Today in Jewish History:
• Zohar Published (1558)
First printing of the Zohar, the fundamental work of the Kabbalah (Jewish esoteric and mystical teachings), authored by the Talmudic sage, Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai.
Links: The Kabbalah
• Passing of R. Levi Yitzchak Schneerson (1944)
Av 20 is the yahrtzeit (anniversary of the passing) of the Lubavitcher Rebbe's father, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson (1878-1944), in Alma Ata, Kazakhstan. Rabbi Levi Yitzchak was Chief Rabbi of Yekaterinoslav (currently Dnepropetrovsk), and was arrested and exiled to Kazakhstan by the Stalinist regime as a result of his work to preserve Jewish life in the Soviet Union.
Links:
- A Brief Biography
- Rebbetzin Chana Scneerson's biography, which includes her account of her husband's heroism, arrest and passing.
Our sages tell us that the Holy Temple was destroyed and we were exiled from our land because there was "baseless hatred" amongst us. Accordingly, the way to bring the Redemption is through baseless love -- to love a fellow even though one sees no cause whatsoever for such love.[The Lubavitcher Rebbe]
Daily Study:
Chitas and Rambam for today:
Chumash: Eikev, 4th Portion Deuteronomy 10:1-10:11 with Rashi
• Deuteronomy Chapter 10
1At that time, the Lord said to me, "Hew for yourself two stone tablets like the first ones and come up to Me onto the mountain, and make for yourself a wooden ark, אבָּעֵ֨ת הַהִ֜וא אָמַ֧ר יְהֹוָ֣ה אֵלַ֗י פְּסָל־לְךָ֞ שְׁנֵֽי־לוּחֹ֤ת אֲבָנִים֙ כָּרִ֣אשֹׁנִ֔ים וַֽעֲלֵ֥ה אֵלַ֖י הָהָ֑רָה וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ לְּךָ֖ אֲ֥רוֹן עֵֽץ:
At that time: At the end of forty days [which was the first of Elul], God was reconciled with me and said to me, “Hew for yourself [two tablets],” and afterwards, “make for yourself a [wooden] ark.” I, however (see verse 3), made the ark first (Tanchuma 10), because [I considered that] when I would come with the tablets in my hand, where would I put them? This was not the ark that Bezalel made, because the Israelites did not occupy themselves with the Mishkan until after Yom Kippur [which was forty days later], for when Moses descended the mountain, he commanded them regarding the construction of the Mishkan . [Then] Bezalel made the Mishkan first, and only afterwards the ark and the [other] furnishings (Ber. 55a). It follows, therefore, that this was another ark, and that was the one that went out with them to battle, but the one Bezalel made did not go out to battle except in the days of Eli, and they were punished for it, and it [the ark] was captured [by the Philistines]. — [Yerushalmi Shekalim 6:1] בעת ההוא: לסוף ארבעים יום נתרצה לי ואמר לי פסל לך, ואחר כך ועשית ארון, ואני עשיתי ארון תחלה, שכשאבוא והלוחות בידי היכן אתנם. ולא זה הוא הארון שעשה בצלאל, שהרי משכן לא נתעסקו בו עד לאחר יום הכפורים, כי ברדתו מן ההר צוה להם על מלאכת המשכן, ובצלאל עשה משכן תחלה ואחר כך ארון וכלים, נמצא זה ארון אחר היה. וזהו שהיה יוצא עמהם למלחמה. ואותו שעשה בצלאל לא יצא למלחמה אלא בימי עלי, ונענשו עליו ונשבה:
2And I shall inscribe on the tablets the words that were upon the first tablets which you shattered and you shall place them into the ark. בוְאֶכְתֹּב֙ עַל־הַלֻּחֹ֔ת אֶ֨ת־הַדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָי֛וּ עַל־הַלֻּחֹ֥ת הָרִֽאשֹׁנִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר שִׁבַּ֑רְתָּ וְשַׂמְתָּ֖ם בָּֽאָרֽוֹן:
3So I made an ark of acacia wood, and I hewed two stone tablets like the first ones, and I ascended the mountain, with the two tablets in my hand." גוָאַ֤עַשׂ אֲרוֹן֙ עֲצֵ֣י שִׁטִּ֔ים וָֽאֶפְסֹ֛ל שְׁנֵֽי־לֻחֹ֥ת אֲבָנִ֖ים כָּרִֽאשֹׁנִ֑ים וָאַ֣עַל הָהָ֔רָה וּשְׁנֵ֥י הַלֻּחֹ֖ת בְּיָדִֽי:
4And He inscribed on the tablets, like the first writing, the Ten Commandments, which the Lord had spoken to you on the mountain, from the midst of the fire, on the day of the assembly, and the Lord gave them to me. דוַיִּכְתֹּ֨ב עַל־הַלֻּחֹ֜ת כַּמִּכְתָּ֣ב הָֽרִאשׁ֗וֹן אֵ֚ת עֲשֶׂ֣רֶת הַדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֲלֵיכֶ֥ם בָּהָ֛ר מִתּ֥וֹךְ הָאֵ֖שׁ בְּי֣וֹם הַקָּהָ֑ל וַיִּתְּנֵ֥ם יְהֹוָ֖ה אֵלָֽי:
5And I turned and came down from the mountain, and placed the tablets in the ark which I had made, and there they were, as the Lord had commanded me. הוָאֵ֗פֶן וָֽאֵרֵד֙ מִן־הָהָ֔ר וָֽאָשִׂם֙ אֶת־הַלֻּחֹ֔ת בָּֽאָר֖וֹן אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂ֑יתִי וַיִּ֣הְיוּ שָׁ֔ם כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוַּ֖נִי יְהֹוָֽה:
6The children of Israel journeyed from the wells of B'nei Ya'akan to Moserah; there Aaron died, and there he was buried; and Eleazar his son served as kohen in his stead. ווּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל נָֽסְע֛וּ מִבְּאֵרֹ֥ת בְּנֵי־יַֽעֲקָ֖ן מֽוֹסֵרָ֑ה שָׁ֣ם מֵ֤ת אַֽהֲרֹן֙ וַיִּקָּבֵ֣ר שָׁ֔ם וַיְכַהֵ֛ן אֶלְעָזָ֥ר בְּנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו:
And the children of Israel journeyed from the wells of B’nei Ya’akan to Moserah: What is the relevance of this here? Furthermore, did they really journey from the wells of B’nei Ya’akan to Moserah? Was it not from Moserah that they came to the wells of B’nei Ya’akan, as it is said, “And they journeyed from Moseroth [and encamped in B’nei Ya’akan]” (Num. 33:31) ? Moreover, [why does it say:] “there Aaron died”? Did he not die at Mount Hor? If you calculate it, you will find eight stations from Moseroth to Mount Hor! However, [the answer is that] this is also part of the reproof [introduced in Deut. 1:1 and continued through here]: [In effect Moses said,] This, also, you did. When Aaron died on Mount Hor at the end of the forty years and [consequently] the clouds of the Divine Glory departed, you were afraid of the [impending] war with the king of Arad. So you appointed a leader to return to Egypt, and you went back eight stations until B’nei Ya’akan, and from there to Moserah. There, the sons of Levi battled with you. They slew some of you, and you some of them, until they forced you to return by the way you had retreated. From there, you returned to Gudgodah, which is Hor Hagidgad (Num. 33:32). ובני ישראל נסעו מבארות בני יעקן מוסרה: מה ענין זה לכאן. ועוד, וכי מבארות בני יעקן נסעו למוסרה, והלא ממוסרות באו לבני יעקן, שנאמר (במדבר לג, לא) ויסעו ממוסרות וגו'. ועוד, שם מת אהרן, והלא בהר ההר מת, צא וחשוב ותמצא שמונה מסעות ממוסרות להר ההר, אלא אף זו מן התוכחה, ועוד עשיתם זאת, כשמת אהרן בהר ההר לסוף ארבעים שנה ונסתלקו ענני כבוד, יראתם לכם ממלחמת מלך ערד, ונתתם ראש לחזור למצרים, וחזרתם לאחוריכם שמונה מסעות עד בני יעקן ומשם למוסרה, שם נלחמו בכם בני לוי והרגו מכם ואתם מהם, עד שהחזירו אתכם בדרך חזרתכם, ומשם חזרתם הגדגדה הוא חור הגדגד:
7From there, they journeyed to Gudgodah, and from Gudgodah to Yotvath, a land with streams of water. זמִשָּׁ֥ם נָֽסְע֖וּ הַגֻּדְגֹּ֑דָה וּמִן־הַגֻּדְגֹּ֣דָה יָטְבָ֔תָה אֶ֖רֶץ נַֽחֲלֵי־מָֽיִם:
And from Gudgodah [to Yotvath…]: And at Moserah, you made a great mourning for the death of Aaron, which was the cause of this [your retreat], and it seemed to you as though he had died there (Yerushalmi Sotah 1:10, Tanchuma, Chukath 18). Moses juxtaposed this reproof with the breaking of the tablets to indicate that the death of the righteous is as grievous to the Holy One, blessed is He, as the day the tablets were broken (Lev. Rabbah 2)], and to inform you that when they said, “Let us appoint a leader [and return to Egypt]” (Num. 14:4)-and divorce ourselves from him [Moses], was as grievous for him as was the day on which they made the golden calf. ומן הגדגדה וגו': ובמוסרה עשיתם אבל כבד על מיתתו של אהרן שגרמה לכם זאת, ונדמה [וגרמה] לכם כאלו מת שם. וסמך משה תוכחה זו לשבירת הלוחות, לומר שקשה מיתתן של צדיקים לפני הקב"ה, כיום שנשתברו בו הלוחות. ולהודיעך שהוקשה לו מה שאמרו (במדבר יד, ד) נתנה ראש לפרוש ממנו, כיום שעשו בו את העגל:
8At that time, the Lord separated the tribe of Levi to bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord, to stand before the Lord to serve Him, and to bless in His Name, to this day. חבָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֗וא הִבְדִּ֤יל יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־שֵׁ֣בֶט הַלֵּוִ֔י לָשֵׂ֖את אֶת־אֲר֣וֹן בְּרִית־יְהֹוָ֑ה לַֽעֲמֹד֩ לִפְנֵ֨י יְהֹוָ֤ה לְשָֽׁרְתוֹ֙ וּלְבָרֵ֣ךְ בִּשְׁמ֔וֹ עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה:
At that time, the Lord separated [the tribe of Levi]: This is connected to the previous context - בעת ההוא הבדיל ה' וגו': מוסב לענין הראשון:
At that time: During the first year of your departure from Egypt, when you erred [by making] the calf, and the sons of Levi did not thus err, the Omnipresent separated them from you. This verse is juxtaposed to the retreat to B’nei Ya’akan, to tell you that also in this matter, the sons of Levi did not err, but rather remained steadfast in their faith. בעת ההוא: בשנה הראשונה לצאתכם ממצרים וטעיתם בעגל ובני לוי לא טעו, הבדילם המקום מכם. וסמך מקרא זה לחזרת בני יעקן לומר שאף בזה לא טעו בה בני לוי, אלא עמדו באמונתם:
to bear the ark [of the covenant]: [Referring to] the Levites. לשאת את ארון: הלוים:
to stand before the Lord, to serve Him, and to bless in His Name:[Referring to] the kohanim , and this is the “raising of the hands” [when they bless the people]. — [Arachin 11a] לעמוד לפני ה' לשרתו ולברך בשמו: הכהנים, והוא נשיאת כפים:
9Therefore, Levi has no portion or inheritance with his brothers; the Lord is his inheritance, as the Lord, your God spoke to him. טעַל־כֵּ֞ן לֹֽא־הָיָ֧ה לְלֵוִ֛י חֵ֥לֶק וְנַֽחֲלָ֖ה עִם־אֶחָ֑יו יְהֹוָה֙ ה֣וּא נַֽחֲלָת֔וֹ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֶּ֛ר יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ לֽוֹ:
Therefore, Levi has no portion: since they were separated for the service of the altar, and therefore were not free to plow and sow. על כן לא היה ללוי חלק: לפי שהובדלו לעבודת מזבח ואינן פנויין לחרוש ולזרוע:
The Lord is his inheritance: Levi receives his daily fare, designated for him, from the King’s house [i.e., with the gifts due the kohanim , granted them by God]. ה' הוא נחלתו: נוטל פרס מזומן מבית המלך:
10And I remained on the mountain like the first days forty days and forty nights, and the Lord hearkened to me also at that time; the Lord did not wish to destroy you. יוְאָֽנֹכִ֞י עָמַ֣דְתִּי בָהָ֗ר כַּיָּמִים֙ הָרִ֣אשֹׁנִ֔ים אַרְבָּעִ֣ים י֔וֹם וְאַרְבָּעִ֖ים לָ֑יְלָה וַיִּשְׁמַ֨ע יְהֹוָ֜ה אֵלַ֗י גַּ֚ם בַּפַּ֣עַם הַהִ֔וא לֹֽא־אָבָ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה הַשְׁחִיתֶֽךָ:
And I remained on the mountain: to receive the latter tablets. Since Moses does not state above how long he remained on the mountain at this last ascent, he again begins with it. ואנכי עמדתי בהר: לקבל הלוחות האחרונות. ולפי שלא פירש למעלה כמה עמד בהר בעליה אחרונה זו, חזר והתחיל בה:
as the first days: I.e., those of the first tablets. Just as those days were with [God’s] good will, so were these with good will. But the intermediate [forty days], when I remained to pray for you, were in anger. כימים הראשונים: של לוחות הראשונות, מה הם ברצון אף אלו ברצון. אבל האמצעיים שעמדתי שם להתפלל עליכם היו בכעס:
11And the Lord said to me, "Arise, go to lead the travels before the people, so that they may come and possess the land I promised their forefathers to give them. יאוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֵלַ֔י ק֛וּם לֵ֥ךְ לְמַסַּ֖ע לִפְנֵ֣י הָעָ֑ם וְיָבֹ֨אוּ֙ וְיִֽירְשׁ֣וּ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֥עְתִּי לַֽאֲבֹתָ֖ם לָתֵ֥ת לָהֶֽם:
And the Lord said to me, [Arise, go, lead before the people]: Although you [Israel] had turned away from following Him, and you had erred with the [golden] calf, He [nonetheless] said to me, “Go, lead the people” (Exod. 32:34). ויאמר ה' אלי וגו': אף על פי שסרתם מאחריו וטעיתם בעגל, אמר לי (שמות לב, וגו'(שמות לב, לד) לך נחה את העם :
Daily Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 97 - 103
• Chapter 97
1. When the Lord will reveal His kingship, the earth will exult; the multitudes of islands will rejoice.
2. Clouds and dense darkness will surround Him; justice and mercy will be the foundation of His throne.
3. Fire will go before Him and consume His foes all around.
4. His lightnings will illuminate the world; the earth will see and tremble.
5. The mountains will melt like wax before the Lord, before the Master of all the earth.
6. The heavens will declare His justice, and all the nations will behold His glory.
7. All who worship graven images, who take pride in idols, will be ashamed; all idol worshippers will prostrate themselves before Him.
