Torah Reading
Re'eh: Deuteronomy 11:26 “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse — 27 the blessing, if you listen to the mitzvot of Adonai your God that I am giving you today; 28 and the curse, if you don’t listen to the mitzvot of Adonai your God, but turn aside from the way I am ordering you today and follow other gods that you have not known.
29 “When Adonai your God brings you into the land you are entering in order to take possession of it, you are to put the blessing on Mount G’rizim and the curse on Mount ‘Eival. 30 Both are west of the Yarden, in the direction of the sunset, in the land of the Kena‘ani living in the ‘Aravah, across from Gilgal, near the pistachio trees of Moreh. 31 For you are to cross the Yarden to enter and take possession of the land Adonai your God is giving you; you are to own it and live in it. 32 And you are to take care to follow all the laws and rulings I am setting before you today.
12:1 Here are the laws and rulings you are to observe and obey in the land Adonai, the God of your ancestors, has given you to possess as long as you live on earth. 2 You must destroy all the places where the nations you are dispossessing served their gods, whether on high mountains, on hills, or under some leafy tree. 3 Break down their altars, smash their standing-stones to pieces, burn up their sacred poles completely and cut down the carved images of their gods. Exterminate their name from that place.
4 “But you are not to treat Adonai your God this way. 5 Rather, you are to come to the place where Adonai your God will put his name. He will choose it from all your tribes; and you will seek out that place, which is where he will live, and go there. 6 You will bring there your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tenths [that you set aside for Adonai], the offerings that you give, the offerings you have vowed, your voluntary offerings, and the firstborn of your cattle and sheep. 7 There you will eat in the presence of Adonai your God; and you will rejoice over everything you set out to do, you and your households, in which Adonai your God has blessed you. 8 You will not do things the way we do them here today, where everyone does whatever in his own opinion seems right; 9 because you haven’t yet arrived at the rest and inheritance which Adonai your God is giving you. 10 But when you cross the Yarden and live in the land Adonai your God is having you inherit, and he gives you rest from all your surrounding enemies, so that you are living in safety; (ii) 11 then you will bring all that I am ordering you to the place Adonai your God chooses to have his name live — your burnt offerings, sacrifices, tenths, the offering from your hand, and all your best possessions that you dedicate to Adonai; 12 and you will rejoice in the presence of Adonai your God — you, your sons and daughters, your male and female slaves and the Levi staying with you, inasmuch as he has no share or inheritance with you.
13 “Be careful not to offer your burnt offerings just anywhere you see, 14 but do it in the place Adonai will choose in one of your tribal territories; there is where you are to offer your burnt offerings and do everything I order you to do. 15 However, you may slaughter and eat meat wherever you live and whenever you want, in keeping with the degree to which Adonai your God has blessed you. The unclean and the clean may eat it, as if it were gazelle or deer. 16 But don’t eat the blood; pour it out on the ground like water.
17 “You are not to eat on your own property the tenth of your grain, new wine or olive oil [that you set aside for Adonai], or the firstborn of your cattle or sheep, or any offering you have vowed, or your voluntary offering, or the offering from your hand. 18 No, you are to eat these in the presence of Adonai your God in the place Adonai your God will choose — you and your sons, daughters, male and female slaves, and the Levi who is your guest; and you are to rejoice before Adonai your God in everything you undertake to do. 19 As long as you are living on your property, take care not to abandon the Levi.
20 “When Adonai your God expands your territory, as he has promised you, and you say, ‘I want to eat meat,’ simply because you want to eat meat, then you may eat meat, as much as you want. 21 If the place which Adonai your God chooses to place his name is too far away from you; then you are to slaughter animals from your cattle or sheep, which Adonai has given you; and eat on your own property, as much as you want. 22 Eat it as you would gazelle or deer; the unclean and clean alike may eat it. 23 Just take care not to eat the blood, for the blood is the life, and you are not to eat the life with the meat. 24 Don’t eat it, but pour it out on the ground like water. 25 Do not eat it, so that things will go well with you and with your children after you, as you do what Adonai sees as right. 26 Only the things set aside for God which you have, and the vows you have vowed to make, you must take and go to the place which Adonai will choose. 27 There you will offer your burnt offerings, the meat and the blood, on the altar of Adonai your God. The blood of your sacrifices is to be poured out on the altar of Adonai your God, and you will eat the meat. 28 Obey and pay attention to everything I am ordering you to do, so that things will go well with you and with your descendants after you forever, as you do what Adonai sees as good and right.
(iii) 29 “When Adonai your God has cut off ahead of you the nations you are entering in order to dispossess, and when you have dispossessed them and are living in their land; 30 be careful, after they have been destroyed ahead of you, not to be trapped into following them; so that you inquire after their gods and ask, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I want to do the same.’ 31 You must not do this to Adonai your God! For they have done to their gods all the abominations that Adonai hates! They even burn up their sons and daughters in the fire for their gods!
13:1 (12:32) “Everything I am commanding you, you are to take care to do. Do not add to it or subtract from it.
2 (1) “If a prophet or someone who gets messages while dreaming arises among you and he gives you a sign or wonder, 3 (2) and the sign or wonder comes about as he predicted when he said, ‘Let’s follow other gods, which you have not known; and let us serve them,’ 4 (3) you are not to listen to what that prophet or dreamer says. For Adonai your God is testing you, in order to find out whether you really do love Adonai your God with all your heart and being. 5 (4) You are to follow Adonai your God, fear him, obey his mitzvot, listen to what he says, serve him and cling to him; 6 (5) and that prophet or dreamer is to be put to death; because he urged rebellion against Adonai your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from a life of slavery; in order to seduce you away from the path Adonai your God ordered you to follow. This is how you are to rid your community of this wickedness.
7 (6) “If your brother the son of your mother, or your son, or your daughter, or your wife whom you love, or your friend who means as much to you as yourself, secretly tries to entice you to go and serve other gods, which you haven’t known, neither you nor your ancestors — 8 (7) gods of the peoples surrounding you, whether near or far away from you, anywhere in the world — 9 (8) you are not to consent, and you are not to listen to him; and you must not pity him or spare him; and you may not conceal him. 10 (9) Rather, you must kill him! Your own hand must be the first one on him in putting him to death, and afterwards the hands of all the people. 11 (10) You are to stone him to death; because he has tried to draw you away from Adonai your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of a life of slavery. 12 (11) Then all Isra’el will hear about it and be afraid, so that they will stop doing such wickedness as this among themselves.
13 (12) “If you hear it told that in one of your cities which Adonai your God is giving you to live in, 14 (13) certain scoundrels have sprung up among you and have drawn away the inhabitants of their city by saying, ‘Let’s go and serve other gods, which you haven’t known,’ 15 (14) then you are to investigate the matter, inquiring and searching diligently. If the rumor is true, if it is confirmed that such detestable things are being done among you, 16 (15) you must put the inhabitants of that city to death with the sword, destroying it completely with the sword, everything in it, including its livestock. 17 (16) Heap all its spoils in an open space, and burn the city with its spoils to the ground for Adonai your God; it will remain a tel forever and not be built again — 18 (17) none of what has been set apart for destruction is to stay in your hands. Then Adonai will turn from his fierce anger and show you mercy, have compassion on you and increase your numbers, as he swore to your ancestors — 19 (18) provided you listen to what Adonai says and obey all his mitzvot that I am giving you today, thus doing what Adonai your God sees as right.
14:1 (iv) “You are the people of Adonai your God. You are not to gash yourselves or shave the hair above your foreheads in mourning for the dead, 2 because you are a people set apart as holy for Adonai your God. Adonai your God has chosen you to be his own unique treasure out of all the peoples on the face of the earth.
3 “You are not to eat anything disgusting. 4 The animals which you may eat are: ox, sheep, goat, 5 deer, gazelle, roebuck, ibex, antelope, oryx and mountain sheep. 6 Any animal that has a separate hoof that is completely divided and also chews the cud, these animals you may eat. 7 But you are not to eat those that only chew the cud or only have a divided hoof. For example, the camel, the hare and the coney are unclean for you because they chew the cud but don’t have a separate hoof; 8 while the pig is unclean for you because, although it has a separate hoof, it doesn’t chew the cud. You are not to eat meat from these or touch their carcasses.
9 “Of all that lives in the water, you may eat these: anything in the water that has fins and scales, these you may eat. 10 But whatever lacks fins and scales you are not to eat; it is unclean for you.
11 “You may eat any clean bird; 12 but these you are not to eat: eagles, vultures, ospreys, 13 kites, any kind of buzzard, 14 any kind of raven, 15 ostriches, screech-owls, seagulls, any kind of hawk, 16 little owls, great owls, horned owls, 17 pelicans, barn owls, cormorants, 18 storks, any kind of heron, hoopoes and bats.
19 “All winged swarming creatures are unclean for you; they are not to be eaten; 20 but all clean flying creatures you may eat.
21 “You are not to eat any animal that dies naturally; although you may let a stranger staying with you eat it, or sell it to a foreigner; because you are a holy people for Adonai your God.
“You are not to boil a young animal in its mother’s milk.
(v) 22 “Every year you must take one tenth of everything your seed produces in the field, 23 and eat it in the presence of Adonai your God. In the place where he chooses to have his name live you will eat the tenth of your grain, new wine and olive oil, and the firstborn of your cattle and sheep, so that you will learn to fear Adonai your God always. 24 But if the distance is too great for you, so that you are unable to transport it, because the place where Adonai chooses to put his name is too far away from you; then, when Adonai your God prospers you, 25 you are to convert it into money, take the money with you, go to the place which Adonai your God will choose, 26 and exchange the money for anything you want — cattle, sheep, wine, other intoxicating liquor, or anything you please — and you are to eat there in the presence of Adonai your God, and enjoy yourselves, you and your household.
27 “But don’t neglect the Levi staying with you, because he has no share or inheritance like yours. 28 At the end of every three years you are to take all the tenths of your produce from that year and store it in your towns. 29 Then the Levi, because he has no share or inheritance like yours, along with the foreigner, the orphan and the widow living in your towns, will come, eat and be satisfied — so that Adonai your God will bless you in everything your hands produce.
15:1 (vi) “At the end of every seven years you are to have a sh’mittah. 2 Here is how the sh’mittah is to be done: every creditor is to give up what he has loaned to his fellow member of the community — he is not to force his neighbor or relative to repay it, because Adonai’s time of remission has been proclaimed. 3 You may demand that a foreigner repay his debt, but you are to release your claim on whatever your brother owes you. 4 In spite of this, there will be no one needy among you; because Adonai will certainly bless you in the land which Adonai your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess — 5 if only you will listen carefully to what Adonai your God says and take care to obey all these mitzvot I am giving you today. 6 Yes, Adonai your God will bless you, as he promised you — you will lend money to many nations without having to borrow, and you will rule over many nations without their ruling over you.
7 “If someone among you is needy, one of your brothers, in any of your towns in your land which Adonai your God is giving you, you are not to harden your heart or shut your hand from giving to your needy brother. 8 No, you must open your hand to him and lend him enough to meet his need and enable him to obtain what he wants. 9 Guard yourself against allowing your heart to entertain the mean-spirited thought that because the seventh year, the year of sh’mittah is at hand, you would be stingy toward your needy brother and not give him anything; for then he may cry out to Adonai against you, and it will be your sin. 10 Rather, you must give to him; and you are not to be grudging when you give to him. If you do this, Adonai your God will bless you in all your work, in everything you undertake — 11 for there will always be poor people in the land. That is why I am giving you this order, ‘You must open your hand to your poor and needy brother in your land.’
12 “If your kinsman, a Hebrew man or woman, is sold to you, he is to serve you for six years; but in the seventh year, you are to set him free. 13 Moreover, when you set him free, don’t let him leave empty-handed; 14 but supply him generously from your flock, threshing-floor and winepress; from what Adonai your God has blessed you with, you are to give to him. 15 Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and Adonai your God redeemed you; that is why I am giving you this order today. 16 But if he says to you, ‘I don’t want to leave you,’ because he loves you and your household, and because his life with you is a good one; 17 then take an awl, and pierce his ear through, right into the door; and he will be your slave forever. Do the same with your female slave. 18 Don’t resent it when you set him free, since during his six years of service he has been worth twice as much as a hired employee. Then Adonai your God will bless you in everything you do.
(vii) 19 “All the firstborn males in your herd of cattle and in your flock you are to set aside for Adonai your God; you are not to do any work with a firstborn from your herd or shear a firstborn sheep. 20 Each year you and your household are to eat it in the presence of Adonai your God in the place which Adonai will choose. 21 But if it has a defect, is lame or blind, or has some other kind of fault, you are not to sacrifice it to Adonai your God; 22 rather, eat it on your own property; the unclean and the clean alike may eat it, like the gazelle or the deer. 23 Just don’t eat its blood, but pour it out on the ground like water.
16:1 “Observe the month of Aviv, and keep Pesach to Adonai your God; for in the month of Aviv, Adonai your God brought you out of Egypt at night. 2 You are to sacrifice the Pesach offering from flock and herd to Adonai your God in the place where Adonai will choose to have his name live. 3 You are not to eat any hametz with it; for seven days you are to eat with it matzah, the bread of affliction; for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste. Thus you will remember the day you left the land of Egypt as long as you live. 4 No leaven is to be seen with you anywhere in your territory for seven days. None of the meat from your sacrifice on the first day in the evening is to remain all night until morning. 5 You may not sacrifice the Pesach offering in just any of the towns that Adonai your God is giving you; 6 but at the place where Adonai your God will choose to have his name live — there is where you are to sacrifice the Pesach offering, in the evening, when the sun sets, at the time of year that you came out of Egypt. 7 You are to roast it and eat it in the place Adonai your God will choose; in the morning you will return and go to your tents. 8 For six days you are to eat matzah; on the seventh day there is to be a festive assembly for Adonai your God; do not do any kind of work.
9 “You are to count seven weeks; you are to begin counting seven weeks from the time you first put your sickle to the standing grain. 10 You are to observe the festival of Shavu‘ot [weeks] for Adonai your God with a voluntary offering, which you are to give in accordance with the degree to which Adonai your God has prospered you. 11 You are to rejoice in the presence of Adonai your God — you, your sons and daughters, your male and female slaves, the L’vi’im living in your towns, and the foreigners, orphans and widows living among you — in the place where Adonai your God will choose to have his name live. 12 Remember that you were a slave in Egypt; then you will keep and obey these laws.
(Maftir) 13 “You are to keep the festival of Sukkot for seven days after you have gathered the produce of your threshing-floor and winepress. 14 Rejoice at your festival — you, your sons and daughters, your male and female slaves, the L’vi’im, and the foreigners, orphans and widows living among you. 15 Seven days you are to keep the festival for Adonai your God in the place Adonai your God will choose, because Adonai your God will bless you in all your crops and in all your work, so you are to be full of joy!
16 “Three times a year all your men are to appear in the presence of Adonai your God in the place which he will choose — at the festival of matzah, at the festival of Shavu‘ot and at the festival of Sukkot. They are not to show up before Adonai empty-handed, 17 but every man is to give what he can, in accordance with the blessing Adonai your God has given you.
Shabbat Rosh Chodesh: Numbers 28:9 “‘On Shabbat offer two male lambs in their first year and without defect, with one gallon of fine flour as a grain offering, mixed with olive oil, and its drink offering. 10 This is the burnt offering for every Shabbat, in addition to the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.
11 “‘At each Rosh-Hodesh of yours, you are to present a burnt offering to Adonai consisting of two young bulls, one ram and seven male lambs in their first year and without defect; 12 with six quarts of fine flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering for the one ram; 13 and two quarts of fine flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering for each lamb. This will be the burnt offering giving a fragrant aroma, an offering made by fire for Adonai. 14 Their drink offerings will be two quarts of wine for a bull, one-and-one-third quarts for the ram, and one quart for each lamb. This is the burnt offering for every Rosh-Hodesh throughout the months of the year. 15 Also a male goat is to be offered as a sin offering to Adonai, in addition to the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.
Shabbat Rosh Chodesh / Machar Chodesh: Isaiah 66:1
“Heaven is my throne,” says Adonai,
“and the earth is my footstool.
