Torah Reading
Ki Teitzei: Deuteronomy 21:10 “When you go out to war against your enemies, and Adonai your God hands them over to you, and you take prisoners, 11 and you see among the prisoners a woman who looks good to you, and you feel attracted to her and want her as your wife; 12 you are to bring her home to your house, where she will shave her head, cut her fingernails 13 and remove her prison clothing. She will stay there in your house, mourning her father and mother for a full month; after which you may go in to have sexual relations with her and be her husband, and she will be your wife. 14 In the event that you lose interest in her, you are to let her go wherever she wishes; but you may not sell her for money or treat her like a slave, because you humiliated her.
15 “If a man has two wives, the one loved and the other unloved, and both the loved and unloved wives have borne him children, and if the firstborn son is the child of the unloved wife; 16 then, when it comes time for him to pass his inheritance on to his sons, he may not give the inheritance due the firstborn to the son of the loved wife in place of the son of the unloved one, who is in fact the firstborn. 17 No, he must acknowledge as firstborn the son of the unloved wife by giving him a double portion of everything he owns, for he is the firstfruits of his manhood, and the right of the firstborn is his.
18 “If a man has a stubborn, rebellious son who will not obey what his father or mother says, and even after they discipline him he still refuses to pay attention to them; 19 then his father and mother are to take hold of him and bring him out to the leaders of his town, at the gate of that place, 20 and say to the leaders of his town, ‘This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious, he doesn’t pay attention to us, lives wildly, gets drunk.’ 21 Then all the men of his town are to stone him to death; in this way you will put an end to such wickedness among you, and all Isra’el will hear about it and be afraid.
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" for Elul 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 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36
Psalms 34:1 (0) By David, when he pretended to be insane before Avimelekh, who then drove him away; so he left:
2 (1) I will bless Adonai at all times;
his praise will always be in my mouth.
3 (2) When I boast, it will be about Adonai;
the humble will hear of it and be glad.
4 (3) Proclaim with me the greatness of Adonai;
let us exalt his name together.
5 (4) I sought Adonai, and he answered me;
he rescued me from everything I feared.
6 (5) They looked to him and grew radiant;
their faces will never blush for shame.
7 (6) This poor man cried; Adonai heard
and saved him from all his troubles.
8 (7) The angel of Adonai, who encamps
around those who fear him, delivers them.
9 (8) Taste, and see that Adonai is good.
How blessed are those who take refuge in him!
10 (9) Fear Adonai, you holy ones of his,
for those who fear him lack nothing.
11 (10) Young lions can be needy, they can go hungry,
but those who seek Adonai lack nothing good.
12 (11) Come, children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of Adonai.
13 (12) Which of you takes pleasure in living?
Who wants a long life to see good things?
14 (13) [If you do,] keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from deceiving talk;
15 (14) turn from evil, and do good;
seek peace, go after it!
16 (15) The eyes of Adonai watch over the righteous,
and his ears are open to their cry.
17 (16) But the face of Adonai opposes those who do evil,
to cut off all memory of them from the earth.
18 (17) [The righteous] cried out, and Adonai heard,
and he saved them from all their troubles.
19 (18) Adonai is near those with broken hearts;
he saves those whose spirit is crushed.
20 (19) The righteous person suffers many evils,
but Adonai rescues him out of them all.
21 (20) He protects all his bones;
not one of them gets broken.
22 (21) Evil will kill the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
23 (22) But Adonai redeems his servants;
no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.
35:(0) By David:
(1) Adonai, oppose those who oppose me;
fight against those who fight against me.
2 Grasp your shield and protective gear,
and rise to my defense.
3 Brandish spear and battle-axe
against my pursuers;
let me hear you say,
“I am your salvation.”
4 May those who seek my life
be disgraced and put to confusion;
may those who are plotting harm for me
be repulsed and put to shame.
5 May they be like chaff before the wind,
with the angel of Adonai to drive them on.
6 May their way be dark and slippery,
with the angel of Adonai to pursue them.
7 For unprovoked, they hid their net over a pit;
unprovoked, they dug it for me.
8 May destruction come over him unawares.
May the net he concealed catch himself;
may he fall into it and be destroyed.
9 Then I will be joyful in Adonai,
I will rejoice in his salvation.
10 All my bones will say,
“Who is like you?
Who can rescue the weak
from those stronger than they,
the poor and needy
from those who exploit them?”
11 Malicious witnesses come forward,
asking me things about which I know nothing.
12 They repay me evil for good;
it makes me feel desolate as a parent bereaved.
13 But I, when they were ill, wore sackcloth;
I put myself out and fasted;
I can pray that what I prayed for them
might also happen to me.
14 I behaved as I would for my friend or my brother;
I bent down in sorrow as if mourning my mother.
15 But when I stumble, they gather in glee;
they gather against me and strike me unawares;
they tear me apart unceasingly.
16 With ungodly mocking and grimacing,
they grind their teeth at me.
17 Adonai, how much longer will you look on?
Rescue me from their assaults,
save the one life I have from the lions!
18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly,
I will give you praise among huge crowds of people.
19 Don’t let those who are wrongfully my enemies
gloat over me;
and those who hate me unprovoked —
don’t let them smirk at me.
20 For they don’t speak words of peace
but devise ways to deceive
the peaceful of the land.
21 They shout to accuse me, “Aha! Aha!
we saw you with our own eyes!”
22 You saw them, Adonai; don’t stay silent.
Adonai, don’t stay far away from me.
23 Wake up! Get up, my God, my Lord!
Defend me and my cause!
24 Give judgment for me, Adonai, my God,
as your righteousness demands.
Don’t let them gloat over me.
25 Don’t let them say to themselves,
“Aha! We got what we wanted!”
or say, “We swallowed them up!”
26 May those who gloat over my distress
be disgraced and humiliated.
May those who aggrandize themselves at my expense
be covered with shame and confusion.
27 But may those who delight in my righteousness
shout for joy and be glad!
Let them say always, “How great is Adonai,
who delights in the peace of his servant!”
28 Then my tongue will tell of your righteousness
and praise you all day long.
36:1 (0) For the leader. By David, the servant of Adonai:
2 (1) Crime speaks to the wicked.
I perceive this in my heart;
before his eyes there is no fear
of God.
3 (2) For, the way he sees it,
crime makes his life easy —
that is, until his wrongs are discovered;
then, he is hated.
4 (3) His words are wrong and deceitful;
he has stopped being wise and doing good.
5 (4) He devises trouble as he lies in bed;
so set is he on his own bad way
that he doesn’t hate evil.
6 (5) Adonai, in the heavens is your grace;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
7 (6) Your righteousness is like the mountains of God,
your judgments are like the great deep.
You save man and beast, Adonai.
8 (7) How precious, God, is your grace!
People take refuge in the shadow of your wings,
9 (8) they feast on the rich bounty of your house,
and you have them drink from the stream of your delights.
10 (9) For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light.
11 (10) Continue your grace to those who know you
and your righteousness to the upright in heart.
12 (11) Don’t let the foot of the proud tread on me
or the hands of the wicked drive me away.
13 (12) There they lie fallen, those evildoers,
flung down and unable to rise.
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:
• Nachmanides Born (1194)
Birth of Nachmanides ("Ramban", Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman, 1194-1270) -- Torah scholar, Kabbalist, philosopher, physician and Jewish leader -- in Gerona, Spain, in the year 4954 from creation.
• Sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe visits US (1929)
On the 12th of Elul (September 16) of 1929, two years after escaping a death sentenceimposed upon him by the Russian Communist regime and his subsequent departure from that country, the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, arrived in New York for a ten-month tour of the United States. In the course of his stay the Rebbe visited the Jewish communities in New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee, S. Louis, Boston and several other communities, and was received by President Hoover at the White House. The purpose of the Rebbe's visit was twofold: a) to bring the plight of Russian Jewry to the attention of the American Jewish community and raise funds for the Rebbe's efforts on its behalf; b) to improve the state of Yiddishkeit (Torah-true Judaism) in America and strengthen the ties of the American Chabad-Chassidic community with the Rebbe. The Rebbe also wished to explore the possibility of settling in the U.S. and establishing the headquarters of Chabad there; though he did not decide to do so at that time, his 1929 visit laid the foundations for his move to New York in 1940 and the revolutionary changes he wrought in American Jewish life.
Daily Quote:
What is inscribed in G-d's tefillin? "Who is like Your people Israel, one nation in the earth" (Samuel II, 7:23)[Talmud, Berachot 6a]
Daily Study: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" for Elul 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 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36
Psalms 34:1 (0) By David, when he pretended to be insane before Avimelekh, who then drove him away; so he left:
2 (1) I will bless Adonai at all times;
his praise will always be in my mouth.
3 (2) When I boast, it will be about Adonai;
the humble will hear of it and be glad.
4 (3) Proclaim with me the greatness of Adonai;
let us exalt his name together.
5 (4) I sought Adonai, and he answered me;
he rescued me from everything I feared.
6 (5) They looked to him and grew radiant;
their faces will never blush for shame.
7 (6) This poor man cried; Adonai heard
and saved him from all his troubles.
8 (7) The angel of Adonai, who encamps
around those who fear him, delivers them.
9 (8) Taste, and see that Adonai is good.
How blessed are those who take refuge in him!
10 (9) Fear Adonai, you holy ones of his,
for those who fear him lack nothing.
11 (10) Young lions can be needy, they can go hungry,
but those who seek Adonai lack nothing good.
12 (11) Come, children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of Adonai.
13 (12) Which of you takes pleasure in living?
Who wants a long life to see good things?
14 (13) [If you do,] keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from deceiving talk;
15 (14) turn from evil, and do good;
seek peace, go after it!
16 (15) The eyes of Adonai watch over the righteous,
and his ears are open to their cry.
17 (16) But the face of Adonai opposes those who do evil,
to cut off all memory of them from the earth.
18 (17) [The righteous] cried out, and Adonai heard,
and he saved them from all their troubles.
19 (18) Adonai is near those with broken hearts;
he saves those whose spirit is crushed.
20 (19) The righteous person suffers many evils,
but Adonai rescues him out of them all.
21 (20) He protects all his bones;
not one of them gets broken.
22 (21) Evil will kill the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
23 (22) But Adonai redeems his servants;
no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.
35:(0) By David:
(1) Adonai, oppose those who oppose me;
fight against those who fight against me.
2 Grasp your shield and protective gear,
and rise to my defense.
3 Brandish spear and battle-axe
against my pursuers;
let me hear you say,
“I am your salvation.”
4 May those who seek my life
be disgraced and put to confusion;
may those who are plotting harm for me
be repulsed and put to shame.
5 May they be like chaff before the wind,
with the angel of Adonai to drive them on.
6 May their way be dark and slippery,
with the angel of Adonai to pursue them.
7 For unprovoked, they hid their net over a pit;
unprovoked, they dug it for me.
8 May destruction come over him unawares.
May the net he concealed catch himself;
may he fall into it and be destroyed.
9 Then I will be joyful in Adonai,
I will rejoice in his salvation.
10 All my bones will say,
“Who is like you?
Who can rescue the weak
from those stronger than they,
the poor and needy
from those who exploit them?”
11 Malicious witnesses come forward,
asking me things about which I know nothing.
12 They repay me evil for good;
it makes me feel desolate as a parent bereaved.
13 But I, when they were ill, wore sackcloth;
I put myself out and fasted;
I can pray that what I prayed for them
might also happen to me.
14 I behaved as I would for my friend or my brother;
I bent down in sorrow as if mourning my mother.
15 But when I stumble, they gather in glee;
they gather against me and strike me unawares;
they tear me apart unceasingly.
16 With ungodly mocking and grimacing,
they grind their teeth at me.
17 Adonai, how much longer will you look on?
Rescue me from their assaults,
save the one life I have from the lions!
18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly,
I will give you praise among huge crowds of people.
19 Don’t let those who are wrongfully my enemies
gloat over me;
and those who hate me unprovoked —
don’t let them smirk at me.
20 For they don’t speak words of peace
but devise ways to deceive
the peaceful of the land.
21 They shout to accuse me, “Aha! Aha!
we saw you with our own eyes!”
22 You saw them, Adonai; don’t stay silent.
Adonai, don’t stay far away from me.
