Today's Laws & Customs:
Elul Observances
As the last month of the Jewish year, Elul is traditionaly a time of introspection and stocktaking -- a time to review one's deeds and spiritual progress over the past year and prepare for the upcoming "Days of Awe" of Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur.
As the month of Divine Mercy and Forgiveness (see "Today in Jewish History" forElul 1) it is a most opportune time for teshuvah ("return" to G-d), prayer, charity, and increased Ahavat Yisrael (love for a fellow Jew) in the quest for self-improvement and coming closer to G-d. Chassidic master Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi likens the month of Elul to a time when "the king is in the field" and, in contrast to when he is in the royal palace, "everyone who so desires is permitted to meet him, and he receives them all with a cheerful countenance and shows a smiling face to them all."
Specific Elul customs include the daily sounding of the shofar (ram's horn) as a call to repentance. The Baal Shem Tov instituted the custom of reciting three additional chapters of Psalms each day, from the 1st of Elul until Yom Kippur (on Yom Kippur the remaining 36 chapters are recited, thereby completing the entire book of Psalms). Click below to view today's Psalms.
Chapter 43 Chapter 44 Chapter 45
Psalms 43:1 Judge me, God, and plead my cause
against a faithless nation.
Rescue me from those who deceive
and from those who are unjust.
2 For you are the God of my strength;
why have you thrust me aside?
Why must I go about mourning,
under pressure by the enemy?
3 Send out your light and your truth;
let them be my guide;
let them lead me to your holy mountain,
to the places where you live.
4 Then I will go to the altar of God,
to God, my joy and delight;
I will praise you on the lyre,
God, my God.
5 My soul, why are you so downcast?
Why are you groaning inside me?
Hope in God, since I will praise him again
for being my Savior and God.
44:1 (0) For the leader. By the descendants of Korach. A maskil:
2 (1) God, we heard it with our ears;
our fathers told us about it —
a deed which you did in their days,
back in days of old.
3 (2) With your hand you drove out nations
to plant them in [the land],
you crushed peoples
to make room for them.
4 (3) For not by their own swords
did they conquer the land,
nor did their own arm
give them victory;
rather, it was your right hand,
your arm and the light of your face;
because you favored them.
5 (4) God, you are my king;
command complete victory for Ya‘akov.
6 (5) Through you we pushed away our foes,
through your name we trampled down our assailants.
7 (6) For I don’t rely on my bow,
nor can my sword give me victory.
8 (7) No, you saved us from our adversaries;
you put to shame those who hate us.
9 (8) We will boast in our God all day
and give thanks to your name forever. (Selah)
10 (9) Yet now you have thrust us aside and disgraced us;
you don’t march out with our armies.
11 (10) You make us retreat from the adversary,
and those who hate us plunder us at will.
12 (11) You have handed us over like sheep to be eaten
and scattered us among the nations.
13 (12) You sell your people for a pittance,
you don’t even profit on the sale.
14 (13) You make us an object for our neighbors to mock,
one of scorn and derision to those around us.
15 (14) You make us a byword among the nations;
the peoples jeer at us, shaking their heads.
16 (15) All day long my disgrace is on my mind,
and shame has covered my face
17 (16) at the sound of those who revile and insult,
at the sight of the enemy bent on revenge.
18 (17) Though all this came on us, we did not forget you;
we have not been false to your covenant;
19 (18) Our hearts have not turned back,
and our steps did not turn away from your path,
20 (19) though you pressed us into a lair of jackals
and covered us with death-dark gloom.
21 (20) If we had forgotten the name of our God
or spread out our hands to a foreign god,
22 (21) wouldn’t God have discovered this,
since he knows the secrets of the heart?
23 (22) For your sake we are put to death all day long,
we are considered sheep to be slaughtered.
24 (23) Wake up, Adonai! Why are you asleep?
Rouse yourself! Don’t thrust us off forever.
25 (24) Why are you turning your face away,
forgetting our pain and misery?
26 (25) For we are lying flat in the dust,
our bodies cling to the ground.
27 (26) Get up, and come to help us!
For the sake of your grace, redeem us!
45:1 (0) For the leader. Set to “Lilies.” By the descendants of Korach. A maskil. A lovesong:
2 (1) My heart is stirred by a noble theme;
I address my verses to the king;
My tongue is the pen of an expert scribe.
3 (2) You are the most handsome of men;
gracious speech flows from your lips.
For God has blessed you forever.
4 (3) Warrior, strap your sword at your thigh;
[gird on] your splendor and majesty.
5 (4) In your majesty, succeed, ride on
in the cause of truth, meekness and righteousness.
May your right hand teach you awesome things.
6 (5) Your arrows are sharp. The people fall under you,
as they penetrate the hearts of the king’s enemies.
7 (6) Your throne, God, will last forever and ever;
you rule your kingdom with a scepter of equity.
8 (7) You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness.
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of joy in preference to your companions.
9 (8) Your robes are all fragrant with myrrh, aloes and cassia;
from ivory palaces stringed instruments bring you joy.
10 (9) Daughters of kings are among your favorites;
at your right stands the queen in gold from Ofir.
11 (10) Listen, daughter! Think, pay attention!
Forget your own people and your father’s house,
12 (11) and the king will desire your beauty;
for he is your lord, so honor him.
13 (12) Then the daughter of Tzor, the richest of peoples,
will court your favor with gifts.
14 (13) Inside [the palace], the king’s daughter looks splendid,
attired in checker-work embroidered with gold.
15 (14) In brocade, she will be led to the king,
to you, with the virgins in her retinue.
16 (15) They will be led in with gladness and joy,
they will enter the king’s palace.
17 (16) You will have sons to succeed your ancestors;
you will make them princes in all the land.
18 (17) I will make your name known through all generations;
thus the peoples will praise you forever and ever.
Elul is also the time to have one's tefillin and mezuzot checked by an accredited scribe to ensure that they are in good condition and fit for use.
Links: More on Elul
Today in Jewish History:
Tomchei Temimim founded (1897)
The Yeshivah "Tomchei Temimim Lubavitch", the first to integrate the "revealed" part of Torah (Talmud and Halachah) with the esoteric teachings of Chassidism in a formal study program, was on this date founded by the fifth Lubavitcher Rebbe,Rabbi Sholom DovBer Schneersohn.
Daily Quote:
It is only by G‑d's kindness towards us that we may occasionally sense G‑dliness spontaneously, without having done anything to attain it...[Hayom Yom, Tammuz 20]
Daily Study:
It is only by G‑d's kindness towards us that we may occasionally sense G‑dliness spontaneously, without having done anything to attain it...[Hayom Yom, Tammuz 20]
Daily Study:
Chitas and Rambam for today:
Chumash: Parshat Ki Tavo, 1st Portion (Deuteronomy 26:1-26:11) with Rashi
• Deuteronomy Chapter 26
1And it will be, when you come into the land which the Lord, your God, gives you for an inheritance, and you possess it and settle in it, אוְהָיָה֙ כִּֽי־תָב֣וֹא אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ נַֽחֲלָ֑ה וִֽירִשְׁתָּ֖הּ וְיָשַׁ֥בְתָּ בָּֽהּ:
And it will be, when you come… and you possess it and settle in it:This [verse, which is immediately followed by the commandment of bringing the firstfruits,] teaches us that they were not obligated [to bring] “firstfruits” until they conquered the Land and divided it. - [Kid. 37b] והיה כי תבוא וירשתה וישבת בה: מגיד שלא נתחייבו בבכורים עד שכבשו את הארץ וחלקוה:
2that you shall take of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you will bring from your land, which the Lord, your God, is giving you. And you shall put [them] into a basket and go to the place which the Lord, your God, will choose to have His Name dwell there. בוְלָֽקַחְתָּ֞ מֵֽרֵאשִׁ֣ית | כָּל־פְּרִ֣י הָֽאֲדָמָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר תָּבִ֧יא מֵֽאַרְצְךָ֛ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לָ֖ךְ וְשַׂמְתָּ֣ בַטֶּ֑נֶא וְהָֽלַכְתָּ֙ אֶל־הַמָּק֔וֹם אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִבְחַר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לְשַׁכֵּ֥ן שְׁמ֖וֹ שָֽׁם:
of the first: but not all the first, because not all fruits are subject to [the mitzvah of] “firstfruits”-only the seven species [for which the land of Israel is noted]. Here, in our verse, it says the word אֶרֶץ, “land,” and there [in the verse describing the praise of Eretz Israel], it says, “A land (אֶרֶץ) of wheat and barley, vines and figs and pomegranates, a land of oil-producing olives and honey” (Deut. 8:8). Just as the earlier verse (Deut. 8:8) is referring to the seven species through which Eretz Israel is praised, here too, [the verse is dealing with] the praise of the Land. [Rashi proceeds to explain two expressions in Deut. 8:8, which are relevant to the mitzvah of firstfruits, in light of the connection taught by our Rabbis above:] “Oil-producing olives” [refers to] “אֲגוּרִי olives,” [see Sifrei 26:2, meaning superior quality] olives that retain their oil, keeping it gathered (אָגוּר) [as it were] inside it. [Hence, it is the superior fruits which must be brought here]. — [Ber. 39a] [And in the same verse (Deut. 8:8):] “honey”-that is the honey of dates. — [Sifrei 26:2] מראשית: ולא כל ראשית, שאין כל הפירות חייבין בבכורים אלא שבעת המינין בלבד. נאמר כאן ארץ, ונאמר להלן (לעיל ח, ח) ארץ חטה ושעורה וגו', מה להלן משבעת המינים שנשתבחה בהם ארץ ישראל, אף כאן שבח ארץ ישראל שהן שבעה מינין זית שמן זית אגורי ששמנו אגור בתוכו ודבש הוא דבש תמרים:
of the first [of all the fruit]: [What is the process of taking these fruits?] A man goes down into his field and sees a fig that has ripened. He winds a reed around it for a sign and declares:“This is the firstfruit (בִּכּוּרִים).” - [Mishnah Bikkurim 3:1] מראשית: אדם יורד לתוך שדהו ורואה תאנה שבכרה כורך עליה גמי לסימן ואומר הרי זו בכורים:
3And you shall come to the kohen who will be [serving] in those days, and say to him, "I declare this day to the Lord, your God, that I have come to the land which the Lord swore to our forefathers to give us." גוּבָאתָ֙ אֶל־הַכֹּהֵ֔ן אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִֽהְיֶ֖ה בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֑ם וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֣ אֵלָ֗יו הִגַּ֤דְתִּי הַיּוֹם֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ כִּי־בָ֨אתִי֙ אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר נִשְׁבַּ֧ע יְהֹוָ֛ה לַֽאֲבֹתֵ֖ינוּ לָ֥תֶת לָֽנוּ:
who will be [serving] in those days: You have only the kohen in your days, whatever he is [and although he may not be as wise or holy as those of previous generations, you are obliged to address him with the respect due to his office as an agent of God]. — [Sifrei 26:3] אשר יהיה בימים ההם: אין לך אלא כהן שבימיך, כמו שהוא:
and say to him: that you are not ungrateful [for all that God has done for you]. ואמרת אליו: שאינך כפוי טובה:
I declare this day: [The expression,“this day,” teaches us that the one who brings the firstfruits must make this declaration] once a year, and not twice [even though he may return with more firstfruits later that same year]. — [Sifrei 26:3] הגדתי היום: פעם אחת בשנה ולא שתי פעמים:
4And the kohen will take the basket from your hand, laying it before the altar of the Lord, your God. דוְלָקַ֧ח הַכֹּהֵ֛ן הַטֶּ֖נֶא מִיָּדֶ֑ךָ וְהִ֨נִּיח֔וֹ לִפְנֵ֕י מִזְבַּ֖ח יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ:
And the kohen shall take the basket from your hand: in order to wave it. [How so?] The kohen places his hand under [the basket, beneath the level of] the owner’s hand [which is grasping the basket at the top, by its rim] (Sukk. 47b), and [in this position,] waves [the basket together with its owner]. ולקח הכהן הטנא מידך: להניף אותו. כהן מניח ידו תחת יד הבעלים ומניף:
5And you shall call out and say before the Lord, your God, "An Aramean [sought to] destroy my forefather, and he went down to Egypt and sojourned there with a small number of people, and there, he became a great, mighty, and numerous nation. הוְעָנִ֨יתָ וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֜ לִפְנֵ֣י | יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ אֲרַמִּי֙ אֹבֵ֣ד אָבִ֔י וַיֵּ֣רֶד מִצְרַ֔יְמָה וַיָּ֥גָר שָׁ֖ם בִּמְתֵ֣י מְעָ֑ט וַֽיְהִי־שָׁ֕ם לְג֥וֹי גָּד֖וֹל עָצ֥וּם וָרָֽב:
And you shall call out: Heb. וְעָנִית [Usually meaning to “respond.” However, in this context, this word] denotes the raising of the voice. — [Sotah 32b] וענית: לשון הרמת קול:
An Aramean [sought to] destroy my forefather: [The declarer] mentions [here] the kind deeds of the Omnipresent [by stating]:“An Aramean [sought to] destroy my forefather.” That is, Laban, when he pursued Jacob, sought to uproot [i.e., annihilate] all [the Jews], and since he intended to do so, the Omnipresent considered it as though he had actually done it (Sifrei 26:5), for [regarding] the pagan nations of the world, the Holy One, Blessed is He, considers the [mere] intention [of an evil deed] as [being equivalent to] the actual perpetration [of the deed itself]. — [Yerushalmi Pe’ah 1:1 at end] ארמי אבד אבי: מזכיר חסדי המקום ארמי אובד אבי, לבן בקש לעקור את הכל, כשרדף אחר יעקב. ובשביל שחשב לעשות, חשב לו המקום כאלו עשה, שאומות העולם חושב להם הקב"ה מחשבה [רעה] כמעשה:
who then went down to Egypt: And [apart from Laban,] still others came upon us to annihilate us, for after this, Jacob went down to Egypt [“and the Egyptians treated us cruelly…”]. וירד מצרימה: ועוד אחרים באו עלינו לכלותנו, שאחרי זאת ירד יעקב למצרים:
with a small number of people: [Namely,] seventy persons. — [Sifrei 26: 5; see Gen. 46:27] במתי מעט: בשבעים נפש:
6And the Egyptians treated us cruelly and afflicted us, and they imposed hard labor upon us. ווַיָּרֵ֧עוּ אֹתָ֛נוּ הַמִּצְרִ֖ים וַיְעַנּ֑וּנוּ וַיִּתְּנ֥וּ עָלֵ֖ינוּ עֲבֹדָ֥ה קָשָֽׁה:
7So we cried out to the Lord, God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. זוַנִּצְעַ֕ק אֶל־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י אֲבֹתֵ֑ינוּ וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־קֹלֵ֔נוּ וַיַּ֧רְא אֶת־עָנְיֵ֛נוּ וְאֶת־עֲמָלֵ֖נוּ וְאֶת־לַֽחֲצֵֽנוּ:
8And the Lord brought us out from Egypt with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm, with great awe, and with signs and wonders. חוַיּֽוֹצִאֵ֤נוּ יְהֹוָה֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם בְּיָ֤ד חֲזָקָה֙ וּבִזְרֹ֣עַ נְטוּיָ֔ה וּבְמֹרָ֖א גָּדֹ֑ל וּבְאֹת֖וֹת וּבְמֹֽפְתִֽים:
9And He brought us to this place, and He gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. טוַיְבִאֵ֖נוּ אֶל־הַמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה וַיִּתֶּן־לָ֨נוּ֙ אֶת־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את אֶ֛רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָֽשׁ:
to this place: meaning the Temple. — [Sifrei 26:9] [The expression הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶה must refer specifically to the Temple and not to the Land of Israel in general, because the following clause:] אל המקום הזה: זה בית המקדש:
and He gave us this land: [is to be understood] literally. ויתן לנו את הארץ: כמשמעו:
10And now, behold, I have brought the first of the fruit of the ground which you, O Lord, have given to me." Then, you shall lay it before the Lord, your God, and prostrate yourself before the Lord, your God. יוְעַתָּ֗ה הִנֵּ֤ה הֵבֵ֨אתִי֙ אֶת־רֵאשִׁית֙ פְּרִ֣י הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥תָּה לִּ֖י יְהֹוָ֑ה וְהִנַּחְתּ֗וֹ לִפְנֵי֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ וְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲוִ֔יתָ לִפְנֵ֖י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ:
Then, you shall lay: [The repetition of the expressions וְהִנִּיחוֹ (verse 4) and here, וְהִנַּחְתּוֹ] teaches us [that there were two procedures involving laying the hands on the basket and waving it, namely] that [the owner] takes [the basket] after the kohen has [completed] waving it; [the owner subsequently] grasps it in his hand during his declaration, and then repeats the waving procedure. והנחתו: מגיד שנוטלו אחר הנחת הכהן ואוחזו בידו כשהוא קורא, וחוזר ומניף:
11Then, you shall rejoice with all the good that the Lord, your God, has granted you and your household you, the Levite, and the stranger who is among you. יאוְשָֽׂמַחְתָּ֣ בְכָל־הַטּ֗וֹב אֲשֶׁ֧ר נָֽתַן־לְךָ֛ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ וּלְבֵיתֶ֑ךָ אַתָּה֙ וְהַלֵּוִ֔י וְהַגֵּ֖ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּקִרְבֶּֽךָ:
And you shall rejoice with all the good: From here, [our Rabbis] said that the firstfruits declaration is recited only at the time of “rejoicing,” namely, from Shavuoth until Sukkoth, for [then] a person gathers in his grain, fruit, wine and oil [over which he rejoices]. However, from Sukkoth and onwards, he must bring [his firstfruits to the Temple], but he does not recite the declaration. - [Pes. 36b] ושמחת בכל הטוב: מכאן אמרו אין קורין מקרא בכורים אלא בזמן שמחה מעצרת ועד החג, שאדם מלקט תבואתו ופירותיו ויינו ושמנו, אבל מהחג ואילך מביא ואינו קורא:
you, the Levite: [From here, we learn that] the Levite is also obligated in [the mitzvah of bringing] firstfruits if they planted [trees] within their [forty-eight] cities. [Outside of these cities, they had no land.] אתה והלוי: אף הלוי חייב בבכורים אם נטעו בתוך עריהם:
and the stranger who is among you: [I.e., the proselyte.] He brings [his firstfruits], but he does not recite the declaration, since he cannot say “to our fathers” [in the introduction to the declaration (verse 3): “I have come to the land which the Lord swore to our forefathers to give us”]. — [Mishnah Bikkurim 1:4] והגר אשר בקרבך: (שם מכות יט) מביא ואינו קורא, שאינו יכול לומר לאבותינו:
Daily Tehillim: Psalms Chapters Chapters 77-78
• Special Custom for the Month of Elul and High Holidays
The Baal Shem Tov instituted a custom of reciting three additional chapters of Psalms each day, from the 1st of Elul until Yom Kippur (on Yom Kippur the remaining 36 chapters are recited, thereby completing the entire book of Psalms).