What kind of house could you build for me?
What sort of place could you devise for my rest?
2 Didn’t I myself make all these things?
This is how they all came to be,”
says Adonai.
“The kind of person on whom I look with favor
is one with a poor and humble spirit,
who trembles at my word.
3 Those others might as well kill a person as an ox,
as well break a dog’s neck as sacrifice a lamb,
as well offer pig’s blood as offer a grain offering,
as well bless an idol as burn incense.
Just as these have chosen their ways
and enjoy their disgusting practices,
4 so I will enjoy making fools of them,
and bring on them the very things they fear.
For when I called, no one answered;
when I spoke, they did not hear.
Instead they did what was evil in my sight
and chose what did not please me.”
5 Hear the word of Adonai,
you who tremble at his word:
“Your brothers, who hate you and reject you
because of my name, have said:
‘Let Adonai be glorified,
so we can see your joy.’
But they will be put to shame.”
6 That uproar in the city,
that sound from the temple,
is the sound of Adonai repaying
his foes what they deserve.
7 Before going into labor, she gave birth;
before her pains came, she delivered a male child.
8 Who ever heard of such a thing?
Who has ever seen such things?
Is a country born in one day?
Is a nation brought forth all at once?
For as soon as Tziyon went into labor,
she brought forth her children.
9 “Would I let the baby break through
and not be born?” asks Adonai.
“Would I, who cause the birth,
shut the womb?” asks your God.
10 Rejoice with Yerushalayim!
Be glad with her, all you who love her!
Rejoice, rejoice with her,
all of you who mourned for her;
11 so that you nurse and are satisfied
by her comforting breast,
drinking deeply and delighting
in the overflow of her glory.
12 For Adonai says, “I will spread shalom
over her like a river,
and the wealth of nations
like a flooding stream;
you will nurse and be carried in her arm
and cuddled in her lap.
13 Like someone comforted by his mother,
I will comfort you;
in Yerushalayim
you will be comforted.”
14 Your heart will rejoice at the sight,
your bodies will flourish like newly sprouted grass.
It will be known that the hand of Adonai
is with his servants; but with his enemies, his fury.
15 For — look! — Adonai will come in fire,
and his chariots will be like the whirlwind,
to render his anger furiously,
his rebuke with blazing fire.
16 For Adonai will judge all humanity
with fire and with the sword,
and those slain by Adonai will be many.
17 “Those who consecrate and purify themselves
in order to enter the gardens,
then follow the one who was already there,
eating pig meat, reptiles and mice,
will all be destroyed together,” says Adonai.
18 “For I [know] their deeds and their thoughts.
“[The time] is coming when I will gather together all nations and languages. They will come and see my glory, 19 and I will give them a sign. I will send some of their survivors to the nations of Tarshish, Pul, Lud (these are archers), Tuval, Greece and more distant coasts, where they have neither heard of my fame nor seen my glory. They will proclaim my glory in these nations; 20 and they will bring all your kinsmen out of all the nations as an offering to Adonai — on horses, in chariots, in wagons, on mules, on camels — to my holy mountain Yerushalayim,” says Adonai, “just as the people of Isra’el themselves bring their offerings in clean vessels to the house of Adonai. 21 I will also take cohanim and L’vi’im from them,” says Adonai.
22 “For just as the new heavens and the new earth that I am making will continue in my presence,” says Adonai, “so will your descendants and your name continue.
23 “Every month on Rosh-Hodesh
and every week on Shabbat,
everyone living will come
to worship in my presence,” says Adonai.
24 “As they leave, they will look on the corpses
of the people who rebelled against me.
For their worm will never die,
and their fire will never be quenched;
but they will be abhorrent
to all humanity.”
[“Every month on Rosh-Hodesh
and every week on Shabbat,
everyone living will come
to worship in my presence,” says Adonai.]
; Isaiah 66:
23 “Every month on Rosh-Hodesh
and every week on Shabbat,
everyone living will come
to worship in my presence,” says Adonai.
; I Samuel 20:18 Y’honatan said to him, “Tomorrow is Rosh-Hodesh, and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty.; I Samuel 20:42 Y’honatan said to David, “Go in peace; because we have sworn, both of us, in the name of Adonai, that Adonai will be between me and you, and between my descendants and yours, forever.”
Today's Laws & Customs:
• Rosh Chodesh Observances
Today is the first of the two days of Rosh Chodesh (“Head of the Month”) for the month of Elul(when a month has 30 days, both the last day of the month and the first day of the following month serve as the following month’s Rosh Chodesh).
Special portions are added to the daily prayers: Hallel (Psalms 113-118) is recited—in its “partial” form—following the Shacharit morning prayer, and the Yaaleh Veyavo prayer is added to the Amidah and to Grace After Meals; the additional Musaf prayer is said (when Rosh Chodesh is Shabbat, special additions are made to the Shabbat Musaf). Tachanun (confession of sins) and similar prayers are omitted.
Many have the custom to mark Rosh Chodesh with a festive meal and reduced work activity. The latter custom is prevalent amongst women, who have a special affinity with Rosh Chodesh—the month being the feminine aspect of the Jewish calendar.
Links: The 29th Day; The Lunar Files
• L'David Hashem Ori Special portions are added to the daily prayers: Hallel (Psalms 113-118) is recited—in its “partial” form—following the Shacharit morning prayer, and the Yaaleh Veyavo prayer is added to the Amidah and to Grace After Meals; the additional Musaf prayer is said (when Rosh Chodesh is Shabbat, special additions are made to the Shabbat Musaf). Tachanun (confession of sins) and similar prayers are omitted.
Many have the custom to mark Rosh Chodesh with a festive meal and reduced work activity. The latter custom is prevalent amongst women, who have a special affinity with Rosh Chodesh—the month being the feminine aspect of the Jewish calendar.
Links: The 29th Day; The Lunar Files
Beginning today, the psalm L'David Hashem Ori (Psalm 27) is recited at the end of the morning and afternoon prayers. This special addition is recited throughout the month of Elul and the High Holiday season, until Hoshanah Rabbah (Tishrei 21) -- a total of 50 days.
Links: Psalm 27, The High Holiday Anthem
• Ethics of the Fathers: Chapter 5 Links: Psalm 27, The High Holiday Anthem
During the summer months, from the Shabbat after Passover until the Shabbat before Rosh Hashahah, we study a weekly chapter of the Talmud's Ethics of the Fathers ("Avot") each Shabbat afternoon; this week we study Chapter Five.
Link: Ethics of the Fathers, Chapter 5
Today in Jewish History:Link: Ethics of the Fathers, Chapter 5
• Second Tablets hewn (1313 BCE)
On the last day of Av of the year 2448 from creation (1313 BCE), Moses carved, by G-d's command, two stone tablets -- each a cube measuring 6x6x6 tefachim (a tefach, "handbreadth", is approximately 3.2 inches) -- to replace the two divinely-made tablets, on which G-d had inscribed the Ten Commandments, which Moses had smashed 42 days earlier upon witnessing Israel's worship of the Golden Calf.
Links: The 120-Day Version of the Human Story
Daily Study:Links: The 120-Day Version of the Human Story
Chitas and Rambam for today:
Chumash: Re'eh, 7th Portion Deuteronomy 15:19-16:17 with Rashi
• Deuteronomy Chapter 15
19Every firstborn male that is born of your cattle or of your flock you shall sanctify to the Lord, your God. You shall neither work with the firstborn of your ox, nor shear the firstborn of your flock. יטכָּל־הַבְּכ֡וֹר אֲשֶׁר֩ יִוָּלֵ֨ד בִּבְקָֽרְךָ֤ וּבְצֹֽאנְךָ֙ הַזָּכָ֔ר תַּקְדִּ֖ישׁ לַֽיהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ לֹ֤א תַֽעֲבֹד֙ בִּבְכֹ֣ר שׁוֹרֶ֔ךָ וְלֹ֥א תָגֹ֖ז בְּכ֥וֹר צֹאנֶֽךָ:
Every firstborn male… you shall sanctify [to the Lord]: But elsewhere (Lev. 27:26) it says, “[But the firstborn which will be a firstborn for the Lord of the livestock,] no man shall sanctify it.” How is this [reconciled]? [The verse in Leviticus means that] one may not sanctify [the firstborn] to be another sacrifice [but only as a firstborn sacrifice]. And our verse here teaches us that it is a duty to proclaim [over the firstborn animal], “You are hereby sanctified as a firstborn.” Another explanation: It is impossible to say “sanctify [this firstborn animal],” because [Scripture] already says, “no man must shall sanctify it” (Lev. 27:26). And yet it is impossible to say that we shall not sanctify it, for [here] it already says, “you shall sanctify.” So how [can these two verses be reconciled]? [The answer is that we are dealing with an indirect sanctification, namely:] One may sanctify the value of the privilege [i.e., the owner of the firstborn animal has the privilege of choosing to which kohen he will give it. This privilege has a market value, namely how much an Israelite will pay so that the owner of the firstborn will give it to his grandson who is a kohen . The verse, therefore, means:] one may dedicate the value of this privilege according to its benefit and give it to the Temple [treasury]. — [Ar . 29a] כל הבכור וגו' תקדיש: ובמקום אחר הוא אומר לא יקדיש, שנאמר (ויקרא כז, כו) אך בכור אשר יבכר לה' וגו', הא כיצד, אינו מקדישו לקרבן אחר, וכאן למד שמצוה לומר הרי אתה קדוש לבכורה. דבר אחר אי אפשר לומר תקדיש שכבר נאמר לא יקדיש, ואי אפשר לומר לא יקדיש שהרי כבר נאמר תקדיש, הא כיצד, מקדישו אתה הקדש עלוי, ונותן להקדש כפי טובת הנאה שבו:
You shall neither work with the firstborn of your ox, nor shear [the firstborn of your flock]: The Rabbis derived that also the the converse [i.e., shearing your ox and working the flock] is prohibited. Scripture is merely speaking [here] of the usual manner [in which these animals are used]. — [Bech. 25a] לא תעבוד בבכור שורך ולא תגוז וגו': אף החלוף למדו רבותינו שאסור, אלא שדבר הכתוב בהווה:
20You shall eat it before the Lord, your God, year by year, in the place the Lord chooses-you and your household. כלִפְנֵי֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֤יךָ תֹֽאכְלֶ֨נּוּ֙ שָׁנָ֣ה בְשָׁנָ֔ה בַּמָּק֖וֹם אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֑ה אַתָּ֖ה וּבֵיתֶֽךָ:
You shall eat it before the Lord, your God: [Scripture] is addressing the kohen , for we have already found [a statement to the effect] that it [the firstborn] is part of the dues given to kohanim , whether the animal is unblemished or whether it is blemished. For it is stated, “and their flesh [i.e., of the firstborn animals] shall be yours [i.e., the kohen 's]” (Num. 18:18). - [Bech. 28a] [In both cases, the kohen is entitled to eat the entire animal. The difference between the blemished and the unblemished animals is that the blemished animal is slaughtered outside the Temple, and its flesh may be eaten anywhere by anyone invited by the kohen . The unblemished animal, however, must be slaughtered in the Temple courtyard, its blood dashed on the altar, and its fat burned on the altar. The flesh must be eaten by the kohen and his household within the time allotted for eating it.] לפני ה' אלהיך תאכלנו: לכהן הוא אומר, שכבר מצינו שהוא ממתנות כהונה אחד תם ואחד בעל מום, שנאמר (במדבר יח, יח) ובשרם יהיה לך וגו':
[You shall eat it before the Lord…] year by year: From here we derive the law that one should not delay it [i.e., from sacrificing it] beyond its first year (Bech. 28a). [If so, however,] one might think that it becomes unfit [as a sacrifice] when the first year has elapsed. [Therefore, the Torah tells us that] it [the firstborn animal] has already been compared to ma’aser [sheini], as it is said,“And you shall eat before the Lord, your God… the tithes of your grain, your wine, and your oil, and the firstborn of your cattle and of your sheep” (Deut. 14:23). Just as ma’aser sheini does not become unfit [when it is left over] from one year to the next, neither does the firstborn animal become unfit. However, [this verse means] that the proper way to fulfill this commandment [of the firstborn animal] is during its first year. שנה בשנה: מכאן שאין משהין אותו יותר על שנתו. יכול יהא פסול משעברה שנתו, כבר הוקש למעשר, שנאמר (לעיל יד כג) ואכלת לפני ה' אלהיך מעשר דגנך תירושך ויצהרך ובכורות בקרך וצאנך, מה מעשר שני אינו נפסל משנה לחברתה, אף בכור אינו נפסל, אלא שמצוה תוך שנתו:
year by year: If one slaughtered it at the end of its first year [on the last day], he may eat it on that day and one day of the next year. This teaches [us] that it [a firstborn animal] may be eaten for two days and one [intervening] night. — [Bech. 27b] שנה בשנה: אם שחטו בסוף שנתו אוכלו אותו היום ויום אחד משנה אחרת. למד שנאכל לשני ימים ולילה אחד:
21And if there be any blemish in it, whether it be lame, or blind, or any ill blemish, you shall not sacrifice it to the Lord, your God. כאוְכִי־יִֽהְיֶ֨ה ב֜וֹ מ֗וּם פִּסֵּ֨חַ֙ א֣וֹ עִוֵּ֔ר כֹּ֖ל מ֣וּם רָ֑ע לֹ֣א תִזְבָּחֶ֔נּוּ לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ:
[And if there be any] blemish [in it]: [This is] a כְּלָל, a general statement [not limiting itself to anything in particular]. מום: כלל:
lame, or blind: [This is] a פְּרָט, particular things, [limiting the matter to these things]. פסח או עור: פרט:
any ill blemish: [Once again the verse] reverts to כְּלָל, a general statement. [Now we have learned that when a verse expresses a כְּלָל, then a פְּרָט, and then a כְּלָל again, just as in this case, we apply the characteristics of the פְּרָט to the whole matter.] Just as the blemishes detailed [lame or blind] are externally visible blemishes that do not heal, so too, any externally visible blemish that does not heal [renders a firstborn animal unfit for sacrifice and may be eaten as ordinary flesh]. — [Bech. 37a] כל מום רע: חזר וכלל. מה הפרט מפורש מום הגלוי ואינו חוזר, אף כל מום שבגלוי ואינו חוזר:
22You shall eat it within your cities, the unclean and the clean together, as the deer, and as the gazelle. כבבִּשְׁעָרֶ֖יךָ תֹּֽאכְלֶ֑נּוּ הַטָּמֵ֤א וְהַטָּהוֹר֙ יַחְדָּ֔ו כַּצְּבִ֖י וְכָֽאַיָּֽל:
23However, you shall not eat its blood; you shall pour it on the ground, as water. כגרַ֥ק אֶת־דָּמ֖וֹ לֹ֣א תֹאכֵ֑ל עַל־הָאָ֥רֶץ תִּשְׁפְּכֶ֖נּוּ כַּמָּֽיִם:
However, you shall not eat its blood: [Although eating the blood of any animal is prohibited, this prohibition is mentioned here] so that you should not say: “Since this [blemished firstborn animal] is entirely permitted [to be eaten now after its blemish, even though] it started out from a forbidden status, since it was sanctified, [and now it is permitted] for it is slaughtered outside [the Temple] without having to be redeemed, and [it may be] eaten. I might [therefore] think that its blood is permitted as well!” Therefore, Scripture states,“However, you shall not eat its blood.” רק את דמו לא תאכל: שלא תאמר הואיל וכולו היתר הבא מכלל איסור הוא, שהרי קדוש ונשחט בחוץ בלא פדיון ונאכל, יכול יהא אף הדם מותר, תלמוד לומר רק את דמו לא תאכל:
Deuteronomy Chapter 16
1Keep the month of spring, and make the Passover offering to the Lord, your God, for in the month of spring, the Lord, your God, brought you out of Egypt at night. אשָׁמוֹר֙ אֶת־חֹ֣דֶשׁ הָֽאָבִ֔יב וְעָשִׂ֣יתָ פֶּ֔סַח לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ כִּ֞י בְּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הָֽאָבִ֗יב הוֹצִ֨יאֲךָ֜ יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ מִמִּצְרַ֖יִם לָֽיְלָה:
Keep the month of spring: Heb. אָבִיב. Before it [Nissan] arrives, watch that it should be fit for the אָבִיב, ripening [capable of producing ripe ears of barley by the sixteenth of the month], to offer up in it the omer meal offering. And if not, proclaim it a leap year [thereby enabling you to wait another month, until the barley ripens]. — [San. 11b] שמור את חדש האביב: מקודם בואו שמור, שיהא ראוי לאביב להקריב בו את מנחת העומר, ואם לאו, עבר את השנה:
[for in the month of spring the Lord, your God, brought you] out of Egypt at night: But did they not go out by day, as it is said, “on the morrow of the Passover the children of Israel went out…” (Num. 33:3)? However, since during the night Pharaoh gave them permission to leave, as it is said, “So he called for Moses and Aaron at night [and said, ‘Rise up, go out from among my people…]’ ” (Exod. 12:31), [therefore, here it says “at night”]. — [Ber. 9a] ממצרים לילה: והלא ביום יצאו, שנאמר (במדבר לג, ג) ממחרת הפסח יצאו בני ישראל וגו', אלא לפי שבלילה נתן להם פרעה רשות לצאת, שנאמר (שמות יב, לא) ויקרא למשה ולאהרן לילה וגו':
2You shall slaughter the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, your God, [of the] flock, and [the Festival sacrifices of the] cattle, in the place which the Lord will choose to establish His Name therein. בוְזָבַ֥חְתָּ פֶּ֛סַח לַֽיהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ צֹ֣אן וּבָקָ֑ר בַּמָּקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִבְחַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה לְשַׁכֵּ֥ן שְׁמ֖וֹ שָֽׁם:
You shall slaughter the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, your God, [of the] flock: As it is said, “You may take [it] either from the sheep or from the goats” (Exod. 12:5). וזבחת פסח לה' אלהיך צאן: שנאמר (שמות יב ה) מן הכבשים ומן העזים תקחו:
and…cattle: These are slaughtered as the chagigah [Festival offering]. If a large group was formed for the Passover offering, they bring a Festival offering along with it, so that the Passover sacrifice will be eaten [after a sufficient meal, and therefore] after the required satiation. [Everyone had to designate himself to a particular company of people, which was then relevant to one particular Passover offering (Pes. 69a-70b).] Our Rabbis also derived many other things from this verse. — [Sifrei ; Pes. 70a] ובקר: תזבח לחגיגה. שאם נמנו על הפסח חבורה מרובה מביאים עמו חגיגה כדי שיהא נאכל על השובע, ועוד למדו רבותינו דברים הרבה מפסוק זה:
3You shall not eat leaven with it; for seven days you shall eat with it matzoth, the bread of affliction, for in haste you went out of the land of Egypt, so that you shall remember the day when you went out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life. גלֹֽא־תֹאכַ֤ל עָלָיו֙ חָמֵ֔ץ שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֛ים תֹּֽאכַל־עָלָ֥יו מַצּ֖וֹת לֶ֣חֶם עֹ֑נִי כִּ֣י בְחִפָּז֗וֹן יָצָ֨אתָ֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם לְמַ֣עַן תִּזְכֹּ֗ר אֶת־י֤וֹם צֵֽאתְךָ֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם כֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֥י חַיֶּֽיךָ:
the bread of affliction: [I.e.,] bread that brings to mind the affliction they suffered in Egypt. — [Sifrei] לחם עני: לחם שמזכיר את העוני שנתענו במצרים:
for in haste you went out of the land of Egypt: And the dough [that you had prepared for eating] did not have time to become leavened, so this [matzah] will be for you as a reminder. And the haste [here] is not on your part, but on the part of the Egyptians, for so it says, “So the Egyptians took hold of the people [to hasten to send them out of the land]” (Exod. 12:33). - [Sifrei; Ber. 9a] כי בחפזון יצאת: ולא הספיק בצק להחמיץ וזה יהיה לך לזכרון. וחפזון לא שלך היה אלא של מצרים, שכן הוא אומר (שמות יב, לג) ותחזק מצרים על העם וגו':
so that you shall remember: By eating the Passover sacrifice and the matzah, the day you went out [of the land of Egypt]. למען תזכור: על ידי אכילת הפסח והמצה, את יום צאתך:
4And no leaven shall be seen with you within all your border for seven days; neither shall any of the flesh you slaughter on the preceding day in the afternoon, remain all night until the morning. דוְלֹא־יֵֽרָאֶ֨ה לְךָ֥ שְׂאֹ֛ר בְּכָל־גְּבֻֽלְךָ֖ שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים וְלֹֽא־יָלִ֣ין מִן־הַבָּשָׂ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֨ר תִּזְבַּ֥ח בָּעֶ֛רֶב בַּיּ֥וֹם הָֽרִאשׁ֖וֹן לַבֹּֽקֶר:
neither shall any of the flesh you slaughter on the preceding day in the afternoon, remain all night until the morning: This is an admonition regarding leaving over the flesh of the Passover sacrifice, offered up by future generations, because [so far this prohibition] had been mentioned only with regard to the Passover sacrifice offered in Egypt (see Exod. 12:10). And יוֹם רִאשׁוֹן stated here is the fourteenth of Nissan [the preceding day, and not the fifteenth, which is the first day of Passover], just as it says:“but on the preceding day (בַּיוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן) you shall clear away leaven from your houses” (Exod. 12:15). Now since Scripture digressed from the subject of the Passover sacrifice and began to speak of the rules pertaining to the seven days [of the Festival]-such as, “seven days you shall eat with it matzoth ” (verse 3); “And no leaven shall be seen with you within all your border for seven days” (verse 4)-it was necessary to specify to which slaughtering [Scripture] is admonishing. For had it written only “neither shall any of the flesh you slaughter in the afternoon, remain all night until the morning” [without saying “the preceding day”], I might have thought that the peace offerings slaughtered during all the seven days are also subject to [the prohibition of] “And you shall not leave any of it until the morning,” (Exod. 12:10), and may be eaten only for [one] day and a night. Therefore, it is written:“on the preceding day in the evening,” [thereby clarifying that the verse is referring to the Passover sacrifice]. Another explanation: Scripture is referring to the Festival offering brought on the fourteenth of Nissan [and not to the specific Passover sacrifice], and it teaches with reference to it that it may be eaten for two days [and the intervening night]. Now the רִאשׁוֹן mentioned here [according to this explanation], is the first day of the Festival [i.e., the fifteenth of Nissan, rather than the preceding day]. And this is the meaning of the verse: The flesh of the Festival offering, which you slaughtered in the afternoon, shall not remain overnight after the first day of the Festival until the morning of the second day [the sixteenth of Nissan], but rather, it is to be eaten on the fourteenth and the fifteenth [and the intervening night]. And thus it is taught in tractate Pes. (71b). ולא ילין מן הבשר אשר תזבח בערב ביום הראשון לבקר: אזהרה למותיר בפסח דורות, לפי שלא נאמר אלא בפסח מצרים, ויום ראשון האמור כאן הוא י"ד בניסן, כמה דאת אמר (שמות יב, טו) אך ביום הראשון תשביתו שאור מבתיכם. ולפי שנסתלק הכתוב מענינו של פסח והתחיל לדבר בחקות שבעת ימים, כגון שבעת ימים תאכל עליו מצות ולא יראה לך שאור בכל גבולך, הוצרך לפרש באיזו זביחה הוא מזהיר, שאם כתב ולא ילין מן הבשר אשר תזבח בערב לבקר הייתי אומר שלמים הנשחטים כל שבעה כולן בבל תותירו ואינן נאכלין אלא ליום ולילה, לכך כתב בערב ביום הראשון. דבר אחר בחגיגת י"ד הכתוב מדבר, ולמד עליה שנאכלת לשני ימים. והראשון האמור כאן, ביום טוב הראשון הכתוב מדבר. וכן משמעות המקרא, בשר חגיגה אשר תזבח בערב, לא ילין ביום טוב הראשון עד בקרו של שני, אבל נאכלת היא בארבעה עשר ובחמשה עשר, כך היא שנויה במסכת פסחים (עא ב):
5You shall not sacrifice the Passover offering within any of your cities, which the Lord, your God, is giving you. הלֹ֥א תוּכַ֖ל לִזְבֹּ֣חַ אֶת־הַפָּ֑סַח בְּאַחַ֣ד שְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁר־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לָֽךְ:
6Except at the place which the Lord, your God, will choose to establish His Name-there you shall slaughter the Passover offering in the afternoon, as the sun sets, at the appointed time that you went out of Egypt. וכִּי אִם־אֶל־הַמָּק֞וֹם אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַ֨ר יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ לְשַׁכֵּ֣ן שְׁמ֔וֹ שָׁ֛ם תִּזְבַּ֥ח אֶת־הַפֶּ֖סַח בָּעָ֑רֶב כְּב֣וֹא הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ מוֹעֵ֖ד צֵֽאתְךָ֥ מִמִּצְרָֽיִם:
in the afternoon, as the sun sets, at the appointed time that you went out of Egypt: These are three separate times. Towards evening---after six hours slaughter it. At sunset eat it. At the time you left you burn it, meaning that it is disqualified as notar, and must be removed to the burning site. בערב כבוא השמש מועד צאתך ממצרים: הרי שלשה זמנים חלוקים; בערב משש שעות ולמעלה זבחהו, וכבוא השמש תאכלהו, ומועד צאתך, אתה שורפהו. כלומר, נעשה נותר ויצא לבית השרפה:
7And you shall roast [it] and eat [it] in the place which the Lord, your God, will choose, and you shall turn away in the morning and go to your dwellings. זוּבִשַּׁלְתָּ֙ וְאָ֣כַלְתָּ֔ בַּמָּק֕וֹם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִבְחַ֛ר יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ בּ֑וֹ וּפָנִ֣יתָ בַבֹּ֔קֶר וְהָֽלַכְתָּ֖ לְאֹֽהָלֶֽיךָ:
And you shall roast [it]: Heb. וּבִשַּׁלְתָּ. [Here] this term means“roasted in fire” (צְלִי אֵשׁ) (see Exod. 12:9), for roasting is also included in the general term of בִּשּׁוּל, “cooking.” ובשלת: זהו צלי אש, שאף הוא קרוי בשול:
and you shall turn away in the morning [and go to your dwellings]:[i.e.,] the morning of the second day [of Passover]. This teaches that [the pilgrim] is required to remain [in Jerusalem] the night when the Festival terminates. — [Sifrei ; Pes. 95b; Chag. 17a-b] ופנית בבקר: לבקרו של שני, מלמד שטעון לינה ליל של מוצאי יום טוב:
8For six days you shall eat matzoth, and on the seventh day there shall be a halt to the Lord, your God. You shall not do any work [on it]. חשֵׁ֥שֶׁת יָמִ֖ים תֹּאכַ֣ל מַצּ֑וֹת וּבַיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י עֲצֶ֨רֶת֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לֹ֥א תַֽעֲשֶׂ֖ה מְלָאכָֽה:
For six days you shall eat matzoth: But elsewhere it says, “For seven days [you shall eat matzoth]!” (Exod. 12:15). [The solution is:] For seven days you shall eat matzoth from the old [produce] and six days [i.e., the last six days, after the omer has been offered] you may eat matzoth prepared from the new [crop]. Another explanation: It teaches that the eating of matzoh on the seventh day of Passover is not obligatory, and from here you learn [that the same law applies] to the other six days [of the Festival], For the seventh day was included in a general statement [in the verse “For seven days you shall eat matzoth ,” but in the verse: “Six days you shall eat matzoth ”] it has been taken out of this general [statement], to teach us that eating matzoh [on the seventh day] is not obligatory, but optional. [Now we have aready learned that if something is singled out of a general statement, we apply the relevant principle not only to itself but to every thing included in the general category. Thus the seventh day] is excluded here not to teach regarding itself, rather to teach regarding the entire generalization [i.e., the entire seven days of the Festival]. Just as on the seventh day the eating of matzah is optional, so too, on all the other days, the eating of matzah is optional. The only exception is the first night [of Passover], which Scripture has explicitly established as obligatory, as it is said, “in the evening, you shall eat matzoth” (Exod. 12:18). - [Mechilta on Exod 12:18; Pes. 120a] ששת ימים תאכל מצות: ובמקום אחר הוא אומר (שמות יב, טו) שבעת ימים, שבעה מן הישן וששה מן החדש. דבר אחר למד על אכילת מצה בשביעי, שאינה חובה, ומכאן אתה למד לששת ימים. שהרי שביעי בכלל היה ויצא מן הכלל ללמד, שאין אכילת מצה בו חובה אלא רשות, ולא ללמד על עצמו יצא אלא ללמד על הכלל כולו יצא, מה שביעי רשות אף כולם רשות, חוץ מלילה הראשון שהכתוב קבעו חובה, שנאמר (שמות יב, יח) בערב תאכלו מצות:
[and on the seventh day there shall be] a halt to the Lord your God:עִצֶרֶת. Keep yourself back from work. Another explanation: [עִצֶרֶת means] a gathering for eating and drinking, as the expression,“Let us detain (נַעַצְרָה) you” (Judg. 13:15). עצרת לה' אלהיך: עצור עצמך מן המלאכה. דבר אחר כנופיא של מאכל ומשתה, לשון (שופטים יג, טו) נעצרה נא אותך:
9You shall count seven weeks for yourself; from[the time] the sickle is first put to the standing crop, you shall begin to count seven weeks. טשִׁבְעָ֥ה שָֽׁבֻעֹ֖ת תִּסְפָּר־לָ֑ךְ מֵֽהָחֵ֤ל חֶרְמֵשׁ֙ בַּקָּמָ֔ה תָּחֵ֣ל לִסְפֹּ֔ר שִׁבְעָ֖ה שָֽׁבֻעֽוֹת:
from [the time] the sickle is first put to the standing crop, [you shall begin to count seven weeks]: [I.e.,] from the time the omer is harvested [on the sixteenth of Nissan], which is the beginning of the harvest. — [seeLev . 23:10, Sifrei ; Men. 71a] מהחל חרמש בקמה: משנקצר העומר שהוא ראשית הקציר:
10And you shall perform the Festival of Weeks to the Lord, your God, the donation you can afford to give, according to how the Lord, your God, shall bless you. יוְעָשִׂ֜יתָ חַ֤ג שָֽׁבֻעוֹת֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ מִסַּ֛ת נִדְבַ֥ת יָֽדְךָ֖ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּתֵּ֑ן כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר יְבָֽרֶכְךָ֖ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ:
the donation you can afford to give: [I.e.,] sufficient generous donation from you; according to the blessing [that God bestows upon you], bring peace offerings of happiness [these are extra peace offerings in addition to the Festival offerings] and invite guests to eat [with you]. מסת נדבת ידך: די נדבת ידך, הכל לפי הברכה, הבא שלמי שמחה, וקדש קרואים לאכול:
11And you shall rejoice before the Lord, your God, -you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite who is within your cities, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are among you, in the place which the Lord, your God, will choose to establish His Name therein. יאוְשָֽׂמַחְתָּ֞ לִפְנֵ֣י | יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ אַתָּ֨ה וּבִנְךָ֣ וּבִתֶּ֘ךָ֘ וְעַבְדְּךָ֣ וַֽאֲמָתֶ֒ךָ֒ וְהַלֵּוִי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בִּשְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ וְהַגֵּ֛ר וְהַיָּת֥וֹם וְהָֽאַלְמָנָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּקִרְבֶּ֑ךָ בַּמָּק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִבְחַר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לְשַׁכֵּ֥ן שְׁמ֖וֹ שָֽׁם:
the Levite… the stranger, the orphan, and the widow: [God says:] These are My four, corresponding to your four, [namely,] “Your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant.” If you shall gladden Mine, I will gladden yours. — [Midrash Aggadah , Midrash Hagadol . Compare Tanchuma 18, Pesikta d’Rav Kahana p.100a. Note that in incunabula editions, this comment of Rashi is connected to the preceding one: and invite guests to eat [with you]: the Levite… the stranger, the orphan, and the widow. [God says:] These are My four…] והלוי והגר והיתום והאלמנה: ארבעה שלי כנגד ארבעה שלך, בנך ובתך ועבדך ואמתך, אם אתה משמח את שלי, אני משמח את שלך:
12And you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and you shall keep and perform these statutes. יבוְזָ֣כַרְתָּ֔ כִּי־עֶ֥בֶד הָיִ֖יתָ בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם וְשָֽׁמַרְתָּ֣ וְעָשִׂ֔יתָ אֶת־הַֽחֻקִּ֖ים הָאֵֽלֶּה:
And you shall remember that you were a slave [in Egypt]: On this condition did I redeem you [from Egypt], that you keep and perform these statutes. וזכרת כי עבד היית וגו': על מנת כן פדיתיך, שתשמור ותעשה את החוקים האלה:
13You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat. יגחַ֧ג הַסֻּכֹּ֛ת תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֥ה לְךָ֖ שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים בְּאָ֨סְפְּךָ֔ מִגָּרְנְךָ֖ וּמִיִּקְבֶֽךָ:
You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth…] when you gather in [the produce]-: [i.e.,] at the time of the ingathering, when you bring the summer fruits into the house. Another explanation:“when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat” (בְּאָסְפְּךָ מִגָּרְנְךָ וּמִיִּקְבֶךָ) teaches that we should cover the sukkah [only] with the waste products that come from the threshing floor and the vat [i.e., with things that have grown from the ground, have become detached, and are not susceptible to ritual uncleanness. Since they are not foods and are not vessels, they are not susceptible to spiritual uncleanness. - R.H. 13a; Suk. 12a] באספך: בזמן האסיף שאתה מכניס לבית פירות הקיץ. דבר אחר באספך מגרנך ומיקבך, למד שמסככין את הסוכה בפסולת גורן ויקב:
14And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities. ידוְשָֽׂמַחְתָּ֖ בְּחַגֶּ֑ךָ אַתָּ֨ה וּבִנְךָ֤ וּבִתֶּ֨ךָ֙ וְעַבְדְּךָ֣ וַֽאֲמָתֶ֔ךָ וְהַלֵּוִ֗י וְהַגֵּ֛ר וְהַיָּת֥וֹם וְהָֽאַלְמָנָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בִּשְׁעָרֶֽיךָ:
15Seven days you shall celebrate the Festival to the Lord, your God, in the place which the Lord shall choose, because the Lord, your God, will bless you in all your produce, and in all the work of your hands, and you will only be happy. טושִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֗ים תָּחֹג֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בַּמָּק֖וֹם אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֑ה כִּ֣י יְבָֽרֶכְךָ֞ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ בְּכֹ֤ל תְּבוּאָֽתְךָ֙ וּבְכֹל֙ מַֽעֲשֵׂ֣ה יָדֶ֔יךָ וְהָיִ֖יתָ אַ֥ךְ שָׂמֵֽחַ:
and you will only be happy: According to its simple meaning, this is not an expression denoting a command, but rather an expression of an assurance [i.e., I promise you that you will be happy]. But according to its oral interpretation, [our Rabbis] learned from this to include the night before the last day of the Festival for the obligation of rejoicing. — [see Suk. 48a; Sifrei] והיית אך שמח: לפי פשוטו אין זה לשון צווי אלא לשון הבטחה, ולפי תלמודו למדו מכאן לרבות לילי יום טוב האחרון לשמחה:
16Three times in the year, every one of your males shall appear before the Lord, your God, in the place He will choose: on the Festival of Matzoth and on the Festival of Weeks, and on the Festival of Sukkoth, and he shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed. טזשָׁל֣וֹשׁ פְּעָמִ֣ים | בַּשָּׁנָ֡ה יֵֽרָאֶה֩ כָל־זְכ֨וּרְךָ֜ אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י | יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ בַּמָּקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִבְחָ֔ר בְּחַ֧ג הַמַּצּ֛וֹת וּבְחַ֥ג הַשָּֽׁבֻע֖וֹת וּבְחַ֣ג הַסֻּכּ֑וֹת וְלֹ֧א יֵֽרָאֶ֛ה אֶת־פְּנֵ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה רֵיקָֽם:
and he shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed: But bring burnt-offerings of appearance (עוֹלוֹת רְאִיָּה) [which are obligatory when appearing before the Lord in Jerusalem on the Festivals] and Festival peace-offerings. - [Chag. 8b] ולא יראה את פני ה' ריקם: אלא הבא עולות ראייה ושלמי חגיגה:
17[Every] man [shall bring] as much as he can afford, according to the blessing of the Lord, your God, which He has given you. יזאִ֖ישׁ כְּמַתְּנַ֣ת יָד֑וֹ כְּבִרְכַּ֛ת יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָֽתַן־לָֽךְ:
[Every] man [shall bring] as much as he can afford: One who has many eaters [i.e., a large family] and many possessions should bring many burnt-offerings and many peace-offerings. — [Sifrei; Chag. 8b] איש כמתנת ידו: מי שיש לו אוכלין הרבה ונכסים מרובין יביא עולות מרובות ושלמים מרובים:
Daily Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 145 - 150
• Chapter 145
One who recites this psalm three times daily with absolute concentration is guaranteed a portion in the World to Come. Because of its prominence, this psalm was composed in alphabetical sequence.
1. A psalm of praise by David: I will exalt You, my God the King, and bless Your Name forever.
2. Every day I will bless You, and extol Your Name forever.
3. The Lord is great and exceedingly exalted; there is no limit to His greatness.
4. One generation to another will laud Your works, and tell of Your mighty acts.
5. I will speak of the splendor of Your glorious majesty and of Your wondrous deeds.
6. They will proclaim the might of Your awesome acts, and I will recount Your greatness.
7. They will express the remembrance of Your abounding goodness, and sing of Your righteousness.
8. The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and of great kindness.
9. The Lord is good to all, and His mercies extend over all His works.
10. Lord, all Your works will give thanks to You, and Your pious ones will bless You.
11. They will declare the glory of Your kingdom, and tell of Your strength,
12. to make known to men His mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of His kingdom.
13. Your kingship is a kingship over all worlds, and Your dominion is throughout all generations.
14. The Lord supports all who fall, and straightens all who are bent.
15. The eyes of all look expectantly to You, and You give them their food at the proper time.
16. You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
17. The Lord is righteous in all His ways, and benevolent in all His deeds.
18. The Lord is close to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.
19. He fulfills the desire of those who fear Him, hears their cry and delivers them.
20. The Lord watches over all who love Him, and will destroy all the wicked.
21. My mouth will utter the praise of the Lord, and let all flesh bless His holy Name forever.
Chapter 146
This psalm inspires man to repent and perform good deeds while still alive. Let him not rely on mortals who are unable to help themselves, and who may suddenly pass on. Rather, one should put his trust in God, Who is capable of carrying out all He desires.
1. Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul.
2. I will sing to the Lord with my soul; I will chant praises to my God while I yet exist.
3. Do not place your trust in nobles, nor in mortal man who has not the ability to bring deliverance.
4. When his spirit departs, he returns to his earth; on that very day, his plans come to naught.
5. Fortunate is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope rests upon the Lord his God.
6. He makes the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all that is in them; He keeps His promise faithfully forever.
7. He renders justice to the oppressed; He gives food to the hungry; the Lord releases those who are bound.
8. The Lord opens the eyes of the blind; the Lord straightens those who are bowed; the Lord loves the righteous.
9. The Lord watches over the strangers; He gives strength to orphan and widow; He thwarts the way of the wicked.
10. The Lord shall reign forever, your God, O Zion, throughout all generations. Praise the Lord!
Chapter 147
This psalm recounts God's greatness, and His kindness and goodness to His creations.
1. Praise the Lord! Sing to our God for He is good; praise befits Him for He is pleasant.
2. The Lord is the rebuilder of Jerusalem; He will gather the banished of Israel.
3. He heals the broken-hearted, and bandages their wounds.
4. He counts the number of the stars; He gives a name to each of them.
5. Great is our Master and abounding in might; His understanding is beyond reckoning.
6. The Lord strengthens the humble; He casts the wicked to the ground.
7. Lift your voices to the Lord in gratitude; sing to our God with the harp.
8. He covers the heaven with clouds; He prepares rain for the earth, and makes grass grow upon the mountains.
9. He gives the animal its food, to the young ravens which cry to Him.
10. He does not desire [those who place their trust in] the strength of the horse, nor does He want those who rely upon the thighs [swiftness] of man.
11. He desires those who fear Him, those who long for His kindness.
12. Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem; Zion, extol your God.
13. For He has strengthened the bolts of your gates; He has blessed your children in your midst.
14. He has made peace within your borders; He satiates you with the finest of wheat.
15. He issues His command to the earth; swiftly does His word run.
16. He dispenses snow like fleece; He scatters frost like ashes.
17. He hurls His ice like morsels; who can withstand His cold?
18. He sends forth His word and melts them; He causes His wind to blow, and the waters flow.
19. He tells His words [Torah] to Jacob, His statutes and ordinances to Israel.
20. He has not done so for other nations, and they do not know [His] ordinances. Praise the Lord!
Chapter 148
The psalmist inspires one to praise God for His creations-above and below-all of which exist by God's might alone.
1. Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise Him in the celestial heights.
2. Praise Him, all His angels; praise Him, all His hosts.
3. Praise Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all the shining stars.
4. Praise Him, hea-ven of heavens, and the waters that are above the heavens.
5. Let them praise the Name of the Lord, for He comman-ded and they were created.
6. He has established them forever, for all time; He issued a decree, and it shall not be transgressed.
7. Praise the Lord from the earth, sea-monsters and all [that dwell in] the depths;
8. fire and hail, snow and vapor, stormy wind carrying out His command;
9. the mountains and all hills, fruit-bearing trees and all cedars;
10. the beasts and all cattle, creeping things and winged fowl;
11. kings of the earth and all nations, rulers and all judges of the land;
12. young men as well as maidens, elders with young lads.
13. Let them praise the Name of the Lord, for His Name is sublime, to Himself; its radiance [alone] is upon earth and heaven.
14. He shall raise the glory of His people, [increase] the praise of all His pious ones, the Children of Israel, the people close to Him. Praise the Lord!
Chapter 149
1. Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, [recount] His praise in the assembly of the pious.
2. Israel will rejoice in its Maker; the children of Zion will delight in their King.
3. They will praise His Name with dancing; they will sing to Him with the drum and harp.
4. For the Lord desires His people; He will adorn the humble with salvation.
5. The pious will exult in glory; they will sing upon their beds.
6. The exaltation of God is in their throat, and a double-edged sword in their hand,
7. to bring retribution upon the nations, punishment upon the peoples;
8. to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with iron fetters;
9. to execute upon them the prescribed judgment; it shall be a glory for all His pious ones. Praise the Lord!
Chapter 150
This psalm contains thirteen praises, alluding to the Thirteen Attributes (of Mercy) with which God conducts the world.
1. Praise the Lord! Praise God in His holiness; praise Him in the firmament of His strength.
2. Praise Him for His mighty acts; praise Him according to His abundant greatness.
3. Praise Him with the call of the shofar; praise Him with harp and lyre.
4. Praise Him with timbrel and dance; praise Him with stringed instruments and flute.
5. Praise Him with resounding cymbals; praise Him with clanging cymbals.
6. Let every soul praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, beginning of Epistle 10
• Lessons in Tanya
• Today's Tanya Lesson
• Shabbat, 30 AV , 5776 · 3 September 2016
• Iggeret HaKodesh, beginning of Epistle 10
• אחרי דרישת חיים ושלום
After greetings of life and peace,
פתח דברי יעיר אזן שומעת תוכחת חיים
אשר הוכיח ה׳ חיים על ידי נביאו, ואמר
חסדי ה׳ כי לא תמנו וגו׳
“The kindnesses of G‑d have surely not ended....”
Surprisingly, the Hebrew verb used here is tamnu (in the first person plural), which would make the phrase mean, “we have not been brought to an end.” If the verse sought to say that (a) the kindnesses “have not ended,” rather than (b) “because of G‑d’s kindnesses we have not been brought to an end,” it should surely have used the verb tamu (in the third person plural), as the Alter Rebbe goes on to point out.
והוה ליה למימר: כי לא תמו
Now, it should really have said ki lo tamu,
כמו שכתוב: כי לא תמו חסדיך וכו׳
as in the phrase,5 “For your kindnesses have not ended....”
The Alter Rebbe answers that our verse indeed implies two ideas: (a) the kindnesses have not ended; (b) we stand in need of חסדי ה׳ (G‑d’s kindnesses), כי לא תמנו — because we are not “perfect” or “complete”. (In the second interpretation, tamnumeans “we are not tamim,” as shall soon be explained.)
ויובן על פי מה שכתוב בזוהר הקדוש: אית חסד ואית חסד
This [anomaly] will be understood in the light of a statement in the sacred Zohar:6 “There are [two] different types of Chesed:
אית חסד עולם כו׳
there is Chesed olam..., literally, “a worldlike Chesed,” a degree of kindness which is limited by temporal bounds,
ואית חסד עילאה, דהוא רב חסד כו׳
and there is a superior form of kindness, i.e., rav Chesed (“boundless kindness”)....
Since it is man’s spiritual service that draws down Divine beneficence, the Alter Rebbe now goes on to explain what manner of service elicits a downflow of the “Chesed of the world,” and what manner of service draws down the boundless degree of rav Chesed.
כי הנה מודעת זאת, התורה נקראת עוז
Now, it is well known that the Torah is called oz (“strength”),
Thus on the verse,7 “G‑d grants strength to His people,” the Gemara in Tractate Zevachim8 comments, “‘Strength’ alludes to the Torah.”
שהוא לשון גבורה
which is an expression of Gevurah.
Literally, Gevurah means “might”, but more specifically, as the name of one of the Sefirot, it signifies (in contradistinction to Chesed) the withholding of beneficence, as regulated by the Divine attribute of stern justice.
וכמו שאמרו חז״ל: תרי״ג מצות נאמרו למשה מסיני מפי הגבורה
As our Sages, of blessed memory, taught:9 “The 613 commandments were declared unto Moses at Sinai from the Mouth of the Gevurah.”
I.e., the 613 commandments were uttered by G‑d as He manifested Himself in the attribute of Gevurah, for which reason He Himself is here referred to by the name of this attribute.
וכדכתיב: מימינו אש דת למו
It is likewise written:10 “From His right Hand a Torah of fire [was given] unto them”; i.e., it was written in fire, which is an expression of the attribute of Gevurah.
פירוש
This means:
The Alter Rebbe here introduces an explanation which anticipates the following question: Since the Torah of G‑d was given “from His right Hand,” which always connotes kindness and benevolence (and indeed, the Torah has been called11 Torat Chesed — “a Torah of kindness”), how then can the above-quoted verse proceed to say that the Torah is an expression of fire and Gevurah?
שהתורה מקורה ושרשה הוא רק חסדי ה׳, המכונים בשם ימין
The source and root of the Torah is solely “G‑d’s kindnesses,” that are referred to12 as “the right side.”
דהיינו: המשכת בחינת אלקותו יתברך והארה מאור אין סוף ברוך הוא
That is: The elicitation of His Divinity, and of a radiation from the [infinite] Ein Sof-light,
אל העולמות עליונים ותחתונים
to the upper and lower worlds,
על ידי האדם הממשיך האור על עצמו
[is effected] by man who draws down the light upon himself
בקיום רמ״ח מצות עשה
by the fulfillment of the 248 positive commandments,
שהו רמ״ח אברים דמלכא
which are13 “the 248 organs of the King”;
פירוש: רמ״ח כלים ולבושים לההארה מאור אין סוף ברוך הוא המלובש בהן
i.e., they are the 248 vessels and garments for the radiation from the [infinite] Ein Sof-light that is vested in them.
Each of the commandments serves as a receptor or vehicle for the particular Divine illumination that vests itself within it, just as each organ of the body is a vehicle or receptor for a particular faculty of the soul — the eye for the power of sight, the ear for the power of hearing, and so on.
ומאור זה יומשך לו דחילו ורחימו בכל מצוה, כנודע
(14And, as is known, from this light awe and love are drawn down upon [a person as he performs] each command.)