23 Wake up! Get up, my God, my Lord!
Defend me and my cause!
24 Give judgment for me, Adonai, my God,
as your righteousness demands.
Don’t let them gloat over me.
25 Don’t let them say to themselves,
“Aha! We got what we wanted!”
or say, “We swallowed them up!”
26 May those who gloat over my distress
be disgraced and humiliated.
May those who aggrandize themselves at my expense
be covered with shame and confusion.
27 But may those who delight in my righteousness
shout for joy and be glad!
Let them say always, “How great is Adonai,
who delights in the peace of his servant!”
28 Then my tongue will tell of your righteousness
and praise you all day long.
36:1 (0) For the leader. By David, the servant of Adonai:
2 (1) Crime speaks to the wicked.
I perceive this in my heart;
before his eyes there is no fear
of God.
3 (2) For, the way he sees it,
crime makes his life easy —
that is, until his wrongs are discovered;
then, he is hated.
4 (3) His words are wrong and deceitful;
he has stopped being wise and doing good.
5 (4) He devises trouble as he lies in bed;
so set is he on his own bad way
that he doesn’t hate evil.
6 (5) Adonai, in the heavens is your grace;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
7 (6) Your righteousness is like the mountains of God,
your judgments are like the great deep.
You save man and beast, Adonai.
8 (7) How precious, God, is your grace!
People take refuge in the shadow of your wings,
9 (8) they feast on the rich bounty of your house,
and you have them drink from the stream of your delights.
10 (9) For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light.
11 (10) Continue your grace to those who know you
and your righteousness to the upright in heart.
12 (11) Don’t let the foot of the proud tread on me
or the hands of the wicked drive me away.
13 (12) There they lie fallen, those evildoers,
flung down and unable to rise.
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:
• Nachmanides Born (1194)
Birth of Nachmanides ("Ramban", Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman, 1194-1270) -- Torah scholar, Kabbalist, philosopher, physician and Jewish leader -- in Gerona, Spain, in the year 4954 from creation.
• Sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe visits US (1929)
On the 12th of Elul (September 16) of 1929, two years after escaping a death sentenceimposed upon him by the Russian Communist regime and his subsequent departure from that country, the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, arrived in New York for a ten-month tour of the United States. In the course of his stay the Rebbe visited the Jewish communities in New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee, S. Louis, Boston and several other communities, and was received by President Hoover at the White House. The purpose of the Rebbe's visit was twofold: a) to bring the plight of Russian Jewry to the attention of the American Jewish community and raise funds for the Rebbe's efforts on its behalf; b) to improve the state of Yiddishkeit (Torah-true Judaism) in America and strengthen the ties of the American Chabad-Chassidic community with the Rebbe. The Rebbe also wished to explore the possibility of settling in the U.S. and establishing the headquarters of Chabad there; though he did not decide to do so at that time, his 1929 visit laid the foundations for his move to New York in 1940 and the revolutionary changes he wrought in American Jewish life.
Daily Quote:
What is inscribed in G-d's tefillin? "Who is like Your people Israel, one nation in the earth" (Samuel II, 7:23)[Talmud, Berachot 6a]
Chitas and Rambam for today:
Chumash: Parshat Ki Teitzei, 5th Portion (Deuteronomy 23:25-24:4) with Rashi
• Deuteronomy Chapter 23
25When you enter your neighbor's vineyard, you may eat as many grapes as you desire, until you are sated, but you shall not put [any] into your vessel. כהכִּ֤י תָבֹא֙ בְּכֶ֣רֶם רֵעֶ֔ךָ וְאָֽכַלְתָּ֧ עֲנָבִ֛ים כְּנַפְשְׁךָ֖ שָׂבְעֶ֑ךָ וְאֶל־כֶּלְיְךָ֖ לֹ֥א תִתֵּֽן:
When you enter your neighbor’s vineyard: Scripture is speaking of a worker [who enters his employer’s vineyard to work there]. — [B.M. 87b] כי תבא בכרם רעך: בפועל הכתוב מדבר:
as you desire: As many as you wish. כנפשך: כמה שתרצה:
until you are sated: But not excessive eating. — [B.M. 87b] שבעך: ולא אכילה גסה:
you shall not place [any] into your vessel: From here [we learn that] Scripture is referring only to the period of the vintage, when you place [grapes] into the owner’s vessel (B.M. 87b). However, if the worker is entering [the vineyard] in order to hoe or or cover the exposed roots [with earth], he may not eat [any of the grapes]. — [B.M. 89b] ואל כליך לא תתן: מכאן שלא דברה תורה אלא בשעת הבציר, בזמן שאתה נותן לכליו של בעל הבית, אבל אם שכרו לעדור ולקשקש, אינו אוכל:
26When you enter your neighbor's standing grain, you may pick the ears with your hand, but you shall not lift a sickle upon your neighbor's standing grain. כוכִּ֤י תָבֹא֙ בְּקָמַ֣ת רֵעֶ֔ךָ וְקָֽטַפְתָּ֥ מְלִילֹ֖ת בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ וְחֶרְמֵשׁ֙ לֹ֣א תָנִ֔יף עַ֖ל קָמַ֥ת רֵעֶֽךָ:
When you enter your neighbor’s standing grain: This [verse] too, is speaking of a worker [who enters his employer’s grain field, to work there]. — [B.M. 87b] כי תבא בקמת רעך: אף זו בפועל הכתוב מדבר:
Deuteronomy Chapter 24
1When a man takes a wife and is intimate with her, and it happens that she does not find favor in his eyes because he discovers in her an unseemly [moral] matter, and he writes for her a bill of divorce and places it into her hand, and sends her away from his house, אכִּֽי־יִקַּ֥ח אִ֛ישׁ אִשָּׁ֖ה וּבְעָלָ֑הּ וְהָיָ֞ה אִם־לֹ֧א תִמְצָא־חֵ֣ן בְּעֵינָ֗יו כִּי־מָ֤צָא בָהּ֙ עֶרְוַ֣ת דָּבָ֔ר וְכָ֨תַב לָ֜הּ סֵ֤פֶר כְּרִיתֻת֙ וְנָתַ֣ן בְּיָדָ֔הּ וְשִׁלְּחָ֖הּ מִבֵּיתֽוֹ:
[When a man takes a wife… that she does not find favor in his eyes] because he discovers in her an unseemly [moral] matter: [In this case] he has an obligation to divorce her, lest she find favor in his eyes [and he might consequently wish to keep her, which he must not do, since she had committed an act of impropriety]. — [Gittin 90b] כי מצא בה ערות דבר: מצוה עליו [לגרשה] שלא תמצא חן בעיניו:
2and she leaves his house and goes and marries another man, בוְיָֽצְאָ֖ה מִבֵּית֑וֹ וְהָֽלְכָ֖ה וְהָֽיְתָ֥ה לְאִֽישׁ־אַחֵֽר:
[and goes and marries] another man: who differs from her first husband, for that one sent the evil woman out of his home, whereas this [man] has taken her in[to his home]. — [Gittin 90b] לאיש אחר: אין זה בן זוגו של ראשון, הוא הוציא רשעה מתוך ביתו וזה הכניסה:
3if the latter husband hates her and writes her a bill of divorce, and places it into her hand and sends her away from his house, or if the latter husband who took her as a wife, dies גוּשְׂנֵאָהּ֘ הָאִ֣ישׁ הָֽאַחֲרוֹן֒ וְכָ֨תַב לָ֜הּ סֵ֤פֶר כְּרִיתֻת֙ וְנָתַ֣ן בְּיָדָ֔הּ וְשִׁלְּחָ֖הּ מִבֵּית֑וֹ א֣וֹ כִ֤י יָמוּת֙ הָאִ֣ישׁ הָאַֽחֲר֔וֹן אֲשֶׁר־לְקָחָ֥הּ ל֖וֹ לְאִשָּֽׁה:
if the latter husband hates her: Scripture informs him that eventually he will [come to] despise her, and if not, she will bury him, for it says, “or if the latter husband… dies.”- [Sifrei 24:135] ושנאה האיש האחרון: הכתוב מבשרו שסופו לשנאותה, ואם לאו קוברתו, שנאמר או כי ימות:
4her first husband, who had sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, since she was defiled [to him], for that is an abomination before the Lord, and you shall not bring sin to the land the Lord, your God, gives you for an inheritance. דלֹֽא־יוּכַ֣ל בַּעְלָ֣הּ הָֽרִאשׁ֣וֹן אֲשֶׁר־שִׁ֠לְּחָ֠הּ לָשׁ֨וּב לְקַחְתָּ֜הּ לִֽהְי֧וֹת ל֣וֹ לְאִשָּׁ֗ה אַֽחֲרֵי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֻטַּמָּ֔אָה כִּי־תֽוֹעֵבָ֥ה הִ֖וא לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וְלֹ֤א תַֽחֲטִיא֙ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ נַֽחֲלָֽה:
since she was defiled [to him]: [This unusual expression comes] to include a sotah [a woman suspected of adultery] because she secluded herself [with another man]. [Until her trial ceremony takes place (see Num. 5:11-31) and it is yet unknown whether she has indeed committed adultery, he may not have relations with her.] - [Sifrei 24:136] אחרי אשר הטמאה: לרבות סוטה שנסתרה:Daily Tehillim: Psalms Chapters 66-68
• 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 66
This psalm describes the praises and awe-inspiring prayers that we will offer God upon the ingathering of the exiles.
1. For the Conductor, a song, a psalm. Raise your voices in jubilation to God, all the earth!
2. Sing the glory of His Name; make glorious His praise.
3. Say to God, "How awesome are Your deeds!" Because of Your great strength, Your enemies will [admit] their treachery to You.
4. All the earth will bow to You, and sing to You; they will sing praise to Your Name forever!
5. Go and see the works of God, awesome in His deeds toward mankind.
6. He turned the sea into dry land, and they passed through the river on foot; we rejoiced in Him there.
7. He rules the world with His might, and His eyes watch the nations; let the rebellious not exalt themselves, Selah.
8. Bless our God, O nations, and let the voice of His praise be heard.
9. He has kept us alive, and did not allow our feet to falter.
10. For You tested us, O God; You refined us as one refining silver.
11. You brought us into prison; You placed a chain upon our loins.
12. You mounted men over our head; we went through fire and water, and You brought us out to abundance.
13. I will enter Your House with burnt-offerings, I will pay to You my vows,
14. which my lips uttered and my mouth spoke in my distress.
15. I will offer up to You burnt-offerings of fat animals, with the smoke of rams; I will prepare cattle with he-goats, Selah.
16. Come listen, all you who fear God, and I will relate what He has done for my soul.
17. I called to Him with my mouth, with exaltation beneath my tongue.
18. Had I seen iniquity in my heart, my Lord would not have listened.
19. But in truth, God heard; He gave ear to the voice of my prayer.
20. Blessed is God Who has not turned away my prayer or His kindness from me.
Chapter 67
This psalm is known as an especially revered prayer. It, too, speaks of the era of the ingathering of the exiles, and the wars of Gog and Magog, a time when "the Lord will be One."
1. For the Conductor, a song with instrumental music, a psalm.
2. May God be gracious to us and bless us; may He make His countenance shine upon us forever,
3. that Your way be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations.
4. The nations will extol You, O God; all the nations will extol You.
5. The nations will rejoice and sing for joy, for You will judge the peoples justly and guide the nations on earth forever.
6. The peoples will extol You, O God; all the peoples will extol You,
7. for the earth will have yielded its produce, and God, our God, will bless us.
8. God will bless us; and all, from the farthest corners of the earth, shall fear Him.
Chapter 68
An awe-inspiring and wondrous prayer, David composed this psalm referring to a future event, when Sennacherib would surround Jerusalem on Passover, during the reign of Hezekiah. He also prophesies about the good we will enjoy during the Messianic era.
1. For the Conductor; by David, a psalm, a song.
2. Let God rise, let His enemies be scattered, and let His enemies flee before Him.
3. As smoke is driven away, drive them away; as wax melts before fire, let the wicked perish before God.
4. And the righteous will rejoice, they will exult before God and delight with joy.
5. Sing to God, chant praises to His Name; extol Him Who rides upon the heavens with His Name, Yah, and exult before Him.