8. Zion will hear and rejoice, the towns of Judah will exult, because of Your judgments, O Lord.
9. For You, Lord, transcend all the earth; You are exceedingly exalted above all the supernal beings.
10. You who love the Lord, hate evil; He watches over the souls of His pious ones, He saves them from the hand of the wicked.
11. Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.
12. Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous, and extol His holy Name.
Chapter 98
This psalm describes how Israel will praise God for the Redemption.
1. A psalm. Sing to the Lord a new song, for He has performed wonders; His right hand and holy arm have wrought deliverance for Him.
2. The Lord has made known His salvation; He has revealed His justice before the eyes of the nations.
3. He has remembered His kindness and faithfulness to the House of Israel; all, from the farthest corners of the earth, witnessed the deliverance by our God.
4. Raise your voices in jubilation to the Lord, all the earth; burst into joyous song and chanting.
5. Sing to the Lord with a harp, with a harp and the sound of song.
6. With trumpets and the sound of the shofar, jubilate before the King, the Lord.
7. The sea and its fullness will roar in joy, the earth and its inhabitants.
8. The rivers will clap their hands, the mountains will sing together.
9. [They will rejoice] before the Lord, for He has come to judge the earth; He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with righteousness.
Chapter 99
This psalm refers to the wars of Gog and Magog, which will precede the Redemption.
1. When the Lord will reveal His kingship, the nations will tremble; the earth will quake before Him Who is enthroned upon the cherubim,
2. [before] the Lord Who is in Zion, Who is great and exalted above all the peoples.
3. They will extol Your Name which is great, awesome and holy.
4. And [they will praise] the might of the King Who loves justice. You have established uprightness; You have made [the laws of] justice and righteousness in Jacob.
5. Exalt the Lord our God, and bow down at His footstool; He is holy.
6. Moses and Aaron among His priests, and Samuel among those who invoke His Name, would call upon the Lord and He would answer them.
7. He would speak to them from a pillar of cloud; they observed His testimonies and the decrees which He gave them.
8. Lord our God, You have answered them; You were a forgiving God for their sake, yet bringing retribution for their own misdeeds.
9. Exalt the Lord our God, and bow down at His holy mountain, for the Lord our God is holy.
Chapter 100
This psalm inspires the hearts of those who suffer in this world. Let them, nevertheless, serve God with joy, for all is for their good, as in the verse: "He whom God loves does He chastise." The psalm also refers to the thanksgiving sacrifice-the only sacrifice to be offered in the Messianic era.
1. A psalm of thanksgiving. Let all the earth sing in jubilation to the Lord.
2. Serve the Lord with joy; come before Him with exultation.
3. Know that the Lord is God; He has made us and we are His, His people and the sheep of His pasture.
4. Enter His gates with gratitude, His courtyards with praise; give thanks to Him, bless His Name.
5. For the Lord is good; His kindness is everlasting, and His faithfulness is for all generations.
Chapter 101
This psalm speaks of David's secluding himself from others, and of his virtuous conduct even in his own home.
1. By David, a psalm. I will sing of [Your] kindness and justice; to You, O Lord, will I chant praise!
2. I will pay heed to the path of integrity-O when will it come to me? I shall walk with the innocence of my heart [even] within my house.
3. I shall not place an evil thing before my eyes; I despise the doing of wayward deeds, it does not cling to me.
4. A perverse heart shall depart from me; I shall not know evil.
5. He who slanders his fellow in secret, him will I cut down; one with haughty eyes and a lustful heart, him I cannot suffer.
6. My eyes are upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in the path of integrity, he shall minister to me.
7. He that practices deceit shall not dwell within my house; the speaker of lies shall have no place before my eyes.
8. Every morning I will cut down all the wicked of the land, to excise all evildoers from the city of the Lord.
Chapter 102
An awe-inspiring prayer for the exiled, and an appropriate prayer for anyone in distress.
1. A prayer of the poor man when he is faint [with affliction], and pours out his tale of woe before the Lord.
2. O Lord, hear my prayer, let my cry reach You!
3. Hide not Your face from me on the day of my distress; turn Your ear to me; on the day that I call, answer me quickly.
4. For my days have vanished with the smoke; my bones are dried up as a hearth.
5. Smitten like grass and withered is my heart, for I have forgotten to eat my bread.
6. From the voice of my sigh, my bone cleaves to my flesh.
7. I am like the bird of the wilderness; like the owl of the wasteland have I become.
8. In haste I fled; I was like a bird, alone on a roof.
9. All day my enemies disgrace me; those who ridicule me curse using my name.1
10. For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mixed my drink with tears,
11. because of Your anger and Your wrath-for You have raised me up, then cast me down.
12. My days are like the fleeting shadow; I wither away like the grass.
13. But You, Lord, will be enthroned forever, and Your remembrance is for all generations.
14. You will arise and have mercy on Zion, for it is time to be gracious to her; the appointed time has come.
15. For Your servants cherish her stones, and love her dust.
16. Then the nations will fear the Name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth Your glory,
17. when [they see that] the Lord has built Zion, He has appeared in His glory.
18. He turned to the entreaty of the prayerful, and did not despise their prayer.
19. Let this be written for the last generation, so that the newborn nation will praise the Lord.
20. For He looked down from His holy heights; from heaven, the Lord gazed upon the earth,
21. to hear the cry of the bound, to untie those who are doomed to die,
22. so that the Name of the Lord be declared in Zion, and His praise in Jerusalem,
23. when nations and kingdoms will gather together to serve the Lord.
24. He weakened my strength on the way; He shortened my days.
25. I would say: "My God, do not remove me in the midst of my days! You Whose years endure through all generations.”
26. In the beginning You laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands.
27. They will perish, but You will endure; all of them will wear out like a garment; You will exchange them like a robe, and they will vanish.
28. But You remain the same; Your years will not end.
29. The children of Your servants will abide; their seed shall be established before You.
FOOTNOTES
1.When swearing, they would say, “If I am lying, may I become like the miserable Jews” (Metzudot).
Chapter 103
David's prayer when he was ill, this psalm is an appropriate prayer on behalf of the sick, especially when offered by the sick person himself while his soul is yet in his body. He can then bless God from his depths, body and soul. Read, and find repose for your soul.
1. By David. Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all my being, His holy Name.
2. My soul, bless the Lord; forget not all His favors:
3. Who forgives all your sins, Who heals all your illnesses;
4. Who redeems your life from the grave, Who crowns you with kindness and mercy;
5. Who satisfies your mouth with goodness; like the eagle, your youth is renewed.
6. The Lord executes righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.
7. He made His ways known to Moses, His deeds to the Children of Israel.
8. The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and of great kindness.
9. He will not contend for eternity, nor harbor ill will forever.
10. He has not dealt with us according to our transgressions, nor requited us according to our sins.
11. For as high as heaven is above the earth, so has His kindness been mighty over those who fear Him.
12. As far as the east is from the west, so has He distanced our transgressions from us.
13. As a father has compassion on his children, so has the Lord had compassion on those who fear Him.
14. For He knows our nature; He is mindful that we are but dust.
15. As for man, his days are like grass; like a flower of the field, so he sprouts.
16. When a wind passes over him, he is gone; his place recognizes him no more.
17. But the kindness of the Lord is forever and ever upon those who fear Him, and His righteousness is [secured] for children's children,
18. to those who keep His covenant, and to those who remember His commands to do them.
19. The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His kingship has dominion over all.
20. Bless the Lord, you His angels who are mighty in strength, who do His bidding to obey the voice of His speech.
21. Bless the Lord, all His hosts, His servants who do His will.
22. Bless the Lord, all His works, in all the places of His dominion. My soul, bless the Lord!
Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, end of Epistle 5
• Lessons in Tanya
• Today's Tanya Lesson
• Wednesday, 20 AV , 5776 · 24 August 2016
• Iggeret HaKodesh, end of Epistle 5
• אך אחר בריאת האדם לעבדה כו׳
Chitas and Rambam for today:
Chumash: Eikev, 4th Portion Deuteronomy 10:1-10:11 with Rashi
• Deuteronomy Chapter 10
1At that time, the Lord said to me, "Hew for yourself two stone tablets like the first ones and come up to Me onto the mountain, and make for yourself a wooden ark, אבָּעֵ֨ת הַהִ֜וא אָמַ֧ר יְהֹוָ֣ה אֵלַ֗י פְּסָל־לְךָ֞ שְׁנֵֽי־לוּחֹ֤ת אֲבָנִים֙ כָּרִ֣אשֹׁנִ֔ים וַֽעֲלֵ֥ה אֵלַ֖י הָהָ֑רָה וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ לְּךָ֖ אֲ֥רוֹן עֵֽץ:
At that time: At the end of forty days [which was the first of Elul], God was reconciled with me and said to me, “Hew for yourself [two tablets],” and afterwards, “make for yourself a [wooden] ark.” I, however (see verse 3), made the ark first (Tanchuma 10), because [I considered that] when I would come with the tablets in my hand, where would I put them? This was not the ark that Bezalel made, because the Israelites did not occupy themselves with the Mishkan until after Yom Kippur [which was forty days later], for when Moses descended the mountain, he commanded them regarding the construction of the Mishkan . [Then] Bezalel made the Mishkan first, and only afterwards the ark and the [other] furnishings (Ber. 55a). It follows, therefore, that this was another ark, and that was the one that went out with them to battle, but the one Bezalel made did not go out to battle except in the days of Eli, and they were punished for it, and it [the ark] was captured [by the Philistines]. — [Yerushalmi Shekalim 6:1] בעת ההוא: לסוף ארבעים יום נתרצה לי ואמר לי פסל לך, ואחר כך ועשית ארון, ואני עשיתי ארון תחלה, שכשאבוא והלוחות בידי היכן אתנם. ולא זה הוא הארון שעשה בצלאל, שהרי משכן לא נתעסקו בו עד לאחר יום הכפורים, כי ברדתו מן ההר צוה להם על מלאכת המשכן, ובצלאל עשה משכן תחלה ואחר כך ארון וכלים, נמצא זה ארון אחר היה. וזהו שהיה יוצא עמהם למלחמה. ואותו שעשה בצלאל לא יצא למלחמה אלא בימי עלי, ונענשו עליו ונשבה:
2And I shall inscribe on the tablets the words that were upon the first tablets which you shattered and you shall place them into the ark. בוְאֶכְתֹּב֙ עַל־הַלֻּחֹ֔ת אֶ֨ת־הַדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָי֛וּ עַל־הַלֻּחֹ֥ת הָרִֽאשֹׁנִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר שִׁבַּ֑רְתָּ וְשַׂמְתָּ֖ם בָּֽאָרֽוֹן:
3So I made an ark of acacia wood, and I hewed two stone tablets like the first ones, and I ascended the mountain, with the two tablets in my hand." גוָאַ֤עַשׂ אֲרוֹן֙ עֲצֵ֣י שִׁטִּ֔ים וָֽאֶפְסֹ֛ל שְׁנֵֽי־לֻחֹ֥ת אֲבָנִ֖ים כָּרִֽאשֹׁנִ֑ים וָאַ֣עַל הָהָ֔רָה וּשְׁנֵ֥י הַלֻּחֹ֖ת בְּיָדִֽי:
4And He inscribed on the tablets, like the first writing, the Ten Commandments, which the Lord had spoken to you on the mountain, from the midst of the fire, on the day of the assembly, and the Lord gave them to me. דוַיִּכְתֹּ֨ב עַל־הַלֻּחֹ֜ת כַּמִּכְתָּ֣ב הָֽרִאשׁ֗וֹן אֵ֚ת עֲשֶׂ֣רֶת הַדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֲלֵיכֶ֥ם בָּהָ֛ר מִתּ֥וֹךְ הָאֵ֖שׁ בְּי֣וֹם הַקָּהָ֑ל וַיִּתְּנֵ֥ם יְהֹוָ֖ה אֵלָֽי:
5And I turned and came down from the mountain, and placed the tablets in the ark which I had made, and there they were, as the Lord had commanded me. הוָאֵ֗פֶן וָֽאֵרֵד֙ מִן־הָהָ֔ר וָֽאָשִׂם֙ אֶת־הַלֻּחֹ֔ת בָּֽאָר֖וֹן אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂ֑יתִי וַיִּ֣הְיוּ שָׁ֔ם כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוַּ֖נִי יְהֹוָֽה:
6The children of Israel journeyed from the wells of B'nei Ya'akan to Moserah; there Aaron died, and there he was buried; and Eleazar his son served as kohen in his stead. ווּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל נָֽסְע֛וּ מִבְּאֵרֹ֥ת בְּנֵי־יַֽעֲקָ֖ן מֽוֹסֵרָ֑ה שָׁ֣ם מֵ֤ת אַֽהֲרֹן֙ וַיִּקָּבֵ֣ר שָׁ֔ם וַיְכַהֵ֛ן אֶלְעָזָ֥ר בְּנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו:
And the children of Israel journeyed from the wells of B’nei Ya’akan to Moserah: What is the relevance of this here? Furthermore, did they really journey from the wells of B’nei Ya’akan to Moserah? Was it not from Moserah that they came to the wells of B’nei Ya’akan, as it is said, “And they journeyed from Moseroth [and encamped in B’nei Ya’akan]” (Num. 33:31) ? Moreover, [why does it say:] “there Aaron died”? Did he not die at Mount Hor? If you calculate it, you will find eight stations from Moseroth to Mount Hor! However, [the answer is that] this is also part of the reproof [introduced in Deut. 1:1 and continued through here]: [In effect Moses said,] This, also, you did. When Aaron died on Mount Hor at the end of the forty years and [consequently] the clouds of the Divine Glory departed, you were afraid of the [impending] war with the king of Arad. So you appointed a leader to return to Egypt, and you went back eight stations until B’nei Ya’akan, and from there to Moserah. There, the sons of Levi battled with you. They slew some of you, and you some of them, until they forced you to return by the way you had retreated. From there, you returned to Gudgodah, which is Hor Hagidgad (Num. 33:32). ובני ישראל נסעו מבארות בני יעקן מוסרה: מה ענין זה לכאן. ועוד, וכי מבארות בני יעקן נסעו למוסרה, והלא ממוסרות באו לבני יעקן, שנאמר (במדבר לג, לא) ויסעו ממוסרות וגו'. ועוד, שם מת אהרן, והלא בהר ההר מת, צא וחשוב ותמצא שמונה מסעות ממוסרות להר ההר, אלא אף זו מן התוכחה, ועוד עשיתם זאת, כשמת אהרן בהר ההר לסוף ארבעים שנה ונסתלקו ענני כבוד, יראתם לכם ממלחמת מלך ערד, ונתתם ראש לחזור למצרים, וחזרתם לאחוריכם שמונה מסעות עד בני יעקן ומשם למוסרה, שם נלחמו בכם בני לוי והרגו מכם ואתם מהם, עד שהחזירו אתכם בדרך חזרתכם, ומשם חזרתם הגדגדה הוא חור הגדגד:
7From there, they journeyed to Gudgodah, and from Gudgodah to Yotvath, a land with streams of water. זמִשָּׁ֥ם נָֽסְע֖וּ הַגֻּדְגֹּ֑דָה וּמִן־הַגֻּדְגֹּ֣דָה יָטְבָ֔תָה אֶ֖רֶץ נַֽחֲלֵי־מָֽיִם:
And from Gudgodah [to Yotvath…]: And at Moserah, you made a great mourning for the death of Aaron, which was the cause of this [your retreat], and it seemed to you as though he had died there (Yerushalmi Sotah 1:10, Tanchuma, Chukath 18). Moses juxtaposed this reproof with the breaking of the tablets to indicate that the death of the righteous is as grievous to the Holy One, blessed is He, as the day the tablets were broken (Lev. Rabbah 2)], and to inform you that when they said, “Let us appoint a leader [and return to Egypt]” (Num. 14:4)-and divorce ourselves from him [Moses], was as grievous for him as was the day on which they made the golden calf. ומן הגדגדה וגו': ובמוסרה עשיתם אבל כבד על מיתתו של אהרן שגרמה לכם זאת, ונדמה [וגרמה] לכם כאלו מת שם. וסמך משה תוכחה זו לשבירת הלוחות, לומר שקשה מיתתן של צדיקים לפני הקב"ה, כיום שנשתברו בו הלוחות. ולהודיעך שהוקשה לו מה שאמרו (במדבר יד, ד) נתנה ראש לפרוש ממנו, כיום שעשו בו את העגל:
8At that time, the Lord separated the tribe of Levi to bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord, to stand before the Lord to serve Him, and to bless in His Name, to this day. חבָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֗וא הִבְדִּ֤יל יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־שֵׁ֣בֶט הַלֵּוִ֔י לָשֵׂ֖את אֶת־אֲר֣וֹן בְּרִית־יְהֹוָ֑ה לַֽעֲמֹד֩ לִפְנֵ֨י יְהֹוָ֤ה לְשָֽׁרְתוֹ֙ וּלְבָרֵ֣ךְ בִּשְׁמ֔וֹ עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה:
At that time, the Lord separated [the tribe of Levi]: This is connected to the previous context - בעת ההוא הבדיל ה' וגו': מוסב לענין הראשון:
At that time: During the first year of your departure from Egypt, when you erred [by making] the calf, and the sons of Levi did not thus err, the Omnipresent separated them from you. This verse is juxtaposed to the retreat to B’nei Ya’akan, to tell you that also in this matter, the sons of Levi did not err, but rather remained steadfast in their faith. בעת ההוא: בשנה הראשונה לצאתכם ממצרים וטעיתם בעגל ובני לוי לא טעו, הבדילם המקום מכם. וסמך מקרא זה לחזרת בני יעקן לומר שאף בזה לא טעו בה בני לוי, אלא עמדו באמונתם:
to bear the ark [of the covenant]: [Referring to] the Levites. לשאת את ארון: הלוים:
to stand before the Lord, to serve Him, and to bless in His Name:[Referring to] the kohanim , and this is the “raising of the hands” [when they bless the people]. — [Arachin 11a] לעמוד לפני ה' לשרתו ולברך בשמו: הכהנים, והוא נשיאת כפים:
9Therefore, Levi has no portion or inheritance with his brothers; the Lord is his inheritance, as the Lord, your God spoke to him. טעַל־כֵּ֞ן לֹֽא־הָיָ֧ה לְלֵוִ֛י חֵ֥לֶק וְנַֽחֲלָ֖ה עִם־אֶחָ֑יו יְהֹוָה֙ ה֣וּא נַֽחֲלָת֔וֹ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֶּ֛ר יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ לֽוֹ:
Therefore, Levi has no portion: since they were separated for the service of the altar, and therefore were not free to plow and sow. על כן לא היה ללוי חלק: לפי שהובדלו לעבודת מזבח ואינן פנויין לחרוש ולזרוע:
The Lord is his inheritance: Levi receives his daily fare, designated for him, from the King’s house [i.e., with the gifts due the kohanim , granted them by God]. ה' הוא נחלתו: נוטל פרס מזומן מבית המלך:
10And I remained on the mountain like the first days forty days and forty nights, and the Lord hearkened to me also at that time; the Lord did not wish to destroy you. יוְאָֽנֹכִ֞י עָמַ֣דְתִּי בָהָ֗ר כַּיָּמִים֙ הָרִ֣אשֹׁנִ֔ים אַרְבָּעִ֣ים י֔וֹם וְאַרְבָּעִ֖ים לָ֑יְלָה וַיִּשְׁמַ֨ע יְהֹוָ֜ה אֵלַ֗י גַּ֚ם בַּפַּ֣עַם הַהִ֔וא לֹֽא־אָבָ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה הַשְׁחִיתֶֽךָ:
And I remained on the mountain: to receive the latter tablets. Since Moses does not state above how long he remained on the mountain at this last ascent, he again begins with it. ואנכי עמדתי בהר: לקבל הלוחות האחרונות. ולפי שלא פירש למעלה כמה עמד בהר בעליה אחרונה זו, חזר והתחיל בה:
as the first days: I.e., those of the first tablets. Just as those days were with [God’s] good will, so were these with good will. But the intermediate [forty days], when I remained to pray for you, were in anger. כימים הראשונים: של לוחות הראשונות, מה הם ברצון אף אלו ברצון. אבל האמצעיים שעמדתי שם להתפלל עליכם היו בכעס:
11And the Lord said to me, "Arise, go to lead the travels before the people, so that they may come and possess the land I promised their forefathers to give them. יאוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֵלַ֔י ק֛וּם לֵ֥ךְ לְמַסַּ֖ע לִפְנֵ֣י הָעָ֑ם וְיָבֹ֨אוּ֙ וְיִֽירְשׁ֣וּ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֥עְתִּי לַֽאֲבֹתָ֖ם לָתֵ֥ת לָהֶֽם:
And the Lord said to me, [Arise, go, lead before the people]: Although you [Israel] had turned away from following Him, and you had erred with the [golden] calf, He [nonetheless] said to me, “Go, lead the people” (Exod. 32:34). ויאמר ה' אלי וגו': אף על פי שסרתם מאחריו וטעיתם בעגל, אמר לי (שמות לב, וגו'(שמות לב, לד) לך נחה את העם :
Daily Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 97 - 103
• Chapter 97
1. When the Lord will reveal His kingship, the earth will exult; the multitudes of islands will rejoice.
2. Clouds and dense darkness will surround Him; justice and mercy will be the foundation of His throne.
3. Fire will go before Him and consume His foes all around.
4. His lightnings will illuminate the world; the earth will see and tremble.
5. The mountains will melt like wax before the Lord, before the Master of all the earth.
6. The heavens will declare His justice, and all the nations will behold His glory.
7. All who worship graven images, who take pride in idols, will be ashamed; all idol worshippers will prostrate themselves before Him.
8. Zion will hear and rejoice, the towns of Judah will exult, because of Your judgments, O Lord.
9. For You, Lord, transcend all the earth; You are exceedingly exalted above all the supernal beings.
10. You who love the Lord, hate evil; He watches over the souls of His pious ones, He saves them from the hand of the wicked.
11. Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.
12. Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous, and extol His holy Name.
Chapter 98
This psalm describes how Israel will praise God for the Redemption.
1. A psalm. Sing to the Lord a new song, for He has performed wonders; His right hand and holy arm have wrought deliverance for Him.
2. The Lord has made known His salvation; He has revealed His justice before the eyes of the nations.
3. He has remembered His kindness and faithfulness to the House of Israel; all, from the farthest corners of the earth, witnessed the deliverance by our God.
4. Raise your voices in jubilation to the Lord, all the earth; burst into joyous song and chanting.
5. Sing to the Lord with a harp, with a harp and the sound of song.
6. With trumpets and the sound of the shofar, jubilate before the King, the Lord.
7. The sea and its fullness will roar in joy, the earth and its inhabitants.
8. The rivers will clap their hands, the mountains will sing together.
9. [They will rejoice] before the Lord, for He has come to judge the earth; He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with righteousness.
Chapter 99
This psalm refers to the wars of Gog and Magog, which will precede the Redemption.
1. When the Lord will reveal His kingship, the nations will tremble; the earth will quake before Him Who is enthroned upon the cherubim,
2. [before] the Lord Who is in Zion, Who is great and exalted above all the peoples.
3. They will extol Your Name which is great, awesome and holy.
4. And [they will praise] the might of the King Who loves justice. You have established uprightness; You have made [the laws of] justice and righteousness in Jacob.
5. Exalt the Lord our God, and bow down at His footstool; He is holy.
6. Moses and Aaron among His priests, and Samuel among those who invoke His Name, would call upon the Lord and He would answer them.
7. He would speak to them from a pillar of cloud; they observed His testimonies and the decrees which He gave them.
8. Lord our God, You have answered them; You were a forgiving God for their sake, yet bringing retribution for their own misdeeds.
9. Exalt the Lord our God, and bow down at His holy mountain, for the Lord our God is holy.
Chapter 100
This psalm inspires the hearts of those who suffer in this world. Let them, nevertheless, serve God with joy, for all is for their good, as in the verse: "He whom God loves does He chastise." The psalm also refers to the thanksgiving sacrifice-the only sacrifice to be offered in the Messianic era.
1. A psalm of thanksgiving. Let all the earth sing in jubilation to the Lord.
2. Serve the Lord with joy; come before Him with exultation.
3. Know that the Lord is God; He has made us and we are His, His people and the sheep of His pasture.
4. Enter His gates with gratitude, His courtyards with praise; give thanks to Him, bless His Name.
5. For the Lord is good; His kindness is everlasting, and His faithfulness is for all generations.
Chapter 101
This psalm speaks of David's secluding himself from others, and of his virtuous conduct even in his own home.
1. By David, a psalm. I will sing of [Your] kindness and justice; to You, O Lord, will I chant praise!
2. I will pay heed to the path of integrity-O when will it come to me? I shall walk with the innocence of my heart [even] within my house.
3. I shall not place an evil thing before my eyes; I despise the doing of wayward deeds, it does not cling to me.
4. A perverse heart shall depart from me; I shall not know evil.
5. He who slanders his fellow in secret, him will I cut down; one with haughty eyes and a lustful heart, him I cannot suffer.
6. My eyes are upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in the path of integrity, he shall minister to me.
7. He that practices deceit shall not dwell within my house; the speaker of lies shall have no place before my eyes.
8. Every morning I will cut down all the wicked of the land, to excise all evildoers from the city of the Lord.
Chapter 102
An awe-inspiring prayer for the exiled, and an appropriate prayer for anyone in distress.
