The following principle applies if a person entrusts consecrated property to a watchman and then redeems it, and so it is no longer consecrated at the time the owner takes it from the watchman, or he lends it to a person when it was not consecrated and then consecrates it while it is in the borrower's possession, or a gentile entrusts property and then converts. In all these situations, the laws of watchmen do not apply, unless the article was not consecrated property and belonged to a Jew from the beginning of the time the article was entrusted until the conclusion of that period.
ה
הפקיד הקדש ואח"כ פדהו והרי הוא חולין בעת שנטלו מיד השומר או שהשאילו חולין ואחר כך הקדיש והוא ביד השואל וכן עכו"ם שהפקיד ואחר כך נתגייר כל אלו אין בהן כל דיני השומרין עד שתהיה תחלתן וסופן נכסי הדיוט ונכסי ישראל:
6
The laws applying to borrowers apply equally to men and to women. This applies if the woman is the owner of the entrusted article, or an article was entrusted to her care.
ו
אחד האיש ואחד האשה בדין השומרין בין שהיה הדבר השמור של אשה או שהיה ביד האשה:
7
When a minor entrusts an article to an adult or lends it to him, the adult must take the oaths required of a watchman to the minor. My teachers ruled that the adult is not taking the oath because of the claim of the minor in which instance, the oath would not be required. For an oath is never taken with regard to a claim made by a minor. The rationale is that all the oaths taken by watchmen are taken because of an indefinite claim.
ז
קטן שהפקיד ביד גדול או השאילו הרי זה הגדול נשבע שבועת השומרים לקטן הורו רבותי שאין זה נשבע בטענת הקטן כדי שנאמר אין נשבעין על טענת קטן שכל השומרין שבועתן שבועת שמא היא:
8
Just as our Sages ordained that a purchaser must finalize his acquisition of an article through meshichah; so, too, they ordained that a watchman's responsibility for an article is established through meshichah.
When a person tells a colleague: "Watch an article for me," and he tells him: "Place it down in front of me," he is an unpaid watchman. If he tells him: "Place it down before yourself," or "Place it down" without saying anything else, or tells him: "My house is before you," he is neither a paid watchman nor is an unpaid watchman, nor is he obligated to take an oath at all. The owner of the article may, however, have a ban of ostracism issued applying to anyone who took his article and did not return it to its owner. Similar principles apply in all analogous situations.
Whenever a person entrusts, lends or rents an article to a colleague, the same laws apply whether or not the transfer was observed by witnesses. When the watchman himself admits that he served as a watchman, or he borrowed the article, he is required to take the oath required of watchmen. We do not employ the principle of miggo to absolve a person of the responsibility for an oath, but only to free him of the responsibility to make restitution.
Even if the article that was borrowed, entrusted or rented was worth only a p'rutah, the watchman is required to take an oath concerning it. None of the watchmen are required to admit to a portion of the plaintiff's claim before being required to take the oath.
ח
כדרך שתקנו חכמים משיכה בלקוחות כך תקנו משיכה בשומרין האומר לחבירו שמור לי זה ואמר לו הנח לפני הרי זה ש"ח אמר לו הנח לפניך או הנח סתם או שאמר לו הרי הבית לפניך אינו לא ש"ח ולא שומר שכר ואינו חייב שבועה כלל אבל מחרים על מי שלקח הפקדון שלו ולא יחזירו לבעליו וכן כל כיוצא בזה אחד המפקיד או המשאיל או המשכיר את חבירו בעדים או שלא בעדים דין אחד יש להן כיון שהודה זה מפי עצמו ששמר לו או ששאל ממנו הרי זה נשבע שבועת השומרין שאין אומרים מיגו לפוטרו משבועה אלא לפוטרו מלשלם אפילו היה הדבר השאול או המופקד או המושכר שוה פרוטה הרי זה השומר נשבע עליו ואין אחד מן השומרים צריך להודייה במקצת:
9
An unpaid watchman may make a stipulation to be freed of the responsibility to take an oath, and a borrower may make a stipulation to be freed of the responsibility to make restitution. Similarly, the owner of the entrusted object may make a stipulation that an unpaid watchman, a paid watchman or a borrower will be liable in all situations as a borrower is. This is acceptable, for any stipulation regarding money or an oath that involves money that is agreed upon by both principals is binding. Neither a kinyan to affirm it nor witnesses are required.