6. A father of orphans and judge of widows is God, in the abode of His holiness.
7. God settles the solitary into a home, and frees those bound in shackles; but the rebellious [are left to] dwell in an arid land.
8. O God, when You went out before Your nation, when You marched through the wilderness, Selah,
9. the earth trembled, even the heavens dripped before the presence of God; this mountain of Sinai [trembled] before the presence of God, the God of Israel.
10. You poured generous rain, O God; when Your heritage was weary, You secured it.
11. Your flock settled there; in Your goodness, O God, You prepare for the poor.
12. My Lord will fulfill the word of the heralds to a great legion:
13. Kings of armies will flee, they will flee; and she who inhabits the home will divide the loot.
14. Even if you lie upon the hearth,1 [you will be like] wings of a dove covered with silver, her pinions with brilliant gold.
15. When the Almighty scatters kings in her midst, those in the shadow of darkness will be made snow-white.
16. The mountain of God is a fertile mountain, the mountain of majestic peaks is a fertile mountain.
17. Why do you prance, O mountains of peaks? This is the mountain God has desired as His dwelling; the Lord will even dwell there forever.
18. The chariots of God are twice ten thousand, [with] thousands of angels; my Lord is in their midst, at Sinai, in holiness.
19. You ascended on high and took a captive,2 you seized gifts for man; and [now] even rebels dwell with Yah, God.
20. Blessed is my Lord, Who each day loads us [with beneficence], the God Who is our deliverance forever.
21. The Lord is a God of deliverances for us; and to God, my Lord, are the many avenues of death.
22. God alone crushes the heads of His enemies, the hairy skull of him who goes about in his guilt.
23. My Lord said, "I will bring back from Bashan,3 I will bring back from the depths of the sea,
24. that your foot may wade through [the enemy's] blood; that the tongue of your dogs may have its portion from your enemies.”
25. They saw Your ways, O God, the ways of my God, my King, in holiness.
26. The singers began, then the musicians, in the midst of the maidens playing timbrels.
27. In assemblies bless God; [bless] my Lord, O you who stem from Israel.
28. There Benjamin, the youngest, rules them; the princes of Judah stone them, [as do] the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali.
29. Your God has decreed your strength. Show Your strength, O God, Who has wrought this for our sake.
30. Because of [the glory of] Your Sanctuary upon Jerusalem, kings will bring You tribute.
31. Rebuke the wild beast of the reeds, the assembly of mighty bulls among the calves of nations, [until] each submits himself with pieces of silver. Scatter the nations that desire wars.
32. Nobles will come from Egypt; Kush will hasten [to raise] its hands to God.
33. Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God; sing praise to my Lord forever!
34. To the One Who rides upon the loftiest of ancient heavens-behold He gives forth His voice, a voice of might.
35. Ascribe power to God; His majesty is over Israel, and His might is in the skies.
36. God, You are feared from Your Sanctuary; it is the God of Israel Who grants strength and power to His people; blessed is God.
FOOTNOTES
1.And dirty yourself in exile (Metzudot).
2.Israel ascended on high and seized the Torah from the Angels (Metzudot).
3.From amongst the nations who are compared to “bulls of Bashan” (Metzudot).
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 34, 35 and 36.
Chapter 34
This psalm tells of when David was in grave danger while at the palace of Achish, brother of Goliath. David acted like a madman, letting spittle run down his beard, and writing on the doors: "Achish, king of Gath, owes me one hundred thousand gold coins," leading Achish to eject him from the palace. In his joy, David composed this psalm in alphabetical sequence.
1. By David, when he feigned insanity before Avimelech,1 who then drove him away, and he left.
2. I bless the Lord at all times; His praise is always in my mouth.
3. My soul glories in the Lord; let the humble hear it and rejoice.
4. Exalt the Lord with me, and let us extol His Name together.
5. I sought the Lord and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.
6. Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never humiliated.
7. This poor man called, and the Lord heard; He delivered him from all his tribulations.
8. The angel of the Lord camps around those who fear Him, and rescues them.
9. Taste and see that the Lord is good; fortunate is the man who trusts in Him.
10. Fear the Lord, you His holy ones, for those who fear Him suffer no want.
11. Young lions may want and hunger, but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.
12. Come, children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
13. Who is the man who desires life, who loves long life wherein to see goodness?
14. Guard your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit.
15. Turn away from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it.
16. The eyes of the Lord are directed toward the righteous, and His ears toward their cry.
17. The wrath of the Lord is upon the evildoers, to excise their memory from the earth.
18. But when they [repent and] cry out, the Lord hears, and saves them from all their troubles.
19. The Lord is close to the broken-hearted, and saves those with a crushed spirit.
20. Many are the afflictions of a righteous person, but the Lord rescues him from them all.
21. He protects all his bones; not one of them is broken.
22. Evil brings death upon the wicked, and the enemies of the righteous are condemned.
23. The Lord redeems the soul of His servants; all who take shelter in Him are not condemned.
Chapter 35
This psalm is an awe-inspiring and wondrous prayer about David's enemies-that they be as chaff before the wind, chased by the angel of God. It also declares that everything comes about through God's help.
1. By David. Fight my antagonists, O Lord, battle those who battle against me.
2. Take hold of shield and armor and arise to help me.
3. Draw a spear, and bar the way before my pursuers; say to my soul, "I am your deliverance.”
4. Let those who seek my life be shamed and disgraced; let those who devise my harm retreat and be humiliated.
5. Let them be as chaff before the wind; let the angel of the Lord thrust them away.
6. Let their path be dark and slippery; let them be chased by the angel of the Lord.
7. For without cause have they laid their nets in the pit for me; without cause have they dug [pits] for my soul.
8. Let darkness come upon him unawares; let the very snare that he hid trap him, in darkness he will fall in it.
9. And my soul shall exult in the Lord, rejoice in His deliverance.
10. My entire being shall declare: Lord, who is like You? Who saves the poor from one stronger than he, the poor and the destitute from one who would rob him.
11. Corrupt witnesses rise up [against me], they demand of me things of which I do not know.
12. They repay me evil for good, death for my soul.
13. But I wore sackcloth when they were ill; I afflicted my soul with fasting. Let my prayer return upon my own bosom.
14. As if it were my friend, my brother, I went about; like a mother in mourning, I was bent over in gloom.
15. But when I limped, they rejoiced and gathered; the lowly gathered against me-even those whom I do not know; they laugh and cannot be quiet.
16. With flattery and scorn, for the sake of a meal,1 they gnash their teeth at me.
17. My Lord, how long will You look on? Restore my life from their darkness; from young lions, my soul.
18. I will thank You in a great congregation, amidst a mighty nation I will praise You.
19. Let not those who hate me without cause rejoice over me; [let not] those who despise me without reason wink their eye.
20. For they speak not of peace, rather they scheme deceitful matters against the broken of the land.
21. They opened their mouths wide against me, they said, "Aha! Aha! Our eyes have seen [his misfortune].”
22. You saw, Lord, be not silent; my Lord, be not distant from me.
23. Rouse and awaken Yourself to my judgement, to my cause, my God and my Lord.
24. Judge me according to your righteousness, Lord my God; let them not rejoice over me.
25. Let them not say in their hearts, "Aha! We have our desire!" Let them not say, "We have swallowed him!”
26. Let them be shamed and disgraced together, those who rejoice at my trouble; let them be clothed in shame and humiliation, those who raise themselves arrogantly over me.
27. Let those who desire my vindication sing joyously and be glad; let them say always, "Let the Lord be exalted, Who desires the peace of His servant.”
28. My tongue will speak of Your righteousness, Your praise, all day long.
Chapter 36
This psalm is a message to those who follow their evil inclination, that tells them, "Do not place the fear of God before you," and brings them to sin by beautifying evil deeds in their eyes. For so is his way: "He descends (to earth) and corrupts, then goes up (to the Heavenly Court) and prosecutes."
1. For the Conductor, by the servant of the Lord, by David.
2. [I think] in my heart: Sin says to the wicked, "There is none [who need place] the fear of God before his eyes.”
3. For Sin makes itself appealing to him, until his iniquity be found and he is hated.
4. The speech of his mouth is evil and deceit; he fails to reason, to improve.
5. On his bed he contemplates evil, he stands in a path that is not good; he does not despise evil.
6. O Lord, Your kindness is in the heavens; Your faithfulness is till the skies.
7. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, Your judgements extend to the great deep; man and beast You deliver, O Lord.
8. How precious is Your kindness, O God; man takes shelter in the shadow of Your wings.
9. They will be filled by the abundance of Your house; from the stream of Your Eden, You will give them to drink.
10. For the source of life is with You; in Your Light do we see light.
11. Extend Your kindness to those who know You, and Your righteousness to the upright of heart.
12. Let not the foot of the arrogant overtake me; let not the hand of the wicked drive me away.
13. There1 the doers of evil fell, thrust down, unable to rise.
Tanya: Iggeret HaKodesh, beginning of Epistle 14• Lessons in Tanya
• Today's Tanya Lesson
• Thursday, 12 Elul, 5776 · 15 September 2016
• Iggeret HaKodesh, beginning of Epistle 14
• Many of the letters that together constitute Iggeret HaKodesh were written in order to rouse Jewry to contribute generously to tzedakah in general and in particular for the Holy Land. More specifically, the Alter Rebbe strongly encouraged the support of Rabbi Mendele Horodoker and Rabbi Avraham Kalisker and their followers, who had settled there, through the Kollel Chabad Fund that he had founded.
In the present letter the Alter Rebbe places singular emphasis on the merit of tzedakah for the Holy Land. Every year, he declares, it should be given with more vitality and in greater volume, thus echoing the rhythm of the annually-renewed life-force that emanates from On High to the Holy Land, as he explains in this letter.
The Alter Rebbe begins here by stating that his purpose is “to arouse the old love and fondness for our Holy Land....” It would seem that “the old love” refers to the ardent enthusiasm which his chassidim had originally felt for the fund when it was freshly founded, and which had faded somewhat with the passage of years. It was this “old love” that the Alter Rebbe sought here to reawaken.
לעורר את האהבה הישנה וחבת ארץ הקודש
[This letter is written] to arouse the old love and fondness for the Holy Land,
להיות בוערת כרשפי אש מקרב איש ולב עמוק
so that it burn like fiery flames from the inwardness of man and from the depths of his heart,
כאלו היום ממש נתן ה׳ רוחו עלינו, רוח נדיבה
as if this very day G‑d had set His spirit upon us, a spirit of generosity,
בהתנדב עם למלאות ידם לה׳, ביד מלאה ורחבה
so that people volunteer to consecrate themselves to G‑d with a full and generous hand,
בריבוי אחר ריבוי, מדי שנה בשנה
with one increase after another, from year to year,
הולך ועולה למעלה ראש
continually rising and excelling themselves,
כמדת קדש העליון
in keeping with the measure of [the level of Divinity called] Kodesh HaElyon (“Supreme Holiness”),another name for the attribute of Chochmah,
המאיר לארץ הקודש, המתחדש ומתרבה תמיד
which radiates to the Holy Land and is constantly renewed (qualitatively) and increased (quantitatively),
כדכתיב: תמיד עיני ה׳ אלקיך בה, מרשית השנה ועד אחרית שנה
as it is written,1 “Forever are the eyes of the L‑rd your G‑d upon it (i.e., upon the Land of Israel), from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.”
As the Alter Rebbe will soon say, the term “eyes” alludes to the Divine attribute of Chochmah, or Kodesh HaElyon, which irradiates the Land of Israel constantly, from the beginning of the year to its end.
In order to explain how we derive from this verse that the level of Chochmah that radiates to the Holy Land is constantly renewed and increased, the Alter Rebbe first raises the following query:
דהאי ועד אחרית גו׳ אינו מובן לכאורה
Now, this phrase “to the end...” appears to be problematic,
שהרי באחרית שנה זו, מתחלת שנה שניה
for at the end of one year begins another year.
ואם כן, הוה ליה למימר: לעולם ועד
Thus it should surely have said [that the eyes of G‑d are upon the Land of Israel] “everlastingly”.
אך הענין יובן על פי מה שכתוב: ה׳ בחכמה יסד ארץ
However, this matter will be understood by considering the verse,2 “G‑d by Chochmah established the earth.”