1. A prayer of the poor man when he is faint [with affliction], and pours out his tale of woe before the Lord.
2. O Lord, hear my prayer, let my cry reach You!
3. Hide not Your face from me on the day of my distress; turn Your ear to me; on the day that I call, answer me quickly.
4. For my days have vanished with the smoke; my bones are dried up as a hearth.
5. Smitten like grass and withered is my heart, for I have forgotten to eat my bread.
6. From the voice of my sigh, my bone cleaves to my flesh.
7. I am like the bird of the wilderness; like the owl of the wasteland have I become.
8. In haste I fled; I was like a bird, alone on a roof.
9. All day my enemies disgrace me; those who ridicule me curse using my name.1
10. For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mixed my drink with tears,
11. because of Your anger and Your wrath-for You have raised me up, then cast me down.
12. My days are like the fleeting shadow; I wither away like the grass.
13. But You, Lord, will be enthroned forever, and Your remembrance is for all generations.
14. You will arise and have mercy on Zion, for it is time to be gracious to her; the appointed time has come.
15. For Your servants cherish her stones, and love her dust.
16. Then the nations will fear the Name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth Your glory,
17. when [they see that] the Lord has built Zion, He has appeared in His glory.
18. He turned to the entreaty of the prayerful, and did not despise their prayer.
19. Let this be written for the last generation, so that the newborn nation will praise the Lord.
20. For He looked down from His holy heights; from heaven, the Lord gazed upon the earth,
21. to hear the cry of the bound, to untie those who are doomed to die,
22. so that the Name of the Lord be declared in Zion, and His praise in Jerusalem,
23. when nations and kingdoms will gather together to serve the Lord.
24. He weakened my strength on the way; He shortened my days.
25. I would say: "My God, do not remove me in the midst of my days! You Whose years endure through all generations.”
26. In the beginning You laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands.
27. They will perish, but You will endure; all of them will wear out like a garment; You will exchange them like a robe, and they will vanish.
28. But You remain the same; Your years will not end.
29. The children of Your servants will abide; their seed shall be established before You.
FOOTNOTES
1.When swearing, they would say, “If I am lying, may I become like the miserable Jews” (Metzudot).
Chapter 103
David's prayer when he was ill, this psalm is an appropriate prayer on behalf of the sick, especially when offered by the sick person himself while his soul is yet in his body. He can then bless God from his depths, body and soul. Read, and find repose for your soul.
1. By David. Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all my being, His holy Name.
2. My soul, bless the Lord; forget not all His favors:
3. Who forgives all your sins, Who heals all your illnesses;
4. Who redeems your life from the grave, Who crowns you with kindness and mercy;
5. Who satisfies your mouth with goodness; like the eagle, your youth is renewed.
6. The Lord executes righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.
7. He made His ways known to Moses, His deeds to the Children of Israel.
8. The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and of great kindness.
9. He will not contend for eternity, nor harbor ill will forever.
10. He has not dealt with us according to our transgressions, nor requited us according to our sins.
11. For as high as heaven is above the earth, so has His kindness been mighty over those who fear Him.
12. As far as the east is from the west, so has He distanced our transgressions from us.
13. As a father has compassion on his children, so has the Lord had compassion on those who fear Him.
14. For He knows our nature; He is mindful that we are but dust.
15. As for man, his days are like grass; like a flower of the field, so he sprouts.
16. When a wind passes over him, he is gone; his place recognizes him no more.
17. But the kindness of the Lord is forever and ever upon those who fear Him, and His righteousness is [secured] for children's children,
18. to those who keep His covenant, and to those who remember His commands to do them.
19. The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His kingship has dominion over all.
20. Bless the Lord, you His angels who are mighty in strength, who do His bidding to obey the voice of His speech.
21. Bless the Lord, all His hosts, His servants who do His will.
22. Bless the Lord, all His works, in all the places of His dominion. My soul, bless the Lord!
Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, end of Epistle 5
• Lessons in Tanya
• Today's Tanya Lesson
• Wednesday, 20 AV , 5776 · 24 August 2016
• Iggeret HaKodesh, end of Epistle 5
• אך אחר בריאת האדם לעבדה כו׳
But after the creation of man “to work it,”1 his life-long task being to draw down to this world a flow of Divine energy by means of an “arousal from below,” i.e., by means of his own spiritual labors,
אזי כל אתערותא דלעילא, לעורר מדת חסד עליון, הוא באתערותא דלתתא
every arousal from Above, to arouse the attribute of Supreme kindness, depends on an arousal from below,
בצדקה וחסד שישראל עושים בעולם הזה
through the acts of charity and kindness2 that Jews perform in this world.
Thus, these good deeds draw down Divine influence from the yud of the Divine Name, from the level of Chochmah, to the final hei of the Name, the level of Malchut. In this way, then, good deeds bring together and “make” the Name of G‑d, and draw it downward in its entirety.
לכן אמרו רז״ל: כל האומר אין לי אלא תורה, בלי גמילות חסדים, אפילו תורה אין לו
That is why our Sages, of blessed memory, have said:3 “Whoever says that he has nothing but Torah,” and thus no kindly deeds, “does not have even Torah;
אלא לעסוק בתורה ובגמילות חסדים
rather, one ought to engage in Torah and in the performance of acts of lovingkindness.”
כי הנה הגם דאורייתא מחכמה נפקת, ובאורייתא מתקיים עלמא, ובאינון דלעאן בה
For though the “Torah derives from Chochmah,”4 and “the world subsists by virtue of the Torah”5 and “those who discourse in it,”6
כי בדבורם ממשיכים הארות והשפעות נוסח אחר: והשראות חכמה עילאה מקור התורה, לבחינת אותיות הדבור, שבהן נברא העולם
because by speaking of Torah subjects they elicit illuminations and effusions7 from Supreme Chochmah, the source of Torah, into the plane of the letters of speech with which the world was created,
כמאמר רז״ל: אל תקרי בניך אלא בוניך
as our Sages, of blessed memory, said, with regard to Torah scholars,8 “Do not read banayich (‘Your children’)but bonayich (‘Your builders’), for they build the world through their study of Torah, —
הרי המשכה זו היא בחינת ירידה גדולה
nevertheless, this flow of Chochmah to the letters of speech is a great descent.
ולזה צריך לעורר חסד עליון, הנמשך כמים ממקום גבוה למקום נמוך
To accomplish this it is necessary to arouse Supernal Chesed which, like water, is drawn down from a high place to a low place
באתערותא דלתתא, בצדקה וחסד תתאה
by means of an arousal from below, through acts of charity and kindness here below,
שממשיכים חיים וחסד, להחיות רוח שפלים ונדכאים
whereby one diffuses life and kindness,9 “to revive the spirit of the humble and downcast.”
By doing so one draws down Supernal kindness, so that the vitality of Chochmah descends to the letters of speech, the source of all creation.
וזה שכתוב: אל יתהלל חכם בחכמתו גו׳, כי אם בזאת יתהלל גו׳, כי אני ה׳ עושה חסד גו׳
And this is the meaning of the verse,10 “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, but in this let him glory — [in understanding and knowing Me,”11 but in such a manner that it brings about the fulfillment of the phrase that follows]: “for I am G‑d Who acts with kindness.”
We thus see that wisdom is justifiably glorified when it leads to an act of kindness which in turn evokes a reciprocal act of kindness from Above.
כי החסד הוא הממשיך חיי החכמה למטה
For it is Chesed, the kindly conduct of man here below, that results in the fulfillment of the verse, “I am G‑d Who acts with kindness,” i.e., with the Chesed of Asiyah, and that causes the vitality of Chochmah to issue downwards into the letters of speech, the source of all created beings.
ואם לא, הרי נקראת חכמתו לבדו
In the absence of this [kindly conduct], [the Torah study] that such a person undertakes is called “His wisdom” alone: it remains in heaven as an untapped resource in which that wise man cannot glory,
בלי המשכת חיים ממנה, חס ושלום
and there is no downward flow of life from it, G‑d forbid.
ובזה יובן מה שכתב האריז״ל, שיש ב׳ מיני נשמות בישראל
The above enables one to understand the statement of Rabbi Isaac Luria, of blessed memory, that there are two kinds of souls among Jews:
נשמות תלמידי חכמים, העוסקים בתורה כל ימיהם
the souls of Torah scholars, who engage in the study of Torah all their lives,12
ונשמות בעלי מצות, העוסקים בצדקה וגמילות חסדים
and the souls of those who perform the commandments, occupying themselves with charitable and kindly deeds.
דלכאורה, הרי גם תלמידי חכמים צריכים לעסוק בגמילות חסדים
Now surely scholars, too, need to occupy themselves with acts of kindness;
כמאמר רז״ל, שאפילו תורה אין לו
as our Sages, of blessed memory, taught, “[Whoever says that he has nothing but Torah,” and thus no kindly deeds], “does not have even Torah.”
How, then, could the AriZal have stated that people with a certain kind of soul invest their lives exclusively in Torah study? The Alter Rebbe’s answer, which follows, takes it for granted that even fulltime Torah scholars of course spend some of their time in doing good deeds.
אלא שהתלמידי חכמים, שתורתן עיקר ורוב ימיהם בה
However, as regards Torah scholars whose study of the Torah is their principal occupation and most of their time is spent in it, with only a minor part of their time spent on the performance of kindly deeds,
הנה פעולת אתערותא דלתתא, לעורר חסד עליון
the effect of their arousal from below, to arouse Supernal Chesed,
להמשיך ולהוריד אור אין סוף המלובש בחכמה עילאה, מקור תורת ה׳ שבפיהם
to call forth and bring downward the [infinite] Ein Sof-light vested in Supernal Chochmah, the source of G‑d’s Torah which is in their mouths,
הוא רק לעולם הנשמות שבבריאה, על ידי עסק התלמוד
extends only to the realm of the souls that are in Beriah, through their occupation with Gemara,
The study of Gemara, inasmuch as it involves reasoning and intellectual give-and-take, corresponds to the World of Beriah,the realm of comprehension.
ולמלאכים שביצירה על ידי לימוד המשנה
and extends to the angels that are in the World of Yetzirah, through their occupation with Mishnah.
The Mishnah consists of statements of law — “kosher” or “non-kosher”, “pure” or “impure”. Such bipartite divisions, which are a reflection in the material world below of the divergent attributes of Chesed and Gevurah in the realms above, are related to the World of Yetzirah, which is the realm of middot, the spiritual emotions.
יען היות חיות הנשמות והמלאכים נשפעות מצירופי אותיות הדבור, היא תורה שבעל פה
For the animation of souls and angels derives from the combinations of the letters of speech, i.e., the Oral Torah; as it is written in Patach Eliyahu,13 “[The Sefirah of] Malchut [corresponds to] the mouth, which we call the Oral Torah.”
ומקור האותיות הוא מחכמה עילאה, כנזכר לעיל
The source of the letters, however, is in Supernal Chochmah, as mentioned above.
Thus, through their study of the Oral Torah, scholars draw down Supernal Chochmah into the combinations of the letters of speech; this in turn provides vitality to [unborn] souls and angels.
אך להמשיך ולהוריד הארה וחיות מבחינת הבל העליון, ה׳ תתאה, לעולם הזה השפל
However, in order to call forth and bring downward an illumination and vitality from the level of the Supreme Breath, the “lower hei,” to this lowly world,
שהוא צמצום גדול ביתר עז
which entails a greater and extreme contraction,
לא די באתערותא דלתתא של תלמידי חכמים, העוסקים מיעוט ימיהם בצדקה וגמילות חסדים
the arousal from below by the Torah scholars, who for only a small part of their time engage in charitable and kindly deeds, is not sufficient.14
אלא על ידי אתערותא דבעלי מצות, העוסקים רוב ימיהם בצדקה וגמילות חסדים
[This is effected] only through an arousal by those who perform the commandments, who are occupied with deeds of charity and kindness for the major part of their life
(וכמו שכתוב בלקוטי אמרים בחלק א׳, פרק ל״ד)
(15as explained in Likkutei Amarim, Part I, ch. 34).
The Alter Rebbe explains there that even if a man distributes no more than a fifth of his income for charity, that fifth elevates the other four parts with it to G‑d, for thereby all his exertion becomes a dwelling for Him. Moreover, his acts of kindness will arouse G‑d’s “right hand of kindness.”
ולכן נקראו תמכי אורייתא
That is why [people who are mainly occupied with such mitzvot] are called16 “the supporters of [the] Torah [itself],” and not only of those who study the Torah, for by their activities they draw down the light of the Torah from its root and source so that it will illuminate this physical world below.
והן בחינות ומדריגות נצח והוד
These [people] represent the levels of Netzach and Hod, which are analogous to17 “the two thighs” which enable a man to stand upon the ground; the function of the Sefirot of Netzach and Hod is similar,
להיותן ממשיכין אור התורה למטה לעולם העשיה
because they cause the light of Torah to issue downwards to the World of Asiyah.
ובזה יובן למה נקרא הצדקה בשם מעשה
Now it is clear18 why charity is referred to as an “act”,
כמו שכתוב: והיה מעשה הצדקה שלום
as in the verse,19 “And the act of charity will be peace.”
על שם שפעולתה להמשיך אור ה׳ לעולם העשיה
For the effect of charity is to elicit the light of G‑d down to the World of Asiyah.
וזהו דקדוק לשון זוהר הקדוש: מאן דעביד שמא קדישא, דעביד דייקא
And this is the meaning of the subtle phraseology of the holy Zohar: “He who makes the Holy Name,” expressly saying “who makes.”