ט
מתנה שומר חנם להיות פטור משבועה והשואל להיות פטור מלשלם וכן מתנה בעל הפקדון על ש"ח או נושא שכר ושוכר להיות חייבין בכל כשואל שכל תנאי בממון או בשבועות של ממון קיים וא"צ קניין ולא עדים:
10
When the owner claims that there was a stipulation made requiring the watchman to undertake more responsibility, and the watchman denies that such a stipulation was made, the watchman must take the oath required of a watchman, and on the basis of the principle of gilgul sh'vuah he must includein his oath that there was no stipulation involved.
י
טען זה שהיה שם תנאי והשומר אומר לא היה שם תנאי נשבע השומר שבועת השומרין ומגלגל בה שלא היה שם תנאי:
11
If the owner of an object claims that he entrusted it to a watchman, and the watchman answers that he said merely: "Place the article down before yourself," and thus never became obligated as a watchman, the defendant is required to take ash'vuat hesseft that this was the manner in which he received the article. He should include in his oath that he did not use it for his own purposes, destroy it with his own hands or cause it to be destroyed in a manner that would obligate him to make restitution.
יא
טען שהפקיד אצלו וזה אומר לא אמרתי אלא הנח לפניך ולא נעשיתי לו שומר נשבע היסת שלא קבלו אלא בדרך זו וכולל בשבועתו שלא שלח בו יד ולא אבדו בידים ולא בגרם שגרם לו שיהיה חייב לשלם:
12
If the owner of an object claims: "I lent it to you," "I rented it to you," or "I entrusted it to you," and the defendant responds: "This never took place," or "That is true, but I returned it to you, and my responsibility was concluded. There is no obligation between us at all," the defendant must take a sh'vuat hesset. He is then freed of responsibility.
When does this apply? When the watchman's responsibility is not recorded in a legal document. If, however, a legal document recorded that the article was entrusted, rented or lent, and the watchman claims that he returned the article, he must affirm his statement with an oath taken while holding a sacred article. The rationale for this ruling is that since an unpaid watchman could claim that the article was stolen or lost, and a borrower could claim that it died because he was working with it, his word is accepted when he says he returned it. But just as if he claimed that it was destroyed by forces beyond his control, he would have been required to take a Scriptural oath while holding a sacred article; so, too, when he claims to have returned it, he is required to take an oath resembling a Scriptural oath. The rationale is that the plaintiff has a legal document recording that the article was entrusted.
When does the above apply? When the watchman could have claimed that the article was destroyed by forces beyond his control without having to bring proof of his claim. If, however, he would have to bring proof of his claim, as will be explained, his word is not accepted if he claims that he returned the article. Instead, the plaintiff in possession of the legal document should take an oath while holding a sacred article that the watchman did not return anything to him. The watchman is then required to make restitution.
There is no other instance where a defendant is obligated to take an oath while holding a sacred article because he could have used another argument, except a watchman against whom a legal document serves as evidence. Whenever any other defendant is obligated an opportunity to take an oath, because he could have used another argument, all that is involved is a sh'vuat hesset.