שיסוד הארץ העליונה, היא בחינת ממלא כל עלמין
That is, the foundation of Eretz HaElyonah (lit., “the Higher Earth” or “the Higher Land”; i.e., the heavenly model of the terrestial Holy Land), which is the mode of [creative Divine influence which is immanent and therefore called] memaleh kol almin (lit., “filling all worlds”),
This refers to the Sefirah of Malchut of the World of Atzilut, called “land” for it is the last and (so to speak) lowest of the Supernal Sefirot, and it vests itself in created worlds and beings so as to vitalize them.
והתחתונה, היא ארץ חפץ, המכוונת כנגדה ממש
and [likewise the foundation] of the nether [land], which is [the Land of Israel which is known as] Eretz Chefetz (“the land of [G‑d’s] desire”), which truly corresponds to it[s heavenly counterpart], viz., Eretz HaElyonah,
ונקראת על שמה: ארץ החיים
and is called by its name, Eretz HaChayim (“the land of life”), —
הנה הוא נמשך מהמשכת והארת חכמה עילאה, מקור החיים העליונים
[the foundation, then, of the higher and the lower lands] issues from the downward flow and radiation from the Supreme Chochmah which is the source of Supernal life;
כדכתיב: החכמה תחיה בעליה וגו׳
as it is written,3 “Chochmah animates those who possess it....”
“G‑d by Chochmah established the earth” thus means, that the Sefirah of Chochmah diffuses its creative light upon Eretz HaElyonah (“the Higher Land,” i.e., Malchut of Atzilut), as well as upon its terrestial counterpart, the Land of Israel.
והארה והמשכה זו, היא מתחדשת באור חדש ממש בכל שנה ושנה
This radiation and efflux from Supreme Chochmah, that irradiates the “land” at both these levels, is renewed annually by a truly new light.
כי הוא יתברך וחכמתו אחד בתכלית היחוד
For G‑d (blessed be He) and His Chochmah are one, in an absolute unity
ונקרא בשם אור אין סוף ברוך הוא
which is called “the [infinite] Ein Sof-light,”
שאין סוף ואין קץ למעלת וגדולת האור והחיות הנמשך ממנו יתברך ומחכמתו
because there is no limit nor end to the quality and greatness of the light and vitality that issues forth from Him and from His Chochmah,
בעילוי אחר עילוי, עד אין קץ ותכלית, לרום המעלות למעלה מעלה
in elevation upon elevation, to no end or limit, to the peak of the loftiest levels.
Since the life-giving light that issues from Supreme Chochmah is infinite, it follows that whatever the intensity of the light drawn down in the previous year, it is still possible that a greater degree of light be drawn down in the new year.
| FOOTNOTES | |
| 1. | Devarim 11:12. |
| 2. | Mishlei 3:19. |
| 3. | Kohelet 7:12. |
• Thursday, 12 Elul, 5776 · 15 September 2016
• Today's Mitzvah
A daily digest of Maimonides’ classic work "Sefer Hamitzvot"
Negative Commandment 237
Participation in a Loan in which Interest is Charged
"You shall not impose interest upon him"—Exodus 22:24.
We are forbidden from taking any active part in a loan that involves interest. We may not be the guarantor or witness for such a loan, nor may we act as the scribe who records it. (In addition to the prohibition against lending with interest, the lender transgresses this prohibition too).
Full text of this Mitzvah »
• Participation in a Loan in which Interest is Charged
Negative Commandment 237
Translated by Berel Bell
The 237th prohibition is that we are forbidden from being involved between the borrower and the lender in a loan with interest. We cannot act as guarantor for either one of them, testify for them, or write a document for them regarding their agreement involving interest.
The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement1 (exalted be He), "Do not place interest upon him." In the words of tractate Bava Metzia:2 "The guarantor and witnesses only transgress the prohibition, 'Do not place interest upon him.' " There it is explained that the scribe has the same status as the guarantor and witnesses.
It is also explained there that this prohibition, "Do not place interest upon him" — although it refers to the intermediaries — also includes the lender. Therefore, one who lends money with interest transgresses six prohibitions:
1) "Do not press him for repayment."3
2) "Do not make him pay interest (neshech) for your money."4
3) "Do not make him pay interest (marbis) for your food."5
4) "Do not take interest from him."6
5) "Do not place interest upon him."7
6) "Do not place a stumbling block before the blind."8
Our Sages said there that: "The following transgress prohibitions: the lender, the borrower, the guarantor, and the witnesses. The Sages said: 'The scribe too.' They transgress 'do not make him pay,' 'do not take,' 'do not press him,' 'do not place,' and 'Do not place a stumbling block before the blind.' " Abaye said in the Gemara, "The lender transgresses all of them; the borrower — 'do not deduct' and 'do not place a stumbling block before the blind'; the guarantor and witnesses — 'do not place interest upon him.' "
When one transgresses this prohibition9 — if it is ribis k'tzutza (interest by Torah law) — the interest is taken away and given back to the one who paid it.
FOOTNOTES
1.Ex. 22:24.
2.75b.
3.Ibid.
4.Lev. 25:37.
5.Ibid.
6.Ibid., 25:36.
7.Ex. 22:24.
8.Lev. 19:14.
9.It would seem that this statement belongs to N235, since it speaks to the lender. See Kapach, 5731, footnote 8.
• Rambam - 1 Chapter a Day
Metamme'ey Mishkav uMoshav - Chapter 5
•
1
A zav, a zavah, a nidah, and a woman after childbirth remain impure and impart impurity to humans, articles, and articles on which one sits or lies until they immerse. Even if they remained several years without an impure emission, but did not immerse, they remain impure.
א
הזב והזבה והנדה והיולדת לעולם הם בטומאתן ומטמאין אדם וכלים ומשכב ומרכב עד שיטבילו אפילו נתאחרו כמה שנים בלא ראיית טומאה ולא טבלו הרי הן בטומאתן:
2
When a woman after childbirth does not immerse after the seven days of impurity obligated after the birth of a male child and the fourteen days obligated after the birth of a female child, any blood that will be discharged afterwards even though it is discharged during her days of purity, is like the blood of a nidahand imparts impurity whether it is moist or dry. Scripture did not make the matter dependent on days alone, but on days and immersion.
ב
יולדת שלא טבלה אחר שבעה לזכר וי"ד לנקבה כל דם שתראה אף ע"פ שהוא בתוך ימי טוהר הרי הוא כדם הנדות ומטמא לח ויבש לא תלה הכתוב בימים בלבד אלא בימים וטבילה:
3
When a woman who gave birth descended to immerse herself to make the transition from impurity to purity and she discharged blood as she was descending and emerged from the inner space of her uterus, it is impure. Immersion has no effect on this blood even though it is still within her body. If she discharges it as she ascends from immersion in the mikveh, it is pure. For it is "pure blood" and the immersion is effective with regard to all the blood that is within her body and causes it to be considered as "pure blood."
ג
יולדת שירדה לטבול מטומאה לטהרה ונעקר ממנה דם בירידתה ויצא חוץ לבין השינים הרי זו טמאה ואין הטבילה מועלת לדם זה ואע"פ שעדיין היא בבשרה ואם נעקר ממנה בעלייתה מן המקוה הרי זו טהורה מפני שהוא דם טוהר והטבילה מועלת לכל הדם המובלע באיברים ומשימה אותו דם טוהר:
4
When a woman after childbirth immersed after the seven impure days that follow the birth of a male, after the fourteen impure days that follow the birth of a female, or after counting seven spotless days if she gave birth in a state of zivah, throughout her days of purity, she is considered as an impure person who immersed but nightfall has not arrived. She is not required to undergo another immersion at the conclusion of her days of purity. Instead, when those days are completed, she is like a person who immersed in the mikveh and the day passed.
In which contexts is she considered as a person who has immersed that day? With regard to terumah and the second tithe. But with regard to sacrificial food, she is like a person who is a derivative of impurity who did not immerse. She is like a person who touched a nidah or a person who is impure due to contact with a corpse who has not yet immersed, or the like. Thus it can be concluded that a woman in the midst of her days of purity may partake of the second tithe and disqualifies terumah like a person who has immersed that day does, as will be explained.
If some of her saliva or her pure blood fell on a loaf of bread that was terumah, the loaf remains pure. For fluids coming from a person who immersed that day are pure, as will be explained. Such fluids do, however, impart impurity to sacrificial foods as a derivative of impurity would until her days of purity are completed and she is pure in all respects. It appears to me that since she imparts impurity to sacrificial foods during these days of purity, she must immerse herself at the end of her days of purity and only then may she touch sacrificial food. This applies even though she does not require another immersion to partake of terumah.
ד
יולדת שטבלה אחר שבעה של זכר וי"ד של נקבה או אחר ספירת שבעה ימים נקיים אם היתה יולדת בזוב הרי היא בכל ימי טוהר שלה כטמא שטבל ועדיין לא העריב שמשו והרי היא טבולת יום בכל אותן הימים ואינה צריכה טבילה אחרת בסוף ימי טוהר אלא במושלם הימים הרי היא כטבול יום שהעריב שמשו בד"א שהיא כטבול יום לענין תרומה ומעשר אבל לקדשים הרי היא כראשון לטומאה שעדיין לא טבל אלא כמי שנגע בנדה או בטמא מת שעדיין לא טבל וכיוצא בהן נמצאת אתה למד שהיולדת בתוך ימי טוהר אוכלת במעשר ופוסלת את התרומה כטבול יום כמו שיתבאר ואם נפל מרוקה ומדם טהרתה על ככר של תרומה הרי הוא בטהרתו שמשקה טבול יום טהור כמו שיתבאר ומטמאה את הקדשים כולד הטומאות עד שתשלים ימי טוהר ותהיה טהורה לכל ויראה לי שמאחר שהיא מטמאה את הקדש שהיא צריכה טבילה אחרת בסוף ואח"כ תגע בקדש אף ע"פ שאינה צריכה טבילה אחרת לאכילת התרומה:
5
When a woman who gave birth and who is afflicted by tzara'atimmersed herself after the seven days of impurity required after giving birth to a male or the fourteen days required after a female, her "pure blood" is impure like her saliva and her urine. They are all considered as impure fluids, for all fluids that become impure that are discharged from impure people are like liquids that they touch with the exception of a zav and the like. For the three fluids they discharge are sources of ritual impurity, as we explained.
ה
יולדת שהיא מצורעת וטבלה אחר שבעה של זכר או י"ד של נקבה הרי דם טוהר שלה טמא כרוקה וכמימי רגליה וכולן כמשקין טמאין שכל המשקין הטמאין היוצאין מהן כמשקין שהן נוגעין בהן חוץ מזב וכיוצא בו שהרי שלשה משקין היוצאין ממנו אבות טומאות כמו שביארנו:
6
When a minor zavah immerses on the day she is watching after sunrise, the status of the articles she touches and a man with whom she is intimate is indefinite, as we explained with regard to the prohibitions of nidah. If she completes the day without experiencing further uterine bleeding, anything she touches is pure and one who is intimate with her is pure and he is exempt. If she experiences uterine bleeding after she immerses, any pure objects that she touched are impure, the laws concerning the impurity imparted by a zav to an article on which one lies or rides apply and a man who is intimate with her is liable for a sin-offering.
If she immersed herself before dawn during the night before the day on which she should be cautious, it is as if she never immersed and the laws concerning the impurity imparted by a zavto an article on which one lies or rides apply.
ו
זבה קטנה שטבלה ביום השמור שלה אחר הנץ כמו שביארנו בענין איסור נדה הרי מגעה ובעילתה תלויים אם נגמר היום ולא ראתה כל שנגעה בו טהור ובועלה טהור ופטור ואם ראתה דם אחר שטבלה כל טהרות שעשתה טמאות ועושת משכב ומרכב ובועלה חייב חטאת טבלה בליל השמור קודם שיעלה עמוד השחר הרי זו כמי שלא טבלה ועדיין עושת מרכב ומושב:
7
When a woman experiences uterine bleeding on the eleventh day of zivah. and immersed herself in the evening, on the night of the twelfth, the laws concerning the impurity imparted by azav to an article on which one lies or rides apply even though she is not fit to become a major zavah, as we explained with regard to the prohibitions of nidah.