כי באתערותא דלתתא, בצדקה וחסד תתאה, מעורר חסד עליון
For by an arousal from below, through charity and mortal Chesed, one arouses the Supernal Chesed —
להמשיך אור אין סוף מבחינת חכמה עילאה, יו״ד של שם
to elicit the [infinite] Ein Sof-light from Supernal Chochmah, the yud of the Divine Name,
לה׳ של שם, בחינת הדבור ורוח פיו יתברך
to the hei of the Name, to the “speech” and “breath” of G‑d’s blessed mouth,
כדי להשפיע לעולם העשיה
in order to draw down [Divine light] to the World of Asiyah.
ועל דרך משל, להבדיל הבדלות אין קץ: כמו שאדם אינו מדבר אלא לאחרים
And, analogously speaking, though infinitely incomparable: a human being speaks only to others
(ולא כשהוא בינו לבין עצמו)
(20and not when he is alone),
ואז מצמצם שכלו ומחשבתו בדבורו אליהם
and then when speaking to them he contracts his intellect and thought.
והמשכילים יבינו
The intelligent will understand.
——— ● ———
| FOOTNOTES | |
| 1. | Bereishit 2:15. |
| 2. | “It will be noted that though the opening passage of this Epistle speaks of tzedakah alone, there are many variations thereafter: charity and kindness; acts of lovingkindness; charity and lovingkindness; charity and acts of lovingkindness; and so on.” ( — Note of the Rebbe.) |
| 3. | Yevamot 109b. |
| 4. | Zohar II, 121a, et al. |
| 5. | Op. cit. 200a, et al. |
| 6. | Ibid. I, 47a, et al. |
| 7. | A variant reading: “indwellings”. |
| 8. | Berachot 64a. |
| 9. | Cf. Yeshayahu 57:15. |
| 10. | Yirmeyahu 9:22-23. |
| 11. | “For this too is wisdom; moreover, its mainstay.” ( — Note of the Rebbe.) |
| 12. | “All the other souls are included in the second category; hence the term ‘all their lives’ is not mentioned there.” ( — Note of the Rebbe.) |
| 13. | Tikkunei Zohar, Introduction II. |
| 14. | “Though insufficient, it is indispensable, for the downward flow must be drawn down through the Worlds of Beriah andYetzirah.”( — Note of the Rebbe.) |
| 15. | Parentheses are in the original text. |
| 16. | Zohar I, 8a, paraphrasing Mishlei 3:18. See also Zohar III, 53b; Vayikra Rabbah 25:1; Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 251:9;et al. |
| 17. | Tikkunei Zohar, loc. cit. |
| 18. | “Though this comment would appear to be less appropriate here than in Epistle 12, its inclusion here may be appreciated in the light of a statement by the Ramaz (Nitzutzei Orot, in Zohar III, loc. cit.).”( — Note of the Rebbe.) |
| 19. | Yeshayahu 32:17, expounded at length in Epistle 12, below. |
| 20. | Parentheses are in the original text. |
• Rambam: Sefer Hamitzvos:
• Wednesday, 20 AV , 5776 · 24 August 2016
• Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
Important Message Regarding This Lesson
The Daily Mitzvah schedule runs parallel to the daily study of 3 chapters of Maimonides' 14-volume code. There are instances when the Mitzvah is repeated a few days consecutively while the exploration of the same Mitzvah continues in the in-depth track.
Positive Commandment 236
Personal Injury
"If men quarrel, and one strikes the other..."—Exodus 21:18.
The courts are commanded to adjudicate cases that involve personal injury cause by one person to another. [Monetary penalties are assessed to compensate for devaluation of the injured individual, pain sustained, medical bills, unemployment due to the injury, and shame incurred.]
Only an ordained court in the Land of Israel can adjudicate such cases [with the exception of medical bills and unemployment, that can be adjudicated by all rabbinical courts no matter the location].
Full text of this Mitzvah »
• Personal Injury
Positive Commandment 236
Translated by Berel Bell
The 236th mitzvah is that we are commanded regarding someone who wounds another person.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "[This is the law] when two men fight, and one hits the other..." These laws are called dinei k'nasos ["the laws of fines"].
There is one general verse which includes all these laws, namely G‑d's statement2 (exalted be He), "[If one maims his neighbor,] whatever he did must be done to him in return." The Oral Tradition explains that [it does not mean that he is literally to be harmed in return, but that] he must pay the monetary equivalent of the damage he has caused to the other person. Even if he merely shamed him, he must pay appropriate damages.
You should be aware that all these laws involve damage that one person causes to another. They may be judged and determined only by a High Court which was ordained in Israel. The same applies for cases when an animal damages a person or another animal.
The details of this mitzvah are explained in the 8th chapter of tractate Bava Kama.
FOOTNOTES
1.Ex. 21:18.
2.Lev. 24:19.
• Wednesday, 20 AV , 5776 · 24 August 2016
• Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
Important Message Regarding This Lesson
The Daily Mitzvah schedule runs parallel to the daily study of 3 chapters of Maimonides' 14-volume code. There are instances when the Mitzvah is repeated a few days consecutively while the exploration of the same Mitzvah continues in the in-depth track.
Positive Commandment 236
Personal Injury
"If men quarrel, and one strikes the other..."—Exodus 21:18.
The courts are commanded to adjudicate cases that involve personal injury cause by one person to another. [Monetary penalties are assessed to compensate for devaluation of the injured individual, pain sustained, medical bills, unemployment due to the injury, and shame incurred.]
Only an ordained court in the Land of Israel can adjudicate such cases [with the exception of medical bills and unemployment, that can be adjudicated by all rabbinical courts no matter the location].
Full text of this Mitzvah »
• Personal Injury
Positive Commandment 236
Translated by Berel Bell
The 236th mitzvah is that we are commanded regarding someone who wounds another person.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "[This is the law] when two men fight, and one hits the other..." These laws are called dinei k'nasos ["the laws of fines"].
There is one general verse which includes all these laws, namely G‑d's statement2 (exalted be He), "[If one maims his neighbor,] whatever he did must be done to him in return." The Oral Tradition explains that [it does not mean that he is literally to be harmed in return, but that] he must pay the monetary equivalent of the damage he has caused to the other person. Even if he merely shamed him, he must pay appropriate damages.
You should be aware that all these laws involve damage that one person causes to another. They may be judged and determined only by a High Court which was ordained in Israel. The same applies for cases when an animal damages a person or another animal.
The details of this mitzvah are explained in the 8th chapter of tractate Bava Kama.
FOOTNOTES
1.Ex. 21:18.
2.Lev. 24:19.
• Rambam - 1 Chapter: Parah Adummah Parah Adummah - Chapter 14
• Parah Adummah - Chapter 14
• Parah Adummah - Chapter 14
1
When an earthenware container that held the ashes of a red heifer was touched by the carcass of a crawling animal on its side, it is pure, for an earthenware container does not contract impurity from its outside, even with regard to this purification process. If, however, one placed the container on top of the carcass of the crawling animal, the ashes contract impurity, even though the container remains pure, as indicated by Numbers 19:9: states: "And he shall place them down outside the camp in a pure place," and this is not a pure place.
Not only does placing the ashes on the carcass of a crawling animal render them impure, they contract impurity even if they are placed on food which is a secondary derivative of impurity or the like which are less substantial types of impurity originating in Rabbinic decrees. For it is written: "A pure place," i.e., that they should not be placed on any impurity whatsoever.
Similar rulings apply if an earthenware container holding the ashes of the red heifer was placed on an aperture in an impure house. If the container was hanging within the inner space of the house, the ashes contract impurity even if the aperture was not a handbreadth by a handbreadth in size. If it was not hanging into the inner space of the house, it is impure if the aperture is a handbreadth by a handbreadth in size.
א
כלי חרס שהיה בו אפר חטאת ונגע בו שרץ מצדו טהור שאין כלי חרס מטמא מגבו אפילו לגבי חטאת הניח הכלי על גבי השרץ אע"פ שלא נטמא הכלי הרי האפר טמא שנאמר והניח מחוץ למחנה במקום טהור ואין זה מקום טהור ולא על גבי השרץ בלבד אלא אפילו הניחו על גבי אוכל שני וכיוצא בו מדבריהם שטומאתן טומאה קלה והם מדברי סופרים הרי נטמא האפר שנאמר במקום טהור שלא יהיה על [גבי] שום טומאה בעולם וכן כלי חרס שהיה בו אפר חטאת ונתון על ארובה שבבית טמא אם היה הכלי משולשל לבית נטמא האפר ואף על פי שאין בארובה פותח טפח ואם לא היה משולשל אם היה בארובה פותח טפח טמא:
2
If the container was made of stone, the ashes are pure, whether the aperture is a handbreadth by a handbreadth or not.
ב
היה הכלי של אבן בין שיש בה פותח טפח בין שאין בה האפר טהור:
3
Similarly, when a container that has the ashes of the red heifer or sanctified water was sealed closed and placed under the same shelter as a corpse, the ashes and/or the water are impure. The rationale is that articles associated with the purification process of the red heifer are not protected by a closed seal, for with regard to them, it is written: "a pure place," and this is not a pure place.
ג
וכן כלי שיש בו אפר או מים מקודשים ומוקף צמיד פתיל ונתון באהל המת הרי האפר והמים טמאים שאין אפר החטאת ניצלת בצמיד פתיל שנאמר במקום טהור ואין זה מקום טהור:
4
Similarly, sacrificial foods and liquids are not protected from impurity by being in a sealed container. Nevertheless, water that had not been sanctified and an empty container that was purified for use in this purification process are protected by a sealed container.
When does the above apply? When the owner was pure. If, however, the owner contracted impurity, the water is disqualified, no matter where it is located.
What is implied? If a person's water was in a sealed container and he and it were both under the same shelter as a corpse, they are both impure. If he is outside and water that is not sanctified is inside, they are both pure. If he is inside and the water is outside, just as he becomes impure, his water is also disqualified.
ד
וכן אוכלין ומשקין של קדש אינן ניצלין בצמיד פתיל אבל מים שאינן מקודשין וכלי ריקן הטהור לחטאת ניצל בצמיד פתיל במה דברים אמורים כשהיו הבעלים טהורים אבל אם נטמאו הבעלים נפסלו המים בכל מקום שהן כיצד היו מימיו מוקפין צמיד פתיל והוא והם באהל המת שניהן טמאים היה הוא מבחוץ והמים שאינן מקודשין מבפנים שניהן טהורין הוא בפנים והמים בחוץ כשם שהוא טמא כך מימיו פסולין:
5
The following laws apply when a person who had purified himself for the sake of this purification process was standing on an oven or a similar implement that had not been purified for this process and he extended his hands outside the space of the oven while holding a receptacle containing the water for this purification process. Similar laws apply if a bar was placed over an oven and receptacles holding water for this purification process were hanging from either side. The receptacles are impure, because they are not in a place that is pure for this purification process. Since they are supported by the oven, it is as if they are placed on top of it.
If, however, one was standing on an oven while holding an empty receptacle that was purified for this purification process or water that was not yet sanctified, their prior state of purity remains unchanged. If one was standing away from an oven and stretched out his hand and took a container that had water sanctified for this purification process and carried it over the oven, it remains pure. Similarly, if when one sprinkled this water, it passed over an impure place, e.g., a place where one sits or lies that became impure or the like, it is pure.
ה
הטהור לחטאת שהיה עומד על גבי התנור וכיוצא בו מכלים שאינם טהורים לחטאת ופשט ידו חוץ לתנור וכלי שיש בו מי חטאת בידו וכן קנה המוטל על גבי התנור ושני כלים שיש בהן מי חטאת תלויין בו אחד מכאן ואחד מכאן הרי אלו טמאין לפי שאינן במקום הטהור לחטאת והואיל והם נשענין על התנור הרי הן כאילו מונחין על גביו אבל אם היה עומד על התנור ובידו כלי ריקן הטהור לחטאת או מים שאינן מקודשין הרי אלו טהורין כמות שהיו היה עומד חוץ לתנור ופשט ידו לחלון ונטל כלי שיש בו חטאת והעבירו ע"ג התנור הרי זה טהור וכן הזייה שעברה ע"ג טומאה כגון משכב ומושב וכיוצא בהן ה"ז טהורה:
6
When a receptacle containing water for the purification process involving the ashes of the red heifer touches a receptacle containing consecrated food, the receptacle that contains the sanctified water and everything inside of it is considered as impure. The receptacle containing sacrificial food, by contrast, remains pure. Similarly, if a person who purified himself for this purification process touched both of these receptacles, each one with one of his hands while they are placed on the ground, the receptacle containing the sanctified water, becomes impure. The rationale is that the person who had purified himself for this process contracted impurity when touching a container that had not been purified for this purpose, as we explained, and then, he imparts impurity to the sanctified water.
ו
כלי שיש בו מי חטאת וכלי שיש בו קדש שנגעו זה בזה הרי נטמא כלי של חטאת וכל שיש בו אבל כלי הקדש טהור כשהיה וכן אם נגע הטהור לחטאת בשניהן בשתי ידיו כשהן מונחין על הארץ הרי נטמא של חטאת שהרי הטהור לחטאת נטמא בנגיעת הכלי שאינו טהור לחטאת כמו שביארנו וחזר וטימא את מי חטאת:
7
If he lifted up both receptacles, each with a different hand, they are both impure. The receptacle containing the sanctified water becomes impure because it was touched by a person who touched a container that was not purified for the sake of this purification process. And the one containing the sacrificial food became impure because it was lifted up by a person who became impure by carrying sanctified water. For the water conveys impurity when carried, because it contracted impurity from the receptacle containing sacrificial food.
For this reason, if the receptacle containing the sacrificial food was wrapped in paper and he lifted it up in the paper without touching the receptacle itself, and he lifted up the receptacle containing the sanctified water in his other hand, they are both pure. He did not contract impurity with regard to the purification process involving the ashes of the red heifer since he did not touch the other receptacle. If, however, he touched the receptacle containing the sacrificial food with his hand, they both contract impurity even though the receptacle containing the sanctified water was wrapped in paper.