יב
זה אומר השאלתיך או השכרתיך או הפקדתיך והלה אומר לא היו דברים מעולם או שאמר כן היה אבל החזרתי לך ונסתלקה השמירה ולא נשארה בינינו תביעה הרי הנתבע נשבע שבועת היסת ונפטר במה דברים אמורים כשלא היה שם שטר אבל אם הפקיד או השכיר או השאיל בשטר ואמר לו החזרתי לך הרי השומר נשבע בנקיטת חפץ מתוך שיכול לומר ש"ח שנגנב או אבד והשואל מתה בשעת מלאכה נאמן לומר החזרתי וכשם שאם טען שנאנס נשבע מן התורה בנקיטת חפץ כך אם טען החזרתי ישבע כעין של תורה הואיל ויש שם שטר ביד התובע בד"א כשהיה השומר יכול לטעון ולומר נאנסו ולא נצריך אותו להביא ראייה על טענתו אבל אם היה חייב להביא ראייה על טענתו כמו שיתבאר אינו נאמן לומר החזרתי אלא ישבע בעל השטר בנקיטת חפץ שלא החזיר לו וישלם אין לך מי שנשבע מתוך שיכול לומר כך וכך וישבע בנקיטת חפץ אלא זה השומר בלבד שיש עליו שטר אבל שאר כל הנשבעין בדין מתוך שיכול לומר אינן נשבעין אלא היסת:
Sechirut - Chapter 3
1
The following rules apply when a watchman claims that the entrusted article was destroyed by a major factor over which he had no control - e.g., it was broken or it died. If the loss occurred in a place where witnesses are ordinarily present, we require him to bring proof to support his claim that it was destroyed by factors beyond his control. He is then freed of liability, even for a watchman's oath. If he does not bring proof, he is required to make restitution, as Exodus 22:9-10 states: "If there are none who see, the oath of God will be between the two of them." This impliesthat in a place where it is possible to bring proof, he cannot free himself of responsibility by taking an oath. Either he brings proof or he makes restitution.
If, however, the watchman claims that the article was destroyed in a place where witnesses are not ordinarily present, we do not require him to prove his claim. Instead, he must take an oath that it was destroyed by factors beyond his control, and then he is freed of responsibility. If he brings witnesses who testify that he was not negligent in his care for the article, he is not liable; he is not even required to take an oath.
An incident occurred with regard to a person who was hired to transfer a jug of wine and it broke in the market place of Mechuzah. The matter was brought before the Sages and they said that people are ordinarily present in the market place where the watchman claimed that the jug was broken. Hence they required him to either bring proof that he was not negligent, but instead stumbled and fell or make restitution. Similar principles apply in all analogous situations.
א
שומר שטען שנאנס אונס גדול כגון שבורה ומתה אם נאנס במקום שהעדים מצויין שם מצריכין אותו ראייה על טענתו שנאנס ויפטר אף משבועת שומרים ואם לא הביא ראייה ישלם שנאמר אין רואה שבועת ה' תהיה בין שניהם הא במקום שאפשר להביא ראייה אין שם שבועה אלא או יביא ראייה או ישלם אבל אם טען שנאנס במקום שאין העדים מצויין שם אין מצריכין אותו ראייה אלא ישבע שנאנס ויפטר ואם הביא עדים שלא פשע בה נפטר אף מן השבועה מעשה באחד שהביא חבית של יין בשכר ושברה בשוק של מחוזא ובאו לפני חכמים ואמרו שוק זה שטענת שנשברה בו חבית בני אדם מצויין שם או תביא ראייה שלא פשעת אלא נתקלת ונפלת או תשלם דמיה וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
2
When a person is hired to transfer a jug from place to place for a wage, and the jug is broken, according to Scriptural Law, he should be required to pay. For this is not a major factor that is beyond the porter's control; breaking an article is equivalent to its being stolen or lost, for which he is liable.
Nevertheless, our Sages ordained that the porter should be liable merely to take an oath that he was not negligent in caring for it. For if he were required to make financial restitution, no person would ever carry a jug for a colleague. Therefore, the Sages ordained that the breaking of a jug is equivalent to the death or the injury of an animal.
With regard to this matter, our Sages also ordained that if two people were carrying a jug with shafts, and it was broken, they should pay half the damages. For since this burden is very great for one person, but light for two people, it can be considered both similar and dissimilar to a loss due to factors beyond one's control. Therefore, if there are witnesses who testify that they were not negligent, they should pay half the damages.