See below for today's additional chapters.
Chapter 77
1. For the Conductor, on the yedutun,1 by Asaph, a psalm.
2. [I raise] my voice to God and cry out; [I raise] my voice to God and He will listen to me.
3. On the day of my distress I sought my Lord. My wound oozes at night and does not abate; my soul refuses to be consoled.
4. I remember God and I moan; I speak and my spirit faints, Selah.
5. You grasped my eyelids; I am broken, I cannot speak.
6. I think of olden days, of ancient years.
7. During the night I recall my music, I meditate with my heart, and my spirit searches:
8. Is it for eternity that my Lord forsakes [me], nevermore to be appeased?
9. Has His kindness ceased forever? Has He sealed the decree for all generations?
10. Has God forgotten mercy? Has He in anger restrained His compassion forever?
11. I said, "It is to ter- rify me that the right hand of the Most High changes.”
12. I remember the deeds of Yah, when I remember Your wonders of long ago.
13. I meditate on all Your works, and speak of Your deeds.
14. O God, Your way is in sanctity; what god is as great as God?
15. You are the God Who works wonders; You make Your might known among the nations.
16. You redeemed Your people with a mighty arm, the children of Jacob and Joseph, Selah.
17. The waters2 saw You, O God, the waters saw You and trembled; even the deep shuddered.
18. The clouds streamed water, the heavens sounded forth, even Your arrows flew about.
19. The sound of Your thunder was in the rolling wind; lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked.
20. Your way was through the sea, Your path through the mighty waters; and Your footsteps were not known.3
21. You led Your people like a flock, by the hand of Moses and Aaron
FOOTNOTES
1.A musical instrument(Metzudot).
2.Of the Red Sea.
3.The waters returned to cover the trail.
Chapter 78
This psalm recounts all the miracles that God wrought for Israel, from the exodus of Egypt to David's becoming king over Israel.
1. A maskil1 by Asaph. Listen, my people, to my teaching; incline your ear to the words of my mouth.
2. I will open my mouth with a parable, I will utter riddles of long ago;
3. that which we have heard and know [to be true], and that our fathers have told us.
4. We will not withhold from their children, telling the final generation the praises of the Lord, and His might, and the wonders He has performed.
5. He established a testimony in Jacob, and set down the Torah in Israel, which He commanded our fathers to make known to their children,
6. so that the last generation shall know; children yet to be born will rise and tell their children,
7. and they shall put their hope in God, and not forget the works of the Almighty; and they shall guard His commandments.
8. And they shall not be like their fathers, a wayward and rebellious generation, a generation that did not set its heart straight, and whose spirit was not faithful to God.
9. The children of Ephraim, armed archers, retreated on the day of battle.2
10. They did not keep the covenant of God, and refused to follow His Torah.
11. They forgot His deeds and His wonders that He had shown them.
12. He performed wonders before their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.3
13. He split the sea and brought them across; He erected the waters like a wall.
14. He led them with a cloud by day, and all night long with the light of fire.
15. He split rocks in the wilderness, and gave them to drink as if from the abundant depths.
16. And He brought forth flowing waters from the rock, and caused waters to descend like rivers.
17. Yet they again continued to sin against Him, to provoke the Most High in the parched land.
18. And they tested God in their hearts, by requesting food for their craving.
19. They spoke against God; they said, "Can God set a table in the wilderness?
20. True, He hit the rock and waters flowed, streams gushed forth; but can He also give bread? Will He prepare meat for His people?”
21. And so the Lord heard and was enraged; a fire was kindled against Jacob; wrath, too, flared against Israel.
22. For they did not believe in God and did not trust in His salvation,
23. [though] He had commanded the skies above, and opened the doors of heaven.
24. He had rained upon them manna to eat, and given them grain of heaven.
25. Man ate the bread of angels; He sent them [enough] provisions to satiate.
26. He drove the east wind through the heaven, and led the south wind with His might.
27. He rained meat upon them like dust, winged birds like the sand of seas;
28. and He dropped them inside His camp, around His dwellings.
29. And they ate and were very satiated, for He brought them their desire.
30. They were not yet estranged from their craving, their food was still in their mouths,
31. when the wrath of God rose against them and slew their mighty ones, and brought down the chosen of Israel.
32. Despite this, they sinned again, and did not believe in His wonders;
33. so He ended their days in futility, and their years in terror.
34. When He slew them they would seek Him, they would return and pray to God.
35. They remembered that God is their rock, God the Most High, their redeemer.
36. But they beguiled Him with their mouth, and deceived Him with their tongue.
37. Their heart was not steadfast with Him; they were not faithful to His covenant.
38. Yet He is compassionate, pardons iniquity, and does not destroy; time and again He turns away His anger, and does not arouse all His wrath.
39. He remembered that they were but flesh, a spirit that leaves and does not return.
40. How often they provoked Him in the desert, and grieved Him in the wasteland!
41. Again and again they tested God, and sought a sign from the Holy One of Israel.
42. They did not remember His hand, the day He redeemed them from the oppressor;
43. that He set His signs in Egypt, and His wonders in the field of Zoan.
44. He turned their rivers to blood, and made their flowing waters undrinkable.
45. He sent against them a mixture of beasts which devoured them, and frogs that destroyed them.
46. He gave their produce to the grasshopper, and their toil to the locust.
47. He killed their vines with hail, and their sycamores with biting frost.
48. He delivered their animals to the hail, and their livestock to fiery bolts.
49. He sent against them His fierce anger, fury, rage, and affliction; a delegation of messengers of evil.
50. He leveled a path for His anger, and did not spare their soul from death; He delivered their animals to pestilence.
51. He struck every firstborn in Egypt, the first fruit of their strength in the tents of Ham.4
52. He drove His nation like sheep, and guided them like a flock in the desert.
53. He led them in security and they did not fear, for the sea covered their enemies.
54. And He brought them to the boundary of His holy place, this mountain which His right hand acquired.
55. He drove out nations before them, and allotted them an inheritance [measured] by the cord; He settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.
56. Yet they tested and defied God, the Most High, and did not keep His testimonies.
57. They regressed and rebelled like their fathers; they turned around like a deceptive bow.
58. They angered Him with their high altars, and provoked Him with their idols.
59. God heard and was enraged, and He was utterly disgusted with Israel;
60. And He abandoned the Tabernacle of Shilo, the Tent where He had dwelled among men.
61. He put His might into captivity, and His glory into the hand of the oppressor.
62. He delivered His nation to the sword, and was enraged with His inheritance.
63. Fire consumed His young men, and His maidens had no marriage song.
64. His priests fell by the sword, and their widows did not weep.5
65. And the Lord awoke like one who had been asleep, like a warrior shouting [to sober himself] from wine.
66. He beat His enemies into retreat, and dealt them eternal disgrace.
67. He was disgusted with the tent of Joseph, and did not choose the tribe of Ephraim.
68. He chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which He loves.
69. And He built His Sanctuary [permanent as] the heavens; like the earth, He established it forever.
70. And He chose David His servant, and took him from the sheep corrals.
71. From following the nursing ewes, He brought Him to shepherd His nation Jacob, Israel His inheritance.
72. And he tended them with the integrity of his heart, and led them with the skill of his hands.
FOOTNOTES
1.A psalm intended to enlighten and impart knowledge(Metzudot).
2.The Ephraimites escaped Egypt before the other tribes, but were defeated when trying to enter the land of Canaan.
3.Capital of Egypt (Radak).
4.Progenitor of the Egyptians.
5.They died before being able to weep (Targum).
Additional Three Chapters
The Baal Shem Tov instituted a custom of reciting three additional chapters of Psalms each day, from the 1st of Elul until Yom Kippur (on Yom Kippur the remaining 36 chapters are recited, thereby completing the entire book of Psalms).
Today's Chapters are 43, 44 and 45.
Chapter 43
A significant prayer concerning the magnitude of the troubles we have suffered at the hands of the impious nations. May it be God's will to send Moshiach and Elijah the Prophet, who will lead us to the Holy Temple to offer sacrifices as in days of old.
1. Avenge me, O God, and champion my cause against an impious nation; rescue me from the man of deceit and iniquity.
2. For You are the God of my strength; why have You abandoned me? Why must I walk in gloom under the oppression of the enemy?
3. Send Your light and Your truth, they will guide me; they will bring me to Your holy mountain and to your sanctuaries.
4. Then I will come to the altar of God-to God, the joy of my delight-and praise You on the lyre, O God, my God.
5. Why are you downcast, my soul, and why do you wail within me? Hope to God, for I will yet thank Him; He is my deliverance, [the light of] my countenance, and my God.
Chapter 44
The psalmist cries and laments painfully over this bitter exile, where we and our Torah are shamed daily, when the nations say that God has exchanged us for another nation, and where we are considered as sheep for the slaughter, as a byword and taunt. It is therefore fitting that God redeem us, for the sake of His great Name that abides with us in exile.
1. For the Conductor, by the sons of Korach, a maskil.1
2. God, with our ears we have heard, our fathers have told us, of the deeds You wrought in their days, in the days of old.
3. You drove out nations with Your hand, and planted [Israel in their place]; You afflicted peoples and banished them.
4. For not by their sword did they inherit the land, and their own arm did not save them, but by Your right hand, Your arm and the light of Your countenance-for You favored them.
5. You are my king, O God; decree the salvation of Jacob.
6. Through You will we gore our adversaries; with Your Name we will trample our opponents.
7. For I do not trust in my bow, and my sword cannot save me.
8. For You have delivered us from our foes, and You shamed those who hate us.
9. In God we glory all day, and forever thank Your Name, Selah.
10. Though You abandon and disgrace us, and do not go forth with our armies;
11. You cause us to retreat from the oppressor, and those who hate us plunder for themselves;
12. You deliver us like sheep to be devoured, and scatter us among the nations;
13. You sell Your nation without gain, and do not set a high price upon them;
14. You make us a disgrace to our neighbors, the scorn and derision of those around us;
15. You make us a byword among the nations, [a cause for] nodding the head among the peoples;
16. all day long my humiliation is before me, and the shame of my face covers me
17. at the voice of the reviler and blasphemer, because of the foe and avenger-
18. all this has come upon us, yet we have not forgotten You, nor have we been false to Your covenant.
19. Our hearts have not retracted, nor have our steps strayed from Your path.
20. Even when You crushed us in the place of serpents, and shrouded us in the shadow of death-
21. did we forget the Name of our God, and extend our hands to a foreign god?
22. Is it not so that God can examine this, for He knows the secrets of the heart.
23. For it is for Your sake that we are killed all the time; we are regarded as sheep for the slaughter.
24. Arise! Why do You sleep, my Lord? Wake up! Do not abandon [us] forever!
25. Why do You conceal Your countenance and forget our affliction and distress?
26. For our souls are bowed to the dust, our bellies cleave to the earth.
27. Arise! Be our help, and redeem us for the sake of Your kindness.
Chapter 45
The psalmist composed this psalm referring to Moshiach. He describes his greatness, his attributes, his glory, his wealth, and his reign; and states that Israel anticipates him, remembering and saying in every generation, "When will King Moshiach come?"
1. For the Conductor, upon the shoshanim,1 By the sons of Korach; a maskil,2 a song of love.
2. My heart is astir with a noble theme; I say, "My composition is for the king;3 my tongue is the pen of a skillful scribe.”
3. You are the most handsome of men, charm is poured upon your lips; therefore has God blessed you forever.
4. Gird your sword upon your thigh, O mighty one-it is your majesty and splendor.
5. And with your splendor, succeed and ride on for the sake of truth and righteous humility; and your right hand will guide you to awesome deeds.
6. Your arrows are sharpened-nations fall beneath you-[the arrows fall] into the hearts of the king's enemies.
7. Your throne, O ruler, is forever and ever, [for] the scepter of justice is the scepter of your kingdom.
8. You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore has God, your God, anointed you with oil of joy above your peers.
9. Myrrh, aloes and cassia are [the fragrance] of all your garments, which are from ivory palaces that bring you joy.
10. Daughters of kings visit you, and the queen stands erect at your right hand, adorned in the fine gold of Ophir.
11. Hear, O daughter, and observe, incline your ear; forget your people and your father's house.
12. Then the king will desire your beauty. He is your master-bow to him.
13. The daughter of Tyre, the wealthiest of nations, will seek your favor with a gift.
14. All the glory of the princess is within; her clothing surpasses settings of gold.
15. In embroidered garments she will be brought to the king; the maidens in her train, her companions, will be led to you.
16. They will be brought with gladness and joy, they will enter the palace of the king.
17. Your sons will succeed your fathers; you will appoint them ministers throughout the land.
18. I will cause Your Name to be remembered throughout the generations; therefore will the nations praise You forever and ever.
Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 15
• Lessons in Tanya
• Today's Tanya Lesson
• Sunday, 15 Elul, 5776 · 18 September 2016
• Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 15
• אך צריך להקדים מה ששמעתי ממורי, עליו השלום, על פסוק: ואנכי עפר ואפר
Chumash: Parshat Ki Tavo, 1st Portion (Deuteronomy 26:1-26:11) with Rashi
• Deuteronomy Chapter 26
1And it will be, when you come into the land which the Lord, your God, gives you for an inheritance, and you possess it and settle in it, אוְהָיָה֙ כִּֽי־תָב֣וֹא אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ נַֽחֲלָ֑ה וִֽירִשְׁתָּ֖הּ וְיָשַׁ֥בְתָּ בָּֽהּ:
And it will be, when you come… and you possess it and settle in it:This [verse, which is immediately followed by the commandment of bringing the firstfruits,] teaches us that they were not obligated [to bring] “firstfruits” until they conquered the Land and divided it. - [Kid. 37b] והיה כי תבוא וירשתה וישבת בה: מגיד שלא נתחייבו בבכורים עד שכבשו את הארץ וחלקוה:
2that you shall take of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you will bring from your land, which the Lord, your God, is giving you. And you shall put [them] into a basket and go to the place which the Lord, your God, will choose to have His Name dwell there. בוְלָֽקַחְתָּ֞ מֵֽרֵאשִׁ֣ית | כָּל־פְּרִ֣י הָֽאֲדָמָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר תָּבִ֧יא מֵֽאַרְצְךָ֛ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לָ֖ךְ וְשַׂמְתָּ֣ בַטֶּ֑נֶא וְהָֽלַכְתָּ֙ אֶל־הַמָּק֔וֹם אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִבְחַר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לְשַׁכֵּ֥ן שְׁמ֖וֹ שָֽׁם:
of the first: but not all the first, because not all fruits are subject to [the mitzvah of] “firstfruits”-only the seven species [for which the land of Israel is noted]. Here, in our verse, it says the word אֶרֶץ, “land,” and there [in the verse describing the praise of Eretz Israel], it says, “A land (אֶרֶץ) of wheat and barley, vines and figs and pomegranates, a land of oil-producing olives and honey” (Deut. 8:8). Just as the earlier verse (Deut. 8:8) is referring to the seven species through which Eretz Israel is praised, here too, [the verse is dealing with] the praise of the Land. [Rashi proceeds to explain two expressions in Deut. 8:8, which are relevant to the mitzvah of firstfruits, in light of the connection taught by our Rabbis above:] “Oil-producing olives” [refers to] “אֲגוּרִי olives,” [see Sifrei 26:2, meaning superior quality] olives that retain their oil, keeping it gathered (אָגוּר) [as it were] inside it. [Hence, it is the superior fruits which must be brought here]. — [Ber. 39a] [And in the same verse (Deut. 8:8):] “honey”-that is the honey of dates. — [Sifrei 26:2] מראשית: ולא כל ראשית, שאין כל הפירות חייבין בבכורים אלא שבעת המינין בלבד. נאמר כאן ארץ, ונאמר להלן (לעיל ח, ח) ארץ חטה ושעורה וגו', מה להלן משבעת המינים שנשתבחה בהם ארץ ישראל, אף כאן שבח ארץ ישראל שהן שבעה מינין זית שמן זית אגורי ששמנו אגור בתוכו ודבש הוא דבש תמרים:
of the first [of all the fruit]: [What is the process of taking these fruits?] A man goes down into his field and sees a fig that has ripened. He winds a reed around it for a sign and declares:“This is the firstfruit (בִּכּוּרִים).” - [Mishnah Bikkurim 3:1] מראשית: אדם יורד לתוך שדהו ורואה תאנה שבכרה כורך עליה גמי לסימן ואומר הרי זו בכורים:
3And you shall come to the kohen who will be [serving] in those days, and say to him, "I declare this day to the Lord, your God, that I have come to the land which the Lord swore to our forefathers to give us." גוּבָאתָ֙ אֶל־הַכֹּהֵ֔ן אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִֽהְיֶ֖ה בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֑ם וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֣ אֵלָ֗יו הִגַּ֤דְתִּי הַיּוֹם֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ כִּי־בָ֨אתִי֙ אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר נִשְׁבַּ֧ע יְהֹוָ֛ה לַֽאֲבֹתֵ֖ינוּ לָ֥תֶת לָֽנוּ:
who will be [serving] in those days: You have only the kohen in your days, whatever he is [and although he may not be as wise or holy as those of previous generations, you are obliged to address him with the respect due to his office as an agent of God]. — [Sifrei 26:3] אשר יהיה בימים ההם: אין לך אלא כהן שבימיך, כמו שהוא:
and say to him: that you are not ungrateful [for all that God has done for you]. ואמרת אליו: שאינך כפוי טובה:
I declare this day: [The expression,“this day,” teaches us that the one who brings the firstfruits must make this declaration] once a year, and not twice [even though he may return with more firstfruits later that same year]. — [Sifrei 26:3] הגדתי היום: פעם אחת בשנה ולא שתי פעמים:
4And the kohen will take the basket from your hand, laying it before the altar of the Lord, your God. דוְלָקַ֧ח הַכֹּהֵ֛ן הַטֶּ֖נֶא מִיָּדֶ֑ךָ וְהִ֨נִּיח֔וֹ לִפְנֵ֕י מִזְבַּ֖ח יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ:
And the kohen shall take the basket from your hand: in order to wave it. [How so?] The kohen places his hand under [the basket, beneath the level of] the owner’s hand [which is grasping the basket at the top, by its rim] (Sukk. 47b), and [in this position,] waves [the basket together with its owner]. ולקח הכהן הטנא מידך: להניף אותו. כהן מניח ידו תחת יד הבעלים ומניף:
5And you shall call out and say before the Lord, your God, "An Aramean [sought to] destroy my forefather, and he went down to Egypt and sojourned there with a small number of people, and there, he became a great, mighty, and numerous nation. הוְעָנִ֨יתָ וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֜ לִפְנֵ֣י | יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ אֲרַמִּי֙ אֹבֵ֣ד אָבִ֔י וַיֵּ֣רֶד מִצְרַ֔יְמָה וַיָּ֥גָר שָׁ֖ם בִּמְתֵ֣י מְעָ֑ט וַֽיְהִי־שָׁ֕ם לְג֥וֹי גָּד֖וֹל עָצ֥וּם וָרָֽב:
And you shall call out: Heb. וְעָנִית [Usually meaning to “respond.” However, in this context, this word] denotes the raising of the voice. — [Sotah 32b] וענית: לשון הרמת קול:
An Aramean [sought to] destroy my forefather: [The declarer] mentions [here] the kind deeds of the Omnipresent [by stating]:“An Aramean [sought to] destroy my forefather.” That is, Laban, when he pursued Jacob, sought to uproot [i.e., annihilate] all [the Jews], and since he intended to do so, the Omnipresent considered it as though he had actually done it (Sifrei 26:5), for [regarding] the pagan nations of the world, the Holy One, Blessed is He, considers the [mere] intention [of an evil deed] as [being equivalent to] the actual perpetration [of the deed itself]. — [Yerushalmi Pe’ah 1:1 at end] ארמי אבד אבי: מזכיר חסדי המקום ארמי אובד אבי, לבן בקש לעקור את הכל, כשרדף אחר יעקב. ובשביל שחשב לעשות, חשב לו המקום כאלו עשה, שאומות העולם חושב להם הקב"ה מחשבה [רעה] כמעשה:
who then went down to Egypt: And [apart from Laban,] still others came upon us to annihilate us, for after this, Jacob went down to Egypt [“and the Egyptians treated us cruelly…”]. וירד מצרימה: ועוד אחרים באו עלינו לכלותנו, שאחרי זאת ירד יעקב למצרים:
with a small number of people: [Namely,] seventy persons. — [Sifrei 26: 5; see Gen. 46:27] במתי מעט: בשבעים נפש:
6And the Egyptians treated us cruelly and afflicted us, and they imposed hard labor upon us. ווַיָּרֵ֧עוּ אֹתָ֛נוּ הַמִּצְרִ֖ים וַיְעַנּ֑וּנוּ וַיִּתְּנ֥וּ עָלֵ֖ינוּ עֲבֹדָ֥ה קָשָֽׁה:
7So we cried out to the Lord, God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. זוַנִּצְעַ֕ק אֶל־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י אֲבֹתֵ֑ינוּ וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־קֹלֵ֔נוּ וַיַּ֧רְא אֶת־עָנְיֵ֛נוּ וְאֶת־עֲמָלֵ֖נוּ וְאֶת־לַֽחֲצֵֽנוּ:
8And the Lord brought us out from Egypt with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm, with great awe, and with signs and wonders. חוַיּֽוֹצִאֵ֤נוּ יְהֹוָה֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם בְּיָ֤ד חֲזָקָה֙ וּבִזְרֹ֣עַ נְטוּיָ֔ה וּבְמֹרָ֖א גָּדֹ֑ל וּבְאֹת֖וֹת וּבְמֹֽפְתִֽים:
9And He brought us to this place, and He gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. טוַיְבִאֵ֖נוּ אֶל־הַמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה וַיִּתֶּן־לָ֨נוּ֙ אֶת־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את אֶ֛רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָֽשׁ:
to this place: meaning the Temple. — [Sifrei 26:9] [The expression הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶה must refer specifically to the Temple and not to the Land of Israel in general, because the following clause:] אל המקום הזה: זה בית המקדש:
and He gave us this land: [is to be understood] literally. ויתן לנו את הארץ: כמשמעו:
10And now, behold, I have brought the first of the fruit of the ground which you, O Lord, have given to me." Then, you shall lay it before the Lord, your God, and prostrate yourself before the Lord, your God. יוְעַתָּ֗ה הִנֵּ֤ה הֵבֵ֨אתִי֙ אֶת־רֵאשִׁית֙ פְּרִ֣י הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥תָּה לִּ֖י יְהֹוָ֑ה וְהִנַּחְתּ֗וֹ לִפְנֵי֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ וְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲוִ֔יתָ לִפְנֵ֖י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ:
Then, you shall lay: [The repetition of the expressions וְהִנִּיחוֹ (verse 4) and here, וְהִנַּחְתּוֹ] teaches us [that there were two procedures involving laying the hands on the basket and waving it, namely] that [the owner] takes [the basket] after the kohen has [completed] waving it; [the owner subsequently] grasps it in his hand during his declaration, and then repeats the waving procedure. והנחתו: מגיד שנוטלו אחר הנחת הכהן ואוחזו בידו כשהוא קורא, וחוזר ומניף:
11Then, you shall rejoice with all the good that the Lord, your God, has granted you and your household you, the Levite, and the stranger who is among you. יאוְשָֽׂמַחְתָּ֣ בְכָל־הַטּ֗וֹב אֲשֶׁ֧ר נָֽתַן־לְךָ֛ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ וּלְבֵיתֶ֑ךָ אַתָּה֙ וְהַלֵּוִ֔י וְהַגֵּ֖ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּקִרְבֶּֽךָ:
And you shall rejoice with all the good: From here, [our Rabbis] said that the firstfruits declaration is recited only at the time of “rejoicing,” namely, from Shavuoth until Sukkoth, for [then] a person gathers in his grain, fruit, wine and oil [over which he rejoices]. However, from Sukkoth and onwards, he must bring [his firstfruits to the Temple], but he does not recite the declaration. - [Pes. 36b] ושמחת בכל הטוב: מכאן אמרו אין קורין מקרא בכורים אלא בזמן שמחה מעצרת ועד החג, שאדם מלקט תבואתו ופירותיו ויינו ושמנו, אבל מהחג ואילך מביא ואינו קורא:
you, the Levite: [From here, we learn that] the Levite is also obligated in [the mitzvah of bringing] firstfruits if they planted [trees] within their [forty-eight] cities. [Outside of these cities, they had no land.] אתה והלוי: אף הלוי חייב בבכורים אם נטעו בתוך עריהם:
and the stranger who is among you: [I.e., the proselyte.] He brings [his firstfruits], but he does not recite the declaration, since he cannot say “to our fathers” [in the introduction to the declaration (verse 3): “I have come to the land which the Lord swore to our forefathers to give us”]. — [Mishnah Bikkurim 1:4] והגר אשר בקרבך: (שם מכות יט) מביא ואינו קורא, שאינו יכול לומר לאבותינו:
Daily Tehillim: Psalms Chapters Chapters 77-78
• Special Custom for the Month of Elul and High Holidays
The Baal Shem Tov instituted a custom of reciting three additional chapters of Psalms each day, from the 1st of Elul until Yom Kippur (on Yom Kippur the remaining 36 chapters are recited, thereby completing the entire book of Psalms).
See below for today's additional chapters.
Chapter 77
1. For the Conductor, on the yedutun,1 by Asaph, a psalm.
2. [I raise] my voice to God and cry out; [I raise] my voice to God and He will listen to me.
3. On the day of my distress I sought my Lord. My wound oozes at night and does not abate; my soul refuses to be consoled.
4. I remember God and I moan; I speak and my spirit faints, Selah.
5. You grasped my eyelids; I am broken, I cannot speak.
6. I think of olden days, of ancient years.
7. During the night I recall my music, I meditate with my heart, and my spirit searches:
8. Is it for eternity that my Lord forsakes [me], nevermore to be appeased?
9. Has His kindness ceased forever? Has He sealed the decree for all generations?
10. Has God forgotten mercy? Has He in anger restrained His compassion forever?
11. I said, "It is to ter- rify me that the right hand of the Most High changes.”
12. I remember the deeds of Yah, when I remember Your wonders of long ago.
13. I meditate on all Your works, and speak of Your deeds.
14. O God, Your way is in sanctity; what god is as great as God?
15. You are the God Who works wonders; You make Your might known among the nations.
16. You redeemed Your people with a mighty arm, the children of Jacob and Joseph, Selah.
17. The waters2 saw You, O God, the waters saw You and trembled; even the deep shuddered.
18. The clouds streamed water, the heavens sounded forth, even Your arrows flew about.
19. The sound of Your thunder was in the rolling wind; lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked.
20. Your way was through the sea, Your path through the mighty waters; and Your footsteps were not known.3
21. You led Your people like a flock, by the hand of Moses and Aaron
FOOTNOTES
1.A musical instrument(Metzudot).
2.Of the Red Sea.
3.The waters returned to cover the trail.
Chapter 78
This psalm recounts all the miracles that God wrought for Israel, from the exodus of Egypt to David's becoming king over Israel.
1. A maskil1 by Asaph. Listen, my people, to my teaching; incline your ear to the words of my mouth.
2. I will open my mouth with a parable, I will utter riddles of long ago;
3. that which we have heard and know [to be true], and that our fathers have told us.
4. We will not withhold from their children, telling the final generation the praises of the Lord, and His might, and the wonders He has performed.
5. He established a testimony in Jacob, and set down the Torah in Israel, which He commanded our fathers to make known to their children,
6. so that the last generation shall know; children yet to be born will rise and tell their children,
7. and they shall put their hope in God, and not forget the works of the Almighty; and they shall guard His commandments.
8. And they shall not be like their fathers, a wayward and rebellious generation, a generation that did not set its heart straight, and whose spirit was not faithful to God.
9. The children of Ephraim, armed archers, retreated on the day of battle.2
10. They did not keep the covenant of God, and refused to follow His Torah.
11. They forgot His deeds and His wonders that He had shown them.
12. He performed wonders before their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.3
13. He split the sea and brought them across; He erected the waters like a wall.
14. He led them with a cloud by day, and all night long with the light of fire.
15. He split rocks in the wilderness, and gave them to drink as if from the abundant depths.
16. And He brought forth flowing waters from the rock, and caused waters to descend like rivers.
17. Yet they again continued to sin against Him, to provoke the Most High in the parched land.
18. And they tested God in their hearts, by requesting food for their craving.
19. They spoke against God; they said, "Can God set a table in the wilderness?
20. True, He hit the rock and waters flowed, streams gushed forth; but can He also give bread? Will He prepare meat for His people?”