The Torah and its commandments are thus a downflow of G‑dliness, springing from His attribute of kindness.
רק שהמשכה זו נתלבשה תחלה במדת גבורתו של הקב״ה, המכונה בשם אש
However, this downflow was first vested in G‑d’s attribute of Gevurah, which is referred to as “fire”,
שהיא בחינת צמצום האור והחיות הנמשכות מאור אין סוף ברוך הוא
and which reflects a contraction (tzimtzum) of the light and life-force that issue from the [infinite] Ein Sof-light,
כדי שתוכל להתלבש במעשה המצות
thus enabling it to become vested in the performance of the commandments,
שרובן ככולן הם בדברים חומריים
practically all of which involve material things,
כציצית ותפילין וקרבנות וצדקה
such as tzitzit (which are made of wool), tefillin (made of leather and parchment), sacrifices (offered from animals, plants and minerals) and charity (that involves money or other material objects).
ואף מצות שהן ברוחניות האדם, כמו יראה ואהבה
Even commandments that involve a man’s spirit, such as awe and love [of G‑d],
אף על פי כן הן בבחינת גבול ומדה, ולא בבחינת אין סוף כלל
are also of limited measure,15 and by no means of infinite extent.
כי אהבה רבה לה׳, בלי קץ וגבול ומדה, אין האדם יכול לסובלה בלבו ולהיות קיים בגופו אפילו רגע
For not even for a moment could man sustain in his heart so intense a love of G‑d as is without end and limitation, and still remain in existence in his body.
Indeed, so intense a love would surely cause the soul to take flight.
וכמאמר רז״ל, שבשעת מתן תורה, שהיתה התגלות אלקותו יתברך ואור אין סוף ברוך הוא בבחינת דיבור והתגלות, פרחה נשמתן כו׳
So it was taught by our Sages, of blessed memory,16 that at the time of the Giving of the Torah, when G‑d’s Divinity, and the [infinite] Ein Sof-light, were manifested [to the Jews at Sinai] at the [direct] level of revealed speech, “their souls took flight” from their bodies.
At that time G‑d restored their souls with the dew that He will use to revive the dead in the time to come. We see, however, that the illumination in itself was so intense that their souls could not remain within their bodies for even one moment.
Since the love presently experienced by a soul within a body does not cause it to flee, it follows that this love is inherently limited. This also applies to the awe and love which are experienced as a result of the Divinity that is revealed in the mitzvot, as mentioned earlier. This is the case because the flow of G‑dliness which descends through the Torah and its finite commandments is restrained by the attribute of Gevurah.
We can now understand the two stages implied in the above-quoted verse: Initially, the Torah indeed proceeds “from Hisright Hand,” from the boundless kindness of the attribute of Chesed — but it is then communicated to us “from the Mouth of the Gevurah” as “a Torah of fire,” as a law which is delimited and restricted through the Divine attribute of Gevurah, so that it will be able to find expression in the finitude of the mitzvot.
| FOOTNOTES | |
| 1. | Cf. Tehillim 119:130. |
| 2. | Cf. Mishlei 15:31. |
| 3. | Note of the Rebbe: “At the conclusion as well [of this Epistle] the Alter Rebbe stresses that ‘This is what the prophet says,’ in order to add certainty to the following statement.” |
| 4. | Eichah 3:22. |
| 5. | Liturgy, concluding blessings of Shemoneh Esreh (Siddur Tehillat HaShem, p. 58). |
| 6. | III, 133b. |
| 7. | Tehillim 29:11. |
| 8. | 116a. |
| 9. | Makkot 23b. |
| 10. | Devarim 33:2. |
| 11. | Mishlei 31:26. |
| 12. | Tikkunei Zohar, Introduction II (Patach Eliyahu). |
| 13. | Tikkunei Zohar, Tikkun 30 (p. 74b). |
| 14. | The parentheses are in the original text. |
| 15. | This being a characteristic of the attribute of Gevurah. |
| 16. | Shabbat 88b. |
• Rambam: Sefer Hamitzvos:
• Shabbat, 30 AV , 5776 · 3 September 2016
• Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
Positive Commandment 201
Allowing Employees to Eat from the Crops
"When you come [to work] in your fellow's vineyard, you may eat grapes... When you enter your fellow's standing grain, you may pick the ears with your hand"—Deuteronomy 23:25.
An employer must allow his worker to eat, while working, from the produce which he is working on.
(See Negative Commandment 267 for more details on this allowance.)
Full text of this Mitzvah »
• Allowing Employees to Eat from the Crops
Positive Commandment 201
Translated by Berel Bell
The 201st mitzvah is that we are commanded to allow a hired worker to eat, when he is working, from the produce he is working with. This applies only if the produce is attached to the ground.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "When you come [to work] in your neighbor's vineyard, you may eat grapes...When you come [to work] in your neighbor's standing grain, you may take the ears with your hand."
In tractate Bava Metzia2 it is explained that these two verses teach that one may eat from the produce that is attached to the ground when the work is finished, and that neither verse would be sufficient without the other. This is similar to what was previously mentioned3 regarding the phrase of the Sages,4 "these are two verses, and without them both we could not derive the law." This is therefore a single positive mitzvah — i.e. that a hired worker is allowed to eat from produce which is attached to the ground — that is derived from two verses.
Our Sages5 explicitly stated that "they are permitted to eat by Torah law."6
The details of this mitzvah are explained in the 7th chapter of tractate Bava Metzia.7
FOOTNOTES
1.Deut. 23:25-26.
2.87.
3.P140. There the Rambam explains that this phrase shows that the two verses count as only one mitzvah rather than two.
4.Sifra, Behar, 2:1.
5.Bava Metzia 87a.
6.This statement shows that this law counts as one of the 613 commandments.
7.32a.
• Shabbat, 30 AV , 5776 · 3 September 2016
• Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
Positive Commandment 201
Allowing Employees to Eat from the Crops
"When you come [to work] in your fellow's vineyard, you may eat grapes... When you enter your fellow's standing grain, you may pick the ears with your hand"—Deuteronomy 23:25.
An employer must allow his worker to eat, while working, from the produce which he is working on.
(See Negative Commandment 267 for more details on this allowance.)
Full text of this Mitzvah »
• Allowing Employees to Eat from the Crops
Positive Commandment 201
Translated by Berel Bell
The 201st mitzvah is that we are commanded to allow a hired worker to eat, when he is working, from the produce he is working with. This applies only if the produce is attached to the ground.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "When you come [to work] in your neighbor's vineyard, you may eat grapes...When you come [to work] in your neighbor's standing grain, you may take the ears with your hand."
In tractate Bava Metzia2 it is explained that these two verses teach that one may eat from the produce that is attached to the ground when the work is finished, and that neither verse would be sufficient without the other. This is similar to what was previously mentioned3 regarding the phrase of the Sages,4 "these are two verses, and without them both we could not derive the law." This is therefore a single positive mitzvah — i.e. that a hired worker is allowed to eat from produce which is attached to the ground — that is derived from two verses.
Our Sages5 explicitly stated that "they are permitted to eat by Torah law."6
The details of this mitzvah are explained in the 7th chapter of tractate Bava Metzia.7
FOOTNOTES
1.Deut. 23:25-26.
2.87.
3.P140. There the Rambam explains that this phrase shows that the two verses count as only one mitzvah rather than two.
4.Sifra, Behar, 2:1.
5.Bava Metzia 87a.
6.This statement shows that this law counts as one of the 613 commandments.
7.32a.
• Rambam - 1 Chapter: Tum'at Tsara`at Tum'at Tsara`at - Chapter 9
• Tum'at Tsara`at - Chapter 9
• Tum'at Tsara`at - Chapter 9
1
Everyone can become impure due to tzara'at blemishes, even a new-born baby or servants, but not gentiles or resident aliens. Anyone is acceptable to inspect such blemishes. A person can inspect all blemishes except his own.
א
הכל מתטמאין בנגעים אפילו קטן בן יומו והעבדים אבל לא עכו"ם ולא גר תושב והכל כשירין לראות את הנגעים וכל הנגעים אדם רואה אותן חוץ מנגעי עצמו:
2
Even though everyone is acceptable to assess blemishes, the designation of a person as impure or pure is dependent on a priest.
What is implied? If there is a priest who does not know how to assess blemishes, a sage should observe them and instruct him: "Say 'You are impure,'" and the priest says: "You are impure;" "Say 'You are pure,'" and the priest says: "You are pure." "Isolate him," and he isolates him. The pronouncement must be made by a priest, because Deuteronomy 21:5 states: "Their statements will determine every quarrel and every blemish." Even if a priest is a minor or intellectually or emotionally incapable, the sage instructs him and he declares the person definitively impure, releases him from the inspection process, or isolates him.
When does the above apply? When the priest relies on the words of the sage. If, however, the priest assesses the blemish and relies on his own understanding, it is forbidden for him to assess any blemish unless he is instructed by a master and is thoroughly versed in all the blemishes and their names, including the blemishes that affect a person and those that affect clothes and houses.
ב
אע"פשהכל כשירין לראות נגעים הטומאה והטהרה תלויה בכהן כיצד כהן שאינו יודע לראות החכם רואהו ואומר לו אמור טמא והכהן אומר טמא אמור טהור והכהן אומר טהור הסגירו והוא מסגירו שנאמר ועל פיהם יהיה כל ריב וכל נגע ואפילו היה הכהן קטן או שוטה החכם אומר לו והוא מחליט או פוטר או סוגר במה דברים אמורים כשהיה הכהן סומך על דברי החכם אבל אם היה הכהן רואה וסומך על עצמו אסור לו לראות נגע מכל נגעים עד שיורנו רבו ויהיה בקי בכל הנגעים ובשמותיהן בנגעי אדם כולם ובנגעי בגדים ובנגעי בתים:
3
A priest who declared a person who was pure as impure or a person who was impure as pure does not affect his status, as can be inferred from Leviticus 13:44: "He is impure and the priest shall deem him impure" and ibid.:37: "He is pure and the priest shall declare him pure." When a person who contacted tzara'at is healed, either after isolation or after having been deemed definitively impure, he remains impure even for several years,until a priest tells him: "You are pure."
ג
כהן שטימא את הטהור או טיהר את הטמא לא עשה כלום שנאמר טמא הוא וטמאו הכהן טהור הוא וטהרו הכהן ומצורע שנרפא בין מתוך הסגר בין מתוך החלט אפילו אחר כמה שנים הרי זה בטומאתו עד שיאמר לו כהן טהור אתה:
4
A priest is not permitted to deem a person impure until he focuses his sight on the blemish when compared to the flesh outside of it. The priest who inspected a blemish initially should be the one who inspects it at the end of the first week and at the end of the second week. He is the one who places the person in isolation, deems him definitively impure, or releases him from the inspection process.
If the priest who initially inspected the blemish dies or becomes sick, another priest should inspect it. The second priest cannot deem it impure because its size increased, because only the first priest can tell whether it increased or not.
A priest's word is accepted if he says: "This blemish increased in size" or "This blemish did not increase in size," "This white hair preceded the blemish," or "This blemish preceded the white hair."
ד
אין הכהן רשאי לטמא את הטמא עד שיהיו עיניו במקום הנגע בעור הבשר שחוצה לו וכהן שראה הנגע בתחילה הוא שרואהו בסוף שבוע א' ובסוף שבוע ב' והוא שמסגירו או מחליטו או פוטרו מת הכהן שראהו תחלה או שחלה רואהו כהן אחר ואין השני יכול לטמאו בפשיון שאין יודע אם פשה אם לא פשה אלא ראשון ונאמן כהן לומר נגע זה פשה ונגע זה לא פשה ושיער לבן זה קדם את הבהרת או בהרת זו קדמה את שיער לבן:
5
A challal is not acceptable to inspect blemishes, as can be inferred from Leviticus 13:2: "One of the descendants of Aaron, the priests," i.e., when their priestly status is intact. One who is disqualified from serving in the Temple because of physical blemishes is fit to inspect blemishes, provided he is not blind, even in one eye. Indeed, even a priest whose eyesight has become impaired should not inspect blemishes, as is derived from ibid:12: "the entire vision of the eyes of the priest."
ה
חלל פסול לראיית נגעים שנאמר אחד מבניו הכהנים בכהונתם אבל בעלי מומין כשירים לראיית נגעים ובלבד שלא יהיה סומא ואפילו באחת מעיניו ואפילו כהן שכהה מאור עיניו לא יראה את הנגעים שנאמר לכל מראה עיני הכהן:
6
Blemishes may be inspected only during the day, whether to isolate a person, to deem him definitively impure, or to release him from the inspection process as pure, for throughout the passage the term "on the day" is used.
A blemish should not be inspected in the early morning, nor towards evening, nor inside a building, nor on a cloudy day, because then a darker hue of white will look brighter. Nor should it be inspected at noon, because then a brighter hue of white will look darker.
When should it be inspected? In the fourth hour after sunrise, in the fifth hour, in the eighth hour, and in the ninth hour. This applies to blemishes on a person's body, those on garments, and those on buildings.
ו
אין רואין את הנגעים אלא ביום בין להסגיר בין להחליט בין לפטור שהרי בכל הענין הוא אומר ביום וביום ואין רואין לא בשחרית ולא בין הערבים ולא בתוך הבית ולא ביום המעונן לפי שכהה נראית עזה ולא בצהרים לפי שעזה נראית כהה אימתי רואין אותן בשעה רביעית ובחמישית ובשמינית ובתשיעית בין נגעי אדם בין נגעי בגדים ובתים:
7
Blemishes can be inspected on any day with the exception of the Sabbath and the holidays. If the seventh day of a person's isolation falls on the Sabbath or a holiday, the inspection is postponed. This leads to both leniencies and stringencies. For it is possible that the blemish would have been deemed impure on the Sabbath and, on the following day, the signs of impurity will have disappeared. Conversely, it is possible that, on the Sabbath, the blemish would have been deemed pure and on the following day, signs of impurity will appear. The determination of one's status is made only at the time of the inspection after the Sabbath.
ז
בכל יום רואין את הנגעים חוץ משבת ויו"ט חל יום שביעי שלו להיות בשבת או ביו"ט מעבירין לאחוריו ויש בדבר להקל ולהחמיר שאפשר שיהיה ביום שבת זה שהוא יום הראוי לראות טמא ולמחר ילכו להן סימני טומאה ואפשר שיהיה טהור ולמחר יולדו לו סימני טומאה ואין דנין אותו אלא בשעת ראייתו לאחר השבת:
8
When a blemish appears on a bridegroom, he is given all seven days of celebration. Similarly, if a blemish appears on his garments or his home, it is not inspected until after the seven days of his celebration. Similarly, during a festival, he is given all the days of the festival before an inspection is made, as indicated by Leviticus 14:36: "And the priest shall give a command and they will empty the home." Now if the Torah postponed the matter for the sake of concerns that are merely permitted, i.e., so that one's utensils not be deemed impure, the inference can certainly be made, that judgment should be postponed for a mitzvah.
ח
חתן שנראה בו נגע נותנין לו כל שבעת ימי המשתה וכן אם נראה בבגדיו או בביתו אין רואין אותן עד לאחר המשתה וכן ברגל נותנין לו כל ימות הרגל שנאמר וצוה הכהן ופנו את הבית וגו' אם המתינה תורה לדבר הרשות שלא יטמאו כליו קל וחומר לדבר מצוה:
9
A person should not be isolated, deemed definitively impure, or sent away except on the day the blemish was first inspected, the seventh day afterwards, or the thirteenth. This applies with regard to blemishes for which the isolation period is two weeks, because the seventh day is counted when calculating the first week and the second week. It is valid for all blemishes, those on a person's body, those on garments, and those on buildings.
ט
אין מסגירין ולא מחליטין ולא פוטרין אלא ביום שיראה בו בתחילה או בשביעי או ביום י"ג בנגעים שמסגירין בהן שני שבועות מפני שיום שביעי עולה למניין שבוע ראשון ולמניין שבוע שני בכל הנגעים בין בנגעי אדם בין בנגעי בתים ובגדים:
10
A person should not be isolated a second time in the midst of a period of isolation. Nor is one deemed definitively impure if a sign of impurity appears during the days of isolation. Nor is one who has been deemed definitively impure deemed definitively impure for another blemish that appeared, nor is he sent into isolation for a blemish that is fit to require isolation if it appears in the time he is definitively impure.