If the jug was broken in a place where witnesses are not ordinarily present, the porters must take an oath that they did not break it through negligence. Afterwards, they are required to pay half the damages. For each one of should not have attempted to transport anything more than a burden that he could transport on his own. From this, one can derive thaht when a person transports a large jug that a porter would not ordinarily transport, he is considered to be negligent. If it breaks in his hands, he must make full restitution.
ב
המעביר חבית ממקום למקום בשכר ונשברה דין תורה הוא שישלם שאין זה אונס גדול והרי השבירה כגניבה ואבידה שהוא חייב בהן אבל תקנו חכמים שיהיה חייב שבועה שלא פשע בה שאם אתה אומר ישלם אין לך אדם שיעביר חבית לחבירו לפיכך עשו בו שבירת החבית כמיתת הבהמה ושבירתה ועוד תקנו בדבר זה שאם נשאו אותה שנים במוט ונשברה משלמין חצי דמיה הואיל ומשוי זה גדול לגבי אחד וקל לגבי שנים הרי הוא כאונס ואינו אונס ומשלמין מחצה אם יש עדים שלא פשעו בה נשברה במקום שאין העדים מצויין נשבעין שלא שברוה בפשיעה ומשלמין חצי דמיה שהרי לא היה לכל אחד להעביר אלא משוי שיכול להעבירו בפני עצמו מכאן אתה למד שהאחד שהעביר חבית גדולה שאין דרך כל הסבלים להעבירה שהוא פושע ואם נשברה בידו משלם הכל:
3
The following rules apply when a porter breaks a jug of wine belonging to a merchant and was obligated to make restitution, and the jug was worth four zuzim on a market day, and three zuzim on other days. If he makes restitution on a market day, he must give him either a jug of wine or four zuzim This applies if the merchant does not possess other wine to sell on the market day. If the merchant possesses other wine, the porter is required to pay only three. If the porter makes restitution on another day, he is required to return only three.
Whenever the porter makes restitution, a deduction is made for the effort the merchant would have to undertake in selling the jug, the damage the hole causes in the jug, and other similar matters.
ג
הסבל ששבר חבית של יין לחנווני ונתחייב לשלם והרי היא שוה ביום השוק ארבעה ובשאר הימים שלשה אם החזירו ביום השוק חייבין להחזיר חבית של יין או ישלמו לו ארבעה והוא שלא היה לו יין למכור ביום השוק אבל אם היה לו יין מחזירין לו שלשה החזירו לו בשאר הימים מחזירין לו שלשה ומנכין לו בכל זמן טורח שהיה טורח במכירתה ופגם הנקב שהיה נוקב החבית וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
4
The following rules apply when wolves come and attack herds being watched by a shepherd and seize some of them. If there is only one wolf, it is not considered to be a loss due to factors beyond his control. This applies even when there is an outbreak of wolves. If there are two wolves, it is considered to be a loss beyond his control." Two dogs are not considered to be a loss beyond his control, even if they come from two directions. If there are more than two, it is considered to be a loss beyond his control.
Armed thieves are considered to be a loss beyond his control. This applies even if the shepherd was armed and only one armed thief opposed him; it is considered to be a loss beyond his control. For a shepherd will not risk his life as a thief will.
A lion, a bear, a leopard, a cheetah or a snake are considered to be losses beyond his control.
When does this apply? When they come on their own initiative. If, however, the shepherd brings his herd to a place of wild beasts or thieves, losses incurred because of them are not considered to be losses beyond his control, and the shepherd is liable to make restitution.