21. And so the Lord heard and was enraged; a fire was kindled against Jacob; wrath, too, flared against Israel.
22. For they did not believe in God and did not trust in His salvation,
23. [though] He had commanded the skies above, and opened the doors of heaven.
24. He had rained upon them manna to eat, and given them grain of heaven.
25. Man ate the bread of angels; He sent them [enough] provisions to satiate.
26. He drove the east wind through the heaven, and led the south wind with His might.
27. He rained meat upon them like dust, winged birds like the sand of seas;
28. and He dropped them inside His camp, around His dwellings.
29. And they ate and were very satiated, for He brought them their desire.
30. They were not yet estranged from their craving, their food was still in their mouths,
31. when the wrath of God rose against them and slew their mighty ones, and brought down the chosen of Israel.
32. Despite this, they sinned again, and did not believe in His wonders;
33. so He ended their days in futility, and their years in terror.
34. When He slew them they would seek Him, they would return and pray to God.
35. They remembered that God is their rock, God the Most High, their redeemer.
36. But they beguiled Him with their mouth, and deceived Him with their tongue.
37. Their heart was not steadfast with Him; they were not faithful to His covenant.
38. Yet He is compassionate, pardons iniquity, and does not destroy; time and again He turns away His anger, and does not arouse all His wrath.
39. He remembered that they were but flesh, a spirit that leaves and does not return.
40. How often they provoked Him in the desert, and grieved Him in the wasteland!
41. Again and again they tested God, and sought a sign from the Holy One of Israel.
42. They did not remember His hand, the day He redeemed them from the oppressor;
43. that He set His signs in Egypt, and His wonders in the field of Zoan.
44. He turned their rivers to blood, and made their flowing waters undrinkable.
45. He sent against them a mixture of beasts which devoured them, and frogs that destroyed them.
46. He gave their produce to the grasshopper, and their toil to the locust.
47. He killed their vines with hail, and their sycamores with biting frost.
48. He delivered their animals to the hail, and their livestock to fiery bolts.
49. He sent against them His fierce anger, fury, rage, and affliction; a delegation of messengers of evil.
50. He leveled a path for His anger, and did not spare their soul from death; He delivered their animals to pestilence.
51. He struck every firstborn in Egypt, the first fruit of their strength in the tents of Ham.4
52. He drove His nation like sheep, and guided them like a flock in the desert.
53. He led them in security and they did not fear, for the sea covered their enemies.
54. And He brought them to the boundary of His holy place, this mountain which His right hand acquired.
55. He drove out nations before them, and allotted them an inheritance [measured] by the cord; He settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.
56. Yet they tested and defied God, the Most High, and did not keep His testimonies.
57. They regressed and rebelled like their fathers; they turned around like a deceptive bow.
58. They angered Him with their high altars, and provoked Him with their idols.
59. God heard and was enraged, and He was utterly disgusted with Israel;
60. And He abandoned the Tabernacle of Shilo, the Tent where He had dwelled among men.
61. He put His might into captivity, and His glory into the hand of the oppressor.
62. He delivered His nation to the sword, and was enraged with His inheritance.
63. Fire consumed His young men, and His maidens had no marriage song.
64. His priests fell by the sword, and their widows did not weep.5
65. And the Lord awoke like one who had been asleep, like a warrior shouting [to sober himself] from wine.
66. He beat His enemies into retreat, and dealt them eternal disgrace.
67. He was disgusted with the tent of Joseph, and did not choose the tribe of Ephraim.
68. He chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which He loves.
69. And He built His Sanctuary [permanent as] the heavens; like the earth, He established it forever.
70. And He chose David His servant, and took him from the sheep corrals.
71. From following the nursing ewes, He brought Him to shepherd His nation Jacob, Israel His inheritance.
72. And he tended them with the integrity of his heart, and led them with the skill of his hands.
FOOTNOTES
1.A psalm intended to enlighten and impart knowledge(Metzudot).
2.The Ephraimites escaped Egypt before the other tribes, but were defeated when trying to enter the land of Canaan.
3.Capital of Egypt (Radak).
4.Progenitor of the Egyptians.
5.They died before being able to weep (Targum).
Additional Three Chapters
The Baal Shem Tov instituted a custom of reciting three additional chapters of Psalms each day, from the 1st of Elul until Yom Kippur (on Yom Kippur the remaining 36 chapters are recited, thereby completing the entire book of Psalms).
Today's Chapters are 43, 44 and 45.
Chapter 43
A significant prayer concerning the magnitude of the troubles we have suffered at the hands of the impious nations. May it be God's will to send Moshiach and Elijah the Prophet, who will lead us to the Holy Temple to offer sacrifices as in days of old.
1. Avenge me, O God, and champion my cause against an impious nation; rescue me from the man of deceit and iniquity.
2. For You are the God of my strength; why have You abandoned me? Why must I walk in gloom under the oppression of the enemy?
3. Send Your light and Your truth, they will guide me; they will bring me to Your holy mountain and to your sanctuaries.
4. Then I will come to the altar of God-to God, the joy of my delight-and praise You on the lyre, O God, my God.
5. Why are you downcast, my soul, and why do you wail within me? Hope to God, for I will yet thank Him; He is my deliverance, [the light of] my countenance, and my God.
Chapter 44
The psalmist cries and laments painfully over this bitter exile, where we and our Torah are shamed daily, when the nations say that God has exchanged us for another nation, and where we are considered as sheep for the slaughter, as a byword and taunt. It is therefore fitting that God redeem us, for the sake of His great Name that abides with us in exile.
1. For the Conductor, by the sons of Korach, a maskil.1
2. God, with our ears we have heard, our fathers have told us, of the deeds You wrought in their days, in the days of old.
3. You drove out nations with Your hand, and planted [Israel in their place]; You afflicted peoples and banished them.
4. For not by their sword did they inherit the land, and their own arm did not save them, but by Your right hand, Your arm and the light of Your countenance-for You favored them.
5. You are my king, O God; decree the salvation of Jacob.
6. Through You will we gore our adversaries; with Your Name we will trample our opponents.
7. For I do not trust in my bow, and my sword cannot save me.
8. For You have delivered us from our foes, and You shamed those who hate us.
9. In God we glory all day, and forever thank Your Name, Selah.
10. Though You abandon and disgrace us, and do not go forth with our armies;
11. You cause us to retreat from the oppressor, and those who hate us plunder for themselves;
12. You deliver us like sheep to be devoured, and scatter us among the nations;
13. You sell Your nation without gain, and do not set a high price upon them;
14. You make us a disgrace to our neighbors, the scorn and derision of those around us;
15. You make us a byword among the nations, [a cause for] nodding the head among the peoples;
16. all day long my humiliation is before me, and the shame of my face covers me
17. at the voice of the reviler and blasphemer, because of the foe and avenger-
18. all this has come upon us, yet we have not forgotten You, nor have we been false to Your covenant.
19. Our hearts have not retracted, nor have our steps strayed from Your path.
20. Even when You crushed us in the place of serpents, and shrouded us in the shadow of death-
21. did we forget the Name of our God, and extend our hands to a foreign god?
22. Is it not so that God can examine this, for He knows the secrets of the heart.
23. For it is for Your sake that we are killed all the time; we are regarded as sheep for the slaughter.
24. Arise! Why do You sleep, my Lord? Wake up! Do not abandon [us] forever!
25. Why do You conceal Your countenance and forget our affliction and distress?
26. For our souls are bowed to the dust, our bellies cleave to the earth.
27. Arise! Be our help, and redeem us for the sake of Your kindness.
Chapter 45
The psalmist composed this psalm referring to Moshiach. He describes his greatness, his attributes, his glory, his wealth, and his reign; and states that Israel anticipates him, remembering and saying in every generation, "When will King Moshiach come?"
1. For the Conductor, upon the shoshanim,1 By the sons of Korach; a maskil,2 a song of love.
2. My heart is astir with a noble theme; I say, "My composition is for the king;3 my tongue is the pen of a skillful scribe.”
3. You are the most handsome of men, charm is poured upon your lips; therefore has God blessed you forever.
4. Gird your sword upon your thigh, O mighty one-it is your majesty and splendor.
5. And with your splendor, succeed and ride on for the sake of truth and righteous humility; and your right hand will guide you to awesome deeds.
6. Your arrows are sharpened-nations fall beneath you-[the arrows fall] into the hearts of the king's enemies.
7. Your throne, O ruler, is forever and ever, [for] the scepter of justice is the scepter of your kingdom.
8. You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore has God, your God, anointed you with oil of joy above your peers.
9. Myrrh, aloes and cassia are [the fragrance] of all your garments, which are from ivory palaces that bring you joy.
10. Daughters of kings visit you, and the queen stands erect at your right hand, adorned in the fine gold of Ophir.
11. Hear, O daughter, and observe, incline your ear; forget your people and your father's house.
12. Then the king will desire your beauty. He is your master-bow to him.
13. The daughter of Tyre, the wealthiest of nations, will seek your favor with a gift.
14. All the glory of the princess is within; her clothing surpasses settings of gold.
15. In embroidered garments she will be brought to the king; the maidens in her train, her companions, will be led to you.
16. They will be brought with gladness and joy, they will enter the palace of the king.
17. Your sons will succeed your fathers; you will appoint them ministers throughout the land.
18. I will cause Your Name to be remembered throughout the generations; therefore will the nations praise You forever and ever.
Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 15
• Lessons in Tanya
• Today's Tanya Lesson
• Sunday, 15 Elul, 5776 · 18 September 2016
• Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 15
• אך צריך להקדים מה ששמעתי ממורי, עליו השלום, על פסוק: ואנכי עפר ואפר
But it is necessary to state first what I heard from my master, R. Dov Ber, the Maggid of Mezritch, peace be to him, on the verse,1 “And I am dust and ashes.”
שאמר אברהם אבינו, עליו השלום, על הארת נשמתו המאירה בגופו מאור חסד עליון
Our father Abraham, peace be to him, said this of the illumination from his soul which radiated in his body from the light of the Supreme Chesed.
והיא מדתו, מדת אהבה רבה
And that is his attribute: the attribute of ahavah rabbah (“magnanimous love”), that derived from the parent Sefirah called Chesed of Atzilut,
(נוסח אחר: שבה היה) שהיה אוהב את הקב״ה אהבה גדולה ועליונה כל כך, עד שנעשה מרכבה להקב״ה
for he loved (an alternative reading: “with which he loved”) the Holy One, blessed be He, with a love so great and sublime, that he became a chariot unto the Holy One, blessed be He.
Abraham’s degree of nullification to G‑d was that of a vehicle to its driver, having no independent will whatever. This is even greater than the subservience of a slave to his master, for the slave retains a will of his own.
וסלקא דעתך אמינא שבחינת חסד ואהבה שלמעלה בספירות העליונות, היא מעין וסוג מהות מדת אהבה רבה של אברהם אבינו, עליו השלום
Now one might possibly assume that the type of Chesed and love as it exists above in the Supernal Sefirot is of a similar nature to the attribute of abundant love [exemplified by] our father Abraham, peace be to him,
רק שהיא גדולה ונפלאה למעלה מעלה עד אין קץ ותכלית
though surpassing it infinitely.
כנודע ממדות העליונות, שאין להם קץ סוף ותכלית מצד עצמן
For it is known of the Supernal middot (“attributes”), that though their mode of emanation is finite, they themselves are essentially without end or limit,
כי אור אין סוף ברוך הוא מאיר ומלובש בתוכם ממש
because the [infinite] Ein Sof-light actually radiates and is vested within them,
ואיהו וגרמוהי חד
and “He and his middot (i.e., the kelim of the Sefirot) are One”; i.e., just as He is infinite, so too are they.
מה שאין כן בנשמת האדם, המלובשת בחומר
As regards the soul of man, however, which is vested in corporeality, in man’s body,
שיש למדותיה קץ וגבול
its attributes are finite and limited.
Thus, to revert to the above example, it is abundantly clear that the Supernal Sefirahof Chesed is infinitely loftier and more wondrous than its worldly counterpart — the attribute of Chesed and love in Abraham’s soul, which was vested within his body.
אבל מכל מקום, סלקא דעתך אמינא שמדותיה הן מעין וסוג מדות העליונות
Nevertheless, one might possibly assume that its attributes are of the same type as the Supernal attributes.
Until now the Alter Rebbe has explained that the Supernal Sefirah of Chesed is infinitely higher than Abraham’s attribute of love in this world. Now, in order to negate a comparison from any perspective whatever, he goes on to state that Abraham’s attribute of love is infinitely lower than the Supernal Sefirah of Chesed.
ולזה אמר: ואנכי עפר ואפר
This is why he said, “I am dust and ashes,”
דכמו שהאפר הוא מהותו ועצמותו של העץ הנשרף
that is, like ashes, which are the essence and substance of the burned wood;
שהיה מורכב מד׳ יסודות: אש, רוח, מים, עפר
for [the wood] was previously composed of the four basic elements — Fire, Air, Water and Earth, of which all matter is compounded,2
וג׳ יסודות: אש, מים, רוח, חלפו והלכו להם
and the three elements of Fire, Water and Air passed away
וכלו בעשן המתהוה מהרכבתן, כנודע
and were consumed in the smoke that came into being through their combination, as is known.
ויסוד הד׳ שהיה בעץ, שהוא העפר שבו, היורד למטה
As to the fourth element of the wood, namely its component of Earth, which goes downward, and does not ascend with the smoke,
ואין האש שולטת בו
and over which the fire has no dominion,
הוא הנשאר קיים, והוא האפר
it is this that remains in existence, and constitutes the ashes.
והנה כל מהות העץ, וממשו וחומרו וצורתו באורך ורוחב ועובי, שהיה נראה לעין קודם שנשרף
Now the whole of the essence of the wood, with its tangible substantiality,which does not result from the Fire, Water and Air within it, its matter, and its form in terms of length, width and density, which were visible to the eye before it was burned,
עיקרו היה מיסוד העפר שבו
derived basically from the element of Earth within it,
רק שאש, מים, רוח, כלולים בו
except that the Fire, Water and Air were also compounded in it.
כי העפר הוא חומרי יותר מכולן, ויש לו אורך ורוחב ועובי
For Earth is the most material of them all, of all the elements, having [dimensions of] length, width and density,
מה שאין כן באש ורוח
which is not the case with Fire and Air.
וגם המים, הם מעט מזעיר בעץ
And even Water, that does contain these dimensions, appears only sparingly in wood.
וכל ארכו ורחבו ועוביו, הכל היה מן העפר, והכל שב אל העפר
Thus, as to all the dimensions [in wood] of length, width and density,3“All is of the earth, and all returns to earth,”
שהוא האפר הנשאר אחרי שנפרדו ממנו אש, מים, רוח
i.e., to the ashes that remain after the Fire, Water and Air have been separated from it.
Thus, the ash that remains is what was formerly the essence of the wood.
והנה, כמו שהאפר אין לו דמיון וערך אל מהות העץ הגדול באורך ורוחב ועובי קודם שנשרף, לא בכמותו ולא באיכותו
Now, just as there is neither a quantitative nor a qualitative resemblance or proportion between (on the one hand) the ashes and (on the other hand)the essence of the tree which, before being burned, had sizeable dimensions of length, width and density,
אף שהוא הוא מהותו ועצמותו, וממנו נתהוה
even though it (the wood) is its very essence and substance, and from it(the wood) did it (the ash) come into being,
כך, על דרך משל, אמר אברהם אבינו עליו השלום על מדתו, מדת החסד והאהבה, המאירה בו ומלובשת בגופו
precisely so, metaphorically speaking, did our father Abraham, peace be to him, speak of his distinctive attribute, the attribute of kindness and love, which radiated within him and was vested in his body.