ז
הגביה שני הכלים בשתי ידיו שניהן טמאין זה של חטאת נטמא מפני שנגע בו אדם שנגע בכלי שאינו טהור לחטאת ושל קודש נטמא מפני זה שהגביהו והוא טמא בנשיאת מי נדה שהן מטמאין במשא מפני שנטמאו מחמת הכלי של קדש לפיכך אם היה הכלי של קדש כרוך בנייר והגביה בנייר ולא נגע בו והגביה החטאת בידו שנייה שניהן טהורין שהרי לא נגע בכלי ולא נטמא לחטאת אבל אם היה נוגע בכלי הקדש בידו אפילו היה של חטאת בנייר שניהם טמאין:
8
If he moved the two receptacles with his hands simultaneously without touching them, they are both pure. For a receptacle that was not purified for this purification process does not impart impurity to a person who purified himself for that purpose unless he touches it with his hands unless it is fit to contract impurity when azav lies or sits upon it, as we explained.
ח
הסיט את שני הכלים בידו ולא נגע בהן שניהן טהורין שאין הכלי שאינו טהור לחטאת מטמא את הטהור לחטאת עד שיגע בו בידו אלא אם כן היה ראוי למדרס כמו שביארנו:
9
In all of the situations where there is a question with regard to impurity and the ruling is that one is pure with regard toterumah, as will be explained, he is also considered pure with regard to this purification process. With regard to all of the situations where terumah is left for its status to be determined, were such a situation to occur with regard to the water or the ashes designated for this process, they should be disposed of.
If pure entities were used on the above utensils or if a person became involved in such a situation where the doubt causes the ashes and/or the water to be disposed of, the status of the pure entities is left in the balance. Rafters are not considered as utensils. Hence, they are pure with regard to terumah, sacrificial foods, and the purification process involving the ashes of the red heifer.
ט
כל ספק הטומאות שהוא טהור לגבי תרומה כמו שיתבאר הרי הוא טהור לחטאת וכל הספיקות שתולין בהן את התרומה אם נולדו בחטאת הרי אלו נשפכין ואם נעשו טהרות על גבי אותן כלים ואדם שנולדו להן ספיקות אלו שהחטאות נשפכין עליהן הרי אותן הטהרות תלויות והרפפות אינן ככלים והרי הן טהורות לתרומה ולקודש ולחטאת:
10
The following laws apply when a dried fig that is terumahfell into water sanctified for this purification process and then it was taken out and eaten. If it is the size of an egg, the water becomes impure whether the fig was impure or pure. The rationale is that all foods, even sanctified foods, are not pure with regard to this purification process. One who partakes of it is liable for death, because he partook of terumah after contracting impurity from the sanctified water. If the fig is not the size of an egg, the water remains pure, because food does not impart impurity to other entities unless it is the size of an egg. This applies with regard toterumah, to sacrificial foods, and to this purification process.
י
דבילה של תרומה שנפלה לתוך מי חטאת ונטלה ואכלה אם יש בה כביצה המים טמאין בין שהיתה הדבילה טמאה בין שהיתה טהורה שכל האוכלין אפילו אוכל קודש אינו טהור לחטאת והאוכלה חייב מיתה מפני שאכל תרומה טמאה ואם אין בה כביצה המים בטהרתן שאין האוכל מטמא אחרים עד שיהיה בו כביצה בין לתרומה בין לקדש בין לחטאת:
• Rambam - 3 Chapters: Shechenim Shechenim - Chapter Ten, Shechenim Shechenim - Chapter Eleven, Shechenim Shechenim - Chapter Twelve
• Shechenim - Chapter Ten
• Hayom Yom: Today's Hayom Yom
• Wednesday, 20 AV , 5776 · 24 August 2016
• "Today's Day"
• Shabbat, Menachem Av 20*, 5703
Torah lessons: Chumash: Eikev, Shevi'i with Rashi.
Tehillim: 97-103.
Tanya: But after the (p. 415) ...will understand. (p. 419).
Just as with the mitzva of tefillin for example, there is a designated place for them on the head and arm, and one feels the weight of the head-tefilla and the tightness of the hand-tefilla, so too with the mitzvot of ahava and yira, love and fear (awe) of G-d. As Rambam writes, in Yesodei Hatorah 2:1: It is a commandment to love and fear the revered and awesome G-d, as it is said, "Love Hashem your G-d", and "You shall fear Hashem your G-d."
Now the degree of fulfillment of these mitzvot is that there be a bodily sensation, that the very flesh of the heart actually feel (the love or the fear); just as, for example, when one meets a truly devoted friend. Not only does he feel good and forget all his troubles, he even enjoys a newly-awakened inner liveliness and optimism - all stemming from his cheerful mood.
So, too, with (the opposite emotion of) fear (of G-d); he is seized by a great dread and fright, for at that moment he recalls whatever was undesirable in his thoughts, words and deeds. His heart feels a palpable pain from his dread of punishment, his fear of Heaven. At times he may experience yirat boshet, an overwhelming shame,1 or yirat harom'mut, awe of G-d's transcendent majesty.2
FOOTNOTES
*.This day marks the yahrzeit, in 5704 (1944) of Rav Levi Yitschak Schneerson of blessed memory, father of the Rebbe of righteous memory . "He was imprisoned and exiled for his work in strengthening Judaism, and he passed away in exile, on the twentieth day of the month Menachem Av..." (Wording on the headstone at the resting-place of Rebbetzin Chana of blessed memory).
1.At his own insignificance.
2.Viz. Tanya, Ch. 4. This fear-sensation is beyond even that of yirat boshet.
• Daily Thought:
• Shechenim - Chapter Ten
1
A tree should be planted at least 25 cubits away from a city. A carob tree and a wild fig tree should be planted at least 50 cubits away. These measures were instituted for the aesthetic appearance of the city. When a tree is found within these distances, it should be cut down. If the tree was planted there before the city expanded to its present size, the inhabitants of the city must pay the owner for his tree. If there is a doubt concerning the matter, and it is not known which came first, the owner of the tree is not reimbursed. Instead, he must take his tree and depart.
א
מרחיקין את האילן מן העיר כ"ה אמה ובחרוב ובשקמה חמשים אמה מפני נויי העיר וכל אילן הנמצא קרוב לעיר פחות מזה קוצצין אותו ואם האילן קדם נותנין לו בני העיר דמיו ואם היה הדבר ספק ולא נודע אי זה מהם קדם אין לבעל האילן דמים אלא נוטל עציו והולך:
2
A significantly large threshing floor should be separated from a city at least 50 cubits, so that the wind will not carry the straw when the produce is winnowed and cause it to harm the inhabitants of the city.
Similarly, a person should not make a significantly large threshing floor within his own property unless he owns 50 cubits around it in all directions, so that the straw does not damage his colleague's plants or a field that he has left fallow.
ב
מרחיקין גורן קבוע מן העיר חמשים אמה כדי שלא יוליך הרוח התבן בעת שזורה ויזיק לבני העיר וכן לא יעשה אדם גורן קבוע בתוך שלו אא"כ היה לו חמשים אמה לכל רוח כדי שלא יזיק התבן לנטיעת חבירו או לנירו:
3
Animal carcasses, graves and leather works must be situated at least 50 cubits away from a city.
ג
מרחיקין את הנבילות ואת הקברות ואת הבורסקי מן העיר חמשים אמה:
4
Leather works should be positioned only to the east of a city, because the east wind is warm and minimizes the harm caused by the odor of the leather making process.
ד
ואין עושין בורסקי אלא למזרח העיר מפני שרוח מזרחית חמה וממעטת היזק ריח עיבוד העורות:
5
The following principles apply when a person intends to soak flax near a vegetable garden belonging to a colleague, in which instance the water used for soaking would be absorbed in the earth and damage the vegetables; or he plants leeks near onions belonging to a colleague, in which instance the flavor of the onions will be weakened; or he plants mustard next to a beehive, in which instance the bees will eat the leaves, and thus the honey will be spoiled. The person whose actions will cause the damage is not required to make a separation so that damage does not take place. Instead, it is the person whose property that will be damaged who must distance his crops if he wishes that the damage not occur. For the other person is performing his activity on his own property; the damage occurs on its own as it were.
When do we say that he does not have to keep a distance? When the damage comes about by itself after the person whose deeds caused the damage ceases his activity. When, however, the acts that this person performs in his own domain cause damage to his colleague's property at the time he is performing the action, he is considered to have damaged the property with his hands. To what can the matter be likened? To a person who is standing in his own property and shooting arrows into his neighbor's, and saying: "What's the problem? I am acting in my own property. " Certainly, such a person should be prevented from causing damage.
With regard to all the instances above where a separation was required, if the person does not make the required separation, he is considered to have caused the damage with his arrows. Therefore, one must make a separation of three handbreadths or slightly more between soaking flax and vegetables, leeks and onions, and mustard and bees, so that one will not be considered as having caused the damage through one's own actions. It is, however, not necessary to make a separation great enough to prevent the damage from occurring on its own accord.
ה
מי שבא לעשות משרה של פשתן בצד ירק של חבירו שהרי מי המשרה נבלעין בארץ והולכין ומפסידין את הירק או שנטע כרישין קרוב מן הבצלים של חבירו שהן מפיגין טעמן או שנטע חרדל בצד כוורת דבורים שהרי הדבורים אוכלין העלין ומפסידין את הדבש וכל אלו וכיוצא בהן אין צריך להרחיק בכדי שלא יזיק ועל הניזק להרחיק את עצמו אם ירצה עד שלא יגיע לו הנזק שזה בתוך שלו הוא עושה והנזק בא לחבירו מאליו בד"א שאינו מרחיק כשהיה הנזק בא מאליו אחר שיפסקו מעשיו של מזיק אבל אם היו מעשיו של זה שעושה ברשותו מזיקין את חבירו בשעת עשייתו הרי זה כמי שמזיק בידו הא למה זה דומה למי שעומד ברשותו ויורה חצים לחצר חבירו ואמר ברשותי אני עושה שמונעין אותו וכן כל הרחקות האמורות למעלה בענין זה אם לא הרחיקו הרי זה כמי שהזיק בחציו לפיכך צריך שירחיק משדה מן הירק וכרישין מן הבצלים וחרדל מן הדבורים שלשה טפחים או יתר מעט כדי שלא יהיה היזק בידים אבל להרחיק עד שלא יבא הנזק מאליו אין צריך:
6
The following rules apply when the owner of a second storey pours out water on his floor and it descends into the room below him. If there was plaster between the ceiling and the floor in which the water could collect at the time it was poured, so that after the owner of the upper storey had completed pouring his water, it would be absorbed, and only later would it descend into the lower dwelling, it is the responsibility of the owner of the lower dwelling to correct the situation, and prevent damage from occurring to him.
If there was no plaster there, and immediately when water was poured out it would descend, the owner of the upper storey is considered as if he causes damage with his arrows, and he is required either to fix the flooring or to refrain from pouring water. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.
ו
בעל העלייה שהיה שופך מים והן יורדין על חדר למטה אם היתה שם מעזיבה שהמים כלים בה בעת שפיכה ואחר שיפסיק עליון מלשפוך יתבלע המים וירדו וינטפו על התחתון צריך התחתון לתקן ולהרחיק מן עצמו הנזק ואם אין שם מעזיבה אלא כשישפוך ירדו המים מיד הרי זה כמזיק בחציו והעליון מתקן או ימנע מלשפוך וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
7
The following rules apply when a person has a tree growing in his own field, but near a cistern belonging to a colleague. The owner of the cistern may not lodge a complaint against him, protesting that "the roots of your tree enter into my cistern and destroy it. " The rationale is that the damage comes about as a matter of course, at a later time; at the time he planted it, it did not cause any damage. Just as the owner of the cistern may dig within his own property, so too, the owner of the tree may plant within his own property.
Similarly, if Reuven dug a cistern and found the roots of a tree belonging to his neighbor Shimon in his field, he may cut them off and dig deeper. The wood belongs to him. If he dug within sixteen cubits of Shimon's tree, the roots belong to Shimon. He may cut them off, but must give them to him.
The following rule applies if he does not have to dig a cistern, and the roots of Shimon's tree grow into his field. He should dig down three handbreadths, the amount of space necessary to prevent a plow from being impeded. He may cut off any root that is within these three handbreadths. He need not be concerned that perhaps this will cause his colleague's tree to dry out, for he is digging within his own property.
ז
מי שהיה לו אילן בתוך שדהו קרוב לבור חבירו אין בעל הבור יכול לעכב עליו ולומר לו הרי שרשי האילן נכנסים לבור שלי ומפסידין אותו שזה נזק הבא מאליו הוא לאחר זמן ובעת שנטע אינו מזיקו וכשם שזה חופר בתוך שלו כך זה נוטע בתוך שלו וכן ראובן שחפר בור וירד ומצא שרשי אילן של שמעון בתוך שדהו קוצץ וחופר והעצים שלו ואם היה קרוב לאילן שמעון בתוך ט"ז אמה השרשים של שמעון וקוצצן ונותנן לו ואם אין צריך לחפר בור ויצאו השרשים של שמעון בתוך שדהו הרי הוא מעמיק שלשה טפחים כדי שלא יעכב המחרישה וכל שורש שמצא בתוך שלשה טפחים קוצצו ואינו חושש שמא יבש האילן של חבירו שזה בתוך שלו הוא חופר:
8
The following rules apply when a field belonging to a person's neighbor was planted with vines or trees, and the person decides to plant vines in his field next to those vines or trees next to those trees. He must distance these four cubits from those.