ז
הרואה דם ביום אחד עשר וטבלה לערב ליל שנים עשר הרי זו מטמאה משכב ומושב אף על פי שאינה ראויה להיות זבה גדולה כמו שביארנו בענין איסור נדה:
8
If she immersed on the twelfth day after sunrise, although she is forbidden to engage in intimacy until the evening, if she was intimate, the man with whom she was intimate is pure and articles on which one lies or rides that she touches are pure even if she experiences uterine bleeding on the twelfth day after immersion. The rationale is that this day is the beginning of the days of nidah, as we explained with regard to the prohibitions of nidah. The twelfth day is never joined to the eleventh day. Therefore even if she experiences bleeding on the eleventh day, she need not be cautious regarding the twelfth day. Instead, she may immerse herself and touch articles that are ritually pure.
If, by contrast, she experiences uterine bleeding on the tenth day, she should immerse herself on the eleventh day and be cautious with regard to it. For if she experiences uterine bleeding after immersing herself all the pure articles she touches become impure. Similarly, a man with whom she engages in relations becomes impure, even though she will never become a major zavah as a result of this bleeding, as we explained with regard to the prohibitions of nidah.
ח
טבלה ביום י"ב אחר הנץ החמה אע"פ שאסורה לשמש [עד] לערב אם שמשה בועלה טהור ומשכבה ומרכבה טהורין אף על פי שראתה דם ביום י"ב אחר הטבילה מפני שהוא תחלת נדה כמו שביארנו שם באיסור נדה ואינו מצטרף ליום אחד עשר לפיכך אינה צריכה לשמור יום שנים עשר אלא טובלת ועוסקת בטהרות אבל הרואה דם בעשירי טובלת ביום אחד עשר ומשמרת אותו שאם תראה בו דם אחר טבילה נטמאו כל טהרות שעשתה ונטמא בועלה אע"פ שאינה ראויה להיות זבה גדולה כמו שביארנו בענין נדה:
9
When a zav and a major zavah immerse on their seventh spotless day as we explained, they should not touch articles that are ritually pure until the evening, lest they experience an impure discharge that day. In such an instance, that would disqualify the seven days which were counted and retroactively, the pure articles would become impure. Although the laws concerning the impurity imparted by a zav to an article on which one lies or rides apply retroactively, they do not retroactively impart impurity to an earthenware utensil that they moved after they immersed even though they experienced an impure discharge after immersing and disqualified all the days that they had counted. Nevertheless, any earthenware utensil that they touched until they experienced the discharge is pure.
ט
זב וזבה גדולה שטבלו ביום ז' שלהן כמו שביארנו לא יתעסקו בטהרות עד לערב שמא יראו טומאה ויסתרו שבעת ימי הספירה ונמצא אותן הטהרות טמאות למפרע אע"פ שהן עושין משכב ומושב למפרע אין מטמאין כלי חרס בהיסט מאחר שטבלו אף על פי שחזרו וראו טומאה וסתרו הכל וכל כלי חרס שהסיטו עד שלא ראו טהור:
Malveh veLoveh - Chapter 22, Malveh veLoveh - Chapter 23, Malveh veLoveh - Chapter 24
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1
This is the order in which debts are collected: When the creditor brings his promissory note to the court and the authenticity of the witnesses' signatures are verified, we tell the borrower: "Pay." We do not attach his property until the creditor demands this. If a judge errs and gives the creditor access to the borrower's property before he demands it, we remove the creditor from it.
If the borrower responds: "I will pay. Establish a date for me, so that I will have time to borrow money from another person, offer my land as collateral, sell property and bring the money," we grant him 30 days. We do not require that he bring security to the court. For if he possessed movable property, the court would expropriate it immediately.
If the creditor desires, he may have a conditional ban of ostracism issued against anyone who possesses money or movable property and uses arguments to avoid payment. We do not require the borrower to bring a guarantor until he pays.
If the borrower has not brought payment when these 30 days are concluded, the court composes an adrachta. Similarly, if at the outset, when the lender demanded payment of him, he said: "I will not pay," we compose an adrachta against his property immediately and do not grant him any time. Similarly, if what is involved is a loan supported by a verbal commitment alone and the borrower admits his obligation, we compose an adrachta against the property that is presently in his possession.
א
סדר גביית החוב כך הוא כשיביא המלוה שטרו לבית דין ויתקיים אומרים ללוה שלם ואין יורדין לנכסיו תחלה עד שיתבענו, ואם טעה הדיין והוריד המלוה לנכסי לוה קודם שיתבענו מסלקין אותו, אמר הלוה הריני משלם קבעו לי זמן כדי שאלוה מאחר או אמשכן או אמכור ואביא המעות קובעין לו זמן שלשים יום ואין מחייבין אותו ליתן משכון שאילו היו שם מטלטלים מיד היו ב"ד גובין מהן, ואם רצה המלוה להחרים על מי שיש לו מעות או מטלטלין ומפליג אותו בדברים ה"ז מחרים, ואין מחייבין הלוה להביא ערב עד שיתן, שלמו השלשים ולא הביא בית דין כותבין אדרכתא, וכן אם אמר בתחלה כשתבעו איני משלם כותבין אדרכתא על נכסיו מיד ואין קובעין לו זמן, וכן אם אין שם אלא מלוה על פה או שהודה כותבין אדרכתא על נכסי בני חורין שיש לו.
2
The following rules apply when the borrower claims: "The promissory note concerning which the signatures of the witnesses was validated is a forgery. I will bring proof and nullify the matter The witnesses are located in this and this place and their names are so-and-so and so-and-so." If it appears to the judges that there is substance to his words, a time is established in which he must bring his witnesses to court. If it appears to them that he is merely raising deceptive arguments and fallacious claims, they should tell him: "Pay." Afterwards, if he brings proof of his claim, the money should be returned to him.
If the creditor is a man of force and it is possible that the money will not be able to be recovered from him, it should be entrusted to a third party.
ב
טען ואמר שטר זה שנתקיים בפניהם מזוייף הוא אני אביא ראיה ואבטלנו והעד במקום פלוני והם פלוני ופלוני, אם נראה לדיינין שיש ממש בדבריו קובעין לו זמן להביא עדיו ואם נראה להם שאינו בא אלא בעלילות דברים ובטענות של דופי אומרים לו שלם ואח"כ אם יש לו ראיה יחזור, ואם היה מלוה אלם ושמא אינו יכול להוציאו מידו מניחין על ידי שליש.
3
When a time was established for the borrower to bring proof and nullify the promissory note, that time came and he did not come to court, we wait for three court sessions Monday, Thursday and Monday. If he does not come, we compose a peticha against him and place him under a ban of ostracism.
We give him a further respite of 90 days while he is under the ban of ostracism. The first 30, for perhaps he is seeking a loan, the middle 30, for perhaps he is seeking to sell property, and the final 30, for perhaps the person who purchased his property is seeking to bring him the money.
When these 90 days are completed and the borrower still does not appear in court, the court composes an adrachta against his property and releases him from the ban of ostracism.
ג
קבעו לו זמן להביא ראיה ולבטל השטר והגיע הזמן ולא בא ממתינין לו שני וחמישי ושני, לא בא כותבין עליו פתיחא ומשמתין אותו וממתינין לו והוא בנידויו תשעים יום, שלשים ראשונים שמא טורח ללוות, אמצעים שמא הוא טורח למכור, אחרונים שמא הלוקח ממנו טורח להביא מעות, שלמו תשעים יום ולא בא בית דין כותבין לו אדרכתא על נכסיו ומתירין לו נדויו.
4
If the borrower lives within a two-day journey or less from the court, we do not compose an adrachta until we send messengers and inform him of this impending step. If he lives further away, it is not necessary to inform him.
When does the above apply? When throughout the entire 90 days he would procrastinate and say: "Just now, I will bring proof that nullifies the promissory note." If, however, he says: "I refuse to appear in court," we compose an adrachta against both his movable and his landed property immediately. Similarly, if a person is being sued on the basis of a legal document recording an object entrusted to him for safekeeping, we do not wait 90 days and instead, we compose an adrachta against his property immediately.
ד
אין כותבין אדרכתא עד ששולחין ומודיעין לו, והוא שיהיה קרוב בבית דין מהלך שני ימים או פחות, יתר על זה אין צריכין להודיעו, בד"א כשהיה כל התשעים יום נשמט ואומר עתה אביא ראיה ואבטל השטר, אבל אמר איני בא לבית דין מיד כותבין אדרכתא על נכסיו בין על הקרקעות בין על המטלטלין, וכן אם היה השטר על הפקדון אין ממתינין לו תשעים יום אלא כותבין אדרכתא על נכסיו מיד.
5
The statements made above - that if the borrower does not come at the conclusion of the 90-day period we compose anadrachta - applies only with regard to landed property. With regard to movable property, by contrast, different rules apply. Even after 90 days, as long as the borrower says: "I will bring a proof and nullify the promissory note," we do not allow the lender to expropriate movable property.
The rationale is that the alleged lender might consume it and afterwards, the borrower will bring the proof that nullifies the promissory note, and then he will not find property belonging to the alleged lender that he can collect for repayment. This applies even if the lender possesses landed property, for perhaps that property will decrease in value or become dried out.
ה
זה שאמרנו שאם לא בא בסוף התשעים כותבין אדרכתא על הקרקעות, אבל על המטלטלין אפילו אחר צ' יום כל זמן שהוא אומר עתה אביא ראיה ואבטל השטר אין מורידין המלוה למטלטלין שמא יאכל אותם ויביא זה ראיה ויבטל השטר ולא ימצא מה יטול, ואפילו היה למלוה קרקע שמא תכסיף או תשתדף.
6
How is the adrachta composed? If we are expropriating property that is in the borrower's possession, we write in that document:
"So-and-so was obligated by a judgment to pay so-and-so this amount. He has not made this payment on his own volition. Hence, we have composed thisadrachta against this and this field that he possesses."
Afterwards, three experts evaluate a portion of that field equivalent in value to the debt that he owes, and its prospective sale is announced according to the appraisal until those who add to the estimation make their bids. If there are no buyers, we transfer ownership of that portion of the field to the creditor because of his debt and rip up the promissory note, if such a document existed. If there was no landed property in the borrower's possession, we compose the adrachta which states:
So-and-so undertook an obligation to so-and-so as recorded in the promissory note possessed by the creditor. The debtor has not paid this debt. We have not found property that is presently in the debtor's possession. We have already torn up the promissory note that the creditor possessed and have given him license to seek out and research whether there are any properties that the debtor sold from this and this date and onward, with the intent that his hand be raised over them. He has license to derive payment and expropriate his debt from all such properties.
ו
כיצד כותבין האדרכתא אם לנכסים בני חורין הורידוהו אומרים איש פלוני נתחייב לפלוני בדין כך וכך ולא נתן לו מעצמו וכתבנו לו אדרכתא זו על שדה פלונית שלו, ואחר כך שמין לו שלשה מאותה שדה כנגד חובו ומכריזין עליה כפי מה שיראו עד שיפסקו המוסיפין, ומורידין אותו בחובו לחלק ששמו אותו וקורעין שטר החוב אם היה שם שטר, ואם לא היו לו נכסים בני חורין כותבין האדרכתא כך איש פלוני נתחייב לפלוני כך בשטר חוב שיש בידו ולא נתן לו חובו ולא מצאנו לו נכסים בני חורין, וכבר קרענו לשטר שהיה לו עליו ונתננו לפלוני רשות לדרוש ולחקור ולהיות ידו נטויה על כל הנכסים שימצאו לו וכל קרקעות שמכר מזמן פלוני והלאה יש לו להפרע לגבות חובו מן הכל.
7
After this adrachta is composed, the lender goes and seeks property belonging or that once belonged to the borrower. If he finds property that is in his possession, they are evaluated for him. If he finds only property that has been sold after the date of his promissory note, he may expropriate it. We tear up the adrachtaand write a tirpa.
ז
ואחר שכותבין אדרכתא זו הולך המלוה ומחפש אם מצא לו נכסים בני חורין שמין לו מהן, מצא לו נכסים משועבדין מאחר זמן שטרו טורף מהן וקורעין שטר האדרכתא וכותבין לו שטר הטירפא.