דאף שהיא היא מדת האהבה וחסד העליון שבאצילות, המאיר בנשמתו שהיתה מרכבה עליונה
For though it was this very attribute of the love and Supreme Chesed ofAtzilut that radiated in his soul, which was a chariot to [the will of] heaven,
אף על פי כן, ברדתה למטה להתלבש בגוף
nevertheless, as it descended downwards to vest itself in the body,
על ידי השתלשלות העולמות ממדרגה למדרגה, על ידי צמצומים רבים
by means of the evolution of the worlds from one level to another, by means of many contractions,
אין דמיון וערך מהות אור האהבה המאיר בו, אל מהות אור אהבה וחסד עליון שבאצילות
there was no semblance or proportion between the essence of the light of the love that radiated within him, and the essence of the light of the love and Supreme Chesed of Atzilut,
אלא כערך ודמיון מהות העפר שנעשה אפר, אל מהותו ואיכותו כשהיה עץ נחמד למראה וטוב למאכל, על דרך משל
except of the sort of proportion and semblance that exists (metaphorically speaking) between the essence of the element of Earth which became ashes, and its essence and quality in its original state as a tree,4“pleasant to the sight and good for food.”
ויותר מזה, להבדיל באלפים הבדלות
Indeed, [the incomparability of Abraham’s Chesed and the Chesed ofAtzilut] exceeds [the incomparability of the ash and the tree] by thousands of degrees of separation.
רק שדברה תורה כלשון בני אדם, במשל ומליצה
Nevertheless, the Torah speaks in human phraseology, by way of allegory and metaphor; hence its use of the analogy of the tree, despite its inherent disproportion.
Surely, then, the attributes and soul-powers of an ordinary Jew in this world bear absolutely no comparable relation to the Sefirot from which they derive. Nonetheless, since his soul-powers do after all derive from the Sefirot and are illuminated by them, he can attain some degree of understanding of G‑dliness from that dimension of the soul that animates his body. And this is the meaning of the verse, “From my flesh shall I behold G‑d.”
* * *
• Rambam: Sefer Hamitzvos:
• Sunday, 15 Elul, 5776 · 18 September 2016
• Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
• Sunday, 15 Elul, 5776 · 18 September 2016
• Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
Positive Commandment 246 (Digest)
Important Message Regarding This Lesson
The Daily Mitzvah schedule runs parallel to the daily study of 3 chapters of Maimonides' 14-volume code. There are instances when the Mitzvah is repeated a few days consecutively while the exploration of the same Mitzvah continues in the in-depth track.
Positive Commandment 246 (Digest)
Laws of Claims
"In every case of trespass...in which one can say: 'This is it'"—Exodus 22:8.
We are commanded to adjudicate monetary cases between litigants [according to the laws outlined in the Torah].
• Laws of ClaimsThe Daily Mitzvah schedule runs parallel to the daily study of 3 chapters of Maimonides' 14-volume code. There are instances when the Mitzvah is repeated a few days consecutively while the exploration of the same Mitzvah continues in the in-depth track.
Positive Commandment 246 (Digest)
Laws of Claims
"In every case of trespass...in which one can say: 'This is it'"—Exodus 22:8.
We are commanded to adjudicate monetary cases between litigants [according to the laws outlined in the Torah].
The 246th mitzvah is that we are commanded regarding claims and counterclaims [in lawsuits.]
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "In every case of dishonesty... [and the watchman] said that this is it."
In the words of the Mechilta: "The phrase 'that this is it' refers to partial admission to the claim."2
This mitzvah includes anything that can arise from the claims people have against one another involving admission and denial.
The details of this commandment are explained in the 3rd chapter of Bava Kama, the beginning of Bava Metzia, and the 5th, 6th, and 7th chapters of Shavuos. Many questions regarding this subject are spread throughout the Talmud.
Rabbi Berel Bell is a well-known educator, author and lecturer. He and his family reside in Montreal, Canada.
From "Sefer Hamitzvot in English," published by Sichos in English.
FOOTNOTES
1.Ex. 22:8.
2.Since he has made a partial admission, he is required to take an oath regarding the rest of the claim.
• Rambam - 1 Chapter a Day
• Rambam - 3 Chapters a Day
Metamme'ey Mishkav uMoshav - Chapter 8
• Metamme'ey Mishkav uMoshav - Chapter 8
1
At the beginning of this text, we explained that with regard to other types of impurity, if a person moves a source of impurity which imparts impurity when carried, he contracts impurity. If, however, the source of impurity caused a person to move, he does not contract impurity.
א
כבר ביארנו בתחלת ספר זה שאם הסיט האדם את הטומאה שהיא מטמאה במשא נטמא משום נושא אבל אם הסיטה הטומאה את האדם לא נטמא:
2
None of the sources of impurity imparts impurity when moving a pure person or a pure k'li except a zav and the like. This is the extra dimension of impurity - that if a zav moves something that is pure, that entity contracts impurity - that exists with regard to azav that has no comparison in the entire Torah.
What is implied? A beam was positioned on top of a fence and a pure person or pure keilim, even earthenware containers, were on one side and a zav moved the other side. Since the person or thekeilim were moved by the zav, it is as if he touched them. They become impure and are considered as a primary derivative of impurity according to Scriptural Law. Needless to say, the person or the keilim become impure if the zav lifted them up. All the laws that apply to a zav also apply to a zavah, a nidah, and a woman after childbirth.
Thus it can be concluded that when a pure person moves a zav, he is impure because it is as if he carried a zav. And when a zavmoves a pure entity, whether a person or a k'li, even an earthenware container, that entity is impure, because having thezav move other entities is equivalent to him touching them.
ב
אין בכל אבות הטומאות כולן טומאה שאם תסיט את האדם הטהור או את הכלי הטהור תטמא אותן אלא הזב או חביריו בלבד וזו היא הטומאה היתירה בזב שלא מצינו כמותה בכל התורה שאם הסיט את הטהורין טמאין כיצד היתה קורה מוטלת על ראש הגדר ואדם טהור או כלים אפילו כלי חרס על קצתה והניד הזב את הקצה השני הואיל ונתנדנדו מחמת הזב ה"ז כמי שנגע בהן וטמאין ונעשו ראשון לטומאה דין תורה ואין צ"ל שאם נשא הזב את האדם או את הכלים שטמאן ואחד זב וזבה נדה ויולדת בכל הדברים האלו הנה למדת שהאדם הטהור שהסיט את הזב נטמא משום נושא זב והזב שהסיט את הטהור בין אדם בין כלים אפילו כלי חרס טמאין מפני שהנדת הזב לאחרים כאילו נגע בהן:
3
There is a more stringent dimension to the impurity imparted by a zav moving an entity than to the impurity he imparts by touching it. If a zav touches an earthenware container that is firmly sealed close, it is pure. If, however, the zav moves the article, it becomes impure.
A similar stringency applies to an earthenware container that is hollow like a ball for which an opening was not made, e.g., a double frying pan. If it was moved by a zav, it is impure, even though it would be considered pure were it to have been located in a tent containing a human corpse, for it is like an earthenware container that is sealed close, for its opening is sealed. Similarly, when a needle is entirely embedded in a piece of wood or a ring is entirely embedded in a brick, if a zav moves the wood or the brick, the keilim embedded within become impure. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.
ג
חומר בהיסט הזב ממגעו שאם נגע בכלי חרס המוקף צמיד פתיל טהור ואם הסיטו טימאהו וכן כלי חרס שהוא נבוב ככדור ועדיין לא נעשה לו פה כמו אלפסין אירניות אם הסיטן הזב טמאים ואף על פי שהן טהורין באהל המת שהרי הן ככלי חרס המוקף צמיד פתיל שפתחו סתום וכן מחט שהיתה בלועה בתוך העץ וטבעת הבלועה בתוך הלבינה והסיט הזב את העץ או הלבינה נטמאו הכלים הבלועים שבתוכן וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
4
When a zav inserts his hand or foot into the inner space of an earthenware container, since he did not touch the inside of the container, nor did he move it, it remains pure. The rationale is that a nidah or the like do not impart impurity through their limbs alone.
ד
זב שהכניס ידו או רגלו לאויר כלי חרס הואיל ולא נגע בו מתוכו ולא הנידו הרי זה טהור שאין הנדה וכיוצא בה מטמאין לאיברים:
5
When a zav had a rod held fast in the folds of his skin and used the end of the rod to move a person or a k'li, he or it remain pure, as implied by Leviticus 15:11: "Anything that will be touched by the zav when his hands were not washed in water." According to the Oral Tradition, it was taught that this verse is speaking about a zav moving entities. It uses the wording "touch" to teach the following concept: Just as touch involves one's hand and other parts of the body like one's hands, i.e., revealed limbs that can touch, so too, moving an object must be performed by a revealed portion of the body and not by a hidden portion.
If a rod was in the folds of the skin of a pure person and he moved a zav with it, he contracts impurity. For one who moves an impure object is considered as if he carried it. Hence, just as one who carries an article in the hidden portions of his body contracts impurity, as we stated at the beginning of this book, so too, one who moves an impure object with the hidden portions of his body contracts impurity.
ה
זב שהיה קנה אחוז בתוך קומטו והסיט והוציא בקצה הקנה אדם או כלי הרי הן טהורין שנאמר וכל אשר יגע בו הזב וידיו לא שטף במים מפי השמועה למדו שהכתוב הזה מדבר בהיסט הזב והוציאו בלשון נגיעה לומר מה נגיעה בידיו והדומה לידיו משאר גופו הגלוי אצל הנגיעה אף היסטו עד שיסיט בגלוי שבגופו לא שיסיט בבית הסתרים היה הקנה בקומטו של טהור והסיט בו את הזב טמא שהמסיט את הטומאה כנושא אותה וכשם שהנושא בבית הסתרים טמא כמו שביארנו בתחלת ספר זה כך המסיט בבית הסתרים טמא:
6
The following laws apply when a zav was on one side of a scale and a k'li made to lie on or ride on was placed on the other side. If the zav outweighed them, causing them to rise, they are considered as keilim which he touched, for he moved them. If they outweighed him, they contract the impurity associated with articles on which one lies and become a primary source of impurity. The rationale is that they lifted up the zav. Thus it is as if he stood on them.
If there were other keilim, foods, liquids, or another person on the other side of the scale, whether they outweighed the zav or he outweighed them, they are all considered a primary derivative of impurity.
ו
הזב בכף מאזנים וכלי העשוי למשכב או למרכב בכף שניה כנגדו כרע הזב הרי הן ככלים שנגע בהן שהרי הסיטן כרעו הן טמאין משום משכב ונעשו אב שהרי נשאו הזב וכאילו עמד עליהן היה בכף שניה שאר הכלים או אוכלין ומשקין או אדם בין שכרעו הן בין שכרע הזב כולן ראשון לטומאה:
7
The following laws apply when a zav and a pure person:
a) were sitting on opposite ends of a bench or a board that moved up and down,
b) both climbed a tree that was not strong, i.e., its trunk is not thick enough for a cavity fit to contain a fourth of a kab to be hollowed out within,
c) ascended a booth that is not strong, i.e., one that can be bent over by a person's hand and when he does so, he presses it and moves it,
d) climbed an Egyptian ladder that was not affixed with nails, or
e) ascended a ramp, a beam, or a door which was not firmly held in place with mortar.
In all these instances, they are impure because the entity they are ascending will shake back and forth and it would be as if the zav is moving the pure person. If, however, they sat in a large boat which would not be affected by the movement of one person, on a board or a bench that was not shaky, or climbed a tree or a booth that was strong, or an Egyptian ladder that was nailed down, or a ramp, a beam, or a door that was held in place with mortar, the pure person remains pure, even if they ascended from the same side.
ז
הזב והטהור שישבו על הספסל או על הנסר בזמן שהן מחגירין או שעלו באילן שכחו רע והוא האילן שאין בעובי עיקרו כדי לחוק רובע הקב או שעלו בסוכה שכחה רע והוא שנחבא בה ודוחק אותה תזוז בו או שעלו בסולם מצרי שאינו קבוע במסמר או שעלו על הכבש ועל הקורה ועל הדלת בזמן שאינן מחוברין בטיט הרי זה טמא מפני שהן מתנדנדין בהן וכאילו הסיט הזב את הטהור שעמו אבל אם ישבו בספינה גדולה שאינה יכולה להסיט באדם או על הנסר או על הספסל בזמן שאינם מחגירין או שעלו באילן ובסוכה שכחן יפה או בסולם מצרי הקבוע במסמר או בכבש ובקורה ובדלת שמחוברים בטיט אפילו עלו מצד אחד הרי זה טהור:
8
When both a zav and a pure person were closing or opening a door at the same time, the pure person remains pure. If one was closing the door and the other opening it, the pure person contracts impurity.
The following laws apply when one lifted the other out of a pit. If the impure person lifted out the pure person, he imparted impurity to him, because he moved him. If the pure person lifted up the impure person, he contracts impurity, because it is as if he carried the impure person, as we explained.
ח
זב וטהור שהיו שניהם כאחד מגיפין את הדלת או פותחין הרי זה טהור היה אחד מגיף ואחד פותח נטמא העלו זה את זה מן הבור אם הטמא העלה את הטהור טמאהו מפני שהסיטו ואם הטהור העלה את הטמא נטמא במשאו כמו שביארנו:
9
When a zav and a pure person where pulling ropes back and forth, one pulling in one direction and the other, in the other direction, the pure person contracts impurity. If they were weaving together, whether standing or sitting, or working a mill, unloading or loading a donkey, if their burden is heavy, the pure person contracts impurity. If it is light, he remains pure.
ט
זב וטהור שהיו מפשילין בחבלים אם היה זה מושך אילך וזה מושך אילך נטמא היו אורגין בין בעומדין בין ביושבין או טוחנין או פורקין מן החמור או טוענין בזמן שמשאן כבד הרי זה טמא ואם היה משוי קל טהור:
10
When a pure person was administering lashes to a zav, he is pure. When a zav is administering lashes to a pure person, he is impure. The rationale is that that if the pure person will move, the impure person will fall. Thus he is leaning on him. Accordingly, even the clothes of the pure person contract impurity.
י
טהור שהיה מכה את הזב הרי זה טהור וזב שהכה את הטהור טמאהו שאם ימשך הטהור והרי הטמא נופל ונמצא כאילו נשען עליו ולפיכך אף בגדי הטהור טמאין:
11
When a portion of a zav's body was resting above a pure person or a portion of a pure person's body was resting above a zav, the pure person contracts impurity.
What is implied? If a finger of a zav was placed above a pure person or a pure person placed his finger above a zav, even if there is a stone, a beam, or the like between them, the pure person contracts impurity.
Similarly, when entities joined to a zav's body rest on a pure person or entities joined to a pure person's body rest on the zav, the pure person contracts impurity. It is as if each one carried the body of the other. These are what is meant by the term "entities joined to the body": the teeth, the nails, and the hair. It appears to me that this impurity is of Rabbinic origin.
יא
זב שנישא מקצתו על הטהור או טהור שנישא מקצתו על הזב נטמא כיצד אצבעו של זב שהניחה למעלה מן הטהור או הטהור שהניח אצבעו למעלה מן הזב אע"פ שיש ביניהן אבן או קורה וכיוצא בהם הרי זה טמא וכן חבורי הזב שנישאו על הטהור או חבורי טהור שנישאו על הזב הרי זה טמא וכאילו נשא כל אחד מהם עצמו של חבירו ואלו הם החיבורים: השינים הציפורנים והשיער שלהן ויראה לי שטומאה זו מדבריהם:
To`en veNit`an - Chapter 4, To`en veNit`an - Chapter 5, To`en veNit`an - Chapter 6
• To`en veNit`an - Chapter 4
1
A person who admits a portion of a claim is not required to take a Scriptural oath until the plaintiff lodges a claim against him for an entity with a specific measure, weight or number, and the defendant admits owing a portion of that measure, weight or number.