If, however, a person has two blemishes and a priest sees one and then the other, it is permitted for him to say: "You are isolated because of this one and deemed definitively impure because of the other one" or "You are deemed definitively impure because of this one and isolated because of the other one." This applies whether at the time of the initial examination, at the conclusion of the first week or at the conclusion of the second week.
Two blemishes should not be seen at the same time, whether on one person or on two people, as implied by Leviticus 13:3: "And the priest shall see the blemish."
י
אין מסגירין בתוך ימי הסגר ולא מחליטין בתוך ימי הסגר אם נולד לו סימן החלט ולא מחליטין המוחלט אם נולד לו נגע אחר ולא מסגירין אותו בתוך ימי חלוטו אם נולד לו נגע אחר שראוי להסגר אבל אם היו בו שני נגעים וראה זה וחזר וראה זה ה"ז מותר לומר לו הרי אתה מוסגר בזה ומוחלט בזה או מוחלט בזה ומוסגר בזה בין בתחילה בין בסוף בין בסוף שבוע ראשון בין בסוף שבוע שני ואין רואין שני נגעים כאחת בין בשני אנשים בין באיש אחד שנאמר וראה הכהן את הנגע:
11
When a blemished person comes to a priest for an examination, he should not tell him: "Go and return." Instead, he should attend to him immediately. If two people come before him, he should examine the first and then isolate him, release him from the inspection process, or deem him definitively impure and then examine the second person.
יא
נגוע שבא לכהן לראותו לא יאמר לו לך ושוב אלא נזקק לו מיד באו לפניו שנים רואה את הראשון מסגירו או פוטרו או מחליטו וחוזר ורואה את השני:
12
It is not necessary for a priest to look carefully at the blemished person's underarms, between his testicles, or in the creases of his flesh, lest there be a blemish there, as implied byLeviticus 13:12: "the entire vision of the eyes of the priest." This also applies when a person has become entirely white.
How should a person with a blemish stand before a priest to be inspected? If male, he is inspected while naked, standing like one who is hoeing and like one who is harvesting olives. If female, she is inspected while naked, sitting on the ground like one who is kneading dough, like one who nurses her child, or like one who weaves with a standing loom, in which instance she raises her right hand until reveals her underarm.
If a blemish can be detected when a man or a woman is in these positions, he or she is impure. If it cannot be detected in such a position, no attention is paid to it. Just as a person appears for the inspection of his blemish, so must he appear for his shaving. If hair could be found on any portion of his flesh when a man is standing naked like one who is hoeing or like one who is harvesting olives or a woman is sitting in the position described, the shaving is acceptable. The priest is not required to search in other places to see if hair remains, even though he is required to remove all the person's hair, as will be explained.
יב
אין הכהן זקוק לבקש תחת אצילי ידיו של נגוע או בין פחדיו או בתוך הקמטים שמא שם נגע שנאמר לכל מראה עיני הכהן וכן בהופך כולו לבן וכיצד יעמוד לפני הכהן אם איש הוא נראה ערום ועומד כעודר וכמוסק זיתים ואם אשה היא נראית ערומה ויושבת כעורכת וכמניקה את בנה וכאורגת בעומדים שמגבהת ידה הימנית עד שיגלה בית השחי אם היה הנגע נראה בהן בזמן שהן עומדין הרי זה טמא ואם אינו נראה בהן כשהן עומדין כך אין נזקקין לו וכשם שהאדם נראה לנגעו כך הוא נראה לתגלחתו שאם לא יראה שיער בכל בשרו כשיעמוד ערום כעודר וכמוסק או כשתשב האשה כמו שביארנו הרי זו תגלחת כשירה ואין כהן זקוק לחפש בשאר מקומות שמא נשאר בהן שיער אף ע"פ שהוא צריך לגלח הכל כמו שיתבאר
• Rambam - 3 Chapters: Sechirut Sechirut - Chapter 7, Sechirut Sechirut - Chapter 8, Sechirut Sechirut - Chapter 9
• Sechirut - Chapter 7
• Hayom Yom: Today's Hayom Yom
• Shabbat, 30 AV , 5776 · 3 September 2016
• "Today's Day"
• Tuesday, Menachem Av 30, Rosh Chodesh 5703
Begin saying L'david ori (p. 81). The custom in the Rebbe's home1 is to practice sounding the shofar during this day. On the second day of Rosh Chodesh begin sounding the shofar after davening.
Torah lessons: Chumash: Shoftim, Shlishi with Rashi.
Tehillim: 145-150.
Tanya: X. After greetings (p. 439) ...souls took flight..." (p. 441).
The Alter Rebbe at first used to say brief maamarim. For example, the maamar Zecher rav tuvcha and its amplification, published in the Siddur,2 was said in six sequential sections, at somewhat greater length than in its printed version.
FOOTNOTES
1.And the general Chabad custom.
2.The reference is to the Siddur with chassidic discourses.
• Daily Thought:
• Sechirut - Chapter 7
1
Just as a person may make any stipulation that he desires with regard to a purchase or a sale; so, too, may he make any stipulation he desires with regard to a rental. For a rental is a sale for a limited amount of time.
Whenever a person's sale of his property is upheld, the rental of his property will also be upheld. Conversely, when a person is not granted power to sell his property, he may not rent out that property. The only exception is when all he owns is the right to the produce of the property. In such an instance, he may rent out the property, but he may not sell it.
א
כשם שמתנה אדם כל תנאי שירצה במקח וממכר כך מתנה בשכירות שהשכירות מכירה לזמן קצוב היא וכל שממכרו בנכסיו ממכר שוכר שכירותו שכירות וכל שאין לו למכור כך אין לו לשכור אלא א"כ יש לו פירות בלבד באותה הקרקע הרי זה שוכר ואינו מוכר:
2
When a person rents out a house to a colleague for a year, and a leap year
is declared, the extra month is granted to the tenant. If, by contrast, the agreement is made according to months, the extra month is granted to the owner.
If the rental agreement mentions both months and years, the extra month is granted to the owner. This applies regardless of whether the owner said: "A dinar every month, twelve dinarim a year," or "Twelve dinarim a year, a dinar every month." The rationale is that the land is in the possession of its owner and we may not expropriate anything from the owner of the land without a clear proof.
Similarly, when the owner of a home says: "I rented out the house for a specific time," and the tenant says: "I rented it without any specifics," or "for a longer period," the renter must prove his claim. If he does not prove his claim, the owner may support his claim with a sh'vuat hesset and have the tenant removed from the home.
ב
המשכיר בית לחבירו לשנה ונתעברה השנה נתעברה לשוכר השכיר לחדשים נתעברה למשכיר הזכיר לו חדשים ושנה בין שאמר לו דינר לחדש י"ב דינר בשנה בין שאמר לו שנים עשר דינר לשנה דינר בכל חדש הרי חדש העיבור של משכיר שהקרקע בחזקת בעלים ואין מוציאין דבר מיד בעל הקרקע אלא בראיה ברורה וכן בעה"ב שאמר לזמן זה השכרתי לך והשוכר אומר לא שכרתי אלא סתם או לזמן ארוך על השוכר להביא ראיה ואם לא הביא בעה"ב נשבע היסת ומוציאו מן הבית:
3
The following rules apply when the tenant claims: "I paid the rent that I was obligated for the house," and the owner claims: "I have yet to collect it." The same rules apply whether the agreement was recorded in a contract or observed by witnesses.
If the owner demands payment within 30 days of the beginning of the rental, the burden of proof is on the renter. Alternatively, he must pay. He may then have a ban of ostracism issued against anyone who took money from him. Or the tenant may lodge a suit against the owner for the money he originally gave him as a separate claim and require the owner to take a sh'vuat hesset.
If the owner demanded payment after 30 days passed or even on the thirtieth day, the owner must bring proof that he was not paid. Otherwise, the tenant may take an oath that he already paid him the rent and thus be released from any obligation.
Similarly, if when the tenant rented the property, he stipulated that he would pay him the rent annually - if the owner demands payment within the year, the tenant is obligated to bring proof that he already paid. If he demands payment after the year - even if he demands payment on the twenty-ninth day of Elul - the owner is obligated to bring proof that he was not paid.
ג
השוכר שאמר נתתי שכר הבית שנתחייבתי בו והמשכיר אומר עדיין לא נטלתי בין שהיתה בשטר בין שהיתה בעדים אם תבעו בתוך שלשים יום על השוכר להביא ראיה או יתן ויחרים על מי שלקח ממנו או יטעון עליו בדמים שנתן תחלה טענה בפני עצמה וישביעהו היסת תבעו המשכיר לאחר שלשים יום ואפילו ביום הל' על המשכיר להביא ראיה או ישבע השוכר שכבר נתן לו שכרו ויפטר וכן אם שכר ממנו ופירש שיתן לו השכר שנה בשנה ותבעו בתוך השנה על השוכר להביא ראיה תבעו לאחר השנה ואפילו ביום תשעה ועשרים באלול על המשכיר להביא ראייה:
4
The following rules apply when a person rents out a house to a colleague for ten years, has a rental contract composed, but does not date that contract. If the tenant claims: "Only one year passed from the time the document was composed," but the owner claims: "The entire period of the rental agreement has passed, and you have dwelled in the house for ten years," the tenant is required to bring proof to support his claim. If he does not do so, the owner may take a sh'vuat hesset and compel him to leave the dwelling.
ד
המשכיר בית לחבירו בשטר לעשר שנים ואין בו זמן השוכר אומר עדיין לא עבר מזמן השטר אלא שנה והמשכיר אומר כבר עברו ושלמו שני השכירות ושכנת עשר שנים על השוכר להביא ראיה ואם לא הביא ראיה ישבע המשכיר היסת ויוציאו:
5
The following rules apply when a person rents an orchard - or it was entrusted to him as security - for ten years and it dries up. The tenant should sell the trees, purchase land with the proceeds, and benefit from the produce of that land until the conclusion of the rental contract or the period for which the security was entrusted. As a safeguard against the violation of the prohibition against taking interest, both the owner of the orchard - the borrower and the creditor are prohibited against taking the trees themselves that became dried out or were cut down.
ה
השוכר פרדס או שהיה משכון בידו לי' שנים ויבש הפרדס בתוך הזמן ימכרו עציו וילקח בהן קרקע ויאכל פירותיו עד סוף זמן שכירותו או זמן המשכון וגוף האילנות שיבשו או נקצצו שניהן אסורין בהן משום רבית המלוה והלוה:
6
The following rules apply when a contract for rental or security mentions "years" without stating the number of years. If the tenant claims that the agreement was for three years, and the owner of the land claims that it was for two years, and the renter - or the creditor - came and made use of the produce of the third year, we assume that the produce belonged to the person who made use of it unless the owner of the land brings proof that this is not so.
A difficulty could arise if the tenant or the creditor derived benefit from the property for three years and the legal record became misplaced. If he said: "I am entitled to the produce for five years," and the owner of the land says, "The agreement was only for three," we tell the concerned parties: "Show the legal record."
If the owner says: "It was lost," the tenant's claim is accepted, for if he would have claimed that he had purchased it, his claim would also be accepted since he derived benefit from it for three years.
ו
שטר השכירות או שטר המשכון שכתוב בה שנים סתם בעל הפירות אומר ג' ובעל הקרקע אומר שנים וקדם זה השוכר או המלוה ואכל הפירות הרי הפירות בחזקת אוכליהן עד שיביא בעל הקרקע ראיה אכלה השוכר או הממשכן שלש שנים וכבש השטר ואמר לחמש שנים יש לי פירות ובעל הקרקע אומר שלש אמרו לו הבא שטרך ואמר אבד השוכר נאמן שאילו רצה אמר לקוחה היא בידי שהרי אכלה שלש שנים:
7
The following rules apply when a person brings his produce into his colleague's property without his consent or beguiled him into allowing him to bring in his produce and then left it and departed. The owner of the property may sell that produce in order to pay for workers to take it away and bring it to the market place.
It is pious conduct for the owner of the property to notify the court and rent a storage place with part of the funds in order to prevent the destruction of his colleague's property, even if that colleague acted in an improper manner.
ז
מי שהכניס פירותיו לבית חבירו שלא מדעתו או שהטעוהו עד שהכניס פירותיו והניחם והלך יש לבעל הבית למכור לו מאותן הפירות כדי ליתן שכר הפועלים שמוציאין אותן ומשליכין אותם לשוק ומדת חסידות הוא שיודיע לבית דין וישכירו ממקצת דמיהן מקום משום השב אבידה לבעלים אף על פי שלא עשה כהוגן:
8
The following rules apply when a person rents a mill from a colleague on the condition that the renter will grind 20 se'ah of grain for the owner every month as rent and afterwards, the owner of the mill became wealthy. Since he no longer needs to have his grain ground there he asks the renter to pay him the equivalent of the wage he would earn for grinding the 20 se'ah.
If the renter has wheat of his own or of others that he can grind instead, we compel him to pay the owner the wage he receives for grinding 20 se'ah. Not to pay him would be an expression of the qualities of Sodom. If the renter does not have wheat of his own or customers, he may tell the owner: "I don't have the funds. I am prepared to grind grain for you, as stated in the rental agreement. If you don't need this, sell the ground wheat to others." Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.
ח
השוכר ריחיים מחבירו שיטחון לו כ' סאה בכל חדש בשכרו והעשיר בעל הריחיים והרי אינו צריך לטחון שם אם יש לשוכר חטים שצריך לטחון לעצמו או לאחרים כופין אותו ליתן דמי טחינת כ' סאה שזו מדת סדום היא ואם אין לו יכול לומר אין לי דמים והריני טוחן לך כמו ששכרתי ואם אין אתה צריך מכור לאחרים וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
Sechirut - Chapter 8
1
The same laws apply when a person rents a field from a colleague to sow, or a vineyard to benefit from its fruits and agrees to pay him money or agrees to pay him a fixed amount of produce - e.g., he rented a particular field for 20 kor of grain a year or a particular vineyard for 20 jugs of wine a year. A person who rents property and agrees to pay in produce is called a chocher.
א
אחד השוכר מחבירו שדה לזורעה או כרם לאכול פירותיו בדמים או ששכר ממנו בפירות קצובים כגון ששכר ממנו שדה זו בעשרים כור בשנה וכרם זה בעשרים כדי יין בכל שנה שניהן דין אחד יש להן והשוכר בפירות הוא הנקרא חוכר:
2
When a person takes a field or an orchard with the intent of working it, investing in it and giving the owner a third, a fourth or whatever other percentage of the harvest that they agree to, he is called a mekabel.
The following rules apply with regard to all the types of contracts mentioned above. Whenever an improvement is necessary for the sake of the land itself, it is the responsibility of the owner of the land to provide it. Whenever an improvement is an added measure of security, the renter is responsible for it.
The ax that is used to break up the land, the containers used to carry away earth, the bucket, the jug or the like that is used to draw water are the responsibility of the owner of the land. Digging the irrigation ditches, by contrast, is the responsibility of the renter.
ב
המקבל שדה או פרדס כדי לעבוד אותו ולהוציא עליו יציאות ויתן לבעל הקרקע שליש התבואות או רביע או מה שיתנו ביניהן והוא הנקרא מקבל כל דבר שהוא לסייג הארץ בעל הקרקע חייב בו וכל דבר שהוא שמירה יתירה החוכר או המקבל חייב בו הקרדום שחופרין בו הארץ והכלים שנושאין בהן העפר והדלי והכד וכיוצא בהן שדולין בהן המים על בעל הקרקע וחטיטת המקומות שמקבצין בהן המים על החוכר או על המקבל:
3
When a person rents or makes a sharecropping agreement with regard to a colleague's field for only a few years, he should not sow flax. If he rents it or enters a sharecropping agreement for seven years, he may sow flax for the first year." The Sabbatical year is not included in this reckoning. If he rents it or enters a sharecropping agreement for a seven-year period, the Sabbatical year is included in this reckoning.