ד
רועה שבאו זאבים וטרפו ממנו אם היה זאב אחד אין זה אונס אפילו בשעת משלחת זאבים ואם היו שני זאבים ה"ז אונס שני כלבים אינן אונס אפילו באו משתי רוחות היו יתר על שנים ה"ז אונס ליסטים מזויין הרי הוא אונס ואפילו היה הרועה מזויין ובא לו ליסטים אחר מזויין הרי זה אונס שאין הרועה מוסר נפשו כליסטים הארי והדוב והנמר והברדלס והנחש הרי אלו אונסין אימתי בזמן שבאו מאליהן אבל אם הוליכם למקום גדודי חיות וליסטים אין אלו אונסין וחייב לשלם:
5
When a shepherd encounters a thief and begins to boast to him, trying to show him that he is not concerned with him, saying: "We are in this and this place. We have these and these many shepherds, and these and these types of weapons," and the thief comes and overcomes him and seizes the animals, the shepherd is liable. For there is no difference between bringing the animal(s) to a place of beasts and thieves, or boasting and thus bringing the thieves to the place of the animal(s).
ה
רועה שמצא גנב והתחיל להתגרות בו ולהראותו שאינו חושש ממנו ואמר לו הרי אנו במקום פלוני וכך וכך רועים אנחנו וכך וכך כלי מלחמה יש לנו ובא אותו הליסטים ונצחו ולקח מהן הרי הרועה חייב שאחד המוליך את הבהמה למקום גדודי חיות וליסטים או מביא את הליסטים בהתגרותו למקום הבהמה:
6
If a shepherd had the opportunity of saving an animal that was preyed upon or taken captive by calling to other shepherds or bringing staves, and he did not call to other shepherds or bring staves to save the animal, he is liable. This applies to both an unpaid watchman and a paid watchman. The difference is that an unpaid watchman should call to other watchman and bring staves without charge. If he cannot find any available for free, he is not liable. A paid watchman, by contrast, is obligated to hire other shepherds and staves until the value of the animal(s) in order to save them. Afterwards, he should collect their hire from the owner. If he does not do so and had the opportunity to hire others and did not avail himself of it, he is considered to be negligent and is liable to make restitution.
ו
רועה שהיה לו להציל הטריפה או השבויה ברועים אחרים ובמקלות ולא קרא רועים אחרים ולא הביא מקלות להציל הרי זה חייב אחד ש"ח ואחד ש"ש אלא שש"ח קורא רועים ומביא מקלות בחנם ואם לא מצא פטור אבל ש"ש חייב לשוכר הרועים והמקלות עד כדי דמי הבהמה כדי להציל וחוזר ולוקח שכרן מבעל הבית ואם לא עשה כן והיה לו לשכור ולא שכר ה"ז פושע וחייב:
7
When a shepherd claims that he hired other shepherds to save a herd from danger, he is required to take an oath. He may then collect the amount that he claims. The rationale is that he cannot claim more than the value of the herd and he could have claimed that the herd was preyed upon. He is required to take an oath while holding a sacred object, as required of all those who take oaths and expropriate property.
ז
רועה שטען שהצלתי על ידי רועים בשכר נשבע ונוטל מה שטען שאינו יכול לטעון אלא עד כדי דמיהן ויכול היה לומר נטרפה וישבע בנקיטת חפץ כדין כל הנשבעין ונוטלין:
8
The following laws apply when a shepherd abandoned his herd and came to the city - whether at the time the shepherds usually come to the city or at a time when this is not their practice - and wolves came and preyed upon the herd, or lions came and attacked them. We do not postulate that if he had been there, he definitely could have saved the animals. Instead, we assess the situation. If he could have saved them - even by hiring other shepherds and staves - he is liable. If not, he is not liable. If it is impossible to make such an assessment, he is liable.
ח
רועה שהניח עדרו ובא לעיר בין בעת שדרך הרועים להכנס ובין בעת שאין דרך הרועים להכנס ובאו זאבים וטרפו ארי ודרס אין אומרים אילו היה שם היה מציל אלא אומדין אותו אם יכול להציל על ידי רועים ומקלות חייב ואם לאו פטור ואם אין הדבר ידוע חייב לשלם:
9
If an animal dies in an ordinary manner, this is considered to be a loss beyond the shepherd's control, and he is not liable. If he oppressed it and it died, it is not considered a loss beyond his control. If it overcame the shepherd and ascended to a high cliff, and it overcame him and fell, it is considered to be a loss beyond his control. If he led it up a steep cliff or it ascended on its own accord, but he could have prevented it from doing so and failed to do so, even though it overcame him and fell and died or was injured, he is liable. For whenever there is negligence at the outset, but ultimately the actual loss happens because of factors beyond the watchman's control, he is liable.