What is implied? A plaintiff claims: "You owe me 10 dinarim," and the defendant responds: "I owe you only five"; "You owe me a korof wheat," "I owe you only a letech"; "You owe me two litras of silk," "I owe you only a rotel." In all these and in other similar situations, he is liable.
Different rules apply, however, if the plaintiff claims: "I gave you a wallet full of coins," and the defendant answers: "You gave me only 50," or he claims: "I gave you 100 dinarim" and the defendant answers: "You gave me only this pouch, and you did not count the contents before me. I do not know what was in it. You are receiving what you gave me." In these and all similar situations, he is not liable to take an oath.
א
אין מודה במקצת חייב שבועה מן התורה עד שיטעננו בדבר שבמדה או במשקל או במנין ויודה לו בדבר שבמדה או שבמשקל או שבמנין, כיצד עשרה דינרין יש לי בידך אין לך בידי אלא חמשה, כור חטים יש לי בידך אין לך בידי אלא לתך, שתי ליטרין של משי יש לי בידך אין לך בידי אלא רוטל הרי זה חייב וכן כל כיוצא בזה, אבל אמר לו כיס מלא דינרין מסרתי לך לא מסרת לי אלא חמשים, מאה דינרין מסרתי לך לא מסרת לי אלא צרור של דינרין ולא מנית אותן בפני ואיני יודע מה היה בו ומה שהנחת אתה נוטל הרי זה פטור וכן כל כיוצא בזה.
2
Similarly, if the plaintiff claims: "I gave you a room full of grain," and the defendant answers: "You gave me only ten korim" or he claims: "I gave you ten korim," and the defendant answers: "I do not know how much you gave me, because you did not measure them before me. You are receiving what you gave me," the defendant is not liable.
ב
בית מלא תבואה מסרתי לך והלה אומר לא מסרת לי אלא עשרה כורין, עשרה כורין מסרתי לך איני יודע כמה הם שהרי לא מדדתם בפני אלא מה שהנחת אתה נוטל פטור.
3
If, however, if the plaintiff claims: "I gave you this room that was filled with grain until the projection," and the defendant responded: "It was filled only to the window," he is liable. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.
ג
בית זה מלא עד הזיז מסרתי לך והלה אומר עד החלון חייב, וכן כל כיוצא בזה.
4
A person who admits a portion of a claim is not required to take a Scriptural oath, unless he makes his admission with regard to a matter that he could deny [owing.
What is implied? A plaintiff lodged a complaint against a colleague, saying: "You owe me 100 dinarim. 50 are recorded in this promissory note, and 50 are not recorded in a promissory note." The defendant responds: "I owe you only the 50 mentioned in the promissory note." He is not considered to be a person who admits a portion of a claim. For his denial would be of no consequence with regard to the sum mentioned in the promissory note. All of his property is on lien to it, and even if he denied it, he would be obligated to pay. Therefore, he is required to take only a sh'vuat hesset concerning the 50 that are not mentioned in the promissory note.
ד
אין מודה במקצת חייב שבועה עד שיודה בדבר שאפשר לו לכפור בו, כיצד מי שטען חבירו ואמר מאה דינרין יש לי אצלך חמשים שבשטר זה וחמשים בלא שטר, אין לך בידי אלא חמשים שבשטר אין זה מודה במקצת שהשטר לא תועיל בו כפירתו והרי כל נכסיו משועבדין בו ואפילו כפר בו היה חייב לשלם, לפיכך נשבע היסת על החמשים.
5
The following rules apply when a dispute arises concerning a promissory note that mentions that the defendant owessela'im, but does not mentioned the number of sela'im he owes. The lender states: "You owe me five sela'im, and that is the intent of the promissory note." The borrower counters: "I owe you only three; that is what is implied by the promissory note."
Because of the promissory note alone, he would be obligated to pay only two sela'im" He is, nevertheless, not liable to take a Scriptural oath ' despite the fact that he admitted owing a sela that he could have denied, because he is like a person who returns a lost article. And it is one of the ordinances instituted by our Sages that any person who returns a lost article should not be required to take an oath, as explained in the appropriate place.
Similarly, when a person tells his colleague: "My father told me that you owe me zmaneh." The defendant responded: "I owe you only 50 dinarim." He is a person returning a lost object, and he is not liable even for a sh'vuat hesset. Needless to say, this applies if a person on his own initiative acknowledged: "I owed your father amaneh. I repaid him 50 dinarim, but I still owe him 50." He is not liable even for a sh'vuat hesset."
If, however, the heir claims: "I know with certainty that you..." or "...your father owe my father a maneh" and the defendant responds: "I owe your father only 50 dinarim" or "My father owes you only 50," he is considered to be a person who admits a portion of a claim and is required to take a Scriptural oath.
ה
שטר שכתוב בו סלעים ולא הזכיר מנין, מלוה אומר חמש סלעים שיש לי בידך הם הכתובים בו והלוה אומר אין לך בידי אלא שלש והם הכתובים בשטר, אע"פ שאין מחייבין אותו בשטר זה אלא בשתים והרי הודה בסלע שאפשר לכפור בה הרי זה פטור מפני שהוא כמשיב אבדה ותקנת חכמים היא שכל שישיב אבדה לא ישבע כמו שביארנו במקומו, וכן האומר לחבירו אמר לי אבא שיש לי בידך מנה והלה אומר אין לך בידי אלא חמשים הרי זה משיב אבדה ופטור אף משבועת היסת, ואין צריך לומר אם הודה מעצמו ואמר מנה היה לאביך בידי ונתתי לו חמשים דינרין ונשאר לו חמשים שזה פטור אף משבועת היסת, אבל יורש שטען ואמר אני יודע בודאי שיש לאבי בידך או ביד אביך מנה והוא אומר אין לו בידי אלא חמשים או אין לך ביד אבי אלא חמשים הרי זה מודה מקצת וישבע.
6
When a plaintiff claims: "You owe me a maneh and this article is security for it," and the defendant claims: "I owe you only 50dinarim" he is considered to be a person who admits a portion of a claim and must take a Scriptural oath.
If the security is worth only 50 dinarim or less, the defendant must take the oath and pay the 50 that he acknowledged owing. If the security was worth 100 dinarim or more, since the lender has the right to claim its value, the lender should take an oath and collect his claim from the value of the security.
If the security was worth 80 dinarim, the lender must take an oath that he is owed at least 80 and then he collects that amount from the security. The borrower must also take a Scriptural oath with regard to the 20 that he denies.
If the borrower denies the entire matter, saying: "This is not security. Instead, it is an entrusted article and I do not owe him anything," the lender must take an oath that he is owed at least 80 and the borrower must take a sh'vuat hesset with regard to the 20 that he denies.
ו
מנה לי בידך על משכון זה אין בידי עליו אלא חמשים הרי זה מודה וישבע, אין המשכון שוה אלא חמשים או פחות הרי זה נשבע ומשלם החמשים שהודה בהן, היה המשכון שוה מאה או יתר הואיל והמלוה יכול לטעון עליו עד כדי דמיו הרי המלוה נשבע ונוטל מדמי המשכון, היה שוה שמונים נשבע המלוה שאין לו פחות משמונים ונוטלן מן המשכון, ונשבע הלוה מן התורה על העשרים שכפר בהן, כפר בכל ואמר אין זה משכון אלא פקדון ואין לו אצלי כלום נשבע המלוה שאין פחות משמונים ונשבע הלוה היסת על העשרים. 1
7
The following ruling applies when a plaintiff claims: "You owe me a maneh" and the defendant responds: "I know that I owe you 50 dinarim, but I am unsure of whether or not I owe you the other 50." The defendant is obligated to take a Scriptural oath, because he acknowledged a portion of a claim. He cannot take an oath regarding the portion he denied owing, because he does not know whether he is liable or not. Therefore, he must pay the entiremaneh; the lender is not required to take an oath. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.
The defendant may have a conditional ban of ostracism issued against anyone who lodges a claim against him when the plaintiff is not certain that the defendant is obligated.
ז
מנה לי בידך והלה אומר חמשים ודאי יש לך בידי אבל החמשים איני יודע אם אני חייב בהן או לאו הרי זה מחוייב שבועה מפני שהודה במקצת ואינו יכול להשבע במקצת שכפר בו שהרי אינו יודע לפיכך משלם המנה בלא שבועה וכן כל כיוצא בזה, ויש לו להחרים על מי שטוען עלי דבר שאינו יודע בודאי שאני חייב בו.
8
Similar concepts apply in the following situation. The plaintiff claims: "I lent you a maneh and here is one witness who will testify that this is so." The defendant responds: "That is true, but you owe me a maneh to match it." The defendant is obligated to take an oath, but cannot take that oath, and hence, is obligated to pay.
Why can he not take an oath? Because he acknowledges the content of the testimony of the witness. And a person who must take an oath because of the testimony of one witness may take the oath only when he contradicts the witness, denies his testimony and takes the oath to support his denial.
Similarly, when there is a promissory note signed by one witness and the defendant claims to have paid the debt, or a person denied a claim, a witness testified against him, and then the defendant stated that he paid the debt or returned the entrusted article, ? the defendant is obligated to take an oath, but may not take the oath. Hence, he must pay.
An incident once occurred concerning a person who seized a slab of silver from a colleague in the presence of one witness. Afterwards, he said: "I seized it, but what I seized was mine." Our Sages said: "He is obligated to take an oath, but may not take the oath. Hence, he must pay. Similar principles apply in all analogous situations.
ח
מנה לי בידך והרי עד אחד מעיד עליו והנטען אומר כן הוא אבל אתה חייב לי כנגד אותו מנה הרי זה מחוייב שבועה ואינו יכול לישבע ומשלם, ומפני מה אינו יכול לישבע שהרי הוא מודה במה שהעיד בו העד ואין הנשבע בהעדאת עד אחד נשבע עד שיכחיש את העד ויכפור בעדותו וישבע על כפירתו, לפיכך שטר שיש בו עד אחד וטען שפרעו, וכן כפרן שבא עליו עד אחד וטען שפרע או החזרתי לך הפקדון הרי זה מחוייב שבועה ואינו יכול להשבע ומשלם, מעשה באחד שחטף לשון כסף מחבירו בפני עד אחד ואמר אחר כן חטפתי ושלי חטפתי ואמרו חכמים הרי זה מחוייב שבועה ואינו יכול להשבע ומשלם וכן כל כיוצא בזה. 2
9
The testimony of one witness is also significant in the following instance. The plaintiff claims: "I lent you a maneh." The defendant denies the matter entirely, and the plaintiff brings one witness who testifies that the defendant took a loan in his presence. Had there been two witnesses, a presumption that the defendant is lying would have been established, and the defendant would be obligated to pay, as will be explained. Hence, the defendant is required to take an oath because of the testimony of one witness. For wherever the testimony of two witnesses requires a defendant to make financial restitution, the testimony of one witness requires him to take an oath.
If after the witness testifies, the defendant changes his claim and states that he paid the debt, he is required to make financial restitution. The plaintiff is not required to take an oath, as we have explained.
ט
מנה הלויתיך לא היו דברים מעולם הביא עד אחד שלוה ממנו בפניו, הואיל ואילו היו שנים היה מוחזק כפרן ומשלם כמו שיתבאר הרי זה נשבע על פי עד אחד שכל מקום ששנים מחייבין אותו ממון אחד מחייבו שבועה, חזר ואמר פרעתי משלם בלא שבועה כמו שבארנו.
10
When a plaintiff claims: "You owe me amaneh" the defendant denies the claim entirely, and witnesses testify that the defendant still owes the plaintiff 50 dinarim, all of theGeonim have ruled that the law is that the defendant must pay 50 and take an oath concerning the remainder. The rationale is that the principal's own admission should not have greater legal power than the testimony of witnesses.
י
מנה לי בידך אין לך בידי כלום והעדים מעידין עליו שעדיין יש לו אצלו חמשים, פסקו כל הגאונים הלכה שישלם חמשים וישבע על השאר שלא תהא הודיית פיו גדולה מהעדאת עדים.
FOOTNOTES
1.
מנה לי בידך על וכו' עד שהודה בהם. א"א ואם שוה החמשים מה ישבע הילך הוא עכ"ל. /השגת הראב"ד/ היה המשכון שוה וכו' עד על העשרים שכפר בהם. א"א אף זה הילך הוא עכ"ל.
2.
לפיכך שטר שיש בו עד וכו' עד ואינו יכול לישבע ומשלם. א"א משלים הוא ממשל ולמה לא יכחיש העד מכל וכל בשבועתו שפרע ואולי על דרך שכתב במקום אחר שטען תחלה בב"ד להד"מ והוציא עליו שטר זה שמכחישו בהלואה ואח"כ אמר לויתי ופרעתי והיה לו להזהר בדבריו עכ"ל.
To`en veNit`an - Chapter 5
1
An oath is not taken on claims concerning the following according to Scriptural Law: landed property, servants, promissory notes and consecrated property. Even though a defendant admitted a portion of a claim or a witness testified against him, or he served as a watchman and sought to free himself on the basis of one of the claims according to which a watchman is freed of liability, he is not required to take an oath. These concepts are derived from Exodus 22:6, which, with regard to the obligation to take an oath, states: "When a person will give his colleague" -this excludes consecrated property - "money or utensils..." - this excludes landed property. And it excludes servants, which the Torah associated with landed property. It also excludes promissory notes, for their actual substance is not of financial value like money or utensils. They only serve as proof of an obligation.
With regard to all of these matters, the defendant must take a sh 'vuat hesset if the plaintiff issues a definite claim with the exception of consecrated property. In that instance, even though a person is not liable to take an oath concerning them according to Scriptural Law, our Sages ordained that the defendant take an oath resembling a Scriptural oath. This requirement was instituted so that people would not treat consecrated property lightly.
א
ואלו דברים שאין נשבעין עליהן מן התורה, הקרקעות והעבדים והשטרות וההקדשות אע"פ שהודה במקצת או שיש עליו עד אחד או ששמר וטען טענת השומרין הרי זה פטור, שנאמר כי יתן איש אל רעהו פרט להקדש, כסף או כלים פרט לקרקעות ולעבדים שהוקשו לקרקעות, וכן יצאו שטרות שאין גופן ממון ככסף וככלים ואינן אלא לראיה שבהן, ועל כלן נשבע שבועת היסת אם היתה שם טענת ודאי, חוץ מן ההקדשות שאע"פ שאינו חייב עליהם שבועה מן התורה תקנו חכמים שישבע עליהם כעין של תורה כדי שלא יזלזלו בהקדשות.
2
Accordingly, when a plaintiff claims: "You sold me two fields," and the defendant responds: "I sold you only one," or he claims: "I entrusted two servants..." or "...two promissory notes to you," and the defendant responds: "You entrusted only one," the defendant is required to take only a sh'vuat hesset.
Similarly, if the plaintiff claims: "This courtyard, this servant or this promissory note that is in your possession is mine; you sold it to me," and the defendant denies the existence of the matter entirely, he is required to take merely a sh'vuat hesset. This applies whether the plaintiff brings a witness to support his claim or not.
A similar law applies when a person digs cisterns, trenches or caves in his colleague's property, reducing its value, and the owner of the field claims that the digger is liable to make financial restitution. Regardless of whether the owner claimed that a defendant dug such caves, and the defendant responded: "I did not dig anything," the owner claimed: "You dug two caves," and the defendant answered, "I dug only one," or one witness testified that he dug caves and the defendantresponded: "I did not dig anything," the defendant is required to take only a sh'vuat hesset regarding the claim.