ג
השוכר או המקבל שדה מחבירו לשנים מועטות לא יזרענה פשתן שכרה או קבלה ז' שנים זורעה שנה ראשונה פשתן ואין השביעית מן המניין שכרה או קבלה שבוע אחד שביעית מן המניין:
4
The following laws apply when a person rents or makes a sharecropping agreement with regard to a colleague's field that is parched and requires irrigation, and the spring used to irrigate the field dries up, but the larger river has not ceased to flow, and it is possible to carry water from it in a bucket. The renter may not reduce his payments. If this is a problem that affects the entire region - e.g., the river itself dried up - he may reduce his payments. Similar laws apply if one rents an orchard and the trees of the orchard are cut down.
Different rules apply when the owner was standing in his field and told the renter: "I am renting you this parched field," or "I am renting you this orchard." If the spring dries up or the tree is chopped down, he may reduce his payments. Since he was standing in the property when he made that statement, we assume that by saying: "this field" or "this orchard," his intent was: "I am renting it to you in its present condition."
Therefore, when the owner is not standing in his field and told the renter: "I am renting you this parched field," or "I am renting you this orchard." If the spring dries up or the tree is chopped down, he may not reduce his payments.
ד
החוכר או המקבל שדה מחבירו והיא בית השלחין או בית האילן ויבשה מעיין בית השלחין ולא פסק הנהר הגדול אלא אפשר להביא ממנו בדלי או שנקצץ האילן של בית האילנות אינו מנכה לו מחכירו ואם מכת מדינה היא כגון שיבש הנהר מנכה לו מחכירו היה עומד בתוך השדה ואמר לו בית השלחין הזה אני משכיר לך בית האילן זה אני משכיר יבש המעיין או נקצץ האילן מנכה מחכירו שהרי הוא עומד בתוכה ולא אמר לו הזה אלא כמי שאומר כמות שהיא עתה אני משכיר לפיכך אם לא היה עומד בתוכה ואמר לו בית השלחין אני משכיר לך או בית האילן ויבש המעיין או שנקצץ האילן אינו מנכה לו מחכירו:
5
The following rules apply when a person rents or makes a sharecropping agreement with regard to a colleague's field, and the crops are eaten by locusts or destroyed by drought. If this condition prevailed among the majority of the fields of that city, he may reduce his payments according to the extent of the loss that he suffered. If this blight did not prevail among the majority of the fields, he may not reduce his payments. This law applies even though all the fields belonging to this land owner were ravaged.
If all the fields of the renter or the sharecropper were ravaged, even though the blight also affected most of the other fields, he may not reduce his payment. For the loss is dependent on the renter's bad fortune, as evidenced by the fact that all his fields were ravaged.
If the owner stipulated that the renter should sow the field with wheat, and he sowed it with barley, did not sow it at all or sowed it and nothing grew, the renter may not reduce his payments even though locusts or a drought came and the majority of the fields were ravaged. Until when must he till it and sow it a second time if the first crop does not grow? Until the time when it is fit to sow in that place.
ה
השוכר או המקבל שדה מחבירו ואכלה חגב או נשתדפה אם אירע דבר זה לרוב השדות של אותה העיר מנכה לו מחכירו הכל לפי ההפסד שארעו ואם לא פשטה המכה ברוב השדות אינו מנכה לו מחכירו אע"פ שנשתדפו כל השדות של בעל הקרקע נשתדפו כל השדות של השוכר או המקבל אף על פי שפשטה המכה ברוב השדות אינו מנכה לו מחכירו שאין זה ההפסד תלוי אלא בשוכר שהרי כל שדותיו נשתדפו התנה עליו בעל הקרקע שיזרענה חטים וזרעה שעורים או שלא זרעה כלל או שזרעה ולא צמחה אע"פ שבא חגב או שדפון והוכתה רוב המדינה אינו מנכה לו מחכירו ועד מתי חייב להטפל ולזרוע פעם אחרת אם לא צמחה כל זמן שראוי לזריעה באותו מקום:
6
The following rules apply when a person rents or makes a sharecropping agreement with regard to a colleague's field. If it is customary in that locale to cut down the crops, the renter should cut them down. He is not permitted to uproot them. If it is customary to uproot the crops, the renter should uproot them. He is not permitted to cut them down. Either of them can prevent the custom from being changed.
In a locale where it is customary to plow after the harvesting, the renter should plow. In a locale where it is customary to rent trees together with land, they are considered to have been rented out. This applieseven though the owner rented the property for a price that is lower than usual. In a locale where it is not customary to rent trees together with land, they are not considered to have been rented out. This applieseven though the owner rented the property for a price that is higher than usual. Everything follows the local custom.
ו
השוכר או המקבל שדה מחבירו מקום שנהגו לקצור יקצור ואינו רשאי לעקור לעקור יעקור ואינו רשאי לקצור ושניהם מעכבין זה על זה ומקום שנהגו לחרוש אחריו יחרוש מקום שנהגו להשכיר אילנות על גב קרקע משכירין ואף על פי שהשכיר לו סתם בפחות מן הידוע ומקום שנהגו שלא להשכיר אילנות אין לו אילנות אע"פ ששכר ממנו ביתר על הידוע הכל כמנהג המדינה:
7
When a person rents a field from a colleague for ten kor of wheat and it suffered blight, he may pay the owner from the wheat of that field. Conversely, if it produces extremely high quality wheat, he should not tell the owner: "I will purchase wheat for you from the marketplace." Instead, he must give him the wheat from the field.
If a person rents a vineyard for ten baskets of grapes and they become sour after they were harvested, the renter may give the owner the grapes from the vineyard. A similar ruling applies to sheaves of grain that became ruined after they were harvested. If, however, a person rents a vineyard for ten jugs of wine, and the wine becomes sour, he is obligated to provide the owner with good wine.
The following rules apply when a person rented a field for 100 sheaves of cattle fodder, sowed another crop and then plowed the field and sowed it with cattle fodder. If it suffered blight, the renter may not give the owner the cattle fodder growing in it. Instead, he must give him high quality fodder, for he deviated from the terms of the initial agreement. Similar rules apply even if he sowed it with fodder at the outset, plowed it and then sowed it again and it suffered blight or in any other situation where the damage to the crops comes after the renter deviates from the initial agreement.
ז
החוכר שדה מחבירו בעשרה כור חטים ולקתה נותן לו מתוכה היו חטיה יפות לא יאמר לו הריני לוקח לך מן השוק אלא נותן לו מתוכה חכר ממנו כרם בעשרה סלי ענבים והקריסו אחר שנבצרו וכן עומרים שלקו אחר שנקצרו נותן לו מתוכן חכרו בעשרה כדי יין והחמיץ חייב ליתן לו יין טוב חכרה ממנו במאה עמרים של אספסתא וזרעה מין אחר ואח"כ חרשה וזרעה אספסתא ולקתה או שזרעה בתחלה אספסתא וחרשה ואח"כ זרעה פעם אחרת ולקתה אינו נותן לו מתוכה אלא נותן לו אספסתא טובה שהרי שינה וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
8
The following rules apply when a person rents a field from a colleague, but does not desire to weed it. Although the renter tells the owner: "What will you suffer? I will give you the amount stipulated regardless," his words are not heeded. For the owner may respond: "Ultimately, you will leave it, and it will grow weeds for me."
Even if the renter says: "At the end I will plow it," his words are not heeded.
ח
החוכר שדה מחבירו ולא רצה לנכש ואמר לו מה הפסד יש לך הריני נותן לך חכירך אין שומעין לו שהרי הוא אומר לו למחר אתה יוצא ממנה והיא מעלה עשבים ואפילו אמר לו באחרונה אני חורש אותה אין שומעין לו:
9
When a person rents a field with the stated intent of sowing barley, he should not sow wheat, because wheat saps the nutrients of the land more than barley. If he rented it with the intent of sowing wheat, he may sow barley.
If his original intent was to sow legumes, he may not sow grain. If his original intent was grain, he may sow legumes. In Babylon and lands of that nature, he should not sow legumes, for legumes sap the nutrients of the land.
ט
החוכר שדה מחבירו לזורעה שעורים לא יזרענה חטים מפני שהחטין מכחישות את הקרקע יתר מהשעורים שכרה לזרעה חטים יזרענה שעורים קטנית לא יזרענה תבואה תבואה יזרענה קטנית ובבבל וכיוצא בה לא יזרענה קטנית מפני שהקטנית שם מכחשת את הארץ:
10
When a person rents a field from a colleague for a few years according to a sharecropping agreement, the sharecropper does not receive a share of the wood that grows from the wild fig trees and the like, nor in the appreciation in the value of the field due to the trees growing in the field. We do, however, consider the place of the trees as if it were filled with the type of crop that was planted in the field. This applies provided the trees grew in a place that is fit to sow. If, however, they grow in a place that is not fit to sow, the sharecropper is not given any consideration. If the sharecropper rents the field for seven years or more, he is entitled to a share of the wood that grows from the wild fig trees and the like.
If at the time the sharecropper's lease runs out, there are plants in the field that have not reached the stage at which they are fit to be sold, or they have reached that stage, but the market day has not come yet, they should be evaluated and the sharecropper given his share by the owner of the land.
In the same manner as the sharecropper and the owner divide the grain; so, too, they should divide the straw and the stubble. In the same manner as they divide the wine; so, too, they should divide the twigs. Different rules apply with regard to the rods that are placed beneath the vine for support. If they were purchased in partnership, they should be divided in the same manner. If they were purchased by one party, they belong to the one who purchased them. Similar principles apply in all analogous situations.
י
המקבל שדה מחבירו לשנים מועטות אין למקבל כלום בקורת השקמה וכיוצא בה ולא בשבח האילנות שיצאו מאליהן בשדה אבל מחשבין לו מקום האילנות כאילו היה בהן אותו זרע שזרע בכל השדה והוא שצמחו האילנות במקום הראוי לזריעה אבל אם יצאו במקום שאינו ראוי לזריעה אין מחשבין לו כלום ואם קיבלה שבע שנים או יתר יש לו בקורת השקמה וכיוצא בה הגיע זמנו להסתלק מן השדה והיו שם זרעים שעדיין לא הגיעו להמכר או שנגמרו ולא הגיע יום השוק למכרן שמין אותן ונוטל מבעל הקרקע כשם שחולקין המקבל ובעל הקרקע בתבואה כך חולקין בתבן ובקש כשם שחולקין ביין כך חולקין בזמירות אבל הקנים המעמידים תחת הגפנים אם קנו אותן בשותפות הרי אלו חולקין בהן ואם הן משל אחד מהן זה שקנה אותן הרי הן שלו וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
11
When a person rents a field from a colleague according to a sharecropping agreement in order to plant vines, the owner accepts the possibility that there will be ten non-productive vines in an area sufficient to grow a se'ah of grain. If there are more non-productive vines, the sharecropper must pay for the entire area as if all the vines were productive.
יא
המקבל שדה מחבירו ליטע מקבל עליו בעל השדה עשרה בוראות לסאה יתר על זה מגלגלין עליו את הכל:
12
The following rules apply when a person rents a field from a colleague under a sharecropping agreement and the field does not produce a significant yield. If its yield appears sufficient to produce at least two se'ah more than the investment made in it, the sharecropper is obligated to take care of it. For in the sharecropping agreement, he promises the owner of the land: "I will rise, plow the land, sow it, reap it, tie it in sheaves, thresh it and make a grain heap before you, and you will receive half - or whatever other portion they agreed upon - and I will receive the remainder as payment for my work and the expenses that I undertook."
יב
המקבל שדה מחבירו ולא עשתה אם יש בה כדי שתוציא סאתים יתר על ההוצאה חייב המקבל ליטפל בה שכך כותב לבעל הקרקע אנא איקום ואניר ואזרע ואקצור ואעמור ואדוש ואזרה ואעמיד כרי לפניך ותטול את חציו או מה שיתנו ואני אטול השאר בשכר עמלי ובמה שהוצאתי:
13
The following rule applies when a person rents a field from a colleague under a sharecropping agreement, and after taking possession of the field decides to leave it fallow. We evaluate the amount the field could be expected to produce and require the sharecropper to give the owner the portion agreed upon. For in the sharecropping agreement, he promises the owner of the land: "If I leave it fallow and do not till it, I will pay according to its best yield." The same rule applies if he left only a portion of it fallow.
Why is the renter obligated to pay? Because he did not stipulate that he would pay a fixed amount, in which instance we would say that it is an asmachta, but instead promised to pay the field's best yield."o Therefore, he made a binding commitment.
If, however, he stipulated: "If I leave it fallow, I will pay you 100dinarim" this is considered an asmachta and he is not obligated to pay that amount. Instead, he should give the owner only his share of what the field would be expected to produce.
יג
המקבל שדה מחבירו ואחר שזכה בה הובירה שמין אותה כמה היא ראויה לעשות ונותן לו חלקו שהיה מגיע לו שכך כותב לבעל הקרקע אם אוביר ולא אעביד אשלם במיטבא והוא הדין אם הוביר מקצתה ומפני מה נתחייב לשלם מפני שלא פסק על עצמו דבר קצוב כדי שנאמר הרי היא כאסמכתא אלא התנה שישלם במיטבא ולפיכך גמר ושיעבד עצמו אבל אם אמר אם אוביר ולא אעביד אתן לך מאה דינרין הרי זה אסמכתא ואינו חייב לשלם אלא נותן כפי מה שראויה לעשות בלבד:
14
The following rule applies when a person rents a field from a colleague under a sharecropping agreement with the intent of sowing sesame seeds, but instead, sows wheat. If the field produces a crop of wheat that is worth the same as the yield of sesame seeds could have been expected to be worth, the owner may have no more than complaints against him.
If the field produces a crop of wheat that is worth less than the yield of sesame seeds could have been expected to be worth, the sharecropper must pay the amount the crop of sesame seeds could have expected to yield. If the field produces a crop of wheat that is worth more than the yield of sesame seeds could have been expected to be worth, they should divided the crop according to their original stipulation although the owner of the land profits.
יד
המקבל שדה לזורעה שומשמין וזרעה חטים ועשתה חטים ששוין כמה שהיא ראויה לעשות מן השומשמין אין לו עליו אלא תרעומת עשתה פחות ממה שהיא ראויה לעשות מן השומשמין משלם לו המקבל כפי מה שהיא ראויה לעשות מן השומשמין עשתה חטים יתר ממה שהיא ראויה לעשות מן השומשמין חולקין לפי התנאי שביניהן אף על פי שמשתכר בעל הקרקע:
Sechirut - Chapter 9
1
The following rule applies when a person hires workers and tells them: "Get up early and work late." In a place where it is not customary for workers to get up early and work late, he cannot compel them to keep the times he desires. In a place where it is customary for an employer to provide his workers' meals, he must provide their meals. If it is customary for him to provide dried figs, dates and the like for the workers, he must. Everything follows the local custom.
א
השוכר את הפועלים ואמר להם להשכים ולהעריב מקום שנהגו שלא להשכים ושלא להעריב אינו יכול לכופן מקום שנהגו לזון יזון לספק בגרוגרות או בתמרים וכיוצא בהן לפועלים יספק הכל כמנהג המדינה:
2
When a person hires a worker and tells him: "I will pay you like any other worker in the city," we check the lowest wage paid and the highest wage paid and arrive at an average.
ב
השוכר את הפועל ואמר לו כאחד וכשנים מבני העיר רואין הפחות שבשכירות והיתר שבשכירות ומשמנין ביניהן:
3
The following rules apply when a person tells his agent: "Go out and hire workers for me for three zuz," and the agent hires them for four. If the agent told them: "I am responsible for your wage," he must pay them four. He receives three zuz from the employer, and forfeits one zuz of his own.
If he told them: "The employer is responsible for your wages," the employer should pay them according to the local custom. If there are some in that city who are hired at three and others at four, he is not required to pay them more than three. They have, however, justified complaints'3 against the agent.
When does the above apply? When it cannot be determined that they invested extra effort in their work. If, however, it is obvious that they invested extra effort in their work, and it is worth four zuz, the employer must pay them four. For had the agent not told them four, they would not have worked harder and produced work that is worth four.