When does the above apply? In Eretz Yisrael. In the diaspora, by contrast, he is required to separate only two cubits between the vines. Between vines and trees, or between two sets of trees, however, a four-cubit separation is required in every land. If there was a fence between the two properties, in any land, both neighbors may plant to the edge of the fence.
When a tree belonging to a person's neighbor is leaning into that person's field, he may cut to the height of the goad that is on the plow. With regard to a carob tree and a wild fig tree, he may cut down all the branches until the branches are even with the property line. Similarly, if any tree is planted near a parched field or an orchard, the owner may cut down all the branches belonging to a neighbor until the branches are even with the property line.
ח
מי שהיתה שדה חבירו נטועה גפנים או שאר אילנות ובא הוא לנטוע בתוך שדהו גפנים בצד גפנים או אילנות בצד אילנות צריך להרחיק ארבע אמות במה דברים אמורים בארץ ישראל אבל בחוצה לארץ מרחיק בין גפנים לגפנים שתי אמות ובין גפנים לשאר אילנות או בין אילנות לאילנות ארבע אמות בכל מקום היה גדר בינתיים זה סומך לגדר וזה סומך לגדר בכ"מ מי שהיה אילן חבירו נוטה לתוך שדהו קוצץ כמלא מרדע על גבי המחרישה ובחרוב ובשקמה קוצץ כל הנוטה עד שיהיה שקול כנגד המצר וכן אם היה נוטה על בית השלחין של חבירו או על בית האילן קוצץ את כל הנוטה עד שיהיה שקול כנגד המצר:
Shechenim - Chapter Eleven
1
When a person makes a threshing floor within his own property, or establishes a latrine or a place to perform work that creates dust, dirt or the like, he must distance the place of his activity far enough that the dirt, the odor of the latrine, or the dust does not reach his colleague and cause him damage. Even if it is the wind that brings dirt, the loose strands of flax or the chaff or the like, generated when he performs his activity to his colleague's premises, he must separate himself so that it does not reach his colleague's property and cause damage even when this is caused by an ordinary wind. For all of these situations can be likened to causing damage with one's arrows.
א
מי שעשה גורן בתוך שלו או קבע בית הכסא או מלאכה שיש בה אבק ועפר וכיוצא בהן צריך להרחיק כדי שלא יגיע העפר או ריח בית הכסא או האבק לחבירו כדי שלא יזיקו אפילו היתה הרוח הוא שמסייע אותו בעת שעושה מלאכתו ומוליכה את העפר או נעורת הפשתן והמוץ וכיוצא בהן ומגיעתן לחבירו הרי זה חייב להרחיק כדי שלא יגיעו ולא יזיקו ואפילו על ידי הרוח מצויה שכל אלו כמי שהזיקו בחציו הן:
2
Even though a person is obligated to make such a separation, if an ordinary wind carried the chaff or the dirt and it caused damage, the person performing the activity is not liable to pay. For it is the wind's influence that caused the damage; it did not come about because of the force of the person whose acts led to the damage.
ב
אע"פ שהוא חייב להרחיק כל כך אם הוליכה הרוח המצויה המוץ ואת העפר והזיקה בהן פטור מלשלם שהרוח הוא שסייע אותו ואין נזק זה בא מכח מזיק עצמו:
3
When someone crushes groats or the like in his own property, but when he beats upon them, his colleague's adjoining courtyard shakes to the extent that a cover falls off a jug, he is considered to have caused damage with his arrows. He must either move far enough away so that the courtyard does not shake, or must cease the tasks that cause the damage. Moreover, if he causes damage when the courtyard shakes, he is liable to pay, because the damage came from his force.
ג
הכותש את הריפות וכיוצא בהן בתוך שלו ובעת שמכה מנדנד לחצר חבירו עד שנדנדה כסוי החבית על פי החבית הרי זה מזיק בחציו וחייב להרחיק כדי שלא ינדוד או יבטל מלאכתו שמזקת ואם הזיק בעת הנדנוד חייב לשלם שהרי מכחו בא הנזק:
4
The following principles apply with regard to all of the required separations mentioned in the previous chapters. If the person who was required to separate failed to do so, and the neighbor saw the disturbing factor and yet remained silent, he is considered to have waived his right to protest, and he may not raise a protest later to require him to move.
The above applies provided it is obvious that he waived his right to protest - e.g., he immediately helped his colleague in performing this activity, he told him to do so, or he saw him perform this activity next to him and remained silent and did not take issue with him. The general principle is: Whenever a person establishes a right to perform a damaging activity, that right is entrenched as his own, as has been explained.
When does the above apply? When he established his right to perform any damaging activity with the exception of the four mentioned in this chapter: smoke, the odor of a latrine, dust and the like, and the shaking of the ground. For with regard to these activities, one can never establish his right to perform them. Even if the person suffering from this damage remains silent for several years, he may come and force his neighbor to distance himself.
Similar concepts also apply with regard to the invasion of privacy in places where it is required to build a partition. He may compel him to build a partition whenever he desires, as explained.
Why are these damaging factors different from all other damaging factors? Because a person's disposition will never be willing to bear these damaging activities, and we assume that he has not waived his right to protest. For the damage is of an ongoing nature. If, however, a kinyan was concluded, confirming that he waives his right to protest these activities, he may not retract.
ד
כל ההרחקות האמורות בפרקים של מעלה אם לא הרחיק וראה חבירו ושתק הרי זה מחל ואינו יכול לחזור ולהצריכו ולהרחיקו והוא שיראה ממנו שמחל כגון שסייע עמו מיד או שאמר לו לעשות או שראהו שעשה בצדו בלא הרחקה ושתק ולא הקפיד על זה זכה שכל המחזיק בנזק זכה בו כמו שביארנו במה דברים אמורים בשהחזיק בשאר נזקין חוץ מארבעה מיני נזקין אלו האמורים בפרק זה שהן העשן וריח בית הכסא והאבק וכיוצא בו ונדנוד הקרקע שכל אחד מאלו אין לו חזקה ואפילו שתק הניזק כמה שנים הרי זה חוזר וכופהו להרחיק וכן היזק ראייה במקום שצריך מחיצה כופהו לעשות מחיצה בכל עת שירצה כמו שביארנו ולמה שינו נזקים אלו משאר נזקין לפי שאין דעתו של אדם סובלת נזק מאלו וחזקתו שאינו מוחל שהיזקו היזק קבוע ואם קנו מידו שמחל בנזקים אלו אינו יכול לחזור בו:
5
Similar rules apply with regard to a person who has established himself in a profession involving blood, animal carcasses or the like on his premises, and ravens and other birds of that type will come because of the blood, and eat. While doing so, they cause discomfort to the person's neighbor with their sounds and chirping, or with the blood on their feet. For they sit on the neighbor's trees and soil his produce. If the neighbor is irritable or sick, and the chirping of the birds harms him, or his produce is spoiled because of the blood, the person performing the task must cease or must separate to the extent that his neighbor does not suffer any harm because of him. For this type of harm is comparable to the odor of a latrine and the like, for which one can never establish the right to perform a task.
Similarly, if one of the inhabitants of a lane or a courtyard became a craftsman, and the other inhabitants did not protest, he established his right to practice this profession.Nevertheless, if there are people constantly coming in and out to purchase his wares, despite the fact that the neighbors remained silent, the craftsman does not establish his right to have his customers enter. At any time, the neighbors may protest and say: "We cannot sleep because of all the people coming in and going out. " For this damage is of an ongoing nature, like smoke or dust. The Geonim ruled in this fashion.
ה
מי שהחזיק לעשות מלאכת דם או נבילות וכיוצא בהן במקומן ויבואו העורבים וכיוצא בהן בגלל הדם ויאכלו והרי הן מצרין לחבירו בקולם וצפצופם או בדם שברגליהם שהן יושבין על האילנות ומלכלכין פירותיהם אם היה חבירו קפדן או חולה שצפצוף הזה מזיקו או שפירות שלו נפסדין לו בדם חייב לבטל אותה המלאכה או ירחיק עד שלא יבא לו היזק מחמתו שהיזק זה דומה לריח בית הכסא וכיוצא בו שאין לו חזקה וכן בני מבוי או בני חצר שנעשה אחד מהן אומן ולא מיחו בו שהרי הוחזק והיו העם נכנסין ויוצאין לקנות ושתקו לא החזיק בדבר זה ויש להם בכל עת לעכב ולומר אין אנו יכולין לישן מקול הנכנסין והיוצאין שזה היזק קבוע הוא כמו העשן והאבק וכזה הורו הגאונים:
6
The following rules apply when a person is known to have exercised a privilege that encroaches upon a colleague in a situation where his establishment of the right to this privilege would be recognized - e.g., he opened a window overlooking his neighbor's property, he diverted the direction of an irrigation ditch, or did not distance himself from his neighbor's property to the extent required. The person who established the right told his neighbor "You told me to do this, " "You waived your right to protest against me after you saw what I did, " or "The encroachment against your property was recognized, and yet you remained silent and did not protest against me. " The person whose rights were encroached, by contrast, claims: "This is the first time I saw it; I did not know of it beforehand, " or "When I saw it, I protested against you and you told me: 'I will distance myself,' or 'I will close it,' and you are continuously deferring me so that you can establish your rights to the privilege. " In all claims of this or a similar nature, it is the responsibility of the person whose rights were encroached to bring proof of his claim. If he does not bring proof, the person whose actions encroached upon his colleague may take a sh'vuat hesset and depart.
ו
מי שהחזיק בנזק שיש לו חזקה כגון שפתח חלון או העביר אמת המים או שלא הרחיק מה שראוי להרחיק והרי המחזיק טוען אתה אמרת לי לעשות או מחלת לי אחר שראית או הוכר הנזק ושתקת ולא מחית בי והניזק אומר עכשיו הוא שראיתי ולא ידעתי מקודם או שאמר כשראיתי מחיתי בך ואתה אמרת עתה ארחיק או אסתום ואתה מדחה אותי מיום אל יום כדי שתקבע היזקך בכל אלו וכיוצא בהן על הניזק להביא ראיה ואם לא הביא ישבע המזיק היסת ויפטר:
7
Different rules apply when a person is known to have exercised a privilege that encroaches upon a colleague in a situation where his establishment of the right to this privilege would not be recognized - e.g., producing smoke, the foul odor of a latrine and the like. If the person encroaching on his colleague claims that he established a kinyan with his neighbor with regard to this privilege, it is the responsibility of the person encroaching upon his colleague to prove that a kinyan was indeed performed. If he cannot produce proof, the neighbor whose rights were encroached must take a sh'vuat hesset that he never entered into a kinyan with regard to this matter. Afterwards the person who encroached upon his colleague must remove the disturbance.
ז
החזיק בנזק שאין לו חזקה כגון עשן ובית הכסא וכיוצא בהן וטען המזיק שקנה מידו של ניזק על המזיק להביא ראיה שקנו מידו ואם לא הביא ישבע הניזק היסת שלא קנו מידו על כך ויסלק זה היזקו:
Shechenim - Chapter Twelve
1
The following rules apply when brothers or partners come to divide a field, with each taking a portion. If the field was all of equal value, without one place being better and another worse, but instead it was all the same, the field is divided by measure. If one of the partners said: "Give me my portion on this side so that it will be close to another field which I own, so that they will be one large field, " his request is heeded, and we compel the other partner to grant him this privilege. For holding back in such a situation would be a reflection of the traits of Sodom.
If, however, one portion was of a higher quality than the other, closer to a river or to a path, and the two portions were evaluated, the good being made equivalent to the bad, and one of the partners asked that he be granted a portion on a particular side, we do not heed his request. Instead, they receive their portions by lot.
If one said to them: "Give me only half the measure of the entire property although I am being given from the lower quality portion without the field being evaluated, and you can receive the half of higher quality, so that my portion will be closer to me field, " theGeonim ruled that his request is heeded. My conception also leans toward this conclusion. It is appropriate to rule in this manner.
א
האחין או השותפין שבאו לחלוק את השדה וליטול כל אחד חלקו אם היתה כולה שוה ואין שם מקום טוב ומקום רע אלא הכל אחד חולקין לפי המדה בלבד ואם אמר אחד מהם תנו לי חלקי מצד זה כדי שיהא סמוך לשדה אחר שלי ויהיה הכל שדה אחת שומעין לו וכופה אותו על זה שעיכוב בדבר זה מדת סדום היא אבל אם היה חלק אחד ממנה טוב או קרוב לנהר יותר או קרוב לדרך ושמו אותה היפה כנגד הרע ואמר תנו לי בשומא שלי מצד זה אין שומעין לו אלא נוטל בגורל אמר להם תנו לי (בשומא שלי מצד זה) חצי מדתה מן הצד הרע בלא שומא וטול אתה מן הצד הטוב כדי שיהיה חלקי סמוך לשדה שלי הורו מקצת הגאונים ששומעין לו ולזה דעתי נוטה וכן ראוי לדון:
2
When a firstborn participates in the division of a property, he is granted both his shares together. When, however, a yevamdivides his father's estate together with his brothers, he is allotted both his portion and his brother's portion by lottery. If he is allotted both of these portions together, this is his allotment. And if he is allotted them in separate places, that is his allotment.
ב
הבכור שחלק נוטל שני חלקים שלו כאחד אבל היבם שחלק עם אחיו בנכסי האב נוטל חלקו וחלק אחיו בגורל אם עלו במקום אחד עלו ואם עלו בשתי מקומות עלו:
3
When a property is surrounded by a river on its east and north sides and by a path on its south and west sides, it is divided on a diagonal. In this way, each person receives access to a river and a path. If one of the partners requested: "Give me my portion on this side, because it is next to my field, his request is heeded. The general principle is: Whenever there is a matter which provides benefit to one party, but does not cause a colleague a loss at all, we compel the colleague to comply.