8
How is the tirpa composed? We write:
חBecause of the debt of this and this amount that so-and-so owes him, so-and-so won in court the right to expropriate this and this field that so-and-so purchased for this and this amount at this and this time. We have already torn up the adrachta that was in his possession, and we have given him license to expropriate this and this amount from this property.
כיצד כותבין איש פלוני בן פלוני זכה בדין לטרוף בחוב שפלוני חייב לו שהוא כך וכך משדה פלונית שלקח פלוני בכך וכך מזמן פלוני, וכבר קרענו האדרכתא שהיתה בידו והרשינוהו לטרוף מזה בכך וכך.
9
After the tirpa is written so that the lender may expropriate the property, we bring three experts to that field who evaluate that field and appraise how much of the field should be given to him for the principal and half of the field's increase in value, as explained. We then announce the property's sale for thirty days in the same manner as we announce the sale of property inherited by orphans.
ט
ואחר שכותבין הטירפא לטרוף מורידין שלשה בקיאין לאותה שדה ושמין לו ממנה כשיעור חובו כפי מה שראוי לו מן הקרן וחצי השבח כמו שביארנו, ומכריזין עליה שלשים יום כדרך שמכריזין על נכסי יתומים.
10
Afterwards, if the borrower is with us on the land, we require the borrower to take an oath that he is bankrupt, as ordained by our Sages. We also require the person expropriating the property to take an oath while holding a sacred object that he did not collect payment for this debt, that he did not waive payment of it, and that he did not sell it to another person. Afterwards, we give the lender possession of the purchaser's according to the assessment of the debt owed him, and we compose a horadah.
י
ואח"כ משביעין את הלוה שאין לו כלום כתקנת הגאונים אם היה הלוה עמנו במדינה, ומשביעין את הטורף בנקיטת חפץ שלא נפרע חוב זה ולא מחלו ולא מכרו לאחר, ואח"כ מורידין אותו לנכסי הלוקח בשומא שלו וכותבין הורדה.
11
How is this document composed? The judges write:
After we had an evaluation of the property made for so-and-so, because of the debt he was owed, we announced the sale of the property as is fitting, and we required both the person expropriating the property and the debtor to take the appropriate oaths, we have given so-and-so possession of this and this field. He may use it as a person uses property that he has acquired.
יא
וכיצד כותבין, אחר ששמנו לפלוני בשומא שהיתה בידו והכרזנו שלשים יום כראוי והשבענו את זה הטורף ואת בעל חוב הורדנוהו לשדה פלונית להיות משתמש בה כדרך שמשתמש אדם בקנינו.
12
From which time may the person who seeks to expropriate this property derive benefit from its produce? From the time the days of the announcement are completed.
יב
ומאימתי אוכל הטורף פירות שדה זו משיפסקו ימי ההכרזה.
13
Whenever an adrachta does not state: "We have torn up the promissory note," it is not an acceptable adrachta.Whenever a tirpa does not state: "We have torn up the adrachta" it is not an acceptable tirpa. Whenever a shuma does not state: "We have torn up the tirpa," it is not an acceptable shuma.
יג
כל אדרכתא שאין כתוב בה קרענוהו לשטר ההלואה אינה אדרכתא, וכל טירפא שאין כתוב בה קרענוה לאדרכתא אינה טירפא, וכל שומא דלא כתוב בה קרענוה לטירפא אינה שומא.
14
When three experts descend to evaluate a property, one evaluates it as worth a maneh and two evaluate it at 200zuz, or one evaluates it at 200 zuz and the other two evaluate it as worth a maneh, the assessor who offers the lone opinion is considered insignificant.
If one assessor evaluates it as worth a maneh, another at 80 zuz,and the third at 120, it is considered to be worth 100. If one says 100, the second 90, and the third 130, it is considered worth 110. This is our pattern of evaluation.
יד
שלשה שירדו לשום אחד אומר במנה ושנים אומרים במאתים או אחד אומר במאתים ושנים אומרים במנה בטל יחיד במיעוטו, אחד אומר במנה ואחד אומר בשמונים ואחד אומר במאה ועשרים נדון במאה, אחד אומר במאה ואחד אומר תשעים ואחד אומר מאה ושלשים נדון במאה ועשרה ועל דרך זו שמין ביניהן.
15
When the court evaluated property belonging to a purchaser on behalf of a person who sought to expropriate it and erred - even if the error was concerning the smallest amount - the sale if nullified. The rationale is that since the court is considered to be an agent of the person expropriating the property and the purchaser, they have permission to expedite the matter, but not to impair anyone's position as is the law applying to an agent. All of the Halachic authorities ruled in that manner.
טו
בית דין ששמו לטורף בנכסי לוקח וטעו בכל שהוא מכרן בטל שהרי הן כשליח לטורף וללוקח ויש להן רשות לתקן אבל לא לעוות כשליח וכל המורים כזה הורו.1
16
When the court evaluates and expropriates a property for a creditor -whether from property in the creditor's possession or property that was in the possession of a purchaser - and afterwards, the borrower, the person from whom the property was expropriated, or their heirs, acquires financial resources and pays the creditor his money, the creditor is removed from that landed property. For property that was evaluated and expropriated should always be returned to its owners, as mandated by Deuteronomy 6:18: "And you shall do what is just and good."
טז
בית דין ששמו לבעל חוב בין בנכסי לוה בין במשועבדין שביד הלוקח ולאחר זמן השיגה ידו של לוה או של נטרף או של יורשיהן והביאו לבעל חוב את מעותיו מסלקין אותו מאותה קרקע שהשומא חוזרת לבעלים לעולם, משום שנאמר ועשית הישר והטוב.
17
When the court evaluates and expropriates a property for a creditor and then evaluates and expropriates a property for a creditor of that creditor, the original owner can redeem it. The legal power of the second creditor is no greater than that of the first.
When a creditor sold the property expropriated for him, gave it away as a present, gave it to his creditor voluntarily, or he died and the property was inherited, the original owner does not have the right to redeem it. If landed property was evaluated and expropriated for a woman and then she married, or property she owned was evaluated and expropriated from her and she married, her husband is considered to be a purchaser with regard to her property. He is not required to return it, nor must it be returned to him.
יז
קרקע ששמו אותה לבעל חוב ואח"כ שמוה בית דין לבעל חוב של זה המלוה הרי זו חוזרת, לא יהא כחו גדול מכח ב"ח הראשון, מכרה בעל חוב או נתנה במתנה או ששמה לבעל חוב מדעתו או שמת והורישה אינה חוזרת, שמו קרקע לאשה ונשאת או ששמו ממנה ונשאת בעל בנכסי אשתו כלוקח הוא ולא מחזיר ולא מחזירין לו.
FOOTNOTES
1.
ב"ד ששמו לטורף וכו' עד כזה הורו. א"א אפשר בשלא הכריזו קאמרי עכ"ל.
Malveh veLoveh - Chapter 23
1
Promissory notes that are predated are invalid, because they will be used to expropriate property from purchasers in an unlawful manner. Accordingly, our Sages penalized the lender, ruling that he may expropriate only property in the debtor's possession with a predated promissory note. This is a decree, enacted lest he expropriate property from the first, earlier, date.
א
שטרי חוב המוקדמים פסולין שהרי טורף בהן לקוחות שלא כדין ולפיכך קנסו אותו חכמים ולא יגבה בשטר מוקדם אלא מבני חורין גזירה שמא יטרוף בו מזמן ראשון שהקדימו.
2
Postdated promissory notes are acceptable. For the legal power of the possessor of the promissory note has been diminished, for the lender can expropriate only property from the date of the promissory note. Even if the document does not state that it was postdated, it is acceptable.
ב
שטרי חוב המאוחרין כשרין שהרי הורע כחו של בעל השטר שאינו טורף אלא מזמן השטר, ואע"פ שלא כתבו בו שהוא מאוחר הרי זה כשר.
3
When a promissory note is written during the day and signed in the night that follows it, it is unacceptable, because it is predated. If, however, the borrower and the lender were involved in negotiating the matter until night fell and then they signed, it is acceptable, even when the kinyan was made at night.
ג
שטר שכתבוהו ביום ונחתם בלילה הסמוך לו פסול מפני שהוא מוקדם, ואם היו עסוקים בענין עד שנכנס הלילה וחתמוהו אף על פי שקנו ממנו בלילה כשר.
4
When a promissory note is dated on the Sabbath or on the tenth of Tishrei, we assume that it was postdated and that it is acceptable. We do not suspect that perhaps it is predated and that it was written on Sunday or on the eleventh of Tishrei. Instead, we accept the presumption that the promissory note is acceptable. The rationale is that it is known that legal documents are not composed on the Sabbath. Therefore, it was postdated.
ד
שטר שזמנו כתוב בשבת או בעשרה בתשרי שטר מאוחר הוא וכשר, ואין חוששין שמא מוקדם הוא ובאחד בשבת או בי"א בתשרי נכתב אלא מעמידין השטר על חזקתו שהדבר ידוע הוא שאין כותבין בשבת ולפיכך אחרוהו.
5
We may compose a promissory note for the borrower even though he is not accompanied by the lender. We do not, however, compose a promissory note for the lender unless he is accompanied by the borrower.
When does the above apply? With regard to a promissory note that was affirmed by a kinyanJ For from the time the kinyan was carried out, the borrower's property was on lien. When, however, a promissory note was not affirmed by a kinyan, we do not compose the note even for the borrower, unless he is accompanied by the lender and he gives the note to the lender in our presence. The rationale is that we suspect that the borrower may have the document composed at this time so that he can take a loan in Nissan, but in fact the loan will not be given until Tishrei. Thus, the lender will be able to use this promissory note to expropriate property that was in the borrower's possession unlawfully from Nissan, although the promissory note did not enter his possession until Tishrei.
ה
כותבין שטר ללוה אע"פ שאין המלוה עמו ואין כותבין למלוה עד שיהיה לוה עמו, בד"א בשטר שיש בו קנין שהרי משעה שקנו מידו נשתעבדו נכסיו, אבל שטר שאין בו קנין אין כותבין אפילו ללוה עד שיהיה מלוה עמו ויתן השטר ביד המלוה בפנינו שמא יכתוב עתה ללוות ממנו בניסן ולא ילוה ממנו עד תשרי ונמצא המלוה טורף בשטר זה מניסן שלא כדין שלא הגיע לידו עד תשרי.
6
The following rules apply when witnesses performed a kinyanwith the borrower, the seller, or another person involved in a business agreement, but the composition of the legal document was delayed extensively. If they remembered the date on which thekinyan was established, they should write the date of the kinyan in the legal document, even though it was not the date that they signed the legal document. It is not necessary for them to state in the document: "Our signatures were delayed until this-and-this date." If the witnesses do not know the date on which the kinyanwas performed, they should date the legal document from the day on which it was composed.
Similarly, witnesses who observed a business transaction in one country and composed a legal document in another country should not record the place where they observed the testimony in the legal document. Instead, they should record the place where they signed the legal document.
ו
עדים שקנו מיד הלוה או המוכר וכיוצא בהן ונתאחרה כתיבת השטר זמן מרובה אם ידעו יום שקנו ממנו בו כותבין בשטר זמן הקנין ואע"פ שאינו זמן חתימתן ואין צריכין לומר ונתאחרה כתיבת ידינו עד יום פלוני, ואם לא ידעו יום שקנו בו כותבין זמנו של שטר משעת כתיבה, וכן מי שנמסרה להן העדות במדינה אחת וכתבו העדים במדינה אחרת אין מזכירין בשטר מקום שנמסרה בו העדות אלא מקום שכתבו בו חתימת ידן.
7
When deeds of sale are not dated with the date of the transaction, even those that are postdated are not acceptable. The rationale is that the purchaser may use them to expropriate property in an unlawful manner.
What is implied? For example, the seller could have repurchased the field from the purchaser before the date of the postdated deed of sale. The purchaser could then produce the postdated deed of sale and say: "I returned and purchased it from you a second time." He could thus expropriate property from a purchaser unlawfully.