ב
שתי שדות מכרת לי לא מכרתי לך אלא אחת, שני עבדים או שני שטרות יש לי בידך אין לך בידי אלא שטר אחד או עבד אחד הרי זה נשבע היסת, וכן אם טען ואמר חצר זו או עבד זה או שטר זה שיש לי בידך שלי הוא ואתה מכרתו לי והנטען אומר לא היו דברים מעולם, בין שהביא הטוען עד אחד בין שלא הביא הרי זה נשבע היסת ונפטר, וכן החופר בשדה חבירו בורות שיחין ומערות והפסידוה והרי הוא חייב לשלם בין שטענו שחפר והוא אומר לא חפרתי או שטענו שחפר שתי מערות והוא אומר לא חפרתי אלא אחת או שהיה שם עד אחד שחפר והוא אומר לא חפרתי כלום, הרי זה נשבע היסת על הכל. 1
3
The following laws apply when the plaintiff claimed both utensils and landed property. Whether the defendant: acknowledged owing all of the landed property, but denied owing any of the utensils, acknowledged owing all the utensils, but denied owing any of the landed property, acknowledged owing some of the landed property, but denied owing the remainder as well as all of the utensils, he must take a sh'vuat hesset.
If, however, the defendant acknowledged owing some of the utensils and denied owing the remainder, as well as all of the landed property, since he is required to take an oath with regard to the utensils that he denied, he must also take an oath concerning the landed property that he denied together with them, for it is all one claim.
Similar laws apply when the plaintiff claims utensils and servants, or utensils and promissory notes, for all such claims are governed by the same legal process.
ג
טענו כלים וקרקעות בין שהודה בכל הקרקעות וכפר בכל הכלים בין שהודה בכל הכלים וכפר בכל הקרקעות בין שהודה במקצת הקרקעות וכפר במקצתן עם כל הכלים, בכל אלו נשבע היסת, אבל אם הודה במקצת כלים וכפר במקצתן עם כל הקרקעות מתוך שהוא חייב שבועה על מקצת הכלים שכפר בהן נשבע אף על הקרקעות שטענו עמהן שהכל טענה אחת, וכן הדין בטענו כלים ועבדים או כלים ושטרות הכל דין אחד הוא.
4
When a plaintiff lodges a claim concerning grapes that are ready to be harvested, or grain that has dried and is ready to be reaped, and the defendant accepts a portion of the claim and denies a portion of the claim, he must take an oath concerning those he denied, as is required with regard to other movable property, provided they no longer require the nurture of the ground. The rationale is whatever is ready to be harvested is considered as though it has been harvested with regard to the denial and admission of claims.
If, however, the crops require the nurture of the ground, they are considered to be landed property in all contexts, and only a sh'vuat hesset is required concerning them.
ד
טענו ענבים העומדות ליבצר ותבואה יבשה העומדת להקצר והודה במקצתן וכפר במקצתן הרי זה נשבע עליהם כשאר המטלטלין, והוא שאינן צריכין לקרקע שכל העומד להבצר הרי הוא כבצור לענין כפירה והודייה, אבל אם היו צריכים לקרקע חרי הן כקרקע לכל דבר ואין נשבעין עליהן אלא היסת. 2
5
When a person lodges a claim against his colleague, saying: "You dwelled in my courtyard for two months, and you owe me two months rent," and the defendant responds, "I dwelled there for only one month," he is considered a person who denied a portion of a claim.
Thus, if the rent for the month that he denied owing is equivalent to two silver me'in, he must take an oath. The rationale is that the claim does not focus on the land itself, but on the rent for it, and that is movable property.
ה
הטוען על חבירו ואמר לו שני חדשים שכנת בחצרי ואתה חייב לי שכר שני חדשים והוא אומר לא שכנתי אלא חדש אחד הרי זה מודה במקצת, ואם היה שכר החדש שכפר בו שוה שני כסף נשבע שאין הטענה בגוף הקרקע אלא בשכרה שהוא מטלטלין.
6
When a plaintiff claims: "I gave you a promissory note that served as proof of a debt of ten dinarim," and the defendant denies the matter entirely, the defendant is required to take ash'vuat hesset.
If he reverses the obligation for the oath, requiring it of the plaintiff, the plaintiff must take a sh'vuat hesset that the note served as proof of a debt of ten dinarim, which he lost when the promissory note was destroyed. Afterwards, he may collect his claim.
If the defendant admitted: "It is true that you gave me the promissory note, and it was lost," he is not liable, even to take a sh 'vuat hesset. For even if he was negligent in its care and it was lost, he would not be liable, as we have explained in Hilchot Chovel.
ו
שטר מסרתי לך ועשרה דינרין היו לי בו ראיה לא היו דברים מעולם ישבע היסת, הפך עליו הרי זה נשבע היסת שהיתה בו ראיה לעשרה דינרים ואבדו באבדת השטר ויטול, ואם אמר הנתבע אמת מסרת לי ואבד הרי זה פטור אף משבועת היסת שאפילו פשע בו ואבד פטור כמו שבארנו בהלכות חובל. 3
7
When a person tells a colleague: "The promissory note in your possession mentions a factor that is advantageous to me," and the colleague states: "I will not produce my promissory note," or "I do not know if it states anything that serves as support for your position," we compel him to produce the promissory note and bring it to court.
ז
האומר לחבירו שטר שיש לי בידך זכות יש לי בו וזה אומר איני מוצא שטרי או איני יודע אם יש לך בו ראיה או לא כופין אותו להוציאו.
8
If the holder of the promissory note claims that it was lost, we issue a conditional ban of ostracism against him.
If, however, the person who desires to see the promissory note claims that he is certain that his colleague is holding a promissory note that mentions a factor that is advantageous to him, his colleague must take a sh'vuat hesset that the promissory note is no longer in his possession and it is lost. My teachers ruled in this manner.
ח
טען שאבד השטר מחרימין אותו חרם סתם, טען זה שהוא יודע בודאי שהשטר שיש לו בו זכות אצלו הרי זה נשבע היסת שאינו אצלו ושאבד ממנו וכזה הורו רבותי.
9
An oath is never administered because of claims issued by deaf-mutes, mentally or emotionally incapable individuals and minors. In the latter instance, this principle applies regardless of whether the minor's claim involves his own issues or those of his father. For admitting a portion of a claim owed to a minor is like returning a lost article. '
Similarly, if the defendant denied the entire debt, and one witness came and testified on behalf of the minor, the defendant is not required to take an oath. For it is as though there were one witness, but no plaintiff, because a claim lodge by a minor is not a substantial claim.
Thus, if a minor said to an adult: "You owe me..." or "You owe my father a maneh," and the defendant said: "I owe you only 50," or "I do not owe you anything" and there was one witness who corroborates the minor's claim, the defendant is not liable to take a Scriptural oath.
If, however, a person acted as a watchman for a minor and claimed that the entrusted article was lost, he is required to take the oath required of a watchman. The rationale is that this oath is not taken because of a claim.
Similarly, if a person admitted that he was a partner or a sharecropper of a minor, the court should appoint a guardian for the minor, and the partner or the like should take an oath despite the fact that there is only an indefinite claim against him.
ט
אין נשבעין על טענת חרש שוטה וקטן, אחד הבא בטענת עצמו או בטענת אביו לפי שזה המקצת שהודה בו לקטן אינו אלא כמשיב אבדה, וכן אם כפר בכל ובא עד אחד והעיד לקטן אינו נשבע שזה עד אחד ואין שם תובע שתביעת קטן אינה תביעה גמורה, נמצאת אומר קטן שאמר לגדול מנה לי בידך, או אבא היה לו בידך והלה אומר אין לך בידי אלא חמשים או אין לך בידי כלום ועד אחד מעידו שיש לו הרי זה פטור משבועת התורה, אבל אם שמר לקטן וטען שאבד הרי זה נשבע שבועת השומרין לפי שאינו נשבע מחמת טענה, וכן אם הודה שהיה שותף לקטן או אפוטרופוס עליו יעמידו בית דין אפוטרופוס לקטן וישבע השותף וכיוצא בו בטענת שמא. 4
10
My teachers ruled that although a Scriptural oath is not taken because of the claim of a minor, a sh 'vuat hessetmust be taken. This applies even when the minor is not resourceful with regard to financial matters. The rationale is that an opportunity should not be granted for a person to take money belonging to a minor, and depart without paying him at all. I also favor this approach, and think that it will lead to the improvement of society.
Thus, if a minor lodges a claim against an adult, whether the adult admits a portion of the claim or denies it entirely, whether there is a witness who supports the plaintiff or not, the defendant is required to take a sh 'vuat hesset. He cannot reverse the responsibility for the oath, placing it on the minor, because an oath is never administered to a minor. Even a conditional ban of ostracism is not imposed upon the minor, for he does not know the severity of the retribution received for taking a false oath.
י
הורו רבותי שאין נשבעין על טענת קטן שבועה של תורה אבל שבועת היסת נשבעין, ואפילו היה קטן שאינו חריף לענין משא ומתן נשבעין היסת על טענתו, שלא יהיה זה נוטל ממונו כשהוא קטן וילך לו בחנם ולזה דעתי נוטה ותקון עולם הוא, נמאת למד שהקטן שטען על הגדול בין שהודה במקצת בין שכפר בכל בין שהיה שם עד בין שלא היה שם עד, הרי זה נשבע היסת ואינו יכול להפוך על הקטן שאין משביעין את הקטן כלל, ואפילו חרם סתם אינו מקבל לפי שאינו יודע עונש השבועה.
11
The following rules apply when an adult lodges a claim against a minor. If the claim involves a matter that will benefit the minor - e.g., a claim involving business transactions - and the minor admits his liability, we expropriate payment from the minor's property. If the minor does not possess any resources, we wait until he gains such. Then he must pay. If the minor denies the obligation, the plaintiff must wait until the minor attains majority. At that point, he is required to take a sh 'vuat hesset.
The following rules apply when a person lodges a claim against a minor in a matter that will not benefit the minor - e.g., damages or personal injury. Even though the minor admits his responsibility and he has resources with which he could pay, he is not liable even after he attains majority. If the plaintiff was one of those who takes an oath and collects the money that he claims - e.g., an employee and the like - since the minor benefits from the fact that an employee will work for him, he may take an oath and collect from the minor. A storekeeper who takes an oath because of his account book, by contrast, may not take an oath and collect from a minor. The rationale is that the minor does not derive any benefit from this. For regardless, he must pay his workers who take oaths and collect from him. Thus it is the storekeeper who caused himself a loss, because he gave his money because of a minor's word. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.
יא
קטן שטענו הגדול, אם טענו בדבר שיש לו הנייה לקטן כגון עסק משא ומתן והודה הקטן נפרעין מנכסיו, ואם אין לו ימתין עד שיהיה לו וישלם, ואם כפר הקטן ממתינין עד שיגדיל וישבע היסת, ואם טענו בדבר שאין לקטן הנייה כגון נזקין וחבלות אע"פ שמודה ואע"פ שיש לו ממה ישלם פטור ואפילו לאחר שהגדיל, ואם היה התובע מן הנשבעין ונוטלין כגון השכיר וכיוצא בו שיש הנייה לקטן שישתכר לו שכיר הרי זה נשבע ונוטל מן הקטן, אבל חנוני שנשבע על פנקסו אינו נשבע ונוטל מן הקטן, שאין לקטן בזה הנייה שהרי חייב ליתן לפועליו ונשבעין ונוטלין ממנו, וזה החנוני הפסיד על נפשו שנתן ממונו על פי קטן וכן כל כיוצא בזה.
12
With regard to a deaf-mute and a mentally or emotionally incapable individual, we do not concern ourselves with them with regard to any claim, not a claim that they lodged against others, nor a claim that others lodge against them, nor for a lesser oath, and, needless to say, not for a severe oath or to compel them to make financial restitution. A blind man, by contrast, is considered to be a healthy person with regard to all matters concerning such subjects. He must take all types of oaths if required, and oaths are taken in response to his claims.
יב
החרש והשוטה אין נזקקין להן לכל טענה לא לטענתן על אחרים ולא לטענת אחרים עליהן לא לשבועה קלה ואין צריך לומר שבועה חמורה או תשלומין, אבל הסומא הרי הוא כבריא לכל דבר בענינים אלו ונשבע כל מיני שבועות ונשבעין על טענתו.
FOOTNOTES
1.
וכן החופר בשדה וכו' עד הרי זה נשבע היסת על הכל. א"א נראין דברים שתבעו למלאות החפירות ולהשוות החצירות אבל אם תבעו לשלם פחתו ה"ה =הרי הוא= כשאר תביעת ממון וכמי שאמר לו חבלת בי שתים והוא אומר לא חבלתי אלא אחת עכ"ל.
2.
טענו ענבים וכו' עד ואין נשבעין עליהן וכו'. א"א המחבר פוסק כרבי מאיר והרב פוסק כחכמים ואולי מפני מה שאמרו בכתובות סוף סוף כל העומד לגדור כגדור דמי והרב ז"ל הלא ראה כל זה ואפשר שאין למדין שבועה לשאר דברים שהרי עבדים של יתומים נדונין כמטלטלין ולענין שבועה אין נשבעין עליהן עכ"ל.
3.
שטר מסרתי לך וכו' עד כמו שבארנו בהלכות חובל. א"א תימה גדול הוא זה ואולי ברשותו הוא וכופר הוא בו ואם פטרוהו משבועת התורה משבועת פשיעה ומשבועה שאינה ברשותו לא פטרוהו עכ"ל.
4.
וכן אם הודה שהיה וכו' עד טענת שמא. א"א נראין הדברים שנמסר החפץ לידו לשמירה מחיי אביו וכן השותף שהיה מחיי אביו והאפוטרופוס שמינוהו בית דין ומסתלק כשהוא קטן וזה אינו מן המנין שבית דין משביעין אותו עכ"ל.
To`en veNit`an - Chapter 6
1
The court requires that precise statements be made by the litigants. For example, litigants come to court and one of them claims: "He owes me a maneh that I lent to him," "... that I entrusted to him," "... that he stole from me," "... that he owes me as wages," or the like. Should the defendant answer: "I do not owe you anything," "I have nothing of yours," or "You are issuing a false claim," this is not a proper response. Instead, we tell the defendant: "Reply to his claim and clarify your answer as he clarified his claim. Say whether you borrowed from him or did not borrow from him," "... whether he entrusted an article to you or did not," "... whether you stole from him or did not," "... whether he hired you or did not," or lodge any other specific claim. Why do we not accept the general answer? Because it is possible that the person is making an error and this will lead to his taking a false oath. For it is possible that he borrowed money as the plaintiff claims and returned the debt to the lender's son or wife, or gave the lender a present of the value of the debt, and thinks that because of this, he is no longer liable for the debt. Hence, the court tells him: "Why are you saying that you are not liable? Maybe the law would hold you liable and you do not know. Instead, tell the judges the details of the matter, and they will tell you whether or not you are liable."
Even if the defendant is a wise man of great stature, we tell him: "You have nothing to lose by responding to his claim and telling us why you are not liable to him, whether it is because nothing of that nature ever happened, or because you were liable and you repaid the debt. You will not lose, because we follow the principle ofmiggo."
Similarly, if the plaintiff claims: "This person owes me a maneh," or "He has a maneh of mine in his possession." We ask him: "On what basis do you make this claim? Did you lend him money? Did you entrust it to him for safekeeping? Did he damage your property? Tell us why he is obligated to you." For it is possible that a person will think that a colleague is obligated to him when he is not - e.g., he suspects that he stole from him he promised him to give him a maneh but did not, or the like.
The defendant's word is not accepted in the following situation. The plaintiff claimed that he lent the defendant a maneh, and the defendant denied ever taking the loan. Afterwards, the plaintiff brought witnesses who testified that the loan was given in their presence. In response, the defendant replied that he took the loan, but repaid it. We do not accept his claim. Instead, a presumption that the defendant is lying is established, and he is required to pay.