If the employer told the agent: "Hire workers for me at four," and the agent goes and hires them at three, they receive no more than three. This applies even when their work is worth four. For they accepted the lower amount. They do, however, have a complaint against the agent.
If the employer told the agent three zuz, and the agent hires them for four, but the workers say: "We will work for what the employer says," their intent is that the employer will pay them more than fourzuz. Therefore, we evaluate their work. If it is worth four, they should receive four zuz from the employer. If the value of their work is not obvious or it is not worth four, they may be paid only three.
If the employer told the agent to hire workers at four zuz, and he hired them at three, but they say: "We will work for what the employer says," they may be paid only three. This applies even if their work is worth four, for they heard the agent say three and agreed.
ג
אמר לשלוחו צא ושכור לי פועלים בשלשה והלך ושכרן בארבעה אם אמר להם השליח שכרכם עלי נותן להם ארבעה ונוטל מבעל הבית שלשה ומפסיד אחד מכיסו אמר להם שכרכם על בעה"ב נותן להם בעה"ב כמנהג המדינה היה במדינה מי שנשכר בשלשה ומי שנשכר בארבעה אינו נותן להם אלא שלשה ויש להם תרעומת על השליח בד"א כשאין מלאכתן ניכרת אבל היתה מלאכתן ניכרת והרי היא שוה ארבעה נותן להם בעה"ב ארבעה שאילו לא אמר להם שלוחו ארבעה לא טרחו ועשו שוה ארבעה אמר לו בעה"ב שכור לי בארבעה והלך השליח ושכר בשלשה אע"פ שהרי מלאכתן שוה ארבעה אין להם אלא שלשה שהרי קבלו על עצמן ויש להם תרעומת על השליח אמר לו בעה"ב בשלשה והלך השליח ואמר להם בארבעה ואמרו הרינו כמה שאמר בעה"ב אין דעתם אלא שיתן בעה"ב יתר על ארבעה לפיכך שמין מה שעשו אם שוה ארבעה נוטלין ארבעה מבעל הבית ואם אינו ידוע או אינו שוה אין להם אלא שלשה אמר לו בעל הבית בארבעה והלך השליח ואמר להם בשלשה ואמרו לו כמה שאמר בעה"ב אף על פי שמלאכתן שוה ארבעה אין להם אלא שלשה שהרי שמעו שלשה וקבלו עליהם:
4
When a person hires workers and the workers hoax the employer or the employer hoaxes the workers, all they have is complaints against each other.
When does the above apply? When the workers did not go to the appointed place. Different rules apply, however, if donkey drivers went to the appointed place and did not find any grain, workers went to a field and found that the ground was wet, or the employer hired workers to irrigate his field and they discovered that it was filled with water. If the owner checked the area that required work on the previous evening and saw that the workers were necessary, the workers are not entitled to any reimbursement. What could the owner have done? If, however, he did not check the land where he wants the work to be performed beforehand, he must pay them as an idle worker. For a person who comes carrying a burden cannot be compared to someone who comes empty-handed, nor can a person who performs labor be compared to someone who does not.
When does the above apply? When they did not begin doing work. If, however, the worker began doing his work different rules apply. A worker may quit his work even in the middle of the day. This is derived from Leviticus 25:55: "The children of Israel are servants to Me" - i.e., to Me alone. They are not servants to servants.
What is the law that applies to a worker who quits after having started work? We evaluate the work that he performed and he is paid that amount. If he is a contractor, we evaluate the work that still must be performed. Whether the price of labor was low at the time he was hired or it was not low, whether it was reduced afterwards or whether it was not reduced, we evaluate the work that must be performed.
What is implied? A person agreed to harvest standing grain for twoselaim. He harvested half of the grain, but left half unharvested. Similarly, a person agreed to weave a garment for two selaim. He wove half of the garment, but left half unwoven. If the remainder would cost six dinarim to complete, the original contractor is paid ashekel or he is given the option of completing his work. If the remainder was worth only two dinarim, the owner need not pay the contractor more than a sela, because he did not perform more than half the work.
When does the above apply? With regard to work that does not involve an immediate loss. If, however, the work involves an immediate loss - e.g., he hired the workers to remove flax from the vat, or he hired a donkey to bring flutes for a funeral or for a wedding or the like - neither a worker nor a contractor may retract unless he is held back by forces beyond his control -e.g., he became ill or a close relative died. If the worker is not held back by forces beyond his control, and he retracts, the owner may hire others on their account or deceive them.
What is meant by deceiving them? He tells them: "I agreed to pay you a sela; take two so that you will complete your work." Afterwards, he is not required to give them anything more than he originally agreed. Moreover, even if he gave them two, he can compel them to return the additional amount.
What is meant by hiring others on their account? He hires other workers who complete their task so that he will not suffer a loss. Whatever he must add to pay these later workers beyond the amount the first workers agreed upon, he may take from the first workers.
To what extent are the first workers responsible? For their entire wage. Moreover, if they have property that is in the employer's possession, the employer can use that property to hire workers to complete their work until he pays each worker 40 or 50 zuz a day although he originally hired the worker at three or four zuz.
When does the above apply? When there are no workers available to hire at the wage to be paid the original workers. If, however, such workers are available and the original workers tell the employer: "Go out and hire from these to complete your work so that you will not suffer a loss," whether a worker or a contractor is involved, the employer has only complaints against them. To determine the wage that should be paid, we follow these guidelines: For a worker, we calculate the work he already[ performed and for a contractor, we calculate the work that must be performed.
ד
השוכר את הפועלים והטעו את בעה"ב או בעה"ב הטעה אותם אין להם זה על זה אלא תרעומת במה דברים אמורים בשלא הלכו אבל הלכו החמרין ולא מצאו תבואה פועלים ומצאו שדה כשהיא לחה או ששכר להשקות השדה ומצאוה שנתמלאה מים אם ביקר בעה"ב מלאכתו מבערב ומצא שצריכה פועלים אין לפועלים כלום מה בידו לעשות ואם לא ביקר נותן להם שכרן כפועל בטל שאינו דומה הבא טעון לבא ריקן ועושה מלאכה לבטל בד"א בשלא התחילו במלאכה אבל אם התחיל הפועל במלאכה וחזר בו אפילו בחצי היום חוזר שנאמר כי לי בני ישראל עבדים ולא עבדים לעבדים וכיצד דין הפועל שחזר בו אחר שהתחיל שמין לו מה שעשה ונוטל ואם קבלן הוא שמין לו מה שעתיד לעשות בין שהוזלו בעת ששכרן בין לא הוזלו בין שהוזלה מלאכה אחר כן בין לא הוזלה שמין לו מה שעתיד לעשות כיצד קיבל ממנו קמה לקצור בשתי סלעים קצר חציה והניח חציה בגד לארוג בשתי סלעים ארג חציו והניח חציו שמין לו מה שעתיד לעשות אם היה שוה ששה דינרין נותן לו שקל או יגמרו את מלאכתן ואם היה הנשאר יפה שנים דינרין אינו נותן להן אלא סלע שהרי לא עשו אלא חצי מלאכה במה דברים אמורים בדבר שאינו אבוד אבל בדבר האבוד כגון פשתנו להעלות מן המשרה או ששכר חמור להביא חלילין למת או לכלה וכיוצא בהן אחד פועל ואחד קבלן אינו יכול לחזור בו אלא אם כן נאנס כגון שחלה או שמע שמת לו מת ואם לא נאנס וחזר בו שוכר עליהן או מטען:
כיצד מטען אומר להם סלע קצצתי לכם בואו וטלו שתים עד שיגמרו מלאכתן ולא יתן להם אלא מה שפסק תחלה ואפילו נתן להם השתים מחזיר מהן התוספת כיצד שוכר עליהן שוכר פועלים אחרים וגומרים מלאכתן שלא תאבד וכל שיוסיף לאלו הפועלין האחרים על מה שפסק לראשונים נוטל מן הראשונים עד כמה עד כדי שכרן של ראשונים ואם היה להם ממון תחת ידו שוכר להשלים המלאכה עד ארבעים וחמשים זוז בכל יום לכל פועל אע"פ ששכר הפועל שלשה או ארבעה בד"א שאין שם פועלים לשכור בשכרן להשלים המלאכה אבל יש פועלים לשכור בשכרן ואמרו לו צא ושכור מאלו להשלים מלאכתך ולא תאבד בין שוכר בין קבלן אין עליהן אלא תרעומת ושמין לשוכר מה שעשה ולקבלן מה שעתיד לעשות:
5
When a person hires a worker, but [the worker is then taken to perform the king's service, the worker need not be paid for a full day's work. Instead, the employer should pay him only for the work he performed.
ה
השוכר את הפועל ונאחז לעבודת המלך לא יאמר לו הריני לפניך אלא נותן לו שכר מה שעשה:
6
The following rules apply when a person hires a worker to irrigate his field from a particular river, and that river dried up in the middle of the day. If the river does not ordinarily dry up, the workers need only be paid for the work they performed.
Similarly, if the inhabitants of the city frequently dam the river, and they stop its flow in the middle of the day, the workers need only be paid for the work they performed. The rationale is that the workers know the pattern of this river. If, however, the river often dries up on its own accord, the employer must pay the workers their entire wage. For it was his responsibility to inform them.
If a person hires workers to irrigate a field and it rains and completes the watering of the field, the workers need only be paid for the work they performed. If a river rises and irrigates the field, they should be paid their entire wage. From heaven, they were granted help.
When does the above apply? With regard to a worker. Different rules apply, however, when a person stipulates with a sharecropper that if he waters a field four times a day, he will receive half the crop, in contrast to other sharecroppers who water the field twice a day and receive a fourth of the crop. If rain comes and he does not have to draw water to irrigate the crop, he still receives half the crops, as he stipulated. The rationale is that a sharecropper is considered to be a partner, not a worker.
ו
השוכר את הפועל להשקות את השדה מזה הנהר ופסק הנהר בחצי היום אם אין דרכו להפסיק אין להן אלא שכר מה שעשו וכן אם דרכו שיפסיקו אותו בני העיר והפסיקוהו בחצי היום אין להן אלא שכר מה שעשו שהרי ידעו הפועלים דרכו של נהר ואם דרכו להפסיק מאליו נותן להם שכר כל היום מפני שהיה לו להודיעם שכרן להשקות השדה ובא המטר והשקה אין להן אלא מה שעשו בא הנהר והשקה נותן להן כל שכרן מן השמים נסתייעו בד"א בפועל אבל מי שפסק עם אריסו שאם ישקה שדה זו ארבע פעמים ביום יטול חצי הפירות וכל האריסין שהן משקין שתי פעמים אינן נוטלין אלא רביע הפירות ובא המטר ולא הוצרך לדלות ולהשקות נוטל חצי הפירות כמו שפסק עמו שהאריס כשותף ואינו כפועל:
7
The following rules apply when a person hires a worker to perform work for an entire day and he completes it in half the day. If the employer has another task that is as - or less - difficult, he may have the worker perform it for the remainder of the day. If he does not have a task for him to perform, he should pay him as an idle worker. When the worker is one who digs, labors in the field or performs heavy labor of this nature and hence will become ill if he does not work, the employer must pay him his entire wage even if he is idle.
ז
השוכר את הפועל לעשות מלאכה כל היום ושלמה המלאכה בחצי היום אם יש לו מלאכה אחרת כמותה או קלה ממנה עושה שאר היום ואם אין לו מה יעשה נותן לו שכרו כפועל בטל ואם יהיה מן החופרים או עובדי אדמה וכיוצא בהן שדרכו לטרוח הרבה ואם לא יעשה במלאכה יחלה נותן לו כל שכרו:
8
When a person hires a worker to bring him an object from one place to another, and the worker goes to the designated place but cannot find the object specified, the employer is obligated to pay him his entire wage.
If a person hires a worker to bring rods to use as supports for a vineyard, but the worker can not find them, and hence does not bring them, the employer must pay the worker his wage.
If he hired him to bring cabbage or prunes for a sick person, the worker went and when he returned, the sick person either died or recovered, the employer should not tell the worker: "Take what you brought as your payment." Instead, he must pay him the entire wage he promised him. Similar principles apply in all analogous situations.
ח
השוכר את הפועל להביא לו שליחות ממקום למקום והלך ולא מצא שם מה יביא נותן לו שכרו משלם שכרו להביא קנים לכרם והלך ולא מצא ולא הביא נותן לו שכרו משלם שכרו להביא כרוב ודורמסקנין לחולה והלך ומצאו שמת או הבריא לא יאמר לו טול מה שהבאת בשכרך אלא נותן לו כל שכרו וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
9
When a person hires a worker to perform work in his own field, but shows him a field belonging to a colleague and has him perform work there, he must pay him his entire wage. Afterwards, he may require his colleague to reimburse him for the benefit he received from this work.
ט
השוכר את הפועל לעשות עמו בשלו והראהו בשל חבירו נותן כל שכרו וחוזר ולוקח מחבירו מה שנהנה בזו המלאכה:
10
When a person hires a worker to work together with him with straw, stubble and the like, he is not given the option of telling the worker: "Take what you did as your payment." If, however, he made such an offer, and the worker agreed, he is not given the option of changing his mind and telling the worker: "Take your wage and I will take my straw."
י
השוכר את הפועל לעשות עמו בתבן וקש וכיוצא בהן ואמר לו טול מה שעשית בשכרך אין שומעין לו ואם משקיבל עליו אמר לו הילך שכרך ואני אטול את שלי אין שומעין לו:
11
An ownerless object discovered by a worker belongs to him. This law applies even when the employer told him: "Work for me today." Needless to say, it applies if he told him: "Hoe for me."
If, however, he hired him to take possession of ownerless objects - e.g., a river dried up and he hired him to collect the fish in a nearby marsh -whatever he finds, even a wallet filled with silver coins, belongs to the owner.
יא
מציאת הפועל לעצמו אע"פ שאמר לו עשה עמי מלאכה היום ואין צריך לומר אם אמר לו עדור עמי היום אבל אם שכרו ללקט מציאות כגון שחסר הנהר ושכרו ללקט הדגים הנמצאין באגם הרי מציאתו לבעל הבית ואפילו מצא כיס מלא דינרין:
• Shabbat, 30 AV , 5776 · 3 September 2016
• "Today's Day"
• Tuesday, Menachem Av 30, Rosh Chodesh 5703
Begin saying L'david ori (p. 81). The custom in the Rebbe's home1 is to practice sounding the shofar during this day. On the second day of Rosh Chodesh begin sounding the shofar after davening.
Torah lessons: Chumash: Shoftim, Shlishi with Rashi.
Tehillim: 145-150.
Tanya: X. After greetings (p. 439) ...souls took flight..." (p. 441).
The Alter Rebbe at first used to say brief maamarim. For example, the maamar Zecher rav tuvcha and its amplification, published in the Siddur,2 was said in six sequential sections, at somewhat greater length than in its printed version.
FOOTNOTES
1.And the general Chabad custom.
2.The reference is to the Siddur with chassidic discourses.
• Daily Thought:
Friction
Our souls are the finishing tools for His handiwork.
They are the plows He applies to the harsh earth so it will absorb the rains from heaven, the sandpaper to grind away the coarse surfaces of life, the polishing cloth so that it will glimmer in the light from above.
That friction that wears us down, those sparks that fly—it is the resistance to this refining process.
And if you should ask, how could it be that G‑d’s own creation should present resistance to His infinitely powerful breath?
In truth, it cannot. But He condenses that breath into a soul, He tightly focuses her power, until the harshness of this world can seem real to her, and then she will struggle, and in that struggle she will make the world shine.
Our souls are the finishing tools for His handiwork.
They are the plows He applies to the harsh earth so it will absorb the rains from heaven, the sandpaper to grind away the coarse surfaces of life, the polishing cloth so that it will glimmer in the light from above.
That friction that wears us down, those sparks that fly—it is the resistance to this refining process.
And if you should ask, how could it be that G‑d’s own creation should present resistance to His infinitely powerful breath?
In truth, it cannot. But He condenses that breath into a soul, He tightly focuses her power, until the harshness of this world can seem real to her, and then she will struggle, and in that struggle she will make the world shine.
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