Why don't we harbor the same suspicions with regard to a postdated promissory note? It is possible that the borrower paid the lender before the date stated in the promissory note, the lender will write him a receipt, and then produce the promissory note and expropriate property unlawfully. We do not harbor such suspicions, because whenever a person composes a postdated promissory note, he can protect himself by having the receipt composed without a date. Thus, whenever the lender will produce the promissory note, the borrower can nullify it by producing this receipt. If the borrower did not do this and allowed the receipt to be composed dated the day when the debt was repaid, he caused himself a loss.
ז
שטרי מקח וממכר שלא נכתבו בזמנן אפילו המאוחרין פסולין שהרי אפשר לטרוף בהן שלא כדין, כיצד כגון שחזר המוכר וקנה השדה מיד הלוקח קודם שיגיע זמן השטר המאוחר ויוציא הלה השטר המאוחר ויאמר חזרתי ולקחתיה פעם שניה ממך ונמצא טורף שלא כדין, ולמה לא נחוש כן לשטר חוב המאוחר שמא יפרענו קודם שיגיע זמנו ויכתוב שובר ויחזור ויוציא השטר המאוחר ויטרוף בו שלא כדין לפי שכל הכותב שטר מאוחר תקנתו שיכתוב השוכר סתם שכל זמן שיצא השטר ישבור אותו זה השובר, ואם לא עשה כן וכתב השובר בזמן הפרעון הוא הפסיד על עצמו.
8
When a person was compelled to sell his field against his will and issued a protest, or hurried and sold the field or gave it away to another person before he sold it to the person who compelled him to sell it, the money that the person who compelled him to sell it gave him is considered to be a loan supported by a verbal commitment alone. He may not use that deed of sale to expropriate any property that had been sold by the seller to others. This law was stated, because this deed of sale should not have been written, and it was written only under compulsion. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.
ח
מי שמכר שדהו באונס ומסר מודעא, או שקדם ומכר או נתן לאחר קודם שימכור לאנס, הרי המעות של אנס אצל המוכר כמלוה על פה ואינו טורף בשטר מכר שבידו כלום מפני שאין דין שטר זה שיכתוב ולא נכתב אלא מפני האונס וכן כל כיוצא בזה.
9
It is possible for a person to expropriate property without a legal document, merely on the basis of verbal testimony.
What is implied? If a person has witnesses who will testify that property was stolen from his father. He can expropriate the property on the basis of this testimony, although there is no legal document. Similarly, if witnesses testify that a judgment was concluded for his father to expropriate property from so-and-so, for this-and-this amount, at this-and-this time, and his father died without expropriating the property, the son may expropriate property on the basis of this testimony.
ט
אפשר לטורף שיטרוף בלא שטר אלא בעדות על פה, כיצד כגון שיש לו עדות שזו גזולה מאביו הרי יש לו להוציא בעדים אלו ואין כאן שטר, וכן אם העידו לו שנגמר הדין לאביו לטרוף מנכסי פלוני בכך וכך מזמן פלוני ומת אביו ועדיין לא טרף הרי הבן טורף בעדות זו.
10
Therefore, we should never compose two deeds of sale for the same property, lest the purchaser perpetrate deception together with the creditor and expropriate property unlawfully.
What is implied? This person will expropriate this field from the purchaser based on testimony that his father had the right to expropriate it. The purchaser will then use one deed of sale that he possesses to expropriate property from people who purchased property after he did from the borrower who sold him the property. The court will tear up the deed of sale that the initial purchaser possesses.
For the sake of deception, the person who expropriated the field will allow the purchaser to take possession of it again. He will then expropriate it again on the basis of the testimony of his witnesses. The purchaser will then produce the second deed of sale and expropriate property from other purchasers unlawfully.
If so, what should a person who has lost his deed of sale to a property do if the witnesses to the sale are still alive? A second deed of sale should be composed, saying: "This deed of sale may not be used to expropriate property that has been sold, or property that is in the possession of the seller. We have composed it only to establish so-and-so, the purchaser, as the owner of the field, so that the seller or his heirs cannot expropriate it from him."
י
לפיכך אין כותבין שני שטרות מכר על שדה אחת שמא יעשה הלוקח קנוניא עם בעל חוב ויטרוף שלא כדין, כיצד יבא זה ויטרוף שדה זו בעדות שהעידו לו מחמת אביו ויחזור הלוקח ויטרוף בשטר המכר שבידו מן הלקוחות שלקחו אחריו ויקרע שטר המכר שבידו ויחזור בקנוניא ויעמוד בשדה שנטרפה ממנו ויבא הוא שטרפה בעצמה ויטרוף אותה פעם אחרת בעדות עדיו ויוציא הלה שטר המכר השני ויטרוף בו לקוחות אחרים שלא כדין, אם כן מי שנאבד לו שטר המכר ועדיו קיימין כיצד יעשה יכתבו שטר שני ויאמרו בו שטר זה אין גובין בו לא מנכסים משועבדים ולא מנכסים בני חורין ולא כתבנוהו אלא להעמיד שדה זו ביד פלוני הלוקח כדי שלא יוציאה מידו המוכר ולא יורשיו.
11
This principle does not apply with regard to promissory notes. Even though the witnesses to the loan are alive and entered into a kinyan with the borrower, if the lender returns immediately and tells the witnesses: "The promissory note that you composed for me is now lost or was burnt," they should not compose a second promissory note for him. 5 We suspect that the debt was paid or that he waived payment.
The above applies even if the loan was given for a period of time. The lender cannot collect any money on the basis of the testimony of these witnesses, unless the borrower states: "The loan was never given." In that instance, he is established as a liar through their testimony, as will be explained.
יא
בשטרי החובות אינו כן אע"פ שעדיו קיימין וקנו מידו וחזר בשעתו ואמר שטר שכתבתם לי עתה אבד או נשרף אין כותבין לו שטר שני שמא פרעו או מחלו, ואפילו היה החוב לזמן ואינו גובה בעדים אלו כלום אלא אם הלוה אומר לא היו דברים מעולם שזה הוחזק כפרן בעדותן כמו שיתבאר. 1
12
When a promissory note in a person's possession is worn and it is beginning to become effaced, the lender should have witnesses look at it. He should then come to the court, and the court will validate it. The witnesses who signed the promissory note itself, however, may not compose another promissory note on their own initiative, even when the promissory note was blotted out in their presence. Instead, they should go to the court, and the court will validate the promissory note.
יב
מי שבלה שטר חובו והרי הוא הולך להמחק מעמיד עליו עדים ובא לב"ד והם עושין לו קיום, אבל עדי השטר עצמן אין כותבין לו שטר אחר אע"פ שנמחק בפניהם, אבל באין לבית דין וב"ד עושין לו קיום. 2
13
How should this promissory note be validated? The court composes a new document that states: "We the court composed of so-and-so, so-and-so, and so-and-so, saw how so-and-so, the son of so-and-so, produced a promissory note that was effaced in our presence. It was dated on this-and-this date. So-and-so, and so-and-so are his witnesses."
If they composed such a document and required the testimony of the witnesses, and their testimony was corroborated, the lender may collect the debt with this document that was composed for him. No further validation is required.
If the court did not compose such a document ,56 if the debtor protests that the document is a forgery, the lender must also bring proof regarding the signatures of the original witnesses, so that their testimony will be validated.
יג
כיצד מקיימין שטר זה כותבין שטר אחר ואומרים אנו בית דין פלוני ופלוני ופלוני הוציא פלוני בן פלוני שטר נמחק לפנינו וזמנו ביום פלוני ופלוני ופלוני עדיו, ואם כתבו והוזקקנו לעדותן של עדים ונמצאת מכוונת גובה בשטר זה שכתבו לו ואין צריך קיום אחר, ואם לא כתבו כן צריך להביא ראיה על העדים הראשונים עד שתתקיים עדותן.
14
When a promissory note is torn, it is acceptable. If its wording is in the process of being rubbed out or muddled, as long as the form of the original letters are recognizable, it is acceptable.
If it is torn as the court tears a legal document, it is unacceptable. In which manner does the court tear a legal document? Both horizontally and vertically.
יד
שטר חוב שנתקרע כשר, נמחק או נתטשטש אם רשומו ניכר כשר, נקרע קרע ב"ד ה"ז פסול, איזהו קרע ב"ד שתי וערב.
15
The following laws apply when a person repays a portion of a debt recorded in a promissory note. If the lender desires, he may exchange the original promissory note, and the court composes a new document for him for the remainder of the debt, with the lien beginning on the original date. The witnesses to the original promissory note may not take this initiative. If he desires, he may write the borrower a receipt.
טו
מי שפרע מקצת חובו אם רצה מחליף וכותבין לו ב"ד שטר אחר בשאר החוב מזמן ראשון אבל לא עדי השטר, ואם רצה יכתוב שובר.
16
When a person comes to pay his debt, and the lender tells him: "I lost my promissory note," the lender should compose a receipt for him and then the borrower should pay the entire debt. The borrower may, however, have a ban of ostracism issued against anyone who hides his promissory note and claims that it is lost.
If the borrower lodges a definite claim, saying: "The promissory note is in his possession. He just placed it in his pocket," my masters have ruled that the lender should take a sh'vuat hessetthat the promissory note was lost. Afterwards, the borrower should pay the debt and a receipt should be composed.
טז
הבא לפרוע חובו ואמר המלוה אבד לי השטר ה"ז יכתוב לו שובר ויפרע כל חובו, ויש ללוה להחרים סתם על מי שכובש שטרו וטוען שאבד, ואם טען הלוה טענת ודאי ואמר השטר אצלו ועתה הניחו בכיסו הורו רבותי שישבע המלוה היסת שאבד השטר ואח"כ יפרע חובו ויכתוב שובר.
17
When a lender produces a promissory note for a manehand asks that two promissory notes for 50 zuz be composed, we do not comply. The rationale is that it is of benefit for the borrower to have the entire debt recorded in a single promissory note. For if he pays him a portion of the debt, the legal power of the promissory note will be impaired.
Conversely, if the lender produced two promissory notes, each one for 50 zuz, and asks that one promissory note for 100 be composed, we do not comply. Instead, we validate both of them individually. The rationale is that it is of benefit for the borrower to have two promissory notes, so that the lender cannot compel him to pay the entire sum at one time.
יז
מי שהוציא שטר חוב במנה ואמר עשו לי ממנו שנים בחמשים חמשים אין עושין שזכות הוא ללוה להיות הכל בשטר אחד שאם יפרענו מקצת נמצא שטרו פגום, וכן אם הוציא שני שטרות בחמשים חמשים ואמר עשו לי אותן במאה אין עושין לו אלא עושין לו קיום לכל אחד ואחד שזכות הוא ללוה להיות שנים שלא יכוף אותו בדין בפעם אחת לגבות הכל.
18
When a lender produces a promissory note for 100 zuz and says: "Tear it up and compose another promissory note for 50," we do not heed his request. We fear that perhaps the borrower repaid the entire amount, and the lender wrote a receipt for him. If the lender authenticated the new promissory note for 50 zuz and the borrower produced the receipt, he would tell the borrower: "This is another promissory note."
יח
הוציא שטר חוב במאה ואמר קרעוהו וכתבו לי שטר אחר בחמשים אין שומעין לו שמא פרעו הכל וכתב לו שובר על שטר של מאה וכשיחזור ויוציא קיום זה על שטר חמשים ויוציא הלוה השובר יאמר לו זה שטר אחר הוא.
Malveh veLoveh - Chapter 24
1
We have already explained that a promissory note concerning a loan that was affirmed by a kinyan may be composed for a borrower even when the lender is not together with him. Similarly, we compose a deed of sale for a seller even though the purchaser is not together with him. And we compose a receipt for a lender even though the borrower is not together with him. We compose a receipt for a woman even though her husband is not together with her, and a bill of divorce for a man even though his wife is not with him.
We do not compose legal documents for consecration and marriage, sharecropping agreements, business contracts," the choice of judges, the claims of the litigants, and any act of court without the consent of both principals. It is necessary to be careful about all the particulars of the composition of these documents, as is the case with regard to other legal documents.