If, however, in the latter situation, the defendant first replied: "I am not liable," "I do not owe you anything," "You are lying," or the like a different rule applies. Even though the plaintiff brings witnesses who state that the loan was given in their presence, if the defendant says: "That is true, but I returned the entrusted object" or "... repaid the loan," a presumption that the defendant is lying is not established. He may take a sh'vuat hesset and then is released of all obligations.
א
בעלי דינין שבאו לבית דין טען האחד ואמר מנה יש לי אצל זה שהלויתיו או שהפקדתי אצלו או שגזל ממני, או שיש לי אצלו בשכר וכן כל כיוצא בזה, והשיב הנטען ואמר איני חייב כלום, או אין לך בידי כלום, או שקר אתה טוען, אין זו תשובה נכונה אלא אומרים בית דין לנטען השב על טענתו ופרש התשובה כמו שפירש זה טענתו ואמור אם לוית ממנו אם לא לוית, הפקיד אצלך או לא הפקיד, גזלתו או לא גזלתו, שכרתו או לא שכרתו, וכן שאר הטענות, ומפני מה אין מקבלים ממנו תשובה זו, שמא טועה הוא בדעתו ויבא להשבע על שקר שהרי אפשר שהלוהו כמו שטען והחזיר זה את החוב לבנו או לאשתו או שנתן לו במתנה כנגד החוב וידמה בדעתו שנפטר מן החוב, לפיכך אומרים לו היאך תאמר איני חייב כלום שמא אתה מתחייב מן הדין לשלם ואין אתה יודע אלא הודע לדיינין פירוש הדברים והם יודיעוך אם אתה חייב או אין אתה חייב, ואפילו היה חכם גדול אומרים לו אין לך הפסד שתשיב על טענתו ותודיענו כיצד אין אתה חייב לו מפני שלא היו דברים מעולם או מפני שהיו והחזרת לו שהרי אנו דנין במתוך שיכול לומר בכל מקום. וכן אם טען הטוען ואמר זה חייב לי מנה, או מנה יש לי אצלו, אומרים לו מאי זה פנים, הלוית אותו, או הפקדת אצלו, או הזיק ממונך, אמור היאך נתחייב לך שהרי אפשר שידמה לו שהוא חייב לו והוא אינו חייב כגון שחשדו שגנבו או שאמר לו שאתן לך מנה וכיוצא בזה, הרי שטען עליו שהלוהו מנה והשיב זה ואמר לו לא היו דברים מעולם ואחר כך הביא הטוען עדים שהלוהו בפניהם וחזר הנטען ואמר כן היה ולויתי ופרעתי אין מקבלין ממנו אלא הוחזק כפרן ומשלם, אבל אם השיב איני חייב או אין לך בידי כלום או שקר אתה טוען וכן כל כיוצא בזה והלך התובע והביא עדים שהלוהו בפניהם ואמר (הנתבע) כן היה אבל חזרתי לו פקדונו או פרעתיו חובו לא הוחזק כפרן ונשבע היסת ונפטר.
2
The following rules apply when witnesses see that the plaintiff counted out money and gave it to the defendant, but did not know for which reason. If the defendant demands payment in a court of law, saying: "Give me the money that I lent you,"" and the defendant replied: "You gave me a present," or "You repaid a debt," his word is accepted. He may take a sh'vuat hesset and then is released of all obligations. If, however, he claims that he was never given any money, and the witnesses came and testified that money was counted out in their presence, a presumption that the defendant is lying is established.
A person is never presumed by the court to be a liar unless he denies a matter in court and two witnesses come and offer testimony that contradicts the denial he made.
ב
ראוהו עדים שמנה לו מעות ולא ידעו מה הן, ותבעו בדין ואמר לו תן לי מעותי שהלויתיך ואמר מתנה נתת לי או פרעון היו הרי זה נאמן ונשבע היסת ונפטר, אמר לא היו דברים מעולם ואחר כך באו עדים שמנה לו בפניהם הוחזק כפרן, ולעולם אין אדם מוחזק כפרן עד שיכפור בבית דין ויבאו שני עדים ויכחישוהו במה שכפר.
3
There is a corollary to the above concept. The plaintiff claimed: "I lent you a maneh." The defendant denied the matter in court, saying: "The incident never occurred." Two witnesses came and testified that the defendant borrowed money from the plaintiff and repaid the debt. After these comments were made, the lender stated: "I did not receive payment." The defendant is obligated to pay. The rationale is that anyone who says: "I did not borrow," is considered to have said: "I did not repay the debt," in the event that witnesses come and establish that he in fact took a loan. Thus, in the above situation, it is as if the borrower said: "I did not repay the debt," despite the fact that witnesses testify that he did. We postulate that the admission of the principal is considered as strong as the testimony of 100 witnesses and the borrower is held liable. The lender is not required to take an oath, for a presumption that the borrower is lying has been established.
A similar law applies if the lender produces a signed note saying that he is liable, and the borrower denies the entire matter and claims that he did not write the note. If the authenticity of the note was established in court or witnesses come and testify that it was his note, a presumption that the defendant is lying is established, and he is required to pay.
ג
מנה הלויתיך כפר בבית דין ואמר לא היו דברים מעולם, ובאו שני עדים שלוה ממנו מנה ופרעו, והמלוה אומר לא נפרעתי הרי זה חייב לשלם, שכל האומר לא לויתי ובאו עדים שלוה כאומר לא פרעתי דמי, ונמצא הלוה אומר לא פרעתי והעדים מעידים אותו שפרעו הודאת בעל דין כמאה עדים דמי ואין המלוה חייב שבועה שהרי הוחזק זה כפרן, וכן אם הוציא עליו כתב ידו שהוא חייב לו ואמר לא היו דברים מעולם וזה אינו כתב ידי, אם הוחזק כתב ידו בבית דין או שבאו עדים שהוא כתב ידו הרי זה הוחזק כפרן ומשלם. 1
4
There are times, however, when a person is not presumed to be lying despite the fact that his statements conflict with the testimony of witnesses. For example, a plaintiff claims: "I lent you amaneh, and it is in your possession." The defendant responds: "I paid you in the presence of so-and-so-and so-and-so," but those two witnesses come and deny having observed the matter. We do not say that a presumption that the defendant is lying is established. The rationale is that witnesses will remember only a matter concerning which they were designated to serve as witnesses. Hence, a presumption that the defendant is lying is not established, and the borrower may take a sh'vuat hesset and be freed of responsibility.
Similarly, if the plaintiff claims: "Give me the maneh that I lent you when you were standing next to this pillar," and the defendant responded: "I never stood next to that pillar," a presumption that the defendant is lying is not established even though witnesses come and testify that he stood there. The rationale is that a person will not take notice of matters that are not significant. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.
ד
מנה הלויתיך והוא לי בידך אמר לו הנטען והלא פרעתיך בפני פלוני ופלוני, ובאו עדים ואמרו לא היו דברים מעולם, לא הוחזק כפרן שאין העדים זוכרין אלא דבר שהם עדים בו לפיכך לא הוחזק כפרן וישבע הלוה היסת ויפטר, כיוצא בו תן לי מנה שהלויתיך ואתה עמדת בצד עמוד זה ואמר הנטען לא עמדתי בצד עמוד זה מעולם ובאו עדים שעמד לא הוחזק כפרן, שאין אדם משים דעתו לדברים שאין בהן ממש וכן כל כיוצא בזה.
5
When a person lends money to a colleague in the presence of witnesses, the borrower is not required to repay him in the presence of witnesses, as explained. Accordingly, if the lender claims: "Give me the maneh that I lent to you; here are the witnesses in whose presence the loan was given." And the defendant claims: "I repaid you in the presence of so-and-so and so-and-so," we tell the borrower: "Bring them to court and be freed of responsibility." If they do not come, or they died, or they journeyed to another country, the borrower must take a sh'vuat hesset that he paid the debt. For the only reason we require the defendant to bring the witnesses is to clarify his position and be released from the obligation of an oath.
ה
תן לי מנה שהלויתיך והרי העדים ואמר הנטען פרעתיך בפני פלוני ופלוני אומרין ללוה הביאם והפטר, לא באו או שמתו או שהלכו למדינה אחרת, ישבע היסת שפרעו שאין אנו מצריכים אותו להביאן אלא לברר דבריו ולהפטר אף משבועה שהמלוה את חבירו בעדים אינו צריך לפרעו בעדים כמו שבארנו. 2
6
An admission made by the borrower outside of court may not be binding. For example, the plaintiff told the defendant in the presence of witnesses: "You owe me a maneh" and the defendant agreed. The following day, the plaintiff lodged a claim against the defendant in court and brought the witnesses to support his claim. If the defendant claimed: "I was joking with you and I do not owe you anything," he is not held liable. He must merely take a sh'vuat hesset that he does not owe anything.
This ruling applies even when the defendant denies that the event ever happened. The rationale is that the defendant never designated the witnesses to serve in that capacity. And when a person is not charged with acting as a witness with regard to a situation, he will not necessarily remember its particulars. Therefore, even if the defendant said that the events did not ever take place, we do not accept the presumption that he is lying.
ו
אמר לו בפני עדים מנה לי בידך אמר לו הן למחר תבעו בדין והביא עדים ואמר משטה הייתי בך ואין לך בידי כלום פטור ונשבע היסת שאין בידו כלום, ואפילו אמר לא היו דברים מעולם שהרי לא אמר להם אתה עדי ודבר שאינו עדות אין אדם זוכרו, ולפיכך אם אמר לא היו דברים מעולם לא הוחזק כפרן.
7
Morevoer, the defendant's denial is allowed to stand even in the following situation. The plaintiff hid witnesses behind a fence and told the defendant: "You owe me a maneh," and the defendant agreed. The plaintiff then told him: "Do you wish so-and-so and so-and-so to act as witnesses against you?"
He replied: "No. Lest you press me to judgment tomorrow; for I have nothing to pay you."
On the next day, he called him to court with these witnesses. Whether the defendant claimed: "I was speaking frivolously," or whether he claimed that the matter never took place, he may take a sh'vuat hesset and is then released of responsibility. The rationale is the testimony is not committing until the borrower says: "You are my witnesses," or the lender makes that statement in the presence of the borrower, and the borrower remains silent. The defendant is not presumed to be a liar, because of testimony of this nature.
An incident occurred concerning a person called kav r'shu ("a full measure of indebtedness") - i.e., that he had many debts. He would say: "The only person to whom I owe money is so-and-so." When that person came and lodged a claim against him, he said: "I do not owe him anything." Our Sages said: "He may take a sh'vuat hesset and be released of all obligation."
Similarly, there was a person about whom people would gossip that he was wealthy. At the time of his death, he said: "If I had money, would I not pay so-and-so and so-and-so." After his death, so-and-so and so-and-so lodged a claim against the estate. Our Sages said: "They have no claim against the estate." For a person is wont to try to make himself appear as if he does not possess any money, and even as if he did not leave money to his children. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.
ז
ולא עוד אלא אפילו הטמין לו עדים אחורי הגדר ואמר לו מנה לי בידך אמר לו הן רצונך שיעידו בך פלוני ופלוני אמר לו לא שמא תכפני בדין למחר ואין לי מה אתן לך ולמחר תבעו בדין באלו העדים, בין שטען ואמר משטה הייתי בו בין שאמר לא היו דברים מעולם הרי זה נשבע היסת ונפטר, שאין כאן עדות עד שיאמר הלוה אתם עדי או יאמר המלוה בפני הלוה וישתוק הלוה אבל בעדות הזה לא הוחזק כפרן מעשה באחד שהיו קורין אותו קב רשו כלומר שיש עליו חובות הרבה, אמר מי הוא שאני חייב לו אלא פלוני ובא אותו פלוני ותבעו ואמר הוא איני חייב לו כלום, ואמרו חכמים ישבע היסת ויפטר, וכן אחד היו אומרים עליו שהוא בעל ממון, בשעת מיתתו אמר אילו היה לי ממון לא הייתי פורעו לפלוני ולפלוני, ואחר מיתתו באו פלוני ופלוני לתבוע ואמרו חכמים אין להם כלום, שהאדם עשוי להראות עצמו שאינו בעל ממון ושלא הניח בניו בעלי ממון וכל כיוצא בדברים אלו. 3
8
As mentioned, witnesses who are hidden cannot give binding testimony, and similarly, when a person admits a debt on his own initiative while witnesses are listening, or a person tells a colleague in the presence of witnesses: "You owe me a maneh"and the colleague admits the obligation, the testimony of the witnesses is not significant. Nevertheless, in all these situations, when the principals come to the court, we tell the defendant: "Why don't you pay the debt you owe him?"
If he says: "I do not owe him anything," we tell him: "Behold you made a statement saying this-and-this in the presence of these individuals," or "You admitted the obligation on your own initiative." If he arises and makes restitution, that is desirable. If he does not offer a defense, we do not suggest one for him. If, however, he claims: "I was speaking frivolously with him," "The event never occurred," or "I did not want to appear wealthy," he is not liable and is required to take a sh'vuat hesset, as we have explained in the previous halachah.
ח
אע"פ שהמטמין עדים אינה עדות וכן המודה מעצמו ועדים שומעין אותו, וכן האומר לחבירו בפני עדים מנה לי בידך ואמר לו הן, בכל הדברים וכיוצא בהן כשיבאו לבית דין אומרין לנתבע למה לא תתן מה שיש לו אצלך, אמר אין לו אצלי כלום, אומרים לו והלא אתה אמרת בפני אלו כך וכך או הודית מעצמך, אם עמד ושלם מוטב ואם לא טען אין טוענין לו, אבל אם טען ואמר משטה הייתי בו או לא היו דברים מעולם או שלא להשביע את עצמי נתכוונתי פטור ונשבע היסת כמו שבארנו.
• Hayom Yom: Today's Hayom Yom
• Sunday, 15 Elul, 5776 · 18 September 2016
• "Today's Day"
• Wednesday, Elul 15, 5703
Torah lessons: Chumash: Tavo, Revi'i with Rashi.
Tehillim: 77-78. Also 43-45.
Tanya: But it is (p. 465) ...and metaphor. (p. 469).
The founding of Yeshivat Tomchei T'mimim was on Sunday, Elul 15, 5657 (1897).
The beginning of studies in Talmud and Chassidus was on Wednesday, Elul 18, 5657 (1897).
On Simchat-Torah-eve, 5659 (1898), after hakafot, my father proclaimed: The name of the Yeshiva is Tomchei T'mimim, and the students who study and conduct themselves in its spirit are to be called t'mimim.
• Daily Thought:• "Today's Day"
• Wednesday, Elul 15, 5703
Torah lessons: Chumash: Tavo, Revi'i with Rashi.
Tehillim: 77-78. Also 43-45.
Tanya: But it is (p. 465) ...and metaphor. (p. 469).
The founding of Yeshivat Tomchei T'mimim was on Sunday, Elul 15, 5657 (1897).
The beginning of studies in Talmud and Chassidus was on Wednesday, Elul 18, 5657 (1897).
On Simchat-Torah-eve, 5659 (1898), after hakafot, my father proclaimed: The name of the Yeshiva is Tomchei T'mimim, and the students who study and conduct themselves in its spirit are to be called t'mimim.
Childish Delight
The child delights in the simple things of life.
Yes, sometimes delight can take you in the wrong direction,
and yes, we have to steer the child from that.
But delight itself is good.
To live is to delight in life, like a child.[Zot Chanuka 5739, sicha 28.]
-------The child delights in the simple things of life.
Yes, sometimes delight can take you in the wrong direction,
and yes, we have to steer the child from that.
But delight itself is good.
To live is to delight in life, like a child.[Zot Chanuka 5739, sicha 28.]
No comments:
Post a Comment