Similarly, when a shepherd leads animals across a bridge, and one pushes another and it falls into the current of the river, the shepherd is liable. The rationale is that he should have brought them over one by one. Indeed, the reason a shepherd receives a wage is to watch the animals in a effective manner. Since he was negligent at the outset, by causing them to cross together, even though when the animal fell, the loss was beyond his control, he is liable.
ט
מתה הבהמה כדרכה ה"ז אונס והרועה פטור סגפה ומתה אינו אונס תקפתו ועלתה לראשי צוקין ותקפתו ונפלה הרי זה אונס העלה לראשי צוקין או שעלתה מאליה והוא יכול למנעה ולא מנעה אף על פי שתקפתו ונפלה ומתה או נשברה חייב שכל שתחלתו בפשיעה וסופו באונס חייב וכן רועה שהעביר הבהמות על הגשר ודחפה אחת מהן לחבירתה ונפלה לשבולת הנהר ה"ז חייב שהיה לו להעבירן אחת אחת שאין השומר נוטל שכר אלא לשמור שמירה מעולה והואיל ופשע בתחלה והעבירן כאחד אע"פ שנאנס בסוף בעת הנפילה הרי הוא חייב:
10
If the shepherd was negligent and the animal went out to a swamp and died in an ordinary manner, he is not liable. For the animal's going there did not cause it to be lost due to forces beyond the shepherd's control. Since it died in an ordinary manner, what difference is it whether it diedin the watchman's house or in the swamp?
If, by contrast, a thief stole it from the swamp, and it died in an ordinary manner in the thief's house, the watchman is liable, even if he is an unpaid watchman. For even if it had not died, it would have been lost to its owner in the possession of the thief, and its going out to the swamp allowed it to be stolen. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.
י
פשע בה ויצאה לאגם ומתה שם כדרכה פטור שאין יציאתה גרמה לה שתבוא לידי אונס זה הואיל וכדרכה מתה מה לי בבית שומר מה לי באגם אבל אם גנבה גנב מהאגם ומתה כדרכה בבית הגנב הרי השומר חייב אף על פי שהוא ש"ח שאפילו לא מתה הרי היא אבדה ביד הגנב ויציאתה גרמה לה להגנב וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
• Thursday, 28 AV , 5776 · 1 September 2016
• "Today's Day"
• Sunday, Menachem Av 28, 5703
Torah lessons: Chumash: Shoftim, first parsha with Rashi.
Tehillim: 135-139.
Tanya: IX. My beloved, (p. 435) ...for the initiated. (p. 437).
There are two general approaches in healing a bodily illness: a) To heal the particular organ or faculty that is defective, sick or weak; b) to strengthen the healthy organs and faculties so that they may overcome and heal the sick organ or faculty.
The parallel in illnesses of the soul are the two approaches in service of G-d - teshuva and good deeds.
• Daily Thought:
Healthy Space
So obsessed with his own self and his own space, he fits each person into a rigid box to suit his egocentric world. Those who fit are friends. Those who don’t get called all sorts of names.
Healthy human space flows and mixes. It makes room for a thousand others.[Maamar Heichaltzu 5659. (The Rebbe pleaded that we study this maamar about overcoming causeless hatred, and stood for hours handing it out to all present.)]
So obsessed with his own self and his own space, he fits each person into a rigid box to suit his egocentric world. Those who fit are friends. Those who don’t get called all sorts of names.
Healthy human space flows and mixes. It makes room for a thousand others.[Maamar Heichaltzu 5659. (The Rebbe pleaded that we study this maamar about overcoming causeless hatred, and stood for hours handing it out to all present.)]
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