א
כבר ביארנו ששטר חוב שיש בו קנין כותבין אותו ללוה אע"פ שאין המלוה עמו, וכן כותבין שטר למוכר אע"פ שאין הלוקח עמו, וכן כותבין שובר למלוה אע"פ שאין הלוה עמו ושובר לאשה אף על פי שאין בעלה עמה וגט לאיש אע"פ שאין אשתו עמו, אבל אין כותבין שטרי אירוסין ונישואין ושטרי אריסות וקבלנות ושטר ברירת הדיינין או שטר טענת בעלי דינין וכל מעשה ב"ד אלא מדעת שניהם, וכל השטרות האלו צריכין להזהר בתקונן כשאר השטרות.
2
Who must pay the scribe's fee for the composition of these documents? With regard to promissory notes, the borrower must pay. With regard to deeds of sale, the purchaser must pay. The woman must pay the fee for the bill of divorce. The groom must pay the fee for documents for consecration and marriage. The recipient of the field, the sharecropper, or the worker must pay the fee for the composition of a contract. With regard to the document recording the choice of judges and the claims of litigants, both parties must share the fee.
ב
ומי נותן שכר הסופר, בשטרי הלואה הלוה נותן שכר, ובשטרי מקח וממכר הלוקח נותן שכר, והאשה נותנת שכר הגט, והחתן נותן שכר שטר האירוסין או הנישואין, והמקבל וכן האריס או השכיר נותן שכר השטר, אבל שטר ברירת הדיינין או טענות בעלי דינין שניהם נותנין שכר.
3
The following law applies both to legal documents composed for one of the parties when the other is not present, and legal documents that can be composed only when both consent and both are present - e.g., a promissory note written at the request of the lender, or a deed of sale written at the request of the purchaser. In all instances, the witnesses must recognize the identity of the individuals mentioned in the legal document, that this is so-and-so, the son of so-and-so, and that this is so-and-so, the son of so-and-so. This is necessary, lest two individuals come and try to perpetrate deceit, changing their names to the names of other people, and then acknowledge obligations to each other.
ג
אחד השטרות הנכתבין לאחד שלא בפני חבירו ואחד השטרות שאין כותבין אותן אלא מדעת שניהם ושניהן עומדין כגון שטר שכותבין למלוה או ללוקח כולן צריכין שיהיו העדים מכירין השמות שבשטר שזה הוא פלוני בן פלוני וזהו פלוני בן פלוני שמא יבואו שנים ויעשו קנוניא וישנו שמותיהן בשמות אחרים ויודו זה לזה.
4
Whenever a person has established a name for 30 days in a city, we do not suspect that he has another name and has changed his name to perpetrate deceit. For if we would raise such suspicions, there would be no end to the matter.24
Therefore, if a person who has not established has name in a city for 30 days comes and asks: "Write a promissory note for me that I am obligated to so-and-so" - or "... to this person for these and these many dinarim" we do not compose such a document for him unless he brings proof that this is his name, or he waits until his identity is established.
ד
כל מי שהוחזק שמו בעיר שלשים יום אין חוששין לו שמא שם אחר יש לו והוא שינהו כדי לרמות ולעשות קנוניא שאם אתה אומר כן אין לדבר סוף, לפיכך מי שלא הוחזק שמו בעיר שלשים יום ובא ואמר כתבו עלי שטר שאני חייב לפלוני או לזה כך וכך דינרין, אין כותבין לו עד שיביא ראיה שזה שמו או יוחזק.
5
The following laws apply when there is a dispute with regard to any promissory note produced before us. For example, the borrower claims: "I do not owe anything. Maybe a charlatan pretended that his name was my name and acknowledged owing money to this person." Or he might claim: "I do not owe anything to this person, but rather to another person. This plaintiff is a charlatan in claiming that his name is the same as the name of the person to whom I owe." Since it has not been established that there are two people in that city with the same name, we pay no attention to his claim. For it is an accepted presumption that witnesses will not sign a legal document unless they know the identity of the people mentioned within it.
Similarly, it is an accepted presumption that witnesses will not sign a legal document unless they know with certainty that the persons making the statements concerning themselves are adults and mentally competent. And witnesses will not sign a legal document unless they know how to read and sign their names.
ה
כל שטר שיצא לפנינו ויטעון הלוה ויאמר איני חייב כלום שמא רמאי אחר העלה שמו כשמי והודה לזה או שאמר לא לזה אני חייב כלום אלא לאחר וזה רמאי הוא והעלה שמו כשם בעל חובי, מאחר שלא הוחזק שם שנים ששמותיהן שוין אין חוששין לדבריו שחזקה הוא שאין העדים חותמין על השטר אלא א"כ מכירין אלו הנזכרים בו, וכן חזקה שאין חותמין על השטר אלא א"כ נודע להם בודאי שאלו שהעידו על עצמן גדולים ובני דעת, ואין העדים חותמין על השטר אלא אם כן יודעים לקרות ולחתום.
6
When witnesses do not know how to sign their names, and the names of the witnesses were cut out from a blank paper and placed over the legal document, and then the witnesses "signed" with this script, they are given stripes for rebellious conduct, and the promissory note is unacceptable.
ו
עדים שאין יודעין לחתום וקרעו להן נייר חלק וחתמו על הרשום מכין אותן מכת מרדות והשטר פסול.
7
When the head of a court of law knows about the general circumstances described in a legal document, he may sign it even though he does not read it himself, but instead, it was read to him by one of his scribes. The rationale is that the head of the court trusts the scribe, and the scribe is afraid. No other person can do this. A witness may not sign a legal document until he reads it word for word.
ז
ראש ב"ד שהיה יודע ענין השטר וקרא השט' לפניו הסופר שלו הואיל והוא מאמין אותו ואימתו עליו הרי זה חותם על השטר אע"פ שלא קראהו הוא בעצמו ואין שאר העם רשאין לעשות כן עד שיקרא העד השטר מלה מלה. 1
8
The following laws apply when there are two people in a city, each named Yosef, the son of Shimon. Neither of them can demand payment from the other on the basis of a promissory note that he produces, nor can a third party demand payment from either of them on the basis of a promissory note that he produces unless the witnesses who signed the promissory note come themselves and testify: "This is the promissory note concerning which we testified, and this is the person concerning whom we testified regarding the loan."43
Similarly, such individuals cannot divorce their wives unless they do so in the presence of the other individual with the same name. Similarly, if a person finds a receipt among his legal documents saying, "The promissory note concerning the debt owed to Yosef, the son of Shimon, has been paid," the debts recording in the promissory notes this person owes to both of these individuals with the same name are considered to be paid.
What should people whose names and the names of their parents are alike do to enable them to compose valid legal documents? They should write the third generation as identification in the legal document. If the names of their grandparents are the same, they should write a sign. If the signs also looked alike, they should write their family lineage. If they were both priests or both Levites, they should write further generations.
ח
שנים שהיו בעיר שם כל אחד מהן יוסף בן שמעון אינן יכולין להוציא שטר חוב זה על זה ולא אחר יכול להוציא עליהן שטר חוב אלא א"כ באו עדי השטר בעצמן ואמרו זהו השטר שהעדנו עליו וזהו שהעדנו לו בהלואה, וכן אין מגרשין נשותיהן אלא זה בפני זה, וכן אם נמצא לאחד בין שטרותיו שובר ששטרו של יוסף בן שמעון פרוע שטרות שניהן שעליו פרועין, וכיצד יעשו אלו ששמותיהן שוין ושמות אביהן שוין ישלשו, היו שמות אבות אבותיהן שוין יכתבו סימניהן, היו דומין זה לזה בצורתן יכתבו יחוסן, היו שניהם לוים שניהם כהנים יכתבו דורות.
9
The following laws apply when a person produces a promissory note against a colleague that states: "I, so-and-so, the son of so-and-so, borrowed a maneh from you." Although the name of the lender is not mentioned in the promissory note, any person who produces this promissory note from his possession can expropriate payment with it. The borrower cannot rebuff the plaintiff by saying that the promissory note belonged to another person from whom it fell.
Similarly, when there are two people named Yosef, the son of Shimon, dwelling in the same city and one of them produces a promissory note against one of the inhabitants of the city, the defendant cannot rebuff him by saying: "I am obligated to so-and-so whose name is the same as yours and this promissory note fell from him." Instead, the person who produced the promissory note may use it to collect the debt. We do not suspect that the promissory note fell.
ט
הוציא עליו שטר שכתוב בו אני פלוני בן פלוני לויתי ממך מנה אע"פ שאין בו שם המלוה כל מי שיצא שטר זה מתחת ידו גובה בו ואינו יכול לדחותו ולומר של אחר הוא ונפל, וכן שני יוסף בני שמעון הדרין בעיר אחת שהוציא אחד מהן שטר חוב על אחד מבני העיר אינו יכול לדחותו ולומר לו לפלוני שהוא כשמך אני חייב וממנו נפל השטר אלא הרי זה שיצא מתחת ידו גובה ואין חוששין לנפילה.
10
The following laws apply when two persons produce promissory notes against each other. The latter cannot tell the first: "If I owed you money, why would you borrow from me?" Instead, each one is entitled to collect the debt mentioned in his promissory note.
If both of the promissory notes were for 100 zuz, both of the principals possessed property of equivalent value, be it property of superior quality, property of intermediate quality, or property of inferior quality, we do not attend to them. Instead, each person remains with what he possesses. If one possesses property of superior quality and property of intermediate quality, and the other only property of inferior quality, the one should expropriate the property of intermediate quality, and the other should expropriate the property of inferior quality.
י
שנים שהוציאו כל אחד משניהם שטר חוב על חבירו אין האחרון יכול לומר לראשון אילו הייתי חייב לך היאך אתה לוה ממני אלא זה גובה חובו וזה גובה חובו, היה זה במאה וזה במאה ויש לזה עידית ולזה עידית או לזה בינונית ולזה בינונית לזה זיבורית ולזה זיבורית אין נזקקין להן אלא כל אחד ואחד עומד בשלו, היה לזה עידית ובינונית ולזה זיבורית זה גובה מן הבינונית וזה גובה מן הזיבורית.
11
The following laws apply when a person produces a promissory note against a colleague and that person produces a deed of sale, stating that the alleged lender sold him a field. If they are in a place where the purchaser pays the money, and afterwards the seller writes the deed of sale, the promissory note is invalidated. The rationale is that the borrower will tell the alleged lender: "If I was indebted to you, you should have used the money to pay the debt."
In a place where the deed of sale is composed and then the money is paid, however, the promissory note is viable. For the alleged lender can claim: "I sold you the field so that you would have known property from which I could collect my debt if you claimed bankruptcy."
יא
הוציא שטר חוב על חבירו והלה מוציא שטר שמכר לו השדה אם היו במקום שנותן הלוקח המעות ואח"כ כותב לו המוכר את השטר הרי שטר חובו של זה בטל שהרי אומר לו אילו הייתי חייב לך היה לך לפרוע חובך, אבל במקום שכותבין ואחר כך נותנין הרי שטר החוב קיים שהרי זה אומר מכרתי לך את השדה כדי שיהיה לך נכסים ידועים שאגבה מהן חוב שלי.
FOOTNOTES
1.
ראש ב"ד שהיה יודע וכו' עד מלה מלה. א"א שטר מעשה ב"ד עכ"ל.
• Thursday, 12 Elul, 5776 · 15 September 2016
• "Today's Day"
• Sunday, Elul 12, 5703
Torah lessons: Chumash: Tavo, first parsha with Rashi.
Tehillim: 66-68. Also 34-36.
Tanya: XIV. To arouse (p. 461) ...the highest levels. (p. 463).
The long hemsheich (series of maamarim) known as "B'sha'a shehikdimu, Te'erav" was begun1 by my father on the first day of Shavuot 5672 (1912) in Lubavitch. He finished it on the Shabbat of parsha Vayeira 5676 (1915) in Rostov - with the maamar which begins VaHashem amar. The hemsheich contains 144 maamarim.
Extant in manuscript2 is a second section which he had not delivered orally, and which is not divided into maamarim.
FOOTNOTES
1.I.e. the first maamar of the series was delivered as an oral discourse on that day by the Rebbe (R. Shalom Dovber).
2.Subsequently published by Kehot.
• Daily Thought:
Childish Enthusiasm
A child's enthusiasm comes in a storm,
taking over the child's entire world.
So that when a child embraces a new, good way of being,
it enters forever, and nothing can ever take it away.[1 Iyar 5736, sicha 3.]
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