ג
ארץ מרובעת שהיה הנהר מקיף לה מזרח וצפון והדרך דרום ומערב חולקין אותה באלכסון כדי שיגיע לזה נהר ודרך ולזה נהר ודרך ואם אמר תנו לי החצי שמצד זה שהוא בצד שדי שומעין לו כללו של דבר כל דבר שהוא טוב לזה ואין על חבירו הפסד כלל כופין אותו לעשות:
4
When one of a group of brothers or partners sells his portion to another individual, the other brothers or partners may remove that individual from his purchase. They must pay him the price he paid, but he must depart. This privilege was granted to prevent a foreign party from entering among them.
ד
אחד מן האחין או מן השותפין שמכר חלקו לאחר מסלקין את הלוקח ונותנין לו שאר האחין או שאר השותפין דמים שנתן והולך כדי שלא יכנס זר ביניהן:
5
This is not the limit of this principle. Even when a person sells property which he owns to another person, his colleague, the owner of the property neighboring his, has the right to pay the purchase price to the buy and remove him from his purchase. The purchaser who comes from afar is considered as the agentof the neighbor.
This applies whether the original owner's agent conducted the sale, or whether the property was sold by the court, the privilege of a neighbor is granted. Even if the purchaser was a Torah scholar, a non-immediate neighbor,and a relative of the seller, while the neighbor was an unlearned learned person with no family connections to the seller, the neighbor receives priority and may remove the purchaser.
This practice stems from the charge Deuteronomy 6:18: "And you shall do what is just and good. " Our Sages said: "Since the sale is fundamentally the same, it is 'just and good,' that the property should be acquired by the neighbor, instead of the person living further away."
If there are many neighbors, all have a right to acquire the property which was sold. It is divided among them equally, according to their number, and they all must reimburse the buyer for the purchase price.
This applies provided they all come at the same time. If, however, one comes and purchases the property from the buyer, he alone acquires it, for he is a neighbor. Similarly, if some of the neighbors comes and purchase it and others are in a distant country, those who are present are entitled to purchase it and it becomes theirs.
Similarly, if a person sells a property to one neighbor or one of his business partners, even if he is not a partner in the ownership of landed property, that person acquires it. The other partners or neighbors do not have the right to acquire it together with him.
ה
ולא עוד אלא המוכר קרקע שלו לאחר יש לחבירו שהוא בצד המצר שלו ליתן דמים ללוקח ולסלק אותו וזה הלוקח הרחוק כאילו הוא שליח של בן המצר בין שמכר הוא בין שמכר שלוחו בין שמכרו ב"ד יש בו דין בן המצר אפילו היה הלוקח ת"ח ושכן וקרוב למוכר ובן המצר ע"ה רחוק בן המצר קודם ומסלק את הלוקח ודבר זה משום שנאמר ועשית הישר והטוב אמרו חכמים הואיל והמכר אחד הוא טוב וישר הוא שיקנה מקום זה בן המצר יותר מן הרחוק היו בני המצר רבים כולם זוכים בזו השדה הנמכרת והיא ביניהם לפי מניינם ונותנין מן הדמים ללוקח והוא שבאו כולם בפעם אחת אבל אם קדם אחד מהן וסלק את הלוקח זכה בה לבדו הואיל והוא בן המצר וכן אם באו מקצתן ומקצתן במדינה אחרת מסלקין אותו אלו העומדים כאן בלבד והיא להן וכן המוכר לאחד מבני המצר או לאחד מן השותפין שלו במשא ומתן אף על פי שאינו שותפו בקרקע זכה בה ואין שאר השותפין או שאר בני המצר נוטלין עמו:
6
When a person sells all his properties to one person, a person whose property borders on one of the fields that were sold does not have the right to displace the purchaser from that field, for he purchased it and the other fields at once.
Similarly, when a person sells a field to its original owners, or when one purchases it from a gentile, the neighbor is not given the right to purchase it.
ו
המוכר כל נכסיו לאחד אין בעל המצר של שדה אחת מסלק את הלוקח מאותה השדה שהרי היא והאחרת קנה כאחד וכן המוכר לבעלים הראשונים או הלוקח מן העכו"ם אין בו דין בן המצר:
7
When a person sells property to a gentile, the seller is placed under a ban of ostracism until he accepts responsibility for any loss that the gentile might cause his neighbors and the gentile agrees conduct himself in relation to his neighbors according to Jewish law in all matters. If the gentile compels a neighbor to accept a loss for which he would not be responsible according to Jewish law, the seller is compelled to make restitution.
ז
המוכר לעכו"ם משמתין אותו עד שיקבל עליו כל אונס שיבא מן העכו"ם עד שינהוג העכו"ם עם בן המצר שלו בדיני ישראל בכל ואם אנסו שלא כדין ישראל משלם המוכר:
8
The rights of a neighbor do not apply with regard to the rental of property.
ח
השכירות אין בה משום דין בן המצר:
9
When a person designates a property as security, and afterwards sells it to the person to whom he had designated it as security, the neighbors are not given the right to displace the purchaser.
Similarly, the neighbors are not given the right to displace the purchaser when a person sells a property because it is located far from him in order to purchase another that is located closer, when the seller sold a less valuable property in order to use the proceeds of the sale to purchase a more valuable one, when he sold a property to pay his taxes to the king, or when a property was sold to pay for burial expenses or the support of the owner's widow or daughters. Instead, the purchaser acquires the property.
ט
הממשכן מקום ואחר כך מכרו לזה שהוא ממושכן בידו אין בו משום דין בן המצר וכן המוכר מקום רחוק כדי לגאול מקום קרוב או שמכר רע כדי לגאול יפה בדמיו או שמכר כדי ליתן מנת המלך או שמכר לקבורה או למזון האשה או הבנות אין באחד מאלו דין בן המצר אלא זכה הלוקח
10
Why are the neighbors not given the right to displace the purchaser? For in all these situations, the seller is very anxious to sell the property, and he is selling it because of a dire need. If the neighbors were given the right to displace the purchaser, no one would ever be willing to purchase property.For the purchaser will say; "Why should I trouble myself to purchase this property? So that the neighbor will come and displace me? " And the seller will not be able to wait until the neighbor brings money and purchases it.
י
ולמה אין בהן דין בן המצר שכל אלו טרודין הן למכור ומשום צורך גדול מוכרין ואם תאמר יש בהן דין בן המצר לא ימצאו לוקח שהרי אומר למה אטרח ואקח כדי שיבא זה ויסלק אותי ואין הבעלים יכולין להמתין עד שיביא בעל המצר מעות ויקנה:
11
The following rules apply when the purchaser claims that the seller sold the property to him because he was pressed for funds to pay a tax or the like, and the neighbor claims that he is lying and fabricating a story in order to nullify his right. The neighbor is responsible for proving his claim. Only then can he expropriate the property from the purchaser. If the neighbor does not prove his claim, the purchaser must support his claim with ash'vuat hesset.
יא
הרי שטען הלוקח ואמר מפני המס וכיוצא בו מכר לו המוכר ובעל המצר אומר שקר אתה טוען לבטל זכותי על בעל המצר להביא ראיה ואחר כך יוציא מיד הלוקח ואם לא הביא ראיה ישבע הלוקח היסת:
12
Even if the purchaser does not have a definite claim concerning the matter, the purchaser cannot be compelled to relinquish his purchase unless the neighbor brings clear-cut proof. Therefore, if the purchaser claims "You have stolen the field that you claim to be your own," "You are merely a sharecropper," "a renter," or "received it as security, " the neighbor must prove that he is a neighbor and that he has established his claim to the property he alleges to own. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.
יב
אפילו היה שם בדבר ספק אין הלוקח מסתלק אלא בראיה ברורה שהביא בעל המצר לפיכך אם טען הלוקח ואמר גזלן אתה לשדה זו אריס אתה לשדה זו או שוכר או ממשכן צריך בעל המצר להביא ראיה שהוא בעל המצר ושהקרקע זו בחזקתו וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
13
When a person sells property to orphans below the age of majority,the neighbor is not given the right to displace the purchaser. For "goodness and justice" is to act generously toward such individuals more than a neighbor.
יג
המוכר ליתומים קטנים אין בו דין בעל המצר הטוב והישר שעושין חסד עם אלו יתר מבעל המצר:
14
Similarly, when a person sells property to a woman, the neighbor is not given the right to displace the purchaser. The rationale is that it is not customary for women to trouble themselves frequently to purchase property. Hence, since a woman did make such an effort, and purchased property, it is an act of kindness to allow her to retain ownership of it.
יד
וכן המוכר לאשה אין בו דין בעל המצר מפני שאין דרכה לטרוח תמיד ולקנות הואיל ולקחה חסד הוא שתעמוד הקרקע בידה:
15
If property was sold to a tumtum and an androgynous, a neighbor is not given the right to displace them, because they may be women.
טו
מכר לטומטום ואנדרוגינוס בעל המצר יכול לסלקן מפני שהן ספק אשה:
16
The following laws apply when the land of a property is owned by one individual and the building or the trees situated upon it is owned by another. If the owner of the building or the trees has privileges with regard to the land, each of them is considered to be the other's neighbor. Therefore, if either of them sold his portion, his colleague has the right to displace the purchaser.
Different rules apply when, by contrast, the owner of the trees or the building does not have any right to the land, and whenever he desires the owner of the land may tell the owner of the trees or the building: "Uproot your trees, " or "Destroy your building." If the owner of the field sells his property, the purchaser acquires his purchase. Neither the owner of the trees nor the owner of the building has the right to displace him. If the owner of the trees or the owner of the building sells his possession, the owner of the land has the right to displace him.
טז
היתה הקרקע של אחד מהן והבנין או האילנות של אחד אם יש לבעל הבנין או לבעל האילנות זכות בקרקע כל אחד מהן בן המצר של חבירו לפיכך אם מכר אחד מהן חלקו חבירו מסלק הלוקח אבל אם אין לבעל האילנות או לבעל הבנין זכות בקרקע אלא כל זמן שירצה אומר לו עקור אילנך או הרוס בניינך ומכר בעל השדה זכה הלוקח ואין בעל האילנות או בעל הבנין מסלק אותו ואם מכר בעל הבנין או בעל האילן הרי בעל הקרקע מסלק אותו:
17
The following rules serve as guidelines when a row of date palms, a tall and sturdy building, a ditch, or the like separate between a person's property and the property border of a colleague: We see if it is possible to plant even one row of produce within the intervening entity, so that the two fields would be joined. If so, he is considered a neighbor, and he has the right to displace the purchaser. If not, he may not displace the purchaser.
יז
היה מפסיק בינו ובין מצר של חבירו רכב דקלים או בנין גבוה וחזק או גומא וכיוצא בהן רואין אם יכול להכניס אפילו תלם אחד בתוך הדבר המפסיק עד שיתערבו שתי השדות הרי זה בן מצר שלו ומסלק הלוקח ואם לאו אינו מסלק הלוקח:
• Wednesday, 20 AV , 5776 · 24 August 2016
• "Today's Day"
• Shabbat, Menachem Av 20*, 5703
Torah lessons: Chumash: Eikev, Shevi'i with Rashi.
Tehillim: 97-103.
Tanya: But after the (p. 415) ...will understand. (p. 419).
Just as with the mitzva of tefillin for example, there is a designated place for them on the head and arm, and one feels the weight of the head-tefilla and the tightness of the hand-tefilla, so too with the mitzvot of ahava and yira, love and fear (awe) of G-d. As Rambam writes, in Yesodei Hatorah 2:1: It is a commandment to love and fear the revered and awesome G-d, as it is said, "Love Hashem your G-d", and "You shall fear Hashem your G-d."
Now the degree of fulfillment of these mitzvot is that there be a bodily sensation, that the very flesh of the heart actually feel (the love or the fear); just as, for example, when one meets a truly devoted friend. Not only does he feel good and forget all his troubles, he even enjoys a newly-awakened inner liveliness and optimism - all stemming from his cheerful mood.
So, too, with (the opposite emotion of) fear (of G-d); he is seized by a great dread and fright, for at that moment he recalls whatever was undesirable in his thoughts, words and deeds. His heart feels a palpable pain from his dread of punishment, his fear of Heaven. At times he may experience yirat boshet, an overwhelming shame,1 or yirat harom'mut, awe of G-d's transcendent majesty.2
FOOTNOTES
*.This day marks the yahrzeit, in 5704 (1944) of Rav Levi Yitschak Schneerson of blessed memory, father of the Rebbe of righteous memory . "He was imprisoned and exiled for his work in strengthening Judaism, and he passed away in exile, on the twentieth day of the month Menachem Av..." (Wording on the headstone at the resting-place of Rebbetzin Chana of blessed memory).
1.At his own insignificance.
2.Viz. Tanya, Ch. 4. This fear-sensation is beyond even that of yirat boshet.
• Daily Thought:
Together
Even if all the Jewish people worshipped idols, but lived together in peace, the sages taught, G‑d could not punish them.
All the more so when they are united in a good cause—that oneness is a receptacle wide enough for open miracles.[Simchat Torah 5737, sicha 7. Torat Menachem 5752, vol. 2 page 361. Based on Derech Eretz Zuta:9.]
Even if all the Jewish people worshipped idols, but lived together in peace, the sages taught, G‑d could not punish them.
All the more so when they are united in a good cause—that oneness is a receptacle wide enough for open miracles.[Simchat Torah 5737, sicha 7. Torat Menachem 5752, vol. 2 page 361. Based on Derech Eretz Zuta:9